Germany suspends certification of Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Xinhua) 07:49, February 23, 2022

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks during the 58th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

"The situation today has fundamentally changed," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told journalists. "We will reassess the situation that has evolved over the past few days."

BERLIN, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Tuesday the suspension of the certification process of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline citing Russia's course of action over Ukraine.

"The situation today has fundamentally changed," he told journalists. "We will reassess the situation that has evolved over the past few days."

"I asked the Economy Ministry today to withdraw the existing report on the analysis of supply security at the Federal Network Agency," Scholz said, adding that it was a necessary administrative step to prevent the certification and thus the operation of Nord Stream 2.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs would now make a new assessment of the security of supply taking the last days' development into account, he said.

Picture taken on Oct. 8, 2012 shows Nord Stream pipeline equipments before the opening ceremony of the North Stream second gas link in Portovaya bay, some 60 kilometers from the town of Vyborg in northwestern Russia. (Xinhua)

Russia's decision to recognize "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent states was a "serious breach of international law" that violated the Minsk agreements and the Charter of the United Nations, Scholz said.

Scholz said it is now important to "prevent a further escalation, and thus a catastrophe. That is what all our diplomatic efforts are aimed at."

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is expected to transport 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The 1,234-km pipeline, however, has been lying idle, pending a go-ahead from Germany and the European Union.

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows a screen displaying Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking during a televised address to the nation in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Tuesday rolled out the first of what the U.S. says could be an ever-fiercer, ever-broader cascade of financial sanctions and penalties over Russias moves against Ukraine.

Tuesdays first installment of sanctions hit members of Putins inner circle and their families and two banks that the U.S. considers especially crucial to the Kremlin and Russias military. Another new U.S. measure limits Russia's power to raise money abroad.

U.S. officials made clear they were holding in possible reserve more devastating measures, in case Russia escalates actions threatening Ukraine's territory and sovereignty. The Biden administration says those more sweeping penalties would cripple Russia's ability to do business at home and abroad, and likely bring on a recession there.

Here's a look at some of the tougher possible penalties that U.S. leaders are holding in abeyance  while watching for new Russian steps against Ukraine. The U.S. has yet to fully disclose which of the options it will use.

Nord Stream 2

Germany announced Tuesday that it would suspend its certification of the newly built but never operated Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline. A multibillion-dollar project of Russia's Gazprom energy company and European companies, the pipeline would carry Russias natural gas to the lucrative markets of Europe. It's been a top target of the Biden administration and Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, who say the project was a strategic mistake from the start, increasing Putins political power over Europe by prolonging its dependence on Russias natural gas.

Reluctant to split with ally Germany, Biden has warded off repeated attempts in Congress to impose financial sanctions on any company or person that does business that involves Nord Stream 2, effectively making it financially impossible for the pipeline to operate. It's unclear if the U.S. might still impose its own sanctions on Nord Stream 2, to amplify the actions that Germany just took.

Biden insisted in recent weeks that Nord Stream had no chance if Russia invaded Ukraine. Then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it, Biden said.

Sanctions on individuals, businesses and entities

U.S. officials suggested that the latest sanctions were only a hint of how far it could go in targeting Russian companies and individuals.

Tuesdays actions included hitting civilian leaders in Russias leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russias military, with more than $80 billion in combined assets. That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdiction.

But U.S. officials emphasized Washington still could take more of Russia's banks, including its biggest, offline with a push of a button.

Overall, the U.S. and its allies aim to impose sanctions that compel Putin to change his ways, while hoping to minimize the harshest impacts on ordinary Russians and any collateral economic damage on the U.S. and European allies.

Sanctions are imposed on individuals listed on a Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List through the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Also known as SDNs, the list includes individuals and companies owned, controlled by or acting on behalf of a targeted country. Traditionally, their assets will be blocked and the U.S. is almost completely prohibited from dealing with SDNs. Individuals, groups, companies and even aircraft can be given this designation.

Additionally, sectoral sanctions are an option to damage the economy. Sectoral sanctions apply to specific Russian firms  such as energy, finance, technology and defense  to be included on the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List. Sectoral sanctions will limit some trade but will permit some transactions.

SWIFT

For the U.S. and its European allies, cutting Russia out of the SWIFT financial system, which shuffles money from bank to bank around the globe, would be one of the toughest financial steps they could take, damaging Russias economy immediately and in the long term. The move could cut Russia off from most international financial transactions, including international profits from oil and gas production, which in all accounts for more than 40% of the countrys revenue.

Allies on both sides of the Atlantic also considered the SWIFT option in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia declared then that kicking it out of SWIFT would be equivalent to a declaration of war. The allies  criticized ever after for responding too weakly to Russias 2014 aggression  shelved the idea.

Russia since then has tried to develop its own financial transfer system, with limited success.

The U.S. has succeeded before in persuading the SWIFT system to kick out a country  Iran, over its nuclear program. But kicking Russia out of SWIFT would also hurt other economies, including those of the U.S. and key ally Germany.

Dollar clearing

The United States holds one of the most powerful financial weapons to wield against Putin  blocking Russia from access to the U.S. dollar. Dollars still dominate in financial transactions around the world, with trillions of dollars in play daily.

Transactions in U.S. dollars ultimately are cleared through the Federal Reserve or through U.S. financial institutions. Crucially for Putin, that means foreign banks have to be able to access the U.S. financial system to settle dollar transactions.

The ability to block that access gives the United States the ability to inflict financial pain well beyond its borders. Previously, the U.S. has suspended financial institutions from dollar clearing for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran, Sudan and other countries.

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BOISE  Months after the National School Boards Association came under fire for its comments about parental protests, the Idaho School Boards Association is severing its ties to the group.

The ISBAs executive board voted Monday to break off from the NSBA, effective immediately.

The ISBA will instead join a fledgling national consortium  one that ISBA leaders hope will take a less partisan approach.

We need to be a part of something thats moving in the right direction, Jason Knopp, the ISBAs president, said Monday afternoon.

Knopp announced the ISBAs move Monday during a Senate Education Committee presentation  attended by more than 100 Idaho trustees, who are in Boise this week for the groups annual Day on the Hill lobbying drive.

ISBA is one of the states preeminent school lobbying groups, representing about 800 trustees and charter school board members from across the state. But the groups membership with NSBA has drawn scrutiny at the Statehouse.

The controversy began on Sept. 29, when the NSBA wrote a letter to President Biden, asking federal law enforcement to address a growing number of threats of violence and acts of intimidation at school trustee meetings across the nation, suggesting the actions could amount to domestic terrorism.

The backlash was sharp and swift, and on Oct. 13, the ISBA distanced itself from the letter. ISBA was never asked to provide input nor were we informed that the letter was being sent. Despite that, it had the appearance of carrying the endorsement of every state association and its members.

The NSBA later apologized, but on Oct. 26, 35 legislators co-signed their own letter, urging ISBA to rescind its NSBA membership.

Knopp  an eight-year member of the Melba school board, who has filed initial paperwork for a possible run for the Idaho House of Representatives  told senators that the ISBA tried to take a slow approach to the controversy.

We decided, were not just going to jump off the ship. He said.

But after the ISBA sent suggestions to the national board, and after Knopp attended a one-day session with NSBA leadership in Washington. D.C., he said he became convinced that the national group wasnt going to act on the issue.

ISBAs decision to rescind its membership was not unprecedented. Nineteen state organizations  mostly in Republican-leaning states  have severed their NSBA ties, the Washington Post reported in January.

From here, the ISBA is looking for a new organization. Organizations in about 20 states are looking to form a new consortium, ISBA executive director Misty Swanson said Monday afternoon.

Sen. David Lent, a former Idaho Falls school trustee, urged the ISBA to find a way to reap the benefits of membership in a larger organization: training, and a perspective on national issues such as school safety. But he didnt second-guess the ISBAs move.

We all know the train wreck that happened with NSBA, said Lent, R-Idaho Falls.

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BOISE  The Idaho House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting mask mandates for the purpose of preventing or slowing the spread of a contagious disease  a one-page bill that does not include an enforcement mechanism or penalty for noncompliance.

House Bill 631 passed by a vote of 46-24, with 12 Republicans joining all 12 Democrats to vote against it.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Karey Hanks, R-St. Anthony, prohibits the state government and any of its political subdivisions from mandating the use of a face mask, face shield or other face covering for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease. Political subdivisions include county and city governments, school districts and public health districts, but does not include hospitals or health care facilities.

During debate, Hanks said she was most concerned about the effects of mask wearing on children, particularly in schools. Debate focused largely on mask wearing that has been recommended or mandated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for children as young as the age of 2, but Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, said the bill could have much larger implications.

We seem to be swatting at flies with a sledgehammer here, because this doesnt say schools and it doesnt say schools and it doesnt say COVID, Chaney said. It says every branch of government under every single circumstance.  What if its a defendant or a subject that law enforcement is interacting with? Maybe they are HIV or Hepatitis C positive, and they are spitting at the officers. Well, I would read this to interpret that to mean that that officer would not be permitted without saying, well, this is a strong suggestion that while you are in the back of my car, please wear this mask so you can quit spitting on me.

Several legislators continued to debate the scientific merit of wearing a mask and if it was an effective method of reducing the spread of COVID.

Public health experts with the Idaho Division of Public Health, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and federal and international health advisory bodies say universal use of face coverings reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus, and masks also reduce the risk of inhaling an infectious dose of the airborne virus. Health authorities now recommend the use of masks that can filter small particles, such as N95 and KN95 respirators, when in shared public areas that are enclosed, or crowded outdoor areas.

Hanks said although penalties for noncompliance were removed from the final version of the bill, the bill was meant to provide more freedom to Idahoans.

Rep. Tony Wisniewski, R-Post Falls, said he believes masks are socially isolating young children and leading to mental health problems.

We are turning everyone into xenophobes. They may be trying to give us a disease, either intentionally or otherwise. We have done the best job of social isolation without going to the burka system, Wisniewski said.

Still other Republican legislators, including Rep. Scott Syme, R-Caldwell, were frustrated by the bill, using sarcasm to express opposition to the idea.

Why would any political subdivision want to slow the spread of any contagious or infectious disease? Who would want to do that? I mean, thats ridiculous, isnt it? Syme said. (I love this bill) because it says were clairvoyant. We know whats going to happen in the future. We know there will never be another disease that we might need to have somebody say, You need to wear a mask for. You know? Thats why I love the bill, but unfortunately, I will be voting against it.

The bill next heads to the Senate for its consideration. If passed into law, it includes an emergency clause that would put the prohibition into effect immediately.

Idaho Capital Sun reporter Audrey Dutton contributed to this report.

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BOISE  It may be impossible to put a price tag on the coronavirus pandemics cost to Idaho and Idahoans.

But reporting by the Idaho Capital Sun found that one small piece of the crisis has cost taxpayers more than $27.5 million. Thats how much the state has paid a federal contractor to bring in extra health care workers as the system buckled under the weight of COVID-19 patients.

FEMA will reimburse the state as long as it meets certain requirements.

One piece of COVIDs financial toll

Those millions of dollars encompass only what Idahos state government has paid ACI Federal, a federal contractor for health care crisis staffing, so far.

It doesnt include whatever Idahos hospitals and long term care facilities spent from their own coffers to keep their beds staffed. It also doesnt include the cost of another round of health care workers who have just been deployed to Idaho through the contract.

Right now, 12 facilities currently have (ACI Federal) medical staff in play, Ben Roeber, preparedness and protection branch chief of the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, said in an interview last Tuesday.

Things shift by the day, he said. We have facilities that indicate, We requested 10 but (now) only need five.

There were a total of 485 health care workers sent by ACI Federal to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and outpatient clinics as of last week, Roeber told the Sun.

Small part of pandemic bill

The Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses Idaho for its payments to ACI Federal  but only if the money goes where its supposed to go. Roebers job is to ensure the medical staff are needed for COVID-19 patient care.

Even if a hospital is short-staffed because its employees are out sick with COVID-19, they cant get staffing help unless they have COVID-19 patients.

The Idaho Office of Emergency Management said last week that FEMA had, so far, reimbursed Idaho for $11.8 million of payments to ACI Federal.

Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced last month that hed requested 503 more health care personnel to aid Idaho, through the FEMA arrangement.

The bulk of those workers are now deploying throughout the state, Idaho OEM officials said.

How does FEMA staffing work?

When Idaho Gov. Brad Little declared a state of emergency from the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, it set in motion the process that would allow Idaho to get FEMAs help with the crisis  and help with hospital staffing, as Idahoans with COVID-19 were hospitalized by the thousands.

To get the taxpayer-funded help, Idaho health care organizations have to go through a multi-step process. They contact their public health district  for example, in Boise, thats Central District Health  and submit a detailed application.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the Idaho Hospital Association helps the Idaho OEM review and then prioritize  knowing we have limited resources  where these resources need to go, Roeber said.

They look at everything from whether health care staff could be transferred from one hospital to another, to local trends in COVID-19 activity and test positivity rates.

Crisis without FEMA staff

While it has never been rare for Idaho health care facilities to hire travelers to fill vacancies in their workforce, the pandemic created a dangerous mismatch between the number of critically ill patients and the number of people to care for them. That is why Idaho ended up in crisis standards of care.

Idaho Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen last week deactivated the care-rationing protocol for the third time  that time, it applied only to Southwest and South Central Idaho  but warned that hospitals and long-term care facilities were still teetering on the edge of crisis.

It doesnt matter if Idaho is in crisis standards or not, OEM officials explained.

Certainly, if we took away the 485 staff (deployed as of mid-February), we would be right back in crisis standards of care, so we dont use that as the deciding factor, Roeber said.

And while Idaho may have emerged from the official crisis designation, theres still shortfalls, Roeber said. The health care facilities that receive help could take more, he said. I think theyre grateful for anything they can get.

Matt McCarter, the Idaho Office of Emergency Managements grants branch chief, noted that Kootenai Health in North Idaho has had roughly 700 vacancies now, for some time. Thats a lot of hospital staff missing to run your operation.

The Coeur dAlene hospital is among those who have been able to use a good deal of FEMA staffing, he said.

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BOISE  After five years of voting down similar bills, the Idaho Senate passed a bill that would require insurance companies to reimburse for up to a six-month supply of contraceptives, not including emergency contraception or medications to induce abortions.

Prior versions of Senate Bill 1260, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, would have provided contraception supplies of up to 12 months, but Wintrow said there were concerns about product waste, so she moved it to six months.

The bill passed on a 20-14 vote, with no debate aside from Sen. Todd Lakey, R-Nampa, who said he voted against the legislation because he has always viewed it as a mandate on the private sector.

Its my understanding that some insurance companies already do this, and if theres a demand for this length of prescription, then I think its best decided and met by the free market, Lakey said.

Wintrow told the Capital Sun the Legislature creates mandates all the time and passes health insurance-related bills on a regular basis. Insurers told her they were neutral about the idea.

They said, Melissa, you know, were not going to weigh in, but they certainly didnt oppose it, Wintrow said.

The six-month supply was particularly important to Wintrow because contraceptives have to be taken on a regular basis at specific times of day in order to be most effective at preventing pregnancy. She said she was shocked the vote wasnt unanimous considering the Legislatures focus on abortion legislation, but she was pleased it passed.

This body is very concerned about pregnancy and womens bodies. This is the best way, the best practice, to make contraception accessible in order to prevent an abortion, Wintrow said.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it may face more opposition, but said she has addressed every concern brought up in prior years.

The insurers are neutral, the right to life groups are neutral, Ive addressed concerns by physicians, I have cut the time. There is no excuse for not voting for this, she said.

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BOISE  Legislation to force local taxing districts to use some of their revenue sharing funds from state sales tax for property tax relief headed to the full House on Tuesday.

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee approved the measure despite opposition from the Idaho Association of Counties and concerns of some lawmakers it limited control of local elected officials.

Idaho collects 6% sales tax, and 11.5% of that is distributed to cities and counties to spend as they see fit. But the legislation the committee approved will require local taxing districts to use 50% of any new year-over-year increase in revenue sharing for property tax relief.

The bills sponsor, Republican House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, said the amount of money wasnt a lot but would add up over time.

Its not a big swipe at the pie, he said. Its not going to hurt anybody, but it makes it clear that any future new revenues have to be going to property tax relief.

Democratic Rep. Lauren Necochea voted against the measure.

I think this is a kind of sledgehammer approach to their budgets, she said. What I dont want to do is sit here in Boise and force service cuts on local taxing districts.

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BOISE  Republican candidates for Idahos State Superintendent of Public Instruction are mixed about claims of indoctrination in the states K-12 schools, but each will work with local school boards on issues if elected, they told a group of trustees Monday.

State superintendent Sherri Ybarra, former State Board President Debbie Critchfield and former lawmaker Branden Durst answered questions during a forum hosted by the Idaho School Boards Association and moderated by Idaho EdNews managing editor Jennifer Swindell at the Grove Hotel in Boise.

The forum was part of the ISBAs annual Day on the Hill Statehouse lobbying event. It marked the first time the Republican candidates gathered for questions ahead of the May 17 GOP primary. Roughly 75 trustees and other local leaders attended the event.

Ybarra announced on Monday morning her plan to seek a third term. Durst filed paperwork in Jan. 2021, and Critchfield announced a run in May.

Some highlights from Mondays topics, which ranged from college go-on rates to concerns over CRT:

CRT and claims of indoctrination in schools

Ybarra said Idahos not a scary example of CRT being taught in schools, and that the term means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Teachers are fearful, she added, but I will be the superintendent who has and will continue to investigate allegations. So far as state superintendent, concerns brought to her attention have not constituted CRT, she said. But Ybarra compared concerns to bullying  it happens, she said, though she also questioned anyones ability to indoctrinate Idahos teens: Theyre not so easily persuaded.

Critchfield offered a short response to concerns about CRT: Parents are concerned, schools say its not happening and policy makers dont know what to do. But, she added, Idahoans dont want an official who changes the message about the issue in different settings.

Durst said its not happening in every district or school, but it is happening in pockets, usually in our larger districts. Leaders need to be honest with parents, he added, and not patronize them over their concerns. (Parents) know what they know, so we need to address concerns in a way thats satisfactory to them.

Local control for school boards

Ybarra called herself a staunch supporter of local control and touted sending several concerns brought to her office over the years right back to local leaders, including superintendents, if they can address it. She may not always agree on the approach they take, she said, but thats for them to decide.

Critchfield also touted her approach to leaving key decisions to local boards, including during the pandemic. She advocated for leaving decisions up to trustees when the State Board ordered schools to close for four weeks in March 2020.

Durst told those in attendance that local control is important, but that parents should be given more say over things like masks. Hell stand and fight for parents, who we need to get back to trusting again.

Idahos college go-on push

Ybarra said not all kids want to go on to colleges, and Idaho needs more options to help them make decisions. COVID has also impacted students choices about life after high school. Our job is to build a foundation to help kids make a decision for whatever career path they want to choose, she said, adding that she has heard from Idahoans that the state has overemphasized college prep in recent years.

Critchfield touted students efforts to take advantage of increased dual credit offerings, but said theres a need to probe ways to reimagine junior and senior year to help kids work on things outside a formal education setting.

Durst said some kids are different,and it was wrong of the state to have a go-on goal in the first place. He suggested trusting kids to decide what to do after high school and that academic, standard and CTE (career-technical educate) tracks could be a starting point for emphasizing different options. There are a lot of barriers keeping kids from going from where they want to go, he added.

The State Board and State Department of Education

Editors note: Last year, lawmakers voted to move IT and data management functions away from Ybarras SDE and under the umbrella of the State Board of Education. The move stripped away 18 full-time positions from the SDE  about a seventh of Ybarras staff  and slashed $2.7 million from her office budget. Read more here.

Ybarra said a good working relationship exists between her department and the State Board, but going along to get along doesnt always work. She stressed three separate, equal branches of government and no rift between the SDE and State Board in recent years, though there has been occasional divisiveness. Once in a while gotta throw an elbow to get things done, she added.

Critchfield said healthy disagreement is good, but it can become an unhealthy use of our time. She also argued that Lawmakers moved responsibilities from SDE because they didnt have confidence in the SDE. She added: Were going to have disagreements but need to have a honest relationship with people.

Durst called these issues a distraction and said people should stop worrying about what bureaucrats think. What were really seeing is a huge number of parents who feel like no ones listening to them, he added.

Career-technical education

Ybarra said districts and charters must recruit CTE teachers and think out of the box in communities where that might be difficult. She pointed to what she views as successful efforts in the St. Maries School District.

Critchfield acknowledged CTE staffing issues, but said facility issues are also a problem for the states rural school. Outside the Treasure Valley, she added, its nearly impossible to provide access to tools and recruit people to oversee the programs. Kids still want it, she said, but may not have access to it.

Durst argued that CTE could be more accessible in smaller communities if districts were allowed to work together to provide it. He pointed to the small and rural Payette and Weiser districts, which could share staff and facilities to get things done. The current K-12 funding model also allows bigger districts to poach personnel from smaller ones to sustain CTE programs, Durst said.

Parents and trustees working through the pandemic

Ybarra, a trustee at Idahos Gooding-based school for the deaf and blind, said boards and parents need to be willing to go back to the drawing board, meet on weekends, during lunch breaks and hold emergency board meetings to weather pandemic interruptions. Get ahead of it, have an open conversation, she added. Parents also have to be included in the decision making process.

Critchfield echoed the need for parental communication: A three-minute testimony isnt validating for parents, she said. Communication is key, and parents need to feel like they have a say.

Durst reiterated the need for parents to make a decision. If they want masks, they should do that. If not, they should do that.

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Idaho students with dyslexia have not received all the intervention services needed to exhibit reading proficiency. Parents and their interest groups have been trying to rectify that for years.

Sen. Robert Blair(R) has introduced a comprehensive bill that would make it easier to identify the students with dyslexia and give them the extra tools to succeed. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra has introduced another bill in the house with a firm cost of $97,000 for a state coordinator and $2M for the resources to implement. Proponents of students with dyslexia point out that the House bill does not help identify the students who need help. Her bill is subject to appropriationdoes anyone else see the I tried excuse during the next election?

On Monday, the article in the Times-News diverted me from the column I had planned to submit. I was stunned that dyslexia was not the number one reading barrier addressed in Idaho. A few years ago, Henry Winkler spoke to educators at a conference in Twin Falls about his reading struggles caused by dyslexia. Sen. Blair emotionally articulated his fathers shame caused by bullying and calling him stupid because of his unattended dyslexia. A friend of mine, an honored special ed teacher, had two Masters degrees even though she had dyslexia.

I fault a legislature focused on a voucher system to provide state-funded private education. They accepted the mantra of lower taxes/less government in the seventies and never recalibrated. I also fault those citizens who have failed to articulate precisely what more money should go for. There are adults in Idaho who live with a sense of needless shame because their school system failed them. They know that they are not stupid, but their reading ability has hampered their ability to show it. I cant imagine the number of otherwise capable workers hindered by an inability to read.

I know that educators accept the challenge to help children identified as dyslexic, but parents struggle to find and fund testing for the less obvious problems. The research into this educational handicap is now extensive. We can make real progress. The Legislature can combine the Senate bill with the House bill to produce the needed legislation. But what about funding? Is this yet another use for the unneeded tax relief passed at the start of the session? Whose hide will the money come from?

At the end of every legislative session, I wonder which government services are now underfunded in Idaho. Politicians will play the shell games I mentioned in another column during the coming election season. The effort often produces less trust in government because citizens want to believe that government-funded services will be delivered as promised.

If I were an investigative reporter, I would attempt to pick up the budget requests left unfunded. How many needed transportation projects did the department identify? How many are funded? Who asked for more employees but did not get funding? Which agencies are under-resourced to complete their tasks and will therefore receive citizen complaints during the next fiscal year?

No one wants a State government to ask for or spend revenue on frivolous projects. I admire Idahos JAFC for its efficiency. I disagree with the how-low-can-we-go approach toward income and spending. If a majority wants to do away with a government effort, kill it. The death by a thousand cuts only feeds resentment when a department fails to deliver an expected outcome. Vote on a mandate when a department should stop providing a service. Dont hide behind an obscure denial of funding.

The issue of attacking dyslexia as a barrier to literacy is something I never thought was ignored within the Governors push for reading competency by third grade. It is an example of the effort left on JAFCs floor after they finish their job. I believe that most Idaho citizens would object if they knew.

Linda Brugger, retired from the Air Force Reserve, leaning Democrat and community activist can be reached at IdahoAuthor@outlook.com.

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YUROK RESERVATION, Calif. (AP)  The young mother had behaved erratically for months, hitchhiking and wandering naked through two Native American reservations and a small town clustered along Northern California's rugged Lost Coast.

But things escalated when Emmilee Risling was charged with arson for igniting a fire in a cemetery. Her family hoped the case would force her into mental health and addiction services. Instead, she was released over the pleas of loved ones and a tribal police chief.

The 33-year-old college graduate  an accomplished traditional dancer with ancestry from three area tribes  was last seen soon after, walking across a bridge near a place marked End of Road, a far corner of the Yurok Reservation where the rutted pavement dissolves into thick woods.

Her disappearance is one of five instances in the past 18 months where Indigenous women have gone missing or been killed in this isolated expanse of Pacific coastline between San Francisco and Oregon, a region where the Yurok, Hupa, Karuk, Tolowa and Wiyot people have coexisted for millennia. Two other women died from what authorities say were overdoses despite relatives' questions about severe bruises.

The crisis has spurred the Yurok Tribe to issue an emergency declaration and brought increased urgency to efforts to build California's first database of such cases and regain sovereignty over key services.

The recent cases spotlight an epidemic that is difficult to quantify but has long disproportionately plagued Native Americans.

A 2021 report by a government watchdog found the true number of missing and murdered Indigenous women is unknown due to reporting problems, distrust of law enforcement and jurisdictional conflicts. But Native women face murder rates almost three times those of white women overall  and up to 10 times the national average in certain locations, according to a 2021 summary of the existing research by the National Congress of American Indians. More than 80% have experienced violence.

In this area peppered with illegal marijuana farms and defined by wilderness, almost everyone knows someone who has vanished.

Missing person posters flutter from gas station doors and road signs. Even the tribal police chief isn't untouched: He took in the daughter of one missing woman, and Emmilee  an enrolled Hoopa Valley tribal member with Yurok and Karuk blood  babysat his children.

In California alone, the Yurok Tribe and the Sovereign Bodies Institute, an Indigenous-run research and advocacy group, uncovered 18 cases of missing or slain Native American women in roughly the past year  a number they consider a vast undercount. An estimated 62% of those cases are not listed in state or federal databases for missing persons.

Hupa citizen Brandice Davis attended school with the daughters of a woman who disappeared in 1991 and now has daughters of her own, ages 9 and 13.

"Here, we're all related, in a sense," she said of the place where many families are connected by marriage or community ties.

She cautions her daughters about what it means to be female, Native American and growing up on a reservation: "You're a statistic. But we have to keep going. We have to show people we're still here."

___

Like countless cases involving Indigenous women, Emmilee's disappearance has gotten no attention from the outside world.

But many here see in her story the ugly intersection of generations of trauma inflicted on Native Americans by their white colonizers, the marginalization of Native peoples and tribal law enforcement's lack of authority over many crimes committed on their land.

Virtually all of the area's Indigenous residents, including Emmilee, have ancestors who were shipped to boarding schools as children and forced to give up their language and culture as part of a federal assimilation campaign. Further back, Yurok people spent years away from home as indentured servants for colonizers, said Judge Abby Abinanti, the tribe's chief judge.

The trauma caused by those removals echoes among the Yurok in the form of drug abuse and domestic violence, which trickles down to the youth, she said. About 110 Yurok children are in foster care.

"You say, 'OK, how did we get to this situation where we're losing our children?'" said Abinanti. "There were big gaps in knowledge, including parenting, and generationally those play out."

An analysis of cases by the Yurok and Sovereign Bodies found most of the region's missing women had either been in foster care themselves or had children taken from them by the state. An analysis of jail bookings also showed Yurok citizens in the two-county region are 11 times more likely to go to jail in a given year  and half those arrested are female, usually for low-level crimes. That's an arrest rate for Yurok women roughly five times the rate of female incarcerations nationwide, said George, the University of California, Merced sociologist consulting with the tribe.

The Yurok run a tribal wellness court for addiction and operate one of the country's only state-certified tribal domestic violence perpetrator programs. They also recently hired a tribal prosecutor, another step toward building an Indigenous justice system that would ultimately handle all but the most serious felonies.

The Yurok also are working to reclaim supervision over foster care and hope to transfer their first foster family from state court within months, said Jessica Carter, the Yurok Tribal Court director. A tribal-run guardianship court follows another 50 children who live with relatives.

The long-term plan  mostly funded by grants  is a massive undertaking that will take years to accomplish, but the Yurok see regaining sovereignty over these systems as the only way to end the cycle of loss that's taken the greatest toll on their women.

"If we are successful, we can use that as a gift to other tribes to say, 'Here's the steps we took,'" said Rosemary Deck, the newly hired tribal prosecutor. "'You can take this as a blueprint and assert your own sovereignty.'"
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), a global initiative led by the UAE and the US with the support of over 140 government and non-government partners has unveiled plans to double its investment commitment to $8 billion by the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, reports say.

The ambitious investment goal, Trade Arabia reports, was announced at AIM for Climates first Ministerial Meeting, held at Expo 2020 Dubai, where government partners discussed the initiatives priorities and plans for COP27.

AIM for Climate was launched at COP26 and encourages support and investments for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation to enable solutions at the intersection of global hunger and the climate crisis.

AIM for Climate is currently accepting innovation sprint proposals for 2022 and has identified four focal areas for innovation sprints to be launched at COP27: smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries, methane reduction, emerging technologies, and agroecological research.
South African police said Monday they killed 10 suspects and wounded five of their men in an attempted robbery of a cash courier in Johannesburg, one of the countrys bloodiest shootings in recent years.

Informed by a tip-off, police deployed forces, including a helicopter, to try to prevent the planned attack in Rosettenville, a southern Johannesburg neighborhood, according to Police Minister Bheki Cele.

Cele reported that eight suspects were killed, before police spokeswoman Grace Landa put the death toll at ten suspects and five police officers injured.

The suspects came to attack a vehicle carrying cash and opened fire on the helicopter, injuring one of the pilots, Cele said. The police then returned fire, and more of their men were wounded in the exchange of fire.

They shot at the helicopter before we did anything against them. They shot at the pilot, Cele told reporters at the scene.

According to him, a gang of about 25 armed men from the southwestern province of KwaZulu-Natal, but also from neighboring Zimbabwe and Botswana, was involved in the attempt.

In addition to the eight dead, eight suspects have been arrested and the others are on the run, he added.

Attempted robberies of cash couriers are common in South Africa, where the level of crime is very high.

Police reported last week that there were 60 robberies of cash couriers in South Africa between October and December 2021, down slightly from the same period in 2020.
Sixty-three people were killed and almost as many injured in an explosion followed by a fire on Monday at a gold mining site in the village of Gbomblora, 15 km from Gaoua, in southwestern Burkina Faso. The report was made on Tuesday by the Faso prosecutor at the Gaoua High Court.

In Ouagadougou, there is consternation and desolation: This is a truly deplorable act. These are things that really need to be controlled. These are human lives. We cant lose people like this. We must have more security, check the products used. Often they use dynamite and other things, says a citizen.

The causes of the explosion are not yet known. But according to several sources, it is due to the chemicals used in the mining operation.

The governor of the South West region has ordered, as of this Tuesday, the closure of the gold panning site in question until further notice.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Falls are a leading cause of hospitalization and institutionalization for older adults in the U.S. and fall prevention efforts are an important part of geriatric education and health.

Yet, a new University of Michigan study found that despite prevention efforts, falls increase by about 1.5% annually, with wide variations in incidence based on geography.

"It could be that efforts aren't workingor that they are, by mitigating even worse potential injury risk in the population," said Geoffrey Hoffman, assistant professor at the U-M School of Nursing and co-author of the research letter, which appears in JAMA Network Open. "Either way, more investment in prevention, such as education and funding for fall education and prevention programs, would help."

It's not clear why falls are increasing. Researchers adjusted for age, but the study could have captured population changes in health and function, or in prescribing patterns for medications associated with increased falls. Or, Hoffman said, the results could reflect other factorsfor instance, a more active older adult population could result in more falls. Finally, the findings could reflect other changes in treatment and care, or how fall injuries are administratively coded.

Hoffman was surprised by the wide variation in fall injury rates between low and high injury areas. Counties with the highest (in the 90th percentile) fall rates had rates that were roughly 75% higher than counties with the lowest (10th percentile) fall rates.

"This suggests that environmental factors may play a larger role in falls than has been previously discussed and that population-targeted risk management to target-specific areas may be cost-effective and beneficial," Hoffman said.

Higher-risk areas were in the Central Plains and South. However, these areas are less populated so data is sparser and potentially less reliable, Hoffman said.

Map of US Counties With Fall Injury Rates Per 100,000 Person-Quarters, 2016-2019. Credit: University of Michigan

Lillian Min, associate professor of geriatric and palliative medicine at Michigan Medicine, said the research shows the potential for using national Medicare data to track falls for older adults on a large-scale.

"Such monitoring may capture benefits of future more effective prevention efforts or identify harms, such as increasing use of fall-risk inducing medications," said Min, senior author on the study.

While the geographic variability among low and high areas was surprising, the overall findings were not, Hoffman said.

"Severity of illness is increasing among Medicare beneficiaries, with older individuals living longer. So there is a shift in demographics, plus changes in enrollment trends," he said. "We also have insurance-related limitations. Medicare covers treatment for injury, but not for long-term care that may help maintain function in older individuals, so it's difficult to mitigate these risks."

Hoffman said that, until recently, healthier patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage. Because the study looked at fee-for-service beneficiaries (and not those in Medicare Advantage), it may have also captured changes in underlying health risk.

Falls affect 4.5 million older adults in the U.S. and cost Medicare $15 billion to $30 billion annually. Previous reports of increased fall injury trends are limited because data were self-reported and potentially undercounted by excluding moderate injuries. This study examined national trends and geographic variability in fall injuries.

Researchers analyzed claims from 2016-2019 for adults 65 and older. The 1.5% average annual increase translates to an additional 106,000 new fall injuries, or an estimated $1 billion in new fall injury spending over the study period.

Explore further Hospitals fall short in teaching fall prevention to departing patients

More information: Geoffrey Hoffman et al, Incidence of and County Variation in Fall Injuries in US Residents Aged 65 Years or Older, 2016-2019, JAMA Network Open (2022). Journal information: JAMA Network Open Geoffrey Hoffman et al, Incidence of and County Variation in Fall Injuries in US Residents Aged 65 Years or Older, 2016-2019,(2022). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.48007
Credit: Shutterstock

Blood transfusions are life-saving, but blood banks often face shortages.

This issue is particularly grave in sub-Saharan Africa, where children often die waiting for a transfusion.

Though most transfusions in the region are currently given as collected (whole blood transfusions), some services are starting to move towards using transfusions of concentrated red blood cells to mirror international practice. This might increase the number of transfusions from a single donation, but the reasons for transfusion and the patients in need of blood are very different in sub-Saharan Africa than the rest of the world. There is also a lack of data on the benefits of concentrated red blood cells in children with severe anemia.

Professor Kathryn Maitland, from Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation, has recently published a new paper exploring how safe and effective the two types of blood transfusion are for children with severe anemia in sub-Saharan Africa. The study re-examines data from a trial called TRACT (transfusion and treatment of severe anemia in African children).

Emily Head spoke to Professor Maitland, who is based in Kenya, to find out more.

Q: How common is severe anemia in children and how often are blood transfusions of this kind needed?

Professor Kathryn MaitlandIn sub-Saharan Africa, in children who are admitted to hospital, severe anemia is very common, and is largely caused by nutritional and infectious causes (such as malaria, sepsis and intestinal worms) and sickle cell disease. This means the demand for blood transfusion is high.

In the region, most transfusions are needed for children, or complications of pregnancy and trauma. For all these patients, what needs replacing is whole blood (ie, what has been lost). This is different to richer countries, where oncology and surgery are the biggest users of blood transfusion and its components such as plasma and platelets.

Q: What are whole blood transfusions vs packed red blood cells?

KMWhen blood is taken from a donor for a transfusion this is called whole blood. It contains all the types of cells and plasma that make up blood. It can be transfused, after safety testing, direct into a patient needing blood. Whereas packed red blood cells are processed to remove all the plasma (and therefore some of the other cellular components), and then has additional fluid added to it so it can be stored before use.

Q: What is current practice in sub-Saharan Africa, and why is the region changing practice towards using packed red blood cells?

KMMost blood transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa still issue whole blood packs for transfusion. However, they are being strongly encouraged to follow high-income countries in preparing packed red cells for transfusion.

In high-income countries, plasma is saved to make other products (such as albumin and fresh frozen plasma for other health conditions) so that one blood donation benefits more than one patient. However, in Africa, most blood banks discard all the plasma and cellular products. Processing blood to make packed red cells is costing blood transfusion services money and time, without benefitting multiple patients, as intended.

Some clinical guidelines mention the preference of using packed red cells rather than whole blood on the grounds of safety (as whole blood is considered as being more likely to cause harmful effects rather than packed cells). However, there is no evidence to support these recommendations.

Q: What does your study find about the use of packed red blood cells in children with severe anemia?

KMIn a secondary analysis of our TRACT transfusion trial, we found that of 3,188 children with severe anemia, 41% received an immediate whole blood transfusion. Contrary to perceived safety concerns in the clinical guidelines, we found no adverse effects of whole blood compared to packed cells.

However, compared with children who received whole blood transfusions, children who received packed cells did not recover as quickly (their hemoglobin levels did not increase as quickly within 8 hours), which meant that these children then needed more blood transfusions and they had to stay longer in hospital.

This is a problem because it further depletes scarce supplies of blood and it increases infection risk in the child through exposure to more blood donors.

Q: Why does whole blood work better in children than packed red blood cells?

KMWe don't yet know the mechanism for whole blood providing better outcomes than packed cells. It might be that the current dosing recommendations for packed cells are incorrect.

Nevertheless, providing packed cells for transfusion for this patient group, which is much more expensive for health services, is not supported by the evidence provided in our study.

Q: What are the next steps for your research? Will it change practice in sub-Saharan Africa?

KMAt a stakeholder meeting with blood transfusion services from across Africa many voiced their support for our findings. These results are good news for them, as it reassures them that providing whole blood for children with severe anemia may lead to better outcomes as well as saving resources. However, this may require a future larger trial which directly compares whole blood to packed cells in order to change guidelines.

One blood transfusion service in Blantyre, Malawi, has developed a new technique to split up whole blood bags to smaller packs (since children often do not need the whole bag). If this is proven to be effective and endorsed by policy makers, this could easily be adopted by blood transfusion services in other countries, and ensure that children receive the treatment they need while maintaining scarce blood supplies.

More information: Elizabeth C George et al, Whole blood versus red cell concentrates for children with severe anaemia: a secondary analysis of the Transfusion and Treatment of African Children (TRACT) trial, The Lancet Global Health (2022). Journal information: The Lancet Global Health Elizabeth C George et al, Whole blood versus red cell concentrates for children with severe anaemia: a secondary analysis of the Transfusion and Treatment of African Children (TRACT) trial,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(21)00565-9
Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Zika virus. Credit: Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Babies born with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), due to infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy, are at more than 11x greater risk of dying during the first three years of life than those born without the syndrome, according to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Of nearly 11.5 million live births in Brazil, 3,308 babies were born with confirmed or probable CZSof which 12% (398) died during the study period. In comparison, of the over 11.4 million babies born without CZS, 1% (120,629) babies died during the study period.

The study was carried out by a joint team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the Center of Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDAS-Fiocruz) and the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), funded by Wellcome and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

The study found the mortality rate among live births with CZS was over 11x higher than among live births without CZS up to the age of 36 months.

Normally babies who are born prematurely or small are at greater risk of death. In contrast, in babies born with CZS, the highest risk was found to be for children who were carried to full term or at normal birth weight (over 5.5lbs)  14.3x higher and 12.9x higher than babies in that group born without CZS, respectively.

The main causes of death amongst babies born with CZS were infectious diseases, diseases of the nervous systems, and congenital abnormalitiesmainly sepsis, cerebral palsy and microcephaly, respectively.

Dr. Enny Paixao Cruz, Assistant Professor at LSHTM and Research Associate at CIDACS, and study first author, said: "Many may think Zika is a disease of the past, but in just November this year there was an outbreak of the virus in the Indian city of Kanpur, with a surge of nearly 100 cases. For the most vulnerable in our society and parents, it remains a global concern.

"While the overall risk of death remains small, we found babies born with congenital Zika syndrome are at a greater risk of death than those born without. This increased risk demonstrates the importance of protecting women, especially those pregnant or of child-bearing age, against the bite of the mosquitoes that carry this virus."

Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. For many it is harmless with no symptoms, but if transmitted from mother to baby via the placenta it can result in babies being born with conditions including microcephaly, other congenital abnormalities, and dysphagia.

In April 2015 until November 2016, Brazil was affected by a devastating Zika epidemic, with an estimated 1.5 million infected, and over 3,500 cases of infant microcephaly or congenital zika syndromea rare condition where the head of the baby is smaller than expected, which is often linked to underdeveloped brains and learning disabilities in later life.

While we know prenatal exposure to the Zika virus can impact fetal development and result in CZS, there is much less data on survival and long-term outcomes of children born with CZS compared to those born without, and what impact important predictors of child mortality risk, such as birthweight and gestational age at birth, can have on these outcomes.

To plug this hugely important knowledge gap, the researchers looked at over 11 million babies born in Brazil between 2015 and 2018. They explored the association between mortality rates and CZS, using data from public health, live birth and death records.

These records should cover all cases of CZS, as Brazil requires all babies presenting with CZS-associated symptoms, born with microcephaly or other central nervous system symptoms, or whose mother reported a fever or skin rash during pregnancy, to be reported and investigated as suspected cases.

The team looked at babies of varying birth weights, gestational age at birth (preterm or born to term) and size for gestational age, comparing the mortality risk of those babies born with the syndrome to their counterparts without CZS.

Of more than 3,000 babies born with CZS, nearly 20% were born preterm, 36% were categorized as low birth weight (less than 3.3lbs), and 37% were small for gestational age. This compared to 10% preterm and 7% low birth weight and small for gestational age in the babies born without CZS.

Similar mortality risk was observed for babies born with or without CZS if born preterm (before 32 weeks gestation) or low birth weight. Mortality in very small preterm babies without CZS is very high , much higher than in term, catching up with mortality in CZS babies.

Prof Maria Gloria Teixeira, Epidemiologist at UFBa and CIDACS and senior author of the paper, said: "The increased mortality risk of live births with Congenital Zika Syndrome than those without this syndrome highlights the need to develop and implement postnatal medical care protocols, including early interventions, which can help reduce sequelae and adverse effects and improve the survival of these children."

The researchers found no statistically significant difference between mortality risk for babies born with or without microcephaly, suggesting it carries no added risk for the baby. However, this could be because the study did not have power to observe this difference. Therefore it still need to be better investigated.

Additionally, the time at which the mother reports having a rash (a common symptom of Zika virus infection), or if she had a rash or not, did not seem to alter their child's mortality risk.

Dr. Paixao Cruz added: "While parents should note that the overall risk of death remains small, our work highlights the need for women to be protected against the virus, and for well-established postnatal care systems. Early interventions after a baby is born with congenital Zika syndrome could reduce the long-lasting health effects, and improve survival chances. Now that we have identified which babies are likely at higher risk, we need to establish postnatal care and treatments to give them the best chance at life."

The researchers acknowledge the limitations of this study, including the small number of babies with CZS. Cases could have been underreported due to a lack of specific diagnostic tests for Zika infection in Brazil at the start of the pandemic.

Prof Mauricio Barreto, Director of CIDACS and co-senior author of the study, said: "We are very proud of this study as an addition to the effort to demonstrate the power of Brazilian routine health data, very judiciously processed in CIDACS, to produce sound scientific knowledge around critical health issues, with a high level of generalizability and applicability, and for immediate use by decision-makers."

Explore further Nearly one in five babies in Brazil born 'small' and at risk of early childhood death

More information: Mortality from Congenital Zika SyndromeNationwide Cohort Study in Brazil, New England Journal of Medicine (2022). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Mortality from Congenital Zika SyndromeNationwide Cohort Study in Brazil,(2022).
A young girl held by her mother pushes a shaft of a needle as she receives a first dose of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with Chinese-made Sinovac shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with Chinese-made Sinovac shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections.

Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed to parents to have their children vaccinated as soon as possible and said five of his 21 grandchildren and one of his daughters have tested positive for the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

"To overcome COVID-19 depends not just on the government or the Health Ministry, but needs the participation of all the people," Hun Sen said at a groundbreaking ceremony for a wastewater treatment facility on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

He endorsed the vaccination plan for younger children last week after health officials found at least 25% of newly reported infections involved children under age 5.

After vaccinating adults and older children, Cambodia approved shots for children aged 6-11 last September as part of reopening its schools. In November, vaccinations for 5-year-olds were approved.

More than 80% of Cambodia's almost 17 million people have received at least two shots. China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines account for most inoculations.

A recent sharp rise in cases has driven some people in Phnom Penh to stock antiviral medication to prepare for the possibility of catching the virus.

A young girl held by her mother reacts as she receives a first dose of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with Chinese-made Sinovac shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

A young boy, center, held by his mother, receives a dose of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with Chinese-made Sinovac shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

A young boy completes a form before he receives a dose of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with Chinese-made Sinovac shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

Villagers fill in their forms before receiving a dose of the Sinovac vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with the Chinese-made shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can.Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

A family fill a form before receiving a first dose of the Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with the Chinese-made shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

A man walks with his child after his son received a first dose of the Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with the Chinese-made shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

Villagers wait to receive a dose of the Sinovac vaccine at a health center outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia began vaccinating 3- and 4-year-olds with the Chinese-made shots Wednesday after finding young children accounting for many new infections. Prime Minister Hun Sen appealed for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as they can. Credit: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

They have been purchasing Molnupiravir, which was authorized by the Health Ministry last November for home-based treatment of mild to moderate cases. Cambodia has purchased 4 million pills, suitable for treating 10,000 people. Molnupiravir was developed by the pharmaceutical company Merck in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, another U.S.-based company.

Cambodia's Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 558 new COVID-19 cases and one related death, bringing the nation's totals since the pandemic began to 128,133 cases and 3,023 deaths.

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
(a) Change in fractal dimension between screening and 12-month visit (Df) as a function of change in YGTSS TTS (TTS(b) Comparison of average Df for the patients under various suppression conditions during screening visits shows that DRO led to the most effective tic suppression (largest Df). Additionally, the fractal dimension of all suppression conditions increased at 12 months (when most patients met diagnostic criteria for TS). Error bars show 95% confidence intervals. (c,d) Rater-blind reproducibility of Df as an assessment tool. Comparison of Df for tic time series generated by two examiners, with examiner 2 being blind to visit and condition. Good agreement is observed between examiners, verifying inter-rater reliability of results. Error bars show 95% confidence intervals. Credit: Rajan Chakrabarty, Kevin Black

During the pandemic, news reports surfaced of a surge of young adults showing up at doctors' offices with unexplainable movement disorders that looked, perhaps to a non-specialist, a little bit like Tourette syndrome.

But when those patients were sent to see a specialist, "They'd say, 'that doesn't look at all like any of my first thousand patients,'" said Kevin Black, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. People with experience knew that there were telltale properties of the tics associated with Tourette's, even though there is no one tool that allows a doctor to give a diagnosis on the spot.

However, research published today in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface by Black and Rajan Chakrabarty, the Harold D. Jolley Career Development Associate Professor of Energy, Environment and Chemistry in the university's McKelvey School of Engineering, may signal that a diagnostic tool is near.

They have replicated and expanded on previous work to show that tics associated with Tourette syndrome have a fractal pattern. They also discovered that a key characteristic of that pattern in any individual can predict how severe the disease will become.

Specialists had long suspected there was some kind of pattern to tics associated with Tourette's, and in the late 1990s, a seminal paper by Bradley Peterson and James Leckman was able to uncover that patternbut only over a period of seconds to minutes.

Black, a neuropsychiatrist who specializes in movement disorders, has been heading a research study on tics for years. As part of the New Tics Study, he'd collected an impressive amount of data about tics in children as they were going through the year-long diagnosis process.

He had all that datanearly 1,000 minutes of footage documenting the timing of tics in 78 kids taken in two sessions, a year apartbut he needed machine learning to sort it out. He reached out to Chakrabarty. "My initial thought was, 'Let's just see if we can replicate Peterson's finding,'" Black said.

Chakrabarty is an aerosol scientist and an expert on the chaotic ways in which particles affected by everything from wind to humidity to sunlight move through the air.

"Tics are chaotic," Chakrabarty said. "Tics are a kind of chaos in human biology, in our neural networks." His lab turned to the tools he uses to find the patterns in the chaos of the atmosphere.

Chaos is in fact not entirely random. Instead, it presents itself in degrees. Something can be very chaotic, or just a little chaotic, and that chaos can have a pattern. One way to quantify a particular kind of chaos is using a parameter called fractal diffusion. A straight line has zero fractal diffusion. If a system has some measure of chaos, then the fractal dimension is between one and two. If it's closer to two, it's less chaotic; closer to one is more chaotic.

Payton Beeler, a Ph.D. student in Chakrabarty's lab, used Black's data to figure out two things. First, is the timing of Tourette's tics really fractal in nature? Second, does the fractal dimension say anything about how severe the tics are, or will become?

Black shared his data with the Chakrabarty lab. It consisted of data points from two visits. When a person with tics came in for an initial screening visit they were observed under several different situations. Each time they had a tic, the observer noted the time. The person came back a year later and repeated the screening process.

Notably, for a Tourette's diagnosis, a person must have had tics for a year or more.

Beeler compared Black's data to two scenarios, a non-chaotic system and a completely chaotic system that was fractal in nature. Visually, the tic data looks more like that of the chaotic system but does not match point-for-point. The amount that the tic data strays from the chaotic system gave her the fractal dimension value.

Next, Beeler validated her findings against clinical ratings of tic severity. "What we found is exactly what we expected. If the clinical 'tic score' goes up, we see a drop in the fractal dimension, and vice versa. Our finding is very correlated with classical clinical measures," she said.

Because the fractal dimension is the same across time and in different conditions, Black said, "It means that the fractal character relates somewhat to the actual tics and your behavioral state."

Identifying syndrome at earliest stage

In practice, this is what the finding means: a doctor could analyze the timing of tics in a patient's first hour-long visit and diagnose a person with Tourette syndrome if the tic pattern was indeed fractal in nature. The doctor could get a measurement of fractal dimension and, if they analyzed the timing of that person's tics over a month- or year-long period, they would get the same fractal dimension value.

"It may boil down the year-long diagnosis process into one number," Beeler said. A number that a doctor can determine in one day as opposed to over one year.

The ability to determine whether or not someone has Tourette syndrome when they first present with tics can save time, money, frustration and worryand can even help those without Tourette's get the help they need.

"Almost all of the research that's been on Tourette syndrome has been on people who have had tics for a long time," Black said. "Any brain changes we find thereafter could be causal. But they could be related to having had tics for a long time." This data will help researchers identify people with Tourette syndrome at the earliest stages of the disease and learn more about how it affects the brain.

And then there are other kinds of ticslike the ones that seemed to increase during the pandemic. Known as "functional tics or functional tic-like movements," these conditions require treatment entirely different from Tourette syndrome.

Understanding how these functional disorders differ from Tourette's is Black's next step. He suspects functional movements may have fractal patterns more like those of non-tic movements. He'd like to see how well the fractal dimension can discriminate between different types of disorders.

Explore further COVID-19 stress may explain new tics in adults

More information: Payton Beeler et al, Fractality of tics as a quantitative assessment tool for Tourette syndrome, Journal of The Royal Society Interface (2022). Journal information: Journal of the Royal Society Interface Payton Beeler et al, Fractality of tics as a quantitative assessment tool for Tourette syndrome,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0742
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Just one demographic group in America currently cannot receive a vaccine against COVID-19: kids under 5 years old.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they would postpone a meeting originally planned for Feb. 15 of an advisory committee that was going to discuss authorizing the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for this age group. The change means that those children would have to wait to get vaccinated until at least April, when more data is expected from clinical trials.

To untangle the regulatory procedures, science, ethics, and sociopolitical forces at play in this authorization process, Penn Today spoke with bioethicists Holly Fernandez Lynch and Steven Joffe of the Perelman School of Medicine and public health and vaccine expert Angela Shen of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Their insights shed light on some of the regulatory and ethical issues that the under-five authorization is bringing to the fore.

"The whole pandemic vaccine response has challenged us to move as quickly as possible while still doing rigorous science," says Joffe. "But this process for young children, with its twists and turns, has been a particularly striking case of having to build the airplane while flying it."

Following an established process

The authorization process for this group has followed an established process for use of unapproved products under a public health emergency.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies typically apply to the FDA when they have an investigational new product they want evaluated for licensure. Under a public health emergency, the FDA can grant emergency use authorization (EUA) to allow use under specific circumstances. That's what happened with COVID-19 vaccines for adults and older children. Recently, the FDA asked Pfizer and BioNTech to submit data in support of an EUA application for younger children age 6 months through 4 years.

The companies' application was for two doses of a three-dose series, using a dosing of 3 micrograms per shot. (In contrast, adults received 30 micrograms in each of two doses for the initial series, and 5- to 11-year-olds received 10 micrograms in each of two doses.)

In December, Pfizer shared that the immune response in two- to four-year-olds didn't meet expected endpoints, though it did in infants and toddlers six months to two years. "It wasn't that there was no immune response in the older group," says Fernandez Lynch. "It just didn't match the immune response seen in the 16- to 25-year-old age group, which was the endpoint they had set."

Despite missing this target, a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, an independent advisory group of experts that provide guidance to the FDA, was scheduled for Feb. 15. The committee was asked to consider the safety and efficacy data reported from two doses of what the companies believe would be an eventual three-dose regimen.

"It would certainly be unusual to have considered authorization before receiving more information about the effectiveness of the third dose," says Fernandez Lynch. "But it seems the rationale was to consider authorization so kids could start the series, getting their first two doses, in the hopes that the third dose would be protective and they wouldn't have wasted time waiting."

On Feb. 11, the FDA postponed the meeting, citing a notification from Pfizer that a "preliminary assessment" of clinical trial information prompted the need to wait until information about the third dose was collected before proceeding with a decision.

To Shen, however, this postponement is reasonable, given the regulations on the advisory committee process.

"The data is coming in literally hot off the presses and is being evaluated in real time as more information becomes available," she says. "It's like your teacher is grading each page of your test as it's finished, as the teacher is waiting for you turn in the remaining pages of the exam. And at the same time, the federal advisory committee acts requires a 15-day minimum notice period, which can be waived in exceptional circumstances. So with Pfizer's request to postpone the meeting, it's most likely there is new information that can better inform the FDA's evaluation. It can be confusing to the public."

What the delay means for parents

For some parents, the authorization can't come fast enough, but for others hiccups in the authorization process may augment vaccine hesitancy.

COVID-19 vaccine uptake has decreased with each age group. While more than 90% of eligible people ages 6575 years are fully vaccinated, for example, that percentage drops to 57% for children ages 1217 and only 24% for 5- to 11-year-olds. Penn experts predict that rate will decline further in the 6-month to 4-year-old set, regardless of when the authorization happens.

"A worry is that if you push this through too quickly or with too much uncertainty it would feed into vaccine hesitancy, but if you delay the decision after announcing the committee meeting it causes public confusion," says Fernandez Lynch. "But already pediatric uptake is so low, I'm not very worried this particular back-and-forth will make a meaningful difference."

Shen says, "If parents don't have confidence in the decision-making process, that's going to make it harder going forward, not just for this vaccine but likely with other ones that will be developed in the future."

Doctors and parents can't bend the rules

Physicians have some agency in whether to use vaccines "off label," that is, for a condition or in a group other than those indicated in the FDA approval. In other words, there are circumstances in which a vaccine approved for adults could be used in children as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee (ACIP), another independent advisory committee that provides guidance on vaccine use.

Off-label use isn't permitted for products with an EUA, but because the Pfizer vaccine now has full approval in older age groups, off-label use in younger patients is technically permissible from the FDA perspective. However, vaccine providers could compromise their access to the vaccine from the CDC if they were found to use the product outside the authorized age range, Fernandez Lynch says.

"There are some people who have argued that pediatricians and parents ought to have discretion," Joffe says. "Like, if I've got a 4-year-oldcan't I give them the 10 microgram dose? But the CDC has drawn a pretty hard line about this."

Balancing risks versus benefits

The changing landscape of the pandemic weighs into authorization decisions.

In the end, EUA authorization comes down to balancing risks versus benefits. "For a cancer drug, an endpoint may be extending life by two months," says Shen. "But with COVID-19 and with any vaccine, part of the consideration for an EUA is the epidemiological backdrop and that the known and potential benefits outweigh the known and potential risks and that there are no other alternatives."

Whether the pandemic is in a surge or not, and which age groups are being most affected are part of that backdrop. Omicron may have changed that calculus, with a heavier burden on pediatric populations. Now with case rates on the decline, the teeter-totter of risk and benefit changes again.

"The FDA is always evaluating risks and benefits," says Fernandez Lynch. "If there is only a slight benefit, then any safety concerns become a significant consideration. But with the COVID-19 vaccines, at least in other age groups, safety data have looked really good, so then whether or not this is particularly efficacious becomes a gamble that peopleand maybe the FDAis more willing to take."

Of note, Shen says, is that vaccines are held to a high standard in terms of safety and efficacy, because they're given to healthy people who aren't already sick.

"It's an important to have a high and rigorous standard, as vaccines are given to healthy populations, including healthy kids as a preventive measure," she says. "The bar for evaluating a vaccine is higher than a therapeutic drug given to sick people."

Looking to the future

Experiences with this vaccine authorization process may shift how future clinical trials unfold.

Nine years ago, former Penn President Amy Gutmann headed a bioethics commission looking at the considerations for evaluating anthrax vaccines in children. The resulting report concluded that "many significant steps" would need to be taken before children would be involved in those vaccine trials, given that a widespread anthrax attack had not yet occurred.

That report, says Joffe, underscores that children are a protected group and must be shielded from undue risk. The fact that the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as many other drugs, are first tested in adults and gradually scaled down to be tested in younger kids, reflects this same idea, he says.

"The idea that you should be very protective of kids in research has been around a long time," he says. And, with COVID-19 in particular, he notes that starting in adults also made sense because older adults are at a heightened risk of severe disease compared to children.

Yet as many parents wait anxiously for their infants and young kids to gain access to a vaccine, Joffe suggests that experts and federal regulators should consider a new framework for moving through age groups more rapidly. "I think it is appropriate, when possible, to begin evaluating vaccines in adults," he says, "but I think we could explore ways to move more quickly to children."

Of keen importance, Shen stresses, is "instilling trust in the overall system, as well as engagement and transparency in public meetings to build confidence, demand and uptake for vaccines."

"We need to think about a host of questions this pandemic has raised from issues of equity to process," she says, "I do think it's worth asking these questionsbecause it won't be the last time we need to develop a vaccine to address an emerging infectious disease."

Explore further FDA postpones decision on Pfizer COVID vaccine for kids under five
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Earlier this month, Mississippi became the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana, while 27 states have already decriminalized cannabis use for personal consumption.

As more states legalize cannabis use, research into its usage and effects has lagged behind, specifically among different racial and ethnic groups, according to LaTrice Montgomery, Ph.D., research associate professor in the Addiction Sciences Division of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

One focus of Montgomery's research is cannabis addiction, also known as cannabis use disorder (CUD).

What is cannabis use disorder?

Montgomery said many partakers and advocates of marijuana contend that cannabis addiction is not possible, but research suggests that it is. She noted that CUD is listed in the industry standard handbook in the substance abuse section along with other stimulants like alcohol and cocaine.

"They all follow the same criteria, it just varies based on the specific drug that you're referring to," Montgomery said. "You spend most or all of your time in getting the drug or using the drug, and that again can be for cannabis, cocaine, whatever the drug might be. There are also other symptoms of CUD, such as craving cannabis and experiencing withdrawal when discontinuing cannabis."

The frequency of cannabis use and the age of initiation are also factors to consider, as research shows people who start using cannabis younger are more likely to experience issues in the long run, such as CUD. However, Montgomery clarified that not everyone who uses cannabis frequently has CUD, as differences in other individual behaviors, such as other substance use, should be taken into account.

"It's not just that a person is using cannabis frequently, because that fact alone is not enough to meet criteria for a cannabis use disorder," she said. "We really are looking for patterns. We are looking to see if you meet two or more of 11 criteria within a 12-month period. There are also levels of CUD, including mild, moderate and severe, based on the number of criteria that are displayed."

One difficulty in advancing research on cannabis and CUD has been a lack of a standard unit of cannabis, as it can be consumed in many different ways (e.g., edibles, concentrates/dabs, cigarettes). Montgomery noted it is clear what constitutes one "drink" of alcohol, with recommendations and guidelines built around the standard, but that is currently not the case for cannabis. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and other health institutes recently directed its researchers to use a standard unit of 5 milligrams of THC for measuring and reporting purposes in clinical research.

Current treatments

As the general public's opinion and the legal status of cannabis has shifted over the years, Montgomery said previous ideas of a "just say no" approach to cannabis use is not helpful when treating CUD. Instead, a more personalized approach appears to be more effective.

There are no currently approved medications that have been shown to treat CUD, so treatment largely focuses on evidence-based behavioral treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing.

In CBT, patients talk with their therapists to try to understand the connection between thoughts, feelings and actions and how that connection leads to addiction.

"We really try to help people identify and understand destructive thoughts and how they impact behaviors and emotions that are associated with cannabis use," Montgomery said. "Several strategies are employed in CBT, such as learning new skills to decline offers for cannabis use in real-world situations and self-monitoring of thoughts and behaviors that are associated with cannabis use."

Montgomery said motivational interviewing is a similar technique that is designed to strengthen personal motivation for setting and reaching goals, such as reducing or quitting cannabis. The underlying reasons for cannabis use are explored and used as a basis for eliciting thoughts and behaviors in favor of behavior change.

Motivational strategies are tailored to a person's readiness to change, which ranges from not being ready to change to maintaining change behaviors.

The state of research

Montgomery recently published an article in the journal Current Addiction Reports reviewing other published research on cannabis use among different racial and ethnic groups, including African Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanic/Latinos and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, from 2017-2021.

When reviewing the research, Montgomery said she found that the majority of studies compare cannabis use outcomes from racial and ethnic groups to that of white populations and does not dig into specific factors that can affect usage among each individual group. This has left gaps in the field that require additional study, especially among Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, about whom there is very little published research.

More detailed research beyond basic usage rates in each group is important to give context and help create effective prevention messages, interventions and policies for those who need help, Montgomery said.

For example, research often shows that rates of cannabis usage are higher among African American individuals relative to their white counterparts but does not take into account that the tobacco industry has targeted and to an extent encouraged cannabis usage in this population for decades.

Montgomery noted that some cigar and cigarillo products sold at convenience stores are already perforated so that users can remove the tobacco and replace it with cannabis, making cannabis use easier and more accessible. Research has shown that these products are heavily marketed and often cheaper or discounted in predominantly Black communities, Montgomery said.

Cannabis use can also be used as a way for minority groups to deal with the stress that comes from discrimination or mistreatment in society, Montgomery said.

"We miss important nuances" if using a simple comparison of one group to another, she said. "That's really kind of what I wanted to get across in this particular article, but also in my research, that we're really trying to dig deeper."

Interventions and next steps

As she and others in the field continue to expand the research, Montgomery is also working to make cannabis use interventions accessible for people with CUD. She has found when working with African American young adults, for example, messaging specifically about the use of "blunts," or a cigar that has been hollowed out and filled with cannabis, can be more effective than talking about marijuana use in general.

"It doesn't mean they'll go and quit tomorrow," Montgomery said. "But I think that's why we need to get specific so that we can really get at what resonates with people and not doing this broad message of, 'Cannabis is bad and you shouldn't do it.' Because that message is just not resonating with people."

Montgomery is currently actively recruiting participants for a Twitter-based peer-to-peer intervention program specifically for African American young adult blunt smokers.

"Everything that is in there is based on interviews I conducted with young people about why people are using blunts," she said. "Using that, I could figure out what kind of tweets and messages and what might be helpful in this private, self-help group where people are talking to each other about wanting to reduce their blunt use or quit altogether, depending on their goal."

Through interviewing people, Montgomery has found that offering alternative ways to manage stress, using humor and talking about how cannabis use affects friends and family around you can be more effective messages.

She also found that young people tend to think they're invincible and are not phased when told of health issues that can be linked to cannabis use, but may be more likely to respond to messages about how a random drug test at work could cost them their job.

Montgomery explains that people are naturally communicating on social media. She wants to take advantage of that, understand what the trends are and find ways to leverage social media to reduce cannabis use and create effective messaging.

Explore further Higher frequency cannabis use tied to demographic factors

More information: LaTrice Montgomery et al, Racial and Ethnic Differences in Cannabis Use and Cannabis Use Disorder: Implications for Researchers, Current Addiction Reports (2022). LaTrice Montgomery et al, Racial and Ethnic Differences in Cannabis Use and Cannabis Use Disorder: Implications for Researchers,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s40429-021-00404-5
An MRI with increased signal in the posterior part of the internal capsule which can be tracked to the motor cortex consistent with the diagnosis of ALS. Credit: Frank Gaillard/Wikipedia

A pioneering new study led by UCL and National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists has revealed, for the first time, why a common genetic variant worsens disease outcomes for people with the devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

Published in Nature, the study shows how TDP-43 protein depletion, associated with almost all cases (97%) of ALS and half of FTD cases, corrupts the genetic instructions for the critical neuronal protein UNC13A.

Strikingly, it found that a mysterious genetic variant previously associated with disease risk increases the chance of UNC13A's genetic instructions being corrupted among people with the diseases, thereby worsening risk and severity of ALS and FTD.

UNC13A enables neurons (nerve cells) to communicate with each other via neurotransmitter release, and data from animal models suggests its loss from neurons can be fatal. The researchers believe that the corruption of UNC13A's genetic instructions in patients may have similarly harmful consequences.

ALS is the most common motor neuron disease and there is no known cure; it affects the brain and spinal cord by attacking the neurons and nerves which control movement, causing them to die. There is currently only one approved drug for ALS in the UK, which extends lifespan by a few months, and is only effective for a tiny minority of patients. One third of patients die within one year of diagnosis.

FTD is a related disease with similar underlying causes; symptoms include language impairment, changes in personality and cognitive difficulties.

Researchers say the discovery raises hope for new treatments; by developing a therapy that blocks the corruption of UNC13A's genetic instructions, disease progression could be slowed for most people with ALS and around half of patients with FTD.

Corresponding author Professor Pietro Fratta (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) said: "The majority of research into gene therapy has focused on genes implicated in familial ALS (patients with a family history of the disease), but the vast majority of ALS cases are sporadic, with no known family history."

Co-corresponding author Dr. Michael Ward (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, US) added: "We have known for a long time that genetic variants in UNC13A cause an increased risk of ALS and dementia, but nobody had figured out why this is the case. Together, our teams showed exactly how this genetic risk factor for ALS interplays with the core disease mechanism, TDP-43 loss, in order to worsen the disease course."

TDP-43a key player in ALS and FTD

Arguably the most important protein in ALS research is TDP-43, as in most cases (as well as half of FTD cases), the protein is incorrectly ejected from the cell's nucleus. This prevents TDP-43 from performing its important functions, such as ensuring that mRNA is produced correctly.

Dr. Ward said: "We have known for a long time that most patients with ALS, and about half of FTD patients, lose the function of a key protein called TDP-43, wreaking havoc in nerve cells that are affected. But we haven't known how to reverse the most problematic consequences of TDP-43 loss."

As part of the experimental study, the researchers used skin-derived human stem cells to make neuronal cells in dishes and removed the TDP-43 protein from these cells using a new technology based on CRISPR-Cas9, the Nobel-prize winning gene-editing technology.

The scientists were then able to study how these neurons without TDP-43 differed from healthy neurons. They found that the mRNAs for the UNC13A protein were corrupted, meaning the ribosomes in the lab-grown neurons were unable to correctly produce the UNC13A protein. Furthermore, when the team looked at ALS and FTD patient brain samples, they again found that the mRNAs for UNC13A were incorrect, confirming that their experiments replicated the real-world disease process.

Given the essential role UNC13A plays in facilitating neuron communication, its corruption is thus likely to impair neuronal function and contribute to neurodegeneration in those with ALS and FTD.

Genetic variants increase the risk of UNC13A mRNA corruption

The UNC13A gene and its corresponding protein are of longstanding interest to motor neuron disease and FTD researchers, with previous studies showing common genetic variants increase the risk and severity of the diseases, despite being benign in most people unaffected by the diseases (half the population carries one of these variants, which are only harmful in people with ALS or FTD). However, despite over a decade of research, the exact reason for this has remained mysterious, as these variants do not directly alter the UNC13A protein-coding sequence, but are instead located in a region of 'junk DNA'.

The researchers believe they have uncovered the answer to this critical question: they found that the risk-linked variants greatly increase the chance of the UNC13A mRNA becoming corrupted once the ALS and FTD disease course, and the associated loss of TDP-43 protein, has begun. Thus, patients with these genetic variants are likely to suffer greater loss of UNC13A, resulting in more severe disease.

Co-lead author, Ph.D. student Oscar Wilkins (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Francis Crick Institute), said: "These results represent a significant breakthrough for several reasons. Firstly, they explain why UNC13A genetic variants increase the risk of motor neuron disease and dementia, a question which has puzzled researchers for over a decade. They are also the first to demonstrate a genetic link specifically between loss of nuclear TDP-43 function and ALS, improving scientific understanding of this central disease mechanism."

Next steps

Professor Fratta said: "We have built on years of genetic research that identified that UNC13A was implicated in motor neuron disease and FTD, and supported it with a new molecular biology finding that confirms that the gene is absolutely fundamental to the disease process.

"We are hoping to carry out trials over the coming years to develop such a treatment that could potentially greatly improve the lives of people living with ALS."

The researchers are confident that with this new information, new therapies for motor neuron disease can be created that stop UNC13A mRNAs from being corrupted in patients.

The study involved researchers at UCL, NIH, the Crick, New York Genome Center, Mount Sinai, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, and the National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia). The study was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the NIH with support from Rosetrees Trust, The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research, Wellcome, Collaborative Centre for Applied Nanotechnology and Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism.

Explore further ALS therapy should target brain, not just spine

More information: TDP-43 loss and ALS-risk SNPs drive mis-splicing and depletion of UNC13A, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04436-3 Journal information: Nature TDP-43 loss and ALS-risk SNPs drive mis-splicing and depletion of UNC13A,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04436-3
Illustration of a lipid nanoparticle surrounded by plasma proteins. Credit: Min Qiu

Tufts researchers are building a reputation for precision targeting in drug delivery. Their tools: tiny lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) fine-tuned to latch on to specific tissues, organs, even cell types within the body. Their latest creation: LNPs that carry genetic instructions directly into the lungs.

Even if you haven't heard of LNPs before, you may have already had an injection with them recentlyLNP delivery had its first blockbuster debut in the two mRNA-based major COVID-19 vaccines.

The Tufts engineering team has taken the existing LNP technology and engineered it to be applicable to a much broad range of diseases by targeting it to specific tissues and organs, which helps minimize toxic effects on other, healthy parts of the body.

In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team led by Qiaobing Xu, a professor of biomedical engineering, packed the LNPs with mRNAthe same genetic material used in two COVID-19 vaccines, but this time coding for a normal gene, Tsc2, that is mutated in individuals with a rare disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM).

The mutated Tsc2 causes smooth muscle tissue to grow out of control, creating cysts that look like large gaps or holes in the lungs on an X-ray or CT scan. In a mouse model of LAM, delivering a normal Tsc2 gene directly to the lungs led to a significant reduction in cysts.

"The effect was quite impressive," said Xu, who worked with collaborators from Harvard Medical School and the University of Massachusetts, Boston. "The mRNA-packed LNPs could be a promising intervention for this awful disease, and we hope to carry it further into clinical trials."

The remarkable achievement follows on earlier groundbreaking research, in which Xu and his team created LNPs that carry gene-editing packages into cells of the immune system or the liver or even across the blood brain barrier to specific regions of the brain.

The current study does not involve gene editing, which splices out a bad gene and replaces it with a good one. In this case, it's more like overwriting the bad gene that's still there with a temporary code (the mRNA) that fades over time, requiring repeat doses. The researchers wondered if it would be possible to try more lasting gene editing approach to LAM.

"We were able to demonstrate that we could deliver gene editing to the lungs, but it showed up in the liver as well," said Min Qiu, former postdoctoral researcher in the Xu group at Tufts and now a principal investigator at Fudan University in China and co-first author of the study.

"The size and components of the gene-editing kit may have affected the LNPs' ability to selectively target the lungs in this case," he said. "Delivering the smaller mRNA package is a lot more selective." The team is currently working on refining the LNPs to enable more targeted gene editing to the lungs.

How to target the lungs

The LNPs are essentially tiny bubbles of fat (lipid) and other molecules. Like the mRNA, the LNPs were also used in two of the major vaccines approved for protection against COVID-19. The twist added by the Tufts researchers to get the LNPs to home in on a specific organ like the lungs comes from how they modify the lipids and other molecules making up the tiny bubbles.

The bubbles are formed with a bilayer of lipids, which encircle the contents. Every lipid can be described as having chemical parts. There's a head that points to a watery environmenteither to the outside, or the inside of the bubble where the mRNA or gene-editing kit is packed; a tail that points to the middle of the bilayer; and a linker between the two. Changing any of those parts can change where the LNPs might end up in the body.

By testing many combinations of heads, tails and linkers, as well as other components of the LNPs such as cholesterol or polyethylene glycol, the researchers have been able to target not only the brain or immune system, but also the spleen, liver, and even specific cell types.

The two leading lung-targeting LNPs both had linkers containing a nitrogen atom, which seemed to be key for targeting to the lungs.

"We found out that the molecules making up the LNPs would pick up proteins and other molecules from the plasma, and it is that 'crown' of material that interacts with the target tissue, organ or cell," said Xu.

By analyzing which plasma proteins stuck to the LNPs, the researchers narrowed down to fourteen proteins as possibly having a role in helping them to stick to and absorb into the lungs, including ApoE, albumin, fibrinogen beta, and fibrinogen gamma.

"It does become a trial and error process to find the right targeting combination, but we can definitely find that combination within a time frame needed for discovering treatments of a wide range of diseases."

Explore further Scientists use lipid nanoparticles to precisely target gene editing to the liver

More information: Min Qiu et al, Lung-selective mRNA delivery of synthetic lipid nanoparticles for the treatment of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Min Qiu et al, Lung-selective mRNA delivery of synthetic lipid nanoparticles for the treatment of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2116271119
A colorized scanning electron micrograph of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Credit: NIAID

Fourteen-day quarantine measures imposed on incoming travelers returning to England in summer 2020 helped prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, particularly among 16-20 year olds, say a team led by Cambridge scientists.

In July 2020, following the first months of the pandemic, the UK government established new rules for travelers to and from England, in order to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases being imported into the country. Between 4 July 2020 and 1 February 2021, it established 'travel corridors' to countries deemed to be low risk for COVID-19, meaning that travelers returning from these countries did not need to quarantine. However, the majority of people returning from countries outside these corridors were required to quarantine for 14 days at home.

In research published today in Nature Communications, a team of scientists from the University of Cambridge, Wellcome Sanger Institute, COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium and UKHSA (formerly Public Health England) examined the effectiveness of this policy by analyzing contact-tracing data from NHS Test and Trace and genome sequences made available through COG-UK.

The team compared the number of contacts reported per case prior to a COVID-19 diagnosis between individuals returning from a country with a requirement to quarantine and those who did not need to quarantine on return. They tracked the spread of genomes from imported cases.

The researchers identified 4,207 positive COVID-19 cases in England between 27 May 2020 and 13 September 2020 related to international travelwith more than half (51%) of all imported cases coming from just one of three countries, Greece, Croatia, and Spain.

Travelers with COVID-19 returning from countries that required them to quarantine had fewer contacts than those returning from countries within the travel corridors, and so were less likely to pass on the infection to others. Using mathematical modeling, they estimate that individuals traveling from a country requiring quarantine had an average (mean) of 3.5 contacts, 40% fewer than someone returning from a country that did not require quarantine measures (who had an average of 5.9 contacts).

The number of contacts per case was greatest in the 16-20 age group who had traveled to countries with no requirement for quarantine, with a mean of 9.0. When quarantine was required, this fell to 4.7, similar to that of other age groups.

Genomic sequencing allowed a number of unique imported SARS-CoV-2 genomes to be identified that could be monitored to see how widely they had spread. The cluster sizethat is, the number of related cases of onward transmissionfor genomes imported from a country without a requirement to quarantine on return was significantly higher than for those related to countries with mandatory quarantine in place.

Dr. Dinesh Aggarwal from the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge, the study's first author, said: "Although the pandemic now looks very different to how it was in 2020with the emergence of new variants offset by increased vaccinationthere are still important lessons that can be learned about the effectiveness of quarantine, in particular for future pandemic preparedness.

"Our study shows that while travel restrictions are effective in reducing the number of imported COVID-19 cases, they do not eliminate them entirely. It's likely that one of the main reasons that quarantine measures helped is that they put people off traveling during this period."

For the most common destinationsbarring Spainthe number of imported cases dropped when the government removed a country from the 'safe' list and reintroduced mandatory quarantine.

The majority of importations from Greece came at the end of August and continued into September, a period during which there was no requirement to quarantine for travelers returning from the countythis was the source of greatest imported SARS-CoV-2 cases during the study period.

Dr. Ewan Harrison from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, senior author, added: "Genomics has proven to be an invaluable tool in monitoring how the coronavirus spreads and helping inform infection control measures. By applying it to travel-related cases, it could help governments rapidly refine their travel policies and consider if any quarantine measures are appropriate."

Dr. Aggarwal is a Ph.D. student at Churchill College.

Explore further Dutch government plans to tighten virus quarantine measures

More information: Aggarwal, D, Page, AJ, Schaefer et al. Genomic assessment of quarantine measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 importation and transmission. Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Aggarwal, D, Page, AJ, Schaefer et al. Genomic assessment of quarantine measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 importation and transmission.(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28371-z
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The World Health Organization said Wednesday it would establish a global biomanufacturing training hub in South Korea to serve poorer countries wishing to produce their own vaccines, insulin and cancer treatments.

The move comes after the UN health agency helped create a global mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa last year to serve African countries largely shut out of access to COVID jabs.

That hub's role is to help provide manufacturers in countries in Africa and beyond with the knowhow to make mRNA vaccines, like those used against COVID-19, at scale and according to international standards.

The new hub in South Korea meanwhile will accommodate trainees from middle- and low-income countries around the world that may have struggled to access vaccines and treatments mainly produced until now in wealthy countries.

It will provide them with technical and hands-on training on manufacturing practice requirements for producing such vaccines, along with other medical products like insulin and monoclonal antibodies, WHO said in a statement.

"One of the key barriers to successful technology transfer in low- and middle-income countries is the lack of a skilled workforce and weak regulatory systems," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"Building those skills will ensure that they can manufacture the health products they need at a good quality standard so that they no longer have to wait at the end of the queue," he said in a statement.

The WHO said that the South Korean government had offered a large facility outside Seoul that is already carrying out biomanufacturing training for companies based in the country.

It said its WHO Academy would work with the South Korean ministry of health and welfare to develop a comprehensive curriculum on general biomanufacturing.

The UN health agency also announced Wednesday that the mRNA hub in South Africa would provide support to an additional five countries: Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Serbia and Vietnam.

The announcement comes after six African countries were chosen earlier this month to establish their own mRNA vaccine production with support from the hub.

WHO said numberous countries had expressed interest in participating in the programme.

It said the South African hub would provide support to all respondents, "but is currently prioritising countries that do not have mRNA technology but already have some biomanufacturing infrastructure and capacity."

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 2022 AFP
Escherichia coli. Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH

Some gut bacteria have a spooky superpower: they can reanimate dormant viruses lurking within other microbes.

This viral awakening unleashes full-blown infections that destroy the virus-carrying cells, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Emily Balskus's lab first published as a preprint on bioRxiv and later in the journal Nature on February 23, 2022. A cryptic molecule called colibactin can summon the killer viruses from their slumber, they found.

Microbes often generate noxious compounds to attack one another within the cramped quarters of the gut. But among these chemical weapons, colibactin appears unusual, says Balskus, a chemical biologist at Harvard University. "It doesn't directly kill the target organisms, which is what we normally think of bacterial toxins doing within microbial communities." Instead, colibactin tweaks microbial cells just so, activating latentand lethalviruses tucked away in some bacteria's genomes.

Humans have long sought out the potent compounds that microbes produce. "We know a lot about their chemical properties, we purify them in the lab, and we use them as medicine, including antibiotics," says Breck Duerkop, who studies bacterial viruses at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

But why bacteria make these compounds and what effects they have on neighboring organisms are open-ended questions, says Duerkop, who was not involved in this research. He calls Balskus's teams new work "one step in the right direction."

Chemical dark matter

Scientists have known for years that colibactin can wreak havoc on human cells. Research by Balskus and many others has shown that the compound damages DNA, which can lead to colorectal cancer. But establishing a connection between this compound and disease proved particularly formidable.

In 2006, a French team reported that mammalian cells that encountered the gut bacteria E. coli suffered fatal damage to their DNA. The researchers linked this damage to a cluster of E. coli genes encoding machinery for building a complex molecule. Dubbed colibactin, the molecule was extraordinarily difficult to study. After many tries, researchers simply couldn't isolate it from the E. coli making it.

Colibactin is one of many ephemeral compounds that scientists suspect microbes make. Like invisible particles of dark matter in space, this "chemical dark matter" requires creative means to study. As part of her exploration of the gut's microbial chemistry, Balskus uses indirect approaches to examine these elusive molecules.

Over the past 10 years, her team has probed colibactin by studying the microbial machinery that manufactures it. She and her colleagues have pieced together colibactin's structure and determined that it damages DNA by forming errant connections within the double helix.

Building off this work, scientists elsewhere uncovered a definitive link to cancer: the molecule's distinctive fingerprints appear in genes known to drive colorectal tumor growth.

A role for viruses

Balskus's most recent colibactin study got its start with another disease: COVID-19. Like many other labs, hers had to rearrange things to reduce physical contact among researchers. As part of the reshuffling, postdoc Justin Silpe and graduate student Joel Wong ended up working near one another for the first time. Their conversations led them and Balskus to wonder how colibactin affected other microbes in a crowded gut.

Early on, they found that exposing colibactin-producing bacteria to non-producers had little effect, suggesting that, on its own, the molecule isn't particularly deadly. Silpe and Wong weren't sure if colibactin, a large, unstable molecule, could even enter bacterial cells to damage their DNA. They then wondered if a third partybacteria-infecting virusesmight be involved. Hardly more than bits of genetic information, these viruses can slip into bacteria's DNA and lie quietly in wait. Then, once triggered, they cause an infection that blows up the cell like a landmine.

When the researchers grew colibactin producers alongside bacteria carrying such latent viruses, they saw the number of viral particles spike, and the growth of many virus-containing bacteria drop. That suggested the molecule sparked a surge in active, cell-killing infections. Colibactin does indeed enter bacteria and damage DNA, the team showed. That damage sounds a cellular wake-up bell that rouses the viruses.

Many microbes appeared equipped to protect themselves against colibactin. Balskus's lab identified a resistance gene encoding a protein that neutralizes the compound in a wide variety of bacteria.

Though colibactin clearly has a dangerous side, it may serve as more than just a lethal weapon, Balskus says. For example, both DNA damage and awakened viruses can also induce genetic changes, rather than death, in neighboring bacteria, potentially benefiting colibactin producers.

Balskus's team's discoveries suggest that cancer may be collateral damage caused by whatever else colibactin-producing bacteria are doing. "We always suspected that bacteria made this toxin to target other bacteria in some way," she says. "It didn't make sense from an evolutionary perspective that they acquired it to target human cells."

Next, Balskus plans to investigate how the compound alters the community of microbes in the gutwhich ones disappear and which thrive after exposure to the compound. "The key to preventing cancer may be understanding the effects colibactin has on the microbe community and how its production is controlled," she says.

More information: Emily Balskus, The bacterial toxin colibactin triggers prophage induction, Nature (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04444-3 Journal information: Nature Emily Balskus, The bacterial toxin colibactin triggers prophage induction,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04444-3
Fig 1. Annual heart transplant listing stratified by race. Credit: DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262945

Researchers at the University of Louisville analyzed data for heart transplants from 1987 to 2019 to better understand equity in access to heart transplant for adult Black and white patients and those of other races, comparing percentages of patients who were placed on the transplant list and those actually transplanted over time. They found that access to transplants for Black patients has improved significantly over the study period, both in the percentage of patients listed for transplant and the percentage of transplants performed.

Jaimin Trivedi, assistant professor and director of clinical research and bioinformatics in the UofL Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, was lead author on an article published in PLOS ONE last month detailing the findings.

Trivedi and his colleagues in the department used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database to analyze changes in the percentage of heart transplants for Black, white and patients of another race since 1987, when the database was established. They analyzed de-identified records for a total of 105,266 adults listed in the database for heart transplants from 1987 through 2020 by Black, white or another race, and the 67,824 patients from the list who received a heart transplant.

The proportion of Black patients on the UNOS heart transplant list increased form 7% in 1987 to 25% in 2019 and those who received transplants increased from 5% in 1987 to 26% in 2019.

According to 2020 U.S. Census data, 14.2% of the U.S. population is Black or African American alone or in combination with another race.

"Black patients historically have had poorer access to heart transplants, evident in our study as fewer patients listed for transplant and fewer patients actually receiving the transplant," Trivedi said. "But, as the general health care of heart transplant patients improved over the years and the knowledge of racial disparities came into light, all these things came together and eventually the proportion of Black patients listed increased over time."

While the numbers indicate parity among patients of different races, Trivedi said an analysis of equity must also consider the increased risk for heart disease among Black patients.

"The Black population is at higher risk of cardiac disease based on the CDC data, so that means there are more Black patients likely to have heart failure and they are more likely to require a heart transplant," Trivedi said. "If we are just looking at two numbers in the proportion of patients transplanted right now, it's improved, but we have to look at it from the perspective of how prevalent heart disease is in the Black community and then how many of them are getting a transplant. So more research has to be done before you can meaningfully say whether there is equity in access to heart transplants."

The researchers examined three-year survival of heart transplant patients. Post-transplant outcomes improved for all patients over the study period due to better post-transplant care, more rapid treatment of transplant rejection and other factors. Outcomes also improved for Black patients, which are reaching levels comparable to white and other patients in recent years.

"There has been a general improvement in transplant survival outcomes across the races. Black patients tended to do slightly more poorly than white patients, but when we look at more recent data over the past five or six years, we have seen that Black patient survival also has been improving and it is reaching par."

Another factor affecting post-transplant survival is access to quality health insurance. With this in mind, the researchers compared data for individuals with private insurance with those who had Medicare or Medicaid, information that was included in the database since 1994.

They found that post-transplant survival for Medicare and Medicaid patients improved over time but remained marginally below that of private insurance patients. The improvement in survival of Black patients was seen through all insurance classes over time, particularly since 2012, which Trivedi said could be multifactorial but also partially due to reliable insurance coverage after the application of the Affordable Care Act.

Explore further Black recipients of liver transplants have lower survival rates than white or Hispanic patients

More information: Jaimin R. Trivedi et al, Racial disparities in cardiac transplantation: Chronological perspective and outcomes, PLOS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE Jaimin R. Trivedi et al, Racial disparities in cardiac transplantation: Chronological perspective and outcomes,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262945
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

What risk factors are associated with Alzheimer's up to 15 years before the onset of the first symptoms? This is a vital question for specialists of this neurodegenerative diseasewhich develops over many years before becoming clinically visiblewho aim to improve early prevention for at-risk patients. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Paris Brain Institute's (INSERM/CNRS/Sorbonne University) Aramis project led by Stanley Durrleman (Inria), from INSERM/University of Bordeaux, and from Cegedim Health Data, analyzed the anonymized health records of nearly 80,000 patients consulting general practitioners in France and the United Kingdom, taken from the THIN database.

The scientists identified 10 pathologies developed more frequently by patients reporting Alzheimer's dementia within 15 years than by other patients of the same age. Their results are published in the journal The Lancet Digital Health.

Despite the growing number of findings, our knowledge of the risk factors and early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease remains patchy and based on specific risk factor approaches. Until now, there has been no exhaustive, agnostic study conducted on a very large sample of patients that analyzes possible risk factors well ahead of the Alzheimer's diagnosis.

For the first time, a team of researchers has accessed the anonymized medical data of nearly 40,000 patients with Alzheimer's disease and of the same number of control subjects who did not develop neurodegenerative diseases over the period studied. The data was extracted from the THIN (The Health Improvement Network) database owned by Cegedim Group, an innovative technology and services company specializing in healthcare data.

The Aramis team's expertise in mathematical modeling made it possible to perform an analysis without predefined hypotheses, and test the possible link between the onset of Alzheimer's disease and 123 health factors. Statistical explorations of historical medical records yielded a list of the 10 most common conditions experienced by patients who go on to develop Alzheimer's disease within 15 years. Depression topped the list, followed by anxiety, exposure to high stress, hearing loss, constipation, cervical spondyloarthritis, memory loss, fatigue (and discomfort), and finally falls and sudden weight loss.

"The connections made allowed us to confirm known associations, such as hearing problems or depression, and other less known factors or early symptoms, such as cervical spondylosis or constipation. However, we are only reporting statistical associations. These will have to be the subject of further studies to understand the underlying mechanisms," says researcher Thomas Nedelec from the Aramis team, "The question remains as to whether the health problems encountered are risk factors, symptoms, or warning signs of the disease."

Epidemiologist and INSERM research director Carole Dufouil and neurologist Stephane Epelbaum helped validate the methodology and interpret the relevance of these statistical associations. Although these results still need to be refined, they are already valuable for health professionals and all those involved in prevention, who could try to address these risk factors as soon as they are detected in the hopes of preventing the disease.

This work opens up several prospects, the first of which will be to expand and diversify the corpus of data studied. A grant from the European program for the study of neurodegenerative diseases (Joint ProgramNeurodegenerative Disease Research) will enable the Aramis researchers to add data from Sweden and Australia to the existing pool and extend their analyses to more than 26 million data from anonymized health records. This will also enable research to be extended to other degenerative diseases (Parkinson's, Charcot's disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.).

"We hope, through this approach, to identify the common basis of these diseases and the specificities associated with each one," concludes Stanley Durrleman.

Explore further Depression and Alzheimer's disease share genetic roots

More information: Thomas Nedelec et al, Identifying health conditions associated with Alzheimer's disease up to 15 years before diagnosis: an agnostic study of French and British health records, The Lancet Digital Health (2022). Thomas Nedelec et al, Identifying health conditions associated with Alzheimer's disease up to 15 years before diagnosis: an agnostic study of French and British health records,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00275-2

Provided by Institut du Cerveau (Paris Brain Institute)
Medical personnel vaccinate students at a school in New Orleans on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. U.S. data suggests it is unlikely that COVID-19 vaccines might trigger a rare inflammatory condition linked with the virus in children, according to a study published Tuesday, Feb. 22. Researchers from the CDC and other institutions analyzed vaccine surveillance data in their study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. Credit: AP Photo/Ted Jackson, File

COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to trigger a rare inflammatory condition linked to coronavirus infection in children, according to an analysis of U.S. government data published Tuesday.

The condition, formally known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, involves fever plus symptoms affecting at least two organs and often includes stomach pain, skin rash or bloodshot eyes. It's a rare complication in kids who have had COVID-19, and very rarely affects adults. The condition often leads to hospitalization, but most patients recover.

First reported in the United Kingdom in early 2020, it is sometimes mistaken for Kawasaki disease, which can cause swelling and heart problems. Since February 2020, more than 6,800 cases have been reported in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As part of COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring, the CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration added the condition to a list of several potential adverse events of special interest. A few cases reported in people with no detectable evidence of coronavirus infection prompted researchers at the CDC and elsewhere to undertake the new analysis, which was published Tuesday in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

The possibility that the vaccines could somehow prompt the condition is only theoretical and the analysis found no evidence that it did, said co-author Dr. Buddy Creech, a Vanderbilt University pediatric infectious disease specialist who is leading a study of Moderna shots in children.

"We don't know what the exact contribution of the vaccine to these illnesses is,'' Creech said. "Vaccine alone in absence of a preceding infection appears not to be a substantial trigger.''

The analysis involved surveillance data for the first nine months of COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S., from December 2020 through August 2021. During that time, the FDA authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 shots for ages 16 and up; expanded that in May to ages 12 through 15; and authorized Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots for ages 18 and up.

More than 21 million people aged 12 to 20 received at least one vaccine dose during that time. Twenty-one of them developed the inflammatory condition afterward. All had received Pfizer shots, the analysis found. Fifteen of the 21 had laboratory evidence of a previous COVID-19 infection that could have triggered the condition.

The remaining six had no evidence of a previous infection, but the researchers said they could not conclude definitively that they'd never had COVID-19 or some other infection that could have led to the inflammatory condition. Kids with COVID-19 often have no symptoms and many never get tested.

The results suggest that the inflammatory condition may occur after vaccination in 1 in 1 million children who have had COVID-19, and in 1 in 3 million who have no detectable evidence of previous COVID-19 infection.

Most kids who had COVID-19 don't develop the post-infection illness, but it is estimated to happen at a significantly higher rate than both of those post-vaccination figures. In April to June 2020, the rate was 200 cases per million in unvaccinated infected people aged 12-20 in the U.S.

"Their findings overall are quite reassuring,'' Dr. Mary Beth Son of Boston Children's Hospital wrote in a commentary accompanying the study.

Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatrician-scientist at New York University Langone Health, said the results show that chances are "super rare" for the shots to prompt an immune response that could lead to the inflammatory condition. By contrast, there's strong evidence that vaccination protects kids from getting COVID-19 as well as the condition, Ratner said.

More information: The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, www.thelancet.com/journals/lan  (22)00028-1/fulltext

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A dog and their owner. Credit: Jack Brind, Unsplash, CC0 (creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

An analysis of data from more than 11,000 older Japanese adults suggests that seniors who own a dog may be at lower risk of disability than those who have never been dog owners. Yu Taniguchi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, Japan, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on February 23, 2022.

Earlier studies by these researchers have linked dog ownership among Japanese seniors with a lower risk of frailtya relationship that appears to be partially explained by higher levels of physical activity and social functioning among dog owners. Other research also suggests that physical frailty significantly boosts risk of future disability.

To better understand the relationship between dog ownership and risk of disability, Taniguchi and colleagues used questionnaires to collect data on dog and cat ownership from 11,233 Japanese adults aged 65 to 84. They also collected demographic, disability, and other health data for the participants, spanning the period of June 2016 to January 2020. Statistical analysis of the combined datasets enabled them to examine potential links between dog ownership and disability risk.

The researchers found that, during the study period, older adults who were current dog owners were approximately half as likely to have a disability than those who had never been dog owners. This relationship held true even after accounting for other sociodemographic and health factors that could influence disability risk, such as marital status, history of chronic diseases, time spent outdoors, and more. In addition, dog owners who exercised regularly had an even lower risk of disability.

Meanwhile, the researchers found, cat ownership was not associated with any difference in disability risk, and neither dog nor cat ownership was associated with reduced risk of death from any cause.

This study suggests that dog ownershipespecially combined with regular exercisemay protect against disability for older Japanese adults. These findings could help inform efforts to promote successful aging. Meanwhile, future research could investigate physical or psychological mechanisms by which dog ownership might provide benefits, or examine relationships between dog ownership and disability risk in other countries.

The authors add: "Dog ownership protects against the onset of disability in older adults. The daily care, companionship and exercise of a pet dog may have an important role to play in successful aging."

Explore further Cognitive disability most prevalent type in young adults

More information: Taniguchi Y, Seino S, Headey B, Hata T, Ikeuchi T, Abe T, et al. (2022) Evidence that dog ownership protects against the onset of disability in an older community-dwelling Japanese population. PLoS ONE 17(2): e0263791. Journal information: PLoS ONE Taniguchi Y, Seino S, Headey B, Hata T, Ikeuchi T, Abe T, et al. (2022) Evidence that dog ownership protects against the onset of disability in an older community-dwelling Japanese population.17(2): e0263791. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263791
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Having a child with a disability or a developmental delay is often a stressful experience for a family. Siblings in such families may be exposed to greater stress and challenges. There is little research about the positive effects of growing up with a sibling with disabilities. However, a new study published in Child Development by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Toronto, examines how growing up as a sibling of a child with disabilities may nurture empathy. This is one of the first studies to examine the possible positive effects of growing up with a sibling with a disability.

"The findings indicate that siblings of children with disabilities may have greater cognitive empathy (i.e., understanding of others' thoughts and feelings), which is important as cognitive empathy is key for social skills." said Yonat Rum, a postdoctoral researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Cambridge.

Researchers examined data from the Longitudinal Israeli Study of Twins which includes 1,657 families of twins born in 2004-2005 with demographic characteristics similar to those of the Jewish majority population in Israel. Sixty-three families where one of the twins has a disability and the other is typically developing were identified.

The typically developing twin siblings of children with disabilities were compared to 404 typically developing twin siblings from the rest of the sample, on measures of cognitive and emotional empathy and prosociality, completed when all children were 11 years old. Participating children were administered a self-report questionnaire assessment of cognitive and emotional empathy and a computerized task designed to assess prosocial behavior. In addition, the participating children's parents completed a questionnaire to assess their children's prosocial behaviors.

The data showed that typically developing children who had a twin with disabilities scored higher than typically developing children who did not, in self-reported cognitive empathy. Contrary to predictions, no differences were found in emotional empathy and prosociality.

"These positive effects might be due to the specific 'advantage' of cognitive empathy to better understand their sibling with disabilities, and to support the sibling relationship." said Ariel Knafo-Noam, professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The authors acknowledge the preliminary nature of the findings and call for further research using different modes of measurement in this neglected field.

Explore further Siblings of children with intellectual disabilities score high on empathy and closeness

More information: Are there positive effects of having a sibling with special needs? Empathy and prosociality of twins of children with non-typical development, Child Development (2022). Journal information: Child Development Are there positive effects of having a sibling with special needs? Empathy and prosociality of twins of children with non-typical development,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13740
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Previous research has shown veterinarians have higher rates of mental health concerns than most people in other professions, and even greater compared to other health professionals, such as physicians or nurses.

Despite increased awareness of mental health resources and work to destigmatize mental health concerns, many veterinary professionals and those studying to be veterinarians do not seek help when they experience distress.

Now, a new study, led by Tamara Hancock, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, found that the high-achieving and perfectionist culture associated with veterinarians, along with the perceived stigma that comes with reaching out for help, may prevent veterinary students from taking advantage of mental health resources.

The findings may help institutions and mentors brainstorm practical solutions to provide veterinary students and professionals more flexibility to seek help when needed and be more well-rounded individuals. Hancock said although solutions could be easy to implement, educators and supervisors first must identify the barriers and then work to change the culture.

"A previous study had indicated two-thirds of licensed veterinarians are clinically depressed, yet nearly one-third do not seek help," Hancock said. "These are people that can really benefit from mental health services, so we wanted to better understand the barriers that might be keeping veterinary students in distress from taking advantage of the mental health resources available to them."

Hancock collaborated with Kerry Karaffa, a MU Counseling Center psychologist embedded specifically within the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, to distribute a survey to more than 500 veterinary students throughout North America. The survey screened the students for depression and anxiety symptoms and asked the students about their experiences utilizing mental health resources, or their reasons for not doing so.

"We found many respondents say the high-achieving and perfectionist culture that often comes with the veterinary field can contribute to not only the stigma of others thinking you are a failure if you reach out for help, but also the internalization of that stigma, where they themselves start to feel ashamed for needing help," Hancock said. "Another respondent said, "I feel like most of us just accept vet school is going to be very hard and feeling miserable all the time is just how it goes." These perceived norms, whether true or not, quickly become reality because it is so embedded in the culture and identity of being a vet student."

Hancock also found that students with more severe depressive symptoms mentioned these barriers at a higher rate, and these perceptions were more likely to interfere with their daily functions, relationships and overall well-being.

"When discussing barriers to seeking help, we often talk about individual factors like time, financial constraints, lack of access or transportation," Hancock said. "These are definitely still at play as well, but our research shows there are also social and cultural factors involved. If we want to address mental health and promote mental well-being, we need to better understand the various barriers preventing people from taking advantage of available resources, and then we will be in a better position to discuss how we can promote positive change."

Hancock added some practical solutions institutions and mentors can consider based off the findings include incorporating more flexible classroom attendance polices or work-leave policies so students and employees can, for example, more easily attend a mid-day doctor's appointment or care for a loved one.

"Another suggestion for academic advisors or professional mentors is to ask students about their hobbies outside of veterinary medicine and to share your own hobbies, so they know it is okay to have interests and passions besides just being a vet," said Hancock, who also serves as the MU College of Veterinary Medicine's coordinator of curriculum and student outcomes. "I want the students to know we don't just want them to be good vets, we want them to be well-rounded individuals."

"'Obligated to keep things under control': Sociocultural barriers to seeking mental health services among veterinary medical students" was published in Journal of Veterinary Medicine Education. MU's Kerry Karaffa is a co-author on the study.

Explore further Embedded counseling services can improve accessibility for students

More information: Tamara S. Hancock et al, "Obligated to Keep Things Under Control": Sociocultural Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Services Among Veterinary Medical Students, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (2021). Tamara S. Hancock et al, "Obligated to Keep Things Under Control": Sociocultural Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Services Among Veterinary Medical Students,(2021). DOI: 10.3138/jvme-2021-0069
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.

Short films are available online 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

Competition Shorts Blocks continue. 24 short films vie for the jury prize  and automatic qualification for the Oscars  in two categories: Shorts (under 40 min.) and Mini-Doc (under 15 min.). Block 3 at 1 p.m.; Block 4 at 3:15 p.m. Wilma.

Schoolhouse Docs continue. Films curated especially for school-aged kids. Roxy, 4 p.m.

Outta the Muck  Pahokee, Florida, is a rural town on the banks of Lake Okeechobee. Beyond sending over a dozen players to the NFL, Pahokee has a legacy of resilience in the face of great storms and personal trauma. This film presents an intimate portrait of a family and community that resists despair with love, and remains fiercely self-determined, while forging its own unique narrative of Black achievement. World Premiere. Wilma, 5:30 p.m.

When a City Rises  A gripping account of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. The film follows a teenage couple in love, a student leader, and a father as they navigate a year inside the movement. Relationships break and form amidst tear gas and rubber bullets, and across the border, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army awaits. North American Premiere. Roxy, 6 p.m.

Up on the Mountain  Big Sky Centerpiece Film! Deep in the mountains of Montana and Idaho a diverse group of Southeast Asian refugees, Latino immigrants and rural white Americans search for rare fungi. Despite the sustainability of the harvest, the workers who supply these mushrooms are repeatedly denied access to public lands. An expose of the inequities present in U.S. National Forests through the compelling stories of the mostly unseen people harvesting its most elusive crop. World Premiere. Wilma, 8 p.m.

Dugout Dick  A heartwarming portrait of an Idaho hermit, Richard Dugout Dick Zimmerman, who lived in caves that he dug on the banks of the Salmon River. It was the hope of finding precious metals that kept him digging and mining, but ultimately it was his simple life of living off the land that sustained him. World Premiere. Shorts Block 10. ZACC, 8:15 p.m.

As I Want  An explosion of sexual assaults takes place in Tahrir Square on the second anniversary of the revolution. In response, a massive outpouring of enraged women fill the streets. Director Samaher Alqadi picks up her camera as a form of protection and begins documenting the growing womens rebellion. A uniquely raw and personal perspective of the Egyptian revolution from deep inside the movement. Montana Premiere. Roxy, 8:45 p.m.

Filmmakers in attendance

Q&A following film screening

Above Boy  Jan Vogel, Sebastian Funke, Lucy Martens, directors; Liz Silver, Chloe Thornton, producers. World Premiere. Competition Shorts 3. Wilma, 1 p.m.

Stranger at the Gate  Joshua Seftel, director; Richard McKinley, subject. World Premiere. Competition Shorts 4. Wilma, 3:15 p.m.

The Trails Before Us  Fritz Bitsoie, director; Emma Hsu Jackson, producer. World Premiere. Time & Temperature  Justin Foreman, director; Mathew Pindell, producer. World Premiere. Schoolhouse Docs. Roxy, 4 p.m.

Outta the Muck  Ira Mckinley, Bhawin Suchak, directors. Wilma, 5:30 p.m.

To the Bone  Andy Sarjahani, director; Johnny Carrol Sain, subject. American Scar  Daniel Lombroso, director. Northwest Premiere. Seeds, The Legacy of the Land  Fernando Valencia, director; Cristobal Camarena Gonzalez Rubio, producer. Sentinels  Lawrence Lerew, co-director. Shorts Block 9. ZACC, 5:45 p.m.

When a City Rises  Han Yan Yuen, co-director and producer. North American Premiere. Roxy, 6 p.m.

Up on the Mountain  Olivier Matthon, Michael Reis, directors; Alicia Dominguez, Erin Yanke, producers. Wilma, 6:15 p.m.

Dugout Dick  Harrod Blank, director. Last Days of August Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, co-director. World Premiere. After Skid Row  Lindsey Hagen, director. Northwest Premiere. Shorts Block 10. ZACC, 8:15 p.m.

DocShop continues! Panels and workshops all week at the Missoula Public Library. Free and open to the public. Check bigskyfilmfest.org/docshop for schedules and seat reservations.

Festival HQ: ZACC, 216 W Main St. Purchase tickets, passes, and merchandise. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Devastating wildfires around the world will only grow in number in coming decades as climate change further fuels the chances of out-of-control blazes, a landmark report from the United Nations warns.

The heating of the planet is turning landscapes into tinderboxes, said the report, which was published on Wednesday by the United Nations Environment Program.

The report was prompted by a string of deadly blazes around the globe in recent years, burning the American West, vast stretches of Australia and even the Arctic.

Produced by more than 50 researchers from six continents, the report estimated that the risk worldwide of uncontrollable wildfires could increase by up to 57 percent by the end of the century, although some regions are likely to see more fire activity, while others may experience less. But all governments should prepare for the worst, the scientists added.

There isnt the right attention to fire from governments, Glynis Humphrey, a fire expert at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and an author of the report, told The New York Times. While more countries are turning to prescribed burns and other methods of preventing wildfires from raging out of control, spending in developed nations is still heavily skewed toward firefighting instead of forest management, she noted.

In some regions with long histories of brush fires, such as eastern Australia and the western United States and Canada, they have become more intense over the last decade and are incinerating larger areas, the report found. But uncontrolled blazes are also starting to occur in places where it had not been common, such as Russia, northern India and Tibet. Meanwhile, in parts of of sub-Saharan Africa, fire activity has declined over the past two decades, partly because drought has killed off more vegetation, the report found.

Researchers concluded that the extreme heat wave in the Pacific Northwest last year almost certainly would not have occurred without planetary warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. And scientists have also found the signs of climate change on brush fires in Australia and extreme heat and burning in Siberia. But hot weather and weak rainfall can also decrease the amount of vegetation that can feed fires. In other places, the decreased humidity can make vegetation more flammable, helping fires spread more easily.

In a moderate scenario, the likelihood of catastrophic fires could increase by up to a third by 2050 and up to 52 percent by 2100, the report estimates. If greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed and the planet heats up even more, wildfire risks could rise by up to 57 percent by the end of the century.

The increase in burning is projected to be especially pronounced in places including the Arctic, Douglas Kelley, a researcher at the U.K. Center for Ecology & Hydrology who conducted the data analysis for the report, told the Times. The northern reaches of Russia and North America are already warming far more rapidly than the rest of the world.

In more temperate regions of the United States and Asia, Kelley said, wildfires could increase as emissions rise because the higher amount of carbon dioxide in the air helps plants grow, resulting in more vegetation to fuel blazes. The prolonged drought in the American West  the regions worst, scientists say, in at least 1,200 years  helped spark wildfires last year.

The report urges governments to become more proactive about fire hazards. For every dollar spent in the United States on managing wildfires, almost 60 cents goes toward firefighting responses, according to the report. Much less is spent on lowering fire risks ahead of disasters and helping communities recover in ways that could make them more resilient to future blazes.

Humphrey said more governments needed to realize what fire actually is: something really critical for our planet, but that also needs to be managed.

More information

Visit the Environmental Protection Agency for more on wildfires.

SOURCE: The New York Times

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- When your cardiologist orders a test, do you stop to ask why you need it? You probably don't  but perhaps you should, according to a new report from the American Heart Association (AHA).

Too many Americans receive heart tests and treatments that do little good, and more needs to be done about it, the AHA says.

The issue of "low-value" medical care is a longstanding one  with about half of Americans receiving at least one such test or procedure every year, the heart association notes.

The term refers to health care services that are unlikely to benefit patients in a meaningful way, exposing them to potential harm and wasting money. It's estimated that low-value medical care accounts for about 30% of health care spending in the United States  or up to $101 billion annually.

In a new scientific statement, the AHA is bringing renewed attention to the problem, specifically when it comes to cardiac care.

Among the low-value tests and treatments are annual exercise stress tests for people who have undergone angioplasty or surgery to clear blocked arteries; echocardiograms to assess people who have fainted but show no signs or symptoms of heart problems; and coronary calcium tests for people already known to have heart disease.

"Clinicians and systems really do strive to provide the best care for patients," said Dr. Vinay Kini, chair of the AHA statement writing group.

But for various reasons, he said, some low-value practices can become, or remain, common.

As new technologies and treatments rapidly become available, Kini said, health care professionals have to figure out how to best use them. And some uses may get ahead of the evidence.

'Best practices' change

There may be a practice that, 15 years ago, seemed like the wise route, Kini said, but evidence gathered since shows otherwise.

And once a practice is established, it can be hard to dial it back, said Dr. Richard Kovacs, chief medical officer at the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

Individual doctors may rely on their personal experience, and the belief that a test or treatment helps patients, and stick with it. Or, Kovacs said, they may simply be unaware of the evidence that a given practice is actually low-value.

Then there is the fear of being sued, he noted, which can prompt doctors to practice "defensive medicine," and order tests to be sure nothing was missed.

"And we have to be frank," Kovacs said. "Some doctors do it for financial reasons."

Going back to 2006, the ACC has published "appropriate-use criteria" for numerous cardiac tests and procedures, in an effort to limit low-value care.

"I do think they've changed practice, and changed it for the better," said Kovacs, who was not involved with the new report.

But there is still plenty of room for improvement, according to Kini.

An example is cardiac stress testing, where people walk on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike while their heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are monitored.

Research suggests that up to half of stress tests performed in the United States would be rated as "rarely appropriate," the AHA says. The problem with that is not only time and money wasted: It can also lead to invasive testing that carries more risks and yet more expense.

It's not that cardiac tests, themselves, are useless. They need to be applied to the right patient, the AHA says.

Take coronary calcium tests, for instance. The non-invasive tests detect calcium deposits in the arteries, and can be "high value" when a patient is considered to be at "intermediate" risk of a heart attack. If the calcium score is high, then it's a good idea to start a cholesterol-lowering statin medication.

The test is of no value, however, to someone with known blockages in the heart arteries: A statin would clearly be appropriate.

What can be done? Actions on different levels are needed, Kini said.

On the broad level, the U.S. health care system is designed to reward quantity  more tests, more treatments  versus quality. A payment system based on quality of care is the "way forward," Kini said, though it is complicated to define quality.

And a downside, he noted, is that those systems can end up punishing safety-net hospitals, which serve low-income patients whose circumstances  including poverty and unstable housing  can make their care much more complicated. So it will be necessary to make sure alternative payment systems do not worsen health care inequities.

What patients can do

Patients also play a role, Kini and Kovacs said. In some cases, they demand tests or treatments that are not necessary, and their provider caves.

That is not to say that patients should be silent, though. It's the opposite, Kovacs said: If your doctor recommends a test or treatment, feel free to ask why, and whether there are alternatives.

"I'd welcome my patients saying, 'What are my options?'" Kovacs said.

And while costs are a huge issue for the health care system, they also matter to patients, Kini pointed out. With the rise of high-deductible insurance plans and other forms of "cost-sharing," U.S. patients are shouldering a larger share of their medical bills.

That makes it even more important, Kini said, to ensure they are getting high-value care.

The statement was published Feb. 22 in the AHA journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

More information

Choosing Wisely has more on cardiac tests and procedures.

SOURCES: Vinay Kini, MD, MSHP, assistant professor, medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City; Richard Kovacs, MD, chief medical officer, American College of Cardiology, Washington, D.C.; Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, Feb. 22, 2022, online

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WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A drug that has helped millions of men reinvigorate their sex lives seems to treat a rare, but often deadly, eating disorder in dogs, researchers say.

The condition is called megaesophagus. It's an enlargement of the esophagus and a loss of its ability to move food to the stomach, resulting in food getting jammed in the lower esophagus. Left untreated, dogs with the disorder can regurgitate their food and aspirate it into their lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia, the researchers explained.

"The literature tells us that many dogs with the disease die from aspiration pneumonia or are humanely euthanized due to poor quality of life within eight months of diagnosis," said study co-leader Jillian Haines, a veterinarian at Washington State University, in Pullman.

Enter Viagra.

Haines and her colleagues gave liquid Viagra to 10 dogs with megaesophagus. The drug relaxed the smooth muscle of the lower esophagus so it was open enough to allow food to pass to the stomach.

The dogs had no side effects from the treatment, according to the study published online recently in the American Journal of Veterinary Research.

"If you look at the literature, there are no drugs we can use to manage megaesophagus. Sildenafil [Viagra] is the first to target these mechanisms and reduce regurgitation, which is big because that's what ultimately kills these dogs," Haines said in a university news release. "It opens the lower esophageal sphincter for 20 minutes to an hour, which works really well for dogs because we only want that to open when they are eating."

On average, the dogs gained just over two pounds by the end of the study.

"Moderately affected dogs that were regurgitating frequently but not excessively seemed to see the most dramatic results," Haines said. "I actually prescribed sildenafil to several of those patients after the study, and they are still using it today."

The findings are promising but further research is needed, she noted.

"A lot of veterinarians are reaching out and asking about this drug," Haines said. "I think sildenafil will be life-changing and lifesaving for a lot of dogs. This research helps support its use and hopefully will encourage more people to use it."

More information

There's more on megaesophagus in dogs at Veterinarians.org.

SOURCE: Washington State University, news release, Feb. 21, 2022

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In Still Max, an artist questions a cancer diagnosis frankly  his shock, fears and treatment options, in candid interviews. He also shares his means of working through those questions  a conceptual art project.

IF YOU GO Director: Katherine Knight Producer: Katherine Knight, David Craig, Site Media Inc. 2021, Canada, 74 min. U.S. premiere Screening at the ZACC, Saturday, Feb. 26, at 7:30 p.m.

Streaming Sunday-Wednesday, Feb. 27-March 2. For tickets, go to bigskysfilmfest.org. Advance registration is recommended. Masks are required indoors.

The subject of the film is Max Dean, an award-winning Canadian artist who works in installations with some robotic elements. While hes difficult to pigeonhole, but an example threaded through the film is his Robotic Chair  in which a seemingly plain-looking piece of wood furniture falls apart and then, in a surprisingly touching way, begins to reassemble itself thanks to hidden machinery in each limb.

Early in the movie, Dean explains the impulse thats animated his career into his 70s  he wants to be caught off guard by (my) own work. He discusses the fortitude it requires to stay a part of the contemporary art world, where hes several generations older than the upstarts.

Like the falling chair, which has in its own way been set upon by a crisis it needs to resolve, director Katherine Knights film tracks Dean during an existential moment. Told that he has prostate cancer, he has to weigh whether hell have surgery or take chemotherapy.

The film falls into two strands at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival  The Art of Aging and For the Love of Art.

Director Katherine Knight is a landscape-based art photographer whos made documentaries about contemporary artists. For those who might feel squeamish at the words conceptual art, its worth noting that while Deans work is very contemporary, hes a plainspoken and insightful person who explains clearly how his art originates in everyday questions and concerns.

For instance, the notion of undergoing surgery spurs thoughts in Dean that we might not think about too often  If something is cut open, is it ever the same again? Who thought to cut human bodies open?

Since Dean is an artist, the logical end point of such thoughts is a series of tableaux, some based on masterpieces.

He visits Ontario Place, an amusement park thats home to a shuttered wilderness adventure ride, where tourists took a boat ride down a water chute and witnessed scenes from territorial history enacted by animatronic mannequins. Now in disrepair and literal pieces, he saves them and brings them back to his studio, where he and his assistants begin resurrecting them. (Getting through his treatment requires a team, he says, and these are his people.)

What these scenes might look like: A mannequin costumed as the artist Thomas Eakins, famous for his paintings of surgery at the end of the 1800s. He has a scalpel poised and ready to open Deans own belly. As a reference, the mannequin has a guide  a photograph of Deans torso, already cut open, his torso revealing vintage anatomical diagrams. (Dean, it should be known to viewers, is not shy about his body.)

The film doesnt have anything to do with COVID, but to audiences its themes might resonate  an unexpected calamity has emerged in Deans world, and he decides that, rather than hide his diagnosis, he has to confront it head-on, through creative projects that can seem quixotic or frustrating in the moment, but are therapeutic.

He and his partner, Martha Fleury, an accomplished painter, talk about meeting when they were both getting older, and the necessity of finding someone whos sympathetic to the demands of their chosen professions. Partway through the movie, she experiences her own health crisis and the stressors increase.

Knight and cinematographer John Price cut between direct-to-camera interviews with Dean, follow him as hes at work on projects, including many scenes in which he appears to be enacting pieces especially for the camera.

The final installation, rooted in the idea of a tumor, an alien, as he calls it, sees him unpacking the layers of his illness and his life with a ritual-like humility. As hed likely hope, it catches you off-guard when you realize what hes been up to.

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Missoula will pay $4.13 million to an out-of-state private equity corporation to finally end an eight-year legal battle over ownership of the citys municipal water system.

The Missoula city councils committee of the whole voted unanimously on Wednesday to authorize mayor John Engen to sign a global settlement and release with The Carlyle Group of Washington, D.C. In exchange for the $4.13 million, which will come out of Missoula Waters infrastructure improvement budget, Carlyle and the city agree to drop all arbitration claims against each other.

This is far from my ideal outcome, but the damage is extraordinarily limited, Engen said. The way we operate the water system at cost as a nonprofit municipal corporation will allow us to soldier on. Under private ownership (by Carlyle), Mountain Water was sending upwards of $2 million bucks a year back to the mothership in California."

Engen said that money is now being redirected back into the community.

"Thats important to remember in terms of that administrative fee coming out of the utility that wasnt going to maintenance," he said. "This (settlement amount) is two years of private ownership lining the pockets of investors rather than investing in the community.

The city used eminent domain powers and initiated condemnation proceedings against Carlyle in 2014 to force the corporation to sell Mountain Water Co. to the city. The city argued that owning the municipal water system was a public necessity, as Missoula was the only municipality in Montana that had a privately owned water system. During a long legal battle, Carlyle sold Missoulas water system to Liberty Utilities in 2016. In 2017, a Missoula County District Court judge ruled that Missoula could pay $93.2 million for Mountain Water and related expenses. The utility was then renamed Missoula Water.

Still, the city argued that Carlyle had acted in bad faith during the legal battle and asked for an arbitration panel to decide whether Carlyle should pay damages.

Late last year the arbitration panel ruled in Carlyles favor, Engen explained. The panel decided we did not have proof in writing of Carlyles behavior.

After the ruling, Engen said that Carlyle reached out about a global settlement agreement, asking for $5 million, which would end all ongoing litigation between the two parties. Engen said that after consulting with lawyers, he determined that the city could be on the hook for between $10 million and $15 million if the city were to go to arbitration over who should pay Carlyles legal fees and lose again. The city negotiated the settlement number down to $4.13 million.

This settles all litigation thats pending, Engen explained. We write a check for $4.13 million and were all done. Carlyle has no claims against us and we have no claims against them. At the end of the day, we own the water system, which was our goal."

He said he is "holding his nose to a certain degree" about it, but believes it's in the best interests of Missoulians.

"I would rather not write a check but the fact of the matter is I believe this is the best deal the city is going to get, and also the most predictable, most manageable," Engen told the committee.

Harry Schneider, a private attorney who represented the city throughout the water system fight, said the settlement figure was lower than he expected.

City council member Jordan Hess said the legal battle has been fatiguing for city staff and city council members and its time to move on.

In 100 years, in 50 years, in 20 years and tomorrow, the only thing that will matter is we own this water utility, Hess said. This is a drop in the bucket, so to speak, in the timeline of this community and the timeline of this water acquisition. Its well worth it to me to have this settled and move this behind us.

Council member Gwen Jones said if she had the chance, she would vote again to approve the takeover of the water utility.

"I understand how stressful this was for our community, and the division over litigation and ultimately paying for the water utility," she said. "But I do not want us to lose sight of the fact that this is a huge win for Missoula. A community must own its own water. Having a private equity firm own it and run it as a money-making investment, as we head down a road of inevitable drought due to increased climate change, is a recipe for disaster."

Jones said college professors teach about the Missoula eminent domain case as an example of a city going in the right direction as the American West's megadrought reaches its worst point in 1,200 years.

To date, the city has paid $10.6 million of its own legal fees in the case, along with $1.1 million of Carlyle's legal fees. The settlement approved Wednesday will not raise property taxes or water fees, Engen said. Instead, the pace of improvements to the water system will be slightly reduced by a $318,000 annual payment for 20 years.

City manager Dale Bickell said that Missoula ratepayers are still paying lower rates for water than they were in 2014 when the city started the battle. Also, the city has tripled capital expenditures to reduce leakage and improve the system, he noted.

City council member Mike Nugent said he's glad the mayor and past city council members had the foresight to persevere even though the battle wasn't always very popular.

The takeover of the city water system will most likely be one of the longest-lasting legacies of Engen's career, and he said he's glad it's finally over. In the end, he said, the community's long-term interests have prevailed because an essential substance will be available at a reasonable cost forever.

"I have believed that for a long time," he said. "That's why I and our team went to the mat and took a calculated risk here. At the end of the day we prevailed and will save Missoulians millions of dollars in rates over time and we will improve the system and guarantee our water supply is not subjected to commoditization by faraway investors who don't know the first thing about what Missoula is and what we're about."

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Thinking of doing some early spring cleaning? In the midst of a cold snap, Burns St. Bistro and PATH of Missoula are partnering this week to host a donation drive for the unhoused.

The drive aims to bring in items for housed and unhoused individuals and tons of items are fair game to donate  whether it be furniture and household items, or things that might help individuals survive in the cold weather, like clothing items, blankets, sleeping bags and tents.

Burns St. is all about helping out and doing things for the community, Shannon Clark, an employee at Burns St. Bistro, said on Tuesday.

Conditions were expected to stay frigid through at least Wednesday. Temperatures could drop to 10 or 15 below zero for most of western Montana. Lows are forecast to stay in single-digit range through Saturday morning.

PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transitioning from Homelessness) asks that any fabric items have been recently washed and cleaned prior to donation. Bathroom essentials like towels and toilet paper are also encouraged, along with non-perishable food items.

The PATH employee who set up the drive is a former bistro employee, which is how the drive came about, Clark added. The popular breakfast and lunch spot has hosted events in the past in partnership with local animal shelters to get animals adopted, but this is the first time they're seeking donations for the homeless.

PATH Missoula is a grant-funded program that provides outreach and case management for people experiencing homelessness, who are at risk of imminent homelessness and/or are experiencing mental health issues in the community.

PATH employees help Missoulians who need support by assisting them with obtaining identification, applying for housing and housing vouchers, and applying for supplemental security income benefits.

As of Tuesday, donations included a couch and mattress, among other things.

Bring it all, Clark said. Id rather have too much stuff than nothing at all.

The bistro will take donations through Friday, and is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for dropoffs. Anyone who wishes to donate can swing by, and an employee will be there to direct you to the dropoff spot. If you have a bigger furniture item, PATH might be able to pick up the item if you call 406-532-9725.

If you or someone you know is in need of PATHs assistance, call 406-532-9700.

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A Gallatin County animal has tested positive for brucellosis, a disease that causes cows to miscarry and poses health challenges to Montana's beef economy.

State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski on Tuesday said the animal tested positive in January during routine herd testing. The state does not identify whether the animal was a domestic bison or bovine to preserve the privacy of the ranch.

The ranch herd has been quarantined. The animal that tested positive has been killed.

What I can tell you is, since 2016 weve had three cattle and two bison, test positive, Zaluski said.

The last time Gallatin County had a positive brucellosis test was 2016, the veterinarian said. The current animal likely had some wildlife exposure, possibly with elk afterbirth.

Gallatin County is part of Montanas Designated Surveillance Area, a multi-county region where brucellosis is tightly monitored and isolated instances are tolerated. The surveillance counties are located near Yellowstone National Park where brucellosis is present in wildlife and untreatable.

Almost all of Montana's calves are shipped out of state to be fattened and slaughtered. The Greater Yellowstone Region is the nation's last known source of brucellosis, a livestock disease, once problematic for dairy operations, that spread to wildlife. In addition to causing cows to miscarry, the disease can create undulant fever in humans. States receiving Yellowstone-area cattle previously objected to accepting the animals without vaccinations and clean bills of health, which are now standard.

In the last state fiscal year, more than 94,000 brucellosis tests were done on Montana livestock, mostly in the surveillance area, where there are 445 herds totaling about 120,000 animals, according to the Montana Department of Livestock. The annual cost of the testing is $973,000.

Prior to the creation of the DSA, Montana cattle were vulnerable to bans on shipment out of state related to brucellosis.

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After years as a poster child for vacant buildings in Uptown Butte, the ExerDance building is showing signs of new life.

A couple from Texas bought the five-story building at 75 E. Park St. a few years ago, and last year, some interior demolition and structural work began, much of it in the basement.

The Urban Revitalization Agency, which oversees a tax-increment district covering parts of Uptown, steered $150,000 toward the work last year and awarded another $150,000 grant to the project Tuesday.

The grants can cover up to 25% of eligible costs and are only paid out when work is completed. The work this year will cost an estimated $600,000 and include more structural support, new steel beams and some work on the first floor and mezzanine level.

A third phase will likely be needed next year, and although ultimate plans for the building are still pending, they are expected to be a mix of uses, said Karen Byrnes, Butte-Silver Bows community development director.

Theyre planning on some sort of professional, retail, commercial space on the lower floors and then most likely residential above, Byrnes told the URA Board on Tuesday. Thats the gist of the plan without the detail.

The investors are from Rockwall, Texas and they have also purchased the old YMCA and Rudolphs buildings in Uptown Butte, Byrnes said.

The renovation project is being overseen by Lesley Gilmore, an historic preservation architect in Bozeman, and Bozeman-based Ensitio Design.

Gilmore talked in detail about all the work and said there is a lot more to do.

Theyre working really hard and steadily but its still going to be a little while before we see some really great improvement, she said, adding that its still stunning how great this building is.

This was a well-constructed building, she said.

It was built in 1885 and was once known as the Park Street Gym but hasnt been in use for at least 15 years, Byrnes said.

Belgrade developer Michael Libster was a co-owner of the building and was gearing up for a $2.8 million renovation in 2009 when his real estate holdings were caught in the Great Recession and money to fund the project was no longer available. The URA has tried to market the building in the past, too.

The real estate market in Butte, like much of Montana, is booming now, adding to optimism the ExerDance project will continue.

Board member Bob Worley said he was glad the building was being revived, a sentiment echoed by member Bob Brown.

I dont understand the architectural or engineering aspects of this building but I do believe this building is really important to the Uptown area the URA covers, Brown said. Keeping buildings like this preserved and restored and functional  we exist for a lot of reasons, but this is certainly a primary one.

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The number of active COVID-19 cases in Montana fell by half over the past week, as the recent surge driven by the viruss omicron variant appears to be waning.

As of Tuesday, 3,125 Montanans have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic first reached the state in March 2020, according to the Department of Public Health and Human Resources. Another 23 people were recently added to that total, 13 of whom died in January.

DPHHS reported 2,315 active cases across Montana on Tuesday, down 50% from 4,587 active cases a week earlier.

There were 212 active hospitalizations due to COVID-19, down from 266 a week before.

Newly reported positive cases have also been falling at steady clip. The seven-day average for new cases was at 533 on Tuesday, well under half of what it was two weeks ago. The average daily cases during the omicron-fueled surge peaked at 2,400 in late January, according to data provided by DPHHS.

That was the highest rate of daily infections reported in the state since the pandemic began.

Still, daily case totals are likely an undercount, as positive cases from at-home reports arent required to be reported to the state. The state health department asks residents to self-report those positive cases, and a form is available on their website.

The proportion of fully vaccinated people in Montana has remained stagnant since the end of January, holding steady at 54% of the eligible population as of Tuesday, according to DPHHS. Montanas vaccination rate ranks in the bottom third of the U.S.

While not guaranteeing total immunity from infection, vaccinations drastically lessen the likelihood of developing severe symptoms as a result of COVID-19. Since Dec. 18, 80% of COVID deaths were among unvaccinated people, according to a Feb. 11 report from DPHHS.

Since April 2021, unvaccinated patients accounted for 78% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations.

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Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Roulaison Distilling Co. partners Andrew Lohfeld and Patrick Hernandez hatched plans for their operation not on the high seas, but as friends in New York City catching up over drinks in 2013.

Working at New York Citys Kings County Distillery at the time, Lohfeld shared with Hernandez his dream of opening his own distillery to focus on producing a great craft rum. As a Louisiana native, Hernandez knew the perfect place to launch just such a plan, and the duo set out on a research and development trip to New Orleans.

I got great perspective on whiskey at Kings County, but as my experience in the spirits industry grew, I realized there was an untapped opportunity with rum, Lohfeld explains. There are all these great American whiskey brands and distilleries, which makes it a little hard to compete in that category. The rum segment was much easier to break into, and theres a better chance to make a real impact in the market.

The name  a combination of rouler, meaning to roll and saison, meaning season  honors the micro-distillerys terroir.

Roulaison is the French Creole word for the sugarcane harvest, Lohfeld explains. 'Rolling season technically refers to the rolling motion of the grinding wheels that are used to crush the sugarcane. The term is no longer really used in the modern lexicon for sugar production; we found it referenced in an old 1890s sugarcane planting guide.

The right place at the right time

Along with Florida, Louisianas hot and humid climate lends itself readily to sugarcane farming, one of just a few growing regions in America where the crop thrives. And, as sugar is the main ingredient in rum, the territory is a natural fit for a distillery site, an entrepreneurial idea thats quickly gaining popularity.

Ten years ago, there were only a few distilleries located in Louisiana, two of which made rum, Lohfeld says. Now were up to around 35 total.

With new distilleries popping up all across Florida and Louisiana, Lohfeld hopes to see the creation of a rum trail promotion to drive interest and tourism, similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or Louisvilles Urban Bourbon Trail.

The industry is so much stronger now than it was 10 years ago; I cant help but think about how much further it will come along in another decade, he ponders. I think were really just on the cusp of developing those necessary relationships with stakeholders, mill workers, farmers and marketing entities.

Producing a great product

Fresh sugarcane juice is hard to come by outside of major growing regions, leaving rum distilleries not based in Florida or Louisiana to rely on molasses as their only base ingredient. Due to its proximity to sugar mills, Roulaison is fortunate enough to use either fresh sugarcane juice or molasses, which is a concentrated form of sugarcane juice. From there, the basic distilling process is similar to that of other spirits.

You start off with your sugar source and then add water and yeast, but with rum, you dont have to convert the more complex starches in grains first like you do with bourbon or rye, so its one less step, Lohfeld describes. Rum can come off the still a bit higher as well, as high as nearly 190 proof, but ours is at around 155 to 160 proof.

Because rum has traditionally been imported into America as opposed to being produced domestically, regulation isnt as strictly controlled as it is with native spirits like whiskey.

Rum is like the Wild West of spirits, Lohfeld laughs. There are no rules about barreling or storage. In some countries, the distillate must spend at least a year aging in wood barrels to be called rum. But in America, rum doesnt have to be aged at all. You can drink it right off the still.

How to taste rum

Although the ingredients and process remain fairly consistent across the board, rum does allow opportunities for color customization and flavor development. Depending on the product, drinkers may pick up inherently sweet tasting notes of brown sugar, vanilla, coconut, cinnamon, tropical fruit and other essential flavors.

Rum has such a great diversity of styles around the world, Lohfeld says. Because there are so many different ways to make it, you can hit pretty much every spoke on the flavor wheel. Ive seen rums compared to whiskeys and brandies; however, you can tweak different aspects with rum to get flavors that you just cant achieve with other spirits.

When it comes down to the tasting, Lohfeld says the best way to drink rum is however you like it.

One of my favorite introductions to rum is to make a traditional daiquiri with it and see how it works in that kind of cocktail, he recommends.

Or, you can sip it straight like a whiskey, maybe add an ice cube. Bringing the proof down with a little water helps a good craft rum to really open up and release all those great aromatic compounds.
School board members from Butte School District No. 1 were all in agreement Tuesday night. Effective immediately, the mask mandate has been lifted in the Butte schools for the rest of the school year.

Masks are now optional for not only students and staff, but visitors, too. Because of a federal mandate, the one place where masks remain compulsory are when students board local school buses.

Masks have been required for students and staff since the 2020-21 school year began. At that time, the mandate was put in place by the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department to keep Butte schools safe and to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Prior to the 2020-21 school year, students were being taught remotely throughout the district.

School Superintendent Judy Jonart had hoped to request the mask policy be lifted after the recent Christmas break but was prevented from doing so because of an upsurge with the omicron variant.

It has always been our intent to end the mandate, said Jonart. We looked at the statistics every month.

Those statistics now show a big decline in COVID cases not only in Butte but statewide. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services reports active cases are down 50% from last week.

Jonart has the blessing of the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department and the Southwest Montana Community Health Center.

According to Karen Maloughney, health department director, as of Feb. 20, Buttes cases are just 27.6 per 100,000.

We are way down, she said. Our seven-day average is now nine cases per day.

For Maloughney, that average is proof positive that Butte is headed in the right direction.

We are cautiously optimistic, she said.

Jonart and Maloughney are well aware that COVID is still an issue and both women encourage residents to remain cautious.

Maloughney hopes residents continue to stay home when sick and if attending a large event, get tested first. If the test comes back positive, report it to the health department and remain quarantined for five days.

The health department is giving out free test kits from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays at the Butte Plaza Mall. The only rule is residents can only receive one test kit per household per week.

Jonart acknowledged its been a trying time for the school district, its teachers and staff, parents and students, as well.

Its been difficult for everyone, said Jonart, and I so appreciate the communitys cooperation through this pandemic.

The group she is most proud of, however, are Buttes students.

They have done it all, said Jonart, without much complaint.

As for Maloughney, she hopes residents continue to use all the educational tools they have provided regarding COVID.

Let that guide you, she advised, and hopefully, that education will move us forward instead of backward.

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A Laurel High School student pleaded not guilty Wednesday to allegedly bringing a firearm to school and threatening a student.

The 16-year-old boy appeared in Yellowstone County District Court via teleconference. Prosecutors have charged him as an adult with assault, a felony, and possessing a weapon inside a school building, a misdemeanor.

The defendant allegedly brought a handgun into Laurel High School on Feb. 9, according to charging documents. He showed the gun to a student in one of the schools bathrooms after mentioning that he might get a felony. The defendant then threatened the student that he better not tell anyone, documents say, making the student afraid for his safety.

He allegedly showed the handgun to another student the following day, who alerted the school resource officer. After the defendant told the officer he had a vape unit, the SRO found a loaded semi-automatic handgun during a search. He was arrested that morning and initially charged in Youth Court. The investigation into the charges, headed by the Laurel Police Department, is ongoing.

LPD Chief Stan Langve wrote in a press release issued Feb. 10 that the defendant told the officer that he had no plans to use the weapon against anyone, but carried it for his protection. When asked for an update regarding the investigation Wednesday, LPD referred The Gazette to Jared Anglin, the SRO at Laurel High School who responded to the report of the firearm. Anglin was not available to comment Wednesday.

In Montana, prosecutors can press assault charges against anyone suspected of causing physical harm with a weapon, or, in this instance, causing reasonable apprehension of serious bodily injury, according to state law. If convicted of assault with a weapon, the student could face up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. A sentence for possessing a weapon inside a school building comes with the possibility of up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $500. Montana law prohibits anyone other than law enforcement from carrying a weapon, concealed or otherwise, within K-12 schools.

Standing Master Laurie Grygiel set the students bond at $5,000 during his arraignment. As part of the conditions of his release, he must remain under the custody and supervision of his mother, who was present in the courtroom Wednesday. He will also have to be electronically monitored and check in weekly with Youth Court upon his release. His next appearance in court is scheduled for April 19.

District Judge Michael G. Moses will preside over the case.

Editor's note: Although the suspect in this case was charged as an adult, The Gazette typically doesn't name juveniles.

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The crisis at our southern border is raging on, although you wouldnt know it from watching the evening news or looking at the front pages of the papers. Along with attorneys general from other states, I recently visited the Rio Grande Valley Sector in Texas to see the border for myself and hear directly from public safety officials who are dealing with the crisis every day. What I saw and heard was eye-opening  and its harming Montana communities.

At the behest of President Joe Biden and his administration, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is playing catch-and-release with migrants who have criminal records. Federal data shows that more than 270,000 illegal immigrants were released into our country without a court date in a span of just five months last year. While law enforcement is intercepting a staggering amount of dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin at the border, an even greater amount is making it across.

Once drugs enter the country, they can be smuggled into Montana within 48 hours. Data from our Forensic Science Division show fentanyl-linked deaths increased 116% in Montana in 2020, while the number of postmortem cases with identified methamphetamine in the blood also more than doubled that year.

As Montanas attorney general, Im taking action to force President Biden to uphold the law and lessen the impacts of drugs and crime on Montana communities.

First, were fighting President Bidens dangerous immigration policies in court. In November, I filed a lawsuit to stop the nonenforcement policy that ties the hands of immigration officers and halts nearly all deportations  even for criminals and when federal immigration courts have already ordered their removal from the United States. Immigration arrests and deportations were slashed and deportable criminal aliens were released from jails.

Last month, we filed a lawsuit against the Central American Minor (CAM) program that incentivizes illegal immigration. This Obama-era program  which President Trump eliminated  was sold as a means to decrease the number of children coming to the border, but it failed to do so. If the Obama policy opened the door, President Bidens reincarnation blows the door off the hinges by releasing illegal immigrants and then allowing them to bring additional people here.

Every man hour that Customs and Border Patrol agents spend apprehending and processing illegal border crossers is time they dont spend on stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the country. As a result of the increase, states like Texas have stepped up by building their own sections of a border wall and patrolling the Rio Grande themselves.

Montana is also having to fight our share of the battle here. The increase in violent crime over the last several years is directly linked to the proliferation of drugs in our state. As head of the Montana Department of Justice, I'm also getting additional resources into the field to help law enforcement across our state.

Weve converted two desk jobs at a regulatory division into slots for narcotics agents to increase capacity for investigations and work with multi-agency anti-drug task forces. A proposal signed last month by Gov. Greg Gianforte will fund three more investigators at our agency. Last year, I advocated and secured $300,000 from the state legislature for a grant program to replace drug-detecting canines. As a result, 23 new canines and their handlers will soon be on patrol in Montana with police departments, county sheriffs offices, and a tribal law enforcement agency.

Law enforcement officers in Montana are doing what they can to combat drugs trafficked across the southern border and the resulting crime, but were fighting an uphill battle until the federal government does its job to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. I am not deterred by President Bidens indifference to the border crisis and the fallout in our state. Ill keep fighting in court to reverse his dangerous immigration policies and working with other Montana law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe.

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State Sen. Greg Hertz, chair of the Montana Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, published a recent op-ed proclaiming that Montana Republicans will protect your freedoms." While this op-ed may help his fundraising efforts, it twists the facts like a pretzel. Rather than spewing divisive and polarizing rhetoric, Republicans like Hertz would do better to take a good, hard look in the mirror and work on sensible policies that benefit Montanans. Democrats in the last session were laser-focused on improving the lives of ordinary Montanans, promoting affordable housing, access to child care, sensible COVID policy, improving our health care and mental health systems, protecting our public lands and wildlife, and addressing climate and energy issues, all of which were blocked by Republicans.

The good senators claims about Republican bills in the last session are highly misleading. He fails to mention that over 80% of the Republicans supposed tax cuts go to Montanas wealthiest 20%. While the average Montana family may save only a measly $50, the family with a million-dollar income will save over $1,500. And that doesnt count the ability Hertz and his party created for Montanas wealthiest to receive tax credits for as much as $200,000 for donating to private religious schools, depriving public schools of those tax dollars. Republicans chose these tax breaks for the wealthy over funding our collapsing mental health system, critical care for the elderly and those with disabilities, and housing for at-risk youth. In recent weeks, weve seen how the Montana State Hospital, childrens mental health programs, and Montanas mental health facilities are barely functioning and vulnerable children are being sent out of state for help instead of staying in Montana. Were losing health care workers, mental health professionals and teachers because Republicans prioritized tax breaks for the wealthy.

Perhaps the senator should explain how such policies enhance our freedoms and help Montanans.

The senators other claims are equally misleading. So-called Republican voter integrity laws are in reality voter disenfranchisement laws. The senator well knows Montanas elections are free and fair (and resulted in a Republican sweep), and that these new laws are merely an attempt to advance the Big Lie. In fact, Montanas elections are some of the most secure in the nation. New Republican laws limiting governments ability in the public health arena are in reality laws dismantling our public health systems and putting Montanans' health at risk.

Religious freedom in Montana is already robust, and any person can practice any religion of their choosing. New Republican laws that purport to protect everyones religious freedom are just more Republican identity politics to bully minority Montanans. New laws blocking access to abortion violate Montana womens fundamental right to autonomy. Instead of empty rhetoric, perhaps the senator can explain how Republicans' disrespect for families and intrusion on our privacy enhances our freedoms.

While Republicans are advancing their radical culture war policies, the good senator falsely claims that Democrats are focused on so-called critical race theory, defunding the police, and opposing control of the southern border. We must have attended a different legislative session because none of these subjects was raised by Montana Democrats even once. CRT is not taught in Montana's K-12 schools, Montana Democrats have a demonstrated history of supporting public safety, and Montana doesn't have jurisdiction over the southern border.

The Republican sweep of all statewide Montana offices and nearly two-thirds of the Legislature has done nothing to advance freedoms for everyday Montanans. It has just made the wealthy wealthier, sold our wildlife to the highest bidder, and resulted in an unprecedented power grab by the far right.

Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell (D-Helena/East Helena) represents House District 84 in the Montana Legislature. Rep. Jessica Karjala (D-Billings) represents House District 48.

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ARCHIVED - Mazarron welcomes the Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism



Over 4 million euros are being invested in the Bahia de Mazarron sustainable tourism project

Image: Fernando Valdes is presented by Gaspar Miras with a statue of one of the emblematic Phoenician boats of Mazarron

Hopes are high in Mazarron and other coastal towns of the Region of Murcia that the summer of 2022 will be the first since 2019 not to suffer the negative effects of Covid restrictions on tourism, and the sense of anticipation was highlighted on Tuesday when the Town Hall welcomed a visit from Fernando Valdes, the Secretary of State for Tourism in the Spanish government.

Attention focussed during the visit on the 4.15 million euros of funding which have been awarded to the Bahia de Mazarron sustainable tourism project over the next three years, the plans for which were presented during Sr Valdes visit. As Mayor Gaspar Miras underlined, Mazarron is heavily dependent on tourism, which is one of the pillars of the local economy, and the sustainability plan marks a step forward in strengthening the position of the bay in both the domestic and international tourism sectors.

For his part, Sr Valdes praised the initiative of the Town Hall, adding that the investment will place Mazarron at the forefront of modern tourism. While in the Costa Calida, the Secretary of State took time to visit local sights including the Gredas (wind-eroded rock formations) and the viewing point of Playa del Rincon, both in Bolnuevo, and the spectacular landscape of the abandoned mines in the mountains behind Mazarron itself.

For more local information, news and upcoming events visit the home page of Mazarron Today.
MUSCATINE  On what would have been two days before the 132nd birthday of Alexander Clark, a Black businessman and activist who served as U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, students at Muscatine Community College took time to remember Clark and learn more about Black life along the Mississippi.

Charles Pearson, president, and CEO of Pearson Consulting LLC, an African American historic research firm, gave the keynote speech in which is described 19th and 20th-century life associated with Quad-Cities Black settlers. While Pearson was originally supposed to have given the lecture in person, a vehicle crash forced him to appear for the event at a Zoom meeting. The event was sponsored by the Alexander Clark Foundation and the League of Women Voters of Muscatine County.

Currently Im working on a project called Black Life Along the Mississippi, Pearson explained. The project showcases different locations along the Mississippi that have different stories associated with the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

Daniel G. Clark of Muscatine, a former Muscatine Journal reporter and local historian, opened the event. He described the preservation of Alexander Clarks history in Muscatine, as well as spoke of the need to make Clarks history national rather than just statewide.

Pearson said he had learned much about Alexander Clark from Daniel Clark. He said the firm is working on the Iowa African American Heritage Trail, which will allow areas with Black historic sites along the Mississippi to be shown. He said he has made sure to feature the story of Alexander Clark.

If you look at the history of Alexander Clark, it is very powerful, he said. Pearson said the trail is considered for Muscatine either a self-guided walking tour or a bike tour. He said the Alexander Clark House is a great stop because it is already on the National Register of Historic Places.

Pearson also told the story of Milton Howard, a Muscatine native who settled in Davenport. Howard was captured into slavery, got his freedom, was captured back into slavery, and served in the Union Army in the 60th U.S. Colored Infantry. He was also the co-founder of the second oldest church in Davenport. He earned the nickname The Deacon and was well-known in Davenport.

Camp Strong in Muscatine County is also a stop on the trail. Pearson told the story of a group called the greybeards, who were prison guards at the Rock Island Arsenal and included active members over 40, and the 108th Colored Infantry, who took over for the greybeards.

Pearson told the stories of many other landmarks showing the history of slavery and The Civil War in Iowa. He explained the opportunity, especially with the African American Heritage Trail Program, to have local, state, and national partnerships. He also asked people to share their experiences with learning about Alexander Clark.

Im ready for some ideas if you guys have some for me, Pearson said to the audience.

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MUSCATINE  A Muscatine teacher was surprised with a bit of extra recognition  and cash  this week.

Susan Clark Jr. High FFA teacher Ashley Wiebe was recognized Wednesday by members of the Muscatine FFA team, the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa FFA Foundation, Nationwide Insurance and the Lee Agency for being selected as a finalist for the 2022 Golden Owl Award.

Presented by Nationwide and the Iowa FFA Foundation, the award recognizes outstanding agricultural educators across the state of Iowa for their hard work and dedication. Finalists can be nominated by students, fellow teachers or other supporters.

A graduate of the Muscatine FFA program, Rob Schmidt from the Lee Agency shared several of the nominations Wiebe had received from students and fellow teachers. Many called Wiebe "outstanding" and "dedicated." recalling how she has spent countless hours working with and mentoring her students.

"(Wiebe) gives 100% every day to show todays youth just how amazing agriculture is and what great opportunities there are for students," Schmidt read from one of the nominations. "Her classroom is always fun, inviting and open to everyone. I promise there is not a teacher more deserving of this award than her."

A former student wrote that Wiebe has had a profound, positive influence on the FFA program by getting students involved at the middle school level and keeping them engaged through high school.

One teacher recalled how Wiebe often helps students with their 4H projects after school and even helped a young child who had previously experienced a trauma related to livestock become more comfortable around them.

"(Wiebe) goes above and beyond for all her students, and is so dedicated to teaching agricultural education to all of her students," Schmidt continued reading from the nomination forms. "She spends hours outside of school with students practicing for competitions and judging contests. She is so knowledgeable about agriculture, and is an amazing instructor."

After receiving her award, Wiebe took the time to thank those who nominated her.

"It really makes me feel like all the hard work over the past few years has paid off, and (regarding my students)  I wouldnt be willing to be as driven as I am without having good kids and good families to work with," Wiebe said.

She also thanked her fellow agriculture teachers in the Muscatine school district.

"We work together really well as a team, and I think thats why this program is as successful as it is," Wiebe said.

Wiebe will compete at the state FFA convention in April against six other teachers for the title of Iowa Agricultural Educator of the Year. If she wins, she will receive an additional $3,000 as well as the Golden Owl Award trophy.

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The cryptocurrency market had a turbulent year in 2021 and financial markets, in general, had a rough start in 2022, but exchange and wallet provider Luno believes the crypto market will keep its upward trajectory in the long term.

While Luno expects ongoing volatility in the market, it also anticipates the implementation of a South African cryptocurrency regulatory regime by the end of the year.

Globally, we have seen moves to regulate crypto, and we anticipate the introduction of a clear South African regulatory regime likely by the end of 2022, Lunos GM for Africa, Marius Reitz, said.

Regulatory certainty will have a host of positive spin-offs for the crypto sector.

The Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) initially stated its intentions to bring cryptocurrencies into the South African regulatory purview in July 2021.

The IFWGs Crypto Assets Regulatory Working Group recommended that a licensing framework be introduced for crypto asset service providers (CASPs).

It also recommended that FICA be applied to the crypto-asset industry and exchange control regulations be expanded to allow cross-border transactions facilitated by CASPs.

Revix founder and CEO Sean Sanders told MyBroadband that the cryptocurrency market in South Africa appears to be maturing.

The fundamentals are improving. Were seeing crypto adoption for payments accelerate, were seeing more and more regulatory bodies warm up to cryptocurrency as a legitimate asset class, and were seeing strong institutional interest to allocate funds to crypto, he said.

This all points to the crypto market maturing, and with more Web 3.0 and DeFi innovation occurring than ever before, were bullish on the crypto market as a whole.

Major growth in South Africa

Sanders explained that transactions on Revixs platform have only increased since 2019 and that in 2021, transactions averaged over $15 million (R228 million) each month.

We had around $10 million transacted in 2019, we tripled that in 2020 and nearly quintupled 2020 in 2021 with more than $15m transacted every month, he said.

There has been a lot of growth across the board  both in transaction volumes and user numbers  with the majority of our customers choosing to invest in our unique crypto bundles which provide easy diversified exposure to the crypto market.

Luno also saw significant growth and reached a milestone in 2021, with the platforms customer base growing to 9 million.

As we hit the 9 million customer mark, it is a fitting symbol that Lunos logo now adorns an iconic building in Cape Towns unofficial financial district on the foreshore, Reitz said.

Staff numbers have swelled to over 600 across the UK, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Australia and Singapore, and we are actively hiring over 60 specialists.

Reitz explained that it took five years for Luno to get its first one million customers in 2017.

Lunos growth has accelerated significantly since then. In the last year alone, we have added over 3.6 million new customers, he said.

Regarding specific cryptocurrencies, 67% of new Luno customers invested in Bitcoin, 43% bought Ripple, and 20% bought Ethereum.

According to Reitz, the first deposit made by new customers averaged $37 (R563).

Lunos global head of payments, Louis van Staden, said he expects to see more central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) launched in 2022.

Nigeria has launched the e-Naira, and South Africa is investigating a digital currency. CBDCs are significant because they represent a meeting point between how the technology can be leveraged and [be] a comfortable space for regulators, he said.
Intel Corp.s new Bitcoin mining chip may turn out to be the first major challenger to the Chinese rig manufacturers that have dominated the market for years.

The Santa Clara, California-based chip making giant unveiled its crypto mining initiative earlier this month and the first generation BonanzaMine chip in January.

Jack Dorseys digital payment company Block Inc., and two mining firms Griid Infrastructure and Argo Blockchain will receive the first batch of the chips later this year.

Chinese manufacturers Bitmain and MicroBT have a lions share of the Bitcoin mining hardware market due to the proprietary technology they use to make their high-performing chips.

Few competitors appear to have been able to make a chip that can match them until now.

Bitcoin mining, which is earning rewards in Bitcoin by using computers to secure the cryptocurrencys network, has become a lucrative business amid the surge in the price of Bitcoin in recent years, enriching the rig makers along the way.

The mining industry raked in $15 billion in revenue in 2021, more than doubled the previous year.

Intels entry could weaken the Chinese manufacturers pricing power and offer better maintenance services given the companys close proximity to the miners in North America, industry participants said.

The region dethroned China as the worlds Bitcoin mining hub as Beijing banned crypto mining last May.

Having a U.S.-based manufacturer with the size, scale and credibility like Intel is fantastic for the entire crypto industry, said Dave Perrill, chief executive of Eden Praire, Minnesota-based Compute North, which provides Bitcoin miners with data centers to operate their machines. Competition is a good thing.

One chief reason for miners to welcome a competitor like Intel is the current pricing model and purchasing terms, which are set by the top manufacturers, burden their buyers with varying financial risks and operational costs.

A fixed price, which will be offered by Intel, provides more predictability.

The manufacturers make pre-orders of their latest models available for buyers before they have the inventory.

\However, the buyers wont know the actual price until the manufacturers ship the machines and they are given a price range, said Nick Hansen, chief executive of Seattle-based mining pool and hardware brokerage company Luxor.

Prices of pre-ordered machines are updated everyday within that range based on the manufacturers internal pricing models. Bitcoins spot price and the payback period, which is the time needed to break even, are key factors in these models, Hansen said.

The internal pricing models could strain Bitcoin miners cash flow and pose even more risks when the miners face a potential shakeout during bear markets as the pricing models give great weight to the Bitcoin price.

Our customers want clarity, Perrill said. They want to know that next week Bitcoin mining machines prices are not going to shift by 50% given the volatility of the Bitcoin market.

Another reason Chinese makers do not sell machines at a fixed price is they do not have much control over its suppliers pricing, therefore these companies have less control over the final price for its mining machines, said Tong Lai, head of lending at Singapore-based Babel Finance, which provides lending services for Bitcoin miners.

The 25% tariff imposed on imported mining machines from China adds more cost to the buyers, which could also be a significant factor for miners to make purchases.

Unlike Bitmain and MicroBT, Intel has more control over its suppliers pricing due to the companys influence and scale in the semiconductor industry, Lai said.

Some miners in North America also expect a domestic mining machine provider to have better maintenance services.

Being located here gives a lot of advantages to Intel in the domestic market, Perrill said. Things like warranty claims, repair and how to handle the e-waste are really tipped in Intels favor.

Better maintenance can slow mining machines depreciation and save operational cost for mining companies. Maintenance services become even more important when miners use certain models of mining machines that have more quality issues, Lai said.

The biggest thing for us is what happens to older grade machines, Perrill said. My hope is that Intel brings a more enterprise grade approach to this business, manages and configures millions of computers at scale.

Details on Intels second generation chip, such as power efficiency and pricing, are yet to be available and some miners are skeptical of the significance of Intels entry to the industry.

Intel revealed its first generation chip has the power efficiency of 55 joules per terahash falling far behind Bitmains latest model, according to Intels paper submitted to the International Solid-State Circuits Conference.

The details on its second generation product, which is what the buyers are purchasing, will be released at a later time, a spokesperson from Intel told Bloomberg.

Power efficiency is arguably the most important specification for miners to gauge the profitability of a Bitcoin mining machine, Lai said. High power efficiency chips can save energy cost, which is one of the biggest costs for Bitcoin miners.

There are two things that determine a manufacturers ability to mass produce a chip. One is the chips design, while the other is whether it has a reliable supply chain for the components.

It could take a few years for Intel to catch up with Bitmain on all fronts, Lai said. But Intels entry is definitely a good thing for the industry.

Now read: First South African arrest in Mirror Trading International case
Audi officially launched its first electric vehicle (EV) line-up in South Africa on Tuesday evening, with prices ranging from R1.75 million to R3.3 million.

The Night of Progress event at the Zeits MOCCA contemporary art museum in Cape Town provided 170 industry players, media, celebrities, and VIPs with their first hands-on experience of the top-of-the-line RS e-tron GT.

It launched alongside four e-tron derivatives, the e-tron 55, e-tron 55 Sportback, e-tron S Sportback, and e-tron GT.

Audi has seen incredible success with this line-up in other parts of the world, with more than 52,000 units sold across the range. In 2021, the company saw fully electric deliveries grow 58% year-on-year.

It aims to become the leading electric vehicle manufacturer within the premium automotive market in South Africa.

That includes a plan to grow the e-tron model range locally with at least one new electric model each year.

With Audi joining Porsche in the EV market in South Africa, Volkswagen Groups only other mainstream brand that is yet to launch an EV in the country is Volkswagen itself.

The company has also partnered with GridCars. It says the partnership is an investment in building South Africas largest and fastest electric vehicle public charging network.

As part of this plan, it is rolling out 70 new public charging connectors at 33 locations in the country.

Four of the locations will provide 150kW ultra-fast charging, the fastest yet in the country. These will be installed along major highway routes, in addition to five 80kW chargers.

The remaining 33 stations will provide 22kW chargers and will be installed at public lifestyle and recreational venues.

These chargers will help support Audi e-tron and other electric car owners who require a boost in their day-to-day travels.

Of the five models and seven e-tron derivatives available in South Africa, the most affordable will be the e-tron 55 First Edition, starting from R1.745 million.

This model comes with 300kW of power and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 200km/h.

Audi also claims drivers will get a maximum range of 441km on its 95kWh battery.

The e-tron 55 First Edition will launch in the second half of 2022, while the other models are available at retail.

All the e-tron models will be supported by a 5 year/100,000km maintenance plan and 8 year/160,000km battery warranty.

Below is the full range of e-tron models with specifications and pricing.

e-tron 55

Starting prices: R1,745,000 (First edition) / R1,990,000 (advanced) / R2,045,000 (S Line)

Power/torque: 300kW

Top speed: 200km/h

0-100km/h: 5.7 seconds

Maximum range: 441km

e-tron 55 Sportback S Line

Starting price: R2,115,000

Power: 300kW

Top speed: 200km/h

0-100km/h: 5.7 seconds

Maximum range: 452km

e-tron S Sportback

Starting price: R2,425,000

Power: 370kW

Top speed: 210km/h

0-100km/h: 4.5 seconds

Maximum range: 380km

e-tron GT

Starting price: R2,715,000

Power: 350kW

Top speed: 245km/h

0-100km/h: 4.1 seconds

Maximum range: 488km

RS e-tron GT

Starting price: R3,300,000

Power: 440kW

Top speed: 250km/h

0-100km/h: 3.3 seconds

Maximum range: 472km

Now read: Toll price hikes for South Africa
I write this amidst the rattly sounds of a hailstorm. I was hoping for rain, but this is perfectly acceptable.

***

Give Big St. Helena is back. From now through March 24, please give whatever you can to the parent-led fundraiser, which funds guest appearances, field trips, theatrical programs, STEAM learning, and other special enhancements at St. Helenas four public schools. There will surely be more Dine & Donate-style events at restaurants and businesses, but why wait? Donate today at givebigsthelena.org.

***

Due to a health problem, a male cast member has had to back out of an upcoming Upstage Napa Valley production. Rehearsals for Sarah Ruhls Dead Mans Cell Phone begin March 21, and director Sharie Renault badly needs someone to step in. Performance dates are May 6-22. If youve always wanted to take the stage in a romantic comedic role, please email act.calistogatheaterco.gmail.com.

***

With the Oscars airing Sunday, Cathy Buck is bringing two awards-season heavy-hitters to the Cameo Cinema. Belfast (seven nominations) will return Feb. 25-27, and The Power of the Dog (10 nominations) will make its Cameo Cinema premiere March 3-5. Im looking forward to Belfast, which I missed the first time around, and Id gladly rewatch The Power of the Dog. Ive watched it twice at home, but the sumptuous scenery (shot in New Zealand filling in for Montana) is worthy of the big screen.

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Academic plaudits this week go to Lindsay Martin of St. Helena, who was named to the University of Mississippis fall honor roll with a GPA of 3.75 or better. Huzzahs!

***

Vaccinated patrons no longer need to wear a mask in the St. Helena Public Library. However, masks are recommended  and are still required if you are unvaccinated.

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A family needs your help. Julianna Abballo, the 14-year-old daughter of a local Cal Fire captain, was killed by a drunk driver on Feb. 8. Her father, the sole provider for a family of eight, would appreciate any donations to defray funeral costs and allow him to take some time off work to grieve with his family. If you have some money to spare, go to https://fundthefirst.com/campaign/sudden-death-of-julianna-abballo-govd2j.

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My condolences to former Mayor Alan Galbraith, whose charming and extremely intelligent wife Sarah died last week. She will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. I understand that the city will be lowering its flags to half-staff in her honor.
A retired judge appointed to investigate an ethics complaint against Mayor Geoff Ellsworth found substantial evidence that the mayor violated the City Councils code of conduct by making personal charges against his fellow councilmembers at a Dec. 20 meeting, but concluded that the violation is "no longer material."

That conclusion was based on the lengthy response Ellsworth filed last Thursday, which detailed various accusations against his fellow councilmembers. Retired Judge Scott Snowden said the document dispels the "cloud of doubt" created by Ellsworth's previous statement.

Snowdens report, issued Monday, found no substantial evidence of a second ethics violation. Both allegations were lodged by former Mayor Alan Galbraith.

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"I hope Judge Snowden's decision will allow us to move on and return focus to the important municipal and community issues we continue to work through," Ellsworth said Wednesday. "I do think my response to the complaint is important to consider in the context of current and emerging Napa County governance issues."

Galbraiths complaint involved comments Ellsworth made on Dec. 20, when the council voted 3-1, with Ellsworth dissenting, to approve a settlement agreement ending a lawsuit over water rights at the former Vineland Vista Mobile Home Park south of town.

Ellsworth said he was voting against the settlement based on conflict of interest and endorsement issues, but he didnt specify what he was talking about.

Galbraiths complaint accused Ellsworth of two ethics violations: making personal charges against fellow councilmembers and voting based on unrelated matters instead of the facts at hand.

Snowden, who was appointed to investigate the matter, found substantial evidence to support the first charge, noting that Ellsworth made his statement at the very end of the councils discussion, after the other councilmembers had voted and moments before Ellsworth adjourned the meeting. Snowden wrote that he would have reached a different conclusion if Ellsworth had made his statement earlier when councilmembers would have had a chance to respond.

However, Snowden concluded that Ellsworths complete and extensive response to Galbraiths complaint rendered immaterial what might have been found to be a material ethical violation by fleshing out the "conflict of interest" and "endorsement" issues he raised during the meeting.

By the time of this writing, the consequence of his ethical violation amounts to no more than that the public was left uncertain for a period of less than 60 days as to what he was talking about, Snowden wrote. His Response, for better or for worse, clarifies the questions as to whom he was accusing, and of what.

Galbraiths complaint also accused Ellsworth of violating the Code of Conduct and Ethics requiring councilmembers to base their decisions on the merits and substance of the matter at hand, rather than on unrelated considerations. The complaint noted that Ellsworth referred to extraneous issues before he cast his vote.

Snowden interpreted Ellsworths remark differently. He pointed out that Ellsworth mentioned the extraneous issues after praising the councils negotiating team.

It appears that he was commending the negotiating Council members for getting the best available settlement but was saying that he was going to vote against it, Snowden wrote. In other words, he was saying that he was going to vote against the settlement for reasons extraneous to whether it was the best that the City could have gotten.

For that reason, Snowden found no substantial evidence to support Galbraiths second allegation.

The council still has the discretion to hold a public hearing on the matter. If they choose not to, Galbraith's ethics complaint will be dismissed.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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The City Council has tentatively agreed to add the oft-debated Adams Street property to a list of housing opportunity sites.

The council didnt discuss how many units the city-owned Adams Street property could accommodate, and the list is still months away from being finalized and submitted to the state as part of St. Helenas Housing Element update.

However, adding the property to the list of opportunity sites could open the door for a broader discussion about developing housing on at least part of the 5.6-acre lot next to the library.

The council and the Planning Commission held a joint meeting Tuesday to review a rough draft of the list of opportunity sites that could potentially help the city meet its housing goals.

St. Helena must plan for the 254 units contained in its Regional Housing Needs Allocation, plus a 20% buffer, for a total of 302 units. The city cant guarantee those units will be built, but it must demonstrate to the state that St. Helena has enough available land to meet its goal.

Councilmember Lester Hardy called the idea of a hotel on the Adams Street property a dead end" but said he's open to considering housing.

Its a complex subject, Hardy said. Its a large site and Im not sure that we would necessarily want to devote the entire parcel to housing, but I can certainly see a path forward for a significant number of housing units and some other community-oriented uses as well.

Vice Mayor Paul Dohring agreed that theres room for some discussion about housing on Adams Street.

The entire property? Probably not, Dohring said. But certainly a portion of Adams Street should be considered for that development.

Mayor Geoff Ellsworth said he's also supportive of having that looked at.

Interim City Manager Jim McCann said staff will look at including a portion of the property on the list of opportunity sites.

That can run through the Planning Commissions further deliberations and up to the City Council for ultimate action, McCann said.

The next community workshop on the Housing Element update is scheduled for 6 p.m. March 22. The Planning Commission and City Council will hold more study sessions in June before the city submits the updated Housing Element to the state.

You can reach Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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Tuesday, Feb. 15

0808  A driver said a VINE bus pulled out in front of her car at Highway 29 and Zinfandel Lane. The driver suspected she might have been in the vehicles blind spot.

1004  A person asked to talk to an officer about a possible break-in over the weekend.

1210  Medical aid for a woman who fell in a Hunt Avenue parking lot and injured her head and leg.

1245  Report of an aggressive driver flipping someone off on Main Street.

1256  Report of a suspicious man trying to sell a gold chain necklace out of a Suburban at a Main Street gas station. The vehicle was last seen heading north on Highway 29.

1512  Non-injury hit-and-run on the Pope Street Bridge.

1524  Report of yellow water coming out of a faucet on Oak Avenue. Public Works was notified.

1551  Report of a possible drunk driver on Pope Street.

1951  Report of a pack of coyotes on the west side of St. Helena.

1953  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop at Main/Pine. Police also had the vehicle towed.

2211  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Mitchell.

2237  An intoxicated woman got separated from her party at a Spring Street restaurant. Police later found her and returned her to her friends and family.

2312  Medical aid on Hunt Avenue.

2333  The red lights at Silverado/Deer Park stopped working due to a power outage.

Wednesday, Feb. 16

1034  Police assisted with a problem involving a juvenile on Grayson Avenue.

1110  The school resource officer read and passed out books to kids on Grayson Avenue.

1220  A suspicious couple in a black Honda said they were trying to sell jewelry for gas money. The vehicle was last seen on Allyn Avenue.

1335  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Pope/College.

1939  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

2121  A driver failed to yield to police during an attempted traffic stop. The 32-year-old Yountville woman was eventually apprehended in Yountville and arrested on suspicion of reckless evading and resisting arrest.

Thursday, Feb. 17

0723  Report of a verbal disturbance on Stralla Court.

0738  A loud chainsaw had been running since 7 a.m. near Hillview/Stockton.

0742  Police arrested a juvenile and took a report on the matter.

1306  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Pope/College.

1427  An officer cited a vehicle parked in a blue zone near Tainter/Kearney.

1616  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near College/Pope.

1641  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Paulson/Pope.

1720  Report of a reckless driver on Highway 29. Police gave the driver a warning.

1942  An officer cited someone for driving with expired registration during a traffic stop near Main/Madrona.

2002  A man reportedly got upset at some juveniles who were playing a game on Grayson Avenue and started using profanity. The disturbance was purely verbal, but a caller asked police to respond so it wouldnt escalate.

Friday, Feb. 18

0709  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

1049  Police followed up on a noise complaint involving a local business.

1105  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Vidovich/Main.

1140  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

1325  A father asked an officer for advice about his teenage daughter who was refusing to go back home.

1348  The flashing speed sign on Crane Avenue wasnt working. Public Works was notified.

1431  Minor-injury accident on Charter Oak Avenue.

1457  A caller sent a check to a local business, but someone stolen the check and cashed it. Police took a report.

1606  Medical aid for man with a broken arm near Main Street.

1741  Report of a suspicious man taking a picture of someone elses car on Madrona Avenue.

1805  A caller asked about reporting his car stolen. Police said the car had been towed for expired registration.

1845  A dog had been missing from Kearney Street since the morning. He later returned home.

1905  Report of a suspicious man trying to open the doors to multiple businesses near Main/Adams.

2038  Following a traffic stop at Main/Mitchell, police arrested a 52-year-old San Francisco man on suspicion of DUI.

Saturday, Feb. 19

1206  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Dowdell.

1258  Medical aid for a person feeling sick on Chiles Avenue.

1706  Police were told to be on the lookout for a car that had been involved in a hit-and-run in Calistoga.

1959  Report of amplified music audible from McCorkle Avenue. The problem was abated.

Sunday, Feb. 20

0053  Medical aid for a woman who fell and might have broken her ankle on Vineyard Avenue.

0118  Report of two drunk people needing a ride to their hotel.

0120  Lift assist on Del Campo Court.

0728  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Dowdell.

2020  Report of a dog barking for over an hour near Hudson/Spring.

2256  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

Monday, Feb. 21

0048  Police responded to a solo vehicle accident on Silverado Trail.

0514  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

0527  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Mitchell.

0842  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop on Main Street.

0909  Report of a harassing phone call and text message.

1057  The front door and lock of an Allison Avenue home was damaged sometime between Thursday and Monday.

1238  A person recommended that Hunt Avenue be made a one-way street for safety reasons. The person said its difficult to navigate with pedestrians and traffic when turning onto Main Street. The person was referred to City Hall.

1435  An officer cited someone during a traffic stop near Main/Grayson.

1533  A man asked to talk to an officer about someone who was harassing him.

1600  A person came to the lobby to turn in a gun.
About a dozen small groups combed through Napa County in the chilly, pre-dawn darkness Tuesday morning to count Napas homeless residents.

The groups were carrying out Napas annual Point-In-Time count, an annual snapshot of people experiencing homelessness throughout the county. The count didnt happen last year because of COVID-19. It was also postponed this year, by about a month from the standard January date, for the same reason.

Molly Rattigan, the city of Napas point person on homelessness, joined up with park ranger Dave Hummer and Ashley MacKenzie, a homeless outreach worker for Abode Services, at 5 a.m. to count homeless residents in census tracts covering the Shurtleff neighborhood and Kennedy Park, the site of the countys largest homeless encampment.

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Over the course of a few hours, as dawn arrived, the group proceeded by car and foot through Napas streets and parks, to the Kennedy Park encampments along the Napa River, identifying and tallying up homeless residents by identifying areas they likely reside in. In total, the group counted 68 tents and vehicles; the total Point-In-Time count, which uses a mathematic formula, will take some time to be calculated, Rattigan said.

Like the last count in 2020, the count this year was observational. That means the groups tallied up instances of observed homelessness, such as tents or vehicles, but did not seek to wake up and survey homeless residents, which was done in Napa County in years prior to 2020, Rattigan said.

The observational methodology  organized this year, and in 2020, by contractor Applied Survey Research, a firm that handles counts for most Bay Area counties  has the benefit of covering almost all areas of the county said John Connery, ASRs project manager. The previous, more time-intensive method tended to tally up homeless residents at known hot spots, areas outreach workers already knew had homeless populations, according to previous Register reporting.

The new methodology led to a tally of 464 in 2020. That represented a 44% increase from the 2019 tally of 323  which is comparable to the 322 counted in 2018, the 315 in 2018 and the 317 in 2016  and county officials attributed the increase to the new system, the previous Register report says.

Though the observational methodology doesnt gather specific data about the homeless population, ASR will be carrying out a survey of a few hundred people over the coming weeks to pull together more in-depth information, Connery said.

The strategy was about the same as it was for the 2020 count, but COVID-19 introduced a few twists to the process. For one, the groups used a phone app  instead of paper forms  to swiftly record observational data when possible, including categories such as approximate age, gender, family status, type of housing and where the homeless person in question was located.

We were moving toward the app anyway, and COVID certainly made it more necessary, Connery said.

The standard full group meeting  which consists of county staff, city of Napa staff, employees of local service providers and volunteers  that would typically create the small groups also didnt happen because of COVID-19, Connery said. And there were a considerably lower number of volunteers this year, he added.

Largely because of the virus, peer outreach guides  people who had experienced homelessness, currently or formerly  also werent assigned to each group as they had been in 2020, Connery said.

One of the things we would do normally is pair peer outreach guides to go with our teams and our volunteers, Connery said. I think there are a handful of teams that already had an existing relationship with guides, but there were far less guides than there would normally be.

Information gained from the annual Point-In-Time count is required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development every two years  though Napa typically submits data each year  so the agency can estimate the number of Americans without housing. The count doesnt consider those at risk of homeless, like those living in precarious housing situations with family or friends.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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YOUNTVILLE  On a date filled with more twos than any other in this century, more than 30 people gathered in Yountville for a playful  and wearable  tribute to the unique date.

A group of women, men, children and at least one dog strolled downtown Washington Street in frilly tutus Tuesday for the towns Tutu Walk, a celebration of Feb. 22, 2022  otherwise known as 2/22/22.

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Led by a conductor holding aloft a wireless speaker blasting Kool & the Gangs Celebration, the merry marchers  some waving their arms in a half-dancing, half-swaying motion as they walked  strolled past residents, tourists and drivers, their gaiety and their red, blue, yellow and green accouterments adding a dash of color to a drizzly, blustery afternoon.

While Tuesday was no federal holiday or otherwise a standout on the calendar, it will stand out as the most deuce-filled date in the 21st century  reason enough for Yountvilles recreation supervisor to plan an offbeat celebration.

I like to create moments for people to cherish, and I wanted to make sure that for years to come, theyd remember what they did on 2/22/22, since its a once-in-a-lifetime thing, said Jennifer Carvalho of the towns Parks and Recreation department, who planned the Tutu Walk over the past month and a half. Therell never be this day again!

The arrival of raw and wet weather  including a brief spate of small hail south of town  nearly threw a wrench into Yountvilles celebration, but the rains held off long enough for tutu-wearing participants to stroll from the Community Center south to Ranch Market Too and back. Awaiting the guests was a courtyard reception  which began at about 2:22 p.m.  that was stocked with home-baked treats, including cookies tipped with the No. 2 in pink icing or shaped like two raised fingers.

Napa students celebrate a double digit Twos-day Napa students celebrated "Twos-day" to mark a once in a lifetime date: 2/22/22.

If 2/22/22 was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, it remained one to be embraced with humor by marchers like Chris Freeman, who swung her arms to a succession of pop songs at the front of the line.

Theres so many twos  and also its Tuesday, said Freeman, a Napan who teaches Zumba and chair yoga at the Community Center. I guess Ive been anticipating it for a while.

We just saw it in a newsletter from the wine industry, added Valaree Martinez, who came up from Napa to march with her 5-year-old daughter Ray Lee and make the walk in two tutus, a red one around her left thigh and a pink one on the right. Thats a funny coincidence  I thought, Oh, let go and do that!'

The Yountville walk was one of at least two Napa County events created to celebrate the unique appearance of five twos in the date. In Napa, Alta Heights Elementary School staged a Twos-day that featured gold-colored No. 2 balloons, clothing bearing the number, and student activities that included 22 jumping jacks and 22 seconds worth of running, cheering or even silence.

Tutu wearing also highlighted other celebrations of 2/22/22 scattered across the U.S. on Tuesday, according to media reports, including events in Santa Cruz; Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; Ketchikan, Alaska; and Vail, Colorado.

You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com

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According to information published by the U.S. DoD on February 21, 2022, NATO exercise Dynamic Manta (DYMA22) began off the Sicilian coast. Ships, submarines, as well as aircraft and personnel from nine Allied nations, converged in the Central Mediterranean Sea for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare training.

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Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 ships and submarines sail in formation in the Ionian Sea (Picture source: NATO)

The aim of Dynamic Manta is to provide all participants with complex and challenging warfare training to enhance their interoperability and proficiency in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare disciplines while maintaining a focus on safety.

As the host nation, Italy is providing support in the Catania, Augusta, and Siracusa harbor, naval helicopter base in Catania, Naval Air Station Sigonella, Trapani Air Base as well as logistical support (refueling operations, medical assistance, and personnel accommodation) from Augusta naval base.

Submarines from France, Greece, and Italy joined surface ships from Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the U.K., and the U.S. for the exercise. Maritime patrol aircraft from Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the U.K., and the U.S. support the simulated, multi-threat environment during the exercise.

Each surface ship will have the opportunity to conduct a variety of submarine warfare operations. The submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted, closely coordinating their efforts with the air and surface participants.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) standing maritime immediate reaction force. SNMG2 consists of four to six destroyers and frigates.

The ships as of 14 February 2022 consist of Italian Bergamini-class frigate, Carlo Margottini, Turkish Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, TCG Goksu, and Spanish Alvaro de Bazan class frigate, Blas de Lezo.
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
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva this week, he announced Tuesday, CNN reported.

"Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time," Blinken said at the State Department on Tuesday. "I consulted with our allies and partnersall agree."

His announcement comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine as independent and announced he would deploy "peacekeeping" forces there.

Blinken said he sent a letter to Lavrov on Tuesday to inform him of the decision.

He added, however, that the US remains committed to diplomacy.
The Azerbaijani delegation should not have been allowed to visit Yerevan. Artur Ghazinyan, an MP of the opposition "Armenia" Faction and a member of the Armenian delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (PA), said this during Wednesdays press conference in the National Assembly of Armenia.

According to him, if Armenia had an obligation to hold the sessions of Euronest PA, it should have done so remotely, de facto not allowing the Azerbaijani delegation to come to the country's capital.

The lawmaker noted that from 2012 until Tuesday, the Azerbaijani side had boycotted its visits to Yerevan within the framework of the Euronest PA.

"But yesterday they had come to Armenia and felt quite free. They were also given the opportunity to moderate one of the sessionswhich could not but cause indignation. But the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation to Yerevan should not have been allowed in principle, so that they would not take photos posting them on social media, and then with comments, terminology which are accepted in Azerbaijan," Ghazinyan added.

However, the opposition MP noted that the Armenian parliamentary opposition had decided to attend the sessions of the Euronest PA committees. According to him, this enabled to protect Armenia's interests in that platform.
Floods in the Australian state of Queensland have resulted in the death of a 63-year-old woman, another person is missing, RIA Novosti reported, with reference to local media.

TV channel 9News reported that the dead woman was found in her sunken car in the Sunshine Coast area during the floods. Police were unable to open the vehicle for several hours due to rapidly rising water levels.

A search for a missing 54-year-old motorcyclist is also underway, according to the TV station.

Radio station 4BS reported a train crash south of Gympie, which derailed after overnight rains.

Queensland authorities have urged residents to stay off roads and bridges in the flooded area and not to cross flooded parts of roads.

As reported by 9News, it also rained in Sydney, where about a hundred damage to roads and houses was reported.
YEREVAN.  Azerbaijan keeps the Armenian captives for political bargaining. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, told this to a press conference Wednesday.

When asked about the statements of the Azerbaijani MP in Yerevan that "all the captives have been released," Tatoyan noted that he is familiar with the cynical speech that "the [Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)] conflict is over, and all the captivesreturned."

The ombudsman reminded that these two issues are interrelated, and the Azerbaijani side makes an artificial division between these captivesuntil the signing of the trilateral declaration on November 9, 2020 and after that, extorts testimony from Armenian captives through torture, then calls them "terrorists."

"All these [court] trials [in Azerbaijan against the Armenian captives] are a crime in itself, an attemptin the eyes of the world communityto ensure a legitimate justification for not returning the captives. This is done for political and military bargaining purposes. (). The conflict is not over. This is important in order to record that they are captives," Tatoyan stressed.

"Azerbaijani delegates need to remember this when they are attempting to mislead the world community. We will not allow it. They can fool their own society. They commit crimes, then talk about peace," added the ombudsman of Armenia.
The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the issue of recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk is not on the agenda of Armenia is another evidence of the weakness of the foreign policy being conducted. Hayk Mamijanyan, the secretary of the opposition "With Honor" Faction of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, stated about this at Wednesdays press conference in the NA.

According to him, Armenia's foreign policy is full of anti-state mistakes.

"The actions of the Russian State Duma and of the president of that country in recent days have clearly shown what Armenia should have done during the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war [in the fall of 2020]," Mamijanyan said.

The opposition lawmaker expressed a conviction that Armenia was simply obliged to recognize the independence of Karabakh during this war.

According to the Armenian MP, Russia's recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk is another confirmationwithin the framework of international politicsof the right of peoples to self-determination.
The government is obliged to publicly explain what its proposed option of mirroring withdrawal of troops means, Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan said at a press conference on Wednesday.

In his assessment, the concept is extremely vague and raises many questions. Criticizing the steps and statements of the authorities, Tatoyan reiterated that human rights should be guided.

"A very responsible official says the issue is solved without delimitation. Who gave you such rights? They praise the alternative roads. The road under construction is also being viewed. The withdrawal of forces is not just the army - it is the border guards and even perhaps the Ministry of Emergency situations. There are practically no rear fortifications. Azerbaijan has not reduced its aggression even a fraction. What will you do in case of sabotage? International observers, who will ensure their security? And how can you cede territorial jurisdiction? The truth is on our side, how can we give it up," Tatoyan said.

Speaking on the statements of the authorities on the issue, Tatoyan recalled that the ECHR or other structures can easily refer to the fact that the Armenian side itself admits that this is "Azerbaijani territory." "The issue must not be considered only in military or political context. We need to consider the issue from the human rights point of view," Tatoyan reiterated.

According to him, the Azerbaijani soldiers stationed in the neighboring Armenian villages observe the private life of the villagers, which is also a violation of their rights.

"People do not know where they can pass from where the Azerbaijani soldiers will appear. In Gegharkunik, they have seized most of the springs. There are villages without water. People take water from neighboring villages with buckets. Why should people suffer if the issue can be solved? I am not talking about ownership of the territory, but before they determine ownership, people should live normally" Tatoyan said.

According to him, the Azerbaijani authorities say "everything is fine, we are going to peace. "Statements by the Armenian side are meant to ease discontent. It is a classic case, when statements harm security, human rights, state interests," noted the ombudsman. He said that for the Azerbaijani authorities Armenianophobia is necessary to distract society from its own problems.
Six protesters held in pre-trial detention have died - according to preliminary reports - because of "unlawful interrogation methods", KazTAG reported.

"We took over the criminal cases on the use of unlawful interrogation methods. Not all such cases were submitted to us, but only those which involved serious consequences, more precisely, the death of a detainee. According to our information, two people died under such circumstances in Almaty, three died in East Kazakhstan and one person died in Taldykorgan," said Rizabek Ozharov, head of the special prosecutors' office of the Prosecutor General's Office.

He specified that the prosecutor's office is investigating a case of torture and violence against residents of Taldykorgan.
Azerbaijan will submit its position to the European Court of Human Rights on interstate complaint against Armenia in April.

The remarks came by Chingiz Asgarov, the deputy chairman of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, and representative to the European Court of Human Rights.

He said the work on the complaint was fully completed and sent to the European Court in January 2021. According to Asgarov, the European Court has begun proceedings on the possibility of filing a complaint, and in early April Azerbaijan's position will be introduced in Strasbourg.

"What is interesting is that although Armenia insists that Azerbaijan's actions during the second Karabakh war need to be investigated both in international organizations and in the information space, Yerevan is trying to prolong the process by constantly applying for an extension of time to submit its position to the European Court. The last time the European Court said that Armenia's applications would no longer be considered," Asgarov claims.
YEREVAN.  In fact, the two sides are discussing a document. Ishkhan Saghatelyan the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia deputy speaker from the opposition "Armenia" Faction, expressed such an opinion Wednesday, speaking to reporters in the NAand ahead of Thursdays meeting between the special representatives of Armenia and Turkey.

"Otherwise, what are they negotiating about? If we are talking about establishing diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey, then what is the subject of long negotiations for that? Let them announce in one sentence that diplomatic relations are being established, ambassadors are being exchanged. This is the protocol," Saghatelyan added.

But if these talks are continuing, according to the opposition figure, it means that an Armenian-Turkish reconciliation document is being discussed, where Armenia's interests will be violated and the preconditions of Turkey and Azerbaijan will be reflectedeither publicly or secretly.

The second meeting of the special representatives of the two countries within the framework of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process is scheduled for Thursday in Vienna. Their first meeting took place in Moscow on January 14.
Iranian authorities have received a message from Saudi Arabia agreeing to resume the negotiation process between the two countries, Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Wednesday.

So far, four rounds of talks have taken place between Tehran and Riyadh with the cooperation of the Iraqi side, the ILNA news agency quoted him as saying.

The minister added that regional crises can only be resolved through dialogue.

Throughout 2021, Tehran and Riyadh negotiated the possibility of normalizing relations, holding four meetings in Baghdad. On 17 January, Iranian media reported that three Iranian diplomats had started work in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah to open the country's representation in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which has not been operational for six years. On 28 January, Iran's ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi, said the fifth round of talks between Tehran and Riyadh will be held soon in Baghdad.
The Turkish president spoke about the process of normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that they are satisfied with Armenia's manifested will in the process of normalization of these relations, Cumhuriyet daily reported.

"We know that Armenia has expectations for the normalization of relations and the [re]opening of borders with Turkey. If Armenia continues to be resolute in the process that has started, [re]opening the borders will not be a problem.

We have allowed charter flights [between the two countries], and we expect a positive continuation from Armenia as well. In this context, the processes of normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-Turkey relations are moving forward by assisting each other. Until now and after this, we [i.e., Turkey] will carry out all the [respective] processes in agreement with Azerbaijan," Erdogan said.
Russia's upper house approves use of military abroad

Xinhua) 07:57, February 23, 2022

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows a screen displaying Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking during a televised address to the nation in Moscow, Russia. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorizing the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law.

MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament, on Tuesday approved Russian President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of military abroad.

"Senators unanimously supported the adoption of the relevant Resolution," said a statement published on the website of the Federation Council.

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorizing the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier in the day, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session.

Putin inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR. The president also signed two decrees recognizing the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of top news as of 23.02.22:

Two Azerbaijani lawmakers, receiving security guarantees from the Armenian authorities, were able to attend the Euronest sessions in the Armenian capital Yerevan. But they have turned this peace-making move by the Armenian side into evil.

MP Tahir Mirkishili, tweeted about their visit to the Blue Mosque in Yerevan noting that this is the only Azerbaijani monument preserved in Yerevan.

To note, the Blue Mosque is Iranian. But Azerbaijan frequently tries to "appropriate" it  among other things, to substantiate its territorial claims to Armenia.

Some political experts in Armenia noted that amid the recent bloody Nagorno-Karabakh war and the tense situation created, Azerbaijani MPs should not be allowed to visit Armenia.

Protests have been held since the first day they came. Armenian youth protested yesterday in front of the Marriott Hotel, where all the Euronest session participants have been staying. The protesters, including the young women and a journalist have been forcibly apprehended at night. Armenian human rights chief Arman Tatoyan visited them.

During his last conference before resignation, Tatoyan noted that those apprehended said that force was used against them.

As Russian president Vladimir Putin has recognized Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Easter Ukraine as independent, Armenian society was wondering over Armenian stance on the situation.

On Tuesday, Armenian MFA refers to Armenias position on the ongoing developments in Russian-Ukrainian relations.

The MFA spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan noted that Armenia wants the existing problems between the two friendly states to be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and negotiations based on the UN Charter.

However, when asked if he found the recognition of the Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic by Armenia probable, Vahan Hunanyan noted that there is no such issue on the agenda.

The opposition has already said that Armenia should not recognize the independence of separatist republics, as long as Russia doesnt officially recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent republic. Meanwhile, the authorities mostly declined to comment on their stance.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that they are satisfied with Armenia's manifested will in the process of normalization of these relations.

According to him, the processes of normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan and Armenia-Turkey relations are moving forward by assisting each other.

Tatoyan touched upon the important issue of Armenian POWs held in Azerbaijan.

According to him, Azerbaijan keeps the Armenian captives for political bargaining

The conflict is not over. This is important in order to record that they are captives, he noted.

Azerbaijani authorities are obligated to release all Armenian captives, he added.

Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev signed Tuesday a Declaration on allied cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The leaders met Tuesday in Moscow and held nearly 4-hour talks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters after the talks that it is important to fully reach all agreements on the Karabakh settlement plan.

Aliyev, in turn, noted that the withdrawal of all Armenian troops from Karabakh and the opening of communications are a legal obligation of Armenia.

By the way, before Tuesdays talks, the Kremlin reported that Russia intends to officially raise relations with Azerbaijan to alliance level.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva this week, CNN reported.

His announcement comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine as independent and announced he would deploy "peacekeeping" forces there.

"Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy," Blinken noted.

The State Border Service of Ukraine has already imposed additional security restrictions in border regions.

And the situation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions is extremely tense. Donetsk authorities have already reported terrorist attacks.

The COVID-19 restrictions loosen all over the world.

The most pronounced pullbacks in restrictions are in Europe, for many months the worlds epicenter of the pandemic, as well as in South Africa  where omicron was first announced publicly  and the United States. In Britain and the U.S., as in South Africa before them, COVID-19 cases skyrocketed at first but are now coming down rapidly.

The World Health Organization this week said some countries can now consider carefully relaxing the rules if they have high immunity rates, their health care systems are strong and the epidemiological trends are going in the right direction.

Armenia is considering lifting the COVID-19 requirements in Armenia amid some stabilization of the situation as well.

However, the head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, on Tuesday noted that although the number of new cases registered in Armenia has decreased in recent weeks, the epidemic situation remains tense.

Armenia confirms almost 1,000 COVID-19 cases a day, while the total number has exceeded 410,000 and the death toll has reached 8,378.
Lebanese authorities have foiled attempts by members of the Islamic State terrorist group to carry out three attacks near the capital Beirut that could lead to a large number of civilian casualties, Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said on Wednesday, AP reports.

Mawlawi said the alleged terrorists, two of whom were arrested earlier this month, are Palestinians who recruited young men to carry out bomb-belt attacks in the predominantly Shiite southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of militant Hezbollah.

The minister said the attackers planned to launch firefights followed by suicide attacks in areas south of Beirut, including Ouzai and Lailaki.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for attacks that killed and injured dozens of people in Lebanon. In recent years, the level of such violence has declined after the extremist group lost territory it controlled along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

There have been concerns that Lebanon's severe economic crisis is encouraging young people, especially in the country's high-poverty north, to join IS. Recently, dozens of young Lebanese went missing in northern Lebanon and were later found in Iraq, where they joined ISIS.
European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss the way forward on Russia's recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk after the bloc approved a first, limited round of sanctions on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

The EU sanctions, which came into force on Wednesday, include the blacklisting of numerous politicians and a ban on trade between the EU and Donetsk, Luhansk.

"It is important that we continue to be united and determined and jointly define our collective approach and actions," EU Council chief Charles Michel said in a letter inviting EU leaders to Brussels.

He said a special meeting of the European Council would be held on Thursday from 7 pm.

Michel said the agenda of the meeting would include discussing "how we protect the rules-based international order; how we deal with Russia notably holding Russia accountable for its actions; how we will further support Ukraine and its people."

The impact of the first round of sanctions is likely to be limited, as Western governments have so far preferred to hold in reserve the much larger packages of sanctions they have planned in case the crisis escalates.
On the eve of the Super Bowlwhere the Mexican avocado producers again ran their ad as they have for the past decade highlighting the health values of the popular fruitthe United States temporarily banned the importation of avocados from Mexico after a U.S. health inspector was threatened at a plant in Michoacan, in western Mexico.

While the ban has since been lifted, Alex Horenstein, an economist in the University of Miami Patti and Allen Herbert Business School, and Eugenio Elizondo, a business school student from Monterrey, Mexico, explored the messy influence of the cartels in Mexico that complicate the commercialization of this fruitand just about every aspect of Mexican society.

The popularity of green goldas the fruit is sometimes called in Latin Americahas skyrocketed in the U.S. and 80 percent of avocados are imported from Mexico, where they are grown year-round as opposed to areas in the U.S. where they are seasonal.

Horenstein, an associate professor and Latin American specialist, said that a new ban or other complications with the crop would reward U.S. avocado producers.

They would see the price of their product dramatically increased if the bigger supplier, Mexico, cannot sell to the U.S., he pointed out. The biggest losers would be U.S. consumers who would have to pay higher prices and the Mexican producers who lost their biggest market.

The U.S. lifted the ban this past weekend, after Mexican authorities assured the Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that safety measures for inspectors would be strengthened.

Horenstein explained that U.S. inspectors visit plants in Mexico and in other areas and countries to certify that producers comply with U.S. regulationsin other words, that they are free from pests, disease, and other health concerns.

Mexico exports approximately $3 billion worth of the fruit annually. Still that figure accounts for just 0.2 percent of Mexicos $1.4 trillion GDP, according to Horenstein.

Therefore, for the country as a whole, the impact on an avocado ban would not be too big. Yet for Michoacans producers, its a far different story, he said.

Media reports have indicated that the threatening call and alleged harassment of the U.S. inspector was the result of a cartel turf war in the western Mexican state.

Cartels in Michoacan are entrenched in all economic activities and, by the observed results of many years of war against them, there seems to be little the Mexican government can do, Horenstein stated.

Elizondo, originally from Mexico and a junior majoring in finance and economics, highlighted how the cartels have evolved in Mexico. At one time they dealt exclusively in narcotic trafficking, but in past decades they have diversified to infiltrate a wide range of facets of the Mexican economy.

In the 1980s, the Guadalajara Cartel, headed by Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, controlled all the routes in Mexico which led to less violence, Elizondo explained. Gallardo was arrested in 1989, and the cartel was split up into many sectorswhich is when the violence took off.

When Mexico, under President Felipe Calderon, declared war on the cartels, absolute chaos arose, Elizondo said, adding that he was living in Mexico at the time and that it was common to see the bodies of cartel war victims publicly displayed. The war on drugs in Mexico was a total bloodbath, he added.

Fueled by the demand in the U.S., Mexico became the intermediary for the movement of drug contraband from the cartels in Colombia, and other countries in South and Central America, in the 1980s.

The cartels mastered moving both people and product to the U.S., their biggest consumer. Now we see the culmination of years and years of drug cartel development, Elizondo said.

While Michoacan is the only state currently eligible to ship avocados to the U.S. and a major supplier, the Mexican state of Jalisco was approved for distribution in December. Shipments, however, will not commence until May or June and will be much smaller compared to the exports from Michoacan.

Cartels in Mexico have expanded into other industries and productshotels, restaurants, and nightclubs as they are able to clean all the money that is coming in, Elizondo pointed out. The cartels are certainly interested in avocados because of the revenues they produce.

Both Horenstein and Elizondo agreed that curbing the power of cartels, which generate huge profits through illegal enterprise, is a supremely complicated endeavor.

If the cartels maintain their cash flows, they have absolutely no incentive, even war, to stop, Elizondo said.

Horenstein suggested that the avocado squeeze, while bothersome for U.S. consumers, was a microcosm of a pervasive tragic problem in Mexico.

Applying the rule of law and dismantling these criminal organizations is the only long-term solution. Yet for that, you need a strong state that is willing to act decisively and not one that many times is simply an accomplice, he said.

Cartels in Mexico have penetrated all layers of the civil society and, therefore, it isnt a problem that can be solved through wars, he added. Its time to focus on more creative approaches than just armed confrontations in which most of the time the heaviest burden is usually on the people who are not even part of the problem.
New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI/PR Newswire): India Smart Grid Forum, a PPP initiative of the Government of India, is organising the 8th edition of their annual flagship event - India Smart Utility Week (ISUW 2022) from March 2 to 4, 2022, as an International Conference and Exhibition on Smart Energy and Smart Mobility on a 3D Virtual Platform (www.isuw.in). ISUW 2022 will bring together India's leading Electricity, Gas and Water Utilities, Policy Makers, Regulators, Investors and the world's top-notch Smart Energy Experts and Researchers to discuss trends, share best practices and showcase next generation technologies and products in smart energy, smart mobility and smart cities domains. ISUW 2022 conference will have sessions on varied themes such as Digitalization of Utilities and Digitalization Roadmaps; Regulations for the Evolving Green Grid of the 21st Century; Cyber Security for the Digitalized Grids; Power System Flexibility; Electric Vehicles and the Electric Grid and Grid Integrated Vehicles (GIV); Green Hydrogen Mission; Disruptive Technologies and Innovations for Utilities. A special plenary session is scheduled on "Evolving Architecture of the 21st Century Grid with Two-Way Power Flows". ISUW 2022 will also include interactive workshops, keynotes, technical sessions and technical paper presentations. Bi-lateral Smart Grid workshops with EU, USA and Germany will be held at the upcoming edition. Senior Government Officials will join in various sessions at ISUW 2022. Focused Workshops are scheduled on topics such as Empowering Women in Power and Water Sector (In Partnership with WePower); Scaling up Rooftop Solar (In Partnership with Schneider Electric); Smart Communication Solutions for Smart Utilities and Smart Cities; Live Line Maintenance in Utilities; Interconnection of Regional Grids in Asia (In Partnership with European Union, IRADe and USAID); Smart Metering - Rollout Challenges, System Integration Architecture, Smart Meter Operations Centre (SMOC); Electric Cooking; Urban Air Mobility Systems (In Partnership with Boeing); Adoption of District Cooling Systems in India (In Partnership with BEE and APUEA). Seminars are planned on Smart City Gas Distribution and Smart Water Distribution. Special Inspirational Talks by celebrity speakers such as Anita Sengupta on "Future of Electric Planes and Power Systems"; Michael Potter on "Accelerating Humanity as a Multiplanetary Species" and Samer El Sayary on "Project Lunar Oasis: Architecture and Energy Systems for Space Colonization" are key highlights of ISUW 2022. 6th Edition of ISGF Innovation Awards will be organised as part of ISUW 2022. ISGF Innovation Awards instituted in 2017 are aimed to recognize and to celebrate organizations (utilities and technology companies), projects, products and personalities that have set new benchmarks in Electricity, Gas and Water Sectors. ISGF has selected and recognized more than 179 such organizations/individuals so far through these awards. The 6th Edition of ISGF Innovation Awards 2022 will be conferred to the Winners on March 4 2022. India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) invites public and private utilities, urban local bodies, technology companies, start-ups, researchers and academia to be a part of the international conference and exhibition. Background of India Smart Utility Week Conference and Exhibition India is spearheading an ambitious mission on energy transition and is the only major economies that exceeded the targets under the Paris Agreement by end of 2020. India has now set a new target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030; and working on innovative policies and programs for holistic transformation to decarbonize the energy, transport, manufacturing and other sectors. Since inception in 2011, India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) has been spearheading the movement towards digitalization of utilities in India. Highly disruptive black swan events like Covid-19 presented never before opportunities for innovation and transformation with profound implications in the long term. In the aftermath of Covid-19, digital platforms have become the coveted assets for utilities in their business continuity and resiliency. The government of India has launched a new program that mandates smart meters for all the 250 million+ electricity customers in the country. This is going to create data driven smart utilities which will open up new business opportunities for organizations providing tools and services to host and manage the humungous amounts of data utilities are expected to generate in the near future. Utilities in India have embarked on the digitalization drive and are embracing emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotics, Blockchain etc. ISGF has been organising its flagship annual event, India Smart Utility Week (ISUW) since 2015 and it is considered as one of the top five international events on Smart Grids, Electric Mobility and Smart Cities. All the previous editions of ISUW (initially known as India Smart Grid Week - ISGW) were huge success that attracted the attention and participation of the whose-who amongst top-notch thinkers and utility leaders from around the globe. Technology Companies, Regulators, Policy Makers, Government Officials and Senior Officials from Electricity, Water and Gas Utilities from 50+ countries participated every year in the past editions of ISUW. Due to COVID-19, ISUW 2021 was conducted on a 3D virtual platform which was attended by over 2700 delegates and addressed by 457 Speakers from 49 Countries. ISGF is a public private partnership initiative of Govt. of India with the mandate of accelerating smart grid deployments across the country. With 180+ members comprising of ministries, utilities, technology providers, academia and research, ISGF has evolved as a Think-Tank of global repute on Smart Energy, Electric Mobility and Smart Cities. Mandate of ISGF is to accelerate energy transition through clean energy, electric grid modernization and electric mobility; work with national and international agencies in standards development and help utilities, regulators and the Industry in technology selection, training and capacity building. For Partnership, Exhibition and Participation queries, please write to us at isuw@isuw.in. For more details about ISUW 2021, kindly visit www.isuw.in. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1750200/India_Smart_Grid_Forum.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1096933/ISGF_Logo.jpg This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI/PNN): Luma World, a STEM certified start-up has always endeavoured to create awareness on the importance of STEM learning for children and help them acquire essential life skills. This experiential design company is creating waves by winning the National Start-up Award 2021 by Startup India, an initiative of the Government of India. It has received worldwide appreciation for its innovation. Games created by the company and their team of experts have already won multiple awards and accolades globally. The company has won Best Math Game Award 2021 at the Imagination Gaming Awards (United Kingdom) for its board game Xing. Luma World games have been procured and used by over 15000 families in over 20 countries, creating a strong identity in the international space. The company aims to assist young children to acquire essential Math skills like counting, operations, fractions, geometry and measurements, along with 21st-century skills like decision making, critical thinking and financial literacy. Luma World's product range consists of 4-in-1 educational integrated kits, engaging board games, interactive application books and gamified flashcards for learning reinforcement. These games also help kids in balancing their screen time with offline academic activities. . Luma World is also a part of the United Nations Global Compact, which is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world. They plan to raise awareness about the SDGs through their new line of social learning games. These games are aimed at providing families with the opportunity to educate their children about adopting a greener and more sustainable lifestyle. Speaking about the recognition, Co-founder and CEO, Tejasvi Bongirwar, shares, "This has been a great achievement and milestone for Luma World, making everyone associated with Luma World proud. Our sole intention is to make education more accessible and relatable for children to cope with the new time and age. In the coming years, we are sure to penetrate more cities and bring innovation in education styles so that children can upskill themselves." Luma World has also been doing a lot of innovation in social learning games. This is what Co-founder & Creative Director Sajid Chougle has to say about Luma World's commitment to SDGs. "Our mission is to inform and inspire a new generation of responsible thinkers and innovators. We want them to, before anything else, consider the impact on the environment of any actions they take irrespective of their age, profession or location." This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI/PR Newswire): ideaForge, a leading drone manufacturer, has announced a partnership with Savex Technology, India's largest ICT distributor, to distribute its best-in-class UAVs. Through Savex Technologies' distributor network ideaForge will be able to strengthen its presence in the Indian market. Savex currently distributes Information and Technology products and solutions in India. Government's efforts and relaxed drone policies will benefit emerging sectors such as drones by bringing them to the forefront, increasing adoption, and accelerating India's growth. As the pioneer of India's drone industry, ideaForge is committed to contributing to the country's digital growth, and as part of that goal, it is constantly evolving its products and business model to assist in achieving those objectives. With Savex's extensive distribution network, ideaForge will be able to reach every corner of India with ease and serve its customer and partner base. "We are very excited to work with Savex Technologies," said Vishal Saxena, VP Business, ideaForge. "The collaboration with Savex to strengthen our distribution network is an important development for our company and the entire UAV ecosystem. We envisage UAV to follow the standard distribution frameworks as they go mainstream." Raunak Jagasia, Director Enterprise Business and Alliance at Savex Technologies Pvt. Ltd. said, "We are Glad to collaborate with ideaForge (iF) a pioneer in the drone's space in India. Our partnership in the new area of business would enable us to address end to end solutions for an array of drone requirements in enterprise sectors to offer greater performance with higher reliability, supporting our mutual customers." As part of the collaboration, ideaForge products will be distributed in India by Savex. All necessary resources, support documents, and training to support product sales in accordance with the ideaForge plan will be provided to the Savex team. With ideaForge's best-in-class UAVs and Savex's seasoned team, rich distribution network, and skilled inventory planning model, both are excited to gain a competitive advantage and achieve their strategic goals. ideaForge (iF) is a pioneer in the drone's space in India. It leads the Indian market as the largest player in the domain with focus on Security and Surveillance and Mapping and Surveying. Its drones have flown over 200,000 missions and are utilized at the rate of an iF drone taking off every 6 mins or less. All the Indian Defence & Homeland Security Forces, several Govt. Departments and Industries use iF drones daily for either security or mapping. Having built the entire tech stack by itself, iF is known for delivering autonomous drones that promise best-in-class performance and reliability. iF's drones are 'Built like a Bird, Tested like a Tank', to ensure that its systems can survive almost any terrain, altitude and weather conditions. Its innovative technology stack also bagged the Indian National Intellectual Property Award for 2020 for iF. For more information, visit www.ideaforge.co.in Established in 1986 and continuously evolving since then, Savex Technologies Pvt. Ltd. is one of the largest Information and Communication Technology distributors in India. Headquartered in Mumbai, the company is having 107 sales offices, and 42 stock locations catering to over 12000 customers every month in over 750+ cities. With over 35 years of experience in the Indian ICT Industry, Savex's core strength lies in the selection of the Best breed of Products and Solutions, a Seasoned Team with knowledge and expertise along with Cutting edge technology and rigorous process control. Savex focuses on Solution Selling and Security Services with strong Logistics and the ability to deliver in 700 cities in India and globally over 200 countries in local currency. Savex prides itself in its deep expertise and knowledge in cutting-edge technology and rigorous process control, as well as a strong MSP partner network. The company also holds a professional service arm, uniserved, which acts as an aggregator to deliver tech services. For more information, please visit www.savex.in and follow us on LinkedIn | Facebook This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI/NewsVoir): Why are young girls presented with kitchen sets on their birthdays while boys are given toy robots or construction sets? Are our unconscious gender biases holding girls back? According to United Nations, in India women make up only 14 per cent of the workforce in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). As a brand of science, but simultaneously proudly also a brand of women, leading skincare brand Olay believes the world needs more women in STEM and believes it's time to change the STEM gender gap equation in India. Rooted in cultural barriers and stereotypical gender roles, women are often stereotyped as caregivers or homemakers and restricted in their fields of study to teaching, nursing, fine arts and home economics amongst the like. That's why Olay has launched its 'STEM The Gap' initiative, as part of which the brand is encouraging more Indian girls to fearlessly pursue STEM education and careers. To action this, Olay has launched a STEM scholarship program for girls in partnership with LEAD, India's foremost School EdTech player. LEAD works with over 3000 schools, most of which serve low-income families, to deliver international standard education to 1.2 million+ students. Specifically, LEAD transforms schools by helping teachers design the curriculum and find ways to better convey the concepts to students, whilst also securing books and other quality resources. It's exactly this commitment to high quality education in geographical areas that may not otherwise have access that makes LEAD the ideal partner for Olay's STEM scholarship programme. The girls who are recipients will be enabled with a very good experience and education, allowing them to pursue their passions and interests. Since 2021, Olay is sponsoring tuition fees, as well as tablets and data packs for girls across 6 states in India. The latter two are particularly critical with the backdrop of the pandemic - many families don't have multiple smartphones or devices at home, so providing tech-enabled solutions to ensure the girls can continue learning, even in an online or hybrid environment of physical and digital classrooms, is hugely meaningful. Speaking on the 'STEM The Gap' initiative, Priyali Kamath, Senior Vice President, Skin & Personal Care - Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Procter & Gamble (P&G) said, "Olay is a brand deeply rooted in science, and with 50 per cent of our scientists being women, we know that girls have the potential to become amazing scientists. With more and more jobs becoming STEM-based, we believe it's our collective responsibility to prepare girls for the jobs of the future. That is why we are committed to helping close the gender gap in STEM. Our scholarship program with LEAD is already making a real and meaningful difference today, and we are excited to be part of driving a positive future for girls in India. Together, let's 'STEM The Gap'." Sumeet Mehta, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, LEAD said, "Olay's scholarships are extremely meaningful and will enable the girls to pursue their passions and interests. Our mission at LEAD is to take excellent education to every child by transforming schools, especially in small towns. Our partnership with Olay will further allow us to create value for students and democratize learning irrespective of where one goes to school. The early years are foundational for girls, and we are proud to be partnering on this cause to make a positive difference and work towards closing the gender gap in STEM." Ranjit Bute, parent of scholarship recipient Riya Bute (9) from Mangaon, District Raigad Maharashtra, said, "I am a bus driver and my daughter Riya is currently in the 3rd standard. We were struggling to pay our daughter's school fees during the pandemic and were worried she will fall behind in her education. When LEAD introduced us to this initiative by Olay, to help support our daughter's entire education, we were so happy and relieved! We will always be grateful to Olay and LEAD for providing this huge support for us in our child's education during these stressful times." With the launch of its meaningful initiative 'STEM The Gap', Olay India is committing to help close the gender gap in STEM. The brand has also unveiled a hard-hitting film highlighting how our unconscious biases teach girls that STEM is not for them and invites us to collectively address this to 'STEM The Gap'. Link to the film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz0AA0O6MmU. Olay is a worldwide leader in skin care that has been trusted by women for over 60 years. Olay maintains a deep understanding of women's changing needs and offers products backed by superior science to meet them. Using ground-breaking ingredients and formulations, and proven performance testing, Olay has a range of products that work at the surface cellular level for younger-looking skin and treat the root causes of skin concerns. Female consumers have come to expect this superior product performance from Olay, as it brings healthy looking, beautiful skin to more than 80 million women on five continents. As a brand rooted in science, Olay India advocates for gender equality in STEM. Olay is committed to help 'STEM The Gap' in India, inspiring young girls to pursue careers in STEM and funding STEM scholarships for girls across the country in partnership with LEAD School. For more information about Olay, please visit pgshop.in/brand-olay. P&G serves consumers in India with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Vicks, Ariel, Tide, Whisper, Olay, Gillette, AmbiPur, Pampers, Oral-B, and Old Spice. LEAD is India's foremost player in the School EdTech category promoted by Sumeet Yashpal Mehta and Smita Deorah, with the mission to transform school education in India. It combines technology, curriculum, and pedagogy into an integrated system of teaching and learning, thus improving student learning outcomes and teacher performance in schools across the country. LEAD's innovative and highly-effective Integrated Learning System significantly strengthens the role of schools, teachers, and parents in advancing the overall growth and development of every child by providing quality education. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Hosur (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 23 (ANI/NewsVoir): TVS Motor Company, a reputed two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, announced that its two-wheeler exports clocked 1 million units (including sales from TVS Motor Company and PT TVS, Indonesia) in FY21-22. The company has achieved this significant export milestone in a financial year for the first time. The key exports include the TVS Apache series, TVS HLX series, TVS Raider, and TVS Neo series. An increase in global motorcycle sales has significantly contributed to this achievement. Commenting on the milestone, Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, said, "The one million export mark is a significant milestone for TVS Motor Company. This further underscores our path towards being a global player in personal mobility solutions. TVS Motor has always been committed to quality, technology, and customer delight and this must be further enhanced in the future. We are excited to continue building on this positive momentum as we expand into newer geographies with attractive products and new first in the segment, technology offerings." KN. Radhakrishnan, Director, and CEO, TVS Motor Company, added, "We are delighted that TVS Motor's international two-wheeler business has achieved a sales milestone of 1 million units in this financial year. The consistent strong export performance is a testimony to our customer experience and best-in-class quality. We are extremely thankful to our esteemed customers, distributors, suppliers, and a passionate team who have made this possible. We have a strong focus on expanding and bolstering our market presence across global markets with an exciting range of products that cater to the fast-evolving mobility needs of every customer segment. With the support of our distribution network, we look forward to continuing playing a role in making Indian two and three-wheelers popular and aspirational globally." TVS Motor Company has a presence across 80 countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, Indian Sub-Continent, Central & Latin America and is seeking to enter more markets in Europe and North America. TVS Motor Company is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through Mobility with a focus on sustainability. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of Trust, Value, and Passion for Customers and Exactness, we take pride in making internationally aspirational products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. We are the only two-wheeler company to have received the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys for five years. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D. Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for consecutive four years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement, have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate. For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI/PNN): Pioneering the way forward into unlisted markets, Marwadi Financial Services now offers a research-backed solution for unlisted stocks. Such investment opportunities are often leveraged by seasoned investors, and there is no substitute for due diligence. Investing in pre-IPOs is an extensive process, and informed investors can extract value from the undertaking. The unlisted shares market in India is unorganised and has existed for quite some time now, and we have seen many good companies getting listed from being an unlisted share in the past. This category of investing is for investors who have a long-term horizon, have a strong liquidity position, and have a higher risk appetite. The higher the risk, the higher is the need to deliver a research-backed solution to investors. Expounding on the offering, Keval Bhanushali, CEO, Marwadi Financial Services, says, "When it comes to an investment opportunity like pre-IPO investing, much of the decision relies on the investor's risk appetite and inherently, these unlisted shares are volatile and carry liquidity risk. Fortunately, this changes when research-backed insights from reputed financial advisors come into play. Eliminating a great deal of uncertainty, a strategic approach can position investors for long-term gains. Marwadi Financial Services has created a dedicated research desk that evaluates these companies with conventional and modern valuation matrices like price to sales, cost per unit of revenue, cost of acquisition, lifetime customer value, and many more. Through the new investing solution for the unlisted market, we are focused on providing in-depth, actionable research and investing strategies to individuals, family offices, and AIFs focused on pre-IPO investments. This step stems out of our core value that wealth creation opportunities are extended beyond a select section of individuals." Sharing his insights on the best practices for investors considering pre-IPOs, Akhil Rathi, Vice President Advisory, Marwadi Financial Services says, "The unlisted stocks market in India, while potentially profitable, requires foresight. Investors, both new and experienced, need the right guidance to make the right investments. Navigating the unlisted market for value demands expertise and proficiency. Not all unlisted stocks can or will translate to value. Our research strategies and protocols have enabled us to analyse this volatile landscape and find outliers that have the potential to create value." Actionable research on unlisted stocks can provide much-needed perspective and boost investor confidence. The advantage here is that the investor enjoys 100% allotment in high-growth companies before their public listing, effectively eliminating the possibility of missing out. Investing in unlisted shares requires investors to have a long-term horizon to avoid the common pitfalls early on. For any investor looking to embark on this journey, it is important to consider the value brought to the table by the right financial advisor. Besides being the gateway to the unlisted market, we specialise in building portfolios that translate to profits. (www.marwadionline.com) Marwadi Financial Services is the investment and financial services arm of the 3-decade young Marwadi Group. The group was incorporated in 1992 and has ventured into various sectors that include financial services, education and solar power. Across its verticals, the Marwadi group has witnessed steady growth and has a strong team of 2,500+ employees. The company has its spread across 97+ geographical locations across India, with over 500 partners to serve the strong community of over 4 lakh+ esteemed customers. By enabling and empowering their customers on their wealth creation journey, the company offers a wide range of financial products and services that include equity, commodity, currency, depository facilities, IPO and mutual fund distribution, and advisory services. Marwadi Financial services is a trusted financial services solution provider. Through its robust business model, it delivers unmatched value to those seeking financial freedom. The company's mission is to provide quality advisory services, not just to the existing set of loyal customers but to all investors across geographies in India, through innovative digital-first solutions and AI-based models. As a trusted, strategic financial partner Marwadi Financial Services is deeply committed to gaining the customer's confidence in investing for their financial well-being. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Anunta, a leading provider of Managed Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) has been recognized with the Great Place to Work-Certification in India from February 2022 to February 2023, in the large organization category, for its constant efforts in promoting people-focused policies and culture within the organization. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make strategic people decisions. The institute serves businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in more than 60 countries and has conducted pioneering research on the characteristics of great workplaces for over three decades. Upon receiving this recognition, Sivakumar Ramamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Anunta Tech said, "We are honored to receive this recognition as this reaffirms our commitment to being a customer and people-focused organization. At Anunta, we are focused on building a culture through three key pillars. Firstly, by providing work content that is stimulating and challenging and provides for learning and rapid professional growth. Secondly, be an ethical company with high corporate governance and transparency standards, which employees would be proud to work for. Third, creating a positive work environment seen as highly professional but also friendly, fair, and flexible." In India, the institute partners with more than 1100 organizations annually across over 22 industries to help them build High-Trust, High-Performance Cultures designed to deliver sustained business results. Hundreds of CEOs and CXOs from India Inc. are part of the great place community that is committed to the vision of making India a great place to work FOR ALLTM. The Institute's research shows that great workplaces are characterized by great leadership, consistent employee experience, and sustainable financial performance. These organizations are able to deliver a consistent experience to all their employees irrespective of their role, gender, tenure or level in the organization. Their leaders believe in the vision of creating and sustaining a Great Place to Work FOR ALL and role model being 'FOR ALL' Leaders. Learn more at https://www.greatplacetowork.in/ and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Aadinath Ur Homes, based in Delhi NCR, is a thoroughly modern real estate advisory company built on traditional values of service, integrity, market expertise, global outlook, and local knowledge. Through a team of experienced experts, they help buyers find landmark residential & commercial properties all over the NCR region; they help developers focus on what they do best i.e., build best in class commercial and residential spaces, by lending their support and expertise with a dedicated team of marketing and sales strategists. At Aadinath Ur Homes, they are known to always take a simple approach. When you engage with them, you're engaging with a team that's solutions oriented and fully committed to providing you with the desired outcomes. It's this approach that has led them to achieve an enviable reputation for excellence and the provision of insightful property solutions. Keeping Customers, Their Priority Aadinath Ur Homes makes every property decision more convenient, beneficial & transparent. As per their spokesperson, customer service and delivering excellence are close to their hearts. Each of their executives breathes company values and practices its culture each and every day. The company is proud to hand pick the best of the best - those rare breeds of dedicated & honest executives that are willing to go the extra mile for the clients. Unique Concepts For Extraordinary Returns Baker's Alley, brought to life by Aadinath Ur Homes, is a unique global retail and investment destination for home chefs, brands and businesses operating in the space of bakery, cafes, candy bars, ice-cream/frozen-yogurt, desserts, tea/coffee bars, brasseries, delicatessens and confectioneries. Whether a customer is launching a new 'sweet tooth' brand or wants to scale up an existing one, their dreams are just a call away here at Baker's Alley! Gaurav Jain, CEO, Adinath Ur Homes, explains the concept in plain terms. "Bakers, Confectioners and F&B entrepreneurs, in general, are quintessentially creative and though adept in their art, for the want of a suitable location, more often than not are unfortunately not able to turn profitable in a reasonable amount of time. We identified this gap and have come up with this exclusive and unique concept wherein the owners of bakeries and associated businesses can open their shops in three of the most premium commercial hubs in Delhi NCR." Prime Location For Premium Returns The three premium locations of Baker's Alley - Noida Expressway, Central Noida and Noida Extension - all represent India's fastest growing micro markets with excellent locational connectivity, planned social infrastructure and thriving ecosystems for IT giants, international corporates and start-ups. When one considers a large captive catchment population of upmarket families with global tastes, it all adds up to the perfect recipe for home chefs and brands to launch a new business, or expand their existing one. Bhutani Grandthum - The most important benefit of investing in BhutaniGrandthum is its excellent location in Noida Extension. Some of the reasons why this location is so sought-after include its close proximity to FNG Expressway, Noida Expressway & Noida Sector 18 Market and direct connectivity to Noida, Ghaziabad and Delhi. Spectrum Metro - Spectrum@Metro is a benchmark in commercial and retail development, one of its kind project located at Sector 75, Noida. Some of its unique location advantages include the catchment of 8+ Lakhs Population in Central Noida. Sector 50 Metro Station at just door-step and being close to NH24, NEPZ and Noida Sector- 62, 63, 64 & 65. Bhutani Cyberthum - BhutaniCyberthum is specially crafted to meet the modern discerning needs of millennials. It is one of the most coveted projects in NCR, some of its advantages include it being North India's tallest commercial tower and its Leed platinum certified building & construction. An Opportunity For Entrepreneurs To Invest In Their 'Sweet Dreams' They say that you cannot put a price on your dreams, but what Baker's Alley offers is - customer's priceless dreams at price-less investment! Located in some of the most happening hubs in NCR, this investment opportunity is made 'sweeter' by the easy payment plans. With high appreciation potential, customer's investment is virtually secured from day one. High footfall of A+ consumers is sure to ensure their steady & ever-growing income. If you have any questions or want to know more about this investment opportunity, you can contact the company at marketing@aadinathindia.com. #AadinathUrHomes #BakersAlley #BestInvestmentinDelhiNCR #HighROI This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 23 (ANI/PNN): INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF BUSINESS & INDUSTRY (ICBI), a premier association of business, industry and start-up companies from across the length and breadth of India and beyond national boundaries, recently wrote a letter to the members of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, UAE to organise a joint meeting to exchange views on further strengthening of bilateral economic activities as well as seeking modalities of expanding business and improving the investment environment in India, ICBI said in a statement. To facilitate the development of leadership 'attributes', 'skills' and appropriate 'business processes in industry, institutions and environment through consultancy, knowledge transfer and training on cutting edge processes and practices, to create, accumulate and disseminate knowledge on the core theme of leadership to extend our services we would like to organize a joint meeting with members of your esteemed Chamber with members of ICBI coming to Dubai followed by the World Expo, said Aditya Murarka, Vishnu Sureka & Mahesh Kedia Founder Trustees-ICB in the letter. ICBI is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, with over 350 members in Kolkata from the private sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 300 member enterprises from various cities in India & 30 nations, with a variety of industry sectors. For more than 4 years, ICBI has been engaged in shaping India's development journey and works proactively on transforming Indian Industry's engagement in national development. ICBI charts change by working closely with Government on policy issues, interfacing with thought leaders, and enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and business opportunities for industry through a range of specialized services and strategic global linkages. It also provides a platform for consensus-building and networking on key issues. Extending its agenda beyond business, ICBI assists the industry in identifying and executing corporate citizenship programmes. Partnerships with civil society organizations carry forward corporate initiatives for integrated and inclusive development across diverse domains, including affirmative action, livelihoods, diversity management, skill development, empowerment of women, and sustainable development, to name a few. Some of recently organized such events by ICBI include Business Meet with Finance Minister and Power Minister of Government of West Bengal, Business Meet & Investment Opportunities with the Democratic Republic of Congo; in the presence of Honorary Ambassador and Hon'ble Governor of West Bengal at ITC Sonar, Kolkata, Interactive talk show with a spiritual guru, Shri Gaur Gopal Das at ITC Sonar, Kolkata Talk Show with Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor at ITC Sonar, Kolkata Interactive session by Chetan Bhagat, at ITC Sonar, Kolkata, Master class on Strategy by Deputy Dean, Indian School of Business, Dr Phil Zerrillo at ITC Sonar, Kolkata, Master class on Problem-solving thoughts by Provessor Vidyanand Jha, IIM Kolkata Business opportunities in Michigan, USA with American Council & MEDC Talk Show by KapilDev. Our vision is to become a World Class Centre of knowledge and learning, providing training, information and consultation on all aspects of leadership development, stated in its statement. 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 23 (ANI/PRNewswire): Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P), a leading downstream LNG platform and infrastructure development company, has signed a long-term charter agreement with ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S) for the supply, operations and maintenance of the vessel named ISH, a 137,512 cubic meter Floating Storage Unit (FSU) for the first Philippines LNG Import Terminal (PHLNG) in Batangas Bay. The FSU will be located at Batangas Bay at AG&P's new PHLNG facility on the main island of Luzon, the first LNG import terminal in the Philippines. The FSU is being chartered for 11 years with an option to extend by another 4 years. ADNOC L&S will provide a Japan-built, Moss-type containment vessel as FSU for the project from its fleet of eight LNG ships. The FSU is part of the combined offshore/onshore terminal that will have an initial capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and provide its customers with resiliency of supply, even in storms. Joseph Sigelman, Chairman & CEO, AG&P Group, said, "PHLNG will store LNG and dispatch natural gas, providing a critical, clean transition fuel for the Philippines. We are privileged to have ADNOC Logistics and Services, a foremost global leader in LNG logistics, as our partner to transition the Philippines to cleaner fuel through AG&P's PHLNG import terminal." Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S, said, "This agreement with AG&P builds on our existing partnership and demonstrates ADNOC L&S' continued focus on maximizing value from its assets. By providing AG&P with another flexible storage solution for their new LNG terminal, we are able to extend the operational life of this vessel, unlocking surplus value and new opportunities for growth. Furthermore, as the provider of world-class shipping, offshore logistics and onshore services, we are growing our global footprint, delivering cutting-edge technology and services to our partners. Our project with AG&P in the Philippines will contribute to the economic growth of the country by leveraging the potential of clean LNG for power generation." The hybrid-designed PHLNG import terminal will be commissioned in two phases. The first phase will be commissioned with the FSU storage in Q3 2022, and the two additional onshore storage tanks will be integrated by the end of the second phase in 2024. Then, PHLNG will have scalable onshore regasification capacity of 504 mmscfd and 257,000 cbm of storage that will ensure high availability and reliability of natural gas for its customers. The terminal will also act as a gateway in providing breakbulk LNG supply to various islands across the country. The PHLNG import terminal is under construction and commercial operation is scheduled to commence in early Q3 2022. For further information: media@adnoc.ae. Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) is a global leader in developing and running LNG and gas logistics and distribution solutions. AG&P provides the infrastructure to access natural gas safely and easily in new and growing markets. We act as an owner and as a service provider covering the development, financing, engineering, procurement, project management and construction for onshore and offshore gas infrastructure, linking suppliers to downstream customers. www.agpglobal.com Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Logistics & Services provides world-class shipping, maritime, port, and logistics, serving ADNOC and international customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is a crucial link in the ADNOC supply chain, delivering the Group's oil, gas, petroleum and dry bulk products from Abu Dhabi to the world and also serving global customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is 100% owned by ADNOC. www.adnoc.ae This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire)
KPAC Lalitha breathed her last at the age of 74 on Tuesday at a hospital in Kerala''s Kochi.

Mammootty took to his Twitter handle and shared a picture of the late star.

Further, he penned a note in Malayalam, which roughly translates as: "I have lost someone dear to me. With a lot of everlasting memories, I condole her death."

Prithviraj Sukumaran also mourned the demise of the National Film Award winner.

Taking to his Instagram handle, he wrote, "Rest in peace Lalitha aunty! It was a privilege to have shared the silver screen with you! One of the finest actors I''ve known. #KPACLalitha"

Keerthy Suresh took to her Twitter handle to extend her condolences to the family of "KPAC Lalitha aunty".

She wrote, "Extremely saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary KPAC Lalitha aunty. My heartfelt condolences to the family."

Revathy Asha Kelunni remembered "Lalitha Chechi" with gratitude for her great performances.

Taking to her Instagram handle, she wrote, "Lalitha Chechi - Thank you Chechi for the abundance of performances... you will live on for generations through them all. May your soul rest in peace."

In a career spanning five decades, late KPAC Lalitha has starred in over 550 films in Malayalam and Tamil.

She has held the position of the Chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for five years.

Born as Maheswari Amma in Kayamkulam of Alappuzha, the actor had joined K.P.A.C (Kerala People''s Arts Club), a prominent drama troop in Kerala.

She was then given the screen-name Lalitha and later when she started acting in movies, the tag K.P.A.C was added to her name.

She has won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress along with four Kerala State Film Awards. She got the national award for the character in ''Amaram'' in 1999 and for ''Shantham'' in 2000.

She was married to the late Malayalam filmmaker Bharathan. She is survived by her son Siddharth, a filmmaker and actor in Malayalam cinema, and her daughter Sreekutty Bharathan. (ANI)
Comedian Rosie O'Donnell has apologised to global star Priyanka Chopra through social media for mistaking her to be the daughter of author Deepak Chopra. As per E! News, O'Donnell recently bumped into Chopra and Nick Jonas while out to dinner in Malibu, California. She went over to say hello but the conversation soon took an awkward turn."So, I said, 'Hi, Nick Jonas, you were great in Kingdom,'" Rosie recalled in a TikTok, noting she then addressed Priyanka. "'Hi, I know your dad.' She goes, 'You do? Who's my dad?' And I go, 'Deepak.' She goes, 'No, and Chopra is a common name.'"Rosie continued, "I felt so embarrassed. Didn't you think that Nick Jonas was married to Deepak Chopra's daughter? Am I the only one who thought that?" While some fans in the comments agreed with her, others didn't take the situation so well. In a follow-up TikTok, the comedian apologized to the new mom and also addressed some comments users had about the interaction. "People thought she was rude, and she wasn't rude," Rosie explained. "It was just awkward, you know? I mean, I'm sure she gets sick of that. I'm sure I'm not the only one...I'm sure it felt weird to her to begin with." She added, "I just want to apologize to her and to everyone who thought it was really inappropriate of me. Sorry. Sometimes I f--k up, I did at Nobu." For the unversed, Chopra's father is late Dr Ashok Chopra who died in 2013 after battling cancer. The pair had a close relationship. Her mother's name is Dr Madhu Chopra. Meanwhile, on the personal front, Priyanka and Nick have recently become parents. On January 22, the two took to Instagram and announced the birth of "a baby via surrogate." (ANI)
On Wednesday, Vin took to Instagram and wrote, "Fast is back in London, amongst many new locations around the world for the Finale of Fast."

Alongside the caption, he dropped a throwback image with late actor Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson.

"Hope to make you proud...All love, Always," Vin added.

Justin Lin, who returned to the franchise with 2021's F9: The Fast Saga, will direct the 10th and 11th films in the franchise, which will be the conclusion of the core movies.

Jason Momoa is also a part of the 10th instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise. (ANI)
Taking to his Instagram handle, Randeep shared a picture from one of the stills from Netflix's upcoming revenge series.

In the first look, the 'Highway' actor looks fierce while donning a leather jacket. He also sported a heavy beard and a turban. The actor could also be seen holding a gun with him.

"CAT is outta the bag! Heres a glimpse into the world of #Cat," Randeep captioned the post.

Netflix's upcoming revenge series is being directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, who has previously written films like 'Saand Ki Aankh' and 'Mubarakan'.

Written by Balwinder Singh Janjua, Rupinder Chahal, and Jimmy Singh, 'CAT' is a crime thriller set against the backdrop of the Punjab hinterlands. In the series, Randeep will be seen essaying the role of an undercover spy.

Excited about the project, Randeep earlier said, "Working with Netflix is always a pleasure. I had a tremendous time during 'Extraction' and the love it got me from around the world was phenomenal. 'CAT' again has all the elements to appeal to a global audience. It has given me an opportunity to explore new facets as an actor in a simple but intriguing script. Can't wait to see the audience reaction to the series."

The show will be out soon on the streaming giant. (ANI)
Taking to his Instagram handle, Palash shared the first look poster featuring Rajpal Yadav as a transgender.

The intriguing poster sees Yadav donning an orange saree with his hair tied in a braid adorned with a gajra. He could be seen intensely looking out from a local train.

Directed and written by Palash Muchhal, 'Ardh' also stars Rubina Dilaik, Hiten Tejwani and Kulbushan Kharbanda.

As per reports, the film will see Rajpal Yadav playing a transgender character who comes to Mumbai to become a hero. Rubina and Hiten's characters will be seen playing Yadav's friends in the city of dreams.

Palash had earlier shared a glimpse of the cast's look on his Instagram handle.

The film will have an OTT release in 2022. (ANI)
As per People magazine, Sim Liu revealed that Tom Holland left him a voicemail praising his acting in the movie 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'.

"Dude, I just watched Shang-Chi bro, that film is so f***ing awesome," said Holland in the voicemail, as per Liu.

Liu joked that the lesson he learned from listening to the message was to "work really hard and follow your dreams" and "maybe one day Tom Holland will watch your movie and leave you a voice memo."

While Liu is new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Holland has played 'Spider-Man' in a number of Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films. (ANI)
The crab cake with a lemon garnish at Papi Cuisine. As crab prices skyrocket, restaurants around Baltimore, including Papi Cuisine in South Baltimore, have raised prices. (Ulysses Munoz/The Baltimore Sun)

No one loves giving hot takes more than I do, just ask my fiance. Its a good thing I have this column to air my manifold opinions. Theyre not always correct.

A few weeks ago Id predicted that high crab prices and scarcity might lead restaurants to ditch crab cakes. But as I go out to eat lately, Im noticing crab cakes are still available, theyre just more expensive than ever.

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A double crab cake entree will now set you back $48 at Towsons new Perennial (previously Cunninghams) or $59 at The Rusty Scupper. Meanwhile, Papi Cuisine charges an eye-popping $70 for two. Even casual Harford Road eatery Kocos Pub, a favorite of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, is charging $45.99. A note on their website explains the hike: Crab meat prices are higher than normal... As the market fluctuates our prices will follow.

Maybe crab cakes are like houses. It doesnt matter how much they cost, some people will still buy them.

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The croissant craze

I may have been wrong about crab cakes but I stand by my earlier prediction that our craze for carbs would continue. Just look at Maillard Pastries, which sold out within hours of opening last week in the Hampden spot formerly occupied by Full Circle Doughnuts, according to a post on its Instagram account.

Owner Caitlin Kiehl previously worked at the Charleston and Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, making her just the latest Woodberry alum to open her own shop.

Call it six degrees of Spike Gjerde, Woodberrys James Beard Award-winning founder. Some of my favorite places to eat lately, including Le Comptoir du Vin and Heritage Smokehouse, were all cofounded by chefs who previously did time at Woodberry.

Whats up at Woodberry Kitchen?

Woodberry Kitchen chef and owner Spike Gjerde is working on the restaurant's next chapter. (Jen Rynda / Patuxent Publishing)

Woodberry Kitchen, meanwhile, has been in hibernation since last fall. Last year, the restaurant received $1.8 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a Small Business Administration program designed to help businesses keep their doors open during the pandemic.

A note on the restaurants website says it will reopen this spring and encourages people to subscribe to the restaurants newsletter to find out first about WKs next chapter.

Could changes be ahead for one of Baltimores signature restaurants? Gjerde was mum on details, writing in an email, [W]ere still working on the direction, should have something worth talking about soon.

Clarksville Commons Farmers Market

Speaking of farm-to-table, the Clarksville Commons is hosting two spring previews of its farmers market on March 5 and April 2, both from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Vendors will include market regulars Hensings Hilltop Acres, Clarks Farm, Kindread Hill Farm, Pongs Orchard, Blue Gables Farm and Mojo Mushroom Farms. Also look for local food and crafts from Chez Tania, Metro Microgreens, Ellicott Distilling Co., The Salvaged Stitch, Raw Blossom and Real Food Real Tasty.

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The markets organizers are again participating in the Maryland Market Money program, which provides up to $10 per market day in matching food for shoppers using SNAP and other benefits.

Underground Pizza goes overground in Towson

Evan Weinstein, owner of Underground Pizza Company in Power Plant Live!, plans to open a branch of the pizza spot in Towson. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun )

Owner Evan Weinstein is opening a new branch of his Underground Pizza in Towson next month. Id like to be open by the15th of March, said Weinstein, a concert promoter who started his business as a pandemic pivot.

The address will be 20 Allegheny Avenue, right across from the former Cafe Troia spot.

Im just excited to sell more pizza, said Weinstein, who also just opened a branch in Silver Spring and is working on a small branch in Fells Point to sling his Detroit-style pie. For now, find him at 30 Market Place at the Power Plant Live! complex.

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Atlas Restaurant lawsuit updates

A judge has scheduled a settlement conference in a discrimination lawsuit filed against the Atlas Restaurant Group by a Black family.

Dish Baltimore Weekly Get the scoop on that new restaurant, learn about chef changes and discover your favorite new recipe. All your Baltimore food news is here. >

Marcia Grant filed the suit in 2020 after she and her young son were barred from eating at the Atlas-owned Ouzo Bay restaurant.

Despite Atlas attempt to have the suit thrown out, U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III, has allowed it to proceed, saying Grants complaint gives rise to reasonable inference that she and her son were denied service based on race.

During a teleconference earlier this month, Russell disclosed a potential conflict of interest: his adult daughter had worked for the restaurant group for one day and was not paid for her labor. He told both parties in a teleconference that his daughter does not hold any animosity toward the restaurant, according to a court memo dated Feb. 9. Further, the Judge believed he could continue to be fair and impartial in this case.

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Both parties agreed, and Russell will stay on the case. A settlement conference is scheduled for May 27.

Scott Marder, an attorney for Atlas, said his client will continue vigorously fighting this lawsuit.

In an email, Marder also said Atlas paid Russells daughter for her work and provided proof of this payment to the court.

Correction: An earlier headline for this article was incorrect. The lawsuit against Atlas Restaurant Group is headed to a court-mandated settlement conference; Atlas has not offered a settlement in this case.
The camp was organised for free medical and eye check-up for the residents of Nukmas village and of nearby areas.

More than 350 villagers were medically examined and provided medical aid accordingly including check-up for eye cataract.

A team of doctors examined the visitors and free medicines were distributed to the needy people of the border area. Local villagers expressed their happiness and gratitude for the human gesture shown by BSF.

BSF officials said that through the civic action programme, the residents of the villages located far off from the district headquarters, get free medical check up and medicine while it also helps the troopers to develop the human intelligence at the border areas.

As Meghalaya borders Bangladesh and the smuggling of narcotics and cattle is rife, these types of medical camps help the forces to get information about the smugglers and traffickers, the officials said.

The medical camp was inaugurated by BSF's Tura Sector DIG at Tura Alok Kumar Singh and the Commandant, 100 Battalion Ajay Kumar Tiwary while the doctors and paramedic staff were from the BSF and and the Tura civil hospital.

--IANS ams/vd

( 226 Words)

2022-02-22-22:58:04 (IANS)
Jammu and Kashmir Tribal Affairs Department in coordination with J&K Police, Forest Department and Census Operations Department has finalised the modalities for the 'Smart Cards' to be provided to Transhumant tribal families for hassle-free movement during migration and access to various services, officials said on Tuesday. In a meeting, chaired by Secretary, Tribal Affairs, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, a detailed presentation was made about the survey of migratory population and planned interventions in various sectors. The cards are planned to "replace the multiple permissions regime and offer a unified central database to all the organisations and agencies for smooth and hassle-free movement of Transhumant families during the biannual vertical migration". Embedded with chip containing the demographic details, transit routes, originating place, destination and other vital statistics, these cards will end the process of multiple permissions. The cards will also be utilised for various government services rolled out for the migratory population and will be issued based on the survey conducted by the department last year. Chief Conservator of Forests, Samuel Chankija said that in view if implementing of The Scheduled Tribes and OTFD (Recognition of Rights) Act, the forest department is endeavouring for a hassle free process and suggested multiple card issuance points. Access will also be provided to the forest department for monitoring the process and also for surveys related to management of rangelands, he added. The suggestion made by Police department for mapping of respective police stations was also included in the process. Access will also be provided to all the police stations enabling real-time updation of demographic details whenever required by the family. Android devices and card readers will be provided to all nakas and posts of both police and forest Department for smooth movement of families. Director, Census Operations J&K discussed coordination with Tribal Affairs Department for coverage of all the Dhoks (high land pastures) in the Census to avoid missing of any families or members. The first survey of Transhumant population conducted by the Tribal Affairs Department will be referred as a source for planning the census operations. The Tribal Research Institute, established as an autonomous body by the Tribal Affairs Department, will coordinate for preparedness of various plans in this regards. A pilot project of 10,000 smart cards will be rolled out in March to be followed by steps for coverage of nearly one lakh migratory families. Aadhar linkage is also being enabled for benefits of various schemes. --IANS zi/shs ( 418 Words) 2022-02-22-20:30:02 (IANS)
Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and Village Industries Board (J&K KVIB) has released an amount of Rs 348.48 crore as margin money or subsidy in favour of entrepreneurs who had applied loan from the board since 2019. Vice Chairperson KVIB, Hina Shafi Bhat, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, said that the board has released the amount to 15,459 unit holders under JK Rural Employment Generation Programme (JKREGP) and Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) directly benefitting 1,18,188 individuals of the Union Territory in these 3 years. Bhat said that the KVIB has no cap on extending assistance to local youth and can provide handholding to any number of youth willing to start their enterprises in the UT. "The board has created employment avenues for lakhs of educated unemployed, poor, down-trodden and marginal sections of the society," she added. She also noted that the KVIB under the mission 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' is ensuring its reach to all segments of the society. "5,338 women entrepreneurs have been assisted by the board under its various programmes including providing subsidy of Rs 1.58 crore to 49 ex-servicemen and war widows." Besides, the J&K KVIB is establishing eight clusters under handloom, handicrafts and beekeeping sectors under 'Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of traditional Industries' (SFURTI) of Union Ministry of MSME, she said. The scheme aims at protecting the interests of traditional artists and craftsmen who have adopted the traditional trades for earning their livelihoods, the VC asserted. "The clusters are being established with an approved assistance of Rs 20 crore from the Union Ministry of MSME involving 10,000 artisans/beekeepers, directly and indirectly, in line with the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Bhat added. --IANS zi/shs ( 297 Words) 2022-02-22-20:50:03 (IANS)
An accused-turned-approver in the sensational murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, on Tuesday sought security, saying he faces threat to his life. Shaik Dastagiri, who had worked as the driver of Vivekananda Reddy, told reporters that he and his family members need proper security. He was not happy with the security provided to him after he made a request to police. Dastagiri, who is accused number four in the case, said the threat to his life and the lives of his family members increased after he gave two statements to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case. The CBI on Monday recorded second statement of Dastargiri under Section 164 (1) of the CrPC before Pulivendula court. His first statement was recorded on August 31 last year. Meanwhile, a complaint made to by Dastagiri to the CBI in September last year has become public on Tuesday. He alleged that after he recorded his first statement, some accused and suspects tried to pressurise him to reveal the statement made before the agency. He alleged that they also tried influence him by offering any amount of money and 10 to 20 acres of land. Four accused appear in Pulivendula court on Tuesday. On the direction of the court, copies of the charge sheet were handed over to their lawyers. Two accused - Erra Gangi Reddy and Dastagiri - appeared before the magistrate. Two other accused Sunil Yadav and Uma Shankar Reddy were brought from Kadapa Jail. Another accused Devireddy Shiva Shankar Reddy could not attend the court as he is currently undergoing treatment at RIMS. In another development on Tuesday, the case was transferred from Pulivendula court to Kadapa district court. The Pulivendula magistrate transferred the case on a request by the CBI which is probing the case. The magistrate said the hearings in the case relating to remand, bail and other matters will henceforth will be held in Kadapa court. The CBI stepped up investigation in the case after filing the supplementary charge sheet in which it said Kadapa MP Avinash Reddy, along with another accused in the case, propagated the theory of the former minister dying due to a heart attack while the fact is that he was found in a pool of blood with grievous injuries. Avinash Reddy is son of Y.S. Bhaskar Reddy, brother of Vivekananda Reddy. The CBI filed a charge sheet in the murder case on October 26, 2021 and followed it up with a supplementary charge sheet on January 31, 2022. The CBI took over the investigation in to the case in 2020 on the direction of Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing petition of Vivekananda Reddy's daughter Sunita, who raised suspicion about some relatives. --IANS ms/vd ( 467 Words) 2022-02-22-20:52:03 (IANS)
She has won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress along with four Kerala State Film Awards. She got the national award for the character in 'Amaram' in 1999 and for 'Shantham' in 2000.

In a career spanning five decades, she has starred in over 550 films in Malayalam and Tamil.

She has held the position of the Chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for five years.

Born as Maheswari Amma in Kayamkulam of Alappuzha, the actress had joined K.P.A.C (Kerala People's Arts Club), a prominent drama troop in Kerala.

She was then given the screen-name Lalitha and later when she started acting in movies, the tag K.P.A.C was added to her name.

She was married to the late Malayalam filmmaker Bharathan. Siddharth, her son is also a filmmaker and actor in Malayalam cinema and has a daughter also.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed his condolences on the death of Lalitha. In his condolence message, Lalitha has become part of the history of an era, penetrating the hearts of different generations with her acting skills.

The Chief Minister recalled her contribution as chairperson of Kerala Lalitha Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and said that she has always been associated with the progressive movement.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan has condoled the demise of KPAC Lalitha and said she was a unique genius in Malayalam cinema and drama.

"They made each character unique with her extraordinary acting skills. As an artist, she has offered extreme justice to her characters. She was a school of natural acting. he said. (ANI)
The Congress slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Tuesday speech in the poll-bound Manipur, saying that he "gave erroneous information, and false claims" and did not mention the state's fundamental issues including the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act. Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Gaikhangam Gangmei said Modi, on earlier occasions, had made so many commitments but did not fulfill any of them so far. Ramesh asked why was the PM completely silent on fundamental issues of Manipur -- AFSPA, MSP for crops and irrigation for farmers, rising unemployment among youth, price rise of essential commodities - much above national average, and rising illegal drug trade from across the border. Noting that the PM made tall claims on bringing railways to Manipur, he, in a series of tweets, said: "Truth is that the Congress government completed 70 per cent of the railway project in Manipur. "PM claimed poor performance in the power sector under the Congress government while the truth is his own Central government gave a national award to the Congress government in 2015-16 for power sector reforms. The PM has claimed Palm Oil plantations will benefit Manipur's farmers while the truth is it is the transfer of profits and farm lands to 2-3 big palm oil companies." Ramesh said that PM claimed full coverage when Manipur is among the worst in the country on Covid vaccination rates, with only 47.6 per cent of eligible population have got double dose of Covid vaccine. He said that the PM claimed balanced development in Manipur and taking administration to the doorstep. "The truth is BJP government has effectively shut the doors of the Tribal Autonomous District Councils by not holding elections in the last 5 years. This is murder of democracy in the hills and the grassroots. The truth is the people of Manipur are fed up with the double engine haijinbi government of BJP in Delhi and Imphal. The mood of Manipur is clear. Come 10th March, it will be Bye-Bye, BJP !", he added. Gangmei, while talking to the media, said that Prime Minister Modi's visit to Manipur has no impact as the people of the state do not trust him due to his false promises. Earlier in the day, Modi while addressing an election rally in Imphal lambasted the Congress alleging that during the Congress regime only blockade, bandh and violence culture were prevailing and no development had taken place. --IANS sc/vd ( 413 Words) 2022-02-22-21:00:07 (IANS)
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Minister of Tourism Aditya Thackeray travelled from Mumbai to Silvassa to attend a commemoration meeting organised by the Delkar family and their supporters.

Delkar, 59, was a 7-time MP from the UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and was found dead in an apparent suicide at a hotel in south Mumbai on February 22 last year, kicking off a massive national political row.

Later, his widow Kalaben Delkar and her family joined the Shiv Sena and won the October bypolls held to fill up the Lok Sabha reserved ST seat.

On his first death anniversary on Monday, the Delkar family and the local Sena unit organised a condolence meeting in Silvassa town where Raut and Thackeray Jr. joined to remember the late MP's services to the people of the Union Territory.

Aditya Thackeray said that he had come to Silvassa to share the grief of the Delkar family, and they would be available whenever needed, while Raut assured that after the ongoing probe, justice would definitely be given to the Delkars.

--IANS qn/bg

( 225 Words)

2022-02-22-21:30:04 (IANS)
He has been given the high security cover due to threat to his life from 'pro-Khalistan' extremists, officials added.

Rahim is on 21-day furlough from Sunaria jail and is camping in Gurugram. He will be getting 10 NSG security personnel for mobile security and eight security personnel for his residence security. The Haryana government's recommendation to grant the top layer security cover to the convicted sect leader comes following his request.

The Dera chief was released on furlough on February 7 after the Haryana government's conclusion that he does not fall in the category of hardcore prisoners.

Incidently, the 21-day furlough had come just days ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab that was held on February 20 and he has a large number of followers, particularly in Bathinda, Sangrur, Patiala and Muktsar.

The sect chief has been currently serving life imprisonment for the murder of former journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati and the rape of two Dera disciples. He was convicted by a special CBI court in Panchkula in 2017.

Soon after his release from the Sunaria jail in Rohtak, he was brought to his ashram in Gurugram. The Haryana police has deployed a heavy security in and near his ashram.

--IANS ams/shs

( 242 Words)

2022-02-22-22:06:04 (IANS)
The West Bengal government on Tuesday suspended two policemen and a Home Guard for alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the sensitive murder case of student leader Anis Khan, who was killed right in front of his home at Amta in Howrah district on February 18. The three suspended persons are -- ASI Nirmal Das and Constable Jitendra Hembram of Amta police station, and Home Guard Krishnanath Bera. The suspension came just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formed a three-member Special Investigation Team to probe the death of the student leader. Banerjee has set a 15-day deadline for the SIT to submit its report. The SIT headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh has started questioning the officer-in-charge of Amta police station, Debabrata Chakraborty, and second officer Pritam Bhowmik in connection with the murder case. They have been asked to clarify why the police was late in reaching the murder spot and why the basic formalities of the investigation were ignored. They have also been questioned on their alleged misbehaviour with the family members of the deceased. There are also indications that the SIT might question the SP of Howrah district (Rural), Soumya Roy, who claimed that Khan had a POSCO case registered against him and the police were looking into the possibilities whether that had any connection with his murder. The investigation team, surprised at the sudden revelation of Roy who also happens to be the husband of Trinamool Congress MLA Lovely Moitra, might question him on this point. Anis Khan, a former Aliah University student, was allegedly thrown off the terrace of his residence in the dark of night by the assailants, who visited his home identifying themselves as personnel from the Amta police station, as testified by his father who was held at a gunpoint when the assailants committed the murder. The father has called for a CBI probe into the incident. The incident became more complicated when a letter came to the fore wherein Anish had written to the officer-in-charge of the Amta police station that on May 22, 2021, a blood donation camp was organised in his village by the the Jana Swasthya Suraksha Committee under his leadership. But on the previous day, along with the gram panchayat deputy chief (Upapradhan), local Trinamool leaders such as Malek Khan and his elder son Masood Khan along with their acolytes warned him against organising the camp and threatened him of dire consequences. --IANS sbg/arm ( 422 Words) 2022-02-22-22:40:02 (IANS)
The Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress on Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan should submit a white paper on unemployment in the state during the upcoming Budget session of the Assembly. During a press conference at the party office here, senior Congress leader and the party's national spokesperson K.K. Mishra accused Chouhan of presenting false data on employment. Mishra said that more than 34 lakh people have registered for employment in the state government's portal, while the number of unemployment in the unorganised sector has increased to 24.54 lakh in the last five months. Mishra said that due to growing unemployment, a large number of people from the state have migrated to other states in the last five years. Referring to former Chief Minister Uma Bharti's statement, the Congress leader said that around 10-12 lakh people have migrated from the Bundelkhand region. On Saturday, Bharti had said that 10-12 lakh people from different districts of Bundelkhand have migrated to Delhi-NCR and some other states in search of livelihood. "Every time the Chief Minister will prsent different data of employment in the state. The Congress demands that he (Chouhan) should submit a white paper during the Budget session of the Assembly and tell the actual reality," Mishra said. The remark from the Congress leader came ahead of the state government's first 'rojgar mela' (employment fair) to be organised in all the districts on February 25. Chouhan had announced on February 5 that an employment fair will be held every month in the state. He had said that the fair will be organised every month in each district in the state and the district collectors have been directed for the upcoming mega employment fair. --IANS pd/arm ( 299 Words) 2022-02-22-22:48:05 (IANS)
A 16-year-old boy and 18-year-old were shot in separate incidents in the city Wednesday , Baltimore Police said.

Officers arrived around 1 p.m. to the 1800 block of West North Ave. and found a teen suffering from a gunshot wound in the thigh, police said. Emergency medical services transported the 16-year-old to a local hospital.

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The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, police said.

Later Wednesday, Eastern District patrol officers were sent to an area hospital for a walk-in shooting victim at an area hospital around 8:15 p.m.

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Officers found an 18-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. Police said it is believed that he has non-life-threatening injuries.

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Police said the victim was shot in the area of Presstman and North Calhoun streets.

Wednesdays shootings are among a series of incidents this month involving young people who have been injured by gunfire.

A 17-year-old boy was seriously injured when he was shot in the chest Feb. 17 in the Oliver neighborhood in East Baltimore. Baltimore police located a 16-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen Feb. 9 in the Berea neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore. Hours earlier, officers were called to a local hospital Feb. 9 for a 17-year-old suffering from a gunshot wound. The teen was walking on South Franklintown Road in Shipley Hill in Southwest Baltimore when he was shot by an unidentified suspect, police said.

Western district detectives are investigating Wednesdays shooting and ask anyone with information to call investigators at 410-396-2477 or make an anonymous call to the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-866-7LOCK-UP. Anonymous tips can also be made online to Metro Crime Stoppers by visiting the MCS Maryland website.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday criticised the opposition Congress for not allowing the Assembly session to function smoothly over the past few days. "In 2018, people delivered a verdict that you are unfit to function as the ruling party. The Congress should have at least worked as an opposition party. But it has failed even as an opposition," Bommai said on Tuesday. Speaking to mediapersons after the premature adjournment of Assembly session, the Chief Minister blamed the Congress for the session being cut short. "The legislature session was scheduled to be held till Friday. But they (Congress) compelled it to be cut short abruptly. It is really sad. The opposition leaders frequently raise demand for a legislature session to discuss issues of public importance. "But when the House is convened, they are not ready to participate in the proceedings. They could have highlighted any failure of the government during the debate on the Governor's address. But that did not happen," Bommai said. Earlier on Tuesday, Speaker Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri adjourned the proceedings of the House till March 4, amid protests by the Congress legislatures demanding dismissal of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, K.S. Eshwarappa, for his remarks of hoisting the saffron flag at the Red Fort. "The opposition could have raised the issue of Eshwarappa's statement and discussed it. The government was ready to reply. But they did not do so as they knew that there was nothing wrong with Eshwarappa's statement," Bommai said. Reacting to BJP President J.P. Nadda's comment on Eshwarappa's controversial ramrk, Bommai said, "I have no information about it. I will first get official information about it." The Chief Minister, however, stood by Eswarsappa. "Eshwarappa's statement has been wrongly interpreted. If the full text of his statement is examined, there is nothing against the law in it. There is no aspect that could be considered as an insult to the national flag. It is very clear. The Congress is trying to exploit it politically by tweaking the statement," Bommai claimed. "The opposition is trying to mislead the House and the people by staging a dharna. The high court is hearing intense arguments on the dress code issue. An interim order has already been passed, which is being implemented. Some people are trying to create confusion. They could have maintained calm and sent a united message of peace as education of our children in most important. "But for them, politics has become more important. The leader of the opposition and the President of Congress are seniors. They are in politics for a long time now. People would have appreciated if they had worked as a matured opposition party," Bommai said. --IANS pvn/arm ( 462 Words) 2022-02-22-23:08:02 (IANS)
Santosh Singh, Superintendent of Police informed that the accused were arrested after police seized leopard skin from their car in Rajnandgaon district.

"During a search, the police seized a leopard skin kept inside a luggage trunk in a vehicle," he added. (ANI)
Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said that Congress has deep ideological issues with the Samajwadi Party (SP). Yet, he said, Congress would prefer ousting the Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) from power "because they have been extremely horrific". Speaking to ANI, Khurshid said, "We are not on very good terms with the SP as we have deep ideological issues. On the larger framework, we would prefer ousting the BJP from power because they've been extremely horrific." With the polling for the fourth phase of the elections in Uttar Pradesh underway. Khurshid's remarks signal Congress bracing up for the post-poll adjustments in the state in the events of a hung Assembly. On Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, Khurshid said, "We are contesting the polls vigorously to make presence felt in the state. However, we need to wait to see the impact of the innovative strategies put in place by Vadra in UP. If not today, tomorrow that politics is going to change the face of UP." After the fourth phase of polling on Wednesday, elections in UP would be completed in nearly 58 per cent of the seats in the state. Both the BJP and the SP have sounded confident of forming the government in the state. Vadra has said on the campaign trails that Congress' pitch is on issues that are of immediate concern for the people. The fourth phase of elections today will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur districts. The voting for the remaining phases will be held on February 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will be done on March 10. (ANI)
She took a jibe at Samajwadi Party stating that Muslims are not happy with it and voting for SP means "gunda raj, mafia raj".

Speaking to media persons after polling, Mayawati said, "People will not vote for them. Muslims are not happy with SP. People of UP have rejected SP even before voting as voting for SP means Gunda raj, Mafia raj. Riots happened in the SP government. The face of SP leaders tells that they are not coming in power."

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP's candidate from Lucknow Cantonment seat Brajesh Pathak offers prayers at Kali Bari Temple as the voting began at 7 am today.

Brajesh Pathak is facing Samajwadi candidate and two-time Corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi in the Lucknow Cantonment seat. The UP minister Ashutosh Tandon is also in the fray from the Lucknow East seat against Deputy Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Nitin Agarwal, who is the Samajwadi Party nominee.

Polling is underway in 59 Assembly seats spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur.

The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress as principal contenders.

Three phases out of the seven-phase UP Assembly elections have already concluded. Voting for the fourth phase is underway in 59 Assembly seats today. Elections in Uttar Pradesh will conclude on March 7. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is going to win an absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, said the party's national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra on Wednesday morning. Mishra further claimed that the BSP supremo Mayawati will become the Chief Minister for the fifth time in the state. "The BSP is headed for an absolute majority in the state. Taking into account the first three phases and today's voting, you will find out that the popular support is for the BSP. The BSP will form a government with an absolute majority on the pattern of the 2007 verdict in the state polls," Mishra told ANI. He also stated that the BSP is getting a one-sided vote in favour of the party. By the end of the fourth phase, it will become certain that the BSP will form the government with a full majority. Every section, including Brahmins, is voting for us," he said. Mishra cast his vote at the Montessori school polling booth in Lucknow today. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Polling is underway today for the fourth phase in the state. Voting for the remaining three phases in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Manipur will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The ED had summoned the minister today morning, but the officials of the agency went to his house and brought him to its office.

Last week, the ED on Tuesday conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case.

Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to the people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources on Tuesday.

The ED had also conducted searches at 10 different locations related to late Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, in Nagpada.

The agency had also questioned Dawood's nephew and Parkar's son Alishah Parkar and Chota Shakeel's henchman Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruits.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday while urging the people to vote for the fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections said that the betterment of UP is possible only if people cast their votes keeping in mind the issues like employment, livelihood, good education, health and women empowerment. "My dear sisters and brothers of UP. There will be lakhs of efforts to divert you from the issues. But if your vote is cast on the issue of employment, livelihood, good education and health, women empowerment, only then the betterment of Uttar Pradesh is possible," Vadra tweeted. "Vote responsibly to take the state on the path of progress," she added. Polling for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began in 59 constituencies at 7 AM on Wednesday. The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress as principal contenders. The fate of 624 candidates will be sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) today. 59 Assembly seats are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. Besides UP, polling for assembly elections in Goa and Uttarakhand has recently concluded. Manipur will go to the polls in two phases- on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday exuded confidence over Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections stating it is an "undeniable possibility" that the number of seats the party will win will increase this time. Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh cast his vote at a polling booth in Lucknow. "BJP will not only repeat the history but it is also an undeniable possibility that our number of seats will increase," Singh told media persons in Lucknow. Meanwhile, BJP MLA and candidate from Noida, Pankaj Singh also said that the party will get around 350 seats as it has done development works in Uttar Pradesh. "We are going to get around 350 seats. Development work done, work has been done to protect our identity, culture, and traditions. I think people have accepted it. SP-BSP-Congress are going to become history like Article 370 and 35A," Pankaj Singh who is the son of Defence Minister told media persons today. Polling is underway in 59 Assembly seats which are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Poling for the fourth phase is underway today. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra hit out at the BJP led Central government for resorting to the use of the Central agencies, including the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), during the poll season. Senior NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday morning appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Mumbai in connection with a money laundering case. Congress member of Parliament from Assam Pradyut Bordoloi hit out at the Central government, saying, "It is nothing but the most predictable action taken by the vindictive BJP government. The BJP has three partners that are like the three pokes of a Trishul (trident), the CBI, ED and Income tax, which are used to systematically target their political opponents." Bordoloi was speaking to ANI in Imphal where he's campaigning for his party. Another ally of the NCP in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena. also hit out at the BJP for systematically targeting their opponents with the help of the Central agencies. "Ever since the independence of the country, we have not seen this kind of systematic political targeting of opposition leaders and harassment by the ED and CBI. This is not in good taste and the BJP government has been doing this consistently," said a Member of Parliament of Shiv Sena on the condition of anonymity. (ANI)
Digital connectivity of villages is no longer an aspiration but the need of the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday. "Digital connectivity of villages is no longer an aspiration but the need of the day. Broadband connectivity will not only provide facilities in the villages, but it will also help in creating a large pool of skilled youth in the villages," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a programme on the Union Budget 2022. "When the service sector expands with broadband connectivity in the village, the country's potential will increase further. If there are any problems in optical fiber connectivity, then we have to identify them and find solutions," the Prime Minister said. He said that the citizens of the country need to inform the rural population about the proper usage of optical fibre networks. "We need to identify and solve all optical fibre connectivity issues across the nation's rural areas. We also need to inform the rural population about the proper usage of optical fibre networks in villages that are now connected," he said. In this view, the Prime Minister highlighted that over 40 lakh property cards have been provided under the SWAMITVA Yojana. "A unique land identification PIN and land record registration will further make the process seamless," said PM Modi. SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) was launched by Prime Minister on April 24, 2020, as a Central Sector Scheme to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India. "To achieve 100 per cent target in different schemes, we also have to focus on new technology. So that the projects are also completed faster and there is no compromise with the quality," the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a post-budget webinar on the Union Budget 2022 on Wednesday. The theme of the programme 'Leaving No Citizen Behind', as per the Ministry of Rural Development's press release, is aimed at bringing industry leaders, policymakers and government officials together to deliberate upon the positive impact of the budget and identify actionable strategies to collectively work towards furthering the common goal of upliftment of everyone, a saturation of each household and village, leaving no one behind. (ANI)
MOSCOW  The East-West faceoff over Ukraine escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders responding by slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks.

Both leaders signaled that an even bigger confrontation could lie ahead. Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while Biden held back on the toughest sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression.

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The measures, accompanied by the repositioning of additional U.S. troops to the Baltic nations on NATOs eastern flank bordering Russia, came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist region in defiance of U.S. and European demands.

Speaking at the White House, Biden said the Kremlin had flagrantly violated international law in what he called the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. He warned of more sanctions if Putin went further.

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We are united in our support of Ukraine, Biden said. We are united in our opposition to Russian aggression. When it comes to Russian claims of a justification or pretext for an invasion, Biden said, None of us should be fooled. None of us will be fooled. There is no justification.

Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the threat of invasion, which U.S. officials have for weeks portrayed as all but inevitable, appeared to evaporate. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled plans for a Thursday meeting in Geneva with his Russian counterpart, saying it would not be productive and that Russias actions indicated Moscow was not serious about a peaceful path to resolving the crisis.

Western nations sought to present a united front, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials. Germany also said it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia  a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europes reliance on Russian energy.

The U.S., meanwhile, moved to cut off Russias government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets. The administrations actions hit civilian leaders in Russias leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russias military, with more than $80 billion in assets. That includes freezing all of those banks assets under U.S. jurisdictions.

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the U.S., including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia U.S. high-tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russias ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the actions as purely defensive, asserting, We have no intention of fighting Russia. The U.S. is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to the Baltics and NATOs eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Earlier Tuesday, members of Russias upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country  effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

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Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russias sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: I havent said that the troops will go there right now. He added that its impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.

The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscows access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an invasion after initially hesitating to use the term  a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions.

We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russias latest invasion into Ukraine, said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.

The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region noted that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014 and that Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.

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Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade  and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, where government troops have fought Russia-backed rebels. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions independence in the borders that existed when they made their declaration in 2014  broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress backed an independent Ukraine and vowed continued U.S. support, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia. Senators had been considering a sanctions package against Putins regime but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

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If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay, he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring further powerful sanctions.

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Zelenskyy said he was calling up some of the countrys military reservists but added there was no need for a full military mobilization.

In an address to the nation, Zelenskyy said his decree applied only to those assigned to the so-called operational reserve, which is typically activated during ongoing hostilities, and covers a special period of time, without clarifying what that means.

Today there is no need for a full mobilization. We need to quickly add additional staff to the Ukrainian army and other military formations, he said. National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilov said earlier this year that Ukraine can call up to 2.5 million people.

Karmanau reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Madhani and Tucker reported from Washington. Jill Lawless in London; Lorne Cook in Brussels; Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal; Dasha Litvinova in Moscow; Geir Moulson and Frank Jordans in Berlin; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to correct that Mariupol in on the Azov Sea, not Black Sea.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that financial inclusion has ensured greater participation of women in economic decisions. PM Modi also said that women are major pillars of the rural economy. Prime Minister stated that there is a need to increase efforts to ensure more and more Startups in rural parts of India. He also stressed that the participation of women through Self Help Groups (SHGs) needs to be expanded further. "Women's power is a major pillar of the rural economy. Financial inclusion has ensured greater participation of women in economic decisions in households. This participation of women through SHGs needs to be expanded further," said PM Modi while addressing a webinar on the Union Budget 2022 with the theme of "Leaving No Citizen Behind". PM Modi also emphasised for more Startups to come up in rural India. "The target of 'Leaving no citizen behind' can only be achievable with such," he added. "Today, in most of the states of India, there is a need to emphasize the outcome more than the output. Today, a lot of money goes to the villages. If that money is used at the right time, then the situation of the villages can change," he said. Prime Minister said that 'Aspirational District Programme' is producing brilliant results and called for a quarterly competition amongst villages. "Our government started the 'Aspirational District Programme' and it is producing brilliant results. Several districts are competing amongst each other, some even challenging the national averages on several parameters. Can a similar quarterly competition take place at the village level?," Prime Minister said. The Aspirational Districts Programme was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2018 as part of the government's effort to raise the living standards of citizens and inclusive growth for all. Prime Minister recalled that the government has set a target of giving about four crore connections under Jal Jeevan Mission. "We have set a target of providing about four crore connections under Jal Jeevan Mission. To achieve this goal, you will have to increase your hard work. I also urge every state government that we need to pay a lot of attention to the quality of the water along with the pipelines," said PM Modi. The theme of the programme 'Leaving No Citizen Behind' listed its aims to brin industry leaders, policymakers and government officials together to deliberate upon the positive impact of the Budget and identify actionable strategies to collectively work towards furthering the common goal of upliftment of everyone, a saturation of each household and village, leaving no one behind. (ANI)
Speaking to reporters Sharma said, "After the 4th phase, BJP will hit a double century and will march ahead to break its previous records. Development works done by PM Narendra Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath have reached everyone's house."

Polling is underway in 59 Assembly seats which are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur.

Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7.

Poling for the fourth phase is underway today. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Five years after the sensational bobbitisation of Swami Gangeshananda, he has alleged Kerala Fire and Rescue Services DGP B Sandhya's involvement in it. His allegations come in wake of the revelation of the final investigation report which the crime branch concluded that the girl complainant in the case conspired with her male friend and Swami's disciple Ayyappadas to cut off Swami's genitals. The incident took place at the girl's house on the night of May 19, 2017. The girl, who was a law student then, had initially complained that she attacked the Swami when he tried to sexually assault her. "I came to Kannamoola in Thiruvananthapuram district before five years to commemorate the birthplace of Chattampi Swamikal (the social reformer). In the birthplace of Chattampi Swamikal, 9 cents of land were held by DGP B Sandhya and 7 cents of land were held by her husband Madhu Kumar. The problem with this is that it led to cutting off my genitals. Police should also investigate Sandhya's role in the matter. Three people who were with me had something to do with it. One of them was contacted by Sandhya. Swami alleged that he was given something on the day of the incident, which put him to sleep and no charge sheet has been filed for five years. "If I have done wrong, let them file a charge sheet against me. I was the one who was actually tortured," he added. (ANI)
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra wrote a letter to Director General and Inspector General (DG&IG) of police Praveen Sood on Wednesday seeking a detailed report within a week's time in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga. In the letter, the home minister wrote, "The accused involved in Harsha's murder case have been arrested and they have been produced before the court and further inquiry is in progress. This is all acceptable. But there were cases pending against the accused within Kote and Doddapete police station limits in the city. Did cops take any action against these accused who had a criminal background in the last five years within the two police station limits? I need a detailed report within a week." He further said, "There are allegations that police helped anti-social elements operate in the city." Harsha was allegedly murdered on Sunday night in Shivamogga. Security was tightened in the city following the incident. As many as eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga, said Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday. (ANI)
Surrounded by police and paramilitary personnel, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni cast his vote in the Lakhimpur Kheri Assembly seat on Wednesday. Lakhimpur Kheri had hogged the national limelight after eight people, including four farmers, were killed after being mowed down by a vehicle during last year. Teni's son Ashish Mishra is accused in the case. Ashish Mishra was released from jail last week after Allahabad High Court granted him bail. The Lakhimpur seat is witnessing a multi-cornered contest. The BJP's Yogesh Verma is seeking re-election from the Lakhimpur seat. He is up against Utkarsh Verma Madhur of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mohan Bajpai of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Ravi Shankar Trivedi of Congress, Usman Siddiqui of the AIMIM, and Khushi Kinnar from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The prestige of Teni will also be at stake in the Lakhimpur Kheri constituency. He's a local MP, besides having been at the centre of controversy after his son was named in the FIR in the incident leading to the deaths of the farmers. Security has been tightened in the district for the fourth phase of polling. "A total of 104 companies of CAPF, 10,000 Civil Police personnel and Home Guards have been deployed on the Nepal Border. The borders have been sealed," Sanjeev Suman, Superintendent of Police of Kheri informed on Tuesday. The 59 Assembly seats are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Polling is underway today for the fourth phase in the state. Voting for the remaining three phases in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Wednesday that Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teacher (REET) examination will take place in July this year, with a total of 62,000 posts up for grabs currently. Gehlot said this during his state budget speech in the legislative assembly. "REET exam will be conducted in July this year, with a total of 62,000 posts available," said Gehlot. "36 women universities will be opened in 19 districts of the state. 3,820 schools till class 12 will be developed in the state and new medical colleges will be opened. An educational hub will be developed in Jaipur. English schools will also be opened," added Gehlot. He also said that to compensate for the loss in education due to COVID-19, a 3-month bridge course will be conducted next year for school students at a cost of 20 crores. The Chief Minister noted that a lot of improvement had taken place in the government educational institutes and enrollment rates. During the budget, the first-ever agriculture budget was also introduced for the state, and Gehlot assured that steps will be taken to strengthen the farmers of the state. With regards to employment, Gehlot said that a total of 1,00,000 new jobs will be created in the state. Gehlot said that a lot of emphasis has been laid on healthcare services in the budget. "I declare that outdoor, indoor OPD, IPD facilities in all government medical institutes of the state will be free of cost for the people. Also, under the Chiranjeevi Accident Insurance Scheme, free of cost insurance up to Rs 5,00,000 will be available to people," he added. Gehlot proposed free electricity up to 50 units, a grant of Rs 3 per unit from 50-150 units, and a grant of Rs 2 for those using 150-300 units. In view of rising road accidents, It has also been decided to bring a Road Safety act, said the Chief Minister. To improve law and order in the state, the Chief Minister said that 500 police mobile units will be opened in the state. "Abhay Command Centre will be opened. Cyber police stations will also be opened in all districts," added Gehlot. Gehlot announced that 25 bighas of land will be given to Paralympic winners from the state. He announced the facility of a transit hostel in the Udaipur House, Delhi. (ANI)
Communist Party of India (Marxist) senior leader and Politburo Member Brinda Karat slammed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday saying that the leader is speaking the language of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Her comments came after the BSP supremo had said that Muslims are not happy with Samajwadi Party and voting for SP means Gunda raj and Mafia raj. Speaking to ANI Brinda Karat said, "She is speaking the language of BJP by targeting a particular community in this way, it is not appropriate at all. I understand the language of the BJP. The language of BJP has been abusive language in this election." "The four phases of Uttar Pradesh elections have been held so far, the people have come and cast their vote. The positive thing is that there is a wave going on in Uttar Pradesh against the Yogi Adityanath government," added Karat. Karat also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of giving divisive speeches that keep communal issues at the front. "It is not for people of Uttar Pradesh but the people of the country as a whole to decide what should be the role of the Election Commission," she added. Voting is being held in 59 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, including state capital Lucknow and Lakhimpur Kheri, today in the fourth phase of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)
Taking a potshot at previous governments in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the dynasts want poor to be always at their feet and keep revolving around them, adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cares for the poor. He was addressing a public rally at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh. "Dynasts want the poor to be always at their feet and keep revolving around them. We care for the poor and we are working to bring down the problems of their lives," said PM Modi while addressing the audience. Prime Minister said that the poor of UP is standing with the BJP and blessing them in all phases of the polls. PM Modi remarked that previous governments had closed their eyes shut from the needs and problems of the women in the state. "If they had even a little empathy, would they have given the freedom to goons who used to molest our school-going daughters? Today goons know that if they cross boundaries, strict action will be taken," he added. PM Modi also said that the development of the people of Uttar Pradesh gives speed to the development of India. "The ability of the people of UP enhances the ability of the people of India. But for several decades in UP, the dynasty-oriented governments did not do justice to the ability of UP," added Prime Minister. He highlighted that the ongoing elections in the state are not only essential for the development of UP but also the country while pointing out that the state makes up seven per cent of the country in terms of area, but accounts for 16 per cent of the population. Polling for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began in 59 constituencies at 7 AM on Wednesday. The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress as principal contenders. The fate of 624 candidates will be sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) today. The 59 Assembly seats are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Poling for the fourth phase is underway today. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The High Court held that rule of mandatory Marathi signboards does not violate provisions of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.

Bombay HC observed that Marathi is the mother tongue of Maharashtra and a rule for mandatory Marathi signboards outside any shop or other places can't be termed discrimination

Petitioner fined Rs 25,000, to be deposited in Chief Minister's relief fund. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it will examine the report filed by the Supreme Court-appointed Commission inquiring into the alleged encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder on December 6, 2019, in Hyderabad. A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said, that it will read the report and then hear the matter. "Let us first see the report and read it", the Court said. Recently, the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Sirpurkar Commission inquired into the alleged encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder on December 6, 2019. Justice (Retired) V S Sirpurkar committee, constituted to look and enquire into the Hyderabad encounter case, has submitted its final report before the Supreme Court. After completing the inquiry, the Commission of Inquiry submitted its report before the Supreme Court of India on January 28, 2022. The Supreme Court on December 12, 2019, appointed a Commission of Inquiry under the Chairmanship of Justice V.S.Sirpurkar, former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and others to inquire into the circumstances in which the four persons, namely, Mohammed Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jollu Shiva and Jollu Naveen, who were the accused, were killed in Hyderabad on December 6, 2019, while in the custody of the police. The Commission of Inquiry collected various documentary records including investigation records, forensic reports, post mortem reports, photographs and videos concerning the scene of the incident, etc. The Commission of Inquiry held hearings for 47 days between August 21, 2021, and November 15, 2021. The Commission of Inquiry examined 57 witnesses during this period and recorded their evidence. The hearings were held publicly subject to COVID-19 restrictions. The Advocates for the State of Telangana, the police officials involved in the incident, and other interested parties participated in the hearings. The Commission of Inquiry heard oral arguments from all the Advocates from November 16 to 26, 2021. The Commission of Inquiry inspected the various places associated with the incident on December 5, 2021. The Justice (Retired) Sirpur Commission was constituted by the Supreme Court to probe into the alleged extra-judicial killing of four men accused in the 2019 gang rape and murder case of Hyderabad. A veterinarian was gang-raped and killed by four people before they burnt her body in Telangana's Shamshabad on November 27, 2019. Her charred body was recovered a day later.A few days later, the accused -- Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva, and Chennakeshavulu -- were killed in a police encounter. (ANI)
Baltimore states attorney candidate Roya Hanna has introduced a multifaceted plan to reduce crime in the city, looking to distinguish herself from States Attorney Marilyn Mosby and touting tougher prosecution of gun crimes, as well as diversion programs for those accused of minor offenses.

Hanna said she intends to prosecute drug possession and prostitution. Mosby has discontinued such prosecutions, arguing that pursuing low-level offenses disproportionately hurts the citys minority neighborhoods.

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A defense lawyer and former assistant states attorney, Hanna contended those cases didnt send the defendants to jail time to begin with and offer an opportunity to direct the people charged to diversion programs, like drug court.

The release of Hannas crime plan came as Baltimore endured a deadly and violent start to the new year. As of her announcement Tuesday, police had recorded 11 more homicides than the same date last year. There had been 100 nonfatal shootings, compared with 72 at the same point in 2021, according to police.

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Hanna and defense attorney Ivan Bates, whos also challenging Mosby in the June 28 Democratic primary, have consistently described crime as the focal point of their campaigns to be Baltimores top prosecutor. Bates filed to run Tuesday; he also sought the job in 2018. Mosby hasnt officially filed to run for what would be her third, four-year term.

Baltimore states attorney candidate Roya Hanna discusses her plan to reduce crime in the city. (Alex Mann/Baltimore Sun)

If elected, Hanna said, shed seek stiffer punishments for those who wield guns and she would collaborate more closely with federal prosecutors to ensure those accused of carrying guns are prosecuted in whichever court they could face the longer sentence.

The U.S. attorneys office already pursues firearm offenses, but Hanna says promoting tougher gun prosecution and the potential of federal cases will serve as a deterrent to gun possession and yield fewer spontaneous shootings and killings.

Under my administration, gun crime will mean jail time, Hanna said.

Hanna said she would prioritize strengthening violent crime cases by expanding the unit in the states attorneys office tasked with reviewing cases when theyre first charged, so that there are enough prosecutors to review body camera footage and witness statements and identify weaknesses in cases.

Like others around the country, Mosbys office has been battered by attrition that accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Hanna has seized on what she describes as a lack of experienced line attorneys as a campaign issue. She said she plans to provide prosecutors more training on scientific evidence, like DNA, and match to younger prosecutors with more experienced attorneys for mentorship.

You cant throw people into very serious cases and not give them enough feedback and supervision and hand-holding, to a certain extent, Hanna said.

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If elected, Hanna hopes to establish a Womens Empowerment Court to help women charged with crimes.

Baltimore already has drug, veteran and mental health courts. These diversion dockets serve those charged with low-level offenses and refer defendants to resources for drug or mental health treatment.

Hanna points to research that suggests the majority of incarcerated women having a history of physical or sexual abuse.

As I envision it, the womens court will make sure they are getting counseling and also do other things, like provide them with job training, Hanna said.

Hanna also hopes to require some people charged with minor crimes to complete community service by tidying vacant lots, citing a study from Philadelphia backed by the National Institutes of Health that found that gun assaults and other types of crime decreased around vacant lots that were cleaned up.
In his letter, Singh wrote that some objectionable words have been hurled by BJP MLA Raghvendra Singh against the Hindu community in the public sphere.

"This is an insult to the crores of people belonging to the Hindu community. BJP MLA Raghvendra Singh should be banned from contesting the elections. He has insulted the Hindu voter base in the country," he said in the letter.

are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7.

Poling for the fourth phase is underway today. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
The incident took place at booth number 109 of Kadipur Sani.

The police have registered an FIR against the unidentified accused.

Polling was halted for nearly 2 hours after which the EVM was replaced and the voting resumed once again.

The voters expressed their anger over the interruption in the voting process.

According to the voters, they waited for casting their vote for two hours due to the interruption.

Earlier today, surrounded by police and paramilitary personnel, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni cast his vote in the Lakhimpur Kheri Assembly seat.

Lakhimpur Kheri had hogged the national limelight after eight people, including four farmers, were killed after being mowed down by a vehicle last year. Teni's son Ashish Mishra is accused in the case.

The 59 Assembly seats are spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur.

Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7.

Polling is underway today for the fourth phase in the state. Voting for the remaining three phases in Uttar Pradesh will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh will take place on March 10. (ANI)
In a veiled attack at the previous Uttar Pradesh governments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that history has shown that State is not secure in the hands of family-oriented political parties. "History shows that the state is not secure in the hands of family-oriented political parties. There were back-to-back terrorist attacks in Uttar Pradesh during their rules. Unfortunately, instead of punishing the terrorists of these blasts, the Samajwadi government worked to get them released," said while addressing an election rally in Kaushambi. He further said that dynastic politics deprived Kaushambi of development. "During the reign of the past governments, criminals roamed freely and forcefully took possession of other people's land and properties. Our mothers and daughters felt unsafe while coming out of their homes. Instead of providing good governance, the previous governments exploited the people and their leaders built lavish palaces. We on the other hand have made homes for the poor." Taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav, he said several scams came to light including mining, ambulance, food grain and riverfront during the Samajwadi party's rule. "Scams were the secret of their rule. Mining Scam, Food Scam, Ambulance Scam, River Front Scam. Today every penny of the State is being spent on the welfare of the people. This government has done the work of saving terrorists. Today, talent is being respected and industries are being set up in every district of the state." Taking a dig at Opposition leaders, the Prime Minister said that the 'mausami' (seasonal) leaders disappeared during the COVID-19 peak, reappeared at the time of the election and will again disappear after election results will be announced. "You got to see 'mausami' leaders in COVID who disappeared during peak and reappeared when it was controlled. When elections came, they have come, when elections will be over after March 10, they will go abroad. They instigated people against vaccines but got themselves vaccinated. People of Uttar Pradesh are well aware of 'seasonal' leaders," said PM Modi. The Prime Minister further said that the 'Parivarwadi' groups looted the poor's ration but BJP ended their game. "We brought in 'One Nation, One Ration Card'. Now people of Kaushambi can use their ration cards anywhere in the country," added PM Modi. PM Modi said that the people of UP are moving ahead for the victory of BJP and NDA. "Those who think that the people of UP will be divided. To answer them, the people of Uttar Pradesh are again standing in long queues at the polling booth today," he said. He further said it is very important for all of us to remain united for the fast development of India and Uttar Pradesh, for the bright future of all of us. The Prime Minister further said that the linking of Kaushambi with the Bodh circuit has also been done by the BJP government. "The future of daughters have been improved by the various schemes of the BJP government. The previous government used to exploit not rule, we have served. They used to build their palaces, we built houses for the poor. They used to celebrate their family festivals, we celebrated Deepotsav, Rangotsav," he said. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Poling for the fourth phase is underway today. Voting for the remaining three phases will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)
Speaking to media persons, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said, "Nawab Malik has been arrested, he should resign now. We demand his resignation. If he doesn't, we will protest. How are they running the government? There's a long list of allegations against Maharashtra Ministers, will get tired reading it."

Soon after his arrest, the leader said that he is not scared and will fight and win.

Earlier in the day, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Nationalist Congress Party leader in connection with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's money laundering case.

According to the sources Malik was not cooperating during the questioning.

Earlier in the day, ED summoned Malik in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Last week, the ED on Tuesday conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case.

Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources said on Tuesday.

The ED had also conducted searches at 10 different locations related to late Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, in Nagpada.

The agency had also questioned Dawood's nephew and Parkar's son Alishah Parkar and Chota Shakeel's henchman Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruits. (ANI)
West Bengal Police had constituted a three-member SIT on Tuesday to probe the death of a student in Aliah University. The team is led by the Additional Director General of Police of CID Gyanwant Singh. According to the state government order, the SIT will submit its report within 15 days.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the direction for the constitution of an SIT on Monday after protests had erupted over the death of Aliah University student Anis Khan.

Anis Khan was found dead outside his home in Howrah's Amta area on Friday night. His parents have alleged that he was thrown off the roof of the building by four police officers, who had come to search for their son. The police, however, have denied the allegations.

Addressing a public gathering in Howrah, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "I have asked for an SIT headed by DG, with the report within 15 days. A thorough inquiry will be done and culprits will be punished."

The Chief Minister requested people to not fall prey to misinformation on the matter. (ANI)
Three more Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India on Tuesday evening after taking off from France. The Rs 60,000 crore contract between India and France for 36 Rafale fighter jets is now nearing completion as only one aircraft is left to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF). "Three Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India yesterday evening from France. The aircraft were provided aerial refuelling support by the UAE Air Force. With the arrival of these three planes, India has now received 35 of the 36 Rafales for which it had signed a contract with France in September 2016. The 36th aircraft will arrive in India from France by March-end or April first week," said government officials. India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France in September 2016. The addition of Rafale is seen as a major capability booster for the IAF. The twin-engine Rafale jets are capable of carrying out a variety of missions: ground and sea attack, air defence and air superiority, reconnaissance, and nuclear strike deterrence. The Rafales carrying the long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles are considered to have an edge over fighter planes with Pakistan and China. The planes equipped with the Hammer missiles have enhanced India's capability to carry out air-to-ground strikes like the one in Balakot. (ANI)
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla through an open letter to Director General of Punjab Police Viresh Kumar Bhawra, announced that he along with residents of his constituency will launch an indefinite protest against the inaction of state police if no action is taken against the drug menace in the state. "I again reiterate that it is high time for the police administration of Punjab to devise and implement an effective anti-drug operation or I and the residents of the holy city shall be forced to begin an indefinite protest against the inaction of the police," reads the letter. "I hope that by 26 Jun 2022 ie "International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking" the police department of Punjab state shall be sharing its report of authentic and effective achievements and not just a press release of hollow words," it added. The MP in his letter claimed that on various occasions "small recoveries of contraband" are made at "thana level" and "never traced back to its origin and roots leading to the acquittal of the arrested creating space for the big fish to stay out of the net." The Congressman also alleged that the investigation in drug mafias/peddlers are being conducted in an inefficient manner for which "some black sheep in the police department and state government are responsible." "The names of several senior officers and politicians have cropped up in drug trafficking investigation on multiple occasions but they are lying in the sealed cover instead of being acted upon," it adds. 'Drugs' was a major issue in recently conducted assembly elections in the state. The result of the polls will be announced on March 10. (ANI)
The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted an inter-continental syndicate of cocaine traffickers operating in a highly organized manner and arrested two accused along with 1,850 grams of contraband valued at approximately Rs 10 crore in the international market, said Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Manishi Chandra on Wednesday. The arrested accused have been identified as Maurey E Gangadien (45) a resident of Suriname, South America, and Namubiru Janat (35), a resident of Navi Mumbai, and a native of Uganda were arrested in this connection. Chandra further said that the syndicate was being operated by its key players based in South America with nodes in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Delhi. "The contraband was being clandestinely smuggled into India by smartly packing in ladies' purses and cosmetic articles for the last several months," said Delhi DCP. It said that the Counter Intelligence Unit of Special Cell has been developing intelligence on various cocaine-specific cartels operating in India. Amidst continuous intel-operation, a specific input was received on February 14 regarding the movements of a foreign national lady into Delhi who was informed to have brought in significant quantities of cocaine from abroad. "Acting on the input, the team conducted a raid at a hotel in Karol Bagh area in Delhi, where a Surinamese lady namely Maurey Erna Gangadien was found staying since February 11. After complying with the stipulations under the NDPS Act, a search operation was carried out at her hotel room and over 1 kg of fine quality cocaine, neatly and professionally packed into the ladies purses', deodorant containers etc., was recovered," the DCP said. The accused was accordingly arrested and a police custody remand was obtained from the concerned Court. "During her interrogation, the accused disclosed that she had transported the contraband on directions of her Paramaribo, Suriname based handlers who are connected with other cartels operating out of South American producer countries like Mexico etc. and have major transshipment partners in several African nations," the police said. It was also revealed that on February 14, prior to her arrest, the accused had delivered a part of the consignment brought in by her to another foreign national lady namely Lissa, a resident of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. Accordingly, efforts were made to identify and track the movements of suspect Lissa and to recover the contraband that she had reportedly received. On February 21, the suspect Lisa whose real name was Namubiru Janat was apprehended from south Delhi while she was carrying a portion of the cocaine received from the first accused. She was also arrested and taken into police remand after which she led to further recoveries of cocaine. "Accused Namubiru Janat holds a Ugandan passport and has been living in India at various places. Her movement records show that almost on a daily basis, she has been taking flights to various metropolitan cities like Bengaluru, Ahmedabad etc," it said. The police have informed the respective embassies about their arrests and further investigation is under progress. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday emphasized on transforming Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital into a premier healthcare institution and telemedicine hub besides being a hospital for the poor and the underprivileged. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya visited Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday and had an informal interactive session with Heads of departments and staff of Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. He took the feedback and suggestions on quality hospital management, clinical practices, infection control measures and sanitation processes from the staff members. The Union Minister stressed on the best output and performance-oriented work culture through efficient coordination, with the goal of providing the highest quality healthcare to the patients. Mandaviya said, "Our goal should be on how to provide the best healthcare to every patient who walks in. When we have clarity on this goal and our resultant role, all our actions will also become clear and action-oriented." "Let us make Safdarjung a hub for telemedicine for northern India. Let us make Safdarjung Hospital a premier healthcare institution providing the highest quality healthcare to all, and not just a hospital for the Poor. The Ministry is committed to supporting the hospital in all its endeavour," he stated. The Union Minister gave a very strong message that there will be zero tolerance to the poor standard of work at all levels. "No one should feel that absenteeism and poor performance shall go unnoticed," he said. Considering the advantage huge number of patients footfall, the Minister exhorted the hospital administration to make analytical studies and publish them in reputed and popular journals. "It is now time to develop our healthcare model and show to the world our strengths in various aspects of healthcare, pharma and research and development," added Mandaviya (ANI)
A plea has been filed in Delhi High Court challenging the legality and Constitutional validity of a Delhi government's decision to exclude private doctors from its compensation policy related to the kin of doctors who died due to COVID-19 while performing their duty during the outbreak of the pandemic. Delhi government had excluded private doctors and paramedical staff from its policy of ex-gratia grant worth Rs 1 crore to the kin of 'Corona Warriors' who died due to coronavirus amid performing their Covid-19 duties. The petitioner Saroj Gupta, wife of Dr Shyam Gupta who died due to Covid-19 in April last year states in her petition that the decision of the respondent (Delhi Government) is in violation of the fundamental right of the petitioner's husband as guaranteed to him under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The plea further submits that, since the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic in February/ March 2020, all government health authorities of as well as private hospitals have been urging all the doctors to their services and attend patients due to inadequate public health infrastructure to deal with the outbreak. "All clinics, nursing homes, hospitals were asked to pitch in to manage the sheer numbers. It is also submitted that doctors and facilities were even asked to even attend patients who can be managed without hospitalization. It is a fact that private practitioners were the first point of contact for a sick patient. A patient with fever always first approaches his/ her family physician who treats him even as he prescribes the patient a test of COVID 19," reads the plea. Advocate Ashok Aggarwal and Kumar Utkarsh, counsel for petitioner further states in the plea that "COVID 19 Pandemic was fought by both private and government doctors, jointly as a challenge, they rose to the unseen enemy despite huge personal risk. Healthcare workers both from the private and public sectors lost their lives worldwide. The disease did not discriminate based on the status of employment, gender, age even pregnant healthcare workers died. It is also submitted that COVID-19 martyrs according to media reports or IMA sources is about 1700 doctors across the country. In fact, private practitioners of general physician had significant limitations in terms of protective equipment and still continued their duty, more out of commitment, rather than for financial gains." "Cabinet decision to discriminate between doctors deployed by Government and Private Doctors, who were also giving their selfless service during the Covid-19 outbreak, is totally arbitrary, discriminatory, contrary, unjust, unreasonable, illegal and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India," it added. It is submitted "that respondent Delhi government has arbitrarily, without proper application of mind has determined that sacrifice of Private Doctors is less than doctors deployed by respondent Government." "It is also submitted that both Government and Private Doctors were doing their duty, serving the mankind in face of an unforeseen pandemic of unimaginable magnitude," reads the petition. Petitioner in its plea submitted that it is "sickening' that the discrimination is being made after the demise of doctors. (ANI)
Baltimore County officials are reviewing their options after a federal judge blocked the county from using its newly drawn map of County Council districts, saying the boundaries would diminish Black voters opportunity to elect their chosen candidates.

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U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby ordered the county Tuesday to adopt a new redistricting map that either includes two reasonably compact majority-Black districts or an additional district that meets the requirement of the federal Voting Rights Act and in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.

She said the new boundaries must be adopted by the county in two weeks  on or before March 8.

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The County Council had voted unanimously to approve the new map late last year.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. on Thursday expressed renewed concern about a map. In December hed urged council to incorporate community concerns, saying he hoped to see a map that reflects the changes in the countys demographics over the past 10 years.

Ive consistently shared my concerns regarding the councils proposed map  a concern now affirmed by the court, Olszewski said Thursday in a written statement. I urge the County Council to take every opportunity to support greater minority representation.

Democratic Council Chair Julian Jones said via a text message Wednesday that officials were reviewing the decision and their options.

Although the judges decision is not what I expected, our legal team will review the judges decision and explore our options, wrote Jones, who became the first African American person to chair the council when he was elevated to the role in 2019. Once we fully understand our options, we will then decide on a course of action.

Jones also said he believed the county could ask the judge to reconsider her order or appeal it to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, but no such decision has been made. He has represented the 4th District, which includes Woodlawn, Randallstown and parts of Owings Mills and Reisterstown, for the past seven years.

The case was filed by attorneys representing the Baltimore County NAACP and other civil rights groups, who sued the county with the backing of the ACLU of Maryland in Maryland, arguing the new map would violate the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race.

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That map maintained one majority-Black district out of seven in a county where Black residents make up almost a third of the population.

The county is divided into seven single-member districts, which elect one council member each.

The plaintiffs support the creation of at least one more majority-Black district among the countys six other districts, which are represented currently by white council members.

The county argued it could not create a second majority-Black district without splitting communities and undoing the districts compact boundaries.

It also said the injunction request came too close to the start of election season, even with a Maryland Court of Appeals decision to push back the candidate filing deadline statewide from Feb. 22 to March 22 because of a legal challenge to the states new map for congressional districts.

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But Griggsby suggested it would not be a hardship to redo the county map, which will first be used for the June 28 primary.

The county has ample time to revise its redistricting plan to comply with the Voting Rights Act, the judge wrote. This task will be made easier and less time-consuming, because plaintiffs have already provided two viable options for creating two majority-Black districts in the county.

She wrote that while the county has made important strides to remedy discrimination in housing, education and employment, there can be no genuine dispute that past discrimination in these areas continues to hinder the ability of Black county voters to participate effectively in the political processes.

Griggsby was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in June, making her the first woman of color to serve as a federal judge in the state.

The council unanimously approved the map in December. The one majority-Black district had 73% Black residents in a county that is 30% Black.

Well see you in court, the ACLU of Maryland tweeted shortly after the vote. The Voting Rights Act isnt optional.

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Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. >

The suit was filed by the county NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Baltimore County, Common Cause-Maryland and seven voters.

This is a huge win for the many Black voters, community leaders, and civil rights organizations that challenged Baltimore Countys illegal redistricting plan, according to a statement released by Common Cause-Maryland that it said was on behalf of the plaintiffs and their lawyers.

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We are determined to ensure that a fair map is created with at least two majority-Black districts that afford Black voters a fair and effective opportunity to elect representatives of their choice, the statement said.
Amid Ukraine-Russia tensions and Moscow recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi on Wednesday said that all stakeholders should resort to talks to resolve differences. "India is in favour of rules-based order. Peace should be maintained. All stakeholders should resort to talks to resolve differences. We are trying to reach out to our students and other people abroad, especially in Ukraine. They should stay in touch with our embassy. The embassy will help them out," the Union Minister told ANI. More than 20,000 students from India are currently studying in different parts of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Air India special flight landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport from Ukraine's Boryspil airport with over 240 Indian citizens on Tuesday night amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis. "Air India special flight AI-1946 landed at Delhi airport with around 242 passengers at 2330 Hrs," an Air India official told ANI. Air India will operate a total of three flights from Ukraine to India. Air India is the only airline in India to operate flights from Ukraine during the impending tense situation in the country. The Indian Embassy in Kiev on Tuesday organized additional flights out of Ukraine in view of the continued tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The embassy issued an advisory amid escalating situation at the Russia-Ukraine border. The advisory further listed the available flights from Kyiv to New Delhi with the booking procedure. A total of four flights are scheduled to depart between February 25 and March 6. Scheduled flights of Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Qatar Airways, etc are continuing to operate their routine flights from Ukraine to India. Tensions escalated to unprecedented levels when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine on Monday. Later in the day, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met following requests for an urgent meeting by the United States and allies. Condemning Russia's move to recognize regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations demanded Moscow to return to the table for negotiations as well as immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops. India strongly emphasized the need for all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure a mutually amicable solution. Speaking on the UNSC briefing on developments in Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said that the escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation has the potential to undermine peace and security of the region. Tirumurti called for restraint on all sides. "The immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries for securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," he said. (ANI)
"On the intervening night of 22-23 February 2022, based on specific intelligence of the presence of war like stores in Villages Awaneera and Shed Chak of Shopian district, Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police apprehended two hardcore terrorist associates or Over Ground Workers (OGW) affiliated with LeT in a deliberately planned and swiftly executed joint operation," said Defence PRO, Srinagar.

The arrested OGWs have been identified as Amir Amin alias Umar and Aqib Mustaq Lone, both residents of Awaneera, Shed Chak area.

The Army said that based on detailed investigation and questioning by the police, one AK rifle and one magazine with 24 rounds of AK ammunition were recovered from a nearby orchard

"The recovery of the weapon and other war like stores came as a follow up of a joint operation in Village Cherymarg on 19 February, in which a hardcore LeT terrorist Md Qayoom Dar of Pulwama was eliminated," it added. (ANI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said it has arrested an explosives supplier in the case of the killing of five police personnel by CPI (Maoist) in Saraikela District of Jharkhand in 2019. The accused identified as Abraham Tuti was arrested on Tuesday. The NIA had earlier arrested 11 persons in this case. The agency had also filed a charge sheet against them. This case pertains to an attack on the Police party by the cadres of CPI (Maoist) on June 14, 2019, at Kukru Haat in District Saraikela-Kherswan, in which five police personnel were killed and their arms and ammunitions were looted. Initially, a case was lodged on June 15, 2019, at the Tiruldih Police Station of Saraikela Kharsawan District. Later the NIA took over the probe. "During the investigation, it was found that Abraham Tuti used to supply explosive materials and provide other logistics support to the members of CPI(Maoist) as an Over Ground Worker," said NIA. Further investigation is the matter is underway. (ANI)
The case has been registered under IPC Section 292, 34, POCSO Section 14 and IT Section 67, 67B.

Earlier, the sessions court in Mumbai had directed the registration of FIR and initiation of a probe into the matter after a plea filed by Social activist Seema Deshpande that said about alleged obscene scenes in a Marathi film involving children which is a violation of the POCSO Act.

Seema's lawyer Prakash Salsingikar told that the court had ordered CrPC to investigate under section 153 (3).

No arrest has been made so far in the case.

Further probe into the matter is underway. (ANI)
After fresh snow in the valley including Srinagar city, the administration has launched a snow clearance drive for the benefit of people. This year the climatic conditions in Srinagar were not so harsh, so the city did not get a large amount of snowfall in December and January. All the roads of the city changed into white carpets and also people have to face traffic problems. People preferred to stay indoors. But the mechanical engineering department, for the benefit of people, started a fast track drive to clear the roads at 6 am. Rafiq Ahmad, a local resident of Srinagar said that he was thankful to the administration for clearing the roads and national highways as he could travel within the city without any trouble. He said, "I think the government was well prepared as when I left my house at 6:30 AM, I witnessed the snow clearance machines were already there. I appreciate the authority's efforts. And I am also thankful that they had cleaned the major roads and highways." Abid Khan, the snow clearance machine operator, said that he was ready to clear the snow from the road as his seniors already informed him about today's weather forecast. He further added that the wrong parking of vehicles creates problems for him. Presently all men and machinery including 28 high-tech machines are deployed at different places in Srinagar. Rajesh Sharma, Executive Engineer of Mechanical Engineering Department stated, "We were well prepared but the continuous snowfall disrupted our efforts. Whenever we clean the area, snowfall comes and the problem arises. Traffic also plays an important role in slowing done the process. We deployed about 28 machines around the city of Srinagar." The snowfall also led to power disruption in scores of areas while traffic jams caused mainly by non-clearance of snow from roads gave a tough time to commuters. Manual snow clearance drive is also going on footpaths of Srinagar so that pedestrians can walk easily and administration is fully prepared to face any kind of challenge related to snowfall. (ANI)
Union Law Secretary Anoop Kumar Mendiratta on Wednesday highlighted that Cyber Crime has opened a new way of sexual harassment and has posed a huge challenge, adding that it is also a violation of the Fundamental Rights under Article 14, 21 of the Constitution. Addressing the women officers/officials of the Department of Legal Affairs, Mendiratta said, "There are various challenges attached to it and the first step entails talking and writing the incident/ complaint to the Complaints Committee." Law Secretary further pointed out the provisions under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that cover crimes relating to women. During the first workshop held on Wednesday on Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace, Aishwarya Bhati, the Additional Solicitor General of India also discussed the Bhawari Devi case and the way the Vishaka PIL was filed in the Supreme Court. She articulated that patriarchy has no gender. Further, the issue of sexual harassment at the workplace gained visibility and a definite momentum, especially in the light of the guidelines passed by the Supreme Court in the matter of Vishaka and Others vs State of Rajasthan in August 1997. These guidelines gave sexual harassment a legal definition describing what forms of conduct actually constitute sexual harassment, she added. Dr Reeta Vasishta, Secretary, Legislative Department also highlighted that the law is implemented in Letter and Spirit. The Complaints Committee should play an active and positive role in its implementation for a safer workplace for women. The workshop was followed by an interactive session moderated by Dr Anju Rathi Rana, Additional Secretary on the Law with various activities like 'Chuppi Tod' and asked the participants to share one good point in their workplace and one area in their workplace which they wish to change so as to make it safe and secure. (ANI)
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Minister Bommai said that the management of temples is very important. He said initiatives should be taken to record the number of pilgrims visiting the temples and the system to manage the temple assets needs to be streamlined. Bommai advocated the need for a Master Plan to provide amenities at the temples.

Emphasizing on building a Tourism Circuit, the chief minister said, "There is immense potential for Temple Tourism in northern, southern and coastal parts of Karnataka. There is huge scope for Monument Tourism too and this two can be integrated."

The chief minister emphasized reforms in temple administration.

Along with management, proper control is also necessary as it involves the contribution of the pilgrims and assets of the temples. Action would be taken to redress the problems being faced by Archaks and Priests, Bommai said.

The Chief Minister stressed the need for maintaining cleanliness and pollution-free ambience at temple premises. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Centre to declare Ram Setu as a national heritage monument. Mentioning the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, Swamy sought listing of his petition as it has been pending for long. The bridge has religious significance, as it is believed to be built by Lord Ram, mentioned in the 'Ramayana', he said. The plea sought a direction to the Central government and the National Monument Authority to declare 'Ram Setu' as a monument of national importance. Ram Setu, which is also known as Adam's Bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island or Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. After hearing Swamy's brief submissions, the bench listed his plea for hearing on March 9, and also sought the response from the Central government in the matter. Swamy contended that the Central government had already filed affidavits in the matter earlier. He contended that the government has already accepted the existence of 'Ram Setu' and in 2017, a meeting was also convened to examine his demand, but things have not moved after that. In April last year, a bench headed by the then Chief Justice S.A. Bobde had directed that the plea seeking National Heritage Status for Ram Setu be listed before the next Chief Justice Ramana. The UPA government, in 2007, had proposed a Sethusamudram project. Under this project an 83-km-long deep-water channel was to be made by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals, to link Mannar with Palk Strait. Swamy moved against this decision in the court and the government resorted to another plan to link Mannar with Palk Strait. --IANS ss/vd ( 327 Words) 2022-02-23-19:12:03 (IANS)
As per the Karnataka High Court's interim order, students are not allowed to wear hijab inside the classrooms. The annual examinations for SSLC (Class 10) and second PUC (Class 12) are scheduled to be held in April.

The authorities have started issuing hall tickets to the students. However, some protesting students are refusing to collect their hall tickets.

The education department, according to high level sources, has decided not to allow the students to appear in supplementary exams, which will be held for those who fail in the exams and opt for re-examination.

The authorities in Vijayanagara district have continued the prohibitory orders for around 250 pre-university (PU) and 80 graduation colleges.

Many students have boycotted the exams insisting to appear in the exams wearing hijab.

As many as 1.25 lakh students, belonging to minority communities, study in PU colleges across the state. Among them, about 84,000 are girl students.

The number of girls insisting on hijab is close to 1,000 and as the examinations are approaching, their numbers are also decreasing, sources said.

Education Minister B.C. Nagesh stated that those who come in uniform will not face any problem, but the administration cannot be "lenient" towards students sporting hijab.

--IANS mka/shs/arm

( 242 Words)

2022-02-23-19:24:05 (IANS)
Three months after its Guwahati office demanded a car in lieu of giving clearance of projects, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has revoked the demand. As reported by IANS in November 2021, the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) at Guwahati that gave a conditional recommendation to a user agency for a transmission line from a hydropower project on Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border had demanded a vehicle for recommending forest clearance or granting forest clearance. The REC Guwahati, an agency under MoEF&CC, had even specified that it should be a Toyota Innova in lieu of recommending forest clearance for a transmission line through a reserved forest for evacuating power from a hydropower project on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. When IANS had reported two separate cases, one from Assam/Arunachal Pradesh and another from Odisha in November 2021, sources from the MoEF&CC at Delhi had said, "The Ministry has not yet cleared the proposal. It is the REC that has given a recommendation. The forest clearance is not yet granted. We will not allow such illegal trade-offs." Both proposals pertained to Power Grid Corporation of India, which had sought diversion of 34.32 Ha of forest land for construction of 400 KV transmission line from NHPC Ltd's 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project at Gerukhamukh to Biswanath Chariali in Subansiri Reserve Forest under the Dhemaji Division in Assam and another for diverting 32.78 ha of forest land for transmission lines of the same project by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. The REC meeting on November 2 discussed the proposal wherein it recommended the proposal for diversion of 34.32 Ha of forest land with two special conditions apart from the other usual ones. One of them was: "The user agency Power Grid Corporation of India Limited will provide one vehicle (preferably Toyota Innova) to the Integrated Regional Office, Guwahati, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, for monitoring of projects in Assam and other official purposes." Based on the REC recommendations to the MoEF&CC from November 2021 and additional letters from Assam government (one each for both projects) regarding the projects dated February 18 this year, the 'In Principle Approval' for stage I clearance of Central government was granted by the IG Forests in the Ministry with stipulated conditions on February 22. On fulfilment of the conditions, final (stage II) forest clearance would be approved, the letter to Assam said. There was no mention of the Toyota car in any of the letters. The minutes of the meeting from last year after this issue came to the fore, said: "After detail deliberations and discussion with Deputy Conservator of Forest, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and considering the reply of the State Government and importance of the proposal, the REC revoked the additional condition." Similar lines were mentioned in the REC letters for both the projects with the mention of relevant clauses and numbers as mentioned in the earlier minutes of the meeting. Sources said, the Ministry had sent out a stern message prompting the REC to take corrective steps. The REC's minutes of the meeting therefore now clearly mention that the condition wherein it was mentioned that Toyota car be provided for Guwahati office "stands revoked." --IANS niv/skp/ ( 552 Words) 2022-02-23-21:00:02 (IANS)
A Mumbai court has awarded different jail terms to four persons, including an ex-manager of Bank of India (BoI), for cheating the bank to the tune of Rs 98 lakh. The Special Judge sentenced Abid Ali Gulam Vohra, the ex-manager of Bank of India's Jacob Circle branch, to four years' rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 3.5 lakh. Apart from Vohra, three private persons -- Ashok Leharchand Bhansali, Sadiq Sayyad Mir Patel and Rizwan Sayyad Mir Patel -- were also awarded jail term. While Bhansali has been awarded five years' jail term along with a fine of Rs 3.35 crore, Sadiq and Rizwan have been sent to jail for three years each, besides being slapped a fine of Rs 32.5 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh, respectively. The CBI had registered a case in 1998 against the four accused based on a complaint lodged by the bank. It was alleged that the accused cheated the bank to the tune of Rs 98.28 lakh. The accused had opened several accounts in the bank, where cheques were deposited and the same were sent to clearing. In the normal course, a customer was permitted to draw the amount only after a cheque so presented was cleared. "But the branch was permitted drawing the amount against uncleared effects immediately and thereafter the instruments were sent for clearing. Cheques so deposited in these accounts were purely of accommodative nature as invariably all these cheques were returned unpaid by the drawee bank. "The branch was expected to debit the account when the cheques were so returned. To make provisions for posting of returned cheques, the said customers deposited further cheques which again were sent to clearing," said a CBI official. Every day, the customers were depositing cheques in the various accounts to protect the returned cheques. As such, the accounts did not show TOD position and hence it did not get reflected in the TOD statements submitted by the branch to the controlling office. These fraudulent transactions resulted in the loss of Rs. 98.28 lakh. --IANS atk/arm ( 353 Words) 2022-02-23-21:24:02 (IANS)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene a special meeting with the Council of Ministers at the Secretariat on Thursday to discuss the Budget for the upcoming financial year, Chief Minister's Office informed. Taking to Twitter, the CMO said, "Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will convene a special meeting with the Council of Ministers at Delhi Secretariat on Thursday, February 24, to discuss Delhi's Budget for the upcoming financial year 2022-23." The Delhi government began working on the Delhi Budget 2022-23 by the end of January and as per Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia, this terms' Budget will be special and will foster the economic growth of the national capital. (ANI)
Malik has been remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till March 3 in a money laundering case.

Commenting on it, Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis alleged that Nawab Malik purchased land worth crores with the help of the underworld.

"After a detailed investigation in this matter, the ED court has sentenced him (Nawab Malik) to ED custody until March 3. If politicians will be in direct contact with the underworld, then ED will have to do such investigations. All political parties should support this," he said.

Further, he claimed that terror funding of Dawood Ibrahim was done inside India through such deals.

Taking a jibe at Malik, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said, "Nawab benaqaab ho gaya (Nawab Malik is exposed)" and questioned the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

"When the central investigating agencies are investigating the matter in the interest of the nation, why are the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, instead of taking the legal route, indulging in pressurising these agencies? Why are they defaming them?" he asked.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya took a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and in a tweet said, "It seems Thackeray Sarkar decided to allow #NawabMalik to attend Cabinet Meetings from Jail may be 'Virtually'."

The Special PMLA court in Mumbai on Wednesday sent Nawab Malik to Enforcement Directorate custody till March 3 in connection with Dawood Ibrahim's money laundering case.

Last week, the ED on Tuesday conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case.

Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources said on Tuesday.

The ED had also conducted searches at 10 different locations related to late Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, in Nagpada.

The agency had also questioned Dawood's nephew and Parkar's son Alishah Parkar and Chota Shakeel's henchman Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruits. (ANI)
"I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV," Imran Khan said in an interview to Russia Today.

The Pakistan Prime Minister has asserted that it would be "beneficial" for the 1.7 billion people in the subcontinent if differences (between Pakistan and India) are resolved through debate.

Claiming that his government's policy is to have trade relations will all countries, Khan said, "India became a hostile country, so trade with them became minimal," according to Russia Today.

The interview came on the eve of Khan's visit to Moscow.

The Pakistan Prime Minister will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during his two-day visit to the country, which is considered crucial as it will be the first visit by a top Pakistan leader to Russia in more than 20 years.

Talks on economic cooperation is reported as the agenda of the meeting.

--IANS shs/arm

( 193 Words)

2022-02-22-23:16:03 (IANS)
Jaishankar discussed the current global situation with the Foreign Minister of Greece. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Great to catch up with my friend FM @NikosDendias of Greece. An insightful conversation on the current global situation."

With the Singapore FM, Jaishankar deliberated on economic cooperation. "Met Singapore FM @VivianBala on the sidelines of the EU Ministerial Forum on Indo-Pacific. Exchanged views on the forum deliberations. Our talks also covered travel arrangements, economic cooperation and regional developments," he tweeted.

Earlier, speaking at the opening session of the EU Ministerial Forum on Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said, "Indo-Pacific is at the heart of the multipolarity and rebalancing that characterizes contemporary changes. But it is essential greater power and stronger capabilities led to responsibility...This means respect for international laws and territorial integrity and sovereignty."

"It means economics, free of coercion and politics, free from the threat of the use of force. It means observing global norms and practices and refraining from making claims on the global commons," he added.

Noting that France was among the first country to recognize the strategic geography of the region, the minister said that France is resident power in the Indo Pacific.

Jaishankar further noted that this remains a maritime century and tides of the Indo-Pacific region will help shape the future. (ANI)
China has removed one of the most popular gay dating apps, Grindr from several of its app stores further encroaching upon the basic rights of the LGBT community, reported a Canada-based thinktank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS). Grindr is a location-based social networking and online dating app for gay, bi and other queer sections. One of the first geosocial apps for gay persons, the app was launched in 2009 and has become one of the most popular gay dating apps globally. Although China decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, same-sex marriage is illegal and LGBT issues remain taboo. China has also expressed support for gay rights at the United Nations however it does not recognise same-sex marriages and regularly censors media featuring such people. In a similar episode in 2017, the Chinese government had shut down another gay dating app, Zank, after accusing it of hosting pornographic content. Xi Jinping-led government is carrying out all these activities in the veil of controlling online rumours, pornography, superstitions, reported the think tank. Furthermore, citing an increasingly challenging business and legal environment, many top multinational firms have closed their business in China. The names include Yahoo, Microsoft Corp.'s LinkedIn and Epic Games Inc.'s Fortnite. Banning apps is not the only way that China is trying to retrain LGBT rights, the country has also banned depictions of gay romance in films. Last year, social media accounts belonging to major LGBT rights groups were blocked from the popular WeChat app. The Chinese government does these activities under the garb of "endangering national security, disrupting social order, or infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of others". (ANI)
Canada has announced a series of new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine. The sanctions include banning Canadians from all financial dealings with the breakaway states known as Luhansk and Donetsk. Canadians also will be barred from purchasing Russian sovereign debt and dealing with two state-backed Russian banks. Moreover, Ottawa will also sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognize the separatist regions. Speaking on Canada's response to Russia's decision, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "Make no mistake, this is a further invasion of a sovereign state and it is absolutely unacceptable." "Russia's brazen provocations are a threat to security and peace in the world." At the news conference to discuss the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Trudeau said the sanctions "will remain in place until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored". Earlier on Tuesday, the United States, United Kingdom and Germany announced sanctions targeting Russian banks and called off the planned opening of a natural gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany. Notably, in March 2014, Russia invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict. In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraine's borders in what it said were training exercises. Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATO's steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he does not see any sense in proceeding with the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week amid escalation in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Blinken during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday said, "Last week, I agreed to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week on February 24 to discuss our countries' respective concerns about European security but only if Russia did not invade Ukraine. Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time." US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local) authorized additional movements of US forces and military equipment in Europe to "strengthen" Baltic allies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, following Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into two separatist regions of Ukraine. Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also announced new sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk. (ANI)
Pakistan's Aurat March demonstrates that many in Pakistan who are criticizing India over the Hijab row are themselves desperate about what women should wear in public. The same Pakistani men who are calling for Muskan's rights to be upheld should also try to raise their voices when women's rights are squashed in Pakistan, reported The Express Tribune. These Pakistani men openly argue whether or not what women wear conforms to their pre-established notions of 'decency'. Women in Pakistan are marching asking for their fundamental rights however it is only leading to vitriol, anger and backlash in Pakistan. Before calling out other countries, Pakistan must ensure that it does not turn a blind eye to the issues plaguing religious minorities and women in Pakistan. As women in Pakistan prepare for 'Aurat March' scheduled to be held on International Women's Day on March 8, the Imran Khan government is seeking to thwart their efforts for women empowerment by hailing hijab in order to promote conservatism. In order to roll back 'Aurat March' organised every year by Pakistani women on International Women's Day, Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to declare March 8 as International Hijab Day. The minister has claimed that the 'Aurat March' held across Pakistan on that day since 2018 goes "against the principles of Islam." In his letter to Imran Khan, Qadri has suggested a regressive measure to alter "the status of an UN-designated international day that aims to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women".(ANI)
Terming the Ukraine situation as the "biggest global peace and security crisis" in recent years, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the latest developments in Ukraine are testing the entire international system. "We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come," he said at a media stakeout on Tuesday, adding "we must pass this test." Deeply troubled by the latest developments regarding Ukraine, Guterres highlighted reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and "the real risk of further escalation on the ground". The Secretary-General again criticized Russia's decision to recognize the 'independence' of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. "Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called 'independence' of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," the top UN official said. According to Guterres, such a unilateral measure not only conflicts directly with the principles of the UN Charter but is also inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly. At this critical moment, the UN chief called for an immediate ceasefire and re-establishment of the rule of law. "It is high time to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations. We must rally and meet this challenge together for peace, and to save the people of Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war," Guterres said. (ANI)
Weapons exports to the military rulers in Myanmar by the UN Member States must stop, the UN independent expert on the human rights situation in the country said on Tuesday. In a report to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews insisted that these arms had been used against civilians. He also called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to vote on a resolution to ban this trade. "It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar. These transfers truly shock the conscience," Andrews said in a statement. "Stopping the junta's atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons. The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in Myanmar." Andrews identified China, Russia and Serbia as countries that have supplied weapons to Myanmar's military rulers since they seized power in a coup last February. The weapons include fighter jets, armoured vehicles, rockets and artillery. "The people of Myanmar are imploring the UN to act," said Andrews. "They deserve an up-or-down vote on a Security Council resolution that will stop the sale of weapons being used to kill them. Too many families are finding themselves in the crosshairs of weapons of war that the Member States are supplying. This must end." The report also names countries that have authorized weapons transfers to Myanmar since 2018, a time he said when military atrocity crimes against the Rohingya ethnic minority were widely documented. It further calls for coordinated action by countries to cut the junta's access to revenue. Andrews urged the UNSC to take action. "I appeal to Member States of the UN Security Council who are appalled by the killing of Myanmar civilians to put forward a resolution to stop it," he said. "Transparency matters. The Security Council should consider, at the very least, a resolution to ban weapons that are being used by the Myanmar military to kill innocent people." (ANI)
India and France are working together to uphold international law, said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and emphasised that the two nations were seeking to deepen their partnership. Speaking at the French Institute of International Relations on 'How India sees France', the minister said there is a clear need to intensify the conversation between and with the strategic communities in both countries." He made these remarks in Paris on Tuesday, a day after holding a bilateral meeting with French Foreign Minister Le Drian, Defence Minister Parly. Jaishankar said that these engagements captured the strategic priorities that provide a compelling framework for a "truly unique" partnership between India and France. Amid the geopolitical, geo-economic and technological changes, the minister said all nations are reappraising priorities, strategies, relationships and even strategic geography in response to these developments. The External Affairs Minister said India has regarded France as a global power for a variety of reasons. "Obviously, one of them is a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. But in addition, France had a footprint and an influence in far corners of the world and weighed in on key global issues," he added. What was noteworthy, Jaishankar said was that despite being a member of an alliance, France has never hesitated to voice its own positions. "In the UN Security Council and other international forums, France has been reliable, strong and a consistent partner of India. Our synergies have enabled us, for example, to be more effective in mobilising UN action against terrorism and terrorist groups." Highlighting the contemporary drivers of this partnership, Jaishankar said, "One is the future of the Indo Pacific region, where the centre of gravity of global opportunities and challenges increasingly lie. Developments there and ensuing regional order will have a direct impact across the world, including here in Europe." "What is at stake is the credibility of a rules-based order and the efficacy of the international system," he added. Noting that India-Partnership has multiple objectives, Jaishankar said bilateral ties "aims to ensure that we can safeguard our interests, including the security of the sea lanes, freedom of navigation and the protection of the marine commons." "We also work together, and with others with stakes in the region, to uphold international law and support the organic evolution of a rules-based regional architecture," he added. (ANI)
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement on Wednesday that discussions focused on the rights and protection of all Afghans, the return of boys and girls to schools, and economic challenges.

Lyons also met the former state minister for peace of the Afghan government, Abdul Salam Rahimi and discussed "the importance of all Afghans coming together to build a more stable and inclusive future," the UNAMA statement said.

The Security Council briefing comes at a time when the Taliban regime is facing renewed resistance in the provinces of Panjshir, Bamiyan, Kapisa and Parwan, Tolo News reported on Monday.

A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets and international sanctions on the Taliban have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis.

More than half of the country's poverty-stricken population, or an estimated 24 million Afghans, face an acute food shortage and some one million children under five years of age could die from hunger by the end of this year, according to UN estimates.

India, on Tuesday, sent 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat to Afghanistan overland through Pakistan. (ANI)
Reiterating its 'one-China principle', Beijing on Tuesday claimed that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, stressed during a presser that there is but one China, claiming Taiwan as a part of its territory. "This is an indisputable historical and legal fact. The one-China principle is a universally-recognized norm governing international relations," he said as per a press statement released by China's Foreign Ministry. "The Chinese people have the strong resolve, determination and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added. Wenbin's remarks came after a question comparing Russia's assertion of Ukraine not being a separate state to that of Beijing's claims on Taiwan. Notably, China continues to regard Taiwan as a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. It has repeatedly issued threats against the island and vowed to militarily take over the island. However, on being asked about China's stance on the Ukraine situation, Wenbin said the difference should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. "China is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Ukraine. China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent. The legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be jointly upheld," he said that the non-implementation of the Minsk-2 agreement is the main cause behind the issue. "China will continue to engage all parties based on the merits of the matter itself. The situation in Ukraine is getting worse. China once again calls on all parties to exercise restraint, appreciate the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, and de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation," he added. Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree recognizing the Independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk. He also said that Ukraine was entirely created by Russia under Communist rule but radicals take credit for its Independence. He blamed Ukraine's authorities to have "outdone their western sponsors and invented sanctions against own citizens." He also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions. (ANI)
The global jihadist movement will continue to present a significant threat in 2022, according to terror assessments by American security experts which acknowledged the threat despite less bandwidth amongst the international community than it did during the peak of the Islamic State. In an analysis titled "Trends in Terrorism: What's on the Horizon in 2022?", the US-based security experts said jihadist organizations will further decentralize over 2022, the byproduct of a successful counterterrorism campaign by the US and its allies against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Writing for the American think tank Foreign Policy Research Institute, Senior Fellow of National Security Program Colin P. Clarke said Islamic State fighters and their families still housed in detention camps and prisons throughout Syria are a lingering security challenge. "In early November, Kurdish forces foiled an Islamic State prison break attempt in Deir Ezzor. This method has helped the Islamic State reinforce its ranks at various points and become a more central pillar of its operational focus in the coming year," he said. Moreover, Islamic State and jihadist propaganda more broadly resonate with Westerners, making the threat of inspired attacks in the West by homegrown violent extremists an enduring challenge for police and intelligence agencies, the report said. According to the paper published by Clarke, the Islamic State has shifted resources and attention to its affiliates and branches elsewhere to remain relevant. In 2022, Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) and Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) will be among the "most lethal Islamic State affiliates", continuing a trend from 2021. The American think tank noted that throughout sub-Saharan Africa, jihadist groups with links to the Islamic State have steadily gained momentum. ISCAP's branch in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed responsibility for attacks in Uganda. "At the same time, the Islamic State franchise in Mozambique (also known as ISCAP) conducted cross-border attacks into Tanzania." Following more than two decades of fighting the global war on terrorism, Clarke said the US and its allies are shifting attention and resources to great power competition, drawing down forces from dangerous hotspots, and leaving local and host nation forces responsible for countering terrorists and non-state armed groups. "Washington is looking to move on from the Global War on Terrorism and put an end to the "9/11 era," as the pendulum swings from a focus on non-state actors back to nation states. But, the enemy always gets a vote, and the psychological impact of terrorism will keep it as a front-burner issue for the foreseeable future," he added. (ANI)
A statement issued by the embassy said that the building will continue to be lit in tricolour till February 27 (Sunday) to celebrate the "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav."

"Come by & enjoy this mesmerising view of the building wrapped in Indian tricolours!", said the embassy in a tweet.

The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had visited India in October last year. During the visit, both countries had agreed to have warm and friendly relations and enhance efforts for reforming and strengthening multilateralism and a rules-based international order, including freedom of navigation. (ANI)
Citing risks associated with the concentration of global supply chains in a few countries, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar emphasized the need for a "multipolar" economic order on Tuesday. Jaishankar is on three days visit to France to attend the European Union (EU) Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. While addressing the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) in Paris on the theme of 'How India sees France', Jaishankar said, "A multipolar world order requires a multipolar economic order. The pandemic has laid bare the concentration risk in international trade. Supply chains have become tools of political coercion. The prospects of technology de-coupling look real, even if they are in limited sectors." He further argued that India would like to see France, a major power with a global outlook and an independent mindset, central to multipolarity and rebalancing of the global economic order, and also extremely responsive to India's concerns and priorities. Highlighting the shared beliefs between the two countries in democracy and universal human values, he said, "Our interests are best served in a multipolar order." Commenting on the contemporary and emerging challenges in the world, Jaishankar remarked that as the two countries "have now entered an era of turbulence the partnership now has greater salience in international relations". On February 20, Jaishankar held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris and exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the evolving situation in Ukraine. Last year, the EU adopted its Indo pacific strategy intending to increase engagement in the region. Through the policy, the bloc wishes to deepen its engagement with partners in the Indo-Pacific to respond to emerging dynamics that are affecting regional stability. (ANI)
Pakistan government has allowed the overland transportation of 50,000 tonnes of wheat and medicines from India to Afghanistan. The government has overland transportation of humanitarian assistance of 50,000 MT wheat and lifesaving medicines from India for Afghanistan via the Attari-Wagah border up till Torkham, as per the press statement issued by Pakistan's foreign ministry."The first batch of 41 Afghan trucks, which entered into Pakistan through Torkham is returning to Afghanistan today after loading the Indian wheat consignment at Attari-Wagah," read the statement. This comes after India flagged off the first convoy of 50 trucks carrying 2500 MT of wheat assistance to Afghanistan on Tuesday. Following this, the Afghanistan embassy in New Delhi its gratitude to India for giving the first consignment of humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged nation at a time when the country is facing major food insecurity. "The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi expresses its gratitude to the government and people of India for the timely assistance of 50000 MT of wheat to the people of Afghanistan at a time when the country is facing a major food insecurity," Afghan embassy said in a statement. "The remaining amount is expected to be shipped in a month's time and as per the agreement between the government of India and the World Food Program (WFP), the wheat will be distributed by WFP within Afghanistan," the statement said. (ANI)
New York [US], February 23 (ANI/Xinhua): Experts are warning of the spread of a new strain of Omicron variant in the United States and potential health effects after infection, as major states in the country rushed to shed off COVID-19 restrictions amid a continuous decline in cases and hospitalization. An Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, which appears to spread 30 per cent more easily, has made up 3.9 per cent of all infections, up from 1.6 per cent in the week ending Jan. 29, fueling worries the country may not return to normal as planned. According to a report by National Public Radio, BA.2 is found to have quickly overtaken the original Omicron in South Africa and other countries and has even caused a second Omicron surge in Denmark. Infectious disease experts cautioned the same could happen in the United States, raising fears that the spread "may be on track to rapidly accelerate in the near future," the report said. Meanwhile, the risks of cardiovascular disease of all types increased substantially in the year following COVID-19 infection, according to a study published this month in Nature Medicine which looked into the health records of more than 153,000 US veterans. Experts estimated there might be millions of new-onset cardiac cases related to the virus, plus a worsening of the disease for many already affected. "We are expecting a tidal wave of cardiovascular events in the coming years from direct and indirect causes of COVID," The Washington Post reported, citing Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, president of the American Heart Association. While New York State began to lift COVID-19 restrictions, not all residents favour the decision, The New York Times recently reported. (ANI/Xinhua)
As the situation at the Ukraine-Russia border continues to escalate, Russian Charge d'affaires in New Delhi on Wednesday said 'recognition' of breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk was a long pending issue to prevent "genocide" being practiced by Ukraine authorities. Addressing an online briefing, Russian diplomat Roman Babushkin said, "this was the only chance to save the lives of these people. All these years, the west was ignoring these issues." This statement came a day after Russia recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. This move led to severe backlash from the international community. Explaining Russia's perspective of the ongoing crisis, the Russian Charge d'affaires accused the US of internal influence in the domestic affairs in the countries in all post-Soviet space, including Ukraine. He said the West started using Ukraine in the geopolitical against Russia. "(They) violated the agreements on NATO non-expansion, supplying weapons to Ukraine, accelerating its military activities, moving closer the NATO borders to the Russia border to Ukraine. The Russian diplomat accused the US of sponsoring the regime change in Ukraine. "The US spent, for the regime change in Ukraine, around USD 5 billion, including bringing into power in 2014 -- the anti-Russian nationalists, who started genocide everything related to Russia, including those regions in the eastern part of Ukraine -- Donetsk and Luhansk who refused to recognize the Kyiv authorities." He said Kyiv was never interested in the implementation of the Minsk agreement, which was endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution. "Intentionally, they continued their policy of ceasefire violations, bringing a heavy weapon to the border and attacking critical infrastructure. At the same time, NATO continues its expansion, which became an existential threat to Russia," he added. Talking about the recent past, Babushkin said the Ukraine authorities were "practicing genocide" in the eastern region. "They were depriving these people of basic human rights, there were huge civilian losses. ...That's why the recognition of these (Donetsk and Luhansk) republics was a long pending issue." Babushkin said there was enough time to start this dialogue but it didn't happen. "In recent past, it became clear that Minks package was dead. This step that was taken by Russia was the only chance to save these people," he added. India on Tuesday strongly emphasized the need for all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure a mutually amicable solution. Speaking on the UNSC briefing on developments in Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti said that the escalation of Ukraine-Russia tension has the potential to undermine peace and security of the region. Tirumurti called for restraint on all sides and emphasized that this issue can only be resolved through diplomatic dialogue. (ANI)
Italy's PM calls for dialogue on Ukraine crisis

Xinhua) 08:01, February 23, 2022

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi attends a joint press conference in Rome, Italy, on Jan. 10, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

"Dialogue remains crucial," said Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

ROME, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Tuesday said dialogue was key to solving the Ukrainian crisis, warning that the European Union (EU) was preparing sanctions against Russia.

His remarks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced the recognition of the "Lugansk People's Republic" and the "Donetsk People's Republic" in east Ukraine's Donbass region as independent and sovereign states.

"Dialogue remains crucial," Draghi stressed as he addressed the official opening ceremony of the Council of State's judicial year in Rome.

Russia's move is "an unacceptable violation of Ukraine's democratic sovereignty and territorial integrity, and I am in constant contact with our allies to find a peaceful solution to the crisis," he said.

"Within the European Union, we are already defining measures and sanctions against Russia," he said.

According to Putin, Russia considered the recognition of the two Donbass "republics" a necessary step to both protect itself from western powers -- which have been accused of being blind to Russia's security concerns -- and to protect pro-Russian citizens in the two territories.

Russia has repeatedly asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to stop its eastward expansion in Europe. Ukraine is not a member of the U.S.-led military alliance, yet it has repeatedly expressed its interest in joining it.

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows a screen displaying Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking during a televised address to the nation in Moscow, Russia.(Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early on Tuesday that Ukraine had been calling for an emergency summit of the Normandy Format, a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, and a special meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to address the issue.

The Normandy Format, established in 2014, is a diplomatic group of senior representatives from Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France formed to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Italy is not part of the Normandy Format group. Yet, local media in recent days have speculated about a possible meeting between Draghi and Putin in order to de-escalate the tensions.

The Russian Presidency has signaled its interest in such a meeting, Draghi told a press conference on Friday.

Italy's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Monday appealed to "all parties" involved in the crisis to resume diplomatic talks "in the due formats."

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 with clashes between Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups who seized several towns.

With the mediation of the global community, the two sides concluded ceasefire agreements in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in September 2014 and February 2015.

Russia has been seeking NATO's guarantee to halt its eastward expansion. However, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration took a hard line against Russia, supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the U.S.-led military alliance and increasing its military assistance to Kyiv, which has re-escalated tensions in the region.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky makes a speech during the Munich Security Conference (MSC) held in Munich, Germany, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Tokyo [Japan], February 23 (ANI/Sputnik): Japan will mull new measures for adoption in the event of the deterioration of the situation around Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, commenting on Russia's recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics (DPR, LPR). Earlier In the day, Kishida announced a set of sanctions over the recognition of the Donbas republics, including a ban on the issuance of visas and freezing capitals of residents of DPR and LPR; a ban on export-import relations with the republics; and the placement and operations with the new sovereign debt of the Russian government in Japan. "The situation [around Ukraine] remains unpredictable. There are different possibilities [of how it may unfold]. Therefore, in case of its deterioration, together with the international community, starting with the G7 countries, we will have to consider the introduction of new measures without delay. In any case, we will thoroughly clarify how the situation will develop, exchange information with European countries and the United States, and then make appropriate decisions," the prime minister said. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees on Monday recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR from Ukraine. Under the new treaties, Moscow will ensure the security of the two Russian-speaking republics. (ANI/Sputnik)
This intent was shown after Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov and acting head of the Afghan interim government, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, discussed bilateral cooperation in Kabul.

"Further steps have been outlined to resume cooperation to ensure food security, accelerate the resumption of economic activity and maintain sustainable peace in Afghanistan," the Uzbek Ministry Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade said in a statement.

Particularly, the officials discussed construction projects of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway line and the Surkhon-Puli-Khumri power transmission line, the ministry added.

According to the statement, the Afghan side expressed readiness to cooperate on these projects, and expressed gratitude to Uzbekistan for assistance in the restoration of the Kabul airport.

Last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that the world cannot abandon the country now - for the sake of its people and overall global security.

"At this moment, we need the global community - and this Council - to put their hands on the wheel of progress, provide resources, and prevent Afghanistan from spiraling any further," he said.

Guterres also outlined action for the de facto rulers of the country, the Taliban, calling on the fundamentalists to expand opportunity and security for Afghans, uphold human rights, and demonstrate real commitment to be part of the international community.

Back in January, the UN team in the country launched the One-UN Transitional Engagement Framework (TEF), a USD 3.6 billion plan to save lives and sustain health, education and other essential services throughout 2022.

Special Representative Deborah Lyons, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said this investment aims to reverse the steady increase in poverty, while ensuring critical donor funds are not diverted or misused. (ANI)
The Imran Khan government is facing heavy backlash from all quarters for amending the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 through the promulgation of an Ordinance. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) moved a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stating that the promulgation of the ordinance is based on "malice" as the required conditions have not been met by the government, local media reported on Wednesday. "No emergency situations had arisen which called for the issuance of an Ordinance of this nature as it could have waited till the session of the National Assembly," the petitioner argued as quoted by The News International. Meanwhile, the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), Khalid Javed Khan while talking to Geo News criticised the Ordinance, saying that "the PECA (amendment) Ordinance will be draconian if it comes into force." "Since coming to power in 2018, the PTI has regrettably placed greater reliance on Presidential Ordinances to bring in laws of its own liking," said The Dawn in an editorial on Wednesday, further pointing out that the Imran Khan government has introduced more than 75 Ordinances since coming to power in 2018. The Ordinance was signed by President Arif Alvi on Sunday, after approval of the Cabinet. Under the Ordinance, the definition of a "person" has been broadened to include any company, association, institution, organization, authority, or any other. Furthermore, anyone found guilty of attacking a person's "identity" will now be sentenced to five years instead of three years. Another Ordinance was signed to amend the country's election laws, allowing any person holding any office under the Constitution or any other law to visit or address public meetings in "any area or constituency". On Monday, the Islamabad High court, lambasted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for wrongly invoking the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and PECA to arrest journalist Mohsin Jameel Baig asking "Has a martial law been imposed in this country?" the Court observed. (ANI)
The Charge d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Delhi, Roman Babushkin, on Wednesday expressed hope that the partnership between India and Russia will continue regardless of the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Addressing a press briefing on the ongoing tensions in Ukraine, Babushkin said, "We hope our partnership will continue further at the same level which we are enjoying today." The Russian envoy highlighted the long-standing partnership between the two countries. "With India, we have a very strong, long, trusted and deep cooperation," he said, adding that "Russia remains the only country which is honest to sharing sophisticated technologies with India". referring to the Russian-Indian bilateral summit held in December last year, he said, "We've signed the programme for 10 years of cooperation in the defence area. We have a lot of big projects in the pipeline and we have full confidence that all our plans will be successfully implemented." "Defence cooperation between two nations is a strong factor of international peace and stability and to the full extent reflects the national interest of both countries," he said. The briefing came after a fresh round of sanctions on Russia were announced by several countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. Tensions escalated to unprecedented levels when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine on Monday. Later in the day, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met following requests for an urgent meeting by the United States and allies. Condemning Russia's move to recognize regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations demanded Moscow to return to the table for negotiations as well as immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops. "We demand Russia to return to the table for negotiations. We condemn the order to deploy additional Russian occupation troops in the territories of Ukraine. We demand the immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops," said the Ukrainian envoy to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya at the emergency meeting on Ukraine. The Russian side maintained that the action was taken to stop the alleged "bloodbath" in the Donbas region of Ukraine. "However, allowing bloodbath in Donbas is something we don't intend to do. We are forced to note the negative role played by our Western colleagues led by the US," said Russia at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine. Speaking on the UNSC briefing on developments in Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said that the escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation has the potential to undermine peace and security of the region. Tirumurti called for restraint on all sides. "The immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries for securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," he said. The UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed concern over Russia's decision. The UN chief called for "the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015)" (ANI)
Australia is taking immediate action to sanction Russian individuals, organizations, and banks as part of the international effort to impose a sharp cost on Russia for its "unprovoked aggression" against Ukraine, the Scott Morrison government announced on Wednesday. This comes after Russia recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. This move has led to severe backlash from the international community. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR. Under new treaties, Moscow will ensure the security of the two Russian-speaking republics. "Under a first phase, we will impose travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight members of Russia's Security Council. The Council bears responsibility for the current phase of the invasion by providing policy advice and justification to President Putin's unilateral declaration recognising the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic," the Morrison government said in a statement. Targeted financial sanctions will mean Australian individuals and entities cannot do business with the banks including Rossiya Bank, Promsvyazbank, IS Bank, Genbank and the Black Sea Bank for Development and Reconstruction. "This is in addition to restrictions on Australians investing in the state development bank VEB," the statement added. The Australian Prime Minister said the country will amend the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 to extend existing sanctions that apply to Crimea and Sevastopol to Donetsk and Luhansk. "This will impose strong economic sanctions in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk prohibiting trade in the transport, energy, telecommunications, and oil, gas and minerals sectors." Morrison said his country will also amend the Regulations to significantly broaden the scope of people and entities that Australia can list for sanctions to include those of "strategic and economic significance to Russia". (ANI)
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday prohibited the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from making arrests under Section 20 of the recently promulgated Ordinance making amendments to the media law in the country, local media reported. Notably, the FIA had already submitted a document of its standard operating procedures (SOPs) to the IHC, specifying that no arrests will be made under section 20 of the ordinance, the Dawn newspaper reported, citing IHC chief justice. The court also observed that the director-general of FIA and home secretary will be held responsible in case of violation of the SOPs. The chief justice cited the example of countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda that have removed defamation from their criminal law. Under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act Ordinance 2022, online defamation has been made a non-bailable, cognisable offence and the jail term for it has also been increased from three years to five years. The amendment has also broadened the ambit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Also, the word "natural" has been removed from Section 20 of the ordinance, which was previously titled "offences against the dignity of natural person". The amendment has also expanded the definition of a "person" to include any company, association or body of persons whether incorporated or not, institution, organisation, authority or any other body established by the government under any law or otherwise. The directives were issued by the court while hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) against the ordinance on Tuesday, the media outlet reported. The ordinance was promulgated without passing the "necessary tests imposed under the Constitution of Pakistan for legislation through the mode and manner of ordinances", the Pakistani newspaper quoted the petition which added that the promulgation was based on "malice". Terming the ordinance an attempt by the Imran Khan government to "browbeat its opponents', the petition stated, "Killing free speech in the country is tantamount to [sabotaging] democracy in the country. It is ironic that the government is moving towards criminalisation of free speech at a time when the entire world is moving towards de-criminalising defamation." Meanwhile, the opposition parties and media and journalist bodies in Pakistan are vehemently opposing the amendments to PECA stating it is a flagrant attempt of the Imran Khan government to stifle the voice of dissent and place fetters on constitutional rights of the citizens. (ANI)
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), deciding to move ahead under a result-oriented agenda against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, have announced that they would make all efforts to get rid of the current government, reported The News International.

The rulers trying to usurp the nation will be sent back home in accordance with the wishes of the people, said a joint declaration by PMLN President Mian Shehbaz Sharif and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari after the two held a meeting in Lahore.

Also, the three top leaders of the opposition, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will hold a meeting at Shehbaz Sharif's residence today, the publication reported.

Meanwhile, in the meeting held between Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, the two leaders also discussed the votes required to make a no-trust motion against Imran Khan a success.

Notably, the opposition in Pakistan is jettisoning mutual hatred to ouster Imran Khan. They are planning a no-confidence motion or street protests or even a combination of both in a joint fight against Khan's misgovernance.

Opposition parties like PPP, PMLN, 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).

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. (ANI)
IAF's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will participate in the exercise along with fighter aircraft of the UK and other leading Air Forces.The exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and sharing best practices amongst the participating Air Forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship. This will be a platform for LCA Tejas to demonstrate its maneuverability and operational capability, an official statement said.Five Tejas aircraft are scheduled to fly to the United Kingdom. IAF's C-17 aircraft will provide the necessary transport support for induction and de-induction.

The indigenous aircraft recently participated in the 'Singapore Air Show-2022' held from 15 to 18 February 2022.

Earlier this year, a contract to manufacture 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighters were handed over to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by the Defence Ministry at the Aero India international air show. (ANI)
The Pakistani journalist was shot dead last Friday in an armed attack on his car in Karachi's North Nazimabad area.

Balochistan's Parliamentary Secretary Bushra Rind said that the alleged killer of Athar Mateen was arrested in a joint operation launched by Sindh and Balochistan police, The News International newspaper reported.

The Parliamentary Secretary maintained that the alleged killer of the journalist is being shifted to Karachi from Khuzdar.

While speaking on the rising crimes in Karachi on ARY News transmission, Athar's brother last week had said that people in Karachi fear that their belongings will be looted and thus they have to hide their cash and phones.

He criticized the Pakistani government saying, "The government functionaries only had to issue a condemnation after every such incident without taking concrete steps to deal with it."

Furthermore, while grieving he said that the police station was less than a kilometer away from where his brother was shot. (ANI)
The resolution was supported by 322 lawmakers out of 450.

"The purpose and objectives of the resolution are to provide the prerequisites for the decision of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council on the imposition of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) on persons listed in Annex 1 to the resolution for creating real and/or potential threats to national interests, national security in the information area, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the resolution read.

The list includes 351 Russian lawmakers and members of the Russian Security Council.

These sanctions include cancellation of official visits, meetings, negotiations, introduction of a ban on the purchase of land, assets freeze and other measures. (ANI/Sputnik)
The Health Minister of Sri Lanka and the Finance Minister of Bhutan on Wednesday extended their thanks to India for the assistance given during the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the Asia Economic Dialogue 2022, Health Minister of Sri Lanka, Keheliya Rambukwella said, "We extend our gratitude to India, particularly for the donation of the first 500,000 vaccines." Elaborating on the economic handling during the pandemic, the minister said, "We are getting assistance from many areas and our neighbour India is always at hand and has been helping us throughout. Finance Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Namgay Tshering too extended his regards saying, "I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the government and people of India for prioritizing Bhutan." He added that India's help with the delivery of vaccines has helped the Himalayan country in its accelerated drive for vaccination. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was present in the meeting and talked briefly about the position of India in the global arena in the fight against the pandemic. He said, "There is a sense today that India has something to bring to the table and that India is necessary for a global recovery." (ANI)
Voicing concern over media's economic challenge post the Taliban took control of Kabul, the Afghanistan Journalists and Media Organizations Federation (AJMOF) said that no media outlet will remain active in the next six months in the country if immediate attention is not paid to the media's financial problems. The reporters said that they should be aided by the organizations supporting media and journalists at a press conference in Kabul on Monday, reported Tolo News. AJMOF officials said that the media has become very vulnerable following the political change in the country in mid-August last year, facing financial challenges as well accessing information. "Today some media outlets are closed, and reporters are unemployed. Some reporters have switched to other jobs, but some have not found any employment opportunities. They are facing problems and cannot feed their families," said Hujatullah Mujaddedi, a member of the federation. The federation in a statement urged the Taliban to resume the activities of the committee that investigates media-related violations and helps reporters gain access to information, reported Tolo News. "If the money was managed correctly, today no reporter would be facing economic problems and many outlets would not have ceased operating," Mena Habib, a reporter said urging the organizations supporting journalists, to be honest in working and supporting the reporters. Meanwhile, the federation officials said that UNAMA in a meeting with them in Kabul has pledged to support media and reporters from the USD 600 million funds that the EU has pledged to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. "In our meeting with UNAMA about three to four months ago on how to enable media outlets to stand on their own feet, UNAMA officials pledged that they will include media and reporters in their list of beneficiaries of the USD 600 million that EU is providing to the people of Afghanistan," said Hafizullah Barakzai, a senior member of the federation. Media outlets have been facing financial challenges since the fall of the former republic government and hundreds of outlets have been closed. (ANI)
Japanese Foreign Ministry has posted on its website that on Monday, a member of the Japanese Embassy in China was temporarily detained by Chinese authorities against his will.

"This case is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations," said the Japanese ministry.

The Japanese government lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, saying, "We cannot overlook (the incident) and it is absolutely unacceptable."

But the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo refused to accept the protest, releasing a statement Wednesday that the diplomat had been investigated and questioned in accordance with the law after acting inappropriately, without elaborating.

The statement was released after Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori summoned Yang Yu, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, to the ministry on Tuesday night and demanded that China issue an apology and prevent a recurrence, saying that the incident clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates the inviolability of diplomats, the ministry said.

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the staffer was detained Monday afternoon while on legitimate official business, despite disclosing his profession to the authorities. The diplomat was released a few hours later after exchanges with Chinese authorities and was not physically harmed, reported The Japan Times. (ANI)
Fraudsters in Turkey were trying to steal money from the bank account of detained Uyghur businessman, Ekber Imin who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in China's Xinjiang region. Jilil Musha, writing in Radio Free Asia (RFA) said that the criminals used fake documents to try to transfer 225 million Turkish liras (USD 16 million) from Ekber's bank account. Imin's case was reported in Turkish media around the time that Turkey and China had signed a cooperation agreement on anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing on December 30, 2021. The agreement, which requires all parties to provide each other with information on the financial activities of specific individuals and companies involved in any crimes, sparked concern among Uyghur human rights groups about the financial and economic security of Uyghurs in Turkey, said Jilil. Though the cooperative agreement does not impose any absolute obligations on Turkey, it is still dangerous for Uyghurs living in Turkey, said Abdullah Tikic, an attorney who represents Uyghur refugees in Turkey. Tikic said that if China forces Imin to appoint a representative, the money will be returned to China, and his family in Turkey will likely not get it. The attorney said that other Uyghurs in Turkey fear that they may never be able to reclaim their own money they left in Chinese banks and could not transfer the money when they leave Xinjiang, reported RFA. "The most difficult part of the issue is that many Uyghurs in Turkey who are struggling financially had assets and money in China, but could not bring their money to Turkey," he told RFA "And to do that successfully, the Chinese judiciary has to be involved." Such procedures are lengthy affairs that require formalities in both China and Turkey depending on whether the money was deposited in the name of a company or an individual, he said. "Economically speaking, it is dangerous," he said. "It is not clear what information and about whom Turkey has already provided," he said. "What I mean is that Turkey doesn't have an obligation to provide information on people if their information is related to public order and the interest of the country." Imin, whose name in Chinese is Aikebaier Yiming, was the head of the Guzel Makan (Beautiful Land) Real Estate firm and several other companies in Hotan. He went missing in mid-2018 and was later confirmed to be jailed on charges including "extremism," along with two of his brother and at least 20 of his employees, official sources told RFA in a previous report. In January 2020, RFA reported that Imin had been sentenced by Chinese authorities in 2018 to 25 years in prison for having foreign contacts and spreading extremism by incorporating ethnic and religious elements in the buildings he developed, reported Jilil. Chinese authorities arrested Imin in 2018 and imprisoned him, as they have done to other prominent Uyghur businesspeople amid an intensified crackdown on mostly Muslim ethnic minority groups that began in 2017. Authorities usually claim that the business people have trade or financial ties with foreign terrorists or terrorist groups. (ANI)
London [UK], February 23 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with a new package of military aid in the near future in light of the "increasingly threatening behavior from Russia," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday. "I can announce to the House [of Commons] that in the light of the increasingly threatening behavior from Russia and in line with our previous support, the UK will shortly be providing a further package of military support Ukraine," Johnson told the parliament. According to the prime minister, the new package will include "lethal aid" in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid. (ANI/Sputnik)
A Beijing court assigned a law firm to manage the bankruptcy of Beijing Xinwei Technology Group. The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court appointed Haiwen Law Firm on Tuesday as the bankruptcy liquidation administrator for Beijing Xinwei, court documents showed. Creditors can file debt claims by May 5, reported Caixin Global.

Xinwei said in a statement that it "will continue pushing forward the purchase of Motor Sich in a bid to change the course of the bankruptcy," although the deal has hit a deadlock due to national security concerns in Ukraine.

Beijing Xinwei has sought to take over Motor Sich for the past few years through its subsidiary Beijing Skyrizon Aviation. But Ukraine regulators have held up the deal on national security grounds, reported Caixin Global.

Last year, Ukraine and the US Commerce Department imposed sanctions on Beijing Xinwei and Beijing Skyrizon, stymieing the takeover bid.

Beijing Xinwei was delisted from the Shanghai stock exchange in June 2021 after reporting losses of 26.5 billion yuan in the previous four years, reported Caixin Global. (ANI)
Activists from Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) Nepal on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of Russian Embassy urging Russia to give up the plan to invade Ukraine. Activists holding banners and pamphlets called on Russia to immediately stop the war and promote peace. Russia has already given recognition to two areas with separatist movements in Ukraine as independent states. Over a dozen protesters stood in line near the embassy in Kathmandu and called for an end to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, immediate withdrawal of troops, cessation of hostilities and promotion of peace. "Today we are here in front of the Russian Embassy to oppose war and to request his Excellency Vladimir Putin to take a wise decision to avert the war. War is not the solution, so take concrete steps to promote peace," Krishna Pahadi, one of the senior human rights activists of Nepal told ANI. Activists said the possible outbreak of war over the issue will bring a catastrophic wave of human rights violation and called for Russia to respect the sovereignty of Ukraine. "If a war breaks out, billions of people's human rights will be violated. That's why it also raises the question over human rights. We don't stand by this kind of decision taken by the Russian President to invade Ukraine. So, respect Ukraine's sovereignty," Pahadi added. Following the demonstration, HUPRES handed over a letter addressed to Russian President Putin to an official at the Russian Embassy in Nepal. With the unfolding situation in the region and several nations opposing the invasion, Nepal on Wednesday issued a travel advisory to its citizens currently in Ukraine. Issuing a release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has urged all Nepali citizens currently in Ukraine to return to Nepal. The MoFA has requested all Nepalis in the region to assess the developing situation and take a flight back to Kathmandu unless it is necessary to remain in Ukraine. According to the Nepali Embassy in Berlin, Germany, as many as 34 Nepali citizens in Ukraine have come into contact with them and are currently in good health. The MoFA has urged all Nepalis to contact the Nepali Embassy in Berlin for any assistance. Tensions have grown recently in Ukraine after a possible chance of an invasion from Russia. Situation is adverse in the region as the Russian President on Monday decided to recognize Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. Many of the Western nations already have imposed sanctions on Russia as a result of the latest move while NATO alliance has also beefed up military might overseeing the adverse situation. (ANI)
Considering the escalating Ukraine-Russia tensions, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi on Wednesday said that India is in favour of rule-based order and the Indian embassy is in touch with its nationals. "India is in favour of rules-based order, peace should be maintained. All stakeholders should resort to talks to resolve differences," said Lekhi while supporting diplomatic talks to resolve the ongoing Ukraine-Russia tensions. Regarding the safety and security of Indian nationals in Ukraine, she said, "We are trying to reach out to our students and other people abroad, especially in Ukraine. They should stay in touch with our embassy. The embassy will help them out." In a travel advisory to Indians, the Indian Embassy in Kiev advised its citizens to leave Ukraine temporarily in view of the continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties. "In view of the continued high levels of tensions and uncertainties with respect to the situation in Ukraine, all Indian nationals whose stay is not deemed essential and all Indian students, are advised to leave Ukraine temporarily. Available commercial flights, and charter flights may be availed for travel, for orderly and timely departure," read The Indian Embassy statement. The advisory further asked Indian students to contact the associated persons for flights back to India. Tensions escalated to unprecedented levels when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine on Monday. Moreover, Putin's move brought a fresh round of sanctions on Russia, announced by several countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan. Speaking on the UNSC briefing on developments in Ukraine, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti said that the escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation has the potential to undermine peace and security of the region. Tirumurti called for restraint on all sides. "The immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries for securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond," he said. (ANI)
Three senior monks from Drago Monastery in Karze prefecture in western China's Sichuan province are in critical health condition after their release from prison four years ago, said a media report. The three monks belong to the same monastery in Drago where scores of Tibetans were reported to be arbitrary detained following the demolition of two large Buddha statues in the region last year, Phayul reported citing Tibet Watch's report. Tsewang Namgyal, Dalha and Tengya served 6-year prison sentences from 2012 and were finally released in 2018, but the three of them was reportedly subjected to extreme torture, including forced labour and inadequate food in prison. The trio was released in poor health and their condition has deteriorated since, said the report. In 2012, mass protests erupted in the streets of Drago County in January where local Tibetans called for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet, invoking the same demands made in the 2008 uprising, Phayul reported. Citing the sources, Phayul further reported that the monks are suffering from "crippled legs, organ damage, insomnia, constant headaches, and loss of mobility" as a result from sustained torture in custody. The county has made headlines in the last few months for the destruction of two giant Buddha statues in the region, which led to several arrests of locals suspected of sharing those photos of the demolition outside Tibet. "Tsewang Namgyal was the former principal of Gaden monastic school which was forcibly closed in November last year. He was released crippled and was also forced to sign a letter that listed orders of further limitations on his freedom of movement. Dalha was the monastery accountant, and upon his release, he was found to be blind and had to undergo organ transplantation. The abbot of the monastery, Tengya's hearing ability was impaired and his body was paralysed," the report said. The families of the three prisoners were only allowed to visit them once a year or once every two years, as per the findings. These three monks' families only learnt upon their release that the food or money left for them during those rare family visits never reached them, the report added. (ANI)
As many as 200 farmers were arrested in Pakistan's Lahore as they staged a sit-in protest against an exorbitant hike in petroleum prices, unavailability of fertiliser, and higher prices of compost and demanded the reversal of the government decisions, local media reported. The farmers pledged to continue their protest indefinitely if the arrested farmers are not released. as members of the Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP), a body representing smallholder farmers belonging to various districts assembled at Thokar Niaz Beg and staged a sit-in, blocking the Multan Road to press the government for their demands, Dawn newspaper reported. On Tuesday, police baton-charged and arrested 200 of the sit-in participants. KBP vice-president Amanullah Chattha said that they will stage the sit-in for an indefinite period if their colleagues are not released, the Pakistani newspaper reported. Chattha claims that two of the protesters were seriously injured in the baton charge and were admitted to a local hospital for treatment. Justifying the protest, Chattha said an increase of over Pakistani Rs 10 per litre in the petroleum products prices at a time when fertiliser is being sold at a historically higher rate in the country, is tantamount to rubbing salt into the wounds of the farming community, Dawn newspaper reported. He further said that a hike of Pakistani Rs 3.9 per unit in power bills, as announced by the ruling Imran Khan-led PTI government, will add Pakistani Rs 216 billion burden to the consumers, while per litre oil prices have crossed Rs 160 mark, the Pakistani newspaper reported. Chattha said the farmers have been "economically murdered" by creating an artificial crisis of fertiliser and thus raising the prices of the compost at least twice for DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) bag and around Pakistani Rs1,000 per bag for urea. Chattha warns that national food security will be at stake if the government does not reverse its decisions, Dawn newspaper reported. (ANI)
Today

Cloudy. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Cloudy. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.

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The women residents of a housing colony at 9/BC village protested against Mepco for disconnecting their domestic electricity connections in the limits of Baghdadul Jadid city sub-division, Dawn newspaper reported.

The protesting women holding placards inscribed with their demands for restoration of power supply to their houses gathered outside the Mepco complex near the office of divisional commissioner and blocked one track of the dual University carriageway near Saddar Pulli, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

The protest that threw traffic out of gear caused a great deal of inconvenience to the motorists and other commuters.

Some of the women demonstrators were accompanied by their husbands who also raised slogans against Mepco, Dawn newspaper reported.

The protesters told the media that Mepco officials cut their around two-decade-old power connections, causing great difficulties to their families.

When contacted, Mepco Sub-Divisional Officer Malik Jameal Ahmed Channar said the company took action in the housing colony at the village against "illegal power connections", the Pakistani newspaper reported. (ANI)
He was booked in a third case and on Monday, the investigating officer produced him before the judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court-II and submitted that on the directives of the court Wazir was arrested for organizing a public rally on the directives of PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen where they raised slogans and made speeches inciting the public against the state and defaming the security establishment, reported Dawn.

The judge remanded the Wazir in judicial custody till March 4. He has spent nearly 14 months in prison for allegedly delivering anti-state speeches in Karachi.

Wazir was languishing in Karachi central prison since Dec 31, 2020, after he was arrested in connection with two sedition cases registered in the metropolis, reported Dawn.

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.

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.

On November 30, 2021, the Supreme Court had granted post-arrest bail to the PTM leader, reported Dawn.

The PTM has been staging a sit-in since February 13 outside the Sindh Assembly in protest over his imprisonment.

The party demanded that the Sindh government withdraw the cases against Wazir and order his release. (ANI)
The European Union (EU) on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 351 members of the Russian Parliament who voted in favour of recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk. "The Council today adopted on a package of measures to respond to the decision by the Russian Federation to proceed with the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine as independent entities, and the subsequent decision to send Russian troops into these areas," the EU said in a statement. Within the existing framework for sanctions, the EU will extend restrictive measures to cover all the 351 members of the Russian State Duma, who voted on February 15 in favour of the appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognise the independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk "republics", the statement said. Moreover, targeted restrictive measures will be imposed on additional 27 high profile individuals and entities, who have played a role in undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. "These include decision-makers such as members of the government, who were involved in the illegal decisions; banks and businesspersons/oligarchs supporting financially or materially Russian operations in the Donetsk and Luhansk's territories, or benefitting from them; senior military officers, who played a role in the invasion and destabilisation actions; and individuals responsible for leading a disinformation war against Ukraine," read the statement. Restrictive measures include an asset freeze and a prohibition from making funds available to the listed individuals and entities. In addition, a travel ban applicable to the listed persons prevents these from entering or transiting through EU territory. New measures will target trade from the two non-government-controlled regions to and from the EU, to ensure that those responsible clearly feel the economic consequences of their illegal and aggressive actions, the statement said. The EU statement further stated that today's decision will introduce in particular an import ban on goods from the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, restrictions on trade and investments related to certain economic sectors, a prohibition to supply tourism services, and an export ban for certain goods and technologies. EU has decided to introduce a sectoral prohibition to finance the Russian Federation, its government and Central Bank. "By restraining the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services, the EU aims to limit the financing of escalatory and aggressive policies," the statement said. The EU urged Russia to reverse the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, uphold its commitments, abide by international law and return to the discussions within the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group. The EU also calls on other states not to follow Russia's illegal decision to recognise this proclaimed independence. "The EU stands ready to swiftly adopt more wide-ranging political and economic sanctions in case of need, and reiterates its unwavering support and commitment to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders," the statement said. Restrictive measures on violations of Ukraine's territorial integrity will with today's additional listings apply to a total of 555 individuals and 52 entities, the statement added. (ANI)
Huge discrepancies have surfaced between the Health Department and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) regarding Covid-19 testing in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On Monday, the Health Department claimed in its report that a total of 5,095 samples from suspected patients were tested whereas the field reports through rapid response teams (RRTs) show the number at 306. Provincial Doctors Association said that the huge difference between the reports was a matter of deep concern and they are suspicious about the way the Covid-19 testing was being handled, reported Dawn. In a similar incident, on Tuesday, the Health Department's report said that a total of 6,013 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours while the report prepared from the field said that only 101 tests were done during the same period. This comes when the health workers had, earlier, called a strike in the case of collection of samples from the suspected patients in the province. In view of such discrepancies, Provincial Doctors Association in a statement said as to how the health department could claim to conduct 6,000 tests per day when all 230 teams were on strike demanding their unpaid dues, reported the newspaper. Notably, PDMA runs a project to look after sampling and testing matters regarding coronavirus. It does this through a private IT company Sybrid in 28 districts of the province. It collected field reports and the reports were dispatched to the Health Department which prepared the Covid-19 tally on a daily basis. The response team which collects samples said in its defence, "The strike has affected our sample collections and contact-tracing of positive people but we still manage to conduct 6,000 tests which also include swabs taken from people at sentinel sites through staff of the hospitals." The Association said that there was also a problem in conducting the rapid tests as fuel was not provided to the doctors, epidemiologists, and technicians due to which they stopped work, reported the newspaper. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar on Wednesday (local time) chaired a meeting of Indian ambassadors to EU countries and appreciated their commitment to assist Indian diaspora during the Covid period. Taking to Twitter," Chaired a meeting of our EU Ambassadors in Paris today. A comprehensive discussion on issues currently faced by Indian foreign policy. Appreciated the strong commitment of all our Embassies to assist Indians and our diaspora during the Covid period." Notably, the External Affairs Minister arrived in Paris on Sunday on a three-day trip after paying a two-day visit to Germany. On the first day of his visit to Paris, Jaishankar held extensive talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian covering a range of bilateral and global issues including the situation in Afghanistan and the Ukraine crisis. Furthermore, during his address at the French Institute of International Relations on the theme of 'How India sees France', the Minister said, ''Through the tumult of our times, India's relations with France have continued to move forward on a steady and clear course. It is a relationship that has been free from sudden shifts and surprises that we sometimes see in other cases.'' Jaishankar also called on the French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday where he conveyed him Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings. In a tweet, Jaishankar said that the discussions reflected the ''full spirit'' of the strategic partnership between the two countries and that both sides will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific. ''Delighted to call on President @EmmanuelMacron of France. Conveyed greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our discussions reflected the full spirit of our strategic partnership. We will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific,'' Jaishankar tweeted. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday directed his administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG pipeline constructor, its operator and on its corporate officers after Germany's announcement to halt the pipeline. In a statement by White House, Biden said, "Yesterday, after further close consultations between our two governments, Germany announced that it would halt certification of the pipeline. Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers." This comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Ukraine breakaway regions which is deemed to be a breach of international law by the west. "These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate," the statement added. At the outset of the White House statement Biden talked about Russia's further 'invasion' of Ukraine and said, "Since Russia began deploying troops to the Ukrainian border, the United States has worked closely with our Allies and partners to deliver a strong, unified response. As I said when I met with Chancellor Scholz earlier this month, Germany has been a leader in that effort, and we have closely coordinated our efforts to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia further invaded Ukraine." "Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy. I want to thank Chancellor Scholz for his close partnership and continued dedication to holding Russia accountable for its actions," the statement read. Following Putin's announcement of recognizing the independence of Ukraine breakaway regions, Biden on Monday signed an Executive Order that will prohibit all new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics". The US strongly condemned Putin's decision to recognize the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" as "independent." US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield supported Ukraine's call for an Urgent Meeting of the UN Security Council. She criticized Russia's announcement and said that it is "nothing more than theatre, apparently designed to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine." Notably, Putin has also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions after recognizing their independence in his Monday address to the nation. Notably, in March 2014, Russia invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict.In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraine's borders in what it said were training exercises. Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATO's steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations. (ANI)
Jaishankar said in a tweet that the two countries will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific.

"Delighted to call on President @EmmanuelMacron of France. Conveyed greetings of PM @narendramodi. Our discussions reflected the full spirit of our strategic partnership. We will cooperate closely in the Indo-Pacific," he said.

Earlier in the day, speaking at the French Institute of International Relations on 'How India sees France', the minister said there is a clear need to intensify the conversation between and with the strategic communities in both countries."

Jaishankar had earlier met French Foreign Minister Le Drian and Defence Minister Florence Parly.

He said that these engagements captured the strategic priorities that provide a compelling framework for a "truly unique" partnership between India and France. (ANI)
The United States ambassador at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Linda Thomas-Greenfield, on Wednesday, said that the Ukrainian crisis may lead to the worst refugee crisis in the world today, with some 5 million people possibly displaced. "If Russia continues down this path, it could, according to our estimates, create a new refugee crisis, one of the largest facing the world today, with as many as 5 million more people displaced by Russia's war of choice and putting pressure on Ukraine's neighbors," Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. "Has Russia headed these calls [for diplomacy]? No. Instead, it has responded with additional actions to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty, including mass disinformation, which we just heard again today, cyberattacks, and efforts to create a 'false flag' pretext," Thomas-Greenfield said adding, "Colleagues, there is no middle ground. Calling for both sides to deescalate only gives Russia a pass. Russia is the aggressor here." During the meeting, Thomas-Greenfield once again said that "Russia's aggression not only threatens all of Ukraine, but every member state and the UN itself." Moreover, she reiterated US' stand on Ukraine saying, "The United States rejects that firmly. This is 2022. We're not going back to an era of empires and colonies - or to the USSR or the Soviet Union. We have moved forward," Thomas-Greenfield said. "Colleagues now is not the time to sit on the sidelines. Now is the time to get off of the sidelines. Let us show Russia that it is isolated and alone in its aggressive actions. Let us stand fully behind the principles of sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity for Ukraine, and for all member states," she added. (ANI)
Sharon Muse, commonwealth's attorney for the 14th Judicial Circuit

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  Defendants in two prominent Central Kentucky murder cases could soon have their indictments dismissed after a judge's finding of possible prosecutorial error in the grand jury process.

Circuit Judge Jeremy Mattox issued two orders last week in Scott and Bourbon counties finding that more than 12 grand jurors had deliberated and voted on two different murder indictments, in apparent contradiction with the state constitution and law.

Because Kentucky requires only nine votes to indict, impaneling additional jurors increases the odds of obtaining an indictment.

These orders followed discovery motions from attorneys citing a letter from a now-resigned judge in the 14th circuit district to the Kentucky attorney general's office, which accused Commonwealth Attorney Sharon Muse Johnson of widespread prosecutorial misconduct in that same district and called for an investigation.

Related:Judge wants investigation of Kentucky prosecutor over conduct including filming reality TV

In addition to allegations that she had unethically pursued and filmed a reality television show pilot in her office, the letter from former Judge Brian Privett accused Muse Johnson of "recklessly handl(ing) grand jury presentations," including presentations to as many as 18 people in closed grand juries.

Five days after The Courier Journal first reported on Privett's allegations, two defense attorneys filed discovery motions for their clients in two murder cases to disclose how many grand jurors were presented evidence by prosecutors and voted on their indictments.

Attorney Greg Coulson filed one of these motions Feb. 2 for his client Joseph Hicks, who was indicted in Scott County in 2020 on charges of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Sheena Baxter, and hiding her body in his storage unit in another county.

Public defender Brad Gordon also filed a similar discovery motion that same day for his client Tyre Conner, who was indicted on murder charges in Bourbon County related to the 2020 killing of former star high school athlete Jekobi Wells.

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The following week, Coulson filed another discovery motion for his client Isaiah Beasley, a co-defendant with Conner who was indicted in August on charges of complicity to murder in the Wells case.

In response to Coulson's discovery motion in the Hicks case, Muse Johnson and Rob Johnson  her husband and assistant commonwealth's attorney who is running for circuit judge in the same district  wrote in a Feb. 6 filing that Privett's letter made "false allegations."

Rob Johnson is seen in a screen capture from a video ad produced for his 2018 campaign for appeals court judge.

Johnson's filing said the court should not allow grand jurors to be interviewed and there was "no proof" more than 12 jurors deliberated and voted on the indictment.

On Feb. 14, Mattox issued orders in both cases indicating he had interviewed grand jurors and found more than 12 people had deliberated and voted on the indictments of Hicks and Beasley.

More coverage: A husband-wife duo of judge and prosecutor? Kentucky candidacy raises conflict questions

As for the indictment of Hicks, Mattox wrote he watched video of the grand jury proceedings and reviewed their pay records, determining that 17 people participated and were paid.

After interviewing the grand jurors and securing their sworn affidavits, Mattox found "clear and convincing evidence that there were in excess of the 12 grand jurors" that the Kentucky constitution requires.

At least 15 jurors swore under oath that they were present during the deliberations, and at least 14 said they voted on the indictment, with their identities redacted in the affidavits filed with the court.

On the Beasley indictment, Mattox wrote he reviewed the video and interviewed the grand jury foreperson, who also swore in an affidavit that 13 grand jurors deliberated and voted on the indictment.

Mattox wrote in both orders that the two defendants had 30 days to file a formal challenge to the indictments, adding he had not made any legal conclusions on their validity.

On Monday, Coulson filed his motion to formally dismiss Beasley's indictment because of improper grand jury proceedings.

Citing the constitutional provision that a grand jury "shall consist of twelve persons, nine of whom concurring, may find an indictment," Coulson wrote that courts have held indictments by grand juries of more than 12 are "void," as "with each additional grand juror the ratio needed for an indictment shrinks in favor of the commonwealth."

"Given this grave issue, the nature of the evidence, and the clear constitutional nature of the protection, the court is left with no remedy other than dismissal of the indictment," Coulson wrote. "A process which is so fundamentally flawed, that is so easily complied with, and that initiates the most serious litigation a person can find themselves in cannot be tolerated. If the protection is to be real, if the constitutional mandate is to have any teeth, then the failure to follow it must result in dismissal of the matter."

Coulson noted that Mattox has already indicated any potential dismissal of an indictment would be without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could indict the defendant again if they chose.

Still, Coulson requested for Mattox to consider dismissing the indictment with prejudice, along with further investigation into "the pervasiveness of the improper actions with the grand jury" in the 14th circuit district comprised of Scott, Bourbon and Woodford counties.

"It appears that the improper usage of the grand jury has occurred in at least two matters and there is reason to believe that more may come to light," Coulson wrote.

Muse Johnson did not respond to emailed questions from The Courier Journal asking if she disputes Mattox's finding of fact on her grand jury proceedings, is concerned any murder indictments may be thrown out and if she plans to re-indict defendants if any are dismissed.

Karema Eldahan  the directing attorney for the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy's Georgetown office in the 14th circuit  told The Courier Journal her office is now in the process of pulling video and pay records for every grand jury proceeding in the past three years to see how many jurors deliberated and voted on indictments.

"I do believe we're going to see a pattern of this being an ongoing thing in all three counties since she took office, and then we will be filing motions accordingly on all of our cases," Eldahan said.

Eldahan has already contacted circuit clerks in all three counties and discovered Scott County was the only one where all grand jurors appear on video, so she also plans to file motions with Mattox for clients in Bourbon and Woodford counties to obtain all pay records for grand jurors.

She said Mattox would likely again be the one to contact individual jurors and not defense attorneys or prosecutors, adding this would likely be "a massive amount of work."

"I believe we have ethical duties to our clients to investigate whether or not the grand jury process was improper," Eldahan said. "But to the extent that it's been mishandled, we're still figuring that out."

Attorneys seek information on reality show

The discovery motions from the attorneys for Hicks and Conner also referred to the allegations from Privett that Muse Johnson had begun filming and production for a reality TV show in her office, requesting an order for her to produce possible exculpatory evidence for their clients.

The attorneys are seeking the identity of all "film production organizations" and "film crew" her office has communicated with and any records related to that alleged project.

In response to an open-records request from The Courier Journal for all correspondence between Sharon Muse Johnson and Minnesota-based television production company Tremendous! Entertainment, Muse Johnson turned over emails from her private account between her and Ronak Kordestani, the managing director of the company.

In the correspondence, ranging from August to October 2021, Muse Johnson discussed potential ideas for cases and scenes to film.

Muse Johnson shared audio clips from a 911 call and jail call of a man she had convicted of attempted murder earlier in the year, saying it is "something we can do for a scene." She asks Kordestani to "see if you want to pull some parts out for the filming," who replied "maybe we'll try and figure out a way to weave it in."

Related: A Kentucky judge called in favors for her addicted son. Did she obstruct justice?

She also provided Kordestani with a list of the categories of charges her office had handled over the previous eight months along with some details of some specific cases, writing that they "have around 800 active cases," so "we have plenty going on."

In her response to The Courier Journal, Muse Johnson wrote that she has had "a personal relationship for many years prior to my election" with Kordestani.

"These communications concerned potential television concepts, but it was ultimately decided that we would not be moving forward," Muse Johnson wrote. "As reflected, the information provided to Ms. Kordestani related to completed cases and information that was publically accessible."

Minutes from a 2020 meeting of the Prosecutors Advisory Council  the state agency led by appointees of the attorney general and governor that supervises and establishes standards for Kentucky prosecutors  showed they discussed concern over Muse Johnson having a private contract with a film crew and how this could affect cases.

The council then passed a motion requiring Muse Johnson to make PAC staff aware of "any further progress in the filming of Sharons office," as "situations would be addressed accordingly."

In another discovery motion filed Feb. 16 for Hicks, Coulson requested an order for the state's Commonwealth Office of Technology "to scan the computers, email, and other

electronic devices for the Commonwealth Attorneys Office for data and documents

related to this matter."

Coulson added in the motion that Muse Johnson "fails to deny that it attempted to make a reality television show" and "it is known that members of law enforcement from the agency which investigated this matter acted scenes out with her."

Georgetown Police Chief Michael Bosse told a local newspaper after The Courier Journal broke the news of the Privett letter that his office was involved in a brief filming, but called the project benign and said it did not fit the description of the letter.

There was an hour-and-a-half to two hour filming of two officers playing the roles of detectives in an idea or concept that had to do with the relationship between police and prosecutors Bosse told the Georgetown News-Graphic.

Muse Johnson never replied to a request for comment on Privett's letter, but her attorney later told the Herald-Leader "there is no reality show.

Ms. Muse-Johnson was interviewed by a production company who wanted her to consider developing some type of concept," wrote attorney R. Kenyon Meyer. "She never has received any compensation, and no show was ever developed. There is no factual or legal basis to Judge Privetts allegation that there is some legal or ethical issue.

Reach reporter Joe Sonka at jsonka@courierjournal.com and follow him on Twitter at @joesonka. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today at the top of this page.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky murder indictments could be dismissed over prosecutor errors
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 person is consoled in the street as Springfield police investigate a homicide in the 2500 block of South 10th Street in Springfield on Aug. 9. Three victims died of multiple shotgun wounds at a residence in the 2500 block of South 10th Street. Two men from Jacksonville have arrested in connection to the case. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]

Two men from Jacksonville have been charged in connection with the Aug. 9 triple homicide in Springfield's Harvard Park neighborhood.

Kelton C. Galmore, 21, was arrested by Springfield police working with U.S. marshals from the Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force without incident in Jacksonville Tuesday.

Joseph W. Hembrough, 33, was already in custody in Morgan County Jail, said Joshua Stuenkel, deputy chief of criminal investigations for the SPD.

See also: 'Historic': Springfield Fire Department gets nod for new equipment, 3 new stations

Galmore had a court date in Morgan County Tuesday on a 2020 manufacturing and delivery charge. Galmore had bonded out on that case.

Hembrough had been jailed for unlawful possession of weapon by a felon.

Each man was charged with three counts of first-degree murder Wednesday, said Sangamon County State's Attorney Dan Wright.

Galmore was arraigned in Sangamon County court Wednesday and is jailed in Springfield.

Hembrough was in custody in Jacksonville. He was expected to be moved to Springfield.

Both have bonds of $5 million.

The victims, Savante English, 27, and Keyera Gant, 25, both of Springfield, and Bryant K. Williams, 27, of Houston, all died of multiple shotgun wounds at a residence in the 2500 block of South 10th Street.

English and Gant were cousins. English and Williams, a budding rapper who went by "BK Yola," were childhood friends in Springfield.

Earlier: Police investigation continues into Aug. 9 triple homicide in Springfield

English lived in the 10th Street residence for several years. He worked at JBS Beardstown.

A memorial of candles and stuffed animals has been setup on the steps of the home where Savante English, Keyera Gant and Bryant K. Williams were killed in the 2500 block of South 10th Street in Springfield, Ill., Monday, August 23, 2021. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]

Gant worked as a staffing coordinator at Home Instead Senior Care, which provides home care services to seniors in Sangamon, Logan and Menard counties.

Stuenkel on Tuesday didn't go into any detail about the possible relationships between Galmore and Hembrough and the victims.

Stuenkel told The State Journal-Register on Aug. 11 that authorities didn't think the triple homicide was "a random act of violence. (The perpetrators) chose this house for a reason."

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Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon described the crime scene at the time as one of the most horrific scenes he had ever seen in his 20 years at the coroners office.

Galmore and Hembrough could face 45 years to natural life behind bars on each count and mandatory life if convicted on two or more first-degree murder counts, according to Wright. Any sentence would have to be served at 100%.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: 2 men arrested in connection with Springfield, IL triple homicide
Most politicians with national ambitions are playing coy about running for president in 2024. But behind the scenes, Republicans are on a quiet and unprecedented spending spree to build the foundations for potential national campaigns.

A half-dozen potential GOP candidates, most of whom wont be on the ballot in 2022, still spent more than $1.4 million each on email list rentals, digital consulting and online fundraising in 2021, according to a POLITICO analysis of campaign finance disclosures. Some were building an online base from scratch, while others were expanding on existing programs. But all of them are already running a race to build the type of fundraising base that can sustain a national campaign and test their appeal to a national audience.

The prime example is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), whose campaign committee spent a whopping $13.6 million overall in 2021  more than almost every senator running for reelection in 2022, even though Cruzs seat isnt up for two more years. At least $3.3 million of that went into digital services, while Sen. Josh Hawleys (R-Mo.) campaign spent $1.7 million online last year. Two PACs started by contenders currently out of office, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, spent $2.4 million and $1.4 million online, respectively.

And hanging over everything is former President Donald Trump, whose Save America political operation spent $6.4 million on digital politicking in 2021, including $2.8 million on ads, according to data shared by Bully Pulpit Interactive, a Democratic firm that tracks these expenditures.



Anyone whos serious about running for president in 2024 has already begun building a campaign behind the scenes, and the foundation of a good campaign is a big database of supporters, said Alex Conant, a Republican consultant who worked on Marco Rubios 2016 presidential bid. You cant wait until you launch your campaign to build an online donor base.

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Especially for candidates who are not currently in office, theres definitely some interest here. Whether that means 2024 or 2028, thats an open question, said Tim Cameron, a Republican digital consultant.

Forming these outside groups or super PACs, and using them as a vehicle for online list building, is the new exploratory committee, Cameron said. This is how you test the waters.

Growing a digital operation is not a guarantee that any candidate will run for president, but its about leaving options open, GOP operatives said. It also reflects the rising cost of running a statewide race and the realities that any modern campaign must include small-dollar donors. Senate campaigns, from Georgia to Arizona, smashed fundraising and spending records in 2020, costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Rubios (R-Fla.) campaigns also spent big on digital expenditures last year, though theyre running for reelection this year. In 2020, South Carolina hosted one of the most expensive Senate races in history, and while its not expected to draw nearly as much attention in 2022, Scott spent $5.5 million on digital-related efforts last year. In Florida, a perennial battleground, Rubio spent nearly $1.8 million on it.

Every race has become nationalized in terms of fundraising, so even if youre just running for Senate in Florida, its important that you have support in 49 other states because you need that fundraising help, said Terry Sullivan, who managed Rubios 2016 presidential bid. He added that a large bank account can ward off primary challengers in your own state, too.

It can be both, said Michael Duncan, a Republican digital consultant. It can be, Im planning on running for president, and it can also be, I want to have a national profile and have more influence in the caucus.



There are other ways to measure potential interest in the next presidential race, including travel to states like Iowa and New Hampshire and contributions to candidates in those early-voting states. Next month, New Hampshire Republican Party fundraiser in D.C. will feature Sens. Cruz, Tim Scott and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), all of whom made trips to early-voting states over the last year.

But the spending dynamic over the last year is nearly identical to the digital arms race that played out among Democrats four years ago, well ahead of the 2020 presidential campaign. Having watched Bernie Sanders digital fundraising operation grow into a behemoth in 2016  and knowing they would likely have to compete with Sanders in 2020  Democratic presidential hopefuls spent millions building their online capabilities.

Then-Sen. Kamala Harris, in particular, focused on building a strong digital infrastructure, dropping more than $1.2 million on Facebook ads during the second half of 2018. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kristen Gillibrand raised over $10 million online while running in noncompetitive Senate races in 2018.

Tim Tagaris, who ran Sanders vaunted digital operation, said his team was always looking at FEC data to see the size of operations people were building in advance of the 2020 campaign. Theyd also compare those totals to the volume raised on ActBlue, the fundraising platform used by Democratic candidates and campaigns, to see if there was any traction there.

Like in 2018 on the Democratic side, the more organized ones are spending now to prepare for 2023, and those will be the better-organized, better-funded campaigns, said Peter Albrecht, a Democratic digital consultant.

Nothing approaching the activity on the Republican side is happening in Democratic politics, with President Joe Biden indicating he plans to run for reelection in 2024 and freezing other activity in the party. Still, prominent Democrats arent letting their email lists go stale. For example, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who ran for president in 2020, spent nearly $2 million out of her campaign account last year, even though shes not up for reelection until 2024.



Some of the early preparation among Republicans may stem from them eying a tactic that sprang out of the Democratic primary. In 2019 and 2020, the Democratic National Committee required candidates to have certain numbers of small-dollar donors to reach the primary debate stages, a move that led to an unprecedented small-dollar acquisition effort, which benefited the ultimate nominee, Duncan said.

The DNC put it in its rules for the debate stage, Duncan added, and I hope [the RNC] does that, too.

And, part of considering a presidential run  and making the pitch to high-dollar donors that you can succeed  means demonstrating the ability to gain national traction. Running a robust, successful small-dollar fundraising operation is a good test case for that, said Eric Wilson, a Republican digital consultant, who still noted that its not a firm indication that any particular Republican is running for president.

If you can raise money online from the grassroots, that informs your strength as a potential candidate, Wilson added. Its a good proof of concept.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  A Connecticut newspaper exposed one of the Catholic Churchs biggest sexual abuse scandals by reporting 25 years ago Wednesday that eight men had accused the revered founder of the Legion of Christ religious order of raping and molesting them when they were boys preparing for the priesthood.

It took a decade for the Vatican to sanction the founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, and another decade for the Legion to admit he was a serial pedophile who had violated at least 60 boys. In the meantime, the original whistleblowers suffered a defamation campaign by the Legion, which branded them liars bent on creating a conspiracy to hurt a man considered a living saint.

As they marked the quarter-century anniversary of revelations that tarnished the legacy of St. John Paul II, three of Maciel's victims are still seeking reparations from the Legion to compensate for the abuse they suffered and the moral harm done to their reputations by the order.

They had refused earlier compensation offers that their fellow survivors accepted, and a mediation process begun in 2019 has stalled, according to emails and documents provided to The Associated Press.

The Vatican in 2010 took over the Mexico-based Legion and imposed a process of reform after an investigation showed that Maciel had sexually abused seminarians and fathered at least three children with two women. The Vatican found he had created a system of power built on silence, deceit and obedience that enabled him lead a double life.

The findings were by no means news to the Holy See: Documents from Vatican archives show how a succession of popes, cardinals and bishops starting in the 1950s simply turned a blind eye to credible reports that Maciel was a con artist, drug addict, pedophile and religious fraud. The Vatican and especially John Paul, however, appreciated his ability to bring in vocations and donations.

The reality of Maciels depravity burst into the public domain Feb. 23, 1997, when The Hartford Courant published a lengthy expose by investigative journalists Jason Berry and the late Gerald Renner about Maciel and the order, whose U.S. headquarters were based in Connecticut.

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The story, which formed the basis of a 2004 book Vows of Silence, quoted several victims by name who independently reported that Maciel would bring them into his bedroom at night, and under the pretense of abdominal pain, induce them to masterbate him.

When The Courant ran the long investigative piece Renner and I did on Maciel, we thought Pope John Paul II would see the light and punish Maciel, Berry told the AP in an email. He noted that other mainstream media only began reporting on clergy sexual abuse after the Boston Globe's Spotlight revelations in 2002. "By then, John Pauls blind faith in Maciel was a cover-up by any other term, and lasted till his death.

A year after the original Courant story, in 1998, the victims filed a formal canonical complaint against Maciel with the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where the case languished until after John Paul died. Maciel was sentenced in 2006 to a lifetime of penance and prayer, and he died in 2008, still considered a saint by the Legion.

Following the Vatican-mandated reform process, the Legion apologized and tried to make amends, even as it has been forced to confront revelations of a new generation of abusers within its ranks  some of them Maciels original victims  and the superiors who covered up for the crimes, some of whom remain in power.

In 2020, the Legion publicly retracted the negative institutional and personal judgments about the character and motivations of the people who made legitimate and necessary accusations in the original Courant expose. Naming the original victims, it said Today we recognize as prophetic their accusations in favor of truth and justice.

But Jose Barba, one of the most vocal of the original eight survivors, wants the Legion to formally retract what he calls the lies the order provided to the Courant to discredit him and the other victims. They include what he says were a falsified letter from a Chilean bishop who had investigated Maciel in the 1950s, and false statements from four Mexicans who claimed the victims had tried to enlist them in a conspiracy against Maciel.

Barba, who says he represents fellow survivors Arturo Jurado and Jose Antonio Perez Olvera, drafted a proposed letter to the Courant and the Vatican newspaper that he wanted the Legion to submit to retract the claims. But then Legion superior, the Rev. Eduardo Robles-Gil, refused during a December 2019 mediation meeting in Mexico City, Barba said.

In a Jan. 4, 2020 summary of that meeting, Barba said the Legions initial calculus of a low five-figure settlement offer for each of the three remaining victims was a humiliation, and he proposed a team of five arbitration experts to determine a more just reparation.

Robles-Gil signed the summary but wrote: I receive this without accepting the process that is asked for and it remains at our consideration to accept it or not.

The Legions new superior, the Rev. John Connor, tried unsuccessfully to engage with Barba after his February 2020 election, sending two letters that went unanswered until Barba emailed him on Jan. 5, 2021, seeking to restart negotiations.

Connor assured him he wanted to find ways to contribute to heal and close the painful events of the history of our congregation. But in an email, Connor said Barbas proposal for five arbitration experts wouldnt help in finding a shared resolution.

Barba never replied. I dont trust them because its not in good faith, he told the AP.

In a statement to the AP, Legion spokesman the Rev. Aaron Smith noted that the order had reached settlements with most of the historic victims and hoped for a resolution with the remaining ones.

We are sad that meeting still has not happened, especially considering the positive experience of the encounters with other victims of Fr. Maciel, Smith said in a statement. We continue to remain hopeful it will take place in the near future permitting open dialogue with him.

Barba, meanwhile, says he is getting old and his two confreres are ailing. While they are hailed by ex-Legionaries as los 8 Magnificos (the Magnificent Eight) for having stood up to Maciel and the order, Barba recalls a Nov. 8, 1997 letter he and the others wrote to John Paul, translated into Polish, asking for the pope to hear their pain and do something.

It appears inconceivable to us, Holy Father, that our grave revelations and complaints mattered absolutely nothing to you, they wrote, according to a copy of the letter provided to the AP. We want the church and society to understand that all we want is justice: not only for legitimate personal vindication, but for the good of the church and society.
At least 4 people were killed Tuesday morning after a military-contracted helicopter crashed at a missile range facility in Kauai, Hawaii.

The helicopter, a Sikorsky S-61N, was supporting a training operation at the Navy facility when it crashed on its northern end around 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Pacific Missile Range Facility's public affairs office.

Four people died as a result of the crash, the Navy said. It was not clear whether the four deceased were civilians or military personnel, and their names have not been released.

A Pacific Missile Range Facility spokesperson said the helicopter was operated by the Croman Corporation, an Oregon-based helicopter operating company that provides helicopters for fire suppression, logging, heavy-lift construction, and other purposes according to the company's website.

'WE LOST RADAR CONTACT': Officer dies in California when helicopter slams into bay, hours after Miami Beach crash

The corporation provides "range support services" to the missile range facility, according to the U.S. Navy.

The Navy describes the Pacific Missile Range Facility as "the world's largest instrumented multi-environmental range capable of supported surface, subsurface, air, and space operations simultaneously." It covers over 1,100 square miles of instrumented underwater range and over 42,000 square miles of controlled airspace, according to the Navy.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, officials said.

Tuesday's helicopter crash follows several others across the country within recent days. One helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near a crowded stretch of Miami Beach, Florida, on Feb. 19. Hours later that same day, a police helicopter slammed into Newport Bay, California, killing one officer and critically injuring another.

And two Utah National Guard helicopters crashed Tuesday in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, morning during a training exercise, officials said. No one was injured in that crash.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hawaii helicopter crash leaves 4 dead at missile range Hawaii facility
A 4-year-old fired at police officers as his father was being taken into custody, Utah police said.

Police say the child's father brandished a weapon at McDonald's employees over an incorrect order.

The child who fired the gun at police was in the back seat with his 3-year-old sibling.

A 4-year-old opened fire at police officers after his father told him to as he was being taken into custody, Utah police said.

A man received an incorrect order after going through a McDonald's drive-thru Monday afternoon and then "brandished a firearm at the employees," the Unified Police Department said in a press release.

The employees at the Midvale, Utah, McDonald's called police, who said the man refused to exit the vehicle and had to be pulled from the car.

"While taking the male into custody, an officer turned back toward the vehicle and saw a gun pointing out from the rear window," the press release said. "The officer vocalized to other officers there was a gun while swiping the gun to the side as a round was fired from the gun."

The officer, who sustained a minor injury in the arm, realized it was a child who had fired and alerted other officers, the release said. UPD did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"The child who fired the weapon is four years old and was in the backseat of the car with a three-year-old sibling. Information collected during this ongoing investigation indicates that the father of the child told the child to shoot at the police," according to the press release.

The father was identified to the New York Post by police as 27-year-old Sadaat Shamille Johnson. County records show Johnson was charged with child abuse and threatening the use of a dangerous weapon in a fight.

UPD Sheriff Rosie Rivera said it was "beyond belief that something like could happen," adding that it was a "sad day" for law enforcement.

"To have an adult think it is okay to encourage a four-year-old to pull a firearm and shoot at police illustrates how out of hand the campaign against police has gotten. This needs to stop and we need to come together as a community to find solutions to the challenges we face in our neighborhoods," Rivera said in the press release.

The incident unfolded at the McDonald's at 425 W. 7200 S in Midvale, police said. A McDonald's spokesperson did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has put 80% of the troops he has assembled in a position to launch a full-scale invasion on Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said on Wednesday.

"He is as ready as he can be," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The remarks added to a sense of imminence of a possible Russian military onslaught, challenging any notion that Washington expected Putin to stop after recognizing the independence of two Moscow-backed rebel regions this week.

"They have advanced their readiness to a point where they are literally ready to go - now - if they get the order," the official said, without providing evidence to support the assertion.

The United States has assessed that more than 150,000 Russian forces are assembled around Ukraine. The senior U.S. official said the Russian troops had taken ready positions, with some as little as 5 kilometers (three miles) from Ukraine's border.

The Russian forces are largely land-based troops, including more than 120 battalion tactical groups. But Putin has also deployed more than two dozen warships in the Black Sea, including landing ships with Marines aboard, and counts significant artillery and missile forces, the official said.

To date, the Russian military has assembled nearly 100% of the forces that the United States anticipated it would mobilize for a large-scale attack, the official said.

The United States has been troubled by indications that Russia plans to mobilize its reserve forces.

"We do have indications that they plan to use reserves and their equivalent of the National Guard and that is concerning because that would connote to us ... long-term goals," the official said.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Howard Goller)
BOSTON (AP)  Americas first newspaper dedicated to ending slavery is being resurrected and reimagined more than two centuries later as the nation continues to grapple with its legacy of racism.

The revived version of The Emancipator is a joint effort by Boston Universitys Center for Antiracist Research and The Boston Globes Opinion team thats expected to launch in the coming months.

Deborah Douglas and Amber Payne, co-editors-in-chief of the new online publication, say it will feature written and video opinion pieces, multimedia series, virtual talks and other content by respected scholars and seasoned journalists. The goal, they say, is to reframe the national conversation around racial injustice.

I like to say its anti-racism, every day, on purpose, said Douglas, who joined the project after working as a journalism professor at DePauw University in Indiana. We are targeting anyone who wants to be a part of the solution to creating an anti-racist society because we think that leads us to our true north, which is democracy.

The original Emancipator was founded in 1820 in Jonesborough, Tennessee, by iron manufacturer Elihu Embree, with the stated purpose to advocate the abolition of slavery and to be a repository of tracts on that interesting and important subject, according to a digital collection of the monthly newsletter at the University of Tennessee library.

Before Embree's untimely death from a fever ended its brief run later that year, The Emancipator reached a circulation of more than 2,000, with copies distributed throughout the South and in northern cities like Boston and Philadelphia that were centers of the abolition movement.

Douglas and Payne say drawing on the paper's legacy is appropriate now because it was likely difficult for Americans to envision a country without slavery back then, just as many people today likely cant imagine a nation without racism. The new Emancipator was announced last March, nearly a year after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020 sparked social justice movements worldwide.

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Those abolitionists were considered radical and extreme, Douglas said. But thats part of our job as journalists  providing those tools, those perspectives that can help them imagine a different world.

Other projects have also recently come online taking the mantle of abolitionist newspapers, including The North Star, a media site launched in 2019 by civil rights activist Shaun King and journalist Benjamin Dixon thats billed as a revival of Frederick Douglass' influential anti-slavery newspaper.

Douglas said The Emancipator, which is free to the public and primarily funded through philanthropic donations, will stand out because of its focus on incisive commentary and rigorous academic work. The publications staff, once it's ramped up, will largely eschew the typical quick turnaround, breaking news coverage, she said.

This is really deep reporting, deep research and deep analysis thats scholarly driven but written at a level that everyone can understand, Douglas said. Everybody is invited to this conversation. We want it to be accessible, digestible and, hopefully, actionable.

The publication also hopes to serve as a bulwark against racist misinformation, with truth-telling explanatory videos and articles, she added. Itll take a critical look at popular culture, film, music and television and, as the pandemic eases, look to host live events around Boston.

Every time someone twists words, issues, situations or experiences, we want to be there like whack-a-mole, whacking it down with the facts and the context, Douglas said.

Another critical focus of the publication will be spotlighting solutions to some of the nations most intractable racial problems, added Payne, who joined the project after working as a managing editor at BET.com and an executive producer at Teen Vogue.

There are community groups, advocates and legislators who are really taking matters into their own hands so how do we amplify those solutions and get those stories told? she said. At the academic level, theres so much scholarly research that just doesnt fit into a neat, 800-word Washington Post op-ed. It requires more excavation. It requires maybe a multimedia series. Maybe it needs a video. So we think that we are really uniquely positioned.

The project has already posted a couple of representative pieces. To mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building, The Emancipator published an interview with a Harvard social justice professor and commentary from a Boston College poetry professor.

It also posted on social media a video featuring Ibram X. Kendi, founding director of BUs anti-racism center and author of How to be an Antiracist, reflecting on white supremacy. Kendi co-founded the project with Bina Venkataraman, editor-at-large at The Boston Globe.

And while the new Emancipator is primarily focused on the Black community, Douglas and Payne stress it will also tackle issues facing other communities of color, such as the rise in anti-Asian hate during the global coronavirus pandemic.

They argue The Emancipators mission is all the more critical now as the debate over how racism is taught has made schools the latest political battleground.

Our country is so polarized that partisanship is trumping science and trumping historical records, Payne said. These ongoing crusades against affirmative action, against critical race theory are not going away. That drumbeat is continuing and so therefore our drumbeat needs to continue.
Activism isnt only alive and well  its taking new forms that will impact the entire ecosystem, from proxy advisors to bankers to companies themselves. To discuss the market landscape, CorpGov and The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association hosted the 2022 Winter Activism Forum on Feb. 16 featuring leading market participants and advisors who have consulted on board intelligence and the most prominent activism campaigns in recent years. The panel discussed the 2022 proxy season, ESG-based activism, proxy advisor considerations, SPAC-tivism and more with data from AI-enabled research platform Sentieo. The live event featured speakers from Jefferies Financial Group Inc., Glass Lewis, Vinson & Elkins, ICR, Longacre Square Partners, Morrow Sodali, and Legion Partners, running approximately 90 minutes including a live Q&A session with the audience.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL REPLAY ON DEMAND or watch highlight videos with each panelist below:

Dan Zacchei, Managing Partner, Longacre Square Partners, gives an overview of the incredibly robust proxy season so far in 2022. Not only are we seeing activists trying to break up deals, but also campaigns seeking to put companies in play, creating a feedback loop between M&A and activism, he explains.

Phil Denning, Partner, Co-Head of Special Situations, ICR, explains how activism is increasingly part of the conversation with his roster of publicly-treaded clients. Telling the better story and thinking deeply about the business case and value case are as crucial as ever. We are saying to management teams, youre publicly traded and need to be thinking about your vulnerabilities,' he says.

Lyndon Park, Partner, Head of Governance Solutions, ICR, explains how ESG concerns are catalyzing massive capital allocation, expected to influence one third of global AUM by 2025. He emphasizes that newly-public companies have been quick to brush up on ESG reporting given the tremendous interest from investors. In this environment, ESG absolutely drives the money and companies will follow the money so theyre getting hip to it much earlier now, he says, adding that public boards need to accept the continued blurring of ESG funds and regular funds.

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Activist investor Ted White, Managing Director, Legion Partners Asset Management LLC, discusses how years-long engagements with companies that center on cultural nuances can quickly morph into entirely different affairs once a proxy fight begins. It turns into a little bit like politics and a battle of news snippets, he says, adding that the details of those highly-public discussions are really only a small percentage of what needs to be addressed.

Mark Grothe, Senior Research Analyst, M&A and Contested Situations, Glass Lewis, a leading proxy advisor that gives investors recommendation on key shareholder votes, discusses how his firms default approach is generally to support SPAC mergers (while still voicing concerns over anything from valuation to governance). He points out that the share price of a SPAC before a deal closes may not reflect the true value of the business. Theres a lot of trading in and out, theres a lot of share turnover before that de-SPAC transaction hits and I think you really get away from the fundamental value being reflected, he says.

Chris Young, Managing Director and Global Head of Contested Situations, Jefferies Financial Group Inc., points out that its very easy to come up with justifications for short-term underperformance, which has led the financial community to look at 1-, 3- and 5-year returns as a standard. He added that longer-term results become the focus especially with people like Joele Frank and others who know how to spin this thing that this was all temporaryand were a newborn baby in the public markets.

Michael Verrechia, Managing Director, M&A and Activism Advisory Group, Morrow Sodali, explains how many companies with significant retail shareholder populations dont do enough to engage with these investors. In his experience of more-than 20 years, he has observed companies cut down on communications with retail shareholders as a cost savings measure. If youre a retail shareholder with a significant investment, you may not move the needle share wise by yourself but you still have a significant investment in the company and you dont want to feel neglected, he adds.

Panelists:

Topics included:

Activism in turbulent markets

ESG-based activism

M&A-driven campaigns

SPAC-tivism

Proxy advisor considerations

Corporate preparedness

COVID-19 concerns in 2022 and beyond

Contact:

www.CorpGov.com

Editor@CorpGov.com

Twitter: @CorpGovernor
Growing up in Anne Arundel County, Ashley Williams said she experienced microaggressions  intentional or unintentional insensitive comments to people based on their race or gender. Students would say she was familiar with government assistance because she is Black. Williams, whose family at the time was not receiving government assistance, said she also felt lonely because she was one of three Black students in her Advanced Placement Spanish, U.S. History and Calculus classes.

Her childhood experience  in part  propelled her to teach herself about emotional intelligence as well as to become an instructor at Awake Yoga Meditation in Coldspring. She also wrote the emotional intelligence and mindfulness curriculum as director of climate and culture at Southwest Baltimore Charter School in New Southwest/Mt. Clare. Four years ago, she launched an emotional wellness software for children K-12 named Clymb, formerly Infinite Schools, that offers different methods for children to cope with stress, including breathing exercises, ways of moving and mindfulness.

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Ashley Williams is the CEO and founder of Clymb, which makes software designed to increase emotional intelligence. (HANDOUT) (Brian Furr)

What I love about the software is how intuitive it is. I love how efficient it is in delivering a scientific method of improving emotional intelligence, she said referring to insights from the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, an organization that promotes social emotional learning in schools, used in the software.

The software is sold to organizations, not individuals, like nonprofits and schools. The price depends on the number of children that the organization serves, she said, declining to be more specific.

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We monitor emotional intelligence over time over all the organizations that utilize our platform in real time, Williams said. Were able to see the change and transformation of engaging with emotional resources for young people.

Valencia Clay-Bell, a former middle school English teacher for Southwest Baltimore Charter School, said she wished she had access to a similar software when she attended school as a child. When she was a teacher, she said her students told her the meditation techniques were helpful, she said, adding that depending on the type of stress, it can cause learning difficulties.

Diamonte Brown, president of Baltimore Teachers Union, which represents city schools staff, said she likes that the software is age-appropriate.

The software is in use at nine Baltimore Public School sites, including Southwest Baltimore Charter School and Living Classrooms Foundation. Also, Clymb is working on a study in partnership with the American Heart Association to learn about the impact that an emotional health software can have in a community.

[The software is focused] on social, emotional learning versus academics. I like that students can do it without the teachers help, Brown said. I like that its short lessons  I like that it actually allows the students to actually practice whatever skill is being taught, not just learn the skill in theory.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Williams, 35, of Gwynn Oak in West Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She grew up in Millersville, and graduated from Old Mill Senior High School. She landed her first education job as an educator for Southwest Baltimore Charter School in 2006, according to her LinkedIn profile, and left the school as director of climate and culture in 2017.

As CEO and founder of Clymb, she said it was not easy in the beginning, but she didnt give up and took advantage of both the Johns Hopkins Social Innovation Lab and the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship & Innovations Works, which taught her how to build a successful business and raise capital, among other things.

Her accolades include winning the Baltimore Elevation Award, getting recognized by the state as one of the innovative business to learn about during Black History Month, rocking the list of technology news outlet Technical.lys as No. 8 of 20 top most promising tech companies in Baltimore, and others.

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But the work does not stop here.

In March, she will launch the Prioritize Emotional Health Petition to raise awareness and dedicate funding from congress for mental and emotional wellness.

The idea is that we want to amplify this conversation around the use of emotional wellness for young people, she said. Right now, young people are experiencing depression and anxiety at an astonishing rate. The mental health crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

This article is part of our Newsmaker series, which profiles notable people in the Baltimore region who are having an impact in our diverse communities. If youd like to suggest someone who should be profiled, please send their name and a short description of what they are doing to make a difference to: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Editor Kamau High at khigh@baltsun.com.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images

Kinzinger ripped into his GOP colleagues for attacking Joe Biden after the president announced sanctions against Russia.

House Republicans tweeted about Biden: "This is what weakness on the world stage looks like."

Kinzinger replied: "You can criticize policy but this is insane and feeds into Putin's narrative."

Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Tuesday blasted his fellow House Republicans for attacking President Joe Biden after the president announced new sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

"As still 'technically' a member of house Republicans, let me, with all my might, condemn this damn awful tweet during this crisis," the Illinois Republican wrote in response to the House GOP tweeting against Biden following his announcement.

The president unveiled new "full blocking sanctions" on two large Russian financial institutions  VEB and Russia's military bank. Additional sanctions also target Russia's sovereign debt, and apply to Russian elites and their family members.

Russia will pay an even "steeper price" if it takes further action against Ukraine, Biden said. He cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared poised to take more of Ukraine's territory by force, while sternly warning the Russian leader against taking any aggressive steps toward NATO allies in the region.

Minutes later, House Republicans tweeted a photo of Biden at the White House as he walked away from the podium where he'd provided an update on the US response to Russia, with the caption: "This is what weakness on the world stage looks like."

Kinzinger ripped into his colleagues' comments, claiming they prop up Putin.

"You can criticize policy but this is insane and feeds into Putins narrative. But hey, retweets amirite?" he wrote.

Kinzinger has been attacked and undermined by his GOP colleagues for his criticism of former President Donald Trump. He and Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, also an outspoken Trump critic, were recently censured by the Republican National Committee for serving on the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot.

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Kinzinger continued to press his colleagues later on Tuesday evening after Trump spoke highly of Putin's justification for invading Ukraine, calling his actions "savvy" and "genius."

"Maybe @GOPLeader should give his take on the former guys pro Putin comments?" Kinzinger tweeted, tagging House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

As president, Trump routinely praised Putin, despite the Russian leader's authoritarian behavior and poor US-Russia relations. Historians and experts on autocrats have said that Trump's behavior emboldened Putin  as well as other leaders like him.

On Tuesday, Biden said Russia's actions against Ukraine this week marked the "beginning of an invasion." Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk  two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine  as independent. Russia also announced it's sending so-called "peacekeepers" into eastern Ukraine. This came after Putin delivered an incendiary speech rewriting Ukraine's history and effectively suggesting it's not a real country.

Putin's recent rhetoric and moves toward Ukraine have prompted a wave of global condemnation and sanctions. The UK and European Union, in coordination with the US, also slapped new economic penalties on Russia over the Ukraine invasion. Germany also halted the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline  a move that many in Washington and Kyiv had been pushing for.

Russia in 2014 invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, and since that year has supported rebels in a war against Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region that's killed over 13,000 people and displaced 1.5 million.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Air Force said Monday it will let airmen, not commanders, decide who in their household will serve as the primary and secondary caregivers for a newborn baby or recently adopted child.

Some airmen have been frustrated by bosses who wont allow them to opt into or out of becoming primary caregiver  sometimes when traditional gender roles dont apply  depending on which setup they prefer.

Service members are responsible for determining who the primary caregiver/secondary caregiver is and must then submit appropriate leave [requests] to their commander, Air Force personnel chief Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly wrote in a letter to the service.

Commanders then balance mission requirements with leave policy and guidelines and exercise appropriate discretion when approving or disapproving leave for a qualifying birth event or adoption, he added.

Military parents would get 12 weeks of leave to care for new children under congressional proposal

The Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page posted the message on Wednesday. Service spokesperson Laurel Tingley confirmed its authenticity.

Primary parents who serve in the Air Force currently receive six weeks of leave to care for their new child; secondary parents get three weeks. Maternity convalescent leave lasts six weeks as well.

Still, the distinction between primary and secondary caregivers wont last long. The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act ditches those terms to instead allow any qualifying service member to receive 12 weeks of leave after newly giving birth, adopting or fostering.

We will provide updated guidance implementing the new law upon receipt of official [Office of the Secretary of Defense] policy, which we anticipate later this year, Kelly wrote.

In January, one airmans plight garnered attention when his unit commander refused to honor his request to be his newborns primary caregiver because the airman himself did not give birth. The commander also wanted medical information to prove the airmans need to oversee the babys welfare, Task and Purpose reported Feb. 11.

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The Air Force didn't have a manual for pregnant airmen, so this mom made one

The Air Force instruction is less prescriptive than the commander was trying to enforce, the unnamed airman argued.

My wife and I chose not to give him any specifics into her medical status, he wrote in a Nov. 1, 2021, complaint. I did inform my commander that the information he was requesting was between myself, my spouse and her doctor. I also informed him that I did have a qualifying birth event due to the birth of my son.

Maj. Gen. Joel Jackson, head of the Air Force District of Washington, overrode the rejection and granted the airman 42 days of parental leave in a Jan. 26 memo. But the same letter noted that because the airmans commander does not have his own formal policy to decide who will become primary caregiver, Jackson could not rescind a policy that doesnt exist.

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., who has championed parental leave as chair of the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee, asked the Air Force to clarify the matter.

I find it appalling that a commander would wrongfully refuse to allow a service member their choice of caregiver status merely due to an assumed gender norm that a male service member would not be the primary caregiver, she wrote to Kelly on Feb. 16.

Kelly wrote that his memo aims to ensure leadership at all levels of the Air Force are aware of the spirit and intent of this policy and are implementing it correctly.

My belief is this was a one-time unfortunate incident that we should not see again going forward, particularly as we implement your new legislation, he wrote to Speier on Tuesday. The congresswomans office provided their correspondence to Air Force Times.

The other armed forces have similar wording that lets troops pick a main caregiver at their discretion, though the Navy is the strictest.

By default, a primary caregiver is the person who physically gives birth and is not a military member, according to Navy guidance. For couples who both serve in the armed forces, the person in the least operational position is the default for primary responsibility.

The commanding officer of the member has the authority to designate [primary caregiver] status on a case-by-case basis when it can be demonstrated that the default  is unavailable to administer the necessary care to the child, the Navy says.

Army and Marine Corps regulations are more open-ended and flexible.

We are hopeful once the new provision goes into effect this December, this issue will be resolved, a Speier aide said.
ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INCORPORATED SUPPORTS THE EXPEDIENT CONFIRMATION OF A BLACK WOMAN TO BECOME THE NEXT UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

PR Newswire

CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022

by Glenda Glover, Ph.D., JD, CPA, International President and CEO, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Steeped in far more than historical significance, the confirmation of a Black woman to the highest court of the land would represent yet another significant step in America fulfilling its promise to African Americans who helped build this country. The appointment of a Black woman to the United States Supreme Court is a long time coming. In fact, it was 55 years ago in 1967 that Justice Thurgood Marshall  the first African American  was appointed to the nation's high court and 40 years ago in 1981 when Justice Sandra Day O'Connor  the first woman  was appointed to the Supreme Court. Rather than a long time coming, for many, this appointment is a long time overdue. Either way, the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated stand in support of the Biden-Harris Administration in fulfilling this promise.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority International President and CEO and Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover, Ph.D.

"The appointment of a Black woman to the United States Supreme Court is a long time coming," says Dr. Glenda Glover.

Founded in 1908 by African-American women who were service-minded scholars, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is comprised of professional women who have succeeded despite unimaginable odds to lead in every area of human endeavor. Sadly, however, there are still "firsts" to be achieved and glass ceilings that still must be shattered.

We are encouraged by the fact that with so many Black women serving as attorneys, state and federal judges, law clerks, public defenders, prosecutors, corporate counsel, law professors and non-profit lawyers  all fighting on the frontlines of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in America  there has never been more qualified Black women ready to meet this moment. It has only been the glaring absence of opportunity that has stunted our progress and impeded the Supreme Court from reflecting the true diversity of these United States. We are now waiting with resigned anticipation that this glaring omission will be corrected with President Biden's commitment to nominate the first Black woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court by the end of February.

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We stand united in the continued fight for Black women to be represented in all arenas important to the progress of our nation, and we are ready to walk arm-in-arm with this administration every step of the way as some of the very best and brightest Black women judges and attorneys are identified, vetted, interviewed, and presented to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.

Finally, we support swift confirmation hearings under the leadership of Senator Dick Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, leading to a fair vote for the chosen candidate. We also call for the highest level of professionalism befitting the institution and solemnity of the U.S. Senate and worthy of the ultimate nominee's qualifications and accomplishments for this sacred service.

To witness a Black woman confirmed as a United States Supreme Court Justice for the first time in the Court's 233-year history will merely affirm what we all already know to be true. There are countless Black women in the legal field who have distinguished themselves as brilliant jurists, fierce advocates, and venerable legal scholars and made tremendous sacrifices to shape the laws of the land and help secure justice for all. Charlotte E. Ray would be one case in point. Attorney Ray was the first African-American woman lawyer in the United States. She graduated from Howard University Law School in 1872 upon gaining admission under the name C.E. Ray and was the first woman admitted to the District of Columbia Bar 150 years ago. Described as a woman of "decided ability" and "one of the best lawyers on corporations in the country," she was unable to sustain her legal practice and was eventually forced to return to teaching. However, Ray's historic bar admission was the precedent that set the stage for the admission of countless other women to state bars around the country.

This confirmation of an African-American woman Supreme Court Justice will be a moment in time when at least one African-American woman will no longer be forced to abandon her dream and live beneath her privilege. We know for certain that this hallowed institution will be better with the appointment of an African-American woman. That fact serves us all well.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of over 300,000 members in more than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and in the Middle East. Led by International President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenda Glover Ph.D., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is often hailed as "America's premier Greek-letter organization for African-American women." Visit www.aka1908.com for more information.

(PRNewsfoto/Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.)

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SOURCE Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Allison Pataki, Marjorie Merriweather Post

Rob Kim/Getty; George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty From left: Allison Pataki and Marjorie Merriweather Post

Flipping back through old photos of Marjorie Merriweather Post, author Allison Pataki admits she gets a little emotional when she catches the eye of the late socialite staring back into the camera.

"I just have this ping in my heart," Pataki, 37, tells PEOPLE. "I wish I could've known her, because she's just the most incredible woman."

Pataki, the daughter of former New York Gov. George Pataki, spent the last six years trying to know Post the best anyone in this day and age could, traveling to the places she lived, studying her letters and personal journals and interviewing grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

All that work was a true "labor of love," says Pataki, whose sixth book, The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post, was published this month and traces the famed businesswoman's life through the lens of historical fiction while drawing on Pataki's research.

Post, who died in 1973 at the age of 86, became one of the wealthiest women of the 20th century after inheriting her father's Postum Cereal Company (which under Post's stewardship was later renamed General Foods) and exponentially growing the business through ideas that were revolutionary at the time, including the boom of frozen and ready-made foods.

She later financed the construction of several notable properties around the country, including the Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, which she hoped the federal government would one day use as a "Winter White House," Pataki says  although that plan twisted and turned through the years.

The property was first bequeathed to the National Parks Service after Post's death, but it was too costly to maintain and was sold back into private ownership, which is how future President Donald Trump obtained it for about $10 million in 1985. Trump indeed  and controversially  declared Mar-a-Lago his Winter White House while in office, hosting meetings and foreign dignitaries, and continues to live there for much of the year.

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RELATED: Inside Mar-a-Lago  Trump Teaming Up with Melania, Yelling at Chefs & More 'Winter White House' Details

Marjorie Merriweather Post

Hank Walker/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock Marjorie Merriweather Post

In her own lifetime, Post hosted presidents, celebrities and other global socialites at the resort and her other residences, including Hillwood in Washington, D.C., Camp Topridge in upstate New York, and what author Pataki calls "the world's most fabulous yacht," named the Sea Cloud.

Pataki points out the yacht qualified for a Guinness World Record at the time and was bigger than boats owned by the likes of J.P. Morgan, the Vanderbilts and even the British royals.

"Speaking of the royal family," says Pataki, "Marjorie would have all sorts of fancy guests on the yacht as she sailed the world, including King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson."

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Pataki  who knew "very little" about Post prior to a family friend pulling her aside at a party and encouraging her to learn more about the socialite and businesswoman's life  says she was surprised to learn the vastness of the Soviet art collection Post gathered from her time living in the Soviet Union.

Post had lived in the country with her third husband, Joseph Davies, in the years leading up to World War II, when Davies was a U.S. ambassador.

The author says researching this portion of Post's life became a "great character study," while the heiress "takes us on a tour of some of the great moments of history in the 20th century."

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Allison Pataki

Mark Sagliocco/Getty Allison Pataki

Post's dramatic love life, including her four marriages, also became a central focus of Pataki's new book and is a "juicy" story line she believes readers will find plenty of interest in. Post had three children, including actress Dina Merrill. Her first husband, Ed Close, later remarried and is the father of Glenn Close.

"So there's two iconic Hollywood actresses who are related by blood and by marriage to Marjorie," Pataki says.

But for all the pomp and celebrity that flowed in and around Post's life, Pataki found comfort and an unexpected kinship in her six-year writing and research, discovering numerous examples in letters and stories from family members that "humanized" the late heiress.

"This was one of the wealthiest women in the world, who mingled with presidents and celebrities, and yet she had grape nuts every morning for breakfast," Pataki says. "There was this incredible dichotomy of this self-made woman, this salty, down-to-earth Midwesterner for her whole life who also lived like an American empress."
Feb. 23An Anchorage woman has been sentenced to spend 20 years in prison for stabbing her 3-year-old daughter to death in 2019.

Kelsey Jackson, now 27, was undergoing a mental health episode when she killed her daughter, Brooklyn Jackson, attorneys said during the telephonic sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

The case is exceptionally tragic, said Superior Court Judge Catherine Easter.

"I think it goes without saying there's something about a death of a child that just sort of wrenches you from your core," she said. "Especially the fact that she was so young and the fact that this was her mom."

Jackson and her daughter were found in the back seat of her SUV parked at Point Woronzof early on March 13, 2019, according to an affidavit written by Detective Ross Henikman. Brooklyn Jackson had multiple stab wounds and was dead, the affidavit said. Jackson had tried to take her own life that day too, said her attorney, Tristan Bordon.

Jackson pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in September. A charge of both first- and second-degree murder was dismissed as part of a plea agreement that called for her to spend 20 years in prison and another 10 years on probation after her release.

"Nothing will make up for taking the life of my dear precious daughter Brooklyn  rest in peace. It haunts me every day and I treasure the pictures I have of her and memories I hold onto," Jackson told the court during Tuesday's hearing. "I love my daughter more than anything. I don't want to make any excuses for what I've done but accept the time I need to do."

Bordon said Jackson has faced a punishment greater than the court could ever impose because she lives with guilt and grief from her daughter's death.

Jackson has focused on treating her substance use and mental health issues during her incarceration, she said. The plea agreement also includes conditions for her probation that address mental health and substance use.
A diver explores a cavern entrance at Ginnie Springs park in High Springs in this 2016 file photo.

AquiferWatch is an educational nonprofit based in Tallahassee that uses citizen science volunteers to monitor groundwater levels and quality. Director Rick Copeland and Assistant Director Gary Maddox collaborated to answer these questions.

Q: What was your inspiration/motivation? When did you start AquiferWatch?

A: Our inspiration was Florida Lakewatch, a citizen science volunteer lake water-quality monitoring program affiliated with the University of Floridas Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Copeland: I became a Lakewatch volunteer in 2006 and at the suggestion of the Lakewatch staff, Maddox and I formed AquiferWatch in 2012.

A volunteer with the Florida Lakewatch project and a senior environmental specialist with Collier County sample water at a pond in 2019.

Q: What are AquiferWatchs mission and goals?

A: Our mission is to educate Floridians about groundwater hydrology and to encourage volunteers to monitor Floridas groundwater resources.

Our goal is to help citizens become actively involved in the protection and management of Floridas groundwater and drinking water resources.

Because detailed scientific information is expensive to collect, Floridas water managers are not always able to gather as much data as they need. Having additional data collected by AquiferWatch helps researchers and government agencies find proper ways to manage Floridas groundwater.

Q: What was the first AquiferWatch project?

A: The first project was, and still is, centered in a residential area in western Hamilton County. Since 2013, this project has been collecting data about groundwater levels.

Q: What area does AquiferWatch serve?

A: We restrict our service area to about 2 1/2 hours of driving time from Tallahassee, from Okaloosa County in the western Panhandle to Alachua County in North Central Florida.

Q: How many AquiferWatch projects are there now and where are they?

A: Three projects are currently active  the groundwater level project in Hamilton County and nitrogen pollution monitoring projects in two springs basins for the lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee rivers in North Central Florida.

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Since 2014, we have been collecting groundwater samples each year from Santa Fe River basin areas in Alachua, Columbia and Gilchrist counties. In 2021, we began a similar monitoring project in the Ichetucknee River basin, where we collect samples twice a year. Lakewatch analyzes the samples for total nitrogen, an inexpensive surrogate estimate of nitrate-nitrogen.

Q: How is the data gathered by AquiferWatch used?

A: We make the information that AquiferWatch generates available to anyone who wants it  our volunteers, citizens, schools, and governmental and regulatory agencies. We want our data to be used by interested parties, to be analyzed for long-term trends and to help in making decisions related to environmental management.

Data are stored in the Lakewatch database and are available to any interested party, including governmental agencies and the public. That data will eventually be added to the Florida Department of Environmental Protections Watershed Information Network database. Over time, AquiferWatch data will be available to the public through multiple sources.

Q: Do all AquiferWatch projects use volunteers to gather samples? What is volunteer training like?

A: Well owners who agree to have their water tested are volunteers, but not all of them gather samples. We train the volunteers who agree to collect samples.

Training generally takes about an hour in the field. In addition to teaching precise sampling methods, we give volunteers an overview of local hydrogeology and how groundwater and surface water are related to each other.

To monitor groundwater levels, we teach volunteers how to use commercial field meters. We observe them as they practice and once they demonstrate competence, we give them the OK to collect groundwater levels.

Training volunteers to collect groundwater samples is more specialized. We teach volunteers specific methods of sample collection using wells that have pumps and in-place plumbing.

AquiferWatch's Gary Maddox demonstrating techniques for obtaining groundwater levels.

Q: How does someone volunteer?

A: Concerned parties and AquiferWatch staff must first identify a project. Concerned parties include governmental or private entities that are interested in obtaining long-term groundwater quality data. Once a project is planned, AquiferWatch recruits volunteers with assistance from the interested groups.

Q: What are the benefits of citizen science efforts like AquiferWatch?

A: The efforts of volunteer monitoring organizations can reduce the expenses of those governmental agencies responsible for Floridas water resources. Volunteers become better educated about water monitoring, and a knowledgeable public helps to improve the management of water and other environmental resources. Increasing the amount of state-certified data will help to improve evaluation of water conditions and management of the waters of the state.

Q: What else do you want people to know about AquiferWatch?

A: We want people to know why we exist and what we do. We are one of the few volunteer monitoring organizations dedicated to groundwater. If you are recruited to participate in an AquiferWatch monitoring project in the future, we hope you will agree!

Rick Copeland and Gary Maddox are professional geologists who each retired after working for the state of Florida for 35 years. Copeland served as assistant state geologist in charge of the hydrogeology program at the Florida Geological Survey. Maddox was involved in numerous local and regional projects that documented springs water quality changes and their potential causes. The interview was conducted by Lu Merritt, communications coordinator of the Ichetucknee Alliance, who is that groups liaison with AquiferWatch for the project in the Ichetucknee basin.

Join the conversation

Send a letter to the editor (up to 200 words) to Letter to the editor letters@gainesville.com. Letters must include the writer's full name and city of residence. Additional guidelines for submitting letters and longer guest columns can be found at bit.ly/sunopinionguidelines.



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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: A Q&A with the leaders of Florida's AquiferWatch program
Jes Staley TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images

Barclays is reportedly withholding almost $30 million from its former CEO amid a regulatory investigation into the way he characterized his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .

The bank in an annual report said it has suspended bonus and share payments to former CEO Jes Staley that are worth roughly $29 million, CNN reports. The payments have been suspended "pending further developments in respect of the regulatory and legal proceedings related to the ongoing FCA and PRA investigation," Barclays said.

The Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority of the Bank of England have been investigating the relationship between Staley and Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. In November, Staley resigned as Barclays CEO over the preliminary conclusions of an investigation into the way he characterized his relationship with Epstein.

"It should be noted that the investigation makes no findings that Mr. Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Mr. Epstein's alleged crimes, which was the central question underpinning Barclays' support for Mr. Staley following the arrest of Mr. Epstein in the summer of 2019," Barclays said at the time.

When British regulators opened the investigation, Barclays acknowledged that Staley "developed a professional relationship with Mr. Epstein" earlier in his career. Staley has said he developed this relationship with Epstein when he worked for J.P. Morgan beginning in 2000.

"Obviously I thought I knew him well and I didn't," Staley said. "For sure, with hindsight with what we know now, I deeply regret having any relationship with Jeffrey."

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A liver transplant recipient whos HIV positive, Morris Murray checks each month for confirmation that his insurance premiums are paid. Any interruption in care could jeopardize his health.

So when the state program helping people like him pay for HIV medications and insurance was shut down by the Dec. 4 cyberattack at the Maryland Department of Health, he waited and worried.

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I have anxiety, for sure, said Murray, a 62-year-old Baltimore man. Last month I got a notice I was in arrears. I made a payment out of my own money, and if they ever pay Ill ask for reimbursement.

The program, called the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program, or MADAP, is among the sprawling services hobbled by the cyberattack. More than two months later there are signs that workers have developed some workarounds but not enough to resolve the crisis.

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Advocates for those with HIV and health care providers say they understand there was an attack and appreciate efforts by state staff. But the lack of early information about the hobbled system frustrated their efforts to ensure that assistance continues to reach the 5,900 Marylanders who use the program each month.

The program is aimed at people who earn too much for Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor, but not enough to pay the high cost associated with controlling HIV and AIDS, the disease the virus causes.

About $25 million of the $56 million annual budget comes from the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, a 30-year-old federal program for those with HIV. The rest comes from drug manufacturer rebate programs.

Advocates say insurers already have dropped some people who, unlike Murray, are unable to come up with a premium payment once in a while.

Prescription drugs have turned HIV infections from certain death in the 1980s into a chronic condition, but missing medications can quickly cause big trouble, including drug resistance or rising viral loads that can harm individuals and allow the virus to be passed to partners.

Morris Murray is among the Marylanders who use the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program to pay for HIV medication and insurance. The program has been hobbled by the cyberattack on the state health department. (Ulysses Munoz/The Baltimore Sun)

The website for the state program initially suggested clients turn to partner organizations and directly to drug manufacturers for assistance after the cyberattack disrupted its service.

An update Friday gives more specific guidance, such as dropping off or mailing forms for new or existing clients. The old fax system is offline, but the department is developing a new system to email information.

The Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program is continuing to implement manual workaround processes to maintain its business operations, said Andy Owen, a spokesman for the state health department.

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There are other signs of how the state is recovering from the debilitating cyberattack, which state officials acknowledged more than five weeks later was a ransomware attack.

In the past week, records show state health officials gained approval for four emergency contracts to supply thousands of laptops to workers, plus mobile routers and cellular data plans. A fifth contract was for consulting services.

The technology will cost almost $2.3 million. An additional $40 million will go to the consulting firm Ernst & Young for services described as incident response and recovery and help maintaining the departments business operations. The firm already had a multimillion-dollar contract to help with the states coronavirus pandemic response.

The attack was discovered when health officials noticed unauthorized activity involving multiple infrastructure systems and servers. They were taken offline to protect the network and have been restored methodically, state officials say.

For a time during the recent surge in COVD-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, for example, there was no information available for public health officials or the public.

State information security officers are investigating, as are state and federal law enforcement. State lawmakers have been demanding more answers about the cyberattack.

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Advocates and providers say they have seen some slow progress in processing new applications and benefits by the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program in recent days, but they still dont know when operations will return to normal.

Lynda Dee, executive director of AIDS Action Baltimore, said the state was not to blame for the computer hack, but the health department response to maintaining a lifesaving program has been abominable with little effort to contact clients.

A passive webpage notification is hardly adequate, she said. Further, lifesaving medical programs should have been a high priority for service restoration. This is obviously not the case. As a result, we have people who are not able to receive their HIV medications. MADAP also covers the insurance premiums of needy clients with federal funds. Many clients have now lost their insurance coverage.

A group of providers, clients and advocates, including Dee, sent a letter Feb. 7 to state health officials about the lack of information since the cyberattack.

In the two months since these problems began, the health department hasnt made a single statement to the community about what the problem is or what the timeline to resolve it might be, the letter said. Today, we are writing to request that the department convene an open community forum to educate us about the causes of the MADAP programs problems, the current state of MADAP operations, and plans to resolve these problems.

The primary author of the letter was Doug Rose, a client of the program, who said there have been no commitments. An official responded to Rose in an email Feb. 16 that the program was moving offices and email responses would be limited.

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A second email response Friday said officials hoped to have a suitable response to the request and will be in touch soon. In the meantime, please review the MADAP website for current status of MADAP happenings.

Thats the day the programs website was updated to offer some guidance.

One large provider said the time, and money, its staff has spent to prevent interruptions has been substantial. Premiums can cost hundreds of dollars per person a month and medications can cost thousands.

Its unfortunate that the cyberattack happened and the state is handling it the best they can, said Mike McVicker-Weaver, a regional director for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, with five clinics and hundreds of patients.

But, she added, I hope they learn how to communicate in a more timely manner and can coordinate a backup plan that they then disseminate to entities serving MADAP clients so that we know how to respond and what to expect.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Murray, who has been a MADAP client for 18 years and once served on the programs advisory board, said hell keep checking on his insurance.

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Murray was diagnosed with HIV in 1987. Hes healthy but has had enough issues, including a transplanted liver, to understand the importance of consistent care. The program always required him to submit his bills each month, but he got reassuring notices that his $553 premium was paid.

MADAP now says that no one with CareFirst insurance is being terminated, and thats all very well and good, he said, but unless you get that notice you should be concerned.

For its part, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield said its working with MADAP on coverage.

We have identified the population of existing CareFirst members that are enrolled in the program and are working with MADAP to identify new enrollees to make sure they have complete access to their benefits, the company said in a statement.

Murray hopes all insurers and pharmacies will ensure that no one goes without medications or insurance.

This is enough to depress you, he said.
Each week, humanitarian aid workers for the Polish non-governmental organization (NGO) Grupa Granica find between 40 to 80 migrants in Poland's freezing Biaowieza Forest, just over the border with Belarus.

Anna Alboth, one of the founders of Grupa Granica, which helps migrants and monitors human rights violations, says that although the numbers of migrants arriving from hotspots in the Middle East is down from its peak a few months ago, they're arriving in worse condition because of the harsh Polish winter and the physical challenges posed by the forest.

"People are coming. Maybe it's not because of the organized special flights now. Maybe it is just normal flights that are coming from Istanbul or Beirut or Iraq, but we are meeting people who came in December or January," says Alboth.

The border Belarus shares with Ukraine has been under constant watch lately, as the likelihood of a full Russian invasion of Ukraine grows. But not long ago, on the other side of the country, it was Belarus' western border with Poland that was drawing attention  because of the migrant crisis said by Europe and the U.S. to have been manufactured by Belarus' strongman leader, Alexander Lukashenko. Six months since that crisis began, hundreds of migrants remain in limbo, held in centers in Belarus and Poland.

Lukashenko was accused by Europe of waging a "hybrid war" that relied on the movement of massive numbers of desperate migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries to breach the border with Poland. The Belarusian government encouraged the migrants to come through Belarus, reportedly easing visa requirements, raising the numbers of flights to Belarus and even supplying them with wire cutters to slice through border fences, according to the New York Times. Lukashenko's migrant onslaught came in the wake of European sanctions imposed on Belarus after his re-election, which the U.S. and Europe condemned as fraudulent.

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Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called Lukashenko's use of vulnerable migrants "an abhorrent attempt to deflect attention from the regime's continued disregard for international law."

Poland began to defend its border aggressively in September, unleashing tear gas and water cannons on migrants who tried to cross and enacting an entry ban on the border with Belarus that turned back not only migrants, but also humanitarian organizations and journalists.

For months, hundreds of migrants lived in makeshift camps along the Polish barbed wire fence on the Belarussian side of the border. Most of those who did make it across the border, had nowhere to go and hid in the forest, fearing discovery by Polish border guards.

After a European diplomatic effort, the border crisis began to ease in December; Lukashenko told migrants they could head west or head home, and he blamed the European Union for the situation, according to Reuters. Belarus began repatriation flights, sending 3,817 Iraqi migrants home, and the United Nations assisted with the flights, repatriating another 381 migrants.

FILE: A woman sits with her children inside the tent at the

But many remain stranded in detention facilities. An estimated 1,600 who made it past Polish border guards are being held in centers run by border enforcement, although different aid organizations say the number may be even larger.

Alboth told CBS News that the people in the detention centers in Poland are treated "worse than prisoners" and that organizations like hers are still not being given access to the facilities. The organization sends food and clothing, but Alboth says Poland is constantly changing the law governing what the detainees may receive.

Grupa Granica has complained that the detention centers are dismal, with poor, overcrowded living conditions, low food rations and insufficient medical care.

The exact number of migrants still in the Biaowieza Forest is unknown, but the Polish national guard tweeted on February 12 that it had apprehended over 1,180 migrants since the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the United Nations issued a statement calling on Poland to grant access to journalists and humanitarian workers to the border area and to investigate allegations of harassment of human rights defenders.

On the other side of the border, the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Belarus says there are around 450 migrants left, but aid organizations believe the number is higher, closer to 800. They're being held at a center in conditions "not suitable for extended stay" according to a Red Cross report. The report says that despite repatriation efforts, several hundred people remain, "due to their lack of ability or willingness to repatriate for a variety of reasons."

When the migrants are found in the forest, members of Grupa Granica try to address their basic needs before addressing any legal questions. Maciej Nowicki, President of Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights which is part of Grupa Granica, said that some of the migrants have been sending aid workers their location so they can obtain emergency assistance. Some locals with homes in the area hold green lights outside of their doors to signal their willingness to host migrants.

Doctors Without Borders withdrew from the border in early January after being repeatedly denied access to treat migrants and refugees. The group said in a statement that the Polish authorities were stopping them from helping migrants in desperate need of humanitarian aid amid sub-zero temperatures. At least 21 people have lost their lives trying to cross in 2021, according to Doctors Without Borders.

Under international law, refugees from conflict zones may apply for asylum, but with humanitarian aid blocked from the border, it has fallen largely on local residents and groups like Grupa Granica to help the migrants.

CBS News contacted the Polish government for comment but has not received a response.

FILE: TOCZE, PODLASKIE, POLAND - 2022/01/27: Armed border guards are seen guarding the border line with Belarus during the construction works. / Credit: Attila Husejnow/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Poland is building a wall of steel topped with razor wire along the border, aimed at preventing a future surge of migrants. The wall is scheduled to be completed in June and will cost the government almost $400 million according to the Associated Press.

But now that the migrant route through Poland has been traveled, Alboth believes more people will arrive in the spring when the weather is warmer. "This route, even if all the flights would be stopped, I don't believe that this route will just disappear. When it gets a bit warmer and sleeping in the forest will not be a life risk, there will be more people coming," Alboth said.

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Berry Petroleum (BRY) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.12 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.14 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.11 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -14.29%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this independent upstream energy company would post earnings of $0.14 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.14, delivering no surprise.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once.

Berry Petroleum , which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States industry, posted revenues of $208.09 million for the quarter ended December 2021, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 30.98%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $61.37 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Berry Petroleum shares have added about 5.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of -8.8%.

What's Next for Berry Petroleum?

While Berry Petroleum has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

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Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Berry Petroleum: mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.54 on $191.93 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $2.16 on $742.23 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States is currently in the top 14% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Rattler Midstream (RTLR), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended December 2021. The results are expected to be released on February 23.

This oil and natural gas services provider is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.23 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +4.6%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 4.2% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Rattler Midstream's revenues are expected to be $87.7 million, down 19.7% from the year-ago quarter.



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President Biden on Wednesday announced his administration is imposing sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG  the company behind the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, now halted, and its corporate officers. This announcement comes as a senior defense official says Russian forces are uncoiled and ready to invade now, and the new sanctions complement those imposed by the U.S. and Europe this week.

"Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers," Mr. Biden said in a statement. "These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate. Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy."

On Tuesday, Germany announced it is suspending the pipeline that would bring natural gas from Russia to Germany, a move the U.S. has strongly encouraged. Mr. Biden also announced sanctions against Russian financial institutions and elites. He called Russia's latest actions "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" and pledged more sanctions could come if Russia becomes undertakes more acts of aggression against its neighbor.

The senior defense official says 80% of Russian forces arrayed near Ukraine are now in what the Pentagon considers "forward positions," and Russian President Vladimir Putin has now assembled nearly 100% of the forces the U.S. believes he would need to conduct an invasion.

This week, Putin formally recognized Luhansk and Donetsk as independent from Ukraine and said he would send so-called "peacekeeping" forces into the regions. Russian lawmakers signed off on the Russian president's request to use military force outside Russia.

 CBS News' Eleanor Watson contributed reporting.

Story continues

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Peter Klaunzer - Pool/Keystone via Getty

As Russian troops begin operations in Eastern Ukraine, President Joe Biden is gradually announcing waves of economic sanctions against the Kremlin. But to some members of Congresson both sides of the aislethose sanctions are already too little too late.

The sanctions, which Biden announced Tuesday, will cut off the Russian government from international debt markets and limit Russian President Vladimir Putins allies from shifting their wealth overseas. Biden took that step after Putin recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in Eastern Ukraine on Mondaya move which Biden called a flagrant violation of international law.

The new measures followed an earlier round of sanctions on Monday, and they could be followed by yet another round if Putin, as expected, continues to escalate the situation with Ukraine.

Biden Is Officially Convinced That Putin Has Decided to Invade Ukraine

But relatively minor economic consequences seem to be doing littleboth to stop Putin and to appease lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Republicans and Democrats were both peeved early this week that Biden only imposed limited economic sanctions in response to Russias decision to move troops into Ukraine and recognize the two rebel regions in Eastern Ukraine, the self-styled Donetsk Peoples Republic and the Luhansk Peoples Republic.

Bidens original round of sanctions were only aimed at those regions themselves, which have limited banking activity anyway, and seemed to be a bit of a half-measure, as if Biden wasnt willing to recognize that Russia was truly invading Ukraine.

For frequent GOP critics of Biden, the move was far from adequate.

President Bidens timid sanctions tonight are wholly unequal to this moment, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said in a statement on Monday. Russia is invading Ukraine now.

The ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch of Idaho, also criticized Biden, noting that Russias actions were already tantamount to an invasion.

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The U.S. and our allies must immediately implement harsh sanctions that Putin cannot ignore, Risch said.

Republicans were entirely silent about Donald Trumps characteristic ravings, after he praised Putin as savvy and said he was being a peacekeeper.

We could use that on our southern border, Trump said.

Biden Says U.S. Will Not Send Troops Into Ukraine

Regardless, while Republicans were silent about their party leader, Democrats have been vocal about Bidens shortcomings on the crisis in Ukraine as well.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) criticized Bidens early response Monday evening, saying the administration ought to make its promises to back up Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression real.

We must swiftly join our NATO allies and partners in the European Union to impose forceful new sanctions on Russia, on all those responsible for this dangerous violation of international law, Coons, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said. The time for taking action to impose significant costs on President Putin and the Kremlin starts now.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, went even further. On Tuesday, she said Putin was waging war on Ukraine and that the administration needed to step it up.

Vladimir Putins illegal annexation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine must be met with fierce condemnation, Shaheen said in a statement. The administration should utilize the tools at its disposal and levy severe sanctions today.

But, even though Biden announced an additional series of sanctions on Tuesday, some still dont think it goes far enough.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said Biden needed to start by sanctioning Putin himself.

Putins latest invasion of Ukraine is an indefensible violation of international law, regardless of whatever false pretext he offers, Sanders said. The United States must now work with our allies and the international community to impose serious sanctions on Putin and his oligarchs.

Republicans Invent Reasons to Blame Biden for Ukraine

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also wanted more serious ramifications. While he said on Tuesday that Bidens sanctions announcement was a good first step, he also warned that bullies only understand consequences.

Many of us on both sides of the aisle have urged powerful economic sanctionsnow bipartisan action must make it happen.

The latest round of criticism doesnt bode well for the delicate situation at hand. Biden and Congress have been working to present a picture of unity against Russian aggression in Ukraine for months now, as Russia built up forces along the border and made up reasons to invade.

But the divisions between Congress and the White House show that thread of unity may be poised to unravel at a pivotal moment, just as Putin has decided to lay into Ukraine.

As Putin gains approval to send troops inunder the guise of sending in so-called peacekeeperstime is of the essence for everyone to get on the same page to stop further invasion.

A senior administration official pushed back on the idea that both rounds of sanctions dont go far enough Tuesday, suggesting that there is room to impose more sanctions and punishments in the days ahead if Russia takes more aggressive action in Ukraine.

This is the beginning of an invasion and this is the beginning of our response, the senior administration official said. If Putin escalates further, we will escalate further.

The U.S. Finally Cuts the Crap and Calls It a Russian Invasion

In a White House press briefing Tuesday evening, Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh also pushed back on the notion that the sanctions were too soft to serve as a proper opening salvo.

This is only the sharp edge of the pain we can inflict, Singh said. No Russian financial institution is safe if the invasion proceeds.

Singh did not rule out sanctions affecting Putin himself. The Russian president is estimated to have amassed a fortune in the tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars through hidden stakes in Russian corporations, holdings that have been partially revealed through a series of leaked financial and legal records.

The Biden administration is prepared to use both financial sanctions and export controls, the senior official warned, adding that Russia could still get kicked out of an international banking system, which allows for foreign transfers of money between countries.

Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, Biden said Tuesday.

Some of the criticism the White House has found coming its way in the past several days appears to be self-induced. The administration has made crystal clear statements over and over again about what would be considered a Russian invasion and just how quickly the administrations response would be.

Any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian borderthat is an invasion, Biden said last month.

If any Russian military forces move across Ukraines border, thats a renewed invasion. It will be met with swift, severe, and a united response, Secretary of State Tony Blinken said in January amid warnings that the U.S. government would impose the harshest sanctions right from the get-go.

Putin Orders Troops Into Ukraine After Shocking Declaration

The gradualism of the past is out, and this time well start at the top of the escalation ladder and stay there, a senior administration official said last month in a call. Weve made efforts to signal this intention very clearly.

But the current strategy outlined by U.S. officials Tuesdaygoing step-by-step with sanctions that gradually get more severeis exactly the opposite.

On a call with reporters Monday, a senior administration official waffled on whether the White House considered Russias latest steps in Ukraine an invasion, demurring multiple times when pressed.

When Biden called Ukrainian President Zelensky on Monday after Russia announced its intentions with the LNR and DNR, Biden strongly condemned Putins move, according to a White House readout of the call.

Thats language thats typically reserved for times when the United States is not going to do much of anything to intervene.

Still, the White House response started to take shape on Tuesday, albeit still in a hazy form.

Jon Finer, Bidens principal deputy national security adviser, said Tuesday that Russias latest actions in Ukraine are considered an invasion.

And Finer sought to smooth things over on all the confusion, suggesting the administration has always meant to run a gradual rollout of sanctions, despite previous claims that was not on the agenda.

Weve always envisioned waves of sanctions that would unfold over time, Finer said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Hampton University is on lockdown after receiving a bomb threat Wednesday, Hampton police said.

The call for the threat came in at 8:57 a.m. Its the latest in a series of threats against historically Black colleges and universities across the country. Norfolk State University, was among several HBCUs that received bomb threats Jan. 4.

Less than a month later, at least six historically Black universities responded to bomb threats Jan. 31  many of them locking down their campuses, the Associated Press reported.

The FBI is investigating the nationwide series of threats as racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes, the agency said in a Feb. 2 news release.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

Ali Sullivan, 757-677-1974, ali.sullivan@virginiamedia.com
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Leon Neal/Getty Images

Boris Johnson is one of several people sent a police questionnaire about partygate claims.

A leaked copy said recipients were asked to provide a response under caution.

Such a situation would be a first for a British leader.

Boris Johnson has become the first prime minister to be questioned under caution by police, a leaked document linked to the investigation of "partygate" suggests.

The prime minister is one of several people working at Downing Street to have been sent a questionnaire by London's Metropolitan Police, a spokesperson confirmed to Insider.

The document is part of its investigation into allegations that 12 events may have breached COVID-19 lockdown rules.

Johnson may have attended as many as six of these events, according to widespread media reports. He has admitted being at one, a garden party in May 2020 which he told MPs he "believed implicitly" was a work event.

According to a leaked copy of the generic questionnaire, which was published by ITV News on Tuesday night, recipients are informed at the outset that they have an opportunity to provide "a written statement under caution".

It said respondents "Do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court."

Those responding were told to "ensure the caution is read and understand prior to any answers to questions being provided".

This level of police questioning would be a historical first for a British prime minister.

Tony Blair was interviewed by police during the cash-for-honours scandal in 2007, however this was never under caution. Blair later said that had he been interviewed under caution he would have felt obliged to resign.

Johnson has repeatedly refused to say whether he would resign if he is handed a fixed-penalty notice for any COVID-19 rule breach.

Although partygate has rocked his leadership, increasingly the consensus among Conservative MPs is that the prime minister may yet survive.

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This new chapter in the partygate saga could put the pressure back on.

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, said: "This is an embarrassment that for the first time in UK history we have a PM interviewed under police caution."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Boris Johnson Tolga Akmen - WPA Pool/Getty Images

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a review of Russian channel RT's broadcasting license after calls for it to be pulled from the air.

Johnson announced on Wednesday that the media regulator Ofcom is reviewing the channel's license amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, Variety reports. He confirmed as much after opposition leader Keir Starmer called for further actions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's "campaign of lies and disinformation," including by acting against RT, the Russian state-controlled network.

"Russia Today is his personal propaganda tool," Starmer said. "I can see no reason why it should be allowed to continue to broadcast in this country."

Starmer asked if Johnson would order an Ofcom review of RT's license, and Johnson responded that such a review has already been ordered. He added that "we live in a country that lives in free speech," so "I think it's important that we should leave it up to Ofcom, rather than to politicians, to decide which media organizations to ban."

According to Variety, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries wrote to Ofcom that RT is "demonstrably part of Russia's global disinformation campaign," adding, "I have concerns that broadcasters such as RT, whom Ofcom have found to have repeatedly breached the Broadcasting Code in the past, will also look to spread harmful disinformation about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine." The push comes after Putin on Monday ordered troops into eastern Ukraine. Per Reuters, Ofcom said that "given the seriousness of the Ukraine crisis, we will examine complaints about any broadcaster's news coverage of this issue as a priority."

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MILAN  Bottega Veneta is a magical brand, believes chief executive officer Bartolomeo Rongone, who goes by the name of Leo.

However, there are no supernatural powers behind the growth of the brand, which in 2021 logged a 24.2 percent increase in revenues compared with 2020, surpassing the 1.5 billion euro mark. Compared with 2019, revenues rose 32 percent.

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Rongone attributed the success to the exquisite design with extraordinary craft of the products and the companys ability to maintain a strong, intimate relationship with clients and customers alike throughout the challenging period and despite the impact of the pandemic, creating different physical moments of contact.

I am very proud of this milestone, reached through a solid strategy and a long-term perspective, he said of the 2021 benchmark.

In the last quarter of 2021, sales increased 15.2 percent to 433 million euros. Compared with the same period in 2019, they climbed 31 percent.

In 2021, operating profit amounted to 286.5 million euros, up 66.6 percent on 2020 and representing 19.1 percent of sales.

For fall, the brand is returning to Milan Fashion Week  a highly anticipated show also because it will unveil the first designs by Matthieu Blazy, who was named creative director in November, succeeding Daniel Lee.

Rongone revealed that the show on Saturday will be held in Milans Palazzo San Fedele, which is expected to house the companys new headquarters before the end of 2023. Originally the site of the Manzoni theater, the building, which stands near the Duomo cathedral and the La Scala theater, was built circa 1870 and is currently being restored.

Matthieu really wanted this location precisely because of the theater, its energy and heritage, Rongone said.

Bottega Veneta has been absent from Milan for a few seasons, as Lee previously held shows in London, Berlin and Detroit. Matthieu and I are proud to be back and we are convinced we should be here. This is a global brand, not only connected to Italy, but the Camera della Moda as well as the Chambre Syndicale and the other councils are putting together an audience, exposing multiple brands and making sure a connection is preserved, giving visibility to young designers and we want to be supportive of creativity, Rongone explained.

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Palazzo San Fedele, which will house the new Bottega Veneta headquarters. - Credit: image courtesy of Bottega Veneta

image courtesy of Bottega Veneta

Asked about the changes in the top creative spot after Lees surprise exit after three years  deemed by several sources as a layoff  Rongone enthused about the pieces of the fall collection he had already seen. Im excited, Matthieu has such a wealth of experience, having worked at Celine [with Phoebe Philo], with Raf [Simons at Calvin Klein], and at [Maison] Margiela. He is a very curious person, has a broad cultural background and is a real creative talent.

Blazy joined the company in 2020 as the brands ready-to-wear design director and Rongone believes he is ready for the challenge, he is in the perfect position. He knows the brand, the codes of the house and the heritage.

That said, the executive underscored that Bottega Veneta should not be linked to a single person, the brand stems from the passion of a collective group of people. It is a very inclusive brand with exclusive product.

The executive has further driven the exclusivity of the brand by eliminating all markdowns. We aim to be one of the few companies that provide lifetime warranty for products that customers will treasure and appreciate for a long time, he said.

Rongone has been streamlining the brands wholesale accounts  increasing the number of concessions and also taking over online partners.

Last year, retail accounted for 75 percent of total sales, up 29 percent compared with the previous year. The wholesale channel grew 16 percent.

Rongone did not disclose a percentage for e-commerce, as per company policy, although he noted that it has grown.

Bottega Veneta has 263 directly operated stores and the CEO said the company is not focused on increasing that number significantly but rather is investing in expanding the existing venues to better display the growing apparel category for both men and women  the fastest-growing category in these years, he said.

The stores will be refreshed with a new concept but differentiated depending on the location, but always with a link with Bottega Venetas territory, hence the use of Palladiana floors, terracotta and glass.

Asia Pacific represents the biggest market for the company, accounting for 39 percent of total sales last year. Rongone touted Chinas huge potential. A new boutique will open in Shenzhen in May, followed by a unit in Shanghai at Pudong Airport in July. The Shanghai IFC store will be refurbished in September.

South Korea was also a key contributor to growth.

Western Europe represented 24 percent of sales. Londons Sloane Square unit and the Paris boutique in Avenue Montaigne will be renovated and expanded in 2022.

North America accounted for 18 percent of the total. Since I joined, the U.S. has become one of the fastest-growing markets, gaining speed as in 2018 it represented 11 percent of the total, said Rongone, adding that a store in Dallas will open in December and the existing San Francisco store will be refurbished in June. Bottega Veneta opened a store in Manhattans SoHo in December last year.

Japan, a historically significant market for the brand, represented 10 percent of the total, and the rest of the world 9 percent.

Rongone, who joined the Kering-owned company in September 2019, was previously COO of Saint Laurent in charge of rtw, leather goods and shoes, as well as global retail operations and client engagement. He arrived at Bottega Veneta at a time of rapid change for the brand, which the year before had hired Lee to succeed Tomas Maier after 17 years as its creative director.

Rongone began his career as a market analyst in the luxury sector and joined Fendi in 2001, becoming head of business intelligence before taking on senior roles in the supply chain, merchandise planning and client relationship management.

He has been building his team, tapping, for example, Alejandra Rositto last October as CEO of the Americas. Asked about what he looks for in a candidate, he said that apart from competence, passion is a key component, as well as trust and empathy.

The executive is passionate about Bottega Venetas fascinating story and believes that its been largely untold.

Archival photos  including one of Lauren Hutton, who famously carried a Bottega Veneta clutch in the 1980 film American Gigolo  hang on the walls of his luminous office, juxtaposed with new pieces and colorful, modern furniture.

During the interview, Rongone underscored how since the early days, when Michele Taddei and Renzo Zengiaro founded the company in 1966, Bottega Veneta has always celebrated the uniqueness of each individual. This is something that the executive believes remains relevant to the brand  obviously reflected in its catchphrase When your own initials are enough, which has been defining Bottega Venetas customer since its origins. When the individual is at the center, no logo is necessary, underscored Rongone.

Shortly after Zengiaro left Bottega Veneta at the end of the 70s, Taddei handed over the company to his ex-wife Laura Braggion, who headed the company with her second husband Vittorio Moltedo and traveled regularly to New York. Rongone recalled that Braggion became an assistant of Andy Warhol, whose studios made the short film Bottega Veneta Industrial Videotape in 1985, and she contributed to the expansion and the success of the brand in the U.S., opening the first store there in New York in 1972.

In addition to its distinctive leather weaving design, the Intrecciato, the Bottega green that has become a signature color for the brand has also been a long-standing reference, noted Rongone. The Veneto and Venice territory inspires us, the Palladiana and terracotta flooring, the colors of Burano and the glasses of Murano, connect the Genius Loci and become incredible vehicles of energy. The facade of the brands Vienna store was green back in 1993 and in the Warhol film, there are dust bags that, at the time, were in the same green color.



Rongone enthused about Bottega Venetas archives at the companys headquarters in Montebello, near Vicenza. A school to train new artisans remains active there.

True luxury requires time, we think in terms of days, not hours when we make each bag at this complex level of craft, he said, in a constant balance between craft and creativity, pointing to the brands storied coat of arms, which says labor and ingenium or craft and creativity in Latin.

Asked about a potential price increase, he admitted the rising costs of energy could lead to an increase, but we will see throughout the year. He underscored the company uses extremely expensive and prestigious materials, so that an increase could be less tied to external factors and more to a further increase in quality.

In terms of product extension, Rongone said 2023 will be very important for the launch of new fragrances and he predicted that a home and furniture line will be back pretty soon. We take pride in all our collections and make sure that each is perfect and beautifully designed. We are confident we can deliver the level of quality and emotion [the brand promises].

He said he was very satisfied with the results of the eyewear collections produced by Kering Eyewear, but noted that we dont think by category, rather of products that can complement or express the brand.

While Bottega Veneta under Lee dropped off Instagram last year, Rongone said the decision allowed the company to use social media in a different way, giving the audience the opportunity to talk about us, removing the limit of our presence, but we are not absent, there is a connection through people talking about us. He contended that this allows concrete expressions of creativity in different ways.

By the first half of the year, the company will release a new website with a new design, he revealed.

In other projects, the company will sponsor the Biennale Danza, the international festival of contemporary dance, for the second consecutive year. It will run in Venice July 22 to 31 and will be directed by Wayne McGregor.

In parallel, Bottega Veneta is also partnering with the Palazzo Grassi Punta della Dogana Pinault Collection to support Dancing Studies, a set of performances by choreographers William Forsythe, Lenio Kaklea, Ralph Lemon and Pam Tanowitz, inspired by the exhibition Bruce Nauman: Contrapposto Studies. The exhibition is open to the public until Nov. 27. Dancing Studies will be celebrated with a dinner hosted by Bottega Veneta and Palazzo Grassi during the opening week of the Biennale di Arte on April 21.

Also, Bottega Veneta has chosen to partner with the Festival de Hyeres for the first time this year. That will run Oct. 14 to 16. With the Bottega Veneta grant, the house aims to support creativity in all its forms and will award the winner of the Photography Grand Prix the opportunity to collaborate on one of the brands campaigns.

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Baltimore is using $90.4 million in federal funding to create emergency housing and other housing assistance programs, Mayor Brandon Scott announced Tuesday. The majority of the funds are drawn from the citys $641 million COVID-19 relief money and mark the largest dollar amount the city has spent on homeless services.

The Mayors Office of Homeless Services plans to use $75 million of the citys American Rescue Plan Act funds to change housing methods first used widely during the public health emergency, namely sheltering people temporarily in individual hotel rooms instead of congregate shelters where COVID-19 could easily spread.

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Irene Agustin, director of the Mayors Office of Homeless Services, proposed five projects that address critical points within [Baltimores] homelessness response system that would be financed by American Rescue Plan funds and a recent $15.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The federal funds will serve as a catalyst to transform the citys response to homelessness, Agustin said. That transformation will start with more shelters becoming private rooms, rather than group shelters.

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One project proposes buying and renovating two hotels into emergency housing for residents who need shelter immediately. The hotels would replace 275 beds located at several congregate shelters that will be closed. The same number of beds will be available in Baltimore but primarily in private rooms between the two hotels.

Non-congregate shelter is a best practice were seeing throughout the nation, said Agustin, referring to temporarily housing individuals in hotel rooms. We know this is an intervention thats going to work within the city of Baltimore.

Kyana Underwood, a spokeswoman for the Mayors Office of Homeless Services, said the office has not yet identified which hotels it will purchase. The city will solicit proposals from interested hotel owners soon.

Another project funded by the combined $90.4 million would focus on transitioning people quickly out of hotels rooms serving as emergency shelters and into more permanent housing. That transition would include city employees providing case management to individuals by guiding them through the rental assistance process.

About 2,200 Baltimore residents experienced homelessness daily in 2020, according to the most recent data available.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

The funding also will be used to speed up traditionally slow-moving processes in Baltimores homeless response system, such as the time period between submitting a rental application and waiting for a landlord to review it, Agustin said. New housing navigation strategies include using housing employees to communicate with landlords and help fill out forms for people searching for housing.

The homeless services office also plans to develop incentives for landlords to lease affordable units.

Agustin said her office has not finalized how it will attract private landlord partners, but pointed to a landlord incentive fund, for instance, through which the city would pay for property repair costs.

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The goal is to get more landlords to come to the table, Agustin said. So that we have a pool of properties and that we can connect people who are experiencing homelessness to, so that theyre able to move out of the shelter, off the street, and into housing.

Other project proposals include building or renting more housing units for people experiencing chronic homelessness and having the manpower to provide those people with support services, such as a dedicated case manager.

The office of homeless services plans to create a flexible fund for temporary support to prevent individuals from becoming homeless. The flexible fund would act as short-term rental assistance to cover a few months rent or a security deposit to keep a person in their home, and also could help individuals in shelters to quickly find a more permanent residence.

The reality is investments in housing, investments in rental assistance, theyve just been lacking for many, many years and decades, Agustin said. What the federal government and HUD have seen is that housing helps keep people safe. It helps mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Overall, for people, its the best place for them.
New Zealands MetService issued their first ever red warning for flooding this month (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

A young bull in Zealand has been described as a legend for surviving a perilous 50 mile journey downstream, through rocky rivers, over a waterfall, and almost out to sea.

The 18-month-old bull was grazing above the Maruia River, in the South Island of New Zealand, when it got caught by rising floodwaters.

Farmer Tony Peacock said that he got a call a week after the bull had disappeared, telling him it had been discovered some 50 miles away from its originally location.

They said a guy in Westport had one of my bulls and gave me his [ear tag] number, Mr Peacock said. I rang him and he said he was getting his cows in last Wednesday or Thursday morning when he heard a bit of snuffling coming from a patch of blackberry on the edge of the paddock.

He dug him out, scanned his tag and rang Ospri (an organisation that supports New Zealands farming industry), he told the Greymouth Star.

Mr Peacock estimated that the bull had been swept into the Maruia River, over the 10 metre high Maruia Falls and under a bridge. Its a fairly long trip and amazing he survived, he added. I was quite happy when I got the call he was alive. I think he will get legend status now and be put in a paddock to retire with some cows.

He said that the February flood was the highest he had ever seen and that one of his neighbours had lost 74 cows. Parts of New Zealands South Island were cut off for days after torrential rains forced the evacuation of 2,000 people.

The countrys MetService issued their first ever red weather warning and reports emerged of farmers trying to herd their livestock to higher ground using a jetski or kayak.

Neville Cook, a civil defence official, said: There will be stock losses. Even with prior warning, theres really nowhere they can go.
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced a first round of economic sanctions on Russia a day after Moscow recognised the Ukraine separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.

The United States, the European Union, Germany and Britain also announced ways they will punish Russia financially as they fear a further incursion is to come, a move Moscow has consistently denied for months.

The Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent "people's republics" after a pro-Moscow Ukrainian president was ousted in Kyiv.

Trudeau said his government will ban Canadians from all financial dealings with the so-called "independent states" of Luhansk and Donetsk. Canada will also ban Canadians from engaging in purchases of Russian sovereign debt, he added.

The Canadian prime minister said his government will sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted for the decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.

Canada will apply additional sanctions on two state-backed Russian banks and prevent any financial dealings with them, Trudeau said.

Trudeau also said he was authorizing additional troops to the region.

"So today, I am also authorizing the deployment of up to 460 members of the Canadian Armed Forces to Operation Reassurance. This involves more troops to Latvia, as well as the deployment of an additional frigate and maritime patrol aircraft," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, saying they were there to "keep the peace." Trudeau described the step as "a clear incursion of Ukraines sovereignty."

"Make no mistake: this is a further invasion of a sovereign state and it is absolutely unacceptable," he said, adding it was "not too late" for Russia to seek a diplomatic resolution.

Weeks of intense diplomacy have so far failed as Moscow calls for security guarantees, including a promise that its neighbour Ukraine will never join NATO.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)




China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused the U.S. of creating "fear and panic" over the Ukraine crisis and called for talks to de-escalate increasing tensions.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the country is opposed to the new sanctions imposed on Russia and said the U.S. was worsening tensions by providing weapons to Ukraine, according to The Associated Press. However, she did not mention Russia's amassment of over 190,000 troops on the Ukrainian border or efforts by the West to engage with Russia diplomatically.

"On the Ukraine issue, unlike the U.S., which keeps sending weapons to Ukraine, creating fear and panic and even playing up the threat of war, China has been calling on all parties to respect and pay attention to each other's legitimate security concerns, work together to solve problems through negotiations and consultations, and maintain regional peace and stability," Hua said during a daily briefing, according to the AP.

She added that those accusing China of contradicting its stance on respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity were "either driven by ulterior motives or deliberately distorting or misinterpreting China."

"To correctly and objectively understand the Ukraine situation and seek a rational and peaceful solution, it is necessary to understand the merits of the Ukraine issue and properly address relevant countries' legitimate security concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect," Hua said.

Hua condemned the initial sanctions put forward by President Biden, saying that those sanctions, as well as others, have not been effective in lessening tensions while causing "serious difficulties to relevant countries' economies and livelihoods," the news outlet reported.

"The U.S. should never undermine the legitimate rights and interests of China and other parties when dealing with the Ukraine issue and relations with Russia," Hua said.

Hua reiterated China's long-standing support for Russia. Earlier this month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin at a discussion in Beijing. The two leaders issued a joint statement demanding Ukraine not be let into NATO and Western countries remove military equipment in eastern Europe.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying. Artyom Ivanov/TASS/Getty Images

China on Wednesday accused the US of "creating panic" over Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the US sanctions leveled against Russia.

China has often issued sanctions against the US, including in the past week.

The Chinese government on Wednesday accused the United States of "creating panic" and sharpening tensions after the Biden administration slapped sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters during a press conference that the "US has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare."

"A key question here is what role the US  the culprit of current tensions surrounding Ukraine  has played," Chunying said. "If someone keeps pouring oil on the flame while accusing others of not doing their best to put out the fire, such kind of behavior is clearly irresponsible and immoral."

When asked by a reporter whether China would join the US, United Kingdom and the European Union in sanctioning Russia over its aggression in Ukraine, Chunying replied, "Apparently you lack basic knowledge of the Chinese government's policy. Our position is that sanctions are never fundamentally effective means to solve problems."

"We consistently oppose all illegal unilateral sanctions," she said.

Chunying continued, "I would also like to point out that the illegal unilateral sanctions by some countries including the US has caused severe difficulties to relevant countries' economy and livelihood."

"When handling the Ukraine issue and relations with Russia, the US mustn't harm the legitimate rights and interests of China and other parties," said Chunying.

Though China suggested that sanctions are not an effective means of approaching geopolitical crises or disputes, Beijing has often employed them against the US  including against US defense contractors in the past week over arms sales to Taiwan.

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Beijing and Moscow tend to side with one another on geopolitical issues  China even issued a joint statement with Moscow earlier this month that condemned NATO.

As countries across the world vehemently condemned Russia's actions this week as a blatant assault on international norms, China sought to take a more neutral tone.

At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday night, China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said, "The current situation in Ukraine is the result of many complex factors. China always makes its own position according to the merits of the matter itself. We believe that all countries should solve international disputes by peaceful means in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China. Getty Images

A Chinese news outlet appeared to accidentally publish "instructions" to cover Russia in a good light.

A top Chinese editor later said China needs to back Russia so Moscow would support it over Taiwan.

China sees self-ruling Taiwan as its own and has threatened military conflict.

A top Chinese state media editor said Beijing needs to back Russia over Ukraine because it needs Moscow's support to assert dominance over Taiwan.

Unlike many other nations, China has not condemned President Vladimir Putin for ordering troops into eastern Ukraine, an act that Western powers consider to be a springboard for a full invasion of Ukraine.

The US and UK announced landmark sanctions on Russian companies and individuals as a result, and the EU also agreed to impose sanctions.

China's foreign ministry, however, said Wednesday that it opposes the use of the measures.

Writing on his WeChat blog Tuesday, Ming Jinwei, a senior editor at the state-run Xinhua news agency, said it is in China's interests to support Russia from afar, as Beijing will need Moscow's support when it wants to force its hand on Taiwan independence.

China has long claimed the island nation of Taiwan, which has been self-ruling for decades, as part of its territory. It has in recent months amped up its threats to engage in military conflict if Taiwan continued to assert its independence.

"China has to back Russia up with emotional and moral support while refraining from treading on the toes of the US and EU," Ming wrote.

"In the future, China will also need Russia's understanding and support when wrestling with America to solve the Taiwan issue once and for all."

"Therefore, with regard to the Ukraine crisis, China should understand Russia's legitimate security concerns," he said.

Russia has already expressed supported for China over the Taiwan issue, with foreign minister Sergey Lavrov saying last October that Russia "considers Taiwan to be part of the People's Republic of China."

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On Tuesday, the state-owned Horizon News outlet appeared to accidentally post editorial "instructions" on how to cover the Russia-Ukraine issue on its Weibo page.

The memo said that any content "not positive toward Russia or positive toward West" was banned. The post was later deleted, The Washington Post reported.

'Hit hard. Hit now'

China and Russia have grown closer in recent years  while both clashing with the US  and their militaries have increasing held joint drills on sea and land.

Putin on Monday night acknowledged that Luhansk and Donetsk, two pro-Kremlin oblasts in eastern Ukraine, were independent, and ordered Russian troops and tanks to start entering.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called up all military reservists between the age of 18 and 60 on Wednesday, but stopped short of full mobilization.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Ukraine's foreign minister Tuesday to discuss "practical steps to protect Ukraine," Ukraine's foreign ministry said.

Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba also called for more economic sanctions against Russia on Wednesday.

"Hit hard. Hit now," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Getty Images)

Chris Harris is hoping Scotland can draw on home comforts as they bid to get their Six Nations campaign back on track against France this weekend.

Gregor Townsends side have won five of their last six matches at Murrayfield, with world champions South Africa the only side to win in Edinburgh in that period.

Harris explained that the whole experience of playing at home is a thrill for the Scotland players, particularly now that supporters are back, and he hopes they can continue turning the national stadium into something of a fortress when the red-hot French visit on Saturday.

Playing in front of a packed-out Murrayfield is awesome, it gives you a big lift, said the Gloucester centre.

You look forward to that journey in and all that sort of stuff. It definitely gives you that little bit of extra oomph to make sure were on it, that we perform and put on a show for everyone watching.

It just gives you that bit of pride. Its home, its our patch. We dont want to be an easy team to roll over and beat at home.

We dont want to be an easy team to roll over and beat at home

Chris Harris

Weve won five of the last six there. Thats pretty good so hopefully we can get another win this week to make it six (out of seven).

Harris is expecting a formidable test from a France side who beat New Zealand in November and have won both their Six Nations matches so far.

Theyre playing well, probably the best they have played for a while, said the 31-year-old. They had a bit of a slow start against Italy I think, but they are looking really sharp and playing with confidence.

They are a quality outfit and if we let them get into the high-tempo game and we are not physical enough then it is going to be a tough day for us.

Harris is relishing going up against French centres Gael Fickou and Yoram Moefana.

Ive played against Fickou before so I know what he is about and am aware of his threats, he said.

Moefana has been playing really well and looks pretty handy from what Ive seen. Its a challenge Im looking forward to.
The City College of San Francisco will host a candlelight vigil and celebration for Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs recruit David Nguyen, whose life was lost to highway gun violence.



The 28-year-old former recruit was fatally shot while driving on Interstate 580 in Oakland, California on Jan. 4, 2022.



Nguyen, who was an administration of justice student and an eight-year veteran in the National Guard, was one unit away from obtaining an associate of arts degree in liberal arts and sciences at the City College of San Francisco. Nguyen was killed just a month before his expected graduation.



In a statement shared with NextShark, City College confirmed it will recognize Nguyens service by conferring him with an honorary associate degree and honoring his life with special performances from artists and remarks from dignitaries, friends and family.



In recognition of Nguyens meritorious service and excellent example of a City College involved in giving back to society, City College Trustee and National Guard Lieutenant Alan Wong will be announcing that City College has initiated the steps to confer Nguyen an honorary associate degree to complete Nguyens academic goals, the City Colleges Board of Trustees wrote.



The candlelight vigil will take place on Feb. 23 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST outside Conlan Hall at the City Colleges main campus on 50 Frida Kahlo Way, San Francisco.





Candlelight Vigil for Honorary Deputy David Nguyen, Wednesday, February 23rd, 6-7pm. City College SF. pic.twitter.com/WwTEmgX3sN

 Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) February 22, 2022







Featured Images via @ACSOSheriffs (left, right)

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Phoenix Festival Theater is hosting auditions for Disneys Tarzan on Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Chesapeake Center Dining Room at Harford Community College.

Auditions are open to the public, and all roles are open. The roles available include: Clayton, Father, Jane, Kala, Kerchak, Mother, Porter, Sabor the leopard, Snipes, Tarzan, Terk, Young Tarzan, Young Terk, the apes, the expedition crew, jungle animals, Flora, Fauna, birds and bugs. Auditions are first-come, first-served each day and sign-up begins 15 minutes before the start time.

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For auditions, participants should prepare for 32 bars of a song from the show. Participants who plan to sing a song that is not in the show must bring an instrumental track. Actors must be prepared to learn four, eight-counts of dance if the role requires it and may be asked to read a portion of the script. Those who try out have the opportunity to audition for the singing-only ensemble or the dance-only ensemble.

Rehearsals will begin the week of March 7. The musical will be performed June 17-19.

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For more information, contact Suze Thompson, sthompson@harford.edu. For disability-related accommodations, call 443-412-2402.
An ally of Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday temporarily stalled a controversial plan to empower the city to go after street gang leaders vehicles and other assets, indicating the mayor needs more time to try to line up City Council votes.

Public Safety Committee Chair Ald. Chris Taliaferro, who helped shepherd the mayors asset seizure proposal through his committee last week, used a parliamentary move to push a vote on it until the next council meeting. He was joined by Northwest Side Ald. Anthony Napolitano in the move.

Lightfoot will now have until next month to try to rally support for the ordinance.

The mayor has stood behind the plan, even as the American Civil Liberties Union and Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell joined council opponents in urging her to drop it. Critics say the new rules will hurt poor people and fail to deter crime.

After the City Council meeting, Lightfoot disputed that the ordinance lacked votes, saying aldermen need to be educated on the proposal even though the ordinance has been up for discussion since last fall.

We made a decision that we were going to delay putting it ... for the final vote to continue to educate people, Lightfoot said.

Countering criticism that the ordinance would lead to the city targeting people without resources, Lightfoot said the city only plans to go after gang leaders who are shot callers and have resources.

Lightfoot also said she may need to make tweaks to gain support for the ordinance, though she didnt specify what they might be. The mayor amended the ordinance in January to make it clearer that the city would be pursuing adult gang leaders after civil rights advocates expressed concern about officials going after people without assets.

Lightfoot defended the measure earlier this week, telling reporters Chicago families are pressing her to do more about the violence gripping their neighborhoods. What youre not hearing is what Im hearing ... Save us from these gangs,  she said.

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The proposed ordinance would allow judges or court officers to impose fines as high as $10,000 for each street gang-related offense and seize any property that is directly or indirectly used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate street gang-related activity.

It also calls for the seizure of any property that gangs obtained through illegal means such as drug dealing or other crimes.

And it allows the city to seek fines up to $30,000 against people convicted of illegal gun possession.

The mayor introduced the ordinance last fall and received criticism from aldermen, attorneys and others who said it would mainly harm poor young gang members and their families.

We are not talking ... about low-level drug dealers on the street, John OMalley, Lightfoots deputy mayor for public safety, told aldermen last week, when the proposal succeeded in committee despite ongoing opposition.

The Lightfoot administrations latest plan also gives families of people who get cars or other assets seized a way to appeal on the grounds that other family members need the vehicles for legitimate purposes. But some aldermen say its not realistic to expect working-class Chicago families to have the money and expertise to mount such an appeal.

Afterward, Taliaferro denied delaying the vote because the administration didnt have enough support, saying he doesnt know what the roll call would have been.

He also said its important to take an opportunity for not only my colleagues but the residents of the city to have a better understanding of what it is.

He said theres misinformation out there, but declined to say what it was. He said he wants aldermen to have more time to make a more educated decision on whether to support the ordinance.

Also Wednesday, the council approved Lightfoots choice of Andrea Kersten to head the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

The vote on Kerstens appointment was 31-14.

The mayors nomination of Kersten for the key post has been mired in discord since COPA recommended in a November report that slain police Officer Ella French be suspended for three days for her role in the wrongful Anjanette Young police raid.

Several aldermen, police officers and their supporters have ripped the Young raid report as disrespectful to Frenchs memory and blamed Kersten, who was acting head of the agency when it came out.

The report was written before French was killed during a traffic stop, and Kersten has apologized for not doing more to talk to the French family before the report came out.

But Kersten has also said current COPA rules require Frenchs name not be redacted from the report. The council is considering changing the COPA rules to allow the names of officers killed in the line of duty to be removed from future reports.

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BERLIN (AP)  Climate activists on Wednesday blocked roads leading to Germany's three biggest airports, gluing themselves to the ground before police arrived.

Members of the group Uprising of the Last Generation said they wanted to disrupt cargo and passenger traffic at the airports in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin.

The group has demanded that the government should take measures to end food waste. It argues that throwing away vast amounts of usable food contributes to hunger and climate change.

Past protests involving the blocking of roads and ports have drawn criticism from officials across the political spectrum.

The blockades are reminiscent of the protests last year by the climate action group Insulate Britain, which obstructed many main highways and roads in the U.K.

___

Follow AP's climate coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate
TAMPA  Residents from Colonial Assisted Living were evacuated after a fire above the facilitys kitchen early Tuesday morning, according to the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

When firefighters arrived at the scene around 6:58 a.m. Tuesday, they observed smoke coming from the roof. A small fire was located in the attic space above the kitchen, the agency said in a news release, and it was extinguished quickly.

Because of the location of the fire, the assisted living facility will be closed until it has been inspected and cleared by the countys code enforcement department, the release said.

The residents were put on climate-controlled public transit buses before being relocated to other facilities, according to the agency. Officials from the State Emergency Response Team and the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management helped relocate the residents based on the level of medical assistance each needed.

Officials say it appears to have been an electrical fire, but the official cause remains under investigation.

The incident was the second fire at the facility this week. Late Saturday night, a fire started in a residents closet, the agency said. That fires cause also remains under investigation, but it appears to have been accidental, according to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

The agency reports receiving multiple fire alarm calls between Saturday and the fire Tuesday morning, during which time a restoration company was performing work on the facilitys system.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.
EXETER  The search for a new principal at the Cooperative Middle School is continuing after the School Board opted not to select either of the two finalists for the position.

The Exeter Region Cooperative School Board conducted interviews with the two finalists, Russ Kupperstein from Ipswich and Eris Hersey from Hampton, Tuesday night. Hersey is the CMS interim principal.

The board met in nonpublic afterwards and after deliberation, no nomination was made to move forward with the candidates.

"We are especially grateful for our two finalists and the amount of time that they invested in this search," David Ryan, superintendent of schools for SAU 16, said in a prepared statement. "Both are exceptional educators and at the end of any process it always comes down to best fit."

Ryan added, "We wish both candidates the very best in their search for their next position and thank them for their professional approach to this outcome."

Russ Kupperstein, from Ipswich, Mass., and Eris Hersey, from Hampton, were the two finalists for the Cooperative Middle School principal job.

Previous story: SAU 16 names two finalists for Cooperative Middle School principal job

Hersey has served as the school's interim principal since July 2021 after the resignation of Patty Wons, who decided to take another job in education.

The extensive search to find a permanent principal began in October 2021. As part of the process, school officials gathered significant community input and feedback.

The two finalists were named last week.

Hersey told the board Wednesday that she wanted to stay on at CMS. Prior to this role, she spent 10 years at Idlehurst Elementary School in Somersworth as assistant principal before taking the role of principal in 2015 and was named 2020 N.H. Elementary Principal of the Year.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice: SAU 16 director explains what role is and isn't.

Kupperstein is currently serving in his first year as the secondary principal at Colegio Maya, the American School of Guatemala, after serving in the same capacity for two years at the International School of Ouagadougou.

Story continues

In a statement released by SAU 16, school officials said they plan to bring forward a "revised recruitment process with the intent of identifying the ideal fit in the best interest of CMS and the community."

SAU 16: District welcomes two new directors to central office

More information on the modified search process will be made available in the coming weeks, the district's statement announced.

Ryan said Hersey's contract is through June 30, 2022, "and we are happy that she will remain in her interim role with us until that time.

Cooperative Middle School, part of SAU 16, in Stratham, was originally built in 1998 and serves students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade from Brentwood, Exeter, East Kingston, Kensington, Newfields and Stratham.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Stratham NH Cooperative Middle School principal finalists rejected
Ministers are being warned that the public could be left flying blind on Covid following reports free lateral flow and PCR tests are set to be scrapped next week (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

The government will no longer provide free universal Covid-19 testing for most of the British public from 1 April, as part of its plan for living with the virus.

Under the current rules, people can order lateral flow tests for free via the governments website. However, prime minister Boris Johnsons announcement on Monday has caused a surge in demand for free tests as people rush to stock up before 1 April.

From the start of April, Covid tests will only be available commercially. The government said it is working with retailers to ensure that everyone who wants can buy a test.

On Tuesday, Boots became the first retailer to announce its pricing for lateral flow test kits and confirmed the kits would go on sale this week.

Here is everything you need to know about getting lateral flow tests after 1 April:

Where can I buy a lateral flow test?

According to reports, lateral flow tests will be available to buy from pharmacies and online suppliers once they are no longer free.

How much will lateral flow tests cost?

The i reported government sources as saying that individual lateral flow tests could cost between 2 and 5, or around 29 for a pack of seven.

However, Boots has confirmed that its tests will cost more than the governments initial estimate. The major pharmacy said that, from Wednesday, customers can buy a pack of four lateral flow tests for 17, or one test for 5.99 with delivery from its website.

This test will offer customers an option to send their results to the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) to report a negative test, should customers need it, Boots said.

The retailer added that it will offer lateral flow tests in more than 400 stores at 2.50 per test or 12 for a pack of five. These cheaper tests will also be available for 4.75 for two tests and four tests at 9.50 online, but will not have the option to report the results.

While other pharmacies and suppliers have yet to confirm their pricing, Superdrug currently sells a home lateral flow test kit from Medicspot for 19.99 and is specifically for travel purposes.

Story continues

According to British Airways list of approved Covid test suppliers for travel purposes, at-home lateral flow test kits provided by companies such as Randox, Eurofins, Medicspot and Breathe Assured can range from 10.99 to 20.16.

Can I still get free lateral flow tests?

Yes, but the government has restricted orders of free lateral flow test kits to one pack every three days. Previously, people were able to order a free kit every 24 hours.

Early on Wednesday, a number of people reported receiving unavailable for delivery error messages when they tried to order free lateral flow tests.

The UKHSA said the number of tests available each day has been capped in order to manage demand.

It added that people should re-visit the site every few hours to try and order tests as more become available.

Why will lateral flow tests no longer be free?

The government has provided more than two billion lateral flow tests to the British public for free since 2020. But Johnson said the system has cost 15.7 billion in this financial year and 2 billion in January alone, adding that the government must now scale this back.

Ministers have pressed the government to reveal whether or not the price of lateral flow tests will be fixed, and warned that some of the most vulnerable people will have to choose between food, heating, or paying for a test.

Lord leader Baroness Evans of Bowes Park said: We are going to be working with retailers to establish and develop a private market for lateral flow tests. Private markets have operated in the US and many European countries for some time now.

Retailers will be setting the price but we will be ensuring that the private testing market is properly regulated, including monitoring prices charged, and we will of course continue to work with UK companies in developing lateral flow tests."

Lady Evans added that free symptomatic testing will continue being available for those at highest risk of Covid and social care staff. She said that further details will be released after 31 March.
Good morning, Chicago.

Chicago will drop its mask mandate for most settings, as well as its proof-of-vaccination mandate at restaurants, bars and other indoor establishments, at the end of the month. Mayor Lori Lightfoots announcement, which was widely expected, reflected a renewed hope for normalcy in the city as COVID-19 cases continue dropping from alarming highs.

The moves bring the city in line with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers announcement earlier this month that he will lift his mask requirement for most indoor public places at the end of February should the states most recent and largest COVID-19 surge continue to subside.

Cook Countys public health department, which covers most of the countys suburbs, announced it would follow suit, lifting its general mask mandate and proof-of-vaccine requirement on Monday, as well as its requirement that employees of establishments such as restaurants and gyms be vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing.

 Gregory Pratt

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Irene Chavez stood handcuffed outside a South Shore gay bar in December. She had been kicked out for being too drunk and punching a security guard, but her friend pleaded with police officers to take her to a hospital instead of jail as Chavez cried out that she was a veteran with PTSD. Instead, the officers were seen on body camera footage laughing, cussing at her and singing along to You Are My Sunshine with her as they took her to the Grand Crossing police district station for a misdemeanor battery charge. About an hour later, they found Chavez unconscious in the lockup with her shirt tied around her neck.

Tuesday morning, attorneys filed a 55-page lawsuit in federal court in Chicago on behalf of the family of Chavez, 33. She died at a hospital after being removed from the cell where she was found slumped over with one end of the shirt tied around her neck and the other secured to a metal bar, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit names the city of Chicago and several Chicago police officers and alleges that officers failed to recognize that Chavez was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Story continues

The latest effort from some Hinsdale High School District 86 parents and community members pushing for the resignation of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss is a petition with close to 1,000 signatures calling for her removal.

The petition was started by former District 86 board president, Kay Gallo, who wrote in part on the website, through her deliberate misrepresentations, Superintendent Prentiss attempted to advance her extreme DE & I agenda by equity shaming District 86 and creating a false media narrative that damaged the reputation of Hinsdale and all other the communities comprising D86.

Others in the community, like Reid McCollum, said the movement against Prentiss is a product of backlash over the districts diversity and inclusion work: Its easy for them to go after the superintendent, he said. They cant go after a Black DEI consultant who wrote a letter because that would be pretty obvious racial backlash.

A 15-year-old freshman described how he ended up spending two nights in a juvenile facility for a Waukegan shooting that took place while he was playing basketball at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.

Martell Williams, a Waukegan High School student, was released from custody Friday after a dizzying two days in custody, during which he was charged with attempted murder and then cleared when family and friends presented proof that he could not be the person who shot a store clerk in the face on Feb. 4.

It was just a real bad experience. I was scared, I just wanted to go home, Williams said Monday at a news conference outside the Waukegan Police Department.

Tia Brown, a 4th grade Chicago Public Schools teacher and mom of three, was born and raised on the citys West Side, where she and her husband hoped to buy their first home when they began looking in 2011.

During their search for a home, Brown recalls a homeowners apprehension about African American people living there. While viewing a house, when Brown and her husband were given the codes to unlock the door, they didnt work. When they called the owner, he wouldnt pick up the phone. Brown said the owner picked up the call from their Hispanic Realtor and told him this may not work out.

Its a story told in the new season of Firsthand: Segregation, WTTWs digital documentary series. Browns story is one of 15 shared by other Chicago-area residents, all experiences that shed a light on the citys legacy of segregation and its ongoing effects.

Mike Cole had fallen asleep on the couch while watching a football game, and when he woke up, he logged onto the internet wanting to know which team had won. While there, he saw a headline about a ticket stub from a 1984 basketball game, which happened to be Michael Jordans first in the NBA. The ticket had been auctioned off and sold for $264,000.

Suddenly he thought of his box. He was sure  positive  he, too, had one of those tickets. Cole ran downstairs. He found his memory box and opened it. Sure enough, there it was: An unused ticket to Jordans NBA debut. The ticket has been verified and is now for sale at Heritage Auctions, which noted that at $260,000 as of Tuesday, it is already believed to be the record-holder for the most expensive ticket ever sold at auction.
Phil Mickelson has made a career out being brazen.

Brazen enough to make ridiculous shots on the course, brazen enough to take anyones money who was offering. That money was on offer at least in part because fans wanted to see themselves as brazen as Phil. It all added up to nearly a billion dollars, although Mickelson was also brazen enough to lose millions of those dollars gambling with increasingly shady characters.

Plenty of golf journalists have suggested that his biggest gamble with his shadiest partner yet was, in part, to pay off all the bets he lost before, even after selling his $40 million private jet.

He lost that bet too, misplaying his hand in spectacular fashion. In one of the frankest admissions in modern sports history, he told Alan Shipnuck that his proposed Saudi-financed breakaway golf league was mere sportswashing for the myriad human rights abuses of the Saudi regime, which he described vividly and accurately, if not comprehensively. In response, his longtime sponsors and potential partners dropped him and fled the tour, killing it on arrival.

Phil Mickelson is not Colin Kaepernick or even Enes Kanter Freedom here. In fact, hes a monster for sizing up the Saudi regime properly and then deciding that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates was worth doing business with it anyway.

He tried to strongarm the Tour and took a hilarious defeat in the process, although it is worth noting that when his power play was still behind the scenes, it extracted over $100 million from the PGA to entice players to stay. Its also worth noting who he apologized to, and what hes in trouble for here. He isnt apologizing for being flippant about the Saudis high crimes, or for saying that doing business with Mohamed bin Salman was worth it to get the reforms he wanted in American golf. He apologized to the Saudis for denigrating them.

My experience with LIV Golf Investments has been very positive, he said of the Saudi-backed fund that was the money behind the Super Golf League. The specific people I have worked with are visionaries and have only been supportive. More importantly they love golf and share my drive to make the game better.

Though Mickelson may have been the first person ever to use the word sportswashing in the first person, he also used it incorrectly. For it to be sportswashing, the sports have to be publicly clean of the blood on the hands of people like Mohammed bin Salman. The billions in Saudi money currently sloshing around sports are lubricated by the silence of people like Mickelson, who are paid for the exact purpose of playing sports and putting a beloved face on the Saudi money.

What Mickelson said about the Saudi royal family was obviously true. They do execute people for being gay and they did kill the writer Jamal Khashoggi; that was all on the record before Mickelson said it. And the Saudis have spent billions on sportswashing, investing heavily in everything from boxing to Formula One to soccer. Every recipient of that money made the same calculation that Phil did. Mickelson, in the world of his sponsors and partners, just made two huge mistakes. He described the arrangement in unusually frank terms; even the journalist who broke the story thought the Mickelson-Saudi power play was obvious and that his biggest crime was that he said the quiet parts out loud. His second shank, though, is what put him in unplayable territory. He didnt wait for the check to clear.
EXCLUSIVE: The system isnt always structured in a way that works for everybody, and certainly not for people of color and for African Americans, Graves to theGrio.

President Joe Biden pledged to promote racial equity across the United States economy on the campaign trail. Since taking over the White House, his administration has passed landmark legislation that makes good on many campaign promises that impact Black households and bank accounts.

Through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act passed into law last November, President Biden made the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) permanent and provided the agency a record $110 million in new resources to help level the playing field for Black businesses.

The infrastructure law [made] certain that the Minority Business Development Agency, the sole agency across the federal government, whose focus is on the long-term health and success of minority businesses in this country could be made permanent, stay around and continue to do the great work that it does, in perpetuity, United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves told theGrio in an exclusive interview.

Its no secret that discrimination has aided in the economic disparities in the United States, but now through the advocacy of economists, activists and lawmakers, the issue is being addressed by the MBDA and its newly granted power.

The success of the agency is personal to Graves. As a Black man, he knows firsthand how integral the agencys work is to the economic justice movement. But as the descendant of slaves, who were able to start a small business after their emancipation, he knows what the MBDA has done to facilitate upward mobility for his family and others.

Don Graves, nominee for deputy secretary of Commerce, testifies during his Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing in Russell Building on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

In fact, the Department of Commerce is headquartered at the exact location of the land that his family owned when it was operating a horse and buggy business. The son of the last generation of slaves in his family is a notable figure in American history, James Wormley. Wormley owned a number of boarding houses and is most known for the Wormley Hotel, where the compromise to end the Reconstruction Era was struck. Graves noted that the deal set off a chain of decades of discrimination and Jim Crow segregation.

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I feel a particular connection through history to not only the opportunity that this country provides for a lot of folks, but also the recognition that the system isnt always structured in a way that works for everybody, and certainly not for people of color and for African Americans, Graves explained.

According to a report released by the MBDA in September 2021, minority-owned businesses only accounted for 5.9% of the countrys workforce. They are projected to employ 8.8% of the United States workforce by 2060. Additionally, the report highlights that the industries where Black firms are most concentrated include health care and social assistance, and professional, scientific, and technical services.

In order to advance the agencys work supporting Black businesses and promoting opportunities for government partnerships, Graves told theGrio that more funding for the agency is still on the line. With the passage of the Build Back Better Act, the MBDA will receive $1.6 billion in funding. But that legislation remains stalled on Capitol Hill.

With the additional money, Graves said that the agency would be better equipped to use its business centers across the country, leverage its network of technical assistance providers, make sure that more capital is flowing to minority businesses and connect those businesses to domestic and international opportunities.

Black businesswoman signing contract. (Photo: Adobe Stock)

Key components of the agencys work also include ensuring minority businesses have the resources they need to manage their own operations, effectively bid on and win contract opportunities, and get access to credit and capital and maintain financial health.

The Deputy Secretary of Commerce explained that his personal ties to the MBDA and lived experience push him to continue to speak up for the needs of the agency as lawmakers continue to consider the Build Back Better legislation.

What Im reminded of every single day when I come into the building and Im walking on the same ground that my ancestors once owned, is the notion that people have hopes and have dreams, Graves shared. All they want is a chance, just that opportunity to take those hopes and those dreams, and to turn them into lives of dignity.

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The post Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves touts record funding, resources for Black businesses appeared first on TheGrio.
Feb. 22Eastern Connecticut legislators from both sides of the aisle are in agreement on fully funding the state Contracting Standards Board, though Republicans and Democrats may differ in method.

In addition to a bill state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, state Rep. Christine Conley, D-Groton, and state Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, among other legislators, have introduced to place the board under legislative management with its powers intact, state Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, is proposing a similar bill with a significant distinction.

In a letter to General Administration and Elections Committee leaders, Somers advocated for legislation that would move the board from the Executive Branch to the Connecticut State Auditors of Public Accounts with its powers intact.

"The board shall also be empowered to require legislative approval for any contract that deems it necessary," the letter reads.

"Right now they can go through and point out some of the errors, but they don't have the teeth so to speak to do anything about the errors that they find," Somers said of the board. "Let's say the board finds something like they did with the port authority. All they can do is identify it and if the governor's office doesn't want to do anything with it, it just sort of dies."

The board recently completed an investigation into the Connecticut Port Authority. Parts of the board's report, which criticized past practices of the port authority, were contested by the authority.

Gov. Ned Lamont's recent budget proposal allocated $218,770 to the Auditors of Public Accounts for three additional auditors, instead of the additional $467,055 needed to fully staff the Contracting Standards Board. The board, in addition to an executive director and intern, is seeking to fund five more positions: a chief procurement officer, staff attorney, accounts examiner, research analyst and trainer. While the state legislature approved extra funding for the new staff positions last year, the funding for 2022 and 2023 later was rescinded.

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A statement from the governor's office last week reiterated Lamont's stance that his proposal to hire three "new non-partisan state auditors" would strengthen oversight of state contracts. The board additionally would have new authority to refer any contract or procurement to those auditors, the statement said.

Somers said she believes the eastern Connecticut delegation can come together on the issue of the board.

Osten agreed there was common ground. Still, she said, "From my perspective it's not a local delegation issue, many people in the legislature have come to me to support this bill, who want to see this happen." The issue of the board has "become more bipartisan as a result of the State Pier, that's part of why people perceive it as a southeastern delegation issue."

A federal grand jury has issued a subpoena for documents related to Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis, the former deputy director of Office of Policy and Management, who was assigned to oversee the Connecticut Port Authority's $235 million State Pier redevelopment project and also led the state's Office of School Construction Grants and Review. Diamantis resigned after being suspended amid an ethics probe of his daughter's hiring by Chief State's Attorney Richard Colangelo Jr. and a school construction contractor. The FBI is seeking documents related to school construction projects, among other things.

Osten said Lamont is not the first governor to refrain from fully funding the board. "No executive wants to have their branch looked at," she said.

She noted that the auditors don't have the enforcement quality the board does. "I think the governor's proposal is conflating issues," she said. "Auditors just review the documents they get. The contracting standards board has a capacity to require those documents to be presented."

Senate Republicans agree. Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, and Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, issued a statement calling on the legislature to reject the governor's budget for the board.

"The Contracting Standards Board has a unique enforcement authority that the state auditors do not have, a power which would be protected," the senators said.

Asked whether this conflicts with her proposal to give the board teeth by making it part of the auditor's office, Somers explained that the bill, if it's raised by the GAE committee, specifically would allow documents from the board to be presented as well as give the board the authority to make the legislature act on its findings  so keeping the board's powers intact despite its new umbrella.

Somers acknowledged the "slight difference" between hers and Osten's bill. She argued that the auditor's office was a more nonpartisan landing place than legislative management while becoming independent from the Executive Branch.

"I think the board is a good fit in the auditor's office because it is neutral," Somers said of the auditor's office. "You can say legislative management is neutral, but they've been controlled by one party for so long, that neutrality tends to waver."

s.spinella@theday.com
An annual effort to count the number of homeless people living in Howard County resumed last week for the first time since January 2020.

Six teams with staff from the Howard County Health Department, Howard County Police Department,Howard County government and other organizations combed the county from 7 to 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 15. They first gathered at a makeshift command center to learn their routes and pick up backpacks filled with food and other supplies to hand out to people living without permanent homes.

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Tina Field, director of Homeless Services for Grassroots, collects backpacks of supplies at the office of Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services as they prepare to conduct the Point-in-Time homeless count in Howard County on Feb. 15. The supplies were to be given to homeless people. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media)

Held every year in communities across the United States, the point-in-time count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order for communities to receive federal funds for programs to assist homeless people. The census is traditionally held in January, but was moved to February this year due to concerns about high COVID-19 rates.

Cara Baumgartner, administrative assistant for the countys Office of Community Partnerships, said it is easier to find and count people who are homeless in colder months.

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People disappear when it is warm, Baumgartner said. When it is cold, people may be sleeping on grates to stay warm. You can see fogged-up cars. It is the easiest time of year to try and find and count people.

Beds in homeless shelters also fill up in cold weather, and these sheltered individuals are counted as well.

All workers received training on how to find, approach and handle various situations that could arise while on the count. Staff from the countys health department were part of each team to provide COVID-19 tests or vaccines, if requested.

Howard County police officer Christopher Cromwell has been participating in the count for four years and is familiar with many of locations where homeless people set up makeshift camps. He also knows many of the individuals, too.

Some people dont want help, Cromwell said. They have a system set up and dont want assistance.

Others, he said, may suffer from addiction or mental illness, and do not make the best choices. During the count, Cromwells group talked with three people, including a person who was panhandling at 9:15 p.m. before leaving to set up his tent.

We get a lot of people from Baltimore because they can get more money [in Howard County] and be more successful, Cromwell said.

Every individual found on the count was asked to fill out a survey. If they refused, a volunteer later filled one out using the information that could be obtained. Spanish interpreters were on call at the command center if needed.

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Individuals were offered backpacks filled with hand warmers, ponchos, a tarp, hygiene kits and information on various resources available in Howard County, and another bag filled with food, including MRES (meals ready to eat).

The night, according to Rose Burton, administrator for the Office of Community Partnerships, went really, really well.

We did run out of backpacks on a few routes and a few routes we were surprised we didnt see as many people, Burton said. Encampments were not where they used to be and there were some new ones.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

Final numbers obtained during the event are not yet available, Burton said. The office has six days after the point-in-time count to collect surveys from other groups, such as churches, schools and shelters. Once all surveys are collected, Burtons office will scrub the data to verify everyones status and to ensure no duplicates. Final numbers are due to the federal government in early May.

In 2021, the regular point-in-time count was not conducted; only a count of people in shelters took place. In 2020, the count found 139 people experiencing homelessness in Howard County, with 40 of those unsheltered and 99 sheltered.

According to Burton, the number of homeless people in Howard County is leveling off. She said all jurisdictions worked together at the start of the pandemic to keep homeless people safe by placing them in either permanent or emergency housing.

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We wanted to prevent COVID spread out in public spaces, like public restrooms and fast-food places, Burton said. We brought in as many as we could and did get grant funds.

Karen Booth, vice president of behavioral health services with Humanim, a human services and workforce development nonprofit that helped find permanent housing for many during the pandemic, called the effort wildly successful.

Richard Pardoe, a Coalition to End Homelessness board member, said participating in the point-in-time count is a powerful experience.

Its heartbreaking, Pardoe said. This is a great example of how government, citizens and many different organizations can come together to help people.
ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey could open its borders with Armenia and re-establish diplomatic ties after years if Yerevan was committed to an ongoing normalisation process between their countries, according to broadcaster NTV and others.

Last month, Turkey and Armenia held what both hailed as "positive and constructive" talks in Moscow, the first in more than a decade, raising hopes that diplomatic relations can be established and their land border - shut since 1993 - reopened. A second round of talks will be held in Vienna on Thursday.

"We know Armenia has some concrete expectations like opening the borders and establishing diplomatic ties. If Armenia can be committed to continuing the process that began with the special envoys, there will be no such thing as closed doors remaining closed for us," Erdogan told reporters on a flight back from Africa.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Ece Toksabay)
(Independent)

Alexander Zverev has been kicked out of the Mexican Open after hitting the umpires chair with his racket during a heated doubles match.

The German player was also heard verbally abusing the umpire in Acapulco, shouting: F***ing idiot.

The world No 3 was competing in a doubles match with Brazilian teammate Marcelo Melo, with the pair losing in three sets 6-2 4-6 10-6 to Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.

A statement from the tournament read: Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco.

More to follow...
An armed intruder broke into the home of a former Kentucky lawmaker on Tuesday, opening fire and killing the politician's adult daughter, authorities said.

The home invasion unfolded at about 4:30 a.m., inside the home of one-time state Rep. C. Wesley Morgan on Willis Branch Road in Madison County, state police said.

Jordan Morgan, right, the daughter of former Kentucky State Rep. C. Wesley Morgan, was killed when an armed intruder opened fire in their home on Feb. 22, 2022. (WLEX)

After 32-year-old Jordan Morgan was fatally shot, her dad pulled his weapon and took aim at the intruder, police said.

"Gunshots were then exchanged between the homeowner and intruder," according to the Kentucky State Police statement.

"As a result, the homeowner sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and was transported to the University of Kentucky Hospital, where he was treated and released. The armed suspect left the residence after the shooting, and no arrests have been made at this time."

It wasn't immediately clear if the attack was a botched burglary or intended homicide, Kentucky State Police Sgt. Robert Purdy said Wednesday.

The victim was an attorney who lived part-time at that family home in Madison County, officials said.

"This isn't the kind of incident or situation that we see a whole lot of in Madison County. I know the family and it's a tragic loss for the community," Purdy told NBC News. "As a dad myself, I can't imagine anything like that happening. Our hearts go out to them."

Tips from the public will be key in breaking this case, police said.

"Somebody out there knows what happened and we're just need the right people coming forward," Purdy added.

The victim's father served one term in the state House of Representatives before he was defeated in a 2018 Republican primary.
Vehicles take Rogers Avenue slowly Wednesday going downhill near Hendricks Boulevard as a wintry mix is falling.

Sleet and ice accumulation put the region at risk for worsening road conditions and power outages Wednesday.

The Fort Smith Police Department posted on social media that they were working traffic scenes with 40 stalled vehicles.

Most schools in the Arkansas River Valley are closed or are utilizing virtual learning on Wednesday.

Fort Smith's city offices announced that they were closed Wednesday. The city also canceled Fort Smith Transit's fixed-route service and plans to focus on "providing demand response to passengers with urgent needs and dialysis treatments," according to a city Facebook post. Additionally, Wednesday's Transit Commission meeting was canceled.

The city is also moving Thursday's trash collection service to 7 a.m. Saturday, according to a city of Fort Smith tweet.

Crews with utility trucks are ready to respond to any power outages Wednesday in Fort Smith. Trucks were parked at Central Mall at about 8:45 am as freezing rain and sleet started to fall.

As of 2 p.m., 28 people are without power in central and eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas, according to the OG&E website.

Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative and Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) have no reported outages in western Arkansas.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning from 6 a.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Thursday.

Total sleet accumulation up to one inch and ice accumulations of up to half of an inch are possible.

For the latest road conditions in Arkansas, call 1-800-245-1672 or visit www.idrivearkansas.com. In Oklahoma, call 1-844-465-4997 or visit okroads.org.

Closings and Delays

Antioch for Youth & Family

Antioch's Pop-Up at the Curb food distribution is canceled for Wednesday, Feb. 23. The next food distribution will be at 10:00 a.m. March 2 while supplies last at 1420 North 32nd St. in Fort Smith.

Central Mall

Central Mall is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Fort Smith city offices

Fort Smith city offices are closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Fort Smith Public Library

All locations of the Fort Smith Public Library are closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Fort Smith National Historic Site

Fort Smith National Historic Site is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

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River Valley Regional Food Bank

The River Valley Regional Food Bank is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Sebastian County Courthouse

County Judge David Hudson said that the county courthouse and offices are closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

United Way of Fort Smith Area

The United Way of Fort Smith Area office is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23. According to the organization's Facebook page, those who need assistance should dial 211.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army of Fort Smith closed its social services and Van Buren Family Store on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Fort Smith Coffee Co.

While Fort Smith Coffee Co.'s original location on Towson Avenue remains open, the Bakery District location is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Timeless Oddities & Curiosities

Timeless Oddities & Curiosities is closed Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Arvest Bank

Arvest Bank is closing its Alma, Van Buren and Fort Smith locations at noon Wednesday, Feb. 23.

First National Bank of Fort Smith

First National Bank of Fort Smith is closing at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith weather: Sleet, ice worsen road conditions Wednesday
The Anne Arundel County Council voted to make Juneteenth a permanent county holiday and to allocate $63.5 million of federal and state funding to county schools at Tuesday nights meeting.

Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. with the liberation of the last enslaved people in Texas in 1865, three years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The June 19 holiday received national interest in 2021 after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, an event that sparked a racial reckoning across the U.S.

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Gov. Larry Hogan made Juneteenth a state holiday last year. County Executive Steuart Pittman signed an executive order observing Juneteenth as an official holiday and said he planned to introduce legislation to make it a permanent holiday. President Joe Biden also made Juneteenth a federal holiday last summer.

With the issuance of Executive Order 48 last year, the county executive pledged to introduce legislation to make Juneteenth a county holiday, said Peter Baron, director of government relations for the Office of the County Executive. Today were bringing forward 9-22 to make good on the county execs promise.

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The measure received six yes votes with only Pasadena Republican Nathan Volke voting against it. Volke said he was concerned about the cost after learning from Assistant County Auditor Terry Gibson the county spends about $2 million every working day on salary and benefits for its employees.

This is about a $2 million price tag on this bill in terms of theres another day that county employees will not be able to serve the public because they are not working, Volke said. The concern I have is this is a pretty expensive bill.

Annapolis Democrat Lisa Brannigan Rodvien argued that the cost was far less important to her than the principle.

Were missing the big picture when we talk about cost, Rodvien said. I feel like we need to be celebrating this holiday. I was, as Im sure plenty of you in the room were, completely oblivious to how the Fourth of July is for African Americans.

Rodvien added that a holiday is a small, but important gesture to acknowledge a milestone in Black history.

This is a great step, a huge important step that weve overlooked for a long time in American history, that deserves to be given the day of celebration that it is worth, Rodvien said.

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Pittman said he was pleased to see the council pass the bill.

I am thrilled that the council took that step, Pittman said. Its something that is worth celebrating and having a day off to celebrate gives it more meaning.

Since June 19 is a Sunday this year, the official government holiday will be celebrated Monday, June 20, said county Personnel Officer Anne Budowski.

The countys decision comes the same month the county school board voted to offer students a course in the countys African American history for the first time in the 2023-2024 school year. February is also Black History Month.

Were finally recognizing our countys history. Our county was a majority Black county at the end of slavery. The majority of those Black residents were enslaved and they built this county, Pittman said.

In other business, the County Council voted unanimously to allocate $63.5 million of mostly federal funding to the county schools. The unanticipated supplementary money will go toward the current fiscal year budget; there will be no cost to the county taxpayer.

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The biggest chunk of the funds, $21.7 million, will go toward instructional salaries and wages. The second biggest piece of funding is $8.5 million for textbooks and classroom supplies. And $8 million will go for special education.

Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. >

In a separate, but similar bill, the council voted unanimously to allocate more than $1 million of state grant money for maintenance and security upgrades at schools.

For Carolyn Smith, a Severna Park resident who taught at Severna Park High School and Broadneck Senior High School for 30 years, this vote was personal.

A boy had been expelled from Annapolis Senior High and was assigned to my class at Broadneck. I witnessed him making a drug deal, but they gave him one more chance. When he assaulted me in class while I was teaching because I would not return the note that he was passing to another student during class, he was finally removed from all of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Smith said during the public comment portion of the council meeting, adding that she believed the student to be connected to dangerous people in the community and feared for her life as well as her husbands and sons.

Soon after, she saw a story in The Capital that the student was sent to jail for attempted murder in Annapolis. And then a few years later, she was again assaulted by a student.

My 30th year [of teaching] was spent seeing a variety of doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists  not doing what I love: teaching my students. Whenever a bill comes up I beg you, I hope you remember my story and do all you can to protect our teachers, our administrators and our students, Smith said.

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Council member Amanda Fiedler, who was a student of Smiths, thanked the teacher for her testimony.

Mrs. Smith, I just want to tell you [that] you are, were, a wonderful teacher. Thank you for coming out and sharing your story tonight. Youre an even better human being, said Fiedler, an Arnold Republican.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  Lawyers for Gambia on Wednesday urged the United Nations' top court to throw out Myanmar's legal bid to end a case accusing the Southeast Asian nation of genocide against the country's Rohingya minority.

This court must reject Myanmars meritless preliminary objections and proceed to adjudicate the merits of this dispute, Gambias Attorney General and Justice Minister Dawda Jallow told judges at the International Court of Justice.

Lawyer Paul S. Reichler said the military takeover of power in Myanmar last year made the case all the more important as the country's new rulers are alleged to be behind the atrocities committed against the Rohingya.

If they can escape the courts jurisdiction, they will be accountable to no one and there will be no constraints on their persecution and ultimate destruction of the Rohingya, he warned, adding that the Rohingya remain at grave risk of mass atrocity crimes.

The case stems from what the Myanmar military called a clearance campaign it launched in Rakhine state in 2017 after an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group. Security forces were accused of mass rapes, killings and torching thousands of homes as more than 700,000 Rohingya fled into neighboring Bangladesh.

The African nation of Gambia has argued that the 2017 crackdown amounts to genocide and is asking the world court to hold Myanmar accountable.

On Monday, lawyers representing Myanmar's military-installed government urged judges at the global court to throw out the case, arguing they did not have jurisdiction, in part because they say Gambia was acting as a mouthpiece for an organization of Muslim nations.

Myanmar's legal team was led by Ko Ko Hlaing, the minister for international cooperation. He replaced pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the countrys legal team at earlier hearings in the case in 2019. She now is in prison after being convicted of what her supporters call trumped-up charges.

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The leader of Gambia's legal team stressed the case was brought by Gambia and not the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

We are no ones proxy, Jallow told the court.

This is very much a dispute between the Gambia and Myanmar, he added in a direct rebuttal of Myanmar's argument that Gambia's case was really brought by the Muslim organization and that the court can only hear cases between nations.

Judges will likely take months to rule on Myanmar's preliminary objections. If they reject them, the case will go ahead and likely take years to reach a conclusion.

Summing up Gambia's presentation on Wednesday, Philippe Sands was dismissive of Myanmar's attempts to have the case dropped.

To say that the arguments of Myanmar are tantamount to clutching at straws would be generous, he told judges. It would require you to redefine both the act of clutching and the nature of straw.

Pro-democracy advocates have harshly criticized the U.N. court for allowing the military government to represent Myanmar in a case focusing on alleged atrocities by the country's armed forces.

It is outrageous for the ICJ to proceed with these hearings on the basis of junta representation. The junta is not the government of Myanmar, it does not represent the state of Myanmar, and it is dangerous for the court to allow it to present itself as such, said Chris Sidoti of advocacy group Special Advisory Council for Myanmar.
THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Gambia on Wednesday urged judges at the World Court to reject a challenge by Myanmar to a case brought to halt alleged acts of genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minority, saying the West African state was "no one's proxy".

On Monday Myanmar's junta, which detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup last February, demanded that the United Nations' top court drop the case because Gambia was acting as a proxy for others and had no legal standing to file a case.

"Now more than ever justice within Myanmar is impossible and now, as before, only this court can hold Myanmar accountable for its acts of genocide," Gambia's Attorney General Dawda Jallow said.

The case before the International Court of Justice was brought in 2019 by Gambia, a predominantly Muslim West African country, backed by the 57-nation Organisation for Islamic Cooperation. Both Myanmar and Gambia have signed the 1948 genocide convention.

Gambia argues that Myanmar has violated that treaty, citing events in 2017, when more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown. A U.N. fact-finding mission concluded that the military campaign had included "genocidal acts".

Jallow said the UN treaty allowed his nation to file a case against Myanmar.

If it rejects Myanmar's objection, the court is expected to rule on the issue of jurisdiction over the case by the end of the year.

If the case does proceed, a final ruling is likely to take at several years to reach.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; editing by John Stonestreet)
Feb. 23The state's Roman Catholic dioceses as well as other organizations will receive another reprieve, as it appears the legislature's Judiciary Committee will not consider a bill this session that would temporarily lift the statute of limitations that prohibits past victims of sexual assault who are now older than 51 from filing a lawsuit.

Judiciary Committee Co-Chair Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said Tuesday that with this year being a short legislative session and the committee only having seven to eight days to hold hearings on all its bills, the sexual assault bill would likely not be heard, as a hearing on it would require an entire day. No bill has been introduced, according to the General Assembly website.

In addition, he said there has been no unanimity about the language of the bill. For instance, he said he has no objection to a person being allowed to directly sue their attacker but he has reservations about suing "secondary actors" such as organizations as the person who committed the assault, rebuttal witnesses and evidence may not be available. He said there are also questions about how long the window to file suits should be open.

He said in this session the bills that are being discussed have been around for a while and are more fleshed out with specific, agreed-upon language.

Stafstrom said he could not predict whether the bill would be considered in the 2023 session.

He also pointed out the legislature recently has taken action on the issue. He said he pushed a successful effort in 2019 that increased the age from 48 to 51 to file lawsuits and repealed the statute of limitations on filing criminal sexual assault charges.

"Its not like the legislature has ignored this issue," he said. "We have taken action."

But Marci Hamilton, a University of Pennsylvania professor and constitutional law scholar who studied this issue across the country, told a General Assembly task force in 2019 that, on average, it takes a person until age 52 to reveal to someone they were sexually assaulted as a child, which is one year later than the current statute of limitations.

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Gail Howard, one of the leaders of the Connecticut chapter of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, was again disappointed a bill would not be raised.

"I don't know how these decisions are made. First, it's a budget year and then it's a short session. They have a perpetual excuse," she said last week. "We're asking why Connecticut doesn't take the lead on this when it takes the lead on other important legal and social issues."

She pointed to the successful lawsuit by families of children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting against gunmaker Remington as evidence Connecticut is enlightened when it comes to such issues.

"So why are we in the dark again on this?" she said, adding that in recent years other states, such as New York, have created a window of time for sexual assault victims to file lawsuits regardless of their age.

Howard pledged that victims and their supporters will continue their fight.

"We are not going away," she said.

Even if a bill were approved this session and signed into law, it would have come too late for people who say they were sexually assaulted by priests from the Diocese of Norwich but cannot currently file lawsuits because they are older than 51.

That's because last summer the Diocese of Norwich filed for bankruptcy protection, which put any lawsuits on hold while it develops its bankruptcy plan and has it approved by a federal judge. The diocese is scheduled to file a bankruptcy plan by April 15 that will detail its assets and how much will be distributed to the victims, who are expected to number more than 80. The exact number of those who are seeking payments will not be known until March 15, which is the deadline for victims and other creditors to file their claims in the bankruptcy case. Some of the claimants are victims older than 51 and it is unknown if the diocese and its attorneys will oppose making payments to them.

No bills were introduced in the 2020 and 2021 legislative sessions, both of which saw a limited number of bills raised amid restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The effort to change the law has been headed by state Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, who co-introduced a sexual harassment and sexual assault bill in 2019. Among its provisions, it called for the elimination of the statute of limitations for 26 months to give childhood sexual assault victims who are older than 48, the cutoff age at the time, an opportunity to file lawsuits. But that provision was stripped from the bill before it was approved. The new law did create a legislative task force to study the issue and make recommendations and increased the cutoff age to file suits from 48 to 51.

In early 2020, that task force, headed by Flexer, voted unanimously to recommend that lawmakers introduce legislation that would eliminate the current statute of limitations on the filing of lawsuits by victims of childhood sexual assault, abuse or exploitation. The recommendations also specified that the change be retroactive, meaning victims of any age could sue, including those who are now prohibited from doing so because they are older than 51. But no bill was filed. Flexer could not be reached to comment Tuesday.

j.wojtas@theday.com
NEW YORK  Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera vouched for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., after his Fox News colleague Tucker Carlson called the left-wing politico an entitled rich white lady on Friday.

To be clear Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a proud woman of color, Rivera tweeted Tuesday. To claim otherwise is mere provocation.

Carlson claimed otherwise on an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight during a rant about a book on the liberal lawmaker he felt was too flattering.

There is no place on Earth, outside of American colleges and newsrooms, where Sandy Cortez would be recognized as a woman of color, because shes not, he falsely claimed. Shes a rich, entitled white lady. Shes the pampered, obnoxious ski bunny in the matching snowsuit who tells you to pull up your mask while youre standing in the lift line at Jackson Hole. Theyre all the same.

According to her congressional biography page, Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx to a dad who is a second-generation Bronxite and a mom who is from Puerto Rico. Her parents met in Puerto Rico, according to the 32-year-old progressive, who said her mom learned English after moving to New York City.

AOC addressed Carlsons remarks on Twitter, using a bit of Spanish.

This is the type of stuff you say when your name starts with a P and ends with dejo, she tweeted.

She was referring to the Spanish word pendejo, which essential translates to ahole or idiot, according to Dictionary.com. She also called the right-wing conspiracy pundit trash in Spanish and a creep in English.

Rivera, who frequently bickers with his Fox News colleagues, was born in New York City to a Puerto Rican father and a Russian Jewish mother.

Ocasio-Cortez told attendees at a 2018 Hanukkah event that her family had been tracing its roots in recent years and learned that many generations ago her family tree included Sephardic Jews. That Jewish group, which numbered around 300,000 according to Haaretz, fled Spain in the 15th century.

Carlson is well-known for espousing rhetoric thats highly offensive to minority groups.


BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's coalition parties agreed on Wednesday a roughly 13 billion euro package of measures to help households cope with surging energy prices, including scrapping a surcharge levied on electricity bills to support green power.

Energy prices in Germany have soared in the last year, and fears of an escalation of the crisis between Ukraine and gas supplier Russia are set to push them higher still.

Germany's ruling parties, the Social Democrats (SPD), ecologist Greens and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), said the steps were designed to help households with the greatest need.

"We are all seeing how rising prices are hitting many people very hard, especially the situation abroad with Russia is fuelling that," said Greens co-leader Ricarda Lang.

The parties agreed to abolish the renewable energy surcharge in July, some six months earlier than planned. It is expected to save an average household about 150 euros a year. Finance Minister Christian Lindner said it was worth a total of 6.6 billion euros.

Other measures, including raising the income tax allowance, increasing an allowance for commuters and granting more aid for children in poorer families, would result in a total of around 7 billion euros of relief, said Lindner.

Data this week showed that German producer prices rose in January at their fastest rate since modern records began, soaring 25% as energy costs spiralled. Energy costs rose 66.7% year-on-year in January, the Statistics Office has said.

Lindner said no supplementary budget would be needed, and Social Democrat Saskia Esken said she was confident the upper house of Parliament would approve the package.

(Reporting by Madeline Chambers, Andreas Rinke, Holger Hansen; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Global Pets World Group, a subsidiary of Wisdomcome group, has recently reached an agreement with Ammbr, a decentralised infrastructure technology developer in Abu Dhabi, to build the worlds first Global Pets theme park.

With Hong Kong as a starting point the main idea is to gradually expand to ten regions around the world.

Coin Rivet spoke with Ammbrs CEO, Derrick Smith who explained Global Pets World is a novel concept in theme parks  a place where pets and their owners can enjoy typical theme park facilities together.

Planned to open in Hong Kong in 2024, Global Pets World will have a pet-inclusive hotel, restaurants, a spa, rides and parks, as well as a full veterinary clinic, he said.

Commemorative walls and crematorium, and a facility to capture beloved pets as metaverse avatars will help owners retain the memories after the pets have passed on.

Smith also added that a large series of unique NFTs have been released to represent the top five tiers of memberships in Global Pets World.

A further two tiers, represented by non-unique NFTs, complete the memberships offering, he mentioned.

For sale on the Global Pets World website, some of the NFTs are also now being traded on Opensea.

The NFTs and blockchain-level security will be used to provide access control at the theme park, as well in online stores and the Global Pets World presence in the metaverse.

Smith revealed he has been in the blockchain space since the early days, and the concept of non-fungible tokens has been around quite a long time.

The specific ERC-721 and 1155 standards really came to prominence about a year ago, and received a big boost with the Beeple sale early in 2021, he said.

By then we had already formulated our main strategies for NFT and their role in bringing about the Metaverse.

When asked about the mission, Smith said it is to close gaps that persist in society.

We have already built and commercialised a last-mile broadband solution, and we are now building decentralised financial infrastructure and the underpinnings of our own Metaverse, he commented.

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NFTs are the most successful asset tokenisation standard and will allow us to close gaps in multiple spheres including trade, asset based finance, venture capital and gamification of many traditional jobs.

Talking about NFT space in 2-5 years, Smith says the company sees a massive focus on gaming and alternative finance in the coming years, with a longer term evolution of mainstream finance and capital markets.

Governance and compliance will be very important in the coming few years, and we are already involved in the launch of a US-based, SEC compliant NFT security offering, he added.

Our society stands on the brink of massive changes, perhaps last seen with mechanisation.

Within ten years the metaverse will have transformed almost every way we live and do business. Projects such as this are the early experiments that will soon proliferate and spawn variations beyond imagining.
Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden and Kevin McCarthy





Lawmakers in both parties raced this week to condemn Russia's incursion into Ukraine, denouncing President Vladimir Putin's gambit as a brazen assault on international law, Ukrainian sovereignty and stability in eastern Europe.

But that's about where the bipartisan agreement ends.

Republicans, while hammering Putin's march toward war, also wasted no time placing the blame for the escalating hostilities squarely on the shoulders of President Biden, saying his administration cleared the way for Russia's aggression with a series of foreign policy blunders, including the disastrous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan last August.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), speaking to reporters in Kentucky on Tuesday, said Putin would not have been emboldened to send upwards of 150,000 troops to the Ukrainian border "had we not precipitously withdrawn from Afghanistan." House GOP leaders quickly joined the attack, accusing the president of adopting a foreign policy posture that was simply too soft to discourage Putin's bellicose designs for Ukraine.

"Sadly, President Biden consistently chose appeasement and his tough talk on Russia was never followed by strong action," the Republican leaders, including Reps. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), Steve Scalise (La.) and Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), said in a statement.

Across the aisle, Democrats are singing a very different tune, praising Biden and his administration for moving swiftly to unite NATO and other key allies in Europe and beyond, many of which joined the United States this week in adopting tough new economic sanctions on Moscow.

"These unified steps make clear that the United States and our allies are not bluffing in our determination to inflict serious and painful consequences on Russia in response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

The divergent partisan response highlights the extent to which cooperation on Capitol Hill has dissolved in recent years, even when it comes to foreign policy matters like Russian aggression, which stood through decades of the Cold War as a unifying force across a broad spectrum of political views.

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It also reflects the sharp shift within the Republican Party on matters of foreign policy since the arrival of former President Trump, whose "America First" mantra defied the muscular approach to international affairs promoted by the more hawkish GOP leaders who preceded him - but also won him legions of followers fed up with Washington's entanglements abroad, not least the long and costly conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Those internal GOP tensions have surfaced in glaring fashion this week, following Putin's decision to recognize two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as sovereign entities distinct from the democratically elected government in Kyiv.

One camp of Republican traditionalists, represented by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), have pressed hard to counter Putin's authoritarian instincts with tough new sanctions, more defense funding for Kyiv and a robust show of U.S. military might in the allied countries of Eastern Europe.

"I want a sanctions regime from hell," Graham said during a press briefing Tuesday in his home state.

An opposing wing, embodied by Trump and his closest followers, is pushing a much more isolationist agenda, arguing the United States has for too long suffered the costs of playing policeman to the world.

"I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way of another," said J.D. Vance, the "Hillbilly Elegy" author vying for a Senate seat - and Trump's endorsement - in Ohio.

Complicating the response from the GOP, Trump this week hailed Putin's tactics in Ukraine as "genius," saying the Russian president's characterization of invading troops as "peacekeepers" was a move both "smart" and "savvy."

The praise drew the immediate condemnation from members of both parties, including Cheney, who said the 45th president's "adulation" of Putin "aids our enemies."

"Trump's interests don't seem to align with the interests of the United States of America," she tweeted.

Despite the divisions, Republicans appear united in their accusations that Biden's approach to foreign policy - both in Russia and elsewhere - has contributed to the burgeoning crisis in Ukraine, which some fear could lead to the bloodiest European conflict since World War II.

The House Republican leaders ticked off a host of areas where they say the administration's strategy was a failed one, including Biden's decision last year to waive sanctions on construction of the Nord Stream 2 project, an $11 billion gas pipeline between Russia and Western Europe.

"Lethal aid was slow-walked, anti-air and anti-ship capabilities were never directly provided, pre-invasion sanctions proportionate to the aggression Putin had already committed were never imposed, and sanctions on Nord Stream 2 were waived," said the GOP leaders, whose statement was also endorsed by the leading Republicans on the House Homeland Security, Armed Services and Intelligence committees.

Other Republicans are bashing Biden on the domestic policy front, arguing that the administration's opposition to certain new oil and gas projects around the country has given undue leverage to Putin when it comes to global energy production.

"For America to be a diplomatic power, we must be a military power. To be a military power, America has to be an economic power. It's all connected, and President Joe Biden is undermining it all with his radical agenda to shut down American energy and embolden our enemies like Russia," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), senior Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Biden on Tuesday announced a new round of sanctions on Russian financial institutions and some of the country's wealthiest families. Other global leaders, including those representing the European Union, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan, announced their own sanctions targeting Moscow.

In another major development, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday halted approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which has been completed but not yet certified by German regulators.

It remains unclear if Democratic leaders, who control both chambers of Congress, will take additional steps to confront the crisis legislatively, or allow the Biden administration to handle it unilaterally.

In the Senate, a bipartisan group has been working for weeks on a package to provide additional funding and military aid to Kyiv, while slapping tough new sanctions on the wealthy Russian oligarchs aligned with Putin. Those talks had stalled earlier in the month, over partisan disagreements between negotiators, but have resumed this week in response to Putin's promised foray into Ukraine's breakaway regions.

House leaders, on the other hand, are taking a wait-and-see approach.

"The Congress will be prepared to take further action if additional action is deemed necessary," Hoyer said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian leaders have remained defiant, readying their military forces for an all-out Russian assault while also pleading with the United States and other Western allies for more help.

Appearing Wednesday at a press conference in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that nothing less than "the future of European security" is on the line.

"The response of the international community to this crime," he said, "should be decisive, immediate and harsh."
Feb. 23SANTA FE  The sweeping crime package passed in the final hours of this year's legislative session would restructure New Mexico's law enforcement academy and set new training standards for officers.

The provisions  often overlooked in the broader debate over the bill  call for the academy's curriculum to include use-of-force training that eliminates chokeholds and adds peer intervention when another officer is out of line and de-escalation strategies.

The proposal also would split the academy's governing board in two  with one panel focused on officer training, the other on certification.

The proposed changes, supporters say, would improve training to limit problems before they arise and promote swift accountability for officers accused of misconduct.

"I'm really hopeful that this will give us a chance to really make a difference in New Mexico law enforcement," Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in an interview Monday.

The president of the Albuquerque Police Officers' Association, by contrast, is skeptical. Shaun Willoughby said the curriculum has some important components but that it could be too expensive for small departments to carry out.

"It looks good on paper," he said, "but I want to see the execution because that's what matters."

The legislation, House Bill 68, is on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has until March 9 to act on it.

The proposal is a combination of crime bills that had been working their way through the Legislature independently.

They were rolled together in the final days of the session and won final passage in the early-morning hours of the last day.

The legislation includes retention bonuses for officers, enhanced penalties for some crimes and an elimination of the statute of limitations for bringing charges of second-degree murder. Another provision  the focus of much debate  outlines new requirements for the sharing of ankle-monitor data when a defendant awaiting trial is suspected in a new crime.

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But some sections of the measure attracted little attention. The bill, for example, increases the death benefit for family members of police officers killed in the line of duty to $1 million  the highest amount, supporters say, in the country.

It would also make a host of changes to the Law Enforcement Academy Board and officer training.

Under the proposal:

 The academy's law enforcement curriculum would include training on crisis management and intervention, de-escalation, peer-to-peer intervention, stress management, racial sensitivity and reality-based situational training.

It also requires use-of-force training that "includes the elimination of vascular neck restraints"  the maneuver that killed a 40-year-old man in Las Cruces during a confrontation with police two years ago.

The attorney for the officer in that case said he had been trained to use the neck restraint and carried it out in accordance with Las Cruces Police Department policies. The department has since prohibited the use of vascular neck restraints, a police spokesman said.

 Some of the Law Enforcement Academy Board duties would be assigned to a new training council.

It would consist of the director of the academy, the heads of satellite academies and seven appointees of the governor: a prosecutor, a public defender, a police chief from a Native American nation, two people with experience in adult education, a citizen with experience as a behavioral health provider and a seventh person, who can't have ever worked as an officer.

 Other academy board duties would be transferred to a new certification board. It would have a retired judge, a city police officer, a sheriff, a tribal police officer, a civil rights or defense attorney, an attorney who defends public agencies against civil rights claims and a public defender .

The board would oversee granting, denying, suspending and revoking officers' licenses.

Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said the curriculum outlined in the bill is intended to modernize law enforcement training while still granting flexibility to the training council on how to carry it out.

Some law enforcement agencies operate their own academies, he said, but the state academy sets the cultural tone and influences what happens in individual police departments.

The dividing of the academy board into two entities, Maestas said, would be similar to how lawyers are trained in law school but then licensed and disciplined by other entities.

"This is tremendous  a victory for the state of New Mexico," he said of the changes.

Hebbe and other supporters also contend that breaking the academy board into two separate entities will help the state more quickly resolve allegations of misconduct that could jeopardize an officer's certification.

Willoughby, however, said the composition of the proposed training council is problematic. It has too many attorneys and other members without direct experience in policing, he said.

"You need real cops who have real-world experience to be involved in this," Willoughby said. "I think they missed the mark with this legislation."

The proposal is not yet law.

A year ago, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that sought to change the makeup of the academy board, contending it would have weakened civilian oversight.

This year, district attorneys have opposed the part of the bill focusing on ankle-monitoring data. They say it's too restrictive to help law enforcement.

In a written statement, Democratic Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office strongly supports "the legislative efforts to increase funding to modernize law enforcement training, as well as banning the use of deadly choke holds. Increasing the death benefit for fallen officers' families was also an important reform we supported."
UN agencies in Geneva concerned over situation in Ukraine

Xinhua) 08:09, February 23, 2022

Martin Griffiths, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, is seen on the screen during the Security Council debate on general issues relating to sanctions at the UN headquarters in New York, Feb. 7, 2022. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) continued to closely monitor what was a "volatile and unpredictable situation" and stood ready to meet any new humanitarian needs that might arise: spokesperson.

GENEVA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Various agencies of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva on Tuesday expressed their concern over the latest development in Ukraine, calling on all sides to cease hostilities and to pave the way for dialogue instead of setting the stage for further violence.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the Office for the UN Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told a press briefing that the Office had received reports of increased insecurity in eastern Ukraine, in the context of the hostilities which had been ongoing for the past eight years.

"We have seen reported increases in hostilities that is for sure, we call on everybody on all parties to protect civilians and protect civilian infrastructure in this very volatile situation," he noted.

He told reporters that on Feb. 18, a convoy had delivered humanitarian supplies to non-Government-controlled areas in the country, however, funding remained short and the international community is urged to provide additional resources.

Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said at the same press briefing that UNHCR continued to closely monitor what was a "volatile and unpredictable situation" and stood ready to meet any new humanitarian needs that might arise.

Refugees from eastern Ukraine arrive at a train station in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Feb. 22, 2022. (Photo by Roman Yarovitcin/Xinhua)

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, told reporters that the United Nations had 1,510 staff members in Ukraine, including 149 international staff and 1,361 national staff.

In total, there are 100 international and national staff operating in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, she said, adding that the United Nations was fully committed to staying and delivering in eastern Ukraine.

"Staff numbers remained stable, although, in the light of the evolving situation on the ground, the temporary relocation of small numbers of non-essential staff and dependants was allowed," she noted.

In a press release issued Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that she was deeply concerned that any significant escalation in military action would create a heightened risk of serious human rights violations.

"At this critical juncture, the priority, above all, must be to prevent a further escalation, to prevent civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure," she said.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet (left on screen) speaks via a video link during a Security Council open debate on women, peace and security at UN Headquarters in New York on Jan. 18, 2022. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
A judge on Tuesday deferred ruling on whether to keep alive a challenge by Republican lawmakers to Marylands plan for redrawing the states congressional district boundary lines.

Judge Lynne A. Battaglia, a retired state appeals court judge assigned to the case, had said last week that she would issue a decision by Tuesday after hearing arguments from attorneys for two groups of Republicans, as well as lawyers for Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat defending the state in the case.

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But Battaglia told attorneys in an email on Tuesday that she would not rule until after convening a hearing Wednesday on the challenge by one of the groups. That group includes Del. Neil Parrott, a Washington County Republican who was among the organizers of last Decembers lawsuit.

Both GOP groups contend the map was unfairly drawn to favor Democrats and doesnt abide by Maryland constitutional guidelines.

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Democratic leaders maintained during the General Assemblys debate last year that the new map is fair.

The state has moved to dismiss both challenges, saying the maps dont violate state constitutional provisions.

If Battaglia allows the challenge to go forward, the judge said she hopes to hold a trial in mid-March and issue a final ruling before that months end.

The primary is June 28, and the state has said it is concerned that its time to prepare for the balloting may be shortened.
This Week in Indiana History

1779 - George Rogers Clark captured Fort Sackville at Vincennes, marking the end of British influence on the United States western frontier. The George Rogers Clark Memorial (pictured) in Vincennes stands at the site of the old fort.

186 - The first group of Confederate soldiers arrived at Camp Morton Prison in Indianapolis. The camp was located in the area bordered by 19th and 22nd Streets and Talbot Street and Central Avenue. The site of the old state fairgrounds, the prison held up to 4,000 soldiers during the Civil War.

1867 - The Indiana Student newspaper began publication at Indiana University. Among the topics in the first issue was the proposal for a walkway between the gate and the college to help students avoid the deep mud. In 1889, the newspaper was renamed Indiana Daily Student.

1925 - An explosion at the City Coal Mine in Sullivan, Indiana, killed 51 miners. Governor Ed Jackson sent National Guard units to help in the disaster. As a result of this tragedy, the legislature established stricter safety regulations for Indiana mines.

1940 - Fire swept through the winter headquarters of the Cole Brothers Circus in Rochester, Indiana. Over 100 animals were killed, including elephants, lions, tigers, and leopards. Elephants, camels, and other animals roamed the area until they were captured the next day.

1954 - Doctors began the first mass inoculation of children with the Salk polio vaccine, produced by Eli Lilly Laboratories in Indianapolis. The clinical trials were the largest ever conducted, with four million children participating.

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HOOSIER QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Back of every good belly laugh there is a familiarity with things not funny at all."

- - - Carole Lombard (1908 - 1942)

Born in Fort Wayne, Carole Lombard was one of the most popular movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s.

* * * *

Indiana quick quiz

In an alphabetical listing of all 50 states, which state precedes Indiana and which follows?

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Answers

Illinois precedes Indiana and Iowa follows.

* * * *

ABE MARTIN SEZ:

There's nothin' as uncertain as a sure thing.

(Kin Hubbard, The Indianapolis News, January 23, 1922)

This article originally appeared on Evening World: Hoosier History Highlights: February 20-26
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Iceland will lift all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on Friday, including a 200-person indoor gathering limit and restricted opening hours for bars, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

"Widespread societal resistance to COVID-19 is the main route out of the epidemic," the ministry said in a statement, citing infectious disease authorities.

"To achieve this, as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus as the vaccines are not enough, even though they provide good protection against serious illness," it added.

All border restrictions would also be lifted, it said.

Iceland, with a population of some 368,000 people, has registered between 2,100 and 2,800 daily infections recently. More than 115,000 infections have been logged throughout the epidemic and 60 have died due to COVID-19.

(Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Queen Elizabeth II: A modern monarch. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

The CEO of a celebrity gossip blog went viral for claiming that Queen Elizabeth II has died.

The Queen was diagnosed with COVID-19, Buckingham Palace announced on Sunday.

Jason Lee doubled down after a Twitter account that appeared to be for his blog had briefly retracted the claim.

The founder and CEO of the celebrity gossip blog Hollywood Unlocked has doubled down on his unverified and unsubstantiated claim that Queen Elizabeth II has died despite no other outlet reporting such news.

The internet ignited Tuesday after the pop culture blog with 2.8 million Instagram followers published an article that claimed "sources close to the Royal Kingdom" had exclusively told the blog that the Queen had died.

The blog provided no other information on the claim, which has not been addressed by Buckingham Palace. Representatives for Buckingham Palace did not return Insider's request for comment on Wednesday.

As Insider reported, it is extremly unlikely the world would learn of the Queen's death from a gossip site. There are rigid plans in place by the palace that detail everything from who will first be informed to what songs UK radio stations can play before announcing the news.

The post followed an announcement on Sunday that the 95-year-old sovereign had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and had mild symptoms of the disease.

After the blog post spread across social media, the website's founder and CEO, Jason Lee, tweeted "we don't post lies and I always stand by my sources," adding that he was waiting for the palace's "official confirmation."

Hollywood Unlocked did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Lee also Tuesday posted a screenshot from the iPhone notes app on Instagram that appeared to defend the claim. In the post, he wrote he had "never been wrong" and said he planned to attend the rapper Ye's "Donda" concert later that night.

On Wednesday morning, a Twitter account also called Hollywood Unlocked shared a retraction, saying it sent its "deepest apologies" to the royal family and that "it was an accident and we're working hard to make sure that this mistake never happens again," Variety reported.

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The tweet appeared to also blame the article on an "intern journalist" who published "the draft post by mistake," according to the Variety report.

That tweet, which has since been deleted, was lambasted hours later by Lee, who said he "woke up to some fake account posting a retraction" and said "we do not know that account."

The Twitter account has existed since 2019 and has often used the same Hollywood Unlocked logo that is used on its website and Instagram account.

The word "unofficial" appeared to be added to the account's bio on Twitter sometime Wednesday, according to an archived version of the account from Tuesday that showed the bio did not have the word.

Lee also doubled down on his previous claim, saying that "we have not retracted our story" and that "there has yet to be an official statement from the Palace."

"Staying tuned," he added.

Shortly after, he called out Variety on Instagram for writing an article about the now-deleted retraction tweet, calling it "fake news" and asking the publication to "please retract this."

Following Lee's repudiation of the retraction tweet, Variety posted an update at the top of the piece noting Lee claimed the account that shared the apology tweet was "fake" and that he stands by the story's validity.

Read the original article on Insider
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Even if you haven't yet binged Netflix's Inventing Anna, you are likely familiar with the juicy saga of pseudo German socialite Anna Delvey, nee Sorokin, who grifted and charmed her way into the upper echelons of New York society over a whirlwind 4-year period in the mid-2010s.

She had a knack for showing up to all the right partiesand getting her name on all the right VIP lists.

That last part can in large part be credited to the hotel concierge at 11 Howard, where Delvey stayed for several months in 2017, racking up $30,000 in charges.

Even if you haven't yet binged Netflix's Inventing Anna, starring T&C cover star Julia Garner, you are likely familiar with the juicy saga of pseudo German socialite Anna Delvey, nee Sorokin, who grifted and charmed her way into the upper echelons of New York society over a whirlwind 4-year period in the mid-2010s. By the time she was caught in 2017, at age 26, the fake heiress had left in her wake hundreds of thousands of unpaid tabs and a trail of bruised egos in the worlds of art, fashion, and finance.

There were many things that helped create the mystique of Anna Delvey. Her unplaceable accent, her confidence, the ease with which she threw around $100 tips for even minor services. And there was her knack for showing up to all the right partiesand getting her name on all the right VIP lists.

Photo credit: Aaron Epstein/Netflix

From the point of view of Inventing Anna, a Shonda Rhimes production that is inspired byand also takes liberties withJessica Pressler's 2018 story for New York magazine on the con artist, that last part can in large part be credited to the hotel concierge at 11 Howard, where Delvey stayed for several months in 2017, racking up $30,000 in charges. In the show, 11 Howard is the fictional 12 George, and as in real life, Garner's Delvey becomes particularly attached to one employee at the desk, Neff Davis (who is portrayed by Alexis Floyd), treating her like a personal secretary and tipping handsomely for it.

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In return, Neff claims to have gone above and beyond for her client, getting her name on every important database at restaurants, clubs, salons, and PR agencies to ensure Delvey would receive the most sought-after invitations, breeze through any VIP entrance, always get a table or ticket wherever she wanted. "You were setting up meetings?" the journalist Vivian (Anna Chlumsky), a stand-in for Pressler, asks in episode 4. "I was setting up Anna," Neff replies. "At 12 George if you're a guest and we want to keep you happy, it's my job to get you on the right database."

Photo credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY - Getty Images

Private tours of museum exhibits, after-hours shopping sprees at Bergdorf's, the good table at Le Coucou, such services can be expected of a 5-star hotel concierge. But can they really go farther than that and open doors to the ne plus ultra of high society events? T&C spoke to Jacob Tomsky, an industry veteran and author of the tell-all Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality to fact-check Inventing Anna.

How much access can a hotel concierge grant?

Quite a bit. There's a very tight relationship between a concierge and anything that's exclusive or hard to get into. They are known as the keys to the city so they are often invited to events or to try out a restaurant or go to a play to make sure they're aware of the quality of it. They're sort of schmooozed to send gueststhere are a lot of kickbacks for the concierge for sending good clients to the right places.

And it's one of the concierge's jobs to decide who actually is going to spend a lot of money at the restaurant they've booked. Are these guests going to buy the $1000 bottle of wine, or are they just trying to act like they're special and the restaurant will get burned because they barely spent anything? So the concierge does make that decision and they're trusted. They are the authenticator for who is really worth letting in and making special favors for.

Photo credit: DAVID GIESBRECHT/NETFLIX

In the case of Anna Delvey, she was only pretending to be a big spender, though she did tip everyone in $100 bills. Could that be a way to fool a concierge into thinking you're a VIP?

People are so cheap, so a $100 to a concierge for a small favor puts you at the top of the list. Maybe that's the only $100 you ever give but they have now created this idea of you as being a very generous, very rich person, an idea they'll then pass on to someone else. With a little bit of tipping money at the right time to the right people, you can definitely appear as more wealthy and, in turn, more connected.

It's a fine line because you've got a concierge that wants to retain a good relationship with all of these external businesses. They want to be trusted by these event organizers that the people they're pushing through are usually beneficial to both. But the concierge has to get something out of it, too. They don't want to send someone rude, but also if that person tips well, they're going to start making those decisions based on their pocketbook. They don't really care what happens too much outside of the hotel as long as it doesn't destroy their reputation.

Neff's relationship with Anna quickly goes from concierge-and-guest to a sort of friendship, where she is invited to expensive dinners, treated to luxe spa trips, and even gifted designer clothes. Isn't there a code of conduct?

Yes, definitely, contact with guests outside of hotels is absolutely frowned upon. There is supposed to be this professional separation but it does break down sometimes. With the concierge there could be a desire for an employee to make the relationship because this person has money and it allows them to go out to different things and live a better life when they're in town. But it's really rare. It's almost a red flag if a guest starts inviting you into their personal life.

Yet hard to resist?

I suppose with a certain type of person, there could be that desire to be on the other side of the desk. If anybody is going be susceptible to that it's the concierge, because they're as close to that life as possible without actually being part of itthey're always still known as just an employee or facilitator.

With a grifter coming in, she wants to be part of that world as much as perhaps the concierge does. So there could be a an unspoken bond like, "She feels that I feel excluded as well," whereas someone who is actually part of that world doesn't give a shit how you feel about it. You're just helping them. So these lingering desires are possible with anyone who works in an industry where you see all of it and never get to taste it.

Watch Inventing Anna on Netflix

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Ivanka Trump. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Ivanka Trump is in talks with the January 6 committee to potentially cooperate with its investigation, her spokesperson said.

The negotiations come after the committee last month asked Ivanka to give them information.

Trump served as then President Donald Trump's senior advisor while he was in office.

Ivanka Trump, former President Donald Trump's eldest daughter and ex-senior advisor, is talking with the House select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot about cooperating with its probe, her spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.

"Ivanka Trump is in discussions with the committee to voluntarily appear for an interview," the spokesperson said in a statement to The New York Times.

The congressional committee sent a letter to Ivanka last month asking her to voluntarily meet with the panel and provide information for its investigation. Her spokesperson released a statement last month noting that Ivanka publicly condemned violence and other illegal activity at the Capitol while the riot was underway last year.

"Ivanka Trump just learned that the January 6 Committee issued a public letter asking her to appear. As the Committee already knows, Ivanka did not speak at the January 6 rally. As she publicly stated that day at 3:15 pm, 'any security breach or disrespect to our law enforcement is unacceptable. The violence must stop immediately. Please be peaceful,'" the spokesperson said in a statement.

The committee's request for Ivanka Trump's testimony came after its vice chair, GOP Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, said the panel had "firsthand testimony" that the younger Trump tried "at least twice" to get her father to stop the Capitol riot as it was unfolding.

Cheney told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that Trump was watching the riot play out on television from the dining room next to the Oval Office while members of his staff were "pleading" with him to intervene.

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Staffers "were pleading with him to go on television to tell people to stop," Cheney told Stephanopoulos. "We know Leader McCarthy was pleading with him to do that. We know members of his family, we know his daughter  we have firsthand testimony that his daughter Ivanka went in at least twice to ask him to please stop this violence."

Ivanka Trump spent "several hours walking back and forth" from the Oval Office to appeal to Trump, The Washington Post's Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker reported in their book, "I Alone Can Fix It."

And Mark Meadows, then the White House chief of staff, also told Ivanka, "I need you to come back down here" to convince the president to call off the mobs of his supporters who were storming the Capitol.

"We've got to get this under control," Meadows said to Ivanka Trump, according to the book.

In addition to Ivanka Trump, the former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was instrumental in Trump's efforts to overturn the election results, is also said to be in talks with the January 6 select committee about potentially cooperating with its investigation. According to The Guardian, Giuliani may be poised to reveal to lawmakers on the panel his communications with Republicans in Congress who were also involved in Trump's election subversion efforts.

But several others in Trump's orbit have refused to cooperate in the ongoing inquiry. The House of Representatives previously voted to hold Meadows and one-time White House chief strategist Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress after they defied subpoenas from the committee. Bannon in November pleaded not guilty to two counts of contempt of Congress.

More recently, the panel subpoenaed former White House trade advisor Peter Navarro, who pointed to Trump's claim of executive privilege when declining to cooperate.

Trump, for his part, has lambasted the committee's investigation as a partisan and politically motivated witch hunt and asserted executive privilege over a trove of White House documents the panel requested to help it map out Trump's actions and statements before, during, and after the riot.

But the Biden White House declined to do the same, saying it was "not in the best interest of the United States" to withhold the records. Trump subsequently filed a lawsuit to block the committee from obtaining the relevant documents but was thwarted by the US Supreme Court, which denied his request to review the committee's bid and cleared the way for the National Archives to turn them over.

Grace Panetta contributed reporting.

Read the original article on Business Insider
TOKYO (AP)  Japan's Emperor Naruhito, marking his 62nd birthday on Wednesday, called on people to keep the fire of hope burning in their hearts and support each other to overcome the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Naruhito said his heart aches thinking about people who have lost their jobs, struggled financially or felt isolated due to the pandemic.

The difficult situation has persisted, but I strongly believe that it is possible that we can overcome this severe reality with patience by caring for each other, sharing each other's pain and by making efforts to support each other, Naruhito said at a palace news conference held ahead of his birthday.

His birthday greetings to the public at the palace were canceled for a third year, and a palace ceremony was also scaled down because of the pandemic.

Naruhito said his daughter, Princess Aiko, who studies Japanese literature at Gakushuin University, has been taking classes online due to the coronavirus. Recalling his time in college, where he constantly had new discoveries and experiences such as meeting people in classes and sharing a table at a cafeteria with other students, Naruhito said he hopes his daughter also can enjoy a post-pandemic campus life.

Aiko is the only child of Naruhito and Empress Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat who has suffered from what has been described as a stress-related condition for about 20 years.

Aiko turned 20 in December and now can help with royal duties as an adult member of the imperial family.

Aiko is not eligible to succeed her father. Under Japanese law, she also has to leave her family if she marries a commoner, like her older cousin, Mako, who married her college sweetheart and moved to New York with him.

The 1947 Imperial House Law, which largely preserves pre-World War II family values, only allows a male succession line and requires that female royal family members who marry commoners join their husband-led households.

A government panel in December recommended that the government continue the male-only imperial succession system despite a shrinking number of men in the royal family.
Kentucky State Police on Wednesday were investigating the fatal shooting of an ex-state lawmaker's daughter in her parents' Richmond house during a home invasion.

Jordan Morgan, the daughter of former legislator C. Wesley Morgan and who once worked for former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, was shot to death inside the family's home around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Madison County Coroner said.

The oldest of two children, she sometimes stayed at the home, in the 1200 block of Willis Branch Road.

An armed suspect apparently entered the home prior to 4:30 a.m., firing first and killing the woman, Kentucky State Police officials said.

Gunshots were then exchanged between the homeowner and the intruder, police said. The armed suspect left the residence after the shooting. No arrests had been made.

Jordan Morgan, who worked as an attorney, died of a gunshot wound. Her father, Wesley Morgan, was taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital and released.

Whether it was a robbery turned violent or connected to a different motive wasn't known, said Sgt. Robert Purdy, a spokesman for the state police.

Detectives were still in the very early stages, preliminary stages of the investigation, Purdy told The Associated Press.

Louisville living: Why some Louisville neighborhoods remain segregated

Wesley Morgan owns the home in the 1200 block of Willis Branch Road, according to the Madison County property valuation administrators office, the Associated Press reported. The house is listed online for sale at $6.5 million.

Morgan confirmed to the Lexington Herald Leader that his daughter was killed. On Wednesday, he declined to comment on what happened, referring all questions to the state police.

Morgan, a Republican, served one term as a state representative for Richmond and Berea in Madison County. After losing his seat in 2018, Morgan said his defeat was orchestrated by Republican leaders in the state and thus announced he would support the Democratic candidate in the race.

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He owns several liquor stores as well.

Jordan Morgan had worked as an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Boone and Gallatin counties. She recently joined the Reminger law office in Lexington.

"Reminger wishes to express its sincere condolences to the Morgan family," the firm said in a statement. "She was a pleasant colleague and a promising attorney. We are shocked and saddened at the circumstances surrounding her unfortunate death."

She once worked for former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin as his deputy press secretary.

In 2017, she gained notoriety after saying she received inappropriate text messages from one of four House Republicans involved in a secret sexual harassment settlement with another female staffer that cost former House Speaker Jeff Hoover his leadership job.

Purdy of the Kentucky State Police said investigators are asking for the public's help.

"Frankly, we believe someone knows something and we would just like accurate information to follow up on," he said.

Reporter Chris Kenning can be reached at ckenning@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Wesley Morgan's daughter killed, 1 injured in Kentucky home shooting
Republican candidate for governor Kelly Schulz announced that Jeff Woolford, a Maryland Department of Health official, will join her ticket as running mate for lieutenant governor.

Woolford, a first-time candidate, is the chief medical officer and an assistant secretary for the agency. He previously held several other roles under Gov. Larry Hogan, a fellow Republican, including a stint in 2020 as chief of staff for the Department of Human Services.

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Woolford is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and flight surgeon and is a lieutenant colonel in the Maryland Air National Guard.

Schulz served in Hogans cabinet since the two-term governor first took office in 2014. Schulz first served as secretary of labor, licensing and regulation, then in 2019 became commerce secretary, a post she held until resigning the position last month to focus on her campaign.

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She previously served as a Republican delegate from Frederick County.

Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. >

Schulz praised Woolfords professional experience, personal character and life story in announcing his addition Tuesday to her ticket, including his instrumental role in helping lead the states response to the coronavirus pandemic. She told The Baltimore Sun that her campaign spent several months vetting potential picks.

It is a tremendous honor to be part of this ticket and to run alongside Kelly Schulz as we continue to work toward a brighter future for all Marylanders, Woolford, a Baltimore native who lives in Carroll County with his wife and two children, said in a statement. Over the last seven years, Maryland has made a lot of progress, and I am committed to making sure we continue in the same direction.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz is pictured in 2019. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun)

The selection of a fellow Hogan appointee  particularly an official involved in the Hogan administrations COVID-19 response  sharpens the Republican primary showdown for the nomination against Frederick County Del. Dan Cox. He has helped file numerous unsuccessful lawsuits to overturn coronavirus restrictions and called for Hogans impeachment earlier this month. Other Republican lawmakers dismissed Coxs impeachment effort, and a Hogan spokesman has called Cox a QAnon conspiracy theorist.

Former Republican President Donald Trump endorsed Cox in the race while taking shots at Hogan, a bitter intraparty rival with whom he has feuded repeatedly. Hogan denounced Trump numerous times through the years and said in 2016 and 2020 that he wouldnt vote for Trump.

Hogan, who is term-limited and is not running for reelection, has repeatedly expressed his support for Schulz and touted her candidacy in response to attacks from Cox and Trump.

Maryland voters lean heavily Democratic, backing President Joe Biden 2-to-1 over Trump in 2020, and Democrats hold most statewide offices. But Republicans have won three of the past five gubernatorial elections in the state. Hogan has maintained strong approval ratings in most polls after cruising to reelection in 2018 over Democrat Ben Jealous.

Perennial anti-tax candidate Robin Ficker and Baltimore County resident Joe Werner have also filed to run for the Republican nomination in the June 28 primary. Ten candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  The judge overseeing the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights ordered Wednesday that the names of the jurors be sealed for at least 10 years.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson said in his order that the court assured prospective jurors for the trial of J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao that their personal information would be kept confidential. The judge said federal law allows him to do so in the interests of justice and that this is clearly such a case.

The significant public attention this trial has generated, combined with the Courts assurances to prospective jurors that the information would not be released, mandate such sealing, Magnuson wrote in the order issued around five hours after jury deliberations began. Such sealing does not prevent any juror from speaking publicly about his or her service, but merely protects the sensitive personal information all jurors provided and makes public disclosure of any jurors identity that jurors choice.

Kueng, Lane and Thao are charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee to the Black man's neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd was handcuffed, facedown. Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin in the May 25, 2020, videotaped killing that sparked protests around the world as part of a reckoning over racial injustice.

After Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges in state court in April, the judge in the case initially ordered jurors' names sealed for at least 180 days, citing concerns for jurors' safety and privacy.

However, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill relented in November in response to a request by The Associated Press and a coalition of other news organizations. Cahill said Minnesota law presumes that jurors names will be made public unless there is a strong reason not to do so.

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The case against Kueng, Lane and Thao is in federal court. Magnuson cited case law as saying that while theres a common-law right of access to judicial records, its not absolute and must be balanced against other interests.

Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant, said judges have a lot of leeway and he has heard of instances where judges have sealed jurors' names indefinitely.

In Mafia cases or cases involving gangs, theres a much greater sensitivity to keeping jurors anonymous," Tuerkheimer said. "In a case like this, I dont see that this rises to that level.

Tom Heffelfinger, a former U.S. attorney in Minnesota, said jurors at Chauvin's trial did express concerns about their safety. He said Magnuson wants the jurors to focus on the case  and not be worried about what might happen based on the decision they make.

He is a federal judge and he does have a very large degree of discretion on managing these cases as long as its not in violation of the law or doesnt harm the parties rights, he said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  A jury has been seated in the wanton endangerment trial of former Louisville Metro Police detective Brett Hankison for his role in the 2020 police shooting that left 26-year-old Breonna Taylor dead.

A group of about 250 potential jurors has been narrowed down to 15  12 jurors and three alternates  a tedious process that began more than three weeks ago.

The trial will begin in earnest Wednesday with opening statements and is expected to last into early March. Alternate jurors won't be designated until deliberations begin.

Hankison is charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for shooting rounds that penetrated a neighboring apartment with three people inside. No one has been charged for Taylor's death in the March 13, 2020, raid in which police were trying to serve a search warrant to look for drugs and cash as part of a larger narcotics investigation.

Hankison has pleaded not guilty to the class D felonies and is free on bond. Wanton endangerment can carry up to one to five years in prison.

Though Taylor isn't the victim in Hankison's case, legal experts told The Courier Journal her connection likely will be a factor throughout the trial, starting with jury selection.

Throughout individual and group questioning, both defense and prosecuting attorneys repeatedly asked potential jurors about their knowledge of and opinions about the case.

Tuesday provided attorneys one last opportunity to question potential jurors before the trial began: Did they know anyone on the witness list? Do they understand some legal basics, like the right to remain silent? Is there any other reason they could not be fair jurors?

Several people were dismissed because their employers wouldn't pay them for the possible full duration of the trial; jurors in Kentucky are paid just $12.50 per day by the state to serve.

Others were excused because they knew LMPD officers connected to the case or had health or family challenges.

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Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman and emergency room technician, was fatally shot by LMPD officers after they broke in to Taylor's apartment around 12:40 a.m. on March 13, 2020.

Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired one round from his legally owned handgun when officers used a battering ram to force open the apartment's front door. Walker's bullet struck Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the thigh, severing his femoral artery.

In response, Mattingly fired six rounds, detective Myles Cosgrove fired 16 and Hankison fired 10. Six of those bullets struck Taylor, with Cosgrove firing the fatal shot, the FBI concluded.

None of Hankison's rounds struck Taylor, Attorney General Daniel Cameron has said.

Hankison was fired in 2020 after a former interim chief called the rounds he shot through the covered door and window "a shock to the conscience."

Reach Tessa Duvall at tduvall@courier-journal.com and 502-582-4059. Twitter: @TessaDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: A jury is seated in trial of ex-cop in Breonna Taylor shooting
Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images

The Justice Department is shifting its approach to countering China's economic espionage and trade secret theft.

The so-called "China Initiative" drew criticism from civil rights groups and the academic community.

A top Biden appointee said the current threat landscape demands a "broader approach."

The Justice Department is ending the so-called "China Initiative," a Trump-era effort to combat Chinese national security threats  one that civil rights advocates, business groups, and universities criticized as fomenting anti-Asian bias and stifling scientific research.

In a speech Wednesday, a top Justice Department official said the Chinese government "stands apart" from other nation-state actors in the threat it presents. But, following a three-month review, the Justice Department determined that "this initiative is not the right approach."

"Instead, the current threat landscape demands a broader approach," said Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen, the Senate-confirmed head of the Justice Department's national security division, during a speech at George Mason University.

By grouping cases under the "China Initiative" banner, Olsen added, the Justice Department had fostered the harmful perception that it views "people with racial, ethnic, or familial ties to China differently."

Olsen's comments come at a time when anti-Asian violence is spiking across the United States. Washington, DC, had the nation's highest anti-Asian hate crime rate in 2021, according to a recent study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

The Justice Department launched the China Initiative in 2018 under the leadership of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former Republican senator from Alabama who framed the enforcement push as an effort to address the growing threat of Chinese espionage and trade secret theft.

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Sessions, who garnered a reputation as an immigration hardliner in the Senate, emphasized in a speech that the Chinese government was targeting not only US defense and intelligence agencies but also research labs and universities.

"We are here today to say: enough is enough," Sessions said in November 2018, a week before former President Donald Trump fired him. "We're not going to take it anymore."

In the years that followed, the Justice Department brought prosecutions against academics and researchers alleging that they lied to the US government about their Chinese affiliations. The Justice Department scored some victories in court, winning a conviction as recently as December against a Harvard University chemistry professor who was accused of lying to the US government about his participation in the Chinese government's Thousand Talents program.

But another case ended in an acquittal. The Justice Department has dropped several other cases, including the prosecution of Gang Chen, an Massachusetts Institute of Technology mechanical engineering professor who was accused of hiding his China ties.

Prosecutors in that case withdrew charges after the US Energy Department said his undisclosed affiliations with China would not have affected the agency's review of a grant application he filed in 2017. That high-profile setback and others fueled accusations that the Justice Department was pursuing racist and overzealous prosecutions.

Olsen on Wednesday said the Justice Department would not retreat entirely from cases involving the academic and research community. But he said the Justice Department's national security division will take an "active supervisory role" over such cases to assess the strength of the evidence, "as well as the nexus to our national or economic security."

He raised the prospect of treating some grant fraud cases as civil matters in the future.

"Make no mistake, we will be relentless in defending our country from China. The department will continue to prioritize and aggressively counter the actions of the [Chinese] government that harm our people and our institutions," Olsen said. "But our review convinced us that a new approach is needed to tackle the most severe threats from a range of hostile nation-states."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Kanye West was seen hurling his microphone on the ground as he was plagued by sound issues during his Donda 2 event in Miami.

On Tuesday (22 February), the 44-year-old rapper, who legally changed his name to Ye last year, threw a listening party for the sequel to his 10th album, 2021s Donda.

After debuting all the new tracks from Donda 2, Ye performed all his original Donda tracks along with a special performance of his new single City of Gods, featuring Alicia Keys and Fivio Foreign.

While the Eazy rapper was performing his Donda track Jail 2 alongside Marilyn Manson, there was a noticeable glitch in the mic audio, to which Ye responded by throwing his mic on the ground.

Soon after that moment, fans started creating memes about it on social media.

The audio team is going to jail tonight #DONDA2 #KanyeWest #ye go ahead and trow that mic again, one person wrote.

Kanye West after his mic stopped working #DONDA2 pic.twitter.com/zalqqCPIK3  Houston  (@H0ustonPa) February 23, 2022

Kanye west throwing his mic in frustration during his Donda 2 performance LMFOAOAOAO pic.twitter.com/hUU5mEv6XV  Joel Tav (@JkMaNzZ) February 23, 2022

#Donda2

Kanye West: Guess whos going to jail tonight!



Mic operator: pic.twitter.com/TFtlPv2MNU  Neo Jane (@NeoJane8) February 23, 2022

Whoever messed up the mic for @kanyewest better be Running! pic.twitter.com/KnwxuuR5l2  Ryan Harris (@salaams_from_68) February 23, 2022

During his performance, Ye was joined by a number of guests, including rapper Jack Harlow, Pusha T, Alicia Keys and Migos.

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Accused rapist Manson was present for a rendition of Jail 2 from Donda, which also features embattled rapper DaBaby.

Manson, real name Brian Warner, has been accused of rape, assault, and physical and psychological abuse by multiple women. He denies all of the allegations against him.

Yes fans are also disappointed as the rapper failed to keep his promise of releasing Donda 2 online on 22 February.

Follow our live blog about the Donda 2 listening party here.
The Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Copenhagen on Tuesday (Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Ima)

Kate Middleton has teased that meeting babies makes her very broody and that she often jokes with her husband, Prince William, about having another one.

The Duchess of Cambridge made the comments during a visit to the Childrens Museum in Copenhagen, where she arrived on Tuesday 22 February.

The royals stay is a two-day fact-finding visit to learn about the countrys approach to the early years development of children.

It comes after the Duchess launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2021, a research centre that aims to raise awareness of the impact of the first five years in child development.

At the Copenhagen Childrens Museum, Kate met with first-time parents who are benefiting from the Understanding Your Baby research project.

Run by the University of Copenhagen, this sees 200 health workers support 1,300 parents with understanding and meeting their babys social and emotional needs.

After meeting with two eight-month-old baby boys and their parents, the Duchess joked: It makes me very broody.

William always worries about me meeting under one-year-olds. I come home saying, lets have another one.

During the visit, Kate praised fathers for taking time off work to get to know their babies and spoke of how feeling insecure about parenting was a universal struggle among mothers and fathers.

There is so much joy and happiness associated with having a newborn baby but actually people dont necessarily talk about the worry or the anxiety that comes with having a newborn, and particularly if you are noticing things with your own child that you feel you are worried about, she said.

Kate took a turn on the slide (Getty Images)

Later that day, Kate visited the Lego Foundation PlayLab at University College Copenhagen, where students who are training to be early years professionals are encouraged to play.

Dressed in a red boucle Zara blazer and earrings from Danish jeweler Maria Black , the Duchess took part in the fun, choosing to go down an indoor helter-skelter slide.

She emerged at the bottom in a fit of laughter, joking that in the spirit of where I am, I had to do it.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is asking the public for help to find his father, who has been missing for more than 10 days.

Robinson posted an emotional story on Instagram on Monday, pleading with his father, 39-year-old Mitchell Robinson Jr., to come home.

Mitchell Robinsons father has been missing since Feb. 11 according to Escambia County Sheriffs Office. pic.twitter.com/ssoTA7GKgJ  alder almo (@alderalmo) February 22, 2022

"Don't know a place the devil will hide you ... Come home, Pops," Robinson wrote on Instagram.

Earlier, Robinson posted about his missing father on Snapchat. He shared a Facebook post from Feb. 13 in which the Escambia (Florida) County Sheriff's Office gave his father's vital stats and information about where he was last seen.

He was last seen in Pensacola, Florida, on Feb. 11, and there is no info about what he was wearing at the time.

"My dad is missing if you have info on his whereabouts please contact 850-436-9620," Mitchell wrote on Snapchat.

Mitchell, 23, is a Pensacola native. The Knicks drafted him with the 36th overall pick in 2018.
(Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

COVID vaccine supply for global programme outstrips demand for first time

The global project to share COVID-19 vaccines is struggling to place more than 300 million doses in the latest sign the problem with vaccinating the world is now more about demand than supply.

Last year, wealthy nations snapped up most of the available shots to inoculate their own citizens first, meaning less than a third of people in low-income countries have been vaccinated so far compared with more than 70% in richer nations.

As supply and donations have ramped up, however, poorer nations are facing hurdles such as gaps in cold-chain shortage, vaccine hesitancy and a lack of money to support distribution networks, public health officials told Reuters.

Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore cases hit record

Hong Kong reported a record 8,674 new infections on Wednesday, as the city prepares for compulsory testing of its residents after authorities extended the toughest social restrictions imposed since the pandemic began.

Health authorities reported 24 deaths compared with Tuesday's 32, as they step up measures, with assistance from their mainland counterparts, to contain the outbreak. On Tuesday, Hong Kong reported 6,211 new cases.

South Korea's prime minister on Wednesday called on people not to panic about a major increase in infections as new daily cases surged past 170,000 for the first time.

Serious cases and deaths are at manageable levels despite record cases caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a pandemic response meeting.

Singapore's health ministry reported a record 26,032 COVID-19 infections on Tuesday and said it may take a few weeks before the current transmission wave peaks and subsides.

Beijing finds most daily local cases in nearly a month

Beijing reported on Wednesday the highest number of daily local COVID-19 cases since late January, less than two weeks before the opening of China's annual parliamentary meeting in the capital on March 5.

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The city of Beijing detected 10 domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases with confirmed symptoms for Tuesday, data from the National Health Commission showed on Wednesday. That marks the highest daily count for Beijing since Jan. 29.

Cambodia vaccinates children aged three to five

Cambodia started vaccinating children as young as three against COVID-19 on Wednesday, becoming one of the first countries to cover the age group of those below five.

The Southeast Asian nation has vaccinated more than 90% of its population of 16 million, for one of the highest rates in the region, official data show. In January, it started rolling out a fourth dose for high-risk groups.

World should send 60 million vaccines to North Korea, U.N. investigator says

The international community should form a strategy to provide North Korea with at least 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to head off humanitarian disaster, an independent U.N. human rights investigator said on Wednesday.

The vaccines could be a way to persuade the country to ease lockdowns that have left some of its 26 million people on the verge of starvation, Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, told a briefing in Seoul.

(Compiled by Linda Noakes)
Jon Rysewyk was selected by the Knox County Board of Education to be the district's next superintendent. Every employee that I work with in Knox County feels this way, but it's going to be about what can we do to move it forward for students and I'm excited to come alongside them and do that work, he said.

There's a new superintendent in town.

The Knox County Board of Education voted to hire Jon Rysewyk to replace the retiring Bob Thomas. Rysewyk is the district's assistant superintendent, a job he's held since 2017.

The board voted for Rysewyk 6 to 2 over Linda Cash, the Bradley County Schools superintendent. Rysewyk said he was humbled and honored to be chosen as superintendent.

This is where my wife and I have raised our daughters, and it's just  it's a blessing to have the opportunity to serve the people in Knox County. And, in particular for me, the students, Rysewyk said after the vote. One of his daughters is a Knox County Schools student and another graduated from the district.

The board will extend a contract to Rysewyk in early March. If he accepts, his first day in the new role will be July 1.

Rysewyk has worked in Knox County Schools since 2002, when he taught at Karns High School. Since then he has held numerous positions in district leadership, including supervisor of secondary education.

Being an internal candidate, I think was interesting. I will tell you that it was it was a thorough vetting, Rysewyk said. I think it stretched me kind of professionally, in my leadership, in ways that I probably hadn't been stretched in, and I welcome that.

Rysewyk's familiarity with the district made him a top prospect for the job. During his presentation to the school board, he emphasized that his existing relationships with local stakeholders like the mayors and University of Tennessee leaders will enable him to hit the ground running.

Board chair Krisi Kristy said both candidates were "highly qualified and skilled," but pointed to Rysewyk's emphasis on team building as a quality that stood out to her.

As an internal candidate, Rysewyk must choose whom among his colleagues to bring over to his team. He said has no definite plans for staffing, but changes may be coming.

Rysewyk narrowed in on two critical academic stages  reading in early elementary school and algebra in early high school  as areas of improvement for the district.

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He said hoped to hear input from students on his four big priorities.

I think being sure that you're out and you're visible, and you're accessible to all groups, to students, to teachers, to administrators  you know, we can never do enough of that, he said.

He also promised an annual raise for teachers, the same commitment made by Thomas. Rysewyk has had years to learn from the man he will succeed.

(Bob Thomas) is humble. Hell take time to talk to anybody. Hes really shown me how to listen, Rysewyk said.

As superintendent, Rysewyk will have to contend with continued fallout from the pandemic, including teacher burnout, student learning loss and resource equity. But the main job of the superintendent remains the same.

At the heart of this, you know, every employee that I work with in Knox County feels this way, but it's going to be about what can we do to move it forward for students and I'm excited to come alongside them and do that work, Rysewyk said.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County Board of Education names Jon Rysewyk as new superintendent
By Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's prime minister on Wednesday called on people not to panic about a major increase in coronavirus infections as new daily cases surged past 170,000 for the first time.

Serious cases and deaths are at manageable levels despite record cases caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a pandemic response meeting.

"Although our awareness and implementation of anti-COVID rules should not be loosened, there is no reason at all to fear or panic about the numbers of new cases as in the past," he said, according to a transcript.

South Korea reported 171,452 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, another daily record and a sharp increase from 99,573 a day before, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Wednesday.

Deaths have slowly ticked up, reaching a near-record high 99 on Tuesday, but South Korean authorities say real-world data shows people infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant are nearly 75% less likely to develop serious illness or die than those who contract the Delta variant.

A study by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) of some 67,200 infections confirmed since December showed the Omicron variant's severity and death rates averaged 0.38% and 0.18%, respectively, compared with 1.4% and 0.7% for the Delta cases.

Around 56% of 1,073 people who died over a five week period were either unvaccinated or had received only one dose, the study showed, with people aged 60 or older accounting for 94% of deaths, officials said on Monday.

More than 86% of South Korea's 52 million population have been double vaccinated and nearly 60% have received a booster shot.

South Korea has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use with children aged 5-11, the country's food and drug ministry said on Wednesday.

Children should get one-third of the regular dose, administered twice with a three week interval, the ministry said in a statement. Children with significantly declined immunity can get a booster four weeks later.

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Kim said social distancing rules will be relaxed after the current wave peaks, which some experts estimate may come in mid-March.

"Omicron's spread is still racing to its peak, but once it is assured that severe cases and deaths can be stably managed, we will reform the broad framework of our anti-virus quarantine policy including social distancing," Kim said.

Current rules include mask mandates for public places, vaccine passes for certain locations and events, a six-person limit on private gatherings, a 10 p.m. curfew for eateries and a seven-day quarantine for international arrivals.

South Korea has reported a total of 2.3 million cases since the pandemic began, with 7,607 deaths.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Richard Pullin)
Del. Brian Chisholm filed in early February for reelection to his District 31 seat. This would be the delegates second term.

Chisholm, a Severna Park Republican, said hes eager for a second term and will continue being an advocate for those with minority viewpoints, no matter their political affiliation.

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There are many people  independents and Republicans and, quite frankly, a lot of Democrats, that feel like their voice is not being put forward and theyre not being heard. I feel like Ive done a great job over the past four years of being that voice, Chisholm said.

He said hes particularly proud of how hes advocated for students, parents and small businesses during COVID. Last year, Chisholm helped lead a successful effort to prevent businesses from being shut down due to the spread of COVID a few days before Christmas. He shared the story with Fox News and Lou Dobbs, who brought national attention to the issue.

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Most of these people are not political. Theyre small business owners and theyre small business employees and I thought it was an atrocity to shut these businesses down a few days before Christmas, Chisholm said.

This session, hes working on a bill that would give workers more freedom over whether they join unions.

Unions were a very important, essential part of our fabric as a country early on, but now I dont know if we should be forcing people into a union who may not want to go into a union, he said.

The bill would prohibit businesses from forcing workers to join unions as a condition of employment. While Chisholm said he understands a lot of workers want to be enrolled in unions, he has heard from some who would like to be given a choice.

You might be already married to somebody with great health benefits or [who] has different benefits and the union doesnt really bring anything to you, he said. Unions also become very popular political action committees so theyre pushing maybe a policy somebody doesnt like.

Hes also focusing on getting rid of mask mandates and reforming education this session.

As debates heat up over whether schools should mandate masks, Chisholm said he is firmly on the side of no more mandates. In fact, he is working on a bill this session that would ban elected officials at the state and local levels from enacting mask mandates.

While we havent had a statewide [mask mandate] in a while, the kids in school are still wearing them and I think parents are questioning, Why are you still putting my kid in a mask? Chisholm said. It seems to be the thing that I am getting a million calls on.

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He said this is an issue close to his heart as his wife is an occupational therapist in the Prince Georges County school system and he knows how masks can hinder development of students communication skills.

Chisholm said he is also concerned about how kids are taught about social determinants of success in schools. Hes working now to get a bill passed that bans instruction focused on discrimination.

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I think we should be teaching history, of course, on all sides. I think that everybodys voice should come to the table, but I dont think we should be teaching inferiority because it can set a child on the wrong path of thinking they cant make it, Chisholm said. In this country, regardless of where youre from, your race, creed or color, theres a lot of opportunity out there and you can become whatever you want in this country.

Though he realizes this bill, if it becomes law, could be difficult to enforce, he said part of the idea is to not blame kids sitting in the classroom today for what their ancestors may have done decades or centuries ago.

You cant blame it on the kid thats sitting there now and say its Johnnys fault that Billy isnt getting ahead because of what the Puritans did, he said.

Chisholm said hes proved to his constituents that he deserves a second term by how hard hes worked for them and how persistent he is at trying to represent those whose voices get lost in the mix in the General Assembly.

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I take this job very seriously. I do everything I can. I wake up in the morning with a zeal for what I do even though I get beat down here. Obviously Im outnumbered quite a bit but I still love it, he said.

Chisholms opponents include fellow Republicans Nic Kipke, who has represented the district for the past 15 years, and mental health practitioner LaToya Nkongolo; Libertarian Travis Lerol, who works as a defense contractor; and Democrats Ned Carey, the incumbent from District 31A, and Gary Simmons a sergeant field training officer at Luminis Health, Inc.

Chisholm represents District 31B, which includes Pasadena, Lake Shore and Green Haven. Under the new map that was recently approved by the General Assembly and is now undergoing legal challenges, Districts 31A and 31B have been combined into one district, expanding the district west to cover the eastern part of Severn.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) addresses reporters during a press conference on June 30 to discuss the INVEST in America Act which will focus on infrastructure and transportation.





A group of lawmakers sent a letter to President Biden on Tuesday amid escalating tensions in Ukraine to remind him that he must seek authorization from Congress before sending in troops or launching military attacks.

The bipartisan group of 43 lawmakers acknowledged that Biden previously said he would not send troops into Ukraine but noted the decision could change.

"If the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine, their lives would inherently be put at risk of Russia chooses to invade," the letter reads. "Therefore, we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nation's laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such development."

The letter was signed by Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), among others.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) shared the letter on Twitter, writing that Biden should "follow the Constitution and the law."

"The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict," DeFazio wrote.

The letter comes amid growing tensions between the U.S. and Russia. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, before ordering troops into the Donbas region, sparking fears of a larger invasion and conflict in Europe.

Biden on Tuesday announced additional sanctions against Russia but said he believes Putin's advancement into Ukraine could be the beginning of a larger-scale invasion to seize more territory.

Biden has so far resisted sending troops into Ukraine, announcing he was moving U.S. soldiers into other NATO countries, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And earlier this month, Biden moved 160 U.S. troops out of Ukraine.

Lawmakers wrote in the Tuesday letter that the War Powers Resolution of 1973 has been abused by previous presidents, but they noted that the act restricted Biden from not only engaging troops in battle but also launching a "pre-emptive strike."

"Congress stands ready to deliberate over the potentially monumental implications of such scenarios," lawmakers said.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys laid out their cases in a Lexington County court room Wednesday in the trial of a Cayce doctor who is accused of shooting a medical equipment salesman.

Prosecutor Luke Pincelli of the 11th Circuit Solicitors Office gave an overview of how the state will try to prove that Adam Lazzarini, a former hip surgeon at Lexington Medical Center, is guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting of William Player Holland.

I assure to you that this case comes down to the criminally negligent handling of a firearm by Adam Lazzarini, Pincelli told the jury.

Holland was shot in Lazzarinis home in October 2017. The Cayce Police Department charged him months later.

Lazzarinis attorney, Jack Swerling, did not dispute that Lazzarini shot Holland, but said that the shooting happened because of confusion about what gun Holland handed Lazzarini.

There wasnt supposed to be a bullet in (the gun), Swerling said. By the end of the trial, Swerling said, he fully expects the jury will have a reasonable doubt about the charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The prosecution and defense attorneys presented the case as a battle about whether Lazzarini is guilty of the specific definition of involuntary manslaughter or if reasonable doubt exists to exonerate him of that specific charge.

Swerling gave the jury a timeline of Oct. 9, 2017, the day Holland was shot.

Lazzarini and Holland met up that morning to fly to Columbus, Georgia, to see a new medical operation, Swerling said. They flew back and went to Cantina 76 in Columbia, where they had drinks.

During the day, the two discussed Lazzarinis gun collection, according to Swerling. Holland, a firearm hobbyist, wanted to see the collection, and the two went back to Lazzarinis home. They had a drink or two while Lazzarinis wife made dinner, Swerling said.

The two went upstairs to see the guns, according to Swerling. Lazzarini let Holland hold an unloaded .45 caliber pistol. Holland holstered the pistol, drew it and dry fired it, meaning he pulled the trigger without the pistol being loaded.

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Lazzarini unloaded a .9mm pistol and showed it to Holland, Swerling said. Holland handed the .9 mm pistol back, and Lazzarini reloaded it and set the gun down. Lazzarini left the room to use the bathroom and when he came back, Holland handed over a gun, butt first, according to Swerling.

Sometime during the exchange of the gun, Holland was shot, Swerling said. Lazzarini believed he was getting the unloaded .45 caliber pistol Holland had on his hip. Instead, Holland actually handed over the loaded .9 mm pistol, according to Swerling.

(Holland) handed back a gun that Dr. Laz had no idea he had in his hand, Swerling said.

Pincelli, the prosecutor, said in his opening statement that Lazzarini changed his story multiple times and sometimes told the same investigators two different stories about the shooting.

Some accounts, he wasnt even in the room when the shooting occurred, Pincelli said. In other versions Lazzarini was in the room but his back was turned, and in another the pistol was being exchanged between the two.

Just because something tragic occurred ... does not make it an accident, Pincelli said.

Witnesses are to include blood splatter experts and a babysitter for the Lazzarini family. A video recording of testimony by Lazzarinis young daughter will be shown. Evidence will also include the 911 call by Lazzarinis wife, Vanessa Biery, who died in the home seven months after Holland was shot.

Police did not immediately charge Lazzarini in Hollands death. But on May 1, 2018, paramedics were called to the home again. They found Biery unresponsive and were unable to revive her. An autopsy by the Lexington County Coroners Office into Bierys death could not determine a cause of death.

While investigating Bierys death, police said they uncovered evidence that Lazzarini had lied during the investigation into Hollands shooting. A warrant said that Lazzarini was drunk when he shot Holland.

Lazzarini is also being defended by attorney Greg Harris. Shawn Graham is Pincellis partner for the prosecution.

Judge Debra McCaslin is presiding over the case.
FORT ORD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Calif. (AP)  For nearly 80 years, recruits reporting to central Californias Fort Ord considered themselves the lucky ones, privileged to live and work amid sparkling seas, sandy dunes and sage-covered hills.

But there was an underside, the dirty work of soldiering. Recruits tossed live grenades into the canyons of Mortar Alley, sprayed soapy chemicals on burn pits of scrap metal and solvents, poured toxic substances down drains and into leaky tanks they buried underground.

When it rained, poisons percolated into aquifers from which they drew drinking water.

Through the years, soldiers and civilians who lived at the U.S. Army base didnt question whether their tap water was safe to drink.

But in 1990, four years before it began the process of closing as an active military training base, Fort Ord was added to the Environmental Protection Agencys list of the most polluted places in the nation. Included in that pollution were dozens of chemicals, some now known to cause cancer, found in the bases drinking water and soil.

Decades later, several Fort Ord veterans who were diagnosed with cancers  especially rare blood disorders  took the question to Facebook: Are there more of us?

Soon, the group grew to hundreds of people who had lived or served at Fort Ord and were concerned that their health problems might be tied to the chemicals there.

The Associated Press interviewed nearly two dozen of these veterans for this story and identified many more. The AP also reviewed thousands of pages of documents, and interviewed military, medical and environmental scientists.

There is rarely a way to directly connect toxic exposure to a specific individuals medical condition. Indeed, the concentrations of the toxics are tiny, measured in parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of an immediate poisoning. Local utilities, the Defense Department and some in the Department of Veterans Affairs insist Fort Ords water is safe and always has been.

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But the VAs own hazardous materials exposure website, along with scientists and doctors, agree that dangers do exist for military personnel exposed to contaminants.

The problem is not just at Fort Ord. This is happening all over the U.S. and abroad, almost everywhere the military has set foot, and the federal government is still learning about the extent of both the pollution and the health effects of its toxic legacy.

The APs review of public documents shows the Army knew that chemicals had been improperly dumped at Fort Ord for decades. Even after the contamination was documented, the Army downplayed the risks.

And ailing veterans are being denied benefits based on a 25-year-old health assessment. The CDCs Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded in 1996 that there were no likely past, present or future risks from exposures at Fort Ord.

But that conclusion was made based on limited data, and before medical science understood the relationship between some of these chemicals and cancer.

This is what is known:

Veterans in general have higher blood cancer rates than the general population, according to VA cancer data. And in the region that includes Fort Ord, veterans have a 35 percent higher rate of multiple myeloma diagnosis than the general U.S. population.

Veterans like Julie Akey.

Akey, now 50, arrived at Fort Ord in 1996 with a gift for linguistics. She enlisted in the Army on the condition that she could learn a new language. And so the 25-year-old was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and lived at Fort Ord as a soldier. By then the base was mostly closed but still housed troops for limited purposes.

It was incredibly beautiful, she said. You have the ocean on one side, and these expansive beaches, and the rolling hills and the mountains behind.

What she didnt know at the time was that the ground under her feet, and the water that ran through the sandy soil into an aquifer that supplied some of the bases drinking water was polluted. Among the contaminants were cancer-causing chemicals including trichloroethylene, also known as the miracle degreaser TCE.

Shed learn this decades later, as she tried to understand how, at just 46 and with no family history of blood cancers, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

No one told us, she said.

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Despite the militarys claims that there arent any health problems associated with living and serving at Fort Ord, nor hundreds of other shuttered military bases, almost every closure has exposed widespread toxic pollution and required a massive cleanup. Dozens have contaminated groundwater, from Fort Dix in New Jersey to Adak Naval Air Station in Alaska. Fort Ord is 25 years into its cleanup as a federal Superfund site, and its expected to continue for decades.

To date, the military has only acknowledged troops health could have been damaged by drinking contaminated water at a single U.S. base: Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and only during a 35-year window, between 1953 to 1987. Servicemembers there were found by federal epidemiologists to have higher mortality rates from many cancers, including multiple myeloma and leukemia. Men developed breast cancer, and pregnant women tended to have children with higher rates of birth defects and low birth weight. Like Fort Ord, Camp Lejeune began closing contaminated wells in the mid-80s.

Soldiers are often stationed at different bases during their years of military service, but neither the Defense Department nor the VA has systematically tracked toxic exposures at various locations.

Fort Ords primary mission was training troops who deployed to World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam. It supported several thriving small towns on a piece of coastal land the size of San Francisco. Soldiers and their families lived in houses and apartments connected to its water system, and civilians worked at its airfields, hospitals and other facilities.

In the course of their work preparing for battle, they spilled solvents into the bases drains, sloughed chemical sludge into underground storage tanks and discarded 55-gallon drums of caustic material in the base landfill, according to a 1982 hazardous waste inventory report.

Curt Gandy, a former airplane mechanic, recalls being routinely doused with toxic chemicals from the 1970s to the 1990s. He said he hosed down aircraft with solvents, cleaned engine parts and stripped paint off fuselages without any protection. There were barrels of toluene, xylene, jet fuel and more.

It gets on your body, it gets in your face, you get splashed with it, and were using pumps to spray this stuff, he said. Its got 250 pounds of pressure and were spraying it into the air and its atomized.

On Fridays, crews would forklift barrels of the used flammable liquids down a bumpy sandy road, dumping solvents, paint and metal chips onto the hulks of broken aircraft and tanks at a burn pit. One weekend a month, airfield firefighters would light up the toxic sludge and then douse the roaring fires with foam.

In 1984, an anonymous caller tipped off Fort Ords officials that approximately 30 55-gallon drums, containing about 600 gallons of a solvent-type liquid had been illegally spilled there, an Army report said. The state, which ordered a cleanup two years later, determined the Army had mismanaged the site in a way that threatened both ground and surface waters.

And the burn pit wasnt the bases only polluted site.

In 1991, when the Army began investigating what had actually been disposed of at the bases dump overlooking Monterey Bay, officials told the public the trash was similar to what one would find in the landfill of any small city, according to transcripts of community meetings.

While its true that much of the trash going into that dump came from nearby houses  food scraps, old furniture, busted appliances, even gasoline  the Army officials who spoke at the meetings made no mention of the toxic stew of paints and solvents that today are banned from open landfills. The solvent TCE was among dozens of pollutants that scientists discovered as early as 1985 and today still exists in concentrations above the legal limit for drinking water in the aquifer below, according to local and federal water quality reports.

The water from the aquifer above leaks down into the aquifer below and the pollution just gets deeper, said Dan OBrien, a former board member of the Marina Coast Water District, which took over the Armys wells in 2001. The toxic material remains in the soil under where it was dumped. Every time it rains, more of the toxin in the soil leeches down into the water table.

The Armys early tests of Fort Ords wells near the landfill detected levels of TCE 43 separate times from 1985 to 1994. The VA told the AP the contamination was within the allowable safe range in areas that provided drinking water.

But 18 of those TCE hits exceeded legal safety limits; one reading was five times that amount. Its unclear how long and at what concentrations TCE may have been in the water before 1985. And TCE was only one problem. The EPA identified more than 40 chemicals of concern in soil and groundwater.

It was not recognized that it was so toxic back then, and they threw it on the ground after use. They used a ton of it. Now, its the most pervasive groundwater contaminant we have, said Thomas Burke, an environmental epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former EPA official.

Contractors initially brought in to clean up the contaminated groundwater were warned not to tell community members what they found in their drinking water, specifically not the news media or even local public agencies, according to a 1985 military memo.

At the time, there were elevated levels of TCE in the aquifers, yet the military assured the public the drinking water was safe.

There never have been any test results that indicate that Fort Ords water was unsafe, an Army official told several local papers in August 1985.

Since then, advances in medical science have increased the understanding of the dangers of the chemicals at Fort Ord. TCE, for example, is now a known human carcinogen, and epidemiological studies indicate a possible link between TCE and blood cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

TCE circulates in the body real effectively when you breathe it or drink it, Burke said. Its related strongly to kidney cancer, the development of kidney cancers and suspected in several other cancers.

Julie Akey spent years collecting names of people who lived at Fort Ord and were later diagnosed with cancers. Her database eventually grew to more than 400 people, nearly 200 of which were listed as having those blood cancers.

___

Akey spent most of her Fort Ord days in a classroom, studying Arabic. But in the afternoons and evenings, shed run along the coastline and do military drills. At home, she watered her small vegetable plot with the bases water supply, harvesting the fresh crops to chop into salads.

She filled her water bottle from the tap before heading out each morning, and thought nothing of the showers she took each night. After all, she was among hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the bases history who did the same.

She fell ill in Bogota, Colombia, in 2016. Shed left the military after nearly six years as a translator and interrogator to become a State Department foreign service officer, a dream job that gave her the chance to travel the world with her twin sons. Quite suddenly she became fatigued with a persistent ache in her bones. Soon she was in screaming pain.

When the Colombian doctors couldnt find a cause, Akey was sent to the U.S. for what she assumed would be a quick trip. She left plants on the mantel, food in the refrigerator and clothes at the dry cleaners.

She never went back.

After weeks at the Cleveland Clinic, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that attacks plasma cells, and is most often detected in elderly African American men. The disease is treatable but has no cure.

I was a zombie, she said. I cried all the time.

Worried about keeping her government health insurance, she applied to work at a nearby airport as a part-time baggage checker while recovering from a bone marrow transplant.

You dont ever think youre going to have cancer at 46. Why? Why do I get this crazy cancer that no ones ever heard of? So, I started looking for answers, she said.

Akey meticulously reviewed her assignments in Spain and Haiti, her stints in Guyana, Ecuador, Nigeria, at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Gordon in Georgia. And Fort Ord  a federal Superfund site.

I think that that was my answer, she said.

Akey read as much as she could about the base, and searched for others like her. She combed through EPA reports, water records, newspaper clippings and obituaries. She scoured social media, and built a database of sick veterans; its grown to 491 people to date.

Soon after Akey started a Facebook group in June of 2019, she connected with Tracy Lindquist. Lindquists husband, Scott, was stationed at Fort Ord for two years in the 1980s. He has three types of rare cancers, including multiple myeloma. He had a stem cell transplant a few years back, and has been on chemotherapy since 2014.

He has health insurance through the VA, but when he applied for disability payments that would have allowed him to stop working, Tracy said, his claims were denied  twice.

Until May, he drove a van for $11 an hour, shuttling people with developmental disabilities from their group homes to daylong workshops. Sometimes he had to change the oil or do maintenance, and the physical labor was hard on him, Tracy said. Then he started having seizures, and could no longer drive. He tried working three days a week, cleaning the vans and assisting clients, but he couldnt even manage that. Earlier this month, he was approved for Social Security disability payments.

Scott hardly ever left the base and he drank water like a fish, and that water was contaminated, Tracy said. I know there are people out there, theyve lost legs and arms, and they need to take care of those people who got hurt in action. But this is a disability, too.

Debi Schoenrock, who lived around the corner from Akeys house at Fort Ord, was diagnosed in 2009 with multiple myeloma at 47. Like Akey, she was stunned. She was a military wife and lived on base for three years, from 1990 until 1993. Shed never been sick, and had no family history of cancer. Nobody said anything about toxic substances, she said.

In 1991, the Army surveyed dozens of community members to find out what they knew about groundwater contamination at Fort Ord. Everyone said they were concerned, and no one reported receiving any information from the Army.

Five years later, a federal report assured them that because the concentration of contamination detected in the past in Fort Ord and Marina drinking water wells was low and the duration was not over a lifetime (70-years), those exposures will not likely result in adverse health effects.

Decades on, such health assessments at Fort Ord and other military bases are outdated and based on old science, said Burke of Johns Hopkins.

A 1990s health assessment is a weak thing, he said.

Peter deFur, a biologist who worked as an EPA-funded scientific adviser at the base, agrees. The report stated that there could not be future health effects, which is not possible to know, he said.

While the federal government has established acceptable standards for the amount of TCE in drinking water, no level of such carcinogens is safe, according to the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. Complicating matters, TCE vaporizes easily, and when it is inhaled it can be even more dangerous, according to a National Toxicology Program assessment.

William Collins, who is leading Fort Ords cleanup for the Army, said hes never heard of anyone sickened by pollution at the base. Like the VA, Collins points to the 25-year-old study that found no likely human risks from exposure at Fort Ord. He said anyone can request a new, updated study if they want, which is what happened at Camp Lejeune in 2017.

Federal health officials told the AP no one has done so at Fort Ord.

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LeVonne Stone and her husband, Donald, were living at Fort Ord when the base shut down. LeVonne had a civilian job there, and Donald had been in the 7th Infantry Division.

During the base conversion, Stone formed the Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, demanding answers about the toxic materials and the impact on friends and neighbors, who, at the time, made up the only significant Black community on Californias central coast. But she said military and state officials were determined to develop the valuable coastal property and, in her mind, didnt want to deal with the pollution.

We tried telling everybody, the state, the federal, everybody, she said. Theres so many people who have died of cancer. They have not done anything for the community locally.  They just turned their heads, they looked the other way.

There have been efforts in recent years to force the government to come to grips with the effects of the militarys environmental abuses.

Numerous bills have been introduced seeking to compensate veterans sickened by exposure to toxic chemicals during their service, but nothing significant has passed.

Last year President Joe Biden called on the VA to examine the impact of burn pits and other airborne hazards. In November, the White House announced that soldiers exposed to burn pits in a handful of foreign countries, who developed any of three specific ailments  asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis  within 10 years can receive disability benefits.

The Board of Veterans Appeals has ruled repeatedly that theres no presumptive service connection for any disease  stroke, cancer, vision problems, heart disorders and more  due to exposure to toxic chemicals at Fort Ord, according to an AP review of claims.

The VA told the AP that it is updating how it determines links between medical conditions and military service, and encourages veterans who believe their ailments may have been caused by their service to file a claim.

Burke, the Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, said doing a study of health effects of living at Fort Ord now is difficult, if not impossible. We cant reproduce what happened on that base in California, he said. We need to admit we exposed people to a huge amount of toxic materials.

And its not just a matter of exposures in the past.

Today Fort Ord is home to a small public university; some students live in former Army housing and spend weekends Ording, exploring the abandoned, and contaminated, military buildings. More than 1.5 million mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders a year enjoy some 85 miles of trails in a vast national monument. Brand-new neighborhoods with million-dollar homes are being built across the street from the Superfund landfill cleanup. Local water officials say drinking water is now pulled from other areas and treated before being delivered to customers.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta grew up next to Fort Ord, went through basic training on the base and now runs a nonprofit institute there.

Too often, he said, the military does whatever is necessary at its bases to ready troops for war, and they dont spend a lot of time worrying about the implications of what will happen once they leave.

Panetta said the military is abandoning communities, leaving huge messes to clean up.

I think that they have every right to ask the question whether or not whatever physical ailments they may have was in part due to the failure to provide proper cleanup, Panetta said. And in those situations, there is liability. And somebody has to take care of people who have been adversely impacted.

___

For Akey and other veterans with cancer, its a matter of accountability. Health insurance, disability benefits and an acknowledgment of wrongdoing, she said, isnt asking for too much.

Youre not just serving for six years, like me, and then youre out, she said. If youve been given cancer, thats a life sentence.

On a recent foggy morning, Gandy, the former airplane mechanic, walked past the rusting hangar at the old airfield where he used to work. The single-landing strip and buildings are now the Marina Municipal Airport. But much of the legacy military infrastructure remains, including sheds with old paint cans, an oil separator the size of a school bus and disconnected nozzles and hoses.

Gandy became an outspoken activist along with LeVonne Stone, and also founded community groups to maintain pressure on the military to clean up the site.

His group repeatedly sued the Army, but a judge agreed with Defense Department attorneys who said the claims were moot because a rigorous cleanup was underway.

Gandy, now 70, said he talked to the base commanders, every mayor and health and safety officer. Twenty-five years later, Gandys comments  captured in videos and transcripts of contentious community meetings  seem prescient.

I told them, If we do what we need to do now, nobody will know that we did the right thing. But if we do it wrong, theyre going to know, because in about 20 years people are going to start dying, he said.

The AP obtained a roster of Gandys co-workers on a single day at the airfield in 1986. There were 46 pilots and welders, mechanics and radio engineers. Today, he was told, almost a third of them are dead, many of cancers and rare diseases, some in their 50s.

He knew three former colleagues had died, not 13. I feel terrible, he said, tearing up. It breaks my heart. Those guys were good guys and they deserved better.

___

Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org.
Mohamed Salah scored twice for Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

Liverpool closed the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City to just three points after clinically dismantling Leeds 6-0 with a devastating first-half display which left Marcelo Bielsas free-falling side chasing shadows.

Mohamed Salah scored two penalties, either side of a rare Joel Matip goal from open play, to take his tally to 27 for the season in a 20-minute spell which provided an ideal warm-up for Sundays Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.

They could easily have doubled that score in the opening 45 minutes alone against the leagues worst defence which has now conceded 56 goals in 25 matches.

Sadio Manes double and Virgil Van Dijks header in the final 10 minutes put the gloss on a ninth successive victory and capped a miserable night for Bielsas side who, if they were not already, will be glancing anxiously towards the foot of the table.

Seven defeats in their last 10 matches, with 36 of their goals conceded coming since the start of December, and Burnleys win over Tottenham, has brought the relegation zone alarmingly within three points.

There are no such worries for Liverpool who, with one eye on Wembley, were able to cruise through the second half avoiding unnecessary exertion or injury.

Manager Jurgen Klopp had warned at the start of the week their sole focus had to be on this game and his side, registering five changes from the weekend with full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson restored along with a fresh midfield of Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones, heeded those words.

January signing Luis Diaz set the tone with one penetrating early run and then a goalbound shot which was deflected off target by Mane.

Liverpools one moment of alarm came when Daniel James robbed goalkeeper Alisson Becker as he delayed a clearance but Matip was on hand to tidy up.

Leeds, struggling with key injuries and coming off the back of an energy-sapping, rain-sodden weekend defeat to Manchester United, did their best to match the tempo of their hosts but the fresher legs were soon making a difference.

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Exploiting space down Leeds right, Robertsons cross hit the outstretched arm of Stuart Dallas, allowing Salah to score the 50th goal at Anfield this season in the 15th minute.

Raphinha forcing the ball home from an offside position after Matips misjudgement in the centre-circle was a brief respite for the visitors as Diaz and Jones, twice, both had chances to score.

When the inevitable second goal came it was from an unlikely source, although Matip had been threatening to do it all season with his mazy runs out of defence.

Exchanging passes with Salah on the right wing the centre-back beat Illan Meslier with a composed near-post finish on the half-hour.

His goal equalled the club record, set in 1911-12 and twice under Klopp in 2015-16 and 2019-20, for a 17th different league goalscorer in one season.

Three minutes later it was 3-0 as two passes from Alisson to Salah and then to Mane saw the Senegal forward brought down just inside the area by Luke Ayling.

VAR agreed with referee Michael Olivers decision to award a second penalty and although Meslier went the right way on this occasion Salah, finding the same corner, put the ball just too high for the goalkeeper to reach.

Fabinho missed a simple chance to make it 4-0 and Salah should have had a hat-trick in added time but although his lob beat Meslier, Junior Firpo cleared before it could cross the line.

Still the punishment was not over with Salah cutting inside to force Meslier into another save early in the second half and although Leeds improved after the half-time additions of Jamie Shackleton and Tyler Roberts, there were few avenues of opportunity open even against a Liverpool side showing less intensity.

They remained dangerous, however, and when Salah played in substitute Jordan Henderson to cross Mane rifled home, adding his second when Divock Origis blocked shot dropped kindly, before Van Dijk headed home a corner.
Pedro Erevia is escorted out of the 364th District Court during a break in his murder trial in the September 1997 shooting death of Steven Johnson.

A 44-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for his role in a dea old murder case in East Lubbock.

Pedro Erevia, who on Friday was found guilty of murder in the 1997 deadly shooting of 26-year-old Steven Johnson in the 2700 block of East Colgate Street, stood quietly next to his attorneys as judge William Eichman read the jury's verdict.

Murder, a first-degree felony, carries a punishment of five years to life in prison. Jurors deliberated for about four hours before returning to the 364th District Court with their sentence that was about the same length of time since Johnson was gunned down in front of his family's home.

More: Lubbock man found guilty in 1997 murder case

Erevia will have to serve half of his sentence before being eligible for release on parole.

On Friday, jurors found that Erevia shot and killed Johnson on Sept. 8, 1997 in the 2700 block of Colgate Street. The verdict came after a five-day trial during which his co-defendant, Fabian Madrid, told jurors he and Erevia were driving around Lubbock looking for drugs and were either going to buy it or rob someone for it.

Madrid, who testified without an immunity agreement with prosecutors, said he was driving another man's Ponitac Grand Prix and gave Erevia, who was in the passenger side, a Glock 9mm pistol.

More: Suspect in North Lubbock deadly road rage shooting arrested

Pedro Erevia is escorted out of the 364th District Court during a break in his murder trial. He pleaded not guilty in the September 1997 shooting death of Steven Johnson.

He said they were driving down the 2700 block of Colgate Street looking for someone who would sell them crack cocaine when he heard a whistle that he believed was meant to flag him down.

He said as he was putting the vehicle in park, he was pushed forward, heard a gunshot behind him and was told by Erevia to speed away.

He said he didn't learn until the next day that Johnson was shot.

Jurors also heard from Hector Ruiz Jr and Richard Lara who said they supplied the vehicle and weapon to Madrid and Erevia. Ruiz, who is charged in an unrelated drug case, and Lara, who is serving a 20 year sentence for an unrelated drug case, told jurors that their testimony will likely make them a target of violence.

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The case of Johnson's shooting would remain unsolved until 2020, when Ruiz told police he supplied the weapon used in the shooting.

Johnson's younger brother, Edward, told jurors that the killing devastated his family.

"We looked up to him," he said. "It was hard on us, knowing we would never see him again ... It took a lot out of us. To this day. It will never be the same. It'll just never be the same."

He said his nephew, who was six months old when Johnson was killed, has had anger issues after learning how his father died.

He said his mother never felt safe again after the shooting saying she constantly worried about her surviving children for years.

"We didn't know who had done it or if they were still riding by, stalking us," Johnson said.

Meanwhile, prosecutors presented to jurors Erevia's criminal history, which included a conviction in 2002 for aggravated assault by threat for threatening a man with a gun. He pleaded guilty to the charge in exchange for deferred adjudication, which put him on community supervision for 10 years. However, the deal was revoked when he failed to abide by the conditions of his probation and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

In 2017, he was charged with failing to stop and render aid and was sentenced to a year in jail.

Jurors also heard from a probation officer who said that less than a week after being released on bond on the murder charge, Erevia called him saying he cut off his court-ordered GPS monitor and threw it away because he was frustrated with it.

Ryan Yates, a probation officer, told jurors that he told Erevia to report to his office immediately, but Erevia didn't show up.

Erevia was arrested the next week and has since been held at the Lubbock County Detention Center.

During the guilt-innocence phase of the trial, Madrid told jurors that Erevia visited him while he was out on bail, which violated a condition that prohibited Erevia from contacting his co-defendant or other

During the visit, Madrid said Erevia told him about the witnesses against them and that if he kept his silence, they would be in the clear.

He said Erevia reportedly told him he was going to a game room to look for one of the witnesses.

However, Erevia was unaware that Madrid and his attorney met with investigators weeks before and provided a statement admitting to his role in the shooting, implicating his co-defendant.

Prosecutors also called on a Sargent with the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office gang intelligence unit, who told jurors that Erevia was an active member of the West Texas Tango Blast, a loosely organized prison gang that traffics drugs in the region.

He said he discovered social media posts that indicated Erevia associated with supporters of the Mongols Motorcycle Gang, an outlaw motorcycle gang from California that was planning on establishing a chapter in the Texas Panhandle.

However, the gang expert told jurors that he found no evidence that Erevia committed crimes as a member of a gang.

Erevia's uncle recounted to jurors his nephew's upbringing, saying Erevia never knew his father and grew up being a parent to his mother who battled an addiction to heroin.

Erevia's childhood friend described the defendant as a man who works hard to provide for his family and raise his children as upstanding members of the community.

Defense attorney Audie Reese asked jurors to leave emotion out of their deliberation and arrive at a sentence on the lower end of the punishment range based on on the evidence.

Prosecutor Mandi Say told jurors that the evidence showed that in the 24 years since Johnson's death, Erevia has continued to disregard the rule of law and escape responsibility for his actions.

Say argued that Erevia's actions earned him a life sentence.

"He has earned every second of this," she said. "He can have a life behind bars where he can still interact with his family, something that he took in a matter of seconds from Steven Johnson."

Johnson's mother Margie wrote a victim impact statement read by Say. In her letter she told Erevia that his actions robbed her family of the memories they could have made with her son.

"You took my first-born son from me and you have been able to enjoy your holidays, birthdays, or if you have kids, you have enjoyed your time with them," Johnson wrote. "My son Steve will never enjoy any of them things because you have taken that away from him ... and my family who never did anything to you or yours."

However, Johnson did offer Erevia her forgiveness.

"I pray God will not allow you to do what you did to my family to any other family," she wrote. "May God bless you and may God have mercy on your soul."

Reese declined to comment after the trial.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock man sentenced to 25 years for murder in 1997 shooting death
After a federal jury found the three men that killed her son guilty of taking his life because of his race, Ahmaud Arberys mother says why she is angry with the Department of Justice  even though she is pleased with the verdict.

Ahmaud Arberys mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones leaves the podium after giving her impact statement to Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley during the sentencing of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William Roddie Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, on January 7, 2022 in Brunswick, Georgia. (Photo by Stephen B. Morton-Pool/Getty Images)

On Tuesday, Feb. 22, Arberys three killers were found guilty of federal hate crimes charges in connection with his death. The jury took less than 24 hours to come back with a verdict.

Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William Roddie Bryan each faced one count of interfering with the Black mans civil rights and one count of attempted kidnapping. The father and son both faced an additional firearm charge. Each count was anchored in their desire to harm a Black outsider because of his race.

At a news conference surrounded by supporters, Wanda Cooper-Jones rebuked the DOJs earlier decision to offer the McMichaels a deal that would have avoided a trial and allowed them to spend the first part of their sentence in a federal facility.

The family called this offer to the McMichaels an unauthorized backroom deal made against the familys wishes. Bryan, the other defendant, did not file with the two and does not appear to have reached an agreement with the federal prosecutors.

The mother bluntly stated, I now want to address the members of the DOJ. I am very thankful that you guys brought these charges of hate crime, but back on Jan. 31, you guys extended a plea deal with these three murderers who took my sons life.

Marcus [Arbery] and two of Ahmauds aunties stood before the courts and begged the judge not to take a plea deal that the DOJ went before the judge and asked him to [consider].

The family was given the opportunity to go before the judge in January to share why the three men should not be offered a deal.

The frustrated parent echoed the words of her legal counsel, Ben Crump, that identified the Assistant U.S. Attorney General for Civil Rights Division of the DOJ, Kristen Clarke, as the architect behind the offer to the convicted murderers.

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Cooper-Jones continued. As I traveled to Brunswick, on that Sunday afternoon, I spoke to Kristen Clarke and the lead attorney Tara Lyons, begging them to please not take this plea deal. They ignored my cry.

I begged them, she recalled. The lead prosecutor, Tara Lyons stood up and asked the judge to ignore the familys cry. Thats not justice for Ahmaud.

According to KIRO 7, prosecutor Tara Lyons argued before the judge that Travis McMichael was not a member of hate groups. She also noted that the crime committed on Feb. 23, 2020, was not planned by the defendant, further stating, He had made assumptions about Ahmaud Arbery that he would not have made if Ahmaud Arbery had been white.

Lyons stated that Travis McMichael believed Arbery was responsible for several of the crimes in the neighborhood and blamed the jogger for a missing firearm from his vehicle.

The assistant AG said the white man had these suspicions even though he didnt have evidence and another white person was already pegged as a suspect in the case.

She said, As reflected in (Travis McMichaels) social media posts, (he) had for years  associated Black skin with criminality and had harbored resentment towards African American people.

Todays federal agreement, which includes a waiver of any federal appeal, ensures that regardless of any state appeal, (McMichael) will serve their prison time on the federal charges, the prosecutor said during the plea hearing.

Despite her original offer to not go to trial, during her closing arguments on Monday, Feb. 21, she stated, All three defendants told you loud and clear, in their own words, how they feel about African-Americans. Her words echoed the family and their attorneys statements from the hearing.

Filled with rage, Cooper-Jones asserts that the family pushed for the trial and if they didnt, the DOJ would have not done their jobs. She believes her teams advocacy made the difference in justice being served.

What we got today, we would not have gotten today, If it wasnt for the fight that the family put up on Jan. 31, she stated as the crowd of relatives, advocates, and friends erupted. What the DOJ did today, they were made to do. They didnt do it because they wanted to do it. They were made to do their jobs today.

The verdict comes a day before the anniversary of Arberys 2020 death. Sentencing for the three is pending.

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A shooting that left a male with life-threatening injuries is under investigation in south Charlotte, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.

The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

It happened around 2:54 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in the 3600 block of Annlin Avenue. The area is the Colonial Village, near the intersection of South Boulevard and Scaleybark Road.

Upon arrival, officers located a male with an apparent gunshot wound, CMPD said. Medic transported the male to Atrium Main with life threatening injuries.

Details of what led to the shooting shave not been released.
El Paso County sheriff's investigators arrested a man accused of leaving the scene of a deadly motorcycle crash in Clint over the weekend.

Gabriel Gonzalez is accused fleeing and failing to render aid in a Saturday evening wreck that killed Victor Abram Minjarez, 37, on North Loop Drive, sheriff's officials said.

Gonzalez allegedly was riding on a motorcycle driven by Minjarez that veered off the road and crashed into a wooden electrical pole in the 13200 block of North Loop Drive near Fenter Road, officials said. Minjarez died at the scene.

Gabriel Gonzalez was arrest on a charge of accident involving death in connection with a motorcycle crash that killed Victor Abram Minjarez on Saturday on North Loop Drive in Clint, Texas.

Deputies arrested Gonzalez on a charge of accident involving death on Tuesday following an investigation into the crash. Gonzalez, of the Lower Valley, is being held under a $100,000 bond at the El Paso County Jail in Downtown.

Fort Bliss man killed in motorcycle collision

El Paso police officials this week released the name of a motorcyclist killed when he ran into a car on Feb. 12 in the far East Side.

Jose Antonio Feliciano-Perez, 23, of Fort Bliss, was speeding, popping wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic before colliding with a car coming out of a parking lot on Zaragoza Road near Pebble Hills Boulevard, police said. He died at the scene.

More: Streak of traffic deaths hits El Paso as 4 die over Super Bowl weekend

A 62-year-old woman driving the car was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, police said.

Traffic crackdown in Eastlake area

El Paso County sheriff's deputies this week started increased traffic and parking enforcement near Eastlake High School due to numerous complaints, officials said.

The Sheriff's Office warned that violations could include parking:

On a sidewalk

In an intersection

On a crosswalk

In front of a driveway

Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant

Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection

Within 30 feet of a flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic control sign.

The Sheriff's Office reminds drivers to also reduce speeds near students walking to school and that vehicles can be cited and towed for parking in prohibited spaces.

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Daniel Borunda may be reached at 915-546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.

Traffic: Analyst to El Paso County officials: Expanding I-10 Downtown won't solve congestion

Crime of the Week: Man wields knife in robbery of radio-controlled truck at El Paso shop

El Paso County sheriff's deputies prepare to help with traffic control. File art.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso traffic: Arrest in motorcycle crash; Eastlake area crackdown
WARSAW, Mo. (AP)  A man accused of participating in the killing of a 4-year-old Missouri girl in what law enforcement theorized was a religious act has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Ethan Mast, 36, entered the plea Tuesday, admitting to his role in the death of Jessica Mast, television station KYTV reported.

The 4-year-old girl was found dead at her parents rural Benton County home on Dec. 20, 2020. Investigators said the girl had been severely beaten with a belt and dunked in an icy pond as part of what appeared to be a religious-type episode, Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox said.

Knox has said a 2-year-old child in the home also had been beaten, as had the girls parents. An infant son of the couple was unharmed. The surviving children were removed from the home after Jessica Mast's death.

Three others are charged in her death, including the girls parents, James Mast and Mary Mast. Knox has said James Mast told investigators he and his wife observed the beating of their daughter but were told they would be beaten or shot if they tried to intervene.

Investigators said Ethan Mast and Kourtney Aumen were neighbors who carried out the attack. Officials have said Ethan Mast is not related to Jessica Mast.

All four were charged last year with first-degree murder. Prosecutors later amended the charge against Aumen to second-degree murder.

Ethan Mast faces up to life in prison when he's sentenced at a later date.

Benton County, with about 19,000 residents, is 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City, Missouri.
A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. Associated Press

Russia announced troops would be sent to parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by separatists.

This week Russia recognized the separatist-held territory as two independent nations.

The map below details what that recognition could mean for Ukraine's territorial integrity.

US President Joe Biden last week said he was "convinced" Russia plans to invade Ukraine, with an attack potentially going as far as the capital, Kyiv.

Days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his government would recognize two separatist regions of Ukraine held by rebels who have been supported by Moscow since 2014.

"I deem it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic," Putin said on Monday.

Putin also formally authorized the deployment of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, a step that the Biden administration has said constitutes the beginning of an invasion that's been feared since Moscow began deploying troops en masse along its neighbor's border.

It's unclear how far Russia plans to go  whether it intends to occupy more of Ukraine, after annexing Crimea eight years earlier or pursue all-out regime change in Kyiv.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia would recognize the two breakaway "republics" within "the borders that they have proclaimed themselves."

Peskov declined to elaborate on what that means in terms of borders  area held by separatists or the entire region that the separatists claim. As the map above details, the area the Russian-backed separatists claim is more territory than the separatists currently hold.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The litigation between Marshall and Conference USA has begun.

The school has filed a lawsuit against the conference as it attempts to leave the league this summer along with Old Dominion and Southern Miss. The three schools are leaving Conference USA for the Sun Belt and have said they intend to leave C-USA at the end of the school year.

Conference USA, meanwhile, is not budging. The league's 2022 football schedule was released last week and it includes all three of the departing schools. That football schedule portended litigation and Marshall acted quickly.

"For more than two months, Marshall University has attempted to reach a resolution with Conference USA regarding our decision not to participate in the league after this academic year; however, no progress has been made," the school said in a statement.

"The action we brought [Monday] is the beginning of litigation intended to protect our rights, help us reach an agreement in a timely manner and clear the way for our shift in conference affiliation. We look forward to a successful resolution of this matter and a bright future with the Sun Belt Conference."

The suit, filed Monday, asks for relief via a declaratory judgment and injunctions against Conference USA and says that Marshall gets sovereign immunity as a West Virginia state school. The conference wants to head to arbitration regarding the matter, a process that Marshall wants to avoid.

Per the Herald Dispatch, Marshall says in its lawsuit that the leagues current rules  including the arbitration clause that C-USA wants to enforce  were not in effect at the time it joined and therefore the school isnt bound by them.

Marshall has been a member of Conference USA since 2005 after announcing it would be joining the league from the MAC in 2003. The departure of Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss to the Sun Belt has been a part of the domino effect of conference realignment that started when Oklahoma and Texas announced they were heading to the SEC. After the Big 12 took three members of the American Athletic Conference, the AAC added members from Conference USA. That forced the league to add teams in a bid to stay alive with six teams leaving for the AAC and three heading to the Sun Belt.
MEXICO CITY  Paola Schietekat longs to return to the Middle East, where she loved working  until a dream job in Qatar was followed by a nightmarish ordeal that made her flee the country.

"I couldnt believe what had happened to me," Schietekat told Noticias Telemundo, recounting the ordeal that has made international headlines.

Schietekat, who loves soccer, was working in Qatar for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, an entity created by the country ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will take place there in November.

In June, Schietekat, who's an economist, said she was assaulted in a violent incident by an acquaintance and fellow Latino who also worked in Qatar.

"I was asleep, and when I hear a noise in the kitchen, I go to check. ... He lunged at me, and we struggled a bit until he started hitting me really hard. I remember I ended up with bruises on my ribs, back, shoulder and the entire left side of my body. I was motionless for about 10 minutes," she said.

Before leaving her, she said he yelled, "And dont even think about telling anyone that I hit you."

Schietekat went with a representative of the Mexican Consulate to report the incident to Qatari authorities, but instead, she said, it was turned into an investigation about her, with authorities at one point asking for a virginity test. "It was a very strong humiliation," she said.

"My assailant lied, saying that we had a relationship, and, although I had the forensic evidence of the beatings and everything, they believed him and applied the crime of fornication to us in an extramarital relationship, for which we could be in jail for up to seven years," she said. "But since I am Muslim, they can also give me 100 lashes. Its crazy."

Schietekat managed to leave Qatar with the help of Human Rights Watch and the World Cup body where she worked. The man she accused of attacking her has also left the country.

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But in Mexico she has no peace, knowing that the trial continues.

"The worst thing would be to be convicted and not be able to return to the Middle East  that would end my professional future because I want to return and continue working in those countries. The truth is, I dont want to think about that," she said.

Rothna Begum, senior womens rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, told Noticias Telemundo that Schietekat's case brings together a "series of irregularities because she was interrogated in Arabic, without adequate translators. They also put her face to face with the aggressor, and they believed him so they filed charges."

"They did not even do a formal investigation to corroborate the facts, and she is a foreign woman residing in the country that is organizing the World Cup this year," Begum said. "It is very worrying."

A Muslim who has lived in the region since she was 19, Schietekat said being a woman there is a constant challenge, but nothing had prepared her for what she experienced last year, including her country's initial response.

Schietekat said that, according to her experience, the Mexican Consulate didnt advise her or seek legal advice to warn her that her complaint could be used against her. She said she wasnt offered translation services until hours after intense interrogations, and at that time, they only put her in contact with a translator by telephone.

"There is no protocol for the protection of victims of violence with a gender perspective in the Mexican Foreign Service," she said.

Paola Schietekat durante su trabajo con el Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, en Doha, Catar. (Paola Schietekat)

A dream dashed amid conservatism, controversy

Schietekat was 5 when she told her parents she didn't want to do any more ballet; she only wanted to play soccer.

At 28, she still usually plays as an outside midfielder.

"The good thing about me is that I could shoot with both legs, so they always put me on the left side because I wasnt afraid to kick from there," she said with a smile.

In many ways, the Doha experience had been extraordinary for Schietekat: "I always wanted to do behavioral economics during the organization of a World Cup. I had prepared my whole life for such a moment."

Qatar is one of the world's most conservative countries, where sexual relations and childbirth outside of marriage are punishable by prison sentences and other sanctions, including physical ones.

Since FIFA announced in 2010 that the Arab country would host its biggest sporting event, human rights organizations and minority groups have denounced Qatar's laws and existing sanctions.

In December, Nasser Al Khater, president of the Qatar World Cup organizing committee, stated that LGBTQ+ people who visit the country to attend matches should not feel insecure or threatened, but he hoped that "they do not make public displays of affection and respect the local culture."

The criminal code of that country says the act of provoking or seducing a man to commit acts of "sodomy and immorality" is punishable by three years in prison. In addition, the contents of the sexually diverse community are censored in the international media.

Male guardianship

In the case of womens rights, Qatar stands out for restrictions on their freedoms and participation in public life.

"Qatari women are second-class citizens in their own country. They have to live under what are known as male guardianship laws and policies," Begum, who led the Human Rights Watch report on the laws, said. "This means that in order to make a number of decisions about their lives, they need the permission of their guardian before they can engage in these activities."

Paola Schietekat en uno de los estadios que albergaran juegos de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2022, en Catar. (Paola Schietekat)

Women need permission from their male guardian for activities such as traveling abroad, studying, getting married, working, applying for a drivers license and undergoing medical treatment, including issues of reproductive health, among other things.

Extramarital sex is classified as a crime in the penal code with penalties of up to seven years in prison, and if it involves Muslim people, it can include 100 lashes. In the case of adultery, it can be punished with stoning.

Additionally, foreign women who rely on their husbands or fathers as sponsors for their visas are subject to similar controls.

Paola Schietekat en la Universidad de Oxford. (Paola Schietekat)

In a statement to Noticias Telemundo, Thayssa Plum, a spokesperson for FIFA, said it is following the matter closely.

"FIFA is aware of the situation involving Ms. Schietekat and it is of utmost importance to FIFA that, as a survivor of abuse, she receives all appropriate care and assistance," the statement said. "FIFA took note of the support provided in that respect by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and is in contact with its counterparts in Qatar."

On Friday, as Schietekat's story was making global headlines, Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard met with Schietekat and made the services of the Foreign Ministrys legal consultant available to her.

"Our best attorney will take care of defending her so all her rights as a Mexican citizen are respected," Ebrard tweeted.

For now, Schietekat awaits the results of her next hearing, which is scheduled for March 6. She hopes that the Mexican Foreign Ministry will send a complaint to the Qatari Ministry of the Interior in order to resolve the case.

An earlier version of this article was first published on Noticias Telemundo.

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LAS CRUCES - Six days after New Mexico's governor announced an abrupt end to mandatory masking in most public indoor spaces, the state Department of Health addressed concerns from residents with compromised immunity, targeting those most vulnerable to infection with treatment options and advice.

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients statewide have fallen below 400, with just 351 reported Tuesday evening and 34 ICU beds available statewide Wednesday after an extended period of ICU scarcity. Daily case counts are dropping as well after the spread of the omicron variant peaked at the end of January, and as home tests (versus lab-verified samples) become more common.

The World Health Organization reported a 21 percent drop in cases globally during the past week.

Politics or data? Behind New Mexico's decision to drop its mask

Students at Hillrise Elementary School in Las Cruces choose whether to wear masks on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, on the first day since Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the state would lift its mask mandate.

During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, state acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase fielded questions about the surprise announcement last week that mask mandates were mostly being dropped, saying he and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham were in regular communication about the state's COVID-19 response.

Scrase said mask mandates, in the first place, were a measure to help cushion the blow on the state's hospital system and preserve its resources. He said conditions at hospitals now permitted for the mandate to be safely dropped.

"The Department of Health intends to do what we do for the benefit of the most people at any given point of time," Scrase said, adding: "The pandemic that we're in now is a very different pandemic than we were in two years ago."

COVID 'toolkit' for immunocompromised

The New Mexico Department of Health is recommending additional vaccine doses for those with severely compromised immunity, including transplant recipients and cancer patients undergoing active treatment. The recommendation aligns with advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fourth vaccine boosters for the broader public have not been authorized.

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Additionally, the health department promoted antibody treatments, including newer treatments with longer-lasting effect.

A page on the state's COVID-19 website presents additional information for such groups, located at https://cv.nmhealth.org/extra-protection/.

New Mexico acting Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase is seen during a video news conference on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.

Home testing kits are available to New Mexico households free and the department recommended ordering them via http://FindaTestNM.org and keeping a few at hand so that positive cases can be determined early enough to seek outpatient oral treatments.

The department also recommended continued masking, with well-fitting KN95 or N95 masks, among immunocompromised people or those with chronic health illnesses as well as their caregivers.

Masks are still required in hospitals and certain healthcare and congregate settings  like nursing homes, jails and prisons  as well as areas under federal masking rules including transportation. Businesses, school districts and local government facilities are also free to institute their own mask requirements.

"Masks are just as effective now as they were two weeks ago," Scrase said, pointing out that he continues to wear one himself in public, in consideration of his age and exposure to other people. During the Feb. 18 announcement by the governor that the mask mandate was being dropped, he removed his mask as did some other state officials and lawmakers in the governor's office in Santa Fe.

Some members of the public wear masks and others do not at a Las Cruces City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022.

On Wednesday Scrase repeatedly urged New Mexicans to exercise compassion and patience over other individuals' choices, and to be "more curious and less accusatory" when discussing the topic.

Who is 'moderately or severely immunocompromised?'

Per the state health department, New Mexicans are considered moderately or severely immunocompromised under the following conditions:

Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for tumors or blood cancers;

Taking anti-rejection medication following an organ transplant;

Having received a stem cell transplant within the last two years;

Diagnosed with a primary immunodeficiency syndrome (e.g., DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskot-Aldrich syndrome);

Are positive for advanced or untreated HIV infection;

Taking high-dose corticosteroids such as 20 mg of prednisone daily or certain other medications;

Possibly other immune-suppressing medications.

The health department recommends individuals speak with their provider or call the state COVID-19 hotline (1-855-600-3453, option 3) for further guidance on medications and eligibility for a fourth dose.

Scrase said the department has begun communicating by text message to individuals who reported they had these conditions when they registered for COVID-19 vaccines to encourage them to boost their protections and advise them of options.

He also said he expected the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, to produce more variants of concern as it evolves, perhaps as soon as June.

"The virus itself has not yet surrendered," he said, "so I am assuming we will see another big wave."

Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter.

Keep reading:

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: New Mexico COVID update: Health officials recommend masks for some
By Jacob Garcia

TAPACHULA, MEXICO (Reuters) - Dozens of migrants clashed with police in the southern Mexican city of Tapachula on Tuesday, as frustration boiled over due to authorities keeping them waiting for months to be granted approval for free passage across Mexico to the U.S. border.

Migrants, mostly from Haiti and Africa, have been demonstrating in Tapachula, near Mexico's border with Guatemala, for almost a month, and on Tuesday the protests turned violent as they threw stones and traded punches with members of the militarized National Guard and police.

"It got completely out of control because people are very desperate," said Irineo Mujica, a human rights activist who has supported migrant mobilizations for years. "Many have been waiting for months" for permission to leave the city, he added.

The National Migration Institute issued a statement condemning "the violent demonstrations" outside its facilities in Tapachula. The agency said that some 100 migrants from Cuba, Haiti and Africa were protesting in efforts to secure earlier appointments for their immigration processing.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of migrants, mostly Central Americans, flee violence and poverty at home and cross Mexico in efforts to reach the United States.

Those arriving at Mexico's southern border cities must wait for permits to cross Mexico or responses to their asylum requests to stay in Mexico.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged Mexican authorities to look for more options to avoid the bottlenecks in cities like Tapachula.

(Reporting by Jacob Garcia in Tapachula and Lizbeth Diaz in Mexico City; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Diego Ore & Simon Cameron-Moore)
Lawmakers are urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to require Tricare to cover up to eight at-home COVID-19 tests per month.

In a Feb. 17 letter to Austin, lawmakers noted that millions of Tricare beneficiaries have been left out of policies recently announced by the administration to require private insurers to cover the cost of eight over-the counter COVID-19 tests per person per month, and to allow Medicare recipients to get up to eight tests per month at no cost.

Tricare beneficiaries have no other option but to pay out-of-pocket for at-home tests, they said.

As of late Feb. 18, there hadnt been any changes to the Tricare policy, said Peter Graves, spokesman for the Defense Health Agency, but there may be an announcement soon.

Military families with youngsters in child care are among those being burdened by these costs, said Nicole Russell, government relations deputy director for the National Military Family Association. Youre constantly getting your child tested, she said. Tricare only covers tests that are ordered by a Tricare-authorized provider for a medically necessary purpose. But often, if a child is asymptomatic, pediatricians wont see the child to order a COVID-19 test because they are busy seeing sick patients, she said.

The costs of these tests adds up, said one Air Force Reserve major, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Shes spent about $300 on at-home COVID tests for herself, her husband and their 1-year-old daughter. Over the course of a few weeks earlier this year, they used at least 10 home tests, including some of the free tests through the government website, and theyve also kept some on hand at their home in Alexandria, Virginia. The most expensive single at-home test was about $30, she said.

The major and her husband, who is also an Air Force reservist, both work in civilian jobs and both have tested positive for COVID. Although their baby hasnt gotten COVID, shes been quarantined because she was exposed. There were also instances at the day care when other children may have been exposed.

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Testing is really the key to being able to put her back in day care, said the major, whos been vaccinated and boosted. While the day care generally requires testing from a doctor, its been difficult to get appointments, she said, and the day care allows the at-home tests.

Were very cautious, she said, adding they test to protect themselves and others. I understand the economics of insurance and the expense. But its in the public interest to make the tests more accessible to everyone. Luckily I had tests on hand because I care about society and my daughter. But we also have the means to buy those tests. Not everyone can.

We should be doing everything we can to encourage people to take extra steps to make sure theyre not infecting others and spreading this virus unknowingly. I had nearly no symptoms at all.

The general public good is served by ensuring that people have access to those tests. That includes financial access. Tricare is supporting military families who, in theory, should be physically ready for anything, she said.

Free at-home COVID tests for veterans? Lawmakers want VA to make that a thing

The lawmakers noted that President Biden has directed private insurers to cover the cost of eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per person per month. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has announced it will require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to allow Medicare recipients to get up to eight tests per month at no cost.

Providing access to COVID testing is a key component to ending this pandemic, and it is unfair that military service members and their families are unable to access these tests at no out-of-pocket cost as their civilian counterparts are, said Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., in an announcement of the letter sent to Austin.

She and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., led the effort, and the letter was signed by an additional 43 lawmakers.
Feb. 23The Moore Chamber of Commerce's inaugural awards ceremony was punctuated by recognition given to the city's longtime mayor for his accomplishments in both pushing the city into the future and advocating for its residents.

The inaugural Salute to Excellence Awards Mixer, Tuesday afternoon at the Visual Performing Arts Center at Oklahoma City Community College, will be an annual tradition to acknowledge the businesses and professionals in Moore that "exemplify the excellence that makes the community world-class," according to the Chamber.

Tuesday's award winners, which were presented by First United Bank, included:

-Amy Lee with McGraw Realtors: Rising Star of the Year

-Brian Mullins with Rose Rock Realty: Trailblazer of the Year

-Village on the Park: Team of the Year

-Small Business of the Year: Crockstar Dinner Club

-Large Business of the Year: Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

-Citizen of the Year: Rep. Mark McBride, (R-Moore)

-Legacy Award: Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis

During the presentation of the final award, Deen Ann Gay, senior vice president of First United Bank, said when Mayor Lewis took office in 1994, the city budget was $18 million. It is now $150 million. The city's population has grown from just over 40,000 in 1994 to more than 62,000 people. Mayor Lewis and his wife, Pam, have lived in Moore since 1962.

Lewis has led the city through four tornadoes since 1999 that displaced many residents and affected thousands of families.

"Each time he responded, he mourned and he helped the city come back stronger," Gay said.

Mayor Lewis spoke to the crowd of around 100 about the progress he has seen in Moore since becoming the city's first nonpartisan mayor in 1994. He said the award really belongs to the Moore community, police and emergency services, city council and staff.

"I haven't done this; this is all of you working together," Lewis said. "This is the citizens in the city of Moore, wanting to make it a better place and I just want to say thank you very much."

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Kelly Arnold, director of development and engagement for the Moore Chamber of Commerce, said the mixer-style event was planned as an alternative to the typical evening awards banquet.

Mike Smith, the 2022 Moore Chamber of Commerce chair, said with so many seemingly deserving finalists for their seven categories, they reached out to chamber professionals from around the nation to judge the awards, including Louisville, Ky., Rosemead, Calif., Coweta, Okla., Canonsburg, Pa., and Lincolnton, N.C.

"We deeply appreciated them taking the time to assist us and we think they did a rather excellent job," Smith said.

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.
WASHINGTON  When Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops Monday to "maintain peace" in two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, the White House's first reaction was to avoid calling the operation an invasion.

Russian troops moving into Donbas by itself would not be a new step," a senior Biden administration official said at the time.

Less than 24 hours later, President Joe Biden condemned the military action as "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" and announced a raft of new economic sanctions that include blacklisting two Russian financial institutions and its sovereign debt, along with penalties targeting a handful of "Russian elites" with close ties to Putin.

The overnight change in position reflects a Putin strategy, according to experts, to keep his adversaries off balance by obfuscating his intentions. By sending troops into Donbas  where Russian-backed separatists have been operating for years  it was hard to pinpoint the level of Putins escalation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent Russian troops into separatist regions of Ukraine and has claimed they are there for "peacekeeping."

Russia's approach to geopolitical conflict is to "create as much murkiness and doubt as possible," said Kristine Berzina of the German Marshall Fund's Alliance for Securing Democracy. She said that may have been part of Putin's calculus  trying to force internal dispute about how far Western allies should go with sanctions based on Moscow's movements into the separatist-backed areas.

"He played in the one area where there is a gray zone. He didn't immediately bombard Kyiv, he didn't march across the border, which is a very normal border in the north," she said.

'An unmistakable message': Biden unveils US sanctions on Russia after Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Is US done with diplomacy?

What's next in Russia's military escalation is unclear. But with Biden now ramping up sanctions one notch higher, diplomacy  although not ruled out by the White House  appears all but over.

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Rose Gottemoeller, who was deputy secretary-general of NATO from 2016 to 2019, was struck by what appeared to be an afterthought of Bidens as he wrapped up his remarks Tuesday outlining the sanctions.

He said, 'I am hoping diplomacy is still available,' but he sounded like he wasn't thinking it was available anymore, Gottemoeller said. And that really struck me because it's 180 degrees from where the administration, and indeed the European leaders, have been over the last week.

Transcript: President Biden delivers remarks on U.S. sanctions, Putin's advancements into Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin "is setting up a rationale to take more territory by force," President Joe Biden said in a nationally televised speech Tuesday.

Alina Polyakova, president and chief executive officer of the Center of European Policy Analysis, a Washington think tank, said the White House  hoping for a different conclusion  probably needed time to fully assess what most experts agree is a clear Russian invasion.

There are Russian troops literally rolling over Ukraines border with equipment and all kinds of other weapons, including tanks, Polyakova said.

William Pomeranz, acting director of the Wilson Centers Kennan Institute, agreed: "Clearly, the rearmament and posting of Russian soldiers into the Donbas should be considered an invasion."

And yet, the White House held off imposing the most draconian sanctions, including cutting Russia out of the global SWIFT financial electronic payment messaging system. Instead, U.S. officials made clear that more severe penalties will come if Putin escalates his actions.

A presidency full of crises: Pandemic, insurrection and now a new Cold War?

"This is the beginning of the invasion, and this is the beginning of our response, said deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh, calling the sanctions "only the sharp edge of the pain we can inflict."

The U.S. sanctions are in addition to action Germany took to stop certification of the Russian-owned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, a potentially crippling blow to Russias plans to link its natural gas supply with Europe.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to discuss "military movements" when asked what changed in the past 24 hours to change the administration's assessment about Russia's actions.

"What we've seen is President Putin setting up a rationale to take more territory by force," Psaki said.

Protesters rally in front of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Tuesday.

In a rambling speech Monday, Putin called it madness that Ukraine has independence and incorrectly claimed that the country was only the product of power-brokering during the beginning of the Soviet Union.

"Hes setting up a rationale to take more territory by force, in my view," Biden said Tuesday. "And if we listen to his speech last night, and many of you did I know, he's setting up a rationale to go much further."

Russia-Ukraine explained: Inside the crisis as US calls Russian movements an invasion

Will sanctions change Russia's plans?

In the days and weeks ahead, Polyakova said Russia could choose a slow creep into broader parts of Ukrainian territories, but she said the hundreds of thousands of Russian troops encircling Ukraine indicate a more aggressive move toward Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, is still on the table. A third, least likely option, she said, would be for Russia to remain in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

However we respond now will determine which scenario and which path they walk down, Polyakova said. This is not the moment for wobbliness and weakness. What the Russians have done has rewritten the rules of the European security order, and it will have global consequences.

A family crosses from territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists to Ukrainian-controlled areas in the Luhansk region in the eastern part of the country on Tuesday.

Angela Stent, a professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University in Washington and director of its Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies, was skeptical that the sanctions would deter Putin.

"Putin and the few people in the Kremlin who seem to be advising (him), they've already discounted that," said Stent, author of "Putin's World: Russia Against the West and with the Rest." "They knew there would be sanctions. I don't think this will really change their plans."

She said it remains to be seen how Putin will respond next, but she predicted it's less likely he will engage in an all-out assault on Kyiv.

Learn: Ukraine-Russia standoff: How do you pronounce Donetsk? And is it Kyiv or Kiev?

"I think this could go on for a long time, and it could be piecemeal," Stent said. "They could take a little more territory in the Donbas. And then if there's fighting with the Ukrainians, then they could then use that as an excuse to go further west."

Putin may have underestimated NATO unity

Putin's goal has always been to divide countries and the NATO alliance so he could weaken any response to his provocations, said Ivo Daalder, ambassador to NATO during the Obama administration and president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

But he miscalculated, Daalder said, pointing to the wave of sanctions that has been announced by Western leaders over the past 24 hours.

"He's constantly thought that NATO was weaker, that the U.S. was weaker, that we were more divided than it turned out," he said.

Gottemoeller said its important for the Western allies to stand together now, not just figuratively but literally.

I do know that there's been some consideration of bringing together the leaders of NATO in coming days to basically stand in close ranks, shoulder to shoulder, she said. That would be a good thing for President Biden to consider.

Where is Ukraine? Where are NATO members? A guide to post-Soviet eastern Europe

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine: Putin's invasion maneuvers seek to divide, confuse US, allies
Kasama, Nobodys Darling and Parachute are contenders for some of the dining industrys top awards, which have resumed this year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Six Chicago establishments are up for national James Beard Foundation Awards, while nine are semifinalists for Best Chef: Great Lakes, a regional category that spans Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

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See the full list of Chicago-area semifinalists below.

Among the 20 candidates for Outstanding Restaurant are Parachute, an acclaimed American-Korean restaurant helmed by chef wife-and-husband duo Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark in Chicagos Avondale neighborhood; and Oriole, which is one of just four Chicago restaurants with two Michelin stars.

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Kasama co-owners and chefs Tim Flores and Genie Kwon at their Ukrainian Village restaurant on Dec. 9, 2021. Kasama is among the semifinalists for James Beard Foundation Awards. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Noah Sandoval, chef-owner at Oriole, a fine-dining restaurant in the West Loop, is also among the semifinalists for Best Chef: Great Lakes, an honor Kim and Clark won in 2019.

Kasama, the only restaurant in 2021 to garner a four-star review from the Tribune, is up for Best New Restaurant. Shannah Primianos work at West Towns Porto restaurant garnered her a shot at Outstanding Pastry Chef, while Justice of the Pies Maya-Camille Broussard is up for Outstanding Baker  which was last won by another Chicagoan in 2019.

Nobodys Darling, a queer-inclusive Andersonville bar known for its welcoming atmosphere, is up for Outstanding Bar Program.

The Chicago semifinalists are among the dozens of restaurants, bars, breweries and other food creators up for James Beard Foundation Awards, long considered the equivalent of the Oscars for the food world.

Finalists, or nominees, will be announced March 16, along with the winners of the foundations Lifetime Achievement, Leadership Honorees and Humanitarian awards. Nominees for its media awards  which include categories for cookbooks, broadcast media, criticism and feature reporting  will be announced April 27.

Bartender Felicia Vankampen makes drinks at Nobody's Darling, 1744 W. Balmoral Ave. in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, on July 9, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

The awards will culminate with the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony June 13 in Chicago. The city began to host the awards ceremony in 2015  the first year the awards took place outside of New York City since they began in 1990  but the in-person event went on hiatus in 2020.

The return of the James Beard awards comes two years after uproar and behind-the-scenes turmoil over a list of 23 would-be winners that lacked a single Black person. Critics said the foundations judging process also allowed chefs accused of wrongdoing to be nominated.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

The foundation underwent an audit of its practices, with a focus on equity and transparency. Among the findings, released in September, were recommendations to establish an ethics committee to oversee allegations against nominees, add scouts to the judging process to increase the range of candidates considered, and boost diversity among judges.

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The ceremony will continue to take place in Chicago through 2027.

In 2019, the most recent year the full awards took place, Chicagoans took four awards: Boka Restaurant Groups Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz won Outstanding Restaurateur; Greg Wade of Publican Quality Bread was named Outstanding Baker; Parachute chef-owners Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark won Best Chef for the Great Lakes region; and Parts and Labor Design won Outstanding Restaurant Design for its work at Pacific Standard Time.

The James Beard Foundation Awards are named after the late James Beard, a renowned food writer, cookbook author and educator, and the awards honor individuals in the restaurant industry, including chefs, restaurateurs, beverage professionals and writers.

Past winners from Chicago include some of the citys most acclaimed restaurants and chefs, such as Rick Bayless Topolobampo, pastry chef Mindy Segal, the late Charlie Trotter, the now-closed Blackbird, Alinea, Next and The Violet Hour.

Chicago-area semifinalists for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards:

Parachute (Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist)

Oriole (Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist)

Kasama (Best New Restaurant semifinalist)

Shannah Primiano, Porto (Outstanding Pastry Chef semifinalist)

Maya-Camille Broussard, Justice of the Pies (Outstanding Baker semifinalist)

Nobodys Darling (Outstanding Bar Program semifinalist)

Rodolfo Cuadros, Amaru and Bloom Plant Based Kitchen (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Diana Davila, Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojeria (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Paul Fehribach, Big Jones (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Jason Hammel, Lula Cafe (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Dave Park, Jeong (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Darnell Reed, Luellas Southern Kitchen (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Noah Sandoval, Oriole (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, Smyth (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

Erick Williams, Virtue Restaurant & Bar (Best Chef: Great Lakes semifinalist)

archeung@chicagotribune.com

Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a press conference on Capitol Hill on February 23, 2022. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Nancy Pelosi called Putin's invasion of Ukraine an "evil move" and compared his actions to those of Hitler.

"This is the Sudetenland," said Pelosi, referring to a region of Czechoslovakia that Hitler invaded before WWII.

Hitler annexed the Sudetenland in 1938, claiming to be protecting German-speaking citizens.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi forcefully condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, calling his invasion of Ukraine "a very evil move" before implicitly comparing him to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

"Many of us have visited Ukraine and have seen that they love democracy," Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference following her return from several countries overseas, including the United Kingdom and Germany. "They do not want to live under Vladimir Putin. He does not want the Russian people to see what democracy looks like. And therefore he wants to bring them under his domain."

Pelosi also made the case that Putin, by virtue of his background as a Russian intelligence officer, is particularly skilled at deceiving his own citizens.

"Putin is a master of KGB, KGB, KGB, KGB," Pelosi said, pounding the podium. "His orientation is misrepresentation, and he's effective at that, unless we inoculate against it, unless we make a case against it so that the Russian people know the truth."

She then went on to compare Putin's recognition of the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine  two thirds of which are still controlled by Ukraine  to Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938 and invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939.

"This is a very evil move on the part of Vladimir Putin," she declared. "He's a KGB guy who happens to be probably the richest man in the world because of his exploitation of his own people that he doesn't want them to know about."

"This, my friends, is our moment," she added. "This is the Sudetenland, that's what people were saying there. You cannot ignore what Putin is doing."

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She added that Putin's invasion is a "total assault on democracy."

'Appeasement'

The Sudetenland is an area that was populated primarily by German speakers in Czechoslovakia (now broken up into Czechia and Slovakia).

After assuming power in 1933, Hitler threatened to spark a new war in Europe by demanding that the Sudetenland be ceded to Germany  largely on the basis of the fact it was populated by ethnic Germans. European powers eventually gave into Hitler's demands via the Munich Agreement in 1938, in what would ultimately be a failed bid to prevent another conflict from consuming the continent. The European leaders involved in the Munich discussions  particularly British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain  were accused of appeasement, and of being fooled by Hitler.

Nazi Germany would go on to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939, just months before the onset of World War II.

As he moved to recognize two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine as independent on Monday, Putin made references to the historical and ethnic connections between Ukraine and Russia. He rewrote history in the process, and effectively suggested that Ukraine is not a country. "Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia," Putin said.

In remarks at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alluded to the 1938 Munich crisis and the Sudetenland.

Zelensky suggested that Western leaders had engaged in "appeasement" in the face of Russian aggression toward Ukraine. "Has the world forgotten its mistakes of the 20th century?" Zelensky asked. "Where does appeasement policy usually lead to?"

Russia in 2014 invaded and annexed Crimea, and has since supported rebels in a war against Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region. Ukraine has been heavily reliant on Western aid during that timeframe. NATO countries have provided Ukraine with military assistance, including lethal aid. Meanwhile, NATO has stalled conversations on allowing Ukraine to join.

Though Ukraine is nowhere close to becoming a NATO member, its ambitions of joining the alliance are at the heart of the recent crisis with Russia. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine be permanently banned from NATO. But the alliance and Washington have repeatedly said that this demand is a non-starter.

In addition to recognizing separatist territories as independent, Russia on Monday said so-called "peacekeepers" would be sent into eastern Ukraine. President Joe Biden said this constitutes the "beginning of an invasion," while warning that Russia appeared poised to seize more Ukrainian territory by force.

Read the original article on Business Insider
New York University (NYU) Campus Safety has finally sent a campus-wide Safety Alert email addressing an alleged assault on an Asian student, following days of social media pressure from the victim and other student supporters.



On Feb. 16, 22-year-old NYU student AJ Sun claimed in an Instagram post that he had been assaulted just the day before in front of the universitys Stern building around 4:30 p.m. Sun described his attacker as a white male with blond hair who quickly fled the scene after he had punched the left side of [Suns] head for no reason.



Sun, who contends that race was a motive in the attack, immediately reported the incident as a hate crime assault to NYU Campus Safety for its Daily Crime Log but heard nothing back.



Suns attack came just two days after the fatal stabbing of Chinatown resident Christina Yuna Lee and a month after Michelle Go was pushed onto train tracks at the Times Square-42nd Street station and killed. Both cases ignited a renewed demand for more security measures in the city.



For Sun, these recent incidents highlight a need for greater public safety measures across the NYU campus  a school that had a 19.38% Asian-identifying population during the 2021-2021 school year. He believes his case is indicative of the schools failure to adequately protect its students.



Any Asian student walking on campus is still in danger of random, sporadic and yet detrimental hate-infused attacks., NYU has not taken any action to even warn its Asian students about the danger in the surrounding neighborhood, Sun wrote. I used to be proud to call myself an NYUer, but now Im just deeply disappointed and ashamed of how the school administration chooses to ignore such a ridiculous act happening right in the middle of campus.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by AJ Sun (@ajjingyansun)











Sun says he was later informed on a phone call that the Campus Safety office would not send a Safety Alert email to NYU students, because the incident didnt meet the necessary requirements, which they did not explain any further.



Over the past year, NYU Campus Safety has previously sent out 19 campus-wide Safety Alert emails regarding incidents that happened on or near the Washington Square Park campus  where Sun was also purportedly attacked  involving members of the NYU community. At least eight of those incidents involved reported assault or harassment.



The student community has rallied around Sun following his post, which has received almost 5,000 likes and was shared far beyond his own following.



I have received a tremendous amount of support from people I know and people I dont know, and I greatly appreciate every single one of them, Sun told NextShark. Their support means so much to me that I know they have my back and Im not fighting this on my own.



On Feb. 17, Sun posted again to share that he had spoken with an alleged second victim, who wished to remain anonymous, claiming to have been assaulted by the same man on Feb. 13. They both independently filed a police report following their conversation.



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View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by AJ Sun (@ajjingyansun)











That same day, NYU Vice President for Campus Safety Fountain L. Walker sent a campus-wide email regarding Suns incident and two others from the past week, including one that took place on Feb. 7 and one on Feb. 13  presumably the same incident anonymously shared with Sun. The attackers in both the alleged assaults on Feb. 7 and Feb. 13 purportedly matched Suns description of his own attacker. Walker announced that Campus Safety was working with the New York Police Department to investigate these incidents and whether or not they were racially motivated.









Sun was not informed of NYUs change of decision to publicize his incident until he received the campus-wide email. The victims, as well as many of their supporters, reportedly believe that the email would not have been sent had a police report not been filed, according to AJ and the undergrad community leader.



Moving forward, Sun has again taken to social media to pose to fellow students what the university could do to better protect its students.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by AJ Sun (@ajjingyansun)











In a statement, the Pan Asian Student Alliance at NYUs Graduate School of Public Service offered a message of succor: In response to the most recent wave of violence against members of the AAPI community, we would like to express our deepest support for both the members of the NYU community who have recently been attacked and the larger AAPI community who might be struggling with the fear and anxiety that comes with the news of more incidents.



Community leaders also recommended that students take advantage of NYU resources such as Safe Ride, the Safe NYU app, the Bias Response Line, Counseling and Wellness services and the API Student Support Space.



Undergraduate community leader Sahana Sripadanna also expressed frustration at NYUs slow response to the recent campus incidents but lauded NYUs students for acknowledging these harmful incidents with grace, speed and consideration.



NYU Campus Safety did not respond to a request for clarification of their requirements for sending out a Campus Safety Alert email or to confirm if any steps were being taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.



If you are an NYU student and wish to report an incident, you can contact the NYU Campus Safetys Communications Center at +1 (212) 998-2222. If you feel unsafe on campus or are experiencing an emergency, you can use 1 of NYUs 21 Emergency Call Boxes to immediately be put in touch with a Campus Security Officer. If you are in immediate danger or need emergency medical services, call 911.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  More than 80 rescued Florida manatees are in rehabilitation centers across the U.S. as wildlife officials try to stem starvation deaths by the marine mammals because of poor water quality.

The latest numbers were released Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of an unprecedented effort to feed starving manatees and treat those in distress.

The state has provided about $1.2 million for the treatment effort, officials said, with the rest of the increasing costs borne by facilities such as the SeaWorld rescue program in Orlando. There are 13 such locations at aquariums and other facilities in Florida, Texas, Ohio, Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

It's a huge effort and they do a fantastic job, said Terri Calleson of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A lot of it is happening on their dime.

The response comes as manatees continue to die along Florida's east coast because the sea grass on which they normally feed during cold winter months is disappearing. The main reason is polluted water from sources such as agricultural fertilizer runoff, wastewater discharges and urban sources.

Last year, more than 1,100 manatee deaths were recorded largely due to starvation, well above the typical five-year average of about 625 deaths. In 2022 through last week, 326 manatee deaths have been listed, only seven from collisions with boats, according to state wildlife commission statistics.

The experimental feeding program using romaine lettuce continues seven days a week at a Florida Power & Light plant in Brevard County along the east coast where hundreds of manatees typically gather in cold months in the plant's warm water discharge area.

As of Tuesday, more than 63,000 pounds (28,500 kilograms) of lettuce has been provided to the manatees, said Jon Wallace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The food is paid for mostly by donations to the non-profit Fish & Wildife Foundation of Florida.

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That is all still going very well, Wallace said.

There are an estimated 8,800 or so manatees in Florida waters. Thats a big improvement from the roughly 2,000 animals in the 1990s, part of the reason they were delisted from endangered to threatened by the federal government.

Officials say it's important for people in Florida's coastal areas to report any sick or distressed manatees they see so they can be brought to a rehabilitation center.

Overall, we view these rescue efforts as successful. This is a small victory for us, said Andy Garrett, manatee rescue coordinator for the state wildlife commission.

But officials also stressed the approach of warmer weather does not mean the starvation problem is over, especially since some of the slow-moving, round-tailed animals will need extensive treatment.

This need does not stop with the end of cold weather this year, said Jon Peterson, rescue operations manager at SeaWorld. Some of the animals have been here a long time. It does take time.
By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Moscow on Wednesday to push for the construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in collaboration with Russian companies, an official said.

Khan's trip to meet President Vladimir Putin and discuss issues including economic cooperation comes hours after a number of Western nations hit Russia with new sanctions for its military deployment into parts of eastern Ukraine.

"Both countries are eager to launch the project at the earliest," Pakistan's energy ministry spokesman told Reuters about the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline. He confirmed that Energy Minister Hammad Azhar is accompanying Khan on the visit.

The 1,100 km (683 mile)-long pipeline, also known as the North-South gas pipeline, was initially agreed to in 2015 and was to be financed by both Moscow and Islamabad, using a Russian company to construct it..

In an interview ahead of his trip, Khan had expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine and the possibility of new sanctions and their effect on Islamabad's budding cooperation with Moscow.

It is unclear how the latest sanctions will affect the project, which would deliver imported Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) from Karachi on the Arabian Sea coast to power plants in the northeastern province of Punjab.

The project is important for Pakistan - particularly the power sector - as the country's dependence on imported LNG grows in the face of dwindling indigenous gas supplies.

The pipeline project has already suffered delays because of earlier sanctions.

"This North-South pipeline suffered, one of the reasons...was the companies we were negotiating with, turned out that U.S. had applied sanctions on them," Khan told Russia Today on Tuesday.

"So, the problem was to get a company that wasnt sanctioned," he said of the project.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam in Islamabad and Syed Raza Hassan in Karachi, Editing by William Maclean)
WASHINGTON (AP)  With rare but fragile alignment, the U.S. Congress is largely backing President Joe Bidens decision to confront Russia with potentially escalating sanctions for the crisis in Ukraine as lawmakers brace for perhaps the most daunting foreign policy crisis the nation has faced in a generation.

But the next steps are highly volatile  even more so after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced early Thursday a military operation in Ukraine and explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and other cities there.

We must refuse to stand by and watch innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children suffer, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said in a statement after Putin's forces moved against Ukraine. He said he was committed to ensuring that the United States upholds our responsibility to exact maximum costs on Putin, the Russian economy, and those who enabled and facilitated this trampling of Ukraines sovereignty.

With isolationist impulses rising at home, Congress has no appetite for war. Yet Americans also appear ambivalent about the U.S. working to keep the peace. New polling from The Associated Press and NORC  taken before Putin's announcement  says just 26% of Americans want the U.S. to play a major role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Russia's aggression toward Ukraine is an attack on democracy, vowing that the U.S. will stand united with its allies around the world in swiftly imposing sanctions on Russia and ensuring financial and political support for an independent Ukraine.

Pelosi, who returned to the Capitol from a diplomatic overseas trip, situated the aggression from Russia toward Ukraine alongside intervention in the United States' own democratic process during the 2016 election.

There will be a price to pay for Vladimir Putin," she said, flanked by lawmakers who had joined her delegation at the annual security conference in Munich.

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While Republican critics of the Biden administration  and even some Democrats  want the White House to go even tougher with swifter and more severe sanctions on Russia, most have given varying degrees of support for the White House strategy, including Bidens move Wednesday to sanction the company building the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, said sanctions on Nord Stream 2 are long overdue, but I cannot overstate how critical they are to showing Putin that violating a nations sovereignty has consequences.

Risch, who has worked with colleagues on a bipartisan basis for years trying to end the pipeline, said: It is good to see President Biden do the right thing.

Republican leaders have sought to steer the conversation to their preferred terms, as the party whose defense hawks once led the nation on the national security front. But it's not at all clear whether today's GOP can keep Republicans from tapping into an impassioned non-interventionist strain unleashed by Donald Trump's America First approach.

It was Trump who sought to strip protections for Ukraine from the Republican Party platform for the 2016 election, and who was impeached by the House for abuse of power after he pressured the Ukrainian president to dig up dirt on Biden ahead of the 2020 campaign.

This week, Trump cheered on Putin as he massed military forces near Ukraine's border and recognized the independence of its separatist regions in a move Biden and others warned was the start of an invasion of Ukraine. As president, Trump had been critical of NATO, working to distance the U.S. from the historic partnership and berating allies to contribute more money to defense.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime champion of NATO, spoke highly of the Western alliance this week, but some within his party are gravitating away from that traditional Republican position and toward Trump's views.

McConnell said he wants to see Biden impose the toughest possible sanctions.

Other Republicans, though, most notably Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, a potential Republican presidential hopeful, has said the U.S. should be paying closer attention to the greater challenges he believes are posed by China.

Still, most Republican senators are backing Biden's sanctions on Putin, even if some are clamoring for more and taking political punches at Biden for seeming too tepid.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a sometimes Trump ally who is also one of the party's leading defense hawks and who used to globetrot with fellow GOP Sen. John McCain, invoked his late colleague this week in urging Biden to confront Putin more forcefully.

Graham said Congress should impose sanctions from hell on Putin and his regime when lawmakers return to work next week.

Sen. Ted Cruz, who had single-handedly blocked Biden's nominees for various State Department posts to halt the Russia-to-Germany pipeline, said with the announced new sanctions he would lift his blockade. President Biden has now taken positive steps, Cruz, R-Texas, said in a statement. "But much more still needs to be done to deter and counter the threat that Putin poses to our allies in Ukraine and across Europe.

Pelosi said Russians need to understand what their leader is doing. Its stunning to see in this day and age a tyrant roll into a country, Pelosi said. This is the same tyrant who attacked our democracy in 2016,

It's unclear what more, if anything, Congress will do to confront Russia, as lawmakers hold back their own legislative response to Putin while Biden engages U.S. allies in a more global strategy.

The Senate has bipartisan support for a robust sanctions package but after running into differences over the scope and timing of the response decided to shelve a vote as the White House pursued its own approach.

Graham has suggested a supplemental spending package for Ukraine, which already receives money and defensive equipment from the U.S., but it does not yet appear that additional funds are being considered.

___

Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to say that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president ahead of the 2020 campaign.
Washington  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved requests from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police for National Guard assistance ahead of trucker protests expected to arrive in the area soon.

Up to 700 National Guard personnel will be deployed to help control traffic at designated traffic posts and points leading to the Capitol. This includes 400 members of the D.C. National Guard and nearly 300 other Guard members from New Jersey, Vermont and West Virginia, who will arrive "no later than February 26."

Truck drivers protesting vaccine requirements are expected to depart Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning and drive to the D.C. area, arriving late Wednesday or Thursday. The demonstration protesting vaccine requirements and other issues is inspired by truck driver protests in Canada.

"The people who live, work and visit the District are part of our community, and their safety is our first mission priority," Major General Sherrie McCandless, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, said in a statement. "Our MPD and USCP partners have asked for our help in ensuring people can demonstrate peacefully and safely, and we stand ready to assist."

An organizer from the Scranton, Pennsylvania, area told CBS News he has "many" commitments for the protest against vaccine requirements and any other issues, and that they plan to block the D.C. Beltway but not drive into the city. That could complicate commutes for those who live in neighboring Virginia and Maryland. The Virginia State Police and Maryland State Police tell CBS News they are monitoring the situation.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday said the Department of Homeland Security and the administration broadly are tracking reports about the potential convoy.

"We have been working, including from Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall here, as well as our Homeland Security Department, closely with our federal, state, and local partners to continuously assess the threat environment and keep our communities safe," Psaki said. "And our efforts include enhanced intelligence sharing, a Critical Incident Response Plan for the U.S. Capitol, a regional security assessment, and a simulation experiment that developed data-driven recommendations to bolster regional security. So, we are closely monitoring, closely watching, and working with state and local authorities."

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Scott MacFarlane contributed reporting.

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Daniel Patrick Knight in undated family photo / Credit: WKMG-TV

Winter Park, Florida  The police account of the fatal shooting by an officer of a guest at a wedding reception here is being disputed by family members and others, CBS Orlando affiliate WKMG-TV reports. The man who was shot was identified by police as 39-year-old Daniel Patrick Knight, an uncle of the bride.

The family wants the FBI to take over the case and the officers to be charged and arrested, WKMG says.

"There were a lot of allegations  made by the Winter Park Police Department that we find unfounded and without merit. We are looking for transparency in this case. We do feel that this was murder," said Pastor Carl Soto, co-founder and vice president of Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk Inc.

The incident unfolded when officers responded to the Winter Park Events Center around 9:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving a 911 call from someone who said a man was harassing guests. Knight's family claims the caller was working at the event.

"He's trying to beat people up. He's yelling," the caller said. "He's grabbing an older woman and shoving her," said the 911 caller. "He's grabbing people's necks and like, it's an older woman. I think it's his mom."

Police in Florida say a guest at a wedding reception was shot and killed by an officer responding to a disturbance call about a man assaulting other guests. / Credit: WKMG

Soto said the family doesn't know why the woman made the call but describes her allegations as "baseless" and "meritless."

"We listened to that 911 call. We are in the process of trying to locate this this woman who made this call. All the witnesses that I spoke to indicated that (Knight) was not doing anything of that sort," Soto said. "There is a report that this woman may have had a disagreement with one or two of the patrons that were there at the reception, and that may have pissed her off to the point where she felt she needed to call 911."

Patricia Keeby, Knight's mother and the older woman the family assumes the caller was referring to, said her son didn't do anything wrong.

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"He was such a loving man. He didn't do nothing to me. I asked him to sit me down because my feet was hurting and that's why he hugged me  to sit me down," Keeby said, adding that she was shocked the 911 caller reported a man was grabbing her neck.

"He didn't do nothing to me. I don't have any bruises. I don't have any scratches," Keeby said.

According to Winter Park police, arriving officers tried to separate Knight from another guest. But, police said, Knight punched an officer in the face and knocked him unconscious. A second officer said he then deployed a Taser on Knight, to no avail.

Investigators said Knight knocked that officer to the ground, prompting him to draw his gun and fire.

Knight died that night in a hospital.

Family members say that story doesn't add up and assert no officer was knocked unconscious.

The family gave WKMG video it says shows Knight dancing at the reception shortly before the shooting.

"A lot of these statements that were made by the Winter Park Police Department does not add up," said Soto, the pastor. "Dancing. Having a good time. And I didn't know that a being a black man dancing at a reception justifies murder."

Knight's niece was traumatized.

"He was killed in front of me. His blood was all over my wedding dress," recalled a crying Janisha Paul. "I'm a nurse. I'm a registered nurse. A lot of the guests that were there were also in healthcare. They assisted in doing everything that they could to help him and I wish that he was here."

WKMG requested police body camera video but the station was told it's not being released yet because it's part of the ongoing investigation.

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Roc Salerno works on making a Mighty Dog tamale on a bun, which will have a hotdog on it and be topped with chili, cheese, relish, onion, cucumber, tomato and celery salt at Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots in Chicago's Marquette Park neighborhood Feb. 18, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Served straight from metal steamers at Italian beef and hot dog stands across the city, corn roll tamales were invented in Chicago. Though perhaps not all that awesome, the corn roll tamale is a Chicago original, and we have found ways to love it.

Unlike traditional tamales, usually made with masa (cornmeal dough), stuffed with vegetables, meat or cheese, and then rolled in a natural wrapper, like a corn husk or a banana leaf, before warming, frequently by steam, Chicagos corn roll tamales are an industrial product unlike anything youll find in Mexico. Chicagos original tamales are manufactured on equipment that extrudes cylindrical shafts of yellow cornmeal with magenta-colored cores of lightly seasoned meat and cornmeal. Two big brands of Chicago corn roll tamales are Tom Tom and Supreme.

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Tamales were brought to the United States in the late 1800s or early 1900s by Mexican workers who may have pocketed a few before heading off to work in the fields, according to the Southern Foodways Alliance, part of the University of Mississippis Center for the Study of Southern Culture.

In those fields, specifically in the Mississippi Delta, Mexican workers likely encountered Black workers with whom they shared the tamales.

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Tamales were immortalized by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, he of the Faustian bargain at the crossroads, in Theyre Red Hot:

Hot tamales and theyre red hot, yes, she got em for sale. I got a girl, say she long and tall. She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall. Hot tamales and theyre red hot, yes, she got em for sale.

During the Great Migration, Black Americans brought along their tamales. The first documented sale of tamales in Chicago was at the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition, a hotbed of culinary invention that also introduced such landmark innovations as Cracker Jack, Juicy Fruit gum and brownies.

The spread of corn roll tamales in Chicago, however, may have less to do with Mexican and Black American food traditions and more to do with Greeks and Armenians. The Petros family bought the Tom Tom Tamale & Bakery in the 1930s, and the Paklaian family bought Supreme Frozen Products in the 1950s.

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As a kid, Id always opt for bunch tamales, a variant of corn roll tamales still available at places like Elmwood Parks legendary Johnnies Beef. Bunch-style tamales are rectangular, and divided with origami-like precision into four tender fingers; golden, luscious and delectably moist.

It can be challenging to render delicious your standard Chicago corn roll tamales. This carb-heavy street food seems designed to fill up whatever belly real estate remains unoccupied after one puts away an Italian beef sandwich or a loaded Chicago-style hot dog. Chicago corn roll tamales are usually one of the least expensive items on a menu, though its not exactly a value: at Gene & Judes in River Grove, tamales are $2.09 each, and the hot dog with fries is only 99 cents more (and much tastier).

Corn roll tamales are shown to their best advantage in another Chicago food, the tamale boat, also called chili cheese tamales, in which tamales are submerged in chili to become a kind of lush, spongy cornmeal dumpling that absorbs flavors beautifully. This version of corn roll tamales is usually served with sport peppers, chopped onions and cheese, which add even more flavor.

A Mighty Dog tamale on a bun which will have a hotdog on it and be topped with chili, cheese, relish, onion, cucumber, tomato and celery salt at Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

I enjoyed tamales floating in chili one autumn afternoon at Parkys Hot Dogs in Forest Park; it was so good that I returned for more the next day. On the second visit, just as I sat down to dig into some tamale boats/chili cheese tamales, an older guy picking up his lunch tripped over the rubber carpeting and fell into the plate glass window, shattering it. I ran over to help; there was lots of glass and a little blood, but fortunately paramedics arrived almost immediately. Then I sat back down to finish my chili-soaked tamales, appetite undiminished. They were that good.

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Roc Salerno works on making a Mother-In-Law tamale on a bun which will be topped with chili, relish, onion, cucumber, tomato and celery salt at Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots on Feb. 18, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Corn roll tamales are also used in other Chicago original foods, like the Mother-in-Law (a tamale in a hot dog bun, ladled with chili, dressed with standard Chicago hot dog condiments), as served at Fat Johnnies on the South Side. Fat Johnnies was one of Anthony Bourdains stops on an early episode of No Reservations. Bourdain judged the Mother-in-Law to be disturbing in design, but strangely compelling. I agree.

Few deem Chicago corn roll tamales to be a culinary masterpiece on the level of an Italian beef or a Chicago hot dog. Still, its Chicago and ours, and if youre interested in humble foods born in this city, you should try one. I recommend you have your Chicago corn roll tamales in a bowl, with chili, sport peppers, onion and cheese.

Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.




Pope Francis on Wednesday said that the conflict in Ukraine has caused "great pain in my heart," adding that he is worried about the threat to peace.

"I have great pain in my heart because of the worsening of the situation in Ukraine," Francis said, according to Reuters.

"I appeal to all sides to abstain from any action that could provoke more suffering to the populations, destabilizing coexistence among nations and discrediting international law," he added.

Francis's comments, which were made during his weekly general audience, come as tensions swell after Russian troops entered two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine.

The European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan the United States and Great Britain have all announced plans to issue sanctions against Russia for its actions. Germany also moved to halt a gas pipeline project with Russia.

The pope said that this year's Ash Wednesday, which falls on March 2, will be an international day for prayer, fasting and peace. He also denounced the "diabolic senselessness of violence," Reuters noted.

"Jesus taught us that we should respond to the diabolic senselessness of violence with the weapons of God, with prayer and fasting," Francis added.
A prayerful moment with strangers in a Tennessee church turned sinister after women stole from a 78-year-old churchgoer, police said.

The 78-year-old woman had settled into the pews of Hilldale Baptist Church on Feb. 9 in Clarksville when two women approached her and started a conversation, the Clarksville Police Department said on Facebook. One of the suspects sat in the pew in front of the victim, police said, while the other sat behind.

The unsuspecting woman had arrived early for the churchs service at 6:30 p.m. that evening, according to pastor Larry Robertson.

After a short conversation, one of the females requested the victim pray with her, the police department wrote on Facebook. While they were praying, the second female rummaged through the victims purse and stole her wallet.

Less than an hour after the robbery, the service began and pastor Larry Robertson shared the story with the rest of the church, telling members that after the women prayed, they left. The victim picked up her wallet and immediately felt that something was wrong, Robertson said.

Im mad, Im ticked, Robertson told his congregation. ... Keep your eye on your wallet, even at church I guess.

He later added: People know that Christians are kind and trusting and the devil knows it, too.

The group of thieves, which appear to be four women in total, were later seen exiting Sams Club, where they had used the womans credit card on a shopping spree, according to police.

The women spent $7,000 at the store using the victims credit cards, police told Inside Edition.

Its sickening, Robertson said in an interview with Inside Edition. What happened is ridiculously evil.

The Clarksville Police Department asked for the publics help in identifying the women, urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 931-645-8477 or Detective Bradley at 931-648-0656, ext. 5159, WTVF reported.

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A man charged in the slaying of Jam Master Jay once filmed a brazen rap video in front of a street mural commemorating

the Run-DMC legend, prosecutors say in court papers opposing the defendants release on bail. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Photo: via Associated Press)" data-caption="A man charged in the slaying of Jam Master Jay once filmed a brazen rap video in front of a street mural commemorating the Run-DMC legend, prosecutors say in court papers opposing the defendants release on bail. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Photo: via Associated Press)" data-rich-caption="A man charged in the slaying of Jam Master Jay once filmed a brazen rap video in front of a street mural commemorating the Run-DMC legend, prosecutors say in court papers opposing the defendants release on bail. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Photo: via Associated Press)" data-credit="via Associated Press" data-credit-link-back="" />

NEW YORK (AP)  A man charged in the slaying of Jam Master Jay once filmed a brazen rap video in front of a street mural commemorating the Run-DMC legend, prosecutors say in court papers opposing the defendants release on bail.

The amateur video was one of several instances when Karl Jordan Jr. proved himself a danger to the community by openly bragging about dealing drugs and possessing guns following Jays 2002 death, the documents say. It features Jordan rapping a song titled Silver Spoon in front of the mural in Queens.

Among the lyrics: I wasnt born with no silver spoonI had to grind, grind and get it out the potand get it off the blockget it off the rock. The papers add that in the next verse, Jordan rapped that he hustles hard, like the mob, a dealer serving hands like they cards.

The papers were filed on Tuesday in federal court in Brooklyn. Messages were left with Jordans lawyers on Wednesday seeking comment.

Jason Jay Mizell, known professionally as Jam Master Jay, formed Run-DMC with Joseph Run Simmons and Darryl DMC McDaniel in the early 1980s. Together, they helped take hip-hop mainstream with hits like Its Tricky and the Aerosmith remake collaboration Walk This Way.

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In 2020, authorities announced that they had solved the killing of Jay, one of New York Citys most enduring mysteries, alleging that Jordan and another man, Ronald Washington, had ambushed him over a cocaine deal gone bad. They said Washington waved a handgun and ordered another person at a recording studio to lie on the ground while Jordan shot Jay in the head Oct. 30, 2002.

Defense lawyers have argued for Jordans release on $1 million bond by claiming there are credible witnesses who will testify that he was at their home at the same time as the alleged murder. They also claimed Jordan is at a high risk for contracting COVID-19 because of health issues.

Prosecutors countered that the would-be alibi witnesses arent credible. They also described Jordan as a healthy 39-year-old man ... who remains unvaccinated, despite widespread availability of the vaccine at a federal jail.

If convicted, Jordan faces a minimum of 25 years behind bars.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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NEW YORK (Reuters) -Two prosecutors who had been leading the Manhattan district attorney's criminal probe into former U.S. President Donald Trump and his business practices have resigned, the district attorney's office said on Wednesday.

The departures of Special Counsel Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz came less than two months after District Attorney Alvin Bragg assumed office, taking over a probe into Trump and his family business, the Trump Organization.

"We are grateful for their service," said Danielle Filson, a spokeswoman for Bragg, referring to Dunne and Pomerantz. She added that the investigation was ongoing.

Bragg had indicated to the pair that he had doubts about pursuing a case against Trump, the New York Times said, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

Dunne and Pomerantz could not immediately be reached for comment. Pomerantz had been brought in from an outside law firm to work on the probe.

Ron Fischetti, a lawyer for Trump, called the departures a sign that Bragg would not bring criminal charges against the former president, though nothing was official.

"In my mind the case is over," Fischetti said. "There's no question in my mind that they did it because there wasn't a case that they could prove, and there was no purpose in them staying there any longer."

Neither the Trump Organization nor its lawyer Alan Futerfas immediately responded to requests for comment.

The resignations come as New York Attorney General Letitia James ramps up her civil probe into Trump and his namesake company.

Last week, a state judge directed the former president and two of his adult children, Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump, to answer questions in that probe under oath in depositions.

The Trump family will appeal that ruling, Fischetti said.

James joined Bragg's criminal probe last May.

Trump, a Republican, has previously denied wrongdoing and said the state and city investigations were politically motivated.

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James and Bragg are Democrats, as is Bragg's predecessor Cyrus Vance, who began the criminal probe and did not seek reelection.

In a statement referring to that probe, a James spokeswoman said: "The investigation is ongoing and there is a robust team in place that is working on it."

Both probes focus on whether Trump misrepresented the value of his real estate properties.

Investigators are looking into whether values were inflated to obtain bank loans and reduced to lower tax bills.

The criminal probe resulted last July in tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg.

In what Dunne called at the time a "sweeping and audacious illegal payments scheme," Weisselberg allegedly received millions in "off the books" payments from the company that were not disclosed to tax authorities.

Weisselberg pleaded not guilty, as did the company. Both are seeking dismissals. Fischetti described the accusations against Weisselberg as "minimal charges."

A new grand jury was convened in September to examine how the Trump Organization valued its assets.

Fischetti said that grand jury's term would expire in April.

Donald Trump faces multiple criminal and civil probes, including in Georgia where a prosecutor won permission to convene a grand jury to look into the then-president's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results there.

Dunne, Vance's former general counsel, led the office's successful push to obtain Trump's tax returns.

Pomerantz, a former federal prosecutor, had been on leave from the law firm Paul Weiss while working on the Trump probe.

Trump is also among those being investigated by a U.S. House of Representatives select committee looking into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York; Additional reporting and writing by Luc CohenEditing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)
L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascon, shown last year, has eased his blanket ban on trying defendants accused as minors in adult court. An advisor said a committee will review "extraordinary" cases in which a teen is accused of an especially heinous act. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed a motion seeking to try as an adult a defendant who was 17 when accused of fatally shooting two sisters in 2018, marking the first such move since Dist. Atty. George Gascon backtracked last week on his blanket ban on trying those charged with crimes as minors in adult court.

Sierra Brown, 16, and her older sister, Uniek Atkins, were shot and killed in a Westchester apartment before the defendant doused the residence with bleach and set it on fire, prosecutors allege in court records. The defendant, who is now 21, had been dating Sierra.

The Times is not identifying the defendant because he was a minor at the time of the killings and his transfer hearing has yet to take place.

The transfer motion was filed Friday, the same day Gascon announced the policy changes, said Kathy Cady, an attorney representing the victims' families.

Gascon declined to discuss the case during a news conference Tuesday. Alex Bastian, one of the district attorney's special advisors, later confirmed the case will be the first brought before a committee created to review "extraordinary" cases in which a teenager is accused of an especially heinous act.

It remains unclear how the committee will work or whether prosecutors will need to seek unanimous approval from the panel to conduct an actual transfer hearing that could end with a juvenile case being moved to adult criminal court.

The prosecution in the killing of Brown and Atkins served as an early rallying cry for critics of Gascon's sweeping policy changes. Cady was one of many who demanded the district attorney's office conduct a "case-by-case" analysis of such cases.

In an interview last year, Gascon told The Times he struggled with the case but ultimately held fast to his policy, citing research on adolescents that shows brain development is not final until age 25.

I talked to the family  and I have to tell you thats a case where I lost sleep over, multiple times, because what the family has gone through and will continue to go through is tremendous," he said last year.

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Atkins' father, Daniel Souvinette, expressed disgust with the district attorney's office when a prior transfer order was revoked in the case last year.

A man was voted in, his policies came in and changed all the rules for all of the victims," he told a judge in the Inglewood courthouse. "When you lose your only child  a parent wouldnt see this as justice.

Cady said that although her clients were relieved that there's a chance their daughters' accused killer might spend more than four years in prison, she was still frustrated with the "roller coaster" Gascon put them on.

They are completely exhausted because no family should have to try to beg for justice," she said. "Of course, the fact that their two daughters were murdered in and of itself is horrific. Gascon is certainly not responsible for that, but he is responsible for re-traumatizing them by  pulling the rug out from under them.

The move comes as Gascon faces fierce backlash over his handling of a number of high-profile cases. The district attorney had been repeatedly pilloried for allowing a 26-year-old to plead guilty in juvenile court this year for the 2014 sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl because the defendant was 17 when the attack occurred.

At the same time, an effort to recall him from office has been gaining steam, raising $1.8 million, according to campaign finance reports. On Monday, the union representing rank-and-file prosecutors overwhelmingly voted to support the recall effort. Nearly 98% of the 557 prosecutors who cast ballots voted to endorse the recall, said Eric Siddal, the union's vice president.

Over a year ago, Gascon began a massive social experiment by redirecting prosecutorial resources away from enforcing the law while simultaneously ignoring large portions of the penal code. The result is an emboldened criminal element that knows the D.A. will not hold criminals accountable," Siddal said in a statement. "This experiment needs to end."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Never mind that Leonard Peltier has been in prison for 45 years based on no evidence that he committed a crime.

In recent weeks, the 77-year-old Native American rights activist has pleaded for help amid isolating COVID-19 lockdowns, repeatedly requested a booster shot without success, tested positive for COVID and then spent 10 days in quarantine to recover.

Now Peltier says he understands why many inmates arent reporting their illnesses and potential COVID infections to staff at all: The conditions in the prisons so-called medical unit are so bad that people are opting to tough out COVID and other sicknesses on their own instead of enduring the appalling conditions of quarantine.

Pure torture, Peltier said of his experience in quarantine, in a statement provided Wednesday by his attorney, Kevin Sharp.

Sharp said he spoke to Peltier last Thursday, just after he was released from the medical unit, which was actually just another cell. There was no meaningful medical check during his 10 days in quarantine, according to Peltier. Instead, people periodically came into the cell and took his temperature. Nobody was using an oximeter or doing any other kind of medical evaluation consistent with COVID care.

Peltier said his cell was very cold, and even though the Federal Bureau of Prisons officially relayed that his symptoms were mild, in fact he was having chest pain, stomach pain, pain in his joints and a severe headache.

For food, Peltier said, he was given bread and peanut butter pouches the entire time. He initially wasnt given any utensils to put the peanut butter on the bread, and, because of his bad teeth, he struggled to open the pouches to eat what little was there. After eight days, he said, he was given a spoon to spread the peanut butter on bread.

Access to drinking water was perhaps the most disturbing situation. Peltier said there was a sink in his cell, and he was told that was where to get water. But he had to drink the water with his hands for several days because no one would give him a cup, and the water was yellow and rusty looking, as Peltier put it. On day four, he was given a cup, so he then would let the hot water run and catch it in the cup, wait for it to cool and for the sediment to settle to the bottom of the cup, and then drink only the water from the top of the cup.

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On the upside, Peltier said, he was finally given a COVID booster shot on Feb. 15, just as he was leaving quarantine after testing positive for COVID.

Randilee Giamusso, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, declined to comment on anecdotal allegations and said the agency is proud of the way it takes care of inmates. She said nothing about the conditions described by Peltier.

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) takes pride in protecting and securing individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as maintaining the safety of correctional staff and the community, Giamusso said in a statement. We make every effort to ensure the physical safety of inmates confined to our facilities through a controlled environment that is secure and humane.

HuffPost also asked whether Peltier, who has diabetes and an abdominal aortic aneurysm, is being considered for release under a policy authorized by the Justice Department to release elderly inmates and those with underlying health conditions from federal prisons as part of the governments response to the COVID pandemic.

Giamusso responded with boilerplate language about how that policy works.

All inmates in BOP custody are reviewed to identify those who are vulnerable, eligible, and appropriate for transfer to a Residential Reentry Center (RRC) or Home Confinement under the CARES Act, she said. Inmates who are not eligible for community confinement under these provisions may be reconsidered if there is a change in status that qualifies them for re-review. In addition, if the Warden determines there is a need to refer an inmate for placement in the community due to COVID-19 risk factors who is outside of the criteria, they may forward the referral to the Home Confinement Committee (HCC) in Central Office for further review.

Beyond this, we have no additional information to provide.

Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier has been prison for 45 years based on no evidence of committing a crime. Now 77, he's reeling from appalling COVID care in prison. (Photo: CLIFF SCHIAPPA/Associated Press)

Peltier has been in prison for decades after the FBI and a U.S. attorneys office charged him in the 1975 murders of two FBI agents during a shootout on a Native American reservation  something he has long said he didnt do, even when it could have meant parole if hed said he did. His trial was riddled with misconduct, and even the U.S. attorney who helped put Peltier in prison so long ago is now pleading with President Joe Biden to grant him clemency because, he said, federal officials never had evidence that Peltier committed a crime.

At least two U.S.senators, several members of Congress and dozens of Native American state legislators have recently urged Biden to release Peltier.

A White House spokesperson told HuffPost earlier this month that the White House is aware of the push for Peltiers release. Thats about all they said.

As many of you know, President Biden has a process for considering all requests for pardon or commutation, which is run through our White House Counsels Office, said the spokesperson. I dont have more to share on Mr. Peltiers request at this time.

Peltier is continuing to serve out two consecutive life sentences.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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Feb. 22Ole Miss men's basketball might be back on the right track, but the path doesn't get any easier tonight.

The Rebels (13-14, 4-10 SEC) defeated Georgia 85-68 on Saturday despite being without senior guard Jarkel Joiner and sophomore guard Matthew Murrell due to the flu.

Ole Miss travels to Auburn (24-3, 12-2) to face the No. 3 Tigers. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Against the Bulldogs, Ole Miss had four players finish with at least 10 points, led by senior guard Tye Fagan's 20. The Rebels shot just under 55.9% in the win, their second-best shooting performance of the season behind a 56% effort against Dayton in December.

Ole Miss faced Auburn, then ranked No. 4, in mid-January. At one point the Rebels led by 14 and were up six at halftime but wound up falling 80-71. Auburn stars Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith combined for 35 points. Kessler, the nation's leading shot blocker, had seven blocks in the game and also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Auburn is coming off of a one-point loss at Florida. Smith scored 28 points against the Gators on Saturday.

The Rebels will host Texas A&M on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

MICHAEL KATZ is the Ole Miss athletics reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at michael.katz@djournal.com.
Sarasota GOP congressional primary candidate Martin Hyde argues with a police officer who pulled him over on Valentines Day (screengrab)

Republican congressional candidate Martin Hyde was caught in body camera footage harassing and insulting a police officer during a traffic stop on Valentine's Day.

Martin Hyde, who is running for office in Florida, told Sarasota police officer Julia Beskin that she was "making career decisions" by pulling over Mr Hyde.

According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Ms Beskin ultimately cited Mr Hyde for speeding, failing to produce a valid registration, and for texting while driving.

In the footage, Ms Beskin pulls over Mr Hyde and approaches his vehicle. She informs him that she stopped him because she clocked him driving 57 mph in a 30-mph zone.

You dont need to point at me, officer, Mr Hyde says to the officer. Ill just call the Chief. You know who I am, right?

She confirms that she does recognise him and says his name later while calling in to her dispatcher.

Ms Beskins told the dispatcher that Mr Hyde was "being extremely uncooperative" and that she just "gave him three tickets.

Mr Hyde later insults Ms Beskins based on the fact that she's an immigrant.

Is it your Russian immigrant status that makes you talk to people like this? he asked.

Part 2: I just called your supervisor. Is it your Russian immigrant status that makes you treat people like this? pic.twitter.com/9mhyFVSVCb  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) February 23, 2022

Ms Beskins is originally from Latvia, and is fluent in both English and Russian.

The incident continued as Ms Beskins handed the congressional candidate his tickets. He demanded that she call her supervisor to come out to the scene and repeatedly accused her of lying. Mr Hyde also tried to use the fact that he's running for Congress to squirm out of the tickets.

Do you think youre winning? Do you? Mr Hyde said. Youre talking to a congressional candidate like this?

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Mr Hyde is currently lagging far behind his primary rival, US Rep Vern Buchanan. As of 8 February, Mr Buchanan holds a six-to-one advantage over Mr Hyde among likely Republican voters, according to St. Pete Polls.

Despite his dismal chances in the primary, he has earned endorsements from individuals like right-wing hatchet-man and presidential pardon recipient Roger Stone and QAnon conspiracy theorist and former Trump administration official Michael Flynn.

Eventually other police officers arrived on scene. He told one officer that "we're going to make sure she pays the price for being disrespectful.

Mr Hyde issued a statement on his Facebook page addressing the incident. His response appears in full below.

Just over a week ago I was stopped in Sarasota for speeding. During the stop I was belligerent and rude to the officer who stopped me. Much interest has been shown in local media and many comments made as to my behavior. Im not going to justify my poor temper on that day or attempt to mitigate it in any way . There will be some who will say its not the first time Ive acted out and theyd be right. I have faults and one of them is to be overly aggressive on occasion when Im challenged. In the political arena that is possibly a good thing but on a personal level its not."

Ive apologized to the officer in question, and now Im apologizing to the community as a whole. Im going to do my utmost to behave better going forward. Im not running away though as thats not in my nature. There is nothing more I can say, or will say on this subject other than Im sorry for any offense caused to anyone.

The Independent has reached out to Mr Hyde for comment.
The people who clustered along the Nile River in ancient times didnt call their land Egypt. They called it Kemet  literally, the black land, so named for the fertile soil suffused by nutrients from the yearly flooding of the Nile. Elsewhere was Deshret  red land  arid desert inhospitable to human settlement, or, in the ancient Egyptians eyes, much life at all.

Egyptians knew all too well the scrim-like boundary between life and death. For them, after all, only a river separated the two. The Art Institute of Chicago tells the story of that boundary, or lack thereof, through artifacts in Life and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, a new permanent exhibit.

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For the ancient Egyptians, these concepts were very intertwined, says exhibit curator Ashley Arico. They believed that you would need many of the same things that you need here: food, drink, clothing, people around you, things like that.

Life and Afterlife is housed in the former Islamic Art room, whose works have been largely relocated to the Alsdorf Galleries on a rotating basis. The exhibit is part of the Art Institutes 2020 reorganization, which grouped Egyptian objects with other African artworks in the museums collection  now a stand-alone department (Arts of Africa), rather than the Arts of Africa and the Americas department that used to hodgepodge Native North, Central and South American objects with African ones. Previously, the Egyptian artifacts on display were shown in the Ancient and Byzantine Art department (now Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium).

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When we think of the kinds of goods Ancient Egyptians would be buried with, we might call to mind the opulent send-offs reserved for pharaohs or temple officials: gold-plated sarcophagi, intricate frieze carvings, oodles and oodles of sumptuous food, maybe even a mummified pet so the deceased could reunite with their devoted companion in the afterlife.

Stela of Amenemhat and Yatu, center, and other smaller pieces in the "Life and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt" gallery at the Art Institute in Chicago on Feb. 14, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Life and Afterlifes artifacts largely represent the same social strata, just less sensationally. Arico says she selected the artifacts in question  less than a tenth of the museums overall collection, which encompasses some 1,000 pieces  for their philosophical content, or their insights into craftsmanship or artistic techniques from the period. One frieze fragment of a lions haunches, dating from the 300s BCE, has a grid sketched over it; it may have been a pedagogical or artistic practice for keeping proportions. A nearby limestone slab is more understated, but even more remarkable: Depicting a simple line drawing of a king, drafted in red and overlaid in graphite gray, the 3,000-plus year-old ostracon is quite likely the oldest artifact in the Art Institutes entire holdings, according to Arico.

Besides, not everyone could afford such burial luxuries, in this life or the next. Arico notes that our understanding of Ancient Egyptian cosmology is more than a little skewed because, as with most ancient societies, rich peoples stuff tends to be better preserved over the years or made from more durable, expensive materials.

In the exhibit, we have a really beautiful wooden model of a boat that has a crew of 15 men in it ready to sail on the Nile. That probably would have come from somebody who had the means to dedicate to all of these different funerary materials, Arico says.

That said, the Egyptians of three millennia ago were pretty flexible on this point. One doesnt need to be buried with a beautifully carved and dyed boat model, for example, to have a vessel at their disposal in the afterlife.

Model of a river boat in the "Life and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt" gallery at the Art Institute in Chicago on Feb. 14, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Whats ingenious about the Ancient Egyptian belief system is that those who didnt have the financial means to produce one of these elaborate tomb assemblages werent necessarily excluded from enjoying a fruitful afterlife, Arico says. Some kings were buried alongside full size boats; we have an example of one of those at the Field Museum. Some people were buried with boat models, like the one in our display. But someone could also just draw a boat or write the word boat and it would function the same way.

All of the objects on display have been in the Art Institutes holdings nearly the museums entire existence. Charles Hutchinson, the modern Art Institutes first president, had become fascinated with Ancient Egypt and traveled there on expeditions sponsored by the Egypt Exploration Fund (now the Egypt Exploration Society). By 1890, Hutchinson was already collecting artifacts. His interest predated that of local institutions which would go on to establish even larger collections, like the Field and Oriental Institute, as well as the Worlds Fair in 1893, which fanned the Chicago publics sparking fascination with Egyptology, among other Orientalist fixations.

The world, of course, is much different from Hutchinsons. The modern-day Egypt Exploration Society, and Egypt studies scholars on the whole, are beginning to grapple with the fields colonial legacy. Recent repatriation claims made to Art Institute peers like the Field Museum and Oriental Institute Museum, while not affecting Ancient Egyptian collections at either, continue to pose ethical quandaries for museums everywhere.

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The Art Institute does continuously research the provenance of our collection to ensure ethical collecting and compliance with all applicable laws. In the event that we receive a valid repatriation claim, we work with experts both inside and outside the museum to engage in additional research and ensure there are no irregularities in an objects provenance, Arico told the Tribune in a written statement.

Life and Afterlife doesnt touch these questions with a six-foot reed, but it does demonstrate more sensitivity than other ill-conceived Egypt exhibits, thankfully on the wane, which display human remains ripped from their final resting places. The exhibits most moving section gently leads visitors to a dark nook, a plaque illuminated near its mouth informing visitors that the coffin in this room contains within it the mummified remains of a man named Pa-ankh-en-Amun.

There is no directive to lower ones voice; no directive to avoid taking photos. Nonetheless, when I was there, the family with whom I entered Pa-ankh-en-Amuns faux-crypt immediately lowered their voices to a hush and stared at his untroubled coffin made of fragile layered papyrus. It was a humbling contrast to Nesi-pa-her-hats vibrantly painted coffin yards away, the intricate depictions of the afterlife proudly displayed but the body missing.

He looks small, the little boy whispered.

No, I think he looks tall, his father answered. Both were true.

Life and Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., tickets and more information at 312-443-3600 and www.artic.edu
The gunman accused of murdering Run-DMC deejay Jam Master Jay later filmed a music video in front of a mural dedicated to the hip hop pioneer, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Karl Jordan recorded a video for a song called No Silver Spoons in 2015, in front of a mural in Hollis, Queens, honoring the man hes accused of killing on on Oct. 30, 2002, the feds said in paperwork filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

In the video. Jordan, 38, dances around shirtless holding a bottle of juice in front of a painting of Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell.

Silver Spoon features Jordan rapping in front of a mural commemorating Mizell, Assistant U.S. Attorney Arti McConnell wrote in court papers. Jordan has been involved in narcotics trafficking for decades. He has carried, brandished and used firearms on numerous documented occasions, something he brags about and glorifies in his music.

The reveal came in documents filed by prosecutors Tuesday, imploring a judge to keep Jordan locked up until he goes on trial for Mizells murder. Jordans lawyers begged the jurist to release their client in a filing on Feb. 15.

Sporting a hat that says, Just Be Happy for Me, Jordan raps about being a gangster and never working a day in his life in the expletive-laden song.

Mizell, a Queens native shot to stardom in the early 80s in Run-DMC with Joseph Run Simmons and Daryl DMC McDaniels. With their Adidas tracksuits, fedoras and gold chains, the group had hits with Its Like That and Sucker M.C.s. They achieved crossover success with Walk This Way, a mashup with the rock band Aerosmith in 1986.

Despite those accomplishments, federal prosecutors said Mizell was dealing drugs before he died.

Jordan shot Mizell in the head inside his Jamaica, Queens, studio after the musical trailblazer excluded Jordan and his partner Ronald Washington out of a narcotics deal, prosecutors charge.

Mizell, 37, was planning to sell cocaine in Maryland with Jordan and Washington, but cut them from the deal at the last minute, prosecutors said. The pair allegedly decided to kill him over the snub.

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Despite numerous witnesses in the Merrick Blvd. studio when the deadly shot was fired, the case went cold for 17 years  until Jordan and Washington, 57, were indicted in August 2020.

Up until his arrest, Jordan continued to sell drugs and rap, according to prosecutors.

He was also accused of taking part in three shootings in Queens within about a two-year span after the Mizell murder, but none of the charges against him resulted in a felony conviction.

Jordan allegedly shot a man in the leg on Hollis Ave. in 2003, but the victim did not cooperate with prosecutors and charges were dropped.

The feds said Jordan intimidates witnesses and continues to do that in the Mizell case.

The government is aware of four separate witnesses that Jordan endeavored to identify and silence through threats and coercion and has enlisted others to do so on his behalf, McConnell wrote.

In one of his songs called Aim for the Head, the slaying suspect brags, I aim for the head, I aint a body shooter.

Jordan maintains that he is being framed for the high-profile killing, that he was at a girlfriends house at the time and she and her mother are his alibi witnesses.

He asked the judge in his case to release him on $1 million bond on Feb. 15.

Mr. Jordan has been wrongly charged with the murder of his neighbor and lifelong friend ... which occurred when Mr. Jordan was just a teenager, his lawyers wrote in their bail application.

Brooklyn Federal Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall has not yet ruled on Jordans motion for release.

His trial with Washington, who is also charged with murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and firearm-related murder, is set for November.

The callousness of Jordan shooting a rap video in front of the Jam Master Jay memorial on 205th St. was not lost on Run-DMC fans.

Grimey ... guy got arrested ... for JMJs murder, one person wrote under the 4 minute and 15 second video on YouTube. Allegedly was the trigger man too. Had to shoot his videos and st in front of the legends mural. Disrespectful.
MOSCOW (AP)  As the West sounded the alarm about the Kremlin ordering troops into eastern Ukraine and decried it as an invasion, Russian state media painted a completely different picture  of Moscow coming to the rescue of war-torn areas tormented by Ukraines aggression and bringing them peace.

The fanfare came hours after Vladimir Putin announced Russias recognition of the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent states and ordered its troops to maintain peace in territory where Russia-backed rebels have been fighting Kyivs forces since 2014  a conflict that has killed over 14,000 people.

TV presenters hailed the historic day and professed the end of suffering for the residents of the breakaway regions.

You paid with your blood for these eight years of torment and anticipation, anchor Olga Skabeyeva told residents of the areas known as Donbas during a popular political talk show Tuesday morning on Russia 1 state TV. Russia will now be defending Donbas.

TV pundit Vladimir Solovyev echoed those sentiments on his morning show on state Vesti.FM radio. We will ensure their safety, he declared. It is now dangerous to fight with them  because one will now have to fight with the Russian army.

Channel One, another popular state-funded TV station, struck a more festive tone, with its correspondent in Donetsk asserting that local residents say it is the best news over the past years of war.

Now they have confidence in the future and that the years-long war will finally come to an end, she said.

Whether ordinary Russians are buying it is another question.

After his announcement Monday evening, Putin said he was positive about the peoples support.

But critics denounced the moves as harmful for both Ukraine and Russia.

Imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in a message from behind bars posted on social media, said Putin wont let Ukraine develop, drag it into a swamp, but Russia will also pay the same price.

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A Facebook campaign with the hashtag Im not staying silent," launched by independent Russian news site Holod urged people to express their opinion about the war aloud  and also to remember that each of us has something connecting us to Ukraine. It brought dozens of posts sharing memories about Ukraine and condemning the Kremlins moves.

Still, many have voiced their wholehearted support for Putin's decision.

It should have been done a long time ago, said Irina Nareyko, a Moscow resident. "These poor people who identify as Russian, who mainly identify as Orthodox, who cannot wait anymore and live expecting to be killed  we should have accepted them a long time ago.

Denis Volkov, director of the Levada Center, Russias top independent pollster, said that according to its poll data, more than half of Russians were ready to support Putin's moves.

The situation, as it is understood by the majority, is that the West is pressuring Ukraine" to make a move against the rebel-held areas, and Russia needs to somehow help, Volkov told the AP. This notion of helping in an extraordinary situation translates into support for recognition of the separatist regions.

The narrative of Ukraine having aggressive designs on Donbas has been actively promoted by the Russian authorities  along with accusations that the West is pumping Ukraine full of weapons and warmongering.

The Kremlin has denied plans to invade Ukraine, something the West fears due to a massive buildup of Russian troops along Ukraines borders. Russian officials point fingers at Kyiv instead, saying it has massed its own troops and could try to retake the rebel-held areas by force, which the Ukraine government denies.

The official rhetoric heated up last week, when Putin charged that what is now happening in Donbas is genocide. Popular newscasts and political talk shows on state TV channels started widely using the term.

Prominent news anchor Dmitry Kiselev likened what was happening in Donbas to World War II atrocities committed by Nazi Germany and dressed down German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for challenging Putins use of the word genocide.

It is, simply, solidarity with the genocide of today, he charged on Russia 1s flagship news show .

Over the weekend, separatist officials added a sense of urgency to the picture, announcing mass evacuations of Donetsk and Luhansk residents into Russia and mobilizing troops in the face of a purportedly imminent attack by Ukrainian forces.

News bulletins showed emotional visuals of women and children lining up to board buses, followed by segments alleging massive shelling of the areas by Ukrainian forces. Some of those segments stressed that Kyiv's military was deliberately targeting civilians.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys speech at a Munich security conference Saturday, during which he threatened to pull out of an agreement to abandon the nuclear weapons left in Ukraine after the Soviet collapse in exchange for security guarantees, fueled the fire even further.

Russian state TV channels aired multiple segments about Kyivs capability to develop its own nuclear weapons, and news show hosts warned the threat shouldnt be taken lightly.

Finally, to drive home the point about Ukraines alleged aggressions, Russian officials on Monday accused Ukrainian forces of an attempted incursion into Russia an allegation Ukraine dismissed as false disinformation.

The invasion has begun, Russia 1 TV host Yevgeny Popov proclaimed. But it wasnt Putin who invaded Ukraine  instead, Ukraine went to war with Russia and Donbas.

Several hours later, Putin announced recognition of the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine.

Political analyst Abbas Gallyamov says that while the majority of Russians will support the decision, the impact of such propaganda on the domestic audience is limited, compared to 2014, when the Kremlin managed to rally Russians around the idea of annexing Crimea.

The only popular show of support for the moves on eastern Ukraine took place in St. Petersburg on Wednesday  the day Russia celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day, a holiday that commemorates the countrys veterans.

Russian media reported several hundred pro-Kremlin activists gathered in the city center with Russian flags and banners saying: We don't abandon our own. According to reports, some of the demonstrators didn't know what the rally was about and said they were promised a hot meal after it.

At the same time, rights groups in Moscow reported six protesters detained over holding pickets against a war with Ukraine.

State TV channels showed a top official from the Kremlins United Russia party laying flowers at a memorial for the defenders of Donbas in Donetsk, along with the area's separatist leader.

Putin will score some political points at home, but not too many, Gallyamov believes.

People remember what (the annexation of Crimea) led to. People understand that there will be sanctions now, the economy will decline even further, and living conditions will continue to worsen.

They remember that there was a hangover after the party.

Moscow resident Sergei, who only gave his first name, appeared to be one of those skeptics. Its terrible, its very bad, he said.

As usual, nobody asked anybody about anything, he said. The economic repercussions are economic repercussions for us, not the ruling elite.

___

Vladimir Kondrashov and Anatoly Kozlov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Sandra Oh recently revealed that her comedy-drama series on Netflix, The Chair, might have been canceled after just one season.



In a recent interview with the hosts of Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Oh expressed doubts about the shows return for a second season.



"No one's called me, so I'm guessing that's not happening," said the 50-year-old Korean Canadian actor. I would have loved it, because I just thought that there was so much material there to potentially explore.



In the show, Oh plays the role of Dr. Ji-yoon Kim, the first woman of color to become the chair of a prestigious universitys English department. Set in a fictional educational institution in New England, The Chair explores themes such as ageism, sexism and other forms of discrimination.



Her performance as Kim earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series.



I'm just happy that it happened, it was a great experience, she said. But I am sad that it's over."



The series, which currently has an average Tomatometer score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, failed to sustain viewership in the weeks following its somewhat successful first week in August 2021.



Oh is also saying goodbye to her iconic role in the hit show Killing Eve, which is set to air its fourth and final season starting on Feb. 27 on BBC America.



Fans of the veteran actor will still have a lot to look forward to as she will be starring alongside Awkwafina in an untitled sister comedy, whose rights were acquired by 20th Century Studios from Netflix, as NextShark previously reported. Oh is also set to star in Disney and Pixar's first Asian-led feature film, animated film Turning Red.



Featured Image via Netflix

Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark!

Chinese K-pop singer attacked online, told to 'go back to China' for not kneeling down to fans

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Netflix is Streaming All Studio Ghibli Movies Starting February, But Not in the U.S.

'I never regret speaking up': Taiwan-based singer Kimberly Chen on 'Fragile' being banned in China

Puppeteer Kathy Kim on how 'Sesame Street' created Ji-Young, the shows first Asian American muppet
Two Abbott Laboratories products being recalled in Singapore. (PHOTOS: Singapore Food Agency)

SINGAPORE  A second milk product made by Abbott Laboratories has been recalled by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in less than a week amid concerns over bacterial contamination.

The recall of Similac Human Milk Fortifier (HMF) comes after SFA said on Sunday (19 February) that it had directed the importer of the product to recall the Abbott Alimentum powdered infant formula.

SFA said on Wednesday that the recall for both affected products have been completed.

The US Food and Drug Administration has said it is working with Abbott Nutrition to initiate a recall of Abbott Alimentum from the US due to the possible presence of pathogenic bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport.

Apart from Abbott Alimentum, two other types of Abbott baby formula that were made in the same factory  Similac and EleCare  have been recalled in the US after four children became ill with bacterial infections and one of them later died, according to media reports.

Cronobacter sakazakii infections are generally rare, and can cause meningitis or sepsis, with symptoms displayed by infants infected including fever, poor feeding or lethargy, SFA said. The bacterium is found in the environment that can survive dry conditions, such as infant formula and powdered milk, it added.

Salmonella Newport can cause gastrointestinal illness and lead to fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.

Parents or caregivers who are concerned should stop using these products. They should seek medical assistance should their infants feel unwell after consuming the affected products, SFA. They can reach out to the Singapore unit of Abbott Laboratories at 6278 6220 or email to family.sg@abbott.com for any clarification.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) issued a separate statement to advise all public and private hospitals in Singapore to cease the use of the two products following the recall by SFA.

"MOH has also advised all public and private hospitals to be vigilant for Cronobacter infection or Salmonellosis among infants or young children who may have consumed products affected by the recall."

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Investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of use of the affected products in hospitals in Singapore.

To date, nine hospitals  Gleneagles Hospital, KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, National University Hospital, Raffles Hospital, Singapore General Hospital and Thomson Medical Centre  have confirmed the use of the implicated products. MOH is working with the hospitals to identify and contact parents and caregivers of patients who might have received the products, to advise them accordingly.

"To date, the hospitals have not reported any case of adverse events arising from the consumption of these products. MOH will continue to monitor the situation closely."

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore




A Russian-backed separatist leader said he might ask Russia for help in talks with Ukraine amid the ongoing tensions between the two countries, Reuters reported.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Denis Pushilin, the leader of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, said he favors dialogue with Ukrainian officials in the first instance, saying its role in the ongoing conflict has become critical with separatists accelerating a mobilization of their forces.

"We will win. With people like this, we will win. With such a country, with big Russia, which we respect and value," Pushilin said. "We have no right to lose, or even to doubt in our victory."

When asked if they will expand their territory, Pushilin responded that the separatist region is not at the stage yet.

This comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russia has recognized the independence of two separatist movements in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Reuters reported.

"We are not yet at that stage, we're at the stage when the enemy's forces are on the line of contact and can move onto the offensive at any moment," Pushilin said.

Ukrainian officials have strongly denied separatists' accusations of attempting to regain control of the territory they lost to Russia, also denying rumors of a series of Russian and separatist reports about alleged attacks as well.

A member of Russia's ruling party, Andrey Turchak, said that no military force in the world can change the legal result of Russia recognizing the two separatist countries, Reuters noted.

"For us, the slogan 'Russia doesn't abandon its own people' - these are not empty words," Turchak said. "I am glad we have all united around this idea, the Russian idea, the restoration and preservation of the Russian world."
MIAMI  Dr. Joseph Ladapo has come out strongly against mask mandates and lockdowns, only supports vaccination campaigns if the shots are voluntary and will not say whether he himself has been vaccinated.

But in pushing for state Senate confirmation of Ladapo as Floridas next surgeon general, Gov. Ron DeSantis has found a partner in fighting what Ladapo calls the policies of fear.

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For a Republican governor whose brash opposition to conventional public health wisdom has helped fuel obvious presidential ambitions, the appointment of Ladapo signals DeSantis determination to continue powering through a pandemic that has already cost 68,000 lives in Florida  this time, with what the governor can claim is a medical seal of approval.

The Florida Senate is expected to confirm Ladapos appointment before the annual session wraps in mid-March, after a contentious committee hearing this month ended with a recommendation on a strict party-line vote. Democrats walked out of an earlier hearing.

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The DeSantis doctrine has asserted that older people should be protected from the virus but that younger people who are less at risk should do as they wish. Otherwise, the psychological and economic effects might be too damaging, both for individuals and for Floridas cachet as a mecca for tourism and international business.

Telling the truth, I think, is important, and I think thats what Dr. Ladapo understands, DeSantis said in selecting the former researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, to run the Florida Department of Health. Youve got to tell people the truth, and youve got to let them make decisions.

But when it comes to the warped politics of the pandemic, few agree on the truth.

DeSantis has built his political brand as a fighter, especially against Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Bidens top medical adviser on the pandemic. Ladapo has helped DeSantis bolster his stance as a governor unafraid of living with the virus.

Florida ranks among the 20 worst states for its pandemic death rate and among the 12 worst for its case rate, but DeSantis has argued that the state also suffers when its economy and schools are restricted.

Some of Ladapos positions, like his opposition to lockdowns and mask-wearing in schools, have been conservative stands for some time and are beginning to be accepted by liberal leaders now that more people are vaccinated and cases are plummeting. But these views were relatively rare among physicians in charge of public health policy at the time he was espousing them.

To like-minded scientists who felt that their dissenting views had been silenced, Ladapos move from researcher to policymaker gave hope for those who hold views outside the mainstream.

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo gestures as speaks to supporters and members of the media before a bill signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Nov. 18, 2021, in Brandon, Fla. (Chris O'Meara/AP)

To scientists appalled by Floridas hands-off approach to the virus, Ladapos ascent cemented their belief that public health had become entrenched in the nations polarized politics.

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Ladapos predecessor, Dr. Scott Rivkees, a more conventional surgeon general, had all but vanished from public view since warning early on in the pandemic that masking and social distancing would need to last for at least a year. Since his appointment, Ladapo has been a fixture at DeSantis side as Florida has abandoned those virus mitigation measures and banned their enforcement by local authorities.

Florida will completely reject fear as a way of making policies, Ladapo said.

He did away with school quarantines and masks. When public health officials across the country were urging vaccines as a way to end the pandemic, Ladapo was raising warning flags about possible side effects and cautioning that even vaccinated people could spread the virus. He has refused to disclose his own vaccination status, which he maintains is a private matter.

Though Ladapo has acknowledged that vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, he said in October that adverse reactions to vaccines should receive more attention and urged people to stick with their intuition and their sensibilities.

Equally troubling for his critics was Ladapos failure to reject more fringe views on virus treatments, including the drugs hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. He joined DeSantis in clamoring for the federal government to supply some monoclonal antibody treatments even after they had been deemed ineffective against the omicron variant, which dominated caseloads.

To say hes out of the mainstream would be an understatement, said Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. His views are not only very unorthodox  they dont make any sense.

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The Florida Department of Health did not respond to The New York Times requests to interview Ladapo.

Before the pandemic, Ladapo, 43, who immigrated from Nigeria when he was 5, was an accomplished clinical researcher at UCLA, with degrees from Harvard in medicine and health policy. He focused on topics like smoking cessation and cardiovascular risk for HIV patients.

In early 2020, he contacted Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, to discuss lockdowns, which Klausner saw as having limited utility.

Ladapo did not want to take policies at face value, Klausner said. He was the kind of guy whos going to be reading an article in the medical or scientific literature and then going to the references, digging up those references, and then going to the references of those references.

In April 2020, Ladapo published an opinion essay in The Wall Street Journal, titled Lockdowns Wont Stop the Spread. He argued that it was too late to stop the virus altogether, so policymakers should consider the heavy toll of shutdowns and not just the singular goal of reducing COVID-19 deaths.

His national profile grew. More opinion pieces followed.

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A few months later, Ladapo appeared clad in a white medical coat on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with a group of people who called themselves Americas Frontline Doctors. Some physicians in the group gave misleading claims about the virus, including that the drug hydroxychloroquine was an effective treatment. The Food and Drug Administration advises otherwise, warning that it could cause irregular heart rhythms.

A video of their appearance, shared by President Donald Trump, went viral online before social media platforms could remove it for spreading misinformation. One of the groups founders, Dr. Simone Gold, was later charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol siege.

Asked about the group during confirmation hearings, Ladapo said he supported its push for individual autonomy. He said doctors should not be limited in their use of hydroxychloroquine. He called the science on another drug, ivermectin, unsettled, though the FDA has warned that it can be dangerous in large doses.

Emails released by a congressional committee reviewing the Trump administrations coronavirus response found that, in August 2020, Dr. Deborah Birx, the response coordinator, pulled out of a White House roundtable with Ladapo and other proponents of pursuing herd immunity, which most experts say cannot be achieved for the coronavirus except at the cost of more deaths. She called them a fringe group without grounding in epidemics, public health or on-the-ground, common-sense experience.

Ladapos pandemic policy views unnerved some at UCLA, according to a former supervisor who was interviewed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for a background check.

The unnamed supervisor held the opinion that Ladapos views violated his Hippocratic oath to do no harm, and created stress and acrimony among his co-workers and supervisors during the last year and a half of his employment, as first reported by the USA Today Network.

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Ladapo told Politico he was disappointed that disagreeing with someone had become a ticket or a passport to activate personal attacks.

His hiring stirred discontent at the University of Florida, where he is now a tenured professor. Of his annual $437,000 income, nearly $200,000 is defrayed by the university.

The chairman of the board of trustees, Morteza Hosseini, who is a top DeSantis political donor, pushed for Ladapo to be hired. Ladapo was granted tenure in only two weeks.

Faculty members later objected to the rushed process, though a university spokesman said it had been standard.

I am very concerned that the state is not getting the best science and the best public health information, said Dr. J. Glenn Morris Jr., director of the universitys Emerging Pathogens Institute. Theres not the sense of the development of a public health strategy that goes beyond politics.

Academics who described him as a talented data scientist said he had attempted to balance protecting peoples health with the costs of prolonged restrictions.

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Weve been sold a lot of fear over this whole thing, and people dont make calm, considered judgments when theres this underlying message of being afraid, said Dr. Harvey A. Risch, a public health researcher at Yale. He of all people has managed to keep that in check and comes off as very collected.

Ladapos unwillingness to strongly recommend the vaccines echoes how DeSantis has evolved on the shots. Though the governor pushed to get older residents vaccinated, he lost enthusiasm as anti-vaccination sentiment grew among Republicans.

DeSantis once stood next to a man making the false claim that a coronavirus vaccine changes your RNA without challenging his claim. The governor has also suggested without evidence that the vaccines could hurt female fertility.

About 66% of Floridians are fully vaccinated, compared with 64% of all Americans, but the state ranks lower than average when it comes to booster shots. DeSantis will not say if he has gotten boosted, even after Trump seemed to swipe at him, calling politicians who would not reveal their full vaccination history gutless.

Physicians have been disheartened at the lack of support to improve vaccination rates among vulnerable communities.

Other actions by Ladapo have also baffled public health experts.

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He rewrote guidelines during the surge of the omicron variant to discourage asymptomatic people who were not at high risk from getting tested  though infected people can spread the virus even without symptoms. He argued that testing was most valuable for people who might need treatment.

And he refused to wear a mask when he visited state Sen. Tina Polsky, a Democrat, though she had asked him to, citing a serious health condition that she later revealed to be breast cancer. He said he meant no disrespect but did not apologize.

As cases plunge in Florida, DeSantis and Ladapo have committed more deeply to their policies.

DeSantis has backed withholding $200 million from administrators in 12 school districts that mandated masks. Some Republican lawmakers are trying to ban medical boards from revoking a doctors license for spreading COVID misinformation.

One such complaint had been lodged against Ladapo. It was dismissed.

c.2021 The New York Times Company
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Slovakia will lift most COVID-19 restrictions over the next month, beginning with loosening measures for the unvaccinated before cancelling crowd limits in a later phase, according to plans approved by the government on Wednesday.

The first phase of the loosening will begin on Feb. 26, material on the government's website showed. A second phase will follow on March 26 to end limits on crowds and opening hours.

(Reporting by Robert Muller and Jason Hovet; Editing by Alison Williams)
MADRID (Reuters) - Spain recommended Spaniards to leave Ukraine temporarily as soon as possible given the worsening of the security situation, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Wednesday.

"We recommend to temporarily leave the country as soon as possible and advise against travelling to Ukraine under any circumstances," Albares told a parliamentary committee.

Russia's recognition of Donetsk and the neighbouring self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic on Monday was declared illegal by Western countries, which have imposed new sanctions against Moscow.

Albares said 334 Spaniards remain in Ukraine, down from 445 when the crisis began, a few weeks ago.

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, editing by Inti Landauro)
In December, the Evening World ran a two-part article about the works of art by local, but nationally renowned artists that are housed in the Owen County Public library on a permanent basis. At the end of the article, it was mentioned that we would still like to collect the works of local artists Edna Jennings, Olif Pegg, and Tamiko Oberholtzer. We immediately received responses to the article.

Bryan and Julia Strouse, grand-nephew and niece of Tamiko Oberholtzer own two pieces of her artwork that they are willing to loan temporarily to the library to display to the public. These were originally some of the earliest pieces of art acquired by Frank and Betty Stewart who went on to become lifetime collectors of art, and especially the art of Indiana artists. The Strousses came into the possession of the paintings when the Stewarts art collection was sold after their passing.

Gloria Hoppe, a member of the Friends of the Owen County Public Library owns a set of four Olif Pegg paintings that represent the four seasons. Ms. Hoppe also offered to loan these lovely and unusual paintings on wood to the library for a temporary display.

These will all be displayed in the glass display cabinets in the front lobby of the library with information about each.

In addition, we will display a charcoal drawing by Edna Jennings that has been donated to the library by Owen County artist, Ken Bucklew. The drawing came from a collection belonging to Spencer Elementary Art Teacher Ina Hight, who was also one of the original members of the Owen County Art Guild. At her passing, it came into the possession of Mr. Bucklew.

The scene depicts the lane going back to the Calvin Fletcher Mansion in the mid-1960s. Two windows of the mansion are visible. A tire swing in the sycamore tree can be seen. Mr. Bucklew remembers swinging on that tire as a child, as did other neighborhood children. The Fletcher Mansion is no longer standing, but it was on the site where Duling Insurance currently sits on Fletcher Avenue. The tree stump is still there.

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We are also so pleased to announce that artist Ken Bucklew has donated two of his oil paintings to the library. They are hanging on either side of the fireplace in the library Hearth area.

The paintings depict in nearly photographic detail the Spencer and Gosport steel bridges.

The Gosport bridge still stands as a footbridge on the Owen-Monroe County Line one mile south of Gosport.

The paintings were commissioned by Frank and Betty Stewart in 1991.

Mr. Bucklew reacquired the paintings after their passing. They had at one time been displayed in separate venues, but the two paintings have now been reunited and are displayed together as a set.

We hope you will enjoy viewing these additions and temporary displays of art in the library.

This article originally appeared on Evening World: Special art on display at the Owen Co. Public Library
In The Know by Yahoo

A team of Starbucks baristas drew widespread praise for their attempts to help a teenage customer that seemingly needed help.

The saga began when Brandy Selim Roberson, a mom living in Texas, shared the story on her Facebook page. The post, since made private, detailed how the staff at a Corpus Christi Starbucks used a coffee cup to send a secret message to her daughter.

As the mom explained in her post, the baristas noticed a man approach Robersons daughter, who was at the Starbucks alone. The man continued speaking to her, and the teen seemed possibly distressed. So, the baristas decided to step in.

A barista handed her an extra hot chocolate someone forgot to pick up,' Roberson explained.

The extra drink contained a message written on the side of the cup.

Are you OK? Do you want us to intervene? the note read. If you do, take the lid off the cup.

The baristas actions earned them plenty of praise, and Robersons post spread. Eventually, the popular Instagram account Tanks Good News (@tanksgoodnews) reshared the post, where its since earned nearly 1 million likes.

In her post, the mom added that her daughter felt safe and did not need help. However, she said the teen was touched by the move and made sure to let the staff know she was OK.

Roberson has not responded to In The Knows request for comment, but the mom told Today she was incredibly grateful for the Starbucks staff.

As a mom, that is my worst fear that something would happen to my child and nobody would be there to help, she added.

Tristan Mack Wilds shares his 5-step skincare routine for stress breakouts:

Instagram commenters sympathized heavily with the moms concerns  and her ultimate relief. Thousands of users poured into Tanks Good News share of the post, praising the Starbucks staff.

Its so comforting to know there are good people out there, one user wrote.

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As a mom of a 22-year-old daughter that lives across the country, I am so happy to hear there are people like this looking out for others! another added.

Starbucks declined In The Knows request for comment.

The moment follows a recent trend in viral news, where customers share how service industry workers go above and beyond looking out for their customers.

Earlier this month, a Starbucks customer praised the baristas who made her a custom drink after she showed up in the drive-thru just after getting fired. Before that, an Instacart driver revealed that she possibly saved a customers life after noticing a gas leak during a grocery delivery.

Christian Cowans first foray into menswear lets everyone be part of that fantasy:

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The post Starbucks barista draws praise with secret message for customer: Do you want us to intervene? appeared first on In The Know.
Clockwise: Fleischer with coworkers, Cassie Fleischer, Fleischer and Jaz Brisack Credit - Courtesy Cassie Fleischer

Starbucks barista and union organizer Cassie Fleischer says she was recently told by her manager that she no longer met the needs of the business and would face termination if she didnt add more hours to her schedule.

Fleischer believes that the move to try and push her out is tied to her unionizing efforts. She has been with Starbucks for nearly five years and works at the first corporate store to unionize in the country in Buffalo, New York. She is on both the organizing and negotiating committees.

Essentially, Starbucks is trying to force out union leaders either by termination or resignation by changing its policies without prior bargaining, says Fleischer. It is truly disheartening what theyre doing. Starbucks denied that Fleischers situation is related to the union effort, via a representative.

Late last year, Starbucks stores began to unionize, starting with Fleischers store and two others in Buffalo (two of the three voted yes to unionization), and calls to unionize swiftly spread across the country. Workers United, the union representing the employees, is currently petitioning to represent workers at roughly 100 stores. Union organizers have accused Starbucks of anti-union rhetoric and activities, including intimidation and retaliatory firings.

Starbucks Workers United does not have a list of demands for the company as a whole. Instead, they have asked Chief Executive Officer Kevin Johnson to sign the fair election principles, according to a Union spokesperson. It will be up to the bargaining committee at each unionized store to decide what priorities they would like to bargain over specifically, she says. More broadly, we are fighting for a seat at the table and a democratic workplace.

Read More: How Gen Z Baristas Are Spreading the Starbucks Unionization Effort

At the store where Fleischer has been working, economic proposals have included a minimum tip guarantee of $5.50 per hour and having the company pay the full cost of health insurance premiums. In January, workers at the store held a walkout to protest unsafe working conditions related to COVID-19.

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Starting around Christmas, Fleischer, 25, noticed that her hours had been cut from around 37 per week to 30. The change meant that money was tight for her, so she looked for a second job that could guarantee her 40 hours a week. She found one as an administrative assistant and started there this month. She kept her job at Starbucks, but changed her availability to reflect her new schedule and didnt think much of it. Then her manager asked to meet with her and gave her what felt like an ultimatum: essentially add more hours or leave.

Fleischer offered to work a few more hours a week for a total of 15 but was told it still wasnt enough, she says. That didnt make sense to her as Starbucks has always been a job that you can work part time. Twelve hours had always been the minimum number of hours per week, but her manager now told her it was 20, she says. According to a Starbucks spokesperson, there is no standard policy on minimum hours. Each store has unique needs required to support the business, according to the spokesperson.

When Fleischer wrote about her situation on Facebook this month, the post went viral. Starbucks sees the attention being paid to Fleischers situation as just confusion or misinformation, according to a second company spokesperson. Cassie Fleischer has not been fired. Shes just a retail partner working with her manager to work fewer hours, and they are trying to find a way that that would work for the store.

Fleischer says that while she has not been officially terminated, she is not on the schedule for the next two weeks, which means she wont be getting paid. She will not be able to increase her hours any more than she already has, so there really is no other option than termination, she says.

Last week, the Union filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the company over its apparent implementation of this new rule about availability at Buffalo stores, according to Ian Hayes, an attorney working for the union. We are including an allegation about Cassies termination in that case. More broadly, the charge alleges that the company is implementing this rule in order to dissuade other Starbucks workers from organizing, in violation of workers most basic rights under federal labor law. And, on Tuesday, Fleischer had a call with the National Labor Relations Board to discuss her situation.

The company is putting rules in place that are attempting to discourage employees from organizing, according to a spokesperson for Starbucks Workers United. Their union busting tactics will not work, she says. This shows why we need a union now more than ever. We will win Cassies job back through the court of public opinion or through the court of law. The spokesperson also says that the Elmwood store where Fleischer works has been inundated with customers demanding that she be reinstated. Starbucks partners across the country are standing strong with her.

For Kylah Clay, a barista and organizer in Boston, Mass., Fleischers experience shows just how important unions are. Starbucks prides itself on respecting and supporting its partners, says Clay, 24. But I think the recent firings in Memphis and Buffalo shows the companys true colors and highlights precisely why workers are fighting to unionize: to prevent unjust terminations and secure greater workplace protections.

Fleischer already misses her job. I love this job. Its the first job that Ive ever had that I didnt hate, she says. The people that I work with are like minded. We get along. We function like a family. It hurts to think that this is how it might end.
Feb. 23NORTH MANKATO  As North Mankato begins its search for a new city administrator, Councilman Billy Steiner objected to the fact the city attorney was not present at Tuesday's council meeting.

It marked increasing frustration by Steiner over what he sees as the administrator taking control of things Steiner believes the council should be deciding.

Administrator John Harrenstein recently announced he will be leaving for a new job in Iowa in late March or early April.

Steiner said Harrenstein had decided City Attorney Mike Kennedy shouldn't regularly attend City Council meetings. Steiner at the last meeting asked that Kennedy attend the meeting Tuesday night because the council was forming a committee to begin a search process for a new administrator.

"Apparently it was overruled (by Harrenstein)," Steiner said. Instead, he said, Harrenstein had a Twin Cities attorney attend the meeting.

"I disagree with this, I think our city attorney should be here. We pay him handsomely and he should be here when we request it," Steiner said.

"It's our choice of who we want to represent us, not Mr. Harrenstein's choice."

Mayor Mark Dehen defended having a different attorney come in to guide the council as they proceed to search for a new attorney.

"We have a group attorney now, not a single one. We're using the right attorney for the right time," said Dehen, saying law has become so specialized the city needs a variety of attorneys with different skills.

Steiner responded it should still be up to the council to make the decision about which attorney they want, not Harrenstein, noting the council is Harrenstein's employer.

"It's our determination of how we'll go about choosing our new administrator, it's not the city administrator's purview of who will be in charge or advising us."

Steiner, the longest serving member of the council, has become increasingly frustrated with Harrenstein, with his anger coming to a head when Harrenstein announced in November the city was taking over Fun Days, which for decades has been organized by the Civic & Commerce Committee.

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"I'm not happy with the way it was handled," Steiner said in a recent interview. Steiner said he wasn't asked his opinion and the council wasn't able to discuss the big change to Fun Days, saying Harrenstein made the decisions.

Steiner was also dismayed by a new slogan for the city  "Darn Nice Area" or "DNA"  that Harrenstein unveiled at a council meeting months ago.

"I wasn't in favor of the ad campaign, Darn Nice Area. They presented it to us one night and it was already done. They handed out coffee mugs and a banner with Darn Nice Area on them.

"I wasn't asked about it. I thought it was a hokey slogan and I wouldn't have voted for it. I've been on the council for 26 years. I'd like to be consulted on these things."
The day Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker coughed up a mouthful of blood in her Harlem apartment in 2013, she didn't go to the VA hospital because she didn't want to be harassed by health care workers.

When she went in later, a doctor and nurse aggressively questioned her before they would X-ray her chest, she said.

"They asked me what I have in my pants. And Im there coughing up blood," said Asapansa-Johnson Walker, who served in the U.S. Army in the 1980s. "I felt like if I didnt tell them what my genitals were that they would not have treated me. That they would not have tried to find out what was wrong with me. ... Im shaking, and Im looking at this doctor and this nurse, and Im afraid."

That day, Asapansa-Johnson Walker's lung cancer was misdiagnosed as pneumonia, she said.

When she got the cancer treatment she needed months later, she said hospital staff refused to clean her recovery room and she was repeatedly misgendered  even though she had updated her ID and birth certificate with her correct gender marker.

'YOU ARE SEEN': A record 7.1% of US adults identify as LGBTQ, poll shows

WATCH: White House denounces Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill as 'harmful'

The transgender New Yorker is part of a massive push launching Wednesday that aims to pressure the Senate to pass the Equality Act. Organizers said the act would protect LGBTQ people from the kind of ordeal that Asapansa-Johnson Walker  and many like her  regularly experience.

The Equality Act would expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include LGBTQ people, providing federal nondiscrimination protections based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. Protections provided by the law would extend to housing, credit, health care, taxis and ride shares and government services.

A lot of us fall through the cracks in society as a result of not having the Equality Act. ... Our needs are not met, and we end up dying," Asapansa-Johnson Walker said.

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Equality Act languishes

The Human Rights Campaign unveiled the nationwide campaign Wednesday, which highlights the 29 states lacking comprehensive protections against discrimination and harassment for LGBTQ residents. The campaign features LGBTQ advocates from across the political spectrum.

President Joe Biden vowed his administration would pass the Equality Act during his first 100 days in office to address the lack of protections for LGBTQ Americans in much of the nation.

The House of Representatives passed it in February, but the Senate has not voted on the bill.

Biden's deadline is long past, and the Equality Act languishes in the Senate despite receiving support from the majority of Americans.

Staci Jenkins, who participated in the Human Rights Campaign's

The "Reality Flag" campaign takes its name from the project's redesign of the U.S. flag, which removes 29 white stars representing the states where LGBTQ people lack nondiscrimination protections.

The campaign aims to remind Americans that LGBTQ people live in small towns as well as big cities, said Jay Brown, HRC's senior vice president of programs research.

"Its about people going through lifes journeys  the beauty and pain of life  just like everybody and navigating a whole other set of challenges because of who they are," Brown said, referring to the lack of federal protections for LGBTQ people.

Nearly two-thirds of LGBTQ people have reported experiencing discrimination, according to HRC, the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization.

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THEY LOOK AT YOU AS A NORMAL PATIENT: For trans patients, inclusive health care is essential

Campaign seeks to put 'human face' on LGBTQ civil rights

Some involved in the Reality Flag campaign remember how their views shifted when they realized someone in their life was LGBTQ.

In Hokes Bluff, Alabama, where David Fuller is a police sergeant, conservative political values are dominant and most of Fuller's friends are Christian, right-wing Republicans, he said.

There were no "out" transgender people in town, but Fuller said his fellow officers regularly made disparaging remarks about them. The comments picked up when Caitlyn Jenner publicly came out in 2015, Fuller said.

Fuller said at the time he didn't bother to think more about LGBTQ issues.

"If I had any prejudice in the old days, its because I never bothered to look, I just made assumptions on who people were. It was pure ignorance," he said.

Things changed for Fuller about six years ago when his daughter Jess came out at age 16.

"Suddenly Ive got to worry about where I sit down to eat with my daughter, because shes transgender," Fuller said. "Now, I should not have to worry about that. I never did before. I never had to before."

The mean-spirited conversations about trans people continued among Fuller's fellow police officers while he "laid low."

I sat there, and little did they know their boss had a transgender daughter at home," Fuller said.

When the Fullers did come out about Jess' identity, they realized for years all the things theyd been saying in front of me, there were a lot of wide eyes and like, Oh my God, I never really put a human face on folks in this community, Fuller said.

Since then, officers in Hokes Bluff have been "quietly supportive" of Jess, who at age 22 is a video game streamer on Twitter, YouTube and Twitch. She has aspirations of being a therapist and started a mental health Discord server, an online space where people can talk and text about different topics for free.

Fuller's colleagues' reversal of their perspective on trans people gives Jess and her dad hope, Jess said.

All it takes  even if they dont necessarily agree with it, even if they dont understand it, even if theyd dont even accept it  there can at least be a tolerance, just live and let live," she said.

FINDING SAFE SPACES: Stalled Equality Act leaves LGBTQ community to build its own safe places

LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION: Transgender US Army vet was rejected from multiple elder care homes

'All of this was legal'

Queen Hatcher-Johnson, who does not use any pronouns, remembers being pleasantly surprised when a landlord asked questions and wanted to learn more about the Pride flag and transgender flag in Hatcher-Johnson's Lexington, North Carolina, apartment in 2013.

Instead, the outcome of their conversation ended up sending Hatcher-Johnson's life into a downward spiral.

The landlord was aware of what the Pride flag meant, Hatcher-Johnson said, but didn't know what the transgender flag meant.

Queen Hatcher-Johnson holds up a

When Hatcher-Johnson told him, the landlord said Hatcher-Johnson's transgender identity went against his religious beliefs. Two weeks later, the landlord told Hatcher-Johnson to leave.

The most painful part for me was that I found out that all of this was legal ... everything he did was legal," Hatcher-Johnson said. "I mean he did this free and clear within his right, within his legal right."

There are no state laws in North Carolina that prohibit discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

If the Equality Act was an actual law when this happened to me, I know it probably wouldnt have happened because there would have been some sort of recourse," Hatcher-Johnson said. "If it did happen, then there would have been a level of accountability.

Being evicted caused a "snowball effect," and a month later, Hatcher-Johnson was fired as general manager at a gas station. Hatcher-Johnson spent the next four years "couch surfing" and bouncing around between New York, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia.

Hatcher-Johnson works at an HIV clinic in Atlanta and devotes time and energy toward LGBTQ advocacy but fears retaliation without federal protections.

"I still live in fear," Hatcher-Johnson said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LGBTQ people speak out as Equality Act languishes
KYIV, Ukraine  Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions, warning other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences you have never seen.

Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa as world leaders decried the start of an Russian invasion that could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraines democratically elected government.

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U.S. President Joe Biden pledged new sanctions meant to punish Russia for an act of aggression that the international community had for weeks anticipated but could not prevent through diplomacy.

Putin justified it all in a televised address, asserting the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine  a false claim the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russias demand to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and offer Moscow security guarantees, and credulously claimed that Russia doesnt intend to occupy Ukraine but will move to demilitarize it and bring those who committed crimes to justice.

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Biden in a written statement condemned the unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and he promised the U.S. and its allies will hold Russia accountable. Biden said he planned to speak to Americans on Thursday after a meeting of the Group of Seven leaders. More sanctions against Russia were expected to be announced Thursday.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the action as a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a war of aggression, adding, Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.

The Russian military said it has struck Ukrainian air bases and other military assets and hasnt targeted populated areas. The Russian Defense Ministry statement said the military is using precision weapons to target Ukrainian air bases, air defense assets and other military infrastructure. It claimed that there is no threat to civilian population.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, said on Facebook that the Russian military has launched missile strikes on Ukrainian military command facilities, air bases and military depots in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro.

After the initial explosions in Kyiv, people could be heard shouting in the streets. But then a sense of normality returned, with cars circulating and people walking in the streets as a pre-dawn commute appeared to be starting in relative calm.

Beyond casualties that could overwhelm Ukraines government, the consequences of the conflict and resulting sanctions levied on Russia could reverberate throughout the world, affecting energy supplies in Europe, jolting global financial markets and threatening the post-Cold War balance on the continent.

Asian stock markets plunged and oil prices surged after the military action got underway. Earlier, Wall Streets benchmark S&P 500 index fell 1.8% to an eight-month low after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked for military assistance

Anticipating international condemnation and countermeasures, Putin issued a stark warning to other countries not to meddle, saying, whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history.

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Putin urged Ukrainian servicemen to immediately put down arms and go home.

In a stark reminder of Russias nuclear power, Putin warned that no one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to the destruction and horrible consequences for any potential aggressor. He emphasized that Russia is one of the most potent nuclear powers and also has a certain edge in a range of state-of-the-art weapons.

Though the U.S. on Tuesday announced the repositioning of forces around the Baltics, Biden has said he will not send in troops to fight Russia.

Putin announced the military operation after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked Russia for military assistance to help fend off Ukrainian aggression, an announcement that the White House said was a false flag operation by Moscow to offer up a pretext for an invasion.

Putins announcement came just hours after the Ukrainian president rejected Moscows claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and made a passionate, last-minute plea for peace.

The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an emotional overnight address, speaking in Russian in a direct appeal to Russian citizens. But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.

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Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.

In an apparent reference to Putins move to authorize the deployment of the Russian military to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky warned that this step could mark the start of a big war on the European continent.

Any provocation, any spark could trigger a blaze that will destroy everything, he said.

He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that you are told that this blaze will bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.

At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Ukraine because of the imminent threat of a Russian invasion, members still unaware of Putins announcement appealed to him to stop an attack. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the meeting, just before the announcement, telling Putin: Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.

NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg issued a statement saying he strongly condemns Russias reckless and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which puts at risk countless civilian lives. Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country.

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Anxiety about an imminent Russian offensive soared after Putin recognized the separatist regions independence on Monday, endorsed the deployment of troops to the rebel territories and received parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country. The West responded with sanctions.

Late Wednesday, Ukrainian lawmakers approved a decree that imposes a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days starting Thursday. The measure allows authorities to declare curfews and other restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organizations in the interests of national security and public order.

The action reflected increasing concern among Ukrainian authorities after weeks of trying to project calm. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended that any Ukrainians who are there leave immediately.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday the Russian force of more than 150,000 troops arrayed along Ukraines borders is in an advanced state of readiness. They are ready to go right now, Kirby said.

Early Thursday, airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down to civilian air traffic, according to a notice to airmen. A commercial flight tracking website showed that an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 flying from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. The only other aircraft tracked over Ukraine was a U.S. RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned surveillance plane, which began flying westward early Thursday after Russia put in place flight restrictions over Ukrainian territory.

Another wave of distributed-denial-of-service attacks hit Ukraines parliament and other government and banking websites on Wednesday, and cybersecurity researchers said unidentified attackers had also infected hundreds of computers with destructive malware.

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Officials have long said they expect cyberattacks to precede and accompany any Russian military incursion, and analysts said the incidents hew to a nearly two-decade-old Russian playbook of wedding cyber operations with real-world aggression.

Even before Putins announcement, dozens of nations imposed sanctions on Russia, further squeezing Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets.

Biden allowed sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the companys CEO.

Germany said Tuesday that it was indefinitely suspending the project, after Biden charged that Putin had launched the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine by sending troops into the separatist regions. The pipeline is complete but has not yet begun operating.

Even before the Russian military attack on Ukraine began, the threat of war had shredded Ukraines economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

European Union sanctions against Russia took effect, targeting several companies along with 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for a motion urging Putin to recognize the rebel regions and 27 senior government officials, business executives and top military officers.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has shrugged off the sanctions, saying that Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage.

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Karmanau and Heintz reported from Kyiv. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.
Good day, neighbors! Diane Witek here with today's edition of the Sunset Park Daily.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy and much colder. High: 33, low: 32.

Here are the top stories today in Sunset Park:

NYU Langone's new EnTRy program, made possible by an unprecedented $5 million federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is part of the outpatient psychiatry program at the Family Health Centers. "EnTRy will focus on patients with severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorders, psychosis, and schizophrenia. The program will pay special attention to problems of joblessness, unstable housing, and a lack of digital literacy that can keep patients in a spiral of poor mental health, said Hunter L. McQuistion, MD, medical director of EnTRy and clinical professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. (NYU Langone Health) 3 new open houses in the Sunset Park area. The Patch provides you with the addresses, photos, prices and bedroom/bath information for all properties listed  including a house in the Brooklyn area with 2 beds and 2 baths for $1.7 million, and another with 3 beds and 1 bath for $589,000. (Sunset Park Patch) Yesterday at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City Mayor Eric Adams unveiled multiple new members of his economic development team. "Collectively, they will be focused on building an equitable recovery across all sectors of the citys economy and bringing New York City back following COVID-19," wrote NYC.gov. (nyc.gov) A woman was killed when the driver of the car she was a passenger in slammed into a tractor trailer in East Flatbush. The 33-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and he has been taken into custody on suspicion of drunk driving. The 29-year-old female passenger was rushed to Brookdale Hospital where she was pronounced dead. (ABC 7 NY) Sochie Nnaemeka, the director of the New York Working Families Party said, At this moment, we need to ensure that our champions get the push, the support, and encouragement to continue to ensure that this agenda gets delivered on. We think that they have a lot of work to do and want to make sure they know that the Working Families Party is behind them, and expects the fight to continue, Nnaemeka continued. (New York Daily News)

Today's Sunset Park Daily is brought to you in part by Newrez, a leading nationwide mortgage lender. Make a smart move for your future and refinance with Newrez today. Call 844-979-1707 to connect with a Newrez loan officer. Newrez, LLC (NMLS #3013)

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From my notebook:

Fifth Avenue Committee: "Join Barrio Solar at a free webinar about 'Clean Heat and Solar for Low- and Moderate-Income Households' Tuesday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. To register please visit: https://bit.ly/3JgWDyC." (Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for your next update.

 Diane Witek

About me: Impassioned Writer, Website Designer, Social Media Marketer and newly proclaimed Baker. Lover of nature and animals of all kinds.

This article originally appeared on the Sunset Park Patch
\A Rock Hill man on trial for the murder of a South Carolina rapper killed during a drug deal rejected a plea offer, his lawyer said in York County court Wednesday.

Christopher LaMont McCollough, 23, has pleaded not guilty in the death of rapper Paul Harts, 18, whose stage name was 18veno. The trial started Tuesday.

Prosecutors offered McCollough a guilty plea deal to a lesser charge with a maximum of 15 years in prison, but he rejected the plea offer, his lawyer, Monier Abusaft, said in court Wednesday to Judge G.D. Morgan Jr. outside the presence of the jury. Abusaft said he counter-offered a plea for a lesser amount of years, but prosecutors rejected it.

A conviction for murder in South Carolina carries a mandatory sentence of 30 years to life in prison.

The case

Harts of Winnsboro in Fairfield County near Columbia, was killed Jan. 23, 2021, outside the Rock Hill city limits on McShea Drive.

Harts made several rap YouTube and social media videos with hundreds of thousands of views before he was killed. Online videos and pictures show Harts posing with money and weapons.

Harts was in Rock Hill to sell marijuana to McCollough the night he was killed, both prosecutors and defense lawyers said in court. Police found about $4,000 in cash, drugs, bullets and spent shell casings in the car after Harts was killed, testimony showed Wednesday.

McCollough, in the back seat, was attempting to rob Harts when Harts was shot and killed, Prosecutor Matthew Hogge said in court.

However, Abusaft said in court that Harts and co-defendant Khalil Robinson were trying to rob McCollough during the drug deal.

McCollough also was shot in the incident. But he drove to Columbia and said he was wounded in Chester in a different incident, Hogge said.

Dispute over shots fired

Wednesdays trial included hours of testimony about the weapons and bullets seized in the case. Harts had two bullets from two weapons in his body when he was killed, prosecutors Hogge and Chris Epting said in court.

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Three people were in the car. Harts was in the drivers seat, Robinson was in the passenger seat and McCollough was in the back seat, according to court testimony.

The bullet holes in the car showed shots were fired from the back seat toward the front seat, York County forensic supervisor George Weeks testified Wednesday.

But Abusaft said there were holes in the car that showed bullets exited in the rear. He said the exit holes dont tell the story.

You are testifying about holes in the car, not holes in people, Abusaft said.

Co-defendant claims McCollough pulled gun

Rock Hill police detective Phill Tripp testified that Robinson told him the person in the backseat, McCollough, shot Harts.

Robinson, 21, a friend of Harts from Winnsboro, was at Piedmont Medical Center Jan. 23, 2021, where he drove Harts after the shooting, Tripps bodycam video showed.

The video also showed Harts body inside the car.

Robinson did not tell police initially that he had a gun and also fired a shot that hit Harts in the head, Abusaft argued. Abusaft told jurors when the trial started Tuesday that it was a bullet from Robinsons gun that was the fatal shot.

Robinson is charged with manslaughter. He is expected to testify later in the trial.
Feb. 22WASHINGTON  Northwest lawmakers in Congress decried Russian President Vladimir Putin's move Monday to recognize two provinces in eastern Ukraine as independent "republics" and order Russian troops into the region, testing a U.S. commitment to respond harshly to an invasion.

In response to the move, President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced what he described as a first wave of sanctions on Russian banks and members of Putin's inner circle. Seeking to punish Russia while retaining the ability to ramp up pressure if Putin escalates the crisis further, the White House has so far refrained from the tough sanctions called for by some lawmakers, including Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho.

Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement Monday night the Russian troop movements were "tantamount to an invasion."

"Putin is using smoke and mirrors to continue chipping away at Ukraine's sovereignty, in hopes that the West won't react, which has proved to be true thus far," Risch said. "This is precisely the kind of action that many of us expected, and it is one step closer to Putin's clear goal of dismantling Ukraine's sovereignty."

Russian-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces in the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014, when Russia also forcibly annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. By sending troops  ostensibly in a "peacekeeping" role  into a breakaway region that has been largely under Russian control for the better part of a decade, Putin challenged Western governments to define what exactly constitutes an invasion.

In a speech at the White House on Tuesday, Biden called Putin's move the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," signaling Russian forces could advance beyond the separatist-controlled areas.

Ukraine is roughly the size of Washington, Idaho and Oregon combined. The area controlled by Russian-backed separatists is about 6,500 square miles, according to some estimates, a little bigger than Okanogan County.

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Risch has been negotiating a bill with his Democratic counterpart on the panel, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, to impose additional sanctions on Russia for staging more than 100,000 troops surrounding Ukraine. The Idaho Republican released his own sanctions proposal Feb. 15 after the talks failed to produce a bipartisan bill, but those negotiations will continue.

In his statement, Risch renewed his call for harsh sanctions on Russian banks, individuals and a new pipeline that would carry natural gas from Russia to Germany without passing through Ukraine, a project critics argue would weaken Ukraine and make Western Europe more dependent on Russia. Germany halted the pipeline project on Tuesday in response to Putin's move.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a statement Tuesday she would introduce a bill that would require the president to develop an "energy security plan" to ramp up U.S. oil production to counter Russia, whose economy depends heavily on oil and gas exports.

"Especially given Russia's invasion of Ukraine, America must flip the switch and aggressively promote our energy jobs, production, and exports," she said, accusing Biden of a "radical agenda to shut down American energy and embolden our enemies like Russia."

Rep. Adam Smith, a Bellevue Democrat who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement Monday night Putin must be held accountable for the crisis.

"Russia's blatant assault on the freedom and security of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent country, must end immediately," Smith said. "We know that Putin seeks to expand Russia's sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, and we know that he sees violence, threats, disinformation, and division as legitimate tools in pursuit of that aim. He will not succeed, and the result of Putin's escalatory actions will only bring the United States, NATO, and the democratic countries of Eastern Europe even closer together in opposition to what he has done."

While most Republicans and Democrats in Congress condemned Putin's move, former President Donald Trump took a different tack. On a talk radio show hosted by Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on Tuesday, Trump called Putin "very savvy" and said the Russian president's move to send troops into separatist-held territory was "genius."

"I think he sees this opportunity," Trump said of Putin. "I knew that he always wanted Ukraine."

Orion Donovan-Smith's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
The so-called auspicious date saw many couples flocking to wedding registries across China to tie the knot. STR/AFP via Getty Images

Thousands of couples in China flocked to marriage registries on February 22, 2022.

In the Chinese language, the "two" and "love" are phonetically similar.

The date falling on a Tuesday while also being the 22nd day of the Lunar calendar's first month also added to its appeal.

Thousands of people in China flocked to marriage registries to tie the knot on Tuesday  February 22, 2022  taking advantage of what they believed to be an auspicious day for love.

The date was popular for multiple reasons. Firstly, the Chinese words for "two" and "love" are phonetically similar, which had many believing the date to be lucky for love, reported the Global Times.

According to the South China Morning Post, the date is also the 22nd day of the first month of the Lunar calendar and falls on a Tuesday, the second day of the week  making it a day chock-full of "twos" that won't occur again for another 200 years.

The date  22/02/2022 in the day-month-year format  is also a palindrome, meaning it reads the same way forwards and backward.

The SCMP reported 4,745 couples in Beijing booked slots to register their marriages on the date. The figure was twice the number of couples who requested timeslots on Valentine's Day, a conventionally popular wedding date.

This surge prompted the local Civil Affairs Bureau to extend their working hours and cancel lunch breaks on Tuesday to cope with the number of applications.

"We'd like to remind the public that it's better not to flock together to avoid the coronavirus infection. If you love each other, every day is a good day," a civil affairs official in Beijing told the SCMP.

In other major cities like Shanghai, civil affairs bureaus saw twice to three times the number of couples choosing February 22 for their wedding date, per the SCMP. Meanwhile, Global Times reported that marriage registries in smaller cities like Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Henan, and Hefei were also fully booked on the date.

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A similar trend was observed in other parts of Asia. In Singapore, where the majority of the 5.7 million-strong population is ethnically Chinese, more than 500 couples tied the knot on February 22.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal also reported that the date "2/22/22" appealed to couples looking to get hitched in Las Vegas, with some citing the rarity of the number as a "sign."

Read the original article on Insider
By Kanishka Singh and Sarah N. Lynch

(Reuters) - Three men pleaded guilty on Wednesday for their roles in conspiring to attack U.S. power grids, as part of a plot motivated by white supremacy to sow civil unrest and economic distress, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Christopher Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio; Jonathan Frost, 24, of Katy, Texas and of West Lafayette, Indiana; and Jackson Sawall, 22, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support to extremists, court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio showed.

The case comes at a time when Justice Department officials have pointed to an increase in domestic threats stemming from white supremacists and anti-government militias.

In January, the department announced the formation of a new domestic terrorism unit, amid a growing realization that extremists within the country represent a threat on par with that posed by foreign militant groups such as Islamic State.

The defendants, whose representatives could not immediately be reached for comment, face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors say that in the fall of 2019, Frost and Cook hatched their plans in an online chat group, with Frost concocting the idea of attacking a power grid. Within weeks, the two began efforts to recruit others to join in their plan, and Sawall later joined the conspiracy, the prosecutors say.

Their plan was to attack substations, or power grids, with powerful rifles and they believed it would cost the government millions of dollars while causing unrest, the Justice Department said.

"They had conversations about how the possibility of the power being out for many months could cause war, even a race war", the department said in a statement.

As their plan advanced, prosecutors say they met in Columbus, Ohio in February 2020 to train. Frost allegedly provided Cook and Sawall with "suicide necklaces" laced with fentanyl they could ingest if they were caught by law enforcement.

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They also are accused of painting a swastika flag under a bridge at a park.

Their plot to carry out their mission in Ohio was derailed during a traffic stop, in which Sawall tried to swallow his suicide pill. He ultimately survived.

Cook and Frost, however, continued traveling onward to Texas where they attempted to recruit juveniles to help their cause, prosecutors say.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Sarah N. Lynch in Washington; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Mayor Lori Lightfoots vaccine mandate for Chicago police officers was upheld by an arbitrator who rejected the Fraternal Order of Polices grievances over the citys rules, she announced at a news conference.

Lightfoot said she hopes the ruling will be a signal for those members who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated.

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A visibly pleased Lightfoot made the announcement at her customary post-City Council meeting.

Members and supporters of the Fraternal Order of Police rally outside City Hall against the vaccine mandate in October. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

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In a YouTube video posted Wednesday evening, John Catanzara, president of the local FOP chapter, signaled he would have more to say later this week but conceded the arbitrator did decide that we will be forced to get the vaccine.

Stay tuned to that and hold the line, said Catanzara, who earlier indicated he intends to run for mayor in 2023. This mayor, this dictator  I cant even call (her) a mayor anymore  is more concerned about this nonsense and taking a victory lap as this variant disappears.  She doesnt care about crime. She dont care about victims. She doesnt care about anything but a win.

The ruling sets a March 13 deadline for officers to receive a first dose of the shot, with a second shot due by April 13, though the ruling allows for extensions where someone has made a good-faith effort to get a first-shot appointment.

The vaccine rule led the city and the FOP to sue each other, with the union aiming to have the matter arbitrated and the city aiming to stop Catanzara from openly encouraging his members to defy the requirement that they report their vaccine status to the city. Some officers were placed on no-pay status for refusing to report.

The FOP succeeded in getting the matter in front of an arbitrator, and the city succeeded in persuading a judge to issue a temporary restraining order against Catanzara.

Arbitrator George Roumell  who also upheld the vaccine mandate for firefighters in December  said the city did not violate its collective bargaining agreements with the FOP and other police unions in laying out its COVID-19 vaccination policy last year.

The Police department and city have the right as employers to add such a requirement as long as it does not contradict the rest of the contract, he said.

There is no language in any of the (agreements) that would prohibit the exercise of management rights by promulgating a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, Roumell wrote.

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Roumell also cited the toll of coronavirus on the Police Department, noting that six officers have died of the virus and more than 6,000 have tested positive.

The arbitrator also scuttled the unions argument that placing Chicago police members on no-pay status for refusing to report their vaccination status constituted discipline, which would require more arbitration.

He said it is within the exclusive control of the officer when they would regain their police powers and paycheck by reporting their vaccination status.

As of Tuesday, nearly a quarter of the Chicago Police Departments 12,300 employees remained unvaccinated, according to city data. That compares with about 12% of the total city workforce.

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gpratt@chicagotribune.com

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ayin@chicagotribune.com
Attempts to strike out language and block a proposal to prevent classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in Florida schools were shot down by Republican legislators as a so-called Dont Say Gay bill moves closer to a vote.

Democratic State Rep Carlos Guillermo Smith, the first openly LGBT+ Latino legislator in the state, said that when you put in statute an unprecedented prohibition  on classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, youre saying dont say gay, dont be gay, dont teach gay.

NEW: Here's the moment @CarlosGSmith gets emotional during debate on the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill.



He was asking for examples classroom instruction about LGBTQ issues that isn't "age appropriate," per the text bill says. pic.twitter.com/4E7oMrWf6x  Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) February 22, 2022

Such language is toxic, its homophobic, its transphobic, he said during lengthy debate in the states House of Representatives on 22 February. The measure heads to the House floor for a vote on Thursday.

I have to be standing here defending my humanity, said state Rep Michele Rayner-Goolsby. This sends a message to parents, people in the community  especially to those who are LGBTQ  that they are not wanted or seen.

As written, the bill stipulates that schools may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.

Bill proponents say the measure only prohibits organised discussion about sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade, though the bill prohibits discussions at all grade levels if they are not age appropriate.

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An amendment to cut language explicitly referencing sexual orientation or gender identity  which critics and LGBT+ advocates say is the central dont say gay component of the bill  failed by a vote of 37-75.

The bills chief sponsor, Republican state Rep Joe Harding, insisted that the bill does not target specific students and ensure that parents have a right to be critically engaged in issues that impact their students.

LGBT+ advocates warn that the Parental Rights in Education bill  labelled Dont Say Gay by its critics  seeks to diminish LGBT+ students and families.

Opponents of the bill repeatedly asked who decides what is considered age appropriate, whether any LGBT+ people were involved in the bills construction, how schools can provide affirming support to students who are transitioning or have already transitioned or come out as LGBT+, and how the bill protects LGBT+ students from abuse or neglect at home.

State Rep Anna Eskamani also proposed an amendment to require the states Department of Education to work with LGBT+ advocacy groups to provide resources for parents. Another amendment would allow students to seek legal recourse if they are outed by a school. Both amendments, like the others, failed to advance.

Where do the rights of a parent end and rights of a child begin? Rep Smith asked. When we develop policies that prioritise parental rights at all costs including at the expense of our students, our kids, and their wellbeing, there are consequences.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rep Harding withdrew his amendment that would require schools to disclose whether a child is LGBT+ to their parents within six weeks of learning whether they are not straight, and appeared to remove protections for students who would have potentially been subject to abuse, abandonment or neglect by their families.

The bill is among more than a dozen state-level proposals to ban discussion of LGBT+ issues in classrooms, and among 150 state legislative proposals that discriminate against LGBT+ people, according to the ACLU.

Florida LGBT+ advocacy group Equality Florida alleges that the legislation is meant to stigmatize LGBTQ people, isolate LGBTQ kids, and make teachers fearful of providing a safe, inclusive classroom.

The existence of LGBTQ students and parents is not a taboo topic that has to be regulated by the Florida Legislature, the group said in a statement last month.

In a letter on 21 February, a group of congressional Democrats urged Florida legislators to drop the bill, warning that the legislation fits into an alarming trend of threats to academic freedom that exploits LGBT+ children for political discourse.

We ask that you consider the harmful toll this legislation would have on LGBTQ+ childrens mental health and individual liberties in education, oppose these bills, and do not bring them to a vote on the floor of the Florida House or Senate, they wrote.

Florida Democratic congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that those who are now considering whether to vote for this hate-driven bill must reckon with an all-but-certain reality: If this Dont Say Gay bill becomes law, its isolating impacts will ensure that even more vulnerable LGBTQ+ children will suffer, and some will die.

Forty per cent of homeless youth in Florida identity as LGBT+, according to the ACLU of Florida.

A 2021 report from LGBT+ suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project found that LGBT+ young people who learned about LGBT+ people or issues in school were 23 per cent less likely to report a suicide attempt within the last year.

Another report from the organisation found that LGBT+ youth are four times more likely to seriously consider, plan or attempt suicide than their peers, while LGBT+ young people between the ages of 13 and 24 attempt to kill themselves every 45 seconds within the US.
Troy Deeney is looking forward to a positive conversation with the Secretary of State for Education (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Birmingham captain Troy Deeney has welcomed Nadhim Zahawis response to his calls for the national curriculum to teach more diverse topics and is looking forward to a positive conversation with the Secretary of State for Education.

The former Watford forward launched a petition and published an open letter to the Government on Tuesday night urging the history and experiences of black, Asian and ethnic minorities to be made mandatory in schools.

It followed the Welsh Government doing similar with a new curriculum framework set to be in place from September where more diversity will be taught and after Deeney commissioned a YouGov survey that found the majority of British teachers think the school system has a racial bias and only 12 per cent said they feel empowered to teach diverse topics.

The next step forward. An Open Letter to the Secretary of State for Education @nadhimzahawi



Hit the link to sign the petition https://t.co/AvPS3Cvf5J #HistoryUntold pic.twitter.com/dBTz3tJ2Up  Troy Deeney (@T_Deeney) February 22, 2022

After the 33-year-old posted his open letter on social media, which insisted the current system is failing children from ethnic minorities, Education Secretary Zahawi replied and thanked the footballer for raising this important issue and stated he wanted to discuss it further.

He reached out straight away which was something we wasnt anticipating if we are totally honest because we thought it may need to generate more news and traffic but he has reached out, so (Im) really interested to see if we can get a positive conversation, Deeney told the PA news agency.

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When you put yourself out like we have with this, naturally you are expecting some good, some bad and some people saying are we still talking about this, but the response has been fantastic.

To have the Education Minster reach out, I thought wow so he has opened a line of communication that we will definitely explore. With any conversation, as long as everyone is coming to the table with a positive mind frame, you will work an understanding.

Deeney was speaking at Brixton Tate Library where a large section of books on black history is present but that is not always the case in schools.

The father-of-four revealed he bought books to help educate his own children further despite improvements in other areas of the national curriculum.

To have the Education Minster reach out, I thought 'wow so he has opened a line of communication that we will definitely explore'.

Birmingham captain Troy Deeney

He added: I found when we talked to my daughters especially, who are both seven, they are discussing open relationships and same-sex relationships at the moment which is great because I think the world is in a space where there is a lot more same-sex marriages so that is great, we need to learn about that.

But when it came to history, they are learning the same as me. Have we not moved forward and we found we had to buy these books for the kids.

A series of books who have Usain Bolt, Serena Williams and loads of different people from different backgrounds and fields. The kids love it and I thought why do we buy them? We pay for the schooling but these books should be accessible at school.

Having been expelled from school aged 15, Deeney has since completed his GCSEs to ensure he was not a hypercritic to his children and commissioned a YouGov survey which found that 54 per cent of 1,107 teachers polled said they believe the national curriculum has a racial bias and 72 per cent think the Government should do more to support the teaching of cultural diversity.

We have a platform to follow in terms of what Wales have done, he said.

In my opinion it is not a case of it cant be done because it has already been done and already been commissioned so it is how do we get that. It is important to tell people it is not about removing anything too.

Troy, thank you for raising this important issue. It would be good to discuss this with you and I will ask my team to reach out.  Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) February 22, 2022

We are not saying lets forget World War Two happened and lets talk about something that happened in Africa. We want to add to that so lets talk about what happens in China and let everyone understand.

Deeneys efforts for the national curriculum to be made more diverse follows fellow footballer Marcus Rashford waging a high-profile campaign in 2020 to persuade the Government to provide free meals to vulnerable youngsters in England throughout the school holiday during the coronavirus pandemic, forcing a U-turn from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

While the Blues striker did not speak with his Manchester United counterpart, he admitted the blueprint had been set.

England and Manchester United footballer @MarcusRashford has been awarded an MBE by the Duke of Cambridge for his campaign to support vulnerable children.



The 24-year-old striker said receiving the honour is "a great feeling" pic.twitter.com/IvHfiL94B3  PA Dugout (@PAdugout) November 9, 2021

I certainly used the template that Marcus used because even that issue of free school meals, I grew up on that, Deeney admitted.

To hear that being spoken about, it needed  horrible word  Marcus celebrity to push it and make it frontline because it has been spoken about for 30 to 40-odd years but thankfully he was able to get it over the line.

I am nowhere near as famous as Marcus Rashford, but I hope with my little bit of push and with the help of a lot of people we can make a real positive change.
Up to 800 National Guard troops are expected to be deployed ahead of President Joe Bidens State of the Union address, amid fears over the protest convoy of truckers heading to Washington DC for the event.

Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Pentagon confirmed that National Guard personnel have been requested to provide support at traffic control points in and around the District and to be alert for possible disruption at key traffic arteries.

However, no decision to the deployment or number of troops had yet been made, he said.

Several groups are reportedly planning different protests on different routes to Washington DC this week and into March, with several convoy maps and itineraries shared on social media.

Law enforcement agencies in Maryland, Virginia, and the nations capital are monitoring potential demonstrations, and security around the US Capitol is ramping up around Mr Bidens SOTU address, planned for 1 March, while there are fears that some protests may attempt to disrupt the event.

National guard deployed amid protest fears

Poor turnout for first convoy en route to DC

National guard deployed as freedom convoy protest heads to DC

Fears protesters will affect Bidens SOTU address

Largest convoy group lists six routes

The Peoples Convoy route

Also in the Bolus convoy: Americas Flag Truck

16:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Writer Arieh Kovler spotted that one of the Bolus convoy vehicles is Americas Flag Truck, which features a prominent QAnon flag, and apparently has its own Facebook group.

Also in this 'convoy' of one 18-wheeler: America's Flag Truck, which features a QAnon flag and has its own 1000-member Facebook group for some reason. https://t.co/aZsurhwxdv pic.twitter.com/E6To5ehiFr  Arieh Kovler (@ariehkovler) February 23, 2022

Poor turnout for first convoy en route to DC

Story continues

16:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Not a great start for the convoys, Bob Bolus group currently consists of his 18-wheeler truck, 2 pick up trucks, and about seven SUVs or sedans, according to Julio-Cesar Chavez of Reuters TV.

DC trucker convoy update from Scranton, PA:



There is currently only one truck in the convoy. Organizer Bob Bolus said they expected more people to join, and will call off the convoy if others dont show up



Convoy was scheduled to leave an hour and 45 minutes ago pic.twitter.com/1IyQ3Nrv3O  Julio-Cesar Chavez (@JulioCesrChavez) February 23, 2022

Mr Bolus had claimed to have 25 trucks heading to DC.

Bob Bolus is on the highway headed down to DC.



We have driven up and down the line, His 18 wheeler is the only one in the convoy followed by four or five pick up trucks and SUVs (that we can tell). All other 18ws passing him



His claim of having 25 trucks driving down is false pic.twitter.com/xvEeqxobnm  Julio-Cesar Chavez (@JulioCesrChavez) February 23, 2022

The Peoples Convoy route

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Also departing today for the long drive to Washington, DC, is The Peoples Convoy, which will depart from the Adelanto Stadium, approximately 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles at midday PST (3pm ET).

They intend to follow a route taking them through Kingman and Lupton in Arizona, Glenrio in Texas, Elk City and Vinita in Oklahoma, and Sullivan in Missouri, before heading to Indianapolis, then Cambridge, Ohio, and Hagerstown, Maryland.

The convoy intends to arrive in the DC region on 5 March.

Scranton convoy sets off for DC

16:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Todays convoy from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to the capital region, organised by Bob Bolus has set off from the staging point to meet other truckers near Pitton, Pennsylvania.

Bob Bolus and a few other trucks leave their staging point for Pittson, Pa. to rendezvous with other truck drivers before they head to the D.C. area.



Story: https://t.co/lTOkdIv6Ep



: @FOX56WOLF pic.twitter.com/lXcF8aKpw1  7News DC (@7NewsDC) February 23, 2022

Largest convoy group lists six routes

16:16 , Oliver O'Connell

The largest of the three organised convoy groups (in addition to the Scranton convoy and Peoples Convoy out of southern California) has six different routes listed on its website.

The American Truckers Freedom Convoy lists two convoy routes setting off on 1 March  one from Spokane, Washington, and one from Weatherford, Texas.

On 2 March, another group will set off from Fresno, California.

A fourth group departs Minot, North Dakota, on 3 March.

On 6 March as the other groups near Washington, DC, two more convoys will set off from Cleveland, Ohio, and Columbus, Ohio.

All aim to arrive in the capital region later on 6 March.

If youre wondering what the latest is from Canada...

16:10 , Oliver O'Connell

No, you cant remove a prime minister through junk mail, and now the Governor-General has had to step in and make a statement to ensure people know.

The poor Governor Generals office has felt the need to weigh in on the viral IF WE SEND 958,000 EMAILS TO THE GOVERNOR GENERALS OFFICE THEN TRUDEAU IS OUT fiction https://t.co/7DAO7ujdES  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 22, 2022

Canada truck protests grew to cover a number of issues

16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The truck protests that gripped Ottawa for weeks originally began as a protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates, but over time grew to include a more varied number of issues, right up to deposing the Trudeau government.

On Wednesday morning, MSNBC drew up a list of issues truckers in the US might be protesting beyond Covid-19 restrictions.

That list is so weird that I decided to add one. I have to say that because the first list is so strange, people might actually believe this second one pic.twitter.com/9DAxh8yLyY  Acyn (@Acyn) February 23, 2022

It probably doesnt include the last episode of Euphoria, but then I havent seen it yet.

DC police chief points to Januarys I-95 chaotic shutdown as potential impact

15:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Washingtons Police Chief Robert Contee spoke last week about the potential for a trucker protest in DC and referred to January snowstorm that shut down I-95 in Virginia.

I mean, you think about the impact of this, on I-95 a couple of weeks ago, a snowstorm with two or three tractor-trailers made for a terrible situation there. So were going to plan as best we can, work with our partners, both local and federal, to do whatever we can to mitigate it.

Via WJLA

National Park Service receives application for SOTU demo

15:46 , Oliver O'Connell

The National Park Service has received an application for a 3,000 person demonstration planned for near the Washington Monument on the morning of the State of the Union address.

The application says the protest is against mandates and in support of convoys in Canada and of the lifting of mandates in DC and the rest of the US.

It has not yet been approved.

NEW: Natl Park Service applications show 3000 person demonstration is planned near Washington Monument on morning of State of the Union address



Application says protest is "Against mandates.. support of convoys in Canada.... lifting of mandates in DC/USA". Not yet approved  Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) February 23, 2022

What are the truckers planning?

15:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Taking a cue from demonstrations that paralysed Canadas capital city for weeks, US truckers on Wednesday plan to embark on a 2,500-mile (4,000-km) cross-country drive toward Washington, DC to protest coronavirus restrictions.

Organisers of the Peoples Convoy say they want to jumpstart the economy and reopen the country. Their 11-day trek will approach the Beltway around the US capital on 5 March but will not be going into DC proper, according to a statement.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday it had approved 400 DC National Guard troops to provide support at designated traffic posts, provide command and control, and cover sustainment requirements from 26 February through 7 March.

About 50 large tactical vehicles were also approved to be placed at traffic posts.

Brian Brase, a truck driver who is one of the organisers, said regardless of where the trucks stop were not going anywhere until the groups demands are met. Those demands include an end to Covid-19 vaccine and mask requirements.

Most US states are already easing some restrictions. In California, where the convoy begins, universal mask requirements were lifted last week while masks for vaccinated people are required only in high-risk areas such as public transit, schools, and healthcare settings.

Another convoy was expected to leave Scranton, Pennsylvania  President Joe Bidens hometown  on Wednesday morning and arrive on the 495 Beltway (highway) in Washington sometime during the afternoon.

Organiser Bob Bolus told WJLA news, an ABC affiliate in Washington, that his convoy has no intention to break laws or block traffic, but warned this could happen if their demands regarding pandemic mandates and the cost of fuel are not met.

They are not going to intimidate us and they are not going to threaten us. Were the power, not them, he said.

Reuters

Mayors and city managers should review existing strategies, says city planning consultant

15:04 , Oliver O'Connell

Brent Toderian, principal at Vancouver-based national and international city planning consultancy ToderianUrbanWorks, tweets:

If I were a mayor or city manager, Id be asking for an immediate briefing on existing regulations, strategies etc. relating to truck access on every kind of street, including residential streets, in the downtown and city-wide. The right to protest doesnt include bringing trucks.

Earlier this month as the Ottawa occupation was underway, he posted that it is a good time for cities to have a serious traffic management conversation about where trucks of various sizes should be allowed, & where they should not.

He notes that its a serious transportation planning consideration every day, not just when trucks are being used to occupy cities.

Traffic control measures being put in place in DC

14:28 , Harriet Sinclair

Traffic control measures, alongside security barriers, are being installed in Washington DC ahead of Bidens State of the Union address and as truckers head for the Capitol.

Basic security/traffic control measures starting to go up around the Capitol, ahead of next weeks State of the Union address and possible trucker protests in the DC area. pic.twitter.com/jyQbzhYZfe  Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 23, 2022

Tow trucks spotted in DC as truckers set to descend

13:54 , Harriet Sinclair

Two tow trucks were spotted parked at DCs National Mall on Tuesday.

According to Fox News, the owner of the trucking company said the vehicles had been hired for up to 10-days to carry out public work, and that they were expected to be used to remove vehicles blocking the streets of Washington DC illegally.

DC issues alert over protests

13:31 , Harriet Sinclair

An alert has been issued as truckers head to Washington DC.

NEW from @MayorBowser: DC National Guard will provide traffic support ahead of potential trucker convoys. Full statement below. Well have the latest on @fox5dc tonight. pic.twitter.com/9qeseiKayN  Lindsay Watts (@LindsayAWatts) February 23, 2022

Fencing erected for SOTU

13:13 , Harriet Sinclair

Fencing has been erected ahead of President Joe Bidens State of the Union address. Trucker protesters are expected in Washington DC, with fears the demonstrations will disrupt the address.

NOW - Capitol fence goes up ahead of Bidens State of the Union.pic.twitter.com/X6zTmeu9i5  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 22, 2022

Truckers expected in DC

12:41 , Harriet Sinclair

Truckers are expected to head to DC for the USs version of the freedom convoy that has blocked streets in Canada for weeks.

Heres what we know about the US trucker protest so far:

What we know about possible trucker protests coming to Washington DC
Trump greets the crowd before he leaves at the Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Summit on December 08, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Former President Trump falsely said "everybody wanted the vaccine" when he was in office.

Trump supporters refusing to get vaccinated has driven partisan gaps in vaccination.

"And once I was out, all of a sudden people didn't want it," Trump said, blaming mandates for low uptake.

Former President Donald Trump said "everybody wanted" to get a COVID-19 vaccine when he was president and blamed vaccine mandates for low vaccine uptake among some segments of the population  even though millions of his supporters have refused to get vaccinated.

Trump, who falsely claimed vaccines cause autism in children as a presidential candidate, touted the development of COVID-19 vaccines while he was president.

"I think what we do get great credit for that they tried but it didn't work  even their side said you can't do that  is Operation Warp Speed," Trump said in an interview with the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. "And not only the fact that the vaccines were developed in nine months as opposed to five years to 12 years."

While Trump now claims vaccine hesitancy wasn't an issue while he was president, many of his most prominent supporters and advisers pushed COVID vaccine misinformation while he was president. The former president has continued to face pushback for his staunch pro-vaccine stance from influential conservatives and his rank-and-file supporters.

"Everybody wanted the vaccine when I was there, and we were doing a million shots a day, and, you know, we mobilized," Trump said.

But Trump didn't publicly disclose when he and former first lady Melania Trump were vaccinated at the White House before leaving office in January 2021 and didn't begin publicly promoting the vaccines until months later.

In that time, as vaccines became widely available to the American public, sharp partisan gaps in vaccine uptake between Democrats and Republicans emerged.

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A Kaiser Family Foundation study conducted in November 2021, for example, found that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents made up 41% of the adult population but 60% of unvaccinated adults in the United States and that, when controlling for other factors, a Republican was 26 percentage points less likely to be vaccinated than a Democrat.

"And the military really did well, much better than their leaders led them, I will tell you, in the removal from Afghanistan. That I can tell you. And they were doing really well. They were delivering 'em," Trump said. "And everybody wanted the vaccine. And once I was out, all of a sudden people didn't want it. And that's how you started with this whole mandate thing, which is terrible, okay, 'cause you're forcing people."

In recent months, Trump has stepped up his advocacy for COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters in recent months after dismissing booster shots in August 2021 as a "money-making operation" for pharmaceutical companies and saying he likely wouldn't receive a third COVID shot in September (though he eventually did get one).

Trump was booed by some of his fans when he announced he'd received a booster shot at an event with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly in December 2021.

Trump has also called out "gutless" unnamed politicians for refusing to reveal their booster status, which some interpreted to be a thinly-veiled jab at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after DeSantis declined to say whether or not he had been boosted in a December 2021 interview.

"Many politicians  I watched a couple of politicians be interviewed, and one of the questions was, 'Did you get the booster?' because they had the vaccine. And they're all answering it like  in other words, the answer is yes, but they don't want to say it because they're gutless," Trump told One America News' Dan Ball.

"You gotta say it. Whether you had it or not, say it," Trump added.

DeSantis, a possible 2024 presidential candidate who has taken a hardline stance against vaccine mandates and passports in Florida, has denied rumors of tension with Trump.

Read the original article on Business Insider
High poverty rates. Trouble reading. Staff turnover. A culture of failure. Theres no single reason that Hillsborough County operates far more schools than any other district in Florida that the state deems persistently low performing. The causes are deep and complex, and addressing them will require more resources and a sustained commitment by the Hillsborough school district.

In an exhaustive report Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times Marlene Sokol explored whats happening at Hillsboroughs worst performing schools. Hillsborough has 35 schools on the list; no other district has more than 18. Pinellas County has six; Pasco County, two. Principals, teachers and administrators interviewed by the Times pointed to a host of reasons for this lagging performance, from poverty and language barriers to disciplinary problems and punitive state testing.

Of course, many school districts in Florida, big and small, face the same problems. And as Sokol reports, Hillsboroughs dismal statistics persist despite a succession of ambitious initiatives, all intended to create a quality education for students, regardless of income or ZIP code. In the worst of these schools, 60 to 85 percent of students fall below the states most basic standards in reading, year after year. Thats a recipe for failing later in the upper grades, and for struggling with basic skills throughout life.

Hillsboroughs latest effort to improve  the Transformation Network  is the brainchild of superintendent Addison Davis, now completing his second year on the job. The district is engaging across the board to energize the classroom experience, focusing on everything from improved student attendance to data-driven methods to drive better instruction. Davis is celebrating the teams early success; the district in 2021 had 14 D and F schools, while two years ago it had 28. But theres a long way to go.

Better recruiting and training of principals and teachers can help stabilize the campus environment and foster stronger connections between schools and students families. Expanding affordable and convenient preschool options is essential; more than 16,000 students enter kindergarten every year in Hillsborough County, yet only about 4,000 go to district preschool, with the remaining 75 percent either in a commercial program or some type of day care. In Hillsborough, 48 percent of children entering kindergarten are far enough along in basic skills (slightly below the state average of 50 percent), but at the 14 D and F schools, those numbers drop as low as 17 percent.

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The 14 D and F schools also have a preponderance of students described as low-income. That can lead to a range of problems, from distracted students and weak learning environments at home to little parental involvement in the schools. The district is responding with outreach programs, and with new teaching methods that put a greater emphasis on phonics in the early years, which is considered essential as students move to higher grades. And officials see improved performance as key for helping traditional schools compete with other choices, such as charter schools, which are siphoning large numbers of students away from struggling campuses.

This attention to detail across the board is vital for making progress. Davis said he believes the district has made advancements in a number of areas, from recruiting and teacher training to improving relationships with parents and communities. He acknowledges the silver bullet doesnt exist. These students deserve better; so do Hillsborough taxpayers. Only a continuing commitment here will work.

Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Paul Tash. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news.
By Jody Godoy

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday permanently barred former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli from serving as an officer or director of publicly traded companies, and ordered him to pay a $1.39 million fine for violating securities law between 2009 and 2014.

U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in Brooklyn issued her ruling in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's civil case alleging Shkreli defrauded investors in his hedge funds and raided his biotechnology company, Retrophin Inc, for funds to settle with investors.

Shkreli had proposed a 10-year officer and director ban, arguing that his seven-year prison sentence and $7.8 million in forfeiture and penalties in his related criminal case were sufficient punishment.

A lawyer for Shkreli did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Shkreli became notorious and known as "Pharma Bro" in 2015, when he raised the price of the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim overnight to $750 per tablet from $17.50 while serving as chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals, later renamed Vyera Pharmaceuticals.

He was arrested that year on fraud and conspiracy charges connected to Retrophin and his MSMB Capital Management and MSMB Healthcare Management hedge funds.

In her decision, Matsumoto called Shkreli a "chaotic, dishonest, and untrustworthy corporate leader" who would likely violate the law again if allowed to run a public company.

Shkreli is serving his sentence at a low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, and will be eligible for release in November.

Last month, a federal judge in Manhattan barred Shkreli from the drug industry for life and ordered him to pay $64.6 million.

That followed a nonjury trial where federal and state regulators claimed Shkreli tried to maintain an illegal monopoly over Daraprim and keep generic rivals off the market.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday will end a program focused on fighting Chinese espionage and intellectual property theft, shifting from what an official called a "myopic" focus to address threats from a broader array of hostile nations.

Critics have said the initiative, put in place during former President Donald Trump's administration, amounted to racial profiling and that it created a culture of fear that has chilled scientific research.

The move, the details of which were reported by Reuters earlier this month, is a recognition that the focus on China was too limited, said Matt Olsen, the Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division.

"We see nations such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea becoming more aggressive and more capable in their nefarious activity than ever before," Olsen said in a speech at George Mason University's National Security Institute. "Our new strategy is threat-driven."

The department's "China Initiative," started in 2018, has faced intense scrutiny by civil rights groups and some members of Congress for its expansive investigation into professors at U.S. universities over whether they disclosed financial ties to China when seeking federal grant funding and visiting Chinese scholars from military affiliated universities.

"By picking one country, what the China initiative did, it created in some ways a bit of a myopic approach which I don't think really reflects the nature of the threat landscape," said Olsen, who discussed the changes with reporters ahead of his speech.

At least 20 academic researchers have faced charges as part of the China Initiative, including Charles Lieber, a Harvard University professor convicted in December of lying about his ties to China in connection with federally funded research.

But several of the department's cases were dismissed due to flaws in the evidence or the premise, including one against Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Gang Chen, who was accused of hiding ties to China when seeking federal grant funds.

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"Anything that creates the impression that the Department of Justice applies different standards based on race or ethnicity harms the department and our efforts and it harms the public," Olsen said.

Going forward, the Justice Department will have a much higher bar and conduct more intense supervision before bringing similar future criminal cases against academics, Olsen said.

Olsen added that the department will not be "taking any tools off the table" when it comes to bringing possible future cases involving researchers, nor will the department drop any of its outstanding cases against professors.

"The department will continue to stand behind the cases that we are currently prosecuting," he said.

U.S. Representative Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California and critic of the initiative, told Reuters in an interview he was pleased the Justice Department was changing its approach and would  no longer be focused on things that have nothing do with spying and espionage."

This change is going to result in less racial profiling of Asians and Asian Americans, and that is a good thing," he said.

"Now we need to monitor it and see what actually comes of the change.

Linda Ng, the national president for the OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, also said her organization is "cautiously optimistic" about the changes, but cautioned it should not merely amount to "a rebranding exercise."

The Justice Department's new strategy will primarily focus on cases in a few core areas: defending the nation from threats of espionage, export control and sanctions violations; protecting corporate intellectual property, private information about Americans and supply chains; and defending democracy from rising threats posed by authoritarian regimes.

"Make no mistake, we will be relentless in defending our country from China," Olsen said.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Jane Lanhee Lee in San Francisco; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)
By David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday accused China and Russia of working together to create a new 'profoundly illiberal' world order of which Moscow's actions towards Ukraine were just a part.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said every responsible country in the world, including China, had an obligation to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to back down and de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.

"You will have to ask the PRC whether they have used their own considerable influence with the Russian Federation to that end," Price said at a regular news briefing in reference to the People's Republic of China.

Referring to an upgraded "no limits" partnership that China and Russia announced this month in which they pledged to collaborate more against the United States and the West, Price said the direction of the development of China-Russia relations was of "great concern."

"We think that Russia and the PRC also want a world order," he said. "But this is an order that is and would be profoundly illiberal, an order that stands in contrast to the system that countries around the world ... have built in the last seven decades.

"It is an order that is in many ways destructive, rather than additive."

Price noted that China had repeatedly in its statecraft stressed that the principal of sovereignty was inviolable and sacrosanct.

"So, you'll have to ask the PRC, how they marry that long-standing position with anything less than an effort to use the considerable influence and sway they have with the Russian Federation to urge Vladimir Putin to back down and to de-escalate," he said.

Ukraine declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and Moscow said separatists in the east had asked for help to repel "aggression" as the United States stepped up efforts to deter an all-out Russian invasion by imposing fresh sanctions.

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China has urged all parties in the Ukraine standoff to exercise restraint and said that the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of any country should be respected and safeguarded.

At the same time, it has urged the United States to respect and address Russia's demands for security guarantees.

U.S.-based analysts say China is concerned about the impact Russian actions towards Ukraine could have on its trade relationship with Europe if it is considered to be supporting Russia.

But they also believe Beijing's ambiguous stance and its upgraded pact with Russia have given Putin the confidence to press ahead on Ukraine.

Experts told Reuters last week China would back Russia diplomatically and perhaps economically if it invades Ukraine, but would stop short of providing military support.

Washington has warned Chinese firms they would face consequences if they sought to evade any export controls imposed on Moscow in the event of Russia invading Ukraine.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; editing by Richard Pullin)
By Muvija M and William James

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain accused Russian news channel RT on Wednesday of being a tool of a Kremlin disinformation campaign and asked the UK media regulator to take action if needed after Russia recognised two rebel regions of eastern Ukraine.

Russian officials say RT is a way for Moscow to compete with the dominance of global media companies based in the United States and Britain that Moscow says offer a partial view of the world.

Critics say RT, which broadcasts news in English, Arabic, Spanish and German, is the propaganda arm of the Russian state and aims to undermine confidence in Western institutions.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said in a letter to state media regulator Ofcom that she was concerned RT would seek to spread "harmful disinformation" about the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

"While respecting Ofcoms regulatory independence, I call on you to ensure your actions are timely and transparent to reassure the British public," the letter, seen by Reuters, said.

Asked in parliament whether he would request Ofcom review RT's licence, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he believed Dorries had asked the regulator to review that matter.

Johnson's spokesman, asked later if the government was looking to ban the channel, sought to clarify the prime minister's remarks. "All the culture secretary is asking Ofcom (is to) take any appropriate action should there be any attempt to use Russia Today to spread disinformation," he said.

The Conservative prime minister had also said the regulator should make its own decisions.

"We live in a country that believes in free speech," Johnson told parliament. "And I think it's important that we should leave it up to Ofcom rather than to politicians to decide which media organisations to ban - that's what Russia does."

RT said British politicians seemed to be trying to meddle in the affairs of a regulator, undermining its independence.

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"The UK culture minister is now clearly directly interfering in institutions touted as supposedly wholly free from political pressure and influence," Anna Belkina, RT's deputy editor in chief, told Reuters.

Belkina said despite political pressure Ofcom had found no breaches of the Broadcasting Code by RT in the past four years.

Ofcom did not comment specifically on RT but said it would prioritise complaints about any broadcaster's news coverage of Russia and Ukraine.

"Recognising the serious nature of the crisis in Ukraine, we have been keeping the situation under close review and have already stepped up our oversight of coverage of these events by broadcasters in the UK," it said in a reply to Dorries' letter.

"It would not be acceptable for any of our licensees to broadcast one-sided propaganda."

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Nick Macfie and Angus MacSwan and Mark Heinrich)
Scott Morrison has announced sanctions against Russia for what he describes as "threats of terrible violence" against Ukraine.

The Australian prime minister added that his nation "always stands up to bullies" and will be united with its "partners".

"We will be standing up to Russia along with all of our partners and all of those who believe that it's absolutely unacceptable, that Russia could invade its neighbour," Mr Morrison said.

"The Australian government will immediately begin placing sanctions on Russian individuals in response to the aggression by Russia against Ukraine."

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Timeline: Development of situation in Ukraine

Xinhua) 08:10, February 23, 2022

KIEV, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Tensions along the Russia-Ukraine borders continue to escalate as Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

The latest actions of Russia were "a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday in a video address to the nation published on Facebook.

Gloomy signs of a potential military conflict are stoking increasing concerns and mounting fears around the world. Here is a timeline of some major events related to the current crisis:

Feb. 21, 2022

-- The Russian Security Council held an extraordinary meeting, when the country's top officials supported the recognition of the two "republics."

-- Putin signed two decrees recognizing the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states.

At a ceremony held in the Kremlin, Putin also inked the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia and the LPR and the DPR respectively with the heads of the two "republics."

-- Through a statement attributable to his spokesperson, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "peaceful settlement" of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015).

-- At the Security Council emergency meeting on Ukraine, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, called on all parties concerned to seek "reasonable solutions" to the Ukraine issue.

Feb. 18, 2022

-- An explosion occurred close to "DPR government building." Local armed groups in eastern Ukraine ordered the evacuation of civilians to Russia, citing the danger of a possible military offensive.

Feb. 17, 2022

-- The Ukrainian military claimed that local armed groups in eastern Ukraine launched shelling on the area controlled by government forces. Local armed groups in eastern Ukraine accused the Ukrainian government forces of first using heavy weapons to attack areas under their control. Tensions in eastern Ukraine continue to escalate.

Feb. 2, 2022

-- The United States decided to deploy additional troops to Europe, including 1,000 troops to be repositioned to Romania and another 2,000 troops to be sent from the United States to Germany and Poland, in preparation for what it claimed to be an "imminent" Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Jan. 26, 2022

-- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States has delivered a written letter to Russia addressing Moscow's concerns amid escalating tensions on Ukraine's border.

Jan. 22, 2022

-- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the first shipment of military aid from the United States arrived in Kiev.

Jan. 10-13, 2022

-- The latest round of talks aimed at defusing tensions between Russia and the West within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ended without a breakthrough as both sides warned of potential escalation.

Dec. 10, 2021

-- The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded "legal guarantees" that NATO wouldn't expand eastward.

Feb. 7, 2019

-- The Ukrainian parliament passed a constitutional amendment stating Ukraine's commitment to joining NATO.

Feb. 12, 2015

-- The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France announced a peace deal in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, which envisaged a ceasefire between Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups in eastern Ukraine.

Dec. 23, 2014

-- The Ukrainian parliament renounced Ukraine's "non-aligned" status with the aim of deepening cooperation with NATO.

Sept. 5, 2014

-- Then Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and local armed groups in eastern Ukraine signed a ceasefire protocol in Minsk, where envoys from the two warring sides as well as Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held talks for a possible political solution to the crisis.

April 2014

-- Unrest erupted in eastern Ukraine, where protesters seized government buildings, demanding a referendum on autonomy and closer ties with Russia.

February 2014

-- Amid rising protests, Ukraine's parliament voted to dismiss then President Viktor Yanukovych and set early elections.

November 2013

-- The Ukrainian government suspended the signing of partnership agreements with the European Union (EU) to avoid straining ties with Russia, triggering widespread protests, which soon snowballed into a violent nationwide movement against the authorities.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The Chicago Board of Education approved a $1 million payment to a Chicago Public Schools special education student who said he was sexually assaulted in a North Side elementary school bathroom in 2014.

The settlement of the 2018 lawsuit against the district was up for a vote at Wednesdays monthly board meeting. The district and the boys family reached a tentative agreement earlier this month midway through a civil trial.

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The suit says that on Sept. 16, 2014, when the boy was 12 years old, another student attacked him in a bathroom at Jordan Community Elementary School in the Rogers Park neighborhood. The alleged victim suffers from severe physical, developmental and learning disabilities, according to the suit.

His attorneys, Miguel Ruiz and Rafael Lazaro, say the boys special education plan required supervision in the schools hallways, but an adult didnt escort him to the bathroom at that time. He was accompanied instead by his alleged attacker, an older child with a history of violence that was known to CPS, according to the suit.

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A desk and a covered water fountain are in a care room at Jordan Community Elementary School in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Jan. 15, 2021. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

In an interview with the Tribune, Ruiz and Lazaro praised the boy and his family for enduring years of very difficult litigation. The boy suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, they said, as what happened to him is seared into his memory.

A CPS spokesperson told the Tribune the settlement resolves the matter in a way that is fair to the student and to the taxpayers who fund the district.

Also this week, the district reached tentative settlements of two lawsuits involving allegations of sexual assault in a bathroom at Bogan Computer Technical High School on the Southwest Side. Settlement details were not immediately available.

In the first case, which was recently approved for trial, a special education student said in June 2016 that another special education student attacked him on two occasions in a Bogan bathroom. Both boys special education plans called for supervision to the restroom. An attorney hired by CPS argued in court this month that the boys were supervised on trips to the restroom, but their plans allowed for independence within bathrooms.

The attorney for the alleged victim, Carolyn Daley, said the alleged attacker went on to sexually assault another special education student in a Bogan bathroom in February 2017. A separate suit was filed by Daley in that case.

This has been a long journey for our clients after their disabled children bravely came forward to report they were sexually assaulted at Bogan High School. While nothing will ever change what their children experienced due to the failures of Chicago Public Schools, after years of litigation this settlement will provide some justice and healing for these victims, Daley said in a Wednesday statement to the Tribune.

Parents should be able to send their children to Chicago Public Schools knowing their children are properly supervised and safe throughout the school day. Our clients hope that the Board of Education for Chicago Public Schools and their employees change their policies and procedures to ensure that all students, not just students within the special education program, are safe and protected from sexual assault within the schools.

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Those two cases were detailed in the Tribunes Betrayed series, an investigation that found widespread mishandling of CPS student sexual abuse and assault cases. The settlements are subject to Chicago Board of Education approval, with the next board meeting scheduled for March 23.

Chicago Public Schools firmly believes that students who are impacted as a result of a legally-recognized failure on the districts part should be compensated in a reasonable manner that will remedy injuries to the student, the district said in a statement Wednesday.

tswartz@tribpub.com
Preparing for the possibility of a large-scale Russian invasion, the Ukrainian government has moved to declare a 30-day state of emergency, grant citizens the right to bear arms, and conscript military reservists between the ages of 18 and 60, adding nearly 200,000 troops to the countrys defense as Russian troops continue to enter the Donbas region.

Zelensky said in a televised speech that there was no need for a general mobilization of civilians, however we need to promptly replenish the Ukrainian army and other military formations.

As the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, I issued a decree on the conscription of reservists during a special period, Zelensky said. We must increase the readiness of the Ukrainian army for all possible changes in the operational situation.

We are certain of ourselves, we are certain in our country, we are certain in our victory, he added.

Zelenskys government is also planning to institute a 30-day state of emergency, pending parliamentary approval. The state of emergency will allow the government to implement additional security measures.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday took steps toward giving civilians the right to bear arms, though the final vote has not yet been conducted.

The Ukrainian government has also urged all of its citizens who remain in Russia to flee the country.

Russia has deployed up to 190,000 troops on Ukraines borders, including in neighboring Belarus. Russian president Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of two separatist enclaves in the Donbass region, where Russian-backed separatists have fought with the Ukrainian army since 2014. Putin has authorized the entry of Russian troops into the Donbass.

President Biden yesterday announced a first tranche of economic sanctions against Russia, including sanctions on Russian sovereign debt, two Russian banks, and other sanctions to be detailed on Wednesday against the countrys elite class. While Biden promised additional sanctions should Russia continue to invade Ukraine, Senator Ben Sasse (R., Neb.) criticized those sanctions as too little, too late.

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These sanctions should have happened before Putin further invaded Ukraine  not after, Sasse said in a statement, adding that we shouldnt fool ourselves into thinking that todays incremental sanctions will deter Putin from trying to install a puppet government in Kyiv.

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Members of the National Guard of Ukraine. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Ukraine declared a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday.

Ukraine's top security official said it will mean more security measures and inspections.

It comes after Russia declared two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine independent and ordered in troops.

Ukraine declared a nationwide state of emergency after Russia ordered troops into eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian MPs ratified the measures in parliament on Wednesday, after a recommendation by the country's security council.

Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine's top security official, said earlier on Wednesday that the state of emergency would last for 30 days, and can be extended for another 30 days, Reuters reported.

It will involve bringing in more security measures and inspections, the Financial Times reported. It also makes it easier for authorities to introduce a curfew, or to declare martial law, Ukraine's RBC news channel reported.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine's parliament also voted to redistribute funds from any part of the country's budget to use for national security or defense.

Danilov said the state of emergency would mean bringing in measures that result in the "strengthening security of public places and locations that are critical for the public," the FT reported.

"This can include restrictions on the movement of transportation, additional inspections of transportation. This can include inspections of individuals' documents," Danilov said, per the FT.

He said stricter rules would be put in place in the regions closest to Russia and Belarus  where Russian troops are also stationed  as well as Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine like Crimea, the FT reported.

The regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions have already been under a state of emergency since 2014 due to conflict with Russia.

Russia on Monday recognized the claims of Russia-backed separatists to regions of eastern Ukraine, and declared them to be independent.

Russian President Vladimir then ordered troops into the region in a possible lead-up to a major attack, describing its actions as "peacekeeping." Ukraine has also called up reserve troops aged between 18 and 60.

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Since late 2021, Russia has gathered tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine's border. The Kremlin claimed it had no plans to invade  an assertion met with extreme skepticism by Western leaders.

The US and its allies have sought to find a diplomatic resolution to the crisis, but failed to reach any major breakthroughs. Russia made unacceptable demands during the recent discussions, including permanently banning Ukraine from NATO. The alliance and the US have repeatedly said this demand is a non-starter.

Putin on Wednesday said that Russia was still open to diplomacy but wouldn't compromise on its security, per Reuters. Meanwhile, the Biden administration accused Russia of not approach diplomatic discussions in good faith.

"This is and has been, in some ways, diplomatic Kabuki theater on the part of the Russians  making statements that they are committed to a diplomatic path while their actions suggest exactly the opposite," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Wednesday. "That is not an environment in which diplomacy can achieve the results that it needs to achieve."

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Vladimir Putin of Russia. Alexei Nikolsky\TASS via Getty Images

Ukraine's foreign minister urged harsher economic sanctions on Russia.

He said Ukraine was grateful for steps taken already: "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin."

The US and UK unveiled sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, and the EU agreed on its own package.

Ukraine's foreign minister urged countries to put more economic sanctions on Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, telling them: "Hit more. Hit more. Hit now."

Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Wednesday: "To stop Putin from further aggression, we call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now. First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them. Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

The US and UK unveiled harsh sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, and European Union countries agreed to impose a first round of sanctions. All 27 member countries on the European Union need to agree on those plans before they can be implemented.

The sanctions came a day after Putin recognized Kremlin-backed separatists' territorial claims in eastern Ukraine and ordered troops into the region in a possible lead-up to a major attack.

The US sanctions target Russian financial institutions, the country's sovereign debt, and Russian elites.

The UK's sanctions target Russian banks and billionaires, and the foreign minister said they can be escalated if Russia continues its actions in Ukraine.

Australia said it will impose sanctions if Russia takes further action in Ukraine.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ukraine moved to introduce a state of emergency Wednesday as the United States and its allies ramped up pressure on Russia with sanctions and the threat of more to come, the latest signals that the West fears a full-scale invasion is likely in the coming days.

Kyiv has until now been cooler about the threat of war, but displayed increasing urgency with Russian President Vladimir Putin showing no sign of stepping back from the brink of a deadly new conflict in Europe.

Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis appeared all but over, with the focus instead on punishing the Kremlin for the moves it has already made and preparing for those Washington and Europe fear will soon follow.

Russia has pushed back against the West's sanctions and given no indication it would withdraw the 150,000-plus troops it has massed around its neighbor's borders.

On Wednesday Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council asked the country's parliament to impose a nationwide state of emergency for an initial 30 days. The government also urged all Ukrainian citizens to leave Russia and has started conscripting reservists between the ages of 18 and 60.

Recent estimates have put the number of Ukrainians living in Russia between 1.9 million and 3 million.

"We are aware of the risks that exist from the Russian Federation, we clearly understand that our army is ready to fight back," Ukraine's top security official, Oleksiy Danilov, told reporters after asking lawmakers to approve the state of emergency.

Ukraine's parliament also gave initial approval to a draft law that would allow citizens to carry firearms in self-defense. The law is yet to be finalized and approved.

The moves follow an escalation in the ongoing conflict in the country's east, and a highly provocative set of moves from Moscow.

Putin said Tuesday that Russia's recognition of two regions in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists stretched to large swaths of territory held by the Ukrainian military. The move further raised concerns a broader armed conflict could break out as Russian troops move in, and came after the Russian leader gained parliamentary approval to use his armed forces abroad.

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"Our country is always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems," Putin said Wednesday in a video statement released to coincide with the annual Defender of the Fatherland Day.

"But I repeat: The interests of Russia, the security of our citizens are unconditional for us."

Image: A satellite image shows a close up of a field hospital and a troop deployment, in Belgorod (Maxar Technologies / via Reuters)

A day earlier, President Joe Biden said that Putin's order of troops into eastern Ukraine, the area controlled by Russian-backed separatists, amounted to "the beginning of a Russian invasion."

We still believe that Russia is poised to go much further and launch a massive military attack against Ukraine, Biden said in remarks at the White House.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov  a further sign of the waning window for diplomacy.

U.S. allies including the European Union, Canada, Germany, Britain, Australia and Japan have all announced they have imposed or will impose sanctions against Russia.

Chief among their targets were Russian banks. Although political opposition figures in Washington, London and elsewhere said the measures did not hit hard enough, Biden and his allies have made it clear that more measures will be imposed should Russian forces cross into Ukrainian-controlled territory.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced earlier Tuesday that he would halt the regulatory approval process for Nord Stream 2, a controversial pipeline that bypasses Ukrainian transit infrastructure to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany.
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Wednesday that Russia had evacuated night-shift staff at the Titan chemicals plant in Crimea.

The chemicals producer is in Armyansk in the northern part of the Ukrainian peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, about 2 km (1-1/4 mile) from territory under Ukrainian control.

While the West expects Russia to start a major invasion of Ukraine, separatist leaders of two breakaway regions, recognized by Russia as independent states this week, asked President Vladimir Putin for military help, the Kremlin said late on Wednesday.

The Titan plant and the Crimean department of the Russian emergency ministry were not available for comments in the early hours on Thursday.

Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers were seen in Armyansk in recent days, a Crimean resident told Reuters.

"There is a lot of military hardware. The drill ended but it stayed," the resident said.

Ukraine's foreign minister said the evacuation of the plant was a possible preparation for another staged provocation by Russia.

"Moscow seems to have no limits in attempts to falsify pretexts for further aggression," he wrote.

The military intelligence unit of Ukraine's defence ministry said that 50 Titan employees were evacuated on Wednesday evening. The intelligence unit did not rule out that Russia could stage a "terrorist attack" or "chemical sabotage."

(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova in Kyiv, Olesya Astakhova and Maria Kiselyova in Moscow; Editing by Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman)
Commuters after exiting a train in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 23. Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo

Ukraine's government urged its citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately as tensions rise.

The Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs told citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia.

Up to 3 million Ukrainians live in Russia, NBC News reported.

Ukraine's government has urged its citizens living in Russia  up to an estimated 3 million people  to leave the country immediately amid rising tensions.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement telling citizens not to travel to Russia, and that those already in the country should get out as soon as possible.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine recommends the citizens of Ukraine to refrain from any visits to the Russian Federation, and those who are in this country to leave its territory immediately," the ministry said, citing the "intensification of Russian aggression against Ukraine."

The ministry added, "We emphasize that disregarding these recommendations will significantly complicate ensuring the adequate protection of Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation."

Between 1.9 million and 3 million Ukrainians live in Russia, NBC News reported.

The move came after Russian President Vladimir Putin this week recognized the independence of two Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered troops there.

Putin also said he recognized separatists' full territorial claims in eastern Ukraine, marking a possible lead-up to a major offensive.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden described Russia's aggression as the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" as he announced sweeping sanctions against Russia.

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UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to end Iraqs requirement to compensate victims of its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, with Baghdad having paid out more than $50 billion to 1.5 million claimants.

Michael Gaffey, Irelands ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva and president of the governing board of the U.N. Compensation Commission, whose fund decided on the claims, told the council after the vote that the body's work was a historic achievement for the United Nations and for effective multilateralism.

Ultimately, 2.7 million claims were submitted to the commission seeking $352 billion in compensation, he said, and the $52.4 billion awarded to 1.5 million claimants represents approximately 15% of the total claims.

Under a Security Council resolution adopted in April 1991 after a U.S.-led coalition routed Saddam Husseins forces and liberated Kuwait in the first Gulf War, Iraq was required to set aside a percentage of proceeds from its oil exports for the fund to compensate victims of the conflict.

That share was 5% in 2013, when the council voted to end the possible military enforcement of several requirements imposed on Iraq after the invasion in recognition of improved relations with Kuwait. The level stood at 3% for Iraq's final payment on Jan. 13.

Gaffey said the governing council adopted its final decision on Feb. 9 declaring that Iraqs government had fulfilled its international obligations to compensate for losses and damages suffered as a direct result of its unlawful invasion of Kuwait.

He said the funds governing council gave priority to claims by individuals who were forced to leave Iraq or Kuwait, to those who suffered injuries or whose spouse, child or parent died, or who suffered personal losses of up to $100,000. He said this humanitarian decision marked a significant step in the evolution of international claims practice.

But there were also companies and businesses that received funds. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation successfully claimed $14.7 billion for oil production and sales losses resulting from damage to the countrys oil fields during the 1990-91 Iraqi invasion and occupation.

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The Security Council resolution adopted Tuesday affirms that Iraq has fulfilled its international obligations, that Iraq is no longer required to deposit a percentage of proceeds from export sales of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas into the fund, and that the commissions claims process is now complete and final and that no further claims shall be made to the commission.

The council terminated the commission's mandate under the 1991 resolution and ordered it to conclude outstanding matters so it can close by the end of 2022.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told the council that his country has concluded an important 30-years-long chapter and embarks on a new chapter in its diplomatic, political and economic journey.

This will be an era of a more prominent regional and international role, commensurate with Iraqs historical and cultural significance for the region and the world, an era during which Iraq will be an active member committed to the aspirations and goals of the international community, he said.

Kuwaiti Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi welcomed the resolutions unanimous adoption and commended such a historic achievement by the council in relation to its work on compensation.

We are fully aware that the aim of compensation is not to punish the aggressor but rather to ensure accountability" and to hold the aggressor liable for damages and bring trust to affected governments and individuals, he said.

Al-Otaibi said the world should not forget that establishing compensation and addressing the impact of aggression are key to building trust, reconciliation and clearing any remaining issues that might in the future stand in the way of restoring and forging relations and achieving common interests of the states concerned.
Dick DeGray, of Brattleboro, Vt., puts on his mask before going into the Municipal Building, in Brattleboro, as the town started to require visitors and staff to put their masks back on Aug. 11, 2021, due to COVID-19 virus numbers increasing in Windham County. (Kristopher Radder/The Brattleboro Reformer)

For the first time since the start of the year, the entire country is no longer on Chicagos travel advisory for unvaccinated people.

Maryland was removed Wednesday, meaning there are now 48 states and four territories on the list of states from which unvaccinated travelers are urged to take extra COVID-19 precautions. Illinois is not included in the list because officials do not want to restrict intrastate travel.

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The last time there was at least one state not on the travel advisory was the first week of January.

Children under age 5 are exempt because they are not yet eligible for the coronavirus vaccine, but the adults they are traveling with must be inoculated or quarantine.

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Though one state has come off our advisory, and Chicago and Illinois now have our lowest daily COVID-19 case rates in months, the virus is still with us, in Chicago and around the country, Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said in a statement. The fact remains that nearly every state or territory is on the advisory.

The advisorys latest guidance calls for unvaccinated people to test for COVID-19 one to three days before leaving Chicago and three to five days after they return to the city. They must also quarantine for five days upon coming back to Chicago regardless of the test result.

States get on the travel advisory if they track more than 15 daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. Three more states and three territories could get off the list next week, as they have already dipped below that threshold.

Meanwhile, Illinois daily case rate is at 13.5 per 100,000 residents, while Chicagos is 10.3. The city has fared well in recent weeks with COVID-19 metrics, allowing for Tuesdays announcement that Chicago can follow the state in lifting its mask mandate next week.

The most recent city data shows an average of 278 cases per day and a positivity rate of 1.5%.

ayin@chicagotribune.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The United States added to sanctions Wednesday against what it said were members of an illicit financing network for Yemens Houthi rebels, responding to the Iran-backed group's recent escalation of drone and missile attacks on its oil-rich Gulf neighbors .

The penalties from the Treasury Department appeared to fall short of the tougher measures that the Saudis and Emiratis, key strategic partners of the U.S., had sought from the Biden administration.

U.S. officials have been in talks with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the crisis in Ukraine worsens high petroleum prices and a supply shortfall globally.

President Joe Biden said last month that the United States was considering redesignating the Houthis and individual Houthi leaders as terrorists, a step that typically carries harsh U.S. government penalties for those doing business with them.

The debate surrounding that U.S. threat has highlighted the difficulties the West faces in trying to fashion financial penalties that hit Yemens Houthis  an isolated group with limited exposure to Western financial networks  without greatly deepening hunger and poverty among millions of ordinary people in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsulas poorest country.

The new sanctions are aimed at a source of the rebel group's financial support, targeting alleged front companies and ships that the U.S. says worked with a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard to smuggle petroleum and other commodities around the Middle East, Asia and Africa to help fund the Houthis.

Despite pleas to negotiate an end to this devastating conflict, Houthi leaders continue to launch missile and unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against Yemens neighbors, killing innocent civilians, while millions of Yemeni civilians remain displaced and hungry, Treasury Undersecretary Brian E. Nelson said in a statement.

The Biden administration already sanctioned what it says is the Houthis' lead financier, Said al Jamal, and other alleged members of the smuggling network last year. Wednesday's sanctions name additional individuals and businesses.

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The Houthis seized control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the rest of the north of Yemen in 2014. A Saudi-led military coalition entered the war the next year in a so-far unsuccessful fight against the rebels.

The Houthis have resisted Biden administration attempts to get them into peace talks and have escalated sporadic air attacks into Saudi Arabia and the UAE instead. U.S. forces in the UAE have fired back with Patriot missile batteries.

The Trump administration imposed the terrorist designation in its last days. The Biden administration lifted it as one of its first acts as aid groups said the penalties would scare away commercial food suppliers and hinder humanitarian efforts in an already chronically hungry country. An estimated 80% of Yemens people live in territory under Houthi control.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some Americans and Yemenis argue that reinstating the designation could deter the Houthis, and possibly push them toward talks to end the war.

Humanitarian agencies and some Democrats in Congress say the opposite. They contend that the financial measures that come with such a designation risk pushing many Yemenis into famine.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy led 11 other Democratic senators Wednesday in urging against putting Houthis back on the United States' terrorist list.

Commercial suppliers and shippers would immediately stop delivery of goods into Yemen rather than risk triggering U.S. penalties, regardless of any food and fuel exemptions the U.S. might try to carve out, the senators wrote Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
People line up for water at a pumping station in Shchastia in eastern Ukraine. Some have lost running water and have to carry buckets and bottles home. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been described by President Biden as an unprovoked and unjustified attack.

The urgency of the situation isn't new to organizations in California and elsewhere that have been helping Ukrainians affected by fighting that dates to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and other territorial moves.

Eliza Gorham Shaw, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said Red Cross teams have witnessed how the violence has affected people daily  on personal, psychological and emotional levels.

"It also hits every aspect of efforts to keep going with the most basic, mundane, routine tasks. Damage to essential infrastructure such as water, gas and power supplies, mostly as a result of explosive weapons, has caused cuts and shortages, with huge knock-on effect for communities far beyond the immediate area of fighting," she said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians in California are newly concerned about the safety of their loved ones, many of whom have adapted to living with conflict, said Dmytro Kushneruk, the consul general of Ukraine in San Francisco.

"In no way are we downplaying the situation, but when you're in a country that's in a state of war, psychologically, it's part of daily life," Kushneruk said.

If you wish to help, Kushneruk pointed to three organizations in California that continue to help Ukrainians. The Red Cross and UNICEF are also active in Ukraine. Here's who they are and what they need.

Revived Soldiers Ukraine

What it does: This organization funds medication and medical supplies for field and army hospitals at the front lines of eastern Ukraine. Revived Soldiers Ukraine was founded in 2016 and has since brought 50 wounded Ukrainian soldiers to U.S. hospitals for care.

How you can help: The organization's president, Iryna Vashchuk Discipio, said they urgently need monetary donations to buy medication and to repair a car used to rush injured soldiers away from the front lines.

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International Medical Corps

What it does: The Los Angeles-based organization provides emergency relief to those struck by conflict, disaster and disease. When an emergency has ended, the organization shifts its response to long-term medical support and training. The organization has been operating in eastern Ukraine since 2014, delivering primary healthcare and mental health services to communities affected by the ongoing conflict.

How you can help: A monetary donation will help International Medical Corps as it prepares to deploy mobile medical teams to provide emergency and primary health services, mental health and psychosocial support and COVID-19 awareness and prevention services.

Direct Relief

What it does: The Santa Barbara-based organization distributes donated medicine and medical supplies. Direct Relief has supplied Ukrainian healthcare providers with more than $27 million in medical aid. It recently sent a large shipment of diabetes supplies and is offering its Ukrainian partners IV fluids, antibiotics, medications for anesthesia, sutures, and cardiovascular medication, among other supplies.

How you can help: A monetary donation will support Direct Relief's efforts to send medical supplies to Ukrainian healthcare providers.

Nova Ukraine

What it does: Nova Ukraine has several humanitarian efforts, including Heart2Heart, which assembles and delivers aid packages to Ukraine.

How you can help: You can donate clothes, shoes, household supplies, personal hygiene products, baby food (with an expiration date of not less than six months from date of purchase), diapers and medicine. Heart2Heart is specifically in need of shoes and clothing for children. It also accepts wheelchairs, anti-decubitus pillows and personal hygiene items for wounded soldiers.

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, volunteers with trucks or vans are needed to take care packages to a delivery company, Meest, in Sacramento for transport to Ukraine.

Hromada

What it does: This San Francisco-based organization runs a charity, the Anhelyk Foundation, that supports the children of families whose parents died in the fighting in eastern Ukraine. For the last four years, the foundation has supported these families by sending them $50 per child. It also provides college scholarships.

How you can help: Monetary donations are accepted through Paypal, on the organization website, or by a check mailed to Hromada, P.O. Box 7026, Corte Madera, CA 94976.

Operation USA

What it does: The Los Angeles-based international disaster relief and development agency helps communities at home and abroad to overcome the effects of disasters, disease, violence and endemic poverty. Operation USA is in touch with the Assn. of Community Foundations in Poland to assess any and all opportunities to provide aid to Ukrainian refugees.

How you can help: The organization is sending bulk shipments of material aid, and it also hopes to make cash grants and provide additional support to small but effective community-based partners aiding vulnerable families. To support this effort, select "Support Ukrainian Refugees" or leave a comment on what project your donation should fund online.

Kidsave

What it does: Through its partners in Ukraine, this Culver City-based organization has moved more than 100 children over the last three years out of orphanages in Mykolaiv and Kherson back to their biological families or into new homes.

How you can help: Kidsave is pivoting its efforts to providing financial support to its Ukrainian partners as they work to move children, already in new homes, and their families to safety and provide for their basic needs. Through its partners, 87 children and their families have been moved. A monetary donation will help Kidsave's partners move children in orphanages to safety until the search for permanent homes can continue.

Article 26 Backpack

What it does: From UC Davis, Article 26 Backpack is a free and confidential service that enables students, refugees and other displaced people to virtually store and share personal records essential to protecting them and reestablishing their lives. Users can upload and store documents in the password-protected, cloud-based service. The online tool is available in Dari/Farsi, English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

How you can help: Use social media or other means to spread awareness of this service with friends and relatives in or fleeing Ukraine.

International Committee of the Red Cross

What it does: Shaw said the Red Cross' humanitarian work aims to help people rebuild their lives and cope with the wider consequences of conflict.

"For example, to help families in the Donbas, the region where fighting is taking place, we helped repair thousands of homes damaged in the conflict, hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, schools and community centers. We provided income-generating and food-producing initiatives and improved learning and safety conditions of schools close to the line of contact," she said.

How you can help: A monetary donation can help repair homes or infrastructure such as water pumping stations, and provide mental health and educational services. The Red Cross also provides education about avoiding land mines and unexploded ordnance.

UNICEF

What it does: UNICEF's Humanitarian Action for Children appeal helps provide conflict- and disaster-affected children with access to water, sanitation, nutrition, health and safety services. Catherine Russell, the organization's executive director, said the original appeal for Ukraine sought to raise $15 million, but the new ask is $66.4 million to respond to the most recent crisis.

How you can help: A donation will help UNICEF continue trucking safe water to conflict-affected areas and prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies as close as possible to communities near the front lines. Funding also supports UNICEF's mobile teams.

CARE

What is does: CARE is an international organization that fights global poverty with emergency response and long-term development projects.

How you can help: A monetary donation will support CARE's efforts to raise at least $20 million for direct aid and recovery to Ukrainians in need. It's aiming to assist at least 4 million Ukrainians with food, hygiene kits, psychosocial support services, water and cash.

International Rescue Committee

What it does: The organization responds to help restore health, safety, education, economic well-being and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. The International Rescue Committee is in Poland assessing humanitarian needs.

How you can help: A monetary donation will help the organization provide food, medical care and emergency supplies to refugee families from Ukraine.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Authorities escort a hostage out of the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, on Jan. 15. A British citizen took four people hostage and demanded the release of a federal prisoner. The hostages survived, but their captor was fatally shot by the FBI.

Biden policies tied to rise in antisemitism

Regarding Politicians enable antisemitic behavior, a Feb. 19 letter that appears to blame only Republican politicians for not addressing the antisemitism issue, I would like to go further.

As a famous politician once said: The buck stops here."

Lets go to the top of the tree and start with President Joe Biden who, after Donald Trumps successful Israeli policies, deemed Israel irrelevant and renewed a relationship with Iran, which has stated it wants to wipe Israel off the face of the map.

Also, the recent Texas synagogue incident was downplayed in the media to keep from insulting a certain group and it initially was not labeled an antisemitic act.

More: How to send a letter to the editor

These factors, along with the Squads anti-Israel policies, certainly have had an effect and influence on the rise in antisemitism in the United States, as well as Europe. When Israel is not considered important, it gives permission for many to take antisemitic actions.

As a Jew, it is scary in this country that Jews are afraid to go to synagogue, or wear yarmulkes or other Jewish garb.

I fear never again could happen in this country if we dont speak up and know who we are voting for in the future.

Harriet Joy Epstein, Sarasota

Stand in solidarity with Jewish community

We, the Womens Interfaith Network of the Sarasota-Bradenton area, stand with our Jewish neighbors in condemning the distribution of antisemitic leaflets. Such actions have no place in our communities.

Unity rally: Sarasota galvanizes against hate following antisemitic attacks

The Womens Interfaith Network strives to live out the principles articulated by Hans Kung, a Swiss Catholic theologian, as part of the Declaration Towards a Global Ethic adopted in 1993:

No peace among the nations without peace among the religions. No peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions. No dialogue between the religions without investigation of the foundations of the religions. No survival of our globe without a global ethic, supported by both religious and non-religious people.

Story continues

All faith traditions uphold some form of the Golden Rule:

 Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.

 Christianity: In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you.

 Islam: Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others that which you wish for yourself.

We call upon all people in the Sarasota-Bradenton area to join in solidarity in creating a world where respect is given to all, regardless of religious affiliation or no religious affiliation.

Rev. Dr. Jeanette Sherrill, Womens Interfaith Network, Sarasota

With school cuts, DeSantis acts like child

Over the past years, I have been angry, disappointed and even incredulous because of Gov. Ron DeSantis actions, but never have I been so indignant and full of rage as when I read that he supports cutting funds to school officials who implemented a mask mandate for the safety of the children and educators.

Has the governor, with his punitive and wrathful actions, considered that the children could be harmed, in innumerable ways, by his proposed financial cuts, which have passed the House as part of the state budget (If Legislature does cut $12M from Sarasota schools, its unknown what impact will be, Feb. 18)?

As a retired teacher and school administrator, I often, personally, bought learning tools for my classes and schools, believing that they would enhance student learning. Teachers and administrators still do that.

The governor should be protecting our schoolchildren and supporting their educational well-being.

This punishment is more than a rap on the knuckles of school officials. It is adolescent behavior and a violation of good faith by a governor who should think beyond his own political life.

Must we continue to struggle under DeSantis without letting him know that we oppose so many of his ill-timed and penalizing decisions?

Alice Blueglass, Sarasota

NATO ignored Putins takeover of Belarus

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown he is smarter than all the NATO leaders combined. While making the West worry about an invasion of Ukraine, he has taken Belarus without firing a shot.

Belarus once courted both camps, but now is occupied by Russian forces and its president is singing Russias tune. If anyone thinks those forces are leaving Belarus, I have a bridge Id like to sell you.

Dana A. Cyr, Sarasota

Olympic athletes can spread word on China

Let us honor all the participants in the Winter Olympics and all those who train for any sport at home.

May the returning competitors spread the word about authoritarian regimes to the media and, hopefully, there will be a reawakening and the exercising of the right to vote for nonauthoritarian politicians.

Dale Horwitz, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Policies contribute to antisemitism, support for Jewish community
coronavirus COVID-19 community spread states spike increases coronavirus cases arizona california los angeles county LA barbara ferrer gavin newsom governor democrat masks lax international airport thermal cameras





A Los Angeles County woman on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles airport police and the city of Los Angeles alleging that she was jailed for 13 days after being mistaken for a person with the same name, NBC News reports.

Bethany K. Farber claims that she was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport while on her way to Puerto Escondido, Mexico.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers took Farber to a room and held her for two hours before telling her she was wanted for arrest in Texas.

Farber, who says she has never been to Texas, told the TSA officers that they were mistaken. The TSA allegedly did not confirm Farber's identity or check her driver's license.

Farber's lawsuit reads: "Plaintiff informed the TSA officers who prevented her from boarding her flight that she had never been to Texas, and she certainly was not wanted for any crime there. Plaintiff repeatedly asked the TSA officers to check again, and further informed them that if there was in fact a warrant for her arrest it was identity theft."

The LAPD held Farber at the Lynwood Women's Jail for 13 days following her detention by the TSA.

Faber says that her wrongful imprisonment violated her civil rights, adding that the defendants in the suit were negligent and intentionally caused emotional distress.

"At no time did City Defendants ask Plaintiff for her driver's license, date of birth, age, social security number or any other information which would have proven that Plaintiff did not have any warrant for her arrest in the State of Texas," Farber's lawsuit says.
(Getty Images)

A 33-year-old woman was reportedly swindled out of $300,000 worth of bitcoin by a man she met on the dating app Hinge.

According to The New York Times, the woman met the Chinese architect while he was staying in Maryland for a long-term assignment. Tho Vu, who works in customer service for a security company, developed a crush on the architect, who went by the name Ze Zhao, after months of texting back and forth.

The architect  whose real identity is not known  told Vu that he could help her make money by trading bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. She ended up sending him more than $300,000 worth of bitcoin to an address that Zhao told her was connected to the Hong Kong cryptocurrency exchange known as OSL. But instead of going into a crypto account, the money went into the scammers wallet and he vanished.

Dating app scams like The Tinder Swindler have doubled in the past year. The Federal Trade Commission reported that romance scams in 2021 hit a record $547m in losses, a nearly 80 per cent increase compared to 2020. Cryptocurrency alone counted for $139m (102m) lost to a romance scam.

Romance scammers are people who create fake social profiles using pictures taken from the internet, and trick their victims into sending them money. According to the NYTimes, these scammers appear to be going after younger and more educated women on dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, and prefer using cryptocurrency because of the privacy they offer.

Stories of dating app scams made worldwide news this month when Netflix released their true crime documentary, The Tinder Swindler. The film follows three women as they track down a man who allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from them.

The man allegedly behind the scam, Simon Leviev, presented himself on Tinder as the son of a Russian-Israeli diamond mogul to trick women into believing he was wealthy, only to then request thousands of dollars from them when he was said to be in danger. According to the FTC, this is a common tactic among dating app scammers.

Romance scammers weave all sorts of believable stories to con people, but their old standby involves pleas for help while claiming one financial or health crisis after another, they reported.

Since the release of the documentary, Leviev has denied the claims made by the victims in the film.
As we drove into Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on a recent birding trip to North Carolinas east coast, we stopped to chat with a woman parked by the side of the road.

She had watched a red wolf catch a groundhog for breakfast and had patiently waited all day to try for another glimpse before dark.

There are only eight red wolves left in North Carolina, she said, and she had driven from New Jersey to see them.

Her quest made me wonder about red wolves, which are about to fall off the extinction cliff. An internet search revealed there are only about 14 red wolves left in the wild, a species once found through much of the eastern and central U.S.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently declared 23 species extinct, and most of them had not been seen for 50 years or more, including the ivory-billed woodpecker, Bachmans warbler, a tiny catfish called Scioto madtom and the little Mariana fruit bat.

While it seems to take us a long time to declare a species extinct, the rate of extinction is currently believed to be the fastest since dinosaurs disappeared from the Earth.

The planet is experiencing its sixth mass extinction, the first one in human history, and its caused primarily by humans destroying and degrading the habitats of other species, as well as overfishing, overhunting and climate change.

Learn more by reading Elizabeth Kolberts The Sixth Extinction.

I have dubbed this period the sorrow, having been on the planet to witness a 60% loss in numbers of most vertebrates since 1970.

A major study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and BirdLife International found the Earth may be on the brink of a mass extinction event.

Worldwide, it is thought that more than 500 species of land animals are close to extinction and could be lost within the next 20 years.

The report, which studied 29,000 species of land vertebrates, was published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

While species have always gone extinct, the IUCN estimated that the number of extinctions expected in the next two decades would take thousands of years if not for the negative impact of humans.

The IUCN also estimates that 40,000 species are currently threatened with extinction.

The human population is expected to surpass 8 billion next year. To reverse the extinction of other species, we must slow our growth and work fast to restore the planet to a healthy equilibrium.

The late biologist E.O. Wilson proposed saving half the Earth for other species. To do so, we must expand wildlife preserves and stop cutting forests.

That means we must reduce our agricultural footprint, especially for meat production, and our desire for ever-larger houses, shopping malls and all other structures.

The clock is ticking and once-abundant life forms are disappearing. The question remains whether we are willing to change anything to save them, and ultimately, ourselves.

Shannon Brennan can be reached at shannonw481@gmail.com.
A Lynchburg man died after a single-vehicle crash early Saturday on U.S. 460, just east of Timberlake Road, Virginia State Police said.

The wreck happened at about 1:19 a.m. Saturday when a 2016 GMC Canyon pickup truck headed west on U.S. 460 ran off the right side of the road and struck a guardrail.

The truck then headed back across the road, through the median and off the left side of the road, police said in a news release.

The driver, Marvin W. Wood, 67, of Lynchburg, was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he died Monday from his injuries, police said.

 From staff reports
Chicago firefighters work on a two-alarm church fire in the 4500 block of North Spaulding Ave in the Albany Park neighborhood on Wednesday Feb. 23, 2022. This is the second fire this week in Albany Park. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Nobody was hurt Wednesday afternoon in an extra-alarm fire at a vacant church in the Albany Park neighborhood, officials said. It was the third fire the Chicago Fire Department responded to in Albany Park in three days.

The blaze, erupted at a church, 4500 N. Spaulding Ave., according to Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt.

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As of about 2 p.m., the fire was extinguished, Merritt said.

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez, 33rd, said she was very concerned when her staff told her about the fire as she sat in a City Council meeting, and quickly called the Office of Fire Investigations to see if there was any link between this fire and the other ones this week.

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The Fire Department is obviously aware of the three fires within a small area, but there was no evidence showing a connection Wednesday afternoon, Merritt said.

The building was previously a Korean church but had been abandoned for several years, Rodriguez said.

Its really sad. Its a beautiful building, she said. There was a proposal on the table to develop the area into apartments, she added, but it hadnt been finalized.

Dozens of parents and children, many seemingly walking home from school, looked up to see the shattered stained glass windows and blackened interior of the church Wednesday afternoon.

Stan Lau, standing with his eighth grade son, said he could smell smoke from his home down the street.

I was surprised that theres two major fires in just less than a week, Lau said, referring to another fire that broke out Monday in the same neighborhood, less than a mile away.

Chicago firefighters work on a two-alarm church fire in the 4500 block of North Spaulding Ave in the Albany Park neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2022. This is the second fire this week in Albany Park. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

A firefighter was injured in a separate fire Tuesday, in the nearby 3300 block of West Cullom Avenue, according to the departments Twitter.

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rsobol@chicagotribune.com
LOVINGSTON  A man charged with murder in connection with the burned body of a Charlottesville man found alongside a trail in Nelson County is attempting to convince a jury he is not guilty by reason of insanity.

The four-day trial of Roger Dale Beverly, 36, started Tuesday in Nelson County Circuit Court. Beverly faces charges of first-degree murder, stabbing with intent to maim or kill, concealing a body and petit larceny in the death of Winfred W. Watson, 48, of Charlottesville.

Dressed in an untucked blue dress shirt and sporting long hair and an unkempt beard, Beverly sat next to his counsel Tuesday, occasionally oscillating in his chair as the parties made arguments.

Addressing the jury, Erik Laub, assistant commonwealths attorney for Nelson County, argued there was no doubt of Beverlys guilt. Laub said Watsons body was found with several charred spots alongside a wooded trail connecting the Lovingston Ridge Apartments and the Lovingston Food Lion on May 2, 2019.

Beverly was found nearby that same afternoon and seemingly admitted to killing Watson.

When asked whether he killed Mr. Watson, Beverly told police, I aint got no time to play games. If you threaten me, if you act like you want to fight me, thats it, Laub said.

According to a timeline of events presented by Laub to the jurors, Beverly stabbed Watson 13 times during the early afternoon of May 2, 2019. He then waited around in the area where he eventually approached Virginia State Police officers and was taken into custody.

Laub told the jurors he expected the defense to spend much of its time discussing Beverlys mental health and dark family history.

Though he said he had no reason to doubt this information or Beverlys post-arrest schizophrenia diagnosis, Laub said he did not believe it met the high legal standard needed to be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

There are only two people who can tell you for sure what happened that day and one of them is dead, he said. But what can speak is evidence, which will show that Beverlys actions were violent and criminal.

Brady S. Nicks, Beverlys defense attorney, spent most of his opening statement highlighting a history of mental illness plaguing his client.

According to Nicks, both Beverlys mother and grandmother suffered from symptoms that indicated schizophrenia and the poor living conditions the defendant was raised in also may have contributed to his mental illness.

Beverlys schizophrenia, as well as his higher risk of injury due to a lifelong issue with hemophilia, may have contributed to his paranoid state of mind, Nicks said.

You will hear experts testify that the reality Mr. Beverly experiences is not the same as you or I experience, he said.

Nicks described the attempt by Beverly to light Watsons body on fire as woefully inadequate, but ceded he could not explain why his client attempted to do so, though he said he doubted it was an attempt to cover up evidence.

Since his incarceration, Nicks said Beverly has been both diagnosed and treated for schizophrenia and has been doing better in the highly structured jail environment. Prior to his arrest, Nicks said Beverly had never received a psychological evaluation or any form of treatment despite a long, obvious history of concerning behavior.

The first witness called Tuesday was Candice Simpson, the first person to find Watsons body.

She was walking from her job to her home via the trail when she said she noticed smoke. It wasnt until she got closer that she noticed the smoke was from a body and not from a brushfire, as she initially had believed.

I saw a man standing over the body and I asked him Is that a dead body? and he told me, Yep, she said.

Simpson positively identified the man she talked to that day as Beverly and said she wasnt afraid to approach him when she discovered Watsons body.

As soon as Beverly confirmed Simpson was looking at a dead body, she said she left and soon contacted the police.

Several witnesses from the state police and Nelson County Sheriffs Office also testified, including Virginia State Police Special Agent Clay Oberholt, who interviewed Beverly at the scene.

A recording of the interview was played in which Beverly repeatedly said he panicked when questioned about why he killed Watson.

Oberholt described Beverlys appearance as disheveled and said he could smell alcohol on Beverlys breath, although he said Beverly did not appear overly intoxicated.

When pressed by Nicks about Beverlys claims of hemophilia, Oberholt said the defendant had mentioned his medical issue prior to the start of the recording. However, Oberholt said his interview with Beverly was centered more around trying to determine why the defendant had stabbed Watson.

The jury also viewed crime scene photos, several of which showed Watsons body lying face down on the side of the trail. Despite evidence of attempts to burn Watsons body, aside from charred greenery around him and some burnt residue on his back, Watsons body appeared largely undamaged.

The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.
The University of Virginia has received nearly 51,000 applications from high school seniors, breaking a school record for the second straight year.

Down Interstate 81, Virginia Tech set a record, too, with 45,000 applicants.

But while the states most prestigious public colleges are flourishing, others are struggling to find students. The number of undergraduates at Radford has sunk 23% in four years. Longwood has lost 22%, and Virginia Commonwealth University has slid 9%.

Altogether, the state has lost 24,000 undergrads in four years, a 7% drop.

At a time when college enrollment is down nationally, Virginia schools are experiencing a boom-or-bust scenario. High school graduates in the state are increasingly choosing out-of-state colleges, and other states are producing fewer high school grads.

The change in enrollment will impact that level of funding colleges receive in the days to come from the General Assembly.

Theres something going on, said Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, at a recent higher education subcommittee meeting. Theres something in the water.

Among the states 15 public four-year colleges, six have grown, while nine have shrunk since 2017. There are a number of effects at play, said Peter Blake, director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Virginia high school students are more likely to select out-of-state schools, such as the University of Alabama, he said. The majority of losses came from in-state students.

High schoolers from other states are choosing Virginia colleges less often. And the states that are typically rich with future Virginia college students, such as New Jersey and New York, have experienced drops in the high school age demographic, producing fewer college applicants.

COVID only accounts for some of the decline. Virginias public schools experienced only a 2% drop in undergraduate enrollment between fall 2019 and fall 2020.

We expected a lot worse and it didnt happen, Blake said.

The number of international students fell 15% during the pandemic, as many foreign students chose to stay home. A decline in international and out-of-state students hits a colleges budget harder because they often pay twice as much as in-state students.

Sen. Frank Ruff, R-Mecklenburg, said hed like to see more research done to understand why college enrollment is down.

Affordability is always a challenge, Blake added. The average cost of a college education in Virginia shot up 40% between 2009 and 2018, but costs have remained relatively flat the past three years. The average in-state student pays $13,000 in tuition and mandatory fees and $12,000 for room and board annually.

What kids have to pay, its beyond belief, Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said.

Its up to both the state and families to pay for a college education. Currently, the state funds roughly half the cost, while families cover the other half. Edwards said hed like to see Virginia return to a model in which the state covers two-thirds of every college education.

Community colleges are struggling the most. The state has lost 23,000 community college students in four years, a drop of 14%. Their numbers have been falling for a decade, reaching a 20-year low.

Blake called the drop unprecedented, because when an economy struggles, typically community college enrollment increases.

Richard Bland College, the states only junior college, has bucked the trend, growing by 21%.

The pandemic drove lower-income students away from college, as community colleges and other schools that cater to low-income families saw their enrollments drop, while the states wealthiest schools kept growing.

Minimum wage has increased, and many low-skill jobs are paying higher wages, driving high school grads away from college and toward entry-level jobs.

The G3 bill  Get skilled, get a job, get ahead  signed last year by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, was designed to pump up community college enrollment by paying for the tuition of students enrolled in in-demand fields.

The states most prestigious colleges are among the schools that have grown: Virginia Tech (9%), George Mason (8%), Norfolk State (7%), UVa (4%), and William & Mary (4%).

No school has added as many students as Virginia Tech, whose undergraduate student body jumped by more than 2,500 students to 29,760.

Tech has become humongous, said Norment, who described the college as wanting to be everything to everybody.

Techs enrollment has ballooned 25% in the past decade. When a prestigious school decides to accept more students, Norment said, it digs deeper into its applicant pool and essentially robs other schools of their students.

Norment wondered if their enrollments should be capped, a process that would require General Assembly approval.

Except its not a zero-sum game. There are 14% fewer in-state undergraduate students compared to a decade ago.

Neither UVa nor Virginia Tech expects to grow in the next six years.

Moving forward, finding students will be even harder. The number of high school graduates is expected to decrease 10% between 2025 and 2037, the result of fewer births.

But Virginia colleges still expect to grow their enrollment, even while the pool of applicants slides, by keeping more students in college

The graduation rate in the state is just below 70%.
The University of Virginia received nearly 51,000 applications from high school seniors this year, breaking a school record for the second straight year.

Down Interstate 81, Virginia Tech set a record, too, with 45,000 applicants.

But while the states most prestigious public colleges are flourishing, others are struggling to find students. The number of undergraduates at Radford sunk 23% in four years, while Longwood lost 22% and Virginia Commonwealth University slid 9%.

Altogether, the state lost 24,000 undergrads in four years, a 7% drop.

At a time when college enrollment is down nationally, Virginia schools are experiencing a boom-or-bust scenario. High school graduates in the state are increasingly choosing out-of-state colleges, and other states are producing fewer high school grads.

The change in enrollment will impact the level of funding colleges receive in the days to come from the General Assembly.

Theres something going on, said Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, at a recent higher education subcommittee meeting. Theres something in the water.

Among the states 15 public four-year colleges, six have grown, while nine have shrunk since 2017. There are a number of effects at play, said Peter Blake, director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Virginia high school students are more likely to select out-of-state schools, such as the University of Alabama, he said. The majority of losses came from in-state students.

High schoolers from other states are choosing Virginia colleges less often. And the states that are typically rich in future Virginia college students  such as New Jersey and New York  have experienced drops in the high school age demographic, producing fewer prospective college applicants.

COVID-19 only accounts for a portion of the decline. Virginias public schools experienced only a 2% drop in undergraduate enrollment between fall 2019 and fall 2020.

We expected a lot worse and it didnt happen, Blake said.

The number of international students fell 15% during the pandemic, as many foreign students chose to stay home. A decline in international and out-of-state students hits a colleges budget harder because they often pay twice as much as in-state students.

Sen. Frank Ruff, R-Mecklenburg, said hed like to see more research done to understand why college enrollment is down.

Affordability is always a challenge, Blake added. The average cost of a college education in Virginia shot up 40% between 2009 and 2018, but costs have remained relatively flat the past three years. The average in-state student pays $13,000 in tuition and mandatory fees and $12,000 for room and board annually.

What kids have to pay, its beyond belief, Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said.

Currently, families split the cost of education with the state. The state funds roughly half the cost, while families cover the other half. Edwards said hed like to see Virginia return to a model in which the state covers two-thirds of every college education.

Community colleges are struggling the most. The state lost 23,000 community college students in four years, a drop of 14%. Their numbers have been falling for a decade, finally reaching a 20-year low.

Blake called the drop unprecedented, because when an economy struggles, typically community college enrollment increases.

Richard Bland College, the states only junior college, has bucked the trend, growing by 21%.

The pandemic drove lower-income students away from college. Community colleges and other schools that cater to low-income families saw their enrollments drop, while the states wealthiest schools kept growing.

Minimum wage has increased, and many low-skill jobs are paying higher wages, driving high school grads away from college and toward entry-level jobs.

The G3 bill  Get skilled, get a job, get ahead  signed last year by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, was designed to pump up community college enrollment by paying tuition for students enrolled in in-demand fields.

The states most prestigious colleges are among the schools that have grown: Virginia Tech (9%), George Mason (8%), Norfolk State (7%), UVA (4%), and William & Mary (4%).

No school has added as many students as Virginia Tech, whose undergraduate student body jumped by more than 2,500 students to 29,760.

Tech has become humongous, said Norment, who described the college as wanting to be everything to everybody.

Techs enrollment has ballooned 25% in the past decade. When a prestigious school decides to accept more students, Norment said, it digs deeper into its applicant pool and essentially robs other schools of their students.

Norment wondered if their enrollments should be capped, a process that would require General Assembly approval.

Except its not a zero-sum game. There are 14% fewer in-state undergraduate students compared to a decade ago.

Neither UVA nor Virginia Tech expects to grow in the next six years.

Moving forward, finding students will be even harder. The number of high school graduates is expected to decrease 10% between 2025 and 2037, the result of fewer births.

But Virginia colleges still expect to grow their enrollment  even while the pool of applicants slides  by keeping more students in college.

The graduation rate in the state is just below 70%.
Emperor Naruhito, on the occasion of his 62nd birthday on Wednesday, called on people in Japan to keep "a fire of hope" burning in their hearts and support each other in the face of challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The emperor also said he felt thankful to health care workers and the many people who have battled against the prolonged pandemic, while offering condolences for the losses suffered in the past year.

"The difficult situation continues, but I strongly believe that it is possible to overcome this severe reality with patience by caring for each other, sharing each other's pain and making efforts to support each other," he said during a press conference held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo ahead of his birthday.

While saying the pandemic has made it difficult for him to meet directly with people, the emperor said he hopes everybody will cherish the bonds they have with each other this year.

The emperor usually greets the public at the Imperial Palace to celebrate the occasion, but his birthday address was canceled for the third year in a row to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

In the press conference, he expressed wishes that his niece former Princess Mako will "lead a happy life" after her marriage to commoner Kei Komuro in October. But the emperor said he felt sorry for "causing concern to many people" as the union followed years of controversy over a money dispute involving the husband's family. ...continue reading
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced sanctions against Russia for its unilateral recognition of the independence of two regions in eastern Ukraine.

Kishida met reporters on Wednesday after discussing the issue with his chief and deputy chief cabinet secretaries.

Kishida said Japan will suspend the issuance of visas and freeze the assets of individuals linked to the pro-Russian regions, and impose a ban on trade.

The issuance and circulation of new Russian sovereign bonds will also be prohibited in Japan.

The prime minister condemned Russia's actions, saying they infringe on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and violate international law.

He urged Russia to return to the diplomatic process, adding that Japan will continue to closely monitor the increasingly tense situation.

Kishida also said his government will do its utmost to secure the safety of Japanese citizens in Ukraine.

The prime minister said that if the situation further deteriorates, Japan will need to swiftly consider additional measures in coordination with other Group of Seven nations and the international community.

He said his government will closely communicate and share information with the United States and Europe.
The Iowa Western Community College Board of Trustees on Monday approved a preliminary budget for 2022-23 that would set spending limits at $61,039,326 for the general fund, $26,503,117 for the physical plant and $5,737,282 for the bond and interest fund, according to Eddie Holtz, vice president of finance.

The budget will now be published, and a public hearing will be held on it during the trustees meeting on March 14.

The budget would result in a property tax levy of $1.37785 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, Holtz said, which would be a decrease of 8.023 cents from its current level of $1.45808 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. Revenue would also be boosted by a 5.6% increase in the colleges tax base, continuing a 15-year upward trend, he said. The preliminary budget is based on an assumption that enrollment will be basically flat.

Still, the board may need to increase tuition by $7 per credit hour, but that will not be decided until May, he said. If enacted, the boost would put Iowa Westerns tuition rate at $194 per credit hour. Currently, the average rate among Iowas community colleges is $184.85  but the other colleges have not set their rates for 2022-23 yet, either. Community colleges are still waiting for the Iowa Legislature to decide on a funding level for them for next year.

Iowa Western did not increase tuition for the 2021-22 academic year, because it used COVID-19 relief money to offset what would have been a $7 bump.

Most of Iowa Westerns revenue  59%  comes from tuition and fees, according to a chart Holtz displayed during the board meeting. State funding accounts for about 32%. The remainder is 5% from local support, 1% from federal funding and 3% from other sources.

The board also approved a New Jobs Training Agreement for $2 million in New Jobs Training Certificates, Series 2022, for a training agreement with Pella Corporation. The college will provide training for 178 new employees at the companys Shenandoah plant, 150 of whom have already been hired, according to Starlyn Perdue, director of economic development at Iowa Western. Some of the openings are being filled with employees from Pellas Indiana plants.

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Four men and one woman are in custody after an alleged home invasion and robbery that occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

Jeff W. Pfarr, 29, Gage L. Rose, 20, Frank T. Stewart Jr., 30, Kendrick G. Arredondo-Beltran, 20, and Valerie M. Claar, 35, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree robbery and second-degree burglary, according to the Council Bluffs Police Department Arredondo-Beltran is from Bellevue, Nebraska, while the others are from Council Bluffs.

Police said officers responded to a home in the 100 block of South Seventh Street around 12:23 p.m. on a report that the four men had broke into an apartment and allegedly assaulted a man while stealing property from the residence. The four suspects fled in a vehicle driven by Claar, police said, and were eventually arrested in the 2400 block of Ninth Avenue.

Charges were filed after the suspects spoke with detectives, police said.

The male victim was treated at the scene and released with minor injuries, police said. A woman was inside the residence at the time of the incident, but police noted no one else was injured during the home invasion.

Police asked anyone that was in the area of the Seventh Street home at the time of the incident to contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 712-328-4728 or to call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds will give Republicans response to President Joe Bidens State of the Union address, congressional Republican leaders announced Tuesday.

The annual State of the Union address is scheduled for March 1. Biden will deliver his remarks to a joint session of Congress. Reynolds will deliver Republicans message afterward from Des Moines.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, of California, made the announcement Tuesday.

A joint news release said Reynolds during the COVID-19 pandemic became a national leader in effectively balancing lives and livelihoods and said she was the nations first governor to require schools to offer full-time, in-person instruction.

Roughly 9,000 Iowans have died of COVID-19, and the states rate of 283 deaths per 100,000 residents is the 20th-lowest in the country, according to federal data.

The news release also credited Reynolds for sending Iowa State Patrol officers to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist with immigration enforcement.

Republican governors across America are leading the charge in defending liberty and securing unmatched economic prosperity in our states, Reynolds said in the news release.

The Biden administration is governing from the far-left, ignoring the problems of working-class Americans while pushing an agenda that stifles free speech, free thought, and economic freedom. The American people have had enough, but there is an alternative and thats what I look forward to sharing on Tuesday evening.

Reynolds follows in the footsteps of her friend and fellow Iowa Republican, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who gave the Republican response to President Barack Obamas State of the Union address in 2015.

Last year, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, of South Carolina, provided the Republican response.

In Iowa, we have seen what proven leadership looks like under our governor and my friend, Kim Reynolds, someone who is cutting taxes, expanding opportunity, and standing up for our students and families, Ernst said in a statement.

I cant think of a better person to make the case for freedom and liberty and against the radical Biden agenda than Gov. Reynolds.

Matt Sinovic, executive director of the progressive advocacy organization Progress Iowa, issued a statement that said Biden has delivered for working families and called Reynolds a corporate sellout.

Over the last year, while President Biden worked to get Americans vaccinated and back to work, Corporate Kim Reynolds put our families in unsafe conditions to fatten her corporate donors profits and worsen her workforce crisis, Sinovic said in the statement. We deserve better. Its time our nations leaders agree to put people over corporations. Instead of selling corporate greed on the nations stage, Gov. Reynolds should stay home and work to solve her workforce crisis.

This will be Bidens first State of the Union address as president. Last year he spoke to a joint session of Congress in April, but that was not a State of the Union address.
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Veronica Alvarez, mother of 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez, holds a photo of her son and his grandmother, Maria Luisa Lira, at her home on Feb. 23, 2022, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

The family of Anthony Alvarez, a man killed by police during a foot chase in March, has filed a lawsuit alleging the city bears responsibility for his death in part because the Chicago Police Department had no policy on such pursuits  a set of guidelines still being finalized nearly a year after the shooting.

The citys failure to implement a foot-chase policy and its support of a policing culture of impunity were the driving force behind the (officers) unconstitutional actions, according the lawsuit, filed in federal court by the mother of Anthony Alvarezs young daughter.

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The suit was filed Wednesday afternoon, about a month shy of the anniversary of the shooting of Alvarez, a 22-year-old father who was part of a large extended Mexican American family on the Northwest Side.

A photo of Anthony Alvarez is surrounded by candles and flowers at his father Oscar Martinez's home. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Alvarez was shot while moving away from Evan Solano, the officer pursuing him, who was yelling at him to drop the gun, a video of the shooting released last year showed. Solano fired shots, and footage shows Alvarez drop a pistol as he fell to the ground. He was shot in the back and thigh, an autopsy later revealed.

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Alvarez did not threaten the officers or anyone else, and police had no valid reason to stop him or chase him that night, the lawsuit states. The citys Law Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the suit.

The shooting that killed Alvarez happened just days after Chicago police shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo during another fatal foot chase,. The two shootings touched off waves of protests and demands around the city for the department to change its policies around such pursuits. Both the mayor and police leaders pledged an overhaul as the departments guidelines were found to be out of step with other large departments.

Just this week, the Chicago Police Department was in the final stages of setting a new policy, collecting public input on changes that would restrict when and how officers can pursue suspects on foot.

The city knew that police foot pursuits were potentially dangerous for years but dragged its feet on implementing a policy that outlines when they are appropriate, according to the lawsuit.

Deaths like Anthonys were foreseeable, given the lack of official policy at the time of his death, attorneys for Alvarezs family said in a news release Wednesday. Even now, the city is struggling to finalize and implement a foot pursuit policy.

Giselle Higuere filed the suit on behalf of Alvarezs estate and on behalf of their daughter, 3-year-old Ailani Alvarez.

Alvarez helped Higuere pay her rent, helped care for their daughter and though they were separated they had family outings with Ailani, Higuere told the Tribune on Wednesday.

Higuere said she keeps a photo in her bedroom of Ailani and Anthony. Now that Ailanis learning to talk, she sometimes asks about him, Higuere said.

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She decides to ask what happened to her dad and why doesnt she see him anymore, she said. So that kind of makes it a little tough when you dont know what to say to your kid.

Veronica Alvarez, mother of 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez, holds a photo of her son and his grandmother, Maria Luisa Lira, at her home on Feb. 23, 2022, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Higuere said she hopes the lawsuit will pressure the Police Department to make changes to its foot-pursuit policy, and that she feels the family will get justice if Solano is put in jail.

The city also has long failed to investigate and discipline police officers for wrongdoing, which results in the culture and endemic attitude among members of the Chicago Police Department ... that they may engage in excessive force against the citizenry with impunity and without fear of official consequence, the suit alleges.

The shootings of Alvarez and Toledo were also captured on video, including on officer body cameras. Footage from both shootings was released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the agency that is investigating the shootings.

The Cook County states attorneys office also is reviewing whether criminal charges against the officers in those shootings might be appropriate; as of Wednesday, prosecutors investigations were still pending, according to a spokeswoman for the office.

The Alvarez familys suit names the city and Police Department as defendants along with Solano and his partner. Solano was stripped of his police powers a couple of months after the shooting.

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Every week for almost a year, Oscar Martinez has replaced the flowers on his sons altar with fresh ones. A framed photo of Alvarez sits on an elevated shelf with the two flower vases, a statue of the Virgin Mary and burning candles.

Alvarez would have turned 23 on Valentines Day.

They took a part of me, of my life, that Ill never get back, Martinez said. I feel an emptiness inside me.

Oscar Martinez, father of Anthony Alvarez, holds a photo of his son at his home on Feb. 23, 2022, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

His family hopes his death and the lawsuit will lead to change for the Police Department and for the city of Chicago, Martinez said. They also hope it brings them some justice and closure, he said.

What I want more than anything is that there be justice, Martinez said. Even as time passes we wont stop pushing for justice.

Alvarezs mother Veronica told the Tribune that a ruling in favor of the family in the lawsuit would help fulfill one of her sons dreams: to make sure his daughter is always taken care of.

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One of the dreams that my son always had was that his daughter would get ahead, that his daughter would get an education, that his daughter would not lack for anything, she said. He was always attentive to that, that his daughter had everything.

Footage of the shooting released last year shows much of the lead-up to the chase, as well as the moment Alvarez was shot.

Security footage overlooking a nearby gas station showed Alvarez walking through its lot with what appears to be a plastic bag when an unmarked police SUV, with its emergency lights flashing, abruptly advances toward him.

Police had no legitimate reason to try to stop Alvarez, the suit states  he was not seen breaking any law, and was not wanted for any felonies. Driving toward him that way was an aggressive and unwarranted tactic, according to the lawsuit.

An attorney for Solano, Tim Grace, told the Tribune last year that the officers had tried to curb Alvarezs car the night before, but he fled and they decided not to pursue him, Grace said.

When they again spotted Alvarez the night of the shooting, they tried to stop him again, Grace said, and eventually chased him on foot. Solano believed Alvarez was turning to shoot him when he opened fire, Grace has told the Tribune.

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Another third-party camera shows Alvarez running from the gas station onto a sidewalk while the police SUV follows him on the street. Alvarez then can be seen making his way through an alley, where footage captured the ensuing foot pursuit.

On the police body-camera footage released by COPA, officers can be seen running down an alley at first, then bearing down on Alvarez as they turn a corner onto a small lawn.

Footage from what appears to be a security camera from the home Alvarez was shot in front of shows him running into the frame, stumbling as the officer gains ground. The video is clear enough to see the muzzle flash from Solano as he fires.

Hey! Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Solano yelled, according to his body-camera video, and raised his own weapon to fire five shots.

Alvarez collapsed to the ground in a front yard, moaning in pain. Why are you shooting me? he said.

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Because you had a gun! the officer responded.

The footage also shows Alvarez let go of a gun as he falls to the ground, and police have said they recovered a pistol at the scene.

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

scasanova@chicagotribune.com

asweeney@chicagotribune.com
Another police officer who has come forward with concerns about sexual harassment and discrimination within the Lincoln Police Department has been suspended and now is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation.

Officer Luke Bonkiewicz has been a visible part of LPD, working in part as a public information officer until last year, when he was moved to education and personnel.

The Internal Affairs investigation of Bonkiewicz is one of at least half a dozen made of officers who have complained about sexual discrimination or harassment or who have supported the women who have. Two lawsuits have been filed so far, in addition to one that was settled last month.

Bonkiewicz  who received a Mayor's Award of Excellence in 2014 for studying LPD's mental health referral program and in 2018 was named a National Institute of Justice LEADS Scholar for his work using scientific evidence in evidence-based policing  was suspended without pay Feb. 8.

Asked about the decision to suspend Bonkiewicz, Chief Teresa Ewins did not refer to him by name, but issued a statement Feb. 11: "Due to public interest of this issue and our ongoing effort to provide greater transparency with our community, I am informing the public I received information that would indicate an employee with this department did not fully and accurately provide information to an Internal Affairs investigator."

She said in light of the allegation, she placed the employee on a 30-day suspension while the matter was thoroughly investigated.

In the emailed statement, Ewins called it a personnel matter and said she wouldn't name the employee or provide additional details.

She said the investigation does not detract from the great work of LPD. Every day, the women and men of the department serve the community with integrity and selfless dedication to public safety and that work will continue, Ewins said.

Requests for comment made to Bonkiewicz by the Journal Star went unanswered.

A week before his suspension, Bonkiewicz's name appeared on a journal article in Police Quarterly, along with former LPD Officer Angela Sands, who was fired in December, and three others from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, titled Police Sexual Violence: A Study of Policewomen as Victims, which examines instances of sexual violence against women within police departments.

His name has since been removed from the article.

The women interviewed for the article broadly blamed a prevailing sexist culture at their agencies from rank-and-file officers to administrators for assaults occurring and going unreported.

Research suggests it's uncommon, the authors wrote. "Nonetheless, its existence and constant threat of occurrence within a profession designed to prevent and investigate such incidents is sobering."

The study included female officers across three states in the Midwest, South and East regions of the U.S., and didn't name any specific police departments. But some of the allegations outlined mirror allegations made in recent lawsuits against the city of Lincoln. In January, Officer Erin Spilker filed the most recent, alleging years of discrimination based on her sex and insufficient efforts to investigate her reports.

In an email obtained by the self-described left-leaning website Seeing Red Nebraska sent from Bonkiewicz to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's chief of staff nearly a year ago, Bonkiewicz described a "dark undercurrent" in the Lincoln Police Department.

He said there was "a pervasive subculture that marginalizes female sworn officers, ignores reports of sexual harassment, and fosters an environment that discourages women from reporting both sexual harassment and sexual assaults committed by male employees."

In the email, he said in his 10 years at LPD, he's spoken with many women about their experiences in the department.

"To be sure, many of them report positive experiences, and LPD is an exceptional agency in many respects. However, many women also report atrociously sexist and even assaultive behavior by male co-workers," Bonkiewicz wrote in the email sent in March 2021 to Jennifer Brinkman.

He listed more than a dozen incidents, including accounts where a male officer groped a female officer's breasts at an off-duty gathering; male officers showed cruiser camera or body-worn camera footage of sexual assault victims (some nude) to other officers; a male officer grabbed a female officer's butt as she checked out equipment for her shift; and a captain tried to groom new female officers, telling them they had to sleep with him or their career would suffer.

Bonkiewicz said some perpetrators have left the department, but many remain.

"This problem did not suddenly emerge, and it will not suddenly disappear. It will take leadership of the highest caliber to address this problem and bring about a massive, sorely overdue cultural change," he wrote in the email, which he said was intended to provide feedback to the mayor as she chose the next police chief.

The city denied the Journal Star's public-records request for Bonkiewicz's email.

Assistant City Attorney Danielle Rowley said it was exempt from disclosure under a state statute involving records developed by law enforcement that "constituted a part of the examination, investigation, intelligence information, citizen complaints or inquiries."

The city, however, did release a second email requested by the Journal Star, sent Jan. 1, 2021, from Sands, Spilker, Melissa Ripley and Sara Khalil to Gaylor Baird regarding the search for a new police chief.

"Fearing for our careers and safety, there were occasions we stayed silent. We can no longer tolerate the hostile and discriminatory work environment that plagues this department, and we hope for a more promising future not only for ourselves, but for other female officers and potential female recruits that our force so desperately needs."

Each of the women is represented by attorney Kelly Brandon in current or anticipated lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting.

On Monday, City Attorney Yohance Christie said he was unable to comment on Bonkiewicz's suspension.

This is a personnel matter. We owe an obligation to our employees to keep their personal information confidential. I will not be commenting on personnel issues.

In January, city officials briefed the City Council on the situation at LPD during an executive session, at the request of council members.

Councilman Tom Beckius, who asked for the briefing, said the purpose was to learn more about the efforts being undertaken by the Lincoln Police Department to ensure all employees have a safe workplace."

After reviewing department policies and trainings, I do not believe there is a need to intervene, Beckius said Monday. But I will be paying close attention as pending complaints are heard and decided.

City Council Chairman James Michael Bowers also said in a separate statement Monday that the council will continue to monitor the situation.

In recent months it has become public that several female LPD officers have filed lawsuits alleging sex discrimination, he said. We support the right of everyone to seek redress through our court system, and we do not condone harassment of any kind. While we expect that these matters will be disposed of appropriately through our judicial branch, the court system, we can assure you that we will closely monitor these cases and act accordingly upon any conclusion.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger Reporters Andrew Wegley and Margaret Reist contributed to this story.
Sen. Ben Sasse on Tuesday described President Joe Biden's sanctions against Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine as "too little, too late."

"These sanctions should have happened before (Russian President Vladimir) Putin further invaded Ukraine -- not after," the Republican senator said.

"Second, economic sanctions now need to more aggressively target Putin's oligarchs to make sure they feel real pain," he said.

"Third, we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that today's incremental sanctions will deter Putin from trying to install a puppet government in Kyiv."

The United States should supply Ukraine with more weapons, Sasse said, and "arm the Ukrainian people to the teeth."

Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry said "late-game sanctions after a failed (Vice President) Kamala Harris visit to Germany are not going to stop this determined aggressor."

Fortenberry suggested immediate return to American energy independence, an end to European dependence on Russian natural gas, re-establishment of Europe's burden-sharing with NATO and "arms for and support of reform within Ukraine" as actions that would make a difference.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon
New sponsors have been lined up for former state Sen. Mike Groenes major North Platte-related bills, one of which moved to the legislative floor Tuesday.

The Urban Affairs Committee voted 7-0 to advance Legislative Bill 1065, which Groene introduced to refine his microTIF program passed unanimously in 2020.

The vote included an amendment to make it easier to target scattered older neighborhoods for microTIFs property tax refunds to rehabilitate aged properties.

Gary Person, president and CEO of the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp., said Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha told him Tuesday hell become LB 1065s chief sponsor.

Wayne chairs the Urban Affairs Committee and co-sponsored Groenes 2020 microTIF bill. He represents the Florence area and other parts of far northeast Omaha.

Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer will step up from co-sponsor to chief sponsor of Groenes LB 788, which would boost state matching funds for industrial rail parks like the one planned outside Hershey.

Finally, Groenes bid to apply federal COVID-19 aid toward building Sustainable Beef LLCs North Platte meatpacking plant (LB 783) will be taken up by Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha.

Sustainable Beef CEO David Briggs took the lead in recruiting a new sponsor for that effort, Person said. McDonnell, a former Omaha firefighters union president, represents south Omaha.

Unlike the microTIF and rail-park bills, LB 783 likely will be copied into an overall Appropriations Committee proposal for using American Relief Plan funds.

Person thanked Wayne, Brewer and McDonnell for being willing to take on bills important for North Plattes economic progress.

He spent most of Tuesday morning reaching out to possible new sponsors before Speaker Mike Hilgers noon CT deadline for lawmakers to decide.

You can imagine how busy they are after four days of being gone for their Presidents Day recess, Person said. But they were very good in getting back to me.

Senators had already left Lincoln for their long weekend when news broke that a former aide of Groenes had accused him of taking inappropriate photos of her and kept them on his state laptop computer.

Groene, saying he didnt want to put his family through a legal fight, said Friday he would resign. He made it official Sunday, writing Hilgers that his resignation would take effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday.

The other 48 senators had to email Hilgers by the end of Tuesdays morning session if they wanted to sponsor any of Groenes 15 outstanding 2021 and 2022 bills.

Any such bills unsponsored after that would die, the speaker told the Omaha World-Herald Monday. Those with new sponsors were to be updated to that effect on the Legislatures website.

Groenes microTIF update bill retained the programs thrust and most of the departed District 42 senators proposed changes as it moved Tuesday to the full Legislature.

LB 1065 would extend microTIFs property tax refunds for rehabbing or replacing aged buildings to include construction on long-platted vacant lots.

Such lots would have to have been platted and inside city limits for at least 60 years, as would the single-family, multifamily or commercial buildings targeted in Groenes original 2020 microTIF bill.

They also must be inside areas declared substandard and blighted for purposes of tax increment financing. LB 1065 would extend the maximum time to collect microTIF refunds from 10 to 15 years.

The Urban Affairs Committee amendment refines one Groene offered to help cities open up more areas to microTIF without running out of room to use regular TIF.

After studying whether a given area should be declared substandard and blighted, the amendment says, a citys governing board could declare such area or any portion of such area to actually be TIF-eligible.

North Platte City Council members have asked whether they could confine such declarations to small groups of homes. Nonmetro cities North Plattes size cannot have more than 35% of their total areas declared TIF-eligible.

The citys percentage stands at 26.4%, which would drop to 21.6% if Lee Bird Field and some connecting tracts are annexed into city limits next month.

Urban Affairs Committee members also tweaked Groenes adjustments in microTIFs maximum estimated post-project taxable value.

As Groene had proposed, the limit for single-family home projects would grow from $250,000 to $350,000.

But the limit for multifamily or commercial projects would rise from $1 million to $1.5 million, rather than the $5 million LB 1065 has called for. The cap for National Register of Historic Places properties would stay at its current $10 million.

Person said hes glad the committee agreed to boost microTIFs residential and commercial valuation caps. Everythings an improvement, he said.

But LB 1065s original multifamily and commercial caps would have worked better for rehabbing upper-floor areas in North Plattes Canteen District, he said.

Id prefer it be higher, because I know what people are running into with those projects, he said. One and a half million dollars wont go too far.

More by Todd von Kampen

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World (culture) war. Photo: Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images

Blue America is a nation with an ever-shrinking countryside. In 2008, Barack Obama won 875 U.S. counties; in 2020, Joe Biden won 527, thanks largely to the rightward drift of rural jurisdictions.

The fact that the Democratic coalition has grown increasingly urban is not inherently problematic; after all, the U.S. population is itself increasingly concentrated in cities. But Americas political geography has a significant rural bias. The middle of the country is home to a large number of low-density, low-population states, each of which boasts as many votes in the Senate as California.

Rural Americas overrepresentation lies behind the bulk of blue Americas present discontents. Due to the Senate maps inequities, the Democrats managed to orchestrate a popular vote landslide in the 2018 midterms while still losing seats in Congresss upper chamber. Thanks in part to the House maps (less egregious) bias toward rural areas, Bidens comfortable victory in 2020 coincided with a loss of House seats, while the partys gains in the Senate were highly limited. As a result, Senate Democrats inability to achieve unanimity on climate and social policy has derailed Bidens legislative agenda. Meanwhile, the partys thin margin in the House all but guarantees a Republican takeover in November.

And the long-term outlook for Democrats in the Senate is even grimmer. The party owes its present majority to improbable luck: Many red-state Democrats happened to be on the ballot in 2018, a historically favorable year for blue America. And even then, Joe Manchin and Jon Tester won reelection only narrowly. Judging by their margins, had they faced voters in 2020 instead, Republicans would likely hold their seats. If urban-rural polarization continues to increase  while ticket-splitting continues to decline  Democrats will likely lose the Senate this November and fail to regain it for a decade or more.

All this has prompted much debate about how Democrats can stem their losses in rural areas. Some, like Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman, have criticized the party for ignoring the forgotten, the marginalized and the left-behind places and have called for greater investments in rural outreach. Others, like former North Dakota senator Heidi Heitkamp, have implored the party to distance itself from far left political forces, such as the movement to defund the police.

It is plausible that Democrats could make marginal gains in rural America through adjustments in resource allocation, issue positioning, and/or ideological branding. Any clear-eyed analysis of the partys geographic problem, however, must recognize its structural roots. Urban-rural polarization is not an American phenomenon but one present in polities throughout the Global North. Judging by the available evidence, it is rooted less in the contingent decisions of contemporary Democratic politicians than the cultural consequences of industrial development in liberal democracies.

You dont need a degree in political science to discern a cultural divide between big cities and their rural hinterlands. Indeed, to believe that urban centers are more morally permissive and tolerant of nonconformity than small towns, one need only adhere to common sense or Hollywood cliches. But the cultural chasm between Americas cities and its countrysides does not reflect a timeless law of human nature. Rather, it has dramatically expanded over the past half-century, as Americas urban population has grown vastly more socially liberal.

What it means to have progressive social values is a question that can inspire controversy. But in political science, social liberalism generally denotes a tolerance for ethnic, cultural, and sexual diversity and individual choice concerning the kind of life one wants to lead. It is therefore a values orientation associated with support for immigration, gender equality, legal abortion, and LGBT rights. Public support for the progressive position on these and associated issues has increased significantly in the U.S. over the past two generations, and most other developed nations have witnessed a similar evolution in public opinion over the same period.

The political scientist Ronald Inglehart attributed this development to economic modernization: As human beings grow more prosperous and personally secure, they become more tolerant of ethnic diversity, sexual noncomformity, and social difference. By contrast, under conditions of scarcity, in which relations among groups appear to be zero-sum, humans tend to embrace in-group chauvinism and more socially authoritarian sentiments. A large body of public opinion research has buttressed this theory. In the World Values Survey, more economically developed nations consistently evince more support for progressive social values than less developed ones. Separately, the residents of wealthier countries  whether themselves socially liberal or socially conservative  are more likely than those of low-income countries to consider cultural issues more important than narrowly economic ones.

If economic development tends to render nations more socially liberal, however, this cultural evolution proceeds unevenly across national space. Like economic growth itself, progressive social values are disproportionately concentrated in urban areas. There are many plausible explanations for this. One follows from the premises of modernization theory: Urban residents are on average more prosperous than residents of low-density areas and would therefore be more inclined toward the post-scarcity values of social libertarianism and toleration.

Another explanation concerns the selection effects that determine whether individuals live in cities or rural areas. There is some evidence that attending college  and/or possessing the personal disposition associated with academic success  inclines one toward social liberalism. If this is the case, then cities might appear more socially progressive merely because job opportunities for college graduates are disproportionately concentrated in urban centers. Similarly, if immigrants are disproportionately likely to live in high-density areas, then urban areas might be more pro-immigration for mere demographic reasons.

Alternatively, once cities have acquired a reputation for social liberalism, they might start attracting rural dwellers who possess such values while repelling those who dont. Will Wilkinson proposed this thesis in his paper The Density Divide. And last year, the social scientist Markus Jokela produced empirical evidence to support it: Tracking a sample of Americans over a four-to-six-year period, Jokela found that rural dwellers who identified as Democrats were more likely to migrate to cities than those who identified as Republicans.

Finally, some political scientists argue that the city itself serves as an agent of progressive value change. For one thing, by bringing diverse groups into close proximity, cities facilitate the rapid dispersion of new ideas and values across diverse subpopulations. For another, population density helps members of sexual minorities find one another and organize, while also providing women stuck in traditional gender roles access to alternative role models, information, and public spaces with which to contest patriarchal values.

Precisely why industrial development and urbanization in the Global North has led to an increase in both the prevalence of progressive values and the urban-rural cultural gap cannot be settled here. But a new study fortifies the notion that this has in fact happened.

In Progressive Cities: Urban-rural polarisation of social values and economic development around the world, researchers affiliated with the International Inequalities Institute examined public opinion data from urban and rural regions in 66 different countries. To test Ingleharts modernization theory, they chose nations with divergent levels of prosperity and economic development. They then constructed a gauge for progressive values comprising questions concerning tolerance for nontraditional sexual morality, support for gender equality, and attitudes toward immigration.

The paper finds that there is indeed a large gap in progressive values between urban and rural areas. Crucially, though, this gap scarcely exists for low-income countries; in fact, in some less-developed nations, rural areas are actually more progressive than urban ones. Generally speaking, the wealthier a country in the study was, the more likely it was to have a large values divide between progressive urban centers and conservative rural areas.

This is consistent with the notion that, under liberal-democratic conditions, the late stages of industrial development tend to promote a proliferation of progressive social values in cities, which is not accompanied by a similarly profound liberalization in rural social attitudes (arguably because, as nations urbanize, the most socially liberal elements in rural areas disproportionately relocate to major cities).

The papers other main finding is that the urban-rural values divide remains even when one controls for age, gender, income, employment status, immigration status, and life satisfaction. A native-born, 40-year-old middle-class man in the city is liable to be more socially progressive than one in the country. This result does not tell us whether selection effects (who chooses to move to cities) or socialization effects (how cities influence their inhabitants) make city slickers more socially liberal than country folk. But it does suggest that the divide isnt wholly reducible to demographics.

All of which is to say: A hefty portion of the Democrats troubles in rural America seem structurally determined. For its entire modern history, the Democratic Partys stronghold has been major cities. As the population of those cities grew more socially progressive, the Democrats were bound to follow suit. And in becoming the party of progressive social values  in a context of deepening urban-rural culture war  Democrats were always likely to suffer an erosion of support in rural areas.

As David Shor has argued, the Democrats urban-rural polarization problem has likely been compounded by the nationalization of media and politics. In an era when the median voter got her news primarily from local newspapers and network television stations, it was easier for individual Democratic candidates to win votes in culturally conservative areas on the strength of their personal brands. Now that voters increasingly get their news from national cable-news stations and ideologically-oriented websites, theyre more inclined to vote their cultural values up and down the ballot.

In this context, Democrats can only make dramatic gains in rural America by reducing the salience of the urban-rural culture war. One approach to that task would be to increase the political relevance of issues that link the material interests of rural areas to the policy commitments of the center-left. Another approach would be to moderate on cultural issues in a highly visible way.

Neither of these paths looks especially promising. As Ive previously noted, cultural commitments have become so central to Americans politics that high-income Democratic areas routinely vote for redistributive fiscal policies in ballot referenda, while low-income Republican ones vote against them. Triangulating on social issues in an attention-grabbing way, meanwhile, would likely entail betraying marginalized groups with morally compelling demands and strong levels of sympathy among Democratic voters in general and party professionals in particular. To be sure, socially marginal populations have a strong interest in electoral expediency; acquiescing to perpetual GOP domination of the Senate means acquiescing to perpetual conservative domination of the Supreme Court, a state of affairs that will undermine a wide range of minority interests. But the failure of past (and present) compromises with social conservatism to reliably produce large electoral payoffs renders the case for triangulation difficult to make within the Democratic coalition.

None of this means that the party should resign itself to losing federal power. Politicizing economic issues that unite most urban and rural Americans, and finding low-harm ways to project a more socially moderate image, could plausibly mitigate the partys Senate problem. But urban-rural polarization is a problem that extends well beyond Americas borders, and adequately answering it may be beyond the Democrats capacity.
Illinois state Sen. Thomas Cullerton leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse after pleading not guilty, Aug. 16, 2019, in federal court to embezzlement charges alleging he pocketed almost $275,000 in salary and benefits from the Teamsters union despite doing little or no work. Cullerton indicated he will be changing his plea on Wednesday. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

State Sen. Thomas Cullerton resigned from office Wednesday shortly before his lawyer revealed in court that hes planning to plead guilty in a federal embezzlement case alleging he took a do-nothing job with the Teamsters union.

Cullerton, 52, a Democrat from Villa Park, was charged in 2019 in an indictment alleging he pocketed almost $275,000 in salary and benefits from the Teamsters union despite doing little or no work.

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The case against Cullerton, who had remained in office and is free on bond, was originally supposed to go to trial this week, but was postponed due in part to a COVID-19-related backlog of cases. Meanwhile, both sides continued to work behind the scenes on a potential deal.

In advance of a status hearing in the case on Wednesday, Cullerton sent a letter to Tim Anderson, secretary of the Senate, confirming his resignation from the body.

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Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods were copied on the letter, which consisted of only two sentences.

This document shall serve as my letter of resignation as an Illinois State Senator, the letter read.

Less than an hour later, during a telephone status hearing before U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman, Cullertons lawyer, Dan Collins, announced that theyd reached a plea deal with prosecutors and a trial date will not be necessary in this case.

Gettleman set a change of plea hearing for March 8.

Cullertons appearance was waived for the brief hearing. He declined to comment Wednesday through a spokeswoman.

The indictment against Cullerton filed in August 2019 alleges 39 counts of embezzlement and one count each of conspiracy and making false statements.

According to the indictment, then-Teamsters boss John Coli conspired with Cullerton in 2013 to give the newly elected senator a do-nothing job with the clout-heavy union. Over the next three years, the two ignored complaints from supervisors when Cullerton failed to even show up for work, according to the charges.

In all, Cullerton was accused of fraudulently obtaining $188,320 in salary, bonuses and cellphone and vehicle allowances from the Teamsters between 2013 and 2016, as well as $64,068 in health and pension contributions.

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The charges against Cullerton came three days after Coli pleaded guilty to extortion charges and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities. According to his plea agreement, Coli extorted a total of $325,000 from Alex Pissios, president of Cinespace Chicago Film Studios on the West Side, by threatening a union work stoppage.

Colis sentencing has been delayed until after his cooperation against Cullerton was complete.

Cullerton, who previously was village president of Villa Park, is a distant cousin of former Senate President John Cullerton. He was first elected to the state Senate in 2012.

Democratic leaders in Cullertons district, which stretches from Villa Park to Bartlett, will appoint a replacement to fill out the remainder of Cullertons term, which expires in January. Along with every other seat in the Senate, Cullertons is up for election in November under a new legislative district map, with the districts boundaries shifting farther east and south.

Cullertons indictment was the first in a cascade of federal criminal cases brought against state politicians, including charges against two of his former colleagues in the senate, Martin Sandoval and Terry Link, as well as indictments against former state Reps. Luis Arroyo, Annazette Collins and Edward Acevedo.

A graduate of Loyola Academy in Wilmette and an Army veteran, Cullerton was elected a Villa Park trustee in 2005 and was village president from 2009 to 2013. He worked as a truck driver for Hostess.

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In 2008, Cullerton challenged incumbent Republican state Sen. Carole Pankau of Itasca, only to be removed from the ballot because he had voted in the Republican primary that election cycle, before the Democrats tapped him to run.

He won his Senate seat in the 2012 election after district lines were drawn following the 2010 census. As a senator, he was best known for helping to lead a legislative inquiry into the deadly 2015 outbreak of Legionnaires disease at an aging state veterans home in downstate Quincy, which became major issue for then Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Cullerton sponsored legislation requiring taxing bodies to notify the public if they enter into a severance agreement with an employee who has been accused of sexual assault, as well as measures regulating lead levels in drinking water and speeding up the government consolidation process. He was outspoken on the issue of noise and pollution at OHare International Airport.

At the time he pleaded not guilty to the charges in August 2019, a spokeswoman for Cullerton issued a statement saying he would continue to fight these untrue allegations in court until his name is cleared. His attorney at the time, John Theis, blamed Coli for alleging false claims to avoid being punished himself.

Cullertons campaign fund has reported spending $110,000 on legal fees since April 2019, when subpoenas for his Senate records were made public.

Resisting prior calls for his resignation, Cullerton gave up chairmanship of the Senate Labor Committee after his indictment, but became chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, maintaining an annual stipend of more than $10,000 for leading a committee on top of his legislative salary of roughly $70,000.

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In all, Cullerton has been paid more than $200,000 out of the state coffers since he was indicted, according to the comptrollers office. Cullerton chose not to participate in the retirement system for legislators and therefore will not receive a state pension.

Chicago Tribunes Clare Spaulding and Jeremy Gorner contributed.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
Photo credit: Karwai Tang

Yesterday, the Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Copenhagen for an official public visit. This is Kate's first solo outing of 2022 and her first trip abroad since 2019, marking two years since the pandemic first hit the UK.

The duchess is researching Denmark's innovative children's' development methods to promote her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Announcing the trip on the Kensington Royals' official Twitter page earlier in the month, she wrote:

"Looking forward to learning from experts, parents & practitioners about Denmarks approach to early childhood later this month. Denmark is a beacon of best practice in its approach to the early years, with a culture which prioritises the best start in life."

Kate kept her look strictly smart/casual for her visit to the University of Copenhagen's to Center for Early Intervention and Family Studies; which is fitting, since she was seen sliding down a helter skelter at the clinic's Lego PlayLab (a project to encourage playful learning approaches during teacher training).

Photo credit: Karwai Tang

The duchess wore a Balmain-inspired blazer from Zara, cut from red tweed and finished with nautical gilt buttons. She underpinned this high-street jacket with a pie-crust trim blouse, which looked beautiful with a pearl pendant nestled between. And she accessorised with Aspinal's celebrity-approved Mayfair bag.

Photo credit: Karwai Tang

Kate's blazer isn't the only affordable piece she wore yesterday: the necklace in question costs just 120 from Monica Vinader.



Photo credit: .

SHOP NOW Nura pearl necklace, 120, Monica Vinader

This pretty piece is is strung from a recycled gold-vermeil chain and drops to a detachable cultured pearl  so you can play with the components to create several looks in one.

Monica Vinader has upped its eco credentials recently, switching to 100 per cent recycled metals, offseting emmisions to become totally carbon neutral and introducing its lifetime repair service to encourage re-use. So despite its affordable price point, Kate's Nura necklace is a true investment.



This isn't the first time the Duchess of Cambridge has championed British brand Monica Vinader. She's worn the brand's Siren earrings several times since she first invested back in 2016  a sure sign these pieces are made to last.

Story continues

Photo credit: Danny Martindale

Photo credit: .

SHOP NOWSire wire earrings, 125, Monica Vinader

Monica Vinader's sustainable collection with Mother of Pearl is selling extremely well since it launched last week, so we doubt Kate's necklace will hang around for long. Add it to basket while you still can.



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Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 62F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy early with partial clearing expected late. Low 48F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Oversaturated market. Celebs need to stop with this shit as if they don't get amazing skin/beauty treatments routinely.

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Everyone is hoping to be the next honest beauty or whatever its called lol

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IKR. I must be a low risk/high reward business for what seems like every celebrity has some kind of beauty line.

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I think what happens more often than not is an already-in-development line approaches a celeb and pays them to slap their name on it and both parties pray for success.

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Celeb skincare lines today are like yesterday's perfume every celeb was peddling 10 yrs ago.



And just as I refused to buy any scent a celeb had then, the same applies to any celeb skincare line now

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The only exception I make to this is the SLMD line, because Dr. Pimple Popper is a dermatologist in the first place and tbh her stuff is the only product line that I actually like / works for my face and skin issues.

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does she have a cream that makes her asian or smth is that her secret?!

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Trees have skincare needs?  #HerImpakt

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Theres still time for the line to be branded BARK.

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A simple  logo!

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Yaasssss Ms Sakura Johansen!!!

Along with Ari' REM asian representation has never been better!

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popcorn shop just makes me think of when i worked on the same floor as Kernels head office. they did, in fact, give out bags of popcorn on occasion when they tested new flavours.



Edited at 2022-02-23 01:23 am (UTC)

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omgggg. I went to the mall recently and the smell of Kernels was sort of intoxicating. I never even buy them but it smells so good.

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It feels satirical at this point.

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Oh my gosh I was just thinking about how oversaturated the celebrity skincare industry is, and that I just wish a celeb who I could really trust would take over. Someone humble and respectful of all communities. Someone like Japanese-American-Deciduous actress Scarlett Johansson.

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aka Sakura Johana-san lol

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I miss Schitts Creek

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kewl, idc abt sakura johan-san



but i do care about y'all reccing me a good and affordable brand of those lil patches you put on your pimples because after years of not breaking out, i just got a pimple and I'm losing my sing trying not to touch it 

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shopmissa do affordable ones! they are not likely as good as the ones with HA 'darts' but those are just $$$.

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https://www.shopmissa.com/products/aoa-skin-invisible-acne-patches-6-pack this is what i get.

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I'm lazy so I like the accessibility of the Hero brand because it's sold at Target.

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cosrx, you can buy these at ulta

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i forgot to mention.... im in mexico  but tysm!! next time i go to the us I'm gonna stock up

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So good

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+1



Honestly, I need a good facial toner for my skin I rarely get break outs but the winter cold nukes my skin and Ive been getting dry peeling from my increased sugar intake  , and something light to moisturize my face [and I dont wanna dry out my beard] 



The last stuff I used had coconut oil + honey in it it was on clearance at the Walmartz but I havent seen the same brand or bottle(s) on shelves since 

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truly beauty has a bunch of different pimple patches and they're all pretty cute! stars, hearts, even lil cannabis leaves lol

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https://global.oliveyoung.com/product/detail?prdtNo=GA210002272 I really like these!

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CORSX!! i shop on a korean site called jolse, they usually have deals. i love them

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Ive used a few brands but Cosrx has the best ones! This site has a table down below comparing the different types they have for different uses https://skinlibrary.co.uk/blogs/librarian-edits/cosrx-pimple-patches

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I use the og CosRX ones too. They actually stay on your skin and it doesn't hurt to remove them. They're not really good for under the skin pimples though, they're best for ones that can come to a head imo. I've had good luck with under the skin pimples if I first apply something like benzoyl peroxide, let that dry and then stick on the patch, but this usually takes a few days tbh.

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not the lil patches but if you've got aloe and nothing else-- aloe for pimples is a lifesaver. fresh is best but even the stuff they sell for sunburns (i have an old bottle from years ago that works just fine). it's inexpensive and natural :3

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rael, corsx, hero (a little thicker type) ive all used and they all work the same for me. all of them have stayed on overnight and doesnt hurt to peel off. rael/corsx are most similar to each other thin and more transparent while the hero brand is a little thicker and white people skin colored or transparent option.



i forget about corsx but both rael and hero also have acne patch varieties where they say for dark spots or have added salicylic acid, so essentially added acne medication ingredients to the patches. i personally didnt think they helped me and theyre much more expensive. i would avoid them because youre better off just getting over the counter acne face washes or creams with the same medication ingredients (or whatever medication prescribed from a doc).

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https://www.amazon.com/Acne-Patch-Treatment-Hydrocolloid-Absorbing/dp/B01ND4H83J/ I've always used the Medca brand. They adhere well & pull out so much gunk. I actually like the star and heart shapes best, I feel like they actually cooperate with the contours of your face better than just the basic circle shape, so they flex more, and like the heart ones can be used with the angle against your nose if need be where the circles can't, etc. If that makes sense?

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The 3M ones are the best. They sell them at Walmart but if you go to Asian supermarkets they have the super fancy editions that come with more patches.

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botox mustache

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Omg I see it lol

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I have one, and I've never gotten botox - drives me nuts when I see it in my photos!

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Me too. Like the skin is tight in that area and I get this weird fold and it hurts.

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My Ulta order arrived todaaaaaaaay.



I got the Grande Lash serum that was on sale last week. And I got a Urban Decay setting spray because I was out of setting spray.



And then I also got some eyeliners to recreate the look of the female lead in It's Okay to Not Be Okay. Specifically a metallic liner from LA Girl and then a Heavy Metal Liner in Grind from Urban Decay.

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i just got a metallic blue liner from LA girl yesterday!! im trying out more subtle eyeliner techniques, like the whole smudging your liner to make a wing



let me know how it goes!

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I really been liking the grande, should bought a backup.

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I don't need longer eyelashes but I want thicker ones. Is grandelash good for that?

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UD setting spray made me break out, hope you have better luck! Have you tried the one from NYX? I liked that one.

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my immediate thoughts are unpublishable

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This already sounds like a flop. Shes just not the kind of celebrity to personally front a brand. She has like zero engagement with fans or social media. Which is fine when shes pairing up with an already established brand but this?

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I can hear this gif

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Aw she looks so beautiful here

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birthday girl!

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What is she saying??

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WHO Releases Statement on Omicron BA.2, Reinforces Variant as a Concern

The World Health Organization recently met to discuss the latest evidence on the Omicron variant and its sublineages.

The Omicron variant doesnt seem to want to dwindle down. In the most recent efforts to track variants, the World Health Organizations Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution met on Monday to discuss the latest on the Omicron variant and its sublineages BA.1 and BA.2.

The Omicron variant is currently the dominant variant circulating around the world and accounts for nearly all cases reported to GISAID. Omicron has been reported to be made up of several sublineages, the most common being BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2.

According to a news release published after the meeting, the group said that of the cases recently reported, BA.2 has been increasing relative to BA.1 in recent weeks, however global circulation of all variants has reported started to decline. The TAG-VE reinforced that the BA.2 sublineage should remain classified as Omicron and be considered as a variant of concern.

Studies are still ongoing to discern the differences between the Omicron variants, but initial data shows that BA.2 is more transmissible than BA.1. despite the fact BA.1 is still the most reported sublineage.

The release says, This difference in transmissibility appears to be much smaller than, for example, the difference between BA.1 and Delta. Further, although BA.2 sequences are increasing in proportion relative to other Omicron sublineages (BA.1 and BA.1.1), there is still a reported decline in overall cases globally.

WHO says it will continue to closely monitor the BA.2 lineage as part of Omicron and requests that countries continue to be vigilant in their fight against Covid-19.
India needs to be smart about developing its renewables as a rushed effort to build the new energy sector could lead to other environmental issues.

India relies on coal, oil, and biomass for around 80 percent of its energy needs, but it is now investing a lot into its renewable sector.

As the world focuses on Europe as the big green energy giant, India has been steadily building its renewable energy capacity. With huge potential for solar, wind, and tidal power, India is investing in developing its renewables sector while still maintaining the coal and oil industries that keep the country running. This mix of energy sources responds to the needs of a rapidly growing population while addressing the inevitable energy transition of the future. India is ramping up its renewable energy development starting with its offshore wind as German energy firm RWE and Indias Tata Power announce a new partnership developing offshore wind projects. The Indian government hopes to establish 30 gigawatts of offshore wind operations by 2030, building on the underdeveloped sector. With 7,600 kilometers of coastline, the country is thought to have significant offshore potential.

CEO of RWE Renewables, Sven Utermohlen, stated of the partnership, India has excellent wind resources, which can help to meet the countrys increasing energy demands. Further, If clear regulations and an effective tender scheme are in place, we expect Indias offshore wind industry will gain a real momentum, he explained.

To develop the offshore wind industry, RWE and Tata will conduct technical and commercial site assessments, as well as assessing the supply chain for supporting infrastructures, such as ports and grid connections, to better understand the situation.

India has already established its onshore wind energy sector, producing around 10,000 MW of wind power each year. At present, India has a total installed capacity of 39.25 GW with major international energy firms such as GE supporting the sector. Although the government approved the countrys first offshore wind projects around three and a half years ago it has yet to happen, largely due to the lack of regulatory framework and the interruption caused by the Covid19 pandemic.

The Indian government announced an intended phase down of coal and greater investment in renewable alternatives at COP26. And recently the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) stated that it is hoping to achieve an ambitious installed capacity of 500 GW of non-fossil fuels by 2030 to meet 50 percent of the countrys energy needs.

At present, India continues to rely on coal, oil, and biomass for around 80 percent of its energy needs. In addition, its growing population means these energy needs could double in the next two decades. However, India is now aiming to achieve net-zero energy production by 2070, just 20 years after many European countries.

Related: Oil Prices Will Hit $100 And Stay There - Vitol CEO

Much of Indias renewable energy development will be supported by international investors, with Prime Minister Modi highlighting the need for support from developed economies to help India achieve an energy transition. And this strategy appears to be working as Indias green energy sector attracted $797.21 million in FDI in 2020-21.

Modi stated during the 2020 RE-Invest conference, Demand for energy in India will keep growing. There are huge renewable energy deployment plans for the next decade. And these are likely to generate business prospects of the order of $20 billion a year he explained.

As part of Indias aim to develop its renewable energy sector it is setting up green energy corridors in two phases. In the first phase of the project, India will see 20 GW of renewable energy supplied to the national grid.

India is also signing agreements on regional renewables with other state powers. This month, India signed a letter of intent with Australia on new and renewable energy technology to develop ultra-low-cost solar and clean hydrogen. The two states hope this will lead to lower-cost renewable energy technology and greater deployment capabilities.

But India needs to be smart about developing its renewables as a rushed effort to build the new energy sector could lead to other environmental issues. Just recently, the Indian media has reported on concerns over solar energy waste, suggesting that there is no clear strategy for disposing of old solar panels or waste produced during the panel manufacturing process.

In 2021, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimated that global solar waste will reach 78 million tonnes by 2050, and India could be one of the top five waste producers. As Indias solar energy sector started life in around 2010, many of its solar panels have completed around half of their lifecycle. But it must establish a clear plan for the future of its renewable energy waste to avoid causing greater environmental harm as it rapidly develops its renewable energy sector.

With already well-developed solar energy and onshore wind power industries, India is now looking to develop its significant offshore wind potential. Renewable commitments with other state powers will also help the country expand its green energy sector faster, and greater foreign investment will support Indias ambitious clean energy targets over the next decade.



By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Greater production could help cut the cost of producing solar panels.

As the prices of solar power inputs reach 10-year highs, Indonesia is looking to boost solar panel manufacturing.

In late January the Indonesian government told international media that it plans to establish a $4bn polysilicon industry. Polysilicon is a key raw material in the production of solar panels.

Two plants are set to be constructed under the plans. The first, an $800m site in Batang, Central Java, will have an initial annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes, with construction set to start in the third quarter of the year.

Meanwhile the second plant, a $3.2bn facility located in North Kalimantan, is expected to produce up to 160,000 tonnes of polysilicon per year when fully completed.

Rise in prices

The move comes after global polysilicon prices reached 10-year highs in 2021.

After prices plunged to as low as $7 per kg following a downturn in global demand associated with the Covid-19 pandemic in mid-2020, a number of polysilicon manufacturers either exited the market or scaled back production.

However, increasing demand for solar products globally has resulted in a worldwide supply shortage, which has sent polysilicon prices rising.

Prices rose to more than $36 per kg by December last year, and currently sit at around $33 per kg.

The problems in sourcing polysilicon have demonstrated some of the difficulties associated with post-pandemic supply chains, with demand for key goods and materials fluctuating dramatically over the past two years.

Ramping up production

In light of the global shortage, Indonesia is one of a number of global players looking to bolster supply.

At present, the polysilicon market is dominated by China, the US, Germany and South Korea, although there are significant operations in emerging markets like Malaysia, where South Korean chemicals company OCI has a 30,000-tonne-per-annum factory in the state of Sarawak.

In addition to Indonesias plans, producers in China have opened plants with a combined capacity of 160,000 tonnes in recent months, a significant addition to the current global capacity of around 620,000 tonnes.

The inauguration of these new facilities has boosted global capacity by around a quarter over the past few months, with the current figure expected to double by early 2023.

This will likely lead to a significant fall in polysilicon prices, reducing the cost both of producing solar panels and of the energy transition more broadly.

Indeed, Indonesia is hopeful that it will be able to offer polysilicon at below market prices, which could further increase the competitiveness of solar power.

Providing for the energy transition

The planned upgrade in polysilicon production comes as countries around the world are looking to bolster their renewable energy capacity.

Indonesia itself plans to install 5.3 GW of solar power capacity by 2030 and is encouraging businesses, factories and households to install their own solar panels.

Other emerging markets have also outlined sweeping renewable energy strategies.

For example, Saudi Arabia recently announced that it would invest SR380bn ($101.3bn) in renewable energy production by the end of the decade, while the UAE pledged to invest Dh600bn ($163.4bn) in renewables by 2050.

For Indonesia, developing a homegrown polysilicon industry would not only help to lower costs in its own solar energy rollout, but also give the country the opportunity to export a much-sought-after input that is key to the energy transition.

By Oxford Business Group

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
For decades after the rise of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel, the violence-riven Latin American country of Colombia was long associated with being a narco-state. The Andean country emerged as a partial democracy where organized crime had deeply penetrated state institutions and embedded itself in political parties with politicians funded by cocaine cartels controlling the levers of power. After decades of endemic lawlessness and violence, which nearly caused the state to fail, Colombias government, with substantial support from Washington, dismantled the powerful cocaine cartels, paramilitary groups, and leftist guerillas. While Colombia emerged as a lauded model of democratic rehabilitation, its neighbor Venezuela is a very different story. The OPEC member, which possesses the worlds largest crude oil reserves totaling 304 billion barrels, was once heralded as Latin Americas wealthiest and most stable democracy. After more than two decades of authoritarian government, democracy, the rule of law, government institutions, and the economy have disintegrated leaving the all-important petroleum industry in inexorable decline and Venezuela teetering on the brink of collapse. After falling into crisis during the late-1980s, as plunging oil prices roiled Venezuelas petroleum-dependent economy, the country was rocked by riots and civil dissent that culminated in Hugo Chavezs failed 1992 bloody coup. Upon being released from jail in 1994 Chavez, after visiting Cuba, marketed himself as a leftist firebrand politician. He then emerged victorious from the 1998 democratic presidential election. In February 1999, after taking office, Chavez launched his socialist Bolivarian revolution which focused on radical social change, the nationalization of extractive industries, and redistribution of wealth. That culminated in the adoption of a new constitution in December 1999, aimed at strengthening the presidents powers. The regime in Caracas was becoming increasingly authoritarian as democratic institutions were dismantled, the Bolivarian revolutions huge social reforms gained momentum, and Chavezs power grew.

Those developments were followed by a tremendous surge in political suppression, corruption, malfeasance, and cronyism along with a sharp deterioration in the rule of law. That resulted in additional erosion of democratic institutions, caused the economy, already under significant pressure from softer oil prices, to further deteriorate and triggered a sharp increase in lawlessness and violence. What was becoming clear was that not long after the adoption of the 1999 constitution, Venezuela, once regarded as Latin Americas most stable democracy, had slid into authoritarianism and had become an autocratic socialist state. Armed non-government groups emerged as important powerbrokers during Chavezs time in office. The former president, who died in 2013, established armed groups known as Bolivarian Circles. There were essentially civilian paramilitary bands operating independently of Venezuelas military and police who reported to Chavez. They were charged with protecting the Bolivarian revolution through the violent suppression of anti-government demonstrators, civilian dissent, and opposition politicians. Those groups, which eventually came to be known as colectivos, became a key tool for Chavez to retain his grip on power after the botched 2002 military coup.

Today, the colectivos, which are armed with military-grade weapons including assault rifles and tear gas, regularly suppress anti-government protests, intimidate political rivals and commit kidnappings as well as extrajudicial killings in the name of the Bolivarian revolution. Maduro regularly praises the paramilitary bands for the violent actions they have committed aimed at supporting his regime. After members of a colectivo attacked a public rally by opposition leader and U.S. recognized interim president Juan Guaido in May 2019 Maduro stated;

I admire them. They are organizations created for the good of the community. The collectives work for society, for the sick, for peace, and against crime. They have been around for 20 years as a form of organization of the people,

There are reports of colectivos engaging in a wide range of criminal activities. These include extortion, black marketeering of food as well as medical supplies, and trafficking cocaine as well as petroleum near the Colombian border. The considerable importance of the colectivos for Maduro to maintain his grip on power highlights the devolution of state authority and the disintegration of the rule of law which is further supporting the ascendancy of armed non-government groups in Venezuela.

Related: 5 Commodities That Could Explode As The Ukraine Crisis Escalates

It is not only domestic unofficial armed groups that have profited from the Bolivarian revolution and disintegration of democracy in Venezuela. Chavez and Maduro have openly praised and supported battle-hardened leftist Colombian guerillas, notably the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC  Spanish initials) and the National Liberation Army (ELN  Spanish initials). Both insurgent groups, since the 1960s, were engaged in a vicious low intensity multiparty asymmetric war with the Colombian state which sharply escalated during the 1980s and 1990s as vast cocaine profits flooded the country. While Colombias internal conflict significantly de-escalated over the last two decades, with the FARC eventually demobilizing after a 2016 peace deal, the ELN and dissident FARC factions are still locked in conflict with the government. Chavez and then Maduro viewed the FARC and ELN as powerful counterweights to U.S. regional influence and Colombia which is one of Washingtons staunchest Latin American allies.

Lebanese militant political group and U.S. designated terrorist organization Hezbollah also emerged as a powerful non-government armed group in Venezuela. A desperate need to find alternate sources of income and circumvent Washingtons increasingly tight sanctions for crude oil exports saw Caracas build an alliance of convenience with Irans anti-U.S. government, which is Hezbollahs main sponsor. The U.S. designated terrorist organization receives substantial support from key Maduro regime figures. Among the most prominent being oil minister Tareck El Aissami, who allegedly supplied nearly 200 Venezuelan passports to Middle Eastern citizens with Hezbollah ties. The Teheran-backed militants have been tied to cocaine trafficking and acts of terrorism in South America. Hezbollah has a close relationship with Colombian ELN insurgents and FARC dissidents with the group sourcing cocaine from the leftist guerillas while providing intelligence and money laundering services. Elements of Maduros regime, including the president himself, are implicated in those criminal enterprises with El Aissami, among other senior figures, connected to large-scale cocaine smuggling. In fact, Venezuela, because of rising lawlessness and the Maduro regimes willingness to turn a blind eye, has emerged as a key international transshipment point for cocaine sourced in Colombia and destined for the U.S. as well as Western Europe.

Nearly two decades after Chavezs socialist revolution commenced, a petroleum-rich Venezuela is in ruins with the state on the brink of collapse. The authoritarian governments of Russia, China, and Iran as well as various illegal armed non-government groups are key supporters of a corrupt authoritarian regime that has destroyed Latin Americas wealthiest, most vibrant, and stable democracy. The unraveling of an already frail Venezuelan state, which accelerated under Maduro, and a profound breakdown of the rule of law has created an ideal incubator for illegal armed groups. Their ascendancy is responsible for a sharp spike in violence and murders. By 2006, Venezuelas homicide rate had overtaken neighboring Colombias, which by the late 1980s had earned a reputation for being one of the worlds most violent countries. Many of those insurgents and armed bands which were once supported by Venezuelas autocratic regime are now threatening its existence, further complicating efforts to attract urgently required foreign investment to rebuild the countrys economically crucial oil industry.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

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Iran is preparing for a possible lifting of the U.S. sanctions on its oil exports in case a deal is reached in the ongoing nuclear talks, as the Islamic Republic seems to have accelerated the transfer of millions of barrels of crude onto tankers in recent weeks.

The volume of crude oil on tankers around Iran has surged by 30 million barrels since the start of December and is now around 103 million barrels in floating storage, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing data from commodity intelligence firm Kpler.

The talks about the United States and Iran returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)as the Iranian nuclear deal is officially knownhave entered the final crucial stage.

In recent days, reports have intensified that the indirect talks between the United States and Iran are in their final stage and are said to be about to cross the finish line, according to a tweet from Russias envoy Mikhail Ulyanov on Tuesday.

At the final stage of the #ViennaTalks intensive consultations in various formats are underway, Ulyanov said a few hours later.

However, some key issues still need to be resolved, and talks are now at a critical stage, Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday, as quoted by AFP.

We hope that some sensitive and important issues remaining in the negotiations will be resolved in the coming days with realism from the Western side, the minister said at a news conference in Tehran.

We wonder whether the Western side can adopt a realistic approach to go through the remaining points of the talks, Reuters quoted Amir-Abdollahian as saying at the same press event.

If a deal is reached, Iran could return some 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude to the tight oil market, and its oil in floating storage would be the first to go to international buyers until the Islamic Republic ramps up its oil production to pre-2018-sanction levels.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Net-zero does not mean cherrypicking, net-zero does not mean zero oil.

The worlds top oil exporter is cautioning that the underinvestment in oil and gas could spark a new energy crisis.

Saudi Arabia has a stark warning about the dangers of underinvesting in oil.

The worlds top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, has repeatedly said it wants to be the producer that will pump the very last barrel of oil. Until that time comes, the world and its growing economy will still need oil and gas, even as renewable energy capacity soars globally.

The rebound of economies after the 2020 COVID slump has shown that global oil demand is not only not declining, but it is just months away from reaching pre-pandemic levels and exceeding them.

This weekend, Saudi Arabia once again deplored the underinvestment in oil and gas and said that focusing only on renewables while campaigning against oil and gas was a mistake.

Net Zero Does Not Mean Zero Oil

The insufficient investment in the oil and gas industry harms consumers, raises concerns about short-term supply shortages, and creates challenges for policymakers, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said at the 2022 International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) in Riyadh this weekend. The campaign against oil and gas investments is shortsighted, the minister said, as carried by Arab News.

The sole focus on renewables is a mistake, said the most influential oilman of the OPEC+ coalition.

The net-zero does not mean cherrypicking, net-zero does not mean zero oil, he added.

Related: What Energy Independence Really Means For The U.S.

The sharp decline in oil and gas investments has created a danger that the world will not be able to produce all the energy it needs to promote recovery, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said at the conference, per the Saudi Press Agency.

The Saudi minister also criticized the International Energy Agency (IEA) for its contradictory messages, from no new investment ever again last year to calls last week for more investment in oil and gas amid the current energy crisis and soaring oil prices.

Saudi Arabia Boosts Oil Production Capacity

While the supermajors and U.S. shale are not racing to invest in new supply, Saudi Arabia plans to raise its crude oil production capacity by 1 million barrels per day (bpd) within five years. Saudi Arabias oil giant Aramco targets to increase its oil production capacity to 13 million barrels per day by 2027 from 12 million bpd now.

We are targeting our production capacity to become 13.4, 13.5 million barrels a day by 2027, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman told TIMEs Vivienne Walt in an interview published earlier this month.

We believe oil consumption will continue to grow. The demand for oil will continue growing. At what level, I do not know, because the jury is out. Anyone who tells you that they have a good grasp of where and when and how much is certainly living in a fantasy land, he said.

So, Saudi Arabia and its state oil giant Aramco are doubling down on oil, expecting robust global demand. The worlds top oil exporter is doing its part in ensuring oil production capacity for later this decade when chronic underinvestment in oil will have impacted supply already.

We intend to remain the worlds top producer, Yasir Othman Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of Saudi Aramcos Board of Directors and the Governor of the Public Investment Fund, said at the same conference in Riyadh this weekend.

Renewable energy sources depend on materials that can only be produced with hydrocarbons, Al-Rumayyan said, noting the steel, diesel trucks, and resin-coated blades inputs in building, transporting, and erecting a wind turbine, for example.

So make no mistake, oil and gas are part of this transition. We have a vital role to play. And we intend to be in business for a very long time, Aramcos chairman said.

Its often assumed that the only thing holding back a net-zero future is a lack of ambition. Thats wrong. Our industry has ambition in abundance. The truth is that there are still some very complex technology challenges that we havent yet solved, Al-Rumayyan added.

Underinvestment Could Create Next Supply Shortage Shock

Throughout the net-zero commitments and keep it in the ground calls of the past few years, Saudi Arabia hasnt changed its message to the energy industryrenewables are not enough, underinvestment in oil and gas threatens to create supply shortages, and a rushed transition will lead to increased volatility and higher energy prices.

Over the past few months, the world saw first-hand what fossil fuel shortages could be like. Government priorities turned from actions to reduce emissions in the long term to addressing the immediate energy crunch, soaring energy bills, and catering for the near-term energy security.

Global annual upstream spending needs to increase by as much as 54 percent to $542 billion if the oil market is to avert the next supply shortage shock, Moodys said last year.

The chief executive of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, said that the World Petroleum Congress in Texas in December:

Right now, the world is facing an ever more chaotic energy transition. Several highly unrealistic scenarios and assumptions about the future of energy are clouding the picture.

Energy security, economic development, and affordability imperatives are clearly not receiving enough attention. Until they are, and unless the glaring gaps in the transition strategy are fixed, the chaos will only intensify, Saudi Aramcos CEO noted.

Commenting on the current commodity markets, Jeff Currie, global head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs, said earlier this month that This is a molecule crisis. Were out of everything, I dont care if its oil, gas, coal, copper, aluminum, you name it were out of it.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A man was arrested in Chicago on Tuesday on federal charges alleging he illegally breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot and later bragged to a friend hed been hit with tear gas and mace by police but I still stayed on the front lines.

Athanasios Zoyganeles, 44, who has previously lived in Chicago and northwest Indiana, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington with misdemeanor counts of unlawfully entering a restricted government building and disorderly conduct on U.S. Capitol grounds, court records show.

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The complaint was made public Tuesday in advance of his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Chicago, who ordered him released on his own recognizance. A lawyer for Zoyganeles could not immediately be reached.

According to the charges, Zoyganeles had planned on traveling to Washington for weeks before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, messaging one friend in December 2020 he was down for whatever.

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Its time we take this country back, Zoyganeles wrote, according to the complaint.

About 10 days after the attack, a tipster gave the FBI a screenshot of Zoyganeles Facebook profile and said he had posted a very creepy video of him in the Capitol saying Nazis, where are you??  the complaint alleged.

The tipster said Zoyganeles was also part of a group going into offices and going through books and files, according to the complaint. Zoyganeles took down the video later that day.

The FBI used phone records to determine that Zoyganeles phone was in the vicinity of the Capitol on Jan. 6. Surveillance footage showed him in a black and red Trump hat entering through the Parliamentary Doors with a mob and taking videos on his phone while inside, according to the complaint.

Zoyganeles was seen in another camera angle standing on the Capitol steps holding a piece of wood and smoking a cigarette, the complaint alleged.

Later that same day, a Facebook user messaged Zoyganeles on the social media platform to ask if he was OK, according to the complaint.

No I rushed the capital and lost everyone I was with, Zoyganeles allegedly responded. i was teargassed maced and they were throwing flash bangs at me but I still stayed on the front lines. It wasnt easy but we did it.

In October, the FBI met with a close relative of Zoyganeles, who confirmed he was the person in the surveillance images, according to the complaint.

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Zoyganeles arrest brought the number of people arrested in Illinois on charges stemming from the Capitol breach to at least 27. The ongoing investigation has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the countrys history.

Nationwide, more than 725 people have been arrested in all 50 states and the District of Columbia on charges stemming from the Capitol breach, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Like Zoyganeles, most of those arrested in Illinois have been charged with misdemeanors that do not allege they participated in any violence. Among those charged with trespassing are a Chicago cop, two North Shore brothers, an HVAC repairman from Chicagos Northwest Side, and, last week, a Brazilian woman living in suburban Indian Head Park.

Others face felony charges, including James Robert Elliott, 24, of Aurora, who was charged in December with using a flagpole to assault officers while illegally on the Capitol grounds.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Australia has ambitious plans for liquefied natural gas exports to Asia, where demand for the superchilled fuel is expected to soar by more than 500% by 2050, as the region moves from coal to the least polluting fossil fuel.

A strong LNG demand outlook in our region will allow Australia to capitalize on the growth of global spot markets and meet unexpected demand, said the countrys resources and water minister, Keith Pitt, as quoted by Bloomberg this week.

Australia is one of the top three LNG exporters globally, along with Qatar and the United States. According to the government, it should now focus primarily on seven Asian markets, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, to boost its presence in the region. The country will also continue to supply key markets in China, Japan, and South Korea.

In 2020, Australia topped Qatar as the worlds largest liquefied natural gas exporter, shipping some 78 million tons of the commodity abroada record high.

According to the Bloomberg report, Australias LNG export income hit some $23 billion in the 12 months to last June. Government forecasts anticipate the value of natural gas to continue rising over the next two decades and beyond.

Australia currently has the biggest nameplate LNG production capacity in the world, at a total 88 million metric tons annually. Qatar is breathing down its neck with plans to boost its own LNG capacity from 77 million to 110 million metric tons annually. The United States, meanwhile, has 107 million metric tons annually in total sanctioned LNG capacity, of which 36 million tons are annually under construction, according to Rystad Energy data.

To catch up with its rivals, Australia is investing heavily in even more LNG capacity despite calls from environmentalists to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels entirely instead of shifting from one fossil fuelcoalto another.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The U.S. federal government has allocated $35 million for a company that plans to develop a processing facility for rare earth metals in California. The investment is part of nascent efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese rare earths.

Per a Bloomberg report, the company, Nevada-based MP Materials Corp, will invest $700 million of its own money in the project, which will not only be focused on rare earths mining and processing but seek to build a whole supply chain for permanent magnets, which are a key component of electric vehicles and wind turbines.

"We can't build a future that's made in America if we ourselves are dependent on China for the materials that power the products of today and tomorrow," President Biden said this week, as quoted by Reuters.

However, the issue with new mine openings in the country is a sensitive one and could hinder efforts to boost the States' independence of metals and minerals imports.

According to Biden, the federal government would not allow new mines unless "the historical injustices that too many mining operations have left behind" can be avoided.

Also, he said, "Environmental protections are paramount. We have to ensure that these resources actually benefit folks in the communities where they live, not just shareholders."

Currently, the United States imports 80 percent of the rare earths that it needs from China. This is an uncomfortable position for Washington, given the complicated relations between the two nations.

Changing the situation, however, would take quite a bit of time: China has been building its dominant position in rare earths production and processing for decades, after the U.S. and Europe decided they did not need to develop local supply.

Currently, there is one single rare earths mine in the United States, the one operated by MP Materials Inc. However, the company sends the mined output to China for processing.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Coal prices are rising again as the Russia-Ukraine crisis has put energy markets on alert and Russian coal producers struggle to get their coal via railways to export terminals due to COVID-related railway staff shortages.

JSC Kuzbassrazrezugol (KRU), asked customers to postpone initially planned deliveries of coal for the first and second quarter of 2022 by one quarter, in a letter to clients dated February 18 and seen by Bloomberg News.

Without prejudice to our rights and obligations we kindly ask you to consider postponing the deliveries previously planned, Roman Ershov, director of Cyprus-based KRU Overseas, wrote in the letter cited by Bloomberg.

There are critical staff shortages at Russian Railways due to the Omicron wave, KRU said in the letter, adding that the situation is the same for all coal producers in Russia.

Kuzbassrazrezugol (KRU) is the largest producer of high-quality coal in the Kuzbass region of Russia, with an annual production of about 50 million tons, according to KRU Overseas website.

Russia accounts for some 20 percent of global trade in coal, and COVID-related supply disruptions in the logistics of getting coal to foreign markets further tighten the global coal market, which had just gone through a month-long export ban by Indonesia.

The market is now spooked by this weeks escalation of the crisis in Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent republics and sent troops there on a peacekeeping mission.

Apart from Russia and Indonesia, coal supply is not at full capacity in major exporters Australia and Colombia, too, due to staff shortages in the Omicron COVD wave.

On Wednesday, European coal prices jumped to their highest level in four months amid global supply constraints and the crisis in Ukraine.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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U.S. gas prices may keep on rising, President Joe Biden warned on Tuesday, after the American President sanctioned Russian assets.

The sanctions, which the United States levied on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, didnt go as far as some would have liked, sanctioning Russian bank VEB and its military bank, and its foreign sovereign debt.

The sanctions, while cutting off Russias access to U.S. dollars and Western financing, will cause U.S. gasoline prices to rise.

Defending freedom will have costs for us as well, Biden said on Tuesday, according to The Epoch Times.

Tuesdays sanctions followed reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered peacekeeping forces into the two separatist regionsregions which Russia recognized as independent republics on Monday.

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been a powder keg, just waiting to blow for days now, threatening to hoist oil prices even further toward $100 a barrelor even more. The only knownand speedy--cure for those higher oil prices now is a nuclear deal with Iran. Such a deal would allow Iran to export its crude oil with greater ease. But more importantly, it would give the market more confidence that OPEC has the ability to adequately supply the market.

Along with his warning, President Biden assured Americans that he would make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at [the] Russian economy, not ours. President Biden further said he would attempt to limit that pain that is coming for U.S. consumers at the pump.

Gasoline prices have been a worry for American consumersand for President Bidensince he took office. On Monday, Gas Buddy data showed that U.S. gasoline prices had risen for the eighth straight week.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Nickel prices soared to the highest level in more than a decade amid skyrocketing demand for electric cars, as the Ukraine crisis added to supply concerns.



The combination of nickel-cobalt aluminum is the chemistry behind electric car batteries. Nickel is one of the crucial metals by mass in lithium-ion battery cathodes. Rapidly increasing demand for electric cars has tightened supplies for the metal and pushed prices on the London Metal Exchange to levels not seen since 2011.

Besides rising electric car popularity, the crisis over Ukraine has been another variable of why metal prices are soaring. Russia is the world's third-largest nickel producer, and if conflict were to break out over Ukraine, global commodity flows would crumble. Western corporate media has spent the better half of the last two weeks hyping up "imminent" war propaganda as Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron for several hours on Sunday about holding a summit with the West to offer a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis. However, the Kremlin said there were no "concrete plans" for a summit.

Related: Oil Prices Temporarily Break $99 As Russian Troops Move Into Ukraine

Nickel prices on Monday jumped as much as 2% to $24,610 per ton, the highest level since August 2011. Prices eased to around $24,530. So far, prices are up 18% in 2022.

In terms of seasonality, the last time nickel prices were at these levels for this time of year, it was in the 2000s commodities boom.

Russia is a major producer of metals, as well as aluminum. Investors have fretted that supply-chain disruptions or sanctions could hit exports from the country in the event of military action in Ukraine. Aluminum prices are on the cusp of breaking out to a new high.

Another metal that stands out is Lithium, and soaring prices have less to do with Russia but more with soaring electric car demand. Chinese prices (in USD) are up more than 50% since the end-December.

As a reminder, the spot Bloomberg Industrial Metals Subindex continues to soar to new highs.

What does this mean for electric car prices? It seems like Elon Musk will have more trouble creating an affordable Model 3.

By Zerohedge.com

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An often overlooked and ignored aspect of Venezuelas crisis is the considerable environmental degradation occurring at the hands of the OPEC members decrepit oil industry. Two decades of malfeasance, mismanagement, and corruption coupled with chronic under-investment in maintaining, repairing, and refurbishing industry infrastructure means oil spills are nearly an everyday occurrence. Frequent spillages of crude oil and emission of toxic gases, through flaring, as well as liquids from severely corroded infrastructure, including pipelines, storage facilities, and refineries, are creating an environmental crisis of catastrophic proportions in one of the worlds most biodiverse countries. A focal point of the environmental disaster engulfing Venezuela is Lake Maracaibo. Satellite images from 2021 show the body of water, which is the largest lake in South America and one of the worlds second-oldest, marred by oil slicks and algae blooms. The lake and nearby Maracaibo Basin have long been at the core of Venezuelas petroleum industry with the first productive well drilled in 1917. Local fishermen regularly complain of contaminated catches with fish and the lakes shore covered in black slime. Oil spills along Venezuelas Caribbean coast as well as leakages of petroleum liquids and related noxious gases from nearby infrastructure are regular, almost daily, events. The scale of the disaster engulfing Venezuelas environment due to oil industry operations is practically impossible to quantify because PDVSA ceased reporting spills during 2016. That coincided with the national oil company ceasing to make operational data publicly available after ending the publication of operational data certified by an independent auditor in 2012. Despite the lack of reporting, independent experts believe that oil spills, waste discharges, fumes, flaring, and other environmental emissions have soared over the last decade. During 2016, the year that PDSA ceased reporting environmental incidents, there were 8,259 spills, or quadruple the volume reported for 1999. That is a startling number of oil spills for a country that, according to OPEC secondary sources, pumped an average of 2.1 million barrels per day during 2016 compared to 2.8 million barrels for 1999, which was Chavezs first year in power.

A February 2022 report from Venezuelas Academy of Sciences, quoted by news agency Reuters, detailed nine serious oil spills during 2020 and 2021 that caused major environmental damage. This included the 26,730 barrels July 2021 spill in Falcon state which polluted the ecologically sensitive Morrocoy national park causing significant destruction. According to the academy: Along the coast, hydrocarbon spills and the discharge of waste by the oil industry happen with greater frequency every day,"

The Venezuelan Observatory For Political Ecology identified 53 oil spills (Spanish) for the period 1 January 2021 to 16 September 2021. That number is of considerable concern when it is considered that Venezuela only produced an average of 528,800 barrels per day during 2021.

Venezuela Oil Spills 1 January 2021  16 September 2021

Source: Venezuelan Observatory For Political Ecology.

More than half of those spills, 33 in total, occurred in Falcon State which contains a significant proportion of Venezuelas petroleum refineries and related infrastructures such as pipeline, storage, and loading facilities. Among the serious incidents reported by the observatory is the rupture of a tank at the 310,000 barrels per day Cardon Refinery, part of the Falcon State Paraguana Refinery Complex, which saw 3.6 million liters of gasoline drain into the Gulf of Venezuela. According to the newspaper La Prensa Del Tachira (Spanish), the crack that occurred in the tank was because of a lack of maintenance, which despite being required every two years had not been conducted by PDVSA since 2016.

Related: Russia Speaks Out Against High Oil Prices As Brent Nears $100

The condition of PDVSAs installations has significantly deteriorated over the last decade because corruption, a lack of skilled labor, and a dearth of capital are preventing the national oil company from performing crucial maintenance activities. As the condition of Venezuelas petroleum infrastructure deteriorates further, due to a decade of neglect, lack of maintenance and chronic underinvestment oil spills, emissions, and other environmentally damaging incidents will occur with greater frequency. PDVSA and the Maduro regimes primary goal appears to be to pump and refine as much crude oil as current resources on hand allow, regardless of the crumbling state of crucial infrastructure and the environmental damage being caused. That was worsened by Caracas reluctance to identify, contain, and clean up oil spills and other environmentally damaging petroleum industry discharges. There is a belief among industry analysts that PDVSA and the Maduro regime are distorting the production data provided to OPEC. For that reason, it is almost impossible to gauge the volume of environmental damage caused by oil leaks and spills, flaring, and other industrial pollution.

The environmental disaster unfolding in Venezuela caused by a near-bankrupt and desperate Maduro regime is on such a scale that it will take years, perhaps even decades, and considerable amounts of capital to clean up. As Caracas places ever greater pressure on PDVSA to lift production, with Maduro announcing in January 2022 (Spanish) that the national companys oil output will reach 2 million barrels per day before the end of the year. That overly ambitious target is nearly four times greater than the 528,800 barrels per day, according to OPEC secondary sources, pumped on average for 2021. It is also around three times higher than the 718,000 barrels produced per day shown by OPECs secondary sources and double the one million barrels a day that Maduro claims PDVSA pumped for December 2021. As PDVSA labors to achieve Maduros production target using dilapidated and decaying facilities further oil spills, gasoline leaks and noxious emissions are inevitable, causing an ever-greater degree of environmental damage and degradation. Venezuelas vast petroleum reserves, the worlds largest at 304 billion barrels, are ultimately proving to be a curse for the crisis-torn Latin American nation. For these reasons, the enduring legacy of Hugo Chavezs socialist Bolivarian revolution will not be one of greater equality and prosperity but an environmental catastrophe that will scar Venezuela for years and even decades to come.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

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Aldermen blocked a $1.675 million taxpayer-funded settlement Wednesday for a group including a woman who was dragged from her car by Chicago police at the Brickyard mall in the tumultuous days after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Four members of the City Council used a parliamentary maneuver to delay the vote on the proposed payment to Mia Wright and others. Several members of the City Council have opposed the deal, and the debate at a recent committee meeting spurred heated talk about Black Chicagoans rights and their treatment by police.

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The aldermen who moved to defer the settlement were Raymond Lopez, Felix Cardona, Nick Sposato and Silvana Tabares.

Mia Wright, who was pulled from a car by Chicago police at the Brickyard, talks to reporters in the parking lot of the shopping center on June 4, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Wright and family members said they were trying to visit the Brickyard in late May 2020. But they said they arrived to discover the Northwest Side mall closed because of civil unrest that occurred across the city in the aftermath of the killing of Floyd, a Black man who died under the knee of white Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin.

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In the Wright case, police officers suddenly surrounded the car, broke the windows and pulled Wright out of the vehicle by her hair, she said. While Wright was prone on the ground, an officer placed his knee on her neck, she said. Wright was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, though the charge was later dropped.

A relative who was with Wright captured the incident on video. Five plaintiffs would share the settlement if its eventually approved.

Officers said they thought some members of Wrights group were attempting to break into a store at the mall to steal goods, city lawyer Caroline Fronczak told aldermen during a hearing last week. But the officers also acknowledged nobody in the group matched the descriptions of the suspected looters, Fronczak said.

Last week during a committee hearing, Sposato wondered why Wright, who he said lived in the West Side North Lawndale neighborhood, drove to the Northwest Side mall to shop on a day when Chicago was experiencing extensive, well-publicized public disturbances following the Floyd murder.

Sposatos comments prompted Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, to ask: Whats wrong with somebody who lives at Pulaski and Cermak coming to the Brickyard to shop?

People do have the right to move about the city or move about the nation as they choose, Ervin said then.

Aldermen who support the settlement will have another shot at approving it at the next meeting, which wont likely occur until March 23.

Also Wednesday, the City Council passed a $1.2 million settlement for Jomner Orozco Carreto and Carlos Ramirez, two men who said an off-duty Chicago police officer shot at them while they were parked on Irving Park Road in the Albany Park neighborhood in December 2020.

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The officer, Kevin Bunge, said he heard gunshots after the car pulled up behind his parked car on Irving Park, before he got out of his car and fired shots into their vehicle. One of the men was struck in the hand.

No gun was recovered from the mens car, and they said they had pulled over simply to look up directions to a party. Bunge was charged in the case.

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com
A Douglas County judge on Tuesday ordered an Omaha man charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash to be held on $1 million bail.

Santiago Paiz-Bautista, 20, also was charged with tampering with evidence. He must pay 10% of the bail amount, or $100,000, to be released from jail.

Police said Paiz-Bautista is responsible for the death of Tommy Tsosie, 43, of Omaha. Witnesses said Tsosie was hit by a red vehicle about 1:20 a.m. Saturday while he was walking near 24th and D Streets.

Tsosie was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said a red 2015 Chevrolet Camaro was southbound on 24th Street when it hit Tsosie, who was dressed in dark clothes. The Camaro then turned west on G Street.

An affidavit filed by police said officers located Paiz-Bautista on Sunday at a home near 39th and U Streets.

He was interviewed at police headquarters and admitted to being the driver of the Camaro that struck and killed Tsosie.

Paiz-Bautista told officers that the Camaro had been towed to a mechanic near 37th and Lake Streets for repairs. Police inspected the vehicle and found it had heavy front-end damage on the right side and a cracked windshield with blood on it.

He also told police that he had been drinking alcohol prior to the collision and admitted to being under the influence while driving.

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An ally of Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday temporarily stalled a controversial plan to empower the city to go after street gang leaders vehicles and other assets, indicating the mayor needs more time to try to line up City Council votes.

Public Safety Committee Chair Ald. Chris Taliaferro, who helped shepherd the mayors asset seizure proposal through his committee last week, used a parliamentary move to push a vote on it until the next council meeting. He was joined by Northwest Side Ald. Anthony Napolitano in the move.

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Lightfoot will now have until next month to try to rally support for the ordinance.

The mayor has stood behind the plan, even as the American Civil Liberties Union and Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell joined council opponents in urging her to drop it. Critics say the new rules will hurt poor people and fail to deter crime.

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After the City Council meeting, Lightfoot disputed that the ordinance lacked votes, saying aldermen need to be educated on the proposal even though the ordinance has been up for discussion since last fall.

We made a decision that we were going to delay putting it ... for the final vote to continue to educate people, Lightfoot said.

Countering criticism that the ordinance would lead to the city targeting people without resources, Lightfoot said the city only plans to go after gang leaders who are shot callers and have resources.

Lightfoot also said she may need to make tweaks to gain support for the ordinance, though she didnt specify what they might be. The mayor amended the ordinance in January to make it clearer that the city would be pursuing adult gang leaders after civil rights advocates expressed concern about officials going after people without assets.

Lightfoot defended the measure earlier this week, telling reporters Chicago families are pressing her to do more about the violence gripping their neighborhoods. What youre not hearing is what Im hearing ... Save us from these gangs,  she said.

The proposed ordinance would allow judges or court officers to impose fines as high as $10,000 for each street gang-related offense and seize any property that is directly or indirectly used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate street gang-related activity.

It also calls for the seizure of any property that gangs obtained through illegal means such as drug dealing or other crimes.

And it allows the city to seek fines up to $30,000 against people convicted of illegal gun possession.

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The mayor introduced the ordinance last fall and received criticism from aldermen, attorneys and others who said it would mainly harm poor young gang members and their families.

We are not talking ... about low-level drug dealers on the street, John OMalley, Lightfoots deputy mayor for public safety, told aldermen last week, when the proposal succeeded in committee despite ongoing opposition.

The Lightfoot administrations latest plan also gives families of people who get cars or other assets seized a way to appeal on the grounds that other family members need the vehicles for legitimate purposes. But some aldermen say its not realistic to expect working-class Chicago families to have the money and expertise to mount such an appeal.

Afterward, Taliaferro denied delaying the vote because the administration didnt have enough support, saying he doesnt know what the roll call would have been.

He also said its important to take an opportunity for not only my colleagues but the residents of the city to have a better understanding of what it is.

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He said theres misinformation out there, but declined to say what it was. He said he wants aldermen to have more time to make a more educated decision on whether to support the ordinance.

Also Wednesday, the council approved Lightfoots choice of Andrea Kersten to head the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

The vote on Kerstens appointment was 31-14.

The mayors nomination of Kersten for the key post has been mired in discord since COPA recommended in a November report that slain police Officer Ella French be suspended for three days for her role in the wrongful Anjanette Young police raid.

Several aldermen, police officers and their supporters have ripped the Young raid report as disrespectful to Frenchs memory and blamed Kersten, who was acting head of the agency when it came out.

The report was written before French was killed during a traffic stop, and Kersten has apologized for not doing more to talk to the French family before the report came out.

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But Kersten has also said current COPA rules require Frenchs name not be redacted from the report. The council is considering changing the COPA rules to allow the names of officers killed in the line of duty to be removed from future reports.

jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

ayin@chicagotribune.com
An inactive fraternity at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that has been suspended twice since 2017 is suing a pair of administrators in federal court for allegedly violating members rights to free speech and due process.

UNL handed down a three-year suspension to Phi Gamma Delta  better known as Fiji  in 2017 for reckless alcohol use, hazing and inappropriate sexually based behavior following an investigation into members hurling sexually harassing comments at participants during the Jan. 21, 2017, Womens March.

In a complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court, the fraternity argued it was punished and retaliated against for its members political viewpoints and protected political speech in support of then-President Donald Trump.

The lawsuit, which names UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green and Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards Andrea Barefield individually, alleges the fraternity and its members suffered from investigations, suspensions and false and misleading public statements made by university officials.

It also accuses the university of failing to follow its Student Code of Conduct and Title IX policies, of enhancing punishments because of Fijis political viewpoints, stigmatizing the chapter and its members, and depriving the organization of its status and due process rights.

A spokeswoman for UNL declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

UNL opened a Title IX investigation into Fiji after participants of the Womens March reported hearing sexually harassing comments being shouted by members at the chapter house as marchers passed the house on their way to a rally at the Nebraska Capitol.

According to Brian Brislen, an Omaha attorney representing the fraternity, Fiji members were conducting their own political demonstration on the front lawn of the property.

The Title IX investigation did not result in any sanctions against the fraternity, but a second investigation focusing on violations of UNLs student code of conduct was later opened, and by March 2017, the university announced it was suspending Phi Gamma Delta through 2020.

According to the lawsuit, subsequent action taken by UNL against the fraternity resulted from the Jan. 21, 2017, event, which the fraternity argued was protected political speech in support of then-President Trump that UNL administrators disagreed with.

The chapters members political speech on or around January 21, 2017, played a part or a role in Chancellor Green and Director Barefields decision to revoke its recognition of the chapter as a student organization, the fraternity alleged.

Fiji alleges UNL administrators had already decided the chapter should face a lengthy suspension when they met with representatives of the fraternity days after the Womens March, and said the university based the suspension on a lesser violation of UNLs Student Code of Conduct.

Inappropriate sexually based behavior and sexually harassing conduct are charges that involve moral turpitude and depravity, and are not equivalent or comparable to violations of the universitys alcohol policy, Brislen wrote in the complaint.

Fiji says it continued to face retaliation after its suspension was lifted in early 2021, being placed on probation again after two UNL police officers reported seeing members drinking in the basement of the chapter house.

While on probation, which the fraternity alleges was a continuation of being punished for its political speech, a 17-year-old student reported being sexually assaulted by a 19-year-old member of Fiji during the early morning hours of Aug. 24.

Word of the reported assault spread quickly on social media, and later that night, thousands of students gathered in front of the chapter house to protest the fraternity.

UNL placed Fiji under temporary suspension, but the protests continued for several more nights, including chants, marches and calls for the fraternity to be permanently banned from campus.

The 19-year-old fraternity member accused in the reported sexual assault has not been charged with a crime in Lancaster County. The Lincoln Police Department investigation into the incident remains open.

Fiji accused Green of stoking the unverified rumors in a statement he made on social media on Aug. 25, announcing the fraternity was on probation and would be temporarily suspended while the investigation moved forward without noting the previous punishment was for an alcohol violation.

The fraternity also alleged UNL ignored fraternity members offers to assist in the investigation by giving statements and helping collect evidence, and said the university refused requests from parents to meet to discuss their sons safety.

UNL, through the University Conduct Board, a committee of students and faculty, suspended Fiji through 2026 for violating several Student Code of Conduct rules related to alcohol use  but not sexual misconduct  and stripped the fraternity of its status as a recognized student organization.

The complaint says both Green and Barefield failed to train or supervise UNL staff in a manner sufficiently calculated to prevent them from violating fraternity members constitutional rights.

Chancellor Green and his leadership promulgated an official policy or unofficial custom by which the chapter, for engaging in constitutionally protected political speech, was known to be a bad fraternity, and subject to enhanced penalties based on that status, Brislen wrote.

The lawsuit alleges the university violated the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association, as well as the 14th Amendment right of due process of both the chapter and the housing corporation that owns the property.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS
LINCOLN  There are moments that will always haunt Kaitlin Rogge after two years of watching COVID-19 take its toll on the patients in her intensive care unit.

She can close her eyes and see the man struggle to breathe. Hear the alarm going off at the nurses station and the helplessness in her voice as she called other staff to his room. Feel the tears welling up as the pulmonologist tells the man he is dying.

The panic in his eyes is forever engrained in my memory, the Lincoln nurse told lawmakers. Its heartbreaking to watch someone suffer and know theres nothing we can do to help them.

Rogge and other nurses relayed stories from the front line of the pandemic Tuesday in support of a bill that would provide bonus payments to an estimated 20,000 Nebraska nurses.

Legislative Bill 1055, introduced by State Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, would allocate $50 million of federal pandemic recovery funds for the payments. Nebraska is in line to get $1.04 billion through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The bill would provide one-time payments to nurses who provide direct care for patients in hospitals and federally qualified health centers, such as the OneWorld Community Health Centers and Charles Drew Health Center in Omaha.

The size of the payments would depend on the number of nurses in that category. McDonnell estimated they would be about $2,000 each. The bill limits payments to a $5,000 maximum.

McDonnell called the payments minimal but said they would be a way to express the states appreciation to nurses. He also said he hoped they would encourage nurses to stick with the profession, despite the stresses.

I dont think its enough, he said. I dont know if there is enough for what theyve done, what theyve sacrificed and what they continue to do.

Kari Wade, president of the Nebraska Nurses Association, said the payments would represent a much-needed morale boost for nurses, who have shown ceaseless devotion to their work as the pandemic reaches its 100th week.

They are exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically, she said.

Linda Stones, testifying for the Nebraska Board of Nursing, said the pandemic has worsened an anticipated shortage of nurses in the state. She said the number of nurses renewing their licenses last year dropped for the first time in 20 years, with 2,600 nurses opting against renewal.

Some of those leaving the profession had been nearing retirement already, but others left because of the stress created by the pandemic.

No opponents appeared to speak against LB 1055. The Appropriations Committee will consider it along with numerous other proposals for ARPA money.

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LINCOLN  Mike Jacobson, the founder and principal shareholder of NebraskaLand Bank, took the oath of office Wednesday to become the newest state senator from Legislative District 42.

Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed Jacobson halfway through the legislative session and just days after former State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte announced that he was resigning.

Groene stepped down after it was revealed that he took photos of a former female staffer without her permission and that she had filed a workplace harassment complaint against him.

Ricketts said he interviewed five people for the position, including the three candidates who have filed to run for the seat and two who had expressed interest in it.

He said Jacobson, a 68-year-old Republican, stood out because of his history as an entrepreneur, starting a bank from scratch and building it into an institution with more than $850 million in assets and branches in Kearney and Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Hes really a fantastic American success story, Ricketts said, adding: Mike is a conservative who will reflect the values of the people of District 42.

Jacobson described himself as a conservative, fiscally and socially, who opposes raising taxes and is anti-abortion. He said his politics are similar to Groenes but added that he has a little different style from his gruff, often-combative predecessor.

His appointment extends through the last months of Groenes term, which ends in early January. To stay in office, Jacobson will have to win election this year. While he has not filed as a candidate, he said he plans to do so by the Tuesday deadline.

Jacobson said he sought the legislative seat because he cares about whats going on in Nebraska and he wants to give back to the community.

Jacobson said he had thought last fall about running for the seat, knowing that Groene was term limited and could not seek reelection. Issues with the bank kept him from jumping into the race then, but those have since been resolved.

He expressed confidence in his chances despite the late entry into the race.

Ive got a pretty good following in North Platte, he said.

A Sutton native and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, Jacobson started out teaching agriculture at the high school level. He switched to banking after a few years and spent 18 years working his way up before he and two others launched NebraskaLand Bank in 1998.

Jacobson has held several community leadership positions, including serving as chairman of the North Platte Development Authority and the North Platte Airport Authority. He is on the Great Plains Health Board of Directors.

He also is a major Husker donor, who in 2012 spent $2.5 million to lease a Memorial Stadium suite for 25 years. In 2013, he attracted attention for comments critical of then-coach Bo Pelini.

District 42 encompasses Hooker, Thomas, McPherson, Logan and Lincoln Counties and much of Perkins County in west-central Nebraska.

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Precious McKesson will serve as the next executive director of the Nebraska Democratic Party, the party announced Wednesday.

McKesson, a longtime political operative who was appointed to a job in the U.S. Department of Education in October, will move back to Omaha from D.C. and start the job in late March. She told The World-Herald that she was already planning to return to her home state for personal reasons when this opportunity came up.

As a special assistant in the Department of Educations Office of Communications and Outreach, McKesson said she has worked on family and parent engagement, a cause dear to her as the mother of a senior in high school.

Its been an honor to work under the Biden-Harris administration, as well as under Secretary (Miguel) Cardona, she said. Theres some awesome work going on and (it) will continue to support the people of the United States.

She said that the department has been notified and that theyve been supportive and excited.

This wont be McKessons first time working for the Nebraska Democratic Party. She previously worked as its finance director and constituency director and is still listed on its website as Black Caucus chair. She was also a staffer for the Biden campaign in Nebraska, then became the first woman and first woman of color in the state to cast an Electoral College ballot for a Democrat after the presidents victory in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.

Current executive director Jim Rogers served in the role for eight years and will be taking a job in the private sector, according to a press release. Before he was executive director, he worked in other roles within the party.

Jim was an ally, equipped to deal with difficult situations, respected all of our volunteer party leaders and worked with candidates from school boards to the U.S. Senate in order to help them win, party chair Jane Kleeb said in the press release. It has been an honor serving alongside Jim as he led the NDP staff and helped build our party.

McKesson said her first step will be supporting candidates and rallying voters ahead of Nebraskas May 10 primary. Her long-term vision includes getting Democrats elected and flipping seats, getting more people of color to run for office, supporting candidates, and increasing voter turnout and outreach in communities that are typically underserved. She aims to get familiar with the vast and mostly rural 3rd Congressional District, she said, not just the 1st and 2nd Districts.

Precious is committed to ensuring all voices are heard and represented in our party, Kleeb said. From organizing door to door, to creating events and training candidates at all levels, Precious knows the work ahead of us as a party and has the passion and skills to get the job done.

McKesson said her first step will be supporting candidates and rallying up voters ahead of Nebraskas May 10 primary.

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SPRINGFIELD  The former operator of a south suburban day care center and her boyfriend bilked the states child care assistance program out of more than $30,000 over several years through a fraudulent billing scheme, according to a report from the Illinois executive inspector general released this week.

A 2016 complaint led to an investigation that found Krystal Moreno, who operated Heavens Little Angels Daycare Inc. in Calumet City, and her boyfriend, Roy Esteviz Jr., collected payments sent to other people through the Illinois Department Human Services child care assistance program.

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State records evaluated by IG investigators show one of the individuals who the state was sending the payments to was listed as the child care provider for Morenos children. The individual denied filling out any applications for the funding or billing certificates through the child care assistance program, according to the report.

The report says Moreno submitted funding applications and monthly billing certificates listing various individuals as child care providers for her children over the course of several years, the report says.

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Investigators found there were about 70 payments made in the names of the three people, none named in the report, for a combined total of $33,782.91.

While the false payment scheme was ongoing Esteviz in November 2013 was the first person charged in Cook County under the states labor-trafficking laws after he allegedly used torture and threats to keep two of his tenants on Chicagos Southeast Side working for him, even as he took every cent the two men made. He was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison.

According to the IGs report, Moreno contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in August 2013 and said she wanted to open a day care center. Two months later, Heavens Little Angels Daycare. was incorporated with the Illinois Secretary of State and Esteviz was listed as a registered agent.

On Nov. 19, 2013, the same day an article about Estevizs arrest was published by the Tribune, Moreno contacted DCFS and said Esteviz no longer wanted his name associated with the day care center because he was looking into other business ventures, the report states. DCFS told Moreno that Esteviz needed to send the agency a letter saying he wasnt interested in applying for a day care license.

Two days later, Moreno contacted DCFS again and said he changed his mind and he wanted to proceed with the licensing process, the report says.

In April 2017, Moreno and Esteviz Jr. were indicted in Cook County on charges of continuing a financial crimes enterprise, theft, identity theft and mail fraud related to the alleged bilking of state funds.

Records show Esteviz Jr. was given a five-year prison term for pleading guilty to the financial crimes enterprise charge and Moreno pleaded guilty to theft, and was sentenced to two years probation.

According to the report, which was released Tuesday, Moreno is now no longer allowed to acquire state funding.

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Given Krystal Morenos indictment for serious fraud relating directly to her falsification of (child care assistance program) applications and monthly billing certificates, the OEIG believes Krystal Moreno is unfit to operate a child care center that receives significant money from the State of Illinois based almost exclusively on her completion of these very same documents and her assertion that they are true and accurate, the report says.

Reached by the Tribune on Wednesday, Moreno said she was paying back the money through a payment plan. Esteviz could not be reached for comment.

Chicago Tribunes Megan Crepeau contributed from Chicago.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com
Members of Nebraskas congressional delegation Tuesday roundly denounced Russias incursion into Ukraine and called on President Joe Biden to intensify the United States response.

Their remarks came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two pro-Russia regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and authorized the deployment of troops to the regions.

In response, Biden on Tuesday announced new sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks and a repositioning of NATO troops to member states in the region.

The five members of Nebraskas all-Republican delegation added their voices to a growing, international chorus of condemnation aimed at Russia. But they also leveled varying critiques of Bidens response, with several members explicitly stating that the administrations actions have, thus far, been insufficient.

Biden on Tuesday held back on the toughest sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would be implemented if there is further aggression.

The sanctions are a good start, and I also support sending ground and aviation units to Poland and the Baltics. But for Ukraine, the response since December has been too little, too late, and too weak, said Rep. Don Bacon, who represents Omaha in Nebraskas 2nd Congressional District. We should have sent Ukraine anti-shipping and anti-air weapons, but it is not too late to do so.

The U.S. and NATO allies have supplied some weapons to Ukraine, but U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse called for sending more weapons to the country, saying the U.S. should be doing gun runs around the clock to arm the Ukrainian people to the teeth.

The Nebraska senator was among a bipartisan group of 21 members of Congress who attended the 2022 Munich Security Conference this past weekend.

Our goal should be pretty simple: Help the Ukrainian resistance hold on for as long as possible, Sasse said in a statement. Make Putin regret his flagrant disregard for the rule of law.

None of Nebraskas congressional members called for the deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine  a move that Biden has repeatedly said is off the table.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who also expressed support for arming Ukraine and criticized the Biden administrations response, stressed the role of energy.

Russia is among the largest fossil fuel exporters in the world, and Europe is heavily reliant on Russia for its energy.

Fortenberry said the conflict highlights the importance of American energy independence and the need for Europe to end its reliance on Russian natural gas. He also called on Europe to increase its support of NATO, the international alliance created early in the Cold War. The U.S. has been and remains NATOs biggest and most influential member.

Only by reestablishing strength do we have leverage for diplomacy, Fortenberry said.

Other members called for continued collaboration among NATO allies to, as Rep. Adrian Smith said, hold President Putin accountable.

The U.S. must work alongside our allies when weighing our options, said Smith, whose 3rd District extends across much of Nebraska. In the meantime, President Biden must take steps to ensure  should Russia further violate Ukraines sovereignty  no American is left stranded.

In a series of tweets, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer said Biden must show firm resolve, work with our allies and immediately put in place strong sanctions.

Strong action is necessary to deter Russia from widening the conflict, Fischer said.

This report includes material from the Associated Press and CQ-Roll Call.

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Nebraska agriculture experts are closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine and its possible effects on commodity prices and production.

A Russian invasion and blockade of Ukraine could jeopardize the latter countrys wheat exports, which account for 12% of the worlds total, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

To prevent supply chain issues, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently told the Associated Press, American farmers will boost wheat production in the event that a full Russian invasion of Ukraine chokes off agricultural exports from the global grains powerhouse.

If something happens (in Ukraine)  its going to create some uncertainty and volatility, said Jay Rempe, senior economist for Nebraska Farm Bureau.

With Ukraine also being a major corn exporter, one possible impact of a Russian invasion would be price spikes of the two commodities. Rempe acknowledged that could be beneficial to Nebraska farmers who produce those crops.

He added that it could give the United States more opportunities to bolster its trade relationships with China and the Middle East  two regions that already are major importers of U.S. corn and wheat crops.

With 70% of its land arable, Ukraine is an agricultural power, among the worlds largest producers of sunflower oil, corn, wheat, barley, canola oil and soybeans.

Minnesota-based Cargill has a sizable footprint in Ukraine, including a major port operation on the Black Sea, multiple grain silos and oil processing plants scattered across a country thats nearly as big as Texas.

The companys easternmost office and facility is in Braginovka  just shy of 30 miles from the Donetsk region currently held by Russian-backed separatist leaders.

Partly in response to the crisis, the futures market on wheat and corn commodities has reflected price increases. As of Wednesday afternoon, the price of a bushel of corn was $6.82 and a bushel of wheat was trading at $8.75. Those prices, Rempe said, were up 27 cents and 80 cents, respectively, compared with Fridays prices.

Cargill has dealt with geopolitical conflict in the region before. In 2014, the company surrendered control of a sunflower crushing plant in Donetsk to a group of armed rebels.

With Nebraskas winter wheat already rooted, farmers may look to maximize their yields with additional fertilizer applications, assuming it comes out of dormancy in good shape, said Cory Walters, an associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincolns agricultural economics department.

That can alleviate a little bit of (the) production concerns, Walters said.

While U.S. farmers may benefit from increased wheat and corn prices, they may be on the hook for paying more for fertilizer. Rempe noted that Russia is a big fertilizer exporter. While buyers of Russian fertilizer are primarily European countries, the U.S. imports some as well.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden ordered sanctions on Russian banks and oligarchs, joining 27 European Union members who agreed to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials. Russia could respond in ways that push fertilizer prices up.

Theres kind of a trade-off (with) some opportunities in the corn and wheat markets, but higher cost on the fertilizer side, too, Rempe said.

Any short-term gains for the United States from the Ukraine crisis might be offset by long-term effects that could be detrimental nationally and globally.

In an email, Brad Lubben, an associate professor at UNLs agricultural economics department, noted energy markets could be affected. In response to the crisis, Germany announced it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia  a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europes reliance on Russian energy.

While we could see gains from the short-run supply constraints that could support global price levels and U.S. export prospects, Lubben wrote, the state of conflict and continued uncertainty also creates losses for the market and the global economy as a whole over the longer run.

This report includes material from the Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

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Nebraska law

The World-Herald editorial (Nebraska needs a law to remove criminals from office, Feb. 16) states, Nebraska has no law disqualifying a convicted criminal from office. An elected official at any level in Nebraska is not removed from office for even financial or violent crimes. The county attorney, mayor or state lawmaker could beat someone up, get probation and remain in office.

That is an incorrect statement of Nebraska law.

Article XV, section 2, of the Nebraska Constitution states as follows. No person who is in default as collector and custodian of public money or property shall be eligible to any office of trust or profit under the constitution or laws of the state. No person convicted of a felony shall be eligible to any such office unless he shall have been restored to civil rights.

This constitutional provision can be enforced against most state and local officials by a Quo Warranto lawsuit using Nebraska statute section 2521, 121. Such a lawsuit can be filed by a prosecuting attorney or individual citizen.

Article IV, section 5 of the Nebraska Constitution states as follows. All civil officers of this state shall be liable to impeachment for any misdemeanor in office or for any misdemeanor in pursuit of such office.

State constitutional officers, state legislators, and judges, who cannot be removed by a Quo Warranto lawsuit, can be removed by impeachment for a misdemeanor in office. According to the Nebraska Supreme Court, A misdemeanor in office may consist of a violation of some provision in the Constitution or a statute, willful neglect of duty done with the corrupt intention, or negligence so gross and disregard of duty so flagrant as to warrant an inference that it was willful and corrupt. State v. Douglas, 217 Neb. 199.

Clearly, the legal means already exist to remove Nebraska officials who commit serious crimes from office.

Don Stenberg, Gretna

Former Nebraska Attorney General and author of Eavesdropping on Lucifer

Gun rights

Gee Tom Brewer (Midlands Voices, Jan. 18), thanks for protecting the rights of people to carry concealed guns. The U.S. already has 20% more guns than people and has a gun homicide rate 25-times higher than that of other wealthy nations. Yet Brewer will not protect the rights of women to determine their future and the future of their children through access to contraceptives and abortion. Last year, according to the Washington Post, 2,200 American children were killed by guns. On average, one child is shot every hour. But by all means, lets protect those gun rights.

Jeri Moore, Bellevue

Rotunda rules

On Valentines Day, there was a rally in the Capitol rotunda called Stop the AltEn Coverup. The AltEn ethanol plant used pesticide treated seeds to produce ethanol resulting in tons and tons of contaminated byproducts that have been polluting and continue to pollute the ethanol plant site and the surrounding area. LR159 will have a hearing on Feb. 24. This resolution, if passed, will appoint a special investigative and oversight committee on the AltEn crisis. This committee will investigate how, why and when things went wrong at AltEn and how weak the regulatory response was and why the problem persists. This committee would create an open process for finding solutions to this unprecedented and unique to Nebraska problem.

Before the rally, organizers were told that we could bring signs no larger than 11- by 17-inches. Having observed photos of another recent event in the rotunda that had a huge backdrop, I decided to create a banner for our backdrop to see what would happen. Sure enough, I was told that banners were not allowed. I quickly produced a photo of Gov. Pete Ricketts in the rotunda endorsing Mike Flood featuring a huge backdrop (called a step and repeat) with Mike Flood, U.S. Congress plastered all over the banner. I was then permitted to display my banner and an easel was provided to hold it. When I previously saw that the rotunda was being used to endorse a political candidate, as inappropriate as I thought that was, I endeavored to see how the rules were applied. The same rules should apply to everyone. At any rate, Im glad that we could display our banner at the Stop the AltEn Coverup rally, but it raised another issue that needs a remedy  what should the rules be for signage in the rotunda and how can it be assured that the rules are fairly enforced?

David Corbin, Omaha

Groene resignation

Mike Groene was quoted in the Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska Sen. Mike Groene says he will resign from Legislature amid allegations) regarding his resignation from all politics declaring, I am not going to let the Democrats attack me and embarrass my family and my wife. I doubt very few people of any political stripe are declaring his family, including his wife, should be embarrassed. Hes been embarrassed by his actions and his wife and family are just deserving of much sympathy from the general public.

Margaret Nipper, Omaha
(CNN)  The ice sheet covering Greenland is melting rapidly at its base and is injecting far more water and ice into the ocean than previously understood, according to new research, which could have serious ramifications for global sea level rise.

"Unprecedented" rates of melting have been observed at the bottom of the ice sheet, caused by huge quantities of meltwater falling down from the surface, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As the meltwater falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, which ultimately warms the water as it pools at the base of the ice sheet. In that process, the study found that the Greenland ice sheet produces more energy than the world's 10 largest hydroelectric dams combined.

"However, the heat generated by the falling water is not used to generate electricity. Instead, it melts the ice," Poul Christoffersen, a Canmridge University senior scientist who took part in the study, told CNN.

During warmer months, meltwater pools into lakes and streams on the surface of the ice sheet. Some of that water drains to the bottom of the ice sheet, falling through cracks and large fractures that form in the ice with movement and stress.

That meltwater contributes to more melting at the bottom of the ice sheet, and it also behaves as a lubricant that promotes faster flow and increases the quantity of ice discharged into the ocean.

Christoffersen explained that when researching the melting of ice sheet and glaciers at their bases, studies tended to focus on external heat sources.

"But what we hadn't really looked at was the heat generated by the draining meltwater itself," he said. "There's a lot of energy stored in the water that forms on the surface, and when it falls, the energy has to go somewhere."

The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest in the world and is already the biggest single contributor to global sea level rise.

"The ice in Greenland is melting on the surface faster than the snowfall can keep up with, so there is quite a big loss from the melting," Christoffersen told CNN. "In a substantial part of the ice, we get melt rates which can be up to five or six centimeters a day."

However, directly measuring conditions at the base  around 1 kilometer below the surface  poses challenges, particularly in Greenland, where glaciers are among the world's fastest-moving.

The Cambridge researchers teamed up with scientists at the University of California Santa Cruz and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland for this study. It focused on the Store Glacier, a large outlet from the Greenland ice sheet.

To measure the melt rates, the researchers used a technique developed at the British Antarctic Survey called phase-sensitive radio-echo sounding, a process by which they can measure the thickness of the ice.

It's a method that had previously been used on floating ice sheets around Antarctica.

"We weren't sure that the technique would also work on a fast-flowing glacier in Greenland," said Tun Jan Young, first author of the study, who installed the radar system on Store Glacier. "Compared to Antarctica, the ice deforms really fast, and there is a lot of meltwater in summer, which complicates the work."

Forces profound and alarming are reshaping upper reaches of the North Pacific and Arctic oceans, breaking the food chain that supports billions of creatures:
TUESDAY, Feb. 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Cigarette smoking is infamous for promoting gum disease, and now a new study adds to evidence that vaping also exacts a toll on the teeth and gums.

Researchers found that people who use e-cigarettes have a unique bacterial composition in their mouths that likely spells trouble for their dental health. In fact, their oral microbes were more similar to that of cigarette smokers than to nonsmokers.

The findings, published Feb. 22 in the journal mBio, build on evidence that e-cigarettes inflict damage right where they enter the body -- the mouth.

Researcher Deepak Saxena, a professor at NYU College of Dentistry in New York City, had a straightforward takeaway message: "If you don't use e-cigarettes, don't start."

The study focused on the oral microbiome, the collection of bacteria that naturally dwell in the mouth. Oral bacteria continuously form a sticky film on the teeth called plaque, which can be controlled with daily brushing and flossing, plus regular dental cleanings.

But if plaque spreads below the gum line, bacterial toxins irritate the tissue and cause a chronic inflammatory response -- better known as gum disease.

Cigarette smoking is known to make people more vulnerable to gum disease, according to the American Academy of Periodontology.

And in recent research, Saxena and his colleagues have seen evidence that vaping is no friend of the teeth and gums, either: Like cigarette smoking, vaping can upset the bacterial balance of the mouth, making it more prone to inflammation and infection.

In the new study, the researchers tracked the oral health of 84 adults over six months -- some cigarette smokers, some e-cigarette users and some nonsmokers.

Overall, the researchers found, vapers showed a unique oral microbiome: It was, potentially, healthier than that of smokers, but differed from that of nonsmokers. And vapers' oral microbes looked more like cigarette smokers' in many ways.

Compared to nonsmokers, both smokers and vapers harbored greater amounts of the bacteria Selenomonas, Leptotrichia and Saccharibacteria. At the same time, certain bacteria known to promote gum disease -- including Fusobacterium and Bacteroidales -- were particularly abundant in the mouths of e-cigarette users.

"Their microbiome is worse than nonsmokers', but they also have their own unique profile," Saxena said.

What it ultimately means for vapers' oral health is unclear. E-cigarettes are still relatively new, Saxena noted, so it's not known whether they can promote oral conditions like leukoplakia -- white patches in the mouth that can be precancerous.

But it does seem that gum disease in vapers is worse, versus nonsmokers, according to Saxena. All of the study patients had some degree of gum disease, but cigarette smokers were worst off, followed by e-cigarette users: At the outset, around 80% of conventional smokers had severe gum disease, as did roughly 40% of vapers.

Most nonsmokers, meanwhile, had mild or moderate gum disease.

While e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco, they have problematic ingredients of their own, Saxena pointed out.

The devices work by heating a liquid that contains nicotine and other substances, like propylene glycol, glycerol and flavoring. The heating creates a "vapor" and additional toxic chemicals that are inhaled.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not a harmless water vapor, said Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association (ALA). Studies show that e-cigarette emissions harbor an array of heavy metals and chemicals known to promote cancer, he said.

Whether vapers will face the same lung disease risks that smokers do -- including emphysema and chronic bronchitis -- remains to be seen.

"We're only in the second decade of e-cigarette use in the general public," Rizzo noted.

But research on the shorter-term effects is worrying, he said, particularly given the popularity of e-cigarettes among teens and young adults who otherwise might never have used tobacco products.

Rizzo pointed to a recent ALA-funded study as an example: It found that young adults who vaped were at heightened risk of developing problems with wheezing and dry cough within a year of starting the habit.

Rizzo said the new findings support evidence that vaping alters the way the immune system works and not only in the lungs.

Both he and Saxena encouraged parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of vaping.

As for adults, e-cigarettes are touted as a way to help smokers kick the habit. However, Rizzo said, "there is no hard evidence that these devices are smoking cessation aids."

People looking for help in quitting, he said, have proven options that include counseling (including free quit lines in every U.S. state) and medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for smoking cessation.

More information

The American Lung Association has more on the health effects of vaping.

SOURCES: Deepak Saxena, PhD, MS, professor, molecular pathobiology, NYU College of Dentistry, New York City; Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer, American Lung Association, Chicago; mBio, online, Feb. 22, 2022

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SPRINGFIELD  Illinois circuit courts will have the option at the end of February whether to require face coverings inside courthouses, the Illinois Supreme Court said Tuesday.

The Illinois Supreme Court issued an amended court order effective Feb. 28 that removes the requirement to wear masks at courthouses, which is the same day Gov. JB Pritzkers indoor mask mandate will be lifted.

The new guidance comes as COVID-19 infections have dropped significantly since the start of the year.

Tuesdays Illinois Supreme Court order leaves the option for circuit courts to adopt its own rules to require masks pursuant to appropriate public health guidance.

Absent such local rules, the wearing of masks within courthouses is permitted, but not required, the order said. Persons choosing to wear a mask may be directed by a judge to remove it if deemed necessary for court purposes, such as when addressing the court or testifying.

Masks have been required at the McLean County Law and Justice Center since Aug. 11 after about a two-month pause in mask requirements when Illinois first lifted most of its COVID restrictions.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker endorsed Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state on Tuesday, a key backing that could give her campaign a significant financial edge over her opponents.

The endorsement from the billionaire governor also means that Valencia now has support from four of the states top Democrats  Pritzker, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and retiring Secretary of State Jesse White, who has held the post since 1999 and endorsed Valencia to succeed him last week.

In this Democratic primary for secretary of state we are lucky to have three capable candidates. However, I believe Anna is the best choice, Pritzker said in a statement. I am thrilled to support her history-making candidacy to be the first woman and first Latina to serve as Illinois secretary of state.

Valencias campaign fund is significantly smaller than that of her most formidable challenger, Alexi Giannoulias. As of Dec. 31, Giannoulias, who was Illinois treasurer from 2007 to 2011, had about $4 million on hand, more than Valencia and a third challenger, Chicago Ald. David Moore, 17th, combined.

Pritzkers backing figures to come with some financial help. The governor has already poured $125.5 million of his own money into his reelection bid, making a $90 million deposit last month.

Pritzker donated $2,500 to Valencias 2017 campaign for city clerk, state records show.

I am grateful for Gov. Pritzkers endorsement, which adds to the growing momentum around our campaign, Valencia said in a statement. Gov.Pritzker has fought for working families like the one I grew up in, advocated for our women and girls, helped me reform our fines and fees system and notched big wins in Springfield that are making a difference in the lives of Illinoisans.

Giannoulias is backed by several powerful Democrats, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, retiring U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, and Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd  who dropped a secretary of state bid to run for Rushs congressional seat.

In response to Pritzkers endorsement of Valencia, the Giannoulias campaign reiterated his support from organized labor, including the powerful Service Employees International Union, and from various Democratic Party groups.

Moore said Tuesday he wasnt surprised by Pritzkers endorsement.

We know that he has a very close relationship with Secretary of State Jesse White. Although, I am an elected official, I am not viewed as part of the establishment, Moore said in a statement. The party establishment didnt support my candidacy the first two times I ran for alderman. I didnt ask permission then and Im not asking permission now. The voters will decide who they want to be the Democratic nominee for Illinois secretary of state.

Seeking the Republican nomination for secretary of state are state Rep. Dan Brady of Bloomington and John Milhiser, a former U.S. attorney in the Central District of Illinois.

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Restrictions on the advertisement of legal services undermine access to justice, Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, Professor of Law at the California Western School of Law, San Diego, USA, has said.



He said the ban on solicitation of clients as well as general advertisement by lawyers and law firms kept the public from being informed of the importance and availability of legal services.



Delivering the 55th J.B. Danquah Memorial Lectures organised by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) in Accra on Monday, February 21, 2022, Prof. Oppong urged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the General Legal Council (GLC) to revisit the ban on advertisement of legal services and adopt a regime that would enhance access to justice.



He said though the restrictions were justified in their quest to safeguard the dignity of the legal profession, it prevented people from finding affordable legal help easily to address the issues confronting them.



Access to justice suffers where lawyers cannot directly or freely speak to the general public about the legal services that they provide or the legal options that are available in response to problems confronting the general public.



...The recognition that a lawyer is required to solve a particular problem is an important part of justice delivery; in that sense, advertising serves is an educational function. Social and other digital media can be powerful channels for such outreaches, Prof. Oppong said.



It would be sufficient to regulate advertisement that misleads the public or diminishes public confidence in the legal profession and administration of justice and any solicitation that involved coercion, duress, or harassment, he added.



Prof. Oppong, therefore, urged the GBA to take advantage of advertisement and use it to engage in public education campaigns about legal rights and avenues for seeking justice.



He also urged the Government to invest in technologies that were aimed at making justice more accessible to the public.



He advocated for the establishment of a single or unified national legal portal with a supporting application (app), providing access to Ghanaian laws, judicial decisions, and relevant information on access to justice.



Funding for this national portal should come from the Government and the GBA. A potential source of funding for such investments can be the interests that accrue on funds that clients deposit with lawyers when lawyers are providing them with legal services, Prof. Oppong said.



The J. B. Danquah Memorial Lecture Series was instituted in 1968 in memory of a foundation member of the GAAS, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, who died in prison in February 1965.



Dr Danquah was a member of the "Big Six" who led the struggle for Ghana's independence but was arrested and imprisoned three times; first by the colonial government in 1948 and twice by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana' first President, in 1961 and 1964.



Since 1968, the lectures had been a constant feature of the Academy's activities.



This years three-day lecture is on the theme: Digitalisation and the future of the Ghana Legal System.

Source: GNA









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Tammy Prentiss, superintendent at Hinsdale Township High School District 86, center, recites the Pledge of Allegiance during a meeting of the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education at Hinsdale South High School, Feb. 10, 2022, in Darien. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

The latest effort from some Hinsdale High School District 86 parents and community members pushing for the resignation of Superintendent Tammy Prentiss is a petition with close to 1,000 signatures calling for her removal.

The petition was started by former District 86 board president, Kay Gallo, who wrote in part on the website, through her deliberate misrepresentations, Superintendent Prentiss attempted to advance her extreme DE & I agenda by equity shaming District 86 and creating a false media narrative that damaged the reputation of Hinsdale and all other the communities comprising D86.

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Opponents of Prentiss have been rallying against her for some time now, but the effort was bolstered after Valda Valbrun, an anti-racism consultant with Valbrun Consulting Group, withdrew a proposal to provide diversity, equity and inclusion training to faculty, and Prentiss read the withdrawal letter out loud at a Jan. 13 board meeting.

The letter alluded to disparaging online comments from folks in the community which made Valbrun feel unsafe.

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Tammy Prentiss made a decision to read the letter. What did she think was going to be accomplished by doing that other than chaos and division? I think shes shown bad judgment, said Yvonne Mayer, District 86 community member who has been vocal about her opposition to Prentiss for months.

Part of the controversy surrounding the situation is based on two sentences in Valbruns letter, which many on the petitions website believe were added by Prentiss.

In response to a Freedom of Information Act request by a community member, the district released records on Jan. 31 showing that Valbrun emailed Prentiss on Jan. 12 with her letter of withdrawal.

Its not clear if any correspondence or communication took place outside of the email thread, but the FOIA indicated that Prentiss emailed Valbrun a revised withdrawal statement on Jan. 13, with a note saying, Please preview.

The added sentence in question reads: I got several messages yesterday and really think Hinsdale is a dangerous place and would not be physically comfortable there.

At the time of the FOIA request, district officials said the letter was reworked at Valbruns ask.

Nobody knows, this is why its so important that the BOE do an investigation and inform the community what are the facts, Mayer said. How do you go from receiving a letter and then reading a different letter? Was there communication exchanged between that? No one knows.

Based on previous reporting by Pioneer Press, Valbrun unexpectedly received nasty direct messages on her personal social media platforms on Jan. 12., which is when she decided to step back and send an email to act as a formal withdrawal.

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Valbrun said she received hate mail, threats, direct messages on Twitter and friend requests on Facebook from those with a Hinsdale ZIP code between Jan. 12 and Jan. 13., after a Facebook post in which Valbrun condemned the Republican Party began to circulate around the District 86 community.

In the reasons for signing section on the Change.org petition to remove the District 86 leader, several of Prentiss opponents cite the handling of the DEI consultant situation including the altered letter, while several more think shes not fit to lead a high-caliber district on the basis of credentials.

Others in the Hinsdale community, like Reid McCollum, think the movement against Prentiss is a product of backlash over the districts diversity and inclusion work, as opposed to being rooted in the superintendents qualifications.

Its easy for them to go after the superintendent  they cant go after a Black DEI consultant who wrote a letter because that would be pretty obvious racial backlash, McCollum said. So they go after the superintendent and fabricate some sort of story with FOIA documents that she altered the consultants letter, then theres plausible deniability for what is just utter white fragility and backlash. Its like, youre out of a textbook.

McCollum, whose children attend District 181 and will later attend Hinsdale Central, said hes much more focused on fighting misinformation and the grossly inappropriate accusations than choosing a side. But he is convinced that most people who are opposed to Prentiss DEI efforts, deflect the purpose of equity work by making it about the types of people chosen to provide the training.

There are people that say hey, were happy with equity, but it cant possibly be a DEI consultant that has ever posted anything negative about Trump on Facebook. McCollum explained. Come on, really? Thats a classic conservative gaslighting tactic that allows people to not make it about DEI.

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Before Valbrun Consulting Group stepped down, District 86s efforts to hire an equity consultant encountered a previous setback that also had something to do with an anti-conservative social media post causing concerns within the community.

You have to find consultants that are going to bring the community together, said Mayer, who is Mexican American. And the reality is that we live in a pretty solid Republican area, and so to even consider hiring somebody who has gone on social media and basically attacked the entire Republican Party  it just shows a lack of judgment by the superintendent. That she doesnt understand the community that she would like to bring DEI into.

Mayer added that Prentiss has not only struck out twice in finding a consultant to do important DEI work, but has also made generalized, derogatory statements about the Hinsdale community to the media.

I really hope shes looking for another job at this point, it would probably be in her best interest to do so. There are probably districts out there who would think that someone progressive like her  if thats what you want to call her  would be a great addition to their district but for this community right now, this moment in time, I think shes just done too much damage and created too much chaos and unfortunately shes lost the support of a lot of people.

Community members who signed the petition, including Linda Burke, who has been a vocal supporter of a mask mandate in schools, said the petition is not about a single issue.

[Prentiss] has been correct and courageous on COVID mitigations. I deplore the hatred directed at her on this. However, I decided to sign, first, because she should not have called out the entire district  she did not merely call out racist behavior where it occurred, which I would strongly support. Also, I signed on the basis of academic policy, Burke said.

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In Nov. 2020, the board unanimously voted to extend Prentiss contract  which began in 2019  by three years. In 2021, Prentiss earned an Award of Merit in the Administrator category as part of the 2021 Distinguished Service Awards program sponsored by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA).

District 86 declined to comment at the time of publication.

zsyed@chicagotribune.com
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and players in the hospitality industry in the Central Region have expressed their preparedness to host the 65th Independence Day anniversary with a promise to give guests a rich experience.



They indicated that tourist sites, hotels and guest houses in the region were leveraging and building drive from the success of the National Farmers Day celebration held in Cape Coast last year.



Mr Kwame Gyasi, the Regional Director of GTA touted their readiness at a stakeholders meeting with some hoteliers in Cape Coast on Tuesday.



The meeting focused on how the industry could ready itself for the March 6th Celebration and beyond, while identifying and offering solutions to some grey areas in the hospitality sector.



The activities for the two-week Independence celebration as well as some programmes of the GTA aimed at driving domestic tourism during and after the period, were also laid on the table for discussion.



The 65th Independence Day Celebration on the theme: Working Together, Bouncing Back Better will be the third to be hosted outside Accra after the Northern and Ashanti Regions.



It will be graced by Her Excellency Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados as the Special Guest of Honour, the President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs and other high-profile personalities, representatives of the CSOs and other dignitaries.



Mr Gyasi called on the hoteliers to position themselves to embrace the opportunity in order to attract repeated visits which he added was the engine of the industry.



For us at GTA, we are responsible for tourism promotion and development that is why we wanted to go the extra mile. I believe all the institutions are doing their part but the ultimate responsibility lies with us. This is just to spur us on, he said.



Mr Victor Mintah, the Central Regional Vice-Chair of the Ghana Hoteliers Association said the Hungarian President and his delegation were hosted some four weeks ago in the Region.



We are ready to host any Presidential delegation or head-of-state who will be here for the celebration and give them a rich experience of what the Central Region has to offer in terms of culture, attractions, hospitality and cuisine and let them who we are and where we are coming from, he said.



Mr Emmanuel Lawer, the Principal Standards and Quality Assurance Officer, GTA, urged hotels train their staff to be on top of business while ensuring a clean environment.



Without a clean environment, you don't have any business doing in the hospitality sector. As much as possible, let us keep every department clean, he stressed.

Source: GNA









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Kenya's ambassador at the UN Security Council has condemned Russia's decision to send troops to Ukraine's breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, and to recognise them as independent states.



The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine stands breached. The charter of the United Nations continues to wilt under the relentless assault of the powerful," Martin Kimani said.



His statement, which has been mostly welcomed on Twitter, drew comparisons between Africas experience of colonialism and the Russia-Ukraine crisis.



We understand that separated people may look yearningly across borders hoping for reintegration but Kenya rejects such a yearning from being pursued by force," he said.



Mr Kimani's comments signal a marked change from Kenya's previous position at the UN Security Council when it abstained from voting.



Gabon and Ghana, which are also non-permanent members of the body, also condemned Russias actions against Ukraine.



There are concerns that the cost of living could rise as a result of the crisis.



Kenyas Business Daily Newspaper on Tuesday published a front-page headline: How Russia-Ukraine row will hurt Kenyan homes.



Disruptions from any military action or sanctions could also see bread and wheat flour prices rally in Kenya, which relies on imported wheat from Ukraine and Russia, the report said.



An article in South Africas Daily Maverick news site warned that a war in eastern Europe will soon ripple and be felt in every village and town of South Africa and the world.



Mali, whose growing alliance with Russia has worsened a diplomatic fallout with Western partners, is yet to officially comment on the imminent conflict.

Source: BBC









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The Court of Appeal has unanimously ruled in favour of Trasacco Group over a 48 acre land situated at Borteyman in the Tema District of the Greater Accra Region.



It would be recalled that a civil suit had been commenced at the Accra High Court, Land Court '2' in July 2013 between Trasacco Estates Development Company Limited (Plaintiff) and Woodfields Development Company Limited (1st Defendant) and Comet Roofing and Property Development Limited (2nd Defendant), concerning some lands belonging to the Plaintiff at Borteyman in the Tema District of the Greater Accra Region.



The High Court upon examination ruled in favour of Estate Development Company Limited as the true owners of the parcel of land in dispute.



Woodfields Development Company Limited appealed to the Court of Appeal against the High Court ruling.



The Court of Appeal after careful examination and in consideration of the facts and evidence available to the Court unanimously ruled in favour of Trasacco, affirming the High Courts decision.



In the said ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Dzamefe, ruled that there are no exceptional circumstances to make the Court grant the application.



In the first place as at 2003 when the land was allegedly granted to the Applicant by the Nungua Stool, the land was government land. The grantor therefore had no title to transfer nor grant to the Applicant. Based on what we dismiss the application, he ruled.



The Court also awarded a cost of GHC3,000.00 for the Respondent against the Applicant.



This was after the Applicants failed to attend Court proceeding to move their application and the Counsel for the Respondent prayed despite their absence the Court goes into the merits, which it granted by allowing the Respondent to respond to the application.



In its response, the Defendant/Respondent (Trasacco Estates Development Company Limited) stated that the land was government land and given back to the Stool in 2012 and for 7 years now the case has been pending.



The appeal has no chance of success. The judgement is unimpeachable and hardship will tilt to the Respondent whose hands have been tied since 2013. We pray the application be dismissed.



The Appeals Court granted the Respondents prayer and dismissed the Application.

















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Hong Kong's government has ordered the compulsory testing of all of its 7.5 million citizens as the city battles surging coronavirus infections.



Chief Executive Carrie Lam said residents would have to undergo three rounds of tests starting in mid-March.



Schools will break early for summer.



The territory is trying to adhere to China's "zero Covid" policy, but the highly contagious Omicron variant has overwhelmed its hospitals and testing and quarantine facilities.



While other parts of the world are learning to live with the disease, China's policy is to try to eradicate infection through early testing, detailed contact tracing and strict quarantine and travel restrictions.



"The coming one to three months are crucial in fighting the pandemic," Mrs Lam told reporters. "This quickly worsening epidemic has far exceeded the Hong Kong government's ability to tackle it."



All residents will have to undergo three rounds of PCR testing, at intervals of about a week. Ms Lam did not set a date for testing to start but said capacity would be increased to a million daily tests.



"Since we have a population of some seven million people, testing will take about seven days."



In between compulsory tests, residents will be required to conduct daily rapid antigen testing. Experts have warned that huge numbers of the population could be in isolation within weeks.



Entire cities have been locked down in China, but such a move was not being considered in Hong Kong because it was "not realistic", Mrs Lam said.



It's the first time everyone in the special administrative region will have been tested - a policy enacted elsewhere in China.



The former British colony reported 6,211 new cases on Tuesday, but the actual figure is thought to be much higher because of a backlog in testing.



Hong Kong, which had been hailed for its pandemic control over the past two years, has seen an exponential rise in infections since Omicron laid bare its defences.



In the first two years of the pandemic the territory recorded only 12,650 cases and just over 200 deaths, numbers far below most other similar-sized cities. The total number of cases has multiplied five-fold since January.

Source: BBC









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United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Ms Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana as his Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.



She succeeds Parfait Onanga-Anyanga of Gabon, to whom the Secretary-General reiterates his deep gratitude and appreciation for his dedicated service.



The UN in a statement said Ms. Tetteh brings to the position decades of experience at the national, regional and international levels, including well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders, which will allow her to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and countries in the Horn of Africa, as well as with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in the area of peace and security.



Since 2019, she served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU). Before that, she was the Director General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi. She also served in the Cabinet of the Government of Ghana as Minister for Foreign Affairs, during which time she was also a member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council (2013-2017).



Ms. Tetteh was Minister for Trade and Industry between 2009 and 2013. From 2014 to 2015, she was the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, as well as Chairperson of the Mediation and Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). During her term as Minister for Trade and Industry, she was a member of the Governments economic management team, the board of the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission, as well as Chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board. In 2009, she served as Spokesperson for the transition team of President John Evans Atta Mills Administration.



A Member of Parliament in 2000-2005 and 2013-2017, she was appointed Co-Facilitator of the High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (2017-2018).



Ms. Tetteh holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, Legon. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 1992. In addition to English, she is fluent in Hungarian and Fante.





Just before I change over to my next UN assignment, I want to emphasize that the peace & security challenges facing the countries of the Sahel are rooted in poverty & lack of opportunity. It is critical to focus on human security, climate adaptation and building resilience. https://t.co/nAa02f2mRr  Hanna Tetteh (@HannaTetteh) February 23, 2022











Source: graphiconline.com









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CH Group Foundation, the CSR wing of the CH Group, has shown its commitment to supporting quality education, by donating buses to Achimota and Mfantsipim Schools. The schools each received a 30-seater 2020 Toyota Coaster Bus from the Foundation.



Speaking at the handing over ceremony at Cantonments City in Accra, Chief Operating Officer, CH Group Cynthia Darko Acquaye, said the donation is part of the CH Groups agenda to assist in transforming Ghana into a hub of world-class education in the West African sub-region.



She said At the CH Group, we acknowledge that dominating the world economy requires the requisite human resource and this is anchored firmly on education. That is why we have taken this initiative to support the education sector with the aim of transforming the country into a world-class education hub.



If the efforts of our forebearers will mean much in the future, we need to invest in the children of today and those of tomorrow. That is why the quality of education is among the biggest perturbations of Africa. As the black star of Africa, an inspirer of hope for the continent, we believe we are well placed to lead an education revolution for the West African sub region by building a hub for World-Class education. We believe that this can become a reality if we all work together and play our parts.



The representatives from the Old Students Associations of both Achimota and Mfantsipim Schools, expressed their gratitude to the CH Group Foundation for the gesture and assured that the buses will be put to great use.



The CH Group Foundation oversees Corporate Social Responsibility for the CH Group and its subsidiaries. The mission of the Foundation is to give back to improve the lives of people living within the communities in which the Group and its subsidiaries work.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu on Tuesday dismissed a private motion by the Minority for the House to constitute a bi-partisan committee to probe COVID-19 expenditures since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.



According to Mr Osei-Owusu the motion filed by the Minority did not satisfy the requirement under Standing Order 191 and that everything related to the motion fell under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was the right committee to deal with it.



Giving his ruling on the objections raised by the Majority with regards to processes through which the motion was presented, Mr Osei-Owusu stated that, The matters that were called upon to set a committee to investigate did not come under any of the select or standing committees. In my view, falls squarely in the PAC, and indeed, all the committees of the House including the PAC are bi-partisan and PAC by nature is designed to be chaired by the Minority, so, in all, its folds and questions related to the PAC.



The PAC, if it is minded to investigate anything related to COVID-19 expenditure it fully seized with the authority and the power to investigate that particularly, because, all the accounting for it has been provided for in the budget which has presented before the House and it is before the committee.



Mr Osei-Owusu subsequently, dismissed the motion saying that, the motion brought to the House ought not to have been admitted and it is not properly before the House.



My view is that this motion ought not to have been admitted and it is not properly laid before the House, he added.



Three members of the Minority side filed a motion for the House to constitute a bi-partisan parliamentary committee chaired by a Minority member to enquire into the expenditures made by Ghana Government in relation to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.



Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member on the Finance Committee who moved the motion indicated the motion has become necessary because in 2020 the government called upon Parliament to approve for the purposes of COVID-19 expenditure an amount of GH1.2 billion what they termed as Corona Virus Alleviation Programme.



Mr Forson said, however, in the mid-year review that was presented to the House the government rather spent GH8.122 billion which clearly means that out of the GH1.2 billion that was approved by the House the government went ahead to spend additional GH7 billion on COVID-19 expenditures.



He explained that with the GH1.2 billion that was approved, the government needed to come back to the House to give the expenditure breakdown but have failed to do that.



Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip who seconded the motion claimed that in mid-year budget of 2021, the total monies received for COVID-19 was GH19.3 billion but there was no explanation as to how these monies were expended.



He said even though the government had spent close to GH2 billion in managing COVID-19, yet, there were no details of how the monies were spent, saying, they could only get the issues settled when there is a committee investigate the COVID-19 expenditures.



Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin in his contribution, raised objection to the motion which he said lacked merit.



He contended that the invitation by the Minority side for the House to investigate COVID-19 expenditures would amount to the usurpation of the powers of the PAC.



He, therefore, asked the First Deputy Speaker to throw out the motion, which was subsequently dismissed.

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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Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has revealed that Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare gave him 120,000 to be deposited into the bank account of Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament Sarah Adwoa Safo for her to attend to Parliament duties to work for the government.



The Chief of Staff called me and I went, I swear [on] my mothers grave, Chief of Staff gave me 120,000 and deposited into Adwoa Safos Fidelity Bank account.



I took the money there into the Fidelity Account, ask her personal assistant if what I am saying is not the truth, a furious Kennedy Agyapong said.



He added Now we are in opposition, the way Adwoa Safo is treating the party, it is clearly showing that we are in opposition and this shouldnt be tolerated at all, he told Asaase Radio on Tuesday, February 22.



Mr Agyapong had raised issues against the conduct of Sarah Adwoa Safo.



He said that the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection has failed in life for requesting that she should be made a Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament.



He wondered why a cabinet minister will now want to occupy a position that is below the rank of a Minister.



Speaking on the rampant absence of Adwoa Safo from Parliament, Mr Agyapong, who has two children with her, said: She says she wants to be Deputy Majority, that woman has failed in life. A whole cabinet minister now demanding that she should be made a Deputy Majority Leader before she comes, she should go to hell.



You dont come to Parliament and you are on TikTok dancing? Dome Kwabenya is not for Apostle Kwadwo Safo, get it straight. I am very furious because people are insulting me because I went there to campaign for her. Mike Oquaye the Speaker, the man that I respect very well, I campaigned against his son because Adwoa used my kids, calling me and begging me to help her. And now everybody is insulting me for doing that but I have not regretted it, she is very responsible when it comes to the kids, he said on GTV Monday, February 21.



Asked how many days she has been absent from Parliament, he answered: More than 15 days and the law says 15 days.



Asked again whether Ghanaians should expect her seat to be declared vacant, he said: Why not? She should go and contest on TikTok.



Some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) believe she is sabotaging the government.



For instance, the Member of Parliament for New Juabeng South, Micheal Okyere Baafi, said she is making the work of the government in Parliament difficult.



All the problems government is facing are attributable to Adwoa Safo. Clearly, her intention and posture show that she wants to sabotage NPP, he said on Kumasi-based Hello FM.











Source: 3news.com









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Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong has warned the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to yield to the demands of the Dome/Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo.



According to Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, Hon. Adwoa Safo, who is currently on a extended leave from Parliament, is making outrageous demands before she returns to undertake her Parliamentary and Ministerial duties.



To him, Hon. Adwoa Safo, who doubles as the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection and is currently based in the USA, has decided to sabotage the government if her demands are not met.



Speaking in an interview on Asaase radio, the outspoken MP revealed that Adwoa Safo requests the President to remove the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin and hand over the position to her before she will return to Ghana to participate in the voting on the electronic transaction levy, popularly called e-levy as well as execute her Parliamentary duties.



She has also pledged to ruin the governing New Patriotic Party's chances of implementing the electronic transaction levy, popularly called e-levy if nothing is done about her desires, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong further disclosed.



To him, Adwoa Safo is threatening the NPP but asked the President to ignore her emphasizing the party may have already lost their Dome/Kwabenya seat.



''...Adwoa Safo is in Parliament in the name of NPP but we are in opposition. So, if we lose, we go to bye-election and lose; it doesn't make a difference. I tell you! For the way the girl or the woman is treating NPP party. Look, we all have problems in the party. Me, let me tell you, all the sacrifices I've made with the exception of the Judge that I was annoyed; they wanted to take my land and I insulted them, every court case that I have in this country is because of NPP but nobody in NPP has even asked 'oh how is the court case?''', he said.



Mr. Agyapong also cautioned the President not to fall for Adwoa Safo stressing should he (President Akufo-Addo) decide to fulfill the desires of the Dome/Kwabenya MP, he (Kennedy Agyapong) will also make his own demands which is to call for the President's resignation.



''So, if you think you have a problem and the way you are going to operate is to sabotage the party. Now, you're asking for the President to remove the Deputy Majority Leader for you to be the Deputy Majority Leader, I will also go back to America and tell President Akufo-Addo 'resign' before I come. Yeah, if President Akufo-Addo should yield to Adwoa Safo's demand, I will also go to America, then I will make phone call to Chief of Staff 'well, tell President Akufo-Addo to resign' before I come back'', he exclaimed.







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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General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has asked that investigations be carried into an alleged GHc120,000 cash deposited into a Fidelity account of the Minister of Gender, Women, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo by Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Hon Kennedy Agyapong.



The NDC capo believes Ghanaians need to know the source of the money and why such an amount was given to the beleaguered Minister, and if the money was a salary or bribe.



Hon Kennedy Agyapong, on Tuesday revealed that Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare gave him an amount of GH120,000 to be deposited into the Dome-Kwabenya MP's bank account for her to attend to Parliament duties to work for the government.



What seemed to have got the MP so worked up is the fact that even after paying the amount, Adwoa Safo has still not appeared in Parliament to support the party passing the e-levy.



The Chief of Staff called me and I went, I swear [on] my mothers grave, Chief of Staff gave me 120,000 and deposited into Adwoa Safos Fidelity Bank account.



I took the money there into the Fidelity Account, ask her personal assistant if what I am saying is not the truth, a furious Kennedy Agyapong said on Asaase Radio.



Commenting on the issue in an interview on Okay Fm's Ade Akye Abia programme, Mr Asiedu Nketia quizzed how the Chief of Staff could swagger around with such a whopping amount of money and spend on such frivolous ventures. He also wondered if the money was in dollars or euros or other form of currency.



"GHc120,000 is a lot of money, even if it is in the old currency, that is quite a huge amount of money. So does the Chief of Staff carry such a huge amount of money on her every day? These are legitimate questions we need answers to. We also need to know whether the Chief of Staff owed the MP money and she was paying back.



"More so, how did she receive the money, was it a bank transfer? If it was a bank transfer, we should know how it was done because the banks are required by law to enquire when you are making huge deposits to find out the source of the money unless it is money laundering," he added.



General Mosquito, as the NDC General Secretary is affectionately called, described as worrying the decision to pay such huge amount of money to an elected MP before she agrees to come to the House to perform her duties.



What kind of corruption is this? This is why I say we should probe this because we want to know whether it was a loan or it was a bribe. If the government that is preaching a cashless system pays money in cash then its worrying.



"there are laws in this country and this is the time these laws needs to be triggered to find out if indeed what Hon. kennedy Agyapong is true. and if he is lying too, i believe the Inspector General of Police should invite him because he wouldn't be different from the likes of Boamah Bennieh and bobie Ansah," he added.



Watch Video Below





The Dome Kwabenya MP has been absent from her parliamentary duties as a Member of Parliament for several days now, an action some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in the House consider as sabotaging the government.For instance, the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Micheal Okyere Baafi, said she is making the work of the government in Parliament difficult.All the problems government is facing are attributable to Adwoa Safo. Clearly, her intention and posture show that she wants to sabotage NPP, he told Kumasi-basedin a recent interview.

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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British PM announces sanctions against Russia over Ukraine

Xinhua) 08:14, February 23, 2022

LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Tuesday a range of sanctions against Russia in response to the latest development in Ukraine.

Johnson told the House of Commons that Russian President Vladimir Putin had violated the Minsk agreements by recognizing the "Lugansk People's Republic" and the "Donetsk People's Republic" as independent and sovereign states.

Announcing the sanctions, Johnson said that Britain would sanction five Russian banks and three very high net worth individuals.

"Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen, the individuals concerned will be banned from traveling here, and we will prohibit all UK individuals and entities from having any dealings with them," he said, adding that this is the "first tranche, the first barrage, of what we are prepared to do alongside the United States and the European Union if the situation escalates still further."

Russia has vowed to retaliate if new sanctions are imposed. Putin said on Monday he was aware that the West was trying to "blackmail" Russia again with sanctions, but said he believed that sanctions would continue just because Russia exists, regardless of the situation in Ukraine.

Johnson said Britain would not give up on seeking a diplomatic resolution to the situation in Ukraine.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
A last-ditch effort by bird lovers and others to stop construction of a 14-story Carvana glass tower next to Skokies Harms Woods forest preserve failed to take flight Tuesday night after the Skokie Village Board voted 6 to 1 to give the company the zoning relief it had been seeking.

Emotions ran high during the Feb. 22 meeting, during which residents lined up and spent nearly two hours pleading with the Village Board to reverse a preliminary vote it took on the project two weeks ago or to delay the final vote. Every speaker spoke against the proposal.

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Carvana has built such glass towers around the country, usually located in commercial areas, to sell used cars.

Many residents said they fear the 14-floor glass curtain wall of the Carvana tower, planned for the 9800 block of Woods Drive next to the forest preserve and near the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, will be a killing machine for birds that fly into it. However, Mayor George Van Dusen noted the village is requiring mitigations to prevent such bird strikes.

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Residents from the nearby Optima condo complex also said light from the tower will flood the area at night, vehicle delivery trucks coming and going will create a noise nuisance, the building could lower property values in the area and the sales and property tax revenue promised by Carvana are not realistic.

A Carvana glass tower is illuminated on Feb. 23, 2022, in Oak Brook. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

If that tower is built, it is going to become a symbol for doing the wrong thing, Skokie resident Janet Ginsberg told the board, her voice cracking with emotion.

And that it is a vending machine for cars, which is about as tasteless a thing as you can imagine, just makes it that much worse, she said. As for Carvana, this is a slimy company from start to finish. They are mired in lawsuits all over the country.

Carvana had been seeking zoning relief from the village to build the vertical used car dealership in what is currently zoned as an office research district, and to also allow the company to display more signage than is currently permitted. In voting in favor of the Carvana tower, some trustees have said the village could receive around $9 million in tax revenue from the project and that another much larger building could be constructed on that site without zoning relief. The Skokie Plan Commission also signed off on the project.

Van Dusen commented that the village has worked with Carvana to reduce bird strikes.

We have listened to what the scientists and what the experts have advised, he said. The mitigations on this project are as strict as anywhere else in North America. That includes Toronto, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, the three that have the strictest bird mitigation in the country. We did that without an ordinance.

At the Feb. 22 Skokie Village Board meeting, Lori Kaplan of Skokie urged the Village Board not to give final approval to clear the way for a Carvana 14-story glass building to be built next to the Harms Woods Forest Preserve. Many who spoke against the project feared the building's glass curtain wall would kill birds. (Brian L. Cox / Pioneer Press)

Indeed, Carvana has over the last few months made changes to its plan to address concerns by altering the route trucks will take coming to and from the building, reducing delivery hours and agreeing to treat the glass exterior with decals to reduce bird strikes and to dim lighting at the site.

And during a Feb. 7 Village Board meeting, the company also agreed to Trustee Edie Sue Sutkers request that the interior and exterior lights on all four sides of the glass cube tower be turned off from March 15 to June 15 and from Aug. 15 to Nov. 15 each year between midnight and 7 a.m. when birds are typically migrating through the area.

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But some residents also said that regardless of bird strikes, it is insensitive to allow the tall glowing glass tower to be constructed only a few hundred feet from the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center at 9603 Woods Drive, a site one resident described as a solemn area.

Skokie resident Jay Parker urged residents to remember the board vote during the next municipal election.

Im not going to try and sway any of you because I can see in your faces the decision is already made, he said to the board. Instead Im going to turn to the constituents. People, an election is coming. Remember tonight. Remember these faces and the adolescent response they gave you and make your decision based on that.

Many said they were surprised the Village Board gave Carvana the zoning relief it was seeking despite such strong community opposition to the tower.

I find it striking once again that every single person, without exception, that has spoken here tonight has spoken against this proposal, said Lori Kaplan, a resident who formerly worked for the village. Clearly the feelings of the community are against it.

When the community expresses itself so clearly and so unanimously and the board and the mayor disregard all of that eloquence and all of those facts, its a dreadful feeling to feel that the representatives that you trusted do not represent the citizens. Thats the only conclusion that we can sadly come to after two meetings, so many emails, so many petitions.
US Coast Guard air crews rescued a 51-year-old man on Monday, February 21, after he was bitten by a shark while fishing near Bimini, Bahamas.

A motor vessel had contacted Coast Guard watchstanders at around 12:50pm and said that a man aboard had been bitten by a shark while fishing and that a tourniquet had been placed on the mans arm to prevent further blood loss, according to a press statement from the US Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and crew arrived on scene, hoisted the man and transferred him to emergency medical technicians at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

The Coast Guard said that when the man was transferred to hospital he was reportedly in stable condition.

Video filmed by the US Coast Guard shows the rescue operation.

This was the best possible outcome to a truly terrifying situation, said Sean Connett, command duty officer at Coast Guard District Seven.

This individual was fortunate a fellow crew member was able to render aid prior to the Coast Guards arrival which allowed for a quick extraction from the vessel.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

New research by Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) shows that accounting firms leverage their auditing expertise to produce fairer target valuations on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) than investment banks.

"Accounting Firms in the European M&A Advisory Market" by Dr. Pawel Bilinski, Reader in Finance and Dr. Andrew Yim, Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), shows the benefits of auditing proficiency and experience possessed by accounting firms in assessing fair value of targets in a deal.

Highlights of the research include:

Acquirer announcement returns are higher when a deal is brokered with an accountancy firm.

Offer premiums are lower if the bidder is advised by audit specialists with prior target industry experience.

Bidders advised by investment banks experience negative price reactions when attempting to purchase hard-to-value targets.

Accounting firms' more up-to-date knowledge of auditing practices generates higher returns for acquiring shareholders.

With overpayment on targets among the most common reasons for M&A failure, the study of transactions from 15 European Union countries between 1990 and 2014 builds upon "Knowledge-based view of the resource-based' theory, which states that competitive advantage can be developed through firm-level knowledge as a strategic source.

Using the Securities Data Company (SDC) Platinum M&A database and Compustat Global database, the research sampled 7,771 deals by investments banks and 691 by accounting firms and their respective prices. Measuring accounting quality by accruals qualitywhich correlates with the accuracy of free cash flow valuationthe researchers then developed an index to measure the target valuation difficulty based on whether or not the target firm was private, how large the target was and whether or not the target was US-based.

Dr. Bilinski said the research had many key contributions, adding to the knowledge-based view of resource-based theory.

"Our study documents the role of accounting firms in the M&A advisory field, which makes a strong case for using their services over traditional investment banks in the pursuit of target acquisitions."

"Accounting firms possess an excellent skillset for determining a company's true value through auditing expertise, and this is invaluable given the number of deals that collapse or fail due to overpayment."

"With preference for Environmental, Social and Governance-friendly (ESG) deals on the rise, there are new dimensions for assessing the value of a target firm. Audit expertise could help overcome this additional challenge."

"Of course, investment banks are still widely used in M&A transactions and have their own merits, but we hope our study sheds light on the advantages of the accounting profession and the positive role it can play in target acquisition."

Dr. Yim said it is in accounting firms' own interest to continue high-quality audit and reporting services in order to be competitive in delivering M&A advisory services.

"Our findings help policymakers and regulators to appreciate the benefit of letting accounting firms develop different lines of service," he said. "The study adds to the list of pros and cons that should be rationally assessed in the debate about separating the audit from advisory functions within accounting firms."

"Our study also advances the knowledge-based perspective of organizations explaining how knowledge spillover from audit work can enhance the quality of M&A advisory work, helping accounting firms establish their strong foothold in investment banks' specialty territory."

"Otherwise, it is hard to understand why accounting firms are listed among the top ten M&A financial advisors in the European Thomson Reuters and Mergermarket league tables."

The research is published in the British Journal of Management.

Explore further Study finds at least some auditing expertise applies across industry sectors

More information: Pawel Bilinski et al, Accounting Firms in the European M&A Advisory Market, British Journal of Management (2021). Pawel Bilinski et al, Accounting Firms in the European M&A Advisory Market,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/1467-8551.12571
A DIY satellite ground station in London, UK. Credit: Dyer & Engelmann, Author provided

Documentaries about the climate crisis are often illustrated with spectacular satellite images of forest fires, hurricanes and flooded landscapes. People around the world weather these conditions with little control over how their experiences are recorded and represented. Our project, open-weather, offers the tools and knowledge to change that.

On the first day of COP26 (the latest UN climate change conference in Glasgow) our network of 29 volunteers captured a collective image of Earth by tuning into transmissions from three orbiting National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites. We did this using DIY satellite ground stations made up of radio antennae plugged into laptops.

Each member of the group recorded a satellite image as well as what they could feel and observe of the weather on the ground. Across 14 countries and six continents, the network recorded a total of 38 images which, when stitched together onto a map, produced a snapshot of the planet on October 31, 2021.

This snapshot included a cyclonic weather system curling around the UK, dust clouds sweeping the Indian subcontinent, and the glaciers of the Patagonian Andes, which have been shown by geographer Bethan Davies to be rapidly receding and thinning in response to global warming.

How to take your own satellite images

Receiving images from the public data broadcast of NOAA satellites is something anyone can learn how to do. All you need is a basic V-shaped antenna, a device called a dongle, and one of many free software programs, like CubicSDR. The antenna and dongle together cost around 50 (US$66).

Preparing the ground station. Credit: Natasha Honey, Author provided

Now you're ready to launch your DIY satellite ground station. First, use a free online tool to track satellite orbits overhead, then find somewhere outdoors with a clear view of the sky. Connect the antenna to your laptop using the dongle and tune it to a specific frequency using the software. Position the antenna so that the tip of the V points north, and the arms of the V are parallel to the ground as a NOAA satellite passes overhead.

Your antenna captures the satellite's unique radio transmission and sends it to your laptop, where the software transforms the signal into a sound. The sound can be decoded into two images received by the satellite as it passed over you. The first is composed of mostly visible light reflecting off the surface of the Earth, the second is made of infrared radiationinvisible electromagnetic waves emitted by the land, sea and clouds. The way you position your antenna and even your body are recorded in the image as signal and noise. This means each image is unique to the person and place that created it.

Open-weather was founded in April 2020 out of a desire to open up this practice to non-specialists. We published a series of how-to guides and hosted workshops in different countries. We also created artworks in collaboration with design studio Rectangle, and commissioned by The Photographers' Gallery in London. As a result, a network of amateur satellite image decoders has begun to form around the world.

Here's what they captured while world leaders were gathered in Glasgow for COP26.

Look what the satellite picked up. Credit: Sasha Engelmann, Author provided

The climate crisis in a snapshot

For their part in the project, cartographer and marine technician Joaquin Ezcurra and journalist Aimee Juhazs traveled to Parque Nacional Ciervo de los Pantanos in Argentinaa wetland at risk from climate change.

It was "a day of unexpected low temperatures" after the arrival of the cold sudestada wind, Ezcurra and Juhazs wrote in their field notes. They added that "communities living in the delta of the Parana River in Argentina are suffering dearly from both low levels of water, and increasing numbers of fires during the winter dry season."

Ankit Sharma, a mechanical engineering student in Mumbai, India, submitted a trio of images covering the vast region from the Persian Gulf to the Himalayas. During the second satellite pass, he noted: "My laptop had a layer of dust on it  heavy pollution was felt."

Climate change threatens to dry out some of the worlds wetlands. Credit: Joaquin Ezcurra & Aimee Juhazs, Author provided

"The pattern of cloud [reflects] the beauty of the nature," wrote radio amateur Yoshi Matsuoka in Atsugi Kanagawa, Japan.

He noted, too, that the region had had "extreme torrential rain." Many contributors wrote about their experiences of exceptional rainfall.

"Weather systems are getting tougher and tougher to predict," and so too is knowing "what to plant, where to plant, and when to plant," wrote Natasha Honey, a farmer in New South Wales, Australia.

In Glasgow, not far from the COP26 conference venue, artist and curator Alison Scott commented: "Climate change is felt  in a lack of public transport resilience; in bike lanes being opened (and closed)  in the corporate hijacking of COP26 and the city's unpreparedness for its scale; in the erosion of rogue-landlord-ed sandstone tenement buildings in need of retro-fitting. It is felt in the history of the place."

Mumbai from above. Credit: Ankit Sharma, Author provided

"The sun dominates," wrote artist Cedrick Tshimbalanga in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Before, "the rainy season was alive and rain was abundant, and during the dry season, it was much colder."

Zack Wettstein, a doctor in Seattle, Washington, received a satellite transmission during a "cold, dry, autumn morning, with no wind in sight  in stark contrast to the weather of the past week, when we were struck with an atmospheric river of rain from a bomb cyclone off the Pacific."

He added: "As a physician working in the emergency department, I see patients affected by these hazards wrought by climate change  with injuries, illness and exacerbations of their underlying disease."

Tshimbalangas ground station in Kinshasa. Credit: Cedrick Tshimbalanga, Author provided

We received a surprise contribution from Barfrost in Kirkenes, Norway, who imaged the cartographic North Pole and noted that "southern insects [are surviving] the winter."

Post-storm calm reigns in Seattle, US. Credit: Zack Wettstein, Author provided

These satellite images and field notes demonstrate that the climate crisis feels different depending on who you are and where you live. In some places, dry seasons are expanding. Elsewhere, it's clouds of dust, increasingly volatile storms, or health effects triggered by the air that we breathe.

As politicians fail to respond to the climate emergency, a growing community of Earth-watchers has practical and political potential. Together, we might learn to be collectively responsible for, and accountable to, the environments we are changing.

Explore further Clouds in a new light: Rejected satellite data gives a fresh view of our floating companions

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This artist's concept shows two candidate supermassive black holes at the heart of a quasar called PKS 2131-021. In this view of the system, gravity from the foreground black hole (right) can be seen twisting and distorting the light of its companion, which has a powerful jet. Each black hole is about a hundred million times the mass of our sun, with the black hole in the foreground being slightly less massive. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC)

Locked in an epic cosmic waltz 9 billion light years away, two supermassive black holes appear to be orbiting around each other every two years. The two giant bodies each have masses that are hundreds of millions of times larger than that of our sun, and the objects are separated by a distance roughly 50 times that which separates our sun and Pluto. When the pair merge in roughly 10,000 years, the titanic collision is expected to shake space and time itself, sending gravitational waves across the universe.

A Caltech-led team of astronomers has discovered evidence for this scenario taking place within a fiercely energetic object known as a quasar. Quasars are active cores of galaxies in which a supermassive black hole is siphoning material from a disk encircling it. In some quasars, the supermassive black hole creates a jet that shoots out at near the speed of light. The quasar observed in the new study, PKS 2131-021, belongs to a subclass of quasars called blazars in which the jet is pointing toward the Earth. Astronomers already knew quasars could possess two orbiting supermassive black holes, but finding direct evidence for this has proved difficult.

Reporting in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the researchers argue that PKS 2131-021 is now the second known candidate for a pair of supermassive black holes caught in the act of merging. The first candidate pair, within a quasar called OJ 287, orbit each other at greater distances, circling every nine years versus the two years it takes for the PKS 2131-021 pair to complete an orbit.

The telltale evidence came from radio observations of PKS 2131-021 that span 45 years. According to the study, a powerful jet emanating from one of the two black holes within PKS 2131-021 is shifting back and forth due to the pair's orbital motion. This causes periodic changes in the quasar's radio-light brightness. Five different observatories registered these oscillations, including Caltech's Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO), the University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory (UMRAO), MIT's Haystack Observatory, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Metsahovi Radio Observatory in Finland, and NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) space satellite.

The combination of the radio data yields a nearly perfect sinusoidal light curve unlike anything observed from quasars before.

"When we realized that the peaks and troughs of the light curve detected from recent times matched the peaks and troughs observed between 1975 and 1983, we knew something very special was going on," says Sandra O'Neill, lead author of the new study and an undergraduate student at Caltech who is mentored by Tony Readhead, Robinson Professor of Astronomy, Emeritus.

Ripples in Space and Time

Most, if not all, galaxies possess monstrous black holes at their cores, including our own Milky Way galaxy. When galaxies merge, their black holes "sink" to the middle of the newly formed galaxy and eventually join together to form an even more massive black hole. As the black holes spiral toward each other, they increasingly disturb the fabric of space and time, sending out gravitational waves, which were first predicted by Albert Einstein more than 100 years ago.

The National Science Foundation's LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), which is managed jointly by Caltech and MIT, detects gravitational waves from pairs of black holes up to dozens of times the mass of our sun. However, the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies have millions to billions of times as much mass as our sun, and give off lower frequencies of gravitational waves than those detected by LIGO.

In the future, pulsar timing arrayswhich consist of an array of pulsing dead stars precisely monitored by radio telescopesshould be able to detect the gravitational waves from supermassive black holes of this heft. (The upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, mission would detect merging black holes whose masses are 1,000 to 10 million times greater than the mass of our sun.) So far, no gravitational waves have been registered from any of these heavier sources, but PKS 2131-021 provides the most promising target yet.

In the meantime, light waves are the best option to detect coalescing supermassive black holes.

The first such candidate, OJ 287, also exhibits periodic radio-light variations. These fluctuations are more irregular, and not sinusoidal, but they suggest the black holes orbit each other every nine years. The black holes within the new quasar, PKS 2131-021, orbit each other every two years and are 2,000 astronomical units apart, about 50 times the distance between our sun and Pluto, or 10 to 100 times closer than the pair in OJ 287. (An astronomical unit is the distance between Earth and the sun.)

Revealing the 45-Year Light Curve

Readhead says the discoveries unfolded like a "good detective novel," beginning in 2008 when he and colleagues began using the 40-meter telescope at OVRO to study how black holes convert material they "feed" on into relativistic jets, or jets traveling at speeds up to 99.98 percent that of light. They had been monitoring the brightness of more than 1,000 blazars for this purpose when, in 2020, they noticed a unique case.

"PKS 2131 was varying not just periodically, but sinusoidally," Readhead says. "That means that there is a pattern we can trace continuously over time." The question, he says, then became how long has this sine wave pattern been going on?

The research team then went through archival radio data to look for past peaks in the light curves that matched predictions based on the more recent OVRO observations. First, data from NRAO's Very Long Baseline Array and UMRAO revealed a peak from 2005 that matched predictions. The UMRAO data further showed there was no sinusoidal signal at all for 20 years before that timeuntil as far back as 1981 when another predicted peak was observed.

"The story would have stopped there, as we didn't realize there were data on this object before 1980," Readhead says. "But then Sandra picked up this project in June of 2021. If it weren't for her, this beautiful finding would be sitting on the shelf."

O'Neill began working with Readhead and the study's second author Sebastian Kiehlmann, a postdoc at the University of Crete and former staff scientist at Caltech, as part of Caltech's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. O'Neill began college as a chemistry major but picked up the astronomy project because she wanted to stay active during the pandemic. "I came to realize I was much more excited about this than anything else I had worked on," she says.

Three sets of radio observations of the quasar PKS 2131-02, spanning 45 years, are plotted here, with data from Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) in blue; University of Michigan Radio Astronomical Observatory (UMRAO) in brown; and Haystack Observatory in green. The observations match a simple sine wave, indicated in blue. Astronomers believe that the sine wave pattern is caused by two supermassive black holes at the heart of the quasar orbiting around each other every two years. (A period of five years was actually observed due to a Doppler effect caused by the expansion of the universe.) One of the black holes is shooting out a relativistic jet that dims and brightens periodically. Note that data from OVRO and UMRAO match for the peak in 2010, and the UMRAO and Haystack data match for the peak in 1981. The magnitudes of the peaks observed around 1980 are twice as large as those observed in recent times, presumably because more material was falling towards the black hole and being ejected at that time. Credit: Tony Readhead/Caltech

With the project back on the table, Readhead searched through the literature and found that the Haystack Observatory had made radio observations of PKS 2131-021 between 1975 and 1983. These data revealed another peak matching their predictions, this time occurring in 1976.

"This work shows the value of doing accurate monitoring of these sources over many years for performing discovery science," says co-author Roger Blandford, Moore Distinguished Scholar in Theoretical Astrophysics at Caltech who is currently on sabbatical from Stanford University.

Like Clockwork

Readhead compares the system of the jet moving back and forth to a ticking clock, where each cycle, or period, of the sine wave corresponds to the two-year orbit of the black holes (though the observed cycle is actually five years due to light being stretched by the expansion of the universe). This ticking was first seen in 1976 and it continued for eight years before disappearing for 20 years, likely due to changes in the fueling of the black hole. The ticking has now been back for 17 years.

"The clock kept ticking," he says, "The stability of the period over this 20-year gap strongly suggests that this blazar harbors not one supermassive black hole, but two supermassive black holes orbiting each other."

The physics underlying the sinusoidal variations were at first a mystery, but Blandford came up with a simple and elegant model to explain the sinusoidal shape of the variations.

"We knew this beautiful sine wave had to be telling us something important about the system," Readhead says. "Roger's model shows us that it is simply the orbital motion that does this. Before Roger worked it out, nobody had figured out that a binary with a relativistic jet would have a light curve that looked like this."

Kiehlmann says their "study provides a blueprint for how to search for such blazar binaries in the future."

Explore further Pulsar timing arrays take us closer to figuring out supermassive black holes

More information: S. O'Neill et al, The Unanticipated Phenomenology of the Blazar PKS 2131021: A Unique Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidate, The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2022). Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters S. O'Neill et al, The Unanticipated Phenomenology of the Blazar PKS 2131021: A Unique Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidate,(2022). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ac504b
Paleontologists Leigh Love, Dr Paul Scofield and Al Mannering work at the St Bathans dig site. Credit: Canterbury Museum

A newly discovered extinct duck that lived in ancient Aotearoa New Zealand could be key to dating other finds from an ancient lake bed uncovered in St Bathans, Central Otago.

The new species, a small diving duck researchers have named Manuherikia primadividua, lived between 16 and 19 million years ago on a huge paleolake called Lake Manuherikia.

Researchers are excited by the discovery because M. primadividua is the first animal found at St Bathans that could help them narrow down dates for other finds.

Associate Professor Trevor Worthy of Flinders University, Adelaide, is the lead author of a paper recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Geobios describing the new bird.

He says the duck appears to have replaced another, related duck species, Manuherikia lacustrina, at some point in the three-million-year period preserved in the fossil record at St Bathans.

"We haven't found these two ducks in the same fossil layer, and we think that's because they lived at different times, with Manuherikia primadividua outcompeting and eventually replacing its older cousin.

"The switch in duck species may well occur at the same time as a change in the vegetation in the region, revealed by pollen studies years ago by Mike Pole and Barry Douglas. If so, this may be evidence of climate change affecting the St Bathans Fauna."

Dr. Paul Scofield, senior curator, natural history, at Canterbury Museum and one of the paper's co-authors, says the two ducks will allow many of the other finds from St Bathans to be dated.

"If we find a new species alongside M. lacustrina fossils, we know it lived in this earlier period, whereas if it's alongside the new species it lived a bit later. So it allows us to start putting all the animals we've found at St Bathans in some sort of chronological order for the first time."

This discovery underpins the importance of knowing exactly which layer a fossil derives from.

Artist's impression of a duck in the Manuherikia genus. Credit: Tom Simpson

"You might think, "Oh, it's just another dead duck," but it's an important step in building up a picture of how the animals and plants living on this ancient lake changed over time," Dr. Scofield says.

Fossils of animals that lived in the sea are relatively common in New Zealand, but the remains of ancient land-based animals are extremely rare.

The ancient lake bed preserved at the St Bathans site is the most significant known deposit of land-based animal fossils in the country.

Excavations at St Bathans have been ongoing since 2001 and have unearthed more than 40 ancient bird species, including the giant, possibly carnivorous parrot Heracles inexpectatus.

Scientists have also found bats, turtles and a crocodilediscoveries which have completely upended what we thought we knew about the evolution of New Zealand's fauna.

Manuherikia primadividua is one of four ducks in the genus Manuherikia that paleontologists have found at St Bathans, and one of nine waterfowl species.

The species name, primadividua, was given by the paleontologists to acknowledge that the duck provides the first evidence of a chronological division in the St Bathans fauna.

The Manuherikia primadividua fossils are held by Canterbury Museum and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

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More information: Trevor H. Worthy et al, A new species of Manuherikia (Aves: Anatidae) provides evidence of faunal turnover in the St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand, Geobios (2021). Trevor H. Worthy et al, A new species of Manuherikia (Aves: Anatidae) provides evidence of faunal turnover in the St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.geobios.2021.08.002
Skull under study found at El Pendon site. Superior: Frontal and lateral view of the skull (Photo: NFotografos Photography Study). Inferior: Skull with mastoidectomy in situ in the context of the megalithic ossuary. Credit: Scientific Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06223-6

A team of several researchers from the University of Valladolid, in Spain and one from the Spanish National Research Council in Italy, has found evidence of the earliest ear surgery performed on a human being. In their paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the group describes their study of a human skull found at the Dolmen of El Pendonis back in 2018 and what they learned from it.

Dolmen of El Pendonis is a dig site near Burgos, Spain. Prior research has shown that the site was once used by early people as a funerary chamber. Prior research has also shown that the site was used for approximately 800 years, between 3,800 and 3,000 BC.

In the summer of 2018, a skull was found at the site and was put into storage. More recently, the researchers with this new effort retrieved the skull and took a closer look at it. In so doing, they found it bore evidence of a type of cranial surgery meant to cure an ear ailment. They also found evidence showing that the patient, a woman between the ages of 35 and 50, had survived the surgeryat least for a few months. There was evidence of bone regrowth in the holes that had been bored through her skull. The skull was dated to 5,300 years ago, making it the earliest known example of ear surgery.

The procedure, known today as a mastoidectomy, is done to clean out the area behind the ear that has become infected. Failure to correct the problem can lead to deafness in some cases, or progressive infections leading to more serious problems, including death. The woman who underwent the procedure required it on both ears. It is presumed that her condition was painful, enough so that she was willing to undergo what must have been an incredibly painful surgery. Further inspection of the skull showed she had lost a lot of teeth, suggesting she was quite old for the time. The researchers also found evidence of enlarged auditory canals, likely the result of the surgical procedure.

In the same tomb as the surgical patient, a flint tool was discoveredit had evidence of having been reheated several times, likely making it a cautery tool for stopping bleeding.

Explore further Journey of a skull: How a single human cranium wound up alone in a cave in Italy

More information: Sonia Diaz-Navarro et al, The first otologic surgery in a skull from El Pendon site (Reinoso, Northern Spain), Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Sonia Diaz-Navarro et al, The first otologic surgery in a skull from El Pendon site (Reinoso, Northern Spain),(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06223-6

 2022 Science X Network
Topographic map of northern South America showing the location of the Cauca River Canyon in the red box. Inset box B is a West to East topographic cross section across the Andes showing the main landscape features as mountains and valleys. Credit: Syracuse University

With steep walls and deep valleys, the Grand Canyon in the western United States or the massive gorges that saw through the margins of the Tibetan Plateau are some of the most awesome and spectacular landforms on the planet. But have you ever wondered how they are formed?

Some studies have proposed that canyons form when a mountain range grows in height and a river running through it cuts into the rock formation like a knife, ultimately forming gorges. Other studies have associated canyon incision with past changes in climate. For example, in the Miocene (about 15 million years ago), an increase in precipitation rates is believed to be the cause behind rapid incision of the Mekong River in China.

But what about canyons in hot and humid tropical latitudes? Researchers from the College of Arts and Sciences' (A&S') Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) at Syracuse University recently embarked on a research expedition to the Tropical Andes of Colombia to study the massive Cauca River canyon. The team's objective was to determine the age of formation of the Cauca River canyon and then compare that with known tectonic and climatic processes that happened in the region during the past 10 million years to figure out what caused its incision. The team concluded that erosion in the Cauca River canyon was driven by tectonic processes. Their study, which expands the understanding of erosion hotspots in tropical landscapes and why they occur in certain areas, will be an important source of information for decision makers who must take erosion and landslides into account during infrastructure planning. Their results were presented in two papers that appeared in Global and Planetary Change and Geological Society of America Bulletin.

Apatite crystal under a microscope at Paul Fitzgerald's laboratory at Syracuse University. It was extracted from a granitic rock at the Cauca River Canyon in Colombia. The linear features observed are fission tracks which track the cooling history of a rock through time. This apatite crystal has a length of ~150 micrometers. Credit: Syracuse University

The study was led by MIT postdoctoral fellow Nicolas Perez-Consuegra '21 Ph.D., who completed the research as a graduate student in EES with support from the Graduate School's Research Excellence Doctoral Funding Program and an A&S doctoral fellowship. He collaborated on the project with his advisor Gregory Hoke, associate professor and chair of EES, Paul Fitzgerald, professor in EES, and international colleagues from the University of Potsdam, Germany, the German Centre for Geoscience Research, Germany, the University of Granada, Spain and Ecopetrol Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The authors used a combination of techniques. They analyzed the landscape using data derived from satellite imagery; carried out fieldwork to collect rock samples along one of the steep walls of the canyon; and analyzed those rock samples using thermochronology. Thermochronology is a technique that allows the researchers to figure out when and how fast a canyon is carved into a mountain by recording when the rocks cooled to surface temperatures. Certain minerals, in this case apatite, become radioactive clocks as the rocks cool.

In their landscape analysis they observed a surprising featurea massive plateau elevated ~2.5 km (~8,200 ft) surrounded by hundreds of waterfalls and very steep rivers draining the flanks of the plateau.

Gregory Hoke (left) and Nicolas Perez-Consuegra making observations about an outcrop of rocks in the tropical Andes. Credit: Syracuse University

"Finding such a flat landform at high elevations in a tropical climate is unexpected and suggested that the topography could not be very old," says Perez-Consuegra. "If the topography had been old, the rivers would have probably already eroded the plateau."

What might have caused these elevated plateaus? Between the period of 50 to 10 million years ago, the research team believes erosion smoothed the landscape to low, rolling hills. About 10 million years ago tectonic forces began lifting that smoothed landscape, creating a plateau perched at its current elevation of ~2.5 km (~8,200 ft). This was likely caused by a change in the angle of the oceanic plate that subducts beneath northern South America through a process called slab flattening.

The spectacular Cauca River Canyon in the Northern Andes of Colombia. The Cauca River has incised up to 2-3 km into the bedrock of the mountains during the past 6-7 Ma. Canyon walls are steep, and landslides are common. Credit: Syracuse University

Their findings provide a plausible link between tectonic processes rooted deep in the Earth and erosion in the form of canyons being carved by rivers. Perez-Consuegra says the team is now trying to determine catchment-scale erosion rates in the Central Cordillera of Colombia to discover how fast the rivers are incising and eroding into the plateau. They have collected sand from more than 20 rivers to calculate erosion rates through a technique which uses cosmogenic nuclides to estimate the length of time rock takes to traverse the upper 4 ft. (1.2 m) of the Earth's surface as it is converted to sediment. Their results will pinpoint the areas where erosion is most active, and thus those same places where infrastructure and human populations will be most vulnerable.

Explore further The driving force behind tropical mudslides

More information: N. Perez-Consuegra et al, Late MiocenePliocene onset of fluvial incision of the Cauca River Canyon in the Northern Andes, GSA Bulletin (2022). N. Perez-Consuegra et al, Late MiocenePliocene onset of fluvial incision of the Cauca River Canyon in the Northern Andes,(2022). DOI: 10.1130/B36047.1 Nicolas Perez-Consuegra et al, Neogene variations in slab geometry drive topographic change and drainage reorganization in the Northern Andes of Colombia, Global and Planetary Change (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2021.103641
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A new study published by the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) at King's College London offers insight into the phenomenon of miscommunication in deterrence. By looking at Indian and Pakistani deterrence through a lens of language and communication, the report explores how New Delhi and Islamabad seek to portray their nuclear postures, and how they are understood by different actorsboth in Southern Asia as well as by the international community.

It notes how governments, strategic analysts, and the public have numerous separate, parallel conversations about risk perception and trust building in Southern Asia. All of these contribute to potential misunderstanding.

Since 1998, the possibility of nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan has remained an acute and persistent concern to the international community. Of particular significance is the potential for nuclear escalation due to miscommunication and miscalculation. However, despite its importance, the role of language and communication in decision-making is often overlooked.

To better understand the causes of these differences, King's College London brought together academics and policy specialists from both countries to discuss and explore these issues. Consequently, regarding doctrine this report identifies several areas that contribute to misunderstanding, including:

Both India and Pakistan draw on Cold War nuclear lexicon in their nuclear doctrines, although key concepts have evolved to reflect regional circumstances. As such, important nuances mean that neither doctrine can be fully explained solely through theoretical frameworks.

Therefore, attention should be paid to both strategic cultures and the context in which key terms have evolved and are intended to be used. One such example is Credible Minimum Deterrence (CMD) which, despite underpinning both sets of national capabilities, remains poorly defined and open to various interpretations.

Analysis here shows that CMD is primarily driven by the need for credibility and survivability, although numerous strategic programs appear excessive to CMD's minimalist claims and heritage.

Although the need for crisis-stability to prevent unintentional nuclear escalation has been long recognized, escalation pathways and thresholds also remain unclear. Moreover, the emotional and political intricacies of the region increase the complexities of de-escalation.

As more advanced technologies such as missile defense or hypersonics are introduced into the region, articulating deterrence will become increasingly complex as well. This is exacerbated by the fact that, unlike other deterrence relationships, India and Pakistan have a shared border and differ significantly in their strategic depths.

This will increasingly blur distinctions between strategic and tactical systems and suggests a new nuclear lexicon will emerge to reflect the geographic setting, while also needing to accommodate India's desire to provide a credible deterrence against China.

Although there is a wide acceptance that many areas of misunderstanding remain, roundtable discussions show that there are still different opinions on where those misunderstandings lie. Moreover, participants in the study also agreed that the continued focus on possible confidence building measures (CBMs) is contributing to a sense of "CBM fatigue" within policy communities, suggesting an important need for new ideas and innovative approaches.

In addition to expert communities, the report highlights the lack of good information for national populations. Zenobia Homan, Principal Investigator of this study says: "Engaging with the public is vital to ensuring effective civil society participation, with poor communication and discussion lessening government accountability."

Karl Dewey , Co-Investigator and Researcher at CSSS, adds that ineffective communication can even encourage the use of "loose rhetoric" and all of these factors combined have the potential to create inadvertent "commitment traps." The investigators agree that never has the need for clear and effective communication been so important.

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More information: The PDF of the full report may be viewed here: The PDF of the full report may be viewed here: Communicating Deterrence Drivers of Misperception in India and Pakistan
Spencer Fung, a Northeastern graduate and trustee who runs Li & Fung, a Hong Kong-based supply-chain management operation. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Supply chains around the world have experienced unprecedented disruption over the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As leaders raced to order medical supplies to care for their country's sick, global demand shifted drastically, creating emergency shortages that affected many industries and nearly paralyzed overseas trade.

But the pandemic hasn't been the only supply-chain disruption in recent yearsnor are medical supplies the only products that have felt the squeeze. The rise of e-commerce, the digitalization of industry, and the ongoing U.S.-China trade war all continue to put pressure on the international flow of goods, forcing companies to innovate with an eye toward the future.

As a result, companies that buy and sell goods have had to find ways of adapting to the ever-changing conditions in order to stay in business. Enter Spencer Fung, who runs a 116-year-old family business, Li & Fung, a Hong Kong-based supply-chain management operation that serves 1 billion people around the world.

The company helps global retailers design, develop, and source materials for their products, then coordinates how those products will move around the world. Fung is also a member of the Northeastern University Board of Trustees and a member of the advisory board of Northeastern's Center for Emerging Markets. A graduate of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business, he spoke to Northeastern students on Tuesday about the future of the global supply chain as businesses contend with ongoing disruptions.

"We have not seen any  stability since COVID started," Fung says. "Production is always shutting down at a moment's notice, and there are huge supply-chain disruptions for many different industries."

Li & Fung, considered one of the largest sourcing agents for apparel in the world, has been able to innovate to keep pace with supply-chain changes, Fung says, by seizing on a trend that's become popular in global business strategy over the last couple of years: Companies have increasingly outsourced manufacturing and production to different parts of the world.

The trend really began in the early 1970s, Fung says, but picked up in the beginning of this century. From roughly 2005 to 2018, companies around the world moved their manufacturing to factories primarily in China. By 2019, the country was responsible for nearly one-third of global manufacturing.

Recently, however, manufacturing capacity has started to branch out again. Fung saw the shift as an opportunity to build relationships with suppliers from different countries, leveraging a network of manufacturers to hedge against future supply-chain interruptions.

"When you have diversification, that means you have choices," Fung says. "When you have choices, that means you can activate different choices at a moment's notice."

That's why Li & Fung operates in more than 50 countries.

"I believe our competitive advantage is our diversification," Fung says. "The last few years, our customers have been channeling their production all over the placeVietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Guatemala, you name it."

Fung says many of his competitors optimize their supply-chain management to reduce costs, rather than to diversify. As a result, their operations are concentrated in only a few places.

"Our strategy in the long run is global diversification," he says. "It's almost like a stock portfolio manager. If you give someone a million dollars to manage your money, I'm not sure you'd want that person to invest in only three stocks. Most portfolio managers would have at least 20 to 30 stocks to diversify in so that they have an average return that is acceptable over time."

Tuesday's supply-chain talk was facilitated by Ravi Ramamurti, university distinguished professor of international business, and Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern.

"Spencer has been reinventing this firm, which has been reinvented in the pastthis time to deal with these megatrends, and trying to position the company to be part of the supply chain of the future," Ramamurti says.

Fung says companies can expect supply-chain instability to continue "for the next decade or two."

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Graphical abstract. Credit: DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04707

In more than 40 million American kitchens, cooking takes place through instantaneous firethe glowing blue flame of a gas stove. Although it has served as a mainstay appliance for more than a century, the gas stove is now becoming a policy flashpoint as concerns rise over its environmental and health impacts.

Recently, a study from Stanford University presented eye-opening findings on the emissions the appliances release, estimating that all the gas stoves in the U.S. may pose an annual climate impact equal to that of 500,000 cars. The new research comes as dozens of U.S. cities have taken measures to ban gas appliances from new construction and further cut off reliance on fossil fuels. The movement started in Berkeley, California, in 2019, and last month New York City became the largest municipality in the country to do so. Medical experts have also become increasingly outspoken in their warnings about indoor air pollution from gas stoves, which are known to exacerbate and trigger symptoms of asthma and other respiratory issues.

With the prevalence of gas stoves across the U.S., and the costs and infeasibility of replacing them, it's unlikely to see the appliances disappear anytime soon. The politics are also fraught, with challenges from the fossil fuel industryand corresponding laws enacted by at least 20 states, including Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, and Texas, to prevent their cities from restricting gas use.

Environmental hazards

From the standpoint of climate change, natural gas is troublesome. A nonrenewable fossil fuel culled from the earth by drilling and hydraulic fracking, natural gas emits two planet-warming greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (from burning the gas), and methane (from gas leaks). Of the two, methane dissipates more quickly but is 80 times more potent over 20 years, according to the Stanford study.

For cities and states that have set targets for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, "burning natural gas is incompatible with those goals," says Scot Miller, a Johns Hopkins assistant professor of environmental health and engineering who studies greenhouse gases and air pollutants. In general, climate-friendly policies emphasize shifting away from burning fossil fuels that produce atmosphere-eroding greenhouse gases and, instead, increasing reliance on electricity that can be powered by renewable sources such as solar and wind. The Biden administration's climate plan calls for government incentives to induce people to switch from gas in their homes to all-electric.

In 2019, natural gas made up 32% of energy consumption in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration. By estimates of the same agency in 2015, gas stoves accounted for a slim portion of that, less than 3%. But because methane is so potent, "small leaks can have a significant impact," Miller says. And leaks can be fairly common along different stages of the natural gas infrastructure, from drilling and piping to the slight but still harmful vapors that exit household stoves, even when turned off, he says.

The recent Stanford study reveals only a hint of the problem inside kitchens, as indoor air quality remains unregulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. However, an EPA spokesperson told The Washington Post last month that the agency intends to update its annual greenhouse gas inventory in 2022 to include emissions from inside homes and buildings.

Health hazards

Natural gas also produces the byproduct of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), an air pollutant that can reduce lung function, cause inflammation of airways, increase asthma attacks, and exacerbate other respiratory issues, according to the American Lung Association. A growing body of medical literature has established a link between cooking with gas and childhood asthma, including one meta-analysis from 2013 finding that children living in homes with gas stoves face a 42% increased risk of asthma symptoms and a 24% increased risk of an asthma diagnosis in their lifetimes. A Johns Hopkins study from 2008 found similar associations.

Credit: Stanford University

In January 2020, the stalwart New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial warning against "the false promise" of natural gas, citing "health and environmental hazards and reduced social welfare at every stage of its cycle."

"I think it's important that better information gets out, is more publicly available, so people are aware of the potential risks," says William Checkley, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins with expertise in acute lung injury.

Checkley emphasizes the importance of proper ventilation, including range hoods above the stove, which "can eliminate a good amount of NO 2 and protect people in the kitchen." However, unlike other gas appliances such as water heaters, federal regulations don't require gas stoves to vent to the outdoors.

A recent UCLA study notes that the effectiveness of ventilation "usually depends on appliance quality and maintenance." Because of that fact, the health burdens tend to be disproportionately high among low-income citizens, who are more often renters with little choice over their appliancesand more likely to live in small spaces where pollutants are more concentrated.

It's complicated

Compared to coal and oil, natural gas has been hailed as a cleaner-burning, lower-carbon fuel. During the Obama administration, Miller notes, gas was positioned as an ideal "transition" fuel to bridge between coal and oil of the past and the renewable energy sources that will become more available in the future.

That line of thinking remains realistic in the short term, Miller says, as hopes for a greener electricity grid look 10 to 20 years out. "If we stopped using natural gas in our homes at the moment, we would increase our use of coal," which is more dangerous for the climate, he says.

"It's an interesting public policy challenge and really a difficult problem to answer in terms of generating a strong climate strategy," Miller says.

A similar kind of realism can apply when considering the health impacts. Checkley, who works in global settings including some with extreme poverty, notes that many households rely on burning wood or coal for cooking, posing graver health consequences than gas. "The residents are not able to afford gas, and electricity is not an option because they're off the grid," he says. In the U.S., however, "resources are more readily available to move us to cleaner fuels like electricity-based cooking."

A 2020 report from the Physicians for Social Responsibility and three environmental groups recommended steps an individual can take, when possible, to reduce risks from gas stoves. Hood ranges with fans that vent outdoors are always preferable, and fans are more successful when you use the back burners. If vents aren't available, try to cook with the windows open. Also try for alternative cooking methods that don't use gas, including toaster ovens or electric induction cooktops.

While gas stoves themselves might not be the No. 1 concern in terms of pollutants, the larger goal of reducing use of greenhouse gases is of urgent importance, Miller says, as emissions only continue to increase globally. "The question of whether we should get rid of gas stoves and other gas appliances really depends on what we as a society, and our governments, decide is the best path forward for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions," Miller says. "There's a lot of debate over which policies are most effective, but personally, I would argue that any measure that helps reduce our emissions is a good measure."

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China has started nationwide pooling of basic pension funds since Jan. 1 this year, Vice Minister of Finance Yu Weiping said Tuesday.

The move will allow pension funds to be transfered from regions with surplus to regions with deficit, Yu said at a press conference, adding the ministry is drawing up related documents and will strengthen guidance to localities.

Qi Tao, an official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said the move will make sure that retirees in less-developed regions will get their pensions timely and sufficiently.

According to Qi, all Chinese regions realized the pooling of pensions funds at the regional level at the end of 2020, but it was not enough. Gaps of economic development and differences in the age structures of populations have led to pension fund surplus in some regions as well as difficulties of payment in others.

After the establishment of the nationwide pooling system, the unified management of pension policy, pension services and information systems will be enhanced, he said.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Research shows that historically, large-scale events such as World War II, the Great Depression, the 2008 recession and the SARS and N1H1 epidemics have impacted children's developmental trajectories with long-lasting effects. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created global school closures and severe disruption to education systems. The first study to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on preschoolers' educational development across different socioeconomic settings in Uruguay was recently published in Child Development by researchers at the Universidad de la Republica at Montevideo. The study showed the harmful effects of the disease outbreak on children's cognitive and motor skills.

"Early math and literacy performance are strong predictors of academic outcomes in primary school, and they may be the most difficult to compensate at home for because they require teaching expertise, appropriate activities and materials, and quality stimulation from caregivers," said Alejandro Vasquez-Echeverria, professor at the Universidad de la Republica and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Center of Cognition for Education and Learning (CICEA). "Losses were uneven across developmental areas with the largest deficits being in motor, language and logical-mathematical skills."

The study compared two groups of four- to six-year-old Uruguayan children: one group of 34,355 children who attended preschool from 2018-2019 before the pandemic and the other group featuring 30,158 children who attended preschool during 2019-2020 (impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic). Researchers used longitudinal information from the Uruguayan School Readiness-Child Development Inventory, data collected through a developmental assessment of public-school children. The data collected did not include information about ethnicity.

Rather than using parental reports or online education platforms, children were assessed by teachers twice in age four classrooms and once by the end of age five. Teachers observed and rated a child's frequency of specific cognitive, motor, and socioemotional developmental behaviors during a typical school day within a period of three to four weeks.

Researchers found that during the pandemic, the cognitive and motor development skills of children at age five suffered the most followed by their attitudes towards learning. Stay-at-home measures also led to a drastic decrease in physical activity which may explain the underdevelopment in motor skills. Avoidant and anxious behaviors in children could be an indirect result of increased parental stress, or increased teacher stress. An unexpected finding was that the COVID cohort exhibited less aggressive behaviors when compared to the control group. School reopening conditions in Uruguay could explain this as this cohort had a lower child-teacher ratio and increased supervision of social interactions.

"Losses among children from more privileged schools were less pronounced," said Meliza Gonzalez, researcher at the Universidad de la Republica. "Relatedly, children who had already been struggling at age four classrooms displayed larger developmental losses, thus increasing the achievement gap. The findings can directly inform public policy by targeting interventions at children at greater risk. This is particularly relevant to educational achievement since cognitive skills during the transition from preschool to primary school are predictors of later academic outcomes, a phenomenon that is studied under the concept of 'school readiness'."

The authors acknowledge several limitations to the study. They cannot be certain of what aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic specifically impacted school readiness, could not account for family variables such as income, or others related to how they coped with schooling strategies at home. Teachers' assessments may have been biased because of, for example, shifts in their perception of expected behaviors due to the pandemic. The current study may not generalize to other contexts, as characteristics of school closures, mitigation measures, and other COVID-19 related socioeconomic impacts differed across regions. The impact may have been underestimated due to vulnerable children dropping out from the COVID cohort. Given the limited evidence on developmental losses and its relevance for educational policies, it would be beneficial to conduct similar research in other cultural contexts.

More information: School readiness losses during the COVID-19 outbreak. A comparison of two cohorts of young children, Child Development (2022). Journal information: Child Development School readiness losses during the COVID-19 outbreak. A comparison of two cohorts of young children,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13738
False-color image of impact recrystallised phosphate mineral in Chelyabinsk meteorite. Credit: Craig Walton

A new way of dating collisions between asteroids and planetary bodies throughout our Solar System's history could help scientists reconstruct how and when planets were born.

A team of researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, combined dating and microscopic analysis of the Chelyabinsk meteoritewhich fell to Earth and hit the headlines in 2013to get more accurate constraints on the timing of ancient impact events.

Their study, published in Communications Earth & Environment, looked at how minerals within the meteorite were damaged by different impacts over time, meaning they could identify the biggest and oldest events that may have been involved in planetary formation.

"Meteorite impact ages are often controversial: our work shows that we need to draw on multiple lines of evidence to be more certain about impact historiesalmost like investigating an ancient crime scene," said Craig Walton, who led the research and is based at Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences.

Early in our Solar System's history, planets including the Earth formed from massive collisions between asteroids and even bigger bodies, called proto-planets.

"Evidence of these impacts is so old that it has been lost on the planetsEarth, in particular, has a short memory because surface rocks are continually recycled by plate tectonics," said co-author Dr. Oli Shorttle, who is based jointly at Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences and Institute of Astronomy.

Asteroids, and their fragments that fall to Earth as meteorites, are in contrast inert, cold and much oldermaking them faithful timekeepers of collisions.

Example of fractured phosphate mineral in Chelyabinsk meteorite. Credit: Craig Walton

The new research, which was a collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Open University, recorded how phosphate minerals inside the Chelyabinsk meteorite were shattered to varying degrees in order to piece together a collision history.

Their aim was to corroborate uranium-lead dating of the meteorite, which looks at the time elapsed for one isotope to decay to another.

"The phosphates in most primitive meteorites are fantastic targets for dating the shock events experienced by the meteorites on their parent bodies," said Dr. Sen Hu, who carried out the uranium-lead dating at Beijing's Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Structure of the Chelyabinsk meteorite in hand-sample (a), along with interpreted formation history, through (b) impact melting, (c), solidification, and (d) late-stage fracturing. Credit: Craig Walton

Previous dating of this meteorite has revealed two impact ages, one older, roughly 4.5-billion-year-old collision and another which occurred within the last 50 million years.

But these ages aren't so clear-cut. Much like a painting fading over time, successive collisions can obscure a once clear picture, leading to uncertainty among the scientific community over the age and even the number of impacts recorded.

The new study put the collisions recorded by the Chelyabinsk meteorite in time order by linking new uranium-lead ages on the meteorite to microscopic evidence for collision-induced heating seen inside their crystal structures. These microscopic clues build up in the minerals with each successive impact, meaning the collisions can be distinguished, put in time order and dated.

Their findings show that minerals containing the imprint of the oldest collision were either shattered into many smaller crystals at high temperatures or strongly deformed at high pressures.

The team also described some mineral grains in the meteorite that were fractured by a lesser impact, at lower pressures and temperatures, and which record a much more recent age of less than 50 million years. They suggest this impact probably chipped the Chelyabinsk meteorite off its host asteroid and sent it hurtling to Earth.

Taken together, this supports a two-stage collision history. "The question for us was whether these dates could be trusted, could we tie these impacts to evidence of superheating from an impact?" said Walton. "What we've shown is that the mineralogical context for dating is really important."

Scientists are particularly interested in the date of the 4.5-billion-year-old impact because this is about the time we think the Earth-Moon system came to being, probably as a result of two planetary bodies colliding.

The Chelyabinsk meteorite belongs to a group of so-called stony meteorites, all of which contain highly shattered and remelted material roughly coincident with this colossal impact.

The newly acquired dates support previous suggestions that many asteroids experienced high energy collisions between 4.484.44 billion years ago. "The fact that all of these asteroids record intense melting at this time might indicate Solar System re-organization, either resulting from the Earth-Moon formation or perhaps the orbital movements of giant planets."

Walton now plans to refine dating over the window of the Moon-forming impact, which could tell us how our own planet came to being.

More information: Walton, C.R. et al, Ancient and recent collisions revealed by phosphate minerals in the Chelyabinsk meteorite, Communications Earth & Environment (2022). Journal information: Communications Earth & Environment Walton, C.R. et al, Ancient and recent collisions revealed by phosphate minerals in the Chelyabinsk meteorite,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-022-00373-1
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

New research led by the University of St Andrews reveals that millions of lives around the world could be improved by tackling global tax abuse.

The new report, led by the Global Child Health team at the University's School of Medicine, reveals that 36 million additional people would access basic sanitation, 18 million more people could access clean drinking water, and almost seven million more children would attend school if Western governments cracked down on tax abuse.

In addition, over a decade, this extra revenue would be associated with preventing the deaths of 600,000 children and around 80,000 mothers across the globe.

The Global Child Health team, working alongside colleagues from the Universities of Leicester and Warwick, have shown that if there were an increase in revenue equivalent to losses from tax abuse, there would be significant progress towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The research, published in PLOS Global Public Health this week (Tuesday February 22) quantified the potential for progress towards the SDGs by modeling the impact of an increase in government revenue equivalent to the estimated tax abuses in each country.

The Government Revenue and Development Estimations (GRADE) project is a collaboration between the University of St Andrews and the University of Leicester, led by Dr. Bernadette O'Hare, a Senior Lecturer in Global Child Health, and Professor Stephen Hall, an applied econometrician. The GRADE project models the relationship between government revenue and progress towards the SDGs. The model is used to quantify the potential of curtailing tax abuse but has also been used to quantify the contribution of large corporations to public finances in different countries.

Dr. O'Hare said: "The SDGs are grounded in international human rights, and we studied SDG 3, 4 and 6 for this paper (health, education, water and sanitation) as they are critical determinants of child health and survival. Governments generally provide these as public services, and when governments have more revenue, they spend more on health determinants. However, low and lower-middle-income countries have minimal government revenue per person. Therefore, plugging preventable leaks such as tax abuse (avoidance and evasion) would have a huge impact."

The Tax Justice Network reports four countries (Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) create the vulnerabilities responsible for more than half of global tax abuses.

Professor Hall explained: "The GRADE modeling takes a country's governance into account when modeling the impact of revenue progress towards the SDGs. However, as an increase in government revenue also improves the quality of governance over time, it is vital to curb preventable leaks such as tax abuses, particularly as a small number of countries contribute to a large proportion of these. Therefore, focussing on increasing revenue by curtailing leaks will allow countries to develop effective governance and accelerate progress towards the SDG targets by 2030."

Dr. O'Hare added: "There is hope for child rights and progress towards the SDGs. The Global Legal Action Network, Oxfam, Christian Aid, Action Aid and others used GRADE estimates to illustrate the impact of Irish tax policies on children's rights overseas in their submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC asked Ireland to explain how it ensures its tax policies do not undermine children's rights overseas.

"This month, the UNCRC has requested the Netherlands to assess their tax and financial policies to ensure they do not contribute to tax abuse that negatively impacts resources for children's rights in the countries their companies work. We hope the UNCRC will call on all countries known to create the vulnerabilities that enable tax abuse to carry out similar assessments, and GRADE could usefully contribute to these."

The GRADE project paper, "Tax abusethe potential for the Sustainable Development Goals," was published in PLOS Global Public Health.

Explore further Sustainable Development Goals partnerships may perpetuate inequalities between countries

More information: Bernadette A. M. O'Hare et al, Tax abuseThe potential for the Sustainable Development Goals, PLOS Global Public Health (2022). Bernadette A. M. O'Hare et al, Tax abuseThe potential for the Sustainable Development Goals,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000119
Average bimonthly rates of gun violence in Philadelphia neighborhoods, Jan/Feb 2017-May/Jun 2021. Credit: Image created by the authors using an open source image from unsplash.com (Gibson Hurst, CC0, creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/), and data from the authors study, (Johnson, Roman, 2022, PLOS ONE, CC-BY, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

A new study highlights neighborhood-level gun violence dynamics in Philadelphia during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying statistical links between changes in shooting rates and levels of drug market and police activity. Nicole Johnson and Caterina Roman of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on February 23, 2022.

Many prior studies have shown that homicide and gun violence increased in cities after the pandemic arose. However, different locations seem to have experienced varying relationships between the onset of the pandemic, including the timing of policies to mitigate spread of COVID-19, and rates of violence. Additionally, most studies have explored pandemic gun violence at a city-wide scale, without delving into individual neighborhoods.

To help clarify the dynamics of gun violence within cities, Johnson and Roman evaluated how shooting rates changed for different Philadelphia neighborhoods between January 2017 and June 2021before and after the pandemic began. Using statistical models known as piecewise generalized linear mixed-effects models, they investigated whether these changes might be statistically linked to various neighborhood characteristics.

The analysis found that average neighborhood shooting rates increased after the pandemic began, but that this increase occurred at different rates for different neighborhoods. The researchers also found that a neighborhood's levels of drug market activity and police activity were strongly associated with changes in shooting rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, certain characteristics pertaining to the structure of a neighborhoodincluding its racial makeup and its proportion of people with low socioeconomic statuswere linked to higher rates of shootings. However, those relationships remained stable during the pandemic.

The authors outline how their findings align with existing research on gun violence and suggest ways in which their study could help inform efforts to reduce shootings, both in general and in the wake of the pandemic. For instance, addressing violence associated with drug markets could help ease the increase in shootings seen after the onset of the pandemic.

Some scholars have suggested that increases in gun violence result from police backing off proactive policing in minority neighborhoods in the aftermath of events such as the death of George Floyd, but this study found that gun violence increased most in neighborhoods where police activity was highest. Future research could explore the finer-scale associations around such significant events.

The authors add: "Though our study calls attention to the overall risk of local and surrounding concentrated disadvantage on community rates of gun violence, these communities did not have increasing rates of gun violence as the pandemic unfurled. Instead, our findings illustrate the salience of drug market activity as a factor that contributed to increasingly more gun violence over the pandemic, and suggest there may be something particularly disorganizing about drug markets that make neighborhoods already at high-risk for firearm victimization even more vulnerable to the social and economic conditions introduced in 2020."

More information: Johnson NJ, Roman CG (2022) Community correlates of change: A mixed-effects assessment of shooting dynamics during COVID-19. PLoS ONE 17(2): e0263777. Journal information: PLoS ONE Johnson NJ, Roman CG (2022) Community correlates of change: A mixed-effects assessment of shooting dynamics during COVID-19.17(2): e0263777. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263777
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In North Carolina, the worries about climate change often focus on more frequent storms with heavier rainfall, but a new federal report points to an equally potent dangerthe seeping effect of sea level rise.

The report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) as part of a multi-agency project shows that sea levels along U.S. coastlines will rise, on average, by as much as a foot over the next 30 yearsequal to the rise measured over the last century.

Rick Luettich, a UNC marine science professor who heads the Center for Natural Hazards Resilience, said the projection for 2050 "isn't radically different than it was 10 years ago," but "there is a lot of clarity to these numbers now."

That means sea level change isn't a case of scientists speculating on what might happen given various scenarios. The change is here and accelerating.

"This new report says this is real now and it's going to be significant much earlier than 2100," said Luettich.

The most noticeable effect will be more coastal flooding, even without storms. NOAA said in a summary of the report's findings: "Sea level rise will create a profound shift in coastal flooding over the next 30 years by causing tide and storm surge heights to increase and reach further inland. By 2050, 'moderate' (typically damaging) flooding is expected to occur, on average, more than 10 times as often as it does today, and can be intensified by local factors."

Flooding related to sea level rise will be more extensive in North Carolina because of its low coastal plain. As seawater seeps further inland, it will render land unusable for agriculture, impair fresh water sources and disrupt the effectiveness of septic systems.

"Salt water intrusion is a major concern for the viability of coastal areas for agriculture and septic function is much less viable if the water table rises," Luettich said. "That's the hidden consequence."

Todd Miller, founder and executive director of the nonprofit North Carolina Coastal Federation, said the NOAA report offers a chilling view of the not too distant future.

"If this report is accurate, the current challenges we have with ongoing sea level rise along the coast will grow exponentially more difficult to handle," Miller said. "This is not simply an issue of where the sea meets the land. A foot rise in sea level in 30 years means parts of our barrier islands will be severely eroded or disappear, Pamlico Sound and other barrier island protected sounds and estuaries will be transformed into unprotected bays, and estuarine shorelines and salt marshes along our mainland areas will erode dramatically and move inland."

Sea level rise is a global problem with a global cause: rising emissions of greenhouse gasses. While little can be done about the next few decades, a drop in emissions could lessen the long-term swamping of the coasts. The NOAA report projects that under current conditions, sea level could rise by 2 feet by the end of this century. But if emissions are not checked, the increase could be as much as 7 feet.

Orrin Pilkey, a Duke expert on coastal geology and director emeritus of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, has approached the threat of rising sea levels by calling for development to retreat from the beach and barrier islands. But that's unlikely in North Carolina, given the large role of beach tourism and coastal real estate in the state's economy. An alternative to retreating is stronger control over coastal development and more investment in infrastructure to limit flooding and protect freshwater supplies and wastewater systems.

Luettich said sea level change can be mitigated by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, but bringing that about involves an unknown that's harder to predict. He said, "We understand the natural systems better than what people are going to do."

Explore further US sea levels to rise at a faster pace than in past 100 years

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A dissertation from the University of Gothenburg, for which the author studied presidential elections around the world among other things, shows that the closer the race appeared to be in the opinion polls before the elections, the greater the risks for manipulation and electoral fraud. However, opinion polls don't only influence politicians to undermine the integrity of elections. They also affect how people vote.

A healthy democracy has competitive elections where at least two candidates or parties have a good chance of winning. Previous research has shown that the political effects of this type of elections are positive. If a government is likely to lose the next elections, it is encouraged to work harder, perform better and thereby deliver more to the voters.

However, competitive elections have a darker side, particularly in more recent democracies with less stable public institutions.

"The uncertainty that arises when an election appears to be very close can lead politicians to undermine the integrity of the elections in order to increase their own chances of victory. I'm interested in how close elections can actually be detrimental to democracy," says the author of the thesis, Stephen Dawson.

Competitors can win in an undemocratic way

He has studied the relationship between political competition, how politicians and voters perceive that competition, and the integrity of elections. Part of his study is based on data from 109 presidential elections around the world between 1996 and 2016, and local elections in South Africa in 2016. Stephen Dawson analyzed whether the prevalence of electoral fraud and vote buying has anything to do with the outcomes of opinion polls and previous election results.

The results of his study show that the risk for electoral fraud and vote buying increased in countries where the polls and previous results indicate a close race in an election, where several candidates had a realistic chance of winning. One example is the elections in Honduras in 2013.

"The opinion polls initially showed even numbers, but the election was tarnished with accusations of many attempts to manipulate the process, which eventually resulted in a comfortable election victory for the incumbent party. The bottom line is that even if an election appears to be highly democratic in the sense that it is competitive, competitors can win in an undemocratic way."

False information negative for the behaviors of voters

Other manipulative strategies, such as disrupting the opposition early in the election campaign, can reduce the need for electoral fraud and vote buying, thus giving the impression that the elections have been free and fair. But political competition doesn't only affect politicians. Many voters at least in part base their decisions on the relative popularity of the candidates.

One example that Stephen Dawson found during his studies was from the 2013 elections in Turkey. At that time, President Erdogan allegedly attempted to have poll numbers manipulated and published in a newspaper before negotiations were to take place with the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) in an attempt to influence public opinion.

"Information, often conveyed via the mass media, about who is likely to win or lose the next election is therefore a key component when we think about how fair an election is. If the information is false, it can have negative consequences for how and if a person votes because the media is involved in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of voters."

The media has a great responsibility

The fact that the electoral behavior of voters is influenced by what they perceive the state of the political competition to be makes it more important to monitor now than ever before. During election campaigns, people are exposed to an increasing amount of information that is of varying quality. For example, the UN has warned against the threat to global electoral integrity. Adding to the problem is how politicians and elected leaders use social media to promote hatred, spread disinformation, and undermine trust in both civil society and state institutions.

"It is incredibly important to monitor how information about the state of the political competition is influenced by political actors during election times. Opinion polls measure political competition. The media therefore play an important role in ensuring that they communicate accurate information about the candidates and the electoral process so that voters' choices are not adversely affected, and elections are fairly contested."

Explore further Gender pay gap means fewer female candidates on the ballot

More information: Perceptions of Political Competition and the Integrity of Elections: Perceptions of Political Competition and the Integrity of Elections: gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/70284
Credit: University of Kansas

new book for popular audiences combines archaeology with emerging genetic evidence to tell the story of peoples from Siberia who were the first to populate the Americas some 20,000 years ago.

"Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas," written by Jennifer Raff, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Kansas, was published this month by Twelve Books and recently has entered the New York Times' bestseller list.

"This book is for everybody," Raff said. "I hope that faculty who teach about themes in this book might find it useful for their courses as well, but it's definitely not aimed at a scholarly audienceit's very much for the general public, who seem to be very, very interested in the peopling of the Americas and what we know about it. It's an exploration and an overview of the genetic and archaeological evidence for how people first got to the Americas."

Raff's book also explores how scientists arrived at current knowledge of the peopling of the Americasresearch that has at times come at the expense of Indigenous communities.

"It's not really a pleasant history," Raff said. "Indigenous peoples have been very harmed by some of the research that's been done in pursuit of an answer to the question of where and how did people get here. As I was writing this book, I thought it was important to explore that theme, as well as what the genetic and archaeological evidence shows usthese things are intertwined."

According to the KU researcher, because of so much interest in the topic, both on a scholarly level and from the public, it's important to understand implications of this area of study on descendants of the original peoples of the Americas.

"Genetics can be used as a tool for understanding the past, but also this area of research can harm Indigenous peoples, and we need to be mindful of that," Raff said. "I give examples of harmful research in the book. But I also talk about examples of the good work that has been done by many archaeologists and geneticists who have worked collaboratively with tribes, developing long-term relationships and doing research together in productive and respectful partnerships."

This, she said, is how she and her colleagues in the Department of Anthropology try to do their work.

"KU's anthropology department has long been a leader in community-engaged anthropological genetics research, and all of usfrom the chair of the department to the undergraduate researchersprioritize respect for tribal sovereignty and care for Indigenous ancestors in our work."

She said the state of knowledge of how the Americas were populated is "really in flux" and recent discoveries hold the potential to change the story.

"Current genetic and archaeological evidence situate the ancestors of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas first in Siberia and East Asia," Raff said. "There were two populationsone is ancestral to present-day East Asians; one is referred to as Ancient North Eurasians. By about 25,000 years ago, give or take, these two populations interacted and produced multiple populations, one of which became ancestral to Native Americans, and one of which stayed in Siberia."

Raff said the population that became ancestral to Native Americans subsequently was isolated for a few thousand years during the height of the Last Glacial Maximuma period of intense cold and dryness globally when around the world human populations retreated into refugia.

"During that period of isolation, this population evolves variants that are unique to the peoples of the Americas," Raff said. "We don't really know where that isolation happened, so it could have happened in Beringia itself, which was this land connection between Asia and North America that was hugeabout twice the size of Texas. And during the Last Glacial Maximum at the height of the last Ice Age, paleoenvironmental reconstructions have shown there were areas within it that appear to have been decent places to live, especially along the southern coast of Beringia."

The KU investigator said these refugia might have supported populations that were to become the original peoples of the Americas.

"In the central part of Beringia, it would have been warmer and wetter, and plants and animals and people could have lived there relatively easily," she said. "That's one of the places archaeologists and geneticists are pinpointing as potentially where this population was during the Last Glacial Maximum. But we don't have a lot of direct archaeological evidence to show that, because that area is underwater nowso it's a bit of an unsolved mystery in this history, and people could have been in other places, too; they might have been in Siberia, or even in North America, south of the massive ice sheets that were covering all of Canada."

To underscore the mysterious nature of the migration of the first peoples into North Americas, Raff pointed to a site found in White Sands, New Mexico, which shows evidence of humans living there about 25,000 years ago.

"It's just mind-blowing, so that's one of the big outstanding questionshow people got into the Americas after the Last Glacial Maximum, or maybe before," she said. "We're still working it out. What we see in the genomes of these ancient populations is a splitting of the populations into different groups, and then there's an interesting distribution of those groups across North and South America. That's all in the book."

This would likely not come as a surprise to Indigenous peoples, Raff said, because a number of tribes' oral histories situate their origins within the Americas at a point far earlier than has been traditionally accepted by the majority of scientists. Raff would like to see more collaborations between researchers and tribes along these lines.

"Histories reconstructed from archaeological and genetic data and oral histories won't always agree, of course, and we shouldn't necessarily expect them to," she said. "But there have been some fantastic cases where traditional knowledge holders have worked with researchers to interpret their findings together. This approach takes a long time, but it's important that we non-Native scientists respect the expertise of descendant communities regarding their own histories."

So far, "Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas" has been a critical and commercial success. In addition to making the New York Times' bestseller list, Raff's new book has reached as high as No. 11 on Amazon's nonfiction bestsellers and is currently sold out on that website.

"The reason I wrote this book was because this field is so complex and intense, and research is getting published so often that changes what we know," she said. "I thought the general public might be interested in this topicand it turns out, they really are. I'm a little astonished by the scale of interest but very grateful to be able to bring our fascinating field to a wider audience."

Explore further Popular theory of Native American origins debunked by genetics and skeletal biology
Rocket launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, in 2013. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

A chemical used in electric vehicle batteries could also give us carbon-free fuel for space flight, according to new UC Riverside research.

In addition to emission reductions, this chemical also has several advantages over other types of rocket fuels: higher energy, lower costs, and no requirement for frozen storage.

The chemical, ammonia borane, is currently used for storing the hydrogen in fuel cells that power electric vehicles. UCR researchers now understand how this combination of boron and hydrogen can release enough energy to also launch rockets and satellites.

"We are the first to demonstrate that in addition to electric vehicles, ammonia borane can be used to make rockets go too, under the right conditions," said Prithwish Biswas, UCR chemical engineer and first author of the new study. Their demonstration has now been published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C.

The most commonly used rocket fuels are hydrocarbon based and are known to have a variety of negative environmental impacts. They can poison the soil for decades, cause cancer, and produce acid rains, ozone holes and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

By contrast, once burned, ammonia borane releases the benign compounds boron oxide and water. "It is much less harmful to the environment," said Biswas.

Compared with hydrocarbon fuels, ammonia borane also releases more energy, potentially resulting in cost savings because less of it is required to power the same flight.

To release energy from the fuel and enable combustion, catalysts and oxidizers are added to supply extra oxygen to the fuel. Fuel cells often employ catalysts for this purpose. They enhance the rate of combustion, but they also stay in the same form both before and after the reaction.

"Spacecraft require high amounts of energy in a short amount of time, so it's not ideal to use a catalyst because it doesn't contribute to the energy you need. It's like dead mass in your gas tank," said Pankaj Ghildiyal, University of Maryland chemistry Ph.D. student and study co-author, currently working at UCR.

The inherent chemistry of ammonia borane decomposition hinders the release of its total energy on reaction with most oxidizers. However, the researchers found an oxidizer that alters the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms of this fuel, leading to the extraction of its total energy content.

"This is analogous to the use of catalytic converters to enable the complete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels," Ghildiyal said. "Here, we were able to create more complete combustion of the chemicals and increase the energy of the entire reaction by using the chemistry of the oxidizer itself, without needing a catalyst."

In addition to creating undesirable byproducts, some rocket fuels also require storage at sub-freezing temperatures. "NASA has used liquid hydrogen, which has very low density," Ghildiyal said. "It therefore requires a lot of space as well as cryogenic conditions for maintenance."

By contrast, this fuel is stable at room temperature and is resistant to high heat. In this study, the researchers created very fine, nanoscale particles of ammonium borane, which could degrade over the course of a month in very humid environments.

The research team is now studying the way ammonium borane particles of various sizes age in different environments. They're also developing methods of encapsulating particles of the fuel a protective coating, to enhance their stability in moist conditions.

This research was supervised by Michael R. Zachariah, UCR chemical engineering professor, and funded by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency's University Research Alliances program as well as the Office of Naval Research. The agencies granted the funds to help generate cleaner, more efficient flight fuels.

Quantum chemistry calculations required to support the experimental observations in this study were performed in collaboration with UCR material scientists Hyuna Kwon and Bryan M. Wong.

"We've determined the fundamental chemistry that powers this fuel and oxidizer combination," Biswas said. "Now we are looking forward to seeing how it performs at large scale."

Explore further Chemists discover new way to harness energy from ammonia

More information: Prithwish Biswas et al, Rerouting Pathways of Solid-State Ammonia Borane Energy Release, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C (2021). Journal information: Journal of Physical Chemistry C Prithwish Biswas et al, Rerouting Pathways of Solid-State Ammonia Borane Energy Release,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c08985
The image is an illustration made by Amanda Smith of the 193cm telescope at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence which was used for this research. This was the telescope that discovered the first exoplanet, 51 Pegasi b, which led to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2019. In the sky the Kepler-16 circumbinary planet system is represented, along with a depiction of the field of view of NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Credit: Amanda Smith

A rare exoplanet which orbits around two stars at once has been detected using a ground-based telescope by a team led by the University of Birmingham.

The planet, called Kepler-16b, has so far only been seen using the Kepler space telescope. It orbits around two stars, with the two orbits also orbiting one another, forming a binary star system. Kepler-16b is located some 245 light years from Earth and, like Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine, in the Star Wars universe, it would have two sunsets if you could stand on its surface.

The 193cm telescope used in the new observation is based at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, in France. The team were able to detect the planet using the radial velocity method, in which astronomers observe a change in the velocity of a star as a planet orbits about it.

The detection of Kepler-16b using the radial velocity method is an important demonstration that it is possible to detect circumbinary planets using more traditional methods, at greater efficiency and lower cost than by using spacecrafts.

Importantly the radial velocity method is also more sensitive to additional planets in a system, and it can also measure the mass of a planetits most fundamental property.

Having demonstrated the method using Kepler-16b, the team plans to continue the search for previously unknown circumbinary planets and help answer questions about how planets are formed. Usually, planets formation is thought to take place within a protoplanetary disca mass of dust and gas which surrounds a young star. However, this process may not be possible within a circumbinary system.

Professor Amaury Triaud, from the University of Birmingham, who led the team, explains: "Using this standard explanation it is difficult to understand how circumbinary planets can exist. That's because the presence of two stars interferes with the protoplanetary disc, and this prevents dust from agglomerating into planets, a process called accretion.

"The planet may have formed far from the two stars, where their influence is weaker, and then moved inwards in a process called disc-driven migrationor, alternatively, we may find we need to revise our understanding of the process of planetary accretion."

Dr. David Martin, from the Ohio State University (U.S.), who contributed to the discovery, explains "Circumbinary planets provide one of the clearest clues that disc-driven migration is a viable process, and that it happens regularly."

Dr. Alexandre Santerne, from the University of Marseille, a collaborator on the research explains: "Kepler-16b was first discovered 10 years ago by NASA's Kepler satellite using the transit method. This system was the most unexpected discovery made by Kepler. We chose to turn our telescope and recover Kepler-16 to demonstrate the validity of our radial-velocity methods."

Dr. Isabelle Boisse, also from the University of Marseille, is the scientist in charge of the SOPHIE instrument that was used to collect the data. She said: "Our discovery shows how ground-based telescopes remain entirely relevant to modern exoplanet research and can be used for exciting new projects. Having shown we can detect Kepler-16b, we will now analyse data taken on many other binary star systems, and search for new circumbinary planets."

The research is published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Explore further New method to detect Tatooine-like planets validated

More information: BEBOP III. Observations and an independent mass measurement of Kepler-16 (AB) b  the first circumbinary planet detected with radial velocities, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stab3712 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society BEBOP III. Observations and an independent mass measurement of Kepler-16 (AB) b  the first circumbinary planet detected with radial velocities,
A recent poll found that 70% of Georgians support new solar power and 64% support new wind power, with new hydroelectric and natural gas capacity also receiving relatively favorable marks. Credit: Georgia Tech

A majority of Georgia residents strongly support new solar and wind power capacity over new coal-fired plants and believe the state should set a carbon emissions reduction goal, according to a new survey conducted for researchers at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.

The survey, conducted by polling firm Dynata, found that 60% of Georgia residents back the creation of a state carbon emissions reduction goal. That includes 74% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 52% of independents, and 45% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

The poll also found that 70% of Georgians support new solar power and 64% support new wind power, with new hydroelectric and natural gas capacity also receiving relatively favorable marks.

The survey found only 30% of respondents supported new coal-fired power plants.

"This survey demonstrates that many Georgians across the political spectrum are in favor of green energy solutions that will benefit the state's environment, create new jobs, and support our economy," said Marilyn Brown, Regents Professor and Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems in Georgia Tech's School of Public Policy.

Cory Struthers, assistant professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, and Brown designed the survey with help from graduate students in Georgia Tech's Climate and Energy Policy Lab (CEPL).

Brown and Struthers are affiliated with Drawdown Georgia, a project of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, which provided funding to universities and stakeholders across Georgia to identify promising climate solutions for the state. The Foundation provided support for this survey, in addition to other activities to translate research into action, including the Drawdown Business Compact.

"This survey provides important new information about how people in Georgia feel about climate solutions," said Blair Beasley, the Foundation's director of climate strategies. "We are pleased to see that the results validate Georgians' support of many high-impact solutions that Drawdown Georgia has identified for their potential to reduce emissions in our state this decade."

The Busbee Endowment at the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech's Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems also provided support for the survey.

Support for a range of climate solutions

The survey of 1,788 Georgia residents was conducted online from Aug. 20, 2021, to Sept. 5, 2021.

All survey participants answered a set of common questions about their demographics, energy bills, knowledge of climate solutions, values, and more. The respondents were then divided into three groups, with participants in each answering additional questions that focused on one of three transformational climate solutions: rooftop solar, retrofitting, or electric vehicles.

The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points for questions in the larger, common, sample and plus or minus 4 percentage points for those in the smaller sample.

Overall, 75% of Democrats, 55% of independents, and 49% of Republicans supported development of a climate resiliency plan for Georgia to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

When asked about new energy infrastructure, new solar panels and wind farms received 70% and 64% support, respectively. In contrast, 36% of those surveyed showed support for new nuclear power plants, somewhat higher than for new coal plants. Seventy-one percent of respondents favored energy efficiency strategies and smart-meter infrastructure.

Climate technologies that individuals can adopt at home were also well-viewed. A majority of respondents either already had residential energy-saving technologies or were interested in adopting them. The highest combined level of interest and adoption was for using LED lights at 93%, followed by efficient HVAC systems (80%), rooftop solar (59%), community solar (59%), and electric vehicles (55%).

Many respondents were also willing to support government funding for financial incentives to go green: 50% said they would support $5,000 rebates for electric vehicles, 55% said they would look favorably on up-front financing for heat pumps, and 64% said they would support a similar strategy for rooftop solar projects.

"These high-impact solutions have the potential to both reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency in Georgia," Struthers said. "A cleaner, more efficient Georgia means increased air and environmental quality, job creation, and gains in public health."

Survey also reveals details of energy poverty, low energy literacy

The survey findings also shed light on the prevalence of "energy poverty" in Georgia. A household is energy-poor when it spends more than 6% of its income on energy. The survey found that while households with incomes greater than $150,000 spent about 2% of their income on energy bills each month, households with incomes less than $20,000 spent, on average, between 14% and 21% of their monthly earnings on energy.

The survey also found low levels of literacy in regard to climate solutions, energy technology, and policy among respondents. Fewer than 35% of respondents knew the correct answer to questions related to energy and climate, including what energy sources are fossil fuels and the relative cost of operating electric and gasoline-powered vehicles. Only 4% of those surveyed correctly answered that solar panels generate energy in full sunlight, in the shade, and on rainy days.

"We want to use this data to continue to answer questions about the diffusion of, and support for, clean and equitable energy technology transition in Georgia," Brown said. "How can this data help us overcome ambivalence toward clean energy and design programs that make the energy transition work for all Georgians, especially the most vulnerable? How can it help us to raise knowledge and awareness about the promise of high-impact climate solutions?"

Explore further End to nuclear plant ban signed by West Virginia governor
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region held a video conference on Tuesday with the Permanent Mission of China to the UN Office at Geneva to showcase the region's social and economic development.

Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva, delivered a video address at the conference held in the regional capital of Urumqi.

He said that Xinjiang gives top priority to the interests of the people of all ethnic groups, and major achievements have been made on the region's economic and social development and human rights, while the people of all ethnic groups have led an unprecedented happy life.

Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the people's government of the autonomous region, said Xinjiang has always adhered to a people-centered development philosophy and continued to advance projects to benefit the people, focusing on employment, medical care, education and social security.

Maxime Vivas, a French writer and journalist who has visited Xinjiang twice, said at the conference that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are living happy lives and the so-called "genocide" fabricated by some Western media outlets is a complete lie.
Dairy farms are one target for reducing New York states methane emissions. Credit: Max Pixel

While carbon dioxide emissions have received most of the attention in the fight against global warming, there are other lesser-known greenhouses gases, including methane.

The primary component of natural gas, methane is the second largest contributor to climate change behind carbon dioxide, due to its high volume in the atmosphere and strong effects. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, methane now accounts for some 35% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers have begun a project that aims to locate New York's largest sources of methane emissions, using mobile laboratory equipment to collect data across the state. Supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the undertaking includes researchers from the University at Albany, Columbia University, Ithaca College and the University of Rochester.

"Methane concentrations are increasing globally, including close to home, due to a number of reasons such as leakage from oil and gas infrastructure, agricultural practices, and inadequate mitigation at landfills and wastewater treatment plants," said Jim Schwab of the University at Albany's Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, who is leading the project.

"There is a really large methane signal from New York City that is a mixture of many different sources," added Roisin Commane, an atmospheric scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and co-principal investigator. "Our work is focused on identifying and quantifying the contributions of these different sources to overall methane concentrations so we can help state regulators and policy makers."

The group's mobile laboratory is situated in the cargo compartment of a 2007 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. It contains instruments that can measure methane concentrations, along with other pollutants.

The team has already completed two three-week deployments, in May and November, and is gearing up for a third this spring. The deployments have so far included the New York City metro area, and central and western New York. Targets have included landfills, urban areas, wastewater treatment facilities, farms and other potentially controllable emission sources identified from previous research and advanced satellite data.

Deployments typically last four to eight hours before batteries powering the instruments need a recharge at a base station. Additional aerial measurements are being collected for the project using a research aircraft.

The group has been measuring and modeling methane at fixed air-quality monitoring sites for the past several years. They hope the mobile measurements will add new spatially diverse measurements into their analyses.

"One area we are particularly interested in is evaluating the impacts of management practices to help dairy farmers to move towards sustainability," said Eric Leibensperger, an assistant professor at Ithaca College and co-principal investigator.

In February, the state finalized new regulations to reduce methane and other emissions statewide from oil and gas infrastructure. New York's 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires that greenhouse gases to be reduced by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050.

The researchers plan to share their findings with the state to better understand, control and regulate future methane emissions.

Explore further Study shows London produces up to a third more methane than estimates suggest

This story is republished courtesy of Earth Institute, Columbia University http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu.
Sex offender gets 5 years probation

FORT EDWARD  A sex offender is expected to receive 5 years of probation after to failing to update required information.

Daniel Larmon pleaded guilty in Washington County Court on Thursday to failure to register. He is set to receive time served and probation when sentenced on March 18.

All registered sex offenders must alert authorities when changing addresses and social media accounts.

This is his first offense.

Larmon is classified as a level 1 sex offender, which is at the lowest risk of reoffending.

Saratoga police probe 4 robberies

SARATOGA SPRINGS  The Saratoga Springs Police Department is investigating four robberies reported in the city since Saturday.

The first robbery took place on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Super Smoke N Save at 109 West Ave. The other three robberies took place on Monday  at XtraMart at 154 South Broadway at 1:45 a.m.; at I Love NY Pizza at 26 Congress St. at 4:22 p.m.; and at Post Time Wine & Spirits at 170 South Broadway at 4:30 p.m., according to a news release.

In each case, a single man the establishment and demanded cash. A weapon was not observed in any of the incidents. No force was used and police are not aware of any injuries during any of the robberies. Investigators are working to identify the person involved. Police believe it is the same suspect because of the similarity in the description of the man and the circumstances of each robbery.

Police are asking anyone who was in the area of reported robberies when they took place and has information to contact the Saratoga Springs Police Department at 518-584-1800. People may call 518-584-TIPS to remain anonymous. Further information will be shared as the investigation progresses.

Michael Goot is night and weekend editor of The Post-Star. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.
FORT EDWARD  A sex offender is expected to receive 5 years of probation after to failing to update required information.

Daniel Larmon pleaded guilty in Washington County Court on Thursday to failure to register. He is set to receive time served and probation when sentenced on March 18.

All registered sex offenders must alert authorities when changing addresses and social media accounts.

This is his first offense.

Larmon is classified as a level 1 sex offender, which is at the lowest risk of reoffending.

Michael Goot is night and weekend editor of The Post-Star. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com.

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FORT EDWARD  Michael Powers pulled a harmonica from his case of 20, cupped his hands around the woodwind and started to play.

When I was just a little kid, I started playing it, said Powers, who grew up on Henry Street in Glens Falls. He now lives in Fort Edward with his wife, Cherie.

Powers, 73, owns about 20 harmonicas because, as he explains, the harmonica is tuned to concert pitch, and you have to play in the key whatever the song is in.

Powers recently used his talent to win first place in the 2021 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival competition held by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VA uses the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities, according to its website.

Powers won first place in the instrumental spiritual category for his rendition of Amazing Grace on his harmonica.

He also won second place in the original vocal category for a song he wrote called A Soldiers Haunted Dream.

He shot videos of his songs in his hay barn with his son Mark on guitar and grandson Liam on the ukulele. His niece, Kim, at Upstate Records, recorded the videos. Both videos are available on YouTube.

Nearly 2,000 veterans from 118 VA medical facilities across the nation competed in the festival, which is open to veterans enrolled at VA health care facilities.

As a first-place winner, Powers has been invited to attend a five-day festival in April in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he will sing in the chorus.

Powers joined the Navy Reserves in 1968 and then served in active duty for two years. He doesnt suffer from PTSD, but is partially disabled due to hearing loss he suffered working with Morse code in the radio room and refueling aircraft carriers in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The lyrics to the song were not derived from his own personal experiences during the Vietnam War, yet they do mirror the guilt soldiers felt during the conflict.

When I started I thought I was writing a nice blues song, and as the words kept coming to me, finally it got to a point where I didnt like the song anymore because it was something very bad, Powers explained.

The haunting lyrics say, Vietnam 69, haunted memories. We were so young, and we were so scared. That little boy saw us, and he ran away. We didnt know he was just a child at play.

Powers hopes his song will help veterans who may have guilt about the actions they took during the war.

I hope that it helps veterans that have had very bad experiences causing memories that make them feel guilty, he said. That its not their fault. That its war.

Gretta Hochsprung writes features and hometown news. She can be reached at 518-742-3206 or ghochsprung@poststar.com.

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ALBANY  With the average American now devoting more than 25% of their television viewing time to streaming services, video production companies have developed a voracious appetite to create new films and television shows.

Champions of New Yorks film tax credit program  offering generous incentives to the production companies  say the state has become a hot venue for those programs and movies as a direct result of the subsidies provided to the industry.

Those supporters are now pressing state lawmakers to get behind Gov. Kathy Hochuls proposal for a three-year extension to the $420 million annual film tax credit, contending New York needs to be competitive as other states try to lure the same players from the industry.

Since the state film tax credit was instituted in 2004, shows and films that have benefited from the program have been produced from one end of the state to the other, and there are indications the business will mushroom even more in the year ahead.

Robert Halmi, chief executive officer of Great Point Studios, said his company is spending tens of millions of dollars to build Niagara Studios in Buffalo and Lionsgate Studio in Yonkers, specifically because it is participating in the film tax credit program. We are creating industry and opportunity where it doesnt exist, said Halmi, suggesting the industry is becoming a beacon of hope for some of the poorest communities in New York.

Without the tax credits, none of this would happen, Halmi told lawmakers at a hearing on Hochuls proposed $216 billion state budget. None of the films would come here. We wouldnt be making investments in New York at all. Wed do it in a state that has tax credits. History has proven that if you take the tax credits away the studios would all turn to rubble and no one shows up to your party.

The film tax credit provides a 25% credit for post production and qualified production costs within the state. There is an additional credit of up to 10% offered for labor costs in the upstate region.

But the program, which is overseen by Empire State Development, a public authority controlled by the governor, is not without critics. They argue it is far too generous and question why taxpayers are paying thousands of dollars to subsidize private investors.

Peter Orecki, director of state studies for the Citizens Budget Commission, a government watchdog group, said the state should be doing a much better job in promoting accountability with the film tax credit program and other economic development initiatives.

With all of its $10 billion bundle of incentives, the state needs to stay on top of whether the various programs are achieving their job creation goals and having the intended economic impacts  if any, he said.

The key question is: What number of jobs would not have happened if the film tax credit didnt exist, Orecki said.

Among critics argue who argue there are better ways to use state resources to improve the lives of a broad spectrum of New Yorkers than handing out film tax credits is John Kaehny, director of Reinvent Albany, an advocacy organization.

There is no evidence the TV and film credit is a cost effective way of creating sustainable jobs, Kaehny said.

Reinvent Albany, at an earlier hearing, contended that with its business subsidies, the state needs massive changes to ethics laws to stop tax credits from being a corruption risk stemming from those benefiting from the program rewarding the politicians who support them with cash for their campaigns.

A report issued last October by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, a Democrat, found that film tax credit activity in New York in 2019 and 2020 found that the program generated upward of $1 billion in tax collections.

Debbie Goedeke, who oversees a project called Film Albany for Albany County, noted shows such as White House Plumbers (HBO), Pretty Little Liars (HBO), The Gilded Age (HBO) and Billions (Showtime), have all had recent shoots in the Albany region.

For one series alone, Gilded Age, those affiliated with the production work consumed 5,770 nights in temporary lodging, Goedeke said.

Goedeke drew a chuckle from Sen. Liz Krueger, chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee, when she noted that Albany managed to lure a Showtime production called 3 Women because the city is a perfect double for Fargo, N.D.

It is not just the economic buzz, Goedeke concluded. All of these productions added an esprit de corps to our communities, created a buzz and shone a light through a very dark COVID tunnel.

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Lenox Cafe has been an Atlantic City staple since opening its doors in 1929. But when Daniel Caldwell took over, he breathed new life into this breakfast and lunch spot. Caldwell grew up in Mays Landing, and unlike a lot of folks on this list, his background before purchasing Lenox Cafe was not as a chef.

I was a regional director for Rent-A-Center for 15 years, Caldwell says. Every time I came to Atlantic City I used to eat at Lenox Cafe, and I really liked it. So one day my lawyer told me the Cafe was for sale. I bought it, and Ive been here for 20 years.

You dont stay in business for 20 years without some fabulous items on the menu, and Lenox Cafe has that covered with hearty breakfast dishes like their stuffed crepes, corn beef hash or the Mexican omelet  made with ham, hot peppers, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and picante sauce.

But by far the most popular breakfast item is the mangu  a Dominican specialty that has become the signature dish at Lenox.

My wife is from the Dominican Republic, and mangu is really popular there. Its mashed plantains with salami, fried cheese, sauteed onions and eggs. People come from all over the place just for our mangu, Caldwell says.

Lenox Cafe is located at 2730 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City. Go to LenoxCafe.com.

Contact Nicholas Huba: 609-272-7046 nhuba@pressofac.com Twitter @acpresshuba

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PLEASANTVILLE  The state has fined James DiNatales Site Enterprises Inc. and ordered it to pay $112,290 to 23 laborers for wage and hour violations on three public works projects, according to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

DiNatale is president of Site Enterprises and owns the former Press of Atlantic City editorial and printing property on Washington Avenue, where his RGC3 LLC wants to run a transfer station to ship construction debris to Ohio via the train line that runs by the site.

The bookkeeper messed up, DiNatale said by phone Tuesday. We paid what we had to pay.

According to the departments Wage & Hour Compliance Division, Site Enterprises failed to pay prevailing wages, did not keep accurate certified payrolls and misclassified employees as independent contractors, depriving them of medical benefits, earned sick leave and more.

Employee complaints resulted in the findings last month, the department said in a news release.

The company paid a fine of $46,000 and has agreed to an 18-month voluntary prohibition on public work, DOL said.

Pleasantville trash transfer station drives debate across Atlantic County The debris-waste transfer station planned for a lot in Pleasantville has driven disputes and

The projects were asbestos removal at Kean University in Union, an emergency housing demolition in Camden, and asbestos abatement and demolition in East Orange, Essex County.

Supporters of DiNatales plan to build a trash transfer station to accept construction debris and send it out of state through a train line on site have billed it as providing jobs and much-needed income for the city.

Pleasantville Mayor Judy Ward said she had no comment as she was unaware of the DOL action.

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority has opposed the plan, saying it would deprive the ACUA landfill of needed income and drive up tipping fees for municipalities to dispose of their trash.

DiNatale, however, said while municipal tipping fees for residential trash are the lowest in the state, the fees for disposing of construction debris are among the highest.

In effect, he said, high tipping fees for contractors have subsidized municipal fees, keeping them artificially low and putting a large burden on companies in the construction and demolition businesses.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com

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ATLANTIC CITY  Carol Schreibmans energy fills the classroom as she reads Edgar Allan Poes The Cask of Amontillado.

Students hold back their giggles at the dramatic emphasis she places on each word.

For this 80-year-old Atlantic City High School English teacher, teaching is not just her job but her lifes purpose.

People have to have meaning in their lives. My purpose is helping these kids grow up into good human beings, Schreibman said.

Thats the philosophy that keeps Schreibman going after nearly 50 years of teaching, and why she wont be leaving anytime soon.

Schreibman originally wanted to become a doctor, but life had other plans for her. After she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with an English degree in 1964, she decided to take night classes to get her teaching certifications. She found her calling after teaching in Philadelphia for one year.

I didnt know what I wanted to do, Schreibman said. I thought, OK, Ill teach for a while.

After taking a few years off to care for her three sons, Schreibman began teaching at Atlantic City High School and hasnt looked back since. She is celebrating her 49th year at ACHS this year.

The more you do it, the more you like it, Schreibman said.

Schreibman has seen many changes in the world of teaching and the world at large since she began nearly 50 years ago.

Cellphones, unfortunately, have replaced a good novel, she said.

Despite the constantly changing world, Schreibman pushes through and prioritizes connections with her students above all.

Stockton University rowing moves into Brigantine boathouse The Stockton University rowing team is moving into a new boathouse.

Everything changes, but the kids themselves dont change. Teenagers are teenagers, she said.

Schreibman said she has never had problems with her students, and its because of the way she treats them.

My kids are good. If you treat them with respect, they will be respectful to you.

Most importantly, Schreibman believes that encouraging students to be respectful, knowledgeable and kind is as much a part of the job as the curriculum.

I constantly lecture them about drugs, alcohol and all that, Schreibman said. I teach them how to live in this world and be healthy. I try to tell them that the things they get stressed about now wont matter in a few years from now.

Schreibman has kept in contact with many of her former students, some of whom she now considers her personal friends. Some of her former students have even become her coworkers, including the principal of Atlantic City High School, Constance Days Chapman.

Casino school gives strong hand to aspiring dealers NORTHFIELD  Denise Hillery Angel Jones and her husband, Glenn, rolled the dice on opening

Were very proud to have her still teaching at our school. She has been such an asset to our school, said Chapman, who graduated from ACHS in 2003.

As a former student, Chapman knows the dedication Schreibman puts into her teaching.

Im excited to know shes still providing students today what she gave to me when I was a student, she said. We all love her, and we look forward to her staying with us forever. We celebrate her and appreciate all the hard work she has put in over the 49 years shes been here.

Schreibman said she doesnt understand why anyone wouldnt want to work, even as they get older. The kids keep her young, she said.

You have to do something you like, and that you think is important. Thats what I do, I help them be good human beings.

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Hong Kong will launch a massive program in March to test every resident three times for COVID-19 in an effort to ferret out any infections in the community after the special administrative region reported 6,211 confirmed infections and 39 deaths on Tuesday.

Health authorities warned that exponential growth of infection numbers is expected about every three days.

Announcing the Compulsory Universal Testing program on Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the city's testing ability will be increased to no less than 1 million samples per day in order to achieve the scale of the testing. Hundreds of testing centers in the community will be established.

In a poll released by the Bauhinia Institute think tank on Tuesday, over 70 percent of respondents supported mass testing in the city.

In a special arrangement, summer break for all kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, as well as international schools, will be moved to March and April. The new semester will begin after the Easter Holiday. School premises will then be used for quarantine, vaccination and mass testing.

In between the three tests, residents will be asked to take government-provided rapid antigen tests every day. The government will provide KN95 face masks or masks that provide the same level of protection.

Lam called on employers to show understanding for their employees to take the universal testing.

She said the government will also ramp up efforts to increase the number of quarantine and treatment facilities in response to the possible infection levels found in the mass testing.

She expects that the city's isolation units could be increased from the current 5,000 to 12,000 by the end of February, and another 16,000 units will be completed in March.

In addition, with the help of the central government, the new projects near Penny's Bay and Kai Tak Cruise Terminal are expected to offer 10,000 units. The government will also build at least 20,000 more units in five other sites, Lam said.

Lam said all social distancing measures now in force will be extended to April 20. Starting Thursday, all residents over age 12 will have to provide proof of vaccination or medical exemption when entering premises like malls, wet markets and hotels.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong reported 6,211 confirmed infections and another 9,369 people testing preliminarily positive for COVID-19.Thirty-nine COVID-19 patients died, bringing total deaths to 350. Thirty-four of the victims were older than 60 and most of them suffered from chronic diseases and hadn't been vaccinated.

Speaking at the briefing on Tuesday, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said the number of infections is expected to increase exponentially every three days.

Top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan cautioned residents in a video to not underestimate the Omicron variant, which is more contagious than the flu. He stressed that the right to life is the prerequisite for all the other human rights in the fight against the pandemic.

On Monday, over 100 members of a nucleic acid testing medical support team from the Chinese mainland began testing at five stations in the city's hard-hit districts.

According to Zhang Nu, head of a mainland support team, Guangdong provincial authorities are working to send the largest-ever medical support team, the third-such support delegation, to Hong Kong, which could comprise thousands of medical workers, mostly for testing.

The construction of four temporary hospitals, aided by the central government, began on Tuesday in the city.

The four temporary community isolation and treatment facilities will offer 14,000 to 17,000 quarantine units when fully operational. The first of the isolation and treatment facilities is expected to be ready for use in about one week.

Lam thanked the central government for its timely offer of help as Hong Kong faces its worst wave of COVID-19. That offer shows once again that the central government is always a strong backer of the special administrative region, she said.
VINELAND  The leader of the Cumberland County corrections officers union is calling on county officials to reverse their plans to close the jail and move its inmates elsewhere after Atlantic County rejected a plan to expand its correctional facility and take Cumberlands inmates.

Victor Bermudez, president of PBA Local 231, on Tuesday called Atlantic Countys decision to not expand a stake in the heart of Cumberland administrators original jail shutdown plan. He called on Cumberland officials to craft a plan that would stop outsourcing inmates throughout the state and protect jobs.

Cumberland County spokesperson Jody Hirata did not respond to a request for comment on Bermudezs statements Tuesday evening.

Cumberland is continuing its plans to close the jail there and has been sending inmates to various facilities around the state.

Atlantic County made a business decision, Bermudez said in a statement. They dont want our inmates or our problems as individual county inmate populations are sharply increasing with staffing shortages statewide.

Last week, Atlantic County commissioners nixed a $1 million construction contract to expand the countys jail capacity, with income from Cumberland County and out-of-county inmates paying the remainder of the projects $7.7 million bill.

The expansion would allow lodging for an additional 250 inmates.

Atlantic County jail won't expand to take Cumberland inmates NORTHFIELD  There will be no expansion of Atlantic Countys jail to accommodate Cumberland 

The decision came after concerns were raised about how close the expansion would come to the neighboring Atlantic County Institute of Technology, and that Cumberland Countys inmates often have a history of gang involvement, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said last week.

Cumberland initially planned to build a new, $65 million jail, but abandoned the plan in 2020 in favor of shuttering the facility and sending its inmates elsewhere.

In September, a New Jersey court rejected an appeal from the state Office of the Public Defender and ruled the jail could close.

The jail has also been subjected to several lawsuits, including one last year that alleged two female inmates were subjected to sexual abuse by male corrections officers. The women, who filed separately, said in the lawsuits they felt forced into performing sexual favors as a gateway to better in-house jobs.

Multiple inmates also sued the county for improper COVID-19 safety precautions after an inmate and a corrections officer died. The facility, in turn, created a safety policy related to the virus.

Cumberland County plans to spend possibly millions of dollars to export inmates from its jail while it continues a process to close, union officials said.

The union has been forthright about its opposition since those plans were first announced, it said Tuesday.

Atlantic Countys jail expansion was the linchpin to Cumberlands jail shutdown plan, said Bermudez. Thats no longer an option, and theres no longer a plan after scrapping a new jail bonded by the taxpayers. Its time to end this charade and begin to work on a comprehensive plan to bring inmates back while increasing jobs at the jail in Cumberland.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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Former congressional candidate Amy Kennedy, of Brigantine, has endorsed Tim Alexander to be the Democratic nominee to challenge U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd.

The announcement Wednesday puts to rest any lingering hopes by her supporters that Kennedy will run again this year.

Tim will be a strong advocate in Congress for community partnerships to create robust mental health support networks and improve how our emergency services interact with those in crisis, Kennedy said Wednesday in a news release issued by the Alexander campaign.

The primary is June 7, and the general election is Nov. 8.

Retired Egg Harbor Township police Capt. Hector Tavarez announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination last March.

Two other candidates are in the Democratic primary race so far, but the filing deadline is April 4. They include the Rev. Curtis Green, whose residence could not be confirmed Wednesday afternoon, and former engineer Carolyn Rush, of Sea Isle City.

Mazzeo, Fitzpatrick endorse Tim Alexander for Congress Tim Alexander, who is vying to be the Democrat challenger to U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd,

Kennedys endorsement follows Mondays endorsement of Alexander by former Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, and Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick.

Kennedy won the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District in 2020 but lost in the general election to Van Drew.

Van Drew first won the seat as a Democrat in 2018 but changed parties to Republican in 2019 after refusing to vote to impeach President Donald Trump.

His party change unleashed a torrent of Democratic anger against Van Drew, but he held onto his seat in his first reelection campaign in 2020.

In her endorsement statement, like Mazzeo and Fitzpatrick, Kennedy cited Alexanders background as someone who had been racially profiled and falsely accused of a crime as a young man who went on to become a police officer and then a civil rights lawyer.

Alexander, 56, lives in Galloway Township.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com

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The annual spring shorebird migration on the Delaware Bay shore was a world-class natural phenomenon before it was decimated by wildlife destruction for profit.

Since 2008, federal and state agencies have worked to restore the threatened red knots that mass on the beach and the 450-million-year-old horseshoe crabs whose eggs fuel the birds 9,000 mile migration.

Now the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the regional overseer of fishing quotas thats tasked with ensuring there are enough horseshoe crabs to sustain the birds, proposes a change in its rules that would allow the damaging slaughter of the past to resume.

The new threat comes after the annual count of red knots on the beach hit a record low last year.

Catching and chopping up female crabs, for low-value uses such as fertilizer and bait for snails and eels, has been banned since 2013. The restrictions on taking horseshoe crabs were supposed to remain in place until the red knot population recovered to pre-destruction levels.

Instead, toward the end of January the fisheries commission proposed changing the way it estimates red not and horseshoe crab populations, making them seem abundant enough to resume commercial use of the crabs and therefore reduce further the imperiled birds on the beach.

South Jersey wildlife biologist Larry Niles has been working to save the red knots for more than two decades. A member of the Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition, hes a dissenting voice on the fisheries commissions Horseshoe Crab Management Board that approved the changes on Jan. 26.

The current losses of adult female crabs are poorly estimated, Niles told NJ Spotlight. Adding to that loss is just going to make egg densities go down and make this situation worse.

The fisheries commission said its new sources of data and new modeling software for setting the allowed catch of horseshoe crabs will still account for the foraging needs of shorebirds.

Birding organizations have counted red knots on the bay beaches, finding about 90,000 in the 1980s. Last year, their number plunged to 6,800  the lowest ever. But the fisheries commission said its new method of counting came up with 45,000. Niles said the commission adds to beach birds an estimate of those that might be passing through the bay.

The commission said that if its new data and methods were in place in 2019, it could have allowed about 145,000 female crabs to be taken for profit. An attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental law nonprofit opposing the commissions changes, said that shows the harvest of female horseshoe crabs will resume if they are finalized.

There is also a high-value use for horseshoe crabs that spares most of them but still reduces their numbers. Their primitive blue blood can be used to detect infectious bacteria and endotoxins, a biomedical test crucial to ensuring the purity of vaccines. Scientists say that even though the horseshoe crabs are released after blood extraction, a quarter or more of them die.

Now is not the time for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to move forward with a proposal that would further destabilize horseshoe crab and red knot populations along Delaware Bay, said Eric Stiles, chief executive of New Jersey Audubon. Rushing such a decision could have tragic consequences for both species and the overall ecosystem of the bay.

We couldnt agree more.

The fisheries commission crab management board said its aware that there is considerable public concern about the potential impact of its changes, so using the new models to allow horseshoe crab harvesting would be examined and subject to public comment.

We hope the fisheries commission reverses this potentially disastrous return to the destructive and pointless pillaging of bay wildlife. Those who care about the bay, the birds and its remarkable living fossils should look for a chance to be heard when the fisheries commission allows their comments.
Caleb Copley, senior assistant Scott County attorney, plans to run for Scott County Attorney in the 2022 election cycle.

The current office-holder, Mike Walton, is retiring at the end of the year. Walton will introduce Copley during a news conference on Wednesday morning that will mark the launch of Copley's campaign, according to a news release.

Copley will run as a Democrat.

Copley started at the county in 2017 and has since prosecuted high-profile criminal cases, according to the release.

Copley left in 2019 and spent two years with the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa prosecuting drug conspiracies and gun cases, and assisted with prosecution of the Low Riders street gang, the news release stated. The supervisors hired him back in late December as the county attorney's office was understaffed and struggling to fill positions.

"Copley has returned to Scott County focused on continuing Walton's dedication to justice and crime prevention and to ensure that no one is viewed or treated as being above the law," the release stated.

In a letter to supervisors when they considered Copley's hiring, Walton wrote that one of Copley's specialties is firearms prosecution, a role Walton said would be valuable to the office.

"I need an attorney who can pick up a file and go to trial 'next Monday' if needed," Walton said. "Caleb fits that description."

His resume states he has experience investigating and prosecuting large drug trafficking and weapons use and possession. It also says he has professional relationships with federal, regional and local law enforcement agencies including the FBI, Southeast Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Quad City MEG, Davenport and Bettendorf Police Departments and the Scott County Sheriff's Office.

One other candidate has announced she's running for the office. Muscatine Assistant County Attorney Kelly Cunningham Haan announced in January she'd vie for Scott County attorney as a Republican.

Walton has served as the county's attorney since 2007, and was an assistant Scott County attorney for 19 years prior. Walton announced in January 2020 he would retire at the end of his term in December 2022.

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Four days before an inmate at the Rock Island County jail reportedly was beaten by two correctional officers, a judge asked the state to place him in a secure setting because of his mental disability.

The Illinois Department of Human Services, DHS, declined to transfer the inmate into the agency's custody on Jan. 26, records show. The state's reason for declining the transfer does not appear in court records.

Four days after the county asked the inmate be transferred, based on his status as a mentally disabled person who was incompetent to stand trial, the 26-year-old Black man was battered by two correctional officers, according to an investigation by Rock Island Police.

Cameron Gerischer, 21, and Jacob H. Ward, 29, face felony charges of aggravated battery in the case. They are accused of repeatedly striking the inmate with their fists on Jan. 30.

The victim is identified as being 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 155 pounds. A traffic arrest for Gerischer, one of the correctional officers, listed him as 6-1 and 200 pounds in 2019 when he was 18. The second officer's height and weight was not immediately available.

The inmate was in custody on several sex-related crimes in which his alleged victims were children. He was arrested in East Moline in October and charged with one count of criminal sexual assault and two counts of criminal sexual abuse in which the victims were identified as being a 9-year-old and a 7-year-old.

Both correctional officers were immediately placed on administrative leave following the incident, county officials said.

Rock Island County Sheriff Gerry Bustos asked the city of Rock Island Police Department and the state's attorney's office to conduct an independent criminal investigation, according to a news release from the state's attorney's office.

It resulted in the charges against Ward and Gerischer. An internal investigation is ongoing, Bustos said Tuesday.

It is the second case in a year in which Rock Island County correctional officers have been charged with battering an inmate. The incidents occurred one year and one day apart.

Last year, officers Alondra Valtierra-Martinez, 25, and Mackenzie Martin, 24, were accused of battering a female inmate.

Both women have since pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor charge of battery. They initially were charged with Class 3 felonies, aggravated battery, which is the same charge leveled in the recent case.

Valtierra-Martinez was sentenced to one year on conditional discharged during a hearing Feb. 3 in Rock Island County Circuit Court, according to circuit court electronic records.

Martin was sentenced to one year's supervision during a sentencing hearing Jan. 11, according to circuit court electronic records. Reporter Anthony Watt contributed to this story.

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The Supreme Court is known for keeping secrets. Year after year, in major case after major case, theres little beyond what the justices say during oral arguments that suggests how they will rule. That's what makes the leak of a draft of an opinion in a major abortion case a shock to court watchers. The draft published by Politico says that a majority of the court is prepared to overrule the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. There have been leaks before, but not of such magnitude. Only a handful of people, about 70, might see a draft at the stage of the Alito document.
Davenport aldermen on Tuesday said a proposal to eliminate one-way traffic through part of downtown merits further study.

"It means more business, more pedestrians, lower speeds and safer streets," Alderman Kyle Gripp, at-large said. "Two-way conversion is the next step in revitalizing our downtown, strengthening our neighborhood and making it a truly walkable, urban place and destination. ... The city of Davenport needs to start putting people before cars. ... Making their front sidewalks places where it's safe to walk and quiet enough to enjoy a coffee or a meal."

The mayor and aldermen directed city staff to conduct a technical evaluation, including analyzing traffic counts, intersections, traffic calming methods, signage and boundaries, as well as evaluating loading zones and soliciting community input.

Davenport's proposed six-year capital improvement plan includes $1.7 million budgeted in fiscal year 2024 to convert the traffic signals on 3rd and 4th streets to allow for two-way traffic from East River Drive to Marquette Street. The Downtown Davenport Partnership would contribute up to $700,000 toward the cost of the project.

The city's proposed annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 also includes $100,000 for engineering services as part of an overall $9.2 million project funded with a $7.3 million federal grant for the rehabilitation of 3rd and 4th streets from Telegraph Road to Harrison Street in 2024.

As part of the design process, the Downtown Davenport Partnership has requested the city incorporate DDP's proposed two-way street implementation into the planned reconstruction to save time and money.

Plans developed by the downtown partnership would make 3rd and 4th streets a single lane in each direction with a center turn lane and a bicycle lane and curbside parking on each side of the street.

The partnership and some city officials note downtown Davenport has changed considerably in recent decades, with the addition of roughly 1,400 apartment units over the past 20 years.

As such, they argue the three-lane streets move traffic at unsafe speeds through a downtown that's become increasingly residential and create dangerous intersections.

More than 2,000 residents now live downtown in 1,600 units, with another 350 apartment units in the works, Carter said.

The partnership represents more than 225 businesses and 422 properties downtown with a combined taxable value of $365 million.

Multiple independent traffic studies and master plans for downtown development have questioned or called for the outright removal of one-way traffic downtown dating back to 1986.

Benefits touted by the DDP of converting portions of downtown's most traveled one-way thoroughfares to two-way streets include:

Improved safety and quality of life for downtown residents, visitors and businesses. While the speed limit would remain the same, two-way streets would calm and slow existing traffic and promote a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly area where more people live and congregate.

More people walking and biking through downtown would make restaurants and storefronts more visible and accessible to customers, providing more opportunity for small-business and retail growth, particularly on the west side of downtown.

A more visitor-friendly downtown that's more walkable and easier to navigate, with better access to key downtown amenities and hotels.

Use of 4th Street as a primary flood detour route connecting the west end to downtown and East Village during flooding. Doing so, though, requires two-way traffic for the detour to function properly and efficiently.

Carter and others on the Davenport City Council argued the historic conditions that led to one-way traffic in the 1950s and 1970s no longer align with current situation.

"In 1954, downtown Davenport was the center of the universe," Carter said. "There were nine department stores downtown. Every bank in the city was here. If you wanted to spend money, shop or do anything you have to be here. So you can imagine the congestion that created."

Traffic counts have since dropped significantly over the decades, as retail, manufacturing and other development shifted north to the city's fringes.

"The one-way streets were meant to move people quickly through the downtown and out ... either to the east or to the industrial area to the west downriver," Alderwoman Judith Lee, Ward 8, said. "And Davenport has changed. We're trying to make it a more livable downtown again. People are moving in. Businesses are coming in. They survived the floods and they see a reason to be there. But they are challenged by the one-way streets."

Gripp noted grocery and drug store chains have turned down opportunities to build downtown, citing one-way traffic as being problematic for their business and access to it.

Carter pointed to a traffic report by engineering, planning and consulting firm Sam Schwartz, which suggests traffic counts through downtown are well below traffic engineering industry standards to achieve efficient travel times.

According to the Iowa Department of Transportation's latest traffic counts from 2018, 3rd Street carries about 6,000 to 9,000 vehicles per day, with similar volumes of 8,000 to 11,000 cars per day on 4th Street and about 11,000 vehicles per day between Harrison and Brady streets. With two-way conversion, 3rd and 4th streets would still reach level B service, according to the engineering report.

"Level A being the highest humanly possible for what is considered to be efficient, safe travel," Carter said. "We can do this, if we want to do this."

In addition, DDP notes River Drive (U.S. Highway 67) functions as a bypass route for the downtown.

"If both streets exceed 15,000 vehicles per day with no reasonable bypass route, then the conversion may increase congestion," according to a DDP traffic study.

Traffic counts on 3rd and 4th streets through downtown have changed little over the past 15 years.

In addition, other cities in Iowa that have had one-ways for decades, like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Muscatine, have successfully put two-way streets in their downtowns, supporters have noted.

Carter, though, stressed "there are no silver bullets" to creating a more vibrant and resurgent downtown, and road infrastructure is "one founding block."

"I want to be crystal clear that if we do this improvement, it will not be sunshine, rainbows and unicorns," Carter said. "It is one thing that we need to improve in downtown. ... It will fix some of our problems, but we still think it's worth the investment."

While a majority of Davenport aldermen seemed to agree, not all were convinced of the benefits of two-way traffic downtown.

Alderman Rick Dunn, Ward, 1, suggested the city look at different methods to slow traffic, such as narrowing the roadways to two lanes, while keeping one-way traffic downtown.

"If speed and safety is the concern here, then we should look at different alternatives to address that, not just changing one-ways to two-ways," Dunn said. "Because, quite honestly, we may make it work worse. And that's my concern, because now you're going to have two-way traffic turning. I don't know. I think we need to take a real hard look at what we do here and come back with different options."

Alderman Derek Cornette, Ward 7, said residents he's spoken with don't see the need for the investment downtown.

"They don't go downtown. They don't feel safe downtown and they just basically feel it's a waste of one million bucks that would be used somewhere else," Cornette said. "I think the people of Davenport should be asked what they want about this conversion. ... What goes on downtown doesn't affect them and they don't really care. So I think we should get a feeling of the city before we make a determination."

Alderman Ben Jobgen, Ward 6, as well said a majority of residents he's spoken to are opposed to two-way conversion. Jobgen, who said he was "ambivalent" about the proposal, echoed Dunn that the city look at other methods to slow traffic and increase pedestrian safety downtown.

Other aldermen urged the city look at extending two-street conversion farther west, past Marquette, to Division Street.

Gripp, while supportive, worried the increased scope and cost would lead aldermen to abandoned the project.

He, too, cautioned aldermen from letting parochial views derail a proposal he argues would increase safety and investment in a thriving, fast-growing neighborhood.

"Our downtown is safe  totally safe," Gripp said. "I dont agree with the logic of asking people who dont go downtown what the future of downtown should be."

Fellow at-large Alderman JJ Condon, who lives downtown, asked his colleagues to show "deference" to downtown residents and businesses who support the proposal.

"This is a neighborhood issue," Condon said, adding he's twice been hit by a vehicle while crossing Brady Street on 3rd Street.

"If you haven't been a pedestrian in the downtown area in the last five years, then you might not know what the average person who comes down here often knows: Two-ways is the right decision for the community," Condon said. "No one comes out of a restaurant on 3rd Street and says, 'Honey, it's a nice night. Would you like to take a walk?' It feels like you're walking on a cliff of a very dangerous fall, because the traffic is just whizzing by.

"We're trying to create a sense of place; something we can invest in and count on for years to come."

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Moline has received $404,764 in insurance reimbursement stemming from an email phishing scheme in December 2020 in which scammers stole $421,000.

The city's cyber liability insurance carrier, Tokio Marine HCC, covered the payment, leaving the city to pay its $10,000 deductible.

"We continue to be proactive in our efforts to protect the city from cyber fraud, phishing and other scams," City Administrator Bob Vitas said in a news release. "Protecting taxpayer money is of paramount importance to all who work for the city."

Vitas said in November that the city "maintains liability insurance policies that protect the city against ransomware attacks, wire fraud attacks and other forms of cyber-attacks."

The thefts occurred when the city sent two fraudulent wire transfers on Dec. 16 and Dec. 30, 2020. The theft was discovered when a longtime vendor called the city and said it had not been paid and was confused since the city normally paid invoices right away.

The Moline Police Department was notified on or before Jan. 12, 2021, and an investigation was opened. Through the assistance of the FBI and U.S. Secret Service, $6,355 was recovered.

Moline has since reviewed all of its internal control policies with the assistance of auditors and established several new protocols.

One such practice is conducted by the Information Technology Department, which sends fake phishing emails monthly to employees. If a phishing email is opened, the employee is provided additional training on recognizing phishing attempts.

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SPRINGFIELD  Every year, the Illinois General Assembly meets on and off for about five months or so to do the people's business  everything from large tasks like crafting a state budget to smaller ones, such as designating the official state microbe.

Coverage is often tilted towards the end of session, when a flurry of large bills will often move in quick succession. And then there are some days earlier in session, such as the governor's budget address, that will attract attention.

What often gets missed is the day-to-day sausage-making that makes government run. In the House and Senate, much of this work happens in committee, where bills are fleshed out before advancing for a full floor vote.

The past couple weeks have been busy in Springfield  the deadline to get substantive bills out of Illinois Senate committees was Feb. 11. The deadline in the House was last Friday.

Of course, getting bills out of committee is just one step in the process. Many, once passing, will often be held on "second reading" while waiting for amendments, which can be considered in a later committee hearing or on the floor of the House or Senate.

Once it passes the chamber of origin, it heads to the opposite chamber, where it will be assigned a committee and will go through the same process there. But there's never a guarantee the bill will receive a vote in the opposite chamber.

The road from bill to law is often meticulous. Many bills will die along the way. Thousands are introduced every year while just hundreds will ultimately become law.

Still, a sampling of the various bills that have been proposed offer a flavor of what's happening under the Capitol dome, even if they may not eventually hit Gov. J.B. Pritzker's desk.

Here are just a few of the interesting proposals, some serious and some perhaps a bit silly, that have passed out of committee in recent weeks:

Reporter Taylor Vidmar contributed to this report.

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DES MOINES  The procedures by which Iowa schools consider complaints from parents about books and other classroom materials may soon include state requirements.

Two Republican state lawmakers who on Wednesday participated in a legislative hearing on a sweeping K-12 policy proposal said they believe those procedures are not working as they should.

Parents in Iowa and across the country have increasingly raised concerns about some library books and classroom materials in public schools that they deem to be obscene. Typically, the books are about LGBTQ people or people of color, and some include passages that describe sexual activity.

Most Iowa schools have in place procedures for parents to raise objections to books or classroom materials. Typically, a committee or the school board ultimately decides whether to remove the flagged materials from the school.

Some parents have testified in legislative hearings this year that they have raised objections to materials, but the school chose to retain them.

There are processes, but I dont think theyre being followed very well, Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire, a former Pleasant Valley school board member, said during a hearing Wednesday. I want to get that in this bill.

The legislation discussed Wednesday was Gov. Kim Reynolds K-12 education policy bill. It includes a proposal for shifting taxpayer funding for public schools to scholarships for families who wish for their child to attend a private school.

Reynolds bill also has a section that requires school districts to maintain a level of transparency with library books and classroom materials.

Cournoyer and Sen. Ken Rozenboom, R-Oskaloosa, indicated they want to strengthen that section of the bill.

I have correspondence from students suggesting our transparency procedures are not working very well right now, Rozenboom said during the hearing. We need (to) work on transparency.

Neither Rozenboom nor Cournoyer said what specific policies they would like to see added to the bill.

Statehouse Republicans have introduced myriad proposals addressing so-called transparency in education. House Republicans have aligned themselves with Reynolds original proposal, which would require school districts to catalog all their materials online so parents can access them.

Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel, has introduced legislation that would allow parents who disagree with a schools decision to sue the district, teacher or librarian, which could result in criminal charges for the educator.

The governors bill, Senate File 2349, had already passed through the Senates education committee. Because it includes funding for the governors proposed private school scholarships program, it is now moving through the budget committee.

With Rozenbooms and Cournoyers approval Wednesday, the bill is now eligible for consideration by the full budget committee.

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SPRINGFIELD  State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, resigned his seat Wednesday and will reportedly plead guilty next month to federal corruption charges.

Cullerton, 52, a former chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and was seated in 2013. In August 2019, he was indicted on multiple charges of embezzlement for allegedly receiving pay and benefits from Teamsters Joint Council 25 while doing little or no work for the union.

Cullerton had denied any wrongdoing and was originally scheduled to go on trial in 2020, but that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His most recent trial date was scheduled for April 18.

On Wednesday, though, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Cullertons attorney, Daniel Collins, had requested a change of plea hearing and Cullerton submitted his resignation to the Senate.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman scheduled that plea hearing for March 8.

Tom Cullerton served his constituents in the 23rd Senate District for nearly a decade. I look forward to welcoming and working with a new senator from the district, Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said in a statement.

Cullertons indictment in 2019 grew out of a sprawling investigation by U.S. Attorney John Lauschs office into public corruption in Illinois politics. That investigation also led to indictments of former Sen. Martin Sandoval, now deceased, former Sen. Terry Link and former Rep. Luis Arroyo, all Democrats.

It also led to indictments of several officials at utility giant Commonwealth Edison for allegedly trying to bribe former longtime House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, in exchange for passing favorable legislation for the company.

Although Madigan himself was not charged and denied any wrongdoing, that controversy, among others, led to him being ousted from the speakers position by Democrats in the General Assembly and, in 2021, his resignation from the House.

In October 2021, Cullertons attorney filed a motion to dismiss most of the charges. In that motion, he explained that Cullerton had been a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and worked as a truck driver for Hostess Brands until that company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, the same year he was elected to the Senate.

Cullerton had been elected to the state Senate, but like most members of the state legislature, he needed a second job  one with some flexibility, especially since he would be in Springfield during legislative sessions, his attorney explained.

In March 2013, John Coli, the former president of Teamsters Joint Council 25 who has also been indicted, hired Cullerton and told him to complete his political responsibilities and to attend picket lines and other union events, according to a statement Coli made to a grand jury that was included in Cullertons court filing at the time.

Cullerton was charged with 39 counts of embezzlement  one for each paycheck he received  as well as illegally obtaining health care through the unions health insurance plan.

Judge Gettleman denied the motion to dismiss the charges and ordered the case to proceed.

Cullertons seat will be filled by appointment from the Democratic party organization in the 23rd Senate district.

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Revolution MacInnes believes that disinformation about COVID-19 killed his father.

In recent years, MacInnes dad began subscribing to conspiracy theories. His father spent a lot of time on Facebook, and believed posts that claimed COVID-19 vaccines were harmful and lining the pockets of government officials, MacInnes said. He believes his father may have been mentally ill, and the conspiracy theories helped him feel engaged.

His dad refused to get vaccinated. In late Jan., the Oswego man began having trouble breathing. Within a few days, he was in the hospital with COVID-19. Soon after, he had a heart attack, his lung collapsed and he was on a ventilator, MacInnes said.

He died Feb. 8 at the age of 76.

The reason he didnt get vaccinated is because he had been told a series of things around the dangers of vaccines, said MacInnes, 55 of Andersonville, who described his dad as one of his closest friends. He was seeing all this nonsense.

False information about COVID-19 has proliferated throughout the pandemic, and now a number of groups and states are grappling with how to handle misinformation spread by one unlikely group in particular: doctors. Though the vast majority of doctors are in agreement that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, some physicians and physician groups are saying the opposite, often on social media sites such as those frequented by MacInnes dad. About two-thirds of state medical boards across the country have reported an increase in complaints related to doctors spreading false or misleading information, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

Some say doctors who spread misinformation about COVID-19 should lose their medical licenses while others are pushing to prohibit punishments against them.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation released a notice in November saying that doctors can face disciplinary action for failing to give advice or treatment in line with evidence-based medicine and standards of care. That includes giving patients exemptions from wearing masks when theres no medical need, and prescribing ivermectin for COVID-19, the department said. Its also encouraging anyone who hears Illinois doctors spreading misinformation about COVID-19 to file a complaint with the department.

Other states are taking the opposite approach. The Federation of State Medical Boards is now tracking 28 bills in 15 states that would prohibit discipline against doctors who prescribe certain nonapproved treatments for COVID-19 or spread misinformation.

A bill in Florida, for example, would prohibit discipline against any health care practitioner for exercising his or her constitutional right of free speech, including, but not limited to, speech through the use of a social media platform, unless it can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the speech physically harmed a patient of that provider. Bills in Iowa and Indiana would prohibit disciplining doctors for prescribing ivermectin and/or hydroxychloroquine. Tennessee and North Dakota have already passed similar bills, and their governors have signed them into law.

Ivermectin is a drug used to treat people with infections caused by some parasitic worms, but it is not approved for the treatment of COVID-19, as it has not yet been shown to be safe or effective, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hydroxychloroquine is a malaria medication that received emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19 in 2020, but the FDA later revoked that authorization because the drug was not found to be effective against COVID-19 and the FDA determined its benefits did not outweigh the risks, including potential heart rhythm problems.

The risks are low and the potential gains are high, Rep. Curt Nisly said of ivermectin, in a statement. Nisley is the lawmaker sponsoring the Indiana bill. Hoosiers should be able to care for their health safely and effectively.

But the federation, which represents medical boards across the country, and many other doctors find such bills troubling.

We see the effects of patients coming in unvaccinated and the unnecessary suffering and death that is caused by the conspiracy theories and disinformation that is being spread by this small number of very vocal physicians who are far outside of the medical consensus but causing a great deal of harm to a population who is mostly confused, said Dr. Nick Sawyer, a California ER doctor and executive director of No License for Disinformation, a group pushing for physicians who spread false information to be disciplined.

What theyve done is they have co-opted the trust that the public places in physicians, Sawyer said.

An unconscionable violation of physician trust

Its unclear how many physicians may be warning against vaccines, or prescribing nonapproved treatments in the privacy of their own offices. But several groups of doctors  including Americas Frontline Doctors and the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance  have been advocating the use of certain nonapproved treatments on social media and/or questioning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

In late November, Americas Frontline Doctors posted on Facebook that COVID-19 vaccines increase the risk of heart attacks by more than twofold, and that vaccinated adults under age 60 in England were more likely to die than those who were unvaccinated. Facebook tagged both of those posts with warnings either saying they were false or referring people to Facebooks COVID-19 information center for facts about COVID-19 and vaccines.

Some individual doctors have also gained prominence in recent months for their stances. About a dozen influential anti-vaxxers  including Chicago-born and trained physician Dr. Joseph Mercola  were responsible for nearly two-thirds of anti-vaccine content on social media, according to a report released by the Center for Countering Digital Hate last year.

In response to increasing misinformation about COVID-19 spread by doctors, the Federation of State Medical Boards released a statement in July saying that physicians who spread misinformation or disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines risk having their medical licenses suspended or revoked. At least 15 states, including Illinois, followed suit, publishing their own statements on the issue. The federation has no power over state medical boards but is a nonprofit organization that represents state medical boards, which deal with matters involving physician discipline.

The Chicago-based American Medical Association also adopted a policy in November aimed at combating disinformation spread by health care professionals.

My experience is people trust me with their most valuable possessions, their health and the health of their loved ones, and to deliberately mislead them with inaccuracy, thats an unconscionable violation of physician trust, said Dr. Gerald Harmon, president of the American Medical Association.

How much discipline is enough?

Exactly how to deal with those doctors, however, remains a topic of discussion even among those who agree that what theyre doing is wrong.

At least a dozen state medical boards had disciplined medical professionals for spreading false information, as of this past fall, according to the federation.

Some, however, say that number is not nearly high enough.

Medical boards are supposed to enforce provisions in state medical practice acts, and theyve failed to do that, said Sawyer, with No License for Disinformation. Theyve failed to protect the public from these dangerous disinformation doctors, and that has now metastasized into this issue where you have a large number of disinformed people who believe in the conspiracy theories.

Harmon, with the American Medical Association, said: Im encouraged that some action is being taken. Im not satisfied that we have enough action at this point or we have not reached a point where misinformation seems to have been reduced.

Its possible that more disciplinary action hasnt been taken because investigations into complaints, and the due process for the doctors involved, can take time, said Lisa Robin, chief advocacy officer for the Federation of State Medical Boards. Its difficult to know how many states may be now investigating complaints because many medical boards dont publicly confirm investigations.

Boards can take a number of actions against doctors who spread misinformation about COVID-19, depending on their state laws and rules. Actions can range from simply sending the doctor a warning letter to suspension or revocation of a doctors medical license.

A statement issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in November said that it is a violation of state law to engage in dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public. The department said it was aware of licensed health care professionals providing misinformation regarding COVID-19 mitigations and treatment.

The department, however, at this point, has not taken any public disciplinary action against doctors in Illinois for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, spokesman Chris Slaby said in an statement. He noted that complaints and investigations are confidential until the department takes an enforcement action or publicly disciplines a person. He did not answer questions about how many complaints, if any, the department has received.

MacInnes, whose father died of COVID-19 earlier this month, would like to see doctors who spread false information about COVID-19 and vaccines online punished severely. The misinformation his dad saw online likely came from a number of sources, said MacInnes, who owns a media production company and hosts livestream shows. But false information that comes from doctors is especially dangerous, given that theyre not average people, he said. Theyre supposed to be experts.

They need to lose their licenses, and they need to do jail time, MacInnes said. If you go against science and youre a doctor, my opinion is you dont get to be a doctor.

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Two decades ago, I was talking to a top Republican official in Iowa. Absentee voting was being used with increased effectiveness by Democrats, and I wanted to know when Republicans would put similar efforts into this type of balloting.

The Republican official said the party had noticed and would work on it. But he also explained that voting on the traditional Election Day was what most Republicans preferred. And he was right. In the nearly 30 years Ive covered politics, its been clear to me that voting on traditional Election Day is more in the DNA of Republicans than Democrats. Some conservatives insist that's the only way we should vote.

Election Day voting plays to the GOPs advantage. The Democratic Party relies to a greater extent on people who vote less often. Which is why Democrats have always put so much effort into early and absentee voting; they know that it takes more legwork to get many of their supporters to the polls than it does the typical GOP voter. Thus, they like the wider voting window.

This fundamental truth is what is at the heart of Republican efforts to curtail absentee and early voting in Iowa.

Republicans will tell you this is about security or voter fraud, but thats not the truth. Voting in Iowa has always been pretty secure. Tales of dead voters, stuffed ballot boxes and the like is part of the history of other states, not our Iowa.

Still, Republicans who control the Legislature have been successful in recent years in curtailing your right to vote by absentee ballot.

Last years law slashed the number of allowable days from 29 to 20. (Previously, it was 40 days).

Sen. Roby Smith, a Davenport Republican, has captained these efforts, but all legislative Republicans have been complicit.

A year ago, I wrote a column criticizing these moves. And I noted Republicans claim their efforts dont suppress the vote because people keep voting. But this isnt about the number of voters; its about who votes. Besides, as I said then, just because people were able to overcome these hurdles doesn't mean Republicans won't keep trying to erect more of them.

Which brings me to this legislative session and a new proposal to change the state's voting law. Yet again.

Like the others, this plan tries to accomplish a number of changes. But one of them is to create an additional obstacle to voting by absentee ballot.

Already, voters filing an absentee request must include their drivers license number or voter PIN.

Now, Republicans are demanding that voters include their number when returning the ballot, too. And the number must be on the right envelope. (There are multiple envelopes involved.) Republicans say the idea is to be more consistent. But the only consistency here is to make it more difficult to get an absentee ballot through the maze of regulations, which seem to grow more complicated each year.

In Texas, a new requirement to include an ID number has resulted in "unprecedented" numbers of ballots being rejected in several large counties, according to Reuters.

Its not surprising Iowa county election officials see a problem.

As The Des Moines Register reported, the Iowa State Association of County Auditors asked for more time to deal with the anticipated increase in workload, suggesting a slightly wider absentee window. Even some House Republicans saw some merit in the idea and wanted to add a few days to help out. However, according to the Register, Smith responded by saying, "I think where we're at with 20 is good."

Again, remember the main goal here.

Part of this new election bill deals with real problems, like procedures pertaining to recounts. We saw the law's flaws after the 2nd district congressional race between Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Rita Hart in 2020. But, why the additional hurdle to vote by absentee?

Earlier this week, Laura Belin at the progressive Bleeding Heartland blog tweeted that it's probably time for Democrats to stop encouraging people to vote by mail. Too many landmines, she said.

She may be right. Over the past 20 years, Republicans have gotten better at absentee voting, but they know where their real advantage lies: Narrowing the voting window. This is the consistent approach the GOP has taken  to tilt the playing field to its advantage.

One might look at this as part of a political back-and-forth both parties have engaged in over the years to gain electoral advantage. But the GOPs approach is the only one that makes it harder for people to vote, the one that threatens legitimate voters with disenfranchisement. However, as we all are now aware, the Republican Party these days has a different definition of what counts as "legitimate."

Ed Tibbetts is the editorial page editor for the Quad-City Times and Dispatch-Argus.

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U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, is recognizing National Public Schools Week by championing recent funding from the American Rescue Plan for public education.

The National School Board Association has designated the week of Feb. 21 as National Public Schools Week to celebrate the importance of public education in communities. Nine out of 10 students are educated in the public school system.

Bustos helped pass the American Rescue Plan Act, securing nearly $596 million for public, K-12 schools in Northwest and Central Illinois to stay open safely and make up for lost learning time.

"All students should have access to safe, welcoming and well-funded public schools," Bustos said in a news release. "Thanks to the historic investment from the American Rescue Plan in K-12 education, our primary and secondary schools are better equipped to safely stay open while navigating the challenges presented by the pandemic. I look forward to continuing to support our schools, faculty and staff to ensure quality education for every student."

Nationwide, the American Rescue Plan provided $130 billion for schools to stay open, with an additional $10 billion to help schools conduct COVID-19 testing for students and staff.

Local counties in the 17th Congressional District received more than $174 million in ARPA funding: Rock Island County, $95.5 million; Henry County, $21.8 million; Mercer County, $3 million; Knox County, $29 million; and Whiteside County, $25 million.

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Sitting with his wife Ashley on Tuesday at Silvis City Hall, Nick Carlson got his paperwork ready as he listened to Amy Clark, CEO of Greater Metropolitan Area Housing Authority of Rock Island County, talk about Apoyo Village.

Clark was at City Council chambers to explain to Silvis city leaders and residents the purpose behind the proposed low-income housing project.

The 24- to 26-unit project would be located at 2001 5th St. and, if it moves forward in its current form, would have 13 one-bedroom apartments, 12 two-bedroom units and one three-bedroom unit.

The agency operates Pebble Creek Apartments in Silvis, Heartland Park Senior Living Community in Moline and Hometown Harbor in East Moline.

News of the project in late January came as a surprise to the Carlsons, as well as other residents of the city and even Silvis city leaders, most of whom explained they learned about the project from news reports instead of from the agency.

During the 90-minute meeting, Clark took heat on who would be housed in the complex, how it would be funded and would the city receive any tax revenue.

After submitting a number of Freedom of Information Act requests that showed letters of recommendation for the project came from the Illinois Department of Corrections and the SAFER Foundation, the Carlsons raised the question whether convicted criminals will be living in their neighborhood, within 300 feet of their home and within a half mile of Bowlesburg Elementary School.

Clark told the room the tenants have to pass a criminal background check, they cant owe money to any landlord and they cant have prior evictions or they cant get in our program, and if they do get in our program and they break the law or they use drugs or they violate the peace and tranquility of the property, they get the boot. I dont want those folks there, either. I have a vested interest in making sure this project is perfect and that the tenants are model citizens.

Clark said that their targets were single moms and other people on their waiting list.

But Carlson countered, saying the State of Illinois in its letter of recommendation from the Department of Corrections, states that you will be accepting people coming out of their institutions. By definition they have to have a criminal record. The second letter is from the Safer Foundation. The only thing they do is work with people with criminal records coming back into society.

Clark said her agency had to follow Illinois law and the administration plan. A criminal record cant be the sole basis for denying someone housing. She added they have to take an application from someone with a criminal record.

We have to do that for the application, she said. Thats not the demographic that were trying to bring in.

Convicted criminals have to be given the opportunity to apply, she said. While the agency will give convicted criminals the opportunity to apply, they will not have the right requirements to qualify for the housing because they wont pass the background check.

We have to give everyone an opportunity to apply, Clark said, but were not being dishonest.

Carlson finished by telling Clark: You did a bunch of stuff that you dont have to do, but you did if for the application but you have to do it but you dont really have to do it, to me in a nutshell you did what would give you the best opportunity to get the funding and I understand why you would do that. That is your role.

City Administrator Nevada Lemke wondered if the city would receive tax revenue from the project.

Clark said that while her agency could take advantage of a tax exemption, it will not do that because that is not good for the community.

Councilwoman Kathryn Hall, 2nd Ward, said she was not happy about learning about the development through news reports instead of hearing about it from Clark and the agency ahead of time.

It offended me, Hall said, adding that it is just common sense to talk to the community about the development first.

Clark said the agency had the option of backing out if the community did not want the project.

We will definitely take into consideration the concerns of the community and make sure that any development we do is in the best interest and has the greater good at heart, she said.

Clark stressed in her statements that this is not the housing projects of the 1950s and 1960s, adding that low-income housing was developed wrong from the beginning.

Those high concentrations of poverty, thats not the way to effect the low-income community, she said. The best way is to take a small project, integrate it slowly, provide the services necessary for the individuals to be successful and do our best to move them along the housing continuum.

Clark said she understood Silvis residents and its city leaders might be a little miffed about how they learned about the project. Before announcing anything, she said, they needed to be sure they had a viable project. Saying anything before funding was secured would have been a waste of time.

Additionally, the company has not yet purchase the property.

We didnt have to be here tonight, Clark said. We chose to be here. We want to have this dialog. We want to understand their concerns. Were literally, voluntarily trying to get to know the community and what it wants.

The Carlsons said they understood what Clark and her company were trying to do, and they understood the need for low-income and subsidized housing as all the markets were tight.

But Nick Carlson spoke the words that the rest of the community and the citys leaders expressed in one way or another during the meeting.

What we expect is transparency, he said.

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Mayor Steve Allender will write a letter of support on behalf of the Rapid City Council asking the state Legislature to support spending $7.25 million so South Dakota Mines can purchase and renovate the Ascent Innovation center on its campus.

The council approved the mayor's request 8-0. Council members John Roberts and Ron Weifenbach were absent.

Allender asked the council to add the item to the agenda at the start of the meeting. He said the economic development partnership, which later became Elevate Rapid City, and others funded construction of the business incubator many years ago. He said all of it was done with the understanding that when the building was no longer in use, it would be sold to South Dakota Mines.

He said a bill approved Tuesday in the state Senate Appropriations Committee provides the funding for the purchase of the building.

Weve heard theres some debate about this bill in the Legislature, and I believe its important to let the city council at least state their position on this transaction, Allender said. I myself have interacted with some legislators on this issue and there may even be a little bit of misunderstanding about the arrangement or the purpose this building will serve.

Senate Bill 97 authorizes the Board of Regents to purchase the building for $5.25 million and spend an additional $2 million to renovated the building. It also appropriates $5.25 million from the general fund and $2 million in other fund expenditures, and declares the legislation an emergency so it can be implemented sooner. The committee approved the bill 7-2 with Sens. Brock Greenfield (R-Clark) and Ryan Maher (R-Isabel) voting no.

I think its appropriate for this building to be utilized by the School of Mines, its already situated there, its ready to go, and I think its a benefit to the entire state of South Dakota, Council member Greg Strommen said.

South Dakota Mines President James Rankin said the building could be used as a laboratory in the future, Allender said.

The council also approved two bids for two Public Works projects at Tuesday's meeting. One is for a trenchless sanitary sewer rehabilitation near Jackson Boulevard awarded to Mainline Contracting for $711,262. The other is a $2,864,025 bid to Heavy Constructors for the Deadwood Avenue reconstruction phase one project.

The Deadwood Avenue project will be from Tatanka Road north about 3,440 linear feet to the section line. It will include road realignment, asphalt pavement with ditches and culverts, and about 2,700 linear feet of 12-inch PVC sanitary sewer main installation in the west ditch.

Public Works Director Dale Tech said the engineers estimate for the project was about $2.7 million.

That stretch of road needs a lot of repair and itd be good to get it under contract, Tech said.

The council also approved eight second readings for rezoning requests, including six related to the Rushmore Industrial Complex area that was annexed into the city limits at the councils last meeting. The second reading for the rezoning request at 1539 Forest Hills Drive near the Skyline Wilderness area was approved 7-1. Council member Pat Jones was the sole dissenting vote. The property will be rezoned from Park Forest to Low Density Residential.

 Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 

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For more than 60 years, South Dakota law school graduates could become licensed to practice law through the diploma privilege upon showing evidence of good character and fitness. South Dakota was not unique in this regard.

Historically, the diploma privilege was utilized across the United States as a means of licensure for attorneys, but change was inevitable. When minorities and underprivileged individuals began attending law schools, resistance arose. Southern States began eliminating the diploma privilege and imposing a bar exam.

As stated by the Speaker of the South Carolina Senate, the purpose of the bar examination was "to bar Negroes and undesirable whites" from becoming lawyers. The bar exam became a means to ensure racial disparity. South Dakota followed suit by eliminating the diploma privilege in 1957 - a few years after the diploma privilege was eliminated in South Carolina (1950) and in Florida (1949) and only a few years before Alabama eliminated it in 1961.

South Dakotas current bar exam protocol preserves white privilege and the disparate treatment of applicants on the basis of gender, race, and economic grounds. South Dakota utilizes a national bar exam which encompasses questions that have been outsourced to non-South Dakotans. The discriminatory impact was minimized in the 1980s and 1990s when bar exam essay questions were drafted by South Dakota lawyers and aligned with the law schools curriculum. A high score on the essay questions would carry a student to licensure even if the student had a low score on the multiple-choice questions. This has changed. Currently -- with the exception of one question relating to Indian Law -- all of the questions utilized by the South Dakota Board of Bar Examiners are outsourced and drafted by individuals with no connection to South Dakota.

Further, the multiple-choice portion of the bar exam (200 questions unrelated to South Dakota law) are also outsourced to non-South Dakotans and are imposed with rigid time limitations. These standardized questions have been recognized as discriminatory in regard to minorities, economically-disadvantaged students, and as to students who are slow and methodical readers. Empirical data and evolving studies show that there is no correlation between a students ability to do well on standardized questions and his or her competency to practice law.

South Dakotas licensing authority is unreceptive to a reinstatement of the diploma privilege and is also unreceptive to other curriculum-based alternatives (such as are being adopted elsewhere). To make matters worse, our licensing authority has consistently been moving the goal line for licensure by raising the minimum score needed and eliminating the possibility of securing passage based upon a high score on the essay portion notwithstanding a low score on the multiple choice. The failure rate, utilizing the new and enhanced criteria, has exceeded 50% in recent years and has exceeded 60% in at least one year.

White applicants who do well on standardized tests continue to be admitted. Others who are denied admission have no recourse. Individuals desiring a non-white lawyer or a methodical slow reader have very few options in South Dakota. South Dakota is home to approximately 76,000 Native Americans, but it has only a handful of Native American lawyers. There have been far more Native American (and other minority) law students who have attended our law school than who have been permitted to be licensed.

South Dakota ranks 46th out of the 50 states in lawyers per capita. There is an overabundance of attorneys in the urban areas such as Sioux Falls and Rapid City. But a crisis exists in regard to the providing of legal services in remote rural and tribal areas where many citizens are marginalized due to poverty. The need is great.

Given empirical data and current analysis, there is no logical reason to reject the diploma privilege. It is time to eliminate the bar exam, a device which evolved as a means to preserve white privilege.

Roger Baron is a Roger Baron, Professor Emeritus, University of South Dakota School of Law and Law Professor at USD, 1990-2015 (His views do not represent the views of the Law School or of the University of South Dakota.)

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More great news for South Dakota Campground Owners Association again this last week. SB 179 was a bill brought to amend what is in place now that protects locally owned campgrounds. This year, seeing bills that compete with the private sector, was an eye opener for many as this should not be the role of the state. The sponsor of this bill stated they needed more campsites to fill the need they have in Aberdeen.

In rebuttal I asked why they didnt reach out to their local Chamber of Commerce or Economic Development organizations. Shouldnt these organizations be contacting and recruiting private businesses to let them know there is a need and opportunity to meet the demands for growth? Nope, government to the rescue! Some of us that were opponents to Custer State Park campground expansion were the same ones to testify against this bill as well. It was very emotional for the Director of SDCOA as the committee listened to the testimony and agreed that the private sector can take care of business. We are all extremely thankful to the ten of you that voted to send this bill to the 41st day, which killed the bill.

There was a group of citizens that took on the challenge to canvass Lincoln, Minnehaha and Pennington counties for voter fraud. I asked them to testify on behalf of my two election integrity bills. They did an excellent job providing information that supported both voter integrity bills. SB185, which would require the County Coroner to notify the County Auditors office of a death. By the end of the following month they would have the deceaseds name removed from the voter rolls. The Department of Health came forward and said this doesnt need to be done because they are notified of deaths and they let the Secretary of State know. Well, that doesnt ensure that the Secretary of State notifies the County Auditors office - who does need to know. If that were already in statute the bill would have never needed to be introduced. Why would a state department object to that? Hmmm? This bill was killed.

Regarding SB202 we amended the bill to ensure more security in the voter rolls. To maintain the accuracy of voter rolls we added a statewide voter registration list database and the United States Postal Services National Change of Address System (NCOA). This system identifies voters who have moved and it ensures that they are not registered in more than one state. There is more to this bill and if you would like to check it out please look up SB202A. Regarding committee action on this bill the motion was made to kill this bill from a committee member who left at the beginning of proponent testimony and came back towards the end without even hearing the majority of the testimony. Very disrespectful yet the entire committee voted to kill this bill. Why wouldnt they want to improve security with this issue?

Thanks to all of you that showed up at the American Legion in Hot Springs on Saturday for our crackerbarrel. I appreciated both the opportunity to go over your concerns and to discuss what is going on in Pierre. One issue discussed was HB1039, which is called the grasslands bill. This needs to pass as our ranchers are being taxed on what they could produce rather than what they do produce. This unfair taxation has been going on for years and needs to stop.

There are more bills that I am concerned about that are still moving forward.

Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller serves District 30.

Julie Frye-Mueller is a Republican State Representative from District 30.

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Stakeholders for recreational rock climbing presented a climbing management plan designed by 16 local, regional and national citizen groups to the Bitterroot National Forest on Tuesday.

The Citizens Climbing Management Plan was developed during two years of meeting with climbers, BNF officials, and research into many other plans and climbing policies used by the Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and by states and cities across the U.S., according to a Monday news release.

The plan includes an inventory of climbing routes, an authorization system to install permanent fixed anchors (climbing would not require authorization), a half-mile seasonal buffer around raptor nests, education outreach and protection of wilderness characteristics, cultural heritage, wildlife, and other resource values to ensure the sustainability of climbing.

Gary Milner, who worked on the plan, said the document is needed as the Bitterroot Valley and the sport of climbing grow.

It is a proactive approach that protects natural and cultural resources and promotes sustainable climbing, he said. These policies and procedures, even if not enforceable, are a reflection on our community, values and our priorities.

Five people presented the citizens plan to Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown, who has held monthly meetings since last summer with the climbing community and others on the effort. Some of the climbing issues include wildlife interactions, cultural and heritage resources, natural resources and recreation management.

Weve been getting input from a lot of folks and plan to take this next month to pull together a draft for a management plan, Brown said. Just at first glance it looks like much of the same information weve been meeting about but theyve pulled it into a comprehensive document. They also asked that we include it separately as an alternative as we take it through NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) and formally adopt it for the forest.

The process is underway and has been for nearly two years, Brown said. He described NEPA as the public process for decision-making used on every project.

The Bitterroot National Forest is undertaking the development of a comprehensive climbing management plan with the purpose of promoting sustainable climbing activities into the future, forest spokesman Tod McKay said.

The plan will seek to reduce conflicts, minimize impacts to resource values, and protect the unique climbing attributes found on the forest, McKay said. This is really very early in the process and there will be lots of opportunities for the public to share their feedback with us along the way.

He recommended visiting the recreation and climbing tab at fs.usda.gov/bitterroot to learn more about the plan or to view climbing tips and recommendations.

The NEPA process takes time and provides many opportunities for public input, McKay said.

Milner said he appreciates the NEPA process, as public input is essential.

The organizations endorsing the plan include Wilderness Watch, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, WildEarth Guardians, Montana Peregrine Institute, Friends of the Bitterroot, Friends of the Clearwater, Swan View Coalition, Friends of the Wild Swan, Flathead Lolo Bitterroot Task Force, Native Ecosystems Council, Conservation Congress, Gallatin Wildlife Association, Sequoia Forest Keeper, Gallatin Yellowstone Wilderness Alliance, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Bozeman Broadband, Bitterroot Audubon Society and Northwest Montana Great Old Broads for Wilderness Broadband, according to the news release.

Wilderness Watch Executive Director George Nickas said accepting the wilderness on its own terms is best for climbing.

Modifying the wilderness to suit our personal demands not only is inappropriate and unlawful, but it also cheapens the climbing experience, he said. The Citizens Climbing Management Plan preserves the opportunity for an authentic wilderness experience and preserves the wilderness for humans and wildlife alike."

Adam Rissien of WildEarth Guardians said the plan is essential.

"The (plan) will allow long-term enjoyment by the climbing community while also protecting sensitive habitat and important cliff-dwelling species," he said. Under this plan climbers can enjoy the vertical rock for recreation and still ensure the survival of specially adapted plants and wildlife on these same cliffs."

Friends of the Bitterroot President Jim Miller said the organization is dedicated to preservation and climbing.

FOB is dedicated to protecting our public lands natural and cultural resources, from peregrine falcons to ancient pictographs, while ensuring long-term climbing opportunities, Miller said. This (plan) achieves both and is a win-win.

Montana Peregrine Institute Executive Director Jay Sumner said, "To protect our nesting Peregrine Falcons, it is essential that all managing agencies maintain at least a half-mile buffer zone restricting all activity around all active Peregrine Falcons nesting cliffs from March through July."

Gallatin Wildlife Association President Clint Nagel said that at this time outdoor enthusiasts want an uninhibited lifestyle.

But as more and more people venture out into the backcountry, it just places too much pressure on that resource, especially as it relates to wildlife and wilderness, Nagel said. If we allow that pressure to continue, we will lose the value that makes us want to venture and experience those places. We must have common sense and a sense of proportion as to what is acceptable."

Linda Healow, Bozeman Broadband Great Old Broads for Wilderness, said "The Citizens Climbing Plan offers both ample recreational opportunity and protection for vulnerable areas including raptor nests in a well-researched, common sense and easily implemented proposal. We heartily encourage (Bitterroot National Forest) to adopt the suggestions included in the plan.

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 Flash

The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament, on Tuesday approved Russian President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of military abroad.

"Senators unanimously supported the adoption of the relevant Resolution," said a statement published on the website of the Federation Council.

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorizing the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier in the day, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session.

Putin inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR. The president also signed two decrees recognizing the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
Cuddling Cubs is a virtual 7-week program for new moms across Montana that provides the support, education and socialization needed after delivering a new baby.

The program for new moms was developed by Occupational Therapy students working toward their doctoral degree at Rocky Mountain College.

Florence resident Kendra Nickol is in the RMC program and said Cuddling Cubs is a great opportunity for new moms that is designed to meet their needs.

It started as a research project, Nickol said. We were looking at moms discharged from the hospital, especially new moms, high-risk moms, and it transitioned into any mom. We found that once you are home with your first little one or your second one every experience is different.

Nickol earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Montana and is in her third year for her doctoral program for occupational therapy at RMC. This semester she is doing her fieldwork in Hamilton.

The plan was to create a platform that teaches co-occupations  what moms and babies do together to bring meaning to each other.

For mom and baby, feeding is a big one, Nickol said.

Face-to-face communication is also on the list. Each week has some set topics, but the group also tailors the programming for what individual participants need.

We want to meet our people where they are at, Nickol said. (We consider) what struggles they are having or what their needs are or what they are experiencing no matter where they live, what types of supports they have, or their spiritual beliefs.

The goal is to help participants with everything they need to get done each day, she said.

When you think about bringing a new baby into the world your roles change, your responsibilities change, what your day-to-day looks like changes, Nickol said. No matter how well you plan it is going to be different.

The program provides a support group, educational tools and resources that are evidence- and occupation-based to support new moms. Topics include swaddling, infant massage, maternal well-being, movement, recovery, tummy time, rest times and relaxation routines.

Weve got tips to start creating a routine and relaxation strategies for moms and baby, Nickol said. It is how to set up the environment and give mom grace and tips on how to take breaks and step back, so shes not overwhelmed. Were focusing on maternal mental health.

The Cuddling Cubs program is free thanks to a grant from Montana Obstetrics & Maternal Support (MOMS), a program to minimize maternal mortality. Cuddling Cubs provides incentives including the items needed for the group activities such as a yoga mat, infant massage oil, books and rattles. Participants receive a Town Pump gift card for signing up and a $100 Walmart gift card for completion.

To connect to the program, send an email to cuddlingcubsplaygroup@gmail.com or visit their website at cuddlingcubsplaygroup.org. The web page has supportive educational information. The program is designed for expecting mothers, moms who recently delivered or moms with children under 6 months of age.

Participants log on, sign up and complete a short questionnaire.

Nickol said the program started as research for a class.

Im super-interested in this because growing up in a rural area I worked at an infant room in a daycare for five years, she said. I watched the struggle moms go through and how hard it is to find people to connect with, the societal pressures, how to figure out whats right and evidenced-based versus whats just a fad.

She researched with five other classmates, then became a student manager and now is promoting the Cuddling Cubs program throughout Montana. Students at RMC are helping to run the virtual support and education groups.

The Cuddling Cubs program is supervised by Dr. Johanna Thompson, a registered occupational therapist who started occupational therapy at the neonatal intensive care unit at Billings Clinic.

She has extensive experience and knowledge in working with this population, Nickol said. Weve relied on her for her expertise and keeping up on the research and figuring out what type of interventions and techniques are going to be the best evidence-based for moms at this stage.

Thompson said that moms receiving early support show fewer signs of depression and have more autonomy.

Our hope is that we will be able to help many moms who feel isolated to find evidence-based answers to many questions that occur as a new mom while creating a supportive community throughout the state, Thompson said. Finding positive connections can be difficult to get during a pandemic because many of the outlets and communities are not available.

Cuddle Cubs support and educational groups are formed by babys birth date to have each session filled with moms and babies of a similar age group. Then meeting dates, times and Zoom links are sent out.

We found the Zoom format to be super beneficial, especially in those early days when there may not be an established schedule that works best for baby, Nickol said. This gives moms flexibility to still be part of the group regardless of whats going on at home. They dont have to worry about getting dressed and organizing to get to a place. Everyone has said it is nice to be able to participate online and still learn.

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Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said Tuesday there have been four fentanyl-related deaths in Lewis and Clark County in the past month, warning they were likely caused by a counterfeit pill touted as a legitimate prescription drug.

Evidence gathered at the scene leads us to believe these are fentanyl related, Dutton said.

Dutton said toxicology and autopsy reports are pending. One of the deaths is believed to be a suicide and the others are considered accidents.

He said the death believed to be a suicide happened on Jan. 21, and the other fentanyl-related deaths occurred on Jan. 28, Feb. 9 and Feb. 15.

Details on the deaths were not included in emails provided by the sheriff.

Dutton said in each case, little blue pills were located on or near the deceased. The pills have an "M" on one side and a "30" on the other side. He said instead of oxycodone, which is the authentic pill, the users got a fake pill in which the oxycodone was laced with fentanyl.

He said it is believed the deaths were the result of an overdose. The counterfeit pill causes respiratory and cardiac reactions, Dutton said.

He said in three of the deaths, the user inhaled the fumes as the pill dissipated on a small piece of tin foil that was heated up.

Dutton released a warning from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that showed authentic M30 tablets with oxycodone, compared to fake M30 oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl. The warning also said that 40% of pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.

The DEA describes fentanyl as a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. DEA officials warned in December that criminal drug networks in Mexico are mass-producing fentanyl and fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills, using chemicals sourced largely from China.

These pills are designed to look nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions  such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Xanax and other medicines  and have been found in every state, the DEA said in a news release.

On Jan. 19 Dutton said nine people in the Helena area had overdosed on fentanyl-laced heroin in the prior 48 hours, adding St. Peter's Health's emergency room had successfully revived all nine overdose patients. While none of them died, at least one was in serious condition.

He said the pills are coming from more than one source and entering the United States from Mexico. He said the Missouri River Drug Task Force has hit this issue hard.

Dutton cautioned people from taking the drug and urged them to use the state's Angel Initiative program, which allows a person struggling with addiction to approach law enforcement, turn in their narcotics and get connected with resources, rather than being arrested.

Need help? If you or someone you know is in crisis, the Montana Warmline is at 1-877-688-3377 or http://montanawarmline.org. The Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is also available.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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Henrico County-based Acorn Sign Graphics Inc., makers of custom architectural signs that has landed twice on the Inc. 5000 list of the nations fastest growing private companies, has ceased operations.

The company shut down after filing for Chapter 7 liquidation in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond on Wednesday.

Acorn Sign Graphics, founded in the 1970s, has been co-owned by husband and wife Beth and Steve Gillispie since 2003.

The company listed between $500,000 and $1 million in assets and $1 million and $10 million in liabilities, court documents show.

It had between 200 and 999 creditors. The filing didnt list the companys largest unsecured creditors, but many of the creditors are from the Richmond region.

Acorn Sign Graphics said in a statement that it was recovering from business impacts from the pandemic and supply chain difficulties.

But the company said it was unable to prevail in a contract payments dispute with its largest customer, LL Flooring. The resulting liquidity crisis forced closure of the company.

The company said it expects to pursue its claim in bankruptcy court against LL Flooring, the Henrico-based flooring giant that previously was called Lumber Liquidators. Acorn Sign Graphics didnt provide any details about the payment dispute, including the amount.

Beth Gillispie, who is listed as the companys president and CEO, could not be reached for comment.

We are deeply saddened by the hardship in this situation for our stakeholders, 43 employees, vendors and customers, the company statement said. The legacy we hope remains echoes our vision: to have enhanced the human experience in the built environment and provided a place where our employees would flourish.

Acorn Sign Graphics was known for its high-quality design, fabrication and installation services. It has made tens of thousands of signs for offices, retail stores, hospitals and schools in Virginia and elsewhere.

The company also was a benefit corporation, or B Corporation, dedicated to social and environmental responsibility.

That meant its mission was to create the signs in an environmentally friendly way. At Acorns main office and production facility on West Clay Street near Dabney Road, the company had invested several years ago in equipment designed to assemble and paint signs with less waste and fewer toxic chemicals. It also used recycled or green-friendly materials in its signs.

In 2015, the company was recognized in the Best for the Environment category in the Best for the World awards program by B Lab, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that certifies companies as B Corps and advocates for that business model.

Acorn Sign Graphics also made it twice on the Inc. 5000 list of the nations fastest-growing private businesses based on the companies three-year revenue growth rates.

In 2017, the company was ranked No. 4,756 with a 47% three-year growth rate generating $6 million in annual sales. In 2015, it had a 66% growth rate with $5.9 million in sales landing it at No. 4,193.

The company is represented in its bankruptcy case by the Richmond law firm of Spiro & Browne PLC.
You may have embraced cocktail hour at home over the past two years, but that doesnt mean youve always got a tip-top selection of ingredients at the ready. Kacie Shortridge (Laura Lees, The Roosevelt) and Katy Best (Alewife, The Roosevelt, Magpie) have been working at bars around Richmond for years, often together. Like most restaurant employees, the pandemic cut their hours and opportunities.

Out of necessity we have been getting creative with how we earn our livings, and from there we had this idea, Shortridge says.

Kismet Cocktail Collaborative features a monthly changing selection of batched cocktail mixers to enable non-pros to enjoy serious craft drinks with or without liquor anytime. Follow on Instagram at @KismetCocktail to see each months selection. Although we may have missed out on February ordering, here is a March preview. Choose from:

Kill Your Pain: coconut water, orange oleo saccharum, baking spices

Wanderlust: smoked pineapple, citrus, star anise, agave

Night Hike: rosemary, green tea, Simcoe hop soda

Get Out of Town: passionfruit, toasted honey, cardamom, ginger

Order via email at kismetcocktail@gmail.com throughout the month to have your cocktail mixers delivered in the last week of March within the metro Richmond area. Each mixer costs $25 and yields six to 10 cocktails. You add the hooch. Subscription services and pick-up points are in the works for the future.

Edible events

March 5-6, Sweet Fix & Virago Alley: Sweet Fix, the all-natural custom cakes and dessert shop that has been featured on "Martha Stewart" and the Food Network is usually open by appointment only, but starting in March, you can shop in person on the first Friday and Saturday of every month. Sweetfix owner Amanda Robinson, who also runs herbal apothecary Virago Alley, decided to bring the two together in one space. At the monthly shopping events, youll find botanical-themed desserts (plant-based and vegan options available), oranic tea blends, herbal apothecary products, party items, candles, chocolates, jams and more. 9 W. 10th St., (804) 918-9257 or sweetfixrva.com

March 5, Tabol Brewings Third Anniversary Pig Roast: In honor of three years in business, Tabol will be roasting three Autumn Olive Farms pigs. http://tabolbrewing.com/

March 5, Scotts Addition Beverage District Collab Crawl: The breweries, cideries, meaderies, wineries and distilleries in Scotts Addition are teaming up to design special collaboration beverages and are releasing them all at noon March 5. Fill up a Collab Crawl Card for visiting every stop, then turn it in to be entered into a raffle. www.visitrichmondva.com/event/scotts-addition-beverage-district-collab-crawl/34376

March 6-13, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience: This celebratory week dedicated to supporting Richmonds growing Black culinary community and tourism scene kicks off with Mobile Soul Sunday on March 6. Head to Monroe Park for music, Richmond Night Market vendors and over 20 food trucks. Visit the 40-plus participating Black-owned restaurants all week. Check out https://rbre365.com for a full list of events and to print out a passport checklist of restaurants to visit.

March 7, LIVE.HOT.NOODZ. Royal Pig Takeover at Black Lodge. The Cambodian pop-up coming to Hatch Local Food Hall will be taking over Black Lodge from 5 to 10 p.m. with a full menu and themed drinks. No reservations, but walk-in takeout will be available. IG: @royalpigrva, Black Lodge: https://rvablacklodge.com/, 3200 Rockbridge St #101.
The Chesterfield County School Board on Tuesday approved a $837.5 million operating budget that aims to continue correcting the years of underpaying teachers and other school system staff including bus drivers and custodians.

The new spending plan, which will now be shipped off to the county, is $9.3 million less than what Chesterfield schools Superintendent Merv Daugherty presented in January. Daughertys $846.8 million proposal had a $23.8 million funding gap, which county officials have already hinted they would not be able to pick up themselves. The boards spending plan has only an $8.5 million gap.

Portions trimmed from the superintendents proposal include: a $3 million stipend for hard-to-staff schools, $200,000 less for the new Moseley Elementary School that was going to fund a one-time fee of supplies for the school and roughly $6 million in cuts dealing with infrastructure.

Although the cuts were made, the school system is looking for other funding sources to pay for them.

The [funding] fight isnt with the School Board, its with the Board of Supervisors, said Christine Melendez, president of the Chesterfield Education Association, in a recent interview.

Hours before the School Boards vote on Tuesday, County Administrator Joe Casey announced the real estate tax, which in December lowered from 95 to 93 cents per $100 assessed value, could be reduced by another penny.

Having real estate assessed values increase between 3.5% and 4% provides adequate funding for schools, parks and public safety, Deputy County Administrator Matt Harris said in a December interview. When the values increase, the county has the green light to look at lowering the real estate tax.

The county kicks off its budget process on Wednesday, with an afternoon work session about capital improvement projects and the upcoming November bond referendum. On March 9, Casey is slated to present the balanced fiscal 2023 budget to the Board of Supervisors, which would be followed by a March 23 public hearing and an anticipated budget vote on April 6. The budget vote is when the supervisors would approve the new real estate tax of 92 cents per assessed $100 value.

Harris said in an interview earlier this month that while the county would have the ability to look at opportunities to provide further financial resources to the school district, the reality of the county picking up the $23.8 million tab is not feasible.

Its not shocking to me, that they would try to say that they dont have enough money to fund this. But heres the thing. They have enough money to decrease the tax rate by 2 cents, property assessments go up but they decrease the tax rate by 2 cents. So there is money in the county and the fact that they continue to keep it away from the public education system is really scary, Melendez said in an interview ahead of the countys proposal to lower the real tax rate further.

When discussing the upcoming budget cycle on Tuesday during a news conference at the Professional Learning Center located in the countys administration building, Casey said, The FY 23 budget, which again starts July 1, is no different than any budget cycle. But what makes this different is that you are seeing and are going to be seeing probably for the foreseeable future is that with whatever capacities we have, its the investment into our workforce: counties and schools.

Casey said, more than ever, the county has been at the table with the school systems budget process because its centered around the workforce, whether its the teacher scales and having them be competitive and decompressed.

We are one family, Casey said Tuesday. Schools needed us to be a partner in that exercise [the pay study].

Earlier this month, the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee presented their recommendations for the current budget process. Like the year prior, the committee strongly urged the School Board to approve the superintendents proposed spending plan in its entirety and when the board failed to do so, they did not do enough, according to the committee.

This year, the committee says the School Board needs to submit the superintendents proposal as is.

This committee believes this budget is already below what it should be; cutting any more would be detrimental to children and another shameful mark on this board, said Kyle Viele, the committees chairman, during the Feb. 8 presentation.

Melendez said she was impressed by the advisory committees presentation.

I was really glad that they came out as strongly as they did, knowing that their citizens are from every political background imaginable, so its not like its coming from one side, Melendez said.

In other business Tuesday night, the School Board also approved the $451.3 million proposed capital improvement plan. The five-year plan includes a mix of replacement construction for schools, renovations and brand new schools.
Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras will continue working with the School Board on tweaking his budget proposal for next year, he said Wednesday after the governing body rejected his $362.6 million budget proposal in a split 5-4 vote the previous night.

The rejection puts the school division at risk of losing new funding from the city after Mayor Levar Stoney last week said he would leave school funding level in his budget proposal if it does not approve a spending plan for the school system by Friday.

While school officials say they intend to meet Monday to go over the budget again, the School Board unanimously approved an emergency $500,000 appropriation to prepare a temporary facility for William Fox Elementary students who were displaced by a fire at the school two weeks ago.

The School Board in recent weeks has been deadlocked over its budget priorities, ranging from raises for substitutes and support staff, avoiding teacher layoffs, finding efficiencies in the divisions central office and improving mental health services for division employees. Several members also have advocated for $18 million in amendments, including cuts to about two dozen positions in the central office.

The rejection of the superintendents spending plan comes a week after Stoney said that he would keep funding for the school division level next year if an annual budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 is not approved by Friday.

While the next fiscal year is still months away, the mayor usually presents his budget proposal for City Council consideration in March, right after the school division finalizes its spending plan.

School Board Chairwoman Harris-Muhammed and board members Kenya Gibson, Jonathan Young, Stephanie Rizzi and Mariah White voted against the budget.

I just find his threat to withhold [new] funding to be incredibly inappropriate, Gibson said moments before the vote.

Richmond Public School families, I believe, deserve to have the school board members they elected to make the case for our respective budget priorities. They deserve to have democratic rule honored, she said. In this case, several of the modifications that weve directed the administration to make have not been made.

In an interview Wednesday, Kamras said he had tried to incorporate some changes based on a series of 12 themes that had been summarized by Harris-Muhammed. He noted, however, that there was no clear consensus on the series of amendments Young introduced earlier this month.

Those were not highlighted as any of the key budget themes in the last work session, Kamras said.

While the School Board remains at loggerheads over the budget, the school division could lose an additional $5 million to $20 million in funding next year after lawmakers in the Virginia House and Senate finalized their own state budget proposals.

Despite the mayors warning last week, the School Board acted with urgency to approve Kamras request to withdraw $500,000 from the divisions capital maintenance fund to open a temporary school for Fox students. The school division has not yet decided where the students will go.

In a community meeting earlier Tuesday, Kamras said that the shuttered Clark Springs Elementary remains the most viable option. However, he said the division first needs to fix a leaky roof and address other issues there, including plumbing problems.

While some families and officials have said theres a possibility that they can move students into the old St. Gertrude High School in the Museum District, Kamras said that the former all-girls private school also has issues, including a failing boiler, limited parking and facilities that are not ADA compliant.

School officials on Tuesday said they will review transition plans again at their meeting on March 7.
After Kitty Cary died on April 25, 1857, the daughters of the woman who had enslaved her wrote a letter in advance of her burial.

We do not intend any respect shall be spared to one who was ever faithful and affectionate, they wrote before Cary was buried in the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, according to research by Carys fourth great-granddaughter, Lenora McQueen.

The disrespect, as it turns out, would be Richmonds, as McQueen, a Texas resident, would learn upon tracking down her relative here.

A confused McQueen would drive to North Fifth and Hospital streets expecting to see headstones and other evidence of a burial ground. Instead, she found an abandoned gas station and a large double billboard next to an interstate highway. Any evidence of a cemetery had been scrubbed from the landscape. Shed also learn that bodies had been robbed from the burying ground during the 19th century for use by students at the Medical College of Virginia, with the remains dumped in a well.

So much for the excitement that the educator and genealogist might have felt upon finding her relative.

I was horrified, she said, wondering if her fourth great-grandmothers gravesite could have been among the desecrated. It was the most horrible, heart sinking feeling to come to that realization.

McQueen has since gone about the business of reclaiming the space, and Kitty Carys memory, in conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University history professor Ryan Smith, and archaeologists L. Daniel Mouer and Steve Thompson, who have nominated the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground for the National Register of Historic Places.

Few spaces convey how separate and unequal played out in Richmond as vividly as the burying ground, which the city established in 1815 in a racially segregated expansion of Shockoe Hill Cemetery. Shockoe Hill Cemetery and the adjacent Hebrew Cemetery are already on the National Register.

Tuesday, in a letter to Julie Langan of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney expressed the citys fervent support for the nomination of what was once a terraced, hillside burial ground before closing in 1879 due to overcrowding.

Stoney thanked the nominating quartet for telling the profound story of this grouping of three cemeteries  two white and one African American  and the vastly different ways in which they were treated. The two white cemeteries are protected and still clearly visible on the landscape. The African American cemetery was systematically eradicated and any physical record of the burial site for over 22,000 persons of color was lost.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-4th, have announced their support for the designation and are working toward the creation of a database of African American cemeteries. And last week, McEachin  along with Reps. Alma Adams, D-N.C., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.,  introduced the bipartisan African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act.

Since the inception of our country, the graves of African Americans have suffered unjust abuse and neglect, McEachin said in a news release. These burial sites hold the untold stories of millions of African Americans and the integral role they played in our nations trajectory.

Richmond has more than its share of destroyed, desecrated and endangered burial grounds, including the original African Burial Ground in Shockoe Bottom. Meanwhile, cemeteries such as Evergreen, East End, Woodland and Barton Heights have all struggled over the years to remain accessible and viable, with volunteers putting in valiant work.

The protection of these burial grounds is long overdue and critical to ensuring a more complete, comprehensive understanding of Americas history, McEachin said.

Tuesday, McQueen assessed the designation effort as so far, so good. Theres not been any letters of opposition to date. There may have been a record number of letters of support.

Last year, the city purchased an acre of the burying ground site with plans to place a memorial there.

Past public policy has removed these sites from the visible landscape. Ongoing public policy would keep this history from surfacing in the classroom.

I was astonished to learn that the site where Gloria Jean Mead and Carol Irene Swann desegregated Richmond Public Schools does not have a state historical marker to commemorate their legacy. Weve got to document this history before it is erased from sight or from memory.

Its very saddening that it has been hidden for so long, McQueen said of the burying ground, observing that thousands of people travel over it every day without realizing its there.

Theres a metaphor there for our intentionally hidden history.

Its incredibly sad, she said. All I can say is, its time for it to be known.
Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras said Tuesday the school divisions insurance carrier will cover the cost of replacing William Fox Elementary after the school burned in a devastating fire two weeks ago.

After telling the School Board last week that the building was insured for only $13 million, the superintendent told families in a community meeting that the divisions insurer VACorp will pay more than that to replace the school if necessary.

The citys two newest elementary schools each cost about $35 million.

Kamras did not say exactly how much the insurer will cover, adding that there could still be some negotiation over the final payment, but sought to assure families that the school in the citys Fan District will be replaced with insurance money.

Theyre going to make a determination and well look at that number, he said. If we feel differently about it, then there will be a discussion. But yes, theyll pay for the replacement.

In addition to the insurance money, school division officials on Tuesday said state lawmakers in the House of Delegates have proposed $2 million for Fox in the states next two-year budget.

The superintendent said it remains unclear how soon the school could be rebuilt as insurance adjusters and the fire department are still investigating what caused the fire and assessing the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, the approximately 360 students at Fox are going to school virtually while the school division scrambles to figure out a temporary home for them.

Kamras said Tuesday that officials are still evaluating plans at several sites, but that the shuttered Clark Springs Elementary about 2 miles away in the Randolph neighborhood is still the leading viable option.

I would say its in good structural shape, he said. There are some roof leaks and plumbing issues that need to be addressed. Ill say its not the most beautiful building, but thats just cosmetic ... and can be addressed quickly.

Many questions still remain about the fire, transfer plans and the rebuilding process.

Kamras said hes unsure how long students will continue learning virtually and when the fire department will complete its investigation.

A spokesperson for the fire department on Tuesday declined to answer questions about the fire until the investigation is complete.

As it is an active and ongoing investigation, there is no definitive date of completion, Chrys Slaughter, the fire departments spokesperson, said in an email.

Boz Boschen, a father of three students at Fox, said after the community meeting that he and other parents are feeling a bit of frustration not knowing when their kids will be back in a school or when Fox will be rebuilt.

I know its early ... but I have three kids at home. My wife and I are both trying to work from home. Its not ideal, he said. It makes things a little chaotic.
Lawmakers and advocates for more money for the short-staffed nurses who examine sexual assault survivors held a news conference on Wednesday to highlight legislation they hope would help.

Sexual assault nurse examiners work in hospitals, where they collect evidence from and treat people who have been sexually assaulted. The evidence collected can help with a prosecution in court. But of 95 counties in Virginia, only nine are home to a hospital or center with one of these nurses, and of those, only two have full-time staff, according to the nonprofit Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

That means many people who have been sexually assaulted, especially in rural areas, must travel long distances or out of state to see a nurse.

Forensic nurses not only provide essential medical care to a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence during a very critical time, but they also collect the physical evidence needed in court cases to bring assailants and abusers to justice, said Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax.

Delaney filed a bill that has passed the House and would allow the nurses to provide court testimony remotely in certain proceedings to reduce the strain on staffing.

Lawmakers and advocates said the Senates version of the new budget includes a dedicated $500,000 in additional spending on the forensic nurses. And they are backing a bill from Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, that has passed the House and is to be considered by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

That bill would require the state to create guidelines for using money from the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund for salaries and equipment for sexual assault forensic examiners.

The $500,000 would help but would be just a start at reducing the workload and strain on the nurses, advocates said.

Currently, only two hospitals, in Richmond and Fairfax County, have full-time sexual assault nurse examiners.

April Bennett, a sexual assault nurse examiner from rural Pulaski County, said many patients in Southwest Virginia drive hours for the services of a forensic nurse. She is the only such nurse in her county.

And at least 14 counties south and west of Pulaski have no formal forensic nurse program, she said.

Many of those patients simply opt not to receive the services and not to go forward with anything because they dont have the time to spend a full, entire day trying to get services and have evidence collected, she said. This does not help them heal and be able to move forward with their lives.

Bennett said it also does not help the legal system hold assailants accountable.
 Flash

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he expects no conflict with Russia.

"We believe that there will be no large-scale war against Ukraine, and there won't be a wide escalation from the side of the Russian Federation," Zelensky said, adding that Kiev stands ready to impose a martial law if there is aggression against Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky said that he was weighing a request from the foreign ministry to sever diplomatic ties with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

At a ceremony held in the Kremlin, Putin also inked the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between Russia and the LPR and the DPR respectively with the heads of the two "republics," a Kremlin statement said.
In a 4-minute, 41-second floor speech on Jan. 26, Del. Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, apparently got Gov. Glenn Youngkins attention with four words: not a Christian and incompetence.

These are not words Youngkin wants to hear  not as the former head of an investment colossus who has an estimated net worth of $470 million according to Forbes and who built his own church because he couldnt countenance the liberal vibe of his old one.

Almost immediately after Scott unloaded on Youngkin, who had heard the remarks on the House of Delegates audio feed, the Republican asked the legislator to his office. Scott would be busy in a committee meeting. So Youngkin, in an unusual departure from gubernatorial protocol, went to Scotts office, where the two  along with two other Black Democratic delegates, Jeff Bourne of Richmond and Lamont Bagby of Henrico  conferred privately for about 40 minutes.

Youngkins staff wont say much about the meeting; only that the governor and Scott  both of whom had attended that morning a prayer meeting at which forgiveness was discussed  could disagree without being disagreeable.

Scott, who let Youngkin have it again Monday after a new poll showed the governor under water with Virginians a month into his four-year term, clearly hit Youngkin where it hurts in that first speech by challenging two defining features of the Youngkin persona: Religious faith and managerial acumen.

Scott, now in his second term, cast doubt on both, arguing that Youngkins emphasis on racially and culturally divisive issues will mean trouble for the self-styled God-fearing CEO.

Scott, along with fellow Portsmouth Democrat Louise Lucas, the Senate president pro tempore, comprise a de facto hit squad that has given  online, on the air and in print  a face and voice to a dispirited party stunned it was shut out last November for the three statewide offices it had held since 2014, and that it lost the House, which it had only taken back in 2019 along with the Virginia Senate.

Also, that its two Portsmouth pols tormenting Youngkin speaks to the citys long history of sending to the state Capitol colorful, strong-willed characters, some of whom survived brushes with the law that further endeared them to their voters, magnifying their influence in the General Assembly.

Put another way: Portsmouth is a no-BS underdog town with a memorable bite.

Eva Teig Hardy, who moved to the city from Egypt at age 13, says, speaking metaphorically: Theres a playground in Hampton Roads and the people of Portsmouth are the kids who grew up with very little and had to fight their way to the top.

Hardy was the top aide to Richard J. Davis, the citys reform mayor in the 1970s, before her state government and corporate careers in Richmond. Norfolk is the aristocracy; Virginia Beach, the nouveau riche. Chesapeake is a blend of both.

A blue-collar  and reliably blue  town, where local politics is a blood sport, Portsmouth was represented for years by Del. Johnny Joannou and Sen. Willard Moody. The former aligned with Republican anti-taxers. The latter was an advocate for trade unionists, some of whom he represented in railroad injury cases that, by law, were heard in the friendliest of courts: Portsmouths. Joannou and Moody also were cleared in a ticket-fixing ruse.

Del. Cleaves Manning was a tenacious budget negotiator, whose perceived high-handedness cost him his seat to Kenny Melvin. Both became judges. Ditto Billy Moore, a member of the House with an occasionally ribald sense of humor. Dick Davis would become lieutenant governor in the 1981 Democratic sweep. His former law partner, Bill Spong, was a U.S. senator defeated in 1972 after a single term because he had the audacity to be a moderate on social issues.

Lucas, a single mother and shipyard worker who ran community services programs before going into private business, was first elected in 1991.

She was blunt and hard-hitting then and remains so. Lucas takes pride in having been thrown out of the governors office in 1992 by its then-occupant, Doug Wilder. He told her she had to vote for a tax on hospitals to erase a Medicaid shortfall because, if he hadnt tweaked the Senate redistricting plan to create additional Black districts, Lucas would have never been elected. Things got testy when Lucas replied shed put thousands of miles on her car, campaigning across the district but never saw Wilder anywhere plumping for Democrats.

Scott, among six children raised by a single mother in a small town outside Houston, was on his way to a law career when he was busted in a drug-conspiracy investigation, convicted in federal court and sentenced to 10 years in prison, of which he served 7.

After prison, he worked for a firm that operated federal job-training programs  a job that brought him to Hampton Roads. Scotts rights were restored by Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, in 2014, when Scott also passed the lawyer-licensing exam. The following year, Scott was sworn in as a lawyer by Bernard Goodwyn, now chief justice of the Virginia Supreme Court.

In another way, Scott is close with another judge: Johnny Morrison of Portsmouth, to whom he donated a kidney.

In their division of labor, Scott talks the talk about Youngkin while Lucas toys with him on Twitter, surpassing the governor in followers, 57,400 to 54,300. The metropolitan, multi-hued Democratic base delights in the antics of both. The jabs  oratorical and digital  are a morale boost for the rank and file but its not clear they move voters, whom the Christopher Newport University Wason Center poll suggests are cooling to Youngkin.

The survey showed Virginians sharply divided on Youngkins performance since taking office on Jan. 15: 43% disapproved, 41% approved and 16% were undecided. Scott pegged his latest broadside on Youngkin to the poll: Its hard to be this bad, this fast.

The findings, which also indicated Youngkin stands to the right of many voters on a slew of issues, alarmed Team Youngkin, at minimum, as a public relations problem. The governors campaign pollster took to Twitter, attempting to discredit the findings.

Im just asking him to be accountable, Scott, nursing a bottle of Coca-Cola, told me, noting that I was sitting on the very spot on a settee in Scotts office where Youngkin sat last month.

The polls are telling him that if he was the CFO of a Virginia company with a 41% approval rating, hed be fired. And the board of directors would probably fire him without severance with this performance.
A Virginia Beach-based company got a government go-ahead Tuesday for a large affordable housing project at Cove and Peters Creek roads in Roanoke County.

The Lawson Companies project  Smith Ridge Common Apartments  will include 216 units and is slated to be built on a 12.5-acre plot of land on the 5000 block of Cove Road, and the 2700 block of Peters Creek Road, south of the Beacon Ridge subdivision, according to county documents.

The project would be the first for Lawson in Southwest Virginia, according to company spokesman Dan Hankin, though he wrote in an email that the company manages 30 multifamily communities in Hampton Roads and Richmond.

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors approved an amendment to an outdated proffer from the 1980s to allow the maximum number of apartments to be built on the property zoned as a medium density, multifamily residential.

The vote was not unanimous.

Catawba District Supervisor Martha Hooker voted against allowing more than 185 units on the plot of land in her district.

She said that while she believes more affordable housing is needed in the county, she worries the influx of traffic will affect nearby intersections already facing overflow problems.

An independent traffic study by the Timmons Group concluded that no necessary changes would be made to accommodate the complex that is set to be built in phases beginning in 2023.

Hooker said the roads, which are owned by the city of Roanoke, are too far down the list of priorities to be updated to accommodate increased traffic, but she worries county citizens in the area will bear the burden of the extra traffic.

Thats really about my only concern with the project, she said, though she noted some neighbors in and around the area have had opposition to the project in general.

Lawson plans to work with the city, county and the Virginia Department of Transportation to help ensure the surrounding area is not impacted by the complex, according to Hankin.

The traffic impact analysis that we completed shows there are some existing issues along Cove Road (without our site being developed), so we have agreed to include an extension of the right turn lane into our property and to complete shoulder improvements on the southbound side of Cove Road to alleviate some of those traffic issues, he wrote.

Smith Ridge Commons will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in energy-efficient, EarthCraft and Energy Star Certified buildings, according to Hankin.

Smith Ridge will serve individuals and families earning up to 60% of the area median income, Hankin wrote.

We anticipate Smith Ridge Commons providing homes for young professionals and families looking for an affordable, quality place to live, he wrote.

While rates have not been finalized, approximate for dwellings at the complex would be $800 for a one bedroom, $950 for a two bedroom, and $1,100 for a three bedroom, which is based on current market prices, according to Hankin.

The prices of these apartments are expected to be 25-30% below the rate of high-quality, market rate properties within the greater Roanoke market, according to Hankin, also noting that affordable housing tax-credits, administered by Virginia Housing, will help keep the prices below market prices.

The county voted unanimously on Tuesday to designate the area as a revitalization area to help Lawson qualify for the credits for the Roanoke apartments.

Lawson plans to close on the property currently owned by Fralin and Waldron Inc. by the end of the year or in early 2023, Hankin wrote.

With construction starting next year, the first phase is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2024, with the second and third phases being completed at the same time in 2025 and 2026, according to Hankin.

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RICHMOND  Raises for teachers and money to rebuild crumbling public schools are items of bipartisan focus likely to receive increased funding over the next two years, said delegates representing Southwest Virginia during the states budget planning process.

The Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have both drafted two-year budgets, and will soon collaborate to finalize a plan for spending tens of billions worth of taxpayer money. Fifth-term Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, is for the first time one of the 22-member House Appropriations Committee.

Its been great to be able to advocate for our region, Rasoul said of the budgeting process. Just to make sure that we get our fair share.

More than $500 million is budgeted by delegates for school construction incentives, which lawmakers said could encourage as much as $2 billion worth of improvement, good for about 80 new school facilities.

House lawmakers also proposed a 4% raise in each of the next two years for teachers, on top of 1% bonuses both years.

Rasoul said he is still looking for increased support for teacher raises, and other ways to help schools, including added funds for schools with at-risk youth populations, of particular benefit to Roanoke.

I feel like we have done well in trying to get as much as we can for Southwest Virginia thus far, Rasoul said. But Im hoping itll only improve as negotiations move forward.

Lawmakers are budgeting with a state surplus of more than $2.5 billion, though Republicans who hold the House majority plan on holding true to campaign promises that Virginians will receive some of that back in tax refunds.

Its great to be in this situation right now, Rasoul said. The states revenues are solid, and were able to make good, targeted investments.

In the Democrat-controlled Senate, promised tax cuts are a point of contention. Its a balancing act to ensure the states basic needs in education, health care and public services are fully funded, while finding ways to reasonably refund taxpayers, Rasoul said.

I voted for the tax refunds, and I voted for the grocery tax repeal. Those seemed reasonable, Rasoul said. Some of the other ones are very expensive and long-term decisions, with long-term impacts.

Balance was achieved in the proposed House budget, as shown through the school construction funds and simultaneous taxpayer relief, said Del. Will Wampler, R-Washington. He is a second-term lawmaker who is also participating for the first time on the House money committee.

In the House budget, we have $2 billion in tax relief back to Virginians through various tax cuts: grocery, gas, relief directly back to the taxpayers, Wampler said. Well have to watch how those continue throughout the session, see which ones make it through to the final budget.

Aside from school funds, Wampler said the House budget includes funding for a mental health crisis center in Southwest Virginia, with the hopes that such a facility would alleviate the need for law enforcement to involve itself so extensively with related calls.

This is the first step we can take to help begin that initial treatment of folks in crisis, and hopefully move towards a better outcome for the patient, Wampler said. Once we provide a place, I think well have to look forward to continuing that continuum of care, making sure that people are taking care of their initial crisis, and have ongoing treatment as needed.

On economic development, $180 million in the proposed House budget is set for establishing shovel-ready business sites to attract manufacturing, industry and commerce opportunities, Wampler said.

With the leadership in place ... and several appropriators from Southwest involved, were able to see a lot more attention to Southwest Virginia, Wampler said. I hope thats seen as a good thing.

Theres also money to support farmers who are upholding agricultural best practices, he said.

But perhaps the biggest emerging victory is the bipartisan support for school funding, which could put a dent in the estimated $25 billion worth of construction needs statewide.

Over $500 million for school construction is a huge win for the whole state and Southwest Virginia, Wampler said. Thats going to help us modernize certain schools, build new schools and provide for much needed maintenance in some of these school divisions across Southwest and Southside.

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RICHMOND  A budget proposal from House Republicans is seeking to slash $2.7 million in proposed funding for the Virginia Department of Elections to pay for a voter education campaign seeking to dispel misinformation about the integrity of the states elections.

Following baseless claims from Republicans that the 2020 election was rife with fraud, the department last year launched a voter education campaign to inform voters about how the states elections are conducted, to refute false information and answer common questions about the voting process.

Meantime Tuesday, a Democrat-controlled Senate panel shut down a slew of election bills that had passed the GOP-controlled House, including measures to restore the photo ID requirement for voting and to cut the absentee voting window to two weeks.

The voter education campaign included TV, radio and newspaper ads, social media posts, and a website titled mythbusters. Then-Gov. Ralph Northam's funding request would have paid for those efforts to continue.

The Democrat-controlled Senate opted to maintain the funding in its budget proposal, setting up a clash between the two chambers as they reconcile their budgets.

Outgoing Virginia Elections Commissioner Chris Piper said the move by House Republicans is disappointing, and urged the legislature to continue funding the work as election misinformation continues to be prevalent. Del. Cliff Hayes, D-Chesapeake, who sits on the subcommittee that proposed slashing the funding request, also opposed the move.

The House GOP caucus, and House Appropriations subcommittee chair Del. Rob Bloxom, R-Accomack, did not respond to a request for comment.

The lead up to Virginia's 2021 election for governor featured speculation of fraud by some Republicans months after misinformation about the 2020 election led to the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

During a GOP rally to drum up support for Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other Republicans running for office, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that his 10-point loss in Virginia to Democrat Joe Biden could only be the product of fraud. Trump also told Republicans to be wary of the result if Youngkin did not win.

Youngkin waffled on the integrity of the 2020 presidential election during his run for office, though eventually conceded that Biden was legitimately elected. Youngkin also made election integrity his first, and for a while, only policy proposal during his bid for the GOP nomination.

In his first debate with Democrat Terry McAuliffe last September, Youngkin did say: "I do not believe there's been significant fraud in Virginia elections," and he said he did not think Democrats would cheat, predicting that "we're going to have a clean, fair election and I fully expect to win."

But the topic came into the spotlight again last month when Youngkin suddenly announced he intended to replace Virginias elections commissioner in an interview with conservative radio host John Fredericks.

Asked by Fredericks what Youngkin intended to do around election integrity, Youngkin said he would replace the Northam appointee, Chris Piper, by the summer, arguing that the departments leadership should be looking out for the integrity of the election process and not trying to be political.

Piper in comments to the Richmond Times-Dispatch defended the departments voter education campaign, describing it as an effort to restore confidence in the voting process.

One of the claims on the departments myth v. fact page reads: Thousands of ballots were destroyed after the 2020 General Election. The department then goes on to explain that all election ballots are stored, and that the process used to do that would make it obvious if any were missing.

It is disappointing that the same House which spent the last few weeks passing bills purportedly aimed at increasing voter confidence in our elections did not see fit to appropriate a modest amount to actually educate Virginias voters on how our elections are safely and securely administered, Piper said.

Virginia ran a successful campaign last year, but more work needs to be done to counter the mis/disinformation that is so prevalent right now. It is vital that the Department is able to build on the strong foundation we laid in 2021.

***

GOP patrons described many of the bills that were before the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee Tuesday as necessary to protect election integrity, while Democrats have accused the GOP of trying to restrict peoples access to the ballot box.

The committee killed bills to require a photo I.D. to vote, to do away with drop-boxes for absentee ballots, to do away with same-day voter registration, to cut the states 45-day early voting window to 14 days and to require that absentee ballots be returned to registrars by election day in order to count.
RICHMOND  Senate Democrats drew clear battle lines with Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday over the state of Virginia's economy and the next two-year budget.

In a sometimes testy exchange with Secretary of Finance Steve Cummings, leaders of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee made clear they regard funding of essential public services as a higher budget priority than the governor's aggressive plan for cutting taxes.

Senate Finance Chair Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, told Cummings that she has gotten relatively few complaints over Virginia's tax burden since joining the Senate in 1992, but added, "I've gotten on a daily basis, every day for 30 years, stories from people, pleas from people for better services."

"I think that ... is what we are going to find is a very different approach from the [Youngkin] administration," she said.

The budget that the Senate committee adopted on Sunday includes about $3 billion more in revenues than the spending plan approved by the House Appropriations Committee, which endorsed more than $5 billion in tax cuts Youngkin proposed to carry out promises in his election victory last fall.

The gap reflects a fundamentally different outlook on Virginia's economy, which Cummings said is lagging behind the nation and regional competitors, despite unprecedented growth in state revenues that produced an additional $1.25 billion last week for the General Assembly to use in the fiscal year that ends June 30.

"We are in phenomenal financial condition right now, so we can do a lot of great things ... part of that is returning money to taxpayers," he said.

Cummings touched on many recurring themes from Youngkin's victorious campaign against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe last fall: revenues are strong because taxes are too high; the state is failing to create jobs and retain talent; the cost of government is rising faster than the state's economic growth can sustain.

"When we debate this topic, I think it would be better if we can have metrics we talk about that measure success," he said. "I know we have some very nice ratings and awards, which are important for us for marketing purposes, but I think we've got to look at real results."

"We're lagging the nation right now," he said, adding, "I hope this kind of work is not a political moment."

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw erupted.

"Listening to you, you'd think we're the poorest, most bankrupt state in America and everything has gone to hell in a hand basket," Saslaw said.

The Democratic leader cited strong business growth in Northern Virginia and the results of a poll released on Monday by the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University that showed a wide majority favoring increased spending on public services over tax cuts and rebates.

"The public doesn't agree with you at all, or most don't," Saslaw said.

The CNU survey found strong support for cutting the grocery tax. But when the pollsters cited the state's "historic budget surpluses" and asked respondents how the money should be spent, 38% chose "sending the surplus money back to Virginia citizens in the form of tax cuts or tax rebates," while 59% chose "spending the money on underfunded government services like education, public safety, and social services."

Cummings, who had retired last year after 40 years in banking and finance, urged committee members to put aside emotion and look at data. He said the data shows Virginia lagging in gross domestic product, failing to create jobs or recover those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, and becoming less competitive than rival southeastern states such as North Carolina, where he spent much of his career.

"I understand where you come from and I understand your anger," he told Saslaw, "but I do think this can be a fact-based conversation."

"The state is not growing jobs," he said. "It's not growing its economy."

Cummings cited federal labor statistics that showed the Richmond area recovering only 30% of the jobs it lost during the pandemic, followed by Virginia Beach at 45%, Northern Virginia at 60% and the rest of the state at 80%.

"That's surprising to me," responded Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City.

Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, asked Cummings for information about where job recovery is lagging, by the type of business as well as the region.

McClellan also challenged the administration's priorities, particularly for public education, which looms as a major battleground in the budget fight.

"What I hear in my district is a desperate cry to fully fund K-12," she said.

The Virginia Education Association echoed her concerns about using the flood of revenues to address longstanding needs, including gradually lifting the funding cap on school support positions that the state imposed more than a dozen years ago during the Great Recession.

"Our general take is, if not now, when?" said Chad Stewart, a VEA policy analyst.

Stewart said the Senate budget would increase spending on K-12 by $278 million over two years on top of the money that then-Gov. Ralph Northam proposed for public schools in the budget he proposed in December.

In contrast, he said the House spending plan would reduce K-12 spending in Northam's proposed budget by $638 million, much of it coming through cuts in proposed spending on school divisions with high concentrations of students living in poverty.

Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, focused on what he called underfunding of colleges and universities.

"We need to invest more in public education, higher education and transportation, not less," Edwards said.

Cummings responded, "Where are all of these higher education students going when they graduate? They're not staying here."

Asked by Edwards about Virginia's ranking by CNBC as the "best state for business" in 2019 and 2021, he answered, "That's not adding jobs."

Ultimately, Cummings said, "We have to be able to explain why we are not growing now .... Why is it we're lagging all these other states? Why are we lagging the national average in our ability to grow our economy?"

"I accept the challenge and I understand I upset people maybe with what I would say is the reporting of the inconvenient truth," he said.
The man stood on the Amtrak train platform in Roanoke, wheeled luggage at the ready, a smile on his face that placed his expression somewhere between resignation and exasperation.

The reason for his attitude wasnt hard to discern. He had brought his bags up the ramp right around 6:20 a.m., just as the passenger train had begun to roll north toward Washington, D.C., and New York City. The trains languorous pace tantalized him with an opportunity to take a long look at the train he had just missed as it lumbered away into the dark.

In Roanoke, once you miss that early morning train, you dont really have any other option for the day, unless you have the ability and the reckless impulse to lead foot a vehicle to Lynchburg and catch the same train there  an impulse that might not leave you, um, wreckless.

Depending on the destination, someone in that mans predicament could soon get a second chance to get where they want to go in the manner they wanted to get there, should events conspire to keep one from boarding the first train of the day.

Plans are in the works for a second train to bring travelers to and from Roanoke. As outlined in previous coverage by Roanoke Times reporter Jeff Sturgeon, this second train would arrive about 1:45 p.m. and leave around 4:30 p.m. It would go as far as Washington, D.C., unlike the morning train, which goes all the way to Boston. This new rail option will come about as the result of a partnership between Amtrak, Norfolk Southern and the state of Virginia.

The word has not yet been given as to exactly when this second train will start serving Roanoke, beyond an estimate of spring this year  but whenever that service begins, that will be great news.

Amtrak travel from Roanoke remains a different experience from the cram-packed train cars that run through the East Coasts urban sprawl. The train isnt crowded, and if you happen to be alert, youll be treated to lovely Virginia countryside as its slowly revealed by the sunrise.

You wont be squashed, as happens with airplane travel if you have a waistline wider than five inches. (Yes, thats hyperbole, but not by much.) If you own a laptop or tablet, getting extra work done is easy as the ride is roomy and relatively smooth and the train offers Wi-Fi.

Bringing your own supplies for assembling a sandwich can feel a little like risk taking as the train car occasionally wobbles along the tracks, but it can be done.

This mode of travel has proved compatible with the Roanoke region. Its both old and new  passenger rail was once routine in the Star City, but a 38-year hiatus passed before Amtrak service began in 2017. Usage has proven heavier than Amtrak anticipated. In the last fiscal year completed before the pandemic, 55,000 passengers disembarked in Roanoke.

Theres even more good news looming. If you live a county or two east or west of the Star City, you are eventually going to have more train-hopping options, as potential places to board that are in range of the Roanoke Valley are going to triple.

In May 2021, then-Gov. Ralph Northam announced a $257.2 million investment in the Western Rail Initiative, designed to expand Amtrak service to the New River Valley, with the funding earmarked for acquisition of right of way and track and infrastructure improvements. The goal is to have Amtrak trains clickety-clacketing to the Christiansburg area starting in 2025. Officials estimate that once that happens, 80,000 new riders will fill those comfortable train seats.

On Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. and again on March 1 at noon, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will present the results of a survey conducted to determine where to build a passenger rail station in the New River Valley (the meetings are virtual  to register to attend, visit https://transformingrailva.com/events). Of the locations under study, three are in Christiansburg and one is in the Ellett Valley southeast of Blacksburg.

Groundwork is also being laid to arrange a third train for the Roanoke platform that will shuttle to the New River Valley station and back, hopefully providing a welcome alternative to tractor-trailer heavy Interstate 81 for the many commuters between the two locales.

After 2025, the state will start looking into what it will take to extend the service all the way to Bristol, something rail advocates there have long cried out for. On the very first ride when Amtrak service renewed in Roanoke, which took place in 2017 on Halloween morning, residents from Bristol drove up in the pre-dawn hours to board the train and raise awareness for their cause.

Meanwhile, a push to place an Amtrak station in Bedford has also gathered steam. A study estimated that the planned rail stop at the 6,600-population town, including a platform and a station, will cost about $11 million to build, with a projected completion date of 2025.

As far as were concerned, the more the merrier. Its better for traffic, better for the environment, better for the peace of mind of travelers.

If you happened to guess, by chance, that this essay was drafted while its author was riding an Amtrak train, your guess was absolutely correct.
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Nothing stops the push by Congress for more immigration  not 9/11, not the mortgage meltdown and Wall Street crisis, not dismal Bureau of Labor Statistics job reports and not COVID-19.

Despite the fact that about 1 million new lawful permanent residents get work authorization each year, about 750,000 guest workers arrive annually in a typical year and dozens of types of nonimmigrant visas include employment permission, Congress is never satisfied.

Congress insists, predictably and tediously, that without more foreign-born labor, the economy will collapse and small businesses will vanish. These baseless claims, consistently proven false, are repeated year after year after year.

Example: In 2017, mostly at the horse racing industrys behest, the Senate and House both introduced bills that predicted without more H-2B nonagricultural visas, horse racing might become extinct. But, four years later, the Kentucky Derby and smaller races at other nationwide tracks continue to draw large, revenue-generating crowds.

Another example: Last year, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), an immigration lawyer and chair of the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, introduced a bill that would create a new temporary visa for founders of start-up ventures. In her press release, Lofgren said that more immigration leads to more American jobs, an often-made, but misleading claim.

Although Lofgrens bill went nowhere, Silicon Valley recorded record profits in 2021, and The New York Times predicted that titans Google, Apple, Microsoft and other tech giants will be rolling in dough for years to come. From its July 2021 story: The combined stock market valuation of Apple, Alphabet, Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook increased by about 70 percent to more than $10 trillion. That is roughly the size of the entire U.S. stock market in 2002. Apple alone has enough cash in its coffers to give $600 to every person in the United States.

The latest assault on American workers is an immigration train wreck coyly called the America COMPETES Act of 2022. Boiled down to the bills most harmful elements, the America COMPETES Act would:

1. Create a nonimmigrant visa program for foreign investors of start-ups and entrepreneurs, their families and so-called but undefined essential foreign workers who work for them, also allowing their family members to receive work permits.

2. Create a one-year path to an unlimited number of Green Cards for any visa holder who meets certain investment and ownership stake requirements.

3. Create an unlimited number of Green Cards for foreign citizens who hold a doctoral degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning or an equivalent degree from a foreign university.

4. Create a five-year program that creates 5,000 Special Immigrant Visas yearly for Hong Kong residents, amounting to an additional 25,000 Green Cards over the five-year period.

5. Authorize an unlimited refugee/asylee program for certain Hong Kong residents.

6. Change existing law to treat Hong Kong as a separate state from China in determining per-country limits for existing Green Card categories.

7. Grant Temporary Protected Status with work permission for Hong Kong residents currently in the U.S., regardless of their existing immigration status which may include unlawfully present status.

Under the guise of promoting American innovation, the acts hodgepodge of vague language makes almost anything possible. One thing is certain  the America COMPETES Act will massively increase legal immigration, flood the labor market, make job searches for Americans in all sectors more difficult, and have an adverse effect on recent U.S. college graduates hoping to begin their careers.

The bill intentionally harms U.S. citizens, but will be a bonanza for arriving foreign nationals, employers addicted to cheap labor and Silicon Valley multimillionaires. No greater gap exists between voters and Congress than on immigration policy.

The thoroughly awful, destructive America COMPETES Act is one of the most powerful examples of why the immigration chasm is so wide.

Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
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Thirty-six people were injured when a long-distance bus collided head-on with a truck on a highway in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province on Tuesday, a local official said.

"The accident occurred along the Salang Highway in the northern part of snowy Salang Pass at midday. The injured were shifted to a main hospital in Pul-e-Khumri city," Nazir Ebadi, director of the provincial Traffic Police Directorate, told Xinhua.

Some of the injured were in serious condition, according to the official.

The bus driver was arrested for dangerous driving pending a further investigation.

Road mishaps are frequent in the mountainous country and occur mostly due to reckless driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Antwan Wells has a message of peace and harmony, he speaks as somebody who has been there before and he preaches from behind a barbers chair as well as out in the street.

Wells, who owns Nubian Experiences Barber Shop at 609 West Evans Street and formerly Nubian Brothers on North Dargan Street, said cutting hair came naturally to him.

He studied welding at Wilson High School.

Somehow I ended up cutting hair, Id been cutting hair since I was in eighth grade, Well said.

His other passion came to him later in life  after some time spent in federal prison.

When I was in the streets I wasnt a bad guy. But I was out in the street just hanging out. I got what I needed for Mom and Dad, Wells said. I made the choice to go out there and do what I did.

While I was incarcerated I furthered my education by studying. Broadened my horizon. learned more about humanity, Wells said. I felt like when I came home I saw a lot of stuff that was damaged. The neighborhood was broken and I felt responsible for a lot.

I was talking to one of my customers about some of the stuff. I decided to go to the police department and, at that time, Chief Shells was chief. I told him I wanted to start the cease fire tour. I got a lot of hip hop people, got some ex gang members in, I got some Brothers from the Nation of Islam, some from the Christian community, the Five Percenters, Wells said. We got them on stage, we had a nice decent atmosphere.

That atmosphere included HIV awareness volunteers and military recruiters to show youth a direction they could go should they not want to go to college.

That was Operation Cease Fire, a cause that others have taken up and one that he remains connected to.

Life is about choices at the end of the same. Choices lead you in a better direction, Wells said as he trimmed a customers hair and others waited their turn in the chair.

Almost 30 years on from going to prison, the wisdom of age has only convinced him that his mission is one he needs to continue.

Now that Im older and I have kids and grandkids in the streets Im looking at it the same way now, seeing how their feel, Wells said. They want the streets to be safe, for their kids to be able to run around and have fun and not get gunned down in the streets.

Wells and others work with at-risk youth out of the barbershop where they talk with them about decisions and consequences.

Wells also works youth to help them get where they want to go.

Had a guy who came by and said he wanted to go into the military and they were giving him an issue about his history, Wells said. A few phone calls later, one to a retired sergeant and former recruiter friend of his, and that was cleared up.

He also is working with the city on a program to help at-risk youth and plans to reach out to the school system about expulsions.

There is also one other thing that wells said he wants to do  spend time with his five children and six grandchildren.

I want to spend some time now with them a lot more than Im doing. Keep them focused.

Digital Editor Matt Robertson is a veteran journalist who has fulfilled just about every role that a newspaper has and now serves as a key member of the Morning News newsroom by maintaining SCNow.com and covering the occasional story and photo assignment.

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TIMMONSVILLE, S.C.  The man who accused Molly Spearman and others of spinning a web of lies and deception to kill the Florence Four school district is running to replace Spearman as superintendent of education.

Florence Four board spokesman Gary Burgess announced his campaign Monday afternoon at an event held at Wofford College, his alma mater.

South Carolina can do better, and we must do better in educating our children, Burgess said in his speech. We must not settle for minimally adequate, which leads to us being at the bottom of the academic rung of the education ladder and one of the less educated states in America.

Burgess, who has been the boards spokesman for nearly a year, sent an email last month after Spearman announced plans to close the districts middle school and add an arts magnet program to the districts elementary school.

Spearman announced plans last year to close Timmonsville High School.

In the email, he accused Spearman, the Florence County legislative delegation and the Florence One Schools Board of Trustees of spinning a web of lies and deception to kill the district.

He said the districts residents would continue to be treated like enslaved people and the good White Christians in Florence One and Florence County will continue to behave as though they are doing whats best for the poor and that the African Americans who assume they are elite and powerful will continue to do the systems bidding  ducking, dodging and lying in hopes of keeping the crumbs from the masters table.

In addition to serving as Florence Four spokesman, Burgess said in his speech he has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, superintendent and an elected board member.

Burgess said in his speech he would be running for the Democratic nomination, becoming the first candidate to announce a run for that partys nomination.

He previously ran for the Republican nomination in 2014 but did not advance to the runoff election. That seat was ultimately won by Molly Spearman.

Spearman sought and won reelection in 2018 but announced last year she would not seek a third term in office.

Four Republicans  Cindy Coats, Kizzi Gibson, Kathy Maness and Ellen Weaver  have also announced campaigns for that partys nomination.

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FLORENCE, S.C.  For Empowered to Heal founder Jennifer Robinson, Black History Month continues to mean having pride in her ancestors accomplishments and achievements.

Robinson said earlier this month she thinks of her father, former Florence City Judge Taft Guile Jr., who died in January 2021 when she thinks of Black History Month.

Guile was one of six city judges. He was sworn in to the role in 2009. Prior to serving with the city, he served as a magistrate from 2001 to 2009, served in the Florence County Sheriffs Office from 1984 to 2001 and served in the Florence Police Department from 1974 to 1984.

He was also involved on various community boards, including the board of directors of Ideal Funeral Parlor.

I will forever be proud of my father, Judge Taft Guile, Robinson said. He left a legacy of giving... People like him who served, who continued to share with the community are people that I look up to.

Robinson said she also looks up to Martin Luther King Jr. and strong women like Fannie Lou Hamer.

Hamer was a voting rights activist known for co-founding the Freedom Democratic Party and organizing the Freedom Summer in Mississippi.

Like her father, Robinson is also involved in the community, having founded Empowered to Heal when she returned to the area from Atlanta.

Ever since Ive been back in Florence, Ive been doing this work of advocacy and helping people who have been sexually abused get over their trauma, Robinson said.

Robinson said she was inspired to form the nonprofit when she did an internship in Atlanta and saw people that had been victims of sexual assault and no one could tell her where the people could go to get fully back on their feet.

A lot of people didnt know how to begin that journey so when I came here, I worked for another nonprofit that dealt with kind of the same thing but no long term care, Robinson said. Im also a survivor of sexual trauma so my passion and compassion for that comes from me knowing what the ordeal is about to help others.

Robinson said she was molested by a man she didnt know when she was 5 years old. She said she was left alone with someone and was molested. She said she was raped when she was 12-years old and again when she was 17-years old.

Robinson said she began receiving counseling before she entered Spelman College where she learned to understand what happened to her and how to deal with it including knowing that what happened to her wasnt her fault.

The healing journey is not the same for everybody, Robinson said. You never get over it. You just learn how to deal with it.

Robinson said Empowered to Heal helps women who have exited the immediate crisis and are ready to take the next steps to get their lives back together.

The first thing the organization does, she said, is tell the sexually assaulted people that they are believed and that what happened to them isnt their fault.

Next, the organization works with the women to form a plan that can include returning to school or opening a business.

We gather resources to help each individual client  survivor  determine what they want to do, Robinson continued. What healing looks like for them because its very individualistic.

Robinson said it means so much to what people reach their goals with help from Empowered to Heal.

I love to see peoples strengths when they think theyre weak, Robinson said.

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FLORENCE, S.C.  Does Florence have a gun violence problem? Not according to officers from the Florence County Sheriffs Office and Florence Police Department.

Florences problem isnt gun violence but instead is violent people committing violent crimes including shooting each other, two law enforcement officers said Tuesday evening.

At a town hall event Tuesday, captains Darrin Yarborough of the Florence County Sheriffs Office and Bob Drulis of the Florence Police Department were asked by Christopher McCray about the numbers, demographics or locations of shootings in the county and city.

Yarborough said he did not have numbers to provide but they were way higher than what the community would like it to be. The demographics show violence taking place all over the county.

Yarborough said he did not like to use the term gun violence.

We dont have a gun violence problem. We have a violent people problem, Yarborough said. I can take my gun and sit it on the table  its not going to do anything. You have violent people using guns to commit violent crimes.

Drulis also said he did not have the numbers to provide. The victims and suspects involved in crimes with guns are, for the most part, involved in some form of criminal activity.

He said there have been so-called random crimes within the city but most of the violence comes from bad people doing bad things against other bad people who are doing bad things.

So, at the end of the day, if we could try to curtail the bad things, it would make sense that the gun violence is going to go down, Drulis said.

The city has partnered with federal law enforcement agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to try to put the most violent criminals into the federal system, he said.

Penalties are generally higher because of the federal sentencing guidelines and lack of parole in the federal system.

Drulis also said the law enforcement agencies in the Pee Dee have partnered thanks to an effort by Sheriff T.J. Joye to share intelligence.

The town hall hosted by Florence County Councilman Al Bradley and Florence City Council members Lethonia Peaches Barnes and Chaquez McCall was held Tuesday evening at the McClenaghan Administrative Annex.

The format allowed people to provide comments or suggestions to quell the citys violence problem followed by responses or other commentary from other members of the audience or panel.

One of the first people to speak was Harry Charles.

Barnes said Charles was one of the people who called her brother, Al Bradley, that inspired him to contact her and begin the process of organizing the town hall.

Charles said he had lost two children, one in 2019 and 2021, after they were shot.

Charles said he felt the community had gotten selfish and had lost its focus on the greater good for the community. He proposed a mentoring program to inspire the young people in the community to make better choices.

Pastor Parish Brown was one of the panelists. He expressed frustration that there had not been proposals made to curtail gun violence in the city and county after more than 30 minutes of the town hall.

We need to get to the agenda and hear from you all, Brown said. You have these conversations on the side and you try and point fingers. Come on, family, we need to hear from you!

He said he wanted the audience to consider solutions and recommendations.

Some parent lost two children in a matter of two years, should that not alarm us? Brown asked. I guess not if were going to sit here and keep doing the same things weve been doing instead of seeking some solutions.

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FLORENCE  MiLadies 182 owners  Charlene Lowery, Doris Lockhart and Starlee Alexander  are three African American business women and friends who joined forces to open a ladies boutique in downtown Florence nearly seven years ago.

Each of the women has had other business ventures of their own. Alexander is also owner of the State Farm agency on Irby Street. Lockhart, in business for more than 30 years, owns Spherion in Florence. Lowery, formerly Pee Dee Director for James Clyburn, opened a childrens shop in 1999 called the Childrens Depot and More on Evans Street. She was in business for 17 years. She is also a Realtor.

Lowery said their business is growing, but it has been a struggle, and to this day, African American females sometimes have to jump through hoops, especially when it comes to securing financing for a new business. She said they have been lucky to have the support of banks in Florence and other to help them in their journey.

It is harder for us, Lockhart said.

They agree being black females in the business world comes with its own set of challenges, but their personalities are such that a challenge wont deter them.

Not even COVID has dampened their entrepreneurial spirit.

The women say they have what it takes to be successful  tenacity, determination, drive and a never giving up attitude.

Alexander said she has always wanted to own her own business.

Lowery said she has always known she waited to be in business. She said she started working when she was 14 years old.

I wanted to be successful, she said.

Before opening the ladies clothing boutique, Lowery said she did a lot of research.

They chose downtown because the city of Florence was undergoing a revitalization of the downtown area. She said she thought it would be a good location.

Lowery said they came up with the name MiLadies 182 after discovering in her research there was a womens boutique in downtown Florence years ago called MyLadys. She is not sure exactly where downtown the previous dress shop was located, but if it wasnt the same location, it was nearby.

We wanted a similar name but not the same, she said.

The spelling is different and 182 is the street address.

Someone once told them the number 182 means prosperity.

The owners said they started out carrying dressy clothes women would wear to work, church or for a special occasion. Once COVID hit, they said it was difficult find the same styles of clothing and women werent going out as much but rather staying at home so they started offering more casual styles.

At MiLadies 182, they offer beautiful but affordable clothing and accessories for women in all sizes from 1 to xx large, Lowery said. They have layaway and gift certificates.

They said Black History Month is just one month to showcase the success of African American entrepreneurs, but they try every month to show young people what can be accomplished if you work hard.

African-American females have always been the backbone of the family, Lockhart said.

We want to leave a legacy for our families, Alexander said. We are trying to leave something for our families and to give something back to the community.

Lockhart and Lowery are natives of this area; Alexander has been here 37 years but is a native of Florida.

Lockhart said they encourage young people, especially young girls, to become entrepreneurs and to make a difference in their communities.

That is what we want to do, she said, to show that we can help make a difference in our community.

She said it is not always easy.

The women said they are thankful for the support of the whole community, not just African American women, and encourage everyone to come in and see what they have to offer.

Store manager is Julia Matthews; Lorraine Davis is store associate.
 Flash

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Tuesday the suspension of the certification process of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline citing Russia's course of action over Ukraine.

"The situation today has fundamentally changed," he told journalists. "We will reassess the situation that has evolved over the past few days."

"I asked the Economy Ministry today to withdraw the existing report on the analysis of supply security at the Federal Network Agency," Scholz said, adding that it was a necessary administrative step to prevent the certification and thus the operation of Nord Stream 2.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs would now make a new assessment of the security of supply taking the last days' development into account, he said.

Russia's decision to recognize "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent states was a "serious breach of international law" that violated the Minsk agreements and the Charter of the United Nations, Scholz said.

Scholz said it is now important to "prevent a further escalation, and thus a catastrophe. That is what all our diplomatic efforts are aimed at."

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is expected to transport 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The 1,234-km pipeline, however, has been lying idle, pending a go-ahead from Germany and the European Union.
 Are all three defendants who murdered Ahmaud Arbery now sure to get federal LWOP sentences following federal convictions? | Main | "Waiting for Relief: A National Survey of Waiting Periods for Record Clearing" 

February 23, 2022

Rounding up some rough headlines for the progressive prosecutor movement

I have blogged a fair bit about, and seen a lot of interesting academic and other writings about, the so-called progressive prosecutor movement. It is certainly been a hot topic in the criminal justice reform space for the last five years or so. But with the COVID-era rise in violent crimes, it now seems criticisms of so-called progressive prosecutors are the hot topics at the forefront of crime and punishment discourse. Here is a round up of some headlines and stories from recent weeks capturing this reality:

From Politico, "Los Angeles prosecutors overwhelmingly want to oust their progressive boss"

From KOMO News, "'Soft' progressive policies on crime becoming a mainstream concern after nationwide surge"

From the New York Times, "They Wanted to Roll Back Tough-on-Crime Policies. Then Violent Crime Surged."

From The Economist, "Are progressive prosecutors to blame for an American homicide wave?"

From Rasmussen Reports, "Most Voters Support Removing Soft-on-Crime Prosecutors"

From The Marshall Project, "Prosecutors Who Want to Curb Mass Incarceration Hit a Roadblock: Tough-on-Crime Lawmakers"

From the Washington Times, "Progressive prosecutors under fire for crime surge in cities"

February 23, 2022 at 04:51 PM | Permalink

Comments

Gee,being nice to criminals results in a public safety debacle. Shocking

Posted by: Federalist | Feb 24, 2022 10:20:19 AM

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The Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Mason City Police Department have each issued statements seeking the public's assistance in the disappearance of a Mason City man.

Travis Alan Kummer, 38, was last seen on Friday, Feb. 11, and was reported missing a week later on Feb. 18, Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said.

Kummer is described as a white male, 209 pounds, 6' tall, with brown eyes and unknown hair color or completely bald-headed.

A recent public post on Kummer's Facebook page includes an undated photo depicting him with dark brown or black hair, and a full black or brown beard with a grey patch on his chin.

The IDPS cautions the public not to take action themselves, should they recognize a missing person, but instead, to gather as much information as possible and contact authorities.

Brinkley said anyone with information regarding Kummer's whereabouts should call the Mason City Police Department at 641-421-3636.

Lisa Grouette is the Local News Editor and Photographer at the Globe Gazette. Reach her at 641-421-0525 or lisa.grouette@globegazette.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaGrouette

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ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- A Hull, Iowa, man has pleaded not guilty of sexually assaulting a minor female several times dating back to 2020.

Treyton Huyser, 21, entered his written plea Monday in Sioux County District Court to four counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

The Sioux County Sheriff's Office began an investigation in October after receiving a report of a sexual assault at a rural Hull residence. Huyser was arrested Jan. 17.

According to court documents, the assaults began in March 2020 and involved a girl under age 16 with whom Huyser had sexual contact. Court documents show that the last incident occurred June 30.

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LE MARS, Iowa -- A psychiatrist has determined that a Merrill, Iowa, man has been exaggerating his mental limitations and is competent to stand trial for the shooting death of another man at his home.

In a report filed Feb. 9 in Plymouth County District Court, Dr. Arnold Andersen said that after three months of observing Thomas Knapp's behavior, he concluded that Knapp "has engaged in 'strategic exaggeration' of his limitations" and that his behaviors when not being evaluated contradict his demonstrations of being unable to understand or recall events.

There's no evidence Knapp suffers from psychiatric illness or significant memory deficit, only a personality disorder that does not meet criteria for mental illness or significant cognitive impairment, according to Andersen's report, which was submitted as evidence at a hearing Monday.

Taking those findings, District Judge James Daane ruled that Knapp's competency has been restored and scheduled his trial for Sept. 6.

Knapp, 83, has pleaded not guilty of first-degree murder and willful injury. He is charged with shooting Kevin Juzek, 51, in the abdomen and chest with a 20-gauge shotgun during a May 11, 2020, disturbance at a rural Merrill home.

Knapp's mental condition has been an issue since the case's beginning. A previous psychiatric examination found Knapp mentally incompetent to stand trial, but the evaluation report mentioned the possibility of having Knapp undergo an MRI or other brain scan.

In August, Senior Judge Duane Hoffmeyer ruled that Knapp was unable to appreciate the charges against him and could not understand court proceedings or assist in his defense. Hoffmeyer declared Knapp incompetent and suspended all court proceedings, ordering him to undergo treatment at the Iowa Department of Corrections' Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.

Days prior to Andersen's Feb. 9 report, Daane noted that a progress report indicated efforts to restore Knapp's competency had stalled.

The case has been further complicated by Knapp's hearing loss, which has made it hard for him to communicate with his attorney and follow along with court proceedings, even after being fitted with hearing aids. Andersen said Knapp can read lips and understand questions written down for him. With those accommodations, he said, Knapp's hearing difficulties would not prevent him from assisting in his defense.

Knapp has pleaded not guilty in a separate case of willful injury causing bodily injury, domestic abuse assault while using or displaying a dangerous weapon and two counts of first-offense domestic abuse. He is charged with striking his wife in the head with a stick and breaking bones in her hand during the same disturbance in which Juzek was killed.

Both cases will be tried at the same time.

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SIOUX CITY -- Shortly after arriving at a Sergeant Bluff trailer park, two Woodbury County Sheriff's deputies faced what would later be determined a life-or-death situation.

Unexpectedly confronted by a man holding a four-way tire iron, deputies Devin Groenhagen and Eric Fay, along with Sergeant Bluff police officer Jereme Muller, were forced to make a snap decision in how to respond.

Video of the shooting shows that after the man, later identified as Michael Meredith, struck Fay in the left forearm with the tire iron, Fay fired two shots from his Glock service weapon, one of them striking and fatally wounding his assailant.

Based on Meredith's actions, the Jan. 12 shooting was reasonable and a justified homicide under Iowa law, Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings said Wednesday.

"It was not until Deputy Fay felt that his life was in danger that he discharged his firearm. It was reasonable under the circumstances known to Deputy Fay for him to fear for his safety," Jennings said at a news conference in which he released the findings of his review of an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation probe.

After reviewing body cam videos of the shooting, Woodbury County Sheriff Chad Sheehan said Meredith's rapid advance on the officers and his striking of Fay with the tire iron left Fay with little choice.

"In this case, unfortunately, the ending that happened was out of our control," Sheehan said. "The incident wasn't going to end any other way."

A 12-year law enforcement veteran hired by the sheriff's office in 2020, Fay remains on administrative leave while dealing with the effects of the shooting, Sheehan said. Groenhagen, a sheriff's deputy since 2016, has returned to active duty after also being placed on administrative leave after the shooting.

An internal investigation determined the deputies' actions that night did not violate any department policies, Sheehan said.

Jennings' report gave a brief synopsis of the events leading up to the shooting, and Sheehan showed media a video that combined footage from the three officers' body cameras.

At 5:44 p.m., Muller was dispatched to Lot 5 in the Woodford Mobile Home Park, 501 B St., for a report of a possible burglary in progress. Groenhagen and Fay, in the area for a training exercise, responded and arrived a minute after Muller.

As the three walked toward Lot 5 in the dark, the area illuminated by street lights and their own flashlights, the officers heard shouts from a female and male saying, "you're on my porch." Groenhagen, followed by Fay, ran to the trailer, approaching between a parked car and a neighboring trailer. Muller followed and approached from the driveway.

Video shows the deputies walk up to the trailer and Meredith, who at the time was unknown to any of the officers, immediately approach them, the tire iron raised. Groenhagen can be seen backing up while Fay is heard shouting "show us your hands" twice before Meredith hits Fay in his left forearm, which was raised to shield himself from the blow. Fay then fired two shots as Groenhagen discharged his Taser.

The confrontation occurred in an instant, lasting less than 10 seconds.

Sheehan said his review of the shooting showed Groenhagen was in a spot that allowed him to distance himself from Meredith. Fay, however, was in a location where he was unable to retreat when Meredith approached him.

"It was just a rapid advance," Sheehan said.

Sheehan said it appeared that Groenhagen fired his Taser in between Fay's gunshots. Meredith could not be heard speaking as he approached the deputies, who quickly administered first aid after determining the threat was over, Sheehan said.

Meredith, 35, of Sergeant Bluff, was pronounced dead at MercyOne Siouxland hours after the shooting. An autopsy said he died of a single gunshot wound in the right chest that punctured his heart and came to rest next to his left armpit.

Fay was treated for injuries to his arm and released that night.

Sheehan said his office continually reviews its policies for all situations and has done so in the wake of the shooting. He does not anticipate any policy changes concerning use of force after reviewing his deputies' actions.

"Anytime law enforcement officers are forced into using deadly force, it doesn't feel good, it doesn't sound good, it doesn't look good," Sheehan said. "There is nothing else Deputy Fay could have done."

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DAKOTA CITY -- For five months, Dakota County has pursued a firm cost estimate for the cost of a proposed jail expansion.

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners hasn't gotten that number yet, but on Tuesday got a small step closer.

The board voted 3-1 to pursue an agreement with Weitz Company to develop a cost estimate to help commissioners make a final decision on whether to move forward with the proposed 112-bed expansion. A contract has not been finalized, but Weitz, an Omaha construction management firm, has proposed a $25,000 fee.

"We need to get a number, that's the only thing I can say. I'd like to move forward and get a number," commissioner Scott Love said before making the motion to pursue the agreement.

Troy Launsby voted no without comment, but has said in previous meetings he believes the issue should go to a public vote. Board chairman Robert Giese was absent.

An initial architect's estimate placed the project's cost at $10.5 million-$11.25 million. Costs rose to $12.4 million-$13.5 million in a later estimate. Without a firmer estimate, the county has no idea how much money it would need to finance for construction or if the U.S. Marshals Service, which has agreed to pay for the expansion, would continue to support the project if costs come in far higher than previously estimated.

Commissioners in August approved a contract with the Marshals Service in which the Marshals would pay for the expansion in return for a guarantee that Dakota County house 85 federal prisoners per day for 10 years once the addition is open. The Marshals Service now pays the county $80 per day per inmate currently housed at the jail. Once the expansion opens, the rate would increase to $150 per day for 30 months to provide the county the revenue to pay off the estimated construction debt. After 30 months, the rate would return to $80. Marshals representatives have said they would be willing to extend the 30-month period if construction costs exceed estimates and the county needs more time to pay off the expansion, which would increase the jail's capacity to 248 beds.

The county currently houses an average of 20-25 federal prisoners daily and receives $600,000-$800,000 in revenue annually.

The Marshals Service is willing to pay for the jail expansion to consolidate most of its prisoners at one site and reduce costs to transport them to federal court hearings in Sioux City. The Marshals Service in Sioux City houses approximately 130 prisoners, all awaiting trial, in 11-12 jails in four states.

The Marshals Service does not own or operate detention facilities and must contract with state and local governments to house its prisoners. Once sentenced, offenders are transferred to a federal prison.

The proposed addition would be added to the west side of the current jail, which was built in 2006. The board has so far approved approximately $400,000 in architect's expenses to develop the final design. Soil testing at the site also has been conducted.

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The board did not take this search lightly, said board president Connie Duncan.

That has been so difficult for us, its been difficult for me, Barb Baier added. Ive gone back and forth because each is such a good candidate.

Kathy Danek said hiring and evaluating a superintendent is the most important job of a school board and praised all four candidates.

But Danek said Gausman rose to the top for her as someone who can work well with the Lincoln community and build relationships.

He understands the systems to move a district forward, and that is collaboration, Danek said.

Many of the board members also liked that Gausman had presented them with a 90-day transition plan if chosen, which Gausman said boils down to building relationships at all levels of the community.

Theres a lot for me to learn about all of the great things that are going on in the Lincoln Public Schools and in the Lincoln community, he said.

Annie Mumgaard was the lone board member to support another candidate (Licata), but said she could back Gausman because of his proven track record.

And it's a track record that started in Lincoln.

Gausman, 55, attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he earned his bachelor's in music education and played drums in the Cornhusker Marching Band.
 Flash

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying Wednesday rejected imposing unilateral sanctions on Russia and reiterated resolving the tensions with Ukraine through dialogue and consultation.

"Sanctions have never been an effective way to solve problems, and China has always opposed unilateral sanctions," Hua told a daily press conference when asked if China would join Western countries in sanctioning Russia over Ukraine.

"As the culprit behind the escalated tension between Ukraine and Russia, what role does the U.S. play? What have they done? It is irresponsible and unethical to accuse others of ineffective firefighting while adding fuel to fire."

When talking about China's role in the Ukraine-Russian crisis, Hua said Beijing has been calling for dialogue and negotiations.

The U.S. has spread fear by consistently sending weapons to Ukraine, she said, contrasting with China's call on countries and relevant parties to respect and pay attention to each other's legitimate concerns, to solve the problem through negotiations, and to uphold regional peace and stability jointly.
SIOUX CITY -- The city of Sioux City has denied allegations that city officials intentionally misled state regulators about the operating capabilities of its wastewater treatment plant, calling then "reckless and libelous."

In its response to an Iowa Department of Natural Resources lawsuit, the city conceded there have been past violations, but in each case the city self-reported them to the DNR upon discovery.

"The city has a long history of exercising affirmative diligence in complying with wastewater standards and has taken substantial affirmative action to improve the WWTP and its operation," Guy Cook, a Des Moines attorney representing the city, said in his response to the DNR's lawsuit.

The DNR sued the city in January, seeking what could add up to millions of dollars in penalties for repeated violations at the plant dating back to March 2012 and including a three-year scheme in which two former plant supervisors manipulated water sample test results to ensure that plant discharges into the Missouri River met environmental requirements.

The DNR also said the city declined to fix problems at the plant because doing so would have exposed the city's dishonesty about the effectiveness of the plant, which, the DNR alleges, officials knew was incapable of consistently disinfecting the millions of gallons of wastewater handled each day.

"The factual allegations and implications are denied. The allegations are reckless and libelous," Cook said in his answer, filed Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court.

Cook said the lawsuit should be dismissed because the DNR has failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

In the city's defense, Cook said, the city has complied with its wastewater permit, and the DNR has not exhausted all other administrative options to address its concerns with the city. Cook also said the DNR waited too long to file a claim and should be barred from recovering damages because of its own conduct.

Many of the violations cited by the DNR stemmed from a three-year period from 2012 through April 2015 in which former plant superintendent Jay Niday and shift supervisor Patrick Schwarte manipulated chlorine levels to make it appear the city was meeting federal E. coli standards when wastewater samples were tested. The two would raise chlorine levels added to wastewater on days that E. coli samples were taken, producing test samples showing plant discharges met federal limits for levels of fecal coliform and E. coli before they were discharged into the Missouri River.

The city fired both men after a plant worker anonymously tipped off the DNR about their actions. The two later pleaded guilty in federal court to criminal charges of conspiracy and falsifying or providing inaccurate information. Niday was sentenced to three months in prison and fined $6,000. Schwarte was sentenced to two years' probation and fined $5,000.

More recently, the city exceeded ammonia concentration limits on several occasions in 2018 and 2019 and exceeded daily maximum total residual chlorine, or TRC, concentration limits and daily maximum TRC mass limits in 2017, 2018 and several months in 2019.

Cook said Niday and Schwarte were rogue employees who operated on their own. The city has taken several steps, he said in his answer, to reduce the possibility of a repeat of their actions, and millions of dollars in upgrades are planned to eliminate issues that have caused past violations at the plant, which was built in 1961 at 3100 S. Lewis Blvd. and accepts industrial, commercial and residential wastewater from Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, South Sioux City, North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes.

Those actions include last year's hiring of a second utilities director to focus on wastewater treatment plant operations. The city is planning a new UV disinfection system that will eliminate the need for chemicals such as chlorine, and a secondary treatment process has been enacted for increased ammonia removal.

"The city has taken substantial affirmative action and made significant financial investments to improve the operations of the WWTP," Cook said.

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Explorers owner John Roost sent a letter to Mayor Bob Scott and the four City Council members in which he again asked the city to replace all of the parks plastic seats, which he described as being in "serious and poor condition."
Chinese-built Ethiopia-Djibouti railway boosts regional integration

Xinhua) 08:18, February 23, 2022

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows Furi-Lebu Railway Station of Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity. (Xinhua)

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity.

During a railway infrastructure-themed seminar on Monday here, participants, including officials and independent experts, discussed how Africa's first fully electrified trans-boundary railway contributed to regional integration and the betterment of communities along the way.

The 752-km transnational railway, as a flagship project in the Belt and Road cooperation, demonstrated the aspirations of African countries to spur continental free trade by augmenting intra-Africa infrastructure connectivity, said Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopia's minister of transport and logistics.

"While building our prosperous Ethiopia, we will engrave in a cornerstone of our friendship and the unreserved support we receive from our sister country China in turning our dream of having a modern standard gauge rail line into reality," Moges told the high-level seminar.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti electrified railway, also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, contracted by China Rail Engineering Corporation (CREC) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is the first trans-boundary railway on the African continent.

Ethiopia's State Minister of Finance Semereta Sewasew stressed China's role in supporting African countries' development aspiration on win-win modalities.

The state minister, in particular, emphasized China's "willingness to engage in areas of cooperation that some development partners are reluctant, mainly in large infrastructure projects."

Zhao Zhiyuan, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, also echoed Moges' comments, stressing that the Addis Ababa-Djibouti rail line is a lifeline to landlocked Ethiopia.

"The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, as a flagship project of China-Ethiopia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has made important strides in all aspects since starting operation more than four years ago," the Chinese ambassador said.

The electrified railway has cut the transportation time for freight goods from more than three days to less than 20 hours and reduced the cost by at least one third.

Zhao said the railway has been a way of development, driving economic growth and industrialization, and serving as a lifeline of transportation for essential goods such as fertilizers, grain, cement, steel and anti-pandemic materials.

"The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway is a flagship project, and it is really unique in its kind in Africa, which brought three countries together in one platform to work together -- Ethiopia, Djibouti and China," said Tilahun Sarka, general manager of Ethiopia-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR).

The high-level seminar, themed "Significance of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway for the Horn of Africa," was co-hosted by the EDR and CREC-CCECC Joint Venture and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia.

The CREC-CCECC Joint Venture is a management contractor of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, which presently provides both passenger and freight services between Ethiopia and Djibouti.

According to figures from the joint venture, in 2021, the railway's monthly transport revenue exceeded 9 million and 10 million U.S. dollars in October and November respectively, the best result since 2018. The transport revenue in 2021 is 37.4 percent higher than in 2020.

The railway has also created numerous job opportunities for locals, with more than 4,000 locals employed so far, which accounts for over 90 percent of the total staff.

Participants at the high-level seminar further emphasized the crucial importance of the China-Africa cooperation under the BRI in terms of boosting infrastructure development across the continent.

On the growing list of African countries cooperating with China under the BRI framework, many countries have realized new deep seaports, thousands of kilometers of roads and railways that have transformed logistics across Africa, among other development projects.

Representatives from China and Ethiopia pose for a group photo after attending a seminar themed "Significance of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway for the Horn of Africa" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 21, 2022. The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows part of Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity. (Xinhua)

Dagmawit Moges, Ethiopia's minister of transport and logistics, speaks during a seminar themed "Significance of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway for the Horn of Africa" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 21, 2022. The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity. (Xinhua)

Representatives from China and Ethiopia participate in a ceremony during a seminar themed "Significance of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway for the Horn of Africa" in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 21, 2022. The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway has won acclaim for facilitating regional integration and prosperity. (Xinhua)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Here's your latest COVID news for Feb. 23, 2022.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday he is removing emergency powers police can use after authorities ended the truck blockades at the borders and the occupation in Ottawa by those opposed to COVID-19 restrictions.

Trudeau said the threat continues but the acute emergency that included entrenched occupations has ended. His government invoked the powers last week and lawmakers affirmed the powers late Monday.

Speaking of trucker protests, the Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nations capital as it prepares for trucker convoys that are planning protests against pandemic restrictions beginning next week.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the request Tuesday from the District of Columbia government and the U.S. Capitol Police, the Pentagon said in a statement Tuesday night.

The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, the Pentagon said. Four hundred Guard members from the District of Columbia Guard will be joined by 300 Guard members from other states, according to the statement.

The vaccination drive in the U.S. is grinding to a halt, and demand has all but collapsed in places like the deeply conservative manufacturing town of Hamilton, Alabama where many weren't interested in the shots to begin with.

The average number of Americans getting their first shot is down to about 90,000 a day, the lowest point since the first few days of the U.S. vaccination campaign, in December 2020. And hopes of any substantial improvement in the immediate future have largely evaporated.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will announce new metrics to guide Covid-19 restrictions such as mask-wearing as early as Friday or possibly in the early part of next week, according to a CDC scientist directly involved with the process.

The CDC currently says that people who live in counties with substantial or high levels of Covid-19 transmission should wear masks indoors. The agency will not be changing that guidance but will be changing the way it assesses "community levels of disease," by shifting from looking at cases alone to looking at "meaningful consequences" of the virus such as hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths.

***

Check out more COVID-19 news here:
DES MOINES  The number of cases filed in Iowa courts fell during the pandemic, but the time it took to dispose of them continued to exceed national standards, significantly, in some instances.

Case filings fell by about 18 percent, or 130,646, from 2019 to 2020 while dispositions dropped 20 percent, or 147,508, according to an annual presentation from the Judicial Branch to the House Justice Systems Appropriations Subcommittee.

As you might expect, the pandemic has had a significant impact on court business, State Court Administrator Bob Gast told legislators. Filings rose about 48,000 in 2021, but it would take an additional 85,000 filings to get to the 2019 level.

We think it will work its way there, but were not back to the filing level yet, Gast said.

The pandemic contributed to the time it took to dispose of cases, but Gast said the need for more judges continues to be a larger factor. Based on National Center for State Courts standards and the workload carried by Iowa courts, there should be an additional 24 district court judges, Gast said.

As a result, he said, 23 percent of felony cases remain pending after 12 months. The national standard is 2 percent. The numbers are similar in other categories  32 percent of indictable misdemeanor criminal offenses, 37 percent of dissolution, paternity and custody cases, 17 percent of probate cases, 23 percent of complex civil cases and 45 percent of regular civil cases. All exceed national standards.

In his budget request, Gast asked for funding for four additional judges. The Judicial Branch also is seeking legislation to allow it to assign judges based on workload while also maintaining judges in all 99 counties.

The Judicial Branch is asking for an appropriation of $202,468,895 for the coming year  a 6.76 percent increase from the current $189,640,252 budget.

Gast pointed out the courts collected more than $144 million in fines and fees  equal to 75 percent of its budget. The amount of uncollected fines and fees has gone up over time from $807 million to $869 million.

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Fast and early.

Thats how Andy Caven describes the start of this years sandhill crane migration. Hes the director of conservation research at the Crane Trust in Wood River, Nebraska.

About 27,500 cranes were counted on the Crane Trust's first aerial survey on Feb. 14. The report also listed 23,200 dark geese, 73 trumpeter swans and seven bald eagles.

Thats one of the highest week one totals in the 20 years that the Crane Trust has been conducting surveys over an 82-mile stretch of the Central Platte River Valley from Chapman to Overton. The average for the first survey over the past 20 years is between 4,000 to 8,000 cranes.

We had a high number for this early in the year, Caven said. Warm droughty winters in their wintering grounds mean they come earlier. Thats been a trend. We keep getting these early migrations.

On average, the sandhill crane migration has advanced a day each year over the past few decades, per Crane Trust research published in the Western North American Naturalist. That doesnt sound like much for just a year, Caven said, but when you look at it long-term, that translates into almost a month earlier migration than in the past.

Sandhill cranes both arrive earlier and stay longer, he said. In more than 50% of the years in the past decade, a few hundred to several thousand cranes have spent the winter along the Platte River. That had occurred only a couple of times over the preceding 50 years per published records.

Crane numbers used to peak in early April, and now that comes most often in mid-March. A one-degree difference in winter temperatures and in drought conditions affects when the cranes migrate.

Over time with climate change, they are coming earlier, Caven said. Climate change and winter food availability. We increasingly get good numbers in February, which didnt used to happen.

The cranes that stop in central Nebraska overwinter from coastal Texas to southeast Arizona, south into Chihuahua, Mexico, and north into the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma.

The clear trend this year in those areas is drought, Caven said, which affects the birds food supply and wetland habitat availability. Its also been warmer.

In Nebraska, the birds are able to feast on waste grain and invertebrates in meadows before heading north to their breeding grounds throughout Canada, Alaska and even into Siberia.

Surveys are done for 10 weeks in the spring. Numbers often double by the second weekly aerial survey and can occasionally increase sharply in the third week depending on weather conditions.

About 1 million birds are in the Central Platte River Valley at the peak of migration and another 200,000 use the North Platte River Valley. Data suggests the population is growing overall.

The exact peak date has been highly variable across the last couple of decades, Caven said.

Its very weather dependent, and a cold snap could slow migration down and bring it back to normal, he said. Whether or not we sustain this quick migration pace will depend on weather conditions, not only in the CPRV but also in the southern Great Plains.

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Mounds of dirt seen in satellite imagery that Ukrainian officials say indicate new mass graves highlight the savagery of a war that shows no signs of abating.
All Iowans deserve housing where they are treated as valued neighbors, not as means for securing handouts of public money.

Nobody would claim its easy for residential tenants to challenge unfair treatment from their landlords. But reporting by Lee Rood, the Registers Readers Watchdog, has uncovered some egregious problems that call out for better answers than what the players involved have offered to date.

The cases involve especially vulnerable Iowans and taxpayer money, which makes government intervention in private landlord-tenant relationships easier to countenance.

Rood investigated complaints about Candle Ridge Apartments in Winterset late last year. In the course of her reporting  and particularly after the column was published in early January  she learned that people across the state, not just at Candle Ridge, were having trouble with Truverse Management, a Spencer firm that manages a few dozen apartment complexes for low-income and disabled Iowans.

The grievances were varied: Unanswered calls for appliance repairs. No response to pest infestations in a disabled residents unit. Eviction notices that mispresent state law. False accusations of unpaid rent, plus checks and money orders not redeemed for weeks. An air conditioner that sat broken through a sweltering summer  and then the person who repaired it splattered sludge inside a wheelchair users apartment.

The residents stories suggest that one of the few tasks Truverse carries out reliably is sending notices of rent increases, including illegal rent increases (the law permits only one increase per year).

Owners and managers are required to do better. Iowa law requires landlords to maintain fit premises. But they arent the only ones with responsibility. State agencies oversee tax credits for the types of complexes that Truverse runs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides millions of dollars in subsidies. Federal rules require that government agencies inspect properties at least every three years and ensure they are being operated reasonably.

Truverses president, Brad Carlson, is an investor in federally backed tax credit projects, which results in a lower income tax liability. Several residents who have been in their apartments for years told Rood that things got worse after Truverse took over management. Some of their maintenance problems have been resolved in recent weeks, in some cases after the Register started asking Carlson questions.

Carlson acknowledged some problems but attributed them to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rood interviewed former employees, contractors and tenants and reviewed court records that described shrinking payroll, unpaid bills and reduced maintenance during the past two years.

When residents and their families didnt get results from conversations with Carlson and other management company officials, their next move wasnt clear, because of the hodgepodge of agencies with at least some fingers involved in the projects. Moving out is not a realistic option for many residents, at least not in a swift fashion.

The government agencies might say, accurately, that they are not directly responsible for operating the complexes, only for helping finance them. (USDA Rural Development and its manager, former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Theresa Greenfield, declined Roods interview request.)

But the result  with relatives and residents guessing at who might be able or willing to help them  cant be acceptable.

An Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa Economic Development Authority spokeswoman described some planned adjustments to inspection protocols that could help. More responsiveness to complaints would be welcome.

We recommend two steps to bring attention to problems more quickly and create a clearer path for residents to get them resolved:

For apartments where the government is paying part of the rent each month, conduct annual inspections. Even that will help only so much if managers treat the window between inspections as a maintenance-optional period.

And second, when residents move in, give them one phone number and email address they can use to start the process of getting assistance with rent confusion, maintenance matters and whatever else.

Who should be on the other end of the call? Even Iowa Legal Aid and the state Attorney Generals Office have said they need time to figure out the next best steps, so imagine how the nonlawyer tenants feel. In the interest of pushing for a resolution, well take a stab at this: State lawmakers should make a small appropriation increase to beef up the state ombudsmans office. Its employees are skilled at dissecting bureaucratic barriers but can tackle only a selection of worthy dissections with current staffing.

All Iowans deserve housing where they are treated as valued neighbors. When landlords seem to see them instead as a means for securing handouts of public money, residents should at least be able to talk to somebody with the ability to help.

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(CNN)  The ice sheet covering Greenland is melting rapidly at its base and is injecting far more water and ice into the ocean than previously understood, according to new research, which could have serious ramifications for global sea level rise.

"Unprecedented" rates of melting have been observed at the bottom of the ice sheet, caused by huge quantities of meltwater falling down from the surface, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As the meltwater falls, its gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, which ultimately warms the water as it pools at the base of the ice sheet. In that process, the study found that the Greenland ice sheet produces more energy than the world's 10 largest hydroelectric dams combined.

"However, the heat generated by the falling water is not used to generate electricity. Instead, it melts the ice," Poul Christoffersen, a Canmridge University senior scientist who took part in the study, told CNN.

During warmer months, meltwater pools into lakes and streams on the surface of the ice sheet. Some of that water drains to the bottom of the ice sheet, falling through cracks and large fractures that form in the ice with movement and stress.

That meltwater contributes to more melting at the bottom of the ice sheet, and it also behaves as a lubricant that promotes faster flow and increases the quantity of ice discharged into the ocean.

Christoffersen explained that when researching the melting of ice sheet and glaciers at their bases, studies tended to focus on external heat sources.

"But what we hadn't really looked at was the heat generated by the draining meltwater itself," he said. "There's a lot of energy stored in the water that forms on the surface, and when it falls, the energy has to go somewhere."

The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest in the world and is already the biggest single contributor to global sea level rise.

"The ice in Greenland is melting on the surface faster than the snowfall can keep up with, so there is quite a big loss from the melting," Christoffersen told CNN. "In a substantial part of the ice, we get melt rates which can be up to five or six centimeters a day."

However, directly measuring conditions at the base  around 1 kilometer below the surface  poses challenges, particularly in Greenland, where glaciers are among the world's fastest-moving.

The Cambridge researchers teamed up with scientists at the University of California Santa Cruz and the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland for this study. It focused on the Store Glacier, a large outlet from the Greenland ice sheet.

To measure the melt rates, the researchers used a technique developed at the British Antarctic Survey called phase-sensitive radio-echo sounding, a process by which they can measure the thickness of the ice.

It's a method that had previously been used on floating ice sheets around Antarctica.

"We weren't sure that the technique would also work on a fast-flowing glacier in Greenland," said Tun Jan Young, first author of the study, who installed the radar system on Store Glacier. "Compared to Antarctica, the ice deforms really fast, and there is a lot of meltwater in summer, which complicates the work."

Forces profound and alarming are reshaping upper reaches of the North Pacific and Arctic oceans, breaking the food chain that supports billions of creatures:

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Pay Dirt is Slates money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Athena and Elizabeth here. (Its anonymous!)

Dear Pay Dirt,

My parents did not save any money for my education, and they seem to blow any money they have saved on plastic surgery and designer bags. My countrys education system is extremely poor, and I have dreams of going abroad to escape the poverty-stricken lifestyle here. I have had that plan since I was 10, and I keep bugging my parents about my college funds. They always told me that there was no need, and that they had enough money to shell out when the time comes.

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Im graduating in under a year, and time is shrinking. I realize now that the plan Ive been manifesting since such a young age is impossible. The education system I have does not provide examinations like SATS, IGCSEs, or A-Levels unless paid for separately from the school fees.

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I dont know what to do, because I havent prepared for this situation due to the constant reassurance of everything will be fine. I dont even know how Im going to get into university in my country, because I have never set my sights there, and so I dont know whats required. Im stuck between a rock and a hard place, and truly Im way in over my head.

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So Disappointed, and Rethinking Everything

Dear Disappointed,

I am sorry your parents have promised you one thing and have in reality done another. Our parents are human, and sometimes they make selfish choices without thinking of how they affect their children. I think you may have to put your (justified!) anger at them aside in order to move forward with this plan, at this point. You figured out a little late in the day that they truly wont help you, but you still have time, especially if youre willing to work for a while in between high school and college.

Its a little hard for me to say how you can finance your education and come to the US, since I do not know where your home country is, but we have a few options you can look into. First, you must apply and be accepted to a school that is a part of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, otherwise known as SEVP. The U.S Department of Homeland Security created the SEVP to allow students based outside of the U.S a way to ensure they are receiving a quality education from an accredited school. Once a student has been accepted, they can then file for a student visa. Most visas for educational purposes are F-1.

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While you cannot receive federal funding from the American government to help aid your educational pursuits, you can still qualify for scholarships, private loans and any other type of funding your country, or SEVP-approved school, may have. EducationUSA is also an important resource. With over 430 advising organizations in over 175 countries, EducationUSA is a network provided by the US Department of State that offers step-by-step guidance to make your dream a reality. Organizations in this network can also help pay for fees for tests like the ones you mentioned above. Good luck.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

For years, Ive been looking for a house to move into, as my current apartment is too small and has suffered from multiple infestations (mice, roaches, etc.). In my area, renting gets expensive, and it probably would be cheaper, or at least about the same, to pay mortgage and utilities for a house Id own.

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However, with the prices of a house being what they are, Ive found that when I talked to someone about pre-certification, they were talking about a mortgage loan that wouldnt buy a house in this area. A condo might be doable, but also still has some of the same issues as renting (neighbors, infestations, and so on).

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Enter my mother. Years and years ago, she talked about helping me get a mortgage. She is retired and has a great credit score. She also isnt hurting for money (even retired, she makes as much or more than I do). We got as far as talking to a financial planner, who said that it wasnt really a good idea, because if my mom dies (she is over 70), I would lose the home and the mortgage would revert to the bank if it isnt paid off.

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Since then, weve found that the planner was maybe not the sharpest person (my mother changed planners when he retired, and the new person found massive issues with her portfolios), and Ive gotten to know two other people in these kinds of relationships. Both of those have said that they dont foresee any issues if their parents were to diebut also, their parents are younger than my mother.

Is this actually something viable? Is there are a way to write something into a will or a trust or something, to make it so Ill be able to keep whatever house comes from this? Is this even a good idea, or should I wait to see if the market goes back down?

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Just Want Out Of This Apartment

Dear Want Out,

Sometimes financial planners arent the brightest bulbs in the box (apologies to any financial planners reading thisI definitely dont mean you!), so kudos for doing your research.

Your best course of action before you move any further is to consult with a real estate attorney. Every state has different laws when it comes to inheriting property. Realistically, if you are both on the deed and mortgage as cosigners, you should be okay. However, if your mom has other children besides you, or family members who would benefit should something happen to her, you need to make sure you are protected with a will or trust. Death doesnt always bring out the best in others, and the last thing you need to do is worry about what to do with a house when grieving. So make sure you go to an attorney who explain how to best protect yourselves when youre ready to buy.

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As a reminder, as you are deciding what to do: there is more to buying a home than a mortgage payment. While it may seem cheaper to own than rent, thats not always the case. Houses require expensive repairs, or end up being money pits. Property taxes can rise quickly, and without warning. So when looking for a place to call your own, remember the rest of the picture, and dont put yourself in a financial bind should something happen.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

My siblings and I are about to inherit some money that our late aunt had at a well-known brokerage. Instead of just sending us checks as wed prefer, though, the brokerage has told us theyre going to set up accounts in each of our names with our respective amounts. Can they do this? Make us their clients without our consent?

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This Seems Odd

Dear Odd,

First of all, I wanted to say Im sorry for the loss of your aunt. It sounds like she cared about you and your siblings and wanted to set you up for financial success, which is great.

The brokerage is doing the usual thing in setting up accounts for you and your siblings for your respective amount, instead of cutting you a check. By law, the brokerage cannot sell, trade or do anything else with your aunts investments, because she is legally deceased. After proper documentation has been received (which it sounds like it has been), they transfer the investments to you and your siblings. Transferring her stocks and other assets is a lot different than liquidating, which is what you and your siblings want.

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The good news is that you dont have to keep the accounts very long. Think of this as a transitional step. Once youve sold off your shares, you can thank your aunt for the money, close the accounts, and be done.

Get the Pay Dirt Newsletter Money advice from Athena and Elizabeth, delivered weekly. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Dear Pay Dirt,

A friend of my partners recently died unexpectedly and (also unexpectedly) left him a house. Were both in our mid-twenties with no savings, okay but not good credit, student loan debt, minimum wage jobs, and a rented apartment. Neither of us has inherited anything worth anything before. Basically, he wasnt prepared for this, and Im no help.

The house is a few hours from where we live, so were definitely not going to move in, but we dont know where to go from there. A lawyer? Some kind of financial advisor, probably, but what kind? If he sells it, hed have more money than either of us thought wed ever have. Renting it out would give him mortgage payments and basically double his current income. Either way its financially life-changing.

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Im primarily concerned with supporting him in making the best choice for himself, but were planning to get married in the next year or two, so I also wonder how whatever he chooses could impact me individually or our life together. How do you even start making a decision like this, and what do you do after you decide?

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We Really Want To Get This Right

Dear Want To Get This Right,

I am so sorry for the loss of your partners friend. A house is definitely a major item to be gifted through an inheritance, especially without advance notice, so its great that you and your partner are thinking it through.

First, I would make sure you had all of the proper financial and legal documentation that is needed when owning a home. In the information you provided, it sounds like the property is owned free and clear, but if not, make sure the mortgage has been properly transferred along with the deed. Youll also need to make sure that your partner has updated the houses information with the county treasurers office so that property taxes are taken care of.

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Next, encourage your partner to purchase home insurance. He should also hire a home inspector to see if there are any issues with the foundation, roofing and any plumbing. Houses require upkeep, and catching costly issues now will determine what he may choose to do with the property. If the property needs substantial repairs, he may choose to not take them on, and sell as is. If the property is in good shape, he may have more incentive to become a landlord, since the cash flow would cover his own living expenses.

As for what may or may not impact you? Youll need to see an attorney on that one. Laws vary from state to state, so its always best to speak to a professional when considering what assets and liabilities may be brought into a legal binding contract such as a marriage. For now, dont co-sign anything you dont feel comfortable with, especially if you have no legal standing, such as having your name on the deed.

Athena
Not every television show needs to have a heroic protagonist, or even a likable protagonist. . Not every show centered around criminal characters, violent characters, unscrupulous characters is endorsing crime, violence, or the abandonment of scruples. These should not be controversial statements this far into the age of the anti-hero, but if it seems like Im going out of my way to make an obvious point, please know that it is because I want you, dear reader, to understand that what Im about to say is not evidence of my feeble-minded confusion about how fiction works. Theres something Ive been feeling for a while now, and I need to say it. Against all odds, I think that George and Bertha Russellthe robber baronsare the heroes of The Gilded Age.

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Fellowes aims his weapons-grade nostalgia on the grotesque birth of modern American empire.

The new HBO show from Julian Fellowes is essentially an across-the-pond Downton Abbey set amongst old money and new in the New York of the 1880s. And the show has imported much of Downtons romantic longing for an idealized, bygone past. Downton, of course, was about the slow decline of the British empire and the collapse of the landed aristocracy, a process both hastened and reverently memorialized by the arrival of young people with new ideas about how to do things. It was a sometimes melancholy, sometimes whimsicaland sometimes deeply unpleasantculture clash of a show that, despite all of its will-they-wont-they pair-ups and redemption arcs, was ultimately about endings.

The Gilded Age, however, is about beginnings. Rather than focusing on decline, Fellowes aims his weapons-grade nostalgia on the grotesque birth of modern American empire. Its a bizarre moment in American history to romanticize. Famously filled with corrupt politicians, ruthless monopolists, horrific economic inequality, brutal strike-breaking, and rampant racial violence, the bygone world of the Gilded Age is not nearly so bygone as the world of Downton. Nor is it really an era too often romanticized by even the rosiest of Americans themselves. Its a period remembered mostly with shame, or, at least, as the necessary precondition for the underdog triumphalism of the Progressive Era. The very name of the Gilded Age was coined by Mark Twain to mock its vulgarity. It seems strange to conjure nostalgia for a period whose excessive inequities, as Bernie Sanders recently reminded us, so clearly mirror our own.

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Fellowes has always been as invested in portraying the preposterousness of the rich as he is their ultimate humanity. And, to its credit, the show clearly understands the failings of its luridly wealthy characters. But, because the tone of this particular series is so avowedly light, its committed to a project of rehabilitation for nearly all of them. The threat of ruination, financial and sexual, hangs heavy over the show, but, through these first five episodes, very little bad really happens to our main characters. Snare after snare is deftly, even improbably, side-stepped, even when the episode seems to go out of its way to worry us about them. And the most caustic and deplorable of New Yorks high society are shown to have kindly humanity at their cores, even if their intentions are mislaid or the conventions of society force them into ugly acts. In one subplot, Mrs. Bauer, one of the maids of Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) accrues a massive gambling debt. Peggy Scott (Denee Benton), Van Rhijns Black secretary, witnesses Mrs. Bauer stealing silver from the house in order to repay her debtor. What seems almost certain to happen is that one of the white servants in the house, whove treated Peggy with either ambivalence or racist malice, will witness Peggy embroiled in this fiasco, accuse her, and thus ruin an innocent woman. Turns out, though, that none of that happens. A variety of characters, upstairs and downstairs, all work together and pay off Mrs. Bauers debts. The Gilded Age, it seems, was an age of generosity and understanding after all.

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The show seems indebted to the literary aesthetic of great Gilded Age novelists like Henry James and Edith Wharton, and advance press for the series made sure to acknowledge these literary forebears. But, despite occasional dark turns, The Gilded Age has none of Wharton or James invigorating mercilessness. Those novelists elaborately described the sorts of interiors, domestic and psychological, we see onscreen here, but they were never this gentle. The nineteenth century New York of the American realists and naturalists was a pretty nasty place, but, over and again, the New York of Fellowes show simply isnt. In this, The Gilded Age takes much the same tone as Shonda Rhimes Regency era romance Bridgertondown to its fanfic approach to literary influencewhen it really ought to feel more like Succession.

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And thats where we get to the Russells. Played by Morgan Spector and Carrie Coon, George and Bertha Russell are as fiercely devoted to their family as they are ruthless in business. Especially with visions of private jets, dick pics, and Italian pools still, well, swimming in our heads, it should be easy to see the Russells as the proto-Roys. The vision of capitalism dreamed up by George Russell at the end of the 19th century is the same one Logan Roy practices with precision in the 20th and 21st. But the genius of Succession is not in rendering the Roys as either the heroes or the anti-heroes of their own story, but as the villains of their own story. Their spectacular boons and betrayals make for relentless drama, but the show itself beholds them with disgust. Their food is unappetizing, their clothes arent stylish, their sex isnt sexy.

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The Gilded Age has chosen a different approach. While we might understand the Russellsor George at leastas world-historical villains, their show seems to perceive them as scrappy upstarts, underdogs taking on a decaying culture, the equivalent of those young people arriving at Downton Abbey with their new ideas. This is partially because the actual young people with new ideas either dont or cant occupy the shows focus the way the Russells do. Marian (Louisa Jacobson) is set up as the shows primary point-of-view character, but both the actor and her plots have a hard time holding attention. And Peggy is immersed in a variety of fascinating side-plots, but none intersect with the ballrooms and bazaars of high society that obsess Fellowes. But the Russells centrality isnt only about this lack of gravitational pull elsewhere. The Gilded Ages primary passion is its distaste for the Russells antagonists, and George and Bertha benefit from this targeted revulsion.

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Those antagonists are the old money families of New York society. There is nothing Bertha Russell wants more than to be accepted with these circles, to welcome the Astors and the Van Rhijns into the glorious ballroom of her palatial new construction mansion on East 82nd Street, to play lawn games at Rhode Island beach houses with families who trace their ancestry back to the Mayflower. But the Russells are new money, Bertha Russell is the child of Irish immigrants, and Old New York is firmly closed to them. This is the unwavering perspective of most established New Yorkers we meet in these early episodes. The Russells must be barred from society at all costs, not for the crime of monopoly capitalism, but for merely being  different? Christine Baranskiwho is here victim of being criminally underused by her writershas the primary job, on this show, of viciously refusing any intercourse with these people. No act of racism on in the first five episodes is performed with anywhere near the theatrical prejudice of old money New Yorkers rejecting the Russells from society.

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So the Russells are unfairly persecuted by their peers. But did they do anything to deserve this? There is, indeed, the matter of George Russell mercilessly bullying the (old money) Alderman Patrick Morris until he commits suicide at the end of the third episode. But, even this, the show tells us, is less about Russells brutality than Morris corruption. The Russells are destroyers, but the people they destroy are positioned as ultimately deserving of their own ruin.

In the shows telling, Russell cannily understands that the way to accomplish anything in New Yorks halls of power is to throw money around. So, in order to get a law passed that will allow him to build a new train station in the city, Russell makes a deal with Morris. In whats essentially an act of insider trading, Morris and his fellow alderman make a timely investment that will pay out generously once they pass their new law. But Morris decides to double-cross Russell, selling short in order to knee-cap Russell and make even more money. Russell fights back, putting himself at risk to inflate his companys stock prices, thus bankrupting the aldermen. Morris begs Russell to relent. Russell tells Morris he must face the music, and the episode ends with Morris coup de grace.

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This is the sort of thing we might ordinarily call breaking bad, the crossing of a hard line. But, as ever, the show seems still to be on the Russells side. The betrayal was not Georges but Morris. His folly was underestimating Russell, disrespecting the tycoons good-faith bribery attempt. Its not Russell who kills Morris; hes a casualty of changing times. Two episodes after the conclusion of that nasty affair, George and Bertha Russell bankroll the American Red Crosssomething the Rockefellers did in our timeline. As Bertha takes the stage next to Clara Barton, taking credit for this massive humanitarian endeavor and finally taking her place in New York society because of it, Patrick Morris widow skitters off like the Wicked Witch of the West.

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But its not just the narrative framing that makes the Russells into unlikely heroes. Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector are the sole, and I mean sole, locus of any erotic charge the show has. The Russells, as Caroline Framke recently noted, are super-hot. And, not only that, but they keep it strictly monogamous. When a devious ladys maid sidles her way into Georges bed one night, pitching herself as an Upper East Side Lady Macbeth, the railroad tycoon simply stands up, dons his luscious robe, and states, the flaw in your argument is that I love my wife. Not only are the Russells unfairly ostracized, not only are they generous, but they are a model of marital fidelity.

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Carrie Coondoing absolutely nothing to besmirch her claim as the greatest television actress of her generationdelivers every line as if her words are enrobed in velvet. Theres a scene in the third episode in which Coon glides into frame in front of an oil painting of herself that genuinely made me gasp. Its as if Viggo the Carpathian were played by Lauren Bacall. Then theres Spector, with his shock of curly hair, his noble posture, the youthful mischievousness with which he plays real-life Monopoly. Its not inevitable, but Coon and Spector seem to have decided that the way to economically portray all they represent within the showtheir brilliance, their outsider status, their desire to succeed, to be acceptedis by becoming a beacon of desire itself. Coon and Spector give viewers, above all, a textured and unmissable sense of their sexual chemistry. And that closed system they create when they lustily debate business strategies or scheme out dinner plans or even lock eyes across a table makes them, for lack of any other options, the beating heart of The Gilded Age.

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This matters because it means that, within the framework of the show, the Russells are the only sign of life. They may have poor taste, and they may be corrupt, but the show forgives them. Tastes change, and corruption is simply the law of the land. Still, you dont need to be a stickler for historical detail to find it bizarre that a television series in 2022 has such a favorable feeling toward the scandalous wealth and corruption of the people who created the economic world we now occupy. Not every protagonist needs to be likable, but, having said that, its awfully hard not to like the Russells. Like their real-life robber baron models, The Gilded Age has made sure theyre the only game in town.
In recent years, the internet has treated Queen Elizabeth II a bit like Schrodingers cat: Every time she disappears from the public eye, shes somehow both alive and dead (at least, depending on whom you ask). This week, rumors of the queens demise are coming from a most unlikely place: a celebrity news blog confidently claiming that the monarch has diedwith some very dubious sourcing. Allow us to explain.

Did Queen Elizabeth die?

Buckingham Palace announced on Sunday that the queen had tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing mild, coldlike symptoms. More recently, the queen, who is 95, canceled even her virtual appointments, though she continues to carry out light duties. But no, the palace has not announced her death.

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What do light duties mean for a queen?

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According to the BBC: reading documents from UK government ministers and Commonwealth representatives sent to her every day, approving and signing them where necessary. And probably, like, snuggling with her corgis? IDK, thats what I would do.

If she is alive and carrying out light duties, why do I keep seeing people talking about whether the queen is dead?

Conspiracy theories about the queen dyingand the palace supposedly covering up her deathmake the rounds online every so often, though theyre usually just jokes. However, this latest news cycle was sparked by an apparently sincere, EXCLUSIVE post from Hollywood Unlocked, which reported Tuesday that according to sources close to the Royal Kingdom, the queen had been found dead. The byline on the post is DefaultUser.

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Sources close to the Royal Kingdom? What  is the Royal Kingdom?

\_()_/

Found dead? Like in an alleyway or something?

\_()_/

DefaultUser? Could he be French? De-fow Oo-say?

\_()_/

What even is Hollywood Unlocked?

A celebrity news and gossip site founded by self-described entrepreneur, author, and activist Jason Lee, whose initial claims to fame were his appearances on Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood and Wild n Out. Besides breaking the quote-unquote news of Elizabeths death, Hollywood Unlockeds other posts are pretty standard news aggregation: The top story as of this writing is a news post about a kid whose mom paid him to stay off social media for six years, which has also been covered by other outlets. The Hollywood Unlocked Instagram account, meanwhile, has 3 million followers; theres also a YouTube channel, where Lee interviews the likes of Kanye West and discusses the latest celeb news with his co-hosts.

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Have any of the royals called out Hollywood Unlocked yet? I mean, how do we know hes wrong?

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Not a peep from Elizabeth or her clan yetbut one would imagine that, should the queen have indeed died, wed have heard about it from them first instead of Hollywood Unlocked, no?

That said: Despite zero confirmation from the palace, Lee is standing by the blogs story that the queen has died.

Curiously, a Twitter account going by the name Hollywood Unlocked tweeted, then deleted, an apology blaming the post announcing the queens death on an intern; Lee has since said that the Twitter account is fake and reaffirmed his faith in his anonymous sources. In the meantime, Twitter has been having the time of its life cracking jokes about this whole ridiculous situation.

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Jason Lees stunts are kind of iconic, I fear. If she wasnt dead before, all the squabbling is definitely enough to take her out.  Small Crimes (@JasMoneyRecords) February 23, 2022

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i cannot believe kensington palace inevitably knows who jason lee is now. this is as spicy a crossover as when meg and harry stayed at tyler perry's mansion for a while  Bolu Babalola (@BeeBabs) February 23, 2022

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Pop Crave called the election Hollywood Unlocked said the queen is dead this can only mean the WWIII exclusive will go to Just Jared  nicole boyce (@nicolewboyce) February 23, 2022

Hm, I dunno, if I wanted to get people talking about my blog, and the queen was sick, I might publish an anonymously sourced post about how the queen had secretly died and then stand by the storyknowing theres a chance, given the queens age and illness, that I might just be proved right in the next few days by sheer luck. (And if not, I can always pretend its a cover-up!) And then I might sit back and watch as a bunch of other publications picked up the story, and some Slate writer might write a whole explainer about it because her editors asked her to, giving me and my site a whole lot of free publicity.

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[takes a drag on a cigarette] Hey, its a living.

Update, Feb. 25, 3:15 p.m.: Hollywood Unlocked published an explanation on Friday titled Fact Check: 10 Reasons We Believed Queen Elizabeth Was Dead. We cant stress enough that wed never intentionally cause unnecessary pain or grief to the monarchy (or the public at large) simply for clickbait and hope weve outlined all the compelling information that led to our original post, columnist Blue Telusma wrote.

The explanation also includes a quote from Lee: Although Ive never been wrong when breaking a story because this involves The Queen this is one time I would want to be [] and based on Wednesdays report from the Palace, I can say my sources got this wrong and I sincerely apologize to The Queen and the Royal Family.
Last weekend, my 16-year-old son went driving for maybe the third time in his life since he got his learners permit. I was white-knuckling it on the passenger side, as one does, jamming my right foot down on the floor. At one point, he briefly lurched at the sidewalk, terrifying a guy who was walking his dog.

My son, crestfallen, wondered aloud why the only instrument on his dashboard was a horn. I wish there were a sorry button. Why is there a horn but not a sorry button? he asked.

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I was thinking about the nonexistent sorry button when I traveled to Ottawa last week, the city of my birth, and the place my family has lived for three generations, to try to understand what the Freedom Convoya protest-slash-occupation that lasted for more than three weekswas really all about.

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By the time I arrived, several thousand trucks had blocked major city streets and managed to close down the entire center of Canadas capital city, shuttering businesses already hobbled by the pandemic and frightening residents in Ottawas downtown core.

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I confess that I was less interested in probing whether this protest was grassroots or deep-pocketed; less interested in whether the protesters were actual truckers or fringe anti-vaxxers; and less interested in whether this was fundamentally an American import or a uniquely Canadian varietal, than I was in comprehending how something like thisa three-week occupation of a G-7 countryhad happened in one of the sturdiest, conventional, and least dramatic cities I knew.

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I lived in Charlottesville when the Unite the Right rally happened in 2017, and some elements felt deeply familiar: the advance security warnings that were missed or downplayed; a collapse of the structures of city and law enforcement, which further eroded trust in those institutions from all sides; a sense that ones own hometown was no longer recognizable; and a feeling that after all the TV cameras rolled out, nobody would fully comprehend what had just occurred.

But the occupation of Ottawa was different because it wasnt in a Southern city in the United States, grappling with the enshrined symbolism of its brutal past. This all happened in Canada, where less than 20 percent of the population is unvaccinated and where a majority of citizens are in favor of imposing more restrictions on those who have not been vaccinated.

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Yes, there is deep and justifiable economic anxiety in Canada as there is elsewhere. And its a safe bet that the bulk of the protesters were fed up and pissed off and were delighted to find community and solidarity after two years of uncertainty and solitude. Community after two years of isolation is very nice.

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But of course this community was built in great delight atop another community that didnt welcome the noise, the economic harms, or the personal attacks. And many of those in Ottawa shouldnt have been protesting in Ottawafor the occupation seemed to be there to defy lockdown ordersmost of which were mandated by the U.S. government or provincial and municipal authorities, not the Canadian government.

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This made no sense of course, but then neither did the occupiers calls for an ouster of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or a toppling of his government. To make matters even less coherent, some of the organizers original Memorandum of Understanding was rescinded after it called for the People of Canada to usurp the sitting government and replace it with random convoy leaders, some senators, and the queens purely ceremonial representative in Canada, the governor general. Some organizers have connections to anti-Islam movements, to Canadian separatist and right-wing groups, but trust me, its hard to determine precisely who was an organizerand which purported organizer claimed to have repudiated which beliefs.

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In essence, the occupation of Ottawa was a giant wall of sound. There were no sorry buttons in Charlottesville in 2017, none after Jan. 6, 2021, and none in Ottawa, either. The blaring horns were precisely the point.

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Now that the worst of it is over, debates about Trudeaus invocation of the federal Emergencies Act last week and whether the emptying of the streets was overreach will have a long political tail. But those seeking to paint a picture of a brutal police crackdown didnt watch the near-surgical law enforcement response that played out all weekend, with almost no incidents reported. Credit where its due: It took three weeks to get there, but that three-day action that has now resulted in 196 arrestsit took place without a shot fired.

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Maybe none of that matters anyhow. By and large, the lessons of both Charlottesville and Jan. 6 hold true: Polling shows that the protest was hugely unpopular and also that the catastrophic failures of government and policing have decreased trust in democratic institutions.

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To the extent that this destabilizing of government was the point, score that a win for the Freedom Convoy.

And the residents of downtown Ottawa were successfully terrorized. I found it close to impossible to get anyone to speak on the record this past week. A few people told me that a benign Instagram or Facebook post had resulted in threats from people who werent even Canadian. Honking horns, pumping music, the threatening of local businesseswith protesters often singling out Asians, women, and other visible minorities for targeted abuse around the wearing of masksthe threats, gas fumes, public intoxication and urination drove many residents into their apartments.

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As I walked through the nearly empty streets of the recently cleared out downtown on Sunday evening, locals were shoveling snow, restocking groceries, and trying not to make eye contact. That exact fearof making eye contactis an old symptom I recognize from the days after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Symbols that used to be benign, including maple leaf flags that elsewhere waved proudly in the stands at the Olympics, suddenly seemed menacing. A friend told me his daughters had wrapped their masked faces in scarves on the downtown streets in recent weeks to avoid the ire of unmasked protesters.

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Stories of vandalism, of a fire set in a nearby apartment building as doors were taped shut, are still circulating. Residents and local business owners are expressing relief, yes, but some said they no longer felt they could count on anyone to keep them really safe. A local business owner told me he had never felt more despondentthroughout COVIDthan he did being trapped in his own town by people who had kept his store closed for three weeks.

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One of the most chilling sights, as police arrests continued over the weekend, was the split-screen reality that polarized media has become. As television reporters covered the scene on the streets, protesters livestreamed themselves in broadcasts that went out to the like-minded. Those protesters who refused police warnings and remained to hold the line believed magical conspiracy-fueled things right to the bitter endthat the police were on their side and would march with them in solidarity (certainly the early police response gave them reason to believe that) or that the Trudeau government was poised to fall. They seemed to get all this news from one another, rejecting any and all journalism that didnt align with what they wanted to hear.

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But the most striking aspects of the protests to me were the tone-deaf constructs of belongingthe at-homeness that was created and inhabited by angry strangers in an occupied city. Even Occupy Wall Street, with its homegrown newspapers and food tents, seemed less committed to the principle that even if you had traveled from Calgary or Vancouver, downtown Manhattan was now your home, and that if the locals failed to appreciate you, they were simply misguided.

For those willing to concede that the policing of indigenous and minority protests has been vastly different than the policing of the mostly white Freedom Convoy, there is something exquisitely painful about a protest in which barbecues and hot tubs and saunas and pig roasts are signifiers of the fact that wherever you go, so long as you are white, you are at home.

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For the protesters who likened the event to a camping trip, there seemed to be no recognition of the fact that the campground here was someone elses front yard. The vibe throughout the protest was that if you werent having fun being occupied, you were doing it wrong.

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And so I keep returning to the horns, in part because those who were blaring them continued to insist that they were simply cheerful, festive, and joyous, even as they persisted all night long until enjoined by a court order. They continued even after that.

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Even as stories emerged of locals who were unable to work, unable to sleep, of children traumatized by the noise, the protesters continued to insist that they should be welcomed as liberators, that the freedoms they were there to demandthe repeal of COVID restrictionswould benefit everyone in Canada, simply because the word freedom was affixed to their cause.

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Ultimately, it seems to me that the height of privilege lies in the belief that the thing you are demanding is whats best for everyone, simply because you want it. Its hard for me to recall another protest at which the protesters have clung so steadfastly to their belief that if they are unwelcomed by those they have disrupted, the remedy is to honk louder, turn up the music, and attack yet more mask wearers, all in the absolute conviction that they will come around to the belief that this is all a street festival, that its fun because you say so.

To be sure, some of this is simply the privilege of being white, and some of it is the privilege that allows you to move through the world without fear, and the privilege that comes with being forever unconcerned about those you choose not to see. Some of it comes with the certaintyubiquitous at the Freedom Convoythat God himself demands the end of COVID restrictions and the attendant belief that you know whats best for everyone because your religion is just best of all. Some of this is also an echo of what I heard in Charlottesville in 2017, when white supremacists who had flown into Virginia from California and Oregon insisted that the streets they walked belonged to them by virtue of some unified theory of aggrievement.

Many observers have noted that weaponizing trucks as machines of occupation was what was radically new about the Freedom Convoy, and that is partly true. Trucks are not just a signifier of economic realities, but also mobile units in which one can live and move, almost wholly oblivious to the world around you, if you so choose. You can build your own ecosystem, communicate solely with like-minded souls, broadcast your own reality, and emerge only to demand unmasked service in local restaurants and shops.

The enduring lesson of the Ottawa occupation was that such arrangements not only shelter individuals from the genuine suffering that happens all around but can also lead them to an information deficit that confirms any belief. The real concern here, then, isnt just that a small minority of protesters brought a quiet seat of democratic government to a standstill.

Its that they came and left, still wholly unaffected by and unaware of the harm they left behind.

As the trucks rolled out of Ottawa this weekend, the horns were still blaring, as horns are meant to do. Theres no room for a sorry button in this culture. Just horns, enduring symbols that your noise matters above all things, and that you are physically guaranteed to hear nothing but yourself.

For more legal analysis and commentary from Dahlia Lithwick, listen to the latest episode of the Amicus podcast.
Update, Feb. 23, 2022, at 11:04 p.m.: On Wednesday night (early Thursday morning in Russia), Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraines Donbas region and warned that if foreign powers intervened, they would face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. Soon after, explosions were reported around Ukraine, including the capital of Kyiv and the northeast city of Kharkiv. On Tuesday, in the piece below, Fred Kaplan described how Putin laid all the necessary groundwork to go ahead with an invasion. Stay tuned to more Slate coverage as we learn more.

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The long, tense slog toward war in Ukraine picked up its pace on Tuesday, as Vladimir Putin checked off all the requisite preparations and pretexts for an invasionand Joe Biden slapped his first sanctions on Russia in response.

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On top of mounting troops on the border and recognizing two pro-Russia breakaway republics in Ukrainian territory, Putin won rubber-stamp approval from the parliament to send the army across the border and, meanwhile, evacuated his diplomats from Ukraine. And yet, in this moment poised between crisis and outright war, he has not yet ordered the troops and tanks to move in.

If Russian forces do roll in, Putin has said that they will go not only into the areas of Donbas region controlled by pro-Russia separatists, but also into the areas controlled by Ukraines army. Should that happen, combat will ensue and Russias move will be deemed an invasion.

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President Joe Biden and other Western leaders have hesitated to utter the I-word because theyve promised to unload a full package of severe sanctions against Russia if Putin actually launched one. On Tuesday afternoon, Biden took a big step in that direction.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said in the White House East Room. Im going to begin to impose sanctions.  If Russia goes further with this invasion, were prepared to go further with sanctions.

Its a delicate situation. On the one hand, the first Western sanctions need to be firm enough to show Putin that theyre seriousbut not so firm that Putin thinks he has nothing to lose by moving ahead. In other words, there needs to be a credible threat of further, much more serious sanctions to discourage Putin from escalating. Its unclear if he can be deterred from war.

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But if not, Biden and the others want to leave a clear record that they were responding to Putins moves at every step, not provoking him (though of course Putin will claim otherwise).

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On Tuesday afternoon, Biden announced the first phase of sanctions and said more would come if Putin took further offensive actions. The sanctions will bar Russias major banks from conducting any transactions with U.S. financial institutions, stop the country from selling government debt in the West, and punish Russian elites and their families.

Earlier in the day, Germany announced it would not open the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was set to carry enormous quantities of Russian natural gas straight to Germany. This stepwhich few expected Berlin would really takewill be damaging to both Russian exports and German imports. The European Union announced various sanctions against Russian banks and individuals as well.

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All told, these moves will have a serious but not devastating effect on certain elements of Russias economy. The sanctioning of elitesthe details of which Biden did not divulgecould bar hundreds, if not thousands, of wealthy Russians, some with political connections, from all activities in Western countries, where they vacation or own property and where many of their children go to school. It is unknown what effect the discomfort of these elites might have on Putins political fortunes. In any case, any consequences would take a while to play out.

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Will these sanctionsand the prospect of more, deeper sanctionsgive Putin pause before rolling the tanks into Ukraine? Who knows? Will they stir discontent against Putins actions within the Kremlins ruling circles? Again, who knows?

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Its hard to guess Putins next move in part because he doesnt answer to any other authority in Russia, formal or informal. He does not face the pressures from an official Politburo that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev did when, two years after the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, he was ousted from power for his hare-brained schemes. In the 1990s, U.S. pressure on the financial elites surrounding Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic had a serious impact on his rule; but those elites held Milosevic in power, whereas the elites in todays Russia are kept wealthy by their associations with Putin. The leverage might be reversed if the oligarchs decide that their fortunes have been pummeled too badly, but there are no signs of this occurring soon.

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In his speech Tuesday, Biden said he remains open to diplomacy, if it is serious. But he seemed more skeptical than ever about the prospects of successful talks. And who could blame him? In various public speeches over the last two days, Putin has said Ukraine doesnt exist as a separate country from Russia; on Tuesday, he demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally recognize Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea, promise never to join NATO, and give back all the weaponsmainly anti-tank and anti-aircraft missilesthat the West has sent him. Putin must know that these demands will not be taken seriously.

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Putin has also repeated the claim, with no evidence, that the Ukrainian army is committing genocide against Russian-speaking people in the Donbas regionthe justification for his sending peacekeeping troops into the area. He has signed a decree recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk districts in Donbas as an independent republic, which Biden and other leaders condemned as a flagrant violation of international law.

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Putin may be willing to take such risks with Russias economy and his own position in power because he simply doesnt believe that, in the end, the West will punish him and his country so severely.

When it comes to the further sanctions that the West will impose if Putin goes further in his invasion, Biden did not make clearand may not yet have decidedhow far hes willing to go in this game of limited moves and countermoves. Putin may make piecemeal moves, taking over one chunk of Donbas, then another chunk, then possibly make other movesmilitary, cyber, or some other form of hybrid warfareagainst other parts of Ukraine. He may even launch cyberattacks against U.S. targets. At some point, if the sanctions are to be effective at all, Biden and the other Western leaders will have to unleash the full raft of severe sanctions. What is that point? Is it when Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraineor before then? And what does a full-scale invasion mean?

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Putin may be gambling that Biden and the others endlessly put off that decision and keep imposing less than severe sanctions, which he thinks he could tolerate. The challenge for the West is to make Putin recalculate that gamble as a bad bet.

One factor in this calculation may be China. When the Beijing Olympics began earlier this month, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a lengthy joint statement about their burgeoning alliance. However, as the current crisis has escalated, China has stopped well short of defending Putins moves. Over the weekend, at the Munich Security Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countriesincluding Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has since spoken with Wang about applying these principles to Chinas relationship with Russiathough his tweet on the phone call didnt report Wangs reply. Putin may be expecting Xi to bail him out if the Western sanctions start hurting. Will Xi prop him up or let him down? And if China does the latter, will this damage Putins position inside the world of Kremlin politics or influential elites?

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Then there is the ultimate gamble, if Putin fully rolls the dice. Does he think a military campaign against Ukraine will force Zelensky to accept Russias terms of surrenderor, better still from Putins point of view, result in a coup and the installation of a new, more pliant leader in Kyiv? The 150,000 or so Russian troops surrounding Ukraine on three sides are enough to overpower the Ukrainian army, but they may not be enough to occupy the territory or deal with an insurgency. In 1968, when Czech leader Alexander Dubcek talked of socialism with a human face and reached out toward Western European nations, the Soviet Union crushed his Prague Spring by mobilizing five tank divisions250,000 troopsto oust Dubcek and to occupy the country.* And that was with the help of a Czech army and a local Communist Party apparatus that were loyal to Moscow. Besides being five times the size with 10 times the population, Ukraine would give Putins army no such safe harbor.

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Putin is ramping up the tensions. He has certainly captured the worlds attention, as no Kremlin leader has for a long time. Perhaps to his surprise, the attention has included worldwide, near-unanimous condemnation. Whether he cares, whether he thinks that matters, whether he believes the alliances against him will fall apart once blood begins to flow and stock markets tumble, we dont know. What happens next remains a mystery.
Its a Wednesday morning and Im gazing up at a floor-to-ceiling sign that says Kandy Girl next to a pair of lips holding a lollipop like a joint. Well, my avatar is. My actual body is in my office chair, my laptop whirring from the strain of the graphics. Digital me, who has on red kitten heels and keeps her sunglasses on indoors, has trekked to a cannabis store in the metaverse and is looking to get high.

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Retailers from big box stores to luxury brands are putting a stake in the virtual world. Victorias Secret filed a trademark for virtual undies. Walmart is getting into crypto. McDonalds is laying groundwork for a a virtual restaurant online featuring home delivery. Gucci is staffing up to sell NFTs via Gucci Vault, a multi-directional exploration spanning digital realms.

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But as with most new technologies, drugs got there first. In December, Forbes reported that cannabis vendors like Higher Life CBD (which has since partnered with weed seller Saucey Farms and Extracts) and Kandy Girl have opened up shops in online worlds like Cryptovoxels and Decentraland, virtual territories where theres recently been a run on real estate. Kandy Girl claims to be the first cannabis dispensary in the metaverse, according to the sign Im standing in front of. The brand is owned by a Fort Lauderdale, Floridabased entrepreneur named Alina Boyce, who purchased this virtual plot for the equivalent of $13,282.50, according to a press release. Advertised in the very, very pink virtual room are gummies infused with delta-9 THC, the same stuff that makes pot psychoactive.

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It took me some work to get to Kandy Girl, whose regular old website is eminently more accessible than its metaverse counterpart. First, I have to Zoom with a colleague to learn what the metaverse is. Its not, it turns out, a singular universe existing on a different plane so much as it is, for now, a concept, one thats been realized before (albeit more narrowly) with the virtual world Second Life, and arguably in games like Fortnite and even The Sims. Meta, ne Facebook, is out to create its own metaverse. To reach Decentraland, where Kandy Girl is based, I luckily dont need Oculus goggles, though it does run extremely slowly in my browser. After a few attempts to make a guest profile and some closing of other applications on my desktop, I am dropped into a landing area for new avatars. I find Kandy Girls coordinates on a map and teleport.

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The Kandy Girl building is pink and sits next to a Student Coin, a platform where you can design your own crypto tokens; the vibe is a bit strip mall. I head to the back of the Kandy Girl store to find a stand with two tubs featuring pink pot leaves and Delta 9 in cursive lettering. Even in places in the U.S. where pot itself is illegal, delta-9 THC can be sold as long as its extracted from hemp and makes up less than 0.3 percent of the weight of the final product in which its infused. (This is because of a loophole in a 2018 bill regulating hemp. Congress still does not really understand the plant, Thomas Howard, a cannabis lawyer who has worked with Kandy Girl, told L.A. Weekly last year.

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There is not, to be honest, much going on in Kandy Girl aside from these offerings, which barely exist in the metaverse themselves. Behind the stand is a giant QR codeseveral times the size of my virtual headpromising to lead me to a free sample. I scan it with my phone and am led to Kandy Girls website. I check out with Apple Pay, and two THC gummies are en route to my actual home, for the price of shipping. Wondering what else there is to see, I wander around the other floors of the dispensary. The top floor has some couches and NFTs on display. At a recent party here, I learn later from footage on YouTube, a participant danced on the roof in a purple tracksuit dotted with tiny hemp leaves, another pair of pink hemp leaves strapped to their shoulders like wings, both offerings from Kandy Girls virtual wearable collection. If it sounds cool, you should know it looks like a stilted computer game.

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Is the metaverse just a gimmick? Its a different way to interact with people with e-commerce, Brandon Howard, the CEO of Higher Life CBD, tells me. Yes, you could simply shop online. But it would be even better if you can put VR goggles on, walk into the metaverse, and walk into a real dispensary. To me, thats really entertaining. While were on the phone, he texts me a link to his Cryptovoxels retail plot and suddenly Im one of those poseable figurines for artists, trying to figure out how to walk around Howards store, which features his CBD products on the first floor and, as of last week, real marijuana from Saucey Farms on the second floor. In the metaverse, I can be the real dispensary that I want to be, Howard says (though only the CBD products are available for sale in states where pot is illegal, including Howards). As with Kandy Girl, you have to exit the metaverse to do the actual purchasing, in this case by clicking on a cash register, which is a little harsh on my mellow.

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Its not just me and my virtual self who think the metaverse falls short of its promise of a magical shopping experience. One day well be able to walk around the metaverse like its a normal mall, says Dedrick Boyd, the CEO of TechSparq, which helps brands keep their e-commerce efforts on the cutting edge. But right now, the metaverse can feel a bit cartoon-y, he says. Thats because it came from the online gaming industry. Boyd works with luxury brands, and in his vision of the metaverse, well hang out with friends, try clothes on, and make purchases without breaking the spellthat is, being shunted back to the regular old internet in order to pay. A metaverse created with upscale commerce in mind promises to bring the human factor back into shopping, says Boyd, whether its being wined by a sales associate trying to close the deal on a $10,000 bag, or being able to ask a budtender a slew of questions about a strain of weed from the comfort of your couch.

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It might be easy to understand why the Facebooks and even Guccis of the world are making a bid at thisthats what large companies do, try to get in on whatever the next big thing might be on the off chance it actually works out. For now, relatively small brands shelling out real money for virtual real estate get two things. The first is very concrete and old-fashioned: advertising. The metaverse stores dont just cater to people walking around in the metaverse; they increase the visibility of a brand in the regular internet, too. (Would you be reading about a random CBD brand from Indiana were it not for its metaverse shop?) The second is a promise that youre buying into something huge, what Boyd calls a chance to reimagine the purpose and values of retail in a video posted to LinkedIn. The future belongs to the bold and the courageous, says Boyd, in voice-over. That sentiment overlaps with lots of crypto marketing these dayscrypto, is the entire premise of the future, or the makings of a hype bubble bound to go the way of Beanie Babies, depending on whom you ask.

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I am at once skeptical that the metaverse is how we will shop one dayskeptical that it is worth it, skeptical that it is even that different from our options nowand, in spite of myself, a little charmed by the concept, particularly for the use case of not-yet-quite-legal drugs. While at Howards dispensary, I take a series of screenshots of my virtual form standing next to the newly installed pot plants, excitedly texting them to my editor and a co-worker and uploading one to Instagram for good measure. Am I cool? I think, followed by, It cant be cool to think this is cool. The next week, the goods from Kandy Girl arrive at my home, two gummies inside a shiny purple envelope labeled with a sticker that says DO NOT CRUSH. Maybe its a delivery from the future; maybe its just some funny gummies that I ordered on the internet.
ARCHIVED - BREAKING NEWS: UK driving licence grace period in Spain extended



Deadline to exchange UK licences in Spain extended until April 30

Following the news last week that the British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, was negotiating a long-term agreement with Spain to enable UK licence holders to exchange their licences without taking a test , the Spanish Government has confirmed that the grace period for the recognition of UK driving licences will be extended for the fourth time, until April 30 2022.

New regulations

If you were living in Spain before January 1 2021, you can continue driving on your UK licence until April 30 2022

If you moved to Spain after January 1 last year, your UK licence will be valid for six months after you became resident or until April 30, whichever date is later

If you registered your intention to exchange your licence with the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) before December 30 2020 but have not yet done so, you now have until April 30 to make an appointment

Mr Elliott acknowledged that this two-month extension is not as long as we would have liked and does not resolve the ongoing uncertainty as negotiations continue. Therefore, if it is essential for you to drive, you may not want to wait for the outcome of the ongoing negotiations and you may decide to apply for a Spanish driving licence now.

Anyone wishing to do so will be required to take both a practical and theory test.

The new regulations only apply to UK nationals living in Spain; visitors and tourists can continue to use their UK licence for the duration of their trip and do not require an International Driving Permit.

Full details on how to exchange a UK driving licence in Spain can be found on the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) official website

Image: DGT
Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, gestures at a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The mainland will continue to provide great development opportunities for young people from Taiwan, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, on Wednesday.

More and more young people from Taiwan have chosen universities in the mainland because of the improved quality of education, Ma said, commenting on the increasing number of Taiwan students enrolled in mainland universities over the past few years despite the COVID-19 pandemic and tension across the Taiwan Strait.

Ma also attributed the growth to the effective COVID-19 response in the mainland, adding that since 2020 none of the 10,000-plus Taiwan college students in the mainland contracted COVID-19.

He said that the education authorities have upgraded admission policies this year to ease the procedure and improve services for Taiwan students.

The mainland also welcomes Taiwan's youth to develop their careers here, Ma said.

There are 78 career incubators for Taiwan's youth across the mainland. By the end of 2021, more than 4,500 projects were operating there. Also, more than 20,000 young people from the island founded startups or worked as employees and interns in the mainland.

"We will continue to create a favorable environment, provide better services and welcome more young people from Taiwan to come here," Ma said. 

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, attends a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
The Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that Russia's actions are in direct contradiction with Russia's declaration of seeking for a constructive and diplomatic solution to the conflict.

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The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry handed a protest note to the Russian Embassy in Bratislava on Tuesday evening, following the Kremlin's steps in eastern Ukraine.

Slovak diplomacy formally refused President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise the independence of separatist territories.

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Slovakia considers this decision of the Russian Federation, a signatory of the Minsk Agreements, as a clear breach of international law and the Minsk Agreements, which assume the full return of the territories under Ukrainian control, the protest note reads, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

In contradiction with Russia's declared interest

It is also a breach of the resolution of the Security Council of the UN number 2202, which approved the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements, the protest note adds.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that this step is in direct contradiction with the Russian Federation's declared interest in seeking a constructive solution to the conflict with diplomatic dialogue as well as against the principle of indivisibility of security. The Russian Federation has requested diplomatic dialogue and indivisibility of security to be repected and Slovakia asks it to also respect them from the side of NATO and the EU.

Russian imperialism must be stopped, says PM Heger Read more

Slovakia does not recognise the self-proclaimed independence of the separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk and confirms its principled support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in its internationally-recognised borders, the ministry stated in the protest note.
The measures will be lifted in two phases.

The entry regimes will be dropped from Saturday on. (Source: TASR)

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People will no longer have to show a confirmation of being vaccinated against Covid, recovering from the disease or having a negative test result when entering shops or restaurants.

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The anti-pandemic measures introduced in the previous pandemic waves will be gradually lifted in two phases.

Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.

Starting on Saturday, February 26, the OTP, OP and OP+ regimes will be dropped, even though some capacity limits will be preserved to lower the risk of infection in some age groups. The quarantine for classrooms will also end, while the opening hours should be prolonged until midnight.

Rules for entering medical facilities and nursing homes may be slightly different, as they are to be set by their managers.

The second phase will start on March 26. The Health Ministry expects all capacity limits to be dropped and for opening hours to no longer be limited. Also the self-isolation of close contacts of those who test positive is expected to end.

The ministry will be monitoring the situation in March, and it can happen that some measures will be lifted even before the months end, as said Matej Misik, head of the Institute for Health Analyses, a think tank running under the Health Ministry.

What still needs to be discussed are rules for wearing masks and FFP2 respirators.

What changes on February 26

The following measures will be in place between February 26 and March 25, 2022.

Face covering

FFP2 respirator (or an approved alternative) will be required inside buildings and also outside if the distance between people not living in the same household is less than two metres;

in the case of mass events, they will be required both inside and outside.

Shops, services and the like

opening hours between 5:00 and 24:00;

no capacity limits.

Schools

pupils whose classmate tested positive no longer have to stay in home quarantine. Instead, they will be required to wear a mask or FFP2 respirator for 10 days after contacting a person who tested positive. Pupils who test positive need to self-isolate and after it is over, wear a respirator for five days;

pupils will no longer be required to wear masks when in their classroom, but they will have to put one on when going outside of their classroom.

Mass events

Events with low and medium risk of infection:

capacity limit: 500 people or 50 percent of capacity max.;

participants are still required to wear a respirator, and there is a requirement to have a fixed seat or standing place;

examples: theatres, church services, cinemas, cultural events, congresses, fans at sport events.

Events with high risk of infection

capacity limit: 50 people max.;

participants are not required to wear respirators when eating and drinking;

examples: wedding parties, funeral feasts, parties, balls, discos, mass events held in restaurants and the like.

Sport competitions and training

capacity limit for athletes: 100 people max.

Fitness centres, wellness centres, water parks, spa (for non-medical indications)

capacity limit: no more than 50 people or one person per 15 square metres.

Restaurants

only for sitting, waiters come to the table (also in the case of outdoor terraces);

people are required to wear a respirator when they leave the table;

no capacity limits.

Accommodation facilities

no capacity limits;

if there is an event held in the shared spaces, it follows the same rules as other mass events.

Swimming pools, museums, galleries, exhibition halls, libraries

no capacity limits.

Visits to hospitals, nursing homes and the like

will depend on the decision of the director or manager.

Read more about the coronavirus developments in Slovakia:
Works by Ludovit Fulla removed from his own gallery over building fears.

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Works by one of Slovakias greatest artists, Ludovit Fulla, have had to be removed from a gallery dedicated to the painter after curators said they were no longer safe in the crumbling building.

A total of 67 oil paintings and other works on paper were removed from the Gallery of Ludovit Fulla in Ruzomberok in mid-February and taken to a national depositary where they will undergo restoration work and digitalisation.

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While it remains unclear when the gallery will display the pictures again  a project for much-needed reconstruction work has been completed but financing has yet to be finalised  museum officials say the incident is the culmination of problems with the gallery building dating back over 50 years and which were first raised by Fulla himself.

This gallery, dedicated to one of the most significant personalities of Slovak visual art of the 20th century, has not seen any significant reconstruction in the more than 50 years since it came into being, Chair of the gallery, Zuzana Gazikova, said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

13th chamber

Problems at the gallery are nothing new. Fulla, who had an apartment in the building, himself highlighted structural problems when it was newly-built.

The state of the building also formed part of an exhibition  the Thirteenth Chamber  which opened at the gallery in September last year.
https://sputniknews.com/20220222/canadas-sanctions-on-russian-lawmakers-over-lpr-dpr-recognition-ridiculous---envoy-1093284556.html

Canadas Sanctions on Russian Lawmakers Over LPR, DPR Recognition Ridiculous' - Envoy

Canadas Sanctions on Russian Lawmakers Over LPR, DPR Recognition Ridiculous' - Envoy

WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) - Canadas newly announced sanctions on Russia over the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics will not change the situation on... 22.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-22T23:56+0000

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2022-02-23T13:44+0000

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Stepanov blasted Ottawas decision to impose sanctions against all Russian lawmakers who supported the independence of the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk republics."All other sanctions were predictable, they will not affect the situation on the ground and Russia's determination to ensure peace in Donbas," Stepanov said on Tuesday.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier in the day that Ottawa would impose sanctions on Russian lawmakers who supported Donbas' independence, bar Canadians from all financial dealings with the breakaway republics, and prohibit its citizens from engaging in purchases of Russia's sovereign debt.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/170-million-year-old-fossil-found-in-scotland-belongs-to-largest-flying-dinosaur-from-jurassic-era-1093297882.html

170 Million-Year-Old Fossil Found in Scotland Belongs to Largest Flying Dinosaur From Jurassic Era

170 Million-Year-Old Fossil Found in Scotland Belongs to Largest Flying Dinosaur From Jurassic Era

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight some 50 million years before birds came into being. They lived during the Mesozoic era, often... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T11:26+0000

2022-02-23T11:26+0000

2022-02-23T11:26+0000

dinosaurs

jurassic-era

pterosaur

earth

university of edinburgh

scotland

uk

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fossil

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A well-preserved fossil of a pterosaur, discovered on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, is being hailed as the "largest of its kind" from the Jurassic period.The specimen was discovered by Amelia Penny, a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, during a field trip to the Isle of Skye in 2017, the National Museum of Scotland stated in an official statement released on Tuesday. "After the fossil was salvaged, it was brought to the University of Edinburgh for analysis and description. CT scans of the skull have revealed large optic lobes, which indicate that Dearc would have had good eyesight", stated the museum in the press release. The fossil is all set to be added to the museum's collection and studied further.The findings have also been documented in a new paper published in the peer-reviewed bi-weekly journal Current Biology.While palaeontologists have long known about the presence of similar-sized pterosaurs during the Cretaceous period, this is the first time they've found the presence of such large flying animals from the Jurassic era, or when dinosaurs came to symbolically rule the planet. Dinosaurs became extinct towards the end of the Mesozoic era, some 66 million years ago.Professor Brusatte also claims that the "superlative" Scottish fossil is probably the best British skeleton to have been discovered since the early 1800s.Natalia Jagielska, another PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and the lead author of the new paper, also remarks that "pterosaurs preserved in such quality are exceedingly rare".She notes that until now such discoveries have been confined to "select rock formations in Brazil and China"."Its sharp fish-snatching teeth still retain a shiny enamel cover as if he were alive mere weeks ago", she concludes.

https://sputniknews.com/20200528/pterosaur-species-fossil-discovered-in-britain-for-the-first-time-ever-1079446093.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/beijing-accuses-washington-of-wielding-coercive-diplomacy-as-protests-rattle-nepal-over-us-gift-1093305973.html

Beijing Accuses Washington of Wielding 'Coercive Diplomacy' as Protests Rattle Nepal Over US 'Gift'

Beijing Accuses Washington of Wielding 'Coercive Diplomacy' as Protests Rattle Nepal Over US 'Gift'

A US government-backed aid agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), signed a $500 million grant assistance compact in 2017 with Nepal. However... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T16:24+0000

2022-02-23T16:24+0000

2022-02-23T16:24+0000

nepal

communist party of nepal (unified marxist-leninist)

khadga prasad sharma oli

sher bahadur deuba

us

millennium challenge corporation

china

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China has accused the US of pursuing "coercive diplomacy" in the Himalayan nation amid protests and bickering within Nepal's governing coalition.Hua Chunying, assistant minister of foreign affairs, questioned the US approach of setting a deadline for Nepal to pass $500 million grant assistance under the Millennium Challenge Corporation from parliament.Last week, the US Embassy in Kathmandu said the $500 million infrastructure grant programme under the MCC is a "gift" to the Himalayan nation at the request of the Nepali government and people. As per media reports, the US has urged Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to ratify the agreement by the end of this month.The US has also intensified interactions with political leaders in Kathmandu ahead of discussions and voting on the MCC-Nepal Compact in parliament later this week.On Tuesday, Ambassador Randy Berry met with former prime minister and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist) chair, K.P. Sharma Oli.The Sher Bahadur Deuba government tabled the compact in parliament on Sunday despite massive protests in Kathmandu. Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.Maoist chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Unified Socialist chair Madhav Nepal, and Janata Samajbadi Party chair Upendra Yadavthree crucial partners of the Deuba governmenthave already stated their apprehensions against the compact and will vote against ratification of it.The coalition partners claim the MCC is part of Washington's Indo-Pacific Strategy and could be used by the US government to deploy its soldiers in Nepal. Sri Lanka rejected the MCC project last year, as people believed the aid would compromise the nation's sovereignty and national security.

https://sputniknews.com/20201217/strategic-victory-for-china-us-drops-key-project-amid-sri-lankas-unrelenting-security-concerns-1081486762.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/boris-johnson-holds-qa-session-in-house-of-commons-after-announcing-sanctions-on-russia-1093298400.html

Boris Johnson Holds Q&A Session in House of Commons After Announcing Sanctions on Russia

Boris Johnson Holds Q&A Session in House of Commons After Announcing Sanctions on Russia

Johnson previously claimed that Putin has "violated Ukrainian sovereignty by sending troops in" and said that the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom will... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T11:57+0000

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2022-02-23T11:57+0000

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uk

ukraine

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Sputnik is live from London where British PM Boris Johnson attends a Q&A session in parliament. The head of the cabinet is addressing MPs after the UK announced sanctions against Moscow on Tuesday, targeting five Russian banks and three "high net worth individuals".The step came after President Vladimir Putin officially recognised the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in Donbass, and stated that Russian peacekeepers would be deployed to stop the eight-year-long bloodshed in the region.Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!

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Boris Johnson Holds Q&A Session in House of Commons After Announcing Sanctions on Russia Boris Johnson Holds Q&A Session in House of Commons After Announcing Sanctions on Russia 2022-02-23T11:57+0000 true PT53M29S

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russia, uk, ukraine, boris johnson, uk house of commons, 
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/china-is-gonna-be-next-trump-claims-xi-ready-to-seize-taiwan-after-moscows-donbass-recognition-1093311716.html

China is Gonna be Next: Trump Claims Xi Ready to Seize Taiwan After Moscows Donbass Recognition

China is Gonna be Next: Trump Claims Xi Ready to Seize Taiwan After Moscows Donbass Recognition

Despite Washingtons formal recognition of Taiwan as a Chinese province, US President Joe Biden has postured as willing to defend Taiwan from Chinese attack... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T19:45+0000

2022-02-23T19:45+0000

2022-02-23T19:47+0000

russia-nato row on european security

taiwan

xi jinping

ukraine

donald trump

russia

subrahmanyam jaishankar

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In a radio interview on Tuesday, former US President Donald Trump predicted that following Russias Monday recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics, which the US has characterized as a land grab, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attempt to make a move on Taiwan.He made the comments Tuesday on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, where he told the hosts this would never have happened if we were there.You think theyre gonna go after Taiwan? Clay asked him.But you think with Biden theyll try him? Clay then asked.Speaking on Tuesday, Biden claimed Putins recognition of the Donbass republics and sending of peacekeepers to the region was the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. He used the development to claim that months of vague warnings about an invasion were true, and to justify issuing economic sanctions targeting Russian financial institutions.By contrast, Taiwan is a territory controlled by the former Chinese government that Beijing has always maintained is an integral part of China. In 1949, the communist Red Army triumphed in the civil war, conquering the entire mainland and establishing the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing; but the old Republic of China government survived on Taiwan, where the Red Army could not invade, and has persisted ever since. All but a handful of small nations have switched their recognition of the Chinese government from Taipei to Beijing, including the US in 1979, but Washington has continued to funnel weapons and other support to Taiwan in an open but informal fashion.China has condemned US support for Taiwan, calling it a violation of the three joint communiques underpinning the US-China diplomatic relationship and an intervention in internal Chinese affairs.Xi went on to say that he anticipates such a reunion would happen under the framework of one country, two systems, used to incorporate the former British colony of Hong Kong into China as a special autonomous region.Similar to Russia vis-a-vis Ukraine, the US has accused China of threatening an invasion of Taiwan because of regular flights of Chinese aircraft through Taiwans expansive and self-declared air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and Chinese naval drills in the seas surrounding Taiwan.On Tuesday, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar objected to similar comparisons between Ukraine and Taiwan, saying that problems in the Indo-Pacific region are quite unique."Both are products of very complex histories of that particular region. In the case of Ukraine, a lot of it derives from post-Soviet politics, the expansion of NATO, the dynamics between Russia and Europe, and Russia and the West broadly," the Indian minister said.New Delhi is locked in its own territorial dispute with Islamabad over the Kashmir region, which the two sides have roughly split in half but all of which is claimed by both sides. There are regular ceasefire violations along the fortified Line of Control that several times have flared up into full-blown wars between the two nuclear powers.

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taiwan, xi jinping, ukraine, donald trump, russia, subrahmanyam jaishankar
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/danish-embassy-in-delhi-illuminates-in-tricolour-to-celebrate-75-years-of-indias-independence-1093294942.html

Danish Embassy in Delhi Illuminates in Tricolour to Celebrate 75 Years of Indias Independence

Danish Embassy in Delhi Illuminates in Tricolour to Celebrate 75 Years of Indias Independence

In view of India completing 75 glorious years of independence, the federal government is marking the occasion through year-long festivities with a programme... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T10:15+0000

2022-02-23T10:15+0000

2022-02-23T10:15+0000

india

independence

independence

independence day

independence day

independence day

narendra modi

narendra modi

denmark

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To celebrate Indias 75 years of Independence, the Danish Embassy in the countrys capital city of Delhi has lit up its building in tricolour - symbolising the Indian national flag.In a tweet on late Tuesday evening, the embassy shared a photo of its building illuminated in colours of the Indian flag, saying it will remain like this till coming Sunday, 27 February.As part of the Indian government's "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" initiative to commemorate 75 years of independence from Britain, the Danish Embassy has decided to host a competition for students.The Embassy of Denmark is hosting a competition for all Indian students in celebration of India at 75, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. [...] Through Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, India is celebrating the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements, the embassy said in a detailed Instagram post.The embassy also highlighted the relationship between India and Denmark as the social media post read: Historically, India and Denmark have 400-year-old relations..."."Today, India and Denmark are united by their unique cooperative agreement, the Green Strategic Partnership. Both countries are committed to working together to bring green and sustainable solutions to tackle climate change, it added. The contest involves Indian students sharing the coolest Danish green solution they have heard about.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in March 2021, inaugurated Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in Gujarat state to formally kick-start the grand commemorations of the country gaining freedom over seven decades ago. The drive is aimed at celebrating 75 years of a progressive India and its rich history, diverse population, and its magnificent culture and achievements.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/dpr-head-says-ukrainian-army-may-launch-offensive-at-any-minute-1093301119.html

DPR Head Says Ukrainian Army May Launch Offensive at Any Minute

DPR Head Says Ukrainian Army May Launch Offensive at Any Minute

Earlier this week, the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics reported numerous incidents of Ukrainian forces continuing to shell buildings, infrastructure... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T11:59+0000

2022-02-23T11:59+0000

2022-02-23T13:30+0000

ukraine

russia

vladimir putin

denis pushilin

independence

recognition

army

shelling

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Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), has warned of a possible offensive by the Ukrainian Army in the near future.According to him, the number of attacks by the Ukrainian security forces has increased since Russia recognised the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (LPR) as independent nations.He recalled that on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Army used Grad multiple launch rocket systems. "This has not happened for a long time, and this was a reaction pertaining to the recognition", the DPR head noted.Additionally, Pushilin made it clear that the DPR is set to use any chance to ensure peace. "We value peace like no one else, because we know what war is. Those mobilisation measures that we're currently carrying out are in the name of peace, in the name of the enemy seeing what they will have to face []. We use any chance for peace, the only question is whether there is such a chance", he underscored.The DPR head separately underscored that "at the moment, there are no Russian troops" in the Donbass republic.He underlined that Russian servicemen have the right to be deployed to the DPR in accordance with the alliance agreement. "Currently, Russia has such a right within the framework of the agreement concluded between Moscow and the DPR", Pushilin said.Ukrainian Army Continues to Shell DPR, LPRThe remarks come after President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Moscow is recognising the independence of DPR and LPR and signing friendship treaties with them, which include provisions for collective defence and security. Putin referred to Kiev's permanent refusal to follow the provisions of the 2015 Minsk peace agreements, also singling out continuing attacks by Ukrainian forces on the Donbass republics, which intensified drastically last week.Over the past few days, both the DPR and LPR have reported the continuation of shelling of the republics' infrastructure by the Ukrainian Army, causing civilian casualties and the cutting off of gas and water supplies to a host of cities. The OSCE, for its part, reported over 2,000 ceasefire violations on the day the two republics were recognised.Late last week, Pushilin and LPR head Leonid Pasechnik said that they had signed a decree on general mobilisation in the republics. The DPR head, in turn, said that "large-scale shelling by Ukraine of the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics is underway". He added that "in recent days only", DPR forces have prevented several attempted terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian special services.

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ukraine, russia, vladimir putin, denis pushilin, independence, recognition, army, shelling
ANKARA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Justice Ministry demanded the United Arab Emirates (UAE) detain and repatriate a Turkish mafia leader after Interpol issued a red notice for him, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Wednesday.

Sedat Peker, a convicted fugitive, is in the UAE and had been broadcasting videos on YouTube in which he exposed alleged corruption among top Turkish officials.

He also claimed that public officers were involved in his network's criminal acts.

Last year, Turkish courts issued two arrest orders against him on charges of extortion and organized crime.

The Turkish government officially demanded his extradition in June last year, but the UAE did not respond to the request. However, Peker has since stopped publishing videos on YouTube as the UAE officials took him for questioning.

Interpol issued a red notice on Feb. 1 this year to search for Peker internationally in 194 countries.

The move of the Turkish Justice Ministry came amid reconciliation efforts between Ankara and Abu Dhabi after years of tension.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid an official visit to Turkey's capital Ankara in November 2021, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Gulf country on Feb. 14, aiming to restore their bilateral relations that were long strained by regional disputes.

In 2013, Turkey and the UAE took rival sides after the latter lent support to the overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi who was backed by Turkey.

Relations between Turkey and the Gulf country had derailed over their conflict of interests in Libya, the Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean. 
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/dpr-lpr-ask-putins-assistance-to-repel-aggression-of-ukrainian-forces---kremlin-1093313077.html

DPR, LPR Ask Putins Assistance to Repel Aggression of Ukrainian Forces - Kremlin

DPR, LPR Ask Putins Assistance to Repel Aggression of Ukrainian Forces - Kremlin

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The heads of the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk (DPR and LPR), Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, have asked for Russian... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T21:03+0000

2022-02-23T21:03+0000

2022-02-23T21:03+0000

donbass conflict

lugansk peoples republic

donetsk people's republic

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"Russian President Vladimir Putin received letters from the head of the Lugansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, and the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin. The heads of these republics, on their own behalf and on behalf of their people, once again express gratitude to the president of Russia for the recognition of their states," Peskov said.The spokesman also said that Pushilin and Pasechnik mentioned that the situation remains tense in Donbass, and people continue to evacuate."The actions of the Kiev regime testify to the unwillingness to end the war in the Donbass," the letter read, as quoted by Peskov, adding that Donbas leaders also say "the Kiev regime aims to solve the conflict by force."The latest development comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russia would be formally recognizing the independence of the LPR and DPR regions. The Donbass republics previously declared their independence in 2014.

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donbass conflict, lugansk peoples republic, donetsk people's republic
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/hollywood-unlocked-claims-that-queen-elizabeth-dead-denied-1093289871.html

Hollywood Unlocked Claims That 'Queen Elizabeth Dead' Denied

Hollywood Unlocked Claims That 'Queen Elizabeth Dead' Denied

On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that Queen Elizabeth, who previously tested positive for COVID-19, had cancelled planned virtual engagements... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T05:31+0000

2022-02-23T05:31+0000

2022-02-23T06:29+0000

uk

queen elizabeth ii

report

twitter

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Dayo Okewale, a chief of staff in the House of Lords has rejected a shocking claim by the website Hollywood Unlocked that Queen Elizabeth II is dead as "false".Okewale's statement followed unsubstantiated claims by Hollywood Unlocked, which reported that "it is with our deepest regret to inform you that Britain's Queen Elizabeth has died".The website then went further and referred to "sources close to the Royal Kingdom", who "exclusively" notified Hollywood Unlocked that the Queen "has passed away". According to those "sources", the monarch "was scheduled to attend the wedding of British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, but was found dead".Most netizens immediately took a swipe at the Hollywood Unlocked report, posting sarcastic tweets and suggesting that the website is "about to get sued".They were echoed by another who wrote, saying they are "finished" because the only source telling them "the Queen is dead" is Hollywood Unlocked."The fact Hollywood Unlocked is reporting the Queen is dead and people actually believe it. Jesus Christ , no hope for humanity", one more netizen noted.All this was preceded by Buckingham Palace saying in a statement on Tuesday that the Queen had cancelled planned virtual engagements because she was experiencing mild, cold-like coronavirus symptoms. According to a palace spokesperson, the monarch "has decided not to undertake her planned virtual engagements today, but will continue with light duties".Hollywood Unlocked's report about the Queen's supposed death is the latest in a series to have emerged on Twitter and WhatsApp groups over the past several years.

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uk, queen elizabeth ii, report, twitter
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/indias-tejas-aircraft-set-to-participate-in-first-ever-tactical-exercise-over-foreign-soil-1093300019.html

India's Tejas Aircraft Set to Participate in First-Ever Tactical Exercise Over Foreign Soil

India's Tejas Aircraft Set to Participate in First-Ever Tactical Exercise Over Foreign Soil

The multi-nation Cobra Warrior exercise is widely regarded as one of the most challenging for aircrews. Hosted by the UK Royal Air Force, the air forces of... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T12:47+0000

2022-02-23T12:47+0000

2022-02-23T12:47+0000

india

tejas mk 1

tejas light combat aircraft (lca)

malaysia

rajnath singh

uk

uk royal air force

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The Indian Air Force has decided to send five locally-built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to the multi-nation air exercise, named "Ex Cobra Warrior 22", in March. The three-week exercise is scheduled to commence on 6 March at Waddington in the United Kingdom.It will be the first exposure of India's newly inducted jets in high-intensity large force tactical training over foreign soil.The LCA Tejas will demonstrate its manoeuvrability and operational capability in front of dozens of types of aircraft from countries like the US, Germany, Italy, the UK, and Israel.Once known as the Combined Qualified Weapons Instructor exercise, Cobra Warrior is designed to replicate real-world scenarios for pilots.The Tejas' participation in the multi-nation exercise comes against the backdrop of the Indian government taking steps to transform India from being a weapons importer to an export nation.In the last three years, Tejas has taken part in air shows in Bahrain, Dubai, Malaysia, and Singapore.India views potential buyers of Tejas in Malaysia, Egypt, and Argentina. Currently, Malaysia is evaluating proposals from Korea Aerospace Industries' FA-50 Golden Eagle, Italy's M-346FA Master, HAL's Tejas, and Boeing's T-7A Red Hawk to replace the country's aging fleet of Hawk Mk108/208 light-attack and lead-in trainer aircraft.Bengaluru-based manufacturer HAL says that the single-engine and highly agile multirole supersonic fighter aircraft Tejas can operate in a high-threat air environment.

https://sputniknews.com/20161118/tejas-india-export-1047601502.html

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india, tejas mk 1, tejas light combat aircraft (lca), malaysia, rajnath singh, uk, uk royal air force
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/israel-prepares-to-pass-idf-draft-bill-for-the-ultra-orthodox-but-force-wont-work-journo-says-1093290323.html

Israel Prepares to Pass IDF Draft Bill for the Ultra-Orthodox, But Force 'Won't Work', Journo Says

Israel Prepares to Pass IDF Draft Bill for the Ultra-Orthodox, But Force 'Won't Work', Journo Says

According to some estimates, there are 50,000 Haredi youngsters eligible for military recruitment in Israel. But in 2019 the number of those actually enlisted... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T06:07+0000

2022-02-23T06:07+0000

2022-02-23T06:07+0000

israel

idf

ultra-orthodox

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/17/1083215295_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_32b90435dba1dade145d195f56877a18.jpg

In Israel, where most of the population is obliged to serve in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the Ultra-Orthodox community - that typically doesn't - has always drawn criticism and attempts to integrate its members have largely failed.Despite that, the current coalition headed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett insists on trying.Three weeks ago the Knesset passed a bill that would increase the number of Ultra-Orthodox young men in the military.Force Won't WorkTo become a law the initiative would still need to go through two more readings, but Yanki Farber, a Haredi journalist who has been following the latest developments, suggests that the bill - if it does turn into legislation - will stir resistance.Failed IntegrationSo far, that integration hasn't been easy, primarily because the IDF "didn't really need them" and "didn't want to cope with them", said Farber.Over the years, Israel has poured millions of dollars into attempts to make it work. It has created special units for Haredi soldiers and provided them with services.Yet, being a purely secular establishment, the IDF has struggled to cater to the needs of its Ultra-Orthodox soldiers, who demanded to pray three times a day, declined to work on the Sabbath (sacred for Jews), asked to maintain a kitchen that would adhere to strict Jewish rules, and rejected the possibility of mingling with women.The result was that Haredis did not rush to enroll, while the IDF did not care to push them to enlist. In 2019, only 1,200 Ultra-Orthodox youngsters joined Israel's military. Previous years have also witnessed low recruitment levels, with 1,788 in 2018 and 1,374 in 2017.Politically MotivatedThe catch is that Israeli politicians are determined not to let it slip. For a coalition that vowed to bring about change and work towards equality, the enrollment of those who have been skipping military service for years has become one of the government's top priorities. And the journalist is worried that the authorities will not hesitate to use force against those who oppose its policies.The battle over the legislation is expected to be fierce. The opposition - which contains several religious parties - has already vowed to oppose it. But to get the initiative thrown out they will need to gather a majority of votes.The race to collect those votes has already kicked off, but time is not on their side. The Knesset is expected to finish its winter session on 13 March and the coalition is pushing to end the drama by then.

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israel, idf, ultra-orthodox
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/japanese-embassy-staffer-was-temporarily-detained-by-chinese-authorities-officials-reveal--1093287468.html

Japanese Embassy Staffer Was Temporarily Detained By Chinese Authorities, Officials Reveal

Japanese Embassy Staffer Was Temporarily Detained By Chinese Authorities, Officials Reveal

A staffer at the Japanese embassy in Beijing was detained for hours by Chinese authorities on Monday afternoon, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T03:40+0000

2022-02-23T03:40+0000

2022-02-23T03:39+0000

japanese foreign ministry

chinese foreign ministry

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The Japanese Foreign Ministry claims the staffer was temporarily detained while on official business despite having disclosed his status at the embassy. After exchanges between the ministry and Chinese authorities, the staffer was released. Reports indicate the staffer was not physically harmed. At present, the reasons for their detention remains unknown.The Japanese government is said to have made a complaint through diplomatic channels. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, "We cannot overlook (the incident) and will never accept it."Takeo Mori, Japans vice foreign minister, summoned Yang Yu, an interim Chinese diplomat within the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, to Japans Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night as a result of the incident.Mori insisted that China apologize for the detainment and take measures to avert a recurrence. Japans Foreign Ministry said the incident was a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.The Japan Times reported that the a similar incident took place in 2002, when a Japanese defense attache was detained by Chinese official for over 10 hours.

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Nevin Brown

Nevin Brown

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japanese foreign ministry, chinese foreign ministry
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/lavrov-guterres-turned-out-to-be-subject-of-pressure-from-west-regarding-situation-in-ukraine-1093295185.html

Lavrov: Guterres Turned Out to Be Subject of Pressure From West Regarding Situation in Ukraine

Lavrov: Guterres Turned Out to Be Subject of Pressure From West Regarding Situation in Ukraine

Previously, the UN secretary general stated that recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics was a death blow to the Minsk agreements. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T08:48+0000

2022-02-23T08:48+0000

2022-02-23T12:29+0000

sergei lavrov

russia

ukraine

donbass

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday that UN chief Antonio Guterres "turned out to be subject to pressure from the West and recently made several statements about what is happening in eastern Ukraine that are at odds with his status and his powers under the UN Charter".The diplomat told UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen during their meeting in Moscow that the secretary general has never spoken up in support of the Minsk agreements. The Russian minister highlighted that the UN secretariat should advocate impartiality in any crisis, including the Ukrainian issue.Lavrov noted that Russia has already briefed Guterres on Moscow's assessment of his statements through the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, Vasily Nebenzya. The Russian minister also asked Pedersen to convey the Russian assessment to the secretary general personally.The statement came as Guterres claimed that the Russian troops deployed to Donbass would not be "peacekeepers" and said that Ukraine's attacks against people in the republics are not considered to be genocide.The situation in Donbass has been deteriorating over the past few days, with attacks by Ukrainian forces causing mass evacuations in the DPR and LPR. In a bid to stop the conflict, Russia recognised both republics in the Donbass region as independent states and urged Ukraine to stop the escalation there.Addressing the situation in the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the events taking place in the Donbass are genocide, noting that Kiev violates human rights, including by legalising the discrimination of the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine. He stressed that the civilian population of Donbass is a target of everyday shelling by the Ukrainian military and a vicious blockade by Kiev.Russia has also repeatedly slammed Kiev's for not implementing the Minsk agreements. In one of the latest instances, Ukrainian authorities decided to introduce a bill in parliament that would deny amnesty to those who had fought for the Donbass republics once the conflict is over. This is clearly at odds with the Minsk agreements, which clearly state that such amnesty must be provided for all people living in the areas once peace is achieved.

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sergei lavrov, russia, ukraine, donbass
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/linking-ukraine-crisis-to-taiwan-theatre-makes-me-uncomfortable-indian-fm-rebuffs-western-bloc-1093291903.html

Linking Ukraine Crisis to Taiwan Theatre 'Makes Me Uncomfortable': Indian FM Rebuffs Western Bloc

Linking Ukraine Crisis to Taiwan Theatre 'Makes Me Uncomfortable': Indian FM Rebuffs Western Bloc

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson alleged this week that "echoes" of escalating tensions in Ukraine will be heard in Taiwan and East Asia. The US, Japan... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T08:56+0000

2022-02-23T08:56+0000

2022-02-23T08:56+0000

ukraine

russia

nato

india

subrahmanyam jaishankar

vladimir putin

joe biden

nord stream 2

china

taiwan

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Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has said that "transposing" the tensions between Russia and Ukraine in the Donbass region to a potential escalation of hostilities over Taiwan "makes me uncomfortable"."As a country in the Indo-Pacific, for us, the problems in the Indo-Pacific are quite unique", added Jaishankar, formerly an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer.India's chief diplomat was on an official three-day visit to France between 20 and 23 February. He arrived in Paris from Germany, where he attended the Munich Security Conference. During both legs of his two-nation visit, Jaishankar has been asked about New Delhi's position on the current situation in Ukraine."I completely get it that the world is globalised and that there are common patterns", he further remarked.The Indian foreign minister, however, added that those involved in "policy formulations" needed to be specific about issues.Jaishankar remarked that history over the last 75 years had "taken a very different turn" in Europe than in the Asia-Pacific region.He underlined that the reunification of Germany in 1990 and the end of the Cold War heralded the beginning of the "expansion" of the European project (the European Union was formed in 1993)."In the case of Ukraine, a lot of it derives from post-Soviet politics, the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the dynamics between Russia and Europe and Russia and the West", stated the Indian delegate.Jaishankar added that in the case of Asia, the emergence of the region was largely a "product of the autonomous" economic growth of Japan and other East Asian countries, as well as China and India later.China has also rejected any "parallels" whatsoever between Ukraine and Taiwan, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterating at a press briefing on Tuesday that "Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory".India Calls For 'Utmost Restraint'The remarks by the Indian foreign minister come two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin moved to recognise the primarily Russian-speaking Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics as independent states. Both of the former Ukrainian regions had declared independence from Kiev in 2014.Putin argued in a televised address that the Minsk Protocol, which sought to end the hostilities in the area, among the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine (comprised of Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE) had been "killed" by Kiev. The Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics had earlier started evacuating civilians, reporting constant shelling by Ukrainian forces.Meanwhile, the US has claimed that Putin's decision to recognise the two states is tantamount to an "invasion", as Washington and its NATO allies such as Great Britain mount sanctions against Russian financial institutions, individuals, as well as "prohibiting" investments in the Donbass republics. Germany, for its part, has put on hold the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which would bring gas from Russia to Europe.India has said that escalating tensions along the Ukraine-Russia border "undermine" peace and security in the region, urging a diplomatic path ending the crisis.

https://sputniknews.com/20220211/ukraine-crisis-didnt-make-it-to-quads-joint-statement-because-of-india-reckons-australian-expert-1092935505.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220222/biden-vows-to-impose-sanctions-far-beyond-earlier-ones-on-russia--1093280509.html

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Dhairya Maheshwari

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ukraine, russia, nato, india, subrahmanyam jaishankar, vladimir putin, joe biden, nord stream 2, china, taiwan, boris johnson, donbass
Blinken Claims Russia May Be Engaged in Full-Blown Invasion of Ukraine Before Night Is Over

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration believes Russia may engage in a full invasion in Ukraine before the night is over.



"I do, unfortunately Russia has positioned its forces at the final point of readiness across Ukraine's borders, to the North, to the East, to the South, everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine," Blinken told NBC News on Wednesday when asked if he believes Russian forces will be engaged in something akin to a full invasion of Ukraine.

However, when Blinken was asked to confirm whether a so-called "invasion" would actually take place "tonight," the state secretary remarked that he could not put an "exact date or time."
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/london-bridge-down-what-happens-when-queen-elisabeth-ii-dies-1093306693.html

London Bridge Down: What Happens When Queen Elisabeth II Dies?

London Bridge Down: What Happens When Queen Elisabeth II Dies?

Website "Hollywood Unlocked" claimed that the longest reigning British monarch died early on 23 February with the chief of staff in the UK House of Lords... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T16:17+0000

2022-02-23T16:17+0000

2022-02-23T16:20+0000

uk

queen elizabeth ii

funeral

ceremony

prince philip

prince charles

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Buckingham Palace announced on 20 February that Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 and, even though she was reported as experiencing only mild symptoms, unsubstantiated speculation about her death were quick to emerge after she cancelled her virtual engagements for the week.But fear not - the death of a British monarch and how the government and nation responds has been meticulously planned, (in the case of Queen Elizabeth II under the codename "Operation London Bridge") for years and is based on centuries of precedent. And considering that the monarch, as head of state, is also commander of the armed forces, the whole series of events will be enacted with, literally, military precision.Top Officials and Governments' Leaders First in Line for NewsRegardless of the circumstances of the Queen's death, her private secretary, at present Sir Edward Young, will be the first to break the news, specifically by passing a codeword to the UK prime minister at the time - "London Bridge is down". The PM will then activate "Operation London Bridge", which starts with notifying UK cabinet ministers, the cabinet secretary, the Privy Council Office and the heads of 14 governments of the Commonwealth realm, of which Elizabeth is queen. The heads of the Commonwealth of Nations governments will also be among the first to be notified.How Will the Public Find Out?One of the first indications that something terrible has happened in the kingdom which the general public are able to spot, is that government and royal family websites - as well as social media accounts - switch their colour scheme to black. The government buildings must also lower flags to half-mast within 10 minutes of the plan being activated.However, these measures would apply in the event of any member of the royal family dying. The only way to know that it is the Queen who has died is to wait for news outlets to report. Radios and TV broadcasters will get the heads-up via special Radio Alert Transmission System (RATS) and will immediately start changing their programming - for example, switching to specific playlists or playing "inoffensive music", and wrapping up shows on TV.BBC News, Britain's state broadcaster, will change its red colour scheme for black and presenters are obliged to keep appropriate mourning clothes - dark suit and black tie for men, dark jacket and skirt for women - on site at all times so that they can immediately change their clothes to break the news of the monarch's death.Around the same time a black-edged notice of the Queen's death will be pinned on boards at the gates of Buckingham Palace. The announcement will be followed by extensive coverage of Queen Elizabeth's life and achievements that will be spread across 10 days before her funeral. It was also reported that the BBC will refrain from running comedy shows during this period.Ceremonies Ahead of FuneralThe actual funeral will take place 10 days after the announcement of the Queen's death, but a lot of ceremonies will take place before that. The parliaments of the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will convene on the day of her death or as soon as humanly possible.On the day after the Queen's death the ceremonial body, the Accession Council, will announce a new UK monarch, most likely King Charles. He will then deliver his first speech and the government and politicians will swear their allegiance. And on the third day after Queen Elizabeth's death, the new monarch will depart on a tour of the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, before returning to London.Official and Unofficial Bank HolidaysAs well as all ceremonies, the day of the Queen's death will be proclaimed a bank holiday and two minutes of silence will be held to commemorate her passing. In accordance with an agreement between Elizabeth II and the prime minister, the day of her funeral will not be an official holiday, but a "Day of National Mourning". However, as with the day of the Queen's death, it is expected that the Stock Exchange and businesses will probably not operate on that date, as a mark of respect for the monarch.Preparations for the Royal FuneralThe contingencies for the Queen's funeral partly depend on where she dies. But regardless of the place and the means of transport, her body will be moved to the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace first and after five days by military procession to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for three days after a service.The new monarch, family members and other dignitaries will then pay their respects to the late Queen. After that, the doors will be open for the Queen's subjects to pay their last respects.The funeral itself will take place at Westminster Abbey on the 10th day with 2,000 selected guests attending (unless the procedure, devised before 2020, is changed in the light of COVID fears). After the ceremony, the Queen's body will be taken to the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle and buried alongside Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who died on 9 April 2021, two months shy of his 100th birthday.

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uk, queen elizabeth ii, funeral, ceremony, prince philip, prince charles
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/moscow-vows-strong-response-to-us-sanctions-that-will-be-sensitive-for-washington-1093303721.html

Moscow Vows Strong Response to US Sanctions That Will Be Painful For Washington

Moscow Vows Strong Response to US Sanctions That Will Be Painful For Washington

The US introduced a new round of sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognised the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T13:05+0000

2022-02-23T13:05+0000

2022-02-23T14:03+0000

russia

us

sanctions

russian foreign ministry

donbass

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Moscow also stressed that the American sanctions policy is counterproductive, but that it has also become a reflex for Washington.The statement comes in response to sanctions imposed by Washington on Tuesday. The restrictions target Russia's sovereign debt, as well as several banks and individuals following Moscow officially recognising the two Donbass republics, the DPR and LPR, as independent states. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday after the leaders of both republics appealed to Moscow, urging Ukrainian forces to stop the escalation in the region.The decision came as Ukrainian forces increased their attacks on the Donbass republics last week, forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee to Russia's Rostov region. Multiple shellings against Donetsk and Lugansk were confirmed by the OSCE monitoring mission in Donbass.However, the US claimed the attacks were fake and part of a provocation planned by Moscow to justify "intervention in Ukraine", something Russia has been accused of by the West, but has vehemently denied.

donbass

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russia, us, sanctions, russian foreign ministry, donbass
A construction machine clears the silt from the road in Petropolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong)

SAO PAULO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The death toll rose to 185 from record rainfalls and subsequent mudslides and floods in the Brazilian city of Petropolis, north of Rio de Janeiro, local authorities said Tuesday.

Over 400 rescue workers had to suspend their rescue operations on Tuesday due to the ongoing heavy rains and the risk of new mudslides, as 85 people were still missing, said the fire department of Rio de Janeiro state.

Governor of Rio de Janeiro Claudio Castro said Feb. 15 saw the heaviest rainfall since 1932.

Businesses started to reopen on Tuesday, while people continued to clean up houses, historic buildings and the downtown area.

Some 620 tons of earth and debris generated by the mudslides and floods have been removed so far, according to the waste collection company. 

Members of local fire department prepare to participate in the search operation in Petropolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong)

Members of local fire department head towards the affected area in Petropolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong)

Members of local fire department clear the silt from the road in Petropolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong)
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/muslim-man-brutally-beaten-to-death-burnt-in-indian-state-allegedly-over-beef-consumption-1093299746.html

Muslim Man Brutally Beaten to Death, Burnt in Indian State Allegedly Over Beef Consumption

Muslim Man Brutally Beaten to Death, Burnt in Indian State Allegedly Over Beef Consumption

Hindus consider the cow a sacred animal and worship it during special religious occasions. In 20 of India's 28 states, the slaughtering of cows has been... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T13:55+0000

2022-02-23T13:55+0000

2022-02-23T13:55+0000

india

india

bihar

cow

cow

beef

beef

beef

muslim

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Days after the burnt body of a Muslim man was recovered from India's Bihar, a video has now surfaced on social media allegedly depicting the same man being assaulted by a cow vigilantism group.Mohammad Khaleel Alam Rizvi in his mid-30s was a member of Bihar's ruling party Janata Dal- United (JD-U) and a resident of the Samastipur district. He went missing on 16 February. His body was found burnt and buried on the banks of the Burhi Gandak River two days later.In the two-minute video, which made the rounds on social media on Tuesday, Rizvi can be seen being questioned by his attackers while being repeatedly caned for not replying satisfactorily. But the faces of the assailants are not visible. They are heard inquiring about where all the cows are being slaughtered and to reveal others who are involved in slaughtering cows. The victim is also asked to reveal how much beef he's ever consumed.The video was allegedly posted first on Instagram and later on other social media platforms.WARNING! The following video may offend sensibilities.On Tuesday, the leader of the opposition in the Bihar legislative assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, tweeted a Hindi news clipping lambasting State Chief Nitish Kumar over the incident saying:"Law and order has completely disappeared under Bihar's National Democratic Alliance government. A Muslim youth, who was himself a leader of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) was beaten, burnt alive, and buried", he tweeted in Hindi. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Yadav also asked the state chief to explain why such incidents continue to occur in Bihar. "Why are people taking the law into their own hands?" The government of Bihar is led by NDA alliance partners JD-U and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). RJD is the main opposition party in the state.According to media reports, police initially said that Rizvi was killed over a financial dispute and the video clip is actually meant to divert the matter. But now the case is also being probed from the angle of killing over beef consumption.

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india, india, bihar, cow, cow, beef, beef, beef, muslim
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/nord-stream-2-only-temporarily-paused-germany-still-needs-it---expert-1093312634.html

Nord Stream 2 Only Temporarily Paused, Germany Still Needs It - Expert

Nord Stream 2 Only Temporarily Paused, Germany Still Needs It - Expert

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Germany decided to halt the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in retaliation for Russia's recognition of the breakaway regions... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T20:28+0000

2022-02-23T20:28+0000

2022-02-23T20:27+0000

nord stream 2

sanctions

germany

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"I would say that Nord Stream 2 is only mothballed for now by the German government. The unease of Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz (SPD) about the issue of Russian gas delivery to Germany is evident, as it is also a hot political question within the German coalition of the Socialists, the Greens and the Liberal party," Furfari said.He noted that the SPD has always had good relations with Russia, with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who has been recently tapped to join the board of directors at Russian state gas giant Gazprom, taking an active part in the creation of Nord Stream 1.Moreover, the NS2 terminal is located in northern Germany, in the region governed by the Socialists, so they have "every reason to support the launch of gas delivery through NS2," the expert explained.However, the Greens are fundamentally opposed to gas and other fossil fuels, fearing that investments in the pipeline will postpone the full switch to renewables, according to the expert. Though, he added, they forget that gas will still be needed to "compensate" renewables in the long term.Gas prices in Europe can also be expected to continue to rise, exacerbated by the Ukrainian crisis, the expert said. Since gas is mainly used for industrial production and for heating homes, the economic damages caused by closing the Russian gas taps would be huge for Europe, Furfari said. The consequences will not be accepted well by the European population, and a "yellow vests" type of protest may rise, the expert warned.Changing to other gas suppliers, such as the US, Qatar or Algeria, will also not be able to cover the gap in deliveries if the EU stops dealing with Russia. The expert pointed out that at the recent Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Doha, the participants made an important declaration, saying "dont count on us for delivering to Europe. We work with long term contracts signed with countries who trust us, mainly in Asia: China, Japan or South Korea for example."The European Commission should abandon the Green Deal in its current version, the expert suggested."Gas and nuclear energy have been put in the green taxonomy.' It is progress, but state aids cannot go to these 2 sectors, which are vital for Europe. European policy architecture is completely flawed and in need to be corrected urgently," Furfari concluded.

https://sputniknews.com/20220223/biden-order-sanctions-against-nord-stream-2-ag-corporate-officers-1093311307.html

germany

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nord stream 2, sanctions, germany
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/observers-europe-us--nato-should-feel-distraught-by-ukrainian-presidents-nuclear-blackmail-1093302743.html

Observers: Europe, US, & NATO Should Feel Distraught by Ukrainian President's Nuclear Blackmail

Observers: Europe, US, & NATO Should Feel Distraught by Ukrainian President's Nuclear Blackmail

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference on 19 February that Kiev may reconsider the country's non-nuclear status under... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T13:21+0000

2022-02-23T13:21+0000

2022-02-23T13:21+0000

russia

europe

us

opinion

world

ukraine

volodymyr zelensky

nuclear weapons

budapest memorandum

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"The [Ukrainian] president's words should be very disturbing for Europe because it means that security will depend on a strategic military buildup, which must sound very dangerous to Brussels", says Alberto Hutschenreuter, a professor at the Institute of Foreign Service of the Nation (ISEN) and former professor at the Escuela Superior de Guerra, Argentina. "For the world, this means that nuclearisation is seen as an option from a national security viewpoint. It's a very dangerous message. The Ukrainian president's statement does not contribute to reaching an agreement with Russia. Moreover, it looks like a warning to NATO aimed at forcing the alliance to continue taking steps to accept Ukraine into its ranks".Following the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine found itself home to the world's third-largest nuclear stockpile after that of the US and Russia. However, Ukraine's Declaration of State Sovereignty in 1990 made it clear that the new state "adheres to three nuclear-free principles: not to accept, produce, and purchase nuclear weapons" (Art IX).On 5 December 1994, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan were granted access to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons under the Budapest Memorandum signed by Russia, the US, and the UK at an OSCE conference in Hungary. Under the accords, the three post-Soviet republics gave up the atomic arsenals deployed by the USSR in their respective territories in exchange for security guarantees from the three major nuclear powers.Zelensky should have studied the issues related to the nuclear non-proliferation agreement of 1994 better, says Hassan Beheshtipour, an Iranian international relations analyst and expert on nuclear issues. The Ukrainian president should learn why Ukraine handed Soviet nuclear arms over to Russia and why Kazakhstan and Belarus did the same after the collapse of the USSR, according to the analyst.Ukraine's neutrality and non-nuclear status would better serve its national interests than an attempt to produce nuclear weapons, according to the analyst. Finland's neutrality helped it maintain working relations with the USSR, the US, and Europe at the peak of Cold War, recalls Beheshtipour. "As a result, it strengthened its position so much that the most important disarmament conference was held in 1975 in Helsinki", the analyst notes.Kiev's effort to build its own nuclear arsenal could drag the entire European region into a "security dilemma", echoes Mani Mehrabi, a foreign affairs analyst and member of the scientific board of the Institute of International Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to him, it would trigger a domino effect prompting other countries to build up their armaments in order to ensure security. As a result, the potential arms race could completely undermine the region's security, he warns."Kiev is raising the [nuclear status] issue to sow panic in Europe, but neither Russia, nor other European countries, or the United States will make it easy for him", stresses Atilio Boron, Argentine sociologist and political scientist. "Moreover, they will veto [Ukraine's] initiative. Therefore, there is no talk of nuclear blackmail".Russia, however, takes Zelensky's remarks very seriously: on 22 February President Vladimir Putin stated that the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine is a strategic threat to Russia. Moscow has no doubt that Ukraine is capable of delivering on Zelensky's threat since it inherited considerable nuclear expertise from the USSR.

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russia, europe, us, opinion, world, ukraine, volodymyr zelensky, nuclear weapons, budapest memorandum
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/russia-recognizes-breakaway-republics-china-rebukes-us-containment-strategy-1093285961.html

Russia Recognizes Breakaway Republics; China Rebukes US Containment Strategy

Russia Recognizes Breakaway Republics; China Rebukes US Containment Strategy

Russia has officially recognized the breakaway republics in Eastern Ukraine and is in the process of working out aid and protection measures. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T08:23+0000

2022-02-23T08:23+0000

2022-02-23T08:23+0000

the critical hour

donetsk

lugansk peoples republic

haiti

ahmaud arbery

jcpoa

russia

ukraine

radio

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Russia Recognizes Breakaway Republics; China Rebukes US Containment Strategy Russia has officially recognized the breakaway republics in Eastern Ukraine and is in the process of working out aid and protection measures.

Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Ukraine. Russia has officially recognized the breakaway republics in Eastern Ukraine and is in the process of working out aid and protection measures. The collective West now must formulate a strategy in light of losing their Ukraine invasion trope.Prof. Linwood Tauheed, associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, joins us to discuss the potential economic fallout from the recent geopolitical actions in Eastern Europe. The US has threatened severe sanctions against Russia, but now faces significant potential blowback. Will the US and EU risk crushing their economies in an effort to gain revenge against the Russian Federation?Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to discuss the recognition of the breakaway republics in light of the larger world geopolitical landscape. Ray examines the likelihood that the move was coordinated between Russia and China, and reveals the current thoughts of an ex-US ambassador to the USSR.John Burris, civil rights attorney, joins us to discuss two recent court cases. Officer Kim Potter received a sentence of two years in the killing of Daunte Wright. The Wright family is arguing that this is a miscarriage of justice. Also, jury deliberation is underway in the Ahmaud Arbery hate crime case.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. There are reports that the US and Iran are close to a nuclear deal, but recent events are creating skepticism. Also, the US claims to be rejecting Israel's criticism of the negotiations.Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and global history at New Mexico State University, joins us to discuss China. China has responded to the Russian recognition of the breakaway republics with measured support. Also, China argues that the US plans to expand its military reach in Southeast Asia puts it on a path for confrontation with Beijing.Netfa Freeman, host of Voices With Vision on WPFW 89.3 FM, Pan-Africanist and internationalist organizer, joins us to discuss Haiti. The President of Cuba has spoken out about the moral obligation to provide unconditional cooperation with Haiti. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic of Cuba, argued that years of plunder and foreign intervention are at the heart of Haiti's problems.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "The Velvet Coup: The Constitution, the Supreme Court and the Decline of American Democracy," joins us to discuss censorship. The US government is targeting another independent news and editorial site as a purveyor of Russian disinformation. The highly trafficked site "Zero Hedge" is in the crosshairs of the deep state media and intelligence complex.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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the critical hour, donetsk, lugansk peoples republic, haiti, ahmaud arbery, jcpoa, russia, ukraine, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/russian-defense-ministry-tells-uks-wallace-to-learn-history-after-crimean-war-remarks-1093311033.html

Russian Defense Ministry Tells UK's Wallace to Learn History After Crimean War Remarks

Russian Defense Ministry Tells UK's Wallace to Learn History After Crimean War Remarks

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov responded on Wednesday to UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's claims that the United... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T18:55+0000

2022-02-23T18:55+0000

2022-02-23T18:55+0000

russia

uk

history

ben wallace

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Earlier in the day, Wallace, a former Scots Guards officer, said that his regiment "kicked the backside" of Russia in the Crimean War and compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Czar Nicholas I.The spokesman also reminded Wallace of the so-called Charge of the Light Brigade, when the UK light cavalry was massacred by the Russian artillery during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean war.On Monday, Putin signed decrees recognising the independence of the people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and agreements on cooperation and mutual assistance with them. Under the new documents, Moscow will ensure the security of the two Russian-speaking entities. The decision followed prompted a wave of criticism from Western countries, including the UK.

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russia, uk, history, ben wallace
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/south-koreas-purple-island-to-play-integral-part-in-paris-fashion-week-1093308789.html

South Korea's Purple Island To Play Integral Part In Paris Fashion Week

South Korea's Purple Island To Play Integral Part In Paris Fashion Week

Some of the island's most breathtaking places of interest have been incorporated into a runway by South Korean designer Yang Hae-il. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T18:58+0000

2022-02-23T18:58+0000

2022-02-23T18:58+0000

south korea

paris fashion week

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Purple Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province will be featured in the forthcoming 2022 fall-winter Paris Fashion Week, starting virtually next week. Two islets, Banwol and Bakji, named Purple Island off the south-western coast of Korea are connected by the iconic Cheonsa Bridge. The 1.4-kilometre purple bridge has been turned into a runway in a recent film as part of the Paris fashion show. Yang Hae-il runs his own brand, HEILL, and has been in the global fashion industry since 2017. Before the transformation, the places main income came from farming. But since 2015, locals have been struggling because of a rapidly ageing population and a lagging economy. Local government has tried to attract investment by painting every inch of the town different shades of purple (around 400 buildings) and growing purple flowers such as lavender, and vegetables such as kohlrabi and beets. Lately it has become one of the most popular places to visit in South Korea: the number of tourists to the beautiful island reached 200,000 in October 2021 despite the pandemic. The UN World Tourism Organisation held the Best Tourism Village award ceremony at the general assembly held on 2 December last year and named Sinan Countys Purple Island one of the worlds best tourism villages.

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south korea, paris fashion week
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/this-is-only-the-start-australia-files-sanctions-against-russia-over-recognition-of-lpr-dpr-1093286813.html

'This is Only the Start': Australia Files Sanctions Against Russia Over Recognition of LPR, DPR

'This is Only the Start': Australia Files Sanctions Against Russia Over Recognition of LPR, DPR

Australian Prime Minster Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that he would file the nation's own set of sanctions against Russia following Moscow's... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T02:24+0000

2022-02-23T02:24+0000

2022-02-23T03:21+0000

australia

sanctions

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The prime minister detailed during his Wednesday announcement that sanctions would be imposed immediately, underscoring that the initiative would include travel bans and strikes against eight members of Russia's security council. Additionally, there would be penalties against entities tied to Moscow, as well as against Russian banks, transport, energy, telecommunications, oil, gas and minerals. Morrison did not name the sanctioned individuals, opting to state that they were the same individuals that had been blacklisted by the UK and US.The move comes hours after US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced sanctions against Russia over the Kremlin's Monday decision to recognize the LPR and DPR's independence from Ukraine.Sanctions that have already been imposed against Crimea, which voted to join the Russian Federation in a 2014 referendum, are also set to be extended. Morrison has stressed that the declaration would "ensure there are severe costs" to what he sees as "Russian aggression."The sanctions, the prime minister noted, will target "the perpetrators and beneficiaries of this violence [in the Donbass regions.]"The prime minister went on to state that some 1,400 Australians are presently in Ukraine, and that he hoped China would join Australia and company in filing sanctions against Russia.Shortly after Russia's Monday announcement to recognize the independence of the LPR and DPR, Washington quickly changed the narrative by asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin's acknowledgement and subsequent peacekeeping mission in the Donbass regions proved the allegations of a looming invasion. Peacekeeping operations in the breakaway regions were launched in the wake of dramatically escalated attacks by Kiev forces that ultimately prompted the evacuations of tens of thousands of civilians.The US and it allies have claimed as far as November 2021 that an invasion against Ukraine by Russian forces was "imminent" without providing evidence. US and NATO officials solely used ongoing Russian military drills in the region to explain what they characterized as a "troop build-up."Russia has repeatedly rejected claims that it intends to carry out an invasion, and stated that tensions would not currently be so high if NATO acknowledged Russia's own security concerns about the continued eastward expansion of the western military bloc.

https://sputniknews.com/20220221/putin-russia-has-done-everything-to-peacefully-resolve-tensions-in-donbass--1093237980.html

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australia, sanctions
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/turkey-to-use-russias-s-400-systems-in-event-of-missile-attack-on-country---erdogan-1093309787.html

Turkey to Use Russia's S-400 Systems in Event of Missile Attack on Country - Erdogan

Turkey to Use Russia's S-400 Systems in Event of Missile Attack on Country - Erdogan

ANKARA, (Sputnik) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized renewed attempts to create a controversy around Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T17:46+0000

2022-02-23T17:46+0000

2022-02-23T17:46+0000

russia

turkey

military & intelligence

s-400

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He noted that the current Russian-Ukrainian crisis has proved that there is a need for such defensive systems."Whenever someone attacks our country with a missile, the system will be deployed. There is a rumour that the S-400 are waiting in a hangar. The S-400s are waiting where they need to wait. Of course, this is confidential information. We know that all the necessary preparations have been made to use this system when needed and that the process is going as it should," he added,Russia and Turkey signed a contract for the supply of four S-400 air defence system battalions worth $2.5 billion in 2017, deliveries to the Turkish side were made in the summer and fall of 2019. The contract included an option for another regimental set. At the end of August 2021, Erdogan said that he had no doubts about buying a second S-400 regiment from Russia.The purchase of Russian air defence systems by Turkey, a NATO member, was met with fierce opposition by the US, which insisted on Ankara dropping the procurement contract. Washington insisted that the S-400s were a threat to the fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter's secretes, as the system could purportedly send data about the novel aircraft to Moscow.Turkey and Russia dismissed the allegations. Ankara insisted on keeping the S-400s and pointed out that it had been trying to buy Patriot systems from the US for years without success. The White House condemned Turkey's decision and halted the shipments of F-35 jets to Ankara, which Turkey had already paid for.

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russia, turkey, military & intelligence, s-400
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/two-prosecutors-heading-manhattan-das-probe-into-trumps-business-practices-have-resigned---report-1093311956.html

Two Prosecutors Heading Manhattan DA's Probe Into Trump's Business Practices Have Resigned - Report

Two Prosecutors Heading Manhattan DA's Probe Into Trump's Business Practices Have Resigned - Report

Two lead prosecutors of the Manhattan district attorneys investigation into Donald Trump's business practices have abruptly resigned. Carey R. Dunne and Mark... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T19:44+0000

2022-02-23T19:44+0000

2022-02-23T21:02+0000

donald trump

prosecutors

investigation

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According to sources close to the matter, Dunne and Pomerantz resigned when new Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, suggested that he had doubts about moving forward with their case against Trump.The investigation into charges that Trump inflated the value of his assets to secure loans had been on hold for nearly a month after Bragg expressed a lack of confidence in the case. Dunne and Pomerantz postponed a witness interview last month and additionally have not questioned any witnesses in front of a grand jury for over a month. It is unclear why Bragg has pulled back on the years-long investigation, as the grand jury's term is scheduled to expire in April. His predecessor, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., had intensified the investigation when he called the grand jury in the fall. In January, it was reported that the investigation was picking up steam. Trump's longtime accountant was reported to have met with investigators. Dunne and Pomerantz are both veterans of the New York legal scene and their departure from the investigation could see it fizzle out. Bragg, through a spokesperson, said he was grateful for their service and stated that the investigation would continue.The Manhattan district attorney's easing of their investigation into accusations of Trump's loose business practices won't close the matter for the embattled former president, however. New York state Attorney General Letitia James has received approval from a judge to question Trump and two of his adult children as their office investigates conduct similar to the probe being conducted by the Manhattan office.The New York state investigation is a civil case, however, while the Manhattan investigation is a criminal matter.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/ukrainian-opposition-party-demands-zelensky-resign-for-failure-to-return-donbass-to-kievs-control-1093285744.html

Ukrainian Opposition Party Demands Zelensky Resign for Failure to Return Donbass to Kievs Control

Ukrainian Opposition Party Demands Zelensky Resign for Failure to Return Donbass to Kievs Control

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he recognized the independence of the two Donbass republics the day prior because the Minsk Protocol for... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T01:03+0000

2022-02-23T01:03+0000

2022-02-23T01:02+0000

russia-nato row on european security

ukraine

volodymyr zelensky

minsk protocol

resignation

donbass

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On Tuesday, the party Opposition Platform - For Life issued a statement calling on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to resign. The centrist opposition party has 44 seats in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraines parliament, and opposes the decommunization and Ukrainization policies of the post-2014 nationalist coup government.For two and a half years, despite the calls of Ukraine's foreign partners, the Ukrainian opposition, the demands of citizens, and Ukraine's international obligations, not a single step has been taken towards the implementation of the political part of the Minsk agreements, peace and unity, the statement continues.On the contrary, the representatives of the authorities repeatedly declared that they were unprofitable, demanded that they be revised and simply refused to comply. In the end, the followers of [former Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko's policy ignored the international contractual framework for the return of Donbass and led the country to a serious escalation of the conflict.A former television actor and comedian, Zelensky hails from the Russophone Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and is a native Russian-speaker. He won an unlikely bid for the presidency in April 2019 running on a platform of peace in the Donbass, winning a landslide against Poroshenko, the incumbent leader who had been president since May 2014.The Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics in the Donbass region declared independence from Ukraine in April 2014, following a US-backed coup by nationalists in Kiev, who set about attempting to remove the status of Russian as a national language of Ukraine. About one-third of Ukrainians speak Russian as a first language and most Ukrainians speak Russian in their daily lives; however, two predominantly Russophone regions - Crimea and the Donbass - took up arms and declared independence from Kiev. Crimea then voted to join the Russian Federation, but the Donbass republics fought Kiev for autonomy in a war that has claimed at least 14,000 lives.The Minsk Protocol, agreed to by Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), was supposed to pave the way for peace in the region.On Tuesday, a draft resolution was introduced to the Rada to declare martial law in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and to close all transport links with the Russian Federation and Belarus.

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ukraine, volodymyr zelensky, minsk protocol, resignation, donbass
BRUSSELS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is set to adopt the first set of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday after Moscow recognized the independence of eastern Ukraine's Lugansk and Donetsk regions.

The EU member states' foreign ministers met in Paris on Tuesday for an extraordinary informal session to discuss the sanctions to be taken.

The package of sanctions put on the table by the European Commission and the European Council target individuals involved in Moscow's decision; banks financing Russian military and other operations in those territories; the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services; and trade from the two breakaway regions to and from the EU.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, president of the European Council, said in a statement published on Tuesday that Russia's decision to recognize Lugansk and Donetsk as "independent" was "illegal and unacceptable."

"It violates international law, Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Russia's own international commitments and it further escalates the crisis," they said.

In another declaration issued on Tuesday on behalf of the EU, the bloc's chief diplomat Josep Borrell said Russia's action violated its commitment to work within the Normandy Format and the Trilateral Contact Group in finding a peaceful settlement to this conflict, a commitment it has repeated on numerous occasions, including very recently.

Meanwhile, the EU's foreign ministers are still urging Russia to return to diplomacy to defuse the tensions.

"There's always an option for Russia and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to choose the path of diplomacy, of peaceful negotiations, of respect of international law, and refrain from threats and intrusion, and the actions that they did yesterday and today," Jeppe Kofod, Denmark's foreign minister, said ahead of the extraordinary meeting.

Borrell said in the declaration that the EU had urged Russia to return to the discussions within the Normandy Format and the Trilateral Contact Group.

The Normandy Format, established in 2014, is a diplomatic group of senior representatives from Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France formed to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Also on Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Russia's decision is "a blatant violation of international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements. Also, like every revisionary initiative, it undermines international stability and progress."

Greece has one more reason to be concerned and monitor the developments: the protection and support of the Greek expatriates in Ukraine and the large community in Mariupol, he said in a statement.

Russian President Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing the "Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and the "Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

Putin said he was aware that the West was trying to "blackmail" Russia again with sanctions and that he believed that the sanctions will continue just because Russia exists, regardless of the situation in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Tuesday that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is a suitable platform for diplomatic initiatives related to the Ukraine crisis.

Austria is working with the OSCE to resume dialogue on Ukraine, Nehammer said, adding that the OSCE is currently the institution most likely to bring relevant parties back to open talks in a well-established framework.

The OSCE has a special mission of monitors in Ukraine, whose role is to observe and report on the country's situation, and facilitate dialogue. 
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/us-takes-europe-hostage-in-ukraine-crisis-1093303529.html

US Takes Europe 'Hostage' in Ukraine Crisis

US Takes Europe 'Hostage' in Ukraine Crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin formally recognised "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent on Monday. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T13:03+0000

2022-02-23T13:03+0000

2022-02-23T13:03+0000

us

russia

ukraine

europe

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To a large extent, this is due to Russia's sense of insecurity triggered by the aftermath of the 2014 Colour Revolution in Ukraine instigated by the US. NATO's eastward expansion has intensified internal conflicts in Ukraine and between the country and Russia, leading to a complicated situation.The US Democratic administration has been deeply involved in the situation in Ukraine.President Joe Biden, acting as Vice President in 2014, also played a role in the colour revolution along with almost all of the current US diplomats and security officials. The situation in 2022 is a natural extension of the 2014 Color Revolution, the consequences of which can't be quelled in a matter of months.The US is actually playing a "Europe card," taking the EU "hostage" and forcing it to stay in the transatlantic alliance. The leaders of the European major powers have to come forward to reach an understanding with Russia. Otherwise, Russia and Europe will suffer the loss.China is an outsider. It respects the complex history of the region and hopes the situation does not develop into an intense US-led geopolitical conflict and catastrophe.China will support Russia's economic fundamentals from the impact of potential Western sanctions. In addition, China will keep calling for a resolution of the crisis through diplomatic channels as China has always done. This has nothing to do with the Wall Street Journal's allegation that China aims to "protect ties with the US".Europe has been in constant strife over territorial and ethnic issues for centuries, a situation that is unique and has not ceased even after the Cold War. First, the former Yugoslavia was dismembered by the US-led NATO, and now the US is using the Ukraine crisis to undermine Russia's security. Those are all problems they need to solve themselves.US politicians and media have recently been sowing discord between China and Russia. A Foreign Affairs article claimed China is a player which "stands awkwardly". China, on one hand, "has taken Russia's side, blaming NATO expansion for causing the crisis", and on the other hand, has called for diplomacy over war in order to "prevent relations with the US from significantly deteriorating". The US always desires an alienated partnership between China and Russia. In fact, Chinese and Russian leaders are clearly aware of the two countries' own problems. China has never and will never get involved in Russia's historical problems including its relations with the countries that became independent after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The Ukraine crisis is extremely complex, and this issue needs to be solved on the basis of understanding history and reality simultaneously. If the history of the region is ignored, there can be no correct path to a solution. The US is playing a big game at minimal cost, trying to keep Europe in trepidation to maintain the transatlantic alliance and its arms sales. Lockheed Martin, one of the largest American companies in military support, became the world's largest defence contractor by revenue for the fiscal year 2014, thanks to the tense situations in Ukraine. The US has complained for years about the levels of Europe's defence spending because of the huge influence of US defence contractors on the government.Arguably, the US needs to take the greatest responsibility for the current tensions, and it will not be restrained unless it suffers losses to its own economy.This article was originally published by the Global Times.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220223/wanna-play-japanese-gamers-are-able-to-rent-special-apartments-1093308881.html

Wanna Play? Japanese Gamers Are Able To Rent Special Apartments

Wanna Play? Japanese Gamers Are Able To Rent Special Apartments

Whether you are a lone ranger, roaming the net on your own, or a party animal who loves the vibe of of seriously pumping crowds, you can rent gamer-ready... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T18:09+0000

2022-02-23T18:09+0000

2022-02-23T18:09+0000

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japan

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Asian countries, famed for leading the world in e-industry - especially South Korea and Japan - are coming up with inventive approaches to gaming. Japanese gaming company Sengoku Basara has actually built a series of apartments, called e-rooms that are furnished with all a gaming aficionado needs for a complete gaming experience. Tenants will be able to choose their own keyboard and mouse combo from famous brands, including Logicool, SteelSeries, Corsair, and HyperX, in total 50 variations. What's more, the apartments have entirely different GPU configurations ranging from the beginner plan where monthly rent is 39,000 yen (US$340) and includes a GeForce GTX1650 PC with an Intel Core i7 processor and 480GB of SSD to an elite plan at 69,000 yen (US$599) a month, featuring a GeForce GTX 3070 Ti. But such configurations are also suitable for digital artists and video creators. Special plans offers for such professionals additional extra options like drawing tablets and monitor arms. At present two buildings, both in Sendai, Miyagi prefecture, offer e-rooms, but Basara hopes to expand e-rooms throughout the country in the near future. In 2020, Bauhutte, a Japanese gaming furniture brand, launched its gaming beds with a concept of "turning your desk into a secret base". This piqued the interest of gaming companies who saw the great benefits of furniture which enhance gamers' comfort while they play.

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gamers, japan
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/waste-not-want-not-africa-cdc-to-request-pause-in-covid-19-vaccine-donations--1093284882.html

Waste Not, Want Not: Africa CDC to Request Pause in COVID-19 Vaccine Donations

Waste Not, Want Not: Africa CDC to Request Pause in COVID-19 Vaccine Donations

According to officials, logistical concerns, as well as COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and reluctance, all factor into the Africa Centers for Disease Control and... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T00:57+0000

2022-02-23T00:57+0000

2022-02-23T00:57+0000

covid-19

public health

africa

vaccines

vaccine hesitancy

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Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director John Nkengasong, is set to request that COVID-19 vaccine donations be suspended until the second half of the year, according to recent comments the continent's top health official. As of this article's publication, more than 11.3 million COVID-19 infections have been reported in Africa since the pandemic began, along with at least 247,000 associated deaths, per Reuters. Countries reporting the most new daily infections, based on a seven-day average, include Tunisia (3,494 daily infections), Reunion (3,101 daily infections), South Africa (2,399), Egypt (2,054), and Libya (1,948). With the exception of Reunion, all of the aforementioned countries are observing a decrease in their seven-day averages. Nkengasong emphasized that the decision to request a delay in vaccine shipments is not to say that the donations are not important or needed. The possible emergence of new COVID-19 variants, and other factors, were taken into account before arriving at the decision, Nkengasong said. 'Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance,' an organization co-leading COVAX, told the outlet that vaccine distribution is moving at a "sophisticated" pace amid a shift in supply and demand. "Dose-sharing will remain an important aspect of the global vaccination effort as we strive to close the vaccine equity gap," a Gavi spokesperson told the outlet, noting that "not a single dose has been shipped without first being accepted by the recipient country." The decision comes weeks after the Africa CDC director launched a campaign to enlist youth to be vaccinated. The campaign, dubbed 'African Youths for COVID-19 vaccination: Initiative for Saving Lives, Saving Livelihoods,' encourages younger Africans "to play an active role" in increasing inoculations, as the median age of the continent's population is 19.5. At the time, 64% of the 597 million COVID-19 vaccine doses provided to Africa have been administered.

https://sputniknews.com/20220128/some-countries-in-africa-reach-possible-endemic-stage-study-shows-1092593551.html

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covid-19, public health, africa, vaccines, vaccine hesitancy
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/watch-twin-explosions-hit-trolleybus-depot-in-lugansk-in-yet-another-terrorist-attack-1093294251.html

Watch Twin Explosions Hit Trolleybus Depot in Lugansk in Yet Another Terrorist Attack

Watch Twin Explosions Hit Trolleybus Depot in Lugansk in Yet Another Terrorist Attack

The situation in Donbass remains tense, as Ukrainian forces continue shelling the territory of the DPR and LPR, violating the ceasefire. 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T11:07+0000

2022-02-23T11:07+0000

2022-02-23T11:07+0000

donbass

donbas conflict

lugansk peoples republic

lugansk

explosions

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A video from the LPR emerged online depicting what was identified by the Lugansk People's Republic as a terrorist attack.A short clip taken early on Wednesday by a dash cam shows two blasts hitting a trolleybus depot, while the driver tries to leave the site of the explosion to avoid harm.According to the LPR office at the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination of the ceasefire regime (JCCC), a high-explosive IED destroyed four poles to which the trolley line was attached.This is not the first terror attack in Lugansk in recent days, as the city has been targeted by Ukrainian forces.The situation in Donbass has deteriorated over the past week. According to the LPR militia, Ukrainian forces have shelled the republic at least 114 times in recent days, with even more attacks registered by the DPR. The shelling prompted mass evacuations, with thousands of civilians leaving the republics to seek refuge in Russia.On Monday, following an appeal from the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic, Russia recognised the two as independent countries in a bid to stop the war in the region. Moscow promised to provide military assistance to the DPR and LPR in the event of a threat and urged Kiev to stop the eight-year-long bloodshed.

donbass

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donbass, donbas conflict, lugansk peoples republic, lugansk, explosions
https://sputniknews.com/20220223/women-were-disposable-ex-playboy-employees-allege-they-were-sexually-assaulted-in-docu-series-1093285054.html

'Women Were Disposable': Ex-Playboy Employees Allege They Were Sexually Assaulted in Docu-Series

'Women Were Disposable': Ex-Playboy Employees Allege They Were Sexually Assaulted in Docu-Series

The A&E docu-series Secrets of Playboy revealed in an episode aired on Monday that two former employees of Playboy were sexually assaulted because the... 23.02.2022, Sputnik International

2022-02-23T01:11+0000

2022-02-23T01:11+0000

2022-02-23T01:11+0000

playboy

metoo

hugh hefner

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P.J. Masten worked as a corporate Bunny Mother from 1975 to 1982. Bunny Mothers were responsible for acting as mentors and supervising Playboy Bunnies. In an episode titled The Corporate Game, Masten recalls a top-ranking executive raping her.Masten says she was transferred to a corporate office located in Chicago. It was a male dominated atmosphere where someone could fondle you, someone could grab you She says that the general manager, who was appointed to the location, had control over everyone of us, and he didnt know what bunnies were.Masten recalls the underqualified general manager at the Chicago location asking Playboy Bunnies sexually inappropriate questions, as well as touching them without consent, as it was a part of the Mad Men era which Playboy encouraged, she says.Miki Garcia was another employee of Playboy who became a victim of sexual assault. Garcia says she was raped twice by a prominent actor at an auto show event where she was employed as a Playmate to sign autographs. She says she didnt come forward with the allegation because she didnt want to be perceived as a "whiner."Garcia says she worked to gain power in the company so that no woman had to put up with that kind of behavior from any man just because she had a rabbit head logo on her."Garcia was the first female director of promotions, working for Playboy between 1973 and 1982, and used her power to make sure her rapist would never work with Playboy again."So, when my rapist ordered up a Playmate for a job, I simply instructed my secretary to tell him to never call again, never," she said. He would never, never, ever get a model from Playboy. Never."On the shows website, A&E writes that Secrets of Playboy explores the hidden truths behind the fable and philosophy of the Playboy empire through a modern-day lens. The show is said to investigate sexual abuse, drug abuse, and bestiality within the Playboy world. The show has new episodes available every Monday.In a separate episode, former Playboy bunny Holly Madison, 42, said that her time at Playboy Mansion was cult-like.Madison, who dated Hefner from 2001 to 2008, explains that there was a curfew rule, as well as an allowance rule for the women in the house. Hefner, who passed away in 2017, even told Madison to quit her waitressing job because he didnt want her to have a backup plan in case they broke up.Prior to the series premiere, the Playboy company released an open letter condemning the actions of the company under Hefners power.First and foremost, we want to say: we trust and validate women and their stories, and we strongly support the individuals who have come forward to share their experiences, the letter began. As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security and accountability are paramount, and anything less is inexcusable.Todays Playboy is not Hugh Hefners Playboy, the letter said.

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playboy, metoo, hugh hefner
The race to bridge the digital divide in rural Virginia continues following two years of a difficult pandemic. Now, an interesting comparison has emerged regarding what has been accomplished on that front in Culpeper County versus in neighboring Orange County, where progress has been swifter.

Its been 17 months since the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors first heard from Leesburg-based All Points Broadband about a plan to extend high-speed internet to more than 4,000 addresses as part of a heavily government-funded $34 million project in partnership with major electric utilities.

It will be May or June of this year when those extensions actually start, and another 18 months before the project is completed, according to an update to the board earlier this month from Tom Innes, vice president of business development with All Points Broadband.

Meanwhile, next door to Culpeper, the Orange County Broadband Authoritys internet service provider, Fiberlync, has already connected more than 2,000 customers to their brand new network since April 2021.

Grant winners and losers

Thats according to Jenny Cord, in business development with Fiberlync, located in the Silk Mill building on Madison Road in the town of Orange.

Our biggest thing is we want to put customer service first, she said in a phone call Tuesday.

Actual connections continue daily there in spite of Orange being turned down in December for network funding through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative state grant.

Culpeper County received $8.6 million in December from VATI through the government program, which dispersed $722 million around the commonwealth in its most recent distribution. Culpeper County will additionally use federal pandemic relief dollars for connectivity.

And yet internet connections have yet to launch here, unlike in Orange.

Founded in 2016 by the Board of Supervisors there, Orange County Broadband Authority created Fiberlync in 2020 to expeditiously extend underground fiber to all of the countys public schools, which they did. State and federal grants helped lay that foundation.

Orange: underground fiber more reliable

The Authority decided early on that an underground service built to public safety standards, a better product, would be the best route for Orange, Cord said.

That way, she said, if a storm takes down a tree that takes down the power line, people with generators will retain their internet service, as was experienced by Fiberlync customers during the Jan. 3 ice storm.

It goes back to providing first class customer service, Cord reiterated.

In Culpeper County, on the other hand, All Points Broadband will partner with Dominion Power and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative to place internet infrastructure attachments on existing power poles and then extend the fiber from the poles to homes and businesses.

Putting the entire network underground as Fiberlync is doing costs more, but appears substantially more reliable considering the fragility of the rural power system.

The extra cost for undergrounding was a reason the Orange County Broadband Authority cited for not receiving the VATI grant administered by Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development.

While we understand the decision to primarily fund proposals that will utilize less expensive infrastructure, Fiberlync stands behind its position that underground fiber is the most reliable and in the long-term the least expensive construction method, according to a release from the company in December.

DHCD did not immediately respond to a request Tuesday afternoon regarding the grant denial to Orange County.

Fiberlync is pursuing other grants to expand its network, Cord said, and existing customers will not be impacted.

But according to the Fiberlync release in December, the funds would have accelerated expansion of the network.

We remain fully committed to providing broadband connectivity to all Orange County homes and businesses, the release stated.

Cord estimated 5,000 to 6,000 addresses with substandard internet service could potentially link to Fiberlync.

A Fiberlync contract crew started extending cable in October to homes in a semi-rural neighborhood in southern Orange County. Using a ditch-witch, the three-member crew attached the cable from fiber optic poles previously installed at various points on the side of the road.

Enoch Lasso, of Woodbridge, said he does the work six days a week. He employs 10, Lasso said, mostly El Salvadoran immigrants.

A few weeks later, homes with the fiber laid underground were visited by an installer who connected the wiring under the house to a router inside provided by Fiberlync.

A former Comcast employee, the installer said he loves his job.

Its all about customer service, he said.

Big money, big promises

All Points Broadband, which will eventually service Culpeper County, focuses on rural areas without broadband, Innes told the Board of Supervisors at its meeting Feb. 1.

Last year, the company founded in 2014 leveraged some $300 million in state, federal, and electric company investments to expand its network in Virginia, Innes said.

In addition to Culpeper, the company has announced partnerships to provide middle-mile broadband in Botetourt, King William, Louisa, and Surry Counties, on the Northern Neck in King George, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties along with the Pamunkey Indian Reservation.

Innes told the Culpeper board earlier this month there was a lull between the VATI grant announcement to when All Points could start spending money on the local network, pending DHCD approval.

The State Corporation Commission is also involved with regulations, since the project will use existing electric company infrastructure.

He said there was a 90-day timeline to complete the punch list from DHCD before construction can begin sometime this spring.

Overall, the Culpeper project will lay 536 miles of fiber to homes with customers paying from $59.99 up to $109.99 monthly for the service. Installation will be a flat fee of $99, regardless of distance to homes from the power pole.

Locations, dates unknown

As of Feb. 1, nearly 1,500 Culpeper County residents had pre-registered for the All Points service, Innes said. A current federal program offers $30 a month per eligible low-income household to help with internet costs, he said.

Salem Supervisor Tom Underwood was feeling a bit impatient, like his constituents.

When will the fiber be to the homethats the No. 1 question I receive, he said.

Innes responded with various regulatory steps that needed to be done first.

Once we get under contract, it will be an 18-month deadline for completion, the All Points development director said.

So if a contract is approved in May or June, the clock starts, Underwood said, asking when the first homes would be connected and in what areas.

Innes said that would depend on in what areas Dominion receives initial approvals for as well as the power companys timeline.

We dont know that yet, Innes said. We will know that when we get the construction schedule.

He said customers in Culpeper County would receive notification 90 days prior to deployment of internet to their home or business.

Large spools of orange conduit seen around the county lately are not connected to their project, he said. Those materials are for a separate internet, grant-funded expansion the county is pursuing through Comcast.

The first sign that All Points Broadband is installing the network will be crews working on electric lines to make the poles capable of holding another attachment, Innes said.

Then they will see All Points Broadband trucks in the area for the purpose of linking houses to that network, he said.

East Fairfax Supervisor Kathy Campbell asked about addresses not included in the initial rollout. Innes referred to the company web site for answers about why certain addresses were included and others not.

State and federal grant funds, across the board, can only be used to create a network for those currently without internet service.

The partially government-funded expansion does not yet address substandard internet service, which many in the county and even in the town live with due to a lack of options.

Innes said there is a chance some of these addresses could connect to the All Points network, but at a higher cost than the $99 connection drop fee.

Board Chairman Gary Deal commented that once complete, the project would be a big deal for the local rural community.

Innes responded, You got everything you asked forthis is a good project.

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The pandemic has both exacerbated and shone a spotlight on the challenges faced by health care workers.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing has received a three-year, $2.2 million federal grant to work with partners across Nebraska to address burnout in the states nursing workforce.

Alyson Hanish, an assistant professor in the college, said the initiative will focus on nursing students and on nurses and their employers in rural and medically underserved areas.

We had a nursing shortage before the pandemic, but the pandemic has exacerbated it, she said. We want to recruit nurses but then keep them healthy and well so that they want to have long professional careers in nursing.

The UNMC grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services. Its part of an estimated $103 million in American Rescue Plan funding over a three-year period to reduce burnout and promote mental health among the health care workforce.

Hospitals, Hanish said, are looking for solutions to retain nurses. But there arent a lot of evidence-based resources. The team will begin to develop that evidence base. It will start by deploying a stress-management program developed by Dr. Rebecca Wysoske and others in UNMCs psychiatry department and tailor it to meet the needs of nursing students and working nurses.

The program, called WHOLE, or Wellness  How One Lives Effectively, includes ways to manage acute stress as well as self-care, meditation and other proven strategies to reduce chronic stress.

The program already has been piloted in nursing students and received good feedback, Hanish said. The team will continue to work to adapt it.

The program will be implemented across all five campuses of UNMCs nursing college. For working nurses, they will focus primarily on the states smaller hospitals and offer the program both as wellness training and free continuing education credits.

Hanish, a pediatric nurse and sleep researcher, said she has seen family members and colleagues struggling with burnout during the pandemic. She saw the grant as a way to help.

I felt like I needed to do something, she said. I thought we could try to tackle it from a team perspective.
Packed with rifles and explosives, the SUV hurtled down a Florida interstate beneath bright blue autumn skies, passing other motorists with little notice.

It was November 2018, and the driver, Tyler Sumlin, was uncomfortable. Clammy. The husky, bearded former U.S. Army soldier was getting a cold, and understandably tense: He was transporting a platoon's worth of stolen rifles, enough C4 to blow up his car and those around him, a live hand grenade.

He would recall thinking, "Is it too late to turn around?"

Riding shotgun was Sumlin's military blood brother, Sgt. 1st Class Jason Jarvis, a soldier on active-duty from Fort Bragg's 18th Ordnance Company in North Carolina  Sumlin's old unit.

The two men, who'd been close since they served in Afghanistan, tried to distract themselves with idle road-trip chatter. Their wives, war stories, favorite movies.

A few months earlier, Jarvis had reached out to ask if Sumlin had interest in making some money. Jarvis was looking to sell stolen military equipment from an armory at Bragg.

Sumlin said he might be able to find a buyer.

Now they were headed to El Paso, Texas, to sell the stolen weapons. The two men had heard from contacts that the customers were taking the haul into Mexico.

In a series of stories, The Associated Press has detailed how the U.S. military has a problem with missing and stolen guns and explosives, and how some weapons have been used in domestic crime.

But the inside story of how two men who'd forged a deep bond amid the violence of the battlefield attempted to sell stolen Army weapons reveals another kind of threat: an organized group of soldiers and veterans taking advantage of flaws in the military's system to make fast money.

This story is based on extensive interviews, text messages associated with a federal criminal case, private Facebook group messages, court records and documents from military investigative proceedings.

While information about Sumlin and Jarvis has come to light before, this account offers new details about a case that left other soldiers appalled and enraged  betrayed, they believed, by two of their own.

***

A photograph captures a day in 2009 as Sumlin and Jarvis sat together on a rock in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. A rifle rests on Sumlin's lap, and he wears a tactical vest, his T-shirt sleeves cut off to expose a farmer's tan and tattoo on his left shoulder. Jarvis is off to his side, his rifle in hand.

The two young men had become brothers amid the breakneck tempo of wartime Afghanistan. Sumlin and Jarvis specialized in explosive ordnance disposal, or EOD, the kind of work  with its stifling, hulking bomb suits  given the Hollywood treatment in "The Hurt Locker."

Their work eliminating improvised explosive devices set by the Taliban was nonstop, and gave them little time to process what they saw, heard and smelled. It was a pressure cooker of a job inside a pressure cooker, intense even in the high stakes world of the battlefield. They stashed traumatic experiences and images deep inside themselves, and their comradery helped blunt the stress.

When they returned stateside both struggled with adjusting to the slower pace of life. Like many soldiers, they found some balm in the friendship of others who'd seen what they'd seen.

Like many military subcultures, the tight-knit EOD community has its own code of conduct, ethics and language. Sumlin joined a private Facebook group where the EOD community commiserated, argued and pranked one another. They also held each other to account, debating whether a member's conduct violated the brotherhood's code.

Sumlin left the Army in December 2017, but deployed again to do bomb disposal with a private defense contracting company.

Meanwhile, Jarvis remained in the Army. At Fort Bragg, home to some of the Army's most elite units, Jarvis worked in an armory. And that gave him access to a wealth of military firearms, parts and other equipment such as night vision goggles and explosives.

***

Inside the Fort Bragg armory, Jarvis took photographs of weaponry  and then he stole it, and set out to sell it.

His buddy, Sumlin, sent the photos and an inventory list of the pilfered weapons and explosives to an accomplice who called himself "Mr. Anderson." Anderson, a former Army combat engineer who had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, was one of several other soldiers or veterans connected to the scheme.

In May 2018, Sumlin and Jarvis began mining their contacts to offload the haul. They would find a promising lead with the help of a man identified as "Evan," who they hadn't met but who said he had connections with a willing buyer.

"Inventory: NVG-13, Aimpoint-8, ACOG-18, PEQ2A-10, DD Rail-24, DD-Barrel-15, Various Troy toys," Anderson texted Evan, including Jarvis' photos. The letters and numbers described a litany of arms and night vision goggles, rifle optics and lasers designed for aiming, and rifle parts.

"Wow, items are good, any idea on price if I took everything?" Evan texted back.

"I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from him," Anderson wrote, referring to Sumlin.

Over the next few days, the conversation continued, copies of messages show. Anderson and Evan complained about the weapons' high prices. They sounded paranoid when they discussed dealing with amateur gun dealers like Sumlin and Jarvis, and feared they would attract attention from law enforcement.

"As soon as he named his price (for the gunsights) I thought he was joking since they're definitely USED," Anderson wrote. "I'm not sure if it's his first time or not. But it's the last time I ask around for (Sumlin)."

After a few days, Evan said he'd found a buyer who wanted it. All of it.

What Anderson didn't know is that Evan was a longtime confidential informant working with Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

In his communication with Sumlin and Anderson, Evan said, he represented a buyer who claimed to be connected to narcotraffickers. (Sumlin has denied that the weapons were meant to be sold to drugrunners.)

"I didn't know (the buyer) was south of Texas," Anderson wrote.

"Yep he goes between Texas and Mexico all the time," Evan wrote back.

"I wouldn't sell anything to anyone down there," Anderson replied.

"Lol  well he has always been a cash buyer without question and never any issues at all," Evan responded. "It sounds like they've made a deal."

"I hope so. They still have to meet and conclude," wrote Anderson.

By mid-November 2018, Jarvis had rented a Chevy Tahoe SUV in North Carolina and drove the stolen cache south. He met Sumlin in Inverness, a small town in central Florida's lakes region, so they could prepare the weapons for sale, according to a federal criminal complaint.

Sumlin would say he and Jarvis had initially sought $250,000 for the firearms and explosives. After some back-and-forth, they settled on a much lower price: $75,000.

It seemed a paltry amount, considering the risk, but the weapons sale may have been just one in which they were involved. According to the Army Criminal Investigation Division's case file, Jarvis and Sumlin would later tell agents about "criminal transactions" in Colorado, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Texas. In the document, another soldier confessed to stealing multiple rifle optic systems and a bomb suit, which were given to Sumlin.

In Florida, Jarvis and Sumlin cleaned the firearms to remove their fingerprints. They also paid to have some parts modified to fit the rifles. With the cache assembled, cleaned, packed in storage containers and loaded for delivery, the men got into the SUV for the 24-hour drive to Texas.

Arriving in El Paso, they pulled into a truck stop the morning of Nov. 14, 2018. A man they thought was the buyers' contact, known as Andy, waited with some others. They told Sumlin and Jarvis to follow them to a nearby warehouse  and into the trap.

There, the agents confirmed that the two men were indeed carrying multiple firearms, military equipment and C4 plastic explosives. A SWAT team pounced, arrested them and secured the cache.

Homeland Security agents seized more than 30 firearms; several blocks of C4; a hand grenade; shaped charges; body armor; night vision devices; binoculars; ammunition; lasers and magazines. In Mexico, where drug traffickers have fought openly, the equipment could unleash carnage.

Yet the weapons recovered did not account for all that was missing from Bragg's armory. According to the report by Army criminal investigators, the items stolen between Sumlin, Jarvis and their accomplices between 2014 and 2018 were valued at close to $180,000. But the U.S. government only recovered roughly $26,000 worth.

The Army referred questions to Homeland Security Investigations, which initially promised to discuss the case with AP, then canceled the interview and, later, did not respond to written questions.

Jarvis and Sumlin were indicted on eight different federal charges, including conspiracy and gunrunning.

"Holy hell they had to be planning a crazy something for sure," Evan texted a Homeland Security agent.

"Boss is extremely happy ... It was a good hit," the agent replied. "Bad guys thought we were narco traffickers from Mexico ... Using their weapons against troops."

***

Sumlin posted bail and returned to his Florida home to pick up the pieces. He faced a possible 70 years in prison, and struggled under the weight of PTSD.

He logged onto the EOD community's private Facebook group page and saw a message directed at him.

"Dude is this you?" an EOD brother asked.

There on the page for everyone to see was a copy of his indictment, which had not been made public or attracted any media attention.

"Yup," Sumlin typed.

"Mistakes were made," a fellow EOD member responded, glibly.

"Alot of them," Sumlin wrote.

In the months after the arrests, word had swirled in the small EOD community about fellow soldiers who'd tried to sell firearms and explosives. But the Army sent no official press release and there were no news reports. The chatter was dismissed as a rumor traded among troops.

The indictment confirmed the rumor, and some of Sumlin's brethren were livid. Explosive ordnance disposal technicians work on the border amid Mexican drug-related violence. What if the weapons had ended up with narcos? They might have been used against the good guys.

"Bro, (obscenity) you AND your service. You're a piece of (obscenity)," wrote one EOD group member. "You betrayed everyone you ever worked with as soon as you tried to sell weapons and explosives to a cartel."

In response, Sumlin indicated there had been six others involved in the conspiracy. Pressed to identify them, he refused.

Why, asked another community member, was he protecting the other conspirators?

"I'd like to hope they learned from what's going to happen to me," Sumlin explained. He said he didn't think any of them had been arrested, and he wanted to keep it that way. He hoped his and Jarvis' punishment would dissuade them from future arms dealings.

For many in the EOD community, Sumlin's mea culpa and excuses about needing money were not enough. He had crossed a line by selling items that could have killed one of their own.

Sumlin and Jarvis had faced decades in prison, but both reached deals with federal prosecutors. They pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle goods from the United States.

The other seven counts were dropped. The maximum term was now 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

But they didn't even get that.

Each was sentenced to five years' probation, and Jarvis was ordered to mental health counseling and required to take prescribed medication.

Jarvis and Anderson did not return messages seeking comment. Sumlin declined to be interviewed for this story, but said in a 2019 interview that he planned to finish his probation and complete a psychology degree.

"I want to try and help veterans that have lost their way and try to help veterans transition out of the military and back into civilian life ... people that have gone through the issues of losing that rush ... that spark in life," he said.

The investigators, meanwhile, were incensed. They speculated that the federal judge was moved by the defendants' service records and claims of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I don't mind getting my ass kicked in court fair and square ... but when they take a plea agreement and admit to everything we charged him with ... I just don't know what to say," a federal agent wrote to Evan.

"It's like if they pulled over (Timothy) McVeigh on the way to Oklahoma City  and gave him probation because he didn't actually blow up the building," Evan responded.

As for Sumlin's insistence that drug traffickers were never discussed when he was negotiating the deal with undercover agents, Evan is adamant: The veteran was lying.

"They definitely planned to steal the weapons, the C4, the blasting caps and everything and they were going to sell it to the Mexican cartel, period," Evan told the AP.

The legal record is unclear. Sumlin told federal officials he believed the weapons were going to be exported to Mexico. But the federal complaint does not mention drug cartels.

To Evan, Sumlin and Jarvis are terrorists. If they were Muslim or Black, he said, they wouldn't have gotten off so easily.

"It was very frustrating that so many risked their lives, so many undercover people. There were all kinds of agencies involved and this is the outcome?" Evan wrote a Homeland Security agent. "There's other guys who got much worse for much less."

***

LaPorta reported from Boca Raton, Florida; contact him at https://twitter.com/JimLaPorta. Dearen reported from New York; contact him at https://twitter.com/JHDearen. Randy Herschaft in New York contributed.

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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."

***

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BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has lodged solemn representations with Japan over the conduct of a Japanese diplomat in China, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks in response to a query on China's temporary detention of a Japanese diplomat in Beijing this week.

"We found upon verification that the Japanese diplomat engaged in activities inconsistent with the individual's capacity in China," she said, adding that relevant Chinese departments had conducted an investigation and inquiry into the individual in question in accordance with laws and regulations.

China has urged the Japanese side to respect Chinese laws and strictly discipline its diplomatic personnel in China to prevent similar incidents from occurring, Hua said.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations has clear provisions on the boundaries of the conduct of diplomats. Foreign diplomats have the obligation to comply with host country laws and regulations, Hua said. 
Another police officer who has come forward with concerns about sexual harassment and discrimination within the Lincoln Police Department has been suspended and now is the subject of an Internal Affairs investigation.

Officer Luke Bonkiewicz has been a visible part of LPD, working in part as a public information officer until last year, when he was moved to education and personnel.

The Internal Affairs investigation of Bonkiewicz is one of at least half a dozen made of officers who have complained about sexual discrimination or harassment or who have supported the women who have. Two lawsuits have been filed so far, in addition to one that was settled last month.

Bonkiewicz  who received a Mayor's Award of Excellence in 2014 for studying LPD's mental health referral program and in 2018 was named a National Institute of Justice LEADS Scholar for his work using scientific evidence in evidence-based policing  was suspended without pay Feb. 8.

Asked about the decision to suspend Bonkiewicz, Chief Teresa Ewins did not refer to him by name, but issued a statement Feb. 11: "Due to public interest of this issue and our ongoing effort to provide greater transparency with our community, I am informing the public I received information that would indicate an employee with this department did not fully and accurately provide information to an Internal Affairs investigator."

She said in light of the allegation, she placed the employee on a 30-day suspension while the matter was thoroughly investigated.

In the emailed statement, Ewins called it a personnel matter and said she wouldn't name the employee or provide additional details.

She said the investigation does not detract from the great work of LPD. Every day, the women and men of the department serve the community with integrity and selfless dedication to public safety and that work will continue, Ewins said.

Requests for comment made to Bonkiewicz by the Journal Star went unanswered.

A week before his suspension, Bonkiewicz's name appeared on a journal article in Police Quarterly, along with former LPD Officer Angela Sands, who was fired in December, and three others from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, titled Police Sexual Violence: A Study of Policewomen as Victims, which examines instances of sexual violence against women within police departments.

His name has since been removed from the article.

The women interviewed for the article broadly blamed a prevailing sexist culture at their agencies from rank-and-file officers to administrators for assaults occurring and going unreported.

Research suggests it's uncommon, the authors wrote. "Nonetheless, its existence and constant threat of occurrence within a profession designed to prevent and investigate such incidents is sobering."

The study included female officers across three states in the Midwest, South and East regions of the U.S., and didn't name any specific police departments. But some of the allegations outlined mirror allegations made in recent lawsuits against the city of Lincoln. In January, Officer Erin Spilker filed the most recent, alleging years of discrimination based on her sex and insufficient efforts to investigate her reports.

In an email obtained by the self-described left-leaning website Seeing Red Nebraska sent from Bonkiewicz to Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird's chief of staff nearly a year ago, Bonkiewicz described a "dark undercurrent" in the Lincoln Police Department.

He said there was "a pervasive subculture that marginalizes female sworn officers, ignores reports of sexual harassment, and fosters an environment that discourages women from reporting both sexual harassment and sexual assaults committed by male employees."

In the email, he said in his 10 years at LPD, he's spoken with many women about their experiences in the department.

"To be sure, many of them report positive experiences, and LPD is an exceptional agency in many respects. However, many women also report atrociously sexist and even assaultive behavior by male co-workers," Bonkiewicz wrote in the email sent in March 2021 to Jennifer Brinkman.

He listed more than a dozen incidents, including accounts where a male officer groped a female officer's breasts at an off-duty gathering; male officers showed cruiser camera or body-worn camera footage of sexual assault victims (some nude) to other officers; a male officer grabbed a female officer's butt as she checked out equipment for her shift; and a captain tried to groom new female officers, telling them they had to sleep with him or their career would suffer.

Bonkiewicz said some perpetrators have left the department, but many remain.

"This problem did not suddenly emerge, and it will not suddenly disappear. It will take leadership of the highest caliber to address this problem and bring about a massive, sorely overdue cultural change," he wrote in the email, which he said was intended to provide feedback to the mayor as she chose the next police chief.

The city denied the Journal Star's public-records request for Bonkiewicz's email.

Assistant City Attorney Danielle Rowley said it was exempt from disclosure under a state statute involving records developed by law enforcement that "constituted a part of the examination, investigation, intelligence information, citizen complaints or inquiries."

The city, however, did release a second email requested by the Journal Star, sent Jan. 1, 2021, from Sands, Spilker, Melissa Ripley and Sara Khalil to Gaylor Baird regarding the search for a new police chief.

"Fearing for our careers and safety, there were occasions we stayed silent. We can no longer tolerate the hostile and discriminatory work environment that plagues this department, and we hope for a more promising future not only for ourselves, but for other female officers and potential female recruits that our force so desperately needs."

Each of the women is represented by attorney Kelly Brandon in current or anticipated lawsuits alleging sexual harassment and retaliation for reporting.

On Monday, City Attorney Yohance Christie said he was unable to comment on Bonkiewicz's suspension.

This is a personnel matter. We owe an obligation to our employees to keep their personal information confidential. I will not be commenting on personnel issues.

In January, city officials briefed the City Council on the situation at LPD during an executive session, at the request of council members.

Councilman Tom Beckius, who asked for the briefing, said the purpose was to learn more about the efforts being undertaken by the Lincoln Police Department to ensure all employees have a safe workplace."

After reviewing department policies and trainings, I do not believe there is a need to intervene, Beckius said Monday. But I will be paying close attention as pending complaints are heard and decided.

City Council Chairman James Michael Bowers also said in a separate statement Monday that the council will continue to monitor the situation.

In recent months it has become public that several female LPD officers have filed lawsuits alleging sex discrimination, he said. We support the right of everyone to seek redress through our court system, and we do not condone harassment of any kind. While we expect that these matters will be disposed of appropriately through our judicial branch, the court system, we can assure you that we will closely monitor these cases and act accordingly upon any conclusion.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger Reporters Andrew Wegley and Margaret Reist contributed to this story.

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Once in TV journalism there were people called assignment editors and news directors. Among their responsibilities was to instruct reporters and camera crews which stories they were to cover that day. Their choices were based on several factors that included what they regarded as news, viewer interest (i.e., ratings) and much more subtly, their own biases.

When I began my journalism career as a reporter, there were only three broadcast networks and local TV and radio stations. The radio stations played music and reported local news. The news was what these gatekeepers said it was. When the broadcast TV networks went from 15-minute newscasts to 30 minutes, some expressed fear there wouldnt be enough news to fill the time.

Then, the news was considered serious business. We would cover congressional hearings and presidential press conferences. There would be stories about crime, and news from Europe and Asia reported by bureau chiefs who were full-time correspondents.

Mostly, though, it was subjects considered of importance to America, a type of eat your vegetables approach. Yes, the times changed and much of the media today appears to be more opinion than facts, more infotainment than news.

In 1987, the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters to present fair and balanced coverage, contributed to the rise of alternative media. These cable networks and some print publications began carrying stories ignored by the once dominant major media. They quickly attracted the loyalty of conservative political and religious people who felt their beliefs and values were being ignored.

The power to ignore is still the greatest power major media has and few issues demonstrate that more than the trouble at our southern border.

Fox News and The New York Post have been the only media entities to consistently cover the flood of undocumented migrants entering the country illegally. Critics usually dismiss anything carried by these outlets as coming from right-wing media and thus inherently untrustworthy.

The latest example is reporting by Angie Wong in the Post. Wong traveled to Mission, Texas, and reported that after being processed, migrants are given color-coded folders to the city of their destination. She says she saw airplane tickets to Atlanta, Houston, Newark, and New York. The folder, she writes, also includes ...a U.S. passport looking booklet, cash, prepaid credit cards, travel itineraries and an English translation card, which asks people to help the migrant find the right flight.

Furthermore, observed Wong, each migrant receives a set of clothing...a blanket, a pillow-sized bag of shelf-life food and a carry-on travel bag. Some have received cellphones.

All of this is presumably paid for by American taxpayers. Wong further notes their handlers get through immigration and security with just a flash of documents, whereas all other passengers had to show identification. She says she was told the handlers are members of non-government organizations (NGOs) and churches.

Why isnt this news? It is, of course, but it doesnt fit the narrative of a media whose members are, according to numerous surveys over many years, predisposed to Democratic politicians. They ignore what in other circumstances might be called an invasion. Again, ignoring something that is newsworthy is the greatest power they have. No wonder their trust level is, according to Gallup, at its second lowest level on record.
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The Full Bloom Film Festival has become an anticipated annual celebration of diverse films and filmmakers hosted by the Statesville community.

But the festival is also committed to bringing unique film experiences to Statesville and the surrounding area throughout the year. On Thursday, the Iredell Arts Council will hold a special screening of four short films at 7 p.m. at the Old Jail. The films shown will be The Bronze Fly; Futures Resistance; The Boy and the Mountain; and The Legacy Sessions.

The theme of this block of films is storytelling. We wanted each film to be unique in how the story is told, said Full Bloom Film Festival Chairman Charles Ashe. Its a great broad brushstroke of what people will experience at the festival.

The 2022 Full Bloom Film Festival will be held Sept. 8-10. Tickets are already on sale and available online at www.fullbloomfilmfestival.org.

The festival has received great support from the local community, said Iredell Arts Council Director John Koppelmeyer.

These screenings are a great way to showcase the wonderful films that are part of the festival and highlight them throughout the year, he said. Were able to introduce the community to the type of films we have at the festival in smaller doses.

Tickets for the screening are $10, and are available at the door or at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fbff-special-screening-tickets-266351042137?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

About the films:

The Bronze Fly (0:15:00)

Director: Karleener

France

2019

A painter gives three magic pills to his visually impaired girlfriend, then intentionally loses her in the crowd. Thanks to a painting and the pills, she will search for the painter and his secret.

Futures Resistance (0:08:56)

Director: Duncan Lauer

United States

2021

A young Lebanese woman recounts her story about the aftermath of the Beirut explosion. Through helping with the cleanup, and the protest that followed, her faith in her country comes into question.

The Boy and the Mountain (0:11:23)

Directors: Santiago Aguilera and Gabriel Monreal

Chile

2020

Hernan, pushed by his father to dispense with daydreaming and reach high, achieves great success. Hernan, however, makes a crucial decision to fulfill his dream that changes the meaning of his life.

The Legacy Sessions (0:36:30)

Director: William D. Ashton

United States

2020

After the death of her mother, a sullen teenager copes with isolation and punk music. But a friendship with an elderly woman in a retirement home slowly helps her express and overcome her grief.
ABINGDON, Va.  More than 20 Abingdon restaurants will participate in this years Restaurant Week, an opportunity hosted by the Virginia Highlands Festival to better acquaint people with the many eateries in town.

The Virginia Highlands Festival is collaborating with Abingdon Tourism and the Virginia Tourism Corp. to spotlight 21 independently owned restaurants during the week of March 7-13.

The special week is presented in conjunction with Eat. Drink. Love. The statewide campaign presented by the Virginia Tourism Corp. focuses on all things culinary in Virginia.

The goal of Restaurant Week is to entice more patrons to visit restaurants they have never tried before  especially during a time when the restaurant industry has taken a hit from the pandemic.

The promotional opportunity also comes at a time when the town is reeling with excitement from winning first place in USA Todays Ten Best Small Town Food Scene contest for the third consecutive year. Abingdon competed with other towns around the country, including Thibodaux, Louisiana; Lewisburg, West Virginia; and Saugerties, New York, to win the title.

The readers choice competition allows community members to share top destinations and eateries from across the country.

We understand that March through May is a downtime for our restaurants, and coupled with the fact that they have just been voted No. 1 Best Small Town Food Scene three years in a row, the timing for the Restaurant Week campaign is perfect, said Deirdre Cole, executive producer of the Virginia Highlands Festival.

Christine Webb, who works to coordinate efforts between Abingdon and the Virginia Highlands Festival, said the restaurants have come together in an unprecedented way. Ive worked in tourism in Abingdon for a while, and the partnerships just keep getting better and stronger. As we reached out to restaurant owners and chefs, they offered to reach out to their contacts, and the effort just grew and grew, Webb said.

This special week will be a big boost for our restaurants in town that often experience a decline in business during the winter months. Seeing new faces is always exciting for restaurant owners.

Serving up specials

Restaurants participating in Restaurant Week are located throughout town from Rain Restaurant on East Main Street to JJs Restaurant at the opposite end of Abingdon.

The restaurants will offer customers a variety of specials, discounts and free food items during the week. Many chefs will surprise customers with new menu items.

Lukes Cafe will give customers a free cobbler with the purchase of two entrees.

Tumbling Creek Cider Co. Taproom plans to offer five glasses of cider for the price of four.

Sisters American Grill at the Martha Washington Hotel and Spa will serve a meal for two at a special rate.

Customers are encouraged to ask their servers about the specials of the day when visiting the restaurants.

Photos of food specials will be posted on the Virginia Highlands Festival and the Town of Abingdon websites at www.vahighlandsfestival.com and www.abingdon-va.gov.

In addition, a souvenir T-shirt featuring the logos of participating restaurants will be sold for $25 each at Wolf Hills Coffee, Abingdon Visitors Center and Wolf Hills Antiques.

Tonya Triplett, director of Abingdon Tourism said Restaurant Week is an opportunity to try something new.

In the summer and fall, and even at Christmas, its hard to get a table at some of these restaurants, especially without reservations. Nows the time for everyone to taste why weve been voted No. 1 in the country, said Triplett.

I am grateful for the partnerships between the Town of Abingdon, the Virginia Highlands Festival, Abingdon restaurants and the Virginia Tourism Corp., and I hope we can continue to work together to showcase all the assets Abingdon has to offer.

Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at news@washconews.com.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China will adopt the tariff rates it has pledged under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement on part of imports from Malaysia from March 18, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council has said.

The new tariff rates will take effect on the same day as the world's largest deal comes into force for Malaysia, which has recently deposited its instrument of approval with the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The RCEP deal, which entered into force on Jan. 1 initially in 10 countries, will then be effective for 12 of its 15 signing members.

According to the commission's statement, the first-year RCEP tariff rates applicable to ASEAN members will be adopted on imports from Malaysia. The annual rates for subsequent years will be implemented from Jan. 1 of the respective years.

The agreement was signed on Nov. 15, 2020, by 15 Asia-Pacific countries -- 10 ASEAN members and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- after eight years of negotiations that started in 2012.

Within this trade bloc that covers nearly a third of the world's population and accounts for about 30 percent of the global GDP, more than 90 percent of merchandise trade will eventually be subject to zero tariffs. 
A Meadowview, Virginia, man was charged with second-degree murder and strangulation by the Washington County Virginia Sheriffs Office on Thursday, following the death of his 77-year-old aunt.

Roger Lee Stout, 54, is currently being held at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail without bond. He is charged in connection with the death of his aunt, 77-year-old Shirley Stout of Meadowview, who died last Wednesday at Johnston Memorial Hospital, Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis said Thursday during a news conference.

Shirley Stout was transported to the hospital for what was reported to be injuries resulting from a fall. A press release from the Washington County Sheriffs Office said Johnston Memorial Hospital officials contacted the Sheriffs Office advising Shirley Stouts injuries did not appear to be consistent with those related to a fall.

Detectives arrived at the hospital and began a criminal investigation into the death after observing Shirley Stouts injuries.

Roger Stout, who lived at the same residence as his aunt Shirley Stout and another 90-year-old aunt in the 28000 block of Lee Highway, was identified as a suspect.

Sheriff Andis said during the press conference that Roger Stout has confessed to the crime.

Andis said detectives found signs of a fight and a struggle in the home.

There appeared to be a definite struggle along with the evidence that we got and the information that we had, Andis said.

The body of Shirley Stout has been transported to the medical examiners office in Roanoke for an autopsy.

We should get some more information as the investigation continues, Andis said.
The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating a Wise County fire that apparently resulted in the death of a 65-year-old man.

According to a press release from the Virginia State Police, the fire in the 3900 block of McReynolds Road occurred Tuesday, Feb. 8, at a residence in the 3900 block of McReynolds Road. Firefighters discovered the body of 65-year-old Bruce E. Maines, Jr., inside the residence after the fire was extinguished.

Maines remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination and autopsy.

The release said investigators do not believe foul play was involved at this point and the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature. The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation.
The cause of death of Ronnie L. Meade, the 75-year-old man believed to be homeless when found dead at the Wes David Greenway on March 13, has been determined as hypothermia.
Green iced tea with chewy tapioca pearls. Fluffy doughnut bars with maple frosting. Holiday themed decorated pastries.

These are just some of the items Leng Hok, 36, and her husband, Oudom Chorn, 38, have made popular at Longview Donuts, LLC since their 2019 opening.

Regulars visit the brown building off Ocean Beach Highway, sometimes twice a day, said Hok to grab items from the shop's menu, including the No. 1 seller: Bubble tea.

Bubble tea

Hok is originally from Cambodia, she said, but the creamy, cold drink that originated northeast of Hok's home country in Taiwan is what Longview customers want. Bubble tea, also known as boba tea in China, is traditionally a milk-based black or green tea topped with chewy, sweet tapioca pearls that fall to the bottom of glasses.

The item is part drink, part novelty. Staff at Longview Donuts seal bubble teas with a plastic cover, which customers poke through with a wide straw to easily suck up sunken bobas. Drinkers are to shake the item before tasting, creating foaming bubbles at the top and giving the tea its name.

The traditional tapioca pearls aren't the only goodies that can be added to the tea. Customers can pick fruit-flavored bobas like strawberry or lychee, or jellies, which typically are made of the meat of a fruit like coconut to add additional flavor.

Hok said she sells bubble tea because she's a fan herself.

"I like it, it's good quality," she said.

Longview Donuts Signature Fare: Bubble tea. Cost: $4.25 for 16 ounces, $5.25 for 24 ounces and $0.85 per topping, like tapioca pearls. Address: 931 Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sundays. Info: 360-688-8800 or facebook.com/Longview-Donuts-LLC.

Doughnuts

Hok said the couple opened, then revamped the Longview shop to focus on frying doughnuts. She learned the specialty from her parents who owned a Texas doughnut shop after the family immigrated to the United States around 2000, when Hok was about 13 years old.

Hok and her husband added an electric fireplace and seating area, located a few steps up past the cashier desk in the building that previously housed a coffee shop called ZoJo Coffee.

Signature Fare New and longtime Lower Columbia restaurant owners and food producers share their signature dishes  that defining menu item that creates the b

Chorn wakes up at about 1 a.m., seven days a week, Hok said, to start preparing each day's dough. At the end of the day, leftover pastries are scrapped to start fresh the next morning.

During holidays like Thanksgiving, Hok said she designs special orders for items like candy-corn-dotted cake doughnuts. On Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, she dips strawberries in milk chocolate with sprinkles and drizzles white chocolate designs.

The couple and five employees cover the cashier stand and drive thru, selling items like dozens of types of doughnuts from round, bite-sized doughnut holes to light, airy, circular French crullers.

Longview Donuts also offers breakfast sandwiches with items like eggs and sausage, hot teas, smoothies and cold and hot coffee drinks. In the future, Hok hopes to add espresso, she said.

Signature Fare is a series featuring local restaurants' signature menu items and prints every other Wednesday. Contact Daily News reporter Hayley Day at 360-577-2541 or hday@tdn.com for possible inclusion in the series.

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Timeline

April 13, 2019: Cowlitz County Sheriff Office Deputy Justin DeRosier is shot when checking on a motorhome blocking a road in Kalama.

April 14, 2019: DeRosier dies at the hospital from his wounds. His suspected shooter Brian Butts is fatally shot by police after he fires at them off Spencer Creak Road in Kalama. Police say $3,000 worth of methamphetamine was found on Butts' body, possibly indicating his motive to shoot DeRosier.

Oct. 9, 2019: Michael Veatch is fatally shot by officers in St. Helens, Oregon, in a case unrelated to DeRosier's death. Veatch is never charged in DeRosier's case, but police say Michael Veatch gave Butts a heads up that DeRosier was on his way after being pulled over by the deputy nearby. Later his girlfriend Savannah Eastman says he asked her to help Butts escape.

June 8, 2020: Michael Veatch's brother Mathew Veatch is sentenced to 11 months after pleading guilty to leading Butts to a nearby wooded area to avoid police.

Feb. 7, 2022: Eastman is sentenced to one year and a day in prison after pleading guilty to helping Butts avoid police.

Feb. 16, 2022: Ricky Roberts, Jr. is sentenced to 90 days in the Cowlitz County Jail, which he has already served, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for testifying against Eastman if she went to trial. Police say Roberts provided a getaway ride for Butts.
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE  Drivers along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon this summer will be required to purchase a vehicle permit to use the highway to reach Waterfall Corridor and Multnomah Falls.

Oregon officials say a "time-entry" permit will be required from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 24 to Sept. 5 for every personal vehicle on Historic Columbia River Highway between Vista House and Ainsworth State Park.

People can purchase the permits online or a limited amount in person on the day of travel. The cost of the permits has not yet been released.

People who visit the area by bike, tour group or public transit will not have to purchase a permit, officials say. Traveling in groups also reduces congestion, they added.

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Activision Blizzard Inc. will delay a Call of Duty game that had been planned for next year.

Activision Blizzard Inc. will delay a Call of Duty 2023 game that had been planned for next year, the first time the franchise will be without an annual mainline release in nearly two decades, according to people familiar with the plan. The company is working on other projects to fill the gap. A Call of Duty game set to come out this fall will receive a steady stream of new content, and there will be a free-to-play online title next year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they werent authorized to discuss the plans.

Treyarch, the Activision-owned studio working on the now-delayed game, will also help with the free-to-play title, the people said. A spokesman for Activision didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

The delay will have a massive effect on the video game industry. Every fall since 2005, Activision has put out a new, premium entry in the lucrative shooting series. Call of Duty games regularly top yearly sales charts and have sold more than 400 million units since the series began in 2003.

The decision was made independently of Activisions agreement to sell itself to Microsoft Corp. for $69 billion, the people familiar with the move said. Last years entry, Call of Duty: Vanguard, failed to meet Activisions sales expectations, leading executives to suspect that it had been cannibalized by the previous years game. The company also released a free-to-play battle royale game, Call of Duty: Warzone, in 2020, which has been a massive success and may have also drawn players away from the premium entries.

Activision remains autonomous, and Microsoft could decide to change these plans after the acquisition, which is expected to be finalized by the summer of 2023 pending approval from regulators.

Call of Duty games are developed by a rotating stable of Activisions development studios. This years entry, a new Modern Warfare game, will be made by Woodland Hills, California-based Infinity Ward. Bloomberg earlier reported that Activision executives were seriously considering skipping a year of Call of Duty.
Infinix is not always a brand you hear in Malaysia but the company has released some new phones here. Called the Infinix ZERO X Pro and ZERO 5G, the latter is its first 5G mobile device with a starting price of RM1099 only. Let's check out what Infinix has to offer.

Starting with the ZERO X Pro, it features a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset, 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. Its 120Hz AMOLED display is rather large measuring 6.67-inches and carrying a respectable 4500mAh battery supporting 45W fast charging technology. Oddly, it doesn't support 5G and runs on Android 11 out of the box.

The triple rear camera is just a standard 108MP (main) + 8MP (periscope) + 8MP (ultrawide), whereas the front camera is 16MP with a dual flashlight. However, the ZERO X Pro is equipped with a Galileo Algorithm Engine and a 60X periscope Moonshot camera software, allowing you to shoot for the moon. It can reach up to 60x hybrid zoom and supports Hybrid Image Stabilization (OIS + EIS) as well.

On the other hand, the ZERO 5G uses a MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G chipset, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a larger 5000mAh battery pack (33W support) and a 6.78-inch 120Hz display. This model also features a triple rear camera module consisting of a 48MP (main) + 13MP (portrait) + 2MP (virtual) sensor, alongside the same front camera setup.

For the prices, you may check them out below:

Infinix ZERO X Pro (8GB + 128GB) - RM1,199

Infinix ZERO X Pro (8GB + 256GB) - RM1,299

Infinix ZERO 5G - RM1099

On 3 March 2022, there will be a pre-sale offer with RM100 off and an Infinix Smartwatch as a gift with purchase but for the first 200 customers only. Then on the dates of the 9th, 15th and 25th, you can make use of the RM100 off for the official product launch, followed by the Shopee Mega Campaign and Pay Sale respectively.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Imagine a field of wheat that extends to the horizon, being grown for flour that will be made into bread to feed cities' worth of people. Imagine that all authority for tilling, planting, fertilizing, monitoring and harvesting this field has been delegated to artificial intelligence: algorithms that control drip-irrigation systems, self-driving tractors and combine harvesters, clever enough to respond to the weather and the exact needs of the crop. Then imagine a hacker messes things up.

A new risk analysis, published today in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, warns that the future use of artificial intelligence in agriculture comes with substantial potential risks for farms, farmers and food security that are poorly understood and under-appreciated.

"The idea of intelligent machines running farms is not science fiction. Large companies are already pioneering the next generation of autonomous ag-bots and decision support systems that will replace humans in the field," said Dr. Asaf Tzachor in the University of Cambridge's Center for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER), first author of the paper.

"But so far no-one seems to have asked the question 'are there any risks associated with a rapid deployment of agricultural AI?'" he added.

Despite the huge promise of AI for improving crop management and agricultural productivity, potential risks must be addressed responsibly and new technologies properly tested in experimental settings to ensure they are safe, and secure against accidental failures, unintended consequences, and cyber-attacks, the authors say.

In their research, the authors have come up with a catalog of risks that must be considered in the responsible development of AI for agricultureand ways to address them. In it, they raise the alarm about cyber-attackers potentially causing disruption to commercial farms using AI, by poisoning datasets or by shutting down sprayers, autonomous drones, and robotic harvesters. To guard against this they suggest that 'white hat hackers' help companies uncover any security failings during the development phase, so that systems can be safeguarded against real hackers.

In a scenario associated with accidental failure, the authors suggest that an AI system programmed only to deliver the best crop yield in the short term might ignore the environmental consequences of achieving this, leading to overuse of fertilizers and soil erosion in the long term. Over-application of pesticides in pursuit of high yields could poison ecosystems; over-application of nitrogen fertilizer would pollute the soil and surrounding waterways. The authors suggest involving applied ecologists in the technology design process to ensure these scenarios are avoided.

Autonomous machines could improve the working conditions of farmers, relieving them of manual labor. But without inclusive technology design, socioeconomic inequalities that are currently entrenched in global agricultureincluding gender, class, and ethnic discriminationswill remain.

"Expert AI farming systems that don't consider the complexities of labor inputs will ignore, and potentially sustain, the exploitation of disadvantaged communities," warned Tzachor.

Various ag-bots and advanced machinery, such as drones and sensors, are already used to gather information on crops and support farmers' decision-making: detecting diseases or insufficient irrigation, for example. And self-driving combine harvesters can bring in a crop without the need for a human operator. Such automated systems aim to make farming more efficient, saving labor costs, optimizing for production, and minimizing loss and waste. This leads to increasing revenues for farmers as well as to greater reliance on agricultural AI.

However, small-scale growers who cultivate the majority of farms worldwide and feed large swaths of the so-called Global South are likely to be excluded from AI-related benefits. Marginalization, poor internet penetration rates, and the digital divide might prevent smallholders from using advanced technologies, widening the gaps between commercial and subsistence farmers.

With an estimated two billion people afflicted by food insecurity, including some 690 million malnourished and 340 million children suffering micronutrient deficiencies, artificial intelligence technologies and precision agriculture promise substantial benefits for food and nutritional security in the face of climate change and a growing global population.

"AI is being hailed as the way to revolutionize agriculture. As we deploy this technology on a large scale, we should closely consider potential risks, and aim to mitigate those early on in the technology design," said Dr. Sean O hEigeartaigh, Executive Director of CSER and co-author of the new research.

Explore further Robots can improve agriculture, but old laws stand in the way

More information: Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Requires Systemic Understanding of Risks and Externalities, Nature Machine Intelligence (2022). Journal information: Nature Machine Intelligence Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Requires Systemic Understanding of Risks and Externalities,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s42256-022-00440-4
GENEVA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreed on Wednesday to hold their 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) during the week of 13 June in Geneva, the organization said.

According to a WTO press release, the decision was taken by the organization's General Council following the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions in the host country Switzerland. The exact dates of the meeting will be specified later.

Dacio Castillo, ambassador of Honduras to the WTO and chair of the General Council, said that fixing the dates for the conference should provide impetus to the WTO's work and focus for the discussions.

"Let us work together with the primary objective in mind that the Conference will provide the WTO, and us here in Geneva, with an opportunity to demonstrate that the WTO can deliver," Castillo said. "Let us make this count."

MC12 was originally due to be held in June 2020 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

The rescheduled meeting was set to be held between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, 2021, but was postponed due to the Omicron variant COVID-19 outbreak, which led to the imposition of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements that would have prevented many ministers from reaching Geneva.

The Ministerial Conference, which is attended by trade ministers and other senior officials from the organization's 164 members, is the WTO's highest decision-making body. 
Clouds and nearby mountains are reflected in a polluted canal, once used as a boating dock, along the Salton Sea in Desert Shores, Calif., Wednesday, July 14, 2021. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, pointed to plans to extract lithium from geothermal wastewater around the sea as an example of the Unites States' efforts to compete with China and other nations when it comes to domestic lithium production. The metal is a key element in rechargeable batteries, such as those used for cars. Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File

President Joe Biden highlighted his efforts to counter China's dominance of the electric battery market on Tuesday as he touted domestic efforts to mine and process lithium and rare metals necessary to create the technology that powers cars, electronics, wind turbines and more.

The Democratic president announced his administration is giving $35 million to MP Materials, a company that mines rare earth metals near the Nevada border in Southern California,. The funding will boost MP's ability to process the materials domestically for use in U.S. manufacturing.

He also touted efforts to extract lithium from geothermal brine found around California's Salton Sea. Biden said U.S. demand for such materials will grow by 400% to 600% over the next several decades.

"We can't build a future that's made in America if we ourselves are dependent on China for the materials that power the products of today and tomorrow," Biden said. "And this is not anti-China, or anti-anything else. It's pro-America."

Biden spoke virtually from Washington with a group of California business and government leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Las Vegas-based MP Materials runs the Mountain Pass mine and processing facility that is the only one of its kind in North America. It extracts rare earth metals and produces a concentrate that's exported for use in other countries. Such metals are used to produce magnets necessary for batteries in electric cars and many other items.

The federal money will help the company create a processing facility for "heavy" rare earth metals, and it follows a $10 million award last year for "light" rare earth metals. The company is spending $700 million of its own money for improving processing and creating a manufacturing facility in Texas to produce magnets. The company has a deal with General Motors, said Matt Sloustcher, MP Materials' senior vice president for policy and communications.

"My team is committed to bringing this supply chain home," company Chief Executive Officer Jim Litinsky told Biden on the call.

A rotting former boating dock is seen along the Salton Sea Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Desert Shores, Calif. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, pointed to plans to extract lithium from geothermal wastewater around the sea as an example of the Unites States' efforts to compete with China and other nations when it comes to domestic lithium production. The metal is a key element in rechargeable batteries, such as those used for cars. Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File

Elsewhere, Biden touted lithium production efforts in California. Newsom has called the state the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a reference to that country's abundance of oil.

Newsom said lithium extraction in California has the potential to boost national security by improving domestic supply chains and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Biden earlier noted the nation could produce a half-million electric cars per year by 2025.

"If it's as big as it appears to be, this is a game-changer in terms of our efforts to transition to low-carbon green growth and to radically change the way we produce and consume energy," Newsom said.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy is among several companies working on extracting lithium from geothermal brine found around the Salton Sea, California's largest lake. Berkshire Hathaway has run geothermal plants around the lake for decades, but the lithium has historically been pumped back under ground with the brine after it's used to generate power.

With state and federal investments of about $20 million, the company is working on projects to demonstrate it can extract the lithium and convert it to battery-grade in a way that's commercially viable, said Alicia Knapp, president of BHE Renewables.

The Newsom administration said it wants to ensure economic benefits from lithium extraction go back to the areas around the Salton Sea, which have been hit by economic hardship and environmental degradation as the lake dries up because of dwindling supplies from the Colorado River.

Silvia Paz, chairwoman of the state-created Lithium Valley Commission, told Biden communities in the region have seen "unfilled promises" before. She called for investments in career development and education for people in the region as well as improvements to basic services and environmental cleanup.

"We want to be at the table and help you understand what it means for us to have a prosperous economy," she said.

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Ford President and CEO Jim Farley speaks during the official announcement of Ford Motor Company along with SK Innovations in building two electric battery factories in Glendale, Ky., at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., Sept. 28, 2021. Farley says the automaker has no plans to spin off its electric vehicle or internal combustion businesses. Farley told the Wolfe Research virtual global auto technology conference Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, that Ford needs to hit Tesla-like profit margins by using common electric motors, electronic components and other parts across all sizes of vehicles. Credit: AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File

The CEO of Ford Motor Co. says the automaker has no plans to spin off its electric vehicle or internal combustion businesses, but is reinventing itself by removing costs and ramping up for large-scale EV and software sales.

Ford CEO Jim Farley told the Wolfe Research virtual global auto technology conference Wednesday that the company could hit Tesla-like profit margins by using common electric motors, electronic components and other parts across all sizes of vehicles.

But to do that, Ford needs radically different human talent than it now has, Farley said in a surprisingly candid interview with analyst Rod Lache. He also said the company has too many people and too much complexity, and it doesn't have the expertise to transition to battery-electric vehicles. "That's the simple answer. There's waste," he said.

Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford has about 183,000 employees worldwide.

Ford, Farley said, can't just pivot from internal combustion engines to battery powered vehicles. The internal combustion engine organization is good at body, paint and manufacturing, and would be envied by startup EV makers.

But "I can't turn to the ICE organization and say 'go be Tesla,'" Farley said. "They may do it on the (auto) body. They may do it in plant operations, but that's not good enough," he said, without giving specifics of what changes are coming.

Ford has only 15% of the market in the U.S., so the transition to battery vehicles is a chance to attract new customers. But Farley said it needs to make the buying process simple and all online, with no inventory in the system and home deliveries of the vehicles.

Ford's distribution costs are $3,000 to $4,000 higher than Tesla's, Farley said, and is seeking to close that gap by attracting new talent with those skills.

Neither Ford's internal combustion business nor its electric vehicle operations earn as much profit as they could, Farley said. The company needs more talent to lower structural costs and raise quality in its ICE business, and cut the cost of materials for electric vehicles, he said.

The company also can differentiate itself by doing online software updates so that customers understand how their vehicle is changing, and it needs to keep service customers so if they have a fender bender or a problem develops in four or five years, they can stay within a simple Ford system, Farley said.

He said also the company is working hard to secure raw materials such as lithium and nickel to make EV batteries, and to expect more announcements in the coming months.

Bloomberg News on Friday reported that Ford is looking at ways to separate its electric vehicle business from its legacy combustion operations to earn the kind of investor support enjoyed by Tesla.

But Farley said Wednesday that's not happening.

"We have no plans to spin off our electric business or our ICE business," he said. "It's really more around focus and capabilities, expertise and talent."

Shares of Ford closed Wednesday down 2% to $16.95. They have lost about one-third of their value since hitting a 2022 high on Jan. 14.

Explore further Ford invests in electric vehicle battery recycling company

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Image taken from the video. A test person in the virtual world controls a crane using flyables. Credit: UDE/HCI Group

To interact with elements in the virtual world, common VR headsets usually come with controllers. Users hold these in their hands as they interact with all elements of the virtual user interface. However, the controllers usually do not feel like they look in virtual space. This reduces immersion, i.e., the feeling of how realistic the VR world is perceived.

To improve immersion, Prof. Schneegass' research group, supported by partners from LMU Munich's media informatics group, developed a toolkit for flying control elements.

They first selected five common user interface elements from the virtual world (button, knob, joystick, slider, 3D mouse) and fabricated them using 3D printers. The elements were then attached to quadrocopters, i.e., small drones. As soon as a virtual control element is visible in the virtual world, a flyable with the matching element steers to the person operating itand the feeling when touching it matches the expectation.

Credit: ACM SIGCHI

One study already showed that the flyables enable realistic and playful interaction with virtual content. They also allowed for users to feel more immersed in the VR environment.

However, the flyables are currently in a prototype stage and cannot yet compete with modern controllers in terms of input precision. Consequently, the team is currently working on improving the force feedback. They also want to be able to produce flyable elements automatically and within a few minutes via 3D printing.

Explore further Facial recognition taken to the next level in virtual reality

More information: Jonas Auda et al, Flyables: Haptic Input Devices for Virtual Reality using Quadcopters, Proceedings of the 27th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (2021). Jonas Auda et al, Flyables: Haptic Input Devices for Virtual Reality using Quadcopters,(2021). DOI: 10.1145/3489849.3489855

Provided by Universitat Duisburg-Essen
The proposed architecture for presenting NFT-based patent. Credit: SIAT

By taking advantage of blockchain technology, digital assets are broadly grouped into fungible and non-fungible tokens (NFT). NFT refers to those with unique and non-substitutable properties.

A research team led by Prof. QU Qiang from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Bamakan from Yazd University has proposed a layered, conceptual, NFT-based patent framework.

The study was published in Scientific Reports on Feb. 9.

Although NFTs have had many applications so far, it has rarely been used to solve real-world problems.

Applying for a patent and trademark is time-consuming and costly. With the help of unique features of NFT technology, it is possible to accelerate this process. In fact, tokenizing patents would provide more transparency, traceability, and cost-efficiency of commercialization. NFT-based patents may facilitate reliable information sharing among offices and patentees around the world, reducing the burden on examiners and perhaps even accelerating harmonization efforts.

NFTs can offer IP protection while an applicant waits for the government to grant his/her more formal protection. By using hash and asymmetric cryptography, IP owners can record a claim, such as hash or ciphered claims in the blockchain network. The IP owner can prove his/her property right using the original document and its hash or private key without third-party involvement.

It would give them the ability to 'tokenize' their patents. Because every transaction would be logged on a blockchain, it will be much easier to trace patent ownership changes.

Explore further NFT museum opens its doors in United States

More information: Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Bamakan et al, Patents and intellectual property assets as non-fungible tokens; key technologies and challenges, Scientific Reports (2022). Journal information: Scientific Reports Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Bamakan et al, Patents and intellectual property assets as non-fungible tokens; key technologies and challenges,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05920-6
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The United States on Tuesday announced its opposition to Canada's proposed tax on the largest tech firms, warning it "would examine all options" should Ottawa go ahead with the levy.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) said Canada should instead work towards implementing a global taxation agreement that Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries announced last year to defuse the global tech tax row.

"As Canada is fully aware, the United States has serious concerns about measures that single out American firms for taxation while effectively excluding national firms engaged in similar lines of business," USTR said.

It called for Ottawa to "focus efforts on engaging constructively" with the OECD negotiations, "instead of pursuing a counterproductive unilateral measure that risks encouraging other countries to follow suit."

Should Canada go ahead with the tax, "USTR would examine all options, including under our trade agreements and domestic statutes."

Washington has hit out at digital services tax proposals globally, which it says impose discriminatory fees on American tech giants like Amazon, Apple and Google.

In response to USTR, the office of Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada's preference has always been a multilateral pact.

"Canada has a clear national interest in this multilateral agreement, which protects against erosion of the tax base and will generate additional revenue" for the country, her office said, in an emailed response to AFP.

"We sincerely hope that the timely implementation of the new international system" will make Ottawa's proposed tax "unnecessary" to ensure the protection of Canadian interests, it added.

In October, nearly 140 countries reached an agreement on a 15 percent minimum tax under OECD auspices, leading the United States to remove punitive tariffs on several countries ahead of the global tax's imposition, which is expected in 2023.

Those levies were never imposed, but served as a threat to those countries which go ahead with their digital services tax.

Canada's proposed three percent tax "on revenue from certain digital services" would affect companies with at least $850 million in gross revenues and apply retroactively to the start of this year, though it would not come into effect until 2024, USTR said.

Explore further US seals agreement to end European digital taxes

 2022 AFP
Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., attaches a diagnostics scan tool, center left, to a vehicle and a laptop computer, below, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Burlington. The diagnostics scan tool sends information from the vehicle's computer to the laptop so a mechanic can view information about the vehicle's performance. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

Driving a rugged Subaru through snowy weather is a rite of passage for some New Englanders, whose region is a top market for the Japanese automaker.

So it was a surprise to Subaru fans when Massachusetts dealerships started selling its line of 2022 vehicles without a key ingredient: the in-car wireless technology that connects drivers to music, navigation, roadside assistance and crash-avoiding sensors.

"The dealer didn't bring it up," said Joy Tewksbury-Pabst, who bought a new Subaru Ascent without realizing she'd be missing out on the remote start and locking features she had before trading in her 2019 model. She also lost the ability to check wiper fluid levels, tire pressure and mileage from her phone.

What's happening in Massachusetts mirrors a broader battle over who has the "right to repair" increasingly complex electronic productsfrom iPhones and farm tractors to the family car.

About 75% of Massachusetts voters sided with the auto repair industry in 2020 by passing a ballot initiative that's supposed to allow car owners and their preferred auto shops to more easily peek into a car's trove of online data. Automakers have been fighting it in court ever since.

And two of them, Subaru and Kia, said that rather than run afoul of the new law, they would disable their wireless "telematics" systems from new models in the state. Car buyers and dealerships have been feeling the effects.

"It's certainly a bummer," said Joe Clark, general manager of the Steve Lewis Subaru dealership in the western Massachusetts town of Hadley. "People are calling back after the fact, realizing they're missing out."

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., uses a tire changing machine at his shop, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Burlington. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

Tewksbury-Pabst was one of more than 2.5 million people who voted for the ballot measure in Nov. 2020, after an expensive electoral fight marked by dueling TV commercials. She believes it will help independent auto shops compete with dealerships' in-house repair shops.

She's mostly frustrated with Subaru, describing its reaction to the law as "like a child that didn't get their way and took their ball and went home."

Cars already have a diagnostic port that mechanics can access for basic repair information, but independent auto shops say that only carmakers and their dealers have access to the real-time diagnostics that cars now transmit wirelessly. That's increasingly important amid the shift to electric cars, many of which don't have those diagnostic ports.

The law requires automakers to create an open standard for sharing mechanical data. Subaru spokesperson Dominick Infante said the "impossibility of complying" with that provision "is a disservice to both our retailers and our customers."

"The data platform that the new law requires to provide the data does not exist and will not exist any time soon," he said in an email.

An auto industry trade group immediately sued the state's Attorney General Maura Healey after the law's passage to stop it from taking effect, arguing that the timeline was unreasonable, the penalties too onerous, and that automatically sharing so much driver data with third parties presented cybersecurity and privacy risks.

Part of the fight is also over who gets to alert drivers and encourage them to visit when the car senses it needs a repair. The current system favors dealerships, which many auto shops fear will soon put them out of work if independent mechanics can't get get easy access to the software upgrades and mechanical data needed to make basic repairsfrom tire alignments to broken seat heaters.

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., completes work on a vehicle, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, at his shop, in Burlington. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

"If we don't have access to repair information, diagnostic information, you're putting an entire workforce out of business," said Bob Lane, owner of Direct Tire & Auto Service, in the Boston suburb of Watertown. "If the only person who can fix a car, because of a data standpoint, is the dealership, the consumer has lost the choice."

The right-to-repair movement now has a powerful ally in U.S. President Joe Biden, who signed an executive order last year promoting competition in the repair business and has already counted some victories after Apple and Microsoft voluntary began making it easier for consumers to fix their own phones and laptops.

"Denying the right to repair raises prices for consumers," Biden said in January. "It means independent repair shops can't compete for your business."

The Federal Trade Commission and state legislatures have also been eyeing regulatory changes. Under scrutiny are restrictions that steer consumers into manufacturers' and sellers' repair networks, adding costs to consumers and shutting out independent shops, many of which are owned by entrepreneurs from poor communities. U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, introduced a bill this month to enable car repair shops to get the same data available to dealerships.

Brian Hohmann has spent decades adapting to changes in automotive technology, from attending a school to fix carburetorsnow an obsolete technologyto learning how to program.

"Essentially every car now is 50 computers with four tires on it," said Hohmann, owner of Accurate Automotive in the Boston suburb of Burlington. "If you're not computer-savvy, you struggle."

But Hohmann said most independent garages are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. That often involves buying expensive, automaker-specific scanners, or paying for a day pass or yearly subscription to get needed access.

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., points to a readout on a laptop computer that shows ignition patterns in the engine of a vehicle, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Burlington. The readout was made possible by a diagnostics scan tool, not shown, attached to the vehicle that sends information about the cars performance to the laptop. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. Credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne

Massachusetts rules already favor independent auto repairers more than other places thanks to an earlier right-to-repair law passed by voters in 2012. But that was before most cars started wirelessly transmitting much of their crucial data outside the carpresenting what auto shops see as a loophole to the existing rules focused on in-car diagnostics.

Automakers argue that independent shops can already get the data they need, with permissionbut making it automatically accessible by third parties is dangerous.

Such data access "could, in the wrong hands, spell disaster," said the lawsuit brought by the Alliance for Automotive Innovationa trade group backed by Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other big automakers, including Subaru and Kia.

The case is now in the hands of U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock, who is reviewing whether to split off the most disputed ballot provision to let the other parts take effect. A decision is expected in March after delays caused by the actions of Subaru and Kia, which the state says the automakers should have disclosed earlier. Massachusetts lawmakers are also looking at postponing the law's effects to give carmakers more time to comply.

Subaru and Kia have said most drivers will still be able to use driving-specific Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to stream music or get navigational assistance.

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Multimedia Reporter

Staff writer Harry Funk, a professional journalist for three-plus decades, has been on the staff of The Almanac since 2015. He has a bachelors degree in journalism and master of business administration, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
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.


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China starts nationwide pooling of basic pension funds

Xinhua) 08:23, February 23, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China has started nationwide pooling of basic pension funds since Jan. 1 this year, Vice Minister of Finance Yu Weiping said Tuesday.

The move will allow pension funds to be transfered from regions with surplus to regions with deficit, Yu said at a press conference, adding the ministry is drawing up related documents and will strengthen guidance to localities.

Qi Tao, an official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said the move will make sure that retirees in less-developed regions will get their pensions timely and sufficiently.

According to Qi, all Chinese regions realized the pooling of pensions funds at the regional level at the end of 2020, but it was not enough. Gaps of economic development and differences in the age structures of populations have led to pension fund surplus in some regions as well as difficulties of payment in others.

After the establishment of the nationwide pooling system, the unified management of pension policy, pension services and information systems will be enhanced, he said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
MOSCOW (AP)  President Joe Biden announced the U.S. was ordering heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs on Tuesday, declaring that Moscow had flagrantly violated international law by invading Ukraine.

"None of us will be fooled" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims about Ukraine, the U.S. President said. And he said more sanctions could be on the way if Putin proceeds further.

Biden said he was also moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltic states on NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia.

Biden joined the 27 European Union members who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine.

***

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

MOSCOW (AP)  Russian lawmakers on Tuesday authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside the country  a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there.

Several European leaders said Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin recognized their independence. But it was unclear how large the deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied.

Members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country  effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly after, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and economic chaos around the globe.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: "I haven't said that the troops will go there right now." He added coyly that "it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground."

Biden scheduled an address for later Tuesday, but Germany made the first big move. It took steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia  a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy.

The rest of the European Union soon followed, with a first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an "invasion" after initially hesitating to use the term  a red line that President Joe Biden has said would result in the U.S. levying severe sanctions against Moscow.

"We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine," said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. "An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway."

The Biden administration's rhetoric hardened considerably in less than 24 hours. The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel-region Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending troops to eastern Ukraine. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about the sanctions targeting the breakaway region, noted "that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014" and that "Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step."

The administration initially resisted calling the deployment an invasion because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

For weeks, Western powers have been bracing for this as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine  and promised swift and severe sanctions if it materialized.

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade  and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized as independent two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, where government troops have fought Russia-backed rebels. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further Tuesday, by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts now held by Ukrainian forces.

Putin said Russia has recognized the rebel regions' independence in the borders that existed when they declared their independence in 2014  broad territories that extend far beyond the areas now under separatist control and that include the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

But confusion over what exactly was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hobble a Western response. While Washington clearly called it an invasion, some other allies hedged.

"Russian troops have entered in Donbas," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris. "We consider Donbas part of Ukraine."

But he added: "I wouldn't say that (it is) a fully fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil."

Poland's Defense Ministry and British Health Secretary Sajid Javid also said Russian forces had entered eastern Ukraine, with Javid telling Sky News that "the invasion of Ukraine has begun."

Not all in Europe saw it that way. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares noted "if Russia uses force against Ukraine, sanctions will be massive."

The Kremlin hasn't confirmed any troop deployments to the rebel east, saying it will depend on the security situation. Vladislav Brig, a member of the separatist local council in Donetsk, told reporters the Russian troops already had moved in, but more senior rebel leaders didn't confirm that. Late Monday, convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the separatist-controlled territories. It wasn't immediately clear if they were Russian.

The White House issued an executive order to prohibit U.S. investment and trade in the separatist regions, and additional measures  likely sanctions  were to be announced Tuesday. Those sanctions are independent of what Washington has prepared in the event of a Russian invasion, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The Russian moves pushed Germany to suspend the certification process for Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to bring natural gas from Russia. The pipeline was built to help Germany meet its energy needs, particularly as it switches off its last three nuclear power plants and phases out the use of coal, and it has resisted calls by the U.S. and others to halt the project.

If Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. "If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay," he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring "further powerful sanctions."

Even as alarm spread across the globe, Zelenskyy sought to project calm, saying in an address overnight: "We are not afraid of anyone or anything. We don't owe anyone anything. And we won't give anything to anyone."

His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, is in Washington to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the State Department said.

Russia has long denied it has any plans to invade Ukraine, instead blaming the U.S. and its allies for the crisis and describing Ukraine's bid to join NATO as an existential challenge to Russia. Putin reiterated those accusations in an hourlong televised speech on Monday, when he announced that Russia would recognize the rebels.

"Ukraine's membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia's security," he said.

The Western rejection of Moscow's demands gives Russia the right to take other steps to protect its security, Putin said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it will evacuate its diplomatic personnel from Ukraine "in the nearest time," pointing to attacks on diplomatic buildings, cars and physical threats against diplomats in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv and Kharkiv.

___

Karmanau reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Madhani from Washington. Jill Lawless in London, Lorne Cook in Brussels, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, Zeke Miller and Aamer Madhani in Munich, Germany; Geir Moulson and Frank Jordans in Berlin; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, and Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee and Darlene Superville in Washington, contributed.

___

This story has been updated to correct that Mariupol in on the Azov Sea, not Black Sea.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MOSCOW (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized the independence of Moscow-backed rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, a move that will further fuel tensions with the West amid fears of Russian invasion.

Putin's move follows days of heightened tensions in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, where Ukrainian forces are locked in a nearly eight-year conflict with Russia-backed separatists that has left more than 14,000 people dead.

Here is a look at the rebel-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine:

Separatist rebellion in the East

When Ukraine's Moscow-friendly president was driven from office by mass protests in February 2014, Russia responded by annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. It then threw its weight behind an insurgency in the mostly Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine region known as Donbas.

In April 2014, Russia-backed rebels seized government buildings in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, proclaimed the creation of "people's republics" and battled Ukrainian troops and volunteer battalions.

The following month, the separatist regions held a popular vote to declare independence and make a bid to become part of Russia. Moscow hasn't accepted the motion, just used the regions as a tool to keep Ukraine in its orbit and prevent it from joining NATO.

Ukraine and the West accused Russia of backing the rebels with troops and weapons. Moscow denied that, saying any Russians who fought there were volunteers.

Amid ferocious battles involving tanks, heavy artillery and warplanes, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard. An international probe concluded that the passenger jet was downed by a Russia-supplied missile from the rebel-controlled territory in Ukraine. Moscow still denied any involvement.

Peace agreements for Eastern Ukraine

After a massive defeat of Ukrainian troops in August 2014, envoys from Kyiv, the rebels and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe signed a truce in the Belarusian capital of Minsk in September 2014.

The document envisaged an OSCE-observed cease-fire, a pullback of all foreign fighters, an exchange of prisoners and hostages, an amnesty for the rebels and a promise that separatist regions could have a degree of self-rule.

The deal quickly collapsed and large-scale fighting resumed, leading to another major defeat for Ukrainian forces at Debaltseve in January-February of 2015.

France and Germany brokered another peace agreement, which was signed in Minsk in February 2015 by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the rebels. It envisaged a new cease-fire, a pullback of heavy weapons and a series of moves toward a political settlement. A declaration backing the deal was signed by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.

A frozen conflict in Ukraine

The 2015 peace deal was a major diplomatic coup for the Kremlin, obliging Ukraine to grant special status to the separatist regions, allowing them to create their own police force and have a say in appointing local prosecutors and judges. It also envisaged that Ukraine could only regain control over the roughly 200-kilometer (125-mile) border with Russia in rebel regions after they get self-rule and hold OSCE-monitored local elections  balloting that would almost certainly keep pro-Moscow rebels in power there.

Many Ukrainians see it as a betrayal of national interests and its implementation has stalled.

The Minsk document helped end full-scale fighting, but the situation has remained tense and regular skirmishes have continued.

With the Minsk deal stalled, Moscow's hope to use rebel regions to directly influence Ukraine's politics has failed but the frozen conflict has drained Kyiv's resources and effectively stymied its goal of joining NATO  which is enshrined in the Ukrainian constitution.

Moscow also has worked to secure its hold on the rebel regions by handing out more than 720,000 Russian passports to roughly one-fifth of their population of about 3.6 million. It has provided economic and financial assistance to the separatist territories, but the aid has been insufficient to alleviate the massive damage from fighting and shore up the economy. The Donbas region accounted for about 16% of Ukraine's GDP before the conflict.

Efforts to revive peace deal

Amid soaring tensions over the Russian troop concentration near Ukraine, France and Germany embarked on renewed efforts to encourage compliance with the 2015 deal, in hopes that it could help defuse the current standoff.

Facing calls from Berlin and Paris for its implementation, Ukrainian officials have strengthened their criticism of the Minsk deal and warned that it could lead to the country's demise. Two rounds of talks in Paris and Berlin between presidential envoys from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany have yielded no progress.

The lower house of the Russian parliament, meanwhile, urged Putin last week to recognize the independence of Ukraine's rebel regions.

Putin recognizes rebel regions' independence

Putin's recognition of the rebel-held territories' independence effectively shatters the Minsk peace agreements and will further fuel tensions with the West. He said that Moscow would sign friendship treaties with the rebel territories, a move that could pave the way for Russia to openly support them with troops and weapons.

The move follows several days of shelling that erupted along the line of contact in Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine and the West accused Moscow of fomenting the tensions to create a pretext for an invasion. Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of trying to reclaim the rebel-held territories by force, the claim that Kyiv strongly rejected.

On Friday, separatist leaders released video statements announcing the evacuation of civilians in the face of what they described as a Ukrainian "aggression." The data embedded in the video indicated that their statements had been pre-recorded two days earlier when the situation was still relatively calm, suggesting a deliberate plan to try to sever the regions from Ukraine.

The rebel chiefs put out new video statements Monday urging Putin to recognize their regions' independence and the Russian leader responded quickly by convening a carefully orchestrated meeting of his Security Council and then signing the recognition decrees in a televised ceremony.

___

Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

___

More AP coverage of the Ukraine crisis: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Fast and early.

Thats how Andy Caven describes the start of this years sandhill crane migration. Hes the director of conservation research at the Crane Trust in Wood River, Nebraska.

About 27,500 cranes were counted on the Crane Trust's first aerial survey on Feb. 14. The report also listed 23,200 dark geese, 73 trumpeter swans and seven bald eagles.

Thats one of the highest week one totals in the 20 years that the Crane Trust has been conducting surveys over an 82-mile stretch of the Central Platte River Valley from Chapman to Overton. The average for the first survey over the past 20 years is between 4,000 to 8,000 cranes.

We had a high number for this early in the year, Caven said. Warm droughty winters in their wintering grounds mean they come earlier. Thats been a trend. We keep getting these early migrations.

On average, the sandhill crane migration has advanced a day each year over the past few decades, per Crane Trust research published in the Western North American Naturalist. That doesnt sound like much for just a year, Caven said, but when you look at it long-term, that translates into almost a month earlier migration than in the past.

Sandhill cranes both arrive earlier and stay longer, he said. In more than 50% of the years in the past decade, a few hundred to several thousand cranes have spent the winter along the Platte River. That had occurred only a couple of times over the preceding 50 years per published records.

Crane numbers used to peak in early April, and now that comes most often in mid-March. A one-degree difference in winter temperatures and in drought conditions affects when the cranes migrate.

Over time with climate change, they are coming earlier, Caven said. Climate change and winter food availability. We increasingly get good numbers in February, which didnt used to happen.

The cranes that stop in central Nebraska overwinter from coastal Texas to southeast Arizona, south into Chihuahua, Mexico, and north into the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma.

The clear trend this year in those areas is drought, Caven said, which affects the birds food supply and wetland habitat availability. Its also been warmer.

In Nebraska, the birds are able to feast on waste grain and invertebrates in meadows before heading north to their breeding grounds throughout Canada, Alaska and even into Siberia.

Surveys are done for 10 weeks in the spring. Numbers often double by the second weekly aerial survey and can occasionally increase sharply in the third week depending on weather conditions.

About 1 million birds are in the Central Platte River Valley at the peak of migration and another 200,000 use the North Platte River Valley. Data suggests the population is growing overall.

The exact peak date has been highly variable across the last couple of decades, Caven said.

Its very weather dependent, and a cold snap could slow migration down and bring it back to normal, he said. Whether or not we sustain this quick migration pace will depend on weather conditions, not only in the CPRV but also in the southern Great Plains.
Medical staff perform a surgery at an operating room in Tripoli, Libya, Feb. 22, 2022. A British medical team has started performing heart surgeries in the Libyan capital Tripoli for children, a local medical official said on Tuesday. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A British medical team has started performing heart surgeries in the Libyan capital Tripoli for children, a local medical official said on Tuesday.

"The Muntada Aid UK arrived in Tripoli (on Saturday) to perform cardiac catheterization surgeries for children," Abdurraoof Fares, director of the National Center for Cardiac Diseases, told Xinhua.

According to the Ministry of Health, the center has signed an agreement in 2018 with Muntada Aid UK, under which the organization will provide pediatric cardiology training for the center's medical staff.

"The medical team, consisting of six surgeons, specialists and technicians, will perform 50 surgeries over seven days," the ministry said.

Due to years of armed conflict and insecurity, Libyan authorities have been struggling to provide proper basic services, mainly healthcare and education, for the people. 

Medical staff perform a surgery at an operating room in Tripoli, Libya, Feb. 22, 2022. A British medical team has started performing heart surgeries in the Libyan capital Tripoli for children, a local medical official said on Tuesday. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)
Science Instructional Materials

Carolina Biological Launching Certified OpenSciEd Middle School Units and CTE

Redesigned Kits, Print and Digital Resources Mean Less Cost, Reduced Teacher Prep, Better Accessibility, Company Says

Carolina Biological, a supplier of instructional materials for science classes, on Tuesday unveiled new certified print and digital versions of OpenSciEd science instructional units for grades 68, including complete lab kits and flexible purchase options for schools, the company said in a news release.

For the new science units, Carolina Biological partnered with the nonprofit OpenSciEd, founded in 2018 to develop modern, research-backed instructional materials and professional learning that supports equitable science education. The OpenSciEd content is based on a storyline approach: a logical sequence of lessons motivated by typical student questions arising from their interactions with phenomena within the natural world.

OpenSciEds mission is to give teachers the materials, support, and power to get kids excited and curious about the world around them and confident in their ability to figure it out through questioning, investigating, and solving problems, Carolina Biological said in its announcement.

The company said it redesigned OpenSciEd instructional materials achieving the following goals:

Made them easier for teachers to follow with a consistent design and lesson flow.

Simplified investigations to reduce teacher prep and classroom instructional time.

Used fewer and less expensive materials to make the kits cost-effective.

Tested lessons and materials ensure the safety, quality, and accuracy of investigations.

Made the instructional materials fully ADA-compliant to better support equity in learning.

Create new digital resources to better engage students, support teachers, and provide reporting to administrators.

The new units will be available for purchase through Carolina Biological for the 2022-23 school year, the company said.

Carolina Biological said it plans to offer both comprehensive and flexible purchase options for the OpenSciEd units; lab materials and equipment, for example, will be available as complete kits, as refurbishment materials, and as individual components. The company will offer printed teacher resources and student editions, and instructional resources will also be available digitally, including videos and simulations, accessible in one place with assignable content to students and reporting for teachers and administrators.

Certified Professional Learning courses for OpenSciEd programs also will be offered, Carolina Biological said.

The Carolina Certified Version of OpenSciEd units are designed to address all the Next Generation Science Standards middle school achievement expectations and three-dimensional learning, according to the news release.

All of the OpenSciEd units were reviewed by the NextGenScience peer review panel at WestEd using the rigorous EQuIP rubric, Carolina Biological said. All of the units have been identified as Quality Examples of Science Lessons and Units and most units have received the exclusive stamp of Next Generation Science Standards excellence, the NGSS Design Badge.

The units are undergoing trials in select middle schools this year, including in Yakima, Wash., where administrators reported positive results.

As an OpenSciEd partner, our Regional Science Coordinators at the Educational Service Districts in Washington have been supporting teachers throughout the state with the new middle school science units, said Luke Matlack of ESD 105 in Yakima. The feedback thus far has been great! I am excited to see the improvements that Carolina has made to support classroom implementation.

Learn more by visiting Carolinas website or call (800) 334-5551.
Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute will host a virtual conversation with author and journalist Tom Zoellner at noon on Tuesday, March 1.

Zoellner and John Shaw, institute director, will discuss Zoellners book The National Road: Dispatches from a Changing America, an essay collection that provides unforgettable glimpses into life in disparate pockets of the country.

Their conversation also will cover Zoellners career in journalism and teaching.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held over Zoom. Registration is required. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register.

Zoellner is the politics editor for the Los Angeles Review of Books and formerly a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle and The Arizona Republic. He is a New York Times bestselling author of eight nonfiction books and his writing has been published in The Atlantic, Harpers, Foreign Policy, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He also teaches at Chapman University and Dartmouth College.

For those of us trying to understand the shifting physical, social and psychological landscape of America, there is no better travel companion than Tom Zoellner, Shaw said. He is an astute observer, evocative writer and bold adventurer.

Above all, he is deeply curious about our always transforming, complicated country.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Zoellner with their registration or via email to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.

This event is part of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institutes Understanding Our New World virtual conversation series with government and private sector leaders, policy experts, political analysts, authors and journalists.

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A man was arrested in Chicago on Tuesday on federal charges alleging he illegally breached the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot and later bragged to a friend hed been hit with tear gas and mace by police but I still stayed on the front lines.

Athanasios Zoyganeles, 44, who has previously lived in both Chicago and northwest Indiana, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington with misdemeanor counts of unlawfully entering a restricted government building and disorderly conduct on U.S. Capitol grounds, court records show.

The complaint was made public Tuesday in advance of his initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Chicago. Court information was not immediately available and a lawyer for him could not immediately be reached.

According to the charges, Zoyganeles had planned on traveling to Washington for weeks before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, messaging one friend in December 2020 he was down for whatever.

Its time we take this country back, Zoyganeles wrote, according to the complaint.

About 10 days after the attack, a tipster gave the FBI a screenshot of Zoyganeles Facebook profile and said he had posted a very creepy video of him in the Capitol saying Nazis, where are you??  the complaint alleged.

The tipster said Zoyganeles was also part of a group going into offices and going through books and files, according to the complaint. Zoyganeles took down the video later that day.

The FBI used phone records to determine that Zoyganeles phone was in the vicinity of the Capitol on Jan. 6. Surveillance footage showed him in a black and red Trump hat entering through the Parliamentary Doors with a mob and taking videos on his phone while inside, according to the complaint.

Zoyganeles was seen in another camera angle standing on the Capitol steps holding a piece of wood and smoking a cigarette, the complaint alleged.

Later that same day, a Facebook user messaged Zoyganeles on the social media platform to ask if he was OK, according to the complaint.

No I rushed the capital and lost everyone I was with, Zoyganeles allegedly responded. i was teargassed maced and they were throwing flash bangs at me but I still stayed on the front lines. It wasnt easy but we did it.

In October, the FBI met with a close relative of Zoyganeles, who confirmed he was the person in the surveillance images, according to the complaint.

Zoyganeles arrest brought the number of people arrested in Illinois on charges stemming from the Capitol breach to at least 25. The ongoing investigation has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the countrys history.

Nationwide, more than 725 people have been arrested in all 50 states and the District of Columbia on charges stemming from the Capitol breach, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Like Zoyganeles, most of those arrested in Illinois have been charged with misdemeanors that do not allege they participated in any violence. Among those charged with trespassing are a Chicago cop, two North Shore brothers, an HVAC repairman from Chicagos Northwest Side, and, last week, a Brazilian woman living in suburban Indian Head Park.

Others face felony charges, including James Robert Elliott, 24, of Aurora, who was charged in December with using a flagpole to assault officers while illegally on the Capitol grounds.

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CHARLESTON, Mo.  Law enforcement authorities in southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois continue to search for a suspect in a weekend shooting that left two people dead and 14 injured.

The shooting occurred on Saturday at a party in Charleston, Missouri, a town of about 5,000 people southeast of St. Louis.

The party was held in an open cinder building that used to house an auto mechanic shop. Up to 100 people from several Missouri and Illinois communities were at the party, KFVS reported.

Robert Hearnes, director of the Charleston Department of Public Safety, identified the victims as Clintayzia Clark, 23, and Brianna Schumer, 19, both of Cape Girardeau.

Four of the injured were in critical or serious condition and the others were treated at area hospitals.

Hearnes said he has seen videos from the party on social media and asked any of the people who were there to help law enforcement find the suspect. Those who weren't injured fled the scene, he said.

With this kind of senseless violence, we cant do our job unless people who were inside that party or people that have information will come forth, Hearnes said.

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When Earl Warren became chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1953, only one of the nine justices had served as a judge before joining the court. After the landmark court ruling the next year that ended segregation, court detractors masked their resentment of Brown v. Board of Education with a patina of legitimacy: They painted Warren, a former prosecutor and three-term governor from California, as the embodiment of an untrained politician masked in judicial robes.

Experienced judges adhering to well-established precedents, they asserted, would have never overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 case establishing the separate but equal doctrine. Pointing to this lack of judicial experience as the reason for the justices flawed decision-making, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman James Eastland complained to Sen. Joe McCarthy: We have politicians instead of lawyers on the court.

The insistence by rivals of the Warren court on appointing justices with judicial experience eventually became the norm. The record bears this out: All but one of the last 16 justices had been judges before their promotion to the high court.

The leading candidates President Joe Biden is reportedly considering for the opening created by Justice Stephen G. Breyers pending retirement are all judges. By focusing on this narrow category, Biden may be forgoing an opportunity to select someone from outside the judiciary who can bring a brand of expertise that has been missing from the court for decades.

Dwight Eisenhower was the first Republican president to embrace the judges-only approach. Lamenting his selection of Warren, a decision he later deemed the biggest damn fool thing I ever did, his next four appointments came from the judicial ranks as did two of Richard Nixons four appointments. Since then, every justice appointed by a Republican president has arrived on the court with judicial credentials.

While Biden may have bought into the widespread notion that only judges are qualified to serve as justices, the historical record proves otherwise.

Widely regarded as Americas most influential chief justice, John Marshall had been a member of the House and secretary of state. Joseph Story, another key member of the court, who helped define the nations constitutional framework during Americas nascent years, was briefly a U.S. congressman. Famous for his heroic dissent in Plessy, John Marshall Harlan was previously Kentuckys attorney general.

Likewise, several court heavyweights appointed in the first half of the 20th century  Charles Evans Hughes, Louis Brandeis, Felix Frankfurter, Hugo Black, William Douglas and Robert Jackson  lacked judicial experience yet were deeply influential and widely revered.

Though he was Warrens primary ideological rival, Frankfurter also dismissed the view that only judges make effective justices. Apart from meaning that a man had sat on some court for some time, judicial service tells nothing that is relevant about the qualifications for the functions exercised by the Supreme Court, he wrote in 1957.

With so many judges currently on the court, the institution would benefit from an injection of members with expertise in federalism, legislative interpretation and regulatory authority  contentious topics that frequently come before the justices. A governor might provide unique perspectives on federalism and the contours of states rights. A seasoned member of Congress could offer lessons in legislative decision-making and statutory construction. The head of a federal agency could possess an insiders account of the complex nature and scope of regulatory authority.

When the SCOTUS blog  an independent website dedicated to the analysis of the court  established a March Madness-style tournament last year, it pitted 16 justices against each other to determine the greatest justice of all time. Its no coincidence that half of the selections had no previous judicial experience, including three of the four semifinalists and both finalists.

The winner of the contest, it should be noted, was Earl Warren.

Author Michael Bobelian wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.

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South Carolina annually ranks among the bottom 10 states in the well-being of its children, from health to education. State leaders are coming together in an effort to make a positive difference.

Agency directors, legislators and other leaders joined Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette at a Statehouse press conference to unveil a plan for strengthening South Carolinas early childhood system.

Our goal is, and always has been, to make sure all of our children enter kindergarten ready to learn, and Im grateful for the South Carolinians who came together to develop this plan that will help us realize that goal, McMaster said.

A key aspect of the plan is information. Too many times parents do not know about services available to them and their children.

Enter First Five SC, a new interactive website for families with young children.

Parents dont always have the time to search dozens of websites, hoping to find the appropriate services for their child," McMaster said. "Now weve addressed that by establishing an online portal that will serve as a one-stop shop to match families with programs and services that will help with their childrens development.

At First5SC.org, families can find information about 60 early childhood programs from 10 state agencies and other statewide entities, including child care, health, early intervention, nutrition and parenting support services.

Using a secure online form, they can instantly check their childs eligibility for 44 of these programs. Development is currently underway for a common application, where families can enter information into one online form to apply at once for all participating early childhood services.

Our family knows firsthand how valuable our early intervention services have been, said Katie Alice Walker, parent of a 3-year-old child with special needs. To know that families will now have access and the ability to apply for services they think they may need in one easy place will be such a gift and only benefit the children of South Carolina.

The S.C. Early Childhood Advisory Council developed the First Five SC portal together with For Our Future: South Carolinas Birth through Five Plan. The 32-page document provides policymakers and state leaders with a roadmap for improving early childhood health, well-being, and school readiness, including 19 objectives and 62 strategies under four key goals:

1. South Carolinas youngest children are healthy and safe.

2. South Carolinas youngest children are actively supported by their families and communities.

3. South Carolinas youngest children arrive at school ready to reach their highest potential.

4. South Carolinas early childhood system is aligned, coordinated, and family-centered.

The document highlights the states previous early childhood investments and policy innovations, while addressing some of the persistent challenges facing young children and families.

The strategic plan and First Five SC were developed with the input and involvement of thousands of South Carolinians, including more than 1,200 parents and caregivers of young children who provided feedback through surveys and focus groups.

David Morley, chair of the SC Early Childhood Advisory Council, said the plan is a call to action.

And he addressed the hope of all for its success: With strategic investment and continued collaboration, we can expand access to the programs and services that work and ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

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People perform to celebrate the Sun Festival at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2022 shows a ray of sunlight showering into the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Tourists take photos of sculptures illuminated by a ray of sunlight at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

The sculptures of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel are lit up during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

The sculptures of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel are lit up during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2022 shows a ray of sunlight showering into the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Tourists gather to visit the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Tourists visit the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Tourists take photos of sculptures illuminated by a ray of sunlight at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Tourists take photos of sculptures illuminated by a ray of sunlight at the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt, Feb. 22, 2022. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2022 shows the lit-up interior of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel during the Sun Festival in Aswan, Egypt. During the Sun Festival, crowds gather before sunrise to observe sunlight lightening the innermost sculptures including King Ramses II. The innermost sculptures remain in darkness inside the Great Temple of Abu Simbel throughout the year except on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22, when the sunlight showers on the sculptures to commemorate the king's coronation and birthday. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
(TBTCO) - Thi truong chung khoan Viet Nam co ban van giu nhip on inh trong quy au nam nay, tuy nhien, thi truong chiu ap luc ieu chinh kha manh ke tu cuoi thang 3 en nay do tac ong tu cac yeu to ngoai bien va cac vu viec sai pham mang tinh on le cua mot so ca nhan, to chuc. Theo cac chuyen gia, nhung tac ong en tam ly ngan han cua nha au tu la kho tranh khoi, nhung ay la co hoi e huong dong tien i ung huong, giup thi truong gan uc, khoi trong e phat trien ben vung.
Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
BEIRUT  The European Union announced Wednesday that it will deploy an elections observation mission to observe Lebanese parliamentary elections scheduled for 15 May. The decision comes in response to an invitation from the Interior Ministry.

Heres what we know:

 High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell has appointed Gyorgy Holvenyi, member of the European Parliament, as chief observer on the mission. It is the EUs fourth mission in Lebanon since 2005.

 The holding of elections is first and foremost a right and an expectation of the people of Lebanon, as well as a sovereign responsibility that the Lebanese government must follow through , Borrell said in a statement released Wednesday by the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon.

 His statement also affirmed that the EU is a long-standing partner of Lebanon in supporting peace and democracy, and the presence of an Election Observation Mission is another example of this commitment. I believe the work of the EU mission will contribute to an inclusive and transparent election process and to further reinforce the democratic path and reforms in Lebanon.

 In the same press release, Holvenyi expressed his hope that the EUs work can help to foster confidence and further reinforce the democratic process in the country with a view to a genuine and Lebanese-led reform process, and that these elections will contribute to the security and stability of the country.

 The observation mission will consist of 80 people. The core team of elections analysts, based in Beirut, will arrive at the end of March and will consist of 10 elections experts covering different aspects of the electoral process, the statement said.

 By mid-April, 30 long-term observers will join the mission and will be deployed in the regions to follow the political campaign. Thereafter, 40 short-term observers will join the mission around elections day to observe the polling, voting and counting. Some of these will also cover the overseas voting in a number of countries where there is a significant presence of the Lebanese diaspora, according to the statement.

 The EU Election Observation Mission will remain in the country until the completion of the electoral process.

 In line with the EU methodology on election observation, the mission will hold a press conference in Beirut 48 hours after polling day to issue its preliminary statement of findings.

 The mission will also publish a final report, including a final assessment of the electoral process and a set of recommendations for reforms to improve future elections.
Rep. Tim Hallinan, R-Campbell County, has been trying for six years to lower the tax on coal. Hes closer than ever to succeeding.

This year marks Hallinans fourth attempt to reduce the state severance tax rate since 2017. Then and in 2019, the bill died in committee. In 2020, it was never introduced.

The latest version, House Bill 105, is co-sponsored by 14 other representatives, far more than in previous years. Its backed by the Wyoming Mining Association, utility Black Hills Energy and the Campbell County Board of County Commissioners. It achieved the two-thirds majority required for introduction last Thursday, with a vote of 44-15.

Like the 2019 and 2020 versions, House Bill 105 would lower the tax on surface coal from 7% to 6.5%. Unlike its predecessors, however, the bill was approved Tuesday by the House Revenue Committee.

A half-percent severance tax reduction would save coal companies  and cost Wyoming  an estimated $10 million annually.

A reduction in the severance tax is vital to keeping the industry viable and competitive, Hallinan told the committee on Tuesday. Frankly, the current tax burden on the industry is too high and not sustainable.

State revenue from coal has been declining for more than a decade. During past sessions, the committee proved unwilling to voluntarily increase state losses. This year, motivated by the temporary resurgence of the coal industry, hoping to ease the market pressures against it, the committee was more receptive.

Its the right time, said Travis Deti, director of the Wyoming Mining Association. It is needed, and it will help.

According to Deti, the bill would provide needed support to the industry in the face of coal plant closures and falling U.S. demand, ultimately improving the economic situation in Wyoming.

Rep. Jim Roscoe, I-Lincoln, Sublette and Teton counties and Rep. Mike Yin, D-Teton County, werent convinced. Both lawmakers voted against the bill after voicing doubt that the benefits of the tax reduction would outweigh the economic harm to the state.

Shannon Anderson, staff attorney for the Powder River Basin Resource Council, also challenged the bill, arguing that it would cause the state to lose revenue while doing little to reduce the largely out-of-state pressures driving the industrys decline.

House Bill 105 will return to the House floor for its next vote.

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Three bills that would restrict abortion in Wyoming passed legislative committee votes on Wednesday. Now, theyll head to the House and Senate floors for discussion, where their language could change even more.

One bill would ban abortion pills in the state, one would ban selective abortions based on the fetus disability or other characteristics and the other would enact a near-total ban in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned.

The latter, a trigger bill that would go into effect if the federal ruling on abortion rights is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, would prohibit any kind of abortion under almost every circumstance.

House Bill 92 would allow some exceptions if carrying the pregnancy to term would put the parent in danger of death or irreversible physical impairment.

Twelve other states have already passed similar legislation.

Another bill, Senate File 83, aims to ban abortion pills in the state.

Doctors who testified to the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Wednesday said that the bill could make it harder for them to find those medications, which they said are used for other purposes besides elective abortions.

Sheila Bush, executive director of the Wyoming Medical Society, said Wednesday that the bills exemptions need to be clear so that it doesnt discourage pharmacists from stocking those pills.

They may be used to treat excessive bleeding or other life-threatening conditions, Bush said, and doctors testified that they are generally safer than carrying a pregnancy to term.

This is the safest procedure for abortion that can be done, Cheyenne Ob-Gyn Dr. Rene Hinkle said. If this passes there will be no abortions in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Department of Health began keeping detailed records of abortions performed in-state in mid-2019, after a law restricting abortions after fetal viability (the stage where the fetus could survive outside the womb) went into effect.

A 2021 report shows that of the 122 abortions recorded between then and the end of 2020, all but three used the medications that would be banned under this bill. Two of those abortions did not report their method, and the other was surgical.

A third abortion-related bill, House Bill 149, would ban abortions that are solely sought because the fetus has been diagnosed with a disability or because of its sex, race, color, national origin or ancestry.

As written, the bill would make it a felony  punishable by as many as 14 years in prison  to knowingly perform an abortion under those circumstances.

Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, proposed an amendment Wednesday to remove the felony charge, but it was voted down.

Physicians who provide those types of abortions, the bill says, would also potentially face civil litigation or could have their licenses suspended or revoked.

Other states with similar laws require doctors to ask their patients why theyre seeking the procedure, but this bill does not lay out a procedure for determining whether someone is seeking one of these selective abortions.

Star-Tribune staff writer Mary Steurer contributed to this story. Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

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As the Wyoming Legislature's redistricting bill now stands, Cheyenne's Latino community would be split unfavorably in order to prevent two sitting lawmakers from running against one another.

South Cheyenne has a significant Latino population, as only about 1% to 2% of Laramie County Latinos live outside of the southern region of Wyoming's capital city. Before the redistricting bill moved through the House last week, South Cheyenne was only split between two districts, which South Cheyenne advocates prefer, as opposed to four.

The two-way split would force Reps. Clarence Styvar, R-Cheyenne, and Jim Blackburn, R-Cheyenne, to run against each other.

When the House amended the bill last week, lawmakers went back to a four-way split to prevent the two incumbents from facing off, as they have both expressed plans to run for reelection, committee co-chairman Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, told the Star-Tribune.

The map has many more rounds of revisions to go. When it met Tuesday, the Senate Corporations Committee offered indications that some lawmakers were open to amending South Cheyenne back down to two districts. Before that amendment occurred, however, the committee voted to sponsor the bill.

As the bill travels into the Senate for its first readings, South Cheyenne remains split in four House districts. A two-district map in South Cheyenne gives Latinos more voting power instead of being spread into larger, whiter districts. For the past 10 years, South Cheyenne was split into four districts.

It could be better for South Cheyenne residents, said Carla Gregorio, vice president of the Wyoming Independent Citizens Coalition.

"It still splits South Cheyenne into four districts [and] therefore splits the Hispanic and blue-collar workers vote, she later added.

The current map, while it splits South Cheyenne into four, is considered better than whats been in place for the past decade, because instead of four districts that are evenly split, there are two main districts and two smaller ones.

That alignment is seen as a compromise between what the South Cheyenne advocates want while preventing a Blackburn-Styvar race.

[The map was] redrawn to get closer to what the independent citizens coalition wanted without undistricting incumbents, Zwonitzer said.

Pete Illoway, chairman of the corporations committee when redistricting was performed a decade ago, got straight to the point Tuesday morning.

How many legislators did you save when you did this? he asked. Because I think Laramie County is probably messed up, and I think probably some other counties also have saved some legislators, and were not supposed to save legislators. We did that 10 years ago and it was a mistake, and I would say that was part of my problem as the chairman.

Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, pushed back against the accusations that the corporations committee did anything inappropriate to maintain seats.

The truth is, we presented a redistricting plan without legislative seats in mind, she said.

Theres robust evidence to her point: The committee-sponsored bill had many sitting lawmakers running against each other.

She also cited the fact that her Senate district is being torn up, which she did not object to.

Avoiding the displacement of sitting lawmakers is not one of the guiding principles that the committee drew up at the beginning of the process, but it plays a role.

One of our criteria is -- its not the highest -- is to look at existing seats and not to affect them if you can help it, Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, said Tuesday.

It's not secret that lawmakers work around incumbents while redrawing Wyoming's legislative map.

The map has to be passed like a bill, meaning it needs majority support in both chambers, so avoiding the ire of sitting lawmakers is key to passing the bill, which the state is required to do.

Because its being done by legislators, it has to be a political process. So you have to have a bill that can get 31 votes in the House and 16 votes in the Senate, Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, previously told the Star-Tribune.

That said, racking up the necessary votes does not imply that Wyomingites will be poorly represented.

It's a political process requiring a sufficient number of votes. Population changes can be reflected in multiple ways, Zwontizer said.

One lawmaker did attempt to make the process less political by creating an independent redistricting commission that would take the responsibility away from sitting lawmakers.

The resolution, by Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, failed in the Senate 9-21. It was cosponsored by the Speaker of the House Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, and Senate Vice President Larry Hicks, R-Baggs.

It just has been difficult because, despite everyones best intentions and best efforts, this process gets personal, Gierau previously told the Star-Tribune. There isnt any way around it. If they redraw the lines, and you have a whole bunch of folks youve never represented before, its difficult.

Zwonitzer, who was on the corporations committee during the last redistricting, said it was not as political the last time around.

The redistricting bill will move on to its first of three readings in the Senate next.

We hope the Senate fixes it," Gregorio said. "Ive been working towards two House representatives and one Senate seat in South Cheyenne."

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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A bill that would bar the teaching of critical race theory in Wyoming schools easily passed the Senate on Wednesday and now must make it through the House of Representatives.

Without explicitly using the term critical race theory in the text, the current version of Senate File 103 seeks to disallow Wyoming schools from teaching that racism is systemic or inherent to a group of people in any way.

No person is inherently racist.solely by virtue of his race or sex, the bill reads in part.

Critical race theory is an academic framework for examining how racism has historically been endemic in U.S. institutions and society. Keeping it out of schools has become a right-wing focus in the past year. It is not currently taught in Wyoming classrooms.

The final reading for Senate File 103 or Education-limitations on teaching critical race history came in at 25 in favor of the bill, four opposed and one excused.

For the bill draft to get to its current version, it underwent many revisions.

It was introduced with the term critical race theory which was then amended out in committee. Coming out of committee, the bill took a nondescript approach, only stating that American institution and ideals should not promote division or hatred on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, national origin.

On the bills final reading in the Senate, Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, added an amendment that lists a number of criteria  which are commonly believed to be a part of critical race theory  that would be barred from Wyoming classrooms, without using the phrase critical race theory.

This is the version of the bill that will now travel to the House.

Its clear that despite using the term critical race theory, Bitemans amendment sought to ban the controversial framework.

After Bitemans amendment was successful, Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, withdrew her amendment that would insert the language that would explicitly ban divisive philosophies including but not limited to critical race theory.

Whats more, much of the language in Bitemans amendment was similar to the language in a bill that died in the House earlier in the budget session that explicitly sought to ban critical race theory.

Because the House killed a bill that attempted to ban critical race theory, Senate File 103 is expected to have a tougher time clearing upcoming hurdles. The bill has consistently drawn criticism from the Wyoming Education Association and the Wyoming School Board Association.

Proponents of the bill are mainly concerned that teachers would be editorializing during their lessons and teaching opinion as opposed to fact.

Although the bill passed easily, it brought lengthy debate.

Dissenters have stuck to the argument that it is not the purview of the Legislature to decide what can and can not be taught in Wyoming classrooms.

Its scary when this Legislature gets to determine what is truth, Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, said. Id ask each of you to step back and ask, Should we be doing this?

The education association has also argued that the legislation may be illegal under the Wyoming Constitution because the Legislature is not meant to determine what can be taught.

Biteman pushed back on this point on the Senate floor.

Were not saying what you cant teach, were just saying you cant teach it in a way that I just laid out, he said.

Former social studies teacher Sen. Jeff Wasserburger, R-Gillette, said he was on board with the bill until the last line of Bitemans amendment.

Classroom instruction and curricula shall not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles of this subsection or state academic standards, the last sentence reads.

Wasserburger, who ultimately voted in favor of the draft, explained that he taught subjects like the civil and womens rights movements with a specific purpose in mind.

I think were headed down the wrong path, he said. If youre going to support the bill, I would hope that that last line would come out.

At least 35 states have introduced anti-critical race theory legislation to date.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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Twenty-nine more Wyomingites have died from COVID-19, the Wyoming Department of Health reported Tuesday.

There have now been 1,718 coronavirus-caused deaths in Wyoming since the pandemic arrived here in March 2020.

The new deaths touch 13 of Wyomings 23 counties. Laramie County reported 10 deaths, Natrona and Fremont counties reported three deaths, Albany, Park and Sheridan counties each reported two deaths and Campbell, Crook, Hot Springs, Sweetwater, Teton, Washakie and Weston counties had one death each.

Seventeen of the people whose deaths were announced this past week had preexisting health conditions that put them at risk from more severe illness from contracting COVID-19. Twenty-one of the 29 were hospitalized, four out-of-state, while nine were residents of long-term care facilities.

Last week, 22 COVID deaths were reported in the state.

Of the latest deaths, three occurred in January, while 26 occurred in February.

The state does not include a death in its COVID-19 count unless the virus is listed on the patients death certificate as either the cause of death or a contributing factor. There is often a lag between when deaths occur and when deaths are reported because of the time it takes for death certificates to be processed.

Broadly speaking, the number of deaths in Wyoming correlates with the rise and fall of cases in the state, often trailing by a few weeks changes in infection and hospitalization rates.

Deaths declined dramatically last spring. But when cases surged late last summer and early fall, the weekly updates on COVID-19 deaths rose as well.

On Tuesday, 68 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in Wyoming. That number rose towards the end of January but has fallen considerably since the start of February.

Last years COVID-19 surge was driven by the delta variant, which is more contagious and causes more serious illness than the first strain of COVID-19 that emerged here. But delta is no longer the dominant strain in Wyoming. The omicron variant has overtaken it. The omicron strain, which is now responsible for most of Wyomings new cases, appears more contagious than delta, but studies suggest it causes less severe symptoms.

Wyomings vaccination rate trails most of the country. Nationally, the state has the second-lowest proportion of fully vaccinated residents.

Roughly 50% of the state is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and about 58% people have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
A series of unusual craters discovered in Wyoming may have been caused when an asteroid crashed into or near the Nebraska Panhandle 280 million years ago.

This is the newest theory proposed by a team of German and American geologists studying the area. Their paper, entitled Secondary cratering on Earth: The Wyoming impact crater field, was published in the Geological Society of America bulletin on Friday, Feb. 11.

The crater field consists of at least 31 small impact craters up to 230 feet in diameter, with at least 60 other structures awaiting confirmation. They were discovered around the Laramie Mountain Range to the southwest of Douglas.

Research of the craters began in 2017. Researchers included impact specialist Dr. Thomas Kenkmann from the University of Freiburg in Germany and retired petroleum geologist Doug Cook from Colorado Springs. Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt also joined the expedition.

Dr. Schmitt assisted me with getting field samples from crater SM-1 which I then sent to (Kenkmann) in Germany. After some time, we received the news that the Sheep Mountain craters were proven from the microscopic shock structures in quartz grains. This work was presented by Dr. Kenkmann at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston in March 2018, followed by three days of field work in Wyoming, Cook said in an email to the Star-Herald. This work uncovered additional craters.

Originally, the team believed they were caused by pieces of a meteor breaking up in the atmosphere and falling to Earth. However, the craters were missing some of the materials commonly found in meteor break-ups. This, combined with the sheer number of craters across such a large area, led some of the geologists to reconsider this idea.

Kenkmann and Cook now believe they were caused by ejecta, chunks of earth that were blasted away when an asteroid struck the planet. If the craters were caused by ejecta, they would be the first of their kind found on Earth. Such secondary craters are common on extraterrestrial bodies such as the Moon, Mars and Mercury, but have never before been positively identified on Earth.

From the size of the ejected blocks and their velocities, we estimated that the primary impacting asteroid had a size of roughly 2.5  3.1 miles in diameter and formed a crater some 31  40 miles in diameter. Such an impact is really devastating, Kenkmann told the Star-Herald in an email.

He said the impact would have triggered earthquakes, released thermal radiation and knocked down trees for hundreds of miles.

Based on weak indications from existing data and calculating the trajectories of the craters, the team believed the primary impact happened somewhere around the state line between Nebraska and Wyoming. It would have likely landed near southeast Goshen County or western Banner County.

The researchers said further work is necessary to determine the exact placement, or even the existence, of the primary crater. In the northern Denver Basin, the Permian beds are deeply buried, Kenkmann said. ... So it will be challenging to prove this crater that is also buried by several kilometers of sediments. One needs geophysical surveys (like) seismics, gravity and magnetics to detect potential circular anomalies that are characteristic for buried impact structures.

Cook such endeavors will have to wait until COVID has subsided and the U.S. Geological Surveys Core Research Center in Denver reopens.

We hope to get access to sample deep well data from some key wells in the presumed target area. Impact evidence from deep cores could seal the deal. Getting access to petroleum industry seismic images would also be helpful, he added.

Kenkmann said he is planning another field campaign to collect more samples from the craters in April.

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JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- After COVID-19 exposed some challenges bedeviling the BRICS countries, there is a need to re-examine its strategies and integrate and expand its scope, said South African experts on Wednesday at the webinar "South Africa and the BRICS: Revisiting developmental priorities".

The Witwatersrand University School of Governance lecturer Lihle Ngcobozi said COVID-19 showed the problems of patents and vaccine nationalism that BRICS should address.

"BRICS should lead and be trend or policy setters. They should lead in vaccine democratization," she said.

She pointed out that BRICS countries have a potential influence on global decisions such as climate change and COVID-19. It should have a blueprint on infrastructure development, economic reforms, fiscal prudence, and post-economic recovery while respecting the sovereignty of the countries.

Krish Chetty, the chief researcher at one of the country's think tanks, the Human Science Research Council, said COVID-19 created new areas of cooperation.

She said while China quickly managed to adjust to online learning at a large scale, countries like South Africa, India and Brazil faced challenges.

"We should continue with knowledge sharing on BRICS as think-tank and universities. There is a space to work together in renewable energy platforms and new technology. We must promote mass digital skills training for students and lecturers," she said.

Sanusha Naidu, senior researcher at Institute for Global Dialogue concurred with other experts.

She pointed out that while BRICS made progress in building institutions like Contingent Reserve Arrangement, New Development Bank, there have been calls for the establishment of the digital payment system.

Naidu called on members to address tariff and non-tariff measures which are barriers to trade within BRICS countries.

The webinar was organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs and South African BRICS Think Tank. 
The case to expand Medicaid in Wyoming is stronger than ever. We know that most eligible voters support it to help thousands of their low-income friends and neighbors finally obtain health insurance.

But last week the Wyoming House didnt take a vote on this years Medicaid expansion bill, so the only option that remains this session is to include it in the state budget bill. Lawmakers are working on the budget this week.

A poll conducted by the American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN) in September shows that 66% of Wyoming voters favor expanding Medicaid to include low-income individuals. This support cuts across all political party affiliations, including 58% of registered Republicans and 64% of Independents. Fully 67% of Republican women support expanding Medicaid. Given that 20% of Wyoming women of childbearing age are uninsured, which can lead to poor health outcomes for both mothers and children, expanding Medicaid particularly among women makes sense.

Support for expansion is overwhelming among voters in Wyomings larger cities at 81%. It remains strong among small town and rural voters, with over 60% support in both groups. These responses are likely because a hospital is an essential employer in every community, but particularly so in smaller towns with fewer opportunities for good-paying jobs.

Regardless of location, voters support the expansion of Medicaid, ranging from 59% support in the Northeast portion of Wyoming to 73% in the Southeast. Uncompensated care in Wyoming costs $100 million annually. And Wyoming people know that when you cant pay your bills, you must cut back.

While Wyoming has not yet experienced hospital closures, we have seen cutbacks in services at some facilities and many Wyoming hospitals operate in the red. Loss of services means long trips for care for those in rural areas and the nations highest insurance costs for employers and the insured in the state.

Support of Medicaid expansion is not surprising when reviewing some of the other ACS-CAN poll findings. The polling found that 30% of Wyoming voters feel that healthcare costs and access are one of Wyomings top problems. More than a quarter polled indicated that our current healthcare system is not meeting their needs, while 27% worry that someone in their family will be without health insurance sometime in the next year. This feeling is particularly prevalent among women.

As with many, perhaps all, things about government in Wyoming, it seems to come down to money. Here a recent study done by researchers at the University of Wyoming, called Wyoming Citizens Perspectives on Budget Choices- January 2022, is helpful. The study offered Wyoming voters an opportunity to state their level of support for a state budget with various adjustments. Nearly 400 voters weighed in. The budget scenario with the highest level of support from voters? The one that kept things as they are and added Medicaid expansion.

Wyoming voters seem to get what the Legislature has chosen to ignore. Expanding Medicaid in 2022 improves the budget and has no downside. Even after paying Wyomings ten percent share of expanded Medicaid, we have 34 million dollars that we wouldnt have had without the expansion. People have better access to care, and the state has more money than it otherwise would. That is called a Win/Win.

Wyoming is now one of only twelve states that continues to turn down millions of dollars in federal funds to bring healthcare to its citizens. For more than a decade, Wyomings people have watched while the Legislature has dawdled. A decade ago, legislators said that they would find a Wyoming solution rather than expanding Medicaid. But still, we wait, and 24,000 individuals remain without insurance. At the same time, our tax dollars have poured into neighboring states, helping people, and stabilizing their healthcare delivery systems.

It is past time for Wyoming to expand Medicaid. Wyoming voters support it, and it will make Wyomings people and budget healthier.

Bruce Palmer is the director of Healthy Wyoming, a coalition advocating for better healthcare access for all Wyoming citizens. He writes from Lander, Wyoming.

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SMALL business owners in three Caribbean countries will get the opportunity to showcase how their enterprises are transforming their communities, and themselves, due to support from the social enterprise, Nudge Caribbean.

The opportunity comes tomorrow, at an event called Nudge Now, which is being organised by Nudge Caribbean, which was founded by Anya Ayoung-Chee, design strategist and social entrepreneur, and Julie Avey, Massy Groups senior vice president of People and Culture.
Caption:Spirit of cooperation: Prime Minister Keith Rowley joined other leaders at the Sixth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) yesterday in Doha, Qatar. At left is Stuart Young, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Photo courtesy Office of the Prime Minister Facebook page
Many people are struggling during this Covid-19 pandemic as prices increase, while many are 
Telling his side: The Trinidadian fisherman who was aboard the boat with Venezuelan migrants, when they encountered Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard officers on February 6, shows how he held one-year-old Yaelvis Jose Santollo Sarabia when told to pray for him after he had been shot dead.

@Caption:Photo: NIKITA BRAXTON-BENJAMIN
And so it has come to pass. One week after the island-wide blackout of February 16, we told you in this space that, from among the best authority available, there would be, there could be no one to blame for what happened.

We told you that the determination had already been made as to what happened, how and why, and that nobody could have been held responsible for that. It was a warning against the natural national tendency to go for blood. Loud had been the shouts of sabotage, the result of worker discontentment, and a clamour for heads to roll.
Sasson Gabai was a bit surprised when Orin Wolf approached him in his native Israel and asked if he would be interested in being a part of a Broadway musical based on the 2007 Israeli film The Bands Visit.

The movies only musical nod was the fact that it was a story about a police band. But turn it into a Broadway musical?

The first time I heard, it sounds to me like a crazy idea, said Gabai, who originated the role of the bands leader, Colonel Tewfiq Zakaria, in the film. The film is so gentle and very low key. Theres not much of car chasing or what have you.

It took Wolf eight years to bring his idea to fruition and once it had been Off-Broadway and then on Broadway, Wolf circled back to Gabai in 2018 and asked him to take over the role of Zakaria on Broadway for Tony Shalhoub.

Gabai agreed.

They managed to make out of this gentle film a very gentle musical, he said during a phone call days before the show opened in Tempe last week. It is very special and very unique, and I think its the first time on Broadway that you see Mediterranean issues not put out of politics but through human nature. Also its the first time you can hear and listen to all these languages altogether.

The play as with the film, which swept international film festivals and won numerous awards, has characters speaking Arabic, Hebrew and English, and the music is a combination of Arabic and jazz.

The Bands Visit  hitting the stage in Tucson starting Thursday, Feb. 24  is about the Alexandria (Egypt) Ceremonial Police Orchestra that gets stranded in the middle of nowhere after taking the wrong bus to a concert in Israel. Instead of a big city, they land in a desert town whose residents are more than a little curious about their accidental tourists. The townspeople agree to take the visitors in for the night while they wait for their bus.

The thing about this night, the locals and the orchestra (share) very small human stories, Gabai said. Each one in this night reveals themselves to strangers. Each one learns about himself and they learn especially how much we are alike and how much we need each other in spite of the differences of culture and nations and politics and language.

I think this story is timely ... especially now because people need the connection after such a long time of disconnection, he added. They missed it and they forgot how it is to be together in communities. This is especially relevant now, but I think this feels relevant any time because it talks about how much alike we are. In spite of our differences, we are humans who need each other. And sometimes you are more open to talk to a stranger that you wont see (again) than you are to people you see every day.

Gabai said that the musical is not your typical polished Broadway musical. Its more of a play with music.

Its a play with lots of songs. You have to sit, you have to listen, you have to breath and accept the story, said Gabai, who sings a short ballad and duet in the performance. And you find yourself, as an audience, in the story.

He called playing Zakaria career changing.

Even though there was a gap between the film and my first show on Broadway, this part was always with me, said the 74-year-old veteran Israeli actor, whose resume includes theater, TV and film productions going back to his debut in 1973. I was lucky to have quite a vast career in different genres, but still this is kind of my signature role.

Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch

If you go What: "The Band's Visit" Presented by: Broadway In Tucson When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24; 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27 Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. Tickets: $35 to $125 through ticketmaster.com Run time: 100 minutes with no intermission COVID protocols: Proof of full vaccination or a negative test taken within 72 hours of the performance. Masks will be required.

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A deep dive into how global warming threatens the boreal forests  the loss of which threatens us all.

"The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth" by Ben Rawlence; St. Martin's Press (304 pages, $29.99)



The Indigenous people of Canada's northern woods "do not imagine humans as separate from the land, but as part of a total system.  The water, the trees, the animals, plants, wind and rain are all spirits who share the land and with whom they must negotiate for finite resources."

Ben Rawlence learned this during a visit with members of the Anishinaabe first nation, one stop on his trip to six boreal forests around the world (Scotland, Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland) to research his important new book, "The Treeline."

Hopefully, most people already know how consequential trees are to the ecosystem: how they suck carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen; how leaves capture impurities in the air. But forests do much more.

For one thing, there is a complex and not yet entirely understood relationship between forest systems and world "water cycles, atmospheric circulation, carbon storage."

"Spruce forests in Alaska and northern Canada have a direct connection to the rainfall in America's breadbasket," where wheat harvests declined in both 2019 and 2020, suggesting that Native beliefs about the connective tissue linking all aspects of the natural world are something we should be paying far more attention to.

Not surprisingly, what Rawlence discovers is distressing. "The boreal forest is breaking apart." These ancient trees that are a "source of wonder," now sadly "no longer offer comfort, but warning."

Because of global warming, these important habitats now face the same threat as forests in more temperate climes.

In Siberia, for example, "the fire interval was previously five to 30 years, depending upon rainfall." Now, because weather patterns have changed, fires are an annual event. They are hotter and last longer, which makes it more difficult for trees to reestablish themselves.

Cold winters used to eliminate "even the hardiest of all insect larva, a process that kept the Arctic pristine and pest free in the summer." No longer.

Unrelated to the trees, warming is also melting the permafrost, releasing "methane, a greenhouse gas 85 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its warming efforts."

The book is at times a bit of a slog. Rawlence occasionally repeats himself. He presupposes a level of scientific knowledge (and vocabulary) not every reader will bring.

But it is worth the effort. We're already beginning to feel the impact of climate change through droughts, food insecurity and supply chain problems. Rawlence offers no solution, but notes that understanding the danger we face and "accepting that the status quo is irretrievable is also the door to action."



Curt Schleier is a New Jersey-based book critic.

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PHOENIX  A Senate panel voted Tuesday to provide $50 million through federal funds to help cities and counties deal with homelessness.

But in order to get a share of the money, communities could be forced to arrest and lock up some people now living on the streets.

Sen. David Livingston, R-Peoria, told the Appropriations Committee that Senate Bill 1581 aims to motivate communities to create centralized locations where the homeless can camp. That ensures people can get a safe place to clean up and stow their belongings as well as find services they need, he said.

Cities and counties that seek their share of the funds would have to agree to a set of conditions, including providing sanitary facilities, potable water and on-site security, as well as establishing safety rules.

The ability of local governments to tap into $30 million of the money  the rest would be earmarked for nonprofit organizations  would be contingent on having ordinances that prohibit sleeping and camping in public places that are not designated as sanctioned camping sites. The city or county would also have to enforce those ordinances.

The strings attached to this money come at a too high cost and will only serve to exacerbate the current factors that drive people into poverty and homelessness, said Hugo Polanco, lobbyist for Wildfire. That organization, successor to the Arizona Community Action Association, focuses on poverty issues.

This isnt just a philosophical issue. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2019 that people who are homeless cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property unless the community also offers adequate alternatives.

There was no evidence presented Tuesday that such alternatives exist in most communities. In fact, proponents said the tent centers the legislation would encourage are designed to account for that lack.

Despite that, only Sen. Raquel Teran, D-Phoenix, voted against the measure. She said the 2019 ruling voiding an ordinance out of Boise, Idaho makes the measure not just illegal but unworkable.

Those arguments did not sway others, albeit for vastly different reasons.

Sen. Lela Alston, D-Phoenix, said she is relying on promises by proponents to find ways to deal with the legal issues before the measure goes to the full Senate.

Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, had a different take.

He told colleagues he sees nothing wrong with arresting those who are sleeping on streets. Borrelli said he sees some benefit from such a move because nearly 600 homeless people died on Phoenix streets in the last year.

Id rather have somebody do a night in jail, get cleaned up and a hot meal than end up in a body bag, he said.

Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, seemed ready to take on the legal system.

He acknowledged that the 9th Circuit ruling is binding on Arizona and other Western states. But Gowan said there has yet to be a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on the issue.

Thats not exactly true: The justices refused to consider a bid by Boise to revisit the issue, leaving the 9th Circuit decision in place.

Wednesdays committee vote followed a parade of witnesses, including residents or owners of businesses in areas where the homeless have taken up residence on streets.

There are days when I cant access my business, complained Angela Ojile, who said efforts to sell or lease her property in Phoenix are stymied by the situation.

Ojile said she welcomes a comprehensive approach. We feel like its been Band-Aided so far, she said.

Caroline Lobo, who lives in the Sunnyslope area of Phoenix, said kids cant walk to school because they come across needles and feces on the street.

Joan Serviss, executive director of the Arizona Housing Coalition, cautioned lawmakers against approving the measure, at least in its current form with the requirement of communities to enact and enforce laws against sleeping on streets. She said that could cause the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the source of the federal funding, to find the state is ignoring the law and withdraw the money.

Fiscal issues aside, Serviss said shes not convinced the proposal is a good idea. As professionals working to advocate for affordable homes and an end to homelessness, we do not believe structured camping facilities, tent cities, safe parking lots are the best practice, she said.

What does end someones homelessness is housing, Serviss continued. And the $30 million earmarked to cities to establish sanctioned camping sites, and $20 million to nonprofits, could be far better invested into the State Housing Trust Fund to create permanent supportive housing and to keep people stably housed through eviction prevention, housing case management and the like.

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Local developers who were the first to flip a student housing complex on Tucsons west side into market-rate luxury apartments have sold the property for a handsome profit.

Holualoa Cos. bought Gateway at Tucson, a 188-unit complex at 2800 W. Broadway, near Anklam and Greasewood roads, in 2018 for $12.9 million and invested nearly $10 million in renovations.

They sold it for $61.6 million.

The 552 by-the-bed complex was renovated by splitting some of the four-bedroom units into one- and two-bedroom units.

Holualoa also upgraded the common areas and landscaping and rebranded it as Sonoran Reserve, which now has 272 units.

We are pleased to complete the sale of Sonoran Reserve and realize a strong return on investment, said Lani Baker, chief financial officer of Holualoa. This transaction shows the continued strength of Tucsons multifamily market.

CBRE brokers Jeff Casper, Asher Gunter, Tyler Anderson, Sean Cunningham and Matt Pesch represented Holualoa Cos. in the sale.

The buyer, Millburn & Co., is a real estate investment company based in Salt Lake City.

Tucson is a top-performing multifamily market and we remain bullish on the metros long-term economic outlook, said Jake Millburn, the companys executive vice president. Sonoran Reserve is a perfect fit for our investment criteria and the community is positioned for continued growth in a market with tremendous fundamentals.

Other recent real estate transactions include:

Stamback Investments LLC bought 5.59 acres of industrial land at 8402 E. Old Vail Road for $487,000. Gordon Wagner, with NAI Horizon, represented the seller and Juan Teran, with Realty Executives Arizona Territory, represented the buyer.

Cole Valley Partners bought Block 14 at Marana Main Street, on the southwest corner of Marana Road and Interstate 10 for $463,725 to build a Dutch Bros. Coffee shop. The seller was represented by Ben Craney and Scott Soelter, with NAI Horizon, and the buyer was represented by Greg Saltz, Marty Olejarczyk and Jesse Rozio, with GPS Retail Advisors.

Heart & Soul Kids Activity Center leased 3,700 square feet at Rita Ranch Plaza, 8290 S. Houghton Road. Andrew Sternberg and Gordon Wagner, with NAI Horizon, represented the landlord, KMC III LLC. Doug Marsh and Lori Casey, with Oxford Realty Advisors, represented the tenant.

Ding Tea leased 1,320 square feet at 910 W. Irvington Road in the Placita Del Rio shopping center for its second location. The Taiwan boba tea franchises first shop is open on Speedway, near Tucson Boulevard. Craig Finfrock, of Commercial Retail Advisors LLC, represented the tenant, Maile II LLC, and Scott Soelter, of NAI Horizon, represented the landlord, PDR Investors LLC.

Information for Tucson Real Estate is compiled from records at the Pima County Recorders Office and from brokers. Send information to Gabriela Rico, grico@tucson.com

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A migrant who was shot to death by a Border Patrol agent northeast of Douglas was killed while the agent was attempting to arrest him, the agency said Wednesday.

The incident occurred Saturday, Feb. 19, around 9 p.m. when two Border Patrol agents were dispatched from Douglas for reports of undocumented migrants in a remote area, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement.

After arriving by horseback in an area about 32 miles northeast of Douglas known as Skeleton Canyon, they dismounted and continued, according to the statement.

Soon after, the agents encountered three migrants and took them into custody. Then, the agents spotted a fourth person who was attempting to escape by running downhill into a canyon, and one of the agents pursued him.

One of the Border Patrol agents followed this individual and while taking him into custody discharged his firearm fatally wounding the migrant, tentatively identified as a citizen of Mexico, the statement said.

The agents radioed for medical assistance and determined the man was dead before other units arrived. During the search around the area after the incident, agents arrested two additional migrants believed to be part of the same group, and they were transported to Douglas.

The Pima County Medical Examiners Office reported on Tuesday that the migrant died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The names of the agents involved in the incident and the deceased migrant were not released.

The Cochise County Sherriffs Office is leading the investigation into the incident and it is under review by the U.S. Border and Custom Protection Office of Professional Responsibility.

The Mexican government condemns any act of unjustified violence against migrants, the Consulate of Mexico said in a statement.

Personnel at the consulate interviewed the other migrants who were taken into custody and is monitoring development of the situation.

The consulate knows the mans identity and is providing assistance to his family, including his mother and wife, who live in the Mexican state of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City.

Edward Celaya is a breaking news and marijuana reporter. He has been on both beats since May 2021. Arizona Daily Star border reporter Danyelle Khmara contributed to this story. Contact her at Dkhmara@tucson.com

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ACCRA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A Ghanaian trade economist on Wednesday said the cooperation between Africa and China in infrastructure would boost intra-regional trade in Africa.

Abena Oduro, a trade economist at the Department of Economics with the University of Ghana, told Xinhua that the development of trade infrastructure would be critical to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

She said the urgently-needed infrastructure includes railway, road, and aviation lines, particularly the rail networks, which are inadequate to facilitate the easy movement of goods and services from the various sources to diverse destinations as envisaged under the AfCFTA.

"That map shows the railway lines are like rivers coming from internal Africa to the coast. Very few of the rail lines cut across the continent. For instance, we do not have the railway lines from Accra to Togo or Accra to Cote d'Ivoire for the movement of goods," she stated.

She believed that Africa could capitalize on foreign partners such as China for the development of these rail lines and other transportation infrastructure and the development of industries for a win-win situation.

"The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China would help create linkages that will facilitate intra-African trade. We need railway lines that connect major African destinations and major road networks that connect major African destinations," said Oduro.

Another area Africa could cooperate with China is industrial development for the continent's economic growth and job creation, said Oduro. "China's development experiences hold lessons for us to adapt to our circumstances." 
NEW YORK (AP)  A lawyer for a woman who accused former President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s and then filed a defamation lawsuit against him said Tuesday she will not seek to depose Trump prior to trial because it would cause unnecessary delay, but added that a DNA sample was still being sought.

Attorney Roberta Kaplan first made the revelation in Manhattan federal court during a pretrial hearing before explaining the decision to reporters outside the court as her client, E. Jean Carroll, stood by her side.

A deposition, Kaplan said, would "inevitably result in an inordinate amount of delay."

"We want the case to go forward," she said.

Attorney Alina Habba, who represented Trump at the hearing, said outside court that she had not previously heard that Carroll's lawyers did not want a deposition, a proceeding in which lawyers in civil cases question likely witnesses under oath prior to trial.

"It's surprising," Habba said.

As for a DNA sample, Habba said: "None has been demanded."

Kaplan, though, said the DNA sample had been requested after the case was first filed in state court, and the demand still exists after it was moved to federal court.

She said she would be "more than perfectly happy" to wait to interview Trump at trial, which she estimated could occur in as little as six months, after some near-term legal obstacles are cleared.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people alleging sexual assault, but Carroll has consented to being named in the media.

She told reporters outside court that she was looking forward to the trial on behalf of all women "who have been grabbed and groped, assaulted and raped by men in power and are silenced."

"And we are looking to bring justice, at least in this one case, against a powerful man," she said.

Carroll said she would "never settle, never."

"This is about principle. It's about a powerful man assaulting and raping a woman and then getting away with it. That's not right," she said.

Carroll in a June 2019 book said Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in an upscale Manhattan department store.

The book excerpt prompted Trump to deny the allegations and question Carroll's credibility and motivations in a statement from his White House press office, comments in an Oval Office interview and statements to the media as he boarded a helicopter for Camp David.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule eventually on Trump's request that the United States take his place as the defendant in the lawsuit. The U.S. Justice Department has asserted that Trump cannot be held personally liable for "crude and disrespectful" remarks he made about Carroll because his remarks were made as he was carrying out his duties as president.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over Tuesday's hearing, ruled last October that Trump cannot use a law protecting federal employees from being sued individually for things they do within the scope of their employment.

He also has rejected a request by Trump's attorneys that the progression of the lawsuit, including depositions, be delayed until the 2nd Circuit rules on whether Trump can be replaced as the defendant.

On Tuesday, the judge seemed to have little patience for arguments by Trump's lawyers saying that Trump should be able to countersue Carroll under a law sometimes used to challenge defamation lawsuits that unfairly make claims.

"I question whether you have the right to do what you want to do," he said, noting that the lawyers were seeking to countersue more than a year after the case was filed.

***

Photos: Donald Trump through the years Talking politics With Melania 'How to Get Rich' On the course At Doral Sarazen Cup With Serena USS Iowa Debating Jeb Bush Las Vegas debate In Biloxi Campaign rally Winning South Carolina She's with him Signing autographs Another debate Waving to supporters In Arizona The Trump family At the convention The nominee The ticket Showing her support In Mexico Debating Clinton Casting his vote Election Night In the Oval Office Mitt Romney The inauguration Thumbs up Taking the oath Waving goodbye Armed Forces Ball James Comey Trump to lay out his agenda to Congress Thanking school children Medal of Honor recipients Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Neil Gorsuch Easter Egg Roll Super Bowl champs Little Sisters of the Poor Russian foreign minister, ambassador At the Western Wall Meeting the pope Wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington National champs Congressional shooting At the White House Congressional Picnic Go, Cubs, go Departing the White House USS Gerald R. Ford joins the Navy The eclipse 9/11 anniversary Trump addresses world leaders at U.N. General Assembly Las Vegas shooting Trump visits Puerto Rico Trump meets Kissinger With Trudeau Medal of Honor Happy Halloween National Christmas Tree Lighting Celebrating GOP tax plan March for Life State of the Union School shootings State dinner With Olympians Greeting a guest Freed Americans Historic summit With Kim Kardashian West In Washington Trump North Carolina

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YANGON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's maritime trade increased by over 770.2 million U.S. dollars in the first four months of the interim budget period, compared to the same period of the last fiscal year of 2020-2021, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The sea-route foreign trade amounted to over 8.7 billion U.S. dollars as of Feb. 11 in the six-month interim budget period which started in October last year.

The Southeast Asian country announced changing its fiscal year from the original October-September to April-March beginning 2022-2023, producing a six-month interim budget period from October last year to March this year.

From Oct. 1 last year to Feb. 11 this year, the country's maritime foreign export saw an increase of more than 671.8 million U.S. dollars while its maritime import saw an increase of over 98.4 million U.S. dollars.

Sea-route export of the country amounted to over 3.9 billion U.S. dollars while its sea-route import totaled over 4.8 billion U.S. dollars during the interim budget period.

About 80 percent of the country's trade with foreign countries is usually done through sea route as the country boasts long coastline. Its border trade is conducted with neighboring China, Thailand, Bangladesh and India.

Despite the sea trade surge, the border trade dropped more than 2.01 billion U.S. dollars in the interim budget period from a year earlier.

The country's border trade totaled over 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in the interim budget period. Border trade in the same period of last fiscal year amounted to over 4.4 billion U.S. dollars.

Myanmar, which is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and one of the 15 signatories of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), has been experiencing social and economic problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic and political crisis.

The country's total foreign trade in the interim budget period declined more than 1.2 billion U.S. dollars compared to the same period of a year earlier when its trade value totaled more than 12.4 billion U.S. dollars.

The Southeast Asian country earned more than half of its total foreign revenues from export of manufacturing goods, which brought in over 3.2 billion U.S. dollars during that period.

The county's sales of export goods brought in more than 5.7 billion U.S. dollars of foreign revenues in the interim budget period.

Myanmar's commerce ministry has set a target of 17 billion U.S. dollars for total foreign trade in the six-month interim budget period, an official of the ministry told Xinhua last year.

The country's total foreign trade in over four months of the six-month interim budget period has now exceeded 11 billion U.S. dollars, the ministry's data showed.

Therefore, the country will need another nearly 6 billion U.S. dollars foreign trade value in the next nearly two months to meet its target.

The country exports agricultural products, animal products, fisheries, minerals and forest products, manufacturing goods and others to foreign countries while capital goods, intermediate goods and consumer goods are imported into the country. 
PHOENIX  Claiming their use is ripe for fraud, Republicans on a Senate panel voted Tuesday to require new security measures on drop boxes now available for people to deposit their early ballots.

The 6-4 party-line vote by the Appropriations Committee on SB 1571 came amid claims by Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Apache Junction, that the boxes make it too easy for people to anonymously stuff with ballots, even though ballot harvesting already is a crime. So whats in the measure is a requirement that each and every box have a functioning camera or video recorder to take images of each person depositing a ballot.

And those photos would be linked to which ballots are deposited.

It also would be programmed to not accept more than seven ballots from any one person, a provision Townsend said also would help deter ballot harvesting.

There is no specific reason for that limit. But the ballot harvesting ban approved by lawmakers in 2016  upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court  does allow individuals to handle not only their own voted ballots but also those of family members and those living in the same household.

Sen. Lela Alston, D-Phoenix, pointed out that the measure also spells out that if the camera stops working the box self locks and cannot accept more ballots. And presuming that the cameras are solar powered, that raises the question of what happens if its raining  or, in Northern Arizona, snowing  on the days the drop boxes are supposed to be available.

Townsend, however, was unpersuaded. She told colleagues that if she had her way, there would be no drop boxes at all.

In fact, her original version of SB 1571 actually sought to wipe out the ability of Arizonans to return their early ballots by dropping them in the mail.

Only thing is, Townsend conceded, she lacks the votes, even in the Republican-controlled Legislature, to make such radical changes. So she has to be satisfied with better oversight of the approximately 160 drop boxes that are now available statewide.

Sen. Raquel Teran, D-Phoenix, said anything that potentially shuts down drop boxes would harm those who may not have the time or opportunity to seek out another one  assuming one is available  or take their ballot to a voting center or county office.

But Townsend bristled at suggestions that new restrictions on how people can cast their ballots becomes a form of voter suppression.

I cant accept that, she said. We have to have security in voting or people wont vote because they think their votes dont count.

Teran, however, said the answer to that isnt taking pictures of people as they cast their early ballots or making drop boxes unavailable if there is a malfunction.

If we want to restore the confidence in our elections we need to stop the Big Lie, she said, referring to baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.

Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, had a different take.

The fact is that 45% of the people in Arizona believe that theres problems with our election, he said.

It has nothing to do with the Big Lie, Stop the Steal and all that, Leach continued. These are people who dont think their votes are being counted.

And Sen. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, said he sees nothing wrong with the photos or videos, saying its no more onerous than having to present identification when casting a ballot in person.

What was approved Tuesday by the committee is unlikely to be the final word. Townsend said she wants further restrictions when the measure now goes to the full Senate.

Among those changes could be even more limits on where the boxes could be located.

One issue, Townsend said, would be having them inside of government buildings where, presumably, individuals could not stuff the boxes with multiple ballots. That, she said, could eliminate the need for the photo and video evidence.

But there are issues with that, too.

I dont know that I feel comfortable putting them in a municipal building or even at this point a county building because of the struggles weve had with the county, she said. That refers to the refusal of Maricopa County to cooperate with the decision by the Senate to hire Cyber Ninjas to conduct its own kind of audit of the 2020 election.

What that could leave, Townsend said, are state buildings, with a preference for the Motor Vehicle Division where people already can register to vote.

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

As famously noted by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis in 1932 to explain federalism, states are the laboratories of democracy. Empowered with the autonomy to explore and test policy proposals, states can either act as a beacon for others to follow or a cautionary tale to avoid.

As of late, Arizona is engaging in an economic experiment that should be mimicked across the country. Small businesses and their employees are set to benefit big-time.

The state is pursuing a novel idea: return surplus state tax revenue back to the taxpayers.

Going into the pandemic, the Grand Canyon State had already amassed a $1 billion rainy day fund. And because Gov. Doug Ducey took a measured approach to address the coronavirus, unlike California, New Jersey, or New York, economic activity didnt come to a standstill. In fact, state tax revenue was up during the pandemic. Tack on federal government dollars that were distributed to the states and Arizonas financial house has a strong foundation.

Last year, Ducey and his allies in the state Legislature went to work to explore how best to begin returning these excess dollars back to the families and businesses of Arizona. People, not the government, know how best to spend their own money. And rather than being lost forever in the government budget black hole, that money can be spent and invested to create even greater economic opportunity.

The answer: tax cuts.

Passed and signed into law by Ducey last year, a series of tax reform bills is set to benefit working families and small businesses alike. In short, the reforms incrementally phase down the personal income tax rate for most to a flat rate of 2.5% by 2025. For a middle-class family of four in the state, the tax rate falls by up to 40%. According to the governors office, the average family can expect $300 in savings annually.

Arizona entrepreneurs like me will receive a boost as well. The reform has created a separate tax system for pass-through small businesses. Owners of, for example, sole proprietorships or S-corps, will be subject to a 2.5% tax rate  down from the prior top rate of 8% under the individual code. And as we learned during the years following the federal 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, when small businesses have more money to invest in facility upgrades, employees and expansion, the broader economy booms.

As the owner of HT Metals, I experienced this firsthand. After implementation of the federal tax cuts, accelerated demand and more money in my pocket provided the opportunity to ramp up operations. I purchased new equipment, as well as improved employee wages and benefits just to keep up. That pattern, along with increased hiring, played out in businesses across the country  leading to one of the strongest economies in decades.

Now, because of tax cuts in Arizona, state businesses  fueled by residents retaining more of their hard-earned dollars  are poised to press on the economic gas yet again. The renewed economic fervor will help Arizona continue to recover from the pandemic and solidify the Grand Canyon State as a competitive economy where businesses can flourish. And from a national perspective, Arizona acts as a roadmap other states should follow.

Washington is currently failing our countrys small business owners. Sky-high inflation, the threat of higher taxes and more regulation plague Main Street. But Arizona is one state that is picking up the slack and leading the charge to empower entrepreneurs and provide additional economic opportunity to millions of workers. Other states, and our elected leaders in Washington for that matter, should take note.

Carlos Ruiz is the owner of HT Metals in Tucson and a member of the Job Creators Network.

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WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Tuesday rolled out the first of what the U.S. says could be an ever-fiercer, ever-broader cascade of financial sanctions and penalties over Russias moves against Ukraine.

Tuesdays first installment of sanctions hit members of Putins inner circle and their families and two banks that the U.S. considers especially crucial to the Kremlin and Russias military. Another new U.S. measure limits Russia's power to raise money abroad.

U.S. officials made clear they were holding in possible reserve more devastating measures, in case Russia escalates actions threatening Ukraine's territory and sovereignty. The Biden administration says those more sweeping penalties would cripple Russia's ability to do business at home and abroad, and likely bring on a recession there.

Here's a look at some of the tougher possible penalties that U.S. leaders are holding in abeyance  while watching for new Russian steps against Ukraine. The U.S. has yet to fully disclose which of the options it will use.

Nord Stream 2

Germany announced Tuesday that it would suspend its certification of the newly built but never operated Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline. A multibillion-dollar project of Russia's Gazprom energy company and European companies, the pipeline would carry Russias natural gas to the lucrative markets of Europe. It's been a top target of the Biden administration and Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, who say the project was a strategic mistake from the start, increasing Putins political power over Europe by prolonging its dependence on Russias natural gas.

Reluctant to split with ally Germany, Biden has warded off repeated attempts in Congress to impose financial sanctions on any company or person that does business that involves Nord Stream 2, effectively making it financially impossible for the pipeline to operate. It's unclear if the U.S. might still impose its own sanctions on Nord Stream 2, to amplify the actions that Germany just took.

Biden insisted in recent weeks that Nord Stream had no chance if Russia invaded Ukraine. Then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it, Biden said.

Sanctions on individuals, businesses and entities

U.S. officials suggested that the latest sanctions were only a hint of how far it could go in targeting Russian companies and individuals.

Tuesdays actions included hitting civilian leaders in Russias leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russias military, with more than $80 billion in combined assets. That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdiction.

But U.S. officials emphasized Washington still could take more of Russia's banks, including its biggest, offline with a push of a button.

Overall, the U.S. and its allies aim to impose sanctions that compel Putin to change his ways, while hoping to minimize the harshest impacts on ordinary Russians and any collateral economic damage on the U.S. and European allies.

Sanctions are imposed on individuals listed on a Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List through the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Also known as SDNs, the list includes individuals and companies owned, controlled by or acting on behalf of a targeted country. Traditionally, their assets will be blocked and the U.S. is almost completely prohibited from dealing with SDNs. Individuals, groups, companies and even aircraft can be given this designation.

Additionally, sectoral sanctions are an option to damage the economy. Sectoral sanctions apply to specific Russian firms  such as energy, finance, technology and defense  to be included on the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List. Sectoral sanctions will limit some trade but will permit some transactions.

SWIFT

For the U.S. and its European allies, cutting Russia out of the SWIFT financial system, which shuffles money from bank to bank around the globe, would be one of the toughest financial steps they could take, damaging Russias economy immediately and in the long term. The move could cut Russia off from most international financial transactions, including international profits from oil and gas production, which in all accounts for more than 40% of the countrys revenue.

Allies on both sides of the Atlantic also considered the SWIFT option in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia declared then that kicking it out of SWIFT would be equivalent to a declaration of war. The allies  criticized ever after for responding too weakly to Russias 2014 aggression  shelved the idea.

Russia since then has tried to develop its own financial transfer system, with limited success.

The U.S. has succeeded before in persuading the SWIFT system to kick out a country  Iran, over its nuclear program. But kicking Russia out of SWIFT would also hurt other economies, including those of the U.S. and key ally Germany.

Dollar clearing

The United States holds one of the most powerful financial weapons to wield against Putin  blocking Russia from access to the U.S. dollar. Dollars still dominate in financial transactions around the world, with trillions of dollars in play daily.

Transactions in U.S. dollars ultimately are cleared through the Federal Reserve or through U.S. financial institutions. Crucially for Putin, that means foreign banks have to be able to access the U.S. financial system to settle dollar transactions.

The ability to block that access gives the United States the ability to inflict financial pain well beyond its borders. Previously, the U.S. has suspended financial institutions from dollar clearing for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran, Sudan and other countries.
A Creek County man has been named in a two-count federal indictment charging him with the slaying of his girlfriend in December.

Chad Alan Hudgins, 33, faces one count of first-degree murder in Indian Country and a related weapon charge in connection with the fatal shooting of Britney Smith at a rural Creek County residence. The charge was filed Feb. 8 in Tulsa federal court and unsealed Tuesday.

Smiths body, covered with a blue blanket, was found Dec. 18 by the front door of a residence in the 32700 block of West 191st Street in Creek County.

Hudgins was arrested Dec. 22 just across the state line in Chautauqua County, Kansas, on a warrant related to the killing, plus other charges.

Smith was a member of the Cherokee Nation, and her death occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation, thus establishing federal jurisdiction.

A federal judge had Hudgins brought to Tulsa from the Kansas jail to face charges related to Smiths homicide, according to court records.

Creek County Sheriffs Office personnel first received word about Smiths slaying about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 18, according to an affidavit submitted in support of various search warrants.

The owner of the residence had reported finding a body inside the home when he went to check on Smiths whereabouts.

A witness told FBI agents that Hudgins appeared at the witness Tulsa home during the early morning hours of Dec. 18, asking to speak to another resident there, according to the affidavit.

The resident, identified only by the initials K.C., told agents Hudgins appeared frantic when he barged into his room, asking for help, while the resident was sleeping.

Hudgins then drove K.C. to the rural Creek County home, where the latter reported seeing a body partially covered by a blanket.

I shot her, Hudgins told K.C., adding later he didnt mean to, the affidavit alleges.

The witness said Hudgins told him he tried to stage the scene to make it appear that Smith had killed herself, the document says.

The two then left the residence, driving first to a residence in Cushing where Hudgins work truck was located and then to a residence in Drumright.

The pair parted ways afterward, according to the affidavit.

Witnesses told investigators that Smith had been in a volatile, off-and-on relationship with Hudgins for about 10 months prior to her death, according to the affidavit.

On Dec. 19, a person checking oil wells between Oilton and Drumright reported finding the burned-out frame of Smiths Chevrolet Equinox with remnants of a child safety seat in the rear area of the vehicle.

Hudgins has been jailed since his arrest Dec. 22.

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A suspect in the assault on a midtown rose peddler has been arrested, Tulsa police said in a news release.

Kenneth MadDog Penn was seriously injured in an assault at a gas station in the 3600 block of South Peoria Avenue, in the Brookside area, about 9 p.m. on Feb. 16, police said.Two people can be seen in surveillance footage punching and kicking MadDog for some time while he lay on the ground, police said in a Facebook post. The two people then attempted to get two dogs that were in their car to attack Penn, police said.

Raniesha Penn, MadDogs granddaughter, posted a Facebook update about the assault the next morning, saying his face was injured but that he would be OK. During the police investigation, Tyler Christopher Chandler, as well as several other people, were developed as suspects, police said.

After the assault, Chandler reportedly made social media posts bragging about assaulting Penn, police said.

Police said they think Chandler and the other person attacked Penn because he was testifying against one of them in another case.

Chandler, with an address listed near 31st Street and Lewis Avenue, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and booked into the Tulsa County jail on complaints of aggravated assault and battery and threatening or harassing a state witness, according to jail records.

He is being held in lieu of $12,000 bond.

Police said more suspects are being sought.

A crowdfunding campaign Raniesha Penn created to help with her grandfathers medical bills received more than $20,000 in its first couple of days and has now garnered over $29,000.

He goes out every single day to sell roses because thats the only way he is able to make money to take care of him & his wife, Raniesha Penn said on the GoFundMe page. He is the most loving person in the world.

The Pearl Beach Brew Pub in the Pearl District said on Facebook that for the rest of the month, it is donating a dollar of every purchase of Maddogs namesake drink, the Maddog Stout, to help with his bills.

Mad Dog is special in our hearts, the pubs post stated. We figured the least we could do for the big guy was drink a beer in his honor, and put aside a little coin to lighten the load of his medical bills.
A multiagency investigation into illegal marijuana grow operations in Oklahoma resulted in the takedown of a very large broker in the U.S. and seizing tons of illicit cannabis.

An estimated 100,000 marijuana plants and 2,000 pounds of bulk-processed marijuana were seized from nine Oklahoma farms after a yearlong investigation of illegal grow operations, authorities said Tuesday.

We plan to file charges on these criminal brokers, business owners, land owners and entities that helped facilitate the fraudulent documentation allowing these criminal organizations to get an Oklahoma medical marijuana license, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control spokesman Mark Woodward said in a news release.

In a news conference Tuesday, bureau Director Donnie Anderson said of 13 arrest warrants issued in Oklahoma  as well as one in California and three in Texas  several suspects have been taken into custody.

One of the females that was arrested was one of our large targets.  Shes also a very large broker in the U.S. for moving marijuana across the U.S. and out of the country, Anderson said.

Xiumeng Lyu, identified among the main targets, is in custody in the Carter County jail, according to Woodward.

He previously has said the bureau is aggressively investigating what he described as fraudulent business structures used to bring out-of-state interests to Oklahoma and circumvent the states two-year residency requirement for majority ownership in medical marijuana businesses.

This is done by paying ghost owners to put their name on licenses to claim ownership when they actually have no knowledge or true legal involvement in the grow operation, Woodward said.

Gov. Kevin Stitt called Tuesday a great day for law and order in Oklahoma, citing the states priority to crack down on illicit marijuana operations across the state.

According to the news release, investigators found brokers moving millions of dollars worth of marijuana from multiple Oklahoma farms into black markets in states including California, North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana and Texas.

Search warrants were served about 8 a.m. Tuesday at nine farms and three residential locations connected to illegal shipments identified by Oklahoma authorities, according to Woodward. The farms are located in or near several southern Oklahoma locations  Wilson, Ratliff City, Chickasha, Madill, Burneyville  as well as in Chandler and Amber, a news release states. The other three warrants were served at residences in Edmond, Mustang and Norman, according to the bureau.

Multiple local, state, tribal and federal agencies assisted in the investigation and Tuesdays operation, according to the bureau. Anderson said around noon that agents were still collecting evidence but that it appeared that the street value of the busts would exceed $500 million.

Anderson showed footage from one of the law enforcement operations Tuesday morning, coordinated to happen around the same time. The video from Wilson, in Carter County, showed agents taking down a pretty good-size trafficking operation, with 500 structures on 80 acres, Anderson said.

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority Director Adria Berry said she hopes Tuesdays operations serve as a warning to licensees across the state.

If you are engaging in criminal operations, your actions will not go unnoticed, she said, noting the upcoming implementation of a seed-to-sale tracking system to help investigators efforts.

Stitt, in commending lawmakers in attendance at the news conference, promised more legislation coming to protect Oklahomans.

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Ashley Jones Staff Writer Im a breaking news reporter, covering crime and other spot news. I graduated from the University of Missouri with a journalism degree in 2021 before joining the Tulsa World. Send tips to news@tulsaworld.com Follow Ashley Jones Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear 19 criminal cases involving Oklahoma defendants, most of whom were challenging the states decision that the 2020 McGirt ruling was not retroactive.

Among those losing appeals were seven inmates challenging their murder convictions and death sentences at least in part based on McGirt claims.

Those seven inmates, Jemaine Cannon, 50, James Ryder, 59, Shaun Bosse, 39, Wade Lay, 60, Clarence Goode, 45, John Hanson, 57, and Benjamin Cole, 56, all had argued that the McGirt ruling was retroactive, meaning it applied to cases after exhaustion of an inmates initial appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Jan. 10 that the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals was correct when it determined that the McGirt ruling did not apply to post-conviction appeals, or those brought after the initial appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court also rejected review requests from eight inmates who were not sentenced to death: Glen Gore, Delila Pacheo, Lyle Brown, Tushkahomma Leon, Brandon Christian, Cody Bruner, Brandon Jenkins and Zachary Harvell.

The Supreme Court issued its McGirt ruling in July 2020.

The landmark decision recognized that the Muscogee Nation reservation, which includes much of Tulsa, had never been disestablished by Congress.

The ruling meant that since statehood, the state of Oklahoma has not had jurisdiction to try major-crimes cases involving members of federally recognized tribes when the crimes occurred within the Muscogee Nation reservation.

The state Court of Criminal Appeals has since expanded the ruling to include five other tribes reservations with similar treaties with the U.S. government.

As a result, much of the eastern half of Oklahoma has been acknowledged to be Indian Country when it comes to criminal jurisdiction.

That means the federal government retains jurisdiction over major crimes involving Native Americans within the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, Quapaw and Seminole nations.

The court also rejected a second petition filed by Lay, who was sentenced to death for the fatal 2004 shooting of a Tulsa bank guard during a robbery.

The court also disposed of three petitions filed by the state of Oklahoma that sought to overturn the Supreme Courts 2020 McGirt ruling entirely for three inmates.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 21 rejected the state of Oklahomas request that it reconsider its own 2020 McGirt ruling.

The three state challenges turned away involved Ted Yargee, Justin Little and Gage Shriver.

Federal prosecutors picked up the cases of Yargee and Little after the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals overturned their convictions and sentences.

Shriver received a 25-year prison sentence in 2017 after he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the death of Noelle New.

New, 18, died after she was struck by a pickup driven by Shriver while she walked along a county road in Verdigris.

Shrivers blood-alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit when tested after the fatal crash.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 24 rejected a similar petition filed by the state in the case of Shrivers brother, Dakota Shriver.

Dakota Shriver, tried along with his brother, was a passenger in the pickup when he punched his brother just before the pickup struck New and another teenager, who survived the crash.

The Cherokee Nation has charged both brothers in tribal court because the federal statute of limitations has expired on any federal charges they might have faced.

Gage Shriver, now 26, faces in tribal court one count of second-degree murder or, alternatively, first-degree manslaughter and crimes associated with leaving the scene of an accident, according to a Cherokee Nation friend-of-the-court Supreme Court filing.

Dakota Shriver faces one count of second-degree murder and one count of accessory to leaving the scene of an accident in Cherokee Nation court.

Cases against the brothers are pending, according to Cherokee Nation Attorney General Sara Hill.

Featured video: Supreme Court lets McGirt ruling stand, will consider letting Oklahoma share jurisdiction

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Jim Carl, a retired Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel who as a combat pilot in World War II earned multiple decorations, taking on the Germans in the flak-filled skies over Europe, died Saturday, Feb. 19.

He was 100.

A service is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, at the First Baptist Church in Catoosa. Burial with military honors will follow at 2 p.m. Saturday at G.A.R. Cemetery in Miami, Oklahoma.

Paul Thomas Funeral Home of Miami is in charge of arrangements.

Carl, a Catoosa resident, flew 86 missions during World War II, engaging the Germans in dogfight after dogfight and receiving two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Carl was featured in the Tulsa World's WWII Veterans Remember series in 2017.

"The Colonel," as Carl's many friends called him, was a longtime member of Tulsa's American Legion Post 308, where he enjoyed the camaraderie as well as a weekly poker game with fellow veterans.

With "a heavy heart," the post announced Carl's death on Facebook:

"Everyone that met this man was instantly his friend. He was a personal hero to many of our members. The Colonel will forever live on in our hearts and minds! Some of the stories this hero could tell would send chills down your spine, all while drinking his scotch. We love you Colonel Carl!"

A native of Quapaw, Carl was assigned to the 354th Fighter Group during the war, joining it in France after the D-Day invasion in June 1944.

The only unit of P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft on the European continent, the commanding general told Carl and his mates what he expected of them: "'Your job is to (achieve) air supremacy.' And that's exactly what we did," Carl recalled to the Tulsa World.

Over 18 months through the end of the war in Europe in 1945, Carl's squadron and the other two squadrons of the 354th shot down 701 German aircraft.

Carl and his fellow pilots faced off against some of the German Luftwaffe's best.

"They were very good. But we eventually weeded them out," he said.

Carl's most memorable mission came April 2, 1945.

Part of an eight-plane formation, Carl was flying near Augsburg, Germany, when his group was suddenly set upon by 16 German Messerschmidt fighters who zeroed in on them.

Formation commander during combat, Carl led his group in the engagement.

Despite being outnumbered, they downed four of the attacking aircraft and damaged four others before the remaining ones gave up and fled.

Carl, who received a Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions, personally shot down the commander of the enemy formation.

"The guy literally outflew me," he said. "But he couldn't shoot worth a damn."

During aerial combat, Carl added, you couldn't allow yourself to think of enemy pilots as being human.

"You didn't kill a guy; you killed an airplane," he said. "That's the way we looked at it."

Carl's formation did not lose a single plane during the fight.

After the war, Carl continued part time as a reservist, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after 29 years. He worked in various fields, including banking and insurance and as an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper.

In retirement, he enjoyed representing the veterans community and was a regular for years in Tulsa's annual Veterans Day Parade.

For that and other public appearances, he would don his old olive green WWII uniform, which he was proud to note was still a good fit.

Carl added another honor in 2018, the French Legion of Honor. The medal, which the nation gives to those who contributed to its liberation during WWII, was presented to him in Tulsa in a Veterans Day ceremony at Eisenhower International School.

Carl was preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Carl, and a sister, Katherine Clouse.

Survivors include a half-brother, Leon Perry.

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As we strive to create a more perfect union, it seems that with no sense of irony, more people seem to be raising the bar on acceptable imperfection.

For example, among those who are resisting a COVID-19 vaccine, one of the common refrains is, Why take it? We were promised that the vaccine would protect us, yet now even those who are fully vaccinated and boosted are not immune from the variants that continue to pop up. In other words, unless and until the vaccines are 100% effective under all circumstances, this large segment of our population would favor the perfect over the good.

Yet no medical intervention has ever achieved 100% effectiveness, nor will it ever.

Then we have those who continue to deny the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Here again, the only acceptable standard seems to be absolute perfection.

Admittedly, most elections seem to have some irregularities, whether intended or not. This was the case in 2020, too, but there is no great need to be alarmed. The critical issue would be if any of these irregularities, even those produced by outright fraud, would have been widespread enough to change the actual election outcome.

After all, thats the purpose of an election  determining who won or lost.

To date, with over 60 court cases nationwide and several recounts and forensic audits that have been conducted, no credible evidence has been presented that would meet this standard.

Continuing to pose questions about whether the process in any particular state was less than perfect only raises the standard beyond where its always been, while also sowing unwarranted doubts about whether any future election outcome can be considered legitimate unless the underlying process can be proven to be 100% perfect.

That brings us to the brave new world of cancel culture. With itchy fingers poised on their smartphones, millions of people are ever ready to dig up an errant post or picture of a celebrity or politician from long ago.

By creating an online gotcha moment, its not too difficult to paint the perpetrator as a bad person worthy of social scorn, maybe even banishment. In other words, anyone who falls below a 100% perfection standard may be fair game for having a reputation stained or livelihood threatened.

My point here isnt that we should lower our collective standards of excellence as a way to diffuse polarization across the ideological spectrum. Rather, we must recognize that in much of life, the 100% test is not the one that we should be applying.

Perfection may be our highest aspiration, but moving toward it doesnt mean rejecting its application where perfection will never be possible or desirable.

As the voices grow louder, lets pause to reflect on whether the perfection pretext is an unnecessary source for the rising wave of resistance and anger thats now all too apparent.

Featured video:

Stuart N. Brotman is a distinguished professor of journalism and electronic media at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the author of the forthcoming book The First Amendment Lives On.He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

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Update (10:30 a.m.): National Weather Service local storm reports show about a half inch of sleet accumulation in Broken Arrow, Jenks and Owasso.

"Sleet, heavy at times, is falling for most locations across the area though a few locations are and have reported freezing rain," forecasters said.

City of Tulsa officials said refuse and recycling pickups have not been canceled for Wednesday, "and haulers will make every attempt to run their routes. If it becomes unsafe, collections will resume when conditions permit."

Update (9:45 a.m.): Sleet is starting to accumulate across much of the Tulsa area, with nearly half an inch already recorded by National Weather Service Tulsa staff in Coweta.

According to forecasters, light sleet and light snow will continue late into Wednesday morning, with a slight chance of thunderstorms through the day.

Into the afternoon, new snow and sleet accumulation could amount to about 1 inch, National Weather Service Tulsa said early Wednesday. Wind chills have dipped as low as 3 degrees below zero.

A winter storm system is expected to produce significant sleet accumulation of up to an inch in the Tulsa metro area and ice accumulations of up to a half inch in some areas in southeastern Oklahoma, forecasters said.

Significant travel difficulties and impacts to the power grid are likely, forecasters said, with almost all of eastern Oklahoma under a winter storm warning from 6 a.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Thursday.

Precipitation type across the area continues to be the main challenge with this forecast, with varying differences in the strength of the surface cold air and low-level warm layer, the National Weather Service in Tulsa said.

An initial wave of precipitation Wednesday is expected to be mainly sleet across most of the region, with some freezing rain also likely to mix in, especially across southeast Oklahoma into northwest Arkansas.

Whatever the precipitation type, winter weather impacts are likely throughout the day Wednesday.

A second round of precipitation on Thursday could be even more problematic, forecasters said.

As of Tuesday, freezing rain and significant icing are expected on Thursday, especially south of I-44 and into northwestern Arkansas, where significant impacts are likely, forecasters said.

The city of Tulsa said street crews will start 24-hour responses starting around midnight Tuesday night. Crews will work in 12-hour shifts throughout the event. Brine (a salt and water mix) will be used first, with crews turning to both brine and salt application throughout the event, the city said.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma has at least 700 workers  including about 150 from outside the company  ready to assist with potential power outages, spokesman Wayne Greene said Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service said travel and impacts to the power grid will be the main concerns brought by the storm. Precipitation should transition to light snow as it winds down Thursday night, but significant snow accumulations are not expected, the weather service said.

Tulsa area forecast

Wednesday: A chance of sleet before 9 a.m., then sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain. Some thunder is possible. High near 26. Wind chill values between zero and 10. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. New sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Wednesday night: A chance of freezing rain and sleet. Cloudy, with a low around 23. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday: Periods of freezing rain and sleet before noon, then a chance of snow. High near 33. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. North wind around 10 mph.

The difference between freezing rain and sleet

Both freezing rain and sleet occur by the same general process: Liquid raindrops in a layer of warm air well above the surface fall into a layer of freezing air hugging the ground. The difference between these two wintry precipitation types depends on the thickness of the layer of freezing air.

Freezing rain occurs when the layer of freezing air is so thin that the raindrops do not have enough time to freeze before reaching the ground. Instead, the water freezes on contact with the surface, creating a coating of ice on whatever the raindrops contact.

Sleet is simply frozen raindrops and occurs when the layer of freezing air along the surface is thicker. This causes the raindrops to freeze before reaching the ground.

Source: National Weather Service

Tulsa warming stations

Three warming stations are open in Tulsa for individuals and families seeking shelter from the cold. All are open 24 hours.

 John 3:16 Mission, 506 N. Cheyenne Ave.

 Salvation Army Center of Hope, 102 N. Denver Ave.

 Tulsa County Emergency Shelter, 2401 Charles Page Boulevard

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Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are known for their tiny heads, English bulldogs for their smushed wrinkled muzzles -- traits their owners love.

But in an unprecedented move, Norway has banned the breeding of these dogs because being cute is causing them suffering.

In a recent ruling, the Oslo district court banned the breeding of the two purebreds on the grounds that it inflicts harm on them, in violation of Norwegian animal protection laws.

Hailed by animal rights activists and criticised by breeders, the verdict comes amid a growing debate: is the quest for cute pets going to extremes at the expense of the animals' well-being?

"A lot of our breeds are highly inbred and have a massive burden of disease," Ashild Roaldset, the head of the Norwegian Animal Welfare Society, told AFP.

Her organisation brought the legal case against dogbreeding companies and individuals.

"We need to change the way we breed dogs," she said. "The way we breed dogs was maybe acceptable 50 years ago but is not acceptable anymore."

Inbreeding has caused the two breeds to develop a "disease guarantee", a long list of hereditary illnesses that affect most individuals, if not all.

A Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is pictured on February 7, 2022 in Oslo. Photo: AFP

Fierce-looking but gentle -- and since World War II a symbol of British tenacity -- the English bulldog has developed respiratory difficulties due to its flattened muzzle, as well as dermatological, reproductive and orthopaedic problems.

More than half of all bulldogs born in Norway over the past 10 years had to be delivered by Caesarian section.

"The race's genetic inability to give birth naturally is reason alone for bulldogs not to be used for breeding," the district court judges wrote in their ruling.

As for cavaliers -- which have won the hearts of many over the years, from Queen Victoria to Ronald Reagan and Sylvester Stallone -- they often suffer headaches because their skull is too small. They also have heart and eye problems.

Roaldset said these diseases cannot be bred away with other purebreds from abroad due to an overall lack of genetic diversity.

The two breeds will eventually be led to extinction, she said.

"And it's going to be painful for them because they're just going to get more and more diseases," she said.

An English bulldog is pictured in Oslo, Norway, on February 7, 2022. Photo: AFP

'Puppy factories'

The January 31 court ruling has been appealed and has therefore not come into force yet.

But it delivered a shock to professional breeders.

"In the judgement it was said that the dogs are born with headaches, I cannot understand that," says Lise Gran-Henriksen, who has been a breeder for 25 years, as she watches five of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels frolic on the ice outside her Oslo home.

"If so, they would not be so happy. They are happy dogs that run around and look very healthy, and that's what I think they are," she insists.

Professional breeders readily admit that the two breeds do pose "challenges", but say these can be overcome by selective breeding of individuals that meet certain requirements.

In addition, they note that the court ruling does not ban the ownership, sale or import of bulldogs or cavaliers -- only their breeding.

Walking her English bulldog Oscar in an Oslo park, Anne Grethe Holen fears a rise in "undocumented dogs" from "puppy factories" abroad.

"Demand will not decline. And the dogs that are sold will be more sick," she says.

"They won't be subjected to any veterinary requirements and you won't know anything about their pedigree," she adds.

Meanwhile, the Animal Welfare Society says the future of the two breeds lies in crossbreeding them with other types of dogs to get rid of their genetic flaws.

"If the cavalier gets a slightly larger skull to fit their brain, it's still... going to be the cutest dog in the world," says Roaldset.

"And if the bulldog gets a little bit less wrinkly, a little bit longer snout and a better skeleton, it's not going to be a horrible dog.

"It's going to look a little bit different, but you can still call it a bulldog."
Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc is slated to pay a state visit to Singapore later this week at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Halimah Yacob, the Vietnam Government Portal reported.

President Phuc will be accompanied by his spouse and a delegation of high-ranking officials during his trip from Thursday to Saturday.

This is the first state visit that Singapore will receive since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country in 2020, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Tuesday.

The official welcome ceremony will take place on February 25, the ministry stated, adding that President Phuc will meet with President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as well as deliver the keynote address at the Singapore-Vietnam Business Dialogue.

Vietnam and Singapore established diplomatic relations on August 1, 1973 and elevated the bilateral ties to a strategic partnership in 2013.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the total trade value between the two countries reached US$8.3 billion in 2021, up 23.3 percent compared to 2020.

Singapore was the largest investor in Vietnam last year with the investment valued at $10.7 billion, accounting for 34.4 percent of the total inflows into the country.

The two nations have resumed regular commercial flights with a frequency of 14 round trips per week.

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CAIRO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said here on Wednesday that Egypt deserves financial support from Europe for its sincere efforts in combating and stopping illegal immigration.

At a press conference following a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, the Hungarian minister hailed the measures taken by Egypt to curb the illegal immigration to Europe.

"Europe has encountered security challenges coming from Africa... Egypt has been a trusted partner for addressing that crisis and prevented the illegal immigration to Europe," Szijjarto said, adding he expected the EU to support Egypt financially in facing that situation.

In regard to bilateral ties, Szijjarto noted that the economic ties with Egypt "are in best conditions ever," adding that the trade exchange between the two countries has reached 400 million U.S. dollars.

For his part, the Egyptian minister praised Szijjarto's role in promoting Egypt-EU relations in all fields.

"Egypt attaches high importance to continue relations with Hungary on a strong basis of cooperation," Shoukry added. 
Read what is in the news today:

Politics

-- Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will make a state visit to Singapore this week at the invitation of President Halimah Yacob, Singapores Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.

Society

-- A recent cold air spell has killed hundreds of cattle in mountainous regions in the north-central province of Nghe An.

-- The Ministry of Public Security has announced the issuance of electronic identification accounts for Vietnamese citizens to perform public administrative procedures online starting Friday.

-- A police officer and a young man risked their lives to rescue a six-year-old boy from a burning house in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon.

-- Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City discovered 70 samples testing positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant out of 92 samples taken through random screening in one week, representing a ratio of more than 76 percent, while the Delta variant made up less than 30 percent, the municipal health departments director Tang Chi Thuong told a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Business

-- The Ministry of Industry and Trade and Samsung Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in smart factory development on Tuesday.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called upon ministries, agencies, and chairmen of the Peoples Committees of provinces and cities via a telegram sent on Tuesday to ensure the supply of petroleum for the domestic market as local residents have struggled to buy the fuel after four recent price spikes.

-- Vietnam has reopened air routes to 20 countries and territories, namely Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, Laos, mainland China, France, Germany, the UK, Australia, Russia, and the U.S.

Education

-- As of Tuesday afternoon, 78.86 percent of total students across Vietnam had resumed face-to-face learning, the Vietnam News Agency cited the Ministry of Education and Training.

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A week-long random screening conducted by health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City recently discovered that the Omicron coronavirus variant is dominating new infections.

The municipal health departments director Tang Chi Thuong told a meeting on Tuesday afternoon the aforementioned finding.

In the random screening, 70 out of 92 samples taken tested positive for the Omicron variant, representing a ratio of more than 76 percent, while the Delta variant made up less than 30 percent.

As a way to examine the accuracy of the method, health workers continued to randomly conduct gene sequencing on 26 out of the 70 samples infected with the Omicron variant.

The results later showed that all of the 26 samples carried the Omicron mutant, which was designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern in November 2021.

This is the scientific basis proving that the number of infections with the Omicron strain in Ho Chi Minh City is increasing and predominating, Thuong said.

This also partly explains the surging COVID-19 cases in the city."

Thuong added that the weekly count of coronavirus infections in the city has accelerated from 3,000-4,000 cases three weeks ago to 15,000 this week.

Currently, about 14,000 patients are being isolated and treated at home.

However, the number of severe cases requiring ventilators shows little change.

New cases among children, especially those who have just returned to school for offline study, have also been on the rise.

The city recorded nearly 500 cases of COVID-19 among students at 117 schools from February 7 to 13 and more than 6,000 infections at 201 schools last week.

Three childrens hospitals in the city, with a total capacity of 450 normal beds and 150 resuscitation beds, are treating 100 children infected with the coronavirus, including 15 hailing from other localities.

Most of those child patients have mild or no symptoms.

Thuong noted that 93 percent of children under 12 years of age have not been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The citys health sector is paying special attention to this age group, with plans for treating a large number of them underway, the health director affirmed.

Ho Chi Minh City has detected over 522,100 infections since the fourth virus wave broke out in Vietnam on April 27, 2021.

The metropolis of nine million people has gradually resumed socio-economic activities since early October last year after being placed under strict lockdown for nearly six months and welcomed students back to school on February 14.

More than 8.1 million adults in the city have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose while over 7.5 million of them have been jabbed twice.

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Three domestic companies are boosting manufacturing of antiviral drugs against COVID-19 to provide the medications at a price lower than that recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), after obtaining licenses from Vietnams Ministry of Health.

The firms are Boston Vietnam Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Boston Pharma), Stellapharm Joint Venture Co. Ltd. (Stellapharm), and Mekophar Chemical Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (Mekophar), which have prepared Molravir 400mg, Molnupiravir Stella 400mg, and Movinavir 200mg, respectively.

They were licensed by the ministry on Thursday to manufacture and distribute COVID-19 antiviral pills containing the active ingredient Molnupiravir, with their licenses to be effective for three years.

This photo shows workers producing Molravir 400mg at a factory of Boston Vietnam Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

The three drugs have a shelf life of six to eight months and come in the form of hard capsules.

Binh Duong Province-based Boston Pharma has a production capacity of 30 million pills per month and is awaiting opinions from agencies concerned about pricing before launching its products on the market, said Luong Dang Khoa, the firms general director, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Following research and development since September 2021, during which Boston Pharma faced different difficulties including costly input materials, the company completed its first Molravir 400mg on January 5, 2022, Khoa said.

The company expects to offer Molvarir 400mg to pharmacies at the original price of VND273,000 (US$11.9) per box (inclusive of VAT), much lower than the WHO-recommended price of $19.9 intended for less developed countries, Khoa stated.

More than 10,000 drugstores nationwide have signed official contracts to buy Molvarir 400mg from Boston Pharma and they will then offer it to the public for about VND300,000 ($13.1) per box.

Meanwhile, a representative of Ho Chi Minh City-based Stellapharm Joint Venture Co. Ltd. said that its product, Molnupiravir Stella 400mg, meets the European Unions GMP (good manufacturing practice) standards while complying with the requirements registered with the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the health ministry.

With its strict quality management system, the company is committed to ensuring medicine with stable quality.

According to reports published by the ministry, the drug is safe, effective, and well-tolerated in treating COVID-19 patients, as it helps reduce viral load and transmission, prevent severity, and shorten treatment time, the company said.

Stellapharm is coordinating with its distributors to offer its products to consumers for VND250,000 ($10.9) per box of 20 pills.

This image shows a batch of finished Molravir 400mg pills at Binh Duong Province-based Boston Vietnam Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

In order to ensure the interests of the patients, we will coordinate with distribution units to make sure that the medicine is provided at the same price across the country, the firms representative affirmed.

Another approved COVID-19 antiviral drug is Movinavir 200mg, whose efficacy has been proven as fairly good through research and testing, according to its manufacturer, Mekophar, based in Ho Chi Minh City.

Patients will not fall into severe conditions and will retest negative after three to five days of taking this drug, said Huynh Thi Lan, general director of Mekophar.

Lan also affirmed that Movinavir 200mg will be sold at the best possible price for the sake of people.

The companys leader expressed her regret that the antiviral drugs domestically manufactured have been approved and licensed for circulation quite slowly, causing people to buy the medicine of unknown origin.

As Tuoi Tre has found, many large drugstore chains, including one that has more than 500 pharmacies nationwide, have signed deals to buy the antiviral drugs from Vietnamese pharmaceutical firms.

Since the pandemic erupted in Vietnam in early 2020, the Southeast Asian country has documented 2,890,252 COVID-19 cases, with 2,305,081 recoveries and 39,682 fatalities, the health ministry reported on Tuesday.

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Vietnamese Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The has sent a thank-you letter to Dinh Thanh Trung to hail the driver for bravely steering a burning tank truck away from a filling station in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, thereby preventing a tragic accident from happening.

When Trung, a driver working for Van Phuc Petroleum Co. Ltd., stopped his companys tank truck to deliver fuel at a filling station in Ward 1, Cai Lay Town, Tien Giang Province at 3:30 pm on February 19, an explosion broke out from the side of the tank and ignited the vehicle.

Trung, who had got out of the vehicle cabin before that time, fearlessly climbed back behind the steering wheel and promptly drove the truck out of the filling station.

During the heroic act, Trung and an employee of the filling station got burned and had to be taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Mr. Dinh Thanh Trungs response showed his decisiveness and bravery and helped avoid a dangerous fire and explosion that could affect the lives of many people, Minister The wrote in the letter of appreciation.

On behalf of the leaders of the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Ministry of Transport, I would like to commend Mr. Trungs action, which demonstrated the professional ethics, courage, and responsibility for the community of a driver.

The also hoped that Trungs exemplary action will spread among workers in the transport industry and the whole society.

At the end of the letter, the minister wished the driver and his family health and happiness.

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Docklands Studios Melbourne has announced Antony Tulloch (pictured above) as its new CEO, to succeed Rod Allan who retires at the end of March after 13 years.

Tulloch has most recently been General Manager: Studio Operations at Iskandar Malaysia Studios, the largest purpose-built filming facility in South East Asia. He began as a lighting technician in Melbourne in 1985 with credits on projects including The Pacific, Life of Pi, and The Great Gatsby.

Board Chair David Hanna said, Antony Tulloch takes the reins at an exciting time for the studio, with the imminent opening of a new super stage that will expand stage capacity by more than 60 per cent and enable the facility to host bigger productions than ever before.

Antony Tulloch is well placed to take over the running of DSM. He has a strong record in building the global market position of a studio business and has maintained connections to the Victorian and Australian film industries during his time in Malaysia, ensuring he is able to hit the ground running.

I am delighted to be returning to Melbourne at a time of great activity and opportunity for the screen industry, said Tulloch.

Docklands Studios Melbourne is a premier facility with an excellent and hard-earned reputation for supporting productions. I am excited to be joining the team and look forward to building on the strong legacy that Rod Allan leaves.

Recent projects under CEO Rod Allan (pictured) have included Netflix thriller Clickbait, Paramount Televisions Shantaram and the first season of NBCs La Brea.

The Board is deeply grateful to Rod for his enormous contribution building Docklands Studios into a highly sought-after location for quality domestic and international film and television production, said Chair David Hanna.

Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson added, Docklands Studios Melbourne and the wider Victorian screen industry are well positioned to meet booming global demand for screen content. With our new $46 million super soundstage and $191.5 million VICSCREEN strategy, were investing in the future of our screen industry and creating thousands of jobs.

Were delighted to welcome Victorian talent home. Antony is well credentialed to lead DSM and to help make Victoria a global screen powerhouse. I also acknowledge the long standing work and contribution of Rod Allan over many years, especially in helping build the international reach of DSM and the Sound Stage 6 redevelopment which will be a game-changer for our studios.

Upcoming productions in 2022, including Amazons sci-fi thriller Foe, Season 2 of La Brea and Robbie Williams biopic Better Man.
Season Two of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw begins on SBS Food in March, with another mega-output of 200 new episodes.

Whipping up more dishes centred around a nightly theme with two foodie friends, the show offers chop and chat in 30 minute episodes.

In addition to celebrities and established chefs are first year TAFE students -all in a brand new kitchen.

Adam Liaw, says: After the incredible response to the first series of The Cook Up, Im absolutely thrilled to be back behind the bench for another season. Its such a privilege to be able to pull back the curtain on how Australia really eats, where Im not only able to cook alongside some incredible guests, but share a part of their incredible cultures and stories at the same time. Were taking things to another level with season two with some big changes taking place in the kitchen  but at its heart The Cook Up is always about real, home cooked food. Well see how top chefs cook at home, but also take a look into the dinnertime repertoires of some of Australias most interesting people that youve heard of, and plenty you havent as well. Weve got everything from date night dishes to 5 ingredient lunches. Great ideas and delicious food that all of us can  and really do  make at home.

Emily Griggs, SBS Head of Food, says: The Cook Up holds a special place in our hearts at SBS Food, as the most successful commission to date. The overwhelmingly positive response and love for the first series of The Cook Up has been nothing short of incredible. At SBS Food we are constantly striving to produce content that celebrates different cultures through cooking, which is why were so pleased to be bringing another season of The Cook Up to Australian households every weeknight.

The new season includes a star-studded raft of celebrity chefs, cooks and well-known personalities like Colin Fassnidge, Julie Goodwin, Lauren Eldridge and Justin North. Adam also invites shining personalities from all walks of life including Pia Miranda, Mark Humphries, Aaron Chen, Narelda Jacobs, Ellie Cole, Costa Georgiadis, Dean Widders, Virginia Gay, Sarah Wilson and Bruce Pascoe. Adam even welcomes to the show some bright eyed, first year TAFE students taking their first steps in the culinary world.

Get ready to dive a little deeper into food through segments like, Ask Adam, where Adam answers burning viewer questions, and Use it Up, where Managing Editor of SBS Food, Farah Celjo, joins the show to let us know whats popular online, and reveal what to do with your leftover ingredients.

An internal SBS production, The Cook Up season two will be available to stream on SBS On Demand with subtitling available in both Arabic and Simplified Chinese.

Weeknights on SBS Food from Monday March 21 at 7pm.
Tyler, TX (75702)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush on Tuesday visited the Foundry Coffee House in Tyler where he discussed his candidacy for attorney general.

Bush faces incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman in the March primary.

Ken Paxton, if hes our nominee, will lose to the Democrats, and the Democrats will have their first statewide office in close to 30 years, Bush said. The risk is too large.

He said he is traveling throughout the region to learn and listen to people to better help them in Austin. He added that he will take on the corruption of state, county and local government in Texas.

The Texas Attorney Generals Office is trusted with busting not only voting fraud but political crimes and public integrity cases, but unfortunately because of our current leadership, the Legislature will never entrust the state AG office to take on corruption in the state of Texas, Bush said.

He added that he does not intend to assault Paxton, but the AG is facing three felony counts and an FBI investigation involving bribery, corruption and abuse of office. If Paxton is innocent, he could clear the air and sit down for a jury trial, Bush said.

Whether youre innocent or guilty, this cloud of legal suspicion is affecting job performance, he said.

If elected, Bush said he looks to improve the AGs office, support law enforcement, secure the border, stand for peoples rights and more.

I couldnt agree more that law enforcement is under assault, not only around the country, but now in red Texas, Bush said.

In Austin, Bush said the defund the police movement has removed $200 million form the citys budget. Defunding the police in the states capital led to higher rates of homicide, murders, violent crimes and even caused families and businesses to move away, he said.

Im the only candidate in this race thats actually talking with law enforcement, hearing their concerns on the front lines whether its rural Texas, suburban Texas or urban Texas, Bush said.

Through talking with law enforcement, Bush said he wants to propose the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights in Texas, which would provide officers with protection from investigation and prosecution that arise as a result of performing official duties.

Bush said he is also visiting with grassroots conservatives about securing the southern border. He said he is the only candidate to have traveled the entirety of the border from El Paso to Brownsville multiple times.

When it comes to the border, Deploying (the National Guard)  is one step in this, but we also need to finish the Trump wall, he said.

Bush said he will be proposing to deploy a global prosecution unit to help county district attorneys and sheriffs prosecute criminal trespassing. Texas would be arresting illegals on site instead of waiting for Biden and Harris to maybe do their job, he said.

Along with border control, Bush added he will work to be tougher on the cartels, delegating them as terrorist organizations.

In recent polls, Bush said the AGs race looks like it will go into a runoff in which he is in a strong second position.

According to a Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler poll released Sunday, Paxton leads with 39% to 25% for Bush, 13% for Guzman and 7% for Gohmert.

Thats a great sign for our campaign because weve said since Day 1 that a majority of Republicans want a change, he said. They dont want an indicted felon  they dont want that liability on the ticket.
Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Feb. 22, 2022 shows a screen broadcasting U.S. President Joe Biden delivering remarks on Ukraine situation in a live stream provided by CNBC. U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees, recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as "independent and sovereign" states, and later ordered troops to enter the regions to conduct peacekeeping operations.

Lugansk and Donetsk declared independence following a vote during the height of armed conflict with Kiev in 2014. Ukraine refused to recognize their self-proclaimed status.

Calling Russia's move "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," Biden said in remarks delivered from the White House that his administration will impose sanctions on two Russian financial institutions - the VEB and the country's military bank -- as well as on Russia's sovereign debt and three individuals.

He explained that the measure "means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

Biden also mentioned the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany, which Berlin announced earlier in the day. Additional sanctions will be followed if the situation escalates, he said.

The president also announced movements of U.S. troops to the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and share borders with Russia.

Biden said that the United States has "no intention of fighting Russia" but will "abide by" its commitments to NATO.

Following Moscow's recognition of Lugansk and Donetsk, Biden signed an executive order on Monday banning Americans from doing businesses in the two regions.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called off a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

During a joint press briefing at the State Department with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken said it makes little sense to hold a meeting with Lavrov following the Russian moves. 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 22, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)
ReportLinker

Major players in the pharmaceutical processing seals market are Trelleborg AB, Freudenberg Group, Flowserve Corporation, James Walker & Co. , Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Saint-Gobain S. A, Garlock Sealing Technologies, John Crane, IDEX Corporation, Marco Rubber and Plastics, Technetics Group, Sealmatic, Maffs Seals Pvt.

New York, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Pharmaceutical Processing Seals Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233735/?utm_source=GNW

Ltd., Quantech Sealing Systems and EagleBurgmann India Pvt. Ltd.



The global pharmaceutical processing seals market is expected to grow from $1.80 billion in 2021 to $2.03 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $2.79 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 8.3%.



The pharmaceutical processing seals market consists of sales of pharmaceutical processing seals by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used in pharmaceutical processing equipment to cultivate, refine and blend pharmaceutical ingredients and end products. These are chemically resistant, strong, and hygienic and are used to enhance the performance efficiency of the equipment by keeping it lubricated and leakage-proof.



The main types of pharmaceutical processing seals are O-rings, gaskets, lip seals, D seals, and others.O-ring seals are used to prevent leaks from pumps, valves, cylinders, and connectors used in pharmaceutical processing.



The different materials include metals, PTFE, silicone, nitrile rubber, EPDM, others and are used in various applications such as manufacturing equipment, agitators, mixers, reactors, gear boxes, and others.



North America was the largest region in the pharmaceutical processing seals market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa.



The rise in chronic diseases is significantly contributing to the growth of the pharmaceutical processing seals market.Chronic diseases are defined as conditions that last more than a year and require ongoing medical care; they are global, national health issues that involve mortality and morbidity.



These include heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.The rise in chronic diseases is driving up demand for pharmaceuticals, which in turn is driving up demand for pharmaceutical processing seals.



For instance, according to the International Diabetes Federation, in 2021, 537 million adults are suffering from diabetes worldwide, which is a huge increase as compared to 463 million adults living with diabetes in 2019.



Technological advancements are shaping the pharmaceutical processing seals market.Major companies operating in the pharmaceutical processing seals sector are focused on developing new technological solutions to meet consumer demand and strengthen their position.



For instance, in November 2021, Crawford Packaging, a UK-based packaging machines company launched Evolution S, the top seal packaging technology machinery with advanced tray sealing solution manufactured by Packaging Automation Ltd. Evolution S - Packing Automation has developed the worlds most efficient tray sealing technology, raising the bar for precision and fast sealing rates while decreasing the packaging areas necessary footprint in a single lane configuration.



In April 2021, DXP Cortech, a US-based distributor of pumps and process equipment has partnered with John Crane for an undisclosed amount.Through this partnership, DXP Cortech will act as a distributor for John Crane products in the California region and the extended west coast markets.



It will also enable both businesses to better service their customers and expand their operations. John Crane is a US-based company that manufactures pharmaceutical processing seals, filtration systems, couplings, and packing systems.



The countries covered in the pharmaceutical processing seals market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233735/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




Evening Standard

Love Island star Shaughna Phillips has said that upon appearing on the programme "overnight, no-one cared about what I wanted to say". Phillips became a fan favourite after being dumped by fellow islander Callum Jones, 25, when he decided to form a couple with Molly Smith in the rival villa, Casa Amor. During the re-coupling scene that followed, Phillips uttered the two words - "congrats, hun" - that caused her to become an internet sensation, with the phrase instantly trending on Twitter.
The 25th annual Conference on the Americas, hosted virtually Feb. 18-19 by the University of North Georgia (UNG), welcomed more than 120 participants. More than 80, including about 30 from UNG, served as presenters or led panel discussions, as researchers, faculty, students, and professionals explored critical issues, challenges and opportunities facing Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada.

UNG's College of Arts and Letters and the Mike Cottrell College of Business served as the hosts for the event sponsored by the Americas Council and the University System of Georgia.

"The Conference on the Americas is important as it explores ways to create a multidisciplinary dialogue and to be aware of the relationships within the Americas and with other regions of the world," Dr. Alvaro Torres-Calderon, UNG associate professor of Spanish and co-chair of the event, said. "Prosperity in our own hemisphere is critical for stability. That broader goal can be achieved if we value the socio-economic, political, and cultural aspects we possess, understand our challenges and unite efforts to move forward."

Just two months after earning a bachelor's degree in sociology from UNG, Bryan Rocha addressed changes in Mexico's 1917 constitution that were later reversed.
A litany of encouragement, information, and uplifting speeches is how the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia virtual day began Feb. 17. Middle and high school students, along with their teachers, mentors, and parents, learned about various aspects of attending college.

Sponsored by the University of North Georgia (UNG), the three-hour event was divided into 30-minute segments featuring UNG staff from admissions, financial aid, and registration.

REACH Georgia is a needs-based mentoring and scholarship program providing promising students the academic, social, and financial support to graduate from high school and achieve post-secondary success.

UNG Gainesville, in partnership with REACH Georgia, hosted an in-person event in 2018. Dr. Richard Oates and Shannon Shockley helped us pull the event off at UNG, Jennifer Herring, special assistant to the vice president of UNG's Gainesville Campus, said. She and Sandy Ott, executive director of UNG's Blue Ridge Campus, later realized that a virtual event would provide even more students the critical information they'd been missing. In 2021, the program was held virtually for the first time.
University of North Georgia (UNG) alumna Katherine Torres, '21, was the school's honoree at the University System of Georgia's (USG) annual Academic Recognition Day held Feb. 8.

A student is selected from each of the USG's 26 public colleges and universities. Each student best represents the system's highest scholastic ideals, as selected by their individual institutions. These students have a high GPA, strive for excellence and have the ability to share knowledge in various areas of expertise.

Torres is a Fulbright U.S. Student Program participant who is teaching English in Taiwan for the 2021-22 academic year. In November, Torres became the first UNG alumna to win the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the fellowship attracts and prepares outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers. She will receive up to $42,000 annually for a two-year period to complete a master's degree program and participate in two summer internships designed to support her in becoming an excellent Foreign Service Officer.

The Academic Recognition Day honorees receive a resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, along with a letter of commendation from USG Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney.

In addition to the Pickering Fellowship and the Fulbright, Torres also earned the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship in fall 2019.

She also received a Boren Indonesian Flagship Language Program Scholarship in spring 2021, as well, before choosing to use the Fulbright instead.

Torres represented UNG in the 2020-21 cohort of the Newman Civic Fellows.
Expert encourages HK in COVID fight

08:29, February 23, 2022 By ZHENG CAIXIONG in Guangzhou ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said he believes Hong Kong will win the battle against the current COVID-19 outbreak with support from the Chinese mainland.

He urged the special administrative region to strengthen unity and cooperation in curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, given the current grim situation.

"All government departments, business circles, public and private hospitals and the general public should unite and cooperate in the fight against the pandemic," Zhong said in a video of encouragement on Monday.

The Chinese mainland's support for Hong Kong mainly includes expanding testing, helping construct makeshift hospitals and organizing additional medical staff, said Zhong, winner of the Medal of the Republic, the country's highest honor.

China's top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"We will not tolerate any natural infection that leads to a large number of deaths of senior residents," Zhong said, adding that China's policy is to clear all COVID-19 cases in society.

In addition to preventing and controlling the spread of the coronavirus, Zhong urged further expansion of vaccinations and stockpiling of adequate medicines for treatment.

According to incomplete statistics, more than 50,000 Hong Kong residents have been confirmed as having the virus, with at least 100 deaths so far in this round of the outbreak.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
NEW YORK, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Experts are warning of the spread of a new strain of Omicron variant in the United States and potential health effects after infection, as major states in the country rushed to shed off COVID-19 restrictions amid a continuous decline in cases and hospitalization.

An Omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, which appears to spread 30 percent more easily, has made up 3.9 percent of all infections, up from 1.6 percent in the week ending Jan. 29, fueling worries the country may not return to normal as planned.

According to a report by National Public Radio, BA.2 is found to have quickly overtaken the original Omicron in South Africa and other countries and has even caused a second Omicron surge in Denmark.

Infectious disease experts cautioned the same could happen in the United States, raising fears that the spread "may be on track to rapidly accelerate in the near future," the report said.

Meanwhile, the risks of cardiovascular disease of all types increased substantially in the year following COVID-19 infection, according to a study published this month in Nature Medicine which looked into the health records of more than 153,000 U.S. veterans.

Experts estimated there might be millions of new-onset cardiac cases related to the virus, plus a worsening of the disease for many already affected.

"We are expecting a tidal wave of cardiovascular events in the coming years from direct and indirect causes of COVID," The Washington Post reported, citing Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, president of the American Heart Association.

While New York State began to lift COVID-19 restrictions, not all residents favor the decision, The New York Times recently reported.

According to a new poll released on Tuesday by the Siena College Research Institute, 45 percent of registered voters said the state should have kept in place its rule of requiring masks or proof of full vaccination in indoor public areas, which was recently rescinded.

Regarding masks in schools, 58 percent agreed to wait to review virus data for early March before deciding whether to extend the state mandate.

"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," said Sadiya Khan, an epidemiologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "This seems like a move to promote normalcy without there really being normalcy." 
A Germany-based company, Messer, will build a $50 million air separation unit in McGregors industrial park powered by its own solar farm, the first such facility in the United States, the company claims.

Messer produces gases used in industries including aerospace, health care, electronics, food and more. Its McGregor plant will occupy 85 acres along Bluebonnet Parkway, near McGuffey Road, in the same 9,600-acre industrial park that a SpaceX rocket-testing facility calls home. SpaceX also is placing there a Raptor 2 engine-assembly plant vital to powering Mars-bound rockets.

Local economic development officials said Messers ties to aerospace would suggest it could serve as a supplier to SpaceX, but they had no specific information about such a relationship and Messer did not comment.

The proposed plant hardly is labor intensive, but will create 22 long-term jobs paying an average of $60,000 a year. Messer estimates construction may create another 80 jobs, with completion the second quarter of 2024.

Their specialty is compressed gases of all kinds, McGregor Mayor Jim Hering said. We will convey to them 35 acres, meaning they would hold title to the land, and were going to lease another 50 acres to them, which may or may not be used right away. That could become the solar yard.

Messer will pay McGregor $75 per acre annually under the lease. Hering said the conveyance amounts to McGregor giving the company 35 acres.

Hering said Messers announcement may not match SpaceXs high profile, nor SpaceXs intention to employ almost 1,000 people locally. And it may fall short of Knauf Insulations spending $700 million to build a 600,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in McGregor employing almost 200 people.

But I dont want to downplay this, Hering said. Any company that chooses to invest $50 million in this city, and proposes paying $60,000 on average, we consider an outstanding corporate citizen. Messer is locating in a (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone), which means tax dollars it pitches off can pay for improvements within the zone, including those for Knauf. The more industry in TIRZ, the faster we pay off any associated debt.

McGregor is eyeing possible railroad and infrastructure improvements in its industrial park to serve Knauf and impress prospects.

On behalf of the City of McGregor, we are excited to welcome Messer to our community, Hering said in a statement. Over the years, as we have developed our industrial park, we have become highly selective in what types of people and industries we want to attract and invest our future in.

Messer checks all of the boxes. They bring cutting edge technology, high quality jobs, and most importantly, first class people.

Messers product list on its website includes argon, carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The gases are provided at whatever volume, purity and pressure the customer desires, and are shipped via railroad car, bulk truck, independent distributors and pipeline.

It will be trucked out, said Andrew Smith, executive director for the McGregor Economic Development Corp., commenting on Messers primary means of transport. There will be additional truck traffic, but not an insane amount. I dont know exact counts off the top of my head.

He said Messer compresses air into components, creating liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, for example. He said a companys focus on fuel often raises safety concerns, but Messer passed McGregors vetting process.

They are hyper-focused on safety, which is one of their founding principles, Smith said. They presented a package we are very comfortable with, in terms of not creating a danger to the community.

He said Messer is not perceived as a threat to air quality.

Messer plants comply with all applicable federal, state and local regulations and our site in Texas will not be an exception, Messer Americas spokesperson Amy Ficon said by email. We do not anticipate any issues in obtaining the required permits prior to the construction phase.

McLennan County commissioners voted to award Messer a 50% break on personal property taxes over 10 years beginning with property additions to its plant made on or before Jan. 31, 2025, according to documents.

With our expansion in Texas and the inclusion of solar energy, Messer is focused on sustainability and environmental protection, Messer Americas President and CEO Jens Luehring said in a press release.

It will be Messers first plant powered by a renewable source on the same site, according to the press release.

Ficon said the solar array is designed to meet the plants needs during normal operations, though during the hottest days of a Texas summer, it could provide enough power for more than 1,800 residential households.

Messer calls itself the largest privately held industrial gas business in the world, and a leading industrial and medical gas company in North and South America.

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Vladimir Putin announced Monday that he had decided to recognize two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent breakaway republics and immediately ordered Russian troops into those territories to carry out peacekeeping functions. A better term would be tornaway republics, since Putin has been waging war there for years. It remains to be seen whether this is the start of an all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Regardless, Putin should be careful what he wishes for.

In American foreign policy debates, careful what you wish for is a common refrain. Various realists, non-interventionists and isolationists championing restraint invoke it all the time. Citing Thomas Jeffersons caution against entangling alliances and John Quincy Adams admonition against going abroad seeking monsters to destroy, opponents of an assertive U.S. foreign policy have been warning of blowback or unintended consequences for generations.

Its great advice  and not just when it comes to foreign policy. What parent hasnt said be careful what you wish for?

My problem is that in the American context, such warnings tend to be parochial and arrogant, because they assume that Americas foreign policy options are unconstrained and any use of force  or step in that direction  is purely a matter of ideological choice. Thus, every policy mistake or setback is seen as stemming from a decision we didnt have to make.

Using this lens, our adversaries actions are rational, inevitable or understandable responses to our blundering. (Theres a lot of this sort of thing on the right of late. Putins aggression toward Ukraine is apparently both Joe Bidens fault and none of our business.)

Sometimes, however, America isnt the victim of blowback, it is the blowback. For instance, someone should have told Osama bin Laden to be careful what he wished for. He got what he wanted on 9/11. He hoped the attack would launch a war between the West and the Islamic world ending with an Al Qaeda-led victory against the West. Suffice it to say, he died from foreign policy blowback.

Similarly, restraint invites blowback, too. The withdrawal from Afghanistan was the greatest foreign policy win for the champions of retrenchment and restraint in decades, demonstrating theres a significant difference between winning a policy dispute and a policy win.

Putin always wins policy disputes because hes a gangster-autocrat  nobody who wants to stay out of prison or the grave disputes his policies. But that doesnt mean those policies have been successful. His Ukraine strategy has been backfiring for years.

Russias heavy-handed meddling resulted in the 2014 Maidan revolution, and Ukraines reorientation toward the West and democracy. His unfolding efforts to intimidate Ukraine back into a vassal state and to neuter NATO have also backfired. Ukrainian national identity and commitment to democracy have intensified. And rather than force NATO to shrink back to its 1997 membership, as Putin demanded, he may have enticed Sweden and Finland to join it.

Its often said that Putin has all the cards in the Ukrainian crisis. This is true, if you mean that hes the primary driver of events. But driving events and having mastery over them are two very different things.

We should do everything short of putting U.S. troops in Ukraine to deter Putin because an all-out invasion would be a humanitarian and geostrategic catastrophe. But its also hard to see how all-out war would end well for Putin. The Ukrainians will fight. And theres no reason to believe the Russian people want to see Russians die by the thousands to kill Ukrainians by the tens of thousands.

Its worth noting that Putin has gone to extraordinary lengths to hide the Russian casualties of his military forays, because he recognizes how brittle public support for his rule really is. Western sanctions would further cripple Russia economically and any hopes that NATO would continue to whither as a military force would probably vanish.

The Biden administration has made mistakes so far. It should have issued new sanctions the moment Putin started to amass troops on the Ukraine border. It shouldnt have surrendered in Afghanistan the way it did.

But once Biden recognized the stakes of this crisis, his strategy has had much to commend it. By releasing intelligence  real and alleged  about Putins intent to invade under some bogus pretext of provocation, the administration made it harder for Russia to follow its planned script.

The point is to force Putin to realize that he cant will victory into existence. Because he has no one in his inner circle to tell him, be careful what you wish for, that job has fallen to us. Weve failed to convince him so far, but events not to his liking may force the lesson upon him eventually.

Jonah Goldberg, author of the bestselling book Liberal Fascism and formerly an editor at National Review, is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and host of The Remnant podcast.
ASHLAND  Now that the deadline for incumbents to file for reelection has passed, it is clear there will be two new faces on the Ashland City Council in 2023.

Incumbents Jim Anderson and Bruce Wischmann, representing Ward 1 and 2 respectively, have both filed for election in the mayors race. Their intention to become mayor means they cannot run for reelection to their city council seats.

Mayor Rick Grauerholz indicated months earlier that he did not plan to run for reelection.

The deadline for incumbents (persons already holding elected office) to file for election was Feb. 18. Non-incumbents have until March 1 to file.

If no one else files for election in the mayor race, Anderson and Wischmann will move forward to the General Election in November. If more candidates file, then the Primary Election on May 10 will narrow down the number to the top two.

As of Feb. 16, Daniel W. Linke was the only candidate who had filed for the Ward 1 seat. No one had filed in Ward 2.

There could also be two new faces on the Ashland-Greenwood Board of Education following the General Election in November.

There are three seats up for election, but only one incumbent has filed as a candidate. Russ Westerhold is seeking reelection, while incumbents Ally Miller and Karen Stille did not file before the deadline.

Ashlands David Lutton is seeking another term as representative of District 1, which includes Ashland, on the Saunders County Board of Supervisors. No one else had filed as of Feb. 16.

The seats for District 3 and 5 are also up for election. Incumbent Craig Breunig of Wahoo did not file for reelection in District 3. So far, one person has filed. That is Bill Reece of Wahoo.

In District 5, incumbent John Smaus of Prague is seeking reelection. As of Feb. 16, there was one opponent on the ballot  John Wonka of Weston. Both are Republicans, so only one will be on the ballot after the May 10 Primary Election.

The only other contested county race will be for sheriff. Curt Prohaska of Ashland and Chris Lichtenberg of Cedar Bluffs are on the ballot. Each candidate is a Republican, meaning only one will emerge after the Primary Election.

One incumbent county official did not file for reelection. County Clerk Patti Lindgren will not seek another term. Dee Anne Nice, administrative assistant to the county clerk, has filed for the office. She is the only one on the ballot as of Feb. 16.

The following incumbents have filed for reelection to their county positions: Patty McEvoy, clerk of the district court; Rhonda Andresen, county assessor/register of deeds; Jennifer Joakim, county attorney; Jerry Charles, county surveyor and Amber Scanlon, county treasurer.

The deadline for incumbents to file for election was Feb. 18, while the deadline for non-incumbents is March 1. The Primary Election will be held May 10.

Voter registration deadlines are also coming up. April 22 is the deadline for voter registration forms to be postmarked or delivered to the election office. The final day for in-person voter registration is May 2.

Election for village boards of trustees or educational service units will be held during the General Election on Nov. 8. The deadline for filing for incumbents is July 15 and non-incumbents must file by Aug. 1.

Suzi Nelson is the managing editor of The Ashland Gazette. Reach her via email at suzi.nelson@ashland-gazette.com.
Supreme Court's Inaction Ignores Plight of Maine Health Care Workers

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

Feb. 23, 2022



WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case on behalf of more than 2,000 Maine health care workers against Governor Janet Mills, health officials of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and five of Maine's largest hospital systems against the governor's unconstitutional shot mandate.

The High Court did not give a statement or reasons for denying certiorari. This is surprising since Liberty Counsel filed an emergency injunction pending appeal on October 18. In the Supreme Court's October 29 response to the denial, Justice Gorsuch dissented from the denial along with Justice Thomas and Justice Alito. Gorsuch wrote, "This case presents an important constitutional question, a serious error, and an irreparable injury. Where many other States have adopted religious exemptions, Maine has charted a different course. There, healthcare workers who have served on the front line of a pandemic for the last 18 months are now being fired and their practices shuttered. All for adhering to their constitutionally protected religious beliefs. Their plight is worthy of our attention."

Only Maine, New York and Rhode Island have state executive orders banning employers from even considering the sincere religious beliefs of employees. Governor Mills threatened to revoke the business license of any employer that granted an employee a religious exemption, thus ordering employers to disobey the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause and the federal law known as Title VII. However, states do not have the authority to order employers to disobey Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the federal employment law that prohibits religious discrimination.

All health care workers are protected by Title VII which provides for religious exemptions and accommodations and requires that employers provide them. Furthermore, COVID shots cannot be mandatory under Title VII. Religious exemption requests for shot mandates must be accommodated when a reasonable accommodation exists without undue hardship to the employer. Many people hold sincere religious beliefs against taking any vaccines, or taking those derived from aborted fetal cell lines, or taking those sold by companies that profit from the sale of vaccines and other products derived from abortion.

Moreover, one of our plaintiffs is a Christian employer who wants to grant his employees a religious accommodation. This Christian employer has a First Amendment right that directly collides with the order from Governor Mills. The Supreme Court should have stepped in to redress this injustice.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "There can be no dispute that Maine is required to abide by the U.S. Constitution and federal law that provides protections to employers and employees who have sincerely held religious objections to the COVID-19 shots. The Supreme Court should have righted this blatant unconstitutional edict. The Supreme Court has allowed these health care workers to become constitutional orphans in their own state."

Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.



SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



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KYIV, Ukraine  Lawmakers in Ukraine have approved a nationwide state of emergency amid fears of an all-out Russian invasion.

The parliament approved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decree that imposes the measure for 30 days starting Thursday. The state of emergency allows authorities to impose restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organizations "in the interests of national security and public order."

The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's move Monday to recognize the independence of rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, where the nearly eight-year conflict has killed over 14,000. Putin has sanctioned the deployment of Russian troops there to "maintain peace" and received a parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly voiced concern that Russia could try destabilize the country by relying on Moscow supporters inside the country, including a pro-Russia political party represented in parliament.

The document also bans "information materials that could destabilize the situation in the country," and gives government the right to impose curfews and conduct checks.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.

Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war in Europe appeared all but sunk as the U.S. and key European allies accused Moscow of crossing a red line Tuesday in rolling over Ukraine's border into separatist regions in Ukraine's east called Donbas, with some calling it an invasion.

Russia emptied its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag no longer flew over the Kyiv embassy, and police surrounded the building.

After weeks of trying to project calm, Ukrainian authorities signaled increasing concern. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended any Ukrainians there leave immediately, saying Moscow's "aggression" could lead to a significant reduction in consular services.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksiy Danilov called for a national state of emergency, subject to parliamentary approval. He said it will be up to regional authorities to determine which measures to apply, but they could include increased security at public facilities, traffic restrictions and additional transport and document checks.

A senior U.S. defense official in Washington said the Russian forces arrayed along Ukraine's borders are "as ready as they can be" for an invasion, with about 80% in what the U.S. considers "forward positions, ready to go" within 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers (3 to 30 miles) of the border.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information, added. "We still cannot confirm that Russian forces have moved into the Donbas area."

President Joe Biden allowed sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the company's CEO, the White House said.

Germany said Tuesday it was indefinitely suspending the project, after Biden charged that Putin had launched "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" by sending troops into two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. The pipeline is complete but has not yet begun operating.

"Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers," Biden said in a statement. "These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate."

Biden waived sanctions last year against Nord Stream 2 AG, when the project was almost completed, in return for an agreement from Germany to take action against Russia if it used gas as a weapon or attacked Ukraine.

Putin said Tuesday he hadn't yet sent any Russian troops into the rebel regions contrary to Western claims, and Donetsk rebel leader Denis Pushilin insisted Wednesday there were no Russian troops in the region even though a local council member claimed the previous day they had moved in.

Ukraine's Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said a wave of denial-of-service attacks targeted official websites and some banks Wednesday, knocking sites of the parliament, cabinet and Foreign Ministry offline and causing interruptions or delays to the sites of the defense and interior ministry, which controls the police.

Many of the same sites were similarly knocked offline in attacks last week that the U.S. and U.K. governments quickly blamed on Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. Such attacks barrage websites with junk traffic, rendering them unreachable. Wednesday's DDoS attacks appeared to have less impact than the earlier onslaught, with targeted sites soon reachable again -- as emergency responders blunted them.

These were just the latest in a series of signs of escalating tensions. Kyiv recalled its ambassador to Russia and considered breaking all diplomatic ties with Moscow; dozens of nations further squeezed Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets; Germany halted a lucrative pipeline deal; the U.S. repositioned additional troops to NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia; and the top U.S. diplomat canceled a meeting with his Russian counterpart.

Already, the threat of war has shredded Ukraine's economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

Even as the conflict took a new, dangerous turn, leaders warned it could still get worse. Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden held back on even tougher sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression.

European Union sanctions against Russia took effect, targeting several companies along with 351 Russian lawmakers, who voted for a motion urging Putin to recognize the rebel regions, and 27 senior government officials, business executives and top military officers.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the EU sanctions only "a first step" and said more could follow. Sanctions are key because the West has ruled out taking on Russia militarily.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Western leaders not to wait.

"We call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now," he tweeted Wednesday. "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

Responding defiantly to the steps already taken, Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov retorted on Facebook that "sanctions cannot solve a thing. It is hard to imagine that there is a person in Washington who expects Russia to revise its foreign policy under a threat of restrictions."

Russia's Foreign Ministry has also bristled at sanctions. "Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage," a statement read.

In Ukraine's east, where an eight-year conflict between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces has killed nearly 14,000 people, violence also spiked again. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and six more were injured after rebel shelling, the Ukrainian military said. Separatist officials reported several explosions on their territory overnight and three civilian deaths.

In St. Petersburg, meanwhile, several hundred people reportedly rallied in support of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics in the east, while Russia marked Defender of the Fatherland Day, which celebrates the country's veterans and active servicemen.

After weeks of rising tensions, Putin took a series of steps this week that dramatically raised the stakes. First, he recognized the independence of those separatist regions. Then, he said that recognition extends even to the large parts of the territories now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

Finally, lawmakers gave him authority to use military force outside the country  effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions.

Putin laid out three conditions that he said could end the standoff, urging Kyiv to recognize Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, to renounce its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarize. Ukraine long has rejected such demands.

As rhetoric in Russia and the West toughened, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace recalled how the British army "kicked the backside" of Russia during the Crimean War in the 19th century. Russia's Defense Minister Igor Konashenkov fired back, dismissing Wallace's claims as "mythology" and advising British soldiers to study the history of Russia to avoid "enriching our shared military history with their lives for the pleasure of poorly educated British politicians."
CEDAR FALLS  A random social media post about the late musician Eddie Bowles spurred Jim OLoughlin to find out more about the beloved Louisiana-born country blues guitarist and one of Cedar Falls first Black residents.

Im a blues fan, but I didnt come to this area until 2000, so I hadnt heard about him, said OLoughlin, a professor in the languages and literature department at the University of Northern Iowa. After asking around, he realized Bowles name and music was well-remembered and revered by many Cedar Valley musicians and residents.

His curiosity has resulted in a new show at the Hearst Center for the Arts, Eddie Bowless Blues, which explores his life and music. The exhibit will be displayed until March 27.

A series of free music events in celebration of Bowles and the blues begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Hearst Center, featuring the screening and discussion of Director Francesca Soans documentary, Getting That Note Out, featuring Waterloo-based blues guitarist Ethleen Morehead Wright. On Friday, March 4, The Best of Eddie Bowles album is expected to be released on a variety of music streaming services. On Saturday, March 5, the Rush Cleveland Trio and special guests will perform at 8 p.m. at The Octopus, 2205 College St., in Cedar Falls.

Fourteen UNI students enrolled in the English Senior Seminar produced the Bowles exhibition as a classroom project last fall. As a class, we talked about what element of his life we wanted to discuss and brainstormed a list of ideas, narrowed it down and students selected their topics and did the research to find out more about Eddies unique contributions and his music. There were enough interviews, radio interviews and other materials to work with, OLoughlin said.

Heather Skeens, cultural supervisor at the Hearst, said, We love working with UNI and UNI students whenever we can and that collaboration is part of the reason were here. There are multiple ways to engage in the exhibit with photos and interviews and QR codes that people can scan on their phones and listen to Bowles music. A recording of an interview with Bowles plays on a loop in the show, as well.

No artifacts could be found directly related to Bowless life  no guitar, no personal belongings  with the exception of a battered rural mailbox with its post still embedded in concrete that stood at the corner of Bowles property on Cedar Falls north side. It was found in a friends old shed, OLoughlin said.

Bowles history was reconstructed from archival information from The Courier, the now-defunct Cedar Falls Record, Cedar Falls Historical Society and acquaintances and friends of the late musician.

Bowles died in 1984 at age 100. Born in 1884 in Lafayette, La., he learned to play blues and jazz on homemade instruments until his parents were able to buy instruments for him to play. He played in several orchestras, including with legendary Louis Armstrong at the turn of the century. He married Sarah Blanche Bowles in 1911, and decided to come north to find work. In 1914, he earned $7.50 daily working as a street paver, laying Cedar Falls first brick streets.

After that job ended, he stayed and worked as a cook, railroad foreman, tree trimmer and auto mechanic. He later worked for John Deere for 22 years. Bowles was so respected in the largely white, Danish community of Cedar Falls that businessmen paid for his wife ticket to come from Louisiana to Iowa. My mother raised us to learn to respect other people, so we would be respected, Bowles said in a 1978 newspaper interview.

Skeens said well-known Cedar Falls poet James Hearst, the centers namesake, hired Bowles to trim trees and later wrote a poem about him. The poem was published in Hearsts 1981 book, Time Like a Furrow.

A guitar was never far from Bowles fingers. He was known for picking out blues songs on the strings from memory. I can play until midnight tomorrow and never played all the things I know, he noted in the 1978 interview. He frequently played blues at Cedar Falls folk festivals in the early 1970s and around the area with other musicians, including Rush Cleveland. Cleveland recalled that Bowles would drag an extension cord from the house to his chair outdoors, sit down and play.

Only a few recordings of Bowles exist. His style has been described as slow, finger-picking 12-bar blues, and his pitch remained perfect, high and clear well into his 90s, similar to the sound heard on early 20th century Mississippi Delta Blues recordings.

The Hearst Center for the Arts, 304 W. Seerley Blvd., Cedar Falls, is free and open to the public. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For program listings, visit thehearst.org, or call (319) 273-8641.

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WATERLOO  Jurors are trying to determine if a Waterloo man acted in self-defense when he shot and killed his friend in May 2020.

Stephen Devon Phillips, 29, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Terrell Rello Flowers at Flowers brothers home on Crescent Place.

Assistant County Attorney Heather Jackson said Phillips had been close to the Flowers family. Both came to Waterloo from the Chicago area, and Phillips was a cousin to one of the Flowers brothers, according to testimony.

They treated him like family, and he betrayed them, Jackson told jurors Tuesday during closing arguments following about two weeks of evidence.

Phillips told jurors that he was defending himself after Flowers knocked him to the floor, choked him and then pointed a gun at him. Phillips said he fired a single shot into Flowers arm with his own gun. The bullet passed through his arm and lodged in his chest, hitting his heart and lungs.

Prosecutors said the self-defense argument didnt hold water because witnesses said Phillips had warned them he was going to shoot up the house when he left on the heels of an earlier argument with Flowers. And Phillips then texted Flowers that he was fina die before returning to the home about 26 minutes later with a 9 mm pistol.

That was a warning to Terrell Flowers about what he was going to do next, Jackson said. He had 26 minutes to deliberate.

Four others at the house  other brothers and friends  testified that both Phillips and Flowers had guns drawn on one another at one point as the argument continued, but they said Flowers had holstered his Glock seconds before Phillips fired.

During closings, the defense pointed out discrepancies in the witness accounts.

There are so many inconsistencies with these four individuals, said defense attorney Matthew Hoffey. We have different stories of the same event.

After the shooting, Phillips drove to an acquaintances home on Linwood Avenue where he acquired another vehicle at gunpoint. Police found him hours later at a LaPorte Road hotel carrying the 9 mm pistol that killed Flowers.

During a police interview, Phillips denied possessing the gun and said he wasnt at the Crescent Place home at the time of the shooting.

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WATERLOO  Stephen Phillips said he shot his friend, Terrell Flowers, in self-defense.

Jurors didnt believe him, finding him guilty of first-degree murder after deliberating Tuesday afternoon and announcing the decision Wednesday morning.

Phillips remained calm and showed no reaction behind a pandemic protection face mask when he heard the verdict.

But he refused to stand for the jury  a customary courtesy  instead sitting in silent protest as the panel exited the courtroom.

Sentencing will be at a later date. First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence without parole under Iowa law. He is currently serving a 25-year sentence for first-degree robbery for allegedly taking a car at gunpoint moments after the fatal shooting.

Last week, Phillips took the stand in his own defense, saying Flowers had knocked him to the floor, strangled him and then stood over him with a gun on the night of May 15, 2020. He said he didnt want to get shot, so he fired his own gun.

But the four other people in the house  Flowers brothers and friends  told a different story. They said there was an earlier argument between the two that resulted in Phillips warning he was going to shoot up the house and then leaving  prosecutors said to retrieve his gun.

Police investigators also found a text message that Phillips sent Flowers minutes before he returned to the house telling him u fina die.

Back at the home, witnesses said both men had guns trained on each other, and Phillips fired once when Flowers holstered his weapon. One witness said Phillips then tried to shoot him but the pistol didnt fire because the magazine had apparently ejected to the floor.

About six minutes later, Flowers was at a Linwood Street address, threatening another acquaintance with the empty gun and driving off in another vehicle. Police caught him with the murder weapon hours later a hotel, and Phillips denied possessing the gun and denied he was at the home at the time of the shooting.

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WATERLOO  A Waterloo man has been arrested after sheriffs deputies caught him going through cars in a sales lot, and he claimed to own the dealership.

According to court records, Black Hawk County deputies noticed Jason David Hocking, 50, going in and out of vehicle at Reedys Auto Sales, 2009 Commercial St., around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

When they approached Hocking, he allegedly gave them a fake name and said he had recently taken over the business, and the vehicle belonged to him.

Waterloo police also responded to the incident and recognized Hocking. The real owner was called, and he told deputies he didnt know Hocking.

Hocking was arrested for four counts of third-degree burglary to a vehicle and providing false identification information. Bond was set at $6,000.

Court records show he was recently released from probation after being convicted of second-degree theft after he was found driving a Chrysler 300 stolen from Liberty Car Co. 2 in Waterloo in August 2020.

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WATERLOO  Students will be paying more to attend Hawkeye Community College next fall, but it will be the smallest increase in more than a decade.

This is a very, very modest increase, 1.2%, President Todd Holcomb told the board of trustees Tuesday. Im proposing going foward with smaller tuition increases. I think this helps us move forward as a college.

Trustees approved a $2.50 increase in tuition and fees per credit hour, raising the cost to $210 effective July 1. The board also approved a $75.7 million 2022-23 budget, a $2.46 million increase from the re-estimated budget for the current fiscal year. Overall property tax collections are expected to grow by 5.33% under the budget.

Tuition is growing by $2 to $204 per credit and there will be a 50-cent increase in the activity fee, bringing it to $6. An in-state student taking 12 credits, a typical full-time load, would pay $2,520 in tuition and fees per term. Thats $30 more than such a student is paying this year.

Since the fall of 2011, Courier files show, the previous smallest tuition and fee increase was 2.72% in 2014-15. During those years, it has grown by as much as 5.64% from one year to the next. Current tuition and fee rates grew by 3.23% over last year.

With students taking just under 100,000 credit hours, Vice President of Administration and Finance Dan Gillen said the $2.50 increase is estimated to raise a little over $200,000 in tuition and fees more than this year.

Holcomb said anticipated growth in other areas like workforce education will help with increasing expenses that the smaller tuition boost may not cover. Administrators will also work to control costs by consolidating or eliminating positions and budget reserve funds may also be used to fill gaps.

Students who come from out of state to attend Hawkeye will pay $17 more than Iowa residents, raising their per-credit tuition and fees to $227. The difference between in- and out-of-state tuition has been been dropping in recent years.

Since Ive been president, weve actually frozen out-of-state tutition, said Holcomb, noting that he favors equalizing the rates that all students pay. My goal was to slowly get there.

Other revenues

Budget numbers assuming steady enrollment levels show estimates of $18.96 million in tuition and $1.31 million in student fees.

The budget also estimates total state funding at $18.36 million, assuming an increase in general aid that has not yet been set. Federal aid of $2.13 million is anticipated.

A total of $13.02 million in property and utility replacement tax collections are projected for the colleges 10-county service area during the next fiscal year. That is $659,172 more than was estimated for the year ending June 30.

The tax rate will increase by just under a penny to about $1.19 per $1,000 of taxable value. Trustee Jay Nardini praised the small tax rate increase, calling it pretty good that we can keep it that low.

Growth in property valuations across the 10-county area and the inching up of the tax rate are behind the increased collections.

However, because the state-determined residential rollback used in calculating tax bills includes a smaller percentage of residential property for next year, the owner of a home whose value hasnt increased would see a drop in the Hawkeye portion of the annual tax bill.

For a home valued at $100,000 in the current and next tax year, the colleges portion of the tax bill would drop $2.18 to $64.18.

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WATERLOO  Supervisors unanimously passed Black Hawk Countys budget for the next fiscal year, with one praising it as fantastic during a public hearing at which no one spoke against it.

The fiscal year 2023 budget was approved 4-0 on Tuesday, with board chair Craig White absent.

This is a good budget, said Supervisor Dan Trelka. When you look at our budgets over the years, theyve collectively been fantastic budgets.

Officially, the county is increasing its tax asking by 4.45% for the general fund and 5.12% for the rural fund for FY23, which begins July 1. But two large decreases will mean county property owners will see a tax reduction of 7.74% for rural residents and 8.86% for urban residents.

I think that we really did a great job across all departments and the board this year, creating a budget that continues to provide high-quality services and even expand those services while reducing taxes, said Supervisor Chris Schwartz.

The mental health levy is gone from the budget, taken over by the state of Iowa this year. Additionally, the debt service levy for the county is decreasing by nearly a quarter, or 24.72%, in the next fiscal year. County Finance Director James Perry noted earlier this month one bond had been paid in full, and the county was seeing an increase in revenue as a result of the local option sales tax, which benefits the debt service.

The planets aligned: We have (American Rescue Plan) funds, the state took mental health funding ... (and) this boards debt service approach has had a significant impact, Trelka said. He added the decisions this board made on Country View and the reorganization of public health had the biggest impacts.

Id venture to say 98% of the counties are jealous of the budgets we have, Trelka added. Collectively, we are serving our taxpayers very well, and nobody can deny that.

Supervisor Linda Laylin warned the budget is only one of the decisions the board has to make in the coming year, pointing out the countys nearly $25 million in federal ARP funding would be gone very easily.

The county is still completing a space needs assessment for each of its departments, and beyond that has heard pleas from mayors within the county who need help paying for projects.

Its definitely unknown territory for us, and weve got a lot of difficult decisions, Laylin said.

Supervisor Tom Little declined to speak on the budget, but said at the end of the meeting he was disappointed and finally disgusted after reading about allegations brought to light over the past year regarding fellow Supervisor White.

I thought it was character assassination, Little said. Craig White doesnt always say the right things and hes not always politically correct. Bottom line is, hes human like the rest of us and makes mistakes.

The allegations, which ran in The Courier on Sunday, are from county employees as well as the security company working for the county, detailing incidents where White is accused of yelling at or belittling them.

Little noted Whites status as a longtime veteran that to this day is still working and helping veterans through his service on the Memorial Hall commission and as co-chair of the Honor Flight.

I dont know if hes running, but if he is, Ill support him, and I hope the veterans of this county stand up for him, Little said.

White, a Democrat, has not indicated if he plans to run for re-election for his seat, one of two at-large seats up this November. Trelka, a Republican, has announced he plans to run again, and Democrat Tavis Hall, the director of Experience Waterloo, has also announced a run.

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WATERLOO  One person is dead in a Wednesday afternoon fire at a Waterloo duplex.

The identity of the deceased hasnt been released pending family notification.

Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue were sent to investigate a report of smoke in the area West 18th and Commercial streets around 2:15 p.m.

Firefighters tracked the smoke to a home at 1827 Commercial St., where a fire was burning inside.

Smoke was venting from windows of the cream-colored two-story home, and there was heavy heat and smoke damage to the first-floor apartment. The upper apartment had smoke damage, said Fire Chief Pat Treloar.

The cause of the fire hasnt been determined and is under investigation by the city fire marshal.

This is the second fatal fire in Waterloo this year.

On Jan. 1, Frank William Nelson Jr., 53, died when his home at 705 Logan Ave. caught fire. The cause of that blaze hasnt been determined.

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Q: Why did Mark Gallagher resign from the SportsPlex?

A: Gallagher, the city of Waterloos recreation superintendent, turned in his resignation effective Feb. 11, according to Paul Huting, leisure services director. Waterloo Police are investigating alleged financial improprieties by Gallagher. According to a press release from the city, officials became aware of the allegations Feb. 1 and took immediate action to see if there was evidence to substantiate claims of financial misdeeds.

Gallagher was placed on administrative leave Feb. 3 and resigned Feb. 11. Mayor Quentin Hart has ordered a full criminal investigation by the Waterloo Police Department. The investigation is ongoing. The State Auditors Office and RSM US LLP, the citys auditing firm, have been notified of the investigation.

Q: If you have antenna TV, who do you call to add other stations?

A: How you add channels to your TV if youre using an antenna varies depending both on the kind of TV and the antenna. On many TVs, the process is as follows: Press the HOME button. Under Settings, select Preferences. Select Channel. Select Signal Type. Select Antenna. Select Add Digital Channels. Select OK.

Q: Are Cedar Falls Public Safety officers trained and equipped to make a rescue off a bridge such as the Waterloo Fire Department recently did for a woman in the water? It would seem like that kind of training would be pretty important.

A: Cedar Falls public safety officers are trained to conduct such rescues, according to Amanda Huisman, city communications specialist and spokesperson.

Q: Is it true that a doctor assigned to Western Home Communities is using ivermectin to treat patients there?

A: Linda Hudwalker Bowman, chief communications officer at Western Home Communities, says it is not true. There is no doctor assigned to Western Home Communities; residents are free to choose their own medical providers or use the IMPACT Team from UnityPoint. We do have a medical director for our nursing homes, Dr. Richard Frankhauser, who provides oversight of our nursing policies and procedures. A longtime local physician who is retired, Frankhauser has provided instrumental guidance for us throughout the pandemic. He assisted early on in recommending and helping us obtain the FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies treatment for nursing home residents with COVID-19. Dr. Frankhauser does not recommend ivermectin for anyone with COVID-19, which is an off-label use of the drug and not approved for treating COVID-19.

Q: Was Caitlin Jenner ever charged criminally for the car accident she caused, taking another womans life?

A: She was not charged in the fatal February 7, 2015, crash. Prosecutors said it couldnt be proved that Jenners driving was negligent since she was traveling below the speed limit and engaged her brakes before the collision.

Q: I just read park rangers are going to be evicted from their houses in state parks. Are they going to sell those houses to private citizens?

A: Once Department of Natural Resources staff are out, the DNR will assess whether the houses should be torn down or improved so they can be turned into offices or cabins available for public rental.

Calls are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff.

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Istituto Marangoni sets foot in the Middle East with a school in Dubai By



Dominique Muret Translated by

Roberta HERRERA Published

Feb 23, 2022

Istituto Marangoni continues to expand internationally with the opening of a fashion school in Dubai. The project, which has been in the works for two years, will become a reality in October 2022 with the inauguration of the self-financed and directly operated structure in a booming market for fashion and luxury.







The Milan branch in Via Cerva dedicated to interior design - Istituto Marangoni



"A market study made us realize that there was room for an institute like ours. There is no structured school in the region with such an articulated offer on fashion, art and interior design studies. This is an opportunity to gain a foothold in the Middle East where we can continue building our reputation in the region, which is already very strong despite not being present in the territory. The Dubai locations long-term plan is to invest heavily on qualified education," Stefania Valenti, managing director of Istituto Marangoni, told FashionNetwork.com.



"This operation is part of our direct investments. We expect to breakeven in the third or fourth year. We kept the same tuition rates as in Milan, an average of 25,000 per year," she mentioned.

The school will be located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). It will offer a three-year fashion and design course, as well as a 12-month master's program. The diplomas will be validated by the emirate's Ministry of Education.



70% of the institutions teachers will come from Italy while the others will be recruited locally. The new building, which should have a first class of about 50 students, will be linked with the Marangoni school in Mumbai. Students from the Mumbai campus will be able to complete their final years of studies in Dubai. Similarly, students from the new school will be able to continue their education in the group's other institutes.



The Dubai campus joins the list of Marangoni schools which includes two buildings in Milan (one dedicated to interior design) and locations in Florence, Paris, London, and Mumbai. Others include the recently inaugurated Miami campus and its Chinese grounds in Shanghai, and Shenzhen. In total, Istituto Marangoni will boast ten campuses worldwide after opening its newest property.



In addition, Valenti announced a first hybrid online master's program scheduled to launch in June, a fusion of digital and physical learning. The Institute has also been recently increasing its collaborations and special projects with exceptional mentors, such as Massimo Giorgetti, Riccardo Grassi and Olivier Rousteing in Paris.



"In recent years, we have seen a very big shift towards a digital business model in the industry. Digital profiles capable of merging online and physical distribution are highly sought after as well as everything related to sustainability in the production chain," concluded Valenti.


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You know that feeling when youre riding a fancy brand-new rollercoaster and youre literally being smashed and banged around from side to side and never know what to expect next? Well, as cheesy as it sounds, I can think of no better analogy to describe my college experience  a rollercoast
Gov. Steve Sisolak says the state of the state is "resilient and getting stronger every day."

During an off-year State of the State speech, he pointed out that Nevada's economy is growing at one of the fastest rates in the country. Nevada added 94,000 jobs in 2021 which is the highest percentage in the country. During Wednesday's speech, he mentioned that more than 100 startup companies launched in Reno during the past two years and that tourism and hotel revenue is back.

The governor gave his address at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

"This stadium is an example of just that," Sisolak, D-Nevada said. "Its created thousands of new jobs from construction to transportation, from small business suppliers to technical staff, from the tax dollars it generates, to the hotel rooms it fills."

Sisolak announced the creation of the Nevada Small Business Accelerator Program to help startup companies to expand and encourage new technologies. He is also creating a bipartisan task force to reduce red tape for occupational licensing.

"Here in Nevada, we license everyone from barbers to private investigators and the system needs to change," Sisolak said.

The state has approximately $1.9 billion to use from the American Rescue Plan. The governor laid out his priorities for the funding, including the "Home Means Nevada" initiative. It provides $500 million for affordable housing developments, preservation of affordable housing, an increase in home ownership opportunities and land acquisition for future affordable developments.

The governor's office says this is the largest single investment in housing in state history.

"The plan boosts housing construction and homeownership opportunities," Sisolak said. "It will help seniors retrofit their homes, to lower their costs, improve their property, and stay where they want to be."

Sisolak says inflation is a national problem that is affecting people here at home. Wages are increasing but so are costs.

"Nevada families are getting squeezed at the pump and at the grocery store," Sisolak said."Childcare, housing, and healthcare costs are eating too much of a familys income. Its hard to keep ahead of bills and save for things like college or retirement."

The governor also announced an investment of $160 million to help lower childcare costs and to keep childcare workers on the job.

"This investment will double the number of families we support because I believe every family from West Wendover to North Las Vegas should have access to great childcare," Sisolak said.

He says Nevada will join the Northwest Prescription Drug Consortium, along with Oregon and Washington. He says joining the group will allow the states to negotiate prescription drug prices together, hold drug companies accountable and lower costs.

Another priority is on the education front, including teacher recruitment. His plan is to provide stipends and tuition assistance to nearly 4,000 future educators. Nevada will also use some of its federal dollars for school districts to provide meals to their students.

"We all know that you cant learn on an empty stomach, so Im announcing that we're investing federal dollars to ensure that our schools can provide free lunch for all students across the state for the next school year," Sisolak said.

The governor is directing his Workforce Development Committee to look for ways to make community college or apprenticeship and training programs free by 2025.

Congress recently passed an infrastructure law that will provide additional funding to the states. Nevada will use $4 billion to upgrade roads, bridges and water systems - $8 million will go towards wildfire prevention. The state will invest an additional $500 million for new broadband infrastructure throughout the state, while $12 million will go towards cybersecurity upgrades and $40 million to expand electric vehicle charging stations, along with new improvements to public transportation and airport infrastructure.

"These investments, overwhelmingly supported by Democrats, Republicans and Independents, will create thousands of new union jobs, the building blocks of an even stronger economy," Sisolak said.

Climate change is another focus for the governor. He wants half of Nevada's energy to come from clean sources by 2030 and have net-zero greenhouse gasses by 2050. Sisolak says he will get his Cabinet, scientists and climate leaders to create a strategy to deal with extreme heat.

"We will continue leading the fight against climate change and creating good jobs in the process because a resilient, clean energy economy is a part of a strong, diversified economy," Sisolak said.

The governor pointed out that Nevada State Police Officers have not had a significant pay raise since 2006. He is proposing a salary increase to the state legislature ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session.

"I have always supported increases in funding for our police to make sure they have the resources and training to protect and respect the communities they serve," Sisolak said.

Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden gave the Republican response to the governor's speech. The minority leader focused a lot of his rebuttal on the fallout of the pandemic.

"Our families are facing escalating inflation and skyrocketing increases in the cost of living with no end in site and our children have navigated the unthinkable as their schools shut down overnight," Settelmeyer said.

Nevada received $4.42 billion in American Rescue Plan funding. Some of it went to local governments but $3.6 billion is allocated to the state. The governor's agenda includes the remaining $1.9 billion. Settelmeyer criticized the governor's use of the federal pandemic relief funds.

"Spending money is not leadership," Settelmeyer said. "Leadership is about making our government more efficient and effective for the people. This money will be spent to grow the government's size but with no thought of how to fund that growth when the money is gone."

Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Judith Whitmer released the following statement:

Its with pride and gratitude that we support Governor Sisolak in bringing millions of dollars in federal investment to Nevada. Democrats have worked tirelessly to ensure that the working people of our state receive the relief they deserve and the support they need. As our state recovers from the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic, these funds wont only help us rebuild Nevada but will lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous future.

Time and time again, Nevadans have responded to uncertainty with determination and to hardship with hope. Thanks to the resilience of our communities, the leadership of Governor Sisolak, and the advocacy of our elected Democrats, our beautiful state is once again welcoming visitors from across the country and around the world. In this critical moment, we cannot afford to slip backward. While Republicans are planning to raise taxes on millions of Americans, Democrats continue to fight for the safety and wellbeing of our nations working people. We call on all Nevadans to stand with our governor as we work towards completing Nevadas recovery.

Nevada State Senate Republican Leader James Settelmeyer released the following statement for the Nevada GOP:

Nevada Police Union released this statement on Gov. Sisolaks State of the State Address:

During todays address, Governor Sisolak stated a need for salary increases for Nevada's state police. If the Governor is serious about this critical need, a first step would be voting to approve and fund the category I peace officers Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) at his March 8 Board of Examiners meeting. The CBA improves pay, working conditions and training for state police. This small step should be just the beginning, as the pay disparity between state and local police is upwards of 50 percent, which has caused record-high turnover and vacancy rates for state police.

Supporting the police would be a 180-degree change for Gov. Sisolak, as his administration fought the Nevada Police Union at every level of the CBA negotiation process. Adding insult to injury, the state increased the state police Public Employees' Retirement System and health insurance cost, reduced uniform allowance, and mandated salary cuts and furlough days. Its because of this and more, that the state police are drastically understaffed and Nevadans underserved.

We hope Gov. Sisolak will deliver on what he stated today by adequately funding state police and directing his administration to start bargaining in good faith in an effort to improve working conditions for their public-safety workers.
The city removed 250-square-feet of asphalt from a parking lot in its downtown and turned it into parking for people by creating the Fiske Avenue Pocket Park. The space has benches, a chess table (the game store across the street is the keeper of the playing pieces), a bike repair station, a pollinator garden and a quirky bee sculpture (pictured). The small-scale success helped in securing a $200,000 grant from the state's Department of Transportation to relocate the parking lot and expand the park. The centrally located green space has enabled Greenfield to both live up to its name and declare about itself: "There are many reasons to PARK yourself in Greenfield for the day!"
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Replacement Beetaloo Drilling Grant Agreements Executed

Sydney, Feb 23, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Limited ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) is pleased to provide shareholders an update regarding grants awarded under the Australian Government's Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program.Beetaloo Drilling Grant Agreements ExecutedEmpire's wholly owned subsidiary, Imperial Oil & Gas Pty Limited ("Imperial"), has executed grant agreements with the Australian Government totalling up to $19.4 million which will offset 25% of the cost of seismic acquisition and the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of three horizontal appraisal wells in its 100% owned EP187 tenement, located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory.The new grant agreements replace previous grant agreements which became void as a result of a decision of the Federal Court of Australia which found, inter alia, that the instrument under which the Beetaloo Cooperative Drilling Program was formed and the decision to approve funding to Imperial (the "Approval Decision") were valid.The grant agreements are on materially similar terms to those entered into previously and reported to shareholders on 10 September 2021. Activities already carried out by Imperial in EP187 in accordance with the original approval decision including the Charlotte 2D seismic survey and the drilling of Carpentaria-2H are eligible for grant funding in accordance with the Approval Decision.Key Grant TermsGrant 1 - 25% of the cost of (i) Charlotte 2D seismic acquisition; (ii) the drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-2H horizontal appraisal well (excluding the cost of the first 12 fracture stimulation stages and associated cost of horizontal section drilling); and (iii) well design, fracture stimulation design, procurement, consumables, access track construction, well pad construction, evaporation pond construction, rig mobilisation and fracture stimulation spread mobilisation (collectively "associated activities"), capped at a total grant amount of $6.5 million.Grant 2 - 25% of the cost of drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-3 horizontal appraisal well and associated activities, capped at a total grant amount of $6.8 million.Grant 3 - 25% of the cost of drilling, fracture stimulation and flow testing of the Carpentaria-4 horizontal appraisal well and associated activities, capped at a total grant amount of $6.0 million.Subject to appraisal success and the future award of production licenses, these wells may become future production wells, consistent with Empire's rapid commercialisation strategy.About Empire Energy Group Ltd

Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.


New High-Grade Intercept - Malone Gold Prospect

Perth, Feb 23, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Yandal Resources Ltd ( ASX:YRL ) is pleased to provide an update on exploration activities at the 100%-owned Gordons gold project located 30km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia (Figure 1*).Yandal Resources' Managing Director; Mr Lorry Hughes commented:"The new high-grade gold discovery at Malone is exactly the sort of intercept the team has been searching for in this area over the past year and it is a very positive start for 2022. Last year there was a strong focus on testing the extensive felsic-mafic Malone Contact both in the "Kink Zone" and further along strike.We drilled a number of RC and diamond holes into the Kink Zone and intersected a number of narrow highgrade and broader low grade intercepts from within sulphidic quartz veins, small shears and intrusive porphyry rocks. This new intercept in YRLRC0727 potentially represents a strengthening of the Malone system, 300m directly west of the Kink Zone.The extent of the mineralisation is unknown at this stage with large areas nearby considered untested. The two follow-up holes in progress will provide further geological control on mineralisation.Malone, Malone North and Gordons Dam ProspectsAt the Malone Prospect located 500m west of the Gordons Dam gold deposit (Figures 2, 5 and Table 1*), final assay results have been received from 24 reverse circulation ("RC") holes completed to follow-up encouraging mineralisation defined with air-core ("AC") and limited RC drilling.The best primary intercept to date was returned from hole YRLRC0727 which is located ~300m west of a pronounced flexure of the felsic-mafic geological contact "Kink Zone". The hole, completed to test beneath anomalous AC holes, intersected and three new zones of mineralisation including;- 17m @ 0.4g/t Au from 101m including 1m @ 2.1g/t Au from 106m- 15m @ 0.80g/t Au from 145m including 1m @ 6.2g/t Au from 147m; and- 16m @ 2.8g/t Au from 204m including 5m @ 7.7g/t Au from 210m.The high-grade core of the deepest intercept contains individual 1m assays including;- 1m @ 10.9g/t Au from 210m and;- 1m @ 15.4g/t Au from 212m.This result is highly encouraging and follow-up RC drilling is underway to firstly confirm the geometry of the high-grades and then to test the mineralisation up to 400m north along the interpreted strike. Previous drilling to the north of hole YRLRC0727 was not deep enough to penetrate into the primary rock and therefore this area is considered to be untested, providing a high priority exploration target.Assay results from 48 AC holes for 3,376m have been returned from the Malone and Malone North Prospects located up to 1.5km north of the Malone Kink Zone (Table 2*). A number of anomalous intercepts were returned including;- 2m @ 0.5g/t Au from 49m (YRLAC0824)- 3m @ 0.5g/t Au from 48m (YRLAC0782)- 1m @ 0.6g/t Au from 65m and 1m @ 0.1g/t Au at end-of-hole (YRLAC0800)- 4m @ 0.6g/t Au from 52m and 4m @ 0.2g/t Au from 64m (YRLAC0824 - 4m composite samples)- 10m @ 0.1g/t Au from 80m at end-of-hole (YRLAC2021 - 4m composite samples)At the Gordons Dam Prospect (Figures 2, 3, 5 & Table 1*) individual 1m fire-assay results have been received from 24 RC holes completed for 2,335m. Several significant intercepts were returned including;- 18m @ 1.8g/t Au from 42m including 5m @ 4.9g/t Au from 44m (YRLRC0688)- 19m @ 1.1g/t Au from 33m including 1m @ 10.7g/t Au from 38m and 1m @ 5.6g/t Au from 45m (YRLRC0701)- 3m @ 1.7g/t Au from 37m and 1m @ 4.2g/t Au from 37m (YRLRC0708)The Company is currently compiling an initial Mineral Resource Estimate on the Gordons Dam Prospect.Andrews and Bradman ProspectsAt the Andrews Prospect located immediately south along strike from the Malone and Gordons Dam prospects (Figures 4 & 5*) final assay results have been received from 13 RC holes completed for 2,266m.The majority of the holes were drilled to test the continuation of the east dipping Malone felsic-mafic contact to the south. Only low level results were returned as outlined in Table 1*.Approximately 500m east of the felsic-mafic contact 27 AC holes were completed for 1,511m to explore for new mineralisation (Table 2*). A number of highly anomalous results were returned including;- 2m @ 0.6g/t Au from 35m (YRLAC0705)- 4m @ 1.0g/t Au from 57m including 1m @ 1.5g/t Au from 57m (YRLRC0716)- 5m @ 1.1g/t Au from 27m including 1m @ 3.4g/t Au from 30m (YRLRC0740)- 1m @ 0.4g/t Au from 26m at end-of-hole (YRLRC0741)A follow-up RC program is currently being planned.At the Bradman Prospect located ~3km south of Gordons Dam (Figures 4 & 5*) final assay results have been returned from one RC hole and one RC and diamond tail hole (Table 1*). The holes were completed as a follow-up to significant mineralisation intercepted in hole YRLRC0646;- 11m @ 2.0g/t Au from 257m including 1m @ 9.9g/t Au from 261m (YRLRC0646)The best results included;- 9m @ 0.5g/t Au from 222m including 1m @ 2.3g/t Au from 228m (YRLRC0648)- 7m @ 0.5g/t Au from 222m including 1m @ 2.7g/t Au from 222m (YRLRCD0730)Results are pending from two recently completed diamond holes (YRLDD0014-15) which were also designed to test for extensions to mineralisation discovered in hole YRLRC0646.Also at Bradman assay results have been received from 30 AC holes for 1,479m that tested areas immediately adjacent to the Andrews prospect. Only low level anomalism was returned as outlined in Table 2*.Star of Gordon ProspectThe prospect is located 2km directly NNW along strike from the Gordon Sirdar underground gold mine which is owned and operated by FMR Investments Pty Ltd ("FMR") (Figure 5*). FMR are currently mining ~60,000t of ore per month using conventional underground mining methods and transporting the ore via road haulage for processing at their mill in Coolgardie.A five hole diamond drilling program has been completed for 1,144m - results pending. The oriented core holes were designed to confirm the geometry and structural aspects of high-grade gold mineralisation returned from earlier RC drilling in 2021 as follows;- 1m @ 19.8g/t Au from 159m (YRLRC668)- 45m @ 2.0g/t Au from 18m including 10m @ 8.4g/t Au from 43m (YRLRC630)Final results are also pending for 73 RC holes for 8,907m completed at the prospect during the December Quarter 2021 and the current quarter.Next StepsKey exploration activities planned during the remainder of the March Quarter include;- Completing priority follow-up RC drilling at the Malone prospect- Receive and interpret pending AC, RC from the Star of Gordon, Malone, Challenger, Parmelia, Success and HMS Sulphur prospects- Complete cutting and sampling of diamond core from the Star of Gordon and Bradman prospects- Compile an initial open pit Mineral Resource Estimate for the Gordons Dam prospect;- Commence detailed planning and execution of heritage surveys over key prospect areas within the Ironstone Well and Barwidgee projects including priority areas within, adjacent to and along strike from the Newport, Flushing Meadows, Oblique, Quarter Moon, Flinders Park and Sims Find prospects.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Yandal Resources Ltd

Yandal Resources (ASX:YRL) listed on the ASX in December 2018 and has a portfolio of advanced gold exploration projects in the highly prospective Yandal and Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belts of Western Australia. Yandal Resources' Board has a track record of successful discovery, mine development and production.
Q: Doctor, I went to my doctor for abdominal pain. He told me so many things using medical terms that I came away more confused than ever.

A: This problem is not uncommon. Use of medical jargon by the physician does not help the cause. And if you are not clear on what is reason for your illness or for that matter your childs ailment(s), then you have not gotten the best from your appointment.

Clear communication and hence understanding of why the problem is occurring; why a particular investigation is being carried out; what treatment is being suggested and why; what options are available for management; what expectations you need to have from the treatment; what is expected from you and importantly how and when you need to get back to the health care provider will go a long way in improving health outcomes.

It makes little sense of managing the childs pain if you are not able to understand what is going on, what changes you need to make and when do you expect the problem to go away.

Medical schools are incorporating teaching better communication skills for their students. This is so that as the students become doctors, they are able to convey the important messages and treatment plans in a way that you understand it and carry it back home to show to a family member or another caretaker who was not able to come to the childs appointment  and as it is during the pandemic, attendants were limited to one or even zero.

So what could you as a parent do to understand your childs or for that matter your own problem better?

 Be on time for your consultation  remember that the doctor often has a full day, and limited time per patient; so if you are late, then your time may be reduced. Think about it like this  are you late to catch your bus or train or plane and if so what is the outcome?

 Give a detailed thought about your ailments and write them down. This is important. Think about how long you have had it; is there anything you recall that makes it better or worse; have you been treated for it before; is there another family member who has a similar problem; is there a time of the day it is worse; were you injured; what are the other associated symptoms or ailments you would like to discuss with your doctor etc. More details there are, the more likely your doctor will be able to reach a firm diagnosis and start treatment. Try to avoid spending time fumbling for historical dates and clarity of your ailments. Of course, the doctor will ask many questions that you may not have thought off, but giving the doctor a good platform is very useful.

 Write all your questions down  yes you can always call back and ask something you forgot, but why not try and get them all answered at the visit itself.

 Bring along all the medications you are taking. Yes, your information is recorded but sometimes all your providers may not be at the same network. This will allow your doctor to update your medication list.

Once the history and examination is complete, and if there are any test results to review, the doctor will come up with a diagnosis and other possibilities followed by a plan of action. This is critical.

Give the health care provider time to put his or her thoughts together and then present a plan to you.

Some provers will give you information on a paper (or electronically) to take back with you and would include the diagnosis and treatment plan. Others will not, but each one is expected to explain the condition and the outcomes in simple language avoiding using complex medical terms. This should also include expectations from the treatment plan.

The longtime running joke is that doctors handwriting is really poor  thats often true, so ask them to draw it for you.

Ask for education material about your condition or for a well-researched website(s) which has authentic information. The more you know about your condition, the better will be the outcomes, provided you educate yourself from appropriate sources. This also gives an opportunity for you to ask questions to see if your understanding is correct or not.

Before you leave the office, clearly ask when you need to get back to the provider and how. Ensure that your contact information and pharmacy is updated, and how will the doctor or the office will be in touch with you.

Keeping in mind some tips as above, will often result in a useful clinic visit. After all it is your body complaining or your childs that brought you to the health care provider in the first place, and you should go out of the office feeling a little better just by the fact that you are now empowered.

Pankaj Vohra is a Pediatric Gastroenterologist at UNM. Please send your questions to pvohra@salud.unm.edu.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The sweeping crime package passed in the final hours of this years legislative session would restructure New Mexicos law enforcement academy and set new training standards for officers.

The provisions  often overlooked in the broader debate over the bill  call for the academys curriculum to include use-of-force training that eliminates chokeholds and adds peer intervention when another officer is out of line and de-escalation strategies.

The proposal also would split the academys governing board in two  with one panel focused on officer training, the other on certification.

The proposed changes, supporters say, would improve training to limit problems before they arise and promote swift accountability for officers accused of misconduct.

Im really hopeful that this will give us a chance to really make a difference in New Mexico law enforcement, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in an interview Monday.

The president of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, by contrast, is skeptical. Shaun Willoughby said the curriculum has some important components but that it could be too expensive for small departments to carry out.

It looks good on paper, he said, but I want to see the execution because thats what matters.

The legislation, House Bill 68, is on its way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who has until March 9 to act on it.

The proposal is a combination of crime bills that had been working their way through the Legislature independently.

They were rolled together in the final days of the session and won final passage in the early-morning hours of the last day.

The legislation includes retention bonuses for officers, enhanced penalties for some crimes and an elimination of the statute of limitations for bringing charges of second-degree murder. Another provision  the focus of much debate  outlines new requirements for the sharing of ankle-monitor data when a defendant awaiting trial is suspected in a new crime.

But some sections of the measure attracted little attention. The bill, for example, increases the death benefit for family members of police officers killed in the line of duty to $1 million  the highest amount, supporters say, in the country.

It would also make a host of changes to the Law Enforcement Academy Board and officer training.

Under the proposal:

 The academys law enforcement curriculum would include training on crisis management and intervention, de-escalation, peer-to-peer intervention, stress management, racial sensitivity and reality-based situational training.

It also requires use-of-force training that includes the elimination of vascular neck restraints  the maneuver that killed a 40-year-old man in Las Cruces during a confrontation with police two years ago.

The attorney for the officer in that case said he had been trained to use the neck restraint and carried it out in accordance with Las Cruces Police Department policies. The department has since prohibited the use of vascular neck restraints, a police spokesman said.

 Some of the Law Enforcement Academy Board duties would be assigned to a new training council.

It would consist of the director of the academy, the heads of satellite academies and seven appointees of the governor: a prosecutor, a public defender, a police chief from a Native American nation, two people with experience in adult education, a citizen with experience as a behavioral health provider and a seventh person, who cant have ever worked as an officer.

 Other academy board duties would be transferred to a new certification board. It would have a retired judge, a city police officer, a sheriff, a tribal police officer, a civil rights or defense attorney, an attorney who defends public agencies against civil rights claims and a public defender .

The board would oversee granting, denying, suspending and revoking officers licenses.

Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said the curriculum outlined in the bill is intended to modernize law enforcement training while still granting flexibility to the training council on how to carry it out.

Some law enforcement agencies operate their own academies, he said, but the state academy sets the cultural tone and influences what happens in individual police departments.

The dividing of the academy board into two entities, Maestas said, would be similar to how lawyers are trained in law school but then licensed and disciplined by other entities.

This is tremendous  a victory for the state of New Mexico, he said of the changes.

Hebbe and other supporters also contend that breaking the academy board into two separate entities will help the state more quickly resolve allegations of misconduct that could jeopardize an officers certification.

Willoughby, however, said the composition of the proposed training council is problematic. It has too many attorneys and other members without direct experience in policing, he said.

You need real cops who have real-world experience to be involved in this, Willoughby said. I think they missed the mark with this legislation.

The proposal is not yet law.

A year ago, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, vetoed a bill that sought to change the makeup of the academy board, contending it would have weakened civilian oversight.

This year, district attorneys have opposed the part of the bill focusing on ankle-monitoring data. They say its too restrictive to help law enforcement.

In a written statement, Democratic Attorney General Hector Balderas said his office strongly supports the legislative efforts to increase funding to modernize law enforcement training, as well as banning the use of deadly choke holds. Increasing the death benefit for fallen officers families was also an important reform we supported.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  After an 11-month investigation, police have arrested a Raton man accused of sexually assaulting a family member starting when the girl was a small child.

New Mexico State Police arrested Larry Guara without incident Friday on six felony counts, police said in a news release.

The investigation started in March 2021 over allegations that Guara, 61, had assaulted the child over a six-year period, the release said.

Guara was booked into Vigil Maldonado Detention Center. He had a first appearance Tuesday afternoon in Raton Magistrate Court, a court clerk said.

Late Tuesday, a deputy district attorney in Raton was working on a preventative detention motion to keep Guara in jail, said a spokesman for the 8th Judicial District Attorneys Office in Taos.

During the investigation, the child disclosed that on multiple occasions Guara sexually assaulted her, according to the release.

Guara has been charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual penetration of a child under 13, one count of second-degree criminal sexual penetration (force or coercion, child 13 to 18), one count of third-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13 years of age), and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13, unclothed), court records show.
MOSCOW  Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions, warning other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences you have never seen.

Big explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa as world leaders decried the start of an Russian invasion that could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraines democratically elected government.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced martial law, saying Russia has targeted Ukraines military infrastructure and explosions are heard across the country. Zelenskyy said he had just talked to President Joe Biden and the U.S. was rallying international support for Ukraine. He urged Ukrainians to stay home and not to panic

Biden pledged new sanctions meant to punish Russia for an act of aggression that the international community had for weeks anticipated but could not prevent through diplomacy.

Putin justified it all in a televised address, asserting the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine  a false claim the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russias demand to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and offer Moscow security guarantees, and credulously claimed that Russia doesnt intend to occupy Ukraine but will move to demilitarize it and bring those who committed crimes to justice.

Biden in a written statement condemned the unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine and he promised the U.S. and its allies will hold Russia accountable. Biden said he planned to speak to Americans on Thursday after a meeting of the Group of Seven leaders. More sanctions against Russia were expected to be announced Thursday.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the action as a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a war of aggression, adding, Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.

The Russian military said it has struck Ukrainian air bases and other military assets and hasnt targeted populated areas. The Russian Defense Ministry statement said the military is using precision weapons to target Ukrainian air bases, air defense assets and other military infrastructure. It claimed that there is no threat to civilian population.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, said on Facebook that the Russian military has launched missile strikes on Ukrainian military command facilities, air bases and military depots in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro.

After the initial explosions in Kyiv, people could be heard shouting in the streets. But then a sense of normality returned, with cars circulating and people walking in the streets as a pre-dawn commute appeared to be starting in relative calm.

Beyond casualties that could overwhelm Ukraines government, the consequences of the conflict and resulting sanctions levied on Russia could reverberate throughout the world, affecting energy supplies in Europe, jolting global financial markets and threatening the post-Cold War balance on the continent.

Asian stock markets plunged and oil prices surged after the military action got underway. Earlier, Wall Streets benchmark S&P 500 index fell 1.8% to an eight-month low after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked for military assistance

Anticipating international condemnation and countermeasures, Putin issued a stark warning to other countries not to meddle, saying, whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history.

Putin urged Ukrainian servicemen to immediately put down arms and go home.

In a stark reminder of Russias nuclear power, Putin warned that no one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to the destruction and horrible consequences for any potential aggressor. He emphasized that Russia is one of the most potent nuclear powers and also has a certain edge in a range of state-of-the-art weapons.

Though the U.S. on Tuesday announced the repositioning of forces around the Baltics, Biden has said he will not send in troops to fight Russia.

Putin announced the military operation after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked Russia for military assistance to help fend off Ukrainian aggression, an announcement that the White House said was a false flag operation by Moscow to offer up a pretext for an invasion.

Putins announcement came just hours after the Ukrainian president rejected Moscows claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and made a passionate, last-minute plea for peace.

The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace, Zelenskyy said in an emotional overnight address, speaking in Russian in a direct appeal to Russian citizens. But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.

Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.

In an apparent reference to Putins move to authorize the deployment of the Russian military to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky warned that this step could mark the start of a big war on the European continent.

Any provocation, any spark could trigger a blaze that will destroy everything, he said.

He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that you are told that this blaze will bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.

At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Ukraine because of the imminent threat of a Russian invasion, members still unaware of Putins announcement appealed to him to stop an attack. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the meeting, just before the announcement, telling Putin: Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.

NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg issued a statement saying he strongly condemns Russias reckless and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which puts at risk countless civilian lives. Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country.

Anxiety about an imminent Russian offensive soared after Putin recognized the separatist regions independence on Monday, endorsed the deployment of troops to the rebel territories and received parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country. The West responded with sanctions.

Late Wednesday, Ukrainian lawmakers approved a decree that imposes a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days starting Thursday. The measure allows authorities to declare curfews and other restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organizations in the interests of national security and public order.

The action reflected increasing concern among Ukrainian authorities after weeks of trying to project calm. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended that any Ukrainians who are there leave immediately.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday the Russian force of more than 150,000 troops arrayed along Ukraines borders is in an advanced state of readiness. They are ready to go right now, Kirby said.

Early Thursday, airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down to civilian air traffic, according to a notice to airmen. A commercial flight tracking website showed that an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 flying from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. The only other aircraft tracked over Ukraine was a U.S. RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned surveillance plane, which began flying westward early Thursday after Russia put in place flight restrictions over Ukrainian territory.

Another wave of distributed-denial-of-service attacks hit Ukraines parliament and other government and banking websites on Wednesday, and cybersecurity researchers said unidentified attackers had also infected hundreds of computers with destructive malware.

Officials have long said they expect cyberattacks to precede and accompany any Russian military incursion, and analysts said the incidents hew to a nearly two-decade-old Russian playbook of wedding cyber operations with real-world aggression.

Even before Putins announcement, dozens of nations imposed sanctions on Russia, further squeezing Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets.

Biden allowed sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the companys CEO.

Germany said Tuesday that it was indefinitely suspending the project, after Biden charged that Putin had launched the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine by sending troops into the separatist regions. The pipeline is complete but has not yet begun operating.

Even before the Russian military attack on Ukraine began, the threat of war had shredded Ukraines economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

European Union sanctions against Russia took effect, targeting several companies along with 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for a motion urging Putin to recognize the rebel regions and 27 senior government officials, business executives and top military officers.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has shrugged off the sanctions, saying that Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage.

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Karmanau and Heintz reported from Kyiv. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.

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Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

LOS LUNAS  Amazon is doubling down on its New Mexico presence.

The e-commerce giant has started construction on a massive fulfillment center in Los Lunas, which it anticipates will eventually employ more than 600 full-time workers.

The facility of more than 1 million square feet is slated to open sometime in 2023, the company wrote in a release.

Workers at the facility will pick, pack and ship items for delivery, and can expect an average starting wage of $15 per hour.

The announcement comes a little less than two years after Amazon broke ground on its first New Mexico fulfillment center on Albuquerques West Side, which the company said currently employs about 3,500 part-time and full-time employees. Village of Los Lunas Senior Economic Developer Kristen Gamboa, who was approached by a site selection professional early last spring, said the whirlwind pace of the project is an indicator of market forces at play.

Most projects in economic development are extremely long-term, and the fact that this one wasnt is, I think, a testament to  the pandemic and how it made everyone shop online, and the need for more distribution-type centers, more regionally and locally  and, second, a testament to the business-friendly climate that the greater Albuquerque metro has, Gamboa said.

While it will take a few years after opening for the site to reach its full employment level, the center is expected to quickly become one of the biggest private employers in Los Lunas.

The average starting wage of $15 per hour will also likely give Amazon a hiring edge; Gamboa said the current average wage in Los Lunas industrial parks is about $13.50 per hour.

This Amazon facility is a significant economic development opportunity for the Village of Los Lunas, Los Lunas Mayor Charles Griego said in a prepared statement. Their investment into the community during the post-pandemic climate will be transformative, generating overA 600 full-time jobsA and a total economic impact ofA $300 million. Our ability to create more employment opportunities for our local families could not have come at a better time and we are beyond excited to have Amazon become another great community partner.

The Amazon site sits on part of the 2,000-acre Huning Ranch Business & Tech Park, in the heart of a burgeoning industrial corridor. To its east is the 730-acre campus of the Facebook Data Center, which in the fall announced plans to bring its total number of buildings to eight. Beyond that lies yet another industrial center, Los Morros Business Park, which is home to an enormous Walmart distribution center, among other tenants.

Farther to the west on N.M. 6 is the Central New Mexico Rail Park, which offers a dedicated rail spur and access to the BNSF Transcontinental Line, with routes to Los Angeles and Chicago. The two-lane highway  which Gamboa said is set to be widened in the near future  also offers a direct link to Interstate 40 about 30 miles from the Amazon site.

Gamboa said local leaders have envisioned the areas potential for decades.

Basically west of I-25, north of our main road, thats all designated, planned and zoned for industrial use, Gamboa said. That has been the plan.

Now, construction is moving forward through efforts of a mix of local and regional organizations. Bob Feinberg and Tom Jones of Colliers International Albuquerque brokered the deal on behalf of the company, while Trevor Hatchell and Matt Butkus with Land Services Group of CBRE represented the business park. Arizona-based developer BH DevCo and general contractor Ryan Companies  the same pair that built Amazons Albuquerque facility  first broke ground in September.

Amazon did not seek any public incentives for the site.

While the Facebook data center has been under public scrutiny for the amounts of water it uses to cool its equipment and maintain certain humidity levels, Gamboa said the Amazon centers needs will be far less intense. Its water needs will be mainly for its employees: water for toilets, water fountains, possibly some sort of cafe, and landscaping.

Thats one of the great things we liked about this project when they first came to talk, and any type of project that is more distribution/logistics centered, she said. Its not going to be a heavy water user at all.

Amazon is not yet advertising jobs at the new center. But a spokeswoman wrote in a release that in addition to the average $15-per-hour starting wage, full-time employees will receive benefits that the company values at about $3.50 per hour: health, vision, dental insurance; a 401(k) with a 50% company match; up to 20 weeks paid parental leave; and access to the companys Career Choice program, which fully funds employees college tuition, including classes, books and fees.

Los Lunas has a great workforce and we are excited to add to the amazing team currently helping us set a higher standard of operational excellence and delivering outstanding customer experience every day, said Amazon Economic Development Policy Manager Sam Bailey in the release.
TORONTO  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday he is removing emergency powers police can use after authorities ended the blockades at the borders and the occupation in Ottawa by truckers and others opposed to COVID-19 restrictions.

Trudeau said the threat continues but the acute emergency that included entrenched occupations has ended. His government invoked the powers last week and lawmakers affirmed the powers late Monday.

The situation is no longer an emergency, therefore the federal government will be ending the use of the emergencies act, Trudeau said. We are confident that existing laws and bylaws are sufficient.

The emergencies act allows authorities to declare certain areas as no-go zones. It also allows police to freeze truckers personal and corporate bank accounts and compel tow truck companies to haul away vehicles.

The trucker protest grew until it closed a handful of Canada-U.S. border posts and shut down key parts of the capital for more than three weeks. But all border blockades have now ended and the streets around the Canadian Parliament are quiet.

We were very clear that the use of the emergencies act would be limited in time, Trudeau said.

Trudeau had warned earlier this week there were some truckers just outside Ottawa who might be planning further blockades or occupations. His public safety minister also said there was an attempt to block a border crossing in British Columbia over the weekend.

The protests, which were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers but also encompassed fury over the range of COVID-19 restrictions and hatred of Trudeau, reflected the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger.

The self-styled Freedom Convoy shook Canadas reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted trade, causing economic damage on both sides of the border. Hundreds of trucks eventually occupied the streets around Parliament, a display that was part protest and part carnival.

For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing, the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, was blocked. The crossing sees more than 25% of the trade between the two countries.

Authorities moved to reopen the border posts, but police in Ottawa did little but issue warnings until Friday, even as hundreds and sometimes thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the city and besieged Parliament Hill.

On Friday, authorities launched the largest police operation in Canadian history, arresting a string of Ottawa protesters and increasing that pressure on Saturday until the streets in front of Parliament were clear. Eventually, police arrested at least 191 people and towed away 79 vehicles. Many protesters retreated as the pressure increased.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said those who had their bank accounts frozen were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa, and owners and/or drivers of vehicles who did not want to leave the area.

The province of Ontario also announced it is ending its state of emergency but said the emergency tools provided to law enforcement will be maintained at this time as police continue to address ongoing activity on the ground.

Those who block critical infrastructure face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.

A small convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday.

Several hundred people rallied in a parking lot in the cold, windswept Mojave Desert town of Adelanto before about two dozen trucks and a number of other vehicles hit the road. It wasnt clear how many intended to go all the way.

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nations capital as it prepares for multiple trucker convoys. The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, the Pentagon said.
WESTMINSTER, Colo.  Authorities say a fire engulfed an eight-unit residential building after an explosion at a suburban Denver apartment complex on Wednesday, slightly injuring two people. The cause of the fire wasnt immediately known.

Westminster police Investigator Cheri Spottke said authorities believed everyone was accounted for as firefighters continued to extinguish the blaze, which was reported at 1:30 p.m. There are several buildings of units at the complex and residents of at least four of those buildings were told to evacuate by firefighters.

Two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, Spottke said. An investigation into the fire hadnt begun late Wednesday afternoon because crews were still working to extinguish the blaze.

The fire came a day after a home in Westminster was leveled in an explosion, damaging two other neighboring homes. Possible human remains were detected in the destroyed home, which is about two miles (3.2 kilometers) away from the apartment complex, police said.

The investigation into the cause of Tuesdays home explosion was expected to take several weeks, police said.
AUSTIN, Texas  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lashed out Wednesday at the local prosecutor in his states capital, floating the possibility of clemency to 19 Austin police officers indicted for tactics used during 2020 demonstrations against racial injustice.

Abbott, a Republican, alluded to the local police unions assertion that charging the officers was a political sham in his first public statement on the indictments, including against two officers involved in injury cases that the city has offered to pay millions of dollars to settle.

In Austin, law enforcement officers defended the state Capitol from criminal assault, protected the Austin Police Department headquarters from being overrun, cleared the interstate from being shut down, and disrupted criminal activity in areas across the city, Abbott said. Many officers were physically attacked while protecting Austin. Those officers should be praised for their efforts, not prosecuted.

The governors statement did not mention demonstrators who were hurt, including some critically.

Nelson Linder, president of the Austin NAACP, said the governors announcement seemed premature and sent the wrong message on police brutality. I think it shows an imbalance in the city when it comes to public safety, Linder said.

As a Black person and Brown person and for everyone else as well, we ought to be very concerned about the politicization of police misconduct, Linder said.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garzas campaign promised to take a tougher stance on police accountability, but he has denied that the charges are driven by politics.

In a statement Wednesday, Garzas office said no one is above the law and that the investigation into the matter continues.

In these cases, Austin police officers indiscriminately fired deadly weapons into crowds of people, the statement said. Safety and accountability are our priority, not political talking points.

Austin, like many cities throughout the U.S., saw massive protests following the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. But 19 indictments ranks among the most charges on a single police department in the nation over officers actions during the widespread protests. Those methods led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country.

The indictments against the Austin officers were made public Tuesday by Garzas office after prosecutors announced last week that a grand jury had decided the officers should face first-degree felonies. Grand juries do their work in private.

All of the officers are charged with aggravated assault by a public servant over the injuries of a total of 10 people.

That came days after Austin City Council members voted to approve a total of $10 million in settlements for two people injured by police in the protests.

Two officers are charged in the shooting of Justin Howell, a then-20-year-old college student who police said was shot in the head with a bean bag round unintentionally, leading to a skull fracture and brain damage. One of those officers is also accused of shooting Anthony Evans, whose injuries required extensive surgery in his jaw. If both settlements are accepted, Howell will receive $8 million from the city of Austin  one of the largest settlements in cases connected to late May 2020 protests  while Evans will receive $2 million.

Attorneys Douglas OConnell and Ken Ervin, who represent eight of the indicted officers, said that the police departments internal affairs division investigated their clients and cleared them of wrongdoing in the same actions for which theyre now criminally charged.

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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.
WENN/Dutch Press Photo Celebrity

Rumor that the British monarch has died after she tested positive for COVID-19 has been denied, but it is claimed that the 96-year-old royal is in 'bad shape.'

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Queen Elizabeth II is still alive despite report to the contrary. Rumor emerged that the British monarch has passed away after she tested positive for COVID-19, but the news has since been denied.

The report that the queen has died made its round on Twitter on Tuesday, February 22 after Hollywood Unlocked claimed insiders informed them the 95-year-old had lost her life. "Sources close to the Royal kingdom notified us exclusively that #QueenElizabeth has passed away," the news outlet said. "She was scheduled to attend the wedding of British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, but was found dead. Story developing."

However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Dayo Okewale, a chief of staff in the House of Lords, said the report about the queen's death was "false." Royal correspondent Omid Scobie also shot down her death rumor, posting on Twitter, "No, that (now trending) rumor that started on Instagram is not true."

Radar Online also denied that the queen has passed away, but claims that she is in "bad shape." Thus, the royal family is reportedly "making final plans" as the family "is getting ready for the worst." So-called insiders tell the site, "They desperately don't want her to end like this."

The Buckingham Palace confirmed on Sunday, February 20 that Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID and experienced "mild cold-like symptoms." They said in a statement, "Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid."

"Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week," the statement continued to read. "She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines."

Her COVID diagnosis arrived ten days after her son Prince Charles tested positive for the virus. His wife Camilla was also diagnosed with coronavirus four days later, on February 14.
Instagram Celebrity

Taking to her social media platform, the actress known for her role as Kitty Wilde on the musical series announces that she and her husband Thomas Martin are now officially parents.

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Becca Tobin couldn't be happier. The actress portraying Kitty Wilde on "Glee" admitted that her life became "sweeter" after she and her husband Thomas Martin welcomed their first child via surrogate.

On Tuesday, February 22, the 36-year-old first-time mom took to social media to announce the exciting news. "Welcome to the world, Ford [blue heart emoji]," she captioned her Instagram post that saw her husband walking out of a hospital while carrying their son in a car seat.

"Rutherford 'Ford' Thomas Martin is here and life is already so much sweeter," Becca gushed over her son. "It took him five years to get here, but it's been worth every minute," the actress added. She then thanked her surrogate as saying, "Thank you to our amazing surrogate for bringing him here safely surrounded by so much love."

Many celebrities, including several of Becca's former "Glee" co-stars, flooded the post's comment section with congratulatory messages. "Love you, Ford!" Lea Michele commented, while Kevin McHale added, "Love you all soooo much, congratulations."

"Welcome baby Ford!!!!" wrote Haylie Duff, with Jamie Lynn Sigler saying, "Love you and your family SO much!!!" Heather Dubrow was also caught leaving some red heart emojis. Meanwhile, Jana Kramer expressed her excitement over Becca and Thomas' new addition, "Yaayyyyyyyy."

Back in July 2020, Becca, who tied the knot with her husband Thomas in 2016 in a Wyoming wedding ceremony officiated by fellow "Glee" star Jane Lynch, opened up about her fertility struggles. In an episode of her podcast "LadyGang" at the time, she unveiled that she suffered two miscarriages which led her to choose in vitro fertilization.

Last year, Becca also revealed that she and Thomas saw a fertility specialist and froze their embryos. "In my earlier 30s, I was having an ultrasound and the doctor said, 'Oh, my gosh, look at all those eggs,' so I had a false sense of confidence in my ability to make a baby," she said. "I didn't realize the weight that would be lifted the moment that I found out that I didn't have to hurry up and keep trying and hopefully get something healthy."
WENN Celebrity

Just a little over a week after returning to 'The View' following her suspension over her controversial Holocaust remarks, the 'Sister Act' actress is being listed on the Kenosha shooter's defamation lawsuit.

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Whoopi Goldberg apparently can't catch a break. Just a little over a week after returning to "The View" following her suspension over her controversial Holocaust comments, the "Sister Act" actress is now being listed on Kyle Rittenhouse's defamation lawsuit.

On Monday, February 21, Kyle told FOX News' Tucker Carlson that he's currently planning to sue news organizations and famous faces who have been spreading "lies" about him and calling him "a murderer." The 19-year-old Kenosha shooter said, "Me and my team have decided to launch The Media Accountability Project as a tool to help fundraise and hold the media accountable for the lies they said and deal with them in court."

"We are looking at quite a few politicians, celebrities, athletes," Kyle added. He went on to stress, "Whoopi Goldberg is on the list. She called me a murderer after I was acquitted by a jury of my peers. She went on to still say that, and there's others."

Kyle then revealed that presenter Cenk Uygur is also on his scope, adding that the founder of the Young Turks show "continues to call me a 'murderer.' " He then announced that he would be pursuing individuals via his Media Accountability Project through which he hopes to target those who spoke ill of him. "The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power," so he said.

"What about the people who called you a white supremacist? It makes it pretty hard to get a job for the rest of your life if you are a white supremacist. Will you be responding to them?" host Tucker asked. In response, Kyle said, "Absolutely. We're going to hold everybody who lied about me accountable, such as everybody who lied called me a white supremacist."

"They're all going to be held accountable. And we're going to handle them in a courtroom," Kyle, who shot the two protesters during the Kenosha protest in August 2020, vowed. Though Kyle refused to say who else would be targeted by him, there could be a long list, including President Joe Biden.

The news came less than two weeks after Whoopi finally ended her suspension from "The View" following her comments about the Holocaust. When making her appearance on the show in the February 14 episode, she promised that the roundtable of hosts will continue to "keep having tough conversations."

"We're going to keep having tough conversations, and in part, because this is what we've been hired to do," the 66-year-old Oscar-winning actress explained. She continued, "And it's not always pretty, as I said, and it is not always as other people would like to hear."

Whoopi went on saying, "But it is an honor to sit at this table and be able to have these conversations because they are important." The actress/TV personality added, "They are important to us as a nation and to us more so as a human entity."

"I gotta tell you there's something kind of marvelous about being on a show like this, because we are 'The View' and this is what we do," Whoopi elaborated. "And sometimes we don't do it as elegantly as we could."
Instagram/WENN Celebrity

Taking to his social media accounts, the Hollywood Unlocked founder stresses, 'We don't post lies and I always stand by my sources' after receiving backlash for reporting the queen's supposed passing.

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Jason Lee has defended himself after he received backlash for his premature report that Queen Elizabeth II has died. Despite denials from multiple sources, the Hollywood Unlocked founder has doubled down on the shocking claim.

"We don't post lies and I always stand by my sources," he posted on Twitter on Tuesday, February 22. "Waiting for an official statement from the palace."

Jason Lee doubled down on his claim that Queen Elizabeth II has died.

Jason further elaborated on why he sticks on his initial claim. "Regarding the Queen Elizabeth story 1. I've never lied. 2. I've never been wrong. 3. I trust my sources. 4. I have yet to see an official statement from the palace saying otherwise," he insisted.

He went on telling his followers to "stay tuned" for updates on the news.

Earlier on the same day, Hollywood Unlocked posted the story of the Queen's supposed passing on its Instagram page. "Close sources to the royal family have confirmed that Queen Elizabeth has sadly passed away," read the post, which is still up on the account. "While full details surrounding her death have yet to be shared, there have been carefully constructed plans that have already been put in place for this moment."

However, multiple sources have begged to differ. Dayo Okewale, a chief of staff in the House of Lords, said the report about the queen's death was "false." Royal correspondent Omid Scobie also shot down her death rumor, posting on Twitter, "No, that (now trending) rumor that started on Instagram is not true."

Radar Online also denied that the queen has passed away, but claims that she is in "bad shape." Thus, the royal family is reportedly "making final plans" as the family "is getting ready for the worst." So-called insiders tell the site, "They desperately don't want her to end like this."
WENN/Instagram/Avalon Celebrity

The SpaceX founder reportedly started seeing the Australian actress shortly after his split from Grimes and they couldn't deny the unbelievable chemistry between them.

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Elon Musk is no longer single, months after confirming his split from Grimes. The 50-year-old entrepreneur is reportedly dating actress Natasha Bassett and their relationship is apparently getting serious, to the point that he has already introduced her to his mother.

A source tells HollywoodLife, "Elon started seeing Natasha shortly after his split from Grimes, but it was very casual. He was not looking for anything serious with anyone at the time and neither was she." However, their relationship has since turned exclusive as "they couldn't deny the unbelievable chemistry between them, and they still can't. She is now very much his girlfriend."

The source says that Natasha, who plays Elvis Presley's first girlfriend in the upcoming Baz Luhrmann biopic "Elvis", "started accompanying Elon on his jet while he was taking back and forth work trips to Austin, Texas," adding that "they started getting closer that month and spent most of the holidays together."

Of why they click, the source dishes, "One of the things that Elon admires most about Natasha is how close she is to her family because he is extremely close to his. In fact, he has already introduced her to his mom and they hit it off."

"Another big draw for him is her mind," the source further spills. "He thinks that she is insanely intelligent, and she makes him question things. They share similar and unique views of the universe and they both believe that all human connection comes down to the law of attraction, which is, essentially, a formula."

Elon and Natasha's romance was first exposed to public after she was spotted exiting his private jet as he touched down in Los Angeles on February 17. When their pictures surfaced online, they were reportedly caught off guard.

"They were not intending to go public with their relationship, but they were not exactly trying to hide it either," the source says. "People around Elon know how much he is into Natasha because he talks about her a lot and he gets very excited when mentioning her to his friends. They are going to continue seeing where this goes and are both really enjoying where it is at right now."

Neither Elon nor Natasha has confirmed they're an item.

Elon confirmed he and Grimes were "semi-separated" in September 2021, but she still lived at his house with their son, X AE A-XII Musk, who was born in May 2020. Later in December, he said that he's single.
Instagram Celebrity

When issuing a public apology to the 'Baywatch' actress, the 'American Gigolo' star says sorry and admits to being 'f**ked up' for mistakenly referring to Nick Jonas' wife as Deepak Chopra's daughter.

Feb 23, 2022

AceShowbiz - Rosie O'Donnell is owning up to her mistakes. Taking to her social media platform, the former "SMILF" star has issued a public apology to Priyanka Chopra for their "awkward" encounter.

On Monday, February 21, the "American Gigolo" star made use of her TikTok account to say sorry to the "Baywatch" star after a dinner run-in with the actress and her husband Nick Jonas at Nobu restaurant in Malibu. "So I'm reading the comments about my [interaction with] Nick Jonas and his wife, Priyanka Chopra, who I mistakenly thought was [Deepak Chopra]'s daughter," she began in her video.

"People thought that she was rude. She wasn't rude, it was just awkward," Rosie explained. The 59-year-old comedienne went on to note that she could relate to Priyanka's feelings. "I'm sure she gets sick of that. I'm sure I'm not the only one," so she said.

Rosie continued to say that a lot of people "thought that too but she's apparently a very well-known actress and more famous than him, people were saying." She added, "So I'm sure it felt weird to her, to begin with."

"Anyway, Priyanka is her name. Priyanka, I hope I'm pronouncing that right. I just want to apologize to her and to everyone who thought that it was really inappropriate of me," noted "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" star. "Sorry, sometimes I f**k up. I did at Nobu."

In a previous TikTok post, Rosie admitted that she "embarrassed" her son and his girlfriend as well as Fran Drescher during a recent visit to Nobu. At the eatery, the group was seated beside Priyanka and Nick. Since Rosie "always assumed" Priyanka was related to author Deepak, she brought that up while speaking to the couple.

"So when I said, 'Hi, Nick Jonas. You were great in 'Kingdom' and 'Hi, [Priyanka]. I know your dad.' She goes, 'You do? Who's my dad?' And I'm like, 'Deepak,' " the former "The View" co-host recalled, "She's like, 'No, and Chopra is a common name.' I felt so embarrassed." She then concluded her clip, "Nick Jonas, I apologize and to the Chopra wife, I apologize too."

Upon learning of Rosie's public apology, many TikTok users applauded her. "My respect for you just grew. Getting her name right and making a humble apology! That's huge," wrote one person along with a red heart emoji. "Apologizing shows true character. That's what good people do," another chimed in.

"We all need to follow your example of making honest mistakes and then taking responsibility and apologizing. Thanks," a separate person commented. A fourth, meanwhile, explained, "The real father is Dr. Ashok Chopra passed in 2013 - maybe why [Priyanka] asked, 'You do?' She has a tattoo, 'Daddy's lil girl' on her wrist as well."
Sold on the New Machine

Chemical & Engineering News

Although artificial intelligence (AI) hasnt yet produced a drug from scratch, pharmaceutical companies are investing big to develop their own technologies and partner with AI platform developers. According to a feature article in Chemical & Engineering News, an independent news outlet of the American Chemical Society, some companies are committing to R&D-wide AI for support along the entire continuum of drug discovery, from identifying targets to designing drugs to analyzing clinical trials.

Recently, major pharmaceutical companies, including Roche and Sanofi, have made multi-billion dollar deals with AI technology developers. But the approach has already been used for several years by big companies in the form of in-house technology and lower-stakes partnerships, mostly for specific projects, writes Senior Editor Rick Mullin. Now, pharmaceutical firms are working toward end-to-end AI coverage that spans biology (target discovery and disease modeling), chemistry (virtual screening, retrosynthesis and small molecule generation) and clinical development (patient stratification, clinical trial design and prediction of trial outcomes). The goal is to use machine learning to analyze vast stores of data, developing models that evolve and improve as the data are processed.

However, most experts agree that a fully functional end-to-end approach is still a ways off. Much AI has focused on chemistry, whereas biology is a far more complex, difficult-to-predict field. Some AI technology company executives question the wisdom of start-to-finish machine learning, choosing to focus instead on core areas. And skeptics are still awaiting the ultimate breakthrough: the approval of a drug discovered and developed by AI. But pharmaceutical companies remain hopeful that the approach could help speed the drug development process and lower the cost of bringing a new medicine market, which currently requires 12 years and $1 billion, on average.
About a dozen people were out at Corning Road and Interstate-5 Wednesday to show their support to truckers protesting the vaccine mandate.
Celebrating its leadership position in the SUV segment, Tata Motors, Indias leading automotive brand, today, introduced the Untamed Kaziranga Edition of SUVs, inspired by Indias rich geographical and biological diversity while also paying homage to Indias great national parks. This iconic, one-of-a-kind special edition of SUVs will include Indias first and safest sub compact SUV  the Punch, Indias first GNCAP 5star rated car  the Nexon, the companys premium SUV with the Land Rover DNA  the Harrier and its flagship 7 seater SUV  the Safari. With bookings commencing today, the Kaziranga edition will be available only on their respective top trims, across all Tata Motors authorised dealerships.

Speaking at this occasion, Mr. Rajan Amba, Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Customer Care, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. said, The shift towards SUVs is a global trend and it is the same for India. We have been riding on this trend with our New Forever range of SUVs, widely appreciated by our patrons. In the midst of the current industry scenario coupled with the myriad of options available in the market place, we are happy to have emerged as the #1 SUV brand, and would like to thank all our customers for trusting the brand. To take this success story forward, we are delighted to introduce the Untamed Kaziranga Edition of SUVs inspired by the rich biodiversity our country has to offer. With the symbol of Kaziranga-The Great Indian One horned Rhino, known worldwide for their agility and power, this range reinforces the Go-Anywhere DNA of our true SUVs. Adding to the above, in line with the New Forever brand promise, we are diversifying our SUV portfolio for our customers and we hope that this introduction will further cement our position as the leaders in this segment.
In December 2003, the Congress party took a huge drubbing in the three state assembly elections. The India Shining slogan of the Vajpayee government had taken the country by storm. Elections were called early that year and the defeat was inevitable for the Congress. But it did not happen that way and the Congress was victorious and came back to power.

After 17 years, Jayshree Sundar, who worked with Lintas and then Leo Burnett, was solely instrumental in scripting and leading this campaign victory for the Congress. She unveils the chain of events that took place through her book Dont Forget 2004.

Very lucidly written, this book speaks about how Jayshree and her team overcame all the challenges and burnt the midnight oil to create a series of hardworking campaigns for both print and television, which were released across the country. Managing a political campaign is quite tricky and complicated, but Jayshree and her team pulled it off right from pitching for the business to flawlessly executing the campaign and winning the elections for the Congress. This is a true case study of a political campaign and every student should make it a point to read.

In conversation with Adgully, Jayshree Sundar recounts the heady days of creating the winning political campaign for the Congress party and what went on behind the scenes during the entire process.

Writing a book needs a lot of patience and time. What was your objective and what inspired you to write this insightful book Dont Forget 2004?

The 2004 elections were the real starting point of Political Branding in India. Where two global agencies were pitted against each other in a Brand war. The consumer watched very carefully witnessing a massive upset on the result day withunderdog becoming victorious. There were so many lessons to be learnt from that David Vs Goliath story. This was a story that needed to be told.

And once I started writing it, all it took was two months. Its a story fresh in my head even today as I teach it like a case study in my MBA classes at least thrice a year. Students sit in rapt attention; I usually get a standing ovation and right up to last year with Covid and Zoom calls, I took these sessions with the same result. It made me think. Why not get this story out to a bigger audience?

I felt I would do a disservice to the world of Advertising if this information remained tacit. After all, its one of the biggest advertising related case studies this country has ever seen. Also, a general election comes once in five years. So, there have just been three of them post 2004.

Managing political campaigns is very tricky and complicated. What are some of the challenges you faced as compared to the normal brand campaign you managed in your career?

Yes, there are differences. And similarities. The first thing I told my team is to think of it as a brand. AICC is the company and the Congress party the brand. While strategising, we very much followed the principles of Brand Equity management, wherein we looked at creating salience and relevance  most importantly differentiation and building up to resonance.

The difference is that there is one Buying day  the Voting Day. If the consumer does not go to vote, you lost the sale. The other big difference is the size of the target audience. It is potentially every Indian who is 18+ That is a huge number. Carving out who you will call your target consumer is mind boggling as budgets are limited and you cant talk to everyone.

The issues are very different region wise and state wise. So, in consumer products you need to cover your grey hair to look younger or to have a sharp picture on your Tv or read a discerning business newspaper. And then you can tie consumers nationally with these needs. In Political branding, you will find each state has different issues, so you have to micro manage your advertising and media plan.

What was your experience while engaging with the leaders of the Congress party. Any high points that you could highlight on the entire campaign journey?

Overall, I could figure they had limited experience of dealing with advertising agencies. But they were very quick to learn. And before we met on any key meetings they had talked to people and got themselves familiar with the processes in the industry.

We were actually an extension of their team working in the war room at 99 South Avenue. Our key contacts were Jairam Ramesh, SalmanKhurshid, Motilal Vora, Ahmed Patel and Ambika Soni. Mrs Sonia Gandhi took all the final calls and we met her several times too. So, it was a small team. Meetings were very confidential and there were massive fears of leaks. In the past, elections ads used to leak and rebuttals were out in the same paper on the same day! So, extreme care had to be taken to avoid this.

It was a huge amount of work. The kind of output a telecom brand would do in a year was created and released in 12 languages across media in just 10 weeks. I also found it was a very verbal world. Not written. No time for micro management at the clients end. So, the responsibility was huge at the agency end to ensure deadlines and a mistake free output.It was an exciting work way. Decoy acts and secret rooms unlisted mobile numbers and what not.

When you planned to pen this book, who was the target audience in your mind? Can you explain the kind of thinking and process that went behind in compiling this book and making it relevant and useful?

The target audience was anyone who liked a real life exciting juicystory.

There were many ways I could have approached this. The obvious one being a

typical textbook-like approach, with headlines and sub-headlines and bullet points. Or a management case study like you write for B-Schools. But I thought to myself why not encapsulate the above, but tell it like a story. Like a thriller. And I used the device of my diary and gave a blow-by-blow account of how things unfolded between January and May 2004.

Did you ever dream of managing a political account in your career? What are some of the learnings and knowledge you gained by handling the campaign and managing multiple decision makers?

No, I never dreamt of it. But it did happen winning a fierce eight agency pitch.

The learnings and knowledge were plenty. Managing massive workloads with an almost daily crunch deadline made one very organised. If you read the book, you will see how many crises hit us along the way and how those were dealt with. The power of a young team. And that politicians can be great client collaborators. Multiple levels of people came in and looked at the campaign and gave ideas but whatever was part of the core strategy was never deviated from. One thing for sure it has left me and the entire team of 2004 very invested in politics. So, every experience counts.
Indias largest platform-first martech startup, Wondrlab, has appointed Siddhyesh Narkar as Chief Technology Officer and Shama Sayed as Head of Sales. By strengthening its technology and sales teams, the company is aiming for aggressive growth and to bolster its core business in the martech space. Both Narkar and Sayed will be based in Mumbai and will report to Vandana Verma, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Wondrlab.

Narkar has over 15 years of diverse experience in the technology sector. Before joining Wondrlab, he was CTO at Digitas and SapientRazorfish. At Wondrlab, he will oversee technology development across all products and platforms. Sayed will lead business and partnerships with a core focus on disrupting the digital space. With over two decades of experience in broadcast and digital, she has worked with stellar brands such as Star, Sony, Investing.com.



Verma said: We are heading towards extraordinary growth and expansion for the martech platforms by building a world-class technology and sales team. Both Narkar and Sayed are a perfect fit as their vision integrates seamlessly with our objectives.

As Indias leading martech company, Wondrlab is in the business of creating game-changing platforms to solve massive business problems for brands through creative, tech-based solutions

Narkar said: I am delighted to be part of this journey where Wondrlabs vision is to disrupt the way brands perceive communication. This role enables me to reimagine & build world-class technology innovations around the ever-changing technology landscape.

Wondrlab has adopted a unique two-pronged strategy towards expansion in the martech space. The companys approach leans towards a blue ocean strategy, where it offers a range of differentiated platforms and products that are unmatched. On the other hand, as a future-forward company, Wondrlab has been actively acquiring partner firms in new emerging spaces. This gives the company a first-mover advantage so that it can build robust platforms and offer brands an unparalleled advantage over the competition.

Sayed added: I am excited to work with a creative, dynamic startup like Wondrlab. I don't think this opportunity could have come at a better time for me as martech becomes even more dynamic than ever. We plan to employ technological innovations that will help scale-up and expand so that we can reach our goals and continue to offer unique solutions to brands.



With all the innovation that the team at Wondrlab has been working on over the past year, there are some incredibly promising announcements on the anvil. The team continues its aim of launching disruptive products which will change the way the industry approaches content marketing.
The Federal Council

Bern, 23.02.2022 - At its meeting on 23 February 2022 the Swiss Federal Council discussed COVID-19 vaccine requirements and use in 2022. The main goal is to supply members of the public under various conceivable pandemic scenarios. Now the Federal Council has decided to pass on a maximum of 15 million vaccine doses to other countries by mid-2022 if these doses cannot be scheduled for vaccination in Switzerland. Switzerland will thus contribute to ensuring that as many people as possible throughout the world are given access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. The Federal Council also decided to procure on a centralised basis drugs for protecting people with immune deficiency from COVID-19.

Around 34 million doses of vaccine will be available to Switzerland in 2022, 20 million in the first half of the year and 14 million in the second. If a further booster is required, the supply of vaccine to the Swiss population will be assured at all times. This procurement strategy ensures that Switzerland always has access to the latest available vaccine variant from the respective manufacturer (subject to the corresponding authorisation by Swissmedic).

The Federal Councils procurement strategy warrants that the best vaccines are available at all times. To cushion the risk that a particular technology or manufacturer will fail, it has bought more vaccine doses than are needed for vaccination. For this reason, the Federal Council has decided to donate a maximum of 15 million vaccine doses by mid-year if these doses cannot be scheduled for vaccination in Switzerland.

The priority is for the donation of vaccines that are surplus to requirements to run via the multilateral mechanism of the COVAX Initiative. From the outset, as part of global efforts to manage the pandemic, Switzerland has been working to ensure that as many people as possible all over the world get access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. In June 2021, for example, the Federal Council decided to donate 4 million doses of AstraZeneca. In December 2021, in consultation with COVAX, Switzerland deferred a million doses of Moderna vaccine so that the COVAX Initiative could benefit directly from the freed-up production capacity.

Drugs for people with immune deficiency

Some people cannot build immunity to Sars-CoV-2 despite repeated vaccination. This is particularly the case for immune-suppressed people with serious underlying conditions (for example congenital immunodeficiencies), people currently undergoing treatment for a disease with drugs that severely impact and subdue the immune system, or people who have had stem cell or organ transplants.

These people are extremely vulnerable to Sars-CoV-2. In the future, they are to be able to receive preventive protection with new medicines. These medicines will come up for approval in 2022. The Federal Council has decided to agree purchase guarantees with the manufacturers so that these drugs can be rapidly procured and made available to the people affected.

Drugs for passive immunisation should be procured specifically for this vulnerable group, and are not intended as an alternative to vaccination for the general public.

Address for enquiries

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Communications, media@bag.admin.ch

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Office of Public Health

http://www.bag.admin.ch




The Federal Council

Bern, 23.02.2022 - The Federal Council discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine at its meeting of 23 February 2022. It condemns Russia's recognition of two regions as independent states as a violation of international law and a breach of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Federal Council wishes to ensure that Switzerland will not be used as a platform to circumvent sanctions imposed by the EU and is therefore examining the sanctions closely.

Since Russia recognised the two non-government-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, tensions in eastern Ukraine have increased massively. The Federal Council is monitoring the current situation with great concern, as there is a risk of significant further escalations. It condemns Russia's action as a violation of international law and of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Switzerland does not recognise the independence of these territories, which remain part of Ukrainian territory.

Russia's recognition of the independence of these territories is a direct violation of the Minsk agreements to which it is a signatory. The agreements were negotiated in 2014 between Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany and serve as a basis for the de-escalation and resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. As a member of the Trilateral Contact Group, Russia has an obligation to support the implementation of the agreements.

Switzerland remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. It supports the efforts of the OSCE and the OSCE Chairperson's Special Representative in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Switzerland is also working within the OSCE to ensure that the unarmed, civilian Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) can continue to exercise its mandate on Ukrainian territory. The Swiss members of the SMM are continuing their work on the ground. In a crisis situation such as this, it is particularly important for the SMM to be able to continue its work as an unarmed civilian mission, as it provides objective reports on the security situation on the ground.

Switzerland must not be used as a platform to circumvent EU sanctions

Following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Federal Council decided not to adopt the European Union's (EU) sanctions against Russia, but to take all necessary measures to ensure that Switzerland would not be misused to circumvent the sanctions.

In the wake of Russia's recognition of the non-government-controlled areas as independent states, several Western states have imposed additional sanctions. The Federal Council wishes to ensure that Switzerland will not be used as a platform to circumnavigate sanctions imposed by the EU. It will therefore examine the sanctions and then come to a decision. The Swiss authorities are in constant contact with several countries to exchange intelligence on the current situation.

Switzerland may adopt compulsory measures to enforce sanctions adopted by the United Nations, the OSCE or Switzerland's main trading partners in order to ensure compliance with international law, in particular respect for human rights. The basis for this is the Embargo Act. The Federal Council is responsible for adopting such compulsory measures in the form of ordinances. Compulsory measures can take the form of embargoes on goods, embargoes on services, financial sanctions, bans on entry and transit, or a combination of these and other measures.

Address for enquiries

For further information:

FDFA Communication

Tel. +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service +41 460 55 55

kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html



State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

http://www.seco.admin.ch




Thousands of children are stuck on waiting lists for expert help, with schools digging into their own pockets to fund support Therapists once provided to schools free now cost hundreds of pounds a visit  Schools accuse parents of fabricating illnesses as collapsing support drives rifts.

The devastating toll of failing mental health support systems on families and schools is revealed in a four-month investigation by Schools Week.

So we struggle on. What is important about the Schools Week stories is the scope of the coverage. Its not about expanding a special school in Norfolk or a new autism classroom in Derryall the local stuff were do used to. Instead its about special education in the whole U.K.

SORRY, those questions are not allowed. Were only supposed to call for more money and more support. The solution is more special schools and more special needs teachers. For some reason, if anyone asks about the never-ending increases, its considered an attack on the disabled.

STILL, Schools Week fails completely to ask the obvious: Where are they all coming from? Why are there so many students today who cant function like students have always been expected to?

After a four month investigation Schools Week makes it clear in their coverage that special education cannot continue like it is currently. The numbers and the costs are cannot be ignored. More disabled kids are coming.

No big surprise that once again, stories from the U.K. are predominant on LossOfBrainTrust . There are more stories from Schools Week that spell D I S A S T E R for Britain. Someone somewhere should be asked about the five stories recently published on their site.

Meanwhile, increases in the number of pupils with additional needs has left special schools bursting at the seams, with youngsters left in unequipped mainstream schools Helen Hayes, Labours shadow childrens minister, was shocked by the findings, but said the governments mental health strategy totally lacks ambition.

There are professionals working all over the country as hard as they can to deliver the best outcomes for children and young people, but they are within a system that simply isnt working and in many places it is falling over. 

Theresa Mays 2018 Green Paper on transforming children and young peoples mental health committed 300 million [$407M] to an overhaul of support services.

This included mental health support teams to a quarter of the country by 2023, a figure ramped up to 35 per cent by next year. But MPs have said this ambition is too low, with schools saying they will not resolve huge waiting lists for other services.

Feb 11, 2022, Schools Week: Special schools bursting at seams  but DfE doesnt collect the data

Heads say the system is 'completely overwhelmed' Special school heads say their classrooms are bursting at the seams, but government does not collect data to monitor how the sector is coping with rising demand for places. The number of pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) has risen from 237,000 in 2015-16 (2.8 per cent of all pupils) to 326,000 this year (3.7 per cent).

However there are just 32 more special schools now than in 2015. New Bridge School in Oldham, one of the largest special schools in the country, has 530 on its roll, against a local authority-commissioned figure of 419. The school has nearly doubled in size in eight years. Graham Quinn, chair of Special Schools Voice and chief executive of New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, said the pressure is here and now.

THE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED

At The Willows, a school for children with moderate learning difficulties in Rotherham, the smallest classroom should have 10 children, but it now has between 12 to 14. It had a capacity of 120 last year, but took on 164 children.

Headteacher Rachael Booth said they are bursting at the seams  Its not the local authoritys fault, its the whole system.



The system is completely overwhelmed, he said. Schools are doing their best, but more and more children are missing out on the specialist provision they need. The percentage of pupils with an EHCP in mainstream schools increased from 48.7 per cent in 2019-20, to 50.4 per cent last year.



The DfE spokesperson added they are working with councils to better understand demand for SEND provision as we consider how we can best support the sector going forwards. Government has committed 2.6 billion [$3.5B] of capacity funding for new school places for children with SEND over the next three years.

Things are collapsing

Feb 11, 2022, Schools Week: Collapsing mental health support pits parents against schools--Some parents reported for 'fabricating' mental illness

Vulnerable children are being dreadfully failed on mental health support as a lack of funding and expert help pits schools and families against one another.

The coverage on autisms impact on schools says it all. Autism is the driving force behind whats happening.

Feb 12, 2022, Schools Week: Speech and language therapists completely booked out--Demand for support is outstripping supply

Children are waiting up to a year for support from speech and language therapists, meaning they come into school with far more significant need and the system gets more broken.

Ten per cent of children have a speech and language need. SLT assessments are also important for diagnosing autism, which is strongly linked to communication needs.

The number of people diagnosed with autism has jumped more than 20-fold in the past two decades, University of Exeter researchers revealed this year. Theres been a big increase in need, especially children entering reception.

But one in four autistic children are waiting more than three years for a diagnosis, according to the National Autistic Society.

The final Schools Week story is about surrendering. Its the second story in the series that uses the word collapsing to describe things. The only solutions given to address mental health support are early intervention and more services placed in school. (Notice that a story about mental health starts out talking about identifying autism sooner.)

Feb 13, 2022, Schools Week: Mental health solutions? Early intervention and more support inside schools A 'complete rethink' is needed, experts say

In a collapsing mental health support system, experts have urgently called for two actions: early intervention, and more services placed in schools.

Cathy Wassell, chief executive at Autistic Girls Network, said all pupils should undergo a sensory audit in reception to identify autism sooner. 

Similar initiatives are already happening in some schools in the north west through a toolkit called WellComm, which screens speech and language needs, according to Fiona, a speech therapist in the region.

Other than these critical Schools Week reports which will quickly be forgotten, all news is local in Britain.

Birmingham has plans for a special school which will serve 116 students with a staff of 84.

Stockton is struggling with spiraling cost where demand outstrips supply in special schools at the moment.

Southends council admits that parents deserve an apology for the disgusting failure of Southends childrens service.

Weve got a report here that says, over successive years, children in this town have been failed. (Parents) havent had the appropriate support thats needed. They havent had the access to services, they cant get assessments.

Essex is seeing an explosion in special education.

A report in 2020 revealed the amount spent on special educational needs in Essex is estimated to rocket to twice initially forecast.

In May 2018 Essex County Council estimated individual packages of educational support, such as tuition or vocational training would cost 6.8million [$9.2M] based on services for approximately 700 pupils at the time over four years.

In its first year (2019/20), the framework supported 577 pupils at a cost of 5million [$6.8M] for year one  an increase of 180 per cent in the number of pupils requiring the provision of alternative education from 2018/2019.

This unexpected demand for services from the framework has exceeded forecasts and, based on current demand, the councils use of the framework will be 13.2million [$17.9M] for the remainder of the framework term, until it expires in 2023.



The need for an increase in capacity has led to a programme for delivery of four new special free schools for autism and social, emotional and mental health (the two areas of need driving the greatest demand and capacity deficit) and the development of a PRU estate which is fit for purpose. 

Essex has seen a 62.9 per cent increase in the numbers of pupils entering PRUs since 2018.

North Norfolk is considering expanding a special school. It seems youngsters with complex needs are an area of significant need.

Wales is trying to rework the special education system by changing the name.

This description of the task of implementation relative to policy design will resonate with an education workforce faced with delivering the new Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system, which came into force in September 2021 and began in earnest last month (January 2022).

Incidentally were told that one in 5 students there has special needs.

Moving almost 100,000 pupils (around 20% of all pupils) to the new statutory arrangements, still in the fall out of a pandemic, will be no mean feat.

the vast majority of the work to improve the education of around a fifth of learners still lies ahead.

Walsall is trying to find a way to handle all the special needs students that keep on coming.

Statistics showed that a predicted shortfall of 92 primary and 25 secondary for the school year starting in September. Further data showed the shortages will be 81 primary and 106 secondary in 2023/24, 86 and 147 in 2024/25, 125 and 162 in 2025/26 and 149 and 168 in 2026/27.

But Councillor Suky Samra it would be difficult for existing schools to take on extra pupils as they were at full capacity at present.

Liverpool is also faces a dramatic increase in need for school places.

Cllr Tom Logan, cabinet member for education and skills, said that Liverpool does not have enough places to meet demand currently and radical changes were needed to the system with the consultation acting as a starting point. 

It is estimated that for 2021-2022 Liverpool will spend more than an estimated 10m [$14M] on school places for pupils in the independent sector.

As far as the U.S. is concerned, everything is fine, with one exception.

A story from the state of Washington raises a number of red flags about the enormous cost of outsourcing disabled students which, were told, is an increasingly common problem.

During the 2020-21 school year, school districts in Washington sent 80 students to out-of-state facilities, according to public records from the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Thats nearly four times as many Washington kids sent out of state as during the 2016-17 school year, data show, although the state agency says part of the increase reflected in the data may be a result of better tracking in recent years.

School districts send students to out-of-state facilities if they do not have the resources to provide services for children with complex needs, typically resulting from disabilities or childhood trauma. But doing so can be costly. In total, those 80 students sent out of state last year cost school districts nearly $13 million, according to state data. And the actual amount of spending may be even higher, since the data from the state show only costs that districts asked to be reimbursed for.

Advocates for kids with disabilities say theyre alarmed at how many students are being sent away from Washington. They argue it highlights a growing crisis, underscoring the lack of options for people with disabilities and the need for Washington lawmakers to invest more into special education so students can stay in school at home.

Both attorneys are worried about the sheer number of out-of-state placements and the rapid trend upward. Our concern is that the number will continue to grow. And if it gets much bigger than that number, then it will be a problem that will be much more difficult to solve, Kas says.

Last school year, Northshore sent six students out of state, at an average cost of $238,473 per student. For comparison, just four years earlier, Northshore placed only one student out of the state, state data shows, and it cost less than $75,000.

For a long time Ive felt that when the COST of special education finally buries local and state governments, well be forced to address the CAUSE of special education. That day is coming.



Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
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 
Mike Henderson described the sale price for his Simmental heifer as a complete surprise.

You learn over time that your expectations are usually wrong, he says. To get a price like this is just unbelievable.

Henderson, along with partners Finesse Livestock and Grandview Cattle, had the top- seller at last weeks Iowa Beef Expo, bringing $29,000 at the Feb. 14 sale.

He farms near Wiota in southwest Iowa. His partners are from north-central Iowa.

We own this heifers dam, Henderson says. Last year we brought three maternal sisters of this heifer and did pretty well, so we were hopeful this year.

The heifer is due to calve at any time.

As soon as we are done with the Supreme Row competition today, she is heading to her new home in Muscatine, Iowa, Henderson says.

He says the Simmental breed has seen its popularity grow over the past 5 to 10 years, with customers attracted to traits such as calving ease.

Andy Sperfslage was also surprised with the $12,000 Gelbvieh heifer he sold Feb. 13. The northeast Iowa producer is part of ABCS Gelbvieh near Winthrop.

Weve been going to the expo for 15 years or so, and this is by far the best price weve ever gotten, he says. She had some interest ahead of the sale, but we had no idea she was going to sell for that price.

Sperfslage says most of their customers are commercial producers.

We want to make sure anything we bring is top of the line, he says. Our customers like that Gelbvieh-cross cow. They are good mothers and relatively trouble-free.

Collin Cory had the top-selling Angus heifer, bringing $19,000 at the Feb. 13 sale.

We had a lot of interest in her from people in Kansas, Nebraska and North and South Dakota, says Cory, who farms near Creston in southwest Iowa. They really liked how feminine she looked. Bringing that price was a really nice surprise.

Cory says the heifer will be shown by the buyers grandchildren, but eventually she will become part of the cow herd when her show career is over.

Below are breed sale results from the Feb. 12-20 event.

Angus

The top-selling bull, consigned by ONeill Angus Farm, sold for $11,500 to Monty Redinbugh.

The top-selling female, consigned by Collin Cory, sold for $19,000 to MTA Angus.

Live lots averaged $5,415.

All Other Breeds (AOB)

The top-selling bull, a Shorthorn consigned by Vaughn Farms, sold for $4,200 to Dexter McDermott.

The top-selling heifer, a Salers consigned by T-Bone Cattle Co., sold for $2,200 to Andy Van Haur.

Charolais

The top-selling bull, consigned by Siek Ranch, sold for $7,500 to Bedwell Charolais and Johnston Charolais.

The top-selling female, consigned by J&A Charolais, sold for $6,500 to Cory Miner.

Live lots sold for an average price of $3,006.

Gelbvieh

The top-selling bull, consigned by Nowack Cattle and Carroll Land, sold for $5,000 to Dennis Davis.

The top-selling female, consigned by ABCS Gelbvieh, sold for $12,000 to Coles Bend Cattle Company.

Live lots sold for an average price of $3,306.

Hereford

The top-selling bull, consigned by Goehring Herefords, sold for $8,500 to Gary Franklin.

The top-selling female, consigned by Goehring Herefords, sold for $11,000 to Five Js Cattle.

Live lots sold for an average price of $4,363.

Limousin

The top-selling bull, consigned by Boyer Family Limousin, sold for $7,900 to Jay Langdeau.

The top-selling female, consigned by Deb Vorthmann Limousin, sold for $7,000 to Chase Cobb.

Live lots sold for an average price of $3,908.

Maine-Anjou

The top-selling bull, consigned by Blueprint Cattle Company, sold for $2,000 to Andy Whittum.

The top-selling female, consigned by Doug and Diana Sampson, sold for $4,000 to Ryan Doud.

Live lots sold for an average price of $2,145.

Red Angus

The top-selling bulls, consigned by Barnes Family Cattle and CB2 Cattle, sold for $7,500 to Larry Mannng and Dave VanTomme, respectively.

The top-selling female, consigned by JVM Cattle Company, sold for $9,250 to Tim Tucker.

Live lots sold for an average price of $4,441.

Simmental

The top-selling bull, consigned by Hotz Farms-Lone Tree Simmentals, sold for $16,000 to Heartland Simmentals, Klein Family Simmentals and Whitacre Family Simmentals.

The top-selling female, consigned by Henderson Cattle, Finesse Livestock and Grandview Cattle, sold for $29,000 to Derek Honts-Honts Cattle Company.

Live lots sold for an average price of $3,398.

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COVID-19 has changed the way all of us conduct our daily lives and affects everyone, regardless of our neighborhoods, our political affiliations, our race, or our ethnicity. While many people have recovered from COVID-19, the disease can have serious, life-threatening complications, and its long-term effects are not known. Latest data show the number of Alabamians who have succumbed to COVID-19 is approaching 17,000, and numbers of deaths have exceeded births in the state for each of the past two years.

COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective in reducing severity of disease, hospitalizations, and deaths, and available to the public free of charge. Even so, the relatively low percentage of Alabamas population vaccinated underscores the need for action. All Alabamians should do their part by getting vaccinated and getting boosters when eligible, especially since more infectious COVID-19 variants may someday emerge. Each person who is vaccinated helps assure a healthier community and state. When symptoms occur, testing and isolation protect others who might become exposed to the virus.

The Alabama Department of Public Health has introduced a new multimedia communications campaign, Alabama Unites Against COVID. The campaign, which stresses the importance of COVID-19 vaccine as well as testing, speaks to all Alabamians from rural regions to urban areas and aims to direct them to a new website, alabamaunites.com. The website is easy to navigate with buttons for locating vaccination and testing sites, updated guidance, frequently asked questions, vaccine information, and what to expect when testing for COVID-19.

The campaign theme highlights messages about how people from all walks of life are joining each other in their communities in the fight against the virus. In addition to advertisements in print publications, four television commercials are airing on stations statewide and on social media. The ads highlight the following: community leaders who love Alabama and Alabamians and are united in the fight against COVID-19, expressing the regrets of a COVID-19 sufferer about not being vaccinated, safeguarding young children from monsters, namely COVID-19, and people in a variety of pursuits and occupations protecting themselves by getting vaccinated. The ads feature state residents of different races, ethnicities, and ages and include elected leaders.

Regrettably, some Alabamians live in information bubbles that promote and sustain vaccine hesitancy. The Alabama Unites website sends the visitor to links which disseminate clear, complete, and accurate messages about COVID-19 vaccines and encourage them to get tested when they experience symptoms. Resources provide answers to frequently asked questions on vaccine benefits, effectiveness, safety, possible side effects, and availability. Information about what is known and what is unknown is provided.

This campaign demonstrates in an emotionally powerful way how important it is that we stand together. When more people get vaccinated and tested, we are encouraged, because the fight is not over yet. It is still critical that Alabamians protect themselves and others by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone who has symptoms of the virus, should get tested as soon as possible. By doing these things, we can greatly reduce the effects of COVID-19.

Scott Harris, M.D., M.P.H.

State Health Officer
County farm bureaus will celebrate the organization's dedication to agriculture as the base of Oklahoma's economic prosperity, as Oklahoma Farm Bureau Week was proclaimed for the week of Feb. 21-25, 2022.

Different farm bureaus across the state use the week to host events in their local communities to raise awareness of Farm Bureau and share the benefits of a Farm Bureau membership. Alfalfa County commissioners Mike Roach, Jay Hague, and Marvin Woodall signed documents recognizing the proclamation during their meeting earlier this week.

The chairman at Alfalfa County Conservation District,...
Oklahoma State University students are set to conduct well water analysis and a short training for citizens in Alfalfa County. Samples will be accepted at the Alfalfa County Extension Office until 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 2. The results will be provided the following evening, Thursday, March 3, along with a short informative presentation at 6 p.m. at the Alfalfa County Exhibit Building.

Well owners who would like to have their well water analyzed for free can pick up a sample collecting set, from the Alfalfa County Extension Office, 602 W 5th Street #2 Cherokee, prior to March 2. The p...
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  An Oklahoma Senate committee approved five anti-abortion bills, including one that would ban abortions 30 days after conception, before many women know they're pregnant.

All five measures were approved Monday by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on party-line votes and now head to the full Senate for consideration.

Four of the bills were written by Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, a longtime abortion opponent. One of the measures calls for a statewide vote to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to clarify there is no guaranteed right to an abortion in...
On February 15, President Biden addressed the nation and the world regarding the crisis in Ukraine. At 2:18 in the video, he said From the beginning of this crisis I have been absolutely clear and consistent. The United States is prepared no matter what happens. And at 6:04 weve been transparent with the American people and with the world about Russias plans and the seriousness of the situation...

The short talk about an impending war was grim. At 12:05 it took a very ominous turn:

And if Russia attacks United States or our allies through asymmetric means like disruptive cyberattacks against our companies or critical infrastructure we are prepared to respond. For we are moving in lockstep with our NATO allies and partners to deepen our collective defense against threats in cyber space.

Whoa! Did Biden just toss out there a doomsday scenario? TEOTWAWKI -- the end of the world as we know it? If so, hes in good company. A significant amount of post-apocalyptic fiction is based on such an event. Non-fiction, too, but more on that later.

Is Biden predicting catastrophic disruption of our critical infrastructure, including the electrical grid, banking and finance, water and sanitation, food supply and health services, transportation, and communications? If so, for how long and how widespread? If so, We the People ask what does he know and when did he know it?

A more conspiratorially minded person than I would wonder if this is another case of lefty projection. They frequently seem to place at the feet of others the very thing they are contemplating. From my perspective, that would be beyond imagining, no matter how deep into the pockets of our adversaries this administration is.

Two days later after that speech, Russia, unhappy with our negative reply to her proposals that we back up, back down, and butt out, had this to say,

In the absence of the readiness of the American side to agree on firm, legally binding guarantees of our security on the part of the United States and its allies, Russia will be forced to respond, including through the implementation of measures of a military-technical nature.

And what does that mean, exactly? In April 2021, Dr. Peter Pry, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Policy and executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security, wrote an article in which he quoted Margarita Simonyan, Director of Russias state-run media RT and Sputnik:

War is inevitable. [snip] I do not believe that this will be a large-scale hot war, like World War II, and I do not believe there will be a long Cold War. It will be a war of the third type: the cyber war. [snip] Russia will invade Ukraine, sparking a conflict with the U.S. that will force entire cities into blackoutsAll-out cyber warfare, nation-wide forced blackouts.

In the remainder of the article, Dr. Pry analyzed Americas current vulnerabilities.

Ted Koppel also wrote about this possibility in his 2015 bestseller, Lights Out, A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath. He spoke with Howard Schmidt, President Obamas advisor on cybersecurity, who indicated that Russia would likely be constrained from launching a full-scale cyberattack on an American power grid. Could they do it? Yes. Would they? Only in the context of an expanding crisis. (Emphasis mine.) Welp, there you go.

Dr. Prys 2021 book, Blackout Warfare: Attacking The U.S. Power Grid, A Revolution in Military Affairs, provides an updated review of the threat and our lack of readiness to defend against it. We are not prepared, no matter what the White House says.

At the beginning of the nuclear age and in the early years of the Cold War, many Americans perceived civil defense to consist of assuming protective postures in the event of an attack (picture children cowering under their school desks) and families being ready to wait out an extended period until an all-clear was sounded. Basements, backyard fallout shelters, and root cellars that often doubled as tornado shelters were stocked with survival necessities.

Weve gotten away from that now. Civil defense has morphed into emergency preparedness, with its efforts directed to mitigating localized disasters like floods, forest fires, tornados, hurricanes, and other weather-related crises. 9/11 was an outlier event that Americans rose to address. FEMA manages logistical operations, along with the Red Cross and local first responders. Folks flood in from across the country with supplies, power restoration services, fire-fighting crews, and the like.

Over the past few decades, the government has encouraged folks to have some supplies on hand to use while waiting for assistance to arrive. It used to be three days worth, then a week, then two weeks, and now its however much one determines one needs for the common local disasters. Here in the Pacific Northwest, weve got them allfire, flood, volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes and, yes, even the occasional tornado. I dont think Antifa counts, but it probably should.

Image: The United States at Night. NASA image; no copyright.

But if Bidens remarks presage a nationwide catastrophe, what then? Ted Koppel wrote, For the most part, public reaction to the possibility of a massive cyberattack has not even risen to the level of apathy. If all of us are affected, there will be no one coming to our aid from within our borders. If America is brought low, how long will it take for the world to rally to our shores and help us restore our common services? Months? Will local and state governments be able to manage their dependent populations? I would guess not.

Dr. Pry has written on the subject of comprehensive infrastructure failure since the inception of the Congressional EMP Commission 20 years ago. The Commissions reports can be found here.

So, whats being done to deepen our defense against cyber warfare? On Friday, February 18th, USA Today published an article  Shields up: Biden administration moves to protect U.S. targets from Russian cyber attack. Its a very reassuring article. Drilling down, however, reveals that the new document circulated among infrastructure owners and operators with guidance on how to identify and mitigate the risks of possible Russian cyberattacks is a three-page paper that discusses how to identify tactics like misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) that seek to control or change a narrative. Nothing on how to prevent disruptions to power, communications, and water delivery. Cyberwarfare has already begun in Ukraine.

In December 2021, DHSs CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) released its Status Update on the National Critical Functions. CISA has identified 55 National Critical Functions (NCF), 294 primary sub-functions, and 1,059 secondary sub-functions. CISA is working to strengthen the NCF Framework. Thats it. Thats all for right now.

Biden may be ready to respond externally to such an attack. However, he has done nothing yet to secure the lives and futures of Americans should a successful, comprehensive cyber blitz happen. Department of Defense projections, over the past few years of analyzing the consequences of a grid-down scenario, are consistent that most Americans would not survive a year of the hunger, disease, and chaos that would result from the take-down of our critical infrastructure.

For a riveting depiction of what such a catastrophe might look like I highly recommend William Forstchens excellent novel One Second After. It describes how a community endures a year after the grid goes down.

The pandemic may have altered the scene, however. As most of the country locked down and stayed down for months, Americans began to expand their pantries and medicine cabinets. Unpredictable availability of necessary items like food, medications, fuel, and repair parts led many folks to lay in supplies just in case they were needed but lacking in the marketplace.

Adding to our at-home supplies is a prudent path. Its time to take stock and restock, just in case we end up truly on our own in these uncertain times. As always, it will be We the People who secure the continuation of our great experiment in liberty.

Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant.
Everyone recalls Biden's remark that the U.S. might soft-pedal its response if Russia engaged in only a "minor incursion" in Ukraine. Well, surprise, surprise! Given the green light from Biden, Russia is unilaterally annexing only a portion of Ukraine. There's its "minor incursion." Biden is trying to talk and act tough, but it's too late. And here's something to ponder: don't think that can't happen here.

Having given Putin the go-ahead, Biden is now imposing a few sanctions on Putin's cronies, as well as putting a sanction on sovereign debt, limiting Putin's ability to raise money in the West (but there's still China...). This was because even Biden had to concede that what Putin grabbed wasn't a minor incursion. Instead, Biden admitted, "Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine."

Put another way, Putin just grabbed one quarter of the country and a much greater percentage of its mining and heavy industry. Significantly, he did so by claiming that this is what the mostly Russian people in those regions wanted.

That brings me to Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Putin's model was to "seed" the Donets Basin region of Ukraine with Russian-speaking, Putin-loyal immigrants, tipping the demographics toward Russia. Does this sound in any way familiar? The Southwestern U.S. at one time totally belonged to Mexico, but, after the Mexican-American War and the Gadsden Purchase, the Stars and Stripes flew over the Grand Canyon.



Images: Latin Americans head for America. YouTube screen grab.

Let's engage in some political exaggeration here and suppose that, after the illegal immigration tsunami across the U.S. southern border, the Mexican government one day stirs up anti-American feeling in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico; says its countrymen are being horribly mistreated; and sends in the Mexican army (with help from Cuba, Venezuela, and China) to set things right. It'd be only 1015% of American territory, so it would constitute a "minor incursion." Joe (or, by then, Pete Buttigieg) will likely slap crushing tariffs on avocados, hot peppers, and Corona beer. But thereafter, seeing the Grand Canyon will require a passport.

Does anyone believe that, were such a fanciful development to actually happen, our homegrown U.S. wokesters wouldn't rationalize and justify the annexation? That's right  in a nanosecond. Starting from the universities, then snaking through the media, the establishment churches, and the entire leftist echo chamber, the cry would be that we stole it from Mexico once and this is simply justice long in the making. Plus it will make getting fentanyl and heroin to U.S. metropolitan markets that much speedier.

But let's get serious for just one minute. The "minor incursion" green light that Biden (Obama) and Co. just flashed dictators worldwide will reap a grisly harvest. Why can't Venezuela grab tiny Guyana? It's minor after all. Why can't Putin enlarge his access to the Baltic at Lithuanian or Polish expense? Why can't Trudeau take back a chunk of Maine? And why, oh, why can't Xi Jinping get his hands on Taiwan Semiconductor?

Reflect that Putin took Crimea on Obama's watch, then takes the Donets Basin on Biden's watch. Notice a pattern here, America? We will never know what is treason and what is rank stupidity and weakness, but clearly, the left (i.e., the Democrat masterminds and overlords) just rolled out the welcome mat for thugs the world over. Our children and grandchildren are about to inherit a dangerous world.
Canada just demonstrated that, in a technologically sophisticated Western country, it's easy to become a dictator. And then, once you're a dictator, it's even easier to pretend you're not, as was the case with Canadian dictator Justin Trudeau's condemnation of Russian authoritarianism. Apparently, it takes one to know one.

A few years ago, Justin Trudeau was a laughable lefty who managed to become prime minister of Canada both because of his lineage (putative dad, Pierre, was once prime minister, too) and because leftist Canadians were in love with the idea of a hip, totally woke leader.

Two years ago, with the onset of COVID, Trudeau, even while still speaking the language of woke victimhood, began to crack down hard on Canadians' civil rights, all in the name of science. For Canada's truckers, who have been almost broken by the mandates, the requirement that they produce a vaccine passport to cross back into Canada from America was one mandate too many. They convoyed across Canada and into Ottawa, where they honked their horns, ate food provided by locals, danced, and had bounce houses for the kids.

To the truckers' surprise, the same Canadian premier, in 2020, who praised truckers to the skies and showily took a knee to honor the violent, disruptive, criminal Black Lives Matter, refused to talk to them. Instead, he ran away and emerged only to defame them as evil people, including calling them Nazis.



Image: Trudeau denounces authoritarianism. YouTube screen grab.

On Valentine's Day, Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, giving himself complete power because truckers were honking their horns in Ottawa. At his orders, the entire financial system was used punitively against not just the truckers, but anybody who dared to support them  and, mind you, this included making donations to the truckers when there was nothing illegal about doing so.

In addition, Trudeau unleashed police on the truckers and their supporters. The police reacted enthusiastically, beating peaceful people, trampling an old woman under a horse (and laughing about it), and bullying people whenever and wherever they could.

Then, two days ago, despite the police having brutally stopped the truckers' protest, Canada's leftist-controlled Parliament voted to extend Trudeau's unlimited powers. They voted mindlessly along straight party lines. Indeed, so mindless were they that one member of Parliament, who can give Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a race to the bottom when it comes to stupidity, insisted that "honk honk" was a secret code for "Hail [sic] Hitler."

Within a remarkably short time, Trudeau went from a ridiculous figure to a vicious tyrant. Not only a vicious tyrant, but a completely un-self-aware one. And so it was that Trudeau lashed out at authoritarian government  not in Canada, of course, but in Russia. When he joined the United States and a handful of other nations to impose some sanctions on Russian banks, he justified what he was doing this way:

Canada will continue to be there to support Ukraine and its people. Russia's flagrant disregard for the independence of a sovereign nation is a serious threat to security and stability in the region and around the world. Canada and our allies will defend democracy. We are taking these actions today to stand against authoritarianism. The people of Ukraine like all people must be free to determine their own future.

"We are taking these actions today to stand against authoritarianism," says the man who is aggressively using his financial and police power to destroy working-class people for daring to oppose his politics.

By the way, the woman to Trudeau's right, whose head is bouncing away as she seems to be mouthing his words behind her mask, is Chrystia Freeland, a former journalist who made a name for herself as a Soros sycophant. It is she who is taking the steps to destroy financially not just the truckers, but their supporters. And it doesn't matter whether they were breaking any laws when they acted. She will wipe them out economically. They are, after all, the new Nazis, according to Trudeau and his peeps. This is ironic, considering that Freeland's own grandfather was a Ukrainian Nazi collaborator.

Leftists in once free countries have realized that if they have the executive office, the legislature, the administrative agencies, the media, and the tech companies, they can pretty much do anything they want. The Democrats' response to January 6 was a trial run for the leftists. Trudeau is showing that the same tactics can work on a national scale. And just last week, even as COVID fades away, Biden extended the national emergency, giving himself continued power to control vast sectors of the U.S. economy and its police powers.

The Canadians don't have our masterful Constitution. However, I predict we'll very soon have to address the question of what happens when the entire federal government is under the control of people who no longer feel bound by that Constitution. Look north, my friends. Look north.
The mainstream media inform us that Canadian authorities have "cleared out" the truckers who had the temerity to think they could peacefully protest their government's COVID vaccination-and-quarantine mandates. Note the choice of terminology: "cleared out," as one would clear out an infestation of vermin. In the propaganda game, words must be chosen carefully and deliberately, and the propaganda-meisters of today (who not only "manage" the news, but frequently just invent it) make the infamous Dr. Goebbels look like a mere tyro.

(A historical note for those for whom the name "Goebbels" may not ring a bell [after all, it seems that, nowadays, school curricula are so focused on LGBT studies there's no time to teach history]: Joseph Goebbels was minister of propaganda under Adolf Hitler [I hope I don't have to explain who Hitler was]. Goebbels's name [an approximation of the German pronunciation is "Gurbles"] has traditionally been synonymous with propaganda, and among the techniques associated with him is the principle of "the big lie" [even though that term, and the concept, may be credited to Hitler himself], which posits that a big enough lie, repeated relentlessly, will come to be accepted as the truth.)

Now there are plans for a similar Freedom Convoy of truckers to be organized and carried out by U.S. truckers, in sympathy for their Canadian brethren.

Should it occur, it will be fodder for propagandists to mischaracterize as they did the Canadian protest. Anyone who's spent time on America's highways and observed big trucks knows that the Confederate battle flag (the "Stars 'n' Bars") is an emblem frequently displayed on such trucks, and not just in the South, in numbers far in excess of those few that were seen on Canadian trucks.

But the handful of such flags seen on the Canadian trucks was enough for "journalists" to declare that such flags were proof that the Freedom Convoy was, in reality, a rally of "white supremacists."

Those same "journalists" informed us that the appearance of swastikas (whether those were on signs accusing Canadian P.M. Justin Trudeau of Nazi-like tactics or displayed by agents provocateurs using false flag tactics to discredit the protests) constituted proof that the protests were populated by Nazi sympathizers. We can look forward to even more of such "reporting" should similar protests occur in the U.S.

But what bothers me even more than the propaganda offensive against those who dare to protest government COVID edicts  and the propagandists are currently attempting to sell the idea that the very word "freedom" is actually code (a "dog whistle") for "white supremacy"  is the prospect that American cops will turn on the protesters as unhesitatingly as the Canadian cops did.

There's traditionally been a kinship between cops and truckers. Sure, the relationship is adversarial: cops are always on the lookout for violations committed by truckers, and truckers are always on the lookout for cops, such as when they warn (via flashing lights or CB radio) fellow truckers of police radar and such.

But the slang terms by which truckers refer to cops  e.g., "Smokey Bear," "county mountie," "local yokel," "bear in the air," "Kojak with a Kodak" (meaning a cop with a radar gun; it's an allusion to the popular '70s TV detective and the first mass-produced, affordable camera)  carry a certain fondness, and truckers have always been ready and willing to help police (such as by forming a "rolling roadblock" to assist in a police chase).

Cops and truckers generally come from the same working-class (and frequently rural) backgrounds and generally harbor the same traditional values.

All of that is as true in Canada as in the U.S. Or at least it was until the Canadian cops proved only too eager to be the enforcers at the beck and call of politicians and bureaucrats. The behavior of the Canadian cops against the truckers and their supporters is shameful and alarming. And I fear that we'll see the same thing in the U.S.



Police in Ottawa arrest a trucker protester (YouTube screen grab).

We've already seen examples of it, like parents being manhandled and branded as domestic terrorists for daring to criticize school boards.

What's all the more shameful and alarming, not to mention ironic, is that the ordinary citizens being targeted by police are the very people who supported the police when they were being ambushed and murdered and police stations were being burned  the very people who stood up against the pernicious agenda that sought to "defund" the police on the grounds that police enable and perpetuate the "systemic racism" that is America's (and, indeed, Western civilization's) original sin and fatal flaw.

Those physical and rhetorical attacks on police have driven many to seek early retirement and otherwise leave the formerly noble profession of law enforcement.

Those who have attempted to organize into groups that revere the Constitution and pledge to stand for the People (such as the Three Percenters) have been vilified by the propagandists' "big lie" that such groups are racists who seek to overthrow the government.

Sadly, that leaves those remaining to more likely be the misfits and power-trippers who prove only too eager to enforce the law, no matter how patently unconstitutional or just plain morally wrong that law may be.

If a law were to pass tomorrow making it illegal to be left-handed, I fear that SWAT teams would be knocking down doors and dragging out anyone suspected of being, or harboring, a southpaw.

Tyranny is difficult to impose without heavy-handed enforcement. What we've seen in Canada, and what I fear we'll see even more of in the U.S., causes one to no longer wonder where a tyrannical regime manages to find its Gestapo, its Stasi, its jackbooted thugs. They're already in place, uniformed, armed, and well regimented.

Stu Tarlowe has contributed over 150 pieces to American Thinker. His personal pantheon of heroes and role models includes Barry Farber, Jean Shepherd, Long John Nebel, Aristide Bruant, Col. Jeff Cooper, Rabbi Meir Kahane and G. Gordon Liddy. He was recently employed as a staff writer for the online magazine of a think-tank dealing in analysis and forecasting of political and societal trends, but when he had to be hospitalized for COVID, he was replaced. Having recovered, he now writes on a variety of topics (political and personal) in his newsletter at Substack.com.
Progressive Harvard Law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe tweeted an accusation of possible "treason" against Fox News's Tucker Carlson if Carlson provided "aid and comfort" to an enemy (Russia) that wages war against "our ally, Ukraine" (a country with which we are not formally allied). Here is the actual tweet (which Tribe, after criticism from David French, Bradley Moss, and Adam Steinbaugh, deleted, and then tried to explain in a follow-up tweet saying he should have been more careful since we are not yet at war with Russia):

Led by Fox News Channel's Tucker Carlson, the GOP's Trump wing appears to be throwing its weight behind Putin. If Putin opts to wage war on our ally, Ukraine, such "aid and comfort" to an "enemy" would appear to become "treason" as defined by Article III of the U.S. Constitution.

So it's not just Tucker Carlson; it is the whole "Trump wing" of the Republican Party that would be treasonous, according to Tribe's tweet. And, even in Tribe's follow-up tweet, he implied that if we go to war with Russia, any criticism of that war would qualify as treason.

Eventually, Tribe deleted both tweets, surely a sign of shame. But the impulse behind them reveals a scary mindset, no doubt shared by others of lesser intellectual pretension.

Welcome to today's progressive version of the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 or the Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917 and 1918.

The Alien and Sedition Acts were aimed at French aliens in the United States (it was anticipated that we would be at war with France soon) and anyone who spoke out against the Adams administration. Any "false, scandalous and malicious writing" against the administration, as well as any conspiracy "to oppose any measure or measures of the government," was outlawed. At least 26 persons  many of whom were editors of newspapers opposed to the Adams administration  were prosecuted under the Sedition Act. Some went to prison for opposing the administration's policies.

During World War I, the Wilson administration and a Democrat-majority Congress passed the Espionage Act and later the Sedition Act. The Sedition Act criminalized any "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" about the Wilson administration, including any speech or writing that tended to "incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty." Wilson stated that disloyalty to his government "must be crushed out." More than 2,000 Americans were arrested and prosecuted under these acts, including socialist presidential candidate Eugene Debs, and many went to prison.

Apparently, Laurence Tribe believes that if you vocally oppose going to war with Russia over Ukraine, you may be guilty of treason, and that may apply to the "Trump wing" of the GOP  which, I daresay, includes tens of millions of Americans. Tribe's tweet about Trump-supporters and treason seems to confirm Alan Dershowitz's charge that Tribe is "a zealot and a partisan" rather than an independent constitutional scholar.

Professor emeritus Tribe needs to get his facts and his law straight. Ukraine is not an "ally" of the United States  there is no treaty or executive agreement that binds the United States to defend the independence of Ukraine. And if Russia goes to war against Ukraine and the Biden administration (without a constitutionally required declaration of war from Congress) wages war against Russia, those in the United States who speak out against such a war are not committing treason. Opposing the foreign and defense policies of the Biden administration is not treason. Tribe with his tweets is trying to silence dissent against the government. That is the road to tyranny.
On Jan. 27, 2022, the world marked Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Yet within less than two weeks, three events illustrated just how little the "lesson of the Holocaust" has been learned.

Notably, the media coverage of each was inversely proportional to its importance.

Event #1: Comedian Whoopi Goldberg's foolish denial that the Holocaust involved race-based hatred: "Let's be truthful about it. Because the Holocaust isn't about race. No ... these are two white groups of people!" Calls for Goldberg's firing fueled a media feeding frenzy. And Whoopi was ritualistically shamed, suspended for two weeks from hosting The View.

Denying Hitler's overtly racist motive for genocide is indeed offensive. How anyone could miss that fact about a Jew-hating dictator whose chief talking point emphasized the superior "Aryan race" is mind-boggling. And yet, a fair reading of Goldberg's statements also indicates an absence of malice. Deeply misinformed commentary? Yes. Deliberate Holocaust denial? No. But this story drew far more attention than two other events presenting far greater risks to Jewish survival.

Event #2: Amnesty International's massive, 280-page report charging Israel with "Apartheid Against Palestinians" through "a Cruel System of Domination and a Crime Against Humanity." This document shouts from virtually every page, the illegitimacy of Israel's very right to exist as a haven for the Jewish people. But it rests upon a foundation of inaccuracies and contextual omissions.

Chief among those omissions is the virtual absence of any reference to this reality: for the entire century from the 1920s to the present, the leaders of Israel's Palestinian Arab neighbors have pursued just one goal through just one strategy  namely, the prevention and eradication of a Jewish state in the Middle East, through a never-ending terror and propaganda war.

A reader of the Amnesty Report would never know that the "doctoral thesis" of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, was an exercise in Holocaust denial and that the P.A. continues through its state-controlled schools and media to saturate its people in genocidal Jew-hatred on a scale comparable to Nazi Germany. Nor would such a reader know that since the 1930s, the P.A. and its predecessors have systematically threatened, tortured, and murdered their fellow Arabs who genuinely seek cooperation, peace, and "two states for two peoples" with their Jewish neighbors.

Unlike Whoopi Goldberg's gaffe, the Amnesty Report supplies a perniciously impactful roadmap for the spreading global wildfire of anti-Israelism, now institutionalized in the U.N.'s unprecedented permanent monitor to investigate Israel  and only Israel  for "abuses of international human rights law[.]" And what principally facilitates this eliminationist campaign is the head-in-sand blindness of the world's opinion-shaping classes toward the Palestinian leadership's commitment to eradicating the world's only Jewish state. The unstated message: never mind "Never Again."

Event #3: The Biden administration's decision to reinstate waivers of sanctions against Iran  waivers canceled by the Trump administration  yielding a $29-billion cash windfall to the tottering Iranian regime. Like the Amnesty Report, this received noticeably less media coverage than Whoopi-gate.

This is just the latest Biden administration concession seeking to appease Iran into re-entering the Obama administration's deeply flawed JCPOA nuclear weapons deal. That deal did nothing to limit Iran's export of terror across the Middle East, nor to restrain its long-range missile development. And its "sunset" provisions allowed Iran to build nuclear bombs as of ten years from now. Nor was there an effective compliance mechanism: the JCPOA banned "no-notice" inspections.

Recent reports confirm that the Biden deal is even worse than the JCPOA  despite Iran's continued support for Middle East terrorism, its recent attacks on U.S. troops in the region, and its long-running pledges to annihilate Israel by any means possible. Former Canadian attorney general Irwin Cotler has compellingly made the case that Iran, besides being the world's leading exporter of terrorism, is also the world's leading fomenter of incitement to genocide.

In sum, with less media scrutiny than that given to a comedian's ill chosen words about the Holocaust, the United States is about to bestow on the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism  a regime explicitly committed to the nuclear annihilation of Israel  the funds to rescue that tottering regime, the freedom to expand its pernicious export of terror, and the capacity to complete the construction of the arsenal needed to nuke Israel to smithereens.

Winston Churchill said it best in 1938 when his own prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, made a similarly craven deal with Adolf Hitler in Munich: "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war."

But unlike Chamberlain  and thanks to his abominable Munich deal  our world now knows exactly what a regime committed to genocide will do in the face of craven appeasement. We, unlike Chamberlain, live with the lesson of the Holocaust  namely, when a regime publicly committed to genocide seeks to assemble the tools to carry it out, take that regime at its word, and do whatever it takes to stop it.

The Biden administration chooses to ignore that lesson, and instead practically begs Iran to accept the very concessions that would make possible its long-sought nuclear genocide of Israel. Will anyone stand up to stop that? Or is the real end game here "never mind 'Never Again'"?

Henry Kopel is a former federal prosecutor and the author of War on Hate: How to Stop Genocide, Fight Terrorism, and Defend Freedom (Lexington Books, 2021).

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.
In state legislatures throughout the country, lawmakers are introducing bills to protect the rights of their constituents concerning freedom of speech and freedom of association. Bank lobbyists are aggressively opposing these consumer protection bills, which raises the question: why? The banks say they do not use ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) metrics, so why oppose these consumer protection bills that merely erect some guardrails to ensure that the rights, freedoms, and choices of citizens are protected?

The banks and others opposing legislation to protect consumers and small businesses from ESG discrimination say the legislation interferes with the free market, that the government is meddling with how a private business operates. However, does a free market in financial services exist today? The aggressiveness of banks' opposition to these ESG bills hints that there may be more to the story.

When the biggest banks in the world partner with large businesses, federal regulators, the United Nations, and entities in Net-Zero 2050 alliances, we are no longer operating under a free market. Crony capitalism, corporatism, or fascism, but not a free market. Individual citizens and independent businesses are seeing their choices and their freedoms slip away.

For those who do not believe that government and banks would ever collude to discriminate against a legal business, look into Operation Choke Point, an early test run of the "public private partnership" to enforce a political ideology. From Forbes, "Newly unsealed documents show top FDIC officials running operation choke point," federal regulators conspired to shut payday lenders and firearms business out of the banking system. Is that how a free market operates?

Some say the ESG movement is just the latest bogeyman, that there is no proof that the movement is impacting individuals and businesses. That is false.

In North Dakota, the director of mineral resources, Lynn Helms, recently returned from an energy conference in Houston and reported that oil companies now see the Bakken in North Dakota as a mature oil play and are shifting capital elsewhere. Among the reasons Helms cited for the about-face: a surge in attention among oil industry operators to their carbon footprints. According to the article, "[w]ith financiers increasingly factoring climate consequences into their investments, achieving a gas capture level near 100% has become 'goal number one' for many oil producers, Helms said, even more than expanding output."

During the 2021 legislative session in North Dakota, representatives of the lignite industry testified that coal operations are seeing increasing insurance premiums and a drop in the number of insurance companies willing to write insurance for any price. This is the ESG movement in action, and it will not stop with oil and coal.

Bank lobbyists say that no one should tell bankers how to run their businesses. The reality is that bankers are already being told how to run their businesses by the federal government, international agencies, and other influencers, whether they admit it or not. And that is bad news for small businesses and individual citizens.

The bank lobbyists who testify in opposition to the ESG consumer protection bills should be asked if any banks they represent have joined the U.N. Net-Zero Banking Alliance. The Alliance website says banks representing more than 40 percent of global banking assets are committed to aligning their lending and investment portfolios with net-zero emissions by 2050. In their own words: "The Alliance will reinforce, accelerate, and support the implementation of decarbonization strategies."

American banks that have signed on to the U.N. Net-Zero Banking Alliance to date include Bank of America, Blue Ridge Bank, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Wells Fargo.

The bank lobbyists should be asked how this alliance plans to meet the stated objective of reinforcing, accelerating, and supporting the implementation of "decarbonization strategies." Will the banks alter their business model? Will this alliance drive decisions on providing banking services to certain sectors, businesses, and individuals?

Also, does any of these seven large financial institutions have relationships with local state-chartered banks? If so, will the goals of the U.N. Net-Zero Alliance have an impact on how these large banks work with smaller community banks?

We can ask the same questions of the large insurers. Does any of the insurance companies doing business in your state belong to the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance? If so, what impacts will there be on businesses in the state as the goals of the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance are pursued? A recent Bloomberg article shows that some efforts of the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance had to be scaled back, for now, when attorneys working with the group said certain actions could raise antitrust issues. The solution they are working on with government allies? Simply rewrite the antitrust laws.

Government's role is to protect the rights, freedoms, and liberties of individuals. Lawmakers at the state level should understand what the companies, governments, and other entities signing on to the ESG movement, the Net-Zero 2050 alliances, and the Great Reset intend to do. Read their own words  they are not hiding anything. And take them at their word.

Of course, this is just another conspiracy theory, right? Governments and banks would never join forces to track the social media posts of individuals, their banking activity, their alliances, and occupations to crack down on freedom of speech or freedom of assembly. This isn't the Hunger Games, is it? Just ask the truckers in Canada and their supporters.

Bette Grande (bgrande@heartland.org) is a government relations manager at The Heartland Institute.

Image: Adam Smith.
US called on to match its words with action in ties

08:30, February 23, 2022 By MO JINGXI ( China Daily

China warned the United States on Tuesday not to bring the two countries to a point of full confrontation as it urged the US to return bilateral ties to sound and stable development through concrete actions.

The most crucial task for managing and pushing forward the China-US relationship now is to follow through on the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden during their virtual meeting in November, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call.

It was the second phone conversation between the two senior diplomats in the past month.

Wang said that China is willing to effectively manage differences with the US and stabilize bilateral ties in line with the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, which were put forward by Xi.

However, he said, the US is obviously sending a wrong signal of "besieging and containing China" by launching its so-called Indo-Pacific strategy, which publicly defines China as the primary challenge faced by the region. The US also attempts to include Taiwan in the strategy to contain China.

There is both competition and cooperation between the two countries and the China-US relationship cannot be simply defined as competitive, Wang said. He added that some US officials have trumpeted long-term fierce competition with China, which is likely to evolve into full-blown confrontation between the two sides.

He said that China once again urges the US to take concrete actions to honor the commitments made by the US president instead of saying one thing yet doing the opposite, breaking its word and having no credibility.

Monday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Shanghai Communique, and Wang said that the spirit of the document is still of great significance to China-US relations.

China hopes that the US will stay true to the document's original aspiration of breaking the ice between the two countries, return to a rational and pragmatic perception of China and work with China to push bilateral ties back onto the right track of sound and stable development, he said.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Blinken said that the US does not seek a new Cold War or to change China's system, opposes "Taiwan independence" and has no intention of engaging in conflict with or confronting China.

Blinken also congratulated China on the success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as well as the Chinese athletes on their great achievements.

Wang extended his congratulations to the US athletes for their good performances and said that the two countries' athletes have fully demonstrated the Olympic spirit through their friendly interaction, mutual encouragement and improvement.

They also exchanged views over the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. Blinken briefed Wang on the latest development in relations between the US and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Wang said that the US should value the DPRK's reasonable concerns and take substantial actions. China calls for direct dialogue between the two sides and China will, as always, play a constructive role in promoting the resolution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, he added.

Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said that the phone call shows the importance of China-US cooperation on major international issues.

"However, the US only talks about cooperation when it serves its own interests. Otherwise, it will compete with or confront China. Such a China policy will not help the two sides to establish in-depth strategic mutual trust," Li said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
In a small dimly lit back room of the Onondaga Historical Association in Syracuse, New York, is a unique and priceless treasurea civil-war era decorative eagle made entirely out of hair contributed by leading politicians and their wives, most notably President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

The artifact came about when the US Sanitary Commission, a volunteer agency working for the health of Union soldiers during the war, needed money for its efforts and reached out to President Lincoln soliciting a lock of hair as large as he can spare. Lincoln communicated the request to other members of the parliament and a surprisingly large number of politicians and their wives responded positively, donating their hair for the Brooklyn jewelers Spies & Champney to weave a national symbol out of it.

Photo: Sandra Roe, Photosat1020. Courtesy Of The Onondaga Historical Association

The large showpiece, nicknamed the Hairy Eagle, featured an American eagle perched on top of half a globe, spreading its wings and surrounded with swirls and flowers. The eagles head was made from Lincolns hair, its back from Vice President Hannibal Hamlins hair, its beak from Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chases hair, and its wings from the various senators hair. The wives hair, meanwhile, was used to create the floral arrangement surmounted by the eagle and globe.

The egale became an immediate attraction when it was debuted at Metropolitan Sanitary Fair organized to raise funds for the benefit of Union soldiers. Running for three weeks in April 1864, the fair featured events, attractions, auctions, raffles and more. For the entry fee of $2, visitors could view spectacular floral arrangements in the Temple of Flora, watch dances performed by the fairs Native American Troupe, enjoy Dutch cuisine at the Knickerbocker Kitchen and even buy a piece of Plymouth Rock. Tens of thousands of people visited the Hairy Eagle during this time. Underneath it a small visitor book was kept, in which guests were able to sign their name on the payment of one dollar. The goal was to raise $1,000.

Former Onondaga Historical Association Director Carolyn Wright holds the Hairy Eagle in this 1959 photo. Courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association

Its not known whether the goal of $1000 and 1000 signatures was reached, but reports of the fair compiled three years later noted that the book was so popular that 400 signatures and $400 were collected within the first three days of the Fair.

The Hairy Eagle was meant to be presented to the Lincolns as a gift after the fair ended, but the wreath never made its way to the White House. Instead, it hung in the window of the Champney & Smitten shop in Brooklyn for many years before disappearing for decades. In the 1920s, F.T. Champneys wife Ida donated the eagle to Onondaga Historical Association, where it has remained ever since.

The Hairy Eagle
Researchers at Israels Tel Aviv University have uncovered a serious security flaw with Samsung smartphones ranging from the Galaxy S8 in 2017 to last years Galaxy S21. This is part of a paper titled Trust Dies in Darkness: Shedding Light on Samsungs TrustZone Keymaster Design by academics Alon Shakevsky, Eyal Ronen, and Avishai Wool. The group will provide a detailed presentation of the vulnerabilities at the upcoming USENIX Security, 2022 symposium.

These security flaws allow cybercriminals to steal cryptographic keys stored on the device. It also lets attackers bypass security standards like FIDO2. The researchers classified these security issues as severe, possibly impacting nearly 100 million Samsung Galaxy devices (via The Register).

Researchers demonstrated how the attackers could potentially fetch hardware-backed cryptographic keys from Samsung phones. Further, cybercriminals could even downgrade the security protocols of a device, thus making it more vulnerable to future attacks. This is a practice known as (initialization vector) IV reuse attacks.

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The issue primarily impacts devices that leverage chipmaker Arms TrustZone technology. TrustZone effectively splits a device into two portions referred to as the Normal World and the Secure World. The Normal World is the area of the device which runs the regular tasks, such as the Android operating system. The Secure World, on the other hand, manages the security apparatus and is hence only accessible to Trusted Applications. These are apps or services that the manufacturer uses for device security and encryption.

Researchers reached out to Samsung about these vulnerabilities in August last year

Meanwhile, the Android Keystore system offers a robust key management system through the Keymaster Hardware Abstraction Layer or HAL. This exists inside Secure World within the TrustZone and can block outside access to its processes. Cryptographic keys within this system use the AES-GCM encryption standard for protection. This standard protects items by leveraging the same key and works only when the IVs arent reused.

However, as ITPro points out, Samsungs version of Keystore has a serious flaw, allowing attackers to steal the cryptographic keys only by knowing the contents of one plaintext sample. Researchers showed how Samsung devices are susceptible to the IV reuse attack by letting cybercriminals attach IVs as a portion of the key parameters.

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If successfully infiltrated, the attackers could get into the Normal World section of the device and allow malware to run rampant. It can even grant root privileges to apps of its choosing. And instead of running code within the Android kernel, the attacker could simply execute code within the Android user mode.

One of the earlier IV reuse attacks has been termed as CVE-2021-25444, with the researchers giving it a high severity rating. Thankfully, Samsung fixed this vulnerability in August 2021. Its also worth noting that the downgrade attack that left newer Samsung phones like the Galaxy S20 and the Galaxy S21 vulnerable to an IV reuse attack is no longer a concern. Samsung fixed this in October 2021.

The good news is that the research team approached Samsung last August with the details of these vulnerabilities. The company then published these flaws to the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) register.
Samsung has several Galaxy A series smartphones in the works. We have been hearing about the Galaxy A23, Galaxy A33 5G, Galaxy A53 5G, and the Galaxy A73 5G over the past few months. As usual, the Korean firm will also launch Galaxy M series counterparts of some of these phones, if not all. Case in point, the company is working on the Galaxy M33 5G as well. The device has been picking up regulatory certifications thick and fast lately, hinting at an imminent launch. It has now also received the FCC certification.

The FCC listing confirms some of the rumored specs of the Galaxy M33 5G. We can see the device packs a battery unit with model number EB-BM526ABS while the charging brick bears the model number charging brick. This is a 25W charger. While we cant confirm whether Samsung will ship this charger bundled with the phone, the device is now pretty much confirmed to support 25W fast charging. We are expecting it to feature a 6,000mAh battery.

Moving on, the FCC documentation also reveals that the Galaxy M33 5G will feature Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n WLAN, 802.11a/n/ac UNII (5GHz), Bluetooth EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) and LE (Low Energy), and NFC. We, of course, have 5G cellular connectivity with support for 12 5G bands as well as multi-band LTE connectivity. The device will also support expandable memory via a micro SD card.

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The Galaxy M33 5G had appeared in a Geekbench listing in December last year. It revealed the Exynos 1200 SoC, which will also power the Galaxy A33 5G. The chipset is powered with 6GB of RAM and Android 12-based software. We could have an 8GB RAM variant as well. Other rumored specs include a 6.5-inch AMOLED FHD+ display and a quad rear camera setup. Overall, this device could share a lot of specs with its Galaxy A series counterpart. We have seen Samsung doing so before.

When will the Galaxy M33 5G launch?

Unfortunately, we dont know that yet. Earlier reports suggest the Galaxy A33 5G could go official in March. We are expecting the Galaxy M33 5G to break cover around the same time as well. Availability may vary by market though.

The likes of the Galaxy A23, Galaxy M23, Galaxy F23 5G, Galaxy A53 5G, And the Galaxy A73 5G are also expected to go official over the next few months. So a lot is coming out of Samsungs doors soon. Stay tuned.
Posted on: February 23, 2022 2:07 PM

A delegation of women from across the Anglican Communion are preparing to represent the Church again at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66), being held next month.

The Communion routinely sends a delegation to the commission, at which UN member states and entities and NGOs from around the world gather to discuss how to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. This years commission will explore how these goals can be achieved against a backdrop of climate change and escalating environmental disasters.

Rachel Mash, Environmental Co-ordinator for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa and one of the delegates, said that while the climate crisis affects everyone, women and girls are often disproportionately affected. Women are often the first to go hungry when food is low, carry the greatest burden in sourcing water or fuel and are more likely to die in natural disasters.

Mandy Marshall, the Director of Gender Justice for the Anglican Communion, said that when disasters do strike, the situation can be made worse for women and girls, as their vulnerability increases in many ways. This might come from their limited access to safe sanitation, water and shelter, but also from increased exposure to abuse or sexual violence.

Marshall said churches are a vital voice in the conversation around climate change. They are often the first to respond in a time of crisis as they are at the centre of the community and are trusted by local communities. She said the ACO delegation to CSW66 aimed to ensure that Anglicans and all people of faith are included in the response to gender, climate change and disaster response and mitigation.

Breadth of experience

The delegation is made up of women from around the Communion who will be able to share both their deep theological knowledge and research and their lived experiences of climate and gender justice.

Among them are Rachel Taber-Hamilton, a Shackan First Nation woman, from Canada, who represents the Episcopal Church on the board of the Anglican Indigenous Network. With 30 years experience in social justice and environmental advocacy, and as an ordained priest, Taber-Hamilton will reflect the voice of indigenous women within the Communion, and the particular challenges they face.

Jacynthia Murphy joins the delegation from the Anglican Church of Aoearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. She said womens voices are critical in the battle against climate change.

From birth to birthing women have an intrinsic relationship with creation, she said. It is for this reason that women have the potential to make greater contributions at the sustainability tables of ecological awareness, biodiversity, regeneration, climate care, and all manner of practices relevant to robust environmental protection.

Christine B Benoit is the only female priest from the Diocese of Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, a nation already living with the realities of climate change.

Coming from small islands, I believe that my contribution will be to share evidence based information on how we are being affected with some of our beaches being destroyed due to climate change, and how scary it is that we might just disappear altogether from the Earth, she said.

CSW66 will take place from 14-22 March and is primarily online, due to ongoing restrictions and concerns around Covid-19.
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(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 23 - The body of a 34-year-old man from Lecco near Milan who had been missing in Brazil for a month was found on a Brazilian beach on Friday evening, sources said Wednesday.

Marco Bonanomi, who went to Brazil for Christmas, was identified by his girlfriend thanks to a tattoo.

His body, found on Pontal do Sul beach in the southern Brazilian region of Parana, was too badly decomposed to permit an autopsy.

The man died at least three weeks ago, Brazilian authorities said. (ANSA).


CAIRO - "Death on the Nile", a movie based on a novel by Agatha Christie which has also just been released in Italy, has sparked controversy and censorship after it was screened in Egypt and other Arab countries because it stars Gal Gadot, a former soldier in the Israeli army, Al Monitor reports. The news site reported about calls on social media to ban Kenneth Branagh's film because it "paves the way for cultural and artistic normalization with Israel".



Gadot, a former Miss Israel in 2004, served the mandatory two years of military service in her country. For this reason, Lebanon and Kuwait banned the film, which premiered in Egypt on February 9 and a day later in Saudi Arabia, the website recalled.



In 2017, Kuwait banned "Wonder Woman" because it also starred Gadot.



A controversy erupted in the Egyptian media after the trailer of "Death on the Nile" was released at the end of 2021, because it not only starred the Israeli actress but also Armie Hammer, a US actor previously accused of rape.
ISTANBUL - Deutsche Welle (Dw) and Voice of America (Voa) have announced they will not apply for the necessary license so the Turkish edition of their websites can remain online, the Turkish news site Duvar reports.



The website said Dw and Voa will appeal against the order or report it.



Turkish telecommunications authority Rtuk on Monday gave 72 hours to Deutsche Welle, Voa and Euronews to present the necessary request to obtain the license or the Turkish version of their sites would be blocked. "This move gives Turkish authorities the possibility of blocking all content regarding critical reports if they are not cancelled. This creates an open possibility of censorship. We will oppose this and will file a complaint in Turkish courts", said the director general of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg. "Without other alternatives, Voa believes it will be forced to present an objection to Turkish oversight authorities regarding the request for an application to obtain a license", said Voa in a statement.



A member of Rtuk nominated by opposition party Chp has said that, with the request to obtain a license, "international media outlets are targeted for the first time". According to data published by the EU-funded website Expression Interrupted, after the attempted coup in 2016, at least 170 media outlets including radios, magazines, websites and television channels were shut down in Turkey.
BELGRADE - Slovenian President Borut Pahor will formally apologize to 25,671 people, mainly from other republics of former Yugoslavia but residing in Slovenia, who were illegally cancelled from the Slovenian registry of permanent residents in 1992, after Slovenia had declared its independence, Slovenian news agency STA reports.



Pahor will take the step on Friday, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the cancellation of the so-called 'izbrisana', or the erased in Slovenian, the cabinet of the Slovenian president said on Tuesday.



Both in 1999 and in 2003, the Slovenian Constitutional court ruled that the cancellation was an unconstitutional move. A similar decision was adopted also by the European Court of Human Rights in 2012, STA recalled. The ECtHR established that Ljubljana violated the human rights of the 'erased', including the protection of private and family life and a ban on discrimination.



"Amnesty Slovenia welcomes with favor the announcement of the President of the Republic Borut Pahor, who will apologize in his name and that of the State for the cancellation" or "the illegal act of eliminating 25,671 people from the permanent registry of the population, 30 years ago", commented on Twitter Amnesty International (AI) Slovenia, recalling that Amnesty "has fought for many years alongside the erased" in favor of "official apologies in the name of the State" to be given to the 'erased'.




The Duchess of Cambridge will receive an official welcome from Denmarks Queen Margrethe on the second day of her trip to the Scandinavian nation.

Kate has travelled to Copenhagen to learn first-hand from academics and health professionals about their countrys approach to the early years development of children that has made it a world leader.

But the two-day visit is also paying tribute to the historic ties Britain shares with Denmark and celebrates the countries joint jubilees  the Queens Platinum Jubilee and the Golden Jubilee of Denmarks Queen Margrethe II, both of which fall in 2022.

Denmarks monarch will greet her guest along with her daughter-in-law Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at Christian IXs Palace in Copenhagen.

Later Kate and Mary, who have met a number of times in the UK and Denmark, will visit the Danner Crisis Centre.

The shelter helps women and children who have been exposed to domestic violence which is supported by the Mary Foundation, founded by the Crown Princess in 2007.

The duchess will begin her day by visiting a Forest Kindergarten, a teaching concept where children have lessons outside that focus on their social and emotional development rather than just on academic skills like numeracy and literacy.
News channel RT has suggested that Ofcom would need to look at the BBC too if the regulator is to take the Kremlin-backed broadcaster to task over state sponsorship.

Ofcom has been told by the Culture Secretary to review the operation of RT  previously known as Russia Today  which she said was demonstrably part of Russias global disinformation campaign.

But RT has responded, accusing the Government of a hypocritical stance after ministers criticised Chinas decision to ban the BBC World Service last year.

It comes after Tory MP for High Peak Robert Largan warned that he would be cautious about banning RT due to potential reprisals against the BBC.

Id be cautious about banning RT. Putin would respond by banning the BBC in Russia, which actually cuts through his propaganda to millions. Meanwhile, RT in the UK is ignored by all but the likes of Richard Burgon  Robert Largan (@robertlargan) February 23, 2022

He said on Twitter: Putin would respond by banning the BBC in Russia, which actually cuts through his propaganda to millions.

He suggested RT was mostly ignored by those in the UK.

In her letter to Ofcom, Nadine Dorries said certain states sought to exploit and undermine the UKs media landscape.

She said RTs editor-in-chief had made clear in the past that the station supported the Kremlins aims, by calling the broadcaster an information weapon of the Russian state.

Ms Dorries said: It is essential that the UK looks to limit Russias ability to spread their propaganda at home.

I have concerns that broadcasters such as RT, whom Ofcom have found to have repeatedly breached the Broadcasting Code in the past, will also look to spread harmful disinformation about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine here in the UK.

She said this was something RT has previously done in its biased reporting of the Salisbury poisonings and the conflict in Syria.

The letter sent by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries to Ofcom to review the operation of the RT news channel in the UK (DCMS/PA)

Ms Dorries said that although it was a matter for Ofcom to rule on, due to the regulators independence, she welcomed comments suggesting complaints were being taken seriously, and said: I call on you to ensure your actions are timely and transparent to reassure the British public.

In a response, Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes told Ms Dorries the regulator had already stepped up our oversight of coverage of these events by broadcasters in the UK.

She said while broadcasters can cover issues from a particular perspective as long as balance is achieved, that it would not be acceptable for any of our licensees to broadcast one-sided propaganda.

The move was branded hypocritical by RT reporter Shadia Edwards-Dashti.

Speaking on the news channel, she said it was simply not good enough for the Government that Ofcom was keeping an eye on RT and instead the Government wants to see this channel taken off air.

She said it was a slippery slope, specifically about freedom of speech, and added: Is this an issue of state sponsorship? Because if it is an issue of state sponsorship, then we have to look at the BBC  that too is sponsored by the state.

She said: Just to mention, last year when China banned the BBC World Service, that was early last year in 2021, the UK Government slammed that move as an unacceptable curtailing of media freedom.

They were the headlines at the time, so it does seem somewhat hypocritical at this point.

The BBC is a public service broadcaster and it has editorial independence.

Anna Belkina, RTs deputy editor-in-chief, said in a statement: RTs operational and editorial independence from all governments is legally protected and always has been.

Ofcom recognises this and has long-endorsed RT as a licence holder. Even in the face of undue political pressure it has continuously found RT to be in line with other UK broadcasters, without a single breach of Broadcasting Code to be found in the last four years  not something that can be said about many other channels in the country.

Yet UK politicians are now openly and brazenly interfering in institutions they have long touted as supposedly independent and wholly free from political pressure, exposing their self-proclaimed commitment to such values as free speech and regulatory independence as nothing but a sham.

Downing Street said Ofcom had been asked to keep a watchful eye on RT.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said it was Ofcoms role to regulate the media and thats not something we would want to see politicians decide.

Asked whether Boris Johnson would advise his father not to appear again on the channel, the spokesman said: Obviously thats a matter for individuals who appear to make that decision.

In the Commons, in response to a call from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for RT to be taken to task, Mr Johnson said: We live in a democracy, Mr Speaker, and we live in a country that believes in free speech and I think its important that we should leave it up to Ofcom rather than to politicians to decide which media organisations to ban.

Thats what Russia does.

Sir Keir said RT was President Vladimir Putins personal propaganda tool which spread lies and disinformation, and added: I can see no reason why it should be allowed to continue to broadcast in this country.

Sir Keir said he was very glad to hear that that review is now happening.

A Labour spokesperson later said it had been the partys policy for a number of years that their MPs did not appear on the channel, and any that did certainly have never done so supported by the Labour Party or facilitated by the Labour press office or anything like that.

Russia Today is Putin's personal propaganda tool in the UK. It's time for the Prime Minister to ask Ofcom to review their broadcasting licence.@Keir_Starmer doing the right thing and pushing for a review of their licence. #PMQs  Chris Elmore MP (@CPJElmore) February 23, 2022

Asked if a quiet word was had with any Labour MPs who did appear, he said: I think it depends on the individual.

He added: I think theres a pretty clear view on the position towards Russia Today and youve seen other countries like Germany take action on it.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News: I think it is certainly true that (RT) is spouting propaganda on behalf of the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin has gone full tonto, the Defence Secretary has suggested following the latest escalation in the Ukraine crisis.

Ben Wallace said the Russian president has made the mistake of having no allies in his actions, comparing him to Tsar Nicholas I during the Crimean War.

Mr Wallace, a former Scots Guards officer, said his regiment had kicked the backside of the tsar in the Crimea and we can always do it again.

The unguarded comments came as the Cabinet minister chatted with serving military personnel at the Horse Guards building in Westminster.

He said: Its going to be a busy Army.

Unfortunately weve got a busy adversary now in Putin, who has gone full tonto.

Mr Wallace said the UK has 1,000 personnel on stand-by to respond to the crisis, adding: The Scots Guards kicked the backside of Tsar Nicholas I in 1853 in Crimea  we can always do it again.

He continued: Tsar Nicholas I made the same mistake Putin did he had no friends, no alliances.

The Defence Secretarys comments came in a room dominated by a large painting depicting the Battle of Inkerman, a major engagement during the Crimean War.

Mr Wallaces assessment of Mr Putins mental state came after Boris Johnson accused the Russian leader of being in an illogical and irrational frame of mind.

Mr Wallace told reporters he was keeping the possibility of sending further weapons to Ukraine under constant review, adding: Were in a pretty good position to deliver any type of aid pretty quickly to Ukraine, no matter what that aid is.

Vladimir Putin was accused of not being in an illogical frame of mind by Boris Johnson (Mikhail Klimentyev/AP)

He suggested that Russian forces invading Ukraine could be followed by a mobile crematorium to help disguise the number of casualties inflicted during the potential war.

Fundamentally, when you have over 60% of your combat forces poised on the borders of another state, the overwhelming scale of the Russian intimidation and forces  including some pretty horrendous weapons systems  are pretty worrying.

And we also expect to see some of the things theyve done previously. Previously, theyve deployed mobile crematoriums to follow troops around the battlefield, which in anyones book is chilling.

If I was a soldier, and knew that my generals had so little faith in me that they followed me around the battlefield in a mobile crematorium, or I was the mother or a father of a son, potentially deployed into a combat zone, and my government thought that the way to cover up loss was a mobile crematorium  Id be deeply, deeply worried.
The UK Government is failing to match its tough talk over Ukraine with meaningful action in getting rid of the Northern Ireland Protocol, a rally has been told.

TUV leader Jim Allister addressed the anti-protocol meeting at Carlton Street Orange Hall in Portadown where he said that Northern Irelands position as part of the UK had been annexed by the post-Brexit arrangement.

The meeting is the latest in a series of events organised by unionists as part of their campaign of opposition to the protocol.

Mr Allister said: The world is rightly outraged by the Russian aggression towards Ukraine, with the United Kingdom government front and centre of the condemnation.

Sovereignty is the core issue, the right not to be ruled by a foreign power.

Likewise, though on a more discreet scale, sovereignty is the key issue when it comes to the iniquitous EU Protocol.

By its pernicious processes EU sovereignty has been established over the trade and economy of Northern Ireland. GB is now regarded under the protocol as a third country  the very epitome of our colonisation by the EU.

Mr Allister added: Add to that the fact that the laws which govern our trade are now foreign, not British laws, and you have the irrefutable evidence of the annexing of Northern Ireland out of our supposed position of being an integral part of the UK.

Yet, our government still fails to stand up for the restoration of UK sovereignty over Northern Ireland.

Tough talk over Ukraine seems easier than meaningful action over the union-dismantling protocol.

Instead, we get endless rounds of talks with Brussels, but no action.

The protocol prevented a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit, but is deeply unpopular with unionists because it introduced new trade barriers in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

While the EU has given concessions on its operation, notably to ease the flow of medicines, these have not satisfied many who oppose it.

Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson addressed the meeting in Portadown (Brian Lawless/PA)

The Portadown meeting was also addressed by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson who said that the time was coming when civil servants should refuse to carry out protocol checks on goods at ports.

He said: The time may come very soon when civil servants who cherish the union must adopt the moral code, first articulated by Martin Luther King that dictates that one has not only a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just laws.

Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

Should the unjust subjugation of the union continue at our ports, then all staff who value the union should refuse to implement the destruction of their own national identity.

Mr Bryson continued: There is no best of both worlds, there is no one foot in the UK and one foot in the EU.

There is only the union, and we will accept nothing less.

We have had enough of this one-sided piece by peace process.

We have had enough of 24 years of being an underclass.

When we say enough is enough,we mean it.

There is no longer majority unionist consent for power sharing, and nor will there ever be whilst the framework of such arrangements remains fundamentally structured in favour of nationalists.

It is time for a collective and united unionist stand in defence of that which our forefathers fought and died to maintain.

The time is not coming when we must stand, the time is here now.

A minutes silence was held at the start of the meeting in memory of DUP MLA Christopher Stalford, who died suddenly at the weekend.
Weird Al Yankovic has shared the first picture of Daniel Radcliffe in costume on the set of an upcoming biopic about the US comedians life.

The musical parody sensation joked that a cosplayer had tried to crash our set and later been thrown out by security.

The film will follow the life and career of the comedian who rose to fame with comical spoof versions of classic songs.

A picture shared by Yankovic shows the Harry Potter star playing the accordion, wearing glasses, a funky shirt, and with the comedians trademark crazy hair.

SHOOT DAY #8: It never fails  were trying to shoot a movie here, and this cosplayer weirdo tries to crash our set, he captioned the photo.

SHOOT DAY #8: It never fails  were trying to shoot a movie here, and this cosplayer weirdo tries to crash our set. Ugh! I mean, I love my fans, but boundaries, people! Dont worry, we had security throw him out. #WEIRDTheAlYankovicStory @TheRokuChannel pic.twitter.com/XdHZBlrsPM  Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) February 22, 2022

Ugh! I mean, I love my fans, but boundaries, people!

Dont worry, we had security throw him out.

WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story is produced by Funny Or Die and will air on streaming service Roku.

Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time and has won five Grammy awards.

His 2014 release Mandatory Fun was the first comedy album in history to debut at number one on US music chart Billboards Top 200.

The Harry Potter star will star in the film which follows the life and career of Yankovic, who rose to fame with comical spoof versions of classic songs (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Yankovics early hits included Eat It, a parody of Michael Jacksons Beat It, and Like A Surgeon, based on Like A Virgin by Madonna.

His music videos have featured famous faces including Jack Black, Seth Green and Donny Osmond.

Yankovic previously said he was thrilled to be portrayed by Radcliffe and joked that the film would be the role future generations will remember him for.

Production for WEIRD began in Los Angeles in early February.
Antisemitic and white separatist flyers were distributed in Colleyville, Texas, over the weekend, more than a month after four people were held hostage in one of the city's synagogues.

The Colleyville Police Department said officials were "aware of antisemitic and white separatist materials distributed in clear sandwich bags to driveways around the city overnight" Saturday.

The department was working with the FBI and investigating the incident as a hate crime, police said in a statement posted to Facebook.

Police Respond To Hostage Situation At Texas Synagogue (Emil Lippe / Getty Images)

Does not appear to only be targeting Colleyville. Flyers have shown up in San Francisco, Miami, and Denver, the department said, linking to an NBC News article from January.

"I am saddened that individuals chose to bring this intolerance to Colleyville," Colleyville Mayor Richard Newton said in a statement. "These viewpoints do not reflect those I find in our community members."

"The city unequivocally denounces hate in any form  it has no place in our city," Newton said.

Four people, including a rabbi, were taken hostage Jan. 15 at Congregation Beth Israel, a Reform synagogue in Colleyville, which is about 30 miles northwest of Dallas.

The hostages were being held by a man demanding the release of a federal prisoner being held in North Texas who was convicted in 2010 of attempted murder in a terrorism-related case, officials said.

They were all released safely, and the man who was holding them died.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks hate crimes, the flyers, usually placed in plastic baggies and weighed down with rocks, have been thrown on doorsteps in cities and towns all over the country starting in December. The flyers have been distributed in 17 different states, a spokeswoman for the ADL said Wednesday.

The ADL described flyers left outside homes in some cities as "antisemitic propaganda that claimed, 'Every single aspect of the COVID agenda is Jewish' and others as "antisemitic propaganda that claimed, 'Every single aspect of the Biden administration is Jewish.'"

In Santa Monica, California, similar flyers were found at four elementary schools, according to the ADL.

Many of the flyers, according to the ADL, have been distributed by individuals associated with the Goyim Defense League.

The Goyim Defense League is a "loose network" of people connected by their "virulent antisemitism," according to the ADL. It is led by five or six organizers and has dozens of supporters and thousands of online followers.

Listed on the paper were government officials who have played parts in managing the coronavirus pandemic and who the flyers say are Jewish, according to images shared with NBC News.
A California woman was arrested at LAX last year and spent 13 days in jail on a warrant out of Texas. The only problem is that the woman claims they got the wrong person.

Brittany K. Farber has filed a lawsuit against, among others, the Los Angeles Police Department, the city of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Airport Police, alleging wrongful arrest.

The lawsuit, obtained Wednesday by the Daily News, claims that Farber was stopped by TSA officers at Los Angeles International Airport on April 16 on her way to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, to visit family. Farber was taken to a private room, handcuffed and left for more than two hours without food or water, according to the lawsuit.

Farber told officers that she had never been to Texas, but she was arrested anyway and taken to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

Arresting officers allegedly failed to check Farbers identity using her drivers license, social security number, birth date or any other personal information.

Farber was held for 13 days, according to the lawsuit, and was released three days after Texas courts reported the mistaken identity.

Brittany Farber, left, and Brittany K. Farber, right.

Brittany Farber, left, and Brittany K. Farber, right. (Handout/)

City Defendants failed to do the bare minimum to confirm Plaintiffs identity, the lawsuit reads. By looking at a picture of Plaintiff and a picture of the other Bethany Farber, City Defendants would have realized Plaintiff should not have been arrested at all.

Photos provided by Farbers lawyer show her as a young woman with long blonde hair, while the other Farber has short brown hair.

Behind bars, Farber claims she was stripped of her privacy, forced to share toilet paper and forced to share soap. She shoved hot food inside her sweatshirt to stay warm and saw human feces thrown around and smeared across the walls.

The lawsuit also blames the defendants for the death of Farbers 90-year-old grandma, who suffered a stress-induced stroke and died while Farber was behind bars.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from The News Wednesday.

Farbers lawsuit alleges civil rights violation, false arrest/imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence. She has sued for monetary damages.
Broadimage/Shutterstock

No time to waste. Bachelor alum Caroline Lunny has spent nearly two years dedicated to her fertility journey, and now shes sharing everything shes learned to help other women who may not even know theyre in the same situation.

Read article

We all go on The Bachelor looking for love, right? You know, thats why were there. And were like, Maybe this is gonna be how I meet my husband, because we all want to be like Sean Lowe and Catherine Lowe. It worked for them, the 31-year-old real estate agent said on Us Weeklys Here for the Right Reasons podcast. [Now I] really, truly believe that going on The Bachelor was for my fertility.

Lunny explained that seeing ads for Modern Fertility from fellow Bachelor alums sparked her interest. While she wasnt offered a deal at the time  It [was] only for people in significant relationships  and I was like, Oh, feeling my singleness.  she still sought out a test.

They send you a kit in the mail, you prick your finger, you bleed on this little, like, kind of index card thing. And then you just pop it back in the mail. And its literally that simple, Lunny, who now partners with the brand, explained. You really have no excuse for not taking this test because its too easy.

Read article

The former reality stars results revealed she has a low Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level. A low AMH level  just to put things into context  is 1.0. A healthy woman is around somewhere, like, 2, 2.5 and upwards. When I found out, I was 0.3. And then when I tested back in July, I was 0.04. Its pretty low, she said.

When the Massachusetts native initially went to the doctor, however, they didnt take her concerns to start a family down the line seriously.

Courtesy of Caroline Lunny/Instagram

She was like, Thats just a stupid test from the internet, Lunny recalled. She denied me and denied me and denied me. And then I realized, she wasnt listening to me at all. So I had to lie to her. And I was like, Yeah, I havent got my period, weve been having unprotected sex.  I knew she wasnt listening. And then shes like, OK, fine, Ill run the test. I shouldnt have had to argue. Thats frustrating. So anyone whos listening or reading, please, please, please test your fertility, health, fight back with your doctor. They will try and tell you, Youre fine. And then its funny, she ran the labs and a couple [of] days later, she called me back  and I watched enough Greys Anatomy to know  [she had] the tone in her voice. She was like, Yeah, so, your results came back even lower. And I was like, Oh, remember when you told me I was fine?  These doctors had no business telling me I was fine.

After finding a new doctor, Lunny began the process of freezing her eggs.

Read article

If I could go back in time, I would freeze my eggs when I was 20 years old. Your egg quality goes down every day, your egg quantity goes down every month. Time is not on our side, she told Us. If I could go back in time, I would freeze my eggs immediately. Because Ive had eight surgeries in the last two years, or actually, its a year and a half. Its a lot on your body to do it that many times. Do it immediately.  Ive had to hit pause on my life for two years because this has needed my undivided attention. And it would be nice to be able to put my energy and efforts into literally anything else. But I want to be a mom one day, so this is what I have to do.

In addition to looking for love on season 22 of The Bachelor, Lunny appeared on Bachelor in Paradise season 5 and Bachelor in Paradise: Australia season 2. After not finding The One on reality TV, Lunny told Us that she recently went through a bad split. However, shes optimistic about her future.

When you freeze your eggs, youre like, Wait a minute, Im frozen in time here. And its really nice because then you can just breathe and go, Oh, wait a minute, I dont have to keep dating this loser. I can say, See you later. It gave me time that I didnt think I had, she said. And I definitely was about to settle with somebody because I thought I didnt have time. Im very grateful for this whole experience  because I would have made a big mistake.
By Nick Carey

LONDON (Reuters) - Swedish electric carmaker Polestar said on Wednesday it has partnered with suppliers including Germany's ZF Friedrichshafen and Swedish steelmaker SSAB to speed up the development of a car entirely free of carbon emissions.

The carmaker said it has signed letters of intent to work with Norwegian aluminium maker Norsk Hydro, Swedish airbag and seatbelt maker Autoliv, LG Corp lighting and electronics unit ZKW Group, ZF and SSAB to eliminate carbon emissions in different areas of its electric vehicles (EVs).

The auto industry is under pressure to go electric in Europe and China, while wrestling with the problem that it takes more carbon emissions to produce an EV than a fossil-fuel car, notably because of the large batteries.

Unlike most carmakers, Polestar has published assessments of the carbon footprints of its EVs over their entire lifecycle.

"It was clear from the start that this is not a solo-mission and we are very excited to present such a strong line-up of interested partners," Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in a statement.

Polestar is due to go public by merging with a U.S.-listed blank-check firm Gores Guggenheim, which is backed by billionaire Alec Gores and investment bank Guggenheim Partners, in a deal that will value it at $20 billion.

The electric carmaker was founded in 2017 by Volvo Car Group and China's Zhejiang Geely Holding.

SSAB will work with Polestar on a fossil-free steel, and Hydro will work on zero-carbon aluminium, while the others will focus on reducing emissions in the production of parts and components.

(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Will Dunham)
The Canada-United States border crossing in Lansdowne.

(Reuters) - The United States Trade Representative's (USTR) office said on Tuesday it opposed Canada's plan to enact a digital services tax (DST) and urged Canada to abandon plans for such a step.

"The United States urges Canada to abandon any plans for a unilateral measure and instead redouble its commitment to the rapid implementation of Pillar One of the October 8 OECD/G20 agreement and the negotiation of a multilateral convention", the USTR office said in a statement.

The USTR also raised concerns about measures that it said singled out American firms for taxation while excluding national firms engaged in similar lines of business.

"Should Canada adopt a DST, USTR would examine all options, including under our trade agreements and domestic statutes", the USTR statement added.

The Canadian government said it had proposed the DST to protect Canadian interests and it remained in close contact with the United States over the issue.

"It is our sincere hope that the timely implementation of the new international system will make this Digital Services Tax unnecessary", a representative from the office of Canada's deputy prime minister said.

The United States in October withdrew its threat of tariffs against five European countries over their digital services taxes as part of a deal to manage the transition to a new global tax regime for large highly profitable corporations such as Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook. But it remains at odds with Canada over the issue.

Last month, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jayme White expressed Washington's concern about Canada's proposed digital services tax in talks with Canada's deputy trade minister, David Morrison.

Canada unveiled the proposed measure in April, saying it would stay in place until major nations come up with a coordinated approach on taxing the big digital companies.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has since agreed on a common approach to ensure such companies pay their share of taxes, but a treaty to enforce this has yet to be implemented.
A former college cheerleader and criminal justice major was convicted Tuesday of the murder of three prostitutes more than 15 years ago.

Robert Hayes, 39, was found guilty of all three counts of first-degree premeditated murder of Laquetta Gunther, Julie Green and Iwana Patton, all of whom were killed in 2005 and 2006 during his senior year at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The first victim, 45-year-old Laquetta Gunther, was found naked and shot in the back of the head on Christmas Day 2005. The second, 35-year-old Julie Green, was also naked and shot in the back of the head, discovered on Jan. 14, 2006. The third, 35-year-old Iwana Patton, was shot in the face. Her naked body was found on Feb. 24, 2006.

Robert Hayes





Robert Hayes

Hayes was originally questioned about the string of murders at the time as investigators interviewed everyone who had purchased a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson VE pistol in the area, but no charges were ever filed, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

He was finally arrested in 2019 after his DNA matched that found on a fourth woman, 32-year-old Rachel Bey, who was found strangled to death on March 7, 2016. That was enough for investigators to reopen the three earlier cases and charge Hayes for those as well.

Hayes told police that he never had sex with prostitutes without a condom and had not done so before 2012, but DNA matching his was found on both Gunther and Patton.

Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty for Hayes.
The lone Kentucky officer charged criminally in the botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor went on trial Wednesday for shooting bullets that hit Taylors neighbors apartment.

Former cop Brett Hankison fired 10 shots in the chaotic moments after he and two other Louisville officers burst into Taylors home at 12:40 a.m. on March 13, 2020. His rounds didnt hit Taylor or her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, but struck the flat next door, endangering the couple and child who lived there, prosecutors said. Hes charged with three counts of felony wanton endangerment.

Hankison and Officers Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove were at executing a warrant at Taylors apartment, one of five locations linked to Taylors ex-boyfriend, a convicted felon suspected of supplying a local drug house.

There was no evidence of drugs in Taylors apartment, and her former flame wasnt living there anymore.

When the cops barged in, they woke a sleeping Taylor and Walker, who fired a shot with his legal firearm, because he said he thought the police were intruders.

The officers returned fire, striking Taylor, 26, six times. The emergency room technician died at the scene.

Breonna Taylor was shot to death nearly two years ago.





Breonna Taylor was shot to death nearly two years ago.

Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley said Hankinsons bullets ripped through the wall of Taylors apartment and into the neighboring unit.

The man who lived in that next door apartment, Cody Etherton, was the first witness to take the stand on Wednesday.

He recalled how he and his pregnant wife, Chelsey Napper, were awaken by the cops busting down Taylors door. Worried about his family, Etherton sprang out of bed to investigate and said he was nearly struck by police gunfire.

One or two more inches and I would have been shot, he said. I would have never got to meet my son.

State prosecutors presented evidence of gunfire damage in Ethertons apartment.

I pretty much knew it was gunfire going through the wall. I do remodeling for a living, so when drywall started hitting my face, I pretty much knew. I hit the floor and went back into the bedroom, Etherton testified. I dont even remember how many shots I heard because it was so chaotic.

Brett Hankison is the only cop charged.





Brett Hankison is the only cop charged.

Hankisons defense attorney said his clients actions were justified, adding that he had to make a split-second decision.

Walkers gunfire triggered Hankisons instincts, his lawyer, Stewart Mathews said.

Hankison was attempting to defend and save the lives of his fellow officers who he thought were still caught in that fatal funnel inside that doorway, Mathews said, as he was taught to do  he was taught to shoot until the threat is stopped.

Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison prepares to leave the courtroom during a recess Wednesday in Louisville, Ky.





Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison prepares to leave the courtroom during a recess Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. (Timothy D. Easley/)

Officers Mattingly and Cosgrove have not been charged criminally in connection with the raid. They were not indicted because they were acting in self-defense, in response to Walkers first shot, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said.

Louisville Det. Mike Nobles testified Wednesday that cops spent two to three minutes knocking and announcing themselves, drawing attention from an upstairs neighbor. Nobles said he heard someone say who is it? from inside Taylors apartment.

Police - search warrant! Nobles said they announced, and hearing no reply, he used a battering ram to break open the door on the third blow.

Thats when Walker opened fire, striking Mattingly, Nobles testified.

Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker.





Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker.

In June 2020, the Louisville Metro City Council passed Breonnas Law, prohibiting the warrants like the one issued ahead of Taylors death.

The Kentucky State Legislature also placed restrictions on no-knock warrants in April 2021, but stopped short of outlawing them.

The city of Louisville settled a lawsuit with Taylors family for $12 million.

Hankison has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He faces a one- to five-year prison term for each count, if convicted.

With News Wire Services
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has hit out at the UK Government legacy plans, calling them a radical departure from the approach agreed between the two countries.

The Irish Government has repeatedly made clear its opposition to a proposed amnesty for Troubles offences.

The UK Government wants to bring in a statute of limitations on future prosecutions of military veterans and ex-paramilitaries for Troubles incidents predating April 1998.

However, these plans have faced delays, as well as strident opposition from victims families and all the political parties in Northern Ireland.

Politicians from all parties in the Republic of Ireland took the opportunity to condemn the UK Government proposals in the Irish Parliament on Wednesday.

The debate came after a police watchdog investigation into a series of loyalist murders.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson found the RUC had been engaged in collusive behaviours with loyalist killers in relation to the series of murders in the 1990s.

Mr Coveney said the investigation had shone an absolutely necessary light on aspects of the conflict in Northern Ireland that deserve serious consideration in this house.

He told the Dail that a one-side approach has never worked in Northern Ireland.

He said the UK and Irish governments must work together with parties in Northern Ireland to tackle the complex and sensitive issue.

This is why the Stormont House Agreement, agreed in 2014, after a long and difficult period of negotiation, was a pivotal moment in the peace process on this island, Mr Coveney told the Dail.

He said the UK approach is essentially a proposal for an unconditional amnesty for those not yet convicted.

He added: British Government proposals have caused deep upset and concern to victims and survivors, who were understandably shocked by the idea that the avenue to justice open to all other victims of crime, but now somehow be closed off to them forever by law.

He said the proposals have also caused grave concern to international human rights bodies.

Mr Coveney said: They are without international precedent.

We cannot countenance a situation in which families do not have access to a process of basic justice or where families would be left to once again fight through the courts for years to come to actually to challenge a Government-imposed process.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald urged the Irish Government to do more (Brian Lawless/PA)

We will continue to caution the British Government strongly against unilaterally legislating on these issues.

Weve also remained open and ready to engage seriously with them and others to find a way forward.

Unilateral action here cannot work. It never works, in truth, when it comes to Northern Ireland.

Mr Coveney said he has met families who have also urged the Irish Government to do more to deliver justice for the victims of crimes that had a cross-border element.

It is essential that we recognise and respond to that challenge, he said.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dail: The series of reports published by the police ombudsman illuminate in horrific detail what has been known for decades.

She also attacked the UK legacy plans.

Boris Johnson and his Government cannot ignore their responsibilities, she said.

They cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over the opportunity of all our communities to see that future made real. Weve seen that happen far too many times.

And so it is now the responsibility of the Irish Government to make sure that the British Government understands this and understands that this will not happen again.

Concluding the debate, Mr Coveney stressed the importance of peace in Northern Ireland.

There are young people in Derry, Belfast and Fermanagh who have not known the lived experience of conflict, he said.

He said that when he meets victims, survivors and community groups, they give him a clear message: Until the legacy of the past can be addressed, society will continue to carry the burden of the past into the future.

Mr Coveney said that wounds will not heal by simply deciding it is time to move on.

If an amnesty was introduced, he predicted extended years of hardship, legal challenge and pain for many years.
FILE - A Border Patrol agent fills out paperwork for migrants who surrendered in Yuma, Ariz., Feb. 5, 2022, after crossing the border illegally from Los Algodones, Mexico. Chris Magnus has many challenges to overcome in his new role as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In an interview on Feb. 8, with The Associated Press, Magnus acknowledged morale problems within the nation's largest law enforcement agency but offered no quick answers to the heavy migration flow to the U.S., which attracts more asylum seekers than any other country. (AP Photo/Elliot Spagat, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

PHOENIX (AP)  Customs and Border Protection officials say a migrant who died of gunshot wounds after a weekend encounter with a Border Patrol agent was shot while being detained following an escape attempt.

A CBP statement released Wednesday said the shooting occurred after two agents from a horse patrol unit responded around 9 p.m. Saturday to reports of migrants detected in a remote, mountainous area about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Douglas, Arizona. It was the agency's most detailed account of what happened.

The fatal shooting comes a month after new CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus was sworn in after a term as police chief in Tucson, where he overhauled the department's use-of-force policy and pushed for more accountability. Use-of-force issues are among many challenges Magnus faces in his new role.

The CBP said the shooting in the area known as Skeleton Canyon came after the agents apprehended three migrants in the U.S. illegally and spotted a fourth trying to get away.

One agent followed that person downhill into the canyon, and while taking him into custody discharged his firearm fatally wounding the migrant." That agent has not been identified.

The agents at the scene called for backup, and another two migrants from the same group were found and detained.

Ricardo Pineda, Mexico's consulate in Douglas, confirmed Wednesday it has contacted the family of the deceased, a Mexican citizen, and will help as needed. He said authorities have been asked to conduct an investigation that strictly follows the law.

This is very worrisome for us, said Pineda. We are expecting a very thorough investigation on this.

The Pima County Medical Examiner said an autopsy determined the migrant died from multiple gunshot wounds. It said it would have no more information until the final examination report is released.

The CBP said the shooting is under investigation by the Cochise County Sheriffs Department and the Pima County Medical Examiners Office and under review by the CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility.

At the conclusion of a thorough review, this incident will be reviewed by CBPs National Use of Force Review Board.

Agents have been involved in an increasing number of use-of-force incidents in recent years. During Donald Trumps final 28 months in office, CBP recorded a monthly average of 50 use-of-force incidents. Under President Joe Biden, incidents increased by 20% to a monthly average of 70.

There also have been more fatalities involving Border Patrol agents, though the number of encounters with migrants has surged at an even higher rate.

Nearly 60 Border Patrol encounters resulted in deaths in 2021, three times as many as in 2019 and four times as many as the decades yearly average.
Ahmaud Arbery Day has been officially recognized in Georgia on the second anniversary of his death, just one day after his killers were found guilty on all counts in the federal hate crime case surrounding Arbery's death.

The Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution on Feb. 2 to permanently declare Feb. 23 as Ahmaud Arbery Day. Several events have been planned throughout the city by friends, family and local leaders to honor his memory.

The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation, a mental wellness organization focused on Black men that was founded by Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, will hold a private event at the National Center of Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, at 10:30 a.m. where the organization will announce plans to foster "positivity" in light of the tragic killing.

PHOTO: In this Nov. 18, 2021, file photo, demonstrators march near the Glynn County Courthouse after the adjournment of daily court proceedings in the trial for the killers of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Ga. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images, FILE)

In the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, where Arbery was killed, a ceremony is planned near the site of his death at 1 p.m., where religious leaders and family will honor his memory and release doves.

A candlelight march is also planned for later that afternoon at 5 p.m. at the Brunswick Ahmaud Arbery mural.

A prayer vigil will be held in Marietta by the Cobb Countys District Attorney's office at 2 p.m. on Marietta Square.

PHOTO: A headstone shows Ahmaud Arbery's name in the Say Their Names Cemetery at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Feb.22, 2022. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)

The memorials follow celebrations of justice outside of the federal courthouse in Brunswick, after the guilty hate crime verdict was read against Arbery's three killers.

"We got justice for Ahmaud in the federal and the state," Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, said following the jury's announcement.

Gregory McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael, and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan were guilty of being motivated by racial hate, interfering with Arbery's civil rights and attempted kidnapping in Arbery's death.

PHOTO: The family and attorneys of the Ahmaud Aubery raise their arms in victory after all three men were found guilty of hates crimes at the federal courthouse in Brunswick, Ga., Feb. 22, 2022. (Lewis M. Levine/AP)

Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was chased down and shot to death by the three men while he was out for a Sunday jog on Feb. 23, 2020, in Brunswick.. All three men have also been convicted in connection with his murder.

Travis McMichael, who delivered the fatal shot, and Gregory McMichael were sentenced to life without possible parole. Bryan, 53, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.

Ahmaud Arbery Day officially recognized on 2nd anniversary of his death originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A man places heroin into a cooker at an overdose prevention center in New York. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Kristina Peterson anxiously tapped the heels of her boots on the tile floor inside the brightly lit lobby. Moments earlier, she had given her date of birth to an intake coordinator and answered an inquiry about the drug she planned to use.

Heroin, she said, referring tothe tiny glassine envelope stamped "Off White" tucked inside her black purse.

For much of the last decade, Peterson has been hooked on heroin, her addiction becoming increasingly severe and public. Occasionally, she has shot up in quiet corners of subway stations as she waited for the E train back to the apartment where she lived in Queens. She sought to battle her addiction by taking methadone, but soon relapsed and was rushed to an emergency room after she overdosed in a park a few blocks from an elementary school.

This is nothing Im proud of, she said on a recent afternoon while sitting inside an overdose prevention center, one of two in New York City that are the first authorized by a local government in the U.S. But "if Im getting high, I want to do it here.

Last year, a record 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the grim milestone stemmed from the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic and an increasingly dangerous drug supply. In reaction, some elected officials and activists have ramped up efforts to open centers where drug users can be monitored as they shoot up and immediately receive treatment if they begin to overdose.

The pair of sites in New York City, privately funded and run by a nonprofit called OnPoint NYC, have been supported by former Mayor Bill de Blasio and his successor, Eric Adams, and are similar to centers long open in Canada, Europe and Australia.

Although they remain illegal under federal law, in recent days the U.S. Department of Justice has hinted that it intends to green light such sites  a drastic pivot from the Trump administrations stance.

Clean syringes, cookers and sanitary wipes at the OnPoint NYC overdose prevention center. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

In the final days of the Trump administration, federal prosecutors prevailed in preventing a similar site in Philadelphia when a court ruled it would violate a 1980s-era law written to target drug use at crack houses. Last fall, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case.

The concept of supervised injection centers has been discussed for years by activists who work in harm reduction in New York, San Francisco and several other major U.S. cities.

In California, the idea was struck down in 2018 by Gov. Jerry Brown, who vetoed a measure to try out such sites in San Francisco, saying that enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work. Lawmakers in Sacramento this year are pushing to allow several Bay Area cities and the city and county of Los Angeles to approve entities to run such programs.

Though a few unauthorized facilities have operated under the radar, at least for short stints, in recent years the two centers here in New York are the first to be officially backed by city officials.

Besides the mayor, four of New York City's five district attorneys support supervised drug sites.

Since OnPoint NYC's headquarters opened in November on a quiet block in East Harlem, hundreds of drug users have begun to arrive daily to the four-story brick building. After offering details about what drug they plan to use, participants are provided with clean syringes, pipes or sterile cookers  tiny tea candle-like holders  to heat heroin.

Meanwhile, harm reduction counselors and fellow drug users keep an eye on one another, checking for dilated pupils or labored breathing.

When users begin to overdose, the harm reduction team is trained to treat them with naloxone, a drug sold under the name Narcan, which rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

A sign supporting clean needles at the offices of OnPoint NYC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

To date, OnPoint NYCs two overdose prevention centers  the second of which is located in Washington Heights  have served 678 people and intervened in 134 overdoses, according to the New York City Department of Health.

The simple truth is that overdose prevention centers save lives  the lives of our neighbors, family and loved ones," said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi in a statement.

Detractors argue that government entities and even private groups should be barred from taking any step that could enable dangerous, illegal behavior.

But thats been the status quo for years, said Sam Rivera, executive director of OnPoint NYC, and tens of thousands of Americans die every year, many of them from overdoses or infections that spread through sharing or reusing dirty needles.

Sam Rivera, executive director of OnPoint NYC, in his office in East Harlem. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

We are addressing a crisis, Rivera said. We must be proactive and meet those struggling with addiction where they are.

Riveras group also provides medical and mental health care services to drug users in the New York area. In recent months, health officials from Los Angeles and San Francisco have visited to tour the facilities, Rivera said, adding that hes hopeful that similar centers will eventually open in California and elsewhere.

There must be a strong, comprehensive effort to combat overdose deaths, he said.

The 59-year-old, who grew up on the Lower East Side and has worked in harm reduction for 30 years, said he has had several friends and family members battle drug addiction. Growing up, Rivera said, he recalls walking into his cousins apartment bathroom and finding him slumped with a needle in his arm.

Its a sight I can never unsee, Rivera said. This is an issue a lot of families are dealing with.

Moreover, the drug supply has become exponentially more dangerous since then, Rivera said, as heroin is now cut with fentanyl, which can prove fatal even in infinitesimal doses.

In 2020, nearly 2,000 people died of a drug overdose in New York City, the highest number since reporting began in 2000. Last year, actor Michael K. Williams of "The Wire" fame died inside his Brooklyn apartment from an overdose of heroin laced with fentanyl. Recently, four men were charged in connection with his death.

Kailin See, senior director at OnPoint NYC. "There should be no judgment, just the realization that lives are being saved," she said. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Kailin See, who works alongside Rivera, helped open some of the first supervised injection centers in North America, in Vancouver, Canada. She battled addiction and has worked in harm reduction for years.

These are more than numbers, she said, tearing up. These are human souls, these are lives who have been given another chance ... another day to live. There should be no judgment, just the realization that lives are being saved.

Not everyone agrees.

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York City Republican, has urged the federal Justice Department to shut down the newly opened centers.

Crime and fentanyl use are at record highs, she said in a statement when the sites opened. These centers not only encourage drug use, but they will further deteriorate our quality of life.

Other critics have noted that both centers are located in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, the same places where people have long been prosecuted at disproportionately high rates for drug possession or use. They argue that increased drug use is being encouraged in these neighborhoods, possibly leading to spikes in violence, and not in other parts of the city.

Backers of the centers, including Rivera, noted that a systematic review of overdose prevention sites concentrated in Vancouver found that while overdose deaths went down there was no evidence of an increase in crime in the surrounding and nearby neighborhoods.

::

Petersons addiction traces back to a Vicodin prescription she got in 2008 to cope with excruciating pain from scoliosis.

Sadly, I got hooked, said Peterson, 39, who is from upstate New York. I never wanted this.

For several years, she shot up three times a day. Then she met her eventual husband, Ed, who also was addicted. They sought out methadone treatment together and eventually got clean.

Peterson said she bounced between waitressing jobs at restaurants in Manhattan and Queens. Slowly, I was getting things together, she said.

But in recent years, they both relapsed, the ills of addiction too much for them to overcome, she said. Fearful that they would die if they overdosed alone, the couple decided to only use together. Since 2019, she has overdosed three times. Once, Ed saved her life by administering Narcan that a fellow user had on hand.

Peterson currently uses methadone but also injects heroin once or twice a week. She's sought counseling and has, at times, gone several weeks without using. Still, addiction pulls her back into its grasp. After hearing about the overdose prevention center from other users, she tries to come whenever she feels the need to shoot up.

None of us wants to be here, she said. But since we are addicted and using, its best to be safe.

The center has stalls where people can get high. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

On a recent afternoon, the roar of the Harlem Metro-North Railroad station could be heard from inside the lobby as Peterson entered the supervised injection room. It has eight stalls that look like computer terminals in a library. The stalls, sterilized between each use, are situated near a table with clean syringes, cookers, fentanyl test strips and tourniquets.

As she walked into the room, Peterson spotted a familiar face and smiled.

Hey, Rayce, my angel, great to see you, she said.

Rayce Samuelson, a recent college graduate who grew up in Los Angeles, lost a friend to an overdose a few years ago. Its what led the 23-year-old to a career in harm reduction. Since starting at the center, hes helped reverse dozens of overdoses, he said.

Great to see you, he told Peterson. Anything I can help with?

I need a lighter.

I got you, he replied, handing her one.

Peterson pulled out the small envelope from her purse. The "Off White" stamp signified one of many names sellers use to differentiate batches of the drug.

Peterson took off her heavy winter jacket and rolled up her right sleeve and began scanning her arm for a vein. She spread the white substance onto the counter and slowly placed it into the cooker. She hovered the lighter underneath until it began to bubble. She had a clinically focused expression on her face  these days, Peterson said, she was primarily using only to escape from the sickness of withdrawals methadone doesn't completely ease.

Im trying to keep my life together as much as possible, she said.

There were four other users in the room, and Samuelson paced slowly from stall to stall, scanning for warning signs. In that moment, they all looked safe.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
An explosion at a gold mine in Burkina Faso killed 59 people and injured more than 100 others Monday.

The explosion, near Gbomblora, about 240 miles southwest of the capital of Ouagadougou, is believed to have been caused by chemicals used in the mining and treating process that were stored in large quantities at the mine. The first blast occurred around 2 p.m. but several other blasts followed as workers tried to flee the scene.

A power plant supplying the Canadian mining company Iamgold's Essakane gold mine on its inauguration on March 16, 2018 near Dori in northern Burkina Faso.





A power plant supplying the Canadian mining company Iamgold's Essakane gold mine on its inauguration on March 16, 2018 near Dori in northern Burkina Faso. (AHMED OUOBA/)

I saw bodies everywhere. It was horrible, Sansan Kambou, a forest ranger who was at the site during the explosion, told The Associated Press by phone.

Burkina Faso is the fifth-largest gold producer in Africa, with about $2 billion dug up in 2019. About 1.5 million people, 7% of the population, work in gold production in the country.

However, gold from smaller mines, like the one in Mondays incident, is often smuggled across the border into neighbors Togo, Benin, Niger and Ghana and has been linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

Gold mining in many African nations is lightly regulated and routinely dangerous.

In December 2021, at least 38 workers were killed when a mine collapsed in Sudan.

With News Wire Services
Federal prosecutors are asking that the the Jan. 6 defendant whose sense of entitlement and privilege led to his entering the Capitol and taking possession of House Speaker Nancy Pelosis lectern serve 90 days in prison for his alleged crime.

According to a 27-page sentencing memo filed by the U.S. Attorneys Office in a Washington D.C. District court, Adam Johnson hasnt had a job in nearly 12 years because his wife, whos a doctor, is the family breadwinner. He stays at home with his five school-aged boys, the court was told. Feds are also asking that Johnson is sentenced to 60 hours community service.

Adam Johnson carries the lectern of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi through the Roturnda of the U.S. Capitol Building after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC.





Adam Johnson carries the lectern of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi through the Roturnda of the U.S. Capitol Building after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/)

Johnson is also accused of boasting to friends and family that he was finally famous after photos went viral showing him and other Donald Trump loyalists sacking the U.S. Capitol after being falsely told by the former president that the election he lost had somehow been rigged by someone or something.

The defendant, Adam Johnson, traveled to Washington, D.C. from Florida and participated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol  a violent attack that forced an interruption of the certification of the 2020 Electoral College vote count, threatened the peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election, injured more than one hundred law enforcement officers, and resulted in more than $1 million in property damage, reads one complaint against the 37-year-old Florida man.

This photo made available on Jan. 8, 2020 by the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office shows Adam Johnson of Parrish, Fla.





This photo made available on Jan. 8, 2020 by the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office shows Adam Johnson of Parrish, Fla.

'Affluenza teen arrested after another probation violation

Prosecutors list multiple reasons they feel Jackson should be locked up, including the fact he ran toward the Capitol once he heard it had been breached, tried opening a door he thought was Pelosis office, temporarily stole and carried the Speakers podium to the Rotunda for a photo op, made-up part of a mob that overwhelmed police, then deleted electronic evidence documenting his alleged actions.

While he is not accused of committing acts of violence, prosecutors note that Johnson spent 35 minutes in the nations capitol, where Trump loyalists wreaked havoc for nearly five hours. He appeared defiant and righteous, feds claim.

They also argue that Johnsons favorable financial situation allowed him to hire a pair of prominent attorneys, which indicates he should be able to pay a substantial fine. His family is said to be worth $475,000 including $16,000 in cryptocurrency. Prosecutors say that should make professional child care an option if Johnson is incarcerated.

The gravity of these offenses demands deterrence, prosecutors added. This was not a protest.

NBC News reports that Johnsons legal team said their client deeply regrets what he did and asked the court to consider the significant and negative impact that incarceration would have on his sons.

Johnson traveled to D.C. with a friend to participate in the events of Jan. 6, prosecutors said. After listening to speeches by Trump acolytes including mayor Rudy Giuliani, who called for Trial by combat, he ascended Capitol Hill and joined in the attack against Congress. In November, Johnson pleaded guilty to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, for which the maximum sentence is a year in prison.

Capitol-stormer Jenna Ryan freed from prison

A sense of privilege certainly seemed to be on display in the case of Jenna Ryan, who was released from a prison camp last week after serving 60 days for her role in storming the Capitol. Before her sentencing, Ryan tweeted Definitely not going to jail. Sorry I have blonde hair white skin a great job a great future and Im not going to jail. Sorry to rain on your hater parade. I did nothing wrong.

The Texas realtor, who traveled to Washington D.C. by private plane to attend the Jan. 6 Trump rally, tweeted that she had been deprived of basic human needs while incarcerated. That included having no access to a phone or recreation. Ryan also claimed shes working on a show about prison torture.

When Qanon Shaman Jacob Chansley was arrested in connection with entering the Capitol during the insurrection, his mom, with whom he lives in Arizona, worried he might not be able to get organic food in prison. A judge ruled in January 2021 that the 34-year-old mans dietary needs would me met.

QAnon Shaman attorney: These are people with brain damage

Video of a woman identifying herself as Elizabeth from Knoxville, Tenn., went viral after Jan. 6 on account of her apparent shock at being by rebuked by law enforcement officers.

I made it like a foot inside and they pushed me out, and they maced me! she whined.

When asked why she was trying to enter the Capitol, Elizabeth answered incredulously Were storming the Capitol. Its a revolution.
Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera vouched for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after his Fox News colleague Tucker Carlson called the left-wing politico an entitled rich white lady on Friday.

To be clear Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a proud woman of color, Rivera tweeted Tuesday. To claim otherwise is mere provocation.

Carlson claimed otherwise on an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight during a rant about a book on the liberal lawmaker he felt was too flattering.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a rally for Democratic Congressional candidates Jessica Cisneros and Greg Casar, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in San Antonio.





U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a rally for Democratic Congressional candidates Jessica Cisneros and Greg Casar, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay/)

There is no place on Earth, outside of American colleges and newsrooms, where Sandy Cortez would be recognized as a woman of color, because shes not, he falsely claimed. Shes a rich, entitled white lady. Shes the pampered, obnoxious ski bunny in the matching snowsuit who tells you to pull up your mask while youre standing in the lift line at Jackson Hole. Theyre all the same.

Kyle Rittenhouse tells Tucker Carlson hes launched Media Accountability Project

According to her congressional biography page, Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx to a dad who is a second-generation Bronxite and a mom who is from Puerto Rico. Her parents met in Puerto Rico, according to the 32-year-old progressive, who said her mom learned English after moving to New York City.

AOC addressed Carlsons remarks on Twitter, using a bit of Spanish.

This is the type of stuff you say when your name starts with a P and ends with dejo https://t.co/92chHFQUN7  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 19, 2022

This is the type of stuff you say when your name starts with a P and ends with dejo, she tweeted.

She was referring to the Spanish word pendejo, which essential translates to a--hole or idiot, according to Dictionary.com. She also called the right-wing conspiracy pundit trash in Spanish and a creep in English.

Feds want prison for privileged Jan. 6 defendant who took Nancy Pelosis lectern

Rivera, who frequently bickers with his Fox News colleagues, was born in New York City to a Puerto Rican father and a Russian Jewish mother.

Ocasio-Cortez told attendees at a 2018 Hanukkah event that her family had been tracing its roots in recent years and learned that many generations ago her family tree included Sephardic Jews. That Jewish group, which numbered around 300,000 according to Haaretz, fled Spain in the 15th century.

Carlson is well-known for espousing rhetoric thats highly offensive to minority groups.
Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer kicked off his reelection campaign on Jan. 26. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer is losing political support and facing calls to resign after racist comments he made while discussing the case of a Black murder defendant came to light last week.

With a primary election against two former prosecutors set for June, it is unclear how much the comments will ultimately hurt Spitzer, especially in Orange County, where tough-on-crime candidates are typically popular.

But the fallout from the comments has put Spitzer on the defensive, with fellow district attorneys dropping their endorsements and a civil rights leader saying Spitzer's views smacked of the Jim Crow South.

"This could be a turning point in a much bigger story, or a flashpoint that gets a lot of attention and then is forgotten long before the ballots are counted. It remains to be seen which this is," said Jodi Balma, a political science professor at Fullerton College. "History is littered with premature political obituaries, and I dont think anyone should be writing one for Spitzer."

Spitzer made the comments on Oct. 1 at a meeting with top prosecutors about whether to pursue the death penalty against the Black defendant, Jamon Buggs.

Spitzer said Black men dated white women to "get themselves out of their bad circumstances and bad situations," according to a memo by then-prosecutor Ebrahim Baytieh, who was fired by Spitzer this month.

Spitzer told The Times that Baytieh misquoted him, and he actually described Black men's motivation in dating white women as improving "their stature in the community."

Spitzer apologized on Monday, saying that he "used an example that was insensitive."

"I am not perfect, but an inartful comment during an hours-long debate in a double murder case is not reflective of my core beliefs or the years I have spent fighting to make our society more equitable and our communities safe for everyone," Spitzer said in a statement.

Last week, after The Times and other publications detailed Spitzer's comments, Riverside County Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin took back his endorsement, describing the comments as "shocking, disappointing and in the end inexcusable."

The district attorneys of San Diego and Alameda counties also rescinded their endorsements of Spitzer.

One of Spitzer's opponents, Pete Hardin, called for him to resign.

On Tuesday, a dozen activists gathered outside Spitzer's office in Santa Ana, waving signs that read "#NoRacismInOC" and chanting, "Hey hey, ho ho, Todd Spitzer has got to go."

Darlene Futrel, president of the Orange County chapter of the National Action Network, said Spitzer's comments destroyed the credibility of law enforcement in the eyes of people of color.

"Although Spitzer denies that he is a racist and that his remarks were racist, there's a passage in a famous book that says you'll know a tree by the fruit it bears," Futrel said, paraphrasing a Bible verse.

Rick Callender, president of the California and Hawaii State Conference NAACP, called Spitzer's views "Klan like" and said he should resign immediately.

"The disgusting and atrociously racist beliefs of D.A. Spitzer disqualifies him from being an elected official at any level," Callender wrote in a statement. "No member of modern civilized society would support or even condone these kind of Jim Crow views and statements."

Some Spitzer supporters have defended him, arguing that race is being used unfairly as a political weapon.

"The fact is Todd has been a great district attorney, not only for the Black community but all people of color and Orange County residents in general," said Bobby McDonald, president of the Black Chamber of Orange County.

Experts say that while the loss of endorsements is unusual in a race for district attorney, many voters may not care much, especially when it comes to a candidate like Spitzer with widespread name recognition.

Spitzer, a Republican who served as a prosecutor in the district attorney's office, has a political career spanning three decades in Orange County, serving on a school board, the county Board of Supervisors and in the state Assembly, all without losing an election.

In 2018, he won the district attorney job over incumbent Tony Rackauckas, in large part because of a scandal over the use of jailhouse informants.

On Tuesday, Tracy Miller, a former top prosecutor in Spitzer's office, filed a lawsuit against the county in which she alleges that Spitzer made "non race neutral statements."

In June 2020, according to Miller's lawsuit, Spitzer allegedly suggested that a prosecutor be assigned to a case because she was Black.

Spitzer also allegedly said that he needed "a brown or a black face" to accompany him to an NAACP event, according to the lawsuit.

Buggs is charged with fatally shooting Darren Partch inside a Newport Beach apartment, along with Partchs friend, Wendi Miller, in April 2019.

Prosecutors believe Buggs' motive was jealousy over an ex-girlfriend, who is white.

During the Oct. 1 meeting about whether to pursue the death penalty, prosecutors discussed prior allegations of domestic violence against Buggs.

Spitzer asked about the race of Buggs previous girlfriends, then made the comments about why Black men date white women, even after Baytieh cautioned that the topic was irrelevant and inappropriate, according to Baytieh's memo, dated Dec. 3.

Spitzer fired Baytieh, who was once a close advisor, citing an investigation into whether Baytieh withheld evidence from defense attorneys in a different murder case.

The following week, Baytieh's memos describing Spitzer's comments were leaked to the media. Baytieh is running to be an Orange County Superior Court judge.

Spitzer said in an interview last week that he asked the questions at the October meeting to address the possible issue of cross racial identification  how well Buggs, as a Black man, could identify a white woman like Miller.

Baytieh argued in a Dec. 22 memo that Spitzer's comments should be disclosed to defense attorneys because of a state law prohibiting the use of race in seeking a conviction or imposing a sentence.

On Jan. 26, Spitzer announced that he was reassigning the Buggs case to a new prosecutor and supervisor. He also walled off the new prosecution team from the old team.

The next day, the new prosecutor submitted a court filing indicating that his office was not pursuing the death penalty against Buggs.

Newport Beach Police Acting Lt. Court Depweg wrote in a letter filed in court this month that he had warned the head of Spitzer's homicide division that "it was disappointing that he and so many of his colleagues would try and cover this matter up, as we all know the cover-up is always worse than the crime."

Prosecutors did not tell Partch's mother, Brenda Partch, about dropping the death penalty, despite a victims' rights law requiring that families be informed of crucial decisions, said her attorney, Rick Welsh.

"It was stunning to her," Welsh said. "She is just so sad and angry. She feels as though this man who killed her son has won."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS (Reuters) - Opposition contenders in France's upcoming leadership election mocked President Emmanuel Macron's diplomatic efforts in the Ukraine crisis, accusing him of putting up a show for electoral gains.

However, they also found their own past comments and dealings with Russia coming under scrutiny.

Macron has led European efforts to avert war in Ukraine, flying to Moscow earlier this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and spending hours on the phone with him and other world leaders over the past weeks to mediate.

Reacting to black-and-white photos of a concerned-looking Macron sitting by a phone at his desk, posted by his official photographer on Instagram, far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused him of showboating.

"I have come across pictures of an unshaven Emmanuel Macron, head in hands. This is all very artistic, but it's not serious to use these subjects for PR," Le Pen told RTL radio.

Asked about the criticism, a government official said: "If they consider diplomacy to be just PR, then they're glossing over thousands of years of diplomacy."

Le Pen, whom Macron defeated with 66% of the votes in 2017, is a distant second in opinion polls behind the president for the first round but could qualify for the April 24 runoff which could be tighter than five years ago.

The latest Ifop opinion poll shows Macron ahead with 25% for the first round on April 10, with Le Pen and another far-right contender, Eric Zemmour, vying for second place with 16% each. Polls show Macron winning the runoff against all candidates.

Zemmour, a former TV commentator known for inflammatory nationalistic rhetoric, said Russia's decision to recognise two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent showed Macron was not respected by Putin.

However, it is not clear whether the criticism could hurt Macron, since the Ukraine crisis has also put his opponents on the backfoot, forcing the usually Russophile Le Pen and Zemmour to issue mild criticism of the Kremlin's moves.

"For now, Macron reigns as president, while the other contenders look like they are paddling in the children's pool," analysts at the Eurointelligence newsletter wrote.

"The candidates most supportive of Russia, Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, now have to justify their own stance."

Le Pen, who accepted a loan from a Russian bank in 2014 to fund her 2017 campaign during which she paid a visit to Putin, was forced to condemn Putin's latest move.

"It's obvious the escalation President Vladimir Putin decided is really regrettable. But it's not definitive," she told RTL radio on Tuesday.

And a September 2020 tweet by Zemmour in which he says he is in favour of a "Russian alliance" and that Moscow is "the most reliable ally, even more than the United States, Germany or Britain," was being ridiculed on social media.

In a statement on Monday, Zemmour said Russia's decision to recognise the two Donbass regions "violated Ukraine's sovereignty".

"Russia is responsible first and foremost for this situation, but it's also the result of the policy carried out by the West and NATO," he said.

(Writing and additional reporting by Michel Rose, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
While the U.N. Security Council was meeting to avert war, explosions thundered and flashed across Ukraine early Thursday as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to attack the country after weeks of failed diplomacy and a massive military buildup intended to recast the map of Eastern Europe.

The move was a stunning  if expected  play from a leader who for weeks has massed troops on Ukraines borders while brandishing threatening rhetoric and snubbing world leaders. The latest incursion shatters decades of relative peace in Europe and is certain to elicit a forceful response from the U.S. and NATO. Both Washington and its transatlantic allies have promised to impose even harsher sanctions than those enacted just days ago.

But Putin, who vowed to liberate and protect the Russia-backed separatist eastern region of Ukraine, was unbowed and belligerent, warning other countries to stay out of the conflict: Whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history.

President Biden swiftly condemned Russias attack and said he would meet with other world leaders on Thursday to discuss a response.

The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces, Biden said. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.

The Russian operation was a blatant affront to diplomacy and the United Nations Security Council, which was meeting at the urging of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop an invasion that increasingly appeared inevitable, with an estimated 190,000 Russian soldiers nearly encircling the former Soviet republic. Missiles struck military airfields and depots in cities across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, which was still recovering from a series of earlier cyberattacks on government ministries and banks.

Unfortunately, while weve been meeting in the Security Council tonight, it appears that President Putin has ordered that last step, said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. At the exact time as we are gathered in the council seeking peace, Putin delivered a message of war, in total disdain for the responsibility of this council.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba vowed his nation would defend itself. Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he tweeted. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression.

The attack rattled Europe and stirred memories not only of the Cold War but also of World War II. It symbolized Putins long mistrust of NATO and the West and his ambition to stitch back together remnants of the former Soviet Union. And it raised the specter of how the West  let alone Ukraine  would handle a possible humanitarian and refugee crisis while countering a powerful Russian army that possesses an arsenal of conventional hardware and nuclear weapons.

Putin had announced that the attack was intended to disarm Ukraine, not take it over. But what was unfolding through the early morning hours was a much larger operation. Traffic in Kyiv was clogged as many tried to flee; commercial airspace over Ukraine was shut down.

Zelensky, who hours earlier had pleaded with the Russian leader in a bid to prevent war, said in a video posted online that President Putin announced a special military operation in Donbas. Russia performed strikes on our military infrastructure and our border guard units. In many cities of Ukraine people heard the blasts.... Today we need each of you to stay calm. If you can, stay at home. We are working. The army is working. The whole security and defense sector of Ukraine is working.

The White House released a statement on a call between Biden and the Ukrainian leader: President Zelensky reached out to me tonight and we just finished speaking. I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. The statement added that Biden will meet Thursday with the leaders of the G-7, and the United States and our allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Earlier Wednesday the Biden administration stiffened economic sanctions targeting Moscow, and the Ukrainian president made a televised appeal for peace in a dramatic last-minute effort to avert war in Eastern Europe.

The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace, Zelensky said  in Russian  during an emotional overnight address. But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.

Ukraine  taunted for weeks by threats of an incursion  shifted to a war footing, summoning its reservists and declaring a state of national emergency amid reports throughout the day that Russian forces were tightening their grip on the borders.

The government called on its citizens to return from Russia, even as Russian diplomats lowered the flag on their embassy in Kyiv and abandoned their consulate in the coastal city of Odessa. Zelensky said he had tried to reach Putin to no avail.

In Shchastia, a Ukrainian town in Luhansk, one of the breakaway Russia-backed republics, the remaining 7,000 residents were forced to contend with power outages as artillery shells sliced through electrical lines and towers. A growing sense of fear set in as diplomacy appeared to vanish and social media videos flashed with Russian military equipment being shuttled on trains across the winter landscape. With no electricity to run pumps, pensioners and the young in Shchastia lined up to fill water canisters from a communal well with a hand pump.

Lines formed at the towns sole working ATM as well as a nearby pharmacy. In the background, the thump-thump of artillery and machine guns echoed across the countryside.

In Washington, Biden announced he would allow previously blocked sanctions to take effect against the company behind the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The U.S. will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate, he said in a statement.

The new sanctions, following the initial package announced Tuesday, came as Putin was escalating his invasion of Ukraine. The Russian leader on Monday formally recognized the independence of two separatist territories in eastern Ukraines Donbas region, Donetsk and Luhansk, and the upper house of Russias parliament on Tuesday approved the deployment of troops. U.S. officials warned Wednesday that a full-scale invasion was imminent.

Although U.S. officials were still confirming Russian troop movements, those forces were said to be as ready as they can be to launch a full invasion, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday. They are dang near 100%, said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details.

Leaders in the region were equally blunt. Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krisjanis Karins, during an interview with CNN, cited information that Putin is moving additional forces and tanks into the occupied Donbas territories.

In an earlier development, the Kremlin claimed Wednesday that separatists in the areas it recognized on Monday were calling for Russian help to defend against Ukrainian attack. Most journalists on the scene say the majority of attacks were coming from the Russian-occupied region against Ukraine, and there were suggestions this was the kind of false-flag scenario that U.S. officials have been predicting Moscow would launch as a pretext to invade.

The Biden administrations addition to its sanctions package came a day after Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, which controls the Nord Stream 2 pipeline built to transport natural gas from Russia directly to the country, announced he was halting certification of the project.

Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy, Biden said in the statement, which also thanked Scholz for his close partnership and continued dedication to holding Russia accountable for its actions.

It was more evidence of the coordination among allies as they shift from an assiduous effort to deter Putin to one aimed at containing his ongoing attack on Ukraine. And it follows the Biden administrations vow to impose additional measures against Moscow as the invasion proceeds.

The pipeline project has been especially problematic. Germany and other parts of Europe badly need the gas, but U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that becoming overly reliant on Russian fuel would allow Moscow to weaponize energy supplies.

Germanys decision on Tuesday to suspend the project showed self-sacrifice that U.S. officials appear eager to endorse, and mirrors Washingtons own willingness to absorb any effects on consumers from rising gas prices and the political price the administration could pay.

Until now, Biden had been resigned to the project  which was nearing completion when he took office. The White House, in fact, had issued a waiver to block the congressionally mandated sanctions it is now preparing to impose.

Republicans, many of whom have criticized Bidens first tranche of sanctions against Russia as too measured, have called for months for the administration to lift its waiver on the Nord Stream 2 sanctions, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blocking votes on the White Houses diplomatic nominees in protest.

Cruz was among the first to give rare praise to the administration Wednesday; he said he was lifting the holds on nominees and urged steps to lock in the sanctions as a permanent deterrent. President Biden made the right decision today, Cruz said in a statement. ...Our Ukrainian allies are on the front lines this very moment bravely facing down Russian forces.

Congress first approved in 2019 the sanctions against the projects parent company, also named Nord Stream 2, a Swiss firm whose parent is the Russian gas conglomerate Gazprom, and its chief executive, Matthias Warnig; a broader sanctions package followed in 2020. But the Biden administration blocked them, citing national security issues related to both Russia and Germany, a key ally.

The expanded reach of U.S. sanctions comes amid a wide global reproach of Russias actions. Nearly every major country  with the exception of China  condemned Putins claims on Ukraine and in many cases exacted their own sanctions.

Britain went after several Russian billionaires close to Putin, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government would expand financial sanctions to punish thugs and bullies.

Even Turkey, which, despite belonging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, has lately had good relations with Russia, said Putins new moves were unacceptable.

By contrast, China, one of Moscows staunchest allies, blamed the U.S. for stoking the threat of war and categorized sanctions as unlawful measures that punish ordinary Russians.

The presence of Russia and China as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council means any sort of action or resolution from the world body is next to impossible.

Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador, warned at the Security Council meeting late Wednesday that the world is in a perilous moment.... Russia has brought its people, the Ukrainian people and the world to the brink of a conflict that will produce an untold amount of human suffering.

Russia has been under some form of international sanctions since another invasion of Ukraine, its 2014 occupation and annexation of Crimea. Elite business and banking officials in the country have found numerous ways to inoculate themselves from the sting.

But sanctions imposed now, and new ones in the coming days, are qualitatively harsher than earlier measures, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

On Wednesday, Russian officials, who branded the U.S. actions as blackmail, again made it clear they would maneuver to soften the blow of sanctions  and retaliate. What form that retaliation would take was not specified, but it could include cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure and tinkering with energy markets. Already the fear of rising oil prices was roiling international markets.

Stokols and Wilkinson reported from Washington and Bulos from Shchastia. Times staff writers Anumita Kaur, Erin B. Logan and Nolan D. McCaskill in Washington and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON (AP)  With rare but fragile alignment, the U.S. Congress is largely backing President Joe Bidens decision to confront Russia with potentially escalating sanctions for the crisis in Ukraine as lawmakers brace for perhaps the most daunting foreign policy crisis the nation has faced in a generation.

But the next steps are highly volatile.

With isolationist impulses rising at home, Congress has no appetite for war. Yet Americans also appear ambivalent about the U.S. working to keep the peace. New polling from The Associated Press and NORC says just 26% of Americans want the U.S. to play a major role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Russia's aggression toward Ukraine is an attack on democracy, vowing that the U.S. will stand united with its allies around the world in swiftly imposing sanctions on Russia and ensuring financial and political support for an independent Ukraine.

Pelosi, who returned to the Capitol from a diplomatic overseas trip, situated the aggression from Russia toward Ukraine alongside intervention in the United States' own democratic process during the 2016 election.

There will be a price to pay for Vladimir Putin," she said, flanked by lawmakers who had joined her delegation at the annual security conference in Munich.

While Republican critics of the Biden administration  and even some Democrats  want the White House to go even tougher with swifter and more severe sanctions on Russia, most have given varying degrees of support for the White House strategy, including Bidens move Wednesday to sanction the company building the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, said sanctions on Nord Stream 2 are long overdue, but I cannot overstate how critical they are to showing Putin that violating a nations sovereignty has consequences.

Risch, who has worked with colleagues on a bipartisan basis for years trying to end the pipeline, said: It is good to see President Biden do the right thing.

Republican leaders have sought to steer the conversation to their preferred terms, as the party whose defense hawks once led the nation on the national security front. But it's not at all clear whether today's GOP can keep Republicans from tapping into an impassioned non-interventionist strain unleashed by Donald Trump's America First approach.

It was Trump who sought to strip protections for Ukraine from the Republican Party platform for the 2016 election, and who was impeached by the House for abuse of power after he pressured the Ukrainian president to dig up dirt on Biden ahead of the 2020 campaign.

This week, Trump cheered on Putin as he massed military forces near Ukraine's border and recognized the independence of its separatist regions in a move Biden and others warned was the start of an invasion of Ukraine. As president, Trump had been critical of NATO, working to distance the U.S. from the historic partnership and berating allies to contribute more money to defense.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime champion of NATO, spoke highly of the Western alliance this week, but some within his party are gravitating away from that traditional Republican position and toward Trump's views.

McConnell said he wants to see Biden impose the toughest possible sanctions.

Other Republicans, though, most notably Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, a potential Republican presidential hopeful, has said the U.S. should be paying closer attention to the greater challenges he believes are posed by China.

Still, most Republican senators are backing Biden's sanctions on Putin, even if some are clamoring for more and taking political punches at Biden for seeming too tepid.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a sometimes Trump ally who is also one of the party's leading defense hawks and who used to globetrot with fellow GOP Sen. John McCain, invoked his late colleague this week in urging Biden to confront Putin more forcefully.

Graham said Congress should impose sanctions from hell on Putin and his regime when lawmakers return to work next week.

Sen. Ted Cruz, who had single-handedly blocked Biden's nominees for various State Department posts to halt the Russia-to-Germany pipeline, said with the announced new sanctions he would lift his blockade. President Biden has now taken positive steps, Cruz, R-Texas, said in a statement. "But much more still needs to be done to deter and counter the threat that Putin poses to our allies in Ukraine and across Europe.

Pelosi said Russians need to understand what their leader is doing. Its stunning to see in this day and age a tyrant roll into a country, Pelosi said. This is the same tyrant who attacked our democracy in 2016,

It's unclear what more, if anything, Congress will do to confront Russia, as lawmakers hold back their own legislative response to Putin while Biden engages U.S. allies in a more global strategy.

The Senate has bipartisan support for a robust sanctions package but after running into differences over the scope and timing of the response decided to shelve a vote as the White House pursued its own approach.

Graham has suggested a supplemental spending package for Ukraine, which already receives money and defensive equipment from the U.S., but it does not yet appear that additional funds are being considered.

___

Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

___

Corrects to say that Trump pressured the Ukrainian president ahead of the 2020 campaign.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A 43-year-old man confronted protesters against police violence in a Portland, Oregon, park, told them to leave and then drew a pistol and opened fire, killing a woman and wounding four other people, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

The description by Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Mariel Mota of the Saturday night shooting was the first detailed official account of the bloodshed. It came as Oregon's biggest city is experiencing a sharp rise in gun violence and after Portland was an epicenter in Black Lives Matter protests.

Benjamin Smith approached the demonstration and confronted several of its participants, yelling at them and demanding they leave the area, Mota said in an affidavit, citing videos shot at the scene. After several protesters told him to leave them alone and go home, Smith said they should make him leave and approached a person aggressively, who pushed Smith back.

Moments, later Smith drew his gun, Mota said.

Brandy June Knightly, 60, was shot in the head at close range and died on the scene, Mota said. Smith stopped shooting only when someone fired back, striking him in the hip area, Mota said.

Smith is in critical condition in a hospital under police guard. Smith was charged Tuesday by District Attorney Mike Schmidt with murder in the second degree with a firearm, four counts of attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm and assault.

It wasnt immediately clear if Smith had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Knightly was remembered Tuesday as a woman who stood up for others.

As a community this is deeply wounding and distressing," Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said "June was part of a group of unarmed women peacekeepers who supported racial justice demonstrations and engaged in compassionate work with the homeless.

One of the wounded was shot in the neck and is paralyzed from the neck down, Mota said. Two people were shot multiple times, including one of them in the abdomen, and the fourth wounded person was shot in the arm.

Police respond to a fatal shooting in the area of Normandale Park in Northeast Portland on Saturday evening, Feb. 19, 2022. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian via AP)

Smith's roommate, Kristine Christenson, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Smith often criticized the Black Lives Matter movement, the COVID-19 mask requirement, crime in the neighborhood and homeless people living near the park by their apartment.

Knightly's friend Kathleen Saadat told the The Oregonian/OregonLive that Knightly was dedicated to acting on her values of justice and fairness.

She was a warm, giving and kind person who spent time trying to think of things she could do to make the world better and to make herself better in the world, Saadat said.

Knightlys wife, Katherine Knapp, said Knightly first got involved in racial justice protests after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police in May 2020.

Social media flyers show that at the same time as the shooting, a march was planned for Amir Locke, a Black man who was fatally shot by police in Minneapolis.

Portland saw months of nightly protests in 2020 that often spiraled into violence following the murder by police of Floyd in Minneapolis. Portland became the center of the movement to defund the police, but the sustained protests in the city have largely faded away.

The city is now dealing with a plague of gun violence.

Last year was marked by record-high gun violence in Portland. Police and city officials say the increase in violence, which disproportionally affected Portlands Black community, was fueled by gang-related arguments, drug deals gone wrong and disputes among homeless people. The situation was exacerbated by the pandemic, economic hardships and mental health crises.

Portland recorded 90 homicides in 2021, shattering the citys previous high of 66, set more than three decades ago.
FILE PHOTO: A man is silhouetted as he walks amid hot and humid weather at breakwater along port area in Karachi

By Syed Raza Hassan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) -Fishermen protesting their lack of access to some waters ended a 34-hour-long blockade of Karachi port - Pakistan's busiest - on Wednesday night after talks with the government, Prime Minister Imran Khan's advisor on maritime affairs told Reuters.

The fishermen had blockaded the port in Pakistan's business capital on Tuesday, assembling trawlers across the main channel to halt shipping in and out.

Karachi handles much of the country's trade in commodities and vehicles. The government had said earlier on Wednesday it was negotiating with the protesters.

"Talks between the Maritime Ministry and fishermen's organisation have been successful, all their justified demands will be resolved," said Mahmood Maulvi, Khan's adviser on Maritime Affairs, without giving any details.

He said the port's channel had been reopened and normal sea traffic resumed.

The protesters are fishermen from Sindh province who oppose restrictions on their entering the waters off the neighbouring province of Balochistan.

Port Qasim, which lies to the east of Karachi and handles most container traffic, had functioned as normal throughout the protest. But the business community was still worried about losses.

"If this continues there are fears that some ships might return to the high seas," Muhammad Idress, president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), said in a statement earlier on Wednesday.

Fishermen led large protests in the Balochistan port city of Gwadar in December, to demand authorities take action against trawling by Chinese fishing trawlers and vessels from Sindh.

They also protested a lack of power and water, restrictions on movement and limited sea access resulting from the high level of security for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that runs through the province.

That protest lasted a month, and ended when the provincial government agreed to most demands.

The fisheries department, coast guard and Maritime Security Agency are now carrying out patrols to stop trawlers from Sindh entering Balochistan waters.

Authorities in Balochistan detained around half a dozen fishing trawlers from Sindh last week, Tariq-ur-Rehman, director general of Balochistan fisheries department said.

Chinese fishing vessels have also been banned from entering Balochistan's waters, Rehman added.

(Additional Reporting by Gul Yousafzai in Quetta; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Catherine Evans)
Syringes with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are seen at a vaccination center in the complex of the Tokyo Skytree in Japan on Jan. 6. (Eugene Hoshiko / Associated Press)

With Omicron fading, there is growing debate among health officials and experts about if or when a second booster shot will be part of this path toward recovery.

Vaccines and boosters proved highly effective against serious illness from Omicron. But what is also clear, though, is that the defense afforded by vaccines  while still robust  tends to wane over time, leaving even some vaccinated and boosted individuals more vulnerable than others.

Data released earlier this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined people who got a booster shot of a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine after completing a two-dose primary vaccination series.

During a time where Omicron was the dominant coronavirus variant, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-related emergency department or urgent care visits for people was 87% during the two months after the booster shot, but that fell to 81% during the third month and dropped to 66% for the fourth month after the booster.

"I think that's kind of a word of caution," said Dr. George Rutherford, a epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco.

A subsequent booster would seemingly help address the issue of waning immunity. But not everyone is convinced a second booster will be needed anytime soon.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical advisor, noted last week that a single booster shot still provides high levels of protection against severe disease. During the Omicron surge, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19-related hospitalization was 91% during the two months after the booster, fell to 88% during the third month and dropped to 78% for the fourth month, according to data published by the CDC.

"Nonetheless, the level of 78 is still a good protective area," Fauci said, adding that he and other officials will continue studying the need for a second booster shot. "Recommendations, if needed, will be updated according to the data as it evolves."

The CDC has already recommended that those age 12 and older with moderate or severely compromised immune systems who have already received three doses of vaccinations of the Pfizer or Moderna shots get a fourth dose.

For immune compromised people who got the Johnson and Johnson vaccination as their primary inoculation and have already received a second dose of vaccine, officials now recommend an additional shot, for a total of three doses.

But, "in terms of universal boosting, I don't think that's where we're going to go anytime soon," Rutherford said, although it's possible "we may eventually get around to it."

It's not just U.S. officials that are weighing the issue. Some other countries, such as Sweden, the United Kingdom and Israel, are making second booster doses available to certain populations  such as residents who are older or at higher risk of severe health impacts from COVID-19.

Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of UC San Francisco's Department of Medicine, tweeted Saturday that evidence of efficacy of second booster from Israel is mixed, however, "so I doubt well have one soon in U.S.; maybe by the fall, as a prelude to an annual COVID shot."

"Personally, second boost would make me more comfy going maskless, but I'm OK waiting" for additional data, Wachter added.

For most of those living in the U.S., an additional booster dose would mean four shots total  an initial two-dose series of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, plus two subsequent boosters. The shots manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna are collectively known as mRNA vaccines.

For those who initially got the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, a second booster would mean a third overall shot.

"The potential future [recommendation] for an additional boost or a fourth shot for mRNA or a third shot for J&J is being very carefully monitored in real time. And recommendations, if needed, will be updated according to the data as it evolves," Fauci said last week.

In San Francisco, health officials have moved ahead of federal guidance and are already allowing Johnson & Johnson recipients to get a second booster shot.

Despite ongoing discussions around the wisdom of even further boosting, many officials say their top priority at the moment is getting more residents to avail themselves of the additional shot for which they're already eligible.

Recipients of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines should get boosted at least five months after completing their initial two-dose series, according to the CDC. The recommended waiting period is two months for those who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Statewide, almost 28 million Californians are already fully vaccinated, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. But only about 13.8 million of them have so far gotten a booster.

Significant gaps also persist across age groups. Among Californians who are at least 65 years old, 72.3% of eligible people have already been boosted. The share is lower, 62.1%, for those between the ages of 50 and 64.

However, fewer than half of eligible adults ages 18 to 49 have been boosted so far. And the same is true for only abut 30% of those between the ages of 12 and 17, state data show.

Health officials say dramatically increasing booster coverage  as well as getting more people to roll up their sleeves for the first or second time  is key to reducing not just an individual's risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, but the dangers posed by potential new surges.

"The work that lies ahead will be focused on the kids who have only recently become eligible, or who remain ineligible for vaccines, to get them fully vaccinated, up-to-date on their immunity  also on boosters, with a particular focus on our older, disabled, immunocompromised citizens, with a focus on closing yet another emerging equity gap in the current administration of boosters," Dr. Mark Ghaly, California's health and human services secretary, said during a recent briefing.

According to the latest available state data, unvaccinated Californians remain almost six times more likely to be infected by the coronavirus than those who have been fully vaccinated and boosted. They're also nearly 12 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and 17 times more likely to die from the disease than their fully vaccinated and boosted counterparts.

"Being fully vaccinated provides really excellent protection against COVID-19. But because the vaccine's protection fades over time, people do need that booster dose to be optimally protected," said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

Ongoing concerns about the potential for future surges is one reason why some California elected officials have voiced support for COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

A group of Democratic lawmakers is pushing a bill that would require employees and independent contractors to be vaccinated as a condition of employment  unless they have an exemption based on a medical condition, disability or religious beliefs.

And last October, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all public and private schoolchildren. That would initially take effect for grades 7 through 12 for the school term following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's full approval of the vaccine for children ages 12 to 15.

Children of that age can currently receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine under emergency authorization, but it isn't clear when the FDA might give its full approval. The vaccine has been fully approved by the FDA for those 16 and older.

Unlike with other vaccines required for schoolchildren, Newsom's plan  because it was not enacted through the Legislature  would allow parents to cite personal beliefs in refusing to inoculate their children against COVID-19.

There are efforts underway to strengthen that pending requirement. One legislator, state Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), has proposed a bill that would add COVID-19 vaccines to Californias list of required inoculations for attending K-12 schools, which can be skipped only if a student receives a rare medical exemption.

If passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the measure would supplant Newsom's plan.

In an interview broadcast on MSNBC's "The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart," Newsom touted the state's handling of the pandemic as one that has saved lives.

State health officials have published data showing how California's cumulative per capita COVID-19 death rate is lower than the nation's five other most populous states: Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Newsom said now is the time to prepare for new surges should they come, such as making sure the state is not caught unprepared yet again with shortages of medical equipment like gowns and N95 masks.

"We're realizing that we're going to have to live with different variants of this disease for many, many years," Newsom said on the program.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FILE - In this photo provided by the Australian Defense Force, debris from damaged building and trees are strewn around on Atata Island in Tonga on Jan. 28, 2022, following the eruption of an underwater volcano and subsequent tsunami. Coronavirus cases continue to rise rapidly in Tonga, and tests have confirmed that the particularly contagious omicron variant is behind the isolated Pacific island nation's first community outbreak since the start of the pandemic, officials said Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. (POIS Christopher Szumlanski/Australian Defense Force via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Tonga's main internet connection to the rest of the world has finally been restored more than five weeks after a huge volcanic eruption and tsunami severed a crucial undersea cable.

Three people in Tonga were killed by the Jan. 15 tsunami and dozens of homes destroyed.

The fiber-optic cable is now fully operational again after being reconnected Tuesday, said Samiuela Fonua, the chairperson at Tonga Cable Ltd., the state-owned company that owns the cable.

It's a huge relief when you know things have come to the end and are working well, Fonua told The Associated Press. It's one step forward for the country.

Fonua said the crew aboard a repair ship replaced about 90 kilometers (56 miles) of cable that had been damaged by the tsunami. His company didn't have enough spare cable, Fonua added, and needed to borrow some from other companies.

The fix means that Tonga Cable can now focus on repairing a second severed cable that connects some of the outer islands to the main island, Fonua said. That cable runs close to the undersea volcano.

Fonua said that entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX company had also been helping restore connections through its network of low-orbit satellites called Starlink.

Fonua said his company had been testing the satellite connections this week and they had been working well. He said that now the main cable was restored, he hoped the SpaceX connections could be used for reconnecting people on some of the outer islands.

Officials in neighboring Fiji said SpaceX had established a station there to help restore connections in Tonga.

Tonga has also been grappling with its first outbreak of the coronavirus, which may have been brought in by foreign military crews aboard ships and planes delivering vital aid after the eruption.

The outbreak has grown to more than 250 cases but so far there have been no reported deaths. The country of 105,000 has begun easing some virus restrictions after initially imposing a lockdown.

Tongan health officials say that 90% of people aged 12 and over have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Editor's note: This page recaps the news on the Ukraine-Russia crisis from Wednesday, Feb. 23. Read our live coverage for Feb. 24 for the latest news on Russia's declaration of war and military operation in eastern Ukraine.

***

President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified attack" on Ukraine as he vowed that the world will hold Russia and President Vladimir Putin accountable.

President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering, Biden said in a statement after Putin announced military action against Ukraine.

Biden said he will address the nation on Thursday to announce additional steps the U.S. will take beyond sanctions already imposed.

Just minutes before, President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address overnight on Wednesday that Russia will conduct a military operation in eastern Ukraine.

UKRAINE UPDATES: Get the latest news on the Russia-Ukraine crisis delivered to your inbox

Putin said the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine. He added that Russia doesnt have a goal to occupy the country. Putin said the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian regime.

As Putin spoke, big explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other areas of Ukraine.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN: Russia just invaded Ukraine. What that could mean for energy prices, global security and more

Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to consequences they have never seen.

He said the Russian military operation aims to ensure a demilitarization of Ukraine. Putin said that all Ukrainian servicemen who lay down arms will be able to safely leave the zone of combat.

Ukraine's president declared martial law and urged citizens in the wake of Russia's military strikes.

More: 'Murkiness and doubt': Putin playbook meant to throw White House, allies off balance on Ukraine invasion

The strategic movement of Russian forces came as Ukraine prepared to implement a 30-day state of emergency on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants "silence" but noted it must act. "But if we remain silent today, we will disappear tomorrow."

More: Biden says world will hold Putin accountable for 'unprovoked and unjustified attack' on Ukraine

'These dark hours'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined international condemnation of Moscow's attack and vowed to "hold the Kremlin accountable."

"In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives," she said in a statement.

The top European official warned earlier this week at the Munich Security Conference that Moscow could lose access to financial markets and blocked from access to major exporting goods should an invasion happen.

 Courtney Subramanian

In this video grab taken from a handout footage made available on the official web site of the Russian President (kremlin.ru) Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation at the Kremlin in Moscow early on February 24, 2022. - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 and called on soldiers there to lay down their arms, defying Western outrage and global appeals not to launch a war.

U.K. prime minister on attack

U.K. Prime Minster Boris Johnson echoed other world leaders in a statement posted to Twitter saying he was "appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine."

Johnson said he spoke to Zelenskyy about next steps, adding the U.K. and allies would "respond decisively."

"President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine," he said. "The UK and our allies will respond decisively."

 Courtney Subramanian

Ukrainian foreign minister calls for action

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted that "The world must act immediately. Future of Europe & the world is at stake."

He continued: "To do list: 1. Devastating sanctions on Russia NOW, including SWIFT 2. Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats 3. Weapons, equipment for Ukraine 4. Financial assistance 5. Humanitarian assistance"

 Luciana Lopez

Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya speaks on the phone prior to the United Nations security council's emergency meeting to discuss the threat of a full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine on February 23, 2022 in New York City. The Kremlin shared that two breakaway regions of Ukraine have requested protection. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the Russian people in a televised address stating "The Ukrainian people want peace."

Biden calls Ukraine's Zelenskyy

President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the attacks across Ukraine.

Biden said the Ukrainian president reached out to him and the two discussed the steps the U.S. is taking to rally international support.

"He asked me to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putins flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine," Biden said in a White House readout of the call.

The president confirmed he would impose "severe sanctions" on Russia after meeting with the leaders of Group of Seven leading industrial nations and allies.

"We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people," he added.

The call to Zelenskyy came after Biden was briefed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

 Courtney Subramanian

'A new geopolitical reality'

Ukraine Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko confirmed the attacks in a statement on his Facebook page.

"There have just been missiles on the military headquarters, airports, military warehouses, near Kiev, Kharkov, Dnieper," he wrote. "Gunfire at the border is underway."

"A new geopolitical reality in the world from today," he added.

 Courtney Subramanian

Biden briefed on secure call

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted that Biden "was briefed on a secure call this evening by Secretary (of State Antony) Blinken, Secretary (of Defense Lloyd) Austin, Chairman (of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark) Milley and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan about the ongoing attack on Ukraine by Russian military forces."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister: "full-scale invasion"

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who met with Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington earlier this week, confirmed Putin launched a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "

"Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin," he tweeted. "The time to act is now."

Reactions pour in from global leaders

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia's "reckless attack on Ukraine" and said NATO allies would meet to confront Moscow's latest move.

"This is a grave breach of international law & a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security," he tweeted.

Barbara Woodward, Britains ambassador to the U.N., called Putins attack unprovoked and unjustified and said the United Kingdom fully supports the U.S.s UN Security Council resolution.

This is a grave day for Ukraine and for the principles of the United Nations, she said. We and our partners have been clear that there will be consequences for Russia's actions.

 Courtney Subramanian and Joey Garrison

'A tragedy': World reacts to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Zelenskyy in emotional address: 'The people of Ukraine... want peace'

Just ahead of Putin's declaration, Ukraines president rejected Moscows longstanding claim that his country poses a threat to Russia and warns that a looming Russian invasion could cause tens of thousands of deaths.

Zelenskyy made the comments in a video address early Thursday.

Speaking emotionally in Russia, he said: The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace. But if we come under attack that threaten our freedom and lives of our people we will fight back.

Zelenskyy says he tried to call Russian President Vladimir Putin late Wednesday but the Kremlin remained silent.

 Associated Press

Ukrainian airspace closed

Airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down overnight to civilian air traffic, according to a notice posted to air crews early Thursday, local time.

A commercial flight tracking website showed an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

More: As Russian forces advance on Ukraine, US, allies escalate diplomatic efforts

Condemnation of Putin's actions in eastern Ukraine

The Kremlin's actions drew wide condemnation and major sanctions from the United States and European Union.

Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Tuesday. And that served as the trigger for the U.S. to impose sanctions targeting Moscow's banks and some elite individuals. Biden said Russia "will pay an even steeper price" if aggression continues.

A man carries bags and a bunch of tulips on a bicycle in Stanytsia Luhanska, the only crossing point open daily, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 22, 2022.

On Wednesday, Biden announced new sanctions on the company overseeing the Russian-owned gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, as well as its corporate officers, in response to Moscows invasion.

More: Why is Vladimir Putin threatening Ukraine? Respect, fear, power at play in Russian leader's motivations

Emergency meeting of the UN Security Council

The U.N. Security Council had scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday night at the request of Ukraine, which says there is an immediate threat of a Russian invasion.

The meeting comes two days after the 15-member council held an emergency open meeting also requested by Ukraine. That session saw no support for Russian President Vladimir Putins declaration of independence for two separatist areas in Ukraines east and his announcement that Russian troops would be heading there to keep the peace.

The meeting Wednesday night comes as council diplomats are finalizing a draft resolution that they say would make clear that Russia is violating the U.N. Charter, international law and a 2015 council resolution endorsing the Minsk agreements aimed at restoring peace in eastern Ukraine.

They say the resolution would urge Russia to get back into compliance immediately.

 Associated Press

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 17, 2022. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is seated, background left.

Blinken: Russia invasion could begin tonight

The U.S. has reason to believe Russia could begin a full invasion of Ukraine before the night is over, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told "NBC Nightly News" Wednesday.

I do, Blinken said when asked if he thinks that will happen. Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine.

Pressed on whether Russia will attack Wednesday night, Blinken said he cant put a date or an exact time on it, but everything is in place for Russia to move forward.

 Maureen Groppe

More: The enigma of Vladimir Putin: What do we really know about Russia's leader?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 19, 2022.

More: What is a false flag? US says Russia may use the tactic to justify Ukraine invasion

Biden imposes sanctions on company behind Nord Stream 2 pipeline

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday he's directed his administration to impose new sanctions on the company overseeing the Russian-owned gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, as well as its corporate officers, in response to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russias actions in Ukraine, Biden said in a statement. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate.

The Biden administration blocked those sanctions from taking effect last year using a national security waiver, in a bid to repair U.S. relations with Germany, which relies heavily on Russia for its gas supplies. The not-yet-operational pipeline runs from Russia to Germany.

Wednesdays move, made in coordination with Americas European allies, comes after Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday blocked certification of the natural gas pipeline that runs from Russia underseas to Germany.

Biden said, through Putins actions in Ukraine, the Russian leader has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy.

The company that owns the pipeline, Nord Stream 2 AG, is based in Switzerland and controlled by the Russian-based company Gazprom. The company is led by CEO Matthias Warnig, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nord Stream 2 has the capacity to handle 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year if it becomes operational, making it a major point of leverage for Europe and the U.S. over Russia.

Biden announced a raft of other economic sanctions Tuesday that include blacklisting two Russian financial institutions and its sovereign debt, along with penalties targeting a handful of "Russian elites" with close ties to Putin.

 Joey Garrison

More: How the Nord Stream 2 pipeline became a bargaining chip in the crisis between Russia and Ukraine

Russia evacuates diplomats from Ukraine, citing safety concerns

The Russian government has begun evacuating diplomats from Ukraine, according to Russian state media. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced an evacuation of diplomatic staff from Ukraine on Tuesday, citing safety reasons.

Diplomats in the Russian Embassy in Kyiv, as well as consulates at Lviv, Kharkiv or Odesa, were evacuating are leaving the country, according to TASS News Agency, which is owned by the Russian government.

The agency confirmed that diplomats are burning documents and evacuating the country while the mission flags in Kyiv and Odesa have been taken down, according to on-the-ground reports.

In a Monday speech denouncing Ukrainian independence and identity, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway provinces in Ukraines east as independent countries and began sending so-called peacekeeping forces to the region.

In retaliation, the US and European countries announced a new round of severe sanctions on Russian elites, financial institutions and entities in the breakaway provinces themselves.

 Matthew Brown

Ukraine official: Cyberattacks disrupting government websites

Ukraines minister for digital transformation says cyberattacks are disrupting government websites and those of some banks in his country.

Mikhail Fedorov said Wednesday the distributed denial-of-service attacks targeted the websites of the Ukrainian parliament, Cabinet and foreign ministry.

He said they also caused interruptions or delays on the sites of the defense and internal affairs ministry, which controls the police.

NATO has blamed recent cyberattacks in Ukraine on Russias GRU military intelligence agency and warned further attacks were likely as tensions over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine mounted.

 Associated Press

Cyberattacks: A Russian invasion could reach farther than Ukraine. How a cyberattack could affect you.

China opposes US sanctions on Russia

China on Wednesday accused the U.S. of creating fear and panic over the crisis in Ukraine, and called for talks to reduce rapidly building tensions.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China is opposed to new unilateral sanctions imposed on Russia, reiterating a longstanding Chinese position.

"When expanding NATO eastward five times to the vicinity of Russia and deploying advanced offensive strategic weapons in breach of its assurances to Russia, did the US ever think about the consequence of pushing a big country to the wall?" she tweeted.

She said the U.S. was fueling tensions by providing defensive weapons to Ukraine, without mentioning Russias deployment of as many as 190,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. Hua also did not mention efforts by the U.S., France and others to engage Russia diplomatically.

China-Russia ties have grown closer under Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing earlier this month. The two sides issued a joint statement backing Moscow's opposition to a NATO expansion in former Soviet republics and buttressing Chinas claim to the self-governing island of Taiwan.

 Associated Press

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President Joe Biden arrives to speak about Ukraine in the East Room of the White House, on Feb. 22, 2022, in Washington.

US, EU impose sanctions on Russia

The sanctions Biden outlined on Tuesday target two Russian banks, VEB and military bank Promsvyazbank, along with the penalties on the country's sovereign debt. The Biden administration said those steps would be the most crippling.

The U.S. official described the first bank targeted by the U.S. as "a glorified piggy bank for the Kremlin that holds more than $50 billion in assets." He said Promsvyazbank finances the activities of the Russian military.

"That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing," he said. "It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or the European markets either."

Russian oligarchs were targeted, too, including: Aleksandr Vasilievich Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, and his son Dennis; Petr Mikhailovich Fradkov, chairman and CEO of PSB, or Promsvyazbank; and Sergei Vladilenovich Kiriyenko, first deputy chief of staff of the presidential office, and his son Vladimir.

Contributing: Michael Collins, USA TODAY; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia declares war on Ukraine; explosions reported
Ukraine moved to introduce a state of emergency Wednesday as the United States and its allies ramped up pressure on Russia with sanctions and the threat of more to come, the latest signals that the West fears a full-scale invasion is likely in the coming days.

Kyiv has until now been cooler about the threat of war, but displayed increasing urgency with Russian President Vladimir Putin showing no sign of stepping back from the brink of a deadly new conflict in Europe.

Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis appeared all but over, with the focus instead on punishing the Kremlin for the moves it has already made and preparing for those Washington and Europe fear will soon follow.

Russia has pushed back against the West's sanctions and given no indication it would withdraw the 150,000-plus troops it has massed around its neighbor's borders.

On Wednesday Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council asked the country's parliament to impose a nationwide state of emergency for an initial 30 days. The government also urged all Ukrainian citizens to leave Russia and has started conscripting reservists between the ages of 18 and 60.

Recent estimates have put the number of Ukrainians living in Russia between 1.9 million and 3 million.

"We are aware of the risks that exist from the Russian Federation, we clearly understand that our army is ready to fight back," Ukraine's top security official, Oleksiy Danilov, told reporters after asking lawmakers to approve the state of emergency.

Ukraine's parliament also gave initial approval to a draft law that would allow citizens to carry firearms in self-defense. The law is yet to be finalized and approved.

The moves follow an escalation in the ongoing conflict in the country's east, and a highly provocative set of moves from Moscow.

Putin said Tuesday that Russia's recognition of two regions in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists stretched to large swaths of territory held by the Ukrainian military. The move further raised concerns a broader armed conflict could break out as Russian troops move in, and came after the Russian leader gained parliamentary approval to use his armed forces abroad.

"Our country is always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems," Putin said Wednesday in a video statement released to coincide with the annual Defender of the Fatherland Day.

"But I repeat: The interests of Russia, the security of our citizens are unconditional for us."

Image: A satellite image shows a close up of a field hospital and a troop deployment, in Belgorod (Maxar Technologies / via Reuters)

A day earlier, President Joe Biden said that Putin's order of troops into eastern Ukraine, the area controlled by Russian-backed separatists, amounted to "the beginning of a Russian invasion."

We still believe that Russia is poised to go much further and launch a massive military attack against Ukraine, Biden said in remarks at the White House.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov  a further sign of the waning window for diplomacy.

U.S. allies including the European Union, Canada, Germany, Britain, Australia and Japan have all announced they have imposed or will impose sanctions against Russia.

Chief among their targets were Russian banks. Although political opposition figures in Washington, London and elsewhere said the measures did not hit hard enough, Biden and his allies have made it clear that more measures will be imposed should Russian forces cross into Ukrainian-controlled territory.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced earlier Tuesday that he would halt the regulatory approval process for Nord Stream 2, a controversial pipeline that bypasses Ukrainian transit infrastructure to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany.
By Nathan Allen and GUILLERMO MARTINEZ

MADRID (Reuters) - Spurred on by soaring demand for seafood, a Spanish company plans to open the first commercial octopus farm next year but as scientists discover more about the enigmatic animals some warn it could be an ethical and environmental disaster.

"This is a global milestone," said Roberto Romero, aquaculture director at Nueva Pescanova, the company pouring 65 million euros ($74 million) into the farm, which is pending environmental approval from local authorities.

At the company's research centre in Galicia, northwest Spain, several octopuses silently propelled themselves around a shallow indoor tank.

Two technicians in waders plucked a mature specimen into a bucket for transfer to a new enclosure, with five other octopuses.

Building on decades of academic research, Nueva Pescanova beat rival companies in Mexico and Japan to perfect the conditions needed for industrial-scale breeding.

The commercial incentives for the farm, which is slated to produce 3,000 tonnes per year by 2026 for domestic and international food chains and generate hundreds of jobs on the island of Gran Canaria, are clear.

Between 2010 and 2019 the value of the global octopus trade ballooned to $2.72 billion from $1.30 billion, according to data from the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organisation, while landings only rose around 9% to 380,000 tonnes.

WELFARE CONCERNS

However, previous efforts to farm octopus have struggled with high mortality, while attempts to breed wild-caught octopus ran into problems with aggression, cannibalism and self-mutilation.

David Chavarrias, the centre's director, said optimising tank conditions allowed the company to eliminate aggression and breed five generations in captivity.

"We have not found cannibalistic behaviour in any of our cultures," he said.

But not everyone is convinced.

Since the 2020 documentary "My Octopus Teacher" captured the public imagination with its tale of a filmmaker's friendship with an octopus, concern for their wellbeing has grown.

Last year, researchers at the London School of Economics concluded from a review of 300 scientific studies that octopus were sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and happiness, and that high-welfare farming would be impossible.

Raul Garcia, who heads the WWF conservation organisation's fisheries operations in Spain, agrees.

"Octopuses are extremely intelligent and extremely curious. And it's well known they are not happy in conditions of captivity," he told Reuters.

Any farming operation aiming for a high quality of life by approximating their natural habitat - solitary on the sea bed - would likely be too expensive to be profitable, he said.

European Union laws governing livestock welfare do not apply to invertebrates and although Spain is tightening up its animal protection legislation, octopuses are not set to be included.

Nueva Pescanova has not provided specific details on tank sizes, density, or feed, citing trade secrecy. It has said the animals are constantly monitored to ensure their wellbeing.

Chavarrias said more research was needed to determine if octopus were truly intelligent.

"We like to say that more than an intelligent animal, it is a responsive animal," he said "It has a certain capacity for resolve when faced with survival challenges."

SUSTAINABLE?

Despite increasing concern for animal rights, demand is booming, led by Italy, Korea, Japan and Spain, the world's biggest importer. Natural fishing grounds are feeling the strain.

"If we want to continue consuming octopus we have to look for an alternative ... because the fisheries have already reached their limit," said Eduardo Almansa, a scientist at Spain's Oceanography Institute, which developed the technology used by Nueva Pescanova.

"For now aquaculture is the only available option."

Half the seafood consumed by humans is farmed. The industry has traditionally pitched itself as a means of meeting consumer demand while alleviating pressure on fishing grounds, but ecologists say that obscures its true environmental toll.

Around a third of the global fish catch is used to feed other animals and rising demand for fishmeal for aquaculture is exacerbating stress on already depleted stocks, the WWF said.

Nueva Pescanova's Chavarrias said he recognised the concern around sustainability and stressed the company was researching the use of waste fish products and algae as alternative feed but said it was too early to discuss the results.

Some activists say the solution is much simpler: don't eat octopus.

"There's so many wonderful vegan alternatives out there now," said Carys Bennett of animal-rights group PETA. "We're urging everyone to protest against this farm."

The project is pending approval from the Canary Islands' environmental department.

Asked if the department would consider opposition from rights-groups, a spokesperson said "all required parameters would be taken into account".

Traditional octopus fishermen are also wary of the venture, worried it could push down prices and undermine their reputation for quality produce.

Pedro Luis Cervino Fernandez, 49, leaves the Galician port of Murgados at 5 a.m. every morning in search of octopus. He fears he will not be able to compete with industrial farming.

"Big companies just want to look after their bottom line ... they couldn't care less about small companies like us," he told Reuters on his small boat off the Galician coast.

A few hundred miles inland at La Casa Gallega, a Madrid restaurant specialising in pulpo a la gallega - seared octopus with boiled potatoes and plenty of paprika - staff were unimpressed by the prospect of farmed produce.

"I don't think it will ever be able to compete with Galician octopus," said head waiter Claudio Gandara. "It will be like other farmed fish ... the quality is never the same."

(Reporting by Borja Suarez in the Canary Islands, Guillermo Martinez and Nacho Doce in Galicia, Michael Gore, Silvio Castellanos, Juan Medina, Catherine Macdonald and Nathan Allen in Madrid; Writing by Nathan Allen; Editing by Alison Williams)
Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk.

Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen.

If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned.

I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country.

It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously.

Vote

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Stop us if you have heard this before, but Amity is the new No. 1 team in the GameTimeCT Top 10 Baseball Poll. The Spartans claim the top spot after previous No. 1 Warde dropped a 2-1 decision to...
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Artsakh Vitali Balasanyan addressed a congratulatory message on the Fatherland Defenders Day.

The message reads as follows:

Dear compatriots,

I cordially congratulate on the occasion of the Fatherland Defenders Day.

This holiday, traditionally loved and appreciated by the people, has gained a new meaning and essence in our times. Today we all carry out a mission of Fatherland's Defender in Artsakh, believing in the peaceful future for which we havent spared any effort and energy, for the sake of which thousands of courageous Armenians sacrificed their lives.

I also congratulate the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh on the Fatherland Defenders Day. The high level of partnership between the respective state structures of Artsakh and the contingent gives confidence in quickly and effectively solving the emerging problems.

Dear residents of Artsakh,

I wish us all peace, good health, success and all the best.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Acting Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan says Armenia will properly study the text of the partnership treaty signed between Russia and Azerbaijan and that Yerevan will give a response, however he noted that it is every sovereign nations right to conduct foreign policy the way they want it.

Arshakyan made the comments during a press briefing when asked about the February 22 Allied Partnership Declaration signed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Theres no response yet. The text will be properly studied, and then, I think therell be a swift response, Arshakyan said.

Of course, by maintaining our strategic interests, but we must also take into account that all countries have the right to conduct their own foreign policy, he added.

Now we also have our strategic partnership agreement with Russia, which is advancing on the highest level. If we were to say that if we are allies with a country then that country shouldn't have it with another country, that would mean that with numerous other countries, namely the EU, perhaps in other international platforms as well Armenia were to be guided within the framework of the agreements it has.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Hungarians have always shared the grief of Armenians over the painful event of the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in 2004, but they also feel it is time to open a new page and look towards a more hopeful future, State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and the Hungary Helps Program H.E. Tristan Azbej said in a joint interview together with Deputy Prime Minister of Hungary H.E. Dr. Zsolt Semjen exclusively for ARMENPRESS.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, how would you describe the cultural-historic ties between the Armenian and the Hungarian peoples, and the contribution of the Armenians and the Armenian community to the centuries-old history of Hungary?

H.E. Dr. Zsolt Semjen: The Armenian community has been present in Hungary for centuries. Our king, Andrew II has visited Armenia, where he almost arranged the marriage of his son to the daughter of King Levon II. The origin of the names of the localities around Esztergom  the capital of Hungary in that time  is also a proof of the Armenian presence. In Transylvania, the Armenians obtained permission to settle and various privileges from Duke Mihaly Apafi in the 17th century. In the middle of the 19thcentury, we can assume a population of cca. 12-15 thousand who had Armenian identity: language, religion and origin. Two of the 13 generals executed after the Hungarian revolution of 1848-49 were of Armenian origin: Erno Kiss, and Vilmos Lazar. After the system change in 1989, the Armenian societal, cultural and religious life started to revive in Hungary.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. State Secretary, the well-known events of 2012 resulted in the suspension of the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Hungary, upon which the then Foreign Minister of Hungary expressed sorrow and regret. However, the violent murder of Gurgen Margaryan in 2004 remains a painful issue among the Armenian society. Meanwhile in 2021, we observed the moral gesture of the Government of Hungary mediating for the repatriation of 5 Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan. Do you think it might be an attempt to open a new page in the relations of Armenia and Hungary?

H.E. Tristan Azbej: Hungarian-Armenian solidarity is based on our common Christian faith, our cultural, religious and educational ties and last but not least on the Armenian diaspora in Hungary and their descendants. This fraternal bond is so strong that it has existed even during the suspension of diplomatic relations; for example, in the form of cooperation between universities and the realization of Armenian cultural events in Hungary. This holds true for the manifestations of human solidarity also. In recent years, through the Hungary Helps Program Im leading, the Hungarian government has supported the reconstruction of a damaged school of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Syria, the restoration of a church in the Iraqi city of Zakho and has provided help for Armenian Catholic families in Lebanon. In Armenia, we have supported the humanitarian and charity work of the Armenian Apostolic Church and faith-based NGOs. The Armenian community of Budapest is also quite active in keeping their traditions and the religion of their ancestors. A few months ago, in December 2021, His Beatitude Patriarch Raphael Bedros Minassian XXI celebrated Armenian liturgy in the church of the catholic community. The Armenian Faculty at our Peter Pazmany Catholic University is also becoming more and more popular. The Government of Hungary provides all support for our local community in order for them to continue thriving.

Hungarians have always shared the grief of Armenians over the painful event of the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in 2004, but they also feel it is time to open a new page and look towards a more hopeful future.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, how important is the normalization of Armenian - Hungarian relations in Hungary, including among the public?

H.E. Dr. Zsolt Semjen: Armenia is the first Christian nation in the world, so it is our brotherly duty to cooperate in all possible fields for a better, more brotherly world. The Hungarian people await with a hopeful heart the re-strengthening of the centuries-long friendship and brotherhood between our nations on the diplomatic level, which in our view has become well-established on scientific, cultural, religious and humanitarian levels in the past year.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, what perspective directions can you outline?

H.E. Dr. Zsolt Semjen: Most recently, the Hungarian government successfully mediated the release of 5 Armenian citizens detained in Azerbaijan. In addition to their release, the Hungarian government also provided Covid-19 vaccines to Armenia. These results represent an active expression of solidarity between the Hungarian people and government and the Armenians. The original bond has not been destroyed during recent years and we are pleased that all this contributes to making the relations between our peoples more complete and to hopefully resume diplomatic relations.

ARMENPRESS: Mr. State Secretary, Hungary is among the few countries in the world that have taken up the mission on a government level to openly speak about the plight of Christians being persecuted around the world because of their belief. Why is this issue so important for Hungary and how are you helping?

H.E. Tristan Azbej: Undoubtedly, the Government of Hungary was the first administration in the world to raise the issue of helping persecuted Christians to government level. The reason for this is the fact that Hungary was one of the first countries to recognize that the persecution of Christians is the most significant - and most concealed  humanitarian crisis of our time: 360 million people worldwide are persecuted and discriminated for being Christian. The objective of the Hungary Helps Program is to provide direct humanitarian assistance on the spot thus making it possible for crisis-hit communities to remain and succeed in their ancestral lands.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor's Note: Armenian military officer Gurgen Margaryan was murdered by Azerbaijani military officer Ramil Safarov during a February 2004 training course organized by NATO in Hungary.

Gurgen Margaryan was asleep in his room when Safarov attacked him with an axe.

During the trial in Hungary, Safarov admitted in court to having killed Margaryan because of his hatred towards Armenia and Armenians. He was sentenced to life in prison by the Hungarian court. However, in 2012 Hungary extradited him to Azerbaijan upon Bakus request. He was released upon arrival, glorified on the state-level and pardoned by President Aliyev. On the same day, then-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan severed diplomatic relations with Hungary.

The pardon and glorification of Safarov in Azerbaijan received widespread condemnation around the world.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received on February 23 Marina Kaljurand, the Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, and Marketa Gregorova, Member of the Committee.

As ARMENORESS was informed from the MFA Armenia, the sides highlighted the strengthening of the Armenia-EU partnership based on mutual values, in particular, democracy, rule of law, protection of human rights, and the promotion of cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership program. Marina Kaljurand praised the democratic reforms being implemented in Armenia, noting that the European Parliament and European institutions fully support them.

Minister Mirzoyan emphasized the firm position of the European Parliament on issues of primary importance for the Armenian side, which is reflected in the relevant resolutions and reports.

During the meeting, the interlocutors also touched upon a number of issues on the regional and international agenda.

The Armenian FM presented the situation created by the 44-day war, as well as the situation created by the penetration of the Azerbaijani armed forces into the sovereign territory of Armenia.

Ararat Mirzoyan and Marina Kaljurand stressed that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be settled through peaceful negotiations under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

In the context of urgent humanitarian issues, the need for immediate repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian detainees illegally held in Azerbaijan was stressed.

FM Mirzoyan presented the current developments related to the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.
Gates was addressing a virtual roundtable on India-US Health Partnership organised by the Indian embassy on Tuesday

A health worker carries vials of the Covaxin vaccine against the Covid-19 coronavirus at a health centre in New Dehi. (Photo: AFP/File)

Washington: Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has praised India for its vaccine-manufacturing prowess and applauded the efforts of the country's manufacturers for supplying affordable vaccines across the world.

Addressing a virtual roundtable on India-US Health Partnership organised by the Indian embassy on Tuesday, Gates noted that over the last year, India has delivered over 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to nearly 100 countries.

"At the same time, thanks to Indian vaccine manufacturers, almost every country in the world now is offering vaccines to protect children from diseases such Pneumonia and Rotavirus, which have been leading causes of child's deaths for decades, Gates said.

The roundtable was organised to bring together key stakeholders in India and US for leveraging the bilateral partnership to make affordable vaccines available to the world.

While this pandemic isn't yet over, we have begun to look beyond the emergency response. This means not only controlling Covid but also being ready to stop future outbreaks before they become pandemics and continuing to fight all the infectious diseases, he explained.

In his remarks, Gates said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has talked about deepening India's commitment to global health by continuing to harness the country's science and technology talent to advance scientific discovery and the creation of new products.

This is a shared ambition and partnerships are central to making it a reality, he said.

Gates said that the three vaccines -- Covaxin, Corbavex and Covishield - were the products of partnerships that bridge sectors as well as borders.

The Quad country partnership with Bio E. to produce over a billion vaccines is an example of how these partnerships can be scaled up to support an equitable response, he said, referring to the four-nation grouping of the US, India, Australia and Japan.

Noting that risks of COVID-19 had 'dramatically reduced', Gates warned that it was almost certain that the world will see another pandemic, for which collaborations between vaccine manufacturers was the need of the hour.

This is what makes initiatives like the developing country's vaccine manufacturers networks so exciting. Everyone involved understands that if we want to make COVID-19 the last pandemic, we need to invest now in collaborative efforts, Gates said.

We can't predict where the advances to give us better tools will come from, but we do know that our investments today will determine whether these advances come on time and whether they are ready to reach everyone who needs them, he added.
The bench observed that such petition creates 'false hope' and 'confusion' all over

The plea had sought directions to the CBSE and other education boards to devise alternate modes of assessment. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking cancellation of offline board examinations for classes 10 and 12 to be conducted by the CBSE and several other boards this year, saying such petitions give false hope and create confusion among students who are going to appear in these exams.

The apex court observed that the petition is ill-advised and premature and the authorities are yet to take appropriate decision with regard to conducting exams of the various boards.

Such petitions give false hope to the persons who are going to appear in the examinations. Those students will be misled by this petition. Let the authorities take decision. If the decision is wrong, challenge that decision. Here, you want to pre-empt everything, a bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar told the lawyer appearing for the petitioners.

This creates not only false hopes, it creates confusion all over to students who are preparing, said the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C T Ravikumar.

The counsel appearing for the petitioners said that most of the state boards have not yet declared the dates for examinations.

Whenever examination is due, they will declare those dates, what is the problem, the bench observed.

At the outset, the counsel appearing for the petitioners, A S Sahai and others, referred to the order passed by the apex court last year in the matter pertaining to board exams amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bench said what had happened in the past cannot be the basis to pass order now.

Entertaining such petitions is creating more confusion in the system. Let the authorities take decision, the bench said.

What kind of petitions are being filed, the top court said, adding, It is not that because they were entertained last year because of the peculiar circumstances and situation, we will go on and this will become a norm.

The counsel argued that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had conducted the first term board examination in December last year in offline mode and the results have not been published yet.

He said that time limit for declaration of results is very important.

The counsel said the situation is highly uncertain for the students and the MBBS admissions for 2021 is not yet complete.

The bench said the authorities will look into all the aspects and the petitioners can make representation there and they will take appropriate decision as per the prevailing situation.

When the counsel representing the petitioners said he would confine it to two prayers, the bench said, We will not issue any directions. They are doing their job. If that action is wrong, you challenge that action, we understand that.

It said there are rules and regulations in place and the authorities will be working in tandem on the issue.

The counsel argued that classes were not properly conducted in most of the states.

The bench said the authorities are aware of the situations and they are supervising it.

After the counsel referred to the ongoing Assembly elections in some states including Uttar Pradesh, the bench observed, This is something which is unheard of. What kind of public interest litigation is this.

The counsel argued that exam dates of most of the boards have not been declared yet and it would further delay the admissions process.

Who are you to decide that? Who are you and who are we to decide those dates? They know the ground realities. They have to make logistical arrangements. They will take overall view of the situation and then take a decision, the bench said.

When the counsel requested the apex court to keep the petition pending, the bench initially observed that it will dismiss the plea with cost.

In our opinion, this petition is ill-advised. It is premature. The authorities are yet to take appropriate decision with regard to conducting ensuing examinations in the respective boards, the bench said.

It said if the decision is not in accordance with the provisions of the concerned Act and rules or applicable regulations, it is open to the aggrieved persons to set up challenge in that regard which can be considered on its own merits.

Nothing more is required to be said. Dismissed, the bench said.

The top court observed that such kind of petition misleads and in the past three days, it has seen there are news items everywhere on this.

What kind of petitions are being filed and what kind of publicity is given to this issue, it said, adding, This has to stop.

Let the students do their job and let the authorities do their job, the bench observed.

The plea had sought directions to the CBSE and other education boards, which have proposed to hold board examinations for classes 10 and 12 in offline mode, to devise alternate modes of assessment.

The CBSE has decided to conduct term two board exams for class 10 and class 12 from April 26.

The plea was mentioned before the bench on Tuesday for urgent listing and the court had said that it would hear the matter on Wednesday.

The counsel, appearing for the petitioners, had told the bench that the apex court had passed orders in 2020 and 2021 regarding class 10 and 12 board exams and this year also, the same problem is there.

On June 17 last year, the top court had approved the assessment schemes of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and the CBSE, which had adopted the 30:30:40 formula for evaluation of marks for students of 12th standard based on results of class 10, 11 and 12 respectively.
by Stefano Vecchia

Charges were laid against Maria Natividad Castro for kidnapping, illegal detention and membership in the Communist Party. She was not allowed to contact her lawyers or family. Other doctors and academics have slammed the arbitrary use of the countrys anti-terrorism law.

Davao (AsiaNews)  Dr Maria Natividad "Naty" Castro was arrested last Friday at her home in San Juan, Mindanao, on charges of kidnapping and illegal detention.

A medical doctor known from her humanitarian work among indigenous communities, Dr Castro was taken to a police station in the city of Bayugan, Agusan del Sur province, police announced today.

The 53-year-old physician is also accused of membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines, in charge of health services in the New People's Army, the party's military wing.

In a statement, the All UP Academic Employees Union slams The arbitrary arrest of Dr. Maria Natividad Naty Castro [which] highlights the dangers of the Duterte government's Anti-Terrorism Law, which can be weaponized against anyone, including healthcare workers.

The legislation was approved in 2020 and amended in December 2021 following a ruling by the Supreme Court.

In addition to other medical professionals and academics, who have seen colleagues abducted or gunned down in the past, many civil society groups are demanding Castros release.

One organisation, Karapatan, is familiar with her work among disadvantaged communities in Mindanao.

For decades, tensions and violence have scarred life on the big southern island, torn by ethnic, religious and other cleavages, rooted in conflicts among various groups interested in controlling its resources.

For this reason, many activists, journalists and intellectuals often end up becoming victims of government repression or targets of one of the parties to the conflict.

According to the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), which is acting as Castro's legal counsel, the doctor reserves her rights to pursue legal remedies against those police officers who violated her rights with impunity.

In FLAGs view normal procedures were not respected when she was taken from her home and she was denied access to her family and counsel.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Message of peace from the Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol in the face of the risk of war between Moscow and Kiev. Ilarion appeals that the "united, hard-working and Orthodox" Donbass be spared. Monasteries should prepare to welcome the needy. The faithful must extend a hand to their neighbour.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Orthodox Metropolitan of Donetsk and Mariupol, Ilarion (Shukalo), of the Ukrainian jurisdiction loyal to the Russian Patriarchate, has addressed a message to the clergy and people "of the Donbass entrusted to God". Ilarion has asked them to intensify prayers for peace in the face of the renewed war and conflict throughout the territory of the metropolis.

The text reflects the anguish "because once again we find ourselves in total uncertainty about tomorrow, which promises nothing good. How often in recent years have we had to endure this cruel war? The bleeding wounds of the wars are still open, the houses of our poor people have not yet been rebuilt, nor have the desecrated shrines of our diocese".

Ilarion explains that the region is known throughout the world for its success in work and production, but it is also to be praised for the steadfastness of its faith: "It is no coincidence that we are talking about the Orthodox Donbass, which knows how to work, but also how to pray". The local people have shown mutual solidarity, even the monasteries have made themselves available to the displaced and the suffering.

In addition to the threats and bombings, the situation is aggravated by the serious epidemiological situation, with many people ill with coronavirus and very precarious health care, which "we will have to compensate with ever more intense prayer. We do not have the strength to change the situation, but Almighty God can save and change things in the blink of an eye'.

Ilarion recalls the words of Blessed Ephrem Syrus, according to whom "everything comes from God, good, pain and shame: the first by grace, the second by edification, and the third by concession". On the eve of the beginning of Lent, these words and circumstances "call for the most authentic conversion. By changing ourselves, we will also be able to change the sad reality around us".

The monasteries, experienced in welcoming pilgrims, are invited to open their doors to all those in need, "who need shelter, food and consolation". Instead, all the faithful "must not remain indifferent to one another. They must extend their hand to their neighbour and show by their actions that they belong to Christ".

The Donbass prayer is "for the entire community of the one Church of Christ, made up of men of peace who appeal to all people of good will, and to those on whom decisions depend, to bring about peace, the preservation of the common good and mutual understanding".

The Metropolitan concluded with words of hope: 'I sincerely believe that we will be able to live happily in our beautiful, united and hard-working Orthodox Donbass! Glory, honour and peace to all who desire good (Rom 2:10)".
Snow is expected to start falling across Connecticut Thursday night and continue through Friday afternoon, but accumulations depend on a possible mix of sleet and freezing rain.

In any case, Friday will not be a good traveling day, meteorologist Gary Lessor of Western Connecticut State Universitys Weather Center said Wednesday.

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Snow will develop Thursday evening, ending by Friday evening. Accumulations will be moderate to heavy, meaning more than a couple of inches, Lessor said. Its possible that sleet will mix with snow north and west of I-84, he said, with sleet, freezing rain and rain south and east of the highway.

If its all snow, it will be quite substantial, Lessor said. More sleet and freezing rain will knock it down.

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Temperatures will be in the mid-20s Thursday night inland, upper 20s to near 30 near the shoreline, 30-35 inland Friday and about 40 along the shoreline, with the warmest temperatures in the southeastern part of the state.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com
New appeal during Wednesday general audience: "Peace is threatened by vested interests". On Ash Wednesday the Pope invites people to "intensify" the invocation so that "the world may be preserved from the folly of war". New cycle of catechesis dedicated to the value of old age begun: "If grandparents fall back on their melancholy, young people will care even more about their smartphones".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - A "serious examination of conscience" before God who wants peace not war and "who wants us to be brothers not enemies," was Pope Francis' appeal once again this wednesday to all those with political responsibility for the conflict in Ukraine.

Speaking at the end of the general audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, he also announced a day of fasting and prayer for 2 March, Ash Wednesday, so that "the Queen of Peace may preserve the world from the madness of war".

"Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks, increasingly alarming scenarios are opening up. Like me, many people all over the world are feeling anguish and concern. Once again the peace of all is threatened by partisan interests. I would like to appeal to those with political responsibility to examine their consciences seriously before God, who is the God of peace and not of war; who is the Father of all, not just of some, who wants us to be brothers and not enemies".

"I pray that all the parties involved," he continued, "refrain from any action that would cause even more suffering to the people, destabilising coexistence between nations and bringing international law into disrepute. I would like to appeal to everyone, believers and non-believers alike: Jesus taught us that the diabolical senselessness of violence is answered with God's weapons, with prayer and fasting. I invite everyone next 2 March, Ash Wednesday, to make a day of fasting for peace. I encourage believers in a special way to devote themselves intensively to prayer and fasting on that day".

The appeal came at the end of a general audience during which the pontiff opened a new cycle of catechesis dedicated to the meaning and value of old age. "For some decades now, this stage of life has concerned a veritable "new people", the elderly. There have never been so many of us in human history. The risk of being discarded is even more frequent: never have so many as now, been at risk of being discarded. The elderly are often seen as 'a burden'. In the dramatic first phase of the pandemic it was they who paid the highest price. They were already the weakest and most neglected group: we did not look at them too much when they were alive, we did not even see them die.

Francis urged us to beware of "a dominant culture that has as its sole model the young adult, that is, an individual who is self-made and always remains young". "The exaltation of youth as the only age worthy of embodying the human ideal, combined with contempt for old age seen as frailty, degradation, disability, was the dominant icon of the totalitarianisms of the twentieth century. Have we already forgotten that?" he warned.

Hence the invitation to cultivate a "covenant between the generations" on which the Word of God has much to teach. Commenting on Joel's prophecy "your elders will have dreams, your young people will have visions" (3:1), he invited people to read it like this: "when the elders resist the Spirit, burying their dreams in the past, the young people can no longer see the things that must be done to open up the future". "Young people who no longer question the dreams of their elders, putting their heads down on visions that do not go beyond their noses," he continued, "will struggle to carry their present and bear their future. If grandparents fall back on their melancholies, young people will care even more about their smartphones. The screen may stay on, but life will die out before its time".

Old age," the Pope concluded, "if it is not restored to the dignity of a humanly worthy life, is destined to close in on itself in a despondency that robs everyone of love. This challenge of humanity and civilisation requires our commitment and God's help. Let us ask the Holy Spirit for it.
Since its formation in January 2021, the body wanted by the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr has facilitated the return of part of the assets and properties expropriated by the "real estate mafia". The return took place after a review of documents. The hope for a "prompt return" of the displaced.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - In little more than a year more than 120 properties and buildings originally belonging to Christians and Sabeans, previously expropriated by force or deception by mafias or local gangs, have returned to the hands or under the control of their legitimate owners, according to the Committee for the Restitution of Christian and Sabaean Property, which, in collaboration with the Mahdi Army [the former Saraya al-Salam Peace Brigades, ed], both under the orders of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, supervised the restitution process. The property was returned to Christians "after the completion of the review of the documents that proved permission" and the subsequent expropriation by gangs or groups linked to the "land mafia".

The official act of restitution took place on 21 February in the presence of some members of the committee including Awn Al-Nabi (a close collaborator of al-Sadr), the first vice president of parliament Hakim al-Zamili and Hassan al-Kaabi, vice president of the Sadrist bloc. The handover, those in charge explain, involved a number of houses, land, factories and shops that were meticulously restored before being returned to their owners.

Early last year, al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist faction that represents the main bloc in parliament and won the last general election in 2021, created a committee to collect and verify news and complaints about the expropriation of Christian property. Property scattered in different parts of the country and expropriated from its legitimate owners in recent years. The Shiite leader himself described the initiative as aimed at restoring justice and putting an end to violations of the property rights of his "Christian brothers".

The phenomenon of the illegal theft of Christian homes and property by organised mafias supported by corrupt officials is a consequence of the exodus of a large part of the Christian community following the 2003 US invasion to remove Rais Saddam Hussein from power. This phenomenon has reduced the Christian population by a third (today less than 500,000) and has left the field open for "legalised" expropriation and theft of property, as denounced by the highest Catholic authorities in the country.

In his pastoral letter sent to the faithful on the occasion of Christmas 2015, Chaldean Patriarch Card. Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch of Chaldea, described the phenomenon in a broad and widespread manner, listing it among the evils that "afflict society", some of which affect "Christians in particular". His Beatitude had spoken of "families subject to targeted attacks and expropriation by thugs and extremist groups", appealing to the authorities for greater security and protection.

In April 2017, former Christian MP Yonadam Kanna, leader of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, returned to the issue and in an interview with AsiaNews spoke of "criminals who make false documents and forged certificates in order to claim the property, homes or activities of Christians who have emigrated from the country in recent years because of war and violence". A mafia," he explained, "that operates according to a pattern: they falsify the certificates, go to court and before the judges claim possession of property that is not theirs. And the judges end up giving in".

Today, at least some of these assets and properties have returned to their rightful owners. Al-Zamili spoke of the "real estate mafias" that have "taken advantage of the precarious security conditions" to "get their hands on property", but minorities will not be "left without support". Finally, the Committee for the Restitution of Christian and Sabean Properties expressed hope for 'a prompt return' of all displaced Iraqis, whether Christian, Sabean or others, after completing 'the restitution' of all their properties 'within legal parameters and the improvement of security conditions'.
by Nirmala Carvalho

To help India live up to the commitment made at the Glasgow conference to reduce carbon emissions, Catholic schools in the great metropolis are asking pupils to adopt lifestyles compatible with this goal. Fr Magi Murzello notes that zero was invented in India, and now the country must make another contribution.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Fr Magi Murzello, rector and trustee of the St Andrews Educational Foundation, is behind the Zero Carbon programme in all Catholic educational facilities in the Archdiocese of Bombay.

On 1 November 2021, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow (Scotland), India officially pledged to cut its carbon emissions.

In Mumbai, thanks to the zero out carbon initiative, we became the first school in India to kickstart a decarbonisation project, Fr Murzello said, speaking to AsiaNews.

The schools efforts follow the magisterium of Pope Francis, who, in the encyclicals Laudato si and Fratelli tutti, insists on the need for energy transition.

EduFocus, the magazine of the Archdiocesan Board of Education, which Fr Murzello edits, published the very first encyclical by a pope on the environment.

To promote the zero out carbon initiative, on the cover of the magazine, Fr Murzello put a picture of Aryabhata, the father of Indian mathematics who is considered the inventor of the zero.

The invention of zero, the most exquisite jewel in Indias crown and its biggest cultural product, revolutionised the world of science, he explained. Hopefully, Indias pledge will give the world another diamond from her crown.

Our schools must be at the heart of this zero-carbon transformation because schools spark and galvanise community change. What is more, young people have been the driving force of climate action around the world as they must safeguard their future.

To help India achieve its goals, school staff and students signed a card making a personal pledge to change their lifestyle in order to reduce carbon emissions.

For Fr Murzello, children can choose to turn off the lights and fans [. . .], unplug electronic gadgets when not in use, recycle tetra-packs, glass and plastic, use cloth bags instead of plastic. They can even use an app to calculate their carbon footprint and educate family and friends on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

The zero out carbon initiative will continue throughout the year, and Fr Murzello expects that very soon this will be embraced by other schools in the city and across the country, touching the lives of every Indian.
A teacher, a farmer, a father: these are just some of the tens of thousands of refugees who have fled to Thailand to avoid the violence of the Burmese military junta. The Thai authorities are now threatening to expel them. AsiaNews reports on their stories.

A little over a year after the military coup d'etat in Burma, repression and warfare have not stopped the opposition, which, after the failure of peaceful protests following the coup, has joined the armed struggle with ethnic militias.

The civil war has spread throughout the country and today no city is spared by the fighting. In December, the military junta bombed for a week Loikaw, capital of Kayah State, where most of the Christian population is concentrated. According to UNHCR, there are over 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), but some tens of thousands have managed to escape to India or Thailand.

The PIME Foundation has decided to open the S145 Emergency Myanmar Fund to support the initiatives of the local Churches in favour of these refugees. The aim of the campaign is to give immediate help to thousands of people, supporting the network of reception facilities that the dioceses of Taungoo and Taunggyi are setting up. Information on how to donate can be found at this link.

The situation is just as difficult for those who have managed to cross Myanmar's borders. Below are the testimonies of some of the Karen refugees in Thailand who were forced to leave their land around the village of Lay Kay Kaw in the Myawady area. They are now living in precarious conditions because they are under threat of deportation from the Thai authorities. Returning home would expose them to reprisals from the military.

"When the fighting started, all I thought about was running, in tears, convinced that I would be killed and that even if I survived I would find myself powerless to rebuild my life because we lost everything. For some time, three families stayed together in the same house without daring to go out, and we could do nothing but encourage each other to pray to God until, fortunately, although separated, we managed to get away. I am 45 years old and originally from the Delta (Irrawaddy) region, but a few years ago I moved to Lay Kay Kaw, which I had to leave because of frequent clashes between the Burmese military camped in the towns and the Karen soldiers living in the mountains.

It is dangerous to come into contact with the regime's military. Before the fighting, they came to search every house, and where there were no heads of families, they smashed doors and windows.

When we left, there were more of us but once we crossed the border, some of us separated and we were left with 29 families with 30 children under 15. We have no medical assistance and for serious cases we have to go to a clinic in Kyaw Keh, Myanmar.

Before I fled, I used to earn my living by cleaning in the hospital, but now I have lost my job and only have my pillows with me. Now I live in Thailand, just across the river, but soon I will be forced to leave like others, because they have given us only a few days to complete the agricultural work of those who have been able to have some land to cultivate during their stay. Any return is unthinkable, because the risk is too high across the border. I have to live separated from my family, with my children still in Myanmar, fleeing the fighting".

"I am a Buddhist teacher but my husband is a Christian. On 14 December, when the military entered Lay Kay Kaw and arrested three of my colleagues and a Member of Parliament along with four activists, I was at school for the start of the school year. I couldn't go home so I hid for three hours in a ditch with the children and other teachers.

As soon as the fighting stopped, I decided with my husband to go to a more protected village, Maewahkeh, taking with us only a change of clothes, my phone, some books and some money. After two weeks, on Christmas Day, the soldiers attacked the camp for displaced people where we had found refuge with artillery, drones and helicopters. Everything was in flames and with 200 other people we fled to an area called 'Camp 1' where we stayed for five days and then with the help of Karen soldiers we moved into the forest, but only for a short time, because even they could not guarantee our safety.

In another village we found someone who knew Karen people who had already settled in Thailand and through them we arrived here where we have been for a month, hiding from the Thai authorities. We still feel in danger and are constantly on the alert because we have no documents.

I don't know how to contact my mother and my brother from whom we got separated when we fled and who I know are hiding in the forest near Lay Kay Kaw. In the meantime, I continue to carry out online educational programmes organised by the Ministry of Education of the Government of National Unity, in hiding".

"I am 33 years old and a farmer. I am a Christian and my village is a few kilometres from Loy Kay Kaw, close to where the fighting started. We are in an area controlled by the Karen army, but they often don't intervene so as not to provoke retaliation or the loss of crops for the farmers.

We had to wait sometime after being taken to the riverbank until a village chief on the Thai side took pity on us and arranged for us to cross in a small boat. I crossed the border on 19 December after days of fighting, carrying only a bag for me and my three children, one of whom is a baby. We are now hiding in a house in the village with other women and children.

I left behind the maize and pulses I could not harvest and I am worried because if the Burmese military burns the harvest I will lose a year's income.

We would like to go back but those of us who went back to observe the situation saw the military even closer and reported that they were shooting people. The Karen army advises us not to go back but some have not been able to do otherwise in order to harvest what has matured in the fields. For us, the situation is complicated by the fact that I am the wife of a Karen soldier and if we return home, we could be killed.
What Straight Guys Could Learn From Queer Flirting Styles

Heterosexual Men Could Learn a Thing or Two (or Six) From Queer Flirting Styles

Nothing can compare to the feeling of flirting. The fun, sexy exchange of banter, the witty wordplay, the eye contact, laughter, and subtle touches. Even if its online only, the thrill of seeing your joke get just the right reaction can be an incredible rush.

But not all flirting is the same. Straight men might assume that everyone's approach is the same, but that's most definitely not the case. In queer communities, online and offline across the world, approaches that look little like the codified methods of straight flirting flourish, bringing with them their own set of beautiful joys.

RELATED: How to Flirt, Explained

Theres nothing inherently wrong with straight flirting techniques, per se, but they are, at times, descended from outmoded attitudes about the role of men and women, and just because somethings not an abomination, doesnt mean it cant be improved upon.

Because queer culture has grown so much in the past few decades, it has a wealth of approaches that straight men might benefit from getting to know. In order to better understand these approaches, along with ways in which straight guys could learn from them, AskMen spoke to a handful of dating experts to narrow things down. Here's what they had to say:

Keeping It Contextual

Even as queerness has become more normalized in the 21st century, because of the persistence of homophobic attitudes, LGBTQ+ people cant always know that its safe to be flirtatious with someone they find themselves attracted to. That has an impact on when and where theyre likely to get flirty.

It is important to explain how much queer flirting can change according to the context, says Nina Nguyen, a Berlin-based sex and LGBTQ+ expert and co-founder of Fraulila.de. In fact, queer flirting could take place in a queer environment that means, i.e., at a private party where you know the people who join, at a normal party where you know a lot of people are queer, at a gay bar or disco, etc.

Nguyen goes on, calling out the difficulty of flirting as a queer person "as theres no real way to know if the person youre aiming at is queer or straight."

"In these cases, flirting is normally extremely cautious, and the queer person will avoid starting a tete-a-tete contact, preferring a group and very natural/casual approach to feel out the situation, she adds.

Of course, as a straight guy, youre dealing with a different potential negative response, but remembering that outright flirtation can be unpleasant for the other person is a good thing to keep in mind. The woman youre hitting on might be less likely to openly take offense or try to call you out (or beat you up), but that doesnt mean she wont dislike the experience.

As any guy whos tried to chat up a woman only to encounter her male partner moments later knows, that situation can get hairy, fast!

RELATED: Ways Men Creep Women Out

Ultimately, flirting is only fun when both parties are into it, and the better safe than sorry approach is one some straight guys could learn to make better use of.

Opening Messages Online

One context where flirting is always OK? Online dating.

People log on when they want to meet people and interact in a flirtatious context. That doesnt mean people wont object to a specific method of flirtation  say, sending unsolicited dick pics  but they wont object to the very concept of being flirted with.

As such, you should take advantage of the opportunity, says OkCupids global CMO, Melissa Hobley.

"Straight men can totally take a page out of flirting from queer daters  namely, being specific and thoughtful in your interactions with potential matches! she tells AskMen. Some of our queer singles on OkCupid will send amazing first messages  asking about a specific profile photo or a if that trip was as awesome as it looked.

RELATED: Flirting Mistakes Guys Make on Social Media

Sadly, she adds this: Our data shows straight men are more likely to send hey as a first message than queer daters, and those have an 84% chance of being ignored. If you want to find success with playful flirting, try exploring what's exciting and interesting for the person you're interacting with and take it from there!"

Sharing Your True Self

The flip side of asking the other person questions about themselves? Sharing what youre truly like. Thats an important element of flirting that too many straight guys pass up on.

First impressions and appearance mean a lot, and often straight people end up presenting themselves not for who they really are," states Nguyen. In queer flirting, people tend to be more [...] willing to impress for who they are, and not for what would please the other person.

This could be due to queer people already being outside the bounds of whats considered normal. As such, why pretend? But straight people could benefit from adopting this attitude, too. For starters, each of us is unique and weird in our own ways, and what makes you odd to one person can make you endearing, interesting, or sexy to someone else.

Queer flirting and dating tend to go directly to intimate and personal topics, says Nguyen. Its about really getting to know the person in front of you, instead of focusing on filler conversations. In straight flirting, people tend not to reveal themselves for who they really are from the very beginning. Thats why they float on broad and superficial conversations.

Dressing to Impress

As theres typically more pressure put on women to be visually appealing, men sometimes half-ass it when it comes to looking good. No offense, straight guys, but taking good care of your physical appearance isnt your No. 1 strength.

As men seeking men (gay men) remind me often, says Tammy Shaklee, LGBTQ matchmaker and relationship expert, men are visual, and men are sexual. They notice whether you have a fresh haircut, and nice shirt (or blouse); if youve made an effort to show up ready to attract a potential suitor. Do you have fresh breath? Are you making eye contact? Do you have a smile or bitchy resting face?

Straight guys often dont put a ton of thought into how theyll be perceived, but increasingly, there are expectations there on the part of the women theyre trying to attract.

If you see a lovely or kind or attractive woman you would like to approach, you better, first, have it together, says Shaklee. Put on a fresh shirt, smell nice, act nice, smile, and approach in a kind, but direct manner to compliment the other person. Is it their smile, their eyes, their happy disposition that attracted you? Tell them that. And respectfully ask if you can pull up a chair and chat.

Roles People Play

Gay, bisexual, queer, and non-binary people [...] like flirting as equals, says Barbara Santini, psychologist and sex and relationship Adviser at dimepiecela.com. For straight men, she says, flirting often begins with one side superior to the other.

I advise straight men to start seeing their potential partners as whole packages, and not people to fulfill gender roles, adds Santini.

In straight flirting, roles tend to be clearly defined, explains Nguyen. The man is supposed to try hard; the woman to behave choosily. Men tend not to accept the first or second no, and they keep trying a few more times.

By contrast, with queer flirting, Nguyen says that "roles are not predefined at all, so if you like someone you cant count on them coming to you."

"Or, if youre extremely self-confident and youre too impetuous, you could annoy a person whos not used to such an approach," she adds.

In todays more egalitarian climate, roles like the hunting man and prey woman, as Nguyen puts it, are increasingly outdated, and consciously shifting away from them will signal that youre a modern man with progressive ideals.

Get curious about switching up gender roles and scripts! suggests Ashley Barad, LMSW a queer-identified psychotherapist at Cobb Psychotherapy. Would it feel good for them to pay for drinks instead of you? Do they want you to take the lead or do they want to be the more dominant one?

You might, she adds, even find some relief in not having to take on your usual role!

Consent & Boundaries

One area of flirtation where lots of straight guys could stand to improve a bit is consent. Ask a group of women about what frustrates them about men, whether in a dating context or in general, and issues of respecting their wishes and boundaries are sure to come up pretty quickly.

Of course, that means that every guy is being associated with the worst-behaving men, but it also means that women who are exhausted from having to deal with jerks and assholes are less likely to put up with you if you start tiptoeing into disrespectful territory.

RELATED: What Guys Get Wrong About Flirting

Queer culture  where the roles of penetrator and penetrated, or pursuer and pursued, are not always clear, and can easily change over the course of a relationship or just a night  approaches consent a little bit differently than straight culture. Because theres not a clear, overarching cultural script for their desire, queer people are often more comfortable discussing their boundaries, expectations and desires more openly.

Thats something straight men could benefit from learning about.

An ongoing consent practice will help the person youre flirting with feel safer and more open with you, says Barad. It will also help you feel calmer and more confident to know that you are both actively agreeing to what youre doing together! Check in often to see if you still have their consent. Look out for nonverbal cues such as changes in tone of voice or body language that might mean no or Ive changed my mind.

Part of flirting is trying not to ruin the magic, and it can be scary to, for instance, feel like youre pestering someone with questions or trying to get them to tick boxes off on a checklist instead of being in the moment.

But good flirtation is also a kind of call-and-response, and if youre not paying close attention to your partners vibes, chances are pretty good the whole thing is going to collapse before long. Being conscious of potential no-go areas, or kinds of touch that arent OK, will help put the other person at ease around you.

And thats when it starts to get fun for everyone.

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San Angelo, TX (76909)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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Cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Charles Kelley, left, and his brother, Leon, both of Hartford, were found shot to death on Tuesday. (Courtesy of Shante Kelley)

Two Hartford brothers were found shot to death in the city Tuesday night, police said.

Leon Kelley of 40 Cleveland Ave., who turned 46 on Tuesday, and Charles Kelley, 47, of 21 Putnam Heights, were found with multiple gunshot wounds inside 161 Westminster St., police spokesman Lt. Aaron Boisvert said.

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Officers responded to the scene on a report of two people shot at about 6 p.m. The men were taken to Saint Francis Hospital, where both were pronounced dead. Police believe one person shot both men, Boisvert said. He said Leons birthday had nothing to do with the shooting. Boisvert also said police are looking into why the brothers were at the Westminster Street residence.

Shante Kelley, the victims sister, said the two brothers had gone to see a friend on Westminster Street when they were shot. She said Leon and Charles were close. Both had many run-ins with police and had been in and out of jail, Shante Kelley said.

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They were not perfect; they were street guys, she said.

Both men had children. Leon was living in the house that their mother had left him, Shante Kelley said. She said she talked to him for about two hours on Tuesday, wishing him a happy birthday, but he seemed to be angry and upset.

I said I was gonna pray that God released that anger, Kelley said.

The investigation remains active and ongoing, Boisvert said. Anyone with any information is asked to call the HPD Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com
Athens, TX (75751)

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Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

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The coupe body style, on the other hand, ended up being used on approximately 8,300 Vettes.All 1964 Corvettes were fitted with 327 (5.3-liter) engines, and the standard configuration developed 250 horsepower (the base model was paired with a three-speed manual transmission and came with a sticker price of $4,250 when ordered as a coupe).However, Chevrolet also offered several optional engines, including the L75 with 300 horsepower, the L76 with 365 horsepower, and the fuel-injected L84 with 375 horsepower. This top-of-the-line version was available as a $538 option, so its pretty clear that not a lot of them ended up seeing the daylight.The Corvette that we have here is a coupe born with an engine whose full story remains an enigma. While its fairly clear it's a 327, this unit comes without any specifics, as the seller says it looks original and nothing more. Its hard to tell from the pictures what version it is, and at the same time, we also have no clue if its starting or not.On the other hand, nobody should be too surprised if it doesnt. The car was parked indoors no less than 41 years ago, so we should expect the typical problems, including some metal issues that would have to be fixed by the new owner.eBay seller arminhott87 says the Corvette is very complete, and it was originally painted in red. The frame is solid, but to better determine the condition of the car, you should just pay a visit to the owner in Miami and inspect everything thoroughly.Sold at no reserve, this Corvette has obviously caught the attention of plenty of people quite fast. There are over 30 bids, and the top offer already exceeds $17,000. The auction is set to come to an end in about 6 days, so theres no doubt the price will go higher and higher as the car gets more exposure.
A major funding boost for our Antarctic Program, as part of an updated 'Australian Antarctic Strategy & 20 Year Action Plan', to enhance #Australias role as a leader in #Antarctic #science and a key player in the Antarctic Treaty system.

Find out more at https://t.co/8yOFyd11N6 pic.twitter.com/A0BGtxJHwW  antarctica.gov.au (@AusAntarctic) February 22, 2022

The countrys Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently stated that Australia plans to invest more than $804 million dollars over the next ten years, with a large part of this amount ($109 million) being dedicated to increasing aerial and inland capability.More than $60 million will go into developing a fleet of drones (including underwater ones), as well as autonomous vehicles that can map hard-to-reach areas in the East Antarctic. They will be equipped with advanced sensors and cameras capable of feeding real-time data.Another $35 million will go into four new medium-lift helicopters that will have a range of 550 km (approximately 342 miles), which will be launched from Australias popular icebreaker Nuyina , a research and supply vessel (RSV) built for scientific activities in the Antarctic. The ship is considered the most advanced polar research vessel in the world, being equipped with the latest technological equipment and boasting over 5,380 sq ft (500 sq meters) of science labs and offices.Morrison hopes that the major investment in drone fleets, helicopters, and other vehicles will allow Australia to explore areas of East Antarcticas inland that no country has ever been able to reach before. In addition to that, the ongoing investment in Antarctica will directly support jobs at home, with Australian businesses, contractors, medical suppliers and providers reaping the benefits of local procurement.At the same time, as stated by Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, the countrys purpose is to also protect the integrity of Australias leadership in Antarctica and to send a clear international signal about the strength of the role it plays within the Antarctic Treaty system.
EV

But on the other hand, there are alternatives out there that provide more advanced capabilities, and Sygic GPS Navigation is one of the best.Themode bundled with the app has recently reached a pretty impressive milestone, as it now offers access to over 410,000 charging points in Europe alone.The more the EV charging network on the continent expands, the bigger the number of supported stations in Sygic software. And in 2021, several countries invested heavily in EV charging infrastructure, with Sygic revealing that it added no less than 23,238 new stations from the Netherlands.Germany is second with 16,430 new charging stations, followed by Italy and Spain with 9,895 and 8,776 stations, respectively.At this point, the Netherlands tops the charts with the biggest number of charging stations overall, as Sygic claims it operates no less than 105,292 such locations. France is next, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom.Sygic has more interesting data collected from its EV mode, including what car brands actually connect to the charging stations that are listed in its navigation app.As it turns out, Volkswagen drivers most often use this advanced feature in their cars, followed by Tesla, Hyundai, BMW, and Renault owners.Needless to say, the number of charging stations supported in Sygics application is likely to grow even more in the coming years, especially as the EV revolution is underway as we speak. The European charging infrastructure is making huge progress, especially as most governments are offering substantial incentives towards the purchase of zero-emission vehicles.The EU has an ambitious plan of completely cutting emissions from cars and vans by 2035, which theoretically means carmakers should make the switch to EVs exclusively.
kW

Supermarine MM01 does not exist just yet, except in pre-production form, but it has been announced officially. The Robb Report notes that testing for it begins this spring, with an estimated delivery date set for early 2024. The Supermarine MM01 claims to be the worlds first hyper-jet, which means its to a jet ski what a hypercar is to a car, and will be built in France, by Bouvet Freres Marine. Bouvet Marine, for short.Enter the legend, reads a note on the official website of the company. The Supermarine is shown only in renders, and those too are not very revealing, despite their overblown size. But the two freres, Germain and Leopold Bouvet, tell the same media outlet that each unit will be built according to very specific and demanding criteria, which will turn it into a luxurious beast on water.Only 30 such watercraft will be made, which makes sense considering production time for just one is of 500 man hours. With an aerodynamic, clean and timeless design, they will use a carbon-Kevlar layup onto which components will be grafted, a very powerful 300 hp (220) electric motor, and only the finest and most luxurious finishes. Theres real leather lining the interior of the spacious trunk, and a champagne holder under the two-seater saddle. Whats an outing out on the water if you cant have a champagne-sipping picnic, right?Jokes aside, the Supermarine promises to be a thrill-deliverer. With a top speed of 65 knots (75 mph / 120 kph), it will be offered in two color choices: mother of pearl, or Nacre, and black, with no difference in terms of specs. Power will come from a lithium battery, with ultra-fast charging at the dock or directly on board a ship in just 50 minutes. Meanwhile, maximum autonomy is of 120 minutes.Pricing is not specified, but Germain Bouvet says that this luxurious watercraft is not designed to compete with other personal watercraft on the market right now, but that its part of a radically different segment. Which most likely means that it will be terribly expensive , but said in a more roundabout and elegant way.
Either by accident or on purpose, given all thats going on in the world, the American military included in its last weeks release of images the photo we have here, depicting three F-16 Fighting Falcons . It shows the fighter jets as they were back in early February, when they were flying as part of the Cope North 22 exercise that took place over the Pacific Ocean.That would be a trilateral exercise bringing American, Australian and Japanese forces together to test capabilities, enhance readiness skills and improve interoperability, according to the American military.All three airplanes belong to the 14th Fighter Squadron, a unit first established in 1942 and presently stationed at the Misawa Air Base in Japan. They all seem to have gone out for the exercise loaded with missiles and pods of various uses, as seen in the main photo of this piece.Each Falcon can be an impressive weapons platform. They are equipped with multi-barrel cannons and external stations that can hold anything from air-to-air missiles, air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions, and electronic countermeasure pods.As far as missiles and bombs are concerned, each plane can pack stuff like 2,000-pound bombs, an assortment of AIM-9 and AIM-120 missiles, but also two 2400-pound external fuel tanks to help them increase their range, officially rated at more than 2,000 miles, or 3,219 km.As for the Cope North 22 exercise, it saw a wide range of aircraft taking part, including E-7A Wedgetail, C-27J Spartan, and F-35A Lightning II deployed by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
A citizen of Jamaica was sentenced to a year and a day in prison Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in Hartford, federal authorities said.

George Harris, 40, who was living in the city at the time of his arrest in July 2021, faces immigration proceedings when he is released, authorities said.

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On July 12, 2020, Harris was intoxicated and inside an ambulance headed to Hartford Hospital, according to a news release. When the attending nurse began changing him out of his clothes and into hospital garments, a loaded .38 caliber semiautomatic pistol fell from one of Harris pants pockets, authorities said.

Harris previously had been convicted of an unnamed felony, authorities said, and it is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

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Harris had been detained since his arrest. At the time, he possessed another loaded semiautomatic pistol, federal officials said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Hartford police investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda S. Oakes.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the U.S. Department of Justices violent crime-reduction efforts. The program employs a broad spectrum of stakeholders working together to identify the most pressing violent-crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them, federal officials said.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com
EV

That is what his lawsuit states that happened from November 5, 2018, until Tesla fired him on December 5, 2020. The racism part is not entirely new, considering the lawsuit Californias DFEH (Department of Fair Employment and Housing) filed against themaker.Cage was called boy, asked about his brothers (other African American workers), questioned if his grocery expenses were for a barbecue, accused of stealing stickers (being submitted to a public investigation that broke into his locked filing cabinet), and denied a construction engineering team jackets. He also saw the swastikas and racial slurs on bathroom walls around the factories in which he worked (Nevada Gigafactory and Fremont). But that is just part of the problem.In the lawsuit published by PlainSite on February 18, 2022, Cage and his lawyers report severe construction violations. The construction quality manager presents evidence that he tried to warn multiple people at Tesla about the problems, to no avail. He spoke to his supervisors and kept escalating the warnings until he sent messages to Jerome Guillen , Valerie Capers Workman, and Fernanda Veiga. Guillen and Workman have already left Tesla without addressing what Cage warned them about.One of the examples he gave relates to welding a pressure vessel on February 26, 2019. Cage noted that Tesla repaired it recklessly, in violation of OSHA, and without certification required to diagnose, weld, and/or stamp the repair. Summing up what happened, this vessel could explode. The email Cage sent to Guillen and Workman was sent on September 29, 2020, and it was still about the danger this pressure vessel represented, among other violations. Thats almost two years of trying to solve safety issues without progress.The issue with adopting proper procedures of inspection and correction was that production would have to be slowed or even interrupted. To avoid that, Tesla allegedly broke the rules more than once. Cage believes some of the violations he points out are still there for any court inspection to confirm.In the process of trying to get Tesla compliant with the rules, Cage claims that he was demoted and eventually fired. As a former Tesla employee, it is surprising that he managed to file a lawsuit against the company. Usually, they are forced into arbitration to prevent their allegations from going public. In Cages case, Tesla may manage to take the case to arbitration but not in time to stop the public opinion to learn what the former construction quality manager has to say.Should the Superior Court of California confirm that it is competent to appreciate Cages lawsuit, the decision will not affect only the former employee. Inspection agencies will be obliged to check what Cage pointed out and force Tesla to comply. That may involve fines and other significant losses. If what Cage alleges is true, Tesla may regret it decided not to listen to him.
That possible future tanker is for now called LMXT , and its a flying beast being put together by the talented hands over at Lockheed Martin. Fresh from announcing production sites for the aircraft, the company has now released one of the first videos of it in action (you can watch it below this text).The little over 1-minute clip is a show of simulated airplane in action, combined with glimpses of the real deal, while using some of its fancy systems.We even get a simulated deployment of the plane (1-minute mark in the video), in conjunction with fighter and decoy aircraft (white is used to depict them in the graphics), going up against an imagined adversary, pictured in red, of course.The LMXT is Lockheed Martins entry in the USAFs quest for a replacement for the current KC-135. It is based on the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), and promises to come with "significantly improved range and fuel offload capacity over current tankers.It will also feature the world's first fully automatic boom/air-to-air refueling (A3R) system, will be able to refuel multiple aircraft directly from its wings, and will be fitted with a permanently installed medevac suite.Lockheed said it would assemble the LXMT in Mobile, Alabama, and Marietta, Georgia. The former location is where Airbus assembles the A320 and A220, while the latter is where Lockheed completes the C-130J Super Hercules and assembles the F-35 Lightning II center wing.It announced these moves even before the Air Force decided to go for it  that is expected sometime next year, with production expected to begin sometime in 2029.
Holland-based manufacturer Seawind Ocean Technology describes its floating wind energy solutions as exceptional, with its Seawind 6 and Seawind 12 featuring twin-bladed rotors and a yaw design inspired by helicopter technology.The new partnership signed with Petrofac, a U.K.- based service provider in the energy industry, aims to help with the deployment of Seawinds first 6.2 MW floating offshore wind turbine demonstrator in European waters by the first quarter of 2024.Under the recently signed agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the delivery of early floating offshore wind plant concessions, with the Mediterranean Sea being the first target. If everything goes according to plan, other European, as well as global locations, will follow.There are several reasons why Seawinds wind energy solutions are so unique. The patented two-bladed turbines are integrated with a concrete floating structure that is suitable for installation in all seas, including in more challenging areas such as ultra-deep waters or cyclonic regions.No vessels are necessary for installations at sea, with the complete system being made in a harbor using land-based cranes, reducing costs and safety risks.With its twin-bladed rotors with teetering hinges, Seawinds turbine achieves higher speeds than conventional turbines, and the teetering hinge decouples the shaft from the rotor, protecting the turbine from harmful loads. Theres only one mechanism in charge of dealing with wind direction and speed.Moreover, Seawind boasts of its turbines having a lifespan of more than 50 years.While you can find the turbines tech specs on the manufacturers website , you can also watch the video below to get a better grasp of how the system works.Seawind plans to make its Seawind 6 turbine commercially available in 2023 and the Seawind 12 in 2024.
The Dutch-based group posted a higher than expected profit for 2021, beating its margin target. The automaker attributed its success to focusing on its most profitable models to ride out the industry-wide chip crisis.After marking one year, the conglomerate with industrial operations in about 30 countries and more than 130 markets announced it has plans to invest more than EUR 30 billion between 2020 and 2025.On Wednesday, Carlos Tavares, Chief Executive at Stellantis, said that the results prove the automaker is well-positioned to deliver strong performance even in the most uncertain market environments. Reuters reported the Dutch-based automaker will present a detailed business plan next week.The FCA and PSA Group merger in January 2021 , forming Stellantis, pushed the conglomerate to the world's fourth-largest automotive manufacturer and the world's third-largest in revenue spots.Stellantis, like most automakers, also experienced a global shortage in microchips as it stepped up to produce more electric cars, costing the group 20% of its planned production last year. As a result, its European market suffered, even though it recorded rising revenues. In North America, where the automaker sells Jeep and Ram trucks, margins rose to a record 16.3%.Overall group revenues rose 14% totaling $172 billion (EUR 152 billion) from the previous year. Adjusted operating incomes were up 95% to $20 billion (EUR 18 billion). The group is optimistic about 2022 and is expecting double-digits.Stellantis generated an industrial free cash flow of more than EUR 6 billion in 2021, and proposed to pay out EUR 3.3 billion, equal to EUR 1.05 in ordinary dividends, CNBC reported.The automaker has also formed alliances with Amazon and Foxconn to fast-track developments of both software and microchips for future production models.
The city of Long Beach is gearing up to become an AAM hub after recently launching a collaboration with Wisk Aero as part of the Long Beach Economic Partnership (LBEP). The two will create a working group for evaluating, planning, and implementing pioneering air taxi services in Long Beach. This is a complex project with an initial two-year term.Throughout this period, representatives of the local government and of the community, together with industry partners, will pave the way for future AAM, including aspects such as the economic impact, the safe integration of eVTOLs into the city transportation strategy, as well as state funding opportunities.Wisk and LBEP will also develop an Economic Impact Study regarding the annual impact of AAM operations not just in Southern California but in other regional economies as well. The study will then be carried out by the Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Office of Economic Research and completed by the end of this year.Long Beach already has an important aerospace culture, as the place where several modern aircraft have been produced. It will now take that legacy even further by focusing on autonomous, all-electric flights. The local workforce and capabilities will be essential for turning air taxi operations into reality.Wisk was the first company in the U.S. to conduct a successful flight of an autonomous eVTOL for passenger transportation in 2017. Its aircraft can currently offer a 25-mile (50 km) range and reach a top speed of 100 mph (160 kph), but future development could take these capabilities even further.
Japanese auto giant Toyota has commissioned Yamaha Motor to develop a 5.0-liter hydrogen-fueled V8 engine for them. Yamaha Motor made the announcement toward the end of last week, with President Yoshihiro Hidaka stating that his company was committed to developing internal combustion engines in the future.

Yamaha said that the hydrogen-fueled V8 would be developed mainly for automobiles, with the 5.0-liter engine based on the one used by the Lexus RC F coupe. Yamaha did make some changes to this version, though, altering the V8's injectors and cylinder heads and injectors, among other things.

According to Yamaha, the company has worked on a hydrogen engine for vehicles for roughly five years now. They are proud of their latest product, with this unit capable of delivering as much as 450 horsepower at 6,800 revolutions per minute.

Yamaha Motor remains committed to combustion engines

As per Top Gear, Hidaka said that while Yamaha Motor aimed to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050, the company still has a strong passion for and commitment to the development of internal combustion engines. Hidaka believes hydrogen fuel holds the key in this endeavor, saying, "Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time."

The concept of hydrogen powering an internal combustion engine is not a new idea. Toyota has already used this notion before, developing a GR Yaris with a 1.6-liter internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen as its fuel. According to Toyota, the GR Yaris powertrain is similar to the one used by the hydrogen-powered Corolla Sport. The automaker labeled both vehicles as "experimental."

BMW has also tried this concept before, producing the Hydrogen 7 back in 2006. The German automaker used an internal combustion engine for the BMW Hydrogen 7 that relied on gasoline or liquid hydrogen for it to operate. BMW made a limited run for this vehicle.

Also Read: Huracan Supercars Recall: Lamborghini Blames Human Error That Affects Nearly 5,000 Units in the U.S.

What is hydrogen fuel cell technology?

It is important to mention that the method being developed by Toyota and Yamaha Motor right now with their V8 engine is different from hydrogen fuel cell technology. Toyota and Yamaha are using hydrogen to power an internal combustion engine, whereas hydrogen fuel cell technology gets its power from the electricity produced when hydrogen gas from a tank mixes with oxygen.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center, fuel cell vehicles only emit water vapor and warm air. The same can't be said of hydrogen ICEs as they still produce emissions. Engine maker Cummins Inc. said hydrogen engines might release just trace amounts of CO2, but they can still produce nitrogen oxides.

The Alternative Fuels Data Center also said that hydrogen ICEs are "less efficient" than fuel cell electric vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles may be the key to a greener future, but that does not mean the entire auto industry favors this technology. Those who voiced their opposition to fuel cells are Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess.

Related Articles:

Tesla Hits New Milestone as Production of 4680 Battery Cells Reaches 1 Million Mark in January 2022

Lamborghini CEO Wants to Keep Internal Combustion Engines Alive Beyond 2030
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New U.S. Ambassador to Manama Steven Bondy got into a diplomatic spat with the Bahraini government in his second week on the job after he met with a group of civil society and human rights activists.

Why it matters: Bahrain has been highly sensitive to engagement between Western governments and members of the opposition ever since the Arab Spring in 2011, when the Obama administration supported the anti-government protests in the country and pressed for reforms.

The protests came mainly from members of the Shiite majority who demanded more civil liberties and a greater say in politics. The kingdom cracked down on the protests and accused Iran of inflaming them.

Driving the news: Bondy gave his credentials to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Feb. 9. Several hours later, he met in his residence with four political and human rights activists.

A Bahraini news website, the Delmon Post, days later reported that the activists had raised the difficulties faced by Bahraini civil society and the issues of government crackdowns and use of the death penalty.

Bondy was criticized by several columnists in the Bahraini press, and some of the activists who attended the meeting issued statements of clarification.

Shortly after the story was published, the Bahraini interior minister issued a statement accusing Bondy of interference in internal affairs reminiscent of the 2011 events, which everyone rejects after it claimed lives and losses."
Canada's stark double standard is unacceptable: spokesperson

Xinhua) 08:49, February 23, 2022

People gather on a bridge over Highway 400 in support of truckers, who are on their way to Ottawa for the "freedom convoy" protest, in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, on Jan. 27, 2022. The "freedom convoy" was sparked by outrage over a vaccine mandate recently imposed on Canadian-U.S. cross-border truckers. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said that the stark double standard of some people in Canada is unacceptable, and urged Canada to seriously reflect upon itself.

It has been reported that in the past few days, the Canadian police used pepper spray, stun grenades as well as batons to violently disperse "Freedom Convoy" demonstrators that had dominated downtown Ottawa. The Canadian government called the demonstrators "a threat to democracy."

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily press briefing that China has no comment on Canada's domestic affair, but pointed to the double standard of some people in Canada.

"Back in 2019, when radical elements assaulted the police and wantonly disrupted public order in Hong Kong, the Canadian side asserted that it will 'stand up loudly and clearly for human rights all around the world' and wantonly criticized, maligned and smeared the Hong Kong Police Force. Why the difference?"

In the eyes of some people in Canada, similar protests and demonstrations in Hong Kong are "human rights movement," while in Canada they are "a threat to democracy," Wang said.

Such stark double standard is unacceptable. Canada should seriously reflect upon itself, the spokesperson said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Rock ledge juts out along Route 44 near the defunct LaTrattoria in Canton. Nearby, developer Mark Greenberg wants to level a section of trap rock to create an access route to future development of land in Canton and Simsbury. (Don Stacom)

The owner of rocky land near the defunct LaTrattoria restaurant on Route 44 in Canton wants a permit to grade part of the property for future development, but so far he isnt specifying what he proposes to build there.

Property owner Mark Greenberg told Canton planning officials last month that he is considering a Cumberland Farms convenience store on the Canton part of the land, and housing and a restaurant in a much larger Simsbury tract just to the north.

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But Greenberg hasnt submitted any proposals for those ideas.

Hes still encountering resistance from neighbors who successfully turned back his original plan for an electric vehicle showroom and 20-pump gas station.

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Greenberg is asking the town for permission to truck away up to more than 2,000 cubic yards of earth and rock from the property. That would grade it enough to accommodate a 60-foot-wide access road linking Route 44 and the Simsbury part of his land  but without any formally declared plan for what to do with it.

Before voting to approve or reject Greenbergs bid for an excavation permit, the planning and zoning commission is consulting with town attorneys.

In a back-and-forth with commissioners that has grown contentious, Greenbergs attorney has argued that Canton has full authority to grant his clients request even when there isnt a specific development proposal to accompany it.

Commissioners have twice put off a vote while they get further legal guidance.

Greenbergs plan last year for a 23,000-square-foot EV showroom and Noble gas station with a convenience store and small food shops drew extensive protests from homeowners in Canton, Avon and Simsbury.

Organized under the name Canton Advocates for Responsible Expansion, the opponents forced several prolonged hearings and ultimately succeeded when Cantons planners rejected the proposal in June.

Among their core complaints was that the plan entailed extensive blasting to flatten the traprock along Route 44 at Cantons eastern gateway. That would have created about 10,000 dump truck loads of rock and soil.

Greenbergs current application has come under fire from a smaller number of property owners.

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Im concerned by the developers refusal to state the intended use of the proposed grading and access road. They claim that use is irrelevant but our own town regulations represent our town character, our values, our health, our well-being. This development in my perspective threatens all of those, resident Hayley Colding said.

Colding, president of the Connecticut Botanical Society, said destroying the trap rock ridges on the site would damage numerous species and mar a beloved and ecologically important resource ...

He said the impacts of demolishing the natural rock area would extend in every direction.

David Sinish, of Dyer Avenue, agreed, warning that any damage to the property could never be restored in quite the same way. He said authorizing the access route and grading makes no sense without a site plan and proposal.

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If we dont know the whole plan how can you possibly approve any part of it? he asked.

But in a written report, Kevin Solli, Greenbergs engineering consultant, concluded otherwise.

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The proposed application will not have any adverse impacts to historic or unique environmental resources on-site or in the immediate vicinity, Solli wrote. Although the property does contain a heavily wooded trap rock ridge, the proposed earthwork activities requested under this application will have a minimal impact on the scenic character of the area, as any rock blasting will be contained to the 60-foot wide access road proposed to connect Route 44 to the rear of the property.

The majority of the trap rock ridge along Route 44 will remain untouched as part of this application.

Cantons planning and zoning commission has been reviewing his request with the its attorney.

Canton has already approved a new restaurant for the site of LaTrattoria, which closed years ago and is awaiting demolition. That property is alongside Greenbergs.

Don Stacom can be reached at dstacom@courant.com
The Biden administration asked a court Tuesday to send a Trump-era permit approval for an Alaska mining road running through Indigenous territory back to the Interior Department for further analysis of its environmental impacts.

Why it matters: "The Interior Department is asking the court to remand the right-of-way decision to the agency to correct the significant deficiencies we have identified in the underlying analyses," the department said in an emailed statement.

The Department of Justice's response brief filing in the U.S. District Court for Alaska, on behalf of the Interior Department, suspends the federal rights-of-way for the 211-mile road that would provide access to the Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska.

The big picture: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) and congressional delegates in the state see the road that was approved in July 2020 as essential to accessing valuable deposits found in the area, including copper, cobalt, zinc, silver and gold.

Indigenous leaders and environmental groups have said it would "devastate" the pristine and "fragile arctic tundras landscape, biodiversity, and Native livelihood."

The Ambler Metals joint venture between Australian mining company South32, the Vancouver-based Trilogy Metal and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority had set aside $60 million for this year "in preparation for the road and associated mines in the area," the Washington Post notes.

What they're saying: Brian Ridley, president of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a nonprofit representing 42 tribes in interior Alaska, said in a statement calling for the state of Alaska to drop the road proposal altogether that they appreciated the Biden administration's action.

"Ambler road represents a fundamental threat to our people, our subsistence way of life and our cultural resources," Ridley said.

The other side: Alaska's Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young issued a joint statement criticizing the Biden administration for hurting U.S. mineral projects during a global supply chain crisis, noting that permitting began during the Obama administration.

Murkowski noted in the statement that the Biden administration had announced plans earlier Tuesday aimed at bolstering U.S. development and processing of key minerals used in electric cars and other energy applications.

"It's stunning: on the very same day the President attempted to tout 'progress' on mineral development, his administration backtracked and set back this crucial project, which will enable Alaska to responsibly produce a range of needed minerals," she said.

Read the full filing, obtained by the Anchorage Daily News, via DocumentCloud:
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has lifted his hold on President Biden's State Department nominees after the Biden administration sanctioned the Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2.

Why it matters: Cruz has campaigned to sanction the pipeline for months, calling it a chance to stop a Russian invasion into Ukraine. His bill failed to clear the Senate in January, per Reuters.

Between the lines, via Axios' Zachary Basu: Ukraine views the Putin-backed project as an existential threat to its security, as it would deprive the country of billions of dollars in gas-transit fees and allow Russia to deliver gas directly to the heart of Europe.

The U.S. has long held the position that Nord Stream 2 is a malign Kremlin geopolitical influence project that would increase Europe's reliance on Russian gas, but Biden allowed construction to proceed last year in order to repair relations with Germany.

The big picture: Germany announced Tuesday that it would halt the certification process for the pipeline in response to Russian troops moving into eastern Ukraine.

The Biden administration has imposed several sanctions on Russia targeting since Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would recognize two pro-Russian separatist "republics" in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian "peacekeepers" into the region.

More sanctions are coming, the administration has said.

Go deeper:
The U.S. and Iran are close to a return to the 2015 nuclear deal but several difficult issues remain unresolved, a senior Biden administration official told Axios on Wednesday.

Why it matters: At the moment, neither side seems willing to compromise on its remaining red lines, and the official said the outcome could still be no deal at all.

The latest: Iran's chief negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani, is expected to return to Tehran on Wednesday night for what could be final consultations about the nuclear deal.

State of play: Out of all the comments emerging from the delegations in Vienna, those from U.S. envoy Rob Malley and his team have been the most skeptical that a deal is imminent to restore the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The senior U.S. official told me that the statements from Iranian officials and some European negotiators saying a deal could be reached within days are "very premature speculations."

"There is very little time left to resolve the remaining issues given the pace of Irans nuclear advances and what it means for the viability of the JCPOA. Until these issues are dealt with, there is no deal," the official said.

EU political director Enrique Mora, who is coordinating the Vienna talks, tweeted on Tuesday that the negotiations were near an end but "the result is still uncertain" and "key issues need to be fixed."

The other side: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday that Iran is "optimistic" but wont cross its red lines in the Vienna talks.

"We hope that a few sensitive and important issues will be resolved in the negotiations with realism from the Western parties," he said.

While the Biden administration has closely guarded any details on the remaining gaps in the talks, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett revealed some of them publicly in a speech on Monday.

Bennett said the U.S. had thus far rejected an Iranian demand that an International Atomic Energy Agency investigation into the potential military dimension of Iran's nuclear program be closed.

He also said Iran was demanding that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be taken off the U.S. blacklist of terror organizations.

Bennett didn't say whether the U.S. had agreed to that demand, but did say the U.S. and the European signatories had agreed to allow Iran to keep its advanced centrifuges in storage rather than destroy them.

"The emerging deal is likely to create a more violent and less stable Middle East," Bennett said.

A State Department spokesperson refused to comment on Bennetts claims about the negotiations but pushed back on his criticism, claiming most Israeli security officials who were in office when Donald Trump withdrew from the deal now recognize the terrible implications.

We must not make a similar mistake by rejecting another opportunity to make diplomatic progress," the spokesperson said.

Worth noting: While the Vienna talks are continuing under the shadow of the Ukraine crisis, there are no indications that two events have directly influenced one another up to now.
Two prosecutors who have helped lead the Manhattan district attorney's investigation into former President Trump's financial dealings abruptly resigned on Wednesday, the New York Times first reported.

Why it matters: Their resignations came after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg suggested he had "doubts about moving forward" with the case, and throws the future of the investigation into doubt, per the Times.

State of play: One of the prosecutors, Mark Pomerantz, confirmed to the Times that he had resigned but did not elaborate. The other, Carey Dunne, declined to comment, per the Times.

The big picture: The Manhattan DA's investigation into potential tax and bank-related fraud has stalled for over a month because of Bragg's reluctance to move forward, per the Times.
Russia's foreign ministry announced it will evacuate its embassy staff from Ukraine as soon as possible, citing "repeated attacks" by Ukrainians since 2014.

The big picture: The evacuation comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his clearest indication yet that Russian troops would launch an invasion further into Ukraine, saying the borders of the separatist "republics" he recognized on Monday extend to territory currently controlled by Ukrainian forces. [Read the latest updates.]

Why it matters: Western officials fear that Putin's recognition of the territories and deployment of "peacekeepers" is only the beginning, paving the way for a wider assault in eastern Ukraine and potentially the rest of the country.

Ukraine currently controls about two-thirds of the territory claimed by the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (D/LPR), which declared independence in 2014 but were driven back by a military offensive.

The borders that D/LPR declared in 2014 include, for example, Mariupol  a key Ukrainian port and a city of around 430,000 people.

Driving the news: The upper house of Russia's parliament granted Putin's request on Tuesday to deploy military force outside of the country, authorizing action both in the contested Donbas region and potentially elsewhere in Ukraine.

Russian "peacekeepers" crossed the border overnight into territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by the separatists, following Putin's announcement that he would recognize D/LPR, according to EU and NATO officials.

"Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Putin said at a press conference on Tuesday that Russian forces may not immediately advance into the two "republics," but that "it is impossible to predict the scenario that will unfold."

Between the lines: Putin continued to baselessly claim that Ukraine is the aggressor, suggesting that the "anti-Russian" government in Kyiv is a threat to Russia's security and could eventually pursue nuclear weapons.

He suggested that a possible de-escalation could be achieved if Ukraine demilitarizes, recognizes Russia's annexation of Crimea and pledges never to join NATO  all of which are non-starters for Kyiv.

Putin also declared that the Minsk agreements  negotiated in 2014 and 2015 in an attempt to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine  were no longer relevant, though he claimed they were dead long before this week due to Ukraine's intransigence.

State of play: The U.S. and its European allies have begun to unveil sanctions against Russia over what the U.S. now says is an active invasion, but they have not yet triggered the "massive" sanctions package they have been threatening.

Go deeper: The latest developments and key remaining questions.
The U.S. is relocating its embassy operations from Kyiv to Lviv in western Ukraine due to fears of a Russian invasion that U.S. officials believe could begin within the next 48 hours.

The other side: That announcement contrasted sharply with the scenes in Moscow on Monday as top Russian officials briefed Vladimir Putin in carefully choreographed meetings that diplomacy will continue and military exercises near the border will wind down.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Putin that Moscows Western interlocutors had shown a willingness to enter into serious negotiations" and "a way forward" could still be found, though talks must not continue indefinitely without results.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who like Lavrov briefed Putin from the far end of an enormous table, said some military exercises had concluded while others would soon wrap up.

However, experts tracking Russias military movements report that more military units have continued to arrive near the border. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. had yet to see "anything resembling de-escalation."

The big picture: Russia appears to now have all the pieces in place to conduct a full-scale invasion.

The question remains whether that buildup is engineered primarily to intimidate or topple the government in Kyiv, or to force the U.S. and its allies to seriously reckon with Russias security demands in Europe.

State of play: In addition to the embassy move, the U.S. is urging all Americans still in Kyiv to get out. U.S. officials continue to insist an invasion could begin at any time and have reportedly pinpointed Wednesday as the possible launch date.

The Biden administration has been so forward-leaning in issuing warnings in part out of a hope that calling out Putin's plays ahead of time will deny him a pretext for invasion.

Yes, but: Theyve acknowledged that they dont know whether Putin has made a final decision.

European leaders are searching for a diplomatic off-ramp that has remained elusive up to now.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting Kyiv today and Moscow tomorrow, following French President Emmanuel Macrons trips last week. Scholzs aides say he's seeking to better understand Putins intentions but doesn't expect a breakthrough.

Between the lines: Some in Washington are suspicious of Macron's diplomatic ambitions and Scholz's relative dovishness on sanctions and arming Ukraine, but they may be better positioned than Biden to find a diplomatic formula that allows Putin to save face while pulling back from the brink.

Russian officials continue to accuse the U.S. of fear-mongering and deny any intention to invade.

Lavrov lamented Saturday, following a call with Secretary of State Tony Blinken, that if Russia pulls its troops back (as he claims was always the intention), it will be heralded in the West as a "diplomatic victory."

Putin's timeline remains uncertain. Michael Kofman of CNA expects a "go/no go decision this week," while Richard Haass of the Council on Foreign Relations contends Putin could plausibly extend the crisis indefinitely by leaving troops near the border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to caution that panic only plays into Putins hands.

He said today that his family will remain with him in the capital, that Western diplomats should stay in Kyiv, and that oligarchs who fled the country should return.

What to watch: Finance ministers from the G7 countries vowed today that Russia would face massive and immediate economic consequences if it invades.
Israel has sent an envoy to the nuclear talks in Vienna to meet with U.S. and other officials as the negotiations reach crunch time, Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: It's the first time since the Vienna talks began last April that Israel has sent a diplomat to the negotiations.

Driving the news: The Israeli envoy, Joshua Zarka, is the head of the Israeli foreign ministry's strategic department.

He is there to receive updates and make clear the Israeli position about a possible return to the 2015 nuclear deal, the Israeli officials said.

Zarka went to Vienna to check what is cooking. He met everyone other than the Iranians," a senior Israeli official told me.

Zarka on Monday spoke with Raphael Grossi, the head of the international atomic energy agency. On Tuesday, he met with U.S. negotiator Rob Malley and negotiators from Russia, China, France, UK and Germany.

The big picture: Israeli officials are very concerned that in the last days of the talks, the U.S. and other world powers will make more concessions that will turn the 2015 nuclear agreement into an even worse deal than they think it is now.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry indicated that Yerevan will not join Moscow in recognizing two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent republics.

There is no such issue on the agenda, the ministry spokesman, Vahan Hunanian, said in written comments.

We certainly want the existing issues between the two friendly states to be resolved through diplomatic dialogue, negotiations, and in accordance with the norms and principles of international law and the UN Charter, he said. We hope that necessary steps will be taken towards reducing tension and resolving the situation peacefully.

The Ukrainian charge daffaires in Yerevan, Denis Avtonomov, welcomed this stance. We are grateful, Avtonomov told a news conference.

Unfortunately, international law and the UN Charter have ceased to exist for the Russian Federation because so have also the [2014] Minsk agreements, he said.

The diplomat referred to Russian President Vladimir Putins decision to recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic which has drawn strong condemnation from the United States and the European Union.

Putin spoke with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian hours before announcing the decision late on Monday. According to Pashinians press office, the two men discussed, among other things, the current situation in Russian-Ukrainian relations.

The Russian and Armenian foreign ministers also spoke about the Ukraine crisis in a phone call last week.

Armenia has for decades been Russias main regional ally. Its dependence on Moscow for defense and security has deepened further since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Successive Ukrainian governments have supported a resolution of the Karabakh conflict based on Azerbaijans territorial integrity.
Tatoyan met with the press one day before completing his six-year tenure. He will be replaced on Thursday by former Deputy Justice Minister Kristine Grigorian.

Grigorian, 40, was nominated for the post by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians Civil Contract party and elected by the Armenian parliament last month. Opposition lawmakers rejected her candidacy.

For their part, Civil Contract deputies hit out at Tatoyan, who has been increasingly critical of the Armenian government.

In particular, Tatoyan has denounced Armenian troop withdrawals ordered by Pashinian following the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh and accused the authorities of undermining judicial independence and bullying opposition groups that defeated the ruling party in local elections.

He also criticized Pashinians pledges to wage political vendettas against defiant local government officials made during campaigning for last Junes snap parliamentary elections.

The secretary of Armenias Security Council, Armen Grigorian, responded late last year by accusing Tatoyan of engaging in counterrevolutionary activities in support of opposition forces.

I have received no offers from any political force [of late,] Tatoyan told the farewell news conference. In case of receiving them, I am not going to join any political force.

He added that some parties did approach him in the run-up to the 2021 elections but that he rebuffed them very sharply. He did not name them.

A U.S.-funded opinion poll conducted late last year found that of all state bodies in Armenia, Tatoyans office enjoyed the highest approval rating. According to some media outlets, the 40-year-old ombudsman was courted by at least one opposition party in recent months.

Tatoyan said that he will not retire from public life and will remain engaged in human rights advocacy. He said he will be particularly active in supporting residents of Armenian border towns and villages facing what he sees as grave security threats from Azerbaijan.

The U.S.-educated lawyer has frequently denounced those threats over the past years. He has also been critical of the Armenian authorities responses to cross-border Azerbaijani incursions and broader handling of border security.

Tatoyan questioned on Wednesday Pashinians regular assertions that the planned opening of the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier to commerce will usher in an era of peaceful development in the region. Peace is a supreme value but it cannot come about at the expense of only one party, he said.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev signed the declaration in the Karabakh town of Shushi (Shusha) that was captured by Azerbaijani forces during the 2020 war. They pledged to further deepen Turkish-Azerbaijani ties and, in particular, provide mutual military assistance in the event of an armed conflict with third states.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry at the time condemned their visit to Shushi and accused Turkey and Azerbaijan of threatening Armenias territorial integrity after their joint aggression against Karabakh. It pointed to the Shushi declarations references to a corridor that should connect the Nakhichevan exclave with the rest of Azerbaijan via Armenias Syunik province.

The main opposition Hayastan alliance proposed earlier this month that the Armenian parliament also condemn the provocative declaration. A parliamentary resolution drafted by it says the document raises questions about Ankaras readiness to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations without preconditions.

Hayastan and the other parliamentary opposition bloc, Pativ Unem, collected enough signatures to force a parliament debate on the proposed resolution. The session did not take place, however, because the deputies representing the ruling Civil Contract party boycotted it and prevented the National Assembly from making a quorum.

Ishkhan Saghatelian, a deputy speaker of the parliament affiliated with Hayastan, deplored the boycott, saying that the parliamentary majority is thus catering for Turkish-Azerbaijani interests.

The parliament committee on defense and security refused to back the opposition measure last week. Some pro-government members of the committee said that it would complicate the Armenian governments ongoing efforts to normalize relations with Ankara.

Turkey lent Azerbaijan decisive military support during the six-week Karabakh war. Yerevan says that Turkish military personnel participated in the hostilities on the Azerbaijani side along with thousands of mercenaries recruited in Syrias Turkish-controlled northern regions.
Social justice advocates with the Community First Coalition gathered outside the Legislative Office Building in Hartford the morning of Tuesday to call on lawmakers to replace school resource officers with counselors. (Seamus McAvoy)

Elaine Lester has made Purpose in Pain a mantra.

Its the name of the group she plans to create to support those like her, a survivor of childhood abuse who was labeled a problem child from an early age and faced punishment and disciplinary action at school.

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Its also what brought Lester, 21, a youth member of Citywide Youth Coalition, to the Legislative Office Building in Hartford Tuesday morning with a coalition of social justice organizations to call for lawmakers to phase out police officers in schools in favor of counselors, the decriminalization of child truancy and transparency for police-led interactions in schools.

Schools have resources for punishing, but they do not have resources for healing, Lester said. We need school resource counselors to respond to the behavior of young people that are clearly cries for help.

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The rally was the latest step in the Care Not Cops campaign run by the Community First Coalition, an alliance of several organizations formed in 2021 to address youth policing in Connecticut.

About two dozen advocates heard from speakers, and chanted in support. Some held signs, their messages simple: People Not Prisons, Police-Free Schools and Todays Fight For Tomorrows Freedom.

Gemini Rorie, 27, a justice adviser with the Connecticut Justice Alliance, says his message centers on investing and not arresting.

Its unclear how much traction the coalitions proposals will get with lawmakers, as crime and juvenile justice reform traditionally make for sensitive subjects in election years.

Lawmakers have offered a variety of plans to address a rising youth mental health crisis and others aimed at a wave of car thefts police say are often committed by teens. On Tuesday, state Senate Republican leaders released draft language of a youth opportunity and criminal justice bill.

Mental health experts have used the stresses brought on by the pandemic and its ripple effects to help explain the rise in some forms of crime, as well as a rise in behavioral issues among students who have endured numerous challenges, from remote learning to the deaths from illness of family members.

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The rise in mental health challenges in students  and the compounding factor of shortages in teachers and administrative staff  was highlighted Tuesday by Andrew Brown, a New London educator and the citys poet laureate.

Brown called for more action to address the states teacher shortage, particularly teachers of color, and for schools to face up to the hard questions.

Are we more concerned with maintaining a peaceful and quiet classroom, or are we concerned with truly reaching and serving all of our students where they are? Brown said. If we truly wish for our students to grow, then we need to lead by example.

Elaine Lester (right), 21, speaks at a Community First Coalition rally in Hartford on Tuesday. (Seamus McAvoy)

Social justice advocates argue that for too long, schools have relied on police to intervene in situations where behavioral issues arise.

A 2020 report by the state Office of the Child Advocate found that Waterbury schools were too often deferring to police instead of crisis intervention services to handle child behavior, the report found.

Children with disabilities, most often autism, were most frequently impacted by repeat calls. According to data from the Center for Childrens Advocacy, Black students are also subject to school-based arrests at disproportionate rates.

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Its almost as if we think that cops are hammers, and every issue we have in schools is a nail, said Addys Castillo, executive director of Citywide Youth Coalition and former correctional officer.

In the report, State Child Advocate Sarah Eagan recommended that the state ban school resource officers, among other recommendations.

Robert Goodrich, executive director of Waterbury-based RACCE, said Tuesday it was time to invest in alternatives to policing in our schools so that our communities can begin the process of fully recovering from the school-to-prison pipeline.

While the hardening of our school campuses and police presence in and around our schools increases, so do the hardships and inequities that Black and Brown students are forced to carry with them no matter where they go, Goodrich said in a statement.

State Sen. Gary Winfield, a New Haven Democrat who chairs the legislatures Judiciary Committee, last year introduced legislation that would have phased out school resource officers from Connecticut schools.

The bill came as Middletown school officials weighed whether to scale down the presence of police officers in schools, with lawmakers and advocates locked in discussions in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.

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The bill was not passed, but Winfield says his stance stance on the school-based officers hasnt changed.

I dont think that police officers should be performing the role of mental health counselors, counselors, peer groups, and other things like that, Winfield said Tuesday during a virtual press availability.

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In 2015, the state adopted legislation that required local and regional school boards that assign a school resource officer to enter a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement that clearly set out the officers role and responsibility.

Winfield said that before the memorandum requirements, it tended to turn into police work, not school discipline, particularly in communities of color, when police handled school discipline.

At the very least, Winfield said, he wants to hear discussions about potential rules of the road beyond the memoranda.

On Tuesday morning, Lester detailed the once a problem, always a problem phenomenon in schools. For the kids who run into trouble at an early age, particularly students of color, the problem child label tends to stick. It follows you everywhere you go, she told the Courant.

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But shes pleased to see campaigns like Care Not Cops taking effect, and other activists who are finding purpose in their pain. She said she wishes the movement was stronger when she was younger, noting that many of her friends are still struggling with the challenges shes faced.

Maybe if people took the time to stand up like they are now, maybe they couldve been saved, Lester said.

Seamus McAvoy may be reached at smcavoy@courant.com
Adventist Health is moving again to outsource local hospital jobs, saying it will let go of 46 employees in Bakersfield and Tehachapi but that
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VATICAN CITY (AP)  The Hartford Courant exposed one of the Catholic Churchs biggest sexual abuse scandals by reporting 25 years ago Wednesday that eight men had accused the revered founder of the Legion of Christ religious order of raping and molesting them when they were boys preparing for the priesthood.

It took a decade for the Vatican to sanction the founder, the Rev. Marcial Maciel, and another decade for the Legion to admit he was a serial pedophile who had violated at least 60 boys. In the meantime, the original whistleblowers suffered a defamation campaign by the Legion, which branded them liars bent on creating a conspiracy to hurt a man considered a living saint.

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As they marked the quarter-century anniversary of revelations that tarnished the legacy of St. John Paul II, three of Maciels victims are still seeking reparations from the Legion to compensate for the abuse they suffered and the moral harm done to their reputations by the order.

They had refused earlier compensation offers that their fellow survivors accepted, and a mediation process begun in 2019 has stalled, according to emails and documents provided to The Associated Press.

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The Vatican in 2010 took over the Mexico-based Legion and imposed a process of reform after an investigation showed that Maciel had sexually abused seminarians and fathered at least three children with two women. The Vatican found he had created a system of power built on silence, deceit and obedience that enabled him lead a double life.

The findings were by no means news to the Holy See: Documents from Vatican archives show how a succession of popes, cardinals and bishops starting in the 1950s simply turned a blind eye to credible reports that Maciel was a con artist, drug addict, pedophile and religious fraud. The Vatican and especially John Paul, however, appreciated his ability to bring in vocations and donations.

Jose Barba, one of the victims in Legion Christ sex scandal, poses for a portrait in front of monument to the 46th President of Mexico Alvaro Obregon, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Barba was one of the first persons to come forward, accusing the disgraced founder of the Legion Father Marcial Maciel of sexual abuse before the Vatican. It has been 25 years since a Connecticut newspaper exposed one of the Catholic Churchs biggest sexual abuse scandals. And still some of the whistleblowers are seeking reparations from the Legion of Christ after reporting that the revered founder of the Legion of Christ religious order had raped and molested them when they were boys. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte) (Marco Ugarte/AP)

The reality of Maciels depravity burst into the public domain Feb. 23, 1997, when The Hartford Courant published a lengthy expose by investigative journalists Jason Berry and the late Gerald Renner about Maciel and the order, whose U.S. headquarters were based in Connecticut.

The story, which formed the basis of a 2004 book Vows of Silence, quoted several victims by name who independently reported that Maciel would bring them into his bedroom at night, and under the pretense of abdominal pain, induce them to masterbate him.

When The Courant ran the long investigative piece Renner and I did on Maciel, we thought Pope John Paul II would see the light and punish Maciel, Berry told the AP in an email. He noted that other mainstream media only began reporting on clergy sexual abuse after the Boston Globes Spotlight revelations in 2002. By then, John Pauls blind faith in Maciel was a cover-up by any other term, and lasted till his death.

A year after the original Courant story, in 1998, the victims filed a formal canonical complaint against Maciel with the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where the case languished until after John Paul died. Maciel was sentenced in 2006 to a lifetime of penance and prayer, and he died in 2008, still considered a saint by the Legion.

Following the Vatican-mandated reform process, the Legion apologized and tried to make amends, even as it has been forced to confront revelations of a new generation of abusers within its ranks  some of them Maciels original victims  and the superiors who covered up for the crimes, some of whom remain in power.

[ Vatican Quietly Scuttles Abuse Probe ]

In 2020, the Legion publicly retracted the negative institutional and personal judgments about the character and motivations of the people who made legitimate and necessary accusations in the original Courant expose. Naming the original victims, it said Today we recognize as prophetic their accusations in favor of truth and justice.

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But Jose Barba, one of the most vocal of the original eight survivors, wants the Legion to formally retract what he calls the lies the order provided to the Courant to discredit him and the other victims. They include what he says were a falsified letter from a Chilean bishop who had investigated Maciel in the 1950s, and false statements from four Mexicans who claimed the victims had tried to enlist them in a conspiracy against Maciel.

The late Mexican priest Marcial Maciel is embraced by Pope John Paul II in a ceremony January 3, 1991 marking the 50th anniversary of the Legion of Christ order. Maciel, who died in 2008, has been accused as a serial pederast. (Maria Dipaola/, MCT)

Barba, who says he represents fellow survivors Arturo Jurado and Jose Antonio Perez Olvera, drafted a proposed letter to the Courant and the Vatican newspaper that he wanted the Legion to submit to retract the claims. But then Legion superior, the Rev. Eduardo Robles-Gil, refused during a December 2019 mediation meeting in Mexico City, Barba said.

In a Jan. 4, 2020 summary of that meeting, Barba said the Legions initial calculus of a low five-figure settlement offer for each of the three remaining victims was a humiliation, and he proposed a team of five arbitration experts to determine a more just reparation.

Robles-Gil signed the summary but wrote: I receive this without accepting the process that is asked for and it remains at our consideration to accept it or not.

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The Legions new superior, the Rev. John Connor, tried unsuccessfully to engage with Barba after his February 2020 election, sending two letters that went unanswered until Barba emailed him on Jan. 5, 2021, seeking to restart negotiations.

Connor assured him he wanted to find ways to contribute to heal and close the painful events of the history of our congregation. But in an email, Connor said Barbas proposal for five arbitration experts wouldnt help in finding a shared resolution.

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Barba never replied. I dont trust them because its not in good faith, he told the AP.

In a statement to the AP, Legion spokesman the Rev. Aaron Smith noted that the order had reached settlements with most of the historic victims and hoped for a resolution with the remaining ones.

We are sad that meeting still has not happened, especially considering the positive experience of the encounters with other victims of Fr. Maciel, Smith said in a statement. We continue to remain hopeful it will take place in the near future permitting open dialogue with him.

Barba, meanwhile, says he is getting old and his two confreres are ailing. While they are hailed by ex-Legionaries as los 8 Magnificos (the Magnificent Eight) for having stood up to Maciel and the order, Barba recalls a Nov. 8, 1997 letter he and the others wrote to John Paul, translated into Polish, asking for the pope to hear their pain and do something.

It appears inconceivable to us, Holy Father, that our grave revelations and complaints mattered absolutely nothing to you, they wrote, according to a copy of the letter provided to the AP. We want the church and society to understand that all we want is justice: not only for legitimate personal vindication, but for the good of the church and society.
Question No. 1: What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Question No. 2: The border has been highlighted a significant issue in this race, yet none of the counties that you would represent reside on the border. Where do you think you could have impact on that issue and what benefit does that bring your constituents?

Question No. 3: Gov. Greg Abbott has spearheaded much of the governments COVID-19 response and has declined to call a special session specifically to allow the legislature to address the pandemic. Was he right to use that power himself? How would you have preferred to have seen that handled?

Question No. 4: Public education in Texas is another issue that has been highlighted as important in this race. What changes do you think need to be made to the state system and why?

Question No. 5: Due to redistricting, this district includes counties it has not previously. Will this change your approach to representation and if so, how?

Greg Caldwell

Age: 47

Occupation: Self-employed business owner

Highest level of education: Master of Business Administration from Stephen F. Austin State University

Volunteer Work or other Elected Office (up to 3):

Lions Club International member;

Rotary Club member; and

Grace Bible Church in Nacogdoches member and volunteer.

Answer No. 1: I have been involved in business even before I owned my own business. I have 27 years in business management, and I bring that to the table. Also, I grew up out in rural West Texas in the middle of production agriculture. The old adage Hard work is a way of life, thats not just a saying in that part of the world. Everybody works hard every day and thats what I bring  a combination of management experience, knowing how to set budgets, how to live within budgets and hard work. My philosophy is, you can accomplish anything you set out if you just work hard enough.

Answer No. 2: The best thing I can liken it to is, do you lock your doors at night on your home? Im assuming yes, you do, and its not because you hate people, its because you have the right to control and know whos coming and going into your house. Well, thats no different than securing the border. Im not against immigration at all, Im just pro-legal immigration. The biggest issue weve run into is on the border, theyre being flooded across. Weve sent the DPS down to the border, but they are handcuffed in that they are almost exclusively observers. Enabling them to do their job would be the quickest thing that should be done via legislation.

Answer No. 3: As far as the mandates that have come down from the federal government, I believe we are wholeheartedly wrong in not standing up to that. The things that have been done with these mandates, from banning churches from being open to closing businesses, those are all addressed in the Constitution, and they say specifically that the government shall not infringe on those, yet the government has run roughshod over those and we should not wait for the Supreme Court to step in. I will not stand by and let my constituents constitutionally guaranteed rights be trampled.

Answer No. 4: I think the biggest issue is lack of local control. The best way to react to issues, especially with regards to education, is going to be local control. The local superintendent is right in the middle of whats going on. So, he should have the best ideas and best way to handle the issues that come up, and the school board is the same thing. I think that is probably the biggest change that should be made, to allow even more local control and less outside control by external entities.

Answer No. 5: Previously, it was a very compact district. There were three counties, and now it includes six. So, it will entail a little bit more travel, but the beauty of what I bring to this is, my roots are in rural Texas, not necessarily East Texas, but I would say the values and etc. are very similar and that is something that I will be able to relate to the people in deeper East Texas. I think I probably have even more in common with them from my background and my raising than the other candidates would have from that same aspect.

Travis Clardy (I)*

Age: 60

Occupation: Attorney

Highest level of education: JD from Pepperdine University School of Law

Volunteer Work or other Elected Office (up to 3):

Texas House Representative for District 11;

Endorsed by the National Rifle Association; and

Endorsed by the Texas State Teachers Association.

Answer No. 1: Im the only candidate thats experienced and qualified to perform the job of state representative. Im in my fifth term and have been successful legislatively and in constituent service. My professional experience and background prepared me well to deal with the issues and represent the conservative values of East Texas and her key industries, economies and institutions.

Answer No. 2: I work closely with Colonel McCraw, the director of the DPS, and served on the Homeland Security Committee. Im knowledgeable of the issues, recently toured the border when President Trump was there and while we may not be on that border, the lack of security and control of our border is a threat to the entire state of Texas. Since the federal government wont take responsibility for it, Texas will take care of Texas, and Im proud to help lead the charge and voted for tripling our appropriation of state monies from $1 billion to $3 billion. This is critical for Texas and its critical for America.

Answer No. 3: While I do respect and recognize the need for executive emergency power, I did think then and do think now that a problem that lasts over 30 days deserves a special session. I also understand there were unknown health risks at the time. I think Gov. Abbott had a difficult job with the uncertainty and lack of information about COVID and how that changed over time and continues to change. But at the present time, I do not think that we need to have a special session. If and when we think we can improve our position by convening a session and have a clear plan to enact legislation, I will be there with bells on.

Answer No. 4: Since Ive been in office, we have reversed the trend of putting the funding of our public education system on the local taxpayer and moved it back to the state of Texas where it belongs. Providing a free, fair and equitable public education is in the Texas Constitution and as a parent and grandparent, I agree with that constitutional imperative. And as a constitutional conservative, I think its the right thing to do to fully support public education.

Answer No. 5: Im very pleased and looking forward to the opportunity to serve Shelby, Panola, Sabine and Newton Counties. My approach will stay the same and that is to devote my full time, energy and commitment to the people of House District 11. Everything I do, I do with the people that I represent in mind. I understand conservative values and the needs and desires and the dreams of the people of East Texas. I look forward to going back to the 88th legislature giving our people that effective voice and to continue to stand tall for Texas.

Rachel Hale

The Enterprise contacted Rachel Hale, but received no response. Information taken from campaign website.

Occupation: Sales

Border security: Without strong border security, every town is a border town. Since the Biden federal government has failed at its responsibility to protect our border, I will advocate for more resources to address border security solutions, including completion of the Texas Border Wall. I will never stop fighting the war on drugs, crime, and human trafficking.

Public education: Im proud to have sent my children to a Texas public school. However, due to state and federal regulations, many times our schools are stuck upholding the mandates passed down to them. For example, in the last session a bill was passed to mandate that schools teach students about social and emotional learning, which has Critical Race Theory elements. It is the parents role to teach children about values and emotional development. I will oppose every effort to establish or uphold these out-of-touch state mandates, starting by fighting to repeal social and emotional learning requirements.

COVID-19: Whether to wear a mask or choose a vaccine is a personal health decision and not the role of government to mandate. Both of those mandates trample on our personal liberties and I will fight to ban them.

Mark Williams

The Enterprise contacted Mark Williams, but received no response. Information taken from campaign website, which did not include comment on COVID-19.

Occupation: Rancher

Endorsed by: Cass County Patriots

Public education: Texas should have the best education system in the United States, bar none. Currently, we do not pay our teachers nearly what should be paid in light of their education, dedication, or abilities. Allowing teachers to be judged based on a limited set of performance parameters set by those unassociated with our school districts is not ideal and is not turning out the highest level of educated students for either colleges or professions. While a higher education is valued and has its place in our society, there is a dire need for skilled labor for those who want to enter the work force sooner than later.

Border security: The border wall must be finished. This must be a priority going forward that we can never let up on. Our Texas state border must stay secure so that we can control who comes in and out of our country. We should have voter IDs so that no one can vote without first being a citizen.

Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

*(I) incumbent

Compiled by Olivia Malick
A local attorney says a recently-filed lawsuit against a local television station is just one example of the companys allegedly toxic local work environment.

Dana Melancon, a former meteorologist for KFDM Channel 6 news, is suing Sinclair Broadcast Group for breaking Texas law by firing him because of his age and/or because of the color of his skin.

The 62-year-old, white Hardin County resident worked at the news station for nearly 30 years before he was abruptly terminated last year, according to the original petition that has been filed in Jefferson Countys 172nd Civil District Court. The court is presided by Judge Mitch Templeton.

Melancon is now seeking at least $300,000 and back and future pay, according to the petition, which was filed late last week.

But Jason Byrd, an attorney representing Melancon, says the lawsuit is indicative of an even bigger problem.

If I was looking into it as an outside observer, Id look at the big picture and not just Mr. Melancon, Byrd said. Youve had in the last 12 months, a pretty significant exodus of on-air talent. They did Dana pretty dirty. I think it will be pretty easy to show that. But I think its also whats turned into a toxic place at Channel 6.

KFDM Station Manager Darren Lehrmann said he could not comment on the matter. Another representative for the company could not be reached Tuesday afternoon.

The petition said Melancon signed and renewed an employment agreement in August 2020 for a three-year term. But the following March, he was returned from vacation and was fired due to cutbacks and his position being eliminated, the petition said.

Thats what he was told, and thats what he believed, Byrd said.

In fact, Melancon wrote a Facebook post explaining that his job was being eliminated and thanking the community for allowing him to come into your homes every morning.

But the petition alleges the story Sinclair told about his termination was untrue.

Shortly after the termination, the petition said, a job posting was listed for Melancons former position.

He applied but was informed the company would not be moving forward with his application due to a high number of applicants. Instead, the petition said a younger, African American without experience as a meteorologist was hired.

Defendants did so to the detriment of the Plaintiff and in an attempt to replace him with an employee with a much lower salary, the petition said.

The petition said the actions were consistent with a plan introduced by the company with the intention to recruit, hire and promote younger and exclusively African American on-air talent for the TV station.

The petition calls the actions a blatant violation of Texas Labor Law, specifically code section 21.001, as the termination was in whole or part because of Melancons age and/or reverse discrimination because of the color of his skin. The petition said the employer acted knowingly, willfully, with malice, and with reckless regard for Melancons protected rights.

Byrd said he places the blame in two places: Sinclair Broadcasting and local management.

They buy (these small TV stations), come in and slowly put their thumb down on it. If youre watching regularly, you can see the change over the past several years, he said. Channel 6, they were involved in the community. They were reporting on local news  At some point, if youre not going to stand for something, you dont stand for anything. I understand theres editorial control and its a business, but theres a very small group at Sinclair thats trying to dumb it down even more for their perceived benefit.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
Multiple law enforcement agencies teamed up with the city of Port Arthur this month for a crime reduction operation that yielded over 20 arrests.

The Port Arthur Police Department along with the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the two-day operation within the city on Feb 11 and 12.
Kim Brent / The Enterprise

The Career and Technical Education department at Nederland High School is hosting an interview seminar at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, for graduating seniors in an effort to help them prepare for the job interview process.

For almost 30 years, the CTE department has introduced these students to Southeast Texas business partners and provided a networking opportunity for the students, according to a news release.
Disability-rights activists on Tuesday vowed to block a bill that would permit terminally-ill patients to obtain a physicians help to end their lives.

Cathy Ludlum, a Manchester woman who has spinal atrophy, said the bill pending before the legislatures public health committee devalues the lives of people with disabilities.

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I see it as a dangerous option, Ludlum said at a press conference.

The public health committee is slated to hold a hearing on the bill Wednesday. Senate bill 88 would allow mentally competent patients with less than six months to live to obtain a prescription from a doctor for a lethal dose of medication. Nine states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws.

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The concept has been raised in Connecticut at least 14 times since 1994. Last year, for the first time, the bill was approved by a legislative committee but died before coming up for a full vote in either the House or the Senate.

The bills supporters say there are safeguards built into the legislation to ensure that vulnerable people are protected. The measure would require two physicians to sign off on a patients request and would only be available as an option to people 18 or older who have less than six months to live.

In spite of claims made by opponents, aid-in-dying laws have proven to work as intended for whom they are intended, and they have for more than 20 years, said Tim Appleton, senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices, a national advocacy group. It is fact that not one more person dies as a result of aid-in-dying laws but far fewer will suffer.

Ludlum and other advocates fighting the bill say the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted health disparities and the unequal treatment experienced by people with disabilities.

The disability community has long been at a huge disadvantage medically in terms of getting treatment, Ludlum said. Its been doubly hard during the pandemic.

COVID showed us what professionals think of us disabled people, said John Kelly, New England director of Not Dead Yet, an advocacy group opposed to the bill.

Really this is not the time to be discussing people exiting life when were having so much trouble keeping everyone alive. The disability community is very frightened by this.

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Daniela Altimari can be reached at daltimari@courant.com.
Minnie Stein Wilkov was a lifelong political junkie and a passionate supporter of legislation allowing terminally ill patients to receive a physicians help in ending their lives.

But it wasnt until her own terminal diagnosis that she became a voice for the cause. Before she died of ovarian cancer in July 2019 at age 97, she dictated a letter to her daughter expressing her support for the concept of aid in dying.

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Despite all the painkillers and anti-nausea medicines, and even though I am surrounded by all the love and care I could wish for, I am leaving this world in a torturous and miserable way that I would not wish on any caring human being, Wilkov wrote. Please pass the death with dignity legislation here in Connecticut. ... To deny people this choice is inhumane.

Wilkovs posthumous plea was read by her daughter Barbara Wilkov during Wednesdays public hearing on a bill that would give terminally ill patients the legal right to obtain a prescription for a lethal dose of medication to end their lives. It was one of many harrowing stories presented by supporters of the legislation.

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Tyrone G. Biniarz, of Ellington, recalled watching his younger brother Clifford slide into death after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The strong painkillers his brother had relied on were no longer effective.

To see him go through that was difficult, Biniarz told members of the legislatures public health committee. I know there are people like myself who are talking on behalf of people who died, but as a citizen of Connecticut I want this option for myself.

Senate Bill 88 would allow mentally competent patients with less than six months to live to obtain a prescription from a doctor for a lethal dose of medication. Nine states along with the District of Columbia have passed similar laws. The concept has been raised in Connecticut at least 14 times since 1994. Last year was the first time the bill was approved by legislative committee, but it died before coming up for a full vote in either the House or the Senate. The bills supporters say this year they will again bring it up for a committee vote.

Supporters of the legislation say providing terminally ill patients with a medical means to end their suffering provides enormous comfort, even though studies show most people who qualify under the bill do not pursue aid in dying.

But critics of the measure say it could be used to target vulnerable people such as those with disabilities and the elderly. They also point out that medical experts cant always determine exactly when a terminally ill person will die. Instead of approving aid in dying, they said, the state ought to provide more resources for palliative and hospice care.

All of us have likely had someone close to us who would qualify for aid in dying under this bill, said Rep Mark Anderson, a Republican from Granby. He invoked the experience of his wife of 24 years, who was diagnosed with stage-four stomach cancer and given three months to live. Thanks to a great physician at Dana Farber and aggressive treatment she lived for three years, Anderson said.

Before her death in 2012, there was precious family times with our two sons as well as marital reconciliation, he said. This was priceless. A doctor does not know when someone has less than six months to live. It is a guess.

Others object to the bill on philosophical grounds, saying its very existence devalues life.

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Mark Desrosiers, of Columbia, said it was wrenching watching his father succumb to illness. But neither his father nor his family thought of ending his life.

While it was painful to watch him slowly die, we realized what a natural process it was, Desrosiers said. When the discomfort became unbearable, we decided to use pain medications to ameliorate his suffering while allowing the terminal illness to run its course. We, this includes my dad, never thought of killing him.

The public hearing also brought testimony from medical experts, lawyers and members of the clergy, both in support and in opposition.

But ultimately it was the steady drum beat of deeply personal experiences from those on both sides of the issue that left a powerful impact on the lawmakers who will decide the fate of the bill.

A thread that Ive noticed in common is that many folks are testifying after their loved ones have passed not having this option, said Rep. Jaime Foster, a Democrat from Ellington.

Foster said she has heard from residents who were disappointed the measure didnt pass last year.

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I have one constituent in particular whose mother passed, and he told me, You failed my mom and she suffered because the political will was lacking. His experience was so painful for me to hear and I cant even imagine for him to experience.

Daniela Altimari can be reached at daltimari@courant.com
A Philippine Navy band performs as it welcomes the French Navy ship Vendemiaire (F734), a Floreal-classlight surveillance frigate, upon its arrival for a five-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, March 12, 2018.

The European Union has stepped up its strategic engagement with the Indo-Pacific by convening an inaugural meeting with the regions top diplomats and then affirming the blocs commitment to freedom of navigation and international law  an apparent rebuke of China.

At the Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which took place in Paris on Tuesday, the EU announced the extension of the concept of a coordinated maritime presence in the north-west Indian Ocean, to support regional stability and security. That would ensure a permanent and visible European naval presence and outreach.

This will allow the EU to further support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, to optimize naval deployments, to promote coherence of European action and to facilitate the exchange of information and cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific, including by conducting joint maritime exercises and port calls, according to a statement issued at the end of the meeting.

Top diplomats from 30 Indo-Pacific counties and 27 foreign ministers from EU member-states took part in the meeting hosted by France, this years president of the Council of the European Union. The United States and China were not at the forum in the French capital.

The forum highlighted the shared ambition among participants to: reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based international order, democratic values and principles, as well as to the strengthening of multilateralism and the rule of law, respect for international law, and freedom of navigation, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the statement said.

Participants also agreed to work towards peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, which has become a pre-eminent geopolitical theater as Washington responds to an increasingly assertive Beijing in the disputed South China Sea. China has never accepted a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that Beijings expansive historical claims in the waterway have no legal basis.

The Indo-Pacific meanwhile has become strategically important for the EU, which is the top investor in the region, according to the European Commission (EC).

Together, the Indo-Pacific and Europe command more than 70 percent of the global trade in goods and services, as well as more than 60 percent of foreign-direct investment flows, the EC said on its website.

However, the commission warned, the growing geopolitical rivalry could threaten this increasingly robust trade and investment relationship.

[C]urrent dynamics in the Indo-Pacific have given rise to intense geopolitical competition adding to increasing tensions on trade and supply chains as well as in technological, political and security areas the commission said.

This is the reason why the EU has decided to step up its strategic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.

The statement issued after Tuesdays meeting highlighted this point.

The EU participants reiterated the importance of the Indo-Pacific region for Europe and underlined their support for an increased and long-term engagement of the EU and its member-states through concrete actions, the statement said.

The role of the outermost regions and European overseas countries and territories in the Indo-Pacific was highlighted in this respect, the statement said, referring to France which has territories in the region.

The Indo-Pacific is home to nearly 2 million French citizens and 9 million square kilometers (3.47 million square miles) of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (left) and Josep Borrell, the European Unions high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (right), welcome Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi during the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Cooperation Forum, in Paris, Feb. 22, 2022. [AFP]

Stability in the region has been threatened lately through alleged incursions by Chinese research ships, maritime militia and aircraft in the EEZs or of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively.

Six Asian governments have territorial claims or maritime boundaries in the South China Sea that overlap with the sweeping claims of China.

They are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone.

Retno Marsudi, Indonesias minister of foreign affairs who attended the meeting, said she reiterated that international law must be respected.

Peace, stability and respect for international law must be at the center of regional cooperation and all discussions, she told a virtual news conference from Paris on Wednesday.

Indonesia emphasized the importance of cooperation and collaboration amidst deepening rivalry that could lead to open conflict, she said, adding, Indonesia sees the Indo-Pacific as a vast sea of opportunity too large to be dominated by any one country. Therefore, mutual security, mutual stability, and common prosperity must be a public good.
Ismail Sabri Yaakob waves from a car as he leaves after being inaugurated as Malaysias new prime minister, in Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 21, 2021.

Ismail Sabri Yakob is set to undertake his first official visit to Thailand as Malaysias prime minister on Thursday and meet with his Thai counterpart to discuss bilateral cooperation, vaccines, and the reopening of the countries shared border, officials said.

The borderlands along Thailands far-southern frontier with Malaysia are home to a long-running separatist insurgency, and Thai officials are expected to also raise the issue of recent rebel attacks during the Malaysian PMs visit, scheduled from Thursday till Saturday. Malaysia has been brokering peace talks between Thailand and the Malay-Muslim rebels.

During his visit, Prime Minister of Malaysia will have a bilateral meeting with  Prayuth Chan-o-cha, prime minister of Thailand, at Government House on 25 February 2022, according to a statement from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss strengthening cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand, the Malaysian foreign office said in its own statement.

Focus areas include economic cooperation, post-COVID-19 cooperation, reopening of borders, and key connectivity projects crossing the land borders, it added.

Ismail Sabri, who was appointed as PM by Malaysias king last August, will also be meeting Malaysians in Thailand during his visit.

Thailand is the fifth neighboring country that Ismail Sabri will visit as prime minister. Since the end of last year, Ismail has visited Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei, and is now in Cambodia on a two-day visit.

In Phnom Penh, Ismail Sabri was scheduled to hold meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Peace talks resuming next month

During Ismail Sabris visit, Thailand plans to bring up with his delegation alleged insurgent attacks on soft targets in the Deep South, a top Thai official said.

Gen. Wanlop Rugsanaoh, the chief of Thailands negotiating team in the Malaysia-brokered peace talks, visited the Deep South on Monday to engage with the residents and the military and to gather information about the violence to share with Malaysian delegates.

I came here to talk with regional commander for close coordination, especially with residents and others who suggested ways to reduce violence on children and women, in particular, as well as in public places and economic districts, he told reporters in Pattani on Monday.

This will be for the purpose of addressing the matter during  the visit of Malaysian prime minister.

Meanwhile, the next round of peace talks is set to be held in March, sources within the main insurgent group Barisan Nasional Revolusi, security officials and Rahim Noor  the Malaysian facilitator of the peace talks  confirmed to BenarNews.

Violence related to the insurgency has gone unabated since the two sides resumed in-person talks in the Kuala Lumpur area in January, when they discussed a reduction in bloodshed as a basis for further negotiations.

Wanlop, however, said the violence would not affect the peace talks, although he did not confirm or deny that the next round of talks would be held next month.

Che Mohd Aziz Yaacob, a regional expert, said the proposed March meeting reflected the sincerity of both sides in solving the issue.

Yes, this is a good move for peace talks because both sides showed their sincerity and are working hard to speed up the discussion so that the violence and other issues related to the conflict can be solved quickly, said Yaacob, an associate professor at the School of International Studies in the University Utara Malaysia.

The armed separatist movement against Buddhist-majority Thailand began in the 1960s, primarily demanding independence for the far-southern border region, which is home to predominantly Muslim-Malay people along the Malaysia border. Thailand had annexed it in 1909 as part of a treaty with Britain.

More than 7,000 people have been killed and 13,500 others injured in violence across the region since the insurgency reignited in January 2004, according to Deep South Watch, a local think-tank.
Communist New Peoples Army (NPA) guerrillas stop a vehicle at a checkpoint in Lagonlong, a town in Misamis Oriental province, southern Philippines, May 2, 2016.

The Philippine government has officially branded 16 left-leaning groups as terrorist organizations, saying they funnel money to communist insurgents, according to a document from the Anti-Terrorism Council made public on Wednesday.

The council named the groups as underground organizations of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its military wing, the New Peoples Army (NPA), which have been waging a rebellion against Manila since 1969. The communist party rejected the allegations as baseless.

In Resolution 28, dated Jan. 26, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the decision was based on verified and validated information, as well as testimonial and documentary evidence.

He cited the 2020 Anti-Terror Act, which allows the council to designate a domestic or foreign individual, group, or organization as terrorists.

The council found probable cause warranting the designation of the 16 underground organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines as terrorist groups of persons, or associations for having committed or attempting to commit or conspire in the acts defined and penalized in the Anti-Terror Act, said a copy of the four-page resolution obtained by BenarNews.

Designation plays a critical role in the fight against terrorism and is an effective means to eliminate, prevent or suppress the financing of terrorist acts, the provision of support to entities and persons involved in terrorist acts, the recruitment of members of terrorist groups, and the supply of weapons to terrorists, Esperon Jr., who is the vice-chairperson of the council, said in the resolution.

The 16 groups are necessary and indispensable in the spotting, developing, recruitment, and dispatch of cadres, given that membership in an underground organization is a requirement prior to becoming a cadre of the CPP-NPA, the council said.

The council also noted that CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, who was earlier tagged as a designated terrorist individual, had reportedly identified the 16 groups as allies of the National Democratic Front (NDF), which was designated a terrorist group in 2021.

The NDF is the communist partys political wing.

Communists condemn

The party denounced the councils decision and denied that the leftist groups were fronts for it or the New Peoples Army.

In fact, all the 16 organizations targeted are patriotic and democratic and have long been fighting for the rights and interests of their represented sectors, Marco Valbuena, the spokesman for the communists, said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Many of these groups are among those which persisted in the difficult struggles during the dark period of martial law.

The groups designated as terrorists by the government range from organizations helping poor communities in far-flung areas to lawyers representing the downtrodden, an artists organization, as well as one representing laborers and overseas-based Filipino workers, among others.

Valbuena alleged that the Councils decision was partly intended to sway the May presidential election in favor of Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr, the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of Rodrigo Duterte, the incumbent president.

The duo are frontrunners in pre-election surveys.

Duterte, a self-proclaimed leftist, was once a university student of Sison. One of Dutertes first acts after winning the 2016 presidential elections was to engage the insurgents in talks. But the negotiations fell through the following year, with both sides accusing each other of continuing attacks despite talks.

The resolution again proves how the so-called Anti-Terrorism Law is a law for political repression and state terrorism. It is being used by Duterte and his stooges to perpetuate the oppressive and exploitative system and his tyrannical regime, Valbuena added.

Signed into law by Duterte in July 2020, the Anti-Terror Act updated an earlier measure that the countrys security establishment criticized as lacking teeth in catching and prosecuting terror suspects.

Thirty-seven petitions sought to nullify provisions of the law as unconstitutional, making it one of the most challenged pieces of legislation before the Supreme Court.

The court mostly ruled in its favor, as it upheld the constitutionality of most provisions, including the Anti-Terror Councils power to designate a person or group a terrorist even before a trial.

Froilan Gallardo and Richel V. Umel contributed to this report from Cagayan de Oro, southern Philippines.
Mayor Kim Winchell and Cut Bank Police Chief Mike Schultz were among the speakers at the Feb. 16 Town Hall meeting, which was attended by nearly 50 residents. The meeting was organized by the Cut Bank Committee of Public Safety Solutions (COPSS). Schultz and Winchell invite community members to attend future COPSS meetings to learn more about how and why crime is on the rise and possible solutions, including passing a special voted levy to fund an additional police officer.
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READER QUESTION

Q: Suddenly, we have mourning doves, not many, four or five in a small flock feeding on seed that falls to the ground and after it snows. I toss a little out for them that they eat if the squirrels dont get it all first. The gray juncos also came by once and joined in. They are small but not afraid to chase the doves. A co-worker told me that in the south they are hunted! Is this true? That is so sad  they are sweet birds.

 Peter C., Pittsfield

A: Mourning doves are commonly hunted across much of the United States, 41 states in all, but they're protected in Massachusetts. (Doves including the mourning dove are considered game birds in other states.) And they are also not hunted (legally) in Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

Its common to see two mourning doves with each other. They usually mate for life. And for several years we had a pair constantly with each other except during nesting time. They, for the most part, stand true to the title monogamous. This winter we have two doves constantly with one another, that is until last week when a single dove joined the couple. I wonder if it might be an offspring from last season. And while there are three, the loaner does not stay quite as close as the couple does.

I read somewhere that they may be even found in the Mojave Desert. They are commonly found in the contiguous United States and even southern Canada and northern Mexico.

They, like many other species, have a variety of names including American mourning dove, turtle dove, and rain dove, And, regardless of being hunted there are more than 20 million of them. I have never seen one on a bird feeder except for a 2-foot plywood platform a foot above the ground, or my deck if you want to call it a bird feeder. They appear happy feeding from the ground.

READER COMMENTS

Linda S. in Lenox wrote: Ive been enjoying your column and especially the bluebird discussions. We have bluebirds every winter at our home in Lenox. This year, I spotted them in early December (usually I see them at the end of January). We hooked them right away by putting out mealworms every morning and we are fortunate to have anywhere from six to nine each day. We have two nesting boxes, but they dont appear to use them. I had been feeding the bluebirds on our deck rail, but an early robin came along last year and not only was like a Hoover snagging all the mealworms, but also was very aggressive to the bluebirds. He would dive-bomb the bluebirds in flight and went from a welcome sign of spring to be an unwanted guest."

Maureen S. in Pittsfield commented: We have been growing mealworms for our sons lizard but it died recently so we have been putting them out to feed the birds, robins mostly. I was surprised to see the bluebirds found them instead. We never expected to see them either. We fashioned a clear toss-out plastic drink cup that we fashioned to be short with a back that we nailed to a tree. It worked! Unfortunately, the birds eat them faster than we can grow them though. And now the bluebirds have gone elsewhere. Maybe they will come back.
State police reunite an 8-year-old boy with his mother Tuesday, after he went missing from a house the family was renting on Fairview Road in Monterey.
A van from the Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force is parked outside a house on Middle Road in Clarksburg on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Berkshire District Attorney's Office said a Clarksburg resident, William Gingerich, 36, will be charged with single counts of kidnapping and murder in the death of Dennis Bernardi, 71, of Clarksburg.
PITTSFIELD  The rate for water and sewer services for Pittsfield residents will remain in flux for at least another two weeks after City Council members and city department heads spent an evening at loggerheads over proposed rate increases.

The two hour discussion was halted by a chain of charter objections  a move councilors can invoke under the city's charter to halt a vote on an issue.

The objections held up any further discussion or a vote on a revised set of rate increases for city water and sewer rates. City officials came to the meeting Tuesday night prepared to propose a 10 percent increase to water rates and a 12 percent increase to sewer rates this fiscal year and next fiscal year to stave off what they called a "structural problem" in the way the city pays for its water infrastructure.

The rates represented a slight decrease from the initial proposal of a 12 percent water rate and 15 percent sewer rate increase.

Ward 2 Councilor Charles Kronick issued the first charter objection, arguing that Finance Director Matt Kerwood and Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales had not given him or other councilors the detailed level of data he requested over the course of the meeting. Kronick requested line-item level data of the water and sewer projects and enterprise funds, a request that Kerwood said he could provided at a later date  but not without notice off the top of his head.

With the first gauntlet thrown down, At Large Councilor Earl Persip III, Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio and At Large Councilor Karen Kalinowsky called for charter objections  essentially ceremonial acts to the delay discussion of the other associated rate setting requests on the meeting agenda to the March 8 meeting.

Over the course of the discussion, councilors kept Kerwood and Morales on their feet  in an almost constant dance back and forth to the podium  with questions over every inch of the city's drinking and waste water system.

Questions initially focused on the accounting for major improvements to the city's wastewater treatment facility. The project  which was undertaken in 2019 to meet the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency  was cited by city officials as one of the major factors necessitating rate increases this year.

Councilors asked whether there was any way to shave additional costs off the $74 million in a way to lower the impact to residents this year.

"We have done and continue to do everything we that can to make sure that, the wastewater treatment plant specifically, that we take every opportunity to reduce the amount of debt associated with that project," Kerwood said, noting a zero interest loan and principal forgiveness package was estimated to save the city $20 million over 30 years.

"We worked for that," Kerwood said. "We strive for that. ... We respect and appreciate the rate payers and tax payers as much as you do."

Kalinowsky took aim at the city's intermunicipal agreements with surrounding towns to provide water services. Morales and Kerwood told the councilor that approximately $1.2 million in water and sewer bills comes from users from outside of the city while residents pay about $12.8 million in water and sewer bills each year.

The department heads agreed with Kalinowsky that the agreements were outdated and being revised with neighboring towns.

Ward 1 Councilor Ken Warren, Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio and Kalinowsky called on the city to be creative with the city's $40.6 million in American Rescue Plan coronavirus funds and find a way to fund the accounts that cover water and sewer projects, materials and personnel without more money from residents.

"The city was able to recoup $2-point-something million in lost revenue, they were able to recoup their funds out of the $40 million," Maffuccio said referencing the city's ARPA allocation. "Who's going to help the citizens of Pittsfield recoup?"

"This is unsympathetic," Maffuccio added. "We're all trying to recover and get back on our feet. Have a little compassion for people."

Several city councilors said that they were sympathetic to the situation facing all residents due to the pandemic economy, but that delaying a hard vote now would not fix the ever growing needs of the water and sewer funds and make bills down the road even harder to afford for everyone.

"We're all here to represent the residents and these are the residents' bills" Persip said. "We provide services, we provide clean water and a place to flush your toilet. We're just trying to pay for those."

"There's no luxuries here  no luxuries at the waste water treatment plant."
The story of Pittsfield is a long and interesting one, but it had a slow-motion start.

Jacob Wendell is generally identified as the first landowner. It was 1738. Wendell owned 24,000 acres  almost all of what is Pittsfield today. Wendell intended to divide it up and sell it. He had high hopes for a quick profit, but it was 14 years before Captain Charles Goodrich began the work of laying out the town in 1752.

Pittsfield was uninhabited and forested. The first task was to cut and clear. Among the many trees, one stood out. When man first met majestic tree, he meant to fell it. Goodrich stayed his hand, saved the tree and designated it the center of the new town of Pittsfield.

Goodrich laid out town center with four roads radiating out from the Pittsfield Elm. North, South, East and West streets traveled south to Stockbridge, Sheffield and Connecticut, north to Fort Massachusetts, west to Albany, and east to Boston. At the crossroads towered the elm; to one side would be the meetinghouse.

Nine years later, in 1761, the first town meeting was held in the meetinghouse at the edge of the elm. The population of Pittsfield was 200, some of whom were slaves. Under the elm was a whipping post and stockades. Reserved, they said, for slaves and thieves.

Like most of Berkshire, agriculture formed the economic base of Pittsfield. However, the rivers of Pittsfield promised the power for mills and manufactories. Soon there were sawmills, grist mills and fulling mills (to make felt from wool). There were wool, cloth and shoe manufacturers.

As the Revolutionary War approached, militiamen gathered under the elm to begin their march to Forts Bennington and Ticonderoga. The Pittsfield Elm  last vestige of the primal forest  was revered and loved by Pittsfield and famous beyond Pittsfield, and yet, soon the fate of the elm was in jeopardy.

The town grew from 200 in 1761 to 2000 after the Revolutionary War. A new and larger meetinghouse was contemplated. To build it, the elm would have to go. The elm was spared by Goodrich and the first settlers for its conspicuous beauty. Saved the first time by a man, it was saved the second time by a woman.

In 1802, John Chandler Williams and his wife Lucretia built their mansion within sight of the elm. The impending destruction of the splendid tree  the ornament of their neighborhood  was anathema. As the ax was meant to fall, Lucretia threw herself between the ax and the trunk.

Work stopped and the matter was considered at town meeting  the elm won. At the meeting, John Williams aided the outcome by donating a piece of land to surround the elm and to be designated Park Square.

Mysteries From The Morgue: Why was the Old Elm considered the heart of Pittsfield? Lucretia Williams, hearing the ax sing, rushed from her nearby home into the center of town and thrust herself between the axeman and the tree, declaring, You will have to cut through me first.

The elm survived only to be abused. Horseback riders to Park Square used the elm as a hitching post. They even went so far as to drive spikes into the trunk to tie up horses and rigs. Rocks were laid around the elm to discourage the practice.

In 1807, the elm was the centerpiece of the first Agricultural Fair in the new nation. Elkanah Watson introduced his two Merino sheep to Pittsfield from under the elm and a new Pittsfield industry was born. More than one U.S. president demanded a suit of Merino wool from Pittsfield for his inauguration.

In 1819, lightning struck and hewed a limb. In 1825, an American flag flew from the elm to welcome General Lafayette to Pittsfield. Under the elm, introduced as the Pride of Pittsfield, Lafayette spoke to a group of 3,500 people.

In 1826, James Clews, an eminent English potter had a sketch made of the Pittsfield Elm Park Square, and surrounding buildings. He used it to adorn plates in a series called American Scenes.

In 1836, the elm was venerated by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his American Notebook. Five years later, it was again hit by lightning, leaving a 100-foot gash. Its time was fast eroding. Even as it withered, Herman Melville wrote a passage about the elm in Moby-Dick.

In the summer of 1864, the tree finally was brought down. Not in greed to clear and sell, not in the name of progress to clear and build, but with reverence as the central gem of Pittsfield.

A local historian wrote this: One summer morning, the whisper passed along the street that the Elm was bending to its fall  in the afternoon it lay prostrate.

An ax was only used to control the natural fall. The whipping post and stockades were long gone, and the Pittsfield Elm was guided to the ground by a Black freedman and skilled woodsman, Sylvanus Grant.

By counting the rings, it was determined the tree was 341 years old. It was 128 feet tall and 28 feet in circumference. It was 90 feet to its first branch. To this day, the size of the Pittsfield Elm stands in the National Forestry Hall of Fame as the record.
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Elliott Greenblott is a retired educator and coordinator of the AARP Vermont Fraud Watch Network. He hosts a CATV program, Mr. Scammer, distributed by GNAT-TV in Sunderland, Vt.: gnat-tv.org.
Amber Payne, left, and Deborah Douglas are co-editors in chief of the new online publication of The Emancipator, the first abolitionist newspaper in the United States, which was founded more than 200 years ago. The new incarnation will explore ways to reframe the national conversation around racial injustice.
 



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Ryker Audiss (Belle Fourche baseball): Audiss, a senior outfielder, was a force at the plate and a major contributor to the Broncs wins over Lead-Deadwood, St. Thomas More, and Chamberlain/Kimball/Lyman. His cumulative Stats for the week: three games, nine hits in 11 at bats, two doubles, nine RBIs, seven runs scored, two stolen bases. 0.818 batting average, 0.833 on base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

Garrett Winkler (Newell boys track and field): Last week Winkler competed at the Northern Hills Invite in Belle Fourche and finished second in the 3,200-meter run, and had a 16 second improvement from his previous best. He also anchored the boys Medley Relay to a sixth place finish.

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BOISE  A Boise man pleaded guilty to transportation for prostitution and money laundering.

According to court records, between July 2019 and June 2021, Dannie Carr, 37, of Boise, was the manager of a business engaged in the interstate prostitution of two adult females, primarily between Idaho and Washington. Carr coerced the two adult females to engage and remain in the prostitution business by perpetrating domestic violence upon the two adult females.

Carr is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in federal prison, a minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine or twice the amount involved in the offense, whichever is greater.

U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Bellevue, Washington Police Department, and the Transportation Security Administration, which led to charges.
BIG RAPIDS  Officers with the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety responded to the following calls. All calls may not be reported.

A failure to pay was reported in the 600 block of Maple Street. This incident happened the prior evening. Owner was identified and contacted. He will contact to pay for fuel.

A property damage accident was reported at State and Spring.

BRDPS assisted Mecosta County Sheriffs Office with executing a search warrant in the 500 block Division.

A failure to pay was reported in the 600 block of Maple Street. Subject tried to use credit card and pumped fuel. The machine didn't take the card. The driver was contacted and stated he would pay over the phone.

A probation violation was reported in the 1100 block of Catherine. A call was received that male was intoxicated, violating his probation. Contact was made with the male. He spit in the portable breath test straw twice. He was arrested and lodged at MCSO. He refused the jail's portable breath test, too.

Police received a report of threats in 700 block Fuller Avenue. One 75-year-old patient threatened to harm another 75-year-old patient. They were separated. No crime

Friday, Feb. 18

A traffic stop at State and South led to driver being cited for no insurance. Vehicle was impounded to Curries.

A property damage accident was reported at Ferris and Perry.

Officers were called to the 400 block of South Third Avenue because resident kept changing her clothes in front of other residents. Officer stood by while she was asked to leave.

A civil matter was reported in the 1000 block of South State Street. There was a dispute over a prescription between customer and pharmacist. As a result, a female was trespassed from the store after threatening to return and slap the pharmacist.

An aggravated assault was reported in the 1100 block of Fuller. After an ex-husband took money out of his and his ex-wifes joint account, her new boyfriend came over and punched him in the face. The ex-husband went to the emergency department for jaw pain and found out that his jaw was broken. The case is under investigation.

A suspicious situation was reported in the 700 block of Maple. While in the area, officers heard an audible alarm that was not dispatched. Dispatch contacted the alarm company and advised a key holder would turn it off. The building was secure.

A warrant arrest was executed in the 400 block of South Third. A well being check was made on male who had superficial cuts on his left hand from pushing his knife blade into his skin. He was lodged on felony probation warrants out of Jackson County.

A report of domestic violence was made in the 400 block of South Michigan. A female was arrested after hitting her boyfriend in the face.

Saturday, Feb. 19

A property damage accident was reported at South State and Mill streets

A personal injury accident was reported at Division and State. One subject was transported to Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital with minor injuries after a two vehicle accident.

Officers responded to an unfounded alarm in the 800 block of North State Street.

A false alarm was reported in the 300 block of South Fourth. A door was found open, but no one located inside. The building was re-secured.

A civil matter was reported in the 100 block of South Michigan. A bouncer thought a female had a fake Oregon ID and broke it. The ID was found to be real, and the issue was resolved without law enforcement action between the establishment and the female.

Sunday, Feb. 20

Officers responded to the 800 block Water Tower where they found a female hallucinating. They referred the female to Central Michigan Health for help.

Officers at BRPD took a report of fraud. The complainant stated that he was scammed out of $1,800. The case is under investigation.

A suspicious situation was reported in the 300 block of North Warren. A female stated that a male was watching her in the park.

Traffic stop at Warren and Elm led to female being arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine was also located in the vehicle.

A failure to pay was reported in the 600 block of South State Street. A white Ford Mustang, possibly 1994-2004 body style, failed to pay for $47.62 in fuel. The case is under investigation.
Paragon empowers enterprises to interact with Singtel's 5G network fortifying high-speed operations coupled with low latency for applications in healthcare, pharma, and MedTech digital space

Singtel (Singapore Telecommunications Limited) on 22 Feb 2022 launched Paragon, a revolutionary platform that enables enterprises to tap into Singtels 5G network to activate network slices on demand, deploy mission-critical applications on Singtel MEC (multi-access edge compute) as well as access a robust ecosystem of partner applications, offering them unparalleled control and choices. The platform also empowers enterprises to securely deploy applications in a hybrid fashion across the edge at Singtel MEC and a public cloud of their choice.

Paragon platform will facilitate the seamless progression of cutting-edge 5G dependent technologies in healthcare, medical education, pharma supply chain and MecTech solution involving robotic operations, remote surgeries, AR/VR/MR applications, precision warehouse operations and more. The platform can integrate with enterprise partners and allied service providers to revolutionise the futuristic 5G trends in the state-of-the-art arenas at healthcare, R&D, manufacturing, drone delivery of medicines, and caregiving to name a few. The venture will improve connectivity at healthcare services while reducing the cost tagged to high latency services.

Developed in-house, Paragon is the industrys first all-in-one orchestration platform for 5G edge computing and cloud services. It significantly reduces the complexity and time needed to adopt 5G MEC and low latency applications and services  lowering the barriers to entry for enterprises, enabling faster deployment of use cases while removing considerable operational and cost overheads.

Many enterprises are undergoing rapid digitalisation while exploring and developing tailored 5G solutions for deployment in their industries. We understand the challenges and complexities that they face in managing the various networks, edge cloud applications and services with the required cyber security, resiliency and demanding service assurances required, cost-effectively. Paragon was conceived, developed and delivered to help enterprises meet these needs through a single platform, said Mr Bill Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Group Enterprise, Singtel.

We are pleased to already witness exciting and successful trials being conducted on Paragon and invite partners in 5G-related fields, from chipset manufacturers, Internet-of-Things devices, apps and software developers, content producers, systems integrators and solution providers, to join us, as we scale this platform regionally and globally with other telecommunication leaders to benefit customers in a 5G world.

One-stop digital acceleration platform for enterprises, including Healthcare and MedTech sectors

Without an all-in-one solution like Paragon, enterprises have to juggle multiple tools to manage their network connectivity, cloud and application lifecycle at the edge. Paragon empowers enterprises to interact with the 5G network and deploy their edge computing applications and services on Singtels infrastructure independently, securely and within minutes. This shortens their innovation curve and improves time-to-market as well as reduces costs. Enterprises can also access a wide range of solutions from Singtel's partners to deliver their 5G use cases.

Compared to the current 4G and public cloud-enabled edge computing solutions, Paragon provides a huge improvement in latency with much higher bandwidth throughput from Singtels 5G network. This means better performance and faster decision-making at the edge where the data resides, critical for use cases like autonomous systems like robotics, drones and vehicles, immersive, video-rich experiences and powerful real-time edge AI use cases.

Building a strong 5G MEC eco-system

Singtels 5G eco-system partners play a key role in delivering the overall solution built on the Paragon platform. Through the Paragon Marketplace, which operates like an app store, Singtel's partners can integrate their offerings through a robust industry-standard application programming interface (API) to rapidly build and deploy their solutions on Paragon. Some of these solutions already available include real-time fleet management, mixed reality and metaverse-based simulations, smart warehouse management, among others.

As Singtel scales Paragon across the region with a number of telecommunication leaders, partners in Singtel's 5G eco-system will have access to multiple markets based on their solutions they have built on the Paragon platform. Singtel Partner Programme will develop solutions across industries, validation of the solutions, from the commercial structure and go-to-market support on Singtels 5G platform, and finally onboard the applications into the Paragon Marketplace.

Image Caption:

Paragon platform launch event, Singtel, Singapore

(Left) Mr. Bill Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Group Enterprise, Singtel

(Right) Mr. Manoj Kumar, Head, Technology, 5G Product Architect & Development, Singtel
Mainly Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province & Ringing Trips to Bahrain
A newly-launched civil society coalition intends to keep its eye on development finance institutions to ensure investment is done in a socially and environmentally friendly manner.

Minister of finance Enoch Godongwana. Source: Ashraf Hendricks, GroundUp

Lack of transparency

Need for local IFI engagement group

FairFinance South Africa, launched online on Monday, 21 February, aims to ensure there is transparency and affected communities are properly consulted for a just transition to a low-carbon society.The coalition has addressed concerns to minister of finance Enoch Godongwana ahead of Wednesdays budget speech, and says it will be watching closely what he says.The coalition partners include 350 Africa.org, the Centre for Environmental Rights, the African Climate Reality Project, the Centre for Applied Legal studies, Oxfam South Africa, Friends of the Earth Mozambique, and Earth life Africa.In the letter, the minster is urged to provide South Africans with a full picture of how government has used the resources it is receiving from international financial institutions (IFIs), including the R106bn borrowed from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the New Development Bank.The country has incurred these new obligations without any transparent or accessible process of public consultation or publicly available studies of the expected impacts of these loans on poverty, public health, job creation or social welfare, the coalition says.Regarding the World Bank loan, it said government was obliged to consult with and engage with key stakeholders in the country, including social groups.The World Bank seems to think that the South African government did engage in such a consultation process. In the supporting documentation for the loan, the World Bank states that the South African government has consulted with business, labour and communities through the National Economic Development & Labour Council.The document also stipulates that the World Bank has consulted with relevant government entities at national and sub-national levels and with academia, civil society organisations, youth groups and organised business, the letter says.The coalition said most, if not all, relevant community groups and civil society organisations had not been consulted.Government [also] did not release any information about its assessment of the social, economic or environmental impacts of these new financial commitments.While the urgency of the pandemic may have made it difficult for the government to do such assessments in advance of taking out these loans, there is no justification for it not having done so  and making the findings publicly available  almost two years after the onset of the pandemic, it said.The coalition believes its time for the establishment of a South African IFI engagement group to facilitate a frank and open exchange about the implications of the loans.At the online launch, the coalition flagged the financing of projects by local development finance institutions, including the Development Bank of South Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation. Affected communities were not consulted, and the excuse was given that the issues were too technical.The coalition hoped to change this, given the broad expertise of its members in the legal, campaigning and financial sectors.FairFinance South Africa and the Life after Coal Campaign have also written to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting more details regarding the establishment of the Presidential Climate Finance Task Team and asking for a commitment that it will consult with civil society and community organisations.They said international funding should be conditional on the phased-out retirement of Eskom coal stations, the rehabilitation of coal mining areas, and the addressing of Eskoms debt.Funding should also be conditional on the development of publicly-owned and community-owned renewable energy schemes, which must be prioritised and rapidly scaled-up in order for the country to meet decarbonisation requirements.Any deal should not include finance for fossil fuels.
Shorn Khumalo is a creative guru who has worked with some of the biggest brands in the country. He is the brains behind The Client Media, a strategic brand development boutique specialising in PR & Marketing and is changing the narrative on Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

Shorn Khumalo, founder of The Client Media

Can you tell us about The Client Media?

When, how and why did you get started?

What is the core function of The Client Media?

What services do you provide?

Could you name some of your clients?

What are some of the obstacles you've had to face since you started?

Have you received any funding to get The Client Media up and running? If so, what was the process like?

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

Build a great support structure around you and take it one day at a time.

Where would you like to see The Client Media in the next five years?

We find out from the CPUT graduate, who is one of the growing numbers of publicists who are promoting "Kasi" based businesses.The Client Media is a full-service strategic brand development agency in the business of amplifying brand stories. We specialise in PR & marketing, concept development, content curation, event marketing and we have a TV production unit.I love telling this story - projects chose me. They found me in the role of PR & events coordinator for a private education institution. Bored and wondering whats next, I received a phone call looking for someone who could take the Free State Fashion Fashion Week (FSFW) to the next level. Long story short, in our short engagement with the team at FSFW, I received a flight ticket, accommodation and a car rental within the same week. I had such a wonderful time that weekend that I knew it was time to leave my job. I havent looked back since.Were in the business of amplifying brand stories. Our responsibility is to communicate and carry out the brand message to consumers.We provide the following: Brand development and brand management; Content planning and writing; Events marketing; Media Relations Management; Influencer Marketing and promotions; Social Media Management; Crisis Management and TV Production.Some of our clients include: The Spade Boutique Hotel & Spa - the first 4 star boutique hotel in a township in South Africa; The Milk Restaurant & Champagne Bar in Khayelitsha; Taste the Culture Lifestyle Festival;on SABC 2;on SABC 3; Free State Fashion Week and Clinimed.In the beginning, we struggled with invoicing and receiving payments on time. It would be so dreadful having to collect payments from clients youre trying to maintain a relationship with. We also struggled with clients expecting over the top executions with a limited budget.Generally, you will struggle to get through to media houses when youre new and unknown unless you have really great content and you have done your research. This is one aspect I quickly grasped.Uh! Covid-19 has really hit us hard. It feels like we had moved five steps ahead and 10 steps back. We lost a number of clients. Our client list consists of small-medium businesses so you can almost imagine the knock effect Covid-19 has had on us. We are slowly recovering and I am happy to have received calls from our clients initiating a continuation.No, the business is self-funded. When I started I wanted to gradually grow. Im moving at my own pace and Im committed to learning in the process. Its less pressure to the added pressure of running a business and Im glad I chose this path.Start somewhere and start with where you are. You dont have to follow others' paths. Find your rhythm, find what works for you.Remember, your key responsibility is to offer your clients solutions and great service, so continue to work on this and make it the core of the business.Expanding and offering services to big corporate companies. I believe were capable and our work speaks for itself. For a small PR & Marketing agency, theres nothing small about what we can do.For more, go to https://theclientpr.co.za/
South Africa's intrepid Skin Renewal is a true leader within the medical aesthetic industry. As this ever-growing-business continues to make great strides in innovation, it's only fitting that this is reflected in its brand identity. Having recently opened two new clinics in Waterfall, Gauteng and Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal, Skin Renewal is incredibly proud to now offer patients 18 locations to meet their tailored skincare needs. It's this core value of growth that spurred a rebranding, signifying the scientific and modern principles combined with the luxury experience Skin Renewal is known for. A strong yet fresh logo and emotive tagline is the result; it captures the spirit of the brand, unifies all parts of the business and conveys it's purpose.

CEO Victor Snyders explains the reasoning for this overhaul: 'The brand was disjointed with logos that had evolved with our growth over 16 years, but no longer truly reflected what it was we wanted to convey.' The total brand refresh means the business stays relevant, and reflects the essence of the excellent, non-surgical solutions available to patients. As innovation is a cornerstone of aesthetic medicine, the beautiful enhancement of Skin Renewals ID  the meeting place of science and glamour  means precision and on-target communication.Why the choice of the Skin Renewal name above others? Skin Renewal is the most familiar and strongest brand within the Skin Renewal stable and the decision was taken to work with this. Skin Renewal represents many sub-brands within the business and contains them, continues Snyders.As for the design itself, it speaks to our passion as innovators. Skin Renewal continues to seek ways in which we can improve our business offering and indeed the essence of the business itself, he adds. The inception of a logo that better reflects the fine balance of science and glamour which we represent, with a tagline the elixir of you, is now in the spotlight. The rebranding  born of an intensive research process  captures the perfect blend of science and glamour with a fresh yet luxurious interpretation. The name in the clean and structured font creates a clear message which sits juxtaposed to a brand new icon. This, in gold for a touch of luxury, is created from the R in the word Renewal reinforcing the essence of the business offering.'Our brand is a luxury one, however theres nothing superficial about our people or the experience, says Snyders. Being treated and cared for at Skin Renewal means a genuine encounter, with experts committed to your journey and tailoring treatments to your specific needs, he expands. Constantly learning and revolutionising, the brand overhaul is a real reflection of a strong-held ethos in progression.Skin Renewal looks forward to warmly welcoming you to one of their 18 luxury clinics. With a dynamic team of professional and specialist medi-aestheticians, the service is not only extremely competent and capable, but able to be totally individually tailored to your needs. The teams energy  even after the challenging time experienced locally and globally  is there to help re-charge you. Skin Renewal leaps towards the end of the year with renewed hope and a feeling of excitement about what lies ahead. As an organisation, theres a distinct energy of gratitude, genuine empathy and appreciation of all patients and those whose skin journeys are still to come.For more information, www.skinrenewal.co.za
There are a few milestones in one's life, and starting tertiary student life is one of them. IIE Rosebank College's Orientation Week (O-Week) will take place between the 21 and 25 February at all campuses. Our campuses are ready for the 2022 academic year and all our staff have prepared accordingly. We are excited to meet our new cohort of students and welcome our returning students, back on campus.

Orientation week is a chance to get to know your campus, familiarise yourself with all our facilities and make friends before the academic year begins. It is also a chance to mentally prepare yourself for the year ahead. Transitioning from high school to tertiary education is challenging. Many students may be living away from home for the first time. This type of freedom can present various challenges if you are not prepared sufficiently or mentally ready. Make the most of O-Week, to easily settle into the 2022 academic year.Get to know the campus, especially the lecture venues. This will ensure that you are on time for your first class. Find thelibrary, cyber centre, bookshop, printing facilities and more. A campus tour will also assist you with identifying the safety measures on campus.All campuses are staffed with Student Wellness Managers who are qualified social workers or psychologists. For some students, tertiary life can be an experience and overwhelming at the same time. The pandemic has made it even more evident that we need others to help us cope. Sharing can lighten the load. The student wellness managers are there to help younavigate challenges and feel less overwhelmed. Seeking help in the form of counselling is always encouraged. A healthy mind is essential to forging through your tertiary years. The counselling sessions are free and confidential.You matter. Your voice matters. So find the communication channels on campus to ensure that you communicate effectively. Get to know the Campus Life Committee members (student council)on campus and know the activities available for students to enrich your tertiary experience. Academics are essential. This is the primary reason that you enrolled at our institution. It is, however, enriching to enjoy your tertiary experience and have fun  part of the fun is getting to know others and sharing ideas.Making others smile is not only enriching, it is part of what IIE Rosebank College stands for - to change lives. Most campuses have community outreach programmes which enable students to contribute to our communities. Whether working with children or the elderly, the opportunity to give back and follow your passion is there.O-Week is an opportunity for you to meet other students who may be looking for roommates, allowing you to share the costs and perhaps find a study partner.There is always that one thing that you forget to fill in or hand in, which may affect you when it's time to graduate. Ensure that you have handed in all your registration documents, set up your e-mail account, download your digital student card and view your student portal.During O-Week use the opportunity to get to know the area surrounding your campus. Check your transport routes and plan your semester accordingly.Plan your academic yearPlanning is key to ensure you increase your chances of improving your semester mark and ease the pressure at assessment time. Orientation Week is an opportunity to download your timetable and diarize yourassignments and assessments.Your first yearis a clean slate. You will be in a new environment with new people from different backgrounds. You can use this as an opportunity to reset and re-invent yourself and position yourself for your dream career.2022 Registration is open at IIE Rosebank College.
Experts and environmentalists have raised concerns about whether the impact of numerous prospecting, mining and marine surveying operations on South Africa's coastal waters is being given adequate weight when authorised individually.

Western Cape environment department not satisfied

Department of Mineral Resources reasons

Urgent interdict

In December, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) gave environmental authorisation for local company Belton Park Trading 127 to prospect for diamonds, gemstones, heavy minerals, industrial minerals, precious metals, and ferrous and base metals in three marine blocks just off the coast about 200km north of Cape Town.Professor Merle Sowman of the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at UCT has lodged an appeal, submitted jointly with research assistant Michael Lambrecht.Sowman told GroundUp that ad hoc prospecting and mining applications as well as other development activities were being granted without a proper assessment of the cumulative impacts of these many operations on the coastal and marine environment.In a 2014 strategy document, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) itself refers to assessing cumulative impacts to ensure that the full range of consequences of actions is considered in order to avoid the tyranny of small decisions.Also appealing against the Belton authorisation is the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, which raised the issue of the cumulative impact as well.The DMRE has approved multiple and sometimes overlapping survey, prospecting and mining activities on the offshore area along the West Coast without any attempt to assess the cumulative impacts, the appeal states.The reports submitted by Belton Park as well as the Environmental Authorisation do not provide any indication that prospecting was considered in terms of cumulative impacts and if mining activities would be a desired outcome for the area.According to the provinces appeal, it is imperative that a strategic view be adopted, including the identification of sensitive areas where no prospecting or mining activities will be considered in line with a 2018 National Biodiversity Assessment.The provincial department also raised concerns about whether local fishing communities had been properly involved in the approval process.One of the questions in DFFEs Appeal Questionnaire to appellants is: Would you agree to the activity proceeding if your concerns can be addressed by rectifying the process or mitigating or eliminating the impacts of the activity?The province replied: No. The proposed activities are incompatible with the conservation and ecotourism proposed uses of the areas and in conflict with local communities dependence on local ecosystem services.While not fundamentally opposed to any development activity on the site, the province believed that prospecting and mining activities were inappropriate for the area.Sowman told GroundUp that her research group has been monitoring and recording the various prospecting, mining, oil and gas applications and their status over the past 18 months.I wonder whether DMRE and DFFE have this overview  how can they be making informed decisions when they dont have full information?In its authorisation, DMRE stated its Belton decision was based on information contained in an Environmental Impact Report and on proposed mitigation measures outlined in an Environmental Management Programme, both compiled for the company by SLR Consulting in association with three specialist consultants.The department was satisfied that if mitigation measures were applied, the impact would be low to very low.DMRE did not refer directly to the issue of cumulative impact in its authorisation. However, it stated it was satisfied that the Belton project would not be in conflict with the general objectives of Integrated Environmental Management.On Thursday, the Cape High Court will hear an urgent interim interdict application to halt a seismic survey off the West Coast by Australian geodata supply company Searcher. The interdict application is part of a legal challenge to the May 2021 granting of a reconnaissance permit to Searcher by Petroleum Agency SA to conduct the survey.The applicants include West Coast fishing communities and civic organisations.A similar Shell seismic survey off the Transkei coast has also been temporarily blocked by the courts amid concern over the lack of scientific certainty about the impacts of prospecting and mining in the sea, and the inadequacy of legally required public participation processes.
While Minerals Council South Africa has welcomed the maiden annual budget speech by finance minister Enoch Godongwana which acknowledged the critical role mining plays in the South African economy, it has raised concern that the country's debt is forecast to rise to R5.4tn over the medium term from R4.3tn. SA is already incurring debt-servicing costs of R330bn a year, which is more than the government spends on health, police or basic education.

Realistic picture of mining production

'Tough love' for SoEs

Tax freeze

Godongwanas commitment to reducing the fiscal deficit and stabilising debt, partially using the windfall from the mining sectors high commodity prices, bodes well for the discipline the country needs in managing its finances. His comments that no permanent expenditure could be planned on the back of temporary high commodity prices and without worsening the deficit were realistic assessment of the unsustainable spending on grants paid to 46% of the population. His target of stabilising debt and achieving a primary balance by 2023/4 must be welcomed.Minister Godongwana painted a very realistic picture of mining production and the negative impacts of rising input costs, electricity shortages, inadequate rail availability and regulatory uncertainty would have by moderating the mining sectors recovery from two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Minerals Council chief economist Henk Langenhoven.It was notable that Minister Godongwana acknowledged that the broader economy is not doing well and that it was really only mining that performed during 2021, he adds.Godongwana made the sobering assessment that commodity prices could weaken in the near to medium term. The current account surplus as a share of GDP remained steady at 3.8% in 2021, mainly because of high prices of iron ore, rhodium and coal in SAs mineral sales which made up 60% of exports. However, commodity prices are forecast to ease and the current account will decline to a marginal surplus in 2022 before slipping into a deficit of -1.5% for each of the next two years.The Minerals Council welcomed the promise of tough love for state-owned entities into which the government has pumped more than R308bn to bail out their failing balance sheets.The need for private-public partnerships in key state-owned companies like Eskom and Transnets rail and port assets is critical to ensure sustainable, inclusive economic growth and job creation, says Langenhoven. The speech did not go into as much detail on restructuring as perhaps we would have liked, but clearly there is a recognition in the government that it cannot save the economy by itself.The extension of the first phase introduction of the Carbon Tax to December 2025 will be a relief for mining companies and the broader economy. Mining companies have 3.9GW of renewable energy projects worth about R60bn in the pipeline and they need a sense of urgency from the government to approve them and reduce their exposure to Eskom and its carbon-heavy electricity generation.The freeze on hiking taxes will benefit the whole country, while the one percentage point reduction in corporate taxes to 27% sends the right message to business.Included in the Budget was comment on two mining-specific taxes. We note the proposed clarification of two sections of taxes specifically related to mining and welcome the clarity sought by Minister Godongwana. We trust the mining industrys tax experts will be fully consulted on whatever changes are under consideration, says Langenhoven.
Strategic planner Luca Conte joins the House of Communication Vienna

The House of Communication Vienna has appointed strategic planner Luca Conte as its executive director strategy and CX.



Conte returns to Austria after 12 years in the international advertising industry to help the Serviceplan Group, both for the House of Communication Vienna and Serviceplan International.



He most recently worked for Nivea Men at Publicis OneTouch as global planning lead. He plans to continue his career with Serviceplan Group in Vienna and abroad.
Russia's parliament ratifies friendship treaties with 2 "independent republics" in east Ukraine's Donbass

Xinhua) 08:49, February 23, 2022

Refugees from eastern Ukraine arrive at a train station in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Feb. 22, 2022. (Photo by Roman Yarovitcin/Xinhua)

Zelensky said that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session on Tuesday.

Under the two treaties, Russia will foster closer cooperation with the "republics" when it comes to "strengthening peace," "enhancing security," and coordinating efforts aimed at settling regional conflicts.

The agreements with both "republics" are concluded for a period of 10 years, and will be automatically renewed for successive periods of five years, unless either party decides not to do so.

Russian President Vladimir Putin inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR.

The president also signed two decrees recognizing the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

"The latest actions of the Russian Federation are a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state. Russia is solely responsible for the consequences of such decisions," Zelensky said in a video address to the nation published on Facebook.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The 14-by-33 subsonic wind tunnel at NASA Langley, seen in 2019. (Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press / Daily Press)

If youve had your head in the clouds lately, then the 2022 STEM Takes Flight NASA Research Experiences might be for you.

The program, offered by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium in partnership with the Virginia Community College System, NASA Langley Research Center and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, is open to rising sophomores or current sophomores in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors at community colleges throughout Virginia.

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The paid 10-week summer research experiences will be either virtual or on-site at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton or NASA Goddard Space Flight Centers Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore.

Selected students will be given $6,000 and support to procure affordable housing.

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Started in 2015 as a two-year pilot program, the STEM-related projects enable students to experience real-world, hands-on learning along with insight into career options at NASA.

Debbie Murray, VSGCs program manager for internships and research experiences, said STEM Takes Flight gives students the opportunity to bring to life what they are learning in the classroom and can be life-changing.

You get to grow in what youre pursuing as a major in school working alongside some of the finest world renowned NASA scientists and engineers in the country, Murray said.

There are more than 20 positions available including: materials research for lunar dust adhesion mitigation and management; electromagnetic compatibility; and precipitation instrumentation project.

We are trying to better train the next generation of future employees for the nation and for Virginia, Murray said.

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age and a full-time or part-time student enrolled with at least six credit hours. Apply online by March 7 at https://vsgc.odu.edu/stemtakesflight/.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com
The Canadian truckers Freedom Convoy may have had to leave Ottawa without achieving its goal of getting Prime Minister Trudeau to reverse the COVID mandates. However, the impact of their protest is growing exponentially now as the world sees Trudeau go full-bore totalitarian in response to a peaceful protest. The truckers have lit a fuse that is awakening the world. It is on course to wake up millions now.

In overplaying his hand, Trudeau called the worlds attention to the real intent of the destructive COVID health policies. Now, more people realize these policies have nothing to do with health. They are instead designed to end democracy and install a Chinese-style social credit system.

Read: Justin Trudeau Said He Admired Chinas Dictatorship. Canadians Should Have Believed Him.

There is a level of admiration I actually have for China because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dimehaving a dictatorship where you can do whatever you wanted, that I find quite interesting.

pic.twitter.com/z5an8hNC4P  Jon Miltimore (@miltimore79) February 15, 2022

Perhaps the biggest impact of the truckers protest is that Trudeaus undemocratic response has alerted the world to the fact that he is one of the World Economic Forums Young Global Leaders. That means his loyalty is not to Canada or the Canadian people, but to Klaus Schwabs Great Reset.

Most people around the world  even those who oppose the COVID mandates  had no idea the COVID policies are being used to destroy the worlds economy to introduce a new normal in which the World Economic Forum says that by 2030 You will own nothing and will be happy.

The truckers protest has brought to the worlds attention that half of Trudeaus cabinet is reportedly composed of the WEFs Young Global Leaders. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland imposed heavy financial sanctions not only the truckers but on people who donated to them! Canadian Truckers Challenge: Democracy or The Great Reset? shows that she is on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum.

Chrystia Freelands side gig with the WEF is endangering Canadian democracy explains:

Rubbing shoulders at Davos with the worlds rich, famous and powerful was one of the inspirations for her 2012 book, Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else.

A member of parliament asked last week that the members of Trudeaus government who are part of the World Economic Forum be identified. However, his request was ignored on the pretext that the audio was not good. Yet, this is now THE most important question for every government. How many people in government are loyal to their nation and how many are working to destroy democracy and implement The Great Reset and the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

Video: Canadian MP Accused Of Spreading Disinformation For Pointing Out WEFs Corrupt Influence Over Trudeaus Govt

On behalf of a constituent, Conservative MP Colin Carrie asks about the World Economic Forums influence on Canadian politicians. He gets cut off and NDP MP Charlie Angus says Carrie is spreading disinformation." pic.twitter.com/LKWMPDyLFW  True North (@TrueNorthCentre) February 19, 2022

The Great Reset Ushers in The New World Order

THE GREAT RESET PLAN REVEALED: HOW COVID USHERS IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER

For months we have seen our way of life change dramatically. We have been told time and time again things will never be the same and we must accept the new normal. Now the social engineers have revealed their hand and officially launched their solution to this crisis. The proposed solution is the Great Reset. In this report we examine what exactly is the great reset and who is involved. We also explore what the Great Reset means for humanity as face unprecedented times.

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Patrick Wood explains in the video below how the COVID health policies were used to take over the world economy to implement The Great Reset. He explains why the First Amendment is under attack now and encourages people to go to his site Citizens For Free Speech. He shows why now is a great opportunity to shift the narrative. Wood is the author of Technocracy: The Hard Road to World Order and Technocracy Rising: The Trojan Horse Of Global Transformation.

The Global Elite and the Coronavirus Coup DEtat With Patrick Wood

Klaus Schwabs World Economic Forum

Rosa Koire: In Memoriam

KLAUS SCHWAB AND HIS GREAT FASCIST RESET

AMAZING POLLY: THE GREAT RESET IS NO CONSPIRACY THEORY. THE UNITED NATIONS AND WEF HAVE JOINED FORCES

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Joe Rogan Shocked By World Economic Forums Great Reset

Trudeaus totalitarian repression of the peaceful trucker movement awakened a sleeping giant. The Joe Rogan podcast has 11 million viewers. So, now that Rogan aware of the infiltration of the worlds governments by the World Economic Forums Young Global Leaders like Trudeau dedicated to implementing The Great Reset, Rogan can help wake up millions of his viewers quickly and easily.

WATCH  Maajid Nawaz explains why the people in power shut down debate in order to create a void where reason, logic, and truth no longer exist, but where power can step in to define reality.

MUST WATCH: Maajid Nawaz leaves Joe Rogan speechless by explaining how the World Economic Forum (WEF) is infiltrating governments around the world. pic.twitter.com/qSHFQV75Up  Culture War Resource (@CltrWarResource) February 20, 2022

WTF?? Great Reset Total Global Control Plan Exposed on Joe Rogan? (video)

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Nawaz stunned Rogan with details on how World Economic Forum infiltrates world governments Nawaz told Rogan the World Economic Forum has openly put its members in leadership roles to steer world governments toward more and more authoritarianism. Nawaz pointed out that Tony Blair tried to implement an ID system when he was Prime Minister of Britain, and is now openly moving to implement digital IDs in the post-COVID era. The WEF has clearly articulated its interest in pursuing a global digital ID system. So this is going to be this never-ending process to slowly move the goal posts, Rogan surmised. Towards more and more authoritarianism. People have to realize this, right? This is important.

Nawaz, founding chairman of Quilliam, pointed out that in 2017 Schwab said the WEFs Young Global Leaders would penetrate the cabinets of world leaders. He explained to Rogan in a three-hour interview that the World Economic Forum under Schwab has worked on embedding in governments around the world people who are subscribed to The Great Reset to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies  from education to social contracts and working conditions. Government leaders have begun lifting COVID-19 mandates while leaving in place an apparatus of digital tracking that forms the basis for a digital social credit score like the one in China.

Mass Formation Psychosis Show Broke The Internet!

Rogan has become the mainstream media, leaving the legacy press and mockingbird media just parroting the talking points of the COVID narrative.

Why Joe Rogans Interviews on Mass Psychosis Broke The Internet explains that in The Highwire EPISODE 249: BREAKING MASS PSYCHOSIS (video) on January 7, host Del Bigtree said when Dr. Peter McCullough on December 18 and Dr. Malone on January 3 discussed the concept of mass psychosis on the Joe Rogan show, that sent an overwhelming number of viewers to the internet searching for more information to understand how COVID has been used to drive people crazy with fear.

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Dr. McCullough said in his interview with Rogan, We are in whats called a Mass Formation Psychosis. He gave credit to Dr. Mattias Desmet, a psychologist, a statistician, and a professor at Ghent University in Belgium, and Dr. Mark McDonald. Dr. Desmets book The Psychology of Totalitarianism will come out in English this month. Dr. McDonalds book is United States of Fear: How America Fell Victim to a Mass Delusional Psychosis.

Del explained that in WHAT IS MASS FORMATION PSYCHOSIS? IS THE PUBLIC BEING GASLIT? (video), Kim Iversen showed on January 5 that the term mass formation psychosis trended on so many searches over the weekend that it broke the internet! When Google censored the information, she went to DuckDuckGo and found the term came from Joe Rogans December 31 interview with Dr. Malone.

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Why Doesnt Google Want You to Know About Mass Formation Psychosis?

THE NARRATIVE IS CRUMBLING  16 REASONS WHY (video)

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Tom Marazzo: Guest For Joe Rogan Show?

Perhaps Rogan could interview Tom Marazzo who emerged as the spokesperson for the truckers protest. Marazzo gave the final press conference shown at the link below.

Not Going to Be a Punching Bag for the Police: Freedom Convoy Spokesman Announces Peaceful Withdrawal From Ottawa

OTTAWAAs police in Ottawa escalated operations for the second day in a row against the trucker protest opposed to the governments COVID-19 mandates, a spokesperson for the movement, dubbed the Freedom Convoy, called for a peaceful withdrawal, saying they are not going to be a punching bag for law enforcement.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lord Elgin Hotel in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 19, retired Canadian military officer Tom Marazzo said many truckers feel that the best course of action for them and their families is to withdraw in order to avoid further harm. As a movement, we have chosen to peacefully withdraw from the streets of Ottawa. There is nothing to be gained by being brutalized by police, Marazzo said.

Police began escalating their operation against the protesters in Ottawa on Feb. 18, announcing mid-morning Feb. 20 that they have thus far made 191 arrests and had 57 vehicles towed away. Mounted police and officers on foot advanced on demonstrators, with horses knocking down protesters in some instances. Some police officers were heavily armed, including with assault rifles and what appeared to be rubber bullet launchers. Some wielded batons and pepper spray, while some smashed truck windows to remove truckers from their vehicles.

Its a dark day in our history, Marazzo said. Never in life would I believe anyone if they told me that our prime minister would refuse dialogue and choose violence against peaceful protesters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continued to refuse to meet with the organizers of the trucker convoy, which arrived in Ottawa on Jan. 28 and 29.

The convoy began as a protest by truck drivers opposed to the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for their cross-border travel. It turned into a much larger movement after many Canadians from across the country began joining in or voicing their support for ending the various COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. Prior to the convoys arrival in Ottawa, at a press conference on Jan. 26 Trudeau dismissed the protesters as a small fringe minority  who are holding unacceptable views.

On Feb. 14, Trudeau became the first prime minister in Canada to invoke the Emergencies Act, aiming to use it as a means to quash the protest in Ottawa and similar ones in other parts of the country. The Emergencies Act will be used to strengthen and support law enforcement agencies at all levels across the country. This is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples jobs, and restoring confidence in our institutions, Trudeau said at a press conference on Feb. 14. The police will be given more tools to restore order in places where public assemblies can constitute illegal and dangerous activities such as blockades and occupations as seen in Ottawa, Ambassador Bridge, and elsewhere.

Ottawa police called the protest in Ottawa unlawful. Several of the Freedom Convoy organizers have been arrested, including Chris Barber and Tamara Lich on Feb. 17. Daniel Bulford, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who was coordinating security for the protest, was arrested on Feb. 18 and later released without charge.

Marazzo, who isnt aware whether there is a warrant for his arrest, said the protest in Ottawa has not engaged in any illegal activity. There was no damage. There was a little inconvenient noise. Im sorry, but were here fighting for all the people that actually hate us too, he said.

The retired officer criticized what he described as the mainstream media that has portrayed the protesters as being anti-government, noting that the convoy organizers have been trying to establish a dialogue with the federal government but have had no success. I want to be very clear that our intent has always been, and always will be, to talk to the official government of Canada, he said. I have stood at this podium, I have done other media events where I have outlined a plan, and Ive said I would like to talk to you. The response was riot policeno discussion, no dialogue.

Marazzo said the attempt by the federal government to intimidate the Freedom Convoy is futile as it is a grassroots movement, which if removed, others will fill their roles. You could say that we inspired people to actually take action, but we certainly were not giving any direction, he said. These movements are just organic. They pop up where people want to get up and do something because theyre fed up after two years of being treated like this.

Marazzo said legal counsel and support for those injured and those being arrested by police is currently being organized. He added that the truckers will be initiating a charter challenge seeking to have the court strike down the unconstitutional vaccine mandates that discriminate against us all. I never thought Id see the day when law enforcement officers would be arresting citizens for the crime of exercising their charter rights and freedoms to free assembly and free speech, he said. Marazzo also confirmed that his bank account has been frozen and credit cards cancelled. His spouses credit score also dropped 109 points on Feb. 18 even though she was not with him in Ottawa, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 15, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld)

At a press conference on Feb. 14, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said that under the Emergencies Act, the government has authorized banks to cut off services to both individuals and business clients who they suspect are aiding the blockades.

In a media briefing on Feb. 19, Interim Chief Steve Bell of the Ottawa Police Service said the Ottawa police will pursue the protesters even after the protest is over. If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges. Absolutely. This investigation will go on for months to come, he said.

Marazzo said the grassroots movement will regroup and plan their next move. This is one battle in a larger war for our freedoms, he said. He added that all members of Parliament at the federal level have failed us. We elected these people to represent our best interest, but not to lord over us like kings and queens, he said. Can you hear democracy, democracys death knell? It rings louder than the truckers horns.'

Canadians Demand End of COVID Mandates

Thousands protest at Quebec City legislature again as anti-mandate demonstrations continue

Research contributions from Elba Cornier

Neenah Payne writes for Activist Post and Natural Blaze
Mass vaccination of those at minimal risk, with a vaccine that does not reduce transmission, is poor public health practice. Where this diverts financial and human resources from diseases of greater burden, it becomes a public health negative. This is orthodox, normal, and should not be controversial.

While the West is absorbed in its internal fights over vaccine mandates, masks and freedom, there seems one thing upon which all agree: Vaccine Equity- Ensuring those in low- and middle-income countries have the same access to Covid-19 vaccines as high-income populations. Even those skeptical of mass vaccination have been promoting the transfer of stocks to low-income populations, in preference to Western booster programs. Giving stuff to the poor is a good thing  that no good person could oppose  it shows we really care. A global good.

The World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi Alliance, CEPI, the World Economic Forum and governments globally are flying the humanitarian flag under the COVAX umbrella, echoing the catchphrase No one is safe, unless everyone is safe.

A beguiling slogan, one that perfectly underlines the fallacy that is this entire charade and the shrewdness of its selling. If the vaccine is protective, the vaccinated are safe. If this is not true, if all remain unsafe, then this vaccine is not fit for this particular purpose. An international program costing many billions of dollars is based on empty, incoherent jargon.

To emphasize the absurdity, UNICEF has joined the rush to sell and implement this program whilst simultaneously recording the unprecedented harms the mono-virus focus of the Covid-19 response has caused to the children whose welfare UNICEF is supposed to protect. Humanity, and particularly those who claim humanitarian ideals and principles, need to pause, analyze this phrase, and then ponder a little deeper. Complacency is a betrayal of ourselves and others. Let us consider calmly, here, taking the countries of sub-Saharan Africa and their 1.3 billion people as an example.

The global health community knows how to measure disease burden  in metrics that take both mortality, age of death and disability (ie. life-years lost) into account such as Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Applied to Covid-19, which overwhelmingly targets the elderly and those with chronic metabolic diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, renal failure, obesity), these produce a relative burden even lower than that suggested by mortality alone  less than 4% of each of malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS across most sub-Saharan countries.

This skewing of Covid-19 mortality towards the elderly was clear from March 2020 and has not changed. Half of sub-Saharan Africas 1.3 billion people are below 19 years of age and less than 1% are over 75 years. Only South Africa, with its older and more obese population, comes close to the Covid-19 mortality of European countries.

Adequate vitamin D levels from outdoor lifestyles and sun exposure will likely have contributed further to mitigating severity in rural populations, together with preexisting T cell cross-immunity. African populations have not, however, been protected from SARS-CoV-2 exposure, with serology indicating high levels of post-infection immunity across multiple countries. Two years in, and with the highly transmissible Omicron variant originating in Africa, there must be relatively few people still to gain immunity.

Waning vaccine efficacy in Western countries is requiring boosters to maintain measurable efficacy against severe Covid-19. So this African population, intrinsically at low risk from SARS-CoV-2 by age, lacking major comorbidities and with many already having broad acquired immunity as effective as the vaccine, will be subject to a recurrent vaccination program that will not significantly reduce transmission. The protective effect of the first injections will have waned in those first vaccinated before the program has even reached many of their compatriots.

This is nonsense. At best, vaccination may reduce severe disease in a small vulnerable elderly group who happen to have thus far escaped infection, with their vulnerability returning before the initial round of vaccination has finished chasing the rest of the population who can receive little to no benefit.

Paying the fiddlers while the city burns

Africa CDC estimates $10 billion will be required to cover just 60% of these 1.3 billion people with the initial 2 doses. For context, the annual global budget of WHO is less than $3 billion, while the Global Fund, the largest international funder of infectious disease, provides less than $4 billion per year for malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined, globally. Now, $10 billion for a single round of intervention is a sum never on the table for these far more serious diseases. This scale of resource diversion, largely tax dollars originating from the struggling economies of donor countries, needs to be understood. Money, however, is just a small part of the story.

Mass vaccination on such a scale has never before been attempted. In countries where a single health worker commonly serves thousands of people, the inevitability of neglect of other disease programs through focus on Covid-19 vaccination is obvious. Child malaria deaths rose by 60,000 in sub-Saharan countries in 2020 and tuberculosis management is regressing amidst growing poverty and malnutrition. Further neglect will sacrifice young lives en masse for the sake of equitable access to a short-term vaccine from which few can benefit.

At a higher level, the lockdown-induced economic recession in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 and increasing foreign debt through the Covid-19 period will have significantly reduced local capacity to maintain core public health programs, such as childhood vaccination  80 million children are thought to have missed infant vaccination, many in sub-Saharan countries. With traditional donors reducing budgets and diverting funds to Covid vaccine manufacturers, a reduction in external support seems likely. The least focused public health program in the history of these nations is being implemented just when funds for deteriorating essential programs are expected to decline.

Colonialism thrives on delusion

The push to mass vaccinate sub-Saharan populations has power and influence behind it, and there is a clear reluctance, even among those skeptical of Western Covid-19 public health responses, to raise a voice of opposition. It is dangerous to oppose equity. However, this program will produce net harm by any normal public health calculus. A flow of Western taxpayer dollars will swell the accounts of vaccine manufacturers, whilst the mother of a febrile malnourished child in Niger or Malawi will be offered a pharmaceutical irrelevant to herself and her child.

Whether the vaccine has direct adverse effects, or prevents a small number of severe Covid-19 cases, will be lost in the noise of poverty and malnutrition. The reality of disenfranchisement and subjugation of communities to external pharma-driven priorities will be lost in the same media hypocrisy that has made such light of the decimation of African education and womens rights over the past 2 years. Such stories no longer please those who determine the news agenda. So the poor will be poor, the rich (mostly elsewhere) will get richer, and the precedent will have been set for the future pandemic-based global health paradigm that the WHO is currently negotiating.

If the past 2 years are a guide, the rest of the global health industry of non-government organizations and advisors, heavily dependent on centralized funding, will dutifully fall in line. The humanitarian community will tout rising vaccination numbers divorced from disease burden and pat themselves on their collective backs. Considerable amoral servitude and self-delusion will be necessary to maintain this, but supplies of such delusion have proved plentiful. Colonialism, paternalism and arrogance come in many colors.

Is there sufficient courage left?

Whether madness on a global scale, or a stunningly large business deal, the success of this program depends on continued apathy and ignorance on the part of the taxpayers in donor countries, compliance by the recipient populations, and collaboration of humanitarian organizations and their staff. Low vaccine uptake by African populations seems the only likely driver toward a more rational approach.

Two years ago, I would have held hope that a reasonable mass of the staff of WHO, the Global Fund, Gates Foundation and other humanitarian organizations would have stood up. Having worked for 20 years with these organizations, I know that staff and leadership understand the harm these policies are imposing on the people whose welfare they claim to serve.

Unfortunately for the victims, job security and money appear to be trumping ethics and training. Keeping the head down and the pension intact whilst waiting for others to blow the whistle is complicity, and cowardice. Perhaps the principled ones have already left.

In the end, this is about truth, and speaking it. The mass media, sharing ownership with key pharmaceutical companies, is no longer able to speak truth to power.

COVAX is a vehicle by which a very powerful and wealthy group seeks to impose a new paradigm on global public health, with centralized, pharma-based interventions replacing community-driven healthcare and national health sovereignty. We cannot afford to leave it as a side issue to the local battles that we face, or our successes will be pyrrhic. The corporatist, centralized health paradigm that COVAX epitomizes is a fog of delusion that seeks to ensnare us all.
Washington DC issued an alert Tuesday as officials brace for an expected caravan of trucks arriving in the nations capital to emulate the anti-mandate trucker protests in Canada.

Mayor [Muriel] Bowser is being briefed by public safety officials as we continue to monitor the situation closely, and our agencies remain in regular contact with their local, regional and federal partners, the alert said, according to a screenshot posted by Fox DC reporter Lindsay Watts.

Layered mitigation measures are being put in place, including some that will be visible to the public and others that are not, the alert states. We appreciate the approval of our DC National Guard traffic support request as we pull together the resources to support out public safety personnel.

Several different convoys of trucks are expected from across the country to be headed to the city but it isnt clear how large the turnout will be, or when the protesters will arrive. Some trucks may arrive as soon as Wednesday while others may arrive to coincide with President Joe Bidens State of the Union speech next week.
Warning that Russian President Vladimir Putins decision to send troops to Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions is the beginning of a larger invasion, US President Joe Biden today announced a series of sanctions against Russia while ordering US forces to move closer to NATOs eastern flank.

During remarks at the White House, Biden announced sanctions aimed at two major financial institutions  Russias VEB bank and Promsvyazbank, its military bank  as well as imposing sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. Further sanctions on Russian elites and their families will be announced tomorrow.

Biden also announced that some US troops and equipment already deployed to Europe would move to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in order to deter any threat Russia could pose to the three NATO nations.

Those movements, according to a senior defense official, include:

An infantry battalion task force of approximately 800 troops from Italy to the Baltic region

Up to eight F-35s from Germany to the Baltic region

A battalion of 20 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from Germany to the Baltic area

An aviation task force of 12 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from Greece to Poland

A European source told Breaking Defense that it is expected that air assets will be sent to Estonia, with ground forces likely for Latvia and Lithuania. Shortly after Bidens speech, Estonias defense minister issued a statement in Estonian saying air defense assets are expected  potentially a sign that the F-35s will be based there.

The announcement of sanctions comes a day after Putin delivered a speech on recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk and further announced plans to deploy Russian troops to the region for so-called peacemaking operations. Earlier today, Putin received approval from Russias upper house of parliament to begin moving troops into the territory, which is currently controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
Told ya so. Justin Trudeaus civil liberties crackdown, which involves weaponizing and commanding private industry to purge from the financial system Trudeaus political opponents, is dangerous because is sets a template for what Democrats want to do in the United States.

In When Fascism Comes To America, It Will Look Like Justin Trudeaus Canada I wrote:

Trudeau is dangerous not just because hes abusing Canadians, but because he is providing the wish list for crackdowns by Democrats in the U.S. We see it already. Big tech corporations do the Democrats bidding in silencing critics through deplatforming, censoring content from publication or social media sharing, deplatforming websites from hosting companies and, as in the case of Parler, from the cloud and app stores. Funding platforms like GoFundMe are pressured to suspend fundraising and deprive the beneficiary of the donations, and payment processors and banks are pressured to cut off deplorables. Removing the political opposition from the modern financial and technology systems is what Justin Trudeau is doing, and its the dream of the political progressives in the U.S.

Trudeau is suggesting several more months of the Emergency Act. That the Canadian parliament (barely) approved an extenstion is no relief, in fact its an even bigger warning sign that Trudeau is not rogue, he represents a substantial portion of Canadian politics. Its directly analogeous to a small Democratic Party majority passing laws to crush their political opponents.

Get your money out of Canada and as far away from Canadian-controlled companies as you possibly can. They are under the thumb of a regime that does not respect property rights, much less civil liberties.

A poll by Trafalger Group for Convention of the States demonstrates that a super-majority of Democrats in the U.S. support Trudeaus crack down on the truckers. From the CoS press release:

KEY INSIGHT: Majority of Americans Disapprove of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Handling of the Trucker Protest in His Country: 55.3 percent of American voters disapprove of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus handling of the trucker protest in his country.

35.1 percent of American voters approve of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus handling of the trucker protest in his country.

9.6 percent are unaware of it. KEY INSIGHT: Vast Majorities of Independents and Republicans Disapprove of Trudeaus Handling of Canadian Trucker Protest: 74.4 percent of Independent voters disapprove of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus handling of the trucker protest in his country. 20.8 percent approve and 4.8 percent are unaware of it.

87.3 percent of Republican voters disapprove of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus handling of the trucker protest in his country. 8.1 percent approve and 4.6 percent are unaware of it. KEY INSIGHT: Large Majority of Democrats Approve of Trudeaus Handling of Canadian Trucker Protest: 65.7 percent of Democratic voters approve of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus handling of the trucker protest in his country. 17.2 percent disapprove and 17.1 percent are unaware of it.

From the Trafalger full poll results:

In addition to the level of support, note how a much higher percentage of Democrats say they are unaware of Trudeaus crackdown. That reflects the mainstream and liberal media burying the negative aspects of what Trudeau is doing. If you only read or listen to those outlets, theres a much higher chance you are uninformed.

You cant say you havent been warned.
Libertarian economist Paul Matzko of the CATO Institute says that in the future "we will own less but have more" and live under a "streams of service" economy.



"Think Netflix or rental cars but for almost everything," Matzko said in a thread Friday on Twitter.







The vision CATO and Matzko is putting forward is virtually identical to the World Economic Forum's, which says that in the future "you'll own nothing and you'll be happy."



For a glimpse at why this will not work, just take a look at what happened with the bike share programs in Baltimore and DC a few years ago.







Baltimore officials refused to even tell the public how many ride share bikes were stolen from their multi-million dollar scheme.



In DC, one official revealed companies lost half their fleets.



From The Washington Post:

"They have lost a lot of their bikes," Kimberly Lucas, the citys bike program specialist told a group of regional transportation officials at a dockless-bike-share workshop sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in May. She said companies have told city transportation officials that they have lost up to half of their fleets, which is significant because each company is allowed to operate a maximum of 400 bikes in the city.

Sharing everything is a nice idea in theory but in the New America we already know it doesn't work in practice.



The other issue is any Big Tech company which doesn't like you can just ban you because they don't like your political views.





Ive been #bannedbyairbnb (along with my husband!) as retaliation for my free speech and #AmericaFirst journalism. Its insane & un-American - and I could use your help fighting back. Stay tuned. https://t.co/JjZvLzRzSl #michellefightsairbnb @Airbnb pic.twitter.com/Ko6DH7IIaL  Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) February 2, 2022



Matzko acknowledged that's an issue but claimed people could just switch over to other providers if they got banned.





Though you'd likely be able to rent a ____ from another provider in the same way you would if Jeff Bezos took a dislike to you and blocked you from grocery delivery from Whole Foods, you'd hop over to Wegmans or Walmart, etc.



Lower transaction costs also means easier switching.  Paul Matzko (@PMatzko) February 19, 2022



People like Nick Fuentes -- who has not been convicted of a single crime -- have been banned from every major social media site, every major payment processor, blocked from all the big sharing services, had their bank accounts frozen/closed and were put on the No Fly List.



That's the whole point of the "streams of service"-based social credit system that's being created. To our globalist oligarchs, "deplatforming" people from life is a feature and not a bug.



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In a long overdue decision, Russian President Putin after consulting with the National Security Council officially recognized the two breakaway republics of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk. Subsequently, the Russian parliament unanimously approved the decision and authorized deployment of Russian peace-keeping forces in the Donbas region.

Putin could have recognized the sovereignty of the breakaway republics as soon as Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. But being a pacifist, he kept waiting for eight years in the futile hope that better sense would ultimately prevail in Kiev.

After it became evident, however, that Volodymyr Zelensky and his predecessor Petro Poroshenko have struck an irrevocable Faustian pact with the NATO devil, he was left with no other choice than to protect Russias paramount security interests at any cost, specifically from the existential threat emanating along Russias western borders after the deployment of the NATO troops, strategic armaments, nuclear-capable missiles and air force squadrons in the Eastern Europe aimed at Russia, and the NATO forces alongside its regional clients provocatively exercising so-called freedom of navigation right in the Black Sea and conducting joint military exercises and naval drills.

Although being dubbed an invasion by the corporate media, the majority population of the breakaway Donbas region speaks Russian and cheered the deployment of peace-keeping forces in the hope of restoring peace and stability following the turmoil and violence claiming 14,000 lives during the eight-year conflict.

Nevertheless, the Ukraine crisis is only a sequel to the most momentous event of the twentieth century: the dissolution of the former Soviet Union, rebellions in the Eastern Europe and the subsequent break-up and massacres in the former Yugoslavia. Therefore, a succinct description of the nefarious plot to destabilize the Cold War rival by the NATO powers wouldnt be out of place.

Many erudite Eurasian historiographers Ive had the pleasure of interacting with were under the misconception that the alleged economic collapse in the former Soviet Republics in the late-eighties due to presumed intrinsic flaws in the Marxist-Leninist ideology precipitated the dissolution of the Soviet Union in Dec. 1991. Nothing could be more asinine than favoring exploitative capitalism with its supposed intrinsic strengths over egalitarian communism in the backdrop of the Soviet dissolution debacle.

The Soviet Union, with vast natural resources, territorial possessions spanning almost the entire northern landmass of Eurasia and technologically innovative workforce, stood the ground despite waging the over 70-year Cold War from 1917 to 1991 against the neocolonial powers.

With the vast oil and gas reserves, Russia and several former constituent republics of the Soviet Union, including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, are the top exporters of energy to the industrialized world alongside the Gulf States. Without the Russian natural gas, European would freeze to death in harsh winters, or as Putin facetiously quipped: Theyd soon be gathering firewood to keep themselves warm.

Even if Russia dismantled its cutting-edge industrial sector on a whim and stopped producing value-added goods, the exportable raw materials produced in the Eurasian behemoth would be enough to sustain the population for many centuries. Recently announced economic sanctions on Russia and halting the certification of Nord Stream 2 is going to hurt Washingtons European allies more than having any marked effect on Russias thriving economy.

Any external force, no matter how resourceful, could never have unraveled the super power of the era, but it succumbed to subversive internal threats, first due to destabilizing force of ostensibly popular and democratic rebellions in the Baltic and East European states in the late eighties, then due to fall of the Berlin Wall and subsequent reunification of Germany in Oct. 1990, effectively placing the East German communists under the neocolonial tutelage of capitalist exploiters, and the last nail in the coffin was struck after Boris Yeltsin was elected the president of the constituent Russian Republic in the June 1991 elections, precipitating a power struggle between communist leadership at the center and nationalist leadership in the republic.

In the ensuing cataclysmic events, on August 19, 1991, a cabal of Soviet apparatchik, including Mikhail Gorbachevs vice president, prime minister, defense minister and KGB chief, organized a coup plot and placed Gorbachev under house arrest. The coup organizers expected some popular support but the public sympathy in large metropolitan cities was against them.

The coup attempt was thwarted after three days and Gorbachev returned as the president of the Soviet Union. But not only the power of the presidency was compromised but also the vulnerability of the central leadership was exposed in the eyes of the public following the foiled coup plot. That was the point of no return. It became obvious the status quo could not be sustained in the crumbling Soviet Union.

The Glasnost and Perestroika liberalizing policies initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev were especially significant because they shine light on the impact of new technology on the social and political life of a country. The late-eighties was the era of the advent of satellite television in the developing world and it coincided with the political developments in the Soviet Union.

The Soviet masses, which until then were acquainted with news and information only from national media, were exposed to pernicious influence of imperialist media. The foreign-funded corporate media, including CNN, VOA, BBC and host of other television channels, radio stations and print media, capitalized on the opportunity to sow the seeds of discontentment among viewers, specifically among non-Russian ethnicities of the former Soviet Republics, by insidiously depicting contrasting lifestyles among the extravagant Western bourgeoisie and the frugality and egalitarianism typically favored in socialist communities.

As with the leadership of the rest of Baltic and East European states conniving with NATO powers and stabbing the former patron in the back, the imperialist stooges, Volodymyr Zelensky and his equally treacherous predecessor Petro Poroshenko, elected presidents through sham electoral process in the bourgeois democracy called Ukraine, represent nobody but the avaricious and exploitative entrepreneurial oligarchs wanting to expand business empires and attract foreign investments by pandering to the corporate interests of the Western Europe and North America.

Centralized governments across the world are run by behemoth state bureaucracies. Politicians are merely show pieces meant to lend legitimacy to supposedly elected governments and to cater to interests of business elites which they really represent. Disenfranchised masses are least bothered whether government is being run by autocrats or by elected representatives of the bourgeoisie, though the political and business elites often get restless and mobilize their support base to demand a share in the power pie.

The national security and defense policies of modern nation states are formulated by civil-military bureaucracy, dubbed as the deep state. Whereas trade and economic policies are determined by corporate interests and business cartels within the framework of neocolonial economic order imposed on the post-colonial world by corporate America following the signing of the Bretton Woods Accords at the end of the Second World War in 1945.

Purportedly democratic governments, elected through heavily manipulated electoral process, are reduced to performing ceremonial gimmicks and are meant only to serve as showpieces to legitimize militarist and capitalist exploitation.

Not only the disenfranchised masses of Ukraine but underprivileged proletariats of all the former Soviet constituent republics and allied states in Eastern Europe share historical, political and cultural bonds with Russia. Ensuring the collective security of Eurasian nations is Russias responsibility as a successor to the former Soviet Union.

Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, the East European states didnt become democracies overnight as projected in the parallel reality of media narratives constructed by spin-doctors, instead they became capitalist oligarchies ruled by ultra-rich business elites having stakes in the global economy and depositing lucrative profits from flourishing business enterprises into Western financial institutions.

The worst thing capitalist exploitation and neoliberal developmentalism do to organic societies is that they breed parasitic consumerist classes of filthy rich bourgeois hungry for foreign investment, particularly from the deep pockets of the multinational corporations based in the financial districts of North America and Western Europe, and wanting to expand their business empires at any cost, even if they have to sell their nations out to highest bidder for personal ambitions.

Such comprador bourgeois erode nations from within. They are wary of egalitarian socialist ideologies emphasizing equitable distribution of wealth, hence undermining financial stakes of oligarchs. In order to scuttle political ideologies favoring the interests of disenfranchised masses, they generously provide funds to pernicious media organizations and political forces insidiously promoting so-called economic liberalization, free trade and globalization, even if entire nations have to bear the cost of such market fundamentalism.

It was not a coincidence that the Soviet Union was dissolved in December 1991 and the Maastricht Treaty that consolidated the European Community and laid the groundwork for the European Union was signed in February 1992. The basic purpose of the EU has been nothing more than to entice the former communist states of the Eastern Europe into the folds of the Western capitalist bloc by offering financial incentives and inducements.

Even the Ukraine crisis was stoked by oligarchs in November 2013 by staging Euromaidan protests against the incumbent government after Viktor Yanukovych suspended the preparations for the implementation of an association agreement with the European Union and threatened to take Ukraine back into the folds of the Russian sphere of influence by accepting billions of dollars loan package offered by Vladimir Putin.

All the grandstanding and moral posturing of unity and equality aside, the hopelessly neoliberal institution, the EU, in effect, is nothing more than the civilian counterpart of the trans-Atlantic military alliance against the former Soviet Union, the NATO, that employs a much more subtle and insidious tactic of economic warfare to win over political allies and to isolate adversaries that dare to sidestep from the global trade and economic policies as laid down by the Western capitalist bloc.

About the author:

Nauman Sadiq is an Islamabad-based geopolitical and national security analyst focused on geo-strategic affairs and hybrid warfare in the Af-Pak and Middle East regions. His domains of expertise include neocolonialism, military-industrial complex and petro-imperialism. He is a regular contributor of diligently researched investigative reports to alternative news media.
The Department of Defense is considering a request for the District of Columbia National Guard to assist law enforcement agencies in Washington, DC, that are preparing for convoys to descend on the area, even as plans for a Canada-style trucker protest in the US capital remain murky.

The Department is analyzing a request for assistance from the US Capitol Police and the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, DoD spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. Those agencies have asked for National Guard personnel to provide support at traffic control points in and around the District to help the USCP and DC government address potential challenges stemming from possible disruptions at key traffic arteries.

Kirby added: No decisions have been made yet to approve these requests.

Area law enforcement, including the Maryland State Police, Metropolitan Police Department in DC, and the United States Capitol Police, are closely monitoring the situation and in some cases ramping up security to deal with the possibility of major disruptions in the days leading up to and around President Joe Bidens State of the Union address on March 1.
Virginia Beach  If the restaurant industry is experiencing staffing issues and general employee malcontent, it hasnt hit the 6-month-old restaurant Love Song.

The 46-seat spot opened in 2021 and every single employee seems genuinely thrilled to be there  and genuinely thrilled you are there with them. The restaurant is downright buzzy with staff: two prep/dishwashers, two chef/cooks, a host or two, a bartender, and no less than three servers have been moving, leaning and chatting every visit.

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Theyre the first thing, along with the colorful mosaic-ish bar, that greets you when you enter the Ikea-meets-train-tile space. Speaking of the bar, it definitely has the best seat if you like to be in the middle of the action. Lining the front right of the restaurant  if you sit toward the tail end  you could feasibly hold a pan for the talented chefs.

Uncertain what youd like to order? Dont worry. You can hear and watch every menu items name and preparation all from your bar perch. However, if your dining preference leans toward some serenity (I say this with zero malice; dine how you want to dine), head toward a seat where things lean less-music-venue-with-food.

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Restaurant seating location aside, start with a 50/50 from Love Songs panache-forward shooter list. Maybe you are into T&A? The render-you-breathless juxtaposition of Hornitos tequila and Aperol was, as promoted by our bartender, an exceptional accompaniment to the fritters with cured anchovy. These fried dough balls have pops of staggering salinity and are served over a wealth of what seems to be almost all paprika and a little bit of mayonnaise. Eat them fast; when left a bit, they start to wilt into their orange aioli nest.

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The mushroom tartine, another small plate, is a jarringly sturdy toast piled high with soy-soaked mushrooms, dots of mashed butternut squash and radish. Each bite is a marvel in texture and height  makes one wonder who in the kitchen missed their Jenga calling. Do not pass by the gnudi. Always and everywhere described as light and pillowy pasta, these gnudi are no different. A temperamental dish  simple to prep, difficult to nail  in which Love Song shoots a bulls-eye with earthy pesto, haphazard torn basil and a shock of lemon. Another on-target dish is their rendition of littleneck clams. If there ever was a bowl to get bread-sloppy, this is the one. Each bite is a jolt of salty clam brine, a twist of Dijon and saffron, and a nudge of leek.

Love Song's Duck Breast. As seen Thursday, February 17, 2022. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)

A fantastically plated, med-rare duck breast could use a flake more salt and a whole extra bowl of the confit meat and Carolina rice supporting it. Other interesting dining choices include a hill of white beans swimming in citrus and charred cabbage pieces; a hearty serving of farro is excellent with Autumn Olive Farms guanciale, a deliciously fatty pork cheek, that makes light work of the kitchens hefty hand of lemon.

When co-owner Mike Hill was envisioning this restaurant, he was in the middle of his time at Heritage, an award-winning restaurant in Richmond known for its excellent service and cuisine. He knew he wanted something of his own. When investor Dany Ha came along, the two forged forward in a strip of Virginia Beach near the Oceanfront that looks to be clawing its way back to relevancy.

Hills intention for a neighborhood spot just a touch above fried seafood and steak is obvious on the menu and in the relaxed but attentive service. And if youve been feeling disconnected lately, stop in here.

Whether it be a wine tasting in the backroom/wine store, a new drink to be placed on the menu, an extra gnudi or a painting being hung on the wall, an employee will joyfully and surely hand you a glass, a plate or a hammer. Somehow, at Love Song, any or all of it feels natural.

Reach Robey Martin at robey.martin@gmail.com.

Love Song, 327 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach; www.lovesongva.com, 757-491-3205
State Sens. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, left, and Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, right, have a conversation before the floor session of the Virginia Senate inside the State Capitol in Richmond on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch /AP)

Richmond  Natasha White was baffled as she watched many Americans struggle with quarantine restrictions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

She had experienced another kind of isolation  solitary confinement  so much worse in prison.

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Solitary confinement is a 1,000 times more traumatic than that, said White, who spent four years in solitary at a New York prison before being released in 2016. You dont have the luxury of your home, or the people quarantining with you.

The Richmond resident said some of her fellow prisoners in solitary would self-mutilate so they could go to the clinic and interact with another human.

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White, coordinator for the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement, is now among those pushing state legislators to support legislation banning long-term stays in solitary.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, would prohibit the use of isolated confinement in state and juvenile correctional facilities for longer than 15 days per each 60-day cycle. It defines isolated confinement as the placing of an incarcerated person in a cell alone for 20 hours or more per day.

The bill passed the state Senate earlier this month and is awaiting action this week in the House Committee on Public Safety.

Kim Bobo, executive director of Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, said she is hopeful the bill will pass. The VICPP is a nonpartisan coalition of various faiths that work together for economic, racial and social justice.

We have met multiple times with legislators, and I think many understand that its bad for people in the prisons, for their families and for the prison staff because people come out (of solitary) with more issues than when they go in, she said.

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Contending that the United Nations considers prolonged solitary confinement to be a form of torture, Bobo said she does not believe the government should be allowed to do so.

The ACLU of Virginia is also backing the bill.

Solitary confinement is torture, ineffective, inhumane, costly, outdated, and unwelcome in Virginia, the organization tweeted on Tuesday.

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During a Senate committee meeting last month, Morrissey told legislators the bill would allow for a variety of exceptions, including situations where the prisoner volunteered to stay in solitary, or where they were deemed a threat to themselves or others.

The senator added a number of other states have abolished long-term stays.

They have been successful, not only successful in helping those individuals in solitary confinement, but the fiscal impact decreased substantially, he said.

Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com
The Virginia African American Cultural Center building will be circular  like a drum  and will feature the words: a spirit of community, and a place of coming together. (courtesy rendering/Handout)

Virginia Beach  In African culture, a drum can be used as a communication tool, Amelia Ross-Hammond told Virginia Beach City Council members Tuesday.

Its fitting, she said, that the design of the planned African American Cultural Center in Virginia Beach will be inspired by the instrument.

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African American stories matter, said Ross-Hammond, chair of the centers board of directors. This is not just my story. Its not just your story. Its our story. Its a national story that needs to be told.

Ross-Hammond, a former city councilwoman, is championing the effort, which is a public-private partnership with the city and will be run by a nonprofit.

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It will be called the Virginia African American Cultural Center. At Tuesdays council meeting, Ross-Hammond unveiled the design of the $20.5 million project, which will be next to Lake Edward Park at the corner of Newtown and Diamond Springs roads.

The building will be circular  like a drum  and will feature the words: a spirit of community, and a place of coming together.

Virginia Beach donated the nearly five acres of land for the project and the plans to build it have been under way for several years.

But the pandemic delayed the process for organizing a fundraising campaign, Ross-Hammond said. It will will start soon, and the project will break ground by the end of 2023, she said.

The cultural center will be built in two phases. Phase I will feature a large room for events with revolving art displays, classrooms, administrative offices and a concession area.

Interior view of the Virginia African American Cultural Center. (courtesy rendering)

The second phase will include a theater with up to 250 seats, a large kitchen for catering and educational programs, a cafe, an outdoor live performance space and a history trail.

Funding will come from a variety of sources including private and business donations, Ross-Hammond said.

The state is also providing $1 million, which was approved during the General Assemblys special session last summer.

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She hopes the city will also kick in support in part because she believes it will be a tourism asset.

Councilwoman Sabrina Wooten, an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University, said the cultural center also will be an important educational site for area college students.

The fact that young adults can go to this center and learn and become more aware of African American history and the history of this nation, I think thats a huge plus, she said.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
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Winnipeg police have issued an ultimatum to protesters who have parked vehicles near the Manitoba legislature for almost three weeks.

People rally against provincial and federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates and in support of Ottawa protesters outside the Manitoba legislature in Winnipeg, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. Winnipeg police have issued an ultimatum to protesters who have parked vehicles near the Manitoba legislature for almost three weeks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Winnipeg police have issued an ultimatum to protesters who have parked vehicles near the Manitoba legislature for almost three weeks.

Officers delivered a letter to the protesters that warns they could face charges or have their vehicles seized if they do not clear out by late Wednesday afternoon.

More than a dozen large vehicles have blocked a street near the legislature to protest COVID-19 restrictions, although traffic in the surrounding area continues to flow.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman has called on the protesters to leave, citing the disruption caused by the occupation of a street and blaring horns.

The protesters have said they have been peaceful and have co-operated with police, and recently moved trucks away from the front entrance to the legislature grounds.

They have demanded a meeting with the prime minister, but city police have told them to remove all their vehicles.

"Your ongoing presence and blocking of streets is interfering with the lawful use and enjoyment of personal and public property," the letter issued Tuesday by police states.

"Failure to (remove vehicles) may result in enforcement action being taken, including arrest and charges."

The letter lists a number of options, including powers under the federal Emergencies Act "which could include seizing vehicles, trailers and other equipment, and the freezing of assets."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2022
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WINNIPEG  Manitobas strained child-care sector got a $98-million boost from the federal and provincial governments Tuesday.

They announced a four-year deal to enhance recruitment and retention, along with higher wages and support for training and pensions. Its separate from the bilateral child-care agreement Manitoba signed with Ottawa in August.

Help for the underfunded sector was announced by Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko and federal Families Minister Karina Gould  19 days after they announced a bilateral agreement to triple the number of subsidized spaces and reduce child-care fees for families in the province by 50 per cent by the end of the year.

"Our government recognizes child-care workers have faced difficult work conditions, especially during the pandemic," said Gould, who participated virtually. "The true value of your work has not been recognized."

Ewasko said $15.5 million will be put toward ongoing commitments such as operating grants for 1,800 child-care spaces and support diversity and inclusion programs and northern and rural spaces. A renovation grant will allow non-profit centres to expand spaces and subsidies will increase training opportunities for the 40-hour child-care assistant certification course.

Another $19.2 million will beef up wages for the lowest-paid workers in the sector and provide a top-up of the percentage offered by Manitoba to the pension plan for centres and the RRSP program for home-based daycares. It will provide facilities with funding for staff to make a one-time investment in a tax-free savings account.

The rest of the funds will be used to provide tuition reimbursements to early childhood educators enrolled in or recently graduated from a training program, fund training programs and help child-care assistants seeking early childhood education certification.

In Brandon, the executive director of a non-profit child-care centre said she was cautiously optimistic about the announcement but is worried about a lack of details.

"Im concerned that they didnt actually name a target starting wage for [Early Childhood Educators II]," Lorraine McConnell of Childrens Den Inc. told the Sun.

The agreement reached between Manitoba and Ottawa last year stated a goal of bringing that starting wage to $25 an hour. By not being specific about that goal and when it would be reached, McConnell worries that some workers in the sectors who have been waiting for that pay bump may move on if they dont see progress soon.

She was only able to offer ECE IIs approximately $16 an hour before the pandemic. When the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy was in place, she raised that figure to around $18 an hour. If no additional funding is given to centres like Childrens Den, she said she wont be able to continue offering that amount.

McConnell also wants to know more about what the governments mean when they talk about pension improvements and one-time contributions to tax-free savings accounts for workers and funding to continue ongoing commitments to operating grants.

"After being in early childhood for 40 years and for constantly being subjected to disrespect, lack of funding, government indifference and the fact that it took a pandemic to get governments and maybe even the public to recognize the value of our work, thats frustrating," she said. "For some people, its going to be too little, too late. But Im trying to remain cautiously optimistic."

The executive director of the Manitoba Child Care Association said the initiatives will address some of the "systemic challenges" in the sector.

"What weve heard is 30 per cent of facilities are running on provisional licences because theyre unable to attract and retain qualified educated [early childhood educators]," said Jodie Kehl. The biggest barrier has been salary, she said.

"Its not a surprise to anyone that [staff] have not historically been paid what they deserved to be paid."

The work they do educating "our most precious resource" is critically important, and by moving the early learning child-care file to the education ministry, the provincial government has acknowledged that, she said.

"Children dont start learning the day they go to kindergarten. "The greatest brain development is from zero to five years of age," she said. "The important work that early learning child care offers to young children in many ways is just so critical.

"Todays initiative is one more layer toward supporting our workforce."

Malaya Marcelino, the NDPs critic for the status of women, said its taken the pandemic for the Progressive Conservative government to recognize the value of reliable child care. "Without it, good jobs are lost, families struggle and the economy suffers," a statement from Marcelino said Tuesday.

"Todays announcement  fails to make up for years of PC cuts and freezes. Families know how valuable Manitobas early childhood educators are  its time for the PCs to catch up," she wrote.

 With files from Colin Slark
OTTAWA - Canada announced plans Tuesday to deploy hundreds of additional troops to eastern Europe and impose new sanctions against Russia as Western democracies rushed to respond to the deployment of Russian forces into Ukraine.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a news conference, Monday, February 21, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - Canada announced plans Tuesday to deploy hundreds of additional troops to eastern Europe and impose new sanctions against Russia as Western democracies rushed to respond to the deployment of Russian forces into Ukraine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to Russias actions during a late afternoon news conference in which he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having ordered an invasion of eastern Ukraine  and attacking democracy.

"Russias flagrant disregard for the independence of a sovereign nation is a serious threat to security and stability in the region and around the world," he said.

"Canada and our allies will defend democracy. We are taking these actions today in a stand against authoritarianism."

Yet it remained unclear what if anything the new measures, which Trudeau announced in concert with similar moves by Canadas allies in the United States and across Europe, would do to end the crisis.

Putin on Monday signed a decree recognizing the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraines eastern industrial land as independent republics. He then ordered Russian troops to cross the border into those areas, saying they were being deployed as "peacekeepers."

Donetsk and Luhansk have been embroiled in fighting for the past eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and started providing support to pro-Russian separatists in the two eastern regions. An estimated 14,000 people have died in that conflict.

Putins actions on Monday sparked a new chapter in that fight and came after a massive Russian military buildup on the countrys border with Ukraine sparked weeks of furious negotiations and dialogue to prevent an invasion that many fear could spark a broader war in Europe.

Trudeau followed U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders in condemning Putins actions as he delivered Canadas response alongside Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Defence Minister Anita Anand.

Canada is sending an additional 460 troops to reinforce the NATO military alliance in eastern Europe, Trudeau said. That includes a 100-soldier artillery unit to Latvia, which will join 540 other Armed Forces members leading a NATO battlegroup in the Baltic state.

A Canadian frigate, the HMCS Halifax, and a CP-140 Aurora patrol plane are also being deployed to eastern Europe, with all the promised forces expected in theatre by the end of March.

The prime minister said the measures are intended to "reinforce our commitment to NATO and promote peace and security in the region."

While the additional Canadian forces will no doubt be welcome by Latvia and NATO, which had been hoping for reinforcements for the past few weeks, Trudeau sidestepped a question about why the government did not announce them sooner.

Putin previously demanded that NATO promise not to admit Ukraine as an alliance member, and that the organization withdraw all its forces from post-Soviet-controlled countries such as Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland.

At the same time, the Latvian government had been asking for additional NATO troops for weeks even as other alliance members such as the United States, Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands moved to reinforce the organizations military presence in eastern Europe.

"One of the things that we have seen with Putin's demands around Ukraine and NATO presence that far from seeing a reduction of Western forces in eastern Europe," Trudeau said. "Vladimir Putin has achieved the opposite."

The prime minister also announced what he described as a first round of sanctions against Russia, which include banning any financial dealings with Luhansk and Donetsk, and Russian politicians who supported a motion calling for them to be recognized as independent.

Canada is also applying sanctions on two Russian banks and barring the purchase of Russian sovereign debt, following Washington, London and other allies in an attempt to strangle Russias financial means to fund any war effort.

"As the economic pressure mounts from the sanctions imposed by Canada and its allies, Russia will need to seek new funding by leveraging their sovereign debt," Freeland said.

"We will make it illegal for Canadians to join in that effort, both directly and indirectly. Without a way to recover these costs the Russian economy will be severely impacted."

She added that further sanctions will be imposed if Russia continues with its aggression.

Canada and its allies had previously warned Moscow of severe economic consequences if it invaded Ukraine. Yet Western powers also made clear the fate of Ukraine wasn't worth a direct military confrontation with Russia and the possibility of a world war.

The threat of financial ruin appears to have done little to dissuade Putin, and the question remained Tuesday about how effective such threats will be in preventing a broader war.

Trudeau suggested Putin had underestimated the degree to which Europe and North America would respond to any violation of Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty, including Germanys decision to suspend the certification of a key natural gas pipeline with Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs announcement on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline  a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow, but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europes reliance on Russian energy  headlined Europes response to Putins actions.

Asked what Canada wants to see from Russia, Trudeau said: "We are looking for Russia to stand down, to cease its violations of Ukrainian sovereignty, Ukrainian territorial integrity, to return to negotiation tables."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2022.

 with files from The Associated Press.
Elevate Branson co-founder Bryan Stallings with an example of a tiny home that will populate an affordable housing community.
(The Center Square)  The U.S. Supreme Court will review a lower courts decision in a religious liberty lawsuit challenging Colorados anti-discrimination law.

Lorie Smith, owner of the website design company 303 Creative, filed a lawsuit in 2016 challenging Colorados Anti-Discrimination Act that bars her from refusing to design websites for same-sex marriages, which are contrary to her Christian beliefs.

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing Smith, argues the state law violates her First Amendment rights.

In July, a 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled that the state law permissibly compels Smiths speech, so the ADF petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case.

We must also consider the grave harms caused when public accommodations discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. Combating such discrimination is, like individual autonomy, essential to our democratic ideals, the panels majority wrote in its decision.

ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner called the courts decision shocking in a statement on Tuesday, saying that government doesnt have the power to silence or compel creative expression under the threat of punishment.

Waggoner added that Colorados law threatens Constitutionally protected freedoms and the very existence of a diverse and free nation.

ADF also represented Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips in previous lawsuits challenging the state law.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser defended the state's anti-discrimination law in a statement sent to The Center Square.

The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that antidiscrimination laws, like Colorados, apply to all businesses selling goods and services," he said. "Companies cannot turn away LGBTQ customers just because of who they are. We will vigorously defend Colorados laws, which protect all Coloradans by preventing discrimination and upholding free speech.
The head of Australias largest supermarket chain Woolworths has said consumers will need to be prepared for noticeable price rises across all grocery categories in the months ahead as inflationary pressures start to ramp up.

Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci said his supermarkets were starting to see price rises of 2 per cent to 3 per cent and warned inflation was a live and real issue that was impacting all facets of the supply chain.

Woolworths boss Brad Banducci has revealed that the companys underpayment bill has ballooned further. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Were going to be living in this world where, unfortunately, were going to see material price increases, he told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. This is a story of end to end inflation across the value chain.

Woolworths has not only been weathering price rises from grocery suppliers but a raft of other cost increases too, Mr Banducci said, pointing to the fourfold increase in the cost of getting shipping containers into Australia and sky-high fuel prices.
Loading The oligarchs sanctioned have also been hit with earlier measures as part of a wave of western retaliations for the Crimean invasion, Russian interference in the US elections in 2016, malicious cyber activities, the nerve-agent attack on a former double-agent and his daughter in the UK and a raft of other perceived transgressions. While new Russian debt issues will be shunned by western investors, limiting Russias access to new offshore borrowings and raising their cost, so far the bans dont appear to affect secondary market trading. After the Crimean sanctions Russia reduced its dependence on foreign bond investors and built a $US600 billion ($830 billion) foreign exchange reserve. It also devised a work-around to the existing sanctions on primary debt issues  its banks bought the issues and on-sold them into secondary markets. If the sanctions thus far are designed more to send a message than to damage Russias economy, it is a weak one.

The US, EU, UK and their allies, however, have a lot more firepower in their arsenal, albeit that there would be significant self-inflicted damage to their own economies if they were to unleash it. The US alone could shut Russia out of the global financial system by weaponising its own currency. Russias economy is dependent on its oil and gas sales, with almost all transactions (other than some of those with China) priced in US dollars. Credit:Matt Golding Even without shutting Russia out of the SWIFT global financial messaging system that underpins global financial transfers  regarded as a nuclear option because of the chaos it would create within the global financial system  the US could severely damage Russias energy sales. That would have some adverse consequences for the rest of the world.

Oil prices that are already nudging $US100 a barrel would probably soar towards $US150. Europe, which is heavily reliant on Russian gas  Russia supplies more than 35 per cent of Europes gas  would face massive increases in prices and probably quite severe energy shortages. Targeting Russian oil and gas revenues would, however, be the most damaging option if Russia does invade the larger Ukraine. It would devastate its economy even if, as is likely, China tried to help it out by buying more of its oil and gas. Europe is reliant on Russia for oil and gas. Credit:AP The actions taken by the West so far are pointers to what could come. Putin doesnt need to be reminded of the vulnerabilities created by Russias dependence on oil and gas (its been described as a giant gas station) or how destructive it would be if Russias biggest banks were targeted and had to be bailed out by the Kremlin.

Loading Given the relatively modest nature of the sanctions rolled out so far it isnt surprising that financial markets, which feared worse, have reflected an uneasy calm even as the situation in Ukraine has become more threatening. Sharemarkets have been more focused on inflation and interest rates and bond markets  the safe havens in times of disruption and uncertainty  have been untroubled by the developments in Ukraine. Oil prices, already elevated because of the lagged response of supply to the bounce-back in demand as economies recovered faster than expected from the worst of the pandemic, have edged a little higher. Russia is one of the worlds major aluminium producers. Aluminium prices have spiked about 10 per cent this month to near-record levels in line with the increased tensions.

Loading In terms of the direct impact on Russian financial markets of the Ukrainian crisis, there has been increased volatility but no signs, yet, of panicked selling. Trading in the Russian rouble has been extremely volatile  its value has depreciated sharply in the past week  but, given that it has lost more than half its purchasing power since the Crimean invasion, thats unlikely to unduly disturb the Kremlin. The interest rates on Russian bonds, already high relative to global interest rates, have increased this month. They started February around 9.35 per cent and were yielding about 10.5 per cent this week but the deleveraging of Russian government finances since 2014 limits the impacts of increased borrowing costs. All that would change if Russia does invade and the US and others apply the most severe sanctions available. Russias banks and markets would be near collapse, the wealth of the oligarchs and other Russian elites (and Putin) would be decimated and an already impoverished population would experience further hardship as their incomes and savings were devalued amid soaring inflation.
Hampton schools will enroll 108 students in its first year  16 for kindergarten and first grade, 18 in second and third, and 20 for fourth and fifth  and hire one teacher for each grade. (PiChi Chuang / Daily Press)

Hampton  Online learning didnt work for everyone during the pandemic, but public educators said some students thrived academically.

During the summer of 2020, Kate Maxlow began to brainstorm what would become Hampton City Schools Future Learning Experience, also known as the FLEx program, which will launch next school year for K-5 students.

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I know that there are lots of kids who in-person is the right thing to do for them, but there are some who truly love this virtual environment as well, said Maxlow, the director of the districts Department of Innovation and Professional Learning.

She saw it in her son, in sixth grade at the time. He liked learning at his own pace. And other parents agreed, she said, saying there were fewer distractions at home and they could help their child get back on track more easily.

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We taught some pilot lessons with employees students in the Spring of 2020 to learn more about what worked with virtual learning, Maxlow said in an email. It was one way the division tried to alleviate stress teachers who are also parents dealt with during the onset of the pandemic.

Hampton schools will enroll 108 students in its first year  16 for kindergarten and first grade, 18 in second and third, and 20 for fourth and fifth  and hire one teacher for each grade. The division hopes to expand to other grade levels in subsequent years.

The district received over $1 million in pandemic funding to support the program, Maxlow said. Most will go toward salaries, as well as instructional materials and extracurricular activities.

Hampton will host two informational meetings each month until the end of April, and parents must attend one session to be considered. If the district has to switch to a lottery system due to a high number of applicants, 70% of students will be from Hampton schools, and the remaining spots can go to children from across the state.

Applications are due April 4 for teachers and May 6 for students.

Parents can also sign their child up for a sample class to see if the online experience would be a good fit.

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Any teacher who has a teaching license in Virginia can apply for the virtual role. Teachers do not have to currently work for Hampton schools, nor do they have to live in Virginia.

[ Hampton schools have a new business: selling their curriculum and test questions to other schools ]

So, how does the program work?

When asked what makes FLEx different from the other online programs, Maxlow said it provides families with more flexibility.

After doing research on homeschooling, Maxlow said the program needed to build schedules that wouldnt keep students in front a computer for too long.

FLEx will still meet the states requirement for instructional hours, but each day will be split between live Zoom sessions and independent work.

Students will have live Zoom classes either mainly in the morning or in the afternoon, leaving the rest of the day for families to structure however makes sense for them, Maxlow wrote. Teachers will still be available for assistance, but school officials stressed that parents must be heavily involved to make sure their child stays on track.

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Students will learn their core curriculum skills  math, English language arts, social studies and science  Monday through Thursday to meet Virginias Standard of Learning requirements. But on Fridays, they will apply the lessons throughout the week during an immersive adventure based on the grades theme.

For example, fourth-graders will follow a storyline throughout the year in which students become time travelers to fix a spyglass that could disrupt Virginias history.

Our guiding principle in programming FLEx has been how to genuinely keep students so excited for learning that they never want to miss a class, Maxlow told the school board this month.

The independent portion of the day lasts up to 3 hours, 40 minutes for K-1 and almost 3 hours for other grades. But it doesnt mean students will complete worksheets at the dining room table the entire time.

The programs asynchronous portion will provide parents a variety of options. It also includes physical and socialization activities, and parents can also attribute bedtime stories to the 25-minute daily reading component.

Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news >

Were just providing a treasure trove of games and books and activities (students) can do with their families, Maxlow said.

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Grades 3-5 are required to take their SOLs in-person at the end of the year, but all other assessments can be proctored remotely.

Students must complete the program for the year that they enroll, but returning in-person would be assessed on a case-by-case basis to ensure the student doesnt fall behind academically. If a child is disenrolled, they wont be allowed back in unless there are serious circumstances.

If students are already enrolled in Virtual Virginia or Edgenuity, they can still apply for the FLEx program. According to Maxlow, around 800 of Hamptons students are learning remotely this year.

A lot of people have a bad taste about virtual learning because they think it is a teacher talking at you through a screen, and that is not what this is going to be, she said.

For more information on Hampton City Schools Future Learning Experience program, visit their website at www.hcsflex.com.

Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com
News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch flew into Sydney on Monday night on his private jet along with a posse that included one very high-profile passenger: controversial British former tabloid editor turned controversial CNN host turned controversial Meghan Markle bete noire turned Sky News talking head, Piers Morgan.

Piers Morgan and Lachlan Murdoch Credit:John Shakespeare

Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan, to give him his full name, is back from a 27-year News Corp exile, celebrated with a cocktail on the tarmac during a refuelling stopover in Hawaii.

One passenger in stylish jeans and blazer and a Santa Fe-inspired belt was mistakenly identified early on as News Corps luxury supremo and Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann. But she rarely wears denim. And we all know the Santa Fe vibe is McCanns predecessor Nancy Pilchers shtick. Turns out, it was Murdochs executive assistant Krista Yager.

But we digress.
Anthony Koletti, the husband of missing fraudster Melissa Caddick, has told a Sydney court that he intends to contest a restraining order brought on behalf of Isabella Allen, the corporate regulators lead investigator.

On November 11, 2020, the Australian Federal Police executed search warrants at Ms Caddicks Dover Heights home on behalf of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Anthony Koletti leaves Downing Centre Courts on Wednesday morning. Credit:Nick Moir

For months before the raid, Ms Allen had been covertly examining one of the biggest fraudsters the country has seen.

Following the money trail, Ms Allen had good reason to believe that Ms Caddick had stolen more than $20 million of her investors funds, which she had used to support a lavish lifestyle that included luxury overseas holidays, private jets, imported cars and designer clothes.
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine had been a topic of discussion, but mostly not concern, in recent weeks among parents at the Russian school that Homebush resident Nicholas Maksymows children attend.

That shifted when Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (AEDT) sent troops into two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine that have been the site of a long-running stand-off with Ukrainian soldiers.

Nicholas Maksymow believes Russian-Australians could be involuntarily drawn into the political conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Nobody thought that either side would take the next step, Mr Maksymow said. Now that it has happened, talking to people in the community theyre all really worried about where this might go.

Its very scary. I would say anxiety levels in the community will escalate over the next week or two, just because theres going to be this wait-and-see situation.
Intense rainfall of up to 300 millimetres could hit south-east Queensland this week, after a woman died in a flooded car and a search was launched for several people, including a missing motorcycle rider.

Meteorologist Helen Kirkup said more showers were expected due to moisture and an upper-level trough.

Some places could collect another 100 millimetres, she said. Tomorrow will start to slow down, but rain will continue right through to Friday, seeing a burst of intense rainfall.

This system is not going away in south-east Queensland.
Graham Gene Potter, until this week Australias most wanted fugitive, says hes been living life and avoiding being killed for the past 12 years as officers escorted him back to Victoria from his Queensland hiding place.

Flanked by senior officers from Victoria Polices fugitive taskforce due to his history of escaping authorities, the 64-year-old was ushered through Cairns airport on Wednesday, two days after he was arrested in far-north Queensland.

There, grinning as he walked through the regional airport in handcuffs, he was asked what hed been doing all this time on the run.

Living life and avoiding being killed he replied before stating: Youll appreciate I cant talk to you. Id like to, but I cant at this stage.
Already weve got traffic down in the city, weve got to deal with all these mandates, its difficult. After two years of a pandemic, people in WA have become tired of a virus they have not experienced at a broad scale but which is now starting to take off. But even as community cases went above 600 daily detections on Wednesday, no one is sure just how many deaths or what impact there will be on the states under pressure hospital system. Even the Department of Healths fact sheet on Omicron variant modelling stated its predictions of about 149 deaths in six months and a peak of 10,000 daily cases could be higher than what actually happens.

The state is in a unique position and as such there are few (if no) real-world examples from which we can accurately forecast what will occur, it said. Cases are anticipated to reach 1700 a day by next Wednesday when WAs borders open and the public is waiting to see whether there will be mass hospitalisations or if they can have the confidence to mostly go about life as per normal. While West Australians are a compliant bunch when it comes to following COVID-19 rules  with above 98 per cent first vaccine dose, 95.8 second dose and 59.2 per cent booster shot, and with QR code check-in rates still high  the state government is wary of the publics weariness when it comes to following directions after two years of measures the Premier himself has described as draconian. UWA psychological science deputy clinical director Lisa Saulsman said after two years of constant pressure about COVID  whether it was separation from loved ones, job impacts or otherwise  even in sheltered WA there was a background psychological pressure building up in people.

Weve seen whats been happening overseas and over east and finally bracing for when it hits us and now its here, she said. That constant stress and uncertainty for a two-year period is hard to sustain at that constant high level. Its kind of understandable for some people they have run out of puff with COVID and I think were seeing a bit of that now. Dr Saulsman said for the general public the sentiment could go in two directions; either being burnt out or a desensitisation effect where people become used to the pandemic.

Weve seen how the other states have gone through this and are coming out the other side so we might be a bit more accepting of the situation, she said. I think whatever it is we will go through, people are feeling generally speaking we will cope. From a policy perspective, Curtin University School public health researcher Professor Jaya Dantas said she did not think having overly harsh restrictions was the way the government should approach this stage of the pandemic. I think people want to get on with their lives, she said. All over the world pandemic fatigue has set in and weve seen this in the civil disobedience movement ... where people now are conveying the message that we want to take health in our own hands and they are just tired of the mandates and restrictions.

Thats a strong message that is coming globally, especially in developed countries, this is not something one expected in Canada or New Zealand but it still happened. Loading Professor Dantas said the mask mandate was working well as part of WAs cautious approach but people would get tired of such measures after a while. As neighbouring states drop restrictions and mask mandates the WA government is mindful of the impacts of its rules on the psyche of the public. WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson noted in his advice on reducing quarantine times for close contacts from 14 days to seven days that people were more likely to engage with contact tracing efforts when the restriction for doing so truthfully was not as onerous.

For people who may have been exposed and are cases, shorter periods of isolation encourage people to get tested, particularly when they have mild or minimal symptoms, he said. QR codes could also be on the outer, with the system under review. Contact tracing could also soon become a moot point for the metropolitan parts of the state as cases jump and it becomes harder to keep up in identifying the source of new detections. QR code check-ins dropped in other states after COVID-19 peaks passed and many jurisdictions have since reduced their use to high-risk transmission areas like music festivals and hospitals.

One thing Mr McGowan has said is not going away is vaccination mandates. The state government still wants the booster shot rate get closer to 90 per cent, which could still be months away. A table identifying the risk of dying from COVID-19 for different age groups and genders depending on vaccination status, created by University of Queensland professor Colleen Lau. I cant put a date on it [the mandates]. But itll be there for a considerable period of time, Mr McGowan said. Opposition Leader Mia Davies says vaccine mandates should be reconsidered.

Clearly, with a very high vaccination rate here in Western Australia ... it is absolutely the time to look at whether or not all the mandates we have in place are proportionate and reasonable, she said. Loading Especially when you think that the decision around proof of vaccination for bottleshops was dropped on Friday, weve still got venues that are policing proof of vaccination requirements in our hospitality and dining venues. Its adding to the cost of their business. Its causing great concern in the community. Mr McGowan said he recognised people were tired and wanted to move forward but things were about to get bumpy.

I feel the same way. But unfortunately, there is nothing perfect in a pandemic. I wish I could tell you that life is going to get easier after March 3, but I cant. Its going to be bumpy, he said. We cant become dumb to the threat that we face and the impact in terms of loss of life. WA Premier Mark McGowan. Credit:Peter de Kruijff What gives me confidence ... is that despite the fatigue and frustration, whenever we have asked West Australians to do something to protect themselves and the people around them, they have risen to the occasion. Professor Dantas said the government had good reason to be worried about West Australians health as not enough had been done to prepare the system.
The Liberal National Party candidate for Queenslands most marginal federal seat has withdrawn from the running just months out from the election.

Ryan Shaw, an army veteran vying for the inner-Brisbane seat of Lilley, announced on social media late on Wednesday that he had made the difficult decision to pull out to focus on his mental health.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Ryan Shaw visit a Metricon homes site in Geebung in May last year, just days after the army veteran was selected as the LNPs candidate for Lilley. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

This campaign has been very tough for my family and me, and Im struggling with the effects of this on my mental health and PTSD, Mr Shaw said. I need to take time away for the welfare of my family and me.

I look forward to supporting my successor in Lilley and doing all I can to help the LNP retain government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has to take a tough stance against Russias aggression in Ukraine to deter countries like China from making similar military incursions into other sovereign nations.

On Thursday morning Australias Governor-General David Hurley signed off on amended sanctions regulations, which give the government the ability to sanction individuals who are supporting Russias actions in Ukraine.

Mr Morrison said there must be a price for Russias unprovoked attack on Ukraines sovereignty. Credit:Nick Moir

The reason were doing this is there must be a price for the unprovoked, unlawful, unwarranted, unjustified attacks and threats and intimidation that has been imposed by Russia on Ukraine, Mr Morrison said.

Australia reserved the right to take further action, the Prime Minister said, adding Australia would always have a principled and consistent response to any countries who threatened the sovereignty of others.
An emergency siren sounded around Kyiv and the defence minister said Ukrainian units, military control centres and airfields in Ukraines east were under intensive Russian shelling. People drive out of Kyi after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an assault on Ukraine. Credit:Reuters In an address on Thursday, Putin claimed the special military operation was in response to threats coming from Ukraine and was intended to protect civilians. Russia was left no chance to protect itself by other means I have decided to conduct a special military operation, Putin claimed. He added the responsibility for bloodshed rested with the Ukrainian regime.

In the statement carried by the Russian Interfax and TASS newsagencies and broadcast on state-run television, Putin claimed Russia could not tolerate threats coming from Ukraine and added we do not plan to occupy Ukrainian territory. He added that in case of foreign interference, Russia will react immediately. Smoke rises in Kharkiv, Ukraines second largest city, following Russians invasion. Credit:@Osinttechnical - Twitter It happened just as the United States ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the Security Council that We believe, along with Ukraine, that a full-scale further invasion into Ukraine is imminent. The council was meeting to discuss Ukraine, diplomats said, after separatists in eastern Ukraine asked for Russia for help to repel aggression.

At the exact time as we are gathered in the council seeking peace, Putin delivered a message of war, in total disdain for the responsibility of this council, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. She added that a draft resolution would be circulated to the council later. It would declare that Russia is violating the UN Charter, international law and a 2015 council resolution on Ukraine, a European diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions were private. The resolution would urge Russia to come back into compliance immediately, the diplomat said. Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg convened a meeting of NATO ambassadors to assess the invasion of Ukraine, which borders several NATO members.

The meeting to be held as Europe wakes up on Thursday morning will address the situation and the consequences of Russias unprovoked attack. Stoltenberg had already condemned Russias invasion earlier. Despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression, he said. CNNs senior international correspondent Matthew Chance was reporting live from the ground when he reported hearing about five explosions. There are big explosions taking place in Kyiv right now. I cant see where they are taking place from this vantage point here on top of the roof of the hotel in central Kyiv.

The BBCs Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford also reported hearing a big bang in Kramatorsk, the administrative centre of northern Donetsk. US President Joe Biden released a statement shortly after saying, The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering, Biden said. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable. I will be monitoring the situation from the White House this evening and will continue to get regular updates from my national security team.

Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring: US President Joe Biden. Credit:AP Earlier UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Putin to not send Russian troops against Ukraine and give peace a chance. Before Putins announcement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the rebel chiefs had written to the President to tell him that shelling by the Ukrainian military had caused civilian deaths and forced many people to flee. We want peace but will fight: President Volodymyr Zelensky. There have been no independent reports of Ukraine forces shelling Russian targets. There was one unconfirmed report of rockets hitting near Mariupol.

Putin has recognised the independence of the Russia-backed rebel regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and signed friendship treaties with them. On Tuesday, received parliaments permission to use military forces outside the country. Hours after the separatists wrote to the Kremlin, the Ukrainian President rejected Moscows claims that his country posed a threat to Russia and warned that a Russian invasion would cost tens of thousands of lives. The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace, Zelensky said in an emotional overnight address to his nation in Russian. The State Duma, The Federal Assembly of The Russian Federation. Credit:AP But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.

Zelensky said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late on Wednesday, but the Kremlin didnt respond. In an apparent reference to Putins move to sanction the deployment of the Russian military to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky warned that this step could mark the start of a big war on the European continent. Any provocation, any spark could trigger a blaze that will destroy everything, he said. He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that you are told that this blaze will bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.

Before the night was over US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC News on Thursday morning AEDT that he expected Russia to invade Ukraine before the night was over but still saw a chance to avert a major aggression. Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine, Blinken told NBC in an interview, adding he could not be precise about time or place. Earlier, Biden said his administration would impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the company in charge of building Russias controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany.

The announcement was an escalation of US measures against Russia over the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine. The gas pipeline is seen as a key tool of influence that Russia holds over Europe. It has also been the subject of debate between the US and Germany. The US has opposed the pipeline supplying gas that Germany requires for its economy. Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers, Biden said in a statement. Ukraine declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and told its citizens in Russia to flee.

Airports at Dnipro, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine were closed to traffic until Thursday morning, according to notices to airmen issued by local authorities. No reason was provided for the closures. Shelling intensified at the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, where Putin recognised the independence of the two Moscow-backed rebel regions this week and ordered the deployment of Russian troops as peacekeepers. Loading Cyber attack Ukrainian government and state websites, which have experienced outages in recent weeks, were again offline on Wednesday. Ukraines parliament, cabinet and Foreign Ministry websites were affected.

Russian armored vehicles are loaded onto railway platforms at a railway station in region not far from Russia-Ukraine border on February 23. Credit:AP Moscow had denied planning an invasion and repeatedly described warnings as anti-Russian hysteria. On Wednesday, it took down flags from its embassy in Kyiv, having ordered its diplomats to evacuate for safety reasons. Sanctions Washington has described Russias actions as the start of an invasion, but along with allies has so far unveiled mostly incremental sanctions, while making clear they were keeping tougher measures in reserve in case of a full-scale invasion. Loading

European Union sanctions approved on Wednesday will add all members of Russias lower house of parliament who voted to recognise the separatist regions in Ukraine to a blacklist, freezing their assets and banning travel. Britain announced new restrictions banning Russia from the issuing of new bonds in its security markets, and called for its broadcasting regulator to investigate Russias RT international television news channel as a propaganda outlet. Fresh troops deployed Earlier on Thursday, Ukraines military said one soldier had been killed and six wounded in increased shelling by pro-Russian separatists using heavy artillery, mortar bombs and Grad rocket systems in the two breakaway areas over the previous 24 hours. Protesters show support for Ukraine outside the Russian embassy in Berlin. Credit:AP

New satellite imagery showed several fresh troop and equipment deployments in western Russia and more than 100 vehicles at a small airfield in southern Belarus, which borders Ukraine, according to US satellite firm Maxar. For months, Russia has presented the crisis mainly as a dispute with the West, demanding security guarantees, including a promise never to allow Ukraine to join NATO. But the recognition of the separatist regions was accompanied by much stronger language against Ukraine, including personally from Putin. In a TV address on Monday, Putin rambled across centuries of history to characterise the Ukrainian state as an artificial construct wrongly carved out of Russia by its enemies. Reuters, AP, Bloomberg
A Whitetail deer stands in a freshly-cut field of winter wheat in the Varina district of eastern Henrico County in 2020. (BOB BROWN/AP)

Opponents of plans for a gas pipeline to supply a power plant in Charles City have welcomed a decision by the developer to put the project on hold.

The pipeline would cross New Kent, Louisa, Henrico, and Hanover counties, as well as Charles City, prompting legal challenges in local communities.

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Beth Minear, an outreach coordinator for Chickahominy Pipeline, LLC, emailed officials in Hanover County to say the company was putting the project on a pause, following an earlier Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling related to the fate of a power plant for which the pipeline was being built, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The pipeline and the power plant it would serve are subsidiaries of Northern Virginia-based energy firm Balico LLC. The federal commission upheld a decision by the regional transmission organization PJM to remove Chickahominy Power from its permit queue after it failed to meet milestones for the plants completion.

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The Southern Environmental Law Center represents a group of organizations that campaigned against the proposed 83-mile pipeline, including Concerned Citizens of Charles City County, Hanover Citizens Against a Pipeline, Appalachian Voices and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

It never made sense to invest in so-called natural gas at a time when Virginia has committed to a clean, zero-carbon energy grid, much less to construct what would have been one of the largest gas plants in the state, said SELC senior attorney Greg Buppert in a statement on Tuesday.

As the cost of clean energy continues to decline  and the cost of gas projects continues to climb  the Chickahominy Pipeline would have been a backwards-looking investment at odds with Virginias clear track record of clean-energy leadership in the south, Buppert said.

Chickahominy Pipeline, LLC was embroiled in a legal battle over whether it came under the oversight of the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Attorneys acting for Chickahominy Pipeline filed a petition with the commission last September, arguing the pipeline was not a public utility and should not be subject to approval from the commission.

However, at a Nov. 15, hearing, examiner D. Mathias Roussy recommended to the commissioners that the pipeline should come under the SCCs jurisdiction.

In my opinion, Chickahominys planned pipeline would be subject to the Commissions jurisdiction under the Utility Facilities Act because Chickahominy would be a public utility under the plain language of the Utility Facilities Act, he wrote.

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The SCC commissioners were due to make a ruling on whether the pipeline was subject to SCC jurisdiction.

David Macaulay, davidmacaulayva@gmail.com
Washington: Having lost so much capital over Americas botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, US President Joe Bidens response to Russias aggression has always been a precarious balancing act, designed to avert war in Europe and dodge the foreign policy mistakes that dogged his first year in office.

The sanctions announced on Wednesday morning AEDT were another attempt to thread the needle. Hours after Russian troops moved into Ukraines two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, the US President announced the first tranche of measures to counter what he branded as Putins flagrant violation of international law and the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The sight of tanks rolling into Ukraine overnight has forced US President Joe Biden and the West into action. The question is: how far will NATO go to protect Ukraine? Credit:Photos: Bloomberg, AP

Boiled down, the US will impose full blocking on two large Russian financial institutions  including the countrys military bank. The Russian government has also been cut off from Western finance, meaning it can no longer raise money from the West or trade in new debt on US or European markets.

The most significant response against Russia came from Germany, which announced it would halt certification of Nord Stream 2  a gas pipeline that the US has often argued would increase Europes reliance on Russian energy supplies. Biden promised two weeks ago that there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2 if Russia sent troops into Ukraine. But it was not made clear if or how the President could stop the project altogether.
In what may be a major boost to the electric vehicle in transport segment in India, Hitachi Energy is all set to introduce an innovative flash- technology that will be able to top up charge electric buses within 20 seconds, from several hours currently. A pilot project will be launched at IIT Madras, in association with Ashok Leyland within a month's time.

According to industry sources, players like state-run NTPC, Olectra, JBM Auto and Green Cell Mobility too are keen on this technology. If it works, it will be a huge push for the planned EV expansion in urban India.

The e-bus from Ashok Leyland will incorporate Hitachi Energys innovative flash- technology  Grid-eMotion Flash  and run in IITM. Though the pilot project was announced in 2020, it did not take off then.

"Through this, 25 per cent of batteries will be charged within a span of 20 seconds. As of now, the pilot is being launched within a month," said N Venu, Managing Director and chief executive officer, India and South Asia, Hitachi Energy. IIT Madras did not respond to questions from Business Standard.

Grid eMotion Flash was developed for sustainable mass transportation. It is the worlds fastest technology and onboard traction system for high frequency and high capacity bus routes. "Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it also ensures that the fleet is not oversized to cover electric buses on standby for charging," he said.

With Grid eMotion Flash, fewer electric buses are needed, and they can be more easily re-deployed to other lines. It takes less than a second to connect to overhead high-power charging contacts, and only twenty seconds to boost charge; topping up the battery while passengers get on and off the bus. This technology offers operating cost savings of 30 percent versus an equivalent diesel-transit system.

The solution is already operational in Geneva where electric buses equipped with this solution have covered record 500,000 kilometers, transporting millions of passengers and reducing carbon emissions by about 1000 tons, the company claimed. In UAE, the e-bus can cover a distance of 95km after a single charge, that is, make six quiet and emission-free trips between the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, it added.
Madhuri Jain, the head of control at and wife of the companys embattled Founder and Managing Director Ashneer Grover, has been sacked by the company, according to several media reports.



"As per your query, we can confirm that the services of Madhuri Jain Grover have been terminated in accordance with the terms of her employment agreement," a company spokesperson said.

On Wednesday morning, Jain posted a flurry of video clips of office revelry on Twitter and alleged that the companys top brass indulged in 'drunken orgies', called the companys Board 'chauvinistic', said she has been treated like an object, and labelled the ongoing governance review in the company as a witch-hunt.

Meanwhile, media reports have emerged saying that Ashneer Grover has filed an emergency plea in the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) to stop a probe into alleged financial mismanagement in the company.

The MD, who is on leave till March end, is also said to be seeking indemnity against any future action by the company through the plea. The company and Grover are reportedly in parallel talks to settle the matter through a buy-out of the latters stake in the unicorn.

Grovers stake of 9.5 per cent in the company was worth Rs 1,915 crore based on the last funding round in August 2021 when was valued at $2.8 billion. However, in a recent interview, the BharatPe founder said that he will leave the company only if he is paid Rs 4,000 crore, valuing the company at $6 billion.
Online professional network on Wednesday announced the India leg of its global Creator Accelerator Program, to support creators in growing their communities on the platform.

India is the second market to roll out the program, after its successful launch in the US in September 2021.

The program aims to help creators build engaging content and communities, spark productive conversations, and connect creators to meaningful opportunities, said in a release.

The 10-week incubator-style initiative will support 200 creators in growing their communities. The Creator Accelerator Program is part of LinkedIn's USD 25 million commitment to creators globally.

"By equipping a diverse range of voices with the right resources, the Creator Accelerator Program aims to help members unlock greater business opportunities with the content they're making and the conversations they're sparking," says Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager at .

As part of this program, the selected 200 creators will get support and access to LinkedIn's Community Management team, educational workshops, creator-to-creator networking opportunities, access to rich tools and resources, and mentorship opportunities with popular LinkedIn creators and thought leaders -- Ankur Warikoo, Radhika Gupta, Pooja Dhingra, and Nuseir Yassin.

The selected cohort of creators will also be given a financial grant to bring their ideas to life and explore their creativity.

The program is now taking applications from creators from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, who can use LinkedIn tools to build engaging content using a variety of formats such as video, newsletters, and short-form posts. The program is also open to Hindi language creators.

Applications are open till March 16, and the final cohort of 200 creators will be announced in the coming months.

LinkedIn's Community Management team is hosting a live event where program leads and partner mentors will walk members through the program details and eligibility criteria. The event will be live on March 2 at 11.30 am IST on the LinkedIn For Creators Page.

(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.)
Pinnacle Mobility Solutions, will launch electric buses under the EKA brand in two to three months. The Pune-based EV maker plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore over the next five years as it seeks to build a portfolio of EVs in the last-mile mobility segment, the companys chairman and managing director said in an interview.

It will invest the aforesaid amount in collaboration with VDL Groep. The latter will hold 26 per cent equity and Pinnacle Industries will hold the remaining 74 percent. Pinnacle is one among the various vehicle makers to have qualified for the productivity linked incentive scheme.

The firm will design, manufacture, and supply a complete range of EVs, fuel cell EVs and alternative fuel vehicles. It will also house components assembly and manufacturing, EV traction systems, EV energy storage systems, etc.

Niti Aayog envisages 40 per cent of buses to be EVs by 2030. Fuelled by a robust growth of the Indian online grocery market which is expanding at a CAGR of 57 per cent, the last mile delivery industry is expected to grow by 9 per cent CAGR, as per industry estimates.
Amid the thickening Ashneer Grover- saga, Chairman of the board of directors said on Wednesday that Grover is only spreading lies and there is no substance in his allegations of the probe being biased.

co-founder and Managing Director Grover, in a latest letter sent to the company addressing Kumar and co-founder Bhavik Koladiya, alleged that the internal governance review was biased.

"Ashneer Grover's allegations of the probe being biased hold no merit. No one ever questioned my integrity ever in my entire career and everyone knows about my credibility.

"I am not quitting the Board," Kumar, who has served as SBI Chairman, told IANS.

The company had earlier responded to Grover's letter, saying: "You have been indulging in spreading false and accusatory information about the senior management of the company to the family members and/or spouses of the said members of the senior management."

"Such abhorrent conduct on your part is completely unwarranted, and the company takes strong objection to the same. You are again called upon to cease and desist from spreading false and inflammatory content about the members of the senior management of the company. Your conduct in this regard is completely unbecoming of a managing director of the company," BharatPe had said.

The full-stack fintech platform BharatPe on Wednesday confirmed it has terminated the services of Madhuri Jain Grover, the wife of Grover, for alleged financial irregularities during her tenure.

The internal probe found misappropriation of funds during her time at the fintech platform. Madhuri Jain was head of controls at BharatPe.

"We can confirm that the services of Madhuri Jain Grover have been terminated in accordance with the terms of her employment agreement," the company said in a statement.

Sources earlier told IANS that Madhuri Jain's contract has been terminated and the reasons for this are "misappropriation of funds and authorisation of inflated bills during her tenure".

Later in the day, Madhuri Jain posted an audio clip on Twitter where Ashneer Grover and Koladiya were allegedly heard talking about a meeting between them, including Kumar, that ended with abusive words.

In the audio clip, Grover accused Koladiya of leaking probe information to the media, a charge Koladiya has earlier denied.

--IANS

na/vd

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ronnie Screwvala-backed startup Lido Learning has reportedly shut operations. This has led its employees to seek help via social media platforms.

Many employees and vendors complained about not getting salaries for nearly two months and delayed payments on professional networking platforms and social media.

"My 1st worst experience in the industry. The company closed its business suddenly in the morning, 2 days before salary day without giving any notice to anyone. It is no other than LIDO," Rishabh Kumar, assistant marketing manager at Lido Learning, posted on LinkedIn, according to various media reports. "Everything was going well and suddenly on February 4, 2022, an official town hall was announced in the morning. The founder announced that the organisation is having no funds to run its business and they are shutting it down," Kumar posted.

Last year in September, Lido Learning raised $10 million, led by Ronnie Screwvalas Unilazer Ventures. The small group, online tuitions company had seen rapid growth and was currently on track to reach a $100 million run rate (revenue) by end of the financial year. Lido Learning offered tuitions in Maths, Science, and English aligned with the CBSE and ICSE for students from KG to Grade 12.

The company had plans for an aggressive expansion in India as well as abroad. Lido Learnings first-ever TV advertising campaign was supposed to go live during the IPL season, along with the launch of its free user app to give students access to free curriculum-aligned video content for life.

Were going to use this new round of capital to ensure that our classes are accessible to students from every corner of India as well as the world, Sahil Sheth, Founder and CEO, Lido Learning, had said. Were going to double down on our efforts to connect students with Indias exceptionally well-qualified and dedicated teaching talent.

Ronnie Screwvala, founder of Unilazer Ventures and top entrepreneur had said Lido has the first mover in the small-group, online tuitions space. He had said the company has differentiated itself from the start from all other players that primarily offer self-directed learning or large-group classes. Lidos strategy of immersive learning and rewarding positive learning outcomes has ensured that it is best-positioned to consolidate the $15 billion neighbourhood tuition market, Screwvala had said.

Lido Learning had also announced its entry into the US and Canada with its flagship coding program using the Pair Learning methodology, with just two students per teacher to facilitate faster learning, deeper interactions, and real-time problem-solving. Plans were also in place to launch in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia in early 2022, in addition to its existing Middle-Eastern, American, and Canadian operations.

Lido Learning had raised about $27.3 million from marquee institutional investors such as Alibaba-backed BACE Ventures, Picus Capital, and 9 Unicorns along with leading entrepreneurs like Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Mukesh Bansal, Anupam Mittal and Ananth Narayanan.

Many entrepreneurs in the ecosystem have provided their support for the employees of Lido after the about the company shutting down its operations.

Lido learning team, we are hiring across teams. Please ping, if you have still not found a good role. There are opening across all and you should have multiple options to choose from, said Krishna Kumar, founder and CEO, Simplilearn, on LinkedIn. We are living in a world, where great team members like you decide, which organisation you want to work for. Not the other way around.

Heard the sad of Lido shutting its operations down. Building a company is one of the toughest things to do. And I would like to extend my support to the founders and team for getting so far, said Vaibhav Sisinty, founder of GrowthSchool. Also wanted to welcome employees of Lido to come apply for GrowthSchool.We have a ton of roles open.
HYDERABAD: As many as 350 Telugu students pursuing medical and engineering courses in Ukraine have been stranded in East European countries following the invasion of Russian armed forces for a few days. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) officials received at least 400 requests from Indian students including Telugu speaking youth from Ukraine, seeking assistance.

Keeping in view of the latest developments in Ukraine, the Telangana NRI cell officials approached the external affairs ministry officials and collected data of Telugu students who are stranded in Ukraine. Tension gripped the citizens in the East European country and all educational institutions have been shut.

The Indian Embassy in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, issued an order stating that all Indian students and people report to the Embassy to shift them safely to India.

Yatin Patel, officer on special duty, MEA, told this newspaper that they had received as many as 400 requests from parents and students who were stranded in Ukraine by email through social media. "We have made all arrangements by contacting the Indian Embassy officials in Ukraine in bringing back the students safely. Air India is the only airline from India that provides its service to Ukraine during emergency situations.

The MEA officials also sought information from Telangana NRI cell officials in connection with the Telugu speaking students in Ukraine and their parents and residential addresses of students. Approximately, 350 Telugu students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been stranded in Ukraine and more details are awaited.

"The MEA officials have closely monitored the situation and got in touch with the NRI cells of different states and embassy officials in Ukraine. We will arrange a special flight service to Ukraine to shift the students and people from the war-bound Ukraine. It is reported that hundreds of students from different states in India are pursuing several courses," Patel said. The officials further stated that Air India is operating three flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26.

Meanwhile, the NRI cell officials have also given instructions to agencies and units offices in Telangana district to furnish details of Telugu students pursuing in Ukraine immediately and the revenue officials and the local police would assist together in gathering details of students from their parents.
The on Wednesday asked and to request the to decide a plea challenging the revocation of sanction to the US e-commerce major for its deal with Future group's firm by the Competition Commission of India.

The suggestion was mooted by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana while adjourning to March 9 the hearing on Amazon's appeal against the January 5 order of the Delhi High Court staying the ongoing arbitration proceedings before an arbitral tribunal over Future Retail's Rs 24,500-crore merger deal with Reliance Retail.

The bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli, deferred the hearing after brief arguments on being told that the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is hearing another appeal of related to the merger deal.

"The present SLP (special leave petition) is in one way connected to the outcome of the order challenged before the . We direct parties to request the to decide the case. List on March 9," it ordered.

On February 9, the apex court had issued notices to firms on Amazon's plea against the January 5 order of the Delhi High Court staying the ongoing arbitration proceedings before an arbitral tribunal over Future Retail's merger deal with Reliance Retail.

It had sought responses from the firms, Future Coupons Private Ltd (FCPL) and Future Retail Ltd (FRL) and had said that it will hear the matter on February 23 without any adjournment.

The Delhi High Court on January 5 had stayed the Amazon-Future arbitration which is going on before a three-member arbitral tribunal over the latter's merger deal with Reliance.

and the Future Group have been locked in a legal tussle after the US e-commerce giant dragged the latter to arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in October 2020.

The fresh plea, on which the apex court issued notice, has been filed by the US firm assailing the January 5 order of a division bench of the Delhi High Court staying the Amazon-Future arbitration.

The division bench of the high court had also stayed a single judge's January 4 order dismissing the Future Group's two pleas seeking a direction to the arbitration tribunal to decide on its application for terminating the arbitration proceedings before moving further.

The high court had said that there was a prima facie case in favour of FRL and FCPL and if a stay is not granted, it will cause an irreparable loss to them.

Amazon argued that FRL violated their contract by entering into a deal for the sale of its assets to billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Retail on a slump sale basis for Rs 24,500 crore.

In December last year, the Competition Commission of India suspended its over-two-year-old approval for Amazon's deal to acquire a 49-per cent stake in FCPL and FRL promoter, and also slapped a penalty of Rs 202 crore on the e-commerce major.

Amazon has been objecting to the sell-off plans, accusing Future Group of breaching its 2019 investment pact. Future Coupons was founded in 2008 and is engaged in the business of marketing and distribution of gift cards, loyalty cards and other reward programmes to corporate customers.

(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 Supreme Court (SC) has directed and to approach National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) for speedy disposal of the US ecommerce firm's case challenging Competition Commission of Indias (CCI's) order which cancelled its 2019 deal with Future Coupons. The SC has listed the case to be heard next on March 9.

approached SC after Delhi High Court (HC) ordered a stay on the Amazon-Future arbitration going on before a three-member arbitral tribunal.

The present SLP (special leave petition) is in one way connected to the outcome of the order challenged before the . We direct parties to request the to decide the case," SC said in its order.

The SC case was heard by a bench comprised of Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana, Justice A S Bopana and Justice Hima Kohli.

The on February 25 will hear Amazons plea seeking an interim stay on the order passed by the CCI, which suspended the more than two-year-old approval of its deal with Future Coupons (FCPL).

On February 9, the SC had issued notices to to respond to Amazons SLP which challenged Delhi High Courts divisional bench order last month staying the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) arbitration proceedings in the Amazon-Future case.

approached the SIAC in October 2020 after Future Groups deal with Reliance Industries citing its non-compete agreement with the Kishore Biyani-led chain. Amazon's 2019 deal with (stake purchase in Future Coupons) specified any disputes would be arbitrated under the SIAC rules. The same month, Amazon got a favourable ruling for its plea in the SIAC against the Future-Reliance deal.

In November 2020, Future Group then challenged the SIACs interim order at the Delhi High Court and in February 2021, a single-judge Bench order upheld the SIACs interim order. Future Group then filed an appeal at the HC before a divisional bench, challenging the single-judge Bench order. The Divisional Bench stayed the single-judge Benchs order.

In February 2021, Amazon moved the SC challenging the divisional bench order, and Future Group moved the NCLT Mumbai to seek approvals to go ahead with its deal with Reliance Industries' arm, Reliance Retail.

In March 2021, the HC passed an order to attach Future Groups assets. A Divisional Bench stayed it.

In August 2021, the apex court had ruled in favour of Amazon, holding the SIACs arbitration award. In September 2021, in a major relief to Future Group, SC stayed proceedings before HC, ordering no coercive action against the Kishore Biyani-led group. The court also directed the NCLT, CCI, and Securities and Exchange Board of India not to pass any final order in relation to the dispute for four weeks.

In October 2021, the SIAC tribunal upheld the emergency arbitration interim order, thereby injuncting Future Retail from taking any steps to merge itself with Reliance Retail. Future Group then approached the HC but a single-judge Bench refused to stay the arbitral tribunal order.

In December 2021, the CCI suspended Amazons 2019 deal with Future Coupons and imposed a penalty of Rs 202 crore on the US ecommerce firm.

In January this year, a single-judge bench of HC passed an order dismissing Future Groups plea to stop arbitration proceedings initiated by Amazon in Singapore. But a divisional bench of the court ordered a stay on the Amazon-Future arbitration going on before a three-member arbitral tribunal.

In February, the Supreme Court set aside verdicts of a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court which ordered strong steps against Future Group and also the order which refused to stay the Singapore tribunals refusal to vacate the emergency award. The Supreme Court sent the matter to HC.

HC has listed the hearing of four cases in the legal battle between Future Group and e-commerce major Amazon on February 24 (Thursday). The court will hear Future Retails plea, along with four other cases.

The four are the SIACs emergency award, which stalled Future Groups deal with Reliance Retail, and the SIAC tribunal order, which upheld the emergency award.

There is also Amazons case of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issuing summons to it on violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act while investing in Future Coupons in 2019. Also Amazon had challenged the High Courts observations in its order in December 2020.

The legal battle between Future Group and Amazon started in October 2020 after the former decided to sell its retail, logistics, and warehousing businesses to Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries.
in talks to sell 5% stake in Indus Towers to Bharti Airtel: Report

British telecom giant is in discussions to sell around five per cent stake in Indus Towers to Bharti Airtel, according to industry sources.

When contacted, refused to comment on the matter.

Vodafone currently holds about 28 per cent in Indus Towers. Read more

SC asks Amazon, Future to urge NCLAT to decide on plea against CCI order

The on Wednesday asked Amazon and to request the NCLAT to decide a plea challenging the revocation of sanction to the US e-commerce major for its deal with Future group's firm by the Competition Commission of India.

The suggestion was mooted by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana while adjourning to March 9 the hearing on Amazon's appeal against the January 5 order of the Delhi High Court staying the ongoing arbitration proceedings before an arbitral tribunal over Future Retail's Rs 24,500-crore merger deal with Reliance Retail. Read more

Money laundering case: ED arrests NCP leader Nawab Malik after questioning

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.

The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken into custody after he was questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 AM. Read more

India could export $500-bn green energy over 20 years: Mukesh Ambani

As India shapes its energy transition to cleaner fuels, billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday said technological advancements will make India a global new energy leader, exporting half a trillion dollars worth of clean energy in two decades.

Ambani, who is helming a transition to green hydrogen production at its oil-dominant conglomerate, said India is today one of the most attractive opportunities for renewable energy investment anywhere in the world. Read more
US-based Virgin Hyperloop, which had expansion plans for the Indian market, has reportedly laid off nearly half of its staff.

The company confirmed to the Financial Times that 111 people had been laid off as it plans to switch focus from passengers to cargo.

"Two of the people who lost their jobs said that the lay-offs were announced via video conference. One said the scale of the cuts was a'definitely not expected'," the report said late on Tuesday.

"It's allowing the company to respond in a more agile and nimble way and in a more cost-efficient manner. These types of decisions are never taken lightly," the company said in a statement.

The company is "changing direction", it added. "It really has more to do with global supply chain issues and all the changes due to Covid."

Virgin said the logistics market had changed "dramatically" and that it was responding to strong customer interest in a cargo-based service.

is a new transport mode under development to enable high-speed movement of hundreds of people and goods at a time in floating pods through tubes or tunnels above or below the ground.

In 2020, Virgin successfully tested human travel in a hyperloop pod for the first time.

The test took place at the company's DevLoop test track in the desert outside Las Vegas, Nevada and first two passengers were Virgin Hyperloop's CTO and co-founder Josh Giegel and director of passenger experience, Sara Luchian.

The speed at which the hyperloop pod travelled was nearly 160 km per hour during the test but eventually, the goal is to make humans travel via these airless tubes at speeds of up to 1,223 km per hour.

Virgin Hyperloop was founded in 2014 to make and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's vision of a futuristic transportation system.

In 2020, the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru and Virgin Hyperloop announced to jointly conduct a feasibility study to build a hyperloop corridor for high-speed transport between the airport and the city centre.

Then Virgin chief executive Jay Walder had said that a hyperloop-enabled airport will not only allow faster travel, but also create a 21st century passenger experience and expand airport capacity.

"As India's technology and innovation hub, we hope Bengaluru will embrace hyperloop as a way to keep pace, support clean growth and open new opportunities for the city," Walder had said.

--IANS

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Britain's is looking to sell partial part of its 28.1% stake in Indus Towers Ltd, India's largest cell tower firm, the telecom group said on Wednesday.

has launched an initial sale of 63.6 million Indus shares through an accelerated book building offering and said it was in talks with various parties regarding the sale of its remaining shares.

The company's total stake of 757.8 million shares was worth roughly Rs 19,070 crore as of Friday close, according to Reuters calculations.

A channel reported that PLC will on Thursday sell 2.4% stake in company worth $200 million via block deal.

Offer range will be Rs 227-231 per share, up to 10% discount to current market price, reported CNBC TV-18 while adding that the offer size will be Rs 1,440 crore.

The development comes after a challenging period for Vodafone in India, where its local arm, Vodafone Idea, has faced intense competition and lost millions of wireless subscribers to Reliance's Jio and Bharti Airtel.



Vodafone Idea's troubles have been compounded by huge dues owed to the Indian government, which is expected to own a 35.8% stake in the venture through a recent deal.

The British firm said on Wednesday it was in advanced talks with one of Indus's largest shareholders to sell a 4.7% stake in the company.

The company did not provide a name, but Indian media reported Vodafone was in talks to sell a 5% stake in Indus to Bharti Airtel. Bharti Enterprises Ltd, Bharti Airtel's parent, is Indus's largest shareholder, according to Refinitiv data.

Vodafone is also in talks with "several interested parties" to potentially sell its remaining shareholding in Indus, the company said.

It added that the promoters of Vodafone Idea are committed to support Vi in its efforts to strengthen its balance sheet.

($1 = 74.5510 Indian rupees)

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Leading kitchenware brand Wonderchef is entering the diningware/homeware segment and has set a target of selling Rs 50 crore in the first year of operations and will invest Rs 100 crore over the next three years towards design and product development.

The company, co-founded by celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Ravi Saxena in 2009, expects to close this fiscal with Rs 400 crore in topline (revenue), a growth of over 40 percent from FY21 when its revenue stood at Rs 325 crore, Saxena, who is the company's managing director, told PTI on Wednesday.

He also said the company is on course to archive its targeted Rs 1,000-crore revenue mark in the next three years and the new category to contribute at least Rs 200 crore of that.

Saxena said already around 600 ware items are on its website and by the end of March, there will be over 2,000 items which will include an extensive range of tableware, barware, cutlery, glasses, linen, serve ware, and dinnerware in bone china, fine bone china, and stoneware. Crystal glasses will be imported from Italy, he added.

On the rationale for entering the new category, he said Wonderchef stands for quality, design and innovation in kitchen appliances.

"We have now decided to provide our customers with the same experience while as well with premium homeware items which will be up to 20 percent costlier than the premium products available in the market today," he said.

On investment into the new category Saxena said they plan to invest Rs 100 crore over the next three years in designs and marketing of this range.

It has employed 50 designers for the job already to curate our new range of products, he added. It has also roped in Hindi actoress Kriti Sanon as the face of the brand.

Saxena said the homeware range will be marketed as a D2C brand only, while the kitchenwares will continue to be both online and offline with the present ratio of 40:60 as the brand is available across 10,000 stores now. Select designs of the new category will also be made available on partner sites like Nykaa, Myntra, Amazon, and Flipkart.

Wonderchef is available all across India and in over a dozen countries like the US, the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius and Britain.

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The first ever all-women sailing expedition of the completed its journey and returned to the city on Wednesday, officials said.

Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Tamilisai Soundararajan had formally flagged off the event on February 15 organised by the Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Sailing Association of the Army under the aegis of Southern Command Sailing Node, EME Sailing Association and the Army Adventure Wing.

The expedition team completed its gruelling journey on the Chennai Nizampatnam-Vizag-Nizampatnam-Chennai and returned to the Chennai Port Trust on Wednesday, a press release said here.

On its arrival at the Chennai Port Trust, Major General S S Dahiya, Chief of Staff, Dakshin Bharat Area, flagged off the expedition and complemented the EME Sailing Association and the Army Adventure Wing for the event.

The expedition would not only give an impetus to sailing as a sport, but would also inspire young girls to don the olive greens and serve the nation, Dahiya said.

Major Mukta Gautam of the Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) led the expedition with the team comprising -- Major Priya Semwal, Priya Das, Rashmil Sangwan, Arpita Dwivedi and Sanjana Mittal and Captain Jyoti Singh, Malvika Rawat, Shubham Solanki and Sonal Goyal.

"The officers were trained in blue water sailing and watermanship under the tutelage of EME Sailing Association and HBTC Marve, before embarking on the expedition," the release said.

The Navy and Coast Guard provided its support throughout the expedition by tracking the team besides offering necessary assistance.

The Dakshin Bharat Area headquarters provided the logistics support for the expedition. Chennai Port Trust Deputy Chairman Balaji Arun Kumar, officials from Navy and Coast Guard were also present on the occasion.

The successful completion of the expedition is yet another step towards women empowerment and the sustained efforts towards enhancing the role of women officers in the Army, the release said.

The EME Sailing Association has undertaken a large number of offshore sailing expeditions over the last two decades, including -- Mumbai-Kochi expedition in 2009, Mumbai-Goa-Mumbai in 2017, and the Indian Peninsula Offshore Sailing expedition in 2018.

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Chief Justice of India (CJI) N V Ramana on Wednesday rued the lack of infrastructure in lower and said he has written to the government expressing his anguish over the issue.

The CJI-led bench, which was hearing two PILs seeking probe into the encounter killings of four accused in a case of gang-rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, took note of the submission of lawyer M L Sharma that there was a city civil court in a district of Uttar Pradesh which does not have its building.

There are not one, many districts where there are no court buildings, Justice Ramana said and asked Sharma to file a PIL.

There are many districts. What to do. We have asked the Centre. I wrote a letter and expressed my anguish. Even submitted a report. You can file a plea, said the bench, which also comprised justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli.

Sharma, often criticised by many for filing PILs, said that he would file one on the issue in a day.

The has been expressing concern over the poor infrastructure in lower in the country and to address this issue, he had mooted the idea of setting up of Judicial Infrastructure Corporation (NJIC).

Speaking at a function of the Allahabad High Court, the had said, " in India still operate from dilapidated structures, without proper facilities. Such a situation is severely detrimental to the experience of litigants and lawyers. It is an unpleasant work environment for court staff and judges, making it difficult to effectively perform their functions. We neglected and failed to focus on providing good infrastructure for courts in India after the British left.".

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The on Wednesday alleged that coal meant for Small and Medium Industries was sold to industries of other states and a scam of Rs 6,000 crore has come to light in .

The party demanded a time-bound investigation.

It raised questions, whether it was coincidence that three chief ministers -- Narendra Modi (CM of from 2001 to 2014) was also holding the charge of Industry, Mines and Minerals Department from December 2007 to December 2012), Vijay Rupani (August 2016 to September 2021) and Bhupendra Patel (September 2021 till date) -- kept the Industry, Mines and Minerals Department with them.

Addressing a press conference here, spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said, "Coal extracted from mines of Coal India did not reach the industries for which it was extracted."

"In the last 14 years, 60 lakh tonnes of coal have been sent from the mines of Coal India in the name of traders and small industries of . It's average price is Rs 1,800 crore at Rs 3,000 per tonne, but instead of selling it to traders and industries, it has been sold in other states at a price of Rs 8,000 to 10,000/tonne."

The said that the UPA government had formulated a policy in 2007 to provide good quality coal at affordable rates to the small industries across the country. Under this policy, coal was extracted every month from the West Coal Field and South-East Coal Field of Coal India for Small and Medium Industries of Gujarat.

Vallabh said, "The Gujarat government had to send all the information, including the list of beneficiary industries of coal, the quantity of coal required, from which agency the coal will be sent to Coal India. Along with this, the Gujarat government also has to send a list of State Nominated Agency (SNA). SNA means the agency declared by the state government, which is authorised to take coal from Coal India to the state's beneficiaries, small scale industries, small traders.

"The information sent to Coal India by the Gujarat government turned out to be false. The industries in the name of which coal was extracted from Coal India in the documents did not reach those industries.

"Agencies buy coal from Coal India every year in the name of beneficiary industries of Gujarat, but agencies instead of giving it to the beneficiaries earn crores of rupees by selling coal at high prices in the open market. It is possible that the agencies have created fake bills for this game and evaded Income Tax, Sales Tax and GST," said the Congress spokesperson.

--IANS

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The on Wednesday imposed fine on various state governments for non-compliance of its order to fill up vacancies in district and state consumer commissions.

Sending a strong message to the state governments, a bench comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and M.M. Sundresh said the states have to pay a fine for non-compliance of its order and also delay in filing the affidavit. The bench said this is the only language the state governments will understand, as it imposed a fine on states, which did not comply with its order to fill up vacancies in district and state consumer commissions.

In November last year, the top court said it is not inclined to waste judicial time over parties defaulting in the matter and warned the state governments that it would impose a cost of Rs one to two lakh for recovery from the officers concerned.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, amicus curiae in the matter, had then contended before the bench that a number of state governments -- Goa, Delhi, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab have not submitted information for staff and Bihar has submitted a status report for infrastructure.

The top court said: "This results in a considerable time period of courts being spent. We will impose exemplary costs on defaulting states for wastage of judicial time for recovery against officers." The top court told the state governments that filling up vacancies and providing adequate infrastructure was their job.

"So, what is the judicial intervention required to ask the states to perform their obligation under the Statute. Please appreciate the scope of the Consumer Protection Act", said the bench, adding that it is to redress the small aspect of daily lives of the consumers.

During the hearing, emphasizing on respect for time schedules, it noted, "unfortunately it throws the hearing out of gear for the simple reason that we don't seem to discipline ourselves with any sense of time."

The top court was hearing a suo motu matter related to vacancies and infrastructure in consumer courts across the country.

--IANS

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New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, extending his support for repatriating Andhra students from crisis-hit Ukraine.

Reddy said in view of the current uncertainties and tensions in Ukraine, several students stranded in various colleges in that country have sought assistance from Andhra Pradesh to safely return home.

"I would like to bring to your kind notice that Government of Andhra Pradesh will extend all possible support to the Government of India (GoI) in repatriating students in Ukraine from Andhra," he said in his letter to Jaishankar.

The state government is in continuous contact with students providing necessary support and assistance. The state government officials have been in touch with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the embassy on the evolving situation, he said.

"I request the MEA officials concerned to reach out to Resident Commissioner, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi or officials from my office for any assistance and support required for repatriating students belonging to Andhra Pradesh," Reddy added.

Amid rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Air India operated a Boeing 787 aircraft to bring back Indians from the eastern European country.

Air India, on February 19, had announced that it would operate three flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26.
on Wednesday recorded 5,023 fresh COVID-19 infections which raised the total to 64,83,773 till date.

The southern State reported 188 deaths which raised the total fatalities to 64,591, according to an official press release.

Of the deaths, 13 were reported in the last 24 hours, 54 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 121 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the release said.

With 11,077 more people recovering since Tuesday, the total recoveries reached 63,71,030 and the active cases dropped to 47,354, the release said.

As many as 61,612 samples were tested in the last 24 hours.

Among the 14 districts, Ernakulam recorded the highest with 825 cases followed by Kozhikode (574) and Thiruvananthapuram (574), the release said.

Of the new cases, 41 were health workers, 16 from outside the State and 4,646 infected through contact with the source of it not being clear in 320, the release said.

There are currently 1,35,857 people under surveillance in various districts, of whom 1,32,929 are in home or institutional quarantine and 2,928 in hospitals, the release said.

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Amidst demand from a section within the ruling BJP to hand over the probe into killing of a 28-year-old activist in Shivamogga to Investigation Agency (NIA), Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said a decision in this connection will be taken based on the outcome of police investigation.

He said along with the probe, maintaining peace and order in Shivamogga that witnessed violence including stone-pelting and arson following the murder, is his government's priority.

"Several people have been arrested, investigation is on. Depending on what comes out of the investigation it will be decided as to which agency has to investigate further. We should give an opportunity for police to investigate first," Bommai said in response to a question on demand for a NIA inquiry.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the government's first priority is to maintain peace and law and order in Shivamogga, a district headquarters town about 250 kms from here.

"Along with maintaining peace and order, investigation is also on, those arrested are being interrogated, based on what comes out, we will take further action," he added.

Harsha, a resident of Seegehatti in Shivamogga, was stabbed with lethal weapons by a group of people on Sunday night, following which he was taken to McGann Hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Earlier today, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the case, while interrogation of others is on.

Several BJP leaders including Senior Minister K S Eshwarappa and Union Minister of state Shobha Karandlaje claiming a conspiracy behind Harsha's murder have demanded NIA probe into the case.

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The Ministry of Law and Justice is allocated only 0.1% of the union budget, our analysis of budget documents shows, and over half of this amount is spent on election-related expenditure.

While other ministries like the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (ministry of WCD) also fund schemes that support law enforcement agencies in the states, a number of these schemes have remained underutilised over the years.





A common issue across states is that the budget is inadequate, and that is juxtaposed with the underutilisation of the funds that are available, said Valay Singh, project lead for the India Justice Report (IJR), which analyses the performance of India's justice system, and is published by the Tata Trusts and its partners.

In this explainer, we break down the Central government's allocations towards India's justice system and how these funds are being spent.

Centre and state allocations for India's justice system

The state governments as well as the Centre are responsible for funding different facets of elections, the judiciary, law enforcement, prisons and aid. The states fund the expenses of local establishments, such as the high courts and the lower courts, state police departments and prisons. The Centre supports the expenses of the central establishments, such as the Supreme Court of India, Central Armed Police Forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force (BSF). It also finances Centre-run autonomous bodies, including those for research and development, Central Sector Schemes--projects fully sponsored and implemented by the Centre, such as that for e-Courts--and Centrally Sponsored Schemes, which are funded partly by the Centre and executed by the state.

The expenditure budget for the judiciary is raised by the Ministry of Law and Justice and the expenditure for law enforcement is under the head of the police department, part of the MHA. The MHA also includes expenditure for prisons.

Schemes for safety of women and children, which require involvement of law enforcement, are a part of the budget allocation of the WCD ministry.

As much as 92% of the net expenditure of the judiciary is borne by the states, according to a 2018 report by the Centre for Budget Governance and Analysis (CBGA), a New Delhi-based think-tank and DAKSH, a Bengaluru-based civil society organisation .

The union Ministry of Law and Justice submits three demands for grants--the expenditure of the ministry for central establishments and schemes, the Supreme Court's expenditure budget and the expenditure budget of the Election Commission of India (ECI). Combining all three, the allocation for the law and justice ministry is 0.1% of the total budget estimate of the 2022-23. Compared to the revised estimates for 2021-22, it has dropped by 16% to Rs 4054.94 crore. Of this amount, the highest share of expenses is related to elections. Over half of the allocation within the grant for law and justice is related to election expenses transferred to the states, in addition to the grant for the election commission.



Budget cut for mission for justice delivery

The budget estimate for the Central Sector Scheme, the Mission for Justice Delivery and Reforms, was reduced by 70% compared to the revised estimates of 2021-22. This umbrella scheme was set up in August 2011 to reduce delays in the system and enhance accountability by setting performance standards. The projects in this umbrella scheme include e-Courts (Phase II & III), Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms, and Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice in India (DISHA).

The e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project (e-Courts IMMP) is a part of the e-Governance Plan, being implemented for universal computerisation of all district and subordinate court complexes, which includes installation of hardware as well as software to provide basic services to litigants and lawyers, in a phased manner. It has been particularly relevant in the context of virtual judicial proceedings during the pandemic.

The Phase-I of eCourts IMMP concluded in 2014 in which 13,672 court sites were computerised, at a cost of Rs 639.14 crore. Phase-II of the project started in 2015 with an outlay of Rs 1,670 crore, of which Rs 1,611.19 crore had been released by the Government until December 2021. About 18,735 district and subordinate courts were computerised in the second phase.

The aim of the third phase includes a digital case registry, a repository of case law, intelligent scheduling of cases, a digital case management system, an interoperable criminal justice system, e-filing of cases and open digital hearings. This phase has been allocated Rs 1 crore, the first such allocation to the third phase. In April 2021, the Supreme Court e-committee submitted the draft vision document for e-courts Phase III, based on which the budget estimates are expected to be revised upwards, said Singh.

In part, budgeting practices for the earlier phases of this project mean that the project has been running with a delay, according to a December 2018 report by CBGA. In 2007, the first phase of the e-Courts project was approved with a budget of Rs 442 crore, which was more than doubled and revised to Rs 935 crore in 2010. The budget for e-Courts has been repeatedly and drastically revised, the CBGA report says, indicating imprecision in budgeting techniques.

Slow implementation of Gram Nyayalayas Act

As an effort to provide citizens access to justice, the central government had enacted the Gram Nyayalayas Act in 2008, to establish Gram Nyayalayas at the panchayat level. The Centre funds the initial non-recurring expenses up to Rs 18 lakh per Gram Nyayalaya and 50% of the recurring expenses upto Rs 3.2 lakh annually for the first three years. The state government is responsible for establishing Gram Nyayalayas in consultation with their High Courts using the Central funding. In 2019-20 and 2020-21, this fund was not utilised.

The pace of establishment of the Gram Nyayalayas has been slow, and as against the target of 2,500 Gram Nyayalayas, only 476 were notified in 15 states/UTs, of which 276 were operational in 10 states, as per this February 2022 reply to the Lok Sabha. Based on a NITI Aayog recommendation, the government extended the scheme for five years from April 2021 to March 2026, with a budgetary outlay of Rs 50 crore. In the 2022-23 budget, no budget was allocated to this scheme.

IndiaSpend contacted the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding the allocation for e-courts phase III as well as under-utilisation of funds for Gram Nyayalayas. We will update this story when they respond.

NALSA receives 17% more

Among the autonomous bodies funded by the Centre, the National Services Authority (NALSA) budget grew by 17% to Rs 170 crore. NALSA's aim is to improve access to justice, by providing free legal aid to minorities, with the help of paralegal volunteers. The landmark Supreme Court judgement to recognise transgender identity was a result of a case filed by NALSA in 2014.

Underutilisation of the fund for police force modernisation

The total for the police department in 2022-23 is nearly Rs 1.2 lakh crore. Almost 87% of this is spent on the Central Armed Police Forces and other central agencies.

Funds under the modernisation of police forces are also used for the Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and System (CCTNS), projects under Inter-State Police Wireless and for ePrisons.

The utilisation of funds for this programme in states and UTs fell from 75% to 41% between 2017 to 2019, according to IJR 2020. This scheme is allocated only 0.5% of the net police budget, but its allocation increased by 158% compared to revised estimates of 2021-22.

Yet, funds against allocation for most of the states could not be released in 2020-21 because of the unspent balances out of the previous year releases, said a government press release from March 17, 2021.





"Funds available under various schemes from the Centre are typically earmarked for only very specific expenditures," said Singh, the project lead for IJR. "For instance, modernisation grants from the Ministry of Home Affairs to states can only be used for infrastructure, capacity building, repair and maintenance, etc. and cannot be used for resolving much-needed manpower requirements." The long-term underfunding has created historic manpower shortages over a number of years, he added, leading to a situation in which the government is unable to utilise the available funding effectively.

Education, training and research were allocated 0.3% of the union police budget in 2022-23, as part of establishment expenditure. Over five years (2012-16) on average, only 6.4% of the police have received in-service training. Over 90%, including those who deal with the public on a day-to-day basis, do not receive regular up-to-date specialised training after the first induction course, according to IJR.

Modernisation of prisons reintroduced in budget 2022-23

Prisons are a state subject, but the central government provides institutional support for carrying out prison reforms. The modernations of prisons scheme was first started in 2002-03, for construction of additional prisons and for repair, renovation and improvement of existing prisons. It used the allocated Rs 1,800 crore to build 119 new jails, 1,572 additional barracks in existing prisons, and 8,568 staff quarters for the prison personnel. The scheme had been discontinued in 2009, and was reintroduced in the revised budget of 2021-22. In the budget 2022-23, the scheme is allocated Rs 400 crore.

Schemes for women's safety important to make budget focused on prevention of crime

Schemes for women's safety, cyber crime prevention against women and children, and the Indian cyber crime coordination centre are relevant for making police more accessible and crime-prevention focussed, said Tvesha Sippy, an associate in Artha Global, a policy research and consulting organisation. In 2022-23, the Safe City Project, funded by the Nirbhaya fund, received three times the allocation of 2021-22.

The Ministry of WCD budget which goes towards law enforcement and judiciary, includes schemes such as One Stop Centres, Women's Helpline and Mahila Police Volunteers, and these have had low utilisation prior to 2021-22. These schemes are also a part of the gender budget, an effort to ensure all ministries include allocations for schemes focused on closing gender gaps.

In Budget 2020-21, these schemes were converged, along with 11 others, to form Mission Shakti. Though the overall programme has received more funding, it is unclear what the allocation and utilisation for sub-schemes is. "Multi sectoral convergence has led to less transparency in tracking the components of the gender budget, especially flagship programmes," said Lekha Chakraborty, an economist at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy and a researcher on the gender budget.

IndiaSpend contacted the Ministry of Women and Child Development regarding the availability of data for year-on-year fund utilisation of these schemes. The story will be updated when they respond.




Thane police on Wednesday questioned Sameer Wankhede, former zonal director of the (NCB), for over eight hours in connection with a forgery case registered against him, an official said.

The police here in Maharashtra had registered an FIR against Wankhede for alleged forgery and wilful misrepresentation while procuring a liquor license in 1997 for his restaurant and bar in Navi .

Interestingly, Wankhede was questioned by the police on the same day when Enforcement Directorate (ED) quizzed and later arrested Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in in connection with a money laundering case. Malik, an leader, has earlier levelled several allegations against Wankhede, including that of using forged documents to secure a government job.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Thane police not to take any coercive action against Wankhede till February 28 in connection with the FIR. The court had also said that he shall appear before the city police pursuant to the summons issued to him and extend his full cooperation with the investigation.

On Wednesday, Wankhede along with his lawyer reached the Kopri police station in Thane at around 11.30 am to record his statement, the official said.

"He was questioned for more than eight hours as he stepped out of the police station around 7.45 pm," he added.

When asked by media persons, Wankhede refused to speak about the case against him saying that the matter was sub-judice.

He also declined to comment on the ED's action against Nawab Malik.

Wankhede had on Monday moved the high court seeking for the FIR to be quashed and interim protection from any coercive action.

The FIR was lodged against Wankhede by the state Excise Department at Kopri police station under various Indian Penal Code sections, including 181 (false statement to a public servant), 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery) and 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating).

As per the complaint, documents submitted to the Excise Department in 1997 for procuring the liquor license were forged.

Wankhede was a minor (17 years old) when the liquor license was procured in his name, the complaint stated.

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Chief Minister on Wednesday presented his first agriculture Budget, proposing Rs 5,000 crore for the CM Krishak Saathi Yojana to implement 11 schemes on a mission mode.

Last year, the state government had proposed Rs 2,000 crore under the scheme, which has been increased to Rs 5,000 crore in the Budget 2022-23.

"It is our aim to strengthen the financial situation of farmers and make stand among top states in the agriculture sector in the next five years. In last year's Budget, I had announced Rs 2,000 crore under the CM Krishak Saathi Yojana, which I propose to increase to Rs 5,000 crore," Gehlot said.

The missions include Micro Irrigation Mission, Rajasthan Organic Farming Mission, Rajasthan Seed Production and Distribution Mission, Rajasthan Millets Promotion Mission, Rajasthan Protected Cultivation Mission, Rajasthan Horticulture Development Mission, Rajasthan Crop Protection Mission, Rajasthan Land Fertility Mission, Rajasthan Agricultural Labourers Empowerment Mission, Rajasthan Agri-Tech Mission and Rajasthan Food Processing Mission.

Under the Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Mission, five lakh farmers will be benefited with a proposed budget of Rs 2,700 crore. A centre of excellence for micro irrigation will be set up.

Among the other major missions are the Rajasthan Organic Farming Mission, for which Rs 600 crore has been proposed to benefit four lakh farmers in the next three years. A total of Rs 100 crore has been proposed for the Rajasthan Millets Promotion Mission, Rs 400 crore grant will be given to 25,000 farmers in the next two years under the Rajasthan Protected Cultivation Mission.

The chief minister announced 60 per cent subsidy to one lakh farmers on installation of solar pump sets with an expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore. The government will also clear pending 3.38 lakh electricity connections to the farmers at a cost of Rs 6,700 crore.

Gehlot, in his budget speech, said interest-free crop loans amounting Rs 20,000 crore will be distributed and five lakh new farmers will be included for which Rs 650 crore interest subsidy will be spent.

In the next three years, Rs 14,860 crore will be spent under the Rajasthan Irrigation Restructuring Programme for supply of water. This includes developing 37 solar energy-based micro irrigation projects costing Rs 550 crore, various works amounting Rs 9,600 crore under the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), Rs 600 crore for renovation and repair of distributaries and Rs 2,600 crore for water harvesting and conservation.

The state government also proposed to set up 11 mini food parks in districts at a cost of Rs 220 crore besides setting up phyto-sanitary labs in Kota and Jodhpur.

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India and Israel discussed avenues for expanding relations, in the backdrop of reforms in the sector announced by the Narendra Modi government, in addition to ongoing cooperation.

Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon called on Chairman of Indian Research Organisation and Secretary in the Department of Space, S Somanath at ISRO headquarters here on Tuesday.

"The ongoing interactions between the agencies and the avenues for expanding space relations between India and Israel, in view of space reforms announced by Government of India, were discussed during the meeting", an ISRO statement said.

The ISRO is in discussions with Israel Space Agency (ISA) to enhance cooperation and identify potential opportunities to work together.

Last year, ISRO and ISA reviewed the progress of the ongoing activities including cooperation in electric propulsion system (EPS) for small satellites and GEO-LEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit-Low Earth Orbit) optical link.

The two agencies had also discussed potential opportunities of working together in future including launch of Israeli satellites in Indian launcher and commemorating 75th anniversary of Indian independence and 30 years of India-Israel diplomatic relations through an appropriate event in 2022.

According to ISRO's annual report, "It is proposed to fly ISA's EPS in ISRO's small satellite".

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The (IAF) will participate in a three-week multilateral air exercise at Waddington in the from March 6 with a fleet of five Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA).

The IAF said on Wednesday that 'Cobra Warrior 22' exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and sharing best practices amongst the participating air forces. 'It said the exercise from March 6 to 27 will be a platform for the indigenously developed Tejas aircraft to demonstrate their manoeuvrability and operational capability.

"The IAF Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will participate in the exercise along with fighter aircraft of the and other leading air forces," the IAF said in a statement.

"The exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and share best practices amongst the participating air forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship," it said.

The IAF said five Tejas aircraft will fly to the and the C-17 aircraft will provide the fleet necessary transport support.

Last week, the IAF showcased Tejas jets at the Singapore Air Show with an eye on the possible export potential of the jet to friendly countries in years to come.

Three and a 44-member contingent of the (IAF) had participated in the Air Show from February 15 to 18.

Manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.

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The (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.

The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken into custody after he was questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 AM.

His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, the officials said.

His party said he was taken by the ED from his residence at around 6 AM.

"We will fight and win. We won't bow down," Malik said waving to waiting media as he stepped out of the ED office in south Mumbai after spending eight hours there.

Malik was then taken by ED officials in a vehicle for medical check-up, sources said.





The NCP on Wednesday said this was another instance of "misuse of power" and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party had anticipated such an action against Malik as he "speaks openly". The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.

The BJP, however, said the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action should not be called "vendetta politics" and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice.

Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up)There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done. Pawar recalled that he too was targeted similarly in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him.

Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the powerpeople who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here, he said.

NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged that the action against Malik was nothing but pressure tactics to silence his voice.

He was exposing the wrongdoings of some people as a Chief Spokesperson of a political party. Voices of truth cannot be silenced, Crasto tweeted.

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More troubles are likely for the ailing RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, incarcerated in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam and now undergoing treatment in Rajendra Prasad Institute of Medical Science here, as the may confiscate assets created by those convicted in the scandal in line with the directions to CBI by a special court.

The former Bihar chief minister was earlier this week sentenced to five years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 60 lakh by a special CBI court here in connection with the fifth fodder scam case involving embezzlement of over Rs 139 crore from Doranda treasury.

The special court directed CBI to provide a copy of the judgment, the FIR and the charge sheet of the fodder scam case to the ED for necessary action.

In the judgment delivered on February 21, CBI special judge Sudhanshu Kumar Shashi said "I find that the properties/assets created from the proceeds of the crime by the convicts and dead accused persons of this case could not be identified."



He said it may be a subject for investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

"The Enforcement Directorate, if wishes so, and if law permits, may proceed for identification and confiscation of such properties/assets created by convicts or dead accused persons by the ill gotten money. Thus, the prosecution(CBI) is directed to provide a copy of this judgment, FIR and charge-sheet etc. of this case to for taking necessary action on their part," the order said.

The judge said that it was found that the accused was narrowing down the scope of investigation after the scam broke out.

"I also find that if the present accused had taken action and investigated the matter deeply at proper time, the scam wouldn't have taken place. Since 1991, various newspapers had raised the issue that animal husbandry department(AHD) officials indulged in corruption but no action was taken by this accused in spite of holding the post of the chief minister-cum-finance minister of the state."



Besides, elected members of the Assembly had time and again raised questions on the floor of assembly regarding fraudulent withdrawals in AHD but no proper action was taken by him.

"These facts clearly establish that the accused had knowledge about the fraudulent withdrawals from the AHD, but instead of taking action he extended protection to the scamsters.

The trial in the case, which had commenced in 1996, was completed on January 29 this year and Prasad was convicted on February 15. The quamtum of punishment was read out by the court on February 21.

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Citing risks associated with the concentration of global supply chains in a few countries, External Affairs Minister (EAM) emphasized the need for a "multipolar" economic order on Tuesday.

Jaishankar is on three days visit to France to attend the (EU) Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

While addressing the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) in Paris on the theme of 'How India sees France', Jaishankar said, "A multipolar world order requires a multipolar economic order. The pandemic has laid bare the concentration risk in international trade. Supply chains have become tools of political coercion. The prospects of technology de-coupling look real, even if they are in limited sectors."

He further argued that India would like to see France, a major power with a global outlook and an independent mindset, central to multipolarity and rebalancing of the global economic order, and also extremely responsive to India's concerns and priorities.

Highlighting the shared beliefs between the two countries in democracy and universal human values, he said, "Our interests are best served in a multipolar order."

Commenting on the contemporary and emerging challenges in the world, Jaishankar remarked that as the two countries "have now entered an era of turbulence the partnership now has greater salience in international relations".

On February 20, Jaishankar held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris and exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the evolving situation in Ukraine.

Last year, the EU adopted its Indo pacific strategy intending to increase engagement in the region. Through the policy, the bloc wishes to deepen its engagement with partners in the Indo-Pacific to respond to emerging dynamics that are affecting regional stability.

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Indian nationals come out of the IGI Airport after their arrival by an Air India flight from Ukraine amid rising Russia-Ukraine tension, in New Delhi, Wednesday, February 23, 2022.(PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

New Delhi: Indians returning from Ukraine and their families expressed relief and joy after the special Air India (AI) flight returned to India in the early hours of Wednesday.

A large number of returnees consisted of students studying medicine. Parents were seen waiting at the airport to receive their loved ones.

Rajesh Rana, the father of a medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University, said, "We were trying to get tickets for several days. Finally, my daughter was able to board the Air India plane."

Expressing relief at the return of his daughter, he said, "I was awake entire night, and finally relieved after hearing that she had boarded the flight."

As the flight landed and students deboarded, many of them were delighted to be back in India.

"It feels good to be back home. The preparations at Delhi airport were very good," said Sakshi, a student.

Yash Dewansh, a medical student, said, "There is a panic situation in Ukraine. We are all finally relieved."

Another returnee, Nirav Patel, said, "I obviously feel very good. This is my home country."

The Air India ferry flight had left on Monday for Ukraine to take back Indians who wished to return home. Air India had already announced that a total of three flights from Ukraine to India would operate for Indian nationals, including students, during the state of war in Ukraine.

A parent from Amritsar expressed joy at his daughter's return, saying, "We are very happy that our kid is back with us. We were very nervous."

"Many parents were stressed about the prevailing situation. So, it is very good that we are back with our parents," said Muskan, another student.

Tensions rose dramatically after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered sending Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions after recognizing their independence in his address to the nation on Monday.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held a meeting following a request from the United States and allies on Monday.

Condemning Russia's move to recognize regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations demanded Moscow to return to negotiations besides ensuring the immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of the occupation troops.

India strongly emphasized the need for all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and intensify diplomatic efforts to ensure a mutually amicable solution.
A special court here on Wednesday remanded Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik to the custody of (ED) till March 3 in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.



Malik was arrested earlier in the day after being questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 am.



The 62-year-old NCP leader was produced before special Judge RN Rokade, who remanded him to ED custody till March 3 for further probe into the matter. The cabinet minister's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, ED officials said.

The ED case is based on an FIR filed recently by the Investigation Agency (NIA) against Ibrahim, a fugitive gangster, and others. The NIA had filed its criminal complaint under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

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Some ministers in met at the residence of party president here on Wednesday evening to discuss the situation arising out of the arrest of their cabinet and party colleague Nawab Malik by the ED in connection with a money laundering case.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and Rajesh Tope were present at Sharad Pawar's residence 'Silver Oak' in South Mumbai for the meeting, party sources said. The meeting was called to discuss the current situation that has arisen post Malik's arrest and the party's future course of action, the sources said. They said Malik's portfolios could be shared with his party colleagues in the cabinet in case he resigns.

Malik, a senior leader, holds the skill development portfolio besides the minority affairs department in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. The president is likely to meet chief minister at the latter's official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai later in the evening in the wake of the sudden development. Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders and MVA Ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan called on and discussed the fallout of Malik's arrest. Another Congress minister Sunil Kedar also joined the meeting. The NCP and the Congress are constituents of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government. Criticism continued to pour in from NCP leaders over Malik's arrest. NCP president and minister Jayant Patil said the state never saw such political vendetta in the past and claimed efforts were being made to pull down the MVA government. Speaking during the party's on-going mass outreach programme in Solapur in western Maharashtra, Patil said Malik has been arrested "without any reason". People are seeing such politics right now, but they will express their opinion at the right time, Patil said. Without naming anyone, the NCP leader alleged some people want to topple the MVA government anyhow. Arrests are being made for no reason with the help of central agencies. This is not right, Patil added. The state water resources minister alleged he, too, was pressurised to join the BJP in 2019, but he resisted pressures and didn't leave the NCP.

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The international community's apprehension about the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities is still very much a "live concern" as there is no credible information to suggest an improvement in the situation, External Affairs Minister has said.

Jaishankar also said that not much progress was seen on the issues and concerns flagged in a resolution adopted during India's presidency of the global body in August last.

In an interactive session at a think-tank in Paris on Tuesday, Jaishankar also rejected speculation about the possibility of a coalition among Russia, China, Pakistan and Iran on the lines of Quad, saying "four corners do not necessarily make a geometry".

He was asked about Russia's recent diplomatic engagement with Pakistan, Iran's relations with China and Russia as well the recent summit talks between the Russian and Chinese presidents.

Jaishankar said it took a lot of systemic interaction and commitments at the level of leadership of the Quad member countries to give shape to the coalition, noting that aggregating interactions does not automatically lead to a geometry. "It takes something more."



On the situation in Myanmar following last year's military coup, Jaishankar said India has been consistent in its support to the democratic forces in that country.

"We still believe that it is unavoidable to engage the regime currently on matters which are necessary for our interests and our well-being, and in a sense to their well-being as well where humanitarian demands are concerned," he said.

To a question on the situation in Afghanistan, Jaishankar said the international community and not just India has concerns over the presence of foreign fighters and terrorist organisations in that country.

"I think a lot countries are looking very carefully at what is happening in to see whether after the Taliban has started ruling, whether there was any change," he said.

"The jury is still out in terms of whether there is any change or not. I do not think anybody has credibly advanced any information to suggest that there is an improvement. The concern per se about Afghan soil being used (for terrorist activities), I think is still a very live concern," he said.

To a question on whether the international community is faced with a dilemma in helping Afghan people without appearing to be supportive of the Taliban, Jaishankar described it as a very complicated issue.

"These are really dilemmas of international relations where it is not easy to make those tough choices. Do you allow your discomfort or antipathy to an outfit like Taliban to get in your way of offering support to people who are suffering very very deeply," he said.

He, however, said that ways must be found to help the Afghan people.

"The bottom line is that we have to devise a strategy to help the people and find ways of figuring out what we do with the regime," he said.

In this context, Jaishankar said that many of the countries which urge "pragmatism and realism" in have a very different view of Myanmar.

In many cases, he added that the concerns about is driven by fear of refugees coming from Afghanistan to Europe.

"We should find ways of helping Afghan people. We have to do that in a way in which we are comfortable with our own assessment of the Taliban and the regime out there," he said.

Jaishankar also referred to the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2593 on Afghanistan.

The UNSC resolution, adopted on August 30 under India's presidency of the global body, talked about the need for upholding human rights in Afghanistan, demanded that Afghan territory not be used for terrorism and that a negotiated political settlement be found out to the crisis.

"It captured the broad thinking of the international community. We have not seen much progress on it in the last few months. But, do we then say because we did not get progress we just leave that country alone, I do not think we can do that," he said.

The external affairs minister said India has provided medicines to the main hospital in Kabul, and, in that sense, it is dealing with the hospital and not with the regime there.

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Residents of some parts of continued to face power outages on Wednesday morning with electricity supply remaining disrupted after the employees of the electricity department went on a three-day strike against privatisation.

Harried residents of Chandigarh, which is the country's first planned city, blamed the city administration for remaining a mute spectator, leaving them in lurch as the power outages crippled the city.

Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari sought intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the matter, saying there is chaos and anarchy and all essential services have come to a standstill.

"Dear @AmitShah ji has been without electricity for 36 hours. There is chaos & anarchy. All Essential Services are at a standstill. @ChandigarhAdmn has miserably failed to address the situation. is an Union Territory. Kindly intervene," said Tewari in a tweet on Wednesday.

The Chandigarh administration on Tuesday evening had invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act, banning strikes by the electricity department for six months.

There were, however, reports that electricity supply was getting restored at some places.

The outage since Monday night forced government hospitals in the union territory to reschedule elective surgeries, besides adversely affecting residential, industrial and commercial areas in the city.

Not only adversely affecting online classes, there was a chaos on roads with traffic lights at many intersections remained non-functional.

"I have never seen in my life such an electricity crisis in Chandigarh, said an elderly resident of Sector 20 here on Wednesday morning.

He blamed the city administration for not taking measures to deal with the situation caused by the electricity department employees' strike.

Water supply was also hit at some places because of disruption in electricity supply.

Another city resident appealed to protesting employees to call off their strike, saying it was the common man who was suffering because of the power outage.

Many shopkeepers said their goods like dairy products, poultry and meat products, which need to be refrigerated, have started getting perished.

Our food items which should be stored in low temperatures are getting perished as there is no electricity, rued a shopkeeper.

The industrial unit owners have also pegged huge losses because of loss of production, caused by power shutdown in industrial areas.

Employees of the electricity department, under the banner of the UT Powermen Union, went on a strike on Monday night against UT Chandigarh administration's move to privatise the electricity department.

The protesting employees claimed that if the electricity department was privatised, their service conditions would change and it also could lead to a rise in power tariffs.

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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Wednesday informed the that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and .

Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar that the total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounts to Rs 67,000 crore.

He further added that as on date 4,700 cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the last 5 years varies from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21. Mehta submitted before the bench that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, and .

The top court is hearing a clutch of petitions, challenging the wide scope of powers available to the directorate of enforcement (ED) for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

Mehta submitted before the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, that during the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIR of approximately 33 lakh for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies.

He added, "very small number of cases are being taken up for investigation under the PMLA as compared to annual registration of the cases under the Money Laundering Act in the UK (7,900), the US (1,532), China (4,691), Austria (1,036), Hongkong (1,823), Belgium (1,862) and Russia (2,764)".

Mehta emphasized that the measures against money-laundering have clearly left embryo of drug or terrorism related offences and moved beyond the same. "Further, the efforts against money laundering have consistently advocated to include the widest range of predicate offences in the domestic laws," he added.

Over the past few weeks, a battery of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Sidharth Luthra, Amit Desai, and others have made submissions before the top court on various aspects related to potential misuse of PMLA provisions introduced by way of amendments to the Act.

The law has been criticised on various aspects: stringent bail conditions, non-communication of grounds of arrest, arrest of persons without supply of ECIR (akin to FIR), broad definitions of money laundering and proceeds of crime, and statements given by accused during investigation made admissible as evidence during trial.

--IANS

ss/dpb

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French drugmaker and its British partner GlaxoSmithKline are seeking regulatory approval for their Covid-19 to be used as a booster, as well as a standalone two-dose shot, after several setbacks.

The companies said on Wednesday they intended to submit data to regulators from a late-stage trial of the vaccine, and another testing it as a booster, with full results for both studies expected to be published "later this year." Sanofi, which plans to produce the in France, Italy and the United Sates, is hoping for a comeback after falling behind in the race for Covid-19 shots, while GSK, the world's biggest maker by sales, has not developed its own candidate and is instead contributing its adjuvant technology to developers.

Sanofi-GSK's shot relies on a conventional protein-based approach, compared with the newer mRNA technology used in established Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

It is similar in technology to one of Sanofi's seasonal influenza vaccines, and is coupled with GSK's adjuvant, a substance that increases the effectiveness of a shot. It is also easier to store and transport than some rival shots.

The protein technology, which is also behind the recently approved Covid-19 shot from Novavax, has been in use since the mid-1980s, leading public health experts to hope that some of those who have shunned mRNA shots might opt for a vaccine class with a decades-long safety record.

The companies said final analysis of the booster trial, which included participants previously given shots based on mRNA technology or adenovirus viral vectors, showed it could increase neutralising antibodies by 18 to 30 times.

"We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period," said President of Vaccines, Roger Connor.

Early data from the late-stage trial of the vaccine as a standalone two-dose shot showed it was 100% effective against severe Covid-19 and hospitalisation, with 75% efficacy against moderate or severe disease.

"No other global Phase 3 efficacy study has been undertaken during this period with so many variants of concern, including Omicron, and these efficacy data are similar to the recent clinical data from authorized vaccines," said Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president for Vaccines.

The companies said they were in discussions for approval of their shot with regulators including the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency.

A spokesperson added the filing was imminent and would take a few days at most.

He reiterated the French drugmaker's commitment to supply a total of 75 million doses to the EU and Britain, as well as 100 million to the United States, contingent on regulatory approval.

The planned US deliveries would be governed by a $2.1 billion contract with the U.S. government signed in July 2020, he added.

Discussions with the international vaccine-sharing facility COVAX about shipments to lower-income countries are ongoing.

The head of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Richard Hatchett, said new protein-based vaccines administered with adjuvants could "potentially become the workforce for vaccinations in the future," when asked about the role of late-comers to the vaccine race.

CEPI co-runs COVAX.

Sanofi and surprised investors in December by delaying key results from the vaccine trials to this year, while Sanofi also dropped plans for its own mRNA shot due to the dominance of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

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Asserting that 'Neighbourhood First' must deliver in difficult times, External Affairs Minister on Wednesday said this is a time for India to step up its support to its by understanding their problems and help out.

Speaking at the Asia Economic Dialogue via video conferencing, he cited the Indian government's efforts to deal with the Covid pandemic, saying free rations were given to 800 million people.

"We have been putting money into the accounts of 400 million people. All this is being done without leakage, in a country which once upon time was notorious for leakage," Jaishankar said during the online session in which Sri Lankan Health Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella and Bhutanese Finance Minister Lyonpo Namgay Tshering also participated.

"We keep saying neighbourhood first...it must deliver in times of difficulty," he said.

Noting that some countries like Sri Lanka have had to take a higher degree of a hit during Covid, he also said there are still countries going through health problems.

"We are are now supplying vaccines to Afghanistan and Myanmar," he said.

"The message I have is that this is a time for India to actually step up its support to its neighbours, to look at each one of them, sit with them, understand what there problems are and see what we can do," Jaishankar said.

Underlining that Sri Lanka have a balance of payments issue and needs regular supply of fuel and essential commodities, Jaishankar asserted that India will be a reliable friend to it.

"This is the time for us to demonstrate that neighbourhood first really delivers. Not just in terms of lines of credit but also in terms of investments. If Indian tourists go out, if Indian businesses go out, also if Indian government's investments can shore up other people's economy and expand employment...and I can assure them that India will rise to that occasion," he said.

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on Wednesday welcomed India's "independent position" on the crisis and said its views on the issue at the UN Security Council was reflective of the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said India has been playing a vital role as a responsible global power and it takes an "independent and balanced" approach to world affairs.

He also said that the crisis would not impact India- ties including in areas of defence and that there will be a "huge" Russian participation in the DefExpo in Gujarat next month.

"We welcome the independent position of India which it took twice at the UN Security Council and which was expressed openly by the Indian external affairs minister and other officials," he said at an online media briefing.

"The Indian activities at the UN Security Council are fully reflecting the merit of our special and privileged strategic partnership," he added.

Amid escalating tension between Moscow and the West after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent states, India at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday night called for "restraint on all sides".

It stressed that the immediate priority is "de-escalation of tensions", taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Specifically asked whether the Western sanctions will adversely impact India- defence cooperation including supply of S-400 missile systems, Babushkin did not give a direct reply but indicated that all the projects will continue.

"We keep in mind the possibility of the negative influence of sanctions with regard to our cooperation in particular affairs, including defence. But at the same time, when it comes to our case with India, we have very strong and trusted cooperation," he said.

Babushkin further added: "We continue our work with our Indian partners in defence. We have big plans and we hope that our partnership will continue further at the same level we are enjoying today."



He said the Western sanctions against Russia will negatively affect the Russian economy and banking system, adding the punitive measures will create instability to the global economy as they will lead to an "atmosphere of distrust and fear".

Babushkin said the Russia-India partnership is based on a strong and solid foundation and that his country was open to sharing sophisticated technologies with India.

He also said that Russia's participation in India's DefExpo next month will be "huge".

The Russian diplomat said India and Russia don't "threaten" each other with unilateral sanctions and don't interfere in each other's domestic affairs.

"Our cooperation does not represent any threat to anyone and at the same time we keep moving shoulder-to-shoulder to establish a just and equal multipolar world," he added, hoping that the intensity of India-Russia ties will continue at the same level.

On the overall crisis in Ukraine, the Russian diplomat alleged that Western powers have been trying to destabilise the region.

The Russian diplomat claimed that NATO has been a source of instability and that the Western countries are trying to exert more pressure on Russia.

He alleged that has been under "external control" since 2014 and that the US has been sending thousands of tonnes of military equipment to that country during the period.

Babushkin said Russia has always been ready for dialogue as it believes in the peaceful resolution of the crisis.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As shapes its energy transition to cleaner fuels, billionaire on Wednesday said technological advancements will make a global new energy leader, exporting half a trillion dollars worth of clean energy in two decades.

Ambani, who is helming a transition to green hydrogen production at its oil-dominant conglomerate, said is today one of the most attractive opportunities for renewable energy investment anywhere in the world.

But the transition to clean, emission-free energy cannot happen overnight and India's dependence on coal and imported oil will continue for the next 2 to 3 decades, he said.

"But, we must have a plan to eliminate that in the next 2-3 decades," he said. "Hence, in the near and medium-term, we will have to follow low-carbon, and no-carbon strategies of development."

And technology will help lower the costs of new and clean energy, he said speaking at Asia Economic Dialogue.

Ambani said the climate crisis is an existential crisis and energy transition will determine geopolitical transition in the 21st century.

Europe overtook India and China to emerge as the world leader when wood was replaced with coal. Similarly, with the emergence of oil, the US and West Asia outgrew others.

"When India becomes not only self-sufficient in green and clean energy, but also a large exporter, it will help India emerge as a global power," he said.

This transition will create green jobs as well as result in massive foreign exchange savings.

When India becomes self-sufficient in green & clean energy, it will help us emerge as a global power. This transition will have other benefits such as a huge number of green jobs. Energy Transition will also determine Geopolitical Transition in the 21st century: pic.twitter.com/rlqH8lM2B1  ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

As a nation that is more than 85 per cent dependent on coal and oil for its energy needs, India has put its focus on making electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind a bulk of its power usage and replacing polluting fuel with carbon-emission free hydrogen.

It has unveiled a new policy to use renewable electricity to split water to make hydrogen, which can be used as fuel in an array of industries - from refineries to steel plants and can be used as an automotive fuel as well.

While the last two decades saw India's emergence as an IT superpower; the next 20 years will mark its emergence as a superpower in energy and life sciences, Ambani, who is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Ltd, said.

"I have absolutely no doubt that India can, and India will emerge as a global New Energy leader," he said.

India is amongst the first in the world to announce hydrogen pumps.

"While the world is still grappling with this, we have put our vision of exporting out of India on the table," he said adding India will not only be self-sufficient in energy but can also export .

This will be aided by proactive and forward-looking policy support and action by both central and state governments, assured financing options and young entrepreneurs.

"I foresee at least 20-30 new Indian in the energy and tech space which will grow as big as Reliance, if not bigger, in the next 10-20 years," he said.

It took Reliance about 15 years to become a $1 billion company, 30 years to reach $10 billion, 35 years to become a $100 billion company and 38 years to touch $200 billion.

"India's technology and digital exports have risen to $150 billion from less than $10 billion 20 years ago. By 2030, I believe they will exceed half a trillion dollars. Similarly, India's clean and exports in the next 20 years, at the end of 20 years also has the potential of half a trillion dollars of export," he said.

Ambani said technological progress will make energy affordable on the basis of commercial viability.

On top of it, the government is extremely committed to promoting new energy through transparent and pro-consumer policies.

India achieved its target of 40 per cent power generation from renewables that was set for 2030, in 2021 itself.

India aims to achieve 500 gigawatts of renewable power capacity.

Ambani said the cost of green hydrogen can be brought down to a dollar per kilo and transport and disbursement costs may be restricted to less than a dollar per kilo.

"India's progress is unstoppable. We will become a 5-trillion-dollar economy, and we will become a 10-trillion-dollar-economy. We can only argue about whether it happens in 2025 or 2027 or whether in 2030 or 2032," he said.

The country's per capita energy consumption is one-third of the world and an average Indian's annual carbon emissions is about one-fifth that of an average Chinese or one-eighth of an average American.

"India's per capita income today is around $2,000, compared to Europe's $38,000. I believe that with our progress, we will reach $10,000 per capita in the next 15-20 years," he said. "This will increase our energy demand."

And at the same time, incremental energy will be met at affordable rates because of the progress in technology and the abundance of renewable resources.

"So, I believe that India will be among the fastest-growing large economy and our energy needs are going to double in the next couple of decades," he said.

India will overtake the European Union as the world's third-largest economy by 2030-32.

Ambani said India must increase energy output to drive double-digit GDP growth. And this has to be at an affordable basis of the use of technology.

Also, it must increase the share of green and clean energy in this enhanced output.

(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.)
Representatives of the and labour organisations have called for an immediate reduction of tax on the indigenous smoke, contending that high taxes threatened the survival of the sector.

During a virtual round table organised by the All India Federation, they also deliberated upon the need for alternative job opportunities for the workers engaged in production of bidi, small hand-rolled cigarettes made of tobacco wrapped in leaves.

The has been playing a big role in generating revenue and employment in some of the remotest regions of India. However, the existing exorbitant rate of 28 per cent GST due to beedis being deemed a demerit good, is having a major negative impact on the lives of the workers, especially women from rural and tribal areas, said Arjun Khanna, joint secretary of the federation.

The government should also understand that continuing to tax the industry at this rate may put one of India's oldest indigenous industries at the risk of being wiped out. This will result in massive unemployment and socio-economic ramifications, which will push millions below the poverty line, he said.

The steep tax rate has led to a surge in manufacturing moving from the organised to the unorganised sector, the representatives said, adding, the GST Council had rationalised tax on handmade products to 5 per cent and that can be extended to the bidi industry as well.

The production of bidis in India provides employment to nearly one crore people. A majority of the workers are women who live in Naxalite areas, where no alternative job opportunities exist.

This is why it is becoming critical to reduce the tax on bidi or else the industry will face the risk of being counter-productive to the government's Make in India' initiative. This is because it may lead to an infiltration and dependency on cheap Chinese cigarettes added Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Convenor, Swadeshi Jagran Manch.

(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.)
Chinese FM holds phone talks with U.S. secretary of state over Ukraine, Korean Peninsula nuclear issue

Xinhua) 08:59, February 23, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the Ukraine issue and the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue at the latter's request.

Blinken briefed Wang on U.S. views and position on the current situation in Ukraine.

Wang said China is concerned about the development of the Ukraine issue and its position on the Ukraine issue has been consistent.

Any country's legitimate security concerns should be respected and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, he added, attributing the Ukraine issue to the delay in the effective implementation of the new Minsk agreement.

Wang said the Chinese side will continue to keep contacts with all parties in accordance with the rights and wrongs of the issue itself.

Noting that the situation in Ukraine is getting worse, Wang said that China once again urged all parties to exercise restraint, recognize the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, and de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation.

Blinken also updated Wang about the latest relations between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Wang said the problem between the United States and the DPRK is at the heart of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, noting that the U.S. side should attach importance to the DPRK's legitimate and reasonable concerns and take substantial actions.

China stands for direct talks between the United States and the DPRK, and will as always play a constructive role in promoting the resolution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Nellore: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will attend the funeral of AP industries and IT minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy at Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy Institute of Technology and Science (MERITS), an engineering college run by the Mekapati family, in Udayagiri on Wednesday.

As per schedule, the Chief Minister will fly from Kadapa by helicopter and land at the helipad arranged at the college ground at 11.15 am. He will pay homage to Goutham Reddy and leave the venue at 11.45 am after attending the last rites.

Earlier, the family had planned to perform the last rites at their native village-Brahmanapalle in the Atmakur constituency.

Family sources said that the idea was dropped because their ancestral home at Brahmanapalle is under renovation where parking areas and other facilities are inadequate to handle the heavy turnout.

All ministers in the Jaganmohan Reddy's cabinet are also coming to Udayagiri, state minister Anil Kumar Yadav said.

The police have been making elaborate security arrangements in view of CMs visit. Joint collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad has been camping at Udayagiri to supervise the arrangements, collector K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu said.
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The rout in the Urban local body will, in all likelihood, lead to a call for leadership change in .

Currently, the party is being jointly led by former Chief Ministers O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

In the 2011 Urban local body polls, the had won almost 50 per cent of the seats but in the held after a gap of 11 years, it could muster only 15 per cent.

A total of 12,838 seats for 21 corporations, 138 municipalities and 489 town panchayats had gone for voting on February 19 for the Urban local body polls. According to the State Election Commission, the has won 164 corporation councillor seats (11.94 per cent), 638 municipal ward seats (16.80 per cent) and 1,206 seats in town panchayats (15.82 per cent).

Since the drubbing it received in the 2019 general elections, the party lost in the 2020 rural local body elections, 2021 Assembly and 2021 rural local body elections in the nine new districts of and the heavy pounding it received in the Urban polls of February 19, is one which the AIADMK leadership cannot brush under the carpet.

The AIADMK which had won handsomely from the Western Kongu belt including Coimbatore, Salem, and Erode failed miserably in these bastions. The party lost heavily even in Salem, the home district of former Chief Minister Palaniswami, and ward 23 in Salem Municipal corporation, where the residence of Palaniswami is situated.

It also lost in Theni, the home district of party chief coordinator and former Chief Minister Panneerselvam to the DMK-led alliance.

Political analyst and Director of Socio-Economic Development Foundation, a think tank based out of Madurai, Dr. R. Padmanabhan while speaking to IANS said, the AIADMK is routed and has been losing successive elections since 2019 general elections.

It needs a course correction as the dual leadership of Panneerselvam and Palaniswami has failed miserably and the party needs a change at the helm. Stalin has emerged powerful and his past nine months of administration as Chief Minister has touched all aspects of public life and the results give a stamp of authority to him. The opposition, meanwhile, has to take immediate steps to stay alive in the politics of .

With the election results giving a clear advantage to the DMK across Tamil Nadu with all the bastions of senior AIADMK leaders, including that former ministers falling, the only way out for the AIADMK is to go back to the grassroots and build the party brick by brick, he added.

--IANS

aal/shb/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is going to win an absolute majority in Assembly elections, said the party's national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra on Wednesday morning.

Mishra further claimed that the supremo Mayawati will become the Chief Minister for the fifth time in the state.

"The is headed for an absolute majority in the state. Taking into account the first three phases and today's voting, you will find out that the popular support is for the . The BSP will form a government with an absolute majority on the pattern of the 2007 verdict in the state polls," Mishra told ANI.

He also stated that the BSP is getting a one-sided vote in favour of the party. By the end of the fourth phase, it will become certain that the BSP will form the government with a full majority. Every section, including Brahmins, is voting for us," he said.

Mishra cast his vote at the Montessori school polling booth in Lucknow today.

Elections in are being held in seven phases and will conclude on March 7. Polling is underway today for the fourth phase in the state. Voting for the remaining three phases in will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Manipur 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.)
Surrounded by a large number of security personnel, Union Minister and BJP leader Ajay Mishra, embroiled in a major controversy involving his son, cast his vote here for the assembly polls on Wednesday.

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs did not speak to the media, neither while going into the polling booth at a school in Banwaripur nor when he came out after casting his vote.

#WATCH | MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni leaves from a polling booth in Banbirpur of Lakhimpur Kheri, after casting his vote for the fourth phase of #UttarPradeshElections2022 pic.twitter.com/kgRpdoC9GP  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 23, 2022

Purported videos on social media showed Mishra, whose vote falls in the Nighasan assembly constituency, walking to and fro the voting centre around 11.30 AM flanked by an unusually large number of security personnel.

A central minister, Mishra hogged limelight in October 2021 when eight people, including four farmers, were killed during violence in the Tikunia area in his native district here.

His son Ashish Mishra was an accused in the case and was arrested. Ashish was earlier this month granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, prompting families of the deceased farmers to move the Supreme Court over the matter.

The voter turnout in Lakhimpur Kheri stood at 26.28 per cent till 11 AM, according to the Election Commission. The voting closes at 6 PM.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister on Wednesday promised to enhance the security of cows, while also ensuring that the state government will help protect farmers' fields from stray cattle.

Adityanath asserted that 'gaushalas' (cow shelters) will be built on a large scale to protect cows.

"We have completely stopped illegal slaughterhouses. I promise that we will not let 'Gaumata' be slaughtered while we'll also protect fields of farmers from stray cattle," the chief minister said, addressing a rally in the Tiloi assembly constituency of Amethi.

Accusing (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav of "maintaining silence" on the alleged connection between his party and the kin of one of the Ahmedabad blast convicts, Adityanath reiterated his charge that "the terrorist's family is a campaigner of the ."



He also questioned the SP for allegedly extending support to the terrorists, saying "Sapa ka haath aakhir kyun hai aatankiyon ke saath?"



"The first decision taken by us in 2017 was to waive loans of growers. In contrast, the SP government had taken steps to withdraw cases lodged against 'terrorists' who attacked the Ram Janmabhoomi. Supporting SP means encouraging terrorism," the firebrand BJP leader said.

He also said every single vote to the SP is like "ruining the future".

The chief minister accused the previous SP government of favouring a particular community, saying electricity in the state used to be supplied on Eid and Muharram, but cut off on Holi and Diwali.

Taking a dig at the SP, he said whenever there were job vacancies in before 2017, the 'Saifai family' used to move out for extortion. "Our government provided 5 lakh government jobs to the youth".

Saifai village in Etawah district is the birthplace of SP founder and Akhilesh Yadav's father Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Development had never been on the agenda of the SP, Adityanath alleged as he identified the bases of the politics of SP, BSP, and Congress as "caste, vote, and religion".

Listing the work of development by his government, the chief minister said, "Tiloi has also got a medical college. We have laid the foundation stone for that medical college. The could not provide this medical college as it does not have the vision of development.

(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 fair valuation of the equity infused in five public sector (PSBs) through zero coupon bonds could lower the Tier-1 capital levels by 50-175 basis points than reported, according to India Ratings and Research.

The rating agency said it understands that the five recipient PSBs may need to value zero-interest bonds (recapitalisation bonds) at fair value instead of par value. The government of India had infused capital in them by issuing bonds in the first half of previous financial year (H1FY21).

The intrinsic net worth of these instruments could be lower at FY22-end at the outset than similar maturity government papers in the market, given they do not carry any interest.

The illiquid, non-trading nature of these securities could add to the discount. These have moderate competitiveness (albeit better than last year) to raise equity. They would need to offer materially higher yields to raise Additional Tier 1 (AT1) from the markets. Valuing these zero-interest bonds at a fair level could coerce these to raise either equity or AT1 in the near term solely on account of this factor.

The GoI had infused capital amounting to Rs 20,000 crore in five banks - Central Bank of India (Rs 4,800 crore), UCO Bank (Rs 2,600 crore), Bank of India (Rs 3,000 crore), Indian Overseas Bank (Rs 4,100 crore) and Punjab and Sind Bank (Rs 5,500 crore). It issued non-interest bearing (non-transferable) special GoI securities with maturities ranging from 2031 to 2036.

The quantum of capital infusion varied between 11 to 44 per cent of the Tier I capital of the respective PSBs as of 3QFY21. Equity levels is an important factor in a banks ability to service Basel III AT 1 and Tier 2 bonds.

With time the discounting factor will decrease, and zero-interest bonds fair value will tend to be the par value and affect the banks CET1. In addition, these PSBs are in a better shape in terms of capital, provision cover, profitability and net NPA than a year ago.

Furthermore, these banks have sizable deferred tax assets, the utilisation of which could also release CET1 for these banks over the next few quarters.

Also, the government's planned Rs 15,000-crore equity infusion for the year FY22 is yet to be allocated. However, the contours of the infusion of this amount is not clear.
A gunman who held a hostage for hours in the Store in Amsterdam demanded a ransom of 200 million euros (more than USD 226 million) in cryptocurrencies before he was run over by police as he chased his hostage out of the shop, police and prosecutors said on Wednesday.

The tense, five-hour standoff paralysed one of Amsterdam's most popular nightlife neighbourhoods for hours on Tuesday as scores of heavily armed police surrounded the store, managing to free about 70 people from the building that houses the shop before the suspect was detained.

Police Chief Frank Paauw said the suspect, a 27-year-old man from Amsterdam armed with a handgun and an automatic weapon, was run over by police as he chased his fleeing hostage, whose identity wasn't released.

The hostage played a sort of hero's role by, in that split second that he had, forcing a breakthrough in this situation, Paauw said at a news conference in the early hours of the morning.

Otherwise it could have been a very long and unpleasant night and maybe longer.

After the suspect was run over, a robot checked him for explosives as snipers in nearby buildings took aim, green laser beams from their weapons clearly visible in the night sky. In contacts with police, the suspect had threatened to blow himself up, but he was found to not be carrying any explosives.

Paauw said the man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.

Investigations were continuing Wednesday, including searching two homes in Amsterdam. The Store was listed on the company's website as being closed Wednesday and Thursday.

(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.)
is imposing sanctions on for its recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR and LPR), Prime Minister said.

"It is absolutely unacceptable that could invade its neighbor... The Australian government will immediately begin placing sanctions on Russian individuals in response to the aggression by against Ukraine. We will also... extend existing sanctions that apply to Crimea and Sevastopol to the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk," Morrison said as broadcast by ABC News.

"Initially, we will impose travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation," he said.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR.

Under new treaties, Moscow will ensure the security of the two Russian-speaking republics. The decision followed a deterioration of the situation on the line of contact between Ukraine and the breakaway republics amid interference by the West. Russia has repeatedly denied having any intention of invading Ukraine.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reiterating its 'one- principle', Beijing on Tuesday claimed that is an inalienable part of its territory.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, stressed during a presser that there is but one China, claiming as a part of its territory.

"This is an indisputable historical and legal fact. The one- principle is a universally-recognized norm governing international relations," he said as per a press statement released by China's Foreign Ministry.

"The Chinese people have the strong resolve, determination and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Wenbin's remarks came after a question comparing Russia's assertion of not being a separate state to that of Beijing's claims on .

Notably, continues to regard Taiwan as a breakaway province even after decades of separate governance. It has repeatedly issued threats against the island and vowed to militarily take over the island.

However, on being asked about China's stance on the situation, Wenbin said the difference should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation.

"China is closely monitoring the evolving situation in . China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent. The legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be jointly upheld," he said that the non-implementation of the Minsk-2 agreement is the main cause behind the issue.

"China will continue to engage all parties based on the merits of the matter itself. The situation in Ukraine is getting worse. China once again calls on all parties to exercise restraint, appreciate the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, and de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation," he added.

Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree recognizing the Independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk. He also said that Ukraine was entirely created by under Communist rule but radicals take credit for its Independence.

He blamed Ukraine's authorities to have "outdone their western sponsors and invented sanctions against own citizens." He also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President has announced a set of sweeping sanctions targeting Russia's ability to do business with the West, asserting that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's decision to order troops into parts of eastern Ukraine was "a flagrant violation of law".

Announcing the "first tranche" of US sanctions on for its moves against Ukraine, including on two large financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt and Russian elites and their family members, Biden said the American actions would effectively "cut off Russia's government from Western finance."



In a brief address from the White House on Tuesday, Biden also announced that he was moving additional troops and equipment to "strengthen" US allies in the Baltic nations on NATO's eastern flank, but made clear they would not be there to "fight ."



Biden called Putin's actions, including ordering Russian troops into Luhansk and Donetsk, the two separatist-held regions of eastern Ukraine after declaring them independent, as a "flagrant violation of law."Biden also asked, "Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbours?"Putin bizarrely asserted that these regions are no longer part of Ukraine and their sovereign territory. To put it simply, just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine, Biden said.

"He's setting up a rationale to take more territory by force in my view. And if we listen to his speech last night, he's setting up a rationale to go much further. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as he indicated and asked permission to be able to do from his Duma," the US President said.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that he has cancelled plans to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Geneva later this week since Russia was going ahead with the recognition of the two separatist regions of Ukraine.

While Blinken cancelled his planned meeting with Lavrov, Biden said the US remains open to diplomacy.

"There is still time to avert the worst-case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people," he said.

For months, the US and its allies have vowed to impose severe sanctions on Russia should it choose to invade Ukraine. On Tuesday, Biden said the moment has come.

"Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine," he said.

Biden said the sanctions have been closely coordinated with America's allies and partners and will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

"We're implementing full-blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions, V.E.B. and their military bank. We're implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt.

"That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either," he said.

From Wednesday, and continuing in the days ahead, the US will also impose sanctions on Russia's elites and their family members. "They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well. Because of Russia's actions, we work with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 will not, as I promised, will not move forward, Biden said.

"As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well," he said.

Biden said that in response to Russia's admission that it will not withdraw its forces from Belarus, he has authorised additional movements of US forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen its Baltic allies: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Let me be clear: These are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia. We want to send an unmistakable message, though, that the United States, together with our allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.

We still believe that Russia is poised to go much further in launching a massive military attack against Ukraine. Hope I'm wrong about that, hope we're wrong about that, but Russia has only escalated its threat against the rest of Ukrainian territory, including major cities and including the capital city of Kyiv. There are still well over 150,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine, Biden 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.)
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Moscow was ready to look for "diplomatic solutions" amid raging tensions with the West over Ukraine but stressed that the country's interests were non-negotiable.

"Our country is always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems," Putin said in a video address to mark the Defender of the Fatherland Day, a public holiday in Russia.

But he added: "The interests of Russia, the security of our citizens, are non-negotiable for us."

Putin spoke after parliament's upper house, the Federation Council, on Tuesday gave him unanimous approval to deploy "peacekeepers" to two breakaway Ukrainian regions now recognised by Moscow as independent, and potentially into other parts of Ukraine.

In the video address, Putin congratulated the country's men and said he was certain of the "professionalism" of the Russian military and that they will stand up for the country's national interests.

He praised the battle-readiness of the Russian army and said the country would continue to develop state-of-the-art weapons.

"We will continue to develop advanced weapon systems, including hypersonic and those based on new physical principles, and expand the use of advanced digital technologies and elements of artificial intelligence," the Kremlin strongman added. "Such complexes are truly the weapons of the future, which significantly increase the combat potential of our armed forces."

Western officials have been warning for weeks the Russian leader has been preparing an all-out invasion of Ukraine.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced tough new sanctions against Russia for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war.
U.S. Secretary of State said on Tuesday he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov planned for Thursday after Moscow's recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent entities.

Blinken said he had agreed to meet with Lavrov, his counterpart, only if Russia did not invade Ukraine.

"Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time," Blinken told reporters after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington.

Blinken said he was still committed to diplomacy "if Moscow's approach changes" and would do anything he could "to avert an even worse-case scenario, an all-out assault on all of Ukraine, including its capital."

"But we will not allow Russia to claim the pretense of diplomacy at the same time it accelerates its march down the path of conflict and war," he added.

Western nations imposed new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday after Russian President recognized the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk on Monday and ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine to "keep the peace." Washington has dismissed that justification to deploy troops as "nonsense." A Reuters reporter saw a handful of tanks on the outskirts on Donetsk overnight and several blasts were heard in the city of Donetsk on Tuesday.

Washington had consulted with allies on the decision to cancel the talks, scheduled to take place in Europe, before informing Lavrov in a letter on Tuesday, Blinken said.

Blinken said Putin's speech announcing the moves was "deeply disturbing" and showed the world that Putin views Ukraine as "subordinate to Russia."

The United States and its allies will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia further escalates its aggression toward Ukraine, the secretary of state said.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Simon Lewis Editing by Chris Reese, Jonathan Oatis and Karishma Singh)

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US Secretary of State said he does not see any sense in proceeding with the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week amid escalation in the Russia- crisis.

Blinken during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday said, "Last week, I agreed to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week on February 24 to discuss our countries' respective concerns about European security but only if did not invade . Now that we see the invasion is beginning and has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time."

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local) authorized additional movements of US forces and military equipment in Europe to "strengthen" Baltic allies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, following Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into two separatist regions of .

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also announced new sanctions against after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk.

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has announced a series of new sanctions against on Tuesday in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the independence of two separatist regions in .

The sanctions include banning Canadians from all financial dealings with the breakaway states known as Luhansk and Donetsk. Canadians also will be barred from purchasing Russian sovereign debt and dealing with two state-backed Russian banks. Moreover, Ottawa will also sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognize the separatist regions.

Speaking on Canada's response to Russia's decision, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "Make no mistake, this is a further invasion of a sovereign state and it is absolutely unacceptable."

"Russia's brazen provocations are a threat to security and peace in the world."

At the news conference to discuss the Russia- crisis, Trudeau said the sanctions "will remain in place until the territorial integrity of is restored".

Earlier on Tuesday, the United States, United Kingdom and Germany announced sanctions targeting Russian banks and called off the planned opening of a natural gas pipeline connecting to Germany.

Notably, in March 2014, invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict.

In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraine's borders in what it said were training exercises.

Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATO's steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations.

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Under the current Imran-Khan government, corruption and money laundering are the 'most important issues faced by Pakistan, local media reported.

Notably, a leak of data from a leading Swiss bank has revealed information about 600 accounts linked to 1400 Pakistani citizens. The leaked account holders include several key politicians and generals, including the ex- chief, General Akhtar Abdur Rahman Khan, according to data from Credit Suisse, an investment banking firm registered in Switzerland.

Following this, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday acknowledged the issues of corruption and money laundering in Pakistan, The Express Tribune reported.

"Panama, Pandora and now the story of Swiss accounts . . . First, steal the [public] money and then move it abroad," the media outlet quoted him as saying.

However, Credit Suisse's data leak is not the first incident to have triggered a debate on these issues in . The 2016 Panama Papers, the 2017 Paradise Papers and the 2021 Pandora Papers all shed light on the pervasive problem of corruption and money laundering in the country.

Meanwhile, busting of the multi-national money-laundering and human trafficking racket run by Pakistanis in Paris has raised serious questions about Pakistan's written commitments to the anti-terrorist-financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which is set to hold its plenary session, said a media report.

There is considerable fear that a significant part of funds transferred by this gang would have been utilised by terrorist and extremist groups in Pakistan, which rely on "informal" channels to fund their activities, Geopolitica.info reported.

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Italy's Prime Minister has said dialogue was key to solving the Ukrainian crisis, warning that the (EU) was preparing sanctions against Russia.

His remarks came on Tuesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced the recognition of the "Lugansk People's Republic" and the "Donetsk People's Republic" in east Ukraine's Donbass region as independent and sovereign states.

"Dialogue remains crucial," Draghi stressed as he addressed the official opening ceremony of the Council of State's judicial year in Rome, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia's move is "an unacceptable violation of Ukraine's democratic sovereignty and territorial integrity, and I am in constant contact with our allies to find a peaceful solution to the crisis," he said.

"Within the European Union, we are already defining measures and sanctions against Russia," he added.

According to Putin, Russia considered the recognition of the two Donbass "republics" a necessary step to both protect itself from western powers -- which have been accused of being blind to Russia's security concerns -- and to protect pro-Russian citizens in the two territories.

Russia has repeatedly asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to stop its eastward expansion in Europe. is not a member of the US-led military alliance, yet it has repeatedly expressed its interest in joining it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that had been calling for an emergency summit of the Normandy Format, a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, and a special meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to address the issue.

The Normandy Format, established in 2014, is a diplomatic group of senior representatives from Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France formed to resolve the conflict in eastern .

is not part of the Normandy Format group. Yet, local media in recent days have speculated about a possible meeting between Draghi and Putin in order to de-escalate the tensions.

The Russian Presidency has signaled its interest in such a meeting, the Italian Prime Minister told a press conference on Friday.

Italy's Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio on Monday appealed to "all parties" involved in the crisis to resume diplomatic talks "in the due formats."

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 with clashes between Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups who seized several towns.

With the mediation of the global community, the two sides concluded ceasefire agreements in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in September 2014 and February 2015.

Russia has been seeking NATO's guarantee to halt its eastward expansion. However, US President Joe Biden's administration took a hard line against Russia, supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the US-led military alliance and increasing its military assistance to Kyiv, which has re-escalated tensions in the region.

--IANS

int/khz/

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Emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane coming from the global energy sector are 70% higher than officially reported, the Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday, with the coal sector identified as the biggest single source. In its 2022 Global Methane Tracker report, the Paris-based watchdog said the world needed to step up its monitoring efforts and policy action to curtail emissions of the polluting gas.



Contributions from the coal industry to the problem had been logged for the first time, topping the other major parts of the fossil fuel sector at 42 million tonnes (Mt), followed by 41 Mt and 39 Mt from oil and natural gas respectively. The report provides the first ever comprehensive emissions estimates for each country, in which some possible signs of progress reining in the problem were seen.



"Methane emissions from the energy sector grew by just under 5% last year," the said. "This did not bring them back to their 2019 levels and slightly lagged the rise in overall energy use, indicating that some efforts to limit emissions may already be paying off."



More than 100 countries joined a U.S.- and EU-led effort to cut emissions of methane 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels at the COP25 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, last year. Methane is the main greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. It has a higher heat-trapping potential than CO2 but breaks down in the atmosphere faster - meaning that cutting methane emissions can have a rapid impact on reining in global warming.

The energy sector accounts for around 40% of methane emissions from human activity, the said. Other industries, with agriculture at the top, are also big methane emitters. "Methane leaks multiply the climate impact of burning coal. This issue can no longer be ignored," said Anatoli Smirnov, coal mine methane lead at London-based climate research group Ember. "To date, coal companies have done very little to reduce methane leaks, despite the existence of cost-effective technologies," he added in a statement.

Fatih Birol, the IEA's executive director, lamented the prospect that had all methane leaks from the fossil fuel industry been captured and sold last year, the world could have been furnished with 180 billion cubic metres of natural gas. "At today's elevated gas prices, nearly all of the emissions from oil and gas operations worldwide could be avoided at no net cost," he was quoted as saying. The estimated that the lost methane was equivalent to all the gas used in Europe's power sector and more than sufficient to ease the tight supply which have driven up prices.

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The has vowed to enhance its defence and security engagement with its partners in the and announced the extension of the concept of a coordinated maritime presence in the north-west Indian Ocean.

The 27-nation bloc came out with a detailed note on its strategy for the following a meeting of its ministerial forum in Paris on Tuesday which was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The EU said the Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the highlighted the shared ambition among participants to work together for peace, prosperity and inclusive development in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

In a statement, it said the forum reaffirmed its commitment to a rules-based order, respect for law and freedom of navigation in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In his address at the forum, Jaishankar said that greater power and stronger capabilities should lead to "responsibility and restraint", in remarks seen as a veiled reference to China.

The ministerial forum was co-chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

It said the ministerial forum reaffirmed the importance of ensuring a high level of protection of personal data as reflected in the declaration between the EU and nine Indo-Pacific countries on privacy and personal data protection, to strengthen confidence in the digital economy and continue cooperation on trusted data flows.

The nine countries are India, Australia, Comores, Japan, Mauritius, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea; Singapore and Sri Lanka.

"The ministerial forum also supported the launch of the negotiation for the digital partnerships between the EU and Japan, Singapore and South Korea, based on shared values and a common approach to a human-centric digital transformation," it said.

The EU said the forum resolved to strengthen the ties between the EU and Indo-Pacific partners through cooperation and building on the shared commitments including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate change and the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).

"In the field of security and defence, the EU announced the extension of the concept of a coordinated maritime presence in the north-west Indian Ocean," the EU said.

"This will allow the EU to further support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, to optimise naval deployments, to promote coherence of European action and to facilitate the exchange of information and cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific," it said.

The EU also reaffirmed its determination to enhance its engagement in security and defence with partners in the region, for example through strengthening its dialogues and bilateral relationships.

In the area of connectivity, the EU said the importance of a sustainable, inclusive and rules-based approach was reiterated, as was the need to enhance cooperation on central regulatory frameworks and the deployment of secure and resilient physical infrastructures.

"The EU will aim to promote all dimensions of quality connectivity with Indo-Pacific partners in a strategic manner, building on the Global Gateway, the EU Strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia," it said.

The 'Global Gateway' is based on the principles of good governance including transparency, financial and fiscal sustainability, fair competition and the use of multilateral tools.

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German exports to countries outside the European Union (EU) increased by 10.5 per cent in January year-on-year to 56.3 billion euros ($63 billion), according to provisional data published by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

Compared to pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels, German exports to the non-EU countries were even 19.3 per cent higher than in February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed because of the pandemic in Germany, Xinhua news agency quoted Destatis as saying.

The US remained the largest market for German exports, as goods worth 9.9 billion euros were exported to the country in January, which increased by 17.6 per cent compared to January 2021.

German exports to China rose by 7.2 per cent year-on-year to 8.1 billion euros, according to Destatis, and exports to the UK rose 23.4 per cent year-on-year to 5.3 billion euros.

Meanwhile, the ifo Institute for Economic Research said on Tuesday that sentiment in the German "improved appreciably" as the ifo Business Climate Index rose from 96.0 points in January to 98.9 points in February.

German companies were "more satisfied with their current business", while expectations even improved significantly, according to the monthly survey of around 9,000 companies from all economic sectors.

--IANS

ksk/

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has urged the international community to resist US unilateral "cruel sanctions" against other countries' industry, according to the Iranian presidency's website.

Speaking at the sixth summit of the 11-member Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Raisi on Tuesday said imposing hegemonic will and demands on other independent states through sanctions cannot be an effective strategy in today's world, as it jeopardizes the collective interests of the GECF members.

Iran, as one of the world's biggest holders of natural gas reserves, has considerable capacities for the production, transfer and export of the hydrocarbon products and seeks to play a greater role in ensuring global energy security by expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation with neighbours and other countries, he said.

Iran's regional strategy is based on increasing gas production and exports and providing regional nations with maximum access to clean fuel, the Iranian President added.

He urged the international community to support multilateral initiatives aimed at ensuring the security of sustainable energy supply and protecting the environment, Xinhua news agency reported.

Raisi arrived in Qatar on Monday to meet with the Qatari Emir and take part in the GECF summit.

--IANS

int/khz/

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is imposing sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, terming Moscow's moves an unacceptable violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and law.



Western nations on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on Russian banks and elites after Moscow ordered troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Kishida said.





"Russia's actions very clearly damage Ukraine's sovereignty and go against law. We once again criticise these moves and strongly urge Russia to return to diplomatic discussions," he said.n

"The situation remains quite tense and we will continue to monitor it closely."

Details of the sanctions will be worked out and announced over the coming days, he added.

has sufficient reserves of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) so that there will not be a significant impact on energy supplies in the short term, Kishida said.

Should oil prices rise further, he said he would consider all possible measures to limit the impact on companies and households.

Kishida said Japan would remain in close contact with other G7 nations and the community.

"Should the situation worsen, we'll move quickly to take further action," he added.

Japanese markets were closed on Wednesday for a national holiday.

Japan's toughening stance contrasts with the softer diplomatic approach to Moscow taken by Japanese governments in the past, attempts to secure the return of islands occupied by Russian forces at the end of World War Two.

Japan's relations with Moscow have also been shaped by its reliance on Russia for energy needs. In 2021, Russia provided more than 12% of Japan's thermal coal, and almost a tenth of its LNG.

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A 27-year-old man held an Store customer hostage for several hours at the company's flagship store in Amsterdam and demanded $200 million in .

The suspect, in camouflage gear, fired a gun and then held an employee hostage for several hours before being apprehended late on Tuesday.

Several other people who were also inside the Store managed to escape.

"The suspect has since been taken to hospital. For the time being, we are still conducting extensive research in the Apple Store on Leidseplein," the Amsterdam Police said in a tweet early on Wednesday.

Police on the scene hit the running suspect with an armoured BMW X5.

"As the suspect lay motionless on the ground, police sent over a robot to check him for explosives, confirming none were present," reports The Verge.

It's unclear what prompted the incident. According to the police, the suspect "sent selfies and other photos to AT5 (a local publication) during the incident that appeared to show him wearing a bomb vest".

Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool reported several details as police said the hostage-taker requested water which was brought into the store by a robot.

The hostage then took that opportunity to run for safety.

Apple was yet to comment on the incident.

--IANS

na/dpb

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The UK government on Wednesday warned that it stands ready to escalate sanctions on in the event of an invasion of Ukraine and can "keep turning up the heat" by targeting more banks, wealthy individuals and key companies if President Vladimir Putin refuses to pull back troops from eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the sanctions announced in Parliament by British Prime Minister on Tuesday against five Russian banks and three Russian billionaires linked with President Putin were severe but that further measures are being kept in the locker.

Britain has joined allies to take action after Putin ordered troops to be sent into two Ukrainian regions held by Russian-backed separatists.

"The sanctions we're putting in place are coordinated with the United States, they're coordinated with Europe, to make sure that Vladimir Putin cannot play divide and rule amongst the allies, said Truss.

We've shown we are united and we will escalate those sanctions in the event of a full invasion into Ukraine," she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced the decision to halt approval of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea, a mega EURO 10 billion project which had been expected to allow to sell more natural gas directly to Europe.

Besides, other European Union (EU) countries and the US have also imposed a range of sanctions, including restricting the Russian state from financing its debt from their banks and banning their own companies from trading with the two rebel-held regions.

It comes as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) reiterated the UK's commitment to guarantee up to USD 500 million in loans to support Ukraine and mitigate the economic effects of Russian aggression.

The FCDO said it was ready to offer guarantees of Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) lending for projects that will support economic stability and vital reforms such as tackling anti-corruption.

MDBs are financial institutions that provide financial assistance to developing countries and are owned by shareholding governments, such as the World Bank.

We are putting our money where our mouth is and using Britain's economic expertise and strength to support the people of Ukraine. These guarantees can help inject vital capital into Ukraine and help its economy weather the storm of Russian aggression, said Truss.

Britain stands four-square behind Ukraine and its people. We stand ready to offer direct economic support, providing defensive weapons, and exposing Russian attempts to engineer fake pretexts for invasion, she said.

In December 2021, the UK increased the amount of financial support available to Ukraine from UK Export Finance (UKEF) to 3.5-billion-pound and signed a new treaty that will help Ukraine access the world-class UK supply chain to enhance its naval capabilities.

The FCDO said the economic support comes on top of increased support for military equipment from the UK Ministry of Defence and enhanced support to the humanitarian system in Ukraine.

Writing in 'The Times', Liz Truss said the government had a "long list of those complicit in the actions of the Russian leadership", adding that if Putin refuses to pull back troops, the UK can "keep turning up the heat" by targeting more banks, wealthy individuals and significant companies.

They would include sanctioning Russian parliamentarians which would require new legislation and preventing British firms from doing business in the two rebel-held areas in Donetsk and Luhansk, recognised by as independent.

The minister has also said the UK would restrict the Russian state and key companies from raising funding in UK financial markets, as well as ban a range of high-tech exports to Russia, "degrading the development of its military-industrial base for years".

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A London court will on Wednesday begin to hear a lawsuit launched by Nigeria against U.S. bank JP Morgan Chase, claiming more than $1.7 billion for its role in a disputed 2011 deal. The civil suit filed in the English courts in 2017 relates to the purchase by energy majors Shell and Eni of the offshore OPL 245 in Nigeria, which is also at the centre of ongoing legal action in Milan.



In the court documents seen by Reuters, Nigeria alleges JP Morgan was "grossly negligent" in its decision to transfer funds paid by the energy majors into an escrow account to a company controlled by the country's former oil minister Dan Etete instead of into government coffers. The damages sought include cash sent to Etete's company Malabu Oil and Gas, around $875 million paid in three instalments, plus interest, taking the total to over $1.7 billion. The Nigerian government at the time asked JP Morgan to make these transfers as part of the sale, court documents show.



"J.P. Morgan is confident that it acted appropriately in making these payments, which were authorised by senior representatives of the Nigerian government, and only processed following extensive engagement with law enforcement and other agencies and courts. We will robustly defend against this claim," a spokesman for the bank said. The bank's London offices deal with business for Europe, Middle East and Africa, including Nigeria.

Etete's lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Etete is not a party in this suit. Shell and Eni are also not parties to the law suit at the London High Court. Shell declined to comment. Eni said in an email: "Eni was finally acquitted following the trial in Milan since there was no case, so we have nothing to add with regards to the OPL 245 deal and to the London trial, which doesn't involve Eni." The London case dates back to 1998 when Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha awarded the offshore oilfield licence, OPL 245, to a company Etete owned.

The $20 million price tag - of which Etete paid about $2 million, according to court documents - was widely viewed by industry experts as too low given the block was expected to yield billions of dollars of crude, although it remains undeveloped.

Subsequent Nigerian administrations contested Etete's rights to the field, triggering years of legal wrangling until a deal designed to end the battles was struck in 2011. Etete's company Malabu handed the undeveloped OPL 245 back to Nigeria as part of a resolution agreement involving Shell and Eni.

To complete the deal, Shell and Eni paid a signature bonus of about $200 million directly to the Nigerian government and then deposited $1.1 billion in the Nigerian government's escrow account with JP Morgan, court documents show.

In the related Italian case in Milan, Shell, Eni and its executives were on trial from 2018 to 2021. Italian prosecutors alleged the paid $1.1 billion in bribes to Nigerian officials and others through the OPL 245 deal.

A panel of judges acquitted the and executives, who all denied any wrongdoing, last March. Prosecutors have appealed the ruling. A spokesman for the Nigerian government said the London case would hold JP Morgan to account.

"JP Morgan was on clear notice that the payments put its customer, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at risk of being defrauded which was what, indeed, happened," he said.

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By Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Oil prices stabilised on Wednesday after hitting seven-year highs in the last session as it became clear the first wave of U.S. and European sanctions on Russia for sending troops into eastern Ukraine would not disrupt oil supplies.

At the same time, the potential return of more Iranian crude to the market, with Tehran and world powers close to reviving a nuclear agreement, also kept a lid on prices.

rose 11 cents, or 0.01%, to $96.95 a barrel at 0730 GMT, after soaring as high as $99.50 on Tuesday, the highest since September 2014.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 6 cents, or 0.07%, to $91.97 a barrel, after hitting $96 on Tuesday.

"The NATO allies are holding back some punitive measures as bargaining chips, which also means the door to diplomacy is still open. The Iran nuclear deal remains a possibility until it is not," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.

"The two factors will leave crude rangebound and hold Brent back from $100 for the time being," Hari added.

Prices jumped on Tuesday on worries that western sanctions on Russia for sending troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine could hit energy supplies, but the United States made it clear there would be no impact on energy exports.

"The sanctions that are being imposed today as well that could be imposed in the near future are not targeting and will not target oil and gas flows," a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters late on Tuesday.

Sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan on Tuesday were focused on Russian banks and elites while Germany halted a major gas pipeline project from Russia in response to one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

Further dampening prices was the possible return of more than 1 million barrels per day of crude from Iran, as diplomats said Iran and world powers were on the verge of reaching an agreement to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.

The big unknown is how quickly Iran could actually boost its exports, Commonwealth Bank commodities analyst Vivek Dhar said.

Other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, together called OPEC+, have struggled to meet their production targets due to underinvestment in oil infrastructure, and Iran could face the same issue, he said.

(The story corrects WTI price in 4th paragraph to $91.97 from $91.95)

(Reporting by Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Lincoln Feast and Shivani Singh)

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took a breather on Wednesday after surging to seven-year highs the previous session as it became clear the first wave of U.S. and European sanctions on for sending troops into eastern would not disrupt oil supplies.

At the same time, the potential return of more Iranian crude to the market, with Tehran and world powers close to reviving a nuclear agreement, also kept a lid on prices.

Brent crude rose 30 cents, or 0.3%, to $97.14 a barrel at 0442 GMT, after soaring as high as $99.50 on Tuesday, the highest since Sept. 2014.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also gained 30 cents, or 0.3%, to $92.21 a barrel, after hitting $96 on Tuesday.

"The NATO allies are holding back some punitive measures as bargaining chips, which also means the door to diplomacy is still open. The Iran nuclear deal remains a possibility until it is not," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.

"The two factors will leave crude rangebound and hold Brent back from $100 for the time being," Hari added.

Prices jumped on Tuesday on worries that western sanctions on for sending troops into two breakaway regions in eastern could hit energy supplies, but the United States made it clear there would be no impact on energy exports.

"The sanctions that are being imposed today as well that could be imposed in the near future are not targeting and will not target oil and gas flows," a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters late on Tuesday.

Sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan on Tuesday were focused on Russian banks and elites while Germany halted a major gas pipeline project from in response to one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

Further dampening prices was the possible return of more than 1 million barrels per day of crude from Iran, as diplomats said Iran and world powers were on the verge of reaching an agreement to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.

The big unknown is how quickly Iran could actually boost its exports, Commonwealth Bank commodities analyst Vivek Dhar said.

Other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, together called OPEC+, have struggled to meet their production targets due to underinvestment in oil infrastructure, and Iran could face the same issue, he said.

(Reporting by Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Lincoln Feast.)

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Oil rose to nearly $100 a barrel on Tuesday, reaching its highest level since 2014 after Moscow ordered troops into two breakaway regions in eastern .

Benchmark Brent futures pared gains in late trading after Western governments announced sanctions aimed at stopping what they fear is the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion.

Global benchmark Brent crude traded as high as $99.50 a barrel, its highest since September 2014, before settling at $96.84 with a $1.52, or 1.5%, gain.

The United States and Britain announced sanctions targeting Russian banks, while the European Union blacklisted more politicians and Germany put the brakes on the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

"The market obviously pumped in excess risk premium as entered the separatists' portion of the and this fear premium gradually dissolved," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

A senior U.S. State Department official said late on Tuesday that nothing that is happening on the ground in right now risks the flow of oil and gas to global oil .

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also hit a seven-year high as it peaked at $96 a barrel, before ending at $92.35, up $1.28 from Friday. The U.S. market was closed on Monday for a public holiday.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the first wave of sanctions against Russia, targeting Russian banks and sovereign debt, and vowed steeper punishments ahead if continues its aggression. The sanctions did not include energy supplies.

The Ukraine crisis has added further support to an oil market that has surged on tight supplies as demand recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply has lagged demand, so oil companies have drained inventories to meet demand.

Brent's six-month calendar spread surged to a backwardation of as much as $10.15 on Tuesday, the steepest premium for the price of prompt oil versus the futures price six months later since at least 2004, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. Higher backwardation indicates tight supplies and correlates with low stock levels.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together known as OPEC+, have resisted calls to boost supply more rapidly.

Nigeria's minister of state for petroleum on Tuesday stuck to the OPEC+ view that more supply was not needed, citing the prospect of more production from Iran if its nuclear deal with world powers is revived.

Talks on restoring a deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme and ease sanctions are near a conclusion, a Russian envoy said, which could eventually boost Iran's oil exports by more than 1 million barrels per day. The prospect of a new deal with Iran and an increase in global crude supplies has capped oil price gains in recent weeks.

(Additional reporting by Alex Lawler, Sonali Paul and Mohi Narayan; Editing by Simon Webb, Marguerita Choy and Richard Pullin)

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Overseas voting for the March 9 South Korean presidential election kicked off on Wednesday for a six-day run, the country's National Election Commission (NEC) said.

A total of 226,162 overseas South Korean nationals, who are registered as absentee voters, will be eligible to vote at 219 polling stations set up by 177 overseas missions in 115 countries between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day, Yonhap News Agency quoted the NEC as saying.

Voting will not take place at the South Korean Embassy in Ukraine, however, given the escalating security crisis.

After overseas voting closes, sailors will cast their ballots aboard their ships from March 1-4.

Advance voting for anyone who wishes to vote early will be held nationwide on March 4-5.

The March 9 election will be the eighth since democratization.

Under the South Korean Constitution, the President is restricted to a single five-year term in office, which bars incumbent President Moon Jae-in to run for a second term.

The main contenders in the fray are the ruling Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung and the opposition People Power Party's Yoon Suk-yeol.

Also contesting the polls are Ahn Cheol-soo from the minor opposition People's Party, Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justice Party, Huh Kyung-young of the National Revolutionary Party and Kim Dong-yeon of the New Wave.

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Prime Minister on Wednesday arrived in on a two-day visit - the first by a Pakistani premier in over two decades during which he will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin to reset the bilateral ties and expand cooperation in the energy sector.

Khan's visit to Moscow will take place hours after US President Joe Biden and other Western governments imposed tough economic sanctions on for sending its military into parts of eastern Ukraine.

Khan is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf.

According to Foreign Office, the bilateral summit between Prime Minister Khan and President Putin will be the highlight of the visit.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Igor Morgulov received Prime Minister Khan at the airport, according to the official APP news agency.

"During the Summit meeting, the two leaders will review the entire array of bilateral relations including energy cooperation. They will also have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and issues, including Islamophobia and the situation in Afghanistan, the FO said.

It said the visit of the Prime Minister will contribute to further deepening of the multifaceted Pakistan-Russia bilateral relationship and enhancement of mutual cooperation in diverse fields.

In a tweet, the Russian Foreign Office said that President Putin and Prime Minister Khan will hold talks in Moscow on Thursday.

Khan's visit to Russia, which comes amid heightened Russia-Ukraine tensions, is believed to be a clear signal to the West, especially after he said no to Washington on giving military bases in Pakistan following American withdrawal from Afghanistan and not receiving a phone call from US President Joe Biden since he assumed his office in the White House.

Prime Minister Khan has expressed hope for a "peaceful solution" to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine as he emphasised that military conflicts could never solve problems.

"I am not a believer in military conflicts. I believe the civilised societies resolve the difference through dialogues and countries that rely on military conflicts have not studied history properly," Khan said during an interview with Russia's state-run television network RT on the eve of his visit.

Khan said he was sure that people in Ukraine and Russia were aware of the consequences of an impending conflict.

President Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent, escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He also ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin called a "peacekeeping" mission in the Moscow-backed regions.

The US-led West has warned Russia that it would face severe consequences for its actions in Ukraine.

Khan's visit to Moscow comes weeks after he visited China where he attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and held talks with top Chinese leadership including President Xi Jinping despite a diplomatic boycott by the US, European Union and several western countries of the mega event. President Putin also attended the event.

Before leaving for Moscow, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in Islamabad, where the Prime Minister took the meeting into confidence about his Russia visit.

Radio Pakistan reported that the meeting appreciated the independent foreign policy being pursued by the government.

Later briefing the media persons, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said Prime Minister Khan, in an interview with a Russian television, made it clear that Pakistan will not become part of any bloc.

Chaudhry said the Prime Minister's Moscow visit has gained great significance in view of the current scenario. All eyes are now on the meeting between Prime Minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.

Khan is the first Pakistani premier to visit Russia in 23 years after former premier Nawaz Sharif travelled to Moscow in 1999.

Though former presidents General Pervez Musharraf, Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi visited Russia, none of them was an official trip.

Pakistan's ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

In April last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Islamabad after a gap of almost nine years. During the visit, he conveyed a message to Pakistani leadership on behalf of President Putin that Moscow was willing to extend all possible help to Islamabad.

The two countries are not just exploring options to deepen economic ties, but Russia is also keen to sell arms to Pakistan, something it avoided in the past because of India's opposition.

The two countries have already been holding regular joint military exercises since 2016 in another sign of deepening ties between Moscow and Islamabad. Besides, the two countries also share the same view on key regional and issues including Afghanistan.

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Prime Minister on Wednesday left for on a two-day visit - the first by a Pakistani premier in over two decades during which he will hold talks with President Vladimir Putin and exchange views on major regional and issues.

Khan is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior members of his Cabinet.

According to Foreign Office, the bilateral summit between Prime Minister Khan and President Putin will be the highlight of the visit.

"During the Summit meeting, the two leaders will review the entire array of bilateral relations including energy cooperation. They will also have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and issues, including Islamophobia and the situation in Afghanistan, the FO said.

It said the visit of the Prime Minister will contribute to further deepening of the multifaceted Pakistan- bilateral relationship and enhancement of mutual cooperation in diverse fields.

In a tweet, the Russian Foreign Office said that President Putin and Prime Minister Khan will hold talks in Moscow on Thursday.

Khan's visit to Russia, which comes amid heightened Russia-Ukraine tensions, is believed to be a clear signal to the West, especially after he said no to Washington on giving military bases in following American withdrawal from Afghanistan and not receiving a phone call from US President Joe Biden since he assumed his office in the White House.

Prime Minister Khan has expressed hope for a "peaceful solution" to the ongoing conflict between and Ukraine as he emphasised that military conflicts could never solve problems.

"I am not a believer in military conflicts. I believe the civilised societies resolve the difference through dialogues and countries that rely on military conflicts have not studied history properly," Khan said during an interview with Russia's state-run television network RT on the eve of his visit.

Khan said he was sure that people in Ukraine and Russia were aware of the consequences of an impending conflict.

President Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent, escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He also ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin called a "peacekeeping" mission in the Moscow-backed regions.

The US-led West has warned Russia that it would face severe consequences for its actions in Ukraine.

Khan's visit to Moscow comes weeks after he visited China where he attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics and held talks with top Chinese leadership including President Xi Jinping despite a diplomatic boycott by the US, European Union and several western countries of the mega event. President Putin also attended the event.

Before leaving for Moscow, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of his Tehreek-i-Insaf in Islamabad, where the Prime Minister took the meeting into confidence about his Russia visit.

Radio reported that the meeting appreciated the independent foreign policy being pursued by the government.

Later briefing the media persons, Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said Prime Minister Khan, in an interview with a Russian television, made it clear that Pakistan will not become part of any bloc.

Chaudhry said the Prime Minister's Moscow visit has gained great significance in view of the current scenario. All eyes are now on the meeting between Prime Minister and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said.

Khan is the first Pakistani premier to visit Russia in 23 years after former premier Nawaz Sharif travelled to Moscow in 1999.

Though former presidents General Pervez Musharraf, Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi visited Russia, none of them was an official trip.

Pakistan's ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

In April last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Islamabad after a gap of almost nine years. During the visit, he conveyed a message to Pakistani leadership on behalf of President Putin that Moscow was willing to extend all possible help to Islamabad.

The two countries are not just exploring options to deepen economic ties, but Russia is also keen to sell arms to Pakistan, something it avoided in the past because of India's opposition.

The two countries have already been holding regular joint military exercises since 2016 in another sign of deepening ties between Moscow and Islamabad. Besides, the two countries also share the same view on key regional and international issues including Afghanistan.

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Close allies, and are collaborating on the development of a fifth generation fighter jet, a media report said on Wednesday.

Temel Kotil, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) told Aaj News channel that and were collaborating on the project.

Air Vice-Marshal Dr Rizwan Riaz, Pro-Rector Research, Innovation & Commercialisation (RIC) at National University of Science and Technology (NUST) confirmed that the two countries were building a called the TF-X, the Business Recorder, a Pakistani financial daily newspaper reported.

This is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft for which and are now collaborating, Riaz said, adding the NUST has previously conducted similar projects in collaboration with the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Pakistan Air Force.

The officials did not further divulge any more details on the and its development.

TF-X, a stealth twin-engine all-weather air superiority fighter in development by Turkish Aerospace Industries, is expected to make its first flight in the next three years, according to media reports.

Dr Riaz said Kotil and his team are in Pakistan, and keen to expand the scope of the facility.

In 2019, TAI opened its first office in Pakistan at the country's first technology park National Science & Technology Park.

Pakistan and Turkey have been involved in a number of defence projects, including the purchase of helicopters and the development of drone technology.

Last year, TAI signed a contract with Pakistan's National Engineering and Science Commission (NESCOM) to produce military drones, namely Anka unmanned aerial vehicles, according to the Business Recorder.

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Russian President called on Tuesday for recognition of as part of Russia, an end to Ukraine's NATO membership bid and a halt to weapons shipments there.

Putin claimed that Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula should be internationally recognised as a legitimate reflection of the local population's choice, likening it to a vote for Kosovo independence. The annexation has been widely condemned by Western powers as a breach of law.

To end the current crisis, he also called for the renunciation of Ukraine's NATO bid, saying it should assume a neutral status, and said that the West should stop sending weapons there.

No Putin-Biden meet now, says White House

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has clarified that a proposed meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart "certainly is not in the plans" anymore. The remarks came after Putins decision to declare the rebel regions in as independent states and push more troops towards Kiev.

Addressing reporters late on Tuesday, the press secretary did not explicitly rule out a meeting in the future but said Biden would not meet Putin unless de-escalates the situation in by withdrawing its forces from the region.

Agencies

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has started evacuating diplomatic staff from all of its missions in Ukraine, TASS news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a representative of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv.

The embassy as well as the consulate general in Odessa were seen on Wednesday with Russian flags taken down.

"Several cars left the territory of the consulate in the morning," a member of the Ukrainian National Guard who was on duty near the Russian consulate in Odessa told Reuters.

Russia's foreign ministry announced an evacuation of diplomatic staff from for what it called safety reasons on Tuesday, a day after President Vladimir Putin recognised independence of two breakaway regions in Ukraine's east and ordered Russian troops "to keep peace" there, while massing military along Ukrainian borders.

The United States and its allies unveiled more sanctions against on Wednesday over its recognition of the two separatist areas, while making clear they were keeping tougher measures in reserve in case of a full-scale invasion by Moscow.

Last week a video showing smoke rising from the Russian Embassy's chimney circulated online. An employee said that staff had burnt documents before departure, TASS quoted him as saying on Wednesday.

"This is an ordinary procedure. In cases like we have now there is a set of measures that should be taken for security reasons," the employee said, according to TASS.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry requested President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to break off diplomatic ties with in response the recognition of independence of separatist-held regions.

Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he was weighing the request.

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When Russian President authorised troops to cross Ukraine's border into regions controlled by Russian-backed separatists, the White House initially stopped short of calling it an invasion. That changed on Tuesday, and key allies in Europe joined in saying Putin had crossed a red line. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," President Joe Biden said.



NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was equally explicit. We saw last night that further Russian troops moved into the Donbas into parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, he said Tuesday, referring to the two areas of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region controlled by Russian-backed separatists. "What we see now is that a country that is already invaded is suffering further invasion. But not all invasions are viewed as equal.



Asked whether Putin's decision to send in what he called peacekeepers amounts to an invasion, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said, I wouldn't say that's a fully-fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil. Use of the term invasion is important in this case because it sets the stage for what Biden said could become multiple waves of economic sanctions, in coordination with NATO allies and other countries who view Putin's aggression as a violation of law and a threat to order in Europe. Sanctions are the West's main tool for pushing back because they have ruled out taking on militarily.

WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND IN



The picture is ominous and not entirely clear. Putin on Monday said recognised the rebel regions' independence in borders that existed when they proclaimed their independence in 2014. That constitutes territory held by the Ukrainian army. Putin also issued a decree authorising the use of what he termed peacekeepers in that region, although Russian officials had not confirmed that troops had crossed the border in response to the decree.

Separately, Russian lawmakers granted Putin permission to use the military abroad, suggesting an intention to further invade and potentially launch a long-feared operation to topple the Kyiv government.



IS THIS AN INVASION?

It's difficult to see this as anything other than an invasion, although people can argue over terminology. The disagreements would fade if, as many expect, Putin launches a full-scale offensive to topple Kyiv.

Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting more than 150,00 troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading his neighbor. You don't need blood unless you plan on starting a war, Biden said.



Mary Ellen O'Connell, a Notre Dame law professor and an expert on law and the use of force, says any crossing of a national border with military forces is unlawful, even if it's called something other than an invasion. A lawful response is gauged by the scale and effects of the incursion, she said. Using force to take control of an entire country, displacing a government and military forces loyal to it is the most extreme form of violation.

WHAT WAS WASHINGTON'S INITIAL RESPONSE?

After Putin outlined his rationale Monday for recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas, a White House official tip-toed around the question of whether Putin's action constituted a military invasion. The official said Russian troops had been operating in the rebel-held areas for eight years without admitting it. Now looks like its going to be operating openly in that region, and we are going to be responding accordingly, the official said.

WHAT WILL WASHINGTON DO NEXT?

After stating publicly that Russia has again invaded Ukraine, the question is how far Biden will go in responding. He has made clear that he would not send U.S. troops into Ukraine, but on Tuesday said he has ordered a shifting of Europe-based U.S. troops to three NATO members who feel most vulnerable to potential Russian attack: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Those three Baltic states were annexed by Moscow following World War II and regained their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.



Biden announced heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs and said more would be imposed if Putin extends his invasion. Global reaction against Putin's moves in has been swift, with little argument about the legality.

Moscow has now moved from covert attempts to destabilise Ukraine to overt military action, Stoltenberg told reporters Tuesday. This is a serious escalation by Russia, and a flagrant violation of law."



WILL RUSSIAN TROOPS STOP AT INVADING UKRAINE?

Putin has given no indication he intends to start a war on NATO territory, but the allied nations still worry. That is why the Biden administration sent 4,700 additional troops to Poland this month and set up a more robust military headquarters staff in Germany, while also shifting 1,000 troops from Germany to Romania.



Stoltenberg said that NATO allies have more than 100 jet planes on high alert and more than 120 warships ready at sea from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean Sea. Every indication is that Russia continues to plan for a full-scale attack on Ukraine, Stoltenberg said.
A senior member has claimed that silent international recognition of the Islamic Emirate government of is currently underway, adding there have been positive improvements in the country's political sector.

"This is the result of the political efforts that is full of embassies today, and in many countries we have opened our own embassies, which is a silent process of recognition," TOLO News quoted Anas Haqqani as saying in an address to tribal leaders in Khost province on Tuesday.

He said differences should not harm the country's national values and that security forces should abide by the amnesty decree of the Islamic Emirate leader.

Despite Haqqani's claim, no country has recognised the regime in yet after their take over of the country in August last year.

The have insisted that it has met all the conditions for being officially recognised.

--IANS

ksk/

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Weapons exports to the military rulers in by the UN Member States must stop, the UN independent expert on the human rights situation in the country said on Tuesday.

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews insisted that these arms had been used against civilians. He also called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to vote on a resolution to ban this trade.

"It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to . These transfers truly shock the conscience," Andrews said in a statement. "Stopping the junta's atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons. The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in ."

Andrews identified China, Russia and Serbia as countries that have supplied weapons to Myanmar's military rulers since they seized power in a coup last February. The weapons include fighter jets, armoured vehicles, rockets and artillery.

"The people of Myanmar are imploring the UN to act," said Andrews. "They deserve an up-or-down vote on a Security Council resolution that will stop the sale of weapons being used to kill them. Too many families are finding themselves in the crosshairs of weapons of war that the Member States are supplying. This must end."

The report also names countries that have authorized weapons transfers to Myanmar since 2018, a time he said when military atrocity crimes against the Rohingya ethnic minority were widely documented.

It further calls for coordinated action by countries to cut the junta's access to revenue.

Andrews urged the UNSC to take action. "I appeal to Member States of the UN Security Council who are appalled by the killing of Myanmar civilians to put forward a resolution to stop it," he said.

"Transparency matters. The Security Council should consider, at the very least, a resolution to ban weapons that are being used by the Myanmar military to kill innocent people.

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The United States and its allies are coordinating new sanctions on Russia after Moscow recognised two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent, officials said.

Details have started to emerge on the steps taken or planned by the United States, European Union, Britain and other Western powers. Below are details on the curbs proposed so far and what other sanctions could target Russia:

BANKS & FINANCIAL FIRMS

Britain announced sanctions on five banks--Bank Rossiya, Black Sea Bank, Genbank, IS Bank and Promsvyazbank--all are smaller lenders, with only Promsvyazbank on the central bank's list of systematically important lenders.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced sanctions on VEB bank and Russia's military bank, referring to Promsvyazbank, which does defence deals. The Treasury Department said: "All assets under U.S. jurisdiction will be immediately frozen and U.S.

individuals and entities are prohibited from doing business." A senior U.S. administration official added that Sberbank , and VTB Bank would face sanctions if the Russian invasion proceeds.

Bank Rossiya is already under U.S. sanctions from 2014 for its close ties to Kremlin officials. The European Union has agreed to blacklist banks involved in financing separatist activities in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's large banks are deeply integrated into the global financial system, meaning sanctions could be felt far beyond its borders. Data from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) shows that European lenders hold the lion's share of the nearly $30 billion in foreign banks' exposure to Russia.

According to data from Russia's central bank, total Russian banking foreign assets and liabilities stood at $200.6 billion and $134.5 billion respectively with the U.S. dollar share amounting to around 53% of both, down from 76%-81% two decades ago.

SOVEREIGN DEBT & CAPITAL MARKETS

The package of measures from the EU will "target the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services, to limit the financing of escalatory and aggressive policies," according to a statement by the bloc.

It will ban EU investors from trading in Russian state bonds. The United States also increased restrictions on dealings in Russia's sovereign debt. Americans, who had already been barred from investing in Russian sovereign debt directly, will now also be banned from purchasing it in the secondary market after March 1.

Britain threatened last week to block Russian companies from raising capital in London, Europe's financial centre for such transactions, though has stopped short of doing so in its announcements on Tuesday.

Even before the latest events, access to Russian bonds had become increasingly restricted.

U.S. sanctions imposed in 2015 made future Russian dollar debt ineligible for many investors and key indexes. In April 2021, Biden barred U.S. investors from buying new Russian rouble bonds over accusations of Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

The curbs have cut Russia's external debt by 33% since early 2014 - from $733 billion to $489 billion in the third quarter of 2021. Lower debt improves a country's balance sheet on the surface, but deprives it of financing sources that could contribute to economic growth and development.

INDIVIDUALS

Sanctioning persons via asset freezes and travel bans is a commonly used tool and the United States, the EU and Britain already have such sanctions in place against a number of Russian individuals.

The EU on Monday imposed sanctions on five people who were involved in a Russian parliamentary election in annexed Crimea in September 2021. On Tuesday, the bloc said it would blacklist all lawmakers in the lower house of the Russian parliament who voted in favour of the recognition of the breakaway regions, freeze any assets they have in the EU and ban them from travelling to the bloc.

Meanwhile Britain has imposed sanctions on three men, Gennady Timchenko and billionaires Igor and Boris Rotenberg - all of whom are allies of President from St. Petersburg whose personal fortunes grew precipitously following Putin's rise to the presidency. All three men are already sanctioned by the United States.

The United States also imposed sanctions on Tuesday against Russian elites close to Putin. Those hit by sanctions include Alexander Bortnikov, the head of the Federal Security Service, Russia's powerful domestic security and counterintelligence service.

His son, Denis Bortnikov, the deputy president of Russian-state owned financial institution VTB Bank Public Joint Stock Company and a chairman of the bank's management company, was also targeted in Tuesday's move.

Also designated was Putins first deputy chief of staff and former Russian Prime Minister, Sergei Kiriyenko. He was previously targeted by the United States, EU and Britain in response to the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. His son, Vladimir Kiriyenko, was also designated Tuesday.

The chairman and chief executive of Promsvyazbank was also targeted. The Treasury accused Petr Fradkov of working to transform the bank into one that serves the defense industry.

While the United States has used the SDN designation in the past to sanction oligarchs deemed to be "bad actors," it has become more cautious in recent years after 2018 sanctions on the owner of Rusal saw aluminium prices skyrocket and forced Washington to backtrack.

A bill unveiled by U.S. Senate Democrats in January aimed for sweeping sanctions against top Russian government and military officials, including Putin, and President Biden has said he would be ready to consider personal sanctions on the Russian president.

Moscow has said any move to impose sanctions on Putin himself would not harm the Russian president personally but would prove "politically destructive."

ENERGY CORPORATES & NORD STREAM 2

The United States and the EU already have sanctions in place on Russia's energy and defence sectors, with state-owned gas company Gazprom, its oil arm Gazpromneft and oil producers Lukoil, Rosneft and Surgutneftegaz facing various types of curbs on exports/imports and debt-raising.

Sanctions could be widened and deepened, with one possible option being to prevent companies settling in U.S. dollars.

Nord Stream 2, a recently completed pipeline from Russia to Germany, was awaiting regulatory approval by EU and German authorities before Berlin put its certification on ice.

Europe's dependence on Russian energy supplies weakens the West's hand when considering sanctions in this sector.

CURBING CHIPS

The White House has told the U.S. chip industry to be ready for new restrictions on exports to Russia if Moscow attacks Ukraine, including potentially blocking Russia's access to global electronics supplies.

Similar measures were deployed during the Cold War, when sanctions kept the Soviet Union technologically backward and crimped economic growth.

SWITCHING OFF SWIFT

One of the harshest measures would be to disconnect the Russian financial system from SWIFT, which handles international financial transfers and is used by more than 11,000 financial institutions in over 200 countries.

A senior U.S. official said they are not taking SWIFT sanctions off the table.

In 2012, SWIFT disconnected Iranian banks as international sanctions tightened against Tehran over its nuclear programme. Iran lost half its oil export revenue and 30% of its foreign trade, the Carnegie Moscow Center think tank said.

Among Western countries, the United States and Germany would stand to lose the most from such a move, as their banks are the most frequent SWIFT users with Russian banks, said Maria Shagina at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

Calls to cut Russia's SWIFT access were mooted in 2014 when Moscow annexed Crimea, prompting Moscow to develop an alternative messaging system, SPFS.

The number of messages sent via SPFS was about one-fifth of Russian internal traffic in 2020, according to the central bank, which aims to increase this to 30% in 2023. However, SPFS has struggled to establish itself in international transactions.

(Reporting by Karin Strohecker and Catherine Belton in London, Katya Golubkova and Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow; Editing by Jason Neely, Mark Potter and Lisa Shumaker)

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is "not Ukraine" and has always been an inalienable part of China, China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as President Tsai Ing-wen called for the island to beef up vigilance on military activities in response to the crisis.

The remarks come after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson flagged the risk for in a warning last week about the damaging worldwide consequences if West failed to fulfil their promises to support .

.

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The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with a new package of military aid in the near future in light of the "increasingly threatening behavior from Russia," Prime Minister said on Wednesday.

"I can announce to the House [of Commons] that in the light of the increasingly threatening behavior from Russia and in line with our previous support, the will shortly be providing a further package of military support Ukraine," Johnson told the parliament.

According to the prime minister, the new package will include "lethal aid" in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid.

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The (EU) is ready to take further action against if it continues to escalate the crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned.

In a statement, von der Leyen on Tuesday said EU member states had given their political consent to a new package of sanctions against following its recognition of the independence of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The package contains a number of "calibrated measures" targeting banks that finance the Russian military apparatus and contribute to the destabilisation of Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

It also bans trade between the two breakaway regions and the EU, as it did with Crimea in 2014, and limits the Russian government's ability to raise capital on the EU's financial markets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday evening signed decrees recognising the independence of two self-proclaimed regions in eastern Ukraine's Donbass as "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)".

has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of by fighting for the implementation of 2015 Minsk agreement, but all the efforts ended up in vain, Putin said on Monday.

The security crisis occurred due to NATO's eastward expansion, which has led to the loss of mutual trust with Russia, he added.

According to Josep Borrell, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the package comprises sanctions against 351 members of the Russian State Duma (lower house of the country's Federal Assembly) who voted to recognise the two regions.

The EU will also "target 27 individuals and entities who are playing a role in undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," he said.

Furthermore, the sanctions aim to target the Russian state's ability to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services.

"If Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it has created, we are ready to take further action in response," the European Commission President said.

On the controversial Russia-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, von der Leyen added that she believed that the German government was "absolutely right" to stop the project, which must be assessed in light of the security of energy supply for all of Europe.

"This crisis shows that Europe is still too dependent on Russian gas. We have to diversify our suppliers and massively invest in renewables. This is a strategic investment in our energy independence," she said.

The conflict in eastern began in April 2014 with fighting between the Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups who seized several towns.

With the mediation of the global community, the two sides in Belarus' capital of Minsk reached ceasefire agreements in September 2014 and February 2015 respectively.

Russia has been seeking NATO's guarantee to halt eastward expansion. However, US President Joe Biden's administration took a hard line against Russia, supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the US-led military alliance and increasing its military assistance to Ukraine, which has re-escalated tensions in the region.

The situation in eastern has been getting worse since February 17, as the Ukrainian government and local armed groups blamed each other for launching aggressive bombards.

--IANS

int/khz/

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The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament, has approved Russian President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of military abroad.

"Senators unanimously supported the adoption of the relevant Resolution," said a statement published on the website of the Federation Council on Tuesday.

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorising the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of law, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Russian President inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR. He also signed two decrees recognising the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern .

--IANS

int/khz/

(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.)
Lawmakers in have approved a nationwide state of emergency amid fears of an all-out Russian invasion.

The parliament approved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decree that imposes the measure for 30 days starting Thursday.

The state of emergency allows authorities to impose restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organisations in the interests of national security and public order.

The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's move Monday to recognise the independence of rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, where the nearly eight-year conflict has killed over 14,000.

Putin has sanctioned the deployment of Russian troops there to maintain peace and received a parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly voiced concern that could try destabilise the country by relying on Moscow supporters inside the country, including a pro- political party represented in parliament.

The document also bans information materials that could destabilise the situation in the country, and gives government the right to impose curfews and conduct checks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he expects no conflict with .

"We believe that there will be no large-scale war against Ukraine, and there won't be a wide escalation from the side of the Russian Federation," Zelensky said on Tuesday, adding that Kiev stands ready to impose a martial law if there is aggression against .

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky said he was weighing a request from the Foreign Ministry to sever diplomatic ties with Russia, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian President on Monday signed two decrees recognising "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

At a ceremony held in the Kremlin, Putin also inked the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between and the LPR and the DPR respectively with the heads of the two "republics," a Kremlin statement said.

--IANS

int/khz/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said people must be at the centre of post-pandemic recovery at a meeting to examine the economic and social impact of the crisis.

Although Covid-19 caught the world unprepared, "we cannot let this happen again," he added on Tuesday in a video message to the Global Forum for a Human-Centered Recovery, organised by the Labour Organisation (ILO).

The three-day forum is being held online, bringing together world leaders, heads of organisations, and representatives of employers and workers groups from around the world, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We need a human-centered, green recovery that puts people first," said the UN Chief.

"Putting people first means achieving universal social protection, the best line of defense against shocks of all kinds and critical to a just transition."

Guterres commended the ILO for convening the forum, which comes at a crucial time for countries, economies, families and workers.

In the wake of the pandemic, poverty is rising, inequalities are widening, and household income is declining, while billionaires' profits are soaring, he said.

The Secretary-General added that the situation is worse for women, as they face rising unemployment and shoulder most of the burden for care.

Many women will be unable to re-enter the workforce without "robust" safety nets and decent job opportunities, he said.

Meanwhile, vaccine inequity persists, meaning that richer countries are preparing for recovery as many low-income nations face spiraling debt as well as a massive and enduring jobs deficit.

Additionally, the Secretary-General emphasised the pressing need for climate action, recalling that countries are "dramatically off-target" when it comes to limiting global warming.

He said that putting people first means renewing the social contract and making massive investments in their future well-being.

Among the key topics of discussion at the forum are the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition, which the UN Chief launched in September 2021.

The goal is to create at least 400 million jobs, especially in the "green" and care sectors, and to extend social protection to nearly 4 billion people who currently are without coverage.

Guterres urged countries to act now to achieve a just recovery, stating that the balance between a global breakthrough and a global breakdown depends on choices made today.

--IANS

int/khz/

(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.)
Ahead of a Security Council briefing on Afghanistan, UN Special Representative Deborah Lyons met with the acting Foreign Minister of the regime, Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in (UNAMA) said in a statement on Wednesday that discussions focused on the rights and protection of all Afghans, the return of boys and girls to schools, and economic challenges.

Lyons also met the former state minister for peace of the Afghan government, Abdul Salam Rahimi and discussed "the importance of all Afghans coming together to build a more stable and inclusive future," the UNAMA statement said.

The Security Council briefing comes at a time when the regime is facing renewed resistance in the provinces of Panjshir, Bamiyan, Kapisa and Parwan, Tolo News reported on Monday.

A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets and sanctions on the have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis.

More than half of the country's poverty-stricken population, or an estimated 24 million Afghans, face an acute food shortage and some one million children under five years of age could die from hunger by the end of this year, according to UN estimates.

India, on Tuesday, sent 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat to overland through Pakistan.

(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 number of nations, including the United States imposed sanctions on over its actions against .

The measures came after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent, escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of . He also ordered Russian troops into eastern in what the Kremlin called a "peacekeeping" mission in the Moscow-backed regions.

US President Joe Biden has announced a set of sweeping sanctions targeting Russia's ability to do business with the West, asserting that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's decision to order troops into parts of eastern Ukraine was "a flagrant violation of law".

Announcing the "first tranche" of on for its moves against Ukraine, including on two large financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt and Russian elites and their family members, Biden said the American actions would effectively "cut off Russia's government from Western finance."

Japan is imposing sanctions on over its actions in Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, terming Moscow's moves an unacceptable violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and law.

Details of the sanctions will be worked out and announced over the coming days, he added.

Japan has sufficient reserves of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) so that there will not be a significant impact on energy supplies in the short term, Kishida said.

The 27-nation EU has sanctioned the 351 Russian legislators who voted in favour of recognising the separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz effectively froze approval for Russias controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany amid a dramatic escalation of tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

Ukraine declares emergency

Ukraine declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and told its citizens in Russia to flee, while Moscow began evacuating its Kyiv embassy in the latest ominous signs for Ukrainians who fear an all-out Russian military onslaught.

Shelling intensified at the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of two Moscow-backed rebel regions this week and has ordered the deployment of Russian troops as "peacekeepers".

But there was still no clear indication of whether he plans to follow that up with a massed assault on his neighbour by tens of thousands of troops gathered near Ukraine's borders.

"Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian president I cannot say," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

In addition to the 30-day state of emergency, the Ukrainian's government has announced compulsory military service for all men of fighting age. Ukraine's parliament, cabinet and foreign ministry websites were down. Government websites have experienced several outages in recent weeks, which Kyiv has blamed on cyber attacks.

Open to diplomatic solutions

President Vladimir Putin said he remains ready to pursue diplomatic solutions as long as Russias interests and security are guaranteed, after the U.S. and its allies agreed on a first tranche of sanctions against Moscow for its actions over separatist-held Ukrainian territory.

Russia begins Ukraine evacuations

Russia has started evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, as fears mount that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be about to order an invasion of Ukraine.

Russian state news agency Tass reported that Russia began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine on Wednesday.

The move came a day after the Russian Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats against Russians in Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia as the region braced for a military confrontation, with some 150,000 Russian troops deployed around Ukraine's borders.
House Speaker said Wednesday that Russian aggression toward Ukraine is an attack on democracy, vowing that the U.S. will stand united with its allies around the world in swiftly imposing sanctions on Russia and ensuring financial and political support for an independent Ukraine.

Pelosi, who returned to the Capitol from a diplomatic overseas trip, compared the aggression to Russia's intervention in the United States' own democratic process during the 2016 election.

There will be a price to pay for Vladimir Putin," she said, flanked by lawmakers who had joined her delegation at the annual security conference in Munich.

Pelosi said the Russian president is one of the richest men in the world and warned that the sanctions being imposed by the U.S. and its allies are only the start of what is possible to inflict financial pain on his regime. We're doing this together," she said.

For now, the U.S. Congress is largely backing President Joe Biden's decision to slap sanctions on Russia, a rare but fragile bipartisan response to the most daunting foreign policy crisis the nation has faced in a generation.

But the next steps remain highly volatile.

With isolationist impulses rising at home, Congress has no appetite for war. And Republican critics of the Biden administration and even some Democrats want the White House to go even tougher with swifter and more severe sanctions on Russia.

Republican leaders have sought to steer the conversation to their preferred terms, as the party whose defense hawks once led the nation on the national security front. But it's not at all clear whether today's GOP can keep Republicans from tapping into an impassioned non-interventionist strain unleashed by Donald Trump's America First approach.

It was Trump who sought to strip protections for Ukraine from the Republican Party platform for the 2016 election, and who was impeached by the House for abuse of power after he pressured the Ukrainian president to dig up dirt on Biden during the 2016 campaign. This week, Trump cheered on Putin as he massed military forces near Ukraine's border and recognized the independence of its separatist regions in a move Biden and others warned is the start of an invasion of Ukraine.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime champion of NATO, spoke highly of the Western alliance this week, but some within his party are gravitating away from that traditional Republican position and toward Trump's views.

McConnell said he wants to see Biden impose the toughest possible sanctions.

Still, most Republican senators are backing Biden's sanctions on Putin, even if some are clamoring for more.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a sometimes Trump ally who is also one of the party's leading defense hawks, used to globetrot with fellow GOP Sen. John McCain and invoked his late colleague this week in urging Biden to confront Putin more forcefully.

Graham said Congress should impose sanctions from hell on Putin and his regime when lawmakers return to work next week.

Pelosi said Russians need to understand what their leader is doing. It's stunning to see in this day and age, a tyrant roll into a country, Pelosi said.

The Senate has bipartisan support for a robust sanctions package but after running into differences over the scope and timing of the response decided to shelve a vote as the White House pursued its own strategy.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian President has raised the stakes in the standoff by recognising the independence of rebel regions in the country's east, and a key question now is whether he will stop at that or try to move deeper into .



Putin signaled his readiness to up the ante in an hourlong address to the nation that cast as an artificial construct, a US puppet that has robbed of historical lands lost in the Soviet collapse. But at the same time, the Russian leader appeared to keep the door open for diplomacy if the West agrees to Moscow's security demands. wants the US and its allies to keep Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back alliance forces in Eastern Europe  demands the West has dismissed as nonstarters.



On Tuesday, Putin offered a streamlined version of his top demands, saying that Ukraine should renounce its bid to join NATO, partially demilitarise and recognise Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Given NATO's position to keep an open door to potential new members, Putin said, one way out of the impasse would be for Ukraine to drop its plans to join the alliance and adopt a non-aligned, neutral status.



Putin, who quickly received permission from the Kremlin-controlled parliament to use military force in Ukraine, also insisted that he has not yet sent troops into the rebel regions, despite Western leaders' claim to the contrary. Asked how far Russian troops could push if sent to the rebel east, Putin responded coyly that "it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action  it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.



The U.S. and its allies have responded to Moscow's latest move with new sanctions and threatened even more crippling penalties in case of an all-out invasion, including tough financial restrictions and draconian bans on technology imports. But Putin shrugged off the threats and said that Washington would inevitably ramp up sanctions anyway to contain Russia.



Putin has grown tougher, more intransigent and aggressive, said Moscow-based political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin, explaining that Putin could ponder a future offensive to capture territories in southern Ukraine all the way to the Black Sea port Odessa, but that he probably would not rush it. Putin sees himself as a "great collector of Russian lands a view that drives him to take brazen steps that would harm national interests, Oreshkin added.



The Russian leader's no-holds-barred approach comes as Russia has amassed over 150,000 troops that surround Ukraine on three sides in what the U.S. sees as a sign of an imminent invasion. In a long rant, Putin scathingly described Ukraine as a creation of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin and other Communist leaders of the Soviet Union that unfairly included big swaths of land that once belonged to Russia. He derided Ukraine's effort to shed the Soviet-era legacy in the decommunisation effort, and said sarcastically that the country should be named after Lenin. We are ready to show you what the real decommunisation would mean for Ukraine, Putin added ominously in an apparent signal of his readiness to level new land claims against the neighbor.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also openly questioned Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said Tuesday that those principles are only valid in relation to governments that represent entire nations and contended that the Ukrainian regime falls short of that standard because it does not represent the whole country.



In a potential precursor of more land claims, Putin emphasised that Russia has recognised the rebel regions in the borders that existed when they proclaimed their independence in 2014. Ukraine has retained control of about two thirds of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including the major port of Mariupol on the Azov Sea, following the eight-year separatist conflict that has killed over 14,000.



Putin himself said the rebels should negotiate with Ukraine to determine their regions' borders, but separatist leaders held open the prospect for a future offensive to seize more territory. Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin said Tuesday that time will show what next moves we will take. Russian troops around Ukraine include forces that were deployed to Moscow's ally Belarus for joint military drills, which were to end Sunday but were instead extended indefinitely. Those exercises offer the Kremlin a convenient vantage point for a potential attack on the Ukrainian capital, which is just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the Belarusian border. Even as Russia has ratcheted up its rhetoric and kept its troops in combat posture, Putin hinted that he was still ready for more talks with the West.



Before the Kremlin made its latest move, French President Emmanuel Macron had sought to broker a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden provided that Russia does not launch a full-fledged invasion, but the prospect of such an encounter appears dim after Putin's recognition of the rebel territories.

Ivan Timofeev, the program director at the Russian Affairs Council, noted that Putin's actions effectively put on hold any further negotiations with the U.S. and NATO. There still will be a room for diplomacy, but there will be no talk about any sort of negotiations on European security, he said in a commentary.



Most observers expect Putin to keep forces around Ukraine to maintain pressure on Kyiv and the West. Paradoxically, Russia is trying to reverse its status of a power that has lost the Cold War by creating a Cold War-style crisis, Alexander Baunov of the Moscow Carnegie Center said.
Western nations and Japan on Tuesday punished Russia with new sanctions for ordering troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine and threatened to go further if Moscow launched an all-out invasion of its neighbour.

The United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan announced plans to target banks and elites while Germany halted a major gas pipeline project from Russia in one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

Bitter about Ukraine's long-term goal to join NATO and claiming it as historic Russian land, Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, according to U.S. estimates, and ordered soldiers into the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions to "keep the peace". The United States dismisses that justification as "nonsense".



Satellite imagery over the past 24 hours shows several new troop and equipment deployments in western Russia and more than 100 vehicles at a small airfield in southern Belarus, which borders Ukraine, according to U.S. firm Maxar. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian cancelled separate scheduled meetings with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday as weeks of frantic diplomacy failed to end the crisis.



"To put it simply Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine," Biden said on Tuesday. "This is the beginning of a Russian invasion." Plans announced by Biden to bolster Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania include sending 800 infantry soldiers and up to eight F-35 fighter jets to locations along NATO's eastern flank, a U.S. official said, but are a redistribution, not additions.



ALSO READ: Vladimir Putin weighs his next move after recognising Ukraine rebels



Putin did not watch Biden's speech and Russia will first look at what the United States has outlined before responding, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, cited by Russian news agencies. Putin said he was always open to finding diplomatic solutions but that "the interests of Russia and the security of our citizens are unconditional for us." Moscow is calling for security guarantees, including a promise that Ukraine will never join NATO, while the United States and its allies offer Putin confidence-building and arms control steps to defuse the stand-off.

Lavrov brushed off the threat of sanctions. "Our European, American, British colleagues will not stop and will not calm down until they have exhausted all their possibilities for the so-called punishment of Russia," he said.



GAS PIPELINE HALTED



In perhaps the most significant measure announced on Tuesday, Germany halted the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline owned by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom, a move likely to raise gas prices in Europe. Built and awaiting German approval, the pipeline had been set to ease the pressure on European consumers facing record energy prices but critics including the United States have long argued it would increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia.



German Economy Minister Robert Habeck warned that gas prices in Europe were likely to rise in the short term. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and now deputy chairman of its Security Council, suggested prices could double.

"Welcome to the new world where Europeans will soon have to pay 2,000 euros per thousand cubic metres!" he said on Twitter.



The Kremlin said it hoped the Nord Stream delay was temporary and Putin said Russia "aims to continue uninterrupted supplies" of energy to the world. U.S. sanctions target Russian elites and two state-owned banks, excluding them from the U.S. banking system, banning them from trading with Americans, and freezing their U.S. assets.

They also seek to deny the Russian government access to Western financing.



The U.S. sanctions applied to VEB bank and Russia's military bank, Promsvyazbank, which does defence deals. Russia's two largest commercial lenders, Sberbank and VTB , would face American sanctions if Moscow proceeded with its invasion of Ukraine, a U.S. official said. Biden said that while more sanctions were being prepared in the event of a full-scale Russian invasion, it was critical to ensure such measures did not hurt Americans in the form of steeper energy costs.

Crude oil futures on Tuesday reached their highest levels since 2014.





ALSO READ: Russia-Ukraine conflict shows how not all 'invasions' are equal



A US State Department official said sanctions that could be imposed in the near future "will not target oil and gas flows".

Britain announced sanctions on three billionaires with close links to Putin, and five smaller lenders including Promsvyazbank.

The European Union has agreed to blacklist banks involved in financing separatists in eastern Ukraine and to cut the Russian government out of its debt markets.

Europe's banks - particularly those in Austria, Italy and France - are the world's most exposed to Russia. European lenders hold the lion's share of the nearly $30 billion in foreign banks' exposure to Russia, according to the Bank for Settlements. Brian O'Toole, a former Treasury Department official now with the Atlantic Council, questioned the wisdom of not targeting a major commercial lender immediately.



"The risk they run by not going after a big state-owned commercial bank is that Putin thinks that the West is not going to be willing to bear the pain of big economic sanctions, and therefore that he can safely expand his ambitions," he said.

In eastern Ukraine, some residents in Donetsk city celebrated Russia's recognition of statehood, flying Russian flags from cars and sounding their horns.

(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 meltdown in new-age tech stocks will bring more rationality, says Manisha Girotra, CEO of Moelis India, an independent investment bank that specialises in fund raising from the private market. In an interview with Samie Modak, Girotra says the LIC IPO will demonstrate that the Indian markets have the scale and the size. Edited excerpts: Last year we saw record fundraising via IPOs.

What are your thoughts on the year gone by? A whole new sector was created in 2021. That was the most exciting thing. The US and China have robust private and public markets for tech. In India, we ...
Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Michael Patra on Wednesday said the central bank's views about cryptocurrencies might have delayed the government's proposed legislation on crypto assets.

Emphasising that the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) will be introduced in FY23 as announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Budget speech, Patra said India will proceed very gradually on the subject as there are concerns on privacy, its impact on monetary policy formulation and energy intensity.

The government had plans to introduce a bill on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin during the Winter Session of Parliament in November-December 2021 but did not introduce it.

"RBI's view is quite known on crypto. I think it is the one of the views that has actually delayed a bill on that subject but we will engage in a fair debate on that subject and will look at all sides of the debate," Patra said, speaking at an event organised by the Pune International Centre.

The central bank is in favour of a complete ban on the speculative assets, saying they hold no underlying value at all, and has also called them a threat to financial stability.

On the CBDC, Patra said there already exists such an instrument on the wholesale front but it is retail where work is required.

"I think we will proceed very gradually. We will cross the river by feeling the pebbles. There are issues of privacy that are involved, there are issues of monetary policy transmission that are involved. There is also an issue of energy intensity of the whole process if it is on a certain kind of technology," he said.

is proceeding "very, very slowly" on the subject and will make calibrated moves in the direction, he noted.

A few weeks ago, former Governor D Subbarao had flagged concerns on privacy on the CBDC front saying the feature to check the entire movement of a single unit of the digital currency makes it susceptible to be tracked and also pointed to the absence of guardrails like a data protection law.

"Why should or the government know how much ice cream I buy every month? or what luxury brands I patronise? So, there is a certain level of discomfort and I think if you have CBDCs, you have to have very robust data protection laws which are credible not only to people within the country but also outside. So, data protection laws are very important in issuing CBDCs," he had said.

"In a country like India where the opposition is very vigorous, there can be fake complaints, or there can be (a) government misusing the data and covering it up. So I can see a lot of political complications coming out of this," the former governor had said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bajaj Healthcare (BHL) rose 4.50% to Rs 390.30 after the company announced that it has launched Magnesium L-Threonate in nutraceutical segment.

Magnesium L- Threonate is a nutritional supplement used to normalize magnesium level in the body. It helps to improve memory, muscle and nerve function and also aids in brain development by reversing the brain aging. It is used to control, prevent and normalize the symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, Attention disorder, Bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease etc.

BHL will launch Magnesium L-Threonate capsules in 500 mg strength. The company said the addressable market size is approximately Rs 150 crore.

Anil Jain, joint managing director, Bajaj Healthcare said: "BHL intend to produce 12-15 tons of Magnesium L-Threonate in Q4 FY22 and 120 tons in FY23. We are expecting notable sales coming from the product. Addition of this new product in our existing product portfolio will further fuel the growth strategy for our formulation business. Addition of Magnesium L-Threonate in our existing portfolio will further fuel the growth of our business and strengthen our position in the market."

Bajaj Healthcare a leading manufacturer of APIs, Intermediates and Formulations established in the year 1993. It specializes in manufacturing of Intermediates, API, formulations & Nutraceuticals. The company has manufacturing facilities, of which 6 units are dedicated to APIs, 2 unit to Intermediates and 1 unit for formulation. These facilities are designed to meet the requirements of both advanced as well as emerging market opportunities. BHL has a strong presence globally in countries like Europe, USA, Australia, Africa, Middle East and South America.

Bajaj Healthcare's net profit dropped 34% to Rs 17.45 crore on 6% decline in net sales to Rs 167.57 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. Revenues from operations slipped on account of a drop in the sales volume of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) & CH base.

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Indices came off day's high in morning trade. The Nifty slipped below 17,150 mark. All sectoral indices on the NSE traded in the green.

At 10:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 153.05 points or 0.27% to 56,453.65. The Nifty 50 index added 47.45 points or 0.28% to 17,139.20.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.13% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 1.55%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2396 shares rose and 696 shares fell. A total of 108 shares were unchanged.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors on Wednesday following Russia's 'unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable' invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan also issued santions on Russia, terming its move unacceptable violation of Ukraine's sovereignty.

Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Kishida said.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Realty index added 2.28% to 439.8 snapping its four day losing streak. The realty index saw bargain hunting after dropping 3.5% in four days.

Sobha (up 5%), Oberoi Realty (up 3.81%), Prestige Estate Project (up 3.68%), Sunteck Realty (up 3.18%), DLF (up 3%) and Indiabulls Real Estate (up 2.73%) were top gainers in realty space.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Hero MotoCorp rose 0.13% while Bharat Petroleum Corporation added 1.13%. The two-wheel manufacturer collaborated with the PSU OMC to set up charging infrastructure for two-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs) across the country. Hero MotoCorp is the first automotive OEM to tie up with the leading Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to set up charging infrastructure across India. BPCL, accelerating its focus on new business segments for sustainable growth, announced in September 2021 that it is converting 7,000 conventional retail outlets into energy stations providing multiple fuelling options, which will include EV charging facility also, in the medium to long term.

SIS rose 1.58% to Rs 488.40 after the company said that it has won a two-year contract worth approximately Rs 225 crore to provide security solutions at 18 sites of Mahanadi Coalfields in India. The contract has an option to renew for a further one-year period. As part of the contract, SIS will deploy security personnel in different categories to provide security services across 18 sites of Mahanadi Coalfields at Sambalpur, Bhubaneshwar, IB Valley Coalfields and Talcher Coalfields.

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The benchmark indices traded in a range during early afternoon trade. The NSE sectoral indices rallied the board. The Nifty edged towards 17,200 level.

At 12:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, advanced 272.69 points or 0.48% at 57,573.37. The Nifty 50 index gained 77.85 points or 0.46% at 17,170.05.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.23% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 1.61%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2,456 shares rose and 781 shares fell. A total of 109 shares were unchanged.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors on Wednesday following Russia's 'unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable' invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan also issued sanctions on Russia, terming its move unacceptable violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan.

Derivatives:

The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, dropped 7.60% to 24.6350. The Nifty 24 February 2022 futures were trading at 17,154.55, at a discount of 15.5 points as compared with the spot at 17,170.05.

The Nifty option chain for 24 February 2022 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 90.8 lakh contracts at the 17,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 93 lakh contracts was seen at 16,500 strike price.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Media index rose 1.23% to 2,060.30. The index lost 7.82% in the past five sessions.

TV18 Broadcast (up 4.10%), Nazara Technologies (up 2.24%), Hathway Cable & Datacom (up 1.93%), Network18 Media & Investments (up 1.35%) and DishTV India (up 0.99%) were the top gainers in the Media segment.

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The 25th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) was held in Mumbai yesterday, under the Chairpersonship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Council deliberated on the various mandates of the FSDC and major macro-financial challenges arising in view of global and domestic developments. The Council noted that Government and all regulators need to maintain constant vigil on the financial conditions and functioning of important financial institutions, especially considering that it could expose financial vulnerabilities in the medium and long-term.

The Council discussed measures required for further development of the financial sector and to achieve an inclusive economic growth with macroeconomic stability. The Council discussed operational issues relating to currency management. It also took note of the activities undertaken by the FSDC Sub-Committee chaired by the RBI Governor and the action taken by members on the past decisions of FSDC.

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The main indices traded with decent gains in mid morning trade. The Nifty traded above the 17,150 level. All sectoral indices on the NSE traded in the green.

At 11:27 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 294.51 points or 0.51% to 57,595.65. The Nifty 50 index added 85.35 points or 0.5% to 17,177.20.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 1.27% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 1.73%.

The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2431 shares rose and 729 shares fell. A total of 110 shares were unchanged.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors on Wednesday following Russia's 'unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable' invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan also issued santions on Russia, terming its move unacceptable violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan.

Buzzing Index:

The Nifty Metal index rose 0.73% to 5,634.70, snapping its five-day losing streak. The metal index saw bargain hunting after dropping 4.27% in five days.

NMDC (up 2.57%), Hindustan Zinc (up 1.58%), Vedanta (up 1.56%), Hindalco Industries (up 1.03%) and Steel Authority of India (up 0.7%) were the top gainers. Among the other gainers were APL Apollo Tubes (up 0.67%), Tata Steel (up 0.48%) and Coal India (up 0.44%).

Stocks in Spotlight:

Bajaj Healthcare (BHL) rose 4.50% to Rs 390.30 after the company announced that it has launched Magnesium L-Threonate in nutraceutical segment. Magnesium L- Threonate is a nutritional supplement used to normalize magnesium level in the body. It helps to improve memory, muscle and nerve function and also aids in brain development by reversing the brain aging.

It is used to control, prevent and normalize the symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, Attention disorder, Bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease etc. BHL will launch Magnesium L-Threonate capsules in 500 mg strength. The company said the addressable market size is approximately Rs 150 crore.

IndiaMART InterMESH rose 0.73%. The company said that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 26% of the share capital of IB MonotaRO (IMPL). IMPL, under its brand name 'Industry Buying', is engaged in the e-commerce business for industrial and business supplies in India. It offers utility products in maintenance, repairs and overhaul (MRO) categories like power tools, abrasives, electronics, robotics, hand tools and many more such products to its customers primarily for industrial purposes. The total turnover of IMPL for the financial year ended 31 March 2021 was Rs 7.2 crore.

Global Markets:

Most Asian stocks were trading higher on Wednesday as investors continued monitoring the intensifying crisis surrounding Ukraine. Markets in Japan are closed on Wednesday for a holiday.

Wall Street's main indices fell on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 confirming a correction, as the Ukraine-Russia crisis kept investors on the edge after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions in the country and ordered troops to the area.

U. S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday Russia has begun an invasion of Ukraine and announced sanctions against Russian banks and the country's sovereign debt, among others. Biden's announcement came following the Russian parliament's approval of President Vladimir Putin's Tuesday request to use military force outside the country's borders.

On the economic data front, the IHS Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 52.5 in February from 50.5. The IHS Markit services PMI jumped to 56 in February from 51.1 the month prior.

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Equity indices advanced in early trade as buying resumed after recent market slide. All sectoral indices on the NSE traded in the green.

At 9:19 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 262.72 points or 0.46% to 56,563.65. The Nifty 50 index added 85 points or 0.5% to 17,177.20.

In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.92% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 1.37%.

The market breadth is strong. On the BSE, 2222 shares rose and 559 shares fell. A total of 91 shares were unchanged.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,245.52 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net buyers to the tune of Rs 4,108.58 crore in the Indian equity market on 22 February, provisional data showed.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Wipro rose 0.43%. The IT major announced that it has formed a joint go-to market partnership with vFunction, a Palo Alto-based startup that has developed a scalable, AI-based technology platform for modernizing Java applications and accelerating migration to the cloud.

Dilip Buildcon added 3.49% after the road construction company announced that it was declared as L-1 bidder for a new HAM project under Raipur-Visakhapatnam in Chhattisgarh. The order is worth Rs 1141 crore.

Global Markets:

Most Asian stocks were trading higher on Wednesday as investors continue monitoring the intensifying crisis surrounding Ukraine. Markets in Japan are closed on Wednesday for a holiday.

Wall Street's main indices fell on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 confirming a correction, as the Ukraine-Russia crisis kept investors on the edge after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions in the country and ordered troops to the area.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday Russia has begun an invasion of Ukraine and announced sanctions against Russian banks and the country's sovereign debt, among others. Biden's announcement came following the Russian parliament's approval of President Vladimir Putin's Tuesday request to use military force outside the country's borders.

On the economic data front, the IHS Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 52.5 in February from 50.5. The IHS Markit services PMI jumped to 56 in February from 51.1 the month prior.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The domestic equity benchmarks ended with modest losses on Wednesday, extending declines for the sixth day in a row. The benchmarks indices witnessed fag-end selling after hovering in the positive terrain for most part of the session. The Nifty ended a tad above the 17,000 mark after hitting the day's high of 17,220.70 in early trade. Autos and financial shares declined while realty, consumer durables and metal shares advanced.

As per the provisional closing data, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 68.62 points or 0.12% at 57,232.26. The Nifty 50 index declined 28.95 points or 0.17% at 17,063.60.

Escalating geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine continued to weigh on domestic sentiment. Concerns that rising tensions in Eastern Europe will boost crude oil prices and could spark global supply chain disruption, resulting in rising input costs. Thousands of U. S. and European companies do business with suppliers in Russia and Ukraine. Many of them could be at risk during a prolonged military conflict.

The Sensex has declined 1.56% in six days while the Nifty has corrected 1.67% in the same period.

Broader market outperformed the main indices and ended with gains. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.6% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.93%.

Buyers outnumbered the sellers. On the BSE, 2,193 shares rose and 1173 shares fell. A total of 107 shares were unchanged.

Stocks in Spotlight:

Hero MotoCorp declined 2% while Bharat Petroleum Corporation rose 0.46%. The two-wheel manufacturer collaborated with the PSU OMC to set up charging infrastructure for two-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs) across the country. Hero MotoCorp is the first automotive OEM to tie up with the leading Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to set up charging infrastructure across India. BPCL, accelerating its focus on new business segments for sustainable growth, announced in September 2021 that it is converting 7,000 conventional retail outlets into energy stations providing multiple fuelling options, which will include EV charging facility also, in the medium to long term.

SIS fell 0.01% after the company said that it has won a two-year contract worth approximately Rs 225 crore to provide security solutions at 18 sites of Mahanadi Coalfields in India. The contract has an option to renew for a further one-year period. As part of the contract, SIS will deploy security personnel in different categories to provide security services across 18 sites of Mahanadi Coalfields at Sambalpur, Bhubaneshwar, IB Valley Coalfields and Talcher Coalfields.

Mahindra CIE Automotive fell 2.06% after the company's consolidated net profit declined 28.15% to Rs 80.23 crore on 5.44% rise in net sales to Rs 2064.15 crore in Q4 December 2021 over Q4 December 2020. Profit before tax (PBT) fell 30.06% to Rs 112.54 crore in Q4 December 2021 over Q4 December 2020.

Jyoti Resins & Adhesives soared 9% after Jagdish Nathalal Patel HUF, forming part of promoter group, acquired 1900 equity shares, or 0.048% equity, of the company on 21 February 2022.

With this, Jagdish Nathalal Patel HUF has increased the stake to 3900 (0.098% equity) in Jyoti Resins & Adhesives. Earlier on 17 February 2022, Jagdish Nathalal Patel HUF bought 2000 shares (0.05% equity) and Utkarsh Jagdishbhai Patel HUF bought 1471 shares (0.037% equity) in the company. As on 31 December 2021, promoters held 49.60% stake in Jyoti Resins & Adhesives. Jagdish Nathalal Patel held 15.19% stake while Utkarshkumar Jagdishbhai Patel held 10.05% stake.

Bajaj Healthcare (BHL) rose nearly 5% after the company announced that it has launched Magnesium L-Threonate in nutraceutical segment. Magnesium L- Threonate is a nutritional supplement used to normalize magnesium level in the body. It helps to improve memory, muscle and nerve function and also aids in brain development by reversing the brain aging. It is used to control, prevent and normalize the symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, Attention disorder, Bipolar disorder, Parkinson's disease etc.

Black Box declined 0.91%. The company's board on 14 March 2022 will consider and approve the sub-division of equity shares of Rs 10 each into shares of lower face value.

Pricol fell 0.04%. The company announced partnership with Sibros Technologies, Inc, USA, for providing telematics and connected vehicle solutions to the OEMs in Indian and ASEAN Markets across all vehicle segments. The agreement shall be valid for a period of 5 years from the date of signing. Pricol will develop the hardware and firmware as required by the customer. Meanwhile, Sibros will develop the software and provide its Saas platform for connected vehicle solutions with OTA updates as required by the customer for the technology.

Global Markets:

Most shares Europe and Asia advanced on Wednesday as investors continued monitoring the intensifying crisis surrounding Ukraine. Markets in Japan are closed on Wednesday for a holiday.

Wall Street's main indices fell on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 confirming a correction, as the Ukraine-Russia crisis kept investors on the edge after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions in the country and ordered troops to the area.

U. S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday Russia has begun an invasion of Ukraine and announced sanctions against Russian banks and the country's sovereign debt, among others. Biden's announcement came following the Russian parliament's approval of President Vladimir Putin's Tuesday request to use military force outside the country's borders.

Australia announced sanctions on eight of President Vladimir Putin's top security advisors on Wednesday following Russia's 'unwarranted, unprovoked, unacceptable' invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Japan also issued santions on Russia, terming its move unacceptable violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Kishida said.

On the economic data front, the IHS Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 52.5 in February from 50.5. The IHS Markit services PMI jumped to 56 in February from 51.1 the month prior.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The idea of becoming a manufacturing export powerhouse like China, as the vision in the latest Budget suggests, may not be feasible for India, former governor Raghuram Rajan has argued in a paper co-authored with Rohit Lamba. Instead, they recommend that India should strengthen its position in services. Is this a workable strategy for faster growth? The top edit outlines the pros and cons. Read it here

In other views:

Arvind Subramanian and Josh Felman examine the options for India as a high fiscal deficit and interest burden signal the return of monetary policy influenced by public finance.

Read it here

A K Bhattacharya points out that the fiscal consolidation plan outlined in the Budget leaves two critical questions unanswered: the promised amendment to the FRBM Act and the glide path for the years 2023-24 and 2024-25. Read it here

The second edit explains the tricky issues that the new reporting requirements for the CSR mandate pose for companies. Read it here
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is trying to bring together like-minded parties against the alleged anti-people policies of the BJP and on development issues, on Wednesday said he would set the things right in the country.

"I am moving in the direction of influencing . I submit that I would move forward to set right the country using all the abilities given to me by God even by shedding the last drop of my blood," he said while addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the Mallanna Sagar reservoir in Siddipet district.

Rao, who launched a broadside against BJP and the NDA government at the Centre recently, said the country was going astray with what he called wicked and abominable things.

In an indirect reference to the 'hijab' (scarf) row in neighbouring Karnataka, he said some of his friends, including IAS officers, told him that their daughters, studying in Bengaluru, came home 20 days ago and were afraid of going back in view of the issue.

They expressed anguish that schools and institutions remained closed, he said.

Noting that Hyderabad is witnessing rapid development, including in the IT sector, he said the international airport in Hyderabad was moving ahead of Chennai and Kolkata airports. Up to 580 flights land everyday at the Hyderabad airport, he said.

The massive growth in should not be allowed to be hindered, he said.

For all States in the country to progress, the government at the Centre should be driven by 'dharma', he said.

Creating disturbances in the name of caste or religion and any law and order issues would have an adverse impact on growth and investment climate, Rao said.

"This is not good for the country. This a wicked policy. We should not tolerate it. That cancer should not be allowed to spread," he said.

As a person into politics, he would question what is not good for the people and not let it go unquestioned, he said.

Rao, who highlighted the development of in various sectors, said his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray, during their recent meeting in Mumbai, sought to implement some of the schemes being implemented by the TRS government in Telangana.

The Mallanna Sagar reservoir, a part of the TRS government's flagship Kaleswaram project, has a storage capacity of 50 TMC water, official sources said.

The Mallanna Sagar project would benefit about 20 lakh acres, Rao said.

He thanked all those who took part in the construction of the reservoir.

Recalling the effort behind the construction, he said as many as 58,000 workers had worked on the project at one time.

Amid the buzz about a third front, Rao on Sunday met his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena, and NCP president Sharad Pawar separately as a part of the efforts to bring like-minded parties together against the BJP at the national-level.

(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.)
has announced that it is now ready to move into the final phase of the migration from Classic Hangouts to Chat for Workspace customers.

The company said it will turn on the "Chat preferred" setting for any customers who have not already done so, making the default chat application beginning March 22.

"This means that when users visit classic Hangouts in Gmail on the web or the classic Hangouts mobile apps, they will be directed to Chat," the company said in a blogpost.

"Hangouts.google.com will continue to work. It is not possible to opt out of this change. If you would like to export your classic Hangouts and Chat data, learn about exporting your organisation's data," it added.

After domains are upgraded to "Chat preferred", all classic Hangouts applications, except hangouts.google.com, will be disabled. Additionally, the "Chat and classic Hangouts" and "Classic Hangouts only" settings will be removed from the Admin console.

Messages sent in classic Hangouts will continue to be retained and held according to policies set for Chat, and searchable and exportable with Gmail search in Vault. Messages sent in Chat are subject to retention rules and holds you set for Chat and searchable and exportable with Chat search in Vault.

The company also mentioned that except for a few special cases, all the conversation history from Hangouts will be available in . However, starting mid-March 2022, any newly created spaces in Google Chat within domain will not appear in classic Hangouts.

--IANS

vc/VD

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who holds the portfolio of finance, would present his first budget for 2022-23 on March 4.

The budget session would be held from March 4-30, according to the provisional schedule of the Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday.

Faced by disruption for the fifth consecutive day today, the joint session of the State legislature was cut short owing to the protest by Congress MLAs demanding the sacking of Minister K S Eshwarappa for his statement on the national flag.

The session that began on February 14 was to conclude on February 25, but was adjourned till March 4.

(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.)
Congress leader on Wednesday described Rajasthan's budget for the year 2022-23 as development-oriented and said the state government has given relief to the common man.

He said despite the BJP-led central government not releasing Rajasthan's share of funds in time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state's Congress dispensation has made public welfare announcements.

Earlier, Chief Minister presented the budget in the Rajasthan Assembly with the main focus on health, education, infrastructure and tourism sectors and social security.

In a statement, Pilot welcomed the budget's provisions for reducing the burden of electricity bills, increasing subsidy for milk producers and implementing the old pension scheme for state employees, and termed it development-oriented.

The former deputy chief minister said before the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given an assurance that the East Rajasthan Canal Project will be declared a national project, but it was never done.

The proposal of the Congress government to form a corporation for the project is a commendable step, he said.

During the almost three-hour budget speech, Gehlot announced the launch of the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme to provide 100 days of employment in urban areas.

Another major announcement in the budget was that all employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004, will be covered under the old pension scheme from next year.

In the state's first separate agriculture budget, Gehlot announced an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for 'Rajasthan Mukhya Mantri Krishak Saathi Yojana', up from Rs 2,000 crore in the last budget.

He also proposed Rs 2,700 crore for the Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Mission, under which 5 lakh farmers will be benefitted, and announced an increase in the number of employment days under MGNREGA to 125 from 100.

(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.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI/NewsVoir): Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas advised the Bankers in relation to the USD 500 million offshore fundraising by Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited (IRFC) by way of foreign currency Climate Bonds, under its USD 7 billion Global Medium-Term Note Programme (MTN Programme).

The Bankers to the transaction were BNP Paribas; DBS Bank Limited; The Hongkong Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited; MUFG Securities Asia Limited; State Bank of India (London Branch); and Standard Chartered Bank.

The Capital Markets Practice of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas advised on the Transaction. The Capital Markets team was led by Gokul Rajan, Partner; with support from Ambuj Gupta, Associate; and Chinar Gupta, Associate.

As a part of the Transaction, IRFC raised USD 500 million by way of 3.75 per cent notes due 2032. IRFC had received a 'Climate Bonds' certification from the Climate Bonds Initiative in respect of its Green Financing Framework. The drawdown by IRFC pursuant to the updated Programme was made under the Green Financing Framework, at IRFC's discretion.

This Transaction makes IRFC the first Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) to list its offshore bonds exclusively at Indian stock exchanges established in the GIFT City, Gandhinagar. IRFC will utilize the proceeds for financing eligible green assets through finance leasing model and refinancing the existing debt utilized for eligible green assets under the IRFC's 'Green Financing Framework for Green Debt' (Green Financing Framework) in accordance with applicable law. The funds raised will help Indian Railways to meet its target of carbon neutrality and the wider target set by the government to meet the emission and carbon norms set in COP26.

Other Parties and Advisors to the Transaction included Allen & Overy (Asia) Pte. Ltd. (acted as international legal counsel for the issuer); Linklaters Singapore Pte. Ltd. (acted as international legal advisors to the arrangers and dealers).

The Transaction was signed on 21st January 2022 and concluded on 24th January 2022.

India's Leading Law Firm, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas was founded on May 11, 2015 and takes forward the values going back 104 years, of the erstwhile Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. Tracing its professional lineage to 1917, the Firm has 750 lawyers, including over 130 partners, and offices in India's key business centres at Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The Firm advises a large, and varied client base that includes domestic and foreign commercial enterprises, financial institutions, private equity funds, venture capital funds, start-ups and governmental and regulatory bodies.

The firm was recently named in '25 Most Innovative Companies of the Year' by CII. Also, received "Law Firm of the Year" award at the Asian Legal Business (ALB) India Law Awards 2020 and "Law Firm of the Year, India" at the Asialaw Regional Awards 2020. The firm was recognised as the "Most Innovative National Law Firm of the Year - India for 2020" at the IFLR Asia Awards and voted as the "Employer of Choice for 2020" from India, by the Asian Legal Business.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI/PNN): Eduwisor, an education consulting agency, aspires to provide 10,000 skilled doctors to the country over the next 10 years through its services. The initiative is taken to improve the primary healthcare ecosystem in the country and provide better education assistance to aspiring doctors.

Eduwisoris was co-founded by Mubin Sayyed and Jyoti Krishna, two friends hailing from the same engineering college. Having gone abroad to work in the healthcare sector for a few years, Mubin felt the need to bring necessary changes in the Indian primary healthcare situation in India upon his return. After pondering upon the issues faced by existing and aspiring healthcare workers in the country and witnessing the degradation of primary healthcare during the COVID crisis, Mubin Sayyed and Jyoti Krishna set up a venture dedicated to providing an ideal platform for aspiring doctors to obtain quality education and improve the healthcare system in the country.

Eduwisor helps students find ideal medical colleges across 10 countries, apply for the same, and obtain relevant guidance throughout their journeys. The agency believes that lack of infrastructure, limited seat availability, and extreme fee structures prevents deserving students from becoming doctors and serving their country. By helping them study in some of the best universities across the world, Eduwisor allows potential doctors to return with all the skills and knowledge required to provide healthcare services in the country.

Being associated with over 40 universities and colleges across 10 countries, Eduwisor takes the help of subject-matter experts to provide holistic guidance to the students. The in-house team of Eduwisor comprises professionals who have excelled in the field of science and technology. Having industry acumen themselves allows the experts to provide the students with valuable advice based on their interests and preferences.

Mubin Sayyed believes that Eduwisor would help him fulfil his own passion of becoming a doctor. He says, "I wanted to become a doctor myself but couldn't due to financial difficulties and limited options. Thousands of students in the country get their dreams compromised every year, either due to inadequate infrastructure or unreasonably high fees. Through Eduwisor, I look forward to realizing my dream of becoming a skilled doctor by helping aspirants make it in the industry."

Moreover, the team at Eduwisor plans on visiting each of the 40 colleges associated with the agency and documenting the same through videos to educate its clients. "We ensure that the students associated with us get enrolled in internationally recognized colleges and universities. We intend to provide all our services with complete transparency and no bias to help students realize their dreams," says Jyoti Krishna.

This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI/NewsVoir): Sanjay Khanna takes over as Director Refineries, BPCL on 22nd Feb'22. A Chemical Engineering graduate from NIT, Tiruchirapalli and Post Graduate in Finance Management from Mumbai University, he has more than 30 years of experience in Refinery Operations.

In his illustrious career, he has earlier held the positions of Chief General Manager In-charge (Mumbai Refineries), Executive Director (Kochi Refineries) and Executive Director In-charge of Refineries, where he headed the refineries operations in BPCL.

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.

The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum's Refineries at Mumbai & Kochi and subsidiary Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd., at Bina, Madhya Pradesh have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 19,000 Energy Stations, over 6,100 LPG distributorships, 733 Lubes distributorships, 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 60 Aviation Service Stations, 3 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With 'Energising Lives' as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum's vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In 1994, the government gave up its monopoly over the countrys airwaves. The move opened the airspace for private players and the government started making money out of thin air, literally. About two decades later, a big chunk of the countrys population came to know more about these spectrum allocations through a massive scam. Some even believe that BJP rode to power while riding high on the anti-Congress sentiments generated due to the alleged scam in allocation of second-generation spectrum licenses. It was alleged that the spectrum sale didnt take place under a transparent auction system, and on the basis of market price. The then minister for communication and information technology, A Raja, spent 15 months in Tihar jail over it. And in February 2012, the Supreme Court axed the 122 licences granted to telecom players, declaring airwaves as public goods best utilised through an auction. About five years later, a Delhi court acquitted all the accused in the case citing lack of evidence. But, with its image dented due to the allegations, the government had in 2012 -- after the apex court verdict -- decided to levy a one-time spectrum charge on the telecom operators for holding excess spectrum between July 2008 and January 2013. Earlier, the operators used to get additional tranches of spectrum after they reached a certain subscriber base in a circle. After the cancellation of 2G spectrum licences, the Department of Telecommunications sent notices to telecom operators, demanding charges for the spectrum allocated under administrative pricing. The one-time dues stood at around Rs 40,000 crore.

It had two components. First, a retrospective demand from 1st July 2008 to 31st December 2012 for spectrum held beyond 6.2 MHz. And, secondly, a prospective demand from 1st January 2013 to the expiry of spectrum beyond 4.4 MHz.

In July 2019, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal set aside the retrospective demand. The government appealed against this order in the Supreme Court, which ordered a status quo regarding the demands.

But, in October last year, the government indicated that it may withdraw the case. The beneficiaries of such a move would be Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea since Reliance Jio is not a legacy operator.

Coming close to the heels of bailing out of Vodafone Idea, this step could be seen as a continuation of telecom reforms. For its part, the telecom sector, which has been passing through financial hardships, will be waiting for a conclusion to this matter with bated breath.

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Labeled with asbestos and lead warnings, sheeting covers rubble from demolished barracks at Fort Ord on Thursday, April 29, 2021, in Fort Ord, Calif. In 1990, four years before it began the process of closing for active military training, Fort Ord was added to the Environmental Protection Agencys list of the most polluted places in the nation. Included in that pollution were dozens of chemicals, some known to cause cancer, found in the bases drinking water. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
A man holding his bicycle with a school bag on it gets a throat swab during a mass COVID-19 test at a residential compound in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Wuhan, the first major outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has reported more than dozen new coronavirus cases this week, prompting the authority to step up precautious measures. (Chinatopix via AP)
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Rain likely. High around 50F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

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LOAD CATTLE FOR TRIP: Twenty-one registered Hereford were shipped from Manning Tuesday to Spain. The consignors are, from left, top picture, Sam, Les and Gene Wiese, Manning; Dale Dudley, the manager of Kenyon Farms, Tama; Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Kenyon, West Des Moines; Phil Higgins, Earlham; G
Photo: BC Gov Flickr B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson brought down Budget 2022 Tuesday.

The B.C. government is earmarking more than $6 billion (most of that federal funding) to rebuild from the damage caused in 2021 from floods and fires, more money for climate change adaptation, and is anticipating the loss of $1 billion annually in forestry revenue by 2024, thanks largely to the governments new old growth logging policies.

Apart from the annual carbon tax hike, budget 2022 contains no major new taxes or tax increases, although the PST will be hiked for natural gas furnaces and exempted for heat pumps. The budget includes $9.3 billion in capital spending for 2022-23, and $27.4 million over three years.

Overall government operating spending will increase by $6.6 billion over three years. The budget includes $8 billion in capital spending over three years on transportation infrastructure, including a new eight-lane George Massey Tunnel project.

Business groups had hoped to see some relief for small and medium sized businesses in the form of things like tax breaks.

We had hoped that the cost of doing business would go down in British Columbia to make it easier for businesses that are still struggling with the pandemic, said Bridgitte Anderson, president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT).

We really would have liked to see some measures that would have addressed competitiveness and driving economic growth and job creation, and the budget really lacks some details on that. Given that theres nearly $5 billion set aside in contingency funds overall, its hard to know where those dollars are going to go exactly.

The budget for 2022-23 is still very much in pandemic recovery mode, and sets aside a $3 billion time limited pandemic recovery contingency over three years. It also now includes billions for natural disaster recovery, prevention and climate change adaptation.

The budget allocates $1.5 billion for rebuilding infrastructure damaged by fire and floods, and $600 million for adaptation measures.

The $1.5 billion for disaster recovery is in addition to the $5 billion provided by the federal government. But whether that $6.5 billion will actually cover the cost of repairing highways, bridges and dikes damaged by Novembers floods is unclear, as the government appears to still not know the full cost of flood damage and repairs.

There are no new significant new taxes increases or new taxes in the 2022-23 budget, apart from the usual annual increase of $5 per tonne to the carbon tax, which takes effect April 1. Carbon tax revenue is expected to grow by 5.2% annually over the next three years, and revenue from the Motor Fuel Tax will increase by about 1% annually over three years.

The government expects to see its revenues from forestry decline sharply, from $1.8 billion for the current fiscal year to $1.1 billion in 2022-23, and $909 million by the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The decline in forestry sector revenue is largely due to the NDP governments new forestry policies, notably a moratorium on old growth. The budget expects the annual allowable cut to decline from 45 million cubic metres in 2021 to just 38.5 million cubic metres by 2023  a decline of 6.5 million cubic metres.

B.C.s economy grew by 5% in 2021. GDP growth is expected to be 4% this year and 2.5% in 2023.

"Among the provinces, we are tied for the lowest unemployment rate and we have the fastest job growth since the start of the pandemic," B.C. Finance Minister Selina Robinson said in her budget address Tuesday. "In fact, more than 160,000 new jobs were created here last year."

The deficit for 2022-23 is projected to be $5.5 billion, and to decline to $3.2 billion by 2024-25.

The 2021-22 fiscal year is expected to end with $61.7 billion in government debt -- $10 billion lower than forecasted in last years budget. The debt is expected to increase to $90.8 billion by fiscal 2024-25, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio to 22.8%.

The deficit for 2021 was originally expected to be $9.7 billion, but as of the third quarter, the deficit for 2021 is now expected to come in at $483 million.

The budget focuses on both climate change mitigation and adaptation. There is, for example, new spending of $243 million for Emergency Management BC to make BC Wildfire Services a permanent, year-round operation, with more focus on proactive wildfire prevention. The budget also includes $83 million for disaster preparedness and adaptation.

Climate change mitigation also continues to be funded to the tune of $1 billion in additional money for CleanBC. That includes $348 million for clean industry and innovation.

Resource industries are increasingly affected by aboriginal rights and title issues. New bureaucracy is being created for the implementation of the governments Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act (DRIPA) through the creation of the new Declaration Act Secretariat.

The budget continues a PST exemption introduced in the last budget on the purchase of machinery and equipment, and the PST exemption is now being extended to green technology -- the purchase of heat pumps and used zero emission vehicles. The provincial motor fuel tax is being exempted for hydrogen burned in internal combustion engines.

This will benefit companies like B.C.-based Hydra Energy, as it works to transition heavy-duty vehicles to hydrogen power, Robinson said.

The PST will increase to 12% for fossil fuel heating equipment like natural gas furnaces. A low carbon fuel standard is being expanded and a new cap on emissions being implemented for natural gas utilities (i.e. FortisBC).

The budget forecasts natural resource revenue will decline by 17.9% in 2022-23 and 12.3% over two years. The decline is partly attributed to declining commodity prices.

Many of the commodities produced in B.C.  lumber, copper, metallurgical coal and natural gas  are, in fact, at or near record highs. The budget forecasts commodity prices to come down, however. Natural gas royalties are expected to generate $911 million for fiscal 2022-23, but then decline to just $580 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Revenue from forestry is expected to decline by a 39.3% in 2022-23, due to lower Crown harvest volumes. The budget earmarks $185 million over three years to help workers and communities hurt by the NDP governments old growth policies, which will remove a significant volume of timber from the timber harvest base.

Natural gas royalties are expected to spike in 2022-23 by 21.6% due to higher natural gas prices, but expected to decline over the next two years.

Business sectors to receive targeted subsidies in the 2022-23 budget include:

$195 million for life sciences;

$18 million to expedite the mining regulatory process;

$25 million for tourism sector; and

$67 million for skills and job training

Its difficult to say if $25 million is enough, said Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry of BC said at Tuesdays budget lockup of the funding for the touriam industry.

It may not be enough, depending on what happens this year. If we revert back to more measures or more restrictions and roll back some of the progress that weve made, then most definitely businesses are going to need help.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a news conference, Monday, February 21, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is sending hundreds more troops to eastern Europe and imposing new sanctions on Russia in response to its deployment of forces into Ukraine.

Trudeau says up to 460 more members of the Canadian Armed Forces are being sent to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO in response to what he described as a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The new troops are being deployed alongside an additional naval frigate and Aurora surveillance aircraft, and are on top of the 540 Armed Forces members already deployed to Latvia.

Trudeau says Canada is also taking a number of steps alongside its allies to isolate Russia financially by imposing economic sanctions against a number of Russian parliamentarians, business leaders and companies, including banks and defence firms.

Canada is also banning the purchase of Russian sovereign debt and any financial dealing with the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday recognizing those two regions as independent before ordering Russian troops into those areas.
Photo: The Canadian Press Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks about the implementation of the Emergencies Act, Thursday, February 17, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The U.S. Trade Representative's office has once again made its feelings clear about Canada's plan to implement a controversial new tax on digital services.

The office issued an abrupt statement today, the final day of public consultation on the proposal, urging the federal government to change course.

It wants Ottawa to focus instead on a multilateral plan for a global tax regime for so-called multinational enterprises  tech giants like Meta, Facebook's parent company, and Alphabet Inc., which owns Google.

Canada's proposal, which includes a three per cent tax worth $3.4 billion in revenue over five years, would only take effect in 2024 if those efforts don't come to pass.

But the USTR says that as a signatory to what's known as the "two-pillar" solution, Canada's unilateral alternative risks undermining the global tax plan by encouraging other countries to follow its lead.

The office says should Canada's plan go ahead, it would be seen by the U.S.  home to many of the impacted companies  as discriminatory and a violation of American trade law.

The global minimum tax agreement is supported by 136 countries, including all members of the G20 as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The first "pillar" of that plan is a moratorium on new digital service taxes while G20 and OECD members hash out the jurisdictional and sharing details of the complex scheme.

"As Canada is fully aware, the United States has serious concerns about measures that single out American firms for taxation while effectively excluding national firms engaged in similar lines of business," the USTR says in its public submission.

It calls the plan a "counterproductive unilateral measure" and urges Canada to "focus efforts on engaging constructively in the multilateral OECD negotiations  ensuring that its unilateral measure proposal is unnecessary and that Canadian interests are protected."

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland promised to delay the implementation of the tax for two more years, provided the OECD plan has not already kicked in. But the USTR notes it would be retroactive until the start of the current year.

Officials in Freeland's office say they are pressing ahead with the plan in the name of defending Canadian interests, but hope it won't be necessary to implement it.

Federal ministers have cited the Liberal government's own election promises, including a commitment to require digital companies to compensate legacy media outlets for linking to their work.
Photo: The Real Pat King Facebook

Freedom Convoy organizer Patrick King will have to wait until Friday to learn if he will be granted bail.

A judge reserved his decision following on King's bail following a hearing Tuesday that ran most of the day.

King, who has been known to promote racist conspiracy theories online, sat in the prisoners box in a grey hoodie emblazoned with the word Odin.

At one point King's lawyer tersely directed him to be quiet, saying it was not his time to give evidence.

Alberta resident Kerry Komix is proposing to be a surety for King should he be granted bail. Under the plan, King would live at her home in a spare room.

Komix said she would ensure King followed any bail conditions and attended future court dates, or she would risk forfeiting a $50,000 bond.

"As soon as hes released he will be in my 24-hour care," she said.

Komix said she was a light sleeper and had an attentive dog.

"I don't see any way he can breach it without my knowledge," she said.

"I will be able to hear every move that he makes."

Under cross-examination by the Crown, Komix said she had known King for four weeks, having travelled to Ottawa herself as part of the trucker convoy.

That prompted further questioning about how well Komix really knows King, as well as about her own beliefs.

The Crown played a videos of King making derogatory statements about different races and appearing pleased that a court order had been required earlier this month to quell the honking of protest trucks.

Komix said the King she knows loves every race.

Just before a break in the proceedings, King was served with papers from the law firm of Paul Champ, which is spearheading a civil action against protest organizers on behalf of downtown Ottawa residents.

King, 44, was arrested on Friday and faces charges of mischief, counselling to commit mischief, counselling to commit the offence of disobeying a court order and counselling to obstruct police. He live-streamed his own arrest.

Earlier Tuesday, primary convoy organizer and fundraiser Tamara Lich was denied bail on the grounds that there was a substantial likelihood she would reoffend if released. Another organizer, Chris Barber, was granted bail Friday.
Photo: The Canadian Press The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., Friday, April 13, 2018. Police say two teenagers at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary school in Surrey, B.C., have been injured following an alleged assault with a weapon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Police say two teenagers at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary school in Surrey, B.C., have been injured following an alleged assault with a weapon.

Surrey RCMP say they responded to reports of a stabbing on the school grounds Tuesday afternoon.

They say in a news release that teenagers were found with non-life-threatening injuries and taken to hospital.

A third teenager has been arrested.

Police say their initial investigation shows that the alleged assault stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the teens, who know each other.

Police say the RCMP youth unit is working with the school to ensure staff, students and their families are supported.
Photo: The Canadian Press Starr Cunningham, right, president & CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, facilitates a discussion on the human impact of events at the Mass Casualty Commission inquiry into the mass murders of April 18/19, 2020 in rural Nova Scotia, in Halifax on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Cheryl Myers, RN, left and social worker Crystal John as well as online participants complete the panel. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

The federal-provincial inquiry investigating the 2020 mass murder in Nova Scotia heard Tuesday from experts who talked about the tragedy's impact on the mental health of Nova Scotians and lingering feelings of loss, anger and frustration.

"And it's affecting people across the country, but Nova Scotia most of all," said Cheryl Myers, head of the Along the Shore Community Health Board. She said about 8,200 people live in the area where the rampage occurred, and they are struggling to rebuild support systems after losing 22 of their neighbours.

"Who do you trust now? How do you move on from this? When the phone rings at night, what do you do?" she asked.

She said local students are reporting difficulty with sleeping, eating and coping in general.

Katherine Hay, CEO of Kids Help Phone, said calls to the mental-health service doubled across Nova Scotia in the hours after the shooting stopped. For months afterwards, one-third of the calls from the province were about feelings of grief and loss that had been compounded by pandemic lockdowns, she said.

"We saw that ripple right across the country," Hay said.

Robin Cann, a private practice therapist in Nova Scotia's Cumberland County, said rural Nova Scotia has had its sense of safety badly shaken.

"This really has been shifted," she told the inquiry, adding that local residents have taken to locking their doors, something they never did before. "What people are describing is increased vigilance and a sense of unease."

Susan Henderson, executive director of the Colchester chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association, agreed that feelings of safety were shattered. "People really retreated to their homes and said, 'Now what do we do?'" Henderson said.

The inquiry, which is independent of the government, has the power to call witnesses and to subpoena documents.

Its goal is to gather facts to better understand the causes and consequences of what happened on April 18-19, 2020, when a lone gunman disguised as a Mountie killed 22 people, including a pregnant woman, in northern and central Nova Scotia.

The three commissioners leading the inquiry stressed Tuesday that a public inquiry is not the same as a trial. It is not an adversarial process and it cannot make findings of criminal or civil liability.

The inquiry is expected to produce an interim report in May and a final, non-binding report in November.
Photo: Roxanne Borisov On Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, a king tide and a windstorm converged to deal serious damage to Vancouver?s Stanley Park Seawall. Rising seas could make such events more common.

Metro Vancouver could be among the first global cities to get flooded by rising sea levels, according to a recent survey.

To rank the cities, San Francisco-based insurance researcher Matthew Nash assumed a sea level rise of 1.5 metres by centurys end using Climate Centrals Coastal Risk Screening Tool. (A recent U.S. government technical report on sea-level rise estimated water levels could climb by up to 2.1 metres by 2100, much higher than previously expected.)

From there, Nash cross-referenced the most visited cities in the world affected by sea level rise using data from Euromonitor International, a global business intelligence, market analysis and consumer insights firm.

The resulting 36 cities were then ranked by population to highlight how many people could be displaced. The survey suggests more than 226 million people could be directly affected by rising seas in the coming years. The top three cities under threat included Tokyo, Mumbai and New York City.

Metro Vancouver came in 19th on the list, with landmarks such as Steveston Harbour, Vancouver International Airport and Granville Island facing potential flooding.

Other global landmarks flagged as under threat from rising seas include St. Marks Basilica in Venice, Italy, Easter Island, Chile, and the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

Climate Centrals Coastal Risk Screening Tool doesn't have access to levee data outside of the United States. Therefore, the results, which show much of Richmond, Delta and Surrey underwater, almost certainly underestimate the effects of coastal defences.

On the other hand, Climate Centrals maps do not account for future changes in the frequency or intensity of storms, erosion, inland flooding or rising water levels made worse by rainfall or rivers.

The survey was not peer-reviewed.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Shortly before his president announced new sanctions against Russia, and a short walk from the aftermath of the antigovernment protests that paralyzed Ottawa and key border crossings, the American ambassador to Canada saw a connection.

U.S. Ambassador David Cohen said Tuesday the evolving Russia-Ukraine crisis and the so-called trucker protests also share a common trait  both are examples of how Canada and the United States are determined to fight the threats of authoritarianism and hate speech.

Cohen said that commitment is a crosscutting pillar in the road map for relations between the two countries to which President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed one year ago at their first meeting after the American president assumed power.

"If there's a lesson that comes out of the trucker blockade, it is how do we continue to engage in and enhance the dialogue that we're having around the importance of democracy, as compared to authoritarian regimes like Russia," Cohen said in an interview on Tuesday.

"We have a predisposed platform to be able to take on the hateful speech that we saw in the demonstration, as two countries working together and as leading the world to tell the story about why hate speech is not the way out," he added.

"Working together and respecting each other and respecting all peoples is the best way to proceed, and to build alliances, commercial alliances and defence alliances."

Cohen was speaking in Ottawa hours before Biden's announcement that the U.S. had ordered heavy sanctions against Russian banks and business leaders, some of the so-called oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin.

Canada and the United States are fully aligned on a set of sanctions that will inflict pain on Putin and other high-level Russians if he further invades Ukraine, said Cohen.

As he signed a new executive order, Biden said "the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine" had begun after Russian troops had crossed into rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine.

"They will be incredibly painful. We continue to emphasize that there is a diplomatic route to avoid this crisis, and that we're giving Russia every opportunity to accept diplomacy and conversation instead of conflict and sanctions," said Cohen.

"And I think Canada is fully aligned in designing a set of sanctions that will have the same impact."

Later Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada was sending hundreds more troops to eastern Europe and imposing new sanctions on Russia.

Cohen also was speaking from a U.S. embassy boardroom that was less than a city block from where empty Ottawa streets remained barricaded under police guard after being cleared in a major law enforcement sweep on the weekend.

The so-called "freedom convoy" exposed Canada's vulnerability to foreign influence as internet fundraising accounts showed massive amounts of money pouring in from foreign jurisdictions to finance the protests, led by U.S. donors.

The Trudeau government has targeted that financing as part of its invocation of the Emergencies Act, which has given it the power to freeze bank and credit card accounts of organizers.

The federal New Democrats called for Cohen to testify before the House of Commons foreign affairs committee to discuss the American funds but the request was defeated by the governing Liberal members on the committee, as well as the Conservative opposition.

Asked whether the two countries needed to co-operate more on dealing with the flow of money across each other's borders, Cohen said: "I'm not prepared to say that that is a priority for the United States."

Cohen said the demonstrations that occurred in Canada were typical of the populist uprisings on display across the world.

"These are uprisings by people who are angry at government, who don't like government, who don't like large institutions, and who come together to try and achieve usually very broad objectives, up to and including changing control of the government, which is really exactly what the convoy demonstrations appeared to be about," said Cohen.

"Along the way, this particular demonstration had a short term, but very negative, impact on trade between the United States and Canada."

The Canadian side of the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor and Detroit, was blocked for about a week by protesters, before police cleared them away. The bridge is one of the busiest land trade routes in the world, and its shutdown raised alarm bells in Washington.

Cohen said that in his short time in Canada  he was confirmed for the post by the U.S. Congress late in 2021  he has seen a far more pervasive sentiment that supports people from diverse backgrounds, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples than some of the vitriol that was on display in the Ottawa protest.

"I have some personal experience in this space. And I'm a big believer in the principle that the best way to fight speech that you find offensive, and that you don't agree with, is with more speech on the other side of that speech," he said.

"I take the lesson from the trucker demonstration, the importance of raising our voices in favour of the democratic principles of our two countries."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Jurors started deliberating Wednesday in the federal trial of three fired Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyds civil rights, after a judge gave them jury instructions.

J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care when fellow Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyds neck for 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man pleaded for air before going silent. Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, killing that was captured on bystander video and triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent a full day Tuesday in closing arguments that recapped a month of testimony and sought to sway the jury toward their view of the case.

Prosecutors said the three officers chose to do nothing as Chauvin, squeezed the life out of Floyd. Defense attorneys countered that the officers were too inexperienced, werent trained properly and did not willfully violate Floyds rights.

U. S. District Judge Paul Magnuson went through the counts Wednesday, telling jurors what they must consider. For example, he defined reasonable force and said if the jury finds that Chauvin used unreasonable force  and that Thao and Kueng had a realistic opportunity to intervene to stop it  then they must find that they deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable force under the Constitution.

He also reminded jurors that they need to consider the evidence against each man separately and return a separate verdict for each count.

Prosecutors sought to show during the monthlong trial that the officers violated their training, including when they failed to roll Floyd onto his side or give him CPR. Prosecutors have argued that Floyds condition was so serious that even bystanders without basic medical training could see he needed help.

But the defense said the Minneapolis Police Department's training was inadequate and that the officers deferred to Chauvin as the senior officer at the scene.

Thao watched bystanders and traffic as the other officers held down Floyd. Kueng knelt on Floyds back and Lane held his legs. All three officers testified.

During her closing argument, prosecutor Manda Sertich singled out each former officer.

Thao stared directly at Chauvin and ignored bystanders pleas to help a man who was dying right before their eyes, Sertich said.

Kueng casually picked gravel from a police SUVs tire as Chauvin mocked George Floyds pleas by saying it took a heck of a lot of oxygen to keep talking, she said.

And Lane voiced concerns that showed he knew Floyd was in distress but did nothing to give Mr. Floyd the medical aid he knew Mr. Floyd so desperately needed, the prosecutor said.

But attorneys for rookies Lane and Kueng urged jurors to question why their clients were charged at all.

Lane's attorney, Earl Gray, said his client was very concerned about Floyd and suggested rolling him onto his side so he could breathe, but was rebuffed twice by Chauvin. He noted that Lane tried to help revive Floyd after an ambulance arrived, telling jurors that any reasonable person should just be disgusted, should be infuriated that Lane was charged.

Kueng's attorney, Thomas Plunkett, said that Chauvin was in charge and that police weren't adequately trained on the duty to intervene. He also said Kueng looked up to Chauvin, his former field training officer, and relied on this persons experience.

Im not trying to say he wasnt trained, Plunkett said. Im saying the training was inadequate to help him see, perceive and understand what was happening here.

Thao and Chauvin went to the scene to help Kueng and Lane after they responded to a call that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store. Floyd struggled with officers as they tried to put him in a police SUV.

Thao's attorney, Robert Paule, said his client thought the officers were doing what they believed was best for Floyd  holding him until paramedics arrived.

The charges include language that the officers willfully deprived Floyd of his constitutional rights. That means jurors must find that officers acted with a bad purpose or improper motive to disobey or disregard the law, Paule said.

He noted that Thao increased the urgency of an ambulance call for Floyd, something he said was clearly not for a bad purpose. He also said that Thao reasonably believed Floyd was on drugs and needed to be restrained until medical assistance arrived.

On the charge that Floyd was denied medical care, Sertich said that the fact that the officers knew Floyd was in distress but did nothing is proof of willfulness, she said.

She pointed to the 2 1/2 precious minutes after Floyd became unresponsive and before paramedics got there.

They chose to do nothing, and their choice resulted in Mr. Floyds death, she said.

Sertich contrasted the officers inaction with the desperate pleas from bystanders that they get off Floyd and check for a pulse.

A jury that appears to be all white is deliberating. The court did not release demographic information.

Federal civil rights violations that result in death are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those sentences are extremely rare, and federal sentencing guidelines suggest the officers would get much less if convicted.

Chauvin pleaded guilty in the federal case in December, months after he was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges.

Lane, who is white, Kueng, who is Black, and Thao, who is Hmong American, also face a separate trial in June on state charges alleging that they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter.
Photo: CTV News

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating reports that some of its officers donated to the so-called "Freedom Convoy" protests against COVID-19 measures.

OPP spokesman Bill Dickson says the force is aware that members "appear to have made donations that have gone toward the unlawful protest in Ottawa."

He says officers mustn't do anything that could be interpreted as "condoning illegal activity," and the police service holds officers accountable for their actions while on and off duty.

Dickson did not say how many officers were being investigated.

His comments come after the Toronto Star reported finding the names of more than a dozen officers from the OPP, Toronto Police Service and Ottawa Police Service on a leaked list of donors to the protest's "GiveSendGo" page.

Toronto Police spokeswoman Connie Osborne declined to speculate on the validity of the "illegally obtained data" but said the service made its Professional Standards Unit aware of two names circulating on the list.

Ottawa Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Photo: The Canadian Press Wildland firefighter Katie Devaney carries an axe and hose as she works to extinguish hot spots remaining from a controlled burn the B.C. Wildfire Service conducted to help contain the White Rock Lake wildfire on Okanagan Indian Band land, northwest of Vernon on Wednesday, August 25, 2021. A fire ecologist says new provincial funding to expand the BC Wildfire Service to a year-round endeavour is a welcome step toward preventing and mitigating disasters, while some others in the field say the funds could be better spent elsewhere. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A fire ecologist says new provincial funding to expand the BC Wildfire Service to a year-round endeavour is a welcome step toward preventing disasters, while others in the field say the funds could be better spent elsewhere.

Bob Gray said landscape-scale planning, prescribed burns and other tactics for reducing the risk of wildfires can take significant behind-the-scenes planning during the off-season.

"There is so much work to do that this is a welcome decision on the part of the province," he said in an interview from Chilliwack, B.C.

Funding announced Tuesday in the B.C. budget includes $145 million over three years to be used in part to move the BC Wildfire Service from its current reactive model of fire response to a more proactive one.

Another $98 million over three years will help fund the maintenance of forest service roads and prevention work, while more than $26 million is flagged for upgrading the agency's facilities.

The B.C. government imposed a state of emergency last July, a few weeks after fire destroyed much of the town of Lytton during a sweltering heat wave. Many more homes were lost in other communities to wildfires later last summer.

The 2017 wildfire season, where nearly 65,000 residents were forced to leave their homes, set a record for area burned at just over 12,000 square kilometres. That record was eclipsed a year later when 135,000 square kilometres was burned.

Gray, who has done consulting work for some provinces, the federal government and the World Bank, said a year-round service could help fill gaps in much-needed prevention and mitigation work.

Prescribed burns, or intentionally set fires similar to the practice Indigenous communities once used to manage forests, have drawn attention in recent years as a method for reducing fire risk.

But Gray said it can take up to a year to plan a burn, given all the hurdles of obtaining permits, liaising with Indigenous and local communities, while ensuring archeological sites, recreational areas and endangered species are protected.

On a larger scale, investing in more landscape planning that looks at fire risks in whole watersheds could have big payoffs.

If a wildfires scorches up to 1,000 square kilometres, planning should occur on a similar scale, Gray said. It means shifting beyond a focus at the edge of communities to look at the broader ecosystem.

"We have to be managing landscapes of a similar size if we're going to have any impact on that. So, the little postage stamp, which is what we've been doing  20 hectares here and 40 hectares there  they don't have any impact on these larger processes that take place," Graysaid, referring to buffer areas cleared around communities.

Some consultants already working in prevention and mitigation expressed skepticism at the government's plan to expand the wildfire service to do the same.

John Davies, a registered professional forester and wildland fire specialist in Vernon, said he expects the wildfire service could have difficulty retaining seasonal employees like student firefighters beyond the summer.

"It's really going to be the devil in the details how they make this plan work," said Davies, a former employee of the service.

Davies said he is typically contracted by local governments or First Nations to reduce fuel, conduct controlled burns and undertake other measures to lower the fire risk.

Expanding the focus on prevention and mitigation is welcome, but the problem isn't a lack of experts in the field, he said. It's that local communities haven't had sufficient funding for the level of work that is needed.

Rather than expanding the wildfire service, Davies said he believes the province should increase local funding so that contractors, like himself, can bid on projects at a competitive rate to the benefit of taxpayers.

While last year's budget included $120 million in emergency preparedness supports for communities and $90 million for community-level wildfire prevention, the 2022-23 budget discontinues those funding streams.

Bruce Morrow, who works in forestry and fuel management, also said the government could better incorporate working professionals rather than training BC Wildfire Service employees to do the same.

"If you want to get better at wildfire suppression and management, we need to have everyone involved," he said.

Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tsilhqot'in National Government has been a critic of provincial and federal responses to wildfires, saying their failure to recognize Indigenous knowledge posed a greater threat to the First Nation than the fires themselves.

The Tsilhqot'in territory in the province's Interior saw some of the worst fires in the province's history in 2017.

Alphonse pointed to the fire that tore through Lytton last summer as evidence that there's still room for improvement. The B.C. government has acknowledged that early communication with First Nations in the area didn't live up to expectations.

"I think those moneys would be better used and better served ... to strengthen their relations with First Nations people," Alphonse said.
China handles complex Ukraine crisis with caution, principle

By Yang Sheng, Chen Qingqing and Fan Anqi (Global Times) 09:02, February 23, 2022

The Ukraine crisis sees new change as Russia has decided to recognize two regions in eastern Ukraine as "independent and sovereign states," and the UN Security Council has met on the issue, with China calling on all parties to continue dialogue and consultations and seek reasonable solutions.

The situation shows that Russia has seen through the weakness of the West led by the US and decided to take more direct actions to push the US and NATO to respond to its security concerns, and by recognizing the two regions as sovereign states, Russian forces would be able to enter the regions openly.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015).

China is concerned about the development of the Ukraine issue and its position on the Ukraine issue has been consistent, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call upon request on Tuesday. Any country's legitimate security concerns should be respected and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld, Wang said.

All parties concerned should continue dialogue and consultation, and seek reasonable solutions to address each other's concerns on the basis of equality and mutual respect, Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun saidat the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

Zhang underlined that the current situation in Ukraine "is a result of many complex factors. China always makes its own position according to the merits of the matter itself. We believe that all countries should solve international disputes by peaceful means in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."

China has close strategic ties with Russia, but whether it is about the most recent situation or the Crimea issue in the past, China has always stayed neutral and urged relevant parties to handle the situation through talks, said Chinese experts, noting that this stance is more constructive and less harmful to the ongoing tension, as the crisis was caused by complicated reasons, including NATO's aggressive expansion that caused concrete security threats to Russia and other non-NATO countries in the region. So it would be unfair to merely blame and accuse one side.

After the Cold War, Russia showed interest in joining NATO but the request was declined, and NATO promised Russia that it would not expand, but failed to keep its promise. The NATO expansion has brought heavy pressure on Russia as NATO has deployed weapons and missile defense systems in countries around Russia, and this has undermined the nuclear strategic balance in Europe.

More seriously, NATO launched military intervention to totally break former Yugoslavia - a sovereign country - into pieces. All of these have forced Russia to choose to take such tough actions today. So the crisis was caused by complicated reasons, said Chinese experts.

They noted that in the NATO's military action against former Yugoslavia, the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade was bombed and three Chinese journalists were killed, and China is now facing similar pressure from the US in the Asian-Pacific region. That's why Chinese mainstream public opinion on NATO tends to be negative and China's stance is not the same as that of the West.

Russia's plan and China's stance

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Tuesday, "The reason why Russia took such actions is that Putin wants to make the US and NATO follow Russia's step in this strategic game as Russia is strongly unsatisfied with the US and NATO's negative response to Russia's security concerns about the issue of NATO expansion, and Putin has seen through the weakness of the West."

Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, the US has uttered a lot of tough words and made a series of military deployments in Europe, but its political stance is very weak as Washington repeatedly stressed that it won't go to war with Russia on the issue, so this made Russia decide to impose a "stress test" on the US and the EU, to see how the West would further react, and whether Russia's security concerns would be responded to effectively, Cui noted.

As Moscow asked the US and NATO for security guarantees, Western countries ignored Russia's fundamental concerns and nothing has changed in their position, Putin noted on Monday.

Russia's demands to the US and NATO for security include: Ukraine should not join NATO; a limit to the deployment of troops and weapons in NATO's eastern flank, in effect returning NATO forces to where they were stationed in 1997.

"The situation is getting increasingly complicated and unpredictable," Yang Jin, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"By recognizing the LPR and DPR, from Russia's perspective, it would be legitimate for its military forces to enter relevant regions, as these two 'states' could invite Russian troops to enter their territories for peacekeeping or other missions," Yang said.

Putin said on Tuesday that "Russia has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine" by fighting for the implementation of the 2015 Minsk Agreements, but all the efforts ended up in vain, according to Xinhua.

Yang said if the 2015 Minsk Agreements had been fully implemented, Russia won't be concerned that Ukraine would join NATO. But the US and other forces overtly agree but covertly oppose the Minsk Agreements to push Ukraine to join NATO or try to deploy military forces in the country. This has caused Russia's tough reactions.

Cui Heng, an assistant research fellow at the Center for Russian Studies of East China Normal University, said that Ukraine used to be a very prosperous country in Europe, but its situation is getting increasingly difficult with a declining economy and worsening security, and even losing territories. A key reason is that Ukrainian politicians have chosen the wrong strategy amid the confrontation between Russia and the West in recent years.

"If the country located in the middle between Russia and the West takes side and is hostile to one side instead of being neutral, it will definitely cause tragedy," he noted.

The Chinese analyst said China has close strategic ties with Russia, and also has many investments and long-standing cooperation with Ukraine, so China will definitely stay neutral and keep its principles related to sovereign states' territorial integrity.

Cui Hongjian said, "We believe that the most urgent task at the moment is to urge relevant parties to talk and not to have any conflict. Second, Russia and Ukraine could actually solve the problem face to face. Third, the West, especially the US, should stop further intensifying the tension by making further military deployments and imposing more sanctions."

Most major Western powers including the US, the UK, the EU, Canada, Australia and Japan have condemned Russia's latest move and claim that they will impose new sanctions against Moscow.

What's next?

"The situation in eastern Ukraine is undergoing major changes," the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

"The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine reminds Chinese citizens and Chinese-funded enterprises in Ukraine to pay attention to the safety notices issued locally and not to go to unstable regions."

Chinese experts predicted that an all-out war is still unlikely as the massive military operation will cause the situation out of control, so the conflict might focus in the specific regions rather than expand to the whole country.

What the West could do is very limited, and the US prefers to increase military deterrence against Russia but this is not what the EU wants. In terms of what sanctions would be imposed on Russia, Western countries will coordinate to reach a final conclusion.

Chinese experts also predicted that the US would place more resources in Europe than in the Asia-Pacific region in the future due to the changing geopolitical situation in Ukraine.

At least in the next few years, the US will have to focus on Europe, and the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" will be reduced to an empty shelf and a slogan. The US has always said that it wants strategic competition, but unexpectedly, the arena of fierce strategic competition will be in Europe rather than in the Indo-Pacific, Li Haidong, a professor from the Institute of International Relations of China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"If the US insists on talking about the Indo-Pacific at this juncture, doing so will mean facing another collapsing end like it had faced in Afghanistan. I don't think the American policy elites will be so stupid," Li said.

There are voices from the West that have tried to distort China's stance on the crisis, and compare the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question. But Chinese analysts said the two cases are entirely different, as Taiwan has never been a sovereign state and the Taiwan question is China's internal affairs instead of an international issue, and China's approach to promoting and realizing its national reunification has nothing to do with the Ukraine crisis.

On Western media linking the Ukraine crisis with the Taiwan question, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a routine press conference on Tuesday that "it's an irrefutable historical and juridical fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the one-China principle is a recognized norm in international relations."

"The Chinese people have staunch determination, firm will, and strong ability to defend their national sovereignty," Wang said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Get to know the Emporia and area baseball and softball teams in the 2022 Baseball and Softball special section.

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I do not agree with the (federal) governments actions to implement (the Emergencies Act).

As far as I know, it doesnt even qualify to be implemented.

I believe its the prime minister having a tantrum after not dealing with the protest, something that could have been dealt with peacefully. He seems to run and hide when things arent going his way. He cant handle the pressure.

If he cant handle it, he needs to move over and let someone else lead this nation.

This nation is upside down right now and all he does is add fuel to the fires, causing more division and contradicting himself. Instead of meeting with a protest of peaceful people, the (prime minister) decided to call them racist terrorists. How childish. How closed minded.

The people are trying to unite the nation, to rebuild. The government is trying to destroy it.

I do not agree with (the governments) actions in any way.

Brandie Kingshott
Photo: Contributed Penticton's Troy Schalm cemented his arm into a logging road in the Fairy Creek area last year.

A judge hearing a request to stay proceedings against people arrested at old-growth logging protests on Vancouver Island says the application has a reasonable prospect of success, but he wants another judge to consider it with "fresh eyes."

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Douglas Thompson says he has asked the chief justice to assign a second judge to hear the protesters' application, which alleges misconduct by the RCMP during arrests where about 400 people were charged with criminal contempt.

Over 1,100 people have been arrested since the injunction against blockades in the Fairy Creek watershed northwest of Victoria was granted last year to logging company Teal Cedar Products Ltd.

Six protesters were part of the application, but the Crown has since stayed charges against two women who also alleged abuse of process by officers who they said used unlawful tactics to arrest them.

In separate proceedings heard by Thompson, some people who pleaded guilty to contempt of court have been sentenced to up to seven days in jail or a $500 fine and 50 hours of community service.

Other protesters' trials were expected to start next month, and while Thompson says he will manage those cases, some of the protesters may choose to apply to adjourn proceedings and join the stay application.

Karen Mirsky, who has one client applying for a stay, says she represents about 25 others making similar allegations and that many of them are expected to join the stay application.

"We are holding back to find out if we could go ahead in this way," she says of the potential for the case to move ahead depending on the new judge's decision.

Mirsky says it's reasonable for Thompson to pass the stay-application case to a second judge as he manages the trials of others charged for allegedly violating the injunction order.

She says the high number of arrests at the protests involved the largest-such police operation in Canadian history.

The Crown had argued the stay application had no grounds to proceed because some of the applicants were relying on accounts of others who alleged mistreatment by police.

A spokesman for the Crown did not wish to comment on Thompson's decision.

Thompson says he anticipates a new judge will hold a pre-hearing conference to get advice before lawyers for protesters and the Crown are told when the stay application will be heard.
Votorantim expands its operations in northeast Brazil

23 February 2022

Votorantim Cimentos has opened a new distribution centre in the municipality of Crateus, reinforcing its presence and logistics in the markets of Ceara and Piaui, Brazil.

The Ceara distribution centre is located 350 km from Fortaleza, and will expand the service and distribution capacity of Cimento Poty and the Votomassa line of adhesive mortars in the centre-south, south, Sertoes Cearenses, Baixo Jaguaribe, Medio Curu and Ipu regions.

The Crateus DC has a distribution capacity of 2100tpm of products and 1480m2 of built area. The start of the new logistics operation reinforces the supply to the Ceara and Piaui markets. In the state of Ceara, Votorantim already has two cement factories, one in Sobral and the other in the Pecem Industrial Complex, and two distribution centres, one in Juazeiro do Norte (Votorantim first distribution centre in the country operated exclusively by women) and another in Fortaleza, near to the port of Mucuripe. In Piaui, Votorantim operates a distribution centre in Teresina, located 300km from Crateus.

With the new operation of the CD in Crateus, we have optimised the synergy between our factories in Ceara and expanded our operations in the Northeast by strengthening our operations in the regions of Southeast Piauiense, Litoral and Campo Maior, in Piaui. These are strategic markets for us to strengthen our presence and offer solutions for the civil construction sector in an increasingly agile and customer-focused way, improving efficiency and quality of service, says the company's logistics manager for the Northeast Region, Carlos Eduardo Gondim.

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Buzzi Unicem launched CGreen in Germany and Italy

23 February 2022

Buzzi Unicem has launched the new product line called CGreen, a family of CO 2 efficient cements, on the Italian and German markets.

CGreen marks the natural evolution of Buzzi Unicem's hydraulic binders, continuing in the footsteps of a long tradition of high-quality, high-performance products. The CGreen line was developed by selecting suitable active additions, partially replacing clinker, optimising grinding and mixing conditions and using new generation additives, at the same time keeping the required technical performance.

"The ecological transition," explains Antonio Buzzi, chief operating officer Cemento Italia, "calls for us to adapt our behaviours and actions in order to neutralise our carbon footprint: we all have a responsibility to reduce CO 2 emissions, which are considered a key factor in amplifying the greenhouse effect and, consequently, climate change. This transition, therefore, implies the partial or total redesign of production processes, distribution systems and consumption patterns, heralding the start of a potential industrial revolution and a change in our habits."

CGreen will be the distinguishing trademark for low-carbon footprint cements in all countries where the group operates. In particular today, Dyckerhoff ECO COMFORT and Dyckerhoff CEDUR cements, launched on the German market, join the CGreen family.

Dirk Beese, managing director Dyckerhoff GmbH: The CGreen cements Dyckerhoff ECO COMFORT and CEDUR are our new cements with a carbon footprint up to 39 per cent lower compared to standard Portland cements. These cements are our solution to the increasing demand for CO 2 efficient cements in our markets.

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Chatham, VA (24531)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds overnight. Low 57F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
UnifiEd is partnering with Red Bank High School and LifeSpring Community Health to host a vaccination event at the Red Bank Community Fair on Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at Red Bank High School, 640 Morrison Springs Road in Red Bank. UnifiEd will provide $25 to the first 100 people (children and adults) who get the COVID vaccine or booster.



Those who are fully vaccinated will not be excluded from the rewards. Anyone who has been fully vaccinated will have an opportunity to enter a $250 drawing. Proof of vaccination will be required. The medical staff at LifeSpring Community Health will not only administer the COVID vaccines, they will also offer free rapid COVID testing.



In addition to offering COVID vaccines and testing, the Red Bank Community Fair will include nearly 100 colleges/educational institutions, social services agencies and businesses that offer an array of service and resources to the community residents.


Hamilton County residents looking to sharpen their computer skills have free opportunities to do so at The Edney each Wednesday with Tech Goes Home Chattanooga beginning March 2.



The Computer Basics course series will take place each Wednesday in March from 6-9 p.m. and includes tutorials on internet resources available, staying safe online, how to use Google apps and more. Following that, the Office Ready course series, for job seekers interested in building their workplace tech skills, will run from April 6 to May 4, on the same 6-9 p.m. schedule.



"Digital technologies have greatly impacted our modern society in how we live, work, learn and even play, said TGH Program Director Sammy Lowdermilk. It's becoming increasingly important to be knowledgeable about technology and have the understanding to navigate the internet. These classes help to bridge the digital skills gaps of our local residents and foster community connection."



So what is Tech Goes Home? TGH CHA is The Enterprise Center's digital inclusion and literacy program for residents in Hamilton County, and around the region and state. Since 2014, more than 6,000 residents have attended a Tech Goes Home course.



Modeled after Boston's award-winning national program, Tech Goes Home provides participants with the tools, education and access required for 21st century skills development.



Through partnerships with schools, public libraries, churches, nonprofits and other organizations across the county, TGH CHA offers free courses designed to help residents develop skills and habits required for smart technology and internet use.



Participants receive 15 hours of classroom training to help them understand why the internet is relevant in their daily lives, have the option to purchase a new Chromebook or tablet for only $50 (upon completion of the course) and receive assistance in obtaining access to low-cost home internet.



Class size is limited and registration is required. For more information or to apply for the free classes, call 423-521-2071 or visit www.techgoeshomecha.org.
A Night at the Movies! featuring the Symphonic Band, will be held on Thursday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chattanooga State Community College Humanities Theatre, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. in Chattanooga.



The Chattanooga State Symphonic Band invites you to a multi-media evening featuring great music and videos from giants of the movie industryDisneys FROZEN, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story, Ratatouille, La La Land, Cars, Up and more.

The ensemble is directed by Nicholas Hartline and includes students of Chattanooga State, Collegiate High, the STEM School of Chattanooga and community volunteers.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 423-697-2460.
Roy Exum's criticism of GPS's new Head of School, Megan Cover, is laced with misogynistic vitriol. After mocking Ms. Cover's efforts to facilitate modern conversations around race and gender, he suggests she instead tell students to "tighten their uniform belts." Mr. Exum's perspective on the proper education for girls is so disturbing, I am genuinely concerned for the women in his life.

Underneath his sexism and colorful language, I detect fear - fear that the new ideas flowing at GPS are representative of a world that is unfamiliar to him, one in which race and gender are socially constructed and traditions are meant to be challenged. Unlike Mr. Exum, GPS girls are not afraid of new ideas.

Like Mr. Exums, my family has a history with GPS. I am a descendant of Grace McCallie, one the school's three founders. Dozens of my family members have walked across the GPS graduation stage since 1906. My mother graduated in 1980. I graduated in 2013. The May Pole is certainly not my most cherished memory of GPS. On the contrary, I am the woman I am today because we read Beloved by Toni Morrison and The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Would Mr. Exum prefer that we omit these texts because they recognize the impact of institutionalized slavery and break down socially constructed definitions of "men" and "women"?

In May, I will graduate with honors from Columbia Law School. I learned a passion for intellectual discourse and an outstanding work ethic from GPS. My "liberal teachers" pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged the beliefs I took for granted. In truth, I could have done without the prayer in assembly. Even with the occasional Bible verse, GPS is not and has never been the evangelical Sunday School that Mr. Exums opinion essay describes.

Mr. Exum fails to recognize that the very founding of GPS was an act of rebellion against sexist norms. When Spencer and Park McCallie founded a private college preparatory school in 1905, their sister Grace McCallie, volunteered to teach the girls who would be admitted. But the McCallie brothers did not think women should receive a college preparatory education. Grace was undeterred. With only a fraction of the funding of McCallie, Grace started GPS in her own home with Tommie Payne Duffy and Eula Lea Jarnagin. GPS was not founded on "Christian-principles." It was founded on a fierce commitment to the autonomy and intellectual development of women.

Megan Covers leadership is realigning GPS with its intended purpose: to prepare young women for a world that is so much bigger than Chattanooga, Tennessee. In fact, Ms. Cover is actualizing an even deeper purpose for the school: to create a robust learning environment that is accepting of young women from different races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Conservative and affluent white parents who find this effort concerning are in need of some serious self-reflection.

I am thrilled to see GPS taking decisive steps to be more inclusive. Although my experience at GPS was overwhelmingly positive, at times, I experienced homophobia that made me feel as though my identity should remain hidden. Today, I see a GPS where girls have more liberty to express and discuss sexual orientation and gender identity. That type of learning environment is nourishing to both the mind and the soul. I would have thrived under GPSs current leadership. Perhaps my fiance (who is also named Megan) and I will need to pay Megan Cover a friendly visit when we travel to Chattanooga for our wedding in March.

Parents, if you are more comfortable sending your daughters to a school where they will not be presented with new, challenging ideas about race and gender, so be it. The last thing GPS needs is fire and brimstone from disapproving elites who prefer indoctrination to intellectualism. But just know that you are making the choice to keep your daughter's world small.

Megan Cover, keep up the good work.

Mary Rebecca Gardner, Class of 2013

* * *

As a current parent of two girls at GPS, I want to provide some perspective from my point of view. My children are in the 7th grade, having attended GPS for the past two years. My wife and I are very happy with our decision to send our girls to GPS.

My primary concern when we were looking for a school was for our girls to find a place where they belonged but also where they could be challenged and could grow. Fortunately for us here in Chattanooga, there are many schools that could provide this opportunity.

As a Baylor alum, my heart always gravitated back to my alma mater. The admissions process at GPS opened my eyes to the benefits of single-sex education. Multiple parent meetings showed us the growth opportunities that GPS could offer.

In our two years at the school, my girls have become more independent, and more self-assured. They have confidence in their own abilities and the strength to try new things that might not have been in their comfort zone previously.

I was traveling for work this past week and spoke with several different people who either were alumni of GPS or parents of former students. The stories that they tell about their personal accomplishments or those of their children is what I desire for my own children. The ability that these women have to walk into any room, anywhere, and feel like they belong. The ability and strength of character they have to stand up and speak their mind. The opportunity to absorb multiple points of view and make decisions based upon those differing viewpoints is invaluable.

I wish that every child had the opportunities that my girls are blessed with. I look forward to the conversations and debates with my girls about their feelings for what is right and what is wrong. Some of these conversations will be uncomfortable and we will disagree but that is the entire point: to build thoughtful, considerate, well-rounded participants in our society.

It is disingenuous to try and put people into ideological boxes based on our perception of them or their actions. People just do not neatly fit into these boxes that we create. As a parent, I want my children to be open-minded to the people, the thoughts, and the beliefs of the people that they are exposed to. I want them to have many different opportunities to learn perspectives that are different from my own.

Our perspective has to be formed and shaped by our experiences. That perspective also has to be flexible and have the ability to change and grow as experiences change us.

This is what GPS provides my girls. I applaud the entire GPS Community starting with Megan Cover. The school, the Trustees, the faculty and the staff have a singular focus on living the mission of the school: to do what is best for the girl.





Steven Sharpe

* * *

Several months ago I wrote an article for The Tennessean that highlighted ways in which I have seen residents of our state embrace the changing demographics associated with the booming real estate market in Tennessee that attracts so many newcomers. Ive been heartened in the past few years as Ive witnessed some in the Volunteer State open their arms to welcome a more diverse Tennessee.





When I read my fathers article in The Chattanoogan yesterday, however, I wondered if Id spoken too soon. His hurtful and untrue comments about new resident Megan Cover do not reflect the kind of Southern hospitality that Tennessee is known for, and his rhetoric is miles from civil discourse.





His article, How Woke is GPS?, begins as critical of Ms. Cover, the newest Head of School at Girls Preparatory School from which I graduated in 2001. I doubt my father has ever met Ms. Cover, but the article paints her to be a threat to the school and its students. On the contrary, when I met her in Nashville last fall, I was impressed by her compassionate warmth, courageous leadership, and gracious personality. If I lived in Chattanooga, Id send my girls to GPS in a heartbeat.





As it turns out, as the article goes on, it is not as much about Ms. Cover - it is more about my fathers loathing of Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which he has made no secret of in previous columns. Ms. Cover is used as a decoy for him to really attack what I presume he fears - change.





Ive been in ministry for nearly two decades, and from what I can tell in hours spent sitting with people, change is more terrifying for many of us than wed like to admit. We fear what we do not understand, and quite often change brings uncertainty which, of course, makes it hard to comprehend. So we fear change. The relativeness newness of terms like Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have the potential to come off as threats when in actuality, equality isnt to be feared at all. Who doesnt want a house with a crowded table and a wide porch?





If I may assure you: you can be a practicing Christian, support Critical Race Theory, and be a proponent of inclusion at the same time. Loving Jesus and embracing diversity are not mutually exclusive. No one cast a wider net than Jesus himself.





My husband and I have two daughters who attend a private all-girls school here in Nashville, similar to GPS, and Im continually in awe of how their school is committed to making sure every girl belongs in their community. One student writes that Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important in schools because they allow students to gain a stronger, more realistic perspective of the world around them. I couldnt have said it better, and I wish my time at GPS had been enhanced by more diversity when I was a student there. Im grateful that girls currently enrolled at GPS will be able to experience a broader range of ideas from their classmates.





I suppose its easy to throw rocks from behind a mountaintop computer, but its not the critic who counts here, as Teddy Roosevelt once said. The credit here belongs to the (wo)man in the arena, Megan Cover, who is making sure that GPS really does, as my father wrote, produce some of the most outstanding young women in the South. As for my father, I can only quote Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Come, come, my conservative friend. Wipe the dew from your spectacles, and see that the world is moving.





So, heres to the girls! And heres to Ms. Cover. Welcome to Tennessee.





Mary Cady Bolin, M Div.

GPS class of 2001

* * *

There are so many things I find wrong with your article, enough that could have me debating for hours on end tonight. As an alumnus of GPS not once did I think or comment about the school being too woke when the new headmistress was announced, nor did I see classmates commenting or posting such. Mr. Exum, perhaps you should have consulted with all alumni before making claims in your article; I know one of the things I learned there was doing research and due diligence to get to the truth, I can thank my teachers there for making me the critical thinker I am today.



Had you polled alumni you may have found that GPS taught us, and still teaches its students, to embrace others from every walk of life and background, to be curious and seek truths, and to be respectful of opinions that may not be like our own. GPS taught myself, and others, that just because we are women we shouldnt feel we need to hide our intelligence and opinions, we should feel confident to speak up and speak out, and that our gender in the male dominated south shouldnt make us any less worthy of advancement in the workplace.



You know whats funny? The last time I remember reciting the pledge of allegiance is in the 5th grade; when I attended GPS students still started in the 7th grade so let this sink in, my last year of public school no pledge was recited. As for prayer in school, we never started each school day with one; this never happened when I attended public school either. Prayer was, indeed, allowed at GPS; my brother said one before my chapel talk senior year. I sat though 6 total years of many prayers during chapel talk. Perhaps, Mr. Exum, we should circle back to the whole doing research thing. You do realize that fact checking is at the center of your job, right?



GPS is a school that embraced all religions. Why? Because we had a diverse student body made up of many religions and denominations. As such we were taught to be respectful of those who followed a religion other than our own, similarly we accepted those who followed no religion. As a Christian myself Im taught to treat others how I want to be treated, and to love my neighbors as myself; GPS never once taught me to only respect those who were like me, on the contrary it taught me to respect differences and stand up for those who are treated unjustly.



Its interesting to me that Mr. Exum finds it radical that a female headmaster from the north is so woke. Sir, you do realize GPS was founded by women, right? Did you also know that for many decades we had a male head of school, I am going to assume you have conveniently left that out if so. My point in mentioning this is for far too long women were overlooked as being a headmaster OF AN ALL GIRLS SCHOOL. I find that absurd and silly, especially given the founders of our institution.



So, Mr. Exum, I leave you with this. GPS has served as a school that fosters intelligence and forward thinking, always has and always will. If teaching its students to think for themselves, to use critical thinking when researching, to believe that gender doesnt define worth in a male dominated south, that being different is ok, and that speaking your mind is wrongwell, I guess I dont want to be right. Ill continue to apply what I learned from my alma mater: to speak up, to be a leader, to embrace my intelligence, to accept others, to think critically, and to work twice as hard.



By your standards, Mr. Exum, all alumni and current students at GPS are a bunch of outspoken heathen women who have a lack of morals and lack certain ideals. Ive been taught to stand up for what I believe and to be respectful of people from all walks of life, as well as not to hide behind pre conceived notions; if that makes me radical so be it. Might I remind you, well behaved women rarely make history; I will continue to live my legacy and misbehave I suppose. Why? Because I want to leave this world better than how I came into it, I want young women to know they can achieve great things, and I want them to know being a leader, a good leader, has nothing to do with ones gender, race, religion, or socioeconomic status.



You know what does make a great leader? Empathy, understanding, critical thinking, adaptability, strong morals, believing in something bigger than yourself, thinking outside the box, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, and seeking truths. Where did I learn to think this way? My six years spent at GPS, and I wouldnt have it any other way. Oh, and one other thing? Heres to the girls.



Shelly Ayers

GPS class of 2000

* * *

Id like to respond to Roy Exums recent opinion piece entitled How Woke" is GPS? While I understand the intent of Mr. Exums use of hyperbole is to shock and attract readers, it is unfortunate that he does so at the expense of GPSs new Head of School, Megan Cover. Mr. Exum uses the first two paragraphs to attack Mrs. Cover seemingly because she hails from Wilmington, Delaware. Are we really so insular that we have to assume someone is a threat simply based on the region of the country where she and her family used to live? Within the first sentence, Mr. Exum claims to have a pulse on the "general consensus of the alumnae." How many alums did he actually speak with, I wonder, to reach this consensus? Was it a multi-generational consensus? Did he poll alums living in other regions of the country, such as Delaware for example, to reach this consensus?





I, too, have concerns about things like Critical Race Theory and gender ideology that are being pushed in schools across the country and I do not fault parents for being on alert for things that are being taught to their children that dont align with their values. For too long, parents have been marginalized by the public school system and their opinions about what is being taught in our schools seem to matter less and less.




Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, on Tuesday released the following statement after the Biden Administration denounced the beginning of Russias "further invasion" of Ukraine.

He said, I strongly and unequivocally condemn Vladimir Putins decision to invade Ukraine. America needs to lead the world again with strength and resolve. With the White House now stating that the invasion has begun, I hope President Biden, as he has promised, moves immediately to respond with swift and severe economic consequences against Russia, including far-reaching primary and secondary sanctions, now that Putin has crossed Bidens red line. Russia, armed with formidable conventional forces and the worlds largest nuclear arsenal, is undermining international peace and security, and potentially emboldens other authoritarian powers to follow its path. In particular, Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, with their sights set on Taiwan, are closely watching what happens.

The invasion could have been deterred. But the road to Russias further invasion of Ukraine was paved by months of concessions and lack of resolve from the Biden Administration and some European nations in the face of Putins growing aggression. From the day President Biden took office, he has handed Putin gift after gift. The Biden Administration made the decision to give Russia strategic space and roll back the Trump Administrations pressure in the naive hope that Putin would moderate his behavior. It extended the New START arms control treaty without any new conditions to constrain Russias rapidly modernizing nuclear arsenal. It failed to strongly and decisively respond to the hacking of Americas Colonial pipeline. It ended Americas Keystone XL Pipeline and drilling on federal lands, thereby helping to increase prices in energy markets and giving oil-and-gas-exporting Russia a windfall. It also refused to fully enforce bipartisan congressional sanctions that would have ended Putins Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Russia will wield as a geopolitical energy weapon against European nations for generations. And it emboldened authoritarian regimes around the world with the disastrous and incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Mayor Tim Kelly on Tuesday expressed his sympathy for the family of Shannon Fuller, Zarzours restaurant owner who died Monday afternoon.

He said, "Ginny and I send our heartfelt condolences to Shannon Fullers family, and to the many thousands of Chattanoogans who eat, laugh and live life together at Zarzours Cafe, as we join you in mourning her loss.

"Shannon took a chance on Chattanoogas Southside before it was a boomtown, back when there were more vacant buildings than people. Somehow - perhaps some combination of grit, humor, and a genuine love for others - she managed to touch our hearts and turn rust into gold.

"Shannon treated us all like family, and she will always be a part of what today makes Chattanooga the town we so love."
The Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the greater Chattanooga area is hosting its annual Womens conference on Saturday, March 12, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the church building at 3067 Ooltewah Ringgold Road. The event is free and registration is not required but suggested at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0b4aabaf2ba4f58-womens. Women of all faiths are invited.

Classes include canning and preserving; the art of listening; boundaries; finding hope and healing; preparing your children to serve; enhancing scripture study; women in the Bible; living within your means; temple service; missions for seniors; and caregiver support. Lunch will be provided.

Members of the Chattanooga stake (region) Relief Society said, We hope this conference will foster a spirit of unity and love. This conference will allow women to enjoy much needed fellowship and friendship while gaining new skills that will enrich their lives and draw them closer to Christ.

This years conference is based on a message from President and prophet Russell M. Nelson  Joy comes from and because of Jesus Christ. He is the source of all joy.

The classes offered are of benefit for every woman, the stake Relief Society presidency said. We welcome all gladly, and the one thing we hope is that women leave the conference finding joy in their journey because women are integral to Heavenly Fathers plan of happiness and governance.

When we come together as daughters of God for purposes of serving others and learning more about Christ, not only do we find individual joy but we also bless families, communities and nations, said Cindy Adamz, stake Relief Society president. We should never lose sight that women are powerful, precious and equal  and that our sphere of influence is unique  as stated by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in Men and Women and Priesthood Power" (Ballard, Sept 2014) at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/09/men-and-women-and-priesthood-power?lang=eng.

Relief Society was founded in 1842. It is the womens organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church has nearly 17 million members worldwide. The greater Chattanooga are of the Church has about 4,000 members and more than 1,600 Relief Society sisters. The motto of Relief Society is Charity never faileth.

Cindy Adamz, Terry Owens, Kari Goux and Kristin Pendleton serve as the Relief Society president, first counselor, second counselor and secretary, respectively, in the Chattanooga stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
When I learned there are a significant number of parents who are concerned with the political direction that Girls Preparatory School appears to be moving, I discovered a growing number of parents who are ready for some answers. On Tuesday of this week I wrote a story, How Woke is GPS? and yesterday my computers in-box darn near filled up. My comments and observations were taken from a letter that is being finalized to be delivered to school Head, Megan Cover.

The fear by over 100 parents is that a liberal slant is not in the true interests of the 700 girls who attend classes there and that the schools liberal faculty does not represent the values of the families who spend $28K-plus to send their girls to such a place.

Again, I merely quoted selected graphs from a working letter but in a smattering of the emails I received, my detractors made their views into personal attacks, which I am afraid is trademark for liberals. I did not include the senders name and attempted to redact any identifying information.

Mr. Postman, please commence 

* * *

An alumnae friend of mine from GPS just sent me this article. It is both saddening and disheartening although, unfortunately, not surprising to read. As an alumna whose two income middle class parents worked their butts off to send her there 30 years ago I can attest that I received an excellent education. However, I have been hearing many things about GPS for several years now that are beyond what is mentioned in this article. What disturbs me most is what you mentioned, the lack of transparency with parents and alumnae.

It saddens me that Christian founded institutions like GPS are being taken over by the woke mob in the name of "equality". It's not equal for a parent to pay that kind of yearly tuition and have their child be taught curriculum that is against what the school claims it stands for or be taught to discriminate against people of any color. I know many alumnae whose daughters have chosen to leave or not attend in the last several years prior to the new headmaster simply because the school has been leaning this way for some time.

I hope the parents who currently have a daughter there wake up soon and most importantly I will be sending this article to every alumna I know who is simply not aware of the change in policies. Alumnae who give money to help support the school need to 100% be made aware and I can tell you right now, it's not in the alumnae magazine they send out.

* * *

Great article about the wokies at GPS. It's incredible the board replaced the last disaster with an even larger disaster. As a parent of a sophomore at McCallie, I worry McCallie may head down a similar path.

* * *

My granddaughter, Mr. Exum, lives with my wife and I. I am very concerned with the content of your letter. My entire family, including [redacted]s parents in [redacted location] are very concerned. I pay (her) tuition and upkeep. We are ALL of a Conservative Nature. Could you share a copy of the dissatisfied parents letter; if not, can you tell me where to obtain a copy of said letter? (I would suggest Clay Watson, GPS Board chair)

* * *

Im just wondering, did you reach out to Megan with any questions before publishing your scathing article about her?

I have been so refreshed to get to know her and Im absolutely relieved she is the head of the school. I have found her to be a great listener, especially as it pertains to discovering the history of GPS and staying true to that history. Your article makes me hurt for her and for GPS because I so badly want her to feel welcome and appreciated. She has already made a big shift in the feeling of girls on campus. She has brought joy back!!!

I am a conservative Christian who is very concerned about wokeness in our culture, but your unkind words have consequences for institutions and individuals. I guess you get more clicks and forwards when you write like this. Please in the future consider the good of your daughters institution as well as the feelings of the individual you are criticizing. A call to them for comments would be fair. If you knew Megan, I am fairly certain you would not have written about her in this way. She is a gem and I hope you will have the opportunity to get to know her.

* * *

As a parent of a GPS student THANK YOU! It has gotten unbelievably nuts.

* * *

Roy, You are [expletive] crazy. Best!

* * *

(From a current parent ) Id love to sign that petition!!! And do you know who I might contact to sign it too!!!

* * *

As usual, Roy, your proud ignorance is on display. To have such righteous smugness about being on the wrong side of history, not to mention the wrong side of empathy and kindness, is really something to behold in your commentary from today. Im surprised you consider yourself a Christian given how you seem to take joy in tearing others down. The kind of proud and insensitive stupidity you love to display is exactly what is wrong with this country.

Dont like something? Tackle it head on: dont set up some weak straw-man argument and take cheap shots from an editorial page. What you do is barely a step up from Trumps Twitter account before he was banned and Chattanooga just frankly deserves better than the likes of you.

* * *

What an excellent article! We left GPS last year due to the CRT and many other reasons you mentioned. Thank you!

* * *

Thank you for writing this article. We are one of the families with girls at this school and it is exactly as you described. It is time that someone called them out for running the school into the "liberal" ground.

* * *

I led the SEED program at GPS in my last two years (Cathy Barker also led it when she was there), and the program has absolutely NOTHING to do with CRT, which you probably cannot even describe in detail. Thanks for sharing your hyperbolic opinions. No need to respond.

* * *

So glad you are exposing this agenda. My oldest daughter graduated in 2019 (was there from 6 - 12), and we were pleased with the school overall. However, just in the last 2 years, we noticed parts of this liberal, woke agenda being introduced. We also noticed a larger percentage of girls believing they are gay and/or transgender. Teachers had the gay pride and BLM flags in their rooms, but not the American flag.

We asked for meetings, did our research, prayed and then made the decision to pull our 8th grader and move her to [redacted] this past fall. We were very fortunate to get in as the school is absolutely thriving. It was the best decision. I hope and pray this group of parents continues to fight. The woke liberals are ruining a good thing in our community.

* * *

Just a big thank-you for having the guts to call out GPS publicly. I worked there [redacted] years and left because of the prior admins policies. Now it seems to have become worse. You would think the Board would have taken notice of the train wreck that occurred from the prior headmaster and found a Chattanooga/GPS alum with Christian values. My daughter graduated from the school in [redacted] under the hand of Randy Tucker. That man was a leader! I pray for the school but Im afraid the damage might be done.

* * *

Last January, we pulled our daughter out of GPS after being there for 3.5 years. A lot of whats going on started before the new Head of School arrived. If you ever cover anything else or want any more info, Id be willing to talk to you but only anonymously. A lot of families left last January and in the following months.

* * *

I graduated in 2011 and sadly I have encountered countless men like you in my field. Let GPS girls have 7 years of critical thinking and growth in a safe environment before their lives are infiltrated by the ignorant and calloused ideals you have decided to write about in your Chattanoogan article. In short, stay in your lane.

* * *

I have enjoyed your stories/articles for years, but I will have to strongly disagree with your article about Girls Preparatory School. Someone has given you incorrect information. Possibly they have an agenda - dont know - but they have it all wrong. SEED and Belonging began prior to Megan Cover arriving as our head of school. I have 2 daughters who graduated from GPS and I was employed there for [redacted] years. The facts as you published are wrong and need to be corrected for your readers. P.S. I hope you have been able to see/read what Jane Henegar posted on Facebook

* * *

Good for you!!!!! What you said in your article about GPS is 100% spot on. You put words to what so many parents have been thinking for several years. I have a daughter who is graduating this spring and another daughter who graduated two years ago. It has been a steep descent into wokeism for the last 5-6 years, and it now has gotten so bad that parents are absolutely fed up with the indoctrination. I want to applaud you for writing the article. I am sure you will get a varied response, but your article was accurate in its representation of what is taking place.

* * *

My dad, [redacted], loved you and thought the world of you and I have always respected you. All I can say is that you lost my respect today! My lighthearted, always loving, and open-minded dad would have been sad and disappointed by you and your article today. And I am too! I do not know who "informed" you of many of the things in your article, but you have MANY things completely WRONG! You are better than this, Mr. ROY! I will pray today and the days to come for GPS as they deal with what you have caused and for you and your integrity (or lack of it)!

* * *

My name is [redacted] and I am a senior at Girls Preparatory School. Reading your article regarding the changes that have been made to my school in the past year has made me realize several things about the future of our society as a whole. As I take history classes regarding social justice issues, a reoccurring theme within these issues is two opposing groups, pushers and pullers. Young and well-educated activists pushing for necessary changes in society and those who pull back on these changes. This group typically consists of older generations who see nothing wrong with the current issues as they do not affect them or their future.

Girls Preparatory School pushes to educate their students to be productive members of society who strive for equality, as equality is the very thing the school was founded on. They face the pullers, those who hate change although they are largely unaffected by it. Diversity at GPS has been an issue that has been ignored by our administration for far too long. The belonging program teaches students how to respect each other's differences, whether that be sexuality, gender, religion, race, or political opinions.

As a student, my peers and I understand the significance and importance of this as these are defining factors of our identities. As you have never attended one of these meetings, I understand your concern with the idea of encouraging students to think critically about their identity and appreciate others' identities. The article you have posted regarding my school does not accurately reflect the values GPS was founded on, nor the values we uphold today.

* * *

Thank you so much for the article you wrote today How Woke Is GPS? It was a fine example to my daughter, a freshman at GPS, of how to think for herself and identify someone with clout pushing their own agenda. She could clearly see that you did not have all the facts, that you are a sexiest white male (first sentence) and that freedom of speech means that anyone can say anything, true or not. As a current GPS parent, I feel that GPS is educating my daughter to be aware of the world we live in, like it or not! We have been able to have family conversations about what is being discussed at school and how she feels about the topics. I am thrilled that in three short years my daughter will graduate from GPS as a well informed confident young lady. Best of all, I am overjoyed that she will be able to peg people like you for who you really are.

* * *

Thank goodness the pledge was eliminated at GPS. It is such a silly construct that in no way helps anyone become better American. Not to mention the phrase "under god" is a slap in the face of the many students who do not believe in the mythical being. I love the days at my school when it doesn't get recited. Most students only stand because they feel like they have to, almost no students actually recite it and I secretly love when students sit through it.

I can love my country, it's people and be a good human without pledging daily fealty to a piece of cloth. The fact that conservatives like yourself cling to that few sentences yet refuse to acknowledge the horrendous treatment of some of it's citizens throughout even recent history tells me everything I need to know about you. Like your daughter says, change is hard, old man. It's okay. You will be okay.

* * *

I am writing as a 2017 graduate of GPS. My mother was a graduate of the class of 1983, and my family has been in Chattanooga for generations. I found your most recent article on the wokeness of GPS to be disappointing. Several members of our class came together this morning to reflect on your disheartening words.

I am extremely proud of the education I received at GPS. Beyond the strong foundation that set me up to succeed as an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt, GPS also gifted me with the ability to critically take in the world around me, ask important questions, and decide not only what I believe in but why I believe it. The queasy mix between faculty leadership and the schools patrons is what continues to allow the women at GPS to develop their ability to understand the world around us rather than being told how we should.

As a woman who once danced the May Pole and holds the traditions and memories at GPS dear to my heart, I also know that holding on to traditions for the sake of tradition while ignoring a greater call to change and growth is to live a naive life hiding in a bubble of privilege. It is always easy to not question a system that has served me well and has also served other white wealthy families in North Chattanooga well.

However, those very systems are hurting girls in and outside of our school system. There will always be older generations who resist the positive change that GPS is working towards. I dont expect you to understand the importance of teaching critical race theory if this article is any indication of your understanding of the issues facing the school and the surrounding community. Im sure there were troubled patrons who were on the wrong side of history when the civil rights movement made its way to Chattanoogas North Shore.

While you and other patrons of the school might find themselves not amused by the use of critical race theory in the GPS curriculum, I would beg you to consider whether minority groups in and outside of GPS are even more not amused at this point in time.

To address your concern that 10th grade students are going to spend time learning how to create spaces for people of all backgrounds and experiences to be heard and then use those perspectives in a productive way, I am genuinely curious what you believe 10th grade students should be learning.

I can assure you those girls are still scoring as high as ever on their standardized tests. I can also assure you those girls will be better served later in life with an understanding of how to lead important conversations and engage with different viewpoints than with a higher ACT score.

I would also question your emphasis on religion in this article. GPS has made it clear that the school has no religious affiliation, regardless of how many students come from Christian families. As a young girl, I specifically recall instances in which this led me to ask important questions about my faith. I was raised as a Christian in a white Christian community, so I never had to think deeply about how my beliefs affected those around me until then.

However, those conversations at a young age started an important lifelong journey of working to understand other perspectives and beliefs while calling into question my own. GPS builds women who are passionate about their beliefs, and it is naive to assume that calling a woman to consider other perspectives is at all disastrous.

Ultimately, the administration is dealt the difficult task of incorporating important changes that will move the school forward, while preparing for community members such as yourself who choose to deal with serious social justice and gender identity issues like they are something to harden themselves towards and gossip about.

In that sense, I understand the lack of transparency. I pray that the hearts of those who find this progress worrisome will be softened so that they may see that the love of the girls is at the center of all of these conversations. The best way we can progress as a community and a school is to reconsider our place in history as well as our place in the community. I find it interesting that your final piece of advice is to abandon all but the school motto because as an alumna, I must have a far different view from you as to what is best for girls.

Have you, Mr. Exum, asked the girls what they consider to be best, or what "progress" looks like to them? Maybe we should take this opportunity to learn a bit from todays guest speaker and create spaces where students, and all community members, can be seen and heard while learning to be visible and use their voices in productive ways so that we can continue this discussion on what we all believe to be best for girls.
Veteran School Board member Rhonda Thurman held a Hamilton County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night to further discuss the issue of obscene books in libraries. She asked community members, teachers and librarians for recommendations.





What about this policy do we need to fix in order to remove these books? asked Ms. Thurman.





The committees last meeting saw opposing views regarding several topics and Tuesdays meeting was more of the same. However, this time, the debate centered around what is deemed as obscene.

I send my kids to school to be educated, not to learn explicit material, said a committee member. These books should not be in public schools for children to just pick up.

The other side argued that this infringes on First Amendment rights and no one gets to speak for everyone. They also argued that it was viewpoint discrimination, and the definition of obscenity is subjective. The opposing committee members said the book content was unnecessary and inappropriate. They said there is a community standard to uphold.

Looking For Alaska by John Green was put in question for allegedly giving instructions on how to perform oral sex. It was apparently found in a K-8 school. The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas allegedly has multiple cuss words and scenes of police violence - it was recommended to 8th through 12th graders. On the Come Up, also by Angie Thomas, was questioned for anti-police messages, excessive violence and vulgar language. Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood was another book questioned not only by Hamilton County but on a national level for sexual content.

A committee member asked if parents were complaining about this issue and the response was that three have. Ms. Thurman said she did not care how many people were complaining and would rather know about policy changes. Debate then continued about subjectivity in the policy.

We wouldn't have any books if we followed the code of conduct - including the Bible, said a committee member.

The committee discussed possible solutions like a level system where parents fill out a form claiming the level of access their child has to books that could be considered obscene. Another member said they should wait until a book comes into question to have it reviewed by the principal and librarian. Ms. Thurman said a group should already be reviewing books. Right now, choosing books is in the librarian's job description. They are selected based on criteria from the library handbook and recommendations from students, parents and teachers.

There has to be more than one person that knows a book is there, said Ms. Thurman. This is about the trust in our school system.

The committee will meet again on March 8 to further discuss.
In fiscal year 2021, FEMA awarded to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board $130 million in annual funding for Phase 39 of the program and the $400 million under Section 4007 of the American Rescue Plan Act.



For EFSP Phase 39, Hamilton County has been awarded $119,492. Additionally through the American Rescue Plan Act, EFSP has allocated $369,323 to Hamilton County. Funding can only be allocated to eligible nonprofit organizations, who in turn provide services to individuals.

Expenditures for this program must take place between Nov. 1, 2021 to April 23, 2023. Funding is for existing programs only and cannot be used for start-ups. To apply for these funds agencies must be nonprofit, faith-based or a local government agency that currently provides food and shelter services opportunities as prioritized by the Local Board. Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), an organizational checking account with the ability to accept EFT, computer and internet access and be able to verify fiscal responsibility. Funded organizations must provide the required reporting according to the defined timeline. Separate applications must be completed for each funding program. Incomplete and late applications will not be reviewed.



For more information and to receive application materials contact Ann Treadwell, program director, Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, at 423-493-0270 or atreadwell@jewishchattanooga.com. The deadline for application is Tuesday, March 1 by 3 p.m. electronically and 4 p.m. in person at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. Late and incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Local Board reviews applications and decisions will be made available following the approval of a Board Plan by the national EFSP.



EFSP funds must be used to supplement food and shelter services and may not be used as seed money for new programs. Agencies may receive funds to provide food, shelter and supportive services, including, but not limited to:



 Food services, such as delivered meals, congregate meals or groceries;

 Lodging in a mass shelter, or in a hotel/motel or other off-site shelter facility limited to 90-days assistance per individual or household to prevent homelessness;

 Up to three months rent or mortgage assistance to prevent eviction or foreclosure;

 Utility assistance for up to three months of service for gas, electric and water service; or

 Supplies, including but not limited to cleaning supplies and small equipment essential to feed or shelter people, not exceeding $300 per item.



The Local Board prioritizes these areas and funding is distributed accordingly. Funded agencies are required to abide by required recordkeeping. Agencies denied funding in previous years by national EFSP will not be eligible to receive funds until the issue has been remedied. All decisions of the Local Board are final. There is a limited appeals process, which would allow the agency to make application in the next funding Phase. The local board consists of representatives from the national organizations FEMA convenes including United Way, Jewish Federations of North America, Catholic Charities USA, The Salvation Army, American Red Cross and the National Council of the Churches of Christ USA.
The Partnership for Families, Children and Adults will present five-time Grammy-Award winning bassist, songwriter, producer and vocalist Victor Wooten at RISE 2022, its fourth annual fundraising luncheon. This years luncheon, featuring this founding member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, will be held on March 30 at The Chattanoogan Hotel at 11:30 a.m.

RISE 2022 will shine a spotlight on Partnerships Camp HOPE youth program by featuring Wooten as the keynote speaker and honoring two distinguished community advocates who have significantly impacted the Camp HOPE program. Wooten will also perform a one-hour concert for VIP ticket holders on Tuesday, March 29, at Songbirds Museum at 5:30 p.m.

We sincerely appreciate our 2022 major sponsors: Unum, Chambliss Law, First Horizon Foundation, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Community Trust, and the Chattanooga Times Free Press, said Sharon Love, Partnership director of Philanthropy.

When we decided to highlight how Camp HOPE changes lives, Victor Wooten was our first choice of speaker, said Partnership Chief Executive Officer Pam Ladd. Not only is he a great musician, hes also a teacher, author, magician, and a tireless advocate for children with an encouraging message to deliver. He embodies the promise we share through Camp HOPE.

Camp HOPE is designed for children and youth impacted by trauma due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse. Offered solely by the Partnership in the Chattanooga area, the year-round program provides immediate support while also offering tools and resources for families and individuals to create lifelong stability and independence.

Partnerships Camp HOPE program, offered in combination with its year-round Pathways mentoring program, foster positive relationships in the lives of youth. Camp HOPE America, the national program on which the Partnerships companion programs are modeled, offer hope through program activitieswith hope defined as believing in yourself, believing in others, and believing in your dreams, said officials.

The overall vision is to end the generational cycle of violence and to help children dream of a brighter future and create new pathways to reach their goals. Of those who have participated in Camp HOPE America and Pathways, 55 percent are more likely to enroll in college, 78 percent are more likely to volunteer regularly, and 90 percent become interested in being a mentor for others.

RISE 2022 also marks the 145th anniversary of the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. The Partnership is a comprehensive, non-profit human services agency that assists people in building better lives through counseling, crisis intervention, prevention, and education programs. These services would otherwise not be available to individuals and families in 25 Tennessee counties and four counties in North Georgia.

Tickets for the luncheon are $75, and $150 to attend the VIP concert and luncheon. Tables are $1,000 and $1,500 for eight guests to attend both events. To learn more or to register, visit PartnershipFCA.com/RISE or call 697-3827.
The Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation awarded a grant to Keep Gilmer County Beautiful and Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful to make communities cleaner and safer by encouraging the enforcement of Georgias Comprehensive Litter Prevention and Abatement Act through a workshop for local officers. These workshops provide them with the tools and information they need to enforce the law successfully.

Litter, graffiti, and even things like broken windows are all examples of signal crimes.

These things are signaling to everyone that the property is not looked after and no one cares about what happens in the area. An individual is more likely to engage in criminal activity if they think they can get away with it, according to Andrew Pieplow from Watchtower Security.The opening speech was by Gilmer County Commissioner Charlie Paris, who encouraged enforcement and thanked the organizations present. Thank you for all the effort that you will have after this in enforcing the litter laws and helping us keep our counties clean,' he said.This workshop was attended by police officers, sheriffs departments, city and county officials and code enforcement officials. Scott Carroll, the instructor, connected officials with resources and information to support them in reducing litter. Attendees learned how aggressive litter enforcement has been used as a deterrent to additional crimes and how to work with the courts and others to successfully deter littering and illegal dumping."The state of Georgia spends millions each year to clean up litter left on the sides of roads," officials said. "By better understanding how to enforce laws against littering and the importance of enforcing it, officers and judges can create a better community."The workshop for the Northwest Georgia area was presented by Certified Georgia POST instructor from 423 Law Enforcement, Mr. Carroll, on Thursday, Feb. 10 at Carters Lake Visitor Center. All certified law enforcement officers attending earned three hours of POST credit in the subjects of Environmental Law Enforcement, Tactics and Solutions.Special thanks is given to Keep Georgia Beautiful for the funding for the program and Carters Lake Visitor Center for allowing free use of their facilities, officials said.
As a senior royal, Kate Middleton works full-time to support the people of the United Kingdom. She is a patron of many charity organizations and also goes abroad to represent her country.

Although the Duchess of Cambridge seems to be a natural at her work, she recently shared that there is one part of her job that her husband, Prince William, always worries about.

Kate Middleton and Prince William | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Kate Middleton does work to support mothers and families

Kate supports charities that help people in many different ways. However, some causes that she is especially passionate about include parenting and child development. As a mother herself, Kate has been finding ways to promote awareness for the early years of childhood, especially in how they relate to mental health.

In 2018, she partnered with the Royal Society of Medicine to launch the Early Years Intervention Support initiative. That same year, she also established the Early Years Steering Group. In 2020, Kate launched a national survey called 5 Big Questions on the Under 5s with the aim of learning more about young children and their families.

Her work has even been praised by experts. For example, Professor Eamon McCrory, who teaches developmental neuroscience and psychopathology at University College London said (via Express), She is working with homelessness and mental health and with parents and perinatal care  she sees all aspects of the system  There is a growing influence of her work, and its likely to expand and have a long-term impact on the field.

Kate Middleton says Prince William always worries about her meeting babies

Nationwide family programmes in Denmark give all parents information and support for their infants social and emotional needs.



The Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Project aims to promote the mental wellbeing of parents and their children  and the relationship between them. pic.twitter.com/zHzkjL8O3o  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) February 22, 2022

RELATED: Kate Middleton Once Had a Down-to-Earth Response When Being Called Prince Williams Assistant

Because of Kates work, she is often meeting kids. She recently visited the University of Copenhagen in Denmark to learn about a child development project called the Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Project. There, she met some parents and babies and revealed that William worries a lot about this part of her work.

It makes me very broody, Kate shared (via People). William always worries about me meeting under one-year-olds. I come home saying, Lets have another one.

Earlier this year, Kate and William visited a hospital in England, where Kate held a baby. William reportedly joked the bystanders, Dont give my wife any more ideas.

Kate Middleton once revealed Prince William does not want more kids

Kate and William seem to have their hands full with their three kids: Prince George (born 2013), Princess Charlotte (born 2015), and Prince Louis (born 2018). Royal followers are often curious about whether the couple might have a fourth child, but it seems William might be against it.

As reported by People, in 2020 during a visit to the town of Bradford, Kate shared with a fan who talked to her about her kids: I dont think William wants any more.

It is not clear why William does not want more children, but many people can attest that parenting comes with many challenges. Kate, for example, had difficult pregnancies as she experienced hyperemesis gravidarum, which is characterized by severe morning sickness. Additionally, William has talked about the lack of sleep when raising newborns.

RELATED: Prince William and Kate Middletons Secret for Marital Success Lies in Their Different Backgrounds
New details of Bob Sagets death investigation have surfaced over a month after the comedian was discovered in his hotel room. Heres what officials are saying happened to the Full House star in his final hours, and why Sagets family wants to keep the details of his death investigation private.

Bob Saget | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Bob Saget showed no signs of distress in the hours before his death

On Jan. 9, Bob Saget was found dead in a hotel room in Orlando, Florida, after performing at a stand-up comedy gig. A month later, his 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.

On Feb. 23, People released new details from Sagets death investigation. According to the publication, Saget was last seen on surveillance video getting off the elevator of the ninth floor and making his way to his room. The comedian used his key card to enter the hotel room at 2:17 a.m., and the door wasnt opened again until hotel security entered the room the next day to check on him.

Investigators who saw the footage reported that Saget showed no signs of distress.

Bob Saget | Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Bob Saget likely hit his head on the bathroom floor of his hotel room

Since Bob Sagets cause of death was blunt head trauma, authorities looked for possible sources of his multiple skull fractures.

Investigators did not find any traces of hair or blood on the marble tables or counters of Sagets room at the Ritz-Carlton. They believe he fell backward onto the marble bathroom floor and hit his head, possibly losing consciousness.

Once he regained consciousness, police think Saget got into his bed, where he died around 4:00 a.m. His body was found about 12 hours later.

Lara Saget, Bob Saget, and Kelly Rizzo | Mike Coppola/Getty Images

The Full House stars family filed a lawsuit to prevent further details of his death from being released

Days after revealing Bob Sagets cause of death, his family, including his wife Kelly Rizzo and his three daughters, filed a lawsuit to keep further details of the death investigation confidential. On Feb. 15, Sagets family sued the District Nine Medical Examiners Office and Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

They claimed in court documents that sharing further details about his death would cause irreparable harm in the form of extreme mental pain, anguish, and emotional distress.

Sagets family was granted a temporary injunction disallowing the sheriff and the medical examiners office from releasing the comedians death records.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office stated that while it is sensitive to the familys privacy concerns, they must be balanced with our commitment to transparency, compliance with the law, and the publics right to know.

RELATED: Fans Speculate About Why Bob Sagets Family Wants to Keep His Death Investigation Confidential
Synthetic biologists have engineered bacteria to convert carbon waste into valuable chemicals. The carbon-negative approach could contribute to a net-zero emissions economy.

Bacteria are known for breaking down lactose to make yogurt and sugar to make beer. Now researchers led by Northwestern University and LanzaTech have harnessed bacteria to break down waste carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to make valuable industrial chemicals.

In a new pilot study, the researchers selected, engineered and optimized a bacteria strain and then successfully demonstrated its ability to convert CO 2 into acetone and isopropanol (IPA).

Not only does this new gas fermentation process remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, it also avoids using fossil fuels, which are typically needed to generate acetone and IPA. After performing life-cycle analysis, the team found the carbon-negative platform could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 160% as compared to conventional processes, if widely adopted.

The accelerating climate crisis, combined with rapid population growth, pose some of the most urgent challenges to humankind, all linked to the unabated release and accumulation of CO 2 across the entire biosphere, said Northwesterns Michael Jewett, co-senior author of the study. By harnessing our capacity to partner with biology to make what is needed, where and when it is needed, on a sustainable and renewable basis, we can begin to take advantage of the available CO 2 to transform the bioeconomy.

Jewett is the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwesterns McCormick School of Engineering and director of the Center for Synthetic Biology. He co-led the study with Michael Koepke and Ching Leang, both researchers at LanzaTech.

Necessary industrial bulk and platform chemicals, acetone and IPA are found nearly everywhere, with a combined global market topping $10 billion. Widely used as a disinfectant and antiseptic, IPA is the basis for one of the two World Health Organization-recommended sanitizer formulas, which are highly effective in killing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. And acetone is a solvent for many plastics and synthetic fibers, thinning polyester resin, cleaning tools and nail polish remover.

While these chemicals are incredibly useful, they are generated from fossil resources, leading to climate-warming CO 2 emissions.

To manufacture these chemicals more sustainably, the researchers developed a new gas fermentation process. They started with Clostridium autoethanogenum, an anaerobic bacterium engineered at LanzaTech. Then, the researchers used synthetic biology tools to reprogram the bacterium to ferment CO 2 to make acetone and IPA.

These innovations, led by cell-free strategies that guided both strain engineering and optimization of pathway enzymes, accelerated time to production by more than a year, Jewett said.

The Northwestern and LanzaTech teams believe the developed strains and fermentation process will translate to industrial scale. The approach also could potentially be applied to create streamlined processes for generating other valuable chemicals.

This discovery is a major step forward in avoiding a climate catastrophe, said Jennifer Holmgren, LanzaTech CEO. Today, most of our commodity chemicals are derived exclusively from new fossil resources such as oil, natural gas or coal. Acetone and IPA are two examples with a combined global market of $10 billion. The acetone and IPA pathways developed will accelerate the development of other new products by closing the carbon cycle for their use in multiple industries.
Dr. Seth Yandell, Chief of the Hospitalist department at W.W. Hastings Hospital, was one of the first frontline healthcare workers to get a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the CN Outpatient Health Center on Dec. 15, 2020, in Tahlequah.
In a survey accessible by visiting the Gadugi Portal, participants will be asked what type of water supply they have, whether they face any water quality concerns or problems such as low water pressure, and other water- and wastewater-related questions.
Chickasha, OK (73018)

Today

Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe in the afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 72F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
As a kid, my friends and I believed that the designation Black History Month in February was due to a racist conspiracy because it was the shortest month of the year.

Thankfully, I learned as an adult that Dr. Carter G. Woodson chose to designate Negro History Week as the week of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincolns birthdays because of the role these men play in the liberation journey of Black people.

For Woodson, Black history was as much about the retelling of American history in a culturally informed way as about revisiting the past and present accomplishments of Black peoples throughout the US and the African diaspora. Those lessons carry forward into the classroom.

Critical race theory (CRT) is the debate du jour in America, and current efforts are underway in several states to pass bills that ban CRT from school curriculum. Many of these bills restrict lessons on Black history, but some of the bans extend to a broader set of concepts related to racial diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Studies show that teaching Black history in its proper context is beneficial, if not essential, to the success of Black children in school. According to sociologists Brian Wright and Sheretta Butler-Barnes, et al., Black kids excel inside and outside the classroom when they develop a positive view of their own racial-ethnic identity.

Rather than wade into the muddy waters of CRT, however, educators might consider pivoting toward another acronym to address the history of race in America: CRP. That is, culturally relevant or responsive pedagogy, which seeks to connect past sins with present problems to craft future solutions.

According to American pedagogical theorist Gloria Ladson-Billings, CRP rests on three propositions: student learning; student awareness of their own culture, history, and experiences (as well as that of at least one other); and student sociopolitical consciousness, or awareness of how their knowledge applies to real-world problems and the solving of those problems.

CRP is about empowering students to frame for themselves how they can use what they learn to confront injustice in the world and defeat it.

What does CRP look like for Christian teachers in particular? To learn how to treat Black history as American history and to teach it with accuracy and integrity, we need not look any further than the pedagogical example found in the person of Jesus Christ.

The Bible portrays Jesus as a master teacher, dating back to the age of 12 years old when he held court at the synagogue (Luke 2:4647). But we find the nucleus of Jesus teaching methodology in John 13:34: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

In this command, we see three things: Jesus knew his disciples, Jesus loved his disciples, and Jesus was the model for his disciples. His approach to teaching rested on those three premises.

First, Christian teachers must know the audiences that are entrusted to them by being culturally fluent and aware of the experiences of their students.

Second, the teachers must genuinely love their students, such that their needs take priority over whatever discomfort the teachers may have with lessons and conversations about race.

Third, these teachers must serve as models for their students by becoming students of Black history and liberation. You cannot teach what you do not know yourself.

We can further look to Jesus teaching style to find three specific strategies Christian teachers can employ during Black History Month.

Jesus often taught by telling stories and parables.

Storytelling is a culturally responsive teaching tool.

National data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study program shows that storytelling is particularly important for developing early literacy skills in Black children, stemming in part from the cultural and historic influences that have fostered a preference for orality among African Americans.

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When teaching Black history, tell the whole story of the history makersnot only the what or the how but also the why. Cultivating an educational environment of storytelling can make teaching and learning Black history feel more natural.

Jesus teaching related to the people of his day.

When Jesus taught in parables, he often used illustrations that were familiar to the experiences and environment of his audience.

In his lessons, Jesus referred to everyday first-century objects and people, like a lamp (Matt. 5:1416), sewing and garments (Matt. 9:16), farmers (Mark 4:120; 12:112), servants (Mark 13:3437) and fishermen (Matt. 13:4750).

In the same way, Christian teachers must utilize what their students are most familiar with to teach them the skills and competencies they need to know. Christian teachers can imitate Jesus by relating lessons to their students backgrounds.

In the case of Black History Month, they can teach and explain the impact of Black history makers on students individual lives and on society as a whole.

Jesus taught parables with a higher purpose.

Parables are stories that illustrate a greater biblical or kingdom principle.

For example, the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt. 18:2335) was a riveting story that captured his audiences attention. But the moral of the story was that we must forgive our debtors as God has forgiven our debts (Matt. 6:12) or we risk suffering the same fate as those we chose not to forgive.

Likewise, when teaching Black history, it isnt nearly enough to simply teach names, places, and events. Christian teachers must integrate their Black history lessons with biblical objectives that acknowledge and defend Black humanitybecause if not, the sin of racism threatens to consume us all.

Had I encountered this kind of education as a K12 student, perhaps I wouldnt have been tempted to believe that Black history in February was simply a racist conspiracy. For starters, I am not sure whether my grade-school teachers had the wherewithal to prove me wrong.

But perhaps these lessons can benefit the next generation.

This year and every year, Christian teachers have the privilege of incorporating Black history into their lessons throughout the school calendar, not just in February.

Above all, they have the chance to be good models for their students by loving Black people in their personal lives and not just when they stand at the front of their classrooms. The benefits of doing all this are far-reachingnot only for Black children but for all children.

Christian teachers who implement the instructional strategies rooted in Christs example can go a long way to support the critical work of Black History Month.

Rann Miller is director of anti-bias and DEI initiatives as well as a high school social studies teacher for a Southern New Jersey school district. He's also a freelance writer and founder of the Urban Education Mixtape, supporting urban educators and parents of students in urban schools.
Since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014one of the central points of conflict in the current clash between the two countriesProtestant Christians in the territory have faced greater government penalties for practicing their faith.

Like elsewhere in Russia, meeting together to sing and read Scripture or letting others know about a church gathering puts believers at risk under a strict 2016 anti-evangelism law. Last year, authorities prosecuted 23 cases of such activity in Crimea, up from 13 the year before, according to Forum 18, which tracks religious freedom violations in the region.

Evangelical Protestants in Crimea received the most penalties. At least nine people from Pentecostal, Baptist, and other Protestant churches were fined for missionary activity.

Four of those cases involved members of the Potters House, a Protestant congregation in Sevastopol, a southern port and the largest city in Crimea. Pastor Evgenii Kornev leads efforts to proclaim the gospel online and in the streets; his Twitter feed features clips of an Easter procession and service, new home Bible groups, ministry to former drug addicts, and open-air evangelism. Even when Kornev came down with COVID-19, he continued to preach over video.

But that activity has also gotten his church in trouble. Kornev and fellow pastor Aleksey Smirnov were fined in 2021 for leading services. One of the Potters House members, Ivan Nemchinov, was fined twice for performing music, praying, and participating in church gatherings, in part because authorities were tipped off by YouTube and social media posts.

The Christians tried to appeal the charges, but none of the cases brought by the Police Center for Countering Extremism have been overturned, Forum 18 reported.

Over the years, Potters House and its pastors have also been fined and warned for failing to inform government officials of its existence and for previous violations of the anti-evangelism law, including distributing information at a bus stop. Kornev celebrates the congregations evangelism and street preaching, saying its priceless for God.

During the pandemic, Russia has continued its crackdown on evangelism and unregistered church activitywhich includes almost all religious practice outside of the Russian Orthodox Church. The 2016 regulations restrict people in Russia from sharing about their faith or announcing church activities, even online or at home, unless permitted through a religious organization that has registered with the Russian government. Even then, evangelism is only sanctioned to occur within those designated churches.

The regulations have targeted evangelicals along with minorities such as Jehovahs Witnesses, who are banned in Russia, and Muslims. Most fines end up being 5,000 Russian rubles, which Forum 18 says is equivalent to five days pay (about $60).

Besides Potters House, another Sevastopol pastor was prosecuted last year for sharing his faith outside a movie theater. In the second-largest city in Crimea, Simferopol, the pastor of Generation of Faith Pentecostal Church was punished for at least the third time for ministry activity; Artyom Morev was fined in 2017, 2018, and again in 2021.

In the town of Saki, two Baptists were caught by anti-extremist police and fined, Forum 18 reported. Both had been sharing Christian resources and Scripture without permits.

Local authorities, at times, have partnered with Russian security officials (the FSB) to raid worship gatherings. In addition to raiding a mosque, they raided a Protestant church in Kerch in eastern Crimea.

Inspectors found that church leaders told those gathered about faith, about god [sic], about hope for another life, read the Bible and sang songs. They discovered that two women there had been invited to attend earlier that day. As a result of the invitation, I. Denisov of the church was fined and found guilty of sharing faith with people who were not church memberswhich is forbidden under the anti-evangelism law.

Though Russia regulates church activity nationwide, in Crimea this oversight takes place in an area that the international community still recognizes as part of Ukraine.

Last month, Yuriy Kulakevych, foreign affairs director of the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church, described how Pentecostals acquiesced to the new reality when Russia took over in Crimea and eventually realized as citizens how much Russian evangelicals suffer. Just last year, Russia declared Ukraines New Generation Pentecostal groups undesirable, effectively banning them from the country. (A New Generation pastor in Sevastopol, Sergei Kolomoets, had previously been charged under the anti-evangelism law.)

The other contested territory, the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, has also been controlled by pro-Russia forces. During a recent visit to Kyiv, amid the escalating tensions and predictions of war, Elijah Brown of the Baptist World Alliance noted that Baptiststhe largest Protestant group in Ukrainehad suffered prosecution as a result of the occupation. They have been designated as terrorists and 40 of their Donbas churches were shut down.

If the occupation of these territories is a foreshadow of what may come to Ukraine, he said, it should lead all of us to pray with greater fervor.
Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) spent nearly $1 million to defend its founder and namesake against allegations of sexual misconduct in 2017 and then lied about it, according to an RZIM-funded assessment obtained by CT.

RZIM approved an external review last year to examine the ministry culture and practices that enabled apologist Ravi Zacharias to sexually abuse multiple women and almost completely cover it up. Investigators found that the board used deceptive financial maneuvers to fund the RZIM founders federal lawsuit against a woman he sexually abused.

Bills were sent to a board member, records were kept in a confidential financial file, settlement money was given to Zacharias as a personal loan, and the personal loan was paid off with a bonus. When the lawsuit came to light in 2017, the ministry officially misstated the fact that no ministry funds were used.

The executive committee of the board and some members of the RZIM leadership team knew the statement was false, according to the 78-page assessment completed by Guidepost Solutions. None of them corrected the record.

There are no immediate consequences, an RZIM accountant said in an email to the chief financial officer in 2017, which was forwarded to the CEO the same day. I just pray the ministry is never challenged or brought to account.

Five months and more than 55 interviews

RZIM hired Guidepost Solutions, a corporate consulting firm that specializes in reviewing how organizations handle sexual misconduct, in February 2021. The review followed a four-month investigation by another firm, which uncovered a pattern of abuse by Zacharias and a lack of accountability by RZIM.

Guidepost set up a system for additional victims to come forward but was told to focus on assessing the structures, culture, policies, processes, finances, and practices of the worlds largest Christian apologetics ministry.

The assessment included interviewing more than 55 people about RZIMs response and reviewing a voluminous number of documents and video over the course of five months. A near-final draft of the report with 22 recommendations was sent to the board and CEO in July 2021.

The report concludes that RZIMs reputation was severely damaged not only by Zachariass moral failures but also by catastrophic lapses of ministry oversight and leadership.

According to Guidepost, it is unclear how and even if RZIM can continue with its crippled credibility, but if it does continue, the ministry needs new, diverse, independent board members who do not have any deep personal relationships with Zacharias or his family members.

CT obtained a copy in February 2022.

The document was sent to CT anonymously one year after CEO Sarah Davis said RZIM leadership painfully and increasingly recognize organizational failures that have occurred and the repentance that needs to take place in both heart and action.

Davis, who is also Zachariass eldest daughter, has since left RZIM. She was replaced by Garth Morrison, a business adviser who specializes in turnarounds for troubled corporations.

Morrison confirmed the July report was a draft and provided CT with the final version, dated August 3. The assessment was posted to RZIMs website on Wednesday morning. The final version shows minor edits, but no substantial changes.

Although we are releasing this report, we do not agree with everything in it, the board said in a statement. Regardless, we believe this report provides an important assessment of our organizations actions to investigate Zacharias and the steps we sadly failed to take. The report highlighted that the work environment at RZIM was largely positive, and that organizational and financial processes were sound.

Chose not to ask questions

The Guidepost investigators did not find any evidence that anyone inside RZIM knew about Zachariass sexual abuse of massage therapists before it was exposed. Some knew about his financial involvement in Atlanta-area spas, some knew he traveled alone with a female massage therapist, and some knew he used an RZIM scholarship fund to give large sums of money to at least three massage therapists, but they told investigators they did not consider any of that morally questionable.

Zacharias legitimately needed massages for his injured back, and RZIM leaders worried only about the possible perception of impropriety.

When a law firm hired by RZIM confirmed allegations of abuse reported by CT, many of the top leaders and board members seemed to believe that they were duped, Guidepost found. They saw themselves as innocent victims of Zachariass master manipulationsnot unlike the women he sexually abused.

According to Guidepost, it may be true that they were duped, but the board and ministry leadership also actively chose not to ask questions when it was their job to do so.

RZIM heavily and unjustifiably relied on Zachariass representations, many of which were discernibly dubious, the report says. Their veneration (bordering on devotion) for Zacharias and his family contributed to a culture that discouraged honest and open discussion about Zachariass conduct and valued loyalty to Zacharias above almost all else.

The most egregious example may be the way the board responded to allegations that Zacharias had exchanged sexually explicit texts and solicited nude photos from a Canadian woman named Lori Anne Thompson.

According to Guidepost, the RZIM board was stubbornly incurious about the facts of the matter, while the executive committee found creative ways to fund an expensive legal defense.

Thompson and her husbands lawyer sent Zacharias a letter on April 27, 2017, outlining the allegations and stating a demandnot unusual in the run-up to a lawsuitfor $5 million. Within a few days, the executive committee passed a resolution committing RZIM to all payments made to legal counsel and related parties pertaining to the legal matter involving Ravi Zacharias.

The executive committee did not investigate the abuse allegations at that time, according to Guidepost, but assumed Zacharias had not done any of the things the Thompsons said. When the full board was informed of the allegations, there is no record that anyone on the board asked for any further inquiry.

One member of the executive committee connected Zacharias with the law firm Nixon Peabody and arranged to have a donor make unrestricted gifts to RZIM that could be redirected to pay legal fees, according to Guidepost.

Nixon Peabody filed a federal lawsuit against the Thompsons in August 2017, alleging extortion and racketeering. Before the lawsuit was settled two months later, RZIM paid Nixon Peabody more than $560,000. RZIM repeatedly wired funds to the law firm, the report says, to cover Zachariass legal expenses.

Legal bills paid in unusual way

The payments, however, were not processed with other invoices. The law firm did not send bills to RZIMs financial office. It sent them instead to one board member, who would personally contact the chief financial officer, who then instructed finance personnel to pay the bills without reading them, according to Guidepost.

The legal bills were placed in a confidential file where, the report says, they were not subject to the usual recordkeeping and approval processes. According to Guidepost, RZIM had no policies for deciding what ended up in the confidential file, creating a convenient loophole for hiding payments.

At any point during the Zacharias-Thompson lawsuit, board members could have asked to review the evidence that the lawyers gathered, preparing for Zachariass defense. Nixon Peabody in fact put together a binder of email exchanges between Zacharias and Thompson. The executive committee agreed, however, that only one of them would have designated access to the binder.

That person told Guidepost he did not look at the evidence until after the lawsuit was settled.

When it was settled for $250,000, Zacharias told the board that the non-disclosure agreement he signed prevented him from giving them any details. Meeting minutes show board members did not ask any questions about the non-disclosure agreement or the settlement. According to Guidepost, the matter was treated as closed.

The following month, the report shows, the executive committee authorized a general purposes loan from RZIM to Dr. Ravi Zacharias for $260,000, covering the settlement and associated costs. RZIM had a policy against making personal loans but appears to have ignored it in several instances.

Zacharias worked successfully to keep the settlement a secret, omitting any mention of it in the official statement given to CT in December 2017. In an email the following day, Zacharias explained to his lawyers that I dont want to get into a magazines platform to fight this out.

RZIM employees, donors, and supporters were left with the impression that there was no settlement and that each side had been left to pay its own legal bills. Zachariass official statement, reproduced by CT in its entirety in 2017, also specifically said no ministry money was used for the legal defense.

This inaccuracy, the Guidepost report says, has been left to stand for years.

The RZIM boards official statement on Wednesday apologized for letting the misstatement stand, but noted that the payments were legal and properly accounted for.

In the spring of 2018, the executive committee found another creative way to help Zacharias. The committee gave Zacharias a $400,000 bonus$260,000 to pay off the loan it gave him, plus $140,000 to cover taxes. According to Guidepost, the resolution approving the bonus said it was given with the expectation that Ravi will use the funds to immediately pay off in full the entire amount of his financial indebtedness to the ministry.

Combined with the funds given to the law firm, RZIM spent $960,000 of ministry money on Zachariass lawsuit against the Thompsons.

Bombshell evidence

The Guidepost report appears to confirm the allegations of the lawyers suing RZIM in federal court on behalf of donors who believe their contributions were misused.

According to the class-action lawsuit, RZIM deceived faithful Christians and bilked tensif not hundredsof millions of dollars from well-meaning donors by taking money intended for apologetics and using it to enable and defend a sexual predator.

If its true that RZIM used any moneylet alone $1 million of donor fundsto participate in Ravis cover-up, then that is bombshell evidence in this case, Drew Ashby, an attorney representing RZIM donors, told CT. RZIM should immediately disclose it to the court.

In a court hearing in Atlanta in September, RZIMs lawyers told Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. that RZIM wasnt involved in the lawsuit against Thompson. The ministry was not a party to that litigation  not a party to that settlement.

The Guidepost report, however, shows that while the ministry didnt have its name on the lawsuit, the settlement, or the NDA, it was paying the billsand using donor money.

Lisa Yearwood, a former RZIM supporter who estimates her family gave several million dollars to the ministry over the years, said knowing the board secretly directed donations to Zachariass legal defense just adds to the cycle of grief and anger she has felt since learning of the allegations against him in 2020.

For us it isnt about the money, she told CT. Its the deception and the cover-up and that people we knew and trusted were part of covering up what he did. Its been going on for years and it continues to this day.
ISIS-affiliated jihadists kill at least 40 civilians in northern Mali

An Islamic State-affiliated group has killed at least 40 civilians on suspicion that they were associated with rival al-Qaeda militants in an area in northern Mali, which is a hotspot of jihadist violence.

The killings took place in the Tessit area near the borders of Burkina Faso and Niger last week as France and its European allies announced they were pulling out their troops from the West African country after helping fight a jihadist insurgency for more than nine years, The Guardian reported.

There were at least 40 civilian deaths in three different sites, a civilian official was quoted as saying. These civilians had been accused by one (jihadist) group of complicity with the other group.

About 30 of the killings occurred in Tadjalalt village. The other deceased were from Keygourouten and Bakal villages, among others.

The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, locally known as EIGS, and the al-Qaida-aligned GSIM group have been attacking local and foreign troops and fighting each other for territory in the area since 2020.

GSIM militants had visited the villages before EIGS fighters executed civilians.

The official explained, When a (jihadist) group passes through a village, the one that comes later accuses the residents of being accomplices.

In Mali, jihadi insurgencies led by groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are also known for killing Christians and carrying out abductions for ransom and committing atrocities.

In June 2020, suspected Islamic radicals killed at least 27 people, some of whom were burned alive, in a series of attacks in three villages that advocates said were predominantly inhabited by Christians in Central Mali.

Local officials told Reuters at the time that attacks in the villages of Bankass, Koro and Tille were carried out by armed men on motorcycles whom they believe to be jihadists that claim to protect Fulani herders from Dogon farmers.

Last June, a Catholic priest, Fr. Leon Douyon, and four other people were freed by their kidnappers in Mali.

Last April, the body of Beatrice Stockli, an Evangelical missionary from Switzerland, who was held captive by extremists in Mali affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb since January 2016, was found.

Stockli was initially kidnapped in 2012 but was released 10 days later, after mediation led by neighboring Burkina Faso. The missionary left Mali after being asked to do so by her family. However, she soon returned even though the Swiss government warned her not to.

She was dragged from her home again in 2016 by armed men in four pickup trucks.

Mali is ranked as the 24th-worst country in the world for Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs 2022 World Watch List.

In northern Mali, churches were burned and Christians were forced to flee for their lives when Islamic extremist groups took control of the region (in 2012), says the organization, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries.

Though some Christians have trickled back in with police protection, there are areas where there are no Christians. The trauma lingers, and the threat of attack still hangs over Christians, making evangelistic activities especially risky. Such programs can draw the attention of jihadists, and Christian missionaries live under the constant fear of abduction.

In Mali, its difficult to distinguish clearly between religious-based and ethnic-based violence, it adds.
Evangelical Christian radio broadcaster details Orthodox rift amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, calls for Christian unity

A Christian radio broadcaster in Ukraine is calling on Christians in Ukraine and Russia to unite as tensions between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church materialize against the backdrop of a simmering conflict between the two countries.

The ongoing escalation between Ukraine and Russia intensified Monday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway regions in Ukraine that have sizable pro-Russian populations as independent states. In response to Putins recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, President Joe Biden announced his intention to begin to impose sanctions in response far beyond the steps we and our allies and partners had implemented in 2014 to ensure that Putin does not move further into Ukraine.

Biden further described Putins actions as the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. While leaders on the world stage have focused on the geopolitical implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the tension also has spiritual implications for those living in the region.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Daniel Johnson, who runs an Evangelical broadcasting organization providing Christian radio throughout Russia at a time when the government has stifled broadcasts operated by Evangelical Christians, elaborated on the situation on the ground and its implications for people of faith living in Ukraine.

Christians are  hoping that the Russians dont come too far because churches will definitely be shut down in the areas that they take over because  thats their practice and thats their history, Johnson, the founder of the New Life Radio satellite network who is based in Odessa, Ukraine, said.

Johnson maintained that what was happening on the ground in his city of Odessa conflicts with Putins insistence that Ukrainians want to become part of Russia.

As of yesterday [Monday], there was a massive protest in the city of Odessa, where ... people are saying, Hey, this is Ukraine and we dont want Russia here.' [It's] unlike ... what Putin claimed last night, that the people in [the breakaway regions] were saying that they want to part of Russia. Well, here in Odessa, theyre saying, we dont want to be a part of Russia and stay away.

Johnson began developing the first Christian radio station in Russia in 1993. The show went on the air in 1996.

For the last 20 years, our focus has been providing Christian programming to people throughout Russia and the former Soviet republics, he said.

Johnson initially operated out of the far east of Russia. While he spent approximately 20 years in Moscow, he now operates out of Odessa, where he moved after the enactment of extremely restrictive Russian federal laws on mass media and religion in telecommunications.

Odessa, he added, is located in the very south of Ukraine, on the Black Sea, not far from Crimea.

Johnson shared with CP his vision for the role of the Ukrainian Christian community as the threat of escalating conflict looms.

This is a great time for the church in Ukraine to be strong and be an example and witness for Christ  knowing that  God is in control  God is sovereign and ... everything is according to His plan so we dont worry about it, Johnson asserted. We go on the air explaining to Christians that this is their time, this is their time to be a witness for Christ, and its really a wonderful opportunity for the Church despite all the chaos that can be happening here.

Johnson attributed some of the division in the region to the schism between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Tanks are rolling down from Russia, Russian Orthodox priests are blessing the tanks, he said. The Ukrainian Orthodox priests are blessing the Ukrainian soldiers to fight against Russia, so its a tragic scene where two brother faiths, Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox, have completely sided on the national goals of their one country.

They are not acting like they are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, first and foremost, but rather, they represent nationalism. And thats not who we are as Christians, he lamented. Our ultimate loyalty is to Christ and His Kingdom rather than the nationality of the land we happen to find ourselves in. And thats not something that the Orthodox Church is not able to accommodate.  Its a tragedy that that does not happen.

Johnson said that the Evangelical community in Ukraine is working mainly to just put the word of God out there ... to the general public and even to the Orthodox listeners who like to hear. Were teaching them the word of God and saying, Trust the Lord and your ultimate allegiance is to Jesus, not to the leadership of any one country that  you find yourself in.

For his part, Johnson is an Evangelical who has never been part of the Orthodox Church.

He detailed his efforts to bring Christians together and contrasted the approach of the Evangelicals with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Churchs focus on nationalism and patriotism. He rejoiced that Evangelicals have "never been controlled by the state, nor will we.

The American public has given a cool reception to the idea of deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine, which has been touted by many in Washington as an effective solution to the conflict.

A poll released by Quinnipiac University last week found that 57% of Americans believe that the U.S. should not send troops to the Eastern European country if Russia invades, while 32% think the U.S. has an obligation to deploy troops there in the event of an invasion.

At the same time, 55% of Americans predict that the tensions between Ukraine and Russia will lead to war, while 30% disagree. On the other hand, a majority of Americans (54%) support Bidens decision to deploy thousands of troops to Eastern Europe to support members of NATO, the group of countries formed during the Cold War era to deter the Soviet Union.

Johnson concluded that the Ukrainians really are on their own because Ukraine is not a member of NATO.

When asked whether or not Ukraine should join NATO, a prospect that alarms Putin, Johnson told CP that I dont think they can technically meet the standards of NATO to enter membership.

We need to be a force of prayer for peace between these nations and trust God to determine the outcome of the lives of the people both in Ukraine and Russia, because in many ways  its a brotherhood of nations. We need to be focused on praying that God intervenes and His will is done because  theres no real military solution from the U.S. to the problem in Ukraine, he added. Its either you stay out of it, or if youre going to get in it, it will escalate to the point where it will be beyond peoples control and weve been through those scenarios before.

While Ukraine is not a member of NATO, the United States provided security assurances to the Eastern European country in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994.

As part of the agreement, Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for the guarantee that The United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine if it were to become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.

All signatories to the Budapest Memorandum also agreed to respect the Independence and Sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine. Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea and subsequent actions suggest that it has not lived up to its promises and supporters of the U.S. taking military action to deter Russian expansion into Ukraine believe that the U.S. is obligated to do so because of the Budapest Memorandum.

Johnson concluded that regardless of what happens in the geopolitical arena regarding Russia and Ukraine, Christians in the U.S. still have a role to play in ensuring peace in the region.

We need to encourage Christians in America to invest in broadcasting the Gospel throughout Russia and Ukraine and Belarus as our best way to help these people," he said, "not through political or economic actions, but actually investing in ministries that communicate the Gospel and teach the scriptures on a daily basis.

We hope that Christians throughout America will partner with us so we can actually do this night and day and get the Gospel into communities throughout Russia. Most people dont know that 99 percent of all communities in Russia have no local Christian station and when the government prevents the ability of Christians to develop media, to develop Christian stations, we provide that coverage. And we hope that people in America will join us.
Hillsong leader criticizes upcoming Discovery Plus docuseries for overlooking church's good deeds

Hillsong Church interim global senior pastor Phil Dooley contended this week that the upcoming Discovery Plus docu-series titled Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed paints an unfair picture of the church.

The three-part series, coming to the streaming service on March 24, purports to demonstrate how the Australia-based global evangelical church network has toed the fine line between cult and culture, according to recently released trailer.

While preaching for a global simulcast Sunday to Hillsong churches worldwide, Dooley tied his message from Nehemiah 4 to the situation surrounding Hillsong. He seemed to compare the resistance Nehemiah faced to Hillsongs controversies in recent years.

There are those who are against what God is doing . . . and weve felt the pain of that, Dooley said in the Feb.19 message.

Dooley and his wife, Lucinda, served as youth pastors in Sydney before leading Hillsong South Africa in 2008. Theyre now stepping in for Brian Houston, who founded Hillsong in 1983. The 68-year-old recently stepped down as Hillsong global senior pastor as he fights a criminal charge in Australia.

Houston is accused of failing to report decades-old child sexual abuse allegations against his father, Frank Houston, after being informed of the allegations in 1999 while serving as the head of the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God. His father served as head of the Assemblies of God in New Zealand until 1971.

The docuseries will delve into the controversy surrounding Carl Lentz, the former pastor of Hillsong NYC. Lentz was fired from his role at Hillsong due to moral failures in November 2020. Hillsong said in December 2020 that it took action amid allegations of inappropriate sex between staff members and volunteers. Additionally, pastors faced allegations they misused church funds.

Dooley maintained that the picture Discovery Plus is painting of Hillsong is far removed from ... the truth of who we are as a church.

He specifically slammed the producers of Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed, noting that their purpose is not the healing of people, but simply to hurt the church.

If those producers were truly attempting to do an expose, I would like to expose them to a place called Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town (South Africa) and a school called Tembaletu, Dooley shared.

Our church, collectively around the world, provided them with accommodation so that they could experience a better life and an opportunity for a better education. And we have continued to do that with these beautiful kids, he testified.

The interim pastor went on to list the good things the church is doing.

But not only that, Id love to expose them to Phillippi village, not too far down the road, or a small place in Johannesburg, where we are teaching young people from disadvantaged backgrounds digital skills so that they can be educated and they can get the kind of skills that enable them to step into a digital economy rather than become a statistic in a country that has over 60% youth unemployment because thats what our church is doing, Dooley declared.

The pastor numbered other charitable deeds that the church is engaged in worldwide, including sponsoring children with Compassion International.

Our church helping all the partners that weve partnered with, say Compassion, for example, who have been able to help thousands of young people get a better education and families out of poverty, he added. And we have played our part-time and time again, in serving and helping.

While addressing the upcoming docuseries, Dooley, who has been a part of Hillsong Chruch for over 30 years, briefly acknowledged the alleged victims of some of the churchs leaders. He said he was saddened by their experiences.

He later stated that Hillsong has never claimed to be a perfect church.

For the series, Discovery Plus partnered with the New York Post and investigative journalist Hannah Frishberg, who has written several articles about Hillsong and Lentz.

Ranin Karim, the New York-based fashion designer who has stated that she had a five-month affair with Lentz, is seen speaking in the docuseries of her relationship with the former Hillsong pastor.

Other interviewees include PreachersNSneakers founder and author Ben Kirby and Jaclyn Hayes and Janice Lagata, two women who volunteered for Hillsong to work under Lentz.

With more than 150,000 global members, Hillsong has recently been entangled in scandal. Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed will profile numerous ex-members of the church who have come forward to share harrowing allegations of the trauma, abuse, financial and labor exploitation that created a culture of chaos within the church, the synopsis of the project reads.

The series will also examine how Hillsong was able to grow into a global brand, while uncovering the truth behind the headlines of recent scandals and shining a light on the fine line between culture, corporation and cult.
SBC leaders apologize for mishandling Jennifer Lyell's sex abuse case

After initially refusing to apologize, the Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee expressed regret for its response to the sexual abuse of Jennifer Lyell, which the SBCs once highest-paid female executive suffered at the hands of a former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor.

The SBC Executive Committee acknowledges its failures to Ms. Lyell, including the unintentional harm created by its failure to report Ms. Lyells allegations of nonconsensual sexual abuse were investigated and unequivocally corroborated by the SBC entities with authority over Ms. Lyell and her abuser, the committee, which manages the business of the $15 billion Christian organization, said in a statement posted on Twitter Tuesday.

The SBC Executive Committee acknowledges its failure to adequately listen, protect, and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward to share her story of abuse by a seminary professor. Baptist Press failed to accurately report the sexual abuse Jennifer Lyell reported to two SBC entities and local Southern Baptist churches, the statement attributed to SBC Executive Committee Chairman Roland Slade said.

The SBC Executive Committee apologizes for all the hurt it has caused, is grateful for Ms. Lyells perseverance and engagement. And prays for her complete healing from the trauma she has endured.

I want to note as clearly as possible that the EC's action re: my case today is not because I am somehow special or more worthy than those who have been waiting for resolution. AND despite me acknowledging it, this is likely still painful for many. I just want you to know I care. https://t.co/JnDE9eyQLr  Jennifer Lyell (@jenlyell) February 22, 2022

The Baptist Press, the SBCs official news service based in Nashville and overseen by the Executive Committee, inaccurately reported in March 2019 that Lyell admitted she was involved in a morally inappropriate relationship with her former professor David Sills at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Lyell maintained that she was groomed and abused by the professor for more than a decade but faced opposition when seeking justice through the SBC.

During its meeting Tuesday, the Executive Committee approved a resolution to issue the apology to Lyell.

Russell Moore, who formerly led the SBCs Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, accused convention leaders last June of mishandling what he called a crisis of sexual abuse in the denomination by intimidating whistleblowers into silence and exonerating churches with credible allegations of negligence of sexual abuse victims.

Last year, investigative firm Guidepost Solutions was retained to review how the SBC Executive Committee has handled allegations of sexual abuse against member churches. The vote to waive the committees attorney-client privilege as part of the investigation led to the resignation of several members, including the committees former head and legal team.

Guidepost is still accepting information that might be helpful to its investigation. Its expected to submit its report to the SBC Sexual Abuse Task Force 30 days before the next SBC annual meeting in June.

Lyell, a former vice president at the SBCs Lifeway Christian Resources, told The Washington Post that she lost her job, reputation and health as she fought to get justice for the abuse she suffered. The publication noted that the Executive Committee paid Lyell a financial settlement for what she endured but refused to apologize.

In a statement posted on her website Tuesday, Lyell said she informed Executive Committee Chairman Rolland Slade last October of ongoing disputes and potential unaddressed legal claims stemming from her case. She suggested that the apology was a move to avoid litigation.

It is not because anything about me or what I have experienced is somehow deserving of attention when I know very well that there are others who have suffered even more and been waiting for years  decades, even  to get any form of humane treatment, much less apology and clarification, Lyell explained.

The timeframes in which legal claims must be filed relative to the damaging conduct compelled and determined this be addressed before the Guidepost investigation is complete if litigation was to be avoided.

Since informing Slade about the ongoing disputes, she said that she has met multiple times with the Executive Committees new legal team regarding specific EC conduct and negligence.

The details of that process and all associated documentation will be part of Guideposts investigation and thus this statement is primarily to provide context for why the EC has issued a statement addressing their failure in my case and to express my gratitude for the ECs action regarding my case today, Lyell said.

At the Executive Committee meeting in Nashville Tuesday, SBC President Ed Litton said that the Guidepost investigation is progressing. Litton assured that the people the SBC has asked to cooperate with the investigation are cooperating even though there were a few challenges to help bring people together.

[T]he people that were asking to cooperate, at this point, are cooperating, he stated.

On Feb. 7, the Sexual Abuse Task Force published an update explaining that Guidepost has conducted interviews with current and former SBC committee members, staff and trustees. Additionally, Guidepost has reviewed relevant documents and processed a substantial amount of information.
Texas attorney general calls trans surgeries, puberty blockers 'child abuse' in formal opinion

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has released a formal opinion concluding that performing certain gender reassignment procedures on children constitutes child abuse under state law.

In Opinion No. KP-0401, released last Friday, Paxton said that certain sex-change procedures and treatments can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions of chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code.

Such procedures and treatments include castration, the removal of healthy body parts as well as the prescription of puberty-blocking drugs among others.

Beyond the obvious harm of permanently sterilizing a child, these procedures and treatments can cause side effects and harms beyond permanent infertility, the opinion states.

The medical evidence does not demonstrate that children and adolescents benefit from engaging in these irreversible sterilization procedures.

Paxton argued that such invasive gender reassignment procedures, like removing private parts, would deprive the child of the fundamental right to procreate, which supports a finding of child abuse under the Family Code.

Because children are legally incompetent to consent to sterilization, procedures and treatments that result in a childs sterilization are unauthorized and infringe on the childs fundamental right to procreate, the opinion continued.

The lack of authority of a minor to consent to an irreversible sterilization procedure is consistent with other law. The federal Medicaid program does not allow for parental consent, has established a minimum age of 21 for consent to sterilization procedures, and imposes detailed requirements for obtaining that consent.

In a statement Monday, Paxton said that there was no doubt that these procedures are abuse under Texas law, and thus must be halted.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. Ill do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans, he added.

Last August, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Jamie Masters published a letter asserting that genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery is child abuse, subject to all rules and procedures pertaining to child abuse.

Masters' letter came after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott requested that the agency issue a determination of whether genital mutilation of a child for purposes of gender transitioning through reassignment surgery constitutes child abuse.

Last December, Paxtons office announced an investigation into Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act due to the promotion of medications as puberty blockers. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of puberty-blocking drugs for the sake of gender transition but has approved such medication for children who start puberty at a very young age.

Some medical organizations, however, contend that puberty blockers and other gender transition procedures for minors can be beneficial to children suffering from gender dysphoria.

The American Medical Association, for example, released an open letter last April arguing that state governments should not prohibit gender reassignment procedures for youth.

Such decisions must be sensitive to the childs clinical situation, nurture the childs short and long-term development, and balance the need to preserve the childs opportunity to make important life choices autonomously in the future, stated the AMA in a letter.

We believe it is inappropriate and harmful for any state to legislatively dictate that certain transition-related services are never appropriate and limit the range of options physicians and families may consider when making decisions for pediatric patients.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the benefits of puberty-blocking medicines for gender dysphoria might include reducing depression among youths and preventing the need for future surgery.

Nevertheless, the clinic warns that taking puberty blockers remains a big step that can have a long-term impact on bodily growth, bone density and fertility.

In addition, delaying puberty beyond ones peers can be stressful, the Mayo Clinic explained. Your child might experience lower self-esteem.

The conservative American College of Pediatricians, an association of physicians and healthcare professionals "dedicated to the health and well-being of children," has long voiced its opposition to using puberty-blocking drugs on children with gender dysphoria.

"There is not a single long-term study to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries for transgender-believing youth," the association says in an online statement. "This means that youth transition is experimental, and therefore, parents cannot provide informed consent, nor can minors provide assent for these interventions. Moreover, the best long-term evidence we have among adults shows that medical intervention fails to reduce suicide."
How to understand Gen Z distinctives

Defining a generation is difficult. This is especially true of a generation characterized by individualism and resistance to group labels.

Generation Z, the people born between 1997 and 2012, represents the future of our country and the potential of our world. I spend nearly three-quarters of my week with Generation Z, and I believe this army of young people can and will make a lasting mark on the earth for Christ.

As a university president, I have the unique opportunity to rub shoulders with hundreds of Gen Zers. I spend a significant amount of time with them in meetings, events, classes and informal discussions.

Every bit of information  whether learned by experience or through others insights  sheds new, refreshing light on this new generation. One such insight comes from The Gen Z Effect by Thomas M. Koulopoulos and Dan Keldsen. Extrapolating from their research, we learn that:

Before Gen Z, the internet was perceived as a privilege. After Gen Z, it is considered a human right.

Before Gen Z, failure was avoided. After Gen Z, it is embraced as fast as possible.

Before Gen Z, connectivity was a luxury. After Gen Z, it is a necessity.

This list indicates that Gen Z is driven by purpose. They are determined to achieve and enjoy a purpose-filled life. In his article for HuffPost, Zach Mercurio wrote, The newest generation to enter the workforce, Generation Z should be called The Purpose Generation.

What Mercurio discovered and many others are discovering, is that purpose is significant to this generation and its emphasis bleeds into every facet of their lives. According to Mercurio, employers need to know that Gen Z is searching to discover a purpose that is worth committing to  one that is socially responsible, human-centered, and ethical.

According to marketing research company Sparks and Honey, Gen Z exhibits the following traits regarding work-life:

They are eager to start working.

They are mature and in control.

They believe traditional choices do not guarantee success.

They communicate with symbols, speed and images.

Their social circles are global.

Entrepreneurship is in their DNA (72% of high school students want to start a business someday).

They intend to change the world.

Recently, I discovered that many college students mistakenly think they are millennials. This highlights an important point. We would be unwise to unknowingly and insensitively group millennials and Gen Zers together or confuse the two. Generation Z has real differences, strengths, and weaknesses that are worth paying attention to.

The Lovell Corporation confirmed this in The Change Generation Report. They stated that the top five work value priorities between the two generations are similar in two areas but have changed drastically in others:

Millennials are driven by growth and lifestyle, and Generation Z is driven by growth and passion.

These changes have impacted our universitys student body. A few years ago, our leadership teams began noticing the student composition shifting. What we thought we knew wasnt working.

Generation Z is different from millennials in many ways, but one difference that stands out is their motivations and drive. Gen Z is driven to make a positive difference. They carry generational gifting around purpose.

Competitive Solutions, Inc., a Georgia-based consulting company, says this: Generation Z wants more than just a job; they seek a job with purpose, a sense of fulfillment that helps to move the world forward.

Shane Pruitt, pastor, speaker, and author, stated in Church Leaders magazine that Generation Z is globally minded and wants their life to matter. Theyre not scared to die young; however, they are terrified to die at a ripe old age and have done nothing significant with their lives in their own age.

Yet even with immense passion, Gen Z, like every generation before them, needs guidance to discover and fulfill their God-given purpose. My prayer is for mature Christians to be inspired and informed to help Gen Z become all they are destined to be. My prayer is that Gen Zers will be motivated and challenged to pursue the God-given purpose burning on the inside of them.

I believe every Gen Zer can serve Gods purposes in this generation. Lets help them do it.

Adapted from Generation Z: Born for the Storm. Copyright  2021 by Dr. Billy Wilson and published by Empowered Books (an imprint of ORU Press) and Forefront Books. All rights reserved.
Join Mississippi in supporting women with unplanned pregnancies

As America awaits the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization the case considering whether Mississippis law protecting the lives of unborn babies at 15-weeks is constitutional  pro-lifers in Mississippi arent just twiddling their thumbs.

Led by Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, these pro-life, pro-woman advocates hosted a virtual baby shower to benefit the over 30 pregnancy resource centers in the state. As Attorney General Fitch said, There are women facing great challenges when they learn that they are pregnant The pro-life movement has always been about supporting these women. We want these women to know that they do not have to face this on their own.

One of the best ways to support women facing unplanned pregnancies is to support the work of pregnancy resource centers. We invite you to join Attorney General Fitch in showering pregnancy resource centers all over the country with prayer, love, and material items.

What is a pregnancy resource center?

A pregnancy resource center (PRC) is an organization that offers material, emotional, and often spiritual support to women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy, seeking support for infants or toddlers, looking for guidance before a potential abortion, or searching for healing afterward. In 2019, PRCs nationwide served almost two million people and provided nearly $270 million in services. Each PRC is unique, but they are alike in their mission of supporting women and men throughout pregnancy and after the birth of the child.

They provide material support, including clothing, diapers, wipes, and formula; education about pregnancy, parenting, and life skills; and medical services like pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and STD testing. Many PRCs also offer housing for mothers and their children; spiritual support; assistance for abuse and human trafficking victims; and guidance applying for Medicaid, SNAPS, and WIC. Pregnancy resource centers offer loving care for mothers and fathers in need.

Where can I find one?

To find a pregnancy resource center, visit Pregnancy Decision Line at pregnancydecisionline.org or call 866-798-9541. Pregnancy Decision Line provides confidential, free support to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy. You can also visit Option Line at optionline.org or call or text 800-712-4357. In addition to offering emergency hotline support and information about pregnancy and abortion recovery, Option Line connects you with a PRC near you for local support.

How can I support PRCs?

PRCs depend on the consistency and faithfulness of prayer, volunteers, financial donations, and material donations (clothes, diapers, wipes, formula, etc.). You and your community might consider committing to one or more of these needs. Call your local PRC and ask about their immediate needs. Whether it is organizing diapers, praying for women, teaching an online parenting class, or making a monthly donation, PRCs and the mothers they serve are grateful for support. Single parents and couples need supportive communities, especially when facing an unexpected pregnancy.

How can my church get involved?

PRCs are always grateful for the assistance of churches. Connect with your local PRC to find their specific needs, and post about volunteer opportunities in the churchs bulletin. Schedule group service days at the PRC for the youth and adults. This is an excellent opportunity to open young peoples eyes to the needs right in their neighborhood. Dedicate a month for collecting diapers, wipes, formula and other materials. Ask your local PRC what materials they are most in need of to get started. And, of course, pray. As a congregation, pray not only for an end to abortion but also for mothers and fathers in need and those who help them.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
China collaboration doesn't pay off for American corporations

I recently wrote about the Beijing Olympics and the Faustian bargain American corporations made with China. Now that the Olympics are over, that bargain should not be forgotten  and not just because of the moral crime of implicitly endorsing the Chinese government. Its become fashionable, even automatic, for commentators to deride the corporations that sponsored the Beijing Olympics as just caring about profit. (If only that were true, these corporations may have actually ignored the Olympics.) On the contrary, the corporate obsession with China has been anything but profitable. See the infographic below, courtesy of VisualCapitalist, which shows just how successful corporate Americas incursions into China have been:

Put simply, the China bet has been a consistent failure for our corporations. Massive companies, such as Google and Amazon, have been run out of China. Yahoo and Amazon may have had the best run, at over a decade operating something in China before they closed shop, but Google only lasted a little over 4 years. The clothing retailer Forever 21 barely lasted 1 year. The problem isnt that our corporations havent tried  American businesses have been attempting to break into China for years, without success. Sooner or later they either give up or are driven out.

As I said when I previously wrote on the subject, associating your corporation with the Chinese government was a losing move  the universally-negative reputation of the regime domestically likely outweighs whatever benefit a Coca-Cola sign on the railing of some ice rink might bring. The Chinese government lures American corporations in with the promise of access to the worlds largest market, uses their intellectual property to jumpstart their own domestic competitors, and then the companies are forced to leave, either due to direct intervention by the Chinese government or merely an inability to break into a foreign market with its own state-sponsored established competitors.

Purely from the perspective of business profitability, the sponsors of the Beijing Olympics have made a mistake. The Christian case for the primacy of shareholder capitalism is clear: corporate management has been entrusted with the task of maximizing profit for their investors, and it is incumbent upon stewards to be faithful to those who entrusted them with their money. If corporations do not pursue profit on behalf of their shareholders, they are breaking trust with their shareholders and violating the Biblical proscription on faithfulness. No other arguments  for instance, about Chinas cultural genocide or persecution of Christians  are necessary to make the moral and practical case against corporate complicity with China.

Ebay, Amazon, Yahoo, Best Buy, Home Depot, Forever 21, Groupon, Uber, Macys, LinkedIn. All extremely successful domestically and even internationally. All failed in China, because their government will never allow an American company to compete with their state-owned enterprises long-term. Eventually, American corporations will have to give up on their dream. If they wont do it of their own volition, their shareholders must speak up against the misuse of investor resources  and against collaboration with the Chinese regime.
Biden enacts sanctions on Russia, vows to 'go further' if Putin continues 'invasion' of Ukraine

President Joe Biden has announced that sanctions to cut Russia off from Western financing will go into effect, promising to go further with measures if Russia continues what he called an invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he recognized the independence of two pro-Russian regions located in Eastern Ukraine, prompting outrage from Western powers. Reports indicate that Putin had ordered Russian troops to enter the two breakaway regions  Donetsk and Luhansk.

During a speech Tuesday afternoon in response to Putin, Biden told the press that he considered Putins words a rationale to justify taking more territory by force, noting that the Russian president claimed additional territory in Ukraine.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, said Biden. Im going to begin to impose sanctions in response far beyond the steps we and our allies and partners implemented in 2014.

If Russia goes further with this invasion, we stand prepared to go further as with sanctions. Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belong to his neighbors?

Biden called Putins actions a flagrant violation of international law that requires a firm response from the international community, especially through sanctions.

Im announcing the first tranche of sanctions to impose costs on Russia in response to their actions yesterday, said Biden. These have been closely coordinated with our allies and partners, and well continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

Were implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions, VEB and their military bank. Were implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. That means weve cut off Russias government from Western finances. It can no longer raise money from the West.

Starting last November, Russia began placing troops on its border with Ukraine and in nearby allied nation Belarus. Experts estimate that as many as 150,000 soldiers are present.

For much of its history, Russia has controlled Ukraine either in part or in whole, with the eastern portion of the country having a sizable pro-Russian population.

This historic control has been brutal at times, such as during the 1930s when Soviet Union dictator Joseph Stalins collectivist policies caused millions of Ukrainian deaths.

In 2014, Russia moved against Ukraine by annexing their strategic peninsula, Crimea, prompting sanctions and outrage from Western powers, including the United States.

Last week, evangelical leader Franklin Graham, who has met with Putin in the past, called on his supporters to pray that the Russian president will avoid war.

This may sound like a strange request, and I might get some angry comments, but we need to pray that God would work in his heart so that war  and the loss of thousands of lives could be avoided at all cost, posted Graham to Facebook.

May God give wisdom to the leaders involved in these talks and negotiations, as well as those advising them. Our prayers might make the difference between life and death.
Fort Hood, TX (76544)

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Christian group sues Calif. amid fears assisted suicide law would coerce doctors to violate beliefs

A Christian medical organization and a licensed medical professional have sued California over changes to its assisted suicide law that they believe forces them to participate in the controversial procedure.

The Christian Medical & Dental Associations and Dr. Leslee Cochrane filed the suit on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

The complaint argues that the recently passed Senate Bill 380 requires a physician with a patient who asks for an assisted suicide to document the request in that patients medical record, even if the physician objects to participating in assisted suicide in any way.

Signed into law last October, the legislation also amends the states assisted suicide law by reducing the minimum time between a patients two required oral requests for lethal drugs from 15 days to 48 hours.

The legal filing also states that physicians who refuse to participate in the process of approving assisted suicide, such as determining decision-making capacity or referring a patient to a physician who is willing to perform the act, is open to civil, criminal, administrative, disciplinary, employment, credentialing, professional discipline, contractual liability, or medical staff action, sanction, or penalty or other liability.

Named defendants include California Attorney General Rob Bonta, California Department of Public Health Director Tomas J. Aragon and the Medical Board of California members.

In sum, the original End of Life Options Act provided broad protection for conscientiously objecting physicians, but SB 380 eliminates or limits that protection, reads the lawsuit.

Plaintiffs desire not to participate in assisted suicide in any way, but they fear penalization under SB 380 and action against their medical licenses if they do not.

The CMDA and Cochrane are represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal nonprofit that has successfully argued religious freedom cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle said in a statement Tuesday that the plaintiffs seek to live out their faith in their medical practice, and that includes valuing every human life entrusted to their care.

Participating in, or referring a patient for, physician-assisted suicide very clearly would violate their consciences, stated Harle.

No health care professional should be forced to act against their religious beliefs and medical ethics, and the state of California is wrong to enforce such coercion.

In October 2015, then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed the End of Life Option Act, with the law taking effect the following June and making California the fifth state to allow residents to end their lives with drugs prescribed by a doctor.

Multiple groups and a terminally ill mother of four named Stephanie Packer sued California over the law soon after it took effect, arguing that it lacked safeguards and rejecting the idea that suicide should be considered healthcare.

In May 2018, Judge Daniel A. Ottolia of State Superior Court in Riverside ruled against the law, concluding that state legislators passed it in an unconstitutional manner.

But later that year, a three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeals in California overturned the lower court ruling, concluding that the plaintiffs lacked the standing to sue.

Last November, the appeals court concluded that the Packer lawsuit was moot due to lawmakers reauthorizing and extending the law in 2021.
SBC must deal with 'stains' of racism, sex abuse to regain moral credibility,' Ed Litton says

Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton called racism and sexual abuse the most outstanding stains on the denomination on Monday, adding that the convention must take steps to cleanse itself.

The head of the nations largest Protestant denomination gave an address before a meeting of the SBC Executive Committee, saying that the denomination must regain moral credibility.

We all love to see progress. We love to hear great reports. We love to see good examples. But in order to do the Gospel that God has given us to do  we must regain moral credibility. We must deal with the stains on the Southern Baptist Convention, Litton, the pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, said.

Litton, who was elected to the helm of the SBC last June, assumed the role amid deep divisions in the SBC over how leaders had been responding to racism, critical race theory and enduring sexual abuse in member churches. He had promised shortly after his election that he would build bridges, not walls during his tenure.

So how do we dare face the stains of our great family? Litton asked before highlighting the 2017 book Removing the Stain of Racism from the Southern Baptist Convention: Diverse African American and White Perspectives by Jarvis Williams and Kevin Jones.

They have collected a series of essays by prominent SBC voices on the struggle we have had from our beginning with race. It was groundbreaking in many ways, because at its basic level, it admitted something that many have failed to admit in the past, and that is this is a historic stain.

He then quoted heavily from a chapter written by Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Racism is so insidious that it appears even when it is declared to have been eradicated. In 1995, on the 150th anniversary of the founding of the SBC, the denomination publicly repudiated its roots in the defense of slavery. That was a start, a horribly delayed but an important start, Mohler wrote, as quoted by Litton.

Today, far more is required of us. Repudiating slavery is not enough. We must repent and seek to confront and remove every stain of racism that remains and seek with all of our strength to be the kind of churches of which Jesus would be proud, the kind of churches that will look like the marriage supper of the Lamb.

So what do we know about stains? They are pernicious and hard to remove, Litton added. We must identify the source of our sin and stain. We cannot deny history, the history of our beginnings, or the lingering effects of racism throughout our time. This requires us to confront the sin of racism and to seek to remove the stain from SBC life.

Litton argued that just as Paul was not going to allow the Ephesian believers to neglect this issue by simply covering up the outside stain it left on their witness, Southern Baptists need to work intentionally to eradicate racism.

Dr. Mohler concludes in his chapter: If the church gets this wrong, it is not just getting race and ethnic differences wrong. It is getting the Gospel wrong, Litton said.

Litton further noted that he plans to present a practical, grassroots, simple, straightforward plan to help churches build bridges and tear down walls at the annual SBC meeting and pastors conference scheduled for Anaheim, California, in June.

In Anaheim, it is my plan and intention and the intention of others to present to this convention a practical, grassroots, simple, straightforward, direct way that our churches can begin to cross these barriers, tear down walls, build bridges, and bring peace, and show the world that we are followers of Jesus Christ, Litton said.

In addressing the issue of sexual abuse, the SBC leader said while he does not yet know what will be fully unearthed in an ongoing assessment of sexual abuse in the denomination by the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Committee, we can acknowledge that there has been a culture among us where predators found safe places to hide and the vulnerable found no safe place to rest. This is a stain.

It can be dealt with. It can be solved, Litton said. Not in one meeting or one vote. It has to be dealt with, with intentionality over a long hall.

We must take this [sex abuse] report seriously when it is delivered. And we must receive it with humility and brokenness. We must make changes necessary to protect the vulnerable and to bring healing as God will and God only can to the hearts of those who have suffered. We should not just brace for impact with this report. We should stand ready to act upon it.

The SBC Executive Committee is in the midst of an independent investigation into how leaders handled allegations of sex abuse impacting member churches. Whether the committee would waive attorney-client privilege was a source of contention for some on the committee last year. After the committee approved a motion to waive the privilege, several members of the committee resigned, including the committee's former head Ronnie Floyd and its legal team.
Hundreds of Catholic baptisms may be invalidated in Michigan over incorrect 'formula'

Nearly two years before thousands of Catholics learned earlier this month that their baptisms were invalidated because their priest said the wrong word during baptisms, hundreds of Catholics baptized at the St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church in Michigan learned their baptisms were also deemed invalid.

The Rev. Andres Arango, the former priest of St. Gregory Catholic Church in Phoenix, Arizona, resigned after a 20-year career earlier this month after church officials concluded that he had been using the phrase We baptize instead of the Vatican approved I baptize for baptisms.

Specifically, it was reported to me that Fr. Andres used the formula, WE baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The key phrase in question is the use of We baptize in place of I baptize, Thomas J. Olmsted, the bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix said at the time. The issue with using We is that it is not the community that baptizes a person, rather, it is Christ, and Him alone, who presides at all of the sacraments, and so it is Christ Jesus who baptizes.

Seventeen months ago, the Archbishop of Detroit, the Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, revealed in a statement that the now-retired Deacon Mark Springer, who performed nearly 800 baptisms at St. Anastasia from 1986-99 had made a similar error which also led to the invalidation of the baptism of Fr. Matthew Hood, a young priest Springer had baptized with the "invalid formula."

The deacon who first attempted to baptize Father Hood, Deacon Mark Springer, used this invalid formula while assigned at St. Anastasia Parish in Troy, during the period from 1986-1999, Vigneron said at the time. The parish and Archdiocese of Detroit will make efforts to contact those whom the deacon attempted to baptize, so that they may receive valid sacraments. The Archdiocese has made the deacons identity known in an attempt to alert people whom we may not have a way to contact.

Archdiocese of Detroit spokeswoman Holly Fournier told The Associated Press that only 200 of Springers baptisms were identified as valid and 71 people came forward to redo the sacrament again including Fr. Hood.

The AP reported that within days of finding out that his baptism was invalid, Hood, 31, was properly baptized and quickly ordained to the priesthood in 2020. Some 30 couples whose wedding Hood officiated also had to redo their vows.

I was expecting them to be angry, upset, confused, Hood told the news service. Their reaction was Father Matt, we feel so bad for you.

The archdiocese is still waiting to hear from hundreds of others whose baptism and other sacraments are now considered invalid.

"We reached out directly, mailing letters to everyone impacted using the most recent records we had on each individual, Fournier told the AP. We're eager to accompany anyone who comes forward."

In the Catholic Church, people are baptized once, as infants, and not rebaptized as adults. However, children, teenagers and adults who convert to Catholicism also receive baptism, often performed during Easter vigils (see examples here and here).

While admitting that even though in the Catholic tradition God has bound Himself to the sacraments, but He is not bound by the sacraments, Vigneron insisted that having the rites properly administered is an important part of Catholic life.

When properly administered, (sacraments) are visible rites and efficacious channels through which the sanctifying grace of God flows to those who receive them with the proper disposition, he said. Sanctifying grace is necessary for a soul to spend eternity in heaven, and valid sacramental baptism guarantees that this grace has been placed in the soul.

Sin is a loss of sanctifying grace, but all the sacraments work according to their purpose to give and fortify sanctifying grace in the soul. This grace is a treasure of treasures and we must do everything we can to protect the integrity of the sacraments through which we receive it, he explained. It is the duty of the local Church to ensure that everyone entrusted into her care has the full benefit and certainty that come from the valid reception of the sacraments, which have been given to us to keep us as secure as possible on the path to heaven.
Over 500 churches leave Russian Church for new Ukrainian Orthodox Church

More than 500 congregations have joined the newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the past seven months after leaving the Russian-affiliated church.

Ukrainian Orthodox officials reported that in three months since the church was granted autocephaly, or leadership that does not need to answer to a higher ranked bishop, about 300 churches joined. In the four months after that, another 220 joined.

Paul Goble, an expert on Eurasian ethnic and religious issues whose work is syndicated by the Ukraine-based Kyiv Post, reported on his blog earlier this week about the movement of parishes and the significance of the numbers.

The shift so far means that the Russian church in Ukraine has lost almost 5 percent of its congregations, a relatively small fraction of the total but significant given how much resistance the Moscow Patriarchate has sought to generate with flying squads to vote down proposals at the parish level to change, wrote Goble.

The map of the changes is also significant. Ever more of the most recent changes have been in the center and south of Ukraine and not just in the West as was the case at first.

Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, seen as "first among equals" in the Orthodox Church, agreed to allow the creation of an independent church in Ukraine.

Many in the Eastern European nation requested the new church in response to Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine.

The Russian Orthodox Church announced in October that it was cutting ties with the central Orthodox Church community to protest the decision.

Metropolitan Ilarion, the Moscow Patriarchate's head of external relations, blamed Patriarch Bartholomew I in a statement last year.

"We now stand before a new church reality: we no longer have a single coordinating center in the Orthodox Church and we must very clearly recognize that," said Ilarion, as reported by ABC News. "The Constantinople Patriarchate liquidated itself as such a center."

For their part, the Trump administration supported the new Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo releasing a statement in October 2018 declaring it an example of religious liberty in action.

We support Ukrainians' ability to worship as they choose and hope this will be respected by all. Tolerance, restraint, and understanding are key to ensuring that people with different religious affiliations can live and prosper together in peace, Pompeo said.

We urge Church and government officials to actively promote these values in connection with the move towards the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
SBC Pres. Ed Litton gives update on sex abuse investigation: 'We need to remain very sober'

Southern Baptist Convention President Ed Litton shared a brief update with the SBC Executive Committee on behalf of the Sexual Abuse Task Force and urged the convention to remain very sober and determined as the investigation is still underway.

The work is progressing, Litton, the pastor of Redemption Church in Saraland, Alabama, said during the SBCs second plenary session in Nashville Tuesday morning.

Let me commend the staff of the EC for their cooperation on every level. The cooperation among the EC members, you may have had misgivings; Ive heard people say, I havent been a part of this, Im new. Yet, you have cooperated. Continue to cooperate, and I would encourage you to do that. The process is working; its moving.

Litton, elected president of the SBC last year, said the Committee on Cooperation  the committee that acts as a liaison between the Executive Committee, the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Guidepost Solutions  has had a few challenges to help bring people together.

But, hes happy to report that those challenges seem to be resolved and we are cooperating.

And the people that were asking to cooperate, at this point, are cooperating, he added.

Later in the session, Litton fielded questions regarding the ongoing sexual abuse inquiry. The investigation, expected to be completed by June, concerns how the executive committee has handled abuse allegations against member churches over the past 21 years.

Last year, the committee approved a motion to waive attorney-client privilege in the wake of the investigation, prompting several members to resign, including the committees former head Ronnie Floyd and its legal team.

Hannah-Kate Williams, a survivor of alleged abuse and rape at the hands of her father, James Williams, an SBC pastor, asked Litton about addressing instances outside the scope of the investigation.

The task force is charged with finding the agency that will do the investigation best; theyve been transparent reporting everything through this, Litton replied. The report will have suggestions and recommendations, and thats what theyre going to deal with. Of course, one of the things theyll look at is how any decisions will fit into our polity and how we function as a convention.

EC member Mike Keahbone told Williams the investigations report and how the EC responds is not the ending of where we stand with sexual abuse; its the beginning.

You can bet that were going move forward aggressively with how to address that.  We are all committed to that, he said.

On Feb. 7, the Sexual Abuse Task Force released an update on its work, revealing Guidepost Solutions had reviewed and processed a substantial amount of information pertinent to the investigation through the review of documents and contacting and interviewing a substantial number of current and former SBC committee members, staff and trustees.

These interviews are essential in conducting a full, fair, and comprehensive investigation and assessment. They also provide an opportunity for interviewees to offer recommendations and provide feedback as to how the SBC EC can create a safer community going forward, the report said.

On Tuesday, Litton said that Guidepost Solutions will send the results of its investigation to the Sexual Abuse Task Force 30 days before the June 12-15 annual meeting in Anaheim, California.

The Sexual Abuse Task Force will have a week to formulate recommendations, and then the findings will be released to the public.

I would encourage you to allow the Lord to humble us and to embrace it, Litton said. Setting agendas aside, this is serious; peoples lives have been damaged, hurt, ruined. And I think we all need to remain very sober about this and yet determined.

Litton prayed: We pray for wisdom, Lord, that we as we said last night, would not just brace for the impact, but that we would embrace You to act and to do what is right, and Lord, that we know we are being scrutinized by You, above all. Lord, we ask you to move, move upon our hearts, our minds. Help us to reconcile things, help us to deal with this. And Lord, we know it is not a quick fix. And so we, Lord, ask that we would truly be transformed, that the culture of our great convention would become even more like Christ, for Your glory.
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.
20-foot tall Jesus statue destroyed by govt in India after Hindu nationalists complain

Authorities in Indias southern state of Karnataka demolished a 20-foot-tall statue of Jesus, which had been standing in the village for 18 years, claiming it was built on land earmarked by the government for an animal pasture.

The administration in the Kolar district said last weeks demolition of the statue next to St. Francis Xaviers Church in Gokunte village. The Karnataka High Court had ordered the destruction, but local Christian leaders said the case was still pending.

Bengaluru Archbishop Peter Machado condemned the statue's demolition, stating that the church possessed ownership documents for the land where the statue sat.



According to Machado, church leaders tried to work with authorities to save the structure, but local authorities were uncooperative.

It is sad to note that yet another ruthless demolition of a Christian Structure, which included a 20- feet Statue of Jesus and 14 Stations of Cross was carried out by the taluka authorities in a Christian Village, Gokunte, in Kolar, a District of Karnataka touching the border of Andhra, Machado announced in a statement.

Though the Church has documents of the two acres of the land where these structures were located, the local authorities considered them as not proper or incomplete. The matter is still being heard in the Courts. In fact, the trial court had issued a stay order on the demolition, prior to the High Courts directives.

A local official told the Catholic news outlet Crux that the high court ordered the demolition after seven or eight hearings. However, Machado maintains that there was a stay issued delaying the demolition.

Fr. Theres Babu, a priest and lawyer, refuted the governments claim.

The government has been repeatedly saying that the demolition letter was issued. We have been asking her to show the demolition order. It is not clear if it was a judgement. But [the government official] never showed us the order, Babu was quoted as saying.

She has been claiming that the government advocate has sent her an email, saying that the high court has given an order and based on that she went ahead and demolished the statue.

The priest also said a new hearing on the case had been scheduled for Wednesday, the day after the demolition, reports Fides, a Vatican news agency.

The villagers believe a Hindu nationalist group filed a petition in the high court to create tensions in the region.

The video of the demolition was widely circulated, and the Christians are really alarmed and pained at such repeated acts by the pro-Hindu government machinery, Fr. Faustine Lobo, the spokesperson of the Karnataka Regional Catholic Bishops Council, was quoted as saying.

Machado reports that over 200 policemen came for the demolition, which was done with bulldozers.

It was heartbreaking to see hundreds of people shedding their tears. Even assuming that the structures were not fully authorised, Government agencies could have had the magnanimity to regularise these structures, which were in place for over 25 years, Machado said.

Are there no other communities of other religions who have illegal structures on public or government properties? Why this discriminatory attitude towards the Christian Community only? What was the tearing hurry to initiate this action? Are there the pressures from fundamentalist groups who were bent on the demolition of these Christian structures?

Machado stressed that in the last two years, there had been at least six similar demolitions. He warned of attacks on the Churches across the State.

These religious places were patronised and maintained as places of devotion in Bangalore, and its surroundings for decades, he said.

Karnataka state is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Days before Christmas, Karnataka became the 10th state in India to pass an anti-conversion law, which presumes that Christians force or give financial benefits to Hindus to convert to Christianity.

While some of these laws have been in place for decades in some states, no Christian has been convicted of forcibly converting anyone to Christianity.

Open Doors USA, which monitors Christian persecution in over 60 countries, reports that persecution against Christians and other religious minorities has increased since the BJP took power in 2014.

For Indias Christians, 2021 was the most violent year in the countrys history, according to a report by the United Christian Forum. At least 486 violent incidents of Christian persecution were reported in the year.

The UCF attributed the high incidence of Christian persecution to impunity, due to which such mobs criminally threaten, physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions.

Police registered formal complaints in only 34 of the 486 cases, according to the UCF.

Often communal sloganeering is witnessed outside police stations, where the police stand as mute spectators, the UCF report states.

Christians make up only 2.3% of Indias population and Hindus comprise about 80%.
While Christians are a minority in many places, they are generally acknowledged as being good citizens. The vehemence with which they are attacked by godless authorities is a symptom of the spiritual battle we all face.

Religious persecution in Vietnam

According to Operation World 2010, Christians comprise nearly 10% of the population in Vietnam. They are described as being overwhelmingly good and peaceful citizens.

Catholics, including many priests, are active in the fields of social justice and journalism. Protestants, including many pastors, are especially active in the fields of pro-democracy and human rights education and advocacy.

The regime justifies its repression and persecution by falsely accusing them of abusing religion for political subversion.For example, a couple attending a meeting of the Revival Ekklesia Mission (REM) in Ho Chi Minh City, tested positive for COVID-19. While the church had been meticulous in its adherence to health orders, the government seized the opportunity to attack Protestant Christianity.

Church leaders were publicly blamed and shamed on state-run media and social media,triggering a wave of social anger and hate against the citys Protestants.

The Vietnam Human Rights Networks 2020-2021 report lists 288 prisoners of conscience, 39 of whom are ethnic minority Protestants. Meanwhile, the Campaign to Abolish Torture in Vietnam lists 79 Montagnard Prisoners of Conscience Serving Prison Sentences and House Arrest Amounting to Eight or More Years. This shocking list illustrates the brutality of persecution in Vietnam and the way in which injustice is meted out with impunity.

Carlos Aguilera  Christian Faith and Freedom Director of Communication & Advocacy - has been invited to attend the follow-up Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue Roundtable on 11 February 2022, as a result of CFF's submission to the 17th Annual Australia-Vietnam Human Rights Roundtable in November 2021.

Please praythat the closed trials of peaceful religious liberty advocates and journalists, arouse effective international protest to promote justice, and freedom from Communist oppression.

Pray also that the love of Christ burns brightly in the hearts of Vietnams Christians, radiating His Light to dispel darkness, drawing others into a life-transforming relationship with Him.

Hindu nationalism in India

In August 2019 India's Hindu nationalist BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) -led federal government revoked Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy. Since then, the BJP has been enacting its plan to 're-organise' and gerrymander Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to empower minority Hindus at the expense of majority Muslims (many of whom have been radicalised).

While intolerant Hindu nationalism is rising, so too is persecution.A 26 January report by Morning Star News (MSN) details two very worrying cases of persecution with impunity in Jammu Division's southern-most Kathua District which borders India's Punjab State.

On Christmas Day last year, Pastor ChunglenlalSingsit (40) was attacked by a mob of Hindu nationalists. Theydemanded he chant 'Jai Shri Ram'(Hail Lord Ram).

They accused him of paying people to convert to Christianity and rebuked him for being in the majority-Hindu Jammu Division. Pastor Singsit was held in police detention for over 24 hours before being released without charge, but with an order to leave J&K within five days.

On Sunday 5 January youths from the Bajrang Dal (a Hindu nationalist youth militia) invited local news reporters to record them attacking a house-church worship service in Kathua District's Ward No. 4 colony. When the police arrived, they too harassed and humiliated the Christians.

The believers were held in police custody until 7pm, when they were released without charge. The media then ran a highly provocative and entirely false story claiming the Christians were engaged in 'forced conversions'.

On Thursday 20 January Kathua District pastors held a press conference. Led by Pastor Shoukat Peter, president of the J&K Joint Churches Fellowship, the pastors explained that Christians are law-abiding citizens and have only been exercising their constitutional right to freely 'profess, practise and propagate' their faith (from Article 25 of the Indian Constitution).

Pastor Shoukat Peter acknowledged that most Indians appreciate the good works being done by churches; works of justice and mercy that are foreign to the Hindu nationalists who attack them. Ignoring the constitution, police in Kathua District are now insisting that Christians obtain permission before gathering for prayer or worship.

Please pray that the Lord would bless, comfort and encourage Pastor Singsit as he and his family settle back into Manipur from whence they came; may the believers left behind in Kathua District know the Lord's love and presence; may the Lord provide their every needs.

May God grant all the pastors and believers of Kathua District great wisdom and grace as they navigate through these increasingly difficult days of escalating Hindu nationalism, as two intolerant worldviews - fundamentalist Islam and Hindu nationalism - compete for dominance.

May the Holy Spirit move powerfully in J&K, to awaken Kashmiri Muslims and Hindus to the dangers of sectarian hatred; may many hearts be softened and opened to the Gospel of Peace.

Christians in Pakistan gravely imperiled

On Sunday 30 January, Reverend William Siraj (75) was driving home after leading worship at Shaheedan-e-All Saints' Church in Peshawar, north-west Pakistan, when two men on a motorbike ambushed his vehicle. Shot multiple times in the head, the much-loved pastor died instantly.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the targeted assassination, an enlarged and emboldened Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, the Pakistani Taliban) and a determined Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) are both active in the area.

The departure of Western counter-terrorism forces from Afghanistan has opened the space for terrorist groups to compete, recruit and operate. Of all the cities in Pakistan, none is more vulnerable than Peshawar. Peshawar's Christian clerics, churches and communities may be more at risk now than at any time in Pakistan's history.

While Afghanistan's imperiled remnant secret Christians exist deep 'underground', Pakistan's imperiled Christians have long been known, open, and 'above ground'. They mostly live together in Christian communities, with churches and cathedrals that are well established.

As individuals, Pakistani Christians have long lived with systematic discrimination, violent persecution, and gross insecurity. Today, Peshawar's Christians are imperiled as individuals and as a group in the face of an enlarged and emboldened TTP and a determined ISKP, Peshawar's churches and Christian communities may be more at risk now than at any time in Pakistan's history.

Please pray that God will sustain, comfort and provide security for the Christian community in Peshawar. May the Lord of hosts deploy his angelic forces to watch over his imperiled precious children in these days of terror and insecurity.

May God awaken many Pakistani Muslims to the threat posed by intolerant fundamentalist Islam; may the Holy Spirit move in power and grace, to open eyes, enlighten minds, and soften hearts; may a harvest be reaped among Pakistani Muslims made receptive to the Gospel.
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.
(Bloomberg) -- It was a $1.9 billion bill that forced Brazos Electric Power Cooperative, one of Texas oldest and most creditworthy power sellers, into bankruptcy last year. Now a federal judge is being asked to make more than half the sum disappear.

Brazos Electric on Tuesday kicked off a long-awaited trial against the states grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, over sky-high power bills racked up during a devastating winter storm last year. Ercot raised prices to $9,000 per megawatt-hour -- the legal maximum -- for several days during the storm, forcing Brazos to buy electricity so pricey it became insolvent in a flash.

The extreme prices were supposed to encourage idle generators to provide electricity, but any plants that werent frozen or lacking fuel were already producing power, lawyers for Brazos said in a Houston courtroom Tuesday. Their contention is that Ercot wrongly meddled in the market, and without that interference Brazos would owe about $800 million rather than $1.9 billion.

We dont dispute what we bought, we dont dispute how much we bought -- what we dispute is the price, Lino Mendiola, an attorney for Brazos, told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David R. Jones in Houston on Tuesday. It was literally the most expensive thing Ercot couldve done and it accomplished nothing.

Ercot contends it was following orders from the states top utilities regulator, the Public Utility Commission of Texas. That agency was focused on serving the public interest by ensuring generators had ample reason to continue providing Texans with power, attorney Jamil Alibhai said on behalf of Ercot.

These were extreme conditions, Alibhai said during his opening remarks. An estimated four million homes and businesses went without heat, light and water during the storm, and more than 200 people died.

The market had been set up for that rate to take effect in that very situation, Alibhai said.

A victory in the trial would make it easier for Brazos to exit bankruptcy, where it has been working on a turnaround plan for almost a year. The company is considering selling bonds to repay its debts and hired JP Morgan Securities to lead that effort.

But a Brazos win could also have far-reaching implications for the Texas electricity market. The states utilities regulator has said a Brazos victory could spark a wave of similar bankruptcies, with other market participants looking to escape their bills.

For his part, Judge Jones -- a veteran bankruptcy judge with a background in electrical engineering -- emphasized on Tuesday that the trial is solely concerned with how much money Brazos owes Ercot, not the merits of the Texas power market.

There are a lot of things, economically, that dont make sense to me about intervening in a functioning market the way it was done, Jones said in court. But then I have to answer the next part: So what? This isnt seeking damages -- this is about adjusting a claim in bankruptcy.

The first witness in the trial, former Ercot Chief Executive Officer Bill Magness, took the stand Tuesday afternoon. He is expected to testify for several hours on Tuesday and return for questioning on Wednesday.

The adversary proceeding is Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. et al v. Electric Reliability Council of Texas Inc., 21-03863, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston).

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
ALTON  Tuesday ceremonies in Alton marked the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Alton Mayor David Goins and Grafton Mayor Michael R. Morrow joined U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District Commander Col. Kevin R. Golinghorst in signing proclamations celebrating the corps' 150th anniversary of managing the area's rivers.
Anglers must remove their ice shanties soon as temperatures begin to rise and fluctuate, weakening the strength of the ice, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources The DNR announced removal dates in a press release on Wednesday.

Removal dates begin with Lake St. Clair on Feb. 27. But, changing ice conditions could require the removal of fishing shanties before the dates set by the DNR.

"This is a possibility every year because all shanties must be removed once ice can no longer safely support them," the DNR stated in the release.

"Shanty owners whose structures fall through the ice are subject to penalties of up to 30 days in jail, fines up to $500, or both," the agency continued. "If a shanty is removed by a government agency, the court can require the owner to reimburse that agency for up to three times the cost of removal."

The agency also reminded anglers to always use extreme caution when on the ice.

"The repeated thawing and refreezing of ice weaken its strength, decreasing its ability to support the additional weight of people, snowmobiles, ORVs and shanties," the DNR stated in the release. "Deteriorating ice, water currents and high winds increase the probability of pressure cracks, which can leave anglers and others stranded on ice floes or at risk of falling through the ice."

Ice shanties on Lake St. Clair, located northeast of Detroit, must be removed before sunset Sunday, Feb. 27, per the DNR.

Shanties in the northern Lower Peninsula must be removed by midnight Tuesday, March 15. Those counties include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Bay, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Gladwin, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Isabella, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon and Wexford.

Ice shanties in the remaining counties of the Lower Peninsula must be removed by midnight Tuesday, March 1.
About the Uygurs situation in Xinjiang: a legal point of view

09:13, February 23, 2022 By Norbert Rouland ( People's Daily Online

Following the defeat of the United States in Afghanistan, it is appropriate for China to ensure a certain degree of stability in the region of Central Asia. China wishes to ascertain a return to political stability and the promotion of economic development in the region. This requires fighting against terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

As President Xi Jinping has stressed in several of his speeches, no civilization is superior to another. But terrorism is contrary to human civilization and human rights. China is being subject to the dangers and tensions that exist in Central Asia. The "three demons" of terrorism, separatism and religious extremism are considered to be the three greatest threats to China.

So then, how is the Chinese government's policy in Xinjiang to be judged from a legal point of view? What opinion can a European jurist like me give? Can we legally speak of genocide with regard to the Uygurs?

Two official documents define genocide, namely the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 9, 1948; and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted in 1998. Article 2 of the Convention and Article 6 of the Rome Statute define the crime of genocide as follows:

Namely, any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

a) Killing members of the group;

b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) Forcible transfer of children from the group to another group.

It is obvious that China does not intend to destroy all or part of the Uygur population. Attacks committed by the terrorists can't be tolerated. China just wants to put the Uygur people out of harm's way. This action cannot be called genocide. Every State resorts to public force to ensure social order and to protect its population against the perpetrators of criminal offences.

It should be noted that in the Muslim world, there is very little criticism of the policy conducted by the Chinese government regarding the Uygurs. There are no associated demonstrations or protests among the populations in the 57 Muslim countries of the world. This has never existed. For example, Saudi Arabia does not criticize the Chinese government.

Let us recall what the United States, which criticizes China, did after the 9/11 attacks. They invaded Afghanistan and led coalitions to invade several countries in the Middle East. They sent those they presumed to be terrorists without undergoing any form of trial to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, where they underwent various tortures.

The author is a law professor at the University of Aix-Marseille, France.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Peoples Daily Online.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Students who have declined to wear masks work in the library at Liberty Ranch High School on Feb. 17.
Shenyang J-16 is not as fancy as the J-20 Mighty Dragon Stealth fighter despite the fact that the US is looking at it in the backdrop is a cheaper but still formidable fighter.

Numbers and specific variants with various equipment and load-outs allow the fighter to be a versatile platform.The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) uses it as its workhorse in operations it is suited for.

Chinese Display of Aircraft Superiority in Numbers

China has the fighters in numbers, and an anti-sub model might be a new variant of the J-16, and they are turning up that much everywhere.

When flying the ADIZ of Taiwan, they are evident as their numbers, with about 150 planes that include the J-16 as the bulk of the flight, reported Eurasian Times.

The US Airforce values its airspace control, but by 2035 it might be a serious concern for America. By 2035, the PLAAF will be the dominant air force.

Taiwan gets to have a regular visit from these fighters, but it might become more effective than intimidation once their weapons are armed.

Why of all things, the less advanced Russian plane clone is what caught the attention of US experts, even as the J-20 is shown off whenever the Chinese can.

China's tactics are called gray zone is some kind of hybrid warfare without attacking the enemy. The Shenyang J-16 is a vital part of tactics used by the PLAAF, and there is not a day it comes buzzing Taiwanese airspace.

Read Also: F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Up Against Conventional Jets in Air Combat Drills

China Uses Highly Asymmetrical Tactics

The military uses these jet fighters to annoy America and its allies, like the recent exercises by PLA Western Theater Command Air Force. Aerial drills practiced how to dog fight and other pilot skills; with the US and Japan watching it, it sends a nasty message to military observers.

On one occasion, there was a sortie of 39 attack aircraft, and there were 24 J-16s that entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ). It was the greatest number of attack jets sent in several days too. These displays would unnerve the Ministry of National Defense, according to Janes.

Many experts would give Shenyang a dismissive assessment; this is not the case with Chinese analysts. It has become the most important fighter of the PLAAF.

One of the flying instructors of the PLA Northern Theater Command Air Force, Wann Songxi, remarked the multi-role J-16 is a great fighter and even better than its cousin, the Su-30.

Shenyang J-16 Equipments

First flight in 2004, it was first introduced and uses a modern AESA radar capable of air to air or air to ground operations.

The newest variant is the J-16D, an electronic warfare aircraft, which was first developed from the Su-27, resulting in the J-11, per National Interest.

D-variant is patterned after the Hornet Growler with antennas and an ECM pod equipped for the job. The radar, an active electronically scanned radar array (AESA), is also standard on it.

Compared to the J-20s, Shenyang J-16 and its variants are the most numerous. Their sheer numbers per flight make a difference in taking away US air superiority.

Related Article: Is the Chinese Chengdu Mighty Dragon J-20 Stealth Fighter Really That Invisible to Radar?

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The law, known as Senate Bill 8, empowers private citizens to sue anyone who aids or abets an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. With one exception as soon as the law went into effect, abortion providers in Texas have stopped performing these prohibited procedures  so opponents havent tried to bring one of these enforcement suits.

But that could be changing. A group of anti-abortion lawyers have taken steps to potentially bring lawsuits under SB 8, claiming in state court petitions that the leaders of two abortion funds have information about illegal abortions they helped patients procure.

This is a significant escalation on the part of abortion opponents, who have so far seemed satisfied with the chilling effect that even just the threat of lawsuits has had on abortion providers and their affiliates.

The petitions were filed by two women, Ashley Maxwell of Hood County and Sadie Weldon of Jack County. They are represented by Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of SB 8 and a former solicitor general for Texas; state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), the laws chief legislative advocate; and lawyers from the right-wing Thomas More Society and America First Legal Foundation.

Maxwell and Weldon are asking a judge to allow them to depose the executive director of the Texas Equal Access Fund and the deputy director of the Lilith Fund before any lawsuits are filed.

If granted, the depositions will allow the petitioners to discover the extent of involvement of each individual that aided or abetted post-heartbeat abortions in violation of SB 8 so they can better evaluate the prospects for legal success.

While abortion providers have reported significant declines in patient loads since the law went into effect, abortion funds have seen a surge in demand from clients trying to access abortions before the deadline or leave the state to seek the procedure.

What [these petitions] mean to do is chill pregnant people from seeking out the help of abortion funds, said Elizabeth Sepper, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin. If someone thinks that their identity and circumstances are going to be revealed to the world at large by a lawsuit  theyre going to hesitate before they pick up the phone and call for help.

Aided and abetted

The petitions seek to depose Kamyon Conner, executive director of the Texas Equal Access Fund, and Neesha Dave, deputy director of the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity, two nonprofit abortion funds that provide financial assistance to patients seeking abortions.

Conner and Dave both admitted, in sworn affidavits in state court, that their organizations helped fund abortions after the period in which cardiac activity is usually detectable. That would put them in violation of SB 8, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, and open them up to potential lawsuits.

The organizations helped fund these abortions during a brief period last fall in which a federal district judge had enjoined the law from being enforced. A higher court quickly overturned that ruling; SB 8 specifically notes that an injunction that is later overturned is not a protection from future lawsuits.

That aspect of the law hasnt been tested in court, and experts say its unclear whether it would hold up.

In part, this attempt to get a deposition is also an attempt to figure out if claims can be brought based on the abortions performed in those few days where SB 8 was not in effect, said Sepper.

The depositions are also seeking to identify who, in the language of the law, aided and abetted in these abortions  and the petitions indicate theyre taking a very wide view of that term. According to the filing, theyre seeking information on the funds role in facilitating abortions, the identity of individuals that they collaborated with and access to documents on the funds sources of financial support.

In a statement, Thomas More Society President Tom Brejcha said the two named abortions funds have exposed their employees, volunteers and donors to civil lawsuits and potential criminal prosecution.

Those who are funding or assisting in bringing about these abortions will be revealed in discovery, Brejcha said. Anyone who has aided or abetted an illegal abortion in Texas is subject to the full force of the law and imposition of these civil and criminal sanctions.

In response to a fundraising callout by the Lilith Fund, the Thomas More Society tweeted a warning, @lilithfund donors could get sued under SB 8, and linked to the press release about the petitions.

Is this a standalone case?

Lawyers for the abortion funds and lawyers for the petitioners disagree on how  and where  these deposition requests should proceed. The conflict centers on the ongoing multidistrict litigation, where 14 challenges to the law in state court were combined into one courtroom in Austin.

These cases specifically targeted the anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life and its legislative director, John Seago, and were heard by retired state magistrate judge David Peeples. It was as part of this multidistrict litigation that Conner and Dave filed these sworn affidavits, admitting to potential violations of SB8.

In December, Peeples ruled that SB8 was unconstitutional, though he didnt enjoin it from being enforced. Texas Right to Life has appealed that decision, and all other actions in the case are halted while that appeal proceeds.

The central question is whether these petitions seeking to depose Conner and Dave are related to that case and should be added to the multidistrict litigation. If they are, they too would be stayed from moving forward by the ongoing appeal, and the depositions wouldnt happen anytime soon.

Jennifer Ecklund and Elizabeth Myers, who are representing the abortion funds, consider these new petitions to be tag-along cases  the actual legal term  and have moved them into the multidistrict litigation.

Mitchell, representing both Texas Right to Life and the women who filed the petitions, has filed a motion arguing that these petitions are not related to the ongoing litigation and should be sent back to Jack and Denton counties, where the cases are filed.

Seago, with Texas Right to Life, said that he was not consulted by Mitchell or anyone else before these petitions were filed and has no part in this effort. Mitchell declined to comment; Hughes did not respond to requests for comment.

The next step would be for Peeples to hold a hearing and decide whether or not the cases are related. Lawyers for the abortion funds argue that the stay in the multidistrict case blocks Peeples from even taking that step, a stance that will likely be challenged by the lawyers for the petitioners.

Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Anti-abortion lawyers target those funding the procedure for potential lawsuits under new Texas law originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

As another winter storm threatens north Texas and beyond this week, several airlines have canceled hundreds of flights out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport ahead of the weather.

In anticipation of wintry hazards, airlines canceled more 800 flights to and from DFW on Wednesday and close to 700 flights Thursday, according to FlightAware. Those numbers were pulled around 11:30 a.m. and could increase throughout the day as conditions deteriorate. The bulk of canceled flights are with American Airlines, Envoy Air and SkyWest. Mesa, Delta and Spirit also have several flights canceled.
Local

'Nature is messy'

mattbeck / Photos by Matthew Beck / Chronicle photo editor Jim Curtis photographs some of the plant-life inside Three Sisters Springs Wednesday, Feb. 16. He and his wife Linda have photographed, identified and cataloged dozens of plant species inside the refuge.

Its easy to miss what nature has to offer within its blends of grasses, brush and branches.

Citrus Countys untouched lands provide such wild bounties of cohabitating growth, which is sometimes misunderstood as ugly or dangerous.

Beverly Hills husband and wife, Jim and Linda Curtis, are hoping to change those stereotypes by spotlighting the overlooked species of local flora they encounter, photograph and collect on their local research excursions.

Nature is messy; its a whole different variety of plants that support each other in the root system, Linda Curtis said. We dont get an opportunity to see the root system, but its a whole other community down there.

Whether its government lands theyre permitted to research, or the side of a road they drive by, the botanist-photographer duo have a knack for finding and highlighting rare vegetative specimens.

Its the eye of experience, said Linda Curtis, whose passion for botany began since she could explore the wilderness surrounding her childhood home in northern Wisconsin. Botanists look everywhere, stop frequently.

Linda Curtis has been working years to identify many of the plants that inhabit Three Sisters Springs inside the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

Along with being the driver, Jim Curtis uses his talents with a camera to help his wife document images of plant life and also record the GPS coordinates of where the specimen was found.

I learn all the other stuff by osmosis, he said about working with his research partner. Shes the expert and knows what shes talking about.

Whole plants or clippings the Curtises bag are sent to herbariums, where specimens are identified, pressed, dried, mounted and archived.

Linda Curtis is also planning this year to publish her fourth book about her specialist subject: Carex.

Carex is one of the most under-reported group of plants, she said.

Carex is a genus of over 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the Cyperaceae family, also known as sedges.

An easy way to tell a sedge from a grass is to look for its solid, three-sided stem, especially toward the base.

Some Carex also have tiny teeth along their stems and leaves, coining the phrase sedges have edges.

Sedges, most of which grow in tufts and clumps up to around knee high, also have flowering shoots made up of either individuals florets or seed heads.

People dont like sedges, and I dont know why; the shag-rug look of a lawn is better than the golf-course look, Linda Curtis said. Theyre not weeds to me.

After retiring to Florida in 2004 from the Midwest, the Curtises noticed Carex species in the Sunshine State, motivating Linda Curtis to write her latest book, Carex of Central Florida.

To learn more about Linda and Jim Curtis, visit curtistothethird.com.

For her work, Linda Curtis applied for research permits from government agencies for permission to study their lands in the state, and possibly take a sample of plant life for herbariums.

Linda Curtis said shes worked with around a dozen agencies across Florida, especially around the spring systems of Citrus and Marion counties.

Starting in 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) gave the Curtises permits to take portions of Carex and other rare floral finds each year from the lands of Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River.

Most of the field research is done during a Carex sedges short reproductive cycle in the springtime.

mattbeck / Matthew Beck / Chronicle photo editor This Cirsium horridulum is a plant cataloged by the Jim and Linda Curtis at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge inside Three Sisters Springs

So far, according to their latest research report to the USFWS from 2020, the Curtises have inventoried 147 different plant species from the 57-acre refuge, found growing along tidal creeks, in roadside ditches, and around the shore of the springs.

Jim and Linda Curtis, who are in their 80s, dont really have a deadline for their plant research. They do have to be careful where they tread these days, whether its due to tough terrain or hostile wildlife.

Its indeterminate  as long as we can; were having a good time, Linda Curtis said. It could terminate anytime upon refusal of permit.

Linda Curtis said the development and additional amenities at Three Sisters Springs have stunted the growth of prior Carex habitats she and her husband used to find during their prior studies.

Mowing decapitates the sedge, stopping its ability to produce seeds and spread.

Were going from preserve to park, Linda Curtis said. This was Sedgeville, it was wonderful.

Linda Curtis said she hopes the work she and her husband have done will inspire land managers to cut back on how much maintenance they think must be done to keep nature pristine instead of natural.

In the meantime, the Curtises will keep trying to discover the floral gems hidden right in front of them.

Everything has a history, she said, I just have to find it.
President Joe Biden claimed Russia's latest measures amounted to "the start of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," announced more penalties, and said he would send more US soldiers to the region on Tuesday.

The president said the sanctions would target significant Russian banks, Russia's sovereign debt, and, beginning Wednesday, the Russian elite and their family, and he warned to impose more if Russian President Vladimir Putin took even more severe measures.

Biden Hits Russia With Sanctions

Putin was "building up a justification to grab additional land by force" by sending Russian forces into two Russian-backed rebel enclaves in eastern Ukraine, according to Biden. Biden stated, "full blocking measures" will be imposed on two significant Russian financial institutions, as well as comprehensive penalties on Russia's sovereign debt, calling the Russian actions "a blatant breach of international law" that requires a strong reaction from the international community.

While the European Union and NATO have both said that Russia had sent forces into Ukraine, Biden stopped short of confirming this. Rather, the focus should be on Russia's recognition of the independence of two breakaway Ukrainian regions already under the hands of pro-Russian rebels.

His words came after nearly a day of verbal gymnastics on how the US would define and react to Putin's actions, ABC News reported.

Meanwhile, an infantry battalion task group of 800 US troops will depart from Italy for the Baltic region. Additionally, up to eight F-35 fighter planes will be deployed from Germany to NATO's eastern flank, 20 Apache helicopters will be deployed from Germany to the Baltic area, and 12 Apache helicopters will be deployed from Greece to Poland.

In a fast-moving crisis, the Russian senate previously granted President Putin authority to employ armed forces outside of Russia, raising the possibility of a larger strike on Ukraine. On Monday, Moscow recognized the independence of the rebel-controlled Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine, which are backed by Russia.

Putin has set three requirements for the issue to be resolved. He demanded that Crimea be recognized as part of Russia by the international community, that Ukraine's NATO membership aspiration be dropped, and that military supplies to the country be halted. The West has criticized the takeover of Crimea in 2014 as a breach of international law but has opposed a permanent ban on Ukraine joining NATO.

Boris Johnson said earlier on Tuesday that the UK was penalizing five Russian private banks and three billionaires, freezing their UK assets and prohibiting their entry to the UK. In reaction to Russian forces advancing into two separatist territories in eastern Ukraine, Prime Minister David Cameron warned the House of Commons that this was the "first tranche" and "first volley" of actions, according to Sky News.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin Game To Win Pivotal Concessions From the West by Deft Statesmanship Not War Leaving NATO, the US Perplexed

Russia Pushes Into Ukraine

Biden's remarks appeared to keep some of the most sweeping and severe punishments under consideration by the US in reserve. These include an export restriction that would prevent Russia from accessing US high-tech for its industries and military, as well as broader financial sanctions that might stifle Russia's capacity to conduct business internationally.

Denis Bortnikov, the vice president of Russia's state-owned VTB Bank, and Petr Fradkov, the chairman and CEO of PSB, are among the billionaires and others close to Putin who have been singled out for sanctions.

The father of the VTB official, Aleksandr Bortnikov, the director of the Federal Security Service and a permanent member of the Russian Federation's Security Council, was also named in the sanctions lists. Mikhail Fradkov, a former Russian prime minister and former director of Russia's foreign intelligence organization, is Fradkov's father.

Putin's first deputy chief of staff, Sergei Kiriyenko, and his son Vladimir Kiriyenko, the CEO of the parent business of Russia's most popular social media site, VKontakte, were also named.

The chances of a big confrontation being avoided are diminishing. Putin's decree came only hours after recognizing two Ukrainian separatist areas as autonomous, establishing Russian military backing and enraging Western leaders who saw his actions as violations of international law.

Putin has attributed the present situation to NATO, describing the US-led organization as a danger to Russia. The international criticism came as clashes erupted in Ukraine's eastern regions, which Western nations fear Russia may exploit as a pretext for an invasion on the Europe-leaning democracy that has defied Moscow's efforts to entice it back into its orbit.

The US has warned that Moscow has already chosen to invade, with an estimated 150,000 Russian troops stationed on three flanks of Ukraine. Nonetheless, in a last-ditch effort to prevent conflict, Biden and Putin provisionally agreed to meet, mediated by French President Emmanuel Macron, as per CTV News.

Related Article: Russia-Ukraine Conflict: US Warns 'Extremely Violent' Attack, Joe Biden Administration Planning Relocation of Ukraine President

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Citrus County School District is nearing completion of the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) III application process. The $34.2 million in ESSER III funding, under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, is meant to address issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

School board talks $34.2M in relief funds Citrus County School Board members met Tuesday evening to review new emergency relief fundin

District director of finance Tammy Wilson reminded the board that the district must allocate 20 percent of the funding to address learning loss in the district. Wilson said the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) asked the district to make a few minor changes to the application, but nothing has been removed.

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In addition to helping with expenses up until 2024, the district will be able to recoup monies as far back as March, 2020. Although the districts ARP ESSER budget has not been officially approved, Wilson said the outlook is bright.

The budget was send back to the state on Feb. 18 for review.

In conjunction with the ARP ESSER funds, the district is required to create a federal and state Instructional Continuity Plan. The plan was first presented to the board by district director of elementary education Trish Kahler at the Oct. 26, 2021 special meeting and workshop.

In the event of a crisis, when brick and mortar schools temporarily close, the continuity plan serves as a framework to ensure students continue receiving instruction from home.

The plan outlines 10 components: leadership and planning, curriculum resources and digital content, professional learning, instructional practices, parent and family support, technology and technical support, cybersecurity, engaging students with limited access, continuation of school operations and emergency and ongoing communications.

District to upgrade classroom technology Citrus County School Board members approved two large technological purchases for the benefi

Thus far, the state has approved the districts plan. However, Kahler said, We also have federal requirements.

Federal requirements include the aforementioned 10 components, along with an explanation of how the district addresses CDC guidelines on masking, physical distancing, handwashing, cleaning, contact tracing and coordination with the local health department.

The board also discussed the possibility of installing Wi-Fi on district buses as part of the Instructional Continuity Plan.

The district has three options:

Renew the license for their current Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) bus equipment by the end of 2022 for $95,206.

Purchase an SRC router with Wi-Fi connectivity for $247,479 using grant money.

Purchase an SRC router with attendance management, contact tracing, navigation and video surveillance capabilities for $262,119.

The board did not come to a conclusion, but will discuss the matter further at a future meeting.

For more information or to view complete agenda items and documents, visit tinyurl.com/t6phzraj. To watch the meeting, visit youtube.com/user/Citrus Schools.
Florida, US (34429)

Today

Mostly sunny in the morning. Increasing clouds with showers later in the day. Thunder possible. High around 90F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 66F. Winds light and variable.
Ontario removes CRS cap in new PNP draw Ontario's newest Human Capital Priorities draw invited candidates with CRS scores of 455 and up.

Ontario removes CRS cap in new PNP draw Ontario's newest Human Capital Priorities draw invited candidates with CRS scores of 455 and up.

Ontario removes CRS cap in new PNP draw Ontario's newest Human Capital Priorities draw invited candidates with CRS scores of 455 and up. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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On February 22, Ontario invited 773 Express Entry candidates working in targeted occupations to apply for a provincial nomination.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited candidates who may be eligible for the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream (HCP). These candidates needed to have a profile in the Express Entry system with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score between 455 and 600.

The maximum of 600 is the most points Express Entry candidates can get without a provincial nomination. Prior to this draw, candidates whose CRS score was above the maximum range would not be eligible to apply for the nomination.

Ontario invited candidates who had created an Express Entry profile between the dates of February 22, 2021, and April 29, 2021. To be eligible for the nomination, candidates need at least one year of work experience in the following targeted occupations listed below by NOC code:

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

NOC 0114  Other administrative services managers

NOC 0122  Banking, credit and other investment managers

NOC 0124  Advertising, marketing and public relations managers

NOC 0125  Other business services managers

NOC 0211  Engineering managers

NOC 0311  Managers in health care

NOC 0601  Corporate sales managers

NOC 0631  Restaurant and food service managers

NOC 0711  Construction managers

NOC 0731  Managers in transportation

NOC 0911  Manufacturing managers

NOC 1121  Human resources professionals

NOC 1122  Professional occupations in business management consulting

NOC 2161  Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries

NOC 3012  Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses

NOC 3211  Medical laboratory technologists

NOC 3231  Opticians

NOC 3233  Licensed practical nurses

Those who received an invitation now have 45 calendar days to submit their application for Ontarios Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

High-scoring Ontario candidates can now apply

Canada has not held an Express Entry draw for anyone but PNP candidates since September 2021. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has not given a firm date as to when draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates will resume, but recently told business leaders that it would be in the near future.

Since then, only PNP candidates have been invited. In all of 2021, Express Entry candidates in Ontario with scores of more than 467 were not invited to apply for a nomination. As a result, some candidates were trying to reduce their scores in the pool in order to get a nomination from Ontario.

According to the new 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan Canada is expecting to bring in 83,500 immigrants through both Express Entry-aligned and base PNP categories this year. The new targets are greater than what the government projected in the last levels plan, which was 81,500 PNP immigrants for 2022, and 83,000 for 2023.

This is Ontarios biggest HCP draw of the year, and it has the largest range of eligible Express Entry scores. There is a 145-point difference between the minimum score of 455 and the maximum of 600. Ontarios biggest draw overall was on January 27, when the province invited 1,032 Skilled Trades Stream candidates, another Express Entry stream.

Small Employer Job Offer Draw

Ontario also issued eight invitations under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream.

These candidates did not have Express Entry profiles, but they had submitted an Expression of Interest to Ontarios system.

This draw was targeted for Economic Mobility Pathways Project candidates, which was created to allow about 10-15 skilled refugees to immigrate to Canada through a PNP or another federal economic program.

What is the benefit of having a PNP?

PNPs allow Canadian provinces to invite immigration candidates who meet the needs of their regional labour markets.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are effectively guaranteed to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. With a provincial nomination, candidates get 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points added to their base score, which is more than enough to receive an ITA in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

About Express Entry

Express Entry is an application management system that allows people to apply for permanent residence directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is not an immigration program itself, but it manages the applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program

If you are eligible for one or more of these programs, you can then create an Express Entry profile. Once you upload all your documents, you will get a score based on your work experience, education, age, and language ability in English or French, among other criteria.

IRCC holds draws about every two weeks and issues ITAs to the highest scoring candidates, allowing them them to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
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The number of new coronavirus cases worldwide declined by 21% last week, marking the third week in a row that COVID-19 infections have decreased, according to the World Health Organization.

According to WHO's weekly pandemic report, more than 12 million new coronavirus infections were reported last week. The number of new COVID-19 fatalities declined by 8% to almost 67,000 globally, marking the first weekly drop since early January.

Omicron Variant Remains Dominant Worldwide

With a 29 percent increase in COVID-19 cases, the Western Pacific was the only area to have an increase, whereas the number of infections everywhere declined dramatically. The number of new fatalities increased in the Western Pacific and Africa, while it decreased in the rest of the world. Russia, Germany, Brazil, the United States, and South Korea saw the newest COVID-19 instances.

According to the WHO, Omicron is still the most common viral variant globally, accounting for more than 99 percent of sequences shared with the world's largest virus database. It claimed that Delta was the only other significant variance, accounting for less than 1% of all shared sequences, as per ABC News.

President Xi Jinping of China warned Hong Kong leaders that their "overriding task" was to stabilize the city's worsening COVID-19 situation as local officials fight to contain the disease's deadliest outbreak. Xi's directives came after reports emerged from Hong Kong that the financial hub's health system had been overrun by Covid-19, with infected patients being forced to sleep on mattresses outside hospitals.

Meanwhile, as a result of an unusual surge of illnesses caused by the fast-moving Omicron variety, South Korea will begin distributing free quick test kits to schools and eldercare institutions next week.

Health officials announced the largest daily increase in infections on Wednesday, with 90,443 new cases, surpassing the previous one-day record of more than 33,000 cases established on Tuesday. According to some analysts, the country might witness about 200,000 cases each day in March.

On Wednesday, Queen Elizabeth II attended her first official engagements in person since last week's worries that she could have acquired the coronavirus. Buckingham Palace has not said if the queen, who celebrated her 70th year on the throne earlier this month, has done any COVID-19 testing, Hindustan Times reported.

Read Also: Boris Johnson To Announce "Living With COVID" Plan in UK; Questions Spark as Legal Restrictions End

Global Trial Investigates Impact of Reduced Booster Shots

On Tuesday, a worldwide clinical study was initiated to evaluate the impact of reduced COVID-19 booster doses, rather than full ones, as a strategy to expand vaccine access in areas where immunization rates are still low.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations in Oslo and Australia's Murdoch Children's Research Institute launched the experiment, with the findings likely to guide future immunization programs.

The information might also reveal whether partial doses generate fewer negative effects in receivers than full doses and whether mixing and matching vaccination regimens is a good idea. Up to 3,300 healthy people from Australia, Indonesia, and Mongolia are expected to participate.

The announcement comes as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that all COVID-19 limitations in England had been lifted, including the obligation to self-isolate following a positive test. Scientists have lambasted the decision, fearing it could jeopardize the country's capacity to monitor and track the infection.

The new strategy calls for vaccinations and treatments to prevent the virus from becoming widespread in the country. Those aged 75 and above and those aged 12 and up who have disorders that render them prone to serious disease will be provided a fourth vaccination shot.

Throughout the pandemic, experts have chastised Johnson's Tory administration for closing down later than others, reopening too fast, and, more recently, for a series of parties thrown at Downing Street in violation of lockdown orders.

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, apologized at a Parliamentary session for attending a party on Downing Street in 2020 when draconian COVID-19 lockdown measures were in place. Johnson claimed he thought it was a "work-related incident."

COVID-19 cases in the United States are still declining, down more than 80% from their mid-January peak when Omicron was sweeping the country.

According to a New York Times tracker, the US averages 89,024 cases per day, down 65 percent from two weeks ago. Hospitalizations are down 43 percent from two weeks earlier, averaging 65,681 each day. And fatalities are down 19 percent from two weeks ago, averaging 2,096 each day.

The tracker indicates that cases are decreasing in every state. However, the states with the most recent hospitalizations are West Virginia, Alabama, and Kentucky, according to Market Watch via MSN.

Related Article: COVID-19 Omicron Variant: US Deaths Among Unvaccinated Worryingly High

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Oklahoma City, OK (73106)

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Variable clouds with thunderstorms - possibly severe in the afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High near 70F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch..

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Theres important information down the toiletand no, Im not talking about sensitive documents from the Trump White House. Early this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its online COVID data tracker to include wastewater analyses from hundreds of communities across the US, information that can serve as an early indicator of increased viral spread, or the circulation of a new variant, given that people shed the virus via their feces without having to take and report a test result. (Wastewater data is also collective, obviating privacy issues inherent to other forms of medical-data reporting.) Wastewater experts who spoke with Apoorva Mandavilli, a reporter at the New York Times, were understanding of the fact that it took the CDC so long to publicly share data that it was, in some cases, already collecting. Not everyone shared that assessment, though. Robinson Meyer, a journalist at The Atlantic who co-founded the COVID Tracking Project to fill the gap left by official data shortages early in the pandemic, called the delayed publication a scandal.

Its not just wastewateras Mandavilli reported over the weekend, it turns out that the CDC has published only a tiny fraction of the data it has collected during the pandemic. The agency has tracked data breaking down hospitalization stats by age, race, and vaccination status for more than a year now but has mostly not published it; when officials shared data on the effectiveness of vaccine boosters recently, they left out the figures for a huge tranche of younger recipients until the Times inquired. CDC representatives told Mandavilli that the agency withholds data for a variety of reasons, from the numbers being not yet ready for prime time to the agencys slow and cumbersome bureaucracy as well as a fear that the public might misinterpret certain trends, particularly where the hospitalization of vaccinated people is concerned. Jessica Malaty Rivera, who has also worked with the Tracking Project, slammed the latter rationale, in particular, noting that rather than reduce the risk of misinterpretation, data vacuums only heighten it. So, too, did Meyer, who called such attitudes not only counterproductive but profoundly undemocratic. The approach has now persisted in the CDC across two presidents, he noted. Its an issue with that agencyand with the overweeningly scholastic culture of public health in the US.

ICYMI: A Hudson Valley newspaper turns to Substack, Meta to expand digitally

The availability of good, timely data has been a persistent challenge for the press throughout the pandemic, as Ive explored many times in this newsletter. So, too, has knowing how best to relay the data that we do have to our audiences. The recent Omicron wave sharpened the challenge again by posing a different type of threat than prior variants: low for most individuals, especially the vaccinated, but sharp for many immunocompromised and unvaccinated people as well as at the collective level of US healthcare infrastructure, given the variants high transmissibility. Even before Omicron, some health officials and experts had urged news outlets to emphasize hospitalization and death rates more than case counts in their coverage, as mass vaccination frayed the previously close link between those numbers; as Omicron further frayed the link, those calls intensified. If Omicron cast fresh doubt on the usefulness of case counts, it also cast fresh doubt on their accuracy, as testingwhich was not adequate to make US case counts fully reliable to begin withbecame harder to access and many people neglected to report at-home results. The Associated Press, among other outlets, told staffers to be more cautious around case counts, and not to hype supposed new records by writing whole stories about them.

The usefulness of hospitalization data has also been challenged since Omicron hit, since it often doesnt distinguish between patients admitted to hospital because of COVID and those admitted for other reasons who were found to also have COVID on arrival. Right-wing pundits, in particular, used this discrepancy to play down the severity of the Omicron wave, but the reality, predictably, was much messier than their caricatures; as I noted last month, the dichotomy here is, in some respects, a false one, since its often impossible to say whether COVID did or didnt tip an otherwise sick person into needing hospital care, and even truly incidental cases can put strain on hospitals by taking up extra space and resources. Despite these difficulties, the Biden administration has since tried to separate the two types of patient in its official statistics, with Politicos Erin Banco reporting that health officials are working with hospitals nationwide to recalculate admission stats as they increasingly undergird policy.

With confirmed COVID case and hospitalization rates both now in decline again, some states and localities are starting to report less data than before, or to report less frequentlymirroring steps that a few other states already took last summer, even as Delta cases began to skyrocket. From this weekend, Arizona will switch from daily to weekly reporting of COVID data, citing the decline of the Omicron wave as the right time to make the change; health officials told the Arizona Republic that less frequent reporting will help to iron out the fluctuations of daily databetter showing the longer-term trends that drive health policy while bringing COVID more in line with how the state tracks other infectious diseases. Utah said that it, too, will soon transition away from daily reporting, while also shutting down many of its existing testing sites. This is not the end of COVID, Spencer Cox, the states Republican governor, said. But it is the beginning of treating COVID as we do other seasonal respiratory viruses.

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These data changes, of course, come amid a broader recalibration of COVID measuresnot just in the US, where even states led by Democrats have started to roll back their mask mandates, but also internationally; as of tomorrow, British residents with COVID will no longer be required by law to self-isolate, while the government will stop sending free home tests to most people from early April. (Brits have been able to obtain seven free tests each per day from the government, a fact that casts a harsh light on the US governments comparatively meager provision of home tests and the liberal punditry that hailed it as a great success.) Residents of many countries are now in a messy moment, accelerated by Omicron, of trying to work out what normal looks like, how and when to get there, and who might get left behinddebates that are playing out in the media, as well as manifesting online and in peoples everyday behavior.

As the Philadelphia Inquirers Kasturi Pananjady noted last week, daily COVID-19 data dont provide clear answers here; indeed, these questions, at this point, are as much social as anything else. Still, data remains an important guideand our interpretation of data is, in itself, an important part of the broader debate. As the nature and spread of the virus change, its reasonable to interrogate how we report on the numbers that we have. It may well be that the newly available wastewater data, while not nationally comprehensive, comes to offer a more useful window into the state of the virus than confirmed case counts in a world where fewer people are testing and/or reporting their results, even if case trends continue to offer useful insight.

Its also reasonable to debate how officials decide to go about collecting and reporting data at this point; there are better and worse reasons for diminishing the frequency of data dumps, for instance. Still, as Ive written throughout the pandemic, the media has a clear interest in having access to as much data as possible, even if how we cover it will change over time. The pandemic is not yet over by a long shot, and even when we do reach the point where COVID is endemic, we will still need to keep track of it. As health officials establish principles for how to do this, the media will have a voice in the debate, and we should use it to push for transparency.

We should certainly use our voice to push back on officials who withhold COVID data on the basis that other people might misinterpret it. Rivera and Meyer are right to say that this is both anti-democratic and counterproductive. For all the obvious reasons, journalists should not let officials decide what information they and their readers are smart enough to understand; if officials are worried about misinterpretation, they should offer more information and context, not less. A great many pandemic-era failures have derived from health officials second-guessing how the public will receive a given measure, and doing so in a way that seems ignorant of our broader information ecosystem. Grifters will always find a pretext to misinterpret data when it serves their interests, and as Meyer points out, the withholding of data is an even greater gift to them. When I went on Twitter earlier to search for reactions to Mandavillis story, many of those I saw came from right-wing media personalities claiming that the CDC is hiding something. Talk about the sewer.

Below, more on the pandemic:

Commit to transparency: Writing for Nature yesterday, Edouard Mathieu of Our World in Data, a UK-based group that has worked to collate testing data on a country-by-country basis, called on international institutions to step up their data-reporting efforts rather than winding them down. Data publisherswhether they are national governments, international organizations or online publicationsshould make a frank commitment to provide the public and researchers with transparent data on the pandemic until the World Health Organization (WHO) declares that it is over, Mathieu writes, and the WHO should coordinate this effort.

Writing for Nature yesterday, Edouard Mathieu of Our World in Data, a UK-based group that has worked to collate testing data on a country-by-country basis, called on international institutions to step up their data-reporting efforts rather than winding them down. Data publisherswhether they are national governments, international organizations or online publicationsshould make a frank commitment to provide the public and researchers with transparent data on the pandemic until the World Health Organization (WHO) declares that it is over, Mathieu writes, and the WHO should coordinate this effort. The absence of evidence: Scientific Americans Tanya Lewis shares how covering COVID reshaped her approach to science journalism. I have gained a deeper appreciation for scientific knowledge as a process, not merely an end result, Lewis writes. I have seen that it is not enough to simply follow the sciencethat skepticism of authority is warranted even when that authority comes from respected public health experts. And I have learned that science is always politicaldespite what many scientists like to think. These lessons have been won at a terrible expense. But failing to heed them could doom us to repeat this tragedy when the next pandemic comes.

Scientific Americans Tanya Lewis shares how covering COVID reshaped her approach to science journalism. I have gained a deeper appreciation for scientific knowledge as a process, not merely an end result, Lewis writes. I have seen that it is not enough to simply follow the sciencethat skepticism of authority is warranted even when that authority comes from respected public health experts. And I have learned that science is always politicaldespite what many scientists like to think. These lessons have been won at a terrible expense. But failing to heed them could doom us to repeat this tragedy when the next pandemic comes. Against clickbait: A new study by Jiaxin Pei and David Jurgens, researchers at the University of Michigans School of Information, suggests that journalists tend to tempernot exaggeratescientific claims, pushing back on caricatures about the medias tendency toward clickbait. I feel like when we talk about the potential of journalists exaggerating claims, its always these extreme cases, Jurgens said. We wanted to see if there was a difference when we lined up what the scientist said and what the journalist said for the same paper. U-Ms Sarah Derouin has a write-up.

A new study by Jiaxin Pei and David Jurgens, researchers at the University of Michigans School of Information, suggests that journalists tend to tempernot exaggeratescientific claims, pushing back on caricatures about the medias tendency toward clickbait. I feel like when we talk about the potential of journalists exaggerating claims, its always these extreme cases, Jurgens said. We wanted to see if there was a difference when we lined up what the scientist said and what the journalist said for the same paper. U-Ms Sarah Derouin has a write-up. Back to the office?: Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, has told staffers that it will not mandate that they return to the office starting next month, instead opting for a hybrid and flexible approach whereby managers will discuss arrangements with their individual teams. We know that different teams have different needsthat there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how and where we work, bosses wrote in an email yesterday. Katie Robertson has more details for the Times.

Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, has told staffers that it will not mandate that they return to the office starting next month, instead opting for a hybrid and flexible approach whereby managers will discuss arrangements with their individual teams. We know that different teams have different needsthat there is no one-size-fits-all approach to how and where we work, bosses wrote in an email yesterday. Katie Robertson has more details for the Times. A hiatus: Emily Atkin is taking a break from writing HEATED, her popular newsletter about the climate crisis. When I started HEATED in the summer of 2019, I was an incredibly resilient person, Atkin writes. I had routines, activities, and communities outside of work that kept me energetic and strong, no matter what. Two years into this pandemic, I have lost a great deal of those things, and embarrassingly have not found a way to rebuild them. As a result, my mental health has deteriorated. Atkin absolutely intends for HEATED to return, she writes. I just need a bit of time for Emily to return.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: The weight of words in the Russia-Ukraine story

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Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Last month the Superior Court of New Jersey ruled insurers cannot use a policy exclusion to avoid covering about $1.4 billion in damages Merck & Co. said it suffered from a spring 2017 cyber attack known as NotPetya.

The court unhesitatingly found that the nearly identical war exclusions contained within Mercks all-risk property policies worth about $1.75 billion do not apply, according to a decision made public Jan. 13

The insurers had tried to use the exclusions to avoid paying out, citing the fact the NotPetya malware was attributed to Russia and was meant to be deployed to disrupt and destabilize Ukraine. The malware wound up affecting thousands of companies worldwide.

Judge Thomas J. Walsh said Merck and its insurers were aware cyber attacks of various forms, sometimes from private sources and sometimes from nation-states, have become more common, but the insurers did nothing to change the language of the exemption to reasonably put this insured on notice that it intended to exclude cyber attacks.

Certainly [insurers] had the ability to do so, Walsh added. Therefore, Mercks expectation that the exclusion only applied to traditional forms of warfare was justified.

We are not going to be coy about this  we think the decision is wrong, wrote Joshua Mooney and Judy Selby, partners at law firm Kennedys. The pair took exception with the courts use of traditional while it ignored the meaning of hostile acts.

The decision relies upon case law rendered before the internet existed and before cyber was a word, Mooney and Selby continued. The reasoning of this decision looks backward to a century past, and we believe it will not age well.

While the verdict is specific to New Jersey law and subject to appeal, it is for now a win for policyholders. In the meantime, the ruling highlights the risk for P/C insurers and reinsurers of cyber coverage embedded in traditional P/C policies, Moodys Investor Service said recently. Indeed, the New Jersey courts interpretation of the war exclusion is a warning against not including cyber within it, experts have said.

The insurance industry since NotPetya has been seeking clarity, making efforts to shore up policy language in order avoid any perception of ambiguity by adding cyber-specific exclusions to property and liability contracts. The cyber attack also attracted the attention of regulatory scrutiny of so-called silent cyber exposure in all policies. Moodys said reinsurers have broadly included cyber exclusions on property treaties to ensure that cyber risk is not inadvertently included.

Late last year, the Lloyds Market Association released four model war and cyber war exclusions. Vincent Vitkowsky, partner at law firm Gfeller Laurie, said the exclusions are not perfect and there is some room for dispute of some terminology. But, he added, the exclusions reflect a well-reasoned, serious attempt to reduce some of the uncertainties over the scope of coverage for state and state-sponsored attacks.

Meanwhile, another similar case in the Illinois court system is also testing policy war exclusions as Mondelez International is seeking summary judgment against Zurich Insurance. Mondelez, one of the largest snack companies in the world, was also a victim of the NotPetya cyber attack and is seeking $100 million in coverage it has been denied.
Monterra Energy said on Tuesday it plans to pursue legal action against Mexico and seek damages of about $667 million for the unlawful closure of its Tuxpan fuel imports terminal in the Mexican state of Veracruz for five months.

The Houston, Texas-based private oil company filed a notice of intent to submit a claim of arbitration, alleging the closure of its Gulf port was unlawful and discriminatory, and the Mexican government violated provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Our preferred course of action is an amicable resolution, but the Mexican governments actions so far have left us with little choice but to pursue all legal options available, Arturo Vivar, the companys chief executive said.

Monterra would not be the first U.S.-based company to seek international legal action against Mexico.

In May last year, Finley Resources Inc, a Texas oil services company, lodged a $100 million claim before a World Bank arbitration court, alleging Mexico violated investor protections under the NAFTA trade pact by failing to honor agreements.

Neither Mexicos energy regulator, CRE, nor its Energy Ministry immediately responded to requests for comment. Mexicos Economy Ministry declined to comment.

Monterra said its Tuxpan port was forcibly closed with no legal justification in September last year after an inspection by Mexicos energy regulator.

The company added that armed personnel from the Mexican National Guard as well as officials from the countrys safety, energy and environment regulator were present during the inspection and closure.
A claims adjusters sub-standard investigation of a potential fatal accident claim does not warrant a multi-million award of damages against an insurer that issued a policy with a $25,000 limit, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled.

An appellate panel on Friday reversed a trial court decision to garnish Key Insurance Co. for $3,353,777.52 in damages owed to Nancy Granados after her husband died in a motor vehicle crash. The court said an insurer cannot be held liable for damages in excess of the policy limit unless its actions caused the excess judgment.

Although an insurer must exercise diligence and good faith in its efforts to settle claims within the policy limits, we hold an insurer owes no affirmative duty to initiate settlement negotiations with a third party before the third party makes a claim for damages, the opinion says.

Mrs. Granados husband, Francisco Granados, was killed in an October 2017 crash in Kansas City, Kansas that was caused by John Wilson, whos vehicle was insured by Key. Wilson was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he ran a red light and crashed into Granados car. A passenger in Wilsons car testified that he and Wilson had smoked a marijuana joint and shared a pint of brandy before the accident.

Wilson reported the crash to Key the next day, but denied causing it. Claims adjuster Alexandra Soto requested a copy of the police report, which listed 12 witnesses to the crash and Granados insurance carrier, State Farm Automobile Insurance Co. Soto completed a claim evaluation on Dec. 17, 2017 that determined Wilson was at fault, but she did not contact Mrs. Granados and didnt interview any of the witnesses. She later set a loss reserve of $25,000, knowing that the damages would be more than that.

In the meantime, Nancy Granados hired an attorney. Key learned for the first time that there was a claim against Wilsons policy on July 2, 2018, when it received notice of a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Wyandotte District Court. The insurer offered to settle the lawsuit for the $25,000 limit three weeks later.

Granados rejected the settlement offer. Her attorney said in a letter that Key should have offered the policy limit a long time ago and demanded$2,973,434 to settle the claim.

After a bench trail, District Court Judge Bill Klapper ruled in October 2019 that Mrs. Granados damages amounted to $4,603,777.52. The parties negotiated and stipulated later that damages were $3,353,777.52.

In December 2019, Nancy Granados filed a request for garnishment against Key for the damages. During a bench trial, Key claims manager Leonard Gragson testified that Soto had not complied with the carriers claims handling standards. She did not interview witnesses, contact Granados insurance carrier or notify Wilson of the potential severity of the claim against him.

Judge Klapper cited Gragsons testimony in meandering findings that led to a ruling that Key was liable for the excess damages, the panel opinion states. The judge said Soto had not been forthcoming and had breached her duty to Wilson by failing to advise him of the potential claim.

The appellate panel said the judge imposed a greater duty on the insurer than was actually owed. While Sotos investigation did not meet industry standards, there is no legal precedent in Kansas that requires an insurerto offer a settlement before receiving any official notice of a claim.

Instead, the authorities state that an insurer has a duty to defend when a claimmeaning some demand for damages or lawsuitis made, the opinion says.
Claremore, OK (74018)

Today

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High near 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch..

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Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 59F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Miss Alabama Zoe Sozo Bethel's bereaved family has rebuffed claims that the mother-of-one jumped to her death from a Miami penthouse.

The 27-year-old beauty queen was in a coma for eight days after falling from a third-floor window in the waterfront Edgewater district and suffering devastating brain injury.

Miss Alabama Dies a Week After Undisclosed Injury

Zoe, who has a five-year-old daughter, died as a consequence of an unidentified accident on February 10th, according to family members. The terrible plummet was initially investigated as an attempted suicide, but the Miami Police Department emphasized Tuesday that the death is now being treated as a "tragic accident," after foul play was ruled out.

When police were summoned to the seven-story La Piazza Navona building, where flats cost roughly $2,400 per month, Zoe of Loxley, Alabama, was reported to have been living with a family member. Miami Police Officers responded to a complaint of a probable suicide attempt on Friday, February 11, 2022, at around 12:05 am, according to a statement from the Miami Police Department.

The victim fell out of a third-floor window, according to early inquiry. Zoe Sozo Bethel, 27, has been named as the victim. She was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital in serious condition by Miami Fire Rescue. Zoe Sozo Bethel died of her injuries at 5:24 am on February 18, 2022. The cause of death was "blunt force trauma," and the manner of death was "accidental," according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner. This was a terrible accident, and no foul play is suspected.

Read Also: New York Family Sues Staten Island Cemetery After Mom of 5 Dies When 2,000 Pounds Headstone Falls on Her

Zoe Bethel Posted About Fate Before Death

Zoe's family stated in a long letter to DailyMail.com that she was a "devout believer in Jesus and proud conservative" who would never commit suicide. Miss for America Strong is a pageant that honors single women, and Bethel represented Alabama in it.

According to her relatives, she also worked as a political pundit for RBSN, a conservative media outlet notable for covering former President Donald Trump's rallies. Bethel sustained significant brain/brainstem injury on February 10 in a car accident in Miami, according to the family's social media posts. She remained in a coma until February 18th, when she died, according to Daily Mail.

The family pleaded for prayers from Zoe's 25,000 Twitter followers, but it was eventually announced that she died as a result of her injuries. The beauty queen had posted words of optimism on her Instagram account weeks before her terrible demise.

She accompanied a photo of herself wearing a red shirt with a phrase from Joan of Arc, which she claimed was her own. Many of Zoe's 25,000 Instagram followers have expressed their admiration for her.

Zoe's family stated in a heartbreaking social media memorial that the young woman "touched the hearts of many people," and they posted several photos of her, including videos of her waving a "Jesus is King" banner and photos of her in her sash, as per The Sun.

Bethel was also a reporter for the Right Side Broadcasting Network and an executive producer and brand ambassador for Miss Liberty America. Former coworkers and lovers of Bethel have taken to social media to express their sadness at her death.

The family set up a GoFundMe campaign to fund Bethel's medical and other bills, which has received nearly $45,000 as of this writing. Her relatives said after her death that they did everything they could to help her, the New York Post reported.

Related Article: Who Was Cheslie Kryst? Former Miss USA Dies by Suicide After Jumping From 60-Story High-Rise

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@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Claremore, OK (74018)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 49F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 49F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Gail Marsha Malitz, age 83, of Beachwood, was born June 11, 1938, in Cleveland, and passed away on May 2, 2022.

Arrangements under the direction of Berkowitz-Kumin-Bookatz Memorial Chapel.
United States President Joe Biden announced new sanctions on Tuesday that will target Russia after Moscow sent "peacekeeping" forces to eastern Ukraine's breakaway regions amid rising tensions of a potential war.

In an address at the White House, the Democratic leader said that the situation was the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He said that, in response, he will start handing out sanctions. The U.S. president's decision was closely coordinated with allies and partners and will target two large banks in Russia and its sovereign debt.

Biden's Sanctions Against Russia

Biden said that the sanctions will cut off Russia's government from western financing, which could potentially deal a major blow to its economy. A White House official said that the U.S. president's Tuesday sanctions will be imposed swiftly and severely.

Additionally, the U.S. government was also imposing sanctions on Russia's elite and their family members. A senior administration official also added during a Tuesday phone call that export controls were being discussed to be part of the sanctions, as per CBS News.

The American government has also decided to move its forces that were already stationed in Europe to NATO countries bordering Russia on the West, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The deployment is a response to Putin's refusal to withdraw Russian troops from Belarus. Biden plans to assure countries that they will be protected in case Moscow attacks.

On the other hand, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the United States was keeping the "doors to diplomacy" open to Russia should Putin decide to negotiate. The remarks come after Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced he would no longer meet with his Russian counterpart following Moscow's actions.

Read Also: Putin's Recognition of Breakaway Regions Prompt Swift Sanctions From US, Britain

Per CNN, Psaki added that Blinken's decision made it clear that it was not the appropriate time to convene due to Russia's preparation to invade Ukraine. She said that any summit between U.S. President Biden and Russian President Putin was only agreed to in principle and noted the White House never had any specific plans or timeline.

Violation of International Law

In his remarks, Biden criticized Russia's moves, calling them a "flagrant violation of international law and demands a firm response from the international community." The U.S. president's sanctions were severe and far-reaching, as described by White House aides.

However, Biden's sanctions fell short of the more sweeping economic warfare that some Ukrainian supporters, including some Republican members of Congress, were pushing for the federal government to hand out.

The U.S. president said that his sanctions would prevent Russia from raising money from the West and will not be able to trade in its new debt on American or European markets. But the Biden administration and its counterparts have had difficulties in balancing the need for swift and severe action while keeping from the most severe of sanctions.

If Russian President Putin pushes further with his invasion of Ukraine, Biden said he that will increase the sanctions against Moscow. The U.S. president's announcement came a day after the Russian president recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk, the New York Times reported.



Related Article: Is Russia Invading Ukraine? Kyiv Official Says 'Keep a Cool Head' Amid War Threat

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Rabbi Courtney Berman was hired to serve as the first settled rabbi of Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom in Youngstown, according to a news release.

She will begin the post July 1.

Berman grew up in Baton Rouge, La. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree in child psychology and Jewish studies from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and entered the rabbinical program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she started her studies with the Year in Israel program in Jerusalem. She spent the next few years at the Cincinnati campus before transferring to the Los Angeles campus, where she was ordained in May 2015.

During her time at HUC-JIR, Berman served congregations in Pine Bluff, Ark., and Piqua, Ohio. She was a chaplain intern at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland and a rabbinic intern at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Berman spent her first year after ordination serving as a visiting rabbi for a congregation in Sherman, Texas.

In 2016, Berman moved to Ormond Beach, Fla. and became the rabbi of Temple Beth-El, where she will remain until June. While in Ormond Beach, Berman has served the co-located Reform and Conservative congregations of Temple Beth-El and Temple Israel. An important part of her job has been to build bridges between the two congregations and between Reform and Conservative practice, according to the release.

Berman structures her rabbinate around the fundamental belief that every interaction provides an opportunity to form or strengthen meaningful connections, whether it is human connection, a feeling of closeness to God or ones Judaism, or the experience of discovering the deep messages of ones own soul, the release stated. According to the release, she shapes worship services, lifecycle events, classes, and pastoral interactions around this deeply held belief and finds great meaning in giving a modern voice to ancient Jewish laws and traditions.

Berman and her spouse, Jeffrey Berman, have been journeying through life together since they met in college. They have three boys: Micah, 4; Gavi, 2, and Zeke, who was born Nov. 1, 2021, the same day Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom officially came into being.

Berman feels honored to have been chosen to serve Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom, according to the release. She said she recognizes Youngstown is a community with a rich history and looks forward to learning the stories of the community through congregants and community partners. She is excited to become part of the fabric of community moving forward, according to the release.

Members of the settled rabbi search committee included Melissa Bateman, Shari Della Penna, Beth Holloway, Mark Huberman, Beverly Nathan, Kandy Rawl, Hunter Thomas, Kim Zeidenstein and co-chairs Nancy Burnett, Booker Kessler and Elliot Legow.

Congregation Rodef Sholom merged with Ohev Tzedek - Shaarei Torah Congregation, according to the synagogues website. Memorializing the history of Ohev Tzedek, Temple Beth Israel, and Rodef Sholom, the congregation was renamed Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom. We remain the largest congregation in the Youngstown area with over 300 membership units. In nearly 155 years there have been continuous services held, their orientation changing from that of its German founders, to Classical Reform, to modern progressive Reform. Following the November 2021 merger, we continue to offer Reform services and have added more traditional services on Saturday mornings. We are the only congregation with a Sisterhood and a Brotherhood. We still emphasize inclusive worship, youth and adult education, social action and social events.
The site of the former Clinton YMCA is shown in downtown Clinton in late February. The City of Clinton and the Downtown Clinton Alliance have enlisted the help of the East Central Intergovernmental Association, YTT Design Solutions and Terracon consulting engineering firm for the propertys redevelopment.
$10 Million Gift Will Establish The Joseph Ballay Center for Design Fusion

Gift represents the single largest ever made to the College of Fine Arts

February 22, 2022

Carnegie Mellon University today announced that alumnus and emeritus faculty member Joseph Ballay and his wife, Sue, have established The Joseph Ballay Center for Design Fusion in the university's School of Design through a $10 million gift, the single largest ever presented to the College of Fine Arts. The center establishes a formal presence of design expertise and outreach at CMU and also will serve as a central hub for design courses for the CMU campus community, executive education, sponsored projects and collaborations, and design research.

Establishing The Ballay Center is the culmination of his life's work, which has been a study and practice of the arts and sciences.

"There is, I believe, an artistic base in all that we do, which satisfies human needs," Joe Ballay said. "Through the center, we will continue interdisciplinary work using design thinking to solve problems. Carnegie Mellon is the right setting to make this happen."

"We are extremely grateful for Joe's vision and support. By establishing The Joseph Ballay Center for Design Fusion, he reinforces Carnegie Mellon's culture, in which the creative and the technical live side-by-side, strengthening each other," said Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian. "It has been our longstanding belief that the arts and technology together make us stronger as individuals. Growing out of its roots in the arts, design thinking approaches problem-solving with a transdisciplinary approach that respects the aesthetic forces of human productivity."

Ballay is a 1960 management graduate of Carnegie Mellon, then known as Carnegie Tech. He earned his second bachelor's degree in industrial design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and, in 1970, he earned his master's degree from the College of Fine Art's (CFA) Department of Design. He was named head of that department shortly after joining the faculty and swiftly rebuilt its focus, curriculum and administration, ultimately helping to establish the School of Design within CFA. He returned to teaching and research in 1985 and is an emeritus professor of design.



From left, James Morris, Joseph Ballay and Peter Lucas founded MAYA Design in 1989.

In 1989, along with two CMU colleagues from psychology and computer science, Ballay founded MAYA Design, Inc., an interdisciplinary design consultancy, applying design theory and practice to complex contemporary problems. In a little more than two decades, MAYA had transformed itself into a technology design lab, spun off four other companies, and had grown to 50 people.

Helping more people to learn about design thinking and the process by which it resolves the world's issues is just one goal for The Ballay Center. Built at the center's core is a blend of education, outreach and partnerships.

"The Ballay Center will be the 'front door' to design at CMU. Joe is a visionary who knows the School of Design inside out, having been one of its formative faculty. He understands exactly what is needed to infuse design thinking throughout all aspects of human endeavor and is showing us how to throw that door wide open," said Mary Ellen Poole, the Stanley and Marcia Gumberg Dean of the College of Fine Arts.

"Through Joe and Sue's incredible support, we will be able to meet the growing demand for design courses across the CMU campus community, increase our capacity for professional executive education, continue to build on our success with corporate and nonprofit partnerships, and enhance the profile of design research," said Bruce Hanington, head of the School of Design. "Having Joe's name on this center is a true honor. We are grateful for the Ballays' generosity and excited to share Joe's vision for outreach to all those who will benefit so greatly from design thinking."

Ballay's interest in design began early, when he was growing up in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, a steel town about 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. His family owned the local hardware store (right), and Ballay eventually took his turn at working there.

"I eventually realized that when I was waiting on customers, this was the beginning of my design education because I had to deal with the practicalities of putting things together and envisioning the needs and wishes that each person was involved in," he said. "It was solving problems, essentially."

Now, through The Ballay Center, he will help others learn to do the same. "I'm proud that the people who've come after me have continued this course of seeing design as an interdisciplinary thinking style," Ballay said.

Making this happen in Pittsburgh and at Carnegie Mellon, he said, was an obvious choice.

"Pittsburgh is a city that has had to reinvent itself several times and continues to do so," Ballay said. "With all its advances, though, Pittsburgh is still a steel town, and it reminds you that in this world, progress takes effort, it takes hard work.

"That's a lot like Carnegie Mellon, which is very special to me," he continued. "It not only has the components to make this center a reality, but also to make it happen with deep commitment. And by components, I mean a tradition of breaking rules and being willing to take chances. If you fail, you fail. But if you succeed, 'Wow!' Our goal, above all, is making the world better."

For a full biography on Joseph Ballay, visit the School of Design website.

The Ballays' gift is the latest commitment to be announced as part of Make Possible: The Campaign for Carnegie Mellon University. The multiyear effort aims to raise $2 billion in private philanthropy to support CMU's strategic priorities across the university and its seven colleges and schools. To date, more than 55,000 supporters have contributed more than $1.84 billion in support of the university.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 22) Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dionardo Carlos confirmed that the helicopter that crashed Monday in Quezon was bound for Balesin to fetch him following his private time on the island.

In a statement on Tuesday, Carlos admitted he traveled to the upscale island resort on Sunday and was scheduled to return to the city the following morning via private transport.

But Carlos said the booked transportdue to unforeseen circumstanceswould face delays and would only be available by Monday evening.

This prompted me to request for an admin flight to transfer/move me back to Camp Crame Monday morning so I can perform my duties, Carlos explained.

The flight directive was allowed and issued following PNP rules and regulations, he added.

One police personnel died while two others were injured when the H125 Airbus crashed in the vicinity of Real town. The PNP said it was reportedly raining in the area.

Carlos vowed a thorough probe into the incident.

I regret that the accident happened and never wish harm to my personnel nor losses to the organization. Rest assured that a thorough investigation is being undertaken, he said.

The PNP also grounded the entire fleet of H125 Airbus Police helicopters while the probe is underway.

Malacanang, for its part, said it will also await the official report from the Department of the Interior and Local Government on the matter.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao has yet to anoint its bet for the 2022 presidential elections, its leader clarified Wednesday.

"Hindi pa decided ang BARMM kung sino ang ie-endorse namin na candidate as president," BARMM interim chief minister Ahod Ibrahim said during a public briefing.

[Translation: The BARMM hasnt decided yet which candidate it will be endorsing for president.]

On Monday, BARMM interim chief minister Ahod Ibrahim introduced Isko Moreno as our incoming president when the Manila mayor paid a courtesy call to the regions officials.

The first presidential hopeful to formally meet with the Muslim leader, Moreno vowed to continue the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Bangsamoro Organic Law. He also promised more housing, schools, and hospitals in the region.

Still, Ibrahim encouraged other candidates eyeing the countrys top post to visit BARMM.

We are inviting all presidential candidates na pwede bumisita sa amin para mapahayag nila ang kanilang mga plataporma [to visit us so they can present their platforms], he said.

Moreno has yet to comment on the matter.
At least six people were stabbed in the subway system of New York City over the weekend with the initial attacks taking place only hours after Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul presented a new plan to curb crime on public transportation.

Within a little over 24 hours after Adams and Hochul announced a 17-page "Subway Safety Plan," which would deploy extra police and mental health teams across the subway system beginning Monday, five individuals were stabbed in the subway system.

New York Subway Safety Plan Implemented After Violent Weekend

According to the New York Police Department, a sixth individual was stabbed on the 6 lines near Canal Street on Sunday evening. A male victim was allegedly slashed in the forearm at 5 pm in the first incident, which was reported Friday evening, according to the NYPD. According to authorities, he was transferred to a hospital and was in stable condition.

According to police, at least four incidents occurred on Saturday, with one person suspected of hitting a 20-year-old lady in the back shortly before 3 pm. Following a verbal altercation, the male is accused of pulling out a knife and stabbing the woman three times in the abdomen.

The woman was sent to a local hospital. Her status was not immediately apparent as of early Monday morning. In another instance, a 24-year-old male was allegedly stabbed in the leg with a boxcutter at 8:30 pm on a Saturday night after two youngsters approached him and attempted to rob him. According to authorities, the suspects left the scene.

Around 9 pm, a separate stabbing was reported. The incident was said to occur when the suspect and another individual started smoking an unknown drug. The suspect reportedly displayed a knife before stabbing the victim in the arm when the victim begged them to move. According to the NYPD, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital with a puncture wound but was in a stable condition.

According to NBC New York, the weekend attacks occurred as New York City continues to see an increase in crime in public transportation, with serious crimes up 65 percent this year.

Following the murder of Michelle Go, a 40-year-old woman who was thrown in front of a New York subway car last month, there was outrage about public transportation safety, NBC News reported.

Read Also: Authorities Reinstall Capitol Fence Ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union as Truckers Convoy Plan DC Protests

Mayor Eric Adams' Safety Plan Includes Moving Homeless From Subway

A guy holding a baton threatened a six-year-old kid on the train Tuesday after the toddler accidentally kicked him, one day after Mayor Eric Adams' plan to battle crime and homelessness on the subways was implemented.

After hundreds of random attacks on New Yorkers and concerns of mentally ill homeless individuals threatening passengers and leaving narcotics paraphernalia everywhere, Adams presented his proposal to increase safety on board the city's subways on Friday.

The plan includes deploying extra cops into the subways to crack down on people sleeping, trash, smoking, taking drugs, or loitering. It also contains reforms aimed at connecting more homeless individuals to mental health treatment and permanent homes, as many of them suffer from mental illness, drug misuse, or both.

However, three significant attacks on the subway system occurred within hours of the plan's implementation: the attack on the youngster, a guy who was attacked with a hatchet, and a lady who was struck in the face with a metal bar. On Tuesday, metro commuters were able to intercede and defend the little boy from the would-be assailant, who was eventually apprehended.

Evelina Rivera, a 30-year-old cook, had been attacked by a homeless guy holding a metal rod on her way home from work the day before. Meanwhile, images obtained by DailyMail.com show vagrants sleeping on New York City subways and platforms on Tuesday morning, splayed out on subway seats in each of the five boroughs as they sought to stay warm in the February temperatures by covering themselves with blankets and coats. As the train reached its final station and personnel started cleaning the carriages, several seemed to be comatose, not even moving, as per Daily News.

Related Article: New York City: Mayor Eric Adams Fires Over 1400 Unvaccinated Government Workers, Tells Companies To Get Employees Back to Offices

@YouTube

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Are authorities allowed to use government resources for their personal interest?

For human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, this is a violation of the Code of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees.

"Ang tanong dyan, pwede bang gamitin ang resources ng ating pamahalaan (The question there is, can they use government resources) when clearly, this was a private function that was involved? In my opinion, that is not and should not be allowed," Diokno told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday.

"It would be a violation of the code of conduct of public officers as well as other laws that make those other actions violations of the law," he added.

Diokno referred to the Philippine National Police chopper that crashed Monday in Quezon, supposedly bound for Balesin Island to fetch PNP chief Dionardo Carlos. A police personnel died while two others were injured in the incident.

Carlos admitted in a statement on Tuesday that he traveled to the upscale island resort over the weekend and was scheduled to return to the city, but had to request for a flight after "unforeseen circumstances" with an initially booked private transport.

He also insisted that the directive was in line with PNP rules.

RELATED: PNP chief admits crashed chopper to fetch him from Balesin, vows thorough probe

In a statement, Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas said that Carlos' use of the government's helicopter after a private time "sets a rotten example of abusing power for personal privileges."

"'Yung sasakyan ng LGUs at departamento, for official use only. Bakit biglang may exception sa PNP chief? (Vechicles of LGUs and departments are for official use only. Why is the PNP chief suddenly exempted?) Administrative Order No. 239 and PNP memo circulars are very clear in prohibiting the use of government vehicles for personal purposes and errands," she added.

According to Section 4 of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, government officials and employees shall "always uphold the public interest over and above personal interest."

"All government resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues," it adds.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) - The country will mark the 36th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution this Friday, Feb. 25.

The annual commemoration reminds Filipinos of the bloodless uprising that toppled a dictatorship. The peaceful revolt showed the world what Filipinos can do when united for a cause.

But through the years, keeping the spirit of EDSA has become a struggle.

Political analyst: EDSA more than just personalities

For political science professor Aries Arugay, it will difficult to undermine the story of the EDSA people power.

"EDSA is already part of our political DNA as a nation because EDSA represents not just a revolution against a dictatorship it also represents the sentiment of the people for better democracy. EDSA also represents a longing for a better country, society and better version of the Filipino," Arugay told CNN Philippines.

He added that the EDSA story has no particular deadline, and said it's premature to call it a failure.

But will the possible return of the Marcoses to Malacanang diminish the impact of the EDSA revolution? Arugay doesn't think so.

"EDSA is owned by the people not just by any party or politician so it's a mistake to say that it's owned by certain group of politicians. Politicians who try to undermine EDSA by way of getting votes for the elections they just fear about the power of EDSA. They are afraid that Filipino will again feel empowered against abusive and corrupt politicians," he said.

Marcos loyalist: Bongbong's possible win a 'destiny'

For the founder of the Marcos Loyalists for God, Country and People, the struggle in keeping the EDSA story alive is a manifestation that people are no longer accepting the accounts of those who want to destroy the Marcos family.

Cherry Cobarrubias told CNN Philippines that in the last three decades, critics of the Marcos family have dominated the narrative. But with the late dictator's son Bongbong Marcos becoming the frontrunner in the May presidential elections, she said this is a form of redemption and destiny.

"Puro kasi pagpapasama at pambubugbog ang ginawa nila sa Marcos. Hindi kataka-taka na pagdating ng eleksyon at nanalo si BBM destiny iyan, tadhana talaga iyan," she said.

[Translation: They just keep on criticizing the Marcoses. I won't be surprised if Bongbong wins the elections. It's his destiny.]

Martial Law survivor: Naghihingalo na ang diwa ng EDSA

Political detainee and martial law survivor Boni Ilagan admitted that keeping the EDSA spirit alive is a big challenge.

"Hindi natin masabi na buhay na buhay pa ang diwa ng EDSA. Naghihingalo na siya ngayon dahil matindi yung mga effort para baguhin ang kasaysayan," Ilagan said.

[Translation: We cannot say the spirit of EDSA is still alive. There is a big attempt to rewrite history.]

Ilagan admitted that the EDSA people power movement is not perfect and has its own weakness. He said it did not put enough guarantees to prevent the return of the Marcoses to power.

But for now, Ilagan said Filipinos should keep on fighting as long as they can to prevent historical revisionism.

"Teenager ako noon nang magsimula ako lumaban sa diktaturyang Marcos, long hair pa ako noon. Ngayon I'm more than 70 years old, I've lost my hair but I think I have not lost my commitment to fight the return of the Marcoses," he said.

[Translation: I was a teenager with long hair when I started fighting against the dictatorship. I'm now more than 70 years old. I've lost my hair, but I think I have not lost my commitment to fight the return of the Marcoses.]

Official government websites describe the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution as the movement that restored the country's democratic institution and ushered in political, social, and economic reforms in the country.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) The current formulation of Moderna vaccine provides enough protection as a booster shot against the Omicron variant, government vaccine experts panel members said on Wednesday.

Immunologist Dr. Mario Jiz shared a study published this month on the effectiveness of the Moderna vaccine mRNA-1273, developed against the original Wuhan strain, and the mRNA-Omicron booster, formulated against the highly-transmissible SARS-Cov2 variant of concern.

Monkeys were given the mRNA-1273 vaccine as primary doses, and were boosted with either mRNA-1273 or the mRNA-Omicron.

The study found that regular booster shots with Moderna vaccine and the Omicron-specific vaccine offer nearly the same level of antibody levels against Omicron. In fact, Jiz said those who received the current Moderna vaccine formulation have slightly higher antibody levels.

Antibody levels were found to have declined beginning on the sixth week from full vaccination, and would further dip after 41 weeks. However, data suggests a booster shot with Moderna increases the antibody levels ten-fold.

It suggests here that you don't need to have an Omicron specific vaccine just to be able to kill the Omicron variant, Jiz said.

Okay na yung original Moderna vaccine lang ang gamitin mo kasi its already enough to provide you with high antibody titers, and in fact, mas mataas pa siya ng konti kesa dito sa binigyan mo ng Omicron specific vaccine, although mukhang di naman ito significant, he added.

[Translation: Its okay to use the original Moderna vaccine because its already enough to provide you with high antibody titers, and in fact, it is slightly higher than those with the Omicron specific vaccine, although the difference does not seem to be significant.]

But Jiz clarified the study still needs further validation, including covering human trials.

Meanwhile, infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante reminded the public that COVID-19 cases could rise again, and those eligible need to get boosted, especially the elderly and persons with underlying illnesses.

Ang nakatanggap ng [Those who received the] primary dose series, its not enough protection. You need the booster, Solante said. "If you want to transition to a lesser alert level and you want to be protected, that should be the current focus nowespecially the vulnerable population.

Jiz added: With this particular omicron variant, ang [the] two doses of vaccine are not sufficient to control Omicron. Pero (But), if you provide a booster dose, it is already sufficient to provide protection against Omicron.

The US CDC report in January suggests the effectiveness of booster shots drops to 66% against emergency room cases, and 78% against hospitalization after four months. Despite this, Jiz said there is no need to get a second booster shot just yet, because the shot still provides ample protection against COVID-19 infection.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Chel Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), questioned numerous irregularities, including the absence of police body cameras, during the arrest of community doctor Natividad "Naty" Castro, after authorities claimed that she was part of the local communist movement.

"Definitely there were very clear violations in the law and in the procedure of her arrest," the senatorial bet told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday. "In the first place, we now have a body cam law that requires that the police use body cameras in this kind of arrest."

"We are wondering where, what happened in that law, why was that law not implemented in this particular case?" Diokno asked.

Castro was arrested by the police and the military in her San Juan City home last Feb. 18 supposedly based on a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

But Diokno noted that her name was not even included in the warrant.

"Even on the basis for the arrest itself, based on the records, the name Castro does not appear in the warrant of arrest issued by the court, so ano ang basis sa pagkaaresto sa kanya [what was the basis for her arrest]?" he said.

Diokno also raised issues regarding Castro's access to her family and legal counsel when she was still being held at Camp Crame. She was also initially denied medication despite pleas from her family, he added.

FLAG announced earlier this week that Castro was able to meet two of her sisters at the police headquarters in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur.

Critics slammed the alleged "red tagging" of Castro amid her work as a human rights and development worker. She has also initiated several health programs in Mindanao.

"This is a prime example of the strong arm of the law, the heavy hand of the law against an ordinary person," Diokno said.

Malacanang and the Department of the Interior and Local Government denied claims that Castro was being held through a warrantless arrest, noting that she was arrested for the criminal charges against her and not on her supposed links to the Communist Party of the Philippines.

READ: Palace denies red tagging in community doctors arrest
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) A lawmaker on Wednesday questioned the impartiality of the Philippine National Police in relation to the case of late painter Bree Jonson after the PNP chief's trip to an island owned by the suspect's family.

PNP chief Dionardo Carlos admitted he had a private trip in the luxurious Balesin Island, owned by the family of Julian Ongpin, the suspect in the death of Jonson. The PNP cleared Ongpin. They said the investigation yielded no sign of foul play.

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said Carlos' vacation in Balesin casts doubt on the attainment of truth and justice over Jonson's case.

"Is this the reward for fumbling with Bree Jonson's case at the onset?" the lawmaker said in a statement.

Ongpin, son of former Trade Secretary and prominent businessman Roberto Ongpin, was the last person seen with Jonson before she died in La Union in September 2021.

Carlos, for his part, slammed the claims linking him to the case. He said the investigation commenced even before he was appointed PNP chief.

Any insinuation or attempt to link me to the Ongpin family is unfounded and baseless, he said.

Carlos' trip to Balesin was only publicized after he confirmed that a helicopter that was supposed to fetch him from the island crashed and killed a PNP personnel.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) - A Quezon City police officer who allegedly shot a 22-year-old student while under the influence of alcohol is facing frustrated murder charges, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to the Quezon City police, the 28-year-old suspect, Police Corporal Reymark Rigor, has also been slapped with criminal charges for illegal possession of firearms in relation to the Omnibus Election Code, and administrative charges for grave misconduct.

The incident reportedly happened on Feb. 8 while the victim, Adrianne Castor, was on his way home onboard a taxi.

Rigor, who was riding a motorcycle despite being drunk, was said to have blocked the taxi and pulled out a firearm, but later drove away and shortly crashed into a post within the area.

"The victim instructed the driver to find an alternative route and he alighted the vehicle to guide the driver to make a U-turn. While he was assisting the driver, the suspect crashed in the middle of the road, slowly stood and pulled out his firearm and fired towards the victim hitting his chest," police said in a statement.

It added that the student was immediately brought to a nearby hospital.

Two days later, Rigor voluntarily surrendered. Police said he has been relieved from his post and "transferred to (the) Admin Holding Unit of District Personnel and Records Management Division."

Authorities added the suspect posted a 200,000 bail on Feb. 18 but has been detained in Camp Karingal for his administrative hearing.

Cops assigned to look into the case have also been confined in the camp and are undergoing pre-charge investigation "for their failure to conduct a thorough and proper investigation."

According to the local government, the victim also lodged a complaint against PSSg. Bryan Busto and PCpl. Jaycee Tordil for allegedly downplaying his injury as just a graze gunshot wound before he underwent operation. Additionally, the two cops supposedly left the hospital without gathering information from doctors.

Authorities said Busto and Tordil only categorized the incident as "physical injuries" instead of the more serious crime of frustrated murder.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Vice President Leni Robredo has garnered more support for her presidential bid, this time from former officials of the Arroyo administration, past presidents of the Philippine Bar Association, and members of more religious groups.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, 47 ex-officials during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo endorsed a Robredo presidency, which they believe would lead the Philippines through the pandemic and other challenges.

We vote Leni Robredo for president," the statement read. "With her, we stay safe, restore our economy and social fabric, and keep our republic whole and secure."

They said Robredo is a bearer of balance, calm and hope but is also rock-steady regarding military might, ensuring security, and protecting the countrys rights, including in the West Philippine Sea.

The signatories include former Cabinet members, department undersecretaries, and high-ranking officers of several government agencies. The declaration comes as Arroyo's political party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD, backs the tandem of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Many are beset by fear, anxiety, and lethargy. We need a strong woman in the house to rekindle our energy and resolve, they said.

Meanwhile, 17 past presidents of the Philippine Bar Association, the oldest voluntary national organization of lawyers in the country, also threw their support behind the opposition leader.

They said they have full confidence in Robredos commitment to the rule of law, "the best guarantee of stability in the country.

Citing her experience as a human rights lawyer, the former heads also said Robredo is "the best reminder" that the law "serves the people, and not the other way around."

For more than a century, the PBA has kept watch to uphold the rule of law. We believe VP Leni Robredo will keep this vigil alive. And we call on our colleagues in the profession to join us, they wrote in a statement.

More support from religious groups

Apart from former government executives and lawyers, officials of at least two more religious institutions said they are also backing Robredo's election bid.

Among them are members of the Couples for Christ International Council (CFC IC), which publicly declared its support for a candidate for the first time since the organization's inception 40 years ago.

The council, which governs the CFC, said it has reached the decision to support the presidential candidacy of Leni Robredo. It stressed, however, that this was based on individual IC member choices, and that it is not forcing its beliefs on the rest of the community.

The council added it will stick to its policy of not using the CFC to endorse candidates in order to avoid imposing block voting.

We arrived at our individual decision to support Leni Robredo after much prayer discernment, and dialogue. We expect you to do the same and go through the same process of discernment we went through, the members said, adding they will respect different choices.

Meanwhile, the representatives and lay members of the Vincentian Family also declared their full support for Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis Kiko Pangilinan.

As members of the Vincentian Family, inspired by the example of St. Vincent de Paul, who dedicated his life to uplift the poor in his time, we have chosen to back the candidates who have consistently shown that they are on the side of the poor and the marginalized, and have lived by Christian ideals and Vincentian convictions, the group said.

The Vincentian Family likewise urged its members and the public to be critical voters.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23, 2022)  Based on the rules of the Philippine National Police (PNP), it is the PNP chief himself who has the power to approve the administrative flights of its air assets.

If the protocols were followed, it meant PNP Chief General Dionardo Carlos had the sole prerogative to allow the flight that would fetch him from Balesin, an exclusive vacation spot in Quezon province, going to Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The PNP chopper that was supposed to pick up Carlos crashed in Real, Quezon early Monday morning, killing one police officer and injuring the pilot and co-pilot.

In an earlier statement, Carlos said a private transport was supposed to bring him back from Balesin but because of "unforeseen circumstances," the flight was moved to Monday night, prompting him to request for an administrative flight.

Carlos said his request was approved based on PNP rules and regulations.

A memorandum circular dated April 13, 2020 states that the movement of troops for operations purposes and medical evacuation will be top priority in the use of their aircraft.

Meanwhile, the use of choppers for administrative functions is deemed a secondary priority, which the PNP chief has the power to approve.

For the first priority utilization of the PNP rotary-wing aircraft, PNP offices/units and other government agencies shall course their request to the TDO (The Directorate for Operations). For second priority utilization of the PNP rotary-wing aircraft, request shall be coursed to the Office of the Chief, PNP for his approval, the guidelines stated.

If the request is approved, the PNP Command Center under the Directorate for Operations shall issue the flight directive addressed to the air unit.

A pre-flight inspection must be done by the maintenance supervisor of the air unit to determine if the aircraft is ready for flight.

After the completion of the mission, the PNP rotary-wing aircraft shall immediately return to its base. The Air Unit shall submit all the required documents such as After Flight Operation Report and Post Flight Inspection Report to DO within 24 hours, the guidelines further stated.

The PNP has launched an investigation on the chopper crash but Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano in an interview already said that there was nothing irregular with what Carlos had done.

Upon clarification, PNP Spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo said the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is the agency investigating the crash, while the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is tasked to look into adherence to the internal policies of the police force.

It is within the mandate and authority of CAAP to investigate incidents/accidentals involving aircraft. Sila po ang may [They have the] technical expertise to determine the cause of the accident. The PNP will provide CAAP the necessary assistance in conducting the investigation. The PNP investigation thru CIDG will focus on policy review po, Fajardo told CNN Philippines.

Critics said there was abuse in power when Carlos used a government aircraft to go to work from his personal vacation trip.

Section 4 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees states that public interest must be upheld over and above personal interest.

READ: Diokno on PNP chopper crash: Use of public resources for personal interest violates Code of Conduct

Administrative Order No. 239 Series of 2008 also prohibits the use of government vehicles for purposes other than official business.

Former PNP chiefs, retired high-ranking officers weighed in

Former PNP chief now Senator Ronald Dela Rosa echoed the stand of Ano, saying that a PNP chief is on call 24/7 and it is fitting that he is accorded with 24/7 logistical and security coverage.

His situation is very unique. He needs to respond at any point in time. There is almost no demarcation between official time and personal time when you are C(hief) PNP, Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said in a text message.

Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former PNP chief, said there is a gray area regarding Carlos situation, given that he admitted that he was in Balesin for a personal reason.

Simple lang naman yan, official function ba yung pagpunta o yung pag-ferry sa kanya, pag-pick up sa kanya ng helicopter. Kung official function walang problema yun. Pero kung persona o pribadong sabihin nating situation, meron talagang mali. Ako nag-Chief PNP ako. I never used PNP resources, choppers for my personal matters, Lacson said in an ambush interview in Batangas.

[Translation: Its simple. Was he supposed to be fetched for an official function? If so, there's no problem. But if it's for personal reasons, something is really wrong there. When I was Chief PNP, I never used PNP resources, choppers for my personal matters. ]

A former PNP chief, who refused to be named, said if he were in Carlos situation, he would explore other options first before using a PNP chopper to fetch him from a personal trip.

I will ask the management of Balesin first if they can transport me the soonest time possible... If theres none, I will ask for a PNP chopper. Magastos kasi ang chopper sa gasoline [The chopper consumes a lot of fuel], he said.

A retired high-ranking police officer shared the same thought, adding that using a PNP chopper is warranted under extreme circumstances.

If extreme need nga, uutusan ko ang [If it is extremely needed, I will ask the] chopper to pick me up. Its regular and within my sound prerogative. Regulations gave me discretion, so I will just use it, he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 24)  Locals are calling for an end to illegal mining, quarrying, and resort construction within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape in Rizal.

They raised the alarm over the illegal activities, which over several years, have caused deterioration in the area. 32-year-old Baras resident Reynard Francisco said the effects were especially felt after the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses in 2020.

"Bumaha na naman yung buong town namin mas malawak na saka mas mabilis tumaas yung tubig," Francisco said. "Kung yung lahat ng mga illegal activities matuloy, baka kami mismong taga Rizal, taga mismo sa Baras, kami mismo yung mawala."

[Translation: The whole town was flooded again. The flooding was more massive and the waters rose faster. If all illegal activities continue, all of us here in Rizal, in Baras, could disappear.]

The Masungi Georeserve Foundation in Baras, Rizal has filed an appeal with the Environment department to cancel quarrying and mining activities within the reserve and nearby areas. The foundation believes the illegal activities would cause damage to the watershed area and surrounding communities.

"Groups like these do not deserve to be in the watershed They should not be partners with watershed conservation," Ann Dumaliang, Trustee of Masungi Georeserve Foundation told CNN Philippines on Wednesday.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has also recorded violations of some quarrying companies.

"If the area is already declared as a protected landscape, definitely hindi na siya iaallow na mag-operate (they should not be allowed to operate)," said Dondi Sarmiento, OIC Regional Director of MGB Calabarzon.

He added that show cause orders have been issued April last year and they are just awaiting recommendation from the Central Office.

In March 2021, then-Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said he will work on stopping illegal activities in the protected area.

This investigation is part of a series on environmental crime in Asia, supported by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, the Henry Nxumalo Foundation and Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Citicore Energy REIT Corp. (CREIT) had a successful debut at the local bourse on Tuesday with its shares closing 11.37% above its offer price.

Stocks of the renewable energy-focused real estate investment trust firm finished at 2.84 apiece, up from its 2.55 offer price.

CREIT raised a total of 6.4 billion through its initial public offering.

The high level of interest among investors for both REITs and renewable energy companies obviously contributed to the brisk demand in the shares of CREIT. The oversubscription by the local small investors in this IPO tells us that they are optimistic about the companys prospects, PSE president and chief executive officer Ramon Monzon said during CREITs listing ceremony.

He added that he hopes to see more listed firms address the ominous threat of climate change and promote sustainability directly.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III also welcomed CREITs successful maiden offering, noting the listing shall raise REITs total market capitalization to almost 300 billion.

The Philippine REITs now constitute 1.4 percent of our GDP. This is just the beginning. This powerful financial instrument holds much promise to help boost our economic recovery, said Dominguez.

Dominguez also noted that CREITs involvement with solar energy  the first of its kind among the countrys listed REITs  aligns with the Philippines whole-of-nation effort to meet its climate ambitions.

CREIT earlier said it would use its primary offers proceeds to purchase properties within the Citicore Group, especially those owned by Citicore Solar Bulacan and Citicore South Cotabato where they run solar power plants.

The recent listing brings the Philippines total REIT offerings to six. It is the countrys first non-office space REIT as well.
Former United States President Donald Trump's legal battle to shield Jan. 6 records has officially ended after the Supreme Court rejected his bid on Tuesday to keep the documents from the House Select Committee.

The panel is responsible for investigating the events leading up to the unprecedented attack on Capitol Hill. The Republican businessman asked the high court in December to take up his appeal of a decision from a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia that rejected his efforts.

Trump's Legal Battle

The lower court argued that Trump was not able to provide sufficient evidence and had "no basis" to override President Joe Biden's rejection of executive privilege. The District of Columbia's Court of Appeals' decision remains in place thanks to the Supreme Court's ruling.

The former president also asked the Supreme Court to stop the transfer of records from the National Archives and Records Administration to House investigators. However, the justices declined to do so last month, allowing the panel to gain access to more than 700 pages of records earlier this month, as per CBS News.

The former president and his allies have been involved in a long-running legal battle with the committee over access to documents and witnesses. The panel said that it needed to obtain the records to understand what role Trump had in inciting or causing the violence during the Jan. 6 riot.

The House Select Committee has requested the National Archives to produce visitor logs, phone records, and written communications between Trump's advisers. Biden, who took office two weeks after the violent Capitol Hill riot, deemed that executive privilege was not something he should give to his predecessor.

Read Also: Donald Trump Launches Social Media App on Apple Store; Here's How To Create Truth Social Account as Thousands Sign Up!

According to Yahoo News, the legal principle protects the confidentiality of some internal White House communications, such as the Trump White House's documents.

The Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday did not include a further explanation as to why the justices decided not to take up the case. The situation comes as the National Archives continues to process records during the Trump administration requested by the House Select Committee.

Executive Privilege

While Trump's latest efforts have been thwarted, the case that was before the Supreme Court dealt with a specific set of documents. This means that the former president could still challenge the acquisition of the records by the committee.

In a statement, the public accountability watchdog, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said that they expected the decision of the Supreme Court. However, they noted that while expected, they said the decision was still good to be seen.

The House Select Committee, chaired by Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, is scrutinizing the attempts of hundreds of Trump supporters to block congressional certification of Joe Biden's November 2020 win with a violent protest on Jan. 6, 2021.

The recent development could be seen as a victory for investigators who are analyzing the details of the riot and how deep Trump and his allies were connected. The situation comes after the former president's lawyers argued that the Republican businessman still had the right to assert executive privilege, despite Biden's refusal, Aljazeera reported.



Related Article: Verhofstadt Claims a Victory for Trump in 2024, Putting the Premise a Democrat Win is Best for the Bloc

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(CNN)  The West showed Tuesday it was ready to target Russia's huge energy industry  even at the risk of hurting itself  after Moscow ordered troops into parts of eastern Ukraine.

Germany said it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline following Moscow's actions in eastern Ukraine on Monday.

"With regard to the latest developments, we need to reassess the situation also with regard to Nord Stream 2. It sounds very technocratic but it is the necessary administrative step in order to stop certification of the pipeline," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Berlin.

The 750-mile pipeline was completed in September but has not yet received final certification from German regulators. Without that, natural gas cannot flow through the Baltic Sea pipeline from Russia to Germany.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and several EU countries have opposed the pipeline since it was announced in 2015, warning the project would increase Moscow's influence in Europe.

Nord Stream 2 could deliver 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. That's more than 50% of Germany's annual consumption and could be worth as much as $15 billion to Gazprom, the Russian state owned company that controls the pipeline.

As Russia's biggest gas customer, Germany had tried to keep Nord Stream 2 out of global politics. But Berlin found it ever harder to defend the project as its allies debated how to punish Moscow should it order an invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order troops into eastern Ukraine put the German government in a difficult position. US officials have made clear that they would move to suspend Nord Stream 2 in the event of a Russian invasion, without offering specifics on how that would be accomplished.

Gazprom is the sole shareholder in Nord Stream 2 but 50% of the finance was provided by five European energy companies, including Wintershall and Uniper of Germany. The other financial backers are Britain's Shell, Engie of France and OMV of Austria.

Gas prices are jumping. What happens next?

Energy is a major political issue in central and eastern Europe, where gas supplies from Russia play an essential role in power generation and home heating. Natural gas prices have set new records this winter in Europe, and a conflict in Ukraine could bring more pain to consumers.

On Tuesday, the benchmark price of natural gas for delivery in Europe next month leaped to about 79 ($89.54) per megawatt hour, up from 71.50 ($81.04) at Monday's close, according to data from Independent Commodity Intelligence Services.

Prices have dropped from record highs hit just before Christmas. Still, they remain significantly above where they stood one year ago, when gas traded at 16.30 ($18.47) per megawatt hour.

Analysts said the fight over Nord Stream 2 shouldn't dramatically change the price outlook for this winter. The pipeline hadn't been expected to come online until the second half of the year, noted Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at ICIS.

Still, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, warned after Germany's announcement that prices in Europe would skyrocket.

"Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2,000 for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas," he tweeted.

Marzec-Manser said that would be equivalent to approximately 215 ($243.75) per megawatt hour, roughly 20% above the record high reached in December.

Europe is in better shape than it was a few months ago after ramping up imports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, in January and early February, according to Henning Gloystein, director of energy, climate and resources at Eurasia Group. Weather has also been relatively mild.

Yet a lot rides on what happens next.

LNG from the United States and Qatar will help the bloc withstand any disruptions to gas flows though Ukraine, which account for about 10% of total supply to the European Union, should pipelines be damaged in fighting.

But if Moscow, which has already reduced its gas exports to Europe, decides to choke them off further in response to Western sanctions, it could dramatically escalate the situation.

"If Russia stops sending any gas to Europe, there isn't enough LNG to cope with that," Gloystein said.

He said Russia is not expected to take such a drastic step since it would also hurt Gazprom, but it remains a possibility given Putin's recent aggression.

 Lindsay Isaac contributed to this story.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Germany halts Nord Stream 2 and Russia responds with a stark warning."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  The Commission on Elections said it will set up remote voting centers in three identified locations to allow 668 persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens to vote on May 9.

Comelec Resolution 10761 identified the following locations for its Satellite Emergency Accessible Polling Places (S-EAPPs) for the upcoming elections:

- Hospicio de San Jose in Manila: 167 voters

- Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc. in Cainta, Rizal: 81 voters

- National Vocational Rehabilitation Center in Quezon City: 420 voters

The S-EAPPs will primarily cater to registered voters residing in these foster care facilities for orphans, PWDs, and the elderly.

Voting hours in these special precincts will be from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., earlier than regular polling centers which will close at 7 p.m.

Special education teachers, as well as teaching personnel who know sign language, will be prioritized in the appointment of poll workers in these precincts.

The S-EAPPs are different from the emergency accessible polling places (EAPP) and the accessible polling places (APP) which are both made available on the ground floor of schools and regular voting precincts.

Voters in the EAPP and S-EAPP may be assisted by a relative, their trusted person, or by Comelec support staff in filling out their ballots.

In voting centers where there are PWD voters, who are registered with visual, hearing or speech impairment, the Commission shall endeavor to provide FSLIs (Filipino sign language interpreters) or lists of candidates in audio-visual presentation and/or transcribed in Braille, and in large print, the Comelec resolution reads.

If there are no available FSLIs, a reasonable accommodation such as a pen and paper shall be provided as a means to communicate with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing voters, it also says.

All other PWD, senior citizen, and heavily pregnant voters may vote in designated APPs on the ground floor of the schools where they are assigned to vote on election day.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson clarified that he does not intend to malign any rival candidate whenever he talks against "thieves" in government.

"Ang ina-attack ko magnanakaw, wala akong ina-atack na tao," Lacson told reporters on the sidelines of a campaign sortie in Batangas City on Wednesday. "Ngayon kung may nasasaktan, hindi ko kasalanan 'yun."

[Translation: I'm attacking the thieves, I'm not attacking anyone in particular. Now if someone is offended, it's not my fault.]

Lacson said a supporter of another candidate reached out to his camp, requesting him to stop the "attacks." He refused to name the candidate.

"Sabi ko give me proof na meron akong inattack na presidential candidate, wala," he shared. "Pag sinabi kong galit kami sa magnanakaw, galit kami sa magnanakaw, wala kaming sinasabing galit kami kung kanino."

[Translation: I said give me proof that I attacked a presidential candidate, none. When I say we hate thieves, we hate thieves, we're not saying we hate a certain person.]

Lacson maintained that he and running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III will not participate in mudslinging even as the election season heats up.

In the campaign trail, Lacson frequently hits corruption in government and warns voters against choosing a "thief."

Last week, Lacson said some groups hurt by his comments are plotting to spread black propaganda against him.

On Wednesday, he said it seemed the planned demolition job has been preempted.
San Fernando, Cebu (CNN Philippines, February 23)  Several policemen have been implicated in the killing of a candidate for town councilor in San Fernando, Cebu, regional police officials announced Wednesday.

Four of the suspects, along with a former cop, surrendered to authorities at Camp Sergio Osmena in Cebu City.

The other police officer has been "restricted to camp" at the police station in Ronda town.

The suspects will face robbery and double homicide charges.

Former Panadtaran Barangay Captain and now candidate for councilor in San Fernando Ma. Louela Baringui-an and her husband, Pedro, were killed inside their house last Feb. 13.

PRO-7 Director BGen Roque Eduardo Vega said further investigation is ongoing.

Vega said police a re still trying to find out if there are others "who may be involved in the incident or who may have ordered the killing."
(CNN)  Ukraine's foreign minister on Tuesday said that "no sanctions will be enough" until Russian forces leave Ukraine, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two separatist regions in the country as independent and announced he would deploy "peacekeeping" forces there.

"No sanctions will be enough until Russian boots withdraw from Ukrainian soil," Dmytro Kuleba told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead."

Earlier Tuesday, President Joe Biden unveiled tough new sanctions to punish Moscow, describing the events underway in Ukraine as "the beginning of a Russian invasion." Kuleba told Tapper those sanctions are "just the beginning of the process of deterring President Putin and making him withdraw," adding that it "certainly won't be enough."

Kuleba, asked by Tapper what he thinks Putin's intentions are, said Tuesday that Putin's "ultimate goal is to destroy Ukraine."

"He is not interested in parts of Ukraine. He is not interested in even keeping the entire country in his control. He wants idea of the Ukrainian statehood to fail," the foreign minister continued.

Kuleba met with Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington on Tuesday. He also spoke with reporters at the State Department alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the day.

Blinken announced during the appearance that he had canceled a planned meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva this week following Putin's announcement of an invasion. Blinken said the US remains committed to diplomacy "if Russia is prepared to take demonstrable steps to provide the international community with any degree of confidence it's serious about de-escalating and finding a diplomatic solution."

Blinken said Putin's remarks Monday had confirmed "his plan all along has been to invade Ukraine," and that Russia's issues with NATO have just been "an excuse to mask the fact that what this is about is President Putin's view that Ukraine is not a sovereign country."

Kuleba said during his State Department remarks that Ukraine has no plans to evacuate Mariupol and Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine following Putin's orders. He said his nation has two plans: diplomacy, and, if that fails, fighting to defend itself.

"Plan A is to utilize every tool of diplomacy to deter Russia and prevent further escalation," he said. "And if that fails, plan B is to fight for every inch of our land, in every city and every village  to fight until we win, of course."

Asked by Tapper later Tuesday to share his message to Americans wondering why they should care, Kuleba said in part that "if Putin succeeds in Ukraine, other players across the globe who want to change rules, who want to bypass the United States, they will see that this is possible  that the West is uncapable of defending what it stands for."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Ukrainian foreign minister: 'No sanctions will be enough' until Russian forces leave Ukraine."
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Penn State, State College and Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies will collectively work to slow "dangerous drinking and other impacts" linked with the informal drinking holiday, State Patty's Day, Saturday, according to a release.

Both uniformed and plain-clothes police will concentrate on liquor law enforcement in campus residence halls and neighborhoods bordering the campus, the release said.

Damon Sims, the Penn State vice president for student affairs, and Tom Fountaine, the State College borough manager, sent a memo to the State College Tavern Owners Association, urging establishment owners to help "impede the negative excesses" of State Patty's Day.

For many years, this annual occurrence has produced more problematic behavior in our community than any other event, despite the many good efforts of student, university and borough leaders to mitigate against the resulting harm, Sims said in the memo.

State College Police Chief John Gardner, Penn State Police Chief Jason Zajac and Penn State Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Danny Shaha sent a letter to State College residents Tuesday requesting that they abstain from hosting guests during the weekend.

In addition to the increased patrol over the weekend of Feb. 26, Penn State residence halls will not permit guests, many landlords will employ extra personnel to protect their property and greek life organizations will not host any events, according to the release.

A Penn State student charged with violations during the weekend, whether on or off campus, will be directed to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE
Some Ukraine provinces have power and internet blackouts that followed the sanction announced on Russia by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. These events followed after tension between Kyiv and Moscow as numerous Russian troops were camping on the borders.

But before the power and internet shortages, the Ukraine army was attacking parts of Donbas and Lugansk without a reaction from the international community.

Ukraine Experiences Power Blackout

Ukraine-controlled Shchastia provinces report an attack on the Lugansk thermal power plant. Closed as a security measure that left the region bereft of heat and electricity for several days, reported the Express UK.

It was alleged that a Donbas electric power distribution center got attacked by the Russian forces in a shelling assault, where a transformer was destroyed and set on fire.

Ironically, several images in Lugansk leaked that showed many were freezing due to blackouts. Also, there are internet shortages experienced by Ukraine.

The western alliance is blaming the Russian GRU, the military intel group of the Kremlin, as the one who is compromising networks in Ukraine, including shutting down electrical power.

Unfounded charges point the finger at the Kremlin for masterminding an online assault on two banks and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense last Wednesday.

Sanctions Will Not Affect Russia

James Lewis, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said that Russian hackers excel at this, cited Big World Tale.

They were the ones who built the internet structure in Ukraine. He added that the GRU keeps it in reserve, a full-on attack on the Ukrainian's networks to paralyze all the power grids, and the internet would be highly disruptive.

These power and internet blackouts in Ukrainian provinces had come when the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pushed through the stopping of the Nord Stream 2, which was first inked with his predecessor Angela Merkel.

Read Also: Russia Probes EU's Reaction in the Ongoing Migrant Crisis at the Poland-Belarus Border

The Nord Stream 2 would have pumped natural gas directly from Russia to Germany, so Poland and Ukraine won't be used as conduits to the EU via the Baltic Sea.

Many leaders wanted Nord Stream 2 shut down, which would be double the current capacity pumped to Europe, to stop Putin's alleged invasion plans.

Of all leaders, Joe Biden is the keenest on closing the pipeline as his administration would face worse backlash after the Afghan debacle.

Along with the war hysteria pushed by Washington, the same pipeline that the US administration allowed continued would be the leverage needed. But critics say why now only, not earlier, to avoid the whole scenario.

The insistence of the White House to close the pipeline is ill-advised as finding partners to provide energy for Europe is not easy. His administration has not been keen on keeping good relations with countries producing natural gas and oil.

A Russian International Affairs Council representative, Danil Bochov, says that Germany and the bloc will be detrimental due to energy dependence, noted New York Times Post.

The consequences of the Nord Stream 2 are not opening later as the gas supplies are okay now, but Nord Stream 2 will increase the pump in amount when the demand gets more.

Cutting access to cheap natural gas later against more expensive oil at a later date, the market would be better for bloc members.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine would be recognized.

Ukrainian forces have attacked their militias since 2014. Some Ukraine provinces were hit by power and internet blackouts as the tension raged, but then we and its allies ignored those caught in the crossfire. Even the bloc might suffer soon.

Related Article: Poland Blasts Brussels for High Energy Prices Due to the Energy Crisis Which Causes Dissension Amongst EU Members

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Jared Sosa, a 20-year old from New Jersey, was arrested on Friday in State College after being charged on 30 illegal drug counts regarding use/possession of drugs paraphernalia, intent to distribute and criminal use of communication facility, according to court documents.

Since April, 2021, Sosa was under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, who were working with the State College Police Department, court documents said.

On April 21, 2021, court documents said PA State Police conducted a controlled purchase of MDMA through a confidential informant who knew Sosa from when a friend purchased drugs from him.

The CI allegedly contacted Sosa through Snapchat, according to court documents, and Sosas username was Simple Sosa.

In December, the CI said they received a Snapchat from Sosa saying he would be in State College from Dec. 6-8, 2021, court documents said.

According to court documents, on Dec. 7, the CI contacted Sosa to purchase MDMA, planning to meet at The Standard at State College.

Affiant Detective Donald Paul, other officers and the CI met with Sosa to conduct a controlled purchase of MDMA, court documents said.

The CI was under constant surveillance and was given $150 pre-recorded US currency for the purchase, court documents said.

Sosa accepted the payment for the MDMA, court documents said the MDMA weighed 4.1 grams.

On Jan. 21, Paul got surveillance video from The Standards parking lot which corroborated the aforementioned controlled purchase, court documents said.

On Feb. 17, court documents said the CI received another Snapchat message from Sosa indicating Sosa would be in State College the following day, and he sent a list of drugs and their prices.

The CI made arrangements to purchase three grams of molly and 10 doses of LSD for $375, according to court documents.

After the exchange, the suspected MDMA was field tested and showed up as positive for the presence of amphetamines, court documents said.

According to court documents, other officers found the following items in Sosas vehicle:

Three capsules containing suspected MDMA

A white plastic bag containing 32 suspected ecstasy tablets, 39.5 doses of suspected LSD, 27.7 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms

$1000

A blue plastic bag that contained 15 individually packaged brownies

A white bag with 15 individually packaged suspected THC oil cartridges

A red cooler that contained 35 capsules of suspected MDMA

Three packages of suspected THC wax

37.5 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms

11 tablets, later identified as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine

146.6 grams package weight of suspected THC wax

14 individual sealed packages containing suspected marijuana

A green bag with 44 packages containing tetrahydrocannabinol edible candy

4.6 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms

A black plastic bag, containing 56 individually rolled and packaged joints  adding up to a total of 425.8 grams

13 suspected THC oil cartridges

Suspected marijuana joint and rolling papers

Bag of marijuana edibles professionally labeled DOWEEDOS 600 MG THC

Ultimately, Paul believed Sosa did possess with the intent to deliver the drugs because the substances he offered for sale in the Snapchat corresponded with those in his vehicle, court documents said.

Sosa is confined in Centre County Prison after failing to post bail that was $60,000, court documents said.

RELATED
This past weekend, I went to Italy for the first time in my life.

Its a country that always seemed like a far away fantasy for me to step foot on  a dream, if you will. But as I settled in an apartment on Lake Como for the weekend, it hit me that this was my real life.

Lake Como is the kind of place people dream of having a wedding at  including myself. The locals are kind, the food is delicious and the views are absolutely unbeatable. Ive genuinely never seen a sunset so beautiful in my entire life to the point where I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasnt looking at another painting in a museum.

Its also the kind of place where my mom and I fantasized about going together one day as we watched movie after movie in our home in boring Pennsylvania on cold winter nights.

It seemed like everywhere I turned, a store was selling real Italian leather bracelets or silk scarves. I found myself saying the words, My mom would like it here, or, My grandmother would eat this up, one too many times.

I felt like a broken record  but words have never been truer.

I couldnt stop sending my mom pictures and planning a rough itinerary in my head for what wed do when I came back with her one day. I imagined myself climbing the steep flights of stairs and admiring the colorful, quaint buildings with her  she always has the ability to make small things like that fun on trips.

She likes to look up wherever my weekends take me on Instagram, so as soon as she sent me a picture of a cute restaurant she saw in the town of Bellagio, I insisted my friends and I eat there. I felt a little bit closer to her, as if she were eating that authentic Italian pizza with me.

The thing is, I was already a little homesick that weekend before I stumbled upon what was possibly the prettiest town Ive ever been to in my life.

Just a few days before I got on the plane, I first woke up to see my friend Megan was selected as next years editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian. I was raw with emotions all day long after that, as I wished more than ever I could have teleported to State College to celebrate the big day with her.

I couldnt get a core memory of the past fall semester out of my head as I went on with my day. Eating breakfast sandwiches with her and the other lifestyle and news editors at the time  Phoebe and Courtney  in celebration of my 21st birthday, which was something they were so happy and willing to do with me.

I imagined the fun wed all have if I could help her celebrate with some tapas in Spain.

This same day, as I was feeling this longing for my people back in the States, I received a text from my friend Chloe from Phi Gamma Nu, our business fraternity. It said, hey Love u miss u! Wish u were gonna be here this weekend! Ur my girl.

This text  though it may have been a small gesture for her  had my already fragile self in tears. It meant more than she could possibly know. Its like she could read my mind from 4,000 miles away.

That, or my friends knew something was up and took an extra second to let me know they were there for me, although they were busy with THON preparations.

THON is also something thats been a huge presence in my life since coming to Penn State. Its a cause close to my heart, and I knew missing it would be hard for me.

This year, Phi Gamma Nu was the top general organization for the sixth year in a row  its something we focus hard on and take seriously all year long.

I couldnt have been happier when they announced our organization's name as No. 1 with a fundraising total of over $180,000, but I definitely was wishing I was there to squeeze them, all tight in celebration instead of watching the livestream alone in my room.

Missing this was one thing, but my roommate, Jackie, was one of the students dancing for 46 hours. I was so proud of her. As I sat on my terrace overlooking the lake and mountains when she started standing that first hour, I felt sad and a bit guilty for not being there for her.

She had helped me through a lot of hard times in the past few years, yet here I was, having an amazing time somewhere I know shed love, as her legs were probably on the brink of snapping.

I felt guilty for a lot of other things, too. I couldnt believe I was thinking about State College while I was in Lake Como. I had this amazing opportunity to see things Ive always wanted to see, and I shouldnt waste it being sad in the slightest bit about anything. It was definitely an emotional weekend.

Homesickness wasnt as big of a presence in my abroad experience this past month as I was scared it would be. But as I let the tears flow in public on the city streets, I realized its inevitable at one point or another.

Anyone who knows me knows that I latch onto people, places and time periods. Im really the most nostalgic person who hates change of any kind.

When I moved into my dorm in August after leaving my summer friends behind, I impressed myself with how many hours straight I cried. And of course, the same thing happened when I packed the dorm up in December, heartbroken to be moving to a new country and leaving my friends behind.

When it comes to change, I have the tendency to panic. And I know Ill do the same when I have to leave Barcelona.

But thats exactly it  here I am in Barcelona, one of the greatest cities in the world, and I love it. Really, theres no place Id rather be. I feel enormously lucky to get to explore new cities and towns.

So many people in my program came with their friends from college  I came knowing absolutely nobody. It was scary, but thats a normal way to feel when you move to a new country alone.

I love making new friends  and Ive made some great ones. I just wish I could share all of these amazing things Im seeing and fun people Im meeting with my friends from back at Penn State, too.

I realize that overall, I feel lucky to have so much love for these people who Im thinking of during these once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Of course, Im going to miss them when I see everyone with their own friend groups planning trips to Paris, London and other fun cities thatll make for memories to look back on for years to come.

However, studying abroad is a time to be a little bit selfish. Im growing as a person, and I think sometimes I get scared that this growth Ive gained will mean that everything I was comfortable with before leaving is going to be different when I get back.

But I know this isnt true  in a negative way, at least.

My friends and family remind me gently that theyre thinking of me and then sit back to watch all of the great adventures Im having in Europe. Theyre in full support of my growth as I chat their ears off about specific places theyd love and how I have to take them to one day in the future.

Thats a sign of a true friend, and I know thats something that will never change, no matter how many cities I see or time I spend on another continent.

To these friendships Im homesick for back at Penn State, Im sending love from the pretty places well see together one day.
Colorado lawmakers are backing multiple bills seeking to confront rising thefts of catalytic converters, with a House panel advancing another converter theft-related measure on Tuesday.

If passed, House Bill 1217 would create a grant program to raise awareness of catalytic converter theft by funding public information campaigns, theft prevention, victim assistance and catalytic converter identification and tracking efforts. The bill would allocate roughly $300,000 per year through 2025 for 30 grants of $10,000.

Its not an easy answer and its not going to be a miracle overnight, but we think its a huge step in the right direction, said bill sponsor Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Denver. Theft of a catalytic converter can be devastating for some people. They arent able to get to work, they might not have insurance for that, and to come up with money to replace it is a huge problem.

Catalytic converters are exhaust emission control devices found in many lower emission and hybrid vehicles that contain precious metals that are trading at record prices. Without a catalytic converter, vehicles become legally, and in some cases functionally, inoperable.

Catalytic converter thefts in Colorado increased by more than 5,000% from 2019 to 2021, going from 189 to 9,811 reported thefts annually, according to the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. In Denver, catalytic converter thefts rose by 15,000% in the same timeframe  from 15 to 2,359  according to data from the Denver Police Department.

It has put dealers out of business, and it hurts them financially nearly every day, said David Cardella, CEO of the Colorado Independent Automobile Dealers Association. I had a dealer that just got hit over the weekend, 10 vehicles catalytic converters were stolen. ... That will dry up not only the supply chain for consumers to be able to purchase vehicles, but it will also make that dealer pay interest costs on those cars as he waits for parts to come in for replacement.

In Colorado, it can take several weeks to several months to get a new catalytic converter, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, Cardella said.

HB-1217 is the second bill this legislative session aiming to tackle catalytic converter thefts. Senate Bill 9  advanced by a Senate panel on Feb. 8  would require auto part recyclers to use a national registry to determine whether a catalytic converter has been stolen. If both bills pass, HB-1217 would also require audits of auto part recyclers to assure they are complying with SB-009.

(The thefts have) had a tremendous impact on our constituents, said Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, R-Watkins, the other sponsor of HB-1217. Its necessary for those in the criminal justice world to be able to do some tracing and tracking to get to the root of the issue and hopefully curb some of this activity in the future.

A House panel advanced HB-1217 in an 8-3 vote Tuesday, with Republican representatives Terri Carver of Colorado Springs, Stephanie Luck of Penrose and Mike Lynch of Wellington voting against the bill.

My difficulty in voting yes today is that the audit is totally based upon the data points and requirements in a bill that we have not acted on, Carver said, pointing out that SB-009 has not yet reached the House for consideration. I may very well support SB-009 and, if I support that, I will support this, but Im not really in a position to judge.

Criticisms of the bill included that it would not address supply chain issues resulting from the increase in catalytic converter thefts.

Cardella urged lawmakers to consider legislation that would allow the use of used catalytic converters, which is currently banned in Colorado under emissions standards. The initial draft of SB-009 included a section to allow the reuse of aftermarket catalytic converters, but a panel removed the section during a vote earlier this month.

This legislation just doesnt go far enough, Cardella said. The grants to purchase the part doesnt change the delay issue of accessing parts in Colorado.
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A miracle baby girl was born on 2/22/22 in a labor and delivery room no. 2 to first-time parents Aberli and Hank Spear who called their child an "answered prayer."

On top of being born on the day that palindrome fans are celebrating, the child, Judah Grace, was recorded at 2:22 a.m. at Cone Health Alamance Regional Medical Center. Doctors noted that the baby girl weighed in at seven pounds, 10 ounces, equivalent to a total of 122 ounces.

Miracle Baby

Grace was considered to be a miracle baby not just because of her birth on the special day and time, but also because doctors told the parents that they may not be able to have children. Aberli was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 and went through treatment in 2020, giving her the all-clear.

During an interview, Aberli revealed that the couple had decided to go to the egg-freezing clinic but reversed at the last minute because of how expensive it was. She noted that they hoped and prayed that they could have kids on their own, as per Oregon Live.

The couple expected to have their baby on Feb. 22 but did not actually think that Grace would be born on the palindrome date. Aberli arrived at the hospital on Feb. 20 for induction and was in labor for 26 hours, causing her daughter to be born on the due date.

Read Also: Did Queen Elizabeth II Use Ivermectin for COVID-19 Treatment? TV Network Apologizes for Major Error

Aberli and her husband were initially put in room No. 3 after they got into the labor and delivery room. However, due to technical issues with the monitors, the hospital moved them to room No. 2. Hank expressed his excitement when he turned to his mother-in-law and said, "you know, it would be kind of crazy if she waited another two hours."

According to Fox13 News, Grace was able to wait for the time and was born at the coincidental time of the palindrome date, which Hank described as "all God's timing." Everyone in the delivery room cheered when the baby girl was finally born as they were aware of how special the child's birth was.

Special Twosday

Aberli recalled that everyone in the room knew what was happening but said she herself was too focused on trying to breathe properly to join the cheers. Grace joins a number of babies born on special dates and times, including one in 2019 where a Tennessee child was born on 9/11 at 9:11 p.m and was recorded at nine pounds, 11 ounces.

In 2021, a baby boy was born at a Central Florida hospital at 3:21 p.m. on 3/21 in the 321 area code. A set of twins in California were born only 15 minutes apart but because of their unique timing, they were born on different days, months, and years. The first, Alfredo Antonio Trujillo, was delivered at 11L45 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2021 while his twin sister, Aylin Yolanda Trujillo, was born at midnight on Jan. 1, 2022.

The last time the rare 2/22/22, or what others call "Twosday," happened was in 1622, and the National Weather Service said that the next time will happen in 2422, four centuries from now, People reported.



Related Article: Teen Suffers Finger, Leg Amputation After Eating Friend's Leftover Noodles; How To Avoid This Scenario?

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Only through solidarity and cooperation can countries embrace bright future

09:20, February 23, 2022 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily

Unlearning Helplessness, the theme of the 58th Munich Security Conference (MSC) held from Feb. 18 to 20, reflected the anxiety of Western countries amid multiple crises, including flare-ups of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and geopolitical tensions.

It is an important issue how to overcome global challenges, find the right path to peaceful development and prevent collective helplessness from turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy, which tests the wisdom of various parties.

Chen Mingjian (left), Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, touches elbows with an official of Tanzanias Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children during a handover ceremony of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to Tanzania at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, Nov. 1, 2021. (Photo/Courtesy of Chinese Embassy in Tanzania)

The themes of the MSC have largely mirrored the real social mentalities of Western countries. From the theme of Westlessness of the 56th MSC held in 2020 to this years theme of Unlearning Helplessness, the conference has paid continuous attention to uncertainties.

As the Munich Security Report 2022 pointed out, many people in Western countries sensed that they are losing control over global events, and seem to conclude that it will not be possible to solve humanitys most challenging problems.

The sense of helplessness has root causes that shouldnt be ignored. In fact, it is a widespread feeling in Western countries that emerged from the lack of solutions to global challenges, a result of their failure to make timely adjustments to respond to major changes unseen in a century.

If countries squander the most powerful instruments for maintaining a rules-based international order and for fighting global security threats, namely institutions like the United Nations Security Council, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the World Health Organization (WHO), then their helplessness is truly self-inflicted, according to Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the MSC.

To get rid of the sense of helplessness, countries should first embrace the right concept of security. As the interests of countries in the world are more and more closely intertwined, security issues are increasingly interconnected, transnational, and diverse. The scenario described in the Kazakh proverb that goes Someone who tries to blow out anothers oil lamp will set his beard on fire is the reality of the times.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc across the world. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world has totaled over 400 million, while that of people killed by the disease has reached nearly six million.

In order to win the final victory over the pandemic, various countries must adhere to the approach of solidarity and cooperation.

Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions have made it more imperative to uphold dialogue and consultation and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility.

Countries around the world must champion the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and abandon the wrong idea of exclusive security and absolute security.

As the WHO pointed out, countries in the world need to cooperate with each other to tackle the common challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them, said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the recent MSC.

The long-term solution to the sense of helplessness is to safeguard multilateralism and international order.

For some time, certain major country has revived the Cold War mentality and stoked confrontation between blocs, willfully imposed unilateral sanctions upon other countries and sabotaged international rule of law, formed various small circles and stirred up conflict and confrontation, been obsessed with decoupling and creating barriers and bucked the trend of globalization, and played up the position of strength and pursued hegemony and bullying.

Such acts run counter to the general trend of multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations.

State-to-state relations cannot be simply defined by competition. Countries in the world should never attempt to wind back the clock of history and repeat the past mistakes of building alliances and pursuing confrontation.

They must make the right choice and work together to build a new type of international relations that feature mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation; they must be committed to promoting solidarity and cooperation, jointly advocate and practice true multilateralism, safeguard the authority of the UN, and abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. No country should replace international rules with its own will or place itself above international rules.

This years MSC continued to include a special conversation with China, which focused on how to view China and Chinas development.

In the face of the protracted COVID-19 pandemic, China, steadfast in making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good, has provided more than 2.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for over 120 countries and international organizations.

Against the backdrop of the turbulent international situation, China has followed the new thinking of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and persisted in solving various regional hotspot issues through political means, playing a constructive role in safeguarding international peace and security.

Facts have shown that China, on its journey of higher-quality development and with stronger capacity to put plans into practice and fulfill promises, will certainly inject more impetus into the post-pandemic recovery of the world and make greater contribution to international peace and stability.

As the world is going through intertwined waves of major changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century, various countries are all in a giant ship on which their shared destiny hinges, instead of riding separately in small boats.

Only when countries row the oars together and cheer up each other, rather than undercut and come after one another, can they overcome the current challenges and sail into a bright future.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Five years after it was found by a student, an exceptionally rare pterodactyl - a large flying reptile from the Jurassic period - was displayed at the National Museum of Scotland.

The pterosaur, as it was formally known, had a wingspan of 2.5 meters and lived for almost 170 million years.

World's Largest Jurassic Flying Reptile Fossil Discovered

Archaeologist working on the prehistoric specimen have praised it as the best-preserved pterosaur skeleton discovered since naturalist Mary Anning's Jurassic discoveries in the early 1800s. The fossil, discovered in 2017 during a National Geographic Society-funded dig on the Isle of Skye, was just recently added to the museum's collection.

On the excursion, supervised by Prof Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, Ph.D. student Amelia Penny discovered the creature's sharp-toothed jaw in a stratum of old limestone on Skye's coast.

The fossil was subsequently extracted from the rock by a meticulous procedure directed by Dugald Ross of the Staffin Museum, which involved the use of diamond-tipped saws to cut it out of the rock. The skeleton was then examined at the University of Edinburgh, with the team's results being published in the journal Current Biology.

The organism was discovered to be a new species, according to the investigation, which was directed by fellow Ph.D. student Natalia Jagielska. The giant-winged mammal also has huge optic lobes, indicating good eyesight, according to CT scans, Independent reported.

Read Also: A Man in Spain Dies After Accidentally Trapping Himself Inside a Dinosaur Statue While Retrieving a Phone

Expert: Fossil Is discovery of The Century

Pterodactyls, or huge winged creatures, are closely linked to dinosaurs and had a wingspan of more than 2.5m (8.2ft), equivalent to that of an albatross. Pterosaurs grew to the size of fighter aircraft during the late Cretaceous period, the time of Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. However, this is the first evidence that they grew to enormous proportions throughout the Jurassic period.

Natalia Jagielska, a Ph.D. student at the University of Edinburgh and the primary author of a new publication showcasing the fossil, called the discovery "a discovery of the century" while speaking about it.

Prof. Steve Brusatte, personal chairman of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh, described the finding as a "superlative Scottish fossil," with bones "featherlight" and "as thin as sheets of paper." Prof. Brusatte claimed that the fossil took several days to carve out of rock.

Pterosaurs, 50 million years before birds, were the first creatures to develop powered flight. They existed as far back as the Triassic period, some 230 million years ago, in the Mesozoic era, also known as the "age of reptiles," according to The Telegraph via MSN.

Pterosaurs had previously been small, with many being around the size of a seagull, until Dearc's time. Scientists previously believed that pterosaurs did not attain Dearc's size until the Cretaceous period, almost 25 million years later, when animals like Huanhepterus, Feilongus, and Elanodactylus appeared. Quetzalcoatlus, which first appeared around 68 million years ago, had a wingspan of roughly 36 feet (11 meters), similar to that of an F-16 fighter.

Dearc coexisted with a zoo of plant-eating and meat-eating dinosaurs, early mammals, and sea reptiles. Dearc was discovered in 2017 after the tide had gone down, with the fossil thrusting out from a limestone intertidal zone. They used hammers and chisels at first, then diamond-tipped saws to fight the tide. However, the tide came in before the skeleton could be completely retrieved, as per New York Post.

Related Article: New Dinosaur Species Dated Back to 125 Million Years Discovered in China in Perfect 'Life-like' Postures

@YouTube

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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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Chat-based collaboration software is a must-have in today's business environment, with Slack and Microsoft Teams the two leading options for the enterprise. The stakes couldnt be higher  the pandemic made clear that remote work and collaboration are the future of business.

Slack, which went public back in 2019, was bought by enterprise software giant Salesforce in July 2021 for $27.7 billion. Until the acquisition, it wasnt clear that Slack could survive against behemoth Microsoft, which has a gazillion revenue streams to rely upon and is giving Teams away for free in most Office 365 and Microsoft 365 plans. But now that Slack has sugar daddy Salesforce behind it, with a valuation north of $200 billion and annual income of more than $20 billion, it can better compete.

Microsoft executive Jared Spataro has said that the company considers Teams to be as important to its future as Windows was to its past. And that was before the pandemic hit. Its become even more important since then.

Indeed, Microsoft has been touting Teams growing user numbers with great fanfare, citing 250 million active daily users as of July 2021. For its part, Slack has said its own users are more actively engaged, interacting with Slack on average 120 minutes a day and overall taking more than five billion actions a week. Slack said its paid customer base was more than 177,000 in August 2021.

The winner of this competition? You. There are two excellent collaboration platforms from which to choose, both of which are constantly getting better as new features are added. But making that choice isnt easy. In fact, some enterprises have effectively chosen not to choose.

To make your decision a little easier, weve compared Slack and Teams for enterprises in six categories: interface and usability; integrations; additional noteworthy differences; mobile and browser apps; security, compliance, and enterprise management; and pricing. (Note that in this story were looking at Teams primarily as a work hub based on text chat, not at its videoconferencing features.) Heres what we found.

Slack vs. Teams: Interface and usability

Look and feel: Both the Slack and Teams desktop apps have easily navigated interfaces, with messaging front and center as the focus. There are some stylistic differences. Slack has a freeform, looser feel that we like but some might consider a tad chaotic. Teams has a vaguely corporate look, which feels more streamlined but generic.

Microsoft The Teams look and feel is well organized and efficient, with messaging front and center. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Of the two, Slack offers more customization options, with many different ways to tweak the sidebars look and what appears on it, such as whether to always include all direct messages, how to sort content, and so on. By comparison, Teams offers only three customization options: default (light), dark, and high contrast.

Navigation: Both clients offer their main navigation in sidebars on the left-hand side. Teams navigation is more focused on teams, while Slack puts more emphasis on channels, work areas that users create around projects, topics, or teams.

IDG Slacks interface is more visual than Teams and a bit more fun. (Click image to enlarge it.)

The Teams sidebar includes icons for Activity, Chat, Teams, Files, and depending on how the organization sets it up, Calendar, Calls, and more. The Activity dashboard provides an at-a-glance overview of everything happening in your organization. You can filter the feed by My Activity to see conversations in which youve been involved, a handy way to get focused. Teams top-line navigation includes tabs for Conversations, Files, and a team wiki.

Slacks sidebar includes links to channels, threads, direct messages (DMs), and many more options, including All Unreads, which displays all unread messages in one convenient feed. The automated Slackbot, a chatbot for help, is also easily available in the sidebar. Speaking of which...

In-app help: Teams offers a Help icon at the bottom of the sidebar with links to Topics, Training, and Whats New. Each tab is well-organized, offering easily accessible help content without you having to search  although you can search, too, of course. Especially helpful on the Training tab is that each article tells you how long it will take to read, so you can decide before clicking if its worth your time.

But Slackbot, an in-app chatbot, gets our vote. Its dead-simple to use. Just type a DM to Slackbot with a keyword or fully formed question and youll (usually) get exactly what you need within seconds. In dozens of queries, Slackbot only missed the mark once or twice in its answer.

Search: Both offer great search capabilities. But Slack search feels more robust to us, especially if youre used to fine-tuning Gmail search results. For example, in Slack you can search using modifiers such as from:@username or before:8/31/2021.

Messaging and chat: Communication via messaging is clearly core to each product, and both do a fine job in this department. There are some differentiating features to consider:

Both offer some text formatting capabilities when writing messages. (To see these options in Slack, click the Aa icon below the text-entry box; in Teams, click the icon that looks like an A with a paintbrush over it.) But Teams provides a more word processing-like experience, with the abilities to choose a font color, select from three font sizes, insert a table, undo and redo typing, apply paragraph styles, and such. That may be overkill for some, but we appreciate these options.

IDG Teams provides plenty of text formatting tools when drafting messages. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Both enable you to enliven messages with emojis. Teams offers additional options natively, such as integration with GIPHY for animated GIFs, though you can add GIFs to Slack through an app integration.

Both offer various levels of voice and video chat, natively and via app integrations, from within the apps. With Slack, your best bets for the most functionalities are via integrations with Zoom, Webex, Google Hangouts, or others. With Teams, videoconferencing is built in, but youve also got multiple other options, including the ability to use Microsofts cloud-based Phone System to call people outside your organization. Depending upon how Slack or Teams is configured, you can record video chats and calls as well as get transcriptions.

Notifications: Given how intrusive these apps can become if you let them, its imperative to control when, how, and how frequently they notify you.

Teams gives you granular controls over what youre notified about  chats, mentions, replies, likes and reactions, missed calls, voicemails, and so forth. You can choose how youd like to receive these notifications, such as via banner and email in the desktop app. You can also have messages previewed in the desktop app.

Slack doesnt provide quite as many notification options. But we appreciate the ability to use different notification settings for a mobile device vs. your desktop and to be notified whenever someone uses a keyword you specify.

As for much-needed Do Not Disturb controls, Slack excels. You can silence incoming notifications for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, until tomorrow, until next week, or for a custom time period. You can also set a notification schedule, so you receive notifications only during the hours and days you designate.

IDG Slack lets you limit notifications to specific hours and days. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Teams also lets you specify quiet hours to mute all notifications, as well as designate quiet days, such as Sundays; however, these controls are available only in the Teams mobile app.

With Slack, you can automatically push notifications to mobile when youve been inactive on the desktop client for a specified period of time, from as soon as Im inactive to after Ive been inactive for 30 minutes. Teams lets you toggle mobile notifications on and off for Mentions, Calls, and Meetings. You can also mute mobile notifications if youre in a meeting or using the Teams desktop app.

More features: Both frequently roll out new features. For example, last year Slack added the ability to record short audio and video clips that you can share with individuals or channels, as well as Slack Huddles, which lets you have quick, informal conversations with others in Slack. When you start a huddle, you launch a live, audio-only conversation. In huddles you can share your screen and use live captions.

For its part, Microsoft recently made its Fluid components available on Teams via chat. The "Fluid Framework, of which Fluid components are a part, connects Microsoft collaboration and productivity apps by, for example, allowing elements such as tables and charts to be updated in real time by different people using different tools. In Teams, this means that users can, among other things, update a shared to-do list in Teams at the same time a colleague is working on it in Outlook.

Top takeaway: For us, the standouts in the interface and usability category are Slackbots in-app help, Slacks customization options, and Teams message formatting. So, were giving Slack a slight edge over Teams here.

Slack vs. Teams: Integrations

While each product does a lot on its own, Slack and Teams both rely upon integrations with other apps and services to extend their functionality. There are some noteworthy differences to consider, particularly regarding integration with productivity suites.

Teams is the winner for Microsoft 365/Office 365 app integration. Not surprisingly, Teams lets you integrate apps from the cloud-based Microsoft Office 365 suite. While working in Teams, you have full creating, editing, and formatting capabilities in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and others and can collaborate with colleagues on a file in real time. The deep integration with Microsoft OneDrive/SharePoint and Office applications worked well in our tests and makes a lot of sense for organizations embedded in Microsofts ecosystem. Teams also has deep integrations with Dynamics 365, Microsofts CRM platform.

Slack offers Microsoft integrations as well, including Outlook calendar, and email, OneDrive and SharePoint, but they dont go nearly as far as Teams Microsoft 365 integrations.

Slack is the pick for Google Workspace integration. On the other hand, Slack provides integrations with a variety of Google apps, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Google Sheets. Teams doesnt do any of that, or even the most basic of integrations.

Slack excels at Salesforce integration. Unsurpisingly, Slack integrates well with Salesforce, which bought the company in July 2021. A Slack app for Salesforce lets you view Slack messages associated with a Salesforce record, send Salesforce records to Slack, and set up record alerts in Slack channels. And a Salesforce app for Slack lets you add Slack messages to Salesforce records and send relevant Salesforce alerts to Slack channels. Salesforce has announced numerous additional Slack integrations coming in 2022, including with Salesforce CMS, Salesforce Education Cloud, and Salesforce Financial Services Cloud.

Teams integration with Salesforce doesnt go as deep, although it does let Salesforce users update Salesforce records from within Teams and chat in Teams about topics related to their sales pipeline and service cases, among other capabilities.

Slack offers way more third-party app integrations. Slack (launched in 2013) had a running start on Teams (which debuted in 2017), and it shows in terms of integrations. Slack integrates with 2,400+ commercial, third-party apps compared to about 700 for Teams.

IDG Slack offers more than 2,400 app integrations, while Teams offers about 700. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Both Slack and Microsoft Teams enable customers to build their own custom apps and integrations. According to Slack, 935,000 custom apps built by customers were used in a typical week as of September 2021. Microsoft enables custom apps and integrations via its Power Platform developer tools.

Top takeaways: If youre a best-in-breed believer who wants the right tool for the job and doesnt like going too deeply into any one vendors ecosystem, Slack is your best choice. That said, Teams integration with Microsoft 365 apps is excellent and should be strongly considered if youre a Microsoft shop.
Baby boom in Singapore wildlife parks; 900 newborns across 160 species

Singapores four wildlife parks; Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Wonders and Singapore Zoo collectively welcomed about 900 newborns across 160 species in 2021. Of these births and hatchings, 44 species are listed as threatened under the International Union for the Conservation of Natures (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Singapores most famous baby of 2021  Giant Panda cub, Le Le. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Some exciting births that happened last year include that of Singapores first Giant Panda cub Le Le, two new foals to Singapore Zoos herd of Grevys Zebras, four pups to Singapore Zoos pack of African Painted Dogs, and Jurong Bird Parks first Negros Bleeding-heart Dove chick, whose species is listed as critically endangered.

Here are a few of the threatened species listed under the International Union for the Conservation of Natures (IUCN) Red List.

African Painted Dogs

African painted dogs, named for their colourful tri-coloured coats, welcomed four additions to their litter, after a 16-year hiatus. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Singapore Zoos pack of African Painted Dogs, named for their colourful tri-coloured coats, welcomed four additions to their litter, after a 16-year hiatus. Africas most threatened large carnivore was once widespread across the continents savannahs in large packs. However, these prolific hunters are now globally endangered with extinction, having fallen victim to human encroachment. These social animals are active communicators and use their large distinctive ears to listen out to each others calls when separated. As pack animals, every member contributes to caring for the young pups.

Negros Bleeding-heart Dove

Jurong Bird Park welcomed its first critically endangered Negros Bleeding-heart Dove chick in just three months after the species arrival at the park. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Jurong Bird Park welcomed its first critically endangered Negros Bleeding-heart Dove chick in just three months after the species arrival at the park.

False Gharial or Tomistoma

False Gharial from Southeast Asia is notoriously difficult to breed under human care. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

For the first time, Singapore Zoo also managed to breed the unique False Gharial or Tomistoma. This threatened species of crocodile from Southeast Asia is notoriously difficult to breed under human care as very specific conditions must be met for success.

Golden Mantellas

Golden Mantellas are endemic to central-eastern Madagascar. Photo courtesy:

The team at Singapore Zoos RepTopia hatched close to 70 endangered Golden Mantellas. These bright yellow amphibians are endemic to central-eastern Madagascar and feed on a variety of insects.

Sunda Slow Loris

Sunda Slow Loris growing demand in the illegal pet trade and supposed healing properties in traditional medicine. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Christmas Day was extra special at Night Safari with the birth of a Sunda Slow Loris. Native to Southeast Asia, the species is listed as endangered on IUCNs Red List of Threatened species. These endearing primates have been threatened with extinction due to the growing demand in the illegal pet trade and supposed healing properties in traditional medicine.

Straw-headed Bulbul

Straw-headed Bulbuls have fallen victim to the caged-bird trade due to their melodic voices. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

The park also successfully hatched three critically endangered Straw-headed Bulbuls. These gregarious birds have fallen victim to the caged-bird trade due to their melodic voices. Previously common in Southeast Asia, the species has been hunted to extinction in many areas.

Sakishima Grass Lizards

Sakishima Grass Lizards reproduce slowly as females generally lay clutches of only one or two eggs. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Sakishima Grass Lizards reproduces slowly as females generally lay clutches of only one or two eggs. Once abundant in the Southern islands of Japan, these long-tailed lizards are now not only hard to spot in their native habitat but are rarely found in zoos.

Asian Box Turtles

Southeast Asian Box Turtles, also known as Malayan Box Turtles. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Native Singapore wildlife received a boost to numbers as well, with the addition of three endangered Southeast Asian Box Turtles, also known as Malayan Box Turtles. These turtles sport a dark olive head with three yellow stripes along each side.

Grevy Zebra

Around 3,000 zebras of their species left in the wild. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

Singapore Zoos Grevys Zebras, managed under the Endangered Species Programme (EEP), put into practice the art of procreation as well. They added extra stripes for contributing to the global ex-situ conservation efforts of this highly threatened species, when two young foals bounded into the herd last year. Izara, who was born on 30 September last year, joined her family in welcoming half-brother Tari on 28 December.

Blue-eyed Cockatoos

Jurong Bird Park is the only zoological institute breeding Blue-eyed Cockatoo species. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group

The stork brought a trio of Blue-eyed Cockatoos to Jurong Bird Park. These beauties are vulnerable due to habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. Jurong Bird Park is the only zoological institute breeding this species and is the European Association of Zoos and Aquarias (EAZA) designated monitor for this species.

Read all the Singapore News, Breaking News and Entertainment News here
Officials in Chicago said Tuesday that the city's indoor mask mandate and COVID-19 vaccine requirement for enterprises including gyms, bars, and restaurants will be lifted beginning next week.

The regulations will be repealed on Monday, the same day that Illinois' statewide mask law expires, but masks will still be needed in Chicago's public transportation system, health-care settings, and "congregant settings," such as nursing homes, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

State School Board Lifts Mask Mandate

According to Lightfoot, who tested positive for the coronavirus last month and suffered moderate symptoms during the spike caused by the Omicron strain, the decision was taken due to dropping daily COVID-19 cases and other critical data in the nation's third-largest metropolis, as per New Yor Post.

As COVID-19 incident and hospitalizations continue to plummet across the country, 49 states have declared plans to repeal their indoor mask regulations. Hawaii remains the lone holdout. From the start of the pandemic, the island state has taken extreme safeguards against the coronavirus, and out-of-state American visitors are still required to get vaccinated.

According to the Hawaii Department of Health, over 75% of Hawaii people have gotten two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, which is 10% higher than the national average, and coronavirus infections have decreased by 64% from February 5 to February 18. The data from Johns Hopkins University reveals the dramatic decline of COVID-19 cases in Hawaii mirrored national statistics: reported US cases on Saturday barely touched 100,000, a steep reduction from over 800,850 five weeks ago, according to USA Today.

A new survey issued Tuesday by the Siena College Research Institute stated that while New York State officials have begun relaxing key coronavirus pandemic restrictions, not all people are eager to see them go. In the poll, 45% of registered voters felt the state should have remained in place the recently revoked law requiring masks or evidence of complete immunization in indoor public venues. According to the study, 31% believe the mandate should have ended sooner while 20% believe it concluded on time.

When it comes to school masks, 58 percent of respondents agreed with Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to wait until early March to review virus data before deciding whether or not to extend the state mandate while only 30% thought it should have ended already, and 10% said they wanted it to end after this week's midwinter break.

Read Also: COVID-19 Variants Remain Major Threat With Quick Evolution; Omicron 10 Times More Infectiou, Study Reveals

Health Leaders Aim for COVID-19-Free Place

The survey of 803 registered voters in New York State was conducted from February 14 to February 17, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. Registered voter polls provide a snapshot of political sentiment at a specific point in time, but they are less predictive of electoral outcomes.

The group most likely agree with Gov. Hochul's intention to evaluate March data before moving on the school mask law was those without children at home, with 64 percent indicating they favored waiting and seeing. Those with children at home were more equally divided, with 46% saying Hochul should study the March statistics before acting and 40% saying the mandate should have ended by now, New York times reported.

Other regulations have already expired or are about to expire as COVID-19 instances and hospitalizations have decreased across the country since January's omicron spike.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recently told reporters that the agency is considering changing its mask recommendations in the coming weeks. Doctors from the World Health Organization (WHO) have cautioned against removing limitations all at once.

Despite good case and hospitalization data, the number of fatalities has remained persistently high. According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the United States recorded 49,965 new cases and 655 new fatalities in the past day, down from over a million new cases and over 4,400 new deaths in January, as per Fox News.

Related Article: US Freedom Convoy: Truckers Reveal Plan to "Squeeze," "Choke" Washington Over Vaccine Mandates

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Singapore eases COVID entry rules but negative report must for Indian travellers

Singapore has announced relaxation of entry and testing requirements for vaccinated travel lane (VTL) passengers, but Indian travellers have to show their negative Covid-19 (RT-PCR) test report within two days of flight departure.

The on-arrival testing requirements at Singapore will also be relaxed. Photo courtesy: CAG

According to Singapore Airlines (SIA), fully vaccinated passengers travelling to Singapore from February 22 on VTL flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai will have their travel history requirement reduced from 14 to 7 days, moneycontrol reported.

To be eligible for VTL flights, travellers must not have any travel history (including transit) outside of VTL countries/regions, or outside of countries/regions listed as Category I (Macao, Mainland China, and Taiwan) by Singapores ministry of health in the past seven days, SIA said.

If the traveller has been in Singapore within those last seven days, his/her stay in Singapore can be counted towards fulfilling this seven-day travel history requirement, the statement said.

The second change will be that the long-term pass holders will no longer have to apply for a vaccinated travel pass (VTP) to travel to Singapore on a VTL flight. However, a VTP is still required for short-term visitors and work permit holders.

The on-arrival testing requirements at Singapore will also be relaxed, according to the statement.

From February 22, VTL travellers need not take an on-arrival Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at Changi Airport. Instead, they will be required to take a supervised self-swab Antigen Rapid Test (ART) at any test centre located across Singapore within 24 hours of arrival, it said.

A testing notice with a weblink to book tests would be issued to travellers upon their entry into Singapore. If the above ART is negative, no further ART/PCR tests are required throughout ones stay in Singapore.

The changes to Singapores Vaccinated Travel Lane entry and testing requirements follow the governments announcement last month exempting VTL travellers from all testing requirements if they had recently recovered from Covid-19 (within 7 to 90 days of their last infection before departure to Singapore) and can provide appropriate documentary proof of their recovery.

Singapore Airlines operates 52 flights to Singapore from eight cities in India, which includes daily, quarantine-free VTL services from Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.

Read all the Singapore News, Breaking News and Entertainment News here
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Events and details are subject to change. Check with the venues prior to attending to confirm COVID protocols or for potential cancelations or postponements. For more upcoming events visit connecticutmag.com/calendar.

Dishwasher Dreams  Travel from present-day Hollywood to 1970s Spanish Harlem to 1930s Bangladesh with comedian Alaudin Ullah as he hilariously explores the complex nature of the American Dream. $30-$100. Hartford Stage, 50 Church St., Hartford, 860-527-5151

Fri., Feb. 25

The Fight for Racial Justice  A panel presented by the Connecticut Forum will reflect on the history of the fight for racial justice and address key issues of today such as policing, voting rights, civil rights, criminal justice reform and education. Panel: Julian Castro, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development and mayor of San Antonio; Cathy Park Hong, award-winning poet, New York Times bestselling author of Minor Feelings; Baratunde Thurston, writer, activist and comedian. Available via livestream. 7:30 p.m. $15-$90. Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts Mortensen Hall, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford, 860-987-5900

Sat., Feb. 26

The Longest Johns  This Bristol-based, a cappella folk music band was born out of a mutual love of traditional folk songs and shanties. They rock maritime songs alongside more unusual and less traditional folk tunes. 8 p.m. $36. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook, 860-510-0453

Goosemas 2021  After a COVID postponement of their Dec. 18 show, the Norwalk-spawned jam band Goose returns to Connecticut for one night for its annual holiday show. 8 p.m. $39.50, $49.50. Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville.

Ongoing

THROUGH FEB. 28 / Coming Out for Art: This group show celebrates the work of LGBTQ+ artists in southern Connecticut and Rhode Island with different mediums including paintings, graffiti and sculpture. Artists include Casey Moran, Sheila Barbone, Jackie JackStar Rivera, Guido Garayacochea, Amy Hannum and others. Free. La Grua Center, 32 Water St., Stonington, 860-535-2300

THROUGH MAR. 13 / Concealment exhibit: Featuring original abstract and representational artwork that explores the theme of concealing. Free. Spectrum Art Gallery, 61 Main St., Centerbrook, 860-767-0742

THROUGH MAR. 18 / Lennart Anderson: A Retrospective: Displaying more than 25 paintings and drawings from both public and private collections, this exhibition features Anderson (1928-2015), who The New York Times described as one of the most prominent and admired painters to translate figurative art into a modern idiom. Free. Chauncey-Stillman Gallery at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, 84 Lyme St., Old Lyme, 860-434-5232

THROUGH MAR. 20 / This Bitter Earth: Written by Harrison David Rivers and directed by David Mendizabal, this new play centers on a multiracial gay couple whose deep love is challenged by divisive political realities. See website for times. $25-$65. Streaming March 7-20. TheaterWorks Hartford, 233 Pearl St., Hartford, 860-527-7838

THROUGH MAY 22 / The Poetry of Nature: Hudson River School Landscapes: Drawn from the collection of the New-York Historical Society, this array of more than 40 paintings created between 1818-86 illustrates Americas scenic splendor as seen through the eyes of leading Hudson River School artists including Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, John F. Kensett and Albert Bierstadt. New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington St., New Britain, 860-229-0257

THROUGH MAY 22 / The Poetry of Nature: The Poetry of Nature: Hudson River School Landscapes from the New-York Historical Society is an array of more than 40 paintings created between 1818 and 1886, illustrating Americas scenic splendor as seen through the eyes of more than 25 leading Hudson River School artists. $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and free for members. New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington St., New Britain, 860-229-0257

THROUGH JUNE 18 / Adger Cowans: Sense and Sensibility: Celebrated as one of the founding members of the Black photographers group Kamoinge, Cowans work, represented here in more than 50 works, is wide-ranging in subject matter, featuring jazz musicians, artists, Hollywood celebrities, Harlem Street scenes, and personal artistic studies of the human form, water, and light. Free. Fairfield University Art Museum, Walsh Gallery, 1073 N. Benson Road, Fairfield, 203-254-4046
02/23/2022

Photo (c) Andriy Onufriyenko - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 78,662,631 (78,532,101)

Total U.S. deaths: 939,788 (935,992)

Total global cases: 428,641,858 (426,551,362)

Total global deaths: 5,912,478 (5,897,875)

CDC withholds significant amounts of data, report says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a lot of information about COVID-19 over the last two years, but a report in the New York Times says the health agency is sitting on a lot of unpublished data.

As an example, the Times said the CDC published information about the effectiveness of vaccine booster shots for people under age 65 earlier this month. However, the report notes that the agency did not release data about people between the ages of 18 and 49, the age group least likely to benefit from boosters.

Health experts told the newspaper that releasing all available data could have helped local and state health authorities respond during different stages of the pandemic and make better decisions about how to protect people.

Obesity creates severe symptoms in young people

Many young adults have passed up a COVID-19 vaccination by arguing that young people have less to fear from the virus. While that may be true in many cases, a new study found that young people who are obese or overweight are highly vulnerable.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, showed that men with a high body mass index (BMI) when they were in their late teens had an elevated risk of severe COVID-19 that required hospitalization later in life.

For those with teenage obesity, the risk of admission to an intensive care unit is more than twice as high as for those with a BMI of 18.520, said Josefina Robertson, a researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg.

Aaron Rodgers regrets COVID-19 vaccination controversy

Now that COVID-19 cases are in sharp decline across wide areas of the country, some of the heat is dissipating from arguments about vaccination mandates. Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers took the opportunity this week to express regret at his involvement in one such case.

Rodgers was roundly criticized in November when he missed a game because of COVID-19 after saying he was immunized against the virus. He later confirmed that he had not been vaccinated.

"One thing that I am sad about and definitely apologetic is I didn't realize in the midst of the Covid conversations how much my situation was affecting my loved ones and my people," Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show.

Around the nation
07hd.com scored 54 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2.5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 20 Dec 2012, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the 07hd homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the 07hd homepage on Twitter + the total number of 07hd followers (if 07hd has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the 07hd homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if 07hd has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the 07hd homepage on StumbleUpon. The total number of people who shared the 07hd homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE AZO Freeware(mirror) | WordPress  DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) UTF-8Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER Apache OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Type of server and offered services. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Character set and language of the site. The language of 07hd.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for 07hd.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/xinzhang.zhou DESCRIPTION d': '1808928993 LIKES d': '1808928993 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 3 PAGE TYPE 1808928993 TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users.

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Congratulations, ekspedisinkri.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

Ekspedisinkri.com scored 100 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 5/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 18 Oct 2017, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the ekspedisinkri homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the ekspedisinkri homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the ekspedisinkri homepage on Twitter + the total number of ekspedisinkri followers (if ekspedisinkri has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the ekspedisinkri homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if ekspedisinkri has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the ekspedisinkri homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

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PAGE TITLE Ekspedisi NKRI | Koridor Papua Bagian Selatan 2017 DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS subkorwil, ekspedisi, lokasi, sipil, sulawesi, kalimantan, kopassus



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Corsicana, TX (75110)

Today

Cloudy in the morning with isolated thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 89F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Representative James Comer expresses dismay over the loss of energy independence as a direct cause of the Democrat's war over fossils fuels, driving gas prices into the ground and creating Ukraine stand-off.

President Joe Biden closing the Keystone XL pipeline on January 20 started a domino effect that ravaged US energy independence encouraged by Trump.

Now the US needs to beg for more production, and the EU is at the mercy of Vladimir Putin by allowing the Nord Stream 2 to continue.

Biden's Decisions Led Us to This Situation

Last Monday, Republican Representative James Comer from Kentucky told Newsmax that it is due to the president whose actions domestically and abroad have caused high gas prices.

Russia's keys by allowing the Nord Stream 2 to continue but stopping the Keystone XL pipeline is against national interest.

The Democrats have no regard for the effects of dependence on oil and gas abroad.

Speaking on the National Report, he said that concern about oil prices is rooted in Russia-Ukraine tensions.

He called it a repeat of Iran and Iraq, and when Kuwait got invaded by Iraq, it boils down to the price of fuel.

The GOP Rep said that the Biden administration is just like Clinton's, which was just as bad as its effects on American energy at a competitive disadvantage.

He added it helps America's adversaries like the 90's it was the Middle East. It is Vladimir Putin and Russia now, the second-largest oil-producing country in the world.

Oil prices rising is a threat to the economy, which is a grave threat today, showing a lack of energy independence.

It is on Joe's watch that has driven everything to such a dilemma that Russia gets the upper hand by crippling the economy.

Read Also: Republican Senator Tells Joe Biden To Take Responsibility For Rising Fuel Prices, Stop Using Putin as an Excuse To Deflect Blame

The president and all his wrong policies have driven the situation to $5 or $6 a gallon; it's killing pockets everywhere.

Putin Not Shaken by Biden

Vladimir Putin does not concern himself with the US, and Biden has been wholly ineffective in keeping Russia from invading Ukraine. Everything this administration has done is to make Putin more powerful.

The White House does not have a strong leader in deterring Putin, and the Fall of Afghanistan has made strongmen leaders take note and take their shot at the US.

It seems the Kremlin smells that change, and it's not suitable for everyone, especially their Euro allies.

Last Monday, Moscow was not keen on any summit with Biden, who does not exude force. Putin spoke to Emmanuel Macron and agreed on principle, cited Reuters.

GOP Comer added a letter from U.S. Ambassador Bathsheba Nell Crocker to Michelle Bachelet, the UN Commissioner Human Rights, warning of violation by Russia if they conquer Ukraine.

It's well known that the Russian leader is adept at going after his political adversaries, most just vanish, and he's very determined to win.

The recent meeting between Moscow and Paris is not a good sign; getting sidelined by the Kremlin indicates that Biden is a non-entity.

Overall, the situation is dire, and Russia is free to do what it wants; the president is not doing what must be done.

Rep. James Comer is not pleased with how the event will grind the US economy, all because of the reversal of Donald Trump's policies that led to undermining America's energy independence.

Related Article: Republicans Call for Stiffer Solutions To Halt an Alleged Russian Offensive Not Slow Motion Surrender

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Sue B. Donnelly, 87, of Crossville, passed away at her home on April 26, 2022. She was born on May 18, 1934, in Crossville, Tennessee, daughter of the late James T. Brandon and Clara (Hamby) Brandon. Sue was the owner of Boats and Harbors and of the Baptist Faith. She is survived by her chil
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Former United States President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions and decisions on Ukraine "smart" and "savvy," claiming that he has a close relationship with Moscow's leader.

The Republican businessman boasted of his ties with Putin on Tuesday, saying that the Ukraine crisis would not have happened if he was still the president of the U.S. In a statement, the former president said that if the situation was properly handled, there was no reason for tensions over Ukraine to be this high.

Trump Praises Putin

Trump said that he knew Putin very well, claiming that the Russian president would never have dared what he is currently doing under the Republican businessman's administration. Currently, Russia has been the recipient of international backlash and sanctions over Putin's decision to move troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

The situation comes after Russia amassed hundreds of thousands of military troops at its border with Ukraine, raising tensions about a potential all-out invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden recently imposed new sanctions against the two regions but also on Moscow itself, as per NDTV.

On Tuesday, a former attorney for the Republican National Committee (RNC) and current spokesman for Trump revealed that the former president is expected to make an appearance on a right-wing radio program.

Read Also: Biden Orders Sanctions on Russia After Moscow Sends 'Peacekeeping' Forces Into Ukraine

During the discussion, the program's host, Buck Sexton, called the term "invasion" of Russia into Ukraine a strong use of words. He asked Trump what could have caused the situation and what the Biden administration could have done differently to prevent the issue.

According to the Washington Post, once more claiming that the 2020 presidential elections were rigged, Trump said that the misrepresentation of the results of the votes was one factor that has led to this situation. He added that Biden was elected and placed in the seat of the president despite being the "wrong candidate" and having no concept of what to do against Russia.

Breakaway Ukrainian Regions

The two breakaway regions that Putin recognized were Luhansk and Donetsk which are part of a much larger region called Donbas that borders Russia. Pro-Russia separatists have been in control of the two areas for nearly a decade.

The Russian president's announcement of the recognition came on Monday and was immediately followed by his deployment of "peacekeeping" forces. The move has sparked international scrutiny and signaled that the Kremlin was ready to attack Ukraine.

Trump's remarks of Putin's actions and decision come amid rising tensions and Biden on Tuesday calling the peacekeeping forces "the beginning of a Russian invasion." He called Putin's move a "flagrant violation of international law."

Biden's sanctions, which were announced Tuesday, targeted two major Russian financial institutions as well as the Russian government's ability to access Western financing. The American government also plans to reveal sanctions in the coming days that will focus on Russian elites and their families.

The U.S. president described the sanctions as the "first tranche" and warned Russia that America was prepared to hand out further consequences should Putin choose to continue his invasion of Ukraine, NPR reported.



Related Article: Trump's Legal Battle Officially Ends After Supreme Court Rejects Shielding of Jan. 6 Records

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Ranae Lichtenberger cant read or write English. Shes legally blind because of cataracts, and shes distrustful of just about everybody due to mental stressors from her blindness and living alone.

But none of that figured into the equation as the Ravencrest Condominiums Association at her town home complex forced the sale of the 65-year-old military widows home. The sheriffs sale then triggered her eviction from the home for which shed paid cash in 2010, money hard-earned one haircut at a time when she worked as a hair stylist at a variety of military bases across the country.

When the association first pursued her in court for back condo dues, it sought $2,463. But by the time the association piled on attorney fees, late charges, interest and court costs during two years worth of litigation, the amount due when the house sold last summer came to nearly $18,000.

Lichtenbergers case exposes what some call a tragic lack of coordination among agencies in El Paso County that could have helped prevent the sale or at least eased the trauma of losing her home, says Melissa Marts, program development administrator with Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging.

While the Pikes Peak region has dozens of different organizations that are supposed to look out for seniors, the system failed Lichtenberger, Marts says.

Those agencies either didnt know about the situation or didnt fully appreciate what was happening until it was too late, she says.

Moreover, nobody involved in the court case, including the judge, inquired about why Lichtenberger never made an appearance in court or responded in any way to piles of legal documents left at her door throughout the duration of the court case.

So on a brisk day on Nov. 9, the Sheriffs Office came to her townhome on Overland Drive between Interstate 25 and Rockrimmon Boulevard to physically remove her, with Colorado Springs Fire Department medics standing by, and her daughter, powerless, watching in outrage.

In our community, we cant afford to have people be homeless, Marts says. This is not what we want. This is just ridiculous.

Lichtenbergers son, John, tells the Indy, Its clear Mom never participated in any of the legal proceedings, because she couldnt read the paperwork, and couldnt believe her home could be taken from her. None of us would want our loved ones to be preyed upon in that way.

Now, four months later, her two children only recently were named co-conservators over the cash from the home sale, which likely will be used to fund residency at an assisted living facility. Her townhome, meanwhile, has since been acquired, ironically, by a woman who helps provide affordable housing to elders.

For Marts, the case should become Exhibit A in a campaign to change the law and educate local agencies, including law enforcement, to prevent another such ouster in the future.

This is a textbook case for us all to learn from, she says.

Born in Korea, Lichtenberger married a serviceman and immigrated to the United States where she became a citizen. She has a high school education.

She raised two children, JoAnn Russell and John, as her husband served his country, including deployment to the Gulf War in the early 1990s. After he died, she bought the townhome in 2010 with cash she saved from a lifetime of working in hair salons at bases where her husband was billeted, her son says.

But he notes his mom had always struggled with debilitating mental health issues, and as she aged, her paranoia worsened. In the last eight years, she became estranged from her daughter, who lives in Minnesota.

She remained very functional, he says, until the last few years when she began to demonstrate a decline in her ability to interact with other people. When the pandemic hit in early 2020, her isolationist behavior became more acute.

When he traveled from his home in the Washington, D.C., area to check on his mother in September, he found piles of legal papers she had not read. By that time, it was too late to undo the sheriffs sale and eviction.

To start at the beginning, Lichtenberger bought the townhome in the 6700 block of Overland Drive in May 2010, paying $115,900.

When she purchased the home, she signed off on covenants that allow the association to collect fees from owners that fund maintenance of common elements, taxes, landscaping and care of the common grounds, lighting, trash removal, water and sewer charges and legal and accounting fees. The covenants also require payment of monthly fees within 20 days, after which late charges accrue and a lien can be sought, enforceable through foreclosure. The owner also is on the hook for legal fees and other costs, all at 18 percent interest per year, the covenants state.

For years, being distrustful of banks and not having a bank account or a credit card, Lichtenberger paid her monthly town home dues with money orders. Her son says at some point the Ravencrest association no longer accepted money orders, hes since learned, and its unclear exactly why or when she stopped paying, or if she continued using money orders that werent accepted.

Court records show that on July 31, 2019, Ravencrest recorded a notice of lien on the property.

On Nov. 8, 2019, process server Andria Beauvais, who has pleaded guilty in an unrelated case of theft while acting as a conservator over an elderly womans estate, served a summons, complaint, answer and exhibits at Lichtenbergers address. In the affidavit, Beauvais swears that she informed said person of the contents therein, in compliance with state statutes. The filing noted a court date of Dec. 12, 2019.

For purposes of identification, Beauvais described Lichtenberger as 65, female, Asian, 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 130 pounds with salt & pepper hair and wearing glasses.

On Feb. 6, 2020, Ravencrest won a default judgment for $4,565 after Lichtenberger failed to enter an appearance and made no filings in the case.

At $279 a month in condo dues, as stated in one pleading, that amount would represent about 16 months worth of dues.

Eight months later, on Oct. 5, 2020, a summons was filed showing Ravencrest was seeking to foreclose on the lien.

Oct. 10, 2020, process server Michael Sebold served Lichtenberger with a notice of commencement of the action, the complaint and other documents at her home. Sebold swore in his affidavit that he informed said person of the contents therein, and described her as 65, Asian, 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 120 pounds, with gray hair and not wearing glasses.

On Nov. 3, 2020, Ravencrest filed a court document seeking default judgment.

Nov. 24, 2020, Teresa Fabela, with Priority Property Management which manages Ravencrest, filed an affidavit, stating Lichtenberger had failed to pay assessments, fines, interest, fees and late charges totaling $9,015, plus accruing ongoing assessments of $279 per month, late fees of $10 a month and interest of 18 percent per year. Attorney fees came to $1,566; court costs were $413, and the process service fee was $50.

On that same date, Nov. 24, 2020, attorney Ashley Nichols of Denver, who represents Ravencrest, filed an affidavit stating, among other things, that, Based upon reasonable inquiry, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, no Defendant named herein is a minor, incapacitated person, officer or agency of the State of Colorado, or in the military service. (Emphasis added.)

Nichols refuses to answer questions, including what her reasonable inquiry consisted of in determining that Lichtenberger was not an incapacitated person.

Nor would she address questions about what efforts were made to determine why Lichtenberger didnt respond to the court filings, whether she contacted any agencies for help in communicating with Lichtenberger and whether Lichtenbergers visual and mental impairments would have played a role in how Ravencrest moved forward. The Indy also asked Nichols how Lichtenberger could be considered legally served if she couldnt see to read the documents.

Nor did Priority Property Management respond to a phone call or an email seeking comment about how decisions are made to force a sheriffs sale, when the board vote was taken in Lichtenbergers case, which board members voted to sell Lichtenbergers property, whether anyone with the association had attempted to speak with Lichtenberger in person and whether anyone made attempts to contact her family or agencies who intervene in matters critical to seniors.

Rather, Nichols sent the Indy an email, saying, Neither my client, nor myself, will be providing comment on the matter referenced below outside of the following: The Association, with advice from legal counsel, addresses each matter of delinquency in the community on an individual basis, and within the confines of the Associations governing documents and Colorado law. It is not the practice of the Board, or its attorney, to comment on the specifics of individual cases.

On Dec. 2, 2020, District Judge G. David Miller approved the order for judicial foreclosure, noting, Defendant Ranae Lichtenberger has failed to plead or otherwise defend in this action. That was 16 months after the notice of lien was filed.

In his order, Miller awarded a judgment of $9,015 and approved Ravencrests application of 18 percent per year interest until the sheriffs sale took place in July.

Pull Quote Defendant Ranae Lichtenberger has failed to plead or otherwise defend in this action.  District Judge G. David Miller

The order further directed the sales proceeds to fund expenses associated with the sale, taxes and insurance and to pay the $9,015 judgment, plus interest. The balance was to be paid to the court for disbursement at a later date. (In early February, a judge appointed Lichtenbergers two children as conservators who will oversee $180,000 in proceeds from the sale of her home, though those funds remained in a court fund at that time.)

Miller didnt respond to the Indys inquiry seeking comment about what evidence was presented to him that Lichtenberger was not an incapacitated person and why he didnt further investigate, given that Lichtenberger never responded in any way throughout the proceedings.

Its worth noting that court records indicate Lichtenbergers case is one of only two  out of the 50 lawsuits filed by Ravencrest since 1995  in which the condo association forced the sale of a property. The other property sale came in 2012. But Lichtenbergers sale was one of 14 homes forced to a sheriffs sale by El Paso County HOAs in 2020 and 2021, two-thirds of the 22 properties sold at a sheriffs sale during those two years. (See How foreclosure happens, p. 9.) Of those 14, at least four belonged to people 59 or older; one woman was 73.

The other Ravencrest lawsuits, which sought unpaid dues and assessments or attempted to gain compliance with covenants, such as removal of junk, were dismissed or involved residents who worked out payment plans or paid the amounts due in full or saw their earnings garnished.

On July 13, 2021, Ravencrest gave the Sheriffs Office an accounting of its new amount due figure from sale of the property, which by then totaled $17,740: $9,015 for dues; $4,194 for legal fees and costs and $4,531 for post-judgment assessments, late fees and post-judgment interest.

Two days later, on July 15, 2021, the Sheriffs Office sold the property for $207,100 to Viatcheslav Bakhour of Parker, a real estate agent.

Reached by phone, Bakhour tells the Indy, Im not interested in talking to you.

Deb Mynatt with the Sheriffs Office says via email the department conducts foreclosed property sales about 30 times a year, though an undisclosed number are resolved prior to the sale date.

The money is placed into the courts registry, she says, and the Sheriffs Office isnt advised about funds distribution.

Redemption after a sale is limited, she says, to junior lien holders. The only time the property owner can cure the debt is prior to the sale date, Mynatt says.

Please understand the Sheriffs Office has an obligation to follow orders of the court, she says.

Mynatt maintains the Sheriffs Office, although not standard practice, provided additional information and resources ... to help this person [Lichtenberger] based on her specific circumstances.

But Marts tells a different story. When Marts contacted the Sheriffs Office asking that special attention be given to this case, she was rebuffed, she says. Moreover, she adds, The Sheriffs Office neglected to say they have a behavioral team that could have gone out there [for the eviction]. They never mentioned that.

In any event, Ravencrest sought its payment from the court on July 28 and apparently received it.

El Paso County Assessor Steve Schleiker says via email its rare to see an HOA go so far as to foreclose for unpaid dues.

Sadly, an HOA usually can place a lien on a property if the owner becomes delinquent in paying assessments, Schleiker says. Most will work with the owner, via payment plans, or reach out to extended family or lien holder (mortgage company). The owner being elderly and vulnerable makes this even more horrible.

John Lichtenberger says he checked on his mom over the years by phone and visited a few times. He acknowledges she has disabilities. As near as he can reconstruct, Ravencrest changed the acceptable method of dues payments sometime in 2019 to no longer accept money orders.

They [Ravencrest] did not provide adequate explanation or warning, and they sent her money orders back, he says. She did not understand that she had to find another way to pay. She did not have a checking account or other means of payment, and she does not use a computer.

He questions whether she was legally served with the lawsuit documents. Besides impaired vision due to cataracts, he says, She does not speak English well, and has a delusional/paranoid mental illness that causes her not to answer her door. She did not accept any paperwork.

In fact, he says, when he arrived in September, We discovered this paperwork under her [outside] door mat.

Lichtenberger says he and his sister attempted to contact the attorney, Ashley Nichols, several times using several different methods of communication last summer in order to pay whatever fees were owed.

This lawyer refused to communicate with us, he says.

While Nichols boasts on her firms website that communication is key to successful collections, its worth noting she was publicly censured by the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel for a situation in which she failed to communicate.

The 2016 censure resulted from her filing a lawsuit in 2014 on behalf of a homeowner association client in a foreclosure lien action, and then not telling the client that the case had been dismissed for failure to prosecute.

She twice updated her client about the status of the case but failed to inform the client of the dismissal, the case overview posted by the Attorney Regulation Counsels office said. After not hearing from Nichols for several months, her client hired successor counsel, who discovered that the case had been dismissed. Nicholss firm paid the client $15,000.00 to compensate for the clients losses. She self-reported her conduct to the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel in August 2015.

The judge who heard the case found Nichols had violated three provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct by failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing the client, by failing to keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter, and by engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. (Public censure is a form of reprimand that declares the conduct of the lawyer improper, but does not limit the lawyers right to practice.)

When Lichtenbergers daughter visited her mom last June, she contacted the lawyer again to try to discuss how they could work with the HOA to prevent eviction, John Lichtenberger says, But they aggressively moved forward with the eviction.

He believes the attorney and Ravencrest board members and representatives knew his mother lacked capacity to respond and should have reported her as an at-risk person to authorities.

There was just no way any group of reasonable people would say she was legally served and understood what was happening and chose not to do anything, he tells the Indy by phone.

I do think this HOA knew very well the situation my mom was in, he says. I wonder why they were so willing and able to pursue an eviction of mom, an Asian woman living alone in a time of COVID, political turmoil, and anti-Asian and anti-immigrant violence across the country.

Out of desperation, John Lichtenberger contacted the Area Agency on Aging during his visit in September, and Marts sprang into action  but it was too late.

Marts says she discovered that the countys Adult Protective Services (APS) might have had some involvement in Ranae Lichtenbergers case, but didnt elaborate.

APS, under the Department of Human Services, investigates allegations of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation and provides for the safety and well-being of at-risk adults who are elderly or disabled, according to the DHS website. APS workers assess the need for protection and can intervene, if necessary, to obtain medical care, mental health referrals or help with living arrangements.

Asked about the Lichtenberger matter, APS spokesperson Kristina Iodice says in an email, As Im sure you understand, APS cases are confidential, and so I will not be able to say anything about a specific individual or circumstance, including confirming a report was or was not made about a certain individual.

Later in an interview, Iodice noted that DHS saw calls for service about at-risk adults decline during the pandemic, presumably because those people arent interacting as much with others, which could trigger a report and a response to lend aid.

There are not as many eyes looking out for the vulnerable population, and we cant respond if were unaware of the situation, she says.

Because APS wouldnt discuss this case, its not clear why case workers didnt understand that Lichtenberger likely qualified as an at-risk person, which can prompt involvement by supportive agencies.

An at-risk person is defined as someone older than 18 whos unable to perform or obtain services for his or her health, safety or welfare or lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning his or her person or affairs.

The law defines self-neglect as failure to act by an at-risk adult which substantially endangers their health, safety, welfare or life by not seeking or obtaining services necessary to meet the adults essential human needs. (See Signals and solutions, p. 10.)

In a move that might suggest Ravencrest did have a grasp of Lichtenbergers limitations, Ravencrest took it upon itself to have her gold 1999 Chevy Lumina towed from her parking space at her townhome  at 3:15 a.m.  17 days before the eviction took place.

Sure seems they were seeing her as a bit incapacitated, Marts says.

On the day of eviction, it was a traumatic scene for his mom and sister, who had rounded up APS and Marts to try to ease the process of removing her mother from her home, John Lichtenberger says.

Mom was extremely traumatized by her forcible eviction. They grabbed her by the neck and arms and pulled her from her house, he says via email. JoAnn was there, he says, because he wasnt informed about the actual eviction date in enough time to make arrangements to be away from work. But he says he was in almost constant contact by phone with his sister.

Pull Quote We discovered this paperwork under her [outside] door mat.  John Lichtenberger

Marts says that by the time deputies, police and firefighters arrived for the eviction, they finally grasped the gravity of the situation and their role in it.

She says those on scene told her, If Id known we could call an agency like yours, well, now we will call you guys. Colorado Springs Police Department transported Lichtenberger for a psychiatric evaluation after being called for assistance, spokesperson Lt. Jim Sokolik says.

Not to say my agency can stop the sale of the house, Marts says, but we can put resources in place to help with the transition. If the HOA knew that an agency like mine existed, they could pick up the phone and ask someone to do a wellness check on her  whether its my agency, or Silver Key or APS. With this case, they do nothing.

Bakhour, the real estate agent who bought Lichtenbergers town home, sold it three days after she was evicted to Gloria Horne for $227,000, or roughly a $20,000 profit. (Bakhour has flipped two other properties in Colorado Springs. He bought a house in Skyway for $480,000 in June 2018 and sold it for $780,000 in August 2019. He paid $260,000 for a house in Village Heights in February 2021, and sold it in May for $375,000.)

Ironically, Horne runs Vibrance Senior Care, a small nonprofit that serves seniors needing shelter, victims of elder abuse and the chronically homeless. Marts, who serves on the Vibrance board, says Hornes plans for the property are to house a senior at below-market rent.

Marts says how the case was handled from beginning to end is an indictment of the system thats supposed to protect seniors.

She tells the Indy she wants to start a campaign to educate law enforcement and homeowner associations of better ways to deal with vulnerable adults and seniors.

Shes hoping to persuade CONO, formerly the Council of Neighbors and Organizations, to host training sessions for HOAs about suggested methods in dealing with elder HOA members or those who have some other debilitating issue.

Do you want to be the HOA to take an older persons house out from under them? Marts says HOAs should be asked. Wouldnt you want to go knock on the door first?

Asked about that, CONO executive director Sara Vass says by email, We are open to the idea of helping HOAs in this situation as our mission is to strengthen neighborhoods and we serve all neighbors and neighborhoods through engagement, education and trust-building.

Also bear in mind that the law doesnt allow a judge to take into account a persons age, medical condition, mobility or income in staving off an eviction, Marts reports, based on what she was told by a local magistrate who oversees evictions.

In other words, Marts says she was told that people can even be evicted from nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Changing that would be up to the Legislature. (See sidebar, Thats too much power.)

Marts has hopes of closing gaps among service agencies to prevent a foreclosure from reaching the sale stage.

She was among the founders of the recently formed Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center, which aims to prevent and eliminate elder abuse in the Pikes Peak region. NextFifty Initiative, a private foundation, awarded the center a $25,000 grant in December, which Marts says will be used for staffing and administrative startup costs for the organizations elder shelter program, designed to provide safe and temporary housing for at least 60 older adults who have been exploited, neglected or mistreated.

When the Elder Abuse Coalition recently reached out to the magistrate who oversees eviction cases, She first reminded everyone that evictions are legal, Marts says. But she expressed extreme concern for older adults and was unaware that her court could reach out to my agency or Silver Key to step in and help get services in place for people. Its a first step toward awareness and cooperation, Marts says.

According to Marts, the magistrate also expressed interest in working with entities like the coalition if she identifies an older adult in her courtroom. That seems like a step in the right direction, but as Marts notes, Again, the problem is, what happens if the older adult is unknown to all the entities, and people just write them off as no-shows and no one cares? We know a little support can go a long way.

Marts suggests judges who oversee orders for sheriff sales be more inquisitive in cases where a defendant doesnt respond in any way to a court action, especially if that person might be a senior or at-risk adult.

On a practical level, Lichtenbergers home sale and eviction also mean she now cant qualify for Medicaid  because she has money from the sale now, not a home  to help fund her care in an assisted living or nursing care facility. But if she had stayed in her house, she would have qualified for Medicaid due to her low income and could have aged in place, Marts says.

The Lichtenberger case, Marts says, demonstrates the intersectionality of behavioral health, homelessness, and nuances of racial inequity.

I believe it is yet another sorry example of failing a person in need, she says. Ideally the HOA leadership would have had the older adults  a person who has owned outright her property for years  needs in mind and looked for ways to get her some help. They did not. Next the eviction court should have some protections in place to help a person preserve their home, especially if they own it outright, and offer resources for people to get help. Then, the sheriffs office that drops the notice might want to make a call to an agency like mine so we can do a wellness check. All we ask for here is some compassion for older people who have paid off their home and think they are safe only to find out the system has pulled the rug out from under them  literally.

The only bright spot in this episode, Marts says, is the chance it affords local agencies to craft a more responsive system to avert similar outcomes in the future.

On Nov. 17, John Lichtenberger spoke to the local Commission on Aging in hopes someone elses parent can avoid such brutal treatment.

We could have prevented her from being dragged from the house she owns, he said. We could have prevented her from being cut off from everything she owns and any coping mechanism she has. I think were moving forward with a better life for her, but it didnt have to be this way. We as a society could have done better.

Commission Chair Elisa Santos told him hes not alone.

What were hearing is this is not an isolated instance, she said. We will take everything you said and see how we can advocate better for seniors who may find themselves in this situation in the future.

After Lichtenberger spoke to the commission, the group adopted housing as one of its top three issues in 2022.

Looking back, he says his heart breaks over what his mom went through. After her eviction, she was hospitalized at Peak View Health and St. Francis Medical Center for treatment and has since transitioned to assisted living.

We will do everything we can to see that my mom is taken care of and recovers from this, he says.

How foreclosure happens There are two methods for foreclosures in Colorado: public trustee foreclosure, in the case 

Legislator calls for limits on HOA collections House Bill 22-1137 was introduced on Feb. 4 by Rep. Naquetta Ricks (D-Arapaho County) to kee
The discovery of the lost Eurasian continent enabled fauna to colonize other parts of the globe in that epoch. Balkanatolia is a former Eurasian part in the middle of Europe, Africa, Asia located from the present-day Balkans and Anatolia when it existed.

Balkanatolia Landmass

About 40 million years ago, this allowed mammals to roam to other parts of the globe, enabling a diversity of species endemic to Europe then.

It was not for Balkanatolia that allowed mammals from Asia to go to the European continent about 34 million years ago. Before the rise of the lost continent, the animal had no way to cross an ocean, reported the Daily Mail.

That geological period of the earth with widespread glaciers, which would become the Antarctic ice sheet in the present-day, allowed low sea levels to enable the landmass to Balkanatolia to link west Europe to other continents.

About 34 million years ago, when a mass disappearance of mammals from Africa to the Arabian Peninsula in the Eocene-Oligocene transition. More ice sheets cooled the globe, and the low sea level allowed the formation of new landmasses.

For Eurasia, the low seas would cause extinction on a massive scale of sea life, plants, and land animals; in Europe, it was called the 'Grande Coupure.'

The Eocene period has west Europe and east Asia be part of two continents with different mammal species. European type fauna found in this forest is Palaeotheres native species there. They are already extinct, and a horse relative but are like Tapirs coming from the lost Eurasian continent.

Read Also: Study Discovers Mammals Evolve Faster Than Birds When Isolated in Elevated Regions

Asiatic fauna were plentiful, and more mammalian types related to animals on these two continents. If it was not for mass migration of Asian fauna about 34 MyA which brought about diversification of species; but killed off the original fauna in the Grande Coupure mentioned in the scientist.

Scientists Find Fossil Evidence

Earlier colonization was discovered by researchers as indicated by fossil evidence. Balkan fossils show that Asian mammals were in south Europe about 5 to 10 million years earlier than expected. The team consisting of multi-national paleontologists and geologists with CNRS scientists could have the answer.

A fossil found in a deposit in Turkey dated from 38 to 35 million years ago; had characteristics from Asia, which are the oldest fossil samples to date.

Brontotheres, a larger version of today's Rhino with its jaw fragments, disappeared in the last days of the Eocene epoch. This is considered a clue that Balkanatolia had its Asiatic invasion 40 million years ago, but more studies are needed to verify how everything came about.

Most agree that ice buildup in Antarctica about six million years ago had lower sea levels that linked the lost continent to west Europe and led to paths like land bridges as influencers of diversification and evolution.

Evidence of earlier colonization in Europe before the Grande Coupure, then the start of mammal migration in the later part of the Eocene, said the authors. It is the end of Balkanotolia having a local species and Asiatic fauna migration that caused the Grande Coupure of species in Europe. Another example of it is the ' Mongolian Remodelling.'

Finding Balkanatolia, the Lost Eurasian Continent mentioned in the science journal, examines how species became diversified by forming glaciers, allowing sunken pieces of continents to rise, from Asiatic to European mammals that gained and lost species due to migration.

Related Article: Ancient Wolf Head Preserved Perfectly by the Permafrost in Siberia Amazes Scientists at the Unexpected Discovery

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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An older-model Sikorsky helicopter crashed Tuesday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing four civilians on board the aircraft operated by a U.S. Navy contractor, officials said.

Two other Sikorsky helicopters also crashed Tuesday during a training exercise in Utah, officials said. No one was injured when the two Black Hawk helicopters crashed at a Utah ski resort around 9:30 a.m. local time, with a TV station reporting the rotor of one hit the second aircrafts tail after pilots reported whiteout visibility.

About three hours later in Hawaii, the Pacific Missile Range Facility said the aircraft crashed shortly after 10 a.m. local time. There were no survivors. The names of those killed were not immediately released.

According to witnesses, the weather was clear with little wind at the time of the crash.

We are deeply saddened and extend our condolences to all those affected, stated John Dorrian, a spokesperson for Sikorsky and its parent company Lockheed Martin. Safety is our top priority. We are supporting the investigative authorities. If there are any actionable findings as a result of the investigation, we will notify customers.

The Kauai Pacific Missile Range helicopter was being flown by Croman Corp. in support of a training operation, the missile range facility said in a news release. The FlightAware.com tracker shows the helicopter traversing a flight path over the Pacific Ocean and returning on the same route in a flight that lasted about 55 minutes.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a tweet the agency is investigating the crash of the Sikorsky S-61N helicopter. In 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration awarded an airworthiness certificate for the helicopter that is valid through 2025.

A spokesperson for the Alexandria, Va.-based trade group Helicopter Association International said FAA counts on airworthiness directives to prioritize fixes of any persistent issues in the aircraft. While operators are often allowed to fulfill those recommendations during scheduled maintenance, at times the FAA will mandate new parts be installed before allowing aircraft back into the skies. On Wednesday, the FAA issued such a directive on parts used in the Sikorskys big S-92 helicopter used in civil aviation, inviting comment from the industry before any final directive.

The Department of Defense and international authorities follow the same process. In December, most of Canadas Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopters were grounded after cracks were discovered in the tail boom of one of the aircraft.

Manufacturers can also take action themselves, like Sikorsky did in 2017 when it issued an alert service bulletin, advising S-92 owners to replace a part after an incident at a North Sea oil rig.

Its a universal process that when you notice multiple aircraft of the same make and model have failures, you look at all of them at the same time, Helicopter Association International spokesperson Dan Sweet said Wednesday. Very often, its the manufacturer that initiates those. Theyll warn of an issue, and out of a responsibility to the operators, they will work to address the issue as quickly as possible before it becomes something that can become catastrophic.

It was the first incident for an S-61 helicopter since April 2020 as tracked by the Aviation Safety Network database maintained by the Flight Safety Organization. There were no fatalities in the incident in 2020 when a military contractors helicopter lost tail-rotor control during a supply mission in Afghanistan.

ASN has recorded six incidents involving Croman-operated S-61 helicopters, the most recent in 2015 when aviators on a firefighting mission in Oregon executed a crash landing with no fatalities, after losing power in one of the helicopters GE Aviation engines. NTSB investigators blamed a contaminant entering the gearbox drive train during maintenance as the reason for the loss of engine power in the helicopter that was built in 1982.

The Oregon investigation noted the failure as well as a line decoupling mechanism that prevented pilots from detaching the helicopters water bucket during the emergency descent.

Sikorsky began production of the S-61 in 1962 as a civil aviation variant of its SH-3 Sea King helicopter carrying up to 30 people, building nearly 120 helicopters. In the past decade, Sikorsky produced a refurbished and modernized version of the S-61 for the U.S. Department of State.

The SH-3 was also the model for the VH-3 helicopter used by the White House that will be phased out in favor of the VH-92A Sikorsky is building. This week, Sikorsky won a $99 million federal contract to supply flight simulators to train pilots for the new White House fleet.

Given the extensive use of Sikorsky helicopters in challenging environments by the U.S. military and other governments, it is not the first time multiple aircraft have crashed within a short period. Over two weeks last July, six Sikorsky-designed helicopters were involved in varying mishaps without any fatalities.

Of the approximately 4,100 crashes and emergency landings globally last year tracked by ASN, 20 involved Sikorsky-designed helicopters.

On July 15 last year in Romania, a U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot executed a successful emergency landing in downtown Bucharest during rehearsals for an aerial show as part of a commemorative ceremony. The following day, the crew of a U.S. Navy Seahawk had to be rescued in Californias Sierra Mountains after a hard landing at high altitude while searching for a lost hiker.

The other incidents involved helicopters owned by international operators.

On July 18, two Seahawk helicopters built under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and flown by Japan military pilots collided, with both aircraft returning safely to their ship.

Two days later, a Sikorsky S-76 pilot lost control while landing on an offshore energy platform in the South China Sea. Indonesian investigators did not state a cause, but witnesses reported wind gusts at the time of the incident.

And on July 28, a National Police of Columbia helicopter with 19 people on board made a successful emergency landing in a field.

The last time Sikorsky helicopters crashed the same day in separate incidents recorded by ASN was July 21, 2020, in incidents involving Black Hawks operated by the governments of Colombia and Jordan.

In a December interview with Hearst Connecticut Media, Sikorskys president expressed confidence that the companys helicopters are as safe as any flying today. Sikorsky is testing a possible Black Hawk helicopter replacement designed for additional aerial stability and control, with two sets of stacked rotors that whirl in opposite directions to control torque and eliminate the need for a stabilizing tail rotor.

In every category, its better than a Black Hawk  by a significant margin, Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky, said in December. We feel good about it.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
Editor's note: This story has been updated. Hector Ludena, Macarena Ludena's father, was originally listed as the nominee.

Two Connecticut chefs and a top Peruvian restaurant have been nominated for James Beard Foundation awards, known as one of the most prominent honors in the culinary industry.

Brian Lewis, chef-owner of The Cottage and OKO restaurants in Westport and Rye, N.Y., and Macarena Ludena of Cora Cora in West Hartford were nominated as semifinalists for the "Best Chef: Northeast" award. Lewis was also nominated for Best Chef: Northeast in 2018.

In an email, Lewis said he was "truly honored" to receive the nomination.

"My heartfelt thanks to my incredible team at The Cottage for all their hard work and dedication," he said. "Ralph and Chef Christian, I am so grateful for all of your talents and to have you lead the team with me.

Cora Cora, a top-rated Peruvian restaurant in Hartford County, was also nominated in the "Outstanding Restaurant" category, alongside restaurants in New Orleans, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle. Head chef Macarena Ludena is the daughter of Cora Cora's founders Hector Ludena and Luisa Jimenez, who opened the restaurant in 2011.

Courtesy of Cora Cora

I am truly honored by the James Beard Award Semifinalist nomination and am grateful to the Cora Cora team for always bringing their best to our customers and to each other, Ludena said in a statement. "We prepare every dish seeking to show respect to our Peruvian heritage and gratitude to our American Dream, and we are humbled by our customers who have supported us over the last 11 years."

"Cooking Peruvian food is art, a way to transmit love. It's something that takes me to places of my hometown and special childhood memories, and through these flavors, I can share it with our customers," she said.

James Beard awards have been called "the Oscars of the food world" for their prestige. The James Beard Foundations Restaurant and Chef Awards were established in 1991, and honor chefs, restaurateurs, pastry chefs and bakers. Awards are also given for outstanding hospitality, wine and bar programs and emerging chefs.

The awards "recognize exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industries, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive," according to a press release from the foundation.

The 2022 James Beard Awards will be the first in two years, after a hiatus "during which the awards underwent a full audit of its policies and procedures, continuing the work to remove bias, increase transparency and accessibility, and making the program more aligned with the foundations mission and values."

Restaurant and Chef Awards finalists will be announced March 16. Winners will be celebrated at an awards ceremony June 13 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
BRIDGEPORT  The school district could host an anti-racism training session for elected officials and other leaders, according to a tentative plan passed by a school board committee on Tuesday night.

Bridgeport Generation Now, in partnership with the New Orleans-based Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond, is organizing a free, 2.5-day training for board and city council members and others as space permits. Led by three national trainers, the workshop accommodates 40 participants this round. Participation is subsidized through a foundation-funded grant.

The plan is to hold the workshop at school facilities on April 1 through April 3, pending full board approval.

(Participants) get to self-examine and understand how we have all been racialized in this country, Gemeem Davis, vice president and co-director of Bridgeport Generation Now, said of the program. How we might be carrying harmful ways of being into our lives and our work and our society right now, and how we can organize together to change that.

Schools across Connecticut have focused on social justice issues in different ways  through curricula, trainings and committees  and to varying reception. While Guilford received national attention this fall for parent backlash to its social justice and equity initiatives, a recent poll of Connecticut residents showed strong support for teaching about racial injustice in public schools, though that favorable outlook waned when the term critical race theory was used.

Bridgeport Generation Now estimated that 130 people have gone through its programs since 2017, while the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond has trained in the millions in social justice work. The organizers hope to grow those numbers and include more people from the public schools if others are interested.

Were always open to doing more trainings, so that is an option for going forward, Davis said, dependent on funding.

According to the group, past participants have been inspired to learn more and take conversations back to their families, communities and workplaces about racism and its pervasiveness in America.

The best thing about the workshop is only people who want to be there come, said Callie Heilmann, co-founder and president of Bridgeport Generation Now. This isnt a training that HR (organized). This is something that you want to do for your own soul and your own community, and that makes all the difference.

The organizers noted that though they do not collect quantitative impact data, the workshop could shape the kinds of policies attendees introduce and changes that come.

This committee sometimes gets frustrating because a lot of things were doing, we wont see in our lifetime, said Joseph Sokolovic, who heads the committee. Were building bridges to the future, so the people who come after us can benefit.

Sokolovic restarted the diversity, equity and inclusion committee after a long hiatus last month. The committee chair said that the task force, which has met five times since its creation in October 2020, will get back to work under his leadership.

We may not see the benefits, said Sokolovic. But its there.
A jury has convicted three White men from Georgia guilty on Tuesday for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man, on charges of federal hate crime.

It was deemed that the three suspects were motivated by racism when they chased down 25-year-old Arbery through their neighborhood in their truck. The Black man's case was one of the most high-profile hate crime trials in years.

Convicted of Federal Hate Crimes

The murder of the victim came after a series of acts of violence against African-Americans, including George Floyd, whose death under the knee of former police officer Derek Chauvin sparked international protests. The recent conviction is seen as a victory for the Justice Department had committed to making such hate crimes a priority.

While many legal analysts argued that such hate crimes are particularly difficult to prove in court, Georgia federal prosecutors were able to win the case by presenting voluminous evidence of the defendants' racist beliefs and crude language. The situation left jurors visibly shaken and prompted hours-long deliberation to reach a verdict, as per the New York Times.

The jury that convicted the three White men was composed of eight White individuals, three Black individuals, and one Hispanic person. The jury also ruled that the suspects were convicted of attempted kidnapping and the McMichaels, a father and son duo, were guilty of using a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Read Also: New York Crimes Surge Despite Mayor Eric Adams' Safety Plans; NYC Begins Moving Homeless From Subway

Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, who was outside the courthouse, thanked the jury for the convictions of her son's killers. She said that the decision gave her family a "sense of a small victory." However, she argued that as a family, they would never get the victory because her son was gone forever.

According to CBS News, the three White men shot and killed Arbery in February 2020 in Brunswick, Georgia, an incident that was captured on video by the McMichaels' neighbor, who was the third man in the case. The Black man was jogging along with the neighborhood when the father and son duo cornered him with their pickup truck before shooting him with a shotgun.

Racially-Motivated Crime

Prosecutor Christopher Perras argued that the McMichaels and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, acted out of "pent-up racial anger. On the other hand, lawyers for the suspects said that the defendants recognized Arbery as he ran by their home as the man captured on surveillance footage relating to at least five instances of potential crimes.

Previously, the McMichaels were both sentenced to life in prison without parole while their neighbor, Bryan, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. The three men were charged separately by the Justice Department in federal court with hate crimes. The agency alleged that the suspects violated Arbery's civil rights.

During the trials, prosecutors cited the suspects' racist text messages and social media posts to argue that the murder of Arbery was motivated by his race. In a Facebook video of a Black man playing a prank on a White individual in 2018, Travis McMichael commented, "I'd kill the f****ng n****r," Fox News reported.



Related Article: Miss Alabama Zoe Sozo Bethel Dies After Suffering Horror Injuries in a Strange Accident

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SALT LAKE CITY  Two Black Hawk helicopters built by Stratford-based Sikorsky crashed within a few hundred yards of a Utah resort Tuesday morning during a training exercise, as skiers on a nearby lift watched a huge cloud of snow billow into the air.

Authorities did not immediately state any possible causes for the crashes, which left no crew members hurt, according to the Utah National Guard. An ABC4 News journalist reported on Twitter that the rotor blade on one helicopter struck the tail of the other, with a pilot having warned of whiteout conditions during a mayday distress call.

None of men and women aboard the helicopter or the dozens of skiers nearby were injured, authorities said. Utah National Guard spokesperson Jared Jones said the crash occurred during a standard training exercise on U.S. Forest Service land just outside the boundaries of Snowbird Ski Resort, about 28 miles from Salt Lake City.

We are aware of the incident and stand ready to support the investigative authorities and our customer, Britt Rabinovici, a spokesperson for Sikorsky parent company Lockheed Martin, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon to Hearst Connecticut Media. Safety is our top priority.

On Tuesday near Mineral Basin, a backside bowl area at the Snowbird Ski Resort about 28 miles from Salt Lake City, the two UH-60 helicopters went down and were left damaged, the Utah National Guard said in a post on Twitter.

Fox 13 News Utah posted on Twitter a short video clip of the helicopters in close proximity to each other, with skiers in the vicinity.

Noah Sikorski, an 18-year-old skier from Cottonwood Heights, said he saw the helicopters go down at a flat area that's often used for snowmobile lessons. Though the landing at first appeared controlled, he said he was alarmed when he saw debris hurling toward the chairlift he was on. He later saw four crew members in National Guard uniform lugging a stretcher with gear and equipment strapped on.

Joseph Schafer, a 23-year-old from Provo, heard the thud. He said it sounded similar to the blast noise from the explosives ski patrols set off to control avalanches, but realized it was a crash when he saw a helicopter's rotor fly out of the cloud of powder. He was thankful nobody was seriously hurt, but said skiers like him were sad when the resort closed lifts and trams near the crash site.

Other skiers and snowboarders taking advantage of post-Presidents Day weekend's fresh snow and clear skies said they also heard the boom and saw dust emanating from the crash site below their chairlift.

When it settled, some could see broken propeller blades in the wreckage of the crash site.

Jani Radebaugh, another skier from Provo, said she and her husband saw the helicopters flying close to the ground in what looked like a formation. The couple turned around after the helicopters disappeared into the dust their rotors had kicked up, but then were jolted upon hearing a womp."

All I could see is a big, long, straight object flying from there  maybe 100 or 150 yards away from there, Radebaugh said of the propeller blade.

When the dust settled, she saw a flipped Black Hawk in the snow.

They were the third and fourth Black Hawk helicopters or variants to incur mishaps this year, according to the Aviation Safety Network maintained by the Flight Safety Foundation.

On Feb. 2, U.S. Special Forces troops destroyed a Black Hawk in Syria after pilots encountered mechanical difficulties during a mission that resulted in the death of a leader of the ISIS terrorist group. And in January in Virginia, a U.S. Navy Knighthawk plowed into a tree line during an emergency landing in a field.

It was the first crash in a year of a Black Hawk helicopter operated by any states National Guard, according to ASN records. Crashes early last year by National Guard units in Idaho and New York resulted in the deaths of three National Guard personnel in each incident.

The Black Hawk is the workhorse of the U.S. Army, with the Navy using Seahawk and Knighthawk variants and the U.S. Air Force Pave Hawk helicopters. Sikorsky also supplies the Jayhawk to the U.S. Coast Guard and the White Hawk for use by the White House.

Robbie Shine, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., was on the mountain hoping to take advantage of the mornings fresh snow and blue skies when he heard the clunk of crashing metal. His two daughters said they saw a helicopters back propellers break and come off.

He said the sound was nothing you could ever describe because you never hear it. Youre in the middle of the Wasatch wilderness and its a sound you dont want to hear.

I saw rotor fly off and it was scary because it just started twisting around in the air, his 8-year-old daughter Kaia said.

Sgt. Melody Cutler, a spokesperson for Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, did not immediately have additional details.

In addition to regular military training and rescue missions in the mountains, the Utah National Guard has dispatched Black Hawk crews to battle wildfires in California in the past few years.

Snowbird is known as one of the nation's premier ski and snowboard destinations because of ample snowfall and the variety of terrain. The two UH-60 helicopters crashed near Mineral Basin, a normally windy canyon on the backside of the resort known for its expert terrain.

Jones said it was routine for pilots in train to land in difficult areas regardless of weather conditions to prepare for combat, but rare for them to crash. He did not provide information on the cause of the crash but said efforts were underway to investigate the incident and to remove the damaged equipment from the mountainside.

We do train on the edge so that were ready for a combat environment anywhere in the world. The crews assume some level of risk. Every time you go fly a helicopter, theres a little bit of danger involved. Im just happy everyone is OK, he said.

Hearst Connecticut Media reporter Alexander Soule contributed to this story.
Whatever one thinks about guns, this months $73 million lawsuit settlement paid by the insurers of the former Remington gun manufacturing company to the families of victims of the 2012 school massacre in Newtown is based on a false premise pursuing an unconstitutional objective.

Federal law exempts firearms manufacturers from liability for criminal misuse of their products. The Second Amendment establishes the right of the people to own guns. So how could Remington be responsible for the massacre in Newtown?

The company wasnt found responsible in court. Instead, its insurers settled the case without explanation.

The theory of the plaintiffs was that Remington violated Connecticuts Unfair Trade Practices Act with its advertising for the rifle used in the massacre, advertising that was said to have appealed to disturbed young men like the massacres perpetrator.

But there is no evidence that the perpetrator here ever saw any Remington advertising. Indeed, he didnt even purchase the rifle. That was done by his mother, who, despite her sons longstanding mental illness, took him target shooting and built his interest in guns. On the murderous day, he stole her rifle and made her his first victim.

Of course, the plaintiffs themselves dont believe that Remingtons advertising caused the massacre. They were seeking not to regulate gun ads but to close down the entire gun industry.

When the settlement was announced, co-plaintiff Nicole Hockley was candid about it. She said that the lawsuit and settlement had shown gun makers, their insurers and their bankers that this is a high-risk market, it is not profitable, and you will be held accountable.

Deprive any industry of its bankers and insurers, and it will go out of business or go underground. When the gun industry goes out of business or underground, the Second Amendment will have been nullified without any democratic decision of the people and the states to repeal or modify it.

Everyone sympathizes with the families of the massacre victims. Many people support enacting more restrictive gun laws. Like the Newtown plaintiffs, some people would even repeal the Second Amendment and confiscate all guns in private hands. But if the Newtown plaintiffs get their way, they will destroy not only the gun industry but democracy as well.

Gov. Lamont has a worsening scandal on his hands  a budget office that was a contract-steering racket undermining competitive bidding for state government work.

Remarkably, the governor would make it worse. He wants to cripple  or keep crippled  the state Contracting Standards Board, which was created in response to the contract scandals of the Rowland administration two decades ago.

The board operates with a few volunteer members. Lamont not only refuses to appropriate money to hire staff for the board to make it effective; he also would eliminate its authority to block contracts it deems improper.

The governor says the board should refer to the state auditors any doubts it has about contracts. But the auditors arent well-staffed, either, and they have no enforcement powers. They can only publicize mistakes and improprieties.

The governors budget would add three positions to the staff of the auditors. But since there is so little accountability in state government and since the General Assembly eliminated its Program Review and Investigations Committee years ago and investigates nothing about state government operations, the auditors should be given more than another three positions.

In his campaign commercials, the likely Republican nominee for governor, Bob Stefanowski, proposes to audit every state government department. That cant be effective and timely without hiring many more auditors  and even auditing every department wont audit what most needs to be audited about state government. What most needs auditing are state governments most expensive policies, which, no matter how honestly implemented, often fail to accomplish what they are supposed to, like self-sufficiency for the poor and academic proficiency for high school students.

If the governor really thinks state government is already as efficient and honest as it should be, his premise should be put to the campaign ahead.

Chris Powell is a columnist for the Journal Inquirer in Manchester.
Climate change is a serious issue and many of us want to do our part to address it. Credit unions want to prepare themselves to be resilient to the physical and transitional risks. With improved data and climate-risk economic analysis available today, regulators can no longer ignore the connection between climate change and the financial system. Regulators have a number of policy levers at their disposal that they can use to mitigate these risks. The policy debates over the right combination of these levers are now front and center among the international community and the international standard setting bodies.

This position is now evident in the most recent consultation by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in Principles for the Effective Management and Supervision of Climate Related Financial Risks. The Basel Committee really pulled every policy lever possible to address climate change in this document. The principles call for requirements addressing climate-related risks, including an internal control framework, capital and liquidity adequacy requirements, a risk management process, management monitoring and reporting requirements, comprehensive management of credit risk requirements, comprehensive management of market, liquidity, operational and other risks, and scenario analyses. Analyzing each of these, it is easy to see that a regulatory storm is coming. The key here is to secure a proportional approach that works for credit unions. The Basel Committee needs to explicitly recognize proportionality in these principles, or the storm of financial exclusion will only get larger.

WOCCU Urges Proportionality in Climate Principles

World Council of Credit Unions urged the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to include proportionality in its Principles for the Effective Management and Supervision of Climate Related Financial Risks. The comments came as a response to the Basel Committees request for comments on its efforts to address the physical and transitional risks that could affect the safety and soundness of individual financial institutions as a result of climate-related financial risks. The Basel Committee is looking to strengthen the regulation, supervision and practices of financial institutions worldwide.
Senate and House lawmakers are in their home states and districts this week after sending President Joe Biden a continuing resolution to fund the government on Thursday. The President signed the legislation ahead of the Friday deadline, averting a government shutdown.

NAFCU will continue to regularly meet with administration officials, lawmakers and regulators to create a regulatory environment in which credit unions can thrive. While Congress is home, credit unions can join the association in its advocacy by reaching out to their local representatives; contact information for federal lawmakers can be accessed through NAFCUs Grassroots Action Center.
Funeral Service for Garry Dwight Knopp, age 66, of Cullman, will be at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 1-3 p.m. prior to the service. Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Knopp passed away on Sunday, May 1,
A senior official of the Biden administration accused Russia of beginning an invasion of Ukraine based on Moscow's recent military activities.

In an interview with CNN, deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said the White House considers that recent movements of Russian troops into the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, both governed by Moscow-backed forces-- as "the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine."

Finer commented that Russia "has been invading Ukraine since 2014" when it seized the Crimean peninsula. When asked whether Russia's actions were an invasion or just a start of a resumed attack on Ukraine, the official said he does not know how to be "much more clear" on the matter. "This is the beginning of an invasion," he noted.

He remarked, however, that some members of the Biden administration have been reluctant to use the term invasion, per Politico.

Read Also: Biden Orders Sanctions on Russia After Moscow Sends 'Peacekeeping' Forces Into Ukraine

US Expands Sanctions on Russia

On Monday, President Joe Biden issued an executive order extending the sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014 in response to Putin's decision to recognize the Luhansk and Donetsk regions' independence formally.

The current sanctions imposed by the United States ban new US business in the breakaway territories, foreign trade from the regions, as well as financial and property dealings as assessed by the Treasury Department.

On Tuesday, Finer hinted that the US might soon announce imposing further economic sanctions against Russia.

As tensions along the Ukrainian border continue to escalate, the country's economic stability weakens as businesses face the challenge of predicting the events in the coming days.

Ukraine Suffers From Hybrid Attack

According to a report by the Associated Press, Ukraine's economy is suffering more compared to Russia amid the conflict between the two nations that has been going on for years.

Andrey Stavinster, CEO of port operations company TIS Group, wonders why Ukraine is "suffering consequences already" though Russia is the one who is "actually threatening the whole world, in Europe" and the sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Experts describe the squeezing Ukraine's economy to ruin the country from within as "hybrid warfare," which is a critical destabilizing strategy.

Aside from amassing around 150,000 Russian troops around its borders, Ukraine is also facing the threats of cyberattacks and separatist groups, both backed by Moscow, which affect the economic performance of the Eastern European country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine announced in late January that $12.5 billion had been withdrawn from bank accounts in the country. He encouraged members of parliament and businessmen who had left to return.

Last week, over 20 charter and private jets flew out of Kyiv, transporting some of the country's most influential businessmen.

According to Volodymyr Sidenko, an analyst with the Razumkov Center, businesses in the country are becoming "more nervous" when the government tells them "not to panic."

Meanwhile, the foreign minister of Germany, Europe's largest economy, recognized the "very real effects" of the constant threat against Ukraine on economic activities. She mentioned that the Group of Seven ministers has pledged to assist Ukraine to help stabilize its economy.

The US and the European Parliament offered Ukraine loans of $1 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively, to address its financing needs.

Related Article: Trump Calls Putin's Actions Against Ukraine 'Smart,' 'Savvy,' Claims Close Relationship With Russian Leader

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Hacking and cyberattacks have become common enough that everyone understands the need to protect their businesses from them. Both consumers and businesses are vulnerable, but a company has a greater responsibility to put the necessary security measures in place. A security breach for a business not only results in lost revenue, but it can also irrevocably damage trust in its brand by current and potential customers and business partners.

Understand the Importance of Cybersecurity

The first step to incorporating security measures is to understand their importance. Unfortunately, cyberattacks have increased in frequency and scale over the years. Hackers don't stop at targeting individuals and businesses. They also have no qualms about taking down government agencies, such as the recent attack on the Ukraine's Ministry of Defense website. Therefore, it is extremely important, now more than ever, to level up your company's security measures by using safe storage and encryption practices.

Your company may also be required to conform to strict regulations that dictate the handling of sensitive data. Whether you're dealing with personal information, payment details, or even sensitive data like medical records or Social Security numbers, you must protect your customers.

Even once all the security measures have been put in place, businesses still have a responsibility to prevent breaches. Unfortunately, employees are the culprit for many of these breaches because of negligence or errors.

Train Employees

Most employees know better than to click on links in emails from unknown senders. Unfortunately, phishing scams are rather sophisticated these days, where the sender masquerades as a trusted source. It's really important to hold regular training sessions and educate your employees about the latest scams. Everyone in your company should be hyper-aware of how damaging a potential breach can be.

There's more to it than not opening suspicious emails. Most employees don't even log out or shut down their workstations when they go home for the day. They also don't always shred paperwork that needs to be destroyed. To reduce or eliminate the possibility of employee error, you must keep your most important documents secure.

Use a Virtual Data Room

Establishing the importance of cybersecurity and training your employees are only the first steps of keeping your documents secure. The best security measures don't rely on your employees to follow instructions perfectly 100% of the time. Instead, they make compliance easy by automating the process.

Centralizing your document storage is an important step to keeping your data secure. It makes it easy to find what you're looking for, and it allows you to control access. Your electronic documents should be encrypted, and you must set up permissions to grant access where it's needed. Additionally, instead of controlling access individually, it's best to create group permissions.

CapLinked's virtual data room (VDR) offers a trustworthy solution for sharing documents and negotiating business deals, such as mergers and acquisitions, which require the sharing of a great deal of sensitive documents and data. A VDR meets all the requirements to keep your company's data safe, including DRM and the option to watermark your most important files. It also allows you to track changes made to your documents. Implementing these types of cybersecurity measures can make all the difference in protecting your business from a data breach.

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The Eugene City Council unanimously approved proposed terms to sell the 1930s riverfront steam plant for $1 to a development team in a Jan. 26 work session.

Led by Mark Miksis of deChase Miksis and Mark Frohnmayer of Arcimoto, the development team plans to turn the former Eugene Water and Electric Board steam plant into a community destination, complete with local food and drink, a performance and community arts space, a hotel and office space with university classes.

The redeveloped steam plant will anchor the southern end of the Downtown Riverfront Park Development  part of a larger city initiative to transform the inaccessible Willamette riverfront and bring in more housing.

The total cost of the redevelopment is $56 million, with the city contributing $1.5 million in Urban Renewal Funds and helping developers fill a $5.2 million funding gap. The city plans on requesting $5 million of state funding for the redevelopment.

The steam plant has the potential to be one of the iconic locations in Eugene, a favorite destination for you and your neighbors and a must-see for anyone whos visiting, community development director Will Dowdy said.

The ground floor will feature an indoor/outdoor restaurant with views of the Willamette River from an overlook that will be built on the existing water intake structure that sits on the edge of the river, Dowdy said.

The building will include a performance and community arts space showcasing music, dance, demonstrations, lectures, speakers and local art. Dowdy said the development team added this feature after hearing community members share their desire to see the steam plant become a place for the creation and enjoyment of art.

The development team is planning art fellowship programs to help boost artists exposure, Dowdy said.

An independent hotel within the building will serve as the steam plants financial foundation for its preservation, Dowdy said. The development team is working closely with Embarcadero Hospitality Group, which runs two boutique hotels in Oregon.

The hotel would have 70 or more rooms with a variety of price ranges. Each space would celebrate the historic setting by incorporating the buildings found items with local art, Dowdy said.

The building will also include flexible office space with a mix of coworking, community and university classes, venture incubation for start-ups and established anchor tenants, Dowdy said.

The steam plants unique proximity to the University of Oregon, Downtown and the river provide an opportunity to build a knowledge transfer bridge, further knitting the scholarly community with Eugenes emerging technology and entrepreneurship clusters, Dowdy said.

The development team plans to get the steam plant on the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes properties for their significance in American history, and is committed to a non-carbon-based fuel source for all the primary mechanical systems in the building and electric-powered heating and cooling systems.

The city is selling the steam plant for only $1 because making the building safe for the public will take a lot of work from the developers, who are investing $49 million, Dowdy said.

City Councilor Jennifer Yeh said the steam plants redevelopment is an opportunity to correct a bad path.

This is a really exciting project obviously, and one of those reasons is because I often see people looking at old photos of downtown and being really disappointed that we used urban renewal to demolish older, unique buildings rather than saving them, Yeh said.

Some councilors had concerns about the finances of the project, although everyone agreed to move forward with it.

Councilor Matt Keating said repurposing the steam plant is a welcome benefit to the community but still had apprehension about how much money the project would bring to the city.

There are elements that I wonder are necessary and the highest and best use of public dollars, Keating said. Do we need another boutique hotel in Eugene?

Councilor Claire Syrett said she wanted to remind the public the city would have had to remediate the land at a significant cost if it chose to demolish the historic building, and the land has not been generating any tax revenues. The project will start paying taxes as soon as it is in the hands of the private developers, she said.

The team will close the property and start construction no later than Sept. 30, 2023, as long as the proposed terms are met and if both the city and the developers have identified the necessary funding during due diligence, according to a presentation for the project. Construction is projected to take approximately 18 months.
I have been driving around for the past few weeks with a broken taillight. Its not that I intentionally dont replace it, but life gets away from me. By the time I get home from work, I have a to-do list a mile long. Replacing the taillight becomes an afterthought. Luckily, I have never been pulled over for a traffic violation.

Unfortunately, many people dont share my good fortune. According to a Portland Police Bureau report, Portland cops conducted 477,964 traffic stops between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021. Of these traffic stops, 21.7% of them were for a non-moving violation, such as illegal parking or overly tinted windows. Driving with expired license plates was the top reason cited.

The same PPB report found that police were more likely to search Black drivers. Another report by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission found that state troopers were more likely to stop drivers of minority groups including Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Latino/Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Native American. Despite Oregons population being 75.1% White and non-Latino/Hispanic, state troopers conduct traffic stops on minority groups at disparate rates.

This is where the new Oregon Senate bill comes into play. On Feb. 1, SB 1510 A was introduced into the legislative session. A similar bill was proposed in the House in 2021 which would restrict law enforcement from conducting minor traffic violation stops, force law enforcement to identify themselves when conducting a traffic stop and limit the arrests law enforcement would be able to make for nearly 20 misdemeanor crimes. However, that bill didnt pass.

The current legislation strips down the fundamental purposes of the previous House bill, while becoming more expansive in helping to prevent law enforcement from targeting members of minority groups. The bill requires law enforcement officers to inform citizens that they may deny a search of their car during a traffic stop while maintaining that officers cannot issue tickets for a single broken light.

This bill shows that Oregon legislators recognize law enforcement and the criminal justice systems flaws when it comes to racially profiling drivers and the overall mistreatment of minority groups. Yet, while I read news articles about this bill, I came across several law enforcement agencies which argue against the bills implementation. They fear the roads will become more dangerous.

I will admit, having a broken taillight isnt ideal and not the safest that my car could be. But the damage of a fender bender or rear-end collision seems minimal compared to the extreme rates of violent, and often deadly, police traffic stops. In the course of a five-year investigation, the New York Times found police officers have killed more than 400 drivers or passengers who were not wielding a gun or a knife, or under pursuit for a violent crime  a rate of more than one a week.

Granted this investigation used data from across the country, a rate of more than one a week is still a horrifying statistic. These are individuals being mercilessly killed because the police considered them a threat and resorted to an escalation of violence rather than a deescalation.

Simply put, cops kill people for non-violent crimes and minor traffic violations all the time. A guaranteed way to reduce the number of people police in this country kill is to restrict the number of times police and members of the public interact. So send someone a ticket, make sure their plates are updated, but dont unnecessarily bring a gun into a situation.

I sincerely hope the Senate enacts the new bill, not because I hope to see more fender benders while driving to work, but because of the bills potential role in Oregon taking progressive action to fix a continuous, and historically present, injustice.
Researchers recently discovered that e-cigarettes are not effective in helping people quit smoking and even harm teeth and gums.

Health experts found that when compared to other smoking cessation aids, e-cigarettes resulted in lower successful attempts. They also noted that e-cigarette users were no less prone to relapse than non-users, per US News.

The study's author John Pierce, a professor emeritus from the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at the University of California, San Diego, said that replacing one's nicotine source "is not the key here."

He underscored that most smokers who attempted to quit smoking by using e-cigarettes did not use nicotine vapes with high nicotine content.

It's unclear whether doing so will improve the quit rate, but it's something health experts will investigate.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permitted the sale of three e-cigarette brands because it can help adults stop smoking traditional cigarettes, according to a report of the National Institutes of Health.

However, Pierce said it is not clear to him which evidence the FDA accepts as evidence that e-cigarettes assist individuals in dropping their smoking habit.

Pierce also noted that kicking the smoking habit is the toughest thing many people can do as it relies on the individual's motivation level.

Over than 12% of those who had recently tried to quit stated they used e-cigarettes alone or in combination with other products based on a 2017 study. Other tobacco products were used by about 2.5 percent of those polled.

About 21% took nicotine replacements or one of the treatments, and 64% simply quit smoking without using anything else.

Around a quarter of e-cigarette, consumers used vapes with a 4% or higher nicotine content. According to Pierce, the number of former smokers who shifted to e-cigarettes jumped to 22% in 2019, with some using high-nicotine vapes.

Not a Great Help in Quitting Smoking

According to Dr. David Hill, a medical spokesman for the American Lung Association, the data supporting e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation has been weak. The study confirms that such a product is "not a great tool" to help people quit smoking.

Furthermore, according to another study, e-cigarette users have a distinct bacterial composition in their mouths, putting them at risk for oral microbes that are more comparable to those found in cigarette smokers than in nonsmokers.

In recent research conducted by Deepak Saxena, a professor at NYU College of Dentistry in New York City, his colleagues have seen proof that vaping can damage the teeth and gums. Vaping can upset the bacterial balance of the mouth, making it more inclined to inflammation and infection, just like smoking a cigarette.

Read Also: Guns Now the Leading Causes of Deaths by Trauma in the US; Millions of Years of Life Lost to Firearms

Better To Be Safe Than Sorry

Health Day reported that the researchers followed the oral health of 84 persons for six months, including cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users, and nonsmokers, in a new study.

The researchers discovered that vapers had a distinct oral microbiome: it was possibly healthier than smokers', but different from nonsmokers.' In many aspects, vapers' microbes resembled those of cigarette smokers.

It's unclear what the findings mean for vape users' dental health in the long run. Since e-cigarettes are still new, it is still not clear whether the microbes could cause oral conditions like leukoplakia, which are white patches in the mouth that can be precancerous. According to Saxena,

"If you don't use e-cigarettes, don't start," the researcher advised emphatically.

Related Article: Several States Drop Mask, Proof of Vaccination Mandates Except to a Lone Place; Here's Why!

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
When scorpions begin their courtship, they enter into an energetic waltz, as violent as it is passionate. At first, a fair amount of affectionate pushing and grappling takes place.

But as these ruthless arachnids pincers and venomous stingers flail flirtatiously, skirmishes soon emerge from which both sides will inevitably feel a nasty bite.

Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer are currently embroiled in a similarly complex pas de deux over the smouldering crisis in the Ukraine.

Boris Johnson, pictured, and Keir Starmer used their carefully phrased messages of support to stage mutual respect, yesterday at Prime Minister's Questions

However, Sir Keir, pictured, soon claimed the PM's measures against Vladimir Putin's people were not sufficient

Each of their exchanges are dressed up with carefully phrased messages of support and mutual engagement. For all their personal animosity, there is an attempted display  however staged  of respect.

Between those warm words, however, there is nearly always a sting in the tail.

At yesterdays PMQs, Starmer resorted to the same gambit he used during the pandemic.

He wanted to appear to back the Governments firm stance against President Putin while at the same time arguing the measures being introduced were innately drippy. Mr Johnson too was playing something of a double game. His response to most of Starmers questions was to offer elaborate thanks for his support.

Yet he made it clear he trusted him about as much as he trusts his staff with the keys to the Downing Street drinks cabinet.

Sir Keir wanted tougher sanctions against Russias mega-rich elite. If not now, when?, he demanded. Presumably, if the great prosecutor was in charge hed be dragging Mayfairs oligarchs from their penthouses, bound and gagged in their silken Louis Vuitton scarves.

There is more to come, insisted Boris. Get on with it! came the cry from Labour MPs, flexing their muscles over-enthusiastically toward the Urals. Years of enduring Jeremy Corbyns embarrassing kowtowing to Moscow must do this to you.

Boris argued that we needed to squeeze Putin simultaneously with our allies. The UK couldnt go racing off the lone cowboy playing the tough guy.

I hear what the Prime Minister says, Starmer replied sympathetically before doubling down on his demands for more action.

Guffaws erupted from the government benches at this political posturing. Deputy chief whip Chris Pincher barked something from the rear of the chamber.

I couldnt hear what but we can safely assume he wasnt complimenting Sir Keir on his tailoring. Speaker Hoyle hopped from his chair and told him to shaddup.

Starmer repeated his request that Kremlin propaganda channel RT be shut down.

Boris insisted that yanking the plug on TV channels was for regulator Ofcom, not politicians. Thats what Russia does, he pointed out. Quite so.

Does anyone here even watch RT? Id wager there are bigger audiences watching the screens in the windows of the Oxford Street Currys on a weekday lunchtime. The atmosphere in the chamber was tepid. As it probably should have been when discussing the fate of a peaceful country at the hands of a vile despot.

Vladimir Putin, pictured, was the main subject at PMQs yesterday and his planned invasion of Ukraine

Things warmed up briefly when Starmer began making mischief over the flood of foreign money flowing into politics  i.e. from the deep pockets of Russian-linked millionaires into Tory coffers.

Here Boris lurched himself forward like he was making a dash for the try-line. Hed been itching for a bit of argy-bargy.

Before Starmer started chucking it around he said, he wished to remind the House one of his own MPs, Brent Norths beardy-weirdy Barry Gardiner, received more than 500,000 from the Chinese communist party. Roars from the government benches.

Boing! For a moment it looked as though Sir Keirs eyes had been stabbed with a couple of cocktail sticks. Blasted Barry! Hes one of Corbyns lot. No friend of Starmer.

Labours leader hopped to his feet, waved his right paw and shook his head at this most unsatisfactory line of attack. Having been the first to dole it out, he now tried to play the statesman.

No, Mr Speaker, at this moment we have to stand united, and I am not going to be deflected from that, he sighed.

Oh give over. Just as mating scorpions are also prone, he and the PM remain desperate to sting one another to death.
Foodies are raving about an Australian-themed bar with quirky decor and a menu of down under-inspired cocktails and food.

Rosella's Bar, which sits on the highway in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, pays homage to all things Aussie.

The Australiana eatery serves themed cocktails and nostalgic food including Vegemite and cheese jaffles, and chicken salt chips as well as cocktails served in bird shaped glasses or garnished with Nutri-grain.

Foodies are loving Rosella's Bar on the Gold Coast which is a homage to all things Australian serving chicken salt chips, vegemite toasties and a range of Aussie-inspired cocktails

The Australiana eatery serves themed cocktails served in bird shaped glasses and garnished with Nutri-grain

On the food menu, Rosella's offers a selection of snacks and dishes that will remind many Aussies of their childhood such as Vegemite and cheese jaffles, chips with covered in chicken salt and served with Rosella's smoked tomato sauce as well as an ANZAC biscuit crumble dessert

Diners can enjoy a range of signature cocktails like the 'Queensland Border Pass' with prosecco syrup, rum, and gin, the 'Blinky Bill' made with eucalyptus vodka and strawberry gum and the 'Margot-rita Robbie' with tequila and wattle blossom.

Other cocktails include the Kylie Minogue Martini, Straight to the Pool Room, Fantales, Summer Bay, Weis Bar, and Ramsay Street.

On the food menu, Rosella's offers a selection of snacks and dishes that will remind many Aussies of their childhood such as Vegemite and cheese jaffles, chips with covered in chicken salt and served with Rosella's smoked tomato sauce as well as an ANZAC biscuit crumble dessert.

The decor is all things Australiana with the bathroom adorned with native flora patterned tiles, and portraits of iconic soap character Alf Stuart and the walls covered with colourful slang-themed art,

The bar is lined with Rosella's tomato sauce bottles and there are more subtle Aussie nods like the 'pool room' pendant lights

At the bar, guest can also pick from a variety of Australian wines or crack a tinny of classic Aussie beers like Melbourne Bitter and Fosters.

Rather than yellow road signs, kangaroos ornaments or posters of Crocodile Dundee, Rosellas have adopted a more refined Australian-themed decor scheme.

The bar is lined with Rosella's tomato sauce bottles, the bathroom has native flora patterned tiles, the walls are adorned with portraits of iconic soap character Alf Stuart and colourful slang-themed art, and there are more subtle Aussie nods like the 'pool room' pendant lights.
Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, MailOnline may earn an affiliate commission.

Leggings are a beloved item in all our wardrobes, seeing us through workouts and working from home days.

If you don't want to give up the comfort of leggings but want to look more put together whilst out and about, then it's well worth checking out the JOYSPELS Bootcut Yoga Pants.

Comfortable as they are stylish, the bootcut silhouette has been described as 'very flattering for bum and tummy area', offering just the right amount of compression and style that can be dressed up or down. And right now, they're on sale from 21.24.

Fitting like a second skin, these yoga pants sit comfortably and flatteringly on the waist, hips and legs - they're now on sale from just 21.24 on Amazon

Finding a pair of flattering and functional trousers can feel like an impossible task. Luckily, eagle-eyed Amazon shoppers have found a solution in these ultra-soft bootcut trousers.

Designed with a high-rise, wide waistband, the JOYSELS Bootcut Yoga Pants offer you impressive tummy control for a supportive and flattering fit.

And, as they've been designed with a 20 per cent Spandex blend, these fit like a second skin, sitting comfortably and flatteringly on the waist, hips and legs.

Everything about the bootcut yoga pants has been designed with your comfort in mind.

A versatile alternative to leggings, these will see you through any workouts thanks to the four-way stretch fabric, moisture-wicking material and a supportive thick waistband.

Better still, the JOYSPELS Bootcut Yoga Pants have styling opportunities outside of the gym. Flattering as they are practical, scores of shoppers have raved about how these go with anything, and how the 'fabric is quality enough that is can be worn outside the gym'.

From the yoga mat to the office to drinks with friends, the spandex blend trousers offer you just enough compression for all-day, everyday comfort whilst smoothing out your shape.

Slim through the thighs, shoppers say the bootcut yoga pants are 'flattering and comfortable', seeing you through sweaty workouts and keeping you comfortable whilst out and about

One impressed shopper left a rave review for the JOYSPELS Bootcut Yoga Pants, writing: 'The product is of very good quality. It's also very flattering for bum and tummy area.

'But above all, it is SUPER comfy, made of nice elastic and soft fabric that doesn't sag and soft stitching.'

Another agreed, adding: 'Great fit, great fabric, feel fantastic, quality stitching, no show through etc. These flared ones are so flattering, the waistband comes up nice and high, and the flares is just the right proportion, AND there are pockets on the side! Honestly, so impressed.'

A third penned: 'I absolutely love these pants. They are nice and stretchy yet still manage to hold you in slightly.

'They are a great fit, so comfy, and the material is gorgeous. The high waist means they don't roll down, and they smooth out your shape. They aren't just for the gym either they can be worn in all sorts of settings.'
An Australian Instagram page has shared a tongue-in-cheek look back at some of the mini dresses, heels and sneakers that shaped fashion pages in the Noughties - and women are surprised by just how many they own.

Celeb_Spellcheck, a page more often used to out influencers behaving badly, turned its attention to fashion trends earlier this week, posting about the 'dresses and shoes that shaped our nation'.

Chiefly among the gowns on display was the iconic One Teaspoon sequin party dress, which features a ripped-style hem and a bustier top, and the American Apparel red skater dress, which had a halter neckline and was made of a slick material.

Chiefly among the gowns on display was the iconic One Teaspoon sequin party dress (right), which features a ripped-style hem and a bustier top, and the American Apparel red skater dress, which had a halter neckline and was made of a slick material

'Basically anything modelled by Bambi Northwood-Blyth,' the caption concluded, making reference to a famous model who peaked in popularity around the same time as the dresses did

Poll Which iconic early 2000s dress was your favourite? American Apparel red skater dress One Teaspoon sequin party dress Camilla playsuit Sass and Bide gown Sass and Bide mini dress Sherri Hill formal dress Which iconic early 2000s dress was your favourite? American Apparel red skater dress 9 votes

One Teaspoon sequin party dress 13 votes

Camilla playsuit 9 votes

Sass and Bide gown 3 votes

Sass and Bide mini dress 14 votes

Sherri Hill formal dress 3 votes Now share your opinion





'Basically anything modelled by Bambi Northwood-Blyth,' the caption concluded, making reference to a famous model who peaked in popularity around the same time as the dresses did.

A Camilla playsuit was also included in the line up alongside a Sass and Bide maxi dress and Gasp geometric number.

'I definitely had a few of these on rotation in 2011,' one woman wrote in the comment section.

'A trigger warning would have been appreciated,' said another.

A third added: 'All I ever wanted in life was a Sherri Hill formal dress'.

While there were plenty who saw the post that began to question their own sense of taste, the nod to which heels sparked a craze among the same generation had jaws dropping.

Etnies sneakers, Jellies shoes, gladiator sandals and Isabel Marant sneakers were paid tribute to, alongside Jeffrey Campbell heels and white wedge slides with an ankle buckle.

A third added: 'All I ever wanted in life was a Sherri Hill formal dress' (pictured)

Etnies sneakers, Jellies shoes, gladiator sandals and Isabel Marant sneakers (middle) were paid tribute to, alongside Jeffrey Campbell heels (left) and white wedge slides with an ankle buckle

Etnies were the IT shoe for any 'skater girl' looking to fit in at the skate park

'Okay but why do the tongues on the Isabel Marant's look like the stuffing that comes in shoes when you buy them,' one comment read.

'Stacked it on a dance floor and broke both my arms wearing shoe number two in 2011,' said another.

A third said: 'I feel immediately victimised'.

The thread sparked a number of Instagram Stories posted by the page of women wearing the stylish pieces to nightclubs, school formals and special birthdays - proving that the items transcended the celebrity sphere completely.
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Edward Enninful is fashion royalty so it is only natural his wedding was fit for a king.

The British Vogue editor-in-chief tied the knot with long-term partner Alec Maxwell on his 50th birthday yesterday in a lavish ceremony estimated to have cost at least 600,000 - and that's not including the exclusive money-can't-buy venue provided by his blue-blooded BFF.

Edward and Alec exchanged vows in the picturesque Orangery in the grounds of Longleat House, in Wiltshire, the 16th-century home of Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, and her husband, the 8th Marquess. One expert estimated the flowers alone for this portion of the day could have cost in the region of 250,000.

It is thought D&G model Emma, 35, gave close friends Enninful and Maxwell use of the historic stately home as a wedding present. But ordinary couples must pay a minimum of 13,800 for venue hire of the Orangery for their ceremony and a marquee for the reception.

In yet another show of Enninful's VIP status, it is thought he was allowed to host the evening bash for some 300 guests in the house itself, while mere mortals marrying at Longleat can only hold events in the gardens and grounds.

A-listers including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Victoria Beckham partied the night away, swigging bottles of Champagne and dining on food by high-end London caterers Cellar Society, whose clients typically have a budget in the region of 20,000 to 100,000. Flowers were provided by sought-after royal florist Simon Lycett.

The celebrations continued on Wednesday with a 'morning after lunch' at The Bath Arms, a 17-bedroom pub on the Longleat estate, which was entirely booked out to allow some 80 guests met for lunch.

'I would say a wedding like this would certainly cost around 600,000, if not more,' Chris Ayre, managing director at AYRE Events told FEMAIL.

Holly Moore, CEO & founder of Make Events, thought it could be double the amount: 'I would estimate this would be in the region of 1million to 1.5million, because when it comes to dream weddings, they also have the dream price tag.'

Golden girl: Naomi Campbell wore Schiaparelli as she joined the 300 guests who gathered for Edward Enninful and Alec Maxwell's wedding

A-list friends: Karlie Kloss looked glamorous in black dress is by Bach Mai as she arrived at Longleat with Joshua Kushner

Designer dresses: Diane von Furstenberg (left, getting ready for the bash). Right, Enninful with husband Alec Maxwell in 2019

Glamorous guests: Anders Christian Madsen, a fashion critic at British Vogue, shared a picture with editor Christine Centenera and Victoria Beckham - who sported a white dress

Party time! Kate Moss appeared to be among the guests who partied into the night at Longleat House, in Wiltshire

Intimate venue: It is understood Edward and Alec married in The Orangery underneath a stunning floral arch

Little touches: Guests shared photos of the menu, printed with a cartoon of Edward and Alec's dog Ru (left) and the mini bottles of Champagne they were given to enjoy the morning after

The Orangery is one of the wedding venues available to hire at Longleat House, starting from 275 per head

House party! Longleat House was lit up by Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, for her friend Edward Enninful's party

Guests were ferried in a fleet of black BMWs to the 9,000-acre Longleat Estate, famous for its lions and safari park. Some on the invite list were flown in by helicopter, including Victoria Beckham.

It was a short trip for friends like Poppy Delevingne, Marc Jacobs and Italian model Bianca Brandolini, who checked into nearby Babington House, part of the Soho House group, ahead of the event.

Rooms at Babington House cost upwards of 400-a-night, with the most expensive accommodation, The Cabin, setting you back 1,180, although it is only open to members.

Fortunately there was no shortage of Soho House card holders at the wedding, with Diane von Furstenberg and influencer Derek Blasberg also bagging rooms.

One local taxi-driver said: 'It was a hell of a bash apparently, I think they got through rather a lot of champagne. It's unusual for it to be this busy in February - the place has been full of black BMWs and Mercedes people carriers ferrying guests around.'

As well as champagne, guests were treated to Clase Azul tequila on each table, a source told FEMAIL.

Enninful is said to be a huge tequila fan and wanted a bottle on each table. Each Clase Azul ceramic decanter is hand painted in Mexico by a team of artisans and was set to look visually stunning among the festivities.

It is understood that the service took place once the Longleat Safari Park had closed at 5pm.

The Orangery, which was built by Jeffry Wyatville for the 2nd Marquess of Bath in the early 1800s, was decorated in a simple and elegant fashion. But such pared back luxury doesn't come cheap, warned Jess Martin, party decorating expert at Ginger Ray.

'The venue was adorned with beautiful creamy blooms and an abundance of dark green foliage from none other than Simon Lycett, the high profile florist for the likes of Buckingham Palace and Mary Berry,' she said.

'The rest of the venue consisted of clean lines and white decorations, achieving a summery "LA" look right in the middle of Baths stately home. You can just imagine fashionable gowns and tuxedos standing out against the all-white backdrop making it the perfect place for a Vogue wedding to unfold.

'All in all, the simple but showstopping display alone could have cost anything over 250,000 as it certainly didnt compromise in style and quality.'

Party continues: Model RJ King (left with Alec Maxwell) was among the guests who continued the celebrations today. A group of around 80 people, including the newlyweds, made their way to The Bath Arms on the Longleat estate for lunch (right)

All dressed up! Karen Elson, left, and Tabitha Simmons, right, shared their outfits from yesterday's wedding

Still on cloud nine: Guests including Ben Skervin (left) and Diane von Furstenberg (right) shared photos from this morning

Taking in the sights: Guests drove through the Longleat Safari Park, with a curious ostrich crossing their path

Holly agreed that there will have been no expense spared when it came to planning the big day, saying: 'When it comes to a wedding, especially a high profile celebrity wedding youre guaranteed to go over budget.

'All the little details add up, from wanting a specific product that needs to be imported (incurring additional shipping charges due to Brexit) staffing costs, venue costs (although this may have been gifted in Edward Enninfuls case) catering costs, it all adds up.

'This particular wedding sounds beautiful and looks like it has been planned to perfection, including all the magic touches you would expect from a celebrity wedding. They would have also had a wedding planner which I imagine would have taken 15-20 per cent of the budget.'

Sarah Balfour, director of luxury London-based wedding planners Orchid Events, added: 'This is a knockout wedding I have no doubt every supplier pulled out all of the bells and whistles.'

Guests have shared small details of the day on Instagram, like the personalised menu printed with a cartoon of Edward and Alec's bulldog, Ru. They were also given miniature bottles of Champagne to enjoy this morning, before 80 guests made their way to the local pub.

Locals in the village of Horningsham turned up for lunch to be told the Bath Arms was closed until 4pm for a private party.

One guest said: Weve taken every table, theres 80 of us left over from the wedding. Its a lovely pub, I hope the locals dont mind too much. Well soon be gone.'

Fashion editor Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou, centre, shared this photo from the evening celebrations on Instagram

Showtime! Maya Jama on her way to the party. Right, celebrity hairdresser Ben Skirven with his glamorous dates

Black tie glamour: Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner arrived at Longleat last night for the birthday and wedding celebration

Radiant: Model Karlie looked beautiful in a black cut-out gown, which she wore with glittering chandelier earrings

Starry bash: Karlie and Joshua are understood to have been among the guests invited to the evening celebrations

On their way to party! A guest keeps his eyes down as he arrives in the back of a car for the bash at Longleat House

Well-dressed: A suave man in the back of the car was driven to the venue, where A-listers gathered to celebrate

Stylish: Two guests arriving for the evening celebrations at Longleat House, in the Wiltshire countryside

Night-time arrivals: It is thought Edward and Alec exchanged vows in front of a few friends then partied with hundreds

Arrivals: Well-dressed guests arrived by car at Longleat for the star-studded evening bash

The guests were being chauffeur driven home to London, and some who had flown in for the wedding were being taken to Heathrow after their lazy lunch in the country pub.

Edward, who is European editorial director of Vogue, revealed in 2019 that he had proposed to Alec, a director/editor who works under the name Kloss Films, after 15 years together.

He said they were 'not in a rush' to get married so it is not known whether the pandemic waylaid their wedding plans.

As well as getting help with the venue from Emma Thynn, Edward would have had his entire phone book of well-connected friends at his disposal. It is no doubt both grooms were dressed in exquisite designer creations for their big day.

'This is going to be the wedding of the year  there will be no expense spared and no detail ignored,' a source previously told the Mail on Sunday.

'Edward is one of the best-connected people in Britain, and across America too, so expect super-famous guests. People are already saying you won't see so many A-listers in one room ever again.

'Edward appears to have saved some money on the venue as he is thought to have been given it by Emma Weymouth as a wedding present.

'Edward and Alec have been wanting to marry for some time and Edward's 50th birthday seemed such a special day to do it.'

Model RJ King opted for a sharp black Dior ensemble for the wedding on Tuesday. Right, cars queuing up

Writer Pippa Vosper shared this photo from her nearby hotel room. She wore a stunning black and white Chanel gown

Celebrity hairstylist Ben Skervin shared his journey from dressed down to glam for the celebrity bash yesterday

Getting ready! Edward's BFF Adut Akech shared this photo from a hotel room as she got ready for the party

Large scale operation: Suppliers were spotted arriving at Longleat, a sprawling Wiltshire estate, ahead of the celebration

Setting up: Florists arriving at Longleat House, in Wiltshire, yesterday, hinting at a pink and white theme for the day

Guests' gowns were carried across the estate in garment bags, pictured, ahead of dressing for the big event

Initially there was some speculation as to whether the big bash at Longleat was simply a birthday celebration for Edward - or if it was a way to keep the details of their nuptials under wraps.

But a handful of guests hinted at the true occasion, with Diane von Furstenberg writing: 'Getting ready to go and celebrate @edward_enninful and @kloss_films.'

Edward himself wrote: '50th birthday on 22.2.22. Let's go.'

Guests including model Adut Akech shared photos as they had their hair and makeup done ahead of the event.

Others snapped photographs en route, like Maya Jama, who looked radiant in a black strapless gown. It was a night of big name designers, with ensembles by Dior, Chanel and Victoria Beckham all on show.

Some guests, including socialite Richie Akiva - who is known as 'the king of New York nightlife', were given a tour of the historic stately home on their arrival.

Evening guests were treated to the spectacular site of Longleat lit up against the night sky. Vogue Australia editor Christine Centenera shared a photograph of the stunning view.

Supermodel style! Bianca Brandolini and Poppy Delevingne shared a snap on their way to the nuptials today

Guests arriving at the wedding appear to be treated to a tour of Longleat. Socialite Richie Akiva - who is known as 'the king of New York nightlife' as he owns many clubs in the US, shared a video to his Instagram story showing his arrival at the estate and a tour headed by Emma Weymouth, followed by afternoon tea

Richie shared a snap heading into the venue showing the luxurious estate from outside and inside

Security are seen arriving At Vogue Editor In Chief Edward Enninful's Longleat wedding on Tuesday

Vendors unpack flowers, food and more in what's set to be the A-list celebration of the year

Photographers were seen on the estate, alongside vendors carrying in various items on what's set to be an incredibly lavish celebration

Guests arrived at the venue where they readied themselves for the evening's celebrations

Flowers arrived at the Longleat estate in Wiltshire on Tuesday as preparations began for the wedding of Vouge editor Edward Enninful to his long term partner his long-term partner Alec Maxwell, a director and editor

Partying with the lions! The editor is set to be among animals in a safari park at the grand Wilshire wedding

It is believed that Mr Enninful's close friend Emma Weymouth, the Marchioness of Bath, has given him the use of Longleat where she lives with her husband Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath

Flowers arrived at the Longleat estate in Wiltshire yesterday as preparations began for the wedding of Vouge editor Edward Enninful to his long term partner his long-term partner Alec Maxwell in what's set to be the A-list event of the year

Protecting themselves from the British weather! Guest were seen sheltering under umbrellas as they arrived at the estate

Ghanaian-born Enninful began his career as fashion director of British youth culture magazine i-D. In 2011, Enninful was tapped to take the style directorship at W magazine.

In August 2017, Enninful was named editor-in-chief of British Vogue. In December 2020, Enninful was promoted to be the first European editorial director.

He now oversees Vogue's editorial operations in France, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Guests sported fashionable looks as they headed into the wedding celebrations

Glamourous guests were clutching bags sure to be full of designer clothes as they headed to the festivities today

Travelling in style: The guests appeared to be in casual clothes ahead of the celebrations where they are sure to be dressed to the nines

Bianca Brandolini looked effforlessly stylist with her monogrammed Louis Vuitton suitcase as she arrived with Poppy Delevingne

Poppy Delevingne arrived clutching a alongside Italian model Bianca Brandolini and a designer suitcase

Poppy Delevingne lead the arrivals at the the Longleat estate in Wiltshire as Vouge editor Edward Enninful's gets ready for his wedding to his long term partner Alec Maxwell in what's set to be the A-list event of the year

Spotted arriving on the estate yesterday was model Poppy Delevingne who arrived clutching a Covid test alongside Italian model Bianca Brandolini

Men in black suits were among the guests arriving at the estate in Wiltshire
A Marilyn Monroe lookalike and TikTok star has revealed she's been receiving death threats for naming her new son Midnight.

Jasmine Chiswell, 29, from Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a dead-ringer for the film star, and has grown a dedicated social media following thanks to her spot-on impersonation and vintage clothing - even inspiring her husband, Maverick McNeilly to wear vintage clothing too.

The couple actually lives in the Hollywood mansion Monroe shared with husband Joe DiMaggio in the 1950s, with Jasmine taking social media by storm last year after she began sharing video tours of her home.

Jasmine, who now has 15 million followers on TikTok, and 1.2 million on Instagram, recently shared a video, telling her fans her one-month-old baby is called Midnight - and since then, she says she has been receiving death threats over the name.

Jasmine Chiswell, 29, from Scotland is a dead ringer for Marilyn Monroe, now living in the dead star's Hollywood mansion. She grew a huge online following after sharing home video tours

Jasmine, pictured here with her husband Maverick McNeilly, revealed her baby's name on a TikTok video, receiving both negative and positive comments

Among the cruel comments, one TikTok user said the name should be 'illegal', and another said they had a soft toy with the same moniker

In a TikTok video, the star said: 'My husband and I were nervous about sharing his name online, but with everyone asking we thought, "Okay it's time, let's do it".

'So I made a video and I posted it two days ago and the comment section was, oh my goodness, brutal.

'My husband and I both absolutely love the name and we aren't going to change it, but the comments were literally bullying my three-week-old son.'

She added that the comments made her 'really, really sad'.

'People were also sending my husband and I death threats through DMs just over my babies name,' Jasmine revealed.

'That is extremely unfair and not okay. We didn't expect everyone to like the name, it is one of those names you either love it or hate it.

'But please be kind and if you don't like it, please just scroll by.'

Among the cruel comments about the name was one saying it should be 'illegal' to call your child Midnight.

'They should've known it was gonna be a bad name if they were embarrassed of it theirselves. Why would they do that to the poor kid? Should be illegal,' it said.

Another commentator mocked the name writing: 'I had a stuffed animal cow when I was in kindergarten and I named him Midnight. Loved him. lol.'

Jasmine has asked people to 'please be kind' and 'just scroll by' if they don't like the name she has picked for her baby

Despite the backlash Jasmine received over her son's name, many of her fans were supportive of her decision to call him Midnight

However, many were supportive of the unusual moniker, with one writing: 'Midnight is cute. It's unique! Unique baby names are the best. Sorry his name isnt Jason or Jerry, so basic.'

Another said: 'His name is beautiful and your whole vibe is so wonderful and comforting. Im so sorry youre receiving such horrible comments.'

And a third added: 'I think it's a gorgeous name! I'm so sorry you have to put up with this, people can be so mean! Congrats on being a mama btw!'

It's been an eventful few weeks for the social media star, who disclosed earlier this month that her Hollywood home is haunted.

Jasmine has built a huge online following thanks to her spot-on impersonations of Marilyn, as well as her pictures sharing her vintage fashion finds

Appearing on This Morning she claimed to have had paranormal experiences in the house, including hearing 'weird voices' and footsteps, and that guests in the house have felt a presence 'hugging' them.

Speaking on the programme, she said: 'So many weird things have happened.

'My husband and I have tried to debunk the things we hear, but so many people have experiences things we just can't explain.

'People feel like they're getting hugged, we have heard some weird voices weird voices, and we hear footsteps every single night, it happens all the time.'

Built in 1938, Monroe's 3,335-square-foot 160-acre park Runyon Canyon home boasts four bedrooms, a spa, and a pool

Monroe shared the home with husband Joe DiMaggio (pictured) with whom she had a famously tumultuous and and short-lived marriage, during the 1950s

She explained: 'We've tried everything. 'We've tried driving different cars to see if it's the road, we had the house checked to see if it was animals, but we don't know where it's coming from.

'We're just both not sure, but we've had a psychic over who believes it is her and Joe and possibly another ghost that likes to play tricks.'

Built in 1938, the walled and gated home overlooks the 160-acre park Runyon Canyon and boasts four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, a 'tower room' - now used as an office - and a living room with a wood-beamed ceiling.

The 3,335-square-foot house also includes a two-car garage, a grotto-like pool and spa on the 8,228-square-foot grassy lot.

According to property records, the home was listed for sale in late December 2018 for $2.695 million (2.18million) and sold in February last year for $2.727 million (2.2 million) - $32,000 (24,300) over the asking price.
Broadcaster Rebecca Wilcox has left Good Morning Britain viewers bewildered after claiming the 'situation in Ukraine would be different if everyone wasn't smacked as a child'.

The daughter of Esther Rantzen, who launched Childline, the free confidential helpline for children and young people, in 1986, appeared on the ITV programme this morning to discuss whether it was 'ever OK' to smack a child.

From March it will be illegal for anybody in Wales, including visitors, to use any type of physical punishment such as smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking on children.

During the discussion, Rebecca, from Surrey, who is against hitting youngsters, laughed and said: 'Maybe the situation in Ukraine would be different if everybody wasn't smacked.'

Twitter users were left astonished by the claim - after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of Ukraine, prompting fears about a full-scale invasion of the independent country - with one writing: 'How can that woman compare being smacked to the situation in Ukraine!'

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Broadcaster Rebecca Wilcox (pictured) has left Good Morning Britain viewers bewildered after claiming the 'situation in Ukraine would be different if everyone wasn't smacked as a child'

Appearing on the show today, Rebecca said: 'It's been proven that if you make it illegal, it's a form of education, it's not criminalising parents to send them to prison, it's educating them that smacking has a negative impact on mental health all the way through childhood, all the way through adolescence.

It's not that long ago when we criminalised domestic violence in the 70s, there was that awful phrase, rule of thumb, that was how big the stick could be to hit your wife.

And it feels like we are evolving out of violence. We need to evolve out of violence, we should not be smacking, that is not discipline, discipline means teaching, that is exactly what that word means, it is not punishment, you don't want to create fear.

She continued: It's all about the adult losing control, whenever I have felt the urge to smack my children, and I have felt that urge, just to be really honest, it's about my control.

Reaction: Twitter users were left astonished by the claim - after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of Ukraine, prompting fears about a full-scale invasion of the independent country - with one writing: 'How can that woman compare being smacked to the situation in Ukraine!'

It's about me losing it, it's never about my child. It's never something you're ever going to be proud of. If I've ever felt that, and I have when my child broke my laptop once and I had a deadline, it was an awful moment, and I gave him a smack on the bottom, and it's one of my biggest, biggest regrets.

It was my fault, there's always another way, there's always a conversation, maybe I needed a time out, not the child.

Co-presenter Susanna Reid went on to speak to sociology and criminology lecturer Stuart Waiton and said: If it is a crime to hit your husband, your wife or your partner, how is it ever justified to hit your child?

Stuart replied: I think that is a very curious argument that you think about children and adults in the same way.

... If you saw me smacking my four-year-old child because he'd ran across a busy road and then you saw me beating up my wife, and you thought they were the same thing, I would think there was something wrong with you. And I think there is something profoundly wrong with that argument.

The daughter of Esther Rantzen (pictured bottom left), who launched Childline, the free confidential helpline for children and young people, in 1986, appeared on the ITV programme this morning to discuss whether it was 'ever OK' to smack a child

Co-presenter Susanna Reid went on to speak to sociology and criminology lecturer Stuart Waiton (pictured)

If you can't make a decision between a loving parent trying to discipline their children and a brute who is beating up his wife, then I think the problem is yours. And I think that's a problem with this argument, is an inability to distinguish between adults and children.

He added of the ban: For most ordinary people that makes no sense at all, who smack their children occasionally, who love their children, who bring their children up.

This idea that it creates violent people in the future doesn't really add up, doesn't make sense, it just seems to be a form of extremism, where people's moral positions are forced on people.

You don't have to be a fan of smacking, you just have to think parents should make those decisions.

However, Rebecca responded: I would say if you go on Google you will find 70 studies from around the world that prove that it is wrong, smacking as a child leads to aggression in adults.

From March it will be illegal for anybody in Wales, including visitors, to use any type of physical punishment such as smacking, hitting, slapping and shaking on children. Pictured, Rebecca

I mean maybe the situation in Ukraine would be different if everybody wasn't smacked.

'The fact is it is not debated scientifically whether smacking is bad for a child, it has been proven time and time again through countless studies and countless universities,.. that shows it doesn't work, that it negatively impacts children and leads to aggression in adults.

Twitter users were left baffled by Rebecca's claim regarding the crisis in Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of Ukraine, prompting fears about a full-scale invasion of the independent country.

One person wrote: 'How can that woman compare being smacked to the situation in Ukraine!!!!'

Another said: 'So not hitting children would help prevent World War 3? That's a bit of a stretch love.'
While it has been in Mars for over a decade now, the NASA Curiosity rover continues to spark the interest of many. Every discovery it makes generates headlines, and for good reason.

The instrument has certainly been beneficial to mankind in its quest to improve space exploration. However, while it remains popular, there are some surprising things that people don't know about it apart from its mission.

NASA Curiosity Rover

According to NASA's Space Place, Mars rovers are wheeled instruments that specialize in navigating, adding that they have landed on Mars' surface and travel around to various locations.

Mars rovers help scientists in their mission to learn more about the composition of the planet's several regions. Additionally, the red planet is made up of a variety of rocks, each of which is made up of various chemical combinations.

The wheeled instruments can explore numerous locations and investigate the various compounds found in each rock. The components discovered by the rover can provide information about the surroundings that influenced the evolution of the rock.

There are five Mars rovers launched onto the planet. Each of the launched rovers has its specialties and missions. Obviously, one of them is the Curiosity rover.

According to NASA, it was launched on Nov. 26, 2011 and landed on the red planet at 10:32 p.m. PDT on Aug. 5, 2012 (1:32 a.m. EDT on Aug. 6, 2012). The curiosity rover is part of the Mars Science Laboratory mission of the space agency.

With regards to its mission, it aims to provide answers to the scientific question: "Did Mars ever have the right environmental conditions to support small life forms called microbes?"

Aside from that, here are 10 other things to know about the Curiosity rover.

Read Also: NASA Curiosity Rover Records Mars' Clouds: Where to Watch

10 Things To Know About Curiosity Rover

10. Curiosity Rover Is the Mars SUV

Space.com explained that Curiosity's size is one of the things that sets it apart from others since it has the size of a compact SUV.

To explain its dimension, this Mars rover has a height of roughly 7 feet (2.1 m) and 9 feet 10 inches long by 9 feet 1 inch wide (3 m by 2.8 m). It is also said to weigh 2,000 pounds (900 kg).

Meanwhile, the wheels of Curiosity are 20 inches (50.8 cm) in diameter.

9. Curiosity Rover Experienced a Complicated Landing

Due to Curiosity's weight, NASA assessed that their approach of rolling with land bags to get it to the Martian surface would most likely not work. Instead, the rover had to go through a lengthy series of maneuvers to land.

The Curiosity landing experience was referred to as "Seven Minutes of Terror" by the space agency.

8. It Has Another Name

Space Center reported that this Mars rover is not only called Curiosity. In fact, it also has a more technical name, which is the Mars Science Laboratory.

Since that is considerably lengthy, Curiosity has become its popular name. In reality, NASA uses the terms alternately, although the mission is known as the Mars Science Laboratory.

7. Curiosity Continues to Operate More Than Its Required Lifespan

A radioisotope power system is installed in Curiosity, with the heat emitted by the plutonium's radioactive decay being used to create power in its system.

NASA emphasized through Space Center that this power source has outlasted its required operating lifespan of at least one Martian year or 687 Earth days.

Curiosity's design is demonstrated by the fact that it has been traveling around Mars' surface for 10 years now.

6. Perseverance Rover Is Based on Curiosity

The other Martian rover, referred to as Perseverance, was structurally modeled after Curiosity to keep both risks and costs low.

Despite their likeness, Perseverance is going a step farther than Curiosity by looking for evidence of previous microbial life. Previous missions have focused on determining if mars can support life, but Perseverance will try to assess both past habitability and look for indications of previous life on the Martian continent.

5. Curiosity Rover Discovered Ancient Lakes on Mars

In 2015, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory or Curiosity discovered that billions of years ago, Mars was capable of retaining water in lakes for long periods.

Using data from Curiosity, NASA found out that water helped deposit sediment into the Gale Crater--where the rover landed in 2012.

4. People Can Drive Curiosity Rover Virtually

For those who want to explore the Martian planet, NASA released a website where people can navigate a virtual version of the Curiosity rover on Mars. To do so, interested people must click this link.

3. Curiosity Captured 1.8 Billion-Pixel Panorama on Mars

The space agency claimed that the 1.8 billion-pixel panorama photo captured by Curiosity is the biggest and best resolution panorama the rover has ever acquired.

2. Curiosity Shares Its Captured Raw Images

In case people are wondering about its captured photos, it is worth noting that the rover sends its raw images from Mars. To access these photos, head to this link.

1. Rewatch Its 'Seven Minutes Of Terror'

People can rewatch the tense moments leading up to Curiosity's landing on Mars, as well as the celebrations that followed. Apart from this, people may also use NASA's free Eyes on the Solar System program to experience the full landing procedure in 3-D on their computer.

Related Article: 10 Things to Know About NASA's Perseverance Rover
Former Princess Tessy of Luxembourg has said she is 'sending a big hug' to her ex-husband Prince Louis after news emerged he had called off his engagement.

Louis, 35 and French lawyer Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue, 30, told the French magazine Point de Vue that they have put an end to their four-year-long romance due to differing life goals.

Prince Louis was previously married to Tessy Antony, whom he shares two sons with, Prince Gabriel of Nassau, 14, and Prince Noah of Nassau, 12. The couple divorced in 2019.

Tessy, who married Swiss businessman Frank Floessel last year, posted a snap on Instagram of Prince Louis holding her newborn son, and writing: 'We are sending a big hug to you!'

Former Princess Tessy of Luxembourg has said she is 'sending a big hug' to her ex-husband Prince Louis after news emerged he had called off his engagement (pictured on their wedding day in 2006)

Louis, 35 and French lawyer Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue, 30, told the French magazine Point de Vue that they have put an end to their four-year-long romance due to differing life goals (pictured together)

Meanwhile a second post shared on Tessy's page last night featured a quote which read: 'Family is not about blood. It's about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it most.'

Prince Louis and Scarlett-Lauren had announced they were engaged on April 6 2021 with a relaxed picture accompanied by official snaps with Louis' parents, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.

They have vowed to remain friends, and added they still have a lot of love for each other and each other's families.

Speaking to the French publication, Louis said: 'We have been in love with each other for the past four years.

Tessy, who married Swiss businessman Frank Floessel last year, posted a snap on Instagram of Prince Louis holding her newborn son on her Instagram after the news was announced

Meanwhile a second post shared on Tessy's page last night hours after the news broke featured a quote about 'family'

'We always have tried to be completely honest with each other. Even when this honesty hurts us like today, we are more than ever convinced it is crucial.'

'Thinking about things a lot and getting to the bottom of it, we eventually admitted that as a family, as parents, our visions are too divergent. Our ambitions in life are too different,' Scarlett added.

Scarlett added that Louis' family had given her a warm welcome and added that even though their loved ones are saddened by the news, their affection for her wouldn't change.

Prince Louis said Scarlett is still his best friend, and that she enjoys a close relationship with his parents, siblings and his two sons, Gabriel and Noah.

Prince Louis and his fiancee French lawyer Scarlett-Lauren revealed yesterday they had called off their engagement

The couple, who announced they were engaged on 6 April 2021, told French magazine Point de Vue that their ambitions in life are 'too different' and their vision of life are 'divergent' (pictured at the time of their engagement with Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

He added he has explained the situation to his sons, and that although they are sad, they know they'll continue to see Scarlett and can always count on her.

He also he still holds Scarlett's family dear and that the couple cherish their close friendship and their tight bond.

In the same interview, Prince Louis explained that when the couple got engaged in April last year, they had gone over how Scarlett would join the royal family and the concessions that would have to be made, which he said had not been an issue for either party.

The couple have issued an official statement, in which they said: 'We have decided not to pursue our romantic relationship, while remaining deeply bound by friendship and tenderness.

'It is a decision we have made together upon serious reflection,' the statement went on.

The couple also said they have a lot of respect and admiration for each other.

Less than a year ago, the pair were announcing their engagement with a casual picture were they both sported knitwear and showed off Scarlett's gold engagement ring.

Born in Bordeaux on 8 August 1991, Scarlett-Lauren is the youngest child of lawyers Pierre Sirgue and Scarlett Sigrue.

At the beginning of her career, she worked alongside her mother in Family Law, before decided to focus more specifically in Victims' Law.

Louis has remained close with his ex-wife Tessy, who married Swiss business man Frank Floessel last year. Louis and Scarlett were both present at Tessy's son Theodor Christening last year

Scarlett-Lauren works for the firm which was founded by her parents, which is also where Prince Louis works as a mediator.

Louis was previously married to Tessy, with whom he shares his two sons.

The entrepreneur, who welcomed their son Theodor in August, has talked candidly about the pressures of royal life in the past.

Last year, she told Hello magazine that it 'took a long time' after her divorce, when she was stripped of her royal titles, explaining: 'After every relationship it takes a while to heal when the heart has been broken. It has been really, really wonderful for me to realise that I am able to trust and love again. It's nice to see that life goes on.'

Tessy went on to reveal how she is 'very happy' that her ex-husband Prince Louis maintains a close bond with their sons, despite the fact they can't see each other during quarantine.

Tessy and Louis' children Prince Gabriel and Noah were in attendance at her wedding to Swiss businessman Frank last year

She said her son's 'love and trust' with their father had 'become stronger' because of the separation during the pandemic.

Tessy has previously told how her family 'suffered greatly' when she became a princess in 2006 after marrying Prince Louis, whom she met in 2004.

Speaking on Sky News special report The Meghan Effect, Tessy explained: 'My little cousin needed to change schools twice. My twin brother was incredibly bullied at work  he still is today.

'My sister, my parents suffered, my oldest brother doesn't talk to me anymore because of that, because it was too much for him to handle.

'That was when I married in, and when I got divorced, oh my gosh the same.'

Born a commoner, Tessy joined the Luxembourg Army in 2002 at the age of 18, rising to the rank of corporal. Two years later, when she was one of a handful of female UN peacekeepers in Kosovo, she met Prince Louis, who was visiting the army.

His family only became aware of their love affair when Tessy fell pregnant and gave birth aged 19, and unmarried, in September 2005, providing Grand Duke Henri with his first grandson.

It infuriated the royal family, and Prince Louis renounced any claim to the title of Grand Duke due to the constitutional crisis they had created by having a child out of wedlock.

When Tessy married Prince Louis in September 2006, six months after giving birth, in a modest country church wedding, the Grand Duke stripped her of any claim to his title.

The couple's fairytale marriage broke down in 2016, and they were granted a decree nisi in February 2019.
A 12-year-old who was told to stop doodling at school has revealed how he has since illustrated a children's book, became a 'co-creator' for Nike and even Kate Middleton and Prince William are fans of his artwork.

Joe Whale, from Shropshire, whose world changed after going viral online, appeared on This Morning today to discuss his rise to fame and promote his book Game of Scones (Bad Food 1), which is now available.

Written by Eric Luper and illustrated by the youngster, who is affectionately known as The Doodle Boy by his fans, the children's book is the first of three with Scholastic - and Joe says it's his 'favourite' project so far.

But his talent has meant a host of exciting experiences for the youngster - including flying out to California in January 2020 to doodle the backdrop for the set for NBCs Little Big Shots, appearing on the show alongside presenter Melissa McCarthy.

Elsewhere, in December 2020 he was commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to mark their three-day tour by royal train by drawing the impressive rail vehicle.

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Joe Whale (pictured), from Shropshire, whose world changed after going viral online, appeared on This Morning today to discuss his rise to fame and promote his book Game of Scones (Bad Food 1), which is now available

Written by Eric Luper and illustrated by the youngster, who is affectionately known as The Doodle Boy by his fans, the children's book (pictured) is the first of three with Scholastic - and Joe says it's his 'favourite' project so far

But his talent has meant a host of exciting experiences for the youngster - including in December 2020 when he was commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to mark their three-day tour by royal train by drawing the impressive rail vehicle (pictured)

Then he was hired in January 2022 as a Nike 'co-creator', in a role that will see him encourage children to be more creative.

Joe was sent to an after-school art club by his parents after he kept being told off for drawing during his school lessons.

His impressed art teacher soon began posting his doodles on Instagram, where he attracted an army of fans around the world - especially after a picture of him doodling on the walls of Number Four restaurant in Shrewsbury also went viral.

Speaking to presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, Joe said: 'Obviously the head (of the after-school art club) posted something of mine on Instagram and that's where she saw something in my art and that's where it all started really.'

His father Greg Whale added: 'At school, we didn't really see the issue as he'd finished all his work so we never thought there was a reason to stop him doodling once he'd finished so we were always going to encourage creativity, because that's what we do with all our children.

Speaking to presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby (pictured right), Joe said: 'Obviously the head (of the after-school art club) posted something of mine on Instagram and that's where she saw something in my art and that's where it all started really.'

He was hired in January 2022 as a Nike 'co-creator', in a role that will see him encourage children to be more creative. Pictured, some of Joe's illustrations

'Then it went on Instagram and he did the wall at the restaurant in Shrewsbury and it went a bit mad, so you have to learn quickly how to deal with incoming enquiries.'

Talking about heading to America, Joe recalled: 'I was invited to go on Little Big Shots in LA, and I got the honour to design the whole set.

'So they gave me a brief on how big it was going to be and the theme was going to be America and I would do it digitally and they'd have a whole paint crew that would copy all of the stuff.'

He flew out to California in January 2020 to doodle the backdrop for the set for NBCs Little Big Shots, appearing on the show alongside presenter Melissa McCarthy. Pictured, one of Joe's illustrations

His father Greg Whale added: 'At school, we didn't really see the issue as he'd finished all his work so we never thought there was a reason to stop him doodling once he'd finished so we were always going to encourage creativity, because that's what we do with all our children.' Pictured, Joe's drawings

But he added: 'I think the favourite thing that I've done is definitely designing a book series, illustrating a book series, it was really fun and it was one of the things I really wanted to do when I first started.

'They would give me the names of the characters then I'd have to see what they would look like, and get used to drawing them and different scenes and all different characters.'

He continued: 'In art there's no right or wrong, it's just perception, so if someone said to me I've drawn it wrong, I would know that's how I wanted to depict it and they can say whatever they want but that's how I wanted to show it.'
An Illinois woman who spent nearly a decade trying to get pregnant without success has given birth to a baby boy  just hours after going to urgent care with stomach pains and learning she was 34 weeks pregnant.

Nicci Garlic, 34, and her husband, Kelsie, 33, welcomed their son, Charlie Keith Garlic, at 12:25 a.m. on February 2 at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.

'A miracle baby that we didn't know existed,' Kelsie told People. 'We found out we were pregnant, and we had the child, the whole thing, in 10, eight hours. It's unreal. It's unreal.'

Nicci Garlic, 34, and her husband, Kelsie, 33, welcomed their son, Charlie, on February 2 at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois

Nicci hadn't had her period in two years when she went to urgent care with stomach pains on February 1 and learned she was nearly nine months pregnant

Nicci and Kelsie met when they were in high school, but they didn't start dating until he messaged her on Facebook years later.

The couple had been trying to have a baby together since they married in 2014. They met with specialists and tried in vitro fertilization treatments without success.

After three years, they gave up hope that she would get pregnant. Instead, they decided to become foster parents.

Nearly two years ago, they were paired with two biological brothers, ages six and four, and hope to become their long-term guardians.

It has also been two years since Nicci had her last period, which made her pregnancy all the more shocking.

Nicci and Kelsie met when they were in high school, but they didn't start dating until he messaged her on Facebook years later

The couple had been trying to have a baby since they married in 2014

After three years of seeing specialists and undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments, they decided to become foster parents instead. They now care for two brothers, ages six and four

Nicci, who works as a teacher, started experiencing stomach pains on February 1 and left school early to visit a local urgent care center.

Kelsie was at home with their foster children when he received a call from his wife with the 'unbelievable' news.

'I'm sitting there watching and she calls me,' he recalled. 'And she's like, "Hey, you're not going to believe this. I'm f*****g pregnant. Not only am I pregnant, but I'm 34 weeks pregnant."'

The couple's excitement was short-lived, however. Nicci's blood pressure was high and she was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to other organs, usually the liver and kidneys.

Doctors opted to perform a cesarean section over fears Nicci could have a stroke and the baby could die. Kelsie said he was 'crying nonstop,' recalling how he begged God to let his wife live.

Nicci was diagnosed with preecamplampia and had an emergency cesarean section after being admitted to the hospital following the shocking news that she was pregnant

Kelsie has started a GoFundMe to pay for their unexpected expenses as Nicci is still recovering and doesn't have paid maternity leave as a teacher

'We found out we were pregnant, and we had the child, the whole thing, in 10, eight hours,' Kelsie told People. 'It's unreal. It's unreal'

The surgery was a success, and they are now proud parents to a healthy baby boy.

Nicci, who is still recovering from her C-section, does not have paid maternity leave, and they have concerns about their financial future.

Following their son's birth, they started a GoFundMe to raise money for their unexpected expenses, including Nicci's hospital bills.

'From having no children just a few short years ago, to having a family of five, (one four-year-old, one six-year-old boy, and now one newborn boy), my wife and I could not be happier, but are deeply afraid of our financial future and are asking for any assistance,' Kelsie wrote.

'We have been blessed time and time again, and hope to continue giving back our boundless love,' he added. 'This experience has been unbelievable, and I cannot stop weeping with joy, so much so that I felt compelled to tell you my story.

'I wish you the very best and even if you cant help, I hope this encouraged you to make someones life just a little bit better today. Whatever that means for you. You never know what someone may be struggling with.'
That Craig Nightingale was even sitting in his GPs surgery had taken considerable cajoling on his wife Sians part. The couple had been trying for a second baby for two years following the birth of daughter, Sophia, now nine. After tests suggested there was nothing to stop Sian conceiving again, Craig finally agreed to have his fertility assessed.

To do so, his doctor explained, hed need to provide a semen sample for analysis. Arriving home after the appointment ended, Craig left the pot hed been provided with for the purpose in his car  where it remained for a year. I was so embarrassed I delayed and delayed it, admits Craig, 35, a brewer, from Nottingham. Sian was upset and it caused arguments.

Sian, 35, adds: Every time I opened the boot, it would drive me mad. I felt like a broken record, nagging him, but we were one test away from an answer to why I couldnt get pregnant. I felt frustrated. I knew he wanted another baby but felt he didnt want to face the realities of it not happening.

Craig Nightingale, 35, from Nottingham, admits that he delayed getting tested while trying for a second baby with his wife Sian because he felt 'embarrassed'. Pictured: Craig Nightingale and Sian with new baby Isabel

Craig isnt alone in stalling. A recent report suggests women are losing crucial years of fertility because their partners find it hard to accept they may need medical help with issues such as low sperm counts. In 40 per cent of cases, couples cant conceive because of a male fertility issue. And yet male pride, suggest experts, not only holds up the IVF process but stops them from testing for the problem in the first place.

Pressure to keep trying naturally when conception has failed to take place, sometimes over many years, comes largely from men, said the study published in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine Online. Men who arent ready for IVF can mean a lifetime of regret for women who miss their chance and end up not having children, said senior author Professor Jacky Boivin.

Sian, an administration assistant, knows how hugely frustrating it can be. She and Craig had been trying for a second child for 18 months by 2015 (their first child had taken a year to be conceived naturally) when she visited her GP to check her fertility. As a man, I thought it couldnt be my problem, admits Craig.

But when Sians blood tests showed she was ovulating normally, she pressed Craig to get tested, too. For months, he resisted even the first step of a GP visit because its ingrained in society that if youre a man with fertility issues youre less of a man, believes Sian. In most areas, hes a problem solver, but he wanted to bury his head in the sand.

The longer Craig put off starting the process, the more Sian worried shed lose her chance to have another baby. Every day was one further away from the newborn phase I was desperate to repeat. I was also massively aware of my biological clock ticking. My great-grandmother went through the menopause at 34 and I worried that I wouldnt have long to get pregnant. When I hit 30, that feeling became stronger.

Even when he finally relented and visited his GP with his wife, Craig admits Sian did all the talking. Mortified at the prospect of taking his sperm sample to the gynaecology department of their local hospital, Queens Medical Centre, Craig says: Semen analysis felt a lot more intrusive than Sians blood tests.

A report suggests women are losing crucial years of fertility because their partners find it hard to accept they may need medical help with issues such as low sperm counts (file image)

Sian says: I felt a physical ache  and that I was banging my head against a brick wall. When I picked Craig up from work and he put his bike in the back of the car Id be acutely aware of his test equipment still in there. Id ask Do you even want another baby because it feels like you dont? He said hed do the sample, but it felt he was paying lip service to shut me up. He was sick of the sound of my voice, but I was tired of having to ask him.

In fact, when Craig finally summoned up the courage to deliver it 12 months later, he realised it was not the shaming experience hed built up in his mind. All I had to do was hand it to a receptionist in a bag, he says. I was annoyed with myself for not having done it earlier.

He was sick of my nagging but my clock was ticking

Six weeks later, his GP told him he had low sperm motility  the ability of sperm to travel in the right direction  and his wife would now struggle to conceive naturally.

It is an all too common tale, says Tet Yap, consultant andrological surgeon at Londons Lister Fertility Clinic, part of HCA Healthcare UK. There is absolutely a stigma because fertility is associated with a mans virility and masculinity, he explains. But infertility is a symptom of an underlying disease and its important to address the issues because the longer you leave it, the more severe it gets.

Because women bear the burden of the reproductive process in terms of conception and pregnancy, the focus on fertility concerns tends to fall on them, but medical advances mean specialists are better equipped to investigate male infertility than ever before  if the men come forward. Last month, for example, a study found de novo mutations in genes  mutations that occur in the reproductive cells and arent inherited  involved in sperm production could be a cause of unexplained infertility.

Craig said that he thought his friends would laugh if he told them about his low sperm motility and feared Sian would find another man to have a baby with. Pictured: The couple with their children

This is a real paradigm shift in our understanding of the causes of male infertility, said Professor Joris Veltman, one of the studys co-authors and Dean of Newcastle Universitys Biosciences Institute. At present, we dont understand the underlying cause in the majority of infertile men, but this research will hopefully increase the percentage of men for whom we can provide answers.

So whats stopping so many seeking help in the first place?

Men struggle to verbalise their concerns about fertility because theyve been socialised not to be vulnerable, says Dr Robin Hadley, a social gerontologist who interviewed men struggling with childlessness for his book How Is A Man Supposed To Be A Man?

He delayed and wanted to bury his head in the sand

Almost all the men I interviewed said they hadnt talked about their desire for fatherhood with anyone else  not even their partner, even if theyd been married decades.

Craig puts it simply and eloquently. I felt helpless that my body couldnt do what it was supposed to, he says. Since the couple already had one child, they werent eligible for IVF on the NHS and Craig was left nonplussed by his GPs advice, the sum total of which was to consume less caffeine and have more sex around ovulation time.

Sian, meanwhile, recalls sex became a mechanical thing, when youre not in the mood but need to do it anyway. Craig adds: I thought if I told my friends theyd laugh at me and I worried Sian would find another man to have a baby with.

Sian says: It never would have crossed my mind to go elsewhere, but he wouldnt open up.

Bill Carcary, 43, from Southampton, admits that he found it hard to talk about his emotions after being diagnosed with a low sperm count and motility. Pictured: Bill Carcary and wife Fenella who have spent 40,000 on IVF

Yet sometimes women do decide that their partners recalcitrance is a deal-breaker and that having children is worth more than the relationship itself.

Dr Jeff Foster, medical director of H3 Health, a Warwickshire-based online clinic that specialises in over-40s healthcare, says: Men think they can go on fathering children at any age  while in reality this is not really true. We have actually had a couple who split up because after two years of trying, and two years of delayed tests, he refused to consider IVF, hoping everything would just work.

She felt he was being unrealistic and trivialising the problem. She went on to have a natural pregnancy with her next partner.

Bill Carcary was forced to confront his emotions with his wife Fenella after being diagnosed with a low sperm count and motility  and spending ten years and five rounds of IVF trying to conceive.

A pharmacist from Southampton, Bill, 43, admitted his problem from the start and did not delay seeking medical treatment, but  as many men do  found it hard to talk about his emotions.

Men think, wrongly, they can father a child at any age

He says: Were fortunate enough to have had counselling as a couple and Im better at talking about my feelings now. Fenella agrees: Weve been forced to talk. Hes thought Do I leave Fenella so she can find someone else and have a child? but Ive never contemplated that. Were a team.

The couple were eligible for one cycle of IVF at a Southampton clinic under the NHS. It was done in 2014 using ICSI, or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, in which viable sperm are specially selected and injected into the egg through IVF to improve the chances of conception.

Just one embryo proved viable, however, and didnt result in a pregnancy. The waiting was awful and finding out it hadnt succeeded was worse, says Bill.

A second cycle in 2014, at the same clinic but this time performed privately, also failed.

Fenella said because she went through the physical process of miscarriage she made it about her, but she has had to stop and think Bill (both pictured) is sad as well

In 2018, the couple flew to a clinic in Spain where the process was no more expensive  even with the dozen or so flights from the UK required for treatment, contributing to the 40,000 they estimate theyve spent trying for a baby so far. The treatment led to three viable embryos, two of which resulted in miscarriages, in 2018 and 2019.

It was brutal after allowing ourselves to build up hope, says Bill. Seeing Fenella inconsolable was the worst part.

Fenella says: Ive been heartbroken. And because I go through the physical process of miscarriage Ive made it about me. Ive had to stop and think Bill is sad as well.

A fifth round of IVF last year, back at the clinic in Southampton because of Covid, resulted in one viable embryo, which will be implanted next month.

I think Id make a good Dad, says Bill. I want to nurture another human being, but I dont want to be too hopeful that it might still happen because I dont want that hope smashed.

For Craig, meanwhile, there was a happy ending.

After eight years of trying for their much longed-for second baby, Isabel was born last month.

Having the baby weve waited so long for still feels surreal, he says. Whether he and Sian would have been successful earlier, had he not put off seeking help but instead pushed for answers, hell never know. Men need to learn to be more proactive about their reproductive health, he says. I wish I had been.
For 56 years they had loved each other; unconditionally, faithfully and with absolute devotion. Retired miner David Hunter and his wife Janice were a rarity, a couple so constant and committed they never tired of each other's company.

When they first met in Ashington, Northumberland, as teenagers, David thought Janice was 'the most beautiful girl in town'.

'He always said that from the moment he saw her, he never looked at another woman,' says their daughter, Lesley. 'They laughed together, always had something to say to each other; they never left one another's side.'

That David, 74, is now languishing in a Cyprus jail cell charged with his wife's murder seems unimaginable.

Yet it is alleged that, in December last year, he suffocated Janice, 75, who was dying  in excruciating pain from incurable blood cancer  at the home near Paphos where they had hoped to enjoy the final years of an idyllic retirement.

It has been alleged that David Hunter, 74, suffocated his wife Janice, 75, (both pictured) who was dying - in excruciating pain from incurable blood cancer - at their home near Paphos

David then tried to kill himself with an overdose of prescription pills, but was brought back from the brink of death after video-calling his younger brother in England to tell him what he had done, while urging him to 'please look after Lesley'.

Now, as Lesley, 49, grapples with the awful ramifications of this double tragedy, she is appealing  with the help of UK-based organisation Justice Abroad  to Cyprus's top legal officer to have the charge against her father reduced to assisting suicide.

Unless her legal team can persuade the island's Attorney General to commute the charge, David, who pleaded not guilty to murder when he appeared at a preliminary court hearing earlier this month, will face a mandatory life sentence when his case is heard in April.

Telling her family's harrowing story in full for the first time, Lesley says: 'Dad is a good man. He doesn't deserve to die on his own in a foreign prison. He is so lonely. After 56 years with Mum, it's like missing a limb.

'He is living with 12 other prisoners in a single room, sharing one lavatory. He is used to a spotless house and the levels of hygiene trouble him. It is grim.

'He has done nothing but love Mum. He's a true gentleman. Some people have asked: 'How can you forgive him?' But I just see his kindness and compassion.'

She implores through tears: 'We have to bring him home. I think Mum and Dad had made a pact. They just wanted to go together. Mum had repeatedly made her wishes clear to Dad during the final six weeks of her life. She was, Dad has now told me, talking about it daily.

'To begin with, he tried to dissuade her, then he said he would go with her. He loved her so much. He has nightmares now when he can still hear her screaming in pain, and they had to deal with that on their own.

'I'm horrified they were so desperate they thought that dying together was the only way out.

Lesley, 49, (pictured) said her parents always underplayed things and didn't tell for awhile that Janice had been diagnosed with blood cancer

'They always said they didn't want to be a burden to me because I was their only child. Dad would say: 'You don't want to be lumbered with us.' They were both very proud. So they hid from me how terrified they were and it breaks my heart that I didn't know they were in such despair.

'They were big ones for giving other people help, but not good at asking for it themselves. They belonged to that generation that would still go to work even if a leg had dropped off.'

Much has emerged now about the quiet stoicism of a couple determined to protect their child from the extent of their plight. Covid restrictions further isolated them from support on the island that had been their home since David  a miner from the age of 15  retired from Ellington Colliery, Northumberland, in 1999.

Soon after they moved to Cyprus, buying a beautiful house in a village near the resort of Paphos, Janice became ill. She developed rheumatoid arthritis, then a growth on her ovaries. One operation followed another: after an appendectomy she had a double knee replacement, then she fell and shattered her collarbone.

Then David suffered a stroke in 2015 from which  with typically resolute determination  he made a marvellous recovery.

'He said: 'I didn't come here to live my dream and spend my days drooling in a chair',' recalls Lesley.

They couldn't get upstairs so lay in chairs. All night he held her hand

However, she wondered why, in the midst of it all, they sold their villa and moved into a more modest rented maisonette. Only later did it emerge that they needed to release capital from their home to pay their escalating medical bills.

Then, in 2016, their troubles worsened: Janice was diagnosed with blood cancer.

'They always underplayed things. They didn't tell me for quite a while because they wanted to protect me,' says Lesley. And Janice had already resolved not to have chemotherapy.

'Her sister, Kathleen, died of leukaemia in 1987 and the chemo had been gruelling, horrible. Mum was quite adamant she didn't want it and I knew the worst would happen, that we would lose her.'

Perhaps fears about the cost of the treatment also played their part; Lesley will never know. Her parents hid from her, too, the fact that Janice's diagnosis was terminal, and for three years she slowly declined. Then, when Covid restrictions hit the island, their plight worsened again.

Lesley said her parents became increasingly isolated during lockdown and dealing with terminal illness took an enormous toll on their mental health. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day

'During lockdown they became increasingly isolated and desperate, cut off from their many friends and medical care,' says Lesley.

'Mum had no proper pain relief. She relied on paracetamol. I was so worried about them but Dad would say: 'You're my bairn. It's not your place to worry about us. It's our job to worry about you.'

'But dealing with that degree of pain and terminal illness took an enormous toll on their mental health.'

It was as the world was tentatively emerging from lockdown that Lesley's world imploded with a brutality that has left her reeling.

A compliance consultant for the financial advice industry, she was looking forward to Christmas with her family, when the news came that shattered her life.

She recalls how the awful events unfolded on December 18 last year, as she returned from an outing with her husband and daughter  their only child  in Norwich, where they live.

'My daughter had just broken up from school and we'd all gone out for a pre-Christmas lunch.

Dealing with that pain was a toll on their mental health

'I'd switched off my mobile phone as we ate our meal  I wanted to set a good example  and as we turned into our street I put it on again and it rang immediately. It was the police. They said: 'Can we come to your house? It's urgent.'

'There were two police cars, four officers. They came inside but wouldn't tell me what had happened. They said: 'We're trying to get in touch with your dad.' I was really confused. Then my phone rang. It was my uncle, Dad's younger brother, and he just said: 'Your mum is dead and your dad has tried to kill himself.' ' She stifles tears.

'My dad had FaceTimed his little brother after he'd taken an overdose, a right old mix of blood pressure tablets, pain medication; anything he could get his hands on.

'He told him what had happened and said: 'Goodbye. Just look after Lesley.' My uncle was traumatised, convinced Dad would die.

'He phoned the UK police, who contacted Interpol and they swung into action. It was a very slick operation.'

Lesley discovered from the Foreign Office that her father was clinging to life in intensive care a day after learning about her mother's death. Pictured: David and Janice with daughter Lesley

David was already being rushed to hospital in Paphos as Lesley took the desperate call from her uncle.

'Your world just goes from under you. I howled like an animal. I remember saying: 'No, no, no, that can't be right.' I don't think I took anything in. I was sobbing, hysterical.

'The police were being very kind but I just wanted them to go. I think one of the officers said: 'Your Dad has ended your Mum's suffering.'

'It was hard to take in what had happened. I kept saying: 'But is my dad still alive?' No one could tell me.

'That night I couldn't sleep  I've barely slept since  and I lay there thinking: 'Mum is dead and I don't know whether Dad is alive.' I was out of my mind with grief.'

At lunchtime the following day, Lesley discovered from the Foreign Office that her father was clinging to life in intensive care.

The next day, the Cyprus High Commission in the UK intervened to help and Lesley was able to speak to her father on the phone at Paphos Hospital, where he was still in the intensive care unit.

'I kept saying: 'Daddy, don't leave me.' He sounded really heavily medicated. He was crying and said: 'I love you. I'm sorry but I just want to be with your mum. I want to die.'

'I'd already lost Mum and couldn't cope with the two of them dying.'

David spent four days in intensive care before being transferred to a cell at Paphos police station. Lesley's fears mounted.

'I thought: 'That can't be right. He's a suicide risk, he'll kill himself.' I was terrified I'd get a call to say he'd hanged himself.'

Lesley (pictured) was told that her mum had horrendous nose bleeds in the last week of her life and couldn't eat or drink

Her fears were only mildly assuaged when she was told he had been sectioned and taken to a psychiatric hospital in Cyprus's capital, Nicosia.

'The next time I spoke to him he sounded less groggy but disoriented. He was saying he wanted to die and I would beg him to stay alive for me. Each day I spoke to him, he seemed to come out of the fog a bit more and kept telling me how much he loved me.'

It was only then that she started to piece together the awful events that had driven her parents to despair.

'Dad told me Mum had been in constant, agonising pain in the weeks before her death. She had continual diarrhoea and Dad would make nappies out of towels and lift her into the shower to wash her. She was mortified. She felt she'd lost all her dignity. She only had paracetamol and that didn't touch the sides of her pain.

'The last week of her life was terrible. She had horrendous nose bleeds, her sight was going, she couldn't eat or drink and though exhausted she couldn't sleep. Dad couldn't get her upstairs to bed so they lay in reclining chairs downstairs. All night he held her hand.'

As David recounted the harrowing facts that prompted his wife's mercy killing, it seemed as if a burden lifted.

On New Year's Eve, he was moved from the psychiatric hospital back to a police cell at Paphos. More setbacks followed. Although the prison authorities promised he could attend Janice's funeral on January 5, they reneged on the pledge and he was kept in his cell.

Lesley, who suffers from a pathological terror of flying, could not face the trip to bury her mother and her distress at missing the funeral, which she arranged with her parents' ex-pat friends in Cyprus, was compounded by a 16-day silence from her father.

Lesley (pictured) said she hasn't started grieving for her mother yet because she has to keep going for her dad

He had been transferred by then to the prison in Nicosia, where he has remained ever since. But unable to recall Lesley's phone number  his memory is fading and without a mobile phone, he could not make contact with her.

She, meanwhile, was forbidden from ringing the prison. 'I was frantic. Dad had said that hearing my voice was the only thing keeping him alive. What if he thought I'd broken off contact? I didn't know what to do.'

Help came from barrister Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad, who took over David's case from a Cypriot solicitor.

'It was a game-changer for us,' says Lesley. 'He spoke to the Cypriot High Commission and they sent a consul to visit Dad. Two days later he phoned me. It was amazing to hear his voice.'

Mr Polak tells me: 'David is a model prisoner, however at this stage in his life he needs to be with his family in the UK, not in jail abroad. So we are concentrating on getting the charge reduced to assisting suicide so he can serve a shorter sentence at home.'

The Hunters were dependable, kind, hard-working and popular; their lives centred round the close-knit mining community that is now rallying with donations to support a fighting fund Lesley has set up to help pay her father's legal costs.

'I feel I'm in the fight of my life,' she says. 'I haven't even started grieving for Mum yet. I can't. If I do, I'll dissolve. I have to keep going for my dad or I'll lose him as well.

'I keep talking to Mum, saying: 'It's not that I've forgotten you. I'm just waiting for Dad to come home so we can grieve together.' '
Former Princess Mako's 'commoner' husband Kei Komuro showed off an edgy new ponytail as he was seen leaving his second attempt at the New York State Bar Exam - having failed his first try just months before his partner sensationally quit the Japanese royal family to start a new life with him in the US.

Mako, 30, who is the eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and niece of reigning Emperor Naruhito, gave up her royal title to marry 'commoner' Komuro last October in a small civil ceremony.

The couple, who were engaged for eight years before tying the knot, have since moved to a one-bedroom apartment in New York, where Komuro works at New-Jersey based firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP.

Komuro first sat the New York State Bar Exam last summer, months before his wedding to Mako, however it was revealed in November that he had failed; Tuesday's test marked his second attempt at the qualification.

However, if Komuro felt more confident about his performance during his latest exam, he certainly didn't show it as he left the testing center; the budding lawyer looked incredibly somber as he stood outside calling an Uber, while showing off his long locks, which were tied back into a short ponytail.

The lengthy style is a marked change from the neatly-cropped hairstyle Komuro sported during his wedding to Mako four months ago - and he also appears to have embraced a much more casual wardrobe since moving to Manhattan.

Former Princess Mako's 'commoner' husband Kei Komuro, 30, was spotted waiting for an Uber outside a test center after taking New York State Bar Exam for the second time this afternoon

The lawyer was spotted on Tuesday calling an Uber outside a test center following the exam - which he took for the first time in summer last year but failed

Komuro was seen sporting much longer locks than he has in the past, with the lawyer drawing his lengthy hair up into a ponytail

Instead of a smart suit and tie, Komuro donned a dark green Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket, which he wore with a denim shirt, faded navy trousers, and a pair of colorful Vans sneakers.

He also carried a black and white duffel bag over his shoulder and wore a white face mask as he strolled out of the testing center.

Komuro's latest attempt at the bar exam comes less than a year after he first sat the test in the July 2021, when he had the option to do the test remotely. This time around, no remote option was available to applicants.

As he did last year, Komuro will now face an agonizing wait of several months before he learns whether or not his second attempt at the exam was successful; typically candidates who sit the test in February only receive their results in April, meaning that Komuro will not know whether he has passed or failed for two months.

The results of the July 2021 exam were posted on the website of the New York State Board of Law Examiners last November. Komuro's name was not among the successful candidates.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, Komuro phoned lawyer Okuno Yoshihiko, the head of a firm in Japan where he previously worked, to tell him he failed the exam.

If he fails again, Komuro will have to wait until July of this year to re-take the exam, which is only offered twice a year, however he is able to take the test as many times as he likes until he passes because New York State does not impose a restriction on the number of attempts a candidate can make.

Former Princess Mako tied the knot with Komuro in October 2018, eight years after the couple got engaged

The lawyer has embraced a much more casual look since moving to New York and he has been growing his hair out, shying away from the cropped style he sported at his wedding (right)

Komuro and the former moved to a one-bedroom apartment in New York, where Komuro works as a lawyer at New-Jersey based firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Komuro will not learn whether or not he has passed his second attempt at the bar exam until April; if he fails, he will have to wait until July before he gets another chance to re-take it

Komuro was raised by his widowed mother, Kayo. His father died when he was still in elementary school. His jobs in Japan included working in a bank and a French restaurant.

He met Mako in 2013 when they were both studying at the International Christian University outside Tokyo.

The couple, both now 30, got 'unofficially engaged' in 2017, and planned to tie the knot in November 2018.

Initially the news was greeted with delight in Japan, but then a scandal grew up when it was discovered that Kayo had not repaid a 4million yen ($35,000) loan from a former fiance, partly to pay her son's tuition.

That led critics to suggest Komuro was only marrying the princess for money or fame.

Komuro issued a 24-page explanation about the money - claiming it was a gift not a loan. Eventually he said he would repay it, although it is not known whether the money has been returned.

But despite the turmoil Kei and Mako's love endured. In 2020, the former Princess begged the Japanese public to support her decision.

'We are irreplaceable to each other - someone to rely on during both happy and unhappy times,' she said, announcing the wedding would go ahead.

Komuro was seen leaving the building with several other candidates, having completed the first day of the two-day exam

After leaving the test center, Komuro made his way into an Uber that may well have been taking him back to the Hells Kitchen apartment he shares with his wife

Mako and Komuro (pictured in November) moved to New York City just a few weeks after they tied the knot, and they have since been adjusting to their new lives as 'commoners'

'So a marriage is a necessary choice for us to live while cherishing and protecting our feelings.'

Komuro has not lived in Japan for three years - moving to New York shortly after their marriage was postponed for the first time.

He studied law at Fordham University in the Bronx and then landing a job clerking at Lowenstein Sandler in Manhattan, counseling companies and investors on venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions.

Only male members of the Japanese imperial family are allowed to marry 'commoners, so Mako's decision to marry for love means a whole slew of new things for her.

For a start, she is no longer considered a princess - even if the marriage ends in divorce she can never return to the family.

For the first time in her life she has a surname and will be known just as Mako Komuro.

She will also have to apply for a passport - royals don't need them - so she can move Stateside.

She can no longer live in the Imperial Palace. And any sons the couple have will not be in the line of succession for the male-only emperorship.

And that is a potential problem in Japan where there are now only three people allowed by the Imperial Household Law to succeed 61-year-old Emperor Naruhito - and one of those, his uncle Masohito, is 85.

The other two are Nauruhito's 55-year-old brother Akishino - Mako's father - and Mako's brother Hisahito, 15.
They are both tall, willowy brunettes with enviable blow-drys and an elegant understated style. The Duchess of Cambridge and her Danish counterpart Crown Princess Mary have many similarities that have been noted before.

And yesterday it was possible to get a direct comparison, when the pair met up in Copenhagen during the duchesss two-day visit to learn about Denmarks approach to early childhood development.

Nearly ten years separates the royals (Kate recently turned 40 and Mary is 50) but their fashion choices are strikingly in sync  both chose monochrome coats (or in Kates case a coat dress) accessorised with black gloves, heels and handbags and pearl drop earrings.

Kate is the mistress of mixing high end with High Street and her outfits during this solo tour have been no exception.

While her grey herringbone Catherine Walker coat dress costs around 3,000 and her Mulberry handbag 1,095, not to mention her 510 Gianvito Rossi heels, her earrings were a relatively modest 150 and her Monica Vinader necklace 120. Very much a statement for a woman who can wear proper jewels whenever she wants.

In sync: The Duchess of Cambridge and Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, meet up in Copenhagen on Wednesday, both wearing monochrome coats and accessories

Duchess of Cambridge: High fashion meets High St Earrings  Maria Black, 150

Necklace  Monica Vinader, 120

Coat dress  Catherine Walker, 3,000

Gloves  Dents, 59

Handbag  Mulberry, 1,095

Heels  Gianvito Rossi, suede, 510 Advertisement

Mary meanwhile chose an off-white boucle coat  theres debate whether its real Chanel or merely Chanel-inspired  which she last wore to lay a wreath in Poland in 2014. Like Kate, she re-uses classics from her wardrobe.

But while both women looked chic and confident, very much the future Queens they are, its Kates outfit choices that have the fashion edge.

Her structured military-style coat dress is right on trend  accentuated shoulders and nipped-in waists having been favoured by Yves Saint Laurent on the catwalk  and gives her a streamlined, fuss-free style that flatters her figure.

This is harder to achieve when layering a coat over a dress, as Mary did. While chic, her coat looked just a little safe. She also wore Gianvito Rossi pumps.

Kates look showcased her talent for practicality, not to mention diplomacy. Her full-length Catherine Walker is made from a cashmere mix and keeps the duchess warm enough that she can get away with the sheerest of tights.

Its long enough to make the subtle flash of flesh at the ankle elegant, and prevents the overall look from becoming too frumpy. Given the shorter hemline of Princess Marys dress and coat, black opaque tights are essential to avoid goose-bumped legs but they do look a little more mumsy.

Kates fuss-free approach to dressing is also shown in her choice of bag. Mary has tucked her 250 black suede and leather Diane von Furstenberg clutch neatly under her arm, but Kates top-handle bag appears more modern.

Warm embrace: The women say goodbye after a busy day visiting the Danner Crisis Centre in Copenhagan, Denmark, during Kate's two-day trip

Shining pearls: The royals wear remarkably similar earrings. While Kates are modest in terms of cost, Marys are rather more pricey  1,110 by Dulong Fine Jeweller

Crown Princess Mary: Channelling Chanel style Earrings  Dulong Fine Jewellery, 1,110

Coat  Chanel-inspired, price unknown

Bag  Diane von Furstenberg, 250

Heels  Gianvito Rossi, leather, 470 Advertisement

Both have chosen classic leather gloves: Kates look to be a modest 59 pair from Dents. Its not a coincidence that theyre twinning in their jewellery choices, with remarkably similar drop pearl earrings. The spring-summer 2022 catwalks showcased lots of pearls.

The accessory de rigueur of the Eighties Sloane Ranger, theyve recently undergone an edgy makeover, led by brands such as Maria Black, who is Danish-born but now based in Britain and made Kates earrings.

Note that the pearls are hammered and slightly distressed, not the smooth, gobstopper types of years gone by. While Kates earrings are modest in terms of cost, Marys are rather more pricey  1,110 by Dulong Fine Jewellery.

The Duchess of Cambridges look also highlighted the fashion challenges faced by royals on tour. Earlier in the morning shed visited Stenurten Forest Kindergarten near the city.

Given that she was taking part in outdoor activities including chopping wood and running around with the little ones, a coat dress and heels would not have been appropriate.

Instead she wore a practical combination of jeans, jumper and waxed jacket. Her flat ankle boots were by Australian outdoor specialists Blundstone, perhaps a subtle nod to the Australian heritage of Crown Princess Mary.

The Duchess of Cambridge pictured arriving at the Stenurten Forest Kindergarten in Copenhagen on the second day of her visit to Denmark

Kate's country casuals Roll-neck jumper  H&M, 29.99

Belt  Mulberry, 150

High-waisted skinny jeans  Zara, 49.99

Coat  Seeland, price unknown

Boots  Blundstone, price unknown Advertisement

Kate also swapped her trusty British Barbour for a similar style by Danish brand Seeland. While her belt is Mulberry  150  her cream roll-neck is a bargain 29.99 from H&M. Her high-waisted skinny jeans are 49.99 from favourite Zara.

Her long-time stylist Natasha Archer is on maternity leave and its not known whether she helped Kate create these looks remotely or if the duchess has had advice from others.

After her kindergarten visit, its likely she made her quick change at the Ambassadors Residence, with her hair and make-up for the day chosen to help with a seamless changeover.

She took only a small team to Denmark  her private secretary, a PA and her hairdresser, thought to be Amanda Cook Tucker, who she pays for privately.

Her wavy blow-dry stayed the same for both visits, and while her make-up might have looked a little heavy for mucking around outside, it looked spot on in the more formal surroundings of a palace.

Both non-royal by birth, Kate and Mary have grown into their roles. Certainly with Kates increased confidence in her work has come an increased confidence in her fashion choices. The Queen has a distinct style, and now, so does the Duchess of Cambridge. Safe to say shes learnt from the best.
The lower ground floor looks like a bomb has gone off but the staircase seems firm. Going up floor by floor, I am told not to stray too close to the centre of each room for fear I might fall through.

In the little kitchen on the top floor, I find an old pot on an old stove. A faded photo of a child in an Edwardian sailor suit hangs on a wall, as does a yellowing calendar which suggests the last time anyone actually lived here: 1973.

Crucially, however, the roof seems to be in one piece as there is no indication of intruding rainwater.

There is no electricity and all plumbing was disconnected years ago.

Finally, we wrench open the door leading out on to the second-floor balcony and I immediately see the appeal of this place. In one direction you overlook an ancient bell tower and rooftops stretching out towards the Sicilian countryside. In the other, you look up a steep cobbled street that has not changed one jot in more than a century.

What this place lacks in basic amenities, it makes up for in that essential feature in any home: charm.

And it has just been snapped up for the asking price: one euro.

'For years, this house has been doing nothing,' says my guide, Giuseppe Catania. 'Now, it will do something for this town.'

Dilapidated: But this will soon be an elegant town house. Giuseppe Catania is in the vanguard of a very modern idea to revitalise dormant pockets of rural Italy

Giuseppe is not an estate agent. He is the mayor of Mussomeli, a hill town that sits prettily in the middle of Sicily, beneath an Arab-Norman castle perched on a chunk of rock like a giant toadstool.

Yet Mussomeli is also in the vanguard of a very modern idea to revitalise dormant pockets of rural Italy  by flogging off ancient housing for less than a quid. And the results have been astonishing.

There are no restrictions on who can buy, nor any rules on how they can sell  beyond an obligation to start restoration within three years. However, as we shall see, there are plenty of hurdles on the long road from DIY to la dolce vita.

The real beneficiaries, though, are not the buyers but the residents of these towns. For they are seeing entire districts, which have sat in chronic disrepair for decades, come back to life. Employment is soaring and new shops and businesses are taking off.

In Mussomeli, reports of the one-euro homes led one Argentinian investor to explore opening a new engineering institute here. Pre-Covid, the town had 380 tourists. Last year there were 5,000 and numbers are shooting up.

Whereas it is a recurring complaint in much of rural Britain that wealthy weekenders price young locals out of the property market, no one is grumbling here. 'People used to come knocking on my door asking about jobs, but they don't come anymore!' says Giuseppe.

What's more, his town has a population of 10,000 but enough housing for 36,000, so the native population is not being forced out. The main problem is a shortage of builders.

Walking through one of the main piazzas, I stop in my tracks as I spot a large portrait of the Queen on a wall. 'A local artist wanted to welcome the new nationalities living here  we have gone from just one to 18,' says the mayor. 'We thought the inglesi would like to see the Queen.'

Across the square, I meet ex-Londoner Danny McCubbin, who runs a community kitchen feeding clergy and care homes.

Now 58, he spent 17 years working for Jamie Oliver, helping the chef set up his Fifteen Foundation.

He read an article about one-euro homes in Sicily and decided to buy one, raising 25,000 euros to convert it into a charitable community food project. 'I liked the fact that the whole process was very clear and transparent,' says Australia-born Danny, who arrived in town just before the pandemic hit.

But his is a cautionary tale for Brits who imagine that they can simply acquire a European bolthole for the cost of an espresso.

Smart move: A house in Sambuca renovated by a U.S. couple. It's another town keen to make the most of the transformative power of a few one-euro houses

Having bought his house wreck, he had to pay the registration and legal fees, which cost a couple of thousand euros on top.

The next hurdle was finding a builder. He had to wait for Covid to subside, but two problems then surfaced. The first was a new initiative by the Italian government offering people nationally a huge, time-sensitive bung: they can have a 110 per cent tax break if they can make their houses more energy-efficient by the end of this year.

As a result, the entire country has been chasing every last builder. Second, the price of building materials has soared by 25 per cent.

Danny soon realised that his budget was not going to cover the costs, so he cut his losses and sold his house (for one euro), losing about 3,000 euros. But he has no regrets since he has been offered better premises at a peppercorn rent, he has made loads of new friends and, having owned a home, he has acquired Italian residency.

Milton Keynes sales director Jose Ramos, 43, has a different tale. He bought two one-euro homes pre-Covid, has renovated one and is now well under way with another. It's gone so well that he has bought two more as holiday homes.

He has a major advantage in speaking the language courtesy of his Italian mother: 'I did some of the early building work myself and I was able to find workers by asking around.'

I also meet Tonia and Steve Brauer from California, where she worked in real estate, he in a Mercedes dealership. When Steve, 66, was diagnosed with Parkinson's, they decided to seize every moment and, having read about the one-euro homes, went house-hunting.

A run-down property sold in Sambuca. The real beneficiaries, though, are not the buyers but the residents of these towns, writes Robert Hardman

Like many who have bought here, they were lured by the one-euro headlines but ended up buying something a little more comfortable (for every one-euro home sold, a further three are sold for more).

The Brauers paid 7,000 euros for a more practical partial wreck and spent a further 19,000 to make it inhabitable. Having since decided that they missed a few creature comforts, they sold up and are now renting in the newer part of town. But, again, they have no regrets and no plans to leave. 'We have been made so welcome here and this mayor has lifted the whole town,' says Tonia, 52.

So how does it work? And how do all these houses end up on the market? The idea was first aired by the mayor of another town, Salemi, some years ago (though it only took off in 2017). He argued that selling moribund housing for a pittance might kickstart a revival of hill towns, where there is a serious imbalance of old and young.

In many of them, families simply emigrated. Thousands moved to the UK in the 1960s in search of work (there is a big Mussomeli diaspora in Woking and Enfield).

Giuseppe, 52, a business consultant, says the council is simply acting as a broker. Attached to every crumbling home, there is usually a collection of siblings or cousins scattered around the globe who cannot agree what to do with it.

All the while, it attracts a property tax of several hundred euros per year, with an escalating 200 per cent fine when it is not paid. On top of that, if a property becomes a risk, the owners are liable. By which point these homes are worthless.

So the council now writes to the owners with an offer to sell the thing for a euro and be absolved of all obligations. Across Italy, dozens of small towns are doing the same, usually those that have a dynamic mayor. For this involves lots of work for Giuseppe and his deputy mayor, Toti Nigrelli, who, being fluent in English, is the first port of call for would-be expats.

An old, neglected kitchen. Attached to every crumbling home, there is usually a collection of siblings or cousins scattered around the globe who cannot agree what to do with it

No one seems to have any regrets. It's the same story two hours away in the town of Sambuca, where a grand boulevard runs up the hill with a jumble of pretty cobbled alleys off to the sides.

It's another town keen to make the most of the transformative power of a few one-euro houses.

The mayor of Sambuca, Leo Ciaccio, 50, sold a batch in 2019 and has put a second group on the market for two euros (when he does a third, they will go for three). However, those homes have triggered a surge in local property sales.

We bump into English-speaking notary, Anna Salerno, dashing between appointments with house buyers. 'This town didn't even have a notary before. Now they do  and they need one who speaks English!' she laughs.

We meet Gullota Franco, 50, a metal craftsman. 'I've never been busier,' he tells me, adding that he has taken on three new workers to cope with the demand and that he loves the new buzz about the place.

In another part of town, Eli Halawani, 73, from Israel, tells us he is now the proud owner of a big two-euro house that went to auction. He put in a sealed bid of 4,000 euros and secured a sturdy, if very basic, four-room house attached to a complete wreck of a barn.

Eli plans to spend 50,000 euros to create a B&B.

'I always say that one plus one equals three, because other things come along in life,' he says, pointing to his new friends at the B&B where he is staying. He is so impressed by the olive oil they produce that he has just signed a deal to export it to Israel.

Mayor Ciaccio points out that a few years ago, the most frequent sign in town was 'for sale' but 'now the signs say 'B&B'.' As we walk, a police car slows down for a chat. I ask about crime and the cops point out that they did make an arrest last week for burglary  though it was the first in two years.

'The police are on holiday here,' jokes Leo.

Rural idyll: In Mussomeli, reports of the one-euro homes led one Argentinian investor to explore opening a new engineering institute here

However much people may yearn for a sleepy town, he is adamant that youth and rejuvenation are essential: 'Every year, a hundred old people die and one baby is born.'

Later, as we sit down amid a packed house in Molino Antica for a spread of ricotta with olive caponata, seafood ravioli and swordfish, Leo receives a call telling him he is on France's biggest TV network right now.

He explains he was interviewed after Airbnb bought a one-euro home and spent 200,000 euros on a glossy makeover. The online giant has now invited global applicants to live in the house for free.

Actress Lorraine Bracco, star of The Sopranos, also restored a wreck here in Sambuca for a reality show. Leo says that barely a day goes by without a call from the media.

Everyone here stops for a chat. Over a glass of the excellent wine her family makes, Licia Cardillo Di Prima, author and editor of local paper La Voce Di Sambuca says everyone is proud of what is happening here.

'It's part of Sicily's history that we welcome foreigners,' she says. Surely her paper must have encountered some opposition to this scheme? 'No!' she says, wagging her finger. 'It gives us all the opportunity to celebrate ourselves.'

Back in Mussomeli, Alexandra Stubbs, a Wiltshire entrepreneur, is still seeking a building contractor three years after buying her one-euro house. She has full technical plans for the place and is chronicling her experiences on her website, my1eurohouse.com.

However, she advises British buyers to think carefully. 'I was one of the first to buy here but the double whammy of Covid and a shortage of builders has made it a very different proposition from the one I signed up for  though it's still a great idea.'

Giuseppe Catania accepts that there will be glitches but overall, he says, the scheme has been a godsend for his town. 'People now look at what they have in their own backyard and realise how much they underestimated it.'

Additional reporting by SILVIA MARCHETTI
Gone are the days when a daily tot of rum was an official ration for Royal Navy sailors. But with a huge sales boost during the pandemic, the spirit is once again on the rise  and this time its British brands making waves.

Given the success of the UKs recent gin revolution, with sales topping 1 billion, its perhaps no surprise that British producers have now turned their attention to rum.

But theres one big difference. Gin is made from grain, which is grown widely in the UK. Rum, on the other hand, is made from sugar cane, usually grown in tropical climates.

To get around this issue, some British producers are importing ingredients such as molasses, while others are importing ready-made rums and blending, flavouring or ageing them to create their own styles.

Helen McGinn gives verdict on a selection of the best British rums worth mixing with or simply sipping on - including Retribution White Rum, 44 per cent abv (pictured)

Currently there are around 20 British distilleries making rum, and with more UK gin distilleries joining the rum party, the number of British blends is set to increase.

So which British rums are worth mixing with or simply sipping on? Femails drinks expert Helen McGinn picks some of the best of British 

Traditional twist

Retribution White Rum, 44 per cent abv, 34.95 for 70cl, thewhiskyexchange.com

From a distillery in Somerset, this small-batch white rum is made in a traditional copper pot still from molasses (rather than sugar cane juice, another way to make rum).

Its unaged, meaning it hasnt spent any time in a cask or barrel, and as soon as you stick your nose in the glass you get a blast of sweetness followed by warm biscuity flavours on the palate. Smooth enough to sip on its own but fabulous in a daiquiri too. Pop the bottle on its side to reveal the ship inside! 9/10

Sweet yet seductive

Trash & Treasure Spiced Botanical Rum, 40 per cent abv, 32 for 70cl, warnersdistillery.com

Helen said Trash & Treasure Spiced Botanical Rum, 40 per cent abv (pictured) is utterly delicious, balanced with both sweetness and bitterness

Made by award-winning gin producer Tom Warner, this is an unusual take on rum (his other top tipple).

Using discarded citrus peels, overripe bananas and dandelions, he flavours white Jamaican rum by distilling it in a pot still with the botanicals, then macerating it (the process of softening through soaking) with more botanicals to give the liquid its colour.

The result is bonkers but utterly delicious, balanced with both sweetness and bitterness. Serve over ice and top up with ginger beer and a wedge of lime.7/10

Perfect pina colada

Scratch Golden Rum, 42 per cent abv, 25 for 35cl, scratchspirits. co.uk

Helen said Scratch Golden Rum, 42 per cent abv (pictured) is best sipped on its own or mixed with some pineapple juice to make a posh pina colada

One of a handful of British rums to be made here from scratch (hence the name), this is the work of Doug Miller.

He set up his distillery in Hertfordshire back in 2016 and has been honing his craft ever since, producing a range of rums using British refined molasses together with a mix of different yeasts for fermentation, botanicals for flavour and casks for ageing.

This rum is matured in new oak casks and is deliciously smooth, with cinnamon flavours. Sip on its own or mix it up with some pineapple juice to make a posh pina colada. 10/10

Modern mojito

Old Mother Hunt Silver Rum, 40 per cent abv, 27.95 for 50cl, oldmotherhunt.co.uk

Helen said Old Mother Hunt Silver Rum, 40 per cent abv (pictured) is beautifully smooth and creamy

When pilot Matt Hunt was made redundant at the start of the pandemic, he and his wife, Becky, decided to start their own rum distillery. Based in Strathaven in South Lanarkshire, they now make a range of blends including a Golden, Spiced and Dark rum, but its this Silver one that really shines.

Made from molasses and double-distilled in a copper pot still, its beautifully smooth and creamy. Serve over ice and top up with tonic, or try it in a classic mojito.8/10

Fresh and fruity

Arlu Blood Orange Rum, 40 per cent abv, 22.95 for 50cl, amazon.co.uk

Helen said Arlu Blood Orange Rum, 40 per cent abv (pictured) is one to try if you like your rum with sweetness and a fruity twist

From the makers of Didsbury Gin in Manchester, founders Mark Smallwood and Liam Manton have turned their attention to rum.

Using imported Caribbean rum from the Demerara Diamond Distillery, there are three flavours to choose from, including Original Spiced, Passionfruit & Mango and this one, Blood Orange. One to try if you like your rum with sweetness and a fruity twist. Serve over ice or mix up a punch. 6/10

Scottish spice

Dark Matter Spiced Rum, 40 per cent abv, 29 for 70cl, tesco.com

Helen said Dark Matter Spiced Rum, 40 per cent abv (pictured) is best served on its own or as an old fashioned

Scotlands first rum distillery was set up by brothers Jim and John Ewen in 2015, and their molasses-based Spiced Rum is quite something.

Infused with a heady mix of oriental ginger, Indonesian long pepper, allspice berries and Thai green peppercorns, it smells rich and warm. Take a sip and it explodes with sweetness and spice and an almost cola-like quality. Serve on its own or  my favourite  make an old fashioned with it. 7/10

Taste of the sea

Tidal Rum, 40 per cent abv, 34.95 for 70cl, masterofmalt.com

Helen said Tidal Rum, 40 per cent abv (pictured) is warm and fruity with a touch of smoke, best served with soda and a squeeze of lime juice

This gorgeous-looking rum from Jerseys Shorts Boy Distillery is made from a blend of four cask-aged rums from Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic.

Its then infused with wild Pepper Dulse seaweed, foraged from Jerseys shoreline and known for its truffle-like quality.

I cant say I can taste truffle in there, but it is delicious nonetheless  warm and fruity with a touch of smoke. Serve it with soda and a squeeze of lime juice. 8/10
The U.S. is facing a 'blood crisis' during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some hospitals in Massachusetts are setting plans in place to start rationing if the need comes.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Tufts Medical Center, both in Boston, are developing plans in case they run short on blood, reports WGBH.

Last month, the American Red Cross declared that the U.S. was facing a 'blood crisis' due to plummeting donation numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because blood can not be stored for long periods of time, blood banks and hospitals require frequent donations to keep supplies up. Many health care providers have already been forced into a bind during the pandemic.

A 'blood crisis' has forced hospitals to ration blood amid shortages. The Red Cross reports that donations are down 10% since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020 (file photo)

'The blood shortage is real, it's regional and national, and it is compromising patient care,' Dr Robert Makar, director of the Blood Transfusion Service at MGH, told the radio station.

The Red Cross said in January that there has been a ten percent drop in blood donations since Covid first began in March 2020.

A lot of the loss has been accounted for by schools, where the number of donation drives held has dropped 62 percent.

Donation centers and blood banks have also faced staffing shortages, just like many other industries have during Covid.

'At a time when many businesses and organizations across the country are experiencing pandemic challenges, the Red Cross is no different,' the organization wrote in a statement.

'We are all learning how to live in this new environment, how we spend our time, where we work, how we give back, how we make a difference in the lives of others  donating blood must continue to be part of it.'

A lack of blood can be worrisome for people who require emergency surgery or suffer a severe trauma injury - both of which can lead to someone losing a dangerous amount of blood very suddenly.

Some people also need regular blood transfusions to manage chronic conditions, and shortages can disrupt treatment and cause preventable death.

Massachusetts General Hospital (pictured) has created a Blood Allocation Team which has been tasked with managing limited blood supplies and potentially rationing in times of crisis

'In this most recent wave, the hospital is very busy,' Makar said.

'It's providing care to lots of non-Covid patients, many of them needing lifesaving surgery. And so the pace of blood use has been consistently high.'

While MGH has enough blood to survive for now, hospital officials have created the 'Blood Allocation Team' which is dedicated to managing the hospital's blood supply and making sure it is efficiently use in times of shortage.

'The responsible thing to do is to make sure that we have plans in place so that if the blood collection services were to be unable to meet our demands for the care that we deliver,' Dr Paul Biddinger, Mass General Brigham's chief preparedness and continuity officer, said.

Tufts Medical Center in downtown Boston is fully reliant on the Red Cross to provide it with blood. As the organization faces crisis, so does the hospital.

Tufts, which receives its blood supply directly from the Red Cross, has already began to ration its blood supply to handle shortages (file photo)

In response to the crisis, the hospital has already began to ration blood, forcing physicians to make tough in-the-moment decisions on patient care.

'There's cases where it's unequivocal the patient absolutely needs the blood,' Dr Vishesh Chhibber explained to WGBH.

'[Then], there are times where within a certain zone, depending on the patient's symptoms and the patient's blood count, that there may be some discretion where some people say, 'OK, I think this patient would benefit from a unit of blood currently,' whereas someone else may say, 'Hey, you know, I think you can wait. Let's see how he does.''

Tufts has also began to work with other hospitals in the region to make sure they do not allow any of the blood supply to spoil, and to share resources with one another when needed.
China vows more fiscal support for firms, local govts to cope with downward pressure

(Global Times) 09:36, February 23, 2022

Shanghai residents enjoy shopping spree ahead of Spring Festival Photo: Chen Xia/GT

China will scale up cuts in taxes and fees in 2022 on top of the newly added cuts worth 1.1 trillion yuan ($174 billion) last year and increase allocation of fiscal revenue to local governments to help offset their slowing revenues, officials from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Tuesday, as the country firmly implements proactive fiscal policies for precision and sustainability in stabilizing economic growth.

Most provincial governments have estimated that their revenues this year will slow down from last year. In response, Finance Minister Liu Kun said at a press conference on Tuesday that it was "because we have made arrangements on tax and fee cuts."

"But we will step up payments to local governments this year to make up for a large portion of their reduction in revenues," Liu said, adding that the policy will lean on the underdeveloped regions.

In January, a total of 484.4 billion yuan of local government special-purpose bonds were issued, all of which were used in such areas as transportation and affordable housing projects, accounting for one-third of the amount that the MOF allocated from its 2022 quota, according to Liu.

Despite slowing revenue increase and more pressure on the expenditure end, tax and fee cuts will eventually help boost economic growth and lead to fiscal revenues increases in a later period, Vice Finance Minister Xu Hongcai said at the same briefing.

The MOF said that it will strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), individually run businesses and manufacturing by enhancing tax incentives and comprehensively using financing guarantees, loan interest discounts, incentives and subsidies to guide and leverage financial resources.

The number of small individual businesses in China, accounting for two-thirds of the country's total number of market entities, reached a record high in 2021, surpassing the 100 million mark and providing 276 million jobs, data from the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) showed in January.

China deferred an estimated 200 billion yuan of taxes for micro-sized firms and SMEs in the manufacturing sector in 2021 to help them cope with difficulties and shore up the industrial economy.

"The policy of tax and fee cuts over the past few years have yielded fruitful results in further adjusting the national income structure," Tian Yun, former vice director of the Beijing Economic Operation Association, told the Global Times on Tuesday, adding that the next step might be progress in tax reform.

For industries hit especially hard by the pandemic like the services sector, more measures should come along with the tax and fee cuts from the fiscal side, including reducing individual businesses' rental costs and facilitating loans, Tian noted.

On the expenditure side, experts said that the fiscal surplus will be relatively sufficient this year, and the scale of expenditure is expected to expand further.

China's fiscal revenue rose by 10.7 percent from a year earlier to 20.25 trillion yuan in 2021, while expenditure increased 0.3 percent to 24.63 trillion yuan, data from the MOF showed.

Appropriate expenditure intensity should be maintained, focusing on supporting key areas such as scientific and technological research, ecological and environmental protection, people's basic livelihoods, modern agriculture and major projects covered in the national 14th Five-Year Plan, and the precision of expenditure should be improved, according to Liu.

Chinese officials said they will take a moderately proactive approach in the front-loading of infrastructure investment. Both central and local governments are expediting the rollout of major infrastructure projects as the country faces growing downward economic pressure.

In an article published in the People's Daily on Friday, Liu said China will expand government spending to cope with downward pressure, but the deficit ratio needs to be set at an appropriate level.

"While determining an appropriate deficit ratio, the scale of debt should be scientifically arranged and risks should be effectively prevented and defused," Liu stressed.

China's deficit ratio has maintained below 3 percent for many years, but in 2020, it exceeded 3 percent for the first time, reaching more than 3.6 percent due to the outbreak of the COVID-19.

"Local governments' debts have become more controllable compared with the past thanks to a slew of fiscal structural adjustments," Tian noted.

South China's Guangdong Province, one of the nation's most economically developed regions, declared in January that it would be the first to eliminate hidden local government debt, as the country ramps up efforts in the campaign to clean up risky liabilities.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
An urgent warning has been issued for parents using baby formulas from Similac, Alimentum and EleCare. Ongoing investigations say this formula might be responsible for four cases of hospitalizations and one death of an infant. Parents are advised to throw out the products or submit them for refund as soon as possible.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is investigating consumer complaints about Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport infections. All cases were linked to the formula manufacturer Abbott Nutrition, who issued a voluntary recall on three of its powdered products.

FDA Investigations: The Cronobacter and Salmonella Infections

FDA officially tweeted the initial results of their investigations on February 18. They said that all cases of consumer complaints "reported to have consumed powdered infant formula produced from Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, MI facility."

FDA is advising consumers not to use Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas if:

 the 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.  U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) February 17, 2022

FDA further advised "consumers not to use Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas," especially if their formula label includes the following indicators:

First two digits of the code are 22 through 37 and

Code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2, and

Expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

FDA said the investigations "has been associated with four illnesses (three for Cronobacter and one for Salmonella) spanning the following states: MN, OH, and TX." Unfortunately, this formula might have also contributed to the death of one infant in those cases.

The investigation is still underway, so a few more updates might be released later this month. For now, families are advised to watch out for the indicators and dispose of or return the baby formula.

This is an ongoing investigation, and the firm is working with the FDA to initiate a voluntary recall of potentially affected product.  U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) February 17, 2022

Read Also: Truth Social App: Why Are You on Waitlist? When Will Donald Trump's Social Media Be Fully Operational?

Abbott Nutrition Issues: Urgent Baby Formula Recall

The company officially acknowledged the issue on its website. In a post titled "Recall Notice: US / Puerto Rico," they clarified that the recall does not include their metabolic deficiency nutrition formulas.

Abbott also listed some of the symptoms that infants might feel related to Cronobacter or Salmonella infections. These are:

Abnormal movements

Blood in the urine or stool

Grunting breaths

Irritability

Jaundice

Lethargy

Poor feeding

Temperature changes

Rash

Parents who recognize these indicators are recommended to immediately contact their health care provider for proper medication and care.

It should be emphasized that although the infected products are manufactured at Sturgis, Michigan facility, the products are probably exported to many other different states. So all parents are recommended to practice caution and double-check their baby formula for the indicators mentioned above.

How to Check Online If Baby Formula Is Part of Recall

Note that there is an online tool that can help families quickly check if their baby formula is part of the recall. This tool can also jumpstart the refund process for the product. Here are the steps to use Abbot Product Lookup:

To check on the tool, consumers should head to this website. Check on the Lot Number of the physical product, which can be found the bottom of the bottle or can. Input the code on the "Lot Number bar," excluding the first letter and last two numbers. If the product is part of the recall, customers will be prompted to provide their full name, address, phone number, email address and number of purchased containers. Users should then click on "Submit."



Related Article: No More IRS Facial Recognition After ID.me Privacy Concerns Backlash; Here's How to Sign Up Without Using Biometric Data
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Covid cases in the U.S. are continuing to fizzle out as the peak of the Omicron variant-fueled winter surge falls further into the rearview.

The nation is averaging 87,060 new infections every day, the lowest figure since the Omicron variant first took off on December 1. It is also a 36 percent drop over the past seven days, and the second consecutive day the daily case average fell below 100,000.

Cases are down 89 percent since the peak of the Omicron surge on January 15 at around 800,000 cases per day. The nation's daily infection average has decreased daily for the last 29 days.

Omicron hasn't gone away, and makes up more than 99 per cent of sequenced positive cases across the US. But the sharp slump in cases, and relatively mild side effects for most sufferers continues to raise hopes that the Covid pandemic is finally on the verge of ending.

The rapid decline in Omicron cases after reaching their peak - a phenomenon recorded in other countries like the UK, South Africa and Denmark as well - combined with the relatively mild nature of the highly infectious strain has officials hopeful the variant is the final stage of Covid's 'pandemic' phase.

Between a robust booster campaign - with more than 70 percent of eligible Americans having received the shot - and millions of Americans also having natural immunity because of previous infection, Omicron may have just run out of people to infect.

Many experts are hopeful this will usher in the 'endemic' phase of Covid where humans may be able to live alongside the virus with virtually no restrictions whatsoever, similar to the flu.

A new threat may be around the corner, though. Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) are warning global health leaders not to let their guard down as the Omicron 'stealth' variant spreads around the world.

The 'stealth' variant, or BA.2 as it is officially classified, is a lineage of the Omicron variant that lacks some key indicators that allows for it to be easily sequenced - hence the 'stealth' moniker. It is not believed to cause more severe infection than the original, BA.1, version of the variant, but it is around 30 percent more transmissible.

The WHO reports that 35 percent, or more than one of every three, global Covid cases are of the stealth variant. The lineage quickly took hold in Denmark and the UK last month, and stalled the plummeting of case numbers.

Most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the lineage still only makes up less than five percent of U.S. cases, while its predecessor - BA.1 - still makes up nearly every single new case in America.

Officials at the WHO say they are monitoring the situation, and looking at data from multiple countries to determine the potential threat level of the lineage.

'We're looking not only at how quickly those peaks go up, but how they come down,' Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist at the WHO, said.

'And as the decline in cases occurswe also need to look at: Is there a slowing of that decline? Or will we start to see an increase again?'

American health officials, while also monitoring the situation, do not seem particularly worried about this new strain and are putting plans in place to move past the 'pandemic' phase of Covid.

The 'stealth' variant still has not managed to take hold in the U.S., only making up around 5% of active cases (pink)

California has become the first state to declare Covid as an 'endemic', with Gov Gavin Newson announcing last week that the nation's most populous state was set to move on from the pandemic. The Golden state joined a group of nearly a dozen blue states that lifted pandemic-related restrictions in mid-February.

Falling Covid numbers, along with the slew of blue states to relax measures, has increased pressure of the White House and the CDC to lift remaining pandemic-related restrictions. The CDC still recommends masking in schools and other indoor public places despite many remaining states dropping restrictions.

Americans must also mask in airports and on planes, thanks to an ongoing federal law, with Amtrak and other public transit organizations also imposing the rules.

Pressure is coming from abroad as well, as European nations start to declare the pandemic over and move back to a 'normal' life. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to lift the little remaining Covid restrictions - including isolation requirements for a positive test - this week.

Earlier this month, the nation removed many other restrictions like work from home orders, mask mandates and capacity restrictions on certain venues. A requirement for National Health Service employees to be vaccinated in order to stay on the job may be removed. Proof of vaccination requirements at some venues will be dropped as well.

U.S. federal officials are reportedly looking towards the end of the pandemic, though. Controlling Covid will now require the use of regular, likely annual, booster shots. Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Food and Drug Administration has already begun the process of reviewing data for fourth doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, has suggested since last year that it was likely there could be a fourth shot. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in January that these repeated shots would be necessary long-term to keep Covid under control. Israel, which has been ahead of the U.S. during its vaccine rollout, recently made fourth shots available to its elderly population as well.

Some Americans already can receive fourth vaccine doses. The CDC recommends that immunocompromised Americans receive the additional shot to shore up protection against Omicron. While the Omicron variant poses little risk to the general population, some people with serious comorbidities are still at risk of severe infection if they do catch the virus.

There are fears that Americans will not be willing to continue receiving Covid vaccine doses, though, especially if they do not feel the virus is a major threat. Despite booster shots becoming available to the general population in late-September, uptake of the boosters did not peak until Omicron arrived in December.

The population waiting for Covid cases to spike, or waiting for a variant that is perceived to be more dangerous, to arrive before receiving additional shots is what opens the door to future variants and outbreaks.

Covid deaths are starting to drop at a rapid rate in the U.S. as well. The nation is averaging 1,819 daily Covid deaths, down 20 percent over the past week.
Americans may soon have another Covid vaccine option hitting the market, and it is a more conventional shot people may be more familiar with.

Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, based in France, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), based in the UK, have submitted a joint-application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for authorization for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot.

The shot is a protein-based vaccine, making it similar to the flu shot and other vaccines Americans have received in their youth, rather than the new mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna.

Clinical trials showed promise for the jab as well, showing nearly 60 percent effectiveness at preventing symptomatic Covid infection and 100 percent effectiveness against hospitalization or death caused by the virus.

Like Novavax - which is also seeking authorization for a protein-based vaccine from the FDA - GSK and Sanofi are arriving late to the market after facing issues during the lead up to application, but could be big players in the future rollout of annual Covid boosters.

After delays due to human errors early in trials, GSK and Sanofi have finally applied for FDA authorization for their protein-based COVID-19 vaccine. It is a two-dose shot, and the companies are planning a booster as well (file photo)

The shot showed great effectiveness in clinical trials, showing 100% effectiveness to prevent hospitalization or death from the virus. The booster was very effective as well, increasing antibody levels of mRNA vaccine recipients by up to 30-fold

'The evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 demonstrates the need for a variety of vaccines,' Roger Connor, president of GSK said in a statement.

'...We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period.'

Differences between mRNA and protein vaccines mRNA vaccines were made popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna both rolled out two-dose shots The vaccines deliver the body materials to create its own virus spike protein. The immune system then destroys this protein and creates virus antibodies mRNA shots are easier to develop and cheaper to make, but they are more expensive to transport Protein based vaccines are the standard in America, and the 16 shots scheduled in the U.S. for people before they turn 18 are all protein shots The shots are more durable, more resistant to future variants and are easier to store and transport The shots work by exposing a person to dead virus proteins, generating antibodies when the immune system destroys it Advertisement

The companies submitted Phase 3 trial data to the FDA, and say they plan to release full trial results to the public by the end of the year.

During the trial, the vaccine was found to be 57.9 percent effective against symptomatic Covid infection. This is standard across the available vaccines during the current Omicron-fueled surge.

Where the vaccine really impressed was its ability to prevent the worst possible outcomes from the virus.

Participants who received two-doses of the vaccine were 75 percent less likely to suffer a severe Covid infection than their peers. None of the study members who received the jab required hospitalization or died as a result of Covid infection.

The booster shot was also found to be effective when paired with popular mRNA vaccines, like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna jabs.

Sanofi and GSK report that receiving their booster after receiving a two-dose regimen of an mRNA jab could boost antibody levels 18 to 30-fold.

'We're very pleased with these data, which confirm our strong science and the benefits of our COVID-19 vaccine,' Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president of Sanofi, said in a statement.

'...No other global Phase 3 efficacy study has been undertaken during this period with so many variants of concern, including Omicron, and these efficacy data are similar to the recent clinical data from authorized vaccines.'

Human error early on in the trial process of the vaccine set the companies back by a few months, as scientists conducting the trial mistakenly administered incorrect doses.

The entire process had to be restarted as a result, allowing the two pharma giants to be outraced by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Coincidentally enough, Novavax, which is also rolling out a protein based vaccine that will directly compete against this one, also faced many setbacks over the past year and could not submit data for FDA authorization until recently either.

Health experts are excited about the prospect of a protein based vaccine, though.

While mRNA jabs are easier to develop and cheaper to manufacture, they come with some downsides as well.

The virus can easier mutate to evade protection provided by the vaccines - like what occurred with the Omicron variant - and the shots must also be stored in extremely cold temperatures, making it expensive and resource intensive to ship the shots around the world.

Protein based shots are believed to be more resilient to mutations and can be stored with standard refrigeration.

Efficacy is also expected to last longer from these shots, making the need for frequent boosters less likely.

Americans are more familiar with these shots as well, which could help quell some remaining vaccine hesitancy in the population.

Many people are reluctant to be immunized. They're called anti-vaxxers in the press, but I think a lot of that 20 percent [of unvaccinated Americans] are people who have fully immunized themselves and their children against [other viral diseases]. They're just a little nervous about the mRNA vaccine,' Dr Cody Meissner, a top FDA advisor and chief of pediatrics at Tufts Children's Hospital told DailyMail.com.

They may be more willing to immunize with a more standard protein vaccine.
There is a received view that the Second World War contributed more to Americas robust upturn in the 1940s and 50s than the sweeping public works that were inaugurated by Franklin D Roosevelt in the 1930s.

Firing up weapons production can be good over time for output, if not the public finances.

In the early days of conflict, when the outcome is unknown, the impact of a conflagration is to create uncertainty and that is never good for financial markets.

Natural gas prices reversed recent falls and are likely to rise again in the light of Germanys decision not to activate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline

The immediate consequence of Russias effort to redraw the borders of Ukraine is to send energy prices into the stratosphere and to make the already unsettled equity market more nervy.

Oil surged to its highest price since 2014 in latest trading, with Brent crude climbing 3.5 per cent closing in on $100 a barrel.

Natural gas prices reversed recent falls and are likely to rise again in the light of Germanys decision not to activate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

If past skirmishes in Georgia and Ukraine are any guide, Russia will not hesitate to restrict energy supplies to Europe to retaliate against perceived enemies. Credit Suisse has been exposed as the favourite bank of Middle Eastern autocrats.

But London, with its welcome mat for Russian natural resource companies seeking a listing on Western markets and an array of overseas banks, has long been seen as Europes Laundromat.

The City is a financial centre through which cash can easily be shifted and high-end property assets acquired via ghost companies.

Some 31 Russian-controlled firms are listed on the London Stock Exchange, with a combined value of 468billion. That amounts to almost one-quarter of Russian GDP.

Britains status as a financial leader and the Bank of Englands role as a gold depository often means that during geopolitical upheavals  be they in Iran, Libya or Russia  there are always assets to be seized or frozen.

Boris Johnsons sanctions are modest, suspending operations of five banks including Rossiya and Black Sea Bank, and three billionaires Gennady Timchenko, Igor Rotenberg and Boris Rotenberg. All three are closely associated with Vladimir Putin.

Johnson stopped short of pulling the plug on Belgium-based payments system Swift  he was warned by Chancellor Rishi Sunak that if it were targeted it could be hugely damaging to the global trading system.

Most large-scale commercial and banking transfers are conducted through Swift.

It may be cumbersome for retail users but it is relatively secure. It is the most established way of, for instance, paying Gazprom for gas supplies to Europe or Rosneft distributing dividends to Western investors.

Cut off from Western payments for its natural resources, Russias economy could quickly come to a shuddering halt, the rouble would go into free fall and Russian citizens could be badly affected.

Financial sanctions, including Swift, were successful in bringing Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme and were eventually responsible for bringing apartheid to a halt in South Africa.

The risk to the UK and EU in particular is that a Russian go-slow on energy supplies could stymie recovery.

The European Commission has already downgraded its growth forecast from 4.3 per cent to 4 per cent this year as a result of high energy prices.

Contingency plans to fill the gap created by any interruption or slowing of Russian plans are in place, with US and Middle East liquefied natural gas among the options.

The current imbroglio is a sharp reminder of the risks of over-dependency on any single energy supplier and moving too quickly away from local fossil fuel supplies.

The wind may have blown ferociously over the last several days but storms cannot be counted on to keep the wheels of industry turning.

Cash machine

So far, so good for HSBC chief executive Noel Quinn and his decision to devote more resources to the Pacific.

Profits doubled to 13.9billion in 2021 and there is to be another 736million of share buybacks.

The immediate cloud on the horizon is a 331million set-aside against the Chinese property sector. Russias Ukraine antics could embolden Beijing to step up its campaign against Taiwan.

It is hard for Quinn to justify the bumper 2.6billion of bonuses with investment bankers set for average payouts of 600,000.

That will be more than enough to set off a new round of banker-phobia.
A Chicago Justice and General Hospital television actress, who was found dead in Runyon Canyon Park in Hollywood three days after disappearing, left two suicide notes.

Actress Lindsey Pearlman, 43, was found inside her car in a Hollywood park February 18. One suicide note was in her car, and the other was in her home. The note told whoever found her to call 911, TMZ reported.

The actress, who played Joy Fletcher on Chicago Justice, reportedly called husband Vance Smith a day before the apparent suicide and told him she planned to end her life, TMZ reported. Smith then contacted the police in an effort to find her.

Although the coroner has not released a cause of death, TMZ reported that she overdosed and that she had suffered from depression for many years. Phone data also showed the star called her cousin from a half-mile away from where her body was discovered.

'The police found Lindsey,' her husband wrote on social media. 'She's gone. I'm broken.'

Actress Lindsey Pearlman, 43, was found dead inside her car at Runyon Canyon Park on February 18. She reportedly died of an overdose and left a suicide note in her home and one in her call that directed whoever found her to call 911

Lindsey Pearlman (left) was discovered dead last week following a nearly weeklong search. Her older sister, Marni Pearlman (right), asked relatives to help promote a suicide prevention hotline after the actress' body was discovered

The Chicago Justice star (pictured on the show) reportedly had battled depression for many years

Her older sister, Marni, 46, posted a brief statement Saturday on Facebook, saying: 'Thank you to everyone who helped spread the news to search for my sister. Shes been found. She is gone. We are broken. Please respect our privacy at this time.'

Her costar from General Hospital, where she played Margaret 'Maggie' McMorris, wrote on Twitter: 'Lindsey Pearlman was terrific on @GeneralHospital and we are saddened to hear of this tragedy. Our hearts go out to her family and friends. #GH.'

Elaine Hendrix, who portrayed Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap, paid tribute to her friend on Twitter.

She was found inside Runyon Canyon Park in Hollywood, a popular hiking destination

'Thank you to everyone who shared Lindsey's missing person report. I'm deeply saddened & stunned to share that she was found deceased.'

Her cousin Savannah Pearlman wrote on Twitter: 'I'm deeply sad to report that they have found Lindsey, and it was too late.

'Lindsey was a fierce animal advocate and a talented actress.'

Friend Cari Meyers wrote on Facebook: 'Shocking news about Lindsay Perlman. We spent many hours protesting pet stores for The Puppy Mill Project together. Funny, gifted, with a huge love and generous heart for all, especially animals. Our hearts go out to Vance, really special guy. A really sad day for us.'

The actress was last seen on February 13 in Hollywood near Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, near Runyon Canyon Park.

According to a security guard working on a film in nearby Runyon Canyon, when police found the body of Pearlman, there were pills strewn throughout the inside of the vehicle. She was said to be wrapped in a blanket. Police have not confirmed this report.

The actress grew up in Chicago and studied comedy at the Second City Conservatory.

After moving to California, she booked a recurring role on NBC's Chicago Justice in 2017 as Joy Fletcher and would also later appear on Sneaky Pete, American Housewife, and Selena: The Series.

Friend Cari Meyers wrote on Facebook: 'Shocking news about Lindsay Perlman. We spent many hours protesting pet stores for The Puppy Mill Project together. Funny, gifted, with a huge love and generous heart for all, especially animals. Our hearts go out to Vance, really special guy. A really sad day for us.'

The actress was last seen on February 13 in Hollywood near Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, which is close to Runyon Canyon Park.

Friends and family paid tribute to the late actress, with many expressed 'shock' and said they were 'broken' by the news of her passing

Late last month, former Miss USA champion Cheslie Kryst leaped to her death from the 29th floor of her Manhattan apartment building in Hell's Kitchen.

In March last year, Kryst wrote about being trolled online and how winning Miss USA at the age of 28 made her a target for ageist bullies, but many of her friends said on Monday they were stunned by her death and had no clue that she had mental health issues.

Police sources tell DailyMail.com she left a suicide note on her computer.

Writing for Allure magazine ahead of her 30th birthday, she said hauntingly: 'Each time I say Im turning 30, I cringe a little. Sometimes I can successfully mask this uncomfortable response with excitement; other times, my enthusiasm feels hollow, like bad acting...turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that Im running out of time to matter in societys eyes  and its infuriating.'

Kryst strayed from the norm with her passion for social justice - she was a trained lawyer and Black Lives Matter advocate.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, call 1-800-273-8255.
England's original travel quarantine measures which forced arrivals to stay inside for 14 days did reduce the spread of Covid, scientists say.

Cambridge University experts tracked more than 4,000 infections linked to foreign travel from May to September 2020, to assess the first few months of No10's rules.

Ministers made all arrivals self-isolate for a fortnight. Exemptions were only available for certain people, such as those arriving from destinations where a 'travel corridor' was in place.

But the list was repeatedly amended, with favourite holiday hotspots such as Spain, France, Portugal and Italy added and removed.

Researchers compared the number of contacts the cases reported over the two days before they developed Covid symptoms.

Arrivals from countries with quarantine requirements had 3.5 contacts, on average. For comparison, the figure stood at 5.9 for people returning from countries in No10's 'travel corridor'.

Scientists said this was proof the measures  once blasted as 'completely useless'  worked by limiting the number of people bringing in the virus from overseas.

It was particularly effective among 16 to 20-year-olds, who tend to have much higher contacts than other age groups.

And they said travel quarantine had the added bonus of discouraging people from going abroad, limiting the risk of the virus re-entering the country.

The Government's decision to form travel corridors with European countries last summer may have fuelled a rise in Covid cases, a study suggests (Pictured: People waiting in passport queues at Heathrow airport)

Dr Dinesh Aggarwal and colleagues did not look at restrictions on arrivals over the last year, which saw the Government introduce green, amber and red lists and hotel quarantine.

The study, based on contact-tracing data from NHS Test and Trace, also didn't look at travel bans imposed on South Africa when Omicron emerged.

South Africa called the bans a 'travel apartheid', accusing the UK and other nations of 'punishing' it over the mutant strain.

Timeline of Covid travel restrictions in England 17 March 2020: Britons advised against 'all non-essential travel'. 8 June 2020: 14-day quarantine periods imposed for travellers arriving from abroad. 10 July 2020: Travel corridors opened, permitting people arriving from certain countries not to self-isolate. The list was prone to last minute changes, often throwing people's summer plans into jeopardy. 14 December 2020: Self-isolation periods shortened to ten days. 15 January 2021: People are required to show a negative Covid test result upon arriving in the UK. 18 January 2021: England suspends all 'travel corridors' to stop new variants entering the country. It comes after many European countries banned UK visitors due to the new variant. 15 February 2021: Hotel quarantine opens for arrivals from 'high-risk' countries. People will be required to stay in the Government-managed centres for ten days at a cost of 1,750 per adult. 17 May 2021: Holiday ban ends, and the 'travel corridors' system is replaced by a new 'traffic light' system. It is also plagued by last minute changes to the rules, discouraging international travel. 19 July 2021: Quarantine requirements lifted for double-jabbed travellers returning from amber list countries, opening up tourism again. 26 November 2021: South Africa becomes the first country to be put back on the red list amid the spread of the Omicron variant. It is quickly joined by other countries. 15 December 2021: All countries are again removed from the red list after Omicron becomes established in the UK. Advertisement

But British ministers defended the move as 'decisive', saying they were 'waiting to see' exactly how dangerous Omicron was.

Currently, double-vaccinated travellers are only required to complete a passenger locator form when arriving in England.

But this could be scrapped before the Easter school holidays.

Unvaccinated travellers are asked to get a test before and after they arrive in the country, although they are no longer required to self-isolate.

Dr Aggarwal, an infectious disease expert, said: 'Our study shows that while travel restrictions are effective in reducing the number of imported Covid cases, they do not eliminate them entirely.

'Its likely that one of the main reasons that quarantine measures helped is that they put people off travelling during this period.'

In the study  published in Nature Communications  researchers used data to find Covid cases linked to travel and the number of contacts each reported.

Contacts were people who had face-to-face contact with an infected individual for more than 15 minutes, possibly through sitting next to them in a car or plane.

It was not possible to determine how many of these later developed Covid because of the way data was recorded.

Almost half of Covid cases in the study were from countries under 14-day quarantine rules.

But the top sources of infections were all on the 'travel corridor' list allowing arrivals to dodge the rule.

Greece was the single-biggest source of cases from abroad over this period (21 per cent of the total).

It was not removed from the travel corridor until early November.

Croatia (16 per cent) and Spain (14 per cent) were also major sources of imported cases and both off the list.

Broken down by age, quarantine measures had the greatest impact on 16 to 20-year-olds. Their contacts fell from 9 to 4.7.

There was also a big impact among 21 to 25-year-olds, who saw contacts drop from 6.5 to 3.5, and 26 to 30-year-olds, where they fell from 4.8 to 2.4.

The scientists wrote: 'For most common destinations, barring Spain, imported cases appear to reduce after the closing of a travel corridor and subsequent requirement to quarantine.'
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Harrowing childrens drawings recalling their memories of the Second World War have been discovered in long-forgotten archives in Poland.

Drawn in 1946 just one year after the war ended, the horrifying pencil and crayon illustrations show Nazi Germanys occupying forces killing families, carrying out public hangings, executing civilians and deporting people to death and labour camps.

One of the drawings by a schoolchild named A. Taborek shows two men hanging by the neck from a tree which has been used as a makeshift gallows.

Both men have their tongues hanging out and one has been stripped to his underpants.

Harrowing childrens drawings recalling their memories of the Second World War have been discovered in long-forgotten archives in Poland. This drawing dated May 17, 1946 with the blunt title of Execution by a girl called Bozena Wilke, shows four armed German soldiers herding a group of men through forests, with one covered in blood beside a tree after being shot

Drawn in 1946 just one year after the war ended, the horrifying pencil and crayon illustrations show Nazi Germanys occupying forces carrying out brutal atrocities. This by a girl called Anna Krzeczko shows a man lying in a pool of blood outside a building that has been set on fire. A tanks cannon can be seen in the corner of the picture called Home on fire'

Pictured: This drawing appears to show men being lined up against a wall by firing squads, as a building burns on the right

Pictured: A German officer with a Swastika armband is shown killing a child on the ground with a bayonet. A larger crowd of people are seen in the distance being marched towards a camp, while bodies are seen in the snow on the right

Two German soldiers with Swastikas on their uniforms and the sign of Hitlers dreaded SS emblazoned on one of their helmets are shown standing by.

Another dated March 20, 1946, shows a man standing with his arms in the air outside a building named Gefangnis (German for prison).

In front of him a Nazi soldier can be seen shooting a man in the head and blood spurting on to the ground.

Yet another by a girl called Anna Krzeczko shows a man lying in a pool of blood outside a building that has been set on fire.

A tanks cannon can be seen in the corner of the picture which Anna called Home on fire.

Ewa Koomanska, from the Mausoleum of Martyrdom of Polish Villages in Michniow which made the discovery said: When the war started, they ceased to be children and became witnesses of war, terror and violence.

These pictures are authentic, the children do not use a filter, change facts or twist things, they drew what they saw. The children saw what fear was, which came with the first air raids.

'From September 1, 1939, instead of hearing the school bell, they heard the swish of bullets, the sound of falling bombs, the screams of the wounded and the moans of the dying.

One of the drawings by a schoolchild named A. Taborek shows two men hanging by the neck from a tree which has been used as a makeshift gallows. Both men have their tongues hanging out and one has been stripped to his underpants

Pictured: A Nazi soldier is seen swinging a person - presumably a child - around by the ankles in the middle of a road

Another dated March 20, 1946, shows a man standing with his arms in the air outside a building named Gefangnis (German for prison). In front of him a Nazi soldier can be seen shooting a man in the head and blood spurting on to the ground

Nazi soldiers are depicted attacking a farm house, with one person appearing to be shot. Others are shown fleeing into woods

Created as part of a post-war nationwide school project, the Polish children aged between 8 and 13 were given a list of topics and asked to write or draw their memories of them.

The topics included the moment they remembered most from the German occupation, their memories of German killings and what meaning mass graves had for them.

The chilling drawings were found in state archives in the Polish capital Warsaw and in the city of Kielce.

One by a pupil called Marek Wladzimierz shows three German soldiers with Swastikas on their helmets shooting six men. Entitled simply Shooting Poles, red is used to symbolise the victims blood.

A heartbreaking sketch called Nazis beating daddy shows a man lying on the ground as he is bludgeoned senseless by two German guards.

And yet another in vibrant colours of red and green shows 19 men lined up against two walls awaiting execution.

A sinister black vehicle is parked in the street separating them and what appears to be a raging fire can be seen behind one of the buildings.

Three German troops are shown guarding the prisoners. One of the victims is seen lying in a pool of blood while another has a speech bubble saying defiantly Poland has not yet died.

This picture appears to show two events involving Nazi soldiers at a home. One shows the soldiers killing a man on the floor, whiled the other appears to show them arresting a person and leading them away from the house

This drawing depicts a barefoot man in chains being marched to a prison by a German guard holding a stick

One by a pupil called Marek Wladzimierz shows three German soldiers with Swastikas on their helmets shooting six men. Entitled simply Shooting Poles, red is used to symbolise the victims blood

Another drawing dated May 17, 1946 with the blunt title of Execution by a girl called Bozena Wilke, shows four armed German soldiers herding a group of men through forests, with one covered in blood beside a tree after being shot.

Kolomanska said that hundreds more drawings could be lying forgotten in other archives around the country.

She is now trying to track down the children who drew the pictures and said a psychologist working with the project will be able to judge which of the drawings show first-hand accounts and direct trauma, and which were drawn based on stories the children heard.

This heartbreaking sketch called Nazis beating daddy shows a man lying on the ground as he is bludgeoned senseless by two German guards

Men are depicted being lined up by Nazi soldiers against a wall in this drawing that appears to show a firing squad

This drawing depicts a woman in a dress being shot by what appears to be a female Nazi officer outside a home

Pictured: A children's drawing depicts homes on fire as people are shot and killed in the street by Nazi officers. One is shown using a canon to fire on one of the houses. A plan above the buildings appears to be dropping bombs

The drawings will be used as part of an exhibition entitled War Through the Eyes of Children.

Koomanska said: We want to confront the young generation with the horrors of war.

They often see war through the prism of a computer game. Being shot by a machine gun only means they dont advance to the next level.

But for children growing up during World War II, guns were associated with death and fear.

The exhibition will not be pretty, it will be difficult and reflective.

Following Hitlers invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which triggered the Second World War, by the time the war ended in 1945 around 5.6 million Polish citizens had been killed by Nazi Germanys occupation.
The High Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of venture capitalist Julie Meyer after she failed to attend a sentencing hearing following a dispute with the Royal Family's law firm Farrer & Co.

Meyer, the founder and chief executive of the Swiss investment fund Viva Investment Partners, was handed a six month suspended prison sentence earlier this month over almost 200,000 in unpaid solicitors' fees.

Meyer was being represented by Farrer & Co - who have previously represented members of the Royal Family - in a court in Malta over a legal dispute regarding unpaid wages.

A court heard Meyer failed to pay Julian Pike, a partner with the London law firm, 197,000 after she claimed she was given a poor standard of service over a period of five months and that she should only have to pay the firm 50,000.

Meyer failed to attend multiple court hearings, suggesting she should be allowed to tune in remotely from her home in Switzerland, and failed to hand over financial documents relating to the case, the court was told.

She was found guilty of contempt of court for failure to hand over the documents and refusing to attend hearings.

After failing to appear for a hearing on February 14, the courts issued a warrant for Meyer's arrest.

The High Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of venture capitalist Julie Meyer after she failed to attend a sentencing hearing following a dispute with the Royal Family's law firm Farrer & Co

The high-profile businesswoman told City A.M. that handing over financial documents would have been to breach laws in Switzerland, where she currently resides.

She told the newspaper: 'The disclosure that the UK courts have required of me are not allowed in Switzerland, and we have had very clear Swiss legal advice that we should not comply because we would be breaching Swiss law.'

Meyer had been ordered by the High Court to attend the February 14 hearing in person but when she failed to appear, the warrant for her arrest was issued.

After Meyer failed to appear for a hearing on February 14, the courts issued a warrant for her arrest

The High Court had previously ruled her medical evidence - conjunctivitis and not being vaccinated against Covid-19 - were not grounds to avoid attending the court hearings in person.

High Court judge Mr Justice Kerr called Meyer 'cynical' and a 'selfish and untrustworthy person' for breaching the court's orders.

Meyer told City A.M. that Farrer & Co 'abused their privileged position as the Queen's lawyers' and sent their invoice to the wrong addresses.

She claimed the work included in the invoices was 'inadequate'.

A spokesman for Farrer & Co told MailOnline the firm declined to comment.
The mother of LBGTQ activist Samuel Brinton has told DailyMail.com of her pride after her son was tapped to serve as deputy assistant secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition in the Office of Nuclear Energy by the Biden Administration.

Non-binary Brinton, 34, previously revealed their troubled relationship with their Southern Baptist parents Peggy Jo and Stephen Brinton, both 57  describing how they were forced to take part in conversion therapy as a teen.

Brinton also recounted how they were told to leave the family home in Perry, Iowa, after coming out to their parents as bisexual for a second time while at college  forcing them to move in with an uncle in New York.

But speaking outside her home, Brinton's mom Peggy Jo said the family difficulties are now in the past and told of her pride in her son's high-powered new job.

She said: 'I home schooled him for quite a few years because I knew he would excel and this is what he's doing. It's just amazing. He started working on [nuclear] a few years ago.'

Peggy Jo added: 'He's said to me before, ''I know you don't understand it'' but I'm like, that's what you do  you do it.'

Samuel Brinton was tapped as deputy assistant secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition in the Office of Nuclear Energy by the Biden Administration

Non-binary Brinton, 34, has previously told of their troubled relationship with their Southern Baptist parents Peggy Jo and Stephen Brinton, both 57  describing how they were forced to take part in conversion therapy as a teen

Brinton's mother Peggy Jo tells DailyMail.com she is proud of her son and said the family difficulties are now in the past

In a moving 2018 op-ed in the New York Times, Brinton described how they were put through 'torture' during conversion therapy, writing: 'My parents were Southern Baptist missionaries who believed that the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy could 'cure' my sexuality'

The Baptist missionary, who also has a daughter Rachel, now 32, and a younger son Daniel, said she is now back in contact with Brinton  despite refusing to attend their 2019 wedding to husband Kevin Rieck.

DailyMail.com obtained yearbook photos of Brinton from their time at Perry High School in Iowa

She told DailyMail.com: 'I think it's in the past and we speak as much as we can do when we live so far apart now so everything is texts, emails, that type of thing. '

The 57-year-old added: 'I'm proud of him, of course!'

Brinton, who is the first non-binary person to serve in the deputy assistant secretary role, grew up in Sanford, Florida and Perry, Iowa.

In a 2018 op-ed, Brinton told how they first came out as a middle school student and then was forced to spend two years having conversion therapy  a discredited form of counseling that aims to convert gay people to straight.

As a result, they went on to keep their sexuality hidden through homeschooling and then again while attending Perry High School after the family moved to Iowa in 2002.

Brinton's parents still work at the First Baptist Church in Perry  a small city of just over 8,000 people 30 miles northwest of Des Moines  and continue to live in the modest $166,000 four-bedroom home where Brinton was raised.

There, the stiletto-loving 34-year-old lived a radically different existence from their high-powered lifestyle in Washington, D.C. today.

Yearbook photos obtained by DailyMail.com show how they excelled in technology  winning the award for outstanding automotive tech student in their senior year

Brinton spent four years on the school wrestling team and was a cross country runner, as well as an enthusiastic member of the school choir

Brinton took part in multiple academic decathlons, was a member of the public speaking team and joined the Iowa All-State chorus in their final two years at school

Brinton (bottom row second from left) also appeared in a high school production of Grease and in Quiet Summer  a comedy play about a man who decides to spend his summer trying to become president of the local country club

Yearbook photos obtained by DailyMail.com show how young Brinton excelled in technology  winning the award for outstanding automotive tech student in their senior year.

Brinton also spent four years on the school wrestling team and was a cross country runner, as well as an enthusiastic member of the school choir.

They also appeared in several school plays  including The Stuck Pot which tells the story of how a group of schoolboys established a consolation prize for the boy 'stuck with an awful lemon' for a date at the school prom.

Brinton also appeared in a high school production of Grease and in Quiet Summer  a comedy play about a man who decides to spend his summer trying to become president of the local country club.

The 34-year-old took part in multiple academic decathlons, was a member of the public speaking team and joined the Iowa All-State chorus in their final two years at school.

They also proved popular  photos show Brinton with friends at their school prom in 2006 and taking part in a quiz in a team named Sam's Super Sweets.

But according to Brinton, the conversion therapy they endured as a middle schooler left scars and it wasn't until college  Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas  that they felt able to come out for the second and final time.

In a moving 2018 op-ed in the New York Times, Brinton described how they were put through 'torture' during conversion therapy, writing: 'My parents were Southern Baptist missionaries who believed that the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy could 'cure' my sexuality.

'For over two years, I sat on a couch and endured emotionally painful sessions with a counselor. I was told that my faith community rejected my sexuality; that I was the abomination we had heard about in Sunday school; that I was the only gay person in the world; that it was inevitable I would get H.I.V. and AIDS.'

Lipstick-loving Brinton appears to have grown closer to his family in recent years, with Seattle-based Rachel attending their 2019 wedding although their parents and brother did not

Brinton is pictured with Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness in New York City in 2019

The Baptist missionary mother said she is now back in contact with Brinton  despite refusing to attend their 2019 wedding to husband Kevin Rieck (pictured)

He also told of how his mother found him standing on the roof and told him she would love him again if he just changed.

'[That] is not the thing to say to a person standing on the edge of a building,' he said. 'So I run back into my mom's arms saying: "You know what? I'm changed! It's done. Epiphany from God.'

But when he went to university they realized there was a gay culture there. They came out to their parents a second time and were banished from the family home and told not to return.

Lipstick-loving Brinton appears to have grown closer to his family in recent years, with Seattle-based Rachel attending their 2019 wedding although their parents and brother did not.

Rachel and Brinton were particularly close during high school  with the 32-year-old joining Brinton on the tech team and taking part in the wrestling team as a manager.

Shortly after their wedding, Brinton shared a photo with Rachel  and spoke of their joy at her presence.

They wrote: 'My first non-husband related wedding photo to share has to be with the most important person for me to be there that night: my sister.

'Rachel and I are loving, learning, growing and starting to rebuild the sibling bonds in ways that truly make me cry happy tears.'
Two major winter storms are expected to dump heavy snow from coast to coast and have already led to the cancellation of more than 800 flights scheduled for Wednesday during the busy Presidents Week holiday.

The first system will bring snow and fierce winds to the Midwest and New England on Tuesday and into the next couple of days.

The other was expected to bring more than a foot of snow and wind gusts of more than 40 miles an hour to a swath stretching from California through Nevada and into Colorado from Tuesday through Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned.

Hazardous travel conditions due to icy and snow-packed roadways were expected throughout the area, the NWS said. According to Flightaware, over 800 flights in the US have already been canceled on Wednesday.

Some higher spots in southwestern Colorado could see three feet of snow accumulation over the next couple of days, the service said.

'A lot of these mountain towns are driven off the ski industry so they are able to handle it,' National Weather Service Grand Junction Meteorologist Kris Sanders said.

In this image taken from video from a Caltrans remote video traffic camera, light traffic makes its way in snowy conditions along Interstate 80 at Castle Peak, Calif., Tuesday

A sign warning of snow and ice conditions, reading " Winter Storm Warning in Effect until 6 pm" is seen on a highway in St. Paul, Minnesota, on February 22

Most of the northern half of America will likely see some form of wintry weather over the next few days

Workers toil to clear snow in Larimer Square as the first of a pair of winter storms sweeps over the intermountain West Tuesday

Ski resorts and skiers will welcome the fresh snow. The snow season began slowly, but picked up with several strong storms around the new year.

In January, however, the region did not get a significant snow fall.

'So something like this is definitely helping. Much appreciated,' Sanders said.

The system making its way across the Dakotas through Wisconsin and into New England can bring snow totals of eight inches, along with 35 mph wind gusts on Tuesday and into Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

The storm forced numerous school district in Wisconsin and Minnesota to cancel classes on Tuesday.

Winter Weather Advisories and warnings are coming to big chunks of the southwest

Much of the midwest could be dealing with ice storms over the next 72 hours

The northeast could get their shot of the wintry weather on Friday

Forecasters warned that driving will be treacherous during the evening commute as blowing snow will make roadways slick and reduce visibility.

Sleet and ice were also in the forecast for northern Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas while a region from Alabama up through Ohio and into New York was expecting heavy rains that could cause flooding, forecasters warned.

Temperatures will be 20 to 30 degrees below average in the Northern Rockies, Great Plains and parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley, with some spots seeing record and dangerously cold readings, the NWS said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki hit back at former President Donald Trump for calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion plan of Ukraine 'genius' and 'smart' and said it was up to Republicans to ensure the issue does't become more politicized.

'As a matter of policy, we try not to take advice from anyone who praises President Putin and his military strategy, which I believe is what happened there,' Psaki replied at the Tuesday briefing when asked to react to the comments Trump made earlier in the day.

She pointed to comments Trump reportedly made to G7 leaders in 2018, when the now former president said that Crimea, which was annexed by Russia after a 2014 invasion, was a part of Russia because everyone there spoke Russian.

And said that Trump had 'expressed an openness' to lifting sanctions on Russia for the 2014 invasion.

'So there's a bit of a different tactic, a bit of a different approach, and that's probably why President Biden and not his predecessor was able to rally the world and the global community in taking steps against Russia's aggression,' Psaki said.

Most Republicans have said they want to see Russia punished for what the White House is now calling an 'invasion' of Ukraine - after Putin announced Monday he would consider two Russia-backed separatist territories independent from Ukraine, and ordered troops there under the guise of 'peacekeeping functions.'

When asked if there were concerns comments like Trump's could lead to support of Ukraine becoming a more partisan issue among the American public, she pointed a finger at the Republican Party.

'You know, I think that is up to members of the Republican Party to make the decision, to make the determination,' she told DailyMail.com.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki (left) hit back at former President Donald Trump (right) for calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion plan of Ukraine 'genius' and 'smart'

'There has been a long history, decades of history, which President Biden was a part of when he was chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, of standing up to the efforts of any country to seize the territory of another country, standing up for efforts by the United States to rally global support against inappropriate and illegal actions by another country,' she continued. 'There's a long history of that not in a partisan way - in a partisan way.'

'And certainly that choice is up to Republicans to ... determine,' she added.

Trump, who praised Putin throughout his one term, continued that trend Tuesday during a podcast interview with conservative host Buck Sexton.

'I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, "This is genius,"' Trump said. 'Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine - of Ukraine - Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that's wonderful.'

'I said, "How smart is that?'" the former U.S. president continued. 'And he's gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That's the strongest peace force We could use that on our southern border. Thats the strongest peace force I've ever seen. There were more army tanks than Ive ever seen. Theyre gonna keep peace all right.'

'No, but think of it. Heres a guy whos very savvy,' Trump went on. 'I know him very well. Very, very, very well. Had I been in office, not even thinkable, this never would have happened.'

Trump added: 'But heres a guy that says, you know, "I'm gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent," he used the word 'independent' and 'were gonna go out and were gonna go in and were gonna help keep peace.' You gotta say thats pretty savvy. And you know what the response was from Biden? There was no response. They didnt have one for that. No, its very sad. Very sad.'

Trump also called Biden 'a man who has no concept of what he's doing.'

Earlier Tuesday, Trump again claimed that Putin never would have invaded Ukraine if he were still president, and said that Russia has become 'very very rich' under Biden.

'If properly handled, there was absolutely no reason that the situation currently happening in Ukraine should have happened at all,' Trump said in a statement Tuesday. 'I know Vladimir Putin very well, and he would have never done during the Trump Administration what he is doing now, no way!'

Trump hit out against Biden's 'weak sanctions.'

'The weak sanctions are insignificant relative to taking over a country and a massive piece of strategically located land. Now it has begun, oil prices are going higher and higher, and Putin is not only getting what he always wanted, but getting, because of the oil and gas surge, richer and richer.'

Gas prices have already surged to an eight-year high, and are expected to rise even more as the crisis between Russia and Ukraine escalates.

Biden promised his administration was using 'every tool at our disposal' to limit the effect on gas prices back at home, but acknowledged that Americans would see price rises at the pump.

On Tuesday Biden announced his 'first tranche' of sanctions that included new financial restrictions on two of Russia largest banks, VEB and the military bank, specific Russian oligarchs, and cutting the nation off from Western financing.

Biden had also imposed sanctions on Monday prohibiting trade with the Kremlin-backed regions, but administration officials initially refused to call Putin's move an 'invasion.'

The Biden administration has insisted that it uses sanctions as leverage and is trying to stave off a full-blown invasion.

However on Tuesday, the administration admitted that Putin's move constitutes an 'invasion,' the red line Biden said would result in severe sanctions on Moscow.

'We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine,' said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said in an interview on CNN. 'An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway.'

Republicans and Democrats urged Biden to use every sanction in his arsenal before Putin fully invades.

'Joe Biden has refused to take meaningful action, and his weakness has emboldened Moscow,' Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, wrote on Twitter early Tuesday morning, before the sanctions annoucement.

She called on Biden to 'immediately' impose sanctions on the Nord Stream II pipeline that runs from Russia to Germany and to remove Russia from the SWIFT international banking system.

Germany announced Tuesday it was pulling the plug on Nord Stream II after Russia's move.

'It should never have reached this point. There was no good reason for President Biden to kill the Keystone XL pipeline last year while greenlighting Nord Stream 2 at the same time. It made absolutely zero sense. Very bad play calls that were the exact opposite of what was needed,' Rep. Lee Zeldin, a New York Republican, wrote on Twitter.

Biden last year lifted sanctions on the pipeline as a diplomatic favor to Germany, arguing the pipeline was already 98 per cent complete anyways.

Also on Tuesday before the announcement, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called on Biden to impose 'devastating sanctions against the Kremlin and its enablers.'

'The President should waste no time in using his extensive existing authorities to impose these costs.'

'Now is not the time for symbolic pinpricks that will serve only to embolden Putin and endanger our friends in Ukraine,' said Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Mike Rogers, R-Ala., in a statement.

'Putin's obsession with restoring the old Soviet Union has led to unprovoked and unnecessary aggressive military action,' said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga. 'Biden should have issued sanctions long ago.'

Former President Donald Trump (right) praised Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) during his one term in office

'The time for taking action to impose significant costs on President Putin and the Kremlin starts now,' Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who is close with the president, said according to Politico. 'We must swiftly join our NATO allies and partners in the European Union to impose forceful new sanctions on Russia, on all those responsible for this dangerous violation of international law, and to provide emergency support for Ukraine.'

'It's really important that we impose the sanctions now,' New Jersey Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski said after returning from the Munich Security Conference, where Vice President Kamala Harris met with Western allies to discuss the path forward should Russia invade.

'This seizure of additional Ukrainian territory should trigger the start of the sanctions,' Malinowski said.

'The Biden administration and our European allies must not hesitate in imposing crushing sanctions. There must be tangible, far-reaching and substantial costs for Russia in response to this unjustified act,' said Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, the Foreign Relations Committee chair.
It looks like Donald Trump's social media app, Truth Social, is having a rather controversial start.

Truth Social, the new social media platform in town, was recently reported to be already plagued with issues ranging from signup problems to even users geting banned or waitlisted, per Mashable.

The app functions and looks similar to Twitter, where users can create profiles to post and share a "truth" just like they would a tweet. They can also follow other users and "curate 'Truth Feeds.'" It is also advertised as a social media app that is "free from political discrimination" and is open to anyone in the world.

However, that advertisement was put to the test when numerous people eager to try the app were waitlisted to limit the number of users on the app's first day. Meanwhile, those not waitlisted had difficulty completing the two-factor authentication needed to confirm their profiles due to the app requiring an active phone number or email address as a means of verification.

The waitlist was due to a technical difficulty--a "partial outage" for 7 hours and 40 minutes, Business Insider reports. According to the text of Truth Social's status page at the time, the app is online, but user creation is "rate-limited" at the time during the app's rollout. It then added that the app would "expand capacity over the coming hours to enable more users to join Truth Social."

"Freedom" of Speech

In addition to these issues, being waitlisted does not mean a guarantee to get into the app, as web developer Matt Ortega discovered.

A separate Mashable article reported that Ortega was banned from Trump's social media app out of nowhere due to his username being defamatory to a former Republican representative, Devin Nunes.

Ortega stated that his account name was referencing an Esquire report that mentioned Nunes owning a dairy farm in Iowa, something they kept a secret from the public.

Read more: New Twitter Feature Will Allow Users to Leave Conversation, Truth Social Hits No. 1 in App Store Chart

Nunes is currently the CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group, the company operating Truth Social.

Why Trump Media & Technology Group banned Ortega isn't exactly a mystery. The app's Terms of Service (TOS) states that Truth Social app users are prohibited to "disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, us and/or the Site."

Simply put, users aren't allowed to talk badly about the app and the people running Trump Media & Technology Group.

Truth Social's Connections to China

Ironically, TMTG has some indirect connections with China through one of the members of its management team and a special purpose acquisition company.

Documents from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission revealed by a Meidas Touch News' tweet states that TMTG is backed by Patrick Orlando, the CEO of Yunhong International and Digital World Acquisition Corp, the company that merged with Trump's TMTG, per TIME's report on the topic.

According to the Chinese financial and investment website Money DJ, Yunhong International is a "blank check company" that engages in mergers and securities transactions, asset acquisitions and stock purchases, according to Newsweek.

Whether Orlando has a say on how TMTG and Truth Social should be operated remains to be seen.

China was seen as Trump's enemy during his time as U.S. President. At the time, Trump waged a trade war that saw Huawei and other tech companies get deprived of technologies usually sourced from the U.S., which is the reason why Huawei created HarmonyOS as a replacement for Google Android, as mentioned in an Arstechnica news.

Related Article: Truth Social App on Android Is a Fake! Here's Where You Can Download Donald Trump's True Social Media App
Investigators were tipped off to the whereabouts of Australia's most wanted fugitive after he visited a local bottle shop to buy a bottle of Jim Beam eight years ago.

But Graham Potter, 64, disappeared shortly after the sighting in Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, in far north Queensland - until he was found down the road this week.

Potter was sensationally arrested in a police raid on Monday after he allegedly skipped bail in Melbourne in 2010 on conspiracy to murder charges.

Police vision of his arrest shows the inside of dilapidated house where he hid out at Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns in far north Queensland.

It was believed Potter, who was previously jailed for a mutilation offence which saw him dubbed the 'head and shoulders' killer, frequented a property in the area, with a tip-off sending officers to the Club Hotel in the small town eight years ago where they confirmed he had attended to buy liquor.

'They got the footage of him. It was him,' the hotel's manager Laith Pignatt told The Australian, who had unknowingly served the fugitive.

'Since then, I'd never heard of or seen him again.'

Australia's most wanted fugitive Graham Potter visisted the Club Hotel in Ravenshoe (pictured) to buy a bottle of Jim Beam eight years ago - helping police track him down eight years later

A 12-year manhunt for Potter ended when police found him hiding out in this dilapidated shack (pictured) in remote North Queensland

Graham Potter is seen stumbling on a chicken coop after police discovered him inside a squalid room filled with old cardboard boxes and rubbish

CCTV footage from the bottle shop of the Club Hotel confirmed Potter had been at the pub, buying a bottle of Jim Beam bourbon.

Mr Pignatt, who still works at the hotel, said he hadn't seen the murderer since.

'I just assumed he'd skipped town or went elsewhere, out bush further or out into the wilderness,' he said.

'Apparently he was still laying low, just 800m down the road.'

Potter was found in a property long believed to be somewhere he frequented, with police searching it at stages but never able to locate him.

The fugitive was found in a squalid room on Tuesday, filled with empty cardboard boxes, beer bottles on the windowsill and a chicken coop - with a terrified cat filmed in police vision.

Potter, who allegedly evaded police for so long by changing his appearance, was hiding behind a bunk bed topped with multiple old mattresses and there were large cobwebs on the walls.

It has since been announced he will be extradited from Queensland to Victoria to face court.

Old planks of wood, sheets of corrugated iron are strewn about the yard (pictured)

The weatherboard house has a tarp hung up around the lower level and the lawn dug up

Other tarps are strung up around the property where the 64-year-old had hid out along with piles of clutter

Images of the outside of the property in the small town of about 1,400 residents show the iron roof completely rusted and a tarp strung up around the lower level.

Old planks of woods, sheets of corrugated iron, and rubbish are strewn haphazardly around the yard.

There also looks to be half-finished landscaping work done with branches cut from trees piled up and the lawn dug up.

Footage of the dramatic arrest shows hiding amongst the debris inside the property.

'This is the police. Do not move. Put your hands where I can see them,' a police officer yells at him.

'Yeah, yeah,' Potter nonchalantly responds.

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the Ravenshoe house in which Potter was found

A stack of old mattresses are pictured on the bunk bed behind which Potter was found hiding

Potter was taken in handcuffs from the house down a staircase piled with old newspapers, magazines and general rubbish

As he is led from the house in handcuffs, piles of newspapers and magazines are seen stacked on a staircase.

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the house.

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the house, with the curtains tightly drawn.

Police said Potter denied his identity when located, while the home's owner said Potter was known to her as 'Ned'.

The owner, Sandi Feller, told The Australian she would not comment about Potter's discovery at the house under she'd spoken to a solicitor.

'They didn't arrest me. They haven't charged me, but that might come yet too, who knows?' she said.

Potter had evaded police for 12 years before he was located at the far north Queensland property

The house on Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, where fugitive Graham Potter was found by police

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the Ascham St property, with the curtains tightly drawn

A neighbour told Nine News Queensland he had never seen Potter at the house.

'I've never seen the man they arrested this morning,' the man said.

Another resident of the street, Paul Adamson, said the house where the fugitive was found was known as a junkyard but had actually been 'tidied up' recently.

'At the moment it looks the best it's been since I've been here. You couldn't even see the house two weeks ago.' he said.

Mr Adamson said Potter had been known to visit the house.

'He was there years ago. He was on the run years ago and they'd found he'd been staying there,' he said.

Graham Gene Potter was released from prison in 1996 after serving 15 years. He was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police in 2017

Potter was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry (pictured), 19, in Wollongong in 1981

On Tuesday Potter appeared via video link from the Mareeba watchhouse to hear Magistrate Thomas Braes make an order for him to be returned to Victoria to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Victorian detectives travelled from Melbourne on Tuesday morning to escort Potter from Queensland.

There was no application for bail.

The convicted murderer, who has an extensive criminal history, was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police acting assistant crime commissioner Paul De Santo in 2017.

Historical police records show Potter lining up for a mugshot as early as 1976, when he was aged just 18.

Five years later, he was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry, 19, in Wollongong, after he beat her and cut off her head. He was released in 1996 after serving just 15 years.

Local police update on the capture of Graham Gene Potter Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discussed the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning. - 'He's a personable fellow,' Det Insp Goan said of Potter. 'He is happy to speak with to us in relation to any number of issues. We've had no acts of violence that warrant concern for our detectives.' - Police suspect Potter has lived in the far north Queensland area for the last 12 years. - Det Insp Goan said there was evidence Potter had at times 'assimilated' himself with others members of the local community. Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discusses the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning - Potter claimed to be 'Josh Lawson' when approached by police at the Ravenshoe property, until finger-printing at Mareeba police station confirmed his identity. - Queensland police are waiting on Victorian detectives to arrive before deciding whether charges will be laid against the woman found at the Ascham St property. The woman is not in custody. - No warrant was needed to enter premises because police possessed 'credible' information a wanted person was at the property. - Det Insp Goan confirmed police had visited the house a number of times over the years after reports Potter had visited the premises. - The dog squad attended the arrest because Potter had been known to 'take flight' on previous occasions when police closed in on him. Advertisement

At the time of his arrest in 2010, Potter was connected to Victorian and New South Wales organised crime figures and had allegedly been recruited to carry out gangland killings.

He was one of three charged over the alleged planned murders of two men related to disputes within a drug syndicate over a failed importation.

Potter allegedly skipped a court appearance in February 2010 and has eluded police ever since.

In August 2010 he allegedly bragged about how he had used a number of costumes, including wigs, fat suits, and hair colour changes, to mingle in society undetected.

His alleged strategies were unearthed in letters discovered at a campsite in Tully, 140km south of Cairns, on August 28 that year by officers investigating a tip-off about his possible location.

Potter's stint in Tully was the closest police would come to catching him before he was finally apprehended this week, in another town 128km north west.

Acting on a tip off, an army of officers and police dogs stormed the ramshackle Ravenshoe house around 8.45am on Monday to find Potter lying at the top of a dingy bunk-bed.
Typical Australian borrowers could see their monthly mortgage repayments climb by a third or $721 during the next 18 months, National Australia Bank predicts.

A surge home loan pain would also see Australian borrowers lumped with the tightest budget pressures in a decade.

NAB is predicting mortgage rates will climb by 2.25 percentage points by September 2023, which would see someone paying off a typical $600,000 Australian home loan owe another $700 a month to their bank.

This would mean pain for those on a variable loan and borrowers who fixed their mortgage last year.

Typical Australian borrowers could see their monthly mortgage repayments climb by a third or $721 during the next 18 months, a major bank predicts (pictured is an auction at Strathfield in Sydney's inner west)

NAB's director of economics Tapas Strickland said interest payments as a share of household income would rise to the highest level since September 2012.

He predicted interest payments, across all borrowers, climbing to 7.9 per cent of household income, up from 4.4 per cent now.

That would see mortgage repayments as a proportion of take-home pay climb above the post-Global Financial Crisis average of 7 per cent and well above the pre-pandemic level of 5.7 per cent.

'While it is clear the household sector will be able to service a higher mortgage rate, a rise in interest payments relative to income of 3.5 percentage points will have to be financed by a reduction in saving and/or lower consumption than otherwise unless the economy remains very strong and wages growth accelerates considerably,' Mr Strickland said.

In January, Australia's median property price stood at $718,146, following a 22.4 per cent annual increase which was the fastest pace in 32 years, CoreLogic data showed.

Home prices in capital cities and regional areas are also growing at ten times the level of wages.

With a 20 per cent deposit factored in, a borrower paying off a typical Australian home would owe the bank $574,517.

An owner-occupier with this kind of mortgage, with a still-low 2.39 per cent variable rate, would now have monthly repayments of $2,238.

But National Australia Bank is predicting a 2.25 percentage point increase in mortgage rates by September 2023. Should variable rates rise to 4.64 per cent, monthly repayments on a mid-point priced Australian home would climb to $2,959, marking 32 per cent increase in just 18 months (pictured is a house in Sydney going to auction)

NAB is predicting a 2.25 percentage point increase in mortgage rates by September 2023, based on financial market pricing for moves in the Reserve Bank cash rate, with the modelling assuming banks raise their lending rates accordingly.

Should variable rates rise to 4.64 per cent, as predicted, monthly repayments on a mid-priced Australian home would climb by $721 to $2,959, marking 32 per cent increase in just 18 months.

Such an increase would also affect borrowers who fixed their mortgage rates at historically low levels in 2021 for two years.

Wages in 2021, however, grew by just 2.3 per cent even though skilled migrants were banned from moving to Australia until December, with pay level growth stuck below the long-term average of 3 per cent since mid-2013.

In January, Australia's median property price stood at $718,146, following a 22.4 per cent annual increase which was the fastest pace in 32 years, CoreLogic data showed. Home prices in capital cities and regional areas are growing at ten times the level of wages (pictured is a three-bedroom house at Laurieton on the NSW mid-north coast that sold for $760,000)

Wages in 2021, however, grew by just 2.3 per cent even though migrants were banned from moving to Australia until December, with pay level growth stuck below the long-term average of 3 per cent since mid-2013. KPMG senior economist Sarah Hunter said the latest wages growth data was still below the RBA's preferred level before it raised rates (pictured is a seagull patrol dog handler at Sydney's Opera House)

House prices surge across Australia BRISBANE: Up 32.3 per cent to $809,813 SYDNEY: Up 29.8 per cent to $1,389,948 CANBERRA: Up 27.8 per cent to $1,032,331 ADELAIDE: Up 27.3 per cent to $636,853 HOBART: Up 26.3 per cent to $759,697 MELBOURNE: Up 17.8 per cent to $1,002,464 PERTH: Up 11.4 per cent to $555,851 DARWIN: Up 8.4 per cent to $562,729 Source: CoreLogic data on annual median house price increases in January 2022 Advertisement

Private sector wages grew by 2.4 per cent compared with 2.1 per cent for public sector employees, new Australian Bureau of Statistics for the December quarter released on Wednesday showed.

KPMG senior economist Sarah Hunter said the latest wages growth data was still below the RBA's preferred level before it raised rates.

Wages are also well below the inflation rate of 3.5 per cent.

'At the moment the average worker is experiencing declining real wages,' Ms Hunter said.

'Although markets expect tightening to begin imminently, momentum in wage setting and price inflation means we expect the RBA to wait until the second half of the year August or possibly later, in the fourth quarter, before pulling the trigger.'

The Reserve Bank of Australia cut the cash rate to a record-low of 0.1 per cent in November 2020, following the national Covid lockdowns, and Governor Philip Lowe last year repeatedly promised to leave it there until 2024 at the earliest.

But NAB is predicting rates will rise later this year, to hit 0.5 per cent by the end of 2022 and 0.75 per cent by the March quarter of 2023.

Even with rates at low levels, an average, full-time earner on a $90,329 salary with a $574,517 loan already has a debt-to-income ratio of 6.4.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority considers six to be a dangerous level where a borrower would struggle to pay their mortgage and bills.

Since November APRA, the banking regulator, has required the banks to model a borrower's ability to cope with a 3 percentage point increase in mortgage rates, up from 2.5 percentage points previously.
Embattled Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon's staffers say he was shamed into changing his stance on 'outlier' juvenile sentencing because of a bombshell report that suggested one of the criminals he advocated for had little remorse.

He flip-flopped on his famously reformative approach to justice last week after jailhouse audio recordings obtained by Fox News captured transgender pedophile Hannah Tubbs bragging about her light sentence in a juvenile facility.

Tubbs was sentenced to two years in jail for molesting a 10-year-old girl inside a restaurant bathroom.

After the top prosecutor became aware of troubling comments Tubbs made in jail - including that she wouldn't have to register as a sex offender and that 'nothing' would be done to punish her - Gascon said he's rethinking his approach.

'It's unfortunate that she gamed the system,' Gascon told the Los Angeles Times. 'If I had to do it all over again, she would be prosecuted in adult court.'

However, his critics say his apparent remorse is just a public stunt as recall efforts against him grow.

'He knew Fox was going to run with those tapes. It was damage-control time,' Eric Siddall, a deputy district attorney and outspoken critic of the DA, told the Times.

Amid growing frustration with the progressive prosecutor, more than 600 deputy district attorneys throughout LA county endorsed his recall Tuesday during an Association of Deputy District Attorneys meeting.

Los Angeles County's top prosecutor George Gascon said he regrets giving a transgendered pedophile who molested a 10-year-old in a restaurant bathroom a light sentence

The convict, who now goes by the name Hannah Tubbs, was 17 when she committed the crime. While serving time in a juvenile time, she bragged about not having to register as a sex offender

Gascon was sworn in as LA County's 43rd district attorney in December 2020, and critics have blamed him for a spike in violent crime in the region.

Los Angeles has seen a 54 percent increase in murders since 2019, a rise in the number of street shootings since 2020, and an increase in the number of armed holdups.

The city has also been shocked by the broad daylight murder of Brianna Kupfer on January 13 by a mentally ill man who stabbed her at random while she worked in an upscale furniture store.

About 98 percent of prosecutors participating in the vote supported Gascon's ousting after he declined an invitation to meet with them and defend his controversial policies. There was a record-high 83 percent turnout in the more than 800-member union who voted.

'This vote is by those who are intimately familiar with how Mr. Gascons policies actually play out on a day-to-day basis,' said ADDA president Michele Hanisee.

'We believe the vote of our members will resonate with the voters of Los Angeles as they decide whether to recall Gascon from office and restore public safety as the priority of the District Attorneys office.'

Since being sworn into office, Gascon has refused to meet with prosecutors to explain the logic behind his policies, the union said.

Union Vice President Eric Siddall likened the DA to a failed experiment.

'Over a year ago, Gascon began a massive social experiment by redirecting prosecutorial resources away from enforcing the law while simultaneously ignoring large portions of the penal code,' Siddall said. 'The result is an emboldened criminal element that knows the DA will not hold criminals accountable. This experiment needs to end.'

ADDA vice president Eric Siddall (left) liked Gascon's tenure as DA to a failed experiment, while ADDA president Michele Hanisee (right) said the vote reflects the fact that prosecutors wish to 'restore public safety'

The ADDA's vote came as Gascon works to do damage control after Fox News Digital released an audio recording that contained Tubbs' damning comments.

Tubbs was 17 when she committed the assault.

Before she was sentenced, prosecutors had pushed for her to stay in a Los Angeles County Jail and be tried as an adult but Gascon declined to file a motion to move the case out of juvenile court, where it was filed because of Tubbs' age at the time of offense.

The recording indicated that Tubbs also made crude and disparaging comments about the child she had abused, jokingly talking about her sexual attraction for the 10-year-old.

Tubbs also made crude and disparaging comments about the child she had abuse. She's pictured in surveillance photos leaving the

The DA has admitted that Tubbs may have been given too lenient of a sentence after he refused to prosecute her as an adult for the crime that she committed as a male juvenile.

However, his critics said he knew about the recordings well before they were publicly released and that he didn't take them seriously until they started making him look bad.

The deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case, Shea Sanna, told the Times that Gascon's aides have had access to the recordings since late January.

'They demanded the recordings from me like three weeks ago,' Sanna said.

Tubbs' victim, now 18, hit out at Gascon for his handling of the case, which she described as 'insulting.'

'The things [Tubbs] did to me and made me do that day were beyond horrible for a 10-year-old girl to have to go through,' the young woman said, referring to Tubbs as a male. 'That man was very clear minded and old enough to know what he did that day was wrong and still did it anyway.

'It's something I struggle with and it's insulting that this is all he was given as punishment. And I want something done about it.'

Gascon, who has been widely criticized as being soft on crime, on Friday backtracked on some of his most controversial policies, including not pursuing sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole, and not prosecuting juveniles accused of serious offenses as adults.

Gascon's sudden change of heart comes as he faces a second recall effort organized by his critics, who contend that his woke policies are to blame for Los Angeles' rising crime rates.

In his statement announcing the policy changes, the progressive DA highlighted the case of Tubbs.

'After her sentencing in our case, I became aware of extremely troubling statements she made about her case, the resolution of it and the young girl that she harmed, he said.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent who encountered a group of undocumented migrants in the Arizona desert nearly crushed a five-week-old Guatemalan boy while riding an ATV in search of others traveling with the group.

Tucson Sector agent Mike Jones and the rest of the unit from the Ajo Station approached the group after they illegally crossed over from Mexico on February 16, according to Fox News.

Jones told the network that they were interrogating the migrants around 7pm local time as part of normal protocol and sensed that they were withholding information. So, an agent stepped away to canvass the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

'The questions we ask are, is there anyone else in the group,' Jones said. 'Where is everyone else in the group? No one gave any answers.'

A five-week-old boy from Guatemala was nearly run over by a U.S. Border Patrol agent February 16 while searching for migrants who had crossed from Mexico to Arizona. The individuals were stopped and questioned but refused to say if there were any other people traveling with them. An agent was searching the area and stopped short of driving over a camouflaged bundle before he noticed the infant.

U.S. Border Patrol agent Mike Jones, who is assigned to the Tucson Sector's Ajo Station, holds the five-week-old migrant boy from Guatemala after he was left by his mother moments after crossing over from Mexico on February 16

Jones said at that point, one of the agents began following the migrants' footprints on an ATV, swerving away from a bundle just in time. He inspected it and discovered an infant wrapped in a camouflage blanket.

Jones walked back over to the group with the infant. Eventually, a 38-year-old woman from Guatemala stepped forward, saying she was the mother.

'I actually had to ask two more times in a more stern way, more stern manner until one woman decided to very hesitantly put up her hand and say that the baby belonged to her,' Jones recalled.

The mother and the baby were processed and returned to Mexico via Lukeville, Arizona, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement.

U.S. Border Patrol agent discovered a five-week-old migrant boy from Guatemala wrapped in camouflage after he was left behind by his 38-year-old mother February 16

A U.S. Border Patrol agent tends to the five-week-old boy from Guatemala who was nearly run over by an officer aboard an ATV searching for additional migrants after they encountered a group that has crossed from Mexico on February 16

A policy passed during former Republican president Donald Trump's administration in March 2020, Title 42 permits CBP to expel migrants under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health order that deems them a health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Joe Biden's administration has continued enforcing the law, but now ensures that unaccompanied children are not subjected to it.

Southwestern border data released by CBP last Friday showed 78,486 were expelled to Mexico in January.

Under Trump, starting in March 2020, nearly 400,000 migrants were denied asylum and refuge at the border, and returned to Mexico. The Biden administration has expelled over 1.2 million since he took office.

Overall encounters with migrants stopped along the southern border for unlawful entry declined by 14% in January, when 153,941 interdictions were reported by Border Patrol agents in comparison with 179,219 in December 2021.
A British woman has been left terrified after finding a large snake slithering in her garage.

Holly O'Driscoll, who recently moved to Darwin from Sydney, took to Facebook this week to ask for help identify the python as she feared she may be in danger.

'If this is a snake that's going to kill me, I want to know,' she said.

Snake alive: Newly arrived NT couple discover they are not alone in their new home

Ms O'Driscoll initially found the snake slithering in the garage door, but it has since vanished.

And while this may seem like good news, Ms O'Driscoll told ABC she has lost it.

'I don't know where it's hiding,' she said.

She has since found a bunch of dead rats around the garage as well.

'I haven't told the kids yet, my eldest daughter would literally run back to Sydney,' she told ABC.

She said a lot of people have told her it may be an Olive Python.

Olive pythons are not considered to be dangerous to humans, and can be confused with highly venomous king brown snakes.

Not your average pull-down chord, woman considered burning the house down to get rid of it

But they are considered to be the second largest snake in the country, according to Snake Facts.

Ms O'Driscoll said she has been left unsure what to do.

'I don't know what to do, to be honest, other than burn the house down,' she said.

She said she was reconsidering her life choices after moving to the rural area.
A Las Vegas baby is recovering after fighting for his life in the ICU and turning 'pepper red' when he consumed Abbott baby formula recalled last week over fears it could cause bacterial infections.

Two-month-old Dah'Veon Quantez Jones became the latest infant to get sick after consuming baby formula after US health officials urgently warned parents against using three popular brands - Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare - which are all made in an Abbott facility in Sturgis, Michigan.

The Food and Drug Administration said the formulas have been linked to the dangerous bacterial infection Cronobacter after an infant died and three others fell ill.

On Sunday, Dah'Veon's parents noticed he was in pain and took him to Sunrise Hospital, where the infant was treated for severe dehydration, a rash and bowel issues.

'I just checked his temperature and it's 104, and then he is moaning and groaning, and he is red, like pepper red,' Dah'Veon's grandmother, Mellon Ko, told local news station 8NewsNow.

As of Tuesday evening, Dah'Veon appeared to be recovering, with Ko posting on Facebook that he had been discharged from the hospital.

Two-month-old Dah'Veon Quantez Jones became seriously ill after consuming recalled Abbott baby formula. He was treated in the ICU for severe dehydration, a rash and bowel issues

Dah'Veon's grandmother, Melon Ko (pictured), said he had a 104F fever and was 'pepper red'

Ko has said that Dah'Veon is her daughter's first child. Above, Dah'Veon pictured with his mom, Ahviance Collins

Dah'Veon's family said he consumed Abbott baby formula. The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that the Abbott-manufactured formulas had been linked to dangerous bacterial infection Cronobacter, after an infant died and three others fell ill

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

Ko asked on Facebook for prayers, noting that Dah'Veon is her daughter Ahviance Collins' first child.

The grandmother said she is now worried that Dah'Veon could continue to have issues with the new formula he is prescribed.

The powdered baby formula is used in several prescribed and over-the-counter products made by Abbott at its Michigan plant.

'It has me scared because when he gets released, of course they are going to release him with some other types of formula, and who is to say this formula isn't going to have a recall,' Ko said.

'I've been hearing that there are moms out here making breast milk for these kids because of this situation,' she told 8NewsNow.

A spokesperson for Abbott said: 'We are sorry to hear about Dahveon and hope he recovers soon.'

'We value the trust parents and caregivers place in us, and ensuring the safety and quality of our products is our top priority,' the statement added.

On February 17, the FDA warned buyers they should avoid Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas if they have a serial number starting with 22 through 37, contain K8, SH, or Z2 and have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or later.

The product was distributed throughout the US and overseas, the company said in a statement.

Dr Christina Madison, a pharmacist, told the outlet: 'When you go to the store, you have a brand name and then you have a generic name so it's the same thing with baby formula where they might have one manufacturer but several different products that they make.'

'You think you are buying a different product, but really you are just buying the same product under a different name,' she added.

Parents can 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 has received four consumer complaints of bacterial infections related to the recalled formulas, with one death reported in the US. It did not reveal any information on the death or in which state the infant died.

The agency said one of the cases involved salmonella and three involved Cronobacter sakazakiim, a rare but dangerous germ that can cause fever, diarrhea and urinary infections, and if severe, could lead to sepsis and brain swelling (meningitis).

Babies two-months and younger are more likely to develop far more serious complications. The agency also recommends parents using liquid baby formula, which is specifically made to be sterile.

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

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

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.

'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.

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.

'As part of Abbott's quality processes, all infant formula products are tested for Cronobacter sakazakii, Salmonella and other pathogens, and they must test negative before any product is released. No distributed product from our Sturgis, Mich., facility has tested positive for the presence of either Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella,' the company said.

Abbott could not specify how many units the recall includes, but brands like Similac are among the best-selling formulas in the US 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 father of a reporter shot dead by a disgruntled ex-colleague during a live broadcast is trying to turn the clip into a non-fungible token (NFT) as a Hail Mary effort to remove it from the internet.

Andy Parker, whose 24-year-old daughter Alison Parker was killed in 2015, has taken multiple approaches to scrub the video from social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube, where it has garnered thousands of views and is still being shared six years later.

He hopes claiming ownership of the video as an NFT will potentially give him more power against big tech companies allowing the videos circulation, calling the move an act of desperation when he exhausted most other methods, he told the Washington Post.

The 17-second clip, filmed by Alison Parkers cameraman Adam Ward, 27, began with a light-hearted segment for local Virginia station WDBJ-TV that turned deadly when former co-worker Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, shot them dead and went on the run before committing suicide.

Andy Parker (above right), whose daughter Alison Parker (left) was killed on live TV in 2015, is trying to turn the clip into a non-fungible token (NFT)

Parker hopes the move will allow him to finally scrub the video from social media, where it is still being shared six years later

Parker created an NFT of the footage aired on WDBJ-TV in December on the crypto asset app Rarible

The footage shows the look of horror on Parker's face as gunshots ring out and the camera falls to the floor, revealing the killer standing over Ward, pointing a gun at him. A producer finally cut the feed broadcasting the ambush on live TV, returning to the stunned news anchor back in the studio.

Flanagan, a former general assignment reporter at the network, also filmed his attack using a GoPro and uploaded it that day on social media. It shows his arm outstretched in front of him pointing a gun before opening fire as Parker tries to flee before being shot.

Gardner was also shot and injured in the attack but survived.

Facebook and YouTube said they have taken down thousands of videos users have shared of the murder. Parker said he has also been given assurances from top executives that all copies of the footage would be removed.

Parker, 68, acknowledged that his effort to turn the clip into an NFT puts him in uncharted waters, but told the Washington Post that in lieu of co-copyright, this is the only thing that we can do.

Alison Parker, 24, and her cameraman colleague Adam Ward, 27, (pictured together) were shot dead live on air by their former coworker Vester Lee Flanagan II in 2015

Parker has made several attempts to take the footage off social media and called his NFT move an act of desperation when he exhausted most other methods

An NFT, short for non-fungible token, is a unique digital token encrypted with an artist's signature and which verifies its ownership and authenticity.

NFTs can represent ownership of digital assets, including images, video, music, trading cards, cryptocurrency wallet names and even land within online virtual worlds.

Recently, nearly 20 posts were up on Facebook that contained a version of the shooting footage either from Wards camera or the gunman himself, according to a review from the Washington Post.

Engagement on the videos ranged from a few hundred to tens of thousands of views, with one post racking in over 115,000 views and over 1,000 likes since being posted on August 2015. Facebook removed all 20 posts when they were flagged by The Washington Post.

'We remain committed to removing violent footage filmed by Alison Parkers murderer, and we rigorously enforce our policies using a combination of machine learning technology and human review,' YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon told the news outlet in a statement.

YouTubes policies include banning young users from watching graphic content instead of removing videos if they contain sufficient educational material, such as news broadcasts, the spokesperson added.

Facebook bans all content depicting a shooting from any angle, with no exceptions, Meta spokesperson Jen Ridings told the Washington Post.

'Weve removed thousands of videos depicting this tragedy since 2015, and continue to proactively remove more,' Ridings added and said that they 'encourage people to continue reporting this content.'

Despite their internal policies and Parkers requests to remove the videos, social media companies are protected from lawsuits over graphic content on their platforms through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

Copyright of the footage currently belongs to WDBJ-TV's parent company Gray Television, which refused to hand it over

Kevin Latek, Gray Televisions chief legal officer, told the Washington Post that the murder itself happened off screen

But Parker could sue platforms allowing the videos circulation if it infringes on copyrighted material, which experts say is the best course of action for Parker to remove the videos.

'For victims of horrific images being distributed on the Internet generally, unfortunately and inappropriately copyright does end up being an effective tool,' Adam Massey, a partner at C.A. Goldberg, PLLC  the law firm that advised Parker  told the Washington Post.

In the early days, there were folks, mostly women, who were having to register their copyrights of their nudes with the government to try and get them taken off websites. Part of the logic is that, if you have the copyright, you can more effectively advocate with the platforms for their removal, Massey added.

Lenny Pozner, whose son Noah Pozner was murdered in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, has filed hundreds of copyright claims to scrub photos of his son from websites that were spreading conspiracy theories about the massacre.

Copyright of the footage of Alison Parkers murder that aired on WDBJ currently belongs to the news stations parent company Gray Television, which has refused to hand ownership of the video to Parker.

Kevin Latek, Gray Televisions chief legal officer, told the Washington Post that the murder itself happened off screen and the video does not show the assailant or the shootings during the horrific incident.

Latek added that the Gray Company has repeatedly offered to provide Mr. Parker with the additional copyright license to demand social media platforms remove the shooting footage if it is being used inappropriately.

The shared license also includes a partnership with Pozners HONR network, a nonprofit he created to assist victims of harassment and hate online.

'By doing so, we enabled the HONR Network to flag the video for removal from platforms like YouTube and Facebook,' Latek said.

But Parker and his legal advisers say that the usage license doesnt give them enough power to force social media companies to remove any footage when they see it.

Parker went around Gray Television by using the license to create an NFT of the footage in December on the crypto asset app Rarible.

Flanagan pictured holding an automatic gun in a gun shop. He took to Twitter to air his grievances against the reporter and cameraman after ambushing them

Flanagan went on the run before turning the gun on himself as police tracked him down. His car is pictured above after he was located around five hours after the shooting

'While we have provided usage licenses to third parties, those usage licenses do not and never have allowed them to turn our content into NFTs, Latek, who was not aware of Parkers NFT, told the Washington Post.

Following the news outlets report on the issue on Tuesday, Rarible temporarily blocked access to Parkers NFT without explanation.

The app said on its website that it will 'immediately remove' content that might violate copyright laws and may temporarily block or hide an NFT when a digital asset violates copyright laws, regulations or community guidelines which Rarible abides by.

Amid the row over ownership of the clip, Latek claimed that Parker made false statements about Gray Television and left 'threatening and harassing voicemails for Gray Television employees at all levels,' he told the Washington Post.

Gray Television has also hired Breakwater Strategy, a communications firm, to work on any issues pertaining to Parker.

Even if Parker had ownership of the footage owned by Gray Television, however, his copyright wouldnt cover any posts sharing the footage take by the shooter himself.

Four months ago, Parker filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to hold Meta accountable for still allowing the video to circulate on its platforms. He accused the company of profiting from the footage of his daughter's murder.

'Posting content, violent content and murder on social media is not free speech, it's savagery,' he said in October 2021.

'And as you all know, Alison's murder shared on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube is just one of the egregious practices that are undermining the fabric of our society.'

'The reality is that Facebook and Instagram put the onus on victims and their families to do the policing of graphic content - requiring them to relive their worst moments over and over to curb the proliferation of these videos,' Parker said in the complaint, filed by Parker and attorneys with the Georgetown Law Civil Rights Clinic.

The complaint said Facebook is engaging in deceptive trade practices by violating its own terms of service and misrepresenting the safety of the platform and how hard it is for users to get harmful content removed.

Parker also said he 'cannot stand the thought that videos of his daughter's murder are being used to promote dangerous conspiracy theories, for monetary gain, or simply for pleasure or shock value.'

At the time of the shooting, conspiracy theorists shared the footage claiming it was a hoax.

Parker also listed reforming social media as one of his priorities when he said late last month that he will run as a Democrat in Virginia's 5th District against Republican freshman Congressman Bob Good.

'This district is not being represented the way it should be,' Parker told CBS News late last month.

'Since Alison was killed, I've always tried to honor her life through action. Given the atmosphere we face right now, this is the time to jump in and make a difference.'

Parker has become a huge advocate for gun control, in addition to rallying to reform laws like Section 230. He said he wanted to take his fight for social media reform to Congress after exhausting his options as a private citizen.

'It's tough for anybody, for one out of four hundred plus members to do anything. But I think I've got a better chance at pushing that issue,' he said.

Parker said he is is 'absolutely prepared' for his daughter's murder to be brought up during his run.

'Nothing that they can do or say compares to losing your child, to losing your hopes and dreams,' he said. 'There's no candidate that I'm aware of running for Congress that has a running mate. Well, I do. And she's going to be with me every step of the way.'
An amendment proposed to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill that would have required schools to tell students' families that they identified as LGBTQ within six weeks was pulled on Tuesday.

The amendment, proposed by Republican Rep. Joe Harding on Friday, was withdrawn from the controversial bill that has been criticized by LGBTQ groups and President Joe Biden as 'dangerous,' 'deeply bigoted' and 'hateful.'

Republican lawmakers in the Sunshine State are working to pass a bill that bans discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in state public schools from kindergarten through fifth grade. It also encourages parents to sue school districts that promote talking about such issues.

The GOP-controlled committee in the state Legislature approved the original version later Tuesday after the amendment was pulled. The bill now continues its way through the Florida State House, with a full floor vote in the chamber expected Thursday.

Opponents have dubbed it the Don't Say Gay bill, and fear it will cause irreparable harm to LGBTQ kids' mental health.

Supporters gather for a Safe Schools South Florida & Friends rally to push back against the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill on Tuesday

Florida State Representative Joe Harding

Carlos G. Smith, Florida's first LGBTQ Latino legislator, tweeted that the amendment 'deliberately puts LGBTQ youth in harms' way.'

The original bill says that school official didn't have to out kids to parents if there was a belief that being outed would lead to children being abused or abandoned.

The amendment would have gotten rid of that stipulation, requiring schools to let parents know if a kid comes out within six weeks.

The amendment claimed to be setting up a protocol to encourage a discussion between parents and students in a safe environment, but removed protections for students who would have potentially been subject to abuse, abandonment or neglect by their families.

The White House went on the offensive against the bill in early February, slamming Florida Republican lawmakers and further fueling tensions between the Biden administration and Governor Ron DeSantis.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki weighed in on the legislation during a briefing shortly after the state legislature approved the measure.

'Every parent, as one myself too, hopes that our leaders will ensure their children's safety, protection and freedom, and today conservative politicians in Florida rejected those basic values,' Psaki said at her daily briefing.

Biden followed suit with a scathing rebuke on Tuesday evening.

President Joe Biden rebuked the bill himself, further fueling the divide between himself and Florida's Republican state leadership

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled that he is willing to sign the bill into law

'I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community -- especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill -- to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are,' the president said.

'I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve.'

Detractors say the wording is vague and would lead to a chilling effect on all speech or instruction involving LGBTQ matters, while supporters warn that teachers may be 'inculcating' students with ideas their parents may not want them to be exposed to.

DeSantis has signaled that he would be willing to sign the bill if it came to his desk.

Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma have similar laws currently on the books.
Caddick skipped town with $30million belonging to her close friends and family

Koletti, 39, says authorities are 'villainising' him, like they 'villainised' his wife

Melissa Caddick's husband will contest a restraining order taken out to protect an investigator probing his conwoman wife's mysterious disappearance.

Anthony Koletti represented himself when the matter was briefly mentioned on Wednesday at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court.

When asked by a magistrate if he accepted an apprehended violence order being put in place, Mr Koletti said: 'I don't, Your Honour'.

Police filed the application for the AVO on February 8 on behalf of Isabella Allen, the 28-year-old woman at the helm of an ASIC investigation into Caddick.

Caddick, 49, was wanted by police after she skipped town in November 2020 with $30million of her clients' life-savings, until she was declared dead four months later when her decaying foot drifted ashore 400km south of her home in Sydney.

Mr Koletti, 39, says he received a warning by police in August last year after he sent Ms Allen four texts requesting that she return a computer server seized by regulators - but claims he hasn't contacted her since.

'I have no idea why they would be taking an AVO out, I guess it's ASIC just throwing their weight around to try and make me look like some kind of villain,' previously told The Australian.

Anthony Koletti, husband of millionaire fraudster Melissa Caddick (pictured together), hit with a restraining order

Anthony Koletti (pictured) claims he and his fraudster wife are being 'villainised' by authorities

'They're villainising my wife and now they villainising me, that's what this world's come to. It's just ridiculous.'

Mr Koletti was also adamant that he hadn't been in contact with anyone from ASIC for months.

'I haven't contacted them in, my god like, at least six months ago, maybe eight months ago. It's been ages. It's just ridiculous,' he said.

There were no conditions listed on the apprehended violence order, but police indicated they would apply for conditions before the matter was listed in court on Wednesday.

AVO conditions can stop defendants from approaching or contacting the protected person and being within a certain distance of their home or workplace.

Caddick, 49, (pictured with Koletti) was wanted by police after she skipped town in November 2020 with $30million of her clients' life-savings

The family of conwoman Melissa Caddick (pictured) has been informed her exotic cars, luxury properties and expensive jewellery will be sold off

Mr Koletti has repeatedly claimed his wife is not a conwoman, despite the mountain of evidence stacked against her.

Justice Brigitte Markovic ruled on November 22 that Caddick had provided unlicensed financial advice between 2012 and 2020 under the Maliver banner.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has been trying to recover some of the live savings her 72 clients poured into the scam, which funded her lavish lifestyle.

Investors were scammed out of about $30million before ASIC cottoned onto the racket.

Justice Brigitte Markovic ordered Maliver should be wound down, with what is left of the company to be divvied up among those who are owed money.

The ruling also meant Mr Koletti would be booted out of his missing wife's $6.2million home.

A blue 2016 Audi R8 coupe (pictured) and a black 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 wagon belonging to Caddick have been sold at auction by Pickles for $295,000 and $66,250 respectively

As an ASIC investigation closed in on her $30million scam, Caddick left her luxury $6.2million Dover Heights home in Sydney's eastern suburbs (pictured) for a dawn run and vanished

Justice Markovic ruled Caddick bought the property with investors' money in 2014.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Koletti is in any way responsible for Caddick's fraudulent conduct or had any knowledge of it.

Caddick's family was told late last year her exotic cars, luxury properties and jewellery would be sold off to help repay her victims, many of whom were friends and relatives.

A blue 2016 Audi R8 coupe and a black 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 wagon have been sold at auction by Pickles for $295,000 and $66,250 respectively.

The AVO will be back in court on March 3.
Zaharie Ahmad Shah (pictured) was the pilot of the doomed flight

DID THE PILOT HIJACK HIS OWN PLANE?

Pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah planned mass murder because of personal problems, locking his co-pilot out of the cockpit, closing down all communications, depressurising the main cabin and then disabling the aircraft so that it continued flying on auto-pilot until it ran out of fuel.

That was the popular theory in the weeks after the plane's disappearance.

His personal problems, rumours in Kuala Lumpur said, included a split with his wife Fizah Khan, and his fury that a relative, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, had been given a five-year jail sentence for sodomy shortly before he boarded the plane for the flight to Beijing.

But the pilot's wife angrily denied any personal problems and other family members and his friends said he was a devoted family man and loved his job.

This theory was also the conclusion of the first independent study into the disaster by the New Zealand-based air accident investigator, Ewan Wilson.

Wilson, the founder of Kiwi Airlines and a commercial pilot himself, arrived at the shocking conclusion after considering 'every conceivable alternative scenario'.

However, he has not been able to provide any conclusive evidence to support his theory.

The claims are made in the book 'Goodnight Malaysian 370', which Wilson co-wrote with the New Zealand broadsheet journalist, Geoff Taylor.

It's also been rumoured that Zaharie used a flight simulator at his home to plot a path to a remote island.

However, officials in Kuala Lumpur declared that Malaysian police and the FBI's technical experts had found nothing to suggest he was planning to hijack the flight after closely examining his flight simulator.

And there are also theories that t he tragic disappearance may have been a heroic act of sacrifice by the pilot.

Australian aviation enthusiast Michael Gilbert believes the doomed plane caught fire mid-flight, forcing the pilot to plot a course away from heavily populated areas.

IF NOT THE PILOT, WAS THE CO-PILOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MYSTERY?

Co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, again for personal problems, was suspected by rumour-spreaders to have overpowered the pilot and disabled the aircraft, flying it to its doom with crew and passengers unable to get through the locked cockpit door.

Theorists have put forward the suggestion that he was having relationship problems and this was his dramatic way of taking his own life.

But he was engaged to be married to Captain Nadira Ramli, 26, a fellow pilot from another airline, and loved his job. There are no known reasons for him to have taken any fatal action.

There have been a series of outlandish theories about the disappearance of the plane

Others have suggested that because he was known to have occasionally invited young women into the cockpit during a flight, he had done so this time and something had gone wrong.

Young Jonti Roos said in March that she spent an entire flight in 2011 in the cockpit being entertained by Hamid, who was smoking.

Interest in the co-pilot was renewed when it was revealed he was the last person to communicate from the cockpit after the communication system was cut off.

DID THE RUSSIANS STEAL MH370 AND FLY THE JET TO KAZAKHSTAN

An expert has claimed the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 was hijacked on the orders of Vladimir Putin and secretly landed in Kazakhstan.

Jeff Wise, a U.S. science writer who spearheaded CNN's coverage of the Boeing 777-200E, has based his outlandish theory on pings that the plane gave off for seven hours after it went missing, that were recorded by British telecommunications company Inmarsat.

Wise believes that hijackers 'spoofed' the plane's navigation data to make it seem like it went in another direction, but flew it to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is leased from Kazakhstan by Russia.

However, Wise admits in New York Magazine that he does not know why Vladimir Putin would want to steal a plane full of people and that his idea is somewhat 'crazy'.

Wise also noted there were three Russian men onboard the flight, two of them Ukrainian passport holders.

Aviation disaster experts analysed satellite data and discovered - like the data recorded by Inmarsat - that the plane flew on for hours after losing contact.

Careful examination of the evidence has revealed that MH370 made three turns after the last radio call, first a turn to the left, then two more, taking the plane west, then south towards Antarctica.

MH370 WAS USED BY TERRORISTS FOR A SUICIDE ATTACK ON THE CHINESE NAVY

This extraordinary claim came from 41-year-old British yachtsman Katherine Tee, from Liverpool, whose initial account of seeing what she thought was a burning plane in the night sky made headlines around the world.

On arrival in Thailand's Phuket after sailing across the Indian Ocean from Cochin, southern India with her husband, she said: 'I could see the outline of the plane - it looked longer than planes usually do.There was what appeared to be black smoke streaming from behind.'

Ms Tee's general description of the time and place was vague and she lost all credibility when she later stated on her blog that she believed MH370 was a kamikaze plane that was aimed at a flotilla of Chinese ships and it was shot down before it could smash into the vessels.

Without solid proof of the satellite data, she wrote on her blog, Saucy Sailoress, the plane she saw was flying at low altitude towards the military convoy she and her husband had seen on recent nights. She added that internet research showed a Chinese flotilla was in the area at the time.

While the debris proved the plane went down in the Indian Ocean, the location of the main underwater wreckage  and its crucial black box data recorders  remains stubbornly elusive.

THE JET LANDED ON THE WATER AND WAS SEEN FLOATING ON THE ANDAMAN SEA

On a flight from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur that crossed over the Andaman Sea on March 8, Malaysian woman Raja Dalelah, 53, saw what she believed was a plane sitting on the water's surface.

She didn't know about the search that had been started for MH370. She alerted a stewardess who told her to go back to sleep.

'I was shocked to see what looked like the tail and wing of an aircraft on the water,' she said.

It was only when she told her friends on landing in Kuala Lumpur what she had seen that she learned of the missing jet. She had seen the object at about 2.30pm Malaysian time.

She said she had been able to identify several ships and islands before noticing the silver object that she said was a plane.

But her story was laughed off by pilots who said it would have been impossible to have seen part of an aircraft in the water from 35,000ft or seven miles.

Ms Raja filed an official report with police the same day and has kept to her story.

'I know what I saw,' she said.

THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC SYSTEMS FAILURE AND CRASH-LANDED ON THE OCEAN

A catastrophic event such as a fire disabling much of the equipment resulted in the pilots turning the plane back towards the Malaysian peninsula in the hope of landing at the nearest airport.

Satellite data, believable or not, suggests the aircraft did make a turn and theorists say there would be no reason for the pilots to change course unless confronted with an emergency.

A fire in a similar Boeing 777 jet parked at Cairo airport in 2011 was found to have been caused by a problem with the first officer's oxygen mask supply tubing.

Stewarts Law, which has litigated in a series of recent air disasters, believes the plane crashed after a fire - similar to the blaze on the Cairo airport runway - broke out in the cockpit.

After an investigation into the Cairo blaze, Egypt's Aircraft Accident Investigation Central Directorate (EAAICD) released their final report which revealed that the fire originated near the first officer's oxygen mask supply tubing.

The cause of the fire could not be conclusively determined, but investigators pinpointed a problem with the cockpit hose used to provide oxygen for the crew in the event of decompression.

Following the 2011 fire, US aircraft owners were instructed to replace the system - it was estimated to cost $2,596 (1,573) per aircraft. It was not known whether Malaysia Airlines had carried out the change.

If either pilot wanted to crash the plane, why turn it around? So the turn-around suggests they were trying to land as soon as possible because of an emergency.

THE US SHOT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT FEARING A TERROR ATTACK ON DIEGO GARCIA

The Boeing 777 was shot down by the Americans who feared the aircraft had been hijacked and was about to be used to attack the U.S. military base on Diego Garcia atoll in the Indian Ocean. So conspiracy theorists claim.

And former French airline director Marc Dugain said he had been warned by British intelligence that he was taking risks by investigating this angle.

There is no way of checking whether Dugain received such a warning or why he believes the Americans shot down the plane.

But adding to the theory that the aircraft was flown to Diego Garcia, either by the pilot Zaharie or a hijacker, was the claim that on the pilot's home flight simulator was a 'practice' flight to the island.

Professor Glees said: 'The Americans would have no interest in doing anything of the kind and not telling the world.

'In theory, they might wish to shoot down a plane they thought was attacking them but they wouldn't just fire missiles, they'd investigate it first with fighters and would quickly realise that even if it had to be shot down, the world would need to know.'
From left, actors Kim Mu-yeol, Kim Hye-soo, Lee Jung-eun and Lee Sung-min pose during an online press conference for the new Netflix series "Juvenile Justice," Tuesday. Courtesy of Netflix



By Lee Gyu-lee



Netflix's upcoming courtroom series "Juvenile Justice" will spotlight the social issues surrounding juvenile delinquency, according to the director.



"Previously, I only ever heard about issues regarding juvenile offenders from the news or media. But this series has given me a chance to look more closely into them," the series' director and creator Hong Jong-chan said during an online press conference, Tuesday.



"Young offenders are not the only ones responsible for their issues. I believe it also has to do with the fundamental problems of society."



Directed by Hong, whose previous work includes the subtle, heartfelt series "Dear My Friends" (2016), the new drama revolves around four judges at a juvenile court  played by actors Kim Hye-soo, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min and Lee Jung-eun  tackling complex cases with their own beliefs and perspectives. It is written by newcomer writer Kim Min-seok.



The director noted that he intended for the story to provide full and impartial views of the issues.



"I felt that I should unfold the series' story with an even hand. It's not about speaking for one particular side or presenting answers to the issues. But rather, I wanted to offer balanced opinions with diverse perspectives," he said, adding that the series will touch on domestic and social problems as the root of the issues.





A scene from the series "Juvenile Justice" / Courtesy of Netflix
An Australian woman has been filmed shouting horrific racial abuse at an Asian shop worker.

The vile footage taken in Lismore, in north-eastern NSW shows the worker confronting the woman who then unleashes in a foul-mouth tirade.

'You f**k off out of our country!' she is heard yelling as the employee gives up and returns to the counter.

'You can't speak Australian and think you can f**king sell food to people, who the f**k are you!'

'Go back to where you f**king come from.'

She then starts mouthing off the alphabet, telling the worker he needed to learn English while her male companion ordered her to leave.

'Everybody know English!' she said mocking the man's accent, to which the worker told her to 'go f**k yourself'.

A woman was seen racially abusing a shop worker in Lismore, in northern NSW

'You go f**k yourself! Wanker!' the woman yelled out before getting into a man's car and driving off.

The woman has been widely criticised for her abusive rant after the footage surfaced on social media.

'People like this make me sick to my stomach,' one wrote.

'No one should put up with that display of racism. Says a lot for her morals,' wrote another.

'The Bogan gene is strong in this one, what a disgusting performance,' a comment read.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Police for comment.
Liz Truss yesterday urged Britons to flee Ukraine while commercial airlines are still offering direct flights to the UK.

The Foreign Secretary tweeted: 'The safety and security of British nationals in Ukraine is our top priority.

'All Brits should leave now via commercial routes while they are still available.

Liz Truss (pictured) yesterday urged Britons to flee Ukraine while commercial airlines are still offering direct flights to the UK

'We are bolstering our teams in the region to support British people as they leave and once they have crossed the border.'

The Foreign Office has been advising against travel to Ukraine for more than a week.

Transport Secretary Mr Shapps said last night: 'It's very important British nationals take note of the Foreign Office advice that they should leave the area, they should leave Ukraine in fact, while commercial options still exist.'

Three airlines fly direct between the UK and Ukraine  Wizz Air, Ryanair and Ukraine International Airlines. All were still offering flights yesterday.

Transport Secretary Mr Shapps (pictured) said last night: 'It's very important British nationals take note of the Foreign Office advice that they should leave the area

Government sources said a no-fly zone had not been discussed but could not be ruled out.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's boss, said last week: 'Is it our duty and obligation... to support the people of Ukraine as long as there is no war or missiles flying there.'

But European airlines including Air France and Germany's Lufthansa have already suspended flights to and from Ukraine.

Latvian airline airBaltic has also halted its overnight flights to and from Ukraine.

Last month there were around 98 flights to Ukraine from the UK.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said 'rapid deployment teams' are being sent to Poland, Moldova, Lithuania and Slovakia to provide consular support to British nationals who leave Ukraine.

Latvian airline airBaltic has also halted its overnight flights to and from Ukraine. Pictured, a stock photo of an airBaltic plane in Riga, Latvia, in 2020

The Foreign Office has been advising against travel to Ukraine for more than a week

Foreign Office advice for more than a week has been not to travel to Ukraine.

The advice warns: 'In the event of a military incursion, it is likely that commercial routes out of Ukraine will be severely disrupted and roads across Ukraine could be closed.'

A Wizz Air spokesman said: 'Wizz Air continues to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine.

'Currently, we have not made any changes to our schedule and all of our flights to/from Ukraine continue to operate as normal.

'All passengers with booked flights to and from Ukraine are advised to regularly check their mailboxes for further information about booked flights.'

Any withdrawal from the Ukraine market will be a blow, as Ryanair was targeting a four-fold expansion in the country in 2022, from 1million to 4million passengers.
Australia has joined Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia after Vladimir Putin rolled tanks into Ukraine.

Scott Morrison said Australia 'stands up to bullies' as he announced the sanctions following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning.

He warned that Russia could launch a 'full-scale invasion' within 24 hours said it may retaliate to sanctions with cyber attacks on Australia.

'They are behaving like thugs and bullies and they should be called out as thugs and bullies,' Mr Morrison said of the Russian Government.

Russian artillery pieces are pictured in Rostov-on-Don, on the Russian side of the Ukrainian border, on Tuesday - as Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to advance on to Ukrainian territory

'The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun. This invasion is unjustified, it's unwarranted, it's unprovoked and it's unacceptable,' he said.

'Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia.'

Travel bans and financial sanctions will be imposed on eight members of Russia's national security council.

There will also be sanctions on transport, energy, telecommunications, oil, gas and mineral reserves and banks in two provinces of Ukraine which are controlled by Russian separatists.

Putin is thought to have moved thousands of troops into rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine on Tuesday (dark red area on the map), but there are fears he will try to seize control of the wider regions that separatists lay claim to (lighter shade area)

President Putin on Monday night signed a decree recognising the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic as sovereign states and ordered his forces to enter to 'keep the peace'.

Videos showed a column of vehicles rolling through Donetsk in the early hours, including tanks, armored troop carriers and trucks.

Insignia were not visible, but there was little doubt they were Russian forces deployed on Putin's orders. Russia officially denied sending any troops, saying a decision on deploying will be made in response to 'threats'.

Western allies fear a full-scale invasion of Ukraine - which President Putin described as 'ancient Russian lands' in a speech on Monday.

'This is only the start of this process,' Mr Morrison said after he joined the US, EU, UK, Japan and other allies in imposing sanctions.

'We are working with our partners to identify additional individuals who will be subject to the sanctions that have been made possible by our autonomous sanctions legislation.

'What's being aimed at the people of Ukraine is unacceptable and won't be stood for by the international community.

'And all nations who want to stand up to bullies should do so now as so many have done, and Australia as always is pleased to be doing that.'

Mr Morrison was pictured with Mr Putin at the G20 in Argentina in 2018

It is thought more than 10,000 Russian troops have now moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, with videos revealing columns of tanks rolling through the streets in the early hours.

Putin denied that Russia has already sent in troops but vowed that he will 'fulfil its obligations' if necessary.

He also issued a fresh list of demands to Ukraine - calling on Kiev to drop its NATO bid, declare neutrality, 'demilitarize', and negotiate directly with separatists. It is expected the demands will be rejected out of hand.

US President Joe Biden announced he was moving additional American troops, fighter jets and helicopters to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on NATO's eastern flank as a defensive move and imposing heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs.

On Tuesday Mr Morrison urged President Putin to withdraw his order to send troops into Ukraine.

Speaking on the campaign trail in Tasmania on Tuesday morning, Mr Morrison said the suggestion these troops would enter to keep peace was 'nonsense'.

This handout video grab released by the Russian Defence Ministry on February 21, 2022, shows bombing during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at a firing range near Brest

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a document recognising the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Monday

'Russia should step back. It should unconditionally withdraw, back behind its own borders and stop threatening its neighbours,' he said.

Referring to Russia's 2008 war with Georgia, he said: 'We've seen this behaviour before and seeking to take opportunity to threaten a neighbour for their own advantage is just simply not on.

'Is unacceptable, it's unprovoked, it's unwarranted, and Russia should understand that by seeking to invade another country, that this cannot advantage them and it would seriously and significantly cost Russia.

Mr Morrison said he hopes for a peaceful solution but warned that Australia will support the West in imposing sanctions on Russia.

'I can assure you that the moment that other countries put in place strong and severe sanctions, on Russia, we will be in lockstep with them,' he said.

Mr Putin has been building up troops on the Ukrainian border since November. He fears the pro-European Ukrainian government will join the anti-Russian alliance NATO and wants to prevent this.

Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991 and Mr Putin describes it as 'historical Russia'.
Low income renters who were to be booted out of their home when the government bought their building have been spared after public outcry.

The Queensland Housing Department bought the nine units on Brighton Street in Biggera Waters, on the Gold Coast, for $3.45m on November 11, 2021.

Tenants of the building are aged between their 40s and 80s and mostly living on low income.

The Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy bought a building of nine units on Brighton Street in Biggera Waters, Gold Coast, for $3.45m on November 11, 2021 and reportedly told tenants their leases would not be renewed

Tenants were on six-month leases and claimed they received letter from the government informing them their leases would not be renewed as the building was to be turned into social housing.

A source told the Courier Mail tenants were deeply distressed by the news as they were unable to find other accommodation.

'Nearly all of them are on low incomes, long-term residents and stand little chance of finding affordable replacement rental properties in the current climate,' they said.

'My friend who lives there and is being evicted, can't find anything, is worried sick, can't sleep and is likely to be homeless soon.'

The average rent per week for a unit in Biggera Waters rose 16.2 per cent last year to $521, a sizable difference to the $400 paid by the unit residents.

Fortunately Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch told her department on Tuesday to 'immediately halt' action against the unit residents and will work closely with them

One tenant told the Bulletin his neighbour made plans to move states because she couldn't find a home in the area.

'My next door neighbour, she got to the point where she threw out all her furniture because she was moving down to NSW,' he said.

'She was in tears. On a scale of one to 10 of how upset she was, she was on 10.'

Another tenant said she was also unable to find a place to live.

'I don't know where I'll go. I'm looking every day, I apply, but I either don't get to inspect, the price is too high or it's in very bad condition,' she said.

After public outrage, Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch told her department on Tuesday to 'immediately halt' action against the residents.

Ms Enoch said she was 'extremely concerned' by reports of the situation and said her department would work to help the individual tenants.
President Joe Biden has interviewed three of his top candidates for the Supreme Court, according to a person familiar with the matter, and the White House is reiterating that he remains on track to make a final selection by Monday.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that Biden has not made a decision on whom to nominate.

But the president has interviewed judges Ketanji Brown Jackson, J. Michelle Childs and Leondra Kruger, according to a person familiar with the matter. A second person familiar said Biden had interviewed at least three candidates for the post. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the internal process.

Biden has pledged to nominate the first black woman to the high court by the end of the month to fill the vacancy being created by the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer. It was not clear whether any additional candidates have been interviewed by the president.

Psaki declined to discuss whether Biden had conducted interviews but insisted the president was 'on track' to make the selection despite rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Jackson was nominated by President Barack Obama to be a district court judge. Biden elevated her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Early in her career, she was also a law clerk for Breyer.

Childs, a federal judge in South Carolina, has been nominated but not yet confirmed to serve on the same circuit court. Her name has surfaced partly because she is a favorite among some high-profile lawmakers, including Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.

U.S. District Judge J. Michelle Childs (left) and Leondra Kruger, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, right, were two of the three candidates President Biden has interviewed to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the bench

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated by President Barack Obama to be a district court judge. Biden elevated her to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Early in her career, she was also a law clerk for Breyer

Kruger, a graduate of Harvard and Yales law school, was previously a Supreme Court clerk and has argued a dozen cases before the justices as a lawyer for the federal government before becoming a justice on the California Supreme Court.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is signaling he wants a fair fight over Bidens pick, discouraging those within his GOP ranks who are eager to interject a broader debate over race into the confirmation process.

Speaking Tuesday in Kentucky, McConnell distanced himself from GOP senators and others who have criticized Biden for declaring his intent to nominate a Black woman.

'I heard a couple of people say they thought it was inappropriate for the president to announce he was going to put an African American woman on the court. Honestly, I did not think that was inappropriate,' McConnell said.

The GOP leader drew on history to remind people that former presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump both promised to put women on the court -- when Reagan tapped Sandra Day OConnor as the first female justice and Trump chose Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 'Im not complaining about that,' McConnell said.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz is among the critics of Biden's pledge to nominate a black woman to the bench, saying it is 'racist' and could be 'illegal'.

More to the point, Republicans are unable to stop Bidens pick in the 50-50 Senate where Democrats have the majority with Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote.

They want to allow the confirmation process to unfold without self-inflicted political drama so they can resume challenging the president on their preferred topics of the economy and the administrations handling of COVID-19.

Republicans believe one way to show voters how they would govern is by drawing a contrast between this court battle and the controversy that exploded around Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation, when the Trump nominee was accused of sexual assault, a claim he denied. Republicans believe Senate Democrats suffered with voters after those highly politicized public confirmation hearings.

'This confirmation will not occur like that,' McConnell said. He said he expects a confirmation process that Americans can be proud of. 'We believe a Supreme Court nominee ought to be respectfully treated, thoroughly vetted and then voted upon.'

The three candidates Biden has interviewed for the vacant SCOTUS position With 83-year-old Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement, President Joe Biden now has the change to make history by nominating the first ever black, female Justice to the highest U.S. court. Here are the three contenders at the top of the president's list: D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Biden already elevated Jackson last year from her previous post as a judge on the federal district court in Washington, D.C., where she remained from 2013-2021. Jackson now serves as a circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit  arguably the second most powerful federal court in the country. Jackson, 51, earned her law degree from Harvard and, fittingly, clerked for Breyer. She is also married to the brother-in-law of former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. She has two daughters with her husband Patrick Jackson, whom she married in 1996. During her time as a judge, Jackson has ruled on many high profile cases. She was part of the decision to order former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn to comply with the House of Representatives' subpoena as part of its impeachment inquiry into then-President Donald Trump.One line in the ruling impressed Democrats: 'The primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings.' Jackson also signed the recent opinion ordering Trump White House documents be disclosed to the January 6 select committee. California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger Kruger served under President Barack Obama as acting Principal Deputy Solicitor General from May 2010- June 2011 where she argued 12 cases in front of the Supreme Court. During her time at the Department of Justice, Kruger earned in both 2013 and 2014 the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service, which is the agency's highest employee award. The 45-year-old judge clerked for late Justice John Paul Stevens who served on the Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010 and died in 2019. She was also the youngest person appointed to the California Supreme Court when then-Governor Jerry Brown nominated her in 2014, where she still sits as an associate judge. On this court, Kruger has authored a few notable opinions, including banning law enforcement from searching a woman's purse without a warrant. Kruger also upheld a California law requiring law enforcement to collect DNA samples and fingerprints from people arrested or convicted of felony offenses. South Carolina US District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs Childs, 55, reportedly has the backing of Biden-ally House Majority Whip James Clyburn to replace Breyer. The U.S. District Court of South Carolina judge was nominated last month by Biden to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, nut the nomination is still pending. With a South Carolina School of Law degree, Child doesn't have the Ivy League education that eight of the nine current justices hold  a breath of fresh air that advocates for her nomination tout as an advantage in making the Democratic party appear less elitist. Child spent a decade in private practice and as a state court trial judge in the South Carolina Circuit. Also in her tenure she was deputy director of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and commissioner on the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission. Advertisement

Biden has pledged to nominate the first black woman to the high court by the end of the month to fill the vacancy being created by the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer
A warning has been issued to parents over the risk of stranger danger after a man gave Cadbury Freddo Frogs to a group of children.

The small group of children from Ultimo Public School, in Sydney had been playing during recess when the stranger approached them last Thursday.

Some children ate the chocolates, but one reported the incident to the school, prompting staff immediately to notify police, who arrived to check CCTV footage.

The famous Freddo Frogs were used to lure children during their recess at an Ultimo school

Parents told 7 News they had been notified by the school of the matter, who said they were taking 'precautions to ensure it doesn't happen again,' including repeating the 'Safe People, Safe Places' policy to students.

The policy includes messaging for children to 'learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help' and 'don't talk to people you don't know and never get into a car with someone you don't know'.

Parents were also asked to reinforce the stranger danger message at home.

Parents of kids at the school were encouraged to remind their children of stranger danger

NSW Police said officers from Sydney City Police Area Command had commenced an investigation following the report that a man approached a school and handed students chocolates on February 17.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sydney City Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Former President Donald Trump claimed 'China's going to be next' to launch an attack on Taiwan, emboldened by Vladimir Putin's aggression towards Ukraine because of the feckless leadership of Joe Biden.

The former president said that Putin's 'genius' move to send so-called peacekeepers to Ukraine would never have happened were he in the White House, adding: 'Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened.'

Speaking on Tuesday to The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Trump said that Putin's move had emboldened China's president, Xi Jinping.

'China's going to be next,' he told the podcast.

'You know, China is gonna '

Travis interrupted, and asked: 'You think they're gonna go after Taiwan?'

The 75-year-old replied: 'Oh, absolutely. Not with me, they wouldn't have.

'They're waiting 'til after the Olympics. Now the Olympics ended, and look at your stopwatch, right?

'It's almost like twin sisters right here because you have one that wants Taiwan, I think, equally badly. Somebody said, 'Who wants it more?' I think probably equally badly.'

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are seen on February 4 meeting in Beijing. Donald Trump on Tuesday said he expected Jinping to launch an attack on Taiwan, emboldened by Putin's advances on Ukraine

He added that, under his watch, 'Putin would have never done it, and Xi would have never done it.'

Beijing views the self-ruled island of Taiwan as a breakaway province that must accept Chinese sovereignty, and has never renounced the use of force to achieve that goal.

The United States is bound by the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, but is deliberately ambiguous about whether the U.S. would come to Taiwan's aid militarily if attacked.

China has over the past two years stepped up its military and diplomatic pressure against Taiwan, whose government says it wants peace but will defend the island if attacked.

China regularly says Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in its ties with Washington, which are also strained over trade and human rights disputes.

In October, Biden stated unequivocally that America would leap into action if China attacked Taiwan, surprising some with his determination to protect Taiwan.

The White House later clarified: 'The president was not announcing any change in our policy and there is no change in our policy.'

Trump's analysis is one shared by many.

On Sunday, The Australian Financial Review published a commentary entitled: 'The Taiwan question: when will Xi make his move?'

Dan Blumenthal, director of Asian studies at American Enterprise Institute, wrote on Friday in Foreign Policy an analysis under the headline: 'Beijing Could Run Russia's Playbook on Taiwan'.

Putin's meeting with Xi in Beijing this month, ahead of the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics, fed speculation that a new alliance could form between the two great powers as they face off with the U.S. over a range of issues.

Russia and China have backed each other's positions on opposing a NATO expansion in former Soviet republics and buttressing China's claim to the self-governing island of Taiwan.

But the relationship remains lopsided.

Russian soldiers are seen on exercises. On Tuesday, Russia's parliament approved a request to use the country's military outside the country

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine

A tank, believed to be Russian, is spotted on a street near the city of Donetsk in separatist-held regions of eastern Ukraine

A military truck drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops

Putin raised fears he is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine by saying his 'peacekeeping' mission will cover the whole of Donetsk and Luhansk regions including areas held by Ukraine. Russia still has around 190,000 troops massed on the border

Russian troops are seen as armoured vehicles manoeuvre in muddy conditions in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, close to rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine

Russian mobile artillery and armoured troop carriers are seen in Russia's Rostov-on-Don region on Tuesday, close to the border with Ukraine's separatist-held areas

Putin is thought to have moved thousands of troops into rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine today (dark red area on the map), but there are fears he will try to seize control of the wider regions that separatists lay claim to (lighter shade area)

China's confident rise as an economic and political force contrasts with Russia's growing isolation and reversion to Cold War tactics of intimidation and bullying.

Trump was strongly critical of Biden's approach, accusing him of misreading and underestimating Putin.

'This would never has happened if we were there,' Trump told the hosts.

'I knew Putin very well. I got along with him great. He liked me. I liked him.

'I mean, you know, he's a tough cookie, got a lot of the great charm and a lot of pride.

'But the way he  and he loves his country, you know? He loves his country. He's acting a little differently I think now.'

He added: 'I knew that he always wanted Ukraine. I used to talk to him about it.

'I said, 'You can't do it. You're not gonna do it.' But I could see that he wanted it. I used to ask him. We used to talk about it at length.

'I think nobody probably knows him better in terms of the discussions that we have or that we're having this morning.'

Biden on Tuesday announced tough new sanctions on Russia for 'beginning' an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war, even as Putin signaled plans to send troops beyond Russia's borders.

Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, gave Putin unanimous approval to deploy 'peacekeepers' to two breakaway Ukrainian regions now recognized by Moscow as independent, and potentially into other parts of Ukraine.

Biden announced what he called the 'first tranche' of sanctions, including steps to starve Russia of financing and target financial institutions and the country's 'elites.'

But he left the door open to a final effort at diplomacy to avert a full-scale Russian invasion.

'There's no question that Russia is the aggressor, so we're clear eyed about the challenges we're facing,' the president said.

Biden's address followed a wave of sanctions announced by Britain and the European Union, after Putin recognized the self-declared Donetsk and Lugansk rebel republics.

Germany also announced it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Putin's plans remained unclear, but Western officials have been warning for weeks he has been preparing an all-out invasion of Ukraine, a move that could spark a catastrophic war in Europe.

Putin said the Minsk peace agreements on Ukraine's conflict no longer existed and he recognized claims by the separatists to more territory than they currently control.

But he added that the deployment of Russian troops would 'depend on the specific situation... on the ground' and appeared to offer Ukraine a way out by giving up on its hopes to join the US-led NATO military alliance.
A man who fell from a high rise balcony was in an 'altered state of mind' when he plunged four metres into his neighbour's courtyard clutching his 18-month-old baby.

Detectives remained at the Aluma Apartment Complex in Burwood on Wednesday afternoon trying to piece together the events leading up to the horror incident.

Emergency services were called to the suburb in Sydney's inner west about 8:30am after reports the man and the toddler had fallen just metres away from Burwood Public School as students made their way to class.

'There we're lots of police. I saw the little girl over there on the side of the road,' one neighbour said.

A source told Daily Mail Australia the man was in an 'altered' stare at the time of the fall.

It's not yet clear if it was intentional or if he simply fell from his balcony.

The father injured his ankle while the baby survived with a single scratch to the head.

A Sydney man and his 18-month-old baby have miraculously survived after plunging from an apartment balcony on Wednesday morning

NSW Police confirmed officers attended a block of units on Conder street in Burwood (pictured) in Sydney's Inner West on Wednesday

The pair was transported to Westmead Hospital and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in a stable condition.

Residents were left shocked on Wednesday morning when an influx of tight-lipped cops arrived at the normally quiet apartment complex.

'They're not telling us anything,' a young couple who live on the third floor told Daily Mail Australia.

Detectives cordoned off two ground floor courtyards amid ongoing investigations.

They were seen in a first floor corner apartment, understood to be home to the man who fell, pointing down to the courtyards and taking notes.

An influx of tight-lipped cops arrived at the normally quiet apartment complex on Wednesday (pictured, police in the first floor corner unit the man is believed to have plunged from)

One resident recalled seeing a 'smiling, happy toddler' with her father in the elevator recently, but said he lived in a quiet complex (pictured) where most people kept to themselves

Meanwhile, another detective took pictures of the scene.

One resident recalled seeing a 'smiling, happy toddler' with her father in the elevator recently, but said he lived in a quiet complex where most people kept to themselves.

Another witness told Daily Mail Australia the area was swarming with police and a medical team, who later cordoned the public off from the street.

NSW Police will continue their investigations.

For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The man, believed to have been holding the baby, injured his ankle while the baby survived with a single scratch to the head (pictured is the scene)

Both the man and 18-month-old were transported to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition (pictured is police and paramedics opposite the scene)
A Liberal MP has shared the horrific abuse she received on Facebook after refusing to answer questions from a pro-Russian activist.

Fiona Martin, the MP for Reid in inner-west Sydney, was quizzed by anti-vaccine-mandate campaigner Simeon Boikov at a pop-up event in Cabarita Park on Monday.

Mr Boikov - who describes himself as an independent journalist and uses the nickname 'Aussie Cossack' - filmed himself trying to ask Dr Martin questions.

Fiona Martin (pictured), the MP for Reid in inner-west Sydney, was quizzed by anti-vaccine mandate campaigner Simeon Boikov at pop-up event in Cabarita Park on Monday.

On Wednesday Dr Martin shared abusive messages (above) she had since received on Facebook from some of Mr Boikov's followers

In the footage, posted on YouTube, the MP ran towards her car and Mr Boikov chased after her with a microphone, asking: 'Why are you running from the cameras?'

Dr Martin could be seen waving Mr Boikov away from inside her car as he continued to ask questions.

On Wednesday Dr Martin shared abusive messages she had since received on Facebook from some of his followers.

One told her she was a 'disgrace not worth spitting on' while another said she was a 'grub' and should take her own life.

Dr Martin posted the shocking messages on her Twitter account.

She wrote: 'After being bailed up and harassed in a park earlier this week by a certain 'citizen journo', his followers have been in touch.

'Given they don't have the ticker to publicly say what they're saying to me privately, I thought I'd share some of their messages.'

Mr Boikov (pictured) - who describes himself as an independent journalist and uses the nickname 'Aussie Cossack' - filmed himself trying to ask Dr Martin questions

NSW Police is investigating the incident. A spokesman said: 'Police from Burwood Police Area Command have commenced an investigation following a complaint of alleged intimidation towards a 43-year-old woman at Cabarita Park about 9.15am on Monday 21 February 2021.'

In another video posted on Tuesday, Mr Boikov - who is running as an independent in Reid - denied damaging property and described his encounter with Dr Martin as 'bloody hilarious'.

'She ran away and she didn't want to answer questions,' he said.

He did not address any harassment allegations.

Mr Boikov's Facebook account describes him as a 'Russian-based activity pioneer in Australian grounds'.

In a Four Corners episode last year he supported the idea of 'liquidating' political opponents.

Labor home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally has described him as an 'ultra-nationalist, with ties to the extreme right.'
A firearms officer from the Met's diplomatic protection unit accused of 29 sex attacks against eight women has been rushed to hospital after collapsing in his cell, according to reports.

PC David Carrick, 47, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court last Thursday after being charged with the offences between 2009 and 2020.

These include 13 rapes including one of a woman he met on a Tinder date and other charges such as keeping an alleged victim prisoner in a cupboard under the stairs and urinating on three women against their will.

It is understood he was taken to hospital on Tuesday morning after sustaining injuries at HMP Belmarsh in south-east London.

Paramedics were reportedly called to the scene, where he is thought to have been alone at the time of his injury.

PC David Carrick (pictured above), 47, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court last Thursday after being charged with the 29 offences between 2009 and 2020

It is understood Carrick (above, in a court artist sketch on November 26 last year) was taken to hospital on Tuesday morning after sustaining injuries at HMP Belmarsh in south-east London

A Prison Service spokesperson told the Daily Mirror: 'An HMP Belmarsh prisoner has been taken to hospital.'

HMP Belmarsh's safer custody team is probing the incident.

The latest nine charges faced by Carrick relate to four women and include six counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of controlling and coercive behaviour between 2009 and 2018.

Carrick, who has been suspended by Scotland Yard, pleaded 'not guilty' to each of the nine charges last week.

He has previously denied a further 20 charges against four other complainants, including allegations that he raped one woman he met on dating app Tinder, false imprisonment, and sexually assaulted three women by urinating on them.

He faces trial at St Albans Crown Court on April 26 on all 29 charges.

Paramedics were reportedly called to the scene, where he is thought to have been alone at the time of his injury (file photo of HMP Belmarsh)

These include 13 counts of rape, five counts of sexual assault, three counts of assault by penetration, three counts of coercive and controlling behaviour, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of attempted rape, one count of attempted sexual assault by penetration and one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

Carrick, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance at the Old Bailey on March 11.

He was based within the Mets Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, the armed unit stationed in Westminster, and was responsible for the protection of sensitive sites such as Downing Street.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, left, attends a meeting on the current housing market trend at the Government Complex in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki's recent remarks that the Korean housing market "entered a stabilization phase" are drawing anger from the public, as many still believe the market merely froze in the aftermath of a shoddy set of regulations.



"The perception is expanding that the housing market passed the inflection point and entered a downward stabilization period," Hong said Wednesday.



He reiterated the government's strong will to maintain a tough regulatory stance in order to fully stabilize the market.



However, many people still wonder if the market has actually stabilized, as they believe that the years-long surge in apartment prices in Seoul and major cities nationwide has temporarily stopped due to tight lending rules introduced by the government over the past two years.



A widespread perception here is that most potential buyers will continue to maintain a wait-and-see approach before purchasing homes ahead of the upcoming presidential election in March. Few statistics currently indicate market stabilization in major areas  including Seoul. Given the steep decline of apartment supply in the capital city for the next few years, chances appear slim for the market to enter a period of stabilization on a longer-term basis.



Hong cited data on the latest market trends, saying that housing prices in Seoul have been on the decline for four consecutive weeks.



Nevertheless, the number of transactions is not high enough to come to an abrupt conclusion.



According to data from the state-run Korea Real Estate Board, the number of apartment transactions in Seoul last year reached 49,751, down 47 percent from 2020, due largely to the government's lending restrictions. They include a ban on purchasing homes in regulated areas by taking out non-collateralized loans of more than 100 million won. The rule was introduced in November 2020 as part of the government's move to tame a surge in borrowing to buy homes.



There have been enough empty promises with regards to the housing market policy. It is high time for the government to stop promoting such blind optimism and introduce long-term policies more carefully.


A make-up artist has claimed to have been conned out of thousands of pounds by an alleged con artist accused of impersonating movie executives in a 1.5million scam.

Anna Cichon, 38, from Milton Keynes, alleged that she lost 6,000 after travelling to Jakarta, Indonesia, for a 'blockbuster film', before realising she had been duped.

She said she was contacted by someone claiming to be a film executive and was told to pay a driver to take her to scout locations in the Indonesian capital, but claimed she never received any reimbursement, according to The Times.

She claimed to have been conned by Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani, 41, who is wanted in the US over allegations of conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Tahilramani, who was arrested on November 26, 2020, is accused of targeting agents and others in the film industry to induce them into paying money for non-existent work in Indonesia.

He is accused of being the so-called 'Con Queen of Hollywood' and allegedly impersonated well-known Hollywood executives.

Anna Cichon (pictured), 38, from Milton Keynes, alleged that she lost 6,000 after travelling to Jakarta, Indonesia, for a 'blockbuster film', before realising she had been duped

A hearing in his extradition case is due to be held at a magistrates' court in London on Wednesday.

Ms Cichon, who has worked on films including World War Z and Kingsman, claimed she was contacted in 2016 by someone claiming to be a film executive called 'Leslie'.

She claimed Leslie told her that she had found her through a movie Ms Cichon had worked on nine years before and sent her a 2,000-word brief for a film.

Leslie claimed to work for a real film company - that was unaware of the fraud - and claimed the movie would star a well-known martial artist, according to Ms Cichon.

Ms Cichon, who has lived in the UK for 18 years, claimed she was asked to provide make-up for the male stars of the film and to visit locations in Jakarta, with Leslie sending her an itinerary.

She alleged that she was asked to pay for the flights and submit an invoice for the costs, while Leslie's account team were copied into the conversation.

After arriving in Jakarta, she said she was met by a driver and taken to a hotel, which had been paid in advance, before she was taken to visit temples and monuments.

She claimed to have been conned by Hargobind Punjabi Tahilramani (pictured), who is wanted in the US over allegations of conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft

Ms Cichon claimed she was instructed to pay the driver, and said they weren't able to visit all the locations due to the traffic, saying some trips took 'six hours'.

She told The Times: 'I felt bad we couldn't make some of the locations but I think that was a tactic to keep me on the back foot.'

The make-up artist said she was told to return to London after two days in Jakarta and that the company would contact her.

One month later, she said she was asked to return to Jakarta, but said she became dubious during the second trip because she had not been given reimbursed.

Ms Cichon said the driver started 'behaving weirdly' and would leave her for long periods of time, saying the situation became 'scary' and she suspected that he was 'defrauding' her.

She continued: 'In total I spent around 6,000, but I've since discovered many people suffered the same thing.'

Ms Cichon claimed that someone claiming to be an English director even phoned her about the supposed job, saying he also turned out to be fake.

She said she was left wanting to quit the industry after the ordeal, saying the experience destroyed her 'life and dreams'.

She added: 'I find it very difficult to trust people.'
A millionaire who shot and killed his wife after she announced she was leaving him has spent the past 13 years denying his guilt.

But that all changed on Tuesday when horse breeder Greg Meads faced a parole board with the power to recommend he be released from jail, having served his minimum term of 11 years.

Shocking his victim's family, Meads finally admitted he had murdered his wife on their property in Matamata, New Zealand, on September 2009.

'I killed Helen, I was the person who pulled the trigger and I am fully responsible for her death,' he said.

'Yes it was a deliberate act, I raised the gun and I pulled the trigger,' Mead said.

In September 2009 Helen Meads (pictured) was shot at close range by her husband Greg Meads at the home they shared together in Matamata

It was a stunning admission, given up until that moment, Meads had always said it was just a tragic accident, the New Zealand Herald said.

On September 19, 2009, Helen told her husband she wanted to end their 12-year marriage, one where she had been subjected to domestic violence.

Four days later, she was dead.

Helen was talking to a friend on the phone, then seconds after she said goodbye she was shot at close range in the neck.

Her husband Greg Meads was the killer.

Their three young children were left without a mother and Helen's parents David and Pam White were left without their daughter.

Meads admitted to firing the shot, but pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he had not meant to kill his wife, that the gun went off accidentally.

The jury rejected his defence and convicted him of murder.

Meads was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of 11 years before he was eligible for parole.

In August last year, he appeared before a parole board for the first time.

At that hearing, he stuck with his story that the killing was accidental and he did not deliberately pull the trigger.

He said he just wanted to talk to his wife about their future.

In a decision denying him freedom, the parole board said Meads 'remains an undue risk'.

Greg Meads has been denied parole, though he has finally admitted that he deliberately killed his wife in 2009

'Mr Meads said that he simply wanted to clear up what he thought was some confusion about what his wife was doing, after he thought they had reached an agreement about their future,' it said.

'We think Mr Meads' narrative is quite different than the conclusions reached by the Judge at sentencing and, most importantly, quite different to the verdict.'

But on Tuesday, Meads was back before the parole board and took a vastly different approach to the stance he had previously maintained for more than a decade.

As well as admitting responsibility for his wife's death, Meads also admitted assaulting her during their marriage.

'What brought about this change?' asked the parole board chairman Sir Ron Young.

'You've told untruths for 13 years, why should we rely on what you're telling us now when for the past 13 years it's been a lie?

'You didn't wake up this morning and go "oh, that's right, I pulled the trigger".'

'I have come to terms with the fact that when I had my hand on the gun it was a voluntary act and I've pulled the trigger,' Meads said.

Helen Meads (pictured left) with her father David White (pictured centre, holding a grandchild)

'It's not an accident, I admit that now. It is a change. I think it was deliberate that I grabbed the trigger and that was the end of Helen's life.'

When pressed further, Meads said he had not discussed the issue in any depth with with his psychiatrist and had just decided over the previous day to take responsibility.

Sir Ron said the sudden change was worrying and he expressed concern about the genuineness of it.

'It is a very serious charge, but assuming it is genuine, it's a positive change,' he said.

Meads told the parole board that if he was released, he had a safety plan.

He said the only 'high risk' issue for him was a lack of trust in intimate relationships.

The board said he had not addressed the crucial issues of how he would cope around guns.

Helen Meads (pictured) had been the victim of domestic violence and wanted to leave her husband

'I am repulsed by firearms or any weapons, I couldn't even pick up a hunting magazine now,' he replied.

Meads also said he would be living in a town, not a farm, and so would have no need for guns.

The board said Meads was not ready for release.

Sir Ron said given his new admission on the murder he had much more work to do with his psychiatrist and on his safety plan.

Meads was refused parole, but will be eligible to see the board again in April next year.

Helen's father David White told New Zealand Herald journalist Anna Leask that it was a relief Meads' parole bid was turned down.

'Everything about (Meads' admission) is just so goddamn insincere,' he said.

'It is the first time he's admitted it, it's taken 13 years to get here and he did it overnight, I think he's worked out that if he doesn't start saying the right words - whether he believes them or not - he's in prison for a very long time.'

Helen Meads (left) is pictured with her father David White, who raised her children after she was murdered

After their daughter was killed, David and Pam White raised their grandchildren, who are now adults.

Mr White also dedicated a huge amount of time to trying to help stop other women from suffering the same brutal and premature death as his daughter.

'If you had known Helen you would understand that if I had done nothing she probably would have come down and given me a kick in the bum and said "come on there's another Helen out there, do something about it",' Mr White told the Stuff website in 2019.

'And she's right, there are so many families like mine, who don't recognise what family harm is and certainly don't see the ripples after the violence of it all.'

Mr White has now retired from that work.

'I'm 78 in a couple of months - it's getting far too difficult,' he said. 'Now it's time for Pam and I to learn to love each other again, the way we did before Helen was killed.

'It's time to live our life.'
Police have demanded that the press be excluded from a hearing in which they will try to force a journalist and former Labour MP to reveal his sources after he exposed the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six.

Chris Mullin, who was a government minister before leaving Parliament in 2010, reported in the 1980s that West Midlands Police had framed six innocent men for the 1974 IRA pub bombings.

He is now resisting requests from the force for his notebooks from the time, saying he has a moral and professional obligation to protect his sources.

Police have now made late submissions asking for the hearing to be held in private. If granted, it would have implications for press freedom.

The force cited a Supreme Court ruling made last week that said people under criminal investigation should have a 'reasonable expectation of privacy.'

Media lawyers and news bodies branded the decision 'chilling' and warned it would have 'far reaching implications for the British media'.

Police lawyers are reportedly arguing that a suspected bomber, who was named after he was arrested in 2020, has a 'reasonable expectation of privacy' that means reporters must be excluded.

Police have demanded that the press be excluded from a hearing in which they will try to force Chris Mullin - a journalist and former Labour MP - to reveal his sources after he exposed the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six

West Midlands Police is currently re-investigating the bombings to try to find out who really carried them out.

The force's legal bid was condemned as 'deeply worrying' by industry body the Society of Editors last night.

Mr Mullin, 74, told The Times last month: 'If West Midlands police had carried out a proper investigation instead of framing the first half-dozen people unlucky enough to fall into their hands, they might have caught the real perpetrators in the first place.'

The force have applied for an order under the Terrorism Act 2000 that, if granted, would compel Mullin to hand over his material.

The Birmingham Six (left to right: William Power, Richard McIlkenny, John Walker, Gerry Hunter, Paddy Hill and Hugh Callaghan) outside the Old Bailey in London after their convictions were quashed in 1991

It includes notebooks from his 1985-6 investigation into the bombings, which killed 21 people and injured more than 200 others.

News organisations including the Guardian and The Times are planning to challenge the attempt to have the public excluded from the hearing.

The Birmingham Six were jailed for life in 1975 but had their convictions quashed in 1991, five years after the publication of Mr Mullins's book Error of Judgement: the Truth About the Birmingham Bombings.

West Midlands announced in 2018 that it was reinvestigating the case.

Officers believe that Mullin has records of interviews that could confirm the identity of the alleged member of the IRA gang that is suspected of being behind the bombings.

Relatives of the victims have previously criticised Mr Mullins for his refusal to disclose the names of living suspects.

Despite being one of the deadliest acts of the Troubles, currently, no-one has been convicted of the murders of the 21 victims

The Birmingham pub bombing victims: (top row, left to right) Michael Beasley, 30, Stan Bodman, 47, James Craig, 34, Paul Davies, 17, Trevor Thrupp, 33, Desmond Reilly, 20 and James Caddick, 40, (second row, left to right) Maxine Hambleton, 18, Jane Davis, 17, Maureen Roberts, 20, Lynn Bennett, 18, Anne Hayes, 18, Marilyn Nash, 22 and Pamela Palmer, 19, (bottom row, left to right) Thomas Chaytor, 28, Eugene Reilly, 23, Stephen Whalley, 21, John Rowlands, 46, John 'Cliff' Jones, 51, Charles Gray, 44, and Neil Marsh, 16 (no picture available

Dawn Alford, the executive director of the Society of Editors said: 'The decision to move to ban reporters from Friday's hearing at the Old Bailey is deeply worrying given the immense public interest in Mullin's upcoming challenge.

'As warned by the Society following last week's Bloomberg Supreme Court ruling, legitimate public interest journalism is at risk of going unreported if privacy considerations continue to take precedent over the public's right to know.

'Not only is it essential that the actions of the police in this case are open to public scrutiny, but the case also threatens one of the most important and fundamental principles of journalism codes of conduct.

'At a time when the government is currently consulting on enabling statutory provisions for the protection of journalists' sources in a Bill of Rights, the decision by West Midlands Police to pursue this order against Mullin in pursuit of his sources is a grave threat to press freedom.

'What is even more worrying than the decision to use anti-terrorism powers to pressure a journalist is the prospect that the challenge may take place behind closed doors without journalistic scrutiny.

'It is essential on behalf of all reporters and their future ability to protect their sources and enable public interest journalism to continue that this challenge is held in public.'
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Scores of truckers began their 11-day trek from California to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC, on Wednesday in an effort to protest COVID-19 vaccine and mandates after the cavalcade raised more than $464,000 in donations.

The People's Convoy - comprised of more than two dozen 18-wheeler trucks, along with about 50 pickups and recreational vehicles - has called on the federal government to end the National Emergency enacted at the start of the pandemic, arguing the threat posed by the coronavirus has now receded.

President Joe Biden extended the emergency - which was set to expire next week - last Friday. He did so after arguing that 'the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant risk to the public health and safety of the nation'.

Inspired by Canada's Freedom Convoy - which included weeks of demonstrations and blockades that shut down border crossings into the US - the People's Convoy argues the 'government has forgotten its place' and seeks to advocate for all Americans impacted by unconstitutional restrictions. Around 25 separate convoys are expected to join the group in DC.

'This is for our freedoms, our human rights. Enough is enough,' trucker Ron Coleman, 61, of Reno, Nevada, said as he prepared to make the 2,500-mile journey.

'I think everybody's here for different reasons, but it all boils down to the same thing: Freedom and liberty,' echoed Shane Class, who had travelled from Idaho to join the rally. 'It's time for our government to start understanding that people want that freedom in the Constitution back.'

In response to the protest, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a request from local DC government and the Capitol police to deploy 700 members of the National Guard to the capital city ahead of the convoy's arrival. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Guardsmen would not be armed, and will not be empowered to arrest people, but would be reporting wrongdoing to local police. Approximately 50 'large tactical vehicles' will also be stationed in the city 24 hours a day.

Biden, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Pentagon have been accused of overreacting to the convoy after it emerged 500 DC cops had been put on standby for violence.

People's Convoy organizers claim they do not intend to disrupt roads or bridges, like the Canadian protest did. However, some semi-truck drivers are already calling for widespread blockades, including Bob Bolus who on Monday vowed the Beltway and other roads in and out of DC will be shut down.

Bolus, who is leading a DC-bound convoy of about 25 semis from Pennsylvania, began his route Wednesday morning after suffering a more than two hour delay caused by a flat tire. He has not specified how they plan to block the Beltway but told WJLA: 'We're not going to cause a traffic problem any more than they live with every single day.'

Biden elected to extend the National Emergency despite calls from 70 House Republicans and Department of Health and Human Service Secretary Xavier Becerra urging him to end the declaration. The leaders cited access to vaccines, treatments and mental health impacts as reasons to let the order expire, as well as the fact that other nations have started transitioning out of pandemic restrictions.

'[The] fact is we have a government that tries to push us around,' trucker Mike Landis told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday when asked about the People's Convoy. 'At this moment, we are living without our Constitution. Our Constitution means nothing right now.'

The movement has attracted more than $464,000 in donations, according to the website, which organizers say will be used to reimburse fuel and other costs borne by participating truckers.

The Freedom Convoy sets off from the Adelanto Stadium in California on Wednesday afternoon

The two-dozen trailers are likely to be joined by other trucks as they make their way across the continental US

Supporters were seen waving flags as the convoy set off from Adelanto on Wednesday afternoon

Other protesters held up anti-censorship placards as the convoy began its intercontinental journey across the US

Scores of truckers began their 11-day trek from California to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC , on Wednesday in an effort to protest COVID-19 vaccine and mandates

People's Convoy participants embark on their cross-country journey to DC from Adelanto, California on Wednesday afternoon

This map shows the route of the People's Convoy from California to Washington DC, with organizers hoping that up to 1,000 trucks will take part

Truckers and their supporters gather in Adelanto, California before a convoy leaves for Washington DC to protest against coronavirus vaccine mandates

Scores of truckers and their supporters as assemble in California on Wednesday ahead of a nationwide COVID mandate protest

A demonstrator in California holds a sign reading 'COVID-19 vaccines known to cause myocarditis, anaphylaxis, bloodclots' as people gather to rally with truckers at the start of the Peoples Convoy protest against vaccine and mask mandates

Landis, who supports COVID safety measures - but not government COVID mandates - argued the protest is not about truckers but instead it is 'for the people  hence the name the people's convoy.'

Organizers, in a statement, echoed Landis' sentiment saying: 'This convoy is about freedom and unity: The truckers are riding unified across party and state lines and with people of all colors and creeds  Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Mormons, Agnostics, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Republican, Democrats.'

The cavalcade set off from the Adelanto Stadium at midday PST Wednesday. It will then head to Kingman and Lupton in Arizona, Glenrio in Texas, Elk City and Vinita in Oklahoma and Sullivan in Missouri.

Truckers will then head to Indianapolis, Cambridge in Ohio and Hagerstown in Maryland, before their anticipated arrival at the DC Beltway on March 5.

GOP Rep. Ralph Norman, of South Carolina, told DailyMail.com that he supports the People's Convoy in their protest of COVID mandates: 'Americans have every right to be angry at this government, and I believe these individuals speak for more than just themselves. I support their right to lawfully protest, without disrupting commerce, essential services, or the lives of others.'

'President Biden refuses to listen to the millions of Americans who are fed up with rising inflation and tyrannical COVID mandates. I look forward to welcoming the thousands of patriots to DC next week as they peacefully remind Washington what a complete failure this Administration has been,' echoed Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas).

A group of GOP lawmakers also issued a letter hitting back at Biden and Trudeau, alleging their COVID mandates were 'draconian' and 'have devastated each nation's economy'.

Posted by Fred Bowerman on Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Signs are displayed on the windshield of a truck as people gather to rally with truckers at the start of the Peoples Convoy protest against Covid-19 vaccine and mask mandates in Adelanto, California

Trucker Bob Bolus (pictured Wednesday) is leading a convoy from Pennsylvania to DC and has vowed to shut down the Beltway and other roads in and out of the capital city. On Wednesday, after suffering a flat tire, Bolus began his route

A truck convoy heads to Washington DC to from Scranton, Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Their leader, Bob Bolus, said the east coast convoy has been in contact with the California group

Bob Bolus drives his semi truck - leading a Freedom Convoy - on Interstate 81 southbound in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Bolus claims his convoy is advocating for freedom: 'We're all for one thing: freedom and rights'

'Draconian COVID-19 mandates such as those implemented by the authoritarian Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his appeaser, President of the United States Joseph R. Biden, have devastated each nation's economy thereby inhibiting the free flow of commerce throughout North America,' said Rep. Donalds penned.

'Once hailed as heroes, American and Canadian truckers are being lambasted as the enemy in their fight for freedom and medical autonomy. Truckers are the backbone of our nations, and they deserve our unyielding support. I am proud to lead this effort in supporting the Freedom Convoy and demanding answers from both the American and Canadian Governments about the global economic impacts of the trucker protests resulting from the countries' overreaching vaccine mandates.'

'This Administration's decision to mandate all non-U.S. Citizen travelers be fully vaccinated is unnecessary and is further burdening an already depleted workforce,' said Rep. Michelle Fischbach. 'I am proud to join my colleagues urging President Biden and President Trudeau to work with Canada to lift the mandates on travel at the border.'

'President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have adversely affected the economies of both the United States and Canada through their authoritarian COVID-19 mandates,' echoed Congressman Jeff Van Drew.

'Truckers are imperative in maintaining the stability of our nation's economy and need our support while their rights and livelihoods are being threatened. Trade between the United States and Canada is the largest bilateral partnership in the world, so it is extremely important that we do not hinder our trade relationship through these unneeded mandates. I am proud to join Rep. Donalds in demanding answers from President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau on how these COVID-19 mandates are impacting both nations.'

'Arbitrary COVID-19 mandates and guidelines put in place by our government have absolutely devastated our economy, destroyed small businesses across America, and severely disrupted our supply chain,' said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. 'I'm proud to stand with my colleagues in support of freedom and I urge both the Canadian and U.S. Governments to lift these burdensome mandates so we can work to restore an efficient supply chain as soon as possible.'

A truck drives under an overpass with a banner reading 'FJB's Mandates' as supporters hold posters reading 'Freedom USA Convoy' and 'We Love Truckers' as they wait for the People's Convoy to pass near Barstow, California

Truckers and their supporters gather in Adelanto, California before a convoy leaves for the nation's capital to protest against coronavirus disease

The cavalcade will set off from the Adelanto Stadium at midday PST Wednesday. It will then head to Kingman and Lupton in Arizona, Glenrio in Texas, Elk City and Vinita in Oklahoma and Sullivan in Missouri (Pictured: Supporters gathered at the People's Convoy pre-departure rally)

The protestors are calling for a full re-opening of the country and are scheduled to arrive in Washington, DC, on March 5

Supporters gather during the gathering of the truckers participating in the People's Convoy prior to their departure from the Adelanto Stadium in California

The lawmakers statements come as truckers make their way to the capital city. Bolus previously said his convoy will make stops in Harrisburg and Baltimore before arriving in the DC region. His group plans to block DC roadways but has not expressed how they will do so.

'We're not going to camp there. Let me put it that way,' Bolus told the TV station. 'We're not camping on the Beltway. We're gonna have our voices heard and let them understand this is only the tip of the iceberg.'

He also said he is keeping his convoy out of the District, arguing he 'believes Maryland and Virginia follow due process more than the nation's capital.'

Bolus also noted that his convoy has been in contact with the California convoy: 'We have had dialogue. We've had conference calls and we're all on the same page. We're all for one thing: freedom and rights.'

'This is America/ You took our freedom, you took our rights, you gave it to the illegals. You took our freedom and our rights and turned them around and you gave it to the BLMs (Black Lives Matter protesters) to burn buildings and not get prosecuted. The laws don't apply to them.'

The People's Convoy, traveling from California, is expected to arrive in DC in early March which some experts allege could disrupt traffic around the Capitol ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. Others have expressed concern that the convoy could result in a recreation of the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

Trucks deployed by city officials block a street near the US Capitol in Washington DC on Wednesday, as authorities prepare for the first of three possible truck convoys

A truck convoy headed to DC from Pennsylvania is pictured leaving Scranton on Wednesday. The drivers have decorated their vehicles to sport American flags and protest messages including the anti-Biden slogan 'Let's Go Brandon'

Trudeau's government orders Canadian banks to unfreeze bank accounts of people who participated in or donated to Freedom Convoy Canada has ordered banks to unlock accounts belonging to people who participated in or supported the weeks-long Freedom Convoy protest that saw near 200 arrests and brutal force response from police. 'They started [Monday] to unfreeze accounts,' Isabelle Jacques, a senior official in Canada's finance department, told lawmakers Tuesday, according to the Wall Street Journal. The move came after liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government froze bank accounts and other assets during what leaders declared an 'emergency period' in Ottawa. Among those targeted was a single mom on a minimum wage job who donated just $50, according to one local Conservative MP, sparking outrage over what critics of Trudeau claimed was authoritarian behavior. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets outside Parliament Hill and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S. Trudeau, responding to the protest, invoked never-before-used emergency powers authorizes the Canadian government to utilize broad powers and tools to respond to crises. The Emergencies Act also allowed police to lock bank accounts belonging to individuals suspected of funding the Freedom Convoy without having to first obtain a court order. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the financial freezings saying: 'These measures were put in place to disrupt illegal activity in Canada.' She is pictured during a news conference Monday Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the financial freezings Monday saying: 'These measures were put in place to disrupt illegal activity in Canada.' 'We were very clear that we would be following the money, that we would be using financial tools to disrupt illegal blockades and occupations. The focus absolutely has been on leaders and on the vehicles that were such an important part of the illegal blockades and occupations.' She told protesters the 'way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.' The Freedom Convoy demonstrations initially focused on Canada's vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country, but morphed into a wider protest against the country's highly restrictive Covid precautions and Trudeau's faux-liberal government. Ottawa protesters are largely gone from the Parliament Hill area after having been chased away by officers sporting riot gear in what was the biggest police operation in Canada's history. Advertisement

Capitol Hill staffers were sent a memo warning the 'potential impacts of truck convoys may be coincide with the State of the Union Address to Congress and extend through mid-March. Senate staff in D.C. and state offices should anticipate that these convoys may cause higher than normal traffic volumes and possible transportation disruptions on and around roadways in the Washington, DC area, and along various roadways throughout the country.'

The Pentagon is expected to approve the deployment of 700 to 800 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation's capital, a U.S. official said Tuesday, in face of trucker convoys.

The Metropolitan Police Department of DC has added 500 officers to its deployment each day in early March and the fencing that surrounded the Capitol complex for much of 2021 will be reinstalled next week.

Meanwhile, separate truck convoys have been planned in the US through online forums - with names like the American Truckers Freedom Fund - all with different starting points, departure dates and routes.

The protesters want an immediate end to the two-year-old state of emergency, which will now be extended beyond March 1 due to what Biden said was an 'ongoing risk to public health posed by the coronavirus'. The People's Convoy also seeks an end to vaccine and mask requirements. Nineteen states currently have vaccine mandates in effect.

'It is now time to reopen the country,' the protest organizers said in a statement, adding that regardless of where the trucks stop 'we're not going anywhere' until demands are met.

Fellow Americans are issuing support for the truckers through a 3,000 person demonstration planned near the Washington Monument on the morning of March 1, the day of Biden's State of the Union address. According to National Park Service applications obtained by Congressional Correspondent Scott MacFarlane, the protest is 'against mandates' and in 'support of convoys in Canada and the lifting of mandates in DC/USA'. The protest permit application is still under consideration.

The American convoys follow the recent Canadian truckers' protest which besieged the streets of the capital, Ottawa, for weeks to protest government pandemic restrictions. The multiple blockades were broken up by police last week, with nearly 200 arrests.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to end the protests, and Canadian police restored a sense of normalcy in Ottawa over the weekend.

'We plan to stay a while and hope they don't escalate it the way Trudeau did with his disgusting government overreach,' Brian Brase, a truck driver who is one of the People's Convoy organizers, told Reuters Wednesday from Adelanto, California.

The People's Convoy is slated to depart Adelanto, California - located about 85 miles outside of Los Angeles - Wednesday at noon local time following a 10am public send-off rally.

A small number of truckers began gathering at the Adelanto Stadium on Tuesday with decorated rigs sporting stars and stripes and anti-Biden messages including 'Let's Go Brandon.'

The route, which organizers say could change, is expected to stop in Kingman, Arizona before traveling through New Mexico and Texas and arriving in Oklahoma on Saturday.

Drivers will then continue through Missouri, Indiana and Ohio before heading to Hagerstown, Maryland and ultimately arriving in DC on March 5 - after Biden's annual address to Congress.

The District of Columbia government - including Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser - and the U.S. Capitol Police are requesting the National Guard assistance.

The troops would be used largely to help control traffic and are expected to come from the district's National Guard and three states, said the official.

As many as 1,000 truckers are expected to gather in Los Angeles on Wednesday before embarking on an 11-day trek to Washington DC in an effort to protest what they claim to be unconstitutional COVID-19 mandates (Pictured: People's Convoy drivers and supporters gather in Adelanto, Calif. on Tuesday)

The People's Convoy protesters want an immediate end to the two-year-old state of emergency, which will now be extended beyond March 1 due to what Biden said was an 'ongoing risk to public health posed by the coronavirus'. The demonstrators also seek an end to vaccine and mask requirements. Nineteen states currently have vaccine mandates in effect

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the D.C. government and Capitol Police had requested National Guard personnel 'to provide support at traffic control points in and around the District' and stand ready in case of 'possible disruptions at key traffic arteries.'

He too said no formal decision on the requests had been made.

Several people argued the city and the department of defense were overreacting.

Gayle Trotter wrote: 'I suspect DC Mayor Muriel Bowser isn't going to authorize a 'Freedom Convey[sic]' plaza anytime soon?' referencing Bowser's designation of an area as Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2020.

Sal LaBarbera added: 'Basically this will be the first peaceful protest and we're going to wage war against it.'

Truckers and their supporters are starting to gather before a convoy leaves the following morning bound for the nation's capital to protest against vaccine mandates in Adelanto, California. They aim at reaching Washington, DC

The Peoples Convoy semi trucks start to line up at the gathering

Capitol Hill staffers were sent a memo warning the 'potential impacts of truck convoys may be coincide with the State of the Union Address to Congress and extend through mid-March. Senate staff in D.C. and state offices should anticipate that these convoys may cause higher than normal traffic volumes and possible transportation disruptions on and around roadways in the Washington, DC area, and along various roadways throughout the country'

'What a waste of taxpayer money! Is anyone asking if the treatment will be better off this time around than the last clown show?' wrote Cyndi.

Earlier Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is 'closely monitoring' trucker convoys planning protests against pandemic restrictions in Washington, DC, ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address next week.

'We are monitoring the situation closely but deferred to the USCP, which is in charge of security,' senior staffer and spokesman for Pelosi, Drew Hammill, told Fox.

Some convoys are scheduled to arrive in time for Biden's State of the Union address next Tuesday, March 1, though others may arrive afterward.

As a preemptive measure, Capitol Police has scheduled officers on 12-hour shifts, with plans to reinstall the fencing that surrounded the Capitol complex last year. Democrats, mainly Pelosi, insisted the fencing was a needed precaution following the January 6 riot.

The Pentagon is reportedly considering sending the National Guard to the capital.

The protests could become the biggest security threat in DC since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is expected to approve the deployment of 700 to 800 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation's capital, a US official said Tuesday

The District of Columbia government and the US Capitol Police are also requesting the National Guard assistance.

The troops would be used largely to help control traffic and are expected to come from the district's National Guard and three states, said the official.

'The United States Capitol Police and the United States Secret Service have been closely working together to plan for the upcoming State of the Union,' the US Capitol Police said Friday. 'The temporary inner-perimeter fence is part of those ongoing discussions and remains an option, however at this time no decision has been made.'

If approved, the The DC National Guard can supply up to 400 troops.
Pupils who fail GCSEs in maths and English will be banned from taking student loans in an attempt to restrict the numbers going to university and weed out pointless courses, it was revealed today.

The Department for Education is set to publish proposals this week, including limits on student numbers, in a shake-up of higher education funding.

The policy will be the biggest shake up of universities since the Blair era, when he wanted 50 per cent of all young people to go on the higher education.

Under New Labour the number of university students went up 400,000-a-year from 1.5million in 1997 and David Cameron also backed the policy of encouraging as many students as possible to go to university.

But now ministers want to crack down on lower-quality courses and help reduce the cost of universities to the taxpayer, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The plans, which will be subject to a consultation, suggest that students who do not achieve a grade 4  equivalent to a C  in GCSE maths and English should be banned from taking out student loans.

Alternatively, the ban could be aimed at those who fail to achieve two Es at A-level, with some exceptions, such as for mature students.

Pupils who fail GCSEs in maths and English face being refused student loans in a push to limit poor-quality degrees

It is understood that poor quality refers to courses from which high numbers drop out and a low proportion go on to graduate jobs or further study.

Ministers are also proposing to introduce controls on student admissions so lower quality courses arent incentivised to grow uncontrollably.

Student numbers have spiralled since tuition fees were tripled to 9,000 in 2012.

But ministers are now concerned at the proportion of university graduates who fail to earn enough to pay back their student loan.

About a third of pupils currently fail to get a Grade 4 - the equivalent to a C or pass under the previous system - in English and maths.

The planned overhaul comes as the number of school-leavers opting to pursue higher education continues to rise, according to new figures.

Data from the Ucas university admissions service shows 320,000 sixth formers have applied for university places so far, compared with 306,000 in 2021.

The number of poorer pupils pursuing higher education has also increased, with 28% of 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged areas applying this autumn compared with just under 18% in 2013.

The plans, which will be subject to a consultation, suggest that students who do not achieve a grade 4  equivalent to a C  in GCSE maths and English should be banned from taking out student loans. Alternatively, the ban could be aimed at those who fail to achieve two Es at A-level, with some exceptions

The DfE has said that while numbers of applicants are increasing, 'not all students receive the same high quality of teaching' and many become saddled with debt for courses with poor job prospects.

A DfE spokesperson said in a statement: 'Our universities are a great British success story.

'They are powerhouses of innovation and are playing a key part in revolutionising the skills system, helping making lifelong learning possible with more flexibility and technical training.

'But we need to ensure that we are creating opportunities that will not only open doors but will develop the talent our country needs to prosper now and in the future.

'Higher education is an investment and we need to ensure that graduates are being rewarded for the money, time and effort they put into their studies with an educational experience and jobs that match their skills and help contribute to the economy.'
A motorist is on the run after allegedly shooting at a driver during a potential road rage incident.

A man in Melbourne's south east was driving a white Audi when his car was fired upon around 5pm on Monday, police investigators have been told.

It is believed that the shot came from a white ute travelling in the same direction that continued up Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road.

Both cars are believed to have been travelling north on Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road (pictured) when the Audi was shot at.

The Audi sustained damage but the man was unharmed and drove himself to the nearest police station to report the incident.

Police have not yet determined the exact circumstances behind the incident and the investigation is still ongoing.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the firearms incident in Narre Warren area.
British workers and companies are set to pay a record amount in national insurance this financial year, sparking fresh calls to scrap a hike in the tax due to come into force in April.

Taxpayers have paid 129.6billion into the Treasurys coffers through NI since April last year.

This is up 11.2billion from the same period in 2020-21, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)  just short of the 12billion which the Treasury plans to raise through the NI hike.

In the last full tax year, NI contributions raised an all-time high of 143billion, which economists think will be easily surpassed this year.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is planning to increase NI by 1.25 percentage points in April, in an effort to raise 12billion to help fund the NHS and social care

The fresh figures from the ONS come amid growing calls to spike the NI hike, which the Daily Mail is campaigning for.

Tory MP John Redwood said the figures show the Treasury can afford to cancel the NI tax raise.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is planning to increase NI by 1.25 percentage points in April, in an effort to raise 12billion to help fund the NHS and social care.

But as the economy has bounced back from the pandemic, and tax revenues have risen, the Government has so far this year had to borrow less than expected  meaning Mr Sunak does have some room for manoeuvre.

Tory MP John Redwood said the figures show the Treasury can afford to cancel the NI tax raise'

Isabel Stockton, a research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said that Mr Sunak could certainly delay tax rises, but that his decision to do so depended little on whether government borrowing came in lower than expected.

She said: Challenges in health and social care have in no way become less pressing.

If he decides to delay tax rises this spring, he will need to find other ways of dealing with these pressures.
A squalid Australian house for sale that is dividing opinion looks set to smash its asking price despite looking like the mother of all renovators' challenges.

Agents are asking between $950,000 and $1.045million for the dilapidated three-bedroom Edwardian semi at 6 Bliss Street, Richmond, with the auction due to take place on March 5.

Some online commentators have mocked the property in viral social media posts, but the selling agents claim the attention has been 'a marketing dream'.

A dilapidated Australian house for sale that is dividing opinion looks set to smash its asking price despite looking like the mother of all renovators' challenges

Agents are asking between $950,000 and $1.045million for the run-down three bedroom Edwardian semi at 6 Bliss Street, Richmond. The comparative median in the suburb is $1.46million

'The living room of this million-dollar property looks like it is both alive and dead,' claimed one Aussie, categorising the home one of his 's*** buys of Melbourne'.

On another room, he added, 'I'm not sure if this last one is the kitchen, but it is cooked.'

The home's interior is indeed a wreck, and even the listing says it is 'completely unrenovated and a 'challenge'.

Some online commentators have mocked the property in viral social media posts, but agents Belle Property say the attention has been 'a marketing dream'

A TikTok commentator said this room could be the kitchen because 'it is cooked'

Renovator's nightmare and marketer's dream: 6 Bliss Street, Richmond

'This project would suit creatives, innovators and designers who are itching for an architectural challenge, the listing says.

Not only are the interior walls badly cracking or even smashed, the ceilings, and floors all look badly damaged and the exterior weatherboard is badly degraded

Ironically, Daniel Atsis, Belle Property agent told Daily Mail Australia said the attention on the home was 'a marketer's dream.

'We think the appraised price is accurate, I think it'll land in that range, but if it goes off, that's because of all the attention it's got,' he said.

Mr Atsis said the phone was running hot with enquiries about the property and it already has at least two confirmed bidders for the auction next weekend.

'The more people you have making enquiries, the more people likely to come to open days and the more buyers you have, the more likely it is it will sell for a higher price,' he said.

'We've had more attention now than Hamish and Zoe did on their big house.'

Daniel Atsis expects the three bedroom home to sell in its predicted price range of between $950,000 and $1,045,000 - but if its exceeds that, it will because of all the attention its received

The Edwardian semi has a heritage overlay order which means the facade must be retained

The agent claimed there were already confirmed bidders for the auction and the local council was already reporting enquiries about renovating it

Zoe Foster and Hamish Blake sold their architect-designed three bedroom home at Rowena Parade Richmond last year for $4.25million.

Mr Atsis said contacts of his at the local council had even told him potential buyers were already asking about how they are allowed to renovate 6 Bliss Street and it hasn't sold yet.

The heritage overlay order the home essentially means the facade and chimney must be left in tact but inside the house can be rebuilt.

Although the price tag looks steep, it is just under the Melbourne median for a three bedder and nearly $500,000 under the Richmond median.

Although the price tag looks steep, it is just under the Melbourne median for a three bedder and around $500,000 under the Richmond median.

'But you'd have to spend $500,000 to get it up to the standard of a median home to be honest.'

That said, Mr Atsis believes because the home has great 'fundamentals' it would be 'impossible to over capitalise on it'.

'It's in the really great spot and the owners have the ability to make what they want out of it. People love to do that these days.

'To be honest these days the unrenovated homes go better than the renovated ones.'
The National Portrait Gallery has ended a 33-year relationship with BP amid concern over its environmental impact.

The energy company has been the main sponsor of the gallery's annual portrait award since 1989.

But in recent years the partnership has drawn criticism because of BP's role in 'fuelling the climate crisis'.

The National Portrait Gallery (pictured) has ended a 33-year relationship with BP amid concern over its environmental impact

Director Nicholas Cullinan said the gallery was 'hugely grateful to BP for its long-term support of the BP Portrait Award.'

The portrait gallery is the latest organisation to sever ties with BP due to climate change concerns, following the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Tate.

Louise Kingham, a senior vice-president at BP, said: 'We are immensely proud of our role in championing British arts and culture for over 30 years, but the BP of today is a very different company from when we first started our partnership with the National Portrait Gallery.

The energy company has been the main sponsor of the gallery's annual portrait award since 1989 (stock photo used)

The portrait gallery is the latest organisation to sever ties with BP due to climate change concerns, following the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company (pictured) and the Tate

'As we transition to become net zero by 2050 and help the world get there too, we must look at new ways to best use our talent, experience, and resources.'

BP added it was reviewing its partnerships and initiatives 'to ensure activity is aligned to its new strategy'.

The BP Portrait Award prize was not held last year or this year while the gallery's building in central London is closed for redevelopment.

In 2019 artists including Sir Antony Gormley and Sir Anish Kapoor called for an end to BP's sponsorship of the gallery when the contract expires this year.

The letter, signed by 80 artists, claimed BP's continued sponsorship of the Portrait Award was 'lending credence to the company's misleading assurance that it's doing all it can' to fight climate change.
A violent brawl has erupted between rival gang members while mourners gathered to farewell a child in New Zealand.

Members of warring gangs Black Power and the Head Hunters were caught on camera brawling in front of shocked mourners at a funeral to farewell a child in Pukekohe, Auckland.

Images of the fight were uploaded to Facebook on Tuesday, showing a Black Power member threaten another man inside a vehicle while brandishing a metal pole.

A violent brawl has erupted between Black Power and the Head Hunters gang members while mourners gather to farewell a child in Auckland (pictured)

The barefoot man reportedly attacked a motorcycle with the pipe before threatening others, reports the NZ Herald.

Rival gang members from the Head Hunters were seen flooding the suburban street on both motorcycle and on foot.

Footage of the brawl was also uploaded to Facebook but that has since been removed.

'They're trying to have a fight at our moko's tangi (child's funeral)', a woman was heard saying in the video.

A number of mourners were heard expressing concern for their safety as more gang members gathered during the child's funeral.

In the video, young children can be heard crying as patched members block traffic from travelling down the street.

Footage uploaded to Facebook on Tuesday shows the warring gangs brawl in the middle of a suburban street (pictured)

At one point a woman screams 'they've got guns' before a gunshot like noise is heard in the background.

Auckland police told Daily Mail Australia they received a number of disorder calls in relation to the funeral in Pukekohe.

'Police monitored the situation and spoke to individuals there who were cooperative,' it said.

'There were no reports of violence or injuries.'

Black Power and the Head Hunters hold a fierce rivalry and have a well established presence in the nation's North Island.

Tensions between the gangs escalated in December after a series of brazen daylight shootings in the Northland Region of Raumanga.

The tit-for-tat shootings lead to the arrests of four Black Power members or associates and two associates of the Head Hunters.
Ukrainians gather for a "Mariupol is Ukraine" demonstration in Mariupol, Ukraine, Tuesday. Russian lawmakers on Tuesday authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside the country, a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there. AP-Yonhap



By Anna J. Park



With geopolitical upheaval between Ukraine and Russia pressing Korea's stock market downward, some industries, like automotives and secondary batteries, are expected to be especially exposed to greater risks and price corrections, if the situation worsens.



The rationale behind the forecast is that the automotive sector is Korea's top exporter to Russia. Korean conglomerates sold $2.5 billion worth of cars and $1.45 billion worth of car parts to Russia in 2021. Of the country's annual export volume to Russia, cars and car parts account for some 44 percent.



Hyundai Motor and Kia accounted for 10.3 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively, of Russia's vehicle market last year. When the two firms' sales volume is combined, the Korean car conglomerate holds the top market share in Russia. The Russian market takes up about 4.5 percent of the Korean automotive industry's global exports.



Market analysts thus raise concerns that if the current situation surrounding Ukraine gets worse, Hyundai Motor's manufacturing plant in Russia, which is the first full-cycle plant of an overseas car manufacturer located in the territory of the Russian Federation, will hit a snag in its operations. Moreover, the U.S. has threatened to add a raft of new sanctions against Russia. The Russian plant of Hyundai Wia, Hyundai Motor Group's automotive parts manufacturing affiliate, also faces similar risks.



"It is expected that Hyundai and Kia will face a greater amount of negative impacts on its exports if trade with Russia is limited," the latest analysis report by Kiwoom Securities stated. "The exchange rate loss from the plunging ruble and increased production costs stemming from the soaring global prices of oil and raw materials should also be taken into consideration," the report continued.



The country's secondary battery sector is also expected to face increased pressure on its production costs, as the prices of raw materials for key materials are expected to soar as well. Russia is one of the key global providers of aluminum and nickel. Surging global oil and gas prices are also forecast to increase production costs for local chemical companies.



Yet, market watchers generally see that the Ukraine-Russia crisis will have a limited impact on the semiconductor sector, thus sparing Seoul's blue-chip companies, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.



"Although there's a possibility that the semiconductor industry could also face a disrupted supply of raw materials for chip production, the weight of raw material prices is not significant in chip production costs. Thus, the crisis would have a limited impact on memory chip makers' profitability," the report noted.



Despite growing concerns, Korea's main benchmark KOSPI and tech-heavy KOSDAQ both finished strong, gaining 0.47 percent and 1.06 percent, respectively, at Wednesday's closing.



When considering past global crises, market analysts expect that the current Ukraine-Russia situation's impact on the Korean stock market will be decided by how it unfolds.



"The financial market has been exposed to the possibility of war, and the risk has already been somewhat factored into asset prices," said Yoo Seung-min from Samsung Securities. "Yet the impact on the market will further be determined by how the situation will unfold, whether it will be an all-out war, or a short-term or long-term crisis."


President Joe Biden hit Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy with a dose of sarcasm after the reporter yelled and asked the president if he 'underestimated Putin.'

'The thing I love about the press is they're always on message,' Biden said at a Tuesday afternoon minerals event with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and climate adviser Gina McCarthy.

He then joked to those participating virtually, which included California's Gov. Gavin Newsom, 'Did you underestimate Putin?'

President Joe Biden hit Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy with a dose of sarcasm after the reporter yelled and asked the president if he 'underestimated Putin'

Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy (pictured) had yelled a question to Biden asking the president if he 'underestimated Putin'

The president was in a more jovial mood at the afternoon gathering in the South Court Auditorium after having already announced the new Russian sanctions.

'Hi, everybody. How are you? Gavin, how are you, man?' he said upon entering.

Newsom told BIden he had an 'over/under that you were going to do this today.'

'I'm impressed,' the Democratic governor added.'I am impressed. Thank you for not canceling on us.'

Biden suggested that wasn't in the cards.

'Oh, are you kidding me? We don't have much going on, you know, other than Russia and Ukraine and - anyway,' he said. 'Should we start? I guess I'm starting, huh? I guess I already started,' he said laughing.

Biden then touted the progress made by the government and private industry to boost American production of minerals used to make electric vehicles and other renewable energy products, but stressed that new mines must benefit host communities and not damage the environment.

'We can't build a future that's made in America if we ourselves are dependent on China for the materials that power the products of today and tomorrow,' Biden said.

Even still, the president emphasized he would not support new U.S. mines unless 'the historical injustices that too many mining operations have left behind' are avoided.

'Environmental protections are paramount,' said Biden. 'We have to ensure that these resources actually benefit folks in the communities where they live, not just shareholders.'

Washington has grown increasingly concerned that low U.S. production of minerals essential for the construction of future technologies could leave it beholden to China and other nations that have heavily invested in mining.

That has sparked a range of attempts by Biden, as well as his predecessors, to boost U.S. output of lithium, rare earths and other strategic minerals while balancing opposition from environmental and indigenous groups.

To address environmental concerns, the White House said it would form a committee to recommend changes to the 1872 Mining Law, which has governed hard rock mining across much of the United States since the 19th Century.

Biden also announced a $35 million grant from the U.S. Defense Department to MP Materials Inc to process rare earths, which are used to make magnets found in consumer goods and weapons.

The Pentagon has already awarded roughly $10 million to MP, which controls the only U.S. rare earths mine but depends on China for processing.

The Las Vegas-based company said it will invest $700 million of its own funds and create more than 350 jobs by 2024.

The company has said it aims to begin processing rare earths in California by the end of the year.

Jim Litinsky, MP's chief executive, told Biden the investments will help the company produce enough rare earth products to build 500,000 EVs domestically by 2025.

Additionally, Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables said at the event it will break ground this spring on a California facility to test sustainable ways to produce lithium from geothermal brines found underneath California's Salton Sea and elsewhere.

Biden also announced that the Pentagon plans to boost its stockpile of strategic minerals, a development that Reuters reported last week.

His comments on Tuesday were the clearest to date about the rubric administration officials deploy when determining whether or not to support a proposed U.S. mining project.

'It's my hope and my expectation that those communities ... get the benefit of being able to be employed and being able to generate a living from what's going to be happening and are protected environmentally,' Biden said.

Last month, the Biden administration blocked a proposed Minnesota copper mine from Antofagasta Plc.

It has also taken steps to slow down development of a lithium mine in Nevada from ioneer Ltd and a copper mine in Arizona from Rio Tinto Ltd.

Other announcements at the event included a $140 million pilot project to recover rare earths from coal ash, with funding from the recently passed infrastructure law.

The White House has also touted an agreement between Talon Metals Corp and the United Steelworkers to train workers in northern Minnesota near Talon's Tamarack nickel project.

President Joe Biden greets participants joining his minerals event virtually including California's Gov. Gavin Newsom

Talon signed a nickel supply deal with Tesla Inc last month.

Talon has also agreed to remain neutral in any union organizing effort, the White House said. Biden has been a large supporter of organized labor throughout his presidency.

Biden's comments aimed at Doocy came as the press was being asked to leave so the meeting could continue sans reporters.

Right before journalists departed, Biden indicated he still had Putin on the brain remarking to Newsom that California's economy 'is bigger than the size of Russia's.'

Newsom corrected the preident saying, 'Twice. It's twice the size, Mr. President.'

'Twice. Yeah, I know,' Biden said.

The governor noted that California had the fifth-largest economy in the world. 'So treat us well,' he added.

'But who's paying attention, right?' Biden joked.
The lawyer for journalist E. Jean Carroll, who claims Donald Trump raped her in the 1990s, told a federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday that they want the former president's DNA as part of their defamation case.

Carroll and her attorney Roberta Kaplan made the statements in front of Judge Lewis Kaplan during oral arguments examining Trump's request to countersue the writer for defamation.

Carroll, a longtime advice columnist for Elle magazine, alleged that Trump raped her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City in either 1995 or 1996 in her book, What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal, which was published in 2019.

Trump denied the allegations, claiming she was 'totally lying' to sell her book. He also said she was 'not my type' and that he had 'never met' her. Trump's comments prompted Carroll to sue him for defamation later that year.

E. Jean Carroll, who accused Donald Trump of rape, and her lawyer asked a federal court on Tuesday for the former president's DNA. Carroll was seen above leaving court after Tuesday's hearing

Oral arguments were heard in Trump's request to countersue the writer for defamation. She filed the suit after Trump responded to her sexual assault claim by saying that she was 'not my type' and that he had 'never met' her

Carroll has argued that the statements caused her 'to suffer reputational, emotional, and professional harm,' The Independent reported.

Her lawyer said they would like Carroll and two women whom she told about her alleged rape to testify and to get his DNA to compare with a dress Carroll said she wore during the alleged rape.

'We'd like to get on with discovery. We do not seek to depose President Trump,' she added, noting that Carroll is intent on fact-finding in the case.

Trump's attorney Alina Habba and Judge Kaplan (no relation to Carroll's lawyer) were at odds on a number of matters in a heated exchange. Habba insisted at one point that proceedings were stalled because Trump was a sitting president.

'You can't litigate when you're a sitting president? Are you kidding?' Judge Kaplan chided.

Judge Kaplan did not say when he will make a decision on the case.

'Today the court heard arguments on Donald J Trump's latest, meritless effort to delay E. Jean Carroll's quest to show the world the truth. We are grateful to Judge Kaplan for his respectful consideration of the issues and look forward to proving our case at trial,' her lawyer said in a statement.

Carroll initially filed her lawsuit in state court, but it moved to federal court after the Justice Department got involved and sought to replace Trump's private legal team with government attorneys.

President Joe Biden's Justice Department said this past September that Trump can't be held liable for his 'crude and disrespectful' comments because he was acting within his scope as president at the time.

DOJ lawyers told the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan that responding to allegations of misconduct falls within the official job role of a president.

E. Jean Carroll, a longtime New York advice columnist, alleged in a July 2019 article that Trump raped her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City in either 1995 or 1996

Under this argument, the DOJ said, Trump was acting 'within the scope of employment' as president of the United States when he denied sexually assaulting Carroll more than two decades before he took office.

'Speaking to the public and the press on matters of public concern is undoubtedly part of an elected official's job,' they wrote.

This means the DOJ, as the federal government - as his employer at the time - should serve as defendant rather than Trump personally, the DOJ argued.

Both sides are still waiting for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan to determine whether Carroll's lawsuit should be dismissed because Trump was immune from being sued.

Trump's lawyer on Tuesday also invoked New York's anti-SLAPP law, short for 'strategic lawsuits against public participation,' which was expanded in November 2020 and aims 'to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate people who are exercising their First Amendment rights,' according to The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

But Judge Kaplan suggested that it might be futile for Trump to claim that Carroll's lawsuit violated the 'anti-SLAPP' law, citing several courts that found similar laws did not apply in federal court.

'I question whether you have the right to do what you are seeking to do, because it seems to me it's entirely inconsistent with the notion of futility,' the judge told Trump's lawyer Alina Habba. 'It may not be the way I resolve this matter.'

Judge Kaplan questioned why Trump waited to invoke the law until January  14 months after it took effect  and Carroll's lawyers said it reflected Trump's pattern of delaying the case.

'This is about giving us the right to litigate these issues,' Habba said. 'That is all I'm asking.'
An expedition hunting for Ernest Shackleton's lost ship ended up wedged in the same patch of ice where Endurance sank over a century ago.

The SA Agulhas II became stuck after the mercury dipped to -10C at the same spot in the Weddell Sea where Shackleton's vessel was thought to be last seen in 1915.

But fortunately, thanks to technological advances such as mechanical cranes, engine power and a case of aviation fuel, crew members managed to free the vessel by Tuesday evening.

Historian Dan Snow, who is on board the SA Agulhas II, told The Times: 'Clever people did say to me on the way, "How do you know you're not going to get iced in like Shackleton?"

'I said, "Don't worry about that. We've got all the technology.' But we are now iced in."

The SA Agulhas II (file photo above) became stuck after the mercury dipped to -10C at the same spot in the Weddell Sea where Shackleton's vessel was thought to be last seen in 1915

Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 19141917, which hoped to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic. Pictured: a photograph of the vessel stuck in pack ice taken in the October of 1915, a few weeks before she sank

Mr Snow also posted a video on social media showing the crew's efforts to jerk the vessel free by using a crane to swing a large case of helicopter fuel back and forth.

Mensun Bound, the expedition's director, said: 'Archaeology was never meant to be like this.

'Were stuck and Im cold and I want to get home. This is not good stuff.'

The research ship previously took part in the 'Weddell Sea Expedition' in 2019, where it succeeded in reaching the rough location of the wreck, yet did not find it.

Endurance was one of two ships used by the Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition of 19141917, which hoped to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic.

Carrying an expedition crew of 28 men, the 144-foot-long Endurance was a three-masted schooner barque sturdily built for operations in polar waters.

Aiming to land at Vahsel Bay, the vessel became stuck in pack ice on the Weddell Sea on January 18, 1915  where she and her crew would remain for many months.

In late October, however, a drop in temperature from 42F to -14F saw the ice pack begin to steadily crush the Endurance, which finally sank on November 21, 1915.

Carrying an expedition crew of 28 men, the 144-foot-long Endurance was a three-masted schooner barque sturdily built for operations in polar waters. Pictured: the Endurance, stuck in pack ice, listing heavily to port

Fortunately, thanks to technological advances such as mechanical cranes, engine power and a case of aviation fuel, crew members managed to free the vessel by Tuesday evening. Pictured: the SA Agulhas II, the expedition's icebreaking polar research vessel, seen here in 2019

The crew made its way across the ice to Elephant Island, where most remained while Shackleton and five others sailed off in an open boat to South Georgia to get help.

On board the steam tug Yelcho  on loan to him from the Chilean Navy  Shackleton was able to return to rescue the rest of his crew on August 30, 1916.

Part of the preparations undertaken ahead of the launch of the expedition this month were sea trials that saw the deployment and testing of the so-called SAAB Sabertooth hybrid underwater search vehicles in deep waters.

According to the marine archaeologists, these state-of-the-art unmanned craft are capable of following a pre-programmed course and can relay sensor data and footage in real time to the surface via a fibre optic tether.

The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust said that one of the key aims of the Endurance22 Expedition 'is to bring the story of Shackleton, his ship and the members of his team to new and younger audiences.'

It added: 'The challenges of exploration and of carrying out scientific research, fundamental to our understanding of climate change, form part of that story.'

To this end, it has teamed up with History Hit  the media service co-founded by the British historian Dan Snow  and plans to air documentary footage from the Expedition on several digital channels and social media platforms.

Mr Snow, who serves as History Hit's creative director, said: 'The hunt for Shackleton's wreck will be the biggest story in the world of history in 2022.

'As the partner broadcaster we will be able to reach tens of millions of history fans all over the world, in real time.

'We are going to tell the story of Shackleton and this expedition to find his lost ship like never before.'
A grandfather asked local fishermen to amputate his 'painful' leg just months before he died on Saturday after allegedly convincing a fruit picker to cut off his limb with a circular saw.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal pensioner Kalman Tal, 66, was found unconscious outside a seafood takeaway shop at Innisfail, in far north Queensland, suffering horrific injuries and could not be revived.

Police have charged Vanuatuan man and banana picker John Yalu, 36, with Mr Tal's murder. It will be alleged Yalu used a circular saw to amputate the elderly man's leg.

Mr Tal, a retiree with significant health problems, had been living in Innisfail for several years before his horrific alleged murder.

For last two years, Mr Tal, known around town as a keen fisherman, had been living in a house with his son and daugher-in-law, and his grandchild.

Mr Tal's family members were gathered at the house on Wednesday, but were too distressed to speak about their father's alleged murder.

Grandfather and keen fisherman Kalman Tal, 66, who died after allegedly having his leg amuptated by another man in a north Queensland park on Saturday

One relative, who did not want to be named, said the family wanted 'complete privacy' while coming to terms with the horrific circumstances of his father's death.

The man said Mr Tal had been 'ill' and 'desperate' prior to his death, but he denied it was diabetes that the man was suffering from, instead it was another disease 'which will come out in time'.

He said Mr Tal was 'a lovely man'.

Daily Mail Australia has been told Mr Tal has been asking fishermen around Innisfail over the last five to six months if they could help him by amputating his left leg which was painful.

Police confirmed that other men in the town had been asked to help sever Mr Tal's leg with a battery powered circular saw he carried around in a late model vehicle.

Last Friday night, Mr Yalu is believed to have visited Nite Rumours bar on one of Innisfail's main streets and afterwards was allegedly convinced to accompany Mr Tal to the riverfront Fitzgerald Park.

Around 3.48am two brothers going for a walk found the body of Mr Tal in a pool of blood in a gutter by the Innisfail Seafood shop.

Paramedics were unable to revive him.

Police allege John Yalu, 36, (pictured) a fruit picker, amputated Mr Tal's lower leg with a circular saw

On Tuesday night, Vanuatu's High Commissioner to Australia flew into Innisfail from Canberra for an urgent crisis meeting with distraught seasonal fruit pickers who are traumatised after their co-worker was charged with murder.

Samson Vilvil Fare addressed a highly charged private meeting of around 300 emotional Vanuatans at secluded location at Innisfail's Warrina Lakes.

The meeting was private and Mr Fare spoke to the workers in the Vanuatan Bislama language, but several workers told Daily Mail Australia after the meeting that the High Commissioner told them to stay calm and keep on carrying out their farm work.

He also said despite the murder charge Vanuatu has a long standing good relationship with Australia, and that the accused would get diplomatic assistance from the High Commissioner's office.

Pictured: A car park sitting along the banks of Innisfail's Johnstone River, near where police believe the alleged amputation took place

Mr Tal had allegedly asked local fishermen to amputate his leg in the months before died

Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter (pictured) is leading an investigation into the alleged amputation death of a man in Innisfail, North Queensland, on Saturday

Yalu, who was arrested a short time after Mr Tal's body was discovered, arrived in Australia from Vanuatu last year and regularly sends money from his fruit picking job home to his young family.

Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter, who is heading the police investigation, told Daily Mail Australia that the victim, Mr Tal, had previously asked around for someone to amputate his leg, but had been knocked back.

Multiple local residents told Daily Mail Australia the suffering man had asked a doctor to amputate his leg, but no medical professional would agree to do the procedure.

Police will allege Mr Tal then brought his own battery-operated table saw to the banks of Innisfail's Johnstone River around 3am last Saturday and then injected himself with a sedative.

Then, Yalu took up the saw and severed the man's left leg below the knee, police will allege in court.

Police then alleged Yalu helped the man back to his car and fled from the scene.

Pictured: The Innisfail fish and chip shop where Mr Tal was found dead on Saturday

Police believe the alleged victim got out of his car and slumped into the gutter next to the Innisfail Seafood shop (pictured, the area around the cafe)

It is then believed Yalu returned to his nearby boarding house - the Innisfail Accommodation hub for Non-Resident Workers - which overlooks the river bank, according to investigators.

Police believe the amputated man then pulled himself out of his vehicle before slumping into the gutter next to the Innisfail Seafood shop.

Two brothers aged in their 20s found him there and called police, with paramedics unable to save his life.

Inspector Hunter said there was 'really good CCTV' footage from Innisfail taken early last Saturday morning which is assisting with his investigation.

Vanuatu's High Commissioner to Australia Samson Vilvil Fare addressed a highly charged private meeting of around 300 emotional Vanuatans at secluded location at Innisfail's Warrina Lakes on Tuesday night

Police believe the deceased man paid the 36-year-old (pictured) $5,000 to perform the amputation

Police will allege the man had diabetes and had asked Yalu to cut off his leg after several failed attempts to have his limb amputated (pictured, the local police headquarters)

Inspector Hunter arrived on the scene from Cairns around 5am, when he said junior officers were still dealing with 'the very confronting scene' out the fish and chip shop, saying there was 'lots of blood'.

Although Insp Hunter could confirm 'the two men knew each other', he said investigators were still trying to discover 'the extent of their relationship'.

He said despite reports of an alleged $5,000 payment by the man to Yalu, police were still 'trying to establish whether cash was exchanged'.

Police said 'no screams' had been heard from the scene of the alleged amputation and the area 'had been very quiet'.

Yalu is understood to have been residing at the Innisfail Accommodation hub for Non-Resident Workers (pictured)

Yalu (pictured) remains in police custody after he was refused bail earlier in the week

The alleged victim's body, car and circular saw are still under examination by forensic officers.

Yalu was still in police cells on Tuesday after he was refused bail earlier in the week.

He is expected to be transferred soon to a correctional centre while on remand until his next court appearance in May.

One local business proprietor said Yalu was a 'nice young man who regularly sent money home to his wife and children' back in Vanuatu.

Police are seen in Innisfail after the man's body was found outside a fish and chip shop

Investigations by detectives from Innisfail, Cairns, Mareeba and Tully are being co-ordinated under an operation named Uniform Cremini.

Yalu left his young family behind in Vanuatu to do farm work in Australia in June last year.

His social media account is littered with pictures of his young children in his native country.

Fellow farm workers and countrymen who lived with the Vanuatu national at the Rankin St property said they were 'shocked' by his arrest.

They said he flew to Australia on the same plane in June last year, with the group quarantining together before moving into the non-resident accommodation centre.
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President Joe Biden on Tuesday confirmed that the United States has observed Russia moving supplies of blood towards its border with Ukraine, saying it showed that Vladimir Putin was intent on war - as Ukraine's foreign minister made a swipe at Biden and insisted there was no such thing as a 'minor incursion' of his country.

Biden again strongly condemned Putin's actions in Ukraine, and detailed sanctions against senior Russian figures - which were swiftly laughed off by the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

'Russia has moved supplies of blood and medical equipment into position on their border,' said Biden, speaking from the White House.

'You don't need blood unless you plan on starting a war.'

There are believed to be 100,000-190,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine, and on Tuesday a huge military convoy of more than 100 military trucks with soldiers was also seen heading towards the Ukrainian border.

Satellite photos showed the construction of what appeared to be a field hospital in Belgorod, Russia - 50 miles from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

The site already had shown evidence of troops and equipment.

Another satellite image shows a housing area for troops and a field hospital at Zyabrovka air base in Belarus.

President Joe Biden announced in Tuesday remarks sanctions on two Russian banks and cut off western money and previewed there is more to come after Putin broke 'international law' by moving his forces into Ukraine

Putin, pictured on Tuesday, said he had not yet decided whether to send in troops - but photos showed he already had, with tanks rolling through Donetsk

A satellite image shows a housing area for troops and a field hospital at Zyabrovka air base in Belarus

A satellite image shows troop tents and a field hospital in Novoozernoye, Crimea

More troop tents and a field hospital have been pictured in Novoozernoye, Crimea.

The Pentagon has previously acknowledged the deployment of 'medical support' as part of Russia's buildup.

'It doesn't guarantee that there's going to be another attack, but you would not execute another attack unless you have that in hand,' said Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general now with the Center for European Policy Analysis research institute.

The Russian maneuvering comes as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pushed back against Biden's remark from last month.

Biden on January 19 was asked how the U.S. would respond to a Russian invasion of Ukraine, and said it would depend if it was 'a minor incursion' or if 'they actually do what they're capable of doing with the force amassed on the border'.

Kuleba, appearing at a press conference in Washington DC at the State Department, was asked whether he agreed that 'what we have seen so far is a minor invasion, that there is more to come, and so it only warrants sort of lesser U.S. sanctions.'

Kuleba replied: 'First, there is no minor, middle or major invasion. Invasion is an invasion.

'Second, as I said earlier, we do appreciate the sanctions which were announced today. They target Russia. They are very specific. They are painful.'

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, was in Washington DC on Tuesday for talks with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Kuleba said: 'Invasion is invasion'

Kuleba, pictured with Blinken at the State Department on Tuesday, said Ukraine appreciated the sanctions the U.S. placed on Russian officials

The U.S. targeted with sanctions Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov

'Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called 'countries' on territory that belonged to his neighbors?' Biden questioned in his Tuesday afternoon remarks. The map above shows a large eastern region of Ukraine now occupied by pro-Russian separatists that Putin has legitimized with his decree on Monday

The U.S. on Tuesday moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

'Yesterday Vladimir Putin recognized two regions of Ukraine as independent states and he bizarrely asserted that these regions are no longer part of Ukraine and they are sovereign territory,' Biden said at the White House on Tuesday.

'To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.

'Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called 'countries' on territory that belonged to his neighbors?' the president said.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets. That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdictions.

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the U.S., including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia U.S. high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia's ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.'

A military truck drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops

A tank, believed to be Russian, is spotted on a street near the city of Donetsk in separatist-held regions of eastern Ukraine

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine

Russian artillery pieces are pictured in Rostov-on-Don, on the Russian side of the Ukrainian border, on Tuesday - as Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to advance on to Ukrainian territory

Russian mobile artillery and armoured troop carriers are seen in Russia's Rostov-on-Don region on Tuesday, close to the border with Ukraine's separatist-held areas

Russian troops are seen as armoured vehicles manoeuvre in muddy conditions in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, close to rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine

The U.S. is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official.

In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., shrugged off the new sanctions.

'I don't remember a single day when our country lived without any restrictions from the Western world,' Antonov said.

'We learned how to work in such conditions. And not only survive, but also develop our state.

'There is no doubt that the sanctions imposed against us will hurt the global financial and energy markets. The United States will not be left out, where ordinary citizens will feel the full consequences of rising prices.'

He said that U.S. sanctions against Russia would not solve anything.

'History does not teach everyone. Sanctions will not solve anything with regard to Russia,' he added.

'It is hard to imagine that anyone in Washington is counting on Russia to revise its foreign policy under the threat of restrictions.'

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, on Tuesday evening warned that the threat was grave.

'Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years  certainly in my tenure as secretary general,' he said.

'We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come.'

More than 10,000 soldiers entered separatist-occupied areas overnight Monday, a source with links to Ukrainian military intelligence told MailOnline, with 6,000 sent to Donetsk, 5,000 to Luhansk and 1,500 to the city of Horlivka.

'It is difficult to believe [Putin] could have moved that quickly - but he had a long time to prepare,' the source said.

Putin said that he had not decided to send in troops 'right at this moment' - but officials told The New York Times the invasion started overnight.

Guterres said he was 'concerned about the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping', after Putin described the troops he wanted to send into the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhanks as 'peacekeepers'.

'When troops of one country enter the territory of another country without its consent, they are not impartial peacekeepers,' Guterres told reporters.

'They are not peacekeepers at all.'

Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the threat of invasion, which U.S. officials have for weeks portrayed as all but inevitable, appeared to evaporate.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled plans for a Thursday meeting in Geneva with his Russian counterpart, saying it would not be productive and that Russia's actions indicated Moscow was not serious about a peaceful path to resolving the crisis.

Women and children are loaded on to buses in rebel-occupied Ukraine, so they can be 'evacuated' to Russia

The coffin of Ukrainian Captain Anton Sidorov is seen in Kiev this morning, who died on the front line on Feb 19th

Putin on Tuesday laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kiev recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014; renounces its bid to join NATO; and partially demilitarizes.

The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: 'I haven't said that the troops will go there right now.'

He added that 'it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action  it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.'

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade  and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky, in a speech to the Ukrainian nation on Monday night, vowed 'we are not afraid of anyone or anything' and that 'we will not give anything to anyone' in defiance of Russian pressure

Condemnation from around the world was quick.

In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued U.S. support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia.

Senators had been considering sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia, and Kiev recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

If Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep.

'If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,' he said.

Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he was calling up some of the country's military reservists but added there was no need for a full military mobilization.

The head of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksii Danilov, said earlier this year that Ukraine can call up up to 2.5 million people.

In an address to the nation, Zelenskyy said his decree applied only to those assigned to the so-called operational reserve, which is typically activated during ongoing hostilities, and covers 'a special period of time,' without clarifying what that means.

'Today there is no need for a full mobilization. We need to quickly add additional staff to the Ukrainian army and other military formations,' he said.
A mother and her partner accused of murder over the death of a nine-month-old allegedly 'forgot' about the baby during a three-day drug binge, a Brisbane court has heard.

The body of Dexter Wilton was found by paramedics inside a property at Raceview in Ipswich, on June 21, 2019.

His mother Natalie Jade Whitehead was charged about 18 months later with murder and interfering with a corpse over the baby's death.

Andrew Campbell, who is charged with a baby's murder, is seeking bail.

Ipswich baby, Dexter Wilton (pictured) was found dead in his mother's home by paramedics

Her partner at the time Andrew William Campbell allegedly lived in the Ipswich house when the child died.

Campbell and Whitehead had been in a relationship for about six weeks at the time Dexter died, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.

They were no longer together when the two were arrested.

Prosecutors said during Campbell's application for bail that the now 42-year-old is accused of neglecting the child.

The Crown will argue Campbell had a duty of care for the child, although Whitehead was the main carer.

From material submitted there was no allegation Campbell had been violent towards the child, the court was told.

Prosecutors will allege Campbell and Whitehead were on a three or four-day drug binge and 'just forgot' about the baby causing his death.

The Crown also argued Campbell "deliberately avoided police for over two weeks" before his arrest in January last year.

The bail application has been adjourned until Wednesday afternoon.
A private investigator called war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith a 'weak dog' for allegedly trying to cover up writing threatening letters to special forces soldiers, the Federal Court has been told.

John McLeod regularly conducted business for the decorated soldier after meeting in Brisbane in 2011, and considered him a 'friend' when he was handed a blue folder with envelopes and names in 2018, he said in evidence on Wednesday.

That evening Mr Roberts-Smith telephoned him saying 'got (those) addresses for you buddy,' advised not to post two of four enclosed letters, and how to identify a remaining recipient being Person 18, he said.

The following morning en route to pick up a family heirloom from his aunt's house and while searching for a fish and chip shop fronting the Tweed River, he posted the letters.

About a week later, the ex-police officer was 'summoned' by Mr Roberts-Smith to a meeting in Milton when he yelled from a footpath 'no phones no phones'.

Private investigator John McLeod has given evidence in court against decorated war hero Ben Roberts-Smith

Mr McLeod said he turned his phone off and the pair walked to the side of the building where Mr Roberts-Smith asked if he had 'seen the media'.

'They're saying the letters were threats ... they're not f***ing threats. It's just a touch-up,' Mr Roberts-Smith allegedly said.

'I didn't understand what he was saying and then the penny dropped,' Mr McLeod said.

He told Mr Roberts-Smith that if compromised him by his actions he'd 'better get me a good lawyer'.

'I said 'if you've done something stupid put your hand up ... the cover-up is 10 times worse than the offence'.'

He said Mr Roberts-Smith told him to 'just say you were a supporter of mine,' and sent the letters because he was 'sick of the way I was being treated'.

'I just looked at him and said 'f*** that you weak dog'.'

Ben Roberts Smith (pictured with ex-wife Emma) was accused of trying to cover up writing threatening letters to special forces soldiers

Mr McLeod 'ceased' contact from that point, he said.

The Victoria Cross recipient is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation and denies their reports that he committed war crimes and murders in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012.

The 43-year-old has strenuously denied all wrongdoing including allegations of facilitating the threatening letters.

The newspapers' barrister Nicholas Owens SC asked Mr McLeod whether he had ever spoken to journalists about his dealings with Mr Roberts-Smith.

'No, I despise the media,' he said.

Mr McLeod said he agreed to post the letters after Mr Roberts-Smith said he 'was under the pump' and too busy himself.

It followed another surveillance mission he was tasked to perform at a Brisbane termination centre in 2018.

After parking outside the Greenslopes abortion clinic for several hours, he figured the woman codenamed Person 17 'had gone to the wrong hospital,' a short distance away, he said.

After relocating he saw his target leaving Greenslopes Hospital, a centre he had confirmed did not perform such procedures, and sent a recorded video to Mr Roberts-Smith.

The Federal Court has heard how war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith (pictured) was called 'weak dog' by a private investigator after he allegedly tried to cover up writing threatening letters to special forces soldiers

Mr Roberts-Smith testified that he asked Mr McLeod to follow the woman because he suspected she was lying about being pregnant.

Mr McLeod said odd jobs he performed for Mr Roberts-Smith included pretending to be a bartender at a home function he was hosting for Channel Seven employees.

It was soon after Mr Roberts-Smith had taken a top job at the media company and was interested to know what the staff 'thought of him,' he said.

Barrister Bruce McClintock SC, on behalf of Mr Roberts-Smith, said Mr McLeod was big-noting himself and had been hired as a doorman to check on guests.

'Not true,' he said.

He agreed he later referred to Mr Roberts-Smith as a 'prick' and 'psycho'.
A man who allegedly shot at passing cars and pedestrians before barricading himself in a dive shop last year has been charged with an additional terrorism offence.

Simon Fleming, 40, was arrested at the scene and charged with six offences after allegedly firing shots at passers-by and then barricading himself inside a dive shop in Windang in Wollongong's south about 9.30am on November 28.

He allegedly briefly held the store's owner hostage before surrendering an hour later to heavily armed officers who had set up a perimeter at the scene.

A man who allegedly shot at pedestrians before barricading himself in a dive shop has been charged with engaging in an act of terrorism Pictured: Footage from Windang in Wollongong's south in November showed a man dressed in all black carrying two firearms

Simon Fleming, 40, allegedly took an employee hostage inside a dive shop, where he was arrested by police (pictured is vision of the arrest)

Police said guns, knives and devices were seized from his Windang home as well as white supremacist material that suggested a fixation with the military and Nazis.

When he appeared in court via video link at Wollongong for a bail review on Wednesday he was charged with an additional offence of engaging in a terrorist act.

The maximum penalty for that offence is life in prison.

The additional charge followed an investigation by the NSW police joint counter terror team, which includes members of the federal police and ASIO.

A bail application was withdrawn following the additional charge.

The investigation found Fleming was willing to commit violent acts and possessed documents containing extremist ideologies, some of which he authored, police allege.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton said the Windang siege was 'frightening to the public and of great concern', being 'consistent with police and security agency threat messaging that we've been undertaking for some time'.

A man (pictured) was pictured being escorted away by police officers following November's alleged siege

'Our current threat is from lone actors, particularly people with an ideology, and mixed ideologies,' he said.

'They really move around in whatever their views are and they're very much influenced by what they're picking up and consuming on the internet.'

The ideologies differ and mix, but underpinning most of them is an anti-government sentiment, and the constant consumption of online content fuelling their ideology increases the threat of people moving from ideas to action, Mr Walton says.

Fleming was allegedly in possession of two firearms when he shot at passing cars and pedestrians before barricading himself in the shop.
Rythma, 16, left her school bag and other personal belongings behind when she was last seen leaving her school in Glen Iris, southeast Melbourne, on Tuesday at 9am

A desperate search is underway for a teenager who went missing from school and left all her belongings behind.

Rythma, 16, left her school bag and other possessions when she was last seen leaving her school in Glen Iris, southeast Melbourne, at 9am on Tuesday.

Police and family are worried for Rythma's wellbeing and said she has a medical condition.

Investigators said Rythma is known to frequent parks in Malvern and Waverly.

Police have urged anyone with information on the teen's whereabouts to contact the Mount Waverley police station.
The West can't stop Russia from rolling into Ukraine - and it may just be the first step in a much bigger invasion plan, an Australian expert has warned.

Dr Leonid Petrov fears the attack on Ukraine could be the start of a rolling Russian expansion into neighbouring states like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and even Poland.

He believes renegade President Vladimir Putin is hellbent on restoring Russia's Soviet-era territories, and may target its Central Asian neighbours too.

Dr Petrov spoke out after Prime Minister Scott Morrison branded Putin a thug and a bully and imposed initial sanctions on Russia over its Ukraine incursion.

But Dr Petrov said Australia and the West were powerless to stop the Russian leader as sanctions were meaningless and a military response was out of the question.

The West can't stop Russia from rolling into Ukraine - and it may just be the first step in a much bigger invasion plan for President Vladimir Putin (pictured), an Australian expert has warned

Dr Leonid Petrov fears the attack on Ukraine could be the start of a rolling Russian expansion into neighbouring states like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and even Poland

'Putin has nuclear weapons and nobody would really dare to confront a nuclear-armed Russia,' he warned. 'Putin is not in a stable state of mind.

'Putin cannot be stopped by the West. I believe the world is now on the brink of a new major conflict.'

But there is one country that could yet halt Russia in its tracks, he said.

Russia still fears China - and even the once-mighty Soviet Union was terrified about a Chinese invasion during the 1970s and 80s, he said.

If the West was to make peace with China - and especially if the US ends its Sino trade war - he believes it could be enough to make Putin and Russia hesitate.

Russia still fears China - and even the once-mighty Soviet Union was terrified about a Chinese invasion during the 1970s and 80s (pictured, President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured right) branded Putin a thug and a bully and imposed initial sanctions on Russia over its Ukraine incursion but Dr Petrov said the West led by US President Joe Biden (pictured left) were powerless to stop Putin as sanctions were meaningless and a military option was out of the question

'To be more friendly with China would perhaps be the clever move for the West,' he said. 'China is more prone to a rules-based world order than Russia.

'China is a much likelier ally and friend to the West than Russia. It would be sensible to end this senseless trade war and China would be a great ally to the West.

'They would probably play the part of the local sheriff.'

The Australian National University academic says Putin wants to turn back the clock on Russia's borders to what they were before the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

In the wake of the Cold War ending following the fall of the Berlin Wall and break up of the Eastern Bloc, former Soviet states like Ukraine regained their independence.

Dr Petrov believes renegade President Vladimir Putin is hellbent on restoring Russia's Soviet-era territories, and may target its Central Asian neighbours too (pictured, Russian troops mass the Ukraine border)

Dr Petrov said Putin was using the tried and tested war plan he previously used against Georgia in 2008 (pictured) to identify rebel enclaves and use them as cover for an invasion

But Russian nationalists like Putin have continued to lay claim to the territories - and his powerbase relies on it.

'Putin's masterplan is to stay in power as long as possible,' Dr Petrov, who is also with the International College of Management in Sydney, said.

'He needs to create crises which are going to be popular - and popular sentiment in Russia these days is the restoration of the borders of the former Soviet Union.

'Nobody can guarantee the integrity of European Union states like the Baltic republics which were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

'Russia will have the power to annex them as well. He wants to expand Russia's territory and exploit the populations of the newly acquired territory.

'We might see in the near future expansion into former Soviet republics.'

Putin wants to turn back the clock on Russia's borders to what they were before the collapse of the USSR in 1991 by ret-taking territories like Ukraine (pictured in 2014)

Russian nationalists like Putin have continued to lay claim to territories like Ukraine (seen here when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014) and his powerbase relies on it

He said attempts by the West to isolate Putin through threats and sanctions were doomed to failure.

Dr Leonid Petrov(pictured) warns attempts by the West to isolate Putin through threats and sanctions were doomed to failure

'Russia will be subject to more aggressive sanctions and I believe Moscow is going to be diplomatically ostracised by the international community.' Dr Petrov said.

'But I think that's what President Putin wants. He wants isolation, he wants to rule Russia indefinitely.

'He does not need to be integrated with the world economy or community.'

Dr Petrov said Putin was using the tried and tested war plan he previously used against Georgia to identify rebel enclaves and use them as cover for an invasion.

He said the Ukraine invasion was literally a cut and paste of the Georgia plan, using identical documents with identical serial numbers to justify the invasion.

Dr Petrov said the Ukraine invasion was literally a cut and paste of the Georgia invasion plan (pictured), using identical documents with identical serial numbers to justify the incursion

Russia's plan relied on identifying areas close to the border with high percentages of Russian-speaking locals and supporting local uprisings, then moving in to support them as 'peacekeepers' (pictured, a Georgian peace rally against Russia in 2008)

'It's a really sloppy job,' Dr Petrov said. 'The Kremlin does not really bother following procedures or looking into details.'

Dr Petrov said the plan simply relied on identifying areas close to the border with high percentages of Russian-speaking locals and supporting local uprisings, then moving in to support them as 'peacekeepers'.

'It will be easy for Putin to destabilise the situation in those neighbouring countries like the Baltics or Central Asian republics,' he said.

'It's important to destabilise the neighbours to send the message to the domestic constituents that Russia is not doing too badly.'

Even with Russia hit by sanctions, the countries being invaded would provide enough cash, fuel, and mineral deposits to replace anything lost by trade barriers to the West.

Even with Russia hit by sanctions, the countries being invaded would provide enough cash, fuel, and mineral deposits to replace anything lost by trade barriers to the West (pictured, smoke behind a Ukraine power plant)

Subjugated countries would become part of the Russian Customs Union, use a common currency, and be brought into the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, which is a Russian version of NATO (pictured, infantry troops in Crimea in 2014)

The subjugated countries would then start to become part of the Russian Customs Union, use a common currency, and be brought into the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, which is a Russian version of NATO.

'We will see how the Ukraine gambit unfolds,' he added. 'It could be they only go so far into the country as they did in Crimea in 2014 and then stop for a while.

'It could take years for the invasion to be complete.

'But if he pushes on and takes the country then the Baltic states could be next - and then Asian neighbours like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Dr Petrov fears Russia will push on to take over other neighbouring states (pictured Georgia in 2008)

Putin's bid to restore Russia's Soviet borders could lead them to invade Poland (pictured, Georgian troops come under fire from Russian rockets in 2008)

'I hope he does not need Poland. I know he has a real problem with Ukraine... but he has an even stronger negative sentiment towards Poland for some reason.

'Even Poland - at the heart of Europe - is not safe.'




Two South Korean children's books have won prizes at this year's Bologna Ragazzi Awards, one of the world's largest honors for kids' books and illustrations.





"Summer," written and drawn by Suzy Lee, was listed as one of the three Special Mention works in the Fiction category, the organizers of the awards said Wednesday (Korean time) on its website.





In the Non-Fiction section, "Father's big hands" by Choi Deok-kyu was also selected as a Special Mention piece.



"Summer" is a story about children playing in the water during summer based on Lee's memories of listening to "Four Seasons" by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi.





It is the second consecutive year Lee's illustrations have won a Ragazzi award following "The Yulu Linen," co-written by China's Cao Wenxuan.





"Summer" was also nominated for an award at the biannual Hans Christian Andersen Awards.



Choi's "Father's big hands" is his semi-autobiographical story about a son in need of a father's care while growing up, who later ends up taking care of his father as an adult.





The Bologna Ragazzi Awards are regarded as one of the world's most prestigious prizes in the field of children's publishing, along with the Hans Christian Andersen Awards and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. (Yonhap)


The 15-year-old TikTok star whose father shot dead an armed stalker trying to break into their home last July is set to testify in a Florida court on Monday in a bid to fend off another stalker as her family continues supporting her social media endeavors.

Ava Majury has been 'genuinely afraid for her safety' after she awoke to the sound of gunfire when Eric Rohan Justin, 18, blew open the front door of her home in Naples with a shotgun before her father Rob, a retired cop, shot him dead.

She has since been pulled out of school and her family moved to a new house in the state, but not before another boy began following her around and watching her every move.

The boy, whose identity was withheld because he is a juvenile, had been texting Justin before the deadly gunfire exchange, Ava and her family told the New York Times. Another classmate also sent Ava a video the boy had made of himself firing a gun at a shooting range.

Ava's lawyer, James Scarmozzino, filed a petition in Collier County Circuit Court seeking an injunction for protection against stalking and a hearing is set for this Monday, where Ava will testify. Her attorney did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

'She is genuinely afraid for her safety. It is a shame that it too often seems it takes a tragedy for everyone to ask: Why didn't we act sooner?' Lanny Davis, an attorney for the family, told Fox News, adding that the family hopes to obtain video evidence connected with the new stalking case.

Meantime, the teen and her parents have defended Majury selling selfies to Justin and revealed she will stay on TikTok where she makes $1,700-a-video despite safety risks.

Ava Majury, whose father shot dead an armed stalker trying to break into their home last July, is set to testify in court next week

She will speak at a hearing in hopes of obtaining an injunction for protection against another stalker who had been following and watching her before she was pulled out of school. She was above with her retired cop father, Rob, in one of her popular TikTok videos

Ava's father Rob shot the stalker dead after he blasted off the door to the home in Florida (pictured). The family no longer lives at the home

Ava's juvenile stalker is said to have started intimidating and following her in December. They had been in contact prior to the stalking, however it is unclear when communication began.

Monday's hearing comes after having been delayed and Ava initially barred from testifying, 'but she is testifying at this hearing,' a spokesperson for Ava's family told Fox News on Tuesday.

'We're hoping that's a big development that could help her in getting the injunction,' the spokesperson said.

The teen now claims she is using her platform to as a resource for other people who are experiencing cyberstalking, harassment or threats of violence online.

'Social media can connect people of all walks of life and create a sense of community. But I'm telling my story so that young people and parents are also aware of the dangers of social media,' Ava wrote in a post on her Instagram account, sharing the Times article.

'I could never have imagined my innocent posts would result in a stranger showing up at my front door with a shotgun. I urge young people and parents to immediately report any threat or signal of violence, and not wait until it's too late,' she added.

Meanwhile, Ava's family is continuing to support her social media career. Ava joined TikTok in 2020 when she was 13.

She now has more than one million followers spread over three accounts that she runs. Most of her videos are of her singing, dancing or pulling pranks with her friends and family.

Despite her persistent fears, her parents are allowing her to stay on the platform - where she can earn more than $1,700 for a single video.

Ava told the New York Times in her initial interview last week: 'I have three TikTok accounts, so I could have one brand come to me and be like, Oh, Ill do $1,000 for one video on your main account, and Ill be like, Oh great, I have two other accounts that are different types of people on there."'

'So altogether, Im making $1,700 off just my name, because I opened up three accounts rather than just building off one.'

TikTok influencers generate income from paid content, ads, appearances and merchandising. Most of the app's top earners make their money from deals with brands that are made outside of the app, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Brand analysts argue followers of TikTok stars find the content creators 'irresistible' and are 'emotionally invested' in their journey, making the followers 'more inclined to do or buy things they tell you to buy'.

This connection between star and fan has prompted several companies to launch product deals - such as Dunkin Donuts creating a personalized coffee drink named after Charli DAmelio - with select TikTokers. Hulu has even created reality TV shows about certain stars.

TikTokers can generate an annual income close of $26-$32,000, if they build establish a following of more than two million, BBC analysts reported in 2020.

Ava claims she earns her money by creating branded content for certain companies with whom she reaches outside agreements. It is unclear what her total annual revenue is from brand agreements.

The teen also sold her adult stalker, Justin, selfies for $300 each, which he paid for via Venmo. He is said to have sent her a total of $927 on the money-sharing app.

Despite the ongoing safety concerns, Ava's parents are still encouraging her to create TikTok content.

'As parents, all that we've ever wanted is the best for Ava,' Rob and Kim Majury said in a joint statement to Fox News Tuesday. 'While becoming social media famous was not in the plan, we support our daughter's endeavors entirely. Never in our wildest dreams did we think a fun pastime could lead to a near-death experience.'

Ava posted the above on Instagram over the weekend, defending her and her family's decision to keep her on social media

Justin tracked Ava down in Naples, Florida , after buying her personal information from her friends. It is still unclear how exactly he got her address

Ava's father Rob retired from a New Jersey police force before they moved to Florida

Ava's most recent post on Instagram, posted over the weekend, is a statement defending her and her family's decision to keep her on social media.

'After this incident, my family insisted that I get rid of my social media. I pleaded with them to not force me to give up all that I had built and let the assailant stop me from doing what I love,' it reads.

'My family has suffered so much from this ordeal. I hope this sets the record straight and people resist the temptation to blame victims,' she adds.

Justin tracked Ava down in Naples after buying her personal information from her friends. He showed up at the family's home with a handgun, and fired a single shot through the door. It missed and his weapon jammed.

'All I remember was, I heard it, I felt it in my chest, and I looked up, and there was a hole in my door from the fragments,' Ava told The New York Times in an article published on Thursday.

Ava and her brothers - aged 17 and 11 - cowered in their parents bedroom as their father grabbed his weapon and headed to the front of the house.

When Justin returned after hiding for a moment, Robert shot him dead.

Ava joined TikTok in 2020 when she was 13. She now has more than one million followers spread over three accounts that she runs

Ava is shown as a child with her brothers and parents, Kimberly and Rob. They hid in their parents' bedroom while Rob killed her stalker last July

Ava learned that her old friends had sold her phone number to the stalker, along with photos of her that were not on the internet

Ava's parents allowed her to directly sell selfies to him. She said they were innocent, showing only her smile which is what her TikTok and Instagram accounts shows too

He was never charged because the killing was deemed legal under Florida's Stand Your Ground laws.

Police never made the details of it public at the time, but the family are speaking out.

They told how they moved from New Jersey, where Robert was a cop in Jersey City, to Florida for a quieter life after he retired.

That is where Ava started her TikTok career and attracted Justin. He commented on her pages under the username EricJustin111, bombarded her with messages and contacted her old friends in New Jersey.

They sold him photos of her that weren't online and also gave him her phone number. It's not clear how much he paid for her phone number.

Ava's parents then allowed her to directly sell selfies to him. She said they were innocent, showing only her smile which is what her TikTok account shows too.

'I did so because I thought it would stop him from harassing me and my friends. When he asked for explicit content, I blocked him,' she clarified in an Instagram post over the weekend.

Rob also contacted him when he started asking her for more explicit content and reminded him that Ava was a minor.

He asked him to stop contacting her and he became angry. He started texting friends of Ava's, threatening her. Then, on July 10, 2021, Justin showed up at the family's home with a shotgun.

Justin's father, named by The Times as Justin Dominic, a software engineer who is divorced from Justin's mother, told the paper that his son chose to stay in America rather than move to India with him in 2015 after his parents divorced, and that he had no idea he was stalking Ava.

'He was a nice kid. I'm at a loss for words. I don't know what went bad with him. He made a bad choice,' he said, adding that his son was a good student who did well in math at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City.

Ava's family say they do not want her to stop TikToking now because every day is like 'Christmas Day' seeing how many views her videos get

Police found two cell phones that belonged to him and contained hundreds of photographs of Ava and some of her TikTok videos.

It's unclear how he found her address, but the family believes he may have gotten it from her current stalker with who he was texting.

Police at the time described it as a home invasion. They did not name any of the parties involved.

The police report however says: 'The subject was most likely a stalker that resulted from her daughter's extensive social media involvement.'

The Times reported that in August, months after the shooting, Ava received messages on Venmo from a different man who offered her $1,000 for her phone number.

The man, who called her 'baby girl,' was discovered by her parents to have the same name of a registered sex offender who was previously arrested for soliciting a 14-year-old girl, The Times reported. It is unclear if Ava has since been contacted by him.

The family is still living in Florida and Ava continues to sell videos on TikTok to brands, and post videos of herself dancing.
Illicit drugs could be made legal if a Victorian MP gets her way, as se proposes a controversial bill in Parliament.

Fiona Patten, the leader of the Reason Party and Member for Northern Metropolitan Region, presented the contentious bill to the Victorian State Parliament on Wednesday.

Rather than being taken off the streets, she wants people found with drugs to be given 'education' or 'treatment' to combat their habit.

If passed, the bill would see the decriminalisation of the possession of small quantities of drugs including methamphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis.

'Instead of being given a criminal conviction or being taken to court or arrested, you will be given a treatment or education notice by the police,' the MP said.

A Victorian MP will push for the legalisation of a suite of illicit drugs in a controversial bill which will also see the rollout of pill testing trials at live music events (stock image)

Fiona Patten, the leader of the Reason Party and Member for Northern Metropolitan Region, (pictured) presented the contentious bill on Wednesday

Poll SHOULD POSSESSING DRUGS BE DECRIMINALISED? Yes No SHOULD POSSESSING DRUGS BE DECRIMINALISED? Yes 24 votes

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The offender would be required to complete the reform program within 12 months, rather than be slapped with a fine or face time behind bars.

Ms Patten said the southern state needed to stop treating drug use as a criminal problem and instead approach the issue as a health concern.

Prior to her parliamentary address, she said the majority of drug users didn't have a problem, but could still benefit from early intervention.

'This could provide a change to someone's life if they were going down a trajectory that was going to aid them in trouble with drugs,' the MP said.

'So this is sensible. This is reasonable. This is not radical. This is what other countries are doing. And the evidence tells us that we should be doing it in Victoria.'

The proposed bill is modelled off international programs where drug users are sent to a rehabilitation facility or given community service rather than jail time.

Ms Patten told reporters prior to her parliamentary address that the majority of drug users didn't have a problem, but could still benefit from early intervention (pictured)

Countries like Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia, the Netherlands and some American states have already decriminalised some illicit drugs (stock image)

Countries like Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia, the Netherlands and some American states have already decriminalised some illicit drugs.

Ms Patten's reforms would see the regulation of cannabis and the extension of supervised safe injecting centres, as well as the rollout of pill testing trials.

The bill would also see the legalisation of contentious vape pens to support Victorians trying to ditch nicotine for good.

The MP explains on her website that by connecting drug users with health experts they can work towards recovery and reduce harm to their health and wellbeing.

If passed, the bill would see the decriminalisation of a suite of illicit drugs including methamphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis (pictured, Ms Patten in 2019)

Ms Patten was joined in her press conference by who she described as 'people who see the negative impacts of current drug laws every day'.

Bayden, who shared his story with reporters, said criminal justice intervention had only exacerbated his 20-year drug addiction.

'If I thought that the criminal justice system helped people with drug addiction, I would have looked for work in that area, but it definitely doesn't,' he said.

The possession and use of a small quantity of cannabis has already been decriminalised in South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory.

In those jurisdictions a criminal penalty has been replaced with a civil law scheme.

Ms Patten's reforms would see the regulation of cannabis and the extension of supervised safe injecting centres, as well as the rollout of pill testing trials (stock image)

Not-for-profit addiction, mental health and legal services hub First Step has backed Ms Patten's reforms with CEO Patrick Lawrence commending the bill.

The St Kilda-based service offers free support for vulnerable Victorians with the help of GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists and lawyers.

'This bill will not increase the amount of drugs in society but will increase access to treatment and will increase the chance of new beginnings,' he told the Herald.

'Empower police to direct people to treatment, to support and to education instead of arresting. That's actually all we're asking for.'

Ms Patten has urged Victorians to share their support for the reforms with their local MP before the bill is debated in the Upper House in two weeks time.
Australia's most wanted fugitive who decapitated a teenage girl looked unrecognisable when he was seen for the first time in 12 years after his dramatic arrest.

Graham Potter, 64, was nabbed in a police raid after he allegedly skipped bail in Melbourne in 2010 on conspiracy to murder charges and extradited to Victoria on Wednesday.

Potter grinned as he was photographed handcuffed and under armed guard, during a police flight from Cairns to Melbourne.

He appeared considerably older and sported a shaggy grey beard.

The convicted killer said he'd spent the last 12 years 'living life' but also 'avoiding being killed'.

'Youll appreciate I cant talk to you. Id like to but I cant at this stage,' he said at Cairns Airport.

Potter also quietly admitted that he did not think he'd ever be caught.

Weathered and scruffy fugitive Graham Potter, now 64, was tracked down by police after 12 years in hiding on Monday and extradited from Cairns to Melbourne on Wednesday

Potter, who is set to face two counts of conspiracy to murder, grinned as he was photographed handcuffed and under armed guard, during a police flight from Cairns

Graham Gene Potter as he was last seen publicly. He was released from prison in 1996 after serving 15 years. He was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police in 2017

Potter was arrested in a police raid at a squalid Far North Queensland house after he allegedly skipped bail in Melbourne in 2010 on conspiracy to murder charges and has since been extradited to Victoria

He was found on Monday, holed up in a rundown weatherboard shack covered with rubbish when cops caught up with him after more than a decade on the run.

He was dubbed the 'head and fingers killer' after serving 15 years for the 1981 murder of Kim Barry, 19.

He bashed Ms Barry to death, decapitated her and chopped off her fingers.

Police vision of the arrest shows the inside of dilapidated house where he hid out at Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns in far north Queensland.

He was arrested in a squalid room filled with empty cardboard boxes, beer bottles on the windowsill and a chicken coop - with a terrified cat filmed in police vision.

Potter, who allegedly evaded police for so long by changing his appearance, was hiding behind a bunk bed topped with multiple old mattresses and there were large cobwebs on the walls.

A 12 year manhunt for Potter ended when police found him hiding out in this dilapidated shack (pictured) in remote North Queensland

Old planks of wood, sheets of corrugated iron are strewn about the yard (pictured)

Graham Potter is seen stumbling on a chicken coop after police discovered him inside a squalid room filled with old cardboard boxes and rubbish

Images of the outside of the property in the small town of about 1,400 residents show the iron roof completely rusted and a tarp strung up around the lower level.

Old planks of woods, sheets of corrugated iron, and rubbish are strewn haphazardly around the yard.

There also looks to be half-finished landscaping work done with branches cut from trees piled up and the lawn dug up.

Footage of the dramatic arrest shows hiding amongst the debris inside the property.

'This is the police. Do not move. Put your hands where I can see them,' a police officer yells at him.

'Yeah, yeah,' Potter nonchalantly responds.

The weatherboard house has a tarp hung up around the lower level and the lawn dug up

Other tarps are strung up around the property where the 64-year-old had hid out along with piles of clutter

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the Ravenshoe house in which Potter was found

A stack of old mattresses are pictured on the bunk bed behind which Potter was found hiding

Potter was taken in handcuffs from the house down a staircase piled with old newspapers, magazines and general rubbish

The house on Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, where fugitive Graham Potter was found by police

As he is led from the house in handcuffs, piles of newspapers and magazines are seen stacked on a staircase.

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the house.

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the house, with the curtains tightly drawn.

Police said Potter denied his identity when located, while the home's owner said Potter was known to her as 'Ned'.

The owner, Sandi Feller, told The Australian she would not comment about Potter's discovery at the house under she'd spoken to a solicitor.

'They didn't arrest me. They haven't charged me, but that might come yet too, who knows?' she said.

Potter had evaded police for 12 years before he was located at the far north Queensland property

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the Ascham St property, with the curtains tightly drawn

A neighbour told Nine News Queensland he had never seen Potter at the house.

'I've never seen the man they arrested this morning,' the man said.

Another resident of the street, Paul Adamson, said the house where the fugitive was found was known as a junkyard but had actually been 'tidied up' recently.

'At the moment it looks the best it's been since I've been here. You couldn't even see the house two weeks ago.' he said.

Mr Adamson said Potter had been known to visit the house.

'He was there years ago. He was on the run years ago and they'd found he'd been staying there,' he said.

Potter was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry (pictured), 19, in Wollongong in 1981

On Tuesday Potter appeared via video link from the Mareeba watchhouse to hear Magistrate Thomas Braes make an order for him to be returned to Victoria to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Victorian detectives travelled from Melbourne on Tuesday morning to escort Potter from Queensland.

There was no application for bail.

The convicted murderer, who has an extensive criminal history, was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police acting assistant crime commissioner Paul De Santo in 2017.

Historical police records show Potter lining up for a mugshot as early as 1976, when he was aged just 18.

Five years later, he was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry, 19, in Wollongong, after he beat her and cut off her head. He was released in 1996 after serving just 15 years.

Local police update on the capture of Graham Gene Potter Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discussed the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning. - 'He's a personable fellow,' Det Insp Goan said of Potter. 'He is happy to speak with to us in relation to any number of issues. We've had no acts of violence that warrant concern for our detectives.' - Police suspect Potter has lived in the far north Queensland area for the last 12 years. - Det Insp Goan said there was evidence Potter had at times 'assimilated' himself with others members of the local community. Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discusses the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning - Potter claimed to be 'Josh Lawson' when approached by police at the Ravenshoe property, until finger-printing at Mareeba police station confirmed his identity. - Queensland police are waiting on Victorian detectives to arrive before deciding whether charges will be laid against the woman found at the Ascham St property. The woman is not in custody. - No warrant was needed to enter premises because police possessed 'credible' information a wanted person was at the property. - Det Insp Goan confirmed police had visited the house a number of times over the years after reports Potter had visited the premises. - The dog squad attended the arrest because Potter had been known to 'take flight' on previous occasions when police closed in on him. Advertisement

At the time of his arrest in 2010, Potter was connected to Victorian and New South Wales organised crime figures and had allegedly been recruited to carry out gangland killings.

He was one of three charged over the alleged planned murders of two men related to disputes within a drug syndicate over a failed importation.

Potter allegedly skipped a court appearance in February 2010 and has eluded police ever since.

In August 2010 he allegedly bragged about how he had used a number of costumes, including wigs, fat suits, and hair colour changes, to mingle in society undetected.

His alleged strategies were unearthed in letters discovered at a campsite in Tully, 140km south of Cairns, on August 28 that year by officers investigating a tip-off about his possible location.

Potter's stint in Tully was the closest police would come to catching him before he was finally apprehended this week, in another town 128km north west.

Acting on a tip off, an army of officers and police dogs stormed the ramshackle Ravenshoe house around 8.45am on Monday to find Potter lying at the top of a dingy bunk-bed.
Three wealthy and powerful sons of Vladimir Putin's closest allies were hit by U.S. sanctions on Tuesday, as well as two banks described by the U.S. treasury as 'crucial to financing the Russian defense industry.'

The sanctions were announced in a White House address by Joe Biden, in response to Putin's decision to recognize the independence of two breakaway regions of Ukraine. The decision is seen as a precursor to an invasion.

'If Russia goes further with this invasion we stand prepared to go further as with sanctions,' said Biden.

'Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?'

He described the sanctions as 'the first tranche to impose costs on Russia in response to their actions'.

Three sons of high profile allies of Putin, who have themselves already been sanctioned, were on the list.

'They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well,' said Biden.

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday sanctions against two Russian banks and three individuals. He said that there is more to come after Putin broke 'international law' by moving his forces into Ukraine

The U.S. renewed sanctions on Alex Bortnikov (left), the head of the FSB, and Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko (center). New sanctions were issued on Promsvyazbank CEO Petr Fradkov

Putin (far right) is seen in 1999 with Sergei Kiriyenko (center). Putin was prime minister of Russia from 1999-2000, and again from 2008-12. Kiriyenko was prime minister in 1998

The trio included Vladimir Kiriyenko, 38, who in December was appointed CEO of Russia's largest social media company, VK Group.

Vladimir Kiriyenko, 38, is the head of Russia's largest social network

Kiriyenko, whose father was Boris Yeltsin's prime minister in the 1990s, at 22 became chairman of Volga, a local television company in his home region of Nizhny Novgorod, immediately after graduating from university.

He then headed a venture capital firm in Moscow before becoming an executive at Rostelecom, the national telecom operator.

Kiriyenko's father Sergei, 59, was first sanctioned in March 2021, and the sanctions renewed on Tuesday.

He was the youngest prime minister in Russian history, taking the job for Yelstin when he was just 35.

He then went on to head the state nuclear corporation, and is now Putin's first deputy chief of staff - widely seen as his domestic policy chief.

Another of the three is Denis Bortnikov, 47, deputy president of Russia's state-owned VTB Bank.

Denis Bortnikov, 47, deputy president of Russia's state-owned VTB Bank, was also sanctioned on Tuesday

Putin is pictured sitting next to Aleksandr Bortnikov in December 2019. The two worked together at the same time in the KGB in St Petersburg, both signing up in 1975 and serving throughout the 1980s. Bortnikov rose to be the head of the KGB's successor, the FSB

Bortnikov, who also sits on the Compensations Committee of the bank's Board of Directors, has been deputy president since 2017.

His father Aleksandr Bortnikov, 70, has since 2008 been the director of Russia's intelligence service, the FSB - the successor to the KGB.

Putin, 69, and Bortnikov both joined the then-KGB in St Petersburg in 1975, with Putin leaving as a lieutenant colonel in 1991 to enter politics, but Bortnikov remaining inside and rising up the ranks.

Bortnikov is one of the infamous 'siloviki' - former and current state-security officers with personal ties to the Soviet-era KGB and its successor agencies, who serve as Putin's trusted henchmen.

The third is Petr Fradkov, London-educated 43-year-old chairman and CEO of Promsvyazbank (PSB) bank.

Petr Fradkov, chairman of PSB bank, was another of the three individuals sanctioned on Tuesday

Putin is pictured on February 2 with Mikhail Fradkov, who has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018. Fradkov's son was sanctioned on Tuesday

'Since 2018, Petr Fradkov has worked to transform PSB into a bank that services the defense industry and supports state defense contracts,' the U.S. treasury said.

'In his role as Chairman and CEO of PSB, Petr Fradkov has held working meetings with Putin and participated in roundtable discussions in international forums in which he forecasts the PSB's long-term strategic plans for supporting the Russian defense industry.'

His father, Mikhail Fradkov, 71, is a former Russian prime minister and from 2007-16 was director of Russia's foreign spy service, the SVR; the longest-serving head of the agency.

Now head of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, he has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018.

Petr Fradkov's bank, PSB, was also sanctioned.

An employee passes a sign outside Promsvyazbank (PSB) bank branch in Limassol, Cyprus. The bank is now under U.S. sanctions

A military truck drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine

A tank, believed to be Russian, is spotted on a street near the city of Donetsk in separatist-held regions of eastern Ukraine

Putin is thought to have moved thousands of troops into rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine today (dark red area on the map), but there are fears he will try to seize control of the wider regions that separatists lay claim to (lighter shade area)

The state-owned bank - nationalized in 2018 - is Russia's eighth largest financial institution.

'Since its transformation into the Russian state defense bank, PSB has issued billions of dollars in financial support for Russian defense sector companies, and it currently services nearly 70 percent of state contracts signed by the Russian Ministry of Defense,' the U.S. treasury said.

Five ships owned by PSB - two container ships, two crude oil tankers, and a roll-on, roll-off cargo vessel - were also sanctioned.

A second bank, Vnesheconombank, which finances domestic development projects, was sanctioned, as were 25 of its subsidiaries.

The bank, established in 2007, counts former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev among its board members.

It has long been on the U.S. radar: in response to Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine in 2014, the Obama administration imposed sanctions on VEB that have effectively kept it from taking on most new business in the United States.

Finally, the treasury increased restrictions on dealings in Russia's sovereign debt, in a move which they said was aimed at 'further cutting Russia off from sources of revenue to fund its government or President Putin's priorities, including his further invasion into Ukraine.'

Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., shrugged off the new sanctions on Tuesday evening.

'I don't remember a single day when our country lived without any restrictions from the Western world,' Antonov said.

'We learned how to work in such conditions. And not only survive, but also develop our state.

'There is no doubt that the sanctions imposed against us will hurt the global financial and energy markets. The United States will not be left out, where ordinary citizens will feel the full consequences of rising prices.'

He said that U.S. sanctions against Russia would not solve anything.

'History does not teach everyone. Sanctions will not solve anything with regard to Russia,' he added.
A radical environmental activist has been arrested after urging anti-monarchists to celebrate the Queen's Covid diagnosis by dancing in the street.

Eric Serge Herbert, 23, was taken into custody over a social media post calling for an 'anti-monarchy street party' in Newtown in Sydney's inner-west this Saturday.

The arrest is unrelated to a snap climate protest he helped organise on Tuesday, which blocked off the Spit Bridge on Sydney's lower north shore.

Police allege he breached the bail conditions granted to him when he appealed a 12 month jail sentence for his role in a protest to disrupt the Newcastle coal industry.

But his lawyer successfully argued for Herbert to keep his freedom, saying the post wasn't serious and he wasn't actually planning the party.

Herbert, who is a triplet with his two supermodel sisters Elisa and Renee, called for others to gather on King Street in Newtown to celebrate the Queen catching the virus and 'rejoice by dancing'.

Eric Serge Herbert (pictured with his twin sisters Elisa and Renee) has been arrested after urging anti-monarchists in a social media post to celebrate the Queen's Covid diagnosis by dancing in the street

Herbert outside court in 2019. Police alleged the post breached his bail while he appeals a 12 month jail sentence for his role in a protest to disrupt the coal industry - but his lawyer successfully argued for the 23-year-old to keep his freedom

Police applied for Herbert, who spent Tuesday night in police station cells, to stay behind bars, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The event page urged anti-monarchists to dance along King Street 'as we imagine the corpse of the oppressors being mangled beneath our feet'.

'Its about time we overthrow the queen and the rule of the monarchy,' the page reads.

'We need sound systems, lots of glitter, tools to dig up the road, tires of barricades, fire and rage.'

Herbert's defence lawyer Mark Davis said Herbert denied breaching his bail and the post was intended as a joke.

'I'll put this bluntly because I think it needs to be - this is a comedic post, its an ironic post,' he said.

Eric Herbert's sisters Elisha and Renee have 1.6 million and 1.7 million Instagram followers respectively and are each signed by top Australian modelling agency Chadwick

Magistrate Joy Boulos granted Herbert bail, saying the 23-year-old clearly did not intend to go to the party. However she told him to stay away from social media.

Eric Herbert was given a minimum six-month sentence last year for climbing on top of a train to protest against the coal industry.

His sisters Elisha and Renee have 1.6 million and 1.7 million Instagram followers respectively and are each signed by top Australian modelling agency Chadwick.

The 23-year-old has confirmed his involvement in organising Fireproof Australia's activities but claimed he was not directly engaged in the protests.

Fireproof Australia protesters have made no apologies for the widespread chaos they caused on Mosman's Spit Bridge - one of Sydney's busiest roads - before being dragged away by police. Herbert organised the high-profile protest

The snap protest brought traffic to a complete standstill for more than 20 minutes

The group is paying contractors up to $50 an hour to stick flyers to inner-city homes in a desperate attempt to boost its support base.

The lucrative incentive is funded by Climate Emergency Fund, a global group that supports activists who are transforming climate politics, according to its website.

The Fireproof Australia flyers are being distributed in electorates being held by federal Liberals MPs and urge residents join a 'local response meeting'.

The group vowed to cause more chaos on Sydney's roads on a weekly basis to get its message across and planned to cause disruption on a daily basis from April 1.
Anthony Albanese has posed for photos in a women's magazine wearing a trendy outfit alongside his new girlfriend Jodie Haydon as he gears up for the election - and tries to prove he's very different from rival Scott Morrison.

The Labor leader, 58, donned a fitted shirt, skinny grey chinos with a belt and $129 Country Road gum sole sneakers for the photo shoot at his Marrickville home.

Celebrity stylist Donny Galella said the pictures in Women's Weekly showed a stark contrast between Mr Albanese and Prime Minister Morrison who typically opts for baggy chinos and RM Williams boots.

Anthony Albanese is pictured at home in Sydney with his girlfriend Jodie Haydon and dog Toto

The 58-year-old Labor leader, a craft beer fanatic, enjoyed his first night out with 43-year-old Jodie Haydon (pictured together) at the Young Henrys brewery in Newtown

The pair (pictured) met in early 2020 at a conference in Melbourne where Mr Albanese was speaking

'Comparing the two, Mr Albanese definitely has a much more tailored and stylish look, especially with the white shoes,' Mr Galella told Daily Mail Australia.

'Albo is looking pretty stylish in the classic combo of a white shirt and well fitted chinos.

'His white trainers are a big trend at the moment and the blue stripe even matches Jodie's dress.'

The Opposition leader had a significant makeover last year, losing 15kg, investing in new suits and snapping up some $349 Byblos Black Havana spectacles.

The photos were taken as Mr Albanese and Ms Haydon conducted their first interview together just three months out from the looming election, where women's votes could prove decisive.

Mr Albanese revealed he wooed his new girlfriend with a date at a hipster brewery in Sydney's inner west.

Mr Albanese is hoping to become the next Prime Minister of Australia, with an election in May

Celebrity stylist Donny Galella said the pictures in Women's Weekly showed a stark contrast between Mr Albanese and Prime Minister Scott Morrison (centre) who typically opts for baggy chinos and RM Williams boots

The Opposition leader had a significant makeover last year, losing 15kg, investing in new suits and snapping up some $349 Byblos Black Havana spectacles (pictured)

The craft beer fanatic enjoyed his first night out with 43-year-old Jodie Haydon at the Young Henrys brewery in Newtown.

'We had what I thought would just be a drink at Young Henrys in Newtown, and we got on really well. That's how it started,' he told Women's Weekly.

The pair met in early 2020 at a conference in Melbourne where Mr Albanese was speaking.

The Opposition leader asked the crowd if there were any fellow South Sydney fans present and finance worker Ms Haydon, who lives in his Grayndler electorate, shouted: 'Up the Rabbitohs'.

He later introduced himself and they decided to go for a drink when they were back in Sydney.

Mr Albanese, a father-of-one, had recently split from his ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt after 19 years of marriage and 30 years together.

He said he was still 'emotionally bruised' from the sudden split which involved no third parties but came as a shock.

Ms Haydon, who has never been married or had children, said she wasn't looking for a relationship but realised she had fallen in love with Mr Albanese when he had a car crash in January 2021.

His Toyota was rammed by a Range Rover and he was rushed to hospital for X-rays but escaped serious injury.

In January 2021 Mr Albanese's car (pictured) was hit by a Range Rover but he escaped serious injury

Ms Haydon recalled arriving at the scene of the crash in Marrickville after a phone call and seeing her boyfriend's smashed-up car.

'I saw the mess of a car before I saw him and thought 'he couldn't survive this''. It was very scary, and in that moment, you realise just how much you love this person  the fear of losing them,' she said.

'As I jumped in the ambulance and saw Anthony, I knew then the depth of my feelings towards him.'

The interview is Ms Haydon's first and comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared on 60 Minutes with his wife Jenny and two daughters.

Analysts believe Mr Morrison's family is his 'secret weapon' in connecting with voters.



Labor leader Anthony Albanese with his son Nathan (left) and partner Jodie Haydon in January at the National Press Club in Canberra

Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese (right) with mum Maryanne Ellery and son Nathan

Mr Albanese attends the Australian premiere of Hamilton at Lyric Theatre last year with girlfriend Jodie

Mr Albanese, who earns $390,820 a year, and the First State Super financial worker were first spotted kissing at an upmarket Sydney restaurant in June 2020.

It was eighteen months earlier on New Year's Day 2019, that the 58-year-old separated from his ex-wife.

The aspiring future prime minister said he 'didn't see it coming' when Ms Tebbutt abruptly ended their marriage.

'It was a really tough period and that's the truth and I've acknowledged that. I think part of going through a difficult period and coming out the other end is acknowledging that you're going through it,' he told ABC Radio.

'I found it very tough. The relationship was 30 years old.

'It's made for a difficult period. I certainly will always, always remember New Year's Eve and New Year's Day for that momentous event in my life,' he said.

'I needed to stop trying to understand it and just accept it and accept that it was a decision that had been made and she was moving on with her life in a different direction and I needed to do the same,' he said.

'You can tie yourself in knots trying to understand someone else's decisions and thought processes.'

Mr Albanese and Ms Tebbutt met in Young Labor during the late 1980s.

Nathan, the couple's only child, had just turned 18 and completed his HSC exams when Ms Tebbutt ended the relationship.

Mr Albanese declared his relationship with Nathan to be the strongest it's ever been in January 2020, as the pair were forced to rely on each other more than ever in their two-person household.

Mr Albanese and his ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt - the former NSW deputy premier. The potential future prime minister said he 'didn't see it coming' when Ms Tebbutt ended their marriage on New Year's Day 2019

The Labor leader was brought up by single mother Maryanne Ellery, who raised him in housing commission on a disability pension income.

'My story began in a council house in Camperdown,' he said.

'Just me and my mum. She wasn't well and it wasn't easy. But all things were possible.'

Ms Ellery was rushed to hospital on Mother's Day in 2002 after a brain aneurysm before dying two weeks later.

Mr Albanese has been open about her death and recently explained how he discovered something was wrong after flying to Sydney from Canberra to take Ms Ellery to a Mother's Day lunch.

'When I got to her home in Camperdown, I knew something wasn't right. The front door had been left open,' he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Albanese (left) told in 2021 how his mother Maryanne Ellery (right) had a brain aneurism on Mother's Day in 2002

Ms Ellery (pictured with Nathan) died on May 25 in 2002, two weeks after being hospitalised

'After decades of health problems, mum had a brain aneurysm, and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Mum would spend two weeks in hospital before finally passing.'

His mother died on May 25 and in the two decades since Mr Albanese said he has visited her cemetery every Mother's Day to 'remember how much she sacrificed' for him.

'Mum always gave me unconditional love. And I feel very privileged to have had that,' he wrote.

Mr Albanese didn't meet his Italian father Carlo Albanese until 2009, and believed he was dead until he was 15-years-old.

Carlo died in 2014.

Mr Albanese has been the leader of the opposition since 2019. and has held the federal seat of Grayndler, which covers the inner-western Sydney suburb he calls home, since March 1996.

He stripped down Labor's policy offering to give it the best chance of being elected, scrapping Bill Shorten's franking credits and negative gearing tax policies.

The strategy is to remain a small target to avoid attacks, and make this election a referendum on Mr Morrison's leadership and character.

Meanwhile, Mr Albanese has been at pains to point out that he stands for aspiration and will back everyday Aussies who work hard for their families.

'I stand for a strong economy. I stand for making sure that people can not get left behind, but also that they not get held back for opportunity. I stand for aspiration,' he told the Today show earlier this month.

Mr Albanese is pictured campaigning for Medicare services in 1996 when he first joined parliament

Mr Albanese is pictured as a young man. He became a federal MP in 1996 aged 33

Asked by host Karl Stefanovic if he stood for 'inner-city lefties', Mr Albanese replied: 'Well, I stand for all Australians, Karl. And I'm comfortable sitting in a pub in Hewenden in North Queensland just as I am comfortable sitting around a boardroom talking about business.'

Drawing a line under his 'hard left' days, Mr Albanese said he is now focused 'on things that matter to Australians like jobs, wage growth, the crisis in aged care and the need for the revival of Australian manufacturing'.

'I'm very happy to stand by all of the policies that I have outlined ahead of the coming election because these are the policies a Labor government will implement if we are successful,' he said.

Albo's tribute to his late mother Mother's Day is such a special day, but for me and many others it's always a bit difficult. Mother's Day was the day my mum went to hospital and never came back. I remember it was a Sunday in autumn of 2002. I had just flown back to Sydney from Canberra to take my mum Maryanne and her sister Margaret out for Mother's Day lunch. When I got to her home in Camperdown, I knew something wasn't right. The front door had been left open. After decades of health problems, mum had a brain aneurism, and was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Mum would spend two weeks in hospital before finally passing. Over those two weeks, we said goodbye  twice. Both times she came through  she was a real fighter. On the third time, she didn't make it. Maryanne Albanese died on the 25th of May, 2002. Around every Mother's Day, I visit the cemetery where mum is and I remember how much she sacrificed for me. Mum had rheumatoid arthritis that crippled her joints and meant she couldn't work. She lived on a disability pension. Life wasn't easy, and her health made things even harder  but we got through because of her. We lived in council housing, which gave us a sense of security and stability. It was our home. She taught me how to save  and how to spend wisely  because every dollar had to count. She also taught me the most important lesson of all: the importance of leaving no one behind. Truth is, mum was left behind  by people who counted her out, and by governments who cut back support. The cutbacks that happened in mum's lifetime meant she had to justify the support she was receiving. When health funding was cut, the quality of mum's care was cut too. And when they tried to sell our council house, it felt like our home was being taken from us. I know the difference that governments can make on people's lives because I lived it. Mum lived it. It's what motivated me to get into politics. To help people. To make life better for people. To make sure no one is left behind. Mum always gave me unconditional love. And I feel very privileged to have had that. Mums really are special. A happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there. Advertisement
A jetski rider who killed a 14-year-old kayaker during a crash has broken down during his first court appearance.

Daniel Patrick Liddell, 43, appeared before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday over the death of Cooper Henke.

The boy had been on a family trip at Murkbo on December 16, when he was struck by the jetski while kayaking.

He was pulled unconscious from the water and died at the scene.

Liddell pleaded guilty to causing death and harm by dangerous driving, his BAC was 0.08 when he hit Cooper Henke (pictured) and another child

The boy had been on a family trip at Murkbo on December 16, when he was struck by the jetski while kayaking

'We were all learning to use our kayaks and paddle boards in the sea and on the river while we travelled in our new caravan as a family,' his mother Renee Henke told The Advertiser.

Another younger child also sustained minior injuries and was taken to hospital as a precaution at the time.

Liddell pleaded guilty to causing death and harm by dangerous driving on Wednesday.

Henke (pictured) was an avid watersports enjoyer and his family were learning to use kayaks and stand-up paddle boards in Murbko

The court heard that the Craigmore man had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 when he crashed his jetski into two children in the water at Murbko last december.

Like car drivers, boat captains and jet skiers legally must comply with the 0.05 blood-alcohol limit.

Liddel broke down and cried in court as he pleaded guilty.

He will be placed on bail to face District Court in April for arraignment before sentencing.
At least four people have died in a helicopter crash in Hawaii on Tuesday, which prompted U.S. military to respond when the aircraft went down near the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai County.

Emergency personnel at the facility also responded to the crash, which occurred near the north side of the Barking Sands installation just after 10am on Tuesday, according to a statement from the PMRF.

None of the victims of the crash have yet been identified and the details of the crash are currently unclear. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, according to the missile range facility.

The helicopter was a Sikorsky S-61 flown by Croman Corp., which describes itself as one of the worlds most experienced operators of Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. It's aircrafts are used to pull material from the water used in open ocean testing at the missile facility.

The chopper was flying in support of a range training operation, the PMRF statement added.

A helicopter crash in Kauai County, Hawaii, killed at least four people on Tuesday morning

The U.S. military responded when the aircraft, a Sikorsky S-61, went down near the Pacific Missile Range Facility

Brian Beattie, director of operations for Croman Corporation, told Hawaii News Now that the helicopter had just retrieved an object from the ocean and was flying back to drop it when the incident occurred.

NTSB is investigating the Feb. 22, 2022, crash of a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter near Kekaha, Hawaii, tweeted the National Safety Transportation Board on Tuesday.

Kauai County police and firefighters also assisted with the military response and police helped the U.S. Navy secure a perimeter and investigate, Coco Zickos, a county spokesperson, told the Associated Press.

Footage taken by a witness shows a dark gray plume of smoke rising from the crash site, while the person filming and other witnesses spoke about seeing the aircraft 'go sideways' just before crashing.

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, according to the missile range facility

It didnt drop, thats the key. Something caused that helicopter to accelerate and go down,' witness Chris Turner told Hawaii News Now.

'It tweaked to the right and then immediately went straight nose-down in an accelerated speed  straight down with like one second. That was it,' he said.

Turner added that the weather was 'absolutely perfect, there were no clouds, winds were less than 5 mph on leeward side. 'It couldnt have been a nicer day in that area so thats why it kinda spooks all logic.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility is a U.S. naval facility noted as the world's largest instrumented, multi-dimensional testing and training missile range, according to the U.S. Navy.

"PMRF is the only range in the world where submarines, surface ships, aircraft, and space vehicles can operate and be tracked simultaneously," according to the Navys website.

Sikorsky S-61N helicopters were created to be used effectively over water for uses such as supporting oil rig operations. All branches of the U.S. military also use versions of the model and licensees in the United Kingdom and other countries have also built the aircraft.

It was built between 1959 and 1980 by Sikorsky Aircraft, which is now part of Lockheed Martin, and was designed to carry a substantial freight or passenger payload. One version was built to carry up to 30 passengers, according to the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives website.

The crash happened the same day as an unrelated training accident involving two Black Hawk helicopters. There were no fatalities or injuries reported during the accident, according to the Utah National Guard.
Florida police are hunting for a convicted child molester who allegedly shot a sheriff's deputy multiple times late Tuesday night.

The gravely wounded unidentified Taylor County deputy was air-lifted with life-threatening injuries, according to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson.

A Blue Alert was issued shortly after 11:30 p.m. for the suspected gunman, who was identified as Gregory Ryan Miedema, 33.

He was last seen on US 19 near Deer Run Road in Perry, about 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee.

The incident happened six miles south of Salem, according to the FHP.

Police did not provide details of what led to the shooting.

Gregory Ryan Miedema, 33, is suspected of shooting a Florida deputy late Tuesday night

The convicted child molester was last seen driving a Chrysler convertible in northern Florida

Miedema, a registered sex offender, was convicted in 2011 while serving in the U.S. Army on one count of sex with a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.

He was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison followed by two months of probation, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, which lists the state's offenders.

Miedema, who is listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes, recently relocated and moved to Sarasota.

The ex-con was not under the supervision of the Florida Department of Corrections, however, he was not allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare facility, park or playground.

He may be traveling in a 2000 gold Chrysler Sebring with a Florida License plate tag Y78TKU. The vehicle has a dark-colored convertible top. He was reportedly wearing a dark tank top.

Law enforcement officials warned not to approach the dangerous former soldier.

A Blue Alert is issued if a law enforcement officer is seriously injured, killed by a subject or becomes missing while in the line of duty under circumstances causing concern for the law enforcement officer's safety.
As the trial began Wednesday for a Kentucky cop charged in connection with Breonna Taylor's fatal shooting, a witness recounted how he and his pregnant girlfriend narrowly escaped bullets on the night of the shootout.

Although former officer Brett Hankison fired 10 shots near the side door of a Louisville apartment complex during a March 13, 2020 raid, none struck Taylor. But prosecutors said the bullets endangered her neighbors, including a couple and their unborn child.

Hankison, 45, is charged with three counts of wanton endangerment, a low-level felony that could yield up to five years in prison.

During the opening day of the trial, the first witness, Cody Etherton, described how he and his expectant girlfriend Chelsey Napper were jolted awake that night by the sound of Taylor's door being breached.

Thinking someone was breaking down his door, Etherton said he jumped out of bed to investigate, and barely dodged bullets that penetrated a wall they shared with Taylor's apartment.

'I pretty much knew it was gunfire going through the wall. I do remodeling for a living, so when drywall started hitting my face, I pretty much knew. I hit the floor and went back into the bedroom,' he said. 'I dont even remember how many shots I heard because it was so chaotic.'

Breonna Taylor was struck and killed by an errant bullet on March 13, 2020 during a police raid gone wrong. Her death helped mobilize the nation in rallying for racial justice

Former Kentucky policeman Brett Hankison, 45, seen on Wednesday, is standing trial on three counts of wanton endangerment related to the shootout that killed Taylor.

Taylor's neighbor Cody Etherton described in a court in Louisville Wednesday how he barely dodged bullets during the deadly shootout.

Etheron added: 'Another one or two inches and I woulda gotten shot. I would have never gotten to meet my son.'

He said he went outside after the shooting stopped, looked through Taylors open door and heard a man saying 'breathe, baby, breathe.'

Police then ordered him back into his apartment, but he said he kept watching through his peephole and could see a black man being arrested.

Later, Etherton said he and his girlfriend looked through Taylors door, and saw a body covered in a white sheet.

A prosecutor told court that was charged for firing blindly into Taylor's apartment without regard for her neighbors

Assistant Kentucky Attorney General Barbara Maines Whaley, in her opening statement, told jurors that the case is not about the killing of Taylor, for which the city of Louisville paid a settlement to the slain womans family.

She said the charges are focused on Hankinsons decision to fire blindly through Taylors apartment, endangering her neighbors.

Before Taylor's door was breached, Hankison had argued with a neighbor, telling him to get back inside.

'This escalated the situation,' Whaley said. Then, once the shooting started, 'Hes shooting in a different direction than the other two detectives,' she said.

Defense attorney Stewart Mathews countered that Hankison was justified in what he did during a chaotic scene that lasted about 10 to 15 seconds from when Taylor's door was breached to when the shooting stopped.

'This case is not about the death of Breonna Taylor, but in a sense it's totally about that, because that's what started this whole situation,' Mathews said. 'Breonna Taylor was a peripheral part of this whole deal, but she was tied into it,' and their no-knock warrant meant officers had been approved to go inside.

A neighbor described how Taylor's boyfriend tried to perform CPR on her after she was shot. The 26-year-old victim, who was a Louisville emergency medical technician, could not be saved

Once Taylors boyfriend fired at the people breaking down her door and other officers fired back, Hankison 'was attempting to defend and save the lives of his fellow officers who he thought were still caught in that fatal funnel inside that doorway,' Mathews said, 'as he was taught to do -- he was taught to shoot until the threat is stopped.'

On cross-examination, Etherton acknowledged that 'the whole thing was chaotic.'

'From the time I got woke up, hearing boom, to the gunfire coming through my apartment, nearly killing my girlfriend, yeah it was chaotic,' he said.

Mathews also raised the $12 million civil suit Etherton and Napper have filed against the city and its police department, among others. 'Thats not influencing your testimony, the fact that you want to get some money out of this?' Mathews asked.

'Of course we want to be compensated, but Chelsey and I have never talked about how much money we want out of this,' Etherton said.

Hankison's defense attorney Stewart Mathews said Hankison was justified in what he did during a chaotic scene. Pictured: in the Louisville courthouse Wednesday

The Glock police believe Taylor's boyfriend used during the shootout is pictured in this handout photo from 2020

Shortly before she was shot, Taylor was preparing to settle in for the night and head to bed. Her bedroom is pictured in this file handout

Hankison is pictured in a file photo taken on the day of the shooting

Judge Ann Bailey Smith swore in ten men and five women as jurors and alternates to hear the case. The court declined to release information about their races or ethnicities.

Hankison's jury was selected from a larger-than-normal pool because of the the national publicity Taylor's case has attracted since the deadly raid on March 13, 2020.

Taylors name, along with George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery - black men who died in encounters with police and white pursuers - became rallying cries during racial justice protests seen worldwide in 2020.

The 12 jurors and three alternates are expected to tour Taylor's apartment and hear testimony from Hankison during the trial that's expected to take two weeks.

Several other current and former police officers are expected to testify.

The 26-year-old Black woman worked as an emergency medical tech and was settling down for bed when Louisville officers with a narcotics warrant kicked in her door.

They drew fire from Taylors boyfriend, who said he thought an intruder was breaking in. Two officers at the door returned fire, killing Taylor.

Neither one was charged in her death, though one of the officers was struck by a bullet in the leg. The city of Louisville settled her family's wrongful death lawsuit in September 2020 for $12 million.
Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation, speaks during a press conference in central Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis



The U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights made an emphatic call Wednesday for the world to offer 60 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to the reclusive country to help it break "out of isolation."



Tomas Ojea Quintana made the appeal amid concerns the North's apparent reluctance to engage with the outside world due to the pandemic would worsen its economic woes and human rights conditions, and hamper nuclear diplomacy with the regime.



"I call on the international community to agree on a strategy to provide the DPRK with 60 million doses of vaccination to cover at least two shots of the entire population," he told a press conference in Seoul. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



Quintana called the proposed vaccine provision "the key" to opening the North's borders, resuming interaction with the outside world and bringing it out of isolation.



He arrived here on Feb. 15 on a nine-day mission designed to prepare for his annual report to be submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council next month.



The North, with a population of over 25 million, claims to have no COVID-19 cases. It has yet to begin an inoculation program against the virus but has employed stringent border controls in a sign of its wariness about the pandemic.



Quintana said Pyongyang seems to have rejected the vaccines allocated through the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine distribution platform, as it appears wary it could face "some kind of pressure" from the outside world.



"The information we have, the North Korean authorities are suspicious about receiving just the partial number of vaccines and then being subject to some kind of pressure to then receive the rest of the shots," he said.



Quintana redoubled calls for Pyongyang to take steps to improve its human rights conditions.



"It is the responsibility of the DPRK to respect and protect human rights under the international human rights law, which has been neglected for decades," he said.



Commenting on South Koreans abducted by the North and South Korean prisoners of war from the 1950-53 Korean War, Quintana said North Korea's human rights issues should not be "neglected" during future negotiations with the North.



He also expressed concern about Seoul having decided not to co-sponsor a U.N. resolution condemning the North's human rights record for three years in a row, calling it "a step backwards."



Quintana's latest trip to Seoul marks his seventh since taking office in August 2016 and will likely be his last before his term ends in August. (Yonhap)


A mother and her partner accused of murder over the death of a nine-month-old allegedly 'forgot' about the baby during a three-day drug binge, a Brisbane court has heard.

The body of Dexter Wilton was found by paramedics inside a property at Raceview in Ipswich, on June 21, 2019.

Medical evidence found he died of dehydration and malnutrition with prosecutors saying evidence suggested he was left alone without food and water for at least 21 hours before he died, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.

Dexter's mother Natalie Jade Whitehead was charged about 18 months later with murder and interfering with a corpse over the baby's death.

Her partner at the time Andrew William Campbell allegedly lived in the Ipswich house when the child died.

A mother and her former partner accused of murder over the death of a nine-month-old allegedly 'forgot' about the baby during a three-day drug binge in 2019, a Brisbane court has heard

The body of Dexter Wilton was found by paramedics inside a property at Ipswich, on June 21, 2019

Campbell and Whitehead had been in a relationship for at least four weeks at the time Dexter died, the court was told.

They were no longer together when both were arrested.

Prosecutor Mel Wilson said during Campbell's application for bail that the now 42-year-old is accused of neglecting the child.

The Crown will argue Campbell had a duty of care for the child, although Whitehead was the main carer.

From material submitted there was no allegation Campbell had been violent towards the child, the court was told.

Ms Wilson said prosecutors will allege Campbell and Whitehead were on a three or four-day drug binge and 'just forgot' about the baby, causing his death.

The Crown also argued Campbell 'deliberately avoided police for over two weeks' before his arrest in January last year.

But defence barrister Damian Walsh said Campbell had no duty to the child.

Department of Child Safety documents showed there had been earlier complaints about Whitehead, he told the court.

Andrew Campbell was later charged with the child's murder - his defence lawyer has argued he had 'no duty of care' to the child

There were dog and cat faeces in the house which was a 'wreck', Mr Walsh added.

'She is recognised as having either a personality disorder or a drug addiction which results in her failing to care for her (child),' he said.

Mr Walsh argued the case against Campbell was 'particularly weak' as Whitehead was responsible for the baby's care.

Justice Peter Davis will hand down his decision at a date yet to be decided.
Have you been stockpiling packs of lateral flow tests? Email your pictures to tips@dailymail.com

Families are going from pharmacy to pharmacy demanding multiple packs of free lateral flow tests as Boots cashed in on the shortages and began selling swabs for 5.99 each online today.

Due to the scramble for LFTs, the Government has now urged people not to hoard them in advance as they ran out online and via the NHS' 119 phone line.

Some Britons have been shamelessly stockpiling Covid test kits and even showing off their 'towers' on social media as the UK faced having to pay for them in six weeks time - saving the taxpayer 2billion a month.

The announcement that rapid lateral flow tests will no longer be free for the public from April 1 has seen many rush to grab tests which can currently be ordered online or collected from high street pharmacies.

Boots will start charging customers 5.99 for lateral flow tests today amid a scramble for free tests. This is despite the swabs costing just 1 to manufacture domestically  and pennies if made in China - leading to calls for ministers to put a price cap on lateral flow tests.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told MailOnline that there is a growing trend of hoarding - and fears members will be 'abused' if they have run out like in the run up to Christmas.

She said: 'People want to get these tests free of charge before they have to pay. Some come as a family and the husband wants some, and then the wife wants some  a whole family trying to get these tests, keeping it for when they need it. This is stockpiling'.

She added: 'We raised concerns around Christmas time about supply not meeting the demand following change in government guidelines. Once again pharmacies find themselves in a situation where we are not communicated with prior to an announcement and need to deal with the increased demand'.

Boots today started selling 'general use' lateral flow tests including single swabs for 5.99 even though they cost pennies to make

Stockpilers shared pictures of their towers of free NHS lateral flow tests that cost 2billion a month and are being phased out from April 1

People have been struggling to order packs online after the Government announced it would scrap free tests

Anger over end of free Covid tests for families visiting care homes as experts warn the move could be 'deadly' Ministers' refusal to pay for free Covid tests for relatives visiting loved ones in care homes could have 'deadly' consequences, charities said last night. Downing Street confirmed this week people must pay for lateral flow tests (LFTs) from the start of April  branded a 'tax on caring'. The full details of who will be eligible for free tests when charges are introduced have yet to be set out, but are expected in the coming weeks. But Boris Johnson's official spokesman confirmed that those visiting care homes would not be included, saying: 'This is targeted at the most vulnerable and frontline staff.' The current guidance for visiting care homes states: 'Visitors should receive a negative lateral flow test result and report it on the day of their visit, either by conducting the test at home or when they arrive at the care home.' James White, of the Alzheimer's Society, said: 'Free lateral flow tests are a crucial part of protecting people living in care homes, 70 per cent of whom have dementia, and it is essential their loved ones have free access to them so they can visit safely. 'A lack of testing when people were shockingly discharged into care homes at the start of the pandemic resulted in tens of thousands of residents catching the virus and by not offering free tests to visitors the Government is in danger of repeating the same, deadly mistake.' Advertisement

The Government already started secretly rationing, limiting orders to one pack in 72 hours rather than every 24 hours.

And extraordinary pictures show the lengths that some Britons have gone to stockpile packs, proudly sharing pictures of mounds of tests that are costing the taxpayer 2billion per month.

One person, who has stockpiled more than 25 packs, tweeted: 'When the Government wants to start charging for lateral flow tests. I've come fully prepared so I don't run out of covid tests'.

Some have even suggested they could choose to sell them online from April - while people in Wales and Scotland, where tests are expected to remain free, are offering to stockpile them there and post them to friends in England.

One person tweeted: 'If people order a load of free lateral flow tests now, then once it's April 1st they can sell them cheaper than the government, at least the money won't be going to them'. Another wrote: 'Gonna start stocking up on lateral flow tests to take back to my family asap. very glad testing and isolation rules are staying the same in Wales at the moment'.

Boots will start charging customers 5.99 for lateral flow tests today.

There are already test cost limits in Spain, France and Portugal, with the Spanish Government setting a ceiling of just 2.45 per test. In France, people can pick up tests for as little as 1.

Yesterday Boots announced customers can pay for tests online for 5.99 each or 17 for a pack of four including delivery.

The tests will be rolled out to stores from early March, prices at 2.50 for a single test and 12 for a pack of five.

Asif Aziz, Director of Healthcare Services at Boots UK, said: We are pleased to be expanding our Covid-19 testing services even further, with affordable lateral flow testing options for those who still want peace of mind from asymptomatic testing after 1st April. Ministers said the number of free tests available each day will be capped to manage demand as the Government scales back free testing for people in England.

Yesterday the system for ordering tests was overwhelmed, with a message on the Government website stating: Sorry, there are no home delivery slots left for rapid lateral flow tests right now.

 Slide me  Before and after: The rules used to allow a test every 24 hours but it is now every 72 hours

Free testing is incredibly expensive and looks to be phased out for most people in the UK

Government adviser says there is 'strong possibility' that Covid jabs will be dished out every autumn There is a 'strong possibility' that Covid booster vaccines will be rolled out every year alongside flu shots, a Government vaccine adviser claimed today. Approximately 8million elderly Britons and immunocompromised over-12s will be offered their second top-up jab this spring. They will then be called in again in the autumn as part of a mass NHS booster programme, which could cover all over-50s. Professor Adam Finn, who advises No10 on the roll out, today raised the prospect of an annual Covid jabbing drive, saying it was an 'open question'. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) member told BBC Breakfast: 'It's hard to be absolutely sure about that, but the direction of discussion at the moment is certainly a booster campaign in the autumn, directed probably at the people who... we think are most at risk. 'Whether that goes on year after year like the flu programme is still an open question and depends on what Covid does to us in the interim. 'But it's a strong possibility we may have a winter-time campaign, combined with the flu vaccine campaign, going forward.' Advertisement

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out his intention to end universal free testing in England, saying that the system had cost more than 2 billion in January alone.

He said that free testing for the general public would end on April 1, but tests would still be available to symptomatic elderly and vulnerable people.

Mr Johnson added: Were working with retailers to ensure that everyone who wants to can buy a test. The costs of tests can vary significantly  one Government supplier charges 5 for a single test but this can reduce in price with bulk buying.

Yesterday NHS bosses and health charities reiterated concerns have been raised that NHS staff and vulnerable patients may not be allowed to get free tests.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said on Monday: Patients, staff and visitors deserve to feel confident that they can access and work in services without risking their own health or causing worry to those around them.

This is particularly true for people from clinically vulnerable groups who may already feel sidelined.

We urge the Government to reconsider its plan with dedicated funding for continued access to Covid tests for all NHS workers in patient-facing roles. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: If NHS staff need tests they will be provided with free tests  that will be a decision for the NHS.

Even before Covid, the NHS has always sensibly made a decision on tests and keeping their staff safe, because keeping staff safe means keeping their patients safe and its always about patient safety.

And hours after it was revealed that free LFTs will be phased out in England, a rush of orders led to them running out online.

One person tweeted: 'Im unable to get any lateral flow tests delivered to my home. My local pharmacy doesnt have any available for me to collect. I have no tests left. I work with the most vulnerable people in society. What do I do now if I have the mildest symptoms?'
Australia's most wanted fugitive was confronted by a ruthless reporter mid-flight on Wednesday as he flew from Cairns to Melbourne to face conspiracy to murder charges.

Graham Potter, 64, was grilled by 7News TV journalist Cameron Baud as he sat between two detectives.

Before his arrest in Queensland following a tip-off, Potter had been on the run since 2010 after allegedly failing to appear in court on charges of conspiracy to murder and commonwealth drug offences.

Baud questioned Potter on his extradition flight in bemusing scenes.

'Where have you been for the last 12 years?',' the exchange began between the journalist and former fugitive.

Potter then revealed he is keen to tell his story after discovering his mother was alive a 'few hours earlier.'

Graham Potter had been on the run since 2010 after allegedly failing to appear on charges of conspiracy to murder and commonwealth drug offences in a Melbourne court

A 12 year manhunt for Potter ended when police found him hiding out in this dilapidated shack (pictured) in remote North Queensland on Monday

'I was under the belief that both my father and my mother had passed away,' Potter said.

On Monday, the man who once decapitated a teenage girl looked unrecognisable when he was seen for the first time in 12 years moments after his dramatic arrest.

Potter grinned as he was photographed handcuffed and under armed guard, during a police flight from Cairns.

He appeared considerably older and sported a shaggy grey beard. He said he'd spent the last 12 years 'living life' but also 'avoiding being killed'.

'You'll appreciate I can't talk to you. I'd like to but I can't at this stage,' he said at Cairns Airport on Wednesday.

Potter also quietly admitted that he did not think he'd ever be caught.

Exchange between former fugitive Graham Potter and a journalist mid-flight on Wednesday: Mr Potter was questioned on his extradition flight from Carins to Melbourne by 7NEWS reporter Cameron Baud: Baud: 'Where have you been for the last 12 years?' Potter: 'I'm unable to talk with you, I'm sorry.' Baud: 'Have you spoken to your mum since you've been picked up?' Potter: 'I found out she was alive about two hours ago. I was under the belief that both my father and my mother had passed away.' Baud: 'Have you been to Victoria or NSW during your time?' Advertisement

Weathered and scruffy fugitive Graham Potter, now 64, was tracked down by police after 12 years in hiding on Monday and extradited from Cairns to Melbourne on Wednesday

Potter, who is set to face two counts of conspiracy to murder, grinned as he was photographed handcuffed and under armed guard, during a police flight from Cairns

Graham Gene Potter as he was last seen publicly. He was released from prison in 1996 after serving 15 years. He was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police in 2017

Potter was arrested in a police raid at a squalid Far North Queensland house after he allegedly skipped bail in Melbourne in 2010 on conspiracy to murder charges - and has since been extradited to Victoria

He was found on Monday, holed up in a rundown weatherboard shack covered with rubbish when cops caught up with him after more than a decade on the run.

He was dubbed the 'head and fingers killer' after serving 15 years for the 1981 murder of Kim Barry, 19.

He bashed Ms Barry to death, decapitated her and chopped off her fingers.

Police vision of the arrest shows the inside of dilapidated house where he hid out at Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns in far north Queensland.

He was arrested in a squalid room filled with empty cardboard boxes, beer bottles on the windowsill and a chicken coop - with a terrified cat filmed in police vision.

Potter, who allegedly evaded police for so long by changing his appearance, was hiding behind a bunk bed topped with multiple old mattresses and there were large cobwebs on the walls.

Old planks of wood, sheets of corrugated iron are strewn about the yard (pictured)

Graham Potter is seen stumbling on a chicken coop after police discovered him inside a squalid room filled with old cardboard boxes and rubbish

Images of the outside of the property in the small town of about 1,400 residents show the iron roof completely rusted and a tarp strung up around the lower level.

Old planks of woods, sheets of corrugated iron, and rubbish are strewn haphazardly around the yard.

There also looks to be half-finished landscaping work done with branches cut from trees piled up and the lawn dug up.

Footage of the dramatic arrest shows hiding amongst the debris inside the property.

'This is the police. Do not move. Put your hands where I can see them,' a police officer yells at him.

'Yeah, yeah,' Potter nonchalantly responds.

The weatherboard house has a tarp hung up around the lower level and the lawn dug up

Other tarps are strung up around the property where the 64-year-old had hid out along with piles of clutter

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the Ravenshoe house in which Potter was found

A stack of old mattresses are pictured on the bunk bed behind which Potter was found hiding

Potter was taken in handcuffs from the house down a staircase piled with old newspapers, magazines and general rubbish

The house on Ascham St, Ravenshoe, 120km south-west of Cairns, where fugitive Graham Potter was found by police

As he is led from the house in handcuffs, piles of newspapers and magazines are seen stacked on a staircase.

Old furniture, fridges and other junk are strewn randomly through the house.

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the house, with the curtains tightly drawn.

Police said Potter denied his identity when located, while the home's owner said Potter was known to her as 'Ned'.

The owner, Sandi Feller, told The Australian she would not comment about Potter's discovery at the house under she'd spoken to a solicitor.

'They didn't arrest me. They haven't charged me, but that might come yet too, who knows?' she said.

Potter had evaded police for 12 years before he was located at the far north Queensland property

Empty beer bottles can be seen lined up in the front windows of the Ascham St property, with the curtains tightly drawn

A neighbour told Nine News Queensland he had never seen Potter at the house.

'I've never seen the man they arrested this morning,' the man said.

Another resident of the street, Paul Adamson, said the house where the fugitive was found was known as a junkyard but had actually been 'tidied up' recently.

'At the moment it looks the best it's been since I've been here. You couldn't even see the house two weeks ago.' he said.

Mr Adamson said Potter had been known to visit the house.

'He was there years ago. He was on the run years ago and they'd found he'd been staying there,' he said.

Potter was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry (pictured), 19, in Wollongong in 1981

On Tuesday Potter appeared via video link from the Mareeba watchhouse to hear Magistrate Thomas Braes make an order for him to be returned to Victoria to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Victorian detectives travelled from Melbourne on Tuesday morning to escort Potter from Queensland.

There was no application for bail.

The convicted murderer, who has an extensive criminal history, was dubbed Australia's 'number one fugitive' by Victoria Police acting assistant crime commissioner Paul De Santo in 2017.

Historical police records show Potter lining up for a mugshot as early as 1976, when he was aged just 18.

Five years later, he was jailed for life for the murder of teenager Kim Barry, 19, in Wollongong, after he beat her and cut off her head. He was released in 1996 after serving just 15 years.

Local police update on the capture of Graham Gene Potter Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discussed the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning. - 'He's a personable fellow,' Det Insp Goan said of Potter. 'He is happy to speak with to us in relation to any number of issues. We've had no acts of violence that warrant concern for our detectives.' - Police suspect Potter has lived in the far north Queensland area for the last 12 years. - Det Insp Goan said there was evidence Potter had at times 'assimilated' himself with others members of the local community. Detective Inspector Kevin Goan discusses the capture of Australia's most wanted man, Graham Potter, at a press conference at Mareeba police station on Tuesday morning - Potter claimed to be 'Josh Lawson' when approached by police at the Ravenshoe property, until finger-printing at Mareeba police station confirmed his identity. - Queensland police are waiting on Victorian detectives to arrive before deciding whether charges will be laid against the woman found at the Ascham St property. The woman is not in custody. - No warrant was needed to enter premises because police possessed 'credible' information a wanted person was at the property. - Det Insp Goan confirmed police had visited the house a number of times over the years after reports Potter had visited the premises. - The dog squad attended the arrest because Potter had been known to 'take flight' on previous occasions when police closed in on him. Advertisement

At the time of his arrest in 2010, Potter was connected to Victorian and NSW organised crime figures and had allegedly been recruited to carry out gangland killings.

He was one of three charged over the alleged planned murders of two men related to disputes within a drug syndicate over a failed importation.

Potter allegedly skipped a court appearance in February 2010 and has eluded police ever since.

In August 2010 he allegedly bragged about how he had used a number of costumes, including wigs, fat suits, and hair colour changes, to mingle in society undetected.

His alleged strategies were unearthed in letters discovered at a campsite in Tully, 140km south of Cairns, on August 28 that year by officers investigating a tip-off about his possible location.

Potter's stint in Tully was the closest police would come to catching him before he was finally apprehended this week, in another town 128km north west.

Acting on a tip off, an army of officers and police dogs stormed the ramshackle Ravenshoe house around 8.45am on Monday to find Potter lying at the top of a dingy bunk-bed.
GOP leaders however claimed curbs were 'appeasement' and that 'tough talk' on Putin wasn't being followed through

Biden's assistant defense pick also blasted Obama White House for being 'too slow and incremental'

Suggested Russia has become 'more emboldened than it was eight years ago' when he invaded Crimea

Former Obama administration DNI James Clapper said he 'wished we were more aggressive with Russia in 2014'

A former Director of National Intelligence has said that he wished the Obama administration had done more to punish Russia for annexing Crimea in 2014.

James Clapper, who served Obama as a top national security official for seven years, warned that Russia has become 'more emboldened than it was eight years ago' when it invaded Crimea.

But asked whether the White House should have come down harder on President Putin at the time, Clapper told Fox News: 'Oh, yes, I do. I wish we as an administration had been more aggressive in 2014.'

It comes as President Biden slapped a 'first tranche' of sanctions on several Russian banks and officials to show Russia 'the cost' of its actions.

James Clapper, who served Obama as a top national security official for seven years, warned that Russia has become 'more emboldened than it was eight years ago' when it invaded Crimea

Tensions have mounted after several Western leaders declared that President Putin was beginning an 'invasion' of eastern parts of Ukraine and has claimed two separatist-controlled regions to be 'independent states'.

At a press briefing Tuesday, Biden said he will 'begin to impose sanctions' that go 'far beyond the steps we and our allies and partners implemented in 2014.'

However, GOP leaders have criticised the extended of the sanctions, claiming also that the White House's response wasn't strong enough.

In a statement signed by figures including Kevin McCarthy, Republicans said: 'Sadly, President Biden consistently chose appeasement and his tough talk on Russia was never followed by strong action.'

During a January Senate hearing, Biden's pick for assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs also blasted the Obama White House's response to Russia-Crimea.

Celeste Wallander, an under-secretary under Obama, said: 'I believe that our response in 2014 was too slow and too incremental.

'And it's confirmed by the lessons that I learned, and that I believe others in the national security community learned, to better address Russia's ongoing aggression.'

She added that, in retrospect, 'it would have been appropriate and necessary to provide' weapons to Ukraine.

Her criticism, though directed at Obama's White House, reflects on Biden as his Vice President who had taken an interest in Ukraine among other unappetizing foreign-policy tasks.

Criticism, though directed at Obama's White House, reflects on Biden as his Vice President who had taken an interest in Ukraine among other unappetizing foreign-policy tasks

While the President was preoccupied over Cuba and the Iran Nuclear Deal, Biden became the point man for Ukraine, visiting the country in 2015 to prod leaders to tackle the rampant corruption that made their country a risky bet for international lenders.

On December 9 that year, the Ukrainian parliament thundered with applause as Biden declared: 'The United States does not, will not, never will recognize Russias attempt to annex the Crimea. Its that saying - that simple. There is no justification.'

Five hundred miles to the south and east, Russian troops and separatists were occupying parts of the country.

His voice rising, Biden declared that Ukraine could demonstrate that aggressors #can't use coercion, bribery, sending tanks and men across a border to extinguish the dreams and hopes of a people.'

'For if you succeed" - Biden rapped his fist on the podium - "that message is sent around the world.'

Ukraine's government was unable to retake the land it lost, and now the world waits to see what message will be sent as Russia readies what might be a new, more expansive invasion that could end the nation's short history as an independent republic.
Islamic influences and radical imams have been blamed for a fake news campaign in Sweden where authorities have been forced to deny they are 'kidnapping' Muslim children and forcing them to eat pork.

Videos began appearing on Arabic-language social media sites in late 2021 of real interventions by child welfare services, showing crying children being separated from distraught parents.

With limited context about the situations portrayed, the videos accuse Sweden of being a fascist state where social services place Muslim children in Christian homes with paedophiles or where they are forced to drink alcohol and eat pork.

Radical imams in Sweden and abroad picked up on the stories, as did a new fringe political party Nyans (Nuance), which has made the forced removal of children a rallying cry ahead of the general election in September.

Muslim online influencers with millions of followers also joined the fray, as well as Arabic site 'Shuoun Islamiya' ('Islamic Affairs'), which has published around 20 videos. Several protests have also been held across Sweden.

Islamic influences and radical imams have been blamed for a fake news campaign in Sweden where authorities have been forced to deny they are 'kidnapping' Muslim children. Pictured: Protesters demonstrate against Swedish social services in Gothenburg, February 13

After Mideastern media outlets reported on the claims, Swedish government officials and social services have come out in force to deny the allegations.

'We absolutely do not do that,' Migration and Integration Minister Anders Ygeman said, stressing the main goal was to support families.

Ygeman said the campaign was being fuelled in part by 'frustrated parents who have failed in their parenting' and were projecting their anger at authorities.

'There are also malevolent forces that want to exploit these parents' frustration to spread mistrust and division,' he said.

Sweden's newly created Psychological Defence Agency has described many of the videos as old, presenting a false context with a 'purpose to polarise'.

Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism expert at the Swedish Defence University, said the campaign was primarily based on a Facebook group called 'Barnens Rattigheter Mina Rattigheter' (Children's Rights My Rights), where parents share experiences of having their children 'unfairly' removed from their care.

On February 23 alone, the page said there have been 165 news posts, and 5,640 in the last month. The group has over 27,000 members.

Videos began appearing on Arabic-language social media sites in late 2021 of real interventions by child welfare services, showing crying children being separated from distraught parents. Pictured: Protesters are seen in Malmo on February 19

Ranstorp said that while there may be some legitimate criticism against social services, the harsh rhetoric in the media posts was 'inciting'.

Julia Agha, head of the Arabic-language news outlet Alkompis based in Stockholm, has followed the campaign closely.

'Starting out, it was probably intended as a campaign where families of those whose children have been taken into custody have felt unjustly treated and wanted to criticise social services,' she said.

'What's happened is that this campaign has ended up in the hands of forces abroad that have put a religious filter over it and are spreading disinformation, which now looks more like a hate campaign against Sweden and Swedish society.'

Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare, which oversees social services, insists that removing children from their homes is always a last resort.

It is only done 'when voluntary measures are not possible and there is a considerable risk that the child's health or development is harmed', the agency told AFP news agency in an email.

In 2020, a total of 9,034 children were in state-ordered care without their parents' consent, official statistics show.

Pictured: Protesters demonstrating aginst the Swedish social services in central Malmo, Sweden, February 19

Researchers and social workers have noted that while more immigrant children are removed from their homes than ethnic Swedes, immigrant families are also less likely to accept earlier stages of assistance from social workers.

Sweden is often hailed as a pioneer in children's rights and was the first country to ban corporal punishment of children, including spankings, in 1966.

But critics say that dismissing the issue as disinformation ignores real issues with social services.

Mariya Ellmoutaouakkil, 35, who immigrated to Sweden 12 years ago from Morocco, organised a protest outside the social services office in her hometown of Gallivare last year, after two of her three children were removed from her care.

She said her son, aged 10, and daughter, six, were taken after social services alleged violence in the home.

She said the decision was not based on evidence, only on social workers' interviews with the children that she has never been allowed to see.

Social services typically do not comment on individual cases.

Ellmoutaouakkil said she understood her children had not been 'kidnapped', but did understand why some people use the term.

'It can start to feel like a kidnapping for me as a mother,' she said. 'When we as parents don't get answers, I can understand that they call it that'.

Sweden has struggled for years to integrate immigrants.

The wealthy country of 10.4 million granted asylum and family reunifications to more than 400,000 people from 2010 to 2019 - more per capita than any other European country.

'Sweden still has many integration challenges, not least when it comes to segregation,' Agha said.

She said many immigrants struggle to learn Swedish, live in areas where they only interact with other immigrants, and don't feel a part of Swedish society.
An experienced Australian fisherman has reeled in three sharks, with each one bitten entirely in half by a much bigger shark.

Professional angler Jason Moyce caught the haul of a bronze-whaler and two hammerheads off the coast of Bermagui in southern NSW.

Mr Moyce said on Facebook, where he goes by Trapman Bermagui, that he wasn't able to get a whole shark back to the boat while out fishing on Wednesday.

'Plenty of smooth hammerheads around but getting a whole one back to the boat is a challenge,' Mr Moyce said after catching a second chomped shark.

A bronze whaler shark bitten in half (pictured) by what angler Jason Moyce assumes was a 'big unit' tiger shark on Wednesday

Mr Moyce and his employee reeled in two hammerheads sharks bitten in half (pictured)

When he reeled in a third Mr Moyce - who has decades of professional fishing experience - decided to call it quits.

'Even the bronzies (bronze whalers) aren't safe today. No more shark fishing for us. Too many big units around,' he said.

He said that he reckoned tiger sharks were responsible, although he couldn't be sure, and that he has had similar experiences in recent years with sharks tailing his fishing boat looking for an easy source of food.

There has been an increase in shark attacks in recent years with one theory stating that sharks are more active in warmer waters.

Scientists from the UK in a 2018 study found a water temperature of 22C was preferred by tiger sharks.

'Our study suggests that 22C is not too cold for the animals and it's not too hot for them,'Dr Nicholas Payne of Queen's University Belfast and the University of Roehampton said.

Mr Moyce (pictured) said the sharks will often trail the boat looking for an easy meal

He said if ocean waters rise even by one or two degrees this could impact shark populations.

'Places like Sydney might start to see more tiger sharks during winter months whereas at the moment you very rarely see tiger sharks in Sydney in winter,' he said.

Australia's La Nina summer is in part caused by warm surface water pooling in the western Pacific Ocean.
A Mexican television host is feared to be the sixth journalist to have been murdered in the country this year after her body was found wrapped in sheets in the capital on Tuesday.

Michelle Perez Tadeo, known as Michell Simon, 29, was found dead by firefighters who were tackling a blaze nearby in the south of the capital, Mexico City.

The Attorney General's Office of Mexico City said her body was found wrapped in sheets near the fire on the Picacho-Ajusco highway.

Authorities, who did not give a cause of death, said they were working on different lines of investigation.

Relatives and friends of the journalist, who was originally from the southern state of Veracruz, reported her as missing last Friday.

Her apparent murder would make her the sixth journalist to be killed in Mexico this year after four media workers were murdered in January and a fifth reporter was killed earlier this month.

Michelle Perez Tadeo, known as Michell Simon, has become the sixth journalist to have allegedly been murdered in the country this year after her body was found wrapped in sheets in the capital on Tuesday

Simon, 29, was found dead by firefighters who were tackling a blaze nearby in the south of the capital, Mexico City

Simon's apparent murder would make her the sixth journalist to be killed in Mexico this year after four media workers were murdered in January and a fifth reporter was killed earlier this month

On February 10, director of the online news site Noticias Web, Heber Lopez, was was shot dead in the southern state of Oaxaca after an assassin walked into his office and opened fire.

Witnesses said that around 6:30pm, Lopez was in his office when a white vehicle carrying two men pulled up in front. One man got out, walked into the office and shot the journalist.

Lopez, who covered crime and police news, had for several months been receiving death threats, Noticias Web employees later revealed.

The Oaxaca state prosecutor's office said that two suspects in the killing were in custody and a gun had been recovered from them.

It came after the killing of Roberto Toledo, a camera operator and video editor for the online site Monitor Michoacan, on January 31.

Toledo was shot by assailants as he prepared for an interview in Zitacuaro, Michoacan.

Mexican crime reporter Heber Lopez (pictured, right) became the fifth journalist to be murdered in the country this year after an assassin walked into his office and opened fire on February

Lopez, the director of the online news site Noticias Web, was shot dead in his office (pictured, police outside) in the southern state of Oaxaca on February 10

Witnesses said that around 6:30pm, Lopez was in his office when a white vehicle carrying two men pulled up in front. One man got out, walked into the office and shot the journalist (pictured, police at the site)

Meanwhile in the border city of Tijuana, crime photographer Margarito Martinez was gunned down outside his home January 17.

On January 23, reporter Lourdes Maldonado Lopez was found shot to death inside her car also in Tijuana.

Reporter Jose Luis Gamboa was killed in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz in an attack January 10.

Jan-Albert Hootsen, Mexico representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said via Twitter: 'The first six weeks of 2022 have been the deadliest for the Mexican press in over a decade.'

Media protection groups and activists say criminal groups and drug gangs, as well as corrupt officials, upset by reporters' work are suspected of carrying out many of the killings.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Tuesday that the number of journalists killed in Mexico this year was concerning.

'I join those calling for greater accountability and protections for Mexican journalists. My heart goes out to the loved ones of those who gave their lives for the truth,' Blinken said in the message on Twitter.

Journalists in the northern border city of Tijuana held protests last week to urge President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to bring to end violence towards media workers.

Photos of slain journalists are posted on the gate of Mexico's Attorney General's office during a vigil to protest the murder of journalist Heber Lopez, in Mexico City on February 14

Protesters hold a sign demanding justice for Heber Lopez after he was gunned down in the southern state of Oaxaca after an assassin walked into his office and opened fire on February 10

Protesters light candles next to a line of chairs with pictures of murdered journalists following the death of Heber Lopez in Oaxaca on February 10
Caitlyn Jenner has slammed 'woke' gender identities and declared 'I can't even figure it out'.

The former Olympic athlete, 72, made the comments after biologically male counsellors were allowed to sleep in the same cabins as fifth-grade girls attending California's Los Alamitos School District.

Jenner, who herself was born biologically male and underwent her transition in 2015, said that California is a 'mess'.

The former Olympic athlete, 72, made the comments after biologically male counsellors were allowed to sleep in the same cabins as fifth grade girls attending California's Los Alamitos School District

'You know what we are living in such a woke world right now I cant even figure it out. This is a terrible story and you know they went to this camp and when they came back they were talking about gender this and that and the good news is that parents are now standing up so they called the school,' she told Fox News's Sean Hannity on Tuesday.

She added: 'In this crazy sate of California the law says its okay to put staff in the cabins that they identify as and I guess these two boys identified as they and them, which I cant quite understand, and the parents found out.

'Now the camp is trying to get around it...Its absolutely a mess out here in California and its a shame because I know so many people in the LGBT community that are wonderful people and its a shame that people on the fringes ruin it for everybody.'

According to parents of children at the school, biologically male counsellors at Camp Pali in San Bernardino were allowed to sleep in cabins according to the gender they identified with.

One parent, Rachel Sandoval, told Fox News: 'My 11-year-old daughter had told me that there were multiple counselors that expressed that they identified as they/them. They also had a group of kids that were lectured on the inappropriate misgendering of counselors.'

Jenner, who herself was born biologically male and underwent her transition in 2015, said that California is a 'mess'

The school district didn't mention anything about gender policy or specify that counsellors would be separated by gender but said that an investigation into the complaints have been launched.

In a statement, an attorney for Pali Institute said, 'To our knowledge, there have been no biologically male counselors in shared cabins with female students at Pali Institute. While counselors may have used the pronouns, they/them, the use of these pronouns is not restricted to biological males. Biological females also use those terms.'

Jenner revealed last October that coming out as transgender allowed her to finally 'breathe' and be her authentic self.

'I've been able to live my life authentically for the last nearly seven years now. It has been the best thing I ever did,' the 72-year-old told The Daily Telegraph.

'People become more accepting and it just got to the point in my life at the age of 65, I had raised all my children, had done everything I could,' she says. 'It was down to me and I made the decision to do this and maybe I can make a difference'

'When you finally come out, it feels like you don't have any more secrets like somebody has lifted 1000 pounds off your shoulders and you start breathing,' the reality star added.

Caitlyn came out as a trans woman in April 2015 while appearing on Diane Sawyer, and underwent sex affirmation surgery in January 2017.

She tells the publication that she had achieved all she could as a parent at the time of her transition.

Caitlyn felt that she had achieved all she could as a parent at the time of her transition. She has six biological children including Kendall Jenner, 25 and Kylie Jenner, 24, as well as three step-children, Kim Kardashian, 41, Kourtney Kardashian, 42, and Khloe Kardashian, 37. Pictured with Kris Jenner and North West

Caitlyn has six biological children - Burt Jenner, 43, Cassandra Marino, 41, Brandon Jenner, 40, Brody Jenner, 38, Kendall Jenner, 25 and Kylie Jenner, 24.

As well as three step-children, Kim Kardashian, 41, Kourtney Kardashian, 42, and Khloe Kardashian, 37.

'People become more accepting and it just got to the point in my life at the age of 65, I had raised all my children, had done everything I could,' she says.

'It was down to me and I made the decision to do this and maybe I can make a difference as doing this gives me a great platform in a very marginalised community,' the former athlete added.
Russia and China are providing Myanmar's military junta with fighter jets that are being used to slaughter civilians, a United Nations human rights expert has said.

Speaking on Tuesday, Thomas Andrews - a former US congressman serving in the independent post of human rights expert on the country - urged the UN Security Council to halt the flow of weapons enabling atrocities.

Andrews released a report that also named Serbia as one of three countries supplying arms to the Myanmar military since it seized power last year, with 'full knowledge that they would be used to attack civilians'.

'It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar,' Andrews said in a statement.

Andrews's report detailed the types and amounts of weapons used by the military as early as 2018, when it led a bloody crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority that caused hundreds of thousands to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Russia and China are providing Myanmar's military junta with fighter jets that are being used to slaughter civilians, a United Nations human rights expert has said. Myanmar citizens living in India hold placards as they attend a protest against Myanmar's military Junta, February 22

Chaos has gripped Myanmar since the coup ended a decade of tentative democracy, triggering protests that troops suppressed with lethal force.

At least 1,500 civilians have been killed, according to activists cited by the UN, which also says more than 300,000 people have been displaced by rural conflict between the military and armed opponents.

The junta says it is fighting 'terrorists' and objects to what it calls UN interference.

Myanmar's military and Russia's foreign ministry could not immediately be reached for comment on the report.

Asked about the report at a regular briefing, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said China 'has always advocated that all parties and factions should proceed in the long-term interests of the country' and 'resolve contradictions through political dialogue'.

In a statement, Serbia's foreign ministry denied supplying arms and said since Myanmar's coup it had 'examined the new situation very carefully and in March last year made a decision not to deliver weapons to this country either under previously concluded agreements or new export requests.'

Speaking on Tuesday, Thomas Andrews - a former US congressman serving in the independent post of human rights expert on the country - urged the UN Security Council to halt the flow of weapons enabling atrocities. Pictured: Andrews speaks in December (file photo)

Myanmar military commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, salutes while attending a military exercise in the Ayeyarwaddy delta region, Myanmar in 2018 (file photo)

Human rights groups and the UN have accused the junta of using disproportionate force to fight militias and ethnic minority rebels, including artillery and air strikes in civilian areas.

The report said Russia had supplied drones, two types of fighter jets, and two kinds of armoured vehicles, one with air defence systems. China transferred fighter jets while Serbia had provided rockets and artillery shells, it said.

Special rapporteurs work with the U.N. human rights office in Geneva based on mandates handed out by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, a 47-member body that currently counts both China and Russia as members.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution last year calling on members to halt arms transfers to Myanmar's military, which Andrews said the security council should make binding.

Serbia voted in favour of the resolution, but Russia and China abstained.

Military trucks with soldiers inside are parked behind police security standing guard behind a road barricade in Mandalay, Myanmar, Feb. 19, 2021

Pictured: An aerial photo of burnt buildings in Mingin Township, in Sagaing Division, where more than 105 buildings were destroyed by junta military troops, according to local media, seen in February 3, 2022

While China has urged an end to hostilities in Myanmar, Russia has been the generals' closest diplomatically amid efforts by the West to isolate them.

Andrews also called for cutting the Myanmar military's access to oil and gas revenue and foreign exchange reserves, plus international bans on purchases of Myanmar timber, gemstones, and rare earths.

Myanmar's rulers were vulnerable and could be stopped with international resolve, he said in the report.

'If revenues necessary to maintain such a military are reduced, the junta's capacity to assault and terrorise the people of Myanmar will diminish,' he said.
A woman has launched a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department, claiming a case of mistaken identity left her in prison for 13 days.

Bethany Farber, from Calabasas, California, was about to board a Delta flight to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, to visit family when she was detained by TSA officers at Los Angeles International Airport in April last year.

Officers said they had a warrant for Farber's arrest in Texas and escorted her to a private room where she was handcuffed to a chair.

The aesthetician was soon arrested by police, who did not check her driver's license or confirm her identity, and held at Lynwood Women's Jail for 13 days, the lawsuit alleged.

The Farber police were seeking has dark hair and doesn't resemble the Farber now suing the department. It is unclear why police were looking for Farber and whether the correct suspect has been found.

The LAPD said it does not comment on pending litigation and did not explain how the wrong Farber was arrested.

Bethany Farber, from Calabasas, California, is suing the LAPD, the Los Angeles Airport Police, and the City of Los Angeles for what she said was a wrongful arrest after she was kept in prison for 13 day

She claimed the police mistook her for a woman with the same name who had an arrest warrant

The Bethany Farber looks nothing like the one they arrested, but authorities blew off Bethany Farber's pleas to double check they had the right person

She is now suing the LAPD, the Los Angeles Airport Police and the City of Los Angeles for what she says was a wrongful arrest and claimed the police mistook her for a woman with the same name who had an arrest warrant.

Farber told KTLA-TV: 'It was absolutely terrifying. I was shocked. It just kept getting worse.

'They arrested me for a state-wide fugitive warrant. I kept saying that they had the wrong person and to double check, and they just said, "no we have it".'

Farber claimed she told officers they had the wrong person but they took her to Lynwood Women's Jail.

She continued: 'Immediately, all I could think is, I've never been to Texas...I started to get upset, realizing that it was all actually happening.'

Farber spent 13 days in jail as her family and friends worked to prove the police had the wrong woman.

The aesthetician said she was handcuffed to a chair after being escorted to a private room

Farber said she was 'shocked and terrified' when they took her to Lynwood Women's Jail

Her grandmother (pictured) suffered a stress-induced stroke while Farber was in jail. She later died just days after her granddaughter was released from jail. Farber was able to visit her grandma before her passing

Her family hired attorneys in Texas and Los Angeles, and proved her innocence by showing cell phone GPS indicating that Farber was in California on the day the other woman committed crimes in Texas.

The blonde said she was scarred from her experiences in jail, but claimed it 'could happen to anyone.'

She also said she saw human feces thrown around and had to put hot food underneath her clothes just to keep warm while in jail, CBS News reported.

'She had to spend her nights in a cold jail cell, listening to voices of other inmates screaming, crying, she saw fights within her cell, she saw fights in the common areas of the jail,' her attorney Rodney Diggs said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Diggs also told Fox 11: 'They could have checked the birth dates, checked fingerprints, checked Social Security number. Farber had her passport on her at the time.'

Farber (pictured outside of court) was about to board a Delta flight to Puerto Escondido, Mexico, to visit family when she was detained by TSA officers

Farber's attorney Rodney Diggs (right with Farber) said police should have checked the birth dates, fingerprints and social security numbers

The blonde said her jail stint caused her a lot of 'distress' and effected her business. 'This has caused me a lot of distress in my life, a lot of anxiety. It has set me back financially. Its impacted my business,' she said

He added: 'That says that the system is flawed somewhere. The fact that there's no procedures, no protocol.'

After she was released, the aesthetician's mother told Farber that her grandmother had suffered a stress-induced stroke. She died just days after Farber was released from jail; Farber was able to visit her before her passing.

'I can't explain to you the feeling of that entire situation, and then being released and having [my mom] inform me in the morning that my grandmother was in the hospital,' she told Fox 10. 'I believe that I would have had more time with her if this situation didn't happen.'

Farber's attorney also said the LAPD was told by the state of Texas that the wrong Farber was in custody three days before her release.

The aesthetician was arrested by police at Los Angeles International Airport (pictured)

'[It was] three days she could have spent with her grandmother,' he said.

She was released on April 28, 2021, according to KTLA. Farber is now suing for $2.5million for emotional distress.

'This has caused me a lot of distress in my life, a lot of anxiety. It has set me back financially. Its impacted my business,' she said at a press conference on Tuesday. 'Theres a lot of people out there who this is happening to who dont have anyone advocating for them. They dont have their family fighting for them every day, and every day that theyre in jail, wrongfully, their lives are being dismantled.'
A medical worker takes a nasal swab sample from a man at a makeshift COVID-19 testing site in Seoul, Feb. 21. AP-Yonhap





South Korea's new COVID-19 infections soared sharply to hit another high of over 170,000, Tuesday, nearly doubling from a day earlier, as the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus continued to spread across the country.







The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 171,452 new cases, including 171,271 local ones, raising the total caseload to 2,329,182.







This marked a drastic surge from the previous day's 99,573 and is far higher than the previous record of 104,814 tallied Saturday.







Behind the surge lies the fast spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant  the daily total has quadrupled compared with two weeks ago.






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Ukraine has been hit by a 'massive' cyberattack targeting its government and banks, just hours after a nationwide state of emergency was declared in preparation for a feared Russian invasion.

The websites of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service, and Cabinet of Ministers were all out of action Wednesday afternoon. Bomb threats were also phoned in to several government buildings, thought to be part of a psychological pressure campaign by Moscow.

Deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov said banks were also targeted in a 'massive' distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack - which uses computer networks to bombard websites with information until they crash - in what analysts have warned would likely be the first stage of a Russian attack.

It came just hours after the whole country was placed on a war footing: A state of emergency was declared, 200,000 military reservists called up, border zones were restricted and three million Ukrainians told to leave Russia, with Kiev acknowledging for the first time that an attack could now take place anywhere, at any time.

As the noose tightened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to send more weapons to help Ukraine defend itself against what the US has warned will be an all-out Russian assault. Johnson also promised more and tougher sanctions against Russia if Putin escalates further.

Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin had given a sabre-rattling address to his troops to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, praising their 'battle readiness' while saying he is assured that they will fight to defend Russian security interests - which he called 'non-negotiable'. Russia also evacuated staff from its Kiev embassy.

Ukraine's security agency claimed 45,000 plastic body bags have now been ordered to the Russian frontlines, giving the first hint of the amount lives Putin is willing to sacrifice to get what he wants - after Joe Biden said supplies of blood for transfusions have also been brought in.

Defence Secretary Liz Truss warned that Putin is 'hell-bent' on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a direct attack on the capital of Kiev 'highly likely' to be in his plans. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison predicted the attack is 'likely to occur within the next 24 hours'.

Meanwhile the EU imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia targeting the defence minister, heads of the armed forces, all 351 members of its parliament, and prominent propagandists. It comes after the US and UK announced their own measures on Tuesday, targeting oligarchs and banks.

Russia hit back, saying 'there should be no doubt' that new US sanctions would be met with a 'strong response' which would be 'well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side' - while warning it is 'capable of minimising the damage' from American measures.

Biden had last night announced a first wave of US sanctions, warning he is ready with more if Russia escalates. He also ordered the deployment of more NATO troops to Europe - 800 soldiers to Italy, dozens of Apache helicopters to the Baltics and Poland, and raised the prospect of the alliance's first permanent base in eastern Europe.

Elsewhere today...

Twitter accounts tracking Russia's military buildup were being temporarily blocked, apparently after being reported en-mass by Russian bots

Fighting along the frontline between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels killed one Ukrainian soldier and wounded six others, with shells falling in villages close to the front

Russia claimed to have foiled a terror attack against a church in occupied Crimea and arrested six Russian citizens it said were members of a banned 'right-wing' group, in what is feared to be another false flag

Ukrainian troops along the frontline with separatists reported receiving text messages warning of a Russian attack and telling them to abandon their posts

Satellite images and photos from the ground showed that Russia continues to move troops to the borders, including newly-arrived troops in Belarus, close to Kiev

Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said conscription of men in the region is gathering pace to counter 'Ukrainian threats' and he is sure of support from 'big Russia'

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the General Assembly Wednesday that the world is 'facing a moment of peril' over Ukraine's crisis with Russia

Vladimir Putin praised the battle readiness of his armies and boasted of developing hypersonic weapons as he called Russia's security interests 'non-negotiable' in an address to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day today

Putin has recognised two areas in eastern Ukraine as independent and authorised Russian troops to go in on 'peacekeeping' missions. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (yellow) amid fears he will now try to seize it. There are also fears he is preparing to attack Kharkiv in Ukraine (green) after massing forces nearby

Russia has up to 190,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter jets and bombers surrounding Ukraine from three sides, as the US warns of a full-scale invasion of the whole country including an attack on the capital, Kiev

A Russian attack on Ukraine could start in the Donbass region (top right) with attempts to expand rebel-held areas, that could either be in coordination with or before a much wider assault on the entire country (top right). Should the fighting spill over Ukraine's borders, it could drag in NATO forces stationed in Europe (bottom centre)

Boris Johnson has today pledged more UK weapons for Ukraine to help defend itself, and promised harsher sanctions if Putin escalates the situation any further

Russian armoured vehicles and artillery pieces are seen at a rail yard in the Rostov-on-Don region, close to the border with Ukraine, as the country was today put on a war footing

Russian troops in full packs are seen marching through mud at a rail yard in Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia close to the frontline with Ukraine, with armoured vehicles loaded on to train carriages nearby

Russian armored vehicles are pictured at a railway station in the Rostov region, amid fears Putin is about to attack

Moscow's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that it would evacuate diplomats from the country soon, saying this was in order to 'protect their lives', and the withdrawal appeared to be underway on Wednesday, with workers pictured leaving the building in Kiev

Russia also began evacuating diplomatic staff from its Kiev embassy, with the flag lowered over the building (pictured, workers leave the building with their baggage on Wednesday, February 23)

'Welcome to hell, you'll die here': Firebrand Ukraine MP threatens Russian troops A Ukrainian MP has warned invading Russian soldiers: 'Welcome to hellyou will die here'. In a firebrand speech to parliament in Kyiv, Oleksiy Goncharenko, 41, told Vladimir Putin's forces: 'You wont leave from here, we promise you this. 'Welcome to hell. We can say, you will die here. Die like lousy dogs if you enter our country. 'And your generals throwing you to this meat grinder will run away first. 'So drop your [weapons] and go back home to your wives and kids. 'You have nothing to do here. It's not your land. And won't ever be.' Meanwhile Roman Dudin, head of the SBU security service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region, said today: 'We see active maneuvering and movement of Russian troops along our borders. 'The military presence is gradually increasing, there are no elements of withdrawing troops from the state border of Ukraine after the so-called exercises. 'Today, according to our information, their best tactical group has only 70 per cent of serviceable equipment. '30 per cent of equipment is defective. 'We see even in the direction of Belgorod, where  military equipment that is unable to move independently. 'We see a daily decline in the morale and psychological [wellbeing] of Russian troops.' According to Dudin, Russian troops have purchased 45,000 cellophane bags to transport corpses. 'However, I think, according to the ancient Russian tradition, they will bury them just in the middle of the field or in these nameless graves.' Advertisement

Ms Truss sought to defend the UK's own sanctions - criticised yesterday for not being harsh enough - by insisting that 'nothing' is off the table should Putin decide to escalate.

'We've been very clear that we're going to limit Russian access to British markets,' Truss told Sky. 'We're going to stop the Russian government with raising sovereign debt in the United Kingdom.'

'There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organisations in Russia, limiting Russia's access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine,' Truss said.

Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Bliken announced that he has called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday, saying it 'does not make sense' to go ahead with peace negotiations when an invasion is already underway.

Russia today began evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine, with the flag lowered over the embassy in Kiev.

Moscow's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that it would evacuate diplomats from the country soon, saying this was in order to 'protect their lives'.

Asked if the evacuation had begun, the embassy's spokesperson Denis Golenko told AFP by phone today: 'Yes.'

Golenko said the evacuation was 'linked to the fact that Western embassies announced evacuations of some of their staff, and that our ministry also took this decision.'

Some Western embassies, including the United States and Britain, moved their staff to the city of Lviv near the Polish border.

They did so fearing a Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying the capital could come under attack.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.

The Russian-backed leader of the breakaway Donetsk region said today that he wanted to peacefully settle its borders with Ukraine but reserved the right to ask 'big Russia' for help.

Denis Pushilin, who heads the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic that was recognised by Russia this week, said he favoured dialogue with Ukraine in the first instance.

But he told a news conference the situation in their long-running conflict had become critical and the separatists had accelerated a mobilisation of forces, in which healthy men between 18 and 55 have been called up to fight.

'We will win. With people like this, we will win. With such a country, with big Russia, which we respect and value,' he said. 'We have no right to lose, or even to doubt in our victory.'

Tensions between East and West dramatically ratcheted up on Tuesday as Putin was granted authority by Russia's lap-dog parliament to use military force abroad, a move that paves the way for him to attack Ukraine.

Hours earlier, he had given a speech in which he made expansionist claims about rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east - saying Russia has recognised areas currently held by Ukrainian troops as belonging to the separatists.

That has sparked fears he is preparing for a land-grab of that territory under the auspices of a 'peacekeeping' mission to the region which could extend even beyond those boundaries and all the way to the city of Kharkiv - where several major Ukrainian military bases are located.

Russian tanks and armoured vehicles have been spotted hiding in civilian areas and the tree lines of forests in several areas just to the north of Kharkiv in recent days, within just three miles of the border.

Putin has up to 190,000 troops backed by thousands of tanks and artillery units, hundreds of fighter jets and dozens of bombers encircling Ukraine from three sides - with up to 10,000 men already thought to have moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk on the current frontlines with Ukrainian forces.

Western nations have tried to present a united front in the face of the invasion, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials.

Germany also said it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia - a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy.

The US, meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets.

That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under US jurisdictions.

Russia warned today that new sanctions would be met with a 'strong response'.

'There should be no doubt - sanctions will meet a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side,' the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that Washington had slapped a new round of sanctions in order to 'change Russia's course.'

'Russia has proved that, with all the sanctions costs, it is capable of minimizing the damage. And even more so, sanctions pressure cannot affect our determination to firmly defend our interests,' the statement said.

The Russian-backed leader of the breakaway Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, said on Wednesday that he had accelerated a mobilisation of forces, in which healthy men between 18 and 55 have been called up to fight

Russia has for months been massing troops, tanks, and support vehicles (pictured) on the border with Ukraine and is now thought to have up to 190,000 men ready to attack the country

Russian armoured troop transports are pictured in an assembly area, amid fears they could soon roll across the border and into Ukraine - sparking the most-serious war in Europe for decades

Russia has alternately claimed to be staging routine training exercises in its border regions, withdrawing its forces and reinforcing its allies in the region - all of which has been dismissed by the West as pretense (pictured, a Russian soldier)

A Ukrainian pilot boards a fighter jet at an air base in an undisclosed region of the country early Wednesday, as he takes part in combat readiness drills amid fears Russian is about to invade

A Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jet, originally made in Russia, takes off from an airfield in an undisclosed region of the country amid fears that Russia is about to stage a full-scale invasion

The tail fins of Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jets are seen at an undisclosed air field somewhere in Ukraine as one takes to the skies during combat readiness checks ahead of what could be a full-scale Russian invasion

Ukrainian firefighters attempt to put out a blazing house in the village of Muratovo, close to the frontlines with pro-Moscow rebels in Luhansk, after it was shelled overnight

Ukraine said one soldier died and another six were injured in shelling by pro-Moscow rebels overnight, which also hit and destroyed a house in the village of Muratovo

Russian volunteers carry medical supplies to a warehouse in the city of Taganrog, close to the border of Ukraine, after Biden warned that blood is being moved to the frontlines in what is considered to be one of the final moves before an attack

A wreath laying ceremony is held at the Fallen Warriors Memorial in Rostov-on-Don, where Russian troops are gathering

Frontline Ukrainian soldiers sent texts telling them to abandon posts Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines with pro-Moscow rebels have been sent texts warning of an imminent attack and told to abandon their posts. 'Moscow gave a go to the use of [Russian] Armed Forces in the Donbas,' one text read, referring to a wide area of eastern Ukraine where large parts of the country's armed forces are currently deployed. 'There's still time to save your life and leave the [area],' the text message added. Another read: 'Ukrainian military servicemen! The Russian army is already in Donetsk and Luhansk. Return home while it isn't too late!' There are fears Putin is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine after acknowledging the whole of the Donbass - including areas held by Ukraine - as independent and authorising Russian troops to go in on a 'peacekeeping' mission. If his troops do try to advance into Ukrainian areas, then it would likely spark direct fighting between the two militaries which could quickly escalate into all-out war. Advertisement

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the US, including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia US high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia's ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional US troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.'

The US is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Earlier Tuesday, members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country - effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes.

The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: 'I haven't said that the troops will go there right now.' He added that 'it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.'

The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an 'invasion' after initially hesitating to use the term - a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions.

U.S President Joe Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows several new deployments of troops and equipment have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of assembled vehicles at Bokov Airfield near Mazyr, Belarus, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows armor and vehicles at a railyard in Belgorod, Russia, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, Russia, which is close to the Ukrainian border

'We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine,' Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. 'An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.'

The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel regions on Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending in troops. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about those sanctions, noted 'that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014' and that 'Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.'

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade - and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued US support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia. Senators had been considering a sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia, and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow.

If Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. 'If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,' he said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring 'further powerful sanctions.'

Zelenskyy said he was calling up some of the country's military reservists but added there was no need for a full military mobilization.

In an address to the nation, Zelenskyy said his decree applied only to those assigned to the so-called operational reserve, which is typically activated during ongoing hostilities, and covers 'a special period of time,' without clarifying what that means.

'Today there is no need for a full mobilization. We need to quickly add additional staff to the Ukrainian army and other military formations,' he said. The head of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksii Danilov, said earlier this year that Ukraine can call up up to 2.5 million people.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian security council, takes part in a flower-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow's Alexander Garden to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day

Russian supporters of President Putin's party take part in a march through Moscow, waving flags of newly-recognised republics in the east of Ukraine that could be the trigger for war

Men in rebel-held areas of Donetsk are conscripted into the military, amid fears they could soon be ordered to join an invasion of Ukraine along with regular Russian troops
Lecturers have admitted to self-censoring when discussing China amid fears their students will take offence.

Academics from across UK universities said their teaching was influenced by having pupils from the authoritarian state in class.

A majority warned academic freedom and their right to teach openly was under threat in higher education.

It comes as the number of Chinese students applying for places in Britain has skyrocketed in recent years - from 6,900 in 2013 to 28,930 this year.

So many candidates are competing from the Far East - which contributes 2.1billion towards UK universities, or up to 38,000 per year per person - they now outnumber those from Wales.

There has been a 12 per cent increase in applicants from China, to 28,930 - up from 26,000 last year and 6,900 in 2013 (file photo)

Surge in Chinese demand for British universities: Record 28,000 students from China apply to study in the UK with applicants now outnumbering those from WALES The number of students from China applying to study in the UK have outnumbered those applying from Wales, according to Ucas figures. There has been a 12 per cent increase in applicants from China, to 28,930 - up from 26,000 last year and 6,900 in 2013. It makes China the second largest overseas market for British universities after the European Union. Meanwhile, there were 12,660 applications from 18-year-old prospective students in Wales. Elsewhere, a record number of disadvantaged British students applied this year, as 28 per cent of the poorest 18-year-olds hope to get their degree. The number of EU applicants has fallen, meaning the overall number of prospective students should be the same as last year. Nigeria brought the largest rise, with applications up 47 per cent to 2,380, reported the Times. Advertisement

The findings were detailed in a new report by academics from Oxford, Exeter and Portsmouth universities published in the International Journal of Human Rights.

It spoke to 1,500 lecturers from the social sciences departments of institutions across the country.

Forty-four per cent of those who replied said they had self-censored their online classes, but 34 per cent said they did not.

Two thirds said they felt academic freedom was at risk and over two fifths felt their ability to select what they teach was in peril.

Just under three fifths said their students' backgrounds did not influence their work while nearly a quarter admitted it did.

Meanwhile 10 per cent reported that they felt obliged to work with non-democratic partners after Brexit - but three fifths did not.

Around 14 per cent said they had self-censored their research, with 75 per cent saying they had not.

Yet for lecturers whose work focuses on China more than a fifth had restricted their work whereas it was more than 25 per cent in African studies.

Just 19 per cent of academics said they had done so when undertaking European studies.

A staggering 60 per cent of those working at UK universities said they thought their freedom to teach freely was at risk.

The threat to academic freedom saw one Russell Group university professor apologise for supposedly causing offence to a Chinese student.

Speaking about VAT regimes, the academic mentioned changes in China to its system, the Times reports.

But at a seminar a week later, the lecturer said: 'I got the feeling that my comments about Chinese constitutional law were not entirely well taken by some people. I certainly did not mean any disrespect by it.'

Overall, the number of applications for full-time undergraduate courses set to begin in September fell by one per cent (file photo)

A student told the newspaper: 'I was struck by how difficult it was for anyone to discuss China without causing offence. I suddenly felt discouraged, if not afraid, to mention the country in any way.'

Last week it was revealed the number of students from China applying to study in the UK outnumbered those applying from Wales.

There has been a 12 per cent increase in applicants from China, to 28,930 - up from 26,000 last year and 6,900 in 2013, Ucas figures found.

It makes China the second largest overseas market for British universities after the European Union.

Meanwhile, there were 12,660 applications from 18-year-old prospective students in Wales.

Elsewhere, a record number of disadvantaged British students applied this year, as 28 per cent of the poorest 18-year-olds hope to get their degree.

The number of EU applicants has fallen, meaning the overall number of prospective students should be the same as last year.

Nigeria brought the largest rise, with applications up 47 per cent to 2,380, reported the Times.

The report's authors found self-censoring had become more prevalent during the pandemic due to online teaching.

Oxford University's Dr Tena Prelec, who worked on the paper, said certain departments were more likely than others to self-censor.

She said: 'Concern among academics in politics and international relations could be higher because they are more exposed to sensitivities when teaching students from and conducting research in autocracies.

'Alongside business and law, these departments have often expanded most rapidly for domestic and international students, perhaps creating an impression among staff that market demand trumps the maintenance of standards and academic freedom.'

Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'The people who deny there's a free speech crisis in British universities often point to the fact that only a handful of academics are no-platformed each year.

'But that's the tip of the iceberg. As George Orwell pointed out in the introduction to Animal Farm, the most ubiquitous form of censorship is self-censorship and we know from surveys and polls that a huge number of academics are self-censoring.'
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President Joe Biden's administration has warned the Ukrainian government that the latest intelligence points to a full scale attack by Vladimir Putin 'imminently' with almost 100% of Russian forces on the border ready to move in.

'He is near 100% of all the forces that we anticipated that he would move in. He is getting near at 100%,' a senior Pentagon official said during a briefing on Wednesday as tensions continue to escalate between Moscow and The West.

'He has more than two dozen war ships in the Black Sea. The majority of them are surface combatants,' the senior defense official said. 'He has a cruise missile capability; he's got ballistic missile capability arrayed. He's got armor, artillery, certainly infantry; he's got special forces.'

At particular risk is the northeastern city of Kharkiv, CNN reported, which sits about 18 miles from Russia.

The latest dire warning signs of a full-blown attack follow the West sanctioning the Kremlin's inner circle; Ukraine issuing a nationwide state of emergency and moving to allow citizens to arm themselves; and Russia continuing to tell the world they will not be deterred in their advance into separatist regions Putin has declared independent.

Ukrainian government websites and banks have also been shut down because of a sweeping cyberattack while Moscow's tactical units have formed into battle-ready units ready to attack from the north, east and south.

Meanwhile the U.S. has re-positioned its firepower and 4,700 paratroopers around eastern Europe, with F-35s fighter jets and a fleet of Apache attack helicopters being sent from Germany to Baltic states and Poland.

Since October, Russia has been building an enormous military force along Ukraine's border, with as many as 190,000 troops in or near Ukraine, American and Ukrainian officials told The New York Times.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called up military reservists, declared a 30-day state of emergency and has urged his people to stand up and fight with their country on the brink of invasion.

'Ukrainians are a peaceful nation,' he said. 'We want quiet. But if we are today silent, then tomorrow we will disappear.'

In addition to the troop movements, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, said government websites are the result of a 'new mass distributed denial-of-service attack.' It's unclear who is behind the cyber intrusion.

Meanwhile, Russia warned there would be a 'painful' response to sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies against Putin's inner circle.

A fresh round of sanctions that struck at the heart of Putin's inner circle appear not to be working. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called them part of Washington's 'ongoing attempts to change Russia's course,' and added that the pressure will not prove to be a deterrence.

'There should be no doubt that sanctions will receive a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but finely tuned and painful to the American side,' the ministry said on Wednesday.

But the U.S. struck again with sanctions on Wednesday. Biden announced 'sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers.'

Biden said he made the decision after Germany called off certification of the pipeline, which was built to carry natural gas from Russia into Europe. Biden waived sanctions last year against Nord Stream 2 AG when the project was almost completed, in return for an agreement from Germany to take action against Russia if it used gas as a weapon or attacked Ukraine.

'Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy,' Biden said, warning more sanctions could come.

As Russia pulled its diplomats from Kiev, Zelensky called for even harsher sanctions and warned the 'future of European security is being decided now, here in Ukraine.'

President Joe Biden's administration has warned the Ukrainian government that the latest intelligence points to a full scale attack by Vladimir Putin 'imminently' with almost 100% of Russian forces on the border ready to move in. Putin watches Fatherland Day celebrations on Wednesday after praising Russia's fleet of hypersonic weapons

Russian armored vehicles are loaded onto railway platforms at a railway station in the Rostov-on-Don region, not far from Russia-Ukraine border, on Wednesday. The latest dire warning signs of a full-blown attack follow the West sanctioning the Kremlin's inner circle, Ukraine issuing a nationwide state of emergency allowing citizens to arm themselves and Russia continuing to tell the world they will not be deterred in their advance into regions Putin has declared independent

Putin has recognized two areas in eastern Ukraine as independent and authorised Russian troops to go in on 'peacekeeping' missions. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (yellow) amid fears he will now try to seize it. There are also fears he is preparing to attack Kharkiv in Ukraine (green) after massing forces nearby

Putin is thought to be planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, having recognised two areas in the east of the country as independent earlier this week. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in dark red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (shaded red) amid fears he will now try to seize it

Russia has up to 190,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter jets and bombers surrounding Ukraine from three sides, as the US warns of a full-scale invasion of the whole country including an attack on the capital, Kiev

Russian armored vehicles at the railway station in Rostov region, Russia. Since October, Russia has been building an enormous military force along Ukraine's border, with as many as 190,000 troops in or near Ukraine, American and Ukrainian officials told The New York Times

Meanwhile the U.S. has re-positioned its firepower and 4,700 paratroopers around eastern Europe, with F-35s fighter jets and a fleet of Apache attack helicopters being sent from Germany to Baltic states and Poland

The U.S. targeted with sanctions Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov

Russia has for months been massing troops, tanks, and support vehicles (pictured) on the border with Ukraine and is now thought to have up to 190,000 men ready to attack the country

Russian armoured troop transports are pictured in an assembly area, amid fears they could soon roll across the border and into Ukraine - sparking the most-serious war in Europe for decades

Russia has alternately claimed to be staging routine training exercises in its border regions, withdrawing its forces and reinforcing its allies in the region - all of which has been dismissed by the West as pretense (pictured, a Russian soldier)

Meanwhile, Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would introduce a 30-day period of emergency in a ramping up of precautions as Russian troops and blood supplies headed to frontlines in what U.S. officials said were 'plans for war'. Ukrainian lawmakers are also working on legislation to allow its citizens to carry firearms.

U.S. moves troops to Baltic NATO states The U.S. military has moved troops to the Baltic nations in an effort to bolster NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia as Ukraine prepares for a full-scale invasion. Up to 190,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine, including Russian forces that have deployed to Belarus, which border NATO members Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. This has been nominally for military exercises, which have been watched over by Putin and Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko. Biden confirmed he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.' The U.S. will send about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated. The measures came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist regions in defiance of U.S. and European demands. Advertisement

It move came after President Putin boasted of Russia's preparedness and 'advanced weapons' including hypersonic missiles in a sabre-rattling speech.

Putin, speaking on Defender of the Fatherland Day, which marks the first mass draft into the Red Army in 1918, congratulated the armed forces on their 'professionalism' and said he was assured they would stand up for the country's national interests - which he said are 'non-negotiable'.

The Russian leader insisted that diplomacy with the West is still possible but gave no hint that he is willing to back down over any of his security demands - including that Ukraine disarm and drop its bid to join NATO. These have been dismissed by the U.S., Kiev and NATO as non-starters.

President Biden warned it was clear the Russian leader was preparing for conflict after U.S. sources observed Russia moving supplies of blood towards its border with Ukraine, saying: 'You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war.'

In a sign that a diplomatic solution appears unlikely, Secretary of State Antony Bliken called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who also cancelled his meeting, said Putin no longer accepted Ukraine's independence under international law.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine's National Security and Defense council approved plans to declare a state of national emergency, with measures requiring stepped-up document and vehicle checks across the country. The declaration needs to be formally approved by parliament.

They would apply to all parts of Ukraine except for its two Russian-backed eastern separatist regions, where a deadly insurgency that has claimed more than 14,000 lives broke out in 2014.

Danilov said each of Ukraine's regions would be able to select which particular measures to apply, 'depending on how necessary they might be'.

'What could it be? This could be added enforcement of public order,' Danilov said. 'This could involve limiting certain types of transport, increased vehicle checks, or asking people to show this or that document,' he added, calling it a 'preventive' measure.

Additionally, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged its citizens in Russia to leave immediately. The ministry also recommended that Ukrainians not travel to Russia and warned the government may not be in a position to help any of its citizens in Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kiev, according to an Associated Press photographer.

Hopes for a diplomatic solution seem to be fading.

Biden warned on Tuesday that an invasion of Ukraine is already underway but could quickly ramp up into all-out war, with blood supplies being moved to the frontlines which could be used to treat injured soldiers.

'This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war,' Biden declared as he levied sanctions against Russian banks and promised harsher measures to come.

Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will face sanctions. He also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.'

The administration also named five individuals being targeted, including Alex Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Petr Fradkov, the CEO of Russian Promsvyazbank, the country's largest military bank.

The White House warned more individuals could be targeted, with a senior administration official saying: 'No Russian financial institution is safe if this invasion proceeds.'

Trans-atlantic allies are lining up behind the American condemnation of Russia. Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, cutting off what Biden's administration called a 'cash cow' for Moscow.

Britain also announced sanctions on three billionaires with close links to Putin, and five small lenders including Promsvyazbank.

Australia, Canada and Japan also announced sanctions. Australia will impose travel bans and financial penalties on eight members of Russia's National Security Council. Canada sanctioned two Russian banks and Japan imposed financial penalities on Moscow.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.

Tensions between East and West dramatically ratcheted up Tuesday as Putin was granted authority by Russia's lap-dog parliament to use military force abroad, a move that paves the way for him to attack Ukraine.

Hours earlier, he had given a speech in which he made expansionist claims about rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east - saying Russia has recognised areas currently held by Ukrainian troops as belonging to the separatists.

That has sparked fears he is preparing for a land-grab of that territory under the auspices of a 'peacekeeping' mission to the region which could extend even beyond those boundaries and all the way to the city of Kharkiv - where several major Ukrainian military bases are located.

Russian tanks and armoured vehicles have been spotted hiding in civilian areas and the tree lines of forests in several areas just to the north of Kharkiv in recent days, within just three miles of the border.

Putin has up to 190,000 troops backed by thousands of tanks and artillery units, hundreds of fighter jets and dozens of bombers encircling Ukraine from three sides - with up to 10,000 men already thought to have moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk on the current frontlines with Ukrainian forces.

Western nations have tried to present a united front in the face of the invasion, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials.

The U.S., meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets.

That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdictions.

A Russian attack on Ukraine could start in the Donbass region (top right) with attempts to expand rebel-held areas, that could either be in coordination with or before a much wider assault on the entire country (top right). Should the fighting spill over Ukraine's borders, it could drag in NATO forces stationed in Europe (bottom centre)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called up military reservists and is calling on upon the Ukrainian people to fight

The Russian Embassy in Kiev where its flag does not appear to be flying amid reports Moscow has recalled its diplomats

A Ukrainian pilot boards a fighter jet at an air base in an undisclosed region of the country early Wednesday, as he takes part in combat readiness drills amid fears Russian is about to invade

A Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jet, originally made in Russia, takes off from an airfield in an undisclosed region of the country amid fears that Russia is about to stage a full-scale invasion

The tail fins of Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jets are seen at an undisclosed air field somewhere in Ukraine as one takes to the skies during combat readiness checks ahead of what could be a full-scale Russian invasion

Ukrainian firefighters attempt to put out a blazing house in the village of Muratovo, close to the frontlines with pro-Moscow rebels in Luhansk, after it was shelled overnight

Ukraine said one soldier died and another six were injured in shelling by pro-Moscow rebels overnight, which also hit and destroyed a house in the village of Muratovo

Russian volunteers carry medical supplies to a warehouse in the city of Taganrog, close to the border of Ukraine, after Biden warned that blood is being moved to the frontlines in what is considered to be one of the final moves before an attack

Five of Putin's 'inner circle' hit by sanctions President Joe Biden took a direct hit at Vladimir Putin's inner circle on Tuesday by invoking sanctions on five named individuals. They are: Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Bortnikov's son Dennis, who is the deputy president of VTB Bank; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; Keriyneko's son Vladimir, who is currently the CEO of VK Group which runs Russia's version of Facebook; Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov, head of nation's largest military bank. Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will also face sanctions. The two institutions 'hold more than $80 billion in assets and finance the Russian defense sector and economic development,' the White House noted in a fact sheet. 'These measures will freeze their assets in the United States, prohibit U.S. individuals and businesses from doing any transactions with them, shut them out of the global financial system, and foreclose access to the U.S. dollar.' Biden also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.' Advertisement

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the U.S., including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia U.S. high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia's ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.'

The U.S. is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Earlier Tuesday, members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country - effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes.

The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: 'I haven't said that the troops will go there right now.' He added that 'it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.'

The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an 'invasion' after initially hesitating to use the term - a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow

President Joe Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows several new deployments of troops and equipment have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of assembled vehicles at Bokov Airfield near Mazyr, Belarus, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows armor and vehicles at a railyard in Belgorod, Russia, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, Russia, which is close to the Ukrainian border

'We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine,' Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. 'An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.'

The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel regions on Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending in troops. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about those sanctions, noted 'that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014' and that 'Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.'

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade - and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued U.S. support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia. Senators had been considering a sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.
PAC chairwoman, Dame Meg Hillier, said a 'lack of preparedness and planning' had led to 'an unacceptable level of mistakes, waste, loss and openings for fraudsters'

An influential committee of MPs has slammed the Government over its financial response to the coronavirus pandemic, warning that billions of pounds of money has been lost because of 'unacceptable' mistakes.

The Public Accounts Committee today published a new report which is highly critical of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Treasury.

PAC chairwoman, Dame Meg Hillier, said a 'lack of preparedness and planning' had led to 'an unacceptable level of mistakes, waste, loss and openings for fraudsters'.

This will 'end up robbing current and future taxpayers of billions of pounds', she said.

It is currently uncertain exactly how much Covid cash will be lost but the PAC said it will be 'running into many billions of pounds'.

The PAC said fraud and error across the support schemes run by HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is expected to cost 'at least 15 billion'.

The furlough scheme is estimated to have lost 5.3billion to fraud and error - 8.7 per cent of the overall funding handed out by the programme.

It is also estimated that some 21billion will be lost as a result of Covid loans not being repaid.

The Public Accounts Committee today published a new report which is highly critical of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Treasury

The National Audit Office said the cost of the Government's pandemic measures will hit a total of 370billion over their lifetime.

Dame Meg said: 'As the PAC has made clear across a series of reports on the costs of Covid, lack of preparedness and planning, combined with weaknesses in existing systems across Government, have led to an unacceptable level of mistakes, waste, loss and openings for fraudsters which will all end up robbing current and future taxpayers of billions of pounds.

'It is essential that for as long as we will be paying the costs of Covid19, which is at least the next 20 years just in some of the loan repayment terms, the Treasury and all of Government continue to account specifically for what it has spent in response to the pandemic.

'Government must be held accountable in this way to all the future taxpayers who will be paying for this response. Crucially this must ensure lessons are learned for when the next big crisis hits - be it climate, health or financial.'

The PAC is calling for all Whitehall departments to set out the specific annual cost of Covid in the years ahead.

It has also told the Treasury to provide MPs with official estimates of how much taxpayers' cash has been lost to fraud and error, and how much the Government expects to recover.

The Government threw billions of pounds at Covid support schemes in the early days of the pandemic, as Mr Sunak vowed to do whatever it takes to get through the crisis.

A Treasury spokesman said: 'We reject the claims made in this report. No fraudulent payments have been written off and the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce is expected to recover up to 1bn from fraudulent or incorrect payments.

'Our Covid support schemes were rolled out at a time of national crisis, protecting millions of jobs and businesses when they needed it most.

'Thanks to the speed and scale of our intervention, the economy is back to pre-pandemic levels.

'The cost of inaction could have had a catastrophic impact on jobs and livelihoods.'
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This is the moment a hostage was handcuffed in an Apple store in Amsterdam before managing to escape... and leading his captor outside where police ran him over.

Pictures from last night's dramatic incident show the hostage cuffed with his hands behind his back sat opposite a gunman, thought to be a 27-year-old Dutch man, pointing a firearm in his direction.

An earlier clip showed the captive in a headlock with a gun pointed at his head inside the shop. The hostage-taker could be seen waving around the weapon as he gestured towards customers sat in a restaurant across the street.

Dutch media had earlier today reported the hostage was British but police later confirmed he was a 44-year-old man from Bulgaria.

The hostage managed to escape the ordeal by fleeing the gunman who then chased him down the street before being hit by a police car in Leidseplein - a square in the centre of the Dutch capital.

The incident, which started around 5:40pm, lasted nearly five hours and involved dozens of hostages. 'Dozens' of hostages left the building by 9:15pm and officers declared the incident over around 10pm.

Amsterdam police said: 'We managed to stop the hostage-taker by hitting him as he ran out. Violent images of that collision can be seen.

'We now know that the suspect had no explosives on his body and medical personnel are now taking care of him.'

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

A hostage was seen handcuffed in an Apple store in Amsterdam where his captor demanded a ransom of 200million before the hero captive fled and allowed police to run over the crook on Tuesday evening

Footage shows the assailant chasing a fleeing captive (left) before suddenly being hit by a car (right) in Leidseplein - a square in the centre of the Dutch capital

The hostage-taker lies next to a police robot on the street shortly after the end of the incident in the Apple Store. Police said the suspect had no explosives on his body

Footage earlier showed a man in a headlock with what appears to be a gun pointed at his head at the shop in Leidseplein - a square in the centre of the Dutch capital

The hostage-taker was seen putting his arm around his captive as the pair looked at Apple products together in the Amsterdam store

Another video also captured approximately a dozen armed police officers taking cover and surrounding the store in the city.

The force added: 'They are going to a police station for a witness statement and of course for aftercare such as victim support.'

Police initially said: 'Due to a report at a shop on Leidseplein, police are now deployed there. More information will follow via this Twitter channel.'

In an update at around 5.55pm, it added: 'There is someone with a firearm in/near the shop in question, the police are on site with many (specialist) units to get the situation under control.'

A further statement said they were reluctant to provide information 'so as not to disrupt our investigation and efforts there'.

The force said at 7pm that a 'hostage situation' is ongoing, before confirming around an hour later that 'several people have been able to leave'.

One witness claimed they had to 'run for their life' after hearing gunshots.

They told Dutch broadcaster AT5: 'I was standing on the zebra crossing opposite the apple store. An employee walked out in panic with a walkie-talkie, yelling.

A window cracked by a bullet at the Apple Store in Leidseplein in Amsterdam following a hostage situation on Tuesday evening

Another clip captured around a dozen armed police officers running near the store in the city

Armed officers are seen standing by a police vehicle near Leidseplein during the hostage situation. Members of the public were advised to stay away from the site

Security forces take measures around the store after armed robbers reportedly entered the store in the centre of Amsterdam

'At that moment the penny hadn't dropped yet and I was about to cross the zebra crossing opposite the entrance to the Apple store.

'And that's when I heard gunshots inside.'

Members of the public had been advised to stay away from the site so police could 'focus on dealing with the situation'.

Dutch journalist Wouter Laumans earlier tweeted: 'The Apple store Leidseplein hostage situation is still ongoing.

'Police officer on the ribbon talks about "possible explosion hazard".'
The White House has warned that Americans should expect higher energy prices after Biden announced sanctions against Russia after its president Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

However deputy national security adviser for International Economics Daleep Singh said he was hopeful that gas prices would decline over time.

He told Fox: 'There are actions [energy consuming nations] can take with their strategic reserves, there are actions energy producers can take in terms of their spare capacity.

'I'm not going to give you a timeline, but the collective power of those actions, and all the other tools and authorities at our disposal  will be effective in bringing down the price of gas and the price of oil.'

The current price for gas is just under $100 per barrel. According to AAA, the national average for gasoline is $3.53 a gallon, up 20 cents in the past month.

California has the highest-priced gas at $4.650, while Texas has the lowest at $2.942. In New York state, it is currently $3.39.

President Biden has announced that he is using 'every tool at our disposal' to limit the gas price increase

President Biden declared Tuesday that he is using 'every tool at our disposal' to limit the gas price increase.

But the president failed to outline specific actions he plans to use.

American oil prices are at seven-year highs and gasoline prices have skyrocketed.

Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum at GasBuddy, said all Americans may soon be facing California-level costs.

'We'll start to see gasoline demand surge, along with refiners doing maintenance ahead of the summer driving season, creating a squeeze,' De Haan told Fox Business, predicting that the spike would begin in March.

De Haan projected that there may be an increase of 10 to 20 cents per gallon every month until May, when the national average could hit or even surpass $4 a gallon.

Earlier this month, GasBuddy projected that the national average price for a gallon of gasoline could even climb to a high of $4.13 in June.

And California cities could see prices climb even higher, with costs in San Francisco and Sacramento rising to over $5 a gallon.

The news comes as inflation is at the highest level in almost 40 years.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Moscow's recent actions over Ukraine amounted to an 'invasion' after Russia's authoritarian leader recognized the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent regions -- including portions still under the Ukrainian government's control

In November Biden took action and announced the largest release of emergency crude reserves in US history but just two months later he is under pressure to open the Strategic Petroleum Reserve again.

'As I said last week, defending freedom will have costs, for us as well and here at home. We need to be honest about that. But as we do this, I'm going to take robust action to make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at the Russian economy, not ours,' Biden said in his speech last night according to CNN.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Moscow's recent actions over Ukraine amounted to an 'invasion' after Russia's authoritarian leader recognized the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent regions -- including portions still under the Ukrainian government's control.

Hours earlier, Russia's parliament approved a request by President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside of his nation's territory, stoking fears he could be plotting further military action after Kremlin troops already entered Ukrainian dissident territories.

'By approving the use of the armed forces abroad, we assume they will be peacekeeping forces - forces designed to maintain peace and stability in the (self-proclaimed east Ukrainian) republics,' Valentina Matvienko, the upper house's speaker, said before the vote.

A White House official said the rising gas prices are not a result of the certificate of the 750-mile Nord Stream 2 pipeline being stopped but over fears that Putin may weaponize energy supply

Putin said during a news conference on Tuesday that the Minsk agreements, which were aimed at stopping Ukraine's conflict with Russian-back separatists in the country's east, 'no longer exist' according to Russian state media and called on Kiev to demilitarize.

Biden announced a 'first tranche' of new sanctions more directly targeting Russia in an address to the nation on the crisis from the White House on Tuesday afternoon.

'Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called 'countries' on territory that belonged to his neighbors?' Biden said.

The economic penalties target two Russian banks and five individuals who the White House said 'directly benefit from their connections with the Kremlin.'

Biden added that his administration is 'closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruption'.

The pipeline hasn't received certification from German regulators and without it natural gas can't flow through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany

He added: 'We're executing a plan in coordination with major oil producing consumers and producers toward a collective investment to secure stability and global energy supply.

'This will blunt gas prices. I want to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump. This is critical to me.'

A White House official said the rising gas prices are not a result of the certificate of the 750-mile Nord Stream 2 pipeline being stopped but over fears that Putin may weaponize energy supply.

The pipeline hasn't received certification from German regulators and without it natural gas can't flow through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.

Gas supplies from Russia play an essential role in power generation and home heating in central and eastern Europe, and Germany is Russia's largest gas customer. But the US, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and several European Union countries have opposed the pipeline since it was announced in 2015, warning the project would increase Moscow's influence in Europe.
Plans to open the world's very first octopus farm in Spain have been slammed by critics after studies showed that the creatures were capable of experiencing distress and happiness.

Roberto Romero, aquaculture director at Nueva Pescanova, said his company had invested around 65 million euros (54million) to start the octopus farm next year amid soaring demand for seafood.

Mr Pescanova, who beat rival companies in Mexico and Japan to perfect the conditions needed for industrial-scale breeding, believes the move will be a 'global milestone'.

The commercial incentives for the farm, which is slated to produce 3,000 tons per year by 2026 for domestic and international food chains and generate hundreds of jobs on the island of Gran Canaria, are also clear.

Between 2010 and 2019 the value of the global octopus trade ballooned to $2.72billion (some 2 billion) from $1.30 billion (around 1 billion), according to data from the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organisation.

However plans for the breeding facility have been slammed for being cruel after a study by the London School of Economics concluded octopuses were sentient beings capable of experiencing distress.

Spanish company Nueva Pescanova plans to open the world's very first octopus farm in Spain next year

The Spanish company has invested around 65 million euros (54million) to start the octopus farm amid soaring demand for seafood. Pictured: Scientist Eduardo Almansa observes the behaviour of an octopus at the Spanish Oceanography Institute

Demand is booming for octupuses, led by Italy, Korea, Japan and Spain, the world's biggest importer. Pictured: An octopus dish at the Casa Gallega restaurant in Madrid

Since the 2020 documentary 'My Octopus Teacher' captured the public imagination with its tale of a filmmaker's friendship with an octopus, concern for their wellbeing has grown.

Last year, researchers at the London School of Economics concluded from a review of 300 scientific studies that octopus were capable of experiencing distress and happiness, and that high-welfare farming would be impossible.

Raul Garcia, who heads the WWF conservation organisation's fisheries operations in Spain, agrees.

'Octopuses are extremely intelligent and extremely curious. And it's well known they are not happy in conditions of captivity,' he told Reuters.

Any farming operation aiming for a high quality of life by approximating their natural habitat - solitary on the sea bed - would likely be too expensive to be profitable, he said.

Meanwhile Carys Bennett of animal-rights group PETA said: 'There's so many wonderful vegan alternatives out there now. We're urging everyone to protest against this farm.'

Meanwhile Pedro Luis Cervino Fernandez, 49, who leaves the Galician port of Murgados at 5am every morning in search of octopus said he fears he will not be able to compete with industrial farming.

The farm is slated to produce 3,000 tons per year by 2026 for domestic and international food chains. Pictured: A technician performs weight control on an octopus at the Spanish Oceanography Institute

Last year researchers at the London School of Economics concluded that octopus were capable of experiencing distress and happiness

Animal rights activists protest against octopus farms at the gates of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Concern for the creatures is growing since the 2020 documentary 'My Octopus Teacher'. Pictured: A chef at the Casa Gallega restaurant prepares to cook an octopus

Fisherman Pedro Cervino, 49, stands on his boat called Olga, while he weighs an octopus in Galicia, Spain

He said: 'Big companies just want to look after their bottom line they couldn't care less about small companies like us.'

A few hundred miles inland at La Casa Gallega, a Madrid restaurant specialising in pulpo a la gallega - seared octopus with boiled potatoes and plenty of paprika - said staff were unimpressed by the prospect of farmed produce.

'I don't think it will ever be able to compete with Galician octopus,' said head waiter Claudio Gandara.

'It will be like other farmed fish, the quality is never the same.'

European Union laws governing livestock welfare do not apply to invertebrates and although Spain is tightening up its animal protection legislation, octopuses are not set to be included.

Nueva Pescanova has not provided specific details on tank sizes, density, or feed, citing trade secrecy. It has said the animals are constantly monitored to ensure their wellbeing.

David Chavarrias, the centre's director, said previous efforts to farm octopus have struggled with high mortality, while attempts to breed wild-caught octopus ran into problems with aggression, cannibalism and self-mutilation.

European Union laws governing livestock welfare do not apply to invertebrates. Pictured: A technician checks the weight of an octopus at the Spanish Oceanography Institute

Pictured: An octopus is weighed by fisherman Pedro Cervino in the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia

He said optimising tank conditions allowed the company to eliminate aggression and breed five generations in captivity.

'We have not found cannibalistic behaviour in any of our cultures,' he said.

He added that more research was needed to determine if octopus were truly intelligent.

'We like to say that more than an intelligent animal, it is a responsive animal,' he said.

'It has a certain capacity for resolve when faced with survival challenges.'

Mr Chavarrias also said he recognised the concern around sustainability and stressed the company was researching the use of waste fish products and algae as alternative feed but said it was too early to discuss the results.

Despite increasing concern for animal rights, demand is booming, led by Italy, Korea, Japan and Spain, the world's biggest importer. Natural fishing grounds are feeling the strain.

'If we want to continue consuming octopus we have to look for an alternative because the fisheries have already reached their limit,' said Eduardo Almansa, a scientist at Spain's Oceanography Institute, which developed the technology used by Nueva Pescanova.

'For now aquaculture is the only available option.'
Fresh suspicion that Covid may have been tinkered with in a lab emerged today after scientists found genetic material owned by Moderna in the virus's spike protein.

They identified a tiny snippet of code that is identical to part of a gene patented by the vaccine maker three years before the pandemic.

It was discovered in SARS-CoV-2's unique furin cleavage site, the part that makes it so good at infecting people and separates it from other coronaviruses.

The structure has been one of the focal points of debate about the virus's origin, with some scientists claiming it could not have been acquired naturally.

The international team of researchers suggest the virus may have mutated to have a furin cleavage site during experiments on human cells in a lab.

They claim there is a one-in-three-trillion chance Moderna's sequence randomly appeared through natural evolution.

But there is some debate about whether the match is as rare as the study claims, with other experts describing it as a 'quirky' coincidence rather than a 'smoking gun'.

SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid, carries all the information needed for it to spread in around 30,000 letters of genetic code, known as RNA. The virus shares a sequence of 19 specific letters with a genetic section owned by Moderna. Twelve of the shared letters make up the structure of Covid's furin cleavage site, with the rest being a match with nucleotides on a nearby part of the genome

Moderna filed the patent in February 2016 as part of its cancer research division, records show. The patented sequence is part of a gene called MSH3 that is known to affect how damaged cells repair themselves in the body. It was approved on March 7 the following year

In the latest study, published in Frontiers in Virology, researchers compared Covid's makeup to millions of sequenced proteins on an online database.

The virus is made up of 30,000 letters of genetic code that carry the information it needs to spread, known as nucleotides.

It is the only coronavirus of its type to carry 12 unique letters that allow its spike protein to be activated by a common enzyme called furin, allowing it to spread between human cells with ease.

Analysis of the original Covid genome found the virus shares a sequence of 19 specific letters with a genetic section owned by Moderna, which has a total of 3,300 nucleotides.

WHAT IS THE FURIN CLEAVAGE SITE? SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid, carries all the information needed for it to spread in around 30,000 letters of genetic code, known as RNA. But it is the only coronavirus of its type to carry 12 unique letters that allow it to be activated by a common enzyme called furin. This in turn makes the virus better at invading neighbouring cells. The so-called furin cleavage site is located on the virus' spike protein, the structure that binds to human cells in the first place. Scientists sometimes add this element to lab viruses to make them more infectious, but in nature, pathogens can acquire it by swapping genetic code with other members of their family. The furin has been the focal point of intrigue for many scientists studying the origins of the virus because no other known member of Covid's family - a group called Sarbecoviruses - have the site. Advertisement

The US-based pharmaceutical firm filed the patent in February 2016 as part of its cancer research division, records show.

The patented sequence is part of a gene called MSH3 that is known to affect how damaged cells repair themselves in the body.

Scientists have highlighted this pathway as a potential target for new cancer treatments.

Twelve of the shared letters make up the structure of Covid's furin cleavage site, with the rest being a match with nucleotides on a nearby part of the genome.

Writing in the paper, led by Dr Balamurali Ambati, from the University of Oregon, the researchers said the matching code may have originally been introduced to the Covid genome through infected human cells expressing the MSH3 gene.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, admitted the latest finding was interesting but claimed it was not significant enough to suggest lab manipulation.

He told MailOnline: 'We're talking about a very, very, very small piece made up of 19 nucleotides.

'So it doesn't mean very much to be frank, if you do these types of searches you can always find matches.

'Sometimes these things happen fortuitously, sometimes it's the result of convergent evolution (when organisms evolve independently to have similar traits to adapt to their environment).

'It's a quirky observation but I wouldn't call it a smoking gun because it's too small.

He added: 'It doesn't get us any further with the debate about whether Covid was engineered.'

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, questioned whether the find was as rare as the study claims.

He told MailOnline: 'There can only be a certain number of [genetic combinations within] furin cleavage sites.

'They function like a lock and key in the cell, and the two only fit together in a limited number of combinations.

'So it's an interesting coincidence but this is surely entirely coincidental.'

MailOnline has approached Moderna for comment.

Circumstantial evidence has long raised questions about the origin of Covid and its link to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The facility was known to be conducting experiments on bat coronavirus strains similar to the one responsible for the pandemic.

China insisted early and often that the virus did not leak from the lab, claiming that crossover to humans must have occurred at a 'wet market' in Wuhan that sold live animals.

Perhaps driven by animosity for then-US President Donald Trump, who embraced the lab leak theory early on, mainstream media and academics in the West heaped scorn on the possibility, calling it an unhinged conspiracy theory.

But leaked emails showed that top scientists advising the UK and US Governments expressed concerns about the official narrative privately.

A study earlier this month found traces of Covid samples that contained genetical material from humans, hamsters and monkeys and may have predated the official pandemic timeline.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, an eminent British expert who publicly denounced the theory as a 'conspiracy', admitted in a private email in February 2020 that a 'likely explanation' was that the virus was man-made.

The then-UK Government adviser said at the time he was '70:30 or 60:40' in favour of an accidental release versus natural origin.

In the email, sent to American health chiefs Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Francis Collins, Sir Jeremy said it was possible Covid had been evolved from a Sars-like virus in the lab.

He went on that this seemingly benign process may have 'accidentally created a virus primed for rapid transmission between humans'.

But the British scientist was shut down by his counterparts in the US who warned further debate about the origins of the virus could damage 'international harmony'.

In the latest twist, a study earlier this month found traces of Covid samples that contained genetical material from humans, hamsters and monkeys and may have predated the official pandemic timeline.
Television regulator Ofcom has been urged to investigate Kremlin-backed channel RT's UK operation after branding it Vladimir Putin's 'information weapon'.

Culture Nadine Dorries said that she had concerns that the channel - formerly Russia Today - would spread 'harmful disinformation' as the Moscow dictator sends troops into Ukraine.

She is the latest political figure to lay into the channel - which has previously been fined for breaching impartiality rules with its coverage, amid concerns about how it is portraying Russian aggression towards its neighbour.

This morning the channel's English language service ran a segment where a reporter visited shelters in southern Russia for Donbass civilian 'evacuees fleeing Ukrainian shelling'.

However Boris Johnson signalled today that the Government was not looking for RT to be taken off the air. Concerns have previously been raised that any ban could see BBC staff ejected from Russia in reprisal.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used Prime Minister's Questions to say he could 'see no reason why it should be allowed to continue to broadcast in this country'.

But asked if the station's licence could be revoked, Mr Johnson said: 'We live in a democracy and we live in a country that believes in free speech, and I think it's important that we should leave it up to Ofcom rather than to politicians to decide which media organisations to ban ... that's what Russia does.'

It came as Scottish First Minister Nicola Salmond joined UK politicians in attacking former SNP leader Alex Salmond over his show for the broadcaster.

The channel currently broadcasts a show by the former first minister, who is now head of the Alba Party. His page on RT's website yesterday featured links to stories such as 'Putin orders Russian military to 'secure the peace' in Donbas'.

Ms Sturgeon said: 'I'm appalled at Alex Salmond's continued involvement with RT, I don't think it's any secret now that I don't think he should ever have had a television show on RT, but it is even more unthinkable now that that should continue.'

But Mr Johnson used the nationalist's programme against the SNP, countering criticism from its Westminster leader Ian Blackford by saying his 'indignation' is 'a bit much coming from somebody whose very own Alex Salmond is a leading presenter, as far as I know, on Russia Today, which the leader of the opposition has just called on this country to ban'.

Culture Nadine Dorries (left, behind Boris Johnson at PMQs) said that she had concerns that the channel - formerly Russia Today - would spread 'harmful disinformation' as the Moscow dictator sends troops into Ukraine.

This morning the channel's English language service ran a segment where a reporter visited shelters in southern Russia for Donbass civilian 'evacuees fleeing Ukrainian shelling'.

Regulators in Germany banned the German-language RT service earlier this month, and in In 2019, Ofcom fined the English channel RT 200,000 for a failure to observe 'due impartiality' in seven news and current affairs programmes, including its coverage of the war in Syria and the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

It came as Scottish First Minister Nicola Salmond joined UK politicians in attacking former SNP leader Alex Salmond over his show for the broadcaster.

Mr Johnson used the nationalist's programme against the SNP, countering criticism from its Westminster leader Ian Blackford by saying his 'indignation' is 'a bit much coming from somebody whose very own Alex Salmond is a leading presenter, as far as I know, on Russia Today, which the leader of the opposition has just called on this country to ban'.

Sturgeon says channel that employs former SNP leader Salmond should be banned Nicola Sturgeon took a swipe at the former SNP leader Alex Salmond today by calling for RT to be banned. The channel currently broadcasts a show by the former first minister, who is now head of the Alba Party. His page on RT's website yesterday featured links to stories such as 'Putin orders Russian military to 'secure the peace' in Donbas'. Salmond has yet to respond to calls for him to drop his show. But asked about the channel today, Ms Sturgeon said: 'It's a matter for Ofcom, but I do think there is now a very serious question about whether RT should continue to have a licence to broadcast here in Scotland and I would certainly encourage Ofcom to look at that very, very seriously and closely indeed,' she said. When asked about Mr Salmond's show being broadcast on the network, the First Minister said: 'I'm appalled at Alex Salmond's continued involvement with RT, I don't think it's any secret now that I don't think he should ever have had a television show on RT, but it is even more unthinkable now that that should continue.' Defence Secretary Ben Wallace hlast night suggested Salmond should 'reflect on his celebrity status', while SNP defence spokesman Stewart McDonald suggested action should be taken against 'disinformation rackets' in the UK, adding these included 'the likes of RT, Sputnik and others'. Neale Hanvey, Alba's leader in Westminster, condemned the invasion but said western leaders must take into account 'Russia's security interests'. Advertisement

In response to the Ofcom letter, Anna Belkina, RT's deputy editor-in-chief, said: 'RT's operational and editorial independence from all governments is legally protected and always has been.

'Ofcom recognizes this and has long-endorsed RT as a license holder. Even in the face of undue political pressure it has continuously found RT to be in line with other UK broadcasters, without a single breach of broadcasting code to be found in the last four years - not something that can be said about many other channels in the (sic) country.

'Yet UK politicians are now openly and brazenly interfering in institutions they have long touted as supposedly independent and wholly free from political pressure, exposing their self-proclaimed commitment to such values as free speech and regulatory independence as nothing but a sham.'

Tory MP for High Peak Robert Largan said he would be 'cautious' about banning the channel.

He said on Twitter: 'Putin would respond by banning the BBC in Russia, which actually cuts through his propaganda to millions.'

He suggested RT was mostly ignored by those in the UK.

In her letter to Ofcom, Ms Dorries said certain states sought to 'exploit and undermine' the UK's media landscape.

She said RT's editor-in-chief had 'made clear in the past' that the station supported the Kremlin's aims, by calling the broadcaster an 'information weapon' of the Russian state.

She said: 'It is essential that the UK looks to limit Russia's ability to spread their propaganda at home.

'I have concerns that broadcasters such as RT, whom Ofcom have found to have repeatedly breached the Broadcasting Code in the past, will also look to spread harmful disinformation about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine here in the UK.'

She said this was 'something RT has previously done in its biased reporting of the Salisbury poisonings and the conflict in Syria'.

Ms Dorries said that although it was a matter for Ofcom to rule on, due to the regulator's independence, she welcomed comments suggesting complaints were being taken seriously, and said: 'I call on you to ensure your actions are timely and transparent to reassure the British public.

'It remains essential that Ofcom keeps the situation very carefully under review in such sensitive times and takes action where necessary.'

Earlier Liz Truss accused RT of 'spouting propaganda' on behalf of 'cruel' Vladimir Putin.

The Foreign Secretary lashed out at the controversial broadcaster amid calls for a crackdown on its operations in the UK in the wake of the offensive in eastern Europe.

Sir Keir has previously called for action to tackle the 'propaganda' put out by the channel describing it as part of Putin's 'campaign of misinformation'.

Regulators in Germany banned the German-language RT service earlier this month, and in In 2019, Ofcom fined the English channel RT 200,000 for a failure to observe 'due impartiality' in seven news and current affairs programmes, including its coverage of the war in Syria and the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

Ms Truss told Sky that it is up to Ofcom whether RT continues to broadcast in the UK, adding: 'I think it is certainly true that (it) is spouting propaganda on behalf of the Kremlin. One of the things the Kremlin does is use disinformation to try and sow discord in the West, and Russia Today is clearly part of that.'

Asked about an article describing Putin as 'cruel, autocratic, intolerant and a bully', she added: 'I think the description you have read out is entirely fair comment'.

In response to Sir Keir's comments, Ofcom said that, given the seriousness of events in Ukraine, it was ready to act 'as a priority' if concerns were raised about the accuracy or impartiality of any broadcaster.

'All licensees must observe Ofcom's rules, including due accuracy and due impartiality. If broadcasters break those rules we will not hesitate to step in,' a spokesman said.

'Given the seriousness of the Ukraine crisis, we will examine complaints about any broadcaster's coverage of these events as a priority.'

In the Commons, Sir Keir said it was time for wider action against the channel following Russia's recognition of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

'Putin's campaign of misinformation should be tackled,' he told MPs. 'Russia Today should be prevented from broadcasting its propaganda around the world.'

In 2019, Ofcom sanctioned RT over seven news and current affairs programmes between March 17 and April 26, 2018 which breached the requirement for news to be presented with 'due impartiality'.

Two of the sanctioned broadcasts were editions of Sputnik, presented by former MP George Galloway, which covered the poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March 2018.

The Foreign Secretary lashed out at the controversial broadcaster - formerly Russia Today - amid calls for a crackdown on its operations in the UK in the wake of the offensive in eastern Europe.

RT challenged Ofcom's decision at the High Court, arguing that it breached its right to freedom of expression, and that the watchdog failed to take account of the 'dominant media narrative' in relation to the Salisbury poisoning.

After losing the High Court bid in March 2020, RT brought a Court of Appeal challenge last year, but failed to overturn the fine.

Under Ofcom rules, editorially linked programmes on the same subject matter as part of a series can be used by a broadcaster to achieve due impartiality.

Vladimir Putin has praised the battle-readiness of his armed forces and boasted of Russia's 'advanced weapons' in a sabre-rattling speech after Joe Biden warned he is making final preparations for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian president, speaking on Defender of the Fatherland Day which marks the first mass draft into the Red Army in 1918, congratulated the armed forces on their 'professionalism' and said he was assured they would stand up for the country's national interests - which he said are 'non-negotiable'.

Putin, as he has done throughout the crisis, insisted that diplomacy with the West is still possible but gave no hint that he is willing to back down over any of his security demands - including that Ukraine disarm and drop its bid to join NATO. These have been dismissed by the US, Kiev and NATO as non-starters.

Ofcom sanctioned RT broadcasts including two editions of Sputnik hosted by former British MP George Galloway on the novichok poisoning in Salisbury, 2018

Alleged novichok poisoners Ruslan Boshirov (left) and Alexander Petrov (right), accused by UK authorities of attempting a hit on former GRU officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

As he spoke, Truss warned that he is now 'hell-bent' on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a direct attack on the capital of Kiev 'highly likely' to be in his plans.

It came just hours after Biden warned that an invasion of Ukraine is already underway but could quickly ramp up into all-out war, with blood supplies being moved to the frontlines which could be used to treat injured soldiers.

'This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war,' Biden declared as he levied sanctions against Russian banks and promised harsher measures to come.

Ms Truss also sought to defend the UK's own sanctions - criticised yesterday for not being harsh enough - by insisting that 'nothing' is off the table should Putin decide to escalate.

'We've been very clear that we're going to limit Russian access to British markets,' Truss told Sky. 'We're going to stop the Russian government with raising sovereign debt in the United Kingdom.'

'There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organisations in Russia, limiting Russia's access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine,' Truss said.

Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Bliken announced that he has called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday, saying it 'does not make sense' to go ahead with peace negotiations when an invasion is already underway.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.
Police arrested a Las Vegas man accused of murdering his girlfriend's pre-school aged son and keeping his body in a freezer in the garage for six weeks until the boy's big sister smuggled a note from their mom to school saying she was being held hostage.

On Tuesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested Brandon Toseland, 35, on two kidnapping charges and an additional charge of open murder, 8 News Now reported.

He was taken into custody after his girlfriend sent a note to school with her older daughter saying that she was being held against her will in the home she shared with Toseland. It also said she had not seen her son since December 11.

The young boy was found dead in a freezer after officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department searched the residence

Patrol officers saw the mother and her boyfriend leave the home, and detained them before detectives began searching the house at around 4.30pm

The young girl's elementary school teacher contacted LVMPD officers shortly after 8am on Tuesday when she saw the note and police began surveillance on the family's home in northeast Las Vegas.

Later that morning, the mother and Toseland, who is not the father of either child, were detained and detectives searched the home. At around 4.30pm they found the body of a young boy in a freezer in the garage.

The mother told officers during an interview that she was being abused by Toseland, and had been instructed not to enter the garage or ask about her missing child, the police said.

She went on to say that she believed her son, who was preschool-age, was dead.

'She stated that she had not seen her child alive since December 11,' Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said.

'During the course of that interview she described that she had undergone abuse by her boyfriend who she lived with.

'She was not allowed to leave the house and she was not able to go into the garage of the residence.'

Lt. Ray Spencer added: 'Anybody who is going through situations where you feel you cannot handle a child, you can bring that child to a hospital, you can bring that child to a fire station, you can call 211, there are a lot of resources out there.'

Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said the mother told police that she had not seen her child alive since December 11

One neighbor said she became suspicious of a U-Haul truck parked in the driveway of the home where the boys body was found

One neighbor told KVVU-TV: 'Weve been a quiet neighborhood. We are a new, quiet neighborhood.'

They went to to say that they had contacted the HOA this month after becoming suspicious of a U-Haul truck parked outside the home where the boy was found.

The neighbor added: 'Within the last week, week and a half. It has been sitting in front of that house, and weve been contacting HOA again.'
An armored vehicle rolls down a street outside Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, in eastern Ukraine, late Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the stakes in the Ukraine standoff by recognizing the independence of rebel regions in the country's east. AP-Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



South Korea remained lukewarm, Wednesday, about joining U.S.-led sanctions against Russia for ordering troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. Seoul's stance appears to be affected by the possible economic damage to South Korean companies operating in Russia.



Seoul has been under pressure to join the anti-Russia campaign as the Kremlin uses military force in Ukraine and the U.S. strengthens measures to contain further aggression.



According to a senior Cheong Wa Dae official, Cheong Wa Dae is "looking closely into the situation with various possibilities open."



"As a member of the international community, we are closely communicating with the U.S. and other related nations," the official said. "However, it remains uncertain how the situation will unfold, so the government is preparing for multiple scenarios while being open to every possibility."



The official said the U.S. has been consulting with its allies over sanctioning Russia, but did not specify whether the South Korean government has received an official request to join the sanctions.



When asked if South Korea would join the U.S.-led sanctions against Russia, he declined to comment on further details, noting that South Korea has been discussing the matter through a diplomatic channel.



Earlier, a source familiar with this matter, however, said there has been no official request from the U.S. government calling on Seoul to join the sanctions.



A senior White House official said in a press call Wednesday that the U.S. and its allies and partners _ the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia _ have decided to slap sanctions against Russia.



The U.S. announced sanctions on two major Russian banks, political elites and the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline linking Germany.



Canada blocked its citizens from making financial transactions with the two pro-Russia breakaway regions in Ukraine, whose independence Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized. Australia slapped travel and financial restrictions, Japan banned transactions of new Russian bonds on its soil and the European Union also agreed to a package of sanctions against Russia.





President Moon Jae-in speaks with National Security Advisor Suh Hoon during a National Security Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap
A showjumper must tear down her 200,000 manege on a 3million New Forest site after neighbours complained it was spoiling the scenery.

Olympic hopeful Megan Broadway, 20, has been given nine months to revert the 38.5-acre Eastwoods Equine site back to a green field after it was built without planning permission.

The plot, situated in the rolling fields of Sway, Hampshire, includes a specialist sand arena and facilities used to train her elite horses.

However, the New Forest National Park Authority (NFNA) has ordered her to remove it after neighbours complained it does not blend in with the surroundings and is not in keeping with the character of the area.

Ms Broadway, who grew up in nearby Lymington, began riding at the age of nine and competed in international equestrian events for Britain.

She started showjumping at 14, has competed in three star international events and is trained by Team GB legends John and Laura Renwick.

Ms Broadway has five horses, each of which she exercises for 45 minutes daily.

Her parents Mark and Joanne, who manage four independent schools through their company Broadway Education, purchased the former farm in March 2020 for 2.8m.

They subsequently carried out 200,000 worth of work to bring the training facilities up to the required standards of their daughter and her horses.

However, due to the Covid pandemic causing delays to the planning application process and the horses' 'urgent' need for extra space to exercise, they went ahead and completed the work without permission before applying retrospectively.

Megan Broadway in action on the specialist sand arena at the equestrian site in the New Forest village of Sway, Hampshire

The yard, which allows the family's elite horses to exercise in poor weather conditions, pictured following the renovation

The 'horse walker' on the site, which the local authority says has a a visually intrusive' impact on the countryside

The arena, known as a manege, takes up 0.7 acres of the 38.5-acres site.

The remainder of the plot has been left relatively untouched, with extensive fields to make hay and for natural woodland, local deer and wildlife preservation.

They also built a circular horse walker building, allowing their elite horses to exercise in poor weather conditions, and renovated some existing buildings.

But the local authority has now ruled the creation of the manege, along with the renovations, have a visually intrusive and harmful urbanising impact upon the locality and intrinsic landscape quality of the National Park.

The NFNA has ordered the Broadways to remove it.

Commenting on the retrospective planning application, one neighbour said: 'This equestrian centre does not blend in with the surroundings and is already visible from the open forest.'

A second added: 'No attempt has been made to blend it in with the surroundings or screen it, a few deciduous trees as proposed will not be sufficient. The development is not in keeping with the character of the area.'

Another neighbour said: 'If the applicant or agent had had a modicum of respect for the environment as they say they have or for planning protocol, then this project should have been discussed with the appropriate planning authority at the time of conception, Im sure they would have received all the help and advice available from the NPA.

'This would have resulted in stops and checks culminating in an agreed way forward to the benefit of all parties.

'Unfortunately, this is not the way it was approached; it was a lightning strike whilst the guardians of the NPA like most other people observed the governments request for a lockdown re the Covid pandemic.'

The local authority's decision, handed down in December 2021, said: 'The cumulative effect of these works contribute to a more intensive use of the site that is at odds with its rural surroundings and the landscape character of this part of the National Park.'

Referring specifically to the manege, case officer David Williams added: 'Due to its exceptionally large size, prominent siting and surfacing materials, it appears as a very stark and dominant feature within the landscape.'

Ms Broadway lost an appeal against the decision and has now been given nine months to return the site back to its former appearance.

She said she may have to move away from her home to pursue her dream of competing for Team GB in the Olympics.

Ms Broadway (pictured) grew up in nearby Lymington and began riding at the age of nine. She has competed in international equestrian events for Britain and has aspirations of showjumping at the Olympics

Fenced areas which have been ordered to be dismantled at the Eastwoods site. The family have been given nine months to make the changes

The showjumper added: 'I have always loved riding. I learned to ride in the New Forest after growing up in Lymington.

'Its a real dream of mine to get to the top. I would love to jump in a Nations Cup one day. The Olympics is a very hard goal to get to but its a long term journey.

'Its been so important to have these facilities for field work. All my horses are fit and healthy whereas having them in a smaller area makes it so much harder to train them.

'I was very disappointed with the decision. Me and mum worked very hard to get this all ready and then to have all of this and have it taken away after two years, its very hard. Its going to make it hard to train and will probably delay my training by six months.

'I dont want to go elsewhere, I love the forest. Its an amazing place for horses.'

Her mother Joanne, 53, said: 'It was already a farm and had lots of buildings so we were actually quite astounded when our appeal was rejected.

'So much of the site has been left untouched and deer still roam across the land as they did previously. However, the farm had not been used for 26 years and there are a few houses which looked out upon green fields for years and they objected.

'The training area has to be a very specific sand to protect the horses legs - people dont realise they have very delicate legs.

'We were told we can have a maximum size of 20 metres by 40 metres, whereas ours is 50 by 60. What they dont probably realise is Megans horses would take two or three strides around that and jump out of it.'

The mother added that her daughter needs the infratsructure in place at the site in order to fulfill her Olympic aspirations.

Joanne continued: 'She needs to practice a combination jump which is three in a row. With the run up and speed and power needed this is the smallest we can make the area so she can do that on the diagonal.

'We are hoping there is a compromise we can come to and we have arranged to meet the planning officer but we are not sure there are any options open to us now.

'We offered to have it screened with bushes and trees but sadly that made no difference.

'Now we have just nine months to return the site to a grass field, losing all facilities to exercise Megans team of horses.'
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Confidence is growing among Cabinet ministers that Boris Johnson can survive the Partygate scandal - even if he is fined by police.

The PM is nervously awaiting the conclusions of the Scotland Yard investigation, which covers around half-a-dozen events he attended.

He has become the first premier in modern political history to be questioned under caution.

But senior ministers are increasingly hopeful that Mr Johnson can weather the storm and stay in post, even if he receives a fixed penalty notice (FPN).

One Cabinet member told MailOnline the 'mood' in the Tory parliamentary party has shifted - pointing to the response to the PM's statement earlier this week that Covid restrictions are being scrapped.

'I personally don't think he will get fined,' the minister said. 'There is a high bar for the cops.

'And even if he does I think he can ride it out. The Tory mood in the House was completely different after the Covid statement.'

A leak of the form sent to all potential Whitehall lockdown breakers - more than 50 people - by police has fuelled speculation that Mr Johnson could escape punishment.

Although it makes clear recipients are under caution - meaning answers could be used as evidence against them - the questions have been branded 'vague' by some experts.

Boris Johnson is nervously awaiting the conclusions of the Scotland Yard investigation, which covers around half-a-dozen events he attended

Downing Street staff have been asked by police to provide a 'lawful exception' or 'reasonable excuse' for parties which took place during the coronavirus lockdown, a leaked legal questionnaire (pictured) has shown

The Met's 'Party' questionnaire The document states at the outset that those accused have an opportunity to provide 'a written statement under caution'. It then goes on to ask around a dozen questions, including: Did you participate in a gathering on a specific date?

What was the purpose of your participation in that gathering?

Did you interact with, or undertake any activity with, other persons present at the gathering? If yes, please provide details.

What time did you attend?

What time did you leave?

What reasonable excuse did you have for participating? The questionnaire also asks how many others were present. The Metropolitan Police says there are three ways to respond to the questionnaire: Remain silent and answer no questions.

Provide an answer to the written questions in the attached document.

Provide a prepared statement in your own words Advertisement

Some ministers have previously hinted that Mr Johnson will try to hang on even if he receives a FPN for breaking lockdown laws.

Foreign minister James Cleverly warned at the weekend that it is not the right time to have a 'vaccuum at the centre of government'.

However, there have been claims that other senior figures are bracing to withdraw support for the PM if he is fined.

A Cabinet minister told MailOnline that while Partygate had cut through it does not seem to be changing voting intention.

'The parties certainly come up on the doorstep,' they said.

'There's no doubt people are cross about them.

'But it isn't changing the way they say they'll vote. As far as my constituents are concerned, he delivered Brexit and he delivered the vaccine and that's good enough for them.'

Operation Hillman, which is examining whether Covid restrictions were broken in Number 10 and across Whitehall, sent the questionnaires this month and gave people seven days to reply.

Mr Johnson sent his back on Friday.

A uncompleted copy of the form obtained by ITV News last night includes the police caution: 'You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.'

It then goes on to ask around a dozen questions, including timings of attendance at parties and how many others were present.

It also asks respondents if they 'interacted with' or undertook 'any activity with' any one present.

The form gives them a chance to justify their actions, asking: 'What, if any, lawful exception applied to the gathering and/or what reasonable excuse did you have for participating in the gathering?'

The Metropolitan Police says there are three ways to respond to the questionnaire.

The options are to remain silent and answer no questions; provide an answer to the specific queries; or to give a prepared statement.

Mr Johnson is believed to have consulted a lawyer hired at his own expense before filling out and returning his questionnaire.

He is thought to be arguing that he attended events as part of his normal working day.

During the cash for honours investigation in 2006, Tony Blair suggested that if he was interviewed under caution it would be a resigning matter.

Criminal law barrister Andrew Keogh told ITV News the questions on the form were 'as basic as you can possibly imagine them to be'.

'It just suggests that there's no effort going into any real investigation of ascertaining who did what when and where and why,' he said.

'This is anything but a rigorous investigation, it's the direct opposite. There's just no effort gone into this at all.'

Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu suggested that a 'lawyer would perhaps give you a 'get out of jail card' in response to all of those questions'.

'That's why it doesn't seem to be a particularly effective way of investigating the parties that have happened at Downing Street,' he told the broadcaster.

'What you would expect is somebody to sit down with the individual, go through the questions.'

'The parties certainly come up on the doorstep. There's no doubt people are cross about them. But it isn't changing the way they say they'll vote. As far as my constituents are concerned, he delivered Brexit and he delivered the vaccine and that's good enough for them.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out his version of Ukraine's history, saying on Monday essentially that Ukraine was always part of Russia. While that serves his purpose, it is also a fiction. Ukraine has its own thousand-year history.

What is now Ukraine was a contested region of shifting borders for centuries dating back to a Viking trading centre more than 1,000 years ago.

The region did not come completely under Moscow's rule until late in the 18th century during the reign of Catherine the Great, and even then the Russian Empire was never able to swallow it easily or completely.

In his present-day effort to bring an independent, Western-looking Ukraine back into Russia's orbit, Putin is following a well-trod path of many of Russia's rulers before him - from Peter the Great to Josef Stalin.

For the West, the question is whether it can limit Putin's revanchist ambitions through diplomacy, sanctions and Ukrainian military resistance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out his version of Ukraine's history in a speech on Monday (pictured) saying essentially that Ukraine was always part of Russia. While that serves his purpose, it is also a fiction. Ukraine has its own thousand-year history

The recognition of the two breakaway regions by Putin, and the sending in of Russian troops already threatening the country, could easily be the trigger for a wider war for all of Ukraine.

'I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: To immediately recognise the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic,' Putin said, referring to two pro-Russian parts of Ukraine in the Donbas region that since 2014 have been engaged in a war with the Kyiv government that has claimed an estimated 14,000 lives already.

Every modern state, especially in Europe, has had centuries of changing borders, and the emotional tug of nationalism can lead to demands, ultimatums and often war for territory, power and influence.

In his speech to the Russian public on Monday night, a sometimes sullen, sometimes angry-sounding Putin was dismissive of modern-day Ukraine, arguing that its creation as a sovereign state was a tragedy and an accident of communist leaders in the 20th century.

Acting as though there had never been a historical Ukraine until Soviet times, Putin blamed at times Vladimir Lenin, at times Stalin and at one point he saved scorn for the decision of Nikita Khrushchev to take Crimea from Russia in 1954 and award it to Ukraine.

As with all historical narratives, there were elements of truth in what Putin was saying. Ukrainians and Russians are related eastern Slavic peoples whose destinies have been both intertwined and separated throughout history.

But he preferred to focus on the time of Russia's maximum dominance over Ukraine - neatly forgetting that it has been a separate state recognised by international treaties and explicitly by Russia over the last 30 years.

Instead, he painted today's Ukraine as a corrupt, barely functioning puppet of the United States that threatens Russia's security and, in his view, has no real reason to exist except in union with Russia.

A monument to Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, a central figure in Ukrainian history during the 17th century, in front of St. Sofia Cathedral and main Christmas tree in Kiev, Ukraine, 2015

An unidentified general in a former Soviet army uniform, holds a red flag during a rally on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution, in Kiev Tuesday, Nov. 7, 1995

Ukrainian workers from the Kiev City Council dismantle and remove the illuminated hammer and sickle - symbols of the Soviet Union - that decorated the main street in downtown Kiev, July 31, 1991

Both Ukraine and Russia trace themselves to Kievan Rus, a trading centre set up by Vikings along the Dnieper River more than 1,000 years ago, before Moscow even existed, that was originally pagan and later embraced Orthodox Christianity.

Kievan Rus fell afterward to the early 13th century Mongol invasions of Europe. Muscovy did not emerge from being a vassal state until the late 15th century.

Instead of being connected to Russian Moscow, all of what is now Ukraine instead for centuries was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 1300s, and later of the Union of Poland and Lithuania, a vast multilingual, multiethnic state whose territory encompassed almost all of what is now Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine (and parts of what is now Russia.)

In its eastern and southeastern regions, the union's dominant languages were Polish and Ruthenian, the predecessor to modern-day Ukrainian and Belarusian. The population included Ukrainians, Poles, Belarusians, Lithuanians, Jews and Tartars.

Uprisings by an army of Ukrainian Cossacks against Polish lords and landowners in the middle 1600s led to a Cossack alliance with Moscow and eastern Ukraine breaking off from the Polish-Lithuanian Union and pledging loyalty to the czar in 1654.

Western Ukraine remained part of the Polish-Lithuanian Union for another 150 years, until Poland was partitioned for the final time in 1795 and erased from the map of Europe.

Poland rose again after World War I and fought a territorial war with Soviet Russia between 1919 and 1922, winning back much of Ukraine.

Lights aimed to the sky and candles are seen at a monument to victims of the Great Famine in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009

In a mass May Day demonstration of military might, the Red Army rolled a legion of tanks through the Principal Square, in Kharkov, Ukraine on May 1, 1937

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine following the recognition of their independence, in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine February 22, 2022

Those lands returned to Soviet control a generation later during and after World War II, but after the war Ukrainian nationalist partisans fought on against the Soviets in a guerrilla resistance for several years.

The 'great famine' or Holodomor imposed on Ukraine by Stalin in the early 1930s had led to millions of deaths and seeded lingering Ukrainian bitterness toward Soviet Russian rule.

That the Bolsheviks recognized Ukraine as a separate socialist republic when the Soviet Union was created was no accident.

It addressed the reality of Ukraine's separate history and identity, poised somewhere between Moscow and the West for most of its existence, but never given the chance to rule itself until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Contrary to Putin, most Ukrainians do not clamor to be part of Russia today, and anti-Russian sentiment in most of the country has only increased since Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea and the taking of the Donbas region by pro-Moscow separatists.

Now with Russian troops marching into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine again, it looks as though the millennial-long tug of war for dominance in the area, with the use of force of arms or diplomacy as needed, is about to renew again.

The possibility of imminent war in Ukraine has raised fears not only of massive casualties but of widespread energy shortages and global economic chaos.

In response to the Russian aggression, World leaders sought today to back up their tough words, announcing financial sanctions, trade and travel bans and other measures meant to pressure Moscow to pull back from the brink of war.

Even as they ramped up penalties, however, nations in Asia and the Pacific also prepared for the possibility of both economic pain, in the form of cuts to traditional energy and grain supply lines, and retaliation from Russian cyberattacks.

The punitive actions in Asia followed sanctions levied by U.S. President Joe Biden and European leaders against Russian oligarchs and banks in response to Russia massing 150,000 troops on three sides of Ukraine.

While the larger army has yet to move, Russian forces have rolled into rebel-held portions of eastern Ukraine after Putin recognized those areas' independence.
At 3am last Saturday, the temperature was still a balmy 25C down on Fitzgerald Esplanade which runs by a park on the banks of Innisfail's crocodile-infested Johnstone River.

The heat wasn't unusual for the consistently humid north Queensland town, but what was about to unfold there less than a week ago was.

Innisfail retiree Kalman Tal, who had been living in the town for about two years, was in Fitzgerald Park allegedly in the company of Vanuatuan fruit picker, John Yalu.

The two men knew each other from around Innisfail, and according to reports, had met once before earlier that night, prior to the alleged proposal that had brought them both down to the darkened riverbank.

A timeline of events on the day police allege Mr Tal's leg was hacked off with his own circular saw

Fruit picker John Yalu (pictured) remains in police custody after he was refused bail earlier in the week - charged with murder

A crime scene was established in the early hours of Saturday morning on Fitzgerald Esplanade (pictured) after Kalman Tal was discovered by passers-by

Around that time, somewhere a little back from the road, a blue tarpaulin was spread on the grass and Mr Tal sat upon it.

A circular saw, the kind operated by a battery which is plugged in and charged up between jobs, had been taken out of the vehicle Mr Tal had driven into town and then allegedly ferried Yalu in down to the Esplanade.

Yalu, 36, had been working as a banana picker on one of the many orchards which ring Innisfail and draw migrant seasonal workers to the region to earn money.

At $800 a week, the wage paid to overseas and Australian pickers alike, is equivalent to around 8000 in Vanuatu currency, and Yalu had regularly sent money back via an Innisfail newsagent to support his young wife and three children back home.

On the night in question, he had gone out for a drink with other Vanuatuan workers, ending up at the Nite Rumours bar on one of Innisfail's main streets, where he had consumed several alcoholic drinks, Daily Mail Australia was told.

Innisfail retiree Kalman Tal (pictured) had been living in a southeastern Innisfail suburb for around two years

Police believe the alleged victim got out of his car and slumped into the gutter next to the Innisfail Seafood shop (pictured, the area around the cafe)

Pictured: The Innisfail fish and chip shop near where Mr Tal was found dead on Saturday

What police allege was about to unfold would change Yalu's life in a moment, and allegedly end Mr Tal's.

But what happened on that fateful Friday overnight last week, resulting in the horrific alleged circular saw amputation murder of a desperate 66-year-old grandfather and a murder charge against the father-of-three may have had its beginnings months earlier in Queensland's tropical north.

John Yalu arrived in June or July last year in the sleepy township of around 10,000 people, where cyclone damage is more common than violent death.

He moved in to the Innisfail Accommodation Hub for Non-resident Workers, a series of rooms in converted old houses along Rankin street, in central Innisfail, where

Yalu was quartered in Room 1 with other Vanuatuan seasonal workers at the property which has a clear view down the hill to Fitzgerald Park and the banks of the Johnstone River.

Police allege the deceased man paid the 36-year-old (pictured) $5,000 to perform the amputation

Yalu is understood to have been residing at the Innisfail Accommodation hub for Non-Resident Workers (pictured)

The Vanuatuan pickers, who have a reputation for being cheerful and hardworking, are collected early by farm vans each week day and driven out to the orchards, then returned around 4.30pm.

The men and women are known to frequent Innisfail's CBD pubs on Friday nights, to drink and play the poker machines, but not cause any trouble.

Already living in Innisfail, in a house purchased by himself and his son-in-law was Kalman Tal, who had lived in other states before moving to Brisbane and then on up to northern Queensland.

Mr Tal lived in a four bedroom house with his daughter, son-in-law and their children.

He was not a regular visitor to Central Innisfail, but was known around fishing haunts and some of the shops, but had more recently come to notice for a strange reason.

Mr Tal (pictured) had allegedly asked local fishermen to amputate his leg in the months before died

Mr Tal suffered from an unnamed affliction which allegedly caused him to want to remove one of his limbs.

Originally described as a result of a painful diabetic leg problem, Mr Tal's disorder was not that, but Queensland detectives have confirmed that he had asked several people if they would remove his lower left leg.

A local fisherman told Daily Mail Australia that he had been approached by a man believed to be Mr Tal who had made the same request.

Last Friday afternoon, John Yalu went out after returning from a day's fruit picking and at some point is believed to have met or run into Kalman Tal, police allege.

Yalu then went to the Nite Rumours bar, which has a door bizarrely located at the centre of the Innisfail Bunnings store, and is about a two minute drive from Fitzgerald Park and the riverfront.

He is then believed to have exited from the nightspot around 2.30am on Saturday and met with Mr Tal, police allege.

Police allege the pair went to an area near the riverbank and Yalu allegedly agreed to Mr Kal's request to remove his lower left leg with a circular saw retrieved from the older man's vehicle.

Police will allege the man had a leg condition and had asked Yalu to cut off his leg after several failed attempts to have his limb amputated (pictured, the local police headquarters)

Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter (pictured) is leading an investigation into the alleged amputation death of a man in Innisfail, North Queensland, on Saturday

CCTV footage of the area has been seized by police, but it is unclear what it actually shows.

Yalu is believed to have decamped from the area after helping Mr Tal to his vehicle, and possibly returned to his accommodation at the migrant hostel on Rankin Street.

Police say Mr Tal then removed himself from his vehicle and lowered himself or collapsed into a gutter next to Innisfail Seafood, where he was discovered around 3.48am by two brothers out walking.

The men dialled Triple-0 and Innisfail officers were on the scene within only a very few minutes, ahead of paramedics who were unable to revive Mr Tal.

Detective Acting Inspector Gary Hunter made it to the crime scene by 5am where he said 'a very confronting scene' was being dealt with by young officers, who had taped off a section of the town's waterfront.

Insp. Hunter formed a task force, Operation Uniform Cremini, with officers from Innisfail, Cairns, Mareeba, Tully and Homicide Squad detectives from Brisbane.

He quickly arrested Yalu, who gave a formal police interview last weekend and was bail refused in custody in Innisfail's police cells for four nights.

Insp Hunter described Mr Tal's family as 'shocked' and 'distressed', and said the whole Innisfail community had been traumatised and affected.

'In 34 years of policing, I've never seen anything like this,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Police allege John Yalu, 36, (pictured) a fruit picker, amputated Mr Tal's lower leg with a circular saw

On the night in question, Yalu had gone out for a drink with other Vanuatuan workers, ending up at the Nite Rumours bar on one of Innisfail's main streets, where he had consumed several alcoholic drinks, Daily Mail Australia was told

He said reports that a sum of $5000 had been exchanged before the amputation was not a fact and was 'still being investigated'.

Mr Tal's family said they wanted privacy to grieve and come to terms with the horrific events of last weekend.

Yalu was transported from the Innisfail watchhouse on Wednesday, possible to a remand section of the Lotus Glen Correctional Centre, just south of Mareeba in the Atherton Tablelands.

Yalu will next appear in court on June 6.

Vanuatu's High Commissioner to Australia, Samson Vilvil Fare, flew to Cairns and then drove to Innisfail on Tuesday to hold an emergency meeting with about 300 Vanuatuan migrant fruit pickers to urge calm among the distraught workers.
A former extra on the Netflix hit drama 'The Crown' has been jailed for 25 years for preying on teenage girls and sexually exploiting them for money and gifts.

John Bancroft, from Buckhurst Hill in Essex, targeted seven victims on online chat sites designed for teenagers and offered them 'sugar daddy' experiences, before subjecting at least one victim to bondage and sado-masochistic sexual practices.

The prosecution told the court that the 68-year-old would make fake accounts on MyLol to target 'vulnerable young girls' and offer to pay for 'sexual services' once he had manipulated their trust to satisfy his twisted sexual fantasies.

Bancroft's younger half-brother Graham Manicom, 62, of Waltham Abbey, Essex, was also involved in the abuse of the young victims and jailed for four years.

The pair sexually abused one of the girls - nicknamed 'princesses' and 'sugar babies' at a Hotel Ibis in Stratford, east London, after offering her chocolate and alcohol, jurors were told.

Disturbing text messages read out in court also showed Bancroft would send pictures of his genitals to his victims, and even told one 13-year-old she should come to London so that 'my mates and I can "gang bang" you'.

Bancroft was convicted of four counts of rape and meeting a child following sexual grooming by a jury in December last year.

He earlier admitted five counts of paying for the sexual services of a child, ABH, attempted sexual communication with a child and nine counts of attempted causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, as well as seven counts of taking indecent images and six counts of distributing indecent images of children.

John Bancroft, left, targeted teenage girls online by offering 'sugar daddy' experiences and subjected at least one victim to bondage, domination and sado-masochistic sexual practice, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. His younger half-brother Graham Manicom, right, was also involved in the abuse of the young victims

John Bancroft and Graham Manicom (left) are pictured entering one of the hotels used to meet their teenage victims

Bancroft, described by the prosecution as a former Netflix Crown extra and union employee, met his victims at hotels and at his home, then paid them up to 200 a week to engage in sexual acts.

He also offered them alcohol to lower their inhibitions, before convincing some of his victims to take part in threesomes with Manicom.

Bancroft would later tell another teenage girl that he wanted to be her mentor, father, provider and lover.

Bancroft sent images of his genitals to the young girls he had groomed and encouraged them to send indecent photographs of themselves back to him.

In one incident one of his victims was hit with a cane after a bag was placed over her head while hot wax was poured onto her skin.

Bancrofts illicit activities were uncovered when a sister of one of the victims contacted police in May 2017.

He was later arrested and analysis of his devices revealed a much-larger grooming campaign.

Bancroft was handed an extended jail sentence totalling 25 years. He was also placed on the sex offenders register.

His half-brother Manicom admitted two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child and was jailed for a total of four years.

Speaking after the brothers were convicted Olivia Ball, for the prosecution, said: John Bancroft was a manipulative, predatory and sickening man who was old enough to be the grandfather of the girls he targeted.

John Bancroft is pictured meeting one of the girls at the hotel. He used online dating apps designed for teenagers and offered them 'sugar daddy' experiences, before subjecting at least one victim to bondage, domination and sado-masochistic sexual practice

He groomed and exploited these young girls. He chose victims that he perceived to be vulnerable - often those without a father figure and girls with little sexual experience.

In exchange for money, these young girls were without question expected to pander to Bancrofts sexual demands which included group sex and sado-masochistic acts.

Graham Manicom was no stranger to his brothers activities and was also a willing participant.

The prosecution case against the defendants included strong witness testimony from the victims, phone evidence and DNA evidence from sex toys found at Bancrofts home address.

The victims in this case have shown incredible fortitude throughout this investigation and prosecution. The CPS is committed to bringing sexual offenders to justice.

Bancroft was described by the prosecution as a 'former Netflix Crown extra and union employee'. Pictured: Claire Foy and Matt Smith on set for The Crown in 2016

Detective Sergeant Kelly Ryan from Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation team said: Bancroft and Manicom are sick individuals who targeted vulnerable girls for their own twisted gratification.

'They are old enough to be the victims grandfathers and their manipulative actions have had a devastating impact for the girls they abused.

The brothers had a significant power imbalance over the victims and they were extremely calculating in who they targeted and sought girls who were distant from their families, had financial worries or who had been previously abused.

The seven victims who assisted police throughout this lengthy investigation have been extremely strong and brave throughout the trial and I sincerely hope this result will start to bring them some closure.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, the Mets lead responsible officer for exploitation, said: Bancroft and Manicom pose a serious risk to vulnerable women and girls and I am glad they will be behind bars for a significant period of time.

I am pleased the severity of Bancrofts offending was taken into consideration when he was given an extended sentence. He is a sick and twisted man just like his brother.

The pair caused immeasurable harm to the victims and they preyed on their vulnerabilities in a sinister and calculating manner.

I would like to commend the seven victims for coming forward and for their bravery throughout the investigation and subsequent trial.

I also commend the detectives who worked closely alongside them and were relentless in their efforts to put these dangerous and sick men behind bars. Their work was recognised with a personal acknowledgement from the judge.

I encourage anyone who has had a similar experience to that of these victims to come forward and report it to police. We will support you and take all reports seriously.'
Mrs Brown's Boys' star Brendan O'Carroll has been accused of making an 'incredibly racist remark' about US actor Tyler Perry during a live chat on The One Show.

BBC viewers blasted the Irish comedian for joking about his black co-star's 'colour' when they appeared together to promote new Netflix movie A Madea Homecoming.

The pair, promoting the crossover film of Mrs Brown's Boy and Madea, appeared side by side in a video call into the show, which aired at 7pm last night.

But while some viewers were angered by the remark, others hit out at BBC presenters Lauren Laverne and Harry Judd for not stamping out the slur.

O'Carroll declined to comment when asked by MailOnline, while the BBC and Perry's press teams have been approached.

It comes as Mrs Brown's Boys is reportedly returning to the Corporation as a full series for the first time in nine years.

O'Carroll, appearing with Perry via video-link, was asked if he thought his fellow guest could feature in Mrs Brown's Boys.

The 66-year-old pointed to his face and said: 'So far we haven't had anyone of his colour in there so I don't know if we could have him in.

'But you know what, I'd love that, but I think more importantly I'd love to do another movie with him.'

Perry, 52, awkwardly laughed off the remark but said it back to him: 'Nobody my colour.' He added: 'Time to change the world. Diversity rules, here we go.

O'Carroll pops up in the latest movie - written and directed by Perry - playing his character Agnes Brown.

In a trailer for the film, Mrs Brown greets Madea by crossing her arms and saying 'Wakanda forever', in reference to the Black Panther symbol.

Another clip shows the actor at dinner with Perry's character, where she says 'I'm Mrs Brown', with one of the costars replying: 'I'm a brown too.'

Mrs Brown starts to reply 'you're more bla...' but is cut off by her on-screen daughter slapping her.

O'Carroll, appearing with Perry via video-link, was asked if he thought his fellow guest could feature in Mrs Brown's Boys

Social media users blasted him for the dig at Perry, saying: 'O'Carroll's attempt at being funny towards @tylerperry on BBC One Show tonight was quite embarrassing.'

He added: 'I'm sure no malice was meant but that comment was wrong on so many levels.'

Another wrote on Twitter: 'Brendan Carol just made a racist remark on the one show and not one person called him out. Shame on you BBC #TheOneShow.'

One person put: 'Did Brendan O'Carroll just say Tyler a Perry couldn't be in Mrs Brown's Boys because he's black on The One Show!?'

One man said: 'Hey, BBC, why aren't you showing the clip of the incredibly racist remark Brendan O'Carroll made immediately after this quote?'

Another replied to the BBC sharing a clip from the show on Twitter: 'Ah yes, before the racist remark.'

Social media users blasted him for dig at Perry, saying: 'O'Carroll's attempt at being funny towards @tylerperry on BBC One Show tonight was quite embarrassing'

A woman put: 'What did I just hear from Brendan O'Carroll?' Another added: 'Did Brendan O'Carroll just say that?'

One said: 'Excuse me!? Did I... did I just hear what I thought I heard on the #TheOneShow from Brendan O'Carroll.

'Either I misunderstood or was that blatant racism on a prime time @BBCOne show #wtf.'

A man posted: 'Anything with Brendan Carroll/Mrs Brown in is an absolutely no from me.

'And I can't believe what he just said about Tyler Perry being on his show. Such ignorance.'

And one person added: 'You definitely heard Brendan right on #TheOneShow what the actual f*** was that?' The BBC has been approached for comment.

O'Carroll's agent declined to comment while the BBC and Perry's press teams have been approached.

The 66-year-old pointed to his face and said: 'So far we haven't had anyone of his colour in there so I don't know if we could have him in'

Mrs Brown's Boys has previously been accused of promoting racist stereotypes for its cliched portrayal of the Irish, as well as sexism and and homophobia.

It has frequently been panned by critics but is a ratings hit in Ireland, Britain, New Zealand, and Canada. It was also recently revealed as a fan-favourite in Jamaica.

O'Carroll previously insisted the show will never be driven off the air by political correctness.

In an interview with The Irish Sun he said: 'I don't think Mrs Brown will be affected [by political correctness] and I often question myself is Mrs Brown - me a man dressing up as a woman to play Mrs Brown - the same as blackface?

'And I decided no it's not, because I've never played Mrs Brown as a man playing a woman like they do in films like Mrs Doubtfire. Agnes is a woman like Dame Edna.

'I would never go out of my way to be racist or homophobic so I'm not that worried myself because I only write what I think is funny, and you hope that enough of an audience agrees with you.'

The show is reportedly returning to the BBC as a full series for the first time in nine years, having last aired fully in 2013.

According to The Sun, the cast have now been booked for another series and are due to start filming in April.

A source said: 'Everyone is very excited. It's lovely to be working on another series. The cast can't wait to see Brendan's scripts.'

The show first debuted in 2011 and quickly became a ratings success, with previous specials reaching 11million viewers.

Another insider said: 'This is something that everyone wants to happen, and we are working out the schedule for 2022/23'.

It was previously reported in 2020 that show creator Brendan signed a new deal with the broadcaster to keep Mrs. Brown's Boys on the air until 2026.

Mrs Brown's Boys is reportedly returning to the BBC as a full series for the first time in nine years

The show starring Brendan O'Carroll as Irish mammy Agnes Brown last aired as a series back in 2013 and has since aired several specials

He added the new contract guarantees that every festive edition he creates will be given a coveted slot of 10pm every Christmas Day.

If they are not given the spot, they are reportedly not obliged to make the Christmas episode at all.

O'Carroll told the Irish Sun: 'We've been doing it for nine years already  which is six more than The Royle Family had and more than Morecambe and Wise.

'This new deal we signed last week goes all the way to 2026, which means I will be able to grow into the part, and we've a clause in which guarantees Mrs Brown is aired at 10pm on Christmas night, or else we don't have to make it.'

He added of the deal: 'I wanted that because if it's not good enough for Christmas Day, then we shouldn't be making it.'

The show has received a number of awards including the 2012 BAFTA Television Award for Best Situation Comedy and Best Comedy at the TV Choice Awards the same year.

O'Carroll was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme in 2012 but lost to Darren Boyd for his role in the Sky comedy series Spy.

Meanwhile Perry has also been accused of perpetuating racist stereotypes with his alter ego Madea.

He performs in drag as Mabel 'Madea' Simmons and speaks in exaggerated Ebonics while shunning political correctness.

Spike Lee previously dismissed the films as humiliating, racially stereotyping 'coonery and buffoonery'.

Writer Donald Bogle said: 'If a white director put out this product, the black audience would be appalled.'

Despite the criticism aimed at both Mrs Brown's Boy and Madea, the shows have remained popular.

The movie crossover of the two series, A Madea Homecoming, is set for release on Netflix on February 25.
A senior Met Police chief has today accused London Mayor Sadiq Khan of failing to follow proper processes in the sacking of Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick.

In the latest skirmish between the force hierarchy and the Labour Mayor in the wake of Dame Cressida's shock resignation, Met Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House today told a committee he believes a review should take place.

He also revealed he had written a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel raising his concerns over the handling of Dame Cressida's departure from the force.

In another jab at Mr Khan, Sir Stephen also said he was 'surprised' at the politician's u-turn on his support for Dame Cressida days before it was announced she would be leaving her 270,000-a-year role.

Mr Khan suddenly withdrew his support for Dame Cressida following a damning watchdog report into police conduct at Charing Cross police station.

The probe by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) exposed violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at the central London police station.

Sir Stephen said the apparent change of heart by Mr Khan had come as a surprise because the Mayor had been a 'vocal supporter' of the Commissioner 'only a few weeks ago'.

He also claimed that the content of the messages from the police watchdog 'cannot have been a surprise' to the Mayor, because they had been under investigation for four years and that his office for police and crime (Mopac) had already been briefed.

But Mr Khan today hit back, saying that trust in the police among Londoners had 'plummeted over the last two years' and that we was working to appoint a new commissioner 'who will take the necessary action to restore trust in the service'.

Giving evidence to the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee about Dame Cressida's sacking, Sir Stephen said: 'I feel deeply disappointed, there's a clear procedure in statute laid down to allow the removal of a police chief officer, it's not been followed in this instance.

Met Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House (pictured left) says he has written a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel raising concerns over the handling of Dame Cressida's shock resignation earlier this month. He told a committee of London Assembly members today that he believes proper procedures have not been followed in regards to Dame Cressida Dick's (pictured right) departure from her role

Sir Stephen also revealed his 'surprise' at an apparent u-turn by London Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) days before it was announced Dame Cressida would be leaving her 270,000-a-year role

Met Police Deputy Commissioner Sir Stephen House says he has written a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured)

'It's not even been initiated in this instance, due process has not been followed and instead we've seen matters played out in the media.

'Because of this, I've written to the Home Secretary to ask her to have a review carried out of the events that have taken place.'

Dame Cressida resigned in a shock move earlier this month after Mr Khan said he was not happy with her response to outrage over offensive messages exchanged by a group of officers based at Charing Cross police station.

According to reports, Dame Cressida quit the force after being told by Mr Khan to sack officers at the heart of the Charing Cross station scandal - or risk facing suspension herself.

While Mr Khan categorically denies threatening the outgoing chief, Dame Cressida is said to have spoken of it in a video call last week, where she explained her departure to more than 100 officers, The Times reports.

She told them how the mayor was left furious by the revelations from Charing Cross, which exposed violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at the central London police station.

He was particularly angry that nine officers kept their jobs within the under-fire force, with two even having been promoted, according to the paper.

Dame Cressida is then said to have tried to spell out how the process was an independent one carried out by the police watchdog, and the fact that officers were only charged with lower level disciplinary offences meant they couldn't be sacked.

However, this failed to satisfy the mayor, who would swiftly then announce his lack of faith in her ability to run the Met.

Speaking about the messages, Sir Stephen told the committee: 'The text messages and the Charing Cross case cannot have been a surprise to this mayor, Mopac (the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime) have been briefed on these events and they have been under investigation for four years.

Dame Cressida Dick was urged by Sadiq Khan to sack officers at the heart of the Charing Cross station scandal - or face suspension herself, according to reports

Scandal-hit Met Police is hit by decade-high sex crime accusations against officers after allegations doubled to 251 in the year since Sarah Everard was murdered The Metropolitan Police have been hit by 'decade-high' sexual offence accusations against officers after 'claims doubled in the year' since Sarah Everard was brutally murdered. New figures show that 251 Met officers or staff have been accused of sexual assault, sexual harassment and other sexual offences in the last year. The majority of those accused have been male members of the force, amounting to 87 per cent of the accusations, and include 190 claims made internally by staff - a 104 per cent rise since 2020. According to Freedom of Information figures obtained by The Telegraph, 'dozens' of those who have been accused of sexual misconduct held the rank of sergeant or above and just 11 out of the 217 were charged of offences last year. This news comes a year after former Met Police officer Wayne Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard while she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham in March 2020. Couzens, who was nicknamed 'The Rapist' by colleagues, had been accused of indecent exposure three times before he abducted the marketing executive in Clapham, south London, on March 3. Meanwhile, a shattering watchdog report exposed earlier this month how officers joked about 'raping' and 'hate-f*****g' female colleagues, 'killing black children', and beating their partners in a series of highly offensive racist, sexist and homophobic messages which they tried to excuse as 'banter'. Last week Dame Cressida Dick was forced to quit Britain's biggest police force after losing the Mayor of London's support over her plan to implement major reforms to Scotland Yard following a string of scandals and accusations of a 'toxic' working culture. The Home Secretary previously said that 'problems with the culture of the Met' had been 'clear for some time', as its crisis-prone commissioner was branded 'delusional' and incapable of clearing out the 'cesspit' of 'institutional misogyny and racism' that had developed under her watch. Advertisement

'Only a few weeks ago, the mayor was a vocal supporter of the commissioner in a tripartite meeting with the Home Secretary. Hence my surprise at what's happened.

He added: 'I feel sad for my boss that her police career and lifetime of public services ended in this way. I know that I'm not alone in feeling this.'

Dame Cressida's resignation has since seen already-strained tensions between the force and City Hall pushed further, with some senior figures said to be concerned over what they believe to be political manoeuvring.

One told the Times: 'You now have the politicians trying to completely run the place. And Khan has said he will oppose the next commissioner if they don't toe the line. What happened to independent operational policing?'

It follows comments from the Met Police Federation earlier this week, which declared it has 'no faith' in Mr Khan after his 'very public ousting' of Dame Cressida, warning morale among officers had hit 'rock bottom'.

The body representing more than 31,000 rank-and-file police officers claimed Mr Khan's actions have 'undermined the professional, dedicated and incredibly difficult work of tens of thousands of hard-working and brave police officers from across the capital'.

Last week the Met Police publicly slated Mr Khan by endorsing a message on an alleged sacking ultimatum he made to Dame Cressida - and mocking him for not understanding dismissing staff was independent to her powers.

The Times story on Dame Cressida's alleged row with Mr Khan was retweeted by former Newsnight and current LBC correspondent Matthew Thompson, who added 'Times saying Sadiq Khan asked Cressida to sack Charing Cross officers. She couldn't, and resigned.

'But if the Mayor of London doesn't understand that the process for sacking officers is independent of chief constables... well that's a bit of a problem.'

It was retweeted by an official Met Police account with 40,000 followers named Met Police Taskforce, who added themselves the phrase 'Exactly this.'

The Met Police later apologised, saying: 'This tweet was unacceptable and shouldn't have been shared from a Metropolitan Police account.

'Senior officers are addressing the matter and will be reminding officers that they are expected to be independent and impartial at all times, on and off duty, including on social media.'

The social post - now deleted - prompted an angry reaction from Mr Khan, who saw it as he was on a phone-in on LBC.

He fumed: 'When you have Met Police accounts amplifying information that is misleading how is it possible for officers who are concerned about the behaviour of other officers to come forward?

'Why are we surprised when whistleblowers don't come forward if this is the attitude both the IOPC talked about and from a blue ticked account?

Mr Khan was furious about the Twitter post and denied threatening Dame Cressida with sack

The tweet from the Met Police Taskforce endorsing the message has now been deleted

'I say this to the chairman of the Met police federation and the person in charge of that Met Police official account amplifying misleading information, are you making it easier or harder for officers to witness this to come forward?

'Are you making it more likely or less likely Londoners will have their confidence restored in the police service?'

Earlier he said parts of the Times article, specifically the ultimatum, was not correct.

He added: 'In my view the current (Met) leadership didn't stand the scale of the change

'You can take Charing Cross by itself but also the punitive impact on trust and confidence.

'The article is not right. I am not going to hide my anger and disgust at these officers. No I didn't.

'I was angered and disgusted by a number of officers. It was not the case the commissioner was given an ultimatum to sack them or she would be sacked.'

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Trust in the police among Londoners has plummeted over the last two years and is now nearly at an all-time low following a series of devastating scandals involving police officers, including evidence of misogyny, racism, sexism, homophobia and bullying.

'The Mayor is democratically elected by millions of Londoners and it is his job to hold the police to account  and he will continue to do so.

'The Mayor is now working with the Home Secretary on the process to appoint a new Commissioner at the Met, who understands the scale of the problem and who will take the necessary action to restore trust in the service.'
Gunshots are now the leading cause of death by trauma in the US and have overtaken car crashes for the first time in history, according to a new report.

Surgeons at Westchester Medical Centre in New York state released research suggested that more than 1.4million years of potential life are lost every year to gun crime.

Car crashes were the greatest cause of death until deaths from guns skyrocketed between 2009 and 2018.

The report, published in medical journal Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, found gun deaths rose on average by 0.72 per cent every year, culminating in 38,929 deaths in 2018.

Surgeons at Westchester Medical Centre in New York state released research suggested that more than 1.4million years of potential life are lost every year to gun crime

Conversely, road accidents fell by 0.07 per cent each year that decade.

Suicides using guns rose from 18,735 in 2009 to an astonishing 24,432 in 2018 while gun murders rose from 11,493 to 13,958.

The eye-opening study found suicide of white men accounted for 49 per cent of the total gun deaths and murders of black men made up 18 per cent, according to the report seen by The Times.

It comes just seven months after the US recorded one shooting every 12 minutes in the week of July 17 last year.

Data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive reveals more than 1,000 Americans were wounded or killed in shootings in the seven days between Saturday July 17 and Friday July 23.

Gun violence rocked almost every state that week, with at least one gun-related incident recorded in 47 states and the District of Columbia, according to ABC News' analysis of GVA data.

Illinois recorded the most shootings, with 109 incidents in the week.

On average, 123 people have died every single day in 2021 from gun violence putting the nation on track to record 45,000deaths by the end of the year

One shooting on Wednesday saw a 14-year-old boy killed and nine others injured in two shootings on the West Side of Chicago.

Five people were shot in the first shooting in the North Lawndale section with five more shot in a second shooting three blocks away less than five minutes later.

Gun violence has plagued the Windy City in 2021 with the city's crime data showing a nine percent jump in shootings so far compared to the same time last year and a 60 percent jump from 2019.

During the July 4 weekend alone, 92 people were shot in the city and 16 were killed.

After Illinois, Texas recorded the highest number of shootings in that week with 63 incidents including a drive-by shooting in Houston that killed one man and injured five others Thursday evening.

Pennsylvania was next with 59 shootings including one shocking incident where a one-year-old girl was shot inside a convenience store in Philadelphia on July 17.

Shooting deaths have been climbing overall since 2014, rising from 33,804 that year to almost 44,000 in 2020.

And gun sales in the US have stayed high with just under 19million sold in 2021 - the second-highest total over the past 20 years, according to SafeHome research seen by Fox.

And gun sales in the US have stayed high with just under 19million sold in 2021 - the second-highest total over the past 20 years

The senior editor of the organization, Corie Colliton, said that just eight states had no firearms-related incidents in a school in 2021

Even though firearm sales fell 13 per cent from 2020, they are still 40 per cent higher than in 2019.

SafeHome said: 'On an overall and population-adjusted basis, more people are buying guns in almost every state.'

The senior editor of the organization, Corie Colliton, said that just eight states had no firearms-related incidents in a school in 2021.

CEO of Global Security Group, Dave Katz, said that concerns from suburban residents living near areas with rioting last summer may have led to them buying guns for the first time.

Even though firearm sales fell 13 per cent from 2020, they are still 40 per cent higher than in 2019

Gun deaths were highest in the south of the US. And in 2018 more than three million registered firearms were recorded in the south, with Texas and Florida having the most.

The official number of guns in circulation is based on those bought legally but the true number is believed to be much higher.

A sudden spike in gun ownership has also been attributed to the final months of Donald Trump's presidency where unrest rocked the country - 23 million Americans bought a gun in 2020 which was an annual rise of 64 per cent.

Researchers from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, in Hershey, found a 30 percent increase in gun-related injuries and deaths during the pandemic when compared to 2019.

Additionally, 49 of the 50 states saw a spike in gun violence with only Alaska recording a decrease during the first year of the pandemic.

The research team believed stressors caused by the pandemic and the increase in firearm purchases caused the spike in violence that struck the nation.

There may be other factors tied to the rise in violence, though.

Violent crime had escalated in a number of major U.S. cities, such as New York, Chicago and Minneapolis, since the start of the pandemic, with the murder rate nationwide reaching its highest point since the mid-1990s.

Some law enforcement officers also said a decrease in police presence following Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protests has allowed to crime to rise.
Cantonese restaurant 'The China Tang' inside five-star The Dorchester hotel is in a trademark legal war with a Chinese takeaway that has the same name 300 miles away in Barrow-in-Furness.

China Tang inside the prestigious London hotel won its case against small businessman Hong Lu Gu, who runs his own China Tang in Cumbria.

Mr Gu now estimates he must cough up 1,000 to 2,000 to rebrand and fears the exclusive restaurant, in a hotel where penthouse suites are up to 10,000 per night, will come after him for their legal costs.

The father-of-two opened his family business under the name China Tang in 2009, four years after the Mayfair restaurant opened, because Tang was the surname of the man who taught him how to cook when he was younger.

China Tang's lawyers argued that as restaurants - including its own - are offering takeaway during the pandemic this could lead people to confuse the businesses.

They also said that it provides 'takeaway food' to the customers of private jet companies.

Cantonese restaurant 'The China Tang' inside five-star The Dorchester hotel is in a trademark legal war with a Chinese takeaway that has the same name 300 miles away in Barrow-in-Furness

China Tang's lawyers argued that as restaurants - including its own China Tang - are offering takeaway during the pandemic this could lead people to confuse the businesses

The prestigious London hotel's restaurant won its case against small businessman Hong Lu Gu, who runs his own China Tang, pictured in Barrow-in-Furness and now must cough up an estimated 2,000 to rebrand

The menu for the China Tang at The Dorchester and the one in Barrow-in-Furness seem to have a big difference when it comes to price as well

The Dorchester's estimated annual revenue is currently over 100 million per year and the restaurant is a firm favourite for celebrities like Boy George after it was set up by billionaire socialite Sir David Tang at the Mayfair hotel in 2005.

It charges 45 for a sharing portion of chicken noodles, compared to 6.30 charged by Mr Gu's takeaway.

China Tang in Barrow-in-Furness is a family business that serves a loyal and local customer base.

Mr Gu has been battiling legal action from the China Tang restaurant for two years.

And at a hearing in December he was found liable for trademark infringement.

Mr Gu argues his takeaway delivers to people in a small catchment area nowhere near Mayfair.

He also claimed in court that there is a China Tang in Torquay, 'Tang' means China, its an adjective in relation to food, and Tang is a common Chinese name.

Judge Richard Hacon said: 'I have no idea whether 'Tang' is the equivalent of Smith or Jones and cannot assume anything in that regard.

'I think the submission that the average consumer would take 'Tang' to mean that the food is tangy has an air of desperation. I doubt that it would be so interpreted.'

Mr Hacon ruled a breach of the trademark after saying he had 'sympathy' for Mr Gu.

He also said the north west takeaway could not pass itself off as the fine-dining restaurant.

As a result, the Dorchester's eatery could not claim any damages from Mr Gu but he fears they will seek for him to pay their legal costs.

He said: 'It was a hard time.

'I have to change the name, I have until March 16.

'I just totally have the sense that I'm being bullied, you know?

'I didn't try to copy or get anything from their reputation.'

Mr Gu has opted to change his takeaway's name to 'China Town' in hope it bears some resemblance to customers.

He added: 'My customer circle has nothing to do with The Dorchester [restaurant, the China Tang's] customers.

'I'm surrounded by local customers.

'I'm a Chinese takeaway - they are a high end restaurant.

'I was fighting for China Tang because I don't want my customers to get confused.

'I worry that they won't be able to find me online because most of my customers are older.

'I have to pay to change my sign.

'I don't know how much but I think it'll cost about 1,000 to 2,000.'

Inside the China Tang at the Dorchester in Mayfair, London

Mr Gu also said he had to close his business during the first lockdown in line with government guidance, which saw his books take a hit.

Now, he is waiting to hear next steps from his solicitor regarding a financial settlement from China Tang in Mayfair.

Mr Gu said: 'The court sessions were in London and I had to take the earliest train from Lancaster at five o'clock in the morning to London.

'Then I had to come back the same day because at night time I have to operate for my business.'

The direct train he took from Lancaster to London charges 105 for a return ticket.

A spokeswoman for the Dorchester said China Tang is 'a separate entity and the hotel is not involved in this dispute'.

She added: 'China Tang approached the Cumbrian takeaway with the same name last year to make them aware of the trade mark infringement.

'China Tang wanted to reach an amicable settlement with the takeaway, and presented a proposal for the business to rebrand, which included a substantial financial contribution towards the re-branding costs.

'This opportunity was subsequently declined by the business, hence the case ended up in court, which ruled in China Tangs favour.'
Presidential candidates from left to right, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Ahn Cheol-soo of the opposition People's Party, Sim Sang-jeung of the opposition Justice Party, and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party pose before a TV debate for upcoming March 9 presidential election in Seoul, Feb. 21. AP-Yonhap



Overseas voting in the March 9 presidential election kicked off Wednesday for a six-day run, the election watchdog said.



A total of 226,162 overseas South Korean nationals, who are registered as absentee voters, will be eligible to vote at 219 polling stations set up by 177 overseas missions in 115 countries between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day, according to the National Election Commission.






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A high street pricing war over lateral flow tests broke out today as LloydsPharmacy revealed they will undercut rival chains Superdrug and Boots by offering Covid swabs for as little as 1.89 each.

Boots yesterday became the first retailer to unveil its pricing strategy ahead of No10's move to axe free swabs in April. The chain  which is offering swabs online for 6 from today  will eventually charge 12 for a pack of five or 2.50 per individual swab.

Superdrug then this morning announced it would offer individual swabs at a lower price than its competitor and will also sell multiple tests at a discounted price, with packs of five costing 9.79.

Now LloydsPharmacy, which has 1,500 stores dotted across Britain, has started to offer five tests for the price of 9.49 on its website.

Waitrose and other major retailers have started talks with the Government over supplying paid-for tests once the rule changes come into play and force millions who wish to continue testing to fork out for kits.

But politicians, health experts and patients' rights groups have all raised concerns the private sector could start cashing in on swabbing, arguing for a price cap to be put in place. There are already cost limits in Spain, France and Portugal, with the Spanish Government setting a ceiling of just 2.45 per test. In France, people can pick up tests for as little as 1.

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran told MailOnline that leaving Covid testing in the hands of private firms could see them 'fleece the public'. And Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, said she would 'definitely' support a price cap on the tests, which can cost 1 to manufacture domestically and pennies abroad.

Families have already started going from pharmacy to pharmacy demanding multiple packs of free lateral flows in order to stock up on the kits before they start charging from April 1. Some Brits have been shamelessly stockpiling Covid test kits and even showing off their 'towers' on social media.

Superdrug pledged to offer individual lateral flow tests for 51p less than Boots just hours after the rival pharmacy chain announced its pricing changes ahead of No10's move to ditch free swabbing in April

Superdrug (right) revealed it will undercut rival chain Boots (left) by offering Covid swabs for just 1.99 each. Boots will sell its tests for 2.50 each from next month

People who are not vulnerable to the virus and wish to continue testing will have to purchase the rapid kits from supermarkets, high street pharmacies and potentially even petrol stations on April 1

The END of masks on Tubes, trains and buses Masks will no longer be compulsory on Tubes and buses in London from tomorrow, but Londoners are still being strongly recommended to continue covering up out of respect for fellow passengers. Transport for London said it will no longer be a condition of carriage to wear masks on its services, as Boris Johnson this week announced a bonfire of the last remaining Covid curbs in England. But customers and staff will be strongly recommended to wear face coverings regardless, in line with advice to passengers using national rail services. TfL is also urging the use of face coverings in taxis and private hire vehicles by both drivers and passengers. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told people to keep wearing masks out of consideration, calling face coverings a simple, effective measure that give Londoners confidence to travel. Mask advocates claim that people feel safer using public transport if passengers are wearing a face covering. Advertisement

A spokesperson for LloydsPharmacy told MailOnline: 'As ever, LloydsPharmacy will continue to keep the public safe and at the moment we offer lateral flow test kits for 9.49 for 5 tests  1.89 per test  available online now at LloydsPharmacy.com.

'We will also have a single lateral flow test available to pick up in store soon.

'You can find further information about our range of tests on our website, and the coronavirus page on the Government website for up-to-date coronavirus information.'

There are no details about which manufacturer Boots, Superdrug or LloydsPharmacy have purchased the rapid tests from, or exactly how many either pharmacy giant has bought.

But it suggests all three retailers may be paying much less than the Government.

The Scottish Government revealed last July in response to an FOI request that Whitehall was paying 4 per test, excluding VAT.

However, there are suggestions that certain kits were being sold to ministers for even cheaper. Last winter it was revealed that No10 had paid around 800million in return for roughly 380million swabs from a California-based firm, suggesting the Government was paying in the region of 2.10 per test.

Superdrug, which has around 800 stores across the UK, is currently still offering free lateral flow tests for domestic use from the Government, while it charges 20.99 for day two rapid swabs for travel.

It will stop selling free lateral flows when the price changes come into effect.

Boots, which has over 2,000 stores, yesterday said it will charge up to 6 for a single test from its website today. The price includes delivery fees.

Prices will be slashed at some point in March, when the kits are available in store.

LloydsPharmacy said it would continue to sell its non-travel lateral flow tests for 20 for a pack of five, working out at 4 per test online and in store.

The retailer told MailOnline it is not currently in talks with the Government regarding paid testing.

And Pharmacy2U told MailOnline it has no plans to start offering lateral flow tests when the rule changes come in.

It is thought that Lidl could be one of the retailers to offer the tests privately in England after April after supplying people in Ireland and Germany with the tests for as little as 1.80 for months.

The discount supermarket told MailOnline it does not currently have any plans to stock tests but this may change.

Aldi has also been offering private lateral flow swabs at stores across Europe.

There has been a rush for free swabs in England on the back of Monday's announcement that they will be phased out in six weeks, with shameless stockpilers sharing pictures of their lateral flow 'towers' on social media.

Due to the scramble for LFTs, the Government has now urged people not to hoard them in advance as they ran out online and via the NHS' 119 phone line.

Some Britons have been shamelessly stockpiling Covid test kits and even showing off their 'towers' on social media as the UK faced having to pay for them in six weeks time - saving the taxpayer 2billion a month.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told MailOnline that there is a growing trend of hoarding  and fears members will be 'abused' if they have run out like in the run up to Christmas.

Stockpilers shared pictures of their towers of free NHS lateral flow tests that cost 2billion a month and are being phased out from April 1

In France, people can pick up tests at a third of the UK price (around 3), for as little as 1, while in Germany they can cost just 1.80 and Spain's Government has capped them at roughly 2.45. However, the tests - which experts say can cost just pennies to make - are not as cheap everywhere, with Americans paying $10 (7.35)

Now stockpilers descend on pharmacies Families are going from pharmacy to pharmacy demanding multiple packs of free lateral flow tests as Boots cashed in on the shortages and began selling swabs for 5.99 each online today. Due to the scramble for LFTs, the Government has now urged people not to hoard them in advance as they ran out online and via the NHS' 119 phone line. Some Britons have been shamelessly stockpiling Covid test kits and even showing off their 'towers' on social media as the UK faced having to pay for them in six weeks time - saving the taxpayer 2billion a month. The announcement that rapid lateral flow tests will no longer be free for the public from April 1 has seen many rush to grab tests which can currently be ordered online or collected from high street pharmacies. Boots will start charging customers 5.99 for lateral flow tests today amid a scramble for free tests. This is despite the swabs costing just 1 to manufacture domestically  and pennies if made in China - leading to calls for ministers to put a price cap on lateral flow tests. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told MailOnline that there is a growing trend of hoarding - and fears members will be 'abused' if they have run out like in the run up to Christmas. She said: 'People want to get these tests free of charge before they have to pay. Some come as a family and the husband wants some, and then the wife wants some  a whole family trying to get these tests, keeping it for when they need it. This is stockpiling'. She added: 'We raised concerns around Christmas time about supply not meeting the demand following change in government guidelines. Once again pharmacies find themselves in a situation where we are not communicated with prior to an announcement and need to deal with the increased demand'. Advertisement

She said: 'People want to get these tests free of charge before they have to pay.

'Some come as a family and the husband wants some, and then the wife wants some  a whole family trying to get these tests, keeping it for when they need it. This is stockpiling.

'We raised concerns around Christmas time about supply not meeting the demand following change in government guidelines.

'Once again pharmacies find themselves in a situation where we are not communicated with prior to an announcement and need to deal with the increased demand.'

The Government already started secretly rationing, limiting orders to one pack in 72 hours rather than every 24 hours.

And extraordinary pictures show the lengths that some Britons have gone to stockpile packs, proudly sharing pictures of mounds of tests that are costing the taxpayer 2billion per month.

One person, who has stockpiled more than 25 packs, tweeted: 'When the Government wants to start charging for lateral flow tests. I've come fully prepared so I don't run out of covid tests'.

Some have even suggested they could choose to sell them online from April - while people in Wales and Scotland, where tests are expected to remain free, are offering to stockpile them there and post them to friends in England.

One person tweeted: 'If people order a load of free lateral flow tests now, then once it's April 1st they can sell them cheaper than the government, at least the money won't be going to them'.

Another wrote: 'Gonna start stocking up on lateral flow tests to take back to my family asap. very glad testing and isolation rules are staying the same in Wales at the moment'.

Experts and MPs yesterday called for a price cap on tests when the rule changes come in to prevent poorer people being hit hardest and low amounts of overall testing.

Ms Moran told MailOnline: 'If the government insists on doing so, they must introduce a price cap as other European nations already have.'

And Dr Pagel told MailOnline: 'I am very concerned about the affordability of tests for those on low incomes, particularly the timing given the coming steep rise in the cost of living in April.

'It will make much harder for those in less well off communities to exercise the personal responsibility the government is asking for.'
Executives at Peloton allegedly hatched a plan to conceal rust and corrosion on their high-end bikes with a chemical solution just months after a costly recall of the company's treadmills plunged the company into crisis last year.

When staff noticed that paint was flaking off some of the machines last year the company allegedly began using a chemical solution that disguised corrosion on the bikes by 'reacting with the rust to form a black layer', according to the Financial Times.

In a plan, dubbed internally as 'Project Tinman', staff concealed the corrosion on the bikes, which can cost over $3,000 and enjoyed a massive increase in demand during the Covid pandemic, before reportedly sending them out to customers.

It came after stock prices for the company began to drop and the company saw a reduction in demand for production just months after Peloton recalled treadmills in the US and UK after the death of a six-year-old child in May last year.

The alleged cover up also came after Peloton, once a pandemic darling, saw its shares dramatically drop by 76 per cent in 2021.

In December 2020, the company's stock hit an all-time high of $151.72 after many customers decided to continue working out from their homes due to many gyms temporarily closing due to Covid-19.

But the company later saw a slump in demand for its fitness classes and equipment as people began to venture out of their houses and hit the gyms again.

Peloton has been accused of concealing rust and corrosion on its bikes with a chemical solution that 'forms a black layer'. (Stock image)

According to the latest allegations, which come from former and current Peloton employees across four US states, staff began noticing that paint was peeling off some of the training bikes in September last year.

Bosses at the company allegedly decided to cover up the rust using the chemical solution, which formed a black layer over the corrosion, in an effort to avoid a costly recall before sending them to customers.

One current employee told The FT: 'Even for Bike-Pluses that were rusted internally, they were still delivering them.

'Sometimes bikes had stuff on the outside, so we couldn't deliver them, but . . . [there were] a lot of bikes that were rusted on the inside that they still sold.'

The alleged cover up came after Peloton recalled 25,000 Tread and Tread+ treadmill machines in the US after the death of a six-year-old child.

In May last year federal regulators with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned people with children and pets to immediately stop using the Peloton Tread+ treadmill after the young child was pulled under the rear of the treadmill and died.

Injuries to the other children, who were also pulled under the Tread+, included broken bones and cuts.

The recall saw shares in the exercise bike maker slump by as much as 27 per cent.

Speaking at the times former CEO John Foley said: 'The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton's Members and their families.'

He also apologized for not working with the safety commission sooner and acknowledged that there was work to do to repair the image of the company.

A spokesperson for Peloton told MailOnline: 'In September 2021, as part of the pre-delivery inspection process of our products that we've had in place since 2016, one of our inspectors at an operations facility in Wesseling (Cologne) Germany noticed the appearance of paint flakes inside the Bike packaging, which is an incident we had not previously encountered.

'After further inspection, it was determined that the residue was related to superficial rust occurring within the inner tube of the seat post frame, as well as the inner tube of the handlebar frame.

'Further investigation and rigorous testing revealed that the cosmetic oxidation in these non-visible parts had impacted approximately 6,000 bikes already in the distribution channels.

'Our internal testing, based on industry standards, confirmed the cosmetic oxidation issue would have no impact on a Bike's performance, quality, durability, reliability, or the overall Member experience.

'Additionally, for products in inventory, we implemented a standard rework process to address this cosmetic issue in the aforementioned non-visible parts. We have not found evidence or received Member complaints that this specific issue has presented a problem.

'If we become aware that this specific issue has caused a problem in any Bike, we will work with the Member to resolve it, including replacing the Bike.'

Peloton, which first launched in 2012, has become a popular option over the last few years for those seeking to carry out at-home workouts.

Prices range from $2,107 (1,550) for a Peloton bike to $3,119 (2,295) for a Peloton Bike+.

This month it was revealed Peloton was slashing 2,800 jobs in a desperate bid to cut costs and revive the struggling exercise company.

Bosses at the company allegedly decided to cover up the rust in an effort to avoid a costly recall before sending them to customers. (Stock image)

Some Peloton employees reportedly learned that they were among the 20 per cent of global staff being laid off when they found their access to the company's Slack channel switched off earlier this month.

In a memo, former CEO and co-founder John Foley, said that the axed employees would get 12 months of free fitness classes as part of their severance packages, according to the New York Post.

Although the severance packages will also include extended health benefits and other undisclosed remuneration, the inclusion of the free class drew blowback from some staff.

Who is new Peloton CEO Barry McCarthy McCarthy, 69, has experience as the CFO of Spotify and Netflix Barry McCarthy will have a big job on his hands as soon as he walks into Peloton's offices, but insiders say he could be the man to turn around the under-fire company. The new CEO, 69, was CFO at Spotify for a number of years and was the architect of the tech firm's innovative direct listing in 2018, before he stepped down a year later. The direct listing, which McCarthy pioneered, means a company goes public without selling any new shares to let the market figure out the pricing for itself on the first day of training. The move was considered revolutionary on Wall Street and is seen as a more democratic and transparent listing, even if it makes things more difficult for investors. McCarthy also served as CFO for Netflix and has been a board member for startup Instacart for a year. A source told Yahoo Finance McCarthy has extensive knowledge of subscription-based models like Peloton. Advertisement

The company expects to spend about $130 million in total cash on severance packages as part of the restructuring, as well as $80 million in non-cash charges.

The layoffs are only targeted at corporate staff and will not affect Peloton fitness instructors, some of whom have become quasi-celebrities with large followings.

The job losses came as Foley, the company's co-founder who has led the company for nearly a decade, stepped down as CEO this month to become the executive chair.

Barry McCarthy, the former chief financial officer of Spotify and Netflix, will now take the helm as Peloton's new CEO.

Outgoing CEO Foley has drawn the ire of activist investor Blackwells Capital in recent months as the company struggled to maintain the breakneck growth that propelled its valuation to $52 billion in early 2021. Shares have since tumbled nearly 80 per cent.

The investment firm called for his removal and even urged the company to sell itself.

Jason Aintabi, Blackwells' chief investment officer, accused Foley of 'repeated failures' including hiring his wife as vice president of apparel.

'Foley has proven he is not suited to lead Peloton, whether as CEO or Executive Chair, and he should not be hand-picking directors, as he appears to have done (on Tuesday),' said Aintabi.

This month Peloton slashed its forecast full-year revenue expectations after it reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss.

'They came out this morning with lower guidance, CEO is leaving but obviously there is still a potential that we could see a deal... that is why [the stock] is not getting as hit,' said Dennis Dick, head of markets structure, proprietary trader at Bright Trading LLC.

Peloton will wind down the development of its planned factory in Ohio, where it was set to invest about $400 million and add more than 2,000 jobs over the next few years.

Overall the company said its restructuring changes would save it about $800 million annually in reduced expenses.

In January, Peloton said it had seen a 'significant reduction' in demand for the products that once retailed for at least $1,900 and that it planned to pause bike production in February and March, according to a leaked confidential presentation seen by CNBC.
Some observers have questioned the adoption by the BBC of the spelling Kyiv for the capital of Ukraine instead of Kiev, as Britons and Americans have traditionally referred to it.

Many presenters are also using the accompanying pronunciation 'KEE-eve' rather than the previous 'KEE-yev', leaving some listeners confused.

'Kiev' was the standardised spelling for the city under Soviet rule, and recent Russian aggression has seen more Western institutions heed Ukrainian calls to abandon it.

The BBC now uses 'Kyiv' in all its written articles, with a search of its website showing 'Kiev' was last used on January 29. Today, a BBC source told MailOnline the 'KEE-eve' pronunciation has been the 'preferred use' since 2019.

The BBC now uses 'Kyiv' in all its written articles and as the header of its section on Ukraine's capital

A search of its website suggested 'Kiev' was last used on January 29 on a section about a podcast

The Ukrainian's preferred pronunciation is now used in most broadcast segments, but some presenters occasionally divert to the Russian form.

The UK Government has been referring to its embassy as being based in 'Kyiv' for years, with an Internet archive showing this had been the case until records began in 2014.

Ministers are also increasingly using the new pronunciation.

Ukraine's capital is known as  in Ukrainian and  in Russian. Both terms do not have a direct translation into the Roman alphabet, with Kiev, Kyiv, Kyyiv or Kiyev all being possibilities.

But the spelling 'Kiev' is intrinsically linked with the old USSR due to its widespread use by the British and Americans while the city was under Soviet rule.

The spelling 'Kiev' is intrinsically linked with the old USSR due to its widespread use by the British and Americans while the city was under Soviet rule (pictured is Vladimir Putin)

Young Ukrainians see 'Kiev' as a relic of the Soviet past, and this view is now shared by the government, which launched a 'KyivNotKiev' campaign in 2018. Pic: The country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

This continued after independence in 1991, until 'Kyiv' was legally approved by the Ukrainian government.

It was not until the Maidan uprising of 2014 the issue hit the public consciousness, with the ousting of pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych and the creation of a new administration seeking closer ties to the West.

Young Ukrainians see 'Kiev' as a relic of the Soviet past, and this view is now shared by the government, which launched a 'KyivNotKiev' campaign in 2018.

The US government has also embraced the new spelling, as has the Guardian, the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The UK Government has been referring to its embassy as being based in 'Kyiv' for years, with an Internet archive showing this had been the case until records began in 2014

The Associated Press - a major international news agency - announced it was following suit in 2019.

It wrote in a blog post: 'Although the AP prefers traditional English spellings for many cities, including Rome, Moscow and Warsaw (not Roma, Moskva and Warszawa), we regard the Ukrainian spelling of Kyiv as an important adaptation because it is linked to Ukraine's present status.

'To many Ukrainians, the former spelling Kiev appears outdated because it is associated with a time when Ukraine was part of the Russian and Soviet states, rather than an independent country.'

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
NHS hospitals should not perform routine operations on Covid patients within two months of them getting the virus, experts have advised.

Despite warnings that the pandemic-fuelled backlog will double by 2024, surgeons say that only urgent surgery should be carried out within seven weeks of someone catching the virus.

No infected patient should be treated within 10 days of a positive test unless it's a matter of life-or-death, under the new guidance.

This is because studies suggest patients are three times more likely to die after an operation in the seven weeks after catching Covid.

The advice was drawn up by a consortium of leading medical bodies  including the Royal College of Surgeons and Royal College of Anaesthetists.

NHS trusts do not have to follow their guidance, which covers elective care such as hip and knee replacements. Thousands of 'Covid' patients are currently in hospitals across England despite not being primarily ill with the virus.

Data from NHS England shows one in nine people in the country were waiting for routine treatment  such as joint replacement and cataract surgery  or diagnostic tests at the end of December

Queues for routine operations are expected to peak in 2024 at around 10.7million in the most pessimistic scenario, modelling from the NHS shows. It is because the health service expects many patients who missed operations to now come forward for care

Professor Duncan Summerton, a consultant urological surgeon at Leicester General Hospital and one of the guideline authors, said: 'There has been a desire both within the UK and in health systems around the world to increase elective surgical activity to pre-Covid levels to help clear the ever-increasing backlog.

'However, this must be balanced with delivering that surgery as safely as possible.'

Experts published their updated guidance  a refreshed version of advice issued last spring  yesterday in the journal Anaesthesia.

HOW BIG IS THE NHS WAITING LIST? The number of patients on the NHS backlog in England soared to a record of 6.1million in December. Official data shows one in nine people were on the waiting list  often in pain  for routine operations such as hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery at the end of 2021. The figure is the largest since records began in 2007 and 2million higher than in March 2020, when Covid hit the country and effectively ground elective treatment to a halt. Official modelling estimates the backlog could peak at 10.7million in March 2024, with 200,000 people in England waiting more than a year by 2025. The NHS data to December shows the number of people who had been in the queue for treatment for at least one year was 310,813 in December, up 39 per cent year-on-year and 200 times more than before the pandemic. And 20,065 had been waiting for two years or more by the end of 2021. The NHS recovery plan  which is costing the taxpayer an extra 12billion a year  states one-year waits won't be abolished until 2025, while two-year waits won't be eradicated until this July. Health experts today warned even those targets may not be possible unless thousands more workers are hired. Advertisement

They noted that there is no evidence on how Omicron impacts the effectiveness of surgery or recovery.

But data shows that patients who underwent elective surgery within six weeks of testing positive with earlier strains were three times more likely to die than those who had not been recently infected.

Their guidance states that Omicron triggers a milder illness for most people  but there is no evidence on how an infection with the strain affects surgery outcomes.

So the previously recommended seven-week wait should remain, the medics said.

And patients who were moderately or severely unwell with Covid or have lingering symptoms are likely at a higher risk so 'delaying surgery beyond this point should be considered'.

They admitted that it is 'likely that many surgical patients' will become infected while waiting for their procedure.

Patients should be told to notify the hospital where they are due to undergo surgery if they test positive within seven weeks of their operation.

Medics should then discuss the risks and benefits of deferring surgery to determine whether some patients are at more risk from going ahead with the procedure or delaying it, according to the guidance.

Currently, 6.1million people in England are stuck on NHS waiting lists, with the figure expected to keep rising until March 2024.

Official health service forecasts estimate queues for routine operations could peak as high as 10.7million in two years.

Dr Mike Nathanson, president of the Association of Anaesthetists, said: 'The backlog of surgical cases is a major public health concern.

'The recent report from NHS England describes an ambition to reduce waiting times in England through a very significant expansion of surgical activity. There are similar plans in other parts of the UK.

'Patients, and the teams caring for them, need this expert guidance to assist their decision making.

'The frustration felt by patients is immense and we  the healthcare professionals  want to do our jobs and provide these services when it is safe to do so and with the risks clear to all involved.

'We look forward to new data being available soon which may further clarify the situation now Omicron is dominant, and most patients are vaccinated.'

The guidelines also set out that anyone undergoing an operation should be at least double-jabbed, with the second dose given a minimum of two weeks pre-surgery.

Patients should be encouraged to get vaccinated before they are referred for surgery, the medics said.

The NHS doctors also called for infection controls to be stepped up around patients who were about to undergo a procedure or had recently been operated on due to the increased transmissibility of Omicron.

This should include encouraging patients to wear masks, practice social distancing, increase hand washing and self-isolate before their procedure.

Hospital staff should be regularly tested and follow social distancing and mask wearing, while infected patients should be kept separate from uninfected patients.

Patients should not undergo elective surgery within 10 days of testing positive in case they pass the virus on to staff and other patients.

And doctors should avoid giving recently infected patients general anaesthetic, which makes them unconscious, and instead consider local anaesthetic, which numbs the area requiring surgery.
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Ben Wallace cited a 170-year-old conflict notorious for one of the worst military disasters in history today as he claimed the UK had 'kicked the backside' of former Russian leaders and 'can always do it again'.

The Defence Secretary, a former soldier who served as an officer in the Scots Guards in the 1990s, was giving troops a pep talk when he referenced the Crimean War in the 1850s - most remembered for the Charge of the Light Brigade when hundreds of cavalry were accidentally ordered to ride into Russian artillery.

He compared Vladimir Putin to Tsar Nicholas I because he also had no allies during the Crimean War. The overwhelming forces amassed by Britain, France and the Ottomans eventually prevailed, with Russia suing for peace when it looked like Austria would also line up against them - but the campaign was highly unpopular at home and dragged on for two years.

It also ended the career of the Earl of Aberdeen, the PM who took Britain into the conflict and whose government fell in 1855 partly due to resentment of the war.

Alongside the historical analysis, Mr Wallace dramatically escalated the government's rhetoric against Mr Putin personally by insisting he had gone 'full tonto'.

Commonwealth soldiers laughed nervously and Home Secretary Priti Patel sat stony-faced as they listened to the comments - which would normally be regarded as a breach of diplomatic etiquette - at the Horse Guards building in Westminster this morning.

It came as Ukraine announced a nationwide state of emergency and Boris Johnson declared that the UK will send more defensive weapons to the nation in a bid to deter a full-scale invasion by Mr Putin.

But fears are rising that it is only a matter of time, with Russian troops already being ordered into 'separatist' areas of Ukraine that have now been recognised by Moscow as 'independent'.

In more tumultuous developments today:

Mr Johnson has declared that the UK will send more 'lethal' defensive weapons to Ukraine;

Ms Truss said the Russian leader appears to be 'hell-bent' on a full-scale invasion after he moved thousands of troops into areas occupied by separatists in Ukraine's east;

Fighting along the frontline between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels killed one Ukrainian soldier and wounded six others overnight, with a house also hit

Russia claimed to have foiled a terror attack against a church in occupied Crimea and arrested six Russian citizens it said were members of a banned 'right-wing' group, in what is feared to be another false flag

Ukrainian troops along the frontline with separatists reported receiving text messages warning of a Russian attack and telling them to abandon their posts

The EU was poised to sanction Russia's defence secretary, the head of its armed forces, the commander of its Black Sea fleet, all 351 members of the state Duma, prominent propagandists and a 'troll factory' in Moscow

Satellite images and photos from the ground showed that Russia continues to move troops to the borders, including newly-arrived troops in Belarus, close to Kiev

Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said conscription of men in the region is gathering pace to counter 'Ukrainian threats' and he is sure of support from 'big Russia'

Ben Wallace today said the UK had 'kicked the backside' of former Russian leaders and 'can always do it again' as he took aim at Vladimir Putin

The Defence Secretary also claimed the Russian President has gone 'full tonto' as tensions continue to rise amid the worsening Ukraine crisis

Russian armoured vehicles and artillery pieces are seen at a rail yard in the Rostov-on-Don region, close to the border with Ukraine, as the country was today put on a war footing

Russia has up to 190,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter jets and bombers surrounding Ukraine from three sides, as the US warns of a full-scale invasion of the whole country including an attack on the capital, Kiev

What happened in the Crimean War and did the UK 'kick the backside' of Russia? The Crimean War took place between 1853 and 1856, as declining empires desperately vied for position in Eastern Europe. The conflict was triggered by a religious dispute between Russia and the Ottomans, but also reflected the long-running rivalry over territory and economic assets. Russia was led by Tsar Nicholas I at the time, and initially made significant gains at the expense of inferior Ottoman forces. A rout at the port of Sinop, in which thousands were killed, inflamed public sentiment in the West - who also wanted to protect trade and settle old scores. Britain and France entered the war on the side of the Ottomans in 1854, and after some haggling decided to send a huge naval and armed force to seize Sevastpol on the Black Sea. However, they did not secure the swift victory hoped and instead faced a grinding siege for around a year. Among the battles was Balaclava, which included the infamous 'Charge of the Light Brigade' (painting above). A catastrophic muddle between commanders meant British light cavalry was mistakenly ordered to carry out a frontal assault on a Russian artillery battery. Out of around 600 cavalry, more than 100 men and 350 horses were lost. The attack was memorably detailed in Lord Tennyson's famous poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' - which focused on the bravery of the troops rather than the blunder. However, Russia suffered a series of losses in the clashes and, with the prospect of Austria also lining up against them, finally sued for peace in March 1856. Despite in theory being a victory, the Crimean War was deeply unpopular domestically as it dragged on and claimed lives, with estimates that British forces suffered 40,000 casualties and huge cost. It also claimed the career of the Earl of Aberdeen, the PM who took Britain into the conflict and whose government fell in 1855 partly due to resentment of the war. The scale of soldiers' suffering made a celebrity of Florence Nightingale, a social reformer who is considered to be the founder of modern nursing. She came to prominence when she was one of 38 volunteer nurses from Britain who, during the war, went to medical stations in Turkey to help. She became the face of the effort after a newspaper dubbed her 'the Lady with the Lamp' - because of her efforts treating wounded soldiers during the night. Advertisement

Mr Wallace, a former Scots Guards officer, said his regiment had 'kicked the backside' of the tsar in the Crimea and 'we can always do it again'.

He said: 'It's going to be a busy Army. Unfortunately we've got a busy adversary now in Putin, who has gone full tonto.'

Mr Wallace said the UK has 1,000 personnel on stand-by to respond to the crisis, adding: 'The Scots Guards kicked the backside of Tsar Nicholas I in 1853 in Crimea  we can always do it again.'

He continued: 'Tsar Nicholas I made the same mistake Putin did he had no friends, no alliances.'

Although the Crimean War began in 1853, Britain did not join it until 1854.

Mr Wallace made the remarks as he visited Horse Guards alongside Home Secretary Priti Patel to announce the Government is scrapping visa fees for long-serving overseas military personnel.

Ms Patel sat stony-faced as the Defence Secretary made the remarks about Mr Putin and the Crimean War while the soldiers sat opposite Mr Wallace appeared to laugh nervously.

The change on visas will mean overseas personnel serving in the British armed forces will be able to apply to stay in the UK without paying a 2,389 application fee.

The visa fee will be scrapped for personnel who have completed six years in the forces or been discharged due to an illness or injury sustained during their service. The waiver will also apply to eligible veterans.

The new policy will come into effect in the spring and could help some of the 9,000 non-UK citizens currently serving in the armed forces if they want to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK after their service ends.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has been hit by a 'massive' cyberattack targeting its government and banks, just hours after a nationwide state of emergency was declared in preparation for a feared Russian invasion.

The websites of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service, and Cabinet of Ministers were all out of action Wednesday afternoon.

Deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov said banks were also targeted in a 'massive' distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack - which uses computer networks to bombard websites with information until they crash - in what analysts have warned would likely be the first stage of a Russian attack.

It came just hours after the whole country was placed on a war footing: A state of emergency was declared, 200,000 military reservists called up, border zones were restricted and three million Ukrainians told to leave Russia, with Kiev acknowledging for the first time that an attack could now take place anywhere, at any time.

Under huge pressure from MPs to step up the UK response, Mr Johnson has promised more and tougher sanctions against Russia if Putin escalates further.

Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin had given a sabre-rattling address to his troops to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, praising their 'battle readiness' while saying he is assured that they will fight to defend Russian security interests - which he called 'non-negotiable'. Russia also evacuated staff from its Kiev embassy.

Ukraine's security agency claimed 45,000 plastic body bags have now been ordered to the Russian frontlines, giving the first hint of the number of lives Putin is willing to sacrifice to get what he wants - after Joe Biden said supplies of blood for transfusions have also been brought in.

Defence Secretary Liz Truss warned that Putin is 'hell-bent' on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a direct attack on the capital of Kiev 'highly likely' to be in his plans. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison predicted the attack is 'likely to occur within the next 24 hours'.

Meanwhile the EU imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia targeting the defence minister, heads of the armed forces, all 351 members of its parliament, and prominent propagandists. It comes after the US and UK announced their own measures on Tuesday, targeting oligarchs and banks.

Russia hit back, saying 'there should be no doubt' that new US sanctions would be met with a 'strong response' which would be 'well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side' - while warning it is 'capable of minimising the damage' from American measures.

Ms Truss said the Russian leader appears to be 'hell-bent' on invading his neighbour, including potentially an assault on the capital, Kiev.

She said the Government has further measures 'in the locker' which it could activate, after an initial tranche of sanctions announced yesterday was widely criticised as being too weak.

Mr Johnson announced at lunchtime that Britain will be sending more defensive weapons to Ukraine in response to the looming threat of a full-scale invasion.

The UK has already sent anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian military to help counter the threat posed by Russian forces ringed around the country's borders.

Mr Wallace, pictured during his time as a Scots Guards officer between 1991 and 1998, said his regiment had 'kicked the backside' of the tsar in the Crimea and 'we can always do it again'

Mr Wallace saw service in Northern Ireland, Germany, Cyprus and Central America during the 1990s

The PM said: 'In light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia, and in line with our previous support, the UK will shortly be providing a further package of military support to Ukraine.

'This will include lethal aid in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid.'

Russia is currently estimated to have 150,000 troops massed on the borders around Ukraine, with warplanes and armoured vehicles continuing to deploy in the area.

Mr Putin has said the only way to resolve the crisis is for the government in Kiev to give up its ambitions to join Nato and to accept the 'demilitarisation' of the country.

Ukraine today said it is declaring a state of emergency as it urged its citizens living in Russia to leave the country.

Kiev is now calling up military reservists as it prepares to face down the full might of a potential Russian invasion.

The state of emergency move grants President Volodymyr Zelensky extra powers such as the ability to declare snap curfews and marks - for the first time - a direct acknowledgement from Kiev that Russia could now attack at any time in virtually any part of Ukraine, and not just rebel-held areas.

Putin has recognised two areas in eastern Ukraine as independent and authorised Russian troops to go in on 'peacekeeping' missions. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (yellow) amid fears he will now try to seize it. There are also fears he is preparing to attack Kharkiv in Ukraine (green) after massing forces nearby

'Welcome to hell, you'll die here': Firebrand Ukraine MP threatens Russian troops A Ukrainian MP has warned invading Russian soldiers: 'Welcome to hellyou will die here'. In a firebrand speech to parliament in Kyiv, Oleksiy Goncharenko, 41, told Vladimir Putin's forces: 'You wont leave from here, we promise you this. 'Welcome to hell. We can say, you will die here. Die like lousy dogs if you enter our country. 'And your generals throwing you to this meat grinder will run away first. 'So drop your [weapons] and go back home to your wives and kids. 'You have nothing to do here. It's not your land. And won't ever be.' Meanwhile Roman Dudin, head of the SBU security service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region, said today: 'We see active maneuvering and movement of Russian troops along our borders. 'The military presence is gradually increasing, there are no elements of withdrawing troops from the state border of Ukraine after the so-called exercises. 'Today, according to our information, their best tactical group has only 70 per cent of serviceable equipment. '30 per cent of equipment is defective. 'We see even in the direction of Belgorod, where  military equipment that is unable to move independently. 'We see a daily decline in the morale and psychological [wellbeing] of Russian troops.' According to Dudin, Russian troops have purchased 45,000 cellophane bags to transport corpses. 'However, I think, according to the ancient Russian tradition, they will bury them just in the middle of the field or in these nameless graves.' Advertisement

All military reservists aged 18 to 60 - more than 200,000 people - have been called up while Ukraine's border guard service has restricted movement around border zones, prohibited video recordings of its forces and banned the use of drones. Three million Ukrainians living in Russian have been ordered to leave.

Ukrainian citizens have also been given the power to bear arms - effectively activating civilian brigades who have been training with the national guard in recent weeks.

If an invasion does take place then martial law will be imposed, the head of Ukraine's security council said. The state of emergency will last for 30 days, but could be extended.

Mr Putin has delivered a sabre-rattling address to his troops to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, praising their 'battle readiness' while saying he is assured that they will fight to defend Russian security interests - which he called 'non-negotiable'.

Russia also began evacuating staff from its Kiev embassy, with the flag reportedly lowered over the building.

Ms Truss sought to defend the UK's own sanctions - criticised yesterday for not being harsh enough - by insisting that 'nothing' is off the table should Putin decide to escalate.

'We've been very clear that we're going to limit Russian access to British markets,' Truss told Sky. 'We're going to stop the Russian government with raising sovereign debt in the United Kingdom.'

'There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organisations in Russia, limiting Russia's access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine,' Truss said.

Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Bliken announced that he has called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday, saying it 'does not make sense' to go ahead with peace negotiations when an invasion is already underway.

Russia today began evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine, with the flag lowered over the embassy in Kiev.

Moscow's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that it would evacuate diplomats from the country soon, saying this was in order to 'protect their lives'.

Asked if the evacuation had begun, the embassy's spokesperson Denis Golenko told AFP by phone today: 'Yes.'

Golenko said the evacuation was 'linked to the fact that Western embassies announced evacuations of some of their staff, and that our ministry also took this decision.'

Some Western embassies, including the United States and Britain, moved their staff to the city of Lviv near the Polish border.

They did so fearing a Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying the capital could come under attack.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.

The Russian-backed leader of the breakaway Donetsk region said today that he wanted to peacefully settle its borders with Ukraine but reserved the right to ask 'big Russia' for help.

Denis Pushilin, who heads the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic that was recognised by Russia this week, said he favoured dialogue with Ukraine in the first instance.

But he told a news conference the situation in their long-running conflict had become critical and the separatists had accelerated a mobilisation of forces, in which healthy men between 18 and 55 have been called up to fight.

'We will win. With people like this, we will win. With such a country, with big Russia, which we respect and value,' he said. 'We have no right to lose, or even to doubt in our victory.'

Tensions between East and West dramatically ratcheted up on Tuesday as Putin was granted authority by Russia's lap-dog parliament to use military force abroad, a move that paves the way for him to attack Ukraine.

Hours earlier, he had given a speech in which he made expansionist claims about rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east - saying Russia has recognised areas currently held by Ukrainian troops as belonging to the separatists.

Vladimir Putin praised the battle readiness of his armies and boasted of developing hypersonic weapons as he called Russia's security interests 'non-negotiable' in an address to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day today

A Russian attack on Ukraine could start in the Donbass region (top right) with attempts to expand rebel-held areas, that could either be in coordination with or before a much wider assault on the entire country (top right). Should the fighting spill over Ukraine's borders, it could drag in NATO forces stationed in Europe (bottom centre)

PM vows to 'peel back the facade' of Russian cash as Starmer says 'loot' must not be hidden in London Boris Johnson vowed to 'peel back the facade' of Russian cash in London today as ministers insisted Britain has a 'long list' of targets for sanctions if Vladimir Putin launches a full invasion of Ukraine. The PM said the 'next wave' of reprisals will include measures to 'stop all Russian banks, all oligarchs all Russian individuals, raising money on London markets'. He also claimed the government is 'accelerating' the Economic Crime Bill that will enable the exposure of 'beneficial ownership of property and companies' in the UK by people linked to the Kremlin - although that could still be months away. But Keir Starmer insisted the authorities should be going further faster, arguing there is an urgent need to stop oligarch 'loot' being hidden in London. The clash came as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss moved to reassure MPs that the UK has far more firepower 'in the locker' after the initial response was branded 'tepid'. She confirmed that Boris Johnson 'misspoke' when he said in the Commons yesterday that Roman Abramovich was already subject to sanctions. However, she refused to rule out the Chelsea owner being targeted in future - saying: 'I am not going to go into details of who is on our list for future sanctions.' Advertisement

That has sparked fears he is preparing for a land-grab of that territory under the auspices of a 'peacekeeping' mission to the region which could extend even beyond those boundaries and all the way to the city of Kharkiv - where several major Ukrainian military bases are located.

Russian tanks and armoured vehicles have been spotted hiding in civilian areas and the tree lines of forests in several areas just to the north of Kharkiv in recent days, within just three miles of the border.

Putin has up to 190,000 troops backed by thousands of tanks and artillery units, hundreds of fighter jets and dozens of bombers encircling Ukraine from three sides - with up to 10,000 men already thought to have moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk on the current frontlines with Ukrainian forces.

Western nations have tried to present a united front in the face of the invasion, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials.

Germany also said it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia - a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy.

The US, meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets.

That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under US jurisdictions.

Russia warned today that new sanctions would be met with a 'strong response'.

'There should be no doubt - sanctions will meet a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side,' the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that Washington had slapped a new round of sanctions in order to 'change Russia's course.'

'Russia has proved that, with all the sanctions costs, it is capable of minimizing the damage. And even more so, sanctions pressure cannot affect our determination to firmly defend our interests,' the statement said.

Putins frozen out 'cronies'...and those who could be next: One of Russias richest men whose daughters went to British universities and judo-loving brothers are hit by sanctions - amid calls for Roman Abramovich to face asset freeze

London is nicknamed 'Moscow-on-Thames' because of the influx of wealthy Russians with links to Putin over the past 20 years - and today there are growing calls for Britain to freeze their piles of cash and assets after the invasion of Ukraine.

In the Commons yesterday the Prime Minister announced immediate sanctions were being deployed against very high net wealth individuals, who he described as cronies of the Russian president.

But there was some disquiet that only Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg were on the list, with MPs demanding sanctions be widened so ministers can target Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and dozens of others.

Relatives of Timchenko and the Rotenbergs were educated in England - and some of their children have British citizenship, according to The Times. Their offspring have also enjoyed being handed shares and businesses from their parents.

Margaret Hodge, Labour chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-corruption, said existing rules meant that individuals who have stolen from the Russian people and support Putin would not be caught.

She used parliamentary privilege to name Mr Abramovich, who is worth around 8.4billion, and Alisher Usmanov, a former shareholder in Arsenal who now has strong ties with Everton, in a list of Russian kleptocrats. Liberal Democrat Layla Moran then stood up to name 35 Russian oligarchs she described as key enablers.

Ministers vowed that Britain will keep ratcheting up the punitive measures unless Moscow withdraws its troops from two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine. But MPs and campaigners voiced their disappointment at the pretty tepid response and demanded tougher action now.

Liz Truss had already warned Vladimir Putin that he and his cronies faced a 'quagmire' if he invades Ukraine - and when asked if the new powers could include the ability to seize property in London, Ms Truss said last month: 'Nothing is off the table'.

Roman Abramovich was in the firing line in Parliament last night. He has an estimated wealth of up to 14billion, a fleet of yachts including his newest addition, the 48-cabin 450million Solaris, and in the UK he boasts a London property portfolio worth 200million. Chelsea FC is worth around 2.4billion. He vehemently denies he is close to the Kremlin or has done anything that would merit sanctions being imposed against him.

Mr Usmanov has made more than 13.4billion from gas and telecoms and until recently owned 30 per cent of Arsenal FC. He splits his time between his Highgate home and Surrey mansion.

Others facing calls to be targeted include oil tycoon Oleg Deripaska, once Russia's richest man, who is reported to have two homes in Belgravia. He was named as one of President Putins most loyal oligarchs by Bob Seely MP in the House of Commons in April last year. He famously entertained Blairite spin doctor Lord Mandelson on his yacht.

Mr Deripaska labelled Americas claims he is a Kremlin operative as blatant lies which have never been supported with any factual evidence.

Father-of-five Mikhail Fridman, who was the seventh richest Russian as of 2017, worth some 10billion, calls Britain his home after buying Athlone House in North London for 65million in 2016. US Department of Justice court filings reference him as having possible engagement with organized crime activities and has faced repeated organised crime investigations in Spain - but never in the UK.

Andrey Kostin is president and chairman of VTB Bank, Russia's second largest bank, which is controlled by the state and has a London-based subsidiary. He was named last year by detained Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as someone who should be targeted by Western governments in a bid to curb human rights abuses by the Russian state. Mr Kostin says the West is waging an 'economic war' on Russia.

Russians own 1.5billion of UK property. These are the homes reportedly owned by some of the highest profile billionaires

The oligarchs facing calls to be sanctioned

Roman Abramovich: Worth up to 14.3bn

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, whose money turned the club into a football powerhouse

Russian money has long bankrolled some of English football's biggest clubs, and Roman Abramovich is seen as the original billionaire football owner.

Mr Abramovich was named last year by detained Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as someone who should be targeted by Western governments in a bid to curb human-rights abuses by the Russian state.

Mr Abramovich has never held UK citizenship and made his money selling assets purchased from the state when the Soviet Union broke up.

When he arrived at Chelsea in 2003 and transformed the team from outside challengers to a Premier League giant with the help of Jose Mourinho.

As well as owning the west London football club, he has reportedly built up a 200million property portfolio in London.

This includes a three-storey penthouse overlooking the River Thames for 22million and 90million for a 15-bedroom mansion next to Kensington Palace. This is now worth at least 125million.

The bulk of Abramovich's UK wealth is to be found in Evraz, a steel and mining giant listed on the London stock market.

The Russian billionaire, 54, reportedly boasts a British property empire that includes a 15-bedroom mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens (pictured) that is believed to be now worth 125 million

The empire also includes a 22million three-storey penthouse at the Chelsea Waterfront (pictured) which was completed after his visa expired and was made in his name

Abramovich has a 162.5m yacht (pictured in September 2020), named 'Eclipse'

Believed to be worth anything between 8.4billion and 14.3billion, according to Forbes and the Sunday Times, Abramovich also owns stakes in steel company Evraz and Norilsk Nickel - a Russian mining company.

A political figure in his homeland, he was governor of the Chukotka region and donated more than $2million to build schools, hospitals and infrastructure.

The Russian-Israeli businessman is known to have close relationships with former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin and at one time, current president Vladimir Putin.

MailOnline has asked the billionaire to comment on speculation he could face sanctions.

MPs yesterday demanded sanctions be widened so ministers can target him.

The comments came as Boris Johnson was asked to correct the record over claims he had made in the House of Commons that Mr Abramovich 'is already facing sanctions'.

In his new statement, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK Government's first wave of sanctions following Russia's actions against Ukraine had seen 'oligarchs at the heart of Putin's inner circle and banks which have bankrolled the Russian occupation of Crimea' among those targeted.

He added on Wednesday: 'Roman Abramovich has not been the subject of targeted measures.

'More generally anyone who comes to this country on an Israeli passport is a non-visa national. Israelis are required to obtain a visa if they want to live, work or study in the UK.'

Mr Abramovich had issues around his entrepreneurial visa in 2018. In October 2021, the businessman's spokesperson confirmed he travelled to London as an Israeli citizen - therefore entering the United Kingdom without the need for a visa.

Alisher Usmanov: Worth 13.4billion

Alisher Usmanov (right), until recently a Arsenal shareholder, pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2013. He has links to Everton

Uzbek-born Russian Alisher Usmanov is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the third most-important oligarch in Russia, with an estimated net worth almost 14billion - up 2billion over the past two years.

He lives in London, where his Russian telecoms giant MegaFon is listed. His main home is Beechwood House, in north London.

He also owns Sutton Place, a grade I listed Tudor mansion near Woking in Surrey, which was once famously owned by Jean Paul Getty.

Both properties are worth a combined 100million or more.

He made a fortune by investing in metal and mining companies in the 1990s.

He headed Gazprom Investholding, a subsidiary of the world's biggest extractor of natural gas Gazprom, from 2000 to 2014 and still owns a stake in iron ore and steel giant Metalloinvest. He also owns the Moscow newspaper Kommersant and a telecoms company.

For more than 10 years he owned 30 per cent of Arsenal - but recently sold out to American billionaire Stan Kroenke.

Usmanov lives in London, where his Russian telecoms giant MegaFon is listed. His main home is Beechwood House, in north London

Usmanov also owns Sutton Place, a grade I listed Tudor mansion near Woking in Surrey, which was once famously owned by Jean Paul Getty

His company, USM Holdings, has links to Everton where USM chairman Farhad Moshiri is owner. USM also has a naming rights deal at Everton's training ground. He is not classified as a 'related party' despite his close links to the Liverpool club. He is investing in Everton via his plethora of businesses rather than buying up shares.

Born in Uzbekistan when it was part of the Soviet Union, he hoped to become a diplomat, but was jailed in 1980 for corruption. He served six years but the Uzbek supreme court later quashed the conviction, saying the case had been politically motivated.

Now 68, he has defended Putin the past, and said: 'The fact that everybody does not like him is not Putin's problem.'

In 2015 he was reported as being a member of Russia 2018 World Cup local organising committee, which is at the heart of FIFA's relationship with Russia.

His official biography records that in 2013 Usmanov was awarded the 'Order for Service to the Fatherland for his services to the (Russian) state' and also the 'Order of Alexander Nevsky' and the 'Order of Honour of the Russian Federation, for his professional achievements and contribution to business' as well as the 'Medal for Contribution to International Cooperation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.'

Oleg Deripaska: Worth 3.2billion

Oleg Deripaska (pictured), who was once Russia's richest man, owns a house in Belgrave Square and is a grandson by marriage to the late leader Boris Yeltsin

Once Russia's richest man, oil tycoon Mr Deripaska came to prominence in the UK when he entertained Labour grandee Lord Mandelson on his yacht in Corfu.

The tycoon  who is close to Mr Putin  quit as a director of Russian energy giant EN+ Group after being targeted by the sanctions. He owns a house in Belgrave Square and is a grandson by marriage to the late leader Boris Yeltsin.

Last year he tore into the FBI and 'utter stupidity' of the American government in a lengthy statement on Wednesday, a day after homes linked to him in New York and Washington were raided by the agency.

A spokesman for Deripaska said the searches stemmed from sanctions imposed on him in 2018 and that the homes belonged to his relatives. But on Deripaska indicated both pieces of luxury real estate were 'abandoned.'

Deripaska is a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin who's been accused of helping the Kremlin conduct foreign influence operations.

A 1,000-page Senate Intelligence Committee report released in 2020 also links him to former Trump 2016 campaign chair Paul Manafort and ex-MI6 spy Christopher Steele.

Deripaska and other members of Putin's inner circle as well as 12 Russian businesses connected to them were blacklisted by the Treasury Department in 2018 over alleged international crimes. However, Donald Trump lifted sanctions on three companies connected to him despite objections from Congressional Democrats.

Deripaska has a home in Belgrave Square and is also rumoured to have a home at nearby Eaton Square

Mikhail Fridman was the seventh richest Russian, according to Forbes

Mikhail Fridman: Worth 10.4billion

The Russian business magnate, investor and philanthropist co-founded Alfa-Group, a multinational Russian conglomerate.

According to US business magazine Forbes, Mr Fridman, who has Israeli citizenship, was the seventh richest Russian as of 2017, worth some 10billion.

The Russian father-of-five now calls Britain his home after buying Athlone House in North London for 65million in 2016.

Together with fellow billionaires German Khan and Alexei Kuzmichev, Fridman owns Alfa Group and LetterOne investment groups.

Moscow-based Alfa Group's interests span banking, telecoms and natural resources.

He netted 3.7billion in 2013 when the trio and partners sold shares in Russian oil giant TNK-BP.

Mikhail Fridman and his family bought up Athlone House in Hampstead for 65m

Igor Shuvalov: Worth 200million

Igor Shuvalov is a former Russian deputy prime minister and ally of Putin

Hugely wealthy Mr Shuvalov is a former Russian first deputy prime minister and now the Chairman of State Development Corporation VEB.RF.

Exceptionally close to Putin, who he idolises, he has a London flat. Alexei Navalny, the Russian anti-corruption campaigner, said that he owns a 5,380sqft penthouse at Whitehall Court in Westminster.

The flat, valued at 11.4 million, is believed to contain six bedrooms and a sitting room with a view of the River Thames.

In 2016 it was claimed he used his secret private jet to fly his wife's Corgi dogs around Europe - including to Britain - for competitions because first class is 'too uncomfortable' for them.

The dogs have names like Andvol Pinkerton, Andvol Tsesarevich, Andvol Ostap Bender, Andvol Hugo Boss, Andvol I'm Your Idol and Fox Pack Gabby Joy of Elves, according to anti-corruption campaigner and lawyer Alexei Navalny.

The plane was used to chauffeur his wife Olga Shuvalova's Corgis to a show in Windsor, according to Mr Navalny.

Mr Shuvalov already faces controversy over his penthouse flat overlooking the Ministry of Defence in London, and a castle in Austria.

He infuriated Russians by appearing to mock the millions of people living in cramped flats measuring only 215 square feet.

Father-of-four lawyer turned politician Mr Shuvalov, 49, is number three in the Russian government after Mr Putin and Prime Minister Dmtry Medvedev, and is in charge of economic policy at a time of crisis caused by Western sanctions, low oil prices and a low value rouble.

A suave English-speaking fixer with a reputation for solving problems for Mr Putin, he headed the successful organising committee for the 2018 World Cup bid.

The ultimate Putin loyalist, he said last year: 'If a Russian feels any foreign pressure, he will never give up his leader. Never.

'We will survive any hardship in the country - we will eat less food, use less electricity or, I don't know, some other things we are all used to.

'But if we feel that someone from outside wants to change our leader, and that it is not our will but the will that is forced upon us, we will be united as never before.'

The 5,380 sq ft penthouse at Whitehall Court (pictured), officially owned by a company belonging to the minister, emerged in an investigation by Alexei Navalny, a leading opponent of President Vladimir Putin

Andrey Kostin: Worth 375million

Vladimir Putin meets Andrey Kostin. Kostin has close ties to President Vladimir Putin and previously described sanctions against Russia as 'economic war'.

Andrey Kostin is president and chairman of VTB Bank, Russia's second-largest bank, which is controlled by the state.

Kostin has close ties to President Vladimir Putin and previously described sanctions against Russia as 'economic war'.

VTB Bank's sister company VTB Capital, based in London, is not subject to any sanctions.

In 2018 it emerged the Chelsea Flower show was reportedly struggled to find backers meaning a Russian bank set up by oligarch Mr Kostin, who is currently subject to US sanctions, has been allowed to sponsor a garden.

It was claimed in 2020 that Kostin tried to cover up claims Vladimir Putin had secretly moved to Sochi during the pandemic, with president going so far as to have a replica office built to convince Russians he's still in Moscow, anti-Kremlin media reported.

The Kremlin said a photographed meeting between Putin and VTB Bank head Andrei Kostin on October 29 2020 happened at Novo-Ogaryovo - Putin's state residence outside Moscow - but critics claimed that the encounter actually took place in Sochi.

The oligarchs already sanctioned

Boris Rotenberg: Worth 890million

Boris Rotenberg and his wife Karina Rotenberg posing for the cameras

Judo fan Boris Rotenberg and his brother Arkady were childhood friends and former sparring partners of Vladimir Putin.

The tycoon, 65, worked as a martial arts trainer as recently as the 1990s and is now vice president of Russia's Judo Federation.

He co-owns SGM, the largest construction company for gas pipelines and electrical power supply lines in Russia with his brother, who is already sanctioned in the UK.

The married father-of-five is also a motorsports fan, and sponsors the SMP Racing Project, which supports young Russian drivers.

His wife Katerina broadcasts her luxury lifestyle to 28,000 fans on Instagram, including photos of her competing in horse riding, relaxing on a super yacht in the Mediterranean Sea, and attending numerous balls.

She displays her toned physique with captions such as 'sports is my photoshop', and the socialist also appeared on the cover of Russian Tatler.

Rotenberg's son Roman, 40, graduated from the European Business School in London, and he also holds British citizenship. An investigation by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed he owned a 3.3million property in Belgravia.

The US Treasury claimed that Boris, and his brother, received billions of pounds worth contracts with Gazprom and for roads and other infrastructure used in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Igor Rotenberg: Worth 810million

Russian billionaire Igor Rotenberg, one of those targeted by the UK sanctions today

Gas tycoon Igor Rotenberg, a 48-year-old married father-of-three, became a billionaire in dollar terms when he was handed a host of assets after his father Arkady Rotenbergr was sanctioned by the United States in 2014.

He is chairman of National Telematic Systems (NTS), and a shareholder in RT  Invest Transport Systems (RTITS), transport technology firms which the UK said were of 'strategic importance to Russia'.

He owns a controlling stake in the oil and gas drilling company Gazprom Burenie. Igor also sold his stake in real estate company, TPS Real Estate, to his sister Lilia in 2018 after he was placed on the sanctions lists in the US.

The US Treasury said he was hit because he was 'operating in the energy sector' in Russia, and had 'acquired significant assets from his father'.

Igor became a billionaire after being handed a raft of investments by his father Arkady - who is currently fighting his ex-wife over ownership of a 27million mansion in Surrey.

Gennady Timchenko: Worth 17.4billion

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) high fives billionaire and businessman Gennady Timchenko playing ice hockey in Sochi

Hockey fanatic Gennady Timchenko, nicknamed 'gangrene' by his critics, is a one-time Soviet bureaucrat with an estimated fortune of 17.4billion. His family has links to the UK and once famously said: 'You have to pay for everything in your life, even for your friendship with the president.'

The vast sum includes several private jets and a 130-foot superyacht, named after his wife Lena.

The 69-year-old father-of-three, a citizen of Russia, Finland and Armenia, has been friends with Putin since at least the early 1990s when he was an oil trader in St Petersburg.

The Russian president, then head of the city's foreign relations committee, granted Timchenko a licence to export oil. He went on to co-found Gunvor, which went on to handle close to a third of all Russian oil exports, making Timchenko a fortune. Putin denied playing a part in Timchenko's rise.

His oldest daughter Natalia, 43, went to Oxford and was once married to a Briton. The Times claims she had obtained British citizenship and lived in Kensington in a flat registered in the British Virgin Islands.

His younger daugher Xenia, 37, went to Edinburgh University in 2009 and is married to Gleb Frank, son of Putin's former transport minister Sergey.

In 2014 the US Government sanctioned Timchenko, saying his 'activities in the energy sector have been directly linked to Putin. Putin has investments in Gunvor and may have access to Gunvor funds'. Gunvor denied the Russian premier was a beneficiary.

Timchenko has assets in energy, transport and infrastructure, but has been sanctioned because of his shareholding in Bank Rossiya, which 'supported the consolidation of Crimea', according to the UK Government.

In 2013, he was handed France's highest honour, the Chevalier of the Legion d'honneur, for his role in Franci-Russian relations, including creating a permanent exhibition of Russian art in the Louvre, and assisting Total SA, an oil and gas giant. Russian political writer Andrey Piontkovsky said the award 'brought shame to the French state'.

How seizing of Russian assets in London could hit football clubs, private schools, businesses and multi-million pound property market in the capital Property market: Value of at least 1billion (but probably more) Eaton Square in Belgravia is now known as 'Red Square' due to its recent colonisation by wealthy Russians close to the Kremlin Breathtaking: Just last week a mysterious Russian billionaire bought this sprawling Surrey mansion neaer Windsor Castle for 21.5million Russians own at least 1billion of property in London and the surrounding broker belts of Surrey, Kent, Berkshire and Hertfordshire. Not only has it seen homes taken out of the hands of Britons, it has also helped inflate the prices. Some 86,000 British homes are now owned offshore, around half of which are in London, covering upwards of 2.25 square miles of the city and including one in ten of the houses in Westminster. Though of course not every such property is used to hide the proceeds of crime or corruption, plenty are. The Pandora Papers leak last year also laid bare the network of secret offshore companies protecting the wealth of more than 300 world leaders and billionaires. It was claimed Russian oligarch Mikhail Gutseriev, who was sanctioned by the UK in August for his links to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and the rulers of Qatar, the Al-Thani family, bought up more than 1billion of property in London using a network of offshore firms. This suggests Russians are likely to own many more homes and buildings secretly. The flood of cash began when after the 2008 global financial crisis, Britain was accused of operating 'blind faith' in granting 'Golden Visas' to wealthy foreigners. Around one in four granted were to 700 Russians worth at least 1billion. And many bought homes, offices and other buildings in London. The Candy Brothers' One Hyde Park has been a favourite for foreign investors, including Russians. One penthouse is said to have sold for 160million A new record for Britains most expensive home was set in 2011 after a Russian billionaire paid 140million for this 18th-century country house in Henley In the run-up to the last election, the now-chancellor Rishi Sunak warned overseas purchases do 'inflate prices.' Two recent studies showed the extent and impact of such purchases, including by Russian buyers in London and found up to 55% of prime properties in London and the stockbroker belt was sold to overseas buyers. Such was the interest in British properties, in 2016 the so-called 'Kleptocracy Tour' of London began. Attended by politicians and anti-corruption groups, they took in some of the capital's grandest addresses, many of which have in recent years been secretly hoovered up by foreign buyers whose wealth was acquired in dubious  or in some instances criminal  circumstances. The tour was hosted by Roman Borisovich, a Moscow-born financial expert forced to flee his home country in 2012 after he began campaigning against endemic corruption by Vladimir Putin and his cronies. 'London at the moment is the most corrupt place on Earth,' is how Roman Borisovich put it. He said today: 'The laundromat risks robbing Britain of the moral authority to demand that allies make sacrifices to resist Russia. It is past time to shut it down'. He said previously 'There is more dirty money in the real estate market here, per square foot, than anywhere else on the planet. Once a Russian gets their cash here, they know it is safe and can be kept secret. You have the rule of law. You are a global financial centre, with close ties to great tax havens. You have great schools and universities for their kids, and PR firms prepared to launder their reputation.' Football: Russian owners worth 20billion Abramovich bought Premier League football club Chelsea in 2003 and has pumped his fortune into Stamford Bridge (pictured) Russian money has long bankrolled some of English football's biggest clubs. Roman Abramovich is seen as the original billionaire football owner. When he arrived at Chelsea in 2003 and transformed the team from outside challengers to a Premier League giant with the help of Jose Mourinho. Since he took ownership of the club and invested heavily in big-name managers and players, they have won 16 major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League. Believed to be worth around $15billion, according to Forbes, Abramovich also owns stakes in steel company Evraz and Norilsk Nickel - a Russian mining company. Uzbek-born Russian Alisher Usmanov is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the third most-important oligarch in Russia, with an estimated net worth of 11.4billion. For more than 10 years he owned 30 per cent of Arsenal - but recently sold out to American billionaire Stan Kroenke. His company, USM, has links to Everton where USM chairman Farhad Moshiri is owner. USM also has a naming rights deal at Everton's training ground. He is not classified as a 'related party' despite his close links to the Liverpool club. In 2015 he was reported as being a member of Russia 2018 World Cup local organising committee, which is at the heart of FIFA's relationship with Russia. His official biography records that in 2013 Usmanov was awarded the 'Order for Service to the Fatherland for his services to the (Russian) state' and also the 'Order of Alexander Nevsky' and the 'Order of Honour of the Russian Federation, for his professional achievements and contribution to business' as well as the 'Medal for Contribution to International Cooperation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.' Businesses: Value of at least 70billion The City of London is flush with cash from Russian firms, many based at the London Stock Exchange Russian giants such as Gazprom and Rosneft are listed on the London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange is the leading foreign trading platform for Russian companies. Around 60 companies with a combined worth of 70billion are listed in the UK including Gazprom, Rosneft, Sberbank, VTB, Lukoil and Norilsk Nickel. But Oligarchs with links to the Kremlin have also used London like a 'laundromat' for illicit Russian money, a recent report warned. Britain welcomed Putin's cronies 'with open arms' because of the cash they brought with them, the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said in 2020. In damning claims, the report said oligarchs had penetrated British democracy by donating to political parties and hiring peers for their businesses. MPs and peers on the ISC concluded that rich figures from Russia have turned the UK capital into 'Londongrad' by laundering their money, making Russian influence in the UK the 'new normal'. The committee said 'few questions if any were asked about the provenance of this considerable wealth'. UK banks were also caught napping during the Russian Laundromat' scandal, when it emerged that a network of 21 'ghost' companies set up in the UK had been used to launder between 16billion and 65billion from Moscow between 2010 and 2014. Seventeen British banks  including Lloyds TSB, HSBC, Barclays, RBS and the Queen's bank, Coutts  blithely handled 600million of such loot, before the scheme was exposed. At times, the failure of banks and regulators to catch onto the Laundromat beggared belief. For example, one 'shell' firm caught up in the affair, called Seabon Limited, filed Companies House returns suggesting its turnover was around 10 a year. In fact, bank records showed 9billion went through its accounts. There are now moves to introduce a so-called Magnitsky amendment  named after a Russian anti-corruption lawyer beaten to death in a Moscow prison  to help freeze the assets of human rights abusers. And there are calls for the Land Registry to insist that all records state the ultimate beneficial owners of UK properties. New laws also give UK courts powers to impose Unexplained Wealth Orders on the owners of assets, forcing them to reveal how they acquired the cash to purchase them. The procedure is civil, rather than criminal. It requires the target of an order to provide information about the ownership of a particular asset and the means by which it was obtained. If they fail to comply, the asset can be taken from them, even if authorities are unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they acquired it lawfully. Not long ago, the Government filed its first Unexplained Wealth Order against the anonymous foreign owner of two London properties worth a reported 22million. It remains to be seen whether the legislation can be applied effectively  or whether expensive lawyers invariably employed by oligarchs and their wealthy chums will be able to frustrate it. Yet for years, particularly when it comes to Russian loot, the British government has been asleep at the wheel. Education: Value 60million-a-year Teenagers playing golf at Millfield Public School An estimated 2,000 Russian children are sent to Britain's most expensive and exclusive private schools every year, worth at least 60million. The numbers peaked at around 3,000 in around 2014, with a downward trend since then. The Independent Schools Council has said that more overseas pupils come through our private system from Russia than from any other country, with the exception of China. Not all the oligarchs whose offspring rub shoulders with wealthy young Britons at our top public schools acquired their cash legitimately. There have been warnings that British families were being priced out - or forced out - of top schools, some of which appeared in danger of becoming 'finishing schools for the children of oligarchs'. The success of Harry Potter saw parents seeking a kind of Hogwarts for their Russian children, seeing British boarding schools as the best place to educate children from the age of four. Some schools have said they will stop encouraging applications from Russia, to ensure British children don't miss out, while top schools such as Winchester decided that Russian candidates must pass special entrance examinations held in Europe each year. Millfield School in Somerset, which charges around 35,000 annually, was revealed to have accepted a payment in 2011 of fees for one of its Russian pupils from the Latvian bank of a suspect company caught up in a major money-laundering scandal (something the school's bursar could not have known about). ... and what about all the exports to Russia: Value 2billion-a-year (but the UK imports 10.4billion) Luxury cars remain a big market for the UK in Russia (Rolls Royce Wraith pictured) at Sheremetyevo international airport, north of Moscow Britain was self-sufficient for natural gas less than 20 years ago - but now imports more than half of it from Europe including some from Russia. The UK spends 10bn a year on Russian imports Russia was the UKs 20th largest trading partner, despite the tensions between London and Moscow. Around 2billion-a-year of British products are exported to Russia, with the biggest market being manufacturing and pharmaceutical products. Sales of luxury cars such as Bentleys and Rolls Royces are going from strength to strength, with UK car sales to rich Russians reaching 500million. The threat has led to the launch of Russian-built Aurus cars - a new company that hopes to challenge British manufacturers as well as the German giants of BMW, Mercedes and Audi at the very top end of the luxury vehicle market.But Britain still imports 10billion of goods from Russia, up around 2billion since Brexit. The most valuable imports are metals, especially gold. Britain also imports 5% of its gas from Russia, mainly in liquid form, a major gripe amongst experts who believe the North Sea should be used to make the country self-sufficient. Advertisement

The shady Russian 'military' bank facing US and UK sanctions for funding Ukraine invasion whose billionaire oligarch founder brothers were exiled and is now run by London-educated son of Putin ally with millions in property

The Russian 'military' bank sanctioned by the US and UK over Ukraine is run by the son of a spy chief after being forced into state control from the hands of two billionaire oligarch brothers who fell out with Putin, MailOnline can reveal.

Washington and London have sought to shut down any international transactions by Moscow-based Promsvyazbank (PSB), which is run by chairman and CEO and Kremlin-ally Petr Fradkov.

The White House and Downing Street say the bank is used to prop up Russia's defence capability and its economy - with Washington and London banning them from trading with Americans or the British after the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Fradkov, the son of Putin's former top spy and prime minister Mikhail Fradkov, graduated from Kingston Business School in south-west London in 2007. Since becoming one of the country's most prominent bankers, he and his family have also built a huge property empire.

The 43-year-old claims international sanctions are useless because PSB now largely only deal in rubles and they now keep foreign exchange transactions to a minimum. Billions of rubles have been pumped into the bank by the Russia state and it now services nearly 70 percent of Russias defence contracts as well as banking and personal finance for the Russian military's top brass and personnel.

As a result Joe Biden and Boris Johnson are being urged to make Vladimir Putin squeal with pain after critics said the first barrage of sanctions against the Russian Presidents billionaire cronies and banks did not go far enough.

PSB was founded by brothers Dmitri and Alexei Ananyev who fell out with Putin and fled Russia amid claims of corruption and missing cash allegedly stashed in Cayman, Curacao and Cyprus. Dmitri claims KGB-trained officials with little understanding of banking are now helping run the sector and ruining Russia.

The siblings say that the claims were 'politically motivated' and came after they refused to allow it to be nationalised and become a 'special lender to the military' after a raft of sanctions in 2015 from the West after Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and chairman and CEO of Promsvyazbank Petr Fradkov. The bank is seen by London and Washington as Russia's

The Promsvyazbank bank office in Slavyanskaya Square in centre of Moscow. The bank has denied sanctions will hurt them

Petr Fradkov owns a grand apartment at the Academy of Sciences residential complex in Moscow, according to reports in Russia. His family's property empire is said to be worth 20million ($30m)

Dmitry Ananiev claims he was subjected to death threats by phone and email, was constantly followed in Moscow and was told that prosecutors would be forced to accuse them of fraud and money-laundering, which is what happened, forcing them to flee for London and Limassol.

They were accused of a 1.2billion ($1.6billion) fraud they claim was cooked up by the state. And while they were wanted by Interpol at the time, this was scrapped after investigators accepted the prosecution of the brothers was at least partially politically motivated.

PSB was founded by brothers Dmitri and Alexei Ananyev who fell out with Putin. They claim it was because they resisted it becoming state owned

The bank quickly fell into administration and was taken over by the country's central bank in 2017, where it now provides key services crucial to financing the Kremlin and the Russian military machine now rolling into Ukraine.

Today it is run by Petr Fradkov, the son of Putin's former prime minister and long-serving spy chief Mikhail Fradkov. And despite a modest salary on paper, the family owns property worth at least 20million ($30m).

His father was exceptionally close to Putin, serving as Prime Minister between 2004 and 2007, and then nine years as the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

But he is accused of criminality and corruption including agreeing projects that either failed and led to the plundering of billions of dollars from the state.

Fradkov Jr owns at least two luxury apartments, including in the former Academy of Sciences buildings, according to journalists in Russia.

And while his father was subject to 2018 US sanctions, he flew to Paris, Dubai, Vienna, Berlin, Geneva, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv, Zurich, Rome and Milan on various holidays and business trips.

Petr's wife is a Moscow teacher and his mother-in-law a charity boss, but are reportedly whisked around the capital in a bank-owned Mercedes limousines.

This week the United States deployed its most powerful sanctioning tool, placing Russian elites and two banks on the Specially Designated Nationals list, effectively kicking them out of the US banking system, banning them from trading with Americans, and freezing their US assets.

Biden said the sanctions in the initial tranche applied to VEB bank and Russia's military bank - Promsvyazbank, which does defence deals. He said the sanctions against Russia's sovereign debt meant the Russian government would be cut off from Western financing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking with his then Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov in 2007. Fradkov would then become his spy chief and his eldest son is in charge at PSB

The U.S. renewed sanctions on Alex Bortnikov (left), the head of the FSB, and Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergei Kiriyenko (center). New sanctions were issued on Promsvyazbank CEO Petr Fradkov

Washington slapped sanctions on VEB and Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company, as well as 42 of their subsidiaries, accusing the two banks of being 'state-owned institutions that play specific roles to prop up Russia's defence capability and its economy.'

The sanctions on the banks come on top of designations of Russian 'elites' the Treasury Department accused of being close to Putin, including Aleksandr Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), and Petr Fradkov, the chairman and chief executive of Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company.

Also hit with sanctions was Sergei Kiriyenko, a former prime minister of Russia.

'They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well,' Biden said of Russian elites.

Brian O'Toole, a former Treasury Department official now with the Atlantic Council, said Tuesday's sanctions will have impact, but questioned whether it would be immediate enough.

'I think the risk they run by not going after a big state-owned commercial bank is that Putin thinks that the West is not going to be willing to bear the pain of big economic sanctions, and therefore that he can safely expand his ambitions,' he said.

Russia's Sberbank (SBER.MM) and VTB (VTBR.MM) would face American sanctions if Moscow proceeds with its invasion of Ukraine, a senior U.S. administration official told reporters.

The official also said Russian elites not sanctioned on Tuesday should be on notice and noted that the Biden administration was fully prepared to implement export control measures with a large number of countries if Russia invades further.

'Further Russian assault into Ukraine remains a severe threat in the days ahead,' Biden said. 'The United States and our allies and partners remain open to diplomacy if it is serious.'

Britain imposed sanctions on Gennady Timchenko and two other billionaires with close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and on five banks - Rossiya, IS Bank, GenBank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank. read more

The lenders are relatively small and only military bank Promsvyazbank is on the Russian central bank's list of systemically important credit institutions.

Bank Rossiya is already under U.S. sanctions from 2014 for its close ties to Kremlin officials.

Ministers vowed that Britain will keep ratcheting up the punitive measures unless Moscow withdraws troops from two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine.

But MPs and campaigners voiced disappointment at the pretty tepid response and demanded tougher action now.
The brother of Manchester Arena attacker Salman Abedi and the Parsons Green Tube bomber are still locked up in the same jail - despite teaming up in Belmarsh to brutally attack two prison officers.

Ringleader Hashem Abedi, 24, and Ahmed Hassan, 22, were given more jail time yesterday for battering Paul Edwards, 57, with a chair before beating him 'like a pack of animals'.

They were joined in the brutal assault by a third convicted terrorist, Muhammed Saeed, 23.

But despite the clear danger of Hassan and ringleader Abedi they are still being held at the same jail.

MailOnline has learned while all three were moved from Belmarsh, only Saeed has been geographically separated to HMP Whitemoor.

Abedi and Hassan are both at Durham's HMP Frankland, although not on the same wing.

It is despite an independent reviewer of terrorism legislation saying some extremists should be kept away from each other inside to prevent further violence.

Frankland has a specialised separation wing has the same privileges offered to other inmates in other parts of the jail.

They include fortnightly visits and computer games as well as being allowed to mix with each other on the unit.

A source said: 'Not every terrorist goes into the separation centre, it could present its own problems if they were all grouped together.'

There is also a small exercise yard where prisoners are said to 'just walk around and around'.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'It is absolutely right that terrorist offenders of such risk are housed in our most secure prisons so they can be subject to much stricter monitoring and conditions  including rigorous oversight of who they are associating with, routine checking of correspondence and higher staffing.

'We will never tolerate such appalling attacks against hard-working staff and  as in this case - will always push for the strongest possible punishment.'

Hashem Abedi, Muhammed Saeed and Ahmed Hassan were all convicted of Belmarsh attack

The Separation Unit at Durham's HMP Frankland, where the jail's most serious terrorists are

One of the cells on the wing at HMP Frankland where Hashem Abedi is being held today

Yesterday Abedi was utterly unrepentant as he was sentenced to another three years and 10 months of jail time for his Belmarsh attack - vowing 'we will be leaving soon'.

He seemed particularly proud of himself in the dock, declaring: 'I did assault that filthy pig, but don't see any wrongdoing'.

All three prisoners denied assault causing actual bodily harm to Mr Edwards but were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday by a jury after around three and a half hours of deliberations.

None of the jurors were told about the defendants' previous criminal histories and were visibly shocked post-verdict as they discovered who Abedi was.

He had chosen to represent himself at trial and accused prison staff of lying in court, and was also found guilty of assault by beating of an emergency worker after kicking prison officer Nick Barnett as he came to his colleague's aid.

Members of the jury looked visibly shocked when they were later told of Abedi's previous conviction, with the terrorist already serving a life term with a minimum of 55 years - the longest jail sentence ever imposed.

Abedi was in Libya at the time of Manchester Arena attack, but was extradited to Britain in 2019 and finally convicted on March 17, 2020, two months before assaulting Edwards.

His co-defendant, Ahmed Hassan had tried to set off a 'Mother of Satan' bomb on a tube train containing 93 people at Parson's Green station in September 2017.

He set a timer and got off the train leaving the device, packed with shrapnel, in a Lidl bag. It ignited in a fireball but did not explode as it injured dozens of commuters.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Abedi to another three years and 10 months, of which he will serve half.

Abedi, 24, Hassan, 21, and a third defendant, 23-year-old Muhammed Saeed (pictured left to right) were on trial

Injuries on prison officer Paul Edwards who was attacked at HMP Belmarsh on May 11, 2020

Mr Edwards suffered a laceration to his head, bruising to his back, rib cage and face (pictured above), and has lasting damage to his hearing

The attackers: 'Mother of Satan' Tube bomber and Manchester Arena co-conspirator Hashem Abedi: Life sentence with a minimum term of 55 years Abedi was charged with 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion. He had helped his Manchester Arena bomber brother to source the materials used in the bombing and had assisted with making the explosives which were used in the attack Ahmed Hassan: Life sentence with a minimum jail term of 34 years Hassan was charged with attempted murder of commuters on the Parsons Green Tube in 2018. His bomb had been left in a white plastic bucket inside a Lidl shopping bag. Wires were hanging out, as well as a black towel. Reports also indicate the device had a timer attached and was packed with knives and screws and would have been deadly if it had gone off as he had planned. Muhammed Saeed: Five years Saeed was jailed for five years last May after pleading guilty to five counts of possessing an article for terrorist purposes. He had been caught on WhatsApp with two others talking about carrying out a terrorist attack in London with a knife. Advertisement

Hassan, who is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 34 years, and Saeed, who is serving a five-year sentence, were both handed three-year jail terms.

Before he was sentenced, Hashem Abedi told the judge: 'I don't think the sentence is going to make any difference. Inshallah, myself and all my brothers will be leaving the prison very soon.

'The promises of Allah and the Prophet are more truthful than your sentence and your judgment.'

Abedi conspired with his elder brother, suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, who killed 22 people and injured hundreds more at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017.

He was suspected of being the 'amir' or 'leader' of a group of Islamist terrorist inmates inside Belmarsh's 'prison within a prison,' Woolwich Crown Court heard.

He is seen smiling in CCTV footage before he, Hassan and Saeed storm Mr Edwards' office, where he operated an 'open door policy'.

Mr Edwards, a custodian manager who has worked at Belmarsh for 25 years, told jurors he was hit with a chair, repeatedly punched and kicked on May 11 2020.

'I feared for my life, and I genuinely thought if I hadn't fought back I would've ended up with at least extreme injuries or dead,' he said.

He said 'it felt like a lifetime' before colleagues, including Nick Barnett, who has been a prison officer for 21 years, came to his aid seconds later.

'It was just like a pack of animals on Mr Edwards,' said Mr Barnett, who was kicked in the leg by Abedi during the melee.

Mr Edwards, who can be seen with head injuries and blood on his shirt in pictures released by police, suffered a laceration to his head, bruising to his back, rib cage and face, and has lasting damage to his hearing.

Abedi told Woolwich Crown Court he 'was not here to complain' over conditions inside HMP Belmarsh in London. Pictured: Three defendants smiling to each other before the attack

Hashem Abedi, 24 is the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman and conspired with him before the deadly suicide attack. Salman Abedi is pictured above at Victoria Station en route to the Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017

Watchdog warns of the dangers of allowing terrorists to form gangs while in prison It's a 'problem' that three convicted terrorists were allowed to associate behind bars and form a gang, a terror watchdog has said. Hashem Abedi, brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, Parsons Green Tube bomber Ahmed Hassan, and Muhammed Saeed - who spoke about carrying out a knife attack in London - were found guilty of attacking a prison officer in Belmarsh's high-security unit in May 2020. Jonathan Hall QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said the case demonstrated an attempt by an 'established gang' to seize power from authority, and suggested how measures like separation centres could be used to keep terrorists away from each other in custody. Abedi - who conspired with his elder brother, suicide bomber Salman Abedi, 22, who killed 22 people and injured hundreds more at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017 - was suspected of being the 'amir' or 'leader' of a group of Islamist terrorist inmates inside Belmarsh's 'prison within a prison', Woolwich Crown Court heard. The trio were involved in a fight with a group of non-Muslim prisoners in the months before the attack, when their incentive and earned privileges (IEP) level was downgraded from 'standard' to 'basic'. Mr Hall said: 'Yes, I think it's a problem that they were allowed to associate in a way that led to the formation of a gang. 'There's territorial behaviour here. So, not just the attack on the prison officer ... but there was an orchestration of complaints and there was an attempt to get the regime changed on behalf of him and his brothers. And brothers here means fellow Islamist gang members. 'So this case demonstrates an attempt by an established gang to seize power from the authority.' Asked how terrorists can be prevented from colluding behind bars, Mr Hall said: 'In terms of what you do about it, I think you've got to recognise that these are not just gangs like any other gangs. 'This is a gang led by a terrorist mass murderer and the consequences of this sort of gang led by this sort of individual having influence within the prison are so serious that it has to be disrupted - in terms of the impact on other prisoners, recruitment and radicalisation within prison, and potential encouragement to further offences against the authorities.' Advertisement

All three prisoners denied assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) to Mr Edwards but were found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday by a jury after around three and a half hours of deliberations.

Abedi was also found guilty of assault by beating of an emergency worker over the attack on Mr Barnett.

Abedi is serving 24 life sentences with a minimum term of 55 years after he was found guilty by a jury in March 2020 of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and plotting to cause an explosion likely to endanger life over the Manchester Arena attack.

Prison officers believed Abedi considered himself the 'emir' or leader of the four Muslim prisoners in the high security unit.

He had demanded changes to the prison regime after the three men took part in a fight with non-Muslim prisoners on Spur 4 of the high security unit on March 1 2020, while he was on trial for 22 counts of murder.

Hassan was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 34 years in 2018 after planting a device that injured 51 passengers in September 2017.

The man who started the prison attack was Muhammed Saeed, from Trafford, Manchester, who was awaiting trial after encouraging an attack on two men who confronted a Muslim woman in a Youtube video at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London in December 2019.

Saeed's reaction to the Youtube video was said by the judge to be one of 'extreme anger' - he exhorted others to join an attack and then discussed what sort of knife should be used with an undercover officer online, and instructed the officer to help him acquire the knife.

However, he was only charged with possessing documents useful for terrorism, including a copy of Rumiyah, an online magazine produced by ISIS, which offered advice on what types of knife to use, where on the body to strike and to attack during the hours of darkness.

He was eventually jailed for five years in May last year after pleading guilty in November 2020.

The jury was not told about their convictions or that all three were involved in a fight with a group of non-Muslim prisoners on March 1 2020, when their incentive and earned privileges (IEP) level was downgraded from 'standard' to 'basic'.

This meant they lost privileges including use of their televisions, and would have had less association time, fewer visits and no access to items such as games stations and DVD players.

The court heard Abedi had orchestrated six complaint letters from prisoners, including Mohiussunnath Chowdhury, 30, a jihadist jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years in July 2020 after plotting a gun and knife rampage at London tourist hotspots.

Abedi and Hassan had their IEP downgraded again by Mr Edwards after shaving their heads without permission and Abedi met with the HSU governor to complain 'he and his brothers wanted the regime changed' on the day of the attack.

Mr Edwards, a custodian manager who has worked at Belmarsh for 25 years, told jurors he was hit with a chair, repeatedly punched and kicked on May 11, 2020

Blood on a desk at the scene of the incident in which prison officer Paul Edwards was attacked

The office chair used in an attack on prison officer Paul Edwards at HMP Belmarsh in 2020

the scene of the incident in which prison officer Paul Edwards was attacked at HMP Belmarsh on May 11 2020

Items collected at the scene of the incident in which prison officer Paul Edwards was attacked at HMP Belmarsh

Abedi, who defended himself, was not allowed to cross-examine his victims but accused other prison officers of lying in their statements as he questioned them from the dock.

In a closing speech, he said: 'I don't think we get treated like other prisoners.'

When Abedi appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court to answer the charge that he assaulted Mr Edwards, he said: 'I did assault that filthy pig, but I don't see any wrongdoing.'

Asked about the second charge, he was said to have replied: 'Same as before, I don't see any wrongdoing.'

At a later Crown Court appearance, Hassan told a judge: 'I hate you very much, you are an evil man.'

Before he was sentenced, Hashem Abedi told the judge: 'I don't think the sentence is going to make any difference. Inshallah, myself and all my brothers will be leaving the prison very soon.

'The promises of Allah and the Prophet are more truthful than your sentence and your judgment.'
A headteacher has been forced to apologise after contrasting student absences during Storm Franklin to children 'walking for miles' to get to schools in war torn countries.

Angela Holleran, headteacher of All Saints Catholic Primary School in Bootle, Merseyside, sent parents a letter on Monday saying it was 'staggering' that 'many' of children had not turned up to classes due to high winds.

She also said she was 'in awe' when seeing photographs of children walking barefoot to school 'for miles' or 'clambering over rubble past bombed out ruins'.

'I wonder what they might make of our attendance rates in school today,' the headteacher added.

The letter was sent to parents on the day Storm Franklin hit the UK, bringing 70mph winds just days after the stronger and more damaging Storm Eunice.

Merseyside was under a yellow weather warning - the least severe warning on the Met Office's three-tier system - at the time.

But the letter sparked outrage from parents who branded it 'disgusting', while one said it made them 'feel like a bad parent'.

Now Ms Holleran has been forced to apologise for the letter, saying it was 'not the intention' to upset parents.

Angela Holleran, headteacher of All Saints Catholic Primary School in Bootle (pictured), Merseyside, sent parents a letter on Monday saying it was 'staggering' that 'many' of its children had not turned up to classes due to high winds

The row started after the school sent the letter to parents saying it was found it 'staggering'.

The letter read: 'Welcome back to a new half term to all who returned to school this morning. It was lovely to see our children excitedly reunite with their friends and with staff.

'Unfortunately, we have many children absent today, not because of Covid or other illnesses but apparently because of the wind!

'I have to say I find this staggering, not least because most live in very close proximity to school.

'Given the amount of pre-school and school experiences that our children have already missed in the last two years, missing a whole day's learning today is unacceptable.

'For staff, many of whom travelled considerable distances here this morning, eager to introduce new learning topics to their class, it is incredibly frustrating.'

The letter went on to speak about how they were 'in awe' when seeing photographs of children walking barefoot to school 'for miles' or 'clambering over rubble past bombed out ruins'.

Angela Holleran (pictured), headteacher of All Saints Catholic Primary School in Bootle, Merseyside, sent parents a letter on Monday saying it was 'staggering' that 'many' of its children had not turned up to classes due to high winds.

The letter continued: 'I'm always in awe when I see photographs of children and parents around the world who value education so dearly that they walk barefoot for miles or clamber over rubble, past bombed out ruins, in order to get to school.

'I wonder what they might make of our attendance rates in school today.'

A mum, whose child attends All Saints Catholic Primary School, slammed the letter and called it 'disgusting'.

The mum, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'I've kept my son off school due to the winds as I work from 8am being a single mum he has to take himself to school.

'For safety reasons I didn't want him walking on his own, there were many people who I'm aware have kept their kids off too.

'When I saw the email from the school I was crying to my sister about it because they were making me feel like a bad parent for putting my kid first.'

The mother also mentioned how she was 'shocked' the school compared children living in Bootle to kids walking to school 'for miles' in war torn countries.

She said: 'I was shocked at the last bit of the email, there's no comparing kids here and people in really poor countries. It was awful.'

All Saints Headteacher Angela Holleran said she regrets any upset caused by to parents and explained 'it wasn't our intention'.

She said: 'We are aware that we did experience windy conditions on Monday morning and that the Met Office had issued a yellow weather warning for our area, indicating possible low-level impact.

'In line with schools across Sefton, we were open as normal to all pupils. All risk assessments on the site had been completed well in advance of the children arriving.

'All of our staff were in school ready for the start of the new half term, fully expecting pupils to arrive, given that the overwhelming majority live in very close proximity to the school.

'For pupils who did attend, classes went ahead as normal and following a further risk assessment, children were able to play and learn outdoors.

'We regret any upset caused to the parent who felt the need to contact the local paper. This was not our intention.

People brave the wet weather as they pose for pictures with the Beatles Statues at the Pier Head, Liverpool, during Storm Franklin on Monday

'Pre and post -Covid, our focus was and remains, on the entitlement of every child to a full-time education.

'Governors and staff at All Saints are mindful of the well-established link between school attendance and a happy and successful life.

'The disruption to children's learning and development, as a result of the pandemic, is significant and far- reaching in all year groups.

'In response, from September 2020, we extended the school day at both ends to provide additional teaching time to all children.

#Comprehensive tutoring and pastoral programmes have also been implemented across the school to support children.

'We want all children to be in school every day to benefit from as much of this support as possible and we hope parents will work with us to ensure this is the case.'
The 21-year-old SUNY student who died last week after being attacked at random was shot three times by her killer in a drive-by shooting, and tried to run to safety but collapsed.

Beth Howell, 21, was standing outside the building where she practiced cello in Potsdam, upstate New York, on February 18, when she was shot by Michael J. Snow.

Snow fired at her three times from his grey four-door sedan then fled. She was found outside by friends, having tried to run to safety but collapsed. Howell, whose family lives in Patterson, New York, died in the hospital later.

Snow fled back to Massena, where he lives in a run-down house with a handful of other people including a man who was last week arrested for robbing the bank across the street.

He was taken into custody on February 19 - his birthday - at around 4.22pm.

His motive remains unclear but friends and family of the victim say it seems to have been a random attack.

Beth Howell, 21, was standing outside the building where she practiced cello in Potsdam, upstate New York, on February 18, when she was shot by Michael J. Snow (right in a Facebook image)

New York State Troopers told DailyMail.com they are yet to find any connection between the pair.

Snow had, until recently, been living in the home he shared with his late mother Paula, who died 'unexpectedly' in 2019.

Friends and locals say she died by suicide in 2019, leaving Michael behind along with a 'long-term partner' who lives in Madrid. The circumstances surrounding her death are not entirely clear.

Sometime afterwards, Snow had a friend, Raymond Lancto III, move in with him to the house but that man also died in 2020.

His death was ruled as an overdose from fake fentanyl.

Lancto's sister Angela Mossow told DailyMail.com she has always wondered where he got the drugs from.

Snow fired three shots from his grey Honda, fatally injuring Beth before he drove away. It is unclear where he got the gun

Snow was arrested in his home in Massena, New York, (above) on his birthday - February 19. He had been living in his late mother's old house, but moved to the shared house above sometime after 2020

Police told DailyMail.com there is no connection between Snow (shown in his mugshot) and Howell

Tragic background: In April 2019, Snow's mother Paula died mysteriously and unexpectedly in their home. The following year, his roommate Raymond Lancto, right, died from a suspected overdose

Snow's newer roommate, Jeffrey Howell (no connection to his victim) was arrested earlier this month for robbing the bank across from their home

She said she previously employed Snow to work as a dishwasher in her restaurant, but that he could not hold down the job because he was addicted to smoking crack and had to go to rehab.

Police would not confirm whether or not he is addicted to drugs or if he was under the influence when he shot Howell last week.

He remains in the custody of St. Lawrence County Sheriffs, who will not say if he is being held in the county jail or if he is in the hospital.

Snow has been arraigned on a second degree murder charge.

His next court date has not yet been set.

Snow is said to have been living in the house on Main Street with Jeffrey Howell, who is in custody for robbing Massena Loans and Savings, a bank across the street from their home.

Beth Howell's family say she was a 'sweet' girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time

Howell, 34, is in custody after fleeing the bank with $5,000.

He was chased two blocks by the bank's president before tossing the money in a snow bank and being apprehended by the police.

Howell's family and friends have described her as a 'sweet' girl who was in the 'wrong place at the wrong time.'

She was due to graduate from SUNY Potsdam this year.

Snow remains in the custody of St Lawrence County Sheriffs on a second degree murder charge. He has been denied bail.
A teacher faces being struck off for allegedly fat-shaming and refusing to teach a schoolgirl whose bra strap was showing.

Business studies teacher Andrew Gibson has been accused of 'singling' out a female pupil who took her hoodie off during a lesson at Westhill Academy in Aberdeenshire.

He is alleged to have said he was 'deeply uncomfortable' with what the schoolgirl was wearing as he could see her shoulder and bra strap.

It is also claimed he said there was a 'level of risk' regarding her outfit.

In another incident, Mr Gibson apparently told his class not to applaud one pupil because their presentation 'was not good enough to deserve applause'.

Other charges claim Mr Gibson 'mocked' a pupil by doing an impression of her by flicking his hair.

He is also alleged to have called pupils 'fat', swore in front of his class and used the word 'b******s'.

Andrew Gibson has been accused of 'singling' out a female pupil who took her hoodie off during a lesson at Westhill Academy in Aberdeenshire

Mr Gibson accused a colleague of 'bullying' and 'victimising' him and apparently made derogatory remarks about another teacher's lessons.

He is also alleged to have held a bottle of liquid on his lap and asked pupils from Westhill Academy in Aberdeenshire: 'Do you know what this looks like?'.

He faces being struck off the teaching register following an investigation over the comments by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).

The teaching regulator is looking into over 20 allegations against Mr Gibson which date from February 2017 to December 2017 at the school.

Headteacher of Westhill Academy, Alison Reid, yesterday said: 'He seemed to be uneasy that the pupils weren't in uniform, particularly with girls and how they were dressed.

'He didn't go into details about why but he certainly was.'

Making reference to an incident where he refused to teach a female pupil after she took her jumper off, she said: 'The middle floor gets very hot and it was in a computer lab, so the pupil took off her hoodie.

'My understanding was that other pupils had removed their hoodies or jumpers but Mr Gibson honed in on her.

'My understanding was it was [appropriate in line with the dress code].

'He was told if he had worries about a pupil's dress he was to speak to their guidance teacher and not the pupil.

'It was going against what we had agreed was agreed by him and singling out one pupil could have been as isolating.'

Sarah Colville, deputy headteacher at the school, said: '[The girl who was not allowed to take her jumper off] she was roasting and there were no windows open or any fans on.

'He could see her shoulder and a bra strap. They got into a bit of an argument. There were other pupils dressed the same.

'Andy said that he was deeply uncomfortable [with what Pupil A was wearing]. He kept saying he was concerned about false accusations.

'I really felt this wouldn't have escalated if the windows had been opened or put a fan on. He definitely singled the pupil out.'

She added that after a meeting between her, head of faculty's Peter Hagan and Mr Gibson: 'Mr Hagan left the office, I stood up to go, then he shut the door and just stood.

'He was just kind of lurking and he's a big chap.

'Then he made the comment 'what would it look like if someone passed your office and I am in the corner, like the deputy headteacher was hitting me'.

'I was gobsmacked, I was totally taken aback.

'I felt 'oh my god, I'm vulnerable here'.'

Jason Fitzgerald, another deputy headteacher at the school said: 'There were other girls dressed similarly.

'He was using phrases that he did not want to be exposed to arms, bra straps. He said there was a level of risk involved and that concerned me.

'I was deeply uncomfortable the more I thought about what he said. The fact he was not wanting to be left 'open to that level of risk'.

'Those were his words and they stick in my mind. It is not a normal conversation to be having at school.'

Mr Gibson faces being removed from the teaching register following an investigation over his alleged comments.

The hearing continues.
A rapist caught on CCTV carrying his victim through Leeds city centre just minutes before attacking her and then laughing while claiming to be HIV positive has today been jailed for life.

Austin Osayande, 40, was told he will serve a minimum of 16 years in prison after raping a 24-year-old, having grabbed her while she was waiting for a taxi home in 2015.

Leeds Crown Court was told Osayande 'laughed' after attacking the woman, who he told he was HIV positive.

Video of the lead up to the attack was initially released by West Yorkshire Police at the time as they hunted for the predator.

But he managed to evade police detection for the next years, until he carried out a second attack in September last year while working as a Hermes delivery driver.

After delivering a parcel he asked to be let in for a coffee. When his victim obliged, he assaulted her in her own home.

Last month he entered guilty pleas to the two charges, one of rape and one of sexual assault, after appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from prison.

Today, seven years on from the attack, Osayande was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Judge Guy Kearl QC said: 'You are a danger to women, whether known to you or strangers in situations where you can get them alone and then force yourself on them.

'This danger has continued for at least six years. You pose a high risk of causing serious harm to female members of the public.'

Austin Osayande (pictured), 40, was told he will serve a minimum of 16 years in prison after raping his 24-year-old, having grabbed her while she was waiting for a taxi home in 2015

Police released footage of the attacker shortly afterwards in a bid to identify the man, who was dressed in a long black overcoat and trousers. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been walking to get a taxi home after a night out in the city when Osayande approached her at around 5am

Osayande's first offence was raping a 24-year-old woman in Mark Lane in the city on August 14, 2015.

Police released footage of the attacker shortly afterwards in a bid to identify him.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been walking to get a taxi home after a night out in the city when Osayande approached her at around 5am.

He spoke to her and walked alongside her before he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the scene of the attack a short distance away, West Yorkshire Police said.

Wearing a long black overcoat and black trousers and with a shaven head, he was earlier seen in CCTV footage loitering in a car park before approaching a woman on the street.

The shocking footage was released by detectives probing the rape in 2015.

Head of Crime for Leeds District, Detective Superintendent Pat Twiggs said at the time: 'The footage of the victim being carried off by this man clearly makes for disturbing viewing.

'We gave very careful consideration to releasing it and secured the consent of the victim who has been left understandably traumatised by what this man did to her.

'I think the CCTV gives a really stark illustration of the very serious nature of this offence and we hope it will focus the public's minds on helping us to identify and trace the man responsible.'

The shocking footage was released by detectives probing the rape on Osayande's first victim in 2015. It shows him carrying the woman (who is blurred out) away in his arms

Osayande was seen approaching a woman (pictured) on Swinegate at 4.45am and he can be seen walking along Briggate

Seven years on, Austin Osayande, 40, (highlighted) has admitted raping the woman, as well as sexually attacking another a few years later

He added: 'We don't know if he assaulted her prior to picking her up. We don't have that on CCTV and the victim cannot be sure.

'There has obviously been some force during the attack but there was also not a lot of resistance from the victim.'

He was not caught until September last year when he was committed another sexual attack.

While working as a Hermes delivery driver he delivered a parcel to a woman's home and said he was going to return 'for a coffee' later.

The victim let him into her house, but not did make him a coffee and did not have the confidence to ask him to leave, the court heard.

He then attacked the woman in her own home before chillingly telling her he will 'see her on Saturday'.

Osayande faced a trial after being charged with the rape in 2015 and a sexual assault on a woman in the city on September 10 last year.

But he pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration at Leeds Crown Court last month.

He will serve two-thirds before he is eligible to go before the Parole Board who will decide whether he is safe to be released.

Osayande will be on licence for the remainder of his life and he has also been made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
U.S. sanctions Russia after Putin sends troops to Lugansk, Donetsk

Xinhua) 09:53, February 23, 2022

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees, recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as "independent and sovereign" states, and later ordered troops to enter the regions to conduct peacekeeping operations.

Lugansk and Donetsk declared independence following a vote during the height of armed conflict with Kiev in 2014. Ukraine refused to recognize their self-proclaimed status.

Calling Russia's move "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," Biden said in remarks delivered from the White House that his administration will impose sanctions on two Russian financial institutions - the VEB and the country's military bank -- as well as on Russia's sovereign debt and three individuals.

He explained that the measure "means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

Biden also mentioned the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany, which Berlin announced earlier in the day. Additional sanctions will be followed if the situation escalates, he said.

The president also announced movements of U.S. troops to the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and share borders with Russia.

Biden said that the United States has "no intention of fighting Russia" but will "abide by" its commitments to NATO.

Following Moscow's recognition of Lugansk and Donetsk, Biden signed an executive order on Monday banning Americans from doing businesses in the two regions.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called off a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

During a joint press briefing at the State Department with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken said it makes little sense to hold a meeting with Lavrov following the Russian moves.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)




Supreme Court Justice Cho Jae-youn categorically denied Wednesday any link to a massive development scandal following a newspaper report that a central figure in the scandal promised him a luxury house.







Cho made the comment during a press conference after the Hankook Ilbo daily reported last week that Kim Man-bae, the owner of an asset firm at the center of the scandal, said he promised a house worth about 5 billion won ($4.2 million) to an incumbent Supreme Court justice.







It was the first time a sitting Supreme Court justice has held a press conference.







The scandal centers on revelations that Kim's little-known asset management company, Hwacheon Daeyu, reaped astronomical profits from its investment in an apartment development project in Seongnam's Daejang district in 2015. (Yonhap)


Hundreds of storm clean-up efforts are underway across Australia's east coast after two days of torrential rain - but there's another week of downpours still on the way.

A startling map shows a huge rain bomb will dump up to 300mm of rain over parts of NSW and Queensland over the next seven days.

The accumulated rainfall model updated on Wednesday night shows an increase in expected total amounts of rain - with the entire east coast forecast to get at least 100mm.

There will also be widespread areas that will see 150mm to 200mm and 'some pockets' that will get in excess of 300mm with a flood warning in place for seven rivers.

An updated accumulated rainfall model released on Wednesday night shows some areas will receive 300mm (pictured)

Seven major rivers in Australia's eastern states are set to flood as rainfall lashes the country (pictured: Sydney on Wednesday)

'These models are likely to chop and change over the next few days, however, the signals are there for a significant risk of both flash and riverine flooding,' NSW Incident alerts said.

'Communities in low-lying areas and along creeks and rivers are advised to closely watch forecasts and warnings and be prepared for such conditions.'

'Some locations in the Northern Rivers have already received between 50-150mm of rainfall. Rivers and creeks in these areas are responding quickly to these totals.'

The heaviest torrential rains are expected across the northeast of NSW and southeast Queensland and flood warnings have been issued for Tweed, Brunswick, Wilsons, Richmond, Orara, Bellinger and Nambucca Rivers.

Multiple flood watches are also still in place for the Central Coast, which among the hardest hit by the downpour on Tuesday.

Of concern in that region are the Paroo River, Darling River, and Lachlan River along with Tuggerah Lake.

This section of road in north-west Sydney was washed away in the deluge (pictured) on Wednesday

Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said on Wednesday that the SES received 1323 calls in 24 hours (pictured, clean up crews at the Parramatta River)

Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said on Wednesday that the SES received 1,323 calls in 24 hours with 40 children being evacuated from a childcare centre in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west.

Ms Cooke said the majority of requests concerned leaking roofs, flash flooding on roads and debris.

Fire and Rescue also responded to 114 storm-related incidents in the past 24 hours, Ms Cooke said in parliament on Wednesday.

Senior meteorologist Jonathan How said the continual rain on already wet ground will increase the risk of flash flooding events this week.

'We are likely to see showers continue into the weekend with another 10 to 20mm over the next few days but for those across Sydney we're expecting showers to continue all the way into late next week,' Mr How told Today.

'So another eight to 10 days of quite showery, cool conditions.

'Thankfully, over the next few days the rain won't be quite as heavy but the ground is so saturated so take care in low-lying areas.'

Flooding is still a concern with the ground already soaked (pictured: Canterbury on Tuesday)

Powerful floodwaters in Queensland swept this freight train off the tracks near Quilpie (pictured)

Queensland is set to receive the brunt of the wet weather on Thursday and Friday.

One woman has been killed after her car was swept away in flood waters, with others still missing.

The 63-year-old woman's car was washed away in floodwaters at Belli Park in the Sunshine Coast hinterland and police confirmed at least 10 other people were unaccounted for across the region.

They include a 54-year-old man whose motorcycle was found at Cedar Pocket near Gympie on Wednesday morning.

A woman films the overflowing Parramatta River near a ferry wharf on Wednesday after rain lashes western Sydney

Emergency services received the report of the Belli Creek woman's vehicle submerged in floodwaters at Skyring Creek Road just before 5am.

They were initially unable to access the vehicle due to fast-rising floodwaters but eventually located and accessed the submerged Honda CRV three hours later.

'We've not only had to rescue people from vehicles, we've unfortunately seen the death of at least one lady overnight,' Superintendent Craig Hawkins told reporters.

Canterbury SES volunteers in Sydney on Tuesday inspecting a flooded carpark (pictured)

SES workers in Guildford attended a callout to a fallen tree near powerlines on Wednesday (pictured)

BOM's radar showed heavy rains with thunderstorms across huge swathes of Sydney suburbs recording more than 100mm of rain on Tuesday.

Many roads are flood damaged and ferry services have been cancelled between Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday due to flooding and debris on the swollen Parramatta River.

The Sydney suburb of Marrickville was hit by the heaviest falls on Tuesday, recording 169mm of rain in just 24 hours.

Sydney Airport recorded 137mm, Rose Bay in the inner east 121mm, while Canterbury in the southwest reported 119mm.

More than 100mm was recorded in a number of locations around western Sydney including Bankstown, Lidcombe, Auburn, Guildford, Toongabbie, North Ryde and Castle Hill.

On the Central Coast, Wyong recorded 160mm of rain and Kulnura 102mm.

Cattle Ridge Road at Maralaya in north west Sydney was ripped up by the torrent (pictured)
Kanye West surprised his audience at the star-studded Donda 2 listening event in Miami on Tuesday, when he sampled Vice President Kamala Harris' viral 'We did it, Joe' moment on a new track.

West, 44, who now goes by the moniker Ye, used audio from a video posted by Harris on Twitter on November 7, 2020, in which she calls her running mate, President Joe Biden, to congratulate him on their joint election victory.

During Tuesday's much-delayed live performance at LoanDepot Park, Harris' voice filled the air as a cohort of dancers dressed in black outfits and helmets waded in a pool of water around a replica of the artist's childhood home, with West pacing nearby and occasionally dancing to the beat.

Kanye West took a swipe at VP Kamala Harris by featuring her viral 'We did it, Joe' moment on a track during his Donda 2 listening event in Miami on Tuesday

Harris famously called her running mate Joe Biden in November 2020 to congratulate him on his election win, saying, 'We did it, Joe'

The vice president's clip was tacked onto a track titled Louis Bags, which was performed by rapper Jack Harlow who stood on stage wearing all black to match a pair of Prada sunglasses.

It is unclear why exactly West chose to feature Harris' video, except apparently to mock the Democrat, whom he has criticized in the past.

In the clip, an overjoyed Harris tells Biden on the other end of the line: 'We did it. We did it, Joe. You're going to be the next president of the United States.'

The short video has been viewed more than 50 million times and has been retweeted more than 545,000 times.

West briefly ran for president in 2020 and was a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump.

The short video went viral on Twitter and has been viewed more than 50 million times

Harris' voice from the November 2020 recording was heard at the top of the track 'Louis Bags' performed by Jack Harlow (pictured)

Fans tuning in to West's concert online reacted with incredulity to the Harris jab.

'Why did Kanye just sample Kamala Harris wtf is this' one confused commented wondered.

Occupy Democrats, the left-wing advocacy group, hit out at West for his 'apparently mockery' of the vice president.

'RT IF YOU THINK KANYE IS AN IGNORANT FOOL!' the group tweeted.

Harris was not the only celebrity to get trolled during West's Miami listening event introducing his new album, Donda 2.

The rapper also sampled a clip from his estranged wife Kim Kardashian's Saturday Night Live monologue, in which she praised his as a 'talented, legit genius,' but he conveniently left out the second part of her bit, in which she joked that she divorced her husband of seven years because of his personality.

West, 44, also trolled his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian, by featuring a portion of her Saturday Night Live monologue (pictured), in which she praised his as a 'legit genius'

West did not miss a chance to take multiple swipes at Kardashian's new boyfriend, SNL comedian Pete Davidson, by poking fun at Kim's concerns for his safety

West also did not miss an opportunity to take swipes at Kardashian's new boyfriend, comedian Pete Davidson.

In the song Eazy, which was released last month, West rapped, 'God saved me from that crash / Just so I can beat Pete Davidson's a**.'

The following song, titled Security, included lines about putting someone's 'security at risk' - an apparent reference to Kardashian's leaked text messages expressing concern that West's social media outbursts directed at Davidson were endangering the 28-year-old SNL cast member.

The livestreamed performance of Donda 2, which featured Alicia Keys, Migos and Pusha T, was delayed by more than two hours, leaving fans antsy.

When the show finally got under way, West raised eyebrows he was joined on the stage by Marilyn Manson, who is facing multiple credible sexual assault allegations.
Emma Burkey, 19, suffered four strokes and had to undergo five surgeries and needed breathing and feeding tubes after having adverse effects to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

A Las Vegas woman who endured four strokes and three brain surgeries after having a severe reaction to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is learning to walk again.

Emma Burkey, 19, reached a 'new goal' on Friday when she was finally able to walk down stairs a year after being told she'd never be able to.

Burkey was rushed to a Las Vegas hospital after she suffered a seizure following the one-dose COVID-19 shot on April 1, 2021. She believes the vaccine caused the onset of a rare medical condition, which led to three brain surgeries, two additional surgeries, four strokes, and the need for a breathing and feeding tube.

'Now Im able to walk with canes which I thought never happened. Im setting goals and when I reach them Im setting new goals,' she told News Now 8 on Tuesday. She no longer needs help from machines for breathing or eating.

Her strokes left her with limited movement, but Burkey already has regained upper body strength and managed to hold a baby doll - a big step for her as her dream is to work with children, News Now 8 reported. Before she became ill, she was a volunteer at a church nursery.

She has spent five hours a day during the last 10 months undergoing physical therapy to relearn fine motor skills and how to walk again. At one point, the teen had to be placed in a medically induced coma, but could not move, speak, or blink her eyes when she awoke, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Burkey's reaction to the vaccine is rare and the CDC still advises patients to get vaccinated. For those who received a J&J vaccine, the CDC recommends getting a booster shot from Pfizer or Moderna.

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After 10 months, Burkey (left) is now able to walk up and down four to six steps. After suffering a rare reaction to the vaccine, she was left with limited movement in her body, especially her left side and was told she would not be able to walk again

Equipped with a leg brace and either a walker or a cane, Burkey has been undergoing five hours of physical therapy a day to relearn how to walk again

Back in April, she suffered a seizure and her parents rushed her to the hospital. Doctors found a blood clot in her brain and said she had low platelet levels. She was diagnosed with thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), which at the time was only linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The condition, which causes blood to clot in the brain, has affected only 57 patients out of the 18million who have received the J&J vaccine, as of early February.

'At the very beginning, when I was at the hospital, I couldnt move literally anything,' Burkey told the Las Vegas Review-Journal earlier this month. 'And my parents didnt know that I was even there, that I wasnt a vegetable, until I stuck my tongue out.'

Now, Burkey can eat a sandwich, but cannot type on her own and is learning how to walk up and down stairs. She can now walk up four to six steps by herself. She uses a cane or a walker, and a leg brace, and can walk about 300 steps in durations of 10 steps at a time.

'Its not the prettiest thing youve ever seen, but I can do it. So, Id rather be able to do it without those things,' she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

She still has only limited movement in her hands, with her right hand having 10 to 15 per cent of the normal range and her left at one to two per cent.

Burkey suffered from a blood clot in her brain after receiving the J&J vaccine, a condition that has only affected 57 out of the 18million patients who have received the company's vaccine

Burkey (pictured front left in 2017) volunteered at a children's nursey at her church prior to the incident

Three months after her brain surgeries, she was still unable to walk and had limited movement on her left side.

When Burkey, who was flown to California for her treatment at a hospital, returned to Nevada, she went to a family friend's home, where she had easy access to a shower. Her parent's home is not wheelchair accessible.

A GoFundMe was set up to help cover Burkey's medical expenses, which are around $2.5 to $3million, according to the Las Vegas Review. The fundraiser has since raised almost $72,000 out of its $100,000 goal.
Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg on Tuesday asked a judge to dismiss tax fraud charges brought against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office, claiming the investigation into the ex-president's family business was politically motivated.

The company itself has also asked that charges against it were dropped in the latest court filing of the Southern District of New York's (SDNY) criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's family real estate empire.

Weisselberg's attorneys claim he's 'collateral damage' in New York prosecutors' 'yearslong pursuit of Mr. Weisselbergs longtime boss, Donald J. Trump.'

Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization have pleaded not guilty. Trump himself has dismissed the investigation as a 'witch hunt' on multiple occasions.

The SDNY's investigation, which runs parallel to a tax fraud probe into the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is looking at whether the former president's family business misrepresented the value of its assets and allowed certain executives to scuttle taxes by compensating them with off-the-books perks.

It began in 2018 under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and is being continued under new District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has already caught criticism for being soft on crime as violent incidents surge in the Big Apple roughly a month in his new office.

Trump previously urged James and Bragg to focus more on soaring crime rates in New York rather than 'political' investigations.

Allen Weisselberg (left) is accused of evading taxes on $1.7 million in pay and benefits as the Manhattan District Attorney looks into whether Donald Trump's real estate empire misrepresented the value of its assets and compensated executives with lavish off-the-books gifts that went untaxed

Shortly before taking office Bragg signaled that he would be taking a special interest in the probe.

'This is obviously a consequential case, one that merits the attention of the DA personally,' Bragg told CNN in late December.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the SDNY's office for comment.

Weisselberg's lawyers claim his charges, brought in July, fall outside of the statute of limitations and breach his immunity granted during the federal investigation into former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, according to the 162-page filing obtained by CNN.

The longtime CFO is accused of evading taxes on $1.7 million in pay and benefits, a charge his legal team wants thrown out. They also argue that a charge over failing to pay local taxes on a luxury New York City apartment fall outside of the statute of limitations by three years or more.

Begun in 2018 under former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, the investigation has since been taken over by new DA Alvin Bragg -- who's already catching heat for being too soft on violent crime

His former daughter-in-law allegedly told New York prosecutors that Trump offered to cover her children's private school fees instead of a raise for her husband who was also employed by the Trump Org, a previous Daily Beast report claims.

Jennifer Weisselberg claimed Trump told her ex-husband Barry that he wouldn't be getting a pay rise, but his children would receive tuition to the elite $47,540-a-year Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School.

The former president has not been charged nor accused of wrongdoing in neither Bragg nor James' probes.

However he faced a massive legal setback earlier this month when a judge ruled that he and two of his adult children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must sit for depositions in the Attorney General's civil probe.

James' office is looking into whether the company mislead lenders, investors and tax authorities on the value of Trump properties.

In another blow, top accounting firm Mazars USA, which has long handled the ex-president's corporate and private tax returns, severed its ties with the Trump Organization in early February.

Court documents show the company washed its hands of a decades' worth of Trump financial statements it prepared, claiming they could no longer be considered reliable.

Trump unleashed on James and Bragg over the matter on Sunday, accusing them of 'frightening' Mazars into cutting him out.

A federal judge has ruled that Trump (center), Donald Trump Jr. (right) and Ivanka Trump (left) all must provide depositions in James' civil fraud case

'My long-term accounting firm didnt leave me for any other reason than they were harassed, abused, and frightened by DAs and AGs that for years have been threatening them with indictment and ruination,' he said through his Save America PAC.

'They were broken by these Radical Left racist prosecutors, and couldnt take it anymore.'

Mazars accountant Donald Bender, who had been responsible for handling the Trump Organization's financial information for years, appeared before a grand jury assembled by the previous Manhattan DA last year.

Mazars handed over Trump's tax returns and other data to the SDNY in February 2021 after a lengthy court battle delayed investigators' subpoena for about a year and a half.

With information provided by Trump Organization employees, Mazars would assemble those statements, which reportedly began with a page-long list of Trump's various assets from homes to cash to pageants he ran next to their dollar value.

Valuations involved looking at comparable assets like the recent selling prices of similar real estate.

Trump lashed out at both James' and Bragg's investigations after his longtime accounting firm Mazars cut ties with his company and distanced itself from 10 years of financial data

But prosecutors are reportedly looking at whether Trump's people discarded estimates and sales on the lower end of the spectrum and only focused on his most valuable properties.

A copy of his 2012 financial statements includes a cover letter from Mazars which ends with: 'Users of this financial statement should recognize that they might reach different conclusions about the financial condition of Donald J. Trump.'

Though he didn't prepare the information Trump also allegedly would add his own notes and disclaimers in addition to Mazars', including referring to his valuations as just 'estimates.'

And while the cover sheets to Trump's statements make clear that they're his responsibility, language inserted by Mazars accountants further hedge their data.

'Donald J. Trump is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statement in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America,' the letter reportedly reads.

They also add a common disclaimer that the company had not 'audited or reviewed' the data and 'do not express an opinion or provide any assurance about' it.

A statement from the year before omits his Chicago hotel altogether along with significant debts Trump held at the time.
A transgender Berkeley English professor who once backed the burning of books was suspended from Twitter after tweeting to the UK government that she hoped the Queen of England would die of COVID.

Prof. Grace Lavery, a prominent trans activist, was in a Twitter spat on Sunday with an anti-trans advocate when the person accused Lavery of wanting to incite public disorder with her upcoming tour around the UK to promote her memoir next month.

During the back-and-forth, Lavery snapped that: 'I hope the queen dies' in a tweet that also tagged the UK government.

The post came as Queen Elizabeth, 95, tested positive for COVID-19.

Twitter quickly suspended her account in response.

She told DailyMail.com that she supported people being canceled on social media - but apparently that does not apply to her.

Lavery said: 'I wholly support social media platforms taking action against harassment.

'I do not think they should ban people for hoping that public figures die, whether the person in question is Elizabeth Windsor, Donald Trump, or Jeremy Corbyn,' Lavery said, the latter referring to a member of the UK's Labour Party that was suspended from the party in 2020 over anti-Semitic comments.

Prof. Grace Lavery, of the University of Berkley, had tweeted, 'oh I hope the queen dies also,' before she was suspended on Twitter. She said she stands by her statement

Lavery had been in a Twitter spat when someone tagged the UK government and accused her of intending to incite public disorder as she prepped for a tour of the UK next month

Lavery's Twitter account was suspended following her post tagging the UK government

She also complained that her Twitter ban was suppressing her freedom of speech.

'Bans on discussing the Queen's death additionally have the (presumably unintended) effect of suppressing speech about the line of succession,' she said.

'I'm not expecting any of the free speech activists to get incensed about this, of course, but their hypocrisy is nonetheless pungent.'

UC Berkeley decline to comment on the issue, saying Lavery acted as an individual and that she has her right to freedom of speech.

After being suspended from the platform and facing backlash, Lavery went on to Instagram to further insult the British queen in a sarcastic post paired up with the Sex Pistol's 'God Save the Queen.'

'I certainly do *not* wish for the reintroduction of the guillotine, nor the public seizure of all lands and entitlements reserved by the Windsors, nor do I crave to appear on the front of the Daily Mail dressed in my (unmarried) mother's bridal veil' she wrote.

'Under no circumstances would I describe the Windsors as cruel, bloodsucking molesters and sponges, each of significantly below average intelligence even for the degenerate British ruling class; and at no price could anyone compel me to declare Elizabeth Regina an impassive, thoughtless windbag, as incapable of saying anything more thoughtful than a Tory's guff, as she is undeserving of even a legacy place in a second-rate provincial grammar school.

'We love our queen. God saves. Shine on, ma'am! (rhymes with SCAM).'

The post was preceded by Lavery echoing the words of others who stood by the queen and her decades on the throne.

Lavery went on to further insult the queen and the royal family on Instagram

Lavery previously earned backlash on social media when she advocated for the burning of author Abigail Shrier's anti-trans book, 'Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.'

In a post last November, which was taken down along with the rest of Lavery's posts due to the Twitter suspension, she encouraged her followers to steal Shrier's book and 'burn it on a pyre.'

She also told her supporters to rip out the book's pages and replace them with pro-trans rights literature.

The newest controversy comes in the middle of the California professor's tour around the UK, where she was set to promote her new memoir, 'Please Miss: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Penis' and debate anti-trans right advocates.

Lavery was set to debate Irish journalist Helen Joyce, who has written critically of the trans right movement, on the conservative site UnHeard, but has since backed out after she said her mother was being harassed online.

Lavery claimed her mother had received photos of Lavery and her partner having sex on Twitter, which she said was stolen from a private Instagram account years ago.

'The hatred, misogyny, and rage that were being directed at my mother were simply too much to bear. I could not, and can not, ask her to bear the vicious attacks that I have become used to,' Lavery wrote in a statement.

'I realized that my UK tour would likely become a focal point for the same kind of people who would send my mother pictures of me and Danny having sex. I am scared of those people, and I am not preparedin a literal sense, I am not prepared, cannot afford the preparations that would be necessaryto feel physically safe at a debate.'

Lavery said in a statement that she was no longer taking part in a much anticipated debate after she claimed her mother was harassed online

'She added that she would no longer be doing future debates and giving up her role as a 'public intellectual'

The lesson for me is clear. For the last few years, Ive tried to be a scholar, a public intellectual, and an author of creative prose. One of those has had to go, and its the second one.

'If I were willing to claim Id been canceled, maybe I could salvage my reputation among the chattering classes, but I dont want to do that, because it isnt true. So again, Im not going to be doing any more political engagements other than those to which Ive already agreed. . For others, Im not so sure.'
A woman who is suing a male gynecologist for secretly fathering her by impregnating her mother with his sperm in the 1980s has told how she learned he was her father while she was also receiving medical treatment from him.

Morgan Hellquist, 36, filed a lawsuit against Dr. Morris Wortman, a gynecologist from upstate New York in September last year. She is one of a growing number of people to learn they have entire families or relatives after taking an at-home DNA test.

In January 1985, he inseminated her mother, Jo Ann Levy, with sperm which he claimed was that of a medical student but was in fact his.

Levy's husband Gary, who raised Morgan, was rendered paraplegic when he was 20 after being hit by a drunk driver while on his motorcycle. The couple, who were high school sweethearts, went to Wortman asking for his help to start a family and paid $50, three times a month, for what they thought was stranger's sperm. They conceived Morgan in 1985.

In 2016, a year after her father Gary died, Morgan took an Ancestry DNA test to find out more about her biological heritage and she discovered she had six half-siblings, all of whom had come from the same donor.

Morgan Hellquist, 36, filed a lawsuit against Dr. Morris Wortman, a gynecologist from upstate New York in September last year

Gynecologist Dr. Morris Wortman. He denies the allegations and is still practicing in upstate New York

Morgan's mother Jo Ann Levy and her father Gary went to the gynecologist for help in the 1980s. Gary had been hit by a drunk driver and could not have children naturally. They asked for help and for an anonymous sperm donor's sample to be used

At the time, Wortman - who was revered by her family for giving them a miracle baby - had been treating her for her own gynecological issues for four years.

It wasn't until 2021 - after he had been treating her for nine years - that Morgan learned from a DNA test that he was likely her biological father.

She claims that he knew he was her father during the nine years he treated her, and that he was at times inappropriate with her.

In her lawsuit, she claims he made sexually inappropriate jokes, told her she was a 'good kid' and even had his own wife come in to the room to 'get a look' at her because they both knew he had fathered her in secret.

Morgan told The Leader, a local newspaper in New York this week, how she was horrified by the fact he is still practicing. She also told how she nearly crashed her car when she learned he was her biological father, and how her own mother now blames it all on herself.

'My mom feels so violated. She said, "I feel like he raped me." She feels like all of it is her fault,' she said.

Wortman has never commented on any of the allegations but in legal filings, he claims she is lying and that he did not use his own sperm while treating her mother. He is seeking a dismissal.

Morgan told in the lawsuit how her family revered him as a miracle-worker after helping his mother conceive. She was told when she eight that she was conceived with the help of a sperm donor because of her father's earlier accident.

As a child, Morgan said she knew who Wortman was. He was also well-known in the area because he performed abortions and was often the target of pro-life protesters.

Morgan says she grew up idolizing Wortman for giving her parents a miracle pregnancy. She chose him as her own gynecologist in 2012

Morgan says Wortman and his wife Rebecca both knew she was his daughter and that he once called Rebecca into the patient room while he was treating her to get a 'look'

'He was all over the news when I was in my late teens. My mom would stop cooking dinner and say, "There he is,"' she said.

In 2012, after having two kids of her own, Morgan sought treatment from Wortman because she was unhappy with her own gynecologist.

Carl Lore also claims that Wortman used his own sperm instead of a donor's to father him

She started visiting him for ultrasounds examinations, breast and pelvis exams, and was happy with the work until she became suspicious that he may have been involved in her conception.

After finding out that she had six half-siblings, she made contact with many of them online and was surprised to see that her half-brothers bore resemblances to Wortman.

She also learned that she was 50 percent Ashkenazi Jewish.

At first, Morgan played it down, convinced it was an impossibility that Wortman may be her father.

She continued to see him for medical treatment and allowed him to fit her with an IUD, among other procedures.

In her lawsuit, she claims he once told her she was a 'Jewish American Princess' after she complained of unusual mood swings.

She says he also once showed her an antique 'theragun' and asked what she thought it was used for, then suggested women used them to masturbate.

They all believed that their biological sperm donor father was a medical student who had donated his sperm frequently at the time they were all conceived.

One of the half-brothers however contacted Wortman's daughter with his own wife and compared their DNA - it was a 99.9 percent match.

Among those who she is now in contact with is Carl Lore, who came forward after Hellquist first filed her lawsuit last year. He says the doctor used his own sperm

The New York statute of limitations for medical malpractice is only 2-and-a-half years, which stops Morgan from being able to sue him for when he treated her mother.

She however claims that because he continued to treat her as a patient, while allegedly knowing she was his biological daughter when she didn't, means he is guilty of malpractice towards her.

'I'm somehow teetering on this one blade of grass that allows me in this freak scenario to hold this man accountable,' she said.

Her lawyer Kathryn Bruns said: 'A physician owes a duty to his patient. In this instance, he had a duty to not treat her. He violated his ethical obligation as a physician.'
A career criminal with 19 prior arrests and three assault convictions has become the latest face of NYC's soaring crime wave after he was charged with the murder of an innocent mom-of-four shot dead while walking her dog to a Brooklyn bodega.

Officers tracked down Namel Colon, 36, at a Chinese restaurant in Queens after the suspect evaded capture for nearly two months following the January 2 shooting inside Salim Smoke Shop in Bedford-Stuyvesant that left dogwalker Jennifer Ynoa, 36, and her year-old pet pit bull dead.

Colon, who lives in Manhattan's Lower East Side according to public records, was subsequently cuffed and hauled to the borough's 79th Precinct, where he was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

It is not clear if Colon was out on bail, parole, or conditional release at the time of the attack, and it is unknown how he managed to evade investigators for seven weeks after the shooting.

But he was previously paroled after being jailed three times for assault, as New York state faces questions over its no bail policy critics have warned is flooding the streets with dangerous criminals, many of whom then reoffend.

New York cops arrested career criminal Namel Colon, pictured in security footage captured at the scene, Tuesday in connection with the incident. Records show that Colon is serial criminal with 19 prior arrests with 11 felony charges, including three felony assaults for which he served time and was released early on parole or conditional release

Jennifer Ynoa, 36, a mother of four, was gunned down by the suspect inside a Brooklyn deli last month, when he opened fire at another customer inside the store

Her one-year-old pit bull, Blue, was also killed during the January 2 attack

Records show that Colon is serial criminal with 19 prior arrests with 11 felony charges, including three felony assaults for which he served time and was released early on parole or conditional release.

Conditional release refers to when a prisoner is released from jail early and has similar responsibilities as a parolee.

Ynoa, a mother of four who lived two blocks away from the deli where she was shot, was walking her dog, Blue, when she was killed the night of January 2, her boyfriend Carlton Busch, 46, said after the incident.

'Ive been angry. Ive been a lot of ways about this. I lost my wife and my dog,' Busch told the Daily News Tuesday, following the arrest. 'That was my best friend. We had a family and needless to say, [the arrest] is a bit anticlimactic.'

Busch told the paper Colon is 'gonna have to think about his own answers' regarding his alleged part in the murder. 'And luckily he gets to live with his answers at least.'

'She had children,' he went on. 'She had people that loved and cared for her and everything and now they took the life out of her.

'Thats not gonna fit any punishment.'

Footage shows Ynoa and her dog inside the store just before the shooting, while a man though to be the intended target, seen at the bottom right of the image, looks on eating a bag of chips

The suspect began opening fire before he entered the store. Pictured here are Ynoa and the other man, who was not injured refused to cooperate with police when questioned, react to the hail of gunfire

Footage from outside the store shows a man thought to be Colon brandishing a pistol and opening fire as he storms inside the Bed-Stuy store

Busch said Ynoa's children, are now staying with their aunt.

Cops say Ynoa was likely not the shooter's intended target, after analyzing surveillance footage captured by a security camera at the store, saying another man inside the store at the time was likely the shooters intended target, cops said.

The suspect believed to be Colon can be seen clearly in the security footage, police say, adding that the shooter was also recorded arriving in front of the store in a red four-door sedan and calmly crossing the street before immediately opening fire.

Pictured is Salim Smoke Shop in Bedford-Stuyvesant shortly after the shooting, where no one else, including Colon's intended target who refused to talk to police, was harmed

Ynoa was shot in the head and transported to nearby Brooklyn Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her dog died at the scene, police said.

Camera footage shows a man thought to be Colon hopping into the car and driving off.

No one else was struck by the hail of indiscriminate gunfire, including store staff and the suspect's suspected intended target.

It is not clear if Colon was out on bail, parole, or conditional release at the time of the attack, and it is unknown how he managed to evade investigators for seven weeks after the shooting

After the attack, the man thought to be Colon's mark, who fled the scene following the attack and has yet to be identified by police, was taken by officers for question, during which time he refused to cooperate with officers and called for a lawyer, cops said.

Colon's criminal record shows he had 19 prior arrests with 11 felonies, including burglary, robbery and assault.

Ynoa is the latest face to fall victim to New York City's surging crime wave, which has seen a nearly 50 percent spike in criminal incidents in the city this year when compared to the same span in 2021.

Less than two weeks ago, a 35-year-old Asian advertising creative, Christina Yuna Lee, was knifed to death by a homeless serial criminal who followed her home to her Chinatown apartment after being freed on bail.

Yuna was found by cops in her apartment with several stab wounds inside of her bloodsoaked bathtub.

Christina Yuna Lee, 35, was stabbed to death in her New York City apartment 'by homeless serial criminal' February 13

Career criminal Assamad Nash, 25, was arrested in connection with the Chinatown killing. According to court records accessed by DailyMail.com, Nash has been arrested four times in the last year alone and had been out on bail when he allegedly killed Lee

Career criminal Assamad Nash, 25, was arrested in connection with the killing. Terrifying footage showed the man police say is him creep into the building behind Lee after she got out of a cab.

Nash, who is homeless, had been out on bail following several outstanding offenses, including an assault case in September and criminal mischief arrest in early January. He was due in court on March 3. According to ABC7, he has been arrested at least seven times since 2015, most recently on January 6, 2022.

According to court records accessed by DailyMail.com, Nash has been arrested four times in the last year alone. His rap sheet included misdemeanor charges of assault, intentional damage to property, harassment, resisting arrest, both attempted and successful escape from police officers and selling a fare card.

Chilling footage shows the murderer, named as Nash, follow victim Christina Yuna Lee through the hallway of her Chinatown apartment building

Nash is said to have followed Yuna Lee in after she exited a cab, then forgot to check the door had shut behind her

Yuna was found knifed in her bathtub, and couldn't be saved, with Nash also said to have been discovered hiding under his alleged victims' bed

Three of these cases remain open, and he has appeared in court on numerous occasions. He was set to appear again before a judge on March 9 on the assault, harassment and intentional damage to property charges.

The victim's landlord blamed woke NYC DA Alvin Bragg's soft-on-crime policies for the killing.

'This all could have been avoided,' Brian Chin told reporters Sunday night. 'This guy should never have been out of the street. And it's DA Alvin Bragg playing politics with people's lives and the Asian community has been hurt. To have a DA who has won those horrific crimes right on his doorstep. And he doesn't even bother to show up. It's disgraceful.'

Ynoa is the latest to fall victim to New York City's surging crime wave, which has seen a nearly 50 percent spike in criminal incidents in the city this year when compared to the same span in 2021. Felony assaults have increased by more than 20 percent, while shootings are up by a marked 30 percent

Felony assaults have increased by more than 20 percent, NYPD data shows, with 2,994 incidents recorded this year, compared to 2,477 in 2021.

Shootings are also up from last year by a marked 30 percent, with 174 recorded incidents in the past seven weeks. There were 133 shootings in the same span last year.

Murders have also seen a slight swell, with the NYPD charting a 3.8 percent increase from 2021.

Rapes and robberies, meanwhile, have surged, by 42 and 32 percent, respectively.

A recent report released earlier this month by the NYPD showed that nearly every police precinct in New York City has seen spikes in crime this year - including five in which the rate has doubled, new data from the New York Police Department shows.

Queens was hit particularly hard by the influx of incidents, seeing a nearly 150 percent increase in overall crime.
A former criminal justice major and college cheerleader who was found guilty of the murders of three women who were working as prostitutes more than 15 years ago could now face the death penalty.

Robert Hayes, 39, was convicted by a jury of first-degree premediated murder for the killings of Julie Green, Laquetta Gunther and Iwana Patton, who were all murdered near Daytona Beach between 2005 and 2008.

He was linked by DNA evidence to the three victims after he was accused of killing of Rachel Bey, 32, in Palm Beach County, where he had been working as a chef until his arrest in 2019.

On Tuesday evening, Hayes showed no reaction as the clerk read the jury's verdict, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty during the sentencing phase beginning next week.

Robert Hayes, 39, was convicted by a jury of first-degree premediated murder for the killings of three women between 2005 and 2008

Hayes was convicted by a jury of first-degree premediated murder for the killings of (L to R) Laquetta Gunther, Julie Green and Iwana Patton

Hayes, who graduated in 2006 from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, was found guilty of killing the three women while he was majoring in criminal justice in his senior year.

The body of Laquetta Gunther, 45, was found in a gap between an auto parts store and a mostly empty utility building around Christmas 2005.

Julie Green, 34, was found on January 14, 2006, on a dirt road at a construction site.

The body of 35-year-old Iwana Patton was found on February 24, 2006 along a dirt road.

All of the women were found naked and lying face down, shot in the head.

The deaths caused widespread panic among sex workers in the Daytona Beach area, resulting in some of them working with investigators to memorize license plates and vehicle descriptions.

Dave Aronberg, state attorney for Palm Beach County, speaks during a news conference following the arrest of 32-year-old Robert Hayes

Hayes is also accused in the killing of Rachel Bey, 32, a prostitute whose body was found, strangled and with her jaw and teeth broken, on March 7, 2016, near Jupiter in Palm Beach County.

On March 7, 2016, Ms Bey was last seen by a friend walking along a highway around 2am.

She was found strangled to death along Beeline Highway in Jupiter by a road crew a few hours later.

DNA evidence was collected from her body, and it matched DNA evidence found on three of the other victims.

Years earlier, authorities investigating the Daytona Beach killings questioned Hayes twice, but didn't arrest him, as they looked into everyone in the area who had recently purchased a 40-caliber handgun similar to the one used against the first three victims.

Police said he bought the gun in 2005, shortly before the first victim was killed.
A California high school is under investigation after it allegedly received a report last year that a 17-year-old student had sexually assaulted three teenage girls - but failed to alert the police.

One of the alleged victims, 16, had reported the assaults to officials at Wilmer Amina Carter High School in Rialto, California back in November 2021, her mother Stephanie Olvera told DailyMail.com.

But she claims her report was not taken seriously and was brushed off as 'boys will be boys.' Worse, she alleges that a school administrator tried to lay the blame for the sexual assault back on her, suggesting that it 'might be the way she dressed.'

'She told me that she tried repeatedly to tell the staff about what was happening,' Olvera said. 'But instead, they blamed her. The vice principal told my daughter that well, maybe it was the way she was dressing, or did she really tell him no? I couldn't believe it. How is this my daughter's fault?'

After her mother filed the report, detectives looked into the girl's claims and found allegation that two other girls, ages 15 and 16, were also sexually assaulted by the same boy. They also found one of those girls had reported her alleged sexual assault to the school as early as September 2021.

Sexual battery charges are pending against the 17-year-old boy who was arrested and released into his parents' custody. It is not clear if he has been suspended or expelled from the school.

The Rialto Unified School District has now launched an internal investigation into why the school failed to notify the police.

Criminal charges against the two school officials who allegedly failed to contact the police, in accordance with California State mandated reporting laws, have been sent to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office for review, according to a police press release.

DailyMail.com has made repeated attempts to contact the school, which has not responded.

Stephanie Olvera has vowed to be a voice for her daughter, who allegedly reported last November that she was sexually assault on school grounds at Wilmer Amina Carter High School in Rialto, but says her claims were brushed aside

One of the alleged victims hasn't been back to school since the police report was filed

Stephanie Olvera told DailyMail.com that she found out about the alleged assault last week after her daughter 'wasn't acting like herself,' when she came home from school.

'I knew something was wrong,' she said.

When she asked her, the teen broke down and told her she been sexually abused for months.

She also told her about the alleged comments made by the school official which she says had pushed her daughter to keep silent.

Since the police report was filed last week, the teen hasn't been back to school.

'I can't even come back to school because before they were telling me that it was my fault and that I'm a liar,' her daughter told FOX 11 on Tuesday as parents and supporters rallied outside the school, angry that the allegations had been withheld.

A TikTok video posted by Stephanie Olvera shows a shouting match between herself and a school administrator, who she confronted for not reporting alleged sexual assault allegations against her daughters on school grounds

Stephanie Olvera and her husband are rallying for their daughter's voice to be heard

A day after finding out about the allegations, on February 17, Olvera and her husband went to the school to confront school officials.

A shouting match captured on video last week shows Olvera yelling at a masked school administrator, 'how dare you tell me I have nothing to worry about,', referring to the phone call they received the day before about a recent incident and her daughter being upset.

'How dare you, how dare you not call the cops yesterday for her defense,' she continued.

The school administrator argued that she was planning to call police and that the alleged victim 'begged' her not to tell her mother. She explained that the teen wanted to tell her mother herself.

The parents said that there is protocol the staff should've followed that was not done.

'I want the vice principal and the staff at that school to be held accountable for not reporting these sexual assaults', she said.

Criminal charges have been recommended to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office for review regarding the failure of two school officials from the school (pictured) to report the incident in accordance with California State mandated reporting laws

Parents gather outside Wilmer Amina Carter High School in Rialto, California, after they discovered the school is under investigation for a months-long delay in reporting sexual assaults that happened on school grounds

Parents are outraged, showed up at the school on Tuesday, chanting 'Justice for our Daughters'

Parents and students showed up at the school on Tuesday to voice their outrage over the school officials' delay in reporting the alleged assaults.

A huge crowd gathered outside the school with signs they read, 'Justice for our Daughters.' Many people responded to the online posts that they were also parents and wanted to come support.

'I have to be a voice for my daughters because apparently her voice didn't matter,' Olvera told DailyMail.com. 'And it's not just one girl, there are many. All assaulted by the same boy.'

Olvera would only identify the accused student as a wrestler at the school who had a crush on her daughter. She added that they never had a relationship.

'Since last week, I've had so many people, so many girls, come forward and report their own incidents - harassment, assault, stalking, all of it with the same boy. They thanked me for giving them a voice.'

The Rialto Unified School District district spokeswoman Syeda Jafri told The Mercury News that the 'well-being of students is our number one priority.'

'Accordingly, these allegations are taken with extreme seriousness. The district will continue its internal investigation until all the facts related to this matter are brought to light.

'We will also continue to work with local authorities as they conduct their own investigation.'

'The reason for the delay in reporting from school officials to the Police Department is also under investigation.'
A Texas woman will face 20 months in jail after failing to protect her five children from their father's abuse using a BB gun and taser.

Ana Cruz-Trejo was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday at the 78th District Court in Wichita Falls, Texas, to take a deal to plead guilty to ten counts of criminal negligence in exchange for a 20-month sentence in state jail, according to court records.

It is not clear what prosecutors wanted Cruz-Trejo's sentencing to look like at first, but she has been in Wichita County Jail since May. Her bond is set at $100,000.

Dailymail.com has contacted the Wichita County Courthouse for comment.

In Texas, causing bodily injury to a child due to criminal negligence is a state jail felony offense punishable by up to two years in jail and up to a $10,000.

The children's father, Jacob Lopez, also has been in jail since March and has been charged with ten counts of injuring a child. His bail is set at $260,000.

Wichita Falls Police arrested Lopez after he shot some of his children several times with a BB gun and also tased them as a form of 'discipline'.

The children, three girls and two boys, are all eight or younger. Their location, as of today, remains unknown.

Ana Cruz-Trejo (left) is set to only be given a 20-month prison sentence after she agreed to a plea deal, involving her to provide information on the abuse of her five children at the hands of their father, Jacob Lopez (right), who use a BB gun and a taser to discipline them

Two of his boys were found by officers with red circular marks on their bodies. A five-year-old child was also found with multiple small wounds over his entire body and an open sore inside his lip, which he suffered after Lopez had angrily punched him, police said the child's grandmother reported.

Police said an eight-year-old reported that all of her siblings also were frequently shot with BB bullets and were tased.

The children's grandmother and other family members confirmed the information to police.

As part of her plea deal, Cruz-Trejo told police that Lopez had bought the BB gun for pest control and that he eventually started to use it to punish the kids if they didn't behave.

Investigators said Lopez first denied the allegations but later confessed to punching the boy in the mouth and shooting his kids with the BB gun.

Police said Cruz-Trejo was aware of the abuse and did not intervene to stop it.

Cruz-Trejo also told police she was not afraid of the father at all, and if he ever did anything to her, she would make him regret it.

Lopezs case is on hold after a judge granted a defense motion for a competency exam to face trial.
Lee Nak-yon, left, the former prime minister who unsuccessfully ran in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's primaries to select its presidential candidate last year, shakes hands with the DPK's presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, during a speech in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Feb. 18. Yonhap



Defection of former No. 2 man in PM's office reveals persisting factional feud between supporters of Moon and DPK candidate



By Nam Hyun-woo





The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is wary of the possible fallout of the "defection" of the former No. 2 man in the Prime Minister's Office in favor of the conservative People Power Party's (PPP) presidential candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, leading up to the March 9 election.



The DPK's furious reaction came a day after Jeong Woon-hyeon, the former chief of staff to ex-Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, wrote on Facebook on Monday that he is rooting for Yoon.



"I am now taking another path, and will help PPP candidate Yoon Suk-yeol," Jeong wrote. "You can wait until an unripe fruit becomes ripe and eat it, but you cannot eat a rotten apple. I decided to go for a plant as president rather than an unpredictable monster."



It remains unclear what he meant with the metaphor, "plant," when he referred to Yoon. But he made it clear that his decision to endorse Yoon as Korea's next president is "a choice he thinks is worse than the worst." His remarks are interpreted to mean that he chose to publicly support Yoon not because the PPP candidate is perfect but because he thinks the conservative candidate is better than Lee, the standard bearer of the liberal camp.



Jeong Woon-hyeon, the former chief of staff for ex-Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, left, poses with main opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol in this photo posted on his Facebook page, Feb. 21. Captured from Jeong's Facebook page

Jeong's posting came as a shock to the DPK because the former journalist who worked with left-wing news outlet OhmyNews, helped former Prime Minister Lee's campaign as his public relations chief during the party's primary. The former prime minister reportedly called Jeong several times to urge him to reconsider his move in favor of the PPP candidate, a request he didn't heed.



Following Jeong's departure, the DPK now fears a repeat of its factional infighting during the primary.



During the DPK primary last year to select its presidential candidate, former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee and former Prime Minister Lee were in a heated competition, and the two sides exchanged barbs revealing scandals that allegedly involved their rivals. Their competition was widely viewed as a proxy war between President Moon Jae-in  as the former prime minister was depicted as a successor to Moon  and the strong-willed governor who tried anything to get elected.




A renewed push to ban smoking in Atlantic City's casinos could cost up to 2,500 jobs, a new report has warned.

The figures from gambling research firm Spectrum Gaming Group supports casino bosses' fears that eliminating smoking would hurt their business, deprive New Jersey of tax revenue and put thousands of people out of work.

With visits to Atlantic City casinos already at 20-year lows because of the Covid pandemic, hitting the businesses with the ban could slash nearly 11 per cent of casinos' revenue.

The Casino Association of New Jersey commissioned the report, with its president Joe Lupo saying a ban 'could cause a devastating effect to the community and state.'

The report did not recommend whether smoking should be banned, an option that is gaining renewed support in the state Legislature.

New Jersey's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, has said he will sign a smoking ban into law if a bill is passed.

A report for the Casino Association of New Jersey says a proposed smoking ban at Atlantic City's casinos could lead to the loss of 2,500 casino jobs. Pictured: A gambler smoking while playing a slot machine at the Ocean Casino Resort

Among other findings, it determined that smokers, who account for 21 per cent of Atlantic City gamblers, are worth more to casinos than non-smokers in that they tend to lose more money and spend more on non-gambling items.

Joe Lupo, president of the casino association and of Atlantic City's Hard Rock casino, said Atlantic City 'faces some very dire issues.'

He said casino employment and visitation to Atlantic City are both at 20-year lows, and in-person gambling revenue has yet to return to pre-COVID levels, down 5 per cent in 2021 compared to 2019.

'Now is not the time to enact a smoking ban,' he said, adding that doing so 'could cause a devastating effect to the community and state.'

This Feb. 10, 2022 photo shows a gambler smoking while playing a slot machine at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City N.J. A report released Feb. 23, 2022 by the Casino Association of New Jersey says a proposed smoking ban at Atlantic City's casinos could lead to the loss of 2,500 casino jobs and almost 11% of the casinos' revenue

Lupo said Atlantic City casino executives are to speak with the governor this week about their concerns.

Smoking is allowed on 25 per cent of the casino floor in Atlantic City. The casinos claim that banning it would send smokers fleeing to neighboring Pennsylvania, where many casinos allow smoking.

A group of Atlantic City casino workers, aided by national non-smoking groups, has been pushing for over a year for New Jersey to close the loophole in its public smoking law that allows it to continue in casinos; it is banned in most other indoor spaces.

They complain of developing respiratory ailments and other harm from breathing second-hand smoke, despite the millions invested by casinos in filters and air purifying technology.

Legislation to end casino smoking died in last year's legislative session, but has been reintroduced this year, and has garnered bipartisan support, including from a former governor, Democratic state Sen. Richard Codey.

Atlantic City briefly banned smoking for four weeks in 2008, but dissatisfied with the results, quickly restored it to the current 25 per cent level. In the first week of the ban, casino winnings declined by 19.5 per cent, according to casino workers union officials and state regulators.

The report asserted that between 1,021 to 2,512 jobs could be lost in the first year of a smoking ban in Atlantic City. Spectrum used data from 2019 that found that each casino job was supported by $155,008 of gambling revenue.

They also interviewed casino executives, workers and customers, and anti-smoking advocacy groups, and studied the experience of other states that have banned casino smoking.

At the high end of its projections, the report says 10 per cent of Atlantic City's casino workforce could lose their jobs if smoking is banned.

It also found that with a smoking ban, non-gambling revenue would fall by up to $93 million, or 6.5 per cent, and tax revenue would fall by as much as 44 per cent.

The report also acknowledged that some non-smoking patrons would be more likely to visit casinos if smoking was banned. But the report found that the extra business would not be enough to offset an overall decline in gambling revenue.

It does not expect every smoker to stop coming to Atlantic City's casinos if smoking is banned. About 13 per cent of smokers would still visit casinos, according to the report, and they also have the option of gambling online.

But that would hurt the casinos: the report says casinos keep less than 10 per cent of online gambling revenue, with the rest going to online operators, tech partners and related costs.
A dominatrix and her engineer husband have been jailed for five years each after trafficking women from Brazil and Portugal to work in a brothel.

Fabiana De Souza, 42, and Gareth Derby, 53, treated the women like 'commodities' before they were caught in an undercover sting.

Police said their sexual exploitation of seven vulnerable women amounted to modern day slavery.

Fabiana De Souza, 42, and her husband Gareth Derby, 53, were found guilty of 'flying in' women to the UK from Europe and South America

The couple converted their garage to be used as a brothel, in addition to a separate flat

De Souza, who provided dominatrix and discipline services to punters in the posh spa town of to Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was said to be the ringleader of the 'large-scale commercial operation'.

The court heard that she and Derby, who earned around 50,000 a year as an engineer and machine specialist, flew in prostitutes from Brazil and Portugal.

They paid for their flights and met them at airports, before whisking them off to sex dens where men paid for 'massages' and 'full services'.

The prostitutes were put at a 'significant financial disadvantage' and forced to lie to police to avoid detection, the court heard.

De Souza and Derby, who ran the mega-money business from their home in Norfolk, were arrested in August 2018 and charged with controlling prostitution for financial gain and human trafficking.

They each denied the charges, but a jury found them guilty on both counts following a two week trial in December.

They were jailed for five years each when they appeared at Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on Monday.

Prosecutor Nicholas Lumley QC said De Souza rented a two-bed flat in Harrogate so it could be used for sex, which would be advertised on the internet.

He said: 'As soon as the (prostitutes) arrived here, they would be installed in the flat in Harrogate or elsewhere, always with the purpose of being available for sex.'

The pair treated the women like 'commodities' and were caught after a major police operation to protect sex workers, a court heard (pictured is their converted garage)

The couple even converted the garage at their then home in Springfield Road, Walpole St Andrew, into a prostitution den where a trafficked sex worker plied her trade.

Bundles of cash were found at this address, along with notebooks 'setting out the trading which went on'.

Police also seized 10 mobile phones used by De Souza to take bookings, which showed the 'extent of this operation', the court was told.

De Souza and Derby would pay for sex adverts within hours of picking the women up from the airport and 'setting them up' at the flat on Bower Road in Harrogate.

The adverts were placed on the classified escort websites Viva Street and Adult Work and included raunchy descriptions of the women.

They took the bookings and 'made the arrangements (with the clients)' who would pay various amounts - from 80 for half an hour to over 1,000 for an overnight stay.

The money usually ended up in De Souza's bank accounts, but on occasions cash was handed in by the sex workers, the court heard.

Bundles of cash were found at this address, along with notebooks 'setting out the trading which went on'

Between May 2017 and August 2018, 38,000 in cash was deposited into De Souza's bank accounts at branches in Harrogate and Norfolk.

About 9,000 of bank transfers were then made to accounts in Brazil and Portugal using a money-services bureau.

Following her arrest, De Souza told police she had rented the flat in Harrogate for over 700 a month and let rooms to people including 'friends' from her homeland of Portugal.

Derby said only that he had an 'inkling that Fabia worked at the Harrogate flat as a dominatrix'.

But in a text sent to a friend in January 2018, Derby boasted of being a 'smuggler of women', the court heard.

Police trawled through their bank accounts and found they'd spent 'thousands on air fares' and over 2,000 on Viva Street adverts alone.

They tracked the couple's movements and an undercover officer posed as a client to make appointments for the brothel in Harrogate.

De Souza would answer the calls in 'broken English' and the officer was offered a 'range of services', the court was told.

The couple clearing a flat in Harrogate that they also operated as a brothel

He was met by a sex worker named 'Lisa' wearing a 'revealing' short-length dressing gown who buzzed him into the flats above shops.

Defending De Souza, Michael Fullerton, said she had a very deprived background and had worked in the sex trade from a very young age.

She had worked in Brazil and then Portugal, at some point as a stripper, before arriving in the UK.

Judge Guy Kearl QC, the Recorder of Leeds, told the couple: 'You were not only partners in marriage, but partners in business (as well).

'This was a properly organised, contrived, criminal business. This was a joint enterprise between the both of you (and) you are each equally culpable.

'You treated these women like commodities to increase your finances.'
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On The Buses and EastEnders actress Anna Karen has died in a house fire in east London - after neighbours heard screams of 'help me, help me' coming from inside the wheelchair-bound star's home.

Tributes have flooded in for the star - who was lifelong friends with Barbara Windsor - this afternoon, including from Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker, who described her as 'an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen'.

She boasted a bulging CV of acting credits, including appearances in the Carry On films and a string of pantomimes - but she will be fondly remembered for her role as Olive in 70s comedy On The Buses.

She also starred as Aunt Sal, sister of Peggy Mitchell, in EastEnders for which she was best known - an on-and-off part spanning more than 20 years.

Karen was married to fellow comedic actor Terry Duggan, who also appeared in On The Buses as Nobby, while also featuring in the likes of Only Fools and Horses and Are You Being Served? He died in 2008 aged 76.

Fire chiefs are still investigating the cause of the tragic inferno, which a crew of around 20 firefighters were called to tackle at around 10.30pm on Windsor Road, Ilford last night.

The blaze was brought under control on the ground floor of her terraced house within an hour but emergency workers were unable to save the star, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A family friend said this afternoon: 'We are absolutely horrified at the news about Anna.'

Neighbours told MailOnline they were alerted to the fire after hearing screams of 'help me, help me,' coming from the inside of Karen's home.

Sumi Popat, 62 said: 'It was around 10.30pm and we could hear loud screams of 'help me, help me.' I rushed out and there was smoke coming out of Anna's house and the screams for help got louder. Some of us immediately called the fire brigade.'

Kirti Munnasinghe, 42 said that he was returning from work at around 10.30pm and heard the screams just as he was entering his front door.

He added: 'I could hear someone screaming 'help me' and realised they were coming from Anna's house. Then I noticed smoke started coming out. We all know her around here, it's a very close knit community and she was very popular. As more smoke came out the screams for help were getting more desperate, it was very frightening.'

Neighbours revealed that Anna lived alone in the three bedroom property and was confined to the ground floor as she was disabled and used a wheelchair. The former actress was being looked after by carers who visited four times per day.

Mrs Popat revealed that she often cooked for Anna, who particularly enjoyed Indian food, adding: 'We all knew about Anna's famous past but none of us made a big deal of it. There's a big Asian community around here but she was just one of us.

'Anna loved Indian food and my sister and I would regularly make it for her because she was on her own, disabled and it cheered her up.'

Neighbour Sunny Soodh said: 'It was awful to hear those screams. We all knew Anna, she was a lovely lady but very isolated in recent times. About three fire engines turned up, two ambulances and the police but they couldn't save her. It's heart breaking and we'll miss her.'

Sivalai Pavananthakumar, 33, said: 'There was a lot of smoke, and flames, people in the street had seen what was happening and came out to try and help. The fire brigade and police were here quickly and kicked down the door, there was so much smoke.'

He added: 'I recognised her and would see her everyday when I took my children to school, she was a nice old lady and always said hello.'

Another neighbour added: 'I knew her from Eastenders, it was like having a celebrity living in the street, she was a lovely old lady and always spoke to everyone.'

Anna Karen was best known for her role as Olive in the 1970s sitcom On The Buses

Fire chiefs are still investigating the cause of the tragic inferno, which a crew of around 20 firefighters were called to tackle at around 10.30pm on Windsor Road, Ilford

The star was remembered by friends and colleagues as 'an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen'

A forensic officer at the scene of a house fire on Windsor Road, Ilford, where Anna Karen, the last surviving star of the hit ITV sitcom On The Buses, has died at the age of 85

Anna Karen in January 2020 holding a copy of the On The Buses board game

Police officers at the scene of a house fire on Windsor Road, Ilford, where Anna Karen, the last surviving star of the hit ITV sitcom On The Buses, has died at the age of 85

The 85-year-old also appeared in EastEnders as Aunt Sal, sister of Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor

Michael Robbins, Anna Karen, Doris Hare and Reg Varney star in On The Buses in 1972

A police officer at the scene of a house fire on Windsor Road, Ilford, where Anna Karen, the last surviving star of the hit ITV sitcom On The Buses, has died at the age of 85

Karen is understood to have lived alone with her dog - who managed to escape the fire alive - and was unwell for some time

Tributes flood in for 'an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen' Singer Cheryl Baker led the tributes on social media, tweeting: 'I have just heard the awful news that my fabulous mate, #AnnaKaren has died in a house fire. 'What an horrific way to die, I can't bear to think about it. I adored her - She was an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen.' EastEnders star Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell in the soap, added: 'I just heard the awful news about the wonderful Anna Karen. Horrific and awful and so so sad. 'She was one of the best. Sleep well lovely Anna. Sending all my love to her family and friends.' Carol Challis, wife of Only Fools and Horses star John, said: 'So sorry to hear that Anna Karen has died. John and I met her often at conventions and she was such a lovely lady. Not fair.' Meanwhile, her agent Shane Collins added: 'We're so sad about what happened to Anna. She was such a lovely lady and a great comedian. 'The only comfort is she will be happy to be reunited with her husband Terry Duggan and her best pal Barbara Windsor.' And an EastEnders spokeswoman said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear that Anna Karen has passed away. 'Anna created a sharp, quick witted and extremely popular character in Aunt Sal that the audience will never forget, just as those who worked with her at EastEnders will never forget her warmth, kindness fun and good humour. 'Our love and thoughts are with Anna's family and friends.' Advertisement

Singer Cheryl Baker led the tributes on social media, tweeting: 'I have just heard the awful news that my fabulous mate, #AnnaKaren has died in a house fire.

'What an horrific way to die, I can't bear to think about it. I adored her - She was an absolute treasure, both on and off the screen.'

EastEnders star Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell in the soap, added: 'I just heard the awful news about the wonderful Anna Karen. Horrific and awful and so so sad.

'She was one of the best. Sleep well lovely Anna. Sending all my love to her family and friends.'

Carol Challis, wife of Only Fools and Horses star John, said: 'So sorry to hear that Anna Karen has died. John and I met her often at conventions and she was such a lovely lady. Not fair.'

Meanwhile, her agent Shane Collins added: 'We're so sad about what happened to Anna. She was such a lovely lady and a great comedian.

'The only comfort is she will be happy to be reunited with her husband Terry Duggan and her best pal Barbara Windsor.'

An EastEnders spokeswoman said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear that Anna Karen has passed away.

'Anna created a sharp, quick witted and extremely popular character in Aunt Sal that the audience will never forget, just as those who worked with her at EastEnders will never forget her warmth, kindness fun and good humour.

'Our love and thoughts are with Anna's family and friends.'

Barbara Windsor's widower, Scott Mitchell, told MailOnline: 'I am desperately sad and shocked to hear of how Anna has passed away.

'Barbara and Anna were lifelong friends and Anna was always what I considered to be Barbara's only real girlfriend.

'Anna had seen Barbara go through every stage of her life and their late night phone calls together before Barbara's illness, will always be a fond memory for me of hearing them put the world to rights.

'Anna and I had kept in regular contact since Barbara's passing and she was a good friend and support to me when things were tough and we spoke a couple of weeks ago. It was a fun chat and I thought how upbeat she sounded.

Karen was married to fellow comedic actor Terry Duggan, who also appeared in On The Buses as Nobby, while also featuring in the likes of Only Fools and Horses and Are You Being Served? He died in 2008 aged 76

'We always shared memories and jokes about Barbara. Anna was one of three I asked to speak at Barbara's funeral. I will remember her straight talking, great humour and intelligence. May she rest in peace. '

Karen was born in Durban, South Africa as Ann McCall to an Irish father and an English mother. She appeared in productions in South Africa before moving to London aged 17 and enrolling in The London School of Dramatic Art.

Karen made her screen debut in the titillating 1961 film about naturists, Nudist Memories. She had a small part in Ken Loach's gritty 1967 classic Poor Cow and appeared alongside Windsor in 1969 in Carry on Camping.

But it was the On the Buses sitcom - which centred on the Number 11 bus, at the Luxton and District Motor Traction Company - that would make her famous.

Her character Olive was the sexually frustrated younger sister of Stan Butler, played by Reg Varney and was one of the hit comedy's main stars, alongside Stan's sidekick Jack, played by Bob Grant, and their nemesis, Stephen Lewis's Blakey.

When Lewis died in 2015, she paid tribute outside his funeral service in east London, telling mourners : 'I just want to say that he will be very sadly missed. He was an extremely talented and very funny man and wonderful to work with.'

Anna Karen, pictured starring in The Rag Trade, a British sitcom in the 1960s

Anna Karen made her name in On The Bus, which centred on the Number 11 bus, at the Luxton and District Motor Traction Company

Her character Olive was the sexually frustrated younger sister of Stan Butler, played by Reg Varney and was one of the hit comedy's main stars, alongside Stan's sidekick Jack, played by Bob Grant, and their nemesis, Stephen Lewis's Blakey (pictured together)

Karen was born in Durban, South Africa as Ann McCall to an Irish father and an English mother

Michael Robbins and Anna Karen pictured featuring in 'On the Buses' in 1969

After the Buses series ran its course, she appeared in various comedies and pantos with the likes of Ian Lavender, Kenneth Williams and Dick Emery before later playing Aunt Sal in EastEnders.

She was close friends with Barbara Windsor and one of her last known public appearances was attending her funeral in January last year.

She married fellow comic actor Terry Duggan in 1967, living under this surname away from showbusiness, and bringing up his daughter from a previous relationship, Gloria.

Karen is understood to have lived alone with her dog - who managed to escape the fire alive - and was unwell for some time.

Health concerns led to her pulling out of a big TV comedy which sources said would have been a fitting end to her career.

Friends added that she refused to go into a home, preferring to live in her own property, with regular visits from carers.

It is not known whether she died before the fire or as a result of the blaze - a fact set to be confirmed by coroners at a later date.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: 'Sadly, a woman has died following a house fire on Windsor Road in Ilford.

'Part of the ground floor of a mid-terrace house was damaged by fire. Sadly a woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

'The Brigade was called at 2240 and the fire was under control by 2338.

'Three fire engines and around 20 firefighters from Ilford and Barking fire stations attended the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation.'

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson added: 'We were called at 10:43pm yesterday evening (22 February) to reports of a fire at a residential address on Windsor Road, Ilford.

'We sent a paramedic in a fast response car and an incident response officer. Sadly, a person died at the scene.'
Senior police officers joked Wayne Couzens would be 'better off blaming it on the fact he is ginger' after hearing details of the killer cop's initial defence strategy while one used sexual innuendo, a tribunal heard today.

Couzens, 48, abducted and killed marketing executive Sarah Everard, 33, as she walked home near Clapham Common, south London, on March 3 last year, before dumping her body in a pond in Kent.

He claimed in his first court appearance on March 13 that he had 'handed Ms Everard over alive to an Eastern European gang to pay off a debt'.

The details of this defence were shared by a journalist with senior member of the Police Federation Sergeant Simon Kempton, who is facing a misconduct hearing for discussing them with colleagues in a group on the Signal messaging app.

Mr Kempton, of Dorset Police, who was on secondment serving as treasurer of the federation, told the hearing today that he would be 'beside himself' if he believed he had added to the distress of Ms Everard's family.

In one message, sent to eight other members of the Police Federation, which represents officers in England and Wales, Mr Kempton said: 'Wait til you hear what his defence was today.'

Mr Kempton adds: 'He said he used prostitutes and took one to a Travel Lodge type place in Folkestone,' followed by: 'He underpaid her so his family were being threatened by the gang.'

The details of Couzens' defence were shared by a journalist with senior member of the Police Federation Sergeant Simon Kempton (pictured), who is facing a misconduct hearing for discussing them with colleagues in a Signal messaging group

One colleague jokes Couzens is 'bettr off just blaming it on the fact he is ginger' - which at least two colleagues reacted to with a laughing emoji

Mr Kempton continues: 'They said, '...well you'd better get us another girl then ...'

'So he went and found Sarah and took her to a lay-by in Kent where a Mercedes Sprinter on Romanian plates flashed him. He handed her over and didn't see her again.

'Except he was seen on CCTV in B&Q and bought two builders bags.

'And she was found in a builders bag.

'So essentially coughing to kidnap but denying murder.'

The sergeant adds in the messages: 'Admitted in interview to using prostitutes regularly at the same hotel.

'No comment after they found the body and reinterviewed him.

'He and his wife bought some land in Kent. Where Sarah's body was found. I imagine the SIO will want to have a bit of a look around there.'

One colleague responds: 'The old 'slipped and fell', the next thing I knew ...''

He adds: 'He is better off just blaming it on the fact he is ginger' - which saw at least two colleagues react with laughing emojis.

Another says: 'He had suffered a nasty bang to his head which might explain why he thought that excuse might fly.'

Mr Kempton is accused of breaching standards of police professional behaviour concerning respect and courtesy, duties and responsibilities, social media use and confidentiality.

It is further alleged his actions had the potential to undermine confidence in the police.

Wayne Couzens (pictured), 48, abducted and killed marketing executive Sarah Everard, 33, as she walked home near Clapham Common, south London, on March 3 last year, before dumping her body in a pond in Kent

Giving evidence at a hearing at Dorset Police headquarters, Mr Kempton denied wrongdoing.

He said he believed it was vital that everyone in the executive team was briefed about the case so they could discuss the stance to be taken in subsequent press releases.

'We were talking about how we could play our part in building confidence and whether we needed to have any lines for the media prepared,' he said.

He continued: 'At that point, the federation, through me, we knew that (Couzens) had admitted at least one grave offence, and that changes things on a number of levels.'

As treasurer, Mr Kempton said he also had some involvement in claims from Police Federation members for legal funding.

'My thought process went to the (legal funding) claims team, I was not aware at that point we had not had a request from Couzens for funding, but I thought it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that (Couzens) might think: 'Blimey, I need to ask for that help',' he said.

'Once we put out a press release, we can't retrieve it, so for me that was the most urgent concern, followed by a claim for (for legal fees) that we may already have decided to fund.'

The press release subsequently issued by the Police Federation did not mention Couzens by name.

Mr Kempton said: 'It was a deliberate decision, to make sure we focus on where we thought we should be, which was the Everard family, and it seems like a poor choice of words, but also to 'distance' ourselves from Mr Couzens.'

When asked about the tone of his messages, Mr Kempton said: 'It was conversational and I regret that in light of where I am sat, but it is conversational because this is a conversation.'

He said the messages were 'factual' and he was repeating what he had been told by the journalist.

When asked if he believed the messages were discourteous to Couzens, he replied: 'I do not, I am essentially repeating what Wayne Couzens has said.'

Mr Kempton denied they showed a lack of respect and courtesy to Sarah Everard's family, saying: 'I don't accept that and that's hurtful.'

He continued: 'God only knows what they had already been through - if I had in any way contributed to their distress I would be beside myself.

'I don't think I did, but I would be beside myself.'

PC Duncan reported Sgt Kempton's messages to the Metropolitan Police because he did not know where the information had come from at the time and was concerned there might be a leak within the force.

But he defended Sgt Kempton for posting the information on Tuesday.

He said: 'I made an assumption at the time it had been obtained through gossip and it was wholly inappropriate.

'Now knowing where it had come from, I believe he was right to do with that what he did.'

Mark Ley-Morgan, the barrister acting for Dorset Police, previously said the exchange of messages were 'sarcastic, disparaging and cynical that disrespected the death of Sarah Everard'.

Mr Ley-Morgan said: 'Was the officer sharing information with the Executive group for a justifiable reason or was he just gossiping?

'We would say he had come into this information and he couldn't wait to share it with the group even though they didn't need to know.

'He had no reason to share the information. The question is what should he have done once he was in possession of that information. He should have kept it to himself.

'This wasn't done because it was necessary, it was done to gossip and ran the risk of highly confidential information being put into the public domain.'

The misconduct hearing is due to conclude by Friday.

It comes after three Metropolitan Police officers accused of swapping grossly offensive messages with Couzens were named for the first time on Tuesday - including one who is a former anti-terror firearms officer just like Ms Everard's killer.

PC Jonathan Cobban, PC William Neville and PC Joel Borders were named ahead of their court appearance next month.

William Neville (pictured), 33, lives in Surrey in a modern block of flats with his wife

PC Jonathan Cobban (pictured) and PC William Neville were named for the first time ahead of their court appearance next month

A third man, former PC Joel Borders, 45, has also been charged with sharing the offensive messages between April and August 2019

PC Borders, 45, has been charged with sharing the offensive messages between April and August 2019.

Borders, who now lists his job as a close protection officer, followed a similar career path to Couzens, having also previously served in the Civil Nuclear constabulary as a firearms officer.

He lists his skills as being an advanced driver, firearms and counter terrorism.

Couzens also worked for the CNC before joining the Met.

Cobban and Borders are charged with five counts of sending grossly offensive messages.

Neville, 33, who lives in Surrey in a modern block of flats with his wife, is charged with two counts of the same offence.

Their colleague Cobban, 35, who shares a modern detached house in Oxfordshire, will also face trial.

Neighbours of both Neville and Cobban were aware they were police officers but not of their alleged involvement with Couzens, who is serving a whole life sentence.

Both men have been suspended from the force after being charged with taking part in what the prosecution claim were 'grossly offensive' chats on WhatsApp.

All three men  who were identified by the Crown Prosecution Service after a row over their names being kept secret - will appear before Westminster Magistrates Court on March 16.
A 55-year-old Iranian convict has suffered a fatal heart attack after hearing that he would no longer face the death penalty for a murder he committed 18 years ago.

According to the state-run Iranian newspaper Hamshahri, the man, identified only by his first name Akbar, was detained along with four others by the authorities for premeditated murder.

Akbar and an accomplice identified as Davood were convicted. Davood was executed for his involvement, with Akbar also set to face the same fate.

A 55-year-old Iranian convict has suffered a fatal heart attack after hearing that he would no longer face the death penalty for a murder he committed 18 years ago. Pictured: Bandar Abbas, where he was arrested 18 years ago and found guilty of premeditated murder

Akbar, who was aged 37 at the time of the murder, spent the rest of his life behind bars in Bandar Abbas fearing the death penalty.

Stress over the years caused Akbar to suffer from a number of different illnesses.

He would be nervous any time a voice would speak over the loud speaker in the prison, announcing that it was his turn to be executed, Iranian reports said.

But country's dispute resolution board managed to convince the victim's relatives to pardon the man for the murder, resulting in his release.

Reports said that the family of the victim initially refused to grant their approval for his release, but upon learning of his ill health, they eventually gave their blessing.

However, Akbar died before being released and experiencing freedom again.

Akbar, who was aged 37 at the time of the murder, spent the rest of his life behind bars in Bandar Abbas fearing the death penalty, according to his family. When the victim's family agreed to his release, he was so overjoyed he suffered a hear attack

Pictured: Iranian officials prepare a noose in 2017 (file photo). The country is believed to execute most people per capita, with Iran Human Rights Monitor reporting that 365 prisoners were executed in 2021 alone - one per day

According to Hamshahri, Akbar suffered a heart attack after being informed that the victim's relatives had pardoned him and he was no longer facing execution.

Overjoyed at the news, he reportedly went into shock and suffered subsequent cardiac arrest.

He was taken to a medical centre, where doctors battled to save his life. However, he died about an hour after arriving.

A number of offences are punishable by the death penalty in Iran, including murder, rape, child abuse, homosexuality, drug trafficking, armed robbery, fornication, prohibited sexual relationships and plotting to overthrow the Islamic regime.

The country is believed to execute most people per capita, with Iran Human Rights Monitor reporting that 365 prisoners were executed in 2021 alone - one per day.

The group said that the true number was likely much higher, as the government carries out most of its executions out of the public eye.
A second teen has been arrested in the murder investigation that led police to the Minneapolis apartment where a SWAT team officer fatally shot Amir Locke while executing a no-knock search warrant.

Feysal Jama Ali, 16, is charged in Ramsey County juvenile court with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Locke's 17-year-old cousin, Mehki Speed, has also been charged in connection with the January 10 killing of Otis Elder in St. Paul.

According to the charges, Ali caused Elder's death while committing or attempting to commit a felony aggravated robbery.

There is now a warrant out for Ali's arrest, but he is not in custody at this time.

Court documents alleged that Ali was in the passenger seat of a stolen Mercedes Benz when Speed allegedly shot and killed Elder, a 38-year-old father of two.

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A 16-year-old Minnesota boy has been charged in connection with a murder investigation that led police to the apartment where a SWAT officer shot and killed Amir Locke, 22 (pictured)

Feysal Jama Ali was accused of trying to rob Otis Elder, 38 (pictured) when Locke's 17-year-old cousin allegedly shot and killed the man on January 10

The charges against Ali were filed after police said they discovered the teenager's fingerprints on that Mercedes Benz, reported Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

Cellphone data retrieved last week placed Ali near the murder scene and in the vicinity of the Mercedes Benz after Elder' shooting, according to court filings.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also found DNA matching Ali's on a black Tommy Hilfiger jacket, which was seen being worn by one of the four men who were caught on surveillance video emerging from the Mercedes.

On February 2, police searching for suspects in Elder's death entered the Minneapolis apartment where Locke, a 22-year-old black man, was staying without knocking.

Body camera video shows them shouting 'Police, search warrant!' 'Hands!' and 'Get on the ground!' after they entered.

Locke was shot and killed by police on February 2 after Minneapolis police entered an apartment with a no-knock warrant

Minneapolis Police Department bodycam footage shows, 22-year-old Amir Locke wrapped in a blanket on a couch holding a gun moments before he was fatally shot by police

An officer kicks a sectional sofa, and Locke is seen wrapped in a blanket holding a pistol. Three shots are heard, and the video ends.

The city also released a still image from the video showing Locke holding the gun, his trigger finger along the side of the barrel.

Minneapolis police have said Locke was shot after he pointed his gun toward the officers, but Locke's family has questioned that. Locke's family has said he legally possessed the gun.

Police have said Locke was not named in the search warrants.

Locke's death sparked protests and a reexamination of controversial no-knock arrest warrants. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced a moratorium on such warrants while the city brings in outside experts to study its policy.

Students participate in at a state-wide walkout on February 8 demanding justice for Amir Locke

Locke's killing sparked protests and reexamination of controversial no-knock arrest warrants

Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during the funeral for Amir Locke at Shiloh Temple International Ministries on February 17 in Minneapolis

Speed, Locke's younger cousin, was arrested earlier this month and charged with with two counts of second-degree murder stemming from Elder's killing.

A charging document said police used surveillance videos to connect him to the homicide near Prior Avenue North and Oakley Avenue after a witness told police that a silver Mercedes-Benz had fled the scene.

Investigators shared the security footage with a Hennepin County official who recognized Speed because he was on probation, according to the charges.

The document said video showed the Mercedes parked near Elder's vehicle, with two males getting out and approaching - one entering the passenger side and the other standing outside the driver's door.

'This male stepped back and a loud gunshot was heard,' the document says.
The conflict in Ukraine has raised questions about President Joe Biden's foreign policy, Vladimir Putin's grasp on reality and whether the West can maintain unity in the face of Kremlin provocation.

But for some social media users it has raised another conundrum: What's in a name?

For years 'Kiev' was known as the capital of Ukraine, but headlines now scream 'Kyiv,' while US leaders are using the unfamiliar pronunciation 'KEE-eve' rather than 'KEE-yev.'

What's going on?

Both are the result of converting the Cyrillic alphabet into the Roman alphabet - but contained within that are deep geopolitical controversies.

'It's very simple,' said John Herbst, former US ambassador to Ukraine.

'Kiev is the English transliteration from the Russian; Kyiv is the English transliteration from Ukrainian.'

Ukraine's capital is known as  in Ukrainian and  in Russian. Neither has a direct translation into the Roman alphabet, with Kiev, Kyiv, Kyyiv or Kiyev all being possibilities.

A shift from Kiev to Kyiv began in Ukraine after the collapse of communism.

President Joe Biden used 'Kyiv' to refer to the Ukrainian capital in a speech on Tuesday. It has been the only spelling used by the US government since 2019

President Vladimir Putin continues to use 'Kiev' - based on the Russian spelling - making him the latest to use the term as part of an effort to deny Ukraine its separate identity

Kyiv has been the preferred spelling of the United States Board on Geographic Names - and the only permitted spelling of the US government since June 2019

But it took longer for the rest of the world to catch on.

The political battle over the name ranges on in the language used by Putin, for example.

He continues to stick with Kiev, aligning as it does with his argument that Ukraine cannot exist outside Russia.

In so doing, Ukrainians see the latest chapter in attempt at the 'russification' of Ukraine: An effort to stamp out their separate identity that has happened for centuries.

'Kiev comes from the Russian,' said Herbst.

'Under the czars and at times under the Soviets a conscious effort was made by the authorities to diminish, marginalize the Ukrainian language.'

It was not until the Maidan uprising of 2014 that the issue hit the public consciousness, with the ousting of pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych the creation of a new administration seeking closer ties to the West, and the annexation of Crimea by Moscow.

Young Ukrainians see 'Kiev' as a relic of the Soviet past, and this view is shared by the government, which launched a 'KyivNotKiev' campaign in 2018.

They targeted Western news outlets, urging them to drop the old name.

Washington was one step ahead.

In 2019, Kyiv became the only accepted spelling used by the US government

Its use of names is determined by the United States Board on Geographic Names, part of the Department of the Interior, which recommended that Kyiv be used in 2006.

In fact, the US government used both interchangeably.

And in 2014, during a visit to Ukraine then Vice President Biden managed to use both pronunciations within seconds - either by design or accident.

The State Department lobbied for Kiev to be dropped altogether, and that happened in 2019

'The spelling Kyiv has been the BGN Approved name since 2006,1 and is now the only name available for standard use within the United States (U.S.) Government, per the authority of the BGN,' said the Board on Geographic names in June 2019.

The Associated Press, which produces a style guide used by much of the US media, followed suit.

'Although the AP prefers traditional English spellings for many cities, including Rome, Moscow and Warsaw (not Roma, Moskva and Warszawa), we regard the Ukrainian spelling of Kyiv as an important adaptation because it is linked to Ukraines present status,' it said in a blog post announcing the change.

'To many Ukrainians, the former spelling Kiev appears outdated because it is associated with a time when Ukraine was part of the Russian and Soviet states, rather than an independent country.'

But it said it would still use the spelling in some contexts - such as 'chicken Kiev.'

The UK Government has been referring to its embassy as being based in 'Kyiv' for years, with an Internet archive showing this had been the case until records began in 2014.
The family of a 21-year-old beauty queen from North Carolina are desperately searching for answers nearly than two weeks after she disappeared while traveling to a pageant in Las Vegas.

LeJourney Farrow, from Greensboro, told her mother and brother that she was scheduled to take part in the United States of America Pageant in Sin City, before flying out to New York City for New York Fashion Week.

But according to Randy Farrow, his younger sister never made it to either destination and failed to return home.

Beauty queen LeJourney Farrow, 21, from Greensboro, North Carolina, was last seen on February 11 when she took a flight to Las Vegas via Chicago. She has now been missing for nearly two weeks

LEJOURNEY FARROW'S DISAPPEARANCE: February 10: LeJourney Farrow, 21, is scheduled to travel from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Las Vegas to take part in a beauty pageant, but misses her flight and reschedules it for the following day. February 11: Farrow is taken to the airport by her father and gets on a flight bound for Las Vegas via Chicago. February 11: Randy Farrow receives a text message from his sister's phone, saying she had landed in Chicago for a layover. February 15: LeJourney misses her flight to New York City to go to New York Fashion Week. February 18: LeJourney fails to return home as scheduled, raising concerns for her well-being among her relatives. February 19: LeJourney's mother and brother report her missing to the police in Greensboro. Advertisement

Randy and his mother, Olivia Farrow, said it is out of character for LeJourney to stop communicating with her family for an extended period of time.

'Before, she might go a day or two just not talking to anybody, but at least everybody knew she was in Greensboro,' Randy told WNCT. 'Its different [now], at this point she's been gone and could be in any state.'

Police in Greensboro said LeJourney, who attended Pitt Community College, was supposed to travel to Las Vegas on February 10.

But her brother said LeJourney missed her flight and arranged to leave the following morning instead.

Her father dropped her off at the airport in Greensboro on February 11, marking the last time she was seen by anyone, reported MyFox 8.

Randy said later that day, he received a text message from his sister's phone, saying she had landed in Chicago for a scheduled layover. She has not been heard from since.

The organizers of the pageant in Las Vegas told Fox 8 that LeJourney was not on the roster of competitors.

'She loves pageants, thats her passion, and for her to go to a pageant and not post anything about her being there or her travel, thats very very weird and suspicious,' her brother said.

After the beauty contest in Nevada, LeJourney was scheduled to travel to New York City and stay there between February 15-17, before heading home to North Carolina.

When the 21-year-old woman failed to return to Greensboro by February 18, her brother said the family started 'freaking out.'

Randy Farrow, LeJourney's brother, left, and their mother, Olivia, right, reported the 21-year-old missing on February 19

Farrow was scheduled to take part in a beauty pageant in Las Vegas in mid-February, but she never made it there. Her brother received a final text message from LeJourney on February 11, saying she had landed in Chicago for a layover

Farrow (left) is a former Miss North Carolina Legacy USA 2019 who is described as passionate about pageants

LeJourney was reported missing on February 19, and the Greensboro Police Department assigned a detective to the case.

'In my head, you try to think positive, but you cant help but think of all the scenarios where she could be a worst-case scenario,' said Randy Farrow.

LeJourney Farrow is a former Miss North Carolina Legacy USA 2019. Her brother said she loves to travel and aspires to write a book someday.

After the event in Las Vegas, LeJourney was set to travel to New York Fashion Week, but she never made it there

LeJourney Farrow is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs 115lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. She has an infinity symbol tattoo on her wrist

Addressing his missing sister directly, Randy said: 'Journey, we all love you and we just want you to come home, and we are praying that you're OK, and we are going to find you.'

LeJourney Farrow is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighs 115lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. She has an infinity symbol tattoo on her wrist.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lejourney Farrow can contact Greensboro Crimestoppers at 336-373-2222.
A medical student has been caught allegedly trying to cheat with a Bluetooth device surgically implanted in his ear while taking an exam in India.

The student, who was not named, was taking his last attempt at the General Medicine exam which he had repeatedly failed since arriving at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore 11 years ago.

He was rumbled during a surprise check before the exam on Monday when invigilators frisked him and found a phone hidden in the inside pocket of his trousers connected to the Bluetooth device.

Officials searched for the Bluetooth attachment but could not find it until the student admitted under questioning that he had paid an ear, nose and throat surgeon to implant the skin-coloured device.

A second student at the private medical college was found with a small SIM-powered phone and a Bluetooth device, though it was not surgically implanted and was removed with a pin.

The devices were confiscated and sent for inspection while both students were given new answer sheets for the exam and are being investigated by the university examination committee.

Cheating is rife in India's highly competitive medical school exams and authorities have in recent years struggled to stop pupils using ever-more sophisticated methods of cheating to pass.

An aspiring medical professional at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore, India, has allegedly surgically implanted a tiny Bluetooth device in his ear in a bid to cheat on an exam

The student was taking the exam alongside 13 others when invigilators arrived for a surprise check for cheating ahead of the test on Monday, Dr Sanjay Dixit, dean at the medical college told The Independent.

Officials from Devi Ahilya Bai University 'confiscated the devices' and 'seized the answer sheets' after finding the devices, Dr Dixit said.

He said both students had hidden devices because they knew they were not allowed to use electronics during the exam and that they were likely to be checked.

They are both being investigated by the university examination committee and could face police charges once the probe is completed, deputy registrar Rachna Thakur told the Hindustan Times.

The Vice Chancellor of the invigilators, Renu Jain, said: 'We think these microphones were surgically fitted in the ears of both the students.

'Cases have been prepared against both the students. A committee of DAVV will take a decision in this regard.'

It the latest in a string of high-profile efforts to cheat in public exams across the country.

In September, ten people were arrested for attempting to cheat using Bluetooth devices concealed in their flip-flops ahead of a mass exam for trainee teachers.

The group hid devices in the soles of their flip-flops that could receive ordinary calls which would be transmitted wirelessly to tiny receivers hidden in their ears.

In September, ten people were arrested for attempting to cheat using Bluetooth devices concealed in their flip-flops ahead of a mass exam for trainee teachers. The group hid devices in the soles of their flip-flops that could receive ordinary calls which would be transmitted wirelessly to tiny receivers hidden in their ears

India blocked the internet for 25 million people in September in an effort to prevent cheating by trainee teachers in a mass exam (pictured, candidates wait to take the exam in Jaipur)

The plan was for accomplices outside to call the hidden contraptions and dictate the correct answers to the exams, according to Priti Chandra, a police official in the western city of Bikaner.

Investigations revealed that at least 25 students had bought these flip-flops from a gang for 600,000 rupees ($8,100) per pair.

The information was shared with several other districts in time for the exams and many centres asked the students to remove their footwear outside the examination hall.

'In one case we caught a student after the exam and had to take him to a doctor to identify and remove the Bluetooth device from his ear,' Chandra said.

Around 1.6 million students took the exam in September, the first time the test has been held in Rajasthan since 2018, sparking concerns over potential cheating which has been rampant in the past.

Authorities shut off access to the web on mobiles but kept broadband open in ten regions in Rajasthan as students took the Teacher Eligibility Test (REET).

The exam is for a coveted qualification which allows trainee teachers to get jobs in primary or secondary government-run schools - positions that come with generous benefits.

In March 2015, dozens of people scaled the walls of a school test centre in Bihar state to pass notes to relatives sitting the exam

As part of further efforts to prevent cheating, authorities installed CCTV cameras at thousands of test sites set up across the state and candidates were asked to swap the face mask they arrived in for one provided by the centre.

A document tweeted by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also revealed officials videoed the production of the exam papers - including the printing, transporting, and distribution of the tests.

Workers involved in the process were told they would immediately be fired if they were found to have a hand in leaking the test paper.

Meanwhile in March 2015, dozens of people scaled the walls of a school test centre in Bihar state to pass notes to relatives sitting the exam.

Images circulated online at the time showing people clinging to the windows of the four-storey building where thousands of teenagers were sitting their exams.

The students sitting the school tests face tremendous pressure because they must pass the exams to continue their education.

But measures to prevent cheating in public exams have become more stringent in recent years after several dubious efforts made headlines.

In October 2019 a school in Haveri, Karnataka state, came under fire for forcing students to wear cardboard boxes over their heads to prevent them cheating.

Shocking images circulated on social media show the students at Bhagat Pre-University College sitting in rows with the boxes over their heads, cut open at one side.

The college was criticized for the unorthodox measure to prevent students from copying their neighbour's work.

In October 2019 a school in Haveri, Karnataka state, came under fire for forcing students to wear cardboard boxes over their heads to prevent them cheating
A sacked law firm receptionist whose pregnancy and health conditions were described as 'inconvenient' to her former bosses has won almost 25,000 in compensation.

Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which can leave women bedridden and vomiting, and told her boss, Dr Akbar Ali Malik, she was unable to work at his London-based chambers.

But an employment tribunal heard her texts and calls were ignored so her husband went into the office on her behalf to explain.

The panel was told Dr Malik was 'hostile' and refused to take her sick notes or medical evidence because she was 'was no longer needed' after working at the firm for three years.

The Duchess of Cambridge also suffered from the condition with all three of her pregnancies and ended up in hospital while carrying Prince George.

It affects up to two per cent of women in the UK and is one of the most common reasons for hospitalisation during pregnancy, according to the NHS.

Mrs Nasreen won her discrimination claim after a panel ruled that bosses believed her difficult pregnancy was 'inconvenient' to the firm.

After winning her pregnancy discrimination and unfair dismissal claims, she has been awarded 23,413 in compensation.

Kiran Nasreen was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which can leave women bedridden and vomiting, and told her boss, Dr Akbar Ali Malik (pictured), she was unable to work. But she was told she was no longer needed

Mrs Nasreen, who is from Pakistan, began working for Malik Law Chambers (pictured), a London-based immigration solicitors firm, in December 2014 as a receptionist where Dr Malik was her line manager and the pair had a good working relationship

Mrs Nasreen, who is from Pakistan, began working for Malik Law Chambers, a London-based immigration solicitors firm, in December 2014 as a receptionist where Dr Malik was her line manager and the pair had a good working relationship.

In December 2017, she became pregnant.

The tribunal, held remotely in East London, heard: 'It is clear from the medical records that she and her husband had been trying for a baby for some time.

'It is also apparent that, as soon as she had a positive pregnancy test, she sought medical advice.

'She began to have adverse symptoms, including severe sickness, almost immediately at the start of her pregnancy.'

The following month, she told Dr Malik about her pregnancy and that she was already having some sickness and might encounter further difficulties so may need time off, the panel heard.

After she went off work on January 20, she sent texts to Dr Malik saying she was very unwell and apologising for being unable to come in.

But the panel heard he did not answer these, nor her calls.

Mrs Nasreen's husband then went into the office to give Dr Malik copies of sick notes and medical evidence as in February 2018, while seven weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

Despite her husband reiterating that her illness was pregnancy related, Dr Malik sacked her, the tribunal heard. Pictured, Dr Malik's law show

Despite her husband reiterating that her illness was pregnancy related, Dr Malik sacked her, the tribunal heard.

Mrs Nasreen then sent her sick note and hospital letter again, hoping Dr Malik would reconsider his decision to fire her.

But she later received her December payment along with her Christmas bonus and nothing further despite her having worked until January 20, the hearing was told.

Mrs Nasreen has now successfully sued her bosses at an employment tribunal for pregnancy discrimination, unauthorised deduction from wages and unfair dismissal.

The panel - headed by Employment Judge David Massarella - concluded that problems only arose when she became pregnant, with Malik Law Chambers taking 'none of the usual steps in relation to a pregnant employee'.

Dr Malik wrote a book in 2021, three years after the closure of his practice, on 'how to become a millionaire', featuring a foreword from Dr Philip Beresford - who is on the Sunday Times Rich List

Judge Massarella said: 'We infer from all the evidence that [Dr Malik's] attitude to her changed when he realised she was having a difficult pregnancy, which was giving rise to a protracted period of sickness absence and (inevitably) a period of maternity leave.

'This was inconvenient to the firm and Dr Malik decided to dispense with her services in a summary fashion.

'The problems only arose after she became pregnant. Dr Malik's attitude to her and her husband became hostile and uncooperative.'

Malik Law Chambers was shut down by Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2018, two months after Mrs Nasreen was fired.

Dr Malik wrote a book last year, three years after the closure of his practice, on 'top tips to become a millionaire', featuring a foreword from Dr Philip Beresford - who is on the Sunday Times Rich List.

The book's cover features the slogans 'attracting abundance, prosperity and fortune' and 'from rags to riches'.
Officials from the election management committee put up posters of presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, left, and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol of the People's Power Party, in Seoul, Feb. 18. AP-Yonhap



As South Korea enters a bitter presidential race, Hong Hee-jin is one of many young women who feel that the country's politics has become dominated by discrimination against women, even outright misogyny.



''Women are being treated like they don't even have voting rights,'' the 27-year-old office worker in the capital, Seoul, said.



For years, South Korean women have made slow but steady progress in the workplace as they confronted an entrenched culture of male chauvinism and harassment. But this extremely tight presidential race, which culminates March 9, has exposed the fragility of what's been won.



Top conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol and his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung  both men above 55  are fighting for what they see as a ''male'' vote crucial for victory. They have increasingly focused their messages on young men who decry gender equality policies and the loss of traditional privileges in a hyper-competitive job market.



''Politicians are taking the easy path,'' Hong said. ''Instead of coming up with real policies to solve problems facing young people, they are fanning gender conflict, telling men in their 20s that their difficulties stem from women receiving too many benefits.''



The tensions can be seen on the streets. Hundreds of women have marched in protest against ''election of misogyny.'' Small but vocal groups of anti-feminist men have staged rallies in response.



Divisive gender politics has grown as South Korea deals with a fast-aging population, a plummeting birthrate, soaring personal debt, a decaying job market and stark inequality. There's also the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and fears of being squeezed in the confrontation between the United States and China.



No campaign issue, however, has caused more debate than Yoon's vow to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which the candidate says promotes policies unfair to men.



A former prosecutor general, Yoon, 61, has also vowed stronger penalties for false sexual crime reports. Critics say this makes up only a small number of rape claims, and that the threat of tougher punishment could intimidate victims from coming forward amid a recent male backlash against the #MeToo movement.



Liberal ruling party candidate Lee, 57, has taken a cautious approach to gender issues, while clashing with Yoon over the economy and North Korea policy.



Narrowly trailing Yoon in the polls, Lee has faced calls to appeal to more young men, whose support of conservative candidates in mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan may have led to a shocking double-defeat for the liberals.



Lee has described gender tensions as related to joblessness and says men shouldn't be discriminated against. He said he plans to keep the gender ministry, but under a different Korean name that no longer includes the word ''women.''



Yoon's campaign has been influenced by his party's chairman, Lee Jun-seok, a 36-year-old Harvard-educated ''men's rights'' advocate who describes hiring targets for women and other gender equality policies as ''reverse discrimination.'' Lee calls feminist politics ''blowfish poison.''



Yoon during a presidential debate Monday repeated an argument that South Korea no longer has any structural barriers to women's success, saying discrimination is now about ''individual versus individual.''





People stage a rally supporting feminism in Seoul, Feb. 12. For years, the story of Korean women has been defined by perseverance as they made gradual but steady progress in the workplace and fought against a deeply entrenched culture of misogyny and harassment. AP-Yonhap







The World Economic Forum ranks South Korea 102 out of 156 nations in an index that examines gender gaps in jobs, education, health and political representation.



South Korea has by far the largest gender pay gap among developed economies at around 32 percent, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and women remain significantly underrepresented in corporate boardrooms and politics. The country's record-low birthrate underscores how many women find it impossible to combine careers and family.



Around 80 percent of South Koreans said there is a fair amount of gender conflict in their country, a survey by IPSOS, a global market research firm, showed.



Scrapping the gender ministry could weaken women's rights and ''take a toll on democracy,'' said Chung Hyun-back, a scholar who served as gender equality minister from 2017 to 18, under current liberal President Moon Jae-in. It is also a key government department committed to helping single parents, sexual abuse survivors and the families of minorities and migrants.





Kang Ji-woo, a 36-year-old single mother stands in front of her home in Seoul, Feb. 5. AP-Yonhap
A woman who was found imprisoned in a shed shackled in chains sparking outrage in China over the practice of human trafficking was sold to two 'husbands', authorities have said.

The mother of eight, identified only as Xiaohuamei (Little Plum Blossom), was found in a wooden shack on the outskirts of Xuzhou city in Jiangsu province last month wearing thin clothing in the middle of winter and a metal brace around her neck.

The shocking video of her discovery has been viewed billions of times a day on China's internet, even rivalling the attention given to the Beijing Winter Olympics.

As a result the issue of trafficking women as brides has been thrust into the spotlight in China, after authorities initially dismissed concerns before desperately trying to censor critical comments online about their failure to protect her.

Officials announced Wednesday that they have arrested her husband - identified by his surname, Dong - accused of keeping his wife chained in the shack.

At least 17 local communist party officials have also been punished, and five other arrests - in addition to the husband - have been made.

The mother of eight, identified only as Xiaohuamei (Little Plum Blossom), was found in a wooden shack on the outskirts of Xuzhou city in Jiangsu province last month

Provincial authorities said the woman - who is now 44 - was found to have schizophrenia and had been sold several times, including once in 1998 for 5,000 yuan (580), after being taken from her village in southwestern Yunnan province.

Xiaohuamei was born in 1977 and first married in 1995. She divorced in 1997 and returned to Yagu village in Yunnan.

A year later, a woman surnamed Sang brought her from Yagu all the way to coastal Jiangsu province, about 1,200 miles away, under the guise of getting medical treatment and finding a husband.

But Sang then sold her to a man in Donghai county for 5,000 yuan ($790), Jiangsu authorities said.

They said Sang and her husband had both been sentenced to jail in 2000 for trafficking girls - one for five years and the other for seven.

Both were arrested on Tuesday.

After just a few months with the man in Donghai county, Xiaohuamei disappeared one morning. She ended up in Feng county, where the video showing her chained up was shot, as the result of further trafficking, according to official's report.

The shocking video of Little Plum Blossom's discovery has been viewed billions of times a day on China's internet, even rivalling the attention given to the Beijing Winter Olympics

A couple who ran a hotel in neighbouring Henan province found the woman wandering as a beggar and took her in, according to the report.

After a month, they sold her to a construction foreman who then sold her to a man in Feng county.

This man then sold her to Mr Dong's family that she would 'marry into' and end up having eight children in. Investigators said this chain of events was still under examination.

The husband was formally arrested on Tuesday along with two other people accused of trafficking, authorities said, and investigations are ongoing against six others allegedly involved in trafficking her.

Officials said 'special actions to comprehensively and thoroughly investigate and rectify the violation of rights' were being taken.

The case continued to generate anger on Wednesday, with a related hashtag on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform attracting 580 million views shortly after the news of the punishments came.

'The credibility of our government has long been lost,' one user said of the latest statement. 'You haven't shown us evidence.'

Others called for a national crackdown on trafficking.

Officials announced Wednesday that they have arrested her husband - identified by his surname, Dong - accused of keeping his wife chained in the shack. At least 17 local official have also been punished, and other arrests have been made

China's one-child policy - only relaxed in 2016 - has led to a shortage of women due to a traditional preference for boys.

The resulting gender imbalance is believed to have fuelled human trafficking, according to a United States congressional report.

The footage was first posted on Chinese social media sites by an online blogger days before the recent Lunar New Year holiday, who found the woman while visiting the area to advertise charity efforts in rural parts of the country.

It has led to questions over the treatment of women and the failure to crack down on alleged abuse, and after local officials responded with a series of inconsistent statements, the Chinese public only grew angrier, demanding accountability.

One woman said on social media she tried to visit the mother but was stopped by police and told she had been sent to hospital.

Some have called for a boycott of products from Fengxian, while others have made signs of support reading: 'The world has not abandoned you. Your sisters are coming.'

The activism has prompted alarm in the totalitarian country that it could grow into a Chinese #MeToo case, which authorities have previously clamped down on.

Bride trafficking is a major problem in China after decades of family planning resulted in a shortage of boys.

Under Chinese law, buying a trafficked woman carries a sentence of less than three years in prison.
An ex-Goldman Sachs executive testifying in an embezzlement trial against another banker revealed that a Malaysian media CEO he had an affair with blackmailed him into buying her a $10 million home in London.

Tim Leissner, 52, who pleaded guilty to taking part in Malaysia's 1MDB corruption scandal in 2018, told prosecutors at Roger Ng's trial on Tuesday that he had a decade-long affair with Rohana Rozhan, MEASAT Broadcast executive and former CEO of Astro Malaysia Holdings.

Leissner testified that Rozhan threatened to reveal his involvement in Ng's alleged $4.5 billion scheme with the Malaysian government to embezzle money from the 1MDB account in 2013 if he did not siphon $10 million from the fund to buy her a London home, Bloomberg reported.

'Ms. Rozhan was very upset that I was ending our relationship to be with my future wife, with Kimora,' Leissner told prosecutors, referring to his estranged wife, model and reality TV star Kimora Lee Simmons, 46.

'If I didn't buy her a house, she would tell the authorities about my involvement in the 1MDB scandal. She was threatening to expose me. At the time, 2013, I was very fearful of that.'

Former Goldman Sachs executive Tim Leissner (center) testified that he was in a decade-long affair with Rohana Rozhan, MEASAT Broadcast executive and former CEO of Astro Malaysia Holdings. He said the media CEO threatened to expose his involvement in Malaysia's 1MDB corruption scandal if he did not buy her a $10 million house in London

Rohana Rozhan (above) was in a relationship with Leissner from 2003 to 2013, according to Leissner's testimony. He said their relationship was an open secret

Rozhan has a London address listed under her name at 42 Montpelier Street (pictured). It is currently unknown if this is the home Leissner paid $10 million for

Agnifilo told jurors that Leissner (pictured with Kimora) 'uses people' and has had an 'illicit' relationship with Jasmine Loo

Leissner was called to testify last week against Ng, Goldman's former head of investment banking in Malaysia, who is charged with conspiring to launder money and to violate an anti-bribery law.

Leissner agreed to cooperate with the government's investigation and testify against his former associate for a reduced sentence, forfeiting $43million.

Prosecutors said that Ng, 49, received $35 million in kickbacks for helping embezzle $4.5 billion in funds from 1MDB in a 'brazen' scam.

The pair allegedly worked with Malaysian financier Jho Low to divert the money to fund their lavish lifestyle.

NG has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Leissner added that he informed his then-boss Richard Gnodde, head of Goldman Sachs' Asia business, about his relationship with Rozhan, Bloomberg reported.

Gnodde had allegedly told Leissner to 'be careful about relationships with clients,' as Astro was one of the businesses Goldman Sachs was working with in Malaysia.

Leissner said their relationship, which spanned from 2003 to 2013, was an open secret.

'Pretty much everybody in our Southeast Asia territory knew it,' he testified.

Rozhan, who resigned from Astro in 2019, could not be immediately reached for comment.

During Tuesday's testimony, Leissner also revealed that he and Ng tried to set up jobs at Goldman Sachs for three children of former Malaysian' prime minister Najib Razak, who was ousted in 2018 for his alleged involvement in the 1MBD scandal.

Leissner told prosecutors that in 2009, Razak spoke with the Goldman Sachs bankers, along with then CEO- Lloyd Blankfein, at the Four Seasons hotel in New York, asking them to help find positions for three of his five children at the company, Bloomberg reported.

Leissner did not name which of Razak's kids were part of the proposed deal, only that one daughter had eventually gotten a job at TPS Inc., suggesting it was Nooryana Najwa Najib, who was hired at the company in 2014.

Leissner added that Low was involved in the attempts to get Razak's children hired as he read an email between him and Ng in the courtroom on Tuesday.

'Just met PM's three children with Jho at his apartment,' Leissner read from the message he allegedly received from Ng. 'We'll work on getting them to join GS.'

Leissner replied to Ng: 'Sounds good my friend. Get them in.'

He said they passed along a daughter's resume to Goldman Sachs' office in London, but a company official rejected their request for the daughter to be hired.

'He basically told me he would not support this so we dropped it,' Leissner told prosecutors.

He also told the court that he and Ng came up with the codenames 'Friend' and 'PMO,' which referred to the Prime Minister's Office, for Low as they worked to secure Goldman Sachs' ties in Malaysia and the 1MBD account.

Leissner said Low was 'essential' to their business because he was a 'key decision-maker' in advising Razak and had fed Goldman bankers insider information on how the government was choosing who it would partner with on the 1MBD, Bloomberg reported.

Goldman was competing with JPMorgan Chase, UBS and other major banks for business with the Malaysian government.

Prosecutor Drew Rolle asked Leissner if their information from Low was 'like having the answers to a test ahead of time.'

'Yes,' Leissner said. 'Because we wrote them.'

Goldman Sachs declined to comment on Leissner's testimony.

Roger Ng (left, pictured alongside his lawyer Marc Agnifilo), Goldman's former head of investment banking in Malaysia, is charged with conspiring to launder money and to violate an anti-bribery law to fund his lavish lifestyle

In total, Goldman Sachs will have to pay out more than $5 billion in fines in the scandal, in which former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (above) and his cronies looted billions from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a supposed government investment fund. Leissner said Razak had requested Goldman Sachs hire three of his fire children

Billions of dollars were looted from the sovereign wealth fund in a fraud that allegedly involved former prime minister Najib Razak and his associates

Tuesday's testimony was the latest reveal into Leissner's person life after Ng's defense attorney claimed the ex banker was a 'double bigamist' who 'uses women.'

Leissner, was allegedly 'married to two different women at the same time, twice,' attorney Marc Agnifilo claimed last week.

Leissner has been reportedly married three times, though the dates, and marriage and divorce records are not available.

He was allegedly married to an unidentified first wife before meeting and later marrying Judy Chan, a former analyst at Goldman and the daughter of a coal-mining business owner in China. Leissner has also tied the knot with Simmons.

He met Simmons, who was previously married to hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, in business class on a flight from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur.

The couple reportedly exchanged vows in 2013 - around the time his relationship with Chan fell apart - and had a son, Wolfe, who was born in 2015.

Leissner has been married twice; first to Judy Chan (pictured) a former analyst at Goldman and the daughter of a coal-mining business owner in China

Agnifilo told jurors that Leissman 'uses people' and has had an 'illicit' relationship with Jasmine Loo, the general counsel at 1MDB, The New York Post reported.

She has since fled Malaysia and is wanted by authorities.

The defense attorney said Leissner and Loo developed a 'dark trust because of their illicit, intimate romantic relationship'.

Agnifilo said: 'Leissner uses women, he uses false intimacy, and now he's trying to use my client to get him to do his jail time.'

If convicted, Ng faces decades behind bars for the alleged embezzlement to fund his lavish lifestyle.

The ex-banker's attorneys denied the allegations, arguing that US prosecutors scapegoated Ng for 'corporate-wide' failures at Goldman that enabled the colossal fraud.

The pair allegedly worked with Malaysian financier Jho Low (pictured) to divert the money to fund their lavish lifestyle

'Roger is 100% innocent,' defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the jury. 'We're about to actually have a trial of an innocent man.'

The defense argued Ng's only role was introducing Low to 'far more involved' superiors at Goldman who escaped prosecution. The attorney also claimed his client warned company management not to trust Low.

Among the purchases made from the record heist were a vast superyacht called Equanimity, jewels, and even financing for the hit 2013 movie The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The vague details of Tim Leissner's marriage history Tim Leissner was accused of bigamy during Roger Ng's money laundering trial. The accusation has prompted questions about the banker's vaguely detailed personal life. The former Goldman Sachs employee is currently married to model Kimora Lee Simmons. The pair had a secret wedding. The exact date and location of that ceremony remains unknown, as a marital records search did not yield any results. The couple was, however, pictured in Saint Barthelemy in December 2013 sporting rings on their left hands. Page Six alleged they may have had a Caribbean wedding during that time. Leissner and Kimora Lee Simmons share a son, Wolfe, who was born in 2015. They also adopted Gary, then 10, in January 2020. The couple has since become estranged, although it is unclear when they split. There was speculation they were separating in January 2020 after Leissner was 'seen canoodling with a mystery woman.' US Magazine reported at the time that news of the interaction 'seemed to spread rapidly to Kimora.' Before marrying Kimora Lee Simmons, Leissner was married to Judy Chan, who currently runs Grace Vineyard, China's first family-owned winery. Chan and Leissner met at Goldman when she was working as a junior analyst. It is unclear when exactly they got married, but Bloomberg Quint reported that the feast 'included suckling pigs with electric lights flashing in their eye sockets.' Reports suggest Chan and Leissner divorced in 2013 although divorce records were not readily accessible. Chan was using her married name in Grace Vineyard promotional materials in 2012. She appears to have begun using her maiden name in 2013. Authors Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, in their novel Billion Dollar Whale, report that Leissner married Chan after divorcing his first wife. Information regarding his alleged first wife's identity was not disclosed. Advertisement

Agnifilo told jurors Leissner should not be trusted, claiming the witness secretly recorded co-conspirators in the scheme, but he never found anything incriminating about his client Ng.

Federal prosecutor Brent Wible alleges Ng secretly agreed with Leissner and Low to take hundreds of millions of dollars raised for three bond deals tied to 1MDB that had been intended for development projects in Malaysia.

Low, the accused mastermind behind the scheme, was indicted in the US alongside Ng in 2018.

He has not been arrested by US or Malaysian authorities and his US lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors say Goldman earned $600 million in fees from the deals, and that around $4.5billion of the funds raised was embezzled.

Goldman paid a nearly $3billion fine and arranged for its Malaysian subsidiary to plead guilty in US court.

Leissner said on the stand Wednesday that Ng was Goldman's lead banker on 1MDB and had cultivated a relationship with Malaysian financier Jho Low starting in 2008, who was the key intermediary between the bank and 1MDB.

Bringing in 1MDB business to Goldman, which ultimately sold $6.5 billion in bonds for the fund and reaped $600 million in fees, 'instantaneously made us heroes' within the bank, Leissner said.

'My greed and ambition took over,' Leissner said, adding that the fallout from his actions had destroyed his life.

He also said bankers at Goldman were expected to be hired on every one of their clients' deals, and that missing one was considered 'unacceptable.'

Agnifilo has countered that Leissner, who has not yet been sentenced, has lied to prosecutors about Ng's involvement in a bid to lighten his punishment.

He spent much of his opening statement attacking Leissner's credibility, portraying him as a socialite with expensive taste.

Before marrying Kimora Lee Simmons, Leissner was married to Judy Chan, who currently runs Grace Vineyard, China's first family-owned winery.

Chan and Leissner met at Goldman when she was working as a junior analyst. It is unclear when exactly they got married, but Bloomberg Quint reported that the feast 'included suckling pigs with electric lights flashing in their eye sockets.'

Reports suggest Chan and Leissner divorced in 2013 although divorce records were not readily accessible.

Chan was using her married name in Grace Vineyard promotional materials in 2012. She appears to have begun using her maiden name in 2013.

Authors Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, in their novel Billion Dollar Whale, report that Leissner married Chan after divorcing his first wife.

Information regarding his alleged first wife's identity was not disclosed in the book and records of a first marriage cannot be found.

Leissner and Simmons met in business class on a flight from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur. Their initial encounter is said to have begun with an argument and ended in a marriage proposal.

They wed in 2013, however, the exact date and location of the ceremony remains unknown as a marital records search did not yield any results.

The couple was pictured in Saint Barthelemy in December 2013 sporting rings on their left hands. Page Six alleged they may have had a Caribbean wedding during that time.

She gave birth to his son, Wolfe, in 2015. They also adopted Gary, then 10, in January 2020.

The couple has since become estranged, although it is unclear when they split.

There was speculation they were separating in January 2020 after Leissner was 'seen canoodling with a mystery woman'. Us Weekly reported at the time that news of the interaction 'seemed to spread rapidly to Kimora'. She was also said to be 'been spending a lot of time away from Los Angeles' during that time.

Leissner and Simmons were living in an $11million Los Angeles mansion but sold the home last year. Leissner still resides in the City of Angels.

Before marrying Simmons, Leissner was married to Judy Chan, who currently runs Grace Vineyard, China's first family-owned winery.

Chan and Leissner met at Goldman when she was working as a junior analyst. It is unclear when exactly they got married, however Bloomberg Quint reported the feast 'included suckling pigs with electric lights flashing in their eye sockets.'

Reports suggest Chan and Leissner divorced in 2013 although divorce records were not readily accessible.

Chan was using her married name in Grace Vineyard promotional materials in 2012. She appears to have begun using her maiden name in 2013.

Authors Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, in their novel Billion Dollar Whale, report that Leissner married Chan after divorcing his first wife. Information regarding his alleged first wife's was not disclosed.

Kimora, a former model, was married for ten years to Russell Simmons - the founder of hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings - before they divorced in 2008. They have two children.

Malaysian socialite Jho Low (right) - the other key player in the scheme - remains at large and is believed to have been granted asylum abroad. In 2012, he threw a lavish 31st birthday bash attended by DiCaprio (left), Kim Kardashian and other celebrities. Low and DiCaprio are pictured at The Wolf of Wall Street World Premiere in Paris in December 2013

Malaysian socialite Low, who maintains his innocence, became well known in the New York City and Los Angeles club scenes.

In 2012, he threw a lavish 31st birthday bash attended by DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian and other celebrities - a fete described by The Wall Street Journal as the 'wildest party [Las] Vegas ever saw.'

Pop star Britney Spears is said to have jumped out of a birthday cake to serenade Low.

He also dated Miranda Kerr, who was forced to surrender $8million in jewelry he gave her amid the 1MDB inquiry.
Accused child killer James Watson admitted to police he touched a five-year-old boy's private parts 18 months before the murder of Rikki Neave, a court heard today.

Watson, now 40, is accused of strangling six-year-old Rikki in a Peterborough wood in November 1994 when he was aged 13, before stripping and posing his body in a 'star shape'.

Eighteen months before Rikki's death, on 14 April 1993, when Watson was 12, he was accused of touching the genitals of a five-year-old boy in his bedroom, jurors have heard. The younger boy's mother reported the incident to the police.

James Watson, who would have been 13 at the time, is now 40 and standing trial at the Old Bailey in London charged with six-year-old Rikki Neave's murder, which he denies

Prosecutor John Price, QC, said: 'She reported that [her son] had told her that James Watson had ''touched his penis and rubbed it up and down''.'

On April 19, 1993, Watson was interviewed at Thorpewood police station in Peterborough.

Mr Price said: 'James Watson denied touching [the five-year-old] but said he had told [him] to ''shake his penis after going to the toilet''.

'He said they had gone upstairs to fetch some pyjamas and [the five-year-old] went to the toilet and when he had finished had ''dribbled on the carpet''.

'At the end of the interview, James Watson was told by police that the incident would not be going any further although it would be held on records.'

Juror heard today that Watson admitted touching the five-year-old's genitals in a police interview on April 2016 20, 23 years after the incident.

Rikki Neave, six, was strangled and posed naked in a star shape in woods near his home in Peterborough back in 1994

Watson had been arrested on suspicion of Rikki's murder.

Officers began by asking if he had a 'sexual liking' for younger boys when he himself was young.

'No,' he replied. 'I'm just making no comment because I'm just digging myself into a hole.'

Police then made reference to the allegation of sexual assault of the five-year-old and Watson said he remembered it.

Asked to speak about it, he replied: 'I don't want to, I've been spoken to about it.'

DC Nigel Ebdale asked: 'Did that happen the way it's been described?'

'Mhm, yeah,' Watson replied.

'So you have touched [the five-year-old's] penis?'

'I did yeah.

'I told you I don't want to talk about it.

'We was just two boys playing with each other's penises it is as simple as that.'

Watson was reminded that he denied the allegation in 1993.

'What you're saying now is actually it did happen the way I just described,' DC Ebdale continued.

'Mhm,' Watson responded.

'If you had a liking for young children, is that why it happened?'

'No.'

Watson (right), in the dock at the Old Bailey, charged with the murder of Rikki who was found strangled in woodland 25 years ago, when the defendant was 13

'But did you think that was the right behaviour?'

'Of course not, no.'

'So why did you do it?'

'I don't know.'

Jurors then heard more detail about the alleged sexual assault.

Recounting the mother's account, Mr Price said: 'She stated that while she had been getting [her son] ready for bed he had pulled back his foreskin and moved it up and down.

'She asked him what he was doing and he replied that ''James did it to him''.

'He also told her that James had asked him to touch his [James'], penis and James had liked it.

'James had told him not to tell anyone.

A map showing the distance between Rikki's home and the wood where his body was found

'[She] stated that [her son's] penis was ''red'' and he told her it hurt when he went for a wee.'

Jurors heard the mother took her son to be examined by a doctor.

'There was a slight abrasion and a sore area on the penis when the foreskin was pulled back,' Mr Price said.

'In the opinion of [the doctor] this was consistent with the foreskin having been forced back.

'He could not say whether it was caused by another person.'

Watson, of no fixed address, denies murdering Rikki between November 28 and 29 1994.

The trial continues.
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Britain's Covid wave is continuing to fizzle out with daily cases, deaths and hospitalisations all trending downwards, official data shows.

There were another 39,656 infections recorded over the last 24 hours, marking a fall of a quarter compared to last Wednesday, according to Government dashboard data.

Daily cases have consistently fallen for more than three weeks in a row now, and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) weekly infection survey is mirroring that trend.

There were also 164 Covid deaths registered today, which are down 17 per cent from last week.

Latest hospital figures show another 970 admissions were recorded on February 19, which was the first time they have dipped below 1,000 so far this year.

The last time there were three-digit daily Covid hospital admissions in the UK was in mid-December before the Omicron surge was felt in the NHS.

A significant share of Covid admissions and deaths are now not primarily caused by the virus  the effect of the milder but much more infectious variant.

The faltering drop in stats combined with the severed link between infection and severe disease has given ministers the confidence to start winding down the official dump of Covid statistics at weekends, with a view to scrapping the daily numbers completely by spring.

It comes as the ONS survey  seen as the most trustworthy surveillance study  estimated England's cases fell for the second week in a row, dropping 13 per cent to the equivalent of one in 25 people being infected over the week to February 19.

The survey  based on 100,000 random swabs  is set to continue once free testing ends in April, and is seen as the 'gold-standard' for monitoring the virus by ministers.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) statisticians estimated there were 2.1million infections on any given day in England in the week up to February 19, down 14 per cent on the 2.4million per day the week before

UK Health Security Agency data showed cases dropped across all UK nations today compared to the same time last week, falling in England (down 30 per cent) Northern Ireland (down 20 per cent), Wales (down 19 per cent) and Scotland (down nine per cent).

The number of Covid swabs carried out every day is trending downwards to around 810,000, which may partially explain the trend.

But the positivity rate  the proportion of swabs that pick up the virus  is also ticking downwards, suggesting there is a real-terms drop in virus cases across the country.

High street pricing war for lateral flows begins A high street pricing war over lateral flow tests broke out today as Superdrug revealed it will undercut rival chain Boots by offering Covid swabs for just 1.99 each. Superdrug pledged to sell individual tests for 51p less than Boots, which yesterday became the first pharmacy to unveil its pricing strategy ahead of No10's move to ditch free swabbing in April. People who are not vulnerable to the virus and wish to continue testing will have to purchase the rapid kits from supermarkets, high street pharmacies and potentially even petrol stations on the first day of that month. Superdrug said it would offer the individual swabs at a lower price than its competitor and will also sell multiple tests at a discounted price, with packs of five costing 9.79. It means the tests will be 18 per cent cheaper than Boots, which will eventually charge 12 for a pack of five or 2.50 per individual swab. And Superdrug confirmed it would start offering swabs at its price in the coming days, significantly earlier than Boots, which started selling them online 6 each today. Advertisement

The ONS survey, which is currently published twice a week because prevalence is so high, estimated there were 2.1million cases across England last week.

It found infections fell in every region, except for the South East where the trend is 'uncertain'.

Changes to infection levels in Wales and Northern Ireland over the week were also unclear, statisticians said, although both counties saw clear falls over the last two weeks.

Around one in 30 people had the virus in Wales during the week  the lowest of the four nations  while Northern Ireland had the highest prevalence, with one in 14 people testing positive.

In England, the proportion of people testing positive varied across age groups, with the highest being for children aged two to 11 at 4.84 per cent.

The most vulnerable over-70 age group continued to see the lowest prevalence at 2.08 per cent, the ONS estimated.

Esther Sutherland, head of strategic development for the ONS Covid Infection Survey, said: 'The number of people testing positive has decreased in all regions of England, apart from the South East where the trend is uncertain.

'While our numbers indicate a decrease in infections in Northern Ireland and Wales, the trend is uncertain in the most recent week.

'Only in Scotland have we detected a rise in infections. That appears to have been driven by the Omicron BA.2 variant, the presence of which has also increased in the rest of the UK.'

It comes after Mr Johnson confirmed the UK will keep the ONS surveillance scheme, following fears that the country's crucial radar was going to be turned off in the coming weeks.

Unveiling his 'Living with Covid' strategy in the Commons on Monday, he described the survey as being 'world-leading' and promised it would continue tracking the virus in 'granular detail' although it will be scaled down.

Last week scientists warned that it would be 'idiotic' to axe the infection survey, following claims that it would be scrapped.

Under the PM's post-Covid era blueprint, self-isolation laws will be axed from midnight.

Masks will no longer be compulsory on Tubes and buses in London as well, but people in the capital are still being 'strongly recommended' to continue covering up out of respect for fellow passengers.

Transport for London said it will no longer be a 'condition of carriage' to wear masks on its services but customers and staff will be 'strongly recommended' to wear face coverings regardless, in line with advice to passengers using national rail services.

TfL is also urging the use of face coverings in taxis and private hire vehicles by both drivers and passengers.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told people to keep wearing masks out of 'consideration', calling face coverings a 'simple, effective measure that give Londoners confidence to travel'.

Changes to infection levels in Wales and Northern Ireland over the week were 'uncertain', statisticians said, although both counties saw clear falls over the last two weeks. Infections started to rise in Scotland, where one in 20 had the virus daily

Boris Johnson hailed a new post-Covid era as he declared that self-isolation laws are being axed from tomorrow and free tests will go from April

Mrs Sturgeon yesterday unveiled her plan for a 'sustainable return to a normal way of life' in Scotland as she promised to axe remaining coronavirus rules amid a furious row with Boris Johnson over scrapping free Covid tests.

The First Minister said the use of Covid certificates will end from Monday February 28 and the legal requirement to wear a face mask in certain indoor settings will be converted to guidance from March 21.

But she said access to free tests will continue 'from now until further notice' despite Mr Johnson committing to axing them in England from April 1.

The Scottish government will publish a detailed document in March setting out how it will gradually transition away from mass free testing in a 'careful and phased manner'.

That raises the prospect of people in Scotland still being able to access free tests when people in England will have to pay for them.

However, it is currently unclear how Mrs Sturgeon would fund continued access to free tests, with Downing Street stressing it will not be providing any extra funding given the provision is ending in England.

The SNP is calling on the Treasury to provide more money but Chancellor Rishi Sunak is not expected to budge on the issue.

That means Mrs Sturgeon would likely have to cut spending in another area if she wants to continue to provide free tests beyond Mr Johnson's April 1 cut-off date.
An Oklahoma congressional candidate is blaming her drunken behavior at a teenage girls' sleepover on an adverse reaction from wine and sleeping pills as the Democratic Party relinquishes its association with the aspiring politician.

Abby Broyles, 32, previously apologized for 'getting drunk and shouting at schoolgirls,' calling one 'acne f**ker' and another a 'Hispanic f**ker' during a Valentine's weekend gathering before she vomited in a hamper and a girl's shoe.

She claimed during a KFOR interview that her behavior was caused by a cocktail of booze and sleeping medication given to her by a friend who was hosting Broyles' daughter and other girls at her home.

'Instead of helping me sleep, I hallucinated,' Broyles told the station. 'And I dont remember anything until I woke up or came to, and I was throwing up in a hamper.'

Her behavior, described by the teens' moms as 'appalling', has angered the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which gave her the ax.

'The DCCC is not working with Abby Broyles campaign and we condemn her abhorrent behavior,' spokesman Chris Taylor told Politico.

Congressional candidate Abby Broyles, 32, blamed her drunken rantings and vomiting during a teenage girls' sleepover on a combination of booze and sleeping pills

Broyles also addressed the scandal on Twitter, where she indicated that she was dropping out of the race. She contended that the incident was not typical of her normal behavior.

'The things I'm accused of saying are not who I am, nor do they depict the entirety of the situation that occurred,' she tweeted. 'They are not a reflection of my beliefs.'

She said the 'painful attack on my character' has led to threats, meanspirited emails, and an unprecedented amount of stress.

'Like all of us, I'm not perfect,' Broyles said. 'We all make mistakes and I'm sure I'm not the only Oklahoman who's ever had one too many on a Friday night. Being in the public eye for an intense three years in a tumultuous political climate has been the most stressful time of my life.

'While I'm committed to service, I'm taking some time to focus on my mental health and recharging so I can feel 100% again.'

Broyles also addressed the scandal on Twitter, where she fell short of apologizing while contending that the incident was not indicative of her normal behavior

Broyles was invited over to a friend's house to share a drink while the friend's daughter enjoyed a slumber party with seven other middle-school girls.

She allegedly became drunk over the course of the evening, threw up in a laundry basket and a girl's shoe, and launched a profanity-laced tirade at several of the children.

Originally. Broyles fiercely denied she was even at the party, but then admitted she had been there and was 'deeply sorry' for her actions.

Broyles said she had wine and sushi with her friend, who gave her a sleeping pill to help her deal with anxiety.

However, she claims she had a bad reaction to the drug, which made her hallucinate, black out and left her unable to remember what happened that night.

Abby Broyles (pictured), a candidate for Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District, apologized after 'getting drunk and shouting at schoolgirls'. She had gone over to a friend's house for 'wine and sushi' but ended up letting loose a profane tirade

The budding politician denied she had a drinking problem and blamed a bad reaction to sleeping pills for the alleged outburst. Broyles called one schoolgirl 'acne f**ker' and another 'Hispanic f**ker' during her friend's daughter's Valentine's Day sleepover party

Multiple reports of the incident published by NonDoc alleged that Broyles hurled multiple insults at the girls including 'acne f***er', 'Hispanic f***er' and 'judgy f***er', bringing them to tears.

Broyles' friend whose daughter was having the party confirmed the Democrat had created an incident 'of the kind of magnitude that I needed to make phone calls to every parent [of the children in attendance] the next day to discuss one-on-one'.

Sarah Matthews, (pictured) whose 12-year-old daughter was at the party, slammed Broyles's alleged behavior, claiming it was 'vile, cruel and bigoted'

Before the tweets about 'recharging', Broyles had apologized: 'I want to say sorry from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for any hurt or damage or trauma that my behavior, when I didn't know what I was doing, caused. I'm deeply sorry.'

She added that she didn't believe she had a problem with alcohol.

She alleged Broyles scared the group of girls and claimed she 'ruined a pair of their shoes with vomit'

Sarah Matthews, who said her 12-year-old daughter was at the party, tweeted that Broyles 'verbally and emotionally abused' the group of 12 and 13-year-olds.

She wrote: 'For someone who pontificates to be undyingly pro-woman, I am disgusted by your behavior and find it appalling you couldn't understand why their parents are angry.

'Your vile, cruel, and bigoted behavior should not be excused or 'swept under the rug'.

Broyles liked a tweet saying, 'Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don't have to get it 'right', I just have to give it my best'

The Dem candidate was told she terrified the group of girls. However, she has vowed to continue with her political campaign

'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!'

Broyles did not reply to the tweets by Matthews but liked one from another user written a day later saying, 'Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don't have to get it 'right', I just have to give it my best'.
This is the moment a hapless Russian soldier got stuck on a sign during a military event attended by Vladimir Putin today.

The paratrooper, also called Vladimir, ended up marooned on the sign and dangling several feet in the air after he lost control of his parachute, which bore the colours of the Russian flag.

He was eventually hauled off the sign in Tyumen, southern Russia, and treated by doctors for superficial cuts to his chest and knees.

The jumper, 56, was marking Defender of the Fatherland Day, which was kicked off by Putin praising his country's troops which are poised along the Ukrainian border ahead of a possible invasion.

This is the moment a hapless Russian soldier got stuck on a sign during a military event attended by Vladimir Putin in Tyumen, southern Russia

He was aiming to land by the so-called Bridge of Lovers, a pedestrian crossing over the frozen Tura River in Tyumen.

He had jumped with others from an Mi-8 AMT helicopter as the climax of the Fatherland Day celebration in the oil-rich Siberian city.

But in the high winds, he came down fast towards the frozen river and his chute got entangled with a sign as thousands of people on the ground watched on.

The soldier, 56, had jumped with others from an Mi-8 AMT helicopter as the climax of the Fatherland Day celebration in the oil-rich Siberian city

The paratrooper, also called Vladimir, ended up marooned on the sign and dangling several feet in the air after he lost control of his parachute, which bore the colours of the Russian flag

Thousands of people watched on as the man clung onto a metal fence on the river embankment before rescuers hauled him to safety

He clung onto a metal fence on the river embankment as rescuers hauled him to safety.

'He hit his face on the railing, and suffered abrasions,' said Vladimir Viktorovich, head of his parachute team. 'There are no further injuries, doctors checked him.'

The parachutist said: 'Everything is fine with me, no need to worry. Such a landing occurred due to weather conditions,'

He sustained chest and knee injuries.
Ukraine's security council has declared a state of emergency in a ramping up of precautions for an invasion

arned his nation's security 'is non-negotiable' and refused to back down over NATO demands

Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin said that President Biden's strategy for staving off a Russian invasion of Ukraine 'doesn't look like it worked' and sanctions against Moscow need to be 'a lot stronger and a lot more personal.'

'What the administration tried to do was just declassify amazing amounts of intelligence to sort of shame Putin out of invasion, and it doesn't look like it worked,' the Michigan congresswoman said on Fox News on Wednesday.

'Sanctions just have to go a lot stronger and a lot more personal,' Slotkin continued.

'Of course we're going to do banks. Of course we're going to do certain sectors but get those oligarchs that support Putin, their wives, their mistresses, their ability for their kids to go to foreign universities. You can target these folks that are holding Putin up in a much more severe way that I'd like to see in the coming days.'

Biden announced sanctions against two major Russian financial institutions, a slew of billionaire oligarchs and a halt on Russia's sovereign debt to prevent the country from raising money from the West. The president threatened harsher measures to come.

The sanctions targeted Putin's deputy chief of staff, the head of his security agency and the CEO of the Russian-version of Facebook, VK Group, among others.

'Just go for it and throw the book at him,' Slotkin said.

'Sanctions just have to go a lot stronger and a lot more personal,' Slotkin said

The U.S. targeted with sanctions Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov

She also said that Biden should not have showed the U.S.'s hand to Putin.

'I think the question is is the American public willing to put American sons and daughters into armed conflict with Russia. I'm not sure I would have said it the way the president said it. He showed our hand very clearly, he said we were never going to have American sons and daughters go to fight Russia.'

Russia on Tuesday warned there would be a 'painful' response to sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies against Vladimir Putin's inner circle as Ukraine's security council has declared a nationwide state of emergency.

Ukraine appears braced for conflict as Vladimir Putin boasted of the battle-readiness of Russia's armed forces as President Joe Biden warned of an impending full-scale invasion of the country.

Sanctions appear not to be working. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called them part of Washington's 'ongoing attempts to change Russia's course,' and added that the pressure will not prove to be a deterrence.

'There should be no doubt that sanctions will receive a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but finely tuned and painful to the American side,' the ministry said on Wednesday.

As Russia pulled its diplomats from Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for even harsher sanctions and warned the 'future of European security is being decided now, here in Ukraine.'

Meanwhile, Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would introduce a 30-day period of emergency in a ramping up of precautions as Russian troops and blood supplies headed to frontlines in what U.S. officials said were 'plans for war'. Ukrainian lawmakers are also working on legislation to allow its citizens to carry firearms.

It move came after President Putin boasted of Russia's preparedness and 'advanced weapons' including hypersonic missiles in a sabre-rattling speech.

Putin, speaking on Defender of the Fatherland Day, which marks the first mass draft into the Red Army in 1918, congratulated the armed forces on their 'professionalism' and said he was assured they would stand up for the country's national interests - which he said are 'non-negotiable'.

The Russian leader insisted that diplomacy with the West is still possible but gave no hint that he is willing to back down over any of his security demands - including that Ukraine disarm and drop its bid to join NATO. These have been dismissed by the U.S., Kiev and NATO as non-starters.

President Biden warned it was clear the Russian leader was preparing for conflict after U.S. sources observed Russia moving supplies of blood towards its border with Ukraine, saying: 'You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war.'

In a sign that a diplomatic solution appears unlikely, Secretary of State Antony Bliken called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who also cancelled his meeting, said Putin no longer accepted Ukraine's independence under international law.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine's National Security and Defense council approved plans to declare a state of national emergency, with measures requiring stepped-up document and vehicle checks across the country. The declaration needs to be formally approved by parliament.

They would apply to all parts of Ukraine except for its two Russian-backed eastern separatist regions, where a deadly insurgency that has claimed more than 14,000 lives broke out in 2014.

Danilov said each of Ukraine's regions would be able to select which particular measures to apply, 'depending on how necessary they might be'.

'What could it be? This could be added enforcement of public order,' Danilov said. 'This could involve limiting certain types of transport, increased vehicle checks, or asking people to show this or that document,' he added, calling it a 'preventive' measure.

Additionally, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged its citizens in Russia to leave immediately. The ministry also recommended that Ukrainians not travel to Russia and warned the government may not be in a position to help any of its citizens in Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kiev, according to an Associated Press photographer.

Hopes for a diplomatic solution seem to be fading.

Biden warned on Tuesday that an invasion of Ukraine is already underway but could quickly ramp up into all-out war, with blood supplies being moved to the frontlines which could be used to treat injured soldiers.

'This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war,' Biden declared as he levied sanctions against Russian banks and promised harsher measures to come.

Ukraine's security council has declared a nationwide state of emergency, a top security official has said, as Vladimir Putin (pictured) boasted of the battle-readiness of Russia's armed forces and Joe Biden warned of an impending full-scale invasion of the country

Ukraine's Security Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would introduce a 30-day period of emergency in a ramping up of precautions as Russian troops and blood supplies headed to frontlines in what US officials said were 'plans for war'

Putin is thought to be planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, having recognised two areas in the east of the country as independent earlier this week. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in dark red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (shaded red) amid fears he will now try to seize it

Russia has up to 190,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter jets and bombers surrounding Ukraine from three sides, as the US warns of a full-scale invasion of the whole country including an attack on the capital, Kiev

Russian armored vehicles at the railway station in Rostov region, Russia

The Russian Embassy in Kiev where its flag does not appear to be flying amid reports Moscow has recalled its diplomats

Russia's lap-dog parliament yesterday handed Putin the necessary authority to use the country's military abroad, paving the way for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine (file image, Russian troops on training exercises)

Russia has for months been massing troops, tanks, and support vehicles (pictured) on the border with Ukraine and is now thought to have up to 190,000 men ready to attack the country

Russian armoured troop transports are pictured in an assembly area, amid fears they could soon roll across the border and into Ukraine - sparking the most-serious war in Europe for decades

Russia has alternately claimed to be staging routine training exercises in its border regions, withdrawing its forces and reinforcing its allies in the region - all of which has been dismissed by the West as pretense (pictured, a Russian soldier)

A Russian attack on Urkaine could start in the Donbass region (top right) with attempts to expand rebel-held areas, that could either be in coordination with or before a much wider assault on the entire country (top right). Should the fighting spill over Ukraine's borders, it could drag in NATO forces stationed in Europe (bottom centre)

U.S. moves troops to Baltic NATO states The U.S. military has moved troops to the Baltic nations in an effort to bolster NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia as Ukraine prepares for a full-scale invasion. Up to 190,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine, including Russian forces that have deployed to Belarus, which border NATO members Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. This has been nominally for military exercises, which have been watched over by Putin and Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko. Biden confirmed he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.' The U.S. will send about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated. The measures came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist regions in defiance of U.S. and European demands. Advertisement

Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will face sanctions. He also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.'

The administration also named five individuals being targeted, including Alex Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Petr Fradkov, the CEO of Russian Promsvyazbank, the country's largest military bank.

The White House warned more individuals could be targeted, with a senior administration official saying: 'No Russian financial institution is safe if this invasion proceeds.'

Trans-atlantic allies are lining up behind the American condemnation of Russia. Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, cutting off what Biden's administration called a 'cash cow' for Moscow.

Britain also announced sanctions on three billionaires with close links to Putin, and five small lenders including Promsvyazbank.

Australia, Canada and Japan also announced sanctions. Australia will impose travel bans and financial penalties on eight members of Russia's National Security Council. Canada sanctioned two Russian banks and Japan imposed financial penalities on Moscow.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.

Tensions between East and West dramatically ratcheted up Tuesday as Putin was granted authority by Russia's lap-dog parliament to use military force abroad, a move that paves the way for him to attack Ukraine.

Hours earlier, he had given a speech in which he made expansionist claims about rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east - saying Russia has recognised areas currently held by Ukrainian troops as belonging to the separatists.

That has sparked fears he is preparing for a land-grab of that territory under the auspices of a 'peacekeeping' mission to the region which could extend even beyond those boundaries and all the way to the city of Kharkiv - where several major Ukrainian military bases are located.

Russian tanks and armoured vehicles have been spotted hiding in civilian areas and the tree lines of forests in several areas just to the north of Kharkiv in recent days, within just three miles of the border.

Putin has up to 190,000 troops backed by thousands of tanks and artillery units, hundreds of fighter jets and dozens of bombers encircling Ukraine from three sides - with up to 10,000 men already thought to have moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk on the current frontlines with Ukrainian forces.

Western nations have tried to present a united front in the face of the invasion, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials.

The U.S., meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets.

That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdictions.

A Ukrainian pilot boards a fighter jet at an air base in an undisclosed region of the country early Wednesday, as he takes part in combat readiness drills amid fears Russian is about to invade

A Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jet, originally made in Russia, takes off from an airfield in an undisclosed region of the country amid fears that Russia is about to stage a full-scale invasion

The tail fins of Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jets are seen at an undisclosed air field somewhere in Ukraine as one takes to the skies during combat readiness checks ahead of what could be a full-scale Russian invasion

Ukrainian firefighters attempt to put out a blazing house in the village of Muratovo, close to the frontlines with pro-Moscow rebels in Luhansk, after it was shelled overnight

Ukraine said one soldier died and another six were injured in shelling by pro-Moscow rebels overnight, which also hit and destroyed a house in the village of Muratovo

Russian volunteers carry medical supplies to a warehouse in the city of Taganrog, close to the border of Ukraine, after Biden warned that blood is being moved to the frontlines in what is considered to be one of the final moves before an attack

Five of Putin's 'inner circle' hit by sanctions President Joe Biden took a direct hit at Vladimir Putin's inner circle on Tuesday by invoking sanctions on five named individuals. They are: Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Bortnikov's son Dennis, who is the deputy president of VTB Bank; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; Keriyneko's son Vladimir, who is currently the CEO of VK Group which runs Russia's version of Facebook; Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov, head of nation's largest military bank. Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will also face sanctions. The two institutions 'hold more than $80 billion in assets and finance the Russian defense sector and economic development,' the White House noted in a fact sheet. 'These measures will freeze their assets in the United States, prohibit U.S. individuals and businesses from doing any transactions with them, shut them out of the global financial system, and foreclose access to the U.S. dollar.' Biden also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.' Advertisement

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the U.S., including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia U.S. high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia's ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.'

The U.S. is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Earlier Tuesday, members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country - effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes.

The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: 'I haven't said that the troops will go there right now.' He added that 'it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.'

The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an 'invasion' after initially hesitating to use the term - a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow

President Joe Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows several new deployments of troops and equipment have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of assembled vehicles at Bokov Airfield near Mazyr, Belarus, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows armor and vehicles at a railyard in Belgorod, Russia, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, Russia, which is close to the Ukrainian border

'We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine,' Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. 'An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.'

The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel regions on Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending in troops. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about those sanctions, noted 'that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014' and that 'Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.'

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade - and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued U.S. support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia. Senators had been considering a sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.
A man who crept into a university student's bedroom and raped her while she slept has been jailed for seven years and two months.

Mauro Eric Catamo De Oliveira, 30, met his victim while she was partying in Leicester city centre with her friends, before they invited him and his friend back to their home for more drinks.

Once back at the house, the victim left the group to socialise in the communal living area and went to her bedroom alone, where she fell into a drunken slumber, a court was told.

Richard Thatcher, prosecuting, said the victim was shocked and terrified when she woke to find the defendant sexually touching her in bed, before he raped her, in the early hours of September 28, 2016.

After being charged, De Oliveira, of no fixed address, fled the country to his homeland Portugal and failed to appear at Leicester Magistrates Court in May 2017.

He was extradited to the UK in June following a delay due to Covid and faced trial at Leicester Crown Court.

De Oliveira pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and rape, claiming the victim consented, but was found guilty by a jury. He admitted breaching his bail by going on the run.

He was sentenced to seven years and two months in prison. The two month sentence was given for failing to appear in court.

Mauro Eric Catamo De Oliveira, 30, met his victim on a night out in Leicester city centre. After being invited back to her house, he crept into the victim's bedroom where she was sleeping and sexually touched her before raping her

Judge Philip Head said the victim woke to find an apparent stranger lying behind her in bed.

He said the victim was 'bewildered and terrified' when the defendant proceeded to have unprotected sex with her, despite her resistance.

The university student managed to escape from the bed and locked herself in the bathroom, where she messaged a friend for help while the defendant made off, the jury was told.

Judge Head said: 'She was absolutely distraught and crying hysterically and was unable to speak for some time.'

In her confusion, the victim was convinced someone else had got into the flat and later said the defendant had not seemed the type to behave in that way, the court was told.

Addressing De Oliveira, Judge Head added: 'When arrested, you said she was an active and consenting participant until she suddenly changed her mind.

'When you gave evidence, you said she answered your knock on her door and claimed she was completely naked.'

The judge said De Oliveira was 'arrogant' and 'convinced of his own sexual charms'.

He added: 'The jury concluded you decided to get sexual relief at her expense.

'She was certainly asleep when you went into her bedroom.

'She hadnt given you the slightest indication or any encouragement.'

The judge added: 'You remained in this country for several months, until you were charged and then fled, returning to Portugal.

'A European arrested warrant was issued and you made it clear you werent prepared to return to the UK voluntarily.

'The pandemic may have contributed to the delay, but if youd agreed to return your trial would have happened well before the Covid-19 outbreak.

'Your attempt to evade justice meant your victim has had this dreadful experience unresolved for many years and its been reawakened when she was just beginning to get on with her life.'

James Varley, defending, said De Oliveira was a man with no previous convictions, adding: 'Theres little I can say about the facts.

'He was 25 at the time. He went out at night and maybe drank too much and ended up in a flat with a bunch of other people - and we know what happened.

'He spent 120 days [in custody] awaiting extradition that should count towards his sentence.'

Jailing De Oliveira for seven years and two months, judge Head told him: 'The complainant and her housemates, all students in this city, went for a night out and in the early hours they met you and your friend in a bar and invited you both back to their flat.

'Whatever might have been intended by the other women or your friend, the complainant had no sexual interest in you.

'She then went to her room and fell deeply asleep and would have been affected by a substantial amount of drink shed earlier consumed.

'The general understanding was youd sleep on the sofa in the communal living room.

'You made your way uninvited into her bedroom.'

De Oliveira was found guilty of sexual assault and rape after a trial at Leicester Crown Court (pictured). He admitted breaching his bail by going on the run and was jailed for seven years and two months

Leicestershire Police said De Oliveira left the UK and flew to Portugal in May 2017 ahead of a hearing at Leicester Magistrates Court.

In March 2019, the force obtained a European Arrest Warrant and following a hearing at a Portuguese court in April 2020, permission was granted for De Oliveira to be flown back to the UK, a spokesman said.

But due to the pandemic, that process did not go ahead as planned and in June last year, De Oliveira was eventually flown back to the UK where he was remanded in custody, police said.

After the sentencing, detective sergeant Jamie Petchell, the investigating officer on the case, said: 'De Oliveira tried everything in his powers to evade capture and despite knowing that his bail conditions prevented him from leaving the country, he did so.

'We used the powers available to us under the EAW to bring him back to the UK and answer to his crimes. This was in no way an easy process with many hurdles along the way.

'Understandably, given the amount of time that elapsed from the offences being committed to the trial (almost 6 years), this was a very stressful time for the victim.

'It was surrounded by uncertainty as to when the defendant would return to the UK and when the trial would take place due to the Covid-19 restrictions.'
A Minnesota jury on Wednesday began deliberating the fate of three former police officers charged with violating the civil rights of George Floyd, whose May 2020 murder sparked nationwide protests.

Nearly two years later, Tou Thao, 36, J. Alexander Kueng, 28, and Thomas Lane, 38, are facing trial in federal court for their roles in Floyd's death at the hands of disgraced former police officer Derek Chauvin.

They were also on the scene as Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes until he passed out and died and are charged with showing 'deliberate indifference' to Floyd's medical needs. They have all pleaded not guilty.

Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, killing that triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Lane does not face the second charge as video of the arrest shows that on two occasions, he suggested that Floyd be rolled over on his side.

The three officers also face a separate trial for aiding and abetting manslaughter at a Minnesota state court, which has yet to begin.

'It's your duty to find the facts,' Judge Paul Magnuson told the jury of eight women and four men on Wednesday, 'and then apply the law.'

'Don't allow sympathy or prejudice to influence you,' the judge said before sending the jurors off to begin their deliberations at around 10am.

J Alexander Kueng (left), Thomas Lane (middle), and Tou Thao (right) are charged with showing 'deliberate indifference' to Floyd's medical needs at his May 2020 death

Deliberations come following a month-long trial, during which the jury heard from doctors, witnesses to Floyd's death and the officers themselves.

Thao, who is Hmong American, Kueng, who is black, and Lane, who is white, responded to the call on May 25 that Floyd used a fake $20 bill to buy a pack of cigarettes at a store in Minneapolis.

As Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck, Kueng was on his back and Lane held his legs. Both officers were on their first week at the job at the time of the brutal murder.

Thao, meanwhile, kept back bystanders who were pleading with Chauvin to get off the visibly distressed Floyd.

Prosecutors have argued that the officers violated their training by not rolling Floyd onto his side or giving him CPR, and by not intervening to stop Chauvin, while defense attorneys have pointed out that Keung and Lane were rookies and deferred judgment to Chauvin, who was their superior.

They have also blamed a lack of training in the Minneapolis Police Department for the murder.

Chauvin, meanwhile, admitted civil rights crimes at his separate trial in December 2021, and was convicted of Floyd's murder at a Minneapolis court in April 2021.

Keung (pictured with Floyd) knelt on Floyd's back while Derek Chauvin, who pleaded guilty in December, knelt on his neck

Lane (right) held his legs and Thao (left) kept bystanders back during the altercation in 2020

Surveillance footage showed Lane and Kueng escorting Floyd into the police vehicle that day

The officers gathered around Floyd as Chauvin knelt on his neck

In closing arguments on Monday, prosecutors claimed the men 'chose to do nothing' as Chauvin slowly killed Floyd, and that they'd therefore proven themselves guilty of violating the victim's civil right to medical care.

'They chose not to intervene, they chose not to aid Mr. Floyd,' Assistant US Attorney Manda Sertich said in closing arguments, according to CNN. 'This is a crime. The defendants are guilty as charged.'

Sertich also claimed Kueng casually picked gravel from a police SUV's tire as Chauvin 'mocked George Floyd's pleas by saying it took a heck of a lot of oxygen to keep talking.'

And, she said, Lane's remarks showed that he knew Floyd was in distress but 'did nothing to give Mr. Floyd the medical aid he knew Mr. Floyd so desperately needed.'

Her co-counsel, Assistant US Attorney LeeAnn Bell also argued that the force Chauvin applied to Floyd's neck was unreasonable once Floyd became unconscious, saying: 'Officer Thao and Officer Keung had a duty to stop it.

'Force has to be appropriate and proportional at the time,' she said. 'If they go unconscious, you cannot continue to use force.'

Thao testified during his trial on February 15 that officers in the Minneapolis Police Department regularly use their knees to detain suspects

Lawyers for Kueng and Lane, meanwhile, stressed that the two officers had only been on the job for only a few days and deferred to Chauvin, a nearly 20-year veteran and the senior officer on the scene.

Taking the stand earlier this month, Kueng said Chauvin informed his fellow police officers Floyd needed to be taken to the ground.

Thao also noted that it is not unusual for a member of the Minneapolis Police Department to use their knees in an arrest. The move is banned by several police departments, CNN reports, but the MPD allows officers to restrain suspects' necks if they are aggressive or resisting.

His attorney, Thomas Plunkett, even showed the court Minneapolis Police Department training slides showing officers using their knees to restrain a suspect.

Earl Gray, the lawyer for Lane, meanwhile, said his client did show concern for Floyd when asking Chauvin whether Floyd should be placed on his side.

'Chauvin doesn't say anything, he ignores this person over here, he's just a rookie,' Gray said of his client.

The defense attorney also noted that Lane asked Kueng to check Floyd's pulse and administered CPR after an ambulance arrived.

'All of that is being concerned about George Floyd's medical needs,' Gray said.

'Is that deliberate indifference?' he asked, rhetorically. 'No.'
Half of Russians believe it would be right for Russia to use military force against Ukraine to keep the country out of NATO, a poll has revealed.

Fears are mounting that it is only a matter of time that Vladimir Putin will stage a full-scale attack on Ukraine, with US intelligence indicating that the deadly move will be in the next 48 hours.

Putin said the crisis will only be resolved if Ukraine drops its NATO bid, declare neutrality, 'demilitarize', and negotiated with separatists. The West has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

For 50 per cent of Russians, they believe it is right for the Russian strongman to use the military to stop Ukraine joining NATO, according to a poll conducted by CNN. Only 25 per cent of Russians polled said it would be wrong.

For 50 per cent of Russians, they believe it is right for the Russian strongman to use the military to stop Ukraine joining NATO, according to a poll conducted by CNN

Russian armored vehicles at the railway station in Rostov region, Russia, on Wednesday, close to the border with Ukraine

But the survey also found that 43 per cent of Russians believe it would be wrong to invade Ukraine to 'reunite Russia and Ukraine', compared to 36 per cent who said it would be the right move.

Russian TV host and journalist Vladimir Pozner told CNN that the poll highlights a general believe among Russians that Ukraine joining NATO would threaten Russia.

'It speaks to the view that, should Ukraine become a NATO member, and should NATO forces be deployed on Russia's doorstep, that would constitute an existential threat and therefore cannot be allowed,' Pozner said.

Orysia Lutzevvch, head of the Ukraine Forum at the UK think tank Chatham House, told the news site: 'Modern-day Russia has a syndrome of collapsing empires.

'The loss of these lands is presented as "historical injustice" that should be rectified, including by force. Ukraine is viewed as a crown jewel that is "being stolen by NATO".

'Tapping into old Soviet scaremongering of the US and NATO, Russians believe it is an aggressive bloc that is in the way of Russia-Ukrainian unity.'

It comes as U.S. President Joe Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of an 'imminent' attack by Putin's troops, just hours after Ukraine was hit by a 'massive' cyberattack targeting its government and banks.

The poll, which surveyed over 2,000 Russians and Ukrainians, found that 70 per cent of people in Ukraine - unsurprisingly - said it would be wrong for Russia to use military force against Ukraine to prevent them from joining NATO, while 73 per cent it would be wrong to do so to unite Russia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, 50 per cent of Russians said it would be right to use military force if Russia felt threatened by foreign activity in former Soviet states.

Despite Putin sending in 190,000 troops close to the Ukrainian border and Western intelligence saying the soldiers are 'ready to go' in their attack, only 13 per cent of the Russians polled in the survey believe Russia will use military force against Ukraine

Putin said the crisis will only be resolved if Ukraine drops its NATO bid, declare neutrality, 'demilitarize', and negotiated with separatists. The West has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO

Despite Putin sending in 190,000 troops close to the Ukrainian border and Western intelligence saying the soldiers are 'ready to go' in their attack, only 13 per cent of the Russians polled in the survey believe Russia will use military force against Ukraine, while 75 per cent think they will not.

The survey was carried out in early February, before Putin recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and send troops into the areas.

'The reason why 75% of Russians think Russia will not invade Ukraine is simply because of what they read in their newspapers and see on their TV.

'There is basically no hysteria, no beating of the war drum, a consistent message that we do not want a war and will not start one,' Pozner said.

He added: 'Russians know what Western leaders are saying. Their statements are widely featured in the media. The general feeling is that the West in fact wants Russia to attack Ukraine because that would be to the West's advantage, it is goading Russia to attack.

'They are also of the opinion that, while Ukraine could not stand up to an all-out Russian invasion, Russia would lose much more from that than any military victory would win,' he said.

But for Lutsevych, 75 per cent of Russians believing their country will not invade Ukraine could be due to 'how Russian state-controlled media and disinformation is shaping an alternative reality for the Russian population.'

Lutsevych told CNN: 'Inside Russia the West is presented as a villain that is abusing Ukraine to undermine Russia's greatness. In the event of Russian military aggression, Russia will be portrayed as fighting the US and NATO forces, and not killing its Slavic brothers.'

Meanwhile, 42 per cent of Ukrainians believe Russia will start a war, while 45 per cent believe it is unlikely.

The vast majority of the Russians polled - 65 per cent - said there would be a peaceful end to tensions between Russia and Ukraine, while 43 per cent of Ukrainians agreed.

Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence chiefs fear Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is at particular risk of being targeted in a Russian invasion as it is close to the Ukrainian-Russian border. Last night, a huge military convoy of more than 100 trucks with soldiers were heading in the direction of the city.

Ukraine was today was placed on a war footing: A state of emergency was declared and approved by parliament, 200,000 military reservists called up, border zones were restricted and three million Ukrainians told to leave Russia, with Kiev acknowledging for the first time that an attack could now take place anywhere, at any time.

As the noose tightened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to send more weapons to help Ukraine defend itself against what the US has warned will be an all-out Russian assault. Johnson also promised more and tougher sanctions against Russia if Putin escalates further.

Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin had given a sabre-rattling address to his troops to mark Defender of the Fatherland Day, praising their 'battle readiness' while saying he is assured that they will fight to defend Russian security interests - which he called 'non-negotiable'. Russia also evacuated staff from its Kiev embassy.

Ukraine's security agency claimed 45,000 plastic body bags have now been ordered to the Russian frontlines, giving the first hint of the amount lives Putin is willing to sacrifice to get what he wants - after Joe Biden said supplies of blood for transfusions have also been brought in.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that Putin is 'hell-bent' on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine with a direct attack on the capital of Kiev 'highly likely' to be in his plans. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison predicted the attack is 'likely to occur within the next 24 hours'.


By Jung Da-min



The 20th presidential election has kicked off, with the start of early voting for Korean nationals abroad.



According to the National Election Commission, 219 polling booths in 115 countries around the globe have been set up for the six-day early voting period from Wednesday until next Monday. A total of 226,162 voters have registered for early voting overseas.



The Korean Embassy in Ukraine, however, has withdrawn its plan for voting due to mounting tensions in the country.



The two leading candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP), have promised to improve voters' rights in their last-minute campaigning for overseas voters.



Lee unveiled a five-point pledge on social media, Tuesday, including introducing a by-mail voting system for Korean nationals overseas to better guarantee that their votes are counted; establishing a separate government agency to deal with affairs related to Koreans abroad; and strengthening pandemic-related relief and support systems for them.





"Please vote for Lee Jae-myung, the No. 1 candidate in the election. The Republic of Korea will be stronger and take a bigger leap under my leadership. I promise that I will be a competent president handling the country's economic affairs well and leading the country to overcome the COVID-19 crisis to make it one of the top five global economies," he said.



Rep. Kang Byung-won, the chief spokesman of Lee's election committee, said during a press briefing the same day: "The time has come for the country's great transition. We need to choose the right leader who will be able to overcome the country's crises of deepening economic polarization and to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula."





Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks while campaigning in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap



PPP candidate Yoon vowed to improve the rights of overseas Korean nationals if elected.



"The Republic of Korea is at a crossroads. Fairness and common sense have been lost in this society due to the DPK's corruption and incompetence, while difficulties to people's livelihoods remain unsolved," Yoon said in a Facebook post. "The PPP and I together will become agents of change and stand together for Koreans abroad."



PPP election committee spokesman Hwang Kyu-hwan appealed to voters abroad in a commentary the same day, by saying Yoon would be the right leader to solve the country's security crises that have worsened due to the increasing nuclear threats from North Korea.



"I understand that Koreans staying abroad are concerned about the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, especially the diplomatic and security situation. The PPP will realize a leadership change to make Korea safer and improve the country's security situation, so that Koreans abroad can also live in safer environments," Kang said.





Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, greets his supporters while campaigning at Mokpo Station square in South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
Shop owners are also suffering from soaring packaging costs and energy bills

Shop owner Andrew Crook said his cod has soared from 8 per kg to nearly 14

One industry body warned that cod supplies have become 75% more expensive

Average price of fish and chips could soar to more than 10, industry chiefs say

The average price of fish and chips could increase to more than 10 due to the soaring costs of cod and mushy peas, according to industry chiefs.

The National Federation of Fish Friers has warned that cod supplies have become 75 per cent more expensive than in October.

The cost of buying mushy peas has also doubled, the industry body said, while shops are suffering from soaring packaging prices and energy bills, The Mirror reported.

On top of this, there will also be a return to 20 per cent VAT from April.

The National Federation of Fish Friers warned that cod supplies have become 75 per cent more expensive than in October as the British classic could cost upwards of 10 (stock image)

Andrew Crook, the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said the cost of cod for his shop Skipper's in Euxton, Lancashire, has soared from 8 per kilogram to nearly 14.

The average cost for a portion of fish and chips currently stands at 6.50 to 9, while Mr Crook said he currently charges 7.50 for the British classic at Skipper's.

But he told The Mirror: 'It could soon be over 10 and others are likely to do the same.

'Rising costs are really putting us under pressure and will push some out of business.'

David Miller, who runs a chippy in Haxby, North Yorkshire, said the dish has been underpriced for too long, adding that shops have a 'tsunami of costs coming'.

Shop owners are also having to battle with smaller catches and a rise in global demand, both of which are leading to price hikes.

Britons are already facing an impending cost of living crisis due mainly to spiralling gas prices.

Andrew Crook, the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said the cost of cod for his shop Skipper's in Euxton has soared from 8 per kilogram to nearly 14 (stock image)

Earlier this month, hospitality bosses warned diners that they face forking out as much as 20 per cent extra on their total bill by the end of this year.

The increase includes a 14 per cent rise in the price of drinks, which could send average pint prices across the UK from 3.94 to as much as 4.49.

Pub-goers in London, where average pints are 5.19, could rise above 6-a-pint - already a norm in many of the capital's watering holes.

Hospitality chiefs also warn food bills could rise by as much as 17 per cent, which could push the average main course up from 11.87 to 13.89 and starters from 6.31 to 7.38.

And an average 175ml glass of wine costing 4.01 in the UK could rise to 4.47, while a spike in the cost of tonic water could send the cost of G&Ts spiralling.

Pub-goers looking for a quick snack to soak up their drinks won't be able to avoid the increase either, with crisp prices set to rise by around 7 per cent - knocking an average packet of crisps up from 70p to 75p.

Hospitality bosses said the increase has been driven by a huge spike in labour costs and the return of the 20 per cent VAT rate in April - on top of energy price rises which are also set to hit Britons in the pocket at home.
Canada has ordered banks to unlock accounts belonging to people who participated in or supported the weeks-long Freedom Convoy protest that saw near 200 arrests and brutal force response from police.

'They started [Monday] to unfreeze accounts,' Isabelle Jacques, a senior official in Canada's finance department, told lawmakers Tuesday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The move came after liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government froze bank accounts and other assets during what leaders declared an 'emergency period' in Ottawa.

Among those targeted was a single mom on a minimum wage job who donated just $50, according to one local Conservative MP, sparking outrage over what critics of Trudeau claimed was authoritarian behavior. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets outside Parliament Hill and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S.

Trudeau, responding to the protest, invoked never-before-used emergency powers authorizes the Canadian government to utilize broad powers and tools to respond to crises. The Emergencies Act also allowed police to lock bank accounts belonging to individuals suspected of funding the Freedom Convoy without having to first obtain a court order.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the financial freezings saying: 'These measures were put in place to disrupt illegal activity in Canada.' She is pictured during a news conference Monday

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the financial freezings Monday saying: 'These measures were put in place to disrupt illegal activity in Canada.'

'We were very clear that we would be following the money, that we would be using financial tools to disrupt illegal blockades and occupations. The focus absolutely has been on leaders and on the vehicles that were such an important part of the illegal blockades and occupations.'

She told protesters the 'way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.'

The Freedom Convoy demonstrations initially focused on Canada's vaccine requirement for truckers entering the country, but morphed into a wider protest against the country's highly restrictive Covid precautions and Trudeau's faux-liberal government.

Ottawa protesters are largely gone from the Parliament Hill area after having been chased away by officers sporting riot gear in what was the biggest police operation in Canada's history.

Canada has ordered banks to unlock accounts belonging to people who participated in or supported the weeks-long Freedom Convoy protest that saw near 200 arrests and brutal force response from police

Police reportedly ordered a freeze on more than 206 bank accounts, including one valued at $3.8million Canadian ($3million USD).

Some individuals and organizations reported having multiple accounts impacted.

Police also ceased transactions involving 253 cryptocurrency addresses.

Freedom Convoy organizers issued a statement on social media arguing the freezing of bank accounts was 'financial warfare' and left many citizens in shock.

'This is already backfiring. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, keeps expanding the list of political opponents whom he is targeting with financial sanctions. In response, Canadians are pulling their money out of the banks and realizing the value of cryptocurrency,' the organizers wrote.

'This, in the short-term, is very bad for the banks and our national economy. The more severe implication, however, is that by using the Emergencies Act as financial warfare, it will sow mistrust in both the banking system and the government and the repercussions will be felt for years to come.'

The statement continued: 'Trudeau is tearing the fabric of our nation like never before, and the evidence is stacked against him. Our hearts go out to each and every innocent, freedom-loving Canadian that has fallen victim to this government's illegal, impulsive and tyrannical overreach.'

Convoy organizers did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment about officials ordering banks to unlock accounts.

Freedom Convoy organizers issued a statement on social media arguing the freezing of bank accounts was 'financial warfare'

Trudeau's government faced scrutiny for the unprecedented move to isolate Canadian citizens from their finances (Pictured: Police forces clash with protesters in Ottawa on Saturday)

Individuals did not have to participate in the occupation to have their accounts frozen, the government confirmed. A financial contribution to the convoy either through a crowdsourced platform or directly could also result in a freeze (Pictured: Workers reinforce a fence inside a protected zone around Parliament Hill on Monday after Canadian police ended three weeks of occupation of the capital by protesters)

Trudeau's government faced scrutiny for the unprecedented move to isolate Canadian citizens from their finances.

'Just to be clear, a financial contribution either through a crowdsourced platform or directly, could result in their bank account being frozen?' Conservative MP Philip Lawrence asked Jacques on Tuesday.

According to the National Post, she replied: 'Yes.'

Phillips also questioned whether or not an individuals had to be actively participating in the Ottawa protest or blockades to be impacted by the freeze, to which Jacques answered: 'No, not themselves. It could be indirectly'

The finance official also noted that such action would only be taken on donations that were made after the February 15 emergency declaration.

She also argued police stopped freezing accounts on Monday after police cleared the downtown area.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) - which was under fire after leaked text messages between a group of officers showed the law enforcement agents apparently gloating at brutal force used against protesters - denied providing names of convoy donors to financial institutions.

The organization claimed it provided banks with a list of people 'who were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa,' as well as truckers who refused to leave the area when ordered.

Police reportedly ordered a freeze on more than 206 accounts, with some individuals and organizations had multiple accounts impacted (Pictured: Protesters link arms in line on Saturday to try and prevent being pushed back by police)

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) denied providing names of convoy donors to financial institutions. The organization claimed it provided banks with a list of people 'who were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa,' as well as truckers who refused to leave the area when ordered (Pictured: Officers facing off with Ottawa protesters on Saturday)

'We had to take extreme measures to freeze the accounts to basically discourage people to fund illegal activities,' Jacques explained.

'It's not that the federal government thought that there was no other venues to freeze the accounts in view of the current illegal blockades that were ongoing.'

Lawrence hit back, saying: 'The de-banking provisions are so broad, that literally a clerk at a Kwik-E-Mart who sold a propane canister to a protester could have his accounts frozen.'

'When you freeze someone's bank account, you're effectively removing them from society.'

Attorney Keith Wilson, who represented several convoy organizers during the protest, said he has nine clients with alleged frozen accounts or cancelled insurance policies.

'None of them are charged with any offenses,' Wilson tweeted Monday.

'Most had no trucks in Ottawa or elsewhere. The Trudeau government is destroying these Canadians because they spoke out.'

The lawyer did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

Attorney Keith Wilson, who represented several convoy organizers during the protest, said he has nine clients with alleged frozen accounts or cancelled insurance policies

Protesters of the self-styled Freedom Convoy are largely gone after hundreds of police descended into the protest zone in Ottawa on Friday and began arresting demonstrators (Pictured: Police confronting protesters in Ottawa on Saturday)

At least 196 people had been arrested as of Monday and 115 vehicles had been towed, police said, while other trucks and vehicles left the protest zone after being warned starting Friday (Pictured: A protester walked with a Canadian flag as police moved in to clear Parliament Hill of demonstrators on Saturday)

Protesters of the self-styled Freedom Convoy - who vowed never to give up their fight - are largely gone after hundreds of police descended into the protest zone in Ottawa on Friday and began arresting demonstrators.

Ottawa police chief Steve Bell said the Emergencies Act helped bring an end to the 'occupation.'

At least 196 people had been arrested as of Monday and 115 vehicles had been towed, police said, while other trucks and vehicles left the protest zone after being warned starting Friday.

Heavily-armed riot cops used pepper spray, while mounted police and armored vehicles were also brought in to help begin clearing the downtown area, which had been paralyzed by a three-week blockade over the truckers' Covid jab protest.

Several clips have shown peaceful protesters being beaten into submission, including a truck driver who claims he was attacked after having given himself up to authorities. Other footage shows a woman, who appeared to be using a mobility scooter, being trampled by mounted police in Ottawa on Friday.

For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing, the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, was blocked. The crossing sees more than 25 percent of the trade between the two countries.

Trudeau said people in Ottawa were harassed for weeks and said billions of dollars in trade were stalled by the border blockades, putting people's jobs at risk.
A 28-year-old woman with severe disabilities was found lying unconscious in the backseat of a car last week at a tow yard, nine days after her mother abandoned her in the vehicle at a gas station.

The disabled woman has not been identified, nor has her mother, but police continue to investigate. It is unclear how she was able to survive for so long, and if she had access to any food or water to sustain her.

On February 14, she was found lying under blankets and other 'debris' in the backseat of her 45-year-old mother's 2004 Cadillac.

The vehicle had been towed to Skyway Towing and Recovery, an impound and towing lot in Burien, Washington State, from a nearby gas station.

It remains unclear when it was towed there but police believe the woman had been alone in the vehicle since February 5, when the mother abandoned it at the gas station.

On February 14, the day the woman was found in the car, Kent Police Department received a call from her sister reporting her missing.

This is the 2004 Cadillac that the woman was found in the backseat of, lying under a heap of blankets in the towing yard on February 14

This is the backseat the woman was found lying on. She was missed by the people at the gas station and the towing yard, who only opened the door to the car after police called them looking for her

The sister said she had not heard from her since earlier in the month and was concerned.

Cops then traced the mother's vehicle to the towing yard and contacted the manager.

That is when they knocked on the window and found her inside.

'Whoever it was that called us and said, "please search the car", they saved her life.

'They saved her life,' the towing yard manager Bonafacio Pauza told WLOX.

He added that no one noticed her when they towed the car because she was 'covered in clothing'.

The towing yard in Burien, Washington, where the woman was found on February 14

Bonafacio Pauza, the manager of the towing company, said he is glad the woman is alive

He praised the woman's concerned sister, saying she saved her life.

'The one person that was fabulous here was the girl's sister. Shes got the whole thing. Shes a hero. That lady is alive right now because of her.'

A spokesman for Kent Police Department told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that the case was still under investigation, and that no one had been charged.

'The disabled woman is 28 years old and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

'This case is still under investigation and as we obtain details that we can release we will update our information,' they said.

The disabled woman was taken to the hospital in a critical condition on Valentine's Day.

It is unclear if she is still there, or if she has been released.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'tyrant' on Wednesday and hinted that no one -- not even the authoritarian strongman himself -- among the Kremlin elites would be spared from harsh economic sanctions in response.

She and three other lawmakers held a press conference at the Capitol after returning from the Munich Security Conference, where all eyes were on Putin as he gave the green light for Russian troops to enter Ukraine's eastern Donbass region.

The California Democrat said the Russia leader is 'probably the richest man in the world' and said President Joe Biden will continue to 'follow the money' if Kremlin troops do not immediately cease what the international community has called an invasion.

A short while later the president announced sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Germany and Russia.

But Pelosi's hardline message was undercut by points during her remarks where she began to ramble, including two instances seeming to mix up Ukraine and Hungary.

The first occurred when she was describing leaders at the security summit in Munich expressing concern over the potential ramifications of further Russian military action into its neighbor. She named the Central European nation of Hungary but went on to describe Ukraine's borders -- before appearing to correcting herself.

'Well if you look at the map, and you see Hungary and you see how it is encircled: Russia, Belarus, Crimea -- which they have taken over but you know its still a danger now to Ukraine,' Pelosi said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to reporters after returning from a Congressional delegation to the Munich Security Conference

She added, 'And then you see Poland and Romania and all of those countries, just budding Russian influence.'

While denouncing Putin's greed a short while later, Pelosi again almost bungled the two countries.

The 81-year-old lawmaker claimed the Ukrainian people were fundamentally opposed to the Kremlin's reign because they were pro-democracy. However, she caught herself nearly praising Hungarians instead.

'Putin is probably the richest man in the world. He has these palatial residences --that's really what got people in trouble in Russia, because they showed the arrogance of the wealth, with which he lived,' Pelosi began.

Then she slipped: 'So it's about -- what is this about? The people of Hung -- em, many of us have visited Ukraine and have seen that they love democracy.'

But she pressed on, suggesting Biden's sanctions will continue to 'follow the money.'

'They do not want to live under Vladimir Putin. He does not want the Russian people to see what democracy looks like, and therefore he wants to bring them under his domain and his domain,' Pelosi said.

'So when he and his oligarchs -- and it's all about, follow the money in this, and that's what the sanctions are about. Follow the money.'

Pelosi said all the world leaders at the summit agreed that 'the attack on the Ukraine by the Russians is an attack on democracy, an attack on democracy.'

Ukraine was a central focus of the global security summit. (pictured: An Ukrainian serviceman checks the situation on the position near the Katerynivka village not far from pro-Russian militants controlled city of Luhansk, Ukraine, February 23)

A Russian military truck moves along a road in Russia's southern Rostov region, which borders the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, on February 23

House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Adam Schiff, who was also in Munich, said Putin is 'terrified by the prospect of a democracy at his border.'

Putin sparked international outrage earlier this week when Russia formally recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent states. The area has been at the center of an ongoing armed conflict between the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists since 2014.

Although a third of the region is under rebel control, Putin said on Tuesday that he recognized them as independent states in their entirety -- raising alarms about a possible clash between Kiev's troops and the Russian military if they proceed further into the region. The key port city of Mariupol, for example, is in Donetsk but is currently under Ukraine's control.

Putin suggested the way for Ukraine to stop the crisis was to either negotiate with the separatists, which Kiev has refused, or abandon hopes of joining NATO and demilitarize.

Alluding to Russia's efforts to interfere in the American election, Pelosi charged of Putin on Wednesday: 'This is the same tyrant who attacked our democracy in 2016.'

An Ukrainian serviceman reacts while on guard at a position near the Katerynivka village not far from pro-Russian militants controlled city of Luhansk

Putin's recognition of the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent has sparked fears of military clashes between Russian troops in the pro-Russian area and Kiev's forces

'The same tyrant who is opposed to democracy and wants to trivialize, downgrade it, in the eyes of the Russian people,' she said.

Among her closing comments, Pelosi pledged that Biden 'is doing the sanctions, he has a full picture of all of this.'

The president went a step further on Wednesday, imposing sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Germany and Russia and its corporate officers.

'These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russias actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate,' Biden said in a statement.

'Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy. I want to thank Chancellor Scholz for his close partnership and continued dedication to holding Russia accountable for its actions.'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pumped the breaks on the pipeline earlier this week in response to Putin's aggression in Ukraine.

On Tuesday Biden announced sanctions against two major Russian banks that the White House said 'hold more than $80 billion in assets and finance the Russian defense sector and economic development,' as well as sanctions targeting individuals within Putin's orbit. He also put a halt on trading of Russian debt to stem the flow of Western dollars.

The president said the sanctions package was just the 'first tranche' if Putin did not immediately halt his invasion.

'Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called 'countries' on territory that belonged to his neighbors?' Biden said.

During her press conference Pelosi defended Biden's sanctions as 'appropriate' -- though not every member of her caucus agrees he went far enough.

'Sanctions just have to go a lot stronger and a lot more personal,' Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan said on Fox News Wednesday. 'Of course we're going to do banks. Of course we're going to do certain sectors but get those oligarchs that support Putin, their wives, their mistresses, their ability for their kids to go to foreign universities.'

'You can target these folks that are holding Putin up in a much more severe way that I'd like to see in the coming days.'
A woman who declared war after breaking into the Capitol building January 6 was sentenced to 45 days in jail Wednesday despite claims she was sucked into the riots by 'dark forces.'

Mariposa Castro, 49, incriminated herself in the riots by posting a series of social media videos documenting her participation in the insurrection.

In a Facebook video, she filmed herself climbing into the Capitol building through a window, the US Justice Department said in its indictment.

Later that evening, she filmed herself walking away from the building, saying: 'This is war.'

The Gilroy, California resident pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of demonstrating inside the Capitol and on Wednesday was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton, who said she appeared 'gleeful' and 'happy' during the riots.

'I've been reading a couple books about how civil war starts, and so much of history is repeating itself in our country,' Walton said, according to an NBC News report. 'I love this country, this country has been good to me, and to see what people are trying to do to this country... is just very concerning.'

Mariposa Castro, 49, incriminated herself in the riots by posting a series of social media videos documenting her participation in the historical event

Castro told the judge she was drawn into the riots by 'dark forces'

Before being sentenced, Castro told the judge that she got wrapped up in the moment and that 'dark energy forces' pulled her into the building.

'I don't glorify my actions,' she said. 'I got caught up on the energy, and if I could go back and change things over, I definitely would have brought more peace.'

As Castro entered the building, she narrated the scene for her viewers, saying: 'I'm going in, I'm going in the Capitol' and then exclaiming: 'We're in. We're inside the Capitol house. We got inside the Capitol.'

She continued posting videos throughout the day, in one announcing she was 'back again,' the indictment said.

In one set of footage, she said she 'had to get out of there' because police deployed some irritants that made it difficult for her to breath.

Castro posted a number of videos from the Capitol throughout the day, including one where she said she had to leave because gasses deployed by police were making it difficult to breathe

She was spotted in another video holding up her phone as she walked through the building with a colorful scarf concealing her face

In another video she shared with followers, she said: 'This is too much,' and 'I'm getting out.'

Earlier this month, the Justice Department reached a milestone in Capitol riot prosecutions when the 100th person was sentenced in one of the largest federal investigations in American history.

More than 730 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot on January 6, 2021. More than 210 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors with a maximum sentence of 6 months imprisonment.

Of those sentenced, 79 were indicted on misdemeanors for demonstrating in a Capitol building, seven were nabbed for entering a restricted building, and another five were charged for disorderly conduct. Two others were charged for threats made via interstate communication.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department reached a milestone in Capitol riot prosecutions when the 100th person was sentenced

Robert Palmer received the toughest punishment of those sentenced for the riot. He ordered jailed for 63 months after he sprayed a fire extinguisher at police officers and then threw the canister at them

Restitution has been the most common punishment for defendants; 98 people have been ordered to pay between $500 to $2,000; 28 people were ordered to pay fines of up to $5,000.

Of those convicted, 41 people served prison time of up to 63 months.

The toughest sentence so far was handed last December to 54-year-old Robert Palmer of Florida, who was sentenced to 63 months for spraying police officers with a fire extinguisher before throwing it at them during the riot.

The first person to be sentenced was Anna Morgan Lloyd, a 49-year-old Indiana grandmother who bragged on Facebook about storming the building.

She was ordered to serve three years of probation, perform 120 hours of community service and pay $500 in restitution for her role in the insurrection.
Prosecutors charged a Rolls Royce-driving FDNY paramedic in connection with the hit-and-run death of a beloved Brooklyn teacher on his 58th birthday.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez charged 30-year-old Tariq Witherspoon with mowing down Matthew Jensen at a Brooklyn intersection - moments after he turned 58-years-old - then fleeing.

Police said shortly after midnight on May 18, 2021, the 58-year-old was crossing against traffic. Witherspoon had the green light, but police said he was driving 'recklessly' at 50 mph - twice the speed limit - in the luxury vehicle.

'Matthew Jensen (pictured) was a beloved teacher at PS 110 who is sorely missed by his students, co-workers, friends and family,' DA Eric Gonzalez said

Police said shortly after midnight on May 18, 2021, the 58-year-old was crossing against traffic and Witherspoon had the green light, but Witherspoon was driving 'recklessly'

'He was changing lanes without signaling when he struck the victim. It was a 2010 Black Rolls Royce Ghost that he borrowed from someone. He didn't slow down or stop after hitting the teacher,' a law enforcement source told the New York Daily News.

After striking Jensen, Witherspoon allegedly drove off and Jensen was rushed to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

'Matthew Jensen was a beloved teacher at PS 110 who is sorely missed by his students, co-workers, friends and family,' DA Eric Gonzalez said. 'We will now seek to bring this defendant to justice for his alleged actions, which left a community heartbroken.'

Jensen's death was a blow to his students at Public School 110 in Brooklyn, his brother, Paul, told the Daily News.

'He was a really important part of their life,' Paul Jensen said. 'He wasn't just in front of them as a teacher. He did a lot of things with those children. He loved it and the students loved him.'

Jensen's death was a blow to his students at Public School 110 in Brooklyn (pictured)

'He was changing lanes without signaling when he struck the victim. It was a 2010 Black Rolls Royce Ghost that he borrowed from someone,' a law enforcement source said (similar vehicle pictured)

Paul said the irony of Witherspoon being an EMT was not lost on him.

'He should be aware that an EMT was probably called to the scene of his crime,' Jensen said. 'I don't really want to focus on him. I just want justice served.'

Witherspoon, who worked for the FDNY for 11 years, was charged with negligent homicide, leaving the scene of a crash, reckless driving and speeding.

Witherspoon was released after posting $15,000 cash bail and is expected back in court on April 27.

The FDNY suspended the EMT without pay. The 30-year-old had a long history of car crashes, court records revealed.

In 2015, he gave the keys to his 2011 Porsche to his 'inexperienced and unlicensed' friend who slammed the vehicle into an Acura, leaving the driver with 'serious' injuries, according to a pending lawsuit.

Then in 2017, Witherspoon was sued after crashing a vehicle into a bike rider in Manhattan, and in the same year he was in accused of crashing a city vehicle into a Mercedes-Benz in Brooklyn and injuring a passenger, the Daily News reported.
An Indiana mother of three facing charges of neglect allegedly left her COVID-stricken three-month-old baby in the care of her nine-year-old son for hours, before the infant succumbed to the virus without getting any medical help.

A booking photo has now been released, showing 26-year-old Madelissa Flores, from Indianapolis, following her arrest last week on two counts each of neglect of a dependent and neglect of a dependent resulting in a catastrophic injury.

The four felony charges are related to the November 28, 2021, death of Flores' youngest child. An autopsy showed that the baby boy, who has not been named, had blood in his lungs and died of COVID complications.

The infant and his siblings, ages 7 and 9, were found inside the family's filthy, foul-smelling home, which had no electricity, was littered with dirty diapers and rotten food, and had containers of alcohol and antifreeze left on the floor, a detective wrote in the affidavit.

Authorities said the baby died while Flores went to a friend to vent about the stress of being a single mother.

Madelissa Flores, 26, Indiana, was charged with neglect after her 3-month-old baby died of COVID-19 with blood in his lungs

Flores was booked into jail on Friday and was ordered held without bail. She is due back in court for a pre-trial conference on March 31.

According to the affidavit, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer was called to Flores' home in the 9400 block of East 42nd Street on November 28 to check on a baby.

The officer found a bystander performing CPR on the baby and took over the life-saving efforts before paramedics arrived. They noted in their report that the three-month-old was making jerking motions and vomiting. The child was rushed to Riley Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The autopsy report revealed the infant died of complications from COVID-19. The report also indicated that his lungs were bleeding, likely because of the illness, and that he suffered fractures in both femurs.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officials were at the home earlier that day investigating Flores, a single mother, for her history of child abuse going back to 2020, according to the Star.

During the visit, the baby was described as 'gasping for air' but receiving no medication inside a home filled with garbage where a 9-year-old was left in charge to watch over his siblings.

'Madelissa stated that she left to go to a friend's house because she is [a] single mom that is under a lot of stress and needed to talk to someone and did not have anyone available to watch her children while she was gone,' police wrote in court documents obtained by the Star.

The family lives in an apartment on East 42nd Street, in Indianapolis. The home was described as not having electricity and covered in trash and used diapers

The baby, who was described as 'gasping for air' the day before his death, was found unresponsive and taken to Riley Children's Hospital. The autopsy report revealed the infant died of complications from COVID-19

Child abuse investigator Det. Daniel Henson had interviewed Flores the morning before the incident as he checked the conditions inside the residence, according to the court documents.

Henson said there was no electricity in the apartment and that the floor was covered in dirty diapers and trash that included a marijuana cigar and an open bottle of antifreeze.

There was also no food in the refrigerator, alcohol bottles were 'left in the open,' and a foul odor throughout the apartment, Henson wrote.

He added that conditions matched previous complaints at the Indiana Department of Child Services in 2020 and 2021, which alleged Flores left her kids unattended for hours inside the squalid home, where her 9-year-old son would be tasked with caring for his sibling and visiting neighbors for food.

There were also reports of a rodent infestation at the residence.

The Indiana Department of Child Services and Indiana Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

During the visit hours before the baby's death, Henson spoke with one of the neighbors whose son was shocked by the conditions inside the apartment.

The boy had gone over to play at the apartment with Flores' nine-year-old son the prior day when he recorded a video of the infant 'alone in the dark house, screaming with no adults in sight,' Henson wrote in court documents.

When the neighbor discovered that the children were left unattended at the house while Flores was out, she instructed her son to bring the children over.

The infant was described as wearing a soiled, wet diaper, and was having a hard time breathing as he coughed.

Henson added in the court documents that the baby had been carried by his 7-year-old sister, who 'had difficulty carrying [the infant] and often dropped him,' the Star reported.

Flores came over at 2am to pick up the children, before leaving them home alone again just hours later, the neighbor told Henson.

When the detective spoke with Flores, she said the baby was congested and wheezing, had an 'old man dry cough,' and was 'trying to gasp for air' on the day before his death. She told Henson she was trying to 'treat it naturally before going to any doctors,' the Star reported.

Although she told Henson she was present at the home on November 27 and 28, she later admitted that she had gone out to dinner for two hours that night, and then met up with a friend and spent an additional six hours sitting in a parking lot and talking. At no point during that time did she go to check on her children.

At around 2am, Flores went over to her neighbor to pick up her three kids and took them home.

At 6am the next day, Flores said her baby was behaving normally. She went out again for four hours to visit a friend and vent 'because she is a single mom that is under a lot of stress and needed to talk to someone and did not have anyone available to watch her children while she was gone,' according to the affidavit.

By the time she came back at 10am, Flores' baby was not breathing, the Star reported.

Henson added that the fractures in the baby's femurs were common among children who are physically abuses through violent shacking due to their limbs being forcibly yanked.
A children's therapist who 'violently' slapped a vulnerable four-year-old boy '10 to 20 times' because he did not put his shoes on and pretended to be asleep has been ruled fit to work again after 'addressing his failings' and 'reflecting' on the assault.

Ramon Priess was convicted of assault and suspended from his profession for nine months after striking the child's face in front of his mother at Maximum Potential in London.

The German-born occupational therapist has now been allowed to return to work in the UK after writing a 'reflective piece'.

A Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) committee ruled: 'Mr Priess has taken steps [by] providing a reflective piece covering his insight, remorse and reflection on the impact of his actions on the reputation of the profession.

'The panel finds the Mr Preiss's fitness to practise is no longer impaired because he has addressed his failings, shown insight, and the public interest issues have been resolved.'

Ramon Priess (pictured at Hendon Magistrates' Court in March 2020) was convicted of assault after striking the four-year-old boy in front of his mother at Maximum Potential in London

Previously the HCPTS committee heard Mr Priess assaulted the boy and left him 'crying hysterically' during the end of a session in April 2019.

The boy - who had sensory processing difficulties - was sat on Mr Priess' lap when he asked the child to put his shoes on.

The tribunal heard the child then 'played dead' or pretended to be asleep. In response, Mr Priess slapped the right side of his face several times - initially 'leaving his cheek reddened and causing the child to cry'.

The mother witnessed the incident and spoke to the child's father later that evening, who then sent an email to Mr Priess.

He wrote: '[The child] came home today distraught. I am extremely disappointed that [he] was repeatedly slapped in an aggressive manner. This is extremely disappointing and unprofessional.

'He has been crying hysterically, this is not what I expect from a qualified professional.'

Mr Priess responded: 'Apologies for what has happened today. This wasn't meant to hurt him at all. He complained over pain in his mouth just before as well.

'There is nothing I can do to justify what happened and I suppose it is probably best if [the child] stays with Maximum Potential and does not see me privately.

He was suspended for a total of nine months following the initial HCPTS tribunal and was convicted of assault following a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court (file photo above)

'The lines are blurring between my professional relationship/private friendship with [the mother] and [the child]. They feel like family to me and I handled it in a way I would with my nephews and nieces.

'Not acceptable from a professional view. I adore [the child] and can't tell you in words how sorry I feel.'

He was suspended for a total of nine months following the initial HCPTS tribunal and was convicted of assault following a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court, London, and was handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He left the UK to work in Germany - where the suspension had no impact on his ability to work.

Mr Priess claims he has not worked without supervision in Germany.

Now, after being ruled fit to work again by the HCPTS, he is allowed to return to work in the UK.
The NOLA student whose lifeless body was found dumped at a hospital bay on Saturday morning five hours after she vanished with an Uber driver after a night of partying had been celebrating Mardi Gras and shared a haunting final Instagram post about attending her first parade.

Ciaya Jordan Whetstone, 21, was dumped outside the New Orleans East Hospital on Saturday morning at 6.54am.

It remains unknown who dropped her off, or what the cause of her death was. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ciaya, a devoutly Christian student, had spent the previous night at a Mardi Gras parade after participating in much of the week long celebration, then visited her boyfriend's apartment.

At 1am, she returned to her own apartment via an Uber.

Her roommate Reese White says she brought the Uber driver into the apartment with her, announcing that he was her 'new friend'. She then left the home with the man and it was the last time she was seen alive.

Ciaya Jordan posted a series of photos on Instagram last week after attending her first Mardi Gras parade. She died on Saturday after going to a second parade then a party, and vanishing later with her Uber driver

One of her friends claims that at 1.30am, he spoke with her on the phone and overheard the Uber driver asking her: 'Do you like to party?'

Police are still investigating but they are yet to make any arrests. Uber will not identify the driver or say whether or not he has been interviewed by police or them.

He has been stopped from accepting any other rides pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Six days before she was found dead, Ciaya attended her first Mardi Gras parade with her boyfriend and their best friends.

She had only been living in New Orleans since August, after moving from her native South Carolina to attend college.

On Instagram, she excitedly shared photos from the night out and wrote beneath them: 'Well my first Mardi Gras parade did not disappoint.'

The 21-year-old business student returned home to her apartment at 1am to change her shirt then went back out with her Uber driver. Her roommate says she brought the man inside with her

Ciaya is shown last weekend at a Mardi Gras parade with her boyfriend, left, and her best friends, right

Ciaya's roommate Reese White said she came home with the Uber driver at 1am then went back out with him

Ciaya's body was left outside the New Orleans East Hospital at 6.54am on Saturday

Her stepfather Chris Ferrand told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that the family is now working to get her body home to South Carolina, and that he did not want to interfere with any investigation until then.

'At this point. I want to wait on an official police report and coroners report before I make any kind of statement regarding any events.

A friend called Whetstone while she was in the ride-share car and said he overheard the Uber driver ask the UNO student: 'do you like to party?'

'At that point Ill answer any questions as long as it doesnt interfere with any investigations that may follow.

'Right now my concern is getting Ciaya home so we can lay our angel to rest,' he said.

Uber will not comment on the driver's identity or whether or not any other complaints had been made in the past about him.

'Our thoughts are with Ciaya Whetstones family as they grieve the loss of their daughter,' the company said.

'We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation,' a spokesman said.

Ciaya's roommate Reese previously told local network 4WWL that she tried to stop her from leaving their apartment with the driver.

'She came home around 1 something she said she was changing her shirt,' she said, adding that the Uber driver came in the home with her.

'She said "this is my friend. I just met him." I said, "you need to stop getting in the car with strangers" but she said he was her Uber driver. I tried to convince her before she left to stay home,"' she added.
Rishi Sunak will declare his intention to make 'difficult and often unpopular arguments' on spending, hinting at a determination to resist any demands for fresh cash from Boris Johnson and Cabinet colleagues.

In a major speech on Thursday, the Chancellor is to insist he wants to create a 'lower tax economy' despite hiking National Insurance for millions of workers.

But he will insist that cutting taxation in the future needs to be done in a 'responsible way', following a row with Health Secretary Sajid Javid over how to fund the 'living with Covid' plan.

Labour seized on the speech to accuse Mr Sunak of hypocrisy for imposing tax hikes during the cost of living crisis.

The Chancellor and the Prime Minister have been refusing to back down on the 1.25 percentage point hike to National Insurance, which is due to come into force in April, despite pressure from numerous Tory MPs.

In a major speech on Thursday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to insist he wants to create a 'lower tax economy' despite hiking National Insurance for millions of workers

Delivering a lecture to the Bayes Business School in London, Mr Sunak, who is seen as the favourite to succeed Mr Johnson if he is ousted over the partygate scandal, is expected to say: 'I firmly believe in lower taxes.

'The marginal pound our country produces is far better spent by individuals and businesses than government.

'I am going to deliver a lower tax economy but I am going to do so in a responsible way, and in a way that tackles our long term challenges.'

But in comments that will be seen as a challenge to ministers demanding increased spending, he is expected to say: 'Cutting tax sustainably requires hard work, prioritisation, and the willingness to make difficult and often unpopular arguments elsewhere.'

He will also say he is 'disheartened' when he hears the 'flippant claim' that tax cuts always pay for themselves, adding: 'They do not.'

The speech comes in a week during which a Cabinet meeting, scheduled to sign off on plans for easing coronavirus restriction, was postponed at the last minute.

Monday's delay reportedly centred on Mr Javid's demands for a testing regime to be maintained and questions over how elements would be funded.

Mr Sunak and Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) have been refusing to back down on a 1.25 percentage point hike to National Insurance, which is due to come into force in April, despite pressure from numerous Tory MPs

Ultimately, ministers belatedly approved the plan with no extra cash and funding coming from existing budgets.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves used the speech to brand the Conservatives the party of 'high tax' as a result of being 'the party of low growth'.

'The Chancellor may say he "believes" in low taxes in his lecture but the hard facts are that Sunak has hit households and business with 15 tax rises in two years in post, with an unfair National Insurance rise down the line, and he has raised the most tax on average per budget than any Chancellor in the last 50 years', the Labour MP added.

'Over a decade of Tory government, the economy has grown far slower than when Labour was in power, and it is set to go even slower in the coming years.'

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Conservatives were the party of 'high tax' as a result of being 'the party of low growth'

Mr Sunak's speech comes after data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed British workers and companies are set to pay a record amount in national insurance this financial year.

Taxpayers have paid 129.6billion into the Treasurys coffers through NI since April last year.

This is up 11.2billion from the same period in 2020-21  just short of the 12billion which the Treasury plans to raise through the NI hike.

In the last full tax year, NI contributions raised an all-time high of 143billion, which economists think will be easily surpassed this year.

The figures sparked fresh calls to scrap a hike in the tax, with Tory MP John Redwood saying the figures show the Treasury can afford to cancel the NI tax raise.
By Javier Solana





MADRID  European security has again risen to the top of the world's geopolitical agenda. Despite continued diplomatic efforts to defuse the Ukraine crisis, tension and suspicion between Russia and the West has escalated to levels not seen since the Cold War. This is forcing a rethink of the current regional security framework, which is based on three fundamental pillars: the United States, Russia, and Europe.



Addressing the challenge of European security dominated the discussions among political leaders and international relations experts from both sides of the Atlantic at last weekend's Munich Security Conference (MSC). But, in addition to Ukraine's plight, the impact of technological and digital innovation on security also feature prominently.



The ongoing geopolitical tensions over Ukraine reflect a conventional, predominantly geographic, conception of security  reflected in the frequent use of terms such as "spheres of influence," "NATO expansion," "territorial integrity," and "post-Soviet security space." But although this vocabulary is indispensable to understanding the current NATO-Russia confrontation, the enormous geopolitical changes wrought by globalization and technological advances over the past 25 years will increasingly eclipse it.



That is because geopolitical interdependence and seemingly ceaseless technological innovation have transformed the nature of global conflict. As Connectivity Wars, a collection of essays published by the European Council on Foreign Relations, makes clear, the global system's hyperconnectivity enables actors  without resorting to open warfare  to cause grave damage in other geopolitical domains, such as the internet, on which our economies have come to depend.



The cybernetic dimension of the confrontation over Ukraine thus should not be underestimated. In January, cybercriminals disabled several Ukrainian government websites for hours and published messages threatening Ukrainian citizens and the confidentiality of their personal data.



Previously, the U.S. government estimated that the 2017 "NotPetya" cyberattack targeting Ukraine caused global damage totaling $10 billion, making it the most destructive ever. The malware infected 10 percent of Ukraine's computer systems before spreading throughout the world.



Nor, as then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta warned in 2012, can we exclude the seemingly remote possibility of a "cyber Pearl Harbor" that paralyzes critical U.S. infrastructure. In any case, cyberattacks and their consequences are becoming dangerously frequent, and we still lack institutions or infrastructure strong enough to confront the threat.



In his book "The Future of Power," Harvard University's Joseph S. Nye, Jr. argues that one of the main trends of the 21st century is states' loss of geopolitical influence. Cyberspace is a clear example of this. Leading powers may have an unrivaled ability to control the sea, airspace, and outer space, but they do not enjoy comparable predominance in the digital world.



Moreover, the nature of cyberspace greatly lowers the cost of offensive action. For example, the costs of contracting a cybercriminal are minimal compared to the almost $80 million price of an F-35 fighter jet (not to mention the additional cost of maintenance, munitions, and personnel).



Discussions at the MSC regarding the cybernetic aspect of security took place within the framework of the transatlantic digital agenda, which took an important step forward last year when the U.S. and the European Union established the Trade and Technology Council. The fundamental issue is how to regulate the digital domain in a way that allows us to benefit from its enormous economic possibilities while, at the same time, protecting ourselves from the potential risks it poses to our democracies.



The EU bases its approach to cyberspace regulation on two fundamental principles: competition in the internal market and user privacy. Because of the EU's large, affluent market and regulatory strength, its competition and data-protection rules have given rise to the so-called "Brussels effect." Large multinational technology firms not only comply with EU rules in order to do business in Europe, but also, to avoid having to deal with multiple regulatory regimes, often integrate them into their global operations  including in countries with less strict regulatory standards.



But a viable digital Europe must include a third pillar: security. As Wolfgang Ischinger, the chairman of the MSC, has argued, the principle of "security by design" should be applied not only to technology products, but also to the development of public policies. In building a digital Europe, safeguarding competition in the internal market should complement considerations regarding EU security and the bloc's global status. Digital policy should thus not only promote economic growth, but also  crucially  safeguard our fundamental rights as citizens and protect us from hostile actors.



Digital security is not just a whim of European legislators. According to a recent survey, 38 percent of Europeans regard security as their top digital priority. In the EU, citizens and companies are, rightly, the starting point for legislation regarding digital matters. As the EU Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, recently reminded us, we should have the same rights in the digital world as we do in the physical world.



The Commission's proposed Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act therefore aim to guarantee that Europe's online environment is governed by the competition principles that underpin the internal market, while also safeguarding the privacy of users and their personal data.



Here, constructive dialogue between public institutions, civil society, and the private sector will be vital. Above all, forging a digital Europe requires the political will that ultimately is the true driver of European integration.



But these discussions must keep in mind the changing nature of conflict in today's world. As the Ukraine crisis has shown, security in the 21st century has many dimensions.





Javier Solana, former EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, secretary-general of NATO, and foreign minister of Spain, is president of EsadeGeo  Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics  and distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


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Britain is braced for thunderstorms tomorrow with the Met Office issuing yellow snow and lightning warnings across parts of the UK and Scotland bracing for up to eight inches of the white stuff on higher ground.

A yellow weather warning for wind was in force across north-east England, Cumbria, north and east Yorkshire and parts of Scotland from 6am to 6pm today.

A second yellow warning for snow and lightning covers much of Scotland and Northern Ireland from 5pm on Wednesday until 8pm on Thursday - with the possibility of four to eight inches of snow building up on higher ground, strong blustery winds and a chance that showers could be accompanied by frequent lightning.

Meanwhile, communities are being urged to stay vigilant after around 400 properties were flooded in the aftermath of storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin over the last week.

In Bewdley, Worcestershire, search and rescue crews were out checking properties and speaking to residents on Wednesday after temporary flood defences were breached following heavy rainfall yesterday afternoon.

Met Office spokesman Richard Miles said there was nothing over the next four to five days to suggest the UK could see another named storm, but forecasters would be looking to see what was developing over the Atlantic.

A second yellow warning for snow and lightning covers much of Scotland and Northern Ireland from 5pm on Wednesday until 8pm on Thursday. Pictured: A walker crosses the bridge at Wet Sleddale early on Wednesday with over spill running at the reservoir in Cumbria

A yellow weather warning for wind was in force across north-east England, Cumbria, north and east Yorkshire and parts of Scotland from 6am to 6pm today. Pictured: Walkers brave the blustery conditions on Tynemouth Longsands beach today

Meanwhile, communities are being urged to stay vigilant after around 400 properties were flooded in the aftermath of storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin over the last week. Pictured: Search and rescue teams check on residents in Bewdley today

Forecasters said there is a possibility of four to eight inches of snow building up on higher ground, strong blustery winds and a chance that showers could be accompanied by frequent lightning

The weather service forecast 'frequent heavy snow showers' tomorrow, saying there is a chance that vehicles could become stranded and journey times affected.

It added there is a small likelihood of power cuts and rural communities being cut off, while lightning strikes present a 'small chance of injuries and danger to life'.

The latest warnings come after the River Severn peaked on Wednesday afternoon, with levels expected to remain high for a prolonged period and a severe flood warning is still in place.

Dan Bond, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: 'We are still facing a significant flooding risk, and we are urging people to remain vigilant and take extreme care.

'Last weekend's heavy rainfall on already wet areas continues to cause river flooding along the River Severn and is likely to continue over the next few days.'

Ross Donnelly, station manager for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: 'We advise you to check before travelling, don't be tempted to drive past any 'road closed' signs or move any 'road closed' barriers, which we have seen earlier today and that has resulted in a number of rescues which could have been avoided.'

Nick Green, area incident manager for the Environment Agency for the West Midlands, said it had been 'incredibly frightening' for the community in Bewdley.

He said: 'We could really see the anxiety and the worry that they had knowing that the river was going to rise and the impact that it could have on their lives.'

Strong winds have caused two containers to topple over at the Pink Self Storage business in Swansea. Met Office spokesman Richard Miles said there was nothing over the next four to five days to suggest the UK could see another named storm

Bewdley in Worcestershire today where floodwater from the River Severn has breached the town's flood defences

A man throws a bucket of water from the doorway of a house at Bewdley in Worcestershire this morning

This is the fourth year in a row the town has flooded, with temporary flood defences also failing during Storm Christoph last January.

Mr Green said plans for permanent flood defences at Beales Corner in the town were under way.

He said: 'We want to futureproof this system so the community behind at Beales Corner here in Bewdley has got the confidence going forward that they can live here free of any impact from the River Severn that flows through their neighbourhood.'

Further up the river, in Ironbridge, Shropshire, the council leader said the water was just 20cm away from breaching barriers.

Councillor Shaun Davies, from Telford and Wrekin Council, said: 'It's only through the grace of God that these barriers have not been topped again.

An aerial view of the temporary flood defences at Bewdley in Worcestershire this morning which have been breached

Flooded properties next to the River Severn today following high winds and wet weather in Ironbridge, Shropshire

Temporary flood barriers hold back floodwater from the River Severn this morning in Ironbridge, Shropshire

'This is the third consecutive year where these barriers have been put under significant strain and we will be lobbying Government over the weeks and months ahead for a more permanent solution.'

A council spokesman said: 'Despite not breaching the defences, the area is still severely affected by flood waters and Environment Agency pumps are on site to reduce the impact as far as possible.'

A severe flood warning remains in place for the Wharfage in Ironbridge due to fears the temporary barrier system may fail.

As of 3pm on Wednesday, there were 52 flood warnings, meaning flooding was expected, and 43 flood alerts, where a flood is possible, in place.

The Met Office said weather was expected to stay unsettled over the next few days.

Mr Miles said: 'For the areas experiencing flood impacts, that will stay the case for the next couple of days but there aren't any additional impacts expected outside those areas.

'There will be rain across central and southern areas on Thursday so we will be seeing wet weather but not huge amounts of additional rain.'
The Queen is 'getting over' Covid and only has 'very mild' symptoms, sources say, as Buckingham Palace revealed she held her weekly telephone audience with the Prime Minister.

The monarch, 95, who tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday, cancelled virtual audiences on Tuesday as she continued to suffer from mild cold-like symptoms.

But her symptoms were said to have worn off by Wednesday evening and she was able to hold her regular phone conversation with Boris Johnson.

A source told the Sun: 'She's already getting over her Covid - it's amazing to think she's done it so quickly.'

On Wednesday, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'Her Majesty did speak to the Prime Minister this evening.'

There will have been much to discuss during the conversation with Boris Johnson on Wednesday evening, with the Government dealing with the escalating crisis in Ukraine.

Mr Johnson is also embroiled in the partygate saga, with the Metropolitan Police investigating a dozen events, including as many as six which the PM reportedly attended.

The Queen's advanced age, Covid diagnosis, frailer appearance and recent health scare mean her medical team will be keeping a close eye on her progress, but being well enough to speak to the Prime Minister will be taken as an encouraging sign.

The Queen continued with her duties as head of state and sent condolences to Brazil after 170 died in the city of Petropolis after floods caused deadly mudslides and swept away homes

The Queen (pictured during an engagement earlier this month) tested positive on Sunday

The nation's longest reigning monarch, who will have been triple vaccinated, recently spent more than three months resting, on doctors' orders.

In the autumn, she pulled out of attending the Cop26 climate change summit, the Festival of Remembrance and then the Remembrance Sunday Cenotaph service due to a sprained back. She also missed the Church of England's General Synod.

The Queen now regularly uses a walking stick and has been pictured looking frailer recently.

She remarked during a Windsor Castle audience last week: 'Well, as you can see, I can't move.'

Next week, the head of state has a major engagement on March 2 when she is due to host the Diplomatic Reception and meet hundreds of dignitaries at Windsor.

Mr Johnson is the 14th prime minister of the Queen's long reign.

Pictured: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles at Balmoral Cricket Pavilion on October 1, 2021

A timeline of events leading up to the Queen's Covid-19 diagnosis February 11: Prince Charles tests positive for Covid-19 for a second time and begins self-isolating. The royal met with the Queen just two days before he tested positive for the virus and had spent time with her at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace refuses to confirm whether the 95-year-old monarch has tested positive or negative for Covid, fuelling fears for her health.

Prince Charles tests positive for Covid-19 for a second time and begins self-isolating. The royal met with the Queen just two days before he tested positive for the virus and had spent time with her at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace refuses to confirm whether the 95-year-old monarch has tested positive or negative for Covid, fuelling fears for her health. February 14: The Duchess of Cornwall tests positive for Covid-19. Royal sources say Camilla, 74, has been triple vaccinated, adding that Clarence House will continue to follow government guidelines and review her engagements. Buckingham Palace officials said they would 'not be providing a running commentary' on the Queen's health. A Clarence House spokesman said: 'The Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating. We continue to follow government guidelines.' The diagnosis comes as doctors continue to monitor the Queen's health after Charles was diagnosed with Covid-19 less than 48 hours after seeing his mother.

The Duchess of Cornwall tests positive for Covid-19. Royal sources say Camilla, 74, has been triple vaccinated, adding that Clarence House will continue to follow government guidelines and review her engagements. Buckingham Palace officials said they would 'not be providing a running commentary' on the Queen's health. A Clarence House spokesman said: 'The Duchess of Cornwall has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating. We continue to follow government guidelines.' The diagnosis comes as doctors continue to monitor the Queen's health after Charles was diagnosed with Covid-19 less than 48 hours after seeing his mother. February 20: Buckingham Palace announces the Queen has tested positive for Covid-19. The monarch, 95, is understood to be experiencing 'mild cold like symptoms', but is expected to continue with light duties at Windsor over the coming week. A number of cases have been diagnosed in the Windsor Castle team, according to reports. Advertisement

The pair have held their weekly audiences - which follow Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons - by telephone for much of the pandemic, with the monarch usually seated in her Oak Room sitting room taking the call on an old-fashioned phone.

But Dominic Cummings - the former chief aide to No 10 - claimed Mr Johnson wanted to visit the Queen in person early during the pandemic despite Downing Street staff already falling ill with virus.

Mr Cummings alleged he had to convince Mr Johnson not to visit the monarch by warning about the potentially grave consequences.

Ultimately Mr Johnson and the Queen switched to holding phone discussions on March 18 2020 as she prepared to socially distance at Windsor, ahead of the first lockdown.

Their first in-person meeting during the pandemic was not until 15 months later on June 23 2021.

In a 1992 documentary filmed to mark her 40th year on the throne, the Queen gave her view on the importance of her meetings with her prime ministers.

'They unburden themselves or tell me what is going on or if they have any problems, and sometimes I can help in some way as well,' she said.

'They know I can be impartial and it is rather nice to feel one is a sponge.

'Occasionally one can put one's point of view and perhaps they have not seen it from that angle.'

As head of state, the Queen is politically neutral and acts on the advice of her Government in political matters, but her knowledge of politics is immense.

Throughout her reign, she has received weekly briefings from the prime minister of the day, and dozens of government documents pass across her desk every week for formal approval.

Concerns for the nation's longest reigning sovereign have been heightened given her age and recent health scare.

She has been following all Covid self-isolating guidelines after testing positive on Sunday.

She felt well enough this week to pay tribute to Team GB's gold medal in the curling at the Winter Olympics and 'cheered at the tele' as her horse won at Newbury.

The Queen was pictured smiling as she was driven around her Sandringham Estate this month

But staff will keep a close eye on her as she is 'considerably thinner and frailer' than a year ago and last week said 'I can't move' as she leaned on a walking stick.

BBC reporter Daniella Ralph told the Today programme this week: 'The mood from the Palace is one of caution but no alarm.'

She said: 'There are a couple of obvious aggravating factors here. Firstly that she is 95 years old, almost 96, and that immediately puts her in the vulnerable category.

'Also when you see the Queen now she is considerably thinner and frailer than she was a year ago and of course she will now have to be carefully monitored.'

She added it was possible Her Majesty will get some kind of anti-viral treatment but Buckingham Palace will not confirm it.

The Monarch is experiencing 'mild cold like symptoms' after testing positive for Covid but expects to be at her desk carrying out 'light duties', the Palace said.

For company, she has her dogs - her elderly dorgi Candy, corgi puppy Muick and another young corgi.

The monarch, if she feels well enough, is also likely to study the Racing Post.

She had a win on Sunday when her horse Kincardine won the Federation Of Bloodstock Agents Maiden Hurdle at Newbury.

She will also be given a digest of the day's news from the early-morning radio and television bulletins, and a selection of papers, with her photo gracing most of the front pages after the announcement that she has Covid.

The diagnosis follows a string of Covid cases among the royal family and the Queen's Windsor Castle team.

The Prince of Wales met the monarch the week he tested positive and the Duchess of Cornwall was also isolating after contracting the virus.

The shock announcement was made a few weeks after the nation's longest-reigning monarch reached her historic Platinum Jubilee of 70 years on February 6.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid.

'Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.

'She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.'

The Royal Household has its own royal physicians and the Queen's doctors will be on hand to take care of and monitor the head of state.

Professor Sir Huw Thomas, head of the Medical Household and Physician to the Queen, is expected to be in charge.

It is understood the Queen is following Covid guidelines on self-isolating after testing positive.

But Boris Johnson is expected to repeal all pandemic regulations that restrict public freedoms in England when he lays out his vision for the future on Monday.

The Queen is believed to be triple vaccinated but until recently had been on doctors' orders to rest since mid October.
Two prosecutors leading the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal tax fraud investigation into Donald Trump and his family business have abruptly resigned, it was reported on Wednesday.

Attorneys Carey R. Dunne and Mark F. Pomerantz stepped down from the case after new Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed doubts over moving forward with a case against Trump, the New York Times reported.

The investigation, which runs parallel to a tax fraud probe into the Trump Organization by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is looking at whether the former president's family business misrepresented the value of its assets and allowed certain executives to scuttle taxes by compensating them with off-the-books perks.

Sources close to the investigation said it had ground to a month-long halt in the middle of prosecutors' presentation of evidence to a grand jury.

Bragg's team has also reportedly not questioned any witnesses for more than a month, after postponing a plan to grill at least one person absent the DA's go-ahead.

The two top prosecutors stepping down raising serious questions over the future of the case Trump has referred to as a 'witch hunt'. Former Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Bromwich said it means the probe is 'dead'. It also moves the focus to James' ongoing civil case after a judge ruled last week that Trump and his children Don Jr. and Ivanka must testify.

Attorneys Mark F. Pomerantz (left) and Carey Dunne (right) abruptly stepped down from the Southern District of New York's investigation

The sudden shake-up threatens to derail the investigation, which was started by former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. in 2018.

Meanwhile, the grand jury convened to help look into the Trump real estate empire's term expires in April.

The investigation was heating up late last year when then-DA Vance convened the grand jury. Witnesses have reportedly included a Mazars USA accountant with knowledge of Trump's financial disclosures and a former executive from Deutche Bank, one of the ex-president's biggest lenders before it cut ties with him.

It's not clear why Bragg is stepping away from it now.

In December shortly before taking office he pledged to focus on the high-profile probe.

'This is obviously a consequential case, one that merits the attention of the DA personally,' Bragg told CNN at the time.

The Southern District of New York is investigating Trump (pictured at a Congressional fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday) and his company for possible tax fraud

Shortly before taking office, new District Attorney Alvin Bragg vowed on CNN to 'personally' focus on the high profile investigation

Trump has previously urged the New York prosecutors to instead focus on the rising rate of violent crime in the Big Apple, amid a nationwide crimewave that's gripped the nation's big cities.

Pomerantz, who once headed the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York's criminal division, joined the investigation in February of last year.

He entered private practice after leading the SDNY's appellate unit, defending clients in dozens of organized crime cases at a time when prosecutors dramatically escalated efforts to put Mafia bosses behind bars. On the public side he also played a key role in the prosecution of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti.

His and Dunne's departure effectively killed the case, former SDNY prosecutor and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Bromwich said.

'The two top investigator/prosecutors resign= the Manhattan DAs criminal case is dead,' Bromwich wrote on Twitter.

Allen Weisselberg is accused of evading taxes on $1.7 million in pay and benefits as the Manhattan District Attorney looks into whether Donald Trump's real estate empire misrepresented the value of its assets and compensated executives with lavish off-the-books gifts that went untaxed

Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal fixer who Pomerantz interviewed in the Trump Organization probe soon after coming aboard, accused New York City prosecutors of a dereliction of duty upon hearing of the lawyers' departure.

'I am deeply disturbed by this report. I know the information in the NYDAs possession and not to indict is a dereliction of duty to all New Yorkers and the Country,' Cohen said.

The case has so far produced criminal charges against both the Trump Organization and its longtime Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg.

Weisselberg's attorneys filed a court briefing on Tuesday asking to get his tax fraud charges thrown out, arguing that the executive was merely 'collateral damage' in New York prosecutors' 'yearslong pursuit of Mr. Weisselbergs longtime boss, Donald J. Trump.'

Both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization have pleaded not guilty.

The longtime CFO is accused of evading taxes on $1.7 million in pay and benefits, a charge his legal team wants thrown out. They also argue that a charge over failing to pay local taxes on a luxury New York City apartment fall outside of the statute of limitations by three years or more.

The former president has not been charged nor accused of wrongdoing in neither Bragg nor James' probes.

However he faced a massive legal setback earlier this month when a judge ruled that he and two of his adult children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must sit for depositions in the Attorney General's civil probe.

James' office is looking into whether the company mislead lenders, investors and tax authorities on the value of Trump properties.

In another blow, top accounting firm Mazars USA, which has long handled the ex-president's corporate and private tax returns, severed its ties with the Trump Organization in early February.

Trump lashed out at both James' and Bragg's investigations after his longtime accounting firm Mazars cut ties with his company and distanced itself from 10 years of financial data

Court documents show the company washed its hands of a decades' worth of Trump financial statements it prepared, claiming they could no longer be considered reliable.

Trump unleashed on James and Bragg over the matter on Sunday, accusing them of 'frightening' Mazars into cutting him out.

'My long-term accounting firm didnt leave me for any other reason than they were harassed, abused, and frightened by DAs and AGs that for years have been threatening them with indictment and ruination,' he said through his Save America PAC.

'They were broken by these Radical Left racist prosecutors, and couldnt take it anymore.'

Mazars accountant Donald Bender, who had been responsible for handling the Trump Organization's financial information for years, appeared before a grand jury assembled by the previous Manhattan DA last year.
The Justice Department is ditching the China Initiative, a national security program designed to tackle Chinese economic espionage in the US after a string of cases collapsed amid complaints it was fueling suspicion against Chinese Americans.

It was launched by the Trump administration three years ago amid concerns of intellectual property theft at research universities.

Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security, announced a change of strategy Wednesday.

He said it followed a months-long review that found it was preventing universities attracting top talent.

Instead, he said the work would continue as part of a broader strategy that included spying by Iran and North Korea.

'Anything that creates the impression that the Department of Justice applies different standards based on race or ethnicity harms the department and our efforts, and it harms the public,' he told reporters.

'I do believe that the China Initiative was driven by genuine national security concerns. But I'm also mindful that the department must maintain the trust of the people whom we serve.'

Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security, said on Wednesday that the Department of Justice was ending its 'China Initiative,' following the collapse of high-profile cases and that its targeting of a single nationality meant it was racist

In one of the most high-profile cases, the department dropped its case against Gang Chen, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, who had been accused of failing to disclose Chinese-government affiliations in a grant application

The program was established in 2018 under then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions as a way to thwart what officials said were aggressive efforts by China to steal American intellectual property and to spy on American industry and research.

The Justice Department said it was responsible for major prosecutions and its website lists almost 60 cases, including hacking and making false statements in grant applications.

But cases have also been withdrawn or thrown out by judges.

In January, for example, the department dropped its case against Gang Chen, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.

Chen was arrested on Jan. 14, 2021, one of former President Trump's last days in office.

He was accused of failing to disclose Chinese government affiliations in grant applications to the Department of Energy in 2017. Chen denied the charge.

Prosecutors dropped the case a year later when it emerged the Department of Energy said Chen had not been required to submit the information on his forms.

In an interview with the New York Times after the charge was dropped, he said it was hard to celebrate the result.

'We are all losers, right?' he said. 'My reputation got ruined.

'My students, my post-docs, they changed their career. They changed to other groups.

'M.I.T., the country, the U.S., we lose. I can't calculate the loss. That loss cannot be calculated.'

His was not the only example.

A federal judge in September dismissed the charges against a University of Tennessee professor accused of hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving NASA grants.

But administration officials say the threat from China remains.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a speech last month that the threat from China

was 'more brazen' than ever, with the FBI opening new cases to counter Chinese intelligence operations every 12 hours or so.

'I'm not taking any tools off the table here,' Olsen said. In a speech at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, he noted that despite the diverse range of threats, 'it is clear that the government of China stands apart.'
House Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Adam Schiff wrote a letter to the FBI demanding the agency look into whether police are using data from rape kits to link sexual assault victims to other crimes.

San Francisco police were accused last week of doing just that, linking the DNA from a rape kit of a woman who said she'd been sexually assaulted to link her to an unrelated property crime.

The city's District Attorney Chesa Boudin said he had learned that DNA samples collected from rape victims were included in a suspects database.

It is not clear whether the woman was convicted on the basis of the DNA.

Referencing that incident, Schiff, a California Democrat, wrote to FBI director Christopher Wray: 'While some details of this reported incident remain unclear, they merit your attention and action, because even the perception that law enforcement agencies are searching DNA profiles collected from sexual assault victims could have a chilling effect on willingness to report sexual assaults.'

'Do current federal laws and regulations permit law enforcement agencies to upload DNA profiles obtained from crime victims to the National DNA Index Systems offender database?' Schiff questioned.

Rep. Adam Schiff wrote a letter to the FBI demanding the agency look into whether police are using data from rape kits to link sexual assault victims to other crimes

Schiff wrote to FBI director Christopher Wray, above: 'While some details of this reported incident remain unclear, they merit your attention and action, because even the perception that law enforcement agencies are searching DNA profiles collected from sexual assault victims could have a chilling effect on willingness to report sexual assaults.'

'Will you seek to communicate to state and local law enforcement agencies why holding a DNA profile from a crime victim in this way, particularly a sexual assault victim, will have a chilling effect on reporting of rapes and sexual assaults?' he pressed on.

Schiff asked that Wray respond by March 4, and said he stands ready to draft legislation to prohibit DNA rape kits from being cross-examined with other criminal databases.

Boudin, and multiple local legislators, slammed the 'legally and ethically wrong' practice and warned it would stop future victims coming forward.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott has since launched an investigation into the allegations and pledged to put an end to the practice.

'Whatever disagreements District Attorney Boudin and I may have, we agree that this issue needs to be addressed,' he said in a statement. 'At the end of the day, our respective departments exist to do justice for victims of crime. The last thing we should ever do is discourage their cooperation with us to accomplish that.'

It's possible the suspect Boudin was referring to was identified through DNA being kept in a non-victim database, Scott added.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott (right) said that if Boudin's (left) claims are true, he's committed to putting an end to the practice

Boudin said he's calling for an end of the practice, which is being investigated by legislatures and police

'Rapes and sexual assault are violent, dehumanizing, and traumatic,' he said in a news release Monday. 'I am disturbed that victims who have the courage to undergo an invasive examination to help identify their perpetrators are being treated like criminals rather than supported as crime victims.

'We should encourage survivors to come forward - not collect evidence to use against them in the future. This practice treats victims like evidence, not human beings.'

Sexual assault victims who file police reports are often asked to undergo an exam so that investigators can retrieve evidence. The victim submits her own DNA so that it can be excluded as evidence when the samples are analyzed.

Using their DNA to incriminate them in future crimes could prevent future victims from coming forward, Boudin's office said.

Democratic state Senator Scott Wiener said he's working with the DA's office to address the situation.

Rapes in San Francisco have dropped dramatically within the past five years; 207 were reported in 2021, compared with the 446 rapes investigated in 2017

Ronen is drafting legislation to prevent the practice in San Francisco, and said victims' rape kit evidence should be used exclusively to investigate sexual assaults

'Coming forward after a sexual assault to provide a rape kit can be re-traumatizing,' he said in a release. 'Too many people decide not to take that step, given the trauma. Yet survivors can at least be assured - or so they thought - that the sample they provide for a rape kit will only be used for the sexual assault investigation and not misused for other purposes.

'If survivors believe their DNA may end up being used against them in the future, theyll have one more reason not to participate in the rape kit process.'

District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen said she's asked the city attorney to draft legislation to prevent rape kit evidence from being used for any other purpose than investigating the rape.

'There are already enormous barriers for victims of rape to come forward to report the crime,' Ronen said.

'Rape victims DNA should be protected at all levels of government, anywhere.'

Rape cases are down in San Francisco, police data shows. There were 207 cases reported in 2021, compared to 449 rapes investigated in 2018.

However, other violent crimes are up in the Northern California city, and Boudin has been widely criticized for enabling criminals with his criminal reform policies.

The city's police chief has publicly criticized Boudin for showing leniency toward criminals, and earlier this month accused him of concealing evidence in officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths.
The state of Washington will pay $3.75million to the family of a musician who died of breast cancer after wardens ignored his pleas for treatment.

Kenny Williams, 63, died in June 2019 at Monroe Correctional Complex from breast cancer that spread to his bones after he was denied cancer treatment. If he had received chemotherapy, he likely would have lived long enough to be released from prison, a doctor hired by his family said.

The settlement money, which was agreed on last week, will benefit Williams' widow, Dee, and their four children.

Williams, who played in a band called Crazy Texas Gypsies, was imprisoned on two counts of second-degree assault for shooting a man in Kent after a night of drinking.

In May 2018, a nurse discovered a lump in the prisoner's left breast, but no follow-up appointment was scheduled, despite Williams' family history of the disease, according to the Seattle Times. Within months, he reported stabbing pain and a Department of Corrections (DOC) medical staffer recommended Williams get scanned.

But he wouldn't see an oncologist for six months, the lawsuit said. An oncologist recommended he immediately start chemotherapy.

Kenny Williams, 63, died in June 2019 at Monroe Correctional Complex from breast cancer that spread to his bones after he was denied cancer treatment

Williams (far left) pictured with his Crazy Texas Gypsies' bandmates

As part of the settlement, the DOC admitted its failure to offer adequate medical care 'more likely than not' caused William's death.

'The DOC failed. It has repeatedly failed. It has paid millions to settle cases that could have been avoided with competent and decent care, and it should take this case as an opportunity to look deep within itself and consider what it needs to do to avoid further travesties like this,' the Williams' family attorney Ed Budge told the Seattle Times.

The DOC has declined comment further on the multimillion settlement.

A damning November 2019 report on Williams by the Office of Corrections Ombuds - an independent, impartial public office that works toward positive change in corrections - called out the DOC for his death, citing the facility's 'lack of response to his grievances regarding his medical treatment.'

Williams was incarcerated at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Washington (pictured). The Department of Corrections agreed to pay his family $3.75million in a settlement last week after not getting him chemotherapy, despite an oncologist recommending his start immediately and Williams having a family history of breast cancer

The corrections department, in reaction to the report at the time, blamed his 'primary provider' resigning and said policy changes were implemented to address the Ombuds' concerns.

'The Department of Corrections remains committed to operating a safe and humane corrections system, and to continually improving how we care for individuals in state custody,' the DOC said at the time.

The report came about after a friend of Williams told Ombuds about his declining health. By then, Williams already had signed a do-not-resuscitate order, the Seattle Times reported in 2019.

The facility's medical director Julia Barnett was fired for misconduct in 2019 after an investigation found she was providing inadequate care for those imprisoned and the state revoked her medical license indefinitely.

Williams himself wrote an appeal for help while incarcerated: 'I am dying. What is holding up the treatment that will save my life?'

He was later told his appeal was improperly submitted as it was incorrectly signed and dated, the Seattle Times reported.

By November 2018, Williams was in severe pain and signed a form seeking palliative care. The doctor, a breast cancer expert, who the Williams' family hired said breast cancer pain 'is among the most severe of any disease.'

Ombuds called out the DOC for their improper treatment of Williams after a friend told them

Eight months later, in June 2019, he died.

'With appropriate care, Mr. Williams life would have been prolonged for some years, and it is very likely that he might have returned to the life expectancy he would have had if the cancer had never occurred,' the doctor wrote at the time.

Williams isn't the first to die while incarcerated due to improper medical care. The DOC paid out $3.25million to a family of a man who died from an abdominal wound that was not properly treated.

In 2020, Washington paid out a $400,000 settlement to another man who died of cancer in the same facility. He also had filed written appeals for medical attention.
Demolition of developer Mohamed Hadid's controversial Los Angeles mega-mansion could be derailed by 'obstructionist bureaucrats' over property tax issues, a court heard Wednesday.

Douglas Wilson - the receiver appointed by a judge to oversee the tearing down of the giant house - lashed out at the LA County Tax Assessor's office for throwing a wrench into the ongoing demolition, first reported exclusively by DailyMail.com last week.

'Remarkably, entrenched bureaucrats at the Assessor's office are being obstructionist,' Wilson told LA Superior Court in Santa Monica, California, slamming the assessors for valuing Hadid's half-built mansion at $30 million, six times what it sold for last December.

When Sahara Construction bought the property in upscale Bel Air for $5 million two months ago, they also agreed to pay for knocking it down, on the understanding that they would get back about $1.2 million in future property tax refunds.

But that $1.2 million is no longer assured.

Demolition finally began on Mohamed Hadid's notorious Bel Air mega-mansion last week after years of legal disputes and feuds with neighbors

But the demolition of Hadid's controversial Los Angeles mega-mansion could be held up by 'obstructionist bureaucrats' over property tax issues, a court heard today

Douglas Wilson, the receiver appointed by a judge to oversee the tear down, said, 'Remarkably entrenched bureaucrats at the Assessor's office are being obstructionist'

Just before Sahara bought the mammoth house, Wilson managed to persuade the LA Tax Appeals Board to reduce the County Assessor's 2017 valuation of the property from $28.8 million to $8.7 million - which meant a tax refund of $240,000.

But despite the successful appeal which reduced the 2017 value to $8.7 million - and despite the fact that there have been no improvements to the property since 2017 - said Wilson, the LA County Assessor is insisting that the value of the house for the four years from 2018 to 2021 is still around $30 million a year.

So Wilson has had to file time-consuming new appeals against those four years' valuations.

Wilson called the assessor's $30 million valuation 'mind-boggling' and 'absolutely illogical.'

'Any reasonable person could see that the property was getting more and more run down and clearly was not going up in value,' he said.

He blasted the assessors for forcing him go through possibly many more months of the appeals process adding, 'The delay could interrupt demolition, prolonging the public nuisance and hazard' caused by the illegally-built house.

LA Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan scheduled a new hearing for March 29 where he invited representatives of the LA County Tax Assessors office to attend to try to 'mediate' the property tax issue.

Meanwhile, Wilson told the court that - without a possible delay caused by the tax problem - he's targeting demolition to be completed by the end of June.

LA Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan (pictured during a site visit to Hadid's mansion) scheduled a new hearing for March 29 where he invited representatives of the LA County Tax Assessors office to attend to try to 'mediate' the property tax issue

The 73-year-old Palestinian-American tycoon, who is the father of supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid, went to trial in Santa Monica last August over the mansion

Destroying the building is taking so long mainly because it sits atop a steep hill overlooking several homes that would be in the path of any rubble or debris crashing downward.

'We are unbuilding this house the same way it was built,' Paul Ventura, boss of Sahara Construction, told DailyMail.com. 'We have to be very careful - we can't just smash everything down. We have to be a lot more surgical than that.'

So instead of a wrecking ball, 'we're using hydraulic excavators with long arms with special attachments on them to take down the structure more methodically and safely, ' he added

Ventura stressed that the company is using 'multiple layers of safety' in the demolition project, including strengthening existing fencing and installing netting around the site that's strong enough to stop up to 20,000 pounds of debris from hurtling down the hill.

In addition to the steepness of the hill the four-story house sits on, Sahara has to deal with another problem: the parts of the giant house that Hadid built without approval from LA city planners.

The demolition engineers are using the original approved plans to dismantle the building, section by section.

But, added Ventura, 'Because the original builder (Hadid) did not build it according to the plans, a lot of the demolition work is exploratory. We have to carefully take down the walls to the steel supporting beams to see what's there.

'We're not sure what we're going to find when we, say, take down a wall or another part of the structure. Because a lot of the building is not on the plans.

The demolition of the property has been a long-awaited dream for neighbors, Joe (pictured) and Bibi Horacek and John and Judy Bedrosian

How Haid's house should have looked. His plans included an elaborate Turkish bath, complete with ornate wood carvings, colorful tiles and marble and mirrored walls

Hadid planned elaborate sculptures for the grounds of his now-destroyed magnificent mansion

It was that secret, unpermitted construction, including a 70-seat IMAX theater and a huge wine cellar, that made the house grow to more than twice the 15,000 square feet the city had approved - and led Hadid's neighbors to sue him.

Joe Horacek, 80, his wife Bibi and two other elderly neighbors, John and Judith Bedrosian, spent four years and $9 million in legal fees, they estimate, fighting a civil lawsuit against Hadid over the now-crumbling, colossus that sits ominously above their luxury homes.

Their battle with the 73 year-old Palestinian-American tycoon - father of supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid and star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - came to a climax last September at the end of a civil trial when a Santa Monica jury awarded the Horaceks and the Bedrosians a total of $2.9 million.

But that was bitter-sweet for the neighbors since it barely covered a third of their lawyer fees and was just a fraction of the $26 million they were seeking in damages.

Hadid has filed an appeal against the $2.9 million judgment awarded to the neighbors by the civil trial jury.
A student newspaper at a Minneapolis middle school gave students tips on what to do at a Black Lives Matter protest - including advice to avoid speaking to police and avoiding filming and posting images on social media of other demonstrators' faces.

The Justice Page Middle School's Rhino Report, a student run paper advised by faculty, sent out their weekly newsletter on February 15 with the first page dedicated to protest tips for students planning to join local BLM demonstrations.

The paper said that many students would be joining protests against the Minneapolis Police shooting of Amir Locke, 22, a black man who was killed in a no-knock warrant raid on February 2.

'Many of us are - and have been - taking to the streets to protest this injustice,' the paper read as it went on to list several tips students should keep in mind if they choose to protest.

'When it comes to Black Lives Matter protests, if you're not Black, remember that you're there to show your support and amplify Black voices,' the first tip read. 'ESPECIALLY if you're White, if they're offering the megaphone for anyone to speak, it's not for you. You are here to listen and to show support.'

The Justice Page Middle School's Rhino Report, a student run paper advised by faculty in Minneapolis, printed protest tips for students to follow on February 15

The newsletter was printed after protests erupted over the shooting of Amir Locke, 22, during a no-knock raid in Minneapolis on February 2

The protesters filled the streets of downtown Minneapolis to demand justice for Locke, after body cam footage released by the Minneapolis Police Department showed the fatal interaction between Locke and SWAT team members

The paper went on to ask people filming the protests on their phones to not post anyone's faces, 'especially if it's someone doing art/graffiti.

Students were also told to wear nondescript clothing and warned that police 'may still try to come after you' even if they aren't breaking the law. The paper told students 'it's better to be paranoid than careless.'

The newsletter went on to provide advice on what students should do if they get arrested while protesting, saying they should invoke their right to remain silent and ask for a lawyer.

'Don't consent to police searching your phone, don't consent to a DNA sample (they might say it's standard procedure, it's not), insist that they give you a mask, if you're held for more than 48 hours, it's most likely an illegal detention, which is a violation of your Fourth Amendment Rights,' the advice read.

Students were also told to travel in groups, avoid wearing jewelry and to bring first aid kits to the protests.

Parents Defending Education (PDE), an advocacy group to include parents in their children's education, told FOX News that the publishing and distribution of the newsletter was unacceptable.

'It is inappropriate for a school system to be providing protesting advice to 12-year-olds, especially when it is for particular causes and varies based on students' race,' PDE director of outreach Erika Sanzi said. 'It is also a problem that it was done behind the backs of parents.'

The Justice Page Middle School and Minneapolis Public Schools did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The newsletter was published from the Justice Page Middle School, in Minneapolis

Graphic bodycam footage shows Minneapolis police enter 22-year-old Amir Locke's (pictured) apartment while executing a search warrant in a homicide investigation

The newsletter was printed one week after thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Minneapolis on February 5 to demand justice for Locke, after body cam footage released by the Minneapolis Police Department showed an officer shooting Lock during a no-knock raid on February 2.

Police had been investigating Locke's cousin, Mehki Speed, 17, for the January 10 murder of Otis Elder, when a SWAT team entered the Minneapolis apartment.

Body camera video shows them shouting 'Police, search warrant!' 'Hands!' and 'Get on the ground!' after they entered.

An officer kicks a sectional sofa, and Locke is seen wrapped in a blanket holding a pistol. Three shots are heard, and the video ends.

The city also released a still image from the video showing Locke holding the gun, his trigger finger along the side of the barrel.

Minneapolis police have said Locke was shot after he pointed his gun toward the officers, but Locke's family has questioned that. Locke's family has said he legally possessed the gun.

Locke was shot and killed by police on February 2 after Minneapolis police entered an apartment with a no-knock warrant

Minneapolis Police Department bodycam footage shows, 22-year-old Amir Locke wrapped in a blanket on a couch holding a gun moments before he was fatally shot by police

Police have said Locke was not named in the search warrants.

Locke's death sparked protests and a reexamination of controversial no-knock arrest warrants. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced a moratorium on such warrants while the city brings in outside experts to study its policy.

Speed, Locke's younger cousin, was arrested earlier this month and charged with with two counts of second-degree murder stemming from Elder's killing.

A charging document said police used surveillance videos to connect him to the homicide near Prior Avenue North and Oakley Avenue after a witness told police that a silver Mercedes-Benz had fled the scene.

Investigators shared the security footage with a Hennepin County official who recognized Speed because he was on probation, according to the charges.

The document said video showed the Mercedes parked near Elder's vehicle, with two males getting out and approaching - one entering the passenger side and the other standing outside the driver's door.

'This male stepped back and a loud gunshot was heard,' the document says.
Russia has hit back at Australia after the prime minister announced sanctions, saying Canberra has been indifferent to discrimination faced by Russian speakers.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday unveiled a raft of sanctions against Russia after it recognised the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine as independent territories.

'The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun. They're acting like thugs and bullies,' he said.

'Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia.'

Russia has hit back at Australia after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced sanctions on the authoritarian nation over its recognition of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine as independent territories. Mr Morrison is pictured with Mr Putin at the G20 in Argentina in 2018

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the deployment of troops to the breakaway enclaves in eastern Ukraine in a move he said is aimed at keeping the peace.

The Russian embassy has responded to the new measures, accusing Australia of turning a blind eye to discrimination by 'the radical nationalistic regime in Ukraine and to the plight of civilians in Donbass living for years under blockade and constant shelling from the Ukrainian military'.

'In alignment with its key partners, Canberra has played its part in supporting and encouraging the xenophobic bullies based in Kyiv,' the embassy said.

In a statement, the embassy said the decision to recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk regions on humanitarian grounds to 'protect' civilians, including hundreds of thousands of Russian nationals.

'(Russia) will from now on guarantee the right of (Donetsk and Luhansk) residents to live in peace and preserve their language and cultural identity.'

Mr Morrison completely rejected Russia's characterisation of the two territories it occupies.

'We have got a very large country in Russia which is bullying and threatening its neighbour and telling them the decisions that they have to make,' he told the Seven Network.

RUSSIAN EMBASSY'S FIERY RESPONSE TO AUSTRALIAN SANCTIONS The Russian Embassy in Australia accused Canberra of turning a blind eye to discrimination by 'the radical nationalistic regime in Ukraine and to the plight of civilians in Donbass living for years under blockade and constant shelling from the Ukrainian military.' 'In alignment with its key partners, Canberra has played its part in supporting and encouraging the xenophobic bullies based in Kyiv,' the embassy said. The embassy said the decision to recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk regions on humanitarian grounds to 'protect' civilians, including hundreds of thousands of Russian nationals. '(Russia) will from now on guarantee the right of (Donetsk and Luhansk) residents to live in peace and preserve their language and cultural identity.' Advertisement

'This is not how the world should work ... when you have a country that is bullying and seeking to use force and threats of violence to get its own way.'

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it was an 'obscene perversion' for Russian President Vladimir Putin to speak of Russian soldiers acting as 'peacekeepers' in Ukraine.

'Any suggestions that there is a legitimate basis for Russia's actions are pure propaganda and disinformation,' Senator Payne told reporters during a visit to the Czech capital Prague.

She added Australia would not hesitate to impose more sanctions if Russia escalated tensions.

File image of Vladimir Putin shaking hands with senior Russian security officials. The Russian Embassy in Australia accused its host country of turning a blind eye to discrimination by 'the radical nationalistic regime in Ukraine

Overnight on Wednesday, Ukraine declared a state of emergency and told its citizens in Russia to leave while Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv in the latest signs that a full-scale invasion could be imminent.

The head of the Ukrainian mission in Australia, Volodymyr Shalkivskyi, told the Nine Network on Thursday his country is on full alert.

'A full-scale invasion is possible. There is still the movement of Russian troops along our borders and, actually, build-up of those troops. We are getting ready,' he said.

'There is still room for negotiations and we keep that door open.'

Asked if he thought sanctions imposed by the United States - and others including Australia - would deter Mr Putin, Mr Shalkivskyi said, 'You cannot use kind of normal logic when you consider the actions of Mr Putin'.

'(Russia) has military superiority over Ukraine, it has nuclear weapons, at least, in their possession.

Russian armoured vehicles and artillery pieces are seen at a rail yard in the Rostov-on-Don region, close to the border with Ukraine, amid fears the authoritarian nation is about to launch a full-scale invasion of its neighbour

'But the consequences of full-scale invasion might be very dramatic for the entire world because, well, first of all, it's not going to be a one-day invasion. Ukraine will resist.'

Mr Morrison spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday night to inform him of the sanctions.

Mr Morrison told Mr Shmyhal that Russia's behaviour towards Ukraine was 'unacceptable, unprovoked and unwarranted'.

Australia has ruled out direct military assistance and is supporting Ukraine's cyber capability.

Russia's ambassador to Australia, Alexey Pavlovsky, was also hauled in to meet with the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday afternoon following the announcement of the sanctions.

The diplomat has not been expelled from the country.
American presidents for the past several decades, since the end of the presidency of Ronald Reagan, have had a pretty abysmal record when it comes to the U.S. geopolitical relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin.

Of course, some presidents are worse than others, but none have really seemed to understand or want to understand the great existential threat posed by Putin and his blood lust for the glory days of the U.S.S.R.

President George W. Bush infamously said that he looked into Putin's eyes and saw his soul.

When my father was campaigning for the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, he responded to Bush's comment.

My father said he looked into Putin's eyes and saw 'three letters: a K, a G and a B.'

No one looks back on the Bush years with much regard to his foreign policy instincts or his intellectual heft as a president, but nonetheless it was a particularly stupid thing for the former president to say.

And it stands out for its incompetence given what is happening today amid Putin's continued drive to strengthen his murderous regime.

President Obama was caught on a live mic in 2012 telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would 'have more flexibility' to negotiate on missile defense after his November election.

My father said he looked into Putin's eyes and saw 'three letters: a K, a G and a B.' (Above) U.S. Senator John McCain arrives to visit a pro-European Union rally in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013

In an another infamous clip from the 2012 presidential debate against Senator Mitt Romney, Obama made fun of the governor for bringing up the looming existential threat of Russia and Vladimir Putin.

Obama said 'the 1980's called and they want their foreign policy back.'

At the time, lapdog journalists, including CNN's Chris Cillizza, cheered the gotcha moment instead of taking Romney's warnings seriously.

They applauded like seals over Obama's cheap line  calling it the best moment of the debate.

Unfortunately for those journalists, those tweets are resurfacing.

Cillizza has since written an article saying he was wrong. Too little, too late in my opinion. But he was far from alone in his mockery of the Russia threat.

In 2013, my father participated in freedom protests in Kiev alongside Democratic Senator Chris Murphy and spoke in front of thousands of protestors.

He told them 'We support your just cause, the sovereign right of Ukraine to determine its own destiny freely and independently. And the destiny you seek lies in Europe.'

In 2014, following the invasion and annexation of Crimea by Russia my father strongly called for the U.S. to arm the Ukrainians.

What did Obama do? Next to nothing.

The Obama White House would only provide non-lethal aid, fearing that providing weapons would provoke Putin.

Obama held to his hubristic Ivy League classroom approach to foreign policy and made the world a less safe place.

If he had followed my father's advice, we may have avoided all of this.

My father has become so beloved of a figure for his dedication to Ukraine that in 2019 the Kiev city council voted to rename a street after him.

In 2013, my father participated in freedom protests in Kiev alongside Democratic Senator Chris Murphy and spoke in front of thousands of protestors. (Above) McCain joined about 200,000 anti-government demonstrators in Ukraine's capital on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013

On Tuesday, Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted that they should have been tougher on Putin.

'I wish we as an administration had been more aggressive in 2014,' he told CNN.

And then there is President Trump.

President Trump with his bizarre, unhinged and sycophantic relationship with Vladimir Putin.

There are too many examples of his extremely dangerous admiration for murderous dictators so I will instead focus on what he said yesterday during a talk radio interview after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Trump said Putin's military invasion of Ukraine was 'genius' and that he is going to be a 'peacekeeper.'

Trump went on to say that this is something America should do on the U.S. southern border and praised Putin as 'very savvy.'

I'm not exactly sure what to make of that. I just hope that Republicans don't take-up Putin's model and invade Mexico.

President Trump has spiraled even further into lunacy and disconnection from any form of reality in his post-presidency life.

And now we have Biden.

If the president's recent actions in Afghanistan are an example, we can expect little to no ramifications for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Biden has shown that he shares the isolationist foreign policy perspective of the progressive left and not the outlook of a moderate. A foreign policy perspective that he campaign on.

Biden is a man who had no problem abandoning our allies in Afghanistan and watching the slaughter of innocent people.

That was the moment that I, and millions of other Americans, saw him and his administration for what it really is and really stands for.

It was also the moment many of us panicked about how weak America looks on the world stage, anticipated that much worse will be coming.

In an another infamous clip from the 2012 presidential debate against Senator Mitt Romney, Obama made fun of the governor for bringing up the looming existential threat of Russia and Vladimir Putin. (Above) President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Romney in the second presidential debate in Hempstead, New York, October 16, 2012

Having a robust debate and argument about foreign policy is welcomed.

I think it is pretty clear where I stand but I welcome respectful arguments to the contrary.

What I don't accept is the abject KGB, pro-Kremlin propaganda coming out of so many far-right conservative mouths.

Some have gone so far as to say this is America's fault (blaming America is something normally reserved for the progressive left).

What I am watching makes me sick to my stomach.

The moral equivalizing of America to Russia is nothing short of a national disgrace.

Vladimir Putin is a murderous dictator who poisons and murders his critics or imprisons them under false pretenses, like he has done to Free Russia activist, Alexi Navalny.

There is no moral equivalency between America and Russia.

Anyone who is saying that is suffering from forms of delusion.

How did so many people I know turn into this? Putin stooges and KGB propaganda spinners.

I have no idea, but it's shocking and extremely dangerous.

There is a difference between having concerns about putting American boots on the ground in Ukraine versus actively championing Putin's success and downplaying the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and Ukrainians.

It is anti-freedom and innately un-American.

I first and foremost believe as President Ronald Reagan believed that America is a shining city on a hill.

I believe we as Americans, lead the rest of the world and that a threat to democracy anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere.

I believe we have a moral obligation to fight for freedom globally.

We have let the people of Ukraine down and we need to send a strong, clear message of what side the United States is on.

I would start by ostracizing Russia from the global community and freezing the assets of Putin and his oligarch cronies.

My friend Bill Browder has been bravely lobbying and advocating globally for with the Magnitsky Act.

Hit them where it will hurt them the most, with their money.

If we don't show strength in the face of this invasion, Putin will not stop in eastern Ukraine, and America will cease to be a feared superpower.

There can also be an expectation of more expansions and invasions from other tyrannical countries, like China into Taiwan.

I am heartbroken. I am disgusted. I am fearful of the future. The time to act is now.

We call on President Biden and the Congress to take swift and aggressive action or I fear the severe consequences will be felt for generations to follow.
Russia should stop military campaign in Ukraine



Russian President Vladimir Putin has caught the world off guard by ordering troops into two breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, after recognizing their independence Monday. Putin's instruction to deploy "peacekeepers" into the self-declared republics gained approval from Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, Tuesday. This can be taken to mean the Russian leader has virtually declared the beginning of war.



Describing Russia's move as an excuse for triggering war, the United States announced what it called the "first tranche" of sanctions on Russia, targeting financial institutions and Russia's elites. Such steps followed a series of sanctions imposed by the European Union and Britain. U.S. President Joe Biden, however, left open room for talks, saying, "There is still time to avert the worst-case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people."



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said he canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that had been scheduled for later in the week. "Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make any sense to go forward with that," he said.



First, we express grave concern over Russia's offensives against Ukraine, as they are an apparent infringement of Ukraine's sovereignty and territory and a violation of international rules. It is an imperialist practice that will drive the entire world as well as the U.S. and Europe into the vortex of another Cold War.



President Moon Jae-in underlined the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial rights of Ukraine during a National Security Council meeting Tuesday. He pledged Korea will join efforts to find a peaceful solution as a responsible member of the international community. As Moon put it, the foreign ministry and other relevant authorities should make maximum efforts to ensure the safety of Korean residents in Ukraine and minimize the possible adverse impact of the Russian military action on the Korean economy.



The rising tension and a potential war in the region will inevitably lead to a spike in the prices of crude oil and grain in global markets. Russia's gas supply to Europe will possibly be cut and the sprawling agricultural regions of Ukraine will be turned into battlefields. The supply chains of key minerals and other resources could be disrupted, while global financial markets are likely to plunge into turmoil.



Given this, the Moon administration should work out proper measures to minimize the fallout from the Ukraine crisis and take preemptive action, if necessary, to cope with the worst-case scenario. The international community should make joint efforts to thwart Russia's territorial ambitions. Concern is growing that North Korea will take advantage of the situation to carry out more military provocations. So the government should be on alert over potential security threats.




Britain's spies are being urged to consider their 'white privilege' and declare their pronouns as Europe descends into war.

A leaked guide to improving diversity and inclusion in the security services suggests the agents should avoid gendered terms such as 'manpower'.

Spies are also advised against such words as 'strong' and 'grip' which can 'reinforce dominant cultural patterns'. And they are encouraged not to speak on all-male panels.

In the document  entitled Mission Critical  the chiefs of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ extol the virtues of diversity and inclusion, saying both are vital in keeping the country safe.

In the document, the chiefs of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ extol the virtues of diversity and inclusion, saying both are vital in keeping the country safe. Pictured: MI5 headquarters

But the paper has caused disquiet in other areas of government, with critics saying security officials should have been less focused on inclusion and more alert to events in Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Mission Critical was written by Sir Stephen Lovegrove, the national security adviser, in October and published internally on December 6  days after Ukraine warned of large-scale escalation by Russia.

In his foreword, Sir Stephen said: 'This toolkit is called Mission Critical because a diverse and inclusive culture is critical to succeeding in our national security missions.'

But a government source said: 'There will be times where our security services have to kill the enemies who wish us ill.

'A culture where 'manpower' is offensive and where pronouns and 'privilege' are promulgated is far removed from the deadly decisions spooks often need to take.'

The document, called Mission Critical, was written by Sir Stephen Lovegrove (pictured), the national security adviser, in October and published internally on December 6

Details of the security document emerged on a day of alarming developments in Eastern Europe:

US intelligence warned Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia was poised to attack within 48 hours;

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Mr Putin had gone 'full tonto'  and suggested Britain might have to 'kick Russia's backside';

Boris Johnson prepared to urge world leaders to tighten sanctions on the Kremlin at a virtual meeting of the G7 today;

He said Britain would supply Ukraine with further defensive weapons, thought to include anti-tank missiles.

Kiev declared a state of emergency and gave citizens the right to bear arms to defend their homes;

The US warned that war in Ukraine could displace five million refugees;

Labour faced allegations of hypocrisy after calling for tougher sanctions while a string of its MPs have accused Nato of fuelling the crisis in Ukraine;

Energy costs soared again, with gas prices jumping by 11 per cent for the second consecutive day;

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries asked Ofcom to review the broadcasting licence of TV channel RT, which is accused of spreading Kremlin propaganda;

Ukraine's government was hit by a massive cyber-attack and bomb threats to key buildings;

Vladimir Putin boasted that his troops were 'battle ready' and armed with 'unparalleled' hypersonic missiles;

And the Kremlin last night said separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine had asked Mr Putin for help to 'repel aggression' from the Ukrainian army.

The diversity toolkit is intended to be read by officials at GCHQ, MI5 and MI6, as well as in the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism in the Home Office and by the national security secretariat.

In the document, a Muslim worker praises her employer for allowing her not to shake hands with men because this is in line with her religious beliefs on modesty.

And a female civil servant at the Ministry of Defence claims she felt 'humiliation' when she started working there as 'new girls had to earn their place in the team'. She said the 'workplace culture failed us'.

The toolkit says staff should 'understand your unconscious bias', 'be aware of intersectionality [the idea that different forms of prejudice can overlap]', 'acknowledge your privilege' and consider refusing to speak on all-male panels.

It urges national security staff to declare their pronouns  to be referred to as 'he', 'she', 'they' or something else  to make transgender colleagues feel more included.

'Sharing your pronouns, if you are comfortable doing this, helps to create an environment in which this is normal,' it said.

'You can do this by: adding your pronouns to your email signature or sharing them at the start of a slidepack.'

In a section on inclusive language, it says: 'In national security, look out for words and phrases, such as 'strong' or 'grip', that reinforce the dominant cultural patterns. Avoid jargon, hierarchy or gender biases.'

Spies are also advised against such words as 'strong' and 'grip' which can 'reinforce dominant cultural patterns'. Pictured: GCHQ in Gloucestershire

Another section said: 'Consider the impact of phrases that can have negative connotations or dehumanise others.

'Try not to define an individual or group by what makes them different. If you need to talk about an individual or group, choose adjectives over nouns.

'Instead of 'Asians', try 'Asian people', 'people of Asian heritage' or specify a region or country. Instead of 'the disabled', try 'people with disabilities' and 'people with mental health conditions' over 'the mentally ill'.

'Use gender neutral language to reflect people's diversity and reduce stereotypes and assumptions, for example about job roles and functions which need not be gender defined.'

The document encourages staff to read a range of books on equality issues, including those by controversial critical race theorist Kimberle Crenshaw.

A Whitehall spokesman said the report was written in October, although it was not published until December.

He said diversity and integration would be integrated into mainstream core training and leadership modules.

'They are fundamental to the national security of the UK,' the spokesman added. 'That includes having people from different backgrounds, perspectives and ways of thinking.'
Victims of a Louisiana sheriff who was convicted of child rape and incest were able to confront their attacker as he was sentenced to four life sentences on Tuesday.

Jack Strain, the former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff, was convicted in November on four counts of aggravated incest, one count of indecent behavior with a juvenile and one count of sexual battery.

He was sentenced on Tuesday to four life sentences without parole on the aggravated rape charges, 15 years and a $15,000 fine on each of the aggravated incest charges and five years for indecent behavior with a juvenile and five years for sexual battery, according to FOX 8 News.

Judge A. Bruce Simpson also tacked on an additional 30 years for crimes committed against some of his family members, NOLA.com reports, and Strain, 59, now must also pay $30,000 in fines and nearly $28,000 for prosecution costs.

Attorneys say Strain will appeal the decision.

But following the sentencing some of his victims got their chance to confront the man who molested them as young boys, as one of the victim's mother's said she prays he would 'never get out' so he 'will never, ever hurt another child.'

Jack Strain, a former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff, was convicted in November of incest and sexual assault charges

One of his victims, Mark Finn, a boyhood friend of Strain's, unloaded for half an hour as he called him a predator, a monster and a pervert at his sentencing on Tuesday

Patricia Finn, Mark's mother, said she blames herself for not realizing what her son was going through and told WWL that Strain 'got exactly what he deserved'

Patricia showed old photos of Mark when he was just a young boy who was being molested

Mark Finn, a boyhood friend of Strain's, unloaded for half an hour on Tuesday as he called him a predator, a monster and a pervert.

He asked Strain, who also pleaded guilty to a kick-back scheme in December, how he liked wearing prison clothing.

'I've done over 25 years - prison, jail, halfway house and you controlled me,' said Finn, who testified that the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Strain from the ages of 6 to 11 - along with the things Strain made him watch - resulted in drug problems, deep anger issues and an inability to trust.

'What's it done to me? My family?,' he asked. 'My mother used to think you were God and wouldn't hurt her baby boy, but you did.'

At one point, Finn looked directly at Strain, and said: 'Look at me, are you sorry? If you're sorry, I'll forgive you. If not, I hope you rot in hell.'

Strain reportedly did not say anything, but Finn's mother, Patricia, told WWL: 'He kept on looking at me.'

She said she blames herself for what happened to her son, saying: 'I'm a momma, I should have known. But I swear to God I didn't.

'Because I knew this man since he was 10 years old and I would have never thought.'

Skip Keen, another victim, also spoke out against Strain at the sentencing on Tuesday, telling him: 'You are the reason my wife and kids have memories of an angry, out-of-control person who would lash out for no reason.

'More days than not, I hate myself,' he said. 'I have considered suicide. That's on you.

'You better be glad I can't get my hands on you buddy,' he then threatened. 'You better be glad.'

Strain, center, was sentenced on Tuesday to four life sentences without parole

He has previously pleaded guilty to a kick-back scheme while he was in office

Strain ran the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office from 1996 to 2016 before he lost re-election.

He was arrested in 2019 on incest and rape charges following a state investigation into his sex crimes against juveniles.

An indictment claimed he had raped one victim sometime between June 1, 1979 and July 19, 1980, and against another victim between January 1, 1975 and September 8, 1981, the indictment shows. Strain would have been 12 years old in January 1975.

He was also accused in the indictment of committing aggravated incest on a third victim and committing indecent behavior with the same victim between April 1 1996 and July 1, 2002.

And he was accused of committing aggravated incest and sexual battery against a fourth victim on June 1, 2004.

Strain was also accused in the indictment used his position as sheriff to cover up his crimes, offering his victims jobs and pay.

Strain ran the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office from 1996 to 2016 before he lost re-election

At the trial last fall, FOX 8 reports, five victims, some of whom were Strain's relatives testified about the sexual molestation they faced at his hands.

They all said they looked up to Strain as an older brother or father figure, but he betrayed their trust when he molested or raped them in tents, campers and his bedroom. In many cases, the molestations lasted into adulthood.

A jury found him guilty on all eight counts in just five hours after the two-week trial concluded.

In the aftermath, Patricia Finn said she doesn't get any 'satisfaction' in putting Strain down.

'I remember the little boy I fell in love with, 10 years old - for you to do that to my child at 6 years old? I blame myself.

'How did I not see the hurt my child was going through.

'I live with that in my heart and brain 24 hours a day,' she said, telling WWL: 'He got exactly what he deserved' and saying: 'They've got a special place in Hell for you.'
Prince Harry should not be eligible to stand in for the Queen as a Counsellor of State because he no longer resides in the country, a new parliamentary briefing paper reveals.

But Prince Andrew could still stand in for his mother should she become incapacitated, despite having to step down from public duties and relinquish his HRH title because of the Epstein scandal.

This week the House of Commons Library quietly published for the first time guidance on what arrangements can be put in place if a monarch is unable to perform their royal functions.

It follows intense public debate about the roles of Dukes of Sussex and York as stand-ins for the sovereign now they have both quit as working royals, particularly in light of the 95-year-old Queens recent ill-health.

She tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, but was well enough to hold her weekly telephone audience with Boris Johnson last night.

The parliamentary briefing paper will increase pressure on Buckingham Palace to take legal steps to resolve the matter once and for all.

Prince Harry (pictured with the Queen) should not be eligible to stand in for the Queen as a Counsellor of State because he no longer resides in the country, a new briefing paper reveals

The paper says Andrew is still eligible as a Counsellor of State despite the Epstein scandal

There have been calls to appoint the next two senior royals in line to the throne  Prince Edward and Princess Anne  in their place.

A Government source said: Theres been a lot of noise about Harry and Andrew and their roles as Counsellors of State and it was felt important MPs had all the facts. It has nothing to do with Her Majesty being ill.

The Regency Acts of 1937 and 1953 were designed to deal with four potential scenarios  a monarch succeeding to the throne before the age of 18, a monarch becoming permanently or temporarily incapacitated, and the monarchs absence from the UK.

In the case of temporary incapacity or absence from the UK, the Queen can appoint Counsellors of State to ensure the continuation of public business.

Duties include granting royal assent to acts of parliament, approving public appointments and ministers of the crown and the fixing of the Great Seal of the Realm  a symbol of royal authority  to royal proclamations or Letter Patent.

According to the 1937 legislation, all Counsellors have to be members of the Royal Family.

There have been calls to appoint the next two senior royals in line to the throne  Prince Edward and Princess Anne (both stood behind the Queen)  in place of Harry and Andrew

They consist of the husband or wife of the monarch and the next four in line of succession.

Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh last May, the current Counsellors of State are the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York.

Crucially, however, the newly-published guidance says: Under the 1937 Act, a Counsellor of State must be domiciled in some part of the UK.

It adds: The Regency Act 1943 added the discretionary provision that if it appears to the Sovereign that any eligible Counsellor will be absent from the United Kingdom or intends to be so absent during the whole or any part of the period of such delegation, then Letters Patent [a legal tool available to the monarch] may make provision for excepting that person.

Harry remains sixth in line to the throne but hasnt lived in the UK since late 2019.

However, there is no provision under the Act to exclude a member of the family who is no longer a working royal, so long as they remain in the line of succession, so Andrew, who is ninth, could be called on to stand in.

Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales tested positive for Covid earlier this month. If both had been unable to undertake their constitutional duties, they would have fallen to William and Harry.

Counsellors of state have often carried out royal functions during the Queens reign. In 1974 the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, declared a state of emergency and dissolved parliament when the Queen was on an official visit to the Pacific with her husband.

Buckingham Palace said last night that there was no change to the current Counsellors. An aide said suggested there were no plans to change them.

Sources speculated the royal household may be concerned about the reaction from across the pond if changes are made. They could just be reluctant to poke the bear, they said.

A national ballot for 10,000 members of the public to win free tickets to the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations has been launched by the BBC. It is hosting a Platinum Party at the Palace on June 4.

There are 5,000 pairs of free tickets available from today at 7am at www.bbc.co.uk/platinumjubileeconcert.
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The U.S. believes that Russia will invade overnight on Wednesday, the Secretary of State said, as the United Nations called another emergency session of the Security Council.

Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State, was asked by Lester Holt on NBC News on whether he thought there would be a full-scale invasion from Russia 'before this night is over'.

Blinken replied: 'I do. Unfortunately Russia has positioned its forces at the final point of readiness across Ukraine's borders - to the north, the east, the south.

'Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage in a major aggression against Ukraine.'

Blinken added: 'I can't put a date or an exact time on it, but everything is in place for Russia to move forward.'

Blinken's comments came as the UN prepared to hold its second - highly unusual - late night emergency session in three days.

The Council met on Monday night, with Russia - which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council - defiant in the face of criticism from other members. They will meet again on Wednesday at 9:30pm in New York.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday night addressed the nation, saying that he had tried to contact Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation, but Putin refused to take his call.

'I initiated a telephone call with the president of the Russian federation. Result: silence,' Zelensky said.

Zelensky said he wanted to address the Russian people - admitting that he knew the speech would not be shown in the country - but warning that the 'spark' for invasion could come at any time.

'You are told that this flame will liberate the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.

'You are told we are Nazis, but how can a people support Nazis that gave more than eight million lives for the victory over Nazism?'

Zelensky also rejected Moscow's claim that Ukraine was a threat to Russia.

'The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace,' Zelensky said, adding that a Russian invasion would cost tens of thousands of lives.

Zelensky added that there were now 200,000 Russian troops amassed near Ukraine's borders.

Zelensky said that the people of Russia were being lied to about Ukraine and urged them to help stop a possible war.

'Who can stop (the war)? People. These people are among you, I am sure,' he said.

Anthony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, was asked on Wednesday night whether he expected Putin to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine overnight, and replied: 'I do'

After responding to @LesterHoltNBC in the affirmative if he believes Russia will launch a full invasion of Ukraine tonight, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he can't put an exact date or time on it, but says everything is in place.



pic.twitter.com/4UbtTS3ZYa  GlobalNewsToday #vaccine and its pros and cons (@GlobalNewsToda3) February 24, 2022

The Pentagon on Wednesday gave its most dire assessment yet of the situation with the Ukraine, warning that 80 percent of Russian troops are in combat-ready positions with a full scale attack by Vladimir Putin imminent.

'They're ready to go now if they get the order to go,' a senior Defense Department official told reporters, adding that the Russian forces were positioned between three and 30 miles to the Ukrainian border.

The White House backed up that assessment.

'We have been saying 'imminent' for days now,' press secretary Jen Psaki said at her daily press briefing.

The warning came amid additional signs Russia was ready to make its move. The Kremlin claimed on Wednesday that Putin had received an appeal for 'help in repelling the aggression of the armed forces and formations of Ukraine.'

The leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk asked Russia's president to use military force under treaties signed after Moscow recognized their independence from the Ukraine, Moscow said.

Western officials worry Putin could use a claim of Ukrainian aggression as a pretext for an invasion.

And an invasion appears to be ready at Putin's order.

If it comes, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby warned that any attack by Putin 'won't be bloodless.'

'There will be suffering,' Kirby said. 'There will be sacrifice. And all of that must and should be laid at his feet. Because he's doing this by choice.

At particular risk is the northeastern city of Kharkiv, CNN reported, which sits about 18 miles from Russia.

The latest dire warning signs of a full-blown attack follow the West sanctioning the Kremlin's inner circle; Ukraine issuing a nationwide state of emergency and moving to allow citizens to arm themselves; and Russia continuing to tell the world they will not be deterred in their advance into separatist regions Putin has declared independent.

Ukrainian government websites and banks have also been shut down because of a sweeping cyberattack while Moscow's tactical units have formed into battle-ready units ready to attack from the north, east and south.

Meanwhile the U.S. has re-positioned its firepower and 4,700 paratroopers around eastern Europe, with F-35s fighter jets and a fleet of Apache attack helicopters being sent from Germany to Baltic states and Poland.

Since October, Russia has been building an enormous military force along Ukraine's border, with as many as 190,000 troops in or near Ukraine, American and Ukrainian officials told The New York Times.

Zelensky has called up military reservists, declared a 30-day state of emergency and has urged his people to stand up and fight with their country on the brink of invasion.

'Ukrainians are a peaceful nation,' he said. 'We want quiet. But if we are today silent, then tomorrow we will disappear.'

In addition to the troop movements, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, said government websites are the result of a 'new mass distributed denial-of-service attack.' It's unclear who is behind the cyber intrusion.

Meanwhile, Russia warned there would be a 'painful' response to sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies against Putin's inner circle.

A fresh round of sanctions that struck at the heart of Putin's inner circle appear not to be working.

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called them part of Washington's 'ongoing attempts to change Russia's course,' and added that the pressure will not prove to be a deterrence.

'There should be no doubt that sanctions will receive a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but finely tuned and painful to the American side,' the ministry said on Wednesday.

But the U.S. struck again with sanctions on Wednesday. Biden announced 'sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers.'

Biden said he made the decision after Germany called off certification of the pipeline, which was built to carry natural gas from Russia into Europe. Biden waived sanctions last year against Nord Stream 2 AG when the project was almost completed, in return for an agreement from Germany to take action against Russia if it used gas as a weapon or attacked Ukraine.

'Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy,' Biden said, warning more sanctions could come.

As Russia pulled its diplomats from Kiev, Zelensky called for even harsher sanctions and warned the 'future of European security is being decided now, here in Ukraine.'

Ukrainian servicemen check the situation on the position near the Katerynivka village not far from pro-Russian militants controlled city of Luhansk, Ukraine

President Joe Biden's administration has warned the Ukrainian government that the latest intelligence points to a full scale attack by Vladimir Putin 'imminently' with almost 100% of Russian forces on the border ready to move in. Putin watches Fatherland Day celebrations on Wednesday after praising Russia's fleet of hypersonic weapons

Russian armored vehicles are loaded onto railway platforms at a railway station in the Rostov-on-Don region, not far from Russia-Ukraine border, on Wednesday. The latest dire warning signs of a full-blown attack follow the West sanctioning the Kremlin's inner circle, Ukraine issuing a nationwide state of emergency allowing citizens to arm themselves and Russia continuing to tell the world they will not be deterred in their advance into regions Putin has declared independent

Putin has recognized two areas in eastern Ukraine as independent and authorised Russian troops to go in on 'peacekeeping' missions. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (yellow) amid fears he will now try to seize it. There are also fears he is preparing to attack Kharkiv in Ukraine (green) after massing forces nearby

Putin is thought to be planning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, having recognised two areas in the east of the country as independent earlier this week. Rebels already hold part of that territory (in dark red) but Putin has recognised a much-wider region (shaded red) amid fears he will now try to seize it

Russia has up to 190,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery, fighter jets and bombers surrounding Ukraine from three sides, as the US warns of a full-scale invasion of the whole country including an attack on the capital, Kiev

A Ukrainian soldier talks with her comrades sitting in a shelter at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine

Russian armored vehicles at the railway station in Rostov region, Russia. Since October, Russia has been building an enormous military force along Ukraine's border, with as many as 190,000 troops in or near Ukraine, American and Ukrainian officials told The New York Times

Meanwhile the U.S. has re-positioned its firepower and 4,700 paratroopers around eastern Europe, with F-35s fighter jets and a fleet of Apache attack helicopters being sent from Germany to Baltic states and Poland

The U.S. targeted with sanctions Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov

Russia has for months been massing troops, tanks, and support vehicles (pictured) on the border with Ukraine and is now thought to have up to 190,000 men ready to attack the country

Russian armoured troop transports are pictured in an assembly area, amid fears they could soon roll across the border and into Ukraine - sparking the most-serious war in Europe for decades

Russia has alternately claimed to be staging routine training exercises in its border regions, withdrawing its forces and reinforcing its allies in the region - all of which has been dismissed by the West as pretense (pictured, a Russian soldier)

Meanwhile, Council secretary Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would introduce a 30-day period of emergency in a ramping up of precautions as Russian troops and blood supplies headed to frontlines in what U.S. officials said were 'plans for war'. Ukrainian lawmakers are also working on legislation to allow its citizens to carry firearms.

U.S. moves troops to Baltic NATO states The U.S. military has moved troops to the Baltic nations in an effort to bolster NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia as Ukraine prepares for a full-scale invasion. Up to 190,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine, including Russian forces that have deployed to Belarus, which border NATO members Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. This has been nominally for military exercises, which have been watched over by Putin and Belarusian strongman President Alexander Lukashenko. Biden confirmed he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.' The U.S. will send about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated. The measures came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist regions in defiance of U.S. and European demands. Advertisement

It move came after President Putin boasted of Russia's preparedness and 'advanced weapons' including hypersonic missiles in a sabre-rattling speech.

Putin, speaking on Defender of the Fatherland Day, which marks the first mass draft into the Red Army in 1918, congratulated the armed forces on their 'professionalism' and said he was assured they would stand up for the country's national interests - which he said are 'non-negotiable'.

The Russian leader insisted that diplomacy with the West is still possible but gave no hint that he is willing to back down over any of his security demands - including that Ukraine disarm and drop its bid to join NATO. These have been dismissed by the U.S., Kiev and NATO as non-starters.

President Biden warned it was clear the Russian leader was preparing for conflict after U.S. sources observed Russia moving supplies of blood towards its border with Ukraine, saying: 'You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war.'

In a sign that a diplomatic solution appears unlikely, Blinken called off a high-level summit with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who also cancelled his meeting, said Putin no longer accepted Ukraine's independence under international law.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine's National Security and Defense council approved plans to declare a state of national emergency, with measures requiring stepped-up document and vehicle checks across the country. The declaration needs to be formally approved by parliament.

They would apply to all parts of Ukraine except for its two Russian-backed eastern separatist regions, where a deadly insurgency that has claimed more than 14,000 lives broke out in 2014.

Danilov said each of Ukraine's regions would be able to select which particular measures to apply, 'depending on how necessary they might be'.

'What could it be? This could be added enforcement of public order,' Danilov said. 'This could involve limiting certain types of transport, increased vehicle checks, or asking people to show this or that document,' he added, calling it a 'preventive' measure.

Additionally, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged its citizens in Russia to leave immediately. The ministry also recommended that Ukrainians not travel to Russia and warned the government may not be in a position to help any of its citizens in Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kiev, according to an Associated Press photographer.

Hopes for a diplomatic solution seem to be fading.

Biden warned on Tuesday that an invasion of Ukraine is already underway but could quickly ramp up into all-out war, with blood supplies being moved to the frontlines which could be used to treat injured soldiers.

'This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war,' Biden declared as he levied sanctions against Russian banks and promised harsher measures to come.

Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will face sanctions. He also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.'

The administration also named five individuals being targeted, including Alex Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; and Petr Fradkov, the CEO of Russian Promsvyazbank, the country's largest military bank.

The White House warned more individuals could be targeted, with a senior administration official saying: 'No Russian financial institution is safe if this invasion proceeds.'

Trans-Atlantic allies are lining up behind the American condemnation of Russia. Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, cutting off what Biden's administration called a 'cash cow' for Moscow.

Britain also announced sanctions on three billionaires with close links to Putin, and five small lenders including Promsvyazbank.

Australia, Canada and Japan also announced sanctions. Australia will impose travel bans and financial penalties on eight members of Russia's National Security Council. Canada sanctioned two Russian banks and Japan imposed financial penalties on Moscow.

Fighting also escalated along the frontlines between separatist forces and Ukraine's men overnight, with one Ukrainian soldier killed and six injured in shelling. A house was also hit in the village of Muratovo.

Tensions between East and West dramatically ratcheted up Tuesday as Putin was granted authority by Russia's lap-dog parliament to use military force abroad, a move that paves the way for him to attack Ukraine.

Hours earlier, he had given a speech in which he made expansionist claims about rebel-held territory in Ukraine's east - saying Russia has recognized areas currently held by Ukrainian troops as belonging to the separatists.

That has sparked fears he is preparing for a land-grab of that territory under the auspices of a 'peacekeeping' mission to the region which could extend even beyond those boundaries and all the way to the city of Kharkiv - where several major Ukrainian military bases are located.

Russian tanks and armored vehicles have been spotted hiding in civilian areas and the tree lines of forests in several areas just to the north of Kharkiv in recent days, within just three miles of the border.

Putin has up to 190,000 troops backed by thousands of tanks and artillery units, hundreds of fighter jets and dozens of bombers encircling Ukraine from three sides - with up to 10,000 men already thought to have moved into rebel-held areas of Donetsk and Luhansk on the current frontlines with Ukrainian forces.

Western nations have tried to present a united front in the face of the invasion, with more than two dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials.

The U.S., meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia's government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets.

The administration's actions hit civilian leaders in Russia's leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia's military, with more than $80 billion in assets.

That includes freezing all of those banks' assets under U.S. jurisdictions.

A Russian attack on Ukraine could start in the Donbass region (top right) with attempts to expand rebel-held areas, that could either be in coordination with or before a much wider assault on the entire country (top right). Should the fighting spill over Ukraine's borders, it could drag in NATO forces stationed in Europe (bottom centre)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called up military reservists and is calling on upon the Ukrainian people to fight

The Russian Embassy in Kiev where its flag does not appear to be flying amid reports Moscow has recalled its diplomats

A Ukrainian pilot boards a fighter jet at an air base in an undisclosed region of the country early Wednesday, as he takes part in combat readiness drills amid fears Russian is about to invade

A Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jet, originally made in Russia, takes off from an airfield in an undisclosed region of the country amid fears that Russia is about to stage a full-scale invasion

The tail fins of Ukrainian Su-34 fighter jets are seen at an undisclosed air field somewhere in Ukraine as one takes to the skies during combat readiness checks ahead of what could be a full-scale Russian invasion

Ukrainian firefighters attempt to put out a blazing house in the village of Muratovo, close to the frontlines with pro-Moscow rebels in Luhansk, after it was shelled overnight

Ukraine said one soldier died and another six were injured in shelling by pro-Moscow rebels overnight, which also hit and destroyed a house in the village of Muratovo

Russian volunteers carry medical supplies to a warehouse in the city of Taganrog, close to the border of Ukraine, after Biden warned that blood is being moved to the frontlines in what is considered to be one of the final moves before an attack

Five of Putin's 'inner circle' hit by sanctions President Joe Biden took a direct hit at Vladimir Putin's inner circle on Tuesday by invoking sanctions on five named individuals. They are: Alex Bortnikov, the head of Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russia's principal security agency); Bortnikov's son Dennis, who is the deputy president of VTB Bank; Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergey Keriyenko; Keriyneko's son Vladimir, who is currently the CEO of VK Group which runs Russia's version of Facebook; Promsvyazbank CEO Pyotr Fradkov, head of nation's largest military bank. Biden said two Russian financial institutions, VTB and Russia's military bank, will also face sanctions. The two institutions 'hold more than $80 billion in assets and finance the Russian defense sector and economic development,' the White House noted in a fact sheet. 'These measures will freeze their assets in the United States, prohibit U.S. individuals and businesses from doing any transactions with them, shut them out of the global financial system, and foreclose access to the U.S. dollar.' Biden also said Russia's sovereign debt will be sanctioned so Russia 'can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets, or European markets either.' Advertisement

Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the U.S., including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia U.S. high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia's ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Biden said he was moving additional U.S. troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely 'defensive,' asserting, 'We have no intention of fighting Russia.'

The U.S. is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to NATO's eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated.

Earlier Tuesday, members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country - effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people.

Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos.

Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kiev recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarizes.

The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: 'I haven't said that the troops will go there right now.' He added that 'it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action - it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.'

The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an 'invasion' after initially hesitating to use the term - a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow

President Joe Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows several new deployments of troops and equipment have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia, less than 20 kilometers to the northwest of the border with Ukraine

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close up of assembled vehicles at Bokov Airfield near Mazyr, Belarus, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies shows armor and vehicles at a railyard in Belgorod, Russia, on Tuesday

Satellite imagery from Tuesday shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, Russia, which is close to the Ukrainian border

'We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia's latest invasion into Ukraine,' Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN.

'An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.'

The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel regions on Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending in troops.

A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about those sanctions, noted 'that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014' and that 'Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.'

Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade - and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions.

The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine.

Condemnation from around the world was quick.

In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued U.S. support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia.

Senators had been considering a sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy.
The Las Vegas man accused of murdering his girlfriend's four-year-old son and keeping his body in a garage freezer for six weeks kept his head down and his mouth shut as he was hauled in front of a judge for his first court appearance Wednesday.

Brandon Toseland, 35, was slapped with two kidnapping charges and an additional charge of open murder in the death of the boy, who has been identified as Mason Dominguez by family members.

Toseland was arrested Tuesday after police discovered the boy's remains in the freezer of his mother's northeast Las Vegas home located in the 4300 block of Saddle Brook Park Drive.

The little boy was found 'hidden under a false cardboard bottom and under multiple items of food,' the Reno Gazette Journal reported.

The mother had sent a note to school with her eldest daughter earlier that day that said Toseland had become abusive weeks ago and she was being held against her will in the home, where Toseland also lived.

Prosecutors revealed in court that the letter written by the mother, who had been dating Toseland for 11 months, also specified she hadn't seen her son since December 11 and that the 'toddler was possibly deceased.'

Dressed in the print T-shirt he had been wearing at the time of his arrest, the handcuffed and disheveled accused killer kept his eyes on the floor until he was led out of the courtroom.

Toseland is scheduled to return to court Thursday for the murder case and on February 28 for the kidnapping case. He was booked into Clark County Detention Center without bail. Las Vegas prosecutors could combine the charges under one criminal case.

Brandon Toseland appeared at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas after his arrest on Tuesday

Mason's body was found in the freezer of his mother's Las Vegas home after she sent a note to school with her eldest daughter (left) that said she was being held against her will in the home

Brandon Toseland, 35, faces two kidnapping charges and an additional charge of open murder in connection to the death of his girlfriend's 4-year-old son

Mason's mother (left) told officers during an interview that she was being abused by Toseland, and had been instructed not leave the house, enter the garage or ask about her missing child

Toseland has a record of prior non-violent arrests, all in California, dating to 2005. In 2010, he was arrested for driving above 70mph under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

He was found guilty and convicted. In 2011, he was found guilty again for driving under the influence and with a suspended license.

Toseland was arrested on Tuesday after officers with the Clark County School District Police contacted the Las Vegas Metro Police Department shortly before 9am.

After school officials informed police of the letter, Mason's mother and Toseland, who is not the father of either child, were detained at a traffic stop around 10am, Law&Crime reported.

The mother told officers during an interview that she was being abused by Toseland, and had been instructed not leave the house, enter the garage or ask about her missing child, the police said.

She went on to say that she believed her son, who she had not seen since December 11, was dead.

The last time she had seen Mason, he had been locked in the master bedroom of the home by Toseland after the little boy fell ill, she said.

She then said that Toseland admitted Mason had died, but that it had been an accident.

Toseland took her cellphone away, began 'bounding/tying her,' and 'would handcuff her inside the vehicle, preventing her freedom of movement,' the arrest record read.

Detectives noted that at the time of the arrest on Tuesday, handcuffs were found in the passenger seat where the mother was.

After obtaining a search warrant, police found Mason's body in a freezer kept in the garage around 4.30pm.

Prosecutors revealed the preschooler was found with visible injuries, but no cause of death was revealed pending autopsy results.

The boy's mother, who has not been identified, has not been charged.

'Anybody who is going through situations where you feel you cannot handle a child, you can bring that child to a hospital, you can bring that child to a fire station, you can call 211, there are a lot of resources out there,' Lt. Ray Spencer said following Toseland's arrest.

35-year-old Brandon Toseland (pictured in this undated photo) faces two kidnapping charges and an additional charge of open murder in the death of a four-year-old Mason Dominguez

Prosecutors revealed the preschooler (pictured) was found with visible injuries, but no cause of death was revealed pending autopsy results

Mason Dominguez (pictured) is now being remembered by family members who said the preschooler ' was just like any other 4-year-old - happy, sweet, intelligent, very out-going!'

The young boy was found dead in a freezer after officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department searched the residence

Patrol officers saw the mother and her boyfriend leave the home, and detained them before detectives began searching the house at around 4.30pm

Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said the mother told police that she had not seen her child alive since December 11

Speaking to DailyMail.com, a neighbor of Toseland said the family appeared normal to him, and he was shocked to hear about the sad news.

'I only ever saw [Toseland] in passing dropping and picking kids up from school. [He] seemed like a normal person from what I saw...I never saw the mom in person except my wife,' Brian Easly said.

Young Mason is now being remembered by heartbroken family members who said the preschooler 'was just like any other 4 year old, happy, sweet, intelligent, very out-going!'

'On February 22, 2022, My family had discovered our sweet Mason was murdered by people who, he thought he could trust,' his relatives posted on a GoFundMe for his burial costs.

'When my family or I couldn't see Mason we missed him & his sister very much but to know we won't ever see Mason again hurts the whole family 1000x more. We had always hoped we would be able to see him again , at least once... just to give him a hug ? A kiss & tell him we love him ... To know Mason was loved , he will be living on through all his family members, friends, his dad & most importantly his big sister.'

According to the fundraiser, Mason's father died from pneumonia last year at 29-years-old and the family plans on buying the burial lot right next to his dad.

One neighbor told KVVU-TV: 'We've been a quiet neighborhood. We are a new, quiet neighborhood.'

They went to to say that they had contacted the HOA this month after becoming suspicious of a U-Haul truck parked outside the home where the boy was found.

The neighbor added: 'Within the last week, week and a half. It has been sitting in front of that house, and we've been contacting HOA again.'
Liza Lukyanova might seem an unlikely recruit for the army of a country that is facing a fight for survival from a military machine that has 2.9million troops and reserves.

She is 43, the mother of two children, and studying to become a website developer.

But she is also a trained doctor and has seen the chilling reality of Russian aggression after being forced to flee her home eight years ago.

I know what it feels like to run away, said Lukyanova. Now, though, we have nowhere to run. Besides, I dont want to run.

Yesterday, she joined thousands of other Ukrainians answering their presidents call for military reservists to come forward as the country moved on to a war footing.

President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the move  which could double the size of the Ukrainian army with an extra 250,000 troops  then said: We are ready for anything.

Pictured: Liza Lukyanova, 43, a trained doctor, is among thousands who have answered the call of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky who urged military reservists to come forward

His government is also preparing to impose a state of emergency across Ukraine as Moscow moved troops and tanks closer to the conflict frontline.

Zelenskys initial proposal  to prohibit temporarily the activities of political parties, restrict peoples movement, ban strikes, take cars from citizens, restrict mass gatherings and impose curfews  was sent back by parliament yesterday since it was seen as too draconian.

An amended measure was passed last night banning strikes and mass events.

Lukyanova fled her home city of Luhansk after the 2014 revolt by separatists backed by Moscow, which led to the proclamation of the area as an independent pro-Russian republic.

I met her outside a military enlistment building in Kiev where she joined others preparing for frontline duties. In front of her was an engineer, behind her came a woman in her early 20s.

Under a new law, women in key jobs have been put on the reservist list alongside all men under 60, including conscripts who served in the armed forces.

Yaroslav, 21, soldier in the 25th Airborne Brigade of Ukrainian army in Avdiyivka, Ukraine

If theres a full-scale war, Ill be sent to a military unit as a medic so Ill have to quit my studies, said Lukyanova.

Her 21-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son do not want her to join the army.

They are worried I would be in danger but I try to explain to them that were all in danger and Im doing it for them.

Her husband, who fought in Donbas against the separatists and Russians, is also rejoining the army.

The volunteer reservists have been praised by Ukraines military head Valery Zaluzhny, who had urged people to go en masse to recruitment centres.

A man called Viktor, 41, said it was tough to leave his three children as a divorced stay-at-home father.

Elena (centre) 26, is taught how to handle an automatic weapon as civilian volunteers of the Obukhiv Civilian Protection force train together in preparation for a possible Russian invasion

He served in the military 20 years ago and explained: The latest developments leave me no choice  I have to protect the country.

He was joined by his psychology student girlfriend Yana Kaminska, 33, who fears Ukraine will be attacked on all sides by Putins forces.

In further signs of a possible invasion, Russia evacuated its diplomats from Kiev with video footage showing officials loading suitcases into cars in the capital and burning documents in the consulate in the Black Sea port of Odessa  a possible target for its armed forces.

All Ukrainians living in Russia  about three million people  were told to leave by the government in Kiev

Meanwhile, another cyber-attack targeted the Kiev parliament, the security services, the ministry of defence, Kiev city hall and several banks  the second major assault in eight days.

The previous attack was traced to Russia, China, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan.

A convoy of Russian military vehicles is seen moving towards the Donbas region of Ukraine

Police also detained 34 people after it was discovered that up to 1,000 were due to be paid to protest about prison violence outside the Ministry of Justice headquarters in Kiev, according to reports.

The plan fits a pattern of recent weeks with the previous discovery of a covert plot to destabilise Ukraine by sparking violent clashes  with hundreds of people paid to fight police and fake blood used to create propaganda videos of supposedly beaten protesters.

Such incidents tie in with fears of false flag events orchestrated by Moscow to inflame tensions and provide a possible pretext for invasion.

Meanwhile, President Zelensky met 50 leading business figures and announced a package of measures to shore up the economy, which has been struck hard by the impact of Russias hybrid war.

His advisers say the crisis  estimated to have left Ukraine with a 206billion bill since 2014  is currently costing the country 2billion a month as its currency plummets and anxious firms move their staff to safety.

No wonder many Ukrainians fear their nation is confronting an existential crisis on several fronts.

We are facing military invasion and I have two teenage children to protect, said Shchevelev Sergiy, 43, a rescue diver who was at the army enlistment centre in Kiev.

In an unwavering statement echoed across Ukraine, he said: This is my land and I will protect it at all costs.

Additional reporting by Kate Baklitskaya
Australian building giant Probuild has been placed into voluntary administration with hundreds of jobs set to be lost and thousands of contractors left hanging.

Worksites around the country have been locked down, with many tradies unable to even access their tools trapped inside.

The shutdown comes after its South African parent company Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon, based in Johannesburg, pulled further funding after project costs blew out.

Probuild raked in $1.3billion in revenue last year - but made just $4million profit, and is now said to be facing losses running into hundreds of millions.

In a statement, the company said accounting company Deloitte will serve as administrators after parent group WBHO withdrew financial assistance.

A Probuild spokesman said: 'We are caught up in a set of circumstances not of our making.

Australian building giant Probuild has been placed into voluntary administration with hundreds of jobs set to be lost and thousands of contractors left hanging (pictured, workers at Probuild's Ribbon construction site in Sydney's Darling Harbour on Thursday)

Worksites around the country have been locked down, with many tradies unable to even access their tools trapped inside (pictured, workers at the Ribbon project in Sydney's Darling Harbour on Thursday)

The 264 high-quality residential apartments (pictured) in Brisbane's Queen Street has haemorrhaged as much as $120million

'We are working closely with the administrator on a number of plans to protect our clients, subcontractors and employees.

'The Probuild brand is strong and we intend to keep it that way.

'We have several options for raising the necessary capital to continue as a premium Australian building company. These will all be pursued.'

Deloitte has taken control of Probuild's 18 different developments, worth $5billion, which employ hundreds of workers and a network of tradies across the country.

A $300million deal to sell Probuild to a Chinese company was axed a year ago after treasurer Josh Frydenburg stepped in to veto it on the grounds of national security.

The company is said to have been locked into huge fixed-price contracts based on pre-Covid costs - but has been hit by massive price rises since signing the deals.

The shutdown comes after its South African parent company Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon, based in Johannesburg, pulled further funding after Probuild project costs blew out (pictured, workers at the Ribbon project in Sydney's Darling Harbour on Thursday)

Deloitte has taken control of Probuild's 18 different developments, worth $5billion, which employ hundreds of workers and a network of tradies across the country (pictured, the Ribbon project in Sydney's Darling Harbour on Thursday)

PROBUILD PROJECTS Victoria Police HQ (46 levels) CSL global HQ (18 levels), Melbourne Exchange at Curtin University Greenland Centre, Sydneys tallest residential building VUT Building (29 levels) Melbourne UNO Melbourne (65 levels) Caulfield Village The Ribbon Darling Harbour - W Hotel and Imax Cinema 443 Queen Street, Brisbane Wyndham City Stadium, Tarneit, VIC Advertisement

The cost increases - including materials, employment and Covid shutdown expenses and protocols - wiped out profit margins and left many developments running at a huge loss.

Eight Probuild-named companies have been taken over by Deloitte but associated companies WHBO Infrastructure, Contexx, Prodev Murphy, Monaco Hickey, Northcoast Holdings and Carr Civil Contracting.

On Wednesday, tradies were told to stop work at the 443 Queen Street construction site in Brisbane when the company called in administrators in a last-ditch attempt to save itself.

The project involved 264 high-quality residential apartments but has haemorrhaged as much as $120million.

Workers at the site said construction has been plagued by delays for the past two years and contractors were owed unpaid bills of up to $250,000.

Tradies were seen packing up and taking their equipment off the site on Wednesday after being told it would be shut down at 5pm.

'We were just told to pick out tools up because Probuild were pulling the pin on all their projects across Australia,' one told the Courier Mail.

A tradie said the company he works for is owed at least $250,000, while other sub-contractors are believed to be owed significantly more.

'It is going to run into the millions what tradies are owed,' he said.

Cost increases - including materials, employment and Covid shutdown expenses and protocols - wiped out profit margins and left many developments running at a huge loss (pictured, workers at the Ribbon project in Sydney's Darling Harbour on Thursday)

Tradies have been packing up and taking equipment off Probuild sites (pictured, construction is halted at Probuild's Ribbon development in Sydney Darling Harbour on Thursday)

Pictured: An artistic impression of Brisbane's 443 Queen Street construction project

The future of the build in the heart of Brisbane's CBD is in doubt.

Touted as the nation's first subtropical designed building, the riverfront complex has cost the company's Queensland arm, PCA QLD, more than $28million, with sources estimating it could be up to $120million.

Probuild Constructions (Aust) reportedly injected $15million into the company last year as part of a recapitalisation to combat the Queensland division's losses.

The company, which operates in Victoria, NSW, Western Australia, and Queensland, has more than 520 employees and thousands of apartments currently under construction.

The bulk of the projects, which also includes more than 370,000 square metres of retail work, are in Melbourne where the head office is based.

CHINESE SALE AXED BY AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT A $300million deal to sell Probuild to a Chinese company was axed a year ago after treasurer Josh Frydenburg stepped in to veto it on the grounds of national security. With Probuild's Australian projects including the new Victoria Police HQ and biotech firm CSL's Australian HQ, the government blocked China State Construction Engineering Corporation's bid because of its links to the Chinese defence industry. The government said the sale was against the national interests and added: 'Probuild was a significant player in a sector that was critical to the country's economic and social wellbeing.' Probuild reacted furiously to the government intervention in January 2021, which could have been a vital lifeline to safeguard its future. 'Its more politics than it is anything else,' Probuild executive chairman Simon Gray said at the time. 'No one can give us real reason why were a national security risk. It's a joke.' Advertisement

Probuild is currently developing a new 18-storey block in Melbourne's Elizabeth North, which will be the new headquarters of biotech giant CSL.

It is also the firm behind the 1000 Latrobe office tower in the Docklands and a build-to-rent development at Caulfield Village.

In Sydney, the company is building W Hotel on Darling Harbour and an apartment complex in Macquarie Park.

Construction is also underway in Perth for The Towers at Elizabeth Quay.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Probuild for comment.
For a man who has built his fame  or notoriety  on freedom of information, there's an irony to the fact that Julian Assange's computer has no internet access. Its ports, like the keyboard, are filled with epoxy resin.

The near-useless console sits on a tiny desk in a cell on the ground floor of Belmarsh Prison, London, where the Wikileaks publisher has been detained for more than two years.

Soon  perhaps within days  the WikiLeaks publisher will know if the US government can continue to have him held in Britain's toughest jail. A decision on whether or not Washington can appeal against a British court's ruling that he cannot be extradited to America is expected imminently.

But until the legal imbroglio is settled, 49-year-old Assange is being held on remand in a maximum-security jail, raising troubling political questions about the indefinite detention of a man who has not been convicted of anything.

For a man who has built his fame  or notoriety  on freedom of information, there's an irony to the fact that Julian Assange's computer has no internet access. Its ports, like the keyboard, are filled with epoxy resin

Assange's supporters claim it shows the US government believes it can bully the British legal system  and humiliatingly impose its will upon a foreign jurisdiction.

His fiancee, Stella Moris, 38, said: 'Julian won his case against extradition to the USA six months ago yet he remains locked up.

'He is barely hanging on inside Belmarsh. He is still fighting and committed but this feels like an endless punishment. At times he is in such despair he thinks he is a burden, so suicide is a very real fear.'

At one stage, Assange was moved to Belmarsh's medical wing for round-the-clock supervision after a razor blade was found hidden in his cell.

Ms Moris continued: 'Julian is not violent, he is not a danger to society. He is a publisher and this case is about freedom of information. This situation shames the UK's justice system. It is a blight on the UK's global reputation.

'It is unacceptable for a foreign power to be able tell Britain what to do. It's time for President Joe Biden to drop the charges against Julian and Boris Johnson should ask him to do so at the G7 meeting in Cornwall this week. Hopefully then, justice will prevail.'

Assange is wanted in America on 17 charges under the Espionage Act and one of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.

All relate to the leak of 700,000 classified documents handed to WikiLeaks by former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning (then Bradley Manning) in 2010.

His fiancee, Stella Moris (pictured with her sons), 38, said: 'Julian won his case against extradition to the USA six months ago yet he remains locked up'

Washington says the leak endangered the lives of American agents and their sources working in the field. If found guilty, Assange could face 175 years in prison.

He took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012 while fighting extradition but was forcibly removed two years ago and is now detained in Belmarsh, where conditions are harsh.

Last winter he had to boil the kettle in his room continuously to generate warmth and stuffed his cell window with books to guard against the wind blowing in off the Thames.

He is confined to a cell of ten square yards for about 22 hours a day, and allowed out only to collect food and antidepressant medication, take a shower or go for his allotted exercise in the prison yard.

Key dates in Julian Assange's legal battle since 2012 May 2012: The Supreme Court in the UK rules Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face questioning over the allegations June 2012: He enters the Ecuadorean embassy in London August 2012: Ecuador grants him asylum, saying there are fears his human rights might be violated if he was to be extradited August 2015: Swedish prosecutors drop their investigation into two allegations December 2017: He is granted Ecuadorean citizenship April 2019: Ecuador withdraws his asylum status and he is arrested at the embassy May 2019: He is sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for breaching his bail conditions. Sweden reopens a sexual assault investigation and the US files 17 new charges against him November 2019: Swedish prosecutors discontinue an investigation into an allegation of rape against him Advertisement

Assange finds it hard to concentrate enough to read but friends have sent him books including the 1930s prison diaries of Italian intellectual Antonio Gramsci, who described the physical and psychological torture of jail.

To keep his spirits up, Assange has a cork board on which he has pinned pictures of his two youngest sons  Gabriel, four, and Max, two, born during his seven years in the embassy. He also feeds a pair of mallards nesting beneath his cell window.

In January at Westminster Magistrates' Court, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange must stay in the UK under Section 91 of the Extradition Act, which relates to physical and mental health.

She found that, while US prosecutors had met the tests for Assange to be extradited for trial, America would be incapable of preventing him from attempting to take his own life there.

The US immediately lodged an application for an appeal. If it is denied, Assange will be free to start his life with Ms Moris and their sons.

If, as seems likely, the appeal is permitted, he faces an even longer stretch in Belmarsh  inmates there have included Soham murderer Ian Huntley, hate preacher Abu Hamza, black cab rapist Jon Worboys and Britain's worst-ever paedophile, Richard Huckle.

'For Julian, there is no end date in sight and that's inhuman,' said Ms Moris. 'At least convicted prisoners have hope.

'He is there only because the Government wants to keep an eye on him. He is in storage, warehoused, while the UK waits to see what the Americans will do next. In Julian's own words, Belmarsh is a meat processing plant. In no sane world is it where he belongs.'

South African-born Miss Moris met Assange when she joined his legal team in 2011. They began a relationship in 2015.

She said: 'Julian has no agency over his own life. His days are incredibly routine  they melt into each other.

'He needs human interaction and mental stimulation. I have seen him in a terrible state, unable to even string a sentence together.

'It's tough, navigating life inside. The prison has its own criminal justice system and he has been in trouble [with his guards] for the smallest things such as asking for a spoon when he wasn't entitled to one.'

She is clear that the majority of the staff guarding her fiance deal with him kindly and she knows conditions would be much harsher in the US.

'It's completely barbaric in America,' she said. 'Because Julian is considered a national security case and a suicide risk, he would be placed in isolation.

'Their worst isolation is called special administrative measures. It allows one phone call of 15 minutes per month and inmates are taken out once a day to exercise in an area the size of a parking space with a cage around it.

'Prisoners cannot hear anything through prison doors which block out all sound. It is like being buried alive. That is what awaits him in America. It's why we are fighting.

'The Americans are trying to prove their Espionage Act is the same in law as Britain's Official Secrets Act, which has never been used against a publisher or journalist. I don't want to accept this. If you accept it you are lost.'
Advertisement

It is often named as one of the best places to live in Britain, and now there is a chance to live in an off-grid house on the Orkney Islands for less than the average house price.

The architecturally designed eco-property boasts solar panels, a wind turbine and a borehole water system.

The house is called Tirlot - pronounced Tirloe - and sits on a plot of land of 1.5 acres, with stunning sea views. It is on the market for 210,000, which is 25 per cent less than Britain's 277,000 average house price, according to Halifax.

This unique three-bedroom detached property in Orkney is on the market for 210,000 via Monster Moves estate agents

The bow-shaped glazed wall in the property's living room has sea views towards neighbouring islands, including Wyre, Egilsay, Westray and Eday

The isolated group of islands known as Orkney are famed for their spectacular landscapes and often feature in the best places to live in Britain.

They score well on several factors in terms of the best place to live, including high employment levels, a low crime rate, strong exam results and good levels of health and happiness.

The unique property for sale has a glass front that helps to make the most of the sea views towards neighbouring islands, including Wyre, Egilsay, Westray and Eday.

As well as the solar panels and wind turbine, there is also a workshop, a large garage and a greenhouse on the property.

The current owners designed and built Tirlot, which is on the island of Rousay, and a short sea crossing from Tingwall pier.

They are keen sailors and have a mooring and boat house on the neighbouring island of Wyre, which is available by separate negotiation for offers of above 15,000.

The current owners designed and built the unusual property, which is on the island of Rousay and a short sea crossing from Tingwall pier

The isolated group of islands known as Orkney are famed for their spectacular landscapes and often feature in the best places to live in Britain

The remote property is currently connected to the electric grid, but was 'self sufficient until recently' and could easily revert to being fully off-grid

The house is called Tirlot - pronounced Tirloe - and sits on a stunning plot of land in the Orkney Islands of around 1.5 acres

As well as three bedrooms, the property has a large country cottage style kitchen with wood work surfaces and flooring

The house has three bedrooms, and is close to schools and local amenities. It has a log burning in the main living room and a vaulted main bedroom.

It is being sold by estate agents Monster Moves, which explained in the property's advertising literature that it is now connected to the electric grid, but was 'self sufficient until recently'.

It added that the property can easily return to being self sufficient if the new owners are looking to live completely off-grid.

Being off-grid is a way of life that has grown in appeal during the pandemic as people seek more space and self-sufficiency.

Daniel Copley, of property website Zoopla, said: 'An architecturally designed eco house, this truly bespoke property provides those in search of a peaceful life the opportunity to be completely self-sufficient.

'Panoramic sea views - thanks to the statement grand bow glass wall - offers pure tranquility on the picturesque island of Rousay with acres of space to admire the nearby Orkney islands.'
Extreme wildfires could increase by up to 50 per cent by 2100 amid rising global temperatures, a new UN study warns.

The report, published Wednesday by the UN's Environment Program, finds an elevated risk even for the Arctic and other regions previously unaffected by wildfires.

A warming planet and changes to land use mean more wildfires will scorch large parts of the globe in coming decades, although our planet is already 'on fire', it says.

Global wildfires will lead to spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill-prepared to confront, it adds.

Inhaling wildfire smoke directly causes respiratory and cardiovascular impacts and other health issues, especially for the most vulnerable.

The report coincides with wildfires blazing through Argentinas Corrientes province, devastating almost 1.98 million acres, and follows wildfires in Colorado's Boulder County, which started at the end of December.

'Our planet on fire': The report coincides with wildfires blazing through Argentinas Corrientes province, devastating almost 1.98 million acres. Pictured, firefighters battle the Corrientes on February 14, 2022

A warming planet and changes to land use patterns mean more wildfires will scorch large parts of the globe in coming decades, causing spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill prepared to confront, the UN says. Pictured, Corrientes wildfires on February 14, 2022

Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense. Pictured, firefighters work at the scene of forest fire near Kyuyorelyakh village at Gorny Ulus area, west of Yakutsk, in Russia, August 5, 2021

A firefighter is seen during a wildfire at the Parque Nacional Ibera, near Colona Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina, on February 22, 2022

UN REVEALS WILDFIRE THREAT INCREASE The number of extreme wildfires will likely increase... - 14% by 2030 - 30% by the end of 2050 - 50% by the end of the century Advertisement

'Current government responses to wildfires are often putting money in the wrong place,' said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN's Environment Program (UNEP), which is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

'Those emergency service workers and firefighters on the frontlines who are risking their lives to fight forest wildfires need to be supported.

'We have to minimise the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction, work with local communities, and strengthen global commitment to fight climate change.'

The likelihood of catastrophic wildfires globally could increase by 30 per cent by 2050 and more than 50 per cent by the turn of the century, according to the report, which references various previous studies.

Authors took into account the different climate eventualities as outlined in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 'RCP' system.

The RCP trajectory ranges from RCP1.9  where global warming is limited below 2.7F (1.5C) as per the goal of the Paris Agreement  to the dreaded RCP8.5, where emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century in a worst-case scenario.

Both RCP2.6 and RCP6.0 suggested there will likely be a significant increase in wildfire events.

By the end of the century, the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires events will increase even under the lower emissions scenario

Under the RCP6.0 scenario, by the year 2100 there will be a 57 per cent increased risk of wildlife events globally

DEFINING A WILDFIRE In the report, 'wildfire' is defined as 'an unusual or extraordinary free-burning vegetation fire'. It 'may be started maliciously, accidently, or through natural means' and 'negatively influences social, economic, or environmental values'. In contrast, landscape fires are critical to the healthy functioning of many ecosystems and an important cultural and land management tool. Whether caused by humans or nature, when fires burn out of control, they can become wildfires. Advertisement

For the purposes of the new report, 'wildfire' is defined as 'an unusual or extraordinary free-burning vegetation fire' that may be started maliciously, accidently or through natural means.

Areas once considered safe from major fires won't be immune, including the Arctic, which the report said was 'very likely to experience a significant increase in burning'.

'Wildfires are burning longer and hotter in places they have always occurred, and are flaring up in unexpected places too, in drying peatlands and on thawing permafrost,' the report reads.

Tropical forests in Indonesia and the southern Amazon of South America also are likely to see increased wildfires.

Wildlife and its natural habitats are rarely spared from wildfires, pushing some animal and plant species closer to extinction.

A recent example is the Australian 2020 bushfires, which are estimated to have wiped out billions of domesticated and wild animals.

Other than eastern Australia, Western US, northern Siberia, central India, are already are seeing more blazes.

In the report, 'wildfire' is defined as 'an unusual or extraordinary free-burning vegetation fire'. Here, a fire burns a tract of Amazon jungle near Porto Velho, Brazil September 9, 2019

Wildfires are becoming more intense and more frequent, ravaging communities and ecosystems in their path. Here, a firefighter battles a wildfire in Corrientes, Argentina, February 15, 2022

Flames engulf homes as the Marshall Fire spreads through a neighborhood in the town of Superior in Boulder County, Colorado on December 30, 2021

Two homes burn after being consumed by wildfire in the Centennial Heights neighborhood on December 30, 2021 in Louisville, Colorado

Land use changes can make the fires worse, such as logging that leaves behind debris that can easily burn and forests that are intentionally ignited to clear land for farming, the report says.

Poor communities are often hit hardest by fires, which can degrade water quality, destroy crops and reduce land available to grow food.

'It impacts people's jobs and the economic situation that people are in,' said report co-author Glynis Humphrey from the University of Cape Town.

'It's integral that fire be in the same category of disaster management as floods and droughts. It's absolutely essential.'

Some areas including parts of Africa are seeing decreasing wildfires, in part because more land is being devoted to agriculture.

But UN researchers said many nations continue to spend too much time and money fighting fires and not enough trying to prevent them.

People work to extinguish the fire that continues to consumes pastures in San Luis del Palmar, province of Corrientes, Argentina February 19, 2022

A fire consumes trees and pastures in the Yerbalito nature reserve, in Esteros del Ibera, Argentina

A wildfire burns on a mountain in the coastal county of Yeongdeok, South Korea, February 16, 2022

It's calling on governments to adopt a new 'Fire Ready Formula', with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness and recovery, with one third left for response.

Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of related expenditures, while planning receives less than 1 per cent.

In the US, officials recently unveiled a $50 billion effort to reduce fire risks over the next decade by more aggressively thinning forests around 'hot spots' where nature and neighborhoods collide.

Firefighters work to put out a wildfire in the town of Santo Tome, province of Corrientes, Argentina, 22 February 2022

Wildfires have already destroyed around nine per cent of the territory of the Argentine province of Corrientes, in the northeast of the country (pictured)

Embers fly from a tree as the Caldor Fire burns along Highway 50 in Eldorado National Forest, California, September 1, 2021

However, the administration of US President Joe Biden has so far identified only a fraction of the funding called for in the plan.

The UN researchers also called for more awareness of the dangers from wildfire smoke inhalation, which can affect tens of millions of people annually as plumes from major wildfires drift thousands of miles across international borders.

The report comes ahead of the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi which runs between February 28 and March 2.

It will bring together representatives of the 193 member states of the UN, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders 'to agree on policies to address the world's most pressing environmental challenges'.
A concrete mixer truck moves into a ready-mix concrete factory in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap



By Park Jae-hyuk



The escalating military conflict between Russia and Ukraine is dealing another severe blow to Korean construction companies, which are already suffering from skyrocketing prices of raw materials from Russia, according to industry officials, Wednesday.



Domestic builders have been warned about further difficulties in securing their construction materials and carrying out their projects in the two troubled countries, once the United States and EU begin imposing financial sanctions on Russia.



A group of subcontractors specializing in framework construction sent a letter to local builders last Friday, threatening to halt their work unless the builders promise by March 1 to raise their payments by 20 percent.



The warning came after a sharp rise in the price of rebar, as the international price of scrap metal used to produce rebar surpassed 600,000 won ($500) per ton recently for the first time in 13 years.



In order to prevent the shutdown of construction sites nationwide, the Korea Specialty Construction Association asked builders and subcontractors to participate in a meeting this Friday. However, it is still unclear whether they will reach an agreement on construction costs.



Suppliers of ready-mix concrete also informed builders that as of next month, prices will be 25 percent higher. They cited the global cement price, which rose to 93,000 won in January from 75,000 won a year earlier, due to the rapid hike in price of bituminous coal.



Korea has relied heavily on Russia's supply of raw materials for construction, such as aluminum, nickel and bituminous coal. Western countries' potential economic retaliations against Russia have therefore raised concerns about construction materials' additional price hikes.



"Considering the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the price of bituminous coal has been 150 percent above last year's price," Kiwoom Securities analyst Cho Young-hwan said in the report. "In the event of trade sanctions against Russia, cement suppliers will shift their costs onto construction firms."



Industry experts expected local builders to shift their costs eventually onto consumers.



"It is difficult to rule out the possibility of delay in housing supplies and a hike in housing prices," Korea Research Institute for Construction Policy researcher Lee Eun-hyung said.



According to the International Contractors Association of Korea, it is also inevitable for local builders to cease their projects in Russia and Ukraine, once Western nations tighten their sanctions against Russia following its military incursion.



On a related note, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport hosted a meeting, Wednesday, to understand difficulties facing Korean construction firms doing business in Russia and Ukraine.



The ministry also noted that four Korean construction workers left Ukraine recently. It added that the latest conflict will have a limited impact on Korean builders in Russia, considering that their construction sites are located far from the Ukrainian border area.



Securities analysts, however, warned of geopolitical risks to Russia's Baltic project involving DL E&C and Samsung Engineering.



"Domestic construction firms are expected to have a lower chance of receiving orders in Russia," Yuanta Securities analyst Kim Ki-ryong said in the report.



Korean construction firms doing business in Russia have maintained a cautious stance, keeping a close eye on the latest developments of the issue.



"We have yet to evacuate our workers in Russia, but we have continued monitoring the situation," a spokesperson from one of the builders said.


China's Yutu-2 rover has spotted two intact spheres of translucent glass up to an inch thick on the far side of the moon.

Images returned by the rover, which landed on the moon in January 2019, show the glass globules looking like a couple of tiny ball bearings.

Small glass 'spherules' are actually common on the moon, although they're typically less than 0.03 of an inch (3mm) in diameter.

These newly-found glass spheres are much bigger, measuring around 0.5-inch to 1-inch (1.5 cm to 2.5 cm), according to the scientists.

Glass forms on the moon when silicate material  rock-forming minerals  are subjected to high temperatures.

It's known that volcanic glass deposits were formed during explosive eruptions in the moon's history, when it was volcanically active.

Today, new glass can be formed on the moon due to the heat generated from impacts by meteorites with the lunar surface.

Pictured are the centimeter-sized glass globules collected by the Apollo 16 missions (a, b) and those observed by Yutu-2 (c, d)

Images returned by the rover show the glass globules looking like a couple of tiny ball bearings

GLASS ON THE MOON Glass is ubiquitous in lunar regolith - the dusty blanket of sediment on its surface. Glass forms on the moon when silicate material  rock-forming minerals  are subjected to high temperatures. It's known that volcanic glass deposits were formed during explosive eruptions in the moon's history, when it was volcanically active. Today, new glass can be formed on the moon due to the heat generated from impacts by meteorites with the lunar surface. Advertisement

The new findings have been described in a paper authored by a team led by planetary geologist Zhiyong Xiao of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

'Transparent and translucent glasses on the Moon are less than 1 mm in diameters, and larger ones are dark and opaque,' they say.

'The globules were formed or exposed recently as evidenced by their intact shapes and surface exposure.'

Exact composition of the glass is yet to be determined, however.

'Glass is ubiquitous in lunar regolith, and volcanism and hypervelocity impacts are the major mechanisms of forming lunar glasses,' the team say.

'Volcanic glasses on the Moon occur as quenched skin of basaltic rocks or as glass spherules in pyroclastic deposits.'

Volcanic glasses were returned by NASA's Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, although some of these were darker and larger than the spotted specimens  up to 1.5 inches thick.

This is not the first time Yutu-2 has come across odd lunar features  last year, it returned photos of a 'mystery hut' in the horizon, which researchers initially had trouble identifying.

On closer inspection, it was revealed in January that it was a rabbit-shaped rock, surrounded by its own rocky 'droppings' and morsels of food.

Images show the locations of glass globules along the Yutu-2 rover path on the moon. (a) Red dot marks the location of the Chang'e-4 mission to the moon (which included Yutu-2). (b) Route of the Yutu-2 rover before July 2020, and the landing site is marked in red. Tips of the green arrows point to the locations of the confirmed and possible glass globules

Volcanic glasses were returned by NASA's Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Here, lunar volcanic glasses are displayed at the Natural History Museum in Vienna from the Apollo 15 mission in 1971

YUTU-2 MISSION Yutu-2 is the robotic lunar rover component of China's Chang'e 4 mission to the far side of the Moon. It launched on December 7, 2018, entered lunar orbit on December 12, and made the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon January 3, 2019. Yutu-2 is exploring Von Karman crater, where an ancient lunar impact may have exposed the Moon's mantle. Advertisement

The finding is a coincidence as the name of the rover, Yutu, happens to be Chinese for 'Jade Rabbit'.

In February 2021, Yutu-2 captured images of an elongated 'milestone' rock on the lunar surface.

The moon rover spotted the sharp structure sticking out from the ground after awakening from a 14-day slumber during the dangerously cold lunar night.

Because Yutu-2 is solar-powered, it constantly has to keep 'going to sleep' when there's no sunlight, during the 14-day long lunar night.

In 2019, just months after it landed, Yutu-2 found a mysterious 'gel-like' substance of a dark green colour.

Yutu-2 has been traversing the 115-mile-wide (186km) Von Karman crater ever since it landed on the moon attached to the Chang'e-4 spacecraft on January 3, 2019.

Chang'e 4 was China's fourth mission to the moon and the second to send a rover.

Glass is ubiquitous in lunar regolith - the dusty blanket of sediment on the moon's surface, according to scientists

The Yutu 2 rover (pictured) became the first spacecraft to land on the dark side of the moon in January 2019

The Chang'e 1 and 2 missions were orbiters, while Chang'e 3 landed on the near side of the moon with the first Yutu rover.

Beijing also launched Chang'e-5 in November 2020, which successfully returned the first moon samples to Earth in more than 40 years.

China has also just approved three more missions to the Moon  Chang'e 6, 7 and 8  launching from 2024 onwards.

China's Yutu 2 team said an oddly-shaped rock looks like a small but 'lifelike' crouching bunny like a statue set in stone, surrounded by its own rocky 'droppings' and morsels of food

NASA, meanwhile, is gearing up to send humans to the moon 'no earlier than 2025', as part of its Artemis mission, a follow-up to the Apollo missions.

The Artemis mission will be the first to land humans on the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

NASA is also working on a project to build the first lunar space station, codenamed the Lunar Gateway, as part of a long-term project to send humans to Mars.
It's well known that the dinosaurs were obliterated 66 million years ago by a massive asteroid that slammed into Earth.

Now, researchers have confirmed in a new study that the cataclysmic event, called the Chicxulub impcat event, occurred in the northern hemisphere's spring.

They examined the bones of six fish that died less than 60 minutes after the asteroid impacted, recovered from the Tanis fossil site in North Dakota.

The new study corroborates findings published last year by a University of Manchester team, who also found the event happened on a spring day.

As of yet, no study has put the event at any other time of year than northern hemisphere's spring (and the southern hemisphere's autumn).

A paddlefish from Tanis, prior to scanning at the ESRF. On the right, the rostrum (paddle) is missing and on the left everything behind the shoulder fin is missing

Artistic reconstruction of the historic event, known as Chicxulub with lethal impact spherules raining down from the sky

HOW AN ASTEROID ENDED THE REIGN OF THE DINOSAURS Around 66 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out along with more than half the world's species . This mass extinction paved the way for the rise of mammals. The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The asteroid slammed into a shallow sea in what is now the Gulf of Mexico. The collision released a huge dust and soot cloud that triggered global climate change, wiping out 75 per cent of all animal and plant species. Researchers claim that the soot necessary for such a global catastrophe could only have come from a direct impact on rocks in shallow water around Mexico, which are especially rich in hydrocarbons. Within 10 hours of the impact, a massive tsunami waved ripped through the Gulf coast. Advertisement

In the new study, the researchers studied the bones of six fish to estimate when the dinosaur-killing asteroid struck.

'Cold-blooded fishes had bones that grew very much like trees, adding a new layer every year,' study author Dr Melanie During from Uppsala University told MailOnline.

'We analysed these layers in thin sections and quantified the bone cell fluctuation with the means of synchrotron scanning at ESRF and saw that all these fishes recorded seasonality and died exactly at the same time  spring.'

Dr During explained that the subtle differences in bone can reveal the time of year growth abruptly ended due to death.

'In spring the fish is eating a little; in summer it is eating a lot; in autumn it is almost not eating anymore and then in winter, it does not eat,' she told MailOnline.

'When we look at how they grew we can see that every year they started growing in spring, grew fastest in summer, slowed down in autumn, and stopped growing in winter.'

It's already well known that the dinosaurs were wiped out by the Chicxulub impact event  a plummeting asteroid or comet that slammed into a shallow sea in what is today the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico around 66 million years ago.

For those not killed directly by the impact, the collision released a huge dust and soot cloud that triggered global climate change, wiping out 75 per cent of all animal and plant species.

All non-avian dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ammonites and most marine reptiles disappeared, whilst mammals, birds, crocodiles, and turtles survived.

Researchers used computer models of asteroid evolution, along with observations of known asteroids and examined rock samples from the Chicxulub impact on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula

This shaded relief image of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula shows a subtle, but unmistakable, indication of the Chicxulub impact crater. Most scientists now agree that this impact was the cause of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction, the event 65 million years ago that marked the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs as well as the majority of life then on Earth

When the asteroid impacted Earth, it rocked the continental plate and caused huge waves in water bodies, such as rivers and lakes.

These moved enormous volumes of sediment that engulfed fish and buried them alive, while impact spherules (glass beads of Earth rock) rained down from the sky, less than an hour after impact.

'Molten Earth rock that got ejected into space by the violent impact, was already starting to rain down like a hail of glass and rock,' Dr During told MailOnline.

'The hail of impact spherules hit the water and started clogging up the gills of the unfortunate freshwater paddlefishes and anadromous (migrating between fresh- and seawater) sturgeons, who at that moment were violently brought together and almost instantly buried alive.'

Today, Tanis contains fossilised paddlefishes and sturgeons that were direct casualties of Chicxulub.

When the meteorite impacted Earth, it rocked the continental plate and caused huge waves in water bodies, such as rivers and lakes. These moved enormous volumes of sediment that engulfed fish and buried them alive, while impact spherules (glass beads of Earth rock) rained down from the sky, less than an hour after impact. Pictured is an impact spherule from the Tanis event deposit

A picture from the field shows two fishes still inside the deposit, just before plaster-jacketing to extract them

Dr During visited the Tanis site in August 2017 to excavate the remains of paddlefishes and sturgeons

Dr During is pictured here excavating a paddlefish in the Tanis fossil site in North Dakota, USA

ESRF: 'THE WORLD'S BIGGEST X-RAY' The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) is the most intense source of synchrotron-generated light, producing X-rays 100 billion times brighter than X-rays used in hospitals. These X-rays are produced by the high energy electrons that race around a circular tunnel measuring half a mile in circumference. ESRF functions like a 'super-microscope' that 'films' the position and motion of atoms in condensed and living matter. This reveals the structure of matter and new insights for scientists in the fields of chemistry, material physics, archaeology, nanotechnologies and more. Source: esrf.eu Advertisement

'It was obvious to us that we needed to analyse these bones to get valuable information about the moment of the impact', Dr During said.

Next, the headed to the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) with a partial fish specimen and sections of the bones and carried out high-resolution synchrotron X-ray tomography.

These X-rays are produced by the high energy electrons that race around a circular tunnel measuring half a mile in circumference.

Thanks to the quality of its X-rays, ESRF functions like a 'super-microscope' that 'films' the position and motion of atoms in condensed and living matter to reveal more about its structure, at a level of detail invisible to the human eye.

ESRF revealed fine details such as bone cell density and volumes that can be traced over multiple years and indicate whether it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter at time of death.

'Thanks to the ESRF's data, we found that the bones registered seasonal growth, very much like trees do, growing a new layer every year on the outside of the bone', said Sophie Sanchez, also at Uppsala University.

The team also carried out carbon isotope analysis to reveal the annual feeding pattern of a fish.

The availability of zooplankton - its prey of choice - oscillated seasonally and peaked in summer.

This temporary increase of ingested zooplankton enriched the skeleton of the fish with the heavier carbon 13 isotope relative to the lighter carbon 12 isotope.

'The carbon isotope signal across the growth record of this unfortunate paddlefish confirms that the feeding season had not yet climaxed  death came in spring,' said Dr During.

During points to a section of a Paddlefish dentary showing high bone cell density (i.e. summer)

The cut sections of bone in epoxy resin, on glass balls for the X-ray fluorescence analysis at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

A virtual thin section of a paddlefish jawbone with the bone cell (white dots) variation over multiple years with the carbon isotope ratio (from the same bone). Blue equals winter and low carbon 13 (and low bone cell density) and yellow equals summer and high carbon 13 (and high bone density)

The study comes shortly after a team led by palaeontologist Robert DePalma of the University of Manchester published their findings into the time of the impact event.

Similarly, they performed multiple different analyses of the annual growth lines in fossil fish bones preserved at Tanis before concluding it was during spring.

According to Dr During, her new study was originally submitted well before the December study was submitted to another journal.

'Ours is the prior work and does not in any respect rest on the data or conclusions of DePalma et al,' she told MailOnline.
The winter jet stream that brought Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin to the UK last week has sped up by eight per cent over the last century, new research shows.

It now reaches a speed of 132 mph (212 km/h) and has also moved northwards by up to 205 miles (330 kilometers).

Jet streams are fast bands of air which flow around the globe at about 32,000 feet (10,000 meters) above the Earth's surface.

The Northern Hemisphere jet, which stretches over the North Atlantic and Eurasia, was the focus of a study by researchers at the University of Southampton.

It has a significant influence on storm activity and temperature patterns, which can impact the weather through strong winds and flooding events.

The winter jet stream that brought Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin to the UK last week has sped up by eight per cent over the last century, research shows. The Northern Hemisphere jet (pictured), which stretches over the North Atlantic and Eurasia, was the focus of the new study

The findings relate to a 141-year period and show that jet stream trends vary on a regional and seasonal basis. Between 1871 and 2011 the average winter movement in jet stream latitude over the North Atlantic was from 44 to 47 north with a 10 miles per hour increase in speed

Floodwater from the River Severn breached the flood defences in Bewdley in Worcestershire (pictured) following three storms  Dudley, Eunice and Franklin  which hit the UK last week

WHAT IS THE JET STREAM AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT BRITAIN'S WEATHER? The jet stream is a fast moving strip of air high up in the atmosphere that's responsible for steering weather systems towards the UK from the Atlantic. It has a warm side to the south and a cold side to the north and can have a major impact on what kind of weather we experience. In a typical British summer, when temperatures are warmer and drier, the jet stream is to the north of the UK, where it pulls up hot air across the country. However, in the winter it sits further south and brings wet and windier weather because low pressure areas come closer to the UK. The jet stream, which sits at about 30,000ft, can also change shape, going from flat to amplified, and it's the latter that can lead to huge thunderstorms developing very quickly. Advertisement

The researchers' findings relate to a 141-year period from 1871 to 2011 and show that jet stream trends vary on a regional and seasonal basis.

Not only this, but the experts said the trends they observed are potential indicators of climate change.

Between 1871 and 2011 the average winter movement in jet stream latitude over the North Atlantic was from 44 to 47 north with a 10 miles per hour increase in speed, but no increases were observed over the North Pacific.

The study was led by Dr Samantha Hallam, from the Maynooth University in Ireland whilst she was undertaking a PhD at the University of Southampton.

'Significant increases in winter jet latitude and speed are observed over the North Atlantic and Eurasia,' Dr Hallam said.

'These changes are consistent with the decreasing temperature and increasing pressure gradients observed between the equator and the Arctic over the period, and likely associated with the warming Arctic winters.'

She added: 'Over the North Pacific, no increase in jet latitude or speed are observed, however, changes in the North Pacific sea surface temperatures explains over 50 per cent of the variability in jet latitude.'

The findings show that northern hemisphere jet variability and trends differ on a regional basis across the North Atlantic, North Pacific, Eurasia and North America, according to the researchers.

They said this is important for making climate predictions and in developing plans to combat climate change.

The graphic above shows how the jet stream works and where it's located between seasons

This shows the jet stream pushing cold Polar Maritime air into warm air from the continent

Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin have all struck Britain over the past week, leaving nearly 1.5million households without electricity at times.

The three storms brought some areas double the normal February rainfall in just five days.

The jet stream has a warm side to the south and a cold side to the north and can have a major impact on what kind of weather we experience.

In a typical British summer, when temperatures are warmer and drier, the jet stream is to the north of the UK, where it pulls up hot air across the country.

However, in the winter it sits further south and brings wet and windier weather because low pressure areas come closer to the UK.

It can also change shape, going from flat to amplified, and it's the latter that can lead to huge thunderstorms developing very quickly.

The research has been published in the journal Climate Dynamics.
A chemical used to produce batteries for electric vehicles could also be used to create cleaner, cheaper and more efficient rocket fuel, experts suggest.

Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, examined other uses for ammonia borane, which is used to store hydrogen in electric vehicle fuel cells.

Currently, the most common rocket fuels are hydrocarbon based, and are known to have a variety of negative environmental impacts, including poisoning the soil, causing cancer and leading to the production of acid rain, the US team explained.

In contrast, once burned, ammonia borane releases the benign compounds boron oxide and water, which is much less harmful to the environment, while also packing a more powerful punch than current rocket fuels, the team discovered.

As well as producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions, it is higher energy and lower cost than current fuels, and comes with no requirement for frozen storage.

Rocket launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, in 2013. Currently, the most common rocket fuels are hydrocarbon based, and are known to have a variety of negative environmental impacts, including poisoning the soil, causing cancer and leading to the production of acid rain, the US team explained

Producing more energy from the same amount of fuel could save rocket firms money, helping them bring down the cost per launch. This is because they would need less ammonia borane per launch, then traditional hydrocarbons.

With more companies, including SpaceX and Rocket Lab, competing to put satellites into orbit, every penny saved can increase competitiveness.

'We are the first to demonstrate that in addition to electric vehicles, ammonia borane can be used to make rockets go too, under the right conditions,' said Prithwish Biswas, UCR chemical engineer and first author of the new study.

To release energy from traditional hydrocarbon-based rocket fuels, and enable combustion, catalysts and oxidizers are added to supply extra oxygen, enhancing the rate of combustion, but staying in the same form before and after the reaction.

'Spacecraft require high amounts of energy in a short amount of time, so it's not ideal to use a catalyst because it doesn't contribute to the energy you need, explained study co-author Pankaj Ghildiyal, 'It's like dead mass in your gas tank.'

The chemistry of ammonia borane's decomposition hinders the release of its total energy when it reacts with most oxidizers, which is why it hadn't been widely considers as an option for rocket fuel until now.

Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, examined other uses for ammonia borane (chemical pictured), which is used to store hydrogen in electric vehicle fuel cells

AMMONIA BORANE: HYDROGEN STORAGE Ammonia borane is used within battery cells for electric cars, as a storage medium for hydrogen. It can be made to release hydrogen slowly, for more efficient reactions, and is more hydrogen-dense than liquid forms of hydrogen. It is also able to exist at normal temperatures and pressures, meaning it doesn't require frozen storage. The inherent chemistry of ammonia borane decomposition hinders the release of its total energy on reaction with most oxidizers, usually required to release the total available energy. However, a US team of researchers found an oxidizer that alters the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms of ammonia borane. This allowed its total energy to be released, and make it a viable rocket fuel. Advertisement

However, the researchers found an oxidizer that alters the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms of ammonia borane, allowing its total energy to be extracted.

'This is analogous to the use of catalytic converters to enable the complete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels,' Ghildiyal said.

'Here, we were able to create more complete combustion of the chemicals and increase the energy of the entire reaction by using the chemistry of the oxidizer itself, without needing a catalyst.'

In addition to creating undesirable byproducts, some rocket fuels also require storage at sub-freezing temperatures, which can be costly and use space.

'NASA has used liquid hydrogen, which has very low density,' Ghildiyal said. 'It therefore requires a lot of space as well as cryogenic conditions for maintenance.'

By contrast, this new fuel is stable at room temperature and is resistant to high heat.

The researchers created very fine, nanoscale particles of ammonium borane, which could degrade over the course of a month in very humid environments.

They are now studying the way ammonium borane particles of various sizes age in different environments and developing methods of encapsulating particles of the fuel in a protective coating, to enhance their stability in moist conditions.

'We've determined the fundamental chemistry that powers this fuel and oxidizer combination,' Biswas said. 'Now we are looking forward to seeing how it performs at large scale.'

The findings have been published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of a 'space triangle' where two galaxies are colliding, leading to a tsunami of star birth.

The duo are collectively known as Arp 143, made up of the glittery, distorted star-forming galaxy NGC 2445, and the less flashy NGC 24444.

NGC 2445 has been distorted, to appear triangular, with a flurry of bright lights as stars are formed at a rapid rate from material shaken up by the collision.

US-based astronomers, from the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics in New York and the University of Washington in Seattle, have been analyzing the images captured by the 32-year-old observatory in low Earth orbit.

They explained that the galaxies passed through each other, igniting the uniquely shaped star-formation firestorm, where thousands of stars are bursting to life.

The galaxy is awash in starbirth because it is rich in gas, the fuel that makes stars, but has yet to escape the gravitational pull of partner NGC 2444, causing them to wage a cosmic tug-of-war, which NGC 2444 appears to be winning.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of a 'space triangle' where two galaxies are colliding, leading to a tsunami of star birth

The dancing galaxies were found in a catalog compiled by astronomer Halton Arp in 1966, made up of 338 oddball interacting galaxies.

He thought these peculiar galaxies were excellent laboratories to study the physical processes that distort normal-looking elliptical and spiral galaxies.

He was one of the first to suggest galactic encounters could form stars in bursts.

One such Arp galaxy that is exploding with new stars is Arp 143, captured in these new images from the Hubble Space Telescope.

'Simulations show that head-on collisions between two galaxies is one way of making rings of new stars,' said lead astronomer Julianne Dalcanton.

'Therefore, rings of star formation are not uncommon. However, what's weird about this system is that it's a triangle of star formation.

'Part of the reason for that shape is that these galaxies are still so close to each other and NGC 2444 is still holding on to the other galaxy gravitationally.

'NGC 2444 may also have an invisible, hot halo of gas that could help to pull NGC 2445's gas away from its nucleus. So, they're not completely free of each other yet and their unusual interaction is distorting the ring into this triangle.'

NGC 2445 has been distorted, to appear triangular, with a flurry of bright lights as stars are formed at a rapid rate from material shaken up by the collision. Wide field view of the area Arp 143 was found

The dimmer of the two galaxies is also responsible for pulling 'taffy-like strands of gas' from its partner, stoking the streamers of young, blue stars that appear to form a bridge between the two galaxies.

These streamers are among the first in what appears to be a wave of star formation that started on NGC 2445's outskirts and continued inward as the two collided.

The team behind the study estimate that the streamers were born between 50 and 100 million years ago, and are being left behind, in the triangle area, as NGC 2445 continues to pull slowly away from NGC 2444.

Stars no older than one million to two million years are forming closer to the center of NGC 2445, according to the team.

Hubble is so sharp that it is able to resolve some individual stars within the image, although most of the brilliant blue clumps are groupings of stars. The pink blobs are giant, young star clusters still enshrouded in dust and gas.

Although most of the action is happening in NGC 2445, it doesn't mean the other half of the interacting pair has escaped unscathed. The gravitational tussle has stretched NGC 2444 into an odd shape.

The galaxy contains old stars and no new starbirth because it lost its gas long ago, well before this galactic encounter.

'This is a nearby example of the kinds of interactions that happened long ago. It's a fantastic sandbox to understand star formation and interacting galaxies,' said Elena Sabbi of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Rafael Nadal made a winning return to the court with a straight-sets victory in Mexico in his first match since claiming his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open.

Nadal defeated American Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the Mexican Open in Acapulco, bringing his winning streak to 11 - the equal best start to an ATP Tour during his career.

It was a comfortable triumph for the three-time Acapulco champion, as Kudla struggled to keep up and ended the match without a break point.

Rafael Nadal made a winning return to the court with a straight-sets victory in Mexico

Nadal defeated American Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the Mexican Open

It was his first match since claiming his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open

'It has been a positive start, a good victory in straight sets. That's always very positive for the confidence,' Nadal told ATP after his win.

'I think I played a very solid match, a good effort today. Of course there are a couple of things that I can do better, but in general terms, I played well so I can't complain at all.'

Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev - world No 2 and Nadal's losing opponent at the Australian Open - also advanced in straight sets after defeating Benoit Paire in Acapulco.

The win set Medvedev up with the potential to surpass Novak Djokovic as world No 1 if he wins when he plays again.

Despite winning in two sets, the Russian told ATP he did not feel 100 per cent during the match.

'It's always not easy to come back after some rest and some time off competition,' Medvedev said.

Kudla struggled to keep up with Nadal and ended the match without a single break point

'Sometimes (it is) better, sometimes (it is) worse. I felt like my sensations were not at the top today, but I managed to fight until the end against a very tough opponent and I'm happy that I managed to win.'

British No 1 Cameron Norrie, fresh from securing his third ATP Tour title with a victory over Reilly Opelka in the final of the Delray Beach Open, also triumphed with a win over Daniel Altmaier.

Norrie won 7-6(5) 6-2 over his German opponent, bringing his winning streak to five.

The world No 12 will now face American John Isner in the final 16.
Kym Marsh turned heads in eye-catching red leather trousers for the press night of Fatal Attraction at the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday.

The actress, 45, who plays the part of the iconic Alex Forrest in the stage production, donned a black coat and matching jumper which she teamed with a pair of heels.

Earlier in the evening, Kym was spotted in a camouflage jacket and black trousers with matching boots, as she went make-up free before the event.

In style: Kym Marsh, 45, wore some eye-catching red trousers to the press night for the stage play of Fatal Attraction at the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday

Kym plays the part of the iconic Alex Forrest in the stage production of Fatal Attraction alongside fellow former Coronation Street star Oliver Farnworth, 39, who plays Dan Gallagher.

When happily married New York attorney Dan meets Alex on an evening out they enjoy a night of passion.

Dan returns home to his family and tries to cover his tracks but Alex is not on the same page.

Commanding attention: The actress, who plays the part of the iconic Alex Forrest in the stage production, donned a black coat and matching jumper which she teamed with a pair of heels

Natural beauty: Earlier in the evening she was spotted in a camouflage jacket and black trousers with matching boots, as she went make-up free before the event

Kym was joined on the night by fellow actress Tina O'Brien, 38, who wore a black open front jacket with a matching top underneath which she teamed with a pair of blue denim jeans.

She gave her outfit an edgy touch by opting for a pair of black high-heeled boots covered in silver studs.

The star, who plays Sarah Platt in Coronation Street, confidently posed with her hand on her hip as she walked the red carpet at the event.

Fashion forward: Kym was joined on the night by fellow actress Tina O'Brien, 38, who wore a black open front jacket with a matching top underneath

Fashion focus: She gave her outfit an edgy touch by opting for a pair of black high-heeled boots covered in silver studs

Famous friends: Meanwhile, Ellie Leach, 20, put on a leggy display as she opted for a black mini-dress and matching boots while Alexandra Marde wore an olive green dress

Star quality: Anthony Cotton, 46, looked stylish in a black coat at matching jeans as he walked the red carpet

Meanwhile, Ellie Leach, 20, put on a leggy display as she opted for a black mini-dress and matching boots.

The Coronation Street star wore a beige coat and carried a black handbag to match her boots.

Fellow actress Alexandra Marde wore an olive green dress which she cinched in at the waist with a black belt.

Keeping it casual: Meanwhile, Alison King, 48, wrapped up warm in a black quilted black coat and matching trousers

Strike a pose: She wore a pair of chunky boots and carried a matching handbag packed full of belongings for her outing

She wore over-knee boots and carried a black handbag to complete her ensemble.

Meanwhile, Alison King, 48, wrapped up warm in a black quilted black coat and matching trousers.

She wore a pair of chunky boots and carried a matching handbag packed full of belongings for her outing.

Glitterati: Also in attendance was Alan Halsall and Tisha Merry who stood arm-in-arm and Dr Ranj Singh who matched his date for the evening in a grey suit

Glitterati: Also in attendance was Alan Halsall and Tisha Merry who stood arm-in-arm and Dr Ranj Singh who matched his date for the evening in a grey suit

Stepping out: Coronation Street star Bhavna Limbachia, 37, looked chic in a black coat with a matching top underneath and a pair of navy blue satin trousers

Meanwhile, Coronation Street star Bhavna Limbachia, 37, looked chic in a black coat with a matching top underneath and a pair of navy blue satin trousers.

Her co-stars Julia Goulding and Sair Khan posed alongside each other on the red carpet at the event before heading inside.

Also in attendance was Dr Ranj Singh who matched his date for the evening in a grey suit while actor Anthony Cotton looked stylish in a black coat at matching jeans.
Bryce Dallas Howard took to social media this week to celebrate 21 years together with her husband Seth Gabel.

The actress, 40, shared two posts to Instagram which highlighted her man, 40.

The first showed her better half lying on his back in a gray t-shirt with a black face covering on.

Milestone anniversary: Bryce Dallas Howard took to social media this week to celebrate 21 years together with her husband Seth Gabel

Their small cat, Lily, sat upon his chest with its arms folded underneath it. Its eyes nearly closed.

She captioned the photo, 'Happy 21st First-Date-iversary to my love @stealthgabel.'

The Jurassic World star followed that first post up with a second one in which she was pictured planting a kiss on her better half's right cheek.

Two of Howard's loves: The actress, 40, shared two posts to Instagram which highlighted her man, 40 including this snap with their cat, Lily

Long time together: Howard met her future husband while the two were attending New York University. They dated for five years before marrying in 2006

She wore a dark green dress with a floral pattern on it. The dress had long sleeves and the collar was high on her neck.

Howard met her future husband while the two were attending New York University. They dated for five years before marrying in 2006.

The couple have two children together: Theodore Howard-Gabel, 15, and Beatrice Howard-Gabel, 10.

Despite her busy personal life, the star has still been hard at work on her career in recent years.

Working mom: Howard shares two children with Gabel: Theodore Howard-Gabel, 15, and Beatrice Howard-Gabel, 10 (pictured 2019)

She's completed filming on Jurassic World Dominion, the third installment in the Jurassic World trilogy.

Howard will reprise her role as Claire Dearing, the former park operations manager of Jurassic World.

Her other upcoming film, titled Argylle is currently in post-production. Argylle centers around a spy of the same name as he travels all over the world on a mission.

Howard will star in the film alongside Henry Cavill, John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson.
Evan Rachel Wood opens up about her sexual abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson, and how she's moving forward as a voice for survivors, in a new trailer for the HBO documentary Phoenix Rising.

'I'm here to talk about Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,' Wood, 34, said in the preview for the two-part documentary.

The doc features interviews with Wood's relatives, as her mother Sara Lynn Moore, 63, said that Manson 'studied how to manipulate people' and groomed Wood, adding, 'He's a predator.'

The latest: Evan Rachel Wood, 34, opens up about her sexual abuse allegations against Marilyn Manson, 53, and how she's moving forward as a voice for survivors, in a new trailer for the HBO documentary Phoenix Rising

Wood's brother Ira Wood IV, 37, noted, 'Everybody was looking at Marilyn Manson and they weren't looking at Brian Warner.'

The Westworld star in 2018 appeared in front of Congress in support of the nationwide implementation of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Acts, delivering testimony about past sexual abuse she had suffered without naming Manson at the time.

'Numerous women heard my story, and knew exactly who it was,' said Wood, who would go on to name Manson as her alleged abuser in a 2021 Instagram post.

The documentary also explores Wood's efforts with The Phoenix Act, which would see the statute of limitations extended in cases in California involving domestic violence.

Wood said in the preview for the two-part doc, 'I'm here to talk about Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson'

The two-part documentary follows Wood's path to activism for sex assault survivors

'I became an activist, fighting for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault,' Wood said in the preview. 'Not only did people hear our stories but they said, "Yeah, we hear you, and something does need to change" ... we need to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else.'

Wood said that amid her revelations and meeting with other survivors of sexual assault, she came to the conclusion that her words were resonating, at long last.

'I realized that this is the first time I haven't been doubted or questioned or shamed, this is the first time that someone was really listening,' Wood said in the preview. 'I was like, "What is this feeling?" And it's this feeling of being believed.'

Wood was linked with the 53-year-old musical artist from 2006 until 2011. In the first installment in the documentary, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, she said that the Beautiful People artist had violated her in 2007 during the filming of his music video Heart-Shaped Glasses.

Wood opened up about how she had kept detailed journals of her life

The Westworld star in 2018 appeared in front of Congress in support of the nationwide implementation of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Acts, delivering testimony about past sexual abuse she had suffered without naming Manson at the time

Wood opens up on her focus on behalf of sex assault survivors in the two-part doc

'It's nothing like I thought it was going to be,' Wood said. 'We're doing things that were not what was pitched to me ... we had discussed a simulated sex scene, but once the cameras were rolling, he started penetrating me for real. I had never agreed to that. I'm a professional actress, I've been doing this my whole life; I've never been on a set that unprofessional in my life up until this day.'

She added: 'It was complete chaos. I did not feel safe. No one was looking after me. It was a really traumatizing experience filming the video. I didn't know how to advocate for myself or know how to say no because I had been conditioned and trained to never talk back, to just soldier through.'

Wood said that in the wake of the video shoot, she had 'felt disgusting' and that she had done something shameful, adding, 'I could tell that the crew was very uncomfortable and nobody knew what to do.'

Wood said she 'was coerced into a commercial sex act under false pretenses' and 'essentially raped on-camera,' noting that she was 'scared' to expose Manson's wrongdoings, and that it had taken her a 'really long time' to cease blaming herself for what had happened.

The first installment in the doc premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January

Wood said that amid her revelations and meeting with other survivors of sexual assault, she came to the conclusion that her words were resonating, at long last

Manson's lawyer Howard King last month issued a statement denying Wood's accusations about the video shoot.

'Evan was not only fully coherent and engaged during the three-day shoot but also heavily involved in weeks of pre-production planning and days of post-production editing of the final cut. The simulated sex scene took several hours to shoot with multiple takes using different angles and several long breaks in between camera setups.'

Manson has been accused by at least 15 women of sexual assault, and has denied all claims, saying they are 'horrible distortions of reality.'

The first installment of Phoenix Rising: Don't Fall is set to air on HBO March 15 at 9/8c, with the second installment, Phoenix Rising: Stand Up, slated to air March 16 at 9/8c. The documentary will begin streaming on HBO Max March 15.
Steve Irwin had no plans to start a family with his wife Terri before his daughter Bindi was born.

The late Crocodile Hunter said he initially had reservations about being a father in an interview with Australian Story in 2003.

Steve died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming the documentary Ocean's Deadliest in Batt Reef, Queensland. Bindi was just eight years old at the time.

Resurfaced: Steve Irwin revealed he initially didn't want to be a father before his daughter Bindi was born in resurfaced interview. Pictured Steve, his wife Terri Irwin and Bindi

'I couldn't really give a rip. Now I'm the proudest father,' he said in the resurfaced interview.

'Who would've thought someone as ugly as me could bring into the world something so beautiful, such a treasure?'

Steve gushed over his daughter and said he couldn't get enough of spending time with her.

'I never wanted to be a dad, I couldn't really give a rip. Now I'm the proudest father,' he said at the time

'If I'm going jumping on crocs, then by crikey I want her jumping on crocs with me... I can't dwell on her for too long or I start bawling my eyes out,' he said.

Following his untimely death, Steve's family, including widow Terri, Bindi, son Robert and son-in-law Chandler Powell, have continued his conservation work at Australia Zoo.

Bindi, 23, spoke about her father legacy during an interview in 2019.

Tragic:Steve, known to millions around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', died on September 4, 2006, at the age of 44 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming the documentary Ocean's Deadliest in Batt Reef, Queensland

'He was the greatest wildlife warrior to have ever lived,' she said, adding: 'He dedicated his whole life to protecting wildlife and wild places.

'And I think that it's really special that in this day we can all remember that khaki [the colour of the Australia Zoo uniform] is not just a colour, it's an attitude.

'And to remember the greatest dad on the planet and a wonderful conservationist.'
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's LNG carrier / Courtesy of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering



Korean shipbuilders expected to win more LNG ship orders amid Russia-Ukraine conflict



By Baek Byung-yeul



Korean shipbuilding companies saw their stock prices soar Wednesday, on growing expectations that they will receive more liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship orders, as Germany and other European countries are likely to import more gas by sea amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine military conflict, according to company officials and industry analysts.



Natural gas prices have been increasing sharply due to a series of negative factors, such as Germany's decision Tuesday to halt the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, designed to supply natural gas directly from Russia to Germany.



Concerns have also been raised that Russia could stop its natural gas pipelines supplied to Europe through Ukraine. The analysts expect that European countries will move to import more LNG via ships to reduce their dependence on natural gas from Russia, which will increase demand for LNG carriers built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries.



"Russia accounts for 16.5 percent of the world's natural gas production, but its share in the LNG export market is only 8.3 percent. This is because a significant amount of natural gas is exported through pipelines. There is a possibility that European countries will strategically increase the proportion of LNG imports in the future," Han Young-soo, an analyst at Samsung Securities, said in a recent report.



Han said that the Russia-Ukraine conflict seems to reflect expectations that European countries could ultimately expand the proportion of LNG delivered by ships made in Korean shipyards.



Spokesmen from local shipbuilders said that the Russia-Ukraine crisis will have no immediate impact on their business, given that the shipbuilding industry is structured around a multi-stage, long-term process, taking a year and a half to two and a half years to build a ship.



However, they expect that Korea's shipbuilding companies will be able to benefit from the current crisis, as more countries will recognize the need for LNG carriers to stabilize the supply of natural gas.



"Theoretically, orders for LNG carriers to Korean shipbuilders could increase. Due to the Russia-Ukraine issue, the gas price will go up and then more LNG carriers will be needed. If that happens, Korean firms that are capable of manufacturing the world's highest-quality LNG carriers will have more orders," a DSME spokesman said.



However, he added that the shipbuilding business is not short-term like car manufacturing, so it is too early to conclude whether Korean companies could benefit.



A Hyundai Heavy spokesman also agreed that Korean shipbuilders may receive a significant increase in orders for LNG carriers, but added that it is difficult to make hasty conclusions.



"It takes a year and a half to two and a half years for shipbuilders to build a ship, so the shipbuilding industry is a business that requires long-term vision," the spokesman said.



"As environmental regulations are tightened, companies are increasing their investments in developing eco-friendly ships and working hard to get more orders for LNG carriers. Moreover, a lot of investments are also being made in the ammonia hydrogen carrier business."



On Wednesday, Hyundai Heavy shares closed at 109,500 won, up 7.35 percent from Tuesday. DSME shares ended at 27,000 won, up 21.9 percent, while Samsung Heavy shares closed at 5,930 won, up 6.65 percent.


A plastic surgery-addicted social media star who boasts 'the world's fattest vagina' has revealed she identifies as a gay man named Sebastian Pickles.

OnlyFans model Mary Magdalene opened up about her gender identity during an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, and also said she's considering silicone implants on her legs to achieve a more muscular look.

'I was born a woman but have always felt like a flamboyant gay man, so I identify as a man,' the 25-year-old explained.

Fluid: Social media star Mary Magdalene (pictured), who claims to have 'the world's fattest vagina', has revealed she identifies as a gay man named Sebastian Pickles

'I am Sebastian Pickles, but it is not a big deal to me what you want to call me.'

Mary said she has no need for a penis implant, but is considering changing her legs after getting liposuction to make them skinny.

'I have [liposuctioned] my legs four times to make them very skinny,' she told a fan.

'I might try out the muscular-legs look with my implants to see if I like the look on me, but I don't know yet,' she continued.

Mary previously revealed she often gets mistaken for a transgender woman.

Leggy: The 25-year-old OnlyFans model said she has no need for a penis implant, but is considering changing her legs with silicone implants to make them more muscular

'Do you know how many rappers have hit me up and been like, "Oh, are you TS?" They think I'm trans,' she told the No Jumper podcast.

'Lots of people think I'm transsexual.'

Mary became a social media sensation in 2018 after she almost died during an operation to enlarge her vagina.

'I almost died during [the] procedure. I had to get two blood transfusions. The doctor said I was losing so much blood, and turning very pale. He thought I was going to die,' she previously told The Sun.

Explaining the bizarre procedure on No Jumper, Mary said she wanted her nether regions to look 'inflated' so she could have 'the world's fattest vagina'.

'So basically there's this contraption that you use and it sucks your p***y and then it makes it very inflated, so I told the doctor that I just want it permanently to look like that,' she said.

The voluptuous star said her enhanced vagina now looks like male testicles from certain angles due to the way it 'pushes out'.

'I would say it's a female ball sack,' she giggled. 'I'm gonna keep just growing it and getting it bigger. I'm gonna get injections.'

Narrow escape: Mary became a social media sensation in 2018 after she almost died during an operation to enlarge her vagina, which she now says resembles a 'ball sack'

Extreme: Over the years, her surgeries have included a brow lift, fat transfers, multiple nose and boob jobs, veneers, liposuction, butt injections, three Brazilian butt lifts and more

Her vagina isn't the only enlarged part of her body, with Mary also sporting an extreme butt and breast implants.

Her implants are currently 5000cc, but she also has expanders in her chest to keep her breasts growing bigger.

The heavily tattooed model had her first procedure done at the age of 21, when she was working as a stripper and escort.

Over the years, her surgeries have included a brow lift, fat transfers, multiple nose and boob jobs, veneers, liposuction, butt injections and three Brazilian butt lifts.

Changing body: Mary is pictured before and after her extreme plastic surgery transformation

Flashback: A youthful Mary with short blonde hair holds up a loaf of freshy baked bread in this pre-surgery photo

Last week, she had a fourth nose job to create a 'Barbie nose', along with cat-eye surgery and eyebrow implants.

She also had her teeth filed down to get porcelain veneers.

'My face is still scabbed and bruised but for the most part I no longer feel any pain,' she wrote on Instagram as she flaunted the results of her latest procedures.

'It's exciting waking up every day and seeing swelling go down! Every day my nose is looking tinier than the day before. I am so happy!'

Latest development: Last week, she had a fourth nose job to create a 'Barbie nose', along with cat-eye surgery and eyebrow implants

Mary gushed about her love of plastic surgery, insisting she even enjoys 'the ugly parts' of the healing process.

'Just how people are really into extreme sports and go hiking in the mountains... I am really into extreme surgeries and go hiking into the plastic surgeon's office,' she said.

'As silly and dumb as that sounds, surgery truly is one of my passions and hobbies. I do not need anything per se; I just literally love the whole process of it.'

Satisfied customer: 'It's exciting waking up every day and seeing swelling go down! Every day my nose is looking tinier than the day before. I am so happy,' she gushed on Instagram

New smile: She also had her teeth filed down to get porcelain veneers (pictured)

The voluptuous star was originally believed to be in Russia for her surgeries, but she has since revealed she had her latest surgeries performed in Turkey.

Mary, who grew up as a devout Christian, previously had more than one million followers on TikTok before her account was deleted for violating content guidelines.

She now works as an OnlyFans performer and professional artist, selling colourful self portraits online to fans and art lovers.
Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond has welcomed a special guest to her cookery show - her mother Gerre Schwert.

Ree, 53, posted a heartwarming snap of the pair of them wearing floral blouses as they sipped cocktails they made for the TV program.

'Sharing this mother-daughter shot because it cracks me up,' Ree wrote of the snap, which was the first in a two-picture album.

Family time: Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond has welcomed a special guest to her cookery show - her mother Gerre Schwert

'This isn't the most representative photo of my mom, though; swipe forward to see the one that is,' the TV star reminded her followers.

Those who did swipe forward were treated to a shot of Gerre beaming as she entered the set, with Ree delightedly spreading her arms to greet her.

'It's when she first walked into the Lodge to film last Wednesday. Love and joy enter the room when she does, and everyone's always so happy to see her,' wrote Ree.

'(So why did I lead with the cocktail shot? Middle children are so complicated.),' quipped the cooking celebrity.

Such fun: 'Love and joy enter the room when she does, and everyone's always so happy to see her,' wrote Ree while describing the second picture

Years ago Ree wrote a sweet post on her website called The ABC's Of My Mom, posted on Gerre's birthday which happens to fall on Halloween.

'She used to wake me up by singing: 'Good morning, good morning, good morning! It's time to rise and shine!'' Ree recalled. 'I didn't love it then. But I love it now.'

Ree showered her mother with warm adjectives including 'Beautiful,' 'Observant,' Fun,' 'Refreshing,' 'Unflappable,' 'Vibrant' and 'Nice,' all through the alphabet.

She vaunted her mother for being 'interested in the world,' 'fun to be around' and a person who 'Sees the good in everyone.'

'My first friend and buddy': A little over three months ago Ree and her family had to mourn the death of her brother Michael Smith at 54 of a cause that has not been made public

A little over three months ago Ree and her family had to mourn the death of her brother Michael Smith at 54 of a cause that has not been made public.

'It isn't possible to sum up the life of someone as perfectly wonderful as my brother Michael, so right now I won't try,' she wrote in a Facebook statement.

'He was seventeen months older than me, my first friend and buddy, and I'm so grateful for over 50 years of photos and memories,' added Ree.

'Please pray for my parents, whose devotion to Mike was boundless, and who will feel this loss most acutely. Michael Smith, you were everything.'
Nine news anchor Peter Overton and his wife, former Studio 10 presenter Jessica Rowe, have already started having conversations about consent with their daughters Allegra, 14, and Giselle, 12.

It comes after Sydney private high school student Chanel Contos' started a petition urging for consent to be taught in schools last year.

The veteran news presenter said it is a regular topic of discussion amongst the family and something they try to be honest and candid about.

Nine news anchor Peter Overton and his wife, former Studio 10 presenter Jessica Rowe, have already started having conversations about consent with their daughters Allegra, 14, and Giselle, 12

'Consent is very much a conversation in our house,' he said. 'I've got to say Jessica and I are very, very open and encouraging in communicating with them,' he told 9Honey.

Overton said Contos' petition was a big a big push for their daughters to become more interested in the topic.

'That really engaged our daughters. I believe our girls are very mature and they understand about that subject matter,' he continued.

The veteran news presenter said consent is regular topic of discussion amongst the family and something they try to be honest and candid about

The Channel Nine star explained that he and wife Jessica create the conversation in the household, with Peter providing a male perspective on the topic

The Channel Nine star said that he and wife Jessica create the conversation in the household, with Peter providing a male perspective on the topic.

Peter said that the couple's youngest daughter Giselle has become quite opinionated on the topic and is strongly supportive of consent education.

'Giselle is very strong on it being taught in school and it should be not brushed over,' the TV journalist said.

Education on consent will become mandatory in every Australian school after a landmark ruling by state and federal ministers.

'Giselle is very strong on it being taught in school': He said the couple's youngest daughter Giselle has become quite opinionated on the topic and is strongly supportive of consent education

Federal Senator Jonathon Duniam confirmed education officials would meet in April to finalise a new curriculum which includes consent education.

Teachers will give children from prep to Year 12 age-appropriate lessons about the importance of gaining permission, power imbalances and coercion.

Former Sydney private school student Contos has pushed for the change and launched a petition called Teach Us Consent - which advocates for earlier and improved sex education.

She helped design the proposal for the curriculum, which will be implemented from 2023 onwards.
She announced on New Years Day she's pregnant with her first child with husband Alex.

And on Tuesday, Olivia Bowen showed off her growing baby bump as she attended the Beauty Awards 2022 with ASOS at Magazine in London with Alex.

The former Love Island star, 28, was a vision in a black strapless minidress that highlighted her tanned legs.

Expectant parents: On Tuesday, Olivia Bowen showed off her growing baby bump as she attended the Beauty Awards 2022 with ASOS at Magazine in London with husband Alex

Olivia's dress boasted feather detailing on the neckline and the star added a pair of matching feathered gloves for extra drama.

Elevating her height in a pair of chunky platform heels, she accessorised with a pair of pearl earrings.

Her short blonde locks were styled straight and she completed her look with a slick of pink lipgloss across her perfect pout.

Leggy display: The former Love Island star, 28, was a vision in a black strapless minidress that highlighted her tanned legs

On trend: Her dress boasted feather detailing on the neckline and she added a pair of matching feathered gloves for an extra touch of elegance

Beside her, Alex sported a black shirt, dark trousers and a grey coat as he cradled his wife's blossoming bump lovingly.

The Beauty Awards celebrates the best of products across the industry. New categories this year include Grooming Go-to, Wellness Essential and Best Fragrance.

Her short blonde locks were styled straight and she completed her look with a slick of pink lipgloss across her perfect pout.

Olivia announced her pregnancy on New Year's Day and showed a series of instant photos and a pair of booties alongside the caption: 'Happy New Baby Bowen' as she announced their pregnancy.

Alex then shared the same post and penned: 'This year we get to meet Baby Bowen'.

The trio of images included a shot of husband Alex Bowen kissing his wife's stomach, a selfie showing them holding the booties and a baby grow alongside sonogram pictures.

Loved-up: Beside her, Alex sported a black shirt, dark trousers and a grey coat as he cradled his wife's growing belly lovingly

Olivia recently told MailOnline of her pregnancy: 'I'm so excited to become a mum. It feels very surreal still to even say it, but we both can't wait for the next part of our lives. Alex is going to be the best dad - he's so caring, kind and a big kid at heart.

'My pregnancy is going really fast; We still both can't quite believe it's happening. We're having to stop ourselves buying all the baby clothes at the moment, we just get too excited.

'Our family and friends were so shocked when we told them, but I just knew very early on, you know your body. We're not going to find out what we're having, I think the surprise will make it extra special.'
Dhakota Williams has hinted she could soon be making her debut on OnlyFans.

On Wednesday, the daughter of slain underworld figure Carl Williams, 20, took to Instagram to share a string of sultry images of herself kneeling in a plunging pink dress.

She captioned the photos: 'If u wanna see more of me on my knees, comment for the OF.'

New project? Dhakota Williams has hinted she could soon be making her debut on OnlyFans, after sharing a string of sultry images of herself kneeling in a plunging pink dress to her Instagram page on Wednesday

While it may well have just been a cheeky caption, Dhakota was met several comments from eager fans who said they would be more than happy to sign up to her page.

'Absolutely gorgeous. hell yeah OF,' one fan commented, while another wrote: 'I'm here for that!'

'Yesssss for the OF,' another said, while a fourth chimed in: 'Sign me up!'

Tease: She captioned the photos, 'If u wanna see more of me on my knees, comment for the OF'

Gorgeous: In the images, Dhakota pouted at the camera in the candy pink frock, accessorising with a Louis Vuitton bag

OnlyFans is a subscription-based adult website where content can range from something as innocent as a suggestive selfie, all the way to hardcore pornography.

In the images, Dhakota pouted at the camera in the candy pink frock, accessorising with a Louis Vuitton bag.

She wore her hair in a poker straight style, and sported a flash of makeup to enhance her striking features.

All for it! While it may well have just been a cheeky caption, Dhakota was met several comments from eager fans who said they would be more than happy to sign up to her page

Dhakota, whose mother is gangland widow Roberta Williams, regularly loves to share sultry images of herself on Instagram and has amassed over 35,000 followers.

She was nine years old when her father, drug kingpin Carl Williams, was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010.

Williams was a key figure in Melbourne's infamous gangland war, which claimed the lives of 36 criminal figures between 1998 and 2010.

He was jailed for 35 years in 2007 for ordering the murders of three rivals, and more time for conspiring to kill a fourth.

Notorious: Dhakota was nine years old when her father, drug kingpin Carl Williams, was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010

His death in 2010 followed an investigation revealing Victoria Police was paying $8,000 per year for his daughter's school fees.

It was later revealed Carl was an informant and had given information regarding a handful of unsolved murder investigations.

Carl wrote several long letters to his wife and others from jail in the months before he was murdered, which have since been made into a book titled Life Sentence.

Dhakota spoke fondly about her father on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program in 2016.

'We know our dad as our dad, not what he's described as in the newspapers... so we know him as fun and loving and caring for us, and always made us happy,' she said.

'If you spoke to him and got to know him, you'd think he's not that sort of person, like, and you can tell he did it for his family 'cause he was all for us, all for us family.'

'It was just normal for me, that's all I really knew.'
Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy had an explosive relationship on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road that devolved into intense shouting matches, the cast and crew claim in new interviews.

Their working relationship devolved to the point that the stars got into shouting matches, with Theron calling Hardy a 'f***ing c***' after he made her wait on set for hours, according to New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan's new book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild And True Story Of Mad Max: Fury Road.

In an excerpt published by Vanity Fair, members of the production also detail how Theron, 46, got a female producer to be with her at all times as 'protection' against Hardy, 44.

Tense times: Charlize Theron, 46, and Tom Hardy, 44, got into intense shouting matches that led to Theron requesting 'protection' on set, according to an excerpt of a new behind-the-scenes book shared by Vanity Fair on Tuesday; still from Mad Max: Fury Road

Hardy starred as the title character, who was played by Mel Gibson in the first three films in the series, while Theron starred as newcomer Imperator Furiosa, a lieutenant to the villain Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who turns against her leader to team-up with Max.

In the oral history, Natascha Hopkins, a stunt double on Fury Road, recounted how Theron didn't want to waste time on set, as she was a new mother at the time and was balancing her role with parenting.

But camera operator Mark Goellnicht recalled how Hardy was often late for the start of shooting.

He recounted one day when Theron was on set at eight o'clock sharp and got her makeup and costume set up before getting into the film's War Rig.

However, despite producers making a 'special request' for Hardy to show up on time, it would be hours more before he arrived.

'Gets to nine oclock, still no Tom,' Goellnicht recounted. 'Charlize, do you want to get out of the War Rig and walk around, or do you want to . . . No, Im going to stay here. She was really going to make a point. She didnt go to the bathroom, didnt do anything. She just sat in the War Rig.'

Wasted time: Theron was a new mother at the time and was reportedly frustrated over on-set delays caused by her costar Hardy's tardiness; seen in January 2020 in Beverly Hills

Furious: She arrived on set one day at 8 a.m. as requested, but it was over three hours before Hardy dropped by, leading her to call him a 'f**king c***'; still from Fury Road

Hardy finally arrived after 11 a.m., while Theron had remained in the vehicle the entire time.

'She jumps out of the War Rig, and she starts swearing her head off at him, saying, Fine the f**king c*** a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that hes held up this crew, and How disrespectful you are!' Goellnicht continued.

'She was right. Full rant. She screams it out. Its so loud, its so windy  he mightve heard some of it, but he charged up to her up and went, What did you say to me?'

The camera operator said Hardy seemed 'quite aggressive,' and that his costar 'really felt threatened.'

'That was the turning point, because then she said, I want someone as protection. She then had a producer that was assigned to be with her all the time,' he explained.

'Aggressive': Camera operator Mark Goellnicht said Theron thought Hardy seemed 'quite aggressive' when he confronted her, leading her to 'really [feel] threatened,' so she was assigned a female producer as 'protection'; Hardy seen in September in London

'It got to a place where it was kind of out of hand, and there was a sense that maybe sending a woman producer down could maybe equalize some of it, because I didnt feel safe,' Theron explained.

'I kind of put my foot down. [Director] George [Miller] then said, Okay, well, if Denise comes . . . He was open to it and that kind of made me breathe a little bit, because it felt like I would have another woman understanding what I was up against,' she continued.

However, she noted that 'when I was on set, I still felt pretty naked and alone,' as the producer Denise Di Novi was forced to stay in the production office and wasn't allowed on set on the orders of producer Doug Mitchell.

Kelly Marcel, a screenwriter and a friend of Hardy, called Mitchell a 'bulldog.'

Stymied: Theron requested veteran producer Denise Di Novi accompany her on set, but producer Doug Mitchell forced her to stay at the production office to avoid slowdowns and to keep her away from director George Miller (R)

'Hes going to protect George no matter what, at all costs. And you can send your producer, you can do whatever you want, but if youve got Doug standing there, theres absolutely no point unless he wants you there,' she claimed. 'He was never going to allow anybody to interrupt this world, no matter how fraught the world was.'

Marcel also said the fight between the lead actors came from a 'really intense, intense, intense period in an intense, intense place,' though she claimed that 'Family was made there, and family loves and hates each other.'

She explained that Hardy was 'very physical and all over the place and would try very different things,' whereas Theron was 'cerebral and very consistent in the way that she approaches a character.'

'Theyre both powerhouses, but in their very different ways of working. Which, weirdly, is why the film works: Its all pouring out on the screen.'

Conflict: Kelly Marcel, a screenwriter and friend of Hardy, said he was 'very physical and all over the place and would try very different things,' whereas Theron was 'cerebral and very consistent in the way that she approaches a character'; still from Fury Road

In hindsight, Theron thought it 'would have been smart for us to bring a female producer in.'

'You understand the needs of a director who wants to protect his set, but when push comes to shove and things get out of hand, you have to be able to think about that in a bigger sense,' she continued. 'Thats where we could have done better, if George trusted that nobody was going to come and f**k with his vision but was just going to come and help mediate situations.'

She theorized that Miller 'didnt want any interference,' but that resulted in 'several weeks on that movie where I wouldnt know what was going to come my way, and thats not necessarily a nice thing to feel when youre on your job. It was a little bit like walking on thin ice.'

Miller said that he felt 'disappointment with about the process [sic],' adding, 'Looking back, if I had to do it again, I would probably be more mindful.'

Hardy said he was 'in over my head in many ways.'

'The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me,' he admitted. 'Thats something that cant be faked. Id like to think that now that Im older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.'

Missed opportunity: Theron understood that director George Miller was worried about his vision being impeded by a female producer, but she thought her presence would have helped to 'mediate'; still from Fury Road

Hardy said he was 'in over my head in many ways' and added that Theron need a 'more experienced' costar at the time; still from Fury Road

Goellnicht noted that Hardy 'was a different person by the end,' and he and Theron appeared to warm up to each other after shooting scenes together later in the production.

He said Hardy was 'a lot easier to deal with, a lot more cooperative, more compassionate. Hes such a Method actor that I think he took the arc in the literal sense.'

Notably, Miller is continuing with the Mad Max franchise following the on-set animosity between Theron and Hardy, but the next film in the series will be a prequel titled Furiosa, which will focus on a younger version of the character, with Anya Taylor-Joy taking over the role in place of Theron.

Although Hardy at one time said he was attached to more Mad Max sequels, it's unclear if those films are still in the works.

Left out: Despite originating the popular role of Furiosa, Theron's part has been recast with Anya Taylor-Joy in Miller's upcoming prequel Furiosa; seen in February 2020 in Hollywood

Miller has been engaged since 2017 in a lawsuit filed in Australia against Warner Bros. over millions in bonus payments he claims he's owed for Fury Road.

The director alleges that Mad Max: Fury Road came in under budget, a requirement to get the bonus payments.

But Warner Bros. contends that the film went over budget due to reshoots.

Miller and his production company claim that it was Warner Bros. that required the additional reshoots, and that the studio originally said the cost of reshoots wouldn't be factored into the initial cost of the production.

The director successfully managed to keep his lawsuit in Australia, after Warners attempted unsuccessfully to have the suit moved to California, where it expected to receive a more favorable judgment.
Rosie O'Donnell apologized to Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas for a verbal flub she made while running into the celeb couple at Nobu Malibu.

The 59-year-old entertainer, taking to TikTok Sunday, explained how she and her party, including her son and his girlfriend, and friend Fran Drescher, were seated next to the couple at the luxe restaurant, which is a popular haunt for celebs.

She noted that she had 'always assumed' Priyanka, 39, was the daughter of famed author Deepak Chopra, and said as much when she was socializing with her.

The latest: Rosie O'Donnell, 59, apologized to Priyanka Chopra, 39, and Nick Jonas, 29, for a verbal flub she made while running into the celeb couple at Nobu Malibu

'So when I said, "Hi, Nick Jonas. You were great in Kingdom," and [to Priyanka,] 'Hi, I know your dad.' She goes, "You do? Who's my dad?" And I'm like, "Deepak." She's like, "No, and Chopra is a common name." I felt so embarrassed.'

O'Donnell continued, 'Nick Jonas, I apologize and to the Chopra wife, I apologize too.'

O'Donnell caught flak from TikTok users in the comment thread for calling Priyanka 'the Chopra wife,' which O'Donnell led to make another video on Monday apologizing for the botch.

'So I'm reading the comments about my [exchange with] Nick Jonas and his wife, Priyanka Chopra, who I mistakenly thought was Deepak's daughter,' O'Donnell said.

The celebrity couple was snapped last November at The Fashion Awards in London

The talk show host detailed the embarrassing faux pas on the social media site

The entertainer said, 'Sorry, sometimes I f*** up. I did at Nobu'

O'Donnell said that while 'people thought that [Priyanka] was rude' in her response, 'She wasn't rude, it was just awkward.

'I'm sure she gets sick of that. I'm sure I'm not the only one. According to the comments, a lot of people thought that too but she's apparently a very well-known actress and more famous than him, people were saying. So I'm sure it felt weird to her, to begin with.'

O'Donnell continued, 'Anyway, Priyanka is her name. Priyanka - I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

'I just want to apologize to her and to everyone who thought that it was really inappropriate of me. Sorry, sometimes I f*** up. I did at Nobu.'

The Quantico actress and Jonas, who wed in 2018, became parents last month in welcoming a baby via surrogate

The couple issued a joint statement on Instagram announcing the big news

Priyanka's father Dr. Ashok Chopra died in June 2013 following a cancer battle.

The Quantico actress and Jonas, who wed in 2018, became parents last month in welcoming a baby via surrogate.

'We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via surrogate,' both said on Instagram in announcing the big news. 'We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family.'
James Argent got back on track on Tuesday night as he attended a fashion collection launch in London- days after he broke his silence on a 'very bad relapse'.

The former TOWIE star, who has battled drink and drug addiction since finding fame on the ITVBe show, broke two years of sobriety during a recent night out with friends - and admitted the incident has made him realise he will be 'an addict for life.'

But it was onwards and upwards for the 34-year-old reality star, as he put on an animated display for the cameras at Georgia Harrison's Executive Styles Launch at Hotel Indigo, Leicester Square, wearing a Rolling Stones emblem denim jacket.

High-spirited: James Argent donned a Rolling Stones emblem jacket for a fashion collection launch in Leicester Square on Tuesday - after breaking his silence on a 'very bad relapse'

Keeping the rest of his look simple - white tee and cream trousers laced with a brown belt - Arg looked nothing short of chipper as he supported ex-Love Islander Georgia, 27, as she promoted her beauty, fashion and lifestyle range.

Georgia, meanwhile, caught the eye in a neon green, thigh-grazing slit dress, which she teamed with equally dazzling pink sandals.

She was joined by fashion expert, tastemaker and stylist Ahmad Harb, who wasn't afraid to stand out from the crowd in a striking red jacket.

Positive energy: It was onwards and upwards for the 34-year-old reality star, as he put on an animated display for the cameras at Georgia Harrison's Executive Styles Launch

Bold: Ex-Love Islander Georgia, 27, promoted her beauty, fashion and lifestyle range

Big night: Georgia was joined by fashion expert, tastemaker and stylist Ahmad Harb, who wasn't afraid to stand out from the crowd in a striking red jacket

All eyes on her: Georgia posed up a storm in her neon ensemble

Walk this way: Former TOWIE star Chloe Ross headed to the bash in a pair on thigh-high black boots and a black minidress

Strike a pose: She was joined by a friend and posed for a photo on the red carpet

Night on the town: Katie Price's ex Kris Boyson also headed to the party

James' mid week outing comes after he confessed to being visited by paramedics earlier this month after concerned friends called an ambulance for him after a night of drinking.

Speaking to The Sun, Arg admitted he 'had a very bad relapse,' and the incident has made him realise he will be an addict for life.

The alarm was raised when the reality star was not answering his phone 'after hitting a blip in his recovery' earlier this month.

Breaking his silence: James' mid week outing comes after he confessed to being visited by paramedics earlier this month after friends called an ambulance for him after a night of drinking (pictured in December)

Breaking his silence Arg explained that he had enjoyed a comedy night in London with friends, where he experienced 'cravings'. He had a first drink after buying a round for friends at the afterparty back near his home in Essex.

'Addicts always say one drink is never enough - if it was, I wouldn't be an addict - but unfortunately it just escalated from there,' he explained.

'After that, I can't get into the specifics of what I did, but that's where it all started and I ended up at home having an awful relapse - I'd been clean and sober for such a long time, it hit me like a ton of bricks as my body and mind hadn't been used to it for so long.'

Relapse: 'Addicts always say one drink is never enough - if it was, I wouldn't be an addict - but unfortunately it just escalated from there,' he explained of the night out (pictured in December)

His 'shocked and worried' friends called an ambulance and after tests paramedics agreed it was safe for the star to recover at home.

Arg said that he thinks his problems started after losing 14 stone following his gastric sleeve surgery last April, and after gaining confidence in his looks he mistakenly believed he was 'recovered'.

'I thought I was cured and told myself that I can be in control and manage it - but I can't - I'm an addict and I can't just go to rehab, come back and be cured, it's something that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life and that will be in my life forever.

Home: His 'shocked and worried' friends called an ambulance and after tests paramedics agreed it was safe for the star to recover at home (pictured at home in Essex)

Before and after: Last year, James' weight ballooned to 27 stone after he replaced his cocaine habit with unhealthy eating (pictured before left). Arg has lost 14 stone following his gastric sleeve surgery last April

'I can glamorise partying but in reality it's never going to be fun for me as I'm an addict so it'll never be just one or two drinks - that will lead me to hospital or death.' he explained.

Arg is now getting support via a local walk-in rehab service, which he uses six days a week and said he was proud of himself for taking action and facing his addiction.

In 2019 James was hospitalised twice after overdosing on drugs at his home.

The scare was said to a 'wake-up call' to James who then 'accepted he needs professional help'.

Arg has battled drink and drug addiction since finding fame on TOWIE and in 2014 he was suspended from the show after he failed a routine drugs test.

Weight loss: Arg said that he thinks his problems started after losing 14 stone following his gastric sleeve surgery last April, and after gaining confidence in his looks he mistakenly believed he was 'recovered' (pictured in 2019)

The TV star spent three months in a facility in Thailand over the festive season in 2016 in order to get the 'ongoing support' he needed.

In August 2019, Arg returned to rehab following a split from Gemma Collins in a bid to tackle his demons.

He completed a third stint in treatment in 2020 prior to undergoing gastric bypass surgery.

Last year, James' weight ballooned to 27 stone after he replaced his cocaine habit with unhealthy eating.

He has since lost a staggering 13 stone after surgery saw 70 percent of his stomach removed in the 10,000 operation.

In January, Arg reflected on his drug recovery as he reached out to any followers who may be struggling.
A former radio presenter has shared her resentment and anger after her two male co-hosts were poached by a rival network, leaving her feeling 'disowned'.

Heidi Anderson co-hosted Hit 92.9's Heidi, Will and Woody breakfast show in Perth for four years with Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw.

But McMahon and Whitelaw left the station in 2018 after being given the opportunity of a lifetime to host KIIS FM's national drive show.

'I felt like they disowned me': Former radio presenter Heidi Anderson (pictured) has shared her resentment and anger after her two male co-hosts were poached by a rival network

Anderson, who became disillusioned and has now left the radio industry, admitted this week she 'hated' her former co-hosts when they jumped ship without her.

'I f**king hated them when they left because I felt like they disowned me,' Heidi said on The Experts podcast, hosted by Carmen Braidwood and Nic Haye.

The former Big Brother star said McMahon and Whitelaw were 'great' to work with, but their sudden departure shattered her self-confidence and made her feel bitter.

Former radio show: Anderson co-hosted Hit 92.9's Heidi, Will and Woody breakfast show in Perth for four years with Will McMahon (left) and Woody Whitelaw (right)

She also revealed she felt 'boxed in' by management at the station.

During her stint at Hit 92.9, Anderson said she was restricted by what she could say on air to 'fit in with outdated gender roles' as a woman partnered with two men.

'I was boxed in,' she said. '[I wanted] to be 100 per cent myself and thats all I craved - to be seen and be heard by my mates in the studio.

Upset: The former Big Brother star said McMahon and Whitelaw were 'great' to work with, but their sudden departure shattered her self-confidence and made her feel bitter

'There is work to be done in radio buildings with the way they want women to be front and centre and then theyre also putting them in this dynamic of one woman [and] two men and they want you to be a certain way.'

Anderson joined the Heidi, Xavier and Pete show after McMahon and Whitelaw's departure, but ended up leaving the industry behind in 2019.

She recalled feeling as if she didn't 'fit in' with her team towards the end of her radio career, and was already having thoughts of leaving her job.

Disillusioned: Anderson joined the Heidi, Xavier and Pete show after McMahon and Whitelaw's departure, but ended up leaving the industry behind in 2019. She recalled feeling as if she didn't 'fit in' with her team towards the end of her radio career

Anderson is now focused on being a mother to two-year-old son Memphis and using her experience in media to further her marketing business.

She has 'not spoken to anyone' in radio since her departure from Hit 92.9.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted KIIS FM for comment.
Leonardo DiCaprio has extended his green credentials by buying shares in an environmentally-friendly champagne house.

French spirits group Remy Cointreau has announced that the Hollywood actor, 47, had purchased an equity stake in Telmont.

The luxury brand, found in 1912, has been pushing 'ecological and environmental awareness' in its business, something DiCaprio is passionate about.

'From protecting biodiversity on its land, to using 100% renewable electricity, @maisontelmont is determined to radically lower its environmental footprint,' DiCaprio tweeted for his roughly 19 million followers.

'Proud to join as an investor in Champagne Telmont.'

Champagne investor: Leonardo DiCaprio, shown in a still from The Great Gatsby, took to social media on Tuesday to proudly announce his investment in Champagne Telmont

The Telmont Champagne House was founded in 1912 in the wake of the Champagne Riots by local winegrower Henri Lhopital, according to a release announcing the investment.

Champagne Telmont has remained familial with fourth generation Bertrand Lhopital currently serving as cellar master and head of viticulture.

'Champagne Telmont, together with its partner wine-growers, has set its sights on producing 100 percent organic champagne, ensuring a completely sustainable production lifecycle in the coming years,' DiCaprio said in a statement released Tuesday by Champagne Telmont.

The actor's investment was lauded by Champagne Telmont as an endorsement of their approach.

Equity stake: The 47-year-old Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist has acquired an equity stake in Telmont Champagne House located in Damery, near Epernay, France

Proud investor: 'From protecting biodiversity on its land, to using 100% renewable electricity, @maisontelmont is determined to radically lower its environmental footprint. Proud to join as an investor in Champagne Telmont,' DiCaprio tweeted for his roughly 19.5 million followers

Champagne region: The Telmont Champagne House was founded in 1912 in the wake of the Champagne Riots by local winegrower Henri Lhopital

'Leonardo DiCaprio's decision to become a shareholder sends Telmont a strong message of support that will encourage us as we carry out our ambitious plans. We share the same convictions and the same commitment to protecting the environment,' said Ludovic du Plessis, chairman & shareholder of Champagne Telmont in a statement.

The Remy Cointreau group purchased a majority share of Champagne Telmont in October 2020 after identifying with its eco-friendly values.

Champagne Telmont has a goal of converting its entire vineyard to 100 percent organic agriculture by 2025 and to help its partner growers reach full conversion of their vines by 2031.

Strong message: 'Leonardo DiCaprio's decision to become a shareholder sends Telmont a strong message of support that will encourage us as we carry out our ambitious plans. We share the same convictions and the same commitment to protecting the environment,' said Ludovic du Plessis, chairman & shareholder of Champagne Telmont in a statement

Less than four percent of Champagne vineyards currently are certified organic.

The conversion will include the elimination of herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

Champagne Telmont since last June has banned gift boxes to reduce packaging waste. It also has stopped buying clear bottles made from zero percent recycled glass and has switched to classic green champagne bottles made from 85 percent recycled glass.

DiCaprio has become a staunch supporter of environmentalism and focused recently on environmental documentaries.

Environmentalism figure: DiCaprio, shown last December in New York City, has become a staunch supporter of environmentalism and focused recently on environmental documentaries

He was an executive producer of Virunga, Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Project, The Ivory Game and Catching The Sun.

He also produced, hosted and narrated the 2016 documentary Before The Flood about climate change and narrated the 2019 global warming documentary Ice On Fire.

DiCaprio has a starring role in the apocalyptic black comedy Don't Look Up with the catastrophic impact of a humanity-destroying comet serving as an allegory for climate change.

Don't Look Up received four Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
gettyimagesbank



By Park Jae-hyuk



Most foreign companies that have invested in Korea are reluctant to increase their investments and hire new workers this year, a survey showed Wednesday. The companies expressed hope that the next Korean president pays attention to creating a more business-friendly environment.



According to the Federation of Korean Industries' (FKI) recent survey of foreign-invested companies, nine out of 10 respondents answered that they do not have any plans to invest in Korea this year or have yet to make their investment plans for this year.



Only 8.9 percent of them have drawn up investment plans for this year, the FKI said.



Among the companies having 2022 investment plans, only 22.2 percent had plans to increase their investments this year, as 77.8 percent responded that the size of their investments for this year will be similar to those of last year.



The survey also showed that the combined number of foreign firms that do not have any plans to hire new employees this year and that have yet to draw up such plans accounted for 61.4 percent of the respondents.



Among the companies planning to hire new employees this year, 51.3 percent said that the number of new employees they will hire will be similar to last year's, while 46.2 percent answered that they will hire a larger number of new employees. The remaining 2.5 percent plan to hire a smaller number of new employees.



The foreign-invested companies in Korea mentioned the economic slowdown caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for their reluctance in increasing investments and hiring this year.



Some of them also cited the nation's heavy corporate taxes and insufficient incentives for investment.



Among the respondents, 34 percent advised the next administration to prioritize offering tax incentives and subsidies to employers, if it wants to create more jobs.



The combined number of foreign firms that asked for either moderation of the minimum wage, the introduction of flexible working hours to a wider range of fields or a more flexible labor market accounted for 48.9 percent of the respondents.



"Considering the difficulties facing businesses, the new government should expand incentives for companies increasing investments and employment," a FKI official said. "It should also focus on creating a more business-friendly environment."



When the Korea Enterprises Federation surveyed foreign-invested companies in Korea last November, more than half of them said that the country needs to reform its labor regulations.



"Labor costs and labor relations remain areas of uneasiness," the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea also said last week, after announcing the result of its annual business confidence survey.




An Australian reporter working for conservative US network Newsmax has wowed American viewers with her glamorous looks while covering the conflict in Ukraine.

Following a live broadcast from Kiev on Wednesday, viewers took to social media to gush about the 31-year-old.

'Wow, she needs to be on prime time,' wrote one, while another commented: 'Sexiest reporter on TV!'

Glam: Aussie reporter Sarah Williamson, who works for conservative US network Newsmax, has wowed American viewers with her glamorous looks while covering the conflict in Ukraine this week (pictured above)

'Love your reporting Sarah. Your stunning beauty goes hand in hand with your intellect!' commented another fan.

'Great job Sarah, keep it up!!! And may I say you look simply amazing,' wrote one.

The Australian stunner has become quite the breakout star over at Newsmax thanks to her good looks and impeccable reporting.

Feedback: 'Wow, she needs to be on prime time,' wrote one impressed viewer, while another commented: 'Sexiest reporter on TV!'

She's often flooded with comments on social media after her segments air, with many viewers stating that she deserves more airtime.

Sarah recently left Israeli news channel i24 News and relocated to New York City to begin working for the conservative network.

The blonde announced her big career move in September, telling her thousands of followers she was leaving Tel Aviv for NYC.

Star quality: The Australian stunner has become quite the breakout star over at Newsmax thanks to her good looks and impeccable reporting

Newsmax is known for its right-wing perspective and has gained popularity in recent years due to its unwavering support of former president Donald Trump.

When she's not reporting on geopolitical conflicts, Sarah works as a model.

She has even appeared in a major campaign for an Israeli footwear brand.

The Melbourne-born journalist, a political science graduate who previously worked at Channel Nine, first went viral last year while covering the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The cast of Marvel's highly-anticipated Blade reboot is starting to come together, with The Underground Railroad star Aaron Pierre coming aboard.

The 27-year-old South London native has signed on for an important role in the reboot, though no details about the character were given, via Deadline.

While nothing about the role was revealed, it is said to be one of the more coveted roles in Hollywood, with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and Blade reboot director Bassam Tariq seeing dozens of actors for the role.

New role: The cast of Marvel's highly-anticipated Blade reboot is starting to come together, with The Underground Railroad star Aaron Pierre coming aboard

Important: The 27-year-old South London native has signed on for an important role in the reboot, though no details about the character were given, via Deadline

Blade, born Eric Cross Brooks, was created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, originally used as a supporting character in 1973's The Tomb of Dracula.

The character's mother was bitten by a vampire while she was in labor, passing on 'vampire enzymes' to Eric when he was born, making him part vampire and immune from being turned by a vampire's bite.

He grew up to be a legendary vampire hunter known as The Daywalker, whose presence in the Marvel Comics became more and more popular.

Comics: He grew up to be a legendary vampire hunter known as The Daywalker, whose presence in the Marvel Comics became more and more popular

Wesley Snipes starred in a trilogy of movies, 1998's Blade, 2002's Blade II and 2004's Blade: Trinity, which collectively grossed over $400 million worldwide.

The film rights to Blade reverted back to Marvel Studios in 2012, with the studio spending years developing the character for a new reboot.

Marvel announced at the end of their San Diego Comic-Con presentation in 2019 that Mahershala Ali will star as Blade in their new reboot.

Trilogy:Wesley Snipes starred in a trilogy of movies, 1998's Blade, 2002's Blade II and 2004's Blade: Trinity, which collectively grossed over $400 million worldwide

New star: Marvel announced at the end of their San Diego Comic-Con presentation in 2019 that Mahershala Ali will star as Blade in their new reboot

Since then, Delroy Lindo has boarded the project in another secretive role, which insiders claimed that studio executives had always eyed Lindo for.

Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mogwli) is directing from a script by Stacy Osei Kuffour, who makes her feature writing debut with Blade but previously wrote for Pen15, Watchmen, Hunters, Run, Solos and The Morning Show.

Feige will serve as a producer though it's unclear when production may begin, or when Marvel may be eyeing to release the movie.

Director: Bassam Tariq (Mogul Mogwli) is directing from a script by Stacy Osei Kuffour, who makes her feature writing debut with Blade but previously wrote for Pen15, Watchmen, Hunters, Run, Solos and The Morning Show

Pierre is coming of a 2021 that saw him star in the M. Night Shyamalan movie Old and the critically-acclaimed Amazon series The Underground Railroad.

He will next be seen in Brother, currently in post-production, and he's currently filming Foe with Saoirse Ronan.

He is also attached to voice Mufasa in Disney's upcoming Lion King prequel.
She faced mass backlash last month following a series of headline-making scandals.

But controversial Australian influencer, 26, Jade Tuncdoruk left her troubles behind this week as she embarked upon a lavish trip to Paris with her mother.

Jade has been keeping fans abreast of her travels via Instagram, uploading endless photos of herself relaxing in a luxury hotel suite, dining at upmarket restaurants and exploring the streets of Paris dressed in designer clothes.

What scandals? Controversial Instagram influencer Jade Tuncdorukm 26 (pictured) left her troubles behind as she jetted off to Paris for a luxurious getaway this week

She touched down in the French capital on Tuesday, and immediately posted a video of herself sitting in the backseat of a taxi, driving past the Arc de Triomphe.

'PARIS', she simply captioned the clip, pouting and pulling a peace sign towards the camera.

The pair spent the morning visiting a luxury shopping district, making sure to pose for a mirror selfie while visiting a Burberry store.

Family: Jade's mother (right) accompanied the model for the European sojourn

'Paris': She touched down in the French capital on Tuesday, and immediately posted a video of herself sitting in the backseat of a taxi, driving past the Arc de Triomphe

Expensive taste: The pair spent the morning visiting a luxury shopping district, making sure to pose for a mirror selfie while visiting a Burberry store

Lavish digs: Later, the pair made their way to the Grand Powers Hotel, a five-star hotel where rooms cost around $800 per night

Later, the pair made their way to the Grand Powers Hotel, a five-star hotel where rooms cost around $800 per night.

Upon checking in, the mother-daughter duo were immediately upgraded to an exclusive room, prompting Jade to share a heartfelt post of appreciation to Instagram Stories.

'Such a warm welcome. Thank you @hotelgrandpowers for the room upgrade and impeccable service. We are already so overjoyed with our stay here,' she cooed.

'Such a warm welcome': Upon checking in, the mother-daughter duo were immediately upgraded to an exclusive room, prompting Jade to share a heartfelt post of appreciation to Instagram Stories

VIP experience: Jade made sure to boast about the hotel room's balcony, which offered views of the Eiffel Tower. Pictured left is the interior of her hotel room, and right is the view of the Eiffel Tower

Tucking in: For dinner, Jade and her mother dined on traditional French escargot at a lavish inner-city restaurant

Jade made sure to boast about the hotel room's balcony, which offered views of the Eiffel Tower.

For dinner, Jade and her mother dined on traditional French escargot at a lavish inner-city restaurant.

On Wednesday, the influencer kicked off her holiday updates by sharing photos of herself drinking coffee and eating French pastries in her hotel room.

Like the French do: On Wednesday, the influencer kicked off her holiday updates by sharing photos of herself drinking coffee and eating French pastries in her hotel room

Sights and sounds: They spent the rest of the morning sightseeing, visiting local historic buildings and the Seine River's famous 'lock bridge' (pictured)

An Aussie in Paris: Jade posed next to a large poster that read 'Aussie', whimsically captioning her post: 'Yes hello'

They spent the rest of the morning sightseeing, visiting local historic buildings and the Seine River's famous 'lock bridge'.

In true Parisienne form, Jade treated herself to a freshly-baked baguette for lunch.

Jade's whirlwind trip comes weeks after she sparked backlash for demanding that a small business refund her $2,000 honeymoon deposit, after ignoring the terms and conditions.

Things went from bad to worse when Jade was forced to apologise for a racially insensitive Uber Eats Facebook post from 2017 which went viral.

Scandals: Jade was forced to apologise for a racially insensitive Uber Eats Facebook post from 2017 which went viral

A Facebook post showed her complaining to Uber Eats about their 'annoying non-English speaking delivery drivers' resurfaced.

The influencer apologised for her 'hurtful comments' after her Facebook post was uploaded by the Celeb Spellcheck Instagram page.

The resurfaced post read: 'I order off you guys all the time and I'm starting to find it really annoying that you have so many non English speaking delivery people who can't follow basic delivery instructions.

Post: In the resurfaced post, Jade' wrote: 'I order off you guys all the time and I'm starting to find it really annoying that you have so many non English speaking delivery people who can't follow basic delivery instructions'

Sorry: Jade subsequently issued a grovelling apology to fans last month, writing on Instagram: 'Hey everyone. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I've conducted myself recently.

'I got a notification today saying my food was arriving and it took the person a further 20 mins to get to my door because he didn't read my delivery instructions properly and when I called him to explain he didn't understand a word I was saying.'

She continued: 'Your GPS is consistently sending drivers to the wrong address which I've explained in my instructions which most people read and have no problem with but when foreigners are delivering it takes twice as long for me to receive my then cold food. Sort it out.'

Jade subsequently issued a grovelling apology to fans, writing on Instagram: 'Hey everyone. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I've conducted myself recently.'

'Incredibly poor form': She also sparked backlash last month after it emerged she'd demanded a small business refund her $2,000 honeymoon deposit after ignoring the terms and conditions

Jade subsequently issued a grovelling apology to fans, writing on Instagram: 'Hey everyone. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I've conducted myself recently.''I'm aware that my actions were poorly thought out and lack integrity. I want everyone to know that I hold myself to a higher standard than this. I've made it my priority to reevaluate the aspects of my life that have lead to the disconnect between my soul and my actions,' she continued.

To conclude, Jade wrote: 'I am sorry to anyone I've let down, including myself.'

She was also slammed for 'demanding' that a small business give her a refund for a deposit on her honeymoon - after she ignored the company's terms and conditions.

She raised eyebrows by whingeing to her online fans about the financial woes of cancelling her lavish Hunter Valley honeymoon with fiance Lachie due to Covid.

Cash clash: The Instagram model was also slammed for 'demanding' that a small business give her a refund for a deposit on her honeymoon - after she ignored the company's terms and conditions

In her now-deleted post, Jade, who is frequently gifted with luxury designer handbags and clothing, explained that she'd booked her stay with premium holiday rental company Weekenda last year, putting down a $2,000 deposit.

She however decided to cancel her booking with the company Weekenda in August, after postponing her wedding due to Covid.

Jade demanded that the company refund her deposit - even though Weekenda's terms and conditions clearly states that customers aren't entitled to a refund of their deposit if they cancel.

'Incredibly poor form': She said she'd booked her stay with premium holiday rental company Weekenda last year, putting down a $2,000 deposit. After cancelling the booking due to Covid, she demanded that the company refund her deposit. Weekenda denied their request

'We requested a refund due to the pandemic, but they said the best they could do was put it back up on line to be booked by someone else,' Jade explained.

'Six weeks out of [sic] the booking and we've asked again for a refund which they've denied. They've had months to refund us for a booking that we don't need. They're taking our money just because they can,' she raged.

She added: 'It's just incredibly poor form and so disappointing that businesses are taking advantage of people in the middle of a pandemic.'

In black and white: Weekenda's terms and conditions (pictured) clearly states that customers aren't entitled to a refund of their deposit if they cancel

Jade included a link to Weekenda's Instagram page, and it didn't take long for her supporters to lash out at the company.

She later claimed she was surprised that her followers had begun contacting the company directly and demanding they refund her money.

'Not y'all following them,' she wrote, rolling her eyes.Not long after, Jade shared another post announcing that Weekenda had agreed to refund her deposit.
Abbie Chatfield has sparked debate over the correct way to eat a KitKat chocolate bar.

During Abbie's HIT Network radio show Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield on Tuesday, her executive producer Max Corstorphan called her out for chomping into the block 'like a monster'.

'Half of the team is really unhappy with something that you've done and I think most people will be very unhappy when they find out what it is,' Max said.

Divided: The Bachelor's Abbie Chatfield (pictured) has sparked debate on the 'correct' way to eat a KitKat after chomping into the block 'like a monster'

'What have I done Maxi?' Abbie asked.

'I take you back to the weekend where you're posting stories in the car. Having a nice time. Having a nice break. Maybe a break for a KitKat.'

Max then called Abbie out for biting into the whole bar rather than breaking off the fingers.

Not impressed: During Abbie's HIT Network radio show Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield on Tuesday, her executive producer Max Corstorphan called her out for chomping into the block 'like a monster'

'The poor people that are watching your stories, their eyes are assaulted by you not snapping off a singular finger from the KitKat and nibbling on it like one should.'

He continued: 'Like the monster that you are, you just munch munch munch, eating into four fingers at a time.'

'You eat Kit Kat like a monster!'

Footage: In the video, Abbie is seen taking a bite out of the whole bar rather than breaking off apart the fingers

In September, KitKat finally settled the hotly-contested debate over the 'correct' way to eat the iconic bar after videos surfaced on TikTok showing KitKats being eaten in 'unmentionable' ways.

The confectionery brand stepped in to let Australia know once and for all - that as long as you 'have a break' to enjoy your KitKat, then you're doing it right.

'We know Aussies are extremely passionate about how they eat their KitKat, and fans across the country are stepping up to defend their technique,' Nestle head of marketing confectionery Joyce Tan said.

'Whether you snap, nibble or chomp, what really matters is that you take a break from your day to enjoy your KitKat your way.'
Mitch Orval has revealed the sad reason behind his absence from social media since late last year.

The Queensland influencer, who is the son of footy legend Mark Orval, shot to online fame in 2015 after he and his brother Dylan began secretly filming their father's expletive-laden tirades and posting them online.

The 'Angry Dad' video series became a viral sensation, and Mitch, 25, quickly became a social media star.

Breaking his silence: Troubled Instagram star Mitch Orval, 25, (pictured) shared the sad reason why he quit social media this week

However, fans became increasingly worried about Mitch late last year after he mysteriously vanished from Instagram.

Finally returning to Instagram this week, Mitch explained that he'd had enough of online troll and was ready to turn his back on social media forever.

Posting to his influencer girlfriend Chloe Szepanowski's Instagram Story rather than his own page, Mitch said in a video: 'This is going to be my last piece on social media, and I'm doing it because I feel like it's the perfect chance to finally explain why I left social media.'

Angry Dad: The Queensland influencer, who is the son of footy legend Mark Orval (pictured) shot to online fame in 2015 after he and his brother Dylan began secretly filming their father's expletive-laden tirades and posting them online

Indefinite hiatus: Fans became increasingly worried about Mitch late last year after he mysteriously vanished from Instagram. Posting to his girlfriend Chloe Szepanowski's page this week, Mitch explained that he'd had enough of online troll and was ready to turn his back on social media forever

'Five years ago, I got involved in social media through Angry Dad, and when I started making those videos, I never thought it was going to be life. I shared the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs, and I've lived a pretty transparent life through social media', he continued.

Mitch went on: 'And one thing that I worked out recently, and especially the last two years, it is not the nicest place to be.'

The father-of-one conceded that he, unlike many influencers, had a 'pretty positive audience', yet still experienced his fair share of negative feedback.

Backlash: The father-of-one conceded that he, unlike many influencers, had a 'pretty positive audience', yet still experienced his fair share of negative feedback. Pictured with girlfriend Chloe Szepanowski (right)

Hmm: It's unclear exactly what Mitch was referring to, but it could have something to do with the recent backlash he and Chloe have faced over their anti-vaxxer views and belief in Covid-19 conspiracy theories

He said he was sick of trolls 'painting him in certain ways', 'making him out to be someone he's not', and even 'cancelling him' for his life choices.

It's unclear exactly what Mitch was referring to, but it could have something to do with the recent backlash he and Chloe have faced over their anti-vaxxer views and belief in Covid-19 conspiracy theories.

In 2020, Mitch made headlines by revealing he was almost five months sober after secretly battling an expensive cocaine habit.

Coming clean: In 2020, Mitch made headlines by revealing he was almost five months sober after secretly battling an expensive cocaine habit

The prankster said he would go on 'absurd' coke binges up to three times per week and had 'no control' over himself when he was under the influence.

By his own admission, his drug abuse also put a strain on his relationship with Chloe, who at the time was five months pregnant with the couple's first child.

Mitchell decided to get sober late last year after realising his cocaine use was affecting his mental and physical health.

'I was terribly, terribly unhappy in my mental state,' he confessed in a YouTube video

'I was always putting myself in positions where I knew I'd be able to drink or I'd be able to get on drugs and I thought something has to change.'
Mandy Moore put on a glamorous display as she got ready to make a surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night.

The talented entertainer, 37, took to Instagram to show off her sleek look to her 4.8 million followers.

Mandy earlier made an eye-catching arrival at the TV studio in a multicoloured striped dress, which clung to her slim frame.

Gorgeous! Mandy Moore, 37, put on a glamorous display as she got ready to make a surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night

The New Hampshire native wowed with her dark hair pulled back into a chic, low, undone bun placed at the back of her head.

Delicate face-framing pieces were left out in the front and styled in a loose wave pattern, and wore dainty diamond earrings.

She skipped a necklace for her talk show spot and instead rocked a statement-making ring on her finger as she posed with her hands on her hips.

Meanwhile, her bold arrival ensemble boasted horizontal stripes from shades of green to orange, pink and purple.

Bold look: Mandy earlier made an eye-catching arrival at the TV studio in a multicoloured striped dress

Social media activity: The entertainer, 37, took to Instagram to show her sleek look to her 4.8 million followers

What an arrival: Meanwhile, her bold arrival ensemble boasted horizontal stripes from shades of green to orange, pink and purple

The mom-of-one wore a face of carefully applied feature-accentuating makeup, complete with a bright red lip.

In her Stories she alerted her fans to her appearance as she said, 'Surprise!! I'm on @jimmykimmellive tonight. Check it out!!'

In another outtake showing off a closeup view of her side profile she credited her glam squad and wrote, 'Thanks for helping a gal out with the glam.'

Continuing to promote her interview with the late night host she shared outtakes from the talk show's Instagram and gushed, 'Always love chatting it up on @jimmykimmellive. Thanks for having me!!'

Easy breezy: Mandy larked around in front of photographers before switching outfits and being dolled up for her TV appearance

Ready for her closeup: The mom-of-one wore a face of carefully applied feature-accentuating makeup, complete with a bright red lip

Repost: Continuing to promote her interview with the late night host she shared outtakes from the talk show's Instagram and gushed, 'Always love chatting it up on @jimmykimmellive. Thanks for having me!!'

Tuesday was a significant day for the This Is Us cast as the group got together to acknowledge the completion of their 100th episode.

They joined each other for a photo call and posed happily in front of an enormous cake with the title of the show and more.

The sweet treat extended to include multiple edible versions of significant mementos from the program.

It included a Steelers Jersey, camcorder, and box with the main characters' names.

Group celebration: Mandy celebrated the 100th episode of her hit NBC show This Is Us with her castmates on Tuesday; L-R Milo Ventimiglia, Niles Fitch, Justin Hartley, Chris Sullivan, Chrissy Metz, Jon Huertas, Sterling K. Brown, Caitlin Thompson, Mandy Moore, Logan Shroyer, Hannah Zeile, Chris Geere

Amazing! The This Is Us cast joined each other for a photo call and posed happily in front of an enormous cake with the title of the show and more

Moore also took to her Instagram grid to promote Tuesday's episode of the series.

She shared a commercial teasing the hourlong episode and called it 'very special.'

She gave a shoutout to her costar Susan Kelechi Watson, who co-wrote the episode with Eboni Freeman.

'It's pure magic,' she wrote to her fans and added, 'Cant wait for you to see!!'

Proud actress: Moore also took to her Instagram grid to promote Tuesday's episode of the series
T Australia has launched their first issue of 2022 with Idris Elba as their international cover star.

The award-winning English actor, producer and musician features on the cover of the fifth instalment of the New York Times style magazine and opens a series of stories spotlighting 'Modern Poets'.

Elba, 49, joins the Leimbach brothers from the Aussie pop-rock group Lime Cordiale, American ballet principal David Hallberg, musician Nick Cave and filmmaker Madeleine Gottlieb.

International star: English actor Idris Elba has been announced as T Australia's first international cover star for 2022

Katarina Kroslakova, the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of T Australia, says this edition 'brings together a group of artists who have demonstrated creativity and resilience through multiple forms of expression born from the physical limitations of the pandemic'.

She continued: 'The results are pieces of work that convey a deeper meaning for both the audience and the creator.'

Elba is featured throughout the magazine donning a variety of high end designer labels.

Collaboration: Elba, 49, joins the Leimbach brothers from the Aussie pop-rock group Lime Cordiale, American ballet principal David Hallberg, musician Nick Cave and filmmaker Madeleine Gottlieb

Katarina Kroslakova, the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of T Australia, says this edition 'brings together a group of artists who have demonstrated creativity and resilience through multiple forms of expression born from the physical limitations of the pandemic'.

T Australia describes the fifth issue of the magazine as celebrating 'literal, emotional and creative journeys'.

Inside Nick Cave looks at the 'space between merchandise and art' in his new project Cave Things, Gottlieb 'maps fraught emotional territory' in her film and TV work and Hallberg discusses his new role with the Australian Ballet.

Author and activist Bri Lee and T Australias restaurant critic, Besha Rodell, also feature in the instalment.

Theme: T Australia describes the fifth issue of the magazine as celebrating 'literal, emotional and creative journeys'

Elba is set to appear in a number of upcoming projects, including Aussie director George Miller's Three Thousand Years of Longing, the thriller Beast and the animated movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where he will voice Knuckles the Echidna.

He will also reprise his role as detective John Luther in Luther.

Issue 5 of T Australia will be available to purchase on Monday, February 28.
She and fiance Kyle Sandilands have kept mum on whether they're having a boy or a girl.

But Tegan Kynaston is prepared for either eventuality, based on a social media post on the 36-year-old's Instagram account on Wednesday.

In it, the former communications director showed two enormous rings, one in case of a boy and the other for a girl.

Prepared: Tegan Kynaston is prepared for any gender eventuality when she gives birth, based on a social media post on the 36-year-old's Instagram account on Wednesday

One ring boasted a gigantic rectangular purple stone, while the other was a blue-shaped teardrop cut stone.

'Boy or girl' mused Tegan, before admitting she 'can't go wrong with either'.

The post comes after KIIS FM presenter Kyle Sandilands has denied he's picked his radio co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson to be his child's godmother.

Woman's Day alleged Jackie, 47, was 'over the moon' to be asked, but Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet hosed down the story on Monday.

Top secret: She and fiance Kyle Sandilands (right, with Tegan) have kept mum on whether they're having a boy or a girl

Not true! Kyle has shut down rumours he's chosen co-host Jackie O (right) to be his baby's godmother' - as he prepares to welcome a child with Tegan

'Woman's Day has a stellar and unblemished track record of making up stories,' Mr Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia.

'This fictitious fable can go straight to the crowded pool room where Woman's Day keep all of their other spurious spiels.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jackie's manager for further comment.

Kyle and Jackie have been colleagues and friends for more than 20 years.

Denial: Woman's Day alleged Jackie was 'over the moon' to be asked, but Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet hosed down the story on Monday

She previously described the shock jock as her 'go-to' person.

'Kyle is the one I would go to if I were in a jam. He's the person I'd go to for anything, because no one has my back like he does  and I have his back,' she told TV Week in September.

'We know each other better than anyone else.'

Congratulations! Kyle and his fiancee Tegan, who have been dating since 2019, announced their baby news live on The Kyle and Jackie O Show last week

Kyle, 50, and his fiancee Tegan Kynaston, 36, announced their baby news live on The Kyle and Jackie O Show last week.

'We're having a baby!' Kyle declared on air, as the entire KIIS FM studio cheered.

He then joked he plans to hire a 'dozen Fijian nannies' once the baby is born.

Sweet moment: 'We're having a baby!' Kyle declared on air, as Tegan joined him in the studio

Tegan, who is three months pregnant, also revealed her fiance had been busy preparing for their child's arrival, even helping pick out cribs.

The couple, who have been dating since 2019 and got engaged in Queensland over the Christmas holidays, began trying for a baby last year.

Kyle was previously in a relationship with model Imogen Anthony for eight years until their split in 2019.
She's one of the most famous models in the world.

And on Tuesday, Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her slim frame in a tropical print bikini as she sipped wine in St Barts on the first day of her latest vacation.

The sun worshipping supermodel, 40, stunned in a rust colored cover up wrapped around her waist as she relaxed at the beach on with son Noah, nine.

Loving life: On Tuesday, Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, showed off her slim frame in a tropical print bikini as she sipped wine on the beach in St Barts on the first day of her latest vacation

Alessandra strolled through the water's edge in the orange bikini, which featured eye-catching splashes of navy blue and sleek edging.

The model accessorised her beach look with layers of delicate necklaces and bracelets while shielding her eyes with vintage style shades.

Alessandra was spotted collecting shells as she wandered about barefoot, with her brunette hair left hanging down around her shoulders.

Mum and son: Alessandra spent time on the beach with her son Noah Mazur, nine

Gorgeous: Alessandra strolled through the water's edge in the orange bikini, which featured eye-catching splashes of navy blue and sleek edging

Alessandra spent time on the beach with her son Noah Mazur, nine. Missing from the scene was Alessandra's daughter Anja Mazur, 13.

The entrepreneur shares her two children with her ex fiance Jamie Mazur, whom she dated from 2005 to 2018.

The former Victoria's Secret beauty seems to be forever on vacation, hitting the Caribbean island only weeks after her lengthy New Year's break in her native Brazil.

Finishing touches: The model accessorised her beach look with layers of delicate necklaces and bracelets while shielding her eyes with vintage style shades

Keepsake: Alessandra was spotted collecting shells as she wandered about barefoot

Alessandra is now with Richard Lee. The pair have been romantically linked since February 2021 after they were captured going on numerous dates together in Los Angeles.

The happy couple recently spent time in the model's native Brazil, with Richard referring to Alessandra as his official 'tour guide' on Instagram.

Prior to Richard, the supermodel was romantically linked to designer Nicolo Oddi but the pair appear to have split up sometime before December 2020.
Bella and Gigi Hadid touched down in Milan on Tuesday ahead of the city's annual fashion week.

Gigi, 26, brought her daughter Khai, 18 months, who she shares with former One Direction star Zayn Malik, and cradled her in her arms as they left the airport.

Younger sibling Bella, 25, cut a casual figure for the outing as she donned a black and yellow knitted jumper with a star print.

Family: Bella and Gigi Hadid touched down in Milan on Tuesday ahead of the city's annual fashion week

The star also donned a pair of black trousers and matching boots while she wrapped up for the day in a black jacket.

Styling her locks into an updo, Bella added to her outfit with a pair of sunglasses and black ear muffs.

Gigi also opted for a laid back look, wearing a black printed jacket and matching trousers.

Also wearing a pair of brown ugg boots and sunglasses, the model wrapped her daughter up in a brown blanket.

Outfit: Younger sibling Bella, 25, cut a casual figure for the outing as she donned a black and yellow knitted jumper with a star print

Tot: Gigi, 26, brought her daughter Khai, who she shares with former One Direction star Zayn Malik, and cradled her in her arms as they left the airport

Travel: Gigi also opted for a laid back look, wearing a black printed jacket and matching trousers

It is no surprise that Bella has rose to superstardom fame, following in her mother, Yolanda Hadid and sister Gigi's footsteps.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was a major model in the '80s and '90s and got Gigi into modeling when she was just two-years-old.

Bella recently walked in the Michael Kors runway show during New York Fashion Week.

She was joined by Gigi and other top models including Irina Shayk and Emily Ratajkowski.

Fashion week: Styling her locks into an updo, Bella added to her outfit with a pair of sunglasses and black ear muffs

Low-key: Gigi styled her blonde tresses into an updo for the outing

Busy: Bella recently walked in the Michael Kors runway show during New York Fashion Week

Bella debuted an overhauled look during a trip to one of the international Vogue offices on Sunday, where she shared a slew of mirror selfies to Instagram.

The supermodel experimented with a chic brown pixie wig as she donned a blue maxi dress, while wearing a coordinating shade of eye-shadow.

In her caption, the runway star wrote: '6am at Vogue,' followed by a blue butterfly and genie emoji.
The outside view of the U.S. Supreme Court building is seen in Washington, D.C., in this photo taken in November 2021. Reuters-Yonhap



President Joe Biden has interviewed at least three candidates for the Supreme Court, according to a person familiar with the matter, and the White House is reiterating that he remains on track to make a final selection by Monday.



White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that Biden has not made a decision on whom to nominate. But the president has interviewed judges Ketanji Brown Jackson, J. Michelle Childs and Leondra Kruger, according to a person familiar with the matter. A second person familiar said Biden had interviewed at least three candidates for the post. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the internal process.





U.S. President Joe Biden hosts a virtual roundtable on securing critical minerals at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. Reuters-Yonhap
Paris Jackson showed off her favourite style - edgy and fashion-forward - as she grabbed a detox beverage at celebrity favourite Moon Juice in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old star looked windswept as the blustery California gales played havoc with her hair while out getting refreshments with a friend.

Paris looked effortlessly stylish as she donned a pair of oversized ripped jeans which matched perfectly with a pair of chunky Doc Martins.

Paris Jackson showed off her favourite style - edgy and fashion-forward - as grabbed a detox beverage at celebrity favourite - Moon Juice in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The budding popstar showed off her unique sense of style donning a vintage Edy's Grand Ice Cream graphic T-shirt.

She completed the overall look wearing several handcrafted beads while showing off her impressive collection of tattoos.

Paris' friend cut a casual figure as he strode alongside her in a hoodie and cargo trousers.

Windy! The 23-year-old star looked windswept as the blustery California gales played havoc with her hair as she pounded the pavement with a friend

It comes after Paris surprised patrons drinking and dining at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, CO last Thursday with an impromptu show featuring tracks from her newly-released EP The Lost, including one likely about her ex Gabriel Glenn.

'This next song is about my ex. This is the song that's on my EP that came out, f***, I don't know? 10 minutes ago?' the 23-year-old Michael Jackson heiress announced before playing Breathe Again at the event, which was organized by Rebecca Minkoff.

'We broke up two years ago on Valentine's Day and then I wrote this song. So I hope you like it, I know he won't.'

Cozy concert: It comes after Paris surprised patrons drinking and dining at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, CO last Thursday with an impromptu show

That same day, Paris had promoted her three-track album on Instagram with the caption: 'Because who doesn't love a lil EP about an ex lover?'

Jackson's soft whispery vocals and acoustic guitar strums were mostly drowned out by crowd noise in the packed restaurant.

'I don't write happy songs,' the self-described 'mediocre Thom Yorke impersonator' explained.

'So, when I do and try to write a love song it usually ends up being a song about me dying. So, that's what this one is, it's called Yellow Bird.'

Colorado chic: Paris was dressed conservatively in a brown reptilian-print motorcycle jacket from Rebecca Minkoff with a white blouse over a red velvet top and brown suede slacks

Paris continued: 'We broke up two years ago on Valentine's Day and then I wrote this song. So I hope you like it, I know he won't'

Paris was dressed conservatively in a brown reptilian-print motorcycle jacket with a white blouse over a red velvet top and brown suede slacks for her show.

Paris celebrated last Valentine's Day with self-taught metal artist Michael Bradley at Craig's in West Hollywood but she previously dated Gabriel Glenn, Michael Snoddy, Chester Castellaw, and Tom Kilbey.

The Lost - released by Republic Records - features the Adagio songstress' original break-up songs Breathe Again and Lost as well as a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 hit Never Going Back Again.

Paris recorded The Lost - available on Apple and Spotify - with Caamp musicians Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall at the Colombus, OH facility, Oranjudio.

That same day, Paris had promoted her three-track album on Instagram with the caption: 'Because who doesn't love a lil EP about an ex lover?'

'I don't write happy songs': The self-described 'mediocre Thom Yorke impersonator's soft whispery vocals and acoustic guitar strums were mostly drowned out by crowd noise in the packed restaurant

Sweet: Paris celebrated last Valentine's Day with self-taught metal artist Michael Bradley at Craig's in West Hollywood

Paris was hard at work at a different recording studio on Saturday night with producer Simon Oscroft.

On February 1, the Sex Appeal actress reunited with her brothers Prince and Bigi (previously known as 'Blanket') to attend the Broadway opening of MJ: The Musical at the Neil Simon Theatre in Manhattan's Midtown neighborhood.

The fully-authorized jukebox musical - starring Myles Frost - takes audiences inside the late King of Pop's creative process while rehearsing for his 1992 Dangerous Tour.

It features over 25 of Michael's biggest hits and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

Released by Republic Records: The Lost features the Adagio songstress' original break-up songs Breathe Again and Lost as well as a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 1977 hit Never Going Back Again

Available on Apple and Spotify! Paris recorded The Lost with Caamp musicians Taylor Meier and Evan Westfall at the Colombus, OH facility, Oranjudio

More to come! Jackson was hard at work at a different recording studio on Saturday night with producer Simon Oscroft

Page Six reported that Paris teared up during the I'll Be There segment in the first act and later 'sent roses to every single member of the cast.'

Jackson receives $8M annually with bonuses at age 18, 33, and 40 from her famous father's $100M inheritance - according to Page Six .

The 13-time Grammy winner succumbed to 'acute Propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication' at age 50 back in 2009.

The trust-fund bohemian will next serve opening duties for six dates of Patrick Droney's State of the Heart Tour beginning on March 19 at The Space in Las Vegas.
She is always impeccably glamourous whenever she steps out.

And Christine Quinn commanded attention in a patterned Moschino dress as she posed up a storm for a photoshoot in LA on Tuesday.

The Selling Sunset star, 33, put on a leggy display in the bright, thigh-skimming number which she teamed with pink leather gloves.

Wow: Christine Quinn commanded attention in a patterned Moschino dress as she posed up a storm for a photoshoot in LA on Tuesday

The mother-of-one boosted her height with a pair of chunky shiny black heels and accessorised with a quirky hairdryer-shaped purse also from the Italian fashion house.

Christine wore her blonde hair swept up with part of her tresses framing her pretty face and opted for a typically glamorous makeup look.

She later donned statement black sunglasses as she worked her best angles for the camera.

Looking good: The Selling Sunset star, 33, put on a leggy display in the bright, thigh-skimming number which she teamed with pink leather gloves

Christine is married to retired tech entrepreneur Christian Richard with whom she welcomed a baby son called Christian last May.

Just as Christine finished filming a season of Selling Sunset her water broke and she had an emergency cesarean.

Shortly afterward she joked to People: 'Let's just say he was born with good taste. He has a closet filled with designer outfits that I cannot wait to dress him in!'

However she recently gave an interview to ET Canada where she frankly discussed having postpartum depression on the set of Selling Sunset.

Details: The mother-of-one boosted her height with a pair of chunky shiny black heels and accessorised with a quirky hairdryer-shaped purse also from the Italian fashion house

To make matters worse, the show was edited to hide her pregnancy and Christine had to cope with blowback from viewers as a result.

They edited me from you know, the boobs up so I got a lot of backlash on social media saying: 'I can't believe you're doing yoga two weeks after giving birth after having an emergency C-section,'' she said.

'My process was not easy by any means and on TV, they make it look easy. But I was I was struggling in real life. I really was.'

Meanwhile she said she was treated in an 'extremely hurtful' way by her co-stars despite being 'absolutely' open with them and the producers about her troubles.

'They make fun of the fact of me being late in the show. 'Oh, Christine's late. Oh, Christine's late,'' she told the outlet.

'And it's because I was literally having panic attacks and I was worried about my pregnancy and something going wrong because every time I was working, I was walking into work. It was a lion's den and these girls were pitted against me. And it was really, really difficult.'
Alexandra Daddario was a vision of beauty as she attended the SAG Awards ambassador dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The actress, 35, was recently named ambassador for the upcoming ceremony and looked sensational as she attended the celebratory event in a scarlet gown.

Despite a recent terrifying incident, in which an armed man was arrested outside her home, Alexandra looked in good spirits as she posed for photographs on the night.

Lady in red! Alexandra Daddario was a vision of beauty as she attended the SAG Awards ambassador dinner in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Alexandra wowed in a scarlet figure-hugging gown with an asymmetric neckline to show off her toned arms.

Adding to the glamour, the Baywatch star donned a slick of red lipstick, while her glossy chestnut locks were styled in loose waves to frame her pretty features.

She completed the look with a statement gold cuff and red satin heels.

Gorgeous: The actress, 35, was recently named ambassador for the upcoming ceremony and looked sensational as she attended the celebratory event in a scarlet gown

Alexandra was joined at the event by Ross Butler who was also named as an SAG Awards ambassador earlier this month.

According to the guild, ambassadors 'are actors who exemplify the utmost values of the profession and are positive role models for the next generation of performers.

'These individuals actively use their platform to advocate for humanitarian and public service endeavors.'

Tanned and toned: Alexandra wowed in a scarlet figure-hugging gown with an asymmetric neckline to show off her toned arms

Beauty: Adding to the glamour, the Baywatch star donned a slick of red lipstick, while her glossy chestnut locks were styled in loose waves to frame her pretty features

Alexandra had her breakthrough playing Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson film series and has also starred in Texas Chainsaw 3D, San Andreas and Baywatch.

Meanwhile, Ross is best known for his role as Zach Dempsey in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and as Brett Willis on K.C. Undercover.

The dinner comes after Alexandria was forced to call police to her home on Saturday.

Two's company: Alexandra was joined at the event by Ross Butler who was also named as an SAG Awards ambassador earlier this month

Prestigious: According to the guild, ambassadors 'are actors who exemplify the utmost values of the profession and are positive role models for the next generation of performers'

Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department arrived to The White Lotus star's home after a man had been spotted screaming something about her while standing outside her house, per TMZ.

After the suspect allegedly refused their request to leave, they detained him and searched his vehicle where they found a loaded handgun.

Authorities said the man was was David Adam Cako, 24, according to the Los Angeles Times. Cako, who is from Woodland Park, Colorado, was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

Famous face: Alexandra had her breakthrough playing Annabeth Chase in the Percy Jackson film series and has also starred in Texas Chainsaw 3D, San Andreas and Baywatch

Talented: Ross is best known for his role as Zach Dempsey in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and as Brett Willis on K.C. Undercover

TMZ reported Sunday that Cako was still in custody. His bail was set at $35,000, according to the LA Times.

The Times reports authorities would not confirm whether or not Cako yelled about the actress and refused to leave the site once police arrived.

There is no confirmation on whether Alexandra or her fiance were at home at the time of the scary incident.

Delightful duo: Alexandra was joined by Kathy Connell who has produced the Screen Actors Guild Awards since its inception in 1995
Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles looked effortlessly chic at the LA premiere of Tyler Perry's A Madea Homecoming film on Tuesday night.

The business woman, 68, wowed in a flattering cobalt blue co-ord which clung to her youthful figure as she posed for the cameras.

The top featured pretty ruffle detailing under the bust and around her waist while the matching trousers had a straight-leg design.

Style: Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles looked effortlessly chic at the LA premiere of Tyler Perry's A Madea Homecoming film on Tuesday night

She completed her look with a pair of strappy black heels that showed off her red pedicure and accessorised perfectly with a selection of gold necklaces.

Tina wore her brunette tresses in a blow-dried curly style and opted for a glamorous makeup look complete with a slick of bright red lip.

She was joined by her husband of seven years Richard Lawson, 74, who looked dapper in a dark navy suit and black jumper.

Glowing: The business woman, 68, wowed in a flattering cobalt blue co-ord which clung to her youthful figure as she posed for the cameras

Looking good: The top featured pretty ruffle detailing under the bust and around her waist while the matching trousers had a straight-leg design

Elsewhere at the premiere Tyler himself posed on the purple carpet wearing a brown jacket, red jumper and cream chinos.

Actress and model KJ Smith put on a very glamorous display in a cream gown that featured a busty neckline.

Candace Maxwell also attended and wore a plunging black number while putting on a confident display for the cameras.

Couple: She was joined by her husband of seven years Richard Lawson, 74, who looked dapper in a dark navy suit and black jumper

Radiant: Tina wore her brunette tresses in a blow-dried curly style and opted for a glamorous makeup look complete with a slick of bright red lip

Actress Geneva Maccarone put on very busty display in a white gown that hugged her gorgeous curves.

Tyler's A Madea Homecoming will debut on the streaming service Netflix on February 25, with Perry once again writing, directing and starring in the film.

This time around, Madea is celebrating her great-grandson's college graduation  or attempting to.

Suave: Elsewhere at the premiere Tyler himself posed on the purple carpet wearing a brown jacket, red jumper and cream chinos

Woah! Actress and model KJ Smith put on a very glamorous display in a cream gown that featured a busty neckline

Work it: Candace Maxwell also attended and wore a plunging black number while putting on a confident display for the cameras

The celebration hits a halt as hidden secrets and family drama threaten to destroy the happy homecoming.

Perry told EW that the film will involve a LGBTQ+ storyline.

This is the 10th feature film starring Madea in a major role, and features the returns of Tamela Mann (Cora), David Mann (Mr. Brown), Cassi Davis Patton (Aunt Bam) as well as a guest appearance from iconic Irish actor Brendan O'Carroll, who plays Agnes Brown.

Perry had previously said that 2019's A Madea Family Funeral would be the final installment of the franchise, but had a change of heart during the pandemic.

Looking lovely: Actress Geneva Maccarone put on very busty display in a white gown that hugged her gorgeous curves

Stars: Candace Maxwell, Brandon Black, Tyler Perry, and Will Areu all posed together at the event

Red hot: Alejandra Velez-Areu, left and Will Areu posed together at the LA premiere for the new film

'I was looking at the state of the world and how polarized it is nobody's laughing. Nobody's getting the chance to belly-laugh anymore,' Perry told EW in explaining why he brought the character back.

'And I'm like, 'What tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?'

The Madea character originated in a 1999 play by Perry called I Can Do Bad All by Myself, making her onscreen debut in 2005's Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

Since then, Perry turned the character into a franchise staple.

Close: Tyler and KJ Smith hugged on the purple carpet and put on an animated display while posing together

Curves: KJ showed off her incredible figure in her stunning gown which she teamed with brown PVC gloves
Helen Mirren has said 'the end of the road is in sight' after she received a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award.

The actress, 76, has enjoyed a career spanning over 50 years and said accepting the honour was a 'moment of reflection' for her.

Speaking on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine, she said: 'That's a big deal, I didn't quite grasp how big a deal it was.

Career: Helen Mirren has said 'the end of the road is in sight' after she received a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award

'There's a great feeling of pride, wow me, really? There's a slight sting in the tail as well of, oh gosh.

'You are in a way, coming to the end of the road. Certainly the end of the road is in sight where it wasn't 20 years ago. It's a moment for reflection.

She added: 'Do I deserve this? How did I get here? Was it luck or agency on my part?'

After it was announced she had been selected for the award, Helen said: 'I am honored to have been chosen to receive the SAG Life Achievement Award.

Success: The actress, 76, has enjoyed a career spanning over 50 years and said accepting the honour was a 'moment of reflection' for her (pictured in July 2021)

'Since I was a young actor starting out, I have always been inspired by and learned from American screen acting, so this award is particularly meaningful for me.'

Helen adds this latest honor to a robust collection of awards including an Oscar, a Tony, and multiple SAG, Emmy and BAFTA Awards.

With 13 SAG Awards nominations and five wins, she is the most decorated SAG Life Achievement recipient, the union said.

The actress will be presented the award by SAG-AFTRA at the 28th annual ceremony at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica.

Reflection: Speaking on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine, she said: 'That's a big deal, I didn't quite grasp how big a deal it was'

She said: 'You are in a way, coming to the end of the road. Certainly the end of the road is in sight where it wasn't 20 years ago. It's a moment for reflection'

Elsewhere during her interview, Helen discussed her role in the comedy-drama film The Duke opposite Jim Broadbent.

Jim stars as Kempton Bunton, a pensioner who allegedly stole Francisco Goya's painting of Portrait Of The Duke Of Wellington from the National Gallery in 1961, with Helen playing his wife Dorothy.

She said: 'It's obviously a comedy and is very funny but does have the tragedy that many families face.'
Victoria Lee has been announced as the face of JETS Swimwear, fronting their new Sanctuary In Style ad campaign.

The 31-year-old model looked glamorous as she showed off the swimwear label's latest collection.

Victoria modelled a variety of retro-inspired looks in a photoshoot, which took place at a private estate in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

New gig: Victoria Lee has been announced as the face of JETS Swimwear, fronting their new Sanctuary In Style ad campaign

Several photos showed Victoria relaxing by a luxurious indoor swimming pool as she modelled the brand's swimwear and resort wear.

Other photos were taken out on the open water, with Victoria posing on a boat as she soaked up the sun.

In one photo, she positioned herself behind the boat's steering wheel, while dressed in a black one-piece with a plunging neckline.

Seas the day: The 31-year-old model looked glamorous as she showed off the swimwear label's latest collection

The good life: Victoria modelled a variety of retro-inspired looks in a photoshoot, which took place at a private estate in Sydney's eastern suburbs

'The campaign takes inspiration from the glamour of travel, the expression of art and the secluded beauty of tropical destinations,' reads a media release

Partners: In a post on Instagram on Tuesday, Victoria explained her decision to team up with JETS Swimwear for their new campaign

Another photo showed her reclining on the deck of the boat in a patterned bandeau bikini top, which she paired with geometric-print pants.

One image showed the stunning star wading through the swimming pool in a strapless green floral one-piece.

'The campaign takes inspiration from the glamour of travel, the expression of art and the secluded beauty of tropical destinations,' reads a media release.

Life of luxury: Several photos showed Victoria relaxing by a luxurious indoor swimming pool as she modelled the brand's swimwear and resort wear

Girls just wanna have sun: Other photos were taken out on the open water, with Victoria posing on a boat as she soaked up the sun

'Allowing you to dream of destinations afar and find a sanctum in your mind where you can feel the way you choose - strong, happy, powerful and sexy - in your own skin,' reads the media release

The latest collection 'aims to evoke a sense of renewal, looking to the future with a sense of optimism and possibility'.

'Allowing you to dream of destinations afar and find a sanctum in your mind where you can feel the way you choose - strong, happy, powerful and sexy - in your own skin,' it continued.

'Empowered by chic, sophisticated style that inspires you to navigate the globe and experience all it has to offer - finding your personal paradise in the mirage of life.'

Ahoy there, captain: In one photo, she positioned herself behind the boat's steering wheel, while dressed in a black one-piece with a plunging neckline

Laidback style: Another photo showed her reclining on the deck of the boat in a patterned bandeau bikini top, which she paired with geometric-print pants

Making a splash: One image showed the stunning star wading through the swimming pool in a strapless green floral one-piece

'A brand I have loved and trusted for years, @jetsaustralia consistently creates effortless, considered and sophisticated swim and resort collections that always make me feel comfortable and confident in my own skin,' Victoria wrote on Instagram

The collection was designed in Sydney, with the brand choosing Victoria to front the latest ad campaign, claiming she embodies 'sophistication and confidence'.

'She brings the collection to life through a contemporary JETS lens, epitomising modern femininity and luxurious resort living,' reads the media release.

The latest collection features 'uplifting vibrant hues and tropical motifs, alongside re-imaged geometric and animal prints that are now synonymous with the brand'.

'Empowered by chic, sophisticated style that inspires you to navigate the globe and experience all it has to offer - finding your personal paradise in the mirage of life,' reads the media release

Close to home: The collection was designed in Sydney, with the brand choosing Victoria to front the latest ad campaign, claiming she embodies 'sophistication and confidence'

On-trend: The latest collection features 'uplifting vibrant hues and tropical motifs, alongside re-imaged geometric and animal prints that are now synonymous with the brand'

In a post on Instagram on Tuesday, Victoria explained her decision to team up with JETS Swimwear for their new campaign.

'A brand I have loved and trusted for years, @jetsaustralia consistently creates effortless, considered and sophisticated swim and resort collections that always make me feel comfortable and confident in my own skin,' she wrote.

'I'm honoured to join the JETS family for this campaign all about optimism and possibility. Thank you to the wonderful team!'
Hollywood's Screen Actors Guild awards, voted on by members of the SAG-AFTRA acting union, are set to be handed out at a ceremony in Los Angeles on February 27.

And, Dame Helen Mirren, 76, was elegant in black and gold while Vanessa Hudgens, 33, stunned in lilac as they posed for portraits ahead of the upcoming SAG Awards ceremony.

The British actress is set to be awarded the 57th Life Achievement Award, while Vanessa announced the SAG Awards nominees back in January.

Star power: Dame Helen Mirren, 76, was elegant in black and gold while Vanessa Hudgens, 33, stunned in lilac as they posed for portraits ahead of the upcoming SAG Awards

Dame oozed star power in her floor length black frock, which boasted 3D metallic gold flower appliques.

Her jaw-dropping gown featured a boat neckline and three-quarter length sleeves, and Dame Helen's tresses were styled sleek and straight.

Vanessa commanded attention in her Giambattista Valli ensemble, comprising a lace crop top and billowing maxi skirt.

She boosted her height with perspex heels and kept her raven locks away from her face with a centre-parted chignon bun.

Glorious: Dame Helen's jaw-dropping gown featured a boat neckline and her tresses were styled sleek and straight

Divine: Vanessa commanded attention in her Giambattista Valli ensemble, comprising a lace crop top and billowing maxi skirt

Stunning: Dame oozed star power in her floor length black frock, which boasted 3D metallic gold flower appliques

The SAG Awards nominees for best male lead actor are: Will Smith ('King Richard'), Cumberbatch, Denzel Washington ('The Tragedy of Macbeth'), Andrew Garfield ('Tick, Tick ... Boom!') and Javier Bardem ('Being the Ricardos').

Up for best female lead are: Lady Gaga ('House of Gucci'), Jessica Chastain ('The Eyes of Tammy Faye'), Olivia Colman ('The Lost Daughter'), Nicole Kidman ('Being the Ricardos') and Jennifer Hudson ('Respect').

Joining Belfast and CODA for best ensemble are the casts for House of Gucci, Don't Look Up and King Richard.

Notably left out are the casts of Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (which did land a supporting nod for Ariana DeBose) and Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog.

Beauty: Vanessa kept her raven locks away from her face with a centre-parted chignon bun

Finishing touches: She boosted her height with perspex heels and

The SAG Awards, presented by the actors guild SAG-AFTRA, are among the most reliable Oscar bellwethers. Seldom does a movie or performance not nominated by the screen actors end up winning at the Academy Awards.

Actors make up the biggest percentage of the film academy, so their choices have the largest sway.

The 28th annual SAG Awards are to be held February 27 and will be broadcast on TNT and TBS. The Oscars are scheduled for March 27.
She has a fleet of luxury cars to her name.

And it turns out Kim Kardashian was keen to make her rotation of supercars as unique as possible - by getting them spray painted to match her house.

The SKIMS founder, 41, dropped more than $100,000 on customising a Lamborghini, Rolls Royce and a Maybach - which she has had sprayed ghost grey.

Wow! Kim Kardashian paid more than $100,000 to get her cars spray painted grey

Insiders told TMZ that the paint job was carried out by Platinum Motorsports in Los Angeles, who claimed the colour is a 'very specific Rolls-Royce grey'.

Sources claimed that each car took around a month to complete because each part of the car has to be taken apart in order to be sprayed.

They also added that Kim was 'very involved' in the process and told the team exactly what she wanted ahead of the project.

Amazing! Insiders told TMZ that the paint job was carried out by Platinum Motorsports in Los Angeles, who claimed the colour is a 'very specific Rolls-Royce grey'

Customers have reportedly caught wind that Platinum is the place to go for the 'Kim K' spray job and have been asking to copy her style.

Kim spoke about her customised cars in a new video for Vogue where she discusses the 'objects of her affection' in her Hidden Hills home.

One of the cars Kim had sprayed was a Lamborghini Urus, which has a starting price of $218,009, but the mother of two revealed she had a 'special kit' added - meaning that the vehicle was no doubt much higher in cost.

Big spender! Sources claimed that each car took around a month to complete because each part of the car has to be taken apart in order to be sprayed

She told Vogue: 'I've always been a car girl, I love cars, and I really wanted something different. I wanted my cars to blend in with my house which is grey.

'So I did all grey cars, instead of my typical matte silver, which I used to do.

'I picked out my Lamborghini Urus with a kit on the front, Rolls Royce Ghost with a crystal lady, and my Maybach Sedan.'

Rolls Royce Ghosts retail from $311,900, while a Mayback Sedan would set customers back at least $185,950.

Kim added: 'I love everything about it, painting the emblem grey, if I were to pick one [the Maybach] - that's my baby right there!'
Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey was worlds away from his period role as he arrived for rehearsals for his new play Cock on Tuesday.

The actor, 33, who rose to prominence through his role as Anthony in the Netflix period drama, was seen hugging and laughing with his close pal Kate O'Flynn during a break from preparations for his latest role.

It comes as fans eagerly count down the days until the release of Bridgerton's second season next month, which will focus on Anthony's quest to settle down and find a wife after his steamy affair with mistress Siena Rosso.

Casual: Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey was worlds away from his period role as he arrived for rehearsals for his new play Cock on Tuesday

Jonathan cut a casual figure in a purple and black North Face jacket as he arrived at the theatre for rehearsals.

The actor was seen chatting and laughing with co-star Kate as they stood outside together, before sharing a hug.

Jonathan and Kate have previously been seen supporting each other at the opening nights for their various West End productions, including The End Of History in 2019 and The York Realist in 2018.

Sweet: The actor, 33, was seen hugging and laughing with his close pal Kate O'Flynn

As seen on screen: Jonathan rose to prominence through his role as Anthony in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton

Pals: Jonathan and Kate have previously been seen supporting each other at the opening nights for their various West End productions

Low-key: Jonathan cut a casual figure in a purple and black North Face jacket as he arrived at the theatre for rehearsals

Sweet: In an interview with The Times in 2018, former Broadchurch star Jonathan described Kate as his 'all-time bezzie,' and even revealed their plans to trek to Everest Base Camp

In an interview with The Times in 2018, former Broadchurch star Jonathan described Kate as his 'all-time bezzie,' and even revealed their plans to trek to Everest Base Camp.

The actor is set to star in a West End revival of the play Cock for a 12-week run, where he will star opposite Taron Egerton.

The show focuses on a gay man who becomes torn on his same-sex relationship when he falls in love with a woman who he spots on his commute through London, and after having sex with her struggles to decide who he wants to be with.

Coming soon: The actor is set to star in a West End revival of the play Cock for a 12-week run, where he will star opposite Taron Egerton

Racy: The show focuses on a gay man who becomes torn on his same-sex relationship when he falls in love with a woman who he spots on his commute through London

Acclaimed: Jonathan rose to worldwide fame through his role as Viscount Anthony in the racy period drama Bridgerton, with the second series set for release on Netflix on March 25

Soon: In the show, Anthony is set to marry Kate Sharma's younger sister, but she deems him unworthy of her hand, and it appears that romance could blossom between the rivals

Anticipated: The second series will focus on Anthony's attempts to find a wife, becoming the centre of Lady Whistledown's attention as she takes a quill to paper once more

Jonathan rose to worldwide fame through his role as Viscount Anthony in the racy period drama Bridgerton, with the second series set for release on Netflix on March 25.

After the first series focused on young Daphne Bridgerton's debut in society, and her romance and marriage to the Duke Of Hastings, the second series will focus on Anthony's attempts to find a wife, becoming the centre of Lady Whistledown's attention as she takes a quill to paper once more.

Having ended his affair with mistress Siena, Anthony is set to marry Kate Sharma's younger sister, but she deems him unworthy of her hand, and it appears that romance could blossom between the rivals.

Bridgerton season two will be released on Netflix on March 25.
Neighbours' future looks uncertain after the UK's Channel 5 recently opted to pull their funding from the show.

And bookmakers are already taking bets on which of the soap's many famous alum might make a return for the show's potentially final bow this year.

Kylie Minogue's character Charlene Mitchell is the most likely to return according to betting markets, with a 50 per cent likelihood.

They should be so lucky! Kylie Minogue's character Charlene Mitchell is the most likely to return to Neighbours for its final episode, according to betting markets

Betting experts OLBG have her love interest from the show, Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan) at very similar 11/10 odds.

Susan and Karl Kennedy are next best with bookies at 5/2, while it seems unlikely that Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth or Delta Goodrem will return to the show that made them household names.

Hollywood superstar Margot Robbie is rated with a very slim one per cent chance of returning to Ramsay Street.

Iconic duo: Betting experts OLBG have her love interest from the show, Scott Robinson (Jason Donovan, pictured left with Kylie circa 1988) at very similar 11/10 odds

Long shots: Delta Goodrem (left) has a less than three per cent chance of a return, while Hollywood superstar Margot Robbie (right) is rated a very slim one per cent chance of returning to Ramsay Street

The news comes as other former cast members have publicly reminisced about their time on the beloved TV drama.

Ian Smith and Anne Charleston, who played Harold and Madge Bishop respectively, said on Studio 10 on Tuesday it would be sad to see the show go after it had given them both so much.

'It made me well looked after in my senior years,' Smith, 83, said, while Charleston, 79, added: 'Me too... It opened doors that never would have been opened.'

Nostalgia: With the axe hanging over Neighbours, two of Ramsey Street's favourites, Ian Smith and Anne Charleston, reunited on Studio 10 on Tuesday to remember the good times

The veteran Aussie actors cheerfully took viewers behind the scenes of some of the soap's most memorable moments.

Charleston revealed that for Madge's devastating death-bed scene, the producers would not let her 'die' with her eyes open: 'They thought that was too scary.'

Harold's disappearance in stormy seas was also a case of 'TV magic' since the ocean on the day of shooting was calm, Smith said.

Good Neighbours: 'It made me well looked after in my senior years,' Smith, 83, said, while Charleston, 79, added: 'Me too... It opened doors that never would have been opened'

Grateful: The pair, who spent more than a decade working on the show, said Neighbours gave so much to their lives and careers

Smith, who was a writer on the show, went on to deny being the talent behind one of Neighbours most notorious scenes: Bouncer the Dog's 'dream sequence'.

'That's where we hit rock bottom,' Charleston added. 'He was a beautiful dog, and he didn't deserve a scene like that.'

Fans of the show were left devastated earlier this month by news the long-running soap is set to be axed after 37 years on the air.

Its future hangs in the balance after UK broadcaster Channel 5, which has bankrolled production for years, confirmed its decision not to renew its contract with producers Fremantle Australia.

Charleston said she felt that even after its record-breaking run, Neighbours still had a few good years left.
Carbon prices to help steer investment

By HOU LIQIANG (China Daily) 11:29, February 23, 2022

Greener companies to gain from rising emission costs as more sectors included

Stakeholders expect to see China's carbon trading program help leverage climate-friendly investment as carbon prices rise, according to a report.

The 2021 China Carbon Pricing Survey Report, produced by climate change consultancy ICF and Beijing-based SinoCarbon Innovation& Investment, was unveiled in Beijing on Tuesday at an event hosted by the United Nations Development Programme.

Its survey received 417 responses, of which 76 percent were from emitting enterprises, in addition to companies providing carbon market-related services and research institutes.

Respondents expected that carbon prices will exert an increasingly bigger effect on investment decisions in the run-up to 2030, before which China plans to see peak carbon emissions, the report found.

The country aims to realize carbon neutrality before 2060.

About four out of every five respondents expect investment decisions to be at least moderately affected by carbon prices by 2025, compared with only 5 percent who believe there will be no effect.

"Carbon pricing is key to reducing emissions cost-effectively and presents unique revenue-raising opportunities, critical to buffer the negative social and economic impacts of the low-carbon transition, particularly for the vulnerable," James George, UNDP deputy resident representative in China, told the launch ceremony.

China's carbon trading program currently involves only 2,162 companies from the power generation sector, but it is the largest such program in the world. The country plans to extend the market to another seven major industrial sectors during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

There are high expectations for China's carbon market, said Dimitri de Boer, chief representative for China of environmental law organization ClientEarth.

"We see a strong commitment to controlling carbon emissions from the central government, and all key sectors are expected to be covered by 2025," said De Boer, a co-author of the survey.

The report noted a high consensus that the carbon price in China will rise in a steady manner, though respondents were split on how big the increases will be.

According to the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, which runs the trading platform for China's national carbon market, the trading volume of the market reached almost 7.7 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) last year, with 179 million metric tons of carbon emission allowances changing hands.

With an opening price of 48 yuan per ton on the first trading day, the market closed last year at 54.22 yuan per ton.

Qian Guoqiang, deputy general manager of SinoCarbon Innovation& Investment, expressed confidence in the national carbon market.

"I believe that China will definitely build one of the most active and influential carbon markets in the world," Qian said. "I look forward to that day coming as soon as possible."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A Ukrainian frontier guard stands at the Hoptivka (Goptovka) crossing on the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Wednesday. Reuters-Yonhap



The United States and its allies unveiled more sanctions against Russia on Wednesday over its recognition of two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine, while making clear they were keeping tougher measures in reserve in case of a full-scale invasion by Moscow.



European Union sanctions to take effect on Wednesday would add all members of Russia's lower house of parliament who voted to recognize the separatist regions in Ukraine to a blacklist, freezing their assets and banning travel.



Britain followed the United States in announcing new restrictions banning Russia from the issuing of new bonds in its security markets.



The steps follow measures announced on Tuesday, including freezing the approval of a new Russian gas pipeline by Germany, and imposing new U.S. sanctions on Russian banks.



But none of the measures announced so far directly targets President Vladimir Putin himself, or is expected to have severe medium-term consequences for Moscow, which is sitting on more than $630 billion in international reserves.



Oil prices eased from Tuesday's seven-year highs as it became clear the first wave of sanctions were unlikely to disrupt oil supplies. Global stocks broke a four-day slide and demand for safe-haven assets waned.



Western countries fear Russia plans a full-blown invasion of Ukraine after Putin announced on Monday he was recognizing two small breakaway regions controlled since 2014 by separatists viewed by the West as Moscow's proxies. Putin also signed a decree allowing Russian forces to be deployed there.



Washington has described Russia's actions as the start of an "invasion" but because the massed military assault they predicted has not materialized, they have had to calibrate their response.



"There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organizations in Russia, limiting Russia's access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine," British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.



She announced plans to bar Russia from issuing new foreign debt in London, a step taken years ago by the United States. Moscow said it would respond by issuing any new debt in roubles at home for now.



Some Western leaders have faced criticism at home for the response so far. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was ridiculed in parliament when he announced the blacklisting of three billionaires already under U.S. sanctions for years, and five obscure banks. Leaders say the most serious sanctions must be held in reserve to deter a larger assault.



State of emergency



Putin has as many as 190,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, according to U.S. estimates.

More ominous signs pointed to possible war: Moscow announced it had started evacuating its diplomats from Kyiv, while Ukraine declared a 30-day state of emergency and has announced the conscription of men of fighting age.



Ukraine's military said one soldier had been killed and six wounded in increased shelling by pro-Russian separatists using heavy artillery, mortar bombs and Grad rocket systems in the two breakaway areas over the previous 24 hours.



New satellite imagery showed several fresh troop and equipment deployments in western Russia and more than 100 vehicles at a small airfield in southern Belarus, which borders Ukraine, according to U.S. firm Maxar.



For months, Russia has presented the crisis mainly as a dispute with the West, demanding security guarantees, including a promise never to allow Ukraine to join NATO.



But this week's recognition of the separatist regions was accompanied by much stronger language against Ukraine, including personally from Putin, raising Western concerns he will not stop at an intervention in the separatist areas.



In a TV address on Monday described by Washington as "delusional", Putin rambled across centuries of history to characterize the Ukrainian state as an artificial construct wrongly carved out of Russia by its enemies.



Ukrainians consider such views ominous and false. Europe's second biggest country by area after Russia, Ukraine has a history older than Russia's, and its people voted overwhelmingly for independence when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.



German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia was making a strategic mistake by heading down a path that would make it a global pariah.



"The action that is taking place now may follow a strategy in the short-term, but it is not a medium or long-term strategy to completely isolate yourself worldwide," she said.



The diplomacy of recent weeks has now faltered. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian cancelled separate meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. A summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Putin, floated by France at the start of the week, now seems unlikely.



Putin said he was always open to finding diplomatic solutions but that "the interests of Russia and the security of our citizens are unconditional for us."



Germany said on Tuesday it was halting the $11-billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline owned by Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom , a move likely to raise gas prices in Europe.



Built and awaiting German approval, the pipeline had been set to ease the pressure on European consumers facing record energy prices but critics including the United States have long argued it would increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia. (Reuters)


Priscilla Presley's son Navarone Garibaldi looked dapper in a black suit and bow tie as he married his beautiful wife Elisa Achilli in a ceremony in Switzerland.

Stunning new pictures show the musician, 34, - whose father is Brazilian screenwriter-turned-computer-programmer Marco Antonio Garcia (a.k.a. Marco Garibaldi) - and Elisa exchanging vows at the Hunigen Hotel in Emmental Valley.

Elisa looked elegant in a white tiered Anastasia Bull gown that had a pretty sweetheart neckline and sparkling flower embellishments adorning it.

Amazing: Priscilla Presley's son Navarone Garibaldi looked dapper in a black suit and bow tie as he married his beautiful wife Elisa Achilli in a ceremony in Switzerland

She wore fresh white flowers in her hair and a classic lace veil as she kissed her love in the gorgeous pictures while holding her sophisticated bouquet.

Meanwhile Navarone looked smart in his dark suit which was teamed with a crisp white shirt and bow tie as he posed for official pictures in the leafy grounds of the 16th century castle.

Other gorgeous snaps showed the pair walking down the aisle hand in hand as guests threw orange confetti over them while they beamed.

Beauty: Stunning new pictures show the musician, 34, - whose father is Brazilian screenwriter-turned-computer-programmer Marco Antonio Garcia (a.k.a. Marco Garibaldi) - and Elisa exchanging vows at the Hunigen Hotel in Emmental Valley

Family: In other images the newly-weds - who have been together for four years - posed with red-headed Priscilla, 76, (left) who wore a chic white coat and green shirt for the occasion

In other images the newly-weds - who have been together for four years - posed with red-headed Priscilla, 76, who wore a chic white coat and green shirt for the occasion.

Among the rest of the album there were shots of Elisa getting her hair and makeup done ahead of the wedding and close ups of their rings.

Navarone gushed to People after the wedding: 'I never thought I would find a counterpart that is so understanding and supportive. She makes everything we do effortless, and I can't imagine life without her.'

Lovely: Elisa looked elegant in a white tiered Anastasia Bull gown that had a pretty sweetheart neckline and sparkling flower embellishments adorning it

Beauty: She wore fresh white flowers in her hair and a classic lace veil in the gorgeous pictures while holding her sophisticated bouquet

His new wife said: 'Navarone is truly the most genuine, sweet and sensitive man I have ever known and I'm so lucky that after four years of long-distance, we can start our life together as husband and wife.'

Priscilla gushed that she 'couldn't be happier' for her son and his other half, telling the magazine: 'They've been together for four years and we all have been waiting patiently for this day.'

Alongside wedding snaps, she wrote to Instagram last week: 'Navarone and Elisa are MARRIED!!! The wedding was at the beautiful Schloss Hunigen Hotel in Switzerland. I couldn't be happier!'

Dapper: Meanwhile Navarone looked smart in his dark suit which was teamed with a crisp white shirt and bow tie as he posed for official pictures in the leafy grounds of the 16th century castle

Love: Navarone, who is a musician, fronting the band Them Guns, and Elise announced their engagement in December 2020

Priscilla and Navarone's father Marco were together for 22 years, from 1984 until their split in early 2006, living together in Beverly Hills with their son, who was born in 1987.

Marco has written for the TV series Dallas, which Priscilla starred in, and directed The Power Rangers.

His most recent screen project was in 2009, when he produced Across The Hall starring Brittany Murphy. He has also worked in computer programming.

The two were introduced by a mutual friend in 1984 after he wrote a script that she read, hoping to produce.

Forever: Among the rest of the album there were shots of Elisa getting her hair and makeup done ahead of the wedding and close ups of their rings

Happy: Other gorgeous snaps showed the pair walking down the aisle hand in hand as guests threw orange confetti over them while they beamed

At the beginning of their romance, Priscilla ensured her partner sign a promissory agreement that if they should break up, he would not write a book about her.

Navarone, who is a musician, fronting the band Them Guns, and Elise announced their engagement in December 2020.

The proud groom-to-be shared the snap of Elisa's hand wearing her ring, and wrote at the time: 'SHE SAID YESSSS!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!'

The wedding comes just over a year after Priscilla and her family were left 'devastated' by the death of her grandson Benjamin Keough, 27.

Proposal: The proud groom-to-be shared the snap of Elisa's hand wearing her ring, and wrote at the time: 'SHE SAID YESSSS!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!'

History: Priscilla and Navarone's father Marco were together for 22 years, from 1984 until their split in early 2006, living together in Beverly Hills with their son, who was born in 1987

Difficult: The wedding comes just over a year after Priscilla and her family were left 'devastated' by the death of her grandson Benjamin Keough, 27

Location: The pair said their 'I Do's' within the grounds of the luxurious Schloss Hunigen hotel in front of their loved ones, with Elisa wowing in an Anastasia Bull gown

Career: Marco has written for the TV series Dallas, which Priscilla starred in, and directed The Power Rangers

The son of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough took his own life in the form of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in July 2020.

Breaking her silence on the tragic loss, Priscilla - who had Lisa Marie with her late ex-husband and music legend Elvis Presley - said: 'These are some of the darkest days of my family's life.

'The shock of losing Ben has been devastating. Trying to put all the pieces together of all the possible whys has penetrated my soul. Each day I wake up I pray it will get better.'

Getting ready: The couple, who became engaged in December 2020, were surrounded by loved ones at the wedding

Lovely: Meanwhile, Elisa's hair stylist shared stunning snaps of the bride getting prepped for her big day

Incredible: Her brunette locks were seen being pinned into a chic half up, half down style adorned with white gypsophila flowers

Cute: Navarone's mother Priscilla, 76, gushed that she 'couldn't be happier' for her son and his other half

Happiness: Navarone gushed to People : 'I never thought I would find a counterpart that is so understanding and supportive'

Love life: His new wife said: 'Navarone is truly the most genuine, sweet and sensitive man I have ever known and I'm so lucky that after four years of long-distance, we can start our life together as husband and wife'

Navarone gushed: 'She makes everything we do effortless, and I can't imagine life without her'

Beautiful: She showed off the back of her long lace veil in one of the stunning snaps as the sunset in the background

Priscilla also paid tribute to various members of her family who were struggling with Ben's passing, including Navarone, Ben's uncle, his sister Riley Keough, and Lisa Marie's twin daughters Finley and Harper, whom she has with ex-husband Michael Lockwood.

The Dallas star added: 'Each day I wake up I pray it will get better. Then, I think of my daughter and the pain she is going through as she was a doting mother.

'Ben's father, Danny, who is completely lost, as Ben was his only son. Riley, so loving and so close to him; Harper and Finley, who absolutely adored Ben.

'Navarone, who struggles deeply with loss and death. Rest In Peace Ben, you were loved.'

Stunning: The couple, who became engaged in December 2020, were surrounded by loved ones as they exchanged vows in the stunning grounds of the 16th century castle (pictured)
He has been seen on the set of the forthcoming US Showtime series which is based on the Ripley novels by Patricia Highsmith in recent weeks.

And Andrew Scott cut a serious figure as filming continued for new TV series Ripley on Monday, with the location switching from Venice to Rome, Italy.

The Fleabag actor, 45, who plays the titular character, got into the role as he donned a brown leather jacket and sported slicked-back raven locks for new scenes.

In character: Andrew Scott cut a serious figure as filming continued for new TV series Ripley on Monday, with the location switching from Venice to Rome, Italy

Andrew also rocked a stone-coloured shirt and taupe trousers as he brought the character to life while film crew captured the scenes.

The film star was seen pulling a stern expression as he waited by a public payphone before seemingly going to answer it.

And as the cameras stopped rolling, he then flashed a broad smile as he appeared to watch his take back, seemingly happy with his work.

Dakota Fanning, will portray Marge Sherwood in the new Showtime series, while Scott plays the iconic Tom Ripley - the arch conman previously played to aplomb by Matt Damon in the hit 1999 film.

Filming: The Fleabag actor, 45, who plays the titular character, got into the role as he donned a brown leather jacket and sported slicked-back raven locks for new scenes

The character was created by late novelist Patricia Highsmith and played a defining role through five of her novels and several subsequent film adaptations.

In the new series, set in the 1960s, Ripley is hired by a wealthy New Yorker to travel to Italy to convince his wayward son Dickie Greenleaf to return home.

But along the way, he starts to weave a complex web of deceit with murderous consequences.

Dickie's Venice based American girlfriend - played by Dakota - will slowly suspect Ripley's motives when he shows up looking for him.

Role: Andrew also rocked a stone-coloured shirt and taupe trousers as he brought the character to life while film crew captured the scenes

Scenes: The film star was seen pulling a stern expression as he waited by a public payphone before seemingly going to answer it

His old look: Andrew won a whole new army of fans as the so-called 'Hot Priest' who sparks up a romance in Fleabag

The drama is being adapted from Highsmith's novels by Schindler's List writer Steve Zaillan.

The 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, directed by the late Anthony Minghella, starred Matt Damon as Tom Ripley with Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge and Jude Law as doomed jazz musician Dickie.

The news of Dakota's casting comes on the heels of her joining Showtime's anthology series The First Lady.

All good: And as the cameras stopped rolling, he then flashed a broad smile as he appeared to watch his take back, seemingly happy with his work

Protocols: While Andrew was exempt from wearing a mask during film, the rest of the crew were seen wearing face coverings amid the ongoing pandemic

She's set to play the daughter of President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford in the show.

The former child actress is best known for I Am Sam, Man On Fire, War Of The Worlds and The Twilight Saga.

Ripley's US release date in the USA is confirmed to be 2022. A UK release is to be announced.
She is known for showing off her phenomenal figure.

And Christine McGuinness commanded attention as she took to the streets of Cheshire on Wednesday in a pair of knitted thigh-high sock boots.

The model, 33, showed off her toned and tanned legs in the heeled footwear, which she teamed with a stone coloured miniskirt, after treating herself to a facial at an aesthetic clinic in Alderley Edge.

Wow: Christine McGuinness, 33, put on a leggy display in a pair of knitted thigh-high sock boots while out and about on Wednesday in Cheshire

Keeping with the neutral tones, Christine opted for a basic white cotton T-shirt which showcased her famous curves.

Dressing up the look, the mother-of-three complemented the look in a long cream wool trench coat with lapel buttons.

Christine accessorised with some gold stud earrings while carrying a black soho leather Gucci disco bag over her left shoulder.

Pamper day: The model showed off her incredible pins after treating herself to a facial an aesthetic clinic in Alderley Edge

Classy: Keeping with the neutral tones, Christine opted for a basic white cotton T-shirt which showcased her famous curves

Walk this way: The TV star vamped it up in a tweed mini-skirt which showed off her tanned and toned legs to perfection

Her blonde locks fell loose in a centre parting and her neutral makeup enhanced her naturally pretty features.

Christine's outfit comes after the star revealed she never 'worried or panicked' about her autistic children's slow development, due to her own diagnosis of the condition.

Speaking on her new Table Talk podcast with husband Paddy, the mother-of-three admitted during her children's early years she 'wasn't aware' that they were struggling to hit their milestones because she was 'just like them'.

Christine, who shares twins Leo and Penelope, eight, and daughter Felicity, six, with Paddy, also revealed unlike some parents they are yet to tell their children about their autistic diagnosis.

Candid: Christine's outfit comes after the star revealed she never 'worried or panicked' about her autistic children's slow development, due to her own diagnosis of the condition

She said: 'I wasn't aware that the children were different to anyone else because they were just like me.

'I never worried or panicked when the children weren't hitting their milestones, but when you do know about it, like I said with our youngest we knew more about it

'It weren't a worry, it was just more that thought ''OK we can step in here, we can help we can try and get support if we do it a lot earlier.''

Open: The mother-of-three admitted that during her children's early years she 'wasn't aware' that they were struggling to hit their milestones

Discussing the unorthodox methods they use to communicate with their child, Christine said she was grateful to have the chance to spent her children's early years at home given many parents juggle work with full-time care.

She said: 'I think with any child anyway if you can get into their mind and into their world, it does help.

'I was very very fortunate, Patrick works and I was able to have those early years at home, I was doing the speech and language therapy and take them to appointments.

'I speak to so many families that struggle, they can't go to work and care for children with disabilities.'

Open: Christine, who shares twins Leo and Penelope, eight, and daughter Felicity, six, with Paddy, also revealed that they are yet to tell their children about their autistic diagnosis
He's never been shy of sharing his opinions.

And during an appearance on Wednesday's Loose Women, Succession's Brian Cox, 75, swore live on air, fuming: 'we're still in the same s**t!' as he shared his frustration over 'the current crisis we're living in.'

The actor's profanity forced the panel show's host Jane Moore, 59, to apologise, before he quipped: 'I least I wasn't saying the F word!'.

Oops! During Wednesday's Loose Women, Brian Cox, 75, swore live on air, fuming: 'we're still in the same s**t!' as he shared his frustration over 'the current crisis we're living in'

During the interview, Brian was asked if his Succession character, Logan Roy, is close to his own personality.

Brian mused: 'I wouldn't say that. He's a self-made man. The one thing we both share in common is a disappointment in the human experiment.

'The current crisis we're living in. I can't believe we're still in the same - excuse me - s**t that we've been in for a long time - time and time again!'

Coughing loudly, Jane turned to the camera and said: 'This is daytime television, apologies. Mr Cox is going to go and wash his mouth out with soap.'

It's daytime TV! The actor's profanity forced the panel show's host Jane Moore, 59, to apologise and insist: 'Mr Cox is going to go and wash his mouth out with soap'

Cheeky: In response, Brian quipped: 'I least I wasn't saying the F word!'

'At least I'm not saying the F word,' before admitting he now swears as much as his iconic Succession character.

Elsewhere, Brian revealed that the late actor and director Laurence Olivier once inadvertently saved his life.

He recalled: 'I was having an audition with Laurence Olivier. It was a Saturday afternoon, my bags were ready to go.

'There was a message in the cubby hole, my audition had been cancelled. I went to my local pub and was thinking, do I go, do I stay?

'I went home and the next morning on the Sunday post, there was a stock press thing that said, everyone from that place, there was a crash. Laurence Olivier saved my life.'

It's rubbed off! Brian then admitted that he now swears as much as his iconic Succession character, Logan Roy It's rubbed off! Brian then admitted that he now swears as much as his iconic Succession character, Logan Roy

Superstar: Brian spoke to host Jane and panellist Katie Piper

Brian also talked about his recent book, Putting The Rabbit in The Hat, saying: 'When I was reviewing the book, I thought I'm a bit sharp here and there, I go for the easy gag.

'The whole premise of the book is a conversation. I did have a ghost [writer] who helped me organise the thing but it was very important that it was my voice. I try to avoid the showbiz fluff.'

The actor also explained why he involved his mother in the book in the way he did, saying: 'It was a condition of many women in the first half of the 20th century. Women were just fundamentally baby making machines and regarded as such.

'I found a letter from my mum which was part of her diary and it was talking about my father's passing and it was so beautifully written that I could see she was a writer.

'My mother was illegitimate, my aunt threw it in the fire, all my mum's writings. It made me so angry. The one thing I wanted to do was celebrate my ma.'

Candid: Brian also talked about his recent book, Putting The Rabbit in The Hat and explained why he involved his mother in the book in the way he did

Brian also admitted how he's frustrated over the lack of opportunities for actors from working class backgrounds.

He said: 'There's wonderful young women actors now. There are some amazing actors. My annoyance is the lack of working class actors, that kind of background.

'I left school at 15 and had no qualifications and was given a full grant. I had my education and allowances paid for.'

And on jobs he's worked outside of acting, Brian revealed: 'I took this job behind a desk booking bikini waxes. It was funny. You'd get some Swedish ladies coming in going, "have you ever been to any of my parties?".'
He's set to grace the red carpet at the London premiere of The Batman on Wednesday night.

And ahead of the glitzy screening, Robert Pattinson cut a smart figure as he left a press junket for the film in the capital while carrying a cup of coffee.

The actor, 35, wrapped up in a long black coat as he made his way outside and into his waiting car.

Looking good: Robert Pattinson cut a smart figure as he left a press junket for The Batman in London on Wednesday while carrying a cup of coffee

Robert teamed his coat with a black blazer and T-shirt which was worn with matching trousers and chunky black shoes.

The Twilight star finished off his dashing look with a gold chain.

Robert appeared somewhat distracted from something above as he made his way through a team of people to get to his car, where he'll no doubt head off to prepare for the premiere at London's BFI IMAX.

The latest offering from the superhero franchise also stars Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright and Andy Serkis.

All-black everything: The actor, 35, wrapped up in a long black coat as he made his way outside and into his waiting car

It comes after Robert revealed during a talk show visit last week that his girlfriend Suki Waterhouse cried during a screening of The Batman.

While promoting the upcoming superhero film on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Robert also gave Suki, 30, credit for boosting his confidence over his performance.

Robert appeared on the ABC talk show looking sharp in an all-black outfit and told Jimmy that he saw the movie three days previously with Suki and director Matt Reeves and his family.

Style: Robert teamed his coat with a black blazer and T-shirt which was worn with matching trousers and chunky black shoes

Bling bling: The Twilight star finished off his dashing look with a gold chain

What's up? Robert appeared somewhat distracted from something above as he made his way through a team of people to get to his car, where he'll no doubt head off to prepare for the premiere at London's BFI IMAX

'I was absolutely terrified. I haven't been this scared to release a movie in such a long time and I haven't released a movie in a realy long time,' Robert said.

Jimmy asked at what point did he breathe a sigh of relief and Robert explained that he previously saw the first 90 minutes so he knew that was great.

'I've gotten into this habit where I kind of realised, I need to be in the perfect balance of serotonin to watch my own stuff. I need to work out beforehand, I need to have an enormous amount of sugar and caffeine. Whatever I'm watching, I'm like, yes!,' Robert said laughing.

Emotional: It comes after Robert revealed during a talk show visit last week that his girlfriend Suki Waterhouse cried during a screening of The Batman

Jimmy asked if his director Matt was watching him during the screening to catch his reaction.

'I'm not really sure. I watched it with my girlfriend as well. ...It was really her reaction that kind of changed the entire thing,' Robert said.

'Because I'm pretty sure she's not normally into watching superhero movies. And just seeing that it was capturing her attention the entire time, and then she held my hand and just touched it right there,' Robert said touching his cheek.

'I could feel a little tear. And I was like, no way,' he added.

Cute couple: London-native Suki and Robert, shown in January 2020 in Paris, recently saw a screening of The Batman

Man in black: Robert appeared on the ABC talk show looking sharp in an all-black outfit and told Jimmy that he saw the movie three days previously with Suki and director Matt Reeves and his family

'Then after the movie, was she just all over you? Super sexed up from Batman?,' Jimmy asked.

'I mean, yeah,' Robert laughed.

Robert also told how he tried on all the Batman suits during a screen test with Warner Bros for the role.

'I tried on all of them. It's kind of... it's the size of your head, that's the defining factor. And I think the body fit more on Val Kilmer's one. And the head fit on Clooney's one,' Robert revealed.

The Batman will be released in cinemas on March 4 in the UK and United States.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale have unveiled their new schedule after ITV confirmed the soaps are moving timeslots in a huge shake-up.

With spring on the horizon, the soaps are set to enter a new chapter packed with drama, schemes and families at war, with newly scheduled episodes beginning on Monday 7th March.

The announcement comes just days after BBC rival EastEnders confirmed that they will be axing their usual Friday episode in favour of airing from Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm.

Coming soon: Coronation Street (Sally Carman is pictured as Abi Webster) and Emmerdale have unveiled their new schedule after ITV announced their new timeslots in a huge shake-up

Corrie will now air three hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm, dropping their prevous double bills which had been a fixture of the ITV schedule.

The coming weeks will see the Street's most beloved residents face the drama and horror of past secrets and lies coming back to haunt them.

After a tumultuous year which saw her son Seb Franklin beaten to death in a hate crime, Abi Webster (played by Sally Carman) seems more determined than ever to focus on her new life with husband Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and his son Jack.

Exciting: In the coming weeks viewers will be gripped by dramatic storylines, with Chas and Charity Dingle declaring war in the Dales after their events fall on the same day

Sinister: Elsewhere, a life of mistakes for Adam Barlow will finally catch up with him as his deranged ex Lydia Chambers grows more determined to get her revenge

However, it isn't long before Kevin discovers she cheated on him, but rather than learning about her one-night tand with Imran Habeeb (Charlie De Melo), he believes she slept with Seb's dad Tez.

Regardless, Kevin declares that their marriage is over, and Abi quickly presses the self-destruct button, seeking help from her old drug dealer pal, and in scenes airing on March 6th she finds herself in a high-speed car chase.

Dumped by the side of the road drugged up and in agony, Abi calls an ambulance and is rushed to hospital, where she has a life changing decision to make.

Scary: Finally, fans will see a dark new side to Daisy Midgely in the coming weeks, as she becomes hell-bent on having Daniel Osbourne all to herself

Soap schedule shake-up: What's on? EMMERDALE - Monday to Thursday for 30 minutes at 7:30pm, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays CORONATION STREET - Mondays, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm for one hour EASTENDERS - Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm for 30 minutes HOLLYOAKS - Monday to FridaY at 6:30pm, with a first-look episode on E4 at 7pm and each episode available in the morning to stream on All4 Advertisement

Elsewhere, a life of mistakes for Adam Barlow (Samuel Robertson) will finally catch up with him as his deranged ex Lydia Chambers (Rebecca Ryan) grows more determined to get her revenge by turning his wife Sarah (Tina O'Brien) against him.

In dramatic scenes Adam finally comes face-to-face with his tormentor for a tense showdown, but when Lydia gets him arrested, it appears that his life could still be in danger.

Killer Gary Windass (Mikey North) has spent two years getting away with murder, but Kelly Neelan's terminally ill mum Laura 9Kel Allen) becomes determined to find out what happened to her ex Rick.

Laura hires a private detective forcing Gary to answer some very tricky questions, and when news reaches him of a building development where he buried Rick's body, it looks as though the house of cards is about to come tumbling down.

Finally, fans will see a dark new side to Daisy Midgely (Charlotte Jordan) in the coming weeks, as she becomes hell-bent on having Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) all to herself.

Even though things are going well between the couple, Daisy is furious when she discovers his former flame, ex call girl Nicky (Kimberly Hart-Simpson), has returned to the Street and applied for a job at the school where he works.

As the green-eyed monster makes an appearance, Daisy pulls out all the stops to keep the two apart, and it remains to be seen how she'll react when she learns about Nicky's sordid past.

Disaster: Gary Windass has spent two years averting justice for his crimes, but in the coming weeks it appears that his house of perfectly-placed cards will finally come crashing down

With Nicky determined to stick around, even applying for a job at Daniel's school, how will Daisy react when she discovers the truth about Nicky's past life?

Coronation Street Producer Iain MacLeod said: 'It's an exciting time for the show and these stories will propel us into the hour-long era with a bang and all the characteristic drama, humour, twists and intrigue that Corrie viewers have come to expect.

'We've got high-octane action with tragic heroine Abi, leading to life and death dilemmas. We've got riotous romantic intrigue for Daniel, with deliciously dastardly Daisy pulling out all the stops to keep her man.

'We've got the uber-complex Gary, who has finally turned his life around and is atoning for his sins with Kelly, only to find himself facing a final reckoning with the ghosts from his past.

'And we've got heart-stopping, high-stakes drama for Sarah, featuring a knife-edge showdown between Adam and his tormentor Lydia, which will leave you wondering which one's the bad guy. All of this in one big serving per night. What's not to love?'

Drama! Meanwhile over in the Dales, the Dingle family is once again thrown into turmoil as cousins Charity and Chas declare war

Meanwhile over in the Dales, the Dingle family is once again thrown into turmoil as cousins Charity and Chas declare war.

As both the Woolpack pub and the B&B plan to host special events on the same day, the warring landladies take sides and create havoc in a battle of one-upmanship.

While neither holds back in their attempts to sabotage each other's events, there's bound to be fireworks when they finally come face to face.

Elsewhere in the village, Mandy (Lisa Riley) is traumatised to discover her only son Vinny has married his girlfriend Liv (Isobel Steele) without her knowledge.

Vinny (Bradley Johnson) is guilt-ridden when Mandy explains that she feels betrayed and sees his secret wedding as completely disrespectful, so it remains to be seen whether he can rebuild bridges in the family.

Even though her serial killer sister is finally in custody, Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) still isn't safe, and as she grows increasingly desperate to see Meena confess to her crime, she pays her a visit in prison.

Upset: Vinny (Bradley Johnson) is guilt-ridden when Mandy explains that she feels betrayed that he secretly married his girlfriend Liv without her knowledge

Following ITV's original announcement that Corrie would be moving timeslots, placing it in direct competition with EastEnders, its BBC rival announced earlier thi week that they would also be shaking up their schedule.

The change will see the BBC soap air Monday-Thursday at 7.30pm with episodes now in direct competition with ITV's Emmerdale.

For the first time, fans can tune into the antics of Albert Square on a Wednesday, with the permanent schedule change coming into play from March 7.

Speaking of the changes, Kates Oates, Head of Continuing Drama at BBC Studios said: 'We're delighted that, from 7th March, there will be new regular time slots for EastEnders on BBC One, and Doctors on BBC Two.

'Both shows have a loyal following; and this new simplified schedule means it's even easier for viewers to get their fix, as well as being able to watch whenever and wherever they choose on iPlayer.

At odds: Even though her serial killer sister is finally in custody, Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) still isn't safe, and as she grows increasingly desperate to see Meena confess to her crime

'A 7pm time slot gives a whole new audience chance to enjoy the drama in Letherbridge; while EastEnders' new 7.30pm slot begins with a hugely exciting week, as killer Gray Atkins is finally exposed'

A source told The Mirror that EastEnders schedule shake-up were a direct result of ITV's changes, stating: 'Bosses made the decision to change up the schedule when ITV made their announcement.

'In the past, if there was ever a clash between the soaps it was the audience who lost out, but viewers consume TV differently these days.'

Bosses at BBC were said to no longer be worried about schedule clashes as fans can catch-up on BBC iPlayer, with the source continuing: 'It's no longer about the overnight ratings because they don't reflect the true picture of who is tuning in.

'You only have to look at the numbers watching EastEnders on iPlayer, the figures are pretty incredible.'
Tom Hardy has responded to reports that Charlize Theron felt threatened by his behaviour on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road.

The pair worked together on the 2015 movie but had such an explosive relationship on set that they were often involved in intense shouting matches, with Theron calling Hardy a 'f***ing c***' after he made her wait on set for hours.

Theron, 46, also had a female producer to be with her at all times as 'protection' as she was 'scared s***less' by 'aggressive' Hardy, 44, according to New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan's new book.

Addressing the tension Hardy admitted to Buchanan: 'In hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times.

'What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me. Thats something that cant be faked. Id like to think that now that Im older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.'

I was in over my head': Tom Hardy admitted Charlize Theron needed a 'more experienced' co-star on Mad Max: Fury Road after it emerged the actress 'wanted protection' from him on set

Hardy starred as the title character, who was played by Mel Gibson in the first three films in the series, while Theron starred as newcomer Imperator Furiosa, a lieutenant to the villain Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who turns against her leader to team-up with Max.

In an excerpt of Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild And True Story Of Mad Max: Fury Roa, published by Vanity Fair, Natascha Hopkins, a stunt double on Fury Road, recounted how Theron didn't want to waste time on set, as she was a new mother at the time and was balancing her role with parenting.

But camera operator Mark Goellnicht recalled how Hardy was often late for the start of shooting.

He recounted one day when Theron was on set at eight o'clock sharp and got her makeup and costume set up before getting into the film's War Rig.

However, despite producers making a 'special request' for Hardy to show up on time, it would be hours more before he arrived.

'Gets to nine oclock, still no Tom,' Goellnicht recounted. 'Charlize, do you want to get out of the War Rig and walk around, or do you want to . . . No, Im going to stay here. She was really going to make a point. She didnt go to the bathroom, didnt do anything. She just sat in the War Rig.'

Tom admitted: 'The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me'

Hardy finally arrived after 11 a.m., while Theron had remained in the vehicle the entire time.

'She jumps out of the War Rig, and she starts swearing her head off at him, saying, Fine the f**king c*** a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that hes held up this crew, and How disrespectful you are!' Goellnicht continued.

'She was right. Full rant. She screams it out. Its so loud, its so windy  he mightve heard some of it, but he charged up to her up and went, What did you say to me?'

The camera operator said Hardy seemed 'quite aggressive,' and that his costar 'really felt threatened.'

'That was the turning point, because then she said, I want someone as protection. She then had a producer that was assigned to be with her all the time,' he explained.

'It got to a place where it was kind of out of hand, and there was a sense that maybe sending a woman producer down could maybe equalize some of it, because I didnt feel safe,' Theron explained.

'I kind of put my foot down. [Director] George [Miller] then said, Okay, well, if Denise comes . . . He was open to it and that kind of made me breathe a little bit, because it felt like I would have another woman understanding what I was up against,' she continued.

However, she noted that 'when I was on set, I still felt pretty naked and alone,' as the producer Denise Di Novi was forced to stay in the production office and wasn't allowed on set on the orders of producer Doug Mitchell.

Kelly Marcel, a screenwriter and a friend of Hardy, called Mitchell a 'bulldog.'

Stymied: Theron requested veteran producer Denise Di Novi accompany her on set, but producer Doug Mitchell forced her to stay at the production office to avoid slowdowns and to keep her away from director George Miller (R)

'Hes going to protect George no matter what, at all costs. And you can send your producer, you can do whatever you want, but if youve got Doug standing there, theres absolutely no point unless he wants you there,' she claimed. 'He was never going to allow anybody to interrupt this world, no matter how fraught the world was.'

Marcel also said the fight between the lead actors came from a 'really intense, intense, intense period in an intense, intense place,' though she claimed that 'Family was made there, and family loves and hates each other.'

She explained that Hardy was 'very physical and all over the place and would try very different things,' whereas Theron was 'cerebral and very consistent in the way that she approaches a character.'

'Theyre both powerhouses, but in their very different ways of working. Which, weirdly, is why the film works: Its all pouring out on the screen.'

Conflict: Kelly Marcel, a screenwriter and friend of Hardy, said he was 'very physical and all over the place and would try very different things,' whereas Theron was 'cerebral and very consistent in the way that she approaches a character'; still from Fury Road

In hindsight, Theron thought it 'would have been smart for us to bring a female producer in.'

'You understand the needs of a director who wants to protect his set, but when push comes to shove and things get out of hand, you have to be able to think about that in a bigger sense,' she continued. 'Thats where we could have done better, if George trusted that nobody was going to come and f**k with his vision but was just going to come and help mediate situations.'

She theorized that Miller 'didnt want any interference,' but that resulted in 'several weeks on that movie where I wouldnt know what was going to come my way, and thats not necessarily a nice thing to feel when youre on your job. It was a little bit like walking on thin ice.'

Miller said that he felt 'disappointment with about the process [sic],' adding, 'Looking back, if I had to do it again, I would probably be more mindful.'

Hardy said he was 'in over my head in many ways.'

'The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me,' he admitted. 'Thats something that cant be faked. Id like to think that now that Im older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.'

Missed opportunity: Theron understood that director George Miller was worried about his vision being impeded by a female producer, but she thought her presence would have helped to 'mediate'; still from Fury Road

Hardy said he was 'in over my head in many ways' and added that Theron need a 'more experienced' costar at the time; still from Fury Road

Goellnicht noted that Hardy 'was a different person by the end,' and he and Theron appeared to warm up to each other after shooting scenes together later in the production.

He said Hardy was 'a lot easier to deal with, a lot more cooperative, more compassionate. Hes such a Method actor that I think he took the arc in the literal sense.'

Notably, Miller is continuing with the Mad Max franchise following the on-set animosity between Theron and Hardy, but the next film in the series will be a prequel titled Furiosa, which will focus on a younger version of the character, with Anya Taylor-Joy taking over the role in place of Theron.

Although Hardy at one time said he was attached to more Mad Max sequels, it's unclear if those films are still in the works.

Miller has been engaged since 2017 in a lawsuit filed in Australia against Warner Bros. over millions in bonus payments he claims he's owed for Fury Road.

The director alleges that Mad Max: Fury Road came in under budget, a requirement to get the bonus payments.

But Warner Bros. contends that the film went over budget due to reshoots.

Miller and his production company claim that it was Warner Bros. that required the additional reshoots, and that the studio originally said the cost of reshoots wouldn't be factored into the initial cost of the production.

The director successfully managed to keep his lawsuit in Australia, after Warners attempted unsuccessfully to have the suit moved to California, where it expected to receive a more favorable judgment.
Tom Cruise appeared in good spirits as he was greeted by hoards of fans in South Africa where he is currently filming Mission: Impossible 8.

The actor, 59, who is thought to be staying in the bush town of Hoedspruit in the Limpopo Province, flew in by helicopter and stopped to chat with fans, saying their hospitality 'means a lot' to him.

The film star removed his face mask after stepping off the helicopter and told fans: 'It's so awesome to see you. I can't wait for you to see the next movie. Thank you for coming out today.'

Star: Tom Cruise appeared in good spirits as he was greeted by hoards of fans in South Africa where he is currently filming Mission: Impossible 8

One of them asked Tom if he would ever move to South Africa to which he said: 'I'd love to, it would be nice to live here. We're very excited. We've wanted to film here for a very long time.'

Discussing what he saw on his helicopter trip, he said: 'We just saw some cheetahs or lions, they were right in front of someone's driveway.'

Before making his leave, the star added: 'Thank you all for your hospitality. It means a lot to me.'

Tom cut a casual figure for the outing as he sported a navy T-shirt, matching jeans and a pair of sunglasses.

On location: The actor, 59, who is thought to be staying in the bush town of Hoedspruit in the Limpopo Province, flew in by helicopter and stopped to chat with fans, saying their hospitality 'means a lot' to him

Mission: Impossible 7 is set for release on July 7, 2023, following a turbulent production which has demanded an unprecedented $290million outlay.

One notable factor in the film's enormous budget has been the global pandemic, which swept across mainland Europe shortly after principal photography got underway in Venice in February 2020.

Lockdown and a desperate attempt to work around COVID-19 resulted in the production enduring an inauspicious start - with cast and crew forced to stop work after Northern Italy closed its doors.

Sources claim constant infections, coupled with national health restrictions and the pandemic's refusal to die down resulted in more costs, because crew members needed to be paid, given expenses and offered hotel accommodation during extended quarantine and lockdown periods.

Fans: The film star removed his face mask after stepping off the helicopter and told fans: 'It's so awesome to see you. I can't wait for you to see the next movie'

Meanwhile the film's release date has been subject to change, with its original September 2021 launch pushed back to July 2022, with Paramount citing 'delays due to the ongoing pandemic.'

The wait adds interest to an already overblown budget while having a domino effect on work-in-progress Mission: Impossible 8, which is now expected to launch on July 24 2024 instead of its intended release date, July 7 2023.

The relentless pressure to finish the film may well have been the catalyst for Tom's high-profile outburst on set in December 2020 after a crew-member breached COVID protocol - putting the production in further jeopardy.

'We are the gold standard!' Tom was heard yelling in a recording of the incident. 'Theyre back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us!

Clip: Tom was asked if he would ever move to South Africa to which he said: 'I'd love to, it would be nice to live here. We're very excited. We've wanted to film here for a very long time'

'Im on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and theyre looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs... we are not shutting this motherf***ing movie down. Is that understood?'

Sources claim there were further issues in 2021, when Paramount were confronted with a bill for $50million in overages, caused by co-producer Skydance declining to exceed their pre-agreed contractual requirement regarding financial contributions.

Tom was recently said to be in crisis talks with Mission Impossible bosses after splashing 290million during the production of the anticipated seventh and eighth instalments.

'People are starting to sweat on the costs now': Tom is reportedly in crisis talks with Mission Impossible bosses after splashing 290million (pictured July 2021)

A source told The Sun: 'People are starting to sweat on the costs now. Nobody could have predicted what has happened but the fact is those delays and extra costs are stacking up now and its starting to get noticed.

'Even with someone as big as Tom and these films, its the sort of money that has leveraged the studio heavily and bosses are desperate to start seeing things hit the screen.'

Top Gun 2 has also been postponed, with the source adding that it's the 'first in the pipeline for release' - two years after it was supposed to premiere.

MailOnline has contacted Tom's representatives for comment.
Emmerdale's most iconic family is set to be thrown into turmoil in the coming weeks, as cousins Charity and Chas Dingle become embroiled in a business war.

In the coming weeks the pair will come face-to-face in a dramatic exchange after events for both The Woolpack and the B&B are scheduled on the same day.

It comes as ITV officially unveiled their new soap schedule which will see Emmerdale move to a new 7:30pm timeslot to make space for the channel's hour-long news programme.

Tense: Emmerdale's most iconic family is set to be thrown into turmoil in the coming weeks, as cousins Charity and Chas Dingle become embroiled in a business war

Fans were stunned when it was revealed last month that Charity was the proud new owner of the Woolpack pub, buying the property after Al Chapman attempted to take control for himself.

Chas was furious to learn Charity won the pub at auction, and in scenes set to air next month, the pair plan to host special events on the same day.

The warring landladies take sides and create havoc in a battle of one-upmanship, leading to a tense showdown when they finally come face to face.

Explosive: After her killer ways were finally exposed, viewers will also see Meena come face-to-face with her sister Manpreet, who is determined to make her confess

It's WAR! In the coming weeks the pair will come face-to-face in a dramatic exchange after events for both The Woolpack and the B&B are scheduled on the same day

Upset: Vinny (Bradley Johnson) is guilt-ridden when Mandy explains that she feels betrayed that he secretly married his girlfriend Liv without her knowledge

Elsewhere in the village, Mandy (Lisa Riley) is traumatised to discover her only son Vinny has married his girlfriend Liv (Isobel Steele) without her knowledge.

Vinny (Bradley Johnson) is guilt-ridden when Mandy explains that she feels betrayed and sees his secret wedding as completely disrespectful, so it remains to be seen whether he can rebuild bridges in the family.

Even though her serial killer sister is finally in custody, Manpreet (Rebecca Sarker) still isn't safe, and as she grows increasingly desperate to see Meena confess to her crime, she pays her a visit in prison.

Finally, Rhona (Zoe Henry) is set to reunite with her estranged mother Mary (Louise Jameson), and it remains to be seen whether the pair can build bridges following her sudden arrival.

It comes as bosses confirmed that from Mondat 7th March, EmmerdalE will move to a new timeslot, airing at 7:30pm across five weeknights with an hour long edition on Thursday evenings.

New face! Finally, Rhona is set to reunite with her estranged mother Mary, and it remains to be seen whether the pair can build bridges following her sudden arrival

Tense: Coronation Street also gave fans a taste of their exciting new storylines, as they prepared to move to a new timeslot

Sinister: Elsewhere, a life of mistakes for Adam Barlow will finally catch up with him as his deranged ex Lydia Chambers grows more determined to get her revenge

Coronation Street also gave fans a taste of their exciting new storylines, as they prepared to move to a new timeslot.

Soap schedule shake-up: What's on? EMMERDALE - Monday to Thursday for 30 minutes at 7:30pm, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays CORONATION STREET - Mondays, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm for one hour EASTENDERS - Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm for 30 minutes HOLLYOAKS - Monday to FridaY at 6:30pm, with a first-look episode on E4 at 7pm and each episode available in the morning to stream on All4 Advertisement

Corrie will now air three hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm, dropping their prevous double bills which had been a fixture of the ITV schedule.

The coming weeks will see the Street's most beloved residents face the drama and horror of past secrets and lies coming back to haunt them.

After a tumultuous year which saw her son Seb Franklin beaten to death in a hate crime, Abi Webster (played by Sally Carman) seems more determined than ever to focus on her new life with husband Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and his son Jack.

However, it isn't long before Kevin discovers she cheated on him, but rather than learning about her one-night tand with Imran Habeeb (Charlie De Melo), he believes she slept with Seb's dad Tez.

Regardless, Kevin declares that their marriage is over, and Abi quickly presses the self-destruct button, seeking help from her old drug dealer pal, and in scenes airing on March 6th she finds herself in a high-speed car chase.

Dumped by the side of the road drugged up and in agony, Abi calls an ambulance and is rushed to hospital, where she has a life changing decision to make.

Scary: Finally, fans will see a dark new side to Daisy Midgely in the coming weeks, as she becomes hell-bent on having Daniel Osbourne all to herself

Elsewhere, a life of mistakes for Adam Barlow (Samuel Robertson) will finally catch up with him as his deranged ex Lydia Chambers (Rebecca Ryan) grows more determined to get her revenge by turning his wife Sarah (Tina O'Brien) against him.

In dramatic scenes Adam finally comes face-to-face with his tormentor for a tense showdown, but when Lydia gets him arrested, it appears that his life could still be in danger.

Killer Gary Windass (Mikey North) has spent two years getting away with murder, but Kelly Neelan's terminally ill mum Laura 9Kel Allen) becomes determined to find out what happened to her ex Rick.

Laura hires a private detective forcing Gary to answer some very tricky questions, and when news reaches him of a building development where he buried Rick's body, it looks as though the house of cards is about to come tumbling down.

Finally, fans will see a dark new side to Daisy Midgely (Charlotte Jordan) in the coming weeks, as she becomes hell-bent on having Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) all to herself.

Even though things are going well between the couple, Daisy is furious when she discovers his former flame, ex call girl Nicky (Kimberly Hart-Simpson), has returned to the Street and applied for a job at the school where he works.

As the green-eyed monster makes an appearance, Daisy pulls out all the stops to keep the two apart, and it remains to be seen how she'll react when she learns about Nicky's sordid past.

Disaster: Gary Windass has spent two years averting justice for his crimes, but in the coming weeks it appears that his house of perfectly-placed cards will finally come crashing down

With Nicky determined to stick around, even applying for a job at Daniel's school, how will Daisy react when she discovers the truth about Nicky's past life?

Coronation Street Producer Iain MacLeod said: 'It's an exciting time for the show and these stories will propel us into the hour-long era with a bang and all the characteristic drama, humour, twists and intrigue that Corrie viewers have come to expect.

'We've got high-octane action with tragic heroine Abi, leading to life and death dilemmas. We've got riotous romantic intrigue for Daniel, with deliciously dastardly Daisy pulling out all the stops to keep her man.

'We've got the uber-complex Gary, who has finally turned his life around and is atoning for his sins with Kelly, only to find himself facing a final reckoning with the ghosts from his past.

'And we've got heart-stopping, high-stakes drama for Sarah, featuring a knife-edge showdown between Adam and his tormentor Lydia, which will leave you wondering which one's the bad guy. All of this in one big serving per night. What's not to love?'

Following ITV's original announcement that Corrie would be moving timeslots, placing it in direct competition with EastEnders, its BBC rival announced earlier thi week that they would also be shaking up their schedule.

The change will see the BBC soap air Monday-Thursday at 7.30pm with episodes now in direct competition with Emmerdale.

For the first time, fans can tune into the antics of Albert Square on a Wednesday, with the permanent schedule change coming into play from March 7.

Speaking of the changes, Kates Oates, Head of Continuing Drama at BBC Studios said: 'We're delighted that, from 7th March, there will be new regular time slots for EastEnders on BBC One, and Doctors on BBC Two.

'Both shows have a loyal following; and this new simplified schedule means it's even easier for viewers to get their fix, as well as being able to watch whenever and wherever they choose on iPlayer.

'A 7pm time slot gives a whole new audience chance to enjoy the drama in Letherbridge; while EastEnders' new 7.30pm slot begins with a hugely exciting week, as killer Gray Atkins is finally exposed'
Jenna Jameson revealed she has returned home from the hospital after a month without a diagnosis explaining why she is unable to walk.

As doctors continue to investigate the cause of her mystery illness, which has caused muscle weakness and nausea, the 47-year-old former porn star shared an update for fans that she was 'resting' and undergoing more tests.

'I still have more testing to do but it seems there's something off with my femoral nerve, and it's affecting my strength in my legs,' she said in a video on her Instagram Story.

Struggling: Jenna Jameson revealed she has returned home from the hospital after a month, without an diagnosis explaining why she is unable to walk

She continued: 'So I am still in a wheelchair, unfortunately, but I hope to be out of the wheelchair soon and walking, so say a little prayer.'

Jameson then provided footage of her left leg moving but noted that her 'quad strength is really, really, really weak, and as you can see I have some atrophy happening.

'My legs are incredibly skinny. But don't get too alarmed, because my legs have always been ultra skinny,' she assured viewers. 'So don't judge me. We will be back to the best soon!'

Mysterious: Jameson then provided footage of her left leg moving but noted that her 'quad strength is really, really, really weak, and as you can see I have some atrophy happening'

Draining: As doctors continue to investigate the cause of her mystery illness, which has caused muscle weakness and nausea, the 47-year-old former porn star shared an update for fans that she was 'resting' and undergoing more tests

In January, the star's partner Lior Bitton took to Instagram with an update on her condition after doctors cleared her of the autoimmune disorder.

'Just a little update, Jenna is still in the hospital,' Bitton said in a clip on Jameson's page on the social media site.

Bitton said Jameson's doctor confirmed that she didn't 'have the Guillain-Barre syndrome' after she was tested a second time and underwent five rounds of IVIG, a therapeutic procedure for people with antibody deficiencies.

Misdiagnosis: In January, the star's partner Lior Bitton took to Instagram with an update on her condition after doctors cleared her of the autoimmune disorder

Bitton thanked followers 'for all the prayers' and urged them to 'keep praying for Jenna' amid the troubled times.

Bitton, an Israeli businessman, who shares daughter Batel, four, with the model, has been keeping Jameson's followers updated on her health struggles on her social media.

He said earlier this year that he took the ex-adult film actress to a nearby hospital after she was 'throwing up' constantly for two weeks and wasn't able to walk.

Bitton said Jameson's doctor confirmed that she didn't 'have the Guillain-Barre syndrome' after she was tested a second time and underwent five rounds of IVIG, a therapeutic procedure for people with antibody deficiencies

Supportive: Bitton thanked followers 'for all the prayers' and urged them to 'keep praying for Jenna' amid the troubled times

Bitton said on the social media site that Jameson's 'legs [are] thinning down' and that she was unable to walk or stand up.

'She came back home and she couldn't carry herself,' Bitton said. 'Her muscles in her legs were very weak. So she wasn't able to walk to the bathroom. She was falling on the way back or to the bathroom, I would have to pick her up and carry her to bed.

'And then within two days it got really not so good, her legs started to not hold her, she wasn't able to walk.'

Jameson said in a clip on her account after the initial diagnosis that she was 'working through' a 'little syndrome called Guillain-Barre syndrome,' and that she appreciated the support she was receiving from fans.

Mysterious: Jameson, seen last June in an Instagram post, was hospitalized with a serious illness earlier this year

The Las Vegas native noted that her health troubles were 'NOT a reaction to the' COVID-19 vaccine, as she 'did NOT get the jab or any jab.'

Guillain-Barre syndrome, according to the CDC, 'is a rare, autoimmune disorder in which a person's own immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.'

The ailment's symptoms can 'last for a few weeks to several years,' the CDC said, and while 'most people recover fully ... some have permanent nerve damage,' with a small number of cases being fatal.
Kanye West was pictured leaving his album listening party in Miami, Florida on Tuesday evening with Kim Kardashian lookalike Chaney Jones.

The 44-year-old rapper's new muse Chaney, 24, looked strikingly similar to his estranged wife, as she was seen leaving backstage at the LoanDepot Park.

Dressed in a white leather jumpsuit and big shades with dark long locks, passers-by will have been forgiven for thinking it could have been Kim, 41.

The Instagram model and influencer is said to be Kanye's new love interest, after he recently ended things with Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox.

Is that you, Kim? Kanye West's new muse Chaney Jones gave fans a double take as she stepped out looking very similar to the rapper's estranged wife Kardashian on Tuesday evening

Kim - who attended his last album event in a show of support for her ex - is currently in Milan for fashion week.

She recently unfollowed Kanye on Instagram after her posted several troublesome posts about their post-split issues, including private messages from Kim.

Their children North, eight, and Saint, six, were at the show with their father.

Giving him reason to smile: Despite throwing his mic across the stage in a tantrum over sound issues, Kanye was later seen grinning as he was accompanied by the Kim lookalike

Interestingly, Chaney was dressed and styled in a similar fashion to how Kim appeared when she attended Kanye's Donda album event in Atlanta, Georgia, last year.

At that event, while Kim and Kanye were still being civil to one another, Kim was dressed in a red leather jumpsuit, with the brunette locks styled down.

The sighting comes after the rapper threw his microphone to the ground as sound problems interfered with the second half of his listening event.

Seeing double? Chaney was dressed and styled in a similar fashion to how Kim appeared when she attended Kanye's Donda album event in Atlanta, Georgia, last year (pictured left)

In video of the show, the rapper was seen chucking the mic across the stage in the midst of performing Jail, Pt. 2.

Kanye's latest listening event, held at the LoanDepot Park and streamed on stemplayer.com, initially started off smoothly before completely falling apart at the end, according to TMZ.

According to XXL, the sound issues impacted the second half of the concert.

Pictured: Kanye West leaves Donda 2 listening party with Kim Kardashian lookalike Chanel Jones in Miami on Tuesday evening

Look familiar? Chaney was the spitting image of Kanye's estranged wife Kim as she was seen with the rapper at the event

Who is Chaney? Jones is an Instagram model and influencer who bares a striking resemblance to Kim Kardashian

Rumors of romance: Chaney, 24, is said to be a new love interest of Kanye, after his recent split from Julia Fox

Kanye was sharing the stage with accused rapist Marilyn Manson as he sang Jail, and began uttering some of the lyrics into the microphone before he reached his hands towards his ears and threw the mic onto the floor.

It could be heard clattering on the floor as he walked away.

Sound issues also interfered with Off The Grid, the final song of the event, which was performed by Kanye, Fivio Foreign and Playboi Carti.

Move over Julia! Chaney is Kanye's new muse

No tantrum here! Kanye appeared in a happier mood with Chaney by his side

Getaway vehicle: The rapper and his entourage were seen exited the premises in a white SUV Mercedes

The problems were apparent as Fivio attempted to rap along to the track, sounding out of sync throughout his portion of the song.

Several audience members told TMZ the sound issues were not as apparent as they were to those watching the event via streaming.

In his latest listening event, Kanye continued rocking the boat with his estranged wife Kim Kardashian and took a swipe at her new boyfriend Pete Davidson.
Olivia Palermo cut her classically chic figure on Wednesday as she was one of many fashionistas attending the Alberta Ferretti show in Milan.

The American socialite, 35, was dressed in head-to-toe black for the runway event, donning an asymmetrical ensemble which comprised a cut-out, oversized jumper layered by a strappy dress.

The latter garment boasted a pleated skirt and extravagant draping appendage, which just about fell short of the floor.

Beauty: Olivia Palermo commanded attention in an all-black asymmetrical ensemble on Wednesday as she arrived for the Alberta Ferretti fashion show in Milan

The perfect complementation to her look was a pair of a knee-high boots, which were leather in style and boasted silver studs.

As for her hair, the fashion influencer swept back her tresses into a tight yet trendy ponytail, while keeping her makeup both radiant and eye-catching.

An application of blush and striking eye shadow drew out her stunning features and only reinforced her bold style.

Stealing the show: The American socialite, 35, was dressed in head-to-toe black, donning an ensemble which comprised a cut-out, oversized jumper layered by a strappy dress

Pose: The perfect complementation to her look was a pair of a knee-high boots, which were leather in style and boasted silver studs

Natural beauty: As for her hair, the fashion influencer swept back her tresses into a tight yet trendy ponytail

Outfit two: Olivia later switched up her look, wearing a flower-adorned dress with a yellow rain mac

Sartorial elegance: Olivia let her ponytail loose, keeping her waved locks in a neat middle parting

Third time's a charm! Olivia was not afraid to exhibit a plethora of outfits from her wardrobe during Milan Fashion Week

Also using the fashion show as an excuse to flaunt her fashion credentials was Elisabetta Canalis.

Flashing her enviable washboard abs in a crochet crop top and satin trousers, the Italian model and actress, 43 put her previous catwalk experience to good use as she posed up a storm for the cameras.

Her brown tresses had a natural, bouncy curl to them and she applied a glowing face of makeup.

Figure flaunting: Also using the fashion show as an excuse to flaunt her fashion credentials was Elisabetta Canalis

Fashion show: Flashing her enviable washboard abs in a crochet crop top and satin trousers, the Italian model and actress, 43 put her previous catwalk experience to good use

Glam: Her brown tresses had a natural, bouncy curl to them and she applied a glowing face of makeup

Sabrina Elba also looked a vision, opting for a khaki cropped jumper and perfectly accompanying cargo trousers.

Letting her long raven locks tumble over her shoulders, the beauty queen, 33, also added to her look with bow-adorned lime heels.

Her leather clutch was a garish hue of orange, which made her look all the more eye-catching.

Stunner: Sabrina Elba also looked a vision, opting for a khaki cropped jumper and perfectly accompanying cargo trousers

Funky: Piece Of Me songstress Becky Hill rocked a pair of 70s inspired trousers, which encompassed a sequin design

Stunner: The pop star, who won Best Dance Act at this year's BRIT Awards in 2022, teamed the trousers with a roll-neck jumper and velvet blazer

Pretty: Her accessories, namely gold hoop earrings and an accompanying necklace, rounded up her get-up perfectly

Piece Of Me songstress Becky Hill rocked a pair of 70s inspired trousers, which encompassed a sequin design.

The pop star, who won Best Dance Act at this year's BRIT Awards in 2022, teamed the trousers with a roll-neck jumper and velvet blazer.

Her accessories, namely gold hoop earrings and an accompanying necklace, rounded up her get-up perfectly.

Siblings: Lady Eliza Spencer (l) and Lady Amelia Spencer (r) were every inch the blonde beauties as they stepped out in stunning style for the event

Fashion first: Nima Benati (l) went all out in a tasselled dress, while Candela Pelizza (r) looked sensational in a snake-print jacket and trousers

Detailing: Josephine Skriver worked her pristine ensemble from multiple angles, which included loose, strappy back elements

Style: White was a colour theme that many adopted (l, Leonie Hanne, r, Caroline Daur)

Radiant: Amy Jackson slipped into a printed jacket and wore a full face of stunning makeup

Alberta Ferretti, 71, is an Italian fashion designer and dressmaker - and the creator behind her namesake brand.

The icon was among a group of Italian designers who were invited to a reception for 200 designers and retailers held by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street in October 1988.

While her showroom is in Milan, her studio is in her native village of Cattolica, near Rimini, Italy.
Sarah Jessica Parker looked sleek and sophisticated as she ran errands in a teal trench coat and white joggers around New York City on Tuesday.

As she strutted around the city with her caramel blonde hair in a tight bun, the 56-year-old actress dressed up her sweatpants with a pair of black high heels.

The And Just Like That... star completed her chic ensemble with a black handbag and kept a pair of over-the-ear headphones around her elbow.

Out and about: Sarah Jessica Parker looked sleek and sophisticated as she ran errands in New York City on Tuesday in a teal trench coat

The fashion mogul, who turned her love of shoes into a business with her shoe line SJP back in 2014, was accompanied by a woman and man, who both held floor plans.

The trio all wore masks as they walked around together amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Her outing comes a week after she made a shocking admission about her series And Just Like That on the late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live.

Sleek: As she strutted around the city with her caramel blonde hair in a tight bun, the 56-year-old actress dressed up her sweatpants with a pair of black high heels

Working hard: The And Just Like That... star completed her chic ensemble with a black handbag and kept a pair of over-the-ear headphones around her elbow

After saying she has chosen not read any criticism of the Sex and the City revival, which hit HBO Max in December, the New Year's Eve star told viewers she had a 'confession' to make 'everybody' last Monday night.

'I have not seen episodes three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten yet. Its my problem,' the two-time Emmy winner divulged to the host, 53.

While she has not watched the majority of the reboot, the actress couldn't stop raving about costars Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis' performances.

Surprising: Her outing comes a week after she made a shocking admission about her series And Just Like That on the late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live

When Cohen references the steamy sex scene Nixon's character Miranda Hobbes has with Che (Sara Ramirez) in the series' fifth episode, Parker giggled and said: 'I haven't seen that yet.'

The mother-of-three, who served as an executive producer on the show, also talked about Big's death scene as well as Che Diaz's comedy.

Additionally, she talked about how John Corbett, who played her former love interest Aidan on the show, confused fans by saying he planned to be in the reboot, even though he wasn't.

Listen up: After admitting she has chosen not read any criticism of the Sex and the City revival, which hit HBO Max in December, the 56-year-old actress told viewers she had a 'confession' to make 'everybody'

'He actually reached out very kindly, because he's nothing if not a gentleman, and apologized for doing that as a joke,' she said.

She continued: 'Having said that, I think he would be  well I'm not gonna  I mean, yes, all of it is possible. All of it is possible.'

Andy said he loved the way And Just Like That handled the absence of the Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall from 1998 to 2004.

Sarah said she could take no credit for it but that it was the work of the series showrunner and head writer Michael Patrick King and his extraordinary group of amazingly talented writers.

'I have not seen episodes 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 yet. Its my problem,' the four-time Golden Globe winner divulged to Cohen, 53

'Samantha is not gone,' said Parker. 'The actress that played the role is no longer playing that role, but people are absent from your life when you don't want them to be.'

'You know, and I thought that in typical Michael Patrick fashion, he threaded it through with grace and dignity and respect and love and affection for that character.

'I thought it mimicked many friendships that challenge each other and struggle and want to remain connected in a way, because it's too painful,' she said

Andy later discussed with Sarah when the flowers from Samantha came during the funeral scene of AJLT.

Sweet: While she has not watched the majority of the reboot, the actress couldn't stop raving about Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis' performances

'We were crying when we were doing it,' Sarah said.

The host said viewers also wanted to know why she didn't immediately call 911 when her husband Big had a heart attack.

'Of course she called 911,' insisted Sarah. 'Didn't you see the people behind moving the body.'

Andy said that people wanted to see her reach for the phone.

'That's an understandable and logical expectation,' she admitted.

'It's suspended animation, this moment where everything stops and then whatever collapsing of time that happens does not stop her from taking care of somebody, in a fashion that you would want and expect from your partner, or husband or wife.'

Making her blush: When Cohen references the steamy sex scene Nixon's character Miranda Hobbes has with Che (Sara Ramirez) in the series' fifth episode, Parker giggled and said: 'I haven't seen that yet'

Sarah said Carrie 'found the phone at some point, let's quickly walk through this together.

'So in my head, she struggled through this moment and tried to get him to be responsive and then she came to her senses. I'm going to say after about two to three seconds, and then of course she called 911 and got all the help she needed from professionals.'

Andy also asked if there were any side characters that she hoped would come back. 'We had a nice little taste of Bitsy [Von Muffling] which was a delight,' Sarah said.

Getting real: The mom-of-three, who served as an executive producer on the show, also talked about Big's death scene as well as Che Diaz's comedy

Going there: Andy said he loved the way And Just Like That handled the absence of the Samantha Jones, played by Kim Cattrall from 1998 to 2004

She said there were so many people over the course of their initial series but that they also had all these new amazing people who deserved time.

The host then turned the conversation to discuss Sarah's play Plaza Suite on Broadway with her husband Matthew Broderick, 59. She said that they each play three different characters in scenes that happened in a suite in the Plaza Hotel in 1968.

Andy was keen to know when she realized when Matthew was the one. 'Fairly soon after I met him,' said Sarah. Andy then asked her if she remembered their first kiss.
EastEnders star Zack Morris has revealed he is leaving the hit soap, after five years on Albert Square.

The actor, 23, who plays Keegan Baker, is said to have already filmed his final scenes on the show.

The news was announced via the EastEnders official social media on Wednesday, with the BBC drama noting Keegan will depart Walford later this year.

Over and out: Zack, who plays Keegan Baker, is said to have already filmed his final scenes on the show

'After five beautiful years on this incredible show, I have made the tough decision to leave Walford and give Keegan Butcher-Baker some well-earned rest.

'This show has quite frankly changed my life for the better' said Zack.

All may not be lost, as the actor doesn't seem to have ruled out a return for his character - defining the departure as a 'rest'.

Shock exit! The news was announced via the EastEnders official social media on Wednesday, with the BBC drama noting that Keegan will depart Walford later this year

Zack joined the show in 2017 as one part of a new family to the fictional borough - becoming a fan favourite with his hard-hitting storylines.

His departure comes just months after co-star and his on-screen wife Maisie Smith also announced her exit from EastEnders, after 13 years on the show.

The pair recently shut down real-life dating rumours, with Zack's ex-girlfriend reportedly calling Maisie 'the other woman'.

Maisie, who played Tiffany Butcher on the show, reportedly left after getting a number of big money offers for other projects - following her stint on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

Another one! The news comes just months after co-star and on-screen wife Maisie Smith also announced her departure from EastEnders, after 13 years on the show

Kate Oates, Head of Continuing Drama, BBC Studios said of Zack's exit: 'Zack has been an incredible asset to EastEnders; not just as a brilliant actor, but as an amazing company member.'

'We will miss Keegan from our screens, and Zack from our Elstree family.

'Hes a great talent, and we wish him well for the future.'
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Mandy Moore and the cast and crew of This is Us celebrated a major milestone for the hit NBC series on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old actress, who plays Pearson family matriarch Rebecca, shared photos from the bash on the Paramount Pictures lot after the show wrapped production on its 100th episode.

'Yesterday we celebrated the filming of our 100th episode of @thisisus with most of our cast and crew (nearly all of whom have been there from the very beginning),' Mandy wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

Exciting: Mandy Moore and the cast and crew of This is Us celebrated a major milestone for the hit NBC series on Tuesday

She continued, 'Its still hard to wrap my brain around that we only have 6 more to shoot.

'Soaking it all in with immense gratitude!! Also peep the different symbols (in fondant) from all 6 seasons of the show!

'The Moon necklace? The ducks from Memphis? Pilgrim Ricks Hat? The Little Red Caboose?'

Celeration: The star also posted a snap of series creator Dan Fogelman smiling as he stood in front of a podium

In the first photo that Mandy shared, she was seen with members of the ensemble cast including her on-screen husband Milo Ventimiglia (Jack Pearson) and on-screen children Chrissy Metz (Kate Pearson), Sterling K. Brown (Randall Pearson) and Justin Hartley (Kevin Pearson).

The group beamed as they posed in front of a congratulatory banner behind a table covered with fondant replications of meaningful objects from the show.

The star also posted a snap of series creator Dan Fogelman smiling as he stood in front of a podium.

Milestone: The 37-year-old actress, who plays Pearson family matriarch Rebecca, shared photos from the bash on the Paramount Pictures lot after the show wrapped production on its 100th episode

Excited: In the first photo that Mandy shared, she was seen with members of the ensemble cast including her on-screen husband Milo Ventimiglia (Jack Pearson) and on-screen children Chrissy Metz (Kate Pearson), Sterling K. Brown (Randall Pearson) and Justin Hartley (Kevin Pearson)

Mandy: 'Soaking it all in with immense gratitude!! Also peep the different symbols (in fondant) from all 6 seasons of the show!'

In her slideshow, Mandy shared close-ups of the impressively realistic fondant creations which included the Terrible Towel, Kate's refrigerator Post-It note, Kevin's script for The Manny, Randall's campaign button, Rebecca's moon necklace, Jack's Pilgrim Rick hat and Vietnam War necklace, the Peabody Hotel ducks and the Little Red Caboose book.

During a Tuesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, Mandy told the host what she plans to steal from the set when filming on the show wraps later this year.

She said, 'There's this family piano that's been sort of passed down generation by generation.'

Symbolic: In her slideshow, Mandy shared close-ups of the impressively realistic fondant creations which included the Terrible Towel, Kate's refrigerator Post-It note, Kevin's script for The Manny, Randall's campaign button, Rebecca's moon necklace, Jack's Pilgrim Rick hat and Vietnam War necklace, the Peabody Hotel ducks and the Little Red Caboose book

Souvenir: During a Tuesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel , Mandy told the host what she plans to steal from the set when filming on the show wraps later this year

'Take it,' Jimmy told her.

'I'm going to take it. But I feel like there are a couple of other people that have dibs on it already,' Mandy said.

Mandy went on to say that Chrissy also wanted the piano and she believed that she and her on-screen daughter would have to share custody.

Shared custody: Mandy said that she and Chrissy will have to share custody of the piano that they both want to take home from the set: Mandy seen with Sterling, Chrissy, Justin and Milo

Emotional: The New Hampshire native also shared how she felt about shooting the series' final season. Seen in 2021

The New Hampshire native also shared how she felt about shooting the series' final season.

Jimmy asked, 'Are you now thinking about that, when you shoot a scene? Oh, this is going to be the last time I'm here?'

'Oh, yeah. My emotions are already right on the edge. But yeah, I think all of us are sort of starting to accept that the end is near,' Mandy said.

'Yeah, like this is the last time we'll be in this location, or perhaps doing a scene with this person. It's so sad,' she added.

According to CarterMatt.com, the 100th episode will likely be the 12th episode of the show's sixth season and will air in April.

This is Us airs on NBC at 9pm ET and the final episode is set for release on May 24.
Kaia Gerber nailed off-duty chic as she arrived in Italy for Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday.

The model sported a beige trench coat and kept the look low-key with black trousers and a jumper underneath.

Kaia, 20, kept her shoulder-length brunette locks down and shielded her eyes with black sunglasses.

Brunette beauty: Kaia sported a beige trench coat, keeping the look low-key with black trousers and a jumper underneath in Milan

The daughter of Cindy Crawford opted for brown and black complementing luggage as she made her way out of the airport.

Kaia seemed to be keeping a low-profile, keeping her head down as she arrived, with pals Gigi and Bella Hadid having already touched down in the city.

The star has walked for brands such as Saint Laurent, Fendi, Miu Miu, Prada, Alexander Wang.

Off-duty: The 20-year-old kept her shoulder-length brunette locks down, accessorising with black sunglasses

Runs in the family: The daughter of Cindy Crawford described her mother as 'her hero', following in her supermodel footsteps

It comes after Kaia recently celebrated her mother's birthday, sharing an adorable snap to her 7.5m followers on Instagram.

She described Cindy as 'her hero' in the post, captioning:

'Happy birthday mom (red heart) here's to celebrating you everyday because one day will never be enough. my hero forever. I love you' (sic)

Though she arrived in the fashion capital solo, Kaia has recently been spotted spending time with boyfriend Austin Butler, 30.

The pair were first spotted together in December, following Kaia's split with actor ex-boyfriend Jacob Elordi.

Austin, who is 10 years her senior, famously dated High School Musical actress Vanessa Hudgens.
Pamela Anderson is launching another line of vegan handbags.

The former Baywatch star is teaming up with Ashoka Paris to launch a follow-up to their 2020 collaboration of cruelty-free purses made from apple leather.

Apple leather is a vegan material. It is made from leftover apple waste from the fruit juice and was invented in 2004 by Alberto Volcan in Northern Italy.

New project: Pamela Anderson is launching another line of vegan handbags. The former Baywatch star is teaming up with Ashoka Paris to launch a follow-up to their 2020 collaboration of cruelty-free purses made from apple leather

Taking to Instagram, Ashoka Paris said: 'The Pamela Shopping bag is now available! The latest bag in full Apple Skin capsule collection co-created with committed star Pamela Anderson.

'It is a large shopping bag with an original clasp on the outside pocket, several inside pockets and a removable pouch. It comes in black, terracotta, nude and red.'

In addition, the pair - via PETA, the animal rights group - are doing one lucky fan to win their own bag.

The post continued: 'SURPRISE! To celebrate the launch of the Pamela Shopping bag, we've teamed up with PETA UK to give you the chance to win one in the color of your choice.'

Apple leather is a process that includes taking the skins from apples grown in Bolzano in Italy, which are made into a powder and then shipped to a factory in Florence that works its magic to turn it into the leather.

Cruelty free: The purses consist of apple leather, a material made from the dried out skins of Italian apples; seen on Watch What Happens Live

Supporting a good cause: Part of the sales will go to the Pamela Anderson Foundation, which supports groups that fight for human, animal and environmental rights (Pamela pictured 2019)

Part of the sales will go towards the Pamela Anderson Foundation, which supports people and groups that fight abuses of human, animal and environmental rights.

The first collection between the two dropped in June 2020 with Ashoka Paris labelling the former model as 'a woman committed on all fronts.'

Their statement continued praising her as someone who is 'changing mentalities, defending victims, delivering justice, challenging politics.'

They added: 'For 25 years Pamela Anderson has been supporting those who are on the front line to protect human, animal and environmental rights...

Hot topic: Anderson's new business venture comes as the series following her life and the release of her sex tape Pam & Tommy is being released (pictured with ex-husband Tommy Lee)

Stellar cast: The show stars Lily James as Anderson, Marvel star Sebastian Stan as Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee

'The Pamela Anderson Foundation funds the efforts of courageous men and women who inform and defend the planet and all those that live on it.

'It is this unconditional commitment to help those who cannot defend themselves that convinced us to develop a project with her.'

Anderson's new business venture comes as the series following her life and the release of her sex tape Pam & Tommy is being released.

The show stars Lily James as Anderson, Marvel star Sebastian Stan as Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, Nick Offerman and Seth Rogen.

The show's sixth episode aired on Tuesday, and two more episodes will be released before the show comes to an end.
Chrissie Swan is living her best life and looking better than ever.

The radio presenter and mother of three, 48, showcases her impressive weight loss on the cover of this month's The Australian Women's Weekly, on sale now.

She stuns in a boho-inspired green dress cinched at the waist with a rope belt.

Looking good, feeling great! Radio presenter Chrissie Swan showcases her impressive weight loss on the cover of this month's The Australian Women's Weekly, on sale now

In the accompanying interview, Chrissie was reluctant to go into detail about her weight loss, but said the 'enormous' lifestyle changes she'd made over the last year had improved her life in so many ways.

'I'm not going to talk about the size of my a**e. I'm not going to tell you what I eat in a day. Because I've read those stories and they make me feel bad about myself,' she said.

However, she did confirm Melbourne's lengthy Covid lockdown was the catalyst for her health and fitness kick.

Go girl! The media personality gave up alcohol more than a year ago as part of a health kick. She also turned to meditation and daily 10km walks to improve her physical and mental health during Melbourne's 112-day lockdown. (Pictured before and after her weight loss)

'We couldn't go out to dinner, we couldn't go to a friend's house, they couldn't come to us, we couldn't go outside five kilometres. All we could do was walk, and so that's what I did,' she said.

Chrissie began walking only short distances, but steadily increased her fitness and now walks for two hours per day.

The media personality, who hosts the Chrissie, Sam and Browny breakfast show on Nova 100, gave up alcohol more than a year ago as part of a health kick.

Making progress: Chrissie began walking only short distances, but steadily increased her fitness and now walks for two hours per day

She also turned to meditation and daily 10km walks to improve her physical and mental health during Melbourne's 112-day lockdown.

In March last year, Chrissie said she was feeling better than ever following a booze-free night of karaoke with a girlfriend.

'Booze-free activity degree of difficulty: 10 = karaoke. UNLOCKED! I can't quite believe it but it IS POSSIBLE. Fresh as a daisy this morning and I still have my voice!' she wrote on Instagram.

She revealed a month later her sleep had also improved significantly since giving up alcohol.
Donny Davis, a comedian beloved by Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus, died in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. He was 43.

The impersonator, who frequently appeared on Chelsea Handler's show Chelsea Lately, was found dead inside a room at the Resorts World hotel, according to a local 8 News Now report.

Authorities responded to the hotel on the south end of the strip just after 6 a.m., and no cause of death has yet to be determined pending an autopsy.

Davis was known for his hilarious impersonations on the comedy circuit, including playing a 'Mini-Trump' version of Donald Trump, and was also working on a podcast series with Kelly Osbourne and longtime friend Jeff Beacher.

Rest in peace: Donny Davis, a comedian beloved by Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Miley Cyrus, died in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. He was 43

Davis performed with Britney in Vegas on her Piece of Me residency in 2013 and was a regular in Los Angeles for more than two decades at Jeff Beacher's Madhouse.

Beacher told DailyMail.com: 'Today I didnt just lose a friend. I lost a dream , a brother, a best friend. Donny was not just a loyal loving best friend. I literally trusted him with everything from my life to my business and everything in between. Donny was an Angel.

'A magical being who spread love and laughter to anyone in his presence I would always tell people he wasnt from this planet. He loved loving and he loved making everyone happy.

'He was the best, best friend, producer and performer I knew and every will know. My love, condolences and prayers go out to anyone that knows him and or loves him like me and to all his friend and family. Donny you will be more missed then you can imagine. Ill cherish our 20 years god gave me with you as my Ride or die and the 100,00s of people you touched with your magical love and fun you gifted people with.

'The planet was a better place with you on it. I will continue our dream and win awards for our documentary and continue to push equality for everyone in your honor. I love you Donny. You're the best.

Tragic: The impersonator, who frequently appeared on Chelsea Handler's show Chelsea Lately, was found dead inside a room at the Resorts World hotel, according to a local 8 News Now report; seen in 2018

Beacher told TMZ : 'Donny broke barriers in the little people community and was an inspiration to his peers. He will be missed terribly but his legacy and the impact he had on those who loved him will live on forever'

Friends forever: Ryan Phillippe took to Instagram with a host of photos to memorialize his 'dynamo' friend who had 'more confidence than I could ever hope to have'

Ryan Phillippe took to Instagram with a host of photos to memorialize his 'dynamo' friend who had 'more confidence than I could ever hope to have.'

He wrote: 'It was impossible to be around him without having a good time. His energy was boundless and he got everything he could out of life with the time he had here. A good lesson for us all. Miss you already, bud. Rest In Peace and wreak some havoc in heaven. Youre unforgettable.'

Comedian Jeffrey Ross wrote that Donny was a complete 'rock star' in a hilarious tribute shared on Instagram as he wrote: 'Im gonna miss my beautiful generous friend. My condolences to his family and his big brother Jeff Beacher.

Buddies: Comedian Jeffrey Ross wrote that Donny was a complete 'rock star' in a hilarious tribute shared on Instagram

Never a dull moment: His celebrity roster of friends seemed endless with snaps shared of wild nights out with the hottest stars in town, including Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato

Just another day: Donny had fun with Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner

Nicky Hilton commented, 'We lost a legend' as sister Paris added a heart emoji under Jeffrey's post.

Donny's celebrity roster of friends seemed endless with snaps shared of wild nights out with the hottest stars in town, including Nick and Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner, Demi Lovato and Paris Hilton.

While Davis found fame on stage, he also appeared in the 2013 flick Pain & Gain with Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, and also in Tommy Chong's 2017 comedy It's Gawd!
She welcomed her second child with her fiance James Kirkham earlier this month.

And Jessica Hart was seen for the first time with her newborn on Tuesday as she stepped out in Los Angeles.

The Aussie model, 35, carried her precious bub in a baby carrier which was covered with a blanket.

Baby love! Jessica Hart was spotted for the first time with her newborn in Los Angeles on Tuesday after welcoming her second child earlier this month with NASCAR driver fiance James Kirkham

She dressed for comfort in a pair black leggings teamed with an oversized pink Vetements hoodie and matching sneakers.

Makeup free, she flaunted her post-pregnancy glow and wore her blonde locks up in a high ponytail.

While Jessica hinted she may have had a girl by dressing in pink, she all but confirmed she gave birth to a baby boy when she announced the arrival of her second child.

She shared a series of photos alongside her one-year-old daughter Baby-Rae to Instagram and revealed she was officially a big sister.

'And just like that, this big girl is a big sister,' she wrote, adding a blue heart emoji.

Precious cargo! The Aussie model, 35, carried her precious bub in a baby carrier which was covered with a blanket

New arrival: The stunner welcomed her second child with her fiance James Kirkham last month

Many of Jessica's celebrity friends and fans congratulated the pair on the arrival of their newborn.

'Ahh congrats beautiful!!!' Renee Bargh commented.

'Congrats beautiful!!!!! What a lucky mama,' another person wrote. 'Congratulations mumma! Enjoy the special love bubble,' a third said.

Exciting! She shared a series of photos alongside her one-year-old daughter Baby-Rae to Instagram and revealed she was officially a big sister

Jess announced her baby news back on June 9 2021, confirming she was six weeks pregnant - with the news arriving just seven months after she and James welcomed their daughter Baby-Rae.

She shared a video to Instagram in which she admitted she was nervous about having two children under the age of two.

'The announcement is that I've just found out I'm pregnant again,' Jessica said.

'And just like that, this big girl is a big sister,' Jessica wrote, alongside a photo of Baby holding a doll

'It's exciting, after the initial shock of having two babes under two.'

She explained that daughter Baby will be 14 months old when she welcomes her newborn.

Jessica and James, who became engaged in October 2020, welcomed their first child together on November 17.
While pursuing journalism, we were taught that a journalist has to step out of her or his comfort zone while reporting. We all learned it as a part of our curriculum, but some took it way too seriously.

Many journalists around the world did a little extra to perform their duties. While sharing the latest news with the world, their efforts became a news piece in itself.

One continued to report even after an accident. The other sat on an angry donkey for his report.

We have compiled a list of such incidents when journalists went all out to complete their piece to camera (PTC). A few of these will leave you shocked while others will make you laugh.

Illustration: Geetanjali, DailyO

5 TIMES JOURNALISTS DID THE EXTRAORDINARY ON CAMERA

1. 6 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

This journalist went viral recently for reporting in 6 different languages. While sharing the latest updates from the Russia-Ukraine situation from Kyiv, Philip Crowther presented the news in 6 languages.

Without fumbling, he can be seen speaking English, Luxembourgish, Spanish, Portuguese, French and German live on the camera.

The clip is going viral on social media and people across the world are praising the journalist.

2. JOURNALIST HIT BY CAR

Well not just languages, this journalist showed courage...pro max level.

Things went wrong during live reporting and a TV reporter from Dunbar, West Virginia, got knocked by a car while reporting on live television.

Tori Yorgey, a reporter at WSAZ-TV was slammed by a car but she continued to report.

I just got hit by a car, but I am okay Tim, she said.

I'm okay, we are all good, you know, that is live TV for you. I actually got hit by a car in college too just like that, I am so glad that I am okay, she added.

3. THE DONKEY GOT ANGRY

In another incident from Pakistan, reporter Ameen Hafeez sat on a donkey during a report.

Ameen is famous for interviewing buffalos. Yes LOL.

The video that went viral has him on a donkey, which seemed quite angry. Towards the end of the video, Ameen Hafeez can be seen falling from the donkey. However, he managed to remain seated and continued to speak.

Donkey business flourishing in Lahore and look at the way my old Freind Amin Hafeez reporting donkey business by risking his life pic.twitter.com/FHYuQrYOqP  Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) December 19, 2018

4. CHAND NAWAB

Remember Nawazuddin Siddiqui's character in Bajrangi Bhaijaan? What an epic scene. He was inspired by a real Pakistani TV journalist Chand Nawab from Indus News, Pakistan.

The real clip from 2008 went viral on social media. In the video, he tries to finish his lines without any interruption and mistakes.

In order to do so, he takes so many remakes that it made for the perfect meme clip.

5. REPORTED HUSBANDS DEATH

Heres another brave journalist on the list. Supreet Kaur, a 28-year-old news anchor from IBC24 read out her husbands accident report on live television.

In 2017, Supreet was breaking out the news of an accident. While doing so, she realised that one of the victims of the accident was her husband.

However, she remained calm and completed her PTC. Later, she rushed to contact her husband as soon as the report ended.
A new lawsuit filed in Connecticut Superior Court this week seeks to challenge the states repeal of the religious exemption from mandatory school vaccinations.

The suit is being brought by the same plaintiffs who challenged the law in federal court last year. A federal judge in New Haven dismissed the case last month due to lack of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs  two nonprofit groups, We the Patriots USA Inc. and CT Freedom Alliance LLC., and three parents  are essentially making the same claims in the state case as they did in the federal suit. Attorneys Norm Pattis, Cameron Atkinson and Brian Festa are representing the plaintiffs.

They argue that the law violates their rights to privacy and medical freedom, to child rearing, to exercise their religion freely, and their childrens right to a public education. They are seeking a declaratory judgment finding the law unconstitutional and finding that the enforcement of the law constitutes unlawful discrimination, and a permanent injunction.

The defendants in the lawsuit are the state education and public health departments, the heads of those departments, the Office of Early Childhood, and the boards of education in Bethel, Glastonbury and Stamford.

Citing pending litigation, officials from the three state agencies declined to comment. A spokesman for the Stamford Board of Education also said the board would not be commenting for the same reasons. Representatives for the other local school boards did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

The General Assembly passed legislation removing the states long-standing religious exemption last year. Connecticut became the sixth state to end the policy when the bill was signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont in April 2021, according to the Associated Press.

Supporters of the legislation pointed to an uptick in the number of students seeking the exemption and emphasized the importance of vaccines in keeping kids safe against severe illness.

The new law goes into effect Sept. 1. Parents of children in pre-kindergarten, day care or those new to the school system cannot claim the exemption and are required to vaccinate their children on or before that date.

Children already enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 would still qualify for the remainder of their academic careers. Local school boards are charged with enforcing the law.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com


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New Delhi: British telecom giant Vodafone is in discussions to sell around five per cent stake in Indus Towers to Bharti Airtel, according to industry sources.

When contacted, Vodafone refused to comment on the matter.

Vodafone currently holds about 28 per cent in Indus Towers.

The industry sources said that Vodafone is in talks to sell its about five per cent stake in Indus Towers, valued at over Rs 3,300 crore, to Bharti Airtel. The proceeds will be pumped into the Indian entity Vodafone Idea, they added.

Indus Towers Limited, formerly Bharti Infratel Limited, provides passive telecom infrastructure. It deploys, owns and manages telecom towers and communication structures for various mobile operators.

The company's portfolio of over 1,84,748 telecom towers makes it one of the largest tower infrastructure providers in the country with presence in all 22 telecom circles. Indus Towers caters to all wireless telecommunication service providers in India.
Nikhil Siddhartha recently underwent a gruelling weapons training programme for his upcoming spy thriller directed by Garry in which he plays a RAW agent.

I wanted to make my role look authentic. There are around 10 high-octane action sequences, including some blindfolded ones, in the film, and hence I decided to take training in handling weapons, explains Nikhil.

He also said he didnt want to use dummy guns, though he did opt for dummy bullets. Nikhil shares that extra precautions are being taken on the sets, in light of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins being accidentally killed with a gun on the sets of a Hollywood film not long ago.

Nikhil trained for around 15 days at an academy on the outskirts of Hyderabad. It was the first time he received such training, and it was taking mentally and physically, but an exhilarating experience, he shares. I literally had goose bumps when I first got hold of a gun. I am glad that I have been getting to do films of all genres, the actor adds.

The actor also took comprehensive training in all aspects of police work - from rifle shooting and self-defence techniques to sprinting. I also met former RAW agents and spies to understand the nuances of the profession and their body language, he reveals, adding that a US Navy Seal officer trained him in certain postures.

Nikhil is also being trained in Krav Maga, the Israeli defence technique.

I learnt life lessons through these techniques, Nikhil says, and adds that he wants women to take up such training.

The actor also had to work on his body transformation. The defence techniques helped me increase my muscle power and stamina, shares Nikhil, adding that professional body transformation experts trained him.

The team will soon leave for Manali for a 15-day schedule to shoot action scenes.

We have already shot for a week in Hyderabad, and I am excited about going to Manali. The chilly weather and the snow there will make it even more challenging. But we are all up for it, says the actor, who also reveals that Hollywood action choreographers will compose stunts in the film.
A fireman douses fire from a burning vehicle set on fire by a mob after an unrest followed by the killing of a member of the Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal in Shivamogga, Karnataka. (Photo: AFP)

Bengaluru: As many as eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga, said Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday.

The home minister said, "Until last night, six suspects were arrested and today two more arrests have been made."

On Tuesday, a total of six people were arrested and 12 were questioned by the state police, said BM Laxmi Prasad, Superintendent of police, Shivamogga.

"The six accused arrested in the case are Mohammed Kashif, Sayed Nadeem, Afsifullah Khan, Rehan Sharef, Nihan, and Abdul Afnan," said Prasad.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of the district Selvamani R announced that CrPC section 144 has been extended by two more days till Friday morning.

Harsha was allegedly murdered on Sunday night in Shivamogga. Security was tightened in the city following the incident.
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.

The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken into custody after he was questioned for about five hours at the ED office in south Mumbai's Ballard Estate area since around 8 AM.

His statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he was arrested under the same provisions as he was evasive in his replies, the officials said.

His party said he was taken by the ED from his residence at around 6 AM.

Last week, the ED on Tuesday conducted raids at the residence of Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case.

Searches were carried out by the ED at several places linked to people associated with the underworld in Mumbai, informed sources said on Tuesday.

The ED had also conducted searches at 10 different locations related to late Haseena Parkar, sister of Dawood Ibrahim, in Nagpada.

The agency had also questioned Dawood's nephew and Parkar's son Alishah Parkar and Chota Shakeel's henchman Salim Qureshi aka Salim Fruits.
New Delhi: While saying the right to wear the hijab doesnt fall under Article 25 but under Article 19(1)(A) of the Constitution, the Karnataka government told the high court Tuesday there was no restriction on wearing hijabs on campus, and the restriction was only inside classrooms. The state advocate-general argued that the right to wear the hijab under Article 19 can be restricted under Article 19(2), reiterating it was not an essential religious practice of Islam, because if it was all women would have to wear it. The A-G added that private unaided minority institutions had the right to decide their uniforms and dress codes.

As the hijab row hearing entered the eighth day Tuesday, the students sought interim relief. The high court, refusing to grant such relief, asked the advocates to wind up arguments within this week.

The prohibitory orders around Bengalurus educational institutions has, meanwhile, been extended till March 8.

Advocate-general Prabhuling Navadgi argued Tuesday: There is no discrimination based on religion. As far as private unaided minority institutions are concerned, we are not interfering with the uniform code and have left it to them to decide A large number of petitioners who represent womens organisations I want to tell them that the dignity of women must be kept in mind.

The A-G told the three-member bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, and Justices Krishna S. Dixit and J.M. Khazi, that the petitioners havent shown that wearing the hijab was an essential Islamic religious practice, so the protection under Article 25 wasnt available to them.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear on March 9 BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking a direction to the Centre to declare the 'Ram Sethu' a national heritage monument.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli was told by Swamy that the plea has not come up for hearing for the last many months and that it not be deleted from the cause list.

We will list for hearing on March 9, the bench said.

Swamy had mentioned his plea for urgent hearing on April 8 last year as well.

Before that, on January 23, 2020, the apex court had said it will consider Swamy's plea after three months.

Ram Sethu, also known as Adam's bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.

The BJP leader had submitted he had already won the first round of the litigation in which the Centre accepted the existence of Ram Sethu.

He further said the Union minister concerned had called a meeting in 2017 to consider his demand but nothing happened subsequently.

The BJP leader had raised the issue of declaring the Ram Sethu a national monument in his PIL against the controversial Sethusamudram Ship Channel project, initiated by the UPA-I government.

The matter reached the apex court, which in 2007 had stayed work for the project on the Ram Sethu.

The Centre later said it had considered the "socio-economic disadvantages" of the project and was willing to explore another route to the shipping channel project without damaging the Ram Sethu.

"That the Government of India intends to explore an alternative to the earlier alignment of Skeletomuscular Ship Channel project without affecting/damaging the Adam's Bridge/Ram Sethu in the interest of the nation," the affidavit filed by the ministry had said.

The court had then asked the government to file a fresh affidavit.

The Sethusamudram shipping channel project has been facing protests from some political parties, environmentalists and certain Hindu religious groups. Under the project, a 83 km-long deep water channel was to be created, linking Mannar with Palk Strait, by extensive dredging and removal of limestone shoals.

The apex court had on November 13, 2019 granted six weeks to the Centre to clarify its stand on the Ram Sethu. It had also granted liberty to Swamy to approach the court if the response of the Centre was not filed.
Police at the site of the alleged encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder of a veterinary on the outskirts of Hyderabad. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it will examine the report filed by the Supreme Court-appointed Commission inquiring into the alleged encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder on December 6, 2019, in Hyderabad.

A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said, that it will read the report and then hear the matter.

"Let us first see the report and read it", the Court said.

Recently, the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Sirpurkar Commission inquired into the alleged encounter of the four accused in the rape and murder on December 6, 2019.

Justice (Retired) V S Sirpurkar committee, constituted to look and enquire into the Hyderabad encounter case, has submitted its final report before the Supreme Court.

After completing the inquiry, the Commission of Inquiry submitted its report before the Supreme Court of India on January 28, 2022.

The Supreme Court on December 12, 2019, appointed a Commission of Inquiry under the Chairmanship of Justice V.S.Sirpurkar, former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and others to inquire into the circumstances in which the four persons, namely, Mohammed Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jollu Shiva and Jollu Naveen, who were the accused, were killed in Hyderabad on December 6, 2019, while in the custody of the police.

The Commission of Inquiry collected various documentary records including investigation records, forensic reports, post mortem reports, photographs and videos concerning the scene of the incident, etc.

The Commission of Inquiry held hearings for 47 days between August 21, 2021, and November 15, 2021. The Commission of Inquiry examined 57 witnesses during this period and recorded their evidence. The hearings were held publicly subject to COVID-19 restrictions. The Advocates for the State of Telangana, the police officials involved in the incident, and other interested parties participated in the hearings.

The Commission of Inquiry heard oral arguments from all the Advocates from November 16 to 26, 2021. The Commission of Inquiry inspected the various places associated with the incident on December 5, 2021.

The Justice (Retired) Sirpur Commission was constituted by the Supreme Court to probe into the alleged extra-judicial killing of four men accused in the 2019 gang rape and murder case of Hyderabad.

A veterinarian was gang-raped and killed by four people before they burnt her body in Telangana's Shamshabad on November 27, 2019. Her charred body was recovered a day later.

A few days later, the accused -- Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva, and Chennakeshavulu -- were killed in a police encounter.
ANANTAPUR: At least 10 habitations under Chitravati reservoir bed in Anantapur and Kadapa district borders are about to be evacuated following the speeding up of the process of survey on rich deposits of lithium mineral.

A central team has conducted mineral surveys in the major gram panchayat Dadihota of Anantapur district and adjacent villages of Lingala mandal in Pulivendula assembly constituency in Kadapa district the last week.

Preliminary studies have found rich deposits of valuable lithium in areas surrounding Chitravati river bed. Notably, during the FSP 2021-22, GSI took up seven projects on Lithium in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.

A GSI team conducted the survey in the villages surrounding Dadithota, Turakavaripalli, Nayanapalli in Tadimarri mandal in Anantapur district and Parnapalle, Lopata Nuthala, Tathireddypalle and few other villages in Pulivendula assembly segment of Kadapa district.

Sources hinted at a plan to establish a plant closer to Chitravathi Balancing Reservoir because plenty of water is available for the purification of extracted minerals.

The survey teams conducted the study without involvement of the local authorities. The villagers were reportedly in fear of evacuation though their lands were shaped as rich orchards of various fruits after Krishna water was diverted to the reservoir.

Dadithota gram panchayat alone has 3000 voters along with 2,000 acres of orchards and 6,400 acres of reserved forests. Reports said the rich deposits of Lithium are present from a depth of 30 to 300 metres in the soil.

GSI has already taken up Lithium extraction projects in Mandya district in Karnataka in the first phase.

While the Dadithota area villagers were in a state of fear over evacuation, they were reportedly instructed to prepare mentally to exit from their habitations and the GSI will pay compensation for their properties.

Farmers Keshava Reddy, Sathish Reddy and Amarnath Reddy from Dadithota lamented over their future as they had worked hard to establish their orchards a few years ago. Shockingly, the GSI plans to take over the entire villages along with agricultural lands for the lithium plant. More than 1864 land pass books existed in the village alone, they observed.

Another farmer owning five acres of rich land fears over his familys future.

LITHIUM TRAIL

Securing lithium supplies will play a major role in Indian energy majors pivot towards the countrys green economy. For several months now, an unremarkable patch of earth in the region located a mere 60km away from Anantapur, has sent several arms of the Indian government into a tizzy. The reason: the ancient igneous rock deposits in the region (a by-product of large scale volcanic activity in the Deccan plateau millions of years ago) holds the first traces of Lithium ever to be discovered in India.

While producing 66,000 tonnes a year of battery-grade lithium carbonate, the mine may cause groundwater contamination with metals including antimony and arsenic, according to federal documents.

The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research under the Department Atomic Energy has undertaken lithium exploration in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The production of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has increased by almost eight-fold in the past ten years due to the growing demand for consumer electronics and electric-drive vehicles.

The social and environmental implications of increased lithium demand is significant not only in the context of the policy initiatives that are incentivizing electric vehicle adoption, but also because electric vehicle adoption is part of the vision of sustainability transitions that are being put forth in a variety of contexts.

Praja Science Vedika president Suresh Babu observed the adverse impacts on flora and fauna in the Chitravati river bed will cause a high rate of radiation and contamination of water as the already existing Uranium plant some 20km from the proposed site was causing adverse impacts on agriculture and human life.
According to the Election Commission, 2.3 crore people, including 1.14 crore men and 99.3 lakh women, are eligible to vote, for whom 24,643 polling booths and 13,817 polling centres have been set up in this phase. (Representational Image/ AP)

New Delhi: An average of 57.45 per cent polling was recorded till 5 pm on Wednesday in 59 Assembly constituencies during the fourth of the seven-phase elections in Uttar Pradesh, according to the Election Commission. Kheri (Lakhimpur Kheri) recorded the highest turnout at 62.42 per cent, followed by Pilbhit (61.33 per cent) and Raebareili (58.40 per cent) amid allegations of malfunctioning of EVMs.

In Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people, including four farmers, were killed during the farmers' stir in October last year, Union minister and BJP leader Ajay Mishra, surrounded by scores of policemen and paramilitary personnel, cast his vote.

His son Ashish Mishra is an accused in the case and was under arrest. Ashish was earlier this month granted bail by the Allahabad high court, prompting families of the deceased farmers to move the Supreme Court over the matter.

As many as 624 candidates are in the fray in this round of voting being held in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur districts.

SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said his party will get double century seats by the fourth phase of polls even as he taunted Union home minister Amit Shah over a laptop promise.

BJP chief J.P. Nadda said, This election is meant to end the shroud of black clouds that are lingering in the form of Akhilesh Yadav and his gang of 'gundas' (goons).

According to the Election Commission of India, Sitapur recorded 58.39 per cent, Hardoi 55.29 per cent, Unnao 54.05 per cent, Lucknow 55.08 per cent, Banda 57.54 per cent and Fatehpur 57.02 per cent.

Around 73.67 per cent of votes were cast till 5 pm in polling station number 266 of the Karhal Assembly segment in Mainpuri district where a repolling has been ordered by the Election Commission.

Polling in Karhal, where Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is in the fray against Union minister and BJP's S.P. Singh Baghel, was held in the third phase on February 20.

While poll panel officials claimed that voting was largely peaceful, the Samajwadi Party has alleged certain irregularities in some areas of Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi and Sitapur and demanded action.

In Lucknow, BSP president Mayawati, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, state minister Brijesh Pathak, and many senior officials were among the early voters.

According to the Election Commission, 2.3 crore people, including 1.14 crore men and 99.3 lakh women, are eligible to vote, for whom 24,643 polling booths and 13,817 polling centres have been set up in this phase.

Of the 59 seats where polling was held in this phase, the BJP had won 51 in the 2017 Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party four, Bahujan Samaj Party three, and the remaining one had gone to the BJP's ally Apna Dal (Sonelal).

In 2017, 62.55 per cent polling was reported across these seats, while in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it was 60.03 per cent.

Among the prominent candidates in this phase are Uttar Pradesh law minister Brijesh Pathak, Samajwadi Party national spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria, ex-SP minister Abhishek Mishra, former Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Nitin Agarwal and Aditi Singh.
The high courts clarification came when, amid arguments on the petition to allow wearing hijabs in schools and colleges, lawyers told the court that even teachers are being forced to take off their hijabs and a lecturer in a private college in Karnataka had resigned after she was reportedly stopped from wearing hijab or displaying any religious symbol. (Representational Image/ PTI)

New Delhi: Karnataka high court clarified on Wednesday that its interim order of no religious garments in schools and colleges applies only to students, not to teachers. Karnataka HC Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi further said that the order is clear that it is only for schools and colleges where uniforms are prescribed. If uniform is prescribed, they have to follow it, whether it is a degree college or a PU college, he said.

The high courts clarification came when, amid arguments on the petition to allow wearing hijabs in schools and colleges, lawyers told the court that even teachers are being forced to take off their hijabs and a lecturer in a private college in Karnataka had resigned after she was reportedly stopped from wearing hijab or displaying any religious symbol.

Senior advocate S. Nagananad, representing College Development Council (CDC), showed the bench a picture of the Aadhaar card of two of the petitioners who are not wearing a hijab. So it is not as if these students are professing any faith in that sense that they must always be wearing hijab in public, he argued.

He further said that the Karnataka government has not prescribed any uniforms and has left it to institutions to decide. He said the CDC has prescribed the uniform since 2004 without any objections.

Blaming Campus Front of India (CFI) for instigating students on the hijab issue, he told the court: It was decided in 2004 to make uniforms compulsory. There was no problem and students were attending classes... On December 21, 2021, some parents met college authorities insisting that girls should be allowed to wear hijab. The principal requested that they wear uniforms It was not a problem 20 years ago. CFI and other institutions have instigated children and their parents... There are highly orthodox Brahmins in school. Boys after upanayanam are not supposed to wear a stitched shirt or cloth. What if these boys say that this is their religion? Everybody can do whatever they want and justification is religion, he argued.

He also referred to the noise pollution case where Hindu petitioners made a plea that bursting crackers is part of their festival and must be permitted. "Another argument that has been put forward to remove the restrictions during festivals is that they are celebrated by most of the people and that an inconvenience to a few should not become the reason for restraining a greater lot," he said while reading the Supreme Court order.

Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya, who too made submissions on behalf of CDC, said freedom of conscience is absolute, but the right to practice, profess and propagate religion is subject to Article 25(2). Under Article 25(2), there is nothing that prevents the state from making a law or regulating any activity associated with religious practice, he argued. To remove discrimination we have the same uniform, whether they are rich or poor, whether Hindu, Muslim or another religionEven assuming it (hijab) is an essential religious practice, as a school I am obligated under the Constitution to ensure that no religious symbol enters the school and I have this right under Article 25 (2) especially as a public school, Poovayya said.

When religion was formed and these embodiments came in our holy texts, society may have had certain standards. Maybe that time women had to wear a particular attire. Today community standards are not by religious texts, it is maintained by rule of law When rule of law maintains community standards, the question is what is the need to have protective attire for females on the basis that females should be protected from gaze of males. Again I ask, why should we teach our girl child to dress modestly and not boy child. As a school I have the obligation to gradually go towards gender neutral uniforms, said Poovayya.

Advocate Poovayya further argued that imparting education by public instruction is a secular activity of the state. Therefore, interference of religion with secular education should be kept to a minimum. Imposing uniforms in school is to ensure that it is secular, it is public order. Therefore, when I prescribe uniforms, religion is irrelevant and I am entitled to do so, he said.
People who cannot afford to look after their cattle too can leave them at these shelters. (Representational image: PTI)

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district has decided to set up shelter houses for cattle. The district is proposed to set up Taluk level Gaushalas (cattle shelters) which would be managed at the high-income temples in the district.

Animal right activists have been demanding shelters for stray cattle and the animals seized from the cattle traffickers. People who cannot afford to look after their cattle too can leave them at these shelters.

A district-level Gaushala is being set up at Koyla village on a 10-acre land. The government has released Rs 36 lakh for this purpose. In addition to this, the district administration is also planning to seek the help of high-income temples of the district to set up Taluk level Gaushalas.

In the first phase, the famous temples of Kukke Sri Subrahmanya temple, Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple, Polali Sri Rajarajeshwari temple, Puttur Sri Mahalingeshwara temple, and Sauthadka Shri Mahaganapathi temples have been identified for the project, Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Dr. Rajendra KV said.

Most of these temples already have small Gaushalas. The proposal is to expand them and provide more infrastructure and land for developing them into Taluk level centers.

The temple administrations too have expressed interest in the project.

Kukke Subrahmanya temple, which tops in the revenue among the endowment temples in the state, proposes nature-friendly Gaushala.

The officials held discussions with the temple in this regard and we are willing to set up Taluk level Gaushala. We have asked for extra land, Kateel temple hereditary archak Sriharinarayanadasa Asranna told Deccan Chronicle.

Kateel temple has already initiated a unique project of rearing the Kapila breed of cattle.
What makes a picturesque district in Karnataka, famous for its waterfalls and writers, erupt into violence and vandalism?

The question leaps out as one watches troubling visuals from Shivamogga. There is another equally important question  what will be the economic impact of these images of sectarian violence for the district, state and country?

Bengaluru, Karnatakas capital and Indias Silicon Valley, is just 250 km away.

P. Lankesh, the famous writer, and father of murdered journalist Gauri Lankesh, was born in Shivamogga, or Shimoga as it was once called. So was U.R. Ananthamurthy, the renowned academic and pioneer of the Navya literary movement in contemporary Kannada literature. Shivamogga has also been the home for many socialist struggles.

Today, however, it is grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons. Anyone who watches the news knows about the recent murder of 26-year-old Harsh, a tailor and Bajrang Dal leader. The killing has further inflamed communal passions in a place with a backstory of sectarian violence. Over the past few decades, the district, a commercial hub in central Karnataka, has witnessed tremendous communal polarisation.

The politics of polarisation is back. Some media reports have alleged that after Harshas brutal murder, mobs threw stones at the homes of Muslims and ransacked their vehicles in Shivamogga city. The local police says it is looking into every angle that may have a bearing on the case and trying to trace those who lost their motorbikes and properties in the arson and violence. More than 12 people have been taken into custody. Interrogation is on, state home minister Araga Jnanendra said on February 22.

Disturbingly, even as the police investigations are under way into the antecedents of the suspected perpetrators of the crime as well as the victim, some senior state BJP leaders have been quick to make public statements about Muslim goondas and growing Islamic fundamentalism.

Shivamogga remains on the edge. At the time of writing, the situation is extremely fluid. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed till Friday. Schools in the district will also remain shut for another two days.

All this comes on top of an already tense atmosphere in the state that is engulfed in the hijab row.

That sectarian violence is bad for the social fabric as well as the economy is obvious, or should be obvious. In fact, in 2017, it was Nirmala Sitharaman, then minister of state for commerce and industry, who publicly expressed concern over violence in Karnataka and the failure of the state government to curb it, according to media reports. The Congress was then in power in Karnataka.

Ms Sitharaman, who was on a visit to the state, reminded the public that Karnataka was always an investor-friendly state. But, if Bengaluru is seen as the capital of a state where such incidents take place and there are law and order issues or people are being killed for ideological reasons with no sufficient action taken to curb it, it could affect investments.

If the state is not strong enough to bring the culprits to justice, then investments will suffer and we do not want that to happen, she had said back then.

Cut to 2022. It is the BJP which is now in power in Karnataka but Ms Sitharamans point about violence being bad for the economy remains valid.

But what are we seeing? Polarisation, growing tension and sectarian violence are rife.

In January this year, more than 30 scientists, academics, artists, writers and lawyers wrote a letter to Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and all state legislators expressing their misgivings about the plummeting governance and incidents of violence, including against religious minorities in the state.

This week, a young entrepreneur in Bengaluru told me she was worried. No one wants to really invest in a state where there is social unrest. Many people are worried that the troubles in Shivamogga and other places could spill over, affect Bengaluru, she said.

These may be just fears. But everywhere, the business community has genuine worries about the impact of social unrest and prohibitory orders on supply chains.

Needless to say, this is not just Karnatakas problem. We have seen sectarian vigilantism inflicting reputational damage to millennium city Gurgaon, one of the favoured Indian destinations for multinationals. In 2020, in the wake of the deadly riots in Delhi, Jim ONeill, who chairs Chatham House, the influential London-based think-tank, had said: If the Indian government came up with greater direct incentives to invest in India  such as greater economic reforms or specific plans on FDI  then they would be less minded to focus on the racial tensions, but all else being equal, yes, I would imagine the violence is off-putting to investors.

In March 2021, a IMF working paper titled Pricing Protest: The Response of Financial Markets to Social Unrest, by Philip Barret, Mariia Bondar, Sophia Chen, Mali Chivakul and Deniz O Igan, offered new evidence on the negative impact of social unrest on stock market performance. An average social unrest episode in an average country causes a 1.4 percentage point drop in cumulative abnormal returns over the two-week event window  a significant drop compared to average two-week abnormal returns, the paper noted. The authors said that the effect is more pronounced for events that last longer and for events that happen in emerging markets. Stronger institutions, particularly better governance and more democratic systems, mitigate the adverse impact of social unrest on stock market returns.

The politics of polarisation helps a certain kind of politician. But it often triggers sectarian violence and frequent bouts of such violence casts a pall over the economy.

Amid global tensions, the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, rising oil prices and growing uncertainties, it is blindingly obvious that social harmony is vital for a healthy economy, whether it is Shivamogga or any other place. India is facing multiple challenges  there is economic slowdown and the Covid-19 pandemic; millions live in abject fear of losing their jobs and livelihoods. And there is ascendant majoritarian politics.

Those who have committed a horrific crime must be punished, whether it is Shivamogga or anywhere else. But if India wants to emerge in an economically strong position in the post Covid-19 world, we will need to work together without allowing diversionary religious chasms and conflicts. We will need the healing touch.

There is really no other way.
A disguised worker of the Public Health Ministry prepares a Sinovac vaccine againsgt COVID-19 to inoculate a child at the Maria Montessori Initial Education Center, in Quito. (Photo: AFP)

London: People who are double-vaccinated and those who have recovered from infection by previous strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have virtually no antibody protection against the Omicron variant, according to a study.

The research, recently published in the journal Allergy, found that only individuals vaccinated with a third or booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine form antibodies that can partially block Omicron.

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna examined an Austrian subpopulation of vaccinated and recovered individuals for their antibody status and protection against the Wuhan, Delta and Omicron variants.

They adapted for Omicron a test developed for the previous variants, which investigates whether the virus can bind to the receptor on human cells via its receptor binding domain (RBD).

RBD is used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter human cells via the ACE2 receptor on cells.

The researchers also examined people who had received different vaccines and combinations currently licensed in Austria.

The findings show that both COVID-19 convalescent individuals and individuals who had been vaccinated twice developed antibody protection against Delta.

However, the antibodies were not able to block receptor binding domain against Omicron, the researchers said.

The study found that blockade of Omicron was better in those individuals who had received a third vaccination.

"The third vaccination developed protective antibodies in many individuals however, there is also a significant proportion (20 per cent) in whom no protection was established," said Rudolf Valenta, who led the research team.

The RBD differed only slightly in all previously known SARS-CoV-2 variants, so that infections with these and the currently available vaccines provided protection against the previous variants, the researchers said.

Omicron is the first variant that differs greatly from the previous variants in RBD, consequently infections with the previous variants and currently available vaccines provide little or no protection against Omicron, they said.

The researchers noted that the best protection would be to develop a broadly effective combination vaccine that protects against both the previous variants and Omicron.

"Until we have such a vaccine, only repeated vaccinations with the existing vaccines will provide some protection," Valenta said.

"The protective effect achieved by vaccination can be evaluated with special tests that can be rapidly adapted to new virus variants," the immunologist added.

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In a first big jolt to Ashneer Grover, BharatPe has terminated the services of his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, head of controls at the fintech platform, for alleged financial irregularities during her tenure.

Sources on Wednesday confirmed to IANS that Madhuri Jain's contract was terminated as the probe has found misappropriation of funds during her time at the fintech platform.

"Madhuri Jain's contract has been terminated and the reasons for this are misappropriation of funds and authorisation of inflated bills during her tenure," said the source.

BharatPe did not immediately respond to the development. Madhuri Jain was yet to respond to the development too.

Also read: Indians are world's 'most spoilt' consumers: Ashneer Grover

Alvarez and Marsal, a leading management consultant and risk advisory firm, is set to submit its report into financial irregularities at the firm during Grovers' time soon.

Global audit firm PwC was also roped in auditing the functioning of the fintech platform during the Grovers' tenure.

The newly-appointed BharatPe CEO Suhail Sameer recently wrote a letter to disgruntled employees, saying that there are some "serious allegations" based on internal complaints which are being reviewed and they must keep their faith in the Board.

While many findings of governance review are "pretty standard", there are "a couple of more serious allegations", he wrote, saying the review is still "substantiating the allegations".

Sameer said that whatever the Board decides, it will be in the best interest of employees, merchants and consumers.

After BharatPe Co-founder and Managing Director Ashneer Grover, facing controversy for allegedly using inappropriate language against Kotak Mahindra Bank's staff, took voluntary leave till March-end, his wife Madhuri Jain also went on leave in January.
British telecom giant Vodafone is in discussions to sell around five per cent stake in Indus Towers to Bharti Airtel, according to industry sources. When contacted, Vodafone refused to comment on the matter. Vodafone currently holds about 28 per cent in Indus Towers.

The industry sources said that Vodafone is in talks to sell its about five per cent stake in Indus Towers, valued at over Rs 3,300 crore, to Bharti Airtel. The proceeds will be pumped into the Indian entity Vodafone Idea, they added.

Indus Towers Limited, formerly Bharti Infratel Limited, provides passive telecom infrastructure. It deploys, owns and manages telecom towers and communication structures for various mobile operators.

The company's portfolio of over 1,84,748 telecom towers makes it one of the largest tower infrastructure providers in the country with presence in all 22 telecom circles. Indus Towers caters to all wireless telecommunication service providers in India.

Watch the latest DH Videos here:
Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the Samajwadi Party-led alliance will score a double-century of seats by the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh polls and asked people to ensure a historic win for the coalition.

He also took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his reported promise of providing laptops to those who take "admission in Inter after passing class 12".

Inter is the short form of Intermediate and refers to classes 11 and 12.

Read more: Gearing up for hung assembly? Mayawati, Amit Shah praise each other

"There is a leader in the BJP who... made a statement on distributing laptops and whoever heard it has gone 'lotpot' (split their sides laughing)."

"He said those who take admission in Inter after Class 12 will be given laptops. Good that he did not say those doing class 10 after Inter will get a laptop, else people would be perturbed," Yadav said at an election meeting here.

Making light of the BJP targeting the Samajwadi party with new sobriquets, he said, "They are going A for this, B for that ... and reading ABCD these days."

"I want to make them learn Hindi... 'kaka' stands for 'kala kanoon' (black agri laws) which have gone and so will 'Baba' (Yogi Adityanath)."

Elated over the sizeable crowd in the meeting, the Samajwadi Party chief said many BJP leaders will become invisible after seeing this "'jansailab' (sea of people)".

"The polling in the fourth phase will complete a double century for us. It is now the responsibility of the people to ensure a historic win for the Samajwadi Party-led alliance," Yadav said.

Referring to the violence in the Lakhimpur Kheri district in October last year, he alleged that a minister's son "mowed down farmers" and the government did not take any action initially.

"It was only after the pressure from opposition parties that action was initiated.

"The minister's son has got bail from the court but not from the people's court. People will get the deposits of BJP candidates forfeited," Yadav said.

While elaborating on the poll promises of his party, the Samajwadi Party chief alleged the BJP was selling government properties and companies so that they do not have to give jobs.

He termed the ongoing elections as the one for saving Uttar Pradesh, the Constitution, democracy and the composite culture.

Watch the latest DH videos:
The Election Commission has barred a candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh from campaigning for 24 hours after he said in a video that people who would not chant Radhey Radhey would not be allowed to stay in India and would have to go to Pakistan.

The EC censured Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, the BJP candidate for Tiloi assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, and barred him from campaigning for 24 hours from 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

Tiloi is one of Uttar Pradeshs 60 assembly constituencies, which will go to the polls on February 27.

Also Read | UP polls: Opportunity for SP as BJP battles farmers' fury

The video, which was widely circulated on social media, has Singh stating that everyone would have to chant Radhey, Radhey to stay in India, otherwise, she or he would have to relocate to Pakistan just as some people had done in 1947.

The EC had issued a show-cause notice to Singh on February 20, for violation of Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Section 298 of Indian Penal Code, 1860, Para 1 and Para 4 of Part I of the General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct.

Though Singh sent his reply to the EC, the poll panel was not satisfied with his response.

Also Read | UP Polls: 59 constituencies to vote in 4th phase today; 624 candidates in fray

The EC concluded that Singhs comments were utterly irresponsible and provocative and had the undertone and propensity to disturb the religious harmony of society.

Apart from barring him from campaigning, the EC noted an FIR under Section 298 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act. 1951 had already been lodged against Singh in Mohanganj Police Station.

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Nine districts, including Lakhimpur Kheri, will go to the polls in the fourth phase in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, whose outcome could decide the fate of Union minister Ajay Mishra and present a reality check to the Congress of its political future in Raebareli.

Fifty-nine seats will be up for grabs in the districts of Lucknow, Raebareli, Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Sitapur, Fatehpur, Banda, Unnao and Hardoi in the Awadh region.

The fourth phase will also be crucial for SP president Akhilesh Yadav, whose party had been wiped out in the 2017 assembly polls in the region and could manage to win only six seats.

Also Read | UP Polls: 59 constituencies to vote in 4th phase today; 624 candidates in fray

There are challenges for the BJP, too. The saffron party had swept the region last time, winning 51 seats, a feat, leaders feel, will be an impossible task to repeat.

The BJPs image has also been hit with criticism from party leader Varun Gandhi, an MP from Pilibhit, who has been regularly targeting the leadership over various issues. He had also extended support to farmers over their demand for a law on MSP and sacking of Ajay Mishra from the Union Cabinet, after his son allegedly mowed down four farmers.

Ground reports from Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit and some other districts going to the polls on Wednesday suggested that there is anger among farmers.

Also read: Hindus who dont vote for me have Muslim blood, says BJP MLA

A poor performance in Lakhimpur Kheri could result in the sacking of Mishra while his stock could rise if the BJP wins.

The stray cattle menace, which has already become a big issue in the polls, could also hurt the BJP, especially Sitapur and some other districts.

For the Congress, it will be a huge prestige battle as Sonia Gandhis home turf of Raebareli is going to the polls. So far, news has not been good, as several leaders dumped the party and joined the BJP on several seats.

Though Sonia did not campaign in the state, she did address the electorate in Raebareli through virtual mode on Tuesday. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadras strategy of fielding new faces will also be on test in this phase.

Also Read | Akhilesh Yadav, Owaisi Adityanath are two sides of same coin: Owaisi

The SP will be looking to put up a better show in the region. We will have to increase our tally substantially if we are to form the next government, a senior SP leader here conceded while speaking to DH.

There are 14 reserved seats in the region, which means the BSP will be hoping for an improved show and erase the memories of the disastrous performance last Assembly polls when it managed to win just one seat.

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China on Wednesday dismissed comparisons between the Ukraine crisis and its own claim over Taiwan, after the self-ruled island's president said evidence of Russian aggression was being used to hurt Taiwanese morale.

Democratic Taiwan has watched the Ukraine situation closely as it lives under constant threat of a Chinese invasion, with Beijing claiming sovereignty over the island and vowing to seize it one day -- by force if necessary.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday "external forces" were "attempting to manipulate the situation in Ukraine and affect the morale in Taiwan's society", and urged the government to be "more vigilant against cognitive warfare".

Beijing said any comparison showed a "lack of the most basic understanding of the history of the Taiwan issue".

"Taiwan, of course, is not Ukraine," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press conference.

Also read: China accuses US of raising tensions on Ukraine issue

"Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China's territory. This is an irrefutable historical and legal fact," she said, blasting "unwise" Taiwanese authorities for "making the Ukraine issue into a hot topic".

Earlier, Tsai said: "Our government condemns Russia's violation of Ukraine's sovereignty... and urges all parties to continue to resolve the disputes through peaceful and rational means."

Beijing has ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan since Tsai came to power in 2016, as she rejects the stance that the island is Chinese territory.

Taiwan's defence ministry said last year that China had launched a disinformation campaign aimed at seizing the island "without a fight".

Tsai on Wednesday also told national security and military units to remain vigilant and step up surveillance of military activities around Taiwan.

The final quarter of 2021 saw a massive spike in incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone.

Last year, Taiwan recorded 969 such incursions, according to a database compiled by AFP -- more than double the roughly 380 in 2020.

Beijing has trod a cautious line on Ukraine but also offered growing support to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two powers signed a joint statement this month, agreeing on multiple foreign policy goals including no further expansion of NATO and that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of China".

Chinese officials have also repeatedly sided with Russia in blaming the West for the tensions over Ukraine, accusing them of a "Cold War mentality" while describing Moscow's security concerns as "reasonable".

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday that Turkey would not recognise any move against Ukraine's sovereignty, and warned against a military conflict.

Erdogan told Putin that Turkey would "not recognise any step against Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," his office said, adding that this was Ankara's "principled approach".

President Vladimir Putin has defied an avalanche of international sanctions and put his forces on stand-by to occupy and defend two rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine.

Russia recognised the regions as independent this week, a serious escalation of tensions in the ongoing crisis.

NATO member Turkey, which has friendly ties to Russia and Ukraine, has sought to position itself as a mediator.

During the phone call with Putin, Erdogan said "a military conflict would not bring benefit to anyone", and that Ankara prioritised diplomacy and dialogue, the presidency said.

"Turkey is ready to do its part to reduce tensions and maintain peace," he told Putin.

Also read: India believes in rules-based order: Meenakshi Lekhi on Ukraine crisis

The Kremlin said Putin told Erdogan about the "necessity" of his decision to recognise east Ukraine's rebel Donetsk and Lugansk republics -- a move that opens the door to the presence of the Russian army there.

Putin said the decision was taken "in the conditions of the aggression of Ukrainian authorities in Donbas and their categorical refusal" to abide to a peace agreement, the Kremlin said.

Erdogan cut short a trip to Africa amid the flurry of diplomacy over the crisis and returned Turkey late on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters on the plane home, Erdogan said Turkey did not want to choose between Russia and Ukraine, in comments published in Turkish media on Wednesday.

"It is not possible for us to give up on both," he said.

"We have political and military relations with Russia. We also have political, military and economic ties with Ukraine," he added.

"We want this issue to be resolved without us having to choose between the two."

Erdogan has proposed a trilateral summit in Turkey with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Turkish leader told Zelensky in a phone call on Tuesday that "Putin's recognition of so-called republics" was unacceptable.

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Japan will impose sanctions on Russia and individuals linked to eastern Ukrainian regions controlled by pro-Kremlin separatists, the country's prime minister said Wednesday, after Moscow ordered troops into the disputed territory.

The measures follow decisions by the United States, Britain and the European Union to penalise Russian entities in the wake of President Vladimir Putin's decision to send soldiers into Donetsk and Lugansk.

Tokyo's sanctions include a ban on issuing visas to individuals linked to the "so-called two republics" as well as freezing their assets and barring trade with the regions.

Also Read  Biden announces sanctions that cut Russia off from Western financing

They also ban the issuing and trade of Russian government bonds in Japan. "We continue to monitor with grave concern," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

"From the viewpoint of responding to the issue in cooperation with the international community, Japan decided to impose sanctions," he said.

Japan "strongly condemns" Russia's actions, he said, adding "that infringe on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, violating international law," and that further sanctions were possible "if the situation worsens."

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Russias recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine could threaten important investments of Western oil giants and further drive up global energy prices in the next few weeks.

Since the closing days of the Cold War, Russias energy-based economy has become entwined with Europes. European energy companies like BP, TotalEnergies and Shell have major operations and investments in Russia. Although expansion of those holdings was largely halted after Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea, they remain important profit centres and could now be at risk.

Seeking to isolate President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Joe Biden and the European Union imposed new sanctions on the Russian government and the countrys political and business elite Tuesday. The measures do not directly target the energy industry. Thats why oil and gas prices settled only modestly higher Tuesday afternoon in New York.

But analysts said the energy industry could still be hurt if the crisis dragged on, particularly if Putin decided to send troops into the rest of Ukraine or sought to take control of the capital, Kyiv. Such aggressive action would most likely force Biden and other Western leaders to ratchet up their response.

Also read: Biden announces sanctions that cut Russia off from Western financing

European leaders are already taking aim at some Russian energy exports. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that Germany would halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is supposed to deliver Russian gas. The decision will not have an immediate effect on European energy supplies because the pipeline is not yet operating. But Russian gas shipments through Ukraine could be halted, especially if Putins troops push farther into Ukraine or if he cuts off gas to Europe in retaliation for Western sanctions.

Russia supplies 1 out of every 10 barrels of oil used around the world. After Western officials said Russian troops had entered eastern Ukrainian regions held by separatists, oil prices quickly jumped early Tuesday to nearly $100 a barrel, their highest level in more than seven years, before moderating.

Energy experts say oil prices could easily rise an additional $20 a barrel if Putin seeks to occupy more or all of Ukraine. Such an outcome would also cause huge problems for Western oil companies that do business in Russia.

In that environment, the legal and reputational risk faced by Western energy companies operating in Russia will rise sharply, said Robert McNally, who was an energy adviser to President George W. Bush and is now president of the Rapidan Energy Group, a consulting firm. For oil markets, this means slower supply growth and even tighter global balances and higher prices in the coming years.

TotalEnergies, which is based near Paris, owns nearly 20% of Novatek, Russias largest liquefied natural gas company, and Shell has a strategic alliance with Gazprom, Russias natural gas monopoly.

The Western oil company most involved in Russia is BP, which owns nearly 20% of Rosneft, a state-controlled energy company managed by Igor Sechin, who is widely considered a close Putin ally and adviser. BPs CEO, Bernard Looney, and its former CEO Bob Dudley sit on Rosnefts board with Sechin and Alexander Novak, Russias deputy prime minister.

Also read: DH Deciphers | Why is Russia recognising Ukraine's rebel regions?

Rosneft contributed $2.4 billion in profits and $600 million in dividends to BP in 2021, and has a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange. About one-third of BPs oil production, or 1.1 million barrels a day, came from Russia last year.

BP executives have so far expressed calm. We have been there over 30 years and our job is to focus on our business, and that is what we are doing, Looney said in a recent conference call with analysts. If something comes down the road, then obviously we will deal with it as it comes.

Most oil companies have been reporting bumper profits because of rising oil and gas prices. European firms are using some of their profits to invest more in wind, solar, hydrogen and other forms of cleaner energy. But the current crisis could be a major distraction, if not worse.

Doing business in Russia has always been complicated, especially as Putin reasserted state control over energy, squeezing private investors.

Shell was forced to give up control of its premier Russian liquefied natural gas project on Sakhalin Island, in eastern Russia, to Gazprom in 2006. Shell retains a modest stake in the facility, and it appears to want to keep the door open to more business in Russia. Along with four other European companies, it helped finance the estimated $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany.

TotalEnergies has continued investing in a $27 billion natural gas complex in the Yamal Peninsula, in the Arctic, that Novatek controls. The project sidestepped earlier Western sanctions by obtaining financing from Chinese banks. It began producing gas for European and Asian customers in 2017.

Share prices of BP and Total closed Tuesday down more than 2%, and Shell was down about 1%.

Prospects for Western oil companies seeking to do business in Russia were once far brighter. Exxon Mobil, Italys ENI and other foreign oil companies teamed up with Rosneft in 2012 and 2013 to explore Arctic oil and gas fields.

But US and European Union sanctions imposed after Russias seizure of Crimea forced many Western companies to stop expanding in Russia in part by limiting access to financing and technology for deepwater exploration.

Exxon formally abandoned exploration ventures with Rosneft in 2018 and took a $200 million after-tax loss.

Ben Cahill, an energy analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said stiffer and broader sanctions could be coming.

Its possible new sanctions will try to stop Russia from moving into areas like hydrogen that are part of its long-term diversification, he said. Sanctions could make life difficult for foreign companies like BP and Shell if they target the oil field services sector and block equipment they need for operations in Russia.

Russia is the worlds third-biggest oil producer and the second-biggest natural gas producer. So any crisis involving it is bound to roil energy markets and the global economy.

Besides Russia itself, Europe will feel the brunt of the pain. More than one-third of European gas supplies come from Russia at a time when reserves are small and prices high. Half of Russias 5 million barrels a day of oil exports go to Europe. A much more modest 700,000 barrels a day or so go to the United States.

But energy experts say the crisis would have been even worse about 20 years ago, before the United States unleashed huge amounts of oil and natural gas from the hydraulic fracturing of shale. Russias occupation of Crimea also encouraged Europe to build several large terminals it needed to import more liquefied natural gas, and many more are planned as US energy companies build terminals to export more gas.

The crisis this year is not as bad as it could have been, said Amy Myers Jaffe, an energy expert at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

She added that Putins aggressive moves in Ukraine could backfire by eroding Russias importance as an energy supplier to Europe. Were going to see more of those steps and policies and an increase in renewables, she said.

European gas prices are roughly four times as high as they were a year ago, forcing consumers and businesses to pay more for electricity and heat. And the possibility of tapping into Russias vast energy resources is becoming less likely with every escalation.

If Russia moves troops beyond their line of control, it is hard to imagine that any Western company will be permitted to do additional exploration and production in Russia, said David L. Goldwyn, who was a senior energy diplomat in the State Department under President Barack Obama.
Britain will provide further military support to Ukraine, including lethal defensive weapons, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday.

"In light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia and in line with our previous support, the UK will shortly be providing a further package of military support to Ukraine. This will include lethal aid in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid," Johnson told parliament.

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Ukraine's parliament approved sanctions on Wednesday against 351 Russians, including lawmakers who supported recognising the independence of two separatist-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine and the deployment of Russian troops there.

The sanctions impose restrictions including barring those sanctioned from entering Ukraine, and preventing their access to assets, capital, property and business licenses. Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council was due to impose the sanctions after the vote.

Also read: Ukraine MPs vote to give permission for civilians to carry firearms

"We should address the national security council to immediately impose sanctions against criminals, against every deputy of the State Duma of Russia, who voted for dismembering Ukraine," Iryna Herashchenko, a member of the European Solidarity faction, said before the vote.

Last week, 351 Russian lawmakers voted to appeal to President Vladimir Putin to recognise the independence of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine that are controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Putin did so on Monday.

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Ukraine will introduce a nationwide state of emergency in which special restrictions will apply in order to keep the country calm and protect its economy amid fears of a Russian invasion, a senior Ukrainian security official said on Wednesday.

The state of emergency will last for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days, Oleksiy Danilov told a briefing. Parliament must now vote to enact the decision.

Introducing a state of emergency gives powers to the authorities, who can choose which ones to implement. These could include restrictions on transport, extra protection for critical infrastructure and a ban on strikes.

Regional authorities can make decisions on whether to introduce curfews and other measures, Danilov said.

"These are preventive measures to keep calm in the country, so that our economy and our country can work," Danilov said.

Also read: Ukraine MPs vote to give permission for civilians to carry firearms

"Depending on the threats that may arise in certain territories, there will be either a more strengthened or more weakened state of emergency. We are talking about border areas where we have a border with the Russian Federation, with Belarus," he said.

Ukraine has introduced a series of measures including the conscription of reservists as it braces for a possible military offensive from Russia, which sent troops into eastern Ukraine this week to prop up two breakaway regions.

Danilov reiterated that Ukraine was not introducing general mobilisation yet.

Some lawmakers have urged the government to impose martial law - a move that could trigger a response from Russia. Danilov said no such decision had been taken yet.

"If necessary, this provision will be adopted immediately," he said.

Martial law would impose harder restrictions, which could include bans on meetings, movements and political parties.

The state border guards service said new measures had been introduced regarding the stay of foreigners near the border zone, the use of radios, flights of drones and the filming and photographing of certain people and buildings.

Also read: Russia welcomes India's 'independent position' on Ukraine crisis

The state of emergency applies to all of Ukraine except the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where it has been in place since 2014.

Russian-backed fighters have controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2014. Russia recognised them as independent states and approved use of its troops abroad this week.

Danilov also said that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had not discussed the development of nuclear weapons, something Russian President Vladimir Putin has said posed a strategic threat for Russia.

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Ukraine on Wednesday urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately, citing the threat of a Russian invasion that could complicate the provision of consular services.

Also read: Ready for diplomacy but Russian interests non-negotiable, says Putin

"Because of the escalating Russian aggression against Ukraine, which can lead to a substantial reduction in possible consular assistance in Russia, the foreign ministry urges the citizens of Ukraine to refrain from travel to Russia, and for those in that country to leave its territory immediately," the ministry said.

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Taiwan is nervous that Beijing may take advantage of a distracted West to ramp up pressure on the island amid the crisis in Ukraine, but there have been no unusual manoeuvres by Chinese forces in recent days, officials in Taipei said.

The government, always on alert to what they view as Chinese provocations, last month set up a Ukraine working group under the National Security Council. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military activity near the self-governing island over the past two years.

President Tsai Ing-wen told a meeting of the working group on Wednesday that Taiwan must increase its surveillance and alertness on military activities in the region and tackle foreign misinformation, although she did not directly mention China.

Although Taiwan's government says the island's situation and that of Ukraine's are "fundamentally different", Tsai has expressed "empathy" for Ukraine's situation because of the military threat the island faces from China.

Also Read  Chinese official declares 'one China' in reference to Taiwan at Beijing Games

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned in two foreign media interviews this month that they were watching very closely to see whether China would take advantage of the Ukraine crisis to attack. "China may think about using military action against Taiwan at any moment, and we need to be prepared for that," he told Britain's ITV News.

A senior Taiwan official familiar with the government's security planning told Reuters that the chances of a sudden uptick of military tension are "not high", but that Taipei has been watching closely for any unusual Chinese activities.

The person pointed to the People's Liberation Army's joint military drills in areas between Taiwan's northeast and near the Miyako Strait close to Japan's southern islands, which have become more frequent in the past month or so. The drills included fighter jets, bombers and warships and were meant to increase pressure on Japan, the official said, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A Japanese Defence Agency spokesperson declined to comment.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that Taiwan's government in concert with the West was using Ukraine to "maliciously hype up" military threats and whip up anti-China sentiment.

Western concern

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.

Two Taiwan-based diplomatic sources told Reuters that President Xi Jinping's primary focus at the moment was preparing for a tricky once-every-half-decade congress of the ruling Communist Party this year, where he will cement a historic third term in office.

Also Read  UK sees threat to Taiwan if West does not support Ukraine

"Once that's done, he will be able to focus once more on Taiwan," said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity as neither was authorised to speak to the media.

Taiwan, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has lived under the threat of Chinese invasion since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists.

Su Chi, a former head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council under the previous administration of President Ma Ying-jeou, said Taiwan, like Ukraine, was caught between two great powers. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin deal with their respective territorial claims very differently, added Su, who runs the Taipei Forum think tank. "So far Xi has been firm but gradual, not lightning fast like Putin."

One Western security official familiar with policy planning toward China said Beijing was most likely looking at how the Ukraine situation developed in terms of sanctions on Russia. "It's probably seen as a laboratory by China, on what they might face in a Taiwan contingency," the official said, referring to how Western countries may react to a Chinese attack on the island.

The Taiwan official said there were some similarities between Putin's and Xi's military moves in recent years, pointing to Russia's "grey zone" tactics towards Crimea before annexing it in 2014. Taipei has called China's frequent air missions near the island a "grey zone" tactic. "Rather than conjecturing whether Xi would restrain actions before the party congress, it is more realistic to analyse its daily military activities and make preparations accordingly," the official said.

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US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced tough new sanctions on Russia for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war, even as Vladimir Putin signalled plans to send troops beyond Russia's borders.

Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, gave Putin unanimous approval to deploy "peacekeepers" to two breakaway Ukrainian regions now recognized by Moscow as independent, and potentially into other parts of Ukraine.

Biden announced what he called the "first tranche" of sanctions, including steps to starve Russia of financing and target financial institutions and its "elites."

Also Read | DH Deciphers | Why is Russia recognising Ukraine's rebel regions?

But he left the door open to a final effort at diplomacy to avert a bloody full-scale Russian invasion.

"There's no question that Russia is the aggressor, so we're clear-eyed about the challenges we're facing," the president said.

"Nonetheless, there is still time to avert the worst-case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people."

Biden's address followed a wave of sanctions announced by Britain and the European Union after Putin recognized the self-declared Donetsk and Lugansk rebel republics.

Germany also announced it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Also Read | Russia establishes diplomatic ties with Ukraine's separatist regions

Putin's plans remained unclear, but Western officials have been warning for weeks he has been preparing for an all-out invasion of Ukraine, a move that could spark a catastrophic war in Europe.

The Biden administration signalled it no longer believes that Russia is serious about avoiding conflict, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had cancelled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov scheduled for later in the week.

"Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting," Blinken said.

Speaking to journalists, Putin said the Minsk peace agreements on Ukraine's conflict no longer existed and he recognized claims by the separatists to more territory than they currently control.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine conflict could hurt sunflower oil imports

But he added that the deployment of Russian troops would "depend on the specific situation... on the ground" and appeared to offer Ukraine a way out by giving up on its hopes to join the US-led NATO military alliance.

"The best solution... would be if the current Kyiv authorities themselves refused to join NATO and maintained neutrality," Putin said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had "every indication" that Moscow "continues to plan for a full-scale attack on Ukraine."

Kyiv showed no sign of backing down to Moscow, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba meeting Biden to appeal for more military aid.

Biden said in his White House address the United States would continue to supply "defensive" weapons to Ukraine and deploy more US troops to reinforce NATO allies in Eastern Europe.

Also Read | Ukraine soldier killed, six wounded in war-torn east

Kyiv recalled its top diplomat from Moscow as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Putin's recognition of the breakaway regions heralded "further military aggression" against Ukraine.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said EU foreign ministers "unanimously agreed on an initial sanctions package", as he also cancelled a meeting with his Russian counterpart.

"The sanctions will hurt Russia and will hurt a lot," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters.

Britain slapped sanctions on five Russian banks and three billionaires, and Canada followed suit with similar measures.

In some capitals, there has been debate over whether Moscow sending troops into an area that was already controlled by Russian-backed rebels amounts to the kind of all-out invasion that would justify imposing the harshest sanctions.

Also Read | 'We are expecting war', say Ukraine frontline residents

But Putin's rhetoric was sure to raise concerns.

Russia said it had established diplomatic relations "at the level of embassies" with the separatist-controlled regions, which broke away from Kyiv's control in 2014 in a conflict that cost 14,000 lives.

And Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sent congratulations to his counterparts in the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic.

A Ukrainian soldier died Tuesday and six suffered injuries in clashes with Moscow-backed rebels in the east, the army said.

In the frontline town of Shchastya, shellfire rang out around an electric power station as fearful residents awaited the Russian deployment.

A shell hit the roof of 59-year-old Valentyna Shmatkova's apartment block overnight, shattering all the windows in her two-room apartment.

Also Read | Russia's Urals oil at biggest discount to benchmark for 2 years, traders say

"We spent the war in the basement," she said, referring to the 2014 fighting that saw the region break away from Ukraine.

"But we weren't expecting this. We never thought Ukraine and Russia wouldn't end up agreeing."

After a dramatic televised meeting with his top officials, Putin spoke to the Russian people Monday in an often angry hour-long address from his Kremlin office.

The Russian leader railed against Ukraine as a "puppet" of the West, accusing Kyiv of preparing a "blitzkrieg" to retake the separatist regions.

US officials say there is a 150,000-strong Russian force poised to launch an all-out assault on Ukraine.
Like millions of Brazilians, @mara, a fervent fan of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, has turned to the messaging app Telegram as the country heads toward a deeply divisive election: "There's no censorship here," she says.

Similar to the 2018 election that brought Bolsonaro to power, this October's edition is shaping up as an all-out war on social media, with disinformation as a powerful weapon.

Bolsonaro, who has had various posts blocked on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for violating their rules on misinformation, is eagerly encouraging his base to follow him on Telegram as the vote nears.

Founded by Russian-born tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov in 2013, Telegram is a crypted messaging app with virtually no restrictions on what users can say in messages.

That has won it fans in Bolsonaro's camp, where other social media companies face accusations of censoring right-wing views.

Also read: US denounces Bolsonaro's 'solidarity' with Russia as Ukraine crisis brews

It has also earned it scrutiny from the Brazilian authorities, notably the Superior Electoral Tribunal, which has tried in vain to get Telegram to cooperate in fighting disinformation in the run-up to the elections.

"Here, you can express your opinions freely," said @mara, a 60-year-old teacher who asked her real name not be used.

The pressure on Telegram, she said, is "RI-DI-CU-LOUS."

"That's a DICTATORSHIP, it only happens in countries governed by dictators," she told AFP via the app, which has been hugely successful in Brazil, downloaded on 53 percent of all cell phones.

Bolsonaro is facing an uphill battle to win reelection, currently trailing leftist ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in polls.

Like his political role model, former US president Donald Trump, Bolsonaro is adept at rallying his base on social media, where the Brazilian leader has more than 45 million followers in all.

He faces a series of investigations for spreading false information on social networks, notably over his repeated claims of rampant fraud in Brazil's electronic voting system, for which he has provided no evidence.

Bolsonaro has more than one million followers on Telegram, not including numerous fan groups with names like "Reelect Bolsonaro 2022."

Lula, for his part, has just 47,000.

Also read: Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's polarizing far-right president

Dubai-based Telegram proudly explains on its website that its chat data and encryption keys are deliberately spread around the world, in what is known as "distributed infrastructure."

"Thanks to this structure, we can ensure that no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and freedom of expression," it says.

Its refusal to block content some consider dangerous has sometimes gotten it in trouble, including suspensions in several countries.

And its largely unmoderated platform, which allows groups of up to 200,000 members, is a potential viral breeding ground for false information.

Earlier this month, the Superior Electoral Tribunal signed an agreement with eight leading social networks to combat disinformation during the elections, including Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube.

Telegram was notably absent.

The court's president, Luis Roberto Barroso, wrote to Telegram headquarters in December, asking for a meeting and warning that the app was rife with "conspiracy theories and false information about (Brazil's) electoral system."

He went on to threaten Brazil would suspend Telegram, "plain and simple."

Bolsonaro said any such move would be "cowardly."

Brazilian prosecutors are also investigating Telegram on allegations of spreading disinformation and hate speech.

"It's a platform designed to dodge the law. Messages are stored on multiple servers, each in a different jurisdiction," said Pablo Ortellado, a digital communications expert at the University of Sao Paulo.

Bolsonaro's repeated allegations against the electronic voting system used in Brazil since 1996 are raising fears he will reject the election result if he loses, like Trump.

The specter of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters -- who were riled up in part on social media -- looms large in Brazil.

"The fear is that if Telegram can't be brought under Brazilian electoral legislation, false allegations of vote fraud can't be regulated or contained," Ortellado told AFP.

If Brazil does block Telegram, @mara has a back-up plan: she has already signed up for other apps, including Trump's new Truth Social, which started rolling out Sunday.

"WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP," she said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of the breakaway Donbas region located in southeastern Ukraine, ratcheting up tensions in the ongoing conflict and infuriating the West. Donbas, short for Donets Basin, is known as the mining belt of Ukraine and holds enormous geostrategic importance. Here's a lowdown on why Russia is recognising it and what it means for the ongoing Ukraine conflict:

How and when did Donbas separate from Ukraine?

In February 2014, the pro-Russia Ukrainian government led by President Viktor Yanukovych fell following the popular uprising known as the Maidan Revolution. The uprising was a referendum of sorts against Russia and had deeply angered Kremlin because it lost its clout in Ukraine. In retaliation, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, a strategic peninsula in the Black Sea, in February and March. Then in April, pro-Russia protests broke out in Donbas where a majority of the people speak Russian and have cultural and social relations with it. This eventually resulted in two pro-Russia rebel groups taking control of Donetsk and Luhansk territories in Donbas following a war that's claimed more than 14,000 lives and is still going on.

Also Read | Biden announces sanctions that cut Russia off from Western financing

Has the world recognised Donetsk and Luhansk?

No. Donetsk and Luhansk, along with Crimea, are still considered parts of Ukraine. In 2014, Ukraine, Russia and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reached an agreement following talks in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Called the Minsk Protocol, the agreement was aimed at ensuring a ceasefire in Donbas and providing a basis for any future settlement of Donetsk and Luhansk. But the agreement has failed to achieve its objectives, prolonging the conflict.

What's Donbas got to do with the ongoing Ukraine conflict?

The Russian recognition of Donbas changes little on the ground because the region is already held by rebel groups. But since the decision has come amid the ongoing standoff where nearly 1.5 lakh Russian troops are stationed around Ukraine, it's got an oversized reaction from the West. That's not all. Russia is also sending troops to Donbas to "maintain peace". Things may go out of hand if Russia sends troops beyond the rebel-held areas.

Also Read | Russia establishes diplomatic ties with Ukraine's separatist regions

Will Russia really invade Ukraine?

The only person who can probably answer this question is Putin. More than Russia, it's the West that seems certain that Kremlin will invade Ukraine. Even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of that country do not really think Russia will invade Ukraine. The fact, however, remains that Russian soldiers have surrounded Ukraine from several sides: in Crimea, in Donbas, along the Russia-Ukraine border, in Belarus (which is friendly with Russia) and in Transnistria, a breakaway region in Moldova on Ukraine's southwestern border. But the Donbas recognition signals that Russia may not want an imminent war.

Isn't Russia afraid of western sanctions?

The US, the UK, France and other western powers have announced economic sanctions on Russia following its recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk but Kremlin is unfazed. Recognising the two regions is a calculated risk. Russia feels it can withstand the western sanctions. And remember, the sanctions aren't one-way traffic. Russia can and will impose sanctions on the West. Russia is European Union's fifth-largest trading partner and its biggest energy supplier.

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In eastern Europe, a region once ruled by Moscow with deep resentment against Russia, unverified claims and anti-Western disinformation are making surprising inroads as the regional crisis deepens.

In Slovakia, which neighbours Ukraine, disinformation about the situation has been widely shared even by some members of parliament.

Lubos Blaha from the leftist opposition Smer party, who has over 170,000 Facebook followers, posted after Putin's speech questioning Ukraine's existence that "I'm convinced [Putin] wants peace".

Blaha claimed that Ukraine "provoked and threatened Russia" while "the West was hectoring it".

He added that the country is "controlled by oligarchic clans, neonazism and russophobia are on the rise, and corruption is in full bloom".

Slovakia seems to have been particularly susceptible to pro-Kremlin disinformation.

Read | Ready for diplomacy but Russian interests non-negotiable, says Putin

The country of 5.5 million, which shares a 97-kilometre (60-mile) border with Ukraine, signed a defence pact with the United States this month, allowing US troops to operate on its territory.

That agreement provoked fierce opposition from the government's political rivals as well as a sizeable part of Slovakia's population and became a favorite target of disinformation and propaganda.

As a result, anti-US, anti-NATO and even anti-EU sentiments are on the rise in Slovakia.

An opinion poll last month by the Slovak Focus agency found that 44 percent of respondents believed the US and NATO were responsible for the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, while only 35 per cent held Russia responsible.

The anti-NATO narrative is particularly significant as one of Russia's demands has been for the withdrawal of additional NATO forces sent to the region in the wake of Moscow's annexation of Crimea.

"Already in January, there was a massive increase in disinformation aimed at justifying Russia's aggression against Ukraine," said Bohumil Kartous, a spokesman for the Czech Elves, a network of several hundred online vigilantes.

"This topic now far outweighs any other, including Covid," said Kartous, whose group publishes monthly reports about fake news being shared in the Czech Republic and the wider region.

False posts seek to paint Ukraine as a "corrupt failed state" governed by "fascists" and practicing "genocide on its Russian-speaking population", the Elves wrote in one of their reports on the conflict.

Roman Maca, an analyst at Prague-based think tank Institute for Politics and Society said there had been "a huge uptick" in disinformation in the region.

Maca said it was "interesting to see how many people and groups which have in the past two years fought against Covid measures now jump on the pro-Russian propaganda and start spreading this type of misinformation".

In the weeks leading up to Putin's decision to authorise Russian troops to enter eastern Ukraine, various videos circulated online in the region, supposedly showing Ukrainian troops getting ready for invasion or entering Russian territory.

AFP Fact Check found that many of these videos showed unrelated military drills filmed years earlier. Some of the footage came from 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, while another video was a 2018 fake masquerading as a BBC report.

Some of the fakes "portray NATO as the one being responsible for the current situation, while Russia is supposedly just resisting long-standing efforts to threaten its security," Kartous said.

"This resonates with a certain segment of the population," he said, referring to the Czech Republic, which has sent ammunition to help Ukraine.

"For some, it builds on similar earlier claims and cements their conviction. For others, it creates a sense of insecurity which in turn creates resistance to the (Czech) government's efforts to help Ukraine defend itself," he said.

In parts of the region that have traditionally been more pro-Russian, Moscow's narrative of Ukrainian aggression is already well-cemented.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told TV Pink this week that 85 per cent of his countrymen will "always side with Russia whatever may happen".

Serbian tabloids this week repeated an unverified claim that Russian forces had destroyed two Ukrainian armoured vehicles that entered Russia.

"Ukraine attacked Russia!" screamed the front pages of Serbian tabloids on Tuesday, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would recognise two separatist regions in Ukraine and order troops to be sent in.

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Genocide, nuclear ambitions, neo-Nazis: the Russian president's incendiary rhetoric this week against Ukraine and its leaders has portrayed them as diabolical, fanatical and intent on harming Russia.

Many of the outrageous claims were contained in a televised address Vladimir Putin gave on Monday in which he recognised two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, setting off alarm bells around the world.

Here are some of the key claims Putin has made:

Read more: Russia says US sanctions will meet 'strong response'

This unfounded accusation has been appearing more and more in Russian public discourse since December as, according to Western sources, some 150,000 Russian soldiers set up camp on Ukraine's borders.

Putin claims Ukraine wants to exterminate Russian speakers in the east of the country.

In his speech on Monday, which veered between the threatening and the professorial, Putin questioned Ukraine's right to exist and accused its government of being a "neo-Nazi" regime supported by the West.

Visibly angry, he accused the West of "closing its eyes... to the genocide that four million people are suffering" -- a reference to the mostly Russian-speaking population of eastern Ukraine.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 14,000 lives since it broke out in 2014 but the casualties have been on both sides.

Russian is still widely spoken in Ukraine and the government has not banned it, as Putin has claimed.

But Kyiv has adopted a law making Ukrainian mandatory in government offices and the media -- a text criticised by international non-governmental organisations.

In its defence, Kyiv has said the country was forcibly Russified during the Soviet era and has been suffering Russian aggression for eight years, including with the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Read more: UK to provide Ukraine with further military support: PM Johnson

This is the most recent accusation against Ukraine, which was first put forward on Monday by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu when he said that Kyiv was planning to acquire nuclear weapons.

The Russian president repeated the claim in his speech on Monday and went into greater detail at a news conference on Tuesday.

Thanks to its Soviet heritage, he said of Ukraine that "the only thing they are missing is a system for enriching uranium but this is only a technical question and not an insoluble problem".

Kyiv can, he said, develop nuclear weapons and increase the range of its missiles to 500 kilometres (310 miles).

"Moscow would be in the destruction zone. For us, this is a strategic threat," Putin said.

Ukraine has never spoken of any nuclear ambitions.

Its president has, however, referred to a 1994 agreement on nuclear weapons called the Budapest Memorandum, saying it appears obsolete.

The memorandum foresees the respect of Ukraine's territorial integrity by Russia in exchange for Kyiv abandoning its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal.

Zelensky has called for consultations with Moscow, adding that "if they do not take place or if their result does not guarantee the security of our country, Ukraine will have the right to consider the Budapest Memorandum as no longer functional".

In many ways this is already the case.

Moscow has annexed Crimea from Ukraine and this week recognised as independent two regions in eastern Ukraine whose separatist ambitions it has been supporting for the past eight years.

Read more: Ukraine to impose state of emergency but no martial law yet

For several weeks, Putin has been repeating the catastrophic scenario of all-out war in order to justify the "security guarantees" demanded by Russia -- no NATO expansion to Ukraine and the withdrawal of additional NATO forces sent to eastern members of the alliance.

His reasoning is that if Ukraine does join NATO as it wants to do and if it then tries to take back Crimea, this would lead to a direct confrontation between nuclear powers -- Russia and the West.

This week, Putin also accused NATO and the United States in particular of using regular military drills in Ukraine as a "cover for rapidly deploying NATO military units into Ukrainian territory".

NATO members have defended Ukraine's ambition to join the Western military alliance but have said that membership is not on the cards for now.

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Even as India advised its citizens studying in Ukraine to leave the East European nation temporarily, many of them appear to be in dilemma as uncertainty looms large over their future with the institutions not guaranteeing continuation of online classes.

Hours after Russia moved to deploy troops in Donetsk and Luhansk regions after declaring the two breakaway enclaves of Ukraine as independent republics, the Embassy of India in Kyiv once again advised Indians studying in medical colleges and other academic institutions in the East European nations to leave temporarily in the interest of their own safety  without waiting for confirmation on continuation of classes online.

India had on Sunday asked its citizens studying in the educational institutions in Ukraine to leave the country temporarily in view of the continued high level of tension and uncertainties.

Also Read | India stresses avoiding military escalation on Russia-Ukraine border, stops short of criticising Putin

But many of nearly 18,000 Indians studying in Ukrainian medical colleges and other educational institutions appeared to be hesitant to leave.

After the Embassy of India in Kyiv posted its advisory on its page on Facebook, one of the students, Dev Rana, replied, pointing out that the authorities of the universities had not yet confirmed if they would continue online classes. Rana requested the embassy to discuss the issue with Ukrainian Government to ensure continuation of classes online for the rest of the ongoing semester. Ashif, another student, also has similar concern. Also talk to the University and Ukrainian Government that they also give us a clear and official statement so that its easy for the students to go to their home, India, he wrote in reply to the advisory by the Embassy of India in Kyiv.

The Embassy of India in Kyiv stated that it was engaged with respective authorities in Ukraine for streamlining of the education process for Indian students. Students are advised in the interest of their safety to leave Ukraine temporarily, rather than wait for an official confirmation from universities, it stated in its latest advisory issued on Tuesday.

A number of Indian students in Ukraine also appear to be in dilemma in view of very high air fares between Kyiv and New Delhi. One of them, Abhishek Thakur, replied to a tweet by the Embassy of India in Kyiv, stating that the air fare was almost Rs 60000 which was almost equal to the fees for one semester in the institutions in Ukraine. He stated that many students could not afford to pay so much for air fare to return to India.

The Government of India has not yet decided to deploy special aircraft to evacuate Indians from Ukraine. Indians were rather advised to avail commercial flights or charter flights to leave the East European nations.

An Air India Boeing 787 aircraft with more than 240 passengers from Ukraine departed from Kyiv for New Delhi on Tuesday.

The Air India will operate two more flights between Kyiv and New Delhi on February 24 and 26.

The Ukraine International airlines will also operate additional flights between Kyiv and New Delhi on February 25 and 27 and March 6, the Embassy of India in the capital of Ukraine posted on Facebook.

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Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of "interfering" after he called for greater accountability over a string of journalist murders.

The rare public spat with US President Joe Biden's administration follows the killing of at least five media workers already in 2022 in one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.

"The high number of journalists killed in Mexico this year and the ongoing threats they face are concerning," Blinken tweeted late Tuesday.

"I join those calling for greater accountability and protections for Mexican journalists. My heart goes out to the loved ones of those who gave their lives for the truth," he added.

In response, Lopez Obrador urged Blinken "to inform yourself and not to act in an interfering manner because Mexico is not a colony of the United States, nor is it a protectorate."

He told reporters he thought Blinken was "misinformed because otherwise he would be acting in bad faith," and insisted that the Mexican government was dealing with crimes against journalists.

"In all cases, action is being taken. There is no impunity," Lopez Obrador said, adding that he had asked his foreign minister to send Blinken details of all the cases and the government's actions.

Mexico has maintained cordial relations with Biden's administration, although there have been frictions on certain issues such as Lopez Obrador's planned energy sector reforms.

The Latin American nation is on course for one of its deadliest years yet for the press, prompting calls from media rights groups for authorities to end a culture of impunity.

Around 150 journalists have been murdered since 2000 in Mexico, and only a fraction of the crimes have resulted in convictions, according to watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is highly likely to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and attack Kyiv, UK foreign minister Liz Truss said Wednesday.

The UK and US have repeatedly over the last weeks cited intelligence as indicating that Russia is planning an invasion of Ukraine.

"We think it's highly likely that he (Putin) will follow through on his plan for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine", Truss told Sky News.

Asked if the Russian leader would move on the capital Kyiv, she said: "We think it's highly likely that that is in his plans."

While Putin has said he is sending troops, "we don't yet have the full evidence that that has taken place", Truss said, calling the current situation "ambiguous".

Truss held frosty talks earlier this month with her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced the first tranche of UK sanctions targeting five Russian banks and three billionaire oligarchs.

Truss said Wednesday that the UK needed to "retain some sanctions in the locker" and had "more individuals that we will target in the event of a full-scale invasion".

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Russia on Tuesday said that it had established diplomatic relations with Ukraine's separatist-controlled regions recognised by President Vladimir Putin as independent this week.

"An agreement was drawn up on the establishment from that date (February 22) of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as the Russian Federation and Lugansk People's Republic at the level of embassies," the foreign ministry in Moscow said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sent congratulations to his counterparts in the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic, the ministry said in a statement.

Also REad | Ukraine soldier killed, six wounded in war-torn east

"The Russian side is aiming for the comprehensive development of cooperation with the DPR and LPR, including through the foreign ministries in the interests of the citizens of our countries, strengthening peace, regional stability and security," the statement added.

Earlier Tuesday Russian lawmakers gave Putin the green light to deploy forces abroad, paving the way for the Russian leader to send troops into Ukraine despite a fierce global backlash.

The unanimous approval by Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, allows Putin to deploy "peacekeepers" to the two breakaway Ukrainian regions now recognised by Moscow as independent, and potentially into other parts of Ukraine.

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On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced tough new sanctions against Russia for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war. Meanwhile, Japan's Prime Minister has announced sanctions targeting Russia and two separatist Ukrainian regions recognised as independent by Russian President Vladimir Putin, joining an international effort seeking to pressure Russia to return to diplomatic solutions. Stay tuned for latest updates!
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Israel fired several surface-to-surface missiles toward Syrian military positions in the country's south early Wednesday causing material damage, state media reported.

State TV quoted an unnamed Syrian military official as saying that the missiles were fired from Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and struck areas around the nearby town of Quneitra.

It added that the attack that occurred shortly after midnight caused material damage but no casualties.

The attack came nearly a week after Syrian state media reported a similar Israeli missile attack on an area south of the capital Damascus that also caused no casualties.

Also read: Islamic State leader killed in US raid  where does this leave the terrorist group?

Israel did not comment on the attack. It has made hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria over the past decade of its civil war, but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

Israel has acknowledged, however, that it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah that fights on the side of Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed the area. Most of the world does not recognize the annexation, though the Trump administration declared the territory to be part of Israel.

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The websites of Ukraine's government, foreign ministry and state security service were down on Wednesday in what the government said was the start of another massive denial of service (DDoS) attack that began at around 4 p.m. (1400 GMT).

Ukrainian authorities said this week they had seen online warnings that hackers were preparing to launch major attacks on government agencies, banks and the defence sector.

Ukraine has suffered a string of cyberattacks that Kyiv has blamed on Russia. Moscow, which is caught up in a mounting confrontation with the West over Ukraine, has denied any involvement.

"At about 4 pm, another mass DDoS attack on our state began. We have relevant data from a number of banks," said Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation, adding that the parliament website was also hit.

Read | Disbelieving but fretful, Kyiv hears nearing drumbeats of war

He did not mention which banks were affected and the central bank could not immediately be reached for comment.

The online networks of Ukraine's defence ministry and two banks were overwhelmed last week in a separate cyberattack. The U.S. company Netscout Systems Inc later said the impact had been modest.

Internet blockage observatory NetBlocks posted a tweet on Thursday that showed a drop-off in connections to the Ukrainian government websites.

"We've observed that the current network disruption has partial impact on the network layer to multiple defence and ministerial websites in Ukraine," NetBlocks director Alp Toker told Reuters.

"The spread of outages is similar but distinct from the recent DDoS attack targeting defence and banking platforms, with the latter not impacted in this instance," he added.

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Angry farmers released hundreds of stray cattle onto an open ground in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district, about 40 kilometres from Lucknow, where Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was scheduled to address an election rally.

According to the reports, the stray cattle were released barely a few hours before Adityanath's rally on Tuesday triggering panic among the district officials, who, with the help of the police, managed to prevent the stray cattle from entering the rally venue by putting up barricades.

A video showing hundreds of stray cattle in an open ground went viral on social media sites. "The CM should also know about the problems being faced by the farmers because of the stray cattle," a local farmer in Barabanki said.

Reports said that the meeting could have been disrupted had the stray been able to reach the venue. The administration succeeded in their attempt to prevent their entry as the CM was delayed by around an hour.

Also Read  Rashtriya Kisan Manch extends support to Samajwadi Party for Uttar Pradesh Polls

Adityanath, however, for the first time, spoke of the stray cattle menace, which has threatened to become a major issue in the ongoing assembly polls. "We will not allow cow slaughter and also take steps to prevent damage of crops by the stray cattle," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed an election rally at Baharaich, which was not very far from Barabanki, also spoke of the stray cattle issue. "We are taking the issue seriously... we have found ways to resolve the issue...once we form our government after March ten (counting of votes) we will implement the new schemes aimed at resolving the problem arising out of the stray cattle," Modi said.

Earlier also stray cattle had disrupted election rallies of BJP and SP leaders in different parts of the state.

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A total of 29 boys and girls, who had fled Myanmar along with their parents in the face of atrocities last year and taken refuge in Mizoram, are set to appear in the state board examinations for Classes 10 and 12 later this month, a minister said.

Mizoram Education Minister Lalchhandama Ralte told PTI that 27 students have registered for the Class 10 examination and two for the Class 12 test.

He said the students had taken refuge in south Mizoram's Siaha district and Champhai district in the eastern part of the state bordering Myanmar.

Thousands of Myanmar nationals, who escaped from the Southeast Asian nation since the military seized power in February last year, have been taking shelter in community halls, schools and relief camps set up by NGOs and villagers in different parts of Mizoram.

Also read: Myanmar's military ruler appeals to restive minorities

The Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) will conduct the examinations for Class 10 on February 28 and the tests for Class 12 on March 1  via the offline mode.

Ralte said the state government had earlier issued a notification allowing children of Myanmar nationals to register for the board examinations.

"We decided to give these students a chance, as we dont want to see their careers getting jeopardised because they were displaced. We have to assist them at least on humanitarian grounds," he said.

According to an official of the school education department, over 1,000 children from Myanmar are now enrolled in Mizoram schools in different classes.

Most of the Myanmar nationals, who fled to the state, belong to the Chin community, which shares ethnic ties with the Mizos, officials said.

Six Mizoram districts - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip, Hnahthial and Saitual - share a 510-km-long international border with Myanmar's Chin state.

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At the Bengal Global Business Summit this year, domestic industries must get priority, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.

Addressing leading industrialists in Kolkata at the state secretariat, Mamata said that while many international participants are wanting to come, they may not be doing so due to presence of Covid, travel restrictions, permission, or may be avoiding travel. I feel that this time the domestic industry will be given priority. Welcome those who are coming from abroad, but domestic industry must get priority this time, she said.

The state government launched two major initiatives at the meeting - a state integrated portal for ease of doing business, and Bangla iCloud. The portal integrates around 100 services offered by 15 state government departments at one place. This will facilitate submission of applications and suggestions to the government. The second initiative is a digital locker that could be used to store certificates like driving licence, ration card, etc.

Mamata reiterated to the industrialists that her government is committed towards developing industry and generating employment. In the last ten years, 4.5 lakh crore was invested in the states industry.

Several big projects are in the pipeline - including a port that will transform regions maritime sector, a mining project, three industrial corridors, a cable landing station at Digha, etc. These projects are expected to change states industrial scenario in near future.

Several ideas emerged during the interaction with industrialists. The states initiatives were not getting publicised adequately outside the state, it was felt. If the leadership, opportunities in the state, and respect and protection for investments could be conveyed to investors outside the state, it could draw much better attention, a leading industrialist in the meeting stated.

Mamata suggested that if needed, industry representatives and chambers from across the country could also be invited. An umbrella brand to project the city as an international centre where creativity and culture blossomed was another idea put forward. An umbrella brand to project this idea would be of immense use, said another leading industrialist. Small teams with states industrialists may also go to other states for pitching opportunities, it was felt.

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In view of the hijab controversy, Bengaluru police commissioner Kamal Pant has extended the prohibitory orders around educational institutions till March 8. The prohibitory orders were earlier issued for two weeks, till February 22. Protests and agitations continue in a few places of the state over the hijab row. Stay tuned for more updates.
The indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft will participate in its first combat exercise outside India next month when five aircraft will fly at Waddington in the UK for the multinational exercise Cobra Warrior.

The exercise, to be held between March 6 and 27, is aimed at providing operational exposure and sharing best practices amongst participating air forces to enhance their combat capabilities. This will be a platform for LCA Tejas to demonstrate its manoeuvrability and operational capability, said an IAF spokesperson.

While five Tejas aircraft will fly to the United Kingdom, the IAF's C-17 aircraft will provide the necessary transport support for induction and de-induction.

Exercise Cobra Warrior is the Royal Air Force's premier tactical training event aimed at developing the tactical skills of the aircrew and supporting elements in a composite air operation. Several European nations will take part in the drill.

For India's homegrown fighter jets, all the previous outings outside India were air shows, the last of which occurred in Singapore earlier this month. Previously, the LCA had flown in the Dubai air show in November 2021, in Langkawi and Malaysia in 2019, and Bahrain in 2016.

India is now pitching LCA as an export item competing with the Chinese, which has moved beyond its traditional customer Pakistan and sole JF-17 multirole fighters to Myanmar and Nigeria.

"The IAF will be pitching the indigenous Tejas MK-I aircraft alongside participants from across the world," the defence ministry stated before the Singapore air show.

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Amid rising tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi on Wednesday said India believes in rules-based order and all stakeholders must communicate with each other.

On the evacuation of Indian citizens from Ukraine, Lekhi said the government is doing its best as it has done in the past, "be it the Covid-19 situation, emergency in Libya or other exigencies".

"India stands by its people. We urge the citizens to remain in touch with the embassy," she asserted.

"India believes in rule-based order. We pray for harmony and peace all around. We seek all the stakeholders must communicate with each other," she told PTI here.

Also read: Disbelieving but fretful, Kyiv hears nearing drumbeats of war

In the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin recognising two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent states, India at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday called for "restraint on all sides".

It had stressed that the immediate priority was "de-escalation of tensions", taking into account legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long-term peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Acting Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India Roman Masarik said the European Union may announce sanctions against Russia.

"We are preparing that Russia will annex the parts of East Ukraine. In such a case, we should really support Ukraine not only by providing materials but also by accepting refugees," he said.

The Czech envoy said said Europe was never closer to war than now.

"We are preparing for the situation. We here in India are also taking to Indian officials. We are bringing a high-level delegation to India to attend Def Expo in Gandhi Nagar," Masarik said. PTI VA GVS ZMN

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India will project its growing maritime power at a massive naval exercise it is hosting from Friday with the participation of over 40 countries, amid escalating tension between Russia and Western powers over the Ukraine crisis.

Navies from the US, Australia, Singapore, France, Bangladesh, Myanmar, South Korea and Malaysia are among those who have confirmed their participation in the 'Milan' exercise to be conducted off Visakhapatnam from February 25 to March 4, officials said.

It is learnt that Russia is not sending any military platform to exercise and there is no clarity yet on whether it will depute any delegation for the event.

The biennial exercise was scheduled to be held in 2020 but was postponed to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The harbour phase of the exercise is scheduled from February 25 to 28 while the sea phase will take place from March 1 to 4.

The Indian Navy said the exercise aims to project India as a "responsible maritime power" to the world at large.

India has been gradually ramping up its maritime prowess in the Indian Ocean in the backdrop of China's increasing forays into the region.

The Indian Navy said the exercise will witness its "largest ever participation" with more than 40 countries and that its "scope and complexity" would be wider with a focus on drills at sub-surface and air domains.

"The aim of the exercise is to hone operational skills, imbibe best practices and procedures, and enable doctrinal learning in the maritime domain, through professional interaction between friendly navies," the Indian Navy said in a statement.

It said the exercise will provide an "invaluable opportunity" to foster bonds of maritime "brotherhood" across the oceans.

The 'Milan' is a biennial multilateral naval exercise that was first rolled out in 1995 at the Andaman and Nicobar Command.

Since its inception, the event has been held biennially except for 2001, 2005, 2016 and 2020. While the 2001 and 2016 editions were not held due to international fleet reviews, the 2005 editions were rescheduled to 2006 due to the 2004 Tsunami.

"Operational conferences and seminars are also being conducted, providing participating navies/delegations with an opportunity to express their views on maritime security. The high profile foreign delegates will comprise the highest level naval leadership, agency heads and ambassadors," the Navy said.

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The partnership between India and the US in the healthcare sector is critical to vaccinating the world against the coronavirus, Indias Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu said.

Observing that vaccinating the world must be the priority strategy against the Covid-19 pandemic, Sandhu on Tuesday said the worlds map of vaccinations presents a story of disparities with the under-developed countries, including those in Africa, lagging at 10 per cent or below.

Sandhu was speaking at a virtual roundtable on 'Vaccine for All' during which eminent participants, including Bill Gates, discussed how safe, affordable and reliable vaccines can be delivered to all.

In addition to Gates, Co-Chair and Trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; other eminent participants to the roundtable were Dr V K Paul, member of Niti Aayog and Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO); Professor Peter Jay Hotez, from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Congressman Dwight Evans, Member Ways & Means Committee and Subcommittee on Health.

Also Read  India reaches out to American mayors, governors to build people-to-people relationship

Lots of lessons learnt during this pandemic to inform future R&D (research and development) and vaccine development for all infectious diseases. Appreciate having been part of these discussions, Swaminathan said.

In his welcome address, Sandhu said that in the process of vaccination for all, IndiaUS healthcare partnership is critical for three reasons.

First, there has been a robust and long-standing collaboration between India and the US in the health sector, including in vaccines. The bilateral Vaccine Action Programme (VAP) resulted in the development of ROTAVAC, the vaccine against Rotavirus.

This vaccine developed by an Indian company (Bharat Biotech) significantly brought down the costs. The established linkages between Indian and US institutions, and researchers augur well in the fight against Covid-19, he said.

Second, the convergences between India and the US are strong. I only need to point you to the intensive engagements last year at bilateral, Quad and multilateral levels. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modis visit to the US, Bilateral Summit with President (Joe) Biden and the Quad Summit were significant, substantive and comprehensive. The Quad Vaccines Initiative is on track to roll out this year on its promise of 1 billion J & J vaccines manufactured by Indias Biological E, Sandhu said.

And finally, India and the US have unique synergies that can be leveraged, he noted. The cutting-edge technology and research leadership of the US and capabilities of India as the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer can be combined for producing affordable vaccines, he said.

This is already happening  look at the collaboration by Baylor College of Medicine and Indias BioE to produce patent-free and logistically easier Corbevax or the collaboration between Novavax and Serum Institute of India to produce Covovax. India has already given emergency use approval for these vaccines. In my interactions with the US administration, Congress, industry and people, the enthusiasm to tap into our synergies for global good has been tremendous. Indeed, this work must be continued. As Prime Minister Modi said India stands ready to work with the world to end the pandemic, Sandhu said.

Also Read  Diaspora has been important pillar of India-US relationship: Ambassador Sandhu

In his remarks, Gates highlighted the role played by Indias vaccine manufacturers resulting in almost every country in the world being able to offer vaccines against pneumonia, Rotavirus which has saved lives of millions of children around the globe over decades.

He noted Prime Minister Modis remarks on deepening Indias commitment to the global hub by continuing to harness the countrys science and technology talent to advance scientific discovery and create new products.

He also highlighted the need for governments, private sector and communities to come together to fight the pandemic effectively. The Quad country partnership with Bio-E to produce over a billion vaccine doses is an example of how these partnerships can be scaled.

In the first session on 'Affordable Vaccine for All', the speakers highlighted the need for a COVAX-like facility and continuous research programmes before the next pandemic strikes to deal with it effectively.

In the second session on 'Augmenting Indo-US Vaccines for African Region,' the importance of the India-US-Japan-Australia vaccine partnership in the equitable global access to Covid-19 vaccines in other countries including the African region was brought out.

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Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Indian students, largely those studying medicine, on Tuesday night arrived in New Delhi from the eastern European country and said they were happy to be back in their home country.

A total of 242 Indian students were reunited with their parents after India started evacuation operations of Indian citizens living in Ukraine and its adjoining areas. India has deployed Dreamliner B-787 aircraft for carrying out this special operation under which flights were made operational from Kharkiv in Ukraine to New Delhi.

Nirav Patil, a first-year MBBS student studying in Ukraine, said, "The situation is normal around the area where I live. As the university has started online sessions, there is not much to worry as before." Another student Krishna said, "I live 900 km away from the Ukraine-Russia border. We are around five to six students, who are residents of Gujarat. Our parents were getting quite worried. This is why we had to return to India."

Also read: Many Indian students hesitant to leave Ukraine, embassy again advises them to leave

Anil Rapriya, 22, a fourth-year MBBS student at the Kharkiv National Medical University (KNMU) in Kharkiv city, just after landing at Delhi airport, said, "I am feeling happy to be back in my country". "There is nothing to panic there. I have just moved to India as the Indian Embassy asked us to leave the country temporarily given the evolving situation in Ukraine," he told PTI on phone soon after landing.

In recent weeks, tensions have been escalating between Ukraine and Russia, and on Monday, Russia recognised the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. On Tuesday, the Indian embassy in Kyiv again asked Indian students to temporarily leave the country amid the rising tensions.

Also read: India should stand with the West against Russia

A group of medical students arrived in a batch at the Delhi airport, taking Turkish Airlines from Kyiv to Istanbul and then to Qatar, and then from there to Delhi via Qatar Airways. Kirtan Kalathiya, Nirav Patel, Vinit Patel from Bhavnagar and Krish Raj from Surendra Nagar in Gujarat were among the students who also arrived at Delhi from Ukraine.

Several Indian students still stuck in Ukraine

Several government officials were sent by the Rajasthan government to the Delhi airport to bring back students hailing from the state who returned from Ukraine.

However, there are several Indian students who have not returned to India.

Many students who have returned to India are worried about their studies, while some said they had recently seen a tank used in a war in the city where they lived.

Swati, who is a second-year MBBS student, on returning to Delhi, said, "The situation is normal in Ukraine and I was living a completely normal life there. The people residing there are not worried at all about the Russia-Ukraine tensions."

Also read: Biden announces sanctions that cut Russia off from Western financing

"The reason for many students like me returning to India is because of my parents. They were quite mentally disturbed and were worried about my well-being. Now since I have returned back home, our studies will suffer too. But the university where I was studying will start holding online classes. I have exams scheduled for next year."

Another student Tanvi, who is an MBBS student, arrived in Delhi and spoke about the tense situation in Ukraine, saying, "The situation is pretty worse in Ukraine, I am quite distressed. Children studying here are living in fear, every day different kind of news is coming to the fore as one is not able to come to judge which ones to believe. At the same time, air tickets have also become quite expensive."

At Delhi airport, many Indian students who had just arrived from Ukraine were seeing thumbing the Instagram page of Kyiv Post on their mobile phones, while others said, they were trying to avoid any kind of news.

Russian President Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of 'Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics' as "independent", escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

(With agency inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said when turmoil in prevailing in the world, India needs to be stronger and for difficult times, a tough leader is needed.

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Dressed in a trademark and iconic spotless white half-shirt and white trousers, with two Pilot pens in his shirt pocket, donning a white round-dial watch and usually carrying a file in his left hand, Sharad Pawar, the founder-President of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is ready early in the mornings.

In the six decades of his political career, he has earned sobriquets like Maratha strongman, Chanakya, 'Machiavelli' and Bheeshma Pitamaha of Indian politics.

An early riser, Pawar, after a light breakfast, moves out of his Mumbais Silver Oak bungalow to his office for meetings, taking umpteen numbers of calls, video conferences and other daily engagements, returning home in the evening after sunset or even later.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and health issues that Pawar faces, he is very active and travels across Maharashtra regularly.

Also Read  Was not ready to come back as Maharashtra CM in 1993: Sharad Pawar

A four-time chief minister and a three-time Union Minister, Pawar is respected by Indias top politicians. On February 22, 2022, Pawar 'saheb', as he is popularly known, completed 55 years in law-making bodies, remarkably never losing an election in all these years.

Pawar saheb started his journey as the MLA from Baramati exactly 55 years ago during which time he has held numerous positions of power. He has served as a Minister in Maharashtra and in the Union Government, and also as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, his daughter Supriya Sule tweeted.

During his tenure of 55 years, Pawar saheb has taken several progressive decisions which have had an immense positive impact on society. He has been felicitated at both the national and international levels. Saheb is following in the footsteps of the late Yashwantrao Chavan saheb. I congratulate Pawar saheb for completing 55 years in electoral politics and 60 years in public service, she said.

Pawar is one of those rare politicians in the country to never lose a Vidhan Sabha or Lok Sabha poll. Pawar had won the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls from Baramati in 1967, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1990 and Lok Sabha polls from Baramati in 1984, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 and two Rajya Sabha elections from his home state of Maharashtra.

He has been a four-time Maharashtra chief minister and three-time union minister, having handled portfolios of Defence in the governments led by PV Narasimha Rao and Agriculture under Dr Manmohan Singh. He has also served as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, also a rare distinction.

Also Read  Sharad Pawar takes metro rail ride in upcoming project in Pune

Pawar's experience comes from the ground-level experience, unlike the Twitter-Facebook-Instagram approach of modern politicians who are often cut-off from ground realities.

Pawar perhaps knows the best way to run an alliance government, even with parties of different and diametrically-opposite ideologies.

And this comes from experience: In July 1978, Pawar broke away from the Congress (U) to form a coalition government with the Janata Party. He became the youngest chief minister of Maharashtra when he was just 38. The Progressive Democratic Front government was dismissed in February 1980, following Indira Gandhi's return to power.

Similarly, in 1999, he raised the issue of foreign origin of Sonia Gandhi, after which he along with PA Sangama and Tariq Anwar were expelled from the Congress but the same year, the newly-formed NCP and Congress joined hands to form the Democratic Front government that ran for 15 years till 2014. He was also a major binding factor of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre between 2004 and 2014. He again proved his skills in 2019, when the Congress-NCP combine joined hands with Shiv Sena, which it has been fighting for decades, and stitched the MVA to keep BJP out of power.

Now also, he is working towards forging an Opposition unity to take on the BJP.

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The Mathura police have registered a case against a priest and his associate for allegedly raping and threatening a nursing student, after the woman threatened to set herself ablaze at the SSP office if action is not taken against those responsible.

According to the police, the woman alleged that the priest and his associate, a property dealer, raped her on the pretext of a job. However, the woman claimed that she was in a relationship with the property dealer's son and the dealer raped her to force her to end her relationship with his son.

The priest has denied all allegations. The police said that the matter was under investigation.

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Security forces arrested two terrorist associates of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.

Police along with security forces have arrested two terrorist associates linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) in Baramulla. Incriminating materials including ammunition have been recovered from their possession, a police spokesman said.

Giving details, the spokesman said police received specific information through reliable sources that unknown terrorist group from Khachadari Zehanpora are using illegal arms and ammunition against police and other security forces in the main area of Baramulla to disturb the peace and law & order.

Acting on the information, security forces established several nakas including on Zehanpora-Khadniyar link road, he said.

During checking, a Scooty which was coming from Zehanpora with pillion ride was noticed moving in suspicious circumstances, the spokesman said.

On noticing the naka party they tried to flee from spot, however, the alert party apprehended both the persons tactfully. During their personal search, incriminating materials including 40 live rounds of AK-47 were recovered from their possession, he said.

He identified them as Imtiyaz Ahmad and Muneer Ahmad -- both residents of Khachadari Zehanpora.

During the preliminary investigation, the arrested duo confessed working for proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) and involved in transportation of illegal arms and ammunition used to carry out attacks on Police/ security forces, the spokesman said.

A case has been registered and further investigation is in progress, he added.

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A new sibling of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has taken over the Indian Covid-19 landscape over the past month without altering the epidemic's waning course, even as the World Health Organization described it as a distinct variant of concern.

A technical advisory group of the WHO on Tuesday declared BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron as a variant of concern on the basis of available data on transmission, severity, reinfection, diagnostics, therapeutics and impacts of vaccines.

Studies have shown that BA.2 has a growth advantage over BA.1. Studies are ongoing to understand the reasons for this growth advantage, but initial data suggest that BA.2 appears inherently more transmissible than BA.1, which currently remains the most common Omicron sublineage reported, the apex health body said.

But BA.2 has already become the dominant variant circulating in India.

Read | Can Omicron BA.2 cause another Covid surge in India? Here's what experts say

Indian scientists monitoring the Covid-19 epidemic said more than 80 per cent of the Covid-19 positive samples sequenced in the past four weeks turned out to be BA.2.

In Pune, BA.2 was over 85 per cent by the last week of January, but cases continue to drop, suggesting protection from BA.1 infections and vaccination gave reasonable results in securing people from developing the disease, said a scientist associated with Covid genome sequencing work.

The WHO concurs. Initial data from population-level reinfection studies suggest that infection with BA.1 provides strong protection against reinfection with BA.2, at least for the limited period for which data are available, the UN body said.

The Pune scientist cautioned that it was preliminary evidence and the new variant needed to be observed closely.

BA.2 differs from BA.1 in its genetic sequence, including some amino acid differences in the spike protein and other proteins.

Omicron is currently the dominant variant circulating globally, accounting for nearly all sequences reported to GISAID, an international database of genetic sequences. At a global level, the proportion of BA.2 sequences has been increasing relative to BA.1 in recent weeks. However, the global circulation of all variants is declining, as per the WHO.

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As state-run insurure LIC readies to launch its IPO, a campaign highlighting the possible dangers of the disinvestment is taking shape in Kerala.

Economist-turned CPI(M) leader and former Kerala finance minister T M Thomas Isaac, who is among those leading the campaign, shared his concerns over the IPO with DH's Arjun Raghunath.

What are the adverse effects of LIC disinvestment?

Policyholders losing a safe investment option and LIC losing its social commitments are the major dangers of LIC disinvestment. So far 95 per cent of LIC's profit from both participatory and non-participatory policies was being given to policy holders as bonus, which is being brought down to 90 per cent of the participatory policy. Moreover, as private players eye more profit, there will be pressure to bring down the bonus component. This would make LIC policies unattractive.

Read | Potential investors in LIC's giant IPO fret over govt control of insurer

Another danger in the offing is that the social commitment of LIC would end with entry of private players, who look for maximising profit. So far, LIC has been making massive investments in social infrastructure projects and offering social security schemes. These will suffer.

Wont preference to policyholders in IPO help in tide over the fall in bonus?

Preference to policyholders in IPO is just a gimmick to suppress the resentment among them over the fall in bonus. A large number of LIC policyholders are from weak backgrounds and wont be familiar with buying shares. LIC policies are not just a life coverage, but a safe investment option, as it offers low premium policies and assured returns. Investments in shares always involved risk factor.

Until 51 per cent shares are with the Centre, do we need to worry about any policy shift?

What is the guarantee that the centre will retain 51 per cent shares? There is immense international pressure on the centre to open up Indian financial sector for international investors. For the Centre, it is an easy option to raise money by monetising the value addition made using policy holders' funds.

DH Deciphers | LIC: Why is India's biggest IPO such a big deal?

Isn't IPO a new investment option to people at a time when return from bank investments are coming down?

The policyholders were so far getting the dividend without any risks. With regard to shares, there is always a risk. We have even seen major international insurance firms like AIG collapsing. The policyholders will be the ultimate losers.

Do you have any plans to resist the IPO?

The resentment among the policyholders will definitely come out as the Centre announces further sale of shares. The policyholders will wake up and the Centre will have to bend their knees as witnessed in the farmers' stir. A campaign is being launched in Kerala against LIC disinvestment beginning with a webinar on February 27 and a convention on March 13 in which there will be representation from all political parties, except BJP and its allies. A series of meetings across Kerala will be initiated thereafter.

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The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the cases of fugitive industrialist Vijay Mallya, and other businessmen Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who faced charges of loan frauds and money laundering.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, submitted before a bench presided over by Justice A M Khanwilkar that the total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounted to Rs 67,000 crore.

"As on date, 4,700 cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the last five years varied from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21," he said.

Mehta made his submission before the court which is examining a batch of petitions, challenging the wide scope of powers available to the ED for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

During the last five years, only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIRs of approximately 33 lakh for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies, he said.

Also read: Concept of offence of money laundering in PMLA is very wide: SC

"A very small number of cases are being taken up for investigation under the PMLA as compared to annual registration of the cases under the Money Laundering Act in the UK (7,900), the US (1,532), China (4,691), Austria (1,036), Hongkong (1,823), Belgium (1,862) and Russia (2,764)," he added.

Mehta maintained that the measures against money laundering have clearly left embryo of drug or terrorism-related offences and moved beyond them. "Further, the efforts against money laundering have consistently advocated to include the widest range of predicate offences in the domestic laws," he said.

A batch of petitions argued by senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Sidharth Luthra, Amit Desai, questioned the validity of stringent measures and potential misuse of the amendments to the PMLA.

The law has been assailed particularly for tough bail conditions, non-communication of grounds of arrest, arrest of persons without supply of complaint, broad definitions of money laundering and proceeds of crime, and statements given by accused during investigation made admissible as evidence during trial.

Mehta, for his part, said, "The validity of the PMLA, 2002 shall have to be judged from the antecedent events which took place globally. The world community has recognised the serious menace of money laundering and its severe impact on the economy, not only of the country in which the predicate offence takes place, but even affecting the economy of other countries where 'proceeds of crime' is laundered."

In offences like money laundering, there are rarely identified victims but the economy of the entire nation eventually became the victim. Prior to 1988, there was no structured legislation dealing with the money laundering and majority of criminal justice systems were familiar with more traditional forms like confiscation and forfeiture and there was no concept of 'proceeds of crime', he added.

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Russia on Wednesday welcomed India's "independent position" on the Ukraine crisis and said its views on the issue at the UN Security Council was reflective of the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries.

Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said India has been playing a vital role as a responsible global power and it takes an "independent and balanced" approach to global affairs.

"We welcome the independent position of India which it took twice at the UN Security Council," he said at an online media briefing.

"The Indian activities at the UN Security Council are fully reflecting the merit of our special and privileged strategic partnership," he added.

Read | India should stand with the West against Russia

Amid escalating tension between Moscow and the West after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent states, India at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday night called for "restraint on all sides".

It stressed that the immediate priority is "de-escalation of tensions" taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond.

"Russian India partnership is based on a strong and solid foundation. It is based on mutual trust," Babushkin said.

"Our cooperation does not represent any threat to anyone and at the same time we keep moving shoulder-to-shoulder to establish a just and equal multipolar world," he added, hoping that the intensity of India-Russia ties will continue at the same level.

On the overall crisis in Ukraine, the Russian diplomat alleged that Western powers have been trying to destabilise the region.

He said the Western sanctions against Russia would result in instability to the global economy as it will lead to an atmosphere of distrust and fear.

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The Madras High Court on Wednesday rejected a PIL plea for a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to introduce the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) pattern of education for state board schools also.

The first bench of Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy rejected the plea, while dismissing a writ petition from J A Joseph, who claimed himself as the founder-president of J J Party, not yet registered by the Election Commission of India. He prayed for a direction to the state educational authorities to adopt the NCERT syllabus from elementary to higher secondary in all government and government aided schools to enhance the education to meet all central and other state governments entrance, qualifying and employment exams, based on his representations.

He contended that the existing Samacheer Kalvi system did not help students clear competitive examinations such as the Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) and Common Law Admission Test (CLAT).

Dismissing the petition in limine (at the admission stage itself), the bench said that it was a policy decision to be taken by the Tamil Nadu government. It was the government and not the court, to decide the right kind of school syllabus.

The petitioner, who claimed himself as the president of a yet-to-be registered political party, had not cited any provision of law which mandated that state governments follow only the NCERT syllabus, the bench added.

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The Ukraine crisis has its roots in post-Soviet politics, the expansion of NATO and the dynamics between Russia and Europe, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.

In an interactive session at a think-tank in Paris, he said the world today is in the midst of "multiple crises" and these developments have generated new challenges to the international order.

Jaishankar also extensively delved into fast-expanding Indo-French ties and said India looks at France as a "trusted" partner in countering myriad security challenges from the seabed to space and from cyber to oceans.

Also Read | Biden announces sanctions that cut Russia off from Western financing

"I can assert with genuine confidence that it (Indo-French ties) is the strongest now since our journey as an independent nation began 75 years ago," he said.

"Through the tumult of our times, India's relations with France have continued to move forward on a steady and clear course. It is a relationship that is free from sudden shifts and surprises that we sometimes see in other cases," Jaishankar added.

The external affairs minister said there is a great trust and sense of confidence in the relationship in India.

Also Read | Russia establishes diplomatic ties with Ukraine's separatist regions

He also referred to France showing an understanding of India's "strategic compulsions" after its nuclear tests in 1998.

"French support played an important role in India getting an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008 to resume international cooperation in civil nuclear energy," he added.

Asked to compare the Ukraine crisis with the situation in Taiwan, Jaishankar said different problems have different histories, different contexts and players and transposing issues of one theatre to another can be misleading.

"Both are products of very complex histories of that particular region. In the case of Ukraine, a lot of it derives from the post-Soviet politics, the expansion of NATO, the dynamics between Russia and Europe, and Russia and the West broadly," he said.

Also Read | DH Deciphers | Why is Russia recognising Ukraine's rebel regions?

"I think, in the case of Taiwan, it is a product of what happened in Chinese history and what happened the way the Cold War and other developments played out in Asia," he said.

On the eastern Ladakh border row with China, Jaishankar said both sides held 13 rounds of military talks and as a result of that significant headway has been made in many of the friction points.

At the same time, he said there are some friction points that remained to be resolved.

Jaishankar said India is absolutely clear that it will not agree to any change in the status quo and will not accept any attempt to change the Line of Actual Control unilaterally.

"So however complex it is, however long it takes, however difficult it is, that clarity is what guides us and I would say other than optimism, it is also very important to have perseverance," he said replying to a question on whether he was optimistic about the resolution of the row.

Also Read | Ukraine soldier killed, six wounded in war-torn east

Asked about India's views on trilateral security grouping AUKUS (Australia, the UK and the US), Jaishankar did not give a direct reply.

He said it is important that democratic countries with shared values and interests work together with a cooperative spirit.

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Amid escalating tensions between Russia and the US over the Ukraine crisis, India finds itself in a diplomatic fix. It's been forced to tread an extremely thin line so as to maintain a fine balance in its close relations with both Moscow and Washington as the two spar over Ukraine.

Matters took a more serious turn on Monday after a defiant Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops in two rebel-backed separatist regions in the eastern part of Ukraine  they describe themselves as the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. He also officially recognised these two regions as being independent.

In recent weeks, Russia has amassed thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders amid gathering war clouds as the West, led by the US, counters Moscow's aggressive moves. The moves have been seen not just as a threat to Ukrainian sovereignty but also regional stability and the larger global order amid fears that the conflict could spiral into war.

Also Read  DH Deciphers | Why is Russia recognising Ukraine's rebel regions?

President Putin's action is driven by the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. He is seeking a guarantee this will never happen, fearing it will bring the military alliance to his nation's doorsteps. But his aggression in many ways is also driven by the desire to reclaim Ukraine. He indicated as much when he said on Monday that "Ukraine was ancient Russian land".

The recognition of the separatist regions by Russia appeared to make an actual conflict more imminent. Undoubtedly, India is keeping its fingers crossed, hoping matters do not come to such a pass as this would further queer the pitch for New Delhi. Thus far, it has adopted a cautious and carefully calibrated reaction to Russian belligerence, advocating de-escalation in keeping with India's own strategic interests.

While India has traditionally had close ties with Russia (erstwhile USSR), it has been increasingly leaning towards the US over the last two decades. The growing New Delhi-Washington clinch, driven in recent years by common enemy China, has also seen India-US strategic interests converge in the form of the Quad and the increasing focus on the Indo-Pacific.

Yet, at the Quad meeting of foreign ministers in Melbourne earlier this month, there was no mention of the Ukraine crisis in the joint statement. There was a further indication of New Delhi's unwillingness to slam Moscow when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar chose to sidestep a question on whether Ukraine figured in the discussions saying the meeting's focus was on the Indo-Pacific.

While the Indo-US embrace has caused much discomfiture in Moscow, New Delhi has been careful to assure the old friend that their relations remain important and their 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' intact.

Also Read  India should stand with the West against Russia

Russia continues to be a major and reliable supplier of defence equipment to India despite other countries too finding a significant foothold in India's defence market. India has also bought the S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia despite the threat of US sanctions.

That Russia remains vital to Indian strategic interests is evident in New Delhi's approach to the Ukraine crisis. While many countries have condemned the Russian move and see it as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty, India has eschewed such strong remarks. Indeed, at the beginning of February, India threw in its lot with the Russians when it chose to abstain from a vote at the UN Security Council on having an open meeting on Ukraine.

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday (February 21), India chose to adopt a cautious stance. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti spoke about the need for "de-escalation" and "restraint" while expressing "deep concern" over the "escalation of tension" along the Ukraine-Russia border.

The de-escalation, India said, needed to take into account "the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond." In referring to the legitimate security interest of other countries, India appeared to back Moscow's security concerns about NATO near its borders if Ukraine were to join it.

However, matters will decidedly get more complicated for New Delhi if Russian forces were to invade Ukraine. Then, cautious statements such as "de-escalation" may no longer be an option for Delhi unless it decides that discretion is the better part of valour.

New Delhi's close ties with Moscow isn't the only deciding factor in its reluctance to go beyond the usual demand for "de-escalation". India also needs to keep in mind the deepening Russia-China ties, especially at a time when its own relations with China have hit rock-bottom amidst a continuing troop face-off in eastern Ladakh that erupted in May 2020.

Also Read  Russias moves in Ukraine unsettle energy companies and prices

India would also be worried that if the Ukraine crisis were to culminate in a full-fledged conflict, it would divert US attention from China and the Indo-Pacific and consequently less focus on the India-China military confrontation that seems nowhere near resolution as of now.

Russian overtures to Pakistan, too, are another reason why New Delhi would not want to burn its bridges with Moscow. While Russia has always backed India on Kashmir, stating it is a bilateral issue, the growing Moscow-Islamabad friendship requires New Delhi to keep a close eye on developments. Pakistan PM Imran Khan will be in Moscow for two days beginning February 23. It's the first visit to Russia by a Pakistan PM in over two decades.

While both Russia and the US may as yet be unwilling to smoke the peace pipe, for India, it remains the only viable way forward given its own strategic compulsions. It's an uncomfortable wait-and-watch situation for India.

(The writer is a senior New Delhi-based journalist)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.



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Though the number of girls removing hijab and attending classes in colleges went up on Tuesday, some girls and parents continued protests against the ban on headscarves.

Some students and their parents staged a protest in front of the Government PU College for Girls in Shahapur town in Yadgir district seeking permission to attend classes in hijab. The situation turned tense as they argued with the staff when the lecturers clarified that they would enforce the High Courts interim order. The girls were firm on their stand, some of them saying that they preferred the hijab to education. Syed Khalid Hussaini, a local Muslim leader, tried to convince them to remove their headscarves. His requests had no impact as some girls returned home.

Also Read | We hope hijab controversy will be resolved harmoniously

Confusion prevailed after some boys of the government first-grade college in Humnabad in Bidar district attended classes wearing saffron stoles. They claimed that some girls and staff members continued to enter classrooms in hijab, violating the Court order. They wore the saffron stole as a mark of protest. Principal Veeranna Tuppad persuaded and sent them home.

A few students of the government pre-university college for girls in Chitradurga staged a protest in front of the college. Some of them heeded the requests of the lecturers, removed headscarves and entered the classrooms. Over 10 girls had an argument with the staff and the police. They submitted the assignments at the gate and left home.

Management of St Josephs PU College at Rajeev Nagar in Mysuru declared a holiday on Tuesday following confusion over the hijab. Hundreds of students in hijab sought permission to attend the classes, but the principal refused permission.

Also Read  Shivamogga returning to normalcy; 450 police personnel on standby

According to a lecturer, only a few girls wore hijab till recently. Many of them started wearing the headscarves suddenly which triggered confusion.

Thirteen 13 girls in Kavalande in Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru district and two high school students in K R Mill in Mysuru taluk remained absent for classes.

The teacher prevented 10 girls from entering classrooms at Shanivarasanthe in the Kodagu district. Seven of them heeded the requests, removed their headscarves and entered the classrooms, while three of them returned home.

About 12 girls in hijab sat outside classrooms at government PU college in Malebennur in Davanagere district and then returned home as lecturers did not permit them inside.

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The Karnataka High Court hearing the hijab case on Wednesday said the uniform prescribed by the schools and colleges should be followed till the disposal of the case.

"We are making it very clear that whether a degree college or a PU College, if a uniform has been prescribed, that has to be followed so long as the matter is pending before the court," Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi told advocate Mohammed Tahir who is the counsel for one of the petitioners seeking permission to wear hijab in the classrooms.

The court also made it clear that the interim order related to hijab was confined to students only, when a lawyer appearing on behalf of petitioners from Udupi pointed out that the teachers were also asked to remove their headscarf.

Tahir urged the bench for clarity on its interim order saying that every institution was "pushing students outside" the college citing the court order. The full bench comprising Chief Justice Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit is hearing the hijab case on a day-to-day basis and made it clear to wind it up by this weekend.

On January one, six girl students of a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by the CFI in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into classrooms wearing hijab. This was four days after they requested the principal permission to wear hijab in classes which was not allowed. Till then, students used to wear the headscarf to the campus, but entered the classroom after removing it, 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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Four Derry restaurants came out on top in their respective categories at The Ireland YesChef Takeaway Awards 2022 held on February 21.

3 Frenchies on the Strand Road won Burger of the Year, The Beijing House on the Buncrana Road won best Chinese takeaway, Wheelers, also on the Strand Road, won best social media and Bistro 9 at Clooney Terrace landed the Champion Chip prize.

The event, held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone. saw 300 guests from across the island join the programme hosts, YesChef Ireland, to celebrate the stars of the

takeaway industry in Ireland.

Liam Kelly, owner of 3 Frenchies, was ecstatic that he and his team scooped the top prize, "I am buzzing we won. We have only been open since September so just to be nominated was great," he said.

"When they called my name for best in Ulster, I couldnt believe it. I didnt even get on my seat and had to be told by the people at the table to go back because I won the best burger over all.

"Obviously I couldnt have done this without our amazing staff, I cant thank them enough."

Patrick Kennedy, from Wheelers, said the team was sadly unable to attend the awards but extended their thanks for their win for best social media, "Unfortunately, we were unable to attend but I would like to add a special thank you to Neil Roddy who is the genius behind all our social media posts," he said.

"Also, a big thank you to Taylor Carlin who is known in Wheelers as TikTok Taylor. We would be lost without their creative skills and ideas."

Vivian Mackey, Manager at Beijing House Takeaway, and her team attended the awards and couldn't believe they won, "It was truly amazing to win the National award, we are absolutely delighted," she said.

"The entire team in the Beijing House is still stunned at the face we won the Chinese Takeaway of the Year in the YesChef 2022 awards.

"We opened just a couple of months before the first Covid Lockdown and it was a huge blow to the business.

"However, we built a great team in the shop and have always worked hard to deliver the best food to our customers, no matter what level or restrictions we were all under and we have seen customers coming back to use time and time again, ordering both their favourites and trying new dishes. This is what we love - giving people food they enjoy.

"We have no idea who nominated us, but when we were told we were finalists, we thought someone was having a joke. How could a little takeaway in Derry come to national attention.

"It was amazing to be a finalist, but that was nothing compared to the shock when we were announced as the winners. It would be fair to say there was quite a bit of excitement at our table when it finally sunk in.

"We hope this helps raise both our own profile but also the profile of all the great food outlets we have here in Derry and across the border in Donegal. It was great to see some of our friends and neighbours at the awards, competing in their own category.

"We would like to thank YesChef for all they have done organising these awards and giving us this chance to shine."

Vivian and the team from Beijing House takeaway accepting their award for the best Chinese Takeaway

Programme Director of the awards, Nicci Smith, welcomed the return of the awards after a difficult couple of years for the hospitality industry.

Its hard to believe that we held our first Takeaway Awards in 2019 and little did we know what lay ahead for us all and the challenges that would face the industry," she said.

"Im proud to say that the people who joined us tonight helped to sustain Irish people through some of the toughest times they have faced.

"Food is not just a necessity, it is a joy, a pleasure in life, a sensory experience, something that lifts us at the end of a tough week, and these guys lifted us through a tough two years.

"Owners and staff in takeaways across the country were on the frontline with a smile on their faces and a willingness to go the extra mile.

"Restaurants pivoted to deliver takeaway food and throughout it all quality improved and standards raised and I dont say that lightly.

"Each and every business was independently assessed and the standards were superb. I need to point out also that researchers found the level of service to be superb.

"I read so many comments complimenting teams for their happy smiles, banter and going the extra mile."
Local parents are broadly in favour of a bill on integrated education which is currently making its way through the NI Assembly's legislative process.

The Integrated Education Bill, moved by Alliance MLA for Strangford, Kellie Armstrong in June 2021, will reach the Further Consideration Stage this week.

If adopted as an act, the bill will lead to the promotion, reform and expansion of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

Currently, just 7% of all pupils in the North are educated in just over 90 integrated schools and colleges, which aim to mix pupils of Protestant, Catholic and other backgrounds.

Seven of these schools are in County Derry.

Education representatives from the four main churches have criticised aspects of the bill, while letters sent home from some schools have claimed it 'aims to elevate integrated schools above every other type'.

Our readers' survey found 68% of respondents were in favour of the Integrated Education Bill, with 30% against and 2% unsure.

Of the respondents whose children attended a Catholic school, or had attended one themselves, 59% were in favour of the bill, with 38% against and 3% unsure.

60% of respondents with a controlled or state school background were in favour of the bill, with 40% against.

Unsurprisingly, all of those with an integrated schooling background were in support of the Integrated Education Bill becoming law.

On respondent, who was undecided on whether they were in favour of the bill, said the expansion of integrated schools should not be at the expense of other sectors.

I definitely think there should be more integrated schools, but not at the cost of schools that have another ethos, they said.

Parents and pupils should definitely have more choice, but choice should not be taken away from people who choose to send their children to religious schools.

One respondent said many schools were already integrated in all but name.

Many controlled schools including ours has over 20% of pupils who are from other or Catholic backgrounds, they said.

Controlled schools are already 'open for all'. Schools are already struggling with a lack of funding and increasing running costs.

Disadvantaging all other sectors in Northern Ireland is simply unfair and ultimately will take away parent choice.

I understand that some leaders feel integrated schools will be one way of helping the situation in Northern Ireland but surely all schools do what they can through shared education and an inclusive ethos, such as is promoted by controlled schools.

I would urge leaders to very carefully look at all aspects of this new bill and ensure fairness for all schools.

Another respondent who was opposed to the bill simply said they were happy for their children 'to have their education integrated into their faith'.

One respondent who was in favour of the bill highlighted the parental choice element as being key to their decision.

I should be able to place my children in a local school. Currently I would have to drive 40mins plus traffic per day to send kids to integrated school, they said.

As well as this diversity in religious and all forms of diversity education is critical for young minds emerging as adults.

I was impressed when I travelled and met many non-faith people who knew about Sikhism, Muslim etc. I knew nothing and felt stupid. I should have been provided with this knowledge.

Another respondent said church, state and education should be separate.

It's the 21st century. Integration should be the norm. If someone wants their child to have a religious education they should send them to Sunday school, they said.

The cost of running so many different educational sectors was also mentioned by a respondent in favour of the bill.

It is costing Northern Ireland a fortune to have different schools for different faiths. Could you imagine, if that money were used towards an integrated education system, they said.

The facilities, technology, quality of teaching staff available would be outstanding. Our children would excel. Isnt that what we want for our kids, our future, our city.

A further respondent drew on their own experience in the integrated sector to highlight its positives.

Every child and parent should have the option to attend an Integrated school. The future is not and should not be segregated, they said.

Our history is filled with segregation and anger, my Integrated Education experience has taught me to acknowledge the past and forge timeless bonds with people who are different than me.

The bill gives people the option and provides support to schools that need it. I support it, they added.
The people of Derry are being urged to back the latest public demonstration in the city to support Irish reunification.

The 'Walk for Unity has been organised by Sinn Fein and takes place along a riverside route this weekend.

One of the organisers, local Sinn Fein Councillor Conor Heaney, urged the public to go along and show support for an end to partition.

He said: This event is part of our ongoing campaign to secure and win a referendum on Irish unification as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.

The demand for reunification is growing every single day. It has always made economic and logistical sense but Brexit, British

Government cuts and their shambolic handling of the pandemic has led to more and more people looking to a better future within a new Ireland.

Events like the Walk for Unity are an opportunity to demonstrate the demand for reunification that now exists.

We will be assembling at 11.00am at Sainsburys car park on Saturday, 26th February for a positive event full of colour, positivity and energy.

He concluded: There will be similar walks taking place right across Ireland so we would call on as many people as possible to come along and help put more pressure on the British Government to call a referendum on Irish reunification.
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By RACHEL LA CORTE

Associated Press

OLYMPIA  House and Senate Democrats on Monday released their separate supplemental state budget proposals and will soon start negotiations to reach a final plan they can pass before the legislative session ends in just over two weeks.

Budget leaders released their plans Monday, hours before public hearings were to be held on the proposals. Each chamber looks to pass their plan off their respective floors by this weekend, and negotiations are expected to start next week.





. . .
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OLYMPIA (AP)  A limited number of members of the public who show a same-day negative COVID-19 test will be allowed to return to the galleries overseeing the Washington Senate floor, starting Friday.

The Democratic-majority Senate Facilities and Operations Committee met via Zoom on Tuesday to update the chamber's COVID-19 protocols as lawmakers enter the final weeks of the 60-day legislative session that began Jan. 10.





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17 held accountable for alleged woman abuse in China's Jiangsu

Xinhua) 13:08, February 23, 2022

NANJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen people have been held accountable for an alleged woman abuse case in Fengxian County, east China's Jiangsu Province, the provincial authorities said Wednesday.

Among them, Lou Hai, Party chief of Fengxian, has been removed from his post, and Zheng Chunwei, head of the county government, has been demanded to resign, according to a report issued by an investigation team of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the provincial government of Jiangsu.

Police have found that a woman named Xiaohuamei, born in a village in Yunnan Province in 1977, began living with a man surnamed Dong in Fengxian in June 1998.

Over the years, Xiaohuamei gave birth to eight children. Suffering from schizophrenia, she is under treatment at a hospital.

Dong was arrested on charges of abuse on Tuesday. A preliminary police investigation showed that Xiaohuamei was bought by Dong's father in June 1998. Further investigation is underway.

Authorities in Jiangsu have launched a campaign across the province to investigate and crack down on crimes that infringe upon women's and children's rights, according to the report.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
For years, an unholy alliance of council employers, right-wing union bureaucrats, and disgruntled opponents have attempted to victimise Paul Holmes, the President of Unison. Now the truth is emerging about this disgraceful witch-hunt.

Every action has a consequence. Every cover-up, even the best of them, has loose ends. There is always a paper trail of some kind, if you are prepared to look. Where different interests are involved, mistakes are often made.

As my mother used to say, they all tend to come out in the wash.

We all knew that there was something extremely fishy when the leading left-winger in Unison, Paul Holmes, was simultaneously suspended by his employers and the union hierarchy.

Everything pointed to a stitch-up, as faced by so many union activists. The fact that Pauls suspensions lasted over two years seemed to confirm these suspicions.

The truth is now gradually emerging, casting further light upon what has been going on behind the scenes. The more we dig, the more details we discover about a blatant and premeditated plot by the employers and others to rid themselves of this troubling thorn in their side.

They must have thought that Paul Holmes would have been long gone by now  having either given up or taken retirement. But they obviously didnt know Paul.

Paul is not going anywhere, and is going to fight this clear case of victimisation to the bitter end.

It is clear that there are a lot more facts to come out about this farce. These are likely to point to collusion at the highest levels between the union hierarchy and Pauls employers.

We are not going to rush into print, not just yet. But there must be a number of prominent people who are shaking in their boots at the present time. They are terrified that the s**t will hit the fan.

#JeremyCorbyn adds his support for Paul Holmes, Branch Secretary of Kirklees Unison, National President of Unison and member of the TUC General Council #TimeForRealChange #DefendPaulHolmes #UNISON @jeremycorbyn pic.twitter.com/pE4bNoj2z0  #TimeForRealChange (@tfrc_unison) February 7, 2022

Unblemished record

Up until recently, Paul Holmes had had an unblemished employment record of 48 years service. Over this time, he has never faced any disciplinary or performance allegations of any kind.

He has been a trade union shop steward  first in Nalgo, then Unison  for 46 years. He has held the elected position of secretary of the Kirklees branch of the union for 32 years. He was elected to the Unison NEC in 2007, and held the position ever since.

He was runner-up in the recent election for Unison general secretary, and in June of last year was elected National President of Unison.

During this time, Paul has led a whole series of trade union disputes against his employer. As a result, management has shown nothing but hostility towards him.

Let us take the incident of a management away-day event in 2015. Around 50 senior managers from Kirklees Council attended this cosy event at which Ms Ruth Redfern, director of Resources, Finance and Personnel, revealed details of a plan to smash the trade union at Kirklees.

At the end of her summation, Redfern urged those present to chant back three times: Were going to break Paul Holmes! Were going to break Unison!

This sets the tone in this current dispute. Things could not be clearer.

This union-busting event was followed by threats by Ms Redfern to personally sue Paul Holmes for 120,000 in regard to the contents of a local members union bulletin.

Furthermore, Mr Battersby, director for Economy and Infrastructure, tried to issue Paul with a final written warning, without a hearing, for supposedly breaching a term of settlement arising from a refuse collection dispute.

Strike and suspension

Relations with the employers reached rock-bottom when in early November 2019 three sets of Unison members at Kirklees voted in consultative ballots in favour of strike action.

Following this, a meeting was scheduled on 2 December between Paul and his union, Unison, to authorise the official strike ballots.

Email written on Tuesday 3 December by the councils chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, and sent to all councillors, informing them of Unisons action and that the Kirklees Unison branch was now being taken over and run by the regional office / Image: Socialist Appeal

The meeting never took place, however, as Paul Holmes was suspended by his employer on 28 November 2019.

This was greeted with jubilation by the council bosses. But there was more to come. Within days, Paul Holmes and three senior union branch officials were suspended by Unison.

On Tuesday 3 December, the councils chief executive, Jacqui Gedman, sent an email to all councillors, informing them of Unisons action and that the Kirklees Unison branch was now being taken over and run by the regional office.

I just want to confirm that the council understands that a Unison investigation is ongoing, that it is serious and confidential and whilst this is happening the Kirklees branch will be under regional supervision. I will provide further information as I receive it, wrote Ms Gedman.

How she was privy to the information that the Unison investigation was serious when it was supposed to be confidential is anybodys guess. We would like to know who supplied her with this information, which must have come from a union source?

There is a Father Christmas

The following morning, Labour councillor Peter McBride, the then-deputy leader of the council, couldnt conceal his absolute elation at the suspensions, and sent an email to Ms Gedman, stating: So there is a Father Christmas.

Unfortunately when Clr Peter McBride sent his reply to Kirklees Councils chief executive Jacqui Gedman he inadvertently also sent it to 66 fellow councillors / Image: fair use

How did this email come to light? An article in the local newspaper explained:

Unfortunately when Clr Peter McBride sent his reply to Kirklees Councils chief executive Jacqui Gedman he inadvertently also sent it to 66 fellow councillors. (Local Democracy Reporter, 9/12/19)

Red-faced, Clr McBride tried to brush it aside, saying it was a flippant comment. But this blunder by the deputy leader of the council  a Labour council  speaks volumes about their real attitude to the union.

We have discovered that the excuse given by the council for Paul Holmes suspension was an allegation from a Unison convenor, concerning a meeting with Paul about a secondment. The council said they forwarded the complaint to Unison, who then in turn suspended Paul and others, as well as suspending the Kirklees branch.

We shouldnt be surprised about this. At that point, Unison nationally was under right-wing control, and were more than happy to suspend a left-wing branch official, especially one like Paul Holmes.

Axes to grind

Pauls suspension by Unison was lifted on 9 December 2021, over two years later, without any action as yet being taken against him. Paul was re-elected as branch secretary in February 2022, and the suspension of the Kirklees branch was also lifted in the same month.

Meanwhile, in December 2019, the employers appointed an external investigator, a human resources consultant, to investigate the allegations against Paul Holmes.

Labour councillor Peter McBride, the then-deputy leader of the council, couldnt conceal his absolute elation at the suspensions, and sent an email to Ms Gedman, stating: So there is a Father Christmas / Image: Socialist Appeal

To widen the net further, however, the consultant did not confine the investigation to the original complaint.

Brushing aside confidentiality, the investigation became common knowledge, and began to include anyone who had a grudge against Paul going back nearly 20 years!

This included disgruntled former employees of the Kirklees Unison branch, some of whom had been dismissed for fraud in 2005, some fifteen years prior to the investigation. Such individuals obviously blamed Paul for their demise, and were determined to get their own back.

Other witnesses included his political opponents in the union, members or former members of the Socialist Party, who were hostile to him. This avenue provided an open-season for anyone who had the slightest thing against Paul to bring forward complaints  the more the merrier.

It became clear the investigation had nothing to do with Paul Holmes work in the council, but simply his relations with some staff employed by the union branch. Therefore, any such complaint should be an internal union matter, which has its own procedures, and not the prerogative of the employer.

The employer intervened in the process with the sole intention of getting rid of Paul Holmes, a thorn in their side for many years, as is clear from the above.

Despite the very flimsy  most would say non-existent  case against Paul, the employers were keen to take matters further to a disciplinary hearing.

Incredibly, it was not until 15 June 2021 that Paul Holmes was informed of the allegations against him, 19 months after he was suspended.

Sectarianism and spite

The whole case is based on tittle-tattle from people who had held a grudge against Paul over many years and were his political opponents. He strenuously denies all allegations.

One of his accusers is Angela Waller: a lead witness for the employer and a leading member of the Socialist Party in the union.

All that one could say is that no self-respecting trade unionist, let alone a socialist, would partake in the framing of a fellow trade unionist by an employer. This is the action not of a comrade but a bosses nark. It is unforgivable. It is an elementary principle that you defend a union activist who is being victimised and sacked by an employer.

The Socialist Party has circulated an anonymous statement of the 14 employers witnesses who claim they are left-wing reps and activists. This is not true. In fact there is only one left-wing activist among the witnesses, which is Angela Waller herself. This was clearly an attempt by the Socialist Party to cover their shameful position.

There is nothing worse than malice and spite in such matters. They are the slippery slope to ruin.

Colluding with racists

Another accuser of Paul is Kath McHendry, the assistant Kirklees Unison branch secretary. She complained about a meeting Paul had attended, not at the time, but three months later.

However, McHendry only raised her complaint when Paul had already been suspended  shortly after complaints were raised about her own conduct, when she placed a racist post on Facebook about a campaign to restore the gollywog (a type of doll based on a racist caricature of black people) on Robertsons jam, complete with large gollywog image. (We have a screengrab of the incriminating Facebook post.)

Angela Waller, the star witness for the employers, with the backing of the Socialist Party, launched a campaign against Paul Holmes with a slate of five candidates, all of whom were witnesses against Paul / Image: fair use

She shared the offensive Facebook page with the comment, supposedly words coming from the gollywog: Hello, I am back. Share me. See how far I can go before I get put back of Facebook. Lol.

This raises the question of how a person holding such repugnant views could remain as a senior Unison branch official? How would people of colour view such a person? What action is the union going to take over this posting?

Angela Waller, the star witness for the employers, with the backing of the Socialist Party, launched a campaign against Paul Holmes called For a Fighting Democratic Leadership Team in Kirklees Unison.

This campaign stood a slate of five candidates in the local branch elections, including Kath McHendry  all of whom were witnesses against Paul.

This was a slate of the disgruntled. In the slate, Waller stood against Paul for Kirklees branch secretary, who was in the process of being sacked by the council.

The supporters of Paul Holmes won all the branch positions, except one. The campaign For a Fighting Democratic Leadership Team in Kirklees Unison managed to get one elected: Kath McHendry, of Robertsons jam fame.

Rotten system

The fallout from this scandal will run and run. This whole episode is not simply a local Kirklees matter. The employers used this frame-up to sack an effective trade union official. Paul is the figurehead of the left in Unison, who won the leadership of the biggest trade union in Britain.

Behind the employers attack stand the establishment and right-wing careerists, along with Starmer and his friends, who are doing everything in their power to sabotage the new left-wing leadership in Unison.

Pauls fight is the fight of the whole trade union movement against victimisation  and against the powers that be that defend this rotten system / Image: Socialist Appeal

The victimisation and sacking of Paul Holmes is only part of a much wider political plot to destabilise the left-wing leadership of Britains biggest union.

Paul has already appealed to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal. He is determined to fight this victimisation and clear his name.

His fight is the fight of the whole trade union movement against victimisation  and against the powers that be that defend this rotten system.

There is a long way to go. But, believe me, everything is destined to come out in the wash.

Originally published on 21 february at socialist.net |
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The Lone Star State plans to build its own wall.



By DANYELLE KHMARA

Arizona Daily Star

TUCSON, Ariz.  The federal government has donated at least $6 million worth of leftover border wall materials to Texas, which will use them for the state's plan to build its own wall.

The materials bought with federal tax money were donated to that effort despite the fact that on his first day in office, President Joe Biden said that no more American taxpayer dollars would be used to construct a border wall.





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Content

On February 21, 2022, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Doha on a state visit to Qatar.

Raisis visit to Doha is significant in several respects. Qatar and Iran have long enjoyed cordial relations. Despite the friendly nature of these relations, however, they have been largely superficial and devoid of substance. As part of its foreign policy strategy of hedging, intended to maximize the number of the countrys friends and to minimize the number of its adversaries, Qatar has long sought to keep the potential for tensions with Iran to a minimum. The fact that the two countries share the worlds largest gas field, the South Pars/North Dome, has further encouraged Qatar to maintain open and friendly lines of communication with Iran.

Careful not to violate secondary US sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Doha has at the same time avoided expanding trade or other substantive commercial ties with Tehran.

Tehran appears to have maintained a similar view of its relations with Doha, seeing Qatar as a valuable friend diplomatically but being reluctant to take Doha up on its offer to mediate in its disputes with the United States and Saudi Arabia. In 2015, when Iran and the United States started secret negotiations in the lead-up to what eventually became the Nuclear Accord, they chose to be hosted first by Oman rather than by Qatar. More recently, despite Qatars offer of mediation between its neighbors to the north and to the south, Iran and Saudi Arabia have both preferred to meet and discuss their differences in Baghdad.

Despite the reluctance of both sides to substantively deepen their relations, Raisis visit to Qatar represents an important development on several fronts. To start with, the visit marks only Raisis second state visit after his election, the first such visit having been to Russia, and the first visit by an Iranian president to Doha in eleven years. There are a number of other, more important reasons for the trips significance. The trip comes in what appears to be the final phase of the renewed negotiations in Vienna between Iran and the world powers to renew the Nuclear Accord, from which the United States withdrew in 2018. During their meeting, Raisi reportedly briefed Qatars Emir, Sheikh Tamim, on the status of the Vienna negotiations. This appears to be part of a deliberate, wider strategy by Raisi and his foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, to get buy-in from as many GCC states as possible for a new nuclear accord by keeping them in the loop on the status of the Vienna negotiations.

For Qatar, President Raisis visit can help enhance its early-starter advantage for access to Irans lucrative markets when and if the ongoing negotiations result in the lifting of US and secondary sanctions on Iran. The two leaders reportedly discussed a number of bilateral trade issues and joint infrastructural projects.

More immediately, Sheikh Tamims offer to Raisi to help finalize the Vienna talks can only add to Qatars diplomatic prestige and also to its strategic value to Washington and other world capitals. Even if Doha does not become formally involved in the negotiations, it can claim to have been a moderating influence on Iran and helping get the negotiations over the line.

Given the speed and fluidity of regional developments, it is nearly impossible to predict the future course of Irans relations with Qatar and with its other Arab neighbours. Nevertheless, if Raisis past few months in office are an indication, current trends point to a steady reduction of tensions between Iran and the GCC states, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Within this context, Irans pre-existing, cordial relations with Qatar are likely to assume even greater importance, not just diplomatically but also politically and commercially. In this sense, Raisis visit to Doha could well represent the start of a new chapter in Iran-GCC relations that feature far less tension and perhaps even a few areas of cooperation.


A group supporting victims of convicted sex offender Michael Shine is calling on the governemnt to intervene in a dispute over legal fees that has resulted in a delay of settlement payments for more than 100 survivors.

The former surgeon is due to be released from the Midlands Prison this week after serving 3 years of a 4 year sentence following his conviction for offences against young boys at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and two local clinics between 1971 and 1992.

CEO of Dignity4Patients, Adrienne Reilly said:

Our thoughts today on his release are very much with the victims and survivors and their families.

Michael Shine has served sentences for convictions relating to several awful sexual assaults involving a number of victims.

While the sentence served has given limited solace to some, others are still waiting for some form of justice through further criminal or civil proceedings.

Victims and survivors we support are suffering over 50 years later.

Still waiting for an apology.

Still waiting for some kind of acknowledgement to the despicable harms they have suffered, many as children.

In light of this, Dignity4Patients victims and survivors are calling on the government to intervene and explain why the HSE and Medical Missionary of Marys (MMM) ongoing row over costs is delaying payment of damages to them.

An indemnity fund was set up in 1997 through the sale of the hospital by the MMM to the North Eastern Health Board and monies were set aside specifically for claims regarding sexual abuse.

The group have claimed that it was known that this was internally referred to as the Shine Fund, and was worth 4.9 million as of 2017.

Victims and Survivors were led to believe that the Medical Missionaries of Mary had agreed to a settlement deal with their legal teams prior to Christmas 2021.

The group said:

Essentially the HSE and MMM in their row over costs has had the direct result of derailing the settlement process for victims and survivors and forcing the progression of civil litigation cases before a jury.

If this is allowed to happen this could take some time for the first case to come on, and years more for the rest.

The HSE and the MMM row has nothing to do with victims and survivors.

Some survivors have already died.

Time marches on and many survivors are facing serious health challenges as they age.

Mr. Shine has been tried, convicted, served his sentence, and is now being released, with no sign yet of restitution for the present group of survivors of his abuse over 30 years, when they were children.

This contrasts sharply with other redress schemes established by the State and religious bodies in similar circumstances.

Adrienne Reilly CEO further stated:

This is appalling, alarming, egregious and causing further unnecessary trauma, upset and harm.

This case has been running for over 10 years for abuse that happened too many of them as children decades ago.

While any settlement will not make them whole again, it will serve to acknowledge what has happened to them, give them the respect they deserve and allow them to move on in some respects.

We are also renewing our call on government, on behalf of all victims and survivors, to establish a public inquiry into the sexual abuse of patients in the Irish health service.

Recent events such as the Barron Report and last weeks incidents in the North West are clear indicators that there is an immediate and critical need to explore the massive and ongoing failures in the child protection and criminal justice systems that allow serial abusers to operate with impunity in our health service for decades.

In addition, any Public Inquiry must include the practices in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and local clinic, where Shine worked for over 30 years.

Dignity4Patients are also calling on the government to identify and adequately support & care for patient/victims of sexual offences suffered within the Irish health service.
Dundalk Chamber have announced a Major Cross Border Tourism Webinar titled Learn from the Best and grow your visitor numbers.

This half day event takes place on Wednesday the 6th of April 2022 from 9am to 12.45pm via Zoom.

The event is organized by Dundalk Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Louth Leader Partnership, The Local Enterprise Office Louth , Carlingford Lough Ferry, The Marshes Shopping Centre, and Louth County Council.

The webinar will bring experts together from various tourism projects around Ireland so attendees can replicate successful strategies in their own business.

There will be practical tips and workshops on how to improve your tourism business so you can increase your sales and boost attendance figures at your attraction!

There will be five key speakers at this online webinar:

Wayne Denner of 10th Step.com will host a workshop on  The Tools & Tactics to get your marketing messages seen.

Irene Hamilton of Carlingford Lough Ferry will give participants an update on The Story so far.

Jarlath ODwyer of the Burren Ecotourism Network will discuss Tangible Benefits from Effective Networking

Sinead Cahalan Tipperary County Council will discuss Destination Lough Derg- The Story from a Marketing Perspective!

Grainne McKeown Discover Boyne Valley  SEA Louth  A Tourism Destination

Pol O Conghaile- Travel Editor with the Irish Independent will discuss  10 Travel Trends for 2022

The event is FREE to attend and those wishing to register a place can call Dundalk Chamber on 042 9336343 or email brenda@dundalk.ie or click on the link https://www.dundalk.ie/event/tourism-conference
Louth Chief Executive Joan Martin has said that she believes the parklets installed in Dundalk and other towns in Louth for outdoor dining have been a welcome addition to the county and would like to look at the beneficial impact of them and "how we maintain that and how we build on that cafe culture", emerging in the county.

Ms Martin was speaking at the Louth County Council February, in response to a query by Councillor Edel Corrigan. Cllr Corrigan asked what the situation will be in Louth with regards funding for the parklets that were installed in Dundalk and coming to an end.

Cllr Corrigan asked if the assistance available to local businesses for the installation of the parklets, as well as for the licences to install the parklets, would continue.

In response, Director of Services, Catherine Duff said that the funding of the parklets came from central government. She explained that the parklets are owned by the council and there was an application process for businesses where they got the section 254 licences to install and maintained them. She added that she would envisage that might stay in place and that the assistance regarding the fees for the section 254 licences would be extended for another period of time.

Cllr Corrigan also enquired if, with the return to business, the parking spaces where the parklets are situated, would no longer be available.

The chief executive then spoke on the matter, saying she would have shared Cllr Corrigan's concerns at the time about the loss of parking spaces, but added that she didn't think they actually lost a huge number of parking spaces in the initiative, but added that she thinks it is something that they would look at.

Ms Martin went on to say that her general view of the parklets and the outdoor dining facilities in the county,, "is that they have been a huge welcome addition to the county" and that the the standard of what was put in place by Director of Services Catherine Duff and Senior Engineer Mark Johnston and their team was been very high.

She went on to say that "in terms of the whole cafe culture, having a county that looks more welcoming to the kind of cosmopolitan population that we now have. People that come to live in Ireland from countries across Europe are much more used to this outside cafe culture style of living and it feels probably much more familiar."

Ms Martin added that she feels the Market Square in Dundalk has become "a hive of activity, not just with the use of the outdoor dining facilities but people using the space and children enjoying the water fountain. So I think they have brought a lot to the county and they're something I think we'll have to consider in the future", she adds.

She continued, "going back to Dundalk, and the work that was done on Clanbrassil Street, we very deliberately created a number of what I fondly call plazas  big seating areas, like down near St Nicholas's Church or the new space there outside the Green Church and on the other side of the road." She said that these type of spaces help give an international look to our towns and would like to assess the whole initiative to see what has worked and what hasn't and see what might be done.

Ms Martin finished by saying that "despite an initial concern about car parking, my overriding view of them is they have been a huge addition and brought an awful lot to the county and have improved our towns and our town centres and our streetscapes."

Cllr Maria Doyle agreed with the chief executive's comments, saying that in Dundalk "that the overall outdoor dining experience in the last year has been a really good plus". She added that she agreed with Cllr Corrigan's comments and they would need to ensure that the parklets are maintained against wear and tear. Cllr Doyle said they should also carry out an audit on them to see which ones are working and which are not.

She added that she would like to "congratulate individual business owners also who have done a lot, who don't have parklets even, but have done a lot to bring that outdoor dining experience to make people comfortable who didn't want to eat indoors."
Dunnes Stores welcomed legendary journalist Charlie Bird, his wife Claire to their flagship store in Stephens Green Shopping Centre this week to launch its Climb With Charlie campaign.

From Thursday, March 31 to Sunday, April 3, Dunnes Stores customers across Ireland will be asked to add an extra 2 to their shopping. Donations will go straight to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta House.

Commenting on the launch of the Dunnes Stores partnerships, Charlie Bird said: "I am so delighted to have the support and backing of Dunnes Stores. It is an amazing gesture of support and solidarity for me and my family. I know that every single euro donated will go to the two charities that are so close to my heart. So to all the people at Dunnes Stores thank you so much for what you are doing to support me."

PICTURED: Charlie Bird chats with staff as Dunnes Stores in the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre

Charlie went on to say: "I also want to thank people all across the country for their incredible support as well. We now have almost 80 locations all around the country and indeed abroad where people are walk and climbing in support of what will hopefully turn into a great day of celebration. I also want to give a special mention to the scores of schools around the country and their pupils who are giving me such uplifting support."

Charlie Bird will be climbing Croagh Patrick on Saturday, April 2 to show support for everyone who has to climb their own physical and mental mountains in their daily lives. People from all over Ireland are being asked to support the campaign in their own local area, be it climbing a hill, mountain, a flight of stairs or even a short walk.

Supporters can register their own fundraisers, make donations or find out where to join local climbs on www.climbwithcharlie.ie.

Charlie is encouraging people to climb or walk in their local area, be it climbing a mountain or a short walk in the local park, and to keep on climbing the mountains of their personal battles. Due to health & safety concerns and ongoing environmental works on Croagh Patrick, the campaign cannot facilitate large numbers of people on Croagh Patrick on April 2.

A huge number of Irish celebrities have also come out in support of the Climb With Charlie campaign, including Bono, Gabriel Byrne, Imelda May, Daniel ODonnell, Damien Dempsey, Matt Molloy, Dustin the Turkey, Derek Ryan, Michael English, the Clew Bay Pipe Band, Jennifer Zamparelli, Dermot Bannon, Baz Ashmawy and Karl Henry.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Periods of rain. High 54F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy and damp with rain early...then becoming partly cloudy. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The European Commissions Delegated Regulation, published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 21 February 2022, provides for the removal of Mauritius from the EU List of High-Risk Third Countries. The Regulation, which comes into force 20 days following its publication, amends the European Union list of countries having strategic deficiencies in their Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) regimes.

The European Commission has, therefore, concluded that Mauritius has strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT framework and no longer presents strategic deficiencies as had initially been identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in February 2020.

The removal of Mauritius from the EU list follows the delisting of Mauritius from the FATF List of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring on 21 October 2021. Mauritius is also no longer on the United Kingdom List of High-Risk Third Countries since 2 November 2021. This illustrates the unreserved acceptance and recognition, by the global community, of the highest political commitment and the perseverance of the Mauritian authorities, and the private sector, in the national interest, to effectively implement the required reforms.

The delisting of Mauritius also demonstrates the ability of the authorities to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, and to sustain the implementation of the AML/CFT reforms. On this front, the Core Group for AML/CFT and the National Committee for AML/CFT are working closely with relevant authorities, and the private sector, on a new, post-FATF exit, strategy to enhance the AML/CFT framework and the financial services sector.

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By the Staff of The News

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Steph Fenstermacher co-owner of The Buttered Crumb Bakery & Cafe enjoys a fastnacht Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, at her bakery in Lynn Township. (Rick Kintzel/Morning Call)

It was a bit like a dance, choreographed to the sound of kitchen timers.

Sisters Stephanie Fenstermacher and Sharon Bagenstose quickly and methodically put some pans in the oven and quickly took out others in a whirl of baking  as the arresting smell of cinnamon sugar clung to the air.

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Again, the timer calls.

We live by the buzzer here, Fenstermacher said.

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Their bakery, The Buttered Crumb Bakery & Cafe near New Tripoli, specializes old fashioned goodness such as whoopie pies and sticky buns. But on this day, the sisters were preparing fastnachts, the Pennsylvania Dutch-version of a doughnut that has its own holiday every year.

Fastnachts  which are, in the broadest sense possible, doughnuts  started as a way for the Pennsylvania Dutch to use up the fat and sugar they had on hand before the Lenten fast began on Ash Wednesday. Translated into English, fastnacht means fast night, or the final night to pig out before the Lenten fast.

Throughout the Valley youll find a variety of interpretations of fastnachts  some round, some frosted, some filled.

But the Buttered Crumb owners strictly follow Dutch tradition, using mountains of local potatoes as the basis for the dough, which they shape into squares and fry using lard. You can get them rolled in granulated sugar or dusted with powdered sugar.

Like most great recipes, the sisters use a fastnacht recipe with a great history of tradition and family memories. Growing up nearby their bakery, they had a family friend, Mae Fetherolf, who would make fastnachts, sticky buns, and raised cakes to make some extra money to pay her taxes after her husband passed away. She would make thousands of them, carefully logged into a notebook.

The sisters knew it was the perfect recipe to use and they secured the familys permission to use it.

The fastnachts are sized well, with a lightly crisp exterior (thanks to the lard) and a fluffy interior. These are ever-so-slightly sweet and calling out to be dunked in hot tea or coffee.

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For Russell Fetherolf, Maes son, the Buttered Crumbs fastnachts arent just any baked treat. They are like tasting his familys history.

Its her memory living on, he said.

Where you can still get fastnachts

Along with the Buttered Crumb we have a list of places around the Lehigh Valley where you can still find fastnachts on Fat Tuesday:

Aharts Market, 326 S. Walnut St., Bath, 610-837-0900. Glazed and powdered at $4.99 half dozen. Routes 115 and 940, Blakeslee, 570-646-8115; fax, 570-646-5710

Baked Bakery, 228 Main St, Emmaus; 610-966-6100; old-school, handmade baked fastnachts; available only in powdered sugar; first-come, first-served while supplies last; $1 each.

Egypt Star Bakery: 95 cents each in plain, powdered, glazed, topped with granulated sugar, cream-filled and jelly-filled.

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225 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 610-434-3762

608 N. Front St., Allentown. 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 610-434-8516

45 N. Front St., Coplay. 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 610-262-5115

415 Chestnut St., Emmaus. 7 a.m.-5 p.m. 610-421-6396

IronPigs Coca-Cola Park: 1050 Ironpigs Way, Allentown. Package is $20 and you get a dozen fastnachts (4 powder, 4 plain and 4 glazed); and a fastnacht coffee mug. Other Fastnacht merchandise will be available in limited quantities. Order: shopironpigs.com. Pick up: Customers can pick up their Fastnacht package at the IronPigs Clubhouse store starting at 7 a.m. March 1.

Naz-O-Nut, 64 E. Lawn Road, Nazareth. $1.90 each, $10.90, half dozen, $19.80 dozen for plain, powdered sugar, sugar, glazed, cinnamon sugar, regular, sugar and $1.99 each for filled. Advance orders and walk-ins for pick up 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 1. 610-365-2244.

Giant grocery stores: Select locations, orders or walk-ins, www.giantfoodstores.com for locations and phone numbers.

Mary Ann Donut Kitchen, 1601 Liberty St., Allentown. Plain, powdered and sugar. $14 a dozen; $7 a half dozen or $1.25 each. Advance orders for three dozen or more. The bakery will be open 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1. 610-439-9985.

Pappys Orchard & Bakery, 2576 Cassel Road, Coopersburg; $10.50 per dozen; $5,50 per half-dozen. Advance orders and walk-ins welcome. 215-679-3981, e-mail thefarm@pappysorchard.com

Redners Market: All area locations; orders and walk-ins. Info: www.rednersmarket.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.

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Saylors & Co., 1105 Main St., Hellertown. $18, dozen in plain, powder and sugar. 610-838-6363.

The Flour Shop Bakery, 2980 Linden St., Macada Plaza, Bethlehem. Hand made with local apple cider from Scholl Orchards, local eggs from The Nesting Box and dairy from Way-Har. Plain, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and glazed. $20 per dozen or $2 each. Order at order.flourshopbaking.com. The bakery will be open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fastnacht Day, March 1 to pick up orders. Walk-ins welcome, but fastnachts are while supplies last.

Valley Farm Market, 1880 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem; plain, glazed, powdered or granulated sugared; advance orders or walk-ins available. Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 610-867-4600.

Vallos Bakery, 1800 Broadway, Bethlehem. $12 per dozen; $7 per half-dozen; 1.25 cents each; powder, sugar, glazed, plain. Pick-up 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 28 and 5 a.m.-5 p.m. March 1. Walk-ins welcome. Advance orders at 610-866-1012.

Wegmans: All area locations; orders or walk-ins. See www.wegmans.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.

Weis Markets: All area locations; orders or walk-ins. See www.weismarkets.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.

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A gluten-free option

If you avoid gluten but still want to celebrate Fastnacht Day, we have an option for you: Haasis Gluten-Free Bakery, 316 W. Walnut St. Perkasie. The story is gluten and nut-free.

They will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 1 or Fastnacht Day and fastnachts will be made fresh all day. The bakery will have plain, sugar, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar.

How much: $2.50 each; 3 for $6; 6 for $13; or a dozen for $25.

Pre-orders required

The Bakery Nook, 2355 Old Post Road, Coplay; $13.50 per dozen; $7 for half-dozen; plain, glazed, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar. Order by 4 p.m. Feb. 24. 610-261-0442.

The Buttered Crumb Bakery & Cafe, 6937 Route 309, New Tripoli (Lynn Township); $14 for a bakers dozen; available in plain, granulated sugar, powdered sugar; if you want icing, you can also order a 10-ounce container of vanilla or chocolate buttercream or peanut butter. $4.50 each. To order: 610-298-1105. Deadline is Feb. 26.

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Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 703 S. Delaware Drive, Mount Bethel is offering homemade donuts available in powdered or plain; $8 per dozen. Order by Feb. 25 for pick up March 1. Call Chrissy at 610-588-0809.

Gnomies Goodies, 5048 Huckleberry Road, Orefield; $12, dozen, $6, half dozen available in plain, powder sugar, cinnamon sugar; order by Feb. 25 for pickup 1-4 p.m. Feb. 27 or 3-6 p.m. Feb. 28. 610-217-3754, libgirl69@gmail.com

J. DeFranco and Daughters Catering & Deli, 2173 W. Bangor Road, Bangor; $9.44 per dozen plus tax; homemade with real mashed potatoes available in plain, powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar; order by noon Feb. 27 for pick up 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 1. 610-588-6991, email Portipasto@ptd.net, www.JDeFrancoandDaughters.com.

Jacobs Church, 8373 Kings Highway, New Tripoli (next to Leaser Lake); $9 per dozen of fastnachts or $5 per half-dozen of fastnachts; plain or brown sugar/cinnamon. Order by Feb. 19; pick up 1-4 p.m. Feb. 26 or 9-11 a.m. Feb. 27. 610-751-5742.

Kavvas Polish/European Market, 99 W. Broad St., Bethlehem. Order Polish doughnuts by Feb. 22. 610-419-2040.

Hellertown Bakery, 612 Main St., $10 per dozen. Order by Feb. 24 for pickup 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 25. 610-838-1025.
The mother of a 22-year-old student who fell 60 feet to his death down a blowhole while camping in Garretstown, Co Cork has paid an emotional tribute to his friends who made heroic efforts to save him.

The inquest into the death of Conor King from Douglas in Cork city heard that his friend Gary Barrett, who was a trained lifeguard, immediately went in to the blowhole in the aftermath of the incident which occurred at around 11.30pm on April 24, 2021.

Coroner Frank OConnell said the group of Conors friends were having an innocent night having pitched a tent and lit a fire when tragedy struck.

Conor, who was a biomedical engineering student at MTU, stood up and took a few steps backwards, not realising he was so close to a blowhole.

The inquest in Bandon courthouse heard that Gary, having made his way into the blowhole, performed CPR for forty minutes and had to be persuaded by the emergency services to leave the area to receive treatment for hypothermia.

The inquest was told that he didnt want to be lifted from the blowhole without his friend.

Other friends had also attempted to help in the rescue in the blowhole. They used their phones as torches and did everything they could to assist their stricken friend prior to the arrival of the emergency services.

Heartfelt speech

At the conclusion of the inquest Conors mother Maura made a heartfelt speech to the friends of her son who had given evidence at the inquest.

Maura said that she was forever in the debt of her sons wonderful group of pals. She asked them to remember the beautiful days they had with Conor before his life was ended so prematurely.

I cant explain the love I have for ye and how well I wish ye in your future careers. You have to live your lives. You have to cherish the lives you have."

Her husband Eamonn also addressed the friends of his only son and said that he was conscious of how good they were to Conor during a life in which he packed in a lot of living. Mr King added that he was glad that Conor had had fun on the night even if it ended with such tragedy.

Evidence

The inquest had heard evidence from several of the youths who had gone camping in Garretstown beach on the night of the tragedy.

Mark Morton, who knew Conor since first year in Christian Brothers College (CBC), said that one minute Conor was talking to them and the next he had fallen into the blowhole.

Mr Morton said they put on their phone flashlights and could see Conor in the blowhole. They started shouting hoping they could wake him. He told gardai in his statement that Conor looked perfect but was completely unresponsive.

He told the Coroner that their friend Gary Barrett, who is a lifeguard, immediately went to the assistance of Conor. He swam into the blowhole through an opening. Mark said that Gary administered CPR and cradled (Conor) King to stop the waves from hitting him. Mark said he didnt see Conor fall as it was so dark and that there "wasnt a sound in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.

Another friend Peter Kilbride said Conor simply took a few steps back and on his fourth or fifth step he fell into a blowhole which they hadnt realised was there. The inquest heard that a slight incline, along with the darkness, made the blowhole even more deceptive to the eye.

A third friend Ronan Keogh said that they had been play wrestling and Conor had jokingly said who is next? Conor took a few steps backwards and fell into the blowhole.

He didnt scream. I thought he had fallen on to the ledge. Gary was holding Conor and it just looked like he was asleep."

Irish Coastguard volunteer Eamon Barry who assisted in the rescue paid tribute to Gary Barrett for his heroism in attempting to save Conor.

Gary was experiencing hypothermia but he was very reluctant to leave his friend.

Further evidence

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said that death would have been immediate and that Conor would not have suffered. Conors blood alcohol level was consistent with him having six or seven pints of alcohol.

Dr Bolster said that Conor died of polytrauma with head, chest and abdominal injuries consistent with a fall.

Coroner Frank OConnell recorded a verdict of accidental death. He stated that he planned to write to Cork County Council about the possibility of setting up a danger sign or fencing off the area close to the blowhole.

Both he and gardai offered their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Mr King. He also paid tribute to Mr Barrett for his heroic bravery on the night whilst commending Mr Barry of the Irish Coastguard whom he said prevented any further tragedy from occurring when he enabled the rescue operation which saw Gary Barrett taken from the blowhole.

Conor King was laid to rest on what would have been his 23rd birthday.

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the family of Conor King asked mourners to donate to West Cork Rapid Response and West Cork Underwater Search and Rescue in lieu of flowers. Since the passing of Conor his family and friends have raised thousands of euro in his memory for the emergency services.

Meanwhile, at Conors funeral mass in St Patrick's Church in Rochestown, Cork his mother, Maura, told the congregation that her son had succeeded in squeezing a hundred years into his short life.

She said they had found it impossible to conjure up the words to best describe their one of a kind son. She added that her daughter Aine had new brothers and sisters in the loyal friends of her son.

Mourners at the funeral included his wide circle of friends, classmates at Munster Technological Union (MTU) in Cork and colleagues in the Rochestown Park Hotel where he worked part-time as a lifeguard.

Conor was a past pupil of Colaiste an Phiarsaigh and CBC. He also worked part-time at the leisure centre in Rochestown Park Hotel where management said that he was held in the highest esteem.
Gardai and emergency services are responding to an incident in Blackrock and divers are understood to be searching the river after a car was discovered in the water.

The Garda Press Office said a car had been discovered in the Lee and the car was empty.

It is understood that gardai received reports of a car in the water by the Blackrock end of the Marina just after 2pm.

Members of the Coast Guard are at the scene, and divers from Cork City Missing Persons Search and Recovery are understood to be searching the river near the scene of the incident.

It is believed that a sonar search of the river is being carried out.

It has not been ascertained when the car went into the water.

Garda enquiries are ongoing.
THIS marks the seventh year of The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship and during this time it has managed to exceed all expectations and breathed new life into our industry.

Initially, the programme was set up to attract high quality candidates into the insurance sector  this was at a time when many insurance employers were struggling to recruit and retain talent.

It also sought to enable these individuals to build a sustainable and exciting career for themselves within the industry  to move away from the idea of just a job and to begin to build on the reputation of insurance as an interesting and dynamic profession.

In many ways, we could never have imagined how successful the programme would be  it has not only created new jobs, but it has led to an influx of new talent and as a result has helped to revitalise and modernise the sector.

One of the most critical elements of the programme is the fact it was set up by the industry, for the industry  this means that at all times it is responding to the current issues and needs of the sector, and it provides a structure that ensures apprentices are obtaining and developing the various skills that are required for the modern world of insurance.

The apprenticeship sees the apprentices work full-time for an insurance employer, with one day per week devoted to their online lectures, which are run in partnership with IT Sligo.

One of the most attractive elements of the three year earn and learn programme is the fact the apprentices gain real, on the job learning, as well as a level-8 qualification (BA Hons in Insurance Practice).

The apprenticeship has of course immense benefits for both apprentices and insurance employers alike  apprentices have the chance to carve out a viable and exciting career for themselves in a sector that presents incredible opportunities.

Employers, on the other hand, gain a motivated, enthusiastic employee, who they can rest assured is at the forefront of their professional development  this gives them great peace of mind as they know they are safeguarding the future of their business by putting the right staff, with the right skills, in place.

Government Support

Since The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship was first established the landscape around apprenticeships has changed dramatically and, in many ways, there has never been a better time to get involved in an apprenticeship programme. In recent years much work has been done by Government to support employers of apprentices and this has really paid off  with a record 24,212 apprentices having registered on apprenticeship programmes in 2021  this is up 8,607 on 2020.

At the Institute we are always delighted to hear of any incentive that encourages employers to get involved in apprenticeships. Therefore, when The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, announced in December that apprentice employers will receive an annual grant of 2,000 per apprentice employed it was hugely welcome news.

The Apprenticeship Employer Grant will be available to all apprenticeship employers involved in any of the apprenticeship programmes that have been set up in Ireland since 2016.

We believe this to be a tremendously encouraging initiative and one which will benefit all employers involved in our apprenticeship programme.

In addition to the grant, its worth mentioning that the education costs of the programme are fully covered, therefore, it is obvious that there are many compelling advantages to the apprenticeship, including significant savings that can be made in terms of training and development.

I do believe that all of us involved in The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship are extremely fortunate - our apprenticeship programme remained largely unaffected by the pandemic, and it thankfully continues to go from strength to strength. However, this is in no small part due to the support we receive from Government, and from the employers involved, who constantly put their trust in the apprenticeship and without whom there would be no programme.

2022 Recruitment

The apprenticeship is always seeking expressions of interest and we are currently advising any employer or apprentice interested in this years programme to get in touch soon. Early engagement benefits everyone  it ensures the employer has time to find the right candidate for their business and apprentices are up to speed on all requirements, so that theyre ready to hit the ground running.

Its worth noting that the programme is not for the faint hearted  working and studying is not easy, it takes commitment, which is of course worth it, but it isnt for everyone. The insurance sector presents wonderful opportunities, and there are countless options that can be explored within the sector  you can have a huge variety in terms of career development  but in order to get there, apprentices need to be committed to the academic element, as well as to their day job.

Also, in terms of employers, taking on an apprentice requires dedication  I know one employer said to me recently the more effort you put in, the more you will get from your apprentice  which I think rings very true.

Each apprentice is assigned a mentor and supervisor within each business  this of course takes up time, but its a great opportunity for other staff members to develop their skillset in leadership roles.

Also, the apprenticeship allows employers to grow their own so to speak  they take on board a high-quality candidate who is committed to their business and who learns the ropes from the inside out. They also bring with them their current learning and knowledge and many employers report learning lots from their apprentices too!

The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship is here to stay and presents excellent prospects for apprentices and employers. We, at the Institute, are looking forward to the year ahead, and cant wait to welcome a whole new generation into the industry once again.

If you would like to learn more about The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship you can logon to earnandlearn.ie for more information.
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider an appeal by Energy Transfer, the Dallas-based operator of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), over a 2020 ruling requiring an environmental review of the oil pipeline, The Guardian reported.

The lawsuit was brought by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe who  along with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Yankton Sioux Tribe  has opposed the pipeline for years. The decision by the Supreme Court means that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must continue to conduct the environmental review and put together an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the pipeline.

The decision is a victory for Tribes and environmentalists seeking to shut the 1,172-mile pipeline down for good.

The litigation concerning the pipeline is over, but the fight continues, said EarthJustice attorney Jan Hasselman, who represents the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, as reported by The Guardian.

The legal fight over the pipeline began in 2016 when permits for it to cross the Missouri River were denied by the Obama administration. An EIS to examine its impact on tribal treaty rights and to explore different routes the pipeline might take was ordered.

When former President Donald Trump came into office he signed an executive order to speed up construction of the pipeline, which was finished in 2017.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sued and a federal judge found that the Army Corps of Engineers had failed to consider the effects an oil spill might have on fishing rights, hunting rights, or environmental justice, or the degree to which the pipelines effects are likely to be highly controversial, as The Guardian previously reported. A new environmental review was ordered.

In 2020, a federal judge revoked an easement at the Missouri River crossing of the pipeline that had been issued by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2017, reported The Associated Press. The judge concluded that an earlier environmental assessment had been insufficient. The Army Corps of Engineers then began its ongoing environmental review in September of 2020.

Per the decision by the lower court requiring a more in-depth environmental review, the Army Corps of Engineers must look at the area of the pipeline that goes under Lake Oahe, on the border of North and South Dakota, reported The Guardian. The lake is a sacred place for the tribal communities that depend upon it for water and sustenance.

The Tribes have concerns that an oil spill could contaminate its water supply should the pipeline break, as The Associated Press reported.

Energy Transfer and the Army Corps of Engineers say that the pipeline, which runs from North Dakota to Illinois, is safe.

The Dakota Access Pipeline will keep operating as the environmental review is conducted, but in court records Energy Transfer said that the pipeline continued to be vulnerable to a shutdown, as reported by Reuters.

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the environmental review process should be finished later this year.

We call on the administration to close the pipeline until a full safety and environmental review is complete. DAPL never should have been authorized in the first place, and this administration is failing to address the persistent illegality of this pipeline, said Hasselman, as Reuters reported.
On Friday, Facebook announced it would crack down on the illegal sales of protected Amazon rainforest land via its platform, according to a blog post by the company.

The move comes after a BBC investigation found that the companys Marketplace product was being used to broker sales of protected lands, including Indigenous territories and national forest reserves.

Experts raised doubts about the effectiveness of Facebooks approach since the social media company doesnt require users to specify the coordinates of the land they are selling.

If they dont make it mandatory for sellers to provide the location of the area on sale, any attempt at blocking them will be flawed, Brenda Brito, a Brazilian lawyer and scientist told BBC News. They may have the best database in the world, but if they dont have some geo-location reference, it wont work.

On Friday, embattled social media giant Facebook announced it would crack down on the illegal sales of protected Amazon rainforest land via its platform, according to a blog post by the company.

The move comes after a BBC investigation found that the companys Marketplace product was being used to broker sales of protected lands, including Indigenous territories and national forest reserves. The revelations provoked an inquiry by Brazils Supreme Court, but Facebook said at the time that it wouldnt take independent action on its own over the issue.

Were committed to sustainability and to protecting land in ecological conservation areas, said the post. We are updating our commerce policies to explicitly prohibit the buying or selling of land of any type in ecological conservation areas on our commerce products across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facebook said it will now review listings on Facebook Marketplace against an international organizations authoritative database of protected areas to identify listings that may violate this new policy. According to a report from BBC News, that database is the one run by the U.N. Environment Programmes World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), which catalogues protected areas.

But experts immediately raised doubts about the effectiveness of Facebooks approach since the social media company doesnt require users to specify the coordinates of the land they are selling.

If they dont make it mandatory for sellers to provide the location of the area on sale, any attempt at blocking them will be flawed, Brenda Brito, a Brazilian lawyer and scientist told BBC News. They may have the best database in the world, but if they dont have some geo-location reference, it wont work.

Facebook is reeling this week after revelations by whistleblower France Haugen, a former product manager on the civic integrity team at Facebook, that the company aided and abetted the spread of misinformation across its platforms, knowingly facilitated illegal activities, and put profit over the well-being of its users.

But even before the latest disclosures, Facebook had been under fire from environmental organizations and news outlets for blocking and restricting distribution of coverage and reporting on climate change and other environmental issues.

Full disclosure: Facebook removed or blocked distribution of at least 117 Mongabay posts between July 1, 2020 and October 7, 2021. The majority of these were reinstated when Mongabay when through the companys manual appeals process.

Reposted with permission from Mongabay.
In new research released Wednesday, February 23, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) reported that Facebook did not add content warning labels to over 50% of top posts from climate change-deniers.

Now called Meta, Facebook has been in hot water regarding its role in spreading misinformation. Recently, the company has also been in trouble as lawyers for Frances Haugen, a company whistleblower, filed a complaint that Facebook misled investors about making sustainable efforts and reducing misinformation on its platform, as reported by Reuters.

CCDHs strong research echoes the exposes by Frances Haugen and others: Facebook will say one thing, and yet do another, Michael Khoo, co-chair of the Climate Disinformation Coalition at Friends of the Earth, said. Facebook should not be trusted and must be regulated, especially as they attempt to escape to the metaverse.

In November, a major report found that people viewed climate misinformation on Facebook about 1 million times per day. Further, Facebooks Marketplace feature has allowed the illegal trade of wildlife as well as illegal selling of land in the Amazon forest, which Facebook said it would crack down on in October 2021.

In February 2021, Facebook announced it would fight misinformation by creating a Climate Science Information Center, but the November 2021 report on climate misinformation noted that inaccurate posts about climate change on Facebook receive an estimate of 13 times more views than the posts in the platforms own curated information center.

Along with the creation of the Climate Science Information Center, Facebook said in May 2021 it would create labels for posts about climate change, but the latest report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that of 184 posts analyzed, 50.5% did not include these labels. The posts were shared between May 2021 and January 2022, after the company had launched its labeling feature internationally.

During the time frame of this report, we hadnt completely rolled out our labeling program, which very likely impacted the results, Kevin McAlister, spokesperson for Meta, told Reuters. But the study also found that five of 12 posts shared between December 20, 2021 and January 20, 2022 did not have the labels.

By failing to do even the bare minimum to address the spread of climate denial information, Meta is exacerbating the climate crisis, Imran Ahmed, chief executive at CCDH, said. Climate change denialdesigned to fracture our resolve and impede meaningful action to mitigate climate changeflows unabated on Facebook and Instagram.
Six weeks ago, a rare Persian leopard caught its leg in a trap set by a villager in the Batifa area in the autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq. The leopard has since had to have its leg amputated, and wildlife experts say it cannot return to the wild. Currently held in a zoo in Iraq, the leopard may face further challenges as the region doesnt have the resources necessary to rehabilitate the animal.

The villager had lost several goats and set a trap. The leopard was caught in the trap but dragged it up to the mountains. Veterinarian Dr. Sulaiman Tameer, along with several villagers and local soldiers tracked the leopard to rescue it. The leopard fell from the mountain into a river, where the vet tranquilized the leopard to capture it.

After an evaluation, Tameer estimated that the leopard was caught in the trap for about 10 days and likely lost a lot of blood as well as faced broken bones and a punctured artery. The vet amputated the lower part of the leopards leg as quickly as possible.

Then, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assembled a team of experts to help the leopard, which underwent a second amputation that removed the leg from just below the hip joint.

Although the leopard is on the path to recovery, its missing leg means this animal cannot be returned to the wild. Estimated to be about 5 or 6 years old with a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, the leopard can no longer hunt without its hind leg.

For now, the leopard remains in the zoo, but wildlife experts hope to find someplace more suitable for it, as the sounds and smells of the zoo are stressful to the leopard.

The best is to go to a rehabilitation centre, otherwise it will be a captive animal and in a zoo all its life, Tameer told The Guardian. The vet also said that there are unfortunately no rehabilitation facilities anywhere nearby.

The Persian leopard is an endangered subspecies with less than 1,000 in the wild. There are estimated to be only 20 to 25 of the leopards left in Iraq. Removing this rare leopard could put the local population at risk, but at this time, the region does not have the resources to breed the leopard and conserve its numbers.

Some experts suggest moving the injured leopard to European facilities for care and breeding, but at this time, the local government plans to keep the animal in the region under vet supervision.




France bans meat imports treated with growth antibiotics

France has announced that it will ban all meat imports from animals treated with growth antibiotics from April 22, 2022, in a move that will largely affect the poultry market, Reuters reported.

The practice that has been banned in farming in the European Union (EU) since 2006. The measure was planned to be enforced last month but was postponed due to missing legislation on sanitary checks, according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Professionals have two months to get an assurance from suppliers that the meat obtained does not come from breeding using growth antibiotics and must change their supply chain if required.

A French farm ministry official said the poultry sector will be most affected by the ban.

French poultry industry group Anvol said 45% of chicken consumed in the country was imported from both both EU and non-EU nations.

The EU imports chicken predominately from Brazil, Thailand, and Ukraine.

Anvol said it supports the government's ban but noted that enforcement will only be effective when it is implement throughout the EU as a lot of imports transit through Rotterdam port, the Netherlands.

- Reuters




Pakistan emerges as key Australian dairy export market

Pakistan has emerged as a key Australian dairy export market, following a new partnership between HRM Dairies in Pakistan and Genetics Australia for shipments of semen, as well as increasing shipments of live animals from Australia to Pakistan over the past five years, Genetics Australia reported.

The agreement between HRM Dairies and Genetics Australia has resulted in two shipments of semen in late 2021 and more shipments in the pipeline over the coming months. HRM Dairies is the first in Pakistan to use Australian genetics and genomic testing.

Mudassar Hassan, HRM Dairies CEO, said Pakistan is the fourth biggest dairy producer in the world but needs imported cattle as there is a shortage of quality cattle and genetics.

Hassan said HRM is the only farm in Pakistan doing genomic testing and hopes farmers will see the importance of excellent genetics in terms of increasing fertility, health, and profitability.

Rob Derksen, Genetics Australia export manager, said there was also a good chance for Australian farmers to export higher-quality excess heifers to Pakistan.

Derksen said farmers in Pakistan realise that their first-cross livestock with poor breeding aren't performing as well as Australian cows.

- Genetics Australia
The cost of fuel is surging in the Lehigh Valley and across the nation, with gas prices reaching their highest levels since 2014.

In Allentown, a survey of prices Wednesday revealed a peak near $3.80 a gallon, with those numbers poised to rise even higher.

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The state average sat at $3.73, or 20 cents above the national average, according to AAA. (The national average, at $3.53, is 5 cents higher than a week ago and 21 cents higher than a month ago).

Experts say the pending Russian invasion of Ukraine is the driving force behind the spike, but theres more to it than that.

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Gas prices are surging in the Lehigh Valley, pushing closer to $3.80 a gallon for regular fuel. That's almost 7 cents more than the state's average (as of Feb. 23), and 27 cents above the national average. (Stephanie Sigafoos/The Morning Call)

Heres what to know as prices now sit within striking distance of $4 a gallon:

Crude oil prices are a big factor

On Tuesday, the price of a barrel of crude oil hit $99.50, the highest price since September 2014.

The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude oil was at $92.94, or a jump of $1.87 since Friday, and almost $34 from a year ago.

As oil prices change daily, gas prices are fluctuating as well. However, there are other factors behind the oil price surge.

Analysts point to what they say was a mismatch between supply and demand that was driving up prices before things escalated in Ukraine. Thats because demand for oil has surged as we emerge from the pandemic, but production has not kept pace.

Russia-Ukraine is definitely rattling energy markets

As Russia sent troops into eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, energy markets reacted swiftly. Thats because Russia is one of the worlds largest producers of oil and natural gas, and much of it is carried to Europe through pipelines that pass through Ukraine.

Gas prices are surging in the Lehigh Valley, pushing closer to $3.80 a gallon for regular fuel. That's almost 7 cents more than the state's average (as of Feb. 23), and 27 cents above the national average. (Stephanie Sigafoos/The Morning Call)

There are fears that a war between Russia and Ukraine will mean the shutdown of Europes supply of natural gas, NPR reported, and that would reduce the overall supply in an already tight market.

Russia is one of the leading oil producers globally, behind only the United States and Saudi Arabia, said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a news release. And if they choose to withhold their oil from the global market, such a move would eventually be reflected in higher gas prices for American drivers.

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Sanctions are also playing a part

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia, then pledged that his administration would use every tool at our disposal to limit the effect on gas prices in the U.S.

As I said last week, defending freedom will have costs, for us as well and here at home, Biden said during a news conference. We need to be honest about that. But as we do this, Im going to take robust action to make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at the Russian economy, not ours.

Biden did not outline what steps he planned to take to stabilize prices, but said his administration is closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruption.

Breaking News Alerts As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Biden added that limiting the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump was critical.

Whats next?

The world will watch and wait to see if there is a full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine, and if so, what happens next?

Deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh said at a White House briefing Tuesday, We all have reserves at our disposal, and those reserves could help support the supply of energy worldwide.

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Singh also said several major energy producers have the spare capacity to provide supply to global energy markets and to balance the market in the event of any supply disruption.

Unfortunately, analysts arent optimistic for lower prices, even if tensions in Ukraine continue to simmer but dont boil over. JPMorgan Chase believes oil isnt likely to fall below $84 a barrel, benefiting oil producers but keeping gas prices high and straining motorists wallets every trip to the pump.

GasBuddy also previously predicted that gas would hit $4 a gallon this spring before any relief arrived.

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Athens, AL (35611)

Today

Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 80F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.
Before he was apprehended by Amsterdam police, the suspect involved in Tuesdays Apple Store hostage situation demanded a 200 million (approximately $226 million) ransom paid in cryptocurrencies, Reuters reported on Wednesday. Police say they have yet to establish a motive for the 27-year-old gunman, whose identity they didnt share. What we know is that he was a resident of the city and had a criminal record before the event. He was also carrying explosives on his person at the time of his arrest.

The gunman was apprehended after his hostage fled the building when a police robot delivered water to the front of the store. Police used a squad car to knock him down, causing him serious injuries. On Wednesday, he died of the injuries he sustained in his arrest. "The hostage played a heroic role by forcing a breakthrough," according to Amsterdam police chief Frank Pauw. "He acted in a split-second. Had he not done that, we could have been in for a long, nasty night."

According to Engadgets research, Wednesdays incident wasnt the first time someone demanded a ransom paid in cryptocurrency to end a hostage situation. In 2017, kidnappers in Ukraine released an employee from a cryptocurrency exchange after their demand for a ransom paid in Bitcoin (valued at $1 million at the time) was met.
Most Apple Stores in the US won't require customers to wear masks anymore. The tech giant has dropped its mask mandate and is also preparing for the return of in-person classes at its stores, according to Bloomberg. Apple has reportedly told employees about the changes in its mask requirements this week, and it has also updated its website to note each store's rules.

There are a handful of locations that still require masks, particularly those in areas where stricter guidelines remain in place. Apple changed the rules for stores in locations that had already dropped their mask mandates, though, including Kansas, North Carolina and Ohio. Most New York locations don't require customers to wear masks anymore, so long as they've been fully vaccinated. Even so, Apple recommends wearing masks and will provide them to customers who ask for one. Store staff members will also continue wearing them.

As for Apple's in-store classes for those who want to get tips on how to use its products from the company's employees, Bloomberg says some stores will start offering them again within the week. However, most stores are preparing to resume classes in March.

Apple first lifted its mask requirements in the US in November 2021 but reinstated it in December following a resurgence in COVID19 cases across the country. Based on data from Johns Hopkins, the US is now reporting fewer than 100,000 cases a day, down from a record high of 1.36 million cases on a single day in January. Several states have started lifting their mask requirements, and the changes in Apple's rules merely reflect the shift in local regulations.
It took NASA and its partners nearly four dozen trips between 1998 and 2010 to haul the roughly 900,000 pounds worth of various modules into orbit that make up the $100 billion International Space Station. But come the end of this decade, more than 30 years after the first ISS component broke atmosphere, the ISS will reach the end of its venerable service life and be decommissioned in favor of a new, privately-operated cadre of orbital research stations.

NASA

The problem NASA faces is what to do with the ISS once its been officially shuttered, because its not like we can just leave it where it is. Without regular shipments of propellant reactant to keep the station on course, the ISS orbit would eventually degrade to the point where its forward momentum would be insufficient to overcome the effects of atmospheric drag, subsequently plummeting back to Earth. So, rather than wait for the ISS to de-orbit on its own, or leave it in place for the Russians to use as target practice, NASA will instead cast down the station from upon high like Vader did Palpatine.

NASA is no stranger to getting rid of refuse via atmospheric incineration. The space agency has long relied on it in order to dispose of trash, expended launch vehicles, and derelict satellites. Both Americas Skylab and Russias Mir space stations were decommissioned in this manner.

Skylab was Americas first space station, for the whole 24 weeks it was in use. When the final 3-astronaut crew departed in early 1974, the station was boosted one last time to 6.8 miles further out in a 289-mile graveyard orbit. It was expected to remain there until the 1980s when increased solar activity from the waxing 11-year solar cycle would eventually drag it down into a fiery reentry. However, astronomers miscalculated the relative strength of that solar event, which pushed up Skylabs demise to 1979.

In 1978, NASA toyed with the idea of using its soon-to-be-completed Space Shuttle to help boost Skylab into a higher orbit but abandoned the plan when it became clear that the Shuttle wouldnt be finished in time, given the accelerated reentry timetable. The agency also rejected a proposal to blow the station up with missiles while still in orbit. The station eventually came down on July 11th, 1979, though it didnt burn up in the atmosphere as quickly as NASA had predicted. This caused some rather large pieces of debris to overshoot the intended Indian Ocean target South-Southeast of South Africa and instead land in Perth, Australia. Despite NASAs calculations of a 1 in 152 chance that a piece of the lab could hit someone during its de-orbit, no injuries were reported.

Mir's deorbit went much more smoothly. After 15 years of service it was brought down on March 23rd, 2001, in three stages. First, its orbit was allowed to degrade to an altitude of 140 miles. Then, the Progress M1-5 spacecraft  basically an attachable rocket designed specifically to help deorbit the station  docked with the Mir. It subsequently lit its engine for a little over 22 minutes to precisely put the Mir down over a distant expanse of the Pacific Ocean, east of Fiji.

As for the ISS oncoming demise, NASA has a plan  or at least a pretty good idea  for whats going to happen. "We've done a lot of studies," Kirk Shireman, deputy manager of NASA's space station program, told Space.com in 2011. "We have found an orbit and a change in velocity that we believe is achievable, and it creates a debris footprint thats all in water in an unpopulated area."

According to NASA standards  specifically NASA-STD-8719.14A, Process for Limiting Orbital Debris  the risk of human casualty on the ground is limited to less than 1 in 10,000 (< 0.0001). However, a 1998 study conducted by the ISS Mission Integration Office discovered that an uncontrolled reentry would carry an unacceptable casualty probability of between .024 to .077 (2 in 100 to 8 in 100). A number of controllable decommissioning alternatives have been discussed over the decades, including boosting the ISS farther into orbit in the event of an unexpected evacuation of the stations crew.

"We've been working on plans and update the plans periodically," Shireman continued. "We dont want to ever be in a position where we couldnt safely deorbit the station. It's been a part of the program from the very beginning."

Beginning about a year before the planned decommissioning date, NASA will allow the ISS to begin degrading from its normal 240-mile high orbit and send up an uncrewed space vehicle (USV) to dock with the station and help propel it back Earthward. The ultimate crew from the ISS will evacuate just before the station hits an altitude of 115 miles, at which point the attached USV will fire its rockets in a series of deorbital burns to set the station into a capture trajectory over the Pacific Ocean.

NASA has not yet settled on which USV will be employed. A 2019 plan approved by NASAs safety council, ASAP, relied on Roscosmos to outfit and send up another Progress spacecraft to do what it did for the Mir. However, that vehicle might not actually be available when the ISS is set to come down because Russias commitment to the ISS program terminates in 2024. In April of last year, Russian state media began making noise that the country would abandon the station entirely by 2025, potentially stripping parts from this station to reuse in its upcoming national station and leaving the ISS without a reliable way to break orbit. The ESAs Automated Transfer Vehicle or NASA's Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, though still in development, are both potential alternatives to the Progress.

NASA is continuing to work with its international partners to ensure a safe deorbit plan of the station and is considering a number of options," spokeswoman Leah Cheshier told UPI via email in 2021, declining to elaborate on what those options might entail but adding that any deorbiting mission would be "shared by the ISS partnership and is negotiation-sensitive at this time."

The fall of the ISS is sure to be a spectacle on par with the international hubbub surrounding Skylabs demise, but is still nearly a decade away and there is plenty of science still left to do. According to the January 2022 International Space Station Transition report:

The ISS is now entering its third and most productive decade of utilization, including research advancement, commercial value, and global partnership. The first decade of ISS was dedicated to assembly, and the second was devoted to research and technology development and learning how to conduct these activities most effectively in space. The third decade is one in which NASA aims to verify exploration and human research technologies to support deep space exploration, continue to return medical and environmental benefits to humanity, continue to demonstrate U.S. leadership in LEO through international partnerships, and lay the groundwork for a commercial future in LEO.

More than half of the experiments performed aboard the ISS nowadays are for non-NASA users, according to the report  including nearly two dozen commercial facilities  hundreds of experiments from other government agencies, academia, and commercial users to return benefits to people and industry on the ground. This influx of orbital commercial activity is expected  and being actively encouraged  to further increase over the next few years until humanity can collectively realize Jeff Bezos dream of building a low Earth orbit mixed-use business park.
Like the PlayStation 5 before it, Sony has eked out specifications and teasers for its next-generation virtual reality hardware. We saw the controllers a while back (which have now been further refined, and color-swapped to white), but finally the headset itself is breaking cover.

Sony

It suitably matches the aesthetic of the latest PlayStation: all whites, curves and soft lines. It still carries the DNA of Sonys first VR headset, but looks even more slender. The spherical profile apparently represents the users 360-degree view theyll experience.

PlayStation SVP Hidekai Nishino noted that ergonomics were a major focus, with a new lens adjustment dial to help users ensure good eye comfort and a design that will offer improved airflow when youre strapped in. The bad news is the lack of news on launch dates and prices. Rumors have pointed to a late 2022 reveal. At least thats this year.

-Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Its laid off 111 staffers as it pivots to cargo.

Virgin Hyperloop will exclusively focus on moving cargo, and has slashed almost half of its total workforce. A spokesperson confirmed to the Financial Times that the shift away from passengers was taking place, with supply chain issues and COVID contributing to the change.

Since its inception, the company has been developing its vacuum-tube system to carry both passengers and freight. One of the earliest concepts VH floated was an inland port, in which cargo vessels would put containers onto capsules that are shot inland before theyre processed.

Continue reading.

Is DJI actually the most innovative camera company in the world?

Engadget

We dont review many cinema cameras, but DJIs latest, with LiDAR autofocus, a Z-arm stabilizer and much, much more, deserved some attention. Associate Editor Steve Dent put it to work. The Ronin 4D isnt entirely perfect. It weighs a lot and theres a rolling shutter effect at play too, but theres nothing else out there that can rival its tech and design. Its surprisingly easy to operate, offers good image quality and is seemingly designed to make cinematic recording easier for you. Take a closer look.

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You'll need $90 and a Premium subscription to use it.

Spotify's Car Thing first debuted last April after breaking from cover nearly two years prior. Back then, you needed to be part of a select few to get one. In October, the company expanded its invite list for all users in the US. Yesterday, Spotify announced that the Car Thing is available for anyone in the States to purchase directly from the company. The device is $89.99 and requires a Premium subscription for you to be able to use it in your car. Car Thing is essentially a Spotify box for most cars  so long as you have an aux jack or Bluetooth connectivity. Oh and a power source. Intrigued? We put one to the test here .

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The birds displayed rare cooperative "rescue" behavior.

Dominique Potvin et al.

Dominique Potvin, an Animal Ecology professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, said he and his team recently witnessed a mischief of magpies display a rare cooperative rescue behavior when they attempted to track the birds. The researchers made a lightweight but tough tracking harness the birds could wear like backpacks. They also created a feeding station that would wirelessly charge and download data from the trackers. It even had a magnet for freeing the birds of the harness. Within 10 minutes of Potvins team fitting the final tracker, they saw a female magpie use her bill to remove a harness off of one of the younger birds. Hours later, most of the other test subjects had been freed of their trackers too. Better luck next time, scientists.

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An owner claims it knew about a bug that allowed ape purchases far below market value.

A man who unknowingly sold his Bored Ape NFT for a pittance is suing OpenSea, claiming it knew about a flaw in its platform that allowed hackers to buy unlisted NFTs at a fraction of the market price, decrypt has reported. Timothy McKimmy alleged in a complaint that he didn't even list his Bored Ape #3475 for sale, but a hacker managed to buy it for just .01 ETH ($26) before turning around and selling it for 99 ETH ($250,000 at current prices). He claims that despite the bug being widely reported in the media, OpenSea refused to halt trading.

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Enid, OK (73701)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 61F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low around 55F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Dining-services workers rally last fall on Kutztown University's campus to demand the right to unionize. The college has said the decision rests with the workers' employer, foodservices giant Aramark. Kutztown's food workers are the only group among those at the other Pennsylvania state colleges without union representation, according to the Pennsylvania Joint Board, Workers United SEIU, which stands for Service Employees International Union. (Courtesy photo / SEIU union)

Dining services workers at Kutztown University who have been trying to unionize for months will hold a rally Thursday to publicly state their case.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Joint Board of Workers United, which wants to represent approximately 85 workers, has filed a federal unfair labor practice charge against food service contracting giant Aramark for thwarting at least one employees attempts to organize workers.

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The workers held a rally in November at the Berks County school, outlining their concerns over low wages and inadequate health insurance amid the pandemic, as well as what they said was a lack of respect from Aramark management.

Spokesperson Matt Santos said the school stressed school administrators have taken no position on an organizing attempt. Any statement or claim to the contrary is inaccurate and unauthorized, Santos said. Aramark is an independent contractor and through its employees provides a valuable service to the university.

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An Aramark spokesperson did not respond last week to requests for comment. Aramarks Chris Wallace, who is general manager of Kutztowns dining services, did not return a telephone message seeking comment.

Mitchell Stayer of Emmaus, a cook listed in the NLRB complaint as being interrogated by Aramark officials about discussing terms and conditions of employment with co-workers, said inadequate health coverage and working conditions have made things difficult since he started the job last summer.

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We have about 50% of what we need to be able to serve students appropriately, Stayer said. Were all working twice as hard just to keep everything afloat.

Stayer, 26, who said he has worked for nine years in various kitchens, has thought about leaving his Kutztown job, but I have made a lot of friends there, and its just not right the way [Aramark] treats a lot of their employees.

The union also alleges that some Kutztown administrators stopped Aramark from agreeing to a neutral process in which Aramark would voluntarily recognize the union.

Workers and union representatives plan to gather at 5:15 p.m. Thursday at Alumni Plaza, then march to Old Main and the Stratton Administration Center, according to Ben Bennett, a union organizing director.

Out of the 14 state universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Kutztown workers are the last remaining food-services employees yet to be unionized, according to Workers United.

A November 2020 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story said about 1,300 dining service workers were employed statewide, with all but those at Millersville University working for outside contractors like Aramark.

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Morning Call journalist Anthony Salamone can be reached at asalamone@mcall.com.
While yielding some results, critics were disappointed with the final outcome of the two-day summit between leaders of the European Union and the African Union. In a joint statement, the 6th African Union-European Union summit agreed on a renewed partnership based on mutual respect. Some of the concrete key results include Global Gateway package worth up to 150 billion; EUs commitment to support the African Medicines Agency with 100m over 5 years; EUs commitment to provide at least 450 million vaccines to Africa by mid 2022; EUs commitment to provide 500 million from the EIB to strengthen Africas health systems; EUs pledge to mobilize 425 million to speed up the pace of vaccination in Africa; EUs and AUs joint commitment to engage constructively towards a comprehensive WTO response to the pandemic including trade and intellectual property related aspects; and the launch of the Just Energy Transition (JET) Partnership between South Africa and international donors which was made official at COP26 in Glasgow.

The EU and AU came together last week to reset relations after two turbulent years that saw accusations of vaccine apartheid and discriminatory travel bans. The meeting was seen as an opportunity to open a new chapter to address common challenges, such as climate change, the energy transition, sustainable development and the economic recovery. Given its geo-strategic importance, Brussels is keen to strengthen ties with Africa and move past the donor-recipient dynamic that characterized the post-colonialism era and create a partnership of equals for the 21st century. While the two days of intense discussions likely strengthened the partnership between both organizations in several areas, major differences remain when it comes to tackling one of the worlds most pressing issues. With only 11% of its population fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Africa is lagging behind in the fight against the pandemic.

African leaders have accused Europeans of hoarding vaccine doses. But the main point of contention is the EUs refusal to lift intellectual property rights on vaccines and other products. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, for example, called for the EU to support AUs demands to lift patent protections on Covid-19 vaccines. They [Europe] have been giving vaccines but now we need to move to the TRIPS dispensation so we can produce our own vaccines. For us, thats very important, he said before the summit itself started. Also civil society organizations are urgently calling for a better partnership between Africa and Europe when it comes to health. The African health system must be supported if we want to prevent this kind of pandemic from escalating to the rest of the world, insists Edwin Ikhuoria, Africa executive director at ONE, an NGO that combats extreme poverty across the continent. So if we dont get the partnership that is needed, when there is a disease anywhere it can get to everywhere.

South Africas president also said that a new partnership between Africa and Europe means in many ways, for former colonizers to give back to the continent, adding that the relationship should trigger investment in African economies and infrastructures. Senegal President Macky Sall, who is also president of the African Union, said on Thursday (17 February) that Africa is not responsible for climate change and, therefore, will need a transition period to adapt and be able to provide electricity to more than 600 million people across the continent. We demand more climate justice, he said ahead of the first day of the AU-EU summit. But there also were some positive developments, such as the WHOs announcement at a side event that of 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, Senegals President said. Ramaphosa commented that the WTOs 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.
International bondholder and DMSA file an allegation of criminal conduct against defaulted Evergrande Group

BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For months, China Evergrande Group has been teetering on the brink of insolvency. On several occasions, China's second-largest real estate developer, which has accumulated more than $300 billion in debt, has defaulted on interest payments on U.S. dollar bonds. Now an international creditor, in cooperation with DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH, has filed an allegation of criminal conduct against the Evergrande holding company for committing insolvency fraud.

Things are getting tighter for Evergande: A bondholder, Liechtenstein-based Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, filed an allegation of criminal conduct on Friday, February 18, 2022 for insolvency fraud against the Cayman Islands-registered Evergrande holding company. FMPC Consulting AG was supported and advised - in addition to internationally active insolvency lawyers - by DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH.

Background: Evergrande has defaulted on interest payments on so-called offshore bonds amounting to more than one hundred million US dollars on several occasions since mid-November. These are held by international investors, including FMPC Consulting AG. (Note to editors: More about FMPC Consulting AG and its investment in Evergrande bonds can be found at the end of this press release.) On December 3, Evergrande officially admitted to international investors for the first time in an ad hoc announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - the holding company's home exchange - that there was "no guarantee that the Group will have sufficient funds to continue to meet its financial obligations."

If a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands is insolvent or of doubtful solvency, its directors have a fiduciary duty under the laws and regulations applicable there to act in the interests of its creditors. They then also have to consider whether it is in the interest of their creditors to initiate reorganization or insolvency proceedings. As the management of Evergrande Holding has so far failed to initiate insolvency proceedings, there is a strong suspicion that the directors of Evergrande have caused substantial pecuniary loss to the company's creditors through deception and breaches of their duty of care. Such conduct is punishable, inter alia, under sections 248 et seq. of the Cayman Islands Criminal Code.

DMSA Managing Director Michael Ewy explains, "With the allegation of criminal conduct, we are trying to save what can be saved for FMPC Consulting AG and other international creditors." At the latest with the official announcement of the default of the interest payment on December 6, 2021, the Evergrande directors had been obliged to file for voluntary or provisional insolvency at the court of the company's headquarters in the Cayman Islands. "To date, this has not happened despite multiple requests from us. As a consequence, we have now filed an allegation of criminal conduct with the Cayman Islands Public Prosecutor's Office for committing insolvency fraud." Thus, he said, it is now also the responsibility of the local authorities to investigate the case and hold the directors personally liable, as well as to have the insolvency determined by the authorities.

The reasoning behind it: "Evergrande has defaulted, but has still not been officially declared completely insolvent," explains Dr. Marco Metzler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FMPC Consulting AG. "As more and more distress sales are taking place and overdue bond interest is repeatedly not paid to foreign investors, we had to act in our own interest but also in the interest of all international creditors. If the local authorities do not officially declare insolvency, we intend to file a bankruptcy petition against Evergrande ourselves. This will happen as soon as we have an official, enforceable debt instrument against Evergrande in our hands. Until then, it may take a few more weeks."

As FMPC Consulting AG sees itself as the trustee of all international Evergrande creditors and in order to reduce the cost risk for each claimant, the company is offering other international creditors to join its proceedings, which took another step forward yesterday with the filing of the allegation of criminal conduct in the Cayman Islands.

Incidentally, Metzler and Ewy are not alone in their view: China Evergrande Group was already officially downgraded to "partially insolvent" by international rating agencies at the beginning of December. Thus, the rating agency Fitch has assigned Evergrande a status of "Restricted Default" (RD). Similarly, rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the real estate developer to "Selective Default" (SD). All 23 of Evergrande Group's international bonds are affected by this selective default. The only rating worse for both agencies is "Default" (D) - complete default. This rating will be assigned at the latest when the Evergrande Group has been officially declared insolvent by a court.

This is exactly what FMPC Consulting AG and DMSA now want to achieve with their allegation of criminal conduct order to prevent further asset transfers to the detriment of international creditors. The company has already sold shares and assets several times in a distress sale, knowing full well that it was making losses. Worse still, in recent months there have been multiple illegal transfers of assets, causing significant damage to the company's international creditors, as this illegal action is likely to have severely impacted their chances of recovering their assets.

For example, in November 2021, Evergrande sold its stake in the streaming service provider HengTen Network Group for the equivalent of 273.5 million US dollars. This "gave" Evergrande a loss of the equivalent of 1.09 billion US dollars. Incidentally, the stake was sold at a 24 percent discount to the closing price at the time of the acquisition. As a result, HenTen's share price plummeted by 24 percent.

In addition, Chinese authorities ordered Evergrande founder and chief executive Hui Ka Yan to sell some of his private assets - including high-end art, calligraphy and three properties - to compensate Chinese Evergrande bondholders. It is feared that this has led to unequal treatment of Evergrande creditors, as it is unclear whether creditors were given preferential treatment.

"In this respect, it would have been best for Evergrande's international creditors if the group itself had taken action earlier and filed an insolvency petition with a provisional restructuring plan in accordance with the bankruptcy laws of the Cayman Islands," explains DMSA CEO Michael Ewy. The management of the Evergrande holding company has been guilty of delaying insolvency for some time now.

From Dr. Metzler's perspective, there is virtually no hope for Evergrande's turnaround. "The restructuring analysis I have from Fitch Ratings - one of the three largest rating agencies in the world, where I started my career as a financial analyst years ago - assumes that Evergrande would be liquidated with a restructuring rate of zero to ten percent." That means creditors would get back a maximum of one-tenth of their invested capital.

What's more: Evergrande is not the only one struggling at the moment. A number of other Chinese developers - such as Kaisa Group, Fantasia Holdings, Modern Land China, and Guangzhou R&F - are also having great difficulty refinancing. Some have also already experienced payment defaults.

No wonder that Ewy and Dr. Metzler consider the insolvency of Evergrande and other Chinese property developers to be inevitable. In their wake, there would then likely be a host of other bankruptcies. "To avoid internal unrest, China would be forced to return to a hard communist line," concludes Dr. Metzler. This would ultimately imply that all of China's international debt of around 585 billion U.S. dollars would no longer be serviced and that equity investments by foreign investors of around 600 billion U.S. dollars would also have to be written off completely - with devastating consequences for the global banking system and the entire world economy.

About Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG:

Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, is a private investment and advisory firm based in Ruggell, Liechtenstein. As a single family office, FMPC Consulting AG invests exclusively its own funds of its owner, the Metzler family.

About the Evergrande investment of FMPC Consulting AG:

FMPC Consulting AG holds 200 units of EVERRE 10  Bonds, April 11, 2024 (ISIN: XS19 8204 0641) with a total par value of US$200,000. These were purchased on November 01, 2021 for 50,000 US dollars via the house bank of FMPC Consulting AG and have since been held in custody at SIX Switzerland via the house bank in Liechtenstein. Already on November 10, 2021 an interest payment for this bond was missed.

About DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH:

DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH is an independent data service that collects and evaluates market-relevant information on companies, products and services. The research house, which has the same owner as FMPC Consulting AG, the Metzler family, sees itself as an advocate for consumers, private customers and private investors. For them, DMSA bundles important and decision-relevant information and prepares it in an easily understandable way. DMSA works with FMPC Consulting AG as needed.

Press contact: Inga OldewurtelPress Officermailto: oldewurtel@prio-pr.deTel.: +49 176 62 26 18 97

Responsible for the content:DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbHWichertstrae 1310439 BerlinGermany

Michael EwyManaging Director http://www.dmsa-agentur.de
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has cancelled plans to meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva later this week as Russia presses ahead with recognition of separatist regions of Ukraine.
The Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate plunged on Tuesday as Russia announced its intention to send troops into eastern Ukraine stoking market volatility.

GBP/EUR fell over 0.5% below 1.1950 as the Euro found renewed strength. Data for German business morale released this morning jumped to a five-month high to help lift the single currency.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the Nord Stream 2 pipeline cannot go ahead, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing sanctions against Russia look set to drive additional m volatility in GBP/EUR.

Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Slump amid Ukraine-Driven Uncertainty

The Pound tumbled during Tuesdays session amid a volatile market mood driven by the military escalation by Russia in Ukraine.

Tough sanctions announced by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson against Russia added to the volatility.

Meanwhile, comments from Bank of England (BoE) Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden also weighed on GBP exchange rates.

After voting for a more aggressive 50 basis point rise at the central banks February meeting, Ramsden struck a more cautious tone today suggesting future hikes may be more modest, including the next in March.

Ramsden said:

Some further modest tightening in monetary policy is likely to be appropriate in the coming months. The word modest is significant here though  I do not envisage Bank Rate rising to anything like its pre-2007 level of 5% or above, let alone to the kind of levels we used to see before the monetary policy committee was formed in 1997. New shocks can arise  we did not foresee the recent rise in energy prices, and as we meet today the crisis in Ukraine is intensifying  and so we should remain humble about the possibility that things might turn out differently. [This] makes it particularly difficult to make predictions about where monetary policy might be headed in the medium term.

Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Surge amid Ukraine Escalation

The Euro strengthened sharply on Tuesday despite an escalation in the Ukraine crisis.

Russia ordered its troops into two states in eastern Ukraine where rebels declared themselves independent.

The move by Russia, which brings the prospect of a conflict in Europe closer, stoked market volatility and drove commodity prices higher.

A better-than-expected German Ifo business climate index reading earlier in the day offset some of the global market jitters and bolstered EUR exchange rates.

The index for February came in at a five-month high of 98.9, well above forecast of 96.5 and up from Januarys 96.

The President of the Ifo, Clemens Fuest, said:

The German economy is betting on an end to the coronavirus crisis.

However, the index does not take into account the most recent escalation of tensions over the Ukraine crisis, and the prospect of a conflict remains a risk factor.

Pound Euro FX Forecast: Ukraine Escalation to Drive Volatility

The Pound Euro exchange rate looks set for more volatility as the Ukraine crisis develops.

Following Russias actions and the more confrontational tone taken by Vladimir Putin in a televised address, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the countrys government has taken steps to halt certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

In a move likely to impact energy and fuel prices across Europe, GBP/EUR will likely experience more swings.

Economic sanctions against Russia from the UK and other European countries will likely add to market volatility.

Meanwhile, speeches from BoE and European Central Bank (ECB) policymakers will also drive movement as investors look for central bank policy insight in response to the unfolding crisis on in Europe.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022

The Herman Trend Alert

February 23, 2022

Creating a Restaurant Culture that Works

For my birthday this year, I researched many restaurants in Austin, Texas. Since both my husband and I love sushi, this year we decided we would visit Lucky Robot. When I looked at their website and saw their core values and their attitude about sustainability, I knew we had to go there. Not only were we treated to fabulous food and outstanding service, but we witnessed firsthand the value of creating a culture that serves employees and restaurant patrons alike. I asked Chef Jay Huang for an interview and this Herman Trend Alert is the result.

Challenges with Retention Like Other Austin Restaurants



Seeing how well the staff worked together to deliver what is called in the trade "team service,"* I made the wrong assumption that Lucky Robot had dodged the employee turnover bullet. However, Chef Jay set me straight. He said they had had the same issues but that they have been able to retain people by paying a competitive market wage. His dishwashers start at $15 per hour USD and there is 2 percent added to each restaurant check to provide gratuities for the back-of-the-house staff.

Core Values to Rival Any Effective Enterprise



Here is a list of Lucky Robot's posted core values: Curiosity, Integrity, Accountability, Competitive, Excellence, Progressive, Modesty, Respect, Focus, Collaboration, Consistency, and Gratitude. But those core values are only the beginning.

Tenets that Define the Culture



Everyone who works at Lucky Robot commits to living their Cultural Blueprint: (I love this part!)



The Power of We: This tenet is defined by their "uncommon commitment to each other in order to achieve greatness [that they believe they] cannot achieve alone." There is a strong culture of togetherness. All relationships must be a win-win. This aspect of the culture is reflected in the outstanding "team service"* guests receive.



Sense of Urgency: This element is borrowed from the iconic French Laundry in the Napa Valley of California. A sense of urgency is what companies large and small wish they had, but nowhere is it more important than in a dining establishment where it is important to get hungry guests fed. Luck Robot describes this element as "Arriving prepared, moving with purpose, and finishing strong." And the staff really lives it! This attitude also helps to get people served in a timely manner (the definition of good service) and helps to provide well-timed turnover of tables to optimize efficiency---and profit.



Above the Line: This aspect is described as "100% Accountability, Purposeful, and Respectful." This element prompts the staff to greet each other every day upon arrival and to say "goodbye" to each other each day upon their departure. Like restaurant staffs do in Japan, each staff member says to each colleague, "Thank you for your shift and thank you for helping me out." Very cool.



To Be of Service: Providing joyful experiences and fantastic hospitality to our guests. Chef Jay wants his staff to "come in with joy and happiness and positivity." Plus, he wants them to have the attitude that they are there to be of service to patrons and each other.



Sustainability: The restaurant defines sustainability as "placing higher value on present resources through culinary innovation, conscientious sourcing, and community education to protect future interests." Their attitude about sustainability is right on the website.



Ichiban Dake: This made-up Japanese word means "only the best"---and that is what Lucky Robot strives to be and only deliver: "the best."

But Wait There's More. . .



Chef Jay offers all of his employees, including bus-people and dishwashers, something he calls "Chef 30." During that time, Chef Jay offers individual workers 30 minutes with him to ask about anything they want. He turns his phone off and gives them his undivided attention. And the employees may schedule as many Chef 30s as they like. Second, it's OK to ask to ask for time off---with no negative consequences. Moreover, when they are interviewing, he will ask "What's important to you?" That way he may design a value proposition for the employee that will result in their long tenure.

Some Background on Chef Jay



Chef Jay Huang graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Neurobiology. Perhaps that explains his uncanny ability to combine textures and flavors that create divine combinations that are a delight for the eyes as well as the palate.

A Refuge for Employees and Guests Alike



Chef Jay has created a unique environment of mutual support for the employees and a welcome refuge from the stresses of the Pandemic for both workers and guests alike.

What Can You Learn?



It is my belief that the culture Chef Jay has created at Lucky Robot is a role model for restaurants now and for years to come. Whether you have a restaurant or another type of business, I challenge you to think about what you could learn from Chef Jay has created this unique culture?

* I first encountered "team service" at the opening of one of the Roy's restaurants in Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai. In this type of service every patron is served by the entire staff. In other words, whichever server is available to take the food to the table or remove the empty plates is the one who does it. That service experience in Hawaii was the best one I have experienced in this lifetime. It was extraordinary. Sadly, Roy's abandoned team service for all of its locations and the quality of the service reflected the change.

Special thanks to Chef Jay Huang of Lucky Robot restaurant in Austin, Texas. For an extraordinary dining experience, visit Luck Robot. You will be glad you did!

Next Week's Herman Trend Alert: Avoiding Employee Abuse



Are your customers abusing your employees? It may surprise you to learn that more than 50 percent of service workers feel abused by their customers. From flight attendants to restaurant servers to cab drivers, and even parking lot attendants, service personnel are bearing the brunt of COVID-induced short tempers. The question is "What must employers do to ensure than their beleaguered workers are prepared for dealing with these unhappy folks---before they decide staying is not worth it?"

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The Argyle Club in Alamo Heights has weathered the slow march of time, generation after generation.

But today its rocking the boat.

At least thats the case with some residents, who worry that planned construction at the property will spell trouble in the neighborhood.

Built in the 1850s as the headquarters for a ranch, the mansion received a new purpose a century later: supporting the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, which owns the property.

Today, the private club stands as a visible reminder of local history in the upscale enclave.

RELATED: How a historic Alamo Heights club came to back the Texas Biomedical Research Institute

And soon it could have a one-story addition on its north side. The permanent structure would take the place of the tent that the club sets up for gatherings in a 20-space parking lot.

And weve got a beautiful plan to do it, Argyle Club board member Tibaut Bowman said, with the primary goal being to make sure that we keep the feel and the old elegance of this old house.

Although the Texas Historical Commission signed off on the proposed design, the project is still in its early days.

City Manager Buddy Kuhn said the city will need to look over the plans, and the architectural review board and the City Council will have to weigh in on the project down the road.

Argyle Club board President Jeff Rochelle said he is unsure what the timeline will be on completing the steps required by the city. But once The Argyle gets a building permit, Rochelle said, he expects construction to take one year to complete.

Although the project has the support of some nearby residents, others have been less receptive.

Architects Ann and Mike McGlone, who have lived on Patterson Avenue for 30 years, said events at the club at Patterson and Argyle avenues can lead to crowded streets, among other issues.

The couple, who spoke at a recent architectural review board meeting, have sought to rally opposition to the project, making yard signs and sending letters to neighbors to encourage them to write the city.

They have events out on the lawn that go until midnight and beyond, said Mike McGlone, 67. You can hear the music three blocks away.

The McGlones worry that a permanent structure would make the events easier to set up, which could make them more frequent.

Indeed, Argyle leaders say the goal is to make the club more efficient at putting events together. But they say adding room for indoor gatherings would mean fewer disruptions for neighbors.

Welcome to the club

Provided by The Argyle Club

The Argyle Club is a place for members  a few of whom, Rochelle said, are picking up the $11 million tab for the proposed project  to dine and host celebrations. It also offers some meeting space and a few small hotel rooms.

Each year, club members provide a combined total of between $1 million and $1.5 million in donations to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, said Lisa Cruz, Texas Biomed vice president of corporate communications. In an emailed statement, she said the donations represent about 2 percent of Texas Biomeds annual operating revenues.

The club currently has about 1,500 members.

Over the years, there have been renovations and additions to the original structure, ultimately making the three-story building about 28,000 square feet. The site also includes some outdoor dining space and detached storage.

The club wants to build a one-story addition that would be called Argyle Hall. Its peak height would be 29 feet, and it would take over a 20-space parking lot that the club often covers with a large tent for outdoor events.

On ExpressNews.com: Its unreal: Alamo Heights varsity cheerleaders win national championship

The additional indoor event space would provide enough room for about 300 people, compared with the current 125-person indoor event capacity. It would also mean no more outdoor, tent-covered events, which Argyle General Manager Michael Vlad said can accommodate about 550 guests.

The proposed Argyle Hall includes about 10,000 square feet of space: about 2,000 for a wine cellar, about 1,800 for renovations of current space and about 6,500 for new first-floor construction, Rochelle said. About 4,700 square feet of the new first-floor construction could be available for events, while the rest would be filled with things such as a screened-in porch, foyers and restrooms. There would be two outdoor patios. And according to a notice of intent, a 1,200-square-foot storage building would be added in the rear for movable furniture and dry goods.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

Traffic

Having outdoor events under a tent can be a challenge. It requires several vendors to drive in and out to provide the tent itself, as well as heating and air conditioning, a dance floor, temporary power and more. Rochelle said he thinks the expansion, which would eliminate the need for all that coming and going, would help reduce event traffic.

People who live within 200 feet of certain projects receive notice of upcoming construction. Kuhn, the city manager, said the city has received phone calls and other support for the project within 200 feet of the building in addition to several calls in opposition to the project from outside a 200-foot radius.

Yellow yard signs  courtesy of the McGlones  stand in lawns near the club, including along Argyle and Patterson, two streets where people park for the events.

Argyle Avenue resident Kyle Moe worries the project could bring more loud parties to the area.

You have people from outside the community that are coming into our community to party, live it up and make as much noise as they want, said Moe, 42.

Rochelle said expanding the structure into one of the clubs parking lots would mean The Argyle would own 86 on-site parking spots and have permission to use about 70 more in a lot next door. Rochelle said the club is open to a discussion with neighbors about how to address on-street parking concerns.

And although the proposed expansion would allow for a higher indoor capacity, Rochelle said the space can be configured to host large or small gatherings.

So it might be more smaller events, he said. But overall, we think its going to lessen the traffic burden.

megan.rodriguez@express-news.net
B. Kay Richter, for mySA

Buc-ees, the Texas convenience store chain known for clean restrooms, its own brand of food and its beaver mascot, may be opening a new location along Interstate 35.

The convienece store chain is in discussions with the city of Hillsboro, a small town north of Waco, regarding a potential location near the intersection of I-35 and U.S. 77, said Jeff Nadalo, the general counsel for the company.
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DeLorean Motor Co.s headquarters are in Humble, in the northern part of the Houston metropolitan area.

In a breathless Feb. 14 news release, economic development entity Greater: SATX announced plans to welcome the companys global headquarters to San Antonio, noting its promising 450 engineering and management jobs  pending incentive packages from the city and county.

The mayor praised the companys validating choice, showing San Antonio is ready to lead. The county judge piled on about the future of automotive innovation. A councilwoman added, We are witnessing history being made.

I am not a fan of this type of deal.

So I set out to get answers to the kinds of questions a fifth grader would ask about the hubbub: How many employees did DeLorean have at the end of 2021? How much revenue did the company have? When does DeLorean plan to build its first car? And, finally, what is the source and amount of new funding that makes this plausible?

On ExpressNews.com: Back to the Future: DeLorean Motor plans to open new HQ at Port San Antonio, hire 450

In each case respondents refused to answer, citing confidentiality.

The brand-new CEO of DeLorean, Joost de Vries, first responded by email to my query saying he has been deluged with global media and could he get back in touch in a few weeks?

De Vries has been on the job for less than two months. Prior to that he worked for electric car startup Karma (no, I hadnt heard of it either) and did a stint at Tesla between 2012 and 2013.

To my later queries about the number of employees at year-end 2021, DeLoreans revenue, its timeline to make cars and sources of funding, De Vries said he would not disclose private information but said it would be released once we go public.

Sorry, buddy. You started with your hand out for public subsidy from my city, so thats not a good enough answer regarding basic facts. The further problem is that three other people who are part of the deal to attract DeLorean claim they cannot disclose these basic facts, either.

Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, director of the Economic Development Department in San Antonio, said she could not comment about the number of employees or past revenue while in negotiations.

Jim Perschbach is president of Port San Antonio, the entity expected to serve as landlord for DeLorean Motor Co.s global headquarters. He said he understood the number of current employees to be in the double digits but didnt think he was allowed to share more than that.

Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, president of Greater: SATX, champions the idea of DeLorean coming to San Antonio. When I asked if she knew the number of employees or recent revenue, she replied, I could care less about the history. Its about where theyre going. This is a startup, based on a trademark. The number of current employees is kind of irrelevant.

Im trying to remain calm about that response, but I am really struggling. When a company launches itself into the hands-out-for-public-subsidy game, I admit I have my hackles up from the jump.

When Toyota or Target or PetSmart or Microsoft put their hands out, I understand its a cynical game of subsidize us with tax breaks to do the thing we were already going to do. I dont like it, but at least those companies have a public track record. They built a successful business long before they sought subsidies, and the public, which is about to be on the hook for the subsidy, can hold elected officials accountable for handing it out.

It takes a special kind of galling company  and economic development professionals  to talk about handouts for a startup based on a trademark.

So whats DeLorean Motor Co. been up to lately? Heres what an analysis of its online presence reveals: This emperor has no clothes. At the moment, this is a T-shirt and digital trading cards company  and not a successful one at that. Its announcement is equal parts embarrassing and enraging.

The DeLorean website primarily sells branded cotton clothing. There are two styles of mens hoodies, three styles of T-shirts and one style of jogger pants for men. For women, four T-shirt styles are in stock, as is one style of hoodie and one style of leggings. A lot of branded swag is out of stock. Alas.

Otherwise, the website is whats known as a landing page, essentially what a long-shot startup political campaign would create to sell merch and take in names and emails for future marketing. It has the appearance of having been set up in a day. Essentially its message is, Give us your email and well be back in touch with updates. Meanwhile, buy a T-shirt to support our kooky long-shot cause!

On LinkedIn, we can find hints about the number of employees at DeLorean. Thirty-one users profiles list DeLorean as an employer globally. Of those, about half appear to be joke listings, with job titles such as Time Traveler at DeLorean Motor Company, and Spacemagic Wizard at DeLorean Motor Company, from unlikely locations such as Argentina and Belfast.

The company has tweeted precisely 10 times in the past year. Once about bad weather in Houston (on Snowpocalypse day; very relatable!) and nine times about NFTs it was selling. NFTs, you may recall, are like tradable digital stickers.

On ExpressNews.com: Taylor: Looking both ways at the intersection of technology and art

Over on Instagram, we got four NFT posts in the past year, five pictures of vintage DeLoreans, two weather comments, a T-shirt post and a raffle contest. And thats it.

Because four people in a position to know the actual number of employees refused to answer this direct factual question from me, Im going to offer my own estimate. My guess is about 12 people work there, probably primarily auto mechanics for secondhand DeLoreans built in 1981.

The idea of this company being the credible source of 450 new engineering and management jobs in San Antonio is an insulting joke.

Look, I dont mind wild optimism in entrepreneurial ventures. If youve got a vision for something new and cool, go for it. But I prefer visionary thinking with wholly private money, not propped up by public subsidy. That is to say, first do a real thing before you belly up to the public trough. Ideally, never ask for public subsidy. I do not believe my elected officials are good at picking future winners based on hype, and I do not think theyve thought this one through.

Most tellingly, truly innovative private companies do not launch their growth plans by committing to a specific number of jobs at a government-determined wage. The illusion that this leads to good economic development is the original sin of this farce.

The academic literature  I would point readers to UT-Austin professor Nathan Jensens work  finds this type of economic development expensive, inefficient and ineffective.

I would add descriptive words like distracting from the hard, slow work of real economic development, as well as a process ripe for corrupt practices.

Saucedo-Herrera of Greater: SATX is not troubled when I mention this is a company with hardly any employees, unknown revenue and no track record of making cars over the past 40 years. She told me, This is one of the most exciting deals weve worked on.

Thats  maybe the worst part about it?

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News, author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates and host of the podcast No Hill For A Climber.

michael@michaelthesmart

money.com | twitter.com/michael_taylor
For a long time, Suzanne Ohlmanns aunt urged her to write a book.

Most people, when they say Write a book, what theyre really saying is youve got a compelling story that I dont hear every day, she said.

Ohlmann has a story to tell. In her memoir Shadow Migration (University of Nebraska Press, $21.95), she writes about her adoption into a staid Nebraska family where her big emotions seemed out of place, and the pain of not knowing where she fit in. She traces her often frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking search for her birth parents  the mother who gave her up, and the father who never knew she existed. She also writes about a life-changing trip to India, where she decided to pursue a career in nursing and where she forged a spiritual connection with an elderly drummer and a more carnal connection with a Hare Krishna.

She also writes with great compassion about some of the patients she has treated, including an addict who had also been adopted who urged her to meet with her birth parents. He told her that it was important to find her tribe: If you dont, youll never know your own voice. Youll never know your whole self.

William Luther /Express-News staff

And she writes about finally finding a sense of home in San Antonio, where she and her husband now share a cozy 1915 bungalow with two dogs and eight cats.

When she moved into the house, she said, one of her neighbors told her it had a colorful history, including time as a speakeasy and a brothel: He was funny. He said, Youre gonna see some crazy (expletive).

And she did, including lights and ceiling fans that seemed to switch on on their own.

The neighbor also told her that a teenage boy had hanged himself in the basement, and she writes in the book about seeing the boys ghost, his spirit swinging from a beam. At the time, she was wrestling with depression, and as she looked at the vision before her, she found her thoughts turn to how she might hang herself.

The dogs broke that spell, she writes, crashing through the doggy door: Its quite possible that the dogs saved my life, but I was the one who had to decipher how to keep living it. There would be no leaping back into the light of day, but a slow and steady trudge through the depression and darkness. I had to learn to walk on my moon.

William Luther /Express-News staff

Therapy and music helped, she recounts in the book. And so did writing.

I joined a writing group because I just thought, this stuff is in me. Its not going anywhere. And it might get stuck, Ohlmann said in an interview. And I was, like, I dont want to get cancer. That was kind of my mentality.

To help with her writing, her husband signed her up for a Gemini Ink writing workshop with memoirist Beverly Donofrio, author of Riding in Cars With Boys and Looking for Mary.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas writer Stephen Harrigan recalls real-life zoo escape in The Leopard is Loose

During the workshop, kind of at the end  Bev is very blunt, shes not a Midwestern gal  she kind of backed me against a wall, and she said, Are you doing this for a living? I said no, Ohlmann recalled. She said, Well, you could be.

Donofrio advised Ohlmann to go to grad school, since that would help give her structure and the discipline that is necessary to write. Ohlmann took that advice, earning her master of fine arts degree from Wilkes University. She wrote Shadow Migration as part of her studies.

University of Nebraska Press

Donofrio contributed a blurb to the book: Ohlmann reveals herself to be a brave soul who reaches for the light while never turning from the dark. Her story sparkles with such insight and honesty, gutsy humor and restrained (Midwestern) bravado, I felt bereft when I had to turn the last page and leave her.

Putting everything down on the page and then editing what shed written helped Ohlmann work through the difficult parts of her life, including a relationship that started out well and swiftly devolved when the man became abusive, beating and raping her.

Theres actually some psychological healing that takes place because you leave the trauma in its trauma place and then you go and look at it from a completely different part of your brain, she said. This sounds crude, but its like barfing it out.

On ExpressNews.com: New SA Center of Photography aims to build community

She is still working as a nurse, and continues writing, as well. Shes written a few pieces for Texas Monthly, and is at work on her next book, which will deal with some health issues shes had as well as her adventures at the Conjunto Heritage Taller, where she took accordion lessons with Bene Medina. Students took part in a concert at La Villita.

I was singing, and I sang Volver, and I saw these cops way at the back singing along, she said. I was like, Cops are singing with me in San Antonio!

It took about 10 years to complete Shadow Migration. She is hoping that the follow-up comes together quicker.

I keep thinking, Well, now you should write fiction, but gosh darn it, truth is better than fiction in my life, she said. It is unbelievable, the way things unfold and the experiences that Ive been both overwhelmed and privileged to observe, and if I can do those stories justice the way I hope I have with this book, then I need to keep telling it from this point of view.

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Liudmyla Chuhunova/Getty Images/iStockphoto

A free festival offering various types of elotes, or Mexican street corn, is returning for a second year on San Antonio's far East Side.

The San Antonio Roasted Corn Festival is a celebration of corn and local traditions and culture. It will take place on March 26 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 6750 Rigsby Ave. in China Grove.
Pennsylvanias highest court broke a partisan deadlock Wednesday over a new map of congressional districts by selecting boundaries that broadly adhere to the outlines of current districts, even as the state loses one seat because of sluggish population growth.

The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision picked a 17-district map that had been proposed by a group of Democratic Party-aligned voters who sued last year in an effort to get the court involved.

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It is unlikely to create a big shift in the makeup of the congressional delegation, as the state loses a seat, going from 18 to 17, to account for relatively stagnant population growth in census findings over the past decade, particularly in rural white areas predominantly represented by Republicans.

It had some wins for Republicans and some wins for Democrats on a map whose stated aim was to stick as closely as possible to districts drawn by the high court in 2018 to replace a 6-year-old map it found to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered by Republicans.

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Two Pittsburgh-area districts where incumbents are not running again will provide opportunities for newcomers, while two Republican incumbents  Fred Keller and Dan Meuser  were poised Wednesday to run in the same northeastern district against each other.

The new map provides eight Republican-leaning districts, six Democratic-leaning districts and three closely divided districts, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight, a website that focuses on opinion poll analysis, politics and sports.

Pennsylvanias delegation is currently split evenly, nine Republicans and nine Democrats, in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 4 million to 3.4 million.

The court has selected boundaries twice before in the last three decades, and its decision is expected to be the final word, although a federal court challenge by Republicans is pending.

Democrats applauded the map.

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and whose affiliate organization, the National Redistricting Action Fund, backed the court-selected map, called it a substantial win for Pennsylvanians who now get to vote for the candidate of their choosing in fair, lawful districts for the next decade.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said he was pleased with the decision.

It is a fair map that will result in a congressional delegation mirroring the citizenry of Pennsylvania, Wolf wrote.

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Republican response was critical.

Pennsylvanias national Republican committee member, Andrew Reilly, said it was unfortunate that the court majority chose a map that combines two safe Republican districts into one, makes a suburban Pittsburgh seat friendlier for Democrats and was represented in part by the firm of a partisan Democratic Party-aligned lawyer.

Despite that partisan choice, Pennsylvania Republicans will be ready to favorably compete in these districts to assist the National Republican Campaign Committee in taking back the U.S. House in November, Reilly said in a statement.

The court ended up with the decision after Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature deadlocked on a new plan.

Four of five Democrats on the court formed the majority in Wednesdays decision, while one Democrat, Justice Debra Todd, sided with the courts two Republicans in opposing it.

In picking the new map, the justices also rejected a lower court judges recommendation of a map backed by Republican lawmakers that Democrats had opposed.

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The new map lumps two Republican incumbents  Glenn Thompson and Keller  into a sprawling northern district. However, instead of challenging Thompson, Keller said Wednesday that he will run in the new 9th District next door, where Meuser lives.

Some Republicans had hoped Meuser would challenge Scranton-area Democrat Matt Cartwright in the Republican-leaning 8th District, whose boundary is a few blocks from Meusers Luzerne County home.

But Meuser said in an interview that it makes more sense for him to run in the 9th District, which contains 72% of his existing district.

The maps swing districts are held by Lehigh Valley Democrat Susan Wild and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County, while one in suburban Pittsburgh is empty since Democrat Conor Lamb is running instead for U.S. Senate.

Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. >

The map sides with Republicans on two big issues.

It keeps Pittsburgh in one district, helping maintain a competitive district for Republicans in its suburbs, and it keeps all of Bucks County in one district, helping protect Fitzpatrick.

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The map also sides with Democrats on certain aspects.

It draws each Democratic incumbent into their own district and keeps the metropolitan Harrisburg area in one district with York, instead of splitting it into several districts, as Republicans had sought.

Still, the map will put more pressure on Wild to get reelected, drawing her new district to include conservative Carbon County.

The court also adjusted the petition gathering schedule  starting Friday and going until March 15  but left the May 17 primary date intact for congressional races and statewide contests.

However, the court on Wednesday suspended the primary election calendar for state legislative candidates, because new state House and Senate district maps are being challenged in court.
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Starting about four years ago, a wave of Southern-steeped restaurants washed over San Antonio like a tidal wave of sweet tea. Suddenly, fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, and stewed collard greens could be found all over town.

Fast-forward to today, and many of those properties have shuttered, some managing to keep the lights on for just a few months. The majority closed before the pandemic, shifting the citys Southern scene away from the Lowcountry toward Louisiana and its rich and heavily spiced dishes that spread along the Gulf Coast into Texas.

Those bayou flavors feel familiar to San Antonians. Thanks to our Mexican roots, spice racks across the city are stocked with more potent herbs and spices than many parts of the South  except for Louisiana, where Cajun and Creole cuisines rely on many of the same flavors as our Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites.

Dave Saylor, owner of the venerable Acadiana Cafe on the citys West Side, has worked with those flavors for the 35 years the restaurant has been open, dishing up countless bowls of gumbo and jambalaya, and countless servings of red beans and rice, and fried catfish.

Paul Stephen /Staff

San Antonians like flavor in their food, Saylor said. While we always look for new menu items and flavor combos, and we embrace some of those, we keep coming back to those traditional roux and recipes.

The year 2018 saw the opening of the classic Lowcountry comfort restaurant (butter, yall!) Paula Deens Family Kitchen in The Rim, which closed in 15 months, and the deep South spot Hoppin John downtown, which closed after five months. The next year, Fontaines Southern Diner & Bar opened just north of downtown and closed after six months, and Eastside Kitchenette opened in Government Hill and closed after 17 months.

What survived the wave were longtime S.A. spots like Acadiana Cafe, Ma Harpers Creole Kitchen in Government Hill and NOLA Brunch & Beignets just off the St. Marys Strip. And several new spots that opened in that first waves crash are letting the good times roll all over the city.

Pieter Sypesteyn, chef and owner of NOLA, isnt surprised San Antonio loves the Cajun and Creole fare of his native Louisiana. Hes operated several other Southern restaurants here, including Cookhouse and Buds Southern Rotisserie. Sypesteyn closed Cookhouse, which served a fine-dining take on the food of New Orleans, in 2020 and Buds, a more pan-Southern concept, in 2021 to focus on NOLA, a playful brunch spot serving dishes both Texans and Louisianans can appreciate.

On ExpressNews.com: 5 San Antonio-area restaurants for great poboys

While NOLAs menu includes many faithful New Orleans-inspired dishes, such as poboy and muffuletta sandwiches, crawfish etouffee and more, several options marry those flavors with Texas staples. Chilaquiles, for example, are made with boudin sausage and chipotle gravy, and an avocado tostada can be topped with blackened shrimp.

Mike Sutter /Staff file photo

That hybridization, Sypesteyn said, makes sense given the histories of San Antonio and New Orleans, which are both more than 300 years old. Trade routes between the two cities have allowed the ingredients and cooking techniques of both cities to mingle for centuries, he argues.

There are lot of foods from here and there that might have different names but are very similar, Sypesteyn said. Guisada and grillades are almost identical. Its essentially the same dish with a few different ingredients.

While NOLA Brunch & Beignets adopts a contemporary take on the food of Louisiana, Acadiana Cafe is more a totem to tradition and something of a relic of a bygone era in restaurants. The enormous building it sits in along Loop 410 near Texas 151 can seat up to 350 customers inside, although that number is closer to 200 with social distancing protocols in effect.

Acadiana Cafe is an anomaly, Saylor said. They dont build restaurant spaces like this anymore.

The restaurants menu has barely changed since the doors opened in 1986, and Saylor said thats one of the business key strengths. Saylor, whos served as president of the San Antonio chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association in the past, said the average national restaurant concept will overhaul its menu every seven to 10 years.

On ExpressNews.com: Review: San Antonio meets Southeast Asia at Pinch Boil House

Ive had people come back 20 years after their first visit and say your catfish, chicken and dumplings and etouffee is exactly the same, and thats a good thing, Saylor said. Acadiana customers know what to expect when they walk through the door.

And this time of year, with Lent beginning next week, those diners largely have one thing on their mind: catfish.

During Lent well traditionally sell a ton  2,000 pounds  of catfish a week, Saylor said. There would be a riot if we took it off the menu.

Fried fish, gumbo, poboys and other New Orleans traditions can also be found at Ma Harpers Creole Kitchen in San Antonios Government Hill neighborhood. Owner Alice Harper has served her version of those iconic classics since opening her business in 1990.

Mike Sutter /Staff file photo

Ma Harpers cozy dining room is decked out in plenty of purple, gold and green, along with other decorations evoking the Crescent City, and Harper visits nearly every table for a brief conversation  thats a lot of conversations as the place is usually packed.

On ExpressNews.com: 10 great restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Government Hill by San Antonios Pearl

Newer restaurants specializing in Louisiana-style crawfish and seafood boils have proliferated rapidly across San Antonio in recent years as well, with brands like Smashin Crab opening several locations, the national chain Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar opening a spot near Leon Valley, the Houston-based Crawfish Cafe with a location along Interstate 10 near De Zevala Road and others.

Sean Wen, co-owner of Pinch Boil House, is among those restaurateurs. He opened Pinch in downtown San Antonio in 2017 and moved the business to Alamo Heights last year.

Pinch serves a different kind of fusion food, one with deep roots in Louisiana and the Texas Gulf Coast. At Pinch, the menu shows a heavy influence from Southeast Asia  a style of food often called Viet-Cajun that migrated with immigrants to Louisiana and found a firm foothold in Houston, Wens hometown.

Mike Sutter /Staff file photo

For Wen, whether its Viet-Cajun or classic Cajun and Creole dishes, hes not surprised to see those flavors take hold and proliferate here.

Well, obviously were familiar with the stuff because its in such close proximity to us, he said.

And more tastes of New Orleans are on the way in San Antonio. Emily and Houston Carpenter recently announced plans to open Restaurant Claudine on East Grayson Street near the Pearl. While the restaurant is more than a year away from opening and the menu is still taking shape, Houston Carpenter said diners could expect flavors from all across the South with a French flair.

While some dishes at Restaurant Claudine will ring true to the Lowcountry cities of Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, Carpenter said hed feature Louisiana-inspired items such as blue crab beignets.

We want to keep it very approachable, Carpenter said. Were going to serve a lot of cool stuff with a French touch, but still feel like youre eating in Grandmas house.

Whether grandma is cooking collard greens or crawfish, as long as theres sweet tea, its still Southern food.

pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
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San Antonio police are searching for a suspect after a man was shot and killed Tuesday near the Pearl.

Officers were called to the area of Pearl Parkway and Broadway about 8:30 p.m. for a shooting. There, they found a car full of people attempting to transport a man to the hospital.
Many people come to San Antonio thinking theyre standing in front of the Alamo when theyre facing the Alamo Church.

When youre in Alamo Plaza, youre actually at the Alamo.

That spatial confusion, compounded by destruction of the historic mission-fort that began after the 1836 battle for Texas independence and followed with growth and encroachment of downtown development in Americas seventh-largest city, is a driving force behind a nearly $400 million makeover of the site thats now underway. By 2026, state and city officials hope to complete construction of a museum and visitor center and a plaza renovation that will enhance the visitor experience and inspire more people to visit, stay longer and return.

Here are seven things every Texan should know:

WILLIAM LUTHER /San Antonio Express-News

What is Alamo Plaza?

The open space adjacent to the two remaining mission-era structures  the Alamo Church and Long Barrack  is called Alamo Plaza. Its not part of the state-owned Alamo complex, but it is part of the historic mission and battle site. It was the main living area for Indigenous inhabitants of the Mission San Antonio de Valero from 1724 to 1793. Later, much of the fighting during the early morning Battle of the Alamo occurred in and around the plaza on March 6, 1836. Some 200 Anglo and Tejano soldiers and volunteers in the Texian Army were killed or executed. Although numbers have varied widely, between 70 and 150 Mexican soldiers are believed to have been killed, and some of the hundreds of others who were wounded may have died later from their injuries.

What are the origins of Alamo Plaza?

The Mission de Valero was founded by San Pedro Creek in 1718, possibly on todays Christopher Columbus Italian Society property in the northwest downtown area. The mission moved about a year later to a site east of the San Antonio River, possibly in or near La Villita. Destruction from a hurricane resulted in a move to its third and final site in 1724. It was the first permanent mission in San Antonio. Mission San Jose, founded in 1720, moved to its third and final site by 1730. Development of three other local missions  Concepcion, San Juan and Espada  followed in the 1730s.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

What occurred at the site in its early days?

It initially was the home of Native American mission residents and friars and was occupied by soldiers, craftsmen and Indigenous women who wove blankets and clothing in a textile shop. The mission had a granary where food was stored from nearby farmlands and a narrow canal, known as an acequia, that carried river water for irrigation, drinking and cleaning. More than 1,300 people were buried in the area, according to church records. Although boundaries of a campo santo, or cemetery, have not been conclusively defined in the plaza or surrounding area, it was customary for people to be buried below or near mission churches.

William Luther /San Antonio Express-News

How did the Alamo get its name?

The word Alamo is Spanish for poplar, a type of tree that includes cottonwoods and other fast-growing species of the willow family. While cottonwoods were commonly seen around the mission, historians believe the Alamo was more likely named for a Spanish cavalry company from Alamo de Parras, south of the Rio Grande, that occupied the site under Spanish and Mexican rule. The mission was secularized in 1793 and converted in the early 1800s into a fort. A company of Spanish lancers called La Segunda Compania Volante de San Carlos de Parras began fortifying the compound, which by then had been enclosed by perimeter walls to protect the mission inhabitants. According to historian Bruce Winders, local people began calling the old mission Pueblo de la Compania del Alamo. That eventually morphed into El Alamo.

Gallagher & Associates / The Alamo Trust /Gallagher & Associates /The Alamo Trust

How far did the historic plaza extend?

The mission-fort occupied land that today is owned by the state, city of San Antonio, federal government and a local hotel. The temporary 18-Pounder/Losoya House exhibit, which opened in April 2021 across the plaza from the Alamo Church, marks the southwest corner of the compounds historic footprint. The western edge of the footprint extends about 20 feet into the state-owned Crockett, Palace and Woolworth buildings, where the museum is planned. Moving north, the historic Hotel Gibbs sits on the northwest corner of the Alamo footprint. On either side of the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building, two small, rectangular brass plates in the sidewalk mark the historic Alamos northern boundary.

What changes are occurring or are planned for the plaza?

A section of Alamo Street was closed permanently to traffic in June, and more street closures are planned in and around the plaza to improve pedestrian safety and access. A design for the plaza that will complement the museum and visitor center is in development and may include a water feature that marks the location of the historic acequia. Previous plans to lower part of the plaza and surround it with glass walls or handrails have been abandoned. The outline of the historic mission-fort will be marked in the plaza with surface pavers and possibly low walls and exhibits.

Marvin Pfeiffer /San Antonio Express-News

What will happen to the Cenotaph?

The 56-foot-tall monument to the Alamo defenders, featuring the sculpture titled The Spirit of Sacrifice by artist Pompeo Coppini, will be repaired but not moved. A repair plan is in development to address cracking and displacement of some of its marble exterior panels. It will be surrounded by a temporary chain barrier to discourage people from climbing on or damaging the memorial. Once repairs are completed, the city intends to surround it with lighting and landscaping.

shuddleston@express-news.net
The Castroville police chief is accused of using a racial slur while at the scene of a slaying in Medina County earlier this month.

Chief Brian Jackson is alleged to have used the N-word on Feb. 5 as multiple law enforcement agencies were investigating the discovery of a body near Houston Street and Highway 90, city officials said.

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City Council was expected to discuss Jacksons employment status during a meeting at 5 p.m. today.

Castroville Mayor Darrin Schroeder said in a phone interview Tuesday that internal actions have already been taken, but he could not elaborate because they relate to personnel matters.

We dont take this lightly, Schroeder said. Discrimination and racism is a huge problem in our country and the world, and it cant be a problem in Castroville.

The slur was reportedly used at least three times in front of a Medina County sheriffs deputy equipped with a body-worn camera, a source told KSAT.

Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown overheard the language used in the footage and alerted the city, he told the news station.

Brown could not be reached for comment as of Tuesday afternoon.

Schroeder said that the city is investigating the allegation and proceeding with due process toward Jackson, and that action cannot be taken without any proof.

The city has requested any kind of video footage and information from the Sheriffs Office that would substantiate the allegation, Schroeder said.

We believe in all human rights, Schroeder said in a statement. So we will not discipline simply on rumors or hearsay, but we will act decisively if we determine guilt of discrimination.

He said Jackson does not have any history of discrimination.

The mayor said that Jackson, who previously was a lieutenant in the department, has worked hard to develop trust with the community during his time as chief.

Hes the one who has turned the department around quite a bit, Schroeder said.

He recalled one case in which students from an area high school wanted to lead a Black Lives Matters march.

Jackson coordinated the officers who were protecting the demonstrators and made sure they stayed far away enough so the students would not feel surrounded, Schroeder said.

The meeting is to be live streamed and may be viewed on the citys Facebook page.
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Jason Holt thinks a lot about Pfc. Thomas C. Hawkins and the life he might have lived.

Intelligent and deeply religious, Hawkins was beloved by his family in North Carolina and had recently re-enlisted for a third tour of duty in the Army, but it all came to an abrupt end two weeks before Christmas in 1917.

Dear mother and father, when this letter reaches you I will be beyond the veil of sorrow, he wrote. I will be in heaven with the angels.

Hawkins and 12 other soldiers of the all-Black 3rd Battalion, U.S. 24th Infantry were executed Dec. 11, 1917, convicted for participating in a deadly riot in Houston the previous August. In all, 19 African Americans would be hanged for their roles in what became known as the Camp Logan Mutiny.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Seventeen of them are buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, where Holt, a New Jersey lawyer and distant cousin of Hawkins, helped dedicate a marker near their graves Tuesday. Others on hand included Army commanders and a group working to overturn the soldiers convictions and those of 91 others court-martialed in the riots wake.

Today you are not forgotten, Holt said, addressing the executed soldiers after identifying each of them and asking their descendants to stand. I dont know what historys ultimate judgment will be, but on this day, at this time, theres an acknowledgment that your lives mattered, that your lives had impact, value and meaning, because injustice in its cataclysmic struggle with justice cannot win.

The clash on Aug. 23, 1917, left 16 people dead and two dozen injured, most of them white. The Black soldiers at Camp Logan, now part of Memorial Park west of downtown Houston, had reacted to routine police harassment and beatings and a rumor that lawmen had killed an infantryman.

A clemency petition has been in the works for years and is now under review at the Pentagon. A driving force behind it is the belief that impartial proceedings would not have produced so many executions, even under the standards of military justice during World War I.

Another reason is that those standards were so poor to begin with.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

All the soldiers were tried at Fort Sam Houstons Gift Chapel, 118 of them in three groups, for mutiny, willful disobedience of orders, murder and assault. They were represented by a single officer who was not a lawyer. Not even one witness identified any of the accused.

A short walk from the soldiers graves, Matthew Quinn, a Veterans Affairs Department undersecretary, stood before a crowd of around 50 people, some in the uniforms of the Armys famed Buffalo Soldiers, and struck a theme others would echo: the effort underway to right old wrongs.

I paused when we all said the Pledge of Allegiance with the final words, liberty and justice for all, and if there are not more fitting words for today, I dont know that Ill be able to do any more justice, he said.

The unveiled plaque is an informational marker and contains slices of the the 24ths history and the racial unrest of the era, said cemetery director Aubrey David.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

If the clemency petition is approved, it would allow the executed soldiers to receive new headstones listing their rank, unit and, in some cases, war zones where they served, including the Philippines and Gen. John J. Pershings expedition against Pancho Villa in revolutionary Mexico.

Today, the headstones list only their names and dates of death.

On ExpressNews.com: A century ago, executions at Fort Sam sparked change in military law

The men did not get due process, said Angela Holder, a Houston Community College history professor and descendant of Cpl. Jesse Moore, who was among the first to be executed. They did not get a chance to get an appeal on their case.

When one of the members of the tribunal  was told the men had been executed and buried, he was outraged, she added, noting that a new general order forbade executions without trial reviews.

That rule would spare 10 of 16 men later tried in connection with the riot.

Their convictions, while technically legal, were not just, Dru Brenner-Beck, an adjunct professor at the South Texas College of Law, wrote in the petition. It is time that the records of these men reflect the service they rendered to their nation and continue the legacy of honor, patriotism, and valor that mark the history of the 24th Infantry Regiment.

On ExpressNews.com: Tour recalls executed soldiers at Fort Sams Hangmans Grove

Rosieleetta Reed, president of the Dallas-based Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association, recalled learning about the mutiny from her grandfather, a veteran, when she was a little girl.

I cried and he said, Well, when you become a soldier, youre the property of the United States government. And then they put a black eye on the rest of the soldiers, recalled Reed, 72. They already had a hard time because of Jim Crow, Texas, but they had an extremely hard time after that.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Her grandfather told her soldiers were confined to their posts for three years, unable to go home to visit families.

Reed thinks the mutinys leaders should have been executed but the younger participants spared. Court-martialing them was appropriate because they disobeyed orders and 119 of them marched into Houston and they killed some civilians, she added.

The riot was a culmination of simmering resentment against a police force that terrorized Black residents, John Haymond, a historian of military law who is writing a book on the mutiny and trials, said in an email.

One of those executed, Sgt. William Nesbit, was the grandson of a president of the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League, said a descendant, Charles Anderson, 64, of Lampasas.

He has spent 30 years trying to learn about Nesbit, a journey that took him to the National Archives and the Philippines, where the soldier had served at one point in his Army career. Anderson said he turned up no evidence that Nesbit participated in the riot but enough about his family and record that would puzzle me to think that he would even be involved in something like that.

One advocate for clemency is Sandi Hajtman, even though her great-grandfather, Houston police officer Ira Rainey, was shot and stabbed 26 times and had his heart cut out by rioters.

Just who killed him isnt known. Hajtman said Rainey was described as a kind man, widely respected, but she understands how racism in Houston lit the fuse that erupted with the riot.

I was hoping for a long time that their convictions would be overturned because I just think its a terrible miscarriage of justice, said Hajtman, who worked as a legal secretary and paralegal with a Houston law firm and collaborated with Holt, the New Jersey lawyer, on a petition to pardon the soldiers.

I believe in a fair trial, she said, and I dont think these men got a fair trial.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

As Holt reckons the times, World War I wasnt far removed from slavery  freed slaves, and their slaveholders, were still alive. For Black people, the window of Reconstruction-era participation in civic life in the South had long since given way to second-class citizenship and danger from racial violence in most parts of the country.

In the early 20th century, that violence included military-civilian clashes involving African American soldiers in El Paso, Brownsville, San Antonio, Del Rio and Waco.

As the final 12 hours of his life ticked away, Hawkins, the distant cousin of Holt, kept his bearing.

He says, Im sentenced to be hanged for the trouble that happened in Houston, Texas, Holt said, reading from Hawkins last letter. Although I am not guilty of the crime that I am accused of, but mother, if it is Gods will that I go now, it is Gods will that I go now, and in this way.

How would you like to be a mother and get that?

Holts efforts to win a presidential pardon have failed. Even if it had been granted, the verdicts would have remained. The petition for clemency, if successful, would overturn those convictions.

Originally sent to then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, it was given to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. Brenner-Beck said it will be expedited, but a six- to eight-month review period is likely before the boards recommendation goes to the current Army secretary, Christine Wormuth.

Sometimes progress is incremental and you have to have a long view, but progress nonetheless is something to celebrate, Holt said.

For Holder, the Houston history professor, the sting wont go away.

Whatever we do, and Im really sad when I say this, it wont undo the way that they died, and Ive always described the men as having served in the tropics of the Philippines and eating the dust in Mexico and to end up at the end of a hangmans noose  and they were young men, she said.

My uncle was 27 years old, and he was not married, he did not have children. But no matter what we do now, it wont take away the hurt and the pain of his siblings, the pain that he endured, but it will give his spirit, his soul, peace to know that he did get justice.

sigc@express-news.net
The city delayed a decision on removing 105 native trees from Brackenridge Park, likely postponing any tree removal until late this year.

To ensure that historic structures in the park are adequately protected and the removal of heritage trees is minimized, a news release states the city will work with consultants to complete the design for improvements at the park and consult with the Texas Historical Commission and a panel of community members.

Although the city may soon seek approval for improvements to historic man-made waterways, river walls and other structures from the Historic and Design Review Commission, the decision to delay a vote regarding the trees effectively defers any removals, at least until November. Migratory birds protected by federal law will soon begin roosting in the trees.

On ExpressNews.com: Residents call on HDRC to slow proposed tree removal in historic park

City Manager Erik Walsh hit the pause button after the review commission recently heard dozens of pleas from residents to save as many trees as possible in a park that some consider as culturally sacred as the Alamo. Artifacts found in and near the park have traced its connection to human occupation dating more than 10,000 years, near the headwaters of the San Antonio River.

No one wants to remove heritage trees, especially from a historic city park, but if the removal ultimately remains necessary to protect the public and historic structures at Brackenridge, I want the community to understand the full context of the project, Walsh said. So I have directed staff to pause consideration by the HDRC, which has dominated the conversation and distracted from the broader benefits of the restoration work, while we complete the design and work with our partners and stakeholders.

To repair and preserve the stone walls and structures on the river banks, the city proposed removing the native trees, including 10 heritage trees, which are considered irreplaceable because of their age, rarity or size. The heritage trees include three live oaks, two pecans, a bald cypress and a crepe myrtle in the Lambert Beach area, a once-popular swimming location in the northern section of the park. The proposal also includes removing 23 dead or invasive species of trees and planting at least 200 at the site and another 200-400 elsewhere in the park.

William Luther /

In the meantime, the area will be enclosed with fencing to restrict public access. City parks and public works officials have said many trees are leaning, have exposed roots or abut walls along the river that are at risk of failing, posing a potential safety hazard.

At a news conference Wednesday in the park, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez said he and Councilman Mario Bravo, who each represent part of the 343-acre park, asked Walsh to delay the process in response to a large public outcry. With an election set for May 7 on a record $1.2 billion bond issue, the city needed to recognize it was asking for tree displacement that hadnt been publicly vetted for a bond project that isnt fully designed, McKee-Rodriguez said.

When were talking about major projects like this, the projects that weve done, the way weve gone about this project hasnt been consistent with that, he said. There was community input because it was proposed for the bond, but we werent talking about tree removal at the bond discussions in 2017.

The first of three public hearings has been set for 6 p.m. March 22 at a location to be determined.

Laura Rios, who opposes the tree removals, led an Indigenous blessing at the news conference, burning lavender for sweetness for others to understand what the trees mean to San Antonio and its people.

By displacing these trees, were disrupting hundreds and thousands of years of ecosystem that has been here. That makes it harder for us to be in covenant with the land for our future generations, Rios said.

Scott Huddleston /

The review commission spent nearly four hours last week on the tree removal proposal, hearing comments from more than 50 residents opposing it. Some commissioners said they needed more time to study the issue, and the panel did not reach a decision. Motions from commissioners to deny the request or to remove only the trees posing an immediate safety issue both failed. The panel ultimately voted 5-3 to resume the discussion this week.

But an agenda posted for a special meeting at 11 a.m. Friday said the request had been withdrawn by the applicant.

On ExpressNews.com: Protesters decry plan to remove Brackenridge Park trees

In 2017, voters approved $7.75 million for improvements to Brackenridge Park, including the historic river walls and structures. The project includes restoration of 1920s river walls on Lambert Beach in its first phase. The second phase includes rehabilitation of the historic Acequia Madre and 1776 Upper Labor Diversion Dam and stabilization of an 1870s pumphouse and waterworks channel.

Since the park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated state antiquities landmark, as well as a city-designated landmark, the bond project is subject to review by the Texas Historical Commission and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for impacts to the environment and historic cultural resources.

The city Parks and Recreation Department is reconstituting a group that has advised the city on past improvements in the park. The panel will include park tenants, adjacent neighborhood associations and regulatory agencies.

The citys project team will seek the review commissions approval this spring or summer for the final design of Lambert Beach and conceptual design of the Pumphouse and Upper Labor after receiving input from the park committee.

shuddleston@express-news.net
Nancy Crowther needs an aide around the clock to help her with meals and other daily household tasks. Her personal attendant of three years lives with her in Austin.

Crowther, 63, would also like her attendant to help her cast a ballot in the primaries. Crowther has spinal muscular atrophy, a progressive neuromuscular disorder that makes it difficult for her to reach the touch screen at the polling booth. She also uses a wheelchair that limits her mobility around polling places.

But even though Crowther says she trusts her attendant to respect her voter privacy, Texans with disabilities  and attendants who get compensation for assisting a voter  could face criminal penalties under new voting legislation.

We dont want to jeopardize our attendants, but we want to be able to vote, but we need our attendants help, so were in a Catch-22, Crowther said. Its a bigger swath of the voting populace that will be scared off and what will happen is that people will not vote. But Im not going to give in to that.

As polls opened up for early voting this week, disability advocates say they still do not have adequate guidance from the state about new voter assistance rules and worry that the lack of clarity on what constitutes a violation might dissuade people who provide assistance services from helping voters with disabilities.

Republicans enacted restrictions last year on the states voting process, including rules on how Texans can assist voters when casting ballots. Texans assisting other voters must now fill out paperwork disclosing their relationship, indicate whether compensation was provided and recite an expanded oath, now under the penalty of perjury, stating that they did not pressure or coerce the voter into choosing them for assistance.

Texans who offer or accept compensation for providing voter assistance would be in violation of the new rules, creating anxiety among those who assist people with disabilities as part of their job.

There are voters with disabilities who use their personal aides or personal attendants to assist them in completing daily tasks, and voting is a daily task, said Molly Broadway, a voting rights training specialist at Disability Rights Texas, adding that she has already received calls from assistants afraid of incurring criminal charges for activities that are usually part of their duties. Its a very present, very real need that exists.

Texans who drive at least seven voters to the polls are also considered assistants and must comply with new rules on compensation. Broadway said she has heard concerns from nursing home employees who provide transportation to polling places.

The new legislation also limits any kind of voter assistance to reading the ballot to the voter, directing the voter to read the ballot, marking the voters ballot, or directing the voter to mark the ballot. But voters with intellectual and developmental disabilities might need additional help, such as gestures or reminders about how they had intended to vote, to get through the process, Broadway said.

Broadway has instructed those providing assistance to sign the expanded oath, inform poll workers about the help theyre providing to the voter and reach out to county election offices and request additional accommodations when necessary.

If an assistant appears to be breaching the new rules, poll watchers have been instructed to inform their countys election administration office. Upon reviewing the case, election administrators may reach out to authorities to investigate the case.

If theres evidence that an assistant was paid for their services, Potter County elections administrator Melynn Huntley said she would need to refer the case to the attorney general.

We gather screenshots or copies of the actual papers that may have been signed or not signed, and then we submit them to the appropriate enforcement authority, Huntley explained.

Brazoria County election director Lisa Mujica said her office has trained clerks around the new regulations for voter assistance. If an assistant appears to be violating the rules, clerks are instructed to step in and educate them about the limitations of their role.

But Chase Bearden, the deputy executive director at the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, said thats part of the problem: Inadequate state guidance has created confusion among voters and leaves the responsibility of determining what may constitute a violation to election workers.

At the end of the day, we arent sure how this is going to play out, Bearden said. Were kind of in the dark and are hoping that most election workers will be fair and want to make sure that people get the assistance they need.

The Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, Disability Rights Texas and other disability rights groups have said they have received little guidance from the secretary of state, which oversees elections, about the steps voters with disabilities should take if they need assistance that conflicts with the regulations established in the new rules.

The secretary of states office did not immediately respond to The Texas Tribunes request for comment.

Broadway, of Disability Rights Texas, said she has seen more hesitation among Texans to assist voters with disabilities at the polling station than in previous years.

Its really giving people second thoughts about whether they want to put themselves on the line of being seen as committing voter fraud, Broadway said.

Disability rights advocates also said they have already seen how other new rules have deterred folks from voting  particularly restrictions on voting by mail, which many voters with disabilities use. Already, counties are reporting that hundreds of mail-in ballots are being initially rejected because of new identification requirements under the new voting laws.

Turnout among voters with disabilities has increased in recent years, but disability rights advocates fear the new restrictions could undermine those gains.

Bob Kafka of Rev Up Texas, a grassroots organization focused on increasing participation among voters with disabilities, called the new restrictions chilling.

In their ignorance of the fact that there is a disability vote, what they did will have a dramatic effect just by the nature of who uses mail-in ballot and who uses assistance, Kafka said.

Disclosure: Coalition of Texans with Disabilities has been a financial supporter of the Texas Tribune. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
A military maxim I quickly learned was that you should never reinforce failure. Better to retreat and cut your losses than to throw good money after bad  or good troops into a failed position. This is Military Common Sense 101, right up there with wisdom such as: You can do most anything with a bayonet except sit on it. So why does the U.S. government persist in reinforcing failure? Why does it seem to relish opportunities to sit on a bayonet, time and time again?

Think about the Vietnam War. The Japanese failed to defeat Ho Chi Minh and his nationalist communist forces during World War II; the French then disastrously failed at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Youd think the U.S. government would learn something from those failures, but no: The U.S. military would succeed where others had failed. And, of course, our government proceeded during the 1960s to fail as well at immense cost, mainly because victory in Vietnam was not achievable by any foreign military at any reasonable price.

Think about the Afghan War. A common expression is that Afghanistan is the graveyard of empires. Its an inhospitable land filled with tough and independent-minded people with little patience for outsiders. The British Empire learned its lesson there in the 19th century; the Soviet Union had a miserable war of failure there at the end of the 20th century. But, heck, forget about all that  or so the U.S. government seems to have said. We can have our own miserable war of failure there to start the 21st century in style. And so we did.

Now we have posturing over Russia and Ukraine. Theres nothing less promising than a war in Russia in the winter; just ask Napoleon and Hitler, who had the best militaries of their day but who nevertheless were fed humble pie by Russia. Yet somehow the U.S. government believes its a good idea to stoke up a conflict while sending troops, weapons and trainers to the area. That sounds like a winning scenario, doesnt it? Based on Napoleon and Hitler and their experiences, Id say its best to leave the Russians alone, especially on their home turf. Again, that would seem to be Military Common Sense 101, right up there with Dont fight a land war in Asia.

Avoiding a wider land war in Europe is also wise policy, one that shouldnt be confused with appeasement; a border dispute between Russia and Ukraine shouldnt be allowed to morph into something far more dangerous. So far, the Biden administrations policy of economic sanctions, weapons shipments, troop deployments and harsh rhetoric has only succeeded in elevating tensions. Doubling down on that same policy may yet prove to be another painful example of the U.S. governments propensity for reinforcing failure.

Viewed as a collective, the U.S. government/military is so prone to reinforcing failure that one might assume its in its corporate DNA, with an emphasis on corporate as in business/profits. Long wars, even failing ones, are always successes for somebody. Just look at the Pentagons soaring budget and the soaring profits of Americas weapons makers. Yet another clear problem is hubris, the idea the U.S. military is the finest fighting force  ever  and can win where others have lost and lost badly. Well, pride goeth before destruction, as the Good Book says.

Perhaps the U.S. military should focus on winning wars, and winning them quickly? And recall that the best way of winning, according to the military theorist Sun Tzu, is to achieve your objectives without having to fight at all.

In 1993, Madeleine Albright infamously asked Gen. Colin Powell what good it was having the worlds greatest military when youre ever so reluctant to use it. We should turn that snide query on its head and ask instead: What good is it to always use this great military on hopeless causes in which it predictably and inevitably fails, and at immense cost?

As we mull that question over, can we finally stop reinforcing failure  please?

William J. Astore, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and professor of history, is a senior fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network.
Mehmet Oz, David McCormick and Carla Sands want voters to believe they can represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate despite the fact theyve lived elsewhere until recently.

How can we have faith when they wont even show up for a debate?

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The trio blew off a Republican debate Monday night at Villanova University. All that does is cement their carpetbagger status. Its hard to take them seriously as candidates when they refuse to debate.

Oz, McCormick and Sands are considered front-runners in the race for the Republican nomination in the May primary. They need to start acting like it and show the public what theyve got.

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Its not unheard of for candidates to skip a debate. They try to be careful about what they say, and answering questions without a script can be a minefield. So they bow out and figure people will forget they chickened out.

[ Dr. Oz for U.S. Senate? Pennsylvania doesnt need carpetbaggers like him ]

Oz did not show up at Villanova because of a scheduling conflict and McCormick bailed after learning Oz wouldnt be there, City & State Pennsylvania reported.

Sands backed out because not all of the candidates were going to show, PennLive reported.

Mehmet Oz, the former host of "The Dr. Oz Show," kisses his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Thats a weak excuse.

Four of the seven GOP candidates  Jeff Bartos, Kathy Barnette, George Bochetto and Everett Stern  attended. There was plenty of debate to be had.

Sands, McCormick and Oz have the most to prove to Pennsylvania voters. They must prove they can represent the commonwealth. They must show they can relate to its citizens, that they understand the issues.

They blew a big opportunity, for the second time.

The trio also did not attend a candidates forum in western Pennsylvania last month.

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Youd think they would want to talk about issues, so people would stop talking about their address.

Oz was raised in Delaware and lived in New Jersey until registering to vote in Pennsylvania in December 2020, at the Bryn Athyn home he is renting from his in-laws, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. His attended the University of Pennsylvania and married a Pennsylvania girl, but thats not what Id call deep roots.

McCormick was born near Pittsburgh and raised in Bloomsburg. He worked in Connecticut as CEO of a hedge fund before moving to Pittsburgh recently.

Sands also is a Pennsylvania native. She was raised in Cumberland County and lived in California for several decades.

Theyve all decided that Pennsylvania is the place to live now, of course, because of the wide-open Senate race. Its rare for an incumbent not to be running. Republican Pat Toomey of Lehigh County is giving up the seat to retire at the end of the year.

There are no residency requirements to run for Senate. You can live anywhere in the country. The Constitution requires only that you be a resident of a state when elected.

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If they arent elected, where will they live then? Keep an eye on that. That will tell you more than you might have learned from them had they appeared at Mondays debate.

Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com

[ Dr. Oz takes Senate campaign to the Lehigh Valley, and gives a shoutout to a popular area diner ]
Gov. Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star subjects members of the Texas National Guard to serious abuse.

The National Guard is a professional force designed to be a strategic reserve. Unique to the National Guard are state emergency missions. While we support the general mission of securing the states border with Mexico, we are concerned about the damage being done to the Texas National Guard.

Those soldiers are clearly not being supported. In a typical activation of National Guard troops, the soldiers would have passed through a U.S. Army post. At that post, they would have been in-processed for pay, clothing and gear. The current guardsmen have had a very high percentage of pay problems. According to one report, there were more than 1,330 pay problems out of some 6,500 soldiers activated  or 20 percent.

Even worse, its been reported four soldiers committed suicide. Two of them had clearly experienced problems with hardship waivers. Prior to October 2021, the decision to excuse a soldier from drill or activation was made at the company level, which meant the person making a critical decision about the guardsman and his/her family was made by someone who knew that soldier well.

But starting in October, the Texas Guard elevated that decision to the deputy division commander, meaning a critical forever decision is made by someone who has never met the soldier. Clearly, elevating the decision made it harder to obtain a waiver.

As a commander, I (Thomas J. Crane) made that sort of decision all the time. If I did not know a soldier, I asked the sergeants who knew the soldier. For a good soldier, we always found a way to help. Those sorts of decisions must be based on personal knowledge. Any decision not based on personal knowledge is not, as we say in the Army, taking care of soldiers.

Pfc. Joshua Cortez and 1st Sgt. John Kenny Crutcher committed suicide after having trouble obtaining or keeping hardship waivers. Cortez was denied a waiver after he was offered a civilian lifetime job. He missed the first opportunity for that lifetime job due to a prior activation for a flood. In my (Cranes) 28 years, never  not once  did any Guard commander deny soldiers the chance at bettering themselves in a civilian job. Why? As we often said in the Guard, the civilian job comes first, unless there was a war. Otherwise, we would lose a great many soldiers. The better soldiers also tend to have the better civilian jobs.

But the border mission is not a war. Unlike deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan, there is no requirement for a certain number of personnel. There is no reason why Operation Lone Star needed Cortez. The troops would still deploy without him. They would still perform their assigned mission.

Taking care of soldiers has been an Army motto for decades. Soldiers need to know they will be listened to when special needs arise. Unlike what you see in the movies, each soldier is unique. Each soldier is  or should be  listened to. As we often say in the Army, we are in the people business.

Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris, the Texas adjutant general, is not listening to or supporting her soldiers. Many guardsmen on the border still have not received cold weather gear. There are no toilet facilities for many of the guardsmen when they are on duty. The guardsmen lack Kevlar body armor and helmets. The National Guard is not set up to have large stocks of personal equipment. Not having in-processed through an Army post, guardsmen lack essential equipment.

The National Guard is a precious resource. If we abuse our young guardsmen, they will leave and not come back.

Thomas J. Crane is a retired lieutenant colonel who served 28 years in the Texas National Guard and Army Reserve with one tour in Iraq. David Carpentier, retired command sergeant major, served 31 years in the Army and the Texas Army National Guard.


Saudi Arabian low cost carrier Flynas is planning to expand its operations in the former Yugoslavia with Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia all being markets of interest for the budget airline. Flynas is already in advanced talks with operator Airports of Montenegro over the introduction of flights from Riyadh to both Podgorica and Tivat. Initial contact between the two was made back in 2019. Following two months of through negotiations, we will welcome the renowned Saudi Arabian airline Flynas and, thus, open up Montenegro to a market of around 35 million people, the member of the Board of Directors of Airports of Montenegro, Eldin Dobardzic, said. The low cost carrier is expected to operate a promotional flight to Montenegro next month, after which scheduled services are expected to begin during the coming summer season. Saudi Arabian low cost carrier Flynas is planning to expand its operations in the former Yugoslavia with Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia all being markets of interest for the budget airline. Flynas is already in advanced talks with operator Airports of Montenegro over the introduction of flights from Riyadh to both Podgorica and Tivat. Initial contact between the two was made back in 2019. Following two months of through negotiations, we will welcome the renowned Saudi Arabian airline Flynas and, thus, open up Montenegro to a market of around 35 million people, the member of the Board of Directors of Airports of Montenegro, Eldin Dobardzic, said. The low cost carrier is expected to operate a promotional flight to Montenegro next month, after which scheduled services are expected to begin during the coming summer season.





Flynas commenced operations to the region in 2019 by introducing services from Riyadh and Jeddah to Sarajevo. Last year, the low cost airline maintained a series of charter flights between Riyadh and Belgrade to cater for Indian workers undergoing quarantine in Serbia prior to entering the Kingdom. Two weeks ago, Serbias Foreign Minister held talks with Saudi Arabias non-residential Ambassador to the country, where the two discussed the potential introduction of flights between the two states, as well as the possibility of relaxing visa requirements. Last week, the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, met with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, where the two expressed their readiness to boost cooperation in tourism and organise a Croatian - Saudi business forum. Saudi carriers have expressed interest in serving the Croatian coast.





Flynas has announced a handful of new European destinations this coming summer, including Moscow, Prague, Mykonos and Santorini. In addition to Montenegro, more new routes are expected to be announced in the coming months. Established in 2007, Flynas is Saudi Arabias first low cost carrier. It currently connects more than seventy domestic and international destinations, through its fleet of forty Airbus A320 and A320neo aircraft. It has orders for a further 67 A320neos. The airline maintains over 1.200 weekly flights and has carried more than 55 million passengers since its launch. Other than Sarajevo, the carrier also serves Tirana in the region.




H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

After recording one of the lowest COVID positivity rates in months, Connecticut saw a slight bump on Tuesday, while hospitalizations remained flat.

On Tuesday, Connecticut reported a positivity rate of 3.51 percent with 338 new cases among 9,618 tests, figures show. While the positivity rate rose slightly from 2.97 percent reported Monday, it was still one of the lowest rates since before the omicron variant arrived in Connecticut in December.
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EASTON  A second-grade class at Samuel Staples Elementary School is learning sign language as a way to hone their empathy and show people that everyone is welcome.

Hannah Haydu, who teaches second grade there, said the project came out of a desire to increase the emphasis on social-emotional learning.

This year, it hit me that this group never experienced a normal school year, she said. COVID-19 hit when they were in kindergarten. Coming in, I just wanted to do a lot with social-emotional learning.

In line with that effort, Haydu said she started teaching her students about a new trait every month. She said this includes attributes such as kindness and friendship, with each one having a project associated with it.

For kindness, we went around the school and put secret notes on doors, she said. For another one, we sent letters to soldiers in Africa.

When empathy came, Haydu said she decided to spend two months on the trait, because of how important it is for people to have and because it takes time to practice and learn empathy. She said the class started by learning the American Sign Language alphabet.

Haydu said the class also learned how to say welcome and the Pledge of Allegiance. When the class started reading the book, All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold, one student pointed out that they were using empathy through their work learning sign language.

It was a huge class discussion, she said. So I said, What if we signed the book as we were reading it?

Haydu said Jennifer Del Conte, the director of special services for the Easton and Redding school districts, came in to class and gave them sign language lessons, noting she is a member of the deaf community.

It was such an amazing experience for them, Haydu said. They were asking questions like, How did you learn to sign? How do the masks help you or hurt you from being able to understand people?

Haydu said the class learned the book little by little, with each student leading the narration of his or her own part and the rest of the class signing it with them. Eventually, she said, the class made a video of students narrating the book in ASL. She said it built a sense of community in the classroom in a way she never would have imaged.

Its so fun, because Im learning with them, she said. I think its nice for them to see too because its usually me teaching them.

While the students take Spanish twice a week, Haydu said learning ASL helped them understand another perspective. She said her students found it very eye opening, adding they realized the importance of communicating with all people.

We kind of talked a little bit about diversity, and how diversity can be more than just skin color, she said. Its different cultures and different languages.

Haydu said the video of the students reading the book in sign language impressed parents and district officials. Moving forward, she said, she wants to continue incorporating sign language in her lessons, and suggested the class might make a video to teach the entire school how to sign the Pledge of Allegiance.

Ava Faustini, a student in Haydus class, said everyone should be and feel included in school, no matter how they communicate. She said she enjoyed learning ASL.

It was hard, but it was actually a lot of fun learning, she said.

Anna Gemski, another student in class, said it is not important how someone looks, they should always be included. Both students said they felt accomplished for completing the project and learning a new way to talk to people, with each saying they plan on continuing to use ASL.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
CT State Police / Contributed

FAIRFIELD  A Westport police officer on his way in to work Wednesday morning helped an individual struggling with a mental health crisis on a Merritt Parkway overpass, according to police.

At about 6:45 a.m., the officer was driving through Fairfield on his way to work when he saw an individual preparing to jump off the Redding Road overpass onto the Merritt Parkway below, Westport Police Lt. David Wolf said.
Burley, ID (83318)

Today

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 37F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 37F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Lets face it. The biggest news in the world these days is not that Argentina finally got some rain. It is the incursion of Russian armored troops into eastern Ukraine. Every news report starts with the 21st-century version of Sudetenland, and we in the grain business have to think about how it affects our prices.

As Europe wound up toward war in the last century, and the Europeans tried to appease their way out of it, great Britains Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain came back from a conference proclaiming, Peace in our time! Shortly thereafter, Europe entered into the worst war in history.

Hitler, on the pretense that Austria was Germanic, had invaded it in March of 1938, and conquered it quickly. On the pretense that what we came to know as Czechoslovakia was populated by Germanic peoples, he took over Sudetenland, which had an ethnic German population, in September of 1938, then looked around and took over the rest of the region.

Chamberlain and the French Premier agreed to this in a meeting that notably excluded any representative of the Czechoslovakians.

Now, we have Putin saying that the people of eastern Ukraine are actually Russian, and want to unify with Russia  same argument, different century.

For our purposes, we wonder what this does to the price of grain. That does not matter as much as peace does to Ukraine, but its what we care about if we are honest. How does this affect me? What is in the best interest of the United States?

Political uncertainty

In general, political uncertainty and, ultimately, war, is a disruption to trade. Anything that disrupts trade adds costs to the products being traded. It is sometimes hard to see direct connections, but psychology is one of the unknown adding costs to the known.

In the case of Ukraine, there is the possibility that grain production and exports will be hindered, and Ukraine is one of the great grain production areas of the world.

Ukrainian wheat gets exported through Crimea to the Black Sea. These ports, since the Obama administration, have been in the control of the Russians. They have lusted after a warm water port for the entire history of Russia, and in our time, they got one.

It remains to be seen how far the Russians will go and what disruptions will ensue. However, uncertainty is the fuel for prices on the Chicago Board of Trade.

As events unwind, we could see this as a means of maintaining a rally that was running out of steam, or it could escalate into a rally of its own.

If events cool off, the markets may overreact, and we could end up with worse prices than we otherwise would have had.

South America

This geopolitical excitement comes as the South American crops seem to be getting enough rain to stabilize after significant losses.

Early last week, prices fell as the market absorbed the reality that was already being traded, that the South American crop was reduced by drought.

We got actual numbers to trade, both from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Brazilian estimates. The USDA did not reduce the crop as much as the Brazilians did.

Later in the week, we rallied back to see March soybeans settle above $16, a big benchmark. We finished the week up 1812 cents on the March contract and made a new contract high in the new crop. In the process, we finished the week with the November contract up 1934 cents.

The corn market, meanwhile, was up 312 cents nearby, and the new crop was up three cents. In the process, the December futures traded within a fraction of a cent of $6, another huge benchmark.

The negative news was shrugged off. Yes, the ethanol values have cut margins in the business some more. Yes, the Chinese canceled small contracts of corn, but overall, the Chinese exports are still encouraging the idea that we will exceed the USDA export estimates.

So, we trade fundamentals, guesses that are mainly encouraging to prices, and political news that could be all over the board. Stay tuned, and stay close to the markets.
COLUMBUS  Ohio Farm Bureau leaders gathered in Columbus Feb. 16 to discuss legislative priorities with their elected officials and also to look ahead to judicial races that could affect Ohios agricultural future.

This years Farm Bureau Ag Day at the Capital drew in about 350 members from across the state.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy, who is a candidate for chief justice, spoke to the group on the role of the court system in interpreting the states laws. Even though legislators are responsible for making laws, court rulings on those laws determine how they are carried out, she said.

Do research

Court rulings on eminent domain and other property rights issue are particularly important for those in the ag community. Voters dont always give as much attention to judicial elections as they do to executive and legislative races, Kennedy added.

She urged farmers to research judicial candidates and select those who will interpret laws as they are written rather than trying to change laws through judicial activism.

Judicial rulings affect the issues Americans are most concerned about, including personal freedoms and community safety, she said, The fate of Ohio is in your hands.

Two other members of the Ohio Supreme Court, Patrick Fischer and Pat DeWine, also addressed the farm bureau members during a panel discussion on the role of the court system in agriculture. Fischer told the group he opposes legislating from the bench because it makes the law unpredictable.

Businesses such as farms can adapt if they know what the law is, he explained.

DeWine agreed, adding that one of the reasons doing business can be difficult in developing countries is that laws are not clear or consistently applied.

Party designations

Voters will notice a change on their ballots for judicial races in 2022. A bill signed into law last summer changes Ohios ballot rules, so now political party designations will be listed on ballots for Ohio Supreme Court and appellate court races. The change gives voters more information to use in making their decisions.

We ought to err on the side of transparency, DeWine said.

In the past, judicial races have shown 20-30% lower vote counts than other races in the same election, Fischer said.

Some people skip over those races because they dont know much about the candidates.

Getting more and more people to care about judges is a good thing, he said.

He encouraged voters to do their research ahead of judicial elections. Judges cant comment on pending cases, but people can look at court rulings to see how theyve ruled in previous cases.

You know more about what we think than anybody in the legislative branch because its all in writing, he said. Fischer also suggested that people talk with friends who are lawyers to find out more about judicial candidates. Another source he recommended is the website, judicialvotescount.com.

Legislative priorities

In addition to hearing from Supreme Court justices, farm bureau members met at the Statehouse with their legislators or legislative staff members. During those meetings, they reviewed farm bureaus priority issues for 2022, including protecting landowner rights, strengthening the food supply chain, supporting the next generation of farmers, providing broadband connectivity throughout the state and investing in responsible land management practices.

Bill Patterson, president of the Ohio Farm Bureau, stressed the importance of the face-to-face meetings with lawmakers. But farmers also need to keep in touch with their senators and representatives throughout the year.

We need to continue to have these conversations so the message is reinforced and updated, he said.
AHDB will by flying the flag for British red meat at one of Asias largest food and drink exhibitions in Japan next month.

The Foodex trade show is returning on 8 March, and the four-day event in Tokyo is expected to attract around 3,000 exhibitors and thousands of buyers from around Japan.

Now in its 47th year, Foodex Japan has become one of the most important events for UK red meat exporters.

It is seen as a chance to promote red meat from the UK to key influencers and seize the lucrative opportunities of the Japanese market.

Japan is proving to be a valuable export market for the UK, with pork shipments last year valued at almost 3.7 million  up 76 per cent compared to 2020.

In only the second full year of access to the Japanese market, UK beef exports were up 48 per cent in volume, adding over 9.7 million to the sector.

With a population of 125 million, Japan is the eleventh biggest country in the world and the third biggest economy.

But due to insufficient agricultural land to feed its population, it relies on imports for around 60 per cent of the food it consumes.

While restrictions on international travel prevents AHDBs export team from attending in person, staff from the British Embassy and AHDBs Tokyo-based agents will be managing the stand and hosting key trade visitors to promote UK products.

AHDBs Head of Asia Pacific Jonathan Eckley said: While we are disappointed to not be able to attend Foodex this year, we are delighted that AHDB will once again have a presence at this hugely important show.

Foodex Japan is a chance for us to showcase high quality pork, beef and lamb products from the UK to important supply chain stakeholders and strengthen our connections in the Japanese and wider Asian marketplace."

He added: "Japan is a significant global meat importer of both pork and beef, as domestic production has been unable to meet demand.

"It is therefore important, even when travel is not possible, that we continue to look for opportunities to build on our export figures even further and help our farmers benefit from this potentially lucrative market in the future.
Farmers will receive fully-funded annual vet visits and grants to improve conditions for livestock as part of new government reforms announced at the NFU Conference.

During his speech at the conference on Tuesday (22 February), Defra Secretary George Eustice outlined his vision for the future of the UK's livestock sectors.

He set out plans for the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway  a programme of financial support for farmers in the pig, cattle, sheep and poultry sectors.

These include measures such as reducing mastitis and lameness in dairy cattle, improving biosecurity to control pig diseases endemic to the UK and improving the feather cover of laying hens.

To help sectors make these improvements, the government will launch Animal Health and Welfare Grants within the next year.

These will fund investments such as equipment and technology or larger projects like upgrading housing for dairy cattle to deliver improvements in lameness, cow comfort and calf mortality.

Mr Eustice said the government will initially offer cattle, sheep and pig farmers who are eligible for BPS funding for an annual visit from a vet of their choice to carry out diagnostic testing, review biosecurity and responsible use of medicines, and provide advice relating to the health and welfare of their animals.

These visits will launch later this year and the offer will be further extended over time to other types of livestock farmers, he told attendees at the NFU Conference.

The reforms will also include a disease eradication and control programme. This will allow farmers to apply for financial support to enable them to take measures to prevent and reduce endemic diseases affecting livestock such as veterinary advice, vaccination, or improvements to on-farm management.

Mr Eustice said the government plans to trial a payment by results programme. This would mean rewarding farmers who can demonstrate high animal health and welfare outcomes, such as those such as those who provide their animals ample space and enrichment so they can better express their natural behaviours.

He said: The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is for those farmers who are in pursuit of higher profitability through better health outcomes, and it starts with an annual vet visit.

Farmers will be able to have a vet of their choice, the family vet that they trust, and the government will pay. That vet will be able to help the farmer put together a plan for improved animal health and improved profitability on their livestock holding.

What is included in the vet visits?

The fully-funded annual vet visits will include two to three hours of farmer and vet time to look at the health and welfare of their animals, including biosecurity and responsible use of medicines.

The farmer will receive a report from the vet, which will include some achievable actions the farmer can take to improve health and welfare  this will not be shared with the government.

Each review will be bespoke. The farmer and vet will decide how to prioritise their time. It will also involve testing: Cattle: BVD; Sheep: Drench Test; Pigs: PRRS.

It will be a cash payment and farmers will be responsible for agreeing a rate with their vet . The payments rates will be: pigs - 684; sheep - 436; beef cattle - 522; dairy cattle - 372.
The UKs veterinary workforce crisis is deepening as EU registrant numbers drop by over two-thirds since Brexit, the sector has warned.

Data released by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) reveal that the annual number of registrants coming to work in the UK fell by 68 per cent from 1132 in 2019 to just 364 in 2021.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA), which is the UKs largest membership body for vets, is warning that this drop, due to the end of free movement and the pandemic, could result in wide-ranging direct and knock-on impacts across the sector.

The new figures sit uneasily against separate statistics which demonstrate how demand for veterinary certification of animal products for export to the EU has rocketed in the face of new post-Brexit requirements.

Data from the UKs Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) suggest that applications for food-related export health certificates (products of animal origin and livestock) spiralled by 1255% from 2020 (22,990 in total) to the end of 2021 (288,558).

However, this is likely to be an underestimate of the extra workload for vets as the data exclude orders of equine and pet certificates, germplasm and movements to Northern Ireland, as well as cases where multiple certificates are covered in one request.

It also fails to illustrate the total cost to businesses who have to meet the costs underpinning these new requirements.

The UKs veterinary workforce is highly reliant on EU registrants, with RCVS data from 2021 indicating that 29% of the total existing workforce graduated in the EU.

In 2019, RCVS data suggested that nearly half of new registrants (48 per cent) graduated in the EU, compared against 42% graduating in the UK (10% in third countries).

The veterinary profession and the government have been monitoring the situation and introduced measures aimed at mitigating against shortages.

These include modifying language testing requirements, introducing a new certification support officer role to work under the direction of Official Veterinarians, and opening up new vet schools and course places to boost homegrown supply.

However, BVA is warning that there is no single silver bullet solution to solve the issues, which have been exacerbated by multiple impacts of Brexit, Covid and a surge in pet ownership, coupled with longstanding recruitment and retention challenges in the profession.

James Russell, BVA senior vice president, said: The nosedive in EU registrants since Brexit coupled with soaring demand for veterinary certification is creating a storm of shortages in the profession.

"Its absolutely critical that vets get as much support as possible to keep on top of workloads and navigate continued challenges ahead.

We know that the government is alive to the situation, and measures such as more vet school places and better digitisation of the certification process will help to relieve some pressures in the long term.

"Vets are working incredibly hard but its an uphill struggle to comfortably cover all the work currently required. The potential consequences are worrying.

"If we cant find long-term solutions to veterinary workforce shortages we will see impacts on animal welfare, public health, and international trade.
A Welsh livestock and poultry farmer has been honoured at NFU Conference for his dedication and commitment to the NFU and to the farming industry.

This years Meurig Raymond Award  named after the NFUs former President  was last night presented to NFU Cymru member Llyr Jones.

Llyr, who farms at Corwen, Denbighshire, is a member of the NFU Cymru Next Generation Group and regular contributor to local and county meetings and events.

He spearheaded NFU Cymrus media work around COP26 acting as a farmer climate change ambassador and hosted a visit by COP26 President Alok Sharma.

He also produced a series of daily social media videos during Countryside COP week to highlight the sustainable methods he is using on farm.

These include renewable energy  the farm produces its own electricity through a hydro system - and tree planting and peatland projects.

Llyr said: It is a huge surprise but a great honour to win this award. British farmers have a great story to tell. Im very proud of producing fantastic quality food, producing renewable energy and caring for the environment.

As a farmer I have a responsibility to leave my farm to my children in a better state than I inherited it. And thats what I intend to do.

NFU Director General Terry Jones said: From our eight fantastic nominees, Llyr really stood out as the worthy overall winner of this years Meurig Raymond award.

As well as running his own farming business in the hills of North Wales and being an engaged grassroots NFU Cymru member, Llyr is a brilliant advocate for the industry, promoting work on climate change and net zero, as well as regularly hosting local school children to explain the farm to fork story.

Llyrs hard work, dedication and positivity has made him a progressive voice for the farming industry and helped raise the profile of Welsh farmers and what they do best  producing food and caring for the environment.

Llyr Jones, representing NFU Cymru, was selected from eight nominees drawn from each of the NFUs seven English regions and NFU Cymru.

The other nominees were: Freya Morgan (East Anglia), Jake Freestone (West Midlands), Angela Sargent (East Midlands), Tim Lock (South East), Zoe Legg (South West), Richard Betton (North East), Andy Venables (North West).
Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 80F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 52F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.


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Feature: Chinese designers move into spotlight at London Fashion Week

Xinhua) 13:59, February 23, 2022

LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Emerging Chinese designers made a big splash at London Fashion Week by fusing silk embroidery, imperial heritage and faux leathers to change the face of the industry while promoting more diversity and sustainability in the business.

The major clothing trade show, which took place from Feb. 18-22 in a hybrid digital and physical format, is witnessing a new phenomenon: the arrival of an increasing number of Chinese designers and fashion models.

Showcasing her autumn/winter menswear 2022 collection, Ning Yuan, founder of Chinese streetwear brand Ning Dynasty, said she was inspired by imperial history and pop culture.

"I really wanted to combine the luxury element, the travel element, and the party element all in one to create an amazing product that showcases thousands and thousands of years of the history of China. It was really important for me to restore that pride within my ancestry," she told Xinhua before her first-ever runway show.

Using pure silk and digital prints, she founded the brand in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic to bring a Chinese voice to the fashion business.

"We wanted to create a fun, chic yet trendy way to digest imperial culture while making pieces that we can celebrate, we can travel with, we can enjoy music with," said the young Chinese designer.

Known as the "Guochao" or "national wave" trend, China has been witnessing a rise in trendy and homegrown Chinese fashion labels in recent years, which combine traditional and new elements and have turned "Made in China" into "Designed in China."

"For me, the power comes from the diversity. We should be proud to be ourselves," Wang Yuhan, another Chinese designer, told Xinhua in the backstage area while models from all walks of life and nationalities were busy changing their outfits.

Wang established her London-based womenswear brand in 2018 and was awarded the first runner-up of the L'Oreal Young Talent Award in 2016 for her bachelor collection. She has also been shortlisted for the 2020 LVMH prize.

"All the industry and talents have been supporting me. I feel very lucky," Wang said.

Wang presented her "Venus in Furs" collection over the weekend, featuring classic floral jacquards and delicate lace pieces. Wang said more diverse voices from different backgrounds are needed in the industry.

Wang also stressed that sustainability was also at the forefront of her creations and that all cotton used is recycled while the faux leather has been sourced by a local supplier and reused.

Meanwhile, Ning Dynasty's Yuan emphasized that the time had finally come for young Chinese designers to showcase their skills on Western catwalks and to the world, too.

However, while Chinese designer brands are enjoying increased global recognition and a surge in sales, there is still a long road to travel before becoming household names in the West.

A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Textiles and Fashion last July showed that 75.4 percent of participants in Britain believe that the fashion industry does not represent a spectrum of diverse bodies and identities, while 87.5 percent said they did not feel represented in advertising campaigns, fashion shoots and on the catwalk.

"It has been hard to make it to here, but now Chinese people can really own that pride, to actually create a brand and showcase their talent and be part of the London Fashion Week system," Yuan said. "I'm really proud and I'm really happy to see so many representatives."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
: digua (FAN), : GunsAndGears

 : Father ordering son, 4, to shoot at officers

: BBS  (Tue Feb 22 21:56:19 2022, )







http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/father-arrested-ordering-son-4-shoot-officers-mcdonalds-drive-thru-pol-rcna17130



Father arrested after ordering son, 4, to shoot at officers in McDonald's

drive-thru, police say



A man was arrested Monday after ordering his 4-year-old son to shoot at Utah

police officers in a McDonald's drive-thru during an incident that began

over an incorrect order, police said.



The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake said in a statement that

officers were called to a McDonald's in Midvale, a city in Salt Lake County,

at around 1:30 p.m. following a report of a man brandishing a firearm at

employees after receiving a wrong order.



Police said employees asked the man to pull over to the front of the store

while they corrected the order. During this time, they also put in a call to

police.



When officers arrived on the scene, they issued several verbal commands

ordering the man to exit the vehicle, but he did not cooperate, police said.



Officers then opened the vehicle's door and pulled the man from the car,

they said.



While taking the father into custody, an officer turned back toward the

vehicle and saw a gun pointing out from the rear window, the department said

. After alerting other law enforcement, the officer swiped the gun to the

side as a round was fired from the weapon.



According to police, the weapon was fired by a 4-year-old child sitting in

the back seat of the car with a 3-year-old sibling.



During the course of the investigation, police said they learned that the

father had instructed the child to fire at police. They said the man was

still in custody as of Monday.



The officer received a minor injury to his arm, but no other injuries were

reported.



In a statement on Monday, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said it was

a "sad day for law enforcement and our community."



"To have an adult think it is okay to encourage a four-year-old to pull a

firearm and shoot at police illustrates how out of hand the campaign against

police has gotten," the sheriff said.



"This needs to stop and we need to come together as a community to find

solutions to the challenges we face in our neighborhoods," Rivera continued.

"Officers are here to protect and serve and we are beyond belief that

something like could happen.



Police said an investigation into the incident was still underway.







--

 :digua  Feb 22 21:57:44 2022 [FROM: 73.]

 :WWW  mitbbs.com [FROM: 73.]


When you visit Turkey you are certain to notice that the men always seem to have a string of beads in their hands.

They come in different lengths and colours, some are plain and simple in design and some more lavish and expensive looking. The one thing they have in common is they appear to be an extension of the hand of those who hold them. But what are they?

Tesbih  Islamic prayer beads.

Many religions including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Sikhism have traditions of prayer beads, from mala for Buddhists to rosaries for Catholics.

In Islam, the Tesbih, Tasbih or Misbaha are used to mark repetitions of prayers or other ritual recitations.

Muslims generally use tesbih with 99 beads, which symbolize the 99 names of Allah, while Buddhists mala has 108 beads.

A tesbih with 99 beads, which symbolize the 99 names of Allah

The Tasbih of Fatima is a prayer offered as a gift by the Prophet Muhammad to his daughter Fatima, which is recited as follows: 34 times Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest), 33 times Al-hamdu lilah (Praise be to God), and 33 times Subhan Allah (Glory be to God). This prayer is recited after the daily 5 ritual prayers.

Muslims place their finger and thumb over each bead as they count. If they are using a smaller, nowadays more common, tesbih with 33 beads, they are counted three times over.

Companions that relieve stress

Tesbih, also known as worry beads, are also often used to relieve stress. The way you let the beads slip through your fingers has a rhythmic yet calming effect.

Its quite usual to see groups of Turkish men sitting around talking and slipping their tesbih through their fingers. Photograph courtesy of Batman Cagdas

Materials used to make prayer beads vary. They can be crafted from wood, bone, amber, gold, silver or many kinds of precious stones.

According to craftsmen, amber, which is fossilized tree resin, is one of the preferred materials as some believe it has healing properties and people warm to its orange color and soft surface.

Amber resin tesbih

If users want to relieve stress, it is recommended to use a tesbih made of ebony. Beads made of agarwood are also popular because of its pleasant aroma.

Ebony tesbih prayer beads are recommended for relieving stress. (Pinterest)

How Tesbih are made

Tesbih beads are made using a small lathe, simple but capable of the extremely fine adjustments required for such tiny objects. These lathes are generally made by the craftsmen themselves.

Each piece of the chosen material is first pierced and then cut into the desired shape: spherical, pyriform, oval, flattened spheres, or faceted.

Oval faceted ruby tesbih. Photograph courtesy of SwanCollection

For a 99-bead tesbih the craftsmen makes 110-120 beads, and then choose those that match best, saving the remainder for making 33-bead tesbihs.

Drilling the holes through them is one of the most difficult parts, the finer the hole, the more skill being required.

Then he makes the other parts: the nisane, a disc that marks each 33 beads, the pul, a tiny bead marking the seventh position, the imame, which is a long piece marking the beginning of the string, and the tepelik at the extremity of the imame.

A small socket is gouged in the imame to conceal the knot of the string. All these pieces must also match.

Although the best tesbih have beads of equal size, some have beads graduated in size, threaded from largest to smallest. In the past, they were always strung on silk thread, but today nylon thread dyed to the correct colour is sometimes used instead.

Turkish man making tesbih prayer beads (Pinterest)

Finally, the beads may be fitted with bands, engraved with inscriptions, and otherwise decorated, before being strung together, and a tassel attached.

To complete one hand-made tesbih takes at least three days. It may take months to finish some models.

Tesbih craftsmen will tell you that during this process, their psychology or mood is crucial. The thing that makes them special is their makers love and the importance that they put into them.

As the process demands so much patience, the number of craftsmen is less compared to 50 years ago, but many continue to maintain the business preferring the handcrafted tesbih to the cheap plastic versions on sale.

Perhaps surprisingly, some of the most precious tesbihs are the simplest, the least eye-catching as the tesbih is not supposed to be used as jewellery but rather as a life companion.

If youre looking for a meaningful gift for a loved one, why not treat them to a handcrafted tesbih.

Sources: Wikipedia/aa.com.tr/Turkish Cultural Foundation
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Ronit Roy has stated that there was a point when producers refused to work with him and even suggested that working with younger artists would be preferable. People used to say such things about Ronit before his TV career, when he had delivered several flop films, according to a new interview. Ronit made his successful acting debut in the 1992 film Jaan Tere Naam, which lasted 25 weeks in theatres. However, the triumph of the debut was short-lived. He appeared in a number of films, although none of them was commercially successful. In the early 2000s, he resurfaced on television with Ekta Kapoor's sitcom Kasautii Zindagii Kay. According to Ronit, who spoke to News18, "People used to say (bad) things. A producer had said that it is better to work with a junior artist than to work with me. People say such things when you are a flop. The same people who talked like this then, are now appreciating my work."

When Ronit was asked if they came back to him later, he responded yes, but he refused to work with them. Maine isliye nahi mana kiya ke unhone mere baare meinmain yaad rakhta hu par maaf karta hu. Woh jo picture lekar aaye thay usmein na mere role mein dum tha na mere picture mein dum tha (I didnt refuse becauseI remember everything but forgive. I refused because the roles they offered were not good enough, same with their movies)."

Ronit Roy, who was most recently seen in the web series Candy starring Richa Chadha, is slated to return to television with the forthcoming show Swaran Ghar. This will be his first significant television appearance since 2016 when he appeared in Adaalat 2 as a lawyer. Sangita Ghosh will also play the lead in the upcoming series.
Sheetal Thakur, who married Vikrant Massey in an intimate ceremony a few days ago, has revealed new photos from her wedding festivities. Sheetal published a series of photos of herself dressed as a traditional Himachali bride at a pre-wedding celebration on her Instagram account on Tuesday. In photographs that appeared to be from her chooda ceremony, the Shukranu actress was clothed in a brilliant crimson outfit with golden embroidery. She also wore a large gold nose ring, as is customary for Himachali brides. The photos showed her family's women assisting her in putting on the crimson chooda in preparation for her wedding. Sheetal was also spotted wearing silver anklets and kaleeras as part of the rites.

Yami Gautam, who made news with her basic Himachali wedding look at her wedding to filmmaker Aditya Dhar in June last year, praised fellow Himachali bride Sheetal in the comments section. "gorgeous." wrote the Uri actor.

"Sundari (beautiful)," actor Sumona Chakravarti added. Sumona had previously posted behind-the-scenes photos from Vikrant and Sheetal's low-key wedding on Instagram, dubbing the bride her "choti bahu."

"Love is Stronger than you imagine. Keep fighting for this magical feeling. Couldnt be happier for the two of u. Congratulations Mentals. Mr & Mrs, finally! I love u @vikrantmassey @sheetalthakur Officially my choti bahu now," She penned down.





View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheetal Vikrant Massey (@sheetalthakur)





In November 2019, Vikrant and Sheetal, who met on the web show Broken But Beautiful, were engaged in a roka ceremony in front of close family and friends. They had planned to marry in 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic forced them to postpone their plans. They just moved into their seaside house a few weeks ago and married on February 18 after seven years together.
Trading Symbol

LSE: AYM

17thFebruary 2022

Anglesey Mining plc

("Anglesey" or "the Company")

Operations and Corporate Update

Anglesey Mining plc (LSE:AYM), the UK minerals development company, is pleased to provide an operations and corporate update regarding the current work programmes ongoing at both its Parys Mountain Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au VMS project on the Isle of Anglesey in North West Wales, its Grangesberg iron ore project in Sweden and the recent announcement proposing to move the Company's listing to AIM.

Progress in all areas has been good and the Board believes the proposed move to AIM will be beneficial to all shareholders.

Jo Battershill, Chief Executive of Anglesey Mining, commented: "Good progress has been made at Parys Mountain over the last 3 months and drilling is going well. The logging shed is now operational and drill core samples will be submitted to the assay laboratory this month. The assay results will feed directly into the metallurgical testwork programme, which will take several months to complete. The environmental and tailings work programmes are both critical to the permitting requirements for restarting operations at Parys Mountain, subsequently we would expect to see activity levels start to increase as we receive feedback from the North Wales Mineral and Waste Planning Services.

With respect to Grangesberg, we were targeting receipt of the initial results from the study internally before the end of the March quarter, although this timeline will ultimately be dependent on our consultants getting to site. However, the current iron ore price, now back around the US$140 per tonne level, provides a very strong backdrop for the Grangesberg Project.

The proposed move to AIM will ultimately provide Anglesey Mining with greater flexibility over corporate transactions, including funding. The AIM market has an established reputation for growth companies and provides potential tax benefits to investors."

Parys Mountain Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au Project

Infill drilling of the White Rock and Engine Zone deposits continues with four of the nine planned holes now finished and the fifth hole nearing completion. We anticipate the current programme to be completed towards the end of March.

and Engine Zone deposits continues with four of the nine planned holes now finished and the fifth hole nearing completion. We anticipate the current programme to be completed towards the end of March. Site work on the existing mine buildings has also continued with the core logging and sampling shed now operational, which has allowed geological logging of the drill core to commence.

Core samples will be sent to the ALS assay laboratory in Ireland with results expected to be returned during the next quarter, dependent on industry backlogs.

with results expected to be returned during the next quarter, dependent on industry backlogs. The review of previous environmental studies has now been completed. Next steps involve the submission of an application to the North Wales Mineral and Waste Planning Services to determine the environmental assessment and permitting requirements to develop and operate a new underground mine, producing copper, zinc and lead concentrates, with gold and silver credits

The company has been progressing discussions regarding confirmatory metallurgical testwork over recent weeks. Core from the current drilling programme will be used to conduct pre-concentration testwork and subsequent comminution and flotation studies.

Discussions are also ongoing with tailings specialists to determine the optimal design for storage. Importantly, successful pre-concentration of the ore will significantly reduce the volume of tailings produced.

Grangesberg Iron Ore Project

A review of the historical information that fed into the 2012 Pre-Feasibility Study has now been finalised by the consultants.

The next steps involve more detailed work on the geotechnical, hydrogeological and permitting aspects.

A site visit to Grangesberg, which is a requirement of the consultants' due diligence process, will be conducted later this month.

Proposed AIM listing

As announced on 9 February 2022 , the Company has proposed moving its listing from the Official List (premium segment) to AIM.

, the Company has proposed moving its listing from the Official List (premium segment) to AIM. The Company's board of directors believes that AIM is a market and environment more appropriate for companies with a market capitalisation such as Anglesey and has a more flexible regulatory regime which is more suited to the Company's current plans and strategy.

Subject to the passing of the necessary shareholder resolution at the General Meeting, to be held on 8 March 2022 , the proposed Delisting and Move to AIM will take effect simultaneously at 8.00a.m. on 8 April, utilising the AIM Designated Market Route.

About Anglesey Mining plc



Anglesey Mining is listed on the London Stock Exchange and currently has 248,070,732 ordinary shares on issue.

Anglesey is developing its 100% owned Parys Mountain Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au deposit in North Wales, UK with a 2020 reported resource of 5.2 million tonnes at 4.3% combined base metals in the Indicated category and 11.7 million tonnes at 2.8% combined base metals in the Inferred category.

Anglesey holds an almost 20% interest in the Grangesberg Iron project in Sweden, together with management rights and a right of first refusal to increase its interest to 70%. Anglesey also holds 12% of Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited, which through its 52% owned subsidiaries, is engaged in the exploration and development of direct shipping iron ore deposits in Labrador and Quebec.



For further information, please contact:



John Kearney, Chairman + 1 416 362 6686

Jo Battershill, Chief Executive +44 (0)7540 366000

LEI: 213800X8BO8EK2B4HQ71
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 22, 2022) - Global Wellness Strategies Inc. (CSE: GWS) (FSE: O3X4) (OTCQB: GWSFF) ("Global" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first tranche closing of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of $588,500.

The securities sold pursuant to the Offering consist of 2,977,779 units of the Issuer ("Units") at a price of CAD$0.18 per unit. Each Unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant will entitle the holder to purchase, for a period of 3 years from the date of issue, one additional common share of the Issuer at an exercise price of CAD $0.30 per common share. The warrants are subject to an acceleration provision in favour of the Company in the event that the Shares trade on a recognized exchange at more than $0.45 for a 14 day period, which can include days where no shares trade. No finder's fees were paid in connection with the placement. In addition, the Company will also issue 291,667 common shares for the settlement of current debts incurred to a consultant of the Company representing a total of $52,500. The Company will continue with the placement for an aggregate total of up to $3 million.

The use of proceeds from this raise are to further the 100% acquisition of Cannvalate Pty Ltd subsidiary Shanti Therapeutics Pty Ltd based in Australia and their commencement of proof of-concept clinical trial submissions, plus non-clinical studies for opening an IND (Investigational New Drug) File with the FDA. Funds will also be used for the establishment of a psychedelic prescribing clinic plus help to compensate the scientific executive team and for general and administrative expenses of Global Wellness Strategies Inc.

About Shanti Therapeutics

Shanti Therapeutics is a first-in-class biotech utilizing the neuromodulation properties of MDMA (aka Ecstasy) to pre-emptively treat preoperative pain. Shanti has commenced a path to their clinical trial in 22 healthy volunteers comparing the pain tolerance threshold in patients who have had exposure to a proprietary dose and formulation of MDMA. This proof-of-concept clinical study is to gauge the effect size of an increase in the pain threshold in subjects who have been pre-emptively treated with MDMA.

About Global Wellness Strategies

Global Wellness Strategies is a prospect generator that provides high growth companies with financial, operational, and management assistance in the fast-growing market for wellness consumer products. The focus of the Company is on global wellness, psychedelics, mycology, hemp and CBD, healthcare-related target companies.

For further information visit websites:

www.globalwellnessstrategies.com and www.shantitherapeutics.com

Or Contact Meris Kott CEO 604.484.0355 or email to info@globalwellnessstrategies.com

Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile.

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. 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114537
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 22, 2022) - AsiaBaseMetals Inc. (TSXV: ABZ) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. Deepak Varshney to the Board of Directors of the Company.

Mr. Varshney, a professional geologist, holds a Bachelor of Earth Sciences degree from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. Having over 10 years of experience in the capital markets and the mineral exploration and development sector, he is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a Director of Usha Resources Inc., and several other companies listed on stock exchanges in Canada. Mr. Varshney is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

"It's my pleasure to welcome Deepak Varshney to the Board of Directors. Having had the pleasure of knowing Deepak since the early 1990's, and the opportunity to follow his accomplishments to date, I'm sure the Company will benefit from his knowledge and relationships as it moves forward to build shareholder value for all shareholders," stated Chairman of the Board & CEO, Raj Chowdhry.

About AsiaBaseMetals Inc.

AsiaBaseMetals, a company focused on advancing its projects in the mining sector and developing and evaluating additional opportunities, is led by an experienced and successful business and mining team. The company is advancing its 100-per-cent-owned Gnome zinc/cobalt project in world-class mining district in Canada, one of the safest and mining-friendly districts in the world. In addition, the company is seeking to further diversify its portfolio, with special attention directed to advanced acquisition targets in the Americas, Asia, and Africa for base metals (copper), alkali metals (cobalt and lithium) and precious metals (gold and silver).

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contact Information

AsiaBaseMetals Inc.

Raj Chowdhry, Chief Executive Officer

Email: info@asiabasemetals.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114536
Leadership Additions Help Bolster Network's Presence in Region as Demand for Health Expertise Continues to Grow Exponentially

SINGAPORE, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the next decade, APAC will represent 40% of total growth in global health spending, expanding at a rate almost double that of the rest of the world - making both presence and investment in APAC more critical than ever. To help Havas Health & You (HH&Y) meet the needs of this exponential growth and of the global brands across their portfolio of clients, the network today announced the expansion of its Southeast Asia (SEA) Village, bringing the unique business model to bolster capabilities in the region. HH&Y has made significant investments in senior leadership to support this expansion; in particular, hiring Jini Mathai as Regional Business Strategy Director for SEA. With HH&Y's growth in Asia at over 20% per annum, this move compliments its 2021 launch of a regional hub under the leadership of Susan Josi, Managing Director, SEA & Middle East (ME). Located in Singapore, Jini has nearly two decades of experience providing strategic guidance for clients across health specialties, and his expertise alongside Susan's offers global and local health brands a range of much-needed capabilities across the region.

APAC is home to almost 60% of our global population and includes some of the world's most populous countries. It is also very diverse, characterized by changing demographic trends as well as rapid urbanization in most countries. As the population grows, the opportunities exist two-fold - firstly for global brands who want a fluent and meaningful presence across APAC, but also for regional brands looking to expand who would benefit from the breadth and size of the world's largest health network in HH&Y.

"I'm excited to take forward this unique collaborative Village model which is ideal for a region experiencing such rapid innovation and change," said Jini Mathai, Regional Business Strategy Director, HH&Y SEA. "The pandemic has been a catalyst for health brands to explore novel engagement models. HH&Y is well poised to cater to this through its rich experience in music, gamification and innovation which totally differentiates us as an agency. Our digital innovation lab is one of a kind and helps use scientific creativity to develop solutions for real unmet human needs. I look forward to unlocking this power of innovation through our Village model for our client partners in the region."

This move further solidifies the activity of HH&Y across 9 countries in APAC - Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, Korea, Japan, Greater China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The network is the market leader in China and Japan and is continuing to recruit in India, Singapore, and the Philippines to expand capabilities across these markets.

"Continued growth in the region means that the health world must unquestionably stay attuned to this growing pool of talent, incredible innovation and expansive population," said Charles Houdoux, CEO APAC & LATAM, HH&Y. "Our unmatched expertise here offers brands both locally and globally tremendous opportunity, and with the partnership of Vivendi, Havas and our broader network, we are poised to continue to lead as we double down on our capabilities in digital transformation, multichannel engagement through data, content and much more."

About Havas Health & You

Havas Health & You unites Havas Life, Health4Brands (H4B), Lynx, Red Havas and Havas Health Plus, all wholly owned health and communications networks, with the consumer health businesses and practices of Havas Creative Group. The network's approach is centered around Human Purpose and has the talent, tenacity, and technology that health companies, brands and people need to thrive in today's world. For more information, go to www.HavasHealthandYou.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1423891/Havas_Health_You_Logo.jpg






System Flow chart

TOKYO, Feb 23, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), will establish a Takasago Hydrogen Park, the world's first center for validation of hydrogen-related technologies, from hydrogen production to power generation. The center will be co-located at the gas turbine development and manufacturing facility of MHI's Takasago Machinery Works in Hyogo Prefecture, to support the commercialization of hydrogen gas turbines using hydrogen as fuel. The Takasago Hydrogen Park will be successively expanded and developed going forward. Mitsubishi Power has already announced its 30% hydrogen co-firing for large frame gas turbines and will use Takasago Hydrogen Park to commercialize small and large frame gas turbines on a path to 100% hydrogen firing starting in 2025.Takasago Hydrogen Park will be located adjacent to the T-Point 2 combined cycle power plant validation facility. Mitsubishi Power is beginning to test and demonstrate operations of technologies including hydrogen production and storage and hydrogen fueling of gas turbines, aiming to commence operations in fiscal year 2023. The hydrogen production facility utilizes a water electrolysis system, and Mitsubishi Power plans to conduct successive testing and verification of other next-generation hydrogen production technologies such as turquoise-hydrogen production by pyrolysis of methane into hydrogen and solid carbon, etc.An integrated system for all aspects of hydrogen-related technologies, from development to demonstration and verification, will be established at the Takasago Machinery Works. For the combustion chamber, the key component of hydrogen gas turbines, Mitsubishi Power will create a work-flow that includes development at the development center (Research and Innovation Center), design, production of an actual machine at the manufacturing plant, and validation testing at the demonstration facility. Mitsubishi Power's gas turbine development process encompasses verification testing of all elements at the basic design stage, the incorporation of those results in the detailed design, and finally validation using an actual machine. Completing this development cycle within the same plant will allow for quicker and more certain product development and commercialization.The T-Point 2 facility conducts long-term reliability validation of newly developed technologies, including verification of the next-generation JAC (J-series Air-Cooled) large frame gas turbines, high-efficiency systems that have achieved the world's first turbine inlet temperature of 1,650degC, conducting operations equivalent to an actual power station while connected to the local power grid. This unique facility, unlike any other anywhere in the world, began long-term verification testing on July 1, 2020, as a leading-edge, 566-megawatt (MW) class gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power generation facility.To support the commercialization of hydrogen gas turbines by 2025, verification of large gas turbines is being conducted at the T-Point 2 facility for power generation using a JAC class turbine initially starting at 30% hydrogen co-firing and increasing hydrogen co-firing over time. Testing for 100% hydrogen firing of small- and mid-sized turbines will be conducted using a H-25 class gas turbine.As part of the Energy Transition strategy, MHI group is building a value chain for hydrogen, from production to use, through the further integration and advancement of the existing energy structure and hydrogen-related technologies. By further developing this approach and linking it to many different types of industries centered on hydrogen, MHI aims to establish a "hydrogen ecosystem" that will form the basis of a sustainable society, and accelerate its commercialization through verification at Takasago Hydrogen Park.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, logistics & infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on www.spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 22, 2022) - Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (FSE: 6MR1) (the "Company" or "Kuya Silver") today filed a technical report titled "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report and Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on the Bethania Silver Project, Department of Huancavelica, Province of Huancavelica, District of Acobambilla, Peru," with an effective date of January 6, 2022 and an issue date of February 21, 2022 (the "Technical Report").

The Technical Report was prepared for the Bethania Silver Project by Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc., Atticus Geoscience Consulting S.A.C., and Mr. Gerardo Acuna Perez (P.Eng., FAusIMM), an independent consultant.

The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), and may be found at www.kuyasilver.com or under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya Silver is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company with a focus on acquiring, exploring, and advancing precious metals assets in Peru and Canada.

For more information, please contact the Company at:

Kuya Silver Corporation

Telephone: (604) 398-4493

info@kuyasilver.com

www.kuyasilver.com

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may," "would," "could," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "must," "next," "potential," "progress," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that statements including forward-looking information are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such forward-looking information will prove accurate, and therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114544


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Stockland Corp. Ltd. (SGP.AX, STKAF.PK), an Australian property company, reported that its funds from operations or FFO for the half year ended 31 December 2021 was A$350 million, down 9.3% on the prior year.



FFO per security was 14.7 cents, down 9.3% on the previous year.



Statutory profit for the half year ended 31 December 2021 was A$850 million, up from A$339 million in the prior year. The statutory result included A$543 million of net commercial property revaluation gains, equating to a 5.5% uplift versus June 2021 book values.



The company declared a distribution of 12.0 cents per security, reflecting a payout ratio of 82% of FFO.



The company now expects fiscal year 2022 FFO per security to be in the range of 35.1-35.6 cents, compared to previous guidance of 34.6-35.6 cents per security.



In a separate press release, Stockland said it agreed to sell its Retirement Living business to EQT Infrastructure for A$987 million. The transaction is expected to compete in late fiscal year 2022.



As per the terms of the agreement, EQT will acquire Stockland's portfolio of 58 established Retirement Living villages,10 development projects underway and in planning, along with the associated management platform.



As a result of the transaction, over 300 employees will transfer to EQT with the business.



Separately, Stockland announced that it has entered into an agreement with Ivanhoe Cambridge which will acquire a 49% interest in the M_Park Trust or TMPT.



Ivanhoe Cambridge will initially invest on a fund-through basis in TMPT, which is focused on the delivery of the 62,500sqm M_Park Stage One in Macquarie Park, Sydney.



The stage is currently under construction, with practical completion expected in fiscal year 2024. It comprises three commercial buildings with combined NLA of 37,146sqm along with a 25,487sqm data centre.



The transaction is expected to settle in July 2022.



In addition, Stockland announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with Mitsubishi Estate Asia to establish the Stockland Residential Rental Partnership (SRRP), a long-term partnership to develop and own land lease communities.



The initial portfolio of the SRRP will comprise six land lease communities currently in development, being four communities in QLD acquired as part of the Halcyon acquisition (Greens, B by Halcyon, Rise and Promenade) and two existing Stockland communities (Nirimba, QLD and Berwick, VIC).



The total current value of the initial portfolio is about A$500 million and the six initial communities will yield approximately 2,000 home sites when complete.







Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

EQT AB-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

EQT Infrastructure acquires Stockland Retirement Living, a leading provider of community living and support for over 10,000 senior Australians



Stockland Retirement Living will benefit from EQT's significant experience in the healthcare space globally as the demand for high-quality retirement living and aged care services is expected to grow in Australia over the coming years



over the coming years EQT Infrastructure is committed to investing in Stockland Retirement Living's continued growth, broadened service offering, and further strengthening its digital backbone



EQT is pleased to announce that EQT Infrastructure V fund ("EQT Infrastructure") has agreed to acquire Stockland Retirement Living (the "Company") from Stockland Group, one of Australia's largest diversified property management operators. The transaction valued Stockland Retirement Living at AUD 987 million.

Stockland Retirement Living is one of the largest providers of retirement living in Australia, with over 10,000 residents in 58 villages across Australia's eastern seaboard, and a pipeline of 1,300 new units to be developed in attractive retirement locations.

Demand for high-quality retirement living in Australia has demonstrated consistent strong growth over recent years, underpinned by Australia's aging population and the increased value placed on the sense of security and community offered by retirement villages. As demand for retirement living increases, it is also expected that the growing requirement for higher levels of care services within retirement villages will continue.

EQT has a well-established track record in the aged care sector, globally as well as within Australia and New Zealand. EQT will focus on leveraging this experience and its global network of industry advisors to support Stockland's Retirement Living portfolio in growing its footprint, increasing the range of services provided to its residents, and investing in technology and digital initiatives to further improve the Company's offering.

Tarun Gupta, CEO of Stockland Group said "I am delighted that we have found a strong Retirement Living owner and operator to acquire Stockland's Retirement Living platform. EQT is a purpose-led organisation with a well-established track record in healthcare, aged care and retirement living. We are confident that EQT will be the right custodian for the residents and employees, and are well placed to support the continued growth of the high quality Retirement Living platform."

"We have an accomplished and dedicated team in our Retirement Living business, who will transfer to EQT at completion of the transaction. They continue to be focused on providing the best possible care and resident experience across the portfolio."

"The announcement today does not impact on any of the arrangements with our residents. It will be business as usual for our residents, noting on completion they will have a new partner with significant experience in running industry leading retirement living villages."

Ken Wong, EQT's Head of Asia Pacific, Infrastructure said, "Stockland Retirement Living is a clear leader in the Australian retirement living space and we are excited about partnering with the company and supporting its ability to continue to develop and operate high-quality retirement villages. With an aging Australian population and increased focus on enabling Australians to age in place, we are excited to have the opportunity to use our significant global experience in the aged care sector to enhance the range of services provided to current and future residents of Stockland's villages."

The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals, including the approval of the Foreign Investment Review Board. It is expected to close in late Q2 2022.

EQT Infrastructure was advised by Goldman Sachs and King & Wood Mallesons.

With this transaction EQT Infrastructure V is expected to be 70 - 75 percent invested (including closed and/or signed investments, announced public offers, if applicable, and less any expected syndication) and subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Contact

Australian media inquiries: Roger Newby, roger@domestiqueconsulting.com.au, 61 401 278 906

International media inquiries: EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com , +46 8 506 55 334

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/eqt/r/eqt-infrastructure-to-acquire-stockland-retirement-living--one-of-the-largest-providers-of-senior-li,c3512401

The following files are available for download:
TERNOPIL, Ukraine, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A total fleet of 100 units of drone sprayers has been recently fulfilled by XAG, making it the single largest order of drones for agricultural use in the history of Ukraine. XAG has been working with local businesses to meet the rapidly increasing demand for drone spraying service. The technology is believed to boost crop yields and lower the input costs due to high fuel prices. An adequate provision of such autonomous equipment can help farmers better prepare the upcoming agricultural season.

DroneUA, XAG's local partner and the main integrator of unmanned solutions in Ukraine, makes the fulfilment of this large-scale order successful. The first batch of 50 XAG Agricultural Drones has been handled over to Robotic Agrosystems, which is one of the largest service companies of its kind in Ukraine, with the remaining 50 to be delivered over the next few months.

In a few weeks, 59 mobile crews formed by precision farming specialists of Robotic Agrosystems, will start to learn operating the drones on farms and provide spraying services to farmers from all over Ukraine. It is estimated that XAG's drone fleet of 100 units will cultivate more than 500 thousand hectares of crops in the 2022 farming season.

Among all the drone units, 60% of them are the XAG V40 Agricultural Drone, a new generation model that has been available for global sales. Designed in the two-rotor structure, this unmanned aerial system can be equipped with three different task systems that allow users to conduct mapping, broadcast, and crop spraying operations. The XAG V40 is electric powered as a sustainable alternative to the traditional fossil fired machinery.

The introduction of XAG's agricultural drone into Ukraine's fertile lands has been in full swing since 2021. With the precision spraying technology, the XAG drones were used on farm for various applications, from weeding, fertilization, pest and disease control to desiccation. The technology has also served a diversity of major crops, such as wheat, barley, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower, that constitute the cornerstone of the country's agricultural export.

As the world's breadbasket and major exports of grain and oilseeds, Ukraine is now having a good start in the intensive use of agricultural drones. The market has been witnessing the rise of drone service teams which will continue to increase in number and scale. Farmers are searching for cost-saving, nimble tools to manage crops against the background of rising fuel prices and climate change.

Prolonged rains, after which farmers could not enter the field with ground vehicle, and farmers' understanding of justified savings contributed to the surge of drone spraying orders. The agricultural drone is gaining more popularity among Ukrainian farmers, because of its autonomous operation to relieve human labour and precision application to cut down the use of pesticides.

According to Igor Tchaikovsky, the owner of Robotic Agrosystems, last year their team cultivated 10,000 hectares of land even with a much smaller XAG drone fleet and received positive feedback from customers.

"The crews worked very intensively during the last season and almost around the clock. But we were still forced to turn down most of our customers because demands exceeded our technical capabilities. Therefore, investing in so many drones is not an impulsive decision. The market is growing and will continue to thrive at times," said by Tchaikovsky.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752276/A_fleet_XAG_Agricultural_Drones_ready_Ukrainian_farmers_save_costs.jpg
MANILA, Philippines, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid mounting tensions in Ukraine, PLDT's wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is extending assistance to all Filipinos stranded in the country.

"We are monitoring the situation in Ukraine and are ready to assist our kababayans. It is important to equip them with services to help them communicate and access information, especially during time of crisis. We are also praying for their safety as they await repatriation or evacuation," said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications President and CEO.

Smart is giving almost 1000 roaming customers in Ukraine free 1GB Gigaroam subscription valid for five days to help them place urgent calls and texts or to assure their families and friends of their safety.

Smart roamers in Ukraine can also get instant and free access to Smart's data roaming manager by going to gigaroam.smart.com.ph using their Smart roaming SIM.

Driven by malasakit and its commitment to keep Filipinos everywhere connected, Smart also provided load assistance to all Filipinos stranded in Afghanistan during the Taliban crisis in August last year.
Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said: "Our people have continued to safely run our world-class assets and are working hard to improve our operational performance, despite challenging operating conditions from prolonged COVID-19 disruptions. The recovery of the global economy, driven by industrial production, resulted in significant price strength for our major commodities, which we were able to capture, achieving record financial results with free cash flow of $17.7 billion and underlying earnings of $21.4 billion, after taxes and government royalties of $13.0 billion. This enables us to pay our highest total dividend ever of 1,040 US cents per share, including a 247 US cents per share special dividend, representing a 79% payout.

"With the launch of our new strategy, we have set a new direction for Rio Tinto to thrive in a decarbonising world. We have a portfolio that is well positioned, and are targeting disciplined investment in commodities that will see strong demand in the coming decades. Our agenda is an ambitious, multi-year journey which we are determined to deliver and we have already taken the first steps, with underground operations under way following the Oyu Tolgoi agreement and a binding agreement to acquire the Rincon lithium project in Argentina. We continue to evolve and deepen the way we engage and interact with all stakeholders as we work hard to generate and strengthen relationships wherever we operate. Our actions will ensure we continue to deliver attractive returns to shareholders, invest in sustaining and growing our portfolio, and make a broader contribution to society, particularly in relation to the drive to net-zero carbon emissions."

At year end 2021 2020 Change Net cash generated from operating activities (US$ millions) 25,345 15,875 60% Purchases of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets (US$ millions) 7,384 6,189 19% Free cash flow1 (US$ millions) 17,664 9,407 88% Consolidated sales revenue (US$ millions) 63,495 44,611 42% Underlying EBITDA1 (US$ millions) 37,720 23,902 58% Profit after tax attributable to owners of Rio Tinto (net earnings) (US$ millions) 21,094 9,769 116% Underlying earnings per share1 (EPS) (US cents) 1,321 770 72% Ordinary dividend per share (US cents) 793.0 464.0 71% Special dividend per share (US cents) 247.0 93.0 166% Total dividend per share (US cents) 1,040.0 557.0 87% Net cash (debt)1 (US$ millions) 1,576 (664) Underlying return on capital employed (ROCE)1 44% 27% 1 This financial performance indicator is a non-GAAP alternative performance measure ("APM"). It is used internally by management to assess the performance of the business and is therefore considered relevant to readers of this document. It is presented here to give more clarity around the underlying business performance of the Group's operations. APMs are reconciled to directly comparable IFRS financial measures on pages 78 to 86. Our financial results are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) see page 35 for further information. Footnotes are set out in full on page 8.

Safety continues to be our first priority: our managed operations were fatality-free for a third successive year. The all-injury frequency rate deteriorated slightly to 0.40: fatigue, labour shortages and other pressures from COVID-19 have heightened the safety risk in day-to-day operations and we recognise that there is no room for complacency.

On 1 February 2022, we published a comprehensive external review of our workplace culture, commissioned as part of our commitment to ensure sustained cultural change across our global operations. The review is part of the work being undertaken by our Everyday Respect task force, which was launched in March 2021 to better understand, prevent and respond to harmful behaviours in the workplace. We will implement all recommendations from the report.

We continue to focus on rebuilding our relationships with Traditional Owners across our global operations. In September we published an interim report on our Communities and Social Performance commitments showing our progress. At the end of 2021, the relationship between the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) leadership and Rio Tinto Iron Ore is constructive and considered. An agreement on a co-management of Country approach and appropriate remedy for the destruction of Juukan Gorge is substantially progressed.

On 14 February 2022, we announced an agreement with the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation on a new co-designed management plan to ensure the protection of significant social and cultural heritage values as part of our proposed development of the Western Range iron ore project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The Social, Cultural Heritage Management Plan is the result of strong collaboration over the past year between the Yinhawangka people and Rio Tinto including "on-Country" visits, archaeological and ethnographic surveys and workshops. As a result, the mine has been designed to reduce impacts on social and cultural heritage values. We submitted the plan to Western Australia's Environmental Protection Authority on 1 February 2022, as part of our submission regarding the Greater Paraburdoo Iron Ore Hub Proposal.

In October, we unveiled a longer term strategy to ensure we thrive in a decarbonising world, while continuing to pay attractive dividends, in line with our shareholder returns policy. To achieve this, we will accelerate our own decarbonisation, grow in materials enabling the global energy transition and develop products and services that help our customers to decarbonise, through our key enablers of becoming best operator, excelling in development, achieving an impeccable ESG performance and strengthening our social licence to operate.

To deliver our strategy, we set a new target to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, more than tripling our previous target, and are bringing forward our 15% reduction in emissions to 2025 (previously 2030), supported by an estimated $7.5 billion of direct investments between 2022 and 2030. These projects deliver a range of economic outcomes but in aggregate are value accretive at a very modest carbon price. Most importantly, they safeguard the integrity of our assets over the longer term and reduce the risk profile of our cash flows. We are accelerating our activity in the Pilbara and expanding our tenure for potential wind and solar sites.

Following the comprehensive agreement announced on 25 January 2022, underground operations are now under way at the Oyu Tolgoi copper/gold project in Mongolia. The agreement will move the project forward, reset the relationship between the partners and unlock the most valuable part of the mine, with first sustainable production expected in the first half of 2023.

In line with our rigorous approach to capital allocation, we made significant progress with our Battery Minerals portfolio in 2021, signing a binding agreement to acquire the Rincon lithium project in Argentina. We also committed funding for the Jadar lithium-borates project in Serbia, subject to receiving all relevant approvals, permits and licences. In January 2022, the Government of Serbia cancelled the Spatial Plan for the Jadar project and required all related permits to be revoked. We are disappointed by this announcement and are committed to exploring all options and are reviewing the legal basis of the decision and the implications for our activities and people in Serbia.

To achieve our ambition of becoming the best operator, we initiated the Rio Tinto Safe Production System at five pilot sites in 2021, focusing on sustainably unlocking capacity. We are already seeing returns, including a significant improvement at the Kennecott concentrator since deployment in July. We are planning a more extensive programme in 2022, subject to COVID-19 constraints, with up to 30 deployments at 15 sites and up to 80 rapid improvement projects, targeting bottlenecks.

The 2021 full year results release is available here

This announcement is authorised for release to the market by Rio Tinto's Group Company Secretary.

LEI: 213800YOEO5OQ72G2R82

Classification: 3.1 Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of a Member State

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Contacts:

media.enquiries@riotinto.com

riotinto.com

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Media Relations, Australia

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Investor Relations, UK

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Amar Jambaa

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Rio Tinto plc

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Category: General
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Roche Holding AG (RHHBY), said on Wednesday that it has expanded Covid-19 PCR portfolio to the cobas 5800 System, a recently launched molecular lab instrument, in countries accepting the CE mark. The portfolio includes cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative and cobas SARS-CoV-2 & Influenza A/B tests. The Covid-19 portfolio adds to the infectious diseases menu - HIV-1, HBV, HCV, HIV-1/HIV-2 Qualitative - and cobas omni Utility Channel for use on the cobas 5800 System in countries accepting the CE Mark launched in 2021. The cobas 5800 System will offer the same menu as the cobas 6800 and 8800 Systems. The Swiss diagnostics and pharmaceutical giant is pursuing CE approval for continued menu expansion on the cobas 5800 System, through early-to-mid 2022. The tests are expected to be available beyond CE markets in additional countries this year. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BAGHDAD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Wednesday welcomed the UN Security Council's resolution to end Iraq's obligation to make reparations to Kuwait because of its 1990 invasion, looking forward to better regional and international relations.

"We close a terrible chapter in the absurd war of the tyrannical regime (of Saddam Hussein), which our people and the entire region paid the price," Iraqi President Barham Salih said on his official Twitter page.

"Today, Iraq is moving toward a foreign policy based on establishing the best relations with our brothers and neighbors and the international community and supporting the security and peace of the region as a common interest for all," he added.

Salih's comment came after the UN Security Council voted unanimously to approve a resolution to terminate the mandate of the UN Compensation Commission, ending a three-decade program that allows Kuwait to recover 52.4 billion U.S. dollars from Iraq for the damage caused by the 1990 invasion.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said on his official Twitter page said after the end of compensation, "we are looking forward to building the best relations with other countries, bypassing the repercussions of decades of policies of hostility, confrontation, and escalation."

The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) also welcomed the UN Security Council's resolution to end Iraq's compensations to Kuwait, noting "a historic milestone for the people of Iraq."

"Iraq is to be commended for its remarkable cooperation in fulfilling its obligations and demonstrating good neighborliness," UNAMI said in a statement.

In August 1990, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein ordered his army to invade the neighboring state of Kuwait and later annexed it, before being pushed back seven months later by a U.S.-led coalition.

Many resolutions on Iraq were passed by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, including creating the Compensation Commission to process claims and regulate payments to individuals, companies, and governments that suffered during Iraq's invasion. 
Identity verification leader surpasses $100M revenue and 150 million cumulative verifications, adding Volkswagen Financial Services, DBS Bank, and Orange as customers

Onfido, the global identity verification and authentication provider simplifying identity for everyone, today announced a breakthrough year for 2021. The company grew revenue 90% year-over-year to over $100 million, and achieved 134% year-over-year growth in the US.

In September 2021, Onfido's digital identity checks surpassed 100 million, and just five months later, increased 50%, hitting 150 million, marking another major milestone for the company. To meet the increasing demand for Onfido's verification and authentication services, the company expanded its workforce by 50%, to 600 employees, investing in research and development, advanced AI-powered fraud detection capabilities and customer success for enterprises worldwide.

With Goode Intelligence predicting that the number of identity verification checks will grow from 1.1 billion last year to 3.8 billion in 2026, it is clear that the demand for digital identity verification services is set to continue its explosive growth.

"Our strong year reflects the continued shift towards the critical adoption of digital environments where businesses are adapting to meet their users online," said Mike Tuchen, CEO at Onfido. "With $56bn lost to identity theft in 2020 alone1, a fast, simple and secure online journey is imperative when it comes to building customer trust, which is why we are continuing to invest in our workforce, technology, research and development."

Other 2021 highlights:

Product innovation

Onfido launched Face Authenticate, adding a fast and seamless biometric face authenticator as well as new security tools, including Onfido Private Key Encryption to its product offering. Leveraging its award-winning AI technology, users simply take a photo of their government-issued identity document (ID). Onfido then verifies the ID and matches it to the document data provided when their real identity was established at registration. This way, companies can now go beyond safely onboarding new users for Know Your Customer (KYC) or compliance purposes by providing a safe and frictionless way for trusted users to re-access existing accounts within seconds. Face Authenticate quickly re-grants access for times such as updating personal account information, initiating high-value transactions, or accessing new products and services.

Earlier in 2021, Onfido announced the acquisition of EYN, whose industry-first acoustic liveness technology uses audible sound and ultrasound wavelengths from a mobile device to actively probe for the presence of a live person, much like a sonar system. It adds an additional layer of security to image-based biometric anti-spoofing capabilities to give customers greater assurances that their remotely onboarded users are who they say they are. The technology is currently being integrated into Onfido's existing image-based liveness detection solution.

Continued customer momentum

As demand for fast and secure digital access increases, Onfido had a number of new customers and expanded partnerships in 2021. Some highlights of global customers added included financial services: Volkswagen Financial Services, DBS Bank, Lemonway, and BUX; gaming providers: Soft2Bet and Games247; telecommunications company Orange; and healthcare unicorn Doctolib.

"Scrive and Onfido bring the experience and expertise we were looking for to provide a thoroughly modern, secure financing experience for our dealerships and their customers," said Titus Ackah-Sanzah, Product Owner at Volkswagen Financial Services UK. "The response from our dealers is very positive: a clear, easy-to-follow process that streamlines the purchase experience and expedites the payout time."

"Our vision is to become a digital-first telco offer and provide new experiences for our customers," said Artur Stankiewicz, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer, Orange Poland. "Nowadays, customers are looking for solutions and services that are easily available just the way they need them and whenever they need them, fully online. Onfido helps us bridge that gap, enabling us to know our customers in a fully online manner."

Following the successful launch of Onfido's Salesforce integration, Cala Homes integrated Onfido's AppExchange solution to accelerate the purchase of a new home. The Nottingham, a UK building society (credit union), also implemented the solution explaining that it reduced customer friction in its customer onboarding process:

"We're 164 years old and still very paper-based," said Scott Devereaux, Head of Innovation, The Nottingham. "Onfido lets us take away paper and form filling by bringing in facial recognition and doc verification which really speeds up the onboarding process and helps build trust with our customers."

Expanded leadership team

In 2021, Onfido bolstered its leadership team with a number of strategic hires including Alex Valle as Chief Product Officer (former GM at Criteo; Head of Mobile Ad Products at Google); Faisal Chughtai as Chief Financial Officer (former CFO of Inxeption and Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase); Nello Franco as Chief Customer Officer (former Managing Director of Customer Operations at Vista Consulting Group and SVP Customer Success at Talend); Nate Skinner as Chief Marketing Officer (former SVP of Global Marketing for Oracle's Advertising and Customer Experience business). Onfido also appointed two new board members in Sue Barsamian (also a board member at Auth0, Symantec, Norton Lifelock) and Bill Losch, former Chief Financial Officer at Okta.

The company also added to its policy team with the appointments of Matt Peake as Global Director of Public Policy (former Head of Regulatory and Public Policy UK and IE at Verizon) and Amy Shuart, Head of US Government Affairs (former committee member on Ways and Means at the U.S. House of Representatives).

Achievements and Awards

Onfido's leadership team expansion comes amidst a number of product achievements and industry recognition. In a study conducted by leading analyst firm, Forrester, The Total Economic Impact of Onfido revealed that organizations experience benefits of up to 261% ROI and a net present value (NPV) of $9.86M, with the solution paying itself off in 6 months.

Onfido was named a 2021 CB Insights Fintech 250 for the fourth consecutive year, earned the 2021 Cybersecurity Breakthrough Award for "Fraud Prevention Innovation of the Year," and won "Security Innovation of the Year" in the National Technology Awards.

Register to join the upcoming webinar on Wednesday 9th March 2022, with experts from Tesco Bank, HSBC, 11:FS and Onfido to hear about the evolution of onboarding and how customer demand is changing.

About Onfido

Onfido is simplifying digital identity for everyone. The company makes it easy for people to access services by digitally proving a person's real identity by verifying a photo ID and facial biometrics with award-winning artificial intelligence (AI). That's how it powers secure and inclusive relationships between businesses and their customers without compromising experience, conversion, or security.

Recognized as a global leader in AI for identity verification and authentication, Onfido is backed by TPG Growth, Idinvest Partners, Crane Venture Partners, Salesforce Ventures, M12 (Microsoft) and others. In 2021 they were awarded 'Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Hot Company' by CyberDefense Global Infosec Awards, 'Fraud Prevention Innovation of the Year' at the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards, and named to the CB Insights Fintech 250 for the fourth year running. They partner with over 800 businesses globally to help millions access services every week from billion dollar institutions to hypergrowth start-ups. Onfido supports checks in 195 countries, and 2,500+ document types.



1Javelin Research: Digital Identity Realising Critical Opportunities

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005607/en/

Contacts:

Paul Jarratt

press@onfido.com
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022- often regarded as the 'Nobel Prize for the Environment' - has been awarded to British physician Sir Andy Haines, one of the first scientists to sound the alarm that changes to the natural environment have dangerous implications for human health.

Haines worked as a family doctor and researcher before realizing that the greatest thing he could do for human health was to reveal its critical connection to the health of our planet. He has since committed over three decades to understanding and working to prevent the impacts of environmental change, especially climate change, on human health.

Tyler Prize Executive Committee Chair Julia Marton-Lefevre said that since identifying this crucial interlinkage in the early '90s, Haines has worked urgently to establish the evidence base for global climate action and policy change.

"As a leader in Planetary Health, Sir Andy's findings have been a wake-up call for humanity. He has focused his life's work on building international, multidisciplinary research and collaborations that form strategies and policies to protect global health - especially in vulnerable low-income countries - in our rapidly changing planet."

Haines, who is Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said it is a "great honor and privilege" to be selected as the recipient of the 2022 Tyler Prize.

"I think it reflects the growing awareness that climate change isn't just about damaging the environment - according to the World Health Organization, ' climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity '. From the effects of extreme heat and wildfires to effects on infectious disease transmission, food supply, migration, poverty... climate change can affect health in so many ways."

Tyler Prize Official Citation: "Sir Andy Haines is being recognized for his contributions in understanding the effects of climate change on public health, his leadership in expanding the scope of public health to one of Planetary Health, and for his mentorship of the next generation of health scientists and practitioners in preventive environmental health actions in the 21st century."

The Tyler Prize is administered by the University of Southern California.

This is an abbreviated press release. Full version in press kit here.

Contact

Email: bec@reagencylab.com

Cell: +1 347 698 3291
Consideration of 47.5m to be paid in cash and equity

Cybersprint's technology and external data highly complementary to Darktrace product set

Additive to Darktrace's new 'Prevent' product suite underpinned by Attack Path Modeling

Darktrace gains an additional European R&D Centre based in The Hague, Netherlands

Target completion date on or around 1 March, 2022

CAMBRIDGE, England, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Darktrace, a global leader in cyber security AI, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the entire issued share capital of Cybersprint B.V. ("Cybersprint"), an attack surface management company that provides continuous, real-time insights from an outside-in perspective to eliminate blind spots and detect risks. The acquisition of Cybersprint is aligned with Darktrace's vision of delivering a 'Continuous Cyber AI Loop' and complements its Self-Learning technology and inside-out view.

Darktrace is acquiring Cybersprint for 47.5 million ($53.7 million) to be paid approximately 75% in cash and 25% in equity, valuing the transaction at approximately 12.5 times Cybersprint's annual recurring revenue (ARR). With an expected completion date of on or around 1 March 2022, Cybersprint's results of operations are not expected to be material to Darktrace's results for the remainder of FY 2022.

Cybersprint's attack surface management data can enrich existing Darktrace Detect and Respond products with external vulnerability data and accelerate the company's market entry into new areas like proactive AI cyber security. For example, this capability will be introduced as a new module in the Prevent product family, feeding organisation-specific web data to Darktrace's Attack Path Modeling technology. See additional information on Darktrace's Prevent Product suite and Attack Path Modeling technology here.

Through this acquisition, Darktrace gains a second European R&D Centre in The Hague, Netherlands, joining forces with its world-class, Cambridge-based mathematicians and software engineers. Cybersprint's employees bring a deep understanding of how to continuously model real-time internet data as well as ethical hacking expertise.

"We are very excited to welcome the Cybersprint team to Darktrace. Bringing inside-out and outside-in visibility together is critical and having access to the robust, rich, real-time external dataset combined with Darktrace's Self-Learning AI means that customers get a holistic view of prioritised cyber risks to harden the parts of their organisation that are most vulnerable. With this acquisition, we are able to leverage Cybersprint's seven years of R&D to accelerate our Prevent product family, ultimately making it much harder for cyber-attackers to carry out successful missions," said Poppy Gustafsson, CEO, Darktrace.

"I'm very excited about this fantastic step in the journey of Cybersprint. We are passionate about automating manual tasks in cybersecurity from an outside perspective. We believe attackers never sleep and operate without scope. When we began conversations with Darktrace, we felt an instant connection on vision, culture and technology. That's why we are looking forward to joining Darktrace and working together to accelerate state-of-the-art innovations to make organisations more cyber secure," commented Pieter Jansen, CEO, Cybersprint.

Webcast

A webcast will be hosted by Darktrace at 09.00 GMT today to provide further details on the announcement. Please register here to attend: https://webcasting.brrmedia.co.uk/broadcast/6214356e1df09e640ebddafe.

Media Contacts

Victoria Palmer-Moore Powerscourt (UK) +44 (0) 20 3328 9386 darktrace@powerscourt-group.com Tom Bermingham Brands2Life (UK) +44 (0) 7983 857 952 darktrace@brands2life.com

About Darktrace



Darktrace (DARK:L), a global leader in cyber security AI, delivers world-class technology that protects over 6,500 customers worldwide from advanced threats, including ransomware and cloud and SaaS attacks. Darktrace's fundamentally different approach applies Self-Learning AI to enable machines to understand the business in order to autonomously defend it. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, Darktrace has over 1,700 employees and over 30 offices worldwide. Darktrace was named one of TIME magazine's 'Most Influential Companies' for 2021.

About Cybersprint



Cybersprint maps the attack surface of organisations and brands. Cybersprint offers full visibility using continuous and automated digital asset discovery. Cybersprint's zero-scope AI-driven approach provides an outside-in perspective, eliminating blind spots. These insights empower cybersecurity professionals to prioritise the mitigation of vulnerabilities and detect and prevent threats such as data leaks, ransomware compromise and more. Cybersprint's Attack Surface Management (ASM) platform allows organisations to automate, manage, and monitor risks with customisable filters and alerts, integrated into existing processes.

Financial Times included Cybersprint as one of the fastest growing cybersecurity companies in Europe in their FT1000 list, and independent research organisation Forrester recommends reviewing suitable ASM vendors, including Cybersprint.

Important Information

This announcement includes inside information as defined in Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (as it forms part of UK law pursuant to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). Upon publication of this announcement, this information is now considered in the public domain.
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Attractive discounts, AR Glasses, Nearby Search are some of the highlights for conferences-goers.

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The long-awaited MWC returns this February as an in-person event. MWC 2022 will be held at Barcelona from 28 February to 3 March. With an anticipated turnout of over 1,500 exhibitors - including Huawei - and attendees from 183 countries, it's set to be a blast.

This year marks the first time Huawei's Petal Search will be at MWC, and conference-goers can anticipate lots of exciting features in store for them.

Attractive discounts are available

Planning to travel down to the conference soon? Enjoying the journey has never been easier, as the search engine provides users with a variety of options. Using Petal Search, users can book staycations, vacation rentals, hotels and flights, and compare prices across various platforms. With Petal Search covering over 20 verticals and available in over 170 countries and regions, the search engine provides an enriched search experience for users globally.

Ahead of the event, users can enjoy exclusive discounts they simply can't miss, brought to them by Huawei's Petal Search in collaboration with several partners.

Together with Groupon and Tiqets, Petal Search is offering attractive coupons for travellers to enjoy exclusive discounts during their stay in Barcelona. Users get to enjoy a 20% discount on Groupon (using the code PETALMWC2022) and 8% off on Tiqets (using the code PETAL8OFF).

These coupons can be used on the respective sites upon checkout when shopping online from February 25th to March 6th (only in Barcelona), bringing savings and benefits attending MWC 2022 with Petal Search.

AR Glasses, Powered by Petal Search, debuts at MWC 2022

The Petal Search Booth at MWC 2022 will be located at Fira Gran Via, Hall 1, and MWC attendees can expect an interactive AR glass experience at the booth supported by Petal Search.

Launched in collaboration with Huawei 2012 Poisson Labs, the AR glasses, allows for impressive real-time identification of attractions, animals, plants, and commodities, and displays encyclopaedias, and similar content for each identified result.

Moreover, the text recognition and translation capabilities of Petal Search also supports real-time image translation, which tourists will find particularly handy in overcoming language barriers.

For example, visitors to Barcelona would want to explore and learn more about historical landmark Sagrada Familia. With the AR Glasses, the multimodal search capabilities would be able to identify the landmark and present encyclopaedic information in user's language of choice.

At MWC's Petal Search Booth, users will get the chance to witness the powerful capabilities of AR Search in person and perform exciting operations on AR glasses through visual and voice commands to experience cool functions such as recognition, content search, and real-time translation.

Experience the city and see new sights with Petal Search

Attendees flying into Barcelona should definitely seize the opportunity to explore the lovely city, and what better way to do so than with Petal Search?

Available on the bottom bar of the Petal Search app, the Nearby tab lets users find places of interest in their vicinity, including nearby hotels, restaurants and places of interest. With Petal Search's convenient Nearby feature, visitors travelling down for the event will be well-equipped to enjoy their time there, as booking a hotel or finding a restaurant is merely a tap away.

Travellers looking to do some online shopping to pass the time will also find Petal Search handy, as the search engine let you search for products, where to buy them and how much they cost anywhere, at any time. With product listings from a variety of e-commerce sites - from essentials users will need during their sojourn in Barcelona to that new product they've been eyeing - Petal Search helps them nab the most affordable deals.

To get hands on these discounts and enjoy a search experience that gives everything needed, Petal Search is available on download on AppGallery, App Store, as well as web access at https://petalsearch.com/.

And with that, we hope you're ready for MWC 2022 - we know we are. Petal Search is sure to spice up your MWC experience, and with that, see you in Barcelona.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752324/Petal_Search_brings_exclusive_coupons_MWC_2022.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752325/AR_glasses_identification_experiences.jpg
Guidewire (NYSE: GWRE) held its customer conference, Guidewire Insurance Forum, in London yesterday. The in-person event brought together international thought leaders to share best practices relevant to the EMEA general insurance market, and provided an opportunity to collaborate with industry peers, as well as connect with the Guidewire team.

Guidewire's chief executive officer, Mike Rosenbaum, talked about the diversity of Guidewire's customer community, nearly 70 strong in 18 countries across EMEA, from Tier 1 insurers to small greenfield companies. He acknowledged the variety of unique, and also common, innovation strategies employed by this community; underpinned by a desire to reduce implementation and upgrade cost as well as simplify innovation. Rosenbaum confirmed Guidewire's commitment to EMEA through ongoing investment in market solutions, framed by Guidewire's transformation to a cloud service. While this transformation is hard, it is also necessary, he concluded, and Guidewire Cloud Platform has evolved to power innovation and agility through go-to-market, data-driven, and digital strategies.

The following Guidewire speakers also presented:

Diego Devalle , chief product development officer, focused on how Guidewire Cloud Platform has evolved to continuously innovate, with state-of-the-art digital engagement and actionable insights from embedded analytics;

, chief product development officer, focused on how Guidewire Cloud Platform has evolved to continuously innovate, with state-of-the-art digital engagement and actionable insights from embedded analytics; Laura Drabik , chief evangelist, spoke about how embedded insurance combines core, digital, and data to help insurers secure a competitive edge, as well as Guidewire's open API that allows insurers to access new customer pools;

, chief evangelist, spoke about how embedded insurance combines core, digital, and data to help insurers secure a competitive edge, as well as Guidewire's open API that allows insurers to access new customer pools; Ian Gibbard , London Market lead, and Paul Mallett, principal product manager, talked about Guidewire's London Market roadmap to deliver policy, underwriting, and claims capability tailored to the London Market, and support continued modernisation;

, London Market lead, and principal product manager, talked about Guidewire's London Market roadmap to deliver policy, underwriting, and claims capability tailored to the London Market, and support continued modernisation; Will McAllister , vice president, head of Global Legal, illustrated how Guidewire Cloud is enabling European insurers to adapt to complex and frequently challenging regulations, as well as running safe, secure, and resilient operations;

, vice president, head of Global Legal, illustrated how Guidewire Cloud is enabling European insurers to adapt to complex and frequently challenging regulations, as well as running safe, secure, and resilient operations; Christina Colby , chief customer officer, and Annemarie Bruch , senior director Transformation Strategy, described the enhanced Guidewire Cloud engagement model that can support Guidewire customers to reach their goals; and

, chief customer officer, and , senior director Transformation Strategy, described the enhanced Guidewire Cloud engagement model that can support Guidewire customers to reach their goals; and Charles Clarke, vice president sales, Digital, Data Analytics, explained Guidewire's vision of how data and analytics are creating unprecedented opportunities for differentiation.

Brian Desmond, Guidewire's chief marketing officer, introduced the inaugural Guidewire EMEA Outstanding Achievement Awards, with honours going to Colonnade (Luxembourg), Direct Line Group (UK), P&V (Belgium), and Tryg (Denmark). Each winner took to the stage to share their experiences using Guidewire technology, and the insights they have gained.

Before concluding, the conference heard a panel discussion on how Guidewire Cloud can accelerate innovation, with Rudi Serron, chief information officer, P&V, Steen Wung-Sung, director, finance development, Claim DK, Tryg, and Vittorio Giusti, former chief executive officer, AvivaItalia.

About Guidewire Software

Guidewire is the platform P&C insurers trust to engage, innovate, and grow efficiently. We combine digital, core, analytics, and AI to deliver our platform as a cloud service. More than 450 insurers, from new ventures to the largest and most complex in the world, run on Guidewire.

As a partner to our customers, we continually evolve to enable their success. We are proud of our unparalleled implementation track record, with 1,000+ successful projects, supported by the largest R&D team and partner ecosystem in the industry. Our marketplace provides hundreds of applications that accelerate integration, localization, and innovation.

For more information, please visit www.guidewire.com and follow us on Twitter: @Guidewire_PandC.

NOTE: For information about Guidewire's trademarks, visit https://www.guidewire.com/legal-notices

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005217/en/

Contacts:

Daniel Couzens

Allison Partners

+44(0)203 971 4308

guidewire@allisonpr.com

Louise Bradley

PR Communications EMEA, Guidewire

+44(0)7474 837 860

lbradley@guidewire.com
BANGALORE, India, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) - operator of Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport), one of the world's fastest growing airports has signed an agreement with ACES India Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems Company (ACES) for providing Mobile Infrastructure Services, including 5G for 10 years.

The agreement aims to provide Mobile Infrastructure Services to create a modern and intelligent environment for passengers, travellers, residents and visitors of BLR Airport, for a period of 10 years.

Dr. Akram Aburas, CEO of ACES explained ACES vision to expand further across the region as International Neutral Host Champion. He also confirmed that the agreement stipulates that the company will equip the airport's telecom infrastructure to cover it with the latest modern and intelligent technologies providing mobile services, secure better coverage and improve the user experience by raising mobile internet speeds in the airport and the service areas associated with the project. Thus, forming a synchronous 10-year partnership with BIAL's expansion vision for 'BLR Airport'.

Dr. Khalid Al Mashouq, CTO of ACES assured that with the signing of the project, ACES is committed to provide the latest Mobile Telecom network service for the public area and thus supporting social and commercial activities to passengers at BLR Airport all year round. This airport being one of the core elements in the country's infrastructure is considered as one of the most prestigious projects.

BIAL Management expressed their pride in partnering with ACES, which aims to equip and develop infrastructure with the latest means of wireless communications.

The event was witnessed and attended by ACES India Pvt. Ltd. Director Mr. Mohammed N. Mazher and senior officials from BIAL's ICT, Procurement, Finance, and Legal departments.

ACES India Private Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems (ACES). ACES is one of the leading international companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South East Asia and the Middle East in implementing the infrastructure of mega projects. Several important projects have already been implemented, most notably the expansion of the Holy Mosque in Makkah, the Riyadh Metro Public Transport Project and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, as well as several other international projects. https://www.aces-co.com/

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) began operations in May 2008 and plays a key role in driving the economy of the region - offering connectivity to key destinations in India and across the globe. It is currently the busiest airport in South India and the third in the Country, having welcomed 33.65 million passengers in CY 2019. BLR Airport was recognised as the Best Regional Airport in India & Central Asia at the 2020 Skytrax World Airport Awards, for the fifth time in 11 years. The Airport won the Best Airport Staff in India and Central Asia at the 2021 Skytrax Awards. It's the only Airport in the World to win the ACI-ASQ awards for three consecutive years. www.bengaluruairport.com.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1750331/ACES_BIAL_Logo.jpg
DUNSTABLE, England, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OrderWork, a leading provider of installation services across the UK has announced its partnership with Yale, a global giant in door access and security solutions. The two companies have joined forces to provide Yale's customers with on-site installation services for its smart product range.

218 million smart products were bought by UK consumers in 2020, an increase of 22% on the previous year.[1] The trend to request an installation service on the back of a smart product purchase has resulted in OrderWork growing its workforce to 6,500+ engineers and installation technicians. Today's partnership marks an official start for Yale to provide customers with a superior product + service purchase combination.

James Anderton, CEO of OrderWork said, "We're delighted to add a world-famous brand to our already impressive stable of partnerships, which includes Currys, Samsung and Amazon. Often customers prefer to have technology products installed by professionals for peace of mind. Yale's customers can now buy high quality security and locking solutions knowing that the installation will be carried out by skilled technicians."

Duncan Chamberlain, Managing Director at Yale UK said, "The appetite among consumers for smart, connected products has dramatically increased. Our range of products is designed to offer reassurance to customers, of which correct installation is an important part. We're delighted to partner with OrderWork and provide customers with quality products, backed by quality services."

Customers interested in purchasing installation services for Yale products are advised to visit the website, www.yalehome.co.uk . Tradespeople that are interested in joining OrderWork's growing network should visit https://my.orderwork.co.uk/register/

Notes to Editors:

Yale

For 181 years, Yale has been leading the security market with products that protect people and places.

We secure millions of homes and businesses worldwide with our innovative mechanical locks, alarms, safes and smart locks for front doors, interior doors, and cabinets, package deliveries and more.

Yale is part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, the global leader in access solutions.

OrderWork

Founded in 2003, OrderWork was built on the recognition that retailers needed to differentiate their brands in an expanding online market. With access to OrderWork's white-label team of service professionals, retailers can offer customers nationwide installation services through OrderWork's Delivery Network.

OrderWork's continual investment in installation services allows its partners to achieve long-term sustainable growth, capitalising on growing trends and new technology.

[1] https://inews.co.uk/news/technology/smart-tvs-lead-wave-of-smart-home-purchases-during-the-pandemic-1093100
Reseller agreement will enable DataGear customers to automate corporate banking operations, reduce costs and seize new opportunities for growth

DUBAI, U.A.E, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Finastra today announced its partnership with DataGear, a leading service provider for banking and financial services in Egypt, to enable corporate banks to rationalize core operations, automate compliance and reduce costs. DataGear will provide its customers with Finastra's solutions, Fusion Corporate Channels and Fusion Trade Innovation, to help banks strengthen their services and grow their business.

Ahmed Elsonbaty, Chief Executive Officer at DataGear said, "The demands of our large customer base are constantly changing. We recognized a need to expand our portfolio, to help corporate banks upgrade their offering with a suite of digital services. Finastra's strong partnership and enablement program, as well as its industry-leading solutions, give us the tools to support our customers on this journey. With the partnership, we can also continue our own growth and development in the market."

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, it is important that corporate banks can adapt quickly and are not held back by regulation, legacy technology or working capital limitations. With Finastra's solutions, DataGear customers will benefit from a trade services platform that evolves with compliance, customer and competitive demands, as well as next-generation portal technology to unify trade, supply chain finance, cash, lending and transaction banking.

Ahmed Khalifa, Director, Partners & Ecosystem MEA at Finastra said, "With deep expertise in banking and financial services, DataGear has a strong presence and a large customer base in Egypt. At Finastra, we understand the importance of partnerships and collaborative ecosystems for facilitating growth. Our partnership will help the company further strengthen its market position, while giving its customers access to our flagship solutions through a local vendor. We're pleased to collaborate with DataGear and look forward to our mutual success."

For further information please contact:

Caroline Duff

Global Head of PR, Finastra

T +44 (0)7917 613586

Ecaroline.duff@finastra.com

finastra.com

Hatem Deghady

Business Development Manager, DataGear

T: +201099963827

E:hatem.deghady@datagearbi.com

datagearbi.com

About Finastra

Finastra is building an open platform that accelerates collaboration and innovation in financial services, creating better experiences for people, businesses and communities. Supported by the broadest and deepest portfolio of financial services software, Finastra delivers this vitally important technology to financial institutions of all sizes across the globe, including 90 of the world's top 100 banks. Our open architecture approach brings together a number of partners and innovators. Together we are leading the way in which applications are written, deployed and consumed in financial services to evolve with the changing needs of customers. Learn more at finastra.com

About DataGear

DataGear is a leading provider for compliance solutions and Data Warehousing for large enterprises in the Middle East and Africa. It has delivered over 12 Data Warehouse solutions to some of the largest telecommunication operators and financial institutions in Algeria, Egypt, KSA and UAE. It also provides over 40 financial institutions in the MEA region with robust and reliable solutions developed using Artificial Intelligence for Anti-Money Laundering, combating financing of terrorism, customer risk profiling, and fraud management. Adopting an innovative approach, and hiring the highest skilled people, the company strives to thrive and to accomplish the best client satisfaction.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/967510/Finastra_Logo.jpg
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen makes a statement on the Ukraine issue in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 22, 2022. The European Union (EU) is ready to take further action against Russia if it continues to escalate the crisis, von der Leyen warned here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

BRUSSELS/PARIS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is ready to take further action against Russia if it continues to escalate the crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned here on Tuesday.

In a statement, von der Leyen said EU member states had given their political consent to a new package of sanctions against Russia following its recognition of the independence of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The package contains a number of "calibrated measures" targeting banks that finance the Russian military apparatus and contribute to the destabilization of Ukraine.

It also bans trade between the two breakaway regions and the EU, as it did with Crimea in 2014, and limits the Russian government's ability to raise capital on the EU's financial markets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday evening signed decrees recognizing the independence of two self-proclaimed regions in eastern Ukraine's Donbass as "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)."

Russia has done everything to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine by fighting for the implementation of 2015 Minsk agreement, but all the efforts ended up in vain, Putin said on Monday.

The security crisis occurred due to NATO's eastward expansion, which has led to the loss of mutual trust with Russia, he noted.

According to Josep Borrell, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the package comprises sanctions against 351 members of the Russian State Duma (lower house of the country's Federal Assembly) who voted to recognize the two regions.

The EU will also "target 27 individuals and entities who are playing a role in undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," he said.

Furthermore, the sanctions aim to target the Russian state's ability to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services.

"If Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it has created, we are ready to take further action in response," von der Leyen said.

On the controversial Russia-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, von der Leyen said she believed that the German government was "absolutely right" to stop the project, which must be assessed in light of the security of energy supply for all of Europe.

"This crisis shows that Europe is still too dependent on Russian gas. We have to diversify our suppliers and massively invest in renewables. This is a strategic investment in our energy independence," she said.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 with fightings between the Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups who seized several towns.

With the mediation of the global community, the two sides in Belarus' capital of Minsk reached ceasefire agreements in September 2014 and February 2015 respectively.

Russia has been seeking NATO's guarantee to halt eastward expansion. However, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration took a hard line against Russia, supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the U.S.-led military alliance and increasing its military assistance to Ukraine, which has re-escalated tensions in the region.

The situation in eastern Ukraine has been getting worse since Feb. 17, as the Ukrainian government and local armed groups blamed each other for launching aggressive bombards. 
GOTEBORG, Sweden, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Aktiebolaget SKF will be held on Thursday, 24 March 2022.

Due to Covid-19, the Board of Directors has decided that the general meeting should be held without physical presence by inviting the shareholders to exercise their voting rights only by postal voting in accordance with the Act on temporary exceptions to facilitate the execution of general meetings in companies and other associations. There will be no meeting with a possibility to attend physically or by proxy; hence, the meeting will be held without physical presence.

Information on the resolutions adopted by the general meeting will be published on 24 March 2022 as soon as the results of the postal vote has been finalized. For further information, see the heading "Postal voting" below.

An address from the President and an address from the auditor will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, latest by 22 March 2022.

Preconditions for participation

For the right to participate at the Annual General Meeting, shareholders must be recorded in the shareholders' register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per Friday,?16?March 2022 and must notify its intention to participate to the company at the latest on 23 March 2022 by casting its postal vote in accordance with the instructions under the heading "Postal voting" below so that the postal voting is received by the company through Computershare AB no later than 23 March 2022. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a trustee must have the shares registered temporarily in their own name in order to take part in the Annual General Meeting. Any such re-registration for the purpose of establishing voting rights made by the trustee latest by 18 March 2022 are taken into account in the production of the share register. This means that the shareholder should give notice of his/her wish to be included in the shareholders' register to the trustee well in advance, in accordance with the trustee's procedures.

Postal voting

Shareholders may exercise their voting rights at the Annual General Meeting only by voting in advance, so-called postal voting in accordance with the Act on temporary exceptions to facilitate the execution of general meetings in companies and other associations.

A special form shall be used for postal voting. The form is available on www.skf.com. The postal voting form is considered as the notification of participation.

The completed and signed voting form must be received by SKF through Computershare AB no later than 23 March 2022. The form may be submitted by post to Computershare AB, "AGM 2022 of AB SKF", Box 5267, 102 46 Stockholm or via e-mail to proxy@computershare.se. Shareholders may also cast their postal votes electronically through Swedish BankID verification via SKF's website www.skf.com. Shareholders who are represented by a proxy holder shall submit a proxy form enclosed to the voting form. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a certificate of incorporation or a corresponding document shall be enclosed to the form.

Shareholders are not permitted to add special instructions or conditions to their postal votes. If this is done, the vote (i.e. the postal vote in its entirety) will be invalid. Further instructions and conditions can be found on the postal voting form.

For questions about the meeting or to have the postal voting form sent by post, please contact Computershare AB on telephone +46 771-24 64 00.

Proposed agenda

1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting

2. Election of a Chairman for the Annual General Meeting

3. Election of persons to verify the minutes

4. Drawing up and approval of the voting list

5. Approval of agenda

6. Consideration of whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened

7. Presentation of annual report and audit report as well as consolidated accounts and audit report for the Group

8. Matter of adoption of the income statement and balance sheet and consolidated income statement and consolidated balance sheet for the Group

9. Resolution regarding distribution of profits and record date

10. Matter of discharge of the Board members and the Presidents from liability

11. Determination of number of Board members and deputy members

12. Determination of fee for the Board members

13. Election of Board members and deputy Board members

The Nomination Committee's proposal for Board members:

13.1 Hans Straberg

13.2 Hock Goh

13.3 Colleen Repplier

13.4 Geert Follens

13.5 Hakan Buskhe

13.6 Susanna Schneeberger

13.7 Rickard Gustafson

14. Election of Chairman of the Board of Directors

15. The Board of Director's proposal for a resolution on revised principles of executive remuneration

16. The Board of Directors' remuneration report

17. The Board of Directors' proposal for a resolution on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022

Proposal under item 3

Martin Jonasson (Andra AP-fonden) and Emilie Westholm (Folksam), or if one or both of them are prevented, the person or persons instead appointed by the Board, are proposed to be elected to approve the minutes of the Meeting together with the Chairman. The task of approving the minutes of the Meeting also includes verifying the voting list and that the advance votes received are correctly stated in the minutes of the Meeting.

Proposal under item 4

The voting list proposed for approval under point 4 on the agenda, is the voting list drawn up by Computershare AB on behalf of the company, based on the Meeting's share register and advance votes received, as verified and recommended by the persons approving the minutes of the Meeting.

Proposal under item 9

The Board of Directors proposes a dividend of SEK 7.00 per share. It is proposed that shareholders with holdings recorded on Monday,?28 March 2022 be entitled to receive the proposed dividend. Subject to resolution by the Annual General Meeting in accordance with this proposal, it is expected that Euroclear will distribute the dividend on Thursday, 31?March?2022.

Proposals under items 2, 11, 12, 13 and 14

The Nomination Committee formed according to a resolution of the Annual General Meeting 2020 to represent all shareholders of the company consists of, besides the Chairman of the Board of Directors, representatives of FAM, AFA Forsakring, Skandia and Swedbank Robur Fonder, shareholders who together represent around 40% of the votes of the total number of company shares. The Nomination Committee has informed the company about the following proposal:

Item 2 - that Sven Unger , or if he is prevented, the person or persons instead appointed by the Nomination Committee, is elected Chairman of the Annual General Meeting;

, or if he is prevented, the person or persons instead appointed by the Nomination Committee, is elected Chairman of the Annual General Meeting; Item 11 - that the Board of Directors shall consist of seven members and no deputy members;

Item 12 - that the Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting and not employed by the company, for the period up to the end of the next Annual General Meeting, receive a fee according to the following:

a. An allotment of SEK 2,530,000 to the Chairman of the Board of Directors and SEK 825,000 to each of the other Board members; and

b. an allotment of SEK 285,000 to the Chairman of the Audit Committee, with SEK 210,000 to each of the other members of the Audit Committee, with SEK 165,000 to the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and with SEK 130,000 to each of the other members of the Remuneration Committee;

Item 13 - re-election of the Board members Hans Straberg, Hock Goh, Colleen Repplier , Geert Follens , Hakan Buskhe, Susanna Schneeberger and Rickard Gustafson .

A presentation of the proposed Board can be found at the company's website www.skf.com. Barb Samardzich has declined re-election at the Annual General Meeting 2022.

Item 14 - that Hans Straberg is re-elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Proposal under item 15

The Board of Directors has decided to submit the following revised principles of remuneration for SKF's Group Management (executive remuneration) to the Annual General Meeting. The main contents of the proposal are stated below. The Board of Director's complete proposal is available at the company and at the company's website, www.skf.com.

The Board of Director's proposal for revised principles of remuneration are in all material respects similar to the previous version with a clarification of the criteria for variable salary. Furthermore, a criterion promoting the SKF Group's sustainability targets, which can be independent of the financial performance of the SKF Group, has been added.

Group Management is defined as the President and the other members of the management team.?

The Board of Directors' proposal is that the remuneration of Group Management members shall be based on market competitive conditions and at the same time support the shareholders' best interests. The total remuneration package for a Group Management member shall consist of fixed salary, variable salary, pension benefits, conditions for notice of termination and severance pay, and other benefits such as a company car. The objective of the principles of remuneration is to ensure that the SKF Group can attract and retain the best people in order to promote the SKF Group's mission and business strategy, its long-term interests and sustainability.?

The fixed salary shall be at a market competitive level. Competence, responsibility, experience and performance shall be taken into account when the fixed salary is established.?

The variable salary shall run according to a performance-based programme. The programme shall have predetermined and measurable criteria which can be both financial and non-financial and which contribute to the company's long-term and sustainable development. The criteria shall primarily be based on the annual financial performance of the SKF Group, such as financial result, growth and capital efficiency and shall promote sustainability targets of the SKF Group. The satisfaction of criteria for awarding variable salary shall be measured over a period of one year. To which extent the criteria for awarding variable salary has been satisfied shall be determined when the measurement period has ended, and the maximum variable salary is capped at a certain percentage of the fixed accumulated annual salary varying between 50 and 70 %. The Board of Directors is responsible for the evaluation so far as it concerns variable salary to the President. For variable salary to other executives, the President is responsible for the evaluation. For financial targets, the evaluation shall be based on financial information made public by the SKF Group.?

SKF shall strive to establish pension plans based on defined contribution models.?

A Group Management member may terminate his/her employment by giving six months' notice. In the event of termination of employment at the request of the company, employment shall according to the agreement cease immediately. A severance payment related to the number of years' service shall, however, in this case be paid out, provided that it shall always be maximized to two years' fixed salary.?

The principles of remuneration for Group Management shall be presented by the Remuneration Committee to the Board of Directors that, at least every fourth year, shall submit a proposal for such principles to the Annual General Meeting for approval. The principles of remuneration shall be valid until new principles have been adopted by the Annual General Meeting.?

The Board of Directors also proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to authorize the Board of Directors to derogate from the principles of remuneration decided by the Annual General Meeting, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the derogation and a derogation is necessary to serve the company's long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure the company's financial viability.??

Proposal under item 16

The Board of Directors has prepared a Remuneration report which is proposed to be approved by the Annual General Meeting. The Remuneration report is available on the company's website, www.skf.com.

Proposal under item 17

The main contents of the Board of Directors' proposal are stated below. The complete proposal is available at the company and at the company's website, www.skf.com.

At the Annual General Meeting in 2008 the SKF Group introduced a long-term performance share programme for senior managers and key employees. Since then, the Annual General Meeting has resolved each year upon a performance share programme.

The Board proposes, in order to continue to link the long-term interests of the participants and the shareholders, that a decision be taken at the Annual General Meeting 2022 on SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022.

The programme is proposed to cover not more than 225 senior managers and key employees in the SKF Group with an opportunity to be allotted, free of charge, SKF B shares in accordance with the following principal terms and guidelines.

Under the programme, not more than in total 1,000,000 SKF B shares may be allotted to not more than 225 senior managers and key employees in the Group. The number of shares that may be allotted must be related to the degree of achievement of the Total Value Added (TVA) target level, as defined by the Board, and to the SKF Group's carbon neutral net zero 2030 objective. TVA is a simplified, economic value-added model promoting greater operating profit, capital efficiency and profitable growth. TVA is the operating profit, less the pre-tax cost of capital.

90 % of the maximum allocation of shares under the programme is based on the level of TVA increase. The number of shares that may be allotted must be related to the degree of achievement of the Total Value Added (TVA) target level, as defined by the Board, for the TVA development for the financial years 2022-2024 compared to the financial year 2021. After the expiry of the financial year 2024 a comparison is made between the average TVA for the financial years 2022-2024 and TVA for the financial year 2021. The TVA change is expressed as a percentage. In order for allocation of shares to take place the TVA increase must exceed a certain minimum level (the threshold level). In addition to the threshold level a target level is set. Maximum allotment is awarded if the target level is reached or exceeded.

10 % of the maximum allocation of shares under the programme is based on the reduction of CO2 emissions. The SKF Group net zero 2030 objective is related to the SKF Group's ambition to become carbon neutral year 2030 (the net zero 2030 objective). The target is based on a CO2 emission reduction trajectory for the operations defined by the net zero 2030 objective with 2021's emissions as a starting point. After the expiry of the financial year 2024, a comparison will be made of the level of CO2 reduction achieved during the programme period and the net zero 2030 objective trajectory. If the trajectory reduction level is met or exceeded full allotment is awarded, i.e. 10 % of the total maximum allotment under the programme. If the reduction does not meet the trajectory level, no allotment is awarded in relation to this part of the programme.

Provided that the TVA increase reaches the target level, and that the net zero 2030 objective target is met, the participants of the programme may be allotted the following maximum number of shares per person within the various key groups:

CEO and President - 36,500 shares

Other members of Group Management - 13,000 shares

Managers of large business units and similar - 4,500 shares

Other senior managers - 3,000 shares

Other key persons - 1,250 shares

If the TVA increase exceeds the threshold level for allotment of shares but the final allotment is below 5% of the target level, payment will be made in cash instead of shares, whereupon the amount of the cash payment shall correspond to the value of the shares calculated on the basis of the closing price for SKF's B share the day before settlement.

Allotment of shares requires that the persons covered by the programme are employed in the SKF Group during the entire calculation period. If all the conditions included in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022 are met, allotment of shares shall be made free of charge following the expiry of the three year calculation period, i.e. during 2025.

Before the number of shares to be allotted is finally determined, the Board shall examine whether the allotment is reasonable considering SKF's financial results and position, the conditions on the stock market as well as other circumstances, and if not, as determined by the Board, reduce the number of shares to be awarded to the lower number of shares deemed appropriate by the Board.

The Board is furthermore entitled to introduce an alternative incentive solution for employees in countries where participation in SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022 is not appropriate. Such alternative incentive solution shall, as far as practicable, be formulated employing the same conditions as SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022.

The company has 455,351,068 shares in issue when this notice is issued. In order to comply with the obligations of SKF's Performance Share Programme 2022, a maximum number of 1,000,000 B shares are required, corresponding to approximately 0.2% of the total number of outstanding shares.

Assuming maximum allocation under the Performance Share Programme 2022 and a share price of SEK 184, the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 221. On the basis of a share price of SEK 280, the cost, including social security cost, is estimated at approximately MSEK 336. In addition, the administrative costs are estimated at approximately MSEK 2.

The Board does not propose for the time being to take any action to hedge SKF's obligations under the programme. Delivery of shares under the programme shall not take place until 2025.

Number of shares and votes, and documentation

When this notice is issued, the total number of shares in the company are 455,351,068, represented by 29,403,933 series A shares and 425,947,135 series B shares, with a total number of votes of 71,998,646.5. The company holds no own shares.

The annual report, the audit report, statements of the Board of Directors and the auditor, the Board of Directors' remuneration report and complete proposals according to item 15 and 17 of the agenda together with the Nomination Committee's reasoned statement will be available at the company's headquarters at Sven Wingquists gata 2, 415 50 Gothenburg, and at the company's website, www.skf.com, no later than from 3 March 2022 and will be sent to shareholders who request this and state their address. The documents will be presented to the Annual General Meeting by being available at the company's website www.skf.com and at the company's headquarters. Further, the share register of the meeting will be available at the company's headquarters.

Information at the Annual General Meeting, etc.

The Board of Directors and the President shall, upon request by any shareholder and where the Board of Directors believes that it may take place without significant harm to the company, provide information in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the company's or a subsidiary's financial position and the company's relationship to other group companies. A request for such information shall be made in writing no later than ten days before the meeting, i.e. latest by 14 March 2022, to AB SKF, Att. General Counsel, SE-415 50 Gothenburg, Sweden, or by e-mail: chairman@skf.com. The information will be made available at the company's website, www.skf.com, and at the company's headquarters on 19 March 2022 at the latest. The information will also be sent to the shareholder who has requested it and stated its address.

SKF's web-based financial report in English will be made public on 2 March 2022.

Proxy forms will be available at the company's website, www.skf.com, and may also be requested by letter to Computershare AB, "AGM 2022 of AB SKF", Box 5267, SE-102 46 Stockholm, Sweden or by phone +46 771 24 64 00.

Gothenburg in February 2022

Aktiebolaget SKF

(publ)

Reg. no 556007-3495

The Board of Directors

Processing of Personal Data

Personal data related to a shareholder which is gathered from the shareholders' register, notification on participation in the Annual General Meeting and information about advisors that are to participate or any other information that is otherwise given as set out above, will be processed mainly to register the shareholder, form part of the voting list at the Annual General Meeting and if necessary, the minutes from the Annual General Meeting. The personal data is processed in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council. For complete information on the company's processing of your personal data in connection with the Annual General Meeting and your rights, see SKF's website www.skf.com under the heading "About AGM" (which is located under the section "Investors" and "Corporate Governance").

CONTACT:

PRESS: Carl Bjernstam, Group Communication

tel: 46 31-337 2517; mobile: 46 722-201 893; e-mail: carl.bjernstam@skf.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg, Head of Investor Relations

tel: 46 31-337 2104; mobile: 46 705-472 104; patrik.stenberg@skf.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/skf/r/notice-of-annual-general-meeting,c3512637

The following files are available for download:
Citi awarded Northern Ireland Employer of the Year

Citi named a Top 100 LGBTQ+ Employer, ranking 11th out of 403 organisations

Citi Pride Network in Belfast and London named as part of the High Commended Employee Network Group

Citi has been named among the UK's Top 100 most inclusive employers by Stonewall, the world's second-largest LGBTQ+ charity. Citi also received a Gold Employer Award as well as being named Northern Ireland Employer of the Year. Stonewall's Top 100 employers List ranks organisations on their efforts and commitment to creating welcoming environments for their lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer staff and Citi ranked 11th out of 403 organisations.

James Bardrick, Citi Country Officer for the UK, said "We are extremely grateful to Stonewall for the recognition of our efforts to improve workplace inclusion and support for LGBTQ+ employees and the wider community. The Gold Award and continued high placement in Stonewall's Workplace Equality Index reflects how passionately we feel about these issues across the whole of Citi and our focus on striving to make Citi a great place to work for everyone."

Alan Houmann, EMEA Head Government Affairs and EMEA Pride Affinity Lead, said "Stonewall's research shows the awful findings that more than a third of LGBTQ+ staff (35 per cent) hide who they are at work, while one in five (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments because they're LGBTQ+. As a global financial institution, we are doubling down on our efforts to promote more welcoming workplaces, share best practice and collaborate with our networks for greater levels of LGBTQ+ inclusion across the world."

Liz Ward, Director of Programmes at Stonewall (she/her) said: "We spend so much of our time at work, and our career can be a huge part of how we define ourselves. Every single lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer person should be able to be themself at work. From understanding how HR policies, such as parental leave, will affect them, to being reassured that they can speak openly about their lives and partners at the coffee machine, the impact of inclusive workplaces can be life-changing.

"It's fantastic that Citi has gained the Gold Award for their efforts and commitment to creating an inclusive work environment, and we look forward to seeing and supporting the rest of their inclusion journey."

Hannah McNamara, Data Analyst and Citi Belfast Pride Network Co-Chair and Kayus Fernander, Senior Vice President, Global Clearing Financial Institutions, and long-standing member of Citi's London Pride Network Steering Committee were also named as Stonewall Changemakers of the Year for their tireless work to shift mindsets and provide leadership in enabling important discussions and promoting cultural changes at an organizational level.

Denise Cole, EMEA Head of Inclusion Diversity, said, "At Citi, we are incredibly proud of our Stonewall ranking this year. We are also delighted to be named Northern Ireland Employer of the Year and to have two colleagues receive the Changemaker of the Year awards. All this is testament to the effort and dedication that has been put in to create a culture where all of our employees can feel valued for who they are and to bring their true selves to work."

The Stonewall Top 100 Employers list is compiled from submissions to the Workplace Equality Index, a powerful benchmarking tool used by employers to assess their achievements and progress on LGBTQ+ equality in the workplace. Further details on the Index can be found on the Stonewall website, as well as further information about the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion.

About Citi

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com Twitter: @Citi YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi| Blog: https://blog.citigroup.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi| LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

Stonewall

Stonewall is the UK's leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, working to create a world where every lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer person is free to be themselves wherever they are.

It was founded in 1989 by a small group of people who wanted to break down barriers to equality. Stonewall continues to campaign on LGBT Equality, as well as work with employers and schools to create environments which allow LGBTQ+ people to thrive.

For more information on Stonewall's work with organisations, through it's Diversity Champions programme, and some of the press coverage during summer 2021 please see our FAQs here.

To get involved visit us at www.stonewall.org.uk Registered charity number 1101255

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005712/en/

Contacts:

Francesco Meucci

+44 207 508 0717

francesco.meucci@citi.com
HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) welcomes the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) 2022/23 Budget, including the additional funding to the Council for a support scheme for Hong Kong businesses in Mainland China, to help them capture opportunities under the National 14th Five-year Plan. The Budget was announced by the HKSAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan earlier today with relief measures for citizens and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong to support the economy amid the continuing COVID-19 challenges, and plan for its long-term sustainable development.HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam said: "The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to SMEs in the past two years. The measures announced in this year's Budget, including enhancements to various export credit and SME financing schemes, can alleviate pressures on cash flow and operations. In addition, the various measures to support the IP (intellectual property) and technology sectors can also help SMEs tap into new markets and upgrade and transform their business."We are also encouraged that the HKSAR Government has allocated additional funding to support Hong Kong businesses pursuing development in the mainland. Through our network of mainland offices, we will work with partners including established Hong Kong business, professional services, and young entrepreneur associations in these cities, to organise training, exchange events, business missions and promotion campaigns."We believe this can help Hong Kong businesses in the mainland to expand and capture opportunities arising from the 'dual circulation' strategy and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so as to better integrate into the nation's development." Dr Lam said.In addition to the mainland market, the HKTDC will continue helping SMEs capture business opportunities in mature and emerging markets. Dr Lam said: "We will continue to help Hong Kong companies develop ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and mature markets with enhancements to our flagship overseas promotions such as 'Think Business, Think Hong Kong', as well as strengthen our online and offline platforms, business matching services, SME support schemes and other training activities, to help Hong Kong businesses connect with global enterprises and target relevant opportunities effectively. We are also glad to learn that the Government will actively consider attracting more conventions and exhibition events to be organised in Hong Kong when the pandemic subsides.""Our team at the HTKDC will do all we can to create new opportunities for our industries, enabling them to diversify and find new impetus for recovery and growth amid the pandemic." Dr Lam added.Media enquiries:HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentSusanna Sin, Tel: +852 2584 4294, Email: susanna.kc.sin@hktdc.orgAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInSource: HKTDCCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / NeonMind Biosciences Inc. (CSE:NEON)(OTCQB:NMDBF)(FRA:6UF) ("NeonMind' or the "Company"), an integrated drug development and wellness company focused on bringing innovative psychedelic-based treatments to people suffering from obesity and mental health disorders, announced today the appointment of Dr. Dinesh Bhayana, MD, CCFP (EM), as the Site Medical Director of its recently announced inaugural specialty clinic for interventional psychiatry, located in Mississauga, Ontario. Dr. Bhayana is the Chief Medical Officer of the Centre for Compassionate Care (C3), which offers specialized psychological services including Integrative Ketamine-Enhanced Psychotherapy, served as a Board Member for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Canada, and an Emergency and Addiction Medicine physician in several communities within the Greater Toronto Area.

NeonMind and Dr. Bhayana will work closely with medical leaders in NeonMind's Specialty Clinics Advisory Board to set up the Company's inaugural NeonMind specialty mental health clinic in Mississauga and leverage their clinical experience to meet regulatory licensing requirements and initiate treatment services this year.

"We are excited to welcome Dr. Bhayana as Site Medical Director of our first specialty clinic. Dr. Bhayana's extensive training and clinical expertise is particularly well suited for delivering innovative, safe and effective mental health treatments to patients suffering from mood and anxiety disorders," said Robert Tessarolo, President & CEO of NeonMind.

Dr. Bhayana's combination of training and experience is complementary for overseeing the administration of innovative mental health treatments. Dr. Bhayana works closely with patients suffering from mental health disorders in his current clinical roles within the emergency department, addiction medicine clinic, and ketamine-enhanced psychotherapy program.

Dr. Bhayana holds various positions including active staff hospital privileges in the departments of Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry. He completed medical school at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, followed by family medicine and emergency medicine training at the University of Toronto. Dr. Bhayana is certified by the Canadian College of Family Physicians with an Emergency Medicine specialty designation and holds an adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor faculty appointment at McMaster University. He has also completed training in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy at the Polaris Insight Center and Ketamine Medical Provider training with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI).

Dr. Bhayana commented, "I am honored to be appointed as Site Medical Director of NeonMind's inaugural specialty clinic. Despite the strengths of our Canadian healthcare system, major gaps still remain in access to evidence-based treatments. NeonMind's team has a strong track record of deploying new medical treatments and a detailed understanding of working in partnership with the healthcare system to address local community needs. I look forward to working with them to ensure access to high quality care that is safe and effective."

NeonMind's inaugural specialty mental health clinic is located at 89 Queensway West, Suite 604, Mississauga, Ontario, L5B 2V2. More details will be released closer to the opening of the clinic. For more information related to NeonMind's specialty clinics, please email medicalinformation@neonmind.com.

About NeonMind Biosciences Inc.

NeonMind operates two divisions: (i) a pharmaceutical division engaged in drug development of psychedelic compounds with two lead psilocybin-based drug candidates targeting obesity; and (ii) a medical services division focused on launching specialty mental health clinics that integrate psychedelic therapeutics into traditional psychotherapy settings.

In its pharmaceutical division, NeonMind has two distinct psilocybin drug development programs targeting obesity. NeonMind's lead candidate, NEO-001, employs psilocybin as an agonist at the serotonin 5- HT2A receptor, which is involved in the hallucinogenic effect of psychedelics. The Company's second drug candidate, NEO-002, employs low-dose psilocybin as an agonist at the 5-HT2C receptor, which controls appetite.

NeonMind and its strategic partners are building NeonMind-branded specialty mental health clinics in Canada that incorporate evidence-based innovative interventional psychiatry treatments to address a variety of mental health needs. For more information on NeonMind, go to www.NeonMindBiosciences.com.

Rob Tessarolo, President & Chief Executive Officer, NeonMind Biosciences Inc.

rob@neonmind.com

Tel: 416-750-3101

Investor Relations:

KCSA Strategic Communications

Scott Eckstein/Tim Regan

neonmind@kcsa.com

Tel: 212-896-1210

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or NeonMind's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on NeonMind's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, NeonMind's drug development plans, its ability to retain key personnel, and its expectation as to the development of its intellectual property and other steps in its preclinical and clinical drug development constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. NeonMind disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: NeonMind Biosciences Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689960/NeonMind-Appoints-Emergency-and-Addiction-Expert-Dr-Dinesh-Bhayana-as-Site-Medical-Director-of-its-Inaugural-Specialty-Mental-Health-Clinic
All 23 Bacardi production sites worldwide achieve Great Place to Work certification

Family-owned spirits company's culture of respect and fairness praised by team of almost 4,000 Global Operations employees

Bacardi is celebrating achieving the internationally-recognized Great Place to Work certification at all its production sites worldwide, as its Global Operations team of almost 4,000 employees praise the family atmosphere, positive work-life balance and exceptional facilities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005288/en/

Bacardi Global Operations certified Great Place to Work (Photo: Business Wire)

The family-owned spirits company has 23 manufacturing sites across 10 countries, where its portfolio of iconic premium brands including BACARDI rum, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINIvermouth, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, and DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky are crafted, blended, aged and bottled, ready to be enjoyed in more than 170 countries around the world.

"Bacardi is truly a dynamic, exciting place to work, and I couldn't be prouder to see that recognized with this certification," comments Jean-Marc Lambert, SVP Global Operations, Bacardi."At Bacardi, we celebrate the passion, commitment and expertise of everyone in Global Operations from our Master Blenders to our experts in botanicals, blending, aging, bottling and packaging design, and of course our amazing supply chain team who work together to craft our beautiful drinks."

Bacardi employees surveyed by Great Place to Work praised the company's culture of respect and fairness, with high scores reflecting how all employees are treated equally. The sense of family at Bacardi, a reflection of the company's 160 years of family ownership, was highlighted with camaraderie scoring highly.

Meanwhile, 92% said they are proud to tell others they work for Bacardi, and 87% feel good about the many ways the company contributes to local communities. Bacardi invests in Corporate Responsibility initiatives that set goals for a safer, brighter, and greener future for all; focusing on doing the right thing by its consumers, employees, business partners, the communities where it operates, and the environment.

The Bacardi sites now holding Great Place to Work certification include the home of MARTINI, in Pessione, Italy; the BACARDI rum distillery known as 'The Cathedral of Rum' in Catano, Puerto Rico; the PATRON Hacienda in Jalisco, and the home of CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, Tultitlan both in Mexico; the Bacardi Global Operations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland; the home of GREY GOOSE vodka, and Chateau de Cognac where D'USSE and BARON OTARD cognacs are produced both in France; and for the second year running, the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Distillery in England, the company's Glasgow-based operations centre and 100-acre blending and maturation centre, Poniel, and all five Bacardi-owned Scotch whisky distilleries Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff and Royal Brackla.

The Great Place to Work certification follows the recent news that Bacardi has been named by Forbes as one of the "World's Best Employers"

About Bacardi

Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON'S Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF vodka. Founded 160 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 8,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit http://www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Their unparalleled benchmark data is used to recognize Great Place to Work-Certified companies and the Best Workplaces in the US and more than 60 countries, including the 100 Best Companies to Work For and World's Best list published annually in Fortune. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All.

To learn more, visit greatplacetowork.com, listen to the podcast Better by Great Place to Work and read "A Great Place to Work for All." Join the community on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005288/en/

Contacts:

Phillippa Williams, Corporate Communications Manager, pholmes@bacardi.com

Andrew Carney, Corporate Communications Director, acarney@bacardi.com
The Learning Management System Market Size is expected to grow from $14.89 Bn in 2021 to $50.99 Bn by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 19.2% during 2021 to 2028.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on " Learning Management System Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Deployment Mode (On-Premise and Cloud), Delivery Mode (Distance Learning, Instructor-Led Training, and Others), and End-User (K-12, Higher Education, and Corporate)". The Learning Management System Market Growth is driven by the rise in adoption of e-learning across institutions and integration of technologies such as artificial intelligence, adoption of immersive learning with virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification and implementation of BYOD in enterprises are presenting significant potential for the future growth of the market players.

Get Exclusive Sample Pages of this research study at https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000707/

Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 14,895.17 Million in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 50,995.16 Million by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 19.2% from 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021-2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 155 No. Tables 83 No. of Charts & Figures 82 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Deployment Mode, Delivery Mode, and End-User Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Learning Management System Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Blackboard Inc., Cornerstone, D2L Corporation, Docebo, International Business Machines Corporation, itslearning AS, LTGplc, Hurix, SAP SE, and Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd. are among the key players that are profiled during this market study. In addition, several other essential market players were studied and analyzed to get a holistic view of the global learning management system market and its ecosystem.

In August 2021, Clearlake Capital Group, L.P, a leading private equity firm, acquired Cornerstone with an investment worth US$ 5.2 billion. They will benefit from Clearlake's operating capabilities, capital support, deep sector expertise, and strong track record with software platform investments.

In February 2021, Learning Technologies Group plc (LTG) acquired Bridge, a learning, performance, and skills development platform for mid-enterprise organizations.

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000707/

The current learning analytics landscape has dramatically expanded, especially for higher education. When students engage in gamified events, they can learn and practice better. Gaming features help create a fun and productive learning experience for learners. The implementation of gamification is most widespread in e-learning platforms meant for K-12 level students. According to an article published by EducationWorld in December 2019, STEPapp had launched India's first-of-its-kind Gamified Learning EdTech app intending to revolutionize K-12 education in the country. Further, since the introduction of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into education, the class learning experience has undergone a tremendous transformation. While VR provides a built reality, AR provides a real image with an improved view. Thus, a surge in the integration of virtual reality, augmented reality, and gamification technologies across educational institutions offer better academic results is creating demand for LMS platforms to support their implementation. This is generating opportunities for the future growth of the learning management system market.

Learning Management System Market: Deployment Mode Overview

Based on deployment mode, the learning management system market is segmented into on-premise and cloud. The cloud segment accounted for the larger market share and is the fastest-growing segment due to the high demand compared to the on-premise learning management system. The cloud segment generates the majority of the demand since it is comparatively less expensive due to the strong network infrastructure in developed countries. In addition, the cloud-based learning management system vendors are highly focused on developing a high-level security patch to eliminate the risk of cyberattacks. This factor also creates significant demand from the end-users, driving the learning management system market.

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MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - In the wake of the Russian occupation of the Donbas region and sending its forces to Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, President Joe Biden ordered U.S. troops already based in Europe to shore up the defenses of nations bordering Ukraine.?



Biden directed Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin to move forces within the U.S. European Command's area of operations to the Baltic Republics, Poland and Ukraine's southeastern flank.?



The forces will move within a week, Defense Department officials said.?



The deployment follows Russia's renewed invasion of eastern Ukraine and the mobilization of its forces all along the borders of Ukraine.



Russia's upper house of parliament authorized President Vladimir Putin to send troops into two parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed rebels.



Biden made it clear that his authorization of additional movements of U.S. forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen Baltic allies is 'totally defensive.'



'We have no intention of fighting Russia,' Biden said. 'We want to send an unmistakable message though: that the United States together with our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory. And abide by the commitments we made to NATO.' -



Austin has ordered an infantry battalion task force of about 800 soldiers to deploy from Italy to the Baltic region. He also approved the movement of up to eight F-35 Lightning II aircraft from Germany to operating locations on NATO's eastern flank.?



Twenty AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also deploy from Germany to the Baltic region and 12 Apache helicopters will move from Greece to Poland. -



'These additional personnel are being repositioned to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO member states, and train with host-nation forces,' DOD officials said in a written statement. All forces are under the command of Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, the commander of U.S. European Command. -



Officials said the moves are temporary.??



These moves are the latest in a series designed to reassure the frontline states. The United States sent 1,000 soldiers from a Stryker squadron from Germany to Romania. An 82nd Airborne Division infantry brigade combat team will be deployed to Poland from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Company-sized Stryker units will deploy to Hungary and Bulgaria. -



In addition, Austin ordered 8,500 service members to a heightened state of readiness should NATO activate its Rapid Reaction Force.?



Overall, there are about 90,000 U.S. service members currently based in Europe.?



During a meeting in the Pentagon Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin told Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that American support for Ukraine's self-defense, sovereignty and territorial integrity is 'unwavering.'



The foreign minister met with Austin as Russia moved forces into the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. More than 150,000 Russian troops almost surround Ukraine'S borders.



Austin told Kuleba that Russia's latest invasion not only threatens Ukraine but the peace, security and prosperity of the Trans-Atlantic community.



Russia first moved into Ukraine in 2014, occupying Crimea and fomenting violence in the Donbas region. Since then, the United States has committed more than $2.7 billion in assistance to Ukraine including $650 million in 2021 alone.



The Ukrainian foreign minister said his country is not seeking a war. 'We want to find solutions through diplomacy. But if the war is imposed on us by President Putin, we will be defending ourselves and we will be more than grateful for all the assistance that you can provide to us,' he told Austin.







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Supply, operations and maintenance of Floating Storage Unit (FSU) by ADNOC L&S

Conversion of the LNG Carrier (LNGC) to FSU by AG&P subsidiary GAS Entec

Phase 1 commissioning of PHLNG in H2, 2022 with FSU storage. In Phase 2, two additional onshore storage tanks to follow in 2024

SINGAPORE, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P), a leading downstream LNG platform and infrastructure development company, has signed a long-term charter agreement with ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S) for the supply, operations and maintenance of the vessel named ISH, a 137,512 cubic meter Floating Storage Unit (FSU) for the first Philippines LNG Import Terminal (PHLNG) in Batangas Bay.

The FSU will be located at Batangas Bay at AG&P's new PHLNG facility on the main island of Luzon, the first LNG import terminal in the Philippines. The FSU is being chartered for 11 years with an option to extend by another 4 years. ADNOC L&S will provide a Japan-built, Moss-type containment vessel as FSU for the project from its fleet of eight LNG ships. The FSU is part of the combined offshore/onshore terminal that will have an initial capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and provide its customers with resiliency of supply, even in storms.

Mr. Joseph Sigelman, Chairman & CEO, AG&P Group, said, "PHLNG will store LNG and dispatch natural gas, providing a critical, clean transition fuel for the Philippines. We are privileged to have ADNOC Logistics and Services, a foremost global leader in LNG logistics, as our partner to transition the Philippines to cleaner fuel through AG&P's PHLNG import terminal."

Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S, said, "This agreement with AG&P builds on our existing partnership and demonstrates ADNOC L&S' continued focus on maximizing value from its assets. By providing AG&P with another flexible storage solution for their new LNG terminal, we are able to extend the operational life of this vessel, unlocking surplus value and new opportunities for growth. Furthermore, as the provider of world-class shipping, offshore logistics and onshore services, we are growing our global footprint, delivering cutting-edge technology and services to our partners. Our project with AG&P in the Philippines will contribute to the economic growth of the country by leveraging the potential of clean LNG for power generation."

The hybrid-designed PHLNG import terminal will be commissioned in two phases. The first phase will be commissioned with the FSU storage in Q3 2022, and the two additional onshore storage tanks will be integrated by the end of the second phase in 2024. Then, PHLNG will have scalable onshore regasification capacity of 504 mmscfd and 257,000 cbm of storage that will ensure high availability and reliability of natural gas for its customers. The terminal will also act as a gateway in providing breakbulk LNG supply to various islands across the country.

The PHLNG import terminal is under construction and commercial operation is scheduled to commence in early Q3 2022.

ADNOC L&S

For further information: media@adnoc.ae.

About AG&P :

Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) is a global leader in developing and running LNG and gas logistics and distribution solutions. AG&P provides the infrastructure to access natural gas safely and easily in new and growing markets. We act as an owner and as a service provider covering the development, financing, engineering, procurement, project management and construction for onshore and offshore gas infrastructure, linking suppliers to downstream customers.

www.agpglobal.com

About ADNOC Logistics & Services :

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Logistics & Services provides world-class shipping, maritime, port, and logistics, serving ADNOC and international customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is a crucial link in the ADNOC supply chain, delivering the Group's oil, gas, petroleum and dry bulk products from Abu Dhabi to the world and also serving global customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is 100% owned by ADNOC.

www.adnoc.ae

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752585/Signing_15_year_Charter_Agreement.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752586/ISH_Side_view.jpg
Supply, operations and maintenance of Floating Storage Unit (FSU) by ADNOC L&S

Conversion of the LNG Carrier (LNGC) to FSU by AG&P subsidiary GAS Entec

Phase 1 commissioning of PHLNG in H2, 2022 with FSU storage. In Phase 2, two additional onshore storage tanks to follow in 2024

MANILA, Philippines, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P), a leading downstream LNG platform and infrastructure development company, has signed a long-term charter agreement with ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S) for the supply, operations and maintenance of the vessel named ISH, a 137,512 cubic meter Floating Storage Unit (FSU) for the first Philippines LNG Import Terminal (PHLNG) in Batangas Bay.

The FSU will be located at Batangas Bay at AG&P's new PHLNG facility on the main island of Luzon, the first LNG import terminal in the Philippines. The FSU is being chartered for 11 years with an option to extend by another 4 years. ADNOC L&S will provide a Japan-built, Moss-type containment vessel as FSU for the project from its fleet of eight LNG ships. The FSU is part of the combined offshore/onshore terminal that will have an initial capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and provide its customers with resiliency of supply, even in storms.

Mr. Joseph Sigelman, Chairman & CEO, AG&P Group, said, "PHLNG will store LNG and dispatch natural gas, providing a critical, clean transition fuel for the Philippines. We are privileged to have ADNOC Logistics and Services, a foremost global leader in LNG logistics, as our partner to transition the Philippines to cleaner fuel through AG&P's PHLNG import terminal."

Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S, said, "This agreement with AG&P builds on our existing partnership and demonstrates ADNOC L&S' continued focus on maximizing value from its assets. By providing AG&P with another flexible storage solution for their new LNG terminal, we are able to extend the operational life of this vessel, unlocking surplus value and new opportunities for growth. Furthermore, as the provider of world-class shipping, offshore logistics and onshore services, we are growing our global footprint, delivering cutting-edge technology and services to our partners. Our project with AG&P in the Philippines will contribute to the economic growth of the country by leveraging the potential of clean LNG for power generation."

The hybrid-designed PHLNG import terminal will be commissioned in two phases. The first phase will be commissioned with the FSU storage in Q3 2022, and the two additional onshore storage tanks will be integrated by the end of the second phase in 2024. Then, PHLNG will have scalable onshore regasification capacity of 504 mmscfd and 257,000 cbm of storage that will ensure high availability and reliability of natural gas for its customers. The terminal will also act as a gateway in providing breakbulk LNG supply to various islands across the country.

The PHLNG import terminal is under construction and commercial operation is scheduled to commence in early Q3 2022.

ADNOC L&S

For further information: media@adnoc.ae.

About AG&P :

Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) is a global leader in developing and running LNG and gas logistics and distribution solutions. AG&P provides the infrastructure to access natural gas safely and easily in new and growing markets. We act as an owner and as a service provider covering the development, financing, engineering, procurement, project management and construction for onshore and offshore gas infrastructure, linking suppliers to downstream customers.

www.agpglobal.com

About ADNOC Logistics & Services :

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Logistics & Services provides world-class shipping, maritime, port, and logistics, serving ADNOC and international customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is a crucial link in the ADNOC supply chain, delivering the Group's oil, gas, petroleum and dry bulk products from Abu Dhabi to the world and also serving global customers. ADNOC Logistics & Services is 100% owned by ADNOC.

www.adnoc.ae

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752585/Signing_15_year_Charter_Agreement.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752586/ISH_Side_view.jpg
VILNIUS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- From Wednesday, people who have been in contact with a COVID-19 case will no longer need self-isolation, according to Lithuania's Health Ministry on Tuesday.

Until now, seven-day self-isolation was mandatory for people if someone in their household was diagnosed with COVID-19.

But those who have been tested positive for COVID-19 are still required for self-isolation, said the ministry.

The ministry said there is an observed decline in the infections of COVID-19 and a slow-down in the spread of the pandemic. Besides, more and more European countries are deciding on a changing governance strategy for COVID-19, it added.

However, the ministry still recommended people who have been exposed to the infection to observe their health, test themselves, wear facemasks and switch to teleworking, if possible.

Lithuania has confirmed 5,830 new coronavirus infections and 18 deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, according to official statistics released on Tuesday morning. 
IRELAND SELECTED AS LOCATION FOR THREE-YEAR BARLEY PILOT WHICH AIMS TO DRIVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE PLANET AND FARMER LIVELIHOODS

LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Guinness, made by Diageo, is undertaking one of the most ambitious regenerative agriculture pilots to take place on the island of Ireland. Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that works in harmony with the natural environment to put back more than it takes out.

This extensive, three-year farm-based programme intends to highlight opportunities for reducing the carbon emissions of barley production. The key outcomes are expected to include: improvements in soil health and its carbon sequestration potential; enhanced biodiversity; reduction in synthetic fertiliser use; enhanced water quality; and improved farmer livelihoods. The ambition is for the barley grown to be used to brew beautiful tasting Guinness.

In the first phase in 2022, the programme will begin with at least 40 farms across spring and winter barley sowing. As the pilot develops, many more farmers will be engaged to take part.

A network of partners has been assembled to shape the design of this pilot, including highly respected technical partners and local Irish agronomists. Guinness will work in collaboration with Irish farmers and suppliers including, Boortmalt, Glanbia and Comex McKinnon, to understand the most effective regenerative practices, adapted to the local context and the specific needs of Irish barley production.

Walter Furlong Junior, one of the farmers involved in the pilot commented: "We're delighted to be partnering with Guinness on this programme. The great thing about regenerative agriculture is the simplicity of the approach. It's not a complicated process - it works in harmony with nature whilst providing a commercial benefit for farmers. We already use regenerative agricultural practices and have seen a marked improvement in the quality of the soil on our farm. It is a highly effective approach that leads to much better outcomes."

The Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, commented, "On behalf of the Government, I welcome the pilot announced today by Guinness. This pilot shows the importance of sectors working together to reduce emissions. It is welcome that one of Ireland's most iconic brands is taking a strong leadership position on farming and the environment, as we all work towards reducing carbon emissions and meeting our ambitious but necessary climate change targets. Delivering on the three pillars of sustainability - environmental, social and economic - is a key priority of mine and is core to the Food Vision 2030 strategy I am implementing. I look forward to the roll-out of the programme and continued engagement with Guinness on its progress."

John Kennedy, President, Diageo Europe, commented: "This pilot is the first such programme being implemented by Diageo and the outcomes will help inform other potential opportunities, not just in Ireland, but in other countries where we source raw materials.

"We will openly share the results from the pilot programme so that other farms can learn and adopt practices that have demonstrated the highest potential impact from an environmental and farm profitability standpoint. Like the Irish farming community, we are 'all in' for the long haul - for our people, products, partners and planet. At St. James's Gate, we are only 263 years into our 9,000 year lease and we will never settle in pursuit of a more sustainable future."

This programme forms part of Diageo's wider 10-year sustainability action plan, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress, and the company's commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its direct operations and a 50% reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2030.

Notes to editors:

An agronomist is an expert in the science of soil management and crop production.

For further information: emily.carew@ogilvy.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1752590/Guinness_Diageo.jpg
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) (OTCQB: CUAUF) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its drilling programs at the Jasperoide copper-gold skarn/porphyry project in southern Peru. Results received for five of the ten outstanding drill holes included some of the highest copper grades reported on the project to date.

High grade oxide copper-gold mineralization was intersected in two holes drilled to test the up dip and lateral continuity of the enrichment zone defined at eastern Montana de Cobre Zone. Results include:

Hole JAS2700-09



32.4m @ 3.75% Cu, 0.80 g/t Au from 84.0m

including 20.1m @ 5.83% Cu, 0.87 g/t Au from 96.3m

including 4.9m @ 16.5% Cu from 111.5m

Hole JAS2700-10

15.1m @ 2.02% Cu and 0.37 g/t Au from 89.3m

Including 2.8m @ 10.29% Cu from 100.1m

The Company is also pleased to report that the recently arrived larger rig is currently drilling the first of several deeper holes targeting potential stacked skarns and underlying porphyry copper-gold deposits at the Montana de Cobre Zone.





Figure 1: Large rig setup on JAS3000 to test the porphyry and stacked skarn copper-gold potential at the Montana de Cobre Zone

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/114504_7fe6e533049ddb05_001full.jpg

Montana de Cobre Copper-Gold Skarn Highlights

Oxide domain defined by a total of 98 historic and recent drill holes

Mineralized strike length is approximately 450m with a lateral extent up to 650m

High-grade copper-gold mineralization over true thickness ranges of typically 75m to 150m

A copper-rich enrichment blanket is well developed proximal to the marble front

Strong epithermal gold overprint





Figure 2: Cross Section JAS2700 (50m window) showing enrichment blanket in the high grade domain

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/114504_7fe6e533049ddb05_002full.jpg

Kevin Tomlinson, President & CEO of C3 Metals commented,

"These most recent results from shallow drilling at the Montana de Cobre Zone are impressive by any measure. To see such high copper grades over wide intervals so close to surface on the first of multiple targets to be evaluated, highlights the potential of the Jasperoide project. Our Phase 1 program successfully demonstrated that the copper-gold oxide mineralization has both the scale and grade to represent a potential stand-alone development opportunity. The Montana de Cobre Zone remains open down dip to the west on some sections and further drilling will be required to fully define the mineralization in this area. The results of our current deeper drilling and surface work currently underway on several new targets will in part set priorities and timing for this additional drilling. Samples of the various types of mineralization present are currently being analysed and results will be used to evaluate mining and processing options for Montana de Cobre."

Current Drilling

An initial 5,000 meters of drilling is in progress to assess the potential for stacked skarns and porphyries at deeper levels of the mineralized systems at the Montana de Cobre and Cresta Verde Zones. Drill hole targeting is based in part on data collected from a Hybrid-CSAMT geophysical survey that identified two sub-vertical resistive features which are interpreted to be coincident with the district-scale Constancia and Benoni Faults. The Hybrid-CSAMT model indicates that feeder structures to the Montana de Cobre Zone copper-gold mineralization are connected to a large resistive feature/body at depth, interpreted as a concealed porphyry. Figure 3 below shows the position of three planned drill holes relative to the Montana de Cobre Zone deposit and airborne magnetic data.





Figure 3: Map Showing Drill Collar Locations over Airborne Magnetics

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/114504_7fe6e533049ddb05_003full.jpg

Kevin Tomlinson, President & CEO of C3 Metals further commented,

"Jasperoide is located in a district of large scale mineralized systems where numerous major and mid-tier companies are actively mining, exploring and acquiring new ground. Our initial drilling has been limited to the permitted area inherited when the Project was acquired. Since acquisition, we have identified several outstanding additional targets, and applications to drill beyond the current permit boundaries are in process. Furthermore, the Company has been expanding its property footprint and an update on this activity will be provided in due course. We are in the early stages of exploration on an extensively mineralized system, in a highly prospective area surrounded by two of the world's largest copper deposits. The discovery process at Jasperoide, especially the deeper drilling now in progress, will continue to evolve in the coming months."

Montana de Cobre Zone Drilling Details

Recent drilling at the Montana de Cobre Zone continues to define a shallow dipping, oxide copper-gold domain that is laterally extensive for up to 650 metres and has a strike length of more than 450 metres. The mineralized skarn system at the Montana de Cobre Zone remains open to the north, west and down-dip, with significant potential for stacked skarns and porphyry style mineralization at depth and along strike.

Assays for drill holes JAS2700-09, 10 and 11 intersected thick zones (50m to +100m) of skarn altered carbonate rocks of the Ferrobamba Formation with secondary copper species (chrysocolla, malachite, azurite) and locally primary sulphides (pyrite  chalcopyrite). Drill hole JAS2700-09 successfully confirmed extensions to the bonaza grade copper mineralization intersected 60m to the west in JAS2700-07, which intersected 43.45m @ 2.21% Cu and 0.49 g/t Au from 85.85m and included 15.0m @ 5.44% Cu and 0.39 g/t Au from 113.5m (Press release dated September 8, 2021). Drill hole JAS2700-09 continued to define a well developed enrichment zone proximal to the marble front (Figure 4). JAS2700-09 returned 20.1m @ 5.83% Cu and 0.87 g/t Au from 96.3m including 4.9m @ 16.5% from 111.5m.





Figure 4.1: JAS2700-09 (115.0m) sample interval 111.5 - 116.4 (4.9m) assayed 16.5% Cu in strongly oxidized magnetite-garnet skarn.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4.1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/114504_7fe6e533049ddb05_004full.jpg





Figure 4.2: JAS2700-11 (39.6m) showing oxidized magnetite skarn, with a banded texture.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4.2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/114504_7fe6e533049ddb05_005full.jpg

Two holes were completed at southern Montana de Cobre Zone on section line JAS2500, collared 100m southeast of section line JAS2600. JAS2500-01 and 02 intersected narrow widths of strongly oxidized garnet-diopside and magnetite skarn that returned low grade copper-gold mineralization (Table 1). Exploration data for the Montana de Cobre Zone is being evaluated in order to define targets for additional drilling.

Table 1. Significant drilled intercepts at the Montana de Cobre Zone

Hole From To Length Cu

(%) Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Mineralization Style JAS2500-01 35.90 46.90 11.00 0.40 0.23 0.81 Skarn JAS2500-02 No Significant Assays JAS2700-09 2.00 77.90 75.90 0.23 0.28 0.84 Skarn JAS2700-09 84.00 116.40 32.40 3.75 0.80 2.56 Skarn Includes 96.30 116.40 20.10 5.83 0.87 3.48 Skarn JAS2700-10 2.00 11.00 9.00 0.22 0.23 2.66 Skarn JAS2700-10 15.10 27.70 12.60 0.25 0.34 0.69 Skarn JAS2700-10 46.00 68.50 22.50 0.26 0.19 0.72 Skarn JAS2700-10 89.30 104.40 15.10 2.02 0.37 0.46 Skarn Includes 100.10 102.90 2.80 10.29 0.03 1.13 Skarn JAS2700-11 2.10 26.50 24.40 0.24 0.13 2.74 Skarn JAS2700-11 36.50 41.10 4.60 0.50 0.13 1.01 Skarn JAS2700-11 48.10 69.20 21.10 0.18 0.30 0.31 Skarn

Notes:

Significant intercepts reported as length-weighted averages exceeding 0.15% Cu and 0.10g/t Au, with <5m of consecutive internal dilution. Copper is uncut. True width of down-hole intersections reported are estimated to be approximately 60-90% of the down-hole lengths.

For additional information, contact:

Kevin Tomlinson

President & CEO

ktomlinson@c3metals.com

Alec Rowlands

Vice President, Investor Relations

+1 416 572 2512

arowlands@c3metals.com

ABOUT C3 METALS INC.

C3 Metals Inc. is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company's flagship project is the 57km2 Jasperoide high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system located in the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). C3 Metals also holds a 100% interest in five licenses covering 207km2 of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica and a 2% royalty in Tocvan's Rogers Creek project.

Related Link: www.c3metals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

QP Statement

Stephen Hughes, P.Geo. is Vice President Exploration and a Director for C3 Metals and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Hughes has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the written disclosure contained herein.

Technical Program

C3 Metals adheres to a strict QA/QC protocol for core handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses. Chain-of-custody protocols are designed to ensure security of samples until their delivery at the laboratory.

Half core samples are analysed by 4-Acid digest ICP-MS finish for 60 elements, including pathfinder REE elements with pulps from samples reporting greater than 1.0% copper being re-assayed by the ore grade method. Gold is analysed by 30g Fire Assay AAS finish, with pulps from samples reporting greater than 5ppm re-assayed by 1kg Screen Fire Assay. The Company inserts blanks and certified reference standards in the sample sequence for quality control.

COVID-19 Protocols

The Company continues to implement its COVID-19 safety protocols at site to ensure the safety of employees and the communities surrounding the Jasperoide project area.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" 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, among other things, the exploration operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate.

While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks.

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. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114504
BEDFORD, NS / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Silver Spruce Resources Inc. (the "Company") (TSXV:SSE)(FRA:S6Q1) is pleased to announce that MPX Geophysics Ltd. ("MPX") has completed its airborne survey of the Mystery Au project ("Mystery" or the "Property").

"Given the regional exploration success focused along major structure in the Exploits Subzone, we acquire new high-resolution geophysical data, as per Figure 1, showing significant branching and intersecting structural linears, key to district mineralization targets, in our first gold exploration at Mystery," said Greg Davison, Vice-President Exploration and Director of Silver Spruce.

Figure 1. MPX Geophysics airborne Preliminary Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) Map of the Mystery Claims (UTM WGS 84).

Mr. Davison added, "The MPX airborne survey began as scheduled on November 10,, 2021 and required only six (6) flight survey days to complete data collection over the entire Property. The Company thanks the MPX team for their diligence, attention to operational safety and rapid transfer of preliminary data throughout the term of the survey. Working around the poor winter weather flying conditions and a scheduled window for aircraft maintenance, the survey was completed by MPX on January 25, 2022. We expect the final report with maps shortly and will provide the geological interpretation in due course."

MPX Geophysical Survey

The Piper Aztek aircraft flew daily, weather dependent, from the airstrip at Deer Lake located 130 kilometres WNW of the three properties (Figure 2). The airborne survey comprised three grids totaling 1,691 line-km along E-W (Marilyn and Till) and N-S (Mystery) flight lines with 100 metre nominal line spacing, and 180 line-km of orthogonal tie lines with 1,000 metre nominal line spacing (Figures 3, 4 and 5). The detailed airborne survey parameters were described previously (see Press Release of November 4, 2021).

MPX crews conducted all field activities in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) under strictly adhered to corporate and client COVID safety protocols.

Figure 2. Map of the Mystery project claims, named from north to south, Marilyn, Till and Mystery, located only 10-35km south of Grand Falls, Newfoundland.

Exploration Plan

The Company has staged plans to complete, with receipt of NL Mineral Lands Division project approvals, regional till sampling for gold grain analysis and soil geochemistry and airborne geophysics. The analytical program will include QA/QC program development. ArcGIS geological and geophysical data compilation is in progress, the Company plans to undertake a detailed geological mapping, prospecting and sampling program, grid soil sampling and as warranted by the Phase 1 results planning for our first exploration drill campaign.

Figure 3. Mystery Claims showing location of MPX Geophysics airborne survey (UTM WGS 84) using 100m flight lines and 1000m tie lines. Base map - World Imagery.

Project Background

The Company can acquire 100% of three early-stage gold exploration properties, Mystery, Till and Marilyn located near Grand Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, 20-25 kilometres west of New Found Gold Corp.'s Queensway project and 15-35 kilometres south of Sokoman Minerals Corp.'s Moosehead gold project (see Press Release of September 14, 2021).

The 8,750-hectare project is located within the Exploits Subzone, an extensive area of mineral exploration activity and discoveries over the past two years. The Properties are well situated in terms of exploration logistics, located close to each other and 10-45 kilometres south by Bay d'Espoir Highway from Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland. The Properties are located <70 kilometres from the Gander International Airport and are easily accessible from major paved roads and local logging and bush roads and trails.

The region is structurally complex and located, in large part, between several major crustal lineaments. Numerous major to lesser sub-parallel features merge and bifurcate along strike and are transected by NW and EW-trending faults. These deep-seated structures, which juxtapose geological terranes over hundreds of kilometres, are key to the location and formation of orogenic gold deposits containing millions of ounces of gold as reported by junior companies in the district.

Figure 4. Till Claims showing location of MPX Geophysics airborne survey (UTM WGS 84).

Figure 5. Marilyn Claims showing location of MPX Geophysics airborne survey (UTM WGS 84).

The Properties have seen little structured exploration to date. A selection of historical assays was reported for precious and base metals and pathfinder elements from 123 samples collected from Mystery and Marilyn (see Press Release of September 14, 2021). Eighteen samples reported Au >0.5 g/t (max. 12.5 g/t Au). Cu values report up to 9.85% with minor Ag, Pb and Zn. Arsenic is highly anomalous, strongly associated with elevated Au values and displayed mainly as minor to abundant arsenopyrite. Silver Spruce recently verified sample locations for the historical assays and collected new rock samples. We verified the historical grades and the Au-AsSbBi geochemical association. Gold assays for the seventeen due diligence samples ranged up to 8.0 g/t Au and >1% As consistent with historical samples to 12.5 g/t Au and anomalous A (see Press Release of November 23, 2021).

Multiple surface occurrences are reported of agate chalcedony to colloform and crystalline silica veining and multi-phase breccias, carbonate replacement by quartz, and open-space filling quartz and calcite, all textures indicative of the upper zones of epithermal systems and structural conduits in epizonal to mesothermal orogenic systems and are accompanied by Au and arsenopyrite, stibnite and lesser Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization.

All metal values disclosed herein for the Mystery and Marilyn properties by past operators, including the Vendors, and by Silver Spruce are reported from grab samples which may not be representative of the metal grades, or the metal grade distribution, and those from previous exploration efforts must be considered as historical in nature.

Qualified Person

Greg Davison, PGeo, Silver Spruce VP Exploration and Director, is the Company's internal Qualified Person for the Mystery, Marilyn and Till Projects and is responsible for approval of the technical content of this press release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), under TSX guidelines.

About MPX Geophysics Ltd.

MPX Geophysics is an international leader in airborne and remote sensing for the mining, O&G, civil and environmental engineering sectors. MPX operational and HSE procedures are industry-leading. MPX has undertaken more than 500,000 line-km of airborne geophysical surveys worldwide operating from both helicopter and fixed-wing platforms, including numerous projects in northern Canada, in remote and difficult locations. Survey technologies include magnetics, radiometrics, electromagnetics, gravity, MT, LiDAR, data processing and interpretation. The MPX Group of Companies is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

About Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a Canadian junior exploration company which has signed Definitive Agreements to acquire 100% of the Melchett Lake Zn-Au-Ag project in northern Ontario, and with Colibri Resource Corp. in Sonora, Mexico, to acquire 50% interest in Yaque Minerales S.A de C.V. holding the El Mezquite Au project, a drill-ready precious metal project, and up to 50% interest in each of Colibri's early stage Jackie Au and Diamante Au-Ag projects, with the three properties located from 5 kilometres to 15 kilometres northwest from Minera Alamos's Nicho deposit, respectively. The Company is acquiring 100% interest in the drill-ready and fully permitted Pino de Plata Ag project, located 15 kilometres west of Coeur Mining's Palmarejo Mine, in western Chihuahua, Mexico. Silver Spruce recently signed a Definitive Agreement to acquire 100% interest in three exploration properties in the Exploits Subzone Gold Belt, located 15-40 kilometres from recent discoveries by Sokoman Minerals Corp. and New Found Gold Corp., central Newfoundland and Labrador. Silver Spruce Resources Inc. continues to investigate opportunities that Management has identified or that are presented to the Company for consideration.

Contact:

Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

Greg Davison, PGeo, Vice-President Exploration and Director

(250) 521-0444

gdavison@silverspruceresources.com

Michael Kinley, CEO and Director

(902) 402-0388

mkinley@silverspruceresources.com

info@silverspruceresources.com

www.silverspruceresources.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements," Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to, statements regarding the private placement.

Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with mineral exploration and difficulties associated with obtaining financing on acceptable terms. We are not in control of metals prices and these could vary to make development uneconomic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate.

SOURCE: Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690018/Silver-Spruce-Completes-MPX-Geophysics-MagRadiometricsVLF-Airborne-Survey-on-Mystery-Au-Project-Central-Newfoundland-and-Labrador
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Searchlight Resources Inc. ("Searchlight" or the "Company") (TSXV:SCLT)(OTC PINK:CNYCF)(FSE:2CC2) is pleased to announce the completion of digitizing and compilation of historical drill holes at Robinson Creek Gold project, located approximately 15 kilometres west of Creighton, Saskatchewan, in the historic Flin Flon mining camp.

Highlights

Compilation of 70 historical drill holes from the 1940s and 1980s

60 drill holes have gold intersections greater than 1 g/t Au

45 gold intersections greater than 2.0 g/t Au over at least one metre

Multiple wide gold intersections: 2.46 g/t Au over 57.60 m in DDH 81-2 7.59 g/t Au over 10.94 m in DDH HB-6 3.80 g/t Au over 21.00 m in DDH R07-1 2.15 g/t Au over 32.00 m in DDH 81-1

The drill intersections and the 2021 magnetic survey outline a mineralized zone with a strike length of approximately 1,000 metres

The Robinson Creek Gold project consists of 7 claim blocks covering 2.93 square km, located approximately 15 km northwest of Searchlight's Bootleg Lake claims. Searchlight has completed the compilation of the historical drilling at Robinson Creek, digitizing the detailed drill logs of 70 diamond drill holes from the 1940s and 1980s (Map 1). The results show multiple gold intersections throughout 60 drill holes, with 45 gold intersections greater than 2 g/t over at least one metre (Map 2). These historic drill holes outline a zone of gold mineralization extending at least 1,000 m along the Mosher Lake Shear Zone (Map 2). Significant intersections are listed in Table 1.

"At Searchlight we are assessing the Robinson Creek property from a different perspective than past explorers. We see the potential of combining this shallow, relatively high-grade gold deposit into a larger consolidated gold project with our brownfield Bootleg Lake Gold holdings nearby", stated Stephen Wallace, CEO.

The Robinson Creek Gold target comprises three gold zones - the Vein, Bleiler, and Quartz Zones - over a strike length of approximately 1 km along the Mosher Lake Shear Zone. The Robinson Creek target is a structurally controlled mesothermal lode gold system, with considerable historical exploration which includes geologic mapping, trenching, soil surveys, airborne and ground geophysical surveys, and 70 diamond drill holes.

The Robinson Creek project was optioned in July 2021, and in September 2021 Searchlight completed an Airborne Magnetic Survey covering the entire claim block at 50 m line spacing. Concurrent with the airborne survey, an initial site visit was carried out in September 2021, confirming the presence of gold mineralization with multiple grab samples over 10 g/t gold, including samples of 19.31 g/t Au and 17.17 g/t Au.

Planning is underway for a summer field program of trenching, sampling, and mapping to determine the full extent of surface mineralization, and to obtain information for future drilling.

Table 1: Robinson Creek Gold Project - Significant Drill Intersections

Hole ID YEAR From To Length Grade metre @ g/t Au metre metre metre Au g/t HB-10 1946 57.2 60.7 3.51 5.19 3.51m @ 5.19 g/t Au HB-11 1946 36.6 45.1 8.53 2.30 8.53m @ 2.30 g/t Au HB-12 1946 100.0 104.4 4.36 6.70 4.36m @ 6.70 g/t Au HB-14 1946 121.5 131.1 9.63 2.08 9.63m @ 2.08 g/t Au HB-6 1946 129.3 140.2 10.94 7.59 10.94m @ 7.59 g/t Au HB-7 1946 49.2 65.8 16.64 3.64 16.64m @ 3.64 g/t Au 81-1 1981 57.0 89.0 32.00 2.15 32.00m @ 2.15 g/t Au 81-1 1981 22.0 35.3 13.30 4.07 13.30m @ 4.07 g/t Au 81-2 1981 20.8 78.4 57.60 2.46 57.60m @ 2.46 g/t Au 81-2 1981 83.3 92.1 8.85 2.00 8.85m @ 2.00 g/t Au 81-7 1981 22.8 25.5 2.70 6.09 2.70m @ 6.09 g/t Au R07-1 1987 29.6 50.6 21.00 3.80 21.00m @ 3.80 g/t Au R07-13 1987 110.5 116.0 5.50 4.60 5.50m @ 4.60 g/t Au R07-2 1987 113.8 116.8 3.00 6.54 3.00m @ 6.54 g/t Au R07-4 1987 111.3 112.5 1.25 24.07 1.25m @ 24.07 g/t Au R07-6 1987 134.8 138.7 3.90 5.96 3.90m @ 5.96 g/t Au R07-8 1987 142.0 145.9 3.90 9.67 3.90m @ 9.67 g/t Au R08-16 1988 47.2 59.7 12.50 2.33 12.50m @ 2.33 g/t Au R08-19 1988 30.2 32.9 2.70 6.30 2.70m @ 6.30 g/t Au R08-22 1988 105.7 110.7 5.00 3.35 5.00m @ 3.35 g/t Au

Disclaimer: Management cautions that the presented drill sample results are historical in nature, and Searchlight has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling, nor has it independently analyzed the results of the previous exploration work to verify the results. Searchlight considers these sample results relevant, as the Company uses historical reports and sample results to evaluate and plan future exploration programs. All drill intercepts are drill-indicated lengths. Insufficient technical information exists to demonstrate the true widths of these intersections. The technical information is derived from public documents available through the Saskatchewan Government Ministry of Energy and Resources.

Map 1: Robinson Creek Gold Project - Historical Drill Holes with Gold Grades, overlaid on 2021 Total Magnetic Intensity

Map 2: Robinson Creek Gold Project - Historical Drill Holes with Significant Gold Intersections, overlaid on 2021 Total Magnetic Intensity

Qualified Person

Stephen Wallace, P.Geo., is Searchlight's Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Searchlight Resources Inc.

Searchlight Resources Inc. (TSXV: SCLT; US: CYNCF; FSE 2CC2) is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on Saskatchewan, Canada, which has been ranked as the top location for mining investment in Canada by the Fraser Institute. Exploration focus is on gold, uranium and battery minerals throughout the province.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Stephen Wallace"

Stephen Wallace, President, CEO and Director

SEARCHLIGHT RESOURCES INC.

For further information, visit the Company's website at www.searchlightresources.com or contact:

Searchlight Resources Inc.

Alf Stewart, VP Corporate Development

(604) 331-9326

info@searchlightresources.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

SOURCE: Searchlight Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689992/Searchlight-Resources-Completes-Drill-Hole-Compilation-at-Robinson-Creek-Gold-Project
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Grid Metals Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV:GRDM)(OTCQB:MSMGF) today provided an update on its nickel-copper-PGM sulfide and lithium pegmatite exploration properties. The exploration properties are located in highly active mining and exploration districts in Manitoba and Ontario. The Company in January completed a financing transaction comprising a sale of 25% of its lithium properties, a royalty and a private placement with Lithium Royalty Corp. for net proceeds of C$ 6.3 million.

HIGHLIGHTS

An initial ten ( 10 ) drill holes have been completed at the Makwa nickel sulfide project targeting near resource exploration targets. Initial assays expected to be released before the end of February 2022.

Drilling has commenced with two ( 2 ) holes now completed at the Donner Lake lithium project. initial results from the first hole are expected in March 2022. In addition the Company is pleased to have hired Mr. Carey Galeschuk P. Geo., an experienced lithium geologist as Vice President Lithium. Mr Galeschuk has authored several publications on lithium exploration and is currently overseeing the Manitoba exploration programs.

Final drilling results have been received from the Bannockburn nickel sulfide project located in the Timmins mining district in northeastern Ontario - final assays are expected to be released in a separate press release.

A detailed review of 2020 and 2021 exploration results from the East Bull Lake Palladium property has been undertaken with initial findings enhancing the potential for discovering both nickel-rich and copper + PGM-rich massive sulfide deposits at the property, based on strong similarities to the nearby Sudbury nickel sulfide deposits

Grid has received final mineral title ( via Mineral Exploration Licences or "MELs" ) for the acquisition of the western part of the Fox River Belt (Raglan-type targets) and Thompson East (Nova Bollinger-type targets) located in northern Manitoba. An independent compilation for the Fox River MELs has been completed with initial exploration targeting underway. The MELs are considered by Grid to be one of the few remaining camp scale nickel opportunities available in North America. Grid will look to find a funding partner for this project.

NICKEL - COPPER- PGM UPDATE

Makwa Nickel Project, Southeastern Manitoba: The Company has completed ten (10 ) drill holes testing several shallow geophysical anomalies located directly adjacent to the Company's existing 43-101 compliant pit-constrained-Ni-Cu-PGM-Co resource at Makwa (see 2014 Preliminary Economic Assessment report available for download on the Company's website). The main objective of the new drilling is to test new geophysical targets from a 2018 ground EM survey in order to outline potential for adding higher-grade nickel resources to the Makwa project. Additional drilling is also planned for March at the Mayville Cu-Ni-PGM property - the larger of the two mineral resources described in the 2014 PEA report. Initial drill sample results are expected prior to the end of February.

As background Grid completed a NI 43-101 prefeasibility study on the Makwa Nickel Project ( Micon International ) in 2008 and a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the combined Makwa-Mayville Ni-Cu-PGM Project in April 2014 ( RPA Inc. ) With the expectation that successful project metrics can be achieved for this project to produce nickel and copper concentrates the Company is currently assembling a project development team to initiate a baseline environmental work and a project schedule.

Bannockburn Nickel Property, Timmins Mining District, Northeastern Ontario. Final results have just been received from the 2021 exploration drill program at the Company's Bannockburn property. The new drilling targeted the B Zone - a >1 km long trend of low-grade, secondary nickel sulfide mineralization that exhibits similar nickel grades and thicknesses to Canada Nickel's (TSXV:CNC) Crawford nickel sulfide deposit. The new results are expected to be released within the next two weeks, following completion of the QAQC data review. The Company is also preparing to initiate a quantitative mineralogical study on representative core samples from the new drill holes to establish the abundance of potentially recoverable nickel sulfide present. This is the next critical step toward confirming the potential for a bulk mineable open pit nickel sulfide resource at Bannockburn having similar metallurgical characteristics to the Crawford deposit.

East Bull Lake Property, Sudbury Mining District, Northeastern Ontario. A detailed analysis of the Company's 2020 and 2021 exploration results is nearly completed. The work is being conducted by Dr. Dave Peck, Grid's Vice President of Exploration and Business Development, and Dr. Reid Keays, a senior technical consultant to the Company. The key finding of this study is that a genetic relationship appears to exist between local copper and nickel-rich massive sulfide drill intersections and overlying, palladium-dominant disseminated sulfide mineralization. The observed geochemical trends indicate that the lower part of the East Bull Lake intrusion hosts Cu-Ni-PGM mineralization that was derived from a large and highly fractionated magmatic sulfide system. Most of the historical exploration at East Bull Lake has focused on the palladium-rich disseminated sulfide targets. However, preliminary insights from the ongoing data review suggests that the property has significant potential to host massive sulfide deposits having strong similarities to the massive sulfide deposits occurring in the nearby Sudbury Nickel-Copper-PGM mining camp. A complete update on these new insights and the unveiling of a new exploration strategy will be provided under separate cover.

Fox River and Thompson East Exploration Licences, Northern Manitoba. Grid has received the final transfer of title for five mineral exploration licences (" MELs") located in northern Manitoba that cover two discrete target areas situated in the world-class Superior Boundary Zone nickel sulfide terrane. Three of the MELs cover approximately 90 km of the highly prospective Fox River Belt - a direct geological analogue to the producing Raglan Nickel Sulfide Mining District in Northern Quebec. An extensive database of geological information including multimedia geochemical survey and ground and airborne geophysical survey data has been compiled for the Company. The other two MELs cover outcropping magmatic sulfide mineralization including one property that is geologically analogous to the Nova Bollinger Ni-Cu-PGM Mine in Western Australia. A separate update outlining the technical merits of the two project areas and plans to engage a long-term funding partner will be announced soon. The acquisition cost of the MELs for the first year is $80,000. A finders fee of 50,000 warrants exercisable at $0.175 is applicable to the acquisition of the MELs and the company has applied to the TSXV for approval of the payment of the finders fee. The finder is an arms length party to the Company.

LITHIUM

Donner Lake Lithium, Southeastern Manitoba. Exploration drilling has commenced at the Donner Lake Lithium Property, located adjacent to the Company's Mayville Ni-Cu-PGM deposit. Initial drill targets are the Northwest Dyke and West Dykes which are two of the known occurrences. ( the Northwest Dyke was tested by four drill holes in historical drill and the West Dyke was tested by two drill holes in 1995 ) Two drills are at site. Two of the dykes at the Donner Lake property host a historical, non-compliant mineral resource of 3.8 million tons @1.28% Li2O1. Approximately 5,000 meters of drilling are expected to be completed before the end of March. More information will follow as the drilling proceeds at Donner Lake.

1 Bannatyne, B.B. 1985: Industrial minerals in rare-element pegmatites of Manitoba, Manitoba Energy and Mines, Economic Geology Report 84-1.

ESG - Grid has entered into Exploration Agreements with the First Nations in the traditional territories in which it operates. The project locations in Ontario and Manitoba offer the opportunity for Grid to access renewable power and engineer low carbon footprints for its projects.

CORPORATE PRESENTATION

The Company is making a corporate presentation online on February 23 at 2 pm EST. Interested viewers can register online at https://redcloudfs.com/rcwebinar-GRDM-3/.

Dave Peck, P.Geo., has reviewed the contents of this press release and is the qualified person for purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

To find out more about Grid Metals Corp., please visit www.gridmetalscorp.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Grid Metals Corp.

Robin Dunbar - President, CEO & Director

Telephone: 647 201 6844 Email: rd@gridmetalscorp.com

David Black - Investor Relations Email: info@gridmetalscorp.com 416 955-4773

SOURCE: Grid Metals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689987/Grid-Metals-Provides-Exploration-and-Corporate-Update-for-Nickel-and-Lithium-Properties
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Sterling Metals Corp. (TSXV:SAG) ("Sterling Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from its phase 2 drilling on the south zone of the Sail Pond Silver and Base Metal Project in the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. The company will be hosting a zoom webinar at 10am EST on Thursday February 24, 2022, to discuss these findings in more detail. Registration for the event can be found at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VlXZp4TGSZmyrSkg_eIM2g.

Significant drill results are listed below:

144.0 g/t Ag Eq over 12.2 m (52.6 g/t Ag, 0.019 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, 0.93% Pb, 0.06% Sb, & 0.33% Zn) in hole SP-21-034 beginning at 148.8 m downhole; and

(52.6 g/t Ag, 0.019 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, 0.93% Pb, 0.06% Sb, & 0.33% Zn) in hole SP-21-034 beginning at 148.8 m downhole; and 851.98 g/t Ag Eq over 1m (300.17g/t Ag, 0.077 g/t Au, 1.34% Cu, 1.21% Pb, 0.35% Sb, 4.80% Zn) within a broader interval of 78.8 g/t Ag Eq over 19.8m ( 28.51 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.13% Cu, 0.15% Pb, 0.03% Sb, & 0.40% Zn) in hole SP-21-038 beginning at 75.5 m downhole; and

(300.17g/t Ag, 0.077 g/t Au, 1.34% Cu, 1.21% Pb, 0.35% Sb, 4.80% Zn) a broader interval of over 28.51 g/t Ag, 0.01 g/t Au, 0.13% Cu, 0.15% Pb, 0.03% Sb, & 0.40% Zn) in hole SP-21-038 beginning at 75.5 m downhole; and 1202.1 g/t Ag Eq over 0.75m (485.3 g/t Ag, 0.18 g/t Au, 1.75% Cu, 3.77% Pb, 0.59% Sb, & 4.10% Zn) within a broader interval of 94.72 g/t Ag Eq over 13.75m (38.27 g/t Ag, 0.014 g/t Au, 0.14% Cu, 0.29% Pb, 0.046% Sb, 0.32% Zn) in hole SP-21-040 beginning at 173.77 m downhole; and

(485.3 g/t Ag, 0.18 g/t Au, 1.75% Cu, 3.77% Pb, 0.59% Sb, & 4.10% Zn) a broader interval of (38.27 g/t Ag, 0.014 g/t Au, 0.14% Cu, 0.29% Pb, 0.046% Sb, 0.32% Zn) in hole SP-21-040 beginning at 173.77 m downhole; and 963.0 g/t Ag Eq over 1.0 m (378 g/t Ag, 0.133 g/t Au, 1.20% Cu, 6.29% Pb, 0.38% Sb, & 2.41% Zn) within a broader interval of 74.44 g/t Ag Eq over 16.09m (29.22 g/t Ag, 0.011 g/t Au, 0.092% Cu, 0.45% Pb, 0.029% Sb, & 0.21% Zn in hole SP-21-039 beginning at 99.47 m downhole.

Mathew Wilson, CEO of Sterling Metals, commented: "With the high silver equivalent grades returned from the final holes of the 2021 drill program, we continue to take steps towards the discovery of a significant silver and base metal district. The Sail Pond project lends itself to a deposit model analogous to a string of pearls with several deposits situated along the 12km anomaly. We believe that in just our first program we have discovered the top of the first pearl. The next steps are to follow these structurally controlled higher-grade structures down plunge and along strike, and then to repeat this process along the entirety of the trend."

Sail Pond Drilling

Sterling's maiden drilling program on Sail Pond was designed to test several regional targets defined by soil sampling, trenching, prospecting, and geophysics along ~12 km of prospective strike length, subdivided into the North and South Zones. Today's results come from drillholes targeting a significant zone of mineralization within the South Zone (see Sterling press releases dated September 27 & October 7, 2021). The zone, which is hosted by dolostone, occurs in close proximity to a structural kink or jog in the contact of the host dolostone and the footwall argillite. Today's results show the correlation of mineralization within this flexure zone. A large mineralized system, now called the Heimdall Zone, is becoming apparent and characterized by a broad zone of low grade precious and base metals associated with breccia-style or veinlet-style sulfide mineralization. The current dimensions of the lower grade zone are approximately 400 metres of strike, 200 metres of depth, and 80 metres of width. The Heimdall Zone plunges shallowly to the northeast, starting from surface. Within this broad zone, high grade quartz-vein-hosted mineralization form veins and/or lenses which are currently correlated between drillholes over distances up to 100m. An example of such veins is shown with core photos in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows a plan map of the drilling completed to date, while Figure 3 shows the correlation of these intercepts on a longitudinal section looking at the Zone from underground.

The primary host rock for mineralization identified to date is a thick sequence of highly altered and often brecciated dolostone of the Cambro-Ordovician Saint George Group. Mineralization encountered to date typically consists of tetrahedrite-tennantite, chalcocite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, and potentially additional sulfosalt minerals. Quartz veining and associated mineralization are ubiquitous throughout the dolostone unit, but included metallic mineralization is best developed in areas of combined brecciation and veining, especially towards the western contact of the host dolostone unit and an underlying argillite sequence. The structural evolution and metallogenic sequencing are very complex, and mineralization has been identified in association with a multitude of structural events.

Sterling hired SRK Consulting of Toronto, ON, to conduct a detailed structural study of outcrops and drill core. The results of this study have been incorporated in Sterling's targeting model and will be utilized for the 2022 program.

Sterling also continues to utilize the geological modelling and machine learning tools from Goldspot Discoveries Corp., who are also a significant shareholder of the Company. Using the IP and gravity surveys, along with the results from this last summer's drill program, Goldspot has been able to highlight the exploration areas along the 12km trend line seen in Figure 4.

Kelly Malcolm, Technical Advisor to Sterling, commented "We are very pleased to have identified a clear body of mineralization on the first ever drilling program at Sail Pond. The Heimdall Zone is showing substantial strike length & width, along with a strong background of silver and base metal mineralization. The higher-grade vein-hosted mineralization within the lower grade zones are starting to show correlation between holes and we are excited to continue to advance and grow the Zone. On the regional exploration front, the identified flexure at the contact of the host dolostone and the footwall argillite that has a control on the size of the mineralized system at Heimdall has generated a number of targets in both the north and south zones that have never seen any drilling. In addition to continued expansion and definition of the new Heimdall Zone announced today, Sterling will drill test each of the additional structural features that have been identified through geophysics, prospecting, and geochemical surveys. The Company is planning its 2022 exploration program and expects to be back on the ground towards the end of the Spring."

Table 1: Assay results from the Sail Pond Project, Newfoundland. Core lengths are presented, and true widths are unknown. The silver equivalency calculation used in this press release is described below under separate heading.

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) AgEq (g/t) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Cu (%) Pb (%) Sb (%) Zn (%) SP-21-034 69.1 69.6 0.5 445.5 74.5 0.028 0.342 0.280 0.120 5.570 and 148.8 161 12.2 144.0 52.6 0.019 0.211 0.931 0.063 0.334 inc 152.8 153.2 0.4 644.0 227.6 0.094 0.982 2.370 0.280 2.640 inc 155 155.6 0.6 361.6 132.4 0.063 0.480 2.690 0.160 0.730 inc 159.9 161 1.1 392.7 123.8 0.034 0.393 4.000 0.140 1.060 inc 195 195.5 0.5 398.7 172.4 0.003 0.743 0.810 0.200 1.030 SP-21-038 75.5 95.3 19.8 78.8 28.5 0.010 0.126 0.149 0.030 0.398 inc 85.5 95.3 9.8 145.9 51.0 0.017 0.222 0.300 0.054 0.796 inc 90.25 91.25 1 852.0 300.2 0.077 1.314 1.212 0.350 4.795 SP-21-040 173.77 187.52 13.75 94.7 38.3 0.014 0.142 0.287 0.046 0.320 inc 179.25 187.52 8.27 150.4 62.0 0.021 0.229 0.455 0.074 0.470 inc 179.25 179.5 0.25 915.1 402.0 0.52 1.640 2.560 0.460 1.910 inc 186.77 187.52 0.75 1202.2 485.3 0.179 1.75 3.77 0.59 4.10 SP-21-039 99.47 115.56 16.09 74.4 29.2 0.012 0.092 0.454 0.029 0.206 inc 99.47 105.93 6.46 167.1 67.2 0.023 0.21 1.04 0.067 0.406 inc 101.95 102.95 1 963.0 378.0 0.133 1.195 6.285 0.380 2.413 inc 101.95 102.2 0.25 1923.8 715.0 0.356 2.480 9.700 0.760 6.970 SP-21-032 145.75 154 8.25 75.7 29.0 0.010 0.120 0.328 0.033 0.228 inc 145.75 146 0.25 587.2 211.0 0.080 0.896 3.820 0.210 1.490 inc 148.62 148.87 0.25 1159.9 479.0 0.122 2.080 3.810 0.550 2.710 and 113.39 113.64 0.25 555.6 106.6 0.085 0.720 1.250 0.260 4.850 and 130.62 130.87 0.25 843.5 433.0 0.040 1.440 2.060 0.540 0.490 SP-21-031 130.14 136.5 6.36 144.4 41.6 0.015 0.174 0.628 0.046 0.919 inc 133.8 136.5 2.7 290.1 86.8 0.028 0.350 1.193 0.085 1.848 inc 135.5 135.75 0.25 789.5 291.0 0.072 1.210 4.740 0.300 2.080 inc 135.75 136 0.25 606.1 180.0 0.051 0.660 2.720 0.160 4.020 inc 136.25 136.5 0.25 553.1 150.0 0.048 0.696 1.600 0.160 4.190 SP-21-030 76.5 96.85 20.35 45.7 12.72 0.008 0.045 0.305 0.012 0.266 Inc 81.35 81.6 0.25 417.1 170 0.036 0.748 0.47 0.23 1.47 inc 94.15 96.85 2.7 251.5 68.2 0.041 0.236 1.881 0.057 1.444 inc 94.4 94.65 0.25 1154.9 348.0 0.150 1.310 10.600 0.300 4.040 inc 94.65 94.9 0.25 648.7 225.0 0.069 0.691 5.500 0.200 1.990 SP-21-033 169.38 209.5 40.12 18.46 5.2 0.003 0.017 0.056 0.005 0.146 inc 169.38 169.63 0.25 734.3 115.4 0.003 0.515 0.126 0.180 9.800 inc 209.25 209.5 0.25 959.8 273.5 0.071 0.677 1.630 0.300 9.100 SP-21-025 206.5 208.4 1.9 120.77 54.5 .0073 0.23 0.7 0.02 0.09 inc 206.75 207 0.25 547.9 269.0 0.029 1.290 1.580 0.044 0.510 inc 207.75 208.4 0.65 131.7 51.3 0.005 0.170 1.430 0.038 0.041 SP-21-037 104.5 105.1 0.6 485.2 65.5 0.129 0.251 0.077 0.060 6.940 SP-21-041 129.6 129.85 0.25 923.1 360.0 0.061 2.060 1.710 0.510 2.090 SP-21-022 35 39.3 4.3 59.4 21.2 0.007 0.080 0.152 0.025 0.317 inc 36.43 37 0.57 125.8 34.8 0.015 0.107 0.310 0.036 1.110 inc 39 39.3 0.3 348.6 154.4 0.016 0.610 0.790 0.210 0.740 and 65 66 1 178.2 67.9 0.009 0.275 0.647 0.091 0.610 SP-21-024 184.9 185.28 0.38 440.8 214.0 0.008 0.897 0.031 0.290 0.740 SP-21-026 147 148 1 134.1 44.6 0.008 0.186 0.271 0.043 0.865 and 278.16 280.06 1.9 66.5 15.3 0.006 0.060 0.166 0.014 0.658 inc 278.66 279.16 0.5 101.8 29.2 0.007 0.129 0.082 0.029 0.870 SP-21-028 111 117.15 6.15 27.7 13.3 0.011 0.038 0.080 0.015 0.046 inc 116.9 117.15 0.25 608.4 310.0 0.073 0.871 1.430 0.350 0.960 SP-21-029 27.7 30.35 2.65 63.5 27.2 0.008 0.101 0.297 0.022 0.139 inc 27.7 28 0.3 267.7 117.0 0.037 0.445 1.030 0.100 0.580 SP-21-021 39.75 40 0.25 349.6 141.6 0.005 0.569 0.036 0.170 1.750 and 52 52.54 0.54 79.8 41.9 0.003 0.167 0.049 0.039 0.076 SP-21-012 42.55 42.8 0.25 126.6 30.8 0.003 0.016 2.860 0.010 0.004 and 89.25 89.75 0.5 198.4 70.5 0.015 0.394 0.076 0.120 0.860 SP-21-036 169 169.57 0.57 91.4 44.7 0.012 0.148 0.330 0.036 0.123 and 250 251 1 63.3 24.1 0.003 0.122 0.028 0.020 0.320 SP-21-011 No Significant Values SP-21-027 No Significant Values SP-21-035 No Significant Values

Figure 1: Drill core from the South Zone of the Sail Pond Project showing similar high-grade vein-hosted mineralization in adjacent drillholes indicating continuity of mineralization. Core size is NQ3 (45 mm diameter).

A: Quartz-vein hosted semi-massive to disseminated sulfide and sulfosalt mineralization, including tetrahedrite-tennantite, sphalerite, and galena from 90.25 to 91.25 metres in hole SP-21-038.

B: Close-up of mineralization in hole SP-21-038. The sample returned 1,149.0 g/t Aq Eq comprised of 441 g/t Ag, 1.93% Cu, 6.14% Zn, 0.099 g/t Au, 0.07% Pb, & 0.51% Sb, over 0.59 metres.

C: Quartz-vein hosted (with breccia-hosted mineralization at margins) semi-massive to disseminated sulfide and sulfosalt mineralization, including tetrahedrite-tennantite, sphalerite, and galena from 186.77 to 187.52 metres SP-21-040.

D: Close-up of mineralization in hole SP-21-040. The sample returned 1,257.0 g/t Ag Eq comprised of 500.0 g/t Ag, 0.46 g/t Au, 1.81% Cu, 4.59% Pb, 0.56% Sb, & 3.86% Zn, over 0.25 m.

Figure 2: Plan map of the Heimdall Zone, showing drillhole locations and traces of holes released in this press release as well as previously released holes. Also shown is satellite photo-imagery which highlights the ease of access to the area as well as the historical trenching areas.

Figure 3: Vertical Longitudinal section looking West North West showing assay composites presented in gram-metres (often referred to as "Metal Factor") of Silver-Equivalent. Composite locations presented are the three-dimensional midpoint of the assay composite. Composites used include all significant intervals from this and previous press releases.

Figure 4: Goldspot targeting results for additional flexure structural traps at the contacts of the target dolostone and footwall argillite along the 12 km target area.

Silver Equivalent Calculation

Silver equivalent (Ag Eq) values were calculated using the following formula: ((Ag_oz*$USAg_price/oz)+(Au_oz*$USAu_price/oz)+(Cu_lb*$USCu_price/lb)+(Pb_lb*$USPb price/lb)+(Sb lb*$USSb_price/lb)+(Zn_lb*$USZn_price/lb))/$USAg_price/oz.

Silver equivalent grade calculations are based on the current spot metal prices and are provided for comparative purposes only. This approach reflects the polymetallic nature of the mineralization. Recovery factors of 100% have been assumed for all metals. Metallurgical tests will be required to establish recovery levels for each element reported. Metal spot prices as at the close of the London Metals Exchange February 3rd 2022 were applied and include: Ag - $US 22.37/oz; Au - $US1803.60/oz, Cu - $US4.44/lb; Zn - $US1.62/lb; Pb - $US 0.99/lb. The Sb - $US 5.45/lb price applied was sourced from Argus Media, a recognized provider of energy and commodity price benchmarks.

Qualified Person

David Murray, P.Geo., Senior Project Geologist at Mercator Geological Services, an Independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information presented herein.

Laboratory Technical Note

Analytical services were provided by Eastern Analytical Limited (Eastern) of Springdale Newfoundland, which is an independent, CALA-accredited analytical services firm registered to ISO 17025 standard. Drill core was halved by sawing at the Sterling core facility and half-core samples were securely stored at the facility until being delivered to Eastern by commercial transport. Samples were crushed to 80% passing 10 mesh, split to 250g, and pulverized to 95% passing 150 mesh. Au assays were conducted on 30g of pulverized material using the Fire Assay method with an AA finish. Multi-element analyses, including base metals, were conducted on pulverized material using the ICP method for 34 elements. Laboratory over-limits analysis methods were applied as required. A systematic QAQC protocol was employed that includes systematic insertion in the sample stream of certified reference materials and blank samples, plus analysis of duplicate pulp splits.

About Sterling Metals

Sterling Metals (TSXV:SAG) is a mineral exploration company focused on Canadian exploration opportunities. The company is currently exploring for silver and base metals at the Sail Pond project in Northwestern Newfoundland. Sterling has recently fulfilled its obligations to acquire 100% of the 13,500 Ha Project from Altius Resources, Inc.

For more information, please contact:

Sterling Metals Corp.

Mathew Wilson, President & CEO

Tel: (416) 643-3887

Email: info@sterlingmetals.ca

Website: www.sterlingmetals.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Sterling Metals Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689990/Sterling-Metals-Drills-Newly-Discovered-Heimdall-Zone-at-Sail-Pond-Silver-and-Base-Metal-Project--Multiple-Intercepts-of-Over-1000-Gram-Meter-Silver-Equivalent-Along-400m-Strike-Length
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL; FSE:XZ7) announces the seventh set of results of 2021 surface field work on it's Muskwa Copper Project comprised of the Neil Property (previously referred to as the North Block) and the Toro Property (previously referred to as the South Block) in Northwestern British Columbia. The Company also holds rights to the Bronson Property. See Figure 1 below.

Figure 1 - Location Map

"We have previously reported our findings on the Lady Luck occurrence followed by the Mac; the 8A, Harris, the 2a and 2b copper occurrences. We now turn our attention to now the Creek copper occurrence. See Figure 2 below.

The Creek showing is located approximately 250 meters from the Harris vein audit and can be followed on surface along a creek drainage system., See Photo 1 below.

Figure 2- Neil Property, Creek Copper Occurrence Location

The wall rocks are a gray siltstone in the hanging wall, and a black shale on the footwall side of the veining. Occasional thin seams of graphite at the contact with the veining, and shale is seen. See Photo 1 below.

Photo 1 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Folding becomes more intense in the nose of the folds and secondary parasitic folding on the limbs is common on a micro and macro scale. A total of 10 chip samples plus one grab sample were taken over a vertical elevation range of 58 meters and approximately 250 meters along strike.

Chip sample D - 723216 taken at the 1,946 meter elevation and over a width of 0.30 meters consisted of barren siltstone wall rock, with well-developed cleavage, dark gray in color, and contained no apparent sulphides. As expected, this sample returned 0.01% copper. See Table 1 below.

Chip sample D - 723217 was taken at the same elevation and over a width of 0.40 meters. This chip sample was composed of white quartz with minor patches of carbonate, wispy seams of grey mineral, , possibly graphite, with disseminated patches of chalcopyrite along the seams, and minor malachite staining. This chip sample returned 0.24% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 2 below.

Photo 2 - Creek Copper Occurrence -

Chip sample D - 723218 taken at the same elevation consisted of gray siltstone with 20% white quartz with minor carbonate veinlets, with no apparent sulphides. As expected, this chip sample taken over 0.20 meters returned 0.02% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 3 below.

Photo 3 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Chip sample D - 723219 at 1,944 meters, 2 meters vertically lower in elevation, consisted of white quartz carbonate veining with moderate malachite copper alteration and contained a 1-2 cm wide seam of massive chalcopyrite. Overall, 7% chalcopyrite was seen. This chip sample over 0.10 meters returned 4.34% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 4 below.

Photo 4 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Chip sample D - 723220 taken downhill at 1,903 meters vertically consisted of quartz, with patches of carbonate and minor patches of limonite, in parts rod like to plattey texture with abundant malachite copper alteration. It contained 5-7% chalcopyrite overall as disseminated blebs and patches of semi massive chalcopyrite. This 0.40 meter chip sample assayed 6.84% copper. See Table 1 and Photo 5 below.

Photo 5 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Table 1 - Creek Copper Occurrence - Neil Property

Sample No. Elevation (m) Type of Sample Width (m) Copper (Cu) Grade % D - 723216 1,946 Chip 0.30 0.01 D - 723217 1,946 Chip 0.40 0.24 D - 723218 1,946 Chip 0.20 0.02 D - 723219 1,944 Chip 0.10 4.34 D - 723220 1,903 Chip 0.40 6.84 D - 723221 1,903 Chip 0.20 0.36 D - 723222 1,904 Chip 0.40 1.90 D - 723223 1,902 Chip 0.40 0.25 D - 723224 1,888 Chip 0.50 0.08 D - 723225 1,888 Chip 0.40 0.06 D - 723226 1,888 Grab - 0.35

1% Copper per tonne = 22.20 lbs.

Chip sample D - 723221 taken at the same elevation consisted of white quartz carbonate veining with moderate malachite alteration, with 1% chalcopyrite as disseminations and small patches. This chip sample over 0.20 meters returned 0.36% copper. See Table 1 above and Photo 6 below.

Photo 6 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Chip sample D - 723222 taken at the 1,904 meter elevation consisted of quartz carbonate with minor graphite on the contact, with the wall rock shale, vuggy, moderate limonite and malachite copper alteration with 3-5% chalcopyrite as semi massive patches, blebs, stringers and disseminated. This 0.40 meter chip sample returned 1.90% copper. See Table 1 above and Photo 7 below.

Photo 7 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Chip sample D - 723223 was taken at the 1,902 meter elevation and consisted of 40% barren siltstone wall rock plus 60% white quartz with malachite alteration and 1% chalcopyrite as disseminations and patches. This 0.40 meter chip sample returned 0.25% copper. See Table 1 above and Photo 8 below.

Photo 8 - Creek Copper Occurrence

Chip sample D - 723224 was taken at the 1,888 meter elevation over a width of 0.50 meters and consisted of quartz carbonate in contact with the shale wall rock which also had a graphitic seam at the contact. Mineralization consisted of less than 1% chalcopyrite and assay results returned 0.08% copper as expected. See Table 1 above.

Chip sample D - 723225 taken at the same elevation over 0.40 meters consisted of quartz carbonate with limonite patches, and 50% sheared shale with no apparent sulphides. The chip sample returned 0.06% copper. See Table 1 above.

Grab sample D - 723226 taken at the same altitude consisted of white quartz with minor iron carbonate and limonite staining, malachite copper alteration and 2-3% chalcopyrite as disseminations and blebs, with a trace of bornite. This returned 0.35% copper. See Table 1 above.

QA QC Procedure

Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight.

Over Limit Methods

For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used:

Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample.

Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish.

Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals.

About Fabled Copper Corp.

Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project comprises a total of 76 claims in two non-contiguous blocks and totals approximately 8,064.9 hectares, located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia.

Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O.

Fabled Copper Corp.

Phone: (819) 316-0919

peter@fabledcopper.org

For further information please contact:

info@fabledcopper.org

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital

on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Fabled Copper Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690017/Fabled-Copper-Chip-Samples-Up-To-684-Copper-Over-040-Meters-on-The-Creek-Copper-Occurrence-on-The-Neil-Property
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Canada Rare Earth Corp. (TSXV: LL) ("Canada Rare Earth" or the "Company") is actively responding to the urgent demands of international businesses and national governments for continuous, reliable supply of rare earths. The Company is enhancing its mineral supply chain capabilities with business operations and development activities in eight countries.

Although customers and governments are concerned about the uncertainty of continuous supply, the demand for rare earths is strong-and growing with the increasing use of new and leading-edge products and technologies. With assured supply, demand will grow substantially and will be supplied largely from the new stable and dependable sources.

Rare earth products are critical to many industries, including industrial, consumer, medical and military applications. High profile examples include rare earths present in components integrated into electric vehicles, wind turbines, telecommunications, computers, medical equipment, cracking of oil, and military applications such as fighter jets and submarines.

Tracy A. Moore, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our global footprint has been established and is continuing to expand in multiple countries with the simultaneous implementation of our three fundamental cornerstones: resource development utilizing multiple proprietary properties augmented with exceptional third party supply; development of value-add mid-stream processing facilities; and increasing essential mineral product sales to our solid and expanding customer base."

Peter Shearing, Chief Operating Officer, added, "What differentiates us is that we are in business and actively sourcing, selling, and delivering critical minerals to our customers. We are aggressively expanding our supply base through corporate owned assets and third-party supply to meet the demands of existing and prospective customers with whom we have existing relationships."

"For example," Mr. Shearing continued, "we are developing a ready-for-processing proprietary, permitted property with 70 million metric tons of tailings containing rare earths, cassiterite, zircon and ilmenite. The agreement to purchase the tailings stockpile also includes the right of first refusal to explore and exploit the minerals under 9,960 hectares where the stockpile is located. The stockpile and acreage are in a prolific mining region in South America. We are also in discussions to acquire and develop additional properties in the vicinity."

"The ability to separate rare earth elements into oxides is uncommon outside of China and providing this capability is a key part of our strategy. We are in negotiations to acquire an existing full capability refinery and in discussions with prospective joint venture partners in other regions to extend this capability and augment our existing ability to supply rare earth oxides," added Mr. Moore.

Elyse Kohyann, Head of Global Trading, remarked, "Sales and trading activities are focused on increasing sales of mineral concentrates to meet the demands of our existing customer base. As supply increases we will on-board more customers and/or direct concentrates to refineries that we acquire and/or develop. We will also extend our sales efforts for high purity and specialty rare earth products in line with our exclusive international distribution agreement. These focuses will aid in our ability to deliver concentrates to our refineries and sell oxides produced by the refineries, once up and running."

In 2021, the Company added to its global business platform:

Senior Personnel Additions

Elyse Kohyann, Head of Global Trading, completed more than $2 billion of mineral commodity trades before joining us. Elyse will be building and expanding the Company's existing trading business to support the expanded resource base, supply the proprietary processing facilities, and to bring future rare earth oxide products to market.

Dori Carvalho, Managing Director, Brazil, Ph.D. Mining Engineering, has managed the design, development, and operations of large-scale mineral sands and tailings projects very similar to the Company's tailings stockpile. Dori is focused on bringing the Bom Futuro stockpile into operation and continually expanding the Company's resource base for rare earth concentrates and critical minerals.

Anthony Wong, Chief Financial Officer, has 30 years of experience as a senior executive and chief financial officer for publicly traded companies on the Singapore and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges as well as privately held companies. Anthony is focusing on expanding the Company's robust financial infrastructure to support our activities in the various geographies and supporting the funding activities to enable anticipated growth.

Resource Development

Canada Rare Earth was appointed as operating manager to lead the development of the South American stockpile including the potential for exploration underlying the 9,960 hectares property to expand the potential. The property is permitted for mineral processing operations. The team is presently optimizing the scale and suite of products to be produced to be followed by financing and equipment purchase and commissioning.

The Company entered agreements and held discussions to source 10 times as much mineral concentrate as in recent years.

The Company continues to advance its strategy of sourcing concentrate from proprietary sources as the mainstay to be augmented with supply though third-party arrangements.

The Company has extended its exclusive international distribution agreement for high purity and specialized rare earth products.

Value-add Mid-Stream Processing

The Company is in negotiations to procure a fully capable rare earth refinery in Southeast Asia and is actively assisting in the activities required to complete the final steps to bring the processing facility into operation. This facility will be one of very few operations producing rare earth oxide products outside of China.

The Company advanced joint venture discussions and negotiations with two national governments towards agreements to collaborate on establishing vertically integrated rare earth businesses within their countries.

As part of the South American initiatives, the Company is considering establishing processing and refining facilities to process concentrate from our proprietary sources, our regular suppliers and from others.

Sales and Trading

The Company increased its concentrate supply channels and confirmed the suitability of the products with the existing customer base.

The Company has ongoing communications with numerous large potential customers for mineral concentrates with the intention of increasing and diversifying the customer pool.

The Company has renewed its international distribution agreement for high purity and specialty rare earth products with exclusive right to market, distribute, and sell the rare earth products in Europe, the Americas, Russia, and India, and obtained the non-exclusive right in Asia. The manufacturer produces very high purity and quality products for demanding applications as well as standard products. They have the capability to adjust and modify their processes to meet stringent and unique specifications, in addition to creating proprietary customer products.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CANADA RARE EARTH CORP:

Tracy A. Moore, CEO

Peter Shearing , COO

For more information on the Company, interested parties should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Contact Information:

Tracy A. Moore

CEO

tmoore@canadarareearth.com

Peter Shearing

COO

pshearing@canadarareearth.com

(604) 638-8886

Website: www.canadarareearth.com

ABOUT CANADA RARE EARTH CORP.

Canada Rare Earth Corp. is developing an integrated business within the global rare earth industry. Our key focus is to generate revenues and positive cash flow from a variety of profit centres in the rare earth production and sales chain by sourcing, adding value and selling rare earths in all stages and forms. We are in the process of establishing our own mining, concentrating and refinery capabilities in addition to working with affiliated and third party organizations.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release includes forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking information") with respect to the Company and within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. This information represents predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. Forward-looking information may relate to the Company's future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the Company's financial results, future financial position, expected growth of cash flows, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, projected capital expenditures, taxes, plans, objectives, industry trends and growth opportunities. The reader is referred to the Company's most recent filings on SEDAR for a more complete discussion of all applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Company's profile page at www.sedar.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114554
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Gratomic Inc. ("Gratomic", "GRAT" or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(OTCQX:CBULF)(FSE:CB82) announces more preliminary findings from its 5,000-meter diamond drill program on the Capim Grosso graphite project located within the Bahia State of Brazil, to further delineate graphite mineralization on a recently completed two-fold trenching and sampling program (see Press Release Dated December 22nd, 2021 HERE). The Company has a 100% interest in the Capim Grosso graphite project (see Press Release dated December 8th, 2021 HERE).

A total of 686.65 m has been drilled to date. The introduction of a second drilling rig, which is currently onsite, has expedited the drilling program. The ability to drill with two rigs simultaneously will accelerate the conclusion of the drilling program and will positively impact the announcement of results. Drill core-cutting equipment is currently at the site, which will enable the team to begin splitting the drill core to produce samples for laboratory assays. SGS Geosol, in Vespasiano, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil will be commissioned to conduct the analysis of the assays. (See Press Release dated January 26th, 2021 HERE).

Table 1. Six Diamond Drill holes completed to date on the Capim Grosso graphite project in Brazil (WGS84, UTM zone 24S) showing visual graphite of wider than 0.5 m intercepts (Note these graphite intercepts require laboratory assays for graphite grade verification).

Hole_Id X_coord. Y_coord. GRAPHITE INTERCEPT Az_deg. Dip_deg. EOH_m From (m) To (m) Width (m) CGD001 391942 8749876 40.84 41.32 0.48 45 -58 100,10 CGD002 391867 8749905 130.25 130.69 0.44 50 -60 141.2 CGD003 391926 8749863 71.93 72.57 0.64 50 -60 120,55 72.57 73.53 0.96 74.80 75.40 0.6 79.85 80.25 0.4 80.25 81.83 1.58 CGD004 391842 8749975 26.26 27.45 1.19 50 -60 93,15 63.95 65.01 1.06 CGD005 391775 8750076 38 38.64 0.64 50 -60 111 38.75 40.88 2.13 40.88 41.58 0.7 47.23 48.65 1.42 49.62 50.95 1.33 CGD006 391722 8750171 67.75 69.35 1.6 50 -60 120.65 72.55 75.41 2.86 77.23 81.11 3.88

The six completed drill holes intercepted graphite varying in width from 0.1m to 3.88 m (NOTE * QP (Qualified Person) believes that these are close to true width based upon drill holes' perpendicular intersection on lithological dips). Assay results from the first six drill holes will be announced when received and analyzed. The aim of the drill program is to publish a maiden resource estimate in accordance with National Instrument (NI43-101).

Graphite samples obtained in the first 686.65 meters of the 5,000-meter drill program at Capim Grosso, Brazil.

Images trademarked by Gratomic Inc. and not for unauthorized duplication or dissemination.

Armando Farhate COO and Head of Graphite Sales, says "The work is unfolding at a very good pace, and being carried on with full safety and environment preservation."

"These latest developments continue to drive Gratomic towards its goals of bringing value to its shareholders and stakeholders, in a clean and sustainable growth path," stated Arno Brand President and CEO.

Nico Scholtz is a consulting geologist and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Mr. Scholtz is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr. Sci. Nat. No. 400299/07). Mr. Scholtz is the Company's "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Gratomic

Gratomic is a multinational company with projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada. The Company is focused on becoming a leading global graphite supplier and aims to secure a strong position in the EV (Electric Vehicle) battery supply chain. With the continued development of its flagship Aukam project and further exploration on the Company's Capim Grosso property, Gratomic sets itself apart by seeking out unique top-quality assets around the world. True to its roots, the Company will continue to explore graphite opportunities displaying potential for development.

Large quantities of high-quality vein graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its viability as an anode material. Gratomic is confident that the test results will provide a unique competitive advantage in its desired target markets. The Company will continue to update the public on the status of these tests and will provide results as soon as they become available.

The Company has formed a collaboration agreement with Forge Nano. With its patented ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) coating, this cooperation with Forge Nano is a key element to support Gratomic's strategies towards the value-added phases of production of graphite for anode applications, namely micronization, spheronization and coating, making Gratomic graphite a preferred choice for use in lithium-ion batteries.

For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:

Arno Brand at abrand@gratomic.ca or (416) 561- 4095

Subscribe at gratomic.ca/contact/ to be added to our email list.

For Marketing and Media information, please email: info@gratomic.ca

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com)

SOURCE: Gratomic Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690019/Gratomic-Announces-Update-on-Capim-Grosso-Graphite-Project-Drilling-Program-in-Brazil
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:NMI)(OTC PINK:NMREF) today announced it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement in the amount of up to $500,000 consisting of units offered at a price of $0.20 per unit ("Private Placement") representing an 11% discount to the closing price of the common shares of the Company on February 22, 2022. Each unit will consist of one common share and one warrant. Each whole warrant will be exercisable for one common share at a price of $0.35 for a period of 24 months. A maximum of 5,000,000 common shares of Namibia Critical Metals will be issued pursuant to the Private Placement (assuming full exercise of all warrants).

The Company also announces that it intends to extend the exercise period of a total of 2,650,000 share purchase warrants, all of which are exercisable at $0.35 per common share (collectively, the "Warrants"). The Warrants were issued pursuant to a private placement which closed on March 12, 2021. The Company proposes to extend the expiry dates for these Warrants by an additional twelve months and accordingly, the new expiry dates for the Warrants will be March 12, 2023.

The Private Placement and warrant extension is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV").

The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used primarily to fund gold exploration and general corporate purposes. The common shares and warrants of the Company issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period.

About Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

Namibia Critical Metals Inc. holds a diversified portfolio of exploration and advanced stage projects in Namibia focused on the development of sustainable and ethical sources of metals for the battery, electric vehicle and associated industries. The most advanced stage project in the portfolio is Lofdal. The Company also holds significant land positions in areas favourable for gold mineralization.

Figure 5: Location of Namibia Critical Metals' projects highlighting position of gold projects (Erongo, Otjiwarongo and Grootfontein) in relation to important gold mines in the Central Namibian Gold Belt

Heavy Rare Earths: The Lofdal Dysprosium-Terbium Project is the Company's most advanced project being fully permitted with a Mining Licence (ML 200) issued in 2021. The project is being developed in joint venture with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ("JOGMEC").

About Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) and the JV

JOGMEC is a Japanese government independent administrative agency which among other things seeks to secure stable resource supplies for Japan. JOGMEC has a strong reputation as a long term, strategic partner in mineral projects globally. The mandated areas of responsibilities within JOGMEC relate to oil and natural gas, metals, coal and geothermal energy. JOGMEC facilitates opportunities with Japanese private companies to secure supplies of natural resources for the benefit of the country's economic development.

Rare earths are of critical importance to Japanese industrial interests and JOGMEC has extensive experience with all aspects of the sector. JOGMEC provided Lynas with US$250,000,000 in loans and equity in 2011 to ensure supplies of the Light Rare Earths metals suite to the Japanese industry.

Namibia Critical Metals currently owns a 95% interest in the Lofdal project with the remaining 5% held for the benefit of historically disadvantaged Namibians. The terms of the JOGMEC joint venture agreement with the Company stipulate that JOGMEC provides $3,000,000 in Term 1 and $7,000,000 in Term 2 to earn a 40% interest in the Lofdal project. Term 3 calls for a further $10,000,000 of expenditures to earn an additional 10% interest. JOGMEC can also purchase another 1% for $5,000,000 and has first right of refusal to fully fund the project through to commercial production and to purchase all production at market prices. The collective interests of NMI and historically disadvantaged Namibians cannot be diluted below a 26% carried working interest upon payment of $5,000,000 to JOGMEC for the dilution protection. The JV Agreement is structured such that no NMI equity will be issued and it is totally non-dilutive to NMI shareholders. To date, JOGMEC, has approved funding Term 1 and 2 expenditures totaling $6,600,000.

Gold: The Company's Exclusive Prospecting Licenses ("EPLs") prospective for gold are located in the Central Namibian Gold Belt which hosts a number of significant orogenic gold deposits including the Navachab Gold Mine, the Otjikoto Gold Mine and more recently the discovery of the Twin Hills deposit. At the Erongo Gold Project, stratigraphic equivalents to the meta-sediments hosting the recent Osino gold discovery at Twin Hills have been identified and exploration is progressing over this highly prospective area. The Grootfontein Base Metal and Gold Project has potential for magmatic copper-nickel mineralization, Mississippi Valley-type zinc-lead-vanadium mineralization and Otjikoto-style gold mineralization. Interpretation of geophysical data and regional geochemical soil sampling have identified first gold targets.

Tantalum-Niobium: The Epembe Tantalum-Niobium-Uranium Project is at an advanced stage with a well-defined, 10 km long carbonatite dyke that has been delineated by detailed mapping and radiometric surveys and over 11,000 meters of drilling. Preliminary mineralogical and metallurgical studies including sorting tests (XRT), indicate the potential for significant physical upgrading. Further work will be undertaken to advance the project to a preliminary economic assessment stage.

The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information please contact -

Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

Darrin Campbell, President

Tel: +01 (902) 835-8760

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Email: Info@NamibiaCMI.com

Web site: www.NamibiaCriticalMetals.com

The foregoing information may contain forward-looking information relating to the future performance of Namibia Rare Earths Inc. Forward-looking information, specifically, that concerning future performance, is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions.

SOURCE: Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

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CAIRO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) 's approval to grant six African countries the technology to manufacture mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccines would boost international efforts to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, Egyptian experts and officials said.

On Friday, WHO announced that 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 also intends to reduce Africa's reliance on vaccine manufacturers outside the continent.

Dr. Naeema Al Gasseer, WHO's representative in Egypt, stressed the significance of the decision, saying that the transfer of vaccine manufacturing technology would boost international efforts to confront the pandemic.

"Africa has received vaccines less than any other continent," al- Al Gasseer told Xinhua, affirming that the WHO approval is meant to achieve health security for the international community.

She noted that the countries that have been granted the right to manufacture the vaccine already possess the required personnel competence, technological capabilities, and large financial investments, as well as the great political will to make this procedure a success.

"There is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships to transfer vaccine manufacturing technology, whether between the developed countries and the six countries, or among the six countries themselves," she said, stressing that the WHO will play a fundamental role in supporting the pharmaceutical industries in Africa and the economic growth in these countries.

The UN official praised China's cooperation since the beginning of the pandemic with various countries, especially the developing ones, and its initiative to cooperate with Egypt and a number of other developing countries in the production of coronavirus vaccines.

For his part, Dr. Islam Anan, an Egyptian professor of health economics, epidemiology and virology, said that the WHO's decision is an "important step" that will contribute significantly to containing the pandemic.

Anan added that the two continents most affected by the lack of vaccines are Africa and South America, stressing that Africa is the main gateway to prevent virus mutations.

In this regard, he valued the WHO plans to assist African countries through transferring medical technology to manufacture vaccines locally, instead of "begging rich or vaccine-manufacturing countries to support poor ones."

He pointed out that the transfer of drug and vaccine technology generally takes two years, "but during the pandemic, it may take only six months."

Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmed Shahin, professor of virology at Zagazig University in Egypt, confirmed that granting these African countries the technology for the manufacture of mRNA vaccines will play a prominent role in the localization of vaccine and drug manufacturing technology in Africa, and help the international community control the pandemic.

"The WHO's decision offers Egypt and other concerned African countries the opportunity to overcome the dilemma of intellectual property rights, and gives them the right to use the technology needed to manufacture vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic," Shahin told Xinhua.

He added that Egypt had made a notable leap in the production of the COVID-19 vaccines, through cooperation with China's Sinovac company, noting that the new move would make Egypt a regional hub for vaccine production.

The Egyptian state-owned vaccine maker VACSERA and Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac signed two agreements in April 2021 to jointly manufacture Sinovac vaccines in VACSERA's factory in the North African country.

According to the Egyptian health ministry, Egypt has produced more than 30 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine. 
New Head of Method European Division Patrick Kalaher Brings Experience Building Strategic Design Companies in the EU Market

Method, Inc., the strategic design arm of digital engineering leader GlobalLogic Inc., today announced the appointment of Patrick Kalaher as its new Head of its Europe Division. Patrick brings to Method extensive design leadership experience and a background in developing and expanding European-based design companies throughout his career. The new appointment is a key step in realizing Method's strategy to expand its leading design and engineering services in the EU marketplace, with the aim of supporting a wider range of European clients in their digital transformation initiatives.

Originally from Canada, Patrick has held strategic positions within prominent technology design firms in the US, the UK, Germany, and is now based in Luzern, Switzerland. He is a seasoned business and product strategist also specializing in professional services marketing and business development. Patrick has a track record of applying systems thinking to marketing and business development with a deep expertise in telecoms, utilities, manufacturing, sustainability, and next-generation services and a history of driving sustainable growth while fostering innovation.

In his recent role as VP of Global Marketing, Business Development, and Strategy at frog, and prompted by the onset of the COVID pandemic, Kalaher became invested in the idea of clients having access to digital products that are human-centered while working to provide end-to-end product design and delivery.

"COVID made it obvious that companies really needed to turn their attention toward the idea of human-centric design as they were forced to meet increasing, and often new online demand," said Patrick. "What attracted me to Method and GlobalLogic by extension was the culture that looks at all of the aspects of product development and design with an eye toward the impact it can have on the enterprise as well as the end-user."

"Method is thrilled to have a forward-thinker like Patrick Kalaher on our team," said Joe Ryan, Head of Method. "With new leadership in place, we are excited to grow our footprint and expand our design-led product engineering services throughout Europe."

About Method

Method (www.method.com), a GlobalLogic company, is a strategic design firm. We create value and impact through the design of meaningful brands, digital products, and service experiences. As businesses need to navigate uncharted territories, we use design as a strategic tool to understand customer needs, discover new opportunities, make the right decisions, accelerate time to market, and drive the digital transformation process. Together with GlobalLogic, Method's parent company, we provide design and engineering services at scale from over 30 locations across 12 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005431/en/

Contacts:

Heather Ailara

211 Communications

+1.973.567.6040

heather@211comms.com
SambaNova's GPT for Banking and Financial Services enables banks to close the deep learning deployment gap

SambaNova Systems, the company delivering the industry's only comprehensive software, hardware, and solutions platform to run AI and Deep Learning applications, announces SambaNova GPT Banking, the first solution purpose-built for the financial services industry, enabling banks to create clear market separation in AI by jump-starting their deep learning language capabilities in weeks, not years.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005437/en/

(Graphic: Business Wire)

"GPT Banking has the potential to transform nearly every aspect of banking, from improving operations to managing risk and compliance," states Rodrigo Liang, CEO and co-founder of SambaNova. "Customers tell me they're most excited about GPT Banking's ability to truly personalize the customer experience, with richer insights that enable them to understand customers' evolving needs."

There is a deep learning deployment gap in banking resulting in financial services companies not being able to build and deploy AI models fast enough to meet their business needs SambaNova GPT Banking has solved that problem: "On average, it takes banks 18 months to hire a skilled data science team, build the infrastructure, train and deploy a large language model. By the time they are ready to deploy, the institution's model is out of date as the base model size will have increased by 10X within the year and the compute requirements will have changed dramatically," stated Marshall Choy, SVP of Product at SambaNova Systems.

"We built GPT Banking to improve banks' competitiveness and efficiency while accelerating their digital transformation," stated Liang. "AI is the quickest and most cost-efficient tool to do that today and our service can be deployed and delivering value in weeks."

GPT Banking is built for banks' large language models and is offered as a subscription service to simplify the process of deploying the most advanced language models in a fraction of the time.

Banks can leverage the technology to perform:

Sentiment analysis: scan social media, press and blogs to understand market, investor and stakeholder sentiment.

scan social media, press and blogs to understand market, investor and stakeholder sentiment. Entity recognition : reduce human error, classify documents and reduce manual/repetitive work.

: reduce human error, classify documents and reduce manual/repetitive work. Language generation : process, transcribe and prioritize claims, extract necessary information and create documents to improve customer satisfaction.

: process, transcribe and prioritize claims, extract necessary information and create documents to improve customer satisfaction. Language translation: language translation to expand customer base.

Webinar:

Join Dan Faggella, CEO Emerj Artificial Intelligence Research; Nicole Hemsoth, Deputy Editor in Chief, Situation Publishing (The Register, The Next Platform, Blocks Files, DevClass) and SambaNova's SVP of Product, Marshall Choy, on February 24, 2022, at 4:00pm GMT, 11:00am EST, 8:00am PST. Register Here.

About SambaNova's Dataflow-as-a-ServiceTM GPT

SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-Service, is an extensible AI services platform, and enables organizations to jump-start AI initiatives overnight by augmenting existing capabilities and staffing with a simple subscription. The platform is powered by DataScale, an integrated software and hardware platform delivering unrivaled performance, accuracy, scale and ease of use built on SambaNova's Systems Reconfigurable Dataflow Architecture.

In February 2022, test results showed that SambaNova offers the highest training performance for GPT. Dataflow-as-a-ServiceTM GPT, the basis for the GPT Banking service, delivers 2.1x faster training, performance and throughput than Nvidia. While SambaNova is the fastest, speed isn't what matters, what does matter is getting to the best answer. SambaNova measures success by the value delivered for customers, who are achieving real, transformational business impact from AI.

With AI becoming a business necessity in the global economy, customers need complete solutions that can run at scale in a financially viable way. With an integrated full-stack system, including best-in-class AI models, software and hardware, SambaNova provides the most expansive, accessible and impactful AI applications in the world. To learn more about SambaNova's Dataflow-as-a-Service for language with GPT, visit: https://sambanova.ai/solutions/gpt/.

About SambaNova Systems

AI is here. With SambaNova, customers are deploying the power of AI and deep learning in weeks rather than years to meet the demands of the AI-enabled world. SambaNova's flagship offering, Dataflow-as-a-ServiceTM, is a complete solution purpose-built for AI and deep learning that overcomes the limitations of legacy technology to power the large and complex models that enable customers to discover new opportunities, unlock new revenue and boost operational efficiency. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, SambaNova Systems was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries, and hardware and software design experts from Sun/Oracle and Stanford University. Investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel Capital, GV, Walden International, Temasek, GIC, Redline Capital, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, Celesta, and several others. For more information, please visit us at sambanova.ai or contact us at info@sambanova.ai. Follow SambaNova Systems on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005437/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

SambaNova Systems

Virginia Jamieson

virginia.jamieson@sambanova.ai

(650) 279-8619
SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Huawei commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study, The Total Economic Impact Of Huawei Passive Optical LAN. In this study, Forrester uses a proprietary methodology to analyze the economic impact of Huawei's passive optical LAN (POL) solution on enterprises from three aspects based on information from interviewed customers.

To realize digital transformation, enterprises use more and more next-generation information technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and Internet of Things (IoT). As the underlying infrastructure of such technologies, network connectivity has become the cornerstone of digital transformation in various industries. Based on an in-depth survey of application cases in the higher education, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing industries, the Forrester study found that the Huawei POL solution reconstructs local area networks with full-fiber connections, multi-service bearing, and passive long-distance transmission. This solution reduces extra low voltage (ELV) room space, improves O&M efficiency, and avoids repeated construction investments. According to the financial analysis, an enterprise campus with 6000 information points can obtain a net present value (NPV) of $9596K in five years.

Forrester used a proprietary methodology to quantify the benefits of technology investment based on the case study. The study describes the business benefits of the Huawei POL solution for enterprises, including quantified benefits, unquantified benefits, and flexibility. In addition, a financial model of the TEI (Total Economic Impact) composite organization is established based on the enterprise campus to quantify the net present value (NPV).

Quantified benefits:

Network O&M cost savings: unified POL device management and network-wide O&M; point-to-multipoint transmission through passive optical splitters, reducing maintenance nodes and improving the network maintenance efficiency by 60%, yielding a total PV of over $535K in five years.

in five years. Network expansion cost savings: 75% construction investment saved based on the simplified POL architecture and lightweight and flexible fibers, yielding a total PV of over $276K in five years.

in five years. ELV room savings: traditional active aggregation switches replaced with passive optical splitters, yielding a total PV of $96K in five years.

Unquantified benefits: Based on ultra-broadband transmission over fibers, POL improves network experience in the education, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing industries, facilitating digital transformation and business growth.

Flexibility: The green and sustainable POL fiber infrastructure can meet requirements for 30 years, avoiding repeated investment. In addition, the POL solution provides future-oriented service convergence, promoting digital transformation and improving competitiveness of enterprises.

In the study, the technical director and board member for a group of tourist resorts said, "One of the key moments that really accelerated the decision to switch to the Huawei POL network was [when the traditional network was] down on a peak checkout day, which [created a] really bad experience for our customers."

The IT manager of a manufacturing firm said, "Huawei's ONU can operate under 70 degrees Celsius, which supports our industrial environment. We also prefer to use a PON network."

Huawei POL solution extends fiber to each room, desktop, and machine in campus scenarios of various industries, reducing cabling costs, providing high bandwidth and low latency, and enabling sustainable development for enterprises.

Note: Total Economic Impact (TEI) is a methodology developed by Forrester Research that helps companies to communicate the value proposition of their products and services to customers, as well as demonstrates, justifies, and realizes the financial benefits of ICT initiatives to both senior management and other key business stakeholders.

MWC Barcelona 2022 will run from February 28 to March 3 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei will showcase its products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. For more information, please visit: Huawei Enterprise at MWC 2022 | New Value Together
Increase in demand for energy across the world, improve in production efficiencies at mature fields, and rise in deep, ultra-deep offshore oil production drive the growth of the global artificial lift system market.

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Artificial Lift System Market by Lift Type (Reciprocating Rod Lift, Electric Submersible Pumps, Gas lift, Progressing Cavity Pumps, Jet Pump, and Others), Application (Onshore and Offshore), Mechanism (Pump Assisted and Gas Assisted), and Well Type (Horizontal and Vertical): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 2021-2030". According to the report, the global artificial lift system industry generated $26.3 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $55.3 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 7.7% from 2021 to 2030.

Prime determinants of growth

Increase in demand for energy across the world, improve in production efficiencies at mature fields, and rise in deep, ultra-deep offshore oil production drive the growth of the global artificial lift system market. However, lack of skilled workers and high cost of artificial lift equipment hinder the market growth. On the other hand, increase in subsea drilling activities presents new opportunities in the coming years.

Download Sample PDF (225 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/347

Covid-19 Scenario

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the growth of the global artificial lift system market, owing to reduction in activities in reservoirs.

The pandemic led to disruption of demand for oil and also affected a wide range of industries such as coal and renewable oil & gas, owing to the implementation of lockdown. This in turn, hampered the growth of the global artificial lift system market, especially during the initial period.

However, the market is going to recoup soon in 2022.

The offshore segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on application, the offshore segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global artificial lift system market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2030. Rise in oil & gas offshore production is the major driving factor for the offshore artificial lift system market.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Artificial Lift System Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/347?reqfor=covid

The horizontal segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on well type, the horizontal segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to more than two-thirds of the global artificial lift system market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2030. Horizontal well is a type of directional drilling technique. Operators use it to retrieve oil and natural gas in situations in which the shape of the reservoir is abnormal or difficult to access. It permits access to subsurface reservoirs that may not be accessible from directly above. All the mentioned applications of horizontal technique act as the major driving factor for the market.

North America to maintain its dominance by 2030

Based on region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global artificial lift system market. Rise in oil & gas offshore production and onshore act as the major driving factor for the offshore artificial lift system market. The same region is also expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period.

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Leading Market Players

General Electric Company

Man Diesel & Turbo SE

& Turbo SE Ebara Corporation

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation

Atlas Copco Energas GmbH

Solar Turbine Inc.

Burckhardt Compression Holding AG

Ariel Corporation

Neuman & Esser Group

Hitachi, Ltd

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VANCOUVER BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Blackwolf Copper and Gold ("Blackwolf", or the "Company") (TSXV:BWCG)(OTC PINK:BWCGF) is pleased to announce highly encouraging surface sample assay results from its 2021 reconnaissance exploration program at the 100%-owned, Hyder area properties located northwest of the towns of Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK on the Alaskan side of the Golden Triangle. Despite significant exploration activity in Canada, virtually no modern exploration has been performed in the area since the 1930's. Blackwolf's team is exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced with mineral deposits in the Golden Triangle.

High-grade gold-silver mineralization was identified in multiple areas during this initial work program, including three areas that will be prioritized for drilling and additional surface exploration. Highlights of the 2021 work include:

Cantoo : individual assays up to 30.4 g/t Au, 2,860 g/t Ag and 5.8% Cu from grab samples of material eroding from a series of stacked veins to 30 meters wide. The Cantoo veins have been traced for over 500 meters along strike and are considered a high-priority drill target.

: individual assays up to from grab samples of material eroding from a series of stacked veins to 30 meters wide. The Cantoo veins have been traced for over 500 meters along strike and are considered a high-priority drill target. Solo : grab samples up to 10.0 g/t Au and 7,910 g/t Ag from a zone of quartz veining and alteration over 535 meters of strike length, partially exposed under snow and ice cover. The ultra-high grade veins explored by Blackwolf and historic prospectors at Solo are geologically similar to structures at the Brucejack gold mine.

: grab samples up to from a zone of quartz veining and alteration over 535 meters of strike length, partially exposed under snow and ice cover. The ultra-high grade veins explored by Blackwolf and historic prospectors at Solo are geologically similar to structures at the Brucejack gold mine. Doghole: grab samples up to 11.3 g/t Au and 530 g/t Ag from multiple areas of intrusive-related disseminated to massive sulphide mineralization, shearing and quartz-sulphide veining proximal to Texas Creek intrusive rocks.

"Cantoo is one of the best undrilled targets that I've seen in my career in the Golden Triangle and it is our intent to put the first drill holes into these wide, outcropping veins. At Solo, the exceptional electrum that attracted pioneer explorers, verified by Blackwolf's geologic team, are analogous to high-grade structures that are part of mineralizing systems at the largest deposits in the Golden Triangle, such as Brucejack and Premier," said Rob McLeod, President and CEO of Blackwolf. "The lack of modern exploration and regional geological surveys, exceptional known high-grades and relative ease of potential road access highlight the opportunity for discovery at our properties. I am grateful for the discoveries made by our geological team, led by Hayley McIntyre and excellent support from our friends in the Community of Hyder, Alaska."

Blackwolf's 2021 field program consisted of three weeks of fly-camp supported reconnaissance mapping and sampling. Experienced geologists completed 1:2,500 scale structural and stratigraphic mapping and collected 243 rock samples across the Texas Creek and Cantoo properties. Two reconnaissance soil lines were also completed at the Blasher prospect at Texas Creek and at the Cantoo property, totaling 100 soil samples. Surface sampling was centered on evaluating historic mines and prospects, including: Cantoo, Solo, Silver King, Double Anchor, Blasher, Doghole and Iron Cap showings, all of which have seen almost no modern-day exploration. 2021 was an unusually cool and wet year; winter snowpack did not completely melt during the summer, therefore several targets in the alpine areas of the claims were not properly evaluated, including the Casey gold-zinc VMS prospect and a significant area of the Solo prospect, one of Blackwolf's priority targets.

Of 243 total rock samples collected during 2021, assay results ranged from trace to 30.4 g/t Au, trace to 7,910 g/t Ag, trace to 5.8% Cu, trace to 22.4% Zn and trace to >20% Pb. 25 of 243 rock samples returned over 1.0 g/t Au.

FIGURE 1: Blackwolf's Cantoo property looking west with observed and projected vein locations, historic adits, international boundary and 2021 assay highlights.

CANTOO

Located due east of the Premier, Silver Coin and Premier deposits currently in development by Ascot Resources and likely part of the same metallogenic system, the Cantoo property hosts at least two wide, shallow southeast dipping vein structures up to 30 meters in true thickness. Historic literature describes an upper 'gold rich' vein and a lower 'silver rich vein' with a single historic sample from the upper vein collected by USGS government geologists in 1995 assaying 27.7 g/t Au. These veins outcrop on cliff faces that are clearly observed from the air and represent obvious targets for diamond drilling; Blackwolf's crews were not equipped to access the veins due to the steep terrain. Historic adits and two aerial tram lines cables from work in the late 1920's helped Blackwolf's geologists to locate the veins (see Figure 1). According to Alaskan territorial records, ore was direct shipped from surface without blasting; work ceased on ambitious development plans at Cantoo after the stock market crash of 1929. Grab samples by Blackwolf from limited sampling along scree slopes below the cliffs assayed up to 30.4 g/t Au, 2,860 g/t Ag, and 5.8% Cu. Multiple vein styles and strong alteration of different diorite intrusive phases were observed. Individual samples include:

B0008129: 30.4 g/t Au, 2,860 g/t Ag, 5.8% Cu, 0.95% Pb, 8.81% Zn

B0008131: 0.82 g/t Au, 418 g/t Ag, 0.41% Cu, 16.2% Pb, 0.08% Zn

B0007963: 1.99 g/t Au, 9.7 g/t Ag, 0.27% Cu, 1.06% Pb, 0.24% Zn

The Cantoo property geology is dominated by multiple phases of the regionally prospective, Early Jurassic Texas Creek granodioritic intrusive suite with occurrences of the megacrystic 'Premier Porphyry'. This geologic setting, along with shallow vein/breccia orientations and compositional similarities show parallels between the Cantoo veins and Ascot's immediately adjacent Big Missouri and Silver Coin deposits. Blackwolf is currently permitting drill pad locations to test the stacked vein structures.

FIGURE 2: Texas Creek property with satellite imagery base map, property geology, prospect locations, 2021 sample locations by gold (g/t) and assay highlights.

SOLO

The Solo prospect is located on the western flank of the Texas Creek property and is dominated by quartz-vein hosted massive galena-pyrite-electrum mineralization in Lower Jurassic Lower Hazelton argillitic sediments. In the 1930's, miners built 1,800 meters of tunnels through an ice sheet chasing source of the electrum, including a glacial transported float that assayed over 20,000 g/t Au. Significant glacial recession has occurred since, however large areas of snowpack did not melt during the summer of 2021, including the estimated location of one of these high-grade veins in outcrop. Intrusive rocks and very high-grade late tension veins are similar to the Premier and Brucejack deposits in the Golden Triangle and suggest potential for a strong mineralizing system. 2021 samples at the Solo prospect returned up to 10.05 g/t Au, 7,910 g/t Ag, 12.55% Pb and 3.96% Zn in one of these veins. Highlights of the 2021 sampling at Solo include:

B0007939: 10.05 g/t Au, 7,910 g/t Ag, 1.4% Cu, 12.55% Pb, 3.96% Zn

B0007953: 1.38 g/t Au, 1250 g/t Ag, 0.02% Cu, >20% Pb, 0.04% Zn

B0007951: 6.18 g/t Au, 357 g/t Ag, 0.13% Cu, 1.53% Pb, 2.05% Zn

B0007906: 7.07 g/t Au, 32.1 g/t Ag, 0.09% Cu, 2.75% Pb, 0.87% Zn

FIGURE 3: B0007939, polymetallic quartz-sulphide vein with localized shearing.

DOGHOLE

Located on the Texas Creek property, Doghole consists of shear-hosted sulphide mineralization along with proximal intrusion-related semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization set in 5-20 meter wide sills of the Early Jurassic Texas Creek granodiorite. These sills are cross-cut by late continuous quartz-sulphide epithermal-style veins. Samples from the Doghole prospect returned up to 11.3 g/t Au, 530 g/t Ag, 0.44% Cu and 4.63% Zn. Highlights of the 2021 sampling at Doghole include:

B0008061: 11.3 g/t Au, 530 g/t Ag, 0.44% Cu, 10.05% Pb, 4.63% Zn.

B0008025: 9.41 g/t Au, 139 g/t Ag, 0.11% Cu, 2.97% Pb, 4.58% Zn

B0007932: 6.2 g/t Au, 37.6 g/t Ag, 0.03% Cu, 3.03% Pb, 0.57% Zn

B0007931: 3.91 g/t Au, 16.4 g/t Ag, 0.01% Cu, 2.5% Pb, 0.26% Zn

FIGURE 4: (A) B0007932, intrusion-related massive pyrite-galena associated with strong silica alteration at the historic Doghole adit, (B) B0008061, massive pyrite-galena-quartz vein.

SILVER KING

The Silver King prospect consists of an approximately 20 meter wide intermediate Lower Hazelton lapilli tuff bed hosting replacement-style hydrothermal copper-silver-gold mineralization, along with polymetallic gold-silver-zinc-copper vein-hosted mineralization. Samples from the Silver King prospect returned up to 19.85 g/t Au, 1280 g/t Ag, and 2.56% Cu (see Figure 5). Highlights of the 2021 sampling at Silver King include:

B0008146: 19.85 g/t Au, 1,280 g/t Ag, 1.39% Cu, >20% Pb, 22.4% Zn

B0007911: 0.45 g/t Au, 350 g/t Ag, 2.56% Cu, 6.85% Pb, 0.17% Zn

B0007909: 0.31 g/t Au, 235 g/t Ag, 1.81% Cu, 3.89% Pb, 0.09% Zn

IRON CAP

The Iron Cap Prospect is located 2.3 kilometers NE of Doghole and consists of a 3.5 meter-wide zone of polymetallic sulfide-bearing quartz-calcite veins and stringers hosted within fine-grained, pelitic metasediments of the Lower Hazelton Group. Highlights of the 2021 sampling include:

B0008044: 25.5 g/t Au, 32 g/t Ag, 0.079% Cu, 4.08% Pb, 12.5% Zn

B0008108: 0.62 g/t Au, 494 g/t Ag, 1.22% Cu, 1.31% Pb, 1.76% Zn

B0008112: 0.03 g/t Au, 70.6 g/t Ag, 1.76% Cu, 6.7% Pb, 1.16% Cu

FIGURE 5: (A) B0007911 stratabound hydrothermal chalcopyrite-pyrite-malachite-galena mineralization, (B) B0008146, massive galena-chalcopyrite-malachite-sphalerite vein.

THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE

Blackwolf's Hyder Properties are located in the Golden Triangle, a regional mineral belt in Northwest British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Significant mines and deposits in the area include: Brucejack, Premier, Big Missouri, Scottie Gold, Red Mountain, Galore Creek, KSM, Eskay Creek, Porter and Torbrit, and new discoveries by Goliath Resources and Eskay Mining. The region, centered around the towns of Stewart BC and Hyder Alaska, has world-class metal endowment. Set in the Stikinia Paleozoic-Mesozoic island arc terrane, the stratigraphy of the area is dominated by Triassic to Jurassic rocks of the Stuhini and Hazelton Groups, respectively. Porphyry, VMS, and other intrusion-related deposits in the area are dominantly hosted in the Jurassic Hazelton Group strata associated with coeval intrusions, with commonly overprinting Eocene epithermal-style vein-dominated mineralization.

HYDER PROPERTIES

Acquired through staking in 2021, Blackwolf has 100% interest in its Hyder properties which are comprised of three claim groups (Texas Creek, Cantoo, and Casey), totaling 4,400 hectares across 474 Federal Mining claims. These properties are located approximately 19 kilometers northwest of Hyder, six kilometers south of the past-producing Granduc Copper Mine, 10 kilometers south of the past-producing Scottie Copper Mine and due west of the past-producing Premier Gold Mine. The claims are underlain by regionally prospective Lower Hazelton volcanics and coeval Texas Creek polyphase intrusives. Very limited modern exploration has been performed in the area, with virtually none in the last 25 years.

QA/QC AND QUALIFIED PERSON(S):

All analytical work for the 2021 program was perform by ALS Laboratories, an internationally recognized service provider, at their North Vancouver, British Columbia, facility. All rock samples were prepared using procedure PRP-31-A (Dry, crush to 70% passing 2mm, riffle split off 250g, pulverize split to better than 85% passing 75 microns) and analyzed by method Au-AA23 (30g fire assay with AAS finish) and ME-ICP61 (0.5g, 4-acid digestion and ICP-AES/MS analysis). Samples containing >10g/t Au were reanalyzed using method Au-GRA21 (30g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish). Samples containing >100 ppm Ag and/or >1% Cu, Pb, & Zn were reanalyzed using method OG-62 (0.2g, 4-acid digest and ore grade ICP-AES analysis). Samples containing >1000 g/t Ag were reanalyzed using method Ag-GRAV21 (30g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish). All soil samples were prepared using procedure PRP-41 (Dry, screen to -80 mesh) and analyzed using methods Au-AA23 (30g fire assay with AAS finish) and ME-ICP61 (0.5g, 4-acid digestion and ICP-AES/MS analysis).

The reported work was completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control ("QA/QC") program consisting of the insertion of certified standard, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream. The Qualified Person has reviewed the data and detected no significant QA/QC issues.

Jodie Gibson, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration for the Company and Robert McLeod, P. Geo, President and CEO for the Company, both Qualified People under NI 43-101, have reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.

FIGURE 6: Hyder area property locations with regional geology, mines and major deposits in the Golden Triangle.

ABOUT BLACKWOLF COPPER AND GOLD

Blackwolf's founding vision is to be an industry leader in transparency, inclusion and innovation. Guided by our Vision and through collaboration with local and Indigenous communities and stakeholders, Blackwolf builds shareholder value through our technical expertise in mineral exploration, engineering and permitting. The Company holds a 100% interest in the high-grade Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver VMS project, located adjacent to tidewater in southeast Alaska as well as the Cantoo, Casey, Texas Creek gold-silver and VMS properties in southeast Alaska. For more information on Blackwolf, please visit the Company's website at www.blackwolfcopperandgold.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Robert McLeod"

Robert McLeod, P.Geo

President, CEO and Director

For more information, contact:

ROB MCLEOD

604-617-0616 (Mobile)

604-343-2997 (Office)

rm@bwcg.ca

LIAM MORRISON

604-897-9952 (Mobile)

604-343-2997 (Office)

lm@bwcg.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to the Hyder properties and the Company's future objectives and plans.Forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; fluctuations in commodity prices and changes in the Company's business plans. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company seeks safe harbor.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: Blackwolf Copper and Gold Ltd

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689966/Blackwolf-Samples-Up-to-304-gt-Au-and-2860-gt-Ag-From-the-Cantoo-Prospect-and-Identifies-Multiple-High-Grade-Targets-Across-the-Hyder-Properties
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Lust for Life Footwear LLC (the "Company"), the main subsidiary of Renewable Energy & Power, Inc. (OTC PINK:RBNW), is turning its attention to Fall Footwear and is excited to announce an initial order for $600,000 in fashionable boots. As Lust for Life recently announced, our success in streamlining our manufacturing and shipping has enabled us to begin delivering these early core boots in June rather than what was historically the months of August and September.

Lust for Life will also be introducing wide calf boots into its collection to appeal to a larger demographic and increase revenue. The continuing manufacturing of boots will then proceed into August and September with new fashion trends. This will give the Fall Footwear a projected boost in sales of 50 percent.

Lust for Life Footwear announced a powerful relationship with Brazil in the last press release as well as the short lead time for manufacturing and shipping. Lust for Life has been currently receiving orders for season Spring/ Summer 2022. The ability to utilize Brazil for in-season and quick turnaround is now benefiting both the consumer and our customers.

About Renewable Energy & Power, Inc.:

Renewable Energy & Power, Inc. (OTC PINK:RBNW) is the parent company to Lust for Life Group. RBNW is a holding company for apparel lines with both direct to consumer and wholesale sales to national retail chains. Previously, RBNW was focused on renewable energy projects, however in August 2019, with the acquisition of Blind Faith Concepts, Inc., which holds 100% of Lust for Life, LLC, RBNW's management determined to shift operations to focus on apparel. For more information on RBNW, visit www.lustforlifeshoes.com.

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains statements that involve expectations, plans or intentions (such as those relating to future expansion or financial results) and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's OTC Markets filings. These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and other similar expressions. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors not within the control of the company. The company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The company disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

IR Contact:

Lust for Life Footwear, LLC

55 Washington Street, Suite 703

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone:718-971-9704

karenberend@thelflgroup.com

SOURCE: Renewable Energy and Power, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689961/Lust-for-Life-Footwear-Meeting-Strong-Consumer-Demand-for-Early-Fall-Boots-Currently-Receiving-New-Orders-for-SpringSummer-Season
Uranium Mineralization in Basement Outcrop Provides Immediate Targets for Follow-Up

30 Kilometres of Priority Corridors Identified

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to announce compilation work on the Company's newly acquired Chymko project, totalling 32,603 hectares, in the central Athabasca Basin located 100 km west of the Key Lake mine and mill complex (Figure 1).





Figure 1

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/114509_30beab5644e31b36_001full.jpg

Compilation work has highlighted several prominent NW-SE trending structural corridors where electromagnetic conductors are concentrated within magnetic lows (Figure 2). These conductive corridors are interpreted to represent linking structural corridors between two prominent shear zones in the Cable Bay shear zone to the east and the Virgin River shear zone to the west. The conductive corridors are abruptly cutoff at the north end by the Karras Fault. To the west of the property, the Virgin River Shear zone is host to Cameco and Orano's Centennial unconformity uranium deposit and the Dufferin Lake uranium and polymetallic uranium zones.





Figure 2

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/114509_30beab5644e31b36_002full.jpg

The Chymko project straddles the southern edge of the Athabasca Basin, with depths to the unconformity within the Basin increasing to the north. Historical exploration in the region has been focused on regional airborne surveys that have identified the NW-SE striking conductivity corridors that are coincident with magnetic lows (Figure 2). This geophysical relationship is typical of many unconformity uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin where graphitic metasediments in long linear conductive corridors are conducive to semi-brittle fault reactivation and the creation of structural traps for potential uranium deposition. As a result, the Company believes that these conductive corridors represent key underexplored target areas for basement and unconformity-type uranium mineralization with at least 30 kilometres of target corridor identified.

Chymko Lake Uranium Showing

The newly acquired property encompasses the Chymko Lake uranium showing. The Chymko Lake showing consists of a 30 metre long southwest trending vein-controlled zone of uranium mineralization hosted within hydrothermally altered felsic gneisses just outside of the present-day Athabasca Basin. The extents of the showing are open and only limited by the exposed outcrop. Historical rock chip samples, associated with rusty to brick-red hematite alteration, returned a maximum grade of 0.088% U3O8.

The Company is completing further compilation on the newly acquired Chymko project and is actively seeking Joint Venture partners.

CanAlaska CEO, Cory Belyk, comments, "The CanAlaska team has generated a large high-quality exploration project with already identified basement-hosted uraniuim mineralization within its boundary immediately adjacent to one of the premiere uranium corridors in the Athabasca Basin.The uranium market continues to improve and we anticipate projects such as Chymko will be in high demand for new joint venture partners or Basin entrants. We look forward to working with a new partner to move this project forward."

Other News

The Company is active on several uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan and several nickel projects in the Thompson Nickel Belt, Manitoba.

West McArthur Drill Preparation :

Currently, the Company is undertaking a detailed Stepwise Moving Loop Time Domain Electromagnetic Survey (TDEM) on its West McArthur Joint Venture project. The geophysical survey is part of the approved $5 million 2022 exploration program. The goal of the TDEM survey is to outline and prioritize drill targets along the remainder of the Grid 5 conductive corridor southwest of the strong alteration and fault structures intersected during the recently completed 2021 exploration program. Preliminary results show that the survey is successfully mapping multiple strong conductive responses along the Grid 5 conductive trend. The Company anticipates the program will be complete in April and targets from the survey will be ready for drill testing during the upcoming summer exploration program.

Key Extension Geophysics:

A geophysical crew is planning to mobilize in the coming weeks to the Company's Key Extension project to commence a ground gravity survey on the northeastern portion of the project. This survey will search for gravity low anomalies associated with conductivity highs potentially associated with basement-hosted uranium deposits. Targets from this survey will be ready for drill testing later in the year.

Waterbury South Drilling:

The Company is currently drilling on it's 100%-owned Waterbury South project in the northeastern Athabasca Basin near the Cigar Lake uranium mine.

Hunter Geophysics:

In the Thompson Nickel Belt, the Company is preparing for an airborne VTEM survey on it's 100%-owned Hunter nickel project.

West Athabasca Diamonds:

In the summer of 2021 a limited program of till sampling was completed on the West Athabasca Diamond project. A set of twenty till samples were collected in a traverse across and down-ice from the magnetic anomaly trend corresponding to potential kimberlites. Twelve chrome spinels were recovered from seven of the samples. Electron microprobe analyses of these chrome spinels yield compositions that do not fall within the diamond inclusion field.

About CanAlaska Uranium

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 300,000 hectares (750,000 acres), in Canada's Athabasca Basin - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings have attracted major international mining companies. CanAlaska is currently working with Cameco and Denison at two of the Company's properties in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska is a project generator positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. The Company also holds properties prospective for nickel, copper, gold and diamonds. For further information visit www.canalaska.com.

The qualified technical person for this news release is Nathan Bridge, MSc., P.Geo., CanAlaska's Vice President, Exploration.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Peter Dasler"

Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo.

President

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd.

Contacts:

Cory Belyk, Executive VP and CEO

Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 306

Email: cbelyk@canalaska.com

Peter Dasler, President

Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138

Email: info@canalaska.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114509
Assay results are pending, and the Company is fully funded for 2022 exploration

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Silver Dollar Resources Inc. (CSE: SLV) (OTCQB: SLVDF) ("Silver Dollar" or the "Company") is pleased to report that a total of 2,424 metres of core drilling has been completed through eleven holes at the La Joya Silver Project (the "Property") located in the state of Durango, Mexico (See Figure 1).

The initial drilling program is focused on the Noria portion of the Property with an emphasis on target development and testing for possible structural extensions of known mineralized zones identified in historical drilling. Drill core sample results are pending for all holes and drilling is now on standby until we receive and interpret assay results.





Figure 1: Click on the image above to view a two-minute video introducing the La Joya Project

If you cannot view the video above, please visit:

https://vimeo.com/497779460

The Company has experienced multiple missed deadlines for the sample assay results. This was due to issues with the original accredited lab apparently related to Omicron, prep lab back logs, personnel changes, and internal operational issues. Upon learning of the most recent delay, the Company has taken immediate action and within 48-hours has now moved the drill core sample pulps to another accredited lab who have promised the analytical results in a shorter time frame.

"Delays with the original lab were beyond our control and we have now taken steps to mitigate the issue," said Mike Romanik, president of Silver Dollar. "Additionally, Versa Perforaciones has left their drill rig onsite so we can resume exploration drilling as soon as we have interpreted the initial drill results and plotted our next set of drill holes."

Mike Kilbourne, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release on behalf of the Company.

About the La Joya Property

The La Joya Property is situated approximately 75 kilometres directly southeast of the state capital city of Durango in a prolific mineralized region with past-producing and operating mines including Grupo Mexico's San Martin Mine, Industrias Penoles's Sabinas Mine, Pan American Silver's La Colorada Mine, and First Majestic's La Parrilla and Del Toro Silver Mines. Access and infrastructure near the property are considered excellent with a highway and power lines nearby.

About Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Silver Dollar is a mineral exploration company that completed its initial public offering in May 2020 and is fully funded for 2022 with approximately $9 million in the treasury. The Company's projects are located in two of the prolific mining jurisdictions in the world and include the advanced exploration and development stage La Joya Silver Project in the state of Durango, Mexico; and the discovery-stage Pakwash Lake and the Longlegged Lake properties in the Red Lake Mining District of Ontario, Canada. The Company has an aggressive growth strategy and is actively reviewing potentially accretive acquisitions with a focus on drill-ready projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions internationally.

For additional information, you can download our latest presentation by clicking here and you can follow us on Twitter by clicking here.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Signed "Michael Romanik"

Michael Romanik,

President, CEO & Director

Silver Dollar Resources Inc.

Direct line: (204) 724-0613

Email: mike@silverdollarresources.com

179 - 2945 Jacklin Road, Suite 416

Victoria, BC, V9B 6J9

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114528
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) ("ACP" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement dated February 17th, 2022 (the "Option Agreement") with two arm's length parties (the "Optionors") to acquire an undivided 100% interest in certain mineral claims located in British Columbia commonly referred to as the Rey Lake Property (the "Property").

Adrian Smith, CEO of ArcPacific comments, "The Property is host to historical estimates totaling approximately 74 million tonnes with historically reported copper grades averaging 0.23% copper equivalent. This acquisition significantly increases the potential of the Company's LMSL project. We are very pleased with this new acquisition and are excited to commence renewed exploration and drilling this coming field season."

The newly acquired claims adjoin the northeast side of the Company's LMSL project. The copper mineralization that exists on the Rey Lake Property could be related to a possible faulted offset of the same intrusive suite present within the Lucky Mike area of the LMSL project.

The Company is also pleased to announce it has significantly expanded the LMSL copper gold silver project. The Company has acquired through staking, an additional 3,205 hectares or 32 square kilometres which brings the total land package size to 14,640 Hectares or over 145 square kilometres in size. The expanded land package covers new areas of anomalous copper in soil geochemistry with selective historical rock samples grading up to 0.4% Cu in volcanic breccias located along the northeast trending structural zones spanning several kilometres from the Lucky Mike area.

The Rey Lake Property

The Property is located in south-central BC, 24 km north of Merritt in the northwest-trending Triassic Nicola Group rocks, the same belt that hosts New Gold's New Afton mine to the north, the Copper Mountain mine to the south, and Teck's Highland Valley mine immediately to the northwest.

The Property is underlain by volcanic, volcaniclastic and minor sedimentary rocks belonging to the Upper Triassic Nicola Group. This belt is intruded by the Lower Jurassic Nicola and Guichon Creek granodiorite batholiths to the east and west, respectively. Locally, the Nicola Group rocks consist of augite and plagioclase porphyritic andesite flows, andesitic and dacitic pyroclastics, volcanic conglomerates and a few skarn zones derived from siliceous limestone layers. A biotite-quartz-monzonite stock is emplaced subparallel to bedding. Adjacent to the stock is a breccia zone consisting of volcanic and some granitic fragments.

At least two areas of significant mineralization have been outlined. The Breccia zone (Block A) is located along the west margin of the intrusive stock, measuring approximately 200 by 500 metres in area and has been tested to a depth of at least 150 metres. Another zone, referred to as the Skarn zone (Block B), is located approximately 360 metres northwest of the Breccia zone. The Skarn zone is comprised primarily of garnet-epidote skarn, which has been traced over a width of approximately 150 metres and a length of 360 metres with a steep dip to the east. The two zones are separated by approximately 135 metres of lower grade mineralization, and both remain open for expansion.

A historical estimate completed by T. R. Tough & Associates in 1974 based on drilling completed by Asarco in 1972 and 1973 reported a historical estimate of 26,300,000 tonnes grading 0.23 per cent copper equivalent or 19.05 million tonnes grading 0.29 per cent copper equivalent within the Breccia zone (Block A) and 47.170 million tonnes grading 0.24 per cent copper equivalent or 23.590 million tonnes grading 0.29 per cent copper equivalent within the Skarn zone (Block B) for a total of 73.480 million tonnes grading 0.23 per cent copper equivalent or 42.640 million tonnes grading 0.29 per cent copper equivalent (BC Property File 10721).

Details of Acquisition

Pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement, the Company can earn a 100% interest in the Property by making the following cash payments and common share issuances over a period of five years to the Optionors:

Date

Cash Payments



Common Shares

Within 10 days following the receipt of TSXV approval $ 10,000



250,000

On or before February 17, 2023 $ 10,000



250,000

On or before February 17, 2024 $ 15,000



250,000

On or before February 17, 2025 $ 15,000



250,000

On or before February 17, 2026 $ 20,000



500,000

On or before February 17, 2027 $ 30,000



500,000

TOTAL: $ 100,000



2,000,000



The Property is subject to a 2% Net Smelter Returns ("NSR") with respect to the production of all materials from the Property. The Company is entitled to purchase 1.5% of the 2% NSR for $1,500,000.

The transaction remains subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the common shares issuable thereunder will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Disclosure

The historical estimates reported above were based on eight diamond drill holes and nine percussion holes completed between 1972 and 1973 by Asarco (American Smelting and Refining Company). A copper value was set at $0.75 per pound and molybdenum at $1.85 per pound for the estimate. Further drilling would be required to verify the estimate as current. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

The Qualified Person ("QP") for the Company has not verified the historical sample analytical data disclosed within this release. While the Company has obtained all historic records including analytical data from the previous owners of the Property and from various government databases, the Company has not independently verified the results of the historic sampling.

Adrian Smith, P.Geo., is a QP as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the above-mentioned project. The QP is a member in good standing of the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (EGBC) and is a registered Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed above.

About ArcPacific Resources Corp.

ArcPacific Resources Corp. (TSXV: ACP) is a Canadian based exploration company expanding the exploration initiative at multiple historic past producing gold and silver mines in the Timmins Gold Camp, Ontario, and in the Nicola Mining Division in Southern British Columbia. The Company is focused on creating shareholder value through new discoveries and strategic development of its mineral properties. For further information, please visit http://www.arcpacific.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

/S "Adrian Smith"

CEO and Director

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and ArcPacific Resources Corp. undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact us at info@arcpacific.ca or 1.778.331.3816.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114553
International bondholder and DMSA file an allegation of criminal conduct against defaulted Evergrande Group

BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For months, China Evergrande Group has been teetering on the brink of insolvency. On several occasions, China's second-largest real estate developer, which has accumulated more than $300 billion in debt, has defaulted on interest payments on U.S. dollar bonds. Now an international creditor, in cooperation with DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH, has filed an allegation of criminal conduct against the Evergrande holding company for committing insolvency fraud.

Things are getting tighter for Evergande: A bondholder, Liechtenstein-based Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, filed an allegation of criminal conduct on Friday, February 18, 2022 for insolvency fraud against the Cayman Islands-registered Evergrande holding company. FMPC Consulting AG was supported and advised - in addition to internationally active insolvency lawyers - by DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH.

Background: Evergrande has defaulted on interest payments on so-called offshore bonds amounting to more than one hundred million US dollars on several occasions since mid-November. These are held by international investors, including FMPC Consulting AG. (Note to editors: More about FMPC Consulting AG and its investment in Evergrande bonds can be found at the end of this press release.) On December 3, Evergrande officially admitted to international investors for the first time in an ad hoc announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - the holding company's home exchange - that there was "no guarantee that the Group will have sufficient funds to continue to meet its financial obligations."

If a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands is insolvent or of doubtful solvency, its directors have a fiduciary duty under the laws and regulations applicable there to act in the interests of its creditors. They then also have to consider whether it is in the interest of their creditors to initiate reorganization or insolvency proceedings. As the management of Evergrande Holding has so far failed to initiate insolvency proceedings, there is a strong suspicion that the directors of Evergrande have caused substantial pecuniary loss to the company's creditors through deception and breaches of their duty of care. Such conduct is punishable, inter alia, under sections 248 et seq. of the Cayman Islands Criminal Code.

DMSA Managing Director Michael Ewy explains, "With the allegation of criminal conduct, we are trying to save what can be saved for FMPC Consulting AG and other international creditors." At the latest with the official announcement of the default of the interest payment on December 6, 2021, the Evergrande directors had been obliged to file for voluntary or provisional insolvency at the court of the company's headquarters in the Cayman Islands. "To date, this has not happened despite multiple requests from us. As a consequence, we have now filed an allegation of criminal conduct with the Cayman Islands Public Prosecutor's Office for committing insolvency fraud." Thus, he said, it is now also the responsibility of the local authorities to investigate the case and hold the directors personally liable, as well as to have the insolvency determined by the authorities.

The reasoning behind it: "Evergrande has defaulted, but has still not been officially declared completely insolvent," explains Dr. Marco Metzler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FMPC Consulting AG. "As more and more distress sales are taking place and overdue bond interest is repeatedly not paid to foreign investors, we had to act in our own interest but also in the interest of all international creditors. If the local authorities do not officially declare insolvency, we intend to file a bankruptcy petition against Evergrande ourselves. This will happen as soon as we have an official, enforceable debt instrument against Evergrande in our hands. Until then, it may take a few more weeks."

As FMPC Consulting AG sees itself as the trustee of all international Evergrande creditors and in order to reduce the cost risk for each claimant, the company is offering other international creditors to join its proceedings, which took another step forward yesterday with the filing of the allegation of criminal conduct in the Cayman Islands.

Incidentally, Metzler and Ewy are not alone in their view: China Evergrande Group was already officially downgraded to "partially insolvent" by international rating agencies at the beginning of December. Thus, the rating agency Fitch has assigned Evergrande a status of "Restricted Default" (RD). Similarly, rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the real estate developer to "Selective Default" (SD). All 23 of Evergrande Group's international bonds are affected by this selective default. The only rating worse for both agencies is "Default" (D) - complete default. This rating will be assigned at the latest when the Evergrande Group has been officially declared insolvent by a court.

This is exactly what FMPC Consulting AG and DMSA now want to achieve with their allegation of criminal conduct order to prevent further asset transfers to the detriment of international creditors. The company has already sold shares and assets several times in a distress sale, knowing full well that it was making losses. Worse still, in recent months there have been multiple illegal transfers of assets, causing significant damage to the company's international creditors, as this illegal action is likely to have severely impacted their chances of recovering their assets.

For example, in November 2021, Evergrande sold its stake in the streaming service provider HengTen Network Group for the equivalent of 273.5 million US dollars. This "gave" Evergrande a loss of the equivalent of 1.09 billion US dollars. Incidentally, the stake was sold at a 24 percent discount to the closing price at the time of the acquisition. As a result, HenTen's share price plummeted by 24 percent.

In addition, Chinese authorities ordered Evergrande founder and chief executive Hui Ka Yan to sell some of his private assets - including high-end art, calligraphy and three properties - to compensate Chinese Evergrande bondholders. It is feared that this has led to unequal treatment of Evergrande creditors, as it is unclear whether creditors were given preferential treatment.

"In this respect, it would have been best for Evergrande's international creditors if the group itself had taken action earlier and filed an insolvency petition with a provisional restructuring plan in accordance with the bankruptcy laws of the Cayman Islands," explains DMSA CEO Michael Ewy. The management of the Evergrande holding company has been guilty of delaying insolvency for some time now.

From Dr. Metzler's perspective, there is virtually no hope for Evergrande's turnaround. "The restructuring analysis I have from Fitch Ratings - one of the three largest rating agencies in the world, where I started my career as a financial analyst years ago - assumes that Evergrande would be liquidated with a restructuring rate of zero to ten percent." That means creditors would get back a maximum of one-tenth of their invested capital.

What's more: Evergrande is not the only one struggling at the moment. A number of other Chinese developers - such as Kaisa Group, Fantasia Holdings, Modern Land China, and Guangzhou R&F - are also having great difficulty refinancing. Some have also already experienced payment defaults.

No wonder that Ewy and Dr. Metzler consider the insolvency of Evergrande and other Chinese property developers to be inevitable. In their wake, there would then likely be a host of other bankruptcies. "To avoid internal unrest, China would be forced to return to a hard communist line," concludes Dr. Metzler. This would ultimately imply that all of China's international debt of around 585 billion U.S. dollars would no longer be serviced and that equity investments by foreign investors of around 600 billion U.S. dollars would also have to be written off completely - with devastating consequences for the global banking system and the entire world economy.

About Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG:

Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, is a private investment and advisory firm based in Ruggell, Liechtenstein. As a single family office, FMPC Consulting AG invests exclusively its own funds of its owner, the Metzler family.

About the Evergrande investment of FMPC Consulting AG:

FMPC Consulting AG holds 200 units of EVERRE 10  Bonds, April 11, 2024 (ISIN: XS19 8204 0641) with a total par value of US$200,000. These were purchased on November 01, 2021 for 50,000 US dollars via the house bank of FMPC Consulting AG and have since been held in custody at SIX Switzerland via the house bank in Liechtenstein. Already on November 10, 2021 an interest payment for this bond was missed.

About DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH:

DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH is an independent data service that collects and evaluates market-relevant information on companies, products and services. The research house, which has the same owner as FMPC Consulting AG, the Metzler family, sees itself as an advocate for consumers, private customers and private investors. For them, DMSA bundles important and decision-relevant information and prepares it in an easily understandable way. DMSA works with FMPC Consulting AG as needed.

Press contact:

Inga Oldewurtel

Press Officer

mailto: oldewurtel@prio-pr.de

Tel.: +49 176 62 26 18 97

Responsible for the content:

DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH

Wichertstrae 13

10439 Berlin

Germany

Michael Ewy

Managing Director

http://www.dmsa-agentur.de
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government agreed on an "exceptional basis" to allow the overland transportation of humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said here on Wednesday.

Pakistan has allowed the transportation of 50,000 tons of wheat and lifesaving medicines from the Attari-Wagah border with India in eastern Pakistan to the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border, the ministry said in a statement.

The first batch of 41 Afghan trucks, which entered into Pakistan through Torkham, is returning to Afghanistan on Wednesday after loading the Indian wheat consignment at Attari-Wagah, according to the statement.

Pakistan has been closely coordinating with all sides to facilitate the smooth transit of the humanitarian aid, the statement added.

Relations between Pakistan and India deteriorated after India lifted the special status for the Indian-controlled Kashmir in August 2019. Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations, suspended trade relations and train service with India in response. 
Surge in urbanization, increase in awareness toward environment-friendly construction materials, and development of the construction sector have boosted the growth of the global earthen plasters market.

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Earthen Plasters Market by End User (Residential and Nonresidential), Application (Walls, Roofs/Ceilings, and Others), and Construction (New Construction and Renovation & Repair): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030". As per the report, the global earthen plasters industry was accounted for $81.7 million in 2020, and is expected to garner $116.8 million by 2030, registering at a CAGR of 3.3% from 2021 to 2030.

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities

Surge in urbanization, increase in awareness toward environment-friendly construction materials, and development of the construction sector have boosted the growth of the global earthen plasters market. However, concerns associated with cracking and dusting owing to improper application methods hinder the market growth. On the contrary, surge in demand for green buildings and rise in government and private investments in the infrastructure sector is expected to open new opportunities for the market players in the future.

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Covid-19 scenario:

The Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected the demand for earthen plasters due to a decline in construction activities and unavailability of raw materials.

The prolonged lockdown disrupted the supply chain and led to the unavailability of raw materials.

The roofs/ceilings segment to manifest the highest through 2030

By application, the roofs/ceilings segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period, owing to rise in residential construction expenditure and activities. However, the walls segment dominated the market in 2020, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global earthen plasters market, due to benefits such as eco-friendliness, ease of installation, and cost-effectiveness.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Earthen Plasters Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/15989

The non-residential segment dominated the market

By end user, the non-residential segment held the lion's share in 2020, contributing to nearly three-fifths of the global earthen plasters market, due to rise in construction of new official buildings and non-residential complexes. However, the residential segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 3.6% from 2021 to 2030, due to rise in construction of residential buildings.

North America, followed by Europe and North America, held the lion's share

By region, Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America, dominated the market in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the global earthen plasters market. In addition, the region is expected to portray the highest CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period, owing to rapid urbanization and industrialization in developing countries in the region. The market across North America is expected to register a CAGR of 2.6% during the forecast period.

Major market players

Clay.It

Conluto

Claytec Baustoffe Aus Lehm

American Clay Enterprises LLC

Clayworks

Earth Plaster Pvt Ltd

JBR Coatings insulations

LimeStrong Artisan

Mike Wye & Associates Ltd.

& Associates Ltd. New Mexico Clay

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About Allied Market Research:

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) ("Royal Road" or the "Company") announces results from a further six diamond drill holes and the commencement of further follow-up drilling at its Guintar copper-gold project, in Antioquia Department, Colombia.

The Guintar project is part of the Guintar-Niverengo and Margaritas (GNM) project area which comprises the two contiguous Guintar, and Niverengo concession contracts and the neighboring Margaritas concession contract located in the Middle Cauca Valley, approximately 50 Km west of Medellin in Antioquia Department, Colombia. The titles were acquired through the Company's purchase of Northern Colombia Holdings Limited, an affiliate of AngloGold Ashanti Limited (see Press Release May 31, 2019). The GNM area is subject to a Strategic Alliance Agreement between the Company and Mineros S.A. ("Mineros TSX: MSA; see Press Release March 3, 2020). Under the terms of the Agreement, Mineros currently own a 25% interest in the GNM project area and may acquire a further 25% (up to a total 50%) interest by providing the balance of a further USD $1.5M in exploration funding. Royal Road Minerals are operators of the Strategic Alliance.

The Company has received results from the remaining six diamond drill holes from its 2021 drilling program at the Guintar project, details are presented in Table 1. Results did not identify any immediate southward extension to the copper and gold mineralization intersected in drill holes GUI-DD-011 and GUI-DD-012 (see Press Release December 14, 2020). However, all drill holes, whether in skarn, hornfels or intrusive rocks, returned relatively long intersections of anomalous gold and copper (for example GUI-DD-15; from 0 to 240 meters at 0.3 grams per tonne gold and GUI-DD-19; from 252 meters to end of hole, returning 135 meters at 0.12% copper) which, together with detailed logging of alteration intensity and intrusive paragenesis, will assist in locating drill holes for the follow-up drilling program which is now underway.

TABLE 1: GUINTAR PRELIMINARY DRILL RESULTS GOLD SILVER COPPER GOLD EQUIV^ INCLUDES HOLE ID E N Z(m) DIP AZIM DEPTH FROM TO LENGTH (m)* GRADE (g/t) GRADE (g/t) % GRADE (g/t) LENGTH (m)* GOLD SILVER COPPER GOLD EQUIV GRADE (g/t) GRADE (g/t) % GUI-DD-011 391643 698953 2244 -75 180 400.6 8.0 18.0 10.0 1.0 4.4 99.7 117.6 17.9 0.9 1.9 238.9 242.0 3.2 1.3 2.4 291.7 296.1 4.4 0.9 1.7 GUI-DD-012 391870 698821 2185 -60 360 320.7 17.0 320.7 303.7 0.7 4.3 0.22 1 62 2.1 12.4 0.62 3.3 GUI-DD-013 391870 698821 2185 -80 360 588.3 68.0 194.0 126.0 0.8 5.5 0.34 1.3 55 1.5 10.8 0.60 2.6 311.0 314.0 3.0 2.4 351.0 395.0 44.0 1.1 2.1 441.0 447.0 6.0 1.0 510.5 516.5 6.0 1.2 3.9 GUI-DD-014 392124 698756 2171 -70 210 372.73 8.0 13.0 5.0 1.1 8.6 0.18 48.5 49.5 1.0 4.4 8 0.19 94.0 96.0 2.0 6.4 246.5 252.0 5.5 0.9 GUI-DD-015 392300 699250 2356 -75 360 466.56 31.5 42.5 11.0 1.0 176.0 180.5 4.5 1.0 196.0 200.5 4.5 1.0 217.0 218.0 1.0 10.6 9.6 GUI-DD-016 392250 698900 2258 -65 30 436.58 365.0 372.0 7.0 1.0 431.0 434.0 3.0 1.1 GUI-DD-017 392250 698900 2258 -65 320 235.84 55.0 58.0 3.0 1.0 9.1 0.14 231.5 235.4 3.9 0.9 5 0.15 GUI-DD-018 391870 698821 2185 -60 60 496.71 84.0 92.5 8.5 1.4 3.9 145.0 147.0 2.0 1.0 2.1 0.13 377.0 379.0 2.0 1.0 1.8 0.14 415.5 418.5 3.0 0.9 2.3 0.16 GUI-DD-019 391834 698837 2208 -60 345 386.98 0.0 5.0 5.0 1.2 6.2 77.0 81.0 4.0 3.7 10.4 0.19 207.0 209.0 2.0 2.1

^GOLD EQUIVALENT CALCULATION ASSUMES USD $1850/OZ GOLD AND USD $23/OZ SILVER AND $4.4/lb COPPER AND 90% RECOVERY FOR ALL METALS

*NOT TRUE WIDTH

DOWN HOLE CUT-OFF 0.2 g/t gold only

MAXIMUM INTERNAL DILUTION -10 Meters

Reconnaissance auger soil sampling conducted to the north of the Guintar title area, on the Guintar North title application (over which the Company has an option to earn 100% - see Press Release December 14, 2021), shows a northward extension of copper and gold mineralization along strike from drill holes GUI-DD-011 and GUI-DD-012 (see Figure 1).





Figure 1



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4008/114562_royalr2.jpg

"On the basis of current information it seems likely that porphyry style copper and gold mineralization at Guintar continues to the north onto the Guintar North title application area and possibly also at depth, towards the northwest and onto our Niverengo title". said Tim Coughlin, Royal Road's President and CEO. "Previous drilling from the Niverengo area intersected skarn-style mineralization and up to 88 meters at 0.9 grams per tonne gold, as a consequence of last years drilling, we now know that such grades hosted in skarn rocks elsewhere within the project area are indicative of intrusive and probably porphyry style mineralization nearby".

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The information in this news release was compiled, reviewed and verified by Dr. Tim Coughlin, BSc (Geology), MSc (Exploration and Mining), PhD (Structural Geology), FAusIMM, President and CEO of Royal Road Minerals Ltd and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Royal Road Minerals employees are instructed to follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures intended to ensure that all sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting standards. More information can be found on Royal Road Minerals web site at www.royalroadminerals.com

Quality Assurance and Quality Control:

Sample preparation and analyses are conducted according to standard industry procedures. Drill core samples are crushed, split and pulverized prior to analysis of Gold by fire assay and Atomic Absorption and multi-elements by ICP-AES and ICP-MS after four acid digestion. Soil samples are sieved to -200 mesh and analyzed for Gold by fire assay and ICP AES and multi-elements by ICP-AES and ICP-MS after aqua regia digestion. Analytical performance is monitored by means of certified reference materials (CRMs), coarse blanks, coarse and pulp duplicate samples. Surface samples have been prepared in ALS Chemex preparation lab in Colombia and analyses have been completed in ALS Chemex Lima.

Cautionary statement:

This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements") describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other things, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend", "intends to" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements, which may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to the Company's exploration plans.

The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions of the Company management and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change.

For further information please contact:

Dr. Timothy Coughlin

President and Chief Executive Officer



+44 (0)1534 887166

info@royalroadminerals.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114562
New feature allows businesses to identify, classify, engage and pay freelancers from one integrated platform

Worksome, an enterprise platform helping corporations compliantly hire and manage contract workers, today released its latest product update, known as Worksome Classify. The addition comes as the U.S. faces increased regulatory scrutiny of companies that hire flexible workers, mimicking similar probes currently pending in the E.U. The feature leverages technology to analyze each worker's contract to ensure alignment with the myriad legal classification tests and helps maintain corporate compliance, removing a major barrier to flexible hiring for most U.S. and European employers.

"We're seeing many modern organizations turning to flexible workers to fill key talent gaps within their corporations. There are multiple benefits to this practice, including the ability to scale your headcount up and down based on need," said Christina Petersen, Worksome co-founder and CPO. "However, there remains a misconception that hiring and maintaining these workers is more time-consuming and potentially riskier than employing a full-time worker. In reality, Worksome seamlessly integrates with your current systems and takes all the guesswork out of the hiring process. We not only provide a pool of screened talent at your fingertips, but we help with the onboarding and ensure compliance across all steps of the process."

According to current data from the United States Department of Labor, as many as 30 percent of workers are misclassified. The classification process not only creates a time-consuming headache for both the worker and the employer, but misclassifications can prove costly, resulting in regulatory action or fines.

"The classification process has always been an area of contention for our customers," stated Worksome CEO and co-founder Morten Petersen. "It's a confusing process and one that is often a stumbling block for companies looking to engage with a contingent workforce. We want to streamline this and give all organizations the ability to experience the benefits of employing freelancer workers."

Worksome Classify is the first solution on the market that ensures instant worker classification while indemnifying misclassification cases, meaning the bottleneck is removed entirely from the hiring process. This allows companies to save time and money while mitigating risk. The U.S. release of Worksome Classify follows the release of a similar product aimed at the U.K. market after the passing of the IR35 regulation.

For more information on Worksome, please visit www.worksome.com.

About Worksome

Worksome makes managing a freelance workforce fast and painless by automating freelancer and contractor payments, billing, and compliance processes. Worksome's all-in-one solution saves companies time and money and reduces risk making the flexible future of work a reality for both businesses and workers across the globe.

Worksome works with thousands of businesses globally, including Unilever, Novo Nordisk, Pepsi, and Maersk, and is based in Copenhagen, London, and New York. For more information, visit www.worksome.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220222005379/en/

Contacts:

Ashley Mann

ashley@pinegrovepr.com

(206) 300 9891
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Golden Dawn Minerals Inc., (TSXV:GOM)(FRANKFURT:3G8C)(OTC Pink:GDMRD), ("Golden Dawn" or the "Company"), announces that drilling was successful in intersecting mineralization in all holes completed at the Lexington property in the Greenwood Precious Metals project, southeastern BC.

140 meters Mineralized Section

450 meters North of Known Resource

Location of 2021 drill sites 450 meters northwest of Lexington gold-copper deposit.

The new drill holes tested an area approximately 450 meters northwest of the known resource. A total of 612.9 meters were drilled in five holes last fall; geological logging was completed in December, and core sampling was completed in January. Samples were submitted to ALS labs in North Vancouver and assays are pending.

The drilling targeted the same porphyry-serpentinite contact zone that hosts mineralization in the Lexington deposit. All of the holes hit pyrite +/- chalcopyrite mineralization, including long intervals of disseminated and veinlet-hosted mineralization in the overlying Lexington porphyry, and massive sulphide lenses at the base of the porphyry and in the underlying serpentinite. A well-mineralized quartz vein was also intersected in one hole, containing pyrite, chalcopyrite and tetrahedrite.

Photo of core from hole LEX21-01 showing veinlet-hosted pyrite (+/- chalcopyrite) mineralization within quartz-sericite altered host rock.

Photo of core from hole LEX21-01 showing part of a 143.6 meter interval of veinlet-hosted pyrite- chalcopyrite mineralization within quartz-sericite altered Lexington porphyry.

Photo of core from hole LEX21-01 showing massive sulphide (pyrite-chalcopyrite) lens at lower porphyry-serpentinite contact.

The Company is very encouraged about the mineralization encountered in the drill holes because it shows there is much more mineralization to evaluate outside of the known Lexington deposit. Sulphide mineralization is present 450 meters from the known deposit and is open along strike to the northwest. The long intervals of veinlet-hosted pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization that were intersected potential for a large, disseminated-style gold deposit. A new paradigm for exploration of the Lexington property is now apparent; exploration can be focussed on a large-tonnage, low-grade gold deposit.

Summary of Mineralized Intercepts.

Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Mineralization LEX 21-01 40.29 184.02 143.73 quartz veinlets, pyrite, chalcopyrite " 184.02 184.60 0.58 massive pyrite, chalcopyrite " 186.75 187.60 0.85 massive pyrite, chalcopyrite LEX 21-02 31.05 160.02 128.97 quartz veinlets, pyrite, chalcopyrite " 160.49 160.92 0.43 massive pyrite (75%) LEX21-03 21.14 89.15 68.01 quartz veinlets, pyrite, chalcopyrite " 89.15 89.45 0.30 massive pyrite " 98.96 99.43 0.47 massive pyrite LEX21-04 14.30 14.60 0.30 quartz veinlets, pyrite, chalcopyrite 15.15 15.88 0.73 quartz veinlets, pyrite, chalcopyrite LEX21-05 5.49 7.25 1.76 quartz vein, tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, pyrite 7.25 8.85 1.60 massive pyrite 10.00 10.50 0.50 massive pyrite 11.18 11.49 0.31 massive pyrite

Hole LEX21-01 intersected veinlet-hosted and disseminated mineralization from 40.29 to 184.02 meters (143.73 m) in the Lexington porphyry unit, then intersected two massive sulphide lenses (0.58 m and 0.85 m core lengths) within the lower serpentinite unit. The porphyry-style mineralization consists of disseminated, fracture- and veinlet-hosted pyrite (2-5%) with local chalcopyrite (up to 2%) in varying abundance over the entire 143.73 meter interval. Massive sulphide lenses were intersected at 184.02-184.60 and 186.75 -187.60 meters and consist of pyrite and 5-10% chalcopyrite.

Hole LEX21-02 also intersected porphyry-style disseminated mineralization from 31.05 to 160.02 meters (128.97 m) in the Lexington porphyry unit, then intersected one massive sulphide (pyrite) lens (0.43 m core length) within the lower serpentinite unit.

Hole LEX21-03 intersected porphyry-style disseminated mineralization from 21.14 to 89.15 meters (68.01 m) in the Lexington porphyry unit, then intersected two massive sulphide lenses (0.30 and 0.47 m core lengths) within the lower serpentinite unit.

Hole LEX21-04 intersected porphyry-style disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite mineralization in two intervals (0.3 and 0.73 m core lengths) within the lower serpentinite unit.

Hole LEX21-05 intersected a mineralized quartz vein (1.76 m core length) and then three semi-massive pyrite lenses (1.6, 0.5 and 0.31 m core lengths) within the lower serpentinite unit. The quartz-carbonate vein contains 20% sulphide minerals, including tetrahedrite, pyrite and chalcopyrite.

Cross section looking northwest showing 2021 drill hole fence with sulphide intercepts.

Details and parameters used to estimate the mineral resource in the figure above are provided in the 2017 PEA Technical Report titled "Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment on the Greenwood Precious Metals Project, Greenwood, British Columbia, Canada" by P&E Mining Consultants Inc., dated June 2, 2017 (filed on SEDAR).

Readers are cautioned that historical records referred to in this News Release have been examined but not verified by a Qualified Person. Further work is required to verify that historical records referred to in this News Release are accurate.

Technical disclosure in this news release has been approved by Dr. Mathew Ball, P.Geo., President of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101,

Map of Golden Dawn's Greenwood Precious Metal Project showing the Lexington property (green area at bottom).

For more details, please see the most recent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Company's website at www.goldendawnminerals.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

GOLDEN DAWN MINERALS INC.

Per: "Christopher R. Anderson"

Christopher R. Anderson CEO

For further information, please contact:

Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. - Corporate Communications: Tel: 604-488-3900

Email: Office@goldendawnminerals.com

Forward-Looking Statement Cautions: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, preliminary plans for a consolidation of the Company's Shares. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include the possibility that the TSX Venture Exchange will not approve the proposed share consolidation, and that the Company may not be able to raise sufficient additional capital to continue its business. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL, OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH JURISDICTION.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Golden Dawn Minerals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690039/Golden-Dawn-Drilling-Intersected-New-Mineralization-at-Lexington-Greenwood-BC
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Biotechnology company Moderna, Inc. (MRNA) and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) announced Wednesday a 15-year strategic collaboration agreement to enable dedicated large-scale manufacturing in the U.S. of Spikevax, Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, and other investigational mRNA medicines in its pipeline. Over the past several years, Thermo Fisher has been partnering with Moderna to support its development pipeline with both clinical research and contract manufacturing services, including quick scale-up of aseptic fill-finish services and packaging of its COVID-19 vaccine. Under this expanded agreement, Thermo Fisher will now provide dedicated capacity for a range of aseptic fill-finish services including lyophilized and liquid filling. In addition, the company will provide inspection, labeling and final packaging services. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTC Pink: NGPHF) (FSE: 0NG) (XSTU: 0NG) (the "Company" or "Northern") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the "Option Agreement") that provides it with the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Mousseau West Graphite project ("Mousseau West" or the "Property"), subject to the owners retaining a 2% net smelter royalty ("NSR"). The Property is located approximately 80 kms, and in economic trucking distance, from the producing Lac-des-Iles ("LDI") graphite mine in Quebec. On December 2, 2021 Northern announced that it had entered into binding purchase agreements to acquire LDI and a graphite deposit/ processing plant in Namibia from subsidiaries of Imerys SA (the "Imerys Transaction"). See press release here.

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, Northern has agreed to pay $50,000 for the six-month exclusive right to conduct due diligence on the Property. If the Company elects to exercise its option, it can acquire Mousseau West through the payment of $500,000 in cash and the issuance of 900,000 common shares of the Company, subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V"). Northern will also have the right to acquire the 2% NSR from the owners at any time upon the payment of $1 million.

A technical report entitled, "Technical Report and Resources Estimate of the Mousseau West Property" dated September 24, 2013 (the "Report") was completed by Alain Tremblay, geol. eng. and Yvan Bussieres, geol. eng. in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). It was filed on SEDAR on October 17, 2013 and is available under the profile of NanoXplore Inc. From 1996 to 2008, Alain Tremblay was in charge of exploration at the LDI mine and is well-acquainted with the geology and mining of graphite mineralization in the area. The Report states that the nature of mineralization at Mousseau West is similar to LDI which "indicates high confidence in the possibility of mining, milling and concentrating it into a final graphite product suitable for customers."

Gregory Bowes, CEO commented that, "The Company's main priority when the Imerys Transaction closes is to extend the mine life at LDI, increase production back to its nameplate capacity of 25,000tpy and solidify its position as the only producing graphite mine in North America. The Mousseau West deposit not only provides an attractive option for meeting these objectives, it also has the potential to become a significant project in its own right." He added "the world requires significantly more graphite production to support the evolution to electric vehicles and Northern believes that high-quality deposits located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions will become very valuable commodities."

Mousseau West consists of 12 claims totalling 489 hectares in size. It is located approximately 150 kms north of Montreal in the Mont-Laurier area and can be accessed from Highway 117 over 12 kms of good quality logging roads. Over 7,500 meters of drilling has been carried out on the Property and the Report estimates that it contains an Inferred Resource of 4.1 million tonnes grading 6.2% graphitic carbon ("Cg"). The resource includes 2.7 million tonnes that have been drilled on 25 meter centers which the Report states "are considered to have reached a high level of definition and do not need additional work." In 1990 Derry, Michener, Booth & Wahl ("DMBW") estimated Probable Reserves of 1.7 million tonnes grading 7.2% Cg and Possible Reserves of 0.7 million tonnes grading 7.8% Cg.

The Company is classifying both the Inferred Resources contained in the Report and the Reserves calculated by DMBW as historical estimates as the Company's Qualified Person (as defined by NI 43 101) has not performed sufficient work to classify them as either current mineral resources or mineral reserves. However, the Company considers the data to be relevant as it is indicative of potential mineralization on the Property. The Company is not aware of any more recent resource estimates.

The Mousseau West deposit outcrops at surface and the Report indicates that the morphology of the deposit is potentially very suitable for open pit mining, with a low waste-to-ore stripping ratio. Also, zonation in the deposit allows access to richer mineralization first. The deposit is 250 metres long and lies at the western end of an EM conductor that extends another 400 meters east to the property boundary. This area represents a prime exploration target with the potential to expand the size of the deposit. Other conductors also exist on the Property and represent additional exploration targets. The graphite is mainly hosted by calcitic marbles which provide buffering capacity for the low level of sulphides. Like LDI, this likely indicates that any tailings would be non-acid generating.

Update on the Imerys Transaction

Closing of the Imerys Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including acceptance of the TSX-V and completion of US$55 million in related equity/stream/royalty/debt financings. The first tranche of the equity financing has closed and the Company anticipates that the royalty/stream/debt financing and the Imerys Transaction will close within two weeks.

About Northern Graphite

Northern Graphite is a Canadian company, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and focused on becoming a world leading producer of natural graphite and upgraded, high value products critical to the green energy revolution including anode material for lithium-ion batteries/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies.

Completion of the Transaction will enable Northern to become the only North American and the world's third largest graphite producing company outside of China. Northern will also own two large scale development projects that have high quality flake graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions. These projects will enable the Company to significantly expand production to meet rapidly growing demand from the EV/battery markets.

Qualified Person

Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA P.Geo is a "qualified person" as defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release including data disclosed with respect to the Mousseau West Property.

For additional information

Please visit the Company's website at http://www.northerngraphite.com/investors/presentation/, the Company's profile on www.sedar.com, our Social Channels listed below or contact the Company at (613) 241-9959.

LinkedIn

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to due diligence and the potential acquisition of the Property, future production from LDI, its intentions to complete the Imerys Transaction and related financings, the Company's market position post-Transaction and the future demand for graphite. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114570
Rising construction industry and increasing application of coating in various industries such as commercial, industrial, and residential are some of the factors that will lead to growth in Floor Coatings Market.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Verified Market Research recently published a report, "Floor Coatings Market" By Binder Type (Epoxy, Thermoset, Thermoplastic), By End User (Residential, Industrial, Commercial), By Coating Type (One Component (1k), Two Component (2k), Three Component (3k)), and By Geography. According to Verified Market Research, the Global Floor Coatings Market size was valued at USD 2,792.13 Million in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 4,165.17 Million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2021 to 2028.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample/?rid=26640

Browse in-depth TOC on "Floor Coatings Market"

202 - Pages

126 - Tables

37 - Figures

Global Floor Coatings Market Overview

Floor coating has various desirable properties such as anti-static, waterproof, anti-vibration, and anti-skid. They help to protect the concrete surfaces onto which they are applied and are responsible for extending the life of the underlying concrete floors. The rise in the construction industry and increasing use of coatings in commercial, industrial, and residential applications as well as the high investment in building and construction are also expected to be as the major factors leading to the growth of the Floor Coatings Market.

The major factor accountable for the growth of the market is the rise in construction activities. The demand for floor coating from the food industry, rapid urbanization, and industrialization along with the high product demand from residential, commercial, and industrial sectors are projected to create lucrative opportunities. Floor coating is also used to enhance the attractiveness appeal of the floor. They are available in a number of textures, shades, and colors. Metallic pigments, and vinyl color flakes are added to the Floor Coatings Market systems to make Floor Coatings Market surfaces with sparkling colors.

The colorful Floor Coatings Market is looking forward to driving the Floor Coatings Market used in the latest and modern housing projects and renovation of old houses. The aesthetic appeal of the seamless floor is expected to attract buyers towards floor coating in the upcoming years.

Key Developments

In January 2018 , Pidilite has acquired 70% of their CIPY Polyurethanes Pvt. Ltd and expanded in the floor coatings and resin flooring market. They used the technologies of the CIPY so that they can strengthen their position in the market.

, Pidilite has acquired 70% of their CIPY Polyurethanes Pvt. Ltd and expanded in the floor coatings and resin flooring market. They used the technologies of the CIPY so that they can strengthen their position in the market. In March 2018 , PPG acquired ProCoatings which is a leading architectural paint and coatings wholesaler located in The Netherlands . This acquisition will provide PPG's business with even greater opportunities to support the customers and strengthen the company's presence in this market.

Key Players

The major players in the market are Maris Polymers, Asians Paints PPG, Pvt Ltd., RPM International Inc., Sherwin-Williams Company, Inc. AkzoNobel N.V., Dow Chemical Company, Sherwin-Williams Company, Inc., Arkema Group, BASF SE, Nora Systems Inc, among others.

Verified Market Research has segmented the Global Floor Coatings Market On the basis of Binder Type, End User, Coating Type, and Geography.

Floor Coatings Market, By Binder Type

Epoxy



Thermoset



Thermoplastic

Floor Coatings Market, By End User

Residential



Industrial



Commercial

Floor Coatings Market, By Coating Type

One Component ( 1k )

)

Two Component ( 2k )

)

Three Component ( 3k )

) Floor Coatings Market By Geography

North America



U.S





Canada





Mexico



Europe



Germany





France





U.K





Rest of Europe



Asia Pacific



China





Japan





India





Rest of Asia Pacific



ROW



Middle East & Africa

&



Latin America

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Antimicrobial Coatings Market By Type (Metallic, Non-Metallic), By Application (Hospitals And Clinics, Food And Beverage Industries, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plants), By Geography, Forecast, 2020-2027

Silicone Coating Market By Product (Silicone Additives, Silicone Polymers), By Application (Construction, Automotive & Transportation), By Geography, Forecast, 2020-2027

Industrial Coatings Market By Resin Type (Polyurethane, Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyester), By Technology (Solvent Based, Water-Based, Powder, High Solids), By Vertical (General Industrial, Protective, Automotive OEM), By Geography, Forecast, 2020-2027

Top 8 Paints And Coatings Companies painting the global market with a professional touch

Visualize Floor Coatings Market using Verified Market Intelligence:-:

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VMI provides a holistic overview and global competitive landscape with respect to Region, Country, and Segment, and Key players of your market. Present your Market Report & findings with an inbuilt presentation feature saving over 70% of your time and resources for Investor, Sales & Marketing, R&D, and Product Development pitches. VMI enables data delivery In Excel and Interactive PDF formats with over 15+ Key Market Indicators for your market.

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Hill Street Beverage Company Inc. (TSXV: BEER) ("Hill Street" or the "Company"): This press release is being disseminated by HoldCo (St. Catharines) Ltd. (the "Acquiror") as required by National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues, in connection with its acquisition of securities of Hill Street.

Pursuant to a series of normal course purchases by the Acquiror through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange, and pursuant to the exercise of outstanding warrants held by the Acquiror, the Acquiror acquired 10,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at a purchase price of $0.05 per Common Share.

Prior to the acquisition, the Acquiror controlled 48,797,855 Common Shares, representing 22.99% of the 212,294,453 issued and outstanding Common Shares. After the acquisition the Acquiror controlled 58,797,855 Common Shares, representing 26.88% of the 218,751,453 issued and outstanding Common Shares.

As to 3,543,000 Common Shares that were acquired on the open market through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Acquiror is relying on the exemption set forth in Section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104"), on the basis that this transaction is a normal course purchase by the Acquiror.

As to 6,457,000 Common Shares that were acquired pursuant to an exercise of warrants, the Acquiror is relying on the exemption set forth in Section 4.2 of NI 62-104, on the basis that this transaction is being made pursuant to a private agreement between the vendor and the Acquiror.

The Acquiror acquired the Common Shares for investment purposes. The Acquiror intends to review its investment in Company on a continuing basis and may, from time to time and at any time, acquire or cause to be acquired additional equity or debt securities or other instruments of Company, or dispose or cause to be disposed such equity or debt securities or instruments, through open market transactions, private placements by Company and other privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, in each case in accordance with applicable securities laws.

An early warning report will be filed by the Acquiror under applicable securities laws and will be available on Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. A copy of the early warning report may also be obtained from James Leech, Corporate Secretary, jleech@torkinmanes.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for dissemination in the United States of America.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114572
Nexthink, the leader in Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management software, today announced that the company smashed growth projections in 2021. The shift to remote and hybrid work environments coupled with trends such as The Great Resignation has triggered a change in the way organizations think about employee satisfaction, sentiment and productivity. With this change of mindset comes a need to better understand digital employee experience at the device and application level, including increased demand for tools that allow for better visibility across work-from-anywhere environments. This upswing in momentum demonstrates the value of Nexthink's offerings, as the company continues to consistently outperform itself and rapidly expand market share.

"Hybrid work, SaaS applications adoption and cloud computing are creating a new reality for IT teams," said Pedro Bados, CEO and co-founder of Nexthink. "Traditional infrastructure monitoring and application monitoring are no longer enough. IT teams need to understand what employees are facing across any application or service whether they are working at home, in the office or in between. The growth that we are currently experiencing demonstrates the unprecedented demand for these types of insights, which will remain a crucial component for business success moving forward."

Highlights of 2021 include:

Strong Business Growth. Growing year over year ARR (annual recurring revenue) by 42% globally, with over 66% ARR growth in North America, reaching the milestone of 15M endpoints. Nexthink's net expansion has reached 124% and is achieving a high renewal rate of 98.4%.

Growing year over year ARR (annual recurring revenue) by 42% globally, with over 66% ARR growth in North America, reaching the milestone of 15M endpoints. Nexthink's net expansion has reached 124% and is achieving a high renewal rate of 98.4%. Rapid Customer and Partner Expansion. Signing more than 160 new customers, including E.ON and Syntegon Technology, reaching a total of 1,100 customers worldwide with 42% of new business deal sizes over $100K of ARR. Signed new strategic partnerships with companies such as HP, Citrix, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Qualtrics. Eight out of the top 10 global workplace providers use Nexthink for Digital Employee Experience including the world-leading device providers.

Signing more than 160 new customers, including E.ON and Syntegon Technology, reaching a total of 1,100 customers worldwide with 42% of new business deal sizes over $100K of ARR. Signed new strategic partnerships with companies such as HP, Citrix, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Qualtrics. Eight out of the top 10 global workplace providers use Nexthink for Digital Employee Experience including the world-leading device providers. Outstanding Customer Success. Achieving a net promoter score (NPS) of 56 and garnering the 2021 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer Award holding the highest score with 94% of customers declaring they would recommend Nexthink to others.

Achieving a net promoter score (NPS) of 56 and garnering the 2021 holding the highest score with 94% of customers declaring they would recommend Nexthink to others. Continued Innovation. Hired more than 150 developers across the world. Some of the key highlights and innovations launched in 2021 include: Application Experience . Nexthink extended end-to-end experience visibility at the application transaction level including AI-based diagnostics. For the first time, IT teams can go beyond network, sentiment and basic application visibility to deeply analyze and optimize the complete digital experience. Nexthink Library This now contains more than 100 curated content packs to solve the most pressing problems IT teams face such as virtualization, work from home and Windows 11. Green IT. Nexthink launched the first solution for EUC to support Green IT, enabling IT teams to identify and reduce the source of unnecessary energy consumption, e-waste, and CO2 emissions within their digital landscape. DEX Hub . Nexthink launched DEX Hub, a destination for IT professionals to share expertise, ideas and pain points, geared to enable individuals to grow their career and skill set in DEX.

Hired more than 150 developers across the world. Some of the key highlights and innovations launched in 2021 include:

About Nexthink

Nexthink is the leader in digital employee experience management software. The company is energizing the future of work by providing IT leaders with unprecedented insight into employees' daily experiences of technology at the device level freeing IT to progress from reactive problem solving to proactive optimization. Nexthink enables its more than 1,000 customers to provide better digital experiences to more than 13 million employees. Dual headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland and Boston, Massachusetts, Nexthink has 9 offices worldwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005459/en/

Contacts:

Kelley Flynn

press@nexthink.com
CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Threat Intelligence Market with COVID-19 Analysis, by Component (Solutions, Services), Application, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical (BFSI, IT and ITeS, Retail, and Healthcare and Life Sciences) and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Threat Intelligence Market size is projected to grow from USD 11.6 billion in 2021 to USD 15.8 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.5% during the forecast period.

This growth is attributed to the R&D investments by governments and enterprises to develop robust threat intelligence solutions and increase in the demand for professional and managed security services. The increasing venture capital funding and growing investments in threat intelligence to drive market growth.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Threat Intelligence Market"

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296 - Pages

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IT and ITeS vertical to hold the largest market size during the forecast period

The IT and ITeS vertical includes IT solution and service providers, consulting companies, internet service providers, and communication companies. This vertical is constantly evolving in terms of the use of technologies and is an early adopter of innovative technology solutions. It requires threat intelligence solutions at a large scale due to voluminous information produced daily. The increasing integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the daily activities of industries, families, governments, and consumers, along with the rising growth of cybersecurity, has led the information vertical to focus more on IT activities. Therefore, IT and ITeS holds the largest market size during the forecast period.

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North America to hold the largest market share during the forecast period.

North America has several prominent market players delivering threat intelligence solutions to all end-users in the region. The US and Canada both have strong economic conditions and are expected to be major contributors to the Threat Intelligence Markets growth. The geographical presence, significant Research and Development (R & D) activities, partnerships, and acquisitions and mergers are the major factors for deploying threat intelligence and services.

The key players covered in the Threat Intelligence Market include IBM (US), Cisco (US), Trend Micro (Japan), McAfee (US), Mimecast (UK), VMware (US), AT&T (US), Check Point (Israel), DXC Technology (US), Broadcom (US) and NSFOCUS (US). Other players include CrowdStrike (US), Juniper Networks (US), ThreatConnect (US), Fortinet (US), Anomali (US), Forcepoint (US), LookingGlass (US), LogRhythm (US), Recorded Future (US), Optiv (US), SecLytics (US), EclecticIQ (Netherlands), Cyware (US), Cymulate (US), CYFIRMA (Singapore), SOCRadar (US), and Keepnet Labs (UK).

Browse Adjacent Markets: Information Security Market Research Reports & Consulting

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Security and Vulnerability Management Market by Component (Software and Services), Target, Deployment Mode (Cloud and On-premises), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026

Cybersecurity Market with Covid-19 Impact Analysis by Component (Software, Hardware, and Services), Software (IAM, Encryption, APT, Firewall), Security Type, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026

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Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, attends a press conference in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Through joint efforts from compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, China's national reunification must be and will surely be realized, noted a mainland spokesperson Wednesday.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a press conference when replying to a media query about opinions on promoting national reunification voiced recently by scholars.

Ma said that first and foremost, resolving the Taiwan question and achieving China's complete reunification is an aspiration shared by all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and is essential to realizing national rejuvenation.

Second, "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" are the fundamental guideline for seeking a solution to the Taiwan question and are the best approach to realizing national reunification. He added that national reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including compatriots in Taiwan.

Ma reiterated that, on the basis of the one-China principle, the mainland is ready to engage in broad exchanges of views with all parties, groups, and individuals in Taiwan regarding political issues between the two sides and the promotion of peaceful reunification, in order to forge social consensus and advance political negotiations.

Third, China's Constitution, Anti-Secession Law and other related legal documents have made detailed stipulations on resolving the Taiwan question and promoting national reunification, Ma said.

Noting that the Anti-Secession Law has effectively deterred separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" and helped ensure peace and stability across the Strait, Ma said the mainland will work with the greatest sincerity and exert utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification.

"However, should separatist forces continue to provoke us, force our hand or even cross the red line, we will have to take resolute measures," Ma added. 
LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Satoshi Block Dojo, the London-based technology startup incubator that assists entrepreneurs building businesses on the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain, has secured significant investment funding from Ayre Ventures, the venture capital arm of Calvin Ayre's Ayre Group.

Satoshi Block Dojo operates a 12-week in-house training program for BSV-focused startups that goes well beyond the standard 'desk space and encouragement' model. In addition to business mentorship, technical guidance and a host of support services, Satoshi Block Dojo connects its participating cohorts with potential corporate partners at an early stage to help shape the ideas being developed into truly viable products. Successful cohorts are eligible to receive an additional 140,000 in SEIS funding from Satoshi Block Dojo and its network of investors.

This hands-on approach is also reflected in the Dojo's nationwide roadshow of 47 of the UK's premier universities. The company will also launch its first Ideation Jam on March 23rd, in which six of the largest insurance companies will detail specific issues and inefficiencies that could be remedied through blockchain solutions. Twenty teams will compete to devise the best technical fixes, with the top three teams gaining automatic entry into the Dojo.

Satoshi Block Dojo was founded by individuals who together have multiple large business exits totaling over 90 million. As a result, the company has a database of over 3,500 angel investors, 250 family offices and early-stage VCs that will have access to the new Dojo Discover platform, which will launch at the end of Q1 2022. Through this platform, investors can search for Dojo startups by sector while startups can update investors on their progress through the 12-week program and beyond.

Dojo co-founder Craig Massey said:

"Having demonstrated our capacity to bring significant outside funding into the BSV ecosystem from a wide variety of sources, we are thrilled to add Ayre Ventures, the premier funder of BSV-based companies, to this group. Ayre Ventures' involvement will provide confidence to other investors, including those totally outside the blockchain space, to make significant investments into the Dojo for their multiple startups."

Dojo CIO James Marchant added:

"As more startups choose to use BSV both inside and outside the Dojo, there is significant growing interest and demand for investment opportunities into attractive business models that are utilising this scalable tech. Investor appetite currently outweighs early-stage BSV investment opportunities, an area in which Satoshi Block Dojo aims to have an impact."

Ayre Ventures founder Calvin Ayre said he was delighted with the opportunity to support Satoshi Block Dojo.

"Satoshi Block Dojo has a vision that goes far beyond the 'build it and they will come' model. I am excited to see what solutions emerge from their current cohort of teams building on the BSV Enterprise Blockchain, the only blockchain that combines minuscule transaction fees with the capacity to scale to meet the future needs of companies large and small."

The next Dojo program will get underway on April 30 and interested startups must submit their applications by March 31. The company plans to launch its first international Dojo later this year and add two new locations per year onwards. Entities that invest in new Dojo locations will also receive equity in each startup coming through that location. Investors interested in the deal flow coming out of the Dojo as well as getting early access to the Dojo Discover platform can sign up here.

About Satoshi Block Dojo

The mission of Satoshi Block Dojo is to nurture and support start-ups that will change the world. This means providing a pathway to educate, train and elevate start-up entrepreneurs to the highest standards by providing best-in-class mentors and teaching with the latest tech tools. The Block Dojo is the first start-up incubator focused exclusively on Bitcoin SV; it mentors and develops entrepreneurs and start-up businesses, as well as taking care of the administrative hassle of getting a great idea off the ground, so that founders can focus on bringing their tech solution to market.

About Ayre Ventures

Ayre Ventures, founded by celebrated entrepreneur and philanthropist Calvin Ayre, provides capital to scalable, high-growth businesses within the BSV blockchain ecosystem, the only infinitely scaling enterprise public blockchain. The Group targets investment in innovative ideas and ambitious projects that are 'positively disruptive', supporting their expansion with the Group's extensive network and industry partners.
New Partnership Allows Providers, Families, and Care Teams to Receive Real-Time Education to Help Care for Elderly Populations

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Serenity Engage , a HIPAA-compliant communication platform for senior living, hospice, and home care to streamline care coordination, announces their partnership with AGE-u-cate Training Institute , a global company devoted to providing quality, innovative and research-based aging and dementia training.

The aging population is rising by leaps and bounds. By 2040 it is predicted that one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, up from about one in eight in 2000 according to the Urban Institute , a nonprofit research organization. As a result, the demand for quality care of aging loved ones is climbing steadily. Education and communication are important to understanding the true need for collaboration across improving senior care. Those that care for our elders deserve the support and tools they need to continue providing the best senior care possible through available resources driving improved quality care.

"We're delighted and honored to be working in partnership with Serenity Engage to ignite a change for advancing and improving elderly service offerings," said Pam Brandon, CEO and founder of AGE-u-cate Learning Institute. "The demand for quality care for aging loved ones only continues to increase. Our elderly population deserves the highest level of compassion, care and respect, and we look forward to working with Serenity Engage to further educate our collective audiences."

"Connecting and communicating knowledge further bridges the gap between a care team and the family members of the senior they care for," said Katherine Wells, CEO and founder of Serenity Engage. "We're excited to expand our service offerings by promoting and providing access to AGE-u-cate's high-impact caregiver education program. It's important for caregivers to understand and be able to communicate with the families that need and depend on their assistance in looking after their loved one."

AGE-u-cate Training Institute focuses on developing and delivering the training needed by senior care staff through supporting and well educating them in their job roles. In doing so, caregivers are better equipped and able to care for the elderly in the best way they know how. The more people know about someone and their situation, the better equipped and informed they are to act best on that person's behalf.

This partnership allows Serenity Engage to share specific AGE-u-cate training and educational content through their platform, enabling customers to have 'just in time' training at their fingertips. Additionally, Serenity Engage customers receive a 10% discount on the AGE-u-cate course catalog by visiting serenity.ageucate.com .

Founded in 2020, Serenity Engage brings care teams, family, and provider partners together on a single, secure HIPAA-compliant communication platform to establish a foundation of trust from day one. By consolidating communications between all providers and family members onto one platform, Serenity Engage streamlines care coordination, lowers costs, and improves caregiver retention. The platform has been proven to optimize senior care community operational efficiencies, resulting in savings of more than $75,000 per year and increasing census by more than 15 percent.

To learn more about Serenity Engage, visit: https://serenityengage.com/

About Serenity Engage

Serenity Engage is a secure, collaborative group messaging platform that connects everyone providing care to older adults through a mobile and web collaboration platform. The HIPAA-compliant platform fosters enhanced communication and collaboration between everyone involved in a senior's care - including families and care teams. Senior care facilities, families and providers use Serenity Engage to strengthen relationships between care teams and families, and increase provider productivity, improve patient quality and offer families greater peace of mind regarding their loved ones. Engage with Serenity at serenityengage.com

Media Contact:

Kyla Ludwig

York IE

kyla@york.ie

SOURCE: Serenity Engage

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689914/Serenity-Engage-and-AGE-u-cate-Training-Institute-Form-a-Powerful-Partnership
Under Jeff Marrazzo's leadership, Spark launched world's first FDA-approved gene therapy for a genetic disease. He also spearheaded Spark's $4.8 billion acquisition by Roche.

Company's longtime business and pipeline leader Ron Philip takes helm as CEO.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spark Therapeutics, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and a fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company dedicated to challenging the inevitability of genetic disease, today announced that Ron Philip, Spark's chief operating officer, will succeed co-founder Jeffrey D. Marrazzo as chief executive officer. Jeff, who co-founded the company in 2013, will step down on April 1.

"When I think about Spark's future, I've long viewed Ron as the next person to take over at the helm - not only is he a steadfast leader, he's been instrumental in developing Spark's gene therapy pipeline and has a deep understanding of Spark's unique culture," Jeff said. "I am incredibly proud of what we've built at Spark: from my first meetings in 2011, when the company was merely an idea, to now as the gene therapy center of excellence at one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. I've had the remarkable privilege to be part of an incredible team and work on cutting-edge science that has the potential to change people's lives. Under Ron's leadership, I know that Spark is well-positioned to deliver on the full promise of gene therapy."

As co-founder and CEO of Spark, Jeff created a fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company that successfully delivered to patients the world's first gene therapy approved by both the FDA and EMA, while also discovering and developing potential treatments and cures for inherited retinal disease and rare bleeding and neuromuscular disorders. Over the course of a decade, he led Spark's transition from a research center within the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to a private, venture-backed start-up and a publicly traded biotechnology company, and, most recently, an independent operating unit within Roche - a multinational healthcare company. Jeff successfully grew the company to more than 800 employees; established an urban research and manufacturing campus of nearly 1 million square feet; raised more than $1 billion in capital, including as part of a successful $161 million initial public offering in 2015; and orchestrated the $4.8 billion sale and subsequent integration of the company into Roche. Most recently, Spark announced a long-term commitment to its hometown of Philadelphia with plans to build a 500,000-square-foot Gene Therapy Innovation Center in the city's University City neighborhood.

"It has been a real pleasure working with Jeff Marrazzo. As one of Spark's co-founders, he has led the company to the success it is today: championing patients and redefining the frontiers of science, with an impressive portfolio of potential gene therapies, as well as an on-market treatment for inherited retinal disease," said Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche. "I am extremely pleased to see Ron Philip succeed Jeff as Spark's new CEO. Ron has led significant achievements at Spark, and he brings decades of operational, development and strategy experience from biopharma companies and management consulting. I'm looking forward to Spark's continued success under Ron's leadership."

As Spark's COO, Ron led the oversight and delivery of research, development, manufacturing and commercial efforts on the company's pipeline assets. Most notably, he directed the development and commercial launch of Spark's first approved gene therapy, LUXTURNA (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl). He also played an important role in Spark's acquisition by Roche, assisting in the merger and acquisition evaluation and antitrust review in the U.S. and U.K. Over the course of his impressive 30-year career, Ron held various roles of increasing responsibility at Wyeth, Merck, Deloitte and Pfizer, last serving in senior leadership roles at Pfizer in regional commercial operations and global business unit strategy.

"I am humbled and honored to lead Spark's talented team as we continue our important work - developing gene therapies with the potential to dramatically and positively change the lives of the patient communities we serve," Ron said. "It's an exciting time at Spark. Not only are we growing physically, we're continuing to expand the science surrounding gene therapy and the possibilities it may offer to people living with rare diseases. It's those possibilities that fuel us daily and unite our team on the path ahead."

Ron added, "I wish Jeff all the best as he begins the next chapter in his career, and I am grateful to have worked alongside him over the last 5 years as we built Spark into the company it is today. Jeff's pioneering spirit is part of Spark's DNA, and it will serve us well into the future."

About Spark Therapeutics

Spark Therapeutics is a fully integrated, commercial company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies. Founded in 2013, Spark Therapeutics is the first company in the U.S. to receive FDA approval of a gene therapy for a genetic disease.

Today, as a member of the Roche Group, Spark is focused on breaking barriers for people and families affected by genetic diseases, including blindness, hemophilia, lysosomal storage disorders and neurodegenerative disease, and currently has four programs in clinical trials. At Spark, the vision is a world where no life is limited by a genetic disease.

A best place to work headquartered in Philadelphia, Spark is fueled by a diverse, experienced team united in a collective goal: challenging the inevitability of genetic diseases.

For more information, visit www.sparktx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media contact:

Denise Bradley

267-583-8267
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Sweet Earth Holdings Corp. (CSE: SE) (FSE: 1KZ1) (OTCQB: SEHCF) ("Sweet Earth" the "Company") is pleased to announce that on February 18, 2022 it signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Premium Wellness Science Co. Ltd.1 ("Premium Wellness"), a Japanese cosmetic manufacturer. Premium Wellness is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Premium Anti-aging Co. Ltd. 2 ("Premium Anti-Aging").

Premium Anti-Aging maintains some of Japan's most popular cosmetic brands for discerning consumers under the age of forty. Its brands include: Duo, Canadel, sitrana, and immuno.

Under the LOI, Sweet Earth is to provide premium organic CBD isolate to Premium Wellness for the Japanese market. Sweet Earth's CBD isolate is purely derived from hemp plant, including stalk, and doesn't contain any THC - the psychoactive component of cannabis. The Company only utilizes organic hemp that is void of fertilizers and pesticides.

Premium Wellness has selected Sweet Earth as its key distributer from the Americas. Under the LOI, Sweet Earth will complete all production, provide documentation of the manufacturing process, and prepare documentation required for US export, while Premium Wellness will complete all documentation required for importation.

In addition to the Company's ongoing research that is being conducted with NAVCO Pharmaceuticals Limited ("Navco"), an accredited laboratory located in Burlington, Ontario, on bioavailability, it has been conducting research on its isolate. The Company is currently conducting isolate toxicity and isolate shelf life studies for the Japanese market.

Toxicity Studies:

Three separate groups are utilized: very frequent (multiple daily usage), occasional (daily) and occasional (every second day). The information benefits Premium Wellness but also aids Sweet Earth products as the Company will be able to provide users of its products recommended usage information.

Shelf Life:

The Company is conducting tests on both isolate and Sweet Earth products to better understand appropriate shelf life labeling. As Apollo Research3 highlights, CBD products can have a shelf life ranging from 6 months to two years; however, almost all CBD products lack expiration dates and efficacy data based on time. Sweet Earth will provide data on its isolate to Premium Wellness and will begin providing expiration labels for its products.

Navco and Sweet Earth have also identified a lipid that not only enhances shelf life but can also increase CBD bioavailability and product stability.

Chris Cooper, CFO of Sweet Earth, commented, "The signing of the letter of intent with Premium Wellness and our ongoing studies at NAVCO, which includes the identifying of a CBD efficacy-enhancing lipid, are potential game changers. We are very excited about the opportunity to export to Japan and the ability to differentiate the superiority of our products to those of our peers."

About Sweet Earth

Corporate Website: https://sweetearthcbdcorp.com.

Sweet Earth is a vertically integrated "farm to shelf" hemp grower with a farm in Applegate, Oregon, that maintains a full line of hemp and CBD products for the US and global market. Its products combine CBD with herbal and organic ingredients, all of which are selected for their beneficial properties to soothe, rejuvenate, and reduce inflammation. In addition to high-end finished products, Sweet Earth prides itself on sustainability by minimizing the use of plastics in both production and packaging.

Sweet Earth maintains a portfolio of skin and body care products that includes facial products, men's, spa, hemp, and muscle products that are sold on its website, https://sweetearthskincare.com.

Sweet Earth operates a proprietary online shopping portal for discerning pet owners offering pet treats comprised of high-quality ingredients, which are further enriched with CBD and Vitamin E. The treats are sold on its website: https://www.sweetearthpets.com.

Sweet Earth has created a line of CBD that cigarettes are made from 100% naturally grown US hemp flower that is rich in non-intoxicating cannabinoids like CBD and cannabigerol ("CBG"). The cigarettes are completely free of tobacco, nicotine, or additives. The cigarettes are also rich in terpenes, like pinene, limonene and myrcene and are sold on its online portal, https://www.sweetearthsmooth.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Chris Cooper"

For additional information contact :

Chris Cooper / CFO and Director

Telephone: (604) 307-8290

Email: info@sweetearthcbd.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1 Website: https://p-wellnessscience.co.jp/

2 Website: https://www.p-antiaging.co.jp/

3 Source: https://apollocannabis.ca/blog/does-cbd-oil-expire/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114459
Regulatory News:

The Combined General Meeting of Air Liquide (Paris:AI) will be held in Paris on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, starting at 3 p.m., on first notice, in the Palais des Congres, 2 place de la Porte Maillot, 75017 Paris, France.

The General Meeting shall be held in accordance with the regulations relating to the public health situation. As the conditions for holding and attending this General Meeting may evolve in accordance with any changes in the public health situation and/or the regulations, shareholders are invited to consult the section dedicated to the 2022 General Meeting on the Group's website www.airliquide.com on a regular basis.

The preliminary meeting notice was published today in the French legal gazette (BALO Bulletin des Annonces Legales et Obligatoires). It includes the Meeting agenda, the draft resolutions that the Board of Directors plans to submit to a vote of shareholders, and main instructions for attending, voting and exercising shareholders rights.

The preliminary meeting notice can be consulted online on the Group's website in the Investors section www.airliquide.com. All the information concerning the General Meeting is also available on this website.

The General Meeting will provide the opportunity to present the Group's strategy and its development prospects as well as the evolution of its governance. All shareholders are invited to vote either by attending the General Meeting in person or by proxy, or by voting by correspondence, or on line. Air Liquide values the participation of each shareholder

The notice of meeting will be published in the BALO on March 28, 2022. The meeting invitation documents (including the voting form) will be sent out by post between April 11 and 15, 2022 to shareholders according to the legal and regulatory requirements, and made available on a dedicated website for those having opted for the electronic invitation. The preparatory documents will also be kept at the disposal of shareholders at Air Liquide Shareholder Services, 75 quai d'Orsay, 75007 Paris, France and published on the Group's website www.airliquide.com, Investors section, according to legal and regulatory requirements.

The General Meeting will be webcast live, in French with simultaneous English translation, and a recorded version will be available on the Group's website. It will also be available online for people with hearing impairment.

Air Liquide share ownership (as of December 31, 2021)

33% of the capital held by individual shareholders

of the capital held by individual shareholders 52% of the capital held by non-French institutional investors

of the capital held by non-French institutional investors 15% of the capital held by French institutional investors

UPCOMING DATES

Capital Markets Day

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

2022 First quarter revenue:

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Combined General Meeting:

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Dividend ex date*:

Monday, May 16, 2022

Dividend payment date*:

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

* subject to the necessary approvals at the Combined General Meeting scheduled for May 4, 2022

A world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 75 countries with approximately 66,400 employees and serves more than 3.8 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902.

Air Liquide's ambition is to be a leader in its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability with a strong commitment to climate change and energy transition at the heart of its strategy. The company's customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable, regular and responsible growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.

Air Liquide's revenue amounted to more than 23 billion euros in 2021. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, CAC 40 ESG, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005851/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations

media@airliquide.com

Investor Relations

IRTeam@airliquide.com

Shareholder Services

actionnaires@airliquide.com
Three software vendors merge under Haiilo promoting a new approach to employee retainment

COYO (Social Intranet Software), Smarp (Employee Communications Advocacy) and Jubiwee (Employee Engagement Analytics) announced the expansion of their three brands in Western labor markets with the renaming as Haiilo.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005971/en/

COYO, Smarp, and Jubiwee Expand Footprint in Western Labor Markets By Rebranding Operations (Graphic: Business Wire)

The merger will allow for the most complete and consistent approach to attracting and engaging knowledge workers which is one of the most dramatic growth inhibitors companies face since the pandemic started. Based on cutting-edge technology which is already used by 2 million users daily, Haiilo facilitates a new approach to employee engagement: gathering deeper insights into drivers and motivations of employees, then placing substantial efforts on implementing omni-channel employee communications. This is considered a key prerequisite for any unique, unifying corporate culture. Haiilo customers report up to 98% user engagement on their platform.

More than 750 international companies including Amazon, Google, Deutsche Telekom, Ritter Sport, Deutsche Bahn, KPMG and L'Oreal already rely on Haiilo's smart solutions for building a better corporate culture and turn employees into ambassadors. Haiilo has around 300 employees in Atlanta, London, Berlin, Hamburg, Paris and Helsinki, who work together to help other companies achieve more growth, productivity and purpose.

Digital empathy and purpose: New expectations require new solutions

As a new generation of employees enters the workforce, the expectations from work have also evolved. Work from home is considered the norm and a focus on values, experiences and purpose have become the cornerstones of what is expected by employees. Jan Marius Marquardt, founder of COYO and CEO of Haiilo, has witnessed this need first-hand:

"The pandemic wasn't the reason that so many organizations have entirely lost touch with their workforce. It only fast-tracked this development. The meaning of work has been changing especially for the millennials. We are all looking for a sense of belonging and purpose in the company we work for. In short: a home. Companies need to develop whole new skills to address these needs while the shortage of new knowledge workers will continue around the globe."

The Haiilo effect: A digital home for everyone

Haiilo's Digital Engagement Cloud is designed to support the commitment, sense of belonging and efficient communication of employees at work in the best possible way, as well as connecting and binding them and turning them into fans and brand ambassadors. The products of the three companies serve as the technical basis:

Haiilo Home (Social Intranet)

Haiilo Home is a social intranet that serves all employees as the central information hub and combines the benefits of an intuitive knowledge base with the stickiness of a social network. This is where experiences are shared, knowledge is gathered and ideas are lived.

Haiilo Stories (Omnichannel Comms)

Every employee works differently. Employers can push content across any channel or device to specific target groups, be it via email, SharePoint, Slack, Yammer, digital signage or more. Ensure the right information gets to the right people in time.

Haiilo Share (Employee Advocacy)

The most successful brands communicate through their workforce. Companies give their employees the opportunity to tell their stories publicly on social media channels beyond the intranet and thus become credible brand ambassadors. These stories become powerful testimonials in the market and shape a company's image.

Haiilo Insights (People Analytics Platform)

Employee Insights: Companies need valuable insights to promote the commitment of their employees and determine the direction of communications accordingly. Surveys generate a 360 view to understand both the professional and personal goals of employees and identify potential risks early on.

About Haiilo

In 2022, three established software vendors (COYO, Smarp, Jubiwee) in the employee communications and engagement space joined forces to redefine how companies reach, engage and retain their employees.

Today we are one of the world's largest providers of social intranet and employee communications solutions. From offices in Atlanta, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and Helsinki, our team of 300 passionate software and communication experts support customers, including Amazon, Google, Deutsche Telekom, Ritter Sport, KPMG and German Railways, in putting the needs of more than 2 million employees at the forefront of their corporate culture.

With our Employee Engagement Cloud, we offer all the features and insights that companies need to improve corporate culture and establish cross-cutting communication in the workplace.

The Haiilo Employee Engagement Cloud includes four products: Haiilo Home, Haiilo Share, Haiilo Stories and Haiilo Insights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005971/en/

Contacts:

Sarah Mag, PR manager

Haiilo, former COYO

0049-1712783772

sarah.mag@haiilo.com
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

23 February 2022

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 50,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 835.32p per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 1,021,949; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 223,969,354.

The figure of 223,969,354 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
Canada's independent low fare airline will base a third aircraft in Kitchener-Waterloo

Each aircraft brings increased passengers, greater connectivity, and approximately 50 additional direct and indirect jobs to the region

New service to Charlottetown and Saint John from Kitchener-Waterloo starts in June

KITCHENER, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Today, Flair Airlines, Canada's everyday low fare airline, announced the expansion of its base today at Region of Waterloo International Airport. A total of three aircraft will be based at the airport, bringing economic growth and greater connectivity to the region. With every new aircraft comes new routes, and Flair is pleased to add more destinations out of YKF, with the announcement of service to Charlottetown and Saint John, both beginning in June. Charlottetown will be flown two times per week on Thursdays and Sundays, while St. John will be flown three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"Kitchener-Waterloo is an incredibly important part of the Flair network and we're excited to expand our base here," said Stephen Jones, President and CEO, Flair Airlines. "Strengthening our ties with Region of Waterloo International Airport will allow us to serve more destinations from the airport in the future, as well as create new jobs for the region. As the airport completes extensive renovations, we feel that it is the perfect time to reaffirm our commitment to the region and grow with the airport."

Flair first established a base in Region of Waterloo International Airport with two aircraft. Flair maintains bases in Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, and Kitchener-Waterloo. The addition of the third aircraft will make Region of Waterloo International Airport one of Flair's largest bases.

Each aircraft brings approximately 50 jobs to the region, bringing the total to approximately 150 jobs, both directly and indirectly, including customer service agents, ground handlers, cabin crews, maintenance staff, and more. From Kitchener-Waterloo, Flair flies to Calgary, Cancun, Edmonton, Fort Lauderdale, Halifax, Kelowna, Orlando-Sanford, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. Service to Deer Lake, Newfoundland begins in June.

Service to Charlottetown Airport begins on June 9, with service to Saint John beginning on June 8. One-way fares to Charlottetown and Saint John, including taxes and fees, begin at $29. There are limited seats and availability for the fares. Both routes are available for booking at https://www.flyflair.com.

About Flair Airlines

Flair Airlines is Canada's leading low fare airline and its greenest airline, on a mission to provide affordable air travel that connects them to the people and experiences they love. With an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, Flair is growing to serve over 30 cities across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. For more information, please visit www.flyflair.com.

Media enquiries, please contact:

Flair Airlines

Jamina Kotak

780.887.9209

Jamina.kotak@flyflair.com

SOURCE: Flair Airlines

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/689995/Flair-Airlines-Strengthens-Commitment-to-Kitchener-Waterloo-With-New-Aircraft-and-50-New-Jobs
Korian places its ESG commitments at the heart of its strategy and furthers its transformation to be a European, Mission-led company

Regulatory News:

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223006045/en/

Group Income Statement (Graphic: Korian)

Korian (Paris:KORI), the leading European care and support services group for the elderly and fragile, announces its Q4 revenue and its 2021 results.

Sophie Boissard, CEO of Korian Group:

"Following two years fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and whilst the nursing home model comes under scrutiny in France, the Korian community has remained more than ever committed to providing high quality care and support to the elderly and fragile in our society, through its three activities, long term elderly care, post-acute healthcare and community care.

I would like to pay tribute to the unwavering commitment and professionalism of the Korian teams across Europe, that has enabled us to progress significantly in our environmental and social objectives, particularly focused on employment and qualifying training.

I would like to thank all our stakeholders, and in particular our residents, patients, clients and their families for their trust and the quality of our dialogue in all of the communities where we are present. We are determined to build with our stakeholders the solutions and the infrastructure to accompany and care for the elderly and vulnerable with dignity. Thus contributing to solving the societal challenges posed by ageing and chronic diseases across Europe. It's with this aim in mind that we are starting our transformation to become a European, Mission-led company."

Committed to quality of care and quality of work

240 facilities certified ISO 9001 (29% of network versus 11% in 2020),

Net Promoter Score from family, residents and patients of 34, well above the average of BtoC services sector of 231

5,302 employees involved in a qualifying education programme: 9.7% of the Group's staff compared to 8% in 2020 and close to target of 10% for 2023

Average tenure of staff 7.4 years (up 0.5 year on 2020)

Pioneering Health and Safety at Work for the sector: Agreement signed by trade unions in France and a European Health Safety Protocole with the European Works Council

Strengthening the sustainable business model through significant investment

Investment in employees:

Increase in the percentage of revenue spent on staff (59% in 2021 versus 52% in 2016)

Launch of first European Employee Shareholding Ownership Plan

Investment in the network: 409m invested to improve and extend services

Acceleration of outpatient and homecare: +50% outpatient care capacity and +20% in residential care (200 co-living and assisted living facilities)

Performance in line with objectives

Revenue of 4,311 million: +11.3% growth of which +5.9% organic, reflecting activity normalisation

EBITDA (pre IFRS16) of 597.2 million with a margin rate of 13.9%

Net profit at 117.3 million, 2.7% of revenue, remaining down compared to 2019

FCF prior to investment of 230 million

Net income Group share 94.6 million or 2.2% of revenue

Solid balance sheet and reinforced liquidity

Stable operational leverage at 3.1x

Real Estate portfolio valued at 3.2 billion with a stable Loan to Value of 55%

Average maturity of the net debt extended to c.6 years and reduction of average cost to 2%

Liquidity of 1.7 billion

2022 financial guidance

Continued growth momentum in all three segments with an organic contribution above 4%

Continued normalization of EBITDA margin and FCF

Next steps for the governance: transformation into a European company and the launch of the transformation to be a Mission Led company

Publication of the resolutions to the AGM on 18th May 2022

AGM to be convened on 22th June 2022

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The consolidated financial statements for 2021 were approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting of 23th February 2022.

The Statutory Auditors are In the process of issuing a report with an unqualified opinion. The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with the IFRS 16 standard. For purposes of comparability, the financial information below is presented excluding the application of IFRS 16.

About Korian

Korian, the leading European care services group for elderly and fragile people. www.korian.com

Korian has been listed on Euronext Paris Section A since November 2006 and is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Health Care, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid Small and MSCI Global Small Cap

Euronext ticker: KORI ISIN: FR0010386334 Reuters: KORI.PA Bloomberg: KORI.FP

1 European survey carried out by IPSOS with 52,368 respondants (Nursing Homes, Assisted Living and clinics)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223006045/en/

Contacts:

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Sarah Mingham

VP Investor Relations

& Financing

sarah.mingham@korian.com

Tel: +33 (0)1 55 37 53 55

Carole Alexandre

Deputy Head of

Investor Relations

carole.alexandre@korian.com

Tel: +33 (0)7 64 65 22 44

MEDIA CONTACTS

Cyrille Lachevre

Clachevre@cylans.ovh

Tel.: 06 20 42 12 08

Pascal Jentsch

VP International communications

pascal.jentsch-ext@korian.com

Tel. 07 65 18 58 55

Marjorie Castoriadis

Head of Media Relations

marjorie.castoriadis@korian.fr

Tel: +33 (0)7 63 59 88 81
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE/ February 23, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Algernon Pharmaceuticals, Adastra Holdings and C3 Metals on their latest news.

The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives.

Algernon Pharmaceuticals (CSE:AGN) begins manufacturing of Repirinast and launches chronic kidney disease research program

Algernon Pharmaceuticals (AGN) has awarded a contract to begin the manufacturing of a cGMP supply of its repurposed drug candidate NP-251 (Repirinast). The company has also announced a new chronic kidney disease research program. CEO Chris Moreau sat down with Shoran Devi to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Chris Moreau and to learn more about Algernon Pharmaceuticals' news, click here.

Adastra Holdings (CSE:XTRX) expands co-manufacturing portfolio and provides facility expansion update

Adastra Holdings (XTRX) has signed co-manufacturing agreements to produce pure hydrocarbon-extracted concentrate products. Adastra is rapidly scaling its production facility to meet the growing demand for hydrocarbon-based products. CEO Michael Forbes sat down with Shoran Devi to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Michael Forbes and to learn more about Adastra Holdings' update, click here.

C3 Metals (TSXV:CCCM) provides drilling program update

C3 Metals (CCCM) has provided an update on its drilling programs at the Jasperoide copper-gold skarn/porphyry project in southern Peru. A larger rig is currently drilling the first of several deeper holes targeting underlying porphyry copper-gold deposits at the Montana de Cobre Zone. C3 Metals President & CEO Kevin Tomlinson sat down with Sharon Devi to discuss the results.

For the full interview with Kevin Tomlinson and to learn more about C3 Metals' results, click here.

Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald.

About The Market Herald

The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets.

DISCLAIMER: Report Card Canada Media Ltd. ("Report Card") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market Herald Limited, an Australian company ("Market Herald"). Report Card is not an advisory service, and does not offer, buy, sell, or provide any other rating, analysis or opinion on the securities we discuss. We are retained and compensated by the companies that we provide information on to assist them with making information available to the public. All information available on themarketherald.ca and/or this press release should be considered as commercial advertisement and not an endorsement, offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities. Report Card is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority in any province or territory of Canada, will not be performing any registerable activity as defined by the applicable regulatory bodies and do not provide nor claim to provide investment advice or recommendations to any visitor of this site or readers of any content on or originating from themarketherald.ca. Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees may from time to time acquire, hold or sell securities and/or commodities and/or commodity futures contracts in certain underlying companies mentioned in this site and which may also be clients of Market Herald's affiliates. In such instances, Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees will use all reasonable efforts to avoid engaging in activities that would lead to conflicts of interest and Market Herald and/or its affiliates will use all reasonable efforts to comply with conflicts of interest disclosures and regulations to minimize any conflict. All the information on this document and/or the website - themarketherald.ca - is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Report Card does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this document and/or website (themarketherald.ca) is strictly at your own risk. Report Card will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. From our website, you can visit other websites by following hyperlinks to such external sites. While we strive to provide only quality links to useful and ethical websites, we have no control over the content and nature of these sites. These links to other websites do not imply a recommendation for all the content found on these sites. Site owners and content may change without notice and may occur before we have the opportunity to remove a link which may have gone 'bad'. Please be also aware that when you leave our website, other sites may have different privacy policies and terms which are beyond our control. Please be sure to check the Privacy Policies of these sites as well as their "Terms of Service" before engaging in any business or uploading any information.

CONTACT:

The Market Herald

Brianna Anthony

brianna.anthony@themarketherald.ca

themarketherald.ca

SOURCE: The Market Herald

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690122/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-New-Interviews-With-Algernon-Pharmaceuticals-Adastra-Holdings-and-C3-Metals
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Wednesday sent a congratulatory letter for the inauguration ceremony of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania.

The leadership school was co-founded by six parties in southern Africa: Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, the African National Congress of South Africa, the Mozambique Liberation Front Party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, the SWAPO party of Namibia and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.

Noting that the six parties have united and led the people in pursuing national independence, construction and development, Xi said the inauguration of the Julius Nyerere leadership school will provide an important platform for the six parties to enhance their governance capacity and better lead their respective countries to achieve development and benefit their people.

As the world is undergoing changes rarely seen in a century, China and Africa need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever to cope with risks and challenges, promote common development and improve people's well-being, Xi stressed.

The CPC is willing to take the inauguration of the Julius Nyerere leadership school as an opportunity to strengthen the exchange of state governance experience with parties in Africa, support each other in pursuing development paths that suit their own national conditions, deepen pragmatic cooperation across the board, promote the building of a high-level community with a shared future between China and Africa, and contribute more to the building of a better world, he said. 
Silver Bear Resources Plc ("Silver Bear" or the "Company") (TSX: SBR) announces today that its Mangazeisky Silver Project, located in Far East Russia, continues operations as planned and has not been affected by the sanctions announced on February 22, 2022.

The Company's wholly-owned Russian subsidiary, AO Prognoz, employs approximately 240 persons at site plus 50 consultants primarily in catering and construction, and an additional 30 employees at its head offices in Yakutsk, some 5,000 km east of Moscow. All of its employees and consultants at site are Russian locals. The Company has been operating in Far East Russia since 2007, achieving first silver production in April 2018. The Company has well established procurement and logistics in the region where it operates and has almost completed its 2021-2022 ice road resupply season, with a full year of supplies on hand for both the operations and the upgrade of its processing line.

The Company refines its silver production in a Russian based refinery in Krasnoyarsk located in Eastern Siberia. The entire production is then sold domestically.

The Company will continue to closely monitor sanction developments.

About Silver Bear

Silver Bear (TSX: SBR) is focused on the development of its wholly-owned Mangazeisky Silver Project, covering a licence area of approximately 570 km2 that includes the high-grade Vertikalny deposit (amongst the highest- grade silver deposits in the world), located 400 km north of Yakutsk in the Republic of Sakha within the Russian Federation. As of April 2018, the Company attained first silver production as a result of commissioning activities and on 1 July 2019 the Company achieved full commercial production. Other information relating to Silver Bear is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com as well as on the Company's website at www.silverbearresources.com.

Cautionary Notes

This release and subsequent oral statements made by and on behalf of the Company may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations. Wherever possible, words such as "intends", "expects", "scheduled", "estimates", "anticipates", "believes" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause events and achievements to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, but are not limited, to the risk factors identified by the Company in its continuous disclosure filings filed from time to time on SEDAR. These factors should be considered carefully and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve significant known and unknown risks, assumptions and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results, events, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, unless otherwise required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223006147/en/

Contacts:

Vadim Ilchuk

President and Chief Executive Officer

T: +7 985 866 8877

info@silverbearresources.com

Judith Webster

Investor Relations Manager Corporate Secretary

T: +416 453 8818

jwebster@silverbearresources.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures settled modestly higher on Wednesday with investors weighing the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on oil supplies, the likelihood of Iranian crude to the market, and reacting to the latest data on U.S. crude inventories. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures ended higher by $0.19 or about 0.2% at $92.10 a barrel. Supply worries eased somewhat after it became clear the first wave of U.S. and European sanctions on Russia for sending troops into eastern Ukraine would not disrupt oil supplies. According to U.S. State Department, the sanctions that are being imposed today, as well that could be imposed in the near future, are not targeting and will not target oil and gas flows. Meanwhile, traders looked ahead to weekly inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The API's report is due later today, while the EIA will release the inventory data Thursday morning. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - District Copper Corp. (TSXV: DCOP) ("District Copper", "District", or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Braden Jensen, to its Board of Directors.

Mr. Jensen, CPA (CA) obtained his formal training with KPMG LLP. Before transitioning to the resource industry, he worked in the public practice sector for 7 years, concentrating in commodities-based accounting and tax. For the past 9 years, he has worked in the private sector, with Wellgreen Platinum Ltd. and Copper Fox Metals Inc., where he was involved in mineral exploration, construction, and operations reporting, prior to joining District Copper in 2015 as the current CFO.

The Company would also like to announce it has accepted the resignation of Mr. Hrayr Agnerian. District Copper thanks Mr. Agnerian for all of his contributions to the Company over the past decade and wishes him well in his retirement.

For further information, please visit www.districtcoppercorp.com to view the Company's profile or contact Jevin Werbes at 604-620-7737.

ABOUT DISTRICT COPPER

District Copper is a Canadian company engaged in the exploration for gold deposits in Newfoundland and Ontario and copper-gold deposits in central British Columbia.

On behalf of District Copper,

Jevin Webes,

President and CEO

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information relating to District Copper may be obtained or viewed on the Company SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The information contained in this news release was accurate at the time of dissemination but may be superseded by subsequent news release(s). The Company is under no obligation, nor does it intend to update or revise the forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114622
Vibe Further Expands its California Dispensary Portfolio, receiving a State license to open its seventh dispensary location in Ukiah, California

Sacramento, California--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Vibe Growth Corporation (CSE: VIBE) (OTCQX: VIBEF) (FSE: A061) (the "Company" or "Vibe"), a vertically integrated California cannabis enterprise, is pleased to announce it has received the initial license approval from California's Department of Cannabis Control (the "DCC") to commence adult-use retail sales at its newest dispensary location in Ukiah, California.

Ukiah is Vibe's seventh retail dispensary, and the Company continues to expand its retail footprint. The Ukiah approval follows the Company's recent announcement of its license at its Salinas retail dispensary location. Vibe's California retail dispensary portfolio footprint currently spans locations in Sacramento, Stockton, Redding, Palm Springs, Salinas, and Ukiah, in addition to its Portland, Oregon dispensary.

Mark Waldron, CEO of Vibe stated, "We are so happy to have added Ukiah to our portfolio of retail dispensary locations. Our team continues to execute on our business model of being nimble and strategic when adding new locations to our dispensary portfolio. Our approach remains focused, taking strategic location, facilities, regional demographics, costs, and growth opportunity all into consideration when expanding into new locations. The new Ukiah location widens Vibe's geographic footprint in Northern California and locations between our Redding and Sacramento dispensaries. We look forward to introducing ourselves to the local community and providing our customers with the largest selection of premium cannabis products."

Vibe received its license from the DCC under its subsidiary - Vibe Ukiah LLC, for adult-use sales in its dispensary located at 441 State Street N, conveniently located in the heart of Ukiah's vibrant downtown core. The new Vibe By California branded Ukiah dispensary is scheduled to open on March 4th and offers exceptional foot traffic access and visibility from the city's bustling downtown core. The Ukiah dispensary will provide consumers across the Mendocino Valley with a wide selection of leading cannabis brands and products.

The Ukiah location will stock up to twenty percent of Vibe By California shelf space with Vibe's owned and branded products. Vibe will offer a curated product assortment featuring top-tier California brands and the Company's Hype Cannabis Co. marijuana product lineup. This retail license also provides the ability to deliver cannabis products directly to consumers throughout Mendocino County via Vibe By California's online ordering and same-day delivery service.

Vibe Retail Expansion Strategy

The Vibe management team continues to actively explore expansion opportunities as it looks to add new dispensaries to its portfolio to meet the growing demand for its Vibe By California and Hype Cannabis Co. products.

Restricted Share Unit Plan

Additionally, the Company has granted 600,000 restricted share units to certain employees and directors pursuant to the restricted share unit plan approved by shareholders on June 24, 2020.

About Vibe Growth Corporation

Vibe Growth Corporation and its cannabis retail brand, Vibe By California, is a trusted, vertically integrated California cannabis enterprise with retail dispensaries; cannabis greenhouse cultivation; premium indoor cultivation; commercial cannabis distribution; brand sales and marketing; e-commerce platform; home delivery; and Hype Cannabis Co. marijuana and Vibe CBD products. In California, Vibe is focused on maximizing shareholder value through accelerating organic growth, opportunistic acquisitions, distressed workouts, and new license applications. The Company operates retail and e-commerce under its iconic Vibe By California brand.

To learn more about Vibe, please visit: www.vibebycalifornia.com

Company Contact

Bill Mitoulas

Phone: +1 416.479.9547

Email: ir@vibebycalifornia.com

Website: www.vibebycalifornia.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Product & Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" 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 parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events, and may be impacted as a result of general economic conditions or the ongoing COVID-19 endemic. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's expectations of revenue, EBITDA profitability and adjusted funds flow, higher sales volumes, and the Company's retail operations. Actual future results may differ materially.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are 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. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Risk factors related to the Company are described in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis, a copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any State securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws.

Unlike in Canada which has Federal legislation uniformly governing the cultivation, distribution, sale, and possession of medical cannabis under the Cannabis Act (Federal), readers are cautioned that in the U.S., cannabis is largely regulated at the State level. To the knowledge of Vibe Growth Corporation, there are to date a total of 33 states, plus the District of Columbia, that have legalized cannabis in some form. Notwithstanding the permissive regulatory environment of medical cannabis at the State level, cannabis continues to be categorized as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S. and as such, cannabis related practices or activities, including without limitation, the manufacture, importation, possession, use or distribution of cannabis are illegal under U.S. federal law. Strict compliance with state laws concerning cannabis will neither absolve Vibe of liability under the U.S. Federal law nor will it provide a defense to any Federal proceeding, which may be brought against Vibe Growth Corporation. Any such proceedings brought against Vibe may adversely affect its operations and financial performance.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES 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/114620
LEBANON, PA / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Legal Risk Services Inc. ("LRS"), of Lebanon, PA in partnership with Global Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. ("GAM") of Albany, NY is pleased to announce a new nationwide digital and on-line arbitration program. Under the terms of the partnership LRS will have exclusive rights to expand the GAM digital and on-line arbitration and mediation services to the LRS network of legal and court services professionals along with existing and new clients. LRS will solicit new applications online and through mobile applications in addition to marketing to the LRS nationwide membership base.

Legal Risk Services Inc. CEO, Vincent Smith stated, "We are pleased to provide this valuable digital dispute resolution service to our clients. Online mediation is a great service that helps to reduce time and legal costs".

Lebanon, Pennsylvania based, Legal Risk Services, Inc (LRS) provides direct-to-consumer legal plan products through its nationwide Discount Legal Plan which is authorized to conduct business by the American Bar Association's Group Legal Services Association (GLSA). LRS provides members of the general public with post-arrest and post-conviction criminal defense related services, as well as family law and immigration defense law matters, through the legal plan's nationwide attorney network. By virtue of LRS's ownership of its legal plan operations, LRS offers its customers a host of criminal justice related financial products, including flexible financing options so they can pay for their criminal defense related and/or family law and immigration related legal fees. This financing covers onerous costs which members might not otherwise be able to afford. No other legal plan in America provides its customers a financing option. LRS owns the registered trademark "Discount Legal Plan tm" and all logo's, service marks, and the like currently used in the operation of its business. Additionally, LRS is a partner in several other court-related service providers including, People's Justice, LLC, a Pro Se (Do-It-Yourself), and Divorces and More. Both are direct-to-consumer legal document service providers. LRS wholly-owns Nationwide Virtual Paralegal Services, LLC, a virtual paralegal service for lawyers on a nationwide basis. LRS also wholly-owns Habitats of Hope, LLC which provides sober living facilities specializing in drug and alcohol addiction-related services for individuals on a pretrial and court ordered basis. LRS fully-owns a group legal plan trading as "HELP Legal Plan". This family of businesses is dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of clients and members across the Country. Most recently, LRS has launched American Prison Advisors LLC to assist clients in all aspects and phases of incarceration. The company operates as a prison consulting venture providing a digital library of educational and self-help media. More information on the Discount Legal Plan tm is available at https://www.discount-legal-plan.com/. Find LRS products and services online and at brick and mortar locations where self-help legal products are available www.PeoplesJustice.co . Some of the DIY legal services include, no fault divorce, last will and testament, parenting agreements, domestic relations orders, pro se litigation, and more.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and are subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for reasons unforeseen. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting, or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Valiant Eagle, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under U.S. federal securities laws, Valiant Eagle, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

About Global Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc.

Global Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. is a digital on-line arbitration and mediation service to commercial customers and consumers, providing alternation dispute resolution whereby a dispute between two parties is resolved without the court system by an impartial "Arbiter" or panel of "Arbiters" that the parties agree to or are contractually obligated to utilize. Global Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. developed a digital on-line platform to allow parties the ability to solve disputes and mediate conflicts during the trying times of the COVID-19 Pandemic when in person litigation, arbitration and mediation were not able to happen. Parties can utilize the GAM platform from the comfort of their own home, via computer, tablet, or smart phone. GAM connects the parties with an arbitrator or mediator in the venue of the dispute to conduct a digital online arbitration or mediation. GAM's state of the art digital on-line platform allows for a faster more cost-effective option to those seeking resolution via arbitration or mediation.

Inquiries: claims@gamservices.org

Website: http://www.gamservices.org

About Legal Risk Services, Inc

Legal Risk Services, Inc (LRS) provides direct-to-consumer legal plan products through its nationwide Discount Legal Plan which is authorized to conduct business by the American Bar Association's Group Legal Services Association (GLSA). LRS offers its customers a host of criminal justice related financial products, including flexible financing options so they can pay for their criminal defense related and/or family law and immigration related legal fees. No other legal plan in America provides its customers a financing option. LRS provides nationwide services through its subsidiaries and partnership operations. The company maintains locations throughout Pennsylvania including, Lebanon, North Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, Center City Reading, Kutztown, Trevose, and Muhelenberg Township. For more information or help with court related matters, contact a representative now using one of the following:

24 Hour - 7 Day Service

CALL: (855) 440-2245

info@discount-legal-plan.com

Website: http://www.Discount-Legal-Plan.com

Twitter: @DiscountLegalP

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DiscountLegalPlan/

SOURCE: Legal Risk Services Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690150/Legal-Risk-Services-Inc-Announces-Joint-Venture-with-Global-Arbitration-Mediation-Services-Inc-to-Deliver-Nationwide-Digital-On-line-Arbitration-and-Mediation-Program
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is pleased to announce that it has arranged a non-brokered private placement consisting of: (i) charity "flow-through" units at a price of $0.63 each ("CFT Units"), (ii) "flow-through" units at a price of $0.52 each ("FT Units"), and (iii) non-flow-through units at a price of $0.45 each ("NFT Units") for gross aggregate proceeds of $4,000,000 (the "Offering"). Eventus Capital Corp. has been appointed as a finder in connection with the Offering.

Sharyn Alexander, Sun Summit's President, stated, "This financing provides a milestone opportunity for our shareholders, to continue to realize and expand on the significant size and scale of the Buck Main mineralized footprint currently being drilled. In addition, as exploration targets evolve from other areas of the 33,000 hectare Buck property, these funds will assist in financial support to one day realize the full potential of one of the highest metal endowed areas of the region."

Each FT Unit and CFT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each NFT Unit will consist of one (non-flow-through) common share of the Company (an "NFT Share"), and one half of a Warrant. Each Warrant will entitle the purchase of one (non-flow-through) common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for two years at a price of $0.70.

The Company will pay finder's fees consisting of a cash commission of 6% of the gross proceeds raised by Eventus under the Offering and finder warrants ("Finder Warrants") to purchase that number of Warrant Shares equal to 6% of the number of Units sold by Eventus pursuant to the Offering. Each Finder Warrant will entitle the purchase of one Warrant Share at a price of $0.70 for two years.

The Company intends to use the proceeds raised from the Offering for the exploration of the Company's Buck Property and other Canadian properties it may acquire. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares will be used for "Canadian Exploration Expenses" (within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) (the "Qualifying Expenditures"), which will be renounced with an effective date no later than December 31, 2022, to the purchasers of the FT Units and CFT Units in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the FT Shares.

The Offering is scheduled to close on or around March 16, 2022, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The FT Shares, NFT Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares will have a hold period of four months from the closing date.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About Sun Summit

Sun Summit Minerals is an exploration company focused on expanding its epithermal gold discovery at its flagship Buck Project located in north-central British Columbia.

The Company is exploring multiple high priority targets through methodical, well-funded exploration campaigns with year-round drilling access. The Project has high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold, silver, and zinc potential and is located in an established mining region that includes many former operating mines and current exploration projects.

Sun Summit is committed to environmental and social responsibility with a focus on responsible development to generate positive outcomes for all stakeholders.

Further details are available at www.sunsummitminerals.com.



For further information, contact:

Sharyn Alexander

President

Nancy Curry

Corporate Communications

info@sunsummitminerals.com

Tel. 778-588-9606

Forward-Looking Information

Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences, without limiting the generality of the following, include: risks inherent in exploration activities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; the impact of exploration competition; the ability to raise funds through private or public equity financings; imprecision in resource and reserve estimates; environmental and safety risks including increased regulatory burdens; unexpected geological or hydrological conditions; changes in government regulations and policies, including trade laws and policies; failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; weather and other natural phenomena; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory risks. Except as required by applicable securities laws and regulation, Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (SMN) disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114627
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF) (the "Company" or "Calibre") is pleased to announce the results of the Company's updated Nicaraguan Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources as of December 31, 2021.



Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources Highlights, since acquisition in Q4 2019:

254% increase in Mineral Reserves to 1,013,000 ounces gold;

62% increase in Indicated Mineral Resources to 1,806,000 ounces gold;

Largest Reserve and record grade of 4.62 g/t Au for the combined Nicaragua assets over the last twelve years;

Increased Libertad Complex Mineral Reserves from zero to 484,000 ounces gold;

With continued Mineral Reserve growth and a trend towards higher grades it is anticipated that 2023 and 2024 annual production will increase leading to lower per ounce costs.



A chart accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f22171aa-3880-45ad-b1b0-4bb3e0d71a24 (https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f22171aa-3880-45ad-b1b0-4bb3e0d71a24)

Darren Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Calibre stated: "In the two years since acquiring our Nicaraguan assets Calibre's commitment to exploration has grown reserves from 286,000 to 1,013,000 ounces gold after producing 353,000 ounces, establishing an excellent foundation for future growth.

As a result of continued mineral reserve growth, mine sequencing and generation of resource discovery and expansion the Company anticipates a trend toward higher grades mined and processed going forward, increasing overall annual production in 2023 and 2024 while overall volumed mined remains flat leading to lower per ounce costs.

Our 85 kilometre 2022 drilling program is underway with 11 rigs in operation focused on discovery and Mineral Resource expansion as we continue to realize value from the prospective and under-explored potential our Nicaraguan portfolio has to offer."

New 2022 Priority Resource Expansion Opportunities:

Drill programs have been designed to focus on targets with the potential for discovery of 250,000 ounce or greater sized gold deposits to further bolster the Company's project pipeline;

New 2021 high-grade Volcan discovery ( not included in 2021 Mineral Resource estimate ), high-grade drill results announced in November 16, 2021 including 15.6 g/t Gold over 4.9 metres (see news release here (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-mining-discovers-high-grade-gold-mineraliz-3680/));

), high-grade drill results announced in November 16, 2021 including 15.6 g/t Gold over 4.9 metres (see news release here (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-mining-discovers-high-grade-gold-mineraliz-3680/)); High-grade, resource expansion opportunities at the newly discovered Volcan vein trend, Tranca, Panteon Northeast, Talavera extension and EBP (see 2022 Targets news release (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-outlines-multi-rig-exploration-programs-an-3926/));

Advance the newly approved Buena Vista concession, located near the Limon mine complex (referred to herein as "Limon" and the "El Limon Complex") where multiple prospective gold vein trends have been identified through surface field reconnaissance work; and

10,000-line km airborne geophysical survey to identify new areas of prospective gold mineralization concealed beneath surface cover.



Mineral Reserves and Resources Statements

All notes with parameters are at the end of the press release

Consolidated Mineral Reserves and Resources - December 31, 2021

Tonnage Grade Grade Contained Au Contained Ag (kt) (g/t Au) (g/t Ag) (koz) (koz) Probable Reserves 6,852 4.62 13.6 1,013 2,970 El Limon Complex 3,678 4.47 2.7 529 320 La Libertad Complex 3,174 4.81 26.3 484 2,650 Indicated Resources

(Inclusive of probable reserves) 17,685 3.18 8.0 1,806 4,534 El Limon Complex 13,567 2.69 1.2 1,175 549 La Libertad Complex 4,118 4.77 30.1 631 3,985 Inferred Resources 7,693 3.66 34.2 903 8,425 El Limon Complex 1,366 4.05 2.9 177 125 La Libertad Complex 6,327 3.58 40.6 726 8,425



Mineral Reserves at Limon and Libertad Complexes- December 31, 20211,2,3,4

Category Tonnage Grade Grade Contained Au Contained Ag (kt) (g/t Au) (g/t Ag) (koz) (koz) Limon UG Probable 719 5.49 7.7 127 178 Limon OP Probable 2,800 4.30 1.6 387 141 Limon Stockpile Probable 159 2.86 0.0 15 0 Sub-total Limon Probable 3,678 4.47 2.7 529 320 Libertad UG Probable 428 3.98 13.97 55 188 Eastern Borosi UG Probable 625 4.97 82.2 100 1,652 Libertad OP Sources Probable 528 2.53 21.2 43 360 Pavon OP Probable 1,015 5.07 8.5 165 278 Eastern Borosi OP Probable 538 6.87 9.9 119 172 Libertad & Pavon Stockpiles Probable 39 1.96 - 16 - Sub-total Libertad Probable 3,174 4.81 26.3 484 2,650 Total Mineral Reserves Probable 6,852 4.62 13.6 1,013 2,970



Indicated Resources at Limon and Libertad Complexes Inclusive of Reserves - December 31, 20211,5,6,7

Category Tonnage Grade Grade Contained Au Contained Ag (kt) (g/t Au) (g/t Ag) (koz) (koz) Limon UG Indicated 1,668 5.58 5.6 300 312 Limon OP Indicated 4,411 4.21 1.7 597 237 Limon Stockpile Indicated 159 2.86 - 15 - Tailings Indicated 7,329 1.12 - 263 - Sub-total Limon Indicated 13,567 2.69 1.2 1,175 549 Libertad UG Indicated 437 5.08 17.6 71 248 Eastern Borosi UG Indicated 523 7.40 144.2 127 2,481 Libertad OP Sources Indicated 1,529 2.25 15.2 111 739 Pavon OP Indicated 1,163 5.05 8.8 189 328 Eastern Borosi OP Indicated 415 9.84 14.0 131 189 Libertad & Pavon Stockpiles Indicated 39 1.96 - 2 - Sub-total Libertad Indicated 4,106 4.80 29.1 633 3,845 Total Mineral Resources Indicated 17,685 3.18 8.0 1,806 4,534



Inferred Mineral Resources at Limon and Libertad Complexes - December 31, 20211,4,5

Category Tonnage Grade Grade Contained Au Contained Ag (kt) (g/t Au) (g/t Ag) (koz) (koz) Limon UG Inferred 873 4.62 4.1 129 113 Limon OP Inferred 493 3.04 0.8 48 12 Sub-total Limon Inferred 1,366 4.05 2.9 177 125 Libertad UG Inferred 1,489 5.21 9.7 61 116 Eastern Borosi UG Inferred 250 8.21 60.9 33 242 Libertad OP Sources Inferred 1,275 2.78 3.4 23 15 Pavon OP Inferred 764 3.50 7.0 37 80 Eastern Borosi OP Inferred 1,297 2.47 16.1 73 560 Sub-total Libertad Inferred 6,334 3.58 40.6 728 8238 Total Mineral Resources Inferred 7,693 3.66 34.2 903 8425



Limon Complex

The Limon mineral concessions have produced over 3.6 million1 ounces historically and continue delivering reliable production while new opportunities for resource discovery and expansion continue to be identified. Calibre's exploration focus at Limon during the coming year will target additional high grade vein shoots identified along strike of the productive Panteon, Limon and Talaveras vein systems as well as newly recognized vein trends in less explored areas of the district. Calibre currently has four core rigs that are actively exploring at Limon.

2021 Mineral Reserves at the Limon Complex totaled 529,000 ounces of gold, net of 2021 production. Despite the application of incrementally higher metal price assumptions and lower cut-off grades, both the Limon open pit and underground reserve grades have improved over year-end 2020, increasing from 4.24 to 4.30 g/t Au and from 5.14 to 5.49 g/t Au respectively. Limon's underground reserve growth was largely driven by resource expansion and conversion in two new mineralized shoots at Panteon and Atravesada which were discovered during 2020.

Infill drilling during the year upgraded Inferred Mineral Resources into the Indicated Mineral Resource category with total Indicated Mineral Resources growing slightly to 1,175,000 ounces gold (inclusive of reserves) with grades remaining relatively flat at 2.69 g/t Au.

Libertad Complex

The Libertad mineral concessions have produced over 1.9 million1 ounces historically. Current exploration drilling is focused on near mill targets including Volcan and Tranca, both of which represent solid opportunities for the delineation of additional open pit resources with the potential for rapid advancement through development to production in the near to mid-term. During 2021 exploration drilling at the Volcan target returned very encouraging results from a 1.5 km section of a 5 km vein trend. See 2021 drill result news releases, November 16, 2021 (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-mining-discovers-high-grade-gold-mineraliz-3680/) Calibre Discovers High-Grade Gold Mineralization at Libertad's Volcan Target (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-mining-discovers-high-grade-gold-mineraliz-3680/), June 8, 2021 Calibre Mining Intercepts 13.83 g/t Gold over 4.4 metres, 11.37 g/t Gold over 5.4 metres and 16.78 g/t Gold over 2.8 metres within 10 Kilometres of the Libertad Mill. (https://www.calibremining.com/news/calibre-mining-intercepts-13-83-g-t-gold-over-4-4-2888/) In addition, our field crews continue to rapidly identify and drill test newly recognized vein systems at satellite targets such as Amalia located within 35 km of the Libertad mill. Calibre currently has four core rigs that are actively exploring at Libertad and Amalia.

As a result of the Company's ("hub-and-spoke") operating strategy and the ability to leverage the surplus capacity of the Libertad mill mineral reserves for the Libertad Complex increased by 188,000 ounces year over year after 2021 depletion. Mineral Reserves at end-of-year 2021 total 484,000 ounces of gold at a grade of 4.81 g/t Au including Pavon mine and the Eastern Borosi Project. During 2021 Calibre initiated mining and steadily increased ore hauling from the Pavon Norte high-grade open pit mine demonstrating reliable production. During 2022, the Company will continue mining and hauling at Pavon Norte while advancing Pavon Central starter pit which is anticipated to begin production by Q4 at 8.32 g/t Au. Additionally, at the Eastern Borosi Project, Calibre successfully converted 220,000 ounces of inferred resources to reserves during 2021. Calibre is advancing permitting at Eastern Borosi and anticipates construction to commence in H1 2023 and mining and hauling to begin during H2, 2023. Pavon and Eastern Borosi represent exciting emerging gold districts that remain largely underexplored, especially when viewed in comparison with the prolific Limon and Libertad districts.

Pavon Mine

During 2021 Calibre initiated mining at Pavon Norte, the first of three known gold deposits hosting mineral resources in the district. Calibre is advancing development and permitting at Pavon Central with the objective of commencing mining by 2023. Combined 2021 end-of-year mineral reserves for the Pavon Norte and Central open pits total 165,000 ounces averaging 5.07 g/t gold. Pavon Central which hosts an average reserve grade of 6.49 g/t gold, notably higher than the average 3.28 g/t gold grade at Pavon Norte, is expected to contribute to 2023 and 2024 production growth. The Company currently has two core rigs conducting resource expansion drilling at Pavon Central and South.

Eastern Borosi Project

Calibre controls a 100% interest in the 176 km2 Eastern Borosi Gold-Silver Property ("EBP"), located in northeastern Nicaragua. The project is located along a paved highway approximately 400 km from the Company's Libertad Complex, which has approximately 1.0 million tonnes per annum of surplus processing capacity, providing a low-cost opportunity for organic growth.

During 2021 the Company significantly advanced the Guapinol/Vancouver and Riscos De Oro gold deposits toward commercial development with the completion of resource delineation and conversion drilling done in parallel with detailed technical studies, environmental baseline work, community consultations, geotechnical and metallurgical test work which has resulted in an inaugural Mineral Reserve declaration for the project. At year-end Calibre had completed these programs and submitted applications for permits to advance the project toward commercial production which is anticipated to commence during the second half of 2023. Once in production the Eastern Borosi Project will represent the Company's fourth source of high grade feed to the Libertad mill.

Reinterpretation of historic surface and exploration drilling data has significantly advanced the understanding of the Eastern Borosi district and its overall potential for new discoveries. Calibre currently has two core rigs actively exploring multiple earlier stage targets at Eastern Borosi.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

Calibre maintains a Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") program for all its exploration projects using industry best practices. Key elements of the QA/QC program include verifiable chain of custody for samples, regular insertion of certified reference standards and blanks, and duplicate check assays. Drill core is halved and shipped in sealed bags to Bureau Veritas in Managua, Nicaragua, an independent analytical services provider with global certifications for Quality Management Systems ISO 9001:2008, Environmental Management: ISO14001 and Safety Management OH SAS 18001 and AS4801. Prior to analysis, samples are prepared at Veritas' Managua facility and then shipped to its analytical facility in Vancouver, Canada. Gold analyses are routinely performed via fire assay/AA finish methods. For greater precision of high-grade material, samples assaying 10 g/t Au or higher are re-assayed by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Analyses for silver and other elements of interest are performed via Induction Coupled Plasmaspectrometry.

Qualified Persons & Technical Disclaimers

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Grant A. Malensek, M.Eng., P. Eng., Jose M. Texidor Carlsson, M.Sc., P. Geo., Balaji Subrahmanyan, B.Eng., M.S., SME(RM), Stephan R. Blaho, MBA, P.Eng., of SLR Consulting (Canada) Limited ("SLR") (Limon, Libertad and Pavon reserves and resources, and EBP Resources); Shane Ghouralal, MBA, P.Eng. formerly of WSP in Canada (EBP Guapinol and Vancouver open pit reserves); Jason Sexauer, MBA, P.E., P.Eng. of Stantec (EBP Riscos de Oro underground reserves), who prepared the updated mineral reserve and mineral Resource estimates reported in this news release and are Qualified Persons ("QP") as set out under NI 43-101.

A new technical report on the La Libertad Complex (the "New La Libertad Complex Technical Report") will be prepared by SLR in accordance with NI 43-101. The technical report will include the EBP pre-feasibility study results as well as details regarding the updated mineral reserve and resource estimates presented herein and will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com (https://www.sedar.com/)) within 45 days of this news release. Readers are encouraged to read the New La Libertad Complex Technical Report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. The New La Libertad Complex Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

Additional information with respect to the updated mineral reserves and resources for the El Limon Complex reported herein has been derived from the technical report titled "Technical Report on the El Limon Complex, Leon and Chinandego Departments, Nicaragua - Report for NI 43-101" dated March 30, 2021 with an effective date of December 31, 2020 (the "El Limon Complex Technical Report"). Readers are encouraged to read the El Limon Complex Technical Report in entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources. The El Limon Complex Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

Please also see the notes to each table below.

Darren Hall, MAusIMM, President & Chief Executive Officer, Calibre Mining Corp. has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Darren Hall"

Darren Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Ryan King

Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & IR

T: (604) 628-1012

E: calibre@calibremining.com

W: www.calibremining.com

About Calibre Mining Corp.

Calibre Mining is a Canadian-listed, Americas focused, growing mid-tier gold producer with a strong pipeline of development and exploration opportunities across Nevada and Washington in the USA, and Nicaragua. Calibre is focused on delivering sustainable value for shareholders, local communities and all stakeholders through responsible operations and a disciplined approach to growth. With a strong balance sheet, no debt, a proven management team, strong operating cash flow, accretive development projects and district-scale exploration opportunities Calibre will unlock significant value.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the Company's expectations toward higher grades mined and processed going forward, increased overall annual production in 2023 and 2024 and lower per ounce costs; statements relating to the Company's 2022 priority resource expansion opportunities; the Company's exploration focus at the El Limon Complex; the Company's metal price and cut-off grade assumptions; the Company's opportunities at Volcan and Tranca at the La Libertad Complex; the Company's plans for the La Libertad Complex for 2022, including the anticipated date of development, permitting and production at Pavon Central and the anticipated dates of permitting, construction, mining and hauling and commercial production at EBP and the Company's expectations with respect to Pavon and EBP and their respective contributions to production growth. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibre's control. For a listing of risk factors applicable to the Company, please refer to Calibre's annual information form ("AIF") for the year ended December 31, 2020, its management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") for the three and nine month period ended September 30, 2021 and its MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2020, all available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Calibre's forward-looking statements.

Calibre's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. Such assumptions include, but are not limited to: the Company being able to mine and process higher grades and keep production costs relatively flat going forward; there not being an increase in production costs as a result of any supply chain issues or ongoing COVID-19 restrictions; there being no adverse drop in metal price or cut-off grade at the Company's Nicaraguan properties; the Company's opportunities at Volcan and Tranca at the La Libertad Complex coming to fruition; there being no adverse development or hindrance in the permitting or construction processes at Pavon and EBP and their respective potential and ability to contribute to production growth. Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

Note 1- See the AIF, the El Limon Complex Technical Report, the La Libertad Complex Technical Report and the New La Libertad Complex Technical Report, once filed.

Note 2- Limon Complex Mineral Reserve Notes

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Reserves and rounded and reported in dry tonnes. Underground Mineral Reserves are estimated at fully costed and incremental cut-off grades of 3.01 g/t, respectively, for Santa Pancha 1; 2.90 g/t Au, respectively, for Panteon; and 2.13 g/t Au, respectively, for Veta Nueva, and 2.30 g/t Au for Atravesada. Open pit Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 1.11g/t Au for Limon Norte, 1.05g/t Au for Limon Central, 1.07g/t Au for Pozo Bono/Limon Sur, 1.10g/t Au for Tigra, and incorporate estimates of dilution and mining losses. Mineral Reserves are estimated using an average long-term gold price of US$1,500 per ounce. Minimum mining widths of 4 m and 3 m and 1.5m, and 2m were used for SP1, and Veta Nueva, and Panteon, and Atravesada respectively. Bulk density varies between 2.30 t/m3 and 2.41 t/m3 for all open pit Mineral Reserves; Bulk density varies between 2.47 t/m3 to 2.50 t/m3 for all underground Mineral Reserves. A mining extraction factor of 95% was applied to the underground stopes. Where required a pillar factor was also applied for sill or crown pillar. A 100% extraction factor was assumed for development.



Note 3- Libertad Complex Mineral Reserve Notes

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Reserves and rounded and reported in dry tonnes. Underground Mineral Reserves for Jabali West are estimated at fully costed and incremental cut-off grades of 2.75 g/t Au and 1.95 g/t Au, respectively. Open pit Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 1.27 g/t Au for Pavon Norte and Pavon Central, and incorporate estimates of dilution and mining losses. Open pit Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 0.74g/t AU for Rosario, and incorporate estimates of dilution and mining losses. Open pit Mineral Reserves are estimated at a cut-off grade of 0.79 g/t Au for Jabali Antena, and incorporate estimates of dilution and mining losses. Mineral Reserves are estimated using an average long-term gold price of US$1,500 per ounce. A minimum mining width of 1.5 m was used for underground Libertad Mineral Reserves and a dilution skin of 0.5 m was added to the hanging wall and footwall respectively (total 1.0 m). Open pit and underground bulk density varies from 1.70 t/m3 to 2.64 t/m3; underground backfill density is 1.00 t/m3. A mining extraction factor of 95% was applied to the underground stopes. Where required a pillar factor was also applied for sill or crown pillar. A 100% extraction factor was assumed for development.



Note 4 - Eastern Borosi Mineral Reserve Notes

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Reserves and rounded and reported in dry tonnes. Open pit Mineral Reserves for Guapinol/Vancouver are mined tonnes and diluted grade; the reference point is the mill feed at the primary crusher. Open pit Mineral Reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 1.81 g/t Au. Open pit Mineral Reserve cut-off grade assumes Au of US$1,500/oz and Ag US$26/oz; 99.95% payable gold and 99.25% payable silver with a royalty of US$28/oz; selling cost are US$4.38/oz including offsite costs (refining and transport); and uses an 92.5% metallurgical recovery for Au and 60% for Ag. The cut off-grade covers processing costs of US$20.27/t, hauling costs of US$50/t, administrative (G&A) costs of US$7.73/t, tailings facility costs of US$1.66/t. Underground Mineral Reserves for Riscos del Oro are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.41 g/t Au Underground Mineral Reserves are estimated using an average long-term gold price of US$1,500 per ounce and a US$/C$ exchange rate of $0.80. A minimum mining width of 2 m was used for Riscos del Oro.



Note 5 - Limon Mineral Resource Notes

Effective dates are December 31, 2021 for all El Limon deposits. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources and numbers may not add up due to rounding. A cut-off grade of 1.00 g/t Au is used for Limon OP, 2.19 g/t for Limon UG, 2.82 g/t for SP1 UG, 2.82 g/t for SP2 UG, 2.00 g/t for Veta Nueva UG, 2.72 g/t for Panteon UG, 0.00 g/t for Tailings, and 2.15 g/t for Atravesada UG. Reporting shapes were used for reporting Limon UG, SP1 UG, Veta Nueva UG, Panteon UG, and Atravesada UG. Mineral Resources are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,600/oz Au in all deposits except SP2 UG where a long-term gold price of US$1,500 was used. Bulk density varies between 2.30 t/m3 and 2.50 t/m3. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves.

Note 6 - Libertad Mineral Resource Notes

Effective dates are December 31, 2021 for all La Libertad deposits except San Antonio OP, with an effective date of August 30, 2020. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. A cut-off grade of 0.74 g/t Au is used for Jabali Antena OP, 0.69 g/t for Rosario OP, 0.68 g/t for Socorro OP and San Antonio OP, 2.90 g/t for San Juan UG, San Diego UG and Mojon UG, and 2.58 g/t for Jabali West UG, 2.84 g/t for Jabali East UG, 1.19 g/t Au for Pavon Norte and Pavon Central, and 1.17 g/t Au for Pavon Sur. Reporting shapes were used for reporting Jabali West UG. Mineral Resources are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,600/oz Au in all deposits except Pavon Sur, estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,400/oz Au. Bulk density varies between 1.70 t/m3 and 2.64 t/m3. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Numbers may not add up due to rounding.



Note 7 - Eastern Borosi Mineral Resource Notes

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources and Numbers may not add due to rounding. A cut-off grade of 2.0 g/t AuEq is used for Blag UG and East Dome UG, 3.21 g/t Au for Riscos UG, 3.59 g/t Au for Guapinol and Vancouver, 1.70 g/t Au for Guapinol and Vancouver OP, and 0.42 g/t Au for La Luna OP. Gold equivalent values were calculated using the formula: AuEq (g/t) = Au (g/t) + Ag (g/t) / (101.8) Mineral Resources for Blag UG, East Dome UG and La Luna OP are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,500 per ounce of gold, US$23 per ounce of silver. Mineral Resources for Riscos UG and Guapinol and Vancouver (OP and UG) are estimated using a long-term gold price of US$1,600 per ounce of gold. A minimum mining width of 2.4 m was used for underground and 3 m for open pit. Bulk density is 2.65 t/m3 for Blag, East Dome, and La Luna, between 2.30 t/m3 and2.71 t/m3 for Riscos, and between 2.05 t/m3 and 2.60 t/m3 for Guapinol and Vancouver.



Note 8 - B2Gold AIF 2010-2019 available on sedar.com and Calibre AIF 2019, available on sedar.com
MONTREAL, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Hall Group (Charter Hall or the Group) and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), one of Canada's largest pension investment managers, are pleased to announce that they have extended their 11-year relationship to acquire a development project under construction in Brisbane.

The property, located at 31 Duncan Street, within the fringe Central Business District (CBD) Fortitude Valley precinct, comprises a 25,000m2 office development and a major 464-bay public carpark, currently under construction by national contractor Hutchinson Builders. The vendor has secured 70% leasing pre-commitments and will provide a rent guarantee over the balance of the space, with subsequent secured lease terms determining the final cost of the investment to the Charter Hall partnership.

The vendor is a private partnership that purchased the public carpark several years ago, gained planning approval for a new office building constructed above the carpark and secured several pre-commitments to bring total pre-leasing to approximately 70% of forecast income on completion. The vendors include Brisbane property identities Andrew King and Tim Mahony. Committed tenants include Urban Utilities, CS Energy, Hutchinson Builders, RPS, CoreLogic and Secure Parking.

Due for completion in December 2022, the new office building will be multi-tenanted and is located within 200 metres of the Fortitude Valley train station and within convenient walking distance to nearby retail and hospitality amenities, and the CBD.

Project features

The building offers a range of sustainability features, including natural ventilation and operable windows, as well as efficient plant and equipment which support the building in achieving its target design ratings of NABERS Energy 5.0 star and NABERS Water 4.0 star at completion. The building will be powered by 100% grid supplied renewable electricity, supporting a shared commitment by the partnership in taking climate action and contributing to a global low-carbon economy.

"Large 2,000m2 floor plates, retail facilities and high-quality end-of-trip facilities combine to provide an excellent investment proposition," said David Harrison, Charter Hall Group Managing Director and CEO.

The Charter Hall and PSP Investments partnerships

Mr. Harrison noted that "Charter Hall and PSP Investments have partnered for over 10 years on various investments in Australia, including the following partnerships:

Charter Hall Office Trust (CHOT) - a national $3.75 billion prime office portfolio BSWF Partnership (BSWF) - a $1.3 billion prime office portfolio 242 Exhibition Street partnership - the $930 million Telstra global HQ located in Melbourne CBD Development and subsequent divestment of the $250 million BOQ anchored office building in Newstead Investment and subsequent divestment of an interest in the $200 million Bateau Bay shopping centre."

"We are pleased to extend our long-term relationship with Charter Hall and look forward to expanding our real estate investments in Australia," said Stephane Jalbert, Managing Director, Head of Asia-Pacific and Europe, Real Estate Investments, at PSP Investments.

"We have invested in the Australian real estate market for over 10 years and look forward to exploring further opportunities that respond to evolving needs in terms of building flexibility and sustainability, while also offering an attractive risk-adjusted return."

Practical completion of the development is scheduled for late 2022, whilst settlement of the acquisition will take place in February 2022, having secured Foreign Investment Review Board approval.

Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)

With over 30 years' experience in property investment and funds management, we're one of Australia's leading fully integrated property groups. We use our property expertise to access, deploy, manage and invest equity across our core sectors - Office, Industrial & Logistics, Retail and Social Infrastructure.

Operating with prudence, we've curated a diverse $61.3 billion portfolio of 1,506 high-quality properties. With partnership at the heart of our approach, we're creating places that help grow communities; turning them into the best they can be and unlocking hidden value. Taking a long-term view, our $9 billion development pipeline delivers sustainable, technologically enabled projects for our customers.

Charter Hall has also extended its Fund Management capability into another asset class with the 50% acquisition of the $18.2 billion listed equities Fund Manager Paradice Investment Management (PIM), which invests on behalf of wholesale and retail investors across domestic and global listed equities.

The impacts of what we do are far-reaching. From helping businesses succeed by supporting their evolving workplace needs, to providing investors with superior returns for a better retirement, we're powered by the drive to go further.

About PSP Investments

PSP Investments is one of Canada's largest pension investment managers with approximately C$204.5 billion of net assets as of March 31, 2021. It manages a diversified global portfolio of investments in public financial markets, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, natural resources and private debt. Established in 1999, PSP Investments manages net contributions to the pension funds of the federal Public Service, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force. Headquartered in Ottawa, PSP Investments has its principal business office in Montreal and offices in New York, London and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.investpsp.com or follow PSP Investments on Twitter and LinkedIn.??

For further Charter Hall enquiries, please contact David Harrison, Managing Director and Group CEO, Charter Hall, david.harrison@charterhall.com.au; For Charter Hall media enquiries, please contact Sarah Bamford, Communications and Media Manager, Charter Hall 0499 685 738, sarah.bamford@charterhall.com.au; For PSP Investments media enquiries, please contact PSP Investments, media@investpsp.ca
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 23, 2022 / Rockland Resources Ltd. (the "Company" or "Rockland") (CSE:RKL) is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated November 16, 2021, the Company has closed the non-brokered private placement. The Company issued 6,530,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,306,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share ("Share") and one half of one transferable common share purchase warrant of the Company ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the Subscriber to purchase one Warrant Share for a 24-month period after the Closing Date at an exercise price of $0.30 per share.

Proceeds raised will be used for advancing the Company's Cole Gold Mines property in Red Lake and the Elektra Lithium property in Sonora, Mexico as well as for general working capital.

Finders' fees of $30,520 cash and 152,600 finders' warrants were paid to arm's length parties.

Shares issued pursuant to the Financing will be subject to a four-month hold period according to applicable securities laws of Canada.

About Rockland Resources Ltd.

Rockland Resources is engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in Canada. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to conduct its exploration program on the properties. In addition to the Cole Gold Property, Rockland is exploring the Summit Old Timer Property that consists of three (3) mineral claims covering an area of 1,915 hectares located approximately 17 km southeast of the City of Nelson, within the Nelson Mining Division, British Columbia. The company also has the Stetham Uranium property in Ontario and the Elektra Lithium property in Sonora, Mexico.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Mike England

CEO, President and Director

For further information, please contact:

Mike England

Email: mike@engcom.ca

Neither the Canadian Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at WWW.SEDAR.COM).

SOURCE: Rockland Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/690169/Rockland-Resources-Closes-Private-Placement
All amounts are in US dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

Measured and indicated resources are quoted inclusive of proven and probable reserves for all sites and projects.

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) (TSX: IMG) ("IAMGOLD" or the "Company") announces its updated Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources ("MRMR") statement as of December 31, 2021 prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). A complete MRMR table (Table 6) including a detailed by-asset breakdown can be found at the end of this news release, with a summary of year over year changes as follows:

TABLE 1: ATTRIBUTABLE MRMR COMPARISON SUMMARY1

20203 2021 ^

Tonnes

(000s) Grade

(g/t) Contained Ounces

(000s) Tonnes

(000s) Grade

(g/t) Contained Ounces

(000s) Contained Ounces

(000s) % P&P reserves 406,755 1.1 13,937 364,831 1.1 12,392 -1,545 -11% M&I resources2 712,948 1.0 23,910 646,522 1.1 22,103 -1,807 -8% Inferred resources 314,479 1.1 11,268 310,533 1.1 11,085 -183 -2%

Footnotes from the Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources statement in Table 6: Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources of Gold Operations as of December 31, 2021 apply. M&I Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. 2020 Mineral Reserves estimated as of December 31, 2020, using a gold price of $1,200 per ounce for Essakane, Rosebel, Saramacca, Westwood, Cote Gold Project and the Boto Gold Project, and a gold price of $1,350 per ounce for the Grand Duc satellite pit at Westwood. Mineral Resources estimated as of December 31, 2020, using a gold price of $1,500 per ounce for the Cote Gold Project, Boto Gold Project, Diakha-Siribaya Gold Project, Pitangui Project, Gossey deposit, Monster Lake Project, Essakane, Rosebel, and Saramacca, and $1,200 per ounce using a 5.5 g/t Au cut-off over a minimum width of 2.4 metres for Westwood.

Mineral Reserves

TABLE 2: ATTRIBUTABLE RESERVES RECONCILIATION

Contained Ounces

(000s) % ^ Reserves (December 31, 2020) 13,937 - Revisions to economic parameters1 -782 -6% 2021 mine depletion -617 -4% Adjustments to ore stockpiles -42 < -1% Other adjustments (drilling, additions, etc.) -104 -1% Reserves (December 31, 2021)2 12,392 -11%

Primarily related to the Rosebel Gold Mine (refer to Company press release dated January 12, 2022). Figures may not add due to rounding.

Attributable proven and probable gold Mineral Reserves ("reserves") totaled 12.4 million ounces, a decrease of 1.5 million ounces or 11% relative to the prior year MRMR statement;

The decrease was primarily related to mine depletion at all operations (617,000 ounces) reflecting the Company's attributable gold production of 601,000 ounces in 2021, and a revised MRMR and life-of-mine plan at Rosebel ( refer to Company press release dated January 12, 2022 );

); Reserves grade of 1.1 grams per tonne gold ("g/t") remained largely unchanged on a consolidated basis;

Essakane and Rosebel, including Saramacca, used a $1,300 per ounce gold price assumption for estimating reserves, increasing from $1,200 per ounce gold price assumption in 2020;

Westwood and the Grand Duc satellite pit continued to use $1,200 and $1,350 per ounce gold price assumptions, respectively, consistent with the prior year; and

For Cote Gold and Boto Gold projects, the Company maintained its $1,200 per ounce gold price assumption for estimating mineral reserves.

TABLE 3: ATTRIBUTABLE RESERVES COMPARISON SUMMARY

Contained Ounces

(000s) Contained Ounces

^

2020 2021 (000s) % Rosebel (95%) 3,188 2,466 -722 -23% Saramacca (66.5%) 958 820 -138 -14% Essakane (90%) 3,014 2,355 -659 -22% Westwood (100%) 626 659 +33 +5% Cote Gold (64.75%) 4,716 4,658 -58 -1% Boto Gold (90%) 1,434 1,434 - - Reserves1 13,937 12,392 -1,545 -11%

Figures may not add due to rounding.

Mineral Resources

TABLE 4: ATTRIBUTABLE M&I RESOURCES COMPARISON SUMMARY

Contained Ounces

(000s) Contained Ounces

^

2020 2021 (000s) % Rosebel (95%) 7,508 4,551 -2,957 -39% Saramacca (66.5%) 1,113 1,008 -105 -9% Essakane (90%) 3,829 2,901 -928 -24% Westwood (100%) 1,624 1,639 +15 +1% Cote Gold (64.75%) 6,605 6,605 - - Boto Gold (90%) 1,830 1,830 - - Gosselin (64.75%) - 2,169 +2,169 +100% Gossey (90%) 262 262 - - Nelligan (75%) - - - - Monster Lake (100%) - - - - Pitangui (100%) 470 470 - - Diakha-Siribaya (90%) 669 669 - - Measured and indicated resources1 23,910 22,103 -1,807 -8%

Figures may not add due to rounding.

Attributable measured and indicated ("M&I") resources totaled 22.1 million ounces, a decrease of 1.8 million ounces or 8% relative to the prior year MRMR statement;

Attributable inferred resources totaled 11.1 million ounces, a decrease of 0.2 million ounces or 2% relative to the prior year MRMR statement;

Mineral resources decreased primarily as a result of the revised MRMR statement at the Rosebel ( refer to Company press release dated January 12, 2022 ), partially offset by the addition of the initial mineral resources at Gosselin ( refer to Company press release dated October 18, 2022 );

), partially offset by the addition of the initial mineral resources at Gosselin ( ); There was no change in the gold price assumption for estimating mineral resources at Essakane, Rosebel, development, and exploration properties ($1,500 per ounce of gold) or at Westwood ($1,200 per ounce of gold).

TABLE 5: ATTRIBUTABLE INFERRED RESOURCES COMPARISON SUMMARY

Contained Ounces

(000s) Contained Ounces

^

2020 2021 (000s) % Rosebel (95%) 1,678 432 -1,246 -74% Saramacca (66.5%) 172 155 -17 -10% Essakane (90%) 317 335 +18 +6% Westwood (100%) 1,809 1,764 -45 -2% Cote Gold (64.75%) 2,473 2,473 - - Boto Gold (90%) 422 422 - - Gosselin (64.75%) - 1,107 +1,107 +100% Gossey (90%) 77 77 - - Nelligan (75%) 2,396 2,396 - - Monster Lake (100%) 433 433 - - Pitangui (100%) 433 433 - - Diakha-Siribaya (90%) 1,058 1,058 - - Inferred resources1 11,268 11,085 -183 -2%

Figures may not add due to rounding

Attributable inferred resources remained relatively flat at 11.1 million ounces relative to the prior year MRMR statement with the primary decrease at Rosebel offset by the initial resource at Gosselin.

TABLE 6: MINERAL RESERVES AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF GOLD OPERATIONS

AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)

GOLD OPERATIONS Tonnes

(000s) Grade

(g/t Au) Ounces Contained

(000s) Attributable Contained Ounces (000s) Rosebel, Suriname(3)





(95%) Proven Mineral Reserves 10,828 0.6 219 208 Probable Mineral Reserves 75,974 1.0 2,377 2,258 Subtotal Rosebel 86,803 0.9 2,596 2,466 Saramacca, Suriname(3)





(66.5%) Proven Mineral Reserves 499 0.5 8 6 Probable Mineral Reserves 21,863 1.7 1,225 814 Subtotal Saramacca 22,361 1.7 1,233 820 Subtotal Rosebel (Consolidated) 109,164 1.1 3,829 3,286 Rosebel, Suriname(3)





(95%) Measured Mineral Resources 10,736 0.6 223 212 Indicated Mineral Resources 139,813 1.0 4,567 4,339 Inferred Mineral Resources 16,051 0.9 455 432 Saramacca, Suriname(3)





(66.5%) Measured Mineral Resource 499 0.5 8 6 Indicated Mineral Resources 22,667 2.1 1,507 1,002 Inferred Mineral Resources 5,966 1.2 233 155 Essakane, Burkina Faso(3)





(90%) Proven Mineral Reserves 32,930 0.5 503 453 Probable Mineral Reserves 62,532 1.1 2,114 1,902 Subtotal 95,462 0.9 2,617 2,355 Measured Mineral Resources 32,930 0.5 503 453 Indicated Mineral Resources 75,665 1.1 2,720 2,448 Inferred Mineral Resources 7,872 1.5 373 335 Westwood, Canada(4)





(100%) Proven Mineral Reserves 500 6.9 111 111 Probable Mineral Reserves 4,079 4.2 548 548 Subtotal 4,579 4.5 659 659 Measured Mineral Resources 1,039 11.3 377 377 Indicated Mineral Resources 6,568 6.0 1,262 1,262 Inferred Mineral Resources 5,970 9.2 1,764 1,764 Gossey, Burkina Faso(3)





(90%) Indicated Mineral Resources 10,454 0.9 291 262 Inferred Mineral Resources 2,939 0.9 85 77 Cote Gold, Canada(5)





(64.75%) Proven Mineral Reserves 130,522 1.0 4, 262 2,760 Probable Mineral Reserves 102,478 0.9 2,932 1,898 Subtotal 233,000 1.0 7,194 4,658 Measured Mineral Resources 152,100 1.0 4,720 3,056 Indicated Mineral Resources 213,400 0.8 5,480 3,548 Inferred Mineral Resources 189,600 0.6 3,820 2,473 Gosselin, Canada(3)





(64.75%) Indicated Mineral Resources 124,500 0.8 3,350 2,169 Inferred Mineral Resources 72,900 0.7 1,710 1,107 Boto Gold, Senegal(5)





(90%) Probable Mineral Reserves 29,040 1.7 1,593 1,434 Subtotal 29,040 1.7 1,593 1,434 Indicated Mineral Resources 40,567 1.6 2,033 1,830 Inferred Mineral Resources 8,196 1.8 469 422 Diakha-Siribaya, Mali(3)





(90%) Indicated Mineral Resources 18,031 1.3 744 669 Inferred Mineral Resources 23,179 1.6 1,176 1,058 Monster Lake, Canada(3)





(100%) Inferred Mineral Resources 1,110 12.1 433 433 Nelligan, Canada(3)





(75%) Inferred Mineral Resources 96,990 1.0 3,194 2,396 Pitangui, Brazil(3)





(100%) Indicated Mineral Resources 3,330 4.4 470 470 Inferred Mineral Resources 3,559 3.8 433 433 TOTAL







Proven Mineral Reserves & Probable Mineral Reserves 471,245 1.0 15,891 12,392 Measured Mineral Resources & Indicated Mineral Resources 852,300 1.0 28,255 22,103 Inferred Mineral Resources 434,332 1.0 14,144 11,085

In mining operations, Measured Mineral Resources and Indicated Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves are considered uneconomic at the price used for Mineral Reserve estimations but are deemed to have a reasonable prospect of economic extraction. Although "measured resources", "indicated resources" and "inferred resources" are categories of mineralization that are recognized and required to be disclosed under Canadian regulations, SEC Industry Guide 7 does not recognize them. Disclosure of contained ounces is permitted under Canadian regulations; however, SEC Industry Guide 7 generally permits resources to be reported only as in place tonnage and grade. See "Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Regarding Disclosure of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates". Mineral Reserves have been estimated using a $1,300/oz gold price and Mineral Resources using a $1,500/oz gold price at the following operations and projects: Rosebel, Saramacca, Essakane, Diakha-Siribaya, Monster Lake, Pitangui, Gossey, Nelligan, and Gosselin. Westwood Mineral Reserves have been estimated using a $1,200/oz gold price and Mineral Resources using a 5.5 g/t Au cut-off grade over a minimum width of 2.4 metres, using a $1,200/oz gold price. The Grand Duc Mineral Reserves and Resources estimates are included in the Westwood Mineral Reserves and Resources estimates, and have been estimated using a gold price of $1,350/oz for Mineral Reserves and a gold price of $1,500/oz for Mineral Resources. Cote Gold and Boto Gold Mineral Reserves have been estimated using a $1,200/oz gold price and Mineral Resources using a $1,500/oz gold price.

Technical Information and Quality Control Notes

The Company's mineral reserves are comprised of in-place material, i.e. material containing ounces of gold for which an assessment of key modifying factors such as mining, processing, metallurgical recovery, infrastructure, economic, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors are used to determine their economic viability.

There are numerous parameters inherent in estimating proven mineral reserves and probable mineral reserves, including many factors beyond the Company's control. The estimation of mineral reserves is a subjective process, and the accuracy of any mineral reserves estimate is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment. Results from drilling, testing and production, as well as material changes in metal prices subsequent to the date of an estimate, may justify a revision of such estimates.

Lisa Ragsdale, Director, Mining Geology, IAMGOLD Corporation is the "qualified person" for the purposes of NI 43-101 ("QP") with respect to the mineralization being reported on and is responsible for the review and approval of all mineral resources estimates for IAMGOLD. Guy Bourque, Director, Mining, IAMGOLD Corporation is the QP responsible for the review and approval of all mineral reserves estimates for IAMGOLD. The technical information in this news release has been included with the consent and prior review of Ms. Ragsdale and Mr. Bourque, as applicable. The QPs have verified the data disclosed and data underlying the information or opinions contained in this news release.

For each of the projects and properties it operates, the Company has established rigorous methods and procedures aimed at assuring reliable estimates of its mineral reserves and resources. For each mine and project, the relevant QPs verified the data incorporated, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information contained in this news release. Quality control falls under the responsibility of Ms. Ragsdale and Mr. Bourque.

In estimating mineral reserves, cut-off grades are established using the Company's long-term metal price and foreign exchange assumptions, the average metallurgical recovery rates and estimated production costs over the life of the related operation. As part of the annual mineral reserve estimation process, the cost models used for cut-off grade calculations are compared to prior studies or estimates and are updated appropriately based on actual operating performance and price projections for inputs. For an underground operation, a cut-off grade is calculated for each mining method, as production costs vary from one method to another. For a surface operation, production costs are determined for each block included in the block model of the relevant operation.

The nature of mining activities is such that the extraction of ore from a mine reduces mineral reserves. In order to renew mineral reserves (at least partially) on most of its producing properties, the Company carries out exploration drilling programs at depth and laterally.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained or incorporated by reference in this news release including, but not limited to, any statements or information with respect to the Company's mineral resources or mineral reserves, constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release, include, but are not limited to, those with respect to the Company's mineral resources or mineral reserves. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by, but not limited to, the use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "budget", "forecast", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "prospective", "significant", "potential", "significant potential", "substantial", "transformative", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the failure to accurately estimate mineral resources or mineral reserves, differences in the mineral content within the material identified as mineral resources or mineral reserves from that predicted, unexpected increases in all-in sustaining costs or other costs, unexpected increases in capital expenditures, operating expenditures and exploration expenditures, changes in development or mining plans due to changes in logistical, technical or other factors, the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, changes in world gold markets and other risks disclosed in IAMGOLD's most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which are incorporated by reference herein. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement. 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 by applicable law.

CAUTIONARY NOTE TO U.S. INVESTORS REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF MINERAL RESERVE AND MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES

The mineral resource and reserve estimates contained in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the "CIM Standards"). These standards are similar to those used by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") Industry Guide No. 7, as interpreted by the SEC staff. However, the definitions in NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards differ in certain respects from those under Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, mineral resource and reserve information contained in this news release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by United States companies. Under the SEC's Industry Guide 7, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made.

As a result of the adoption of amendments to the SEC's disclosure rules (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), which more closely align its disclosure requirements and policies for mining properties with current industry and global regulatory practices and standards, including NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards, and which became effective on February 25, 2019, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources." In addition, the SEC has amended definitions of "proven mineral reserves" and "probable mineral reserves" in its amended rules, with definitions that are substantially similar to those used in NI 43-101 and the CIM Standards. Issuers must begin to comply with the SEC Modernization Rules in their first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021, though Canadian issuers that report in the United States using the Multijurisdictional Disclosure System ("MJDS") may still use NI 43-101 rather than the SEC Modernization Rules when using the SEC's MJDS registration statement and annual report forms.

United States investors are cautioned that while the SEC now recognizes "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under the SEC Modernization Rules, investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into a higher category of mineral resources or into mineral reserves. These terms have a great amount of uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian regulations, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in limited circumstances.

Investors are cautioned not to assume that any "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources", or "inferred mineral resources" that the Company reports in this news release are or will be economically or legally mineable. Further, "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that any part or all of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category.

The mineral reserve and mineral resource data set out in this news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized.

About IAMGOLD

IAMGOLD is a mid-tier gold mining company operating in three regions globally: North America, South America and West Africa. Within these regions the Company is developing high potential mining districts that encompass operating mines and construction, development and exploration projects. The Company's operating mines include Essakane in Burkina Faso, Rosebel (including Saramacca) in Suriname and Westwood in Canada. A solid base of strategic assets is complemented by the Cote Gold construction project in Canada, the Boto Gold development project in Senegal, as well as greenfield and brownfield exploration projects in various countries located in the Americas and West Africa.

IAMGOLD employs approximately 5,000 people. IAMGOLD is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: IMG) and is one of the companies on the JSI index1.

1 Jantzi Social Index ("JSI"). The JSI is a socially screened market capitalization-weighted common stock index modeled on the S&P/TSX 60. It consists of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria.

IAMGOLD Contact Information

Graeme Jennings, Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: 416 360 4743 | Mobile: 416 388 6883

Philip Rabenok, Manager, Investor Relations

Tel: 416 933 5783 | Mobile: 647 967 9942

Toll-free: 1 888 464 9999

info@iamgold.com

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Feature: British designers eyeing "China in vogue" at London Fashion Week

Xinhua) 14:00, February 23, 2022

LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) --"Now the world is recognizing that we have some brilliant talent coming out of China," designer Daniel w. Fletcher told Xinhua at this year's London Fashion Week, which ran on Feb. 18-22 in a digital and physical format.

Like Fletcher, many British designers at this year's London Fashion Week said they were eager to explore collaborations with Chinese creatives in a bid to build more bridges between East and West and push for more diversity on the catwalk.

"It's amazing to see so many Chinese designers coming to the forefront now," Fletcher told Xinhua following his autumn/winter 2022 menswear runway presentation in an old townhouse in central London.

Fletcher, who established the London-based contemporary brand of the same name in 2015 after graduating from Central Saint Martins, said he is keen to explore more opportunities in the vast Chinese market.

"I really would like to go visit China. We've just started selling with Lane Crawford, and it's going very well," he emphasized.

Originally from the Northwest of England, Fletcher was nominated for the LVMH prize in 2017, received the Future British Award, and was named as one of Drapers 30 Under 30.

David Koma, a London-based fashion designer who has become synonymous with the ultra body-contouring silhouette, said he is currently exploring potential collaborations in China.

"We have been quite successful over there (in China) and have got a lot of attention in the last couple of years. I'm super happy to go back and discover more," Koma told Xinhua ahead of his show in an event space on the Greenwich Peninsula in Southeast London.

"There are a couple of interesting projects that are in discussion. Something interesting is coming soon," said the designer, who was born in Georgia, and studied in St. Petersburg.

He emphasized that more diversity on the catwalk is a must. "I want to represent the society that I want to live in, everyone together and no separation, and represent everyone on the runway, which is really important to me," he added.

The organizer of the London Fashion Week, the British Fashion Council, announced the launch of its Diversity &Inclusion Steering Committee in 2020, which it said was an essential part of its long-term plan to fight prejudice and galvanise the industry into action.

The committee aims to build a better and broader engagement and access for all under-represented groups, creating more opportunities and driving greater diversity throughout the sector, it said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
TIRANA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Albania has decided to reduce the quarantine period for positive COVID-19 patients in Albania from ten to five days, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu announced here on Wednesday.

"The Technical Committee of Experts has decided to reduce the isolation time for those affected by COVID-19 to five days, based on the instructions of the Public Health Institute," Manastirliu said via a Facebook post.

Another recommendation given by the Technical Committee of Experts was that the booster vaccine would be available five months after receiving the last dose of the vaccine, rather than six.

"Emphasizing the importance of boosting vaccination, increasing the vaccine coverage of the population and assessing the dynamics of the spread of new daily cases and the situation in hospitals, the experts of the Technical Committee of Experts will re-evaluate the anti-COVID measures," Manastirliu added.

Earlier this month, the minister announced that Albania may lift most pandemic-related restrictions in March.

Head of the National Emergency Service in Albania Skender Brataj, who is also a member of the Technical Committee of Experts, said that the relief of pandemic restrictions may include lifting the 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, which is in force since September 2021.

According to the Albanian epidemiologist Ilir Alimehmeti, measures against COVID-19 need to focus now on supporting hospitals and health workers rather than restricting people's activities.

In Albania, there are currently a total of 3,763 active COVID-19 cases, according to the latest report of the Health Ministry.

The country reached its peak of the pandemic in January 2022 when the number of active cases was about 24,000 cases.

On Tuesday, the ministry reported 279 new coronavirus cases and two COVID-19-related deaths, taking the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to 270,734 cases, with 263,518 recoveries and 3,453 fatalities. 
Simon Newstead and Michal Klar

Singapore / Hong Kong-based new venture capital firm dedicated entirely to alternative protein investments in Asia Pacific Better Bite Ventures has launched with a US $15m fund.

The fund is backed by leading impact investors, growth stage fund managers, family offices as well as food and tech entrepreneurs from Asia, the U.S. and Europe. It invests primarily at founding, pre-seed and seed stages.

Created by Michal Klar and Simon Newstead, two Asia Pacific based operators turned impact investors, Better Bite Ventures is an alternative protein fund dedicated to Asia Pacific startups. It invests in such tech areas as:

Plant-based, using plant ingredients to mimic the taste and texture of animal products

Cell-based, producing real animal products by cultivating animal cells directly in a bioreactor, also known as cell cultivated or cultured

Precision fermentation, engineering specific microorganisms to produce real animal compounds

Biomass fermentation, using high growth, naturally occurring microorganisms as direct source of proteins

Molecular farming, engineering plants to natively produce animal compounds, acting as a self-contained mini bioreactor

Cellular agriculture, an umbrella term for biotech approaches to alternative protein, covering cell-based, precision fermentation and molecular farming

The launch portfolio includes emerging leaders in plant-based, cell-based, precision & biomass fermentation and molecular farming from food-tech hotspots China, Singapore, Indonesia and Australia: These include:

Blue Canopy, a China-based developer of mass-market alt protein ingredients using biomass fermentation, co-founded by Chenfeng Lu and Juchuan Zhou

CellX, a Chinese cultivated meat startup, co-founded by Ziliang Yang, Ning Xiang, Binlu Huang and Ran Liu

Change Foods, founded in Australia and reinventing cheese with precision fermentation technology, co-founded by David Bucca and Prof. Junior Teo

Fable Food Co, transforming mushrooms into meat, co-founded by Michael Fox and Jim Fuller, headquartered in Australia

Green Rebel Foods, South East Asias leading plant-based meat and dairy startup, co-founded by Helga Angelina and Max Mandias in Indonesia

Me&, addressing a large human milk and infant nutrition market with cell-based technology, co-founded by Esha Saxena and Luis Malaver-Ortega in Australia

Meatiply, developing cultivated poultry out of Singapore, co-founded by Elwin Tan, Jason Chua, Benjamin Chua and Prof. Teh Bin Tean

Next Gen Foods, makers of TiNDLE plant-based chicken, co-founded by Timo Recker and Andre Menezes, based out of Singapore

Umami Meats, addressing sustainability issues of seafood by developing cell-cultured fish, founded by Mihir Pershad in Singapore, and

a stealth molecular farming startup

The team also includes venture partner Sonalie Figueiras, founder of Green Queen Media, an impact media platform and SourceGreenPackaging, a global marketplace for sustainable packaging.

FinSMEs

23/02/2022
Rios Intelligent Machines, a Menlo Park, CA-based provider of end-to-end AI-powered robotic workcells for factory automation, raised $28M in Series A equity funding and debt financing.

The round was led by Main Sequence with participation from Yamaha Motor Ventures, Orbit Venture Partners, Hypertherm Ventures, Valley Capital Partners, Morpheus Ventures, and Grit Ventures. Main Sequence Partner Mike Zimmerman is joining RIOS board of directors, and Yamaha Motor Ventures COO & Managing Director Anish Patel has joined as a board observer.

The company intends to use the funds to deploy its robotic fleet at scale to both new and existing customers.

Led by Dr. Bernard Casse, CEO, Rios is helping enterprises automate their entire factories, warehouses, or supply chain operations  by deploying AI-powered end-to-end robotic workcells that integrate within existing workflows. Its robotic workcells are currently deployed in the United States in the manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, and food & beverage sectors. The company currently offers its robotic workforce through a factory automation-as-a-service agreement, in which customers have no upfront capital commitments. The company has signed agreements with over a dozen customers in the U.S. and Japan, from mid-size businesses to large enterprises. u

The company is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA, and has a distributed workforce across the US and a subsidiary in Australia.

FinSMEs

23/02/2022
We all know venture capital funding is a form of funding offered to startup companies and smaller brands with long-term growth potential.

Venture capital is delivered from financial institutions and investors, and comes in the form of money and various other valuable tools, like expertise and capabilities. On its own, it is an excellent tool for a tech startup or small company with hihh growth potential looking for initial funding to get them started on their path. However, depending on the number of investors a founder can find, they also need to access additional forms of supplemental cash to get the business up and running. Here are some ways to supplement venture capital funding.

Try Peer to Peer Funding

Finally, if youre not sure where else to look for funding, you can always consider peer-to-peer opportunities. Peer to peer funding platforms like GoFundMe and Kickstarter have grown increasingly popular in recent years. If you have something exciting to offer your customers, you can raise money by asking your followers to get involved and pledge their cash. The biggest challenge with this kind of funding solution is youll need to make your product or service stand out from a host of other opportunities provided by other market innovators. As these platforms become increasingly cluttered, it can be difficult to stand out. With various options available for modern brands, theres no shortage of ways to find capital.

Consider Loans?

Loans are one of the most common tools available today for financing all kinds of businesses, no tech startups anyways.

You can access a wide range of different loan options today, including business loans specifically intended to help you bring your start up to life. Unfortunately, business loans can be somewhat difficult to access for beginners in the business world because its hard to prove you can afford to pay back what you owe.

But there are ways to improve your business loan eligibility that you can implement. Make sure you look at all of your options for loans and capitals extensively, so you can apply for the loans youre most likely to be approved with. Just like personal loans, the more loans you unsuccessfully apply for, the more likely other lenders are to avoid you in the future.

Look into Life Settlements

A life settlement is a form of personal funding you can use for your business or startup. Essentially, it works by allowing you to sell an existing life insurance policy, so you can access some much-needed cash. This can be ideal for anyone who holds a life insurance policy who wants to take advantage of the money theyve already collected there. Because life insurance settlements are still relatively new concepts in the insurance landscape, however, you might find you need a little extra help to ensure you navigate the process correctly. Seeing out the right life settlement company to give you all the right information is crucial to your success. The more information you have, the more confident youll be about leveraging settlements.
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ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Dagmawit Moges has called on African countries to intensify the construction of standard gauge rail lines towards the success of continental free trade aspiration.

The Ethiopian transport and logistics minister, addressing a high-level railway infrastructure-themed seminar, said the Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, Africa's first fully electrified trans-boundary railway, could be seen as a role model to Africa's aspiration of augmenting railway connectivity.

"One of the reasons Africa has lagged in development is because it's not connected. The African Union in its Agenda 2063 has identified potential corridors across North to South and West to East of the continent and planned to connect some of them via standard gauge railway lines," the Ethiopian minister said addressing the seminar on Monday.

"The objectives of the new African Continental Free Trade Area will not be achieved without the provision of reliable, inter-regional transport and logistics network," she added.

Noting that Ethiopia as a land-locked country accesses the international maritime trade through the seaports of neighboring countries, Moges emphasized that the historical Ethiopia-Djibouti trade corridor is the main gateway of Ethiopia with almost 90 percent of import and export passing through it.

"At this point in time we are harvesting the fruits of our four years of commercial operation of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway line," she added.

Moges said the Chinese-built 752-km transnational railway mutually benefited the two countries in promoting regional, economic and social integration while at the same time facilitating trade and industrial development and fostering employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for citizens of the two Horn of Africa countries.

She said in addition to improving the efficiency of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti standard gauge railway line, the East African country has planned envisioned to further boost its rail-connectivity over the coming years.

According to Moges, Ethiopia's 10-year perspective plan envisaged to expand the size of national railway network to 4,000-km by building additional cross-country railway lines to connect Africa's second-populous nation to alternative seaports.

"The implementation of this plan will tremendously boost the trade logistics of the country and the Horn of Africa as a region," she said.

According to a recent estimate by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Africa's rail network is inadequate, but implementing the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and other planned projects will significantly increase its size, in which implementing planned projects will increase the network by almost 26,500 km.

The study conducted by experts in the Energy, Infrastructure and Services Section of UNECA to unpack AfCFTA investment opportunity in the transport sector estimated that AfCFTA requires 97,614 wagons for bulk cargo and 20,668 wagons for container cargo by 2030.

The Addis Ababa-Djibouti electrified railway, also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, was contracted by China Rail Engineering Corporation and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation. 
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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.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday announced the appointment of Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana as his special envoy for the Horn of Africa.

She succeeds Parfait Onanga-Anyanga of Gabon to whom the secretary-general reiterates his deep gratitude and appreciation for his dedicated service.

Tetteh brings to this position decades of experience at the national, regional and international levels, including well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders, which will allow her to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and countries in the Horn of Africa, as well as with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, in the area of peace and security, according to a press note issued by the secretary-general's office.

She served since 2019 as the special representative of the secretary-general to the African Union and head of the United Nations Office to the African Union. Prior to that, she served as director-general of the United Nations Office at Nairobi.

She also served in the cabinet of the government of Ghana as Minister for Foreign Affairs during which time she was also a member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council (2013-2017). She was Minister for Trade and Industry (2009-2013). From 2014 to 2015, she was the chairperson of the Council of Ministers as well as chairperson of the Mediation & Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States. During her term as Minister for Trade and Industry, she was a member of the government's economic management team, the board of the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission as well as the chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board. In 2009, she served as spokesperson for President John Evans Atta Mills' Administration transition team. 
Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below.
KINSHASA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the signatory countries of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF) agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Africa's Great Lakes region met Tuesday in Kinshasa, DRC's capital, in preparation of the upcoming high-level meeting on the implementation of the agreement.

The meeting was chaired by Didier Mazenga, DRC's minister of Regional Integration and Francophone, with the goal to prepare for the 10th high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of PSCF agreement, which will be held Wednesday, in the Congolese capital.

During Wednesday's meeting, leaders of Africa's Great Lakes region will assess progress and challenges in the implementation of the PSCF agreement.

The PSCF agreement was signed on Feb. 24, 2013, by 11 African countries with firm commitments at national, regional and international levels to address the root causes of instability in the DRC and the region which had suffered the most from the scourge of conflicts in Africa.

In early 2014, Kenya and Sudan became the 12th and 13th signatories of the framework agreement, respectively. The Regional Oversight Mechanism is the body responsible for monitoring progress in the implementation of the agreement.

"I welcome the strong participation of the high-level delegations of the 13 signatory countries of the Framework Agreement and the guarantor institutions," said Xia Huang, the special envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region of Africa on social media.

The high-level meeting will also be attended by UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, replacing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who canceled his scheduled visit to the DRC Monday.

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces, due to the volatile security situation. 
Gainesville, TX (76240)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 64F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch.
This years Oregon Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Ceremony will add three fallen officers names to the memorial wall, including local Oregon State Police trooper John Burright.

The event, scheduled for 1 p.m. May 3 and hosted by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, will honor law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the citizens of Oregon.

The states memorial wall honors more than 180 fallen Oregon officers who have died in the line of duty since the 1860s.

Burrights name will be added to the memorial alongside S. Allen Burdic of the Douglas County Sheriffs Office and Carl Frazier of the Lane County Sheriffs Office.

Burright was born in Corvallis. He attended Oregon State University and later started work as a reserve deputy with the Benton County Sheriffs Office in 1983. He was hired as an OSP trooper and stationed in Roseburg next. Then, he relocated to Albany and finally to Salem where he was an OSP sergeant.

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.

He died May 4, 2021 at the Mennonite Home in Albany after an almost 20-year long battle with disabling injuries he sustained following an on-duty accident in 2001 when he was hit by a vehicle on Interstate 5.

Burrights memorial service was held in Salem on Aug. 25, 2021 and was attended by hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the state and country.

On Feb. 9, 2022, the Oregon House of Representatives voted to adopt a bill that honors Burright and his service to the state.

Due to health and safety restrictions, the ceremony will be closed to the public, according to a news release from Department of Public Safety Standards and Training. Event partners include the Oregon Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Oregon Concerns of Police Survivors, Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation and other statewide law enforcement associations.

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Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Thielman announced his resignation as superintendent of the Alsea School District on Tuesday night, Feb. 22, at an emergency meeting of the school board.

The superintendent made waves in January when he announced that at his direction, the school board had passed a resolution to return "local control" to the board and make indoor masking optional.

I cant stand by any longer and be distracted with political jockeying by those who live their lives in fear and try to force obedience via threat and harm to my standing and the good reputation of the Alsea School District and Board, Thielman told school board members, reading from his letter of resignation.

The resignation comes a week after three formal complaints were filed against him, alleging a hostile work environment, illegal firing practices and disregard for any viewpoint that is not his own.

The emergency meeting was scheduled so the board could hire a third-party investigator to look into the complaints, which they voted to do before Thielman announced his resignation.

He referenced the complaints, calling them "deeply personal, hurtful and unsubstantiated allegations" against him, the school board and many members of the district staff and community. He added he would cooperate with any investigation, which he believes will exonerate him.

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.

During the meeting, the board entered three separate executive sessions. After the third closed session reopened into open session, Thielman read his written resignation statement to the board, approximately 15 community members who attended the meeting in person and several more over Zoom.

There was no indication who would serve as interim-superintendent until a permanent replacement can be hired by the district.

Thielman said he will continue to focus on his run for Oregon governor.

I now realize that to affect the greatest good I must endeavor to elevate myself out of a broken system in order to overcome it by stepping up to a much higher and even more difficult challenge, he said.

Make no mistake, I am going to continue to fight, but not in the weeds with the snakes: I aim to fight for you  all of us  as the head of the Department of Education as your next governor.

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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UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday announced the appointment of Parfait Onanga-Anyanga of Gabon as his special representative to the African Union and head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU).

He will succeed Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana to whom the secretary-general expresses his deep gratitude and appreciation for her dedicated service.

Onanga-Anyanga brings over 25 years of progressively responsible experience at the national, regional and international levels with extensive experience with the United Nations, both in conflict-affected areas and at headquarters. He brings to the position well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders and his knowledge of the organization to strengthen the partnership between the UN and the AU in the area of peace and security, according to a press note issued by the secretary-general's office.

He served since 2019 as the special envoy of the UN secretary-general for the Horn of Africa. Prior to that, he served as special representative of the secretary-general and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

In his previous capacities, he was the coordinator of United Nations Headquarters Response to the Boko Haram crisis as well as special representative of the secretary-general for Burundi and head of the United Nations Office in Burundi.

Previously, he served as the chef de cabinet to the president of the 59th session of the General Assembly and as special adviser to the president of the 60th and 61st sessions of the General Assembly. 
Nothing like a couple of whets after a hard day's mahi!

Friday, we spoke to Patrick Gower before he took on a massive bikeride around taranaki with Conrad Smith, raising money for So They Can, a charity that provides school supplies for children in Kenya.

Starting in Oakura Beach, the boys were planning on riding 130kms to Whangamomona.

Lee talked up a big game saying he'd have a couple jugs of beer paid for and waiting for them at the finish line and, would you believe it, he followed through.

Watch the full vid below.
Gettysburg, PA (17325)

Today

Showers in the morning with some clearing in the afternoon. High 76F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 54F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Cloudy with light rain early. High 51F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The three white men convicted of murdering African American Ahmaud Arbery were found guilty of hate crimes by a federal jury in the southeastern U.S. state of Georgia on Tuesday.

The jury found father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of all the federal charges they individually faced, including hate crimes, attempted kidnapping and the use of a firearm to commit a crime.

The McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery, a 25-year-old African American man who was jogging on the public streets of a Brunswick neighborhood in Georgia, in trucks on Feb. 23, 2020.

The three men cornered Arbery and Travis McMichael fatally shot him with a shotgun.

Arbery was running with his hands empty and in plain view while never did he speak a word to his killers, nor make any threatening sound or gesture, according to court documents.

All three men were previously convicted of murder in a Georgia state court and sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting.

"We as a family will never get victory because Ahmaud is gone forever," Ahmaud Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said outside the federal courthouse in Brunswick.

"No one should fear that if they go out for a run, they will be targeted and killed because of the color of their skin," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The state of Georgia declared Feb. 23 Ahmaud Arbery Day to mark the gravity of his death and the subsequent criminal and federal cases. 
NEW YORK, Feb. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Big Idea Ventures , the global leader in early-stage alternative protein and food technology has appointed Frank Klemens, PhD as the Managing Director for its Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) fund. Dr. Klemens previously served as Managing Director of DuPont Ventures where he oversaw all aspects of sourcing, analyzing, executing strategic equity investments, and licensing for DuPonts businesses. Focus areas included biotech, food ingredients, food safety, nutrition, electronics, IoT, machine learning, and advanced materials. Dr. Klemens generated collaborative technology investment and licensing options to create new business opportunities. Dr. Klemens holds a B.S., M.S. in Chemistry and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from Purdue University.

I am thrilled to be part of the BIV team. My entire career has been spent in the technology industry where I actively licensed and invested in technology universities and companies, respectively, said Dr. Klemens. I look forward to continuing the partnerships between universities, startups and our GFRP fund to provide best of class growth solutions to rural communities in the food and agriculture areas.

As the GFRP Managing Director, Dr. Klemens will supervise the funds team of experts to evaluate intellectual property developed at collaborating universities with the strongest commercialization potential. The GFRP fund will invest in new companies formed around the groundbreaking research. These new companies will be headquartered in rural communities near the collaborating universities, creating living wage jobs and driving economic growth and development.

Big Idea Ventures is proud to welcome Frank to the team and we are honored that he has chosen BIV for the next chapter of his career, said Tom Mastrobuoni, Chief Investment Officer. Frank brings a wealth of specific experience that will help drive the growth and success of the GFRP fund.

The Big Idea Ventures GFRP fund is focused on bringing together world class research from top universities with business leaders and corporate partners to create the next generation of food companies, added Andrew D. Ive, founder and managing general partner of Big Idea Ventures. Franks experience solidifies our ability to deliver a peerless fund positively impacting the entire food industry. Were glad to have him and his demonstrated leadership and experience onboard.

About Big Idea Ventures



Big Idea Ventures (BIV) is solving the world's greatest challenges by supporting the worlds best entrepreneurs. Big Idea Ventures develops the most globally strategic funds, delivering significant investor returns while addressing real world challenges. BIV focused on alternative protein with its first New Protein Fund and then the commercialization of university intellectual property with its Generation Food Rural Partners fund. www.bigideaventures.com
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Soybean prices are challenged with supply risks, a recent report from IndexBox shows. According to World Bank and USDA data, the average annual soybean price (U.S Gulf Yellow Soybean #2, CIF Rotterdam) amounted to $583 per tonne in 2021, increasing by 43% compared to the previous years figure. Despite World Bank predicting the price to pick up 1% y/y to $588 per tonne this year, lower stocks due to poor weather in Brazil, Argentina and other countries may drive price growth.



Global soybean production is expected to reduce slightly by 0.6% y/y to 364M tonnes in 2022 due to lower outputs in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, China, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa. Anticipated production increases in the U.S., the EU, Uruguay, India, Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico will not fully offset the drops in other countries.

Despite the harvested area in Brazil, the leading soybean producing country, expanded by 4% over the last year, drought reduced yields sharply. Brazils soybean production is expected to fall by 3% y/y to 134M tonnes.

Global Soybean Exports

In 2020, global soya bean exports rose significantly to 173M tonnes, picking up by 11% against 2019. In value terms, supplies soared to $64.1B.

Brazil (83M tonnes) and the U.S. (65M tonnes) dominate the soya bean exports structure, together making up 85% of total exports. Paraguay (6.6M tonnes), Argentina (6.4M tonnes), and Canada (4.4M tonnes) followed a long way behind the leaders.

In value terms, the largest soya bean supplying countries worldwide were Brazil ($28.6B), the U.S. ($25.9B) and Argentina ($2.2B), with a combined 88% share of global exports.

In terms of the main exporting countries, the U.S. (+38% y/y) recorded the highest growth rate concerning the value of exports in 2020, while shipments for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

About IndexBox

IndexBox is a market research firm developing an AI-driven market intelligence platform that helps business analysts find actionable insights and make data-driven decisions. The platform provides data on consumption, production, trade, and prices for more than 10K+ different products across 200 countries.

For more information, please visit

Website https://www.indexbox.io

Twitter https://twitter.com/indexbox

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/IndexBox

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/indexbox-marketing/

Companies Mentioned in the Report

Viterra, Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus Company, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Dupont, Sodrugestvo, Kerry Group, Now Foods, Burcon Nutrascience Corporation, Sotexpro SA, Farbest Brands, Wilmar International, CHS Inc., SLC Group, Olam International, Rusagro, Yug Rusi, Anderson Exports, Grain Millers, Mtk Ltd, Aciassystem, Br Global Import Export Corp.

Sources

World - Soya Beans - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Soybean Oil - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Crude Soybean Oil - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Refined Soybean Oil And Its Fractions - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Soybean Oilcake - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights
HOUSTON, Feb. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MRC Global Inc. (NYSE: MRC) announced today that Aker Solutions AS has awarded MRC Global Norway AS contracts to provide the complete scope of valves, instrumentation, piping, tubing and fittings for the Sunrise Wind offshore wind power project located east of Long Islands Montauk Point in New York state.

The Sunrise Wind project will be the largest offshore wind farm by power generation capacity in the state of New York. Located over 30 miles offshore east of Long Islands Montauk Point, the 924 MW project will be sufficient to power nearly 600,000 homes and supply 100% renewable energy to help realize New Yorks vision of becoming a leader in clean energy. The Sunrise Wind project is a joint venture between rsted and Eversource.

Aker Solutions is responsible for the offshore converter platform, consisting of a steel jacket substructure and a topside platform deck housing the electrical equipment. MRC Global is supplying (among other products) approximately 1,000 check, control, relief and other valves to the project as well as over 20,600 feet of piping and tubing. These products will be used in sea water cooling systems for high voltage equipment in the project, the diesel fuel system used to power certain parts of the wind farm platform and firefighting systems.

Rob Saltiel, President & CEO of MRC Global, commented, We are proud to be selected by Aker Solutions as a trusted supply chain provider on the Sunrise Wind power project. This award of critical equipment supply reflects our companys strong technical capabilities and supply chain expertise to support offshore wind energy development. We are well-positioned to support a wide variety of energy transition projects and are committed to a sustainable energy future.

Sunrise Wind is expected to be fully operational in 2025 and will be an important contributor to achieving a carbon-free energy grid.

About MRC Global Inc.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, MRC Global (NYSE: MRC) is the leading global distributor of pipe, valves, fittings (PVF) and other infrastructure products and services to diversified energy and industrial end-markets including the gas utilities, downstream, industrial and energy transition, upstream production, and midstream pipeline sectors. With over 100 years of experience, MRC Global has provided customers with innovative supply chain solutions, technical product expertise and a robust digital platform from a worldwide network of 220 locations including valve and engineering centers. The companys unmatched quality assurance program offers 300,000 SKUs from 10,000 suppliers, simplifying the supply chain for over 10,000 customers. Find out more at www.mrcglobal.com

Contact:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2022  Frickenschmidt Foods LLC, a Lockwood, Mo. establishment, is recalling approximately 5,795 pounds of ready-to-eat beef stick products due to misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains and declares wheat as an ingredient but has an incorrect statement of gluten free on the label.







The ready-to-eat teriyaki beef stick items were packaged on Nov. 30, 2021, Dec. 1, 2021, and Jan. 28, 2021. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:







1.5 oz. individually sealed packages of HIGH PROTEIN SNACK TERIYAKI BEEF WICKED CUTZ BEEF STICK with lot code 113022, 120122, or 012823 printed in blue ink on the back of the product package.



The products subject to recall bears establishment number M33928, which is printed in blue ink on the back of the product package. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and sold through online sales.







The problem was discovered when the distribution company notified the establishment that the product is labeled as gluten free but lists wheat in the ingredients statement.







There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.







FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers pantries. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.







FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.







Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Steven Ogden, Production Manager, Frickenschmidt Foods LLC, at 417-232-4401 or steven@frickenschmidtfoods.com.







Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.




OTTAWA, Feb. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In celebration of todays Canadas Agricultural Day, the Canada Organic Trade Association released their State of Organics: Federal-Provincial-Territorial Performance Report for 2021. A 63-page digital report that analyzes and tracks the existing regulations, policies, and programming within the federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments for organic sector. This report offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of organic by region covering crop insurance, staffing, funding, market support, and more.

This report delves deep into the details of what has been successful for organic growth and what areas need strengthening to have a harmonized approach to organic for Canada, states Tia Loftsgard, executive director of the Canada Organic Trade Association. The key recommendations outlined in this report provide guidance for the Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to enact changes that will substantially assist organic producers and businesses to farm sustainably.

Key highlights

Canadas organic standards have always required sustainable agricultural systems, tackling climate change, and promoting environmental protection.

There has been little progress made on all the recommendations from prior reports aside from British Columbia and Alberta launching organic provincial regulations in their respective provinces.

Canadian agricultural priorities, as outlined in the Guelph Statement, are converging with many elements that organic production systems are built upon. Organic perfectly aligns with the Governments goals of climate change and environmental protection, resiliency, and meeting consumer demand.

Canadas organic standards have always required agricultural systems that are sustainable, tackling climate change and promoting environmental protection.

Creating a Canada Organic Program (similar to the USDAs National Organic Program) should be led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other departments that assist and supports new and existing organic farmers and businesses.



This all-inclusive and collaborative report demonstrates the need for an overall strategy and vision for organic in Canada with robust and tailored programming to meet the unique needs of organic producers.

For any questions about the report, a comment on some highlights, or an introduction to organic experts included in this report, contact Camilla Patten, Marketing and Communications Manager, Canada Organic Trade Association, 613-482-1717, Ext. 203, marketing@canada-organic.ca






ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Priscilla Chigumba yesterday went ballistic during a Multi-Party Liaison Committee (MPLC) meeting in Harare after she was grilled over anomalies in the voters roll.

Pressure group Team Pachedu have unearthed a number of discrepancies after analysing the voters roll, including changes to 156 polling stations, movement of 177 000 voters and registration of voters with unknown or unnamed residential addresses.

The exposure comes after the electoral management body released differing statistics on the number of deceased people it removed from the voters roll and the number of new voter registrants in 2021.

Critics have raised concerns of vote rigging, and argued that the discrepancies could undermine the credibility of the March 26 by-elections and 2023 polls.

Zec has since disowned the voters roll it released, claiming it had been tampered with.

But opposition parties were not convinced and at the MPLC meeting, demanded that Chigumba provides answers.

Chairperson, we have issues and I was delighted to note that you have brought several people to deal with queries around the voters roll. We have issues with the voters roll, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) member Jacob Mafume tried to ask a question before Chigumba exploded and interjected him.

Chigumba said: Can I just, with respect, interrupt you there? Are you aware that our administrative process at Zec is that if you have queries, no matter how big or small, your remedy is to write to the office of the chief elections officer (CEO)? Put your queries in writing and you will be guaranteed that the CEO, who is operational, will respond in seven days.

Chigumba said the MPLC members had no authority to ask her questions about the voters roll.

The MPLC, as mandated by section 160B of the Electoral Act, is operationalised by Zec with its aim and functions being to mediate and resolve disputes arising from the electoral process.

There is no need for you to be articulating your queries to me on this forum if you havent put your queries in writing to the CEO. If you havent written to the CEO, I dont want to hear about it in this forum, Chigumba charged.

You can talk about the other issues. Follow the Zec laid-down procedures because if you dont follow these procedures and you abuse this forum to give mileage to whatever it is that you want to say is unacceptable.

Chigumba said Zec would only respond to questions on the voters roll in Parliament.

We have seen a lot of queries about the voters roll on social media and the blanket response is we will respond to those issues to Parliament, which is the forum that we account to, not in this forum. So could we skip the voters roll issues? she said.

They have already been brought to our attention and we will respond in due course. Other issues, not voters roll issues. I am not giving mileage to attention by social media. We are still waiting for formal notification or formal request to respond. Write to us, come and sit down face-to-face with us. Do not hide on social media, where you slander us.

Chigumba accused opposition parties of grandstanding after Mafume raised a question on the uneven electoral playing field, where the police has been accused of disrupting opposition activities including door-to-door campaigns.

When you are unhappy with any electoral malpractice or alleged malpractice, you already know that lawyers have sued the police. Lets not use this platform for grandstanding, she thundered.

Meanwhile, Chigumba claimed that the country has the best electoral resolution mechanisms which are being undermined by the toxic political environment.

While Zimbabwe has one of the best electoral dispute resolution mechanisms on paper, again in my very considered view, the polarised political environment often clouds the good that has been achieved to date, she said. Newsday
NEW ORLEANS, LA, Feb. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Friday, February 18, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for Americas 32.5 million small businesses in President Bidens Cabinet, visited the New Orleans, LA metro area to uplift and highlight Black health and wellness during Black History Month.

Louisiana small business owners and entrepreneurs have shown incredible resilience throughout natural disasters and the pandemic, tapping into the vital resources provided by President Bidens American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief and disaster programs. Their tenacity has helped deliver the strongest economic growth America has seen in 40 years, said Administrator Guzman. With the future growth opportunities ahead, including those realized through President Bidens Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), this visit was important to hear from local small business owners and civic leaders about the ways SBA can lead to help them be successful. Without question, the SBA and its partners are committed to addressing capital and opportunity gaps to ensure all of our great Louisiana businesses, including the incredible black-owned businesses I met, can continue to help us drive our economic recovery. New Orleans is a rich cultural economy, and it was my great honor to visit on the cusp of Mardi Gras to celebrate Black History Month and ensure my team and I have the insights to continue to do all we can to help them seize the opportunities ahead.

Administrator Guzman kicked off her trip by joining U.S. Rep. Troy Carter and met with Black and local leaders during a roundtable hosted by the Congressman. They discussed new federal contracting changes that will help underserved and small disadvantaged businesses compete for contract opportunities presented by President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other avenues. SBA resource partners, Community Navigators, and others also shared information on resources and opportunities for small business owners to increase their financial wellness at the event.

It is an honor to have Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman here in New Orleans to hear from the community and to focus on Black-owned businesses in honor of Black History Month, said Congressman Troy Carter. We have a shared goal of helping expand the reach of the Small Business Administration as well as seeking to continually improve its systems so it can serve more people more effectively. Having Administrator Guzman here in the Second Congressional District displays her commitment to the people of Louisiana, a strong partnership between our offices, and a promise of future collaboration.

Following the roundtable discussion, Administrator Guzman visited Cafe Reconcile, an eating establishment in New Orleans, LA, and met with owner and hospitality development manager Brandy Trepagnier and Executive Director Gerald Duhon. Trepagniers business received assistance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to create its business plan before opening and braved the worst of the pandemic with funding from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). They used the assistance to cover payroll and administrative expenses.

Administrator Guzman also visited Dooky Chases Restaurant co-owner Stella Chase Reese. The restaurant is on the Louisiana register of historic places and has served former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. The restaurant received funding through the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, President Bidens American Rescue Plan, and the Paycheck Protection Program and used it to maintain payroll and administrative expenses during the height of the pandemic. Reese told Administrator Guzman that the funds helped to keep things going  without that help, we wouldnt have kept things going!

Administrator Guzman also met with Barry Kern, owner, President, and CEO of Mardi Gras World. The business benefitted from multiple SBA programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program, using funds to maintain payroll. Administrator Guzman ended her trip by visiting Vance Vaucresson, the third-generation owner of Vaucressons Sausage Company, established in 1899, which has its roots in an earlier first-of-its-kind black-owned enterprise in New Orleans during the Reconstruction era.

This visit marks the Administrators first official visit to the New Orleans area. In her first year in office, Administrator Guzman has visited 25 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, and over 40 cities.

Photos from the trip are available below.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Attachments
NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Clariant AG (Clariant or the Company) (OTCMKTS: CLZNY). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Clariant and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 14, 2022, Clariant disclosed that it will delay issuing Q4 2021 and full year 2021 financial results due an ongoing internal investigation into potential accounting fraud. Specifically, Clariant is investigating internal whistleblower complaints that the company has known about since September 2021, pertaining to booking issues aimed at boosting results to meet targets.

On this news, Clariants American Depositary Receipt (ADR) price fell $3.11 per ADR, or 14.55%, to close at $18.26 per ADR on February 14, 2022.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com
Wilton, United States , Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The companys recently relaunched website is tailored as an educational guide to building brand equity for local businesses, real estate companies, insurance agents, and health care facilities looking to attract new customers through SEO publicity. The agency demonstrates that brands can get established as experts in their niche with the right content and search engine optimization, making them the go-to source when consumers are looking for information about their products and services.

To learn more about Branding and Publicity SEO with content marketing, please visit https://www.nichequest.com

The latest announcement addresses the Niche Quest formula for building a trusted brand with multi-channel customer online visibility. Small to mid-sized businesses can now promote their products and services to dominate their market with access to the same channels as large corporations, celebrities, and politicians at an affordable price.

Customers are saturated with advertisements and tune them out without even realizing it. That is why so many businesses are turning to content marketing  a recent survey showed that 70% of consumers trust local brands that regularly produce custom content. According to information on the Niche Quest website, most consumers favor content over ads.

Building brand equity with content marketing and SEO publicity can take many forms, including news articles, videos, blogs, and podcasts that can help to establish brand identity. According to Ed Winslow, founder of Niche Quest, Branding and Publicity SEO creates trust, belief and consistent word of mouth sales. One of our clients, a multi-location health care company, was recently purchased for $450 Million validating the effectiveness of our system and the power of brand equity.

Aside from being a high ROI option for brands looking to increase customer awareness with publicity, content marketing will also help to improve a brands search rankings. While potential customers will click through to a brands site, they are more likely to show interest in articles that provide them with helpful information rather than ads.

Niche Quest uses content marketing and media campaigns combined with highly targeted hyper-local SEO strategies to improve their clients search rankings and get them onto the first page of the results or into the Google Maps 3-pack. The 3-pack shows up at the top of the page in over 90% of Google searches, giving any brand listed in it a significant advantage.

A satisfied client said, I just got another new client from the site Niche Quest created for me. I get more high-quality inquiries than ever before. Eds helpful advice has made all the difference, and my company shows up on page 1. I recommend Niche Quest to everyoneexcept for my competition.

For more information, please visit https://www.nichequest.com

Website: https://www.nichequest.com/
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NFT marketplace, Mintable , is sending 3 NFTs that were stolen in a recent OpenSea exploit, back to their rightful owners. They found the NFTs on the LooksRare marketplace, which has garnered its own reputation for over USD 10 billion in wash trading and stolen NFTs, while acquiring NFTs for Mintables most recent flash sale.

In an exploit on 19 Feb, OpenSea users had about USD 1.75 million worth of NFTs stolen by a phishing scam. Mintable was buying Azuki NFTs for their flash sale on 20 Feb, which is part of Mintables ongoing floorbuster campaign to sell trending collections below floor prices. They came across listings for the stolen NFTs and bought Azuki #1178, #4176 and #1180 for about 13.35 each and would like to return them to their previous holders.



This exploit was possible because of a bug on OpenSea, and If OpenSea isnt going to make it right, someone has to, stated Mintable founder and CEO, Zach Burks , For some of these people, all their net worth is tied up in their NFTs and its horrible to have them stolen. We like the Azuki community and we want to help give back to the people who lost over $140,000 through the exploit.



Maintaining a Safe Space for NFT Communities



The OpenSea hack highlights security risks in Web3, and the imperative that users are well-informed about potential threats in the evolving landscape. While 3 NFTs have been recovered and will be returned by Mintable, over a million dollars worth of NFTs remain lost.

A leading technology platform in the space, Mintable has pioneered gasless minting, batch minting and credit card purchases of NFTs. Burks believes it is now time to take another kind of step forward.

Mintable is first reaching out to the Azuki project to help identify the community members who own the recovered NFTs, and then to open up a channel of communication to ensure that the NFTs returned remain secure.

Understanding the vital importance of communities in the NFT space, Mintables most recent gesture reflects the platforms commitment to building and maintaining a secure space where NFT buyers and holders can transact with their peace of mind intact.

ABOUT MINTABLE

Mintable is a utility-focused marketplace, with every feature dedicated to improving the NFT trading experience. As the top technology platform in the space, Mintable has pioneered gasless minting, batch minting, and credit card purchases of NFTs. In 2021, Mintable announced the backing of a list of high-caliber investors including renowned venture capitalist and television personality, Mark Cuban; Sound Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary; and TIME Ventures, the investment fund for Marc Benioff. To date, Mintable has sold and auctioned works by Grammy-Award-winning artists, 20th-century avant-garde artists, and various high-profile artists and celebrities.



In addition to the Marketplace, the Mintable ecosystem also includes Mintology, an NFT solutions provider for enterprise, and Mintable Go!, an investment fund dedicated to driving innovation in the NFT ecosystem.

For more information, please visit: https://www.mintable.com

Mintable Official Channels

Website: https://mintable.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mintable_app

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/FB2br9Q

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpX0bACIfqMCuyXOSudx1mQ

Media Contact

pr@yourprstrategist.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://prdesk.globenewswire.com/ResourceLibrary/ResourceLibrary/GetDynamicThumbnailContentContent/?resourceId=bea963e9-771a-4f04-9c3d-b60a2826f80e&maxHeight=280&maxWidth=280
New York, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Backscatter X-ray Devices Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, by Type, Application and Geography - Global Forecast to 2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233719/?utm_source=GNW





The backscatter X-ray devices market includes major Tier I and II manufacturers and distributors such as Rapiscan Systems (US), Nuctech Company Limited (China), Viken Detection (US), LAURUS Systems, Inc. (US), Scanna MSC Ltd. (UK), Autoclear LLC (US), and Tek8, Inc. (US). These companies have their manufacturing facilities spread across various countries across North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. A number of scheduled product launches and related developments have been postponed due to the pandemic. However, the impact of COVID-19 is expected to reduce during the forecast period.



Non-handheld segment to account for the largest share of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

On the basis of type, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented into handheld and non-handheld. The handheld segment of the backscatter X-ray devices market is projected to witness a higher growth rate than the non-handheld segment owing to the increasing acceptance of handheld devices globally due to low-price and portability.



Customs and border protection application to account for the largest share of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

On the basis of application, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented into customs & border protection, law enforcement, airport/aviation, military & defense, and others.The customs & border protection segment is projected to account for the largest size of the backscatter X-ray devices market from 2022 to 2027.



The fast and effective features of backscatter X-ray devices in scanning people, baggage, and vehicles are fueling their demand in the customs and border protection application segment.



APAC to account for the largest growth of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

Among all regions, APAC is expected to register the highest growth in the backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period.The market in APAC has been classified into China, Japan, South Korea, and the Rest of APAC.



The market in APAC is mainly dominated by China and Japan as the majority of players have their presence in these countries.In the recent times, several countries in APAC have experienced terrorist attacks, such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and others, which has compelled the governments in these countries to upgrade their security measures by investing a significant amount in developing and installing advance and multi-technology security systems.



Thus, the backscatter X-ray devices market is expected to grow at the highest rate in APAC region.There is a huge threat of terrorist attacks, and civil unrest/community riots in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Philippines.



To curb terrorism, governments in various nations have laid down multiple policies and have adopted advanced security measures for homeland security, and at airports and seaports. Moreover, many public events and gatherings that are likely to take place in APAC countries will boost the demand for backscatter X-ray devices market in APAC.



Breakdown of primary participants:

 By Company Type: Tier 1 = 25%, Tier 2 = 35%, and Tier 3 = 40%

 By Designation: C-Level Executives = 35%, Directors = 25%, and Others = 40%

 By Region: North America = 14%, Europe = 43%, APAC = 29%, and RoW = 14%



Some of the key companies operating in the backscatter X-ray devices market are Rapiscan Systems (US), Nuctech Company Limited (China), Viken Detection (US), LAURUS Systems, Inc. (US), Scanna MSC Ltd. (UK), Autoclear LLC (US), and Tek8, Inc. (US).



Research Coverage:

In this report, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented on the basis of type, application, and geography.The report also discusses the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges pertaining to the market.



It gives a detailed view of the market across four main regionsNorth America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. Value chain analysis has been included in the report, along with the key players and their competitive analysis in the backscatter X-ray devices ecosystem.



Key Benefits to Buy the Report:

 This report includes statistics for the backscatter X-ray devices market based on type, application, and geography, along with their respective market sizes.

 Value chain analysis and key industry trends have been provided for the market.

 Major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges for the backscatter X-ray devices market have been provided in detail in this report.

 This report would help stakeholders to understand their competitors better and gain more insights to enhance their position in the market. The competitive landscape section includes the competitor ecosystem and the recent development strategies adopted by the key players in the market, such as product launches/developments, contracts/collaborations/agreements/acquisitions.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233719/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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BAKERSFIELD, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Laurel Ag & Water is excited to announce the addition of Dr. Franklin Gaudi as its new Executive Vice President of Design. This position was strategically created as a larger initiative to elevate the design function at Laurel and, ultimately, redefine the industry standard for irrigation design.

Dr. Gaudi comes to Laurel from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo's BioResource and Agricultural Engineering (BRAE) Department where he was an Assistant Professor and Project Manager for the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC). In addition to his tenure at Cal Poly, Dr. Gaudi served as a member of the Irrigation Association Certification Board where he assisted in maintaining and updating professional certifications.

"As an organization that is deeply committed to bringing the best and most innovative solutions to our customers, bringing Dr. Gaudi into the fold gives us the opportunity to add even more value to growers and transform the status quo," said Jonathan Thomas, CEO of Laurel Ag & Water.

Gaudi's formal education coupled with real, on-farm experience has served both his students and California growers well. "I am looking forward to joining Laurel as their Executive VP of Design and working alongside a team that understands the value of a well-designed irrigation system," said Dr. Gaudi. "So much of my career has been teaching students these practices. I am excited to bring the same ideas to growers and help add value to their operations."

Laurel Ag & Water began in 2019 through Arable Capital Partners' acquisition of four leaders in agricultural irrigation. Laurel offers a diversified portfolio of irrigation solutions to growers, including full-service design and installation, pipe rental, agriculture supply, and automation for easy system management. Combining industry leaders who value strategic design, precision builds, and innovative services offers growers the best solutions for the operation they're growing  today and tomorrow. Laurel Ag & Water is looking forward to the new developments and educational opportunities Dr. Gaudi will bring to the organization in the coming years.

For more information, contact:

Leslie Friend

(559) 308-3395

lesliefriend@laurel-ag.com

Laurel Ag & Water partners with customers to design, build, and supply solutions for the sustainable, efficient, and reliable use of water, power, and human resources to maximize crop yields, profitability, and/or return on investment for their customers. Learn more at laurel-ag.com.

Related Images











Image 1: Laurel Ag & Water





Laurel Ag & Water logo

















Image 2: Dr. Franklin Gaudi Joins the Laurel Ag & Water Team









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Includes higher-grade sections of 507.64 g Ag eq/t (119.36 g Ag/t, 0.14 g Au/t, 0.57 %Pb and 0.52 %Sn) over 49.55m from 0.0 to 49.55m and 196.67 g Ag eq/t (66.93 g Ag/t, 1.03% Zn, 0.67% Pb and 0.08% Sn) over 77.77m in underground drill hole METSBUG-02.





from 0.0 to 49.55m and in underground drill hole METSBUG-02. Hole DSB-20, which is in approximately the centre of the NW Extension target area, intersected 22 reportable intersections with a best result of 129.42 g Ag eq/t (21.79 g Ag/t, 0.27% Zn, 0.36% Pb and 0.12% Sn) over 73.65m including a higher-grade section of 204.03 g Ag eq/t (27.54 g Ag/t, 0.40% Zn, 0.55% Pb and 0.21% Sn) over 28.57m.



TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ELO; OTCQX: ELRRF; FSE: P2QM) (Eloro, or the Company) is pleased to announce assay results from six (6) additional diamond drill holes from its on-going drilling program at the Iska Iska silver-tin polymetallic project in the Potosi Department, southern Bolivia. Hole METSBUG-02 is an underground hole drilled northeast from the Santa Barbara adit for metallurgical purposes and to complete fill-in drilling. The remaining five (5) holes tested the NW extension in the Santa Barbara Mineral Resource Target Area (DSB-12, -13, -15, -20 and -21) on a series of NE-SW sections as shown in Figure 1.

As previously announced (see Eloros press release dated January 18, 2022) drilling recommenced on January 17, 2022, with two surface drill rigs and one underground rig. Since the restart, the Company has completed an additional 4,649m of drilling, for an overall total of 45,117m in 80 drill holes, including three holes in progress as shown in Figure 1. Table 1 lists significant assay results. Prices used for calculating Ag equivalent grades are as outlined in Eloros February 1, 2022, press release. Table 2 summarizes drill holes with assays pending. Highlights are as follows:

Underground Metallurgical Hole, Santa Barbara Mineral Resource Target Area

Underground hole METSBUG-02, collared in the Santa Barbara adit and drilled at an azimuth of 40 degrees at -10 degrees dip, intersected significant mineralization (Figure 1 and Table 1) over the full length of the hole:

172.43 g Ag eq/t (40.16 g Ag/t, 0.51% Zn, 0.41% Pb and 0.13% Sn) over 303.05m from 0.00 to 303.05 m including higher-grade sections of 507.64 g Ag eq/t (119.36 g Ag/t, 0.14 g Au/t, 0.57 %Pb and 0.52 %Sn) over 49.55m from 0.0 to 49.55m and 196.67 g Ag eq/t (66.93 g Ag/t, 1.03% Zn, 0.67% Pb and 0.08% Sn) over 77.77m from 180.95m to 258.72m.



from 0.00 to 303.05 m including higher-grade sections of from 0.0 to 49.55m and from 180.95m to 258.72m. This hole was designed to intersect midway across the intersection in Hole DHK-18 which returned 129.65 g Ag eq/t over 300.75m (see press release July 28, 2021; grade is 172.18 g Ag eq/t with updated metal prices) in the mineralized envelope to the east of the Santa Barbara Breccia Pipe.



Sectional Drill Holes NW Extension Santa Barbara Mineral Resource Target Area

Significant results have been returned from the five (5) initial sectional drill holes testing the NW Extension of the Santa Barbara mineralized trend. This area is marked by a prominent magnetic anomaly and is underlain by several dacitic domes, possibly related to a secondary caldera. An additional 11 holes totaling 7,859m have been completed to provide coverage on 100m spaced sections over much of the NW Extension target area as shown in Figure 1. Assay results on these holes are pending. Figure 2 is a section along hole DSB-20. Highlights are as follows:

Hole DSB-20, which is in approximately the centre of the NW Extension target area, intersected 22 reportable intersections with a best result of 129.42 g Ag eq/t (21.79 g Ag/t, 0.27% Zn, 0.36% Pb and 0.12% Sn) over 73.65m from 247.56m to 321.21m including a higher-grade section of 204.03 g Ag eq/t (27.54 g Ag/t, 0.40% Zn, 0.55% Pb and 0.21% Sn) over 28.57m from 267.08m to 295.65m.

from 247.56m to 321.21m including a higher-grade section of from 267.08m to 295.65m. Hole DSB-21, on the northwesternmost section, intersected 14 reportable intersections including a high-grade Cu zone grading 152.04 g Ag eq/t (9.48 g Ag/t and 1.02% Cu) over 25.27m from 58.85m to 84.12m and 114.77 g Ag eq/t (40.85 g Ag/t, 0.09 g Au/t, 0.69% Zn and 0.18% Pb) over 16.28m from 163.98m to 180.28m.

from 58.85m to 84.12m and from 163.98m to 180.28m. Hole DSB-15, 100m southeast of Hole DSB-21, intersected 12 reportable intersections including 112.43 g Ag eq/t (9.98 g Ag/t, 0.10 g Au/t, 0.21% Zn, 0.34% Pb, 0.09% Sn and 0.12% Cd) over 10.53m from 293.70m to 304.23m and 186.75 g Ag eq/t (14.67 g Ag/t, 0.13 g Au/t, 0.27% Zn, 0.17% Cu and 0.19% Sn) over 19.65m from 710.97m to 730.62m.

from 293.70m to 304.23m and from 710.97m to 730.62m. Hole DSB-12, collared 200m southeast of hole DSB-15 and 100m northwest of hole DSB-20, intersected 20 reportable mineralized intersections of which nine ranged from 10.41m to 24.07m long. Best results were 130.28 g Ag eq/t (92.32 g Ag/t, 0.06% Cu) over 10.41m from 332.64 to 311.90, 129.54 g Ag eq/t (10.19 g Ag/t, 0.22 % Zn, 0.15% Cu, 0.13% Sn) over 18.04m from 487.76m to 505.80m, 116.73 g Ag eq/t (10.18 g Ag/t, 0.12% Cu, 0.10 % Sn and 0.13% Bi) over 24.07m from 594.44m to 618.51m and 164.01 g Ag eq/t (7.80 g Ag/t, 0.11 g Au/t, 0.39% Zn, 0.21% Cu, 0.11% Bi) over 21.05m from 753.50m to 771.49m.

from 332.64 to 311.90, from 487.76m to 505.80m, from 594.44m to 618.51m and from 753.50m to 771.49m. Hole DSB-13, drilled on the same section but shallower than hole DSB-12, intersected 15 reportable mineralized intersections of which the best results were 48.53 g Ag eq/t (5.66 g Ag/t and 0.29% Zn) over 37.58m from 161.71m to 199.29m, 171.55 g Ag eq/t over 9.01m (21.45 g Ag/t, 0.54 g Au/t, 0.38% Zn, 0.14% Sn) from 221.66m to 230.67m, 51.89 g Ag eq/t (3.48 g Ag/t and 0.24% Zn) over 39.13m from 320.57m to 361.18m and 71.71 g Ag eq/t over 8.93m (7.07 g Ag/t, 0.11% Cu and 0.06% Sn) from 601.95m to 610.88m.

Tom Larsen, CEO of Eloro, commented: This new underground hole is the longest and highest-grade intersection obtained thus far in our diamond drill program. Results from the step-out holes on the NW extension are also very encouraging. Turnaround at both the ALS and AHK laboratories continues to improve so we anticipate being able to have a more regular release of results going forward. Drilling productivity continues to be very high with more than 4,600m completed by the three drills since our restart last month. We will shortly complete our underground drilling and will exchange this drill for a high capacity surface rig which will further increase our production.

Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., Eloros Executive Vice President Exploration, added: The 100m-spaced sectional drilling has been completed on the NW Extension, however it is evident that much further drilling will be required to fully evaluate this exciting target area. Underground drilling is continuing from the Santa Barbara adit to test the major magnetic anomaly to the southwest. The first of a series of surface holes testing the southern Santa Barbara target area is in progress, with the aim of further expanding the high-grade mineralization already identified in this area. Hole DPC-07 in the Porco area is testing a major magnetic anomaly, while additional drill holes are planned to further test the Porco Breccia Pipe deeper. Hole DM2-01, to be drilled in the Mina 2 area in the southeast part of the property, will test for a potential tin porphyry at depth. Channel sampling and geological mapping are in progress in the Mina 2 workings.

Table 1: Significant Results, Diamond Drilling, Santa Barbara Resource Definition Target Area as at February 23, 2022.

SANTA BARBARA RESOURCE DEFINITION TARGET ZONE UNDERGROUND DRILL HOLE - METALLURGICAL HOLE Hole No. From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ag Au Zn Pb Cu Sn Bi Cd Ag eq g/t g/t % % % % % % g/t METSBUG-02 0.00 303.05 303.05 40.16 0.06 0.51 0.41 0.09 0.13 0.006 0.004 172.43 Incl. 0.00 49.55 49.55 119.36 0.14 0.06 0.57 0.38 0.52 0.010 0.001 507.64 Incl. 180.95 258.72 77.77 66.93 0.04 1.03 0.67 0.06 0.08 0.013 0.011 196.67 SANTA BARBARA NW EXTENSION SECTIONAL DRILLING Hole No. From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ag Au Zn Pb Cu Sn Bi Cd Ag eq g/t g/t % % % % % % g/t DSB-21 21.15 22.61 1.46 8.00 0.23 0.00 0.07 0.02 0.06 0.022 0.001 68.81 58.85 84.12 25.27 9.48 0.02 0.01 0.05 1.02 0.00 0.001 0.001 152.04 163.98 180.26 16.28 40.85 0.09 0.69 0.18 0.04 0.03 0.019 0.012 114.77 228.21 243.27 15.06 24.11 0.06 0.50 0.10 0.04 0.04 0.002 0.002 87.05 255.28 261.26 5.98 27.07 0.06 0.61 0.14 0.02 0.03 0.001 0.001 83.85 268.78 270.28 1.50 32.00 0.08 0.30 0.03 0.15 0.15 0.018 0.001 165.47 309.61 315.61 6.00 15.70 0.02 0.68 0.44 0.01 0.01 0.001 0.002 67.35 453.86 455.38 1.52 25.00 0.05 0.02 0.03 0.06 0.05 0.025 0.001 74.03 513.92 515.42 1.50 68.00 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.03 0.01 0.002 0.001 83.83 521.39 525.88 4.49 24.09 0.06 0.06 0.01 0.05 0.04 0.005 0.001 64.40 578.55 581.40 2.85 1.51 0.01 2.61 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.001 0.001 125.26 638.51 640.00 1.49 59.00 0.03 0.15 0.01 0.31 0.28 0.013 0.001 277.24 649.04 656.55 7.51 20.09 0.02 0.64 0.01 0.12 0.11 0.008 0.001 135.84 665.75 667.25 1.50 44.00 0.14 0.03 0.02 0.29 0.28 0.547 0.001 354.97 DSB-20 46.66 51.20 4.54 9.69 0.01 0.01 0.19 1.21 0.00 0.001 0.001 180.58 82.61 85.56 2.95 5.54 0.02 0.37 0.46 0.01 0.01 0.004 0.073 51.71 118.70 123.22 4.52 8.76 0.03 2.14 0.42 0.01 0.06 0.002 0.060 166.00 150.28 162.26 11.98 17.68 0.03 0.62 0.49 0.01 0.05 0.002 0.026 94.64 188.89 221.88 32.99 5.29 0.02 0.35 0.14 0.01 0.10 0.002 0.008 85.30 233.97 235.50 1.53 17.00 0.02 0.59 0.32 0.01 0.06 0.002 0.002 92.39 247.56 321.21 73.65 21.79 0.07 0.27 0.36 0.01 0.12 0.028 0.001 129.42 Incl. 267.08 295.65 28.57 27.54 0.08 0.40 0.55 0.02 0.21 0.037 0.001 204.03 352.73 357.24 4.51 4.69 0.01 0.54 0.25 0.01 0.02 0.001 0.001 51.73 360.23 361.73 1.50 4.00 0.01 1.38 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.001 0.001 76.68 399.15 402.09 2.94 3.02 0.03 0.34 0.17 0.01 0.05 0.001 0.001 59.64 408.26 409.83 1.57 4.00 0.01 0.63 0.02 0.01 0.05 0.001 0.001 64.50 426.27 427.72 1.45 4.00 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.12 0.003 0.001 80.50 499.10 500.53 1.43 2.00 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.03 0.08 0.001 0.001 55.86 518.38 536.18 17.80 12.01 0.06 0.37 0.08 0.03 0.04 0.045 0.001 71.11 552.63 568.40 15.77 16.71 0.15 0.08 0.03 0.10 0.10 0.059 0.001 116.90 591.30 598.70 7.40 9.41 0.21 0.05 0.02 0.05 0.06 0.014 0.001 73.18 697.09 698.50 1.41 6.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.10 0.007 0.001 82.51 719.40 723.90 4.50 9.34 0.06 0.03 0.01 0.11 0.10 0.015 0.001 94.70 743.47 749.50 6.03 21.42 0.18 0.11 0.03 0.59 0.30 0.007 0.001 297.99 770.56 791.43 20.87 5.24 0.08 0.05 0.01 0.27 0.05 0.075 0.001 93.75 814.25 820.15 5.90 2.58 0.02 0.06 0.01 0.23 0.03 0.364 0.001 118.69 866.21 868.00 1.79 3.00 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.43 0.04 0.034 0.001 90.39 SANTA BARBARA NW EXTENSION SECTIONAL DRILLING (CON'T) Hole No. From (m) To (m) Length (m) Ag Au Zn Pb Cu Sn Bi Cd Ag eq g/t g/t % % % % % % g/t DSB-15 23.76 29.83 6.07 22.14 0.06 0.00 0.08 0.01 0.10 0.003 0.001 93.29 55.33 58.30 2.97 2.00 0.05 0.01 0.02 1.34 0.02 0.001 0.001 196.03 173.61 178.12 4.52 21.35 0.14 0.62 0.20 0.02 0.03 0.002 0.001 86.78 293.70 304.23 10.53 9.98 0.10 0.21 0.34 0.08 0.09 0.022 0.121 112.43 314.20 322.74 8.54 4.13 0.04 0.59 0.33 0.05 0.06 0.008 0.009 89.94 435.66 437.19 1.53 0.50 0.01 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.14 0.001 0.001 88.97 461.30 462.80 1.50 2.00 0.01 0.13 0.01 0.01 0.14 0.004 0.001 90.73 474.55 476.05 1.50 24.00 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.20 0.15 0.031 0.001 153.19 480.55 486.53 5.98 7.52 0.02 0.12 0.01 0.11 0.10 0.011 0.001 90.20 532.48 533.97 1.49 34.00 0.04 0.01 0.01 0.13 0.11 0.034 0.001 126.43 582.19 583.74 1.55 1.00 0.01 2.03 0.00 0.01 0.03 0.001 0.001 113.31 710.97 730.62 19.65 14.67 0.13 0.27 0.00 0.17 0.19 0.070 0.001 186.75 DSB-13 50.50 66.67 4.48 18.11 0.01 0.01 0.08 0.20 0.02 0.001 0.005 57.64 111.90 124.02 12.12 4.67 0.01 0.71 0.08 0.01 0.02 0.001 0.004 54.94 161.71 199.29 37.58 5.66 0.07 0.29 0.09 0.02 0.03 0.001 0.004 48.53 208.19 211.20 3.01 16.02 0.27 0.48 0.03 0.09 0.03 0.001 0.005 90.12 221.66 230.67 9.01 21.45 0.54 0.38 0.07 0.02 0.14 0.009 0.005 171.55 272.71 274.22 1.51 27.00 0.30 0.06 0.06 0.04 0.07 0.019 0.005 105.33 287.75 292.25 4.50 5.67 0.03 1.18 0.31 0.02 0.06 0.002 0.003 108.69 308.70 311.64 2.94 3.00 0.02 0.37 0.25 0.01 0.04 0.001 0.002 52.61 320.57 361.18 39.13 3.48 0.08 0.24 0.07 0.02 0.04 0.002 0.005 51.89 405.83 410.50 4.67 8.63 0.10 0.73 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.017 0.005 78.28 432.52 434.06 1.54 5.00 2.42 0.18 0.02 0.06 0.01 0.506 0.005 312.23 525.10 526.62 1.52 3.00 0.11 0.03 0.01 0.05 0.11 0.044 0.005 93.10 537.14 540.23 3.09 6.94 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.08 0.08 0.029 0.005 74.07 601.95 610.88 8.93 7.07 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.11 0.06 0.047 0.005 71.71 695.03 696.50 1.47 12.00 0.10 0.07 0.02 0.26 0.11 0.13 0.01 147.95 DSB-12 157.18 172.03 14.85 45.47 0.08 0.12 0.11 0.02 0.04 0.003 0.003 89.84 209.63 221.60 11.97 28.82 0.04 0.03 0.10 0.03 0.05 0.009 0.004 71.87 301.26 311.90 10.64 54.31 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.007 0.005 78.19 332.64 343.05 10.41 92.32 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.06 0.04 0.005 0.004 130.28 377.74 379.19 1.45 9.00 0.10 0.01 0.01 0.06 0.07 0.002 0.005 66.35 428.94 430.58 1.64 3.00 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.02 0.09 0.001 0.005 61.28 453.15 466.73 13.58 11.53 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.08 0.07 0.007 0.005 68.58 487.76 505.80 18.04 10.19 0.04 0.22 0.03 0.15 0.13 0.035 0.005 129.54 510.30 517.79 7.49 1.79 0.08 0.08 0.01 0.04 0.05 0.014 0.005 48.24 523.80 529.68 5.88 3.55 0.32 0.03 0.01 0.10 0.10 0.012 0.005 105.18 561.32 562.84 1.52 3.00 0.03 0.04 0.01 0.12 0.12 0.008 0.005 97.29 568.86 574.84 5.98 3.77 0.02 0.06 0.01 0.08 0.07 0.042 0.005 65.41 586.83 588.40 1.57 3.00 0.01 0.03 0.00 0.12 0.11 0.017 0.005 90.61 594.44 618.51 24.07 10.18 0.07 0.05 0.01 0.12 0.10 0.128 0.005 116.73 639.64 641.15 1.51 5.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.13 0.09 0.008 0.005 80.70 660.57 663.58 3.01 5.01 0.17 0.26 0.01 0.23 0.02 0.060 0.005 82.79 669.60 672.58 2.98 5.01 0.14 0.11 0.01 0.20 0.07 0.060 0.005 102.57 686.16 690.63 4.47 4.97 0.36 0.07 0.01 0.15 0.03 0.039 0.005 81.16 717.52 738.57 21.05 7.80 0.11 0.39 0.03 0.21 0.14 0.109 0.005 164.01 753.50 771.49 17.99 1.81 0.06 0.06 0.03 0.21 0.03 0.18 0.01 91.66





Note: True width of the mineralization is not known at the present time, but based on the current understanding of the relationship between drill orientation/inclination and the mineralization within the breccia pipes and the host rocks such as sandstones and dacites. It is estimated that true width ranges between 70% and 90% of the down hole interval length but this will be confirmed by further drilling and geological modelling.



Chemical symbols: Ag= silver, Au = gold, Zn = zinc, Pb = lead, Cu = copper, Sn = tin, Bi = bismuth, Cd = cadmium and g Ag eq/t = grams silver equivalent per tonne. Quantities are given in percent (%) for Zn, Pb Cu, Sn, Bi and Cd and in grams per tonne (g/t) for Ag, Au and Ag eq.

Metal prices and conversion factors used for calculation of g Ag eq/t (grams Ag per grams x metal ratio) are as follows (Prices updated as of January 30, 2022, to more accurately reflect current metal prices):

Element Price $US

(per kg) Ratio to Ag Ag $722.56 1.0000 Sn $42.56 0.0589 Zn $3.30 0.0046 Pb $2.33 0.0032 Au $57,604.00 79.7221 Cu $9.68 0.0134 Bi $12.76 0.0177 Cd $5.50 0.0076

In calculating the intersections reported in this press release a sample cutoff of 30 g Ag eq/t was used with generally a maximum dilution of 3 continuous samples below cutoff included within a mineralized section unless more dilution is justified geologically.

The equivalent grade calculations are based on the stated metal prices and are provided for comparative purposes only, due to the polymetallic nature of the deposit. Metallurgical tests are in progress by Blue Coast Ltd. to establish levels of recovery for each element reported but currently the potential recovery for each element has not yet been established. While there is no assurance that all or any of the reported concentrations of metals will be recoverable, Bolivia has a long history of successfully mining and processing similar polymetallic deposits which is well documented in the landmark volume Yacimientos Metaliferos de Bolivia by Dr. Osvaldo R. Arce Burgoa, P.Geo.



Table 2: Summary of Diamond Drill Holes Completed with Assays Pending and Drill Holes in Progress at Iska Iska from February 23, 2022 press release.

Hole No. Type Collar

Easting Collar

Northing Elev Azimuth Angle Hole Length

m Surface Drilling Northwest Extension Santa Barbara DSB-14 S 205283.0 7656587.2 4175.0 225 -65 968.5 DSB-16 S 204973.1 7657053.8 4165.0 225 -65 862.0 DSB-17 S 7656765.4 205131.3 4173.0 225 -40 841.0 DSB-18 S 7656676.3 205207.1 4175.0 225 -40 890.4 DSB-19 S 7656676.3 205207.1 4175.0 225 -65 803.3 DSB-22 S 7657208.4 204799.4 4145.0 225 -40 258.4 DSB-23 S 205341.0 7656535.0 4177.0 225 -40 661.3 DSB-24 S 205341.0 7656535.0 4177.0 225 -65 343.4 DSB-25 S 205283.0 7656587.2 4175.0 225 -40 615.3 DSB-26 S 205044.5 7656982.6 4150.0 225 -40 815.4 DSB-27 S 205044.5 7656982.6 4150.0 225 -65 800.4 Subtotal 7,859.4 Underground Drilling Santa Barbara Adit DSBU-3 UG 205285.2 7656074.8 4165.0 270 -20 443.5 DSBU-4 UG 205285.2 7656074.8 4165.0 180 -20 570.0 DSBU-5 UG 205285.2 7656074.8 4165.0 0 -40 491.7 DSBU-6 UG 205285.2 7656074.8 4165.0 0 -65 253.5 DSBU-7 UG 205284.5 7656080.0 4167.1 235 -50 800.9 Subtotal 2,559.6 DSBU-8 UG 205284.5 7656080.0 4167.1 200 -50 In progress Underground Metallurgical Drill Holes Santa Barbara METSBU-01 UG 205285.2 7656074.8 4165.0 10 -35 351.0 Subtotal 351.0 Surface Drilling South Extension Santa Barbara DSBS-01 S 205300.0 7655563.0 4204.0 30 -30 In progress Porco Target Area  Surface Drill Program DPC-04 S 205457.2 7655110.9 4175.0 0 -60 371.4 DPC-05 S 205457.2 7655110.9 4175.0 90 -60 407.5 DPC-06 S 205457.2 7655110.9 4175.0 243 -60 716.4 DPC-08 S 205456.2 7655113.4 4175.9 243 -60 800.4 Subtotal 2,295.7 DPC-07 S 205090.0 7655343.7 4310.0 235 -65 In progress TOTAL 13,065.7

S = Surface UG=Underground; collar coordinates in metres; azimuth and dip in degrees. Total drilling completed since the start of the program on September 13, 2020 to December 17, 2021 is 40,468 m in 73 holes (26 underground holes and 47 surface holes). From re-start of drilling on January 17, 2022, an additional 4,649m has been completed bringing the overall total to 45,117m in 80 drill holes (27 underground drill holes and 53 surface drill holes) including 3 holes in progress.

Graphics accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67563307-0861-40ba-81e4-12246f6bfdc1

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7737fb7a-f5a8-4af7-8127-9c07cdda5c0c

Qualified Person

Dr. Osvaldo Arce, P. Geo., General Manager of Minera Tupiza, and a Qualified Person in the context of NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release. Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., Executive Vice President Exploration Eloro, and who has more than 45 years of worldwide mining exploration experience including extensive work in South America, manages the overall technical program working closely with Dr. Osvaldo Arce, P.Geo., Manager of Minera Tupiza. Dr. Quinton Hennigh, P.Geo., Senior Technical Advisor to Eloro and Independent Technical Advisor, Mr. Charley Murahwi P. Geo., FAusIMM of Micon International Limited are regularly consulted on technical aspects of the project.

Eloro is utilizing both ALS and AHK for drill core analysis, both of whom are major international accredited laboratories. Drill samples sent to ALS are prepared in ALS Bolivia Ltdas preparation facility in Oruro, Bolivia with pulps sent to the main ALS Global laboratory in Lima for analysis. More recently Eloro has had ALS send pulps to their laboratory at Galway in Ireland. Eloro employs an industry standard QA/QC program with standards, blanks and duplicates inserted into each batch of samples analyzed with selected check samples sent to a separate accredited laboratory.

Drill core samples sent to AHK Laboratories are sent to their preparation laboratory in Oruro with pulps sent to the AHK laboratory in Lima, Peru. Check samples between ALS and AHK are regularly done as a QA/QC check. AHK is following the same analytical protocols used as with ALS and with the same QA/QC protocols. Turnaround time, which has been impacted by the recent surge in Covid-19, has been improving following the Christmas break and it is hoped that most of the sample backlog will be cleared in the next 4-6 weeks.

About Iska Iska

Iska Iska silver-tin polymetallic project is a road accessible, royalty-free property, wholly controlled by the Title Holder, Empresa Minera Villegas S.R.L. and is located 48 km north of Tupiza city, in the Sud Chichas Province of the Department of Potosi in southern Bolivia. Eloro has an option to earn a 99% interest in Iska Iska.

Iska Iska is a major silver-tin polymetallic porphyry-epithermal complex associated with a Miocene possibly collapsed/resurgent caldera, emplaced on Ordovician age rocks with major breccia pipes, dacitic domes and hydrothermal breccias. The caldera is 1.6km by 1.8km in dimension with a vertical extent of at least 1km. Mineralization age is similar to Cerro Rico de Potosi and other major deposits such as San Vicente, Chorolque, Tasna and Tatasi located in the same geological trend.

Eloro began underground diamond drilling from the Huayra Kasa underground workings at Iska Iska on September 13, 2020. On November 18, 2020, Eloro announced the discovery of a significant breccia pipe with extensive silver polymetallic mineralization just east of the Huayra Kasa underground workings and a high-grade gold-bismuth zone in the underground workings. On November 24, 2020, Eloro announced the discovery of the SBBP approximately 150m southwest of the Huayra Kasa underground workings.

Subsequently, on January 26, 2021, Eloro announced significant results from the first drilling at the SBBP including the discovery hole DHK-15 which returned 129.60 g Ag eq/t over 257.5m (29.53g Ag/t, 0.078g Au/t, 1.45%Zn, 0.59%Pb, 0.080%Cu, 0.056%Sn, 0.0022%In and 0.0064% Bi from 0.0m to 257.5m. Subsequent drilling has confirmed significant values of Ag-Sn polymetallic mineralization in the SBBP and the adjacent CBP. A substantive mineralized envelope which is open along strike and down-dip extends around both major breccia pipes. Continuous channel sampling of the Santa Barbara Adit located to the east of SBBP returned 442 g Ag eq/t (164.96 g Ag/t, 0.46%Sn, 3.46% Pb and 0.14% Cu) over 166m including 1,092 g Ag eq/t (446 g Ag/t, 9.03% Pb and 1.16% Sn) over 56.19m. The west end of the adit intersects the end of the SBBP.

Since the initial discovery hole, Eloro has released a number of significant drill results in the SBBP and the surrounding mineralized envelope which along with geophysical data has defined a target zone 1400m along strike, 500m wide and that extends to a depth of 600m. This zone is open along strike to the northwest and southeast as well as to the southwest. The Companys nearer term objective is to outline a maiden NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource within this large target area. This work is advancing well with the mineral resource targeted to be completed in Q2 2022. Exploration drilling is also planned on other major targets in the Iska Iska Caldera Complex including the Porco and Mina 2 areas.

About Eloro Resources Ltd.

Eloro is an exploration and mine development company with a portfolio of gold and base-metal properties in Bolivia, Peru and Quebec. Eloro has an option to acquire a 99% interest in the highly prospective Iska Iska Property, which can be classified as a polymetallic epithermal-porphyry complex, a significant mineral deposit type in the Potosi Department, in southern Bolivia. Eloro commissioned a NI 43-101 Technical Report on Iska Iska, which was completed by Micon International Limited and is available on Eloros website and under its filings on SEDAR. Iska Iska is a road-accessible, royalty-free property. Eloro also owns an 82% interest in the La Victoria Gold/Silver Project, located in the North-Central Mineral Belt of Peru some 50 km south of Barricks Lagunas Norte Gold Mine and Pan American Silvers La Arena Gold Mine. La Victoria consists of eight mining concessions and eight mining claims encompassing approximately 89 square kilometres. La Victoria has good infrastructure with access to road, water and electricity and is located at an altitude that ranges from 3,150 m to 4,400 m above sea level.

For further information please contact either Thomas G. Larsen, Chairman and CEO or Jorge Estepa, Vice-President at (416) 868-9168.

Information in this news release may contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Companys plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the Company. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Dublin, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Mercury Analyzer Market (2021-2026) by Type, End-Use Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Mercury Analyzer Market is estimated to be USD 310.0 Mn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 463.99 Mn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.4%.



Market Dynamics

The Global Mercury Analyzer Market increasing awareness among public and healthcare bodies related to environmental implications due to pollution and increasing rules and regulations related to the environment are driving the market's growth. Additionally, government participation, initiatives, and funding associated with environmental monitoring, testing, and controlling, such as the use of mercury analyzer for environmental monitoring applications for sampling air, water, and soil, and rising focus towards high-quality food products are some of the crucial factors driving the growth of the market. On the other hand, the high cost of systems used for mercury analysis, such as mass spectrometry systems and barriers in exporting environmental technologies in developing countries, restrict the market's growth.



Furthermore, highly rigid or lack of flexibility in complying with guidelines imposed by certified authorities are significant challenges for the market and negatively affect the market's growth. Moreover, increasing industrialization will allow the market to grow in the forecasted period.



The Global Mercury Analyzer Market is segmented based on Type, End-Use Type, and Geography.



Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Analytik Jena GmbH, ENVEA, Hitachi High-Tech Global, Lumex Instruments Group, Milestone Srl, Nippon Instruments Pvt Ltd, PerkinElmer, Inc, Tekran Instruments Corporation, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Mercury Analyzer Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Environmental Protection Framework

4.1.2 Rising Focus on High-Quality Food Products

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 High Cost for Mercury Analysis Systems

4.2.2 Exporting Barriers for Environmental Technologies

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Growing Industrialization

4.3.2 Surging Government Initiative and Funding for Monitoring Environment

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Lack of Flexible Guidelines



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2 Impact of COVID-19

5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Mercury Analyzer Market, By Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption (CVAA)

6.3 Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence (CVAF)



7 Global Mercury Analyzer Market, By End-Use Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Environmental Monitoring

7.2.1 Sample Types

7.2.1.1 Air

7.2.1.2 Water

7.2.1.3 Soil

7.3 Food Industry

7.4 Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical Industry

7.5 Healthcare Industry

7.6 Others0

7.6.1 Cosmetic Industry

7.6.2 Plastic Industry

7.6.3 Metal Coating Industry

7.6.4 Research Laboratories



8 Global Mercury Analyzer Market, By Geography



9 Competitive Landscape

9.1 Competitive Quadrant

9.2 Market Share Analysis

9.3 Strategic Initiatives

9.3.1 M&A and Investments

9.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

9.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



10 Company Profiles

10.1 Advanced Holdings Ltd

10.2 Air-Met Scientific Pty Ltd

10.3 Alfa Engineering Solutions

10.4 AMETEK, Inc

10.5 Analytik Jena GmbH

10.6 Brooks Rand Instruments

10.7 Buck Scientific

10.8 Centrionics Group

10.9 Danaher Corporation

10.10 ECOMESURE

10.11 ENVEA

10.12 Exact Analytical Sdn. Bhd

10.13 Hiranuma Sangyo Co Ltd

10.14 Hitachi High-Tech Global

10.15 Indutrade AB

10.16 JCT Analysentechnik GmbH

10.17 JM Science, Inc

10.18 LECO Corporation

10.19 Link Vue Systems Pte Ltd

10.20 Lumex Instruments Group

10.21 Modcon Systems Ltd

10.22 Motras Scientific Instruments Private Limited

10.23 Milestone Srl

10.24 Northern Arizona University

10.25 Nippon Instruments Pvt Ltd

10.26 PerkinElmer, Inc

10.27 RACI d.o.o

10.28 Spirax Sarco, Inc

10.29 Tekran Instruments Corporation

10.30 Teledyne Technologies Incorporated

10.31 Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc



11 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mxnq37

Attachment
New York, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Digital Signage Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233721/?utm_source=GNW

, Philips, Keywest Technology, Omnivex Corporation, Christie Digital Systems, BenQ Corporation, BrightSign LLC and Toshiba.



The global digital signage market is expected to grow from $17.33 billion in 2021 to $19.69 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.6%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $28.3 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 9.5%.



The digital signage market consists of sales of digital signage hardware and software by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to provide public information, internal communication, or share product information.Digital signage is a digital installation that uses display technologies to display multimedia content for advertising, promotions, and brand recognition, conveying internal communication for informational purposes.



Digital signage includes hardware, software, and solutions that help to influence consumer experiences, customer behavior, and decision-making.



The main type of products in digital signage are standalone displays and video walls.The standalone digital signage is digital displayed used for advertising and does not require any hardware or software and internet connection for operation.



These digital signage offerings include hardware, software, and services. These products are located indoor and outdoor and are used by retail, education, healthcare, corporate, stadium, government, and others.



North America was the largest region in the digital signage market in 2020.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The increasing demand for 4K and 8K resolution displays is significantly driving the growth of the digital signage market.The resolution is a measurement of pixels across the screen in both horizontal and vertical directions.



The desire for greater resolution, larger-sized TVs with modern display technology that gives realistic images with better image quality and increased viewing experience is driving demand for 4K and 8K resolution screens.The display screens display resolution produces a crisp and easy-to-read image.



In stadiums, retail stores, museum theatres, and planetariums, 4K and 8K resolution displays are constructed with ideal viewing distances for varied resolutions in view.For instance, according to Consumer Technology Association report, in 2020, 4K ultra high definition (UHD) sets accounted for 25 million units, up 12% from 2019.



Therefore, the increasing demand for 4K and 8K resolution displays is expected to propel the growth of the digital signage market going forward.



Technological advancements are shaping the digital signage market.Key players operating in the digital signage market are focusing on developing advanced technological solutions to strengthen their position in the market.



Technological advancements in digital signage include new digital signage display designs with enhanced features and software, advanced display technologies such as 3D screens and holographic displays, artificial intelligence, and AR/VR.For instance, in June 2020, HYPERVSN, a UK-based company offering digital signage launched a new holographic digital signage solution using 3D technology.



A hologram doctor, holographic marketers for socially distanced retailing, holographic menu displays, and Covid-19 data for information signs are all included in this digital signage.



In March 2021, Spectrio, a US-based provider of digital signage solutions acquired Enplug for an undisclosed amount.The deal expands Spectrios comprehensive digital communications platforms by providing enterprise-level management functionality to satisfy the requirements of multinational enterprises and boosting integrations to improve brand communications customization.



Enplug is a US-based technology company that offers digital signage solutions.



The countries covered in the digital signage market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233721/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Dublin, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Large Format Printer Market (2021-2026) by Application Type, Offering Type, Print Material Type, Printing Technology Type, Print Width Type, Ink Type, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global Large Format Printer Market is estimated to be USD 8.9 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 11.63 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.5%.



Market Dynamics

The Global Large Format Printer Market is driving due to the growing demand for large format printing by various industries such as textiles, advertisement, and packaging. Increasing adoption of UV-curable inks in different applications such as outdoor advertising, CAD, and technical printing with improved productivity and high-quality images is fuelling the market's growth. Additionally, the importance of digital document production increases in commercial printing applications, which will also be helping the need to grow. On the other hand, growing digital advertisement media popularity and e-platforms for advertising will be hampering the market's growth. Apart from this, specific challenges faced by a large format printer's market are high initial investment, huge operation cost, and high electricity consumption, which may slow down the market's growth.



The rising focus on manufacturing varieties of large format printers for different applications with different pricing strategies creates potential opportunities for the market to grow. Furthermore, the market creates specific opportunities due to the growing adoption of large format printers in home furnishing, decor, vehicle wrap application, increasing opportunities in the in-plant market. Moreover, technological advancement with quickly printing of pages, suitability for the low-volume environment, and versatility for various applications from tile murals signage to CDA applications helps boost the market in the forecasted period.



The Global Large Format Printer Market is segmented based on Application Type, Offering Type, Print Material Type, Printing Technology Type, Print Width Type, Ink Type, and Geography.



Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Agfa-Gevaert N.V, Canon, Inc, Durst Phototechnik, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Konica Minolta, Inc, Mimaki Engineering Co Ltd, Ricoh Company Ltd, Roland Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation, and Xerox Holdings Corporation, etc.



Countries Studied

America (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, United States, Rest of Americas)

Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Rest of Europe)

Middle-East and Africa (Egypt, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Rest of MEA)

Asia-Pacific (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan, Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Large Format Printer Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Demand Growing for Large Format Printers by Industries

4.1.2 Growing Adoption of UV-Curable Inks in Various Printing Applications

4.1.3 Rising Importance of Digital Document Productions

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Growing Digital Advertising Media

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Increasing Varieties of Printers Manufacturing at Different Price Levels

4.3.2 Increasing adoption for Various Applications and In-Plant Market

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 High Cost Associated with Initial Investment and Operations



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.2 Impact of COVID-19

5.3 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



6 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Application Type

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Apparel & Textile

6.3 Signage

6.4 Advertising

6.5 Decor

6.6 CAD & Technical Printing



7 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Offering Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Printers

7.3 RIP Software

7.4 After-Sales Services



8 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Print Materials Type

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Porous/Corrugated Materials

8.3 Non-Porous Materials



9 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Printing Technology Type

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Ink-Based (Inkjet) Printers

9.3 Toner-Based (Laser) Printers



10 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Print Width Type

10.1 Introduction

10.2 17-24"

10.3 24-36"

10.4 36-44"

10.5 44-60"

10.6 60-72"

10.7 72" and Above



11 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Ink Type

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Aqueous

11.3 Solvent

11.4 UV-Curable

11.5 Latex

11.6 Dye-Sublimation



12 Global Large Format Printer Market, By Geography



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Competitive Quadrant

13.2 Market Share Analysis

13.3 Strategic Initiatives

13.3.1 M&A and Investments

13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



14 Company Profiles

14.1 Agfa-Gevaert N.V

14.2 Arc Document Solutions, Inc

14.3 Big Systems, LLC

14.4 Canon, Inc

14.5 Colourjet India Limited

14.6 Dilli Illustrate, Inc

14.7 Dover Corporation

14.8 Durst Phototechnik

14.9 Electronics for Imaging, Inc

14.10 FLORA Digital Inkjet Printers

14.11 Hewlett Packard Enterprise

14.12 Konica Minolta, Inc

14.13 Kyocera Corporation

14.14 Lexmark International, Inc

14.15 Mimaki Engineering Co Ltd

14.16 Mutoh America, Inc

14.17 Oki Electric Industry

14.18 Pannier Corporation

14.19 Rena by Quadient

14.20 Ricoh Company Ltd

14.21 Roland Corporation

14.22 SAE Manufacturing Specialities Corp

14.23 Shenyang Sky Air-Ship Digital Printing Equipment Co Ltd

14.24 Seiko Epson Corporation

14.25 Seiko Instruments, Inc

14.26 SwissQprint

14.27 TRUMPH Group

14.28 Xaar plc

14.29 Xerox Holdings Corporation

14.30 Zhengzhou Audley Digital Control Equipment Co Ltd



15 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r5ighb

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ZIMBABWEAN Ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi has called on Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country to desist from criminal activities as this tarnishes the good image of fellow hard-working and honest immigrants and the country at large.

This comes after reports of a botched cash-in-transit robbery where 25 would-be robbers attacked police leading to a deadly shootout.

South Africa media reports confirmed that eight of the robbers were shot dead, eight were arrested, while nine fled from the crime scene.

South African police minister Bheki Cele told SABC News that four police officers were wounded during the shoot-out with a gang of cash-in-transit robbers in Rosettenville, south of Johannesburg.

Unconfirmed reports also claim that a majority of the robbers were Zimbabweans and one is from Botswana.

Reacting to the incident in an interview yesterday, Ambassador Hamadziripi said his office was still awaiting an official and authentic report on the nationality of the would-be robbers.

What we have heard is a lot of conflicting stories, some are incomplete and we have since requested to get formal official authentic information on the alleged nationality of the people involved and killed during this offence, he told Chronicle.

As an Embassy, we have consistently encouraged our nationals to observe the laws of this country just as we observe ours when we are home. We ask them to respect the laws of this country.

Ambassador Hamadziripi said he was happy because a majority of Zimbabweans in South Africa were law abiding and hard working.

Its sad that we have a few bad apples that are spoiling the good name of Zimbabweans. We continue to urge them to be at their best behaviour and be law abiding citizens even in South Africa.

The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa chairperson, Mr Ngqabutho Mabhena, said it was time Zimbabweans united against crime in the neighbouring country.

These incidents fuel hate speech and are the reason why we have Operation Dudula targeted at foreigners, especially Zimbabweans. All of us should unite against crime, he pleaded.

We are in the middle of a difficult time and we cannot afford to be engaged in any acts of lawlessness. We must stand against crime and desist from any behaviour likely to fuel attacks on fellow countrymen. Herald
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Angela Grego of SYNLawn Kansas City was recently honored with the Commercial Project of the Year awarded by SYNLawn, the largest manufacturer and unrivaled innovator of artificial grass in North America. Grego and her team were recognized for their 12,500-square-foot courtyard transformation at the Zona Rosa Shopping Center.

"Zona Rosa is an up-scale, outdoor shopping center with a center courtyard," explained Angela Grego, owner of SYNLawn Kansas City. "The courtyard used to be nothing but hardscaped plaza, and owners wanted to transform it into something as special as its surroundings. We overcame challenges to install a truly versatile space for patrons to enjoy for years to come."

The goal of this project was to revitalize the existing courtyard space into something patrons of the high-end shopping center could enjoy alongside their families. Grego and her team transformed the existing space into an all-inclusive synthetic turf courtyard using nearly 12,250 square feet of SYNTipede 343 and 250 square feet of Classic Putt and protected by a two-inch playground pad.

Using SYNLawn's durable and sustainable turf, Grego's team created a space for families to enjoy in any season. The upgraded courtyard includes a splash pad, amphitheater seating, and three berms, two of which come complete with turfed stairs. The ADA-compliant courtyard is family-friendly and inclusive.

SYNLawn Kansas City is the largest supplier and certified installer of SYNLawn products. Grego and her team serve the region by providing artificial grass solutions for commercial, landscaping, and residential projects. Photos of the Zona Rosa Shopping Center are available upon request. For more information about SYNLawn Kansas City, please visit https://www.kansascityartificiallawns.com/.

ABOUT SYNLawn

SYNLawn is the largest manufacturer and unrivaled innovator of artificial grass in North America and offers the greenest turf on Earth. As part of the SportGroup Holding family of companies, SYNLawn, along with sister surfacing brands - Astroturf, Rekortan, APT and Laykold - delivers the best products available on the market. SYNLawn's product offerings also include Calico Greens, an upscale line of artificial wall displays. SYNLawn's turnkey network of 100 distributors seamlessly combines environmental stewardship with industry-leading innovations. Manufactured in Dalton, GA, SYNLawn uses bio-based ingredients, such as soy and sugarcane, and consumer-conscious additives such as antimicrobials to meet customers' wide range of needs. With more than 200,000 residential and commercial installations, the company is raising the bar for global synthetic turf standards and transforming the idea of grass. We have a proprietary system with a large percentage of renewable content. From rooftops to road medians and rocket-launch viewing sites, SYNLawn has installed over 82 million square feet of U.S. soy-backed grass across 200,000 installations in the United States and 19 other countries since 2008. SYNLawn added more soy than ever to its products in 2021, which increased its use of U.S. soy by 10%. For more information, visit www.SYNLawn.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

Media Contact:

Caitlyn Moser

cmoser@syntheticturfresources.com

614-506-5851

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Image 1: SYNLawn





synlawn.com









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Fort Worth, TX, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Presented by Unity Unlimited, Dr. Opal Lee discusses the significance of Juneteenth and the importance of commemorating the abolition of slavery all across America in her book Juneteenth A Childrens Story. She wrote the easy-to-understand book to teach the next generation about the importance of celebrating the 12 freedoms gained from Juneteenth, and to acknowledge the fact that it is now a federal holiday.

Dr. Lee, who is affectionately known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," was an elementary school teacher and a home school counselor by vocation but is now a Social Impact Leader by calling. Education and Juneteenth, are topics she is passionate about, which motivated her to write her first children's book. She hopes to encourage more youngsters to read and know the truth about American history.

Many individuals have never heard of Juneteenth or believe that it is a purely a Texas celebration; however, she strives to discredit this assertion as she campaigns for her book to be available in schools, libraries, churches and homes all across America and abroad.

Dr. Lee is inviting the public to join her on Mar 4, 2022 for her book release party in New York City, NY at Casa Cares from 3 PM to 6 PM EST. A limited number of guests will have the opportunity to meet Dr. Lee , and hear a live reading of the special edition book, all while commemorating National Reading Month. Tickets available on a first come first serve basis: RSVP here.

For more details on the special edition of Juneteenth: A Childrens Story, please visit: https://www.opalswalk2dc.com/books

Dr.Lee is also available for media interviews while in New York City, from March 3rd to March 5th. For more information please contact Daria Hookfin at daria@hookenterprises.com

###

About Dr. Opal Lee

Dr. Opal Lee is the oldest living board member of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) that was founded and led by the late Dr. Ronald Myers, Sr., whose primary initiative is for Juneteenth to become a national holiday. To bring awareness to the cause, she started her Opals Walks 2 DC campaign in 2016, where she walks 2.5 miles to symbolize the 2.5 years that it took for slaves in Texas to know that they were freed. Dr. Opal Lee believes that FREEDOM should be celebrated from the 19th of June to the 4th of July.

About Unity Unlimited, Inc.

Unity Unlimited, Inc. is a non-profit organization that is completely volunteer-driven with activities that help communities overcome racial and cultural division. The programs they produce provide educational activities and resources to people to foster unity and harmony regardless of race, culture, or denomination including JuneteenthFTW a community festival that highlights the initiatives of the Grandmother of Juneteenth, Ms. Opal Lee whose mission is to support human dignity through education, culture, and opportunity. Other initiatives of the organization include Opals Farm to address food deserts in her community and Your Voice Unleashed a free week-long fine arts workshop for the youth to build bridges of unity.

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Mt. Washington, Ky., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MHS (http://www.mhsglobal.com/), a single-source provider of material handling automation and software solutions, will welcome this years MODEX attendees with a booth experience that builds on the companys showstopping exhibit at the previous MODEX show. The 2020 MHS booth broke from the stale status quo, ultimately winning recognition as a standout exhibit by the E3 Exhibiting Effectiveness Evaluation Team and an Exhibit Design Award from EXHIBITOR Magazine.

Visitors to the 2020 booth found a destination that represented a bold departure from the traditional trade show experience  a primarily black booth with dramatic overhead and wayfinding lighting inviting booth visitors into an unmatched hospitality experience. The flash of the booth matched the innovative technology inside, with interactive stations with MHS Helix, the companys proprietary warehouse execution system (WES) software, autonomous mobile robots and other material handling technologies.

The MHS experience at MODEX 2022 will once again depart from the status quo, with exhibits that allow attendees to explore the full range of MHS capabilities and an exclusive invitation-only speakeasy experience. A live demonstration will also showcase the results of MHS integrating in-house material handling equipment with advanced robotics solutions from Mujin and HAI ROBOTICS.

The creativity of our MODEX booth is a reflection of the forward-thinking, innovative technologies and unmatched customer service and support you find here at MHS, says Lauren Pedley, Marketing Manager, MHS. As groundbreaking as our exhibit is, guests will find that the true stars of the show are our solutions, engineered to address specific customer challenges and backed by the partnership and support to get the most from material handling investments.

In addition to the live robotics demonstration, the booth includes several pods that cover the breadth of MHS capabilities and the total experience of working with the company. Attendees are guided through the solution design and project execution processes, and the ongoing system support and optimization services from the companys lifecycle performance services group.

Visit MHS at booth #B7255 of the Georgia World Congress Center from March 28-31 to learn more about the companys global reach, broad lineup of automation and software technologies, and robust lifecycle performance services.

Images & logos

To access images and logos, click here.

About MHS

MHS Global is a full-service provider of innovative material handling systems that solve the challenges of distribution and fulfillment operations. We take a comprehensive, customer-centric approach that includes custom engineering, design, manufacturing and turnkey integration services. Our quality solutions leverage a broad range of controls and automated equipment, including but not limited to sorters, conveyors, extendable loading and unloading systems. We provide complete, responsive support to maintain systems for peak performance, with predictive analytics and local technicians to maximize long-term value and return on investment.

MHS has a global installed base of over $6.5 billion for small to large distribution and fulfillment projects in a variety of industries, including e-commerce, parcel, third party logistics and outside integrators.

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DENVER, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Booyah Advertising , a leading Denver-based digital advertising firm, has today announced the purchase of FiveFifty, a programmatic agency also headquartered in Denver, in an all-cash deal, and the debut of FiveFifty by Booyah, a programmatic division which will leverage The Trade Desk.



"Booyah has long sought to expand via acquisition, and we have been waiting to find an agency that not only is the best at what they do, but that shares our values and complements our expertise, said Troy Lerner, CEO of Booyah Advertising. "FiveFifty was the first company we've looked at that checks all those boxes and is one with which weve been familiar and friendly for years.

FiveFifty by Booyah will be led by former FiveFifty CEO Ryan Wilson, who joins as the groups president. In addition, FiveFifty's current roster of thirteen programmatic experts will continue to report to him. Booyah and FiveFifty will both retain their current office spaces, coincidentally co-located in Denver's INDUSTRY building, while the majority of the combined companys employees continue to work remotely.

The acquisition blends the best of two agencies, whose award-winning cultures have helped them attract some of the industry's best digital experts. The combination of Booyah's full-service digital offering with FiveFifty's focus on addressable media will elevate the digital strategies of the collective client portfolio. With the addition of FiveFifty's 50 clients, the client roster will now total over 200 brands, with heavy concentrations in the luxury beauty, outdoor apparel, travel and tourism, and financial services verticals.

Lerner added: "We're excited to welcome Ryan and his team into Booyah and to offer a more robust, in-house programmatic solution to our clients. As media continues to move toward addressable buying, the acquisition reinforces our capabilities and provides us with more capacity for the brands we serve. Were eliminating the added cost and inefficiency that comes from outsourcing and instead passing those savings along to the client."

FiveFifty's existing clients will benefit from additional depth and expertise in digital services currently on offer at Booyah, including paid search, paid social, video, and Amazon strategy and management, as well as SEO, content marketing, creative, and analytics services.

For FiveFifty's part, the team is just as eager to join Booyah and hit the ground running, shared Wilson. "We're similarly thrilled to be melding FiveFifty into Booyah and see this as a big win for our current clients, the FiveFifty team, and Booyah. We are ready to collaborate with the folks at Booyah and bring our unique programmatic trading expertise to their existing clients. With so many similarities  being Denver-based, digitally-oriented, and hyper-focused on promoting high-quality workplace cultures  this couldnt be a better fit."

For more information about Booyah Advertising and job opportunities, visit https://www.booyahadvertising.com/ .

About Booyah Advertising

Founded in 2001, Booyah Advertising is an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Denver, Colorado. Working with brands such as Unilever and Western Union, Booyah helps clients get better results from their digital marketing efforts through deliberation, experimentation, and collaboration. Booyah uses an integrated approach across services including paid search, paid social, display media, SEO, Amazon marketplace management, video, and programmatic. For more information, visit https://www.booyahadvertising.com/ .

Contact

Aubree Cross

Head of Marketing

303/345-6047

across@booyahadvertising.com
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Protein Industries Canada announced a co-investment into the second phase of Canadas National Index on Agri-Food Performance, alongside lead partners Pulse Canada and the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan, with the support of David McInnes, Coordinator of the National Index on Agri-Food Performance.



The National Index on Agri-Food Performance is focused on developing a set of sustainability indicators and metrics related to Canadas agriculture and agrifood industries, which will help increase Canadas competitiveness in the global market. The Index will shine a spotlight on the sustainable practices being utilized in the industry, while also helping address where improvements can be made.

As Canadians and consumers seek food that has been produced and processed sustainably to put on their tables, Canada has everything needed to become a significant global leader, explained the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. And through the creation of a National Index on Agri-Food Performance, we will ensure even more domestic and international opportunities for our sustainable, Canadian crops.

Innovation is key to the agricultural sectors competitive advantage and long-term economic prosperity in Canada. With the ability to measure our sustainability efforts through the National Index on Agri-Food Performance, we will strengthen Canadas reputation and competitiveness as a supplier of high quality food products into the future, said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

In addition to Protein Industries Canada, Pulse Canada and GIFS, more than 75 organizations spanning the food system are collaborating to advance this work. This includes diverse representation not only from the agriculture and agrifood industry, but also from adjacent sectors such as financial services, innovation organizations, environmental NGOs, and federal and provincial governments. The partners are focused on showing how agrifood production and supply in Canada is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. Additionally, they are striving to ensure that sustainability is communicated to both consumers and trade partners, helping build trust and improve Canadas national agrifood brand.

Canada has a reputation for sustainable production and processing practices. Having a set of metrics and indicators that measures these practices on a consolidated basis across the agriculture and agrifood sector will allow us to further back up our sustainability claims, strengthening Canadas reputation and global brand and increasing trust in our products, Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel said. The ability to measure our sustainability efforts will help increase our competitiveness in the global marketparticularly as we work to become a global leader in the production of plant-based ingredients and foods. Sustainability is an important distinguisher in this market, and this project will help further establish Canada as a leader in the area.

Creating Canadas first agrifood sustainability index involves tailoring a suite of globally recognized indicators that meet the needs of Canadas agrifood context. The project also includes developing a series of papers to inform the index and policy implications. These actions will help present Canadas sustainability credentials for the sector as a whole, including the plant-based foods and ingredients sector, improving Canadas ability to meet the growing global demand for healthy, sustainable plant-based foods and ingredients.

A total of $659,000 has been committed to this phase of the project, with Protein Industries Canada committing $626,000. Project partners are committing the remainder and providing in-kind support.

The world needs more of Canadas vision for modern, sustainable agriculture, Pulse Canada President Greg Cherewyk said. This project gives Canadian farmers and the entire value chain the tools they need to quantify their sustainability performance through real data, ensuring the market is appropriately compensating our industry for the positive impact it has on the environment.

We know that Canada is one of the largest and most sustainable producers of food; however, we dont have all the metrics to prove it or to even improve upon it, GIFS Chief Executive Officer Steven Webb said. This project that is a result of the National Index on Agri-Food Performance partnership will give us the data and the transparent process to measure how well we are doing on the sustainable production and processing of food, and give consumers at home and abroad the added and justifiable confidence in our agrifood sector.

Developing Canadas first agrifood sustainability index should become the countrys signature response for a society and marketplace that increasingly values transparency and accountability for how food is produced, processed and sold, said David McInnes, coordinator of the index project. The partners want Canada to be known here and abroad as the trusted source of food.

This is Protein Industries Canadas 34th project announcement, and the ninth under their capacity building stream. Together with industry, Protein Industries Canada has committed more than $451 million to Canadas plant-based food, feed and ingredients ecosystem.

Media may contact:

Miranda Burski

Protein Industries Canada

Regina, SK

306-581-1340

miranda@proteinsupercluster.ca

About Pulse Canada

Pulse Canada is the national association representing growers, traders and processors of Canadian pulses (dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas), proudly leading the future of healthy, sustainable food through the growth of Canadas pulse industry.

About the Global Institute for Food Security

The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan works with partners to discover, develop and deliver innovative solutions for the production of globally sustainable food. Founded by Nutrien, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan (USask), GIFS is agricultures innovation catalyst, connecting the agrifood ecosystem, advancing innovation and bridging the gap to commercialization to deliver resilient and sustainable food security for all stakeholders.

Learn more about GIFS at gifs.ca.

About the National Index on Agri-food Performance

A diverse coalition of more than 75 private and public partners is working together to develop Canadas first agri-food sustainability index (agrifoodindex.ca). The current phase of work will conclude in May 2022 and will help enable a pilot of the Index (version 1.0) to be launched in late 2022.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5a7628a0-2472-49e1-aa48-c24141d12f56
TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Canadians have more respect and appreciation for blue collar workersthe men and women who produced essential products, continued delivery and distribution of items, maintained vital infrastructure and moreaccording to a new survey from The Harris Poll, commissioned by Express Employment International.



The survey results are explored in full detail through a new white paper Industries of Opportunity in Blue Collar Canada: Rising Wages, Abundant Jobs, and Renewed Respect, which builds on a similar 2018 survey of blue collar workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic put the spotlight on blue collar workers and changed the way many Canadians feel about them. Two thirds of blue collar workers (65%) believe this historic time period changed how people view blue collar jobs, and an even higher proportion of white collar workers agree with this sentiment (75%).

The findings of the survey include:

Blue collar workers remain optimistic about the future.

They feel more respected and appreciated than in the past.

They are proud of the work they do, and the majority like the work they do.

They encourage others to pursue similar careers.

Most are not worried about losing their jobs or being replaced by automation.



Meaningful Work

The vast majority of blue collar workers (83%) say they are proud of the work they do. When it comes to getting a job, most (69%) say its easy to find a job in their field currently.

Overall, three-quarters are satisfied with their jobs (75%), citing a variety of reasons, including:

50% say they like their jobs because they make a good living wage.

36% say they like their jobs because they have flexible hours.

33% say they like their jobs because they are able to help others/have a sense of purpose.



Although the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in some dampening of their outlook, two thirds of blue collar workers (64%) express optimism about the future.

Blue Seeing Green: A Hot Job Market

Employers are desperate for blue collar talent and, as a result, many blue collar workers are cashing in as companies compete for employees who are in short supply.

According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, blue collar industries have some of the highest number of job vacancies in the country. Labour shortages have resulted in increased wages in blue collar industries.

A majority of blue collar workers surveyed (61%) received a pay increase in the past year, up from 55% in 2018. More than half (56%) say they will receive a pay increase this year, up from 51% in 2018.

Its not just wages that are increasing in blue collar industries, so are training opportunities. As job vacancies increase, more employers are willing to provide training to prospective employees who may not yet have quite the right skills. This makes these jobs even more attractive, particularly for those who dont currently possess a specialized degree or certification, because they can land no-cost training and a quality job with good pay at the same time.

Blue Collar Concerns

Although blue collar workers are generally optimistic, they do have concerns. Their biggest concern is saving enough for their retirement (71%). Fortunately, the proportion of blue collar workers who say they are putting money aside for retirement has increased (45% in 2021 vs. 31% in 2018).

The pandemic may have made blue collar workers feel more appreciated, but it has also added new stresses and pressures to their jobsespecially as they feel the effects of a strained labour force.

Nearly two-thirds of blue collar workers (62%) say their work-life balance has been impacted by the current labour shortage. Close to one-third of blue collar workers (29%) say they have a heavier workload due to staff shortages.

The Future of Blue Collar Work

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, blue collar industries are desperate for workers and luckily, more than two-thirds of blue collar workers in Canada (68%) say there is a good career path in their line of work.

More than 1 in 3 (33%) believe there will be more jobs available in their field in the next 10 years, up from 2018 (31%). Just 23% believe there will be fewer jobs available. Almost three-quarters (72%) believe more young adults should pursue careers in their field.

One commonly heard view about blue collar careers is that they will be displaced by increased automation, but that is hardly a concern among blue collar workers. Only 12% worry about losing their jobs in the near future, and just 7% are concerned about being replaced by automation.

Automation will certainly create change, but it wont erase the need for blue collar talent. In fact, it presents an opportunity that could result in the creation of more jobs in some blue collar industries.

Blue collar workers have always been the backbone of the Canadian economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic provided a stark reminder for anyone who had forgotten that, Express CEO Bill Stoller said. These heroic individuals keep the country running with leadership that has earned them renewed respect in the eyes of Canadians. And as the economy recovers, blue collar job prospects are more numerous and lucrative than at any time in recent history. Take blue collar workers word for itnow is the time to pursue one of these careers.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Sept. 28 and Oct. 13, 2021, among 2,065 Canadian adults ages 18+ who are employed full-time, part-time, or self-employed. Data were weighted where necessary by age by gender, education, region, household income, household size and marital status to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. This sample of employees includes 191 blue collar workers (defined as employees who perform manual labour and work in agriculture, automotive services, construction, maintenance, manufacturing, transportation or utilities) that were weighted individually.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Ana Curic at (613) 858-2622 or email Ana@MapleLeafStrategies.com.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com/CA.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b2c3774-dfae-4389-b665-1b7fb2d1e12e
MARSHALL, Mich., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Common Citizen, which produces safe, high-quality cannabis products for patients and adult-use customers, today announced an exclusive product partnership with Omura, a Los Angeles-based cannabis vaporizing innovator. Omuras state-of-the-art cannabis vaporizers will be available this month at all Common Citizen locations.

The historic cross-country partnership is the latest example of Common Citizens commitment to serving the unique needs of Michigans patients and adult-use customers.

We are proud to be working with Omura, a leader in state-of-the-art cannabis vaporizing technology that will help us enhance and grow our line of safe, high-quality cannabis vaping products, said Michael Elias, Common Citizen CEO. At Common Citizen, we are committed to Cannabis for Humanity and serving the unique needs of our patients and adult-use customers. Our partnership with Omura is our latest effort to achieve this goal.

Omura will provide biodegradable whole flower cannabis vaporizing cartridges, Flowersticks, to Common Citizen that will be filled with Common Citizens safe, high-quality cannabis. Omura products provide an easy to use, heat-not-burn vaping platform for consumption of whole flower cannabis and hemp CBD. Omuras proprietary pre-filled Flowersticks and heat-not-burn device ensure precision dosing and sustainability, providing a clean, convenient and smoke-free experience.

We are particularly excited about partnering with Common Citizen because of its focus on patient over product and giving back to the communities it serves  a philosophy we also embrace here at Omura, said Mike Simpson, Omura CEO. We look forward to sharing our expertise in the cannabis vaping market and helping Common Citizen continue to serve the individual cannabis needs of its customers.

###

About Common Citizen

Common Citizen is a privately owned and operated company, focusing on cannabis production, cultivation, processing, retail and wholesale distribution for both the medical and adult market in Michigan and across the United States. Launched in Detroit in 2018, the Common Citizen brand takes a deliberate, people-first approach to its business strategy  from production to retail. Learn more at commoncitizen.com.

About Omura

Founded in 2018 by a team of designers, engineers, and flower enthusiasts, Omuras technology platform was created to make whole flower consumption more convenient and approachable to newcomers and experienced users alike. With a sleek design and use of disposable flower sticks, Omura delivers a consistently clean, sustainable, and enjoyable experience. Learn more at omura.com.
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a nonprofit developer of performance-based and custom assessments that authentically measure students essential college and career readiness skills, today shared results of polling conducted during a professional learning webinar, which found K-12 educators largely believe critical thinking and problem solving skills are extremely valuable for academic and career success.



The February 2 live webinar, Developing Essential Skills for College and Career Readiness: Are Your Students Ready for Their Next Steps?, focused on written communication as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills that are in high demand by employers, including data literacy, critical reading, and analyzing information.

In a CAE poll of attendees, which included educators, district administrators and school counselors from middle school and high school, 94% said critical thinking and problem solving skills are extremely valuable for students academic success, while 81% said these skills are extremely valuable for career success.

Content knowledge is only part of what students need to know and apply, said Doris Zahner, Ph.D., chief academic officer, CAE, who moderated the webinar panel. Skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication are the foundation on which content knowledge can be mastered, integrated, and applied. These skills are essential to young peoples success in secondary and higher education, as well as in the workforce. In fact, they are the skills hiring managers are looking for most.

The panel also included Leighann Lenti, chief of partnership at the University of Virginia Partnership for Leaders in Education, and Matt Montano, superintendent of Bernalillo Public Schools in New Mexico. The group addressed the increase in value of critical thinking skills, how performance-based assessments deliver actionable insight into those skills, and the need to screen and measure students essential skills to identify their mastery level.

When we think of high school graduation requirements, so much is still based on meeting core subject thresholds, said Lenti. A real opportunity exists to think through what matters to prepare our students for their next steps, whether they are entering the workforce or a postsecondary institution. There is room to be intentional in prioritizing essential skills, offering a meaningful and actionable plan, and considering how we further equip educators to support this mission.

CAEs data shows that 60% of students are not proficient in these essential skills upon entry into higher education in the U.S. Additionally, by the time they graduate, 44% still are not proficient. As with any skill development, identifying students current proficiency and areas for growth are the first steps to prepare them to navigate a rapidly changing and demanding world.



Teaching these essential skills often gets overlooked as educators use limited instructional time to prepare students to meet content-based standards. Many educators also presume that activities to build these skills are incorporated into content-based curricula.

Developing college and career readiness, and the skills necessary for success, should begin long before ninth grade, said Montano. We must think about these skills as early as students elementary school years. So, by the time they enter higher education and the workforce, well have taken the time to develop, assess, measure, and improve their capabilities, and the result will be their increased likelihood for success.

Additional polling of participants perceptions of college and career readiness skills revealed:

58% believe their students think critical thinking and problem-solving skills are extremely valuable for their own academic and/or career success

Over half the respondents reported that instruction of essential skills at their school is not specifically provided

Less than 5% of respondents reported that they are using an independent, objective assessment to measure students critical thinking skills

Of those using any type of assessment, over 70% use the results for faculty and/or student feedback

The webinar is available for on-demand viewing. CAE has also created a quick Essential College & Career Readiness Skills checklist to keep these skills top-of-mind for curricula and programming for 202223.

About CAE

A nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve student outcomes, CAE develops performance-based and custom assessments that authentically measure students essential college and career readiness skills and identify opportunities for student growth. CAEs Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) for higher education, College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA+) for secondary education, and the new Success Skills Assessment (SSA+) for any level, evaluate the skills educational institutions and employers demand most: critical thinking, problem solving and effective written communication. Based on CAEs research, these skills are predictive of positive college and career outcomes. CAE also partners with its clients to design innovative performance assessments that measure the constructs vital to students, educators, and institutions, including subject area and grade specific assessments. Since 2002, more than 800,000 students at over 1,300 secondary and higher education institutions globally have completed CAEs assessments. To learn more, please visit http://www.cae.org/.
Under Jeff Marrazzos leadership, Spark launched worlds first FDA-approved gene therapy for a genetic disease. He also spearheaded Sparks $4.8 billion acquisition by Roche.

Companys longtime business and pipeline leader Ron Philip takes helm as CEO.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spark Therapeutics, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and a fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company dedicated to challenging the inevitability of genetic disease, today announced that Ron Philip, Sparks chief operating officer, will succeed co-founder Jeffrey D. Marrazzo as chief executive officer. Jeff, who co-founded the company in 2013, will step down on April 1.

When I think about Sparks future, Ive long viewed Ron as the next person to take over at the helm  not only is he a steadfast leader, hes been instrumental in developing Sparks gene therapy pipeline and has a deep understanding of Sparks unique culture, Jeff said. I am incredibly proud of what weve built at Spark: from my first meetings in 2011, when the company was merely an idea, to now as the gene therapy center of excellence at one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Ive had the remarkable privilege to be part of an incredible team and work on cutting-edge science that has the potential to change peoples lives. Under Rons leadership, I know that Spark is well-positioned to deliver on the full promise of gene therapy.

As co-founder and CEO of Spark, Jeff created a fully integrated, commercial gene therapy company that successfully delivered to patients the worlds first gene therapy approved by both the FDA and EMA, while also discovering and developing potential treatments and cures for inherited retinal disease and rare bleeding and neuromuscular disorders. Over the course of a decade, he led Sparks transition from a research center within the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia to a private, venture-backed start-up and a publicly traded biotechnology company, and, most recently, an independent operating unit within Roche  a multinational healthcare company. Jeff successfully grew the company to more than 800 employees; established an urban research and manufacturing campus of nearly 1 million square feet; raised more than $1 billion in capital, including as part of a successful $161 million initial public offering in 2015; and orchestrated the $4.8 billion sale and subsequent integration of the company into Roche. Most recently, Spark announced a long-term commitment to its hometown of Philadelphia with plans to build a 500,000-square-foot Gene Therapy Innovation Center in the citys University City neighborhood.

It has been a real pleasure working with Jeff Marrazzo. As one of Sparks co-founders, he has led the company to the success it is today: championing patients and redefining the frontiers of science, with an impressive portfolio of potential gene therapies, as well as an on-market treatment for inherited retinal disease, said Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche. I am extremely pleased to see Ron Philip succeed Jeff as Sparks new CEO. Ron has led significant achievements at Spark, and he brings decades of operational, development and strategy experience from biopharma companies and management consulting. Im looking forward to Sparks continued success under Rons leadership.

As Sparks COO, Ron led the oversight and delivery of research, development, manufacturing and commercial efforts on the companys pipeline assets. Most notably, he directed the development and commercial launch of Sparks first approved gene therapy, LUXTURNA (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl). He also played an important role in Sparks acquisition by Roche, assisting in the merger and acquisition evaluation and antitrust review in the U.S. and U.K. Over the course of his impressive 30-year career, Ron held various roles of increasing responsibility at Wyeth, Merck, Deloitte and Pfizer, last serving in senior leadership roles at Pfizer in regional commercial operations and global business unit strategy.

I am humbled and honored to lead Sparks talented team as we continue our important work  developing gene therapies with the potential to dramatically and positively change the lives of the patient communities we serve, Ron said. Its an exciting time at Spark. Not only are we growing physically, were continuing to expand the science surrounding gene therapy and the possibilities it may offer to people living with rare diseases. Its those possibilities that fuel us daily and unite our team on the path ahead.

Ron added, I wish Jeff all the best as he begins the next chapter in his career, and I am grateful to have worked alongside him over the last 5 years as we built Spark into the company it is today. Jeffs pioneering spirit is part of Sparks DNA, and it will serve us well into the future.

About Spark Therapeutics

Spark Therapeutics is a fully integrated, commercial company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies. Founded in 2013, Spark Therapeutics is the first company in the U.S. to receive FDA approval of a gene therapy for a genetic disease.

Today, as a member of the Roche Group, Spark is focused on breaking barriers for people and families affected by genetic diseases, including blindness, hemophilia, lysosomal storage disorders and neurodegenerative disease, and currently has four programs in clinical trials. At Spark, the vision is a world where no life is limited by a genetic disease.

A best place to work headquartered in Philadelphia, Spark is fueled by a diverse, experienced team united in a collective goal: challenging the inevitability of genetic diseases.

For more information, visit www.sparktx.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media contact:

Denise Bradley

267-583-8267
COSTA MESA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insight Financial Services (IFS), a division of Insight Investments, LLC , today announced that has been awarded a five-year contract from the US Educational Technology Purchasing Alliance (USETPA) to provide financial and leasing services for IT equipment and services. The contract provides USETPA subscribers preferred access to IFS industry leading financial and leasing solutions.



The US Educational Technology Purchasing Alliance is a great program for schools and public agencies across the country as it provides access to pre-qualified services offered at preferred rates, said Colleen ODonnell, Senior Vice President, Director of SLED, Insight Financial Services. We are pleased to become an approved vendor to provide our financial solutions to the many subscribers across the country. Having this contract will allow us to easily administer leasing for E-Rate projects. The ability to accelerate E-Rate projects can allow school districts to maximize funding and have a predictable budget for the portion that is not covered by E-Rate funds.

The US Educational Technology Purchasing Alliance assists Public Agencies to reduce the cost of purchased goods through strategic sourcing that combines the volumes and the purchasing power of public agencies nationwide. As a qualified vendor in the program, IFS products and services are available to all USETPA eligible subscribers including K12 public and private schools, Head Start organizations, libraries, local government entities, and all other public agencies and private PreK-12 schools.

IFS offers a variety of lease options designed to meet the technology and/or equipment needs of schools, libraries, and public agencies including IT/Operating leases and capital/finance leases. These leasing programs help organizations to accelerate technology deployment, avoid obsolescence, plan for refresh periods, align with budget cycles, track, and manage assets, and more.

IFS US Educational Technology Purchasing Alliance contract number is 723001.

For more information visit: https://www.usetpa.org/vendor/Insight-Investments,-LLC-dba-Insight-Financial-Services?vendorID=2197

About Insight Financial Services

Insight Financial Services (IFS), a division of Insight Investments, LLC, delivers customized leasing solutions for the acquisition of technology, equipment, and associated services. Corporate enterprises, education institutions, and government agencies benefit from IFS fully transparent IT refresh and lease solutions. Value Added Resellers (VARs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and Managed Services Providers (MSPs) leverage IFS for customized vendor programs that help their customers acquire more of their solutions. With a national managed portfolio exceeding $1.25 billion, IFS prides itself in a hands-on, collaborative approach to leasing. Its Asset Management Online System (AMOS) provides clients with anywhere, anytime asset and lease management. For more information, visit www.ifsleasing.com .

Media Contact:

Christy Kemp

303-898-3390

ckemp@dahliapr.com
Lawyers for a woman who says Donald Trump raped her dont want to question the ex-president before her federal lawsuit over the alleged assault is tried.

We do not seek to depose President Trump, said Roberta Kaplan, who represents Trumps accuser, magazine journalist E. Jean Carroll, in a lawsuit that says Trump lied when he denied the rape accusation.

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He can depose our client, Kaplan said Tuesday in Manhattan Federal Court.

He can depose the other two women who she told contemporaneously when it happened, the lawyer said. And wed like his DNA. Thats it.

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Kaplan revealed the turnabout strategy of Carrolls legal team while she argued in court that Trump had bogged down the cases progression with countless procedural issues.

E. Jean Carroll and former President Donald Trump (Getty Images)

The hearing on Tuesday was about Trumps wants wish to invoke New Yorks anti-SLAPP law, which is intended to deter abusive and frivolous libel lawsuits.

Doing so would enable Trump to countersue Carroll for lawyers fees if he wins the case.

Ironically, lawyers who wrote New Yorks SLAPP law, passed in 2020, said it was inspired by Trumps penchant for suing his critics.

Judge Lewis Kaplan pushed back against Trumps bid to countersue Carroll.

Kaplan quizzed Trump lawyer Alina Habba during a tense back and forth that centered on whether Trump can invoke the state SLAPP law in a federal lawsuit.

As I understand the argument, the whole thing cant be applied in federal court. Period, exclamation point, Kaplan said.

The judge did not issue an immediate ruling on Trumps request.

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Carroll, 77, claims to still have the black wool dress she wore during the incident and believes it contains Trumps DNA.

After the hearing, Carroll said she would never give up her legal fight.

Ill never settle, she vowed. Were in this fight for, not really me, but for all women who have been grabbed and groped, and assaulted and raped, who were silenced.

The former Elle columnist is suing Trump for his statements denying the alleged rape at a press conference in 2019 when he was still president.

Ill say it with great respect: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK? Trump told The Hill in an interview in 2019. Trump said Carroll was totally lying.

Initially filed in the state courts, Carrolls suit has progressed at a snails pace.

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It was moved to federal court in 2020 when the Department of Justice moved to represent then-President Trump against the charges.
January auctions across the valley floor close in on $275 million as Woodside Credit grew loan volume 68% compared to January 2020

NEWPORT BEACH, CA, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  Woodside Credit, offering collector car loans with the lowest monthly payments in America, strengthened its position as the leading lender in the collector car space with record-setting loan funding results. With a 68% increase compared to January 2020, this milestone underscores the sustained long-term growth of Woodside Credit.

"The Phoenix metro continues to be a top market for collector vehicles, and we're pleased to start this year with even more momentum," said Mitch Shatzen, President and Chief Operating Officer at Woodside Credit. Our commitment to commonsense lending along with the convenience of eSign has helped drive us past $2 billion in loan fundings.

Only Woodside Credit serves collector car enthusiasts everywhere across the Country with an industry-leading digital lending experience coupled with low monthly payments. From e-sign to virtual vehicle verifications, Woodside credit makes it easy to purchase a collector vehicle at an auction, through a private party, or at a dealership.

The classic and collector car market powered through pandemic challenges over the past two years reaching new heights in sales and collector car values, setting the stage for the current market strength. Statistas market projections indicate the continued expansion of this market, with an additional $3 billion in projected growth over the next three years.

"The Woodside Credit program continues to offer borrowers the lowest monthly payments in America," explains Mr. Shatzen. "Our savvy clients tell us how our program helps them keep their money working harder for them elsewhere while enjoying the collector cars of their dreams.

In addition to a focus on the Phoenix market, Woodside Credit serves its borrowers and dealers in all 50 states through its nationwide lending professionals and headquarters in Newport Beach, California. Woodside Credit ranks as one of the Fastest-Growing Midsize Private Companies by the Orange County Business Journal. For more information visit Woodside Credit's website.

About Woodside Credit

With over $2 billion in loan originations, Woodside Credit is the leader in classic and collector car financing. Established in 2003, the company's expertise is rooted in providing loans with flexible terms and the lowest monthly payments in America. Woodside Credit is dedicated to the success of dealerships and clients nationwide. With terms up to 15 years and loans up to $800,000, the company achieves unparalleled quality and flexibility for clients through its commonsense lending practices. Visit WoodsideCredit.com for more information.

Press Contact:

Brian Trevisan

Vice President, Operations

Brian@Woodsidecredit.com

949-877-8290

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Charleston, SC, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OCEARCH is returning to the waters off the Carolinas to embark on their 43rd ocean research expedition. Alongside 43 collaborators from 30 research institutions, the organization will collect data to support 25 science projects that will help finally solve, for the first time, the life history puzzle of the white shark in the Western North Atlantic Ocean.

From OCEARCHs tracking data it is clear that the waters off the Southeast United States is an overwintering site for white sharks, and its during this time that we see both male and female mature sharks come together in this region before the females head offshore to possibly gestate. These mature animals will be OCEARCHs focus during Expedition Carolinas in order to gather the fundamental data needed to solve the most elusive piece of the Western North Atlantic White Shark Puzzle: when and where they mate. Unlike other fishes, sharks mate like mammals, and its this critical part of their lives that OCEARCH is now closing in.

The OCEARCH team is excited to return to the Carolinas, as we approach the end of our journey to complete our understanding of the white shark in the Western North Atlantic, from birth to old age. A last critical piece of the puzzle--when and where these sharks are mating--is within our grasp. All of our science points to the area off the Carolinas in late winter as the place where the adult females and males come together to mate, so that's where we're heading. With good weather and good luck, we will discover the remaining piece of the puzzle," explains OCEARCH Chief Scientist Dr. Bob Hueter.

Locating and sampling a specific size class of an animal in a specific region is difficult and this, coupled with the tumultuous weather off the Carolinas this time of year, will make this expedition one of the biggest challenges of the study to date.

OCEARCHs Western North Atlantic White Shark study is the most comprehensive study of white sharks in the world and includes a full health assessment of each shark, microbiological studies, movement, temperature and depth studies through the use of three different tags, and more. In order to confirm this region as a white shark mating site, blood samples will be collected to measure reproductive hormone levels. In addition, ultrasound images of the ovary and testes and semen samples from mature male animals will be assessed. Together these samples and diagnostic images will help determine if the adult white sharks present in the Carolinas region, during this season, are reproductively active.

With 83 sharks studied in the western North Atlantic ocean over the past 9 years, OCEARCH is in the last stages of their sample collection in this region. The team has just 17 sharks left to reach their goal of 100 sharks sampled and tagged in the western North Atlantic.

As we wind down the western North Atlantic white shark life history puzzle, the challenge on the water gets even greater. Our scientists now only require mature animals out of the Southeast United States during the months of March and April. This is to solidify and nail down exactly where and when white sharks are mating. If were able to do so it will be the first time in history that a white shark mating site will be identified. This location will be crucial to monitor into the future as we continue to enjoy our slow and steady white shark population recovery off the eastern seaboard and Atlantic Canada, which will ultimately ensure that our great grandchildren see a thriving ocean system full of fish, stated OCEARCH Founder and Expedition Leader Chris Fischer.

Expedition Carolinas will depart from Charleston, SC on March 4 before a final docking planned in Savannah, GA on March 24. Community outreach opportunities will be available at the beginning and end of the expedition. Explore alongside the team in real time on social media platforms @OCEARCH.

OCEARCHs 2022 plans include an additional expedition in the western North Atlantic off of Newfoundland, Canada in July to finish up their goal of 100 sharks and officially solve the life history puzzle of the western North Atlantic white shark. The crew will then head to the waters off the United Kingdom and Ireland in order to begin to solve the life history puzzle of the white shark in the eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.

Additional Expedition Carolinas materials, including photo and video assets available for use by the press can be found here.

___

About OCEARCH

OCEARCH is a global non-profit organization conducting unprecedented research on our ocean's giants in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean. Our mission is to return our worlds oceans to balance and abundance through fearless innovations in critical scientific research, education, outreach, and policy using unique collaborations of individuals and organizations in the U.S and abroad. OCEARCH is recognized as a world leader in generating scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white sharks, tiger sharks, and more. OCEARCH provides a free open-sourced Global Shark Tracker and app that allows scientists, educators, and fans alike to learn about the never before documented movements of our ocean's animals. The non-profit organization provides free STEM education curriculum that enables students to learn STEM skills while promoting environmental awareness. OCEARCHs research is proudly supported by the following socially responsible organizations: Costa Sunglasses, Rogue Sharks, SeaWorld, YETI, Ulysse Nardin, Blundstone, Cisco Brewers, Jeffersons Bourbon and our educational home Jacksonville University. Learn more at ocearch.org.







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TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Realty Partners ("Crown") has completed the first acquisition for its value-add fund, Crown Realty V Limited Partnership ("CR V LP" or the Fund). The property, known as Park of Commerce, consists of four office buildings and is located within the Greater Ottawa Area along the Queensway Corridor.



CR V LP is the fifth value-add closed-end fund managed by Crown and offers institutional and family office investors enhanced returns through Crowns active approach to management. Crown successfully raised approximately $260 million in equity commitments as of October 2021 and will focus on investments within Canadas primary office markets, especially the Greater Toronto Area and the Greater Ottawa Area.

The complex is LEED Gold and BOMA BEST Gold certified, features an abundance of greenspace, and includes a parcel of land that could accommodate future residential development in a growing node.

Emily Hanna, Managing Partner of Crown says, This transaction represents an important step for our Fund as we optimise economic return targets and sustainability goals within our value enhancement strategy. Part of Crowns plan is to focus on capital upgrades that improve accessibility and contribute to energy efficiency and GHG emission reductions. These will enhance the experience of building occupants while protecting the long-term resiliency of this investment.

Park of Commerce is a 415,000 square foot Class A Complex, comprised of four office buildings located at 1400, 1410, 1420, 1430 Blair Towers Place. It is located within a vibrant suburban office node and benefits from proximity to major highways, Ottawas O-Line LRT and an abundance of retail amenities. The complex offers ample parking, spacious common areas and efficient floor plates which provide the flexibility to accommodate tenants of different sizes.

"We are excited to complete this acquisition as it appeals to a broad range of tenants looking for a Class A environment with unlimited amenities nearby. Our model suite program will commence shortly with move-in ready spaces from 1,000-10,000 square feet," says Scott Watson, Managing Partner, Crown.

Crown is preparing for the closing of another acquisition on behalf of the Fund within the next month, a portfolio located within the GTA. Crown continues to seek additional Canadian commercial real estate investment opportunities that fit the Fund's value-add investment mandate.

About Crown Realty Partners

Crown is an integrated commercial real estate investment and management firm focused on value-add opportunities across Canada, with approximately $3B of real assets under management. Founded in 2001, Crown has a well-established track record, an experienced team and takes a hands-on approach to provide superior returns for investors and better workplaces for tenants.

For further information, please contact:

Emily Hanna, PhD

Managing Partner, Investments

ehanna@crp-cpmi.com

647.729.2609

Scott Watson

Managing Partner, Acquisitions & Leasing

swatson@crp-cpmi.com

647.729.2617

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31a55531-dd18-4e54-8d9d-30662aabddb4
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Oak Street Health, Inc. (NYSE: OSH) between August 6, 2020 and November 8, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period), of the important March 14, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased Oak Street Health 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 Oak Street Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=2905 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 March 14, 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) Oak Street Health maintained relationships with third-party marketing agents likely to provoke law enforcement scrutiny; (2) Oak Street Health was providing free transportation to federal health care beneficiaries in a manner that would provoke law enforcement scrutiny; (3) these activities may be violations of the False Claims Act; (4) as such, Oak Street Health was at heightened risk of investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and/or other federal law enforcement agencies; (5) as a result, Oak Street Health was subject to adverse impacts related to defense and settlement costs and diversion of management resources; and (6) as a result of the foregoing, defendants positive statements about Oak Street Healths business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Oak Street Health class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=2905 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
BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vocodia today has announced that they have been named Top Florida Tech Startup 2022 by StartupCity.

Vocodia has revolutionized contact center operations with their bespoke conversational AI, called the Digital Intelligent Sales Agent (DISA). DISA produces natural-sounding conversations through their native language process (NLP) technology. This allows companies to give their customers a far more personal and human experience, with the convenience of an automated system.

"Gone are the days where we slam the phone, press 0, and beg to speak to a human due to lackluster customer service AI," says Vocodia CEO, Brian Podolak.

"Sometimes, we have to let the customers know that they are talking to DISA because the conversations are that natural and human-like."

Vocodia's solution ingests thousands of conversations and stands light years apart from the conventional AI chatbots that typically drive users mad. This element of using real human voices makes the resulting engagement more human-like and enables conversations carried out by DISA to be tailor-made to each interaction. So much so that in a recent live demonstration of their solution given to a panel of AI scientists, the experts were convinced that they were interacting with an actual human being.

Vocodia's DISA offering allows access to unmatched communication channels for their customers and empowers companies to continue to uphold the brand value they represent.

About Vocodia:

Vocodia is a next-generation conversational AI technology provider. The company revolutionizes contact center operations with their innovative conversational AI technology called Digital Intelligent Sales Agent. This advanced AI software allows companies to automate their contact center operations and provide a more genuine and efficient customer experience.

Press Contact: nima@lightyearstrategies.com

Related Images











Image 1: Brian Podolak - CEO of Vocodia





See Vocodia featured on the cover of Startup City









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Dallas, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alternet Systems, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALYI) today announced plans to include their Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle in the upcoming electric motorcycle demonstration coming to university campuses in Texas.

ALYI has partners with Priority Aviation, Inc. (OTC Pink: PJET), a company that is no longer in the aviation business having transitioned into a business serving university students. ALYI is providing electric motorcycles to PJET for a pilot university student campus transportation program that could expand from a pilot into a full-fledged program. PJET expects to start demonstrating vehicles on campuses in Texas before the end of the first quarter and taking orders.

When the PJET demo rolls out, it will include the Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle in addition to the campus electric motorcycles. The demos will be advertised advance. Interested buyers of the Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle will be able to attend the demonstration and try out the Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle and place an order.

For more information and to stay up to date on ALYI's overall latest developments, please visit www.alternetsystemsinc.com.

Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur.



Alternet Systems, Inc.

Randell Torno

info@lithiumip.com

+1-800-713-0297
English Icelandic

The Board of Directors of Islandsbanki hf. hereby announces that the Annual General Meeting of the Bank will be held on Thursday, 17 March 2022, 16:00 local time, at Gullteigur conference room, Grand Hotel Reykjavik, Sigtuni 28, 105 Reykjavik. Electronic participation will be available. Voting at the meeting will be conducted entirely electronically. The meeting will be conducted in Icelandic, but translation services into English will be available.

The meetings agenda is as follows:

The report of the Board of Directors on the Banks operations and activities for the preceding year of operation; Approval of the Banks annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements for the preceding year of operation; Decision on payment of a dividend; Election of the Banks Board of Directors, alternate directors and the Chairman of the Board; Election of an auditor; Decision on the remuneration to the Board of Directors and compensation to the members of the Boards sub-committees; Board proposal for the Banks Remuneration Policy; Board proposal for the Banks Nomination Committees Rules of Procedure; Board proposal on the authorisation to purchase own shares and a corresponding amendment to the Banks Articles of Association;

If the proposal is approved, the Board of Directors is authorised to purchase up to 10% of the Banks share capital. The authorisation shall remain in effect until the Banks Annual General Meeting in 2023 or 15 September 2023, whichever occurs first. The authorisation shall be used to set up a formal share repurchase program or for the purpose of offering shareholders generally to sell their shares to the Bank. The repurchase of shares is subject to prior approval by the Financial Supervisory Authority of the Central Bank of Iceland.

Other matters.

General information

Participation at the AGM by electronic means is available, via the Lumi AGM web solution, in which a livestream from the meeting will be accessible and shareholders can submit questions. Electronic participation equals attendance at the meeting and confers full participation rights in the meeting. Voting at the meeting will be conducted entirely via Lumi AGM regardless of whether shareholders attend the meeting venue or participate electronically. Computer, tablet or smartphone can be used for voting. Electronic voting before the announced time of the AGM will not be available.

Shareholders of record according to the Banks share registration system on the day of the AGM may exercise their rights at the meeting. Shareholders may authorise a proxy to attend the Annual General Meeting and vote on their behalf. Shareholders alone are responsible to who they give proxy to or share their login credentials with. The required form of a proxy is available on the Banks website www.islandsbanki.is/shareholdersmeetings . A proxy is valid only for attendance at one shareholders meeting unless otherwise clearly stated in the contents of the proxy. Shareholders, who also are legal entities or who intend to authorise a proxy to attend the Annual General Meeting on their behalf, are instructed to make sure that the proxy is legally authorised to do so.

In order to ensure the timely processing of shareholders requests to receive login credentials, shareholders or shareholders proxies who wish to attend the meeting, either remotely or in person, are asked to register at www.lumiconnect.com/meeting/islandsbanki no later than by 4:00 p.m. on 16 March 2022, being the day before the meeting. Registration requires a photo of ID and a proxy form, if applicable. Shareholders can submit questions for the AGM via email to shareholders@islandsbanki.is or at the meeting itself.

Shareholders are entitled to have a specific matter dealt with at the meeting if he/she so requests by sending an email to shareholders@islandsbanki.is no later than ten days prior to the Annual General Meeting i.e., no later than 16:00 Icelandic time, 7 March 2022. Such a request shall be accompanied by grounds or a draft resolution.

At shareholders meetings, each krona of share capital carries one vote. A shareholders meeting shall be duly constituted, regardless of attendance, if it was lawfully convened and if one or more shareholders attend the meeting.

The agenda, the Board of Directors proposals for the meeting, the financial statement for the year 2021, information on how shareholders can receive their login credentials, the process of electronic voting and other documents for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) are available on the Banks website, www.islandsbanki.is/shareholdersmeetings , and are accessible at the Banks headquarters. All documents presented to the AGM are available in both Icelandic and English. Should there be discrepancy between the English and the Icelandic version, the latter prevails.

Kopavogur, 23 February 2022

Board of Directors of Islandsbanki hf.

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Austin, TX, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thanks to a network of dedicated loan officers and mortgage companies, the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) helped 22,726 households purchase a home in 2021, the most home buyers TSAHC has ever served. In total, TSAHC provided more than $4.8 billion in mortgage loans and $192 million in down payment assistance to home buyers this past year. Additionally, 2,789 of the 22,726 families who received assistance were also able to access a Mortgage Credit Certificate, a mortgage interest tax credit specifically for first-time home buyers that reduces their federal income taxes every year.



TSAHCs home buyer programs, known as the Homes for Texas Heroes and Home Sweet Texas Home Loan Programs, provide fixed-rate mortgage loans, down payment assistance, and federal mortgage interest tax credits that can make purchasing a home more affordable for low and moderate-income families. Participating loan officers and mortgage companies play a critical role by spreading awareness to home buyers and helping them complete the application process.



TSAHC would like to recognize the three loan officers who helped the most families purchase a home with our programs in 2021. With more than 3,400 loan officers originating at least one TSAHC loan in 2021, this is an extraordinary accomplishment.



Josh Allyn with Gateway Mortgage Group assisted 227 home buyers in 2021, originating more than $50.5 million in mortgage loans. This is Mr. Allyns third year to receive an award as a top three TSAHC loan officer and his second year at the top of the list.



Christian Garza with Lennar Mortgage assisted 150 home buyers in 2021, originating more than $37.2 million in mortgage loans. This is the first year that Mr. Garza has been recognized as a top three TSAHC loan officer.



Scott Stone with Independent Bank assisted 108 home buyers in 2021, originating more than $20 million in mortgage loans. This is Mr. Stones first year to receive an award as a top three TSAHC loan officer.



To view photos of the top loan officers, visit www.tsahc.org/news/article/2021-top-lenders



Given the number of challenges we experienced in the past year, from the winter storm to an on-going pandemic, the need for a stable place to call home is more important than ever, said David Long, TSAHC President. Were humbled by the incredible support of our dedicated network of lenders that enabled us to meet the record demand for our programs and serve more home buyers than we ever have at TSAHC.



TSAHC would also like to recognize the top three mortgage companies that participated in TSAHCs home buyer programs in 2021:



Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation: assisted 1,742 home buyers for a total of $360 million in mortgage loan volume.



Everett Financial, Inc. dba Supreme Lending: assisted 1,534 home buyers for a total of $339 million in mortgage loan volume.



Gateway Mortgage Group: assisted 1,205 home buyers for a total of $248 million in mortgage loan volume.



Complete information on TSAHCs home buyer programs, including an eligibility quiz for home buyers, can be found by visiting www.readytobuyatexashome.com.

###

About Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation

The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) is a statewide non-profit organization created by the Texas Legislature whose mission is to serve the housing needs of low-income Texans and other underserved populations who do not have comparable housing options through conventional financial channels. For more information, please visit www.tsahc.org.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arras Minerals Corp. (Arras) is pleased to announce the assay results of Bg21002, the second drill hole in a planned 30,000 meter drill program on the Beskauga copper-gold deposit and surrounding area.



Highlights from hole Bg21002 Include:

995 meters of mineralization grading 0.40% CuEq (0.33g/t gold, 0.13% copper, and 0.88g/t Ag) from 43 meters and includes 431 meters grading 0.68% CuEq (0.53g/t gold, 0.23% copper, 1.32g/t silver) starting from 595 meters.

(0.33g/t gold, 0.13% copper, and 0.88g/t Ag) from 43 meters and includes (0.53g/t gold, 0.23% copper, 1.32g/t silver) starting from 595 meters. The intercept described above also includes 251.8 meters zone grading 0.79% CuEq (0.61g/t gold, 0.27% copper, 1.52g/t Ag silver) starting from 774 meters.

(0.61g/t gold, 0.27% copper, 1.52g/t Ag silver) starting from 774 meters. Hole Bg21002 was designed to test the extension at depth of a SE steeply dipping 300-meter-wide zone of high-grade mineralization which was drilled by hole Bg21001 and which intercepted 531 meters @ 1.14% CuEq starting at 44 meters from surface (for further details, see Arras press release dated January 31, 2022). Hole Bg21002 appears to have intercepted this zone starting at 595 meters and indicates that this zone may extend to 900 meters in depth. Mineralization remains open at depth.



A summary of the results released announced to date in the table below.

Table 1. Summary table of Holes Bg21001 and Bg21002

Hole ID Total Depth (m) From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au g/t Cu % Ag g/t CuEq (%) AuEq g/t Comments Bg2002



1108.5 43 1038 995 0.33 0.13 0.88 0.40 0.48 includes 595 1026 431 0.53 0.23 1.32 0.68 0.83 Includes 251.8 meters grading 0.79% CuEq (0.61g/t Au, 0.27% cu, 1.52% Ag) Bg21001



1,017.2 43 1,017.2 973.2 0.56 0.33 1.89 0.82 0.98 Ends in mineralization grading 0.28g/t Au, 1.0g/t Ag, 0.1% Cu



Includes 43 574 531 0.78 0.47 2.59 1.14 1.38

Assumptions used for the copper equivalent calculation were metal prices of US$3.00/lb. Copper, US$1,700/oz Gold, US$22/oz Silver, and recovery is assumed to be 100%. The following equations were used to calculate copper and gold equivalence: CuEq = Copper (%) + (Gold (g/t) x 0.8264) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.012). AuEq = (Copper % x 1.21008) + Gold (g/t) + (Silver (g/t) x 0.012).

Tim Barry, CEO of Arras states, Hole Bg21002 appears to extend the high-grade zone of mineralization we see at Beskauga an additional 300 meters at depth. What is especially encouraging is the observed width and continuity of the mineralization in this zone, which remains untested at depth. Our current drill program is also proving extremely useful in defining the controls on the mineralization and is giving us valuable insight into planning our drill program from 2022.

Drill Program: In October 2021, Arras announced the start of a planned 30,000-meter drill program targeting the extensions of the Beskauga deposit both laterally and at depth. In addition to testing the extents of the Beskauga deposit, the program is also targeting a series of previously undrilled targets in the wider area. These wider targets are supported by ground and recently flown airborne geophysics as well as in-situ geochemistry derived using KGK drilling (a drilling method developed in the former Soviet Union akin to 'wet' RC drilling, that recovers a 1-3 m core sample from the top of the underlying bedrock which is used to map lithology, alteration, and geochemistry).

For the drilling, Arras is using the local company Tsentrgeolsemka LLP and drilling restarted in early February of this year. Tsentrgeolsemka LLP is independent of Arras.

The drill program is being conducted under the Option to Purchase agreement (Option Agreement) executed on January 26, 2021, with Copperbelt AG (Copperbelt), a mineral exploration company registered in Zug, Switzerland.

Results: Hole Bg21002 was collared outside the area on which Arras current mineral resource estimate is based and was designed to test the continuity of the high-grade mineralization observed in hole Bg21001 announced by Arras on January 31, 2022 below 600 meters (for further details, see Arras press release dated January 31, 2022). Starting from 44 meters, hole Bg21001 intercepted 531 meters grading 1.14% CuEq (0.78g/t gold, 0.47% copper, 2.59g/t silver) before drifting out of this high zone at around 580 meters.

Drilling in a north-westerly direction, hole Bg21002 appears to have encountered the high-grade zone observed in hole Bg21001 at approximately 595 meters. This was marked by an observed increase in veining and alteration of the rock and marked the start of a 431-meter-wide zone grading 0.68% CuEq (0.53g/t Au, 0.23% Cu, 1.32g/t Ag). Within this interval a higher-grade zone of 251.8 meters grading 0.79% CuEq (0.61g/t Au, 0.27% Cu, 1.52g/t Ag) was also observed starting at 774 meters.

As seen in hole Bg21001, the mineralization observed in hole Bg21002 is hosted within a potassic altered diorite that has been later overprinted by strong to very strong argillic alteration comprising of illite and smectite; with subordinate kaolinite and dickite present at shallow levels (confirmed by Arras using TerraSpec SWIR/NIR spectroscopy). This mineralization at the top of the hole appears as a mixture of low grade disseminated, vein and fracture-controlled zones of pyrite, chalcopyrite, tennantite, bornite and covellite. Occasional intense zones of sheeted smokey quartz veins starting below 595 meters in depth were observed and correlate with high grade gold assays up to 4g/t. Like in Hole Bg21001, the observed argillic overprint gradually decreases with depth, eventually giving way to an apparent, largely unaffected, potassic alteration beyond c. 1000 m. At these depths, observed argillic alteration persists only as localized alteration around faults and fractures. Based on exploration undertaken to date, the Beskauga deposit is interpreted by Arras to represent a porphyry copper-gold deposit that has been overprinted by high-sulphidation epithermal mineralization, either through telescoping or due to clustering of multiple porphyry centres within the Beskauga license that have superimposed alteration and mineralization upon earlier phases.

The results from hole Bg21002 appear to extend the high-grade zone of mineralization at the Beskauga project to over 900 meters, starting from 44 meters below surface. Potential mineralization in this zone remains untested at depth.

Figure 1 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc6ed7aa-f7cd-4005-972b-26b598c8033a

Figure 2 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fa52540-b32b-4d1e-a098-9bd6c57066c4

Figure 3 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a8d4f8be-17b9-4b61-819f-6c7097b17c0d

Figure 4 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84209dfc-b0f0-47ec-b5cd-924b92eb2155

Figure 5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/64ad10cb-651d-4954-b9ce-48e63ce81ac5

About the Beskauga Deposit: The Beskauga deposit is a gold-copper-silver deposit with a NI 43-101 compliant Indicated Mineral Resource of 207 million tonnes grading 0.35 g/t gold, 0.23% copper and 1.09 g/t silver for 2.33 million ounces of contained gold, 476.1 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 7.25 million ounces of contained silver and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 147 million tonnes grading 0.33 g/t gold, 0.15% copper and 1.02 g/t silver for 1.56 million ounces of contained gold, 220.5 thousand tonnes of contained copper, and 4.82 million ounces of contained silver. For further details regarding the Mineral Resource estimate at the Beskauga project, please see the technical report entitled Beskauga Copper-Gold Project, Pavlodar Province, Republic of Kazakhstan, dated February 8, 2021.

The constraining pit was optimised and calculated using a NSR cut-off based on a price of: $1,500/oz for gold, $2.80/lb for copper, $17.25/oz for silver, and with an average recovery of 81.7% for copper and 51.8% for both gold and silver.

Assay and QAQC Procedures: All sample preparation and geochemical analysis of the diamond drill core was undertaken by ALS Global at its laboratories in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) and Loughrea (Republic of Ireland), respectively.

After drying and fine crushing, a 250 g split was pulverised to 85 % passing a -75-micron screen. A 30 g split of the pulp was analysed for gold using fire assay and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) finish (ALS method Au-AA25) at ALS Karaganda. A second pulp split was then air freighted to ALS Loughrea and analysed for 48 elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after 4-acid digestion on a 0.25 g aliquot (ALS method ME-MS61). Where samples exceeded 1% copper, they were re-analysed using a 4-acid digest ICP-MS ore grade method (ALS method Cu-OG62). ALS Global and its laboratories are entirely independent of Arras Minerals Corp.

Arras Minerals operates according to its rigorous Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocol, which is consistent with industry best practices. This includes insertion of certified standards, blanks, and field duplicates comprising of quarter drill core at an insertion rate of 2.5%, 2.5% and 5% respectively, which is deemed appropriate for this stage of exploration. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia, who are entirely independent of Arras Minerals Corp. Internal QA/QC samples were also inserted by the analytical laboratories and reviewed by the Company prior to release. No material QA/QC issues have been identified with respect to sample collection, security and assaying.

Qualified Person

The technical disclosure presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Tim Barry, CEO and Director of Arras Minerals Corp., a Chartered Professional Geologist (MAusIMM CP Geo) with the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Tim Barry"

Tim Barry, CPAusIMM

Chief Executive Officer and Director

INVESTOR RELATIONS:

+1 604 687 5800

info@arrasminerals.com

About Arras Minerals Corp.

Arras is British Columbia incorporated private company advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan, including the Option Agreement on the Beskauga copper and gold project.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors concerning estimates of Measured, Indicated, and Inferred Resources: This press release uses the terms measured resources, indicated resources, and inferred resources which are defined in, and required to be disclosed by, NI 43-101. The Company advises U.S. investors that these terms are not recognized by the SEC. The estimation of measured, indicated and inferred resources involves greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic feasibility than the estimation of proven and probable reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that measured and indicated mineral resources will be converted into reserves. The estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that estimates of inferred mineral resources exist, are economically minable, or will be upgraded into measured or indicated mineral resources. Under Canadian securities laws, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies.

Disclosure of contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations, however the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Accordingly, the information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies that are not subject NI 43-101.

Cautionary note regarding forward looking statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and Arras future results that are subject to the safe harbors created under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the plans and expectations of the drill program Arras is in the process of undertaking and other aspects of the Mineral Resource estimates for the Beskauga project. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about Arras exploration projects, the industry in which Arras operates and the beliefs and assumptions of Arras management. Words such as expects, anticipates, targets, goals, projects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, continues, may, variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond managements control, including undertaking further exploration activities, the results of such exploration activities and that such results support continued exploration activities, unexpected variations in ore grade, types and metallurgy, volatility and level of commodity prices, the availability of sufficient future financing, and other matters discussed under the caption Risk Factors in the Form 20-F filed with the SEC on February 17, 2022 available on www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release is based only on information currently available and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New Mexico Supreme Court has determined medical cannabis purchases should be treated like any other medication and not have been subject to New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax. Ultra Health, New Mexicos #1 Cannabis Company, submitted an Amicus Brief to the New Mexico Supreme Court last year to demonstrate the legal basis for medical cannabis to be untaxed exactly like any other prescription in the state.



WHEREAS, having considered the petition, response, and briefs of the parties, the judgment of the Court is that the writ shall be quashed as improvidently granted, the New Mexico Supreme Courts February 23, 2022, order states.

Issues are dismissed as improvidently granted when the Court acknowledges it should not have accepted the case. Now, the New Mexico Court of Appeals ruling stands as the determining order that previous cannabis purchases by medical cannabis patients should have never been subject to New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax.

To paraphrase, the Compassionate Use Act was intended to make medical [cannabis] accessible to those with debilitating medical conditions who might benefit from the use thereof, Judge M. Monica Zomara stated in the Court of Appeals opinion . It is reasonably self-evident that the deduction from gross receipts for prescription drugs was similarly intended to make medical treatment more accessible, by lessening the expense to those who require it. These statutes should be read harmoniously, to give effect to their commonality of purpose.

Ultra Health will receive a $7.4 million refund plus interest following the New Mexico Supreme Courts decision.

In 2014, a producer in New Mexicos Medical Cannabis Program requested a refund for gross receipts taxes paid on medical cannabis, claiming medical cannabis should be untaxed and treated like any other prescription in the state. In 2018, Ultra Health also filed a similar, separate refund.

The New Mexico Tax and Revenue Department (TRD) denied both claims, as did a Hearing Officer in internal administrative proceedings. Both producers appealed TRDs decisions.

In January 2020, the New Mexico Court of Appeals overturned TRDs decision to deny medical cannabis purchases a deduction from New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax.

TRD then appealed the Court of Appeals decision, sending the issue to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Based on the New Mexico Supreme Courts February 23, 2022, action, the matter is closed and no other appeals are available.

Ultra Health is New Mexicos #1 Cannabis Company and the largest minority-owned cannabis company in the United States. The vertically-integrated provider currently operates 25 dispensary locations statewide, with another 10 stores slated to open by the second quarter of 2022. Ultra Health provides unparalleled medical cannabis care by producing accurately dosed, smokeless cannabis products such as sublingual tablets, oils, pastilles, suppositories and more through its partnership with Israeli pharmaceutical group Panaxia. Ultra Health has been at the forefront of patient-rights issues and continues to fight for adequate supply and rural access in the New Mexico cannabis market.
A young firefighter with an incandescent future was honored Wednesday at a funeral where heartbroken mourners from his family and the FDNY struggled with his devastating disappearance from their lives.

Jesse Gerhard, who died one week earlier at the age of 33 after a medical episode inside Queens Ladder Co. 134 house, was recalled for his efforts inside and outside the department: A reliable and respected colleague, an amazing firehouse handyman, a great son and brother, and a special godfather to his nephew.

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There was always supposed to be more time, said sister-in-law Kristi Gerhard, reading a eulogy written by her husband, Casey. I cant explain how proud I am of you. I want one more day, just to show you how much I love you.

The flag draped casket arrives for the funeral service for FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Bay Shore, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News)

His Ladder 134 colleague Michael Ormiston, the senior man in the firehouse, remembered Jesse as a jack of all trades who could fix or build just about anything  yet couldnt figure out how to make onion dip in the house kitchen.

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He did his job, he did it well, and made everyone around him feel safer in the face of peril, said a choked-up Ormiston, speaking with his friends FDNY helmet only a few feet away on the altar. Go in peace, Firefighter Gerhard. You have earned your sleep.

An honor guard is in place during the funeral service for FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Bay Shore, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News)

He closed with a five-word tribute to his lost colleague: Work hard, play hard, Gerhard.

A long and solemn line of firefighters in white gloves and dress blues assembled to salute Gerhards casket on arrival at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Bay Shore, L.I. Eight colleagues lifted the flag-draped casket from the back of an FDNY truck, carrying Gerhard into the church as his parents, brother, sister-in-law and other family members walked silently behind on an unseasonably warm morning.

Jesse's grief stricken mom weeps as her son is carried out by pall bearers after the funeral service for FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Bay Shore, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News)

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Mayor Adams, attending his third funeral for a city first responder since taking office Jan. 1, was joined by newly named FDNY Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh in sharing their condolences with the family.

We are saying goodbye to Jesse today, but we also thank him for his commitment, said Adams. Hes a hero to the last, to the finish. We remember this firefighter with great admiration. He touched so many lives, like Jesus.

Mayor Eric Adams is seen at the funeral service for FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Bay Shore, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News)

Suffolk County police officers, the lights on their motorcycles flashing, preceded the bodys arrival.

Gerhard died last Wednesday after collapsing while on duty inside his Far Rockaway firehouse, just one day after his heroic efforts inside a burning three-story home on Beach Channel Drive.

Jesse's brother and nephew receive his helmet after the funeral service for FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Bay Shore, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News)

The four-year veteran, whose duties included forcing open a door to enter the residence, then joined his FDNY colleagues in searching for any possible victims trapped inside by the flames that engulfed the entire building.

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FDNY Firefighter Jesse Gerhard (FDNY)

He served the city in death as well, donating his tissue for transplant into dozens of needy recipients  including burn victims and people on dialysis, officials said.

I miss you buddy, said his friend and FDNY colleague Kevin Jansen, choking up on the altar. Youd make fun of me for crying. Until I see you again, love you Brother.
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InterContinental Beverage Capital, Inc. (IBC) announced today that its Innovation and product development arm, Bevnology, https://www.bevnology.com/, will expand its Georgia facilities in-house capability to include CBD and other specialty oil-soluble ingredients production. This expansion was approved at IBCs annual partnership meeting in January at Deerfield Beach, FL. IBC, https://www.inbevcapital.com/, was founded in 2013. It is a New York based global advisory and capital strategy firm with deep experience in all industry segments and disciplines in the beverage, CPG, and cannabis/CBD infused beverage sectors.



BevNologys Innovative Techniques

IBC Partner and Bevnology President, Louis Heinsz shared that Bevnology is poised for a breakout year in 2022. "We are expanding our world-class product development/design services to include the capability to support clients' need to ease their introduction to contract packers through the supply of IP-protected kits of ingredients disguised to protect their key features and suppliers. We also will be processing hemp oil and hemp oil fractions to render this key material suitable for use in foods and beverages. Bevnology intends to leverage these techniques to render other oil-soluble phytochemicals/adaptogens suitable for addition to beverages.

High Tech Facilities

Founded by former Coca-Cola scientist and executive, Heinsz and IBC partner Gonzalo de Aristegui, Bevnology operates a state-of-the-art laboratory and production facility in Fayette County, Georgia which provides cutting-edge beverage research and innovation to its IBC clients. Doug Christoph, lead marketing partner at IBC offered, "The functional beverage market alone, is expected to reach $173.23 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 7.7%. And IBC expects that infused products will contribute disproportionately to this growth."

Heinsz added, "Beginning in the second quarter of 2022, IBC will begin to offer its clients these technologies and ingredients and kits for use in food and beverage products, both in powder and liquid nanoemulsion formats. This eliminates the typical risk for quality, IP and procurement uncertainty and will place our clients at the fore and allow us to help safely accelerate formulae introduction to contract packers."

After a long-standing cooperative relationship, IBC and BevNology officially joined forces through a merger in 2018. BevNology is IBCs development, research and innovation arm and focuses on providing top-notch development, formulation, small batch production and pilot program support to cutting-edge beverage products for both new and existing brands.
HOUSTON, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading invoice funding company Charter Capital says 2022 will be a people-focused year for successful business leaders. While recent times have required significant shifts to cope with supply chain issues and changes to consumer behavior brought on by COVID and the uncertain economy, business leaders that find success going forward will do so through reconnecting with the humanistic aspects of leadership. The company's article, "7 Ways Business Leaders Can Prepare for Success in 2022," outlines specific steps stakeholders can take to ensure a bountiful year and is now live on CharterCapitalUSA.com.

Known as the "Great Resignation," last year marked a period in which roughly a quarter of employees quit their jobs per CNBC. People are re-evaluating what they want from their careers and preferences have shifted more toward concerns like work-life balance and flexibility. To hold on to top talent, businesses must meet these new needs and create better internal development programs to cultivate stronger employee relationships.

"Business leaders must still be ready to pivot," says Charter Capital Co-Founder and Executive Manager Gregory Brown. "New consumer behaviors are still taking shape, and opportunities are constantly evolving. However, those finding success right now are making a point of refocusing on the people who make or break their businessemployees, vendors, and customers alike."

Brown notes that consumer loyalty has been shaken too. He draws on data from Forrester that concludes more than 80% of brands are boosting their investment in loyalty by 5% or more this year, but also says he sees similar trends within their own customer base.

"It's often little friction points in the customer experience that are cause for concern today," Brown expands. "The more businesses do to make it easier for customers to do business with them, the better they're performing. Simple things, like improving the payment process or making sure customer support is available and can resolve concerns on the first try are huge."

Brown says that businesses can address cash flow concerns and improve relationships through invoice factoring. "By accelerating payments, leaders are less stressed and have the cash to put toward critical employee programs, plus can provide their clients with better service."

Those interested in learning more about invoice factoring are encouraged to request a free consultation by calling 1-877-960-1818 or visiting CharterCapitalUSA.com.

About Charter Capital

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Charter Capital has been a leading provider of flexible funding solutions for the B2B sector for more than 20 years. Competitive rates, a fast approval process, and same-day funding help businesses across various industries secure the working capital necessary to manage daily needs and grow. To learn more, visit CharterCapitalUSA.com or call 1-877-960-1818.

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TRENTON, NJ, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to the recent expansion denials of top-performing public charter schools, including one of the best charter schools in the nation, parents, students and staff from New Jerseys public charter schools alongside the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA) hosted a press conference Feb. 23, at Achievers Early College Prep Charter School, one of the schools denied expansion, to express their concerns over these decisions. Participants representing the impacted schools had one message to Governor Murphy: #letmychildlearn at the school they love and we trust as parents to help them achieve their dreams.



Governor Murphy has said he is committed to supporting high-performing and high-quality charter schools in New Jersey, but his administrations denials do not reflect these ideals, said Harry Lee, President of NJPCSA. This year, 77% of seats requested by high quality, top performing charter schools based on NJDOE's own designation for top charter school performance were denied. Public Charter schools are an important asset in the public education system and we hope that his administration rectifies this situation for hundreds of students and families.

The charter schools denied expansion were important resources for their respective communities during the outbreak of COVID-19, said TJ Best, Government Affairs Director of NJPCSA. These schools mostly educate Black and Latino students and give parents more options for their childs education. We urge the Department of Education to listen to our families and students and allow them to make the best decision for their childrens educational careers.

Earlier this month, Governor Murphy and Acting Department of Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan, Ed.D. denied the expansion to seven high-performing public charter schools in Paterson, Newark and Trenton- mostly educating students of color and from low-income families. Many of these schools operated grade spans that these expansions would have allowed the students to remain at the school throughout their educational careers. With these denials, parents and students are worried, having to find other schools to attend and students will have to adjust to a new school environment midway through their education and during an ongoing pandemic.

My two sons are in different charter schools in different counties since my oldest was unable to continue his charter school education at his previous school. I drive nearly three hours every day transporting my son to a charter school so I can feel comfortable with my childs education, said Ana Simonelli, a parent of a Hudson Arts and Science Charter student. Like all parents, I am just trying to look out for the best interests of my children. The mental anguish the school transition caused my son was heartbreaking to watch as a parent. I hope the governor will grant all charter schools expansion plans to prevent further harm on students. The state should be there to help, not be a roadblock. We parents have made sacrifices and we will not stop fighting for our children.

My child was supposed to be one of the first high school graduates of Achievers, said Sonia Gonzalez, a parent of an Achievers Early College Prep Charter School student. My daughter now has to get accustomed to a new high school for the rest of her high school career. Her learning will be extremely disrupted by this denial. I urge Governor Murphy and Acting Education Commissioner Allen-McMillan to rethink these decisions with the children in mind.

A new statewide campaign (www.letmychildlearn.org) was launched at the press conference to provide families with the ability to share their perspective with the Governor directly while also ensuring that New Jersey leaders and lawmakers learn more about the important role that public charter schools play in the public education system through a statewide digital ad campaign.

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools run by non-profit organizations open to all students regardless of zip code, race/ethnicity or ability level. Charter schools operate with more flexibility than traditional public schools in exchange for increased accountability and high financial, academic and managerial standards by an authorizer.

Every child in the state of New Jersey should have the opportunity to attend a high-quality public school that best meets their needs and helps them reach their full potential. Denying high performing charter schools to expand not only disrupts the education of a child but hinders the opportunity to give children of all races an option to receive excellent educational opportunities at no cost.

Governor Murphy is taking me away from my high school, said Mya Harrison, a ninth-grade student at Achievers Early College Prep Charter School. Achievers is my home and I am no longer able to finish my academic career here. Now, I need to find a new high school to attend. How is this fair to me?

The faculty, parents and students who participated in the press conference are hoping todays press conference opens up a discussion with Governor Murphy and Acting Education Commissioner Allen-McMillan to reverse the denials made. If the administrations decision still stands, the charter schools are planning a rally for early March to coincide with the Governors budget presentation to the state legislature.

We are fully committed to having Governor Murphy and his administration listen to our students' and families' frustration, said Efe Odeleye, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Achievers Early College Prep Charter School. Our charter school specifically was approved in 2017 with the plans in mind to educate all high school students. These denials can literally alter these kids' lifepaths. They deserve better and they deserve to be heard.

NJPCA represents the states charter school community and, by extension, charter school students and their parents. There are currently 87 charter schools in New Jersey serving nearly 60,000 students. The recent expansion denials put education in jeopardy for hundreds of students. For more information about this campaign, visit www.letmychildlearn.org

About New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association

The New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association (NJPCSA) is the non-profit membership association that represents the states charter school community and, by extension, charter school students and their parents. There are currently 87 charter schools in New Jersey serving nearly 60,000 students. We are committed to advancing quality public education for New Jerseys children through the cultivation of excellent public charter schools. The Association seeks to influence legislative and policy environments, leverage collective advocacy, and provide resources to support our members in developing and operating high quality, public charter schools.

Contact: Skylyr VanDerveer

732-597-2948

skylyr@statesideaffairs.com

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Silver Spring, Md, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capital Digestive Care, the largest private gastroenterology practice in the Mid-Atlantic region, announced it has signed a transaction with Gastroenterology, Ltd. of Virginia Beach (GLTD), a premier gastroenterology practice in Southeastern Virginia. The deal marks Capital Digestive Cares second major partnership in Virginia over the past year after Gastrointestinal & Liver Specialists of Tidewater (GLST) joined the group in 2021. With the addition of GLTD, Capital Digestive Care will add two office locations and a state-of-the-art endoscopy center, bringing the number of GI specialists serving the region to more than 140.

With nine board-certified physicians and six advanced care providers, GLTD has been serving Virginia Beach for more than 53 years. GLTD physicians are highly experienced in the evaluation and treatment of digestive and liver diseases and deeply committed to high-quality, compassionate, patient-centered care.

Our mission has always been to provide exemplary digestive healthcare to the community of Virginia Beach, said Jan Janson, MD, FACG, of Gastroenterology, Ltd. This partnership positions GLTD for continued growth while allowing us to focus on what we do best  delivering exceptional patient care. Were delighted to align with a group like Capital Digestive Care who shares our core values.

A key element of the partnership agreement is the value of leveraging the PE Practice Solutions platform under PE GI Solutionsa physician-oriented management services organization (MSO). PE GI Solutions partners with GI physicians through its practice and center solutions platforms to streamline operations and diversify and enhance revenue streams. The MSO will play an integral role in the partnership and transition process, providing GLTD with access to Capital Digestive Cares robust infrastructure and state-of-the-art systems, processes, IT capabilities, and resources, along with the expertise of top healthcare executives to help GLTD further expand clinical programs and business opportunities.

We continue to seek out highly-respected practices to join our growing network and welcome GLTDs providers and staff, said Michael Weinstein, President & CEO of Capital Digestive Care. As an organization dedicated to shaping the future of digestive health, this partnership allows us to join forces with talented physicians, preserve the private practice model, and expand our offerings to serve even more patients throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

About Capital Digestive Care

Founded in 2009, Capital Digestive Care is the largest private gastroenterology practice in the Mid-Atlantic. Recent partnerships with Gastrointestinal & Liver Specialists of Tidewater and Gastroenterology, Ltd. in Southeastern Virginia have expanded its network to more than 140 physicians and advanced care practitioners who treat a wide range of conditionsfrom the common complaint of heartburn to the complex management of Crohns Diseaseand offer critical services for the prevention of colon cancer for more than 100,000 patients annually.

With business operations located in Silver Spring, MD, Capital Digestive Cares integrated care model connects its doctors to more than 25 office locations and outpatient surgery centers as well as specialized laboratory services and the largest clinical research program of its kind in the region. For more information, please visit www.capitaldigestivecare.com.

About Gastroenterology, Ltd.

Since 1969, the physicians of Gastroenterology, Ltd. (GLTD) have been committed to providing state-of-the-art medical care for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal and liver disease across Virginia Beach, VA. With two offices, an endoscopy center, infusion center and 15 board-certified providers on staff, GLTD strives to preserve quality of life and well-being for patients by continually seeking the latest and most effective methods of diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit https://www.vbgastro.com.

About PE Practice Solutions

The PE Practice Solutions platform is part of PE GI Solutions, a physician-oriented management services organization (MSO). A collaboration between PE GI Solutions and Capital Digestive Care, we are committed to preserving the independence of gastroenterologists and advancing digestive healthcare. PE GI Solutions partners with GI physicians through its practice and center solutions platforms providing resources to help practices improve operations, drive growth, and enhance patient, physician, and staff experiencesall while maintaining their independence. It is the only physician partnership and management services organization built by - and for - gastroenterologists to address the unique challenges faced by GI physicians. For more information on PE Practice Solutions, visit https://pegisolutions.com/practice-solutions

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NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Gatos Silver, Inc. (Gatos or the Company) (NYSE: GATO). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980.



The investigation concerns whether Gatos and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On January 25, 2022, post-market, Gatos issued a press release disclosing that [d]uring the Companys resource and reserve update process for the Los Gatos Joint Venture (LGJV) . . . the Company concluded that there were errors in the technical report entitled Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico with an effective date of July 1, 2020 (the 2020 Technical Report), as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model. Accordingly, [o]n a preliminary basis, the Company estimates a potential reduction of the metal content of CLGs mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion and advised that the mineral resource and reserve estimates in the 2020 Technical Report should not be relied upon.

On this news, Gatos stock price fell $7.02 per share, or 68.89% percent to close at $3.17 per share on January 26, 2022.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com .
Washington, D.C., Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Tuesday, Judge Paul Maloney of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan granted Michigan State Universitys (MSU) Motion to Dismiss the class-action lawsuit, Norris, et al. v. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., et al., ruling that the school acted rationally in enforcing its vaccination policy. The New Civil Liberties Alliance believes the Court erred, among other ways, in ruling that MSUs vaccine mandate survives rational basis review. NCLA plans to file an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

The rationale MSU has offered means that it could mandate the vaccine for each employee every daybecause that would boost their antibody levels. At the very least, the question warrants further litigation and cannot be resolved at the motion-to-dismiss stage. Additionally, this case raises the specific question whether vaccinating the naturally immune constitutes a violation of constitutional rights, since there is no compelling government interest to do so, and vaccination always carries a risk of (possibly severe) adverse effects.

MSUs vaccine mandate requires all faculty, staff, and students to be fully vaccinated or obtain an approved exemption. Naturally acquired immunity is explicitly excluded as the basis for an exemption from the blanket rule, even though natural immunity provides equivalent or greater protection against re-infection and transmission to others than immunity generated by Covid-19 vaccines. Perversely, while MSU rejects natural immunity, it accepts non-FDA approved, inferior foreign vaccines such as Sinovac and Sinopharm, which start out with approximately 50% efficacy rates and wane relatively quickly.

Two plaintiffs, Kraig Ehm and DAnn Rohrer, who demonstrated naturally acquired immunity to Covid-19 were fired by MSU during the course of the lawsuit for refusing to take the vaccine. The plaintiffs have experienced, and will continue to experience, concrete and particularized harm as a direct consequence of MSUs policy. MSUs vaccine mandate not only violates plaintiffs bodily autonomy and right to informed consent, but it unconstitutionally forces them to choose between keeping their jobs and asserting control over personal health decisions.

In a silver lining to the District Courts decision, Judge Maloney indicated that even though MSU achieved its goal of protecting staff and students from Covid-19 based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the calculus may have changed going forward, given CDCs new research on the strong protection provided by natural immunity. In other words, considering the new research, it may no longer be rational for universities to fire those who can establish that they have natural immunity.

NCLA released the following statements:

NCLA is disappointed that the district court granted MSUs motion to dismiss. We understand that the court believed it had no choice given the prevailing case law. However, contrary to the judges opinion, a higher level of review is warranted. Under such a standard, MSUs policy is unconstitutional. We look forward to vindicating our clients rights in the Sixth Circuit.

 Jenin Younes, Litigation Counsel, NCLA

Michigan States policy is completely irrational and should have been struck even on the lowest standard of review. But when your government employer is forcing an unnecessary medical procedure on a disfavored group, the courts should apply a more searching standard than the district court believed it was bound to apply.

 John Vecchione, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA

For more information visit the case page here or watch the related case video here.

ABOUT NCLA

NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights.

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Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses



LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Gatos Silver, Inc. (Gatos Silver or the Company) (NYSE: GATO) investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Gatos Silver (a) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering (the "IPO" or "Offering") conducted on or about October 28, 2020; and/or (b) securities between October 28, 2020 and January 25, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period").

Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 844-767-8529 or email: lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.

Gatos Silver is a silver exploration, development and production company that discovered a new silver and zinc-rich mineral district in southern Chihuahua State, Mexico.

On January 25, 2022, after-market hours, Gatos Silver revealed that there were errors in the technical report entitled Los Gatos Project, Chihuahua, Mexico with an effective date of July 1, 2020 . . . , as well as indications that there is an overestimation in the existing resource model. On a preliminary basis, the Company estimates a potential reduction of the metal content of its Cerro Los Gatos mineral reserve ranging from 30% to 50% of the metal content remaining after depletion. On this news, the price of Gatos Silver stock declined by $7.02 per share, or approximately 68.9%, from $10.19 per share to close at $3.17 per share on January 26, 2022.

The complaint filed in this class action alleges that Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that the technical report for Gatos's primary mine, the Cerro Los Gatos deposit, contained certain errors; (2) that, among other things, the mineral reserves had been overestimated by as much as 50%; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information.

The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.

Admitted CA and NY Bar

lesley@portnoylaw.com

310-692-8883

www.portnoylaw.com

Attorney Advertising
Eden Prairie, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eden Prairie, Minnesota -

ECA Marketing, an industry leading Independent Marketing Organization for over 25 years, has just surpassed $20 Billion in Fixed Annuity and Target Life Premium since its humble beginnings in 1987. Joe Aldrich, the Chief Financial Officer stated, ECA has seen double digit growth over the past several years including last years (2021) record-breaking production of $2.16 billion.

The continued growth confirms the power of ECA Marketings distribution channel which is comprised of a national network of independent agents and financial advisors. Since the agents and advisors are independent, their partnership with ECA is built on a principle of mutual benefit and support. Ultimately it was the agents and advisors out in the field doing the hard work of helping clients with their financial needs, which lead to the stellar achievement.

Joe Spillman, President of ECA Marketing commented, One reason we have continued to surpass sales milestones is because of shifting demographics where consumer demand for guarantees and lifetime income annuities has increased, because fixed annuities are often the preferred financial solution for millions of retiring baby boomers seeking an income they cant outlive.

Field agents frequently comment that, ECA Marketing has the best back office in the industry. Stephanie Dahl the Chief Operating Officer admitted, I am partial, but believe ECA is the best and we have the experience to back it up.

Mr. Spillman also noted that ECAs commitment to innovation and providing value to their independent agent network has been instrumental to their success, and is part of their competitive advantage. The ECA Advantage includes innovative marketing programs, business tools, and dependable back office support to make the agents job of working with clients a more efficient and effortless task.

ECA Marketing is a National Annuity and Life Marketing Organization doing business in all 50 states and several U.S. territories. ECA Marketings mission is to provide agents with quality sales platforms and exclusive selling systems to reach out to more clients and aide in providing the best products to fit within that system. In keeping with that mission, ECA Marketing has secured exclusive agreements with top notch sales and mentoring programs including: BHFM, 5Q and Quantum Marketing.

ECA Marketing's Management currently sits on the Field Advisory Councils of six carriers and is one of the countrys largest Independent Marketing Organizations. With 51 employees comprising over 430 years of experience. More information on their programs and carriers can be found on their website www.ecamarketing.com.

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For more information about ECA Marketing, Inc., contact the company here:



ECA Marketing, Inc.

Stephanie Dahl

800-356-4189

stephanie@ecamarketing.com

7800 Equitable Drive, Suite 200

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
(all figures in US$, unless stated otherwise)



Feasibility Study represents the optimized open pit, run-of-mine heap leach development plan. Initial capital cost of $190 million reflecting the current cost environment and an increase in the scope and scale of the project.

After-tax IRR of 62% and NPV 5 of $487 million at Spot Gold Price (1) and after-tax IRR of 44% and NPV 5 of $315 million at $1,650 per ounce gold (Base Case Gold Price).

of $487 million at Spot Gold Price and after-tax IRR of 44% and NPV of $315 million at $1,650 per ounce gold (Base Case Gold Price). Payback of 1.6 years at Spot Gold Price and 1.9 years at Base Case Gold Price.

29% increase in Mineral Reserves to 1.60 million gold ounces.

10.5-year operating life with total gold production of over 1 million ounces. Average gold production of 152,000 ounces over the first four years.

Launch of construction financing process, led by Cutfield Freeman targeting 75% from non-equity sources, to be completed this year in advance of final construction permits. Orion Mine Finance to provide the Company with a term sheet of up to $200 million to support the construction of the South Railroad Project (SRP).

Well-funded to carry out post feasibility activities with a C$23 million cash balance (2) as of December 31, 2021.

(1) Spot Gold Price of $1,899.20 per ounce as of February 18, 2022.

(2) Unaudited.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia , Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (NYSE AMERICAN: GSV) (TSX: GSV) (Gold Standard or the Company) is pleased to provide the results of a robust Feasibility Study on its 100%-owned South Railroad Project located in Elko, Nevada. The Feasibility Study supports a technically straightforward open pit mine and run-of-mine heap leach operation with low capital intensity providing rapid payback and a peer leading financial return profile which enables the Company to pursue mine life extensions, seek to expand Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources, and pursue exciting exploration opportunities within Gold Standards +21,000-hectare land package on the prolific Carlin Trend.

Jason Attew, President and CEO, commented, The completion of the South Railroad Project Feasibility Study is a tremendous achievement for the Company, representing the culmination of great work by the Gold Standard team and its various consultants. The study positions SRP as one of the highest return, quickest payback development projects in a premier jurisdiction. The mine plan outlines robust free cash flow generation, specifically in the first four years as we mine the Dark Star pit. At spot gold price SRP is estimated to generate free cash flow of $130M per annum over the first four years, which will provide flexibility to increase exploration across our vast land package, invest in value accretive operational excellence initiatives, and strengthen the corporate balance sheet. Our focus now shifts to continuing to advance our permitting application and kicking off our construction capital financing process, both of which will continue to de-risk the project and add value for shareholders.

South Railroad Project Feasibility Study

Table 1. Feasibility Study Summary Statistics at Base Case Gold Price.

Item Unit First 4 Years Total Operating Life years 10.5 Total Ore Tonnes Mined kt 65,199 Total Waste Tonnes Mined kt 267,179 Strip Ratio waste:ore 4.10 Gold Grade g Au/t 0.77 Gold Recovery Rate % 65% Gold Produced koz 608 1,031 Average Annual Gold Production koz 152 124 (1) Mining Cost (incl. pre-strip) $/tonne moved 1.92 Processing & Water Treat. Cost $/tonne processed 2.26 G&A $/tonne processed 0.58 Cash Costs $/oz (net of by-product credit) 703 792 AISC $/oz (net of by-product credit) 949 1,021 Total Initial Capital (2) $M 190 Total Sustaining Capital (3) $M 197 Average Annual Free Cash Flow $M 98 70 (1) After-Tax NPV 5 $M 315 After-Tax IRR % 44% Payback Period years 1.9

(1) Average based on the eight years in which mining and stacking of ore both occur. Excludes pre-production and residual leach years of operation.

(2) Assumes equipment financing for primary mining equipment and power generators.

(3) Includes closure and salvage costs.

Further Project Opportunities

Several opportunities exist for further improvements to project economics:

Pinion SB Zone : A strong possibility remains to further expand of the size of the Pinion open pit based on drilling results from the SB Zone. Work to date, combined with the results from the 2022 drilling campaign will be incorporated into an updated Mineral Resource estimate for Pinion to be released near the end of 2022.

: A strong possibility remains to further expand of the size of the Pinion open pit based on drilling results from the SB Zone. Work to date, combined with the results from the 2022 drilling campaign will be incorporated into an updated Mineral Resource estimate for Pinion to be released near the end of 2022. Toll Processing: In the 2020 South Railroad Project Pre-Feasibility Study (2020 PFS), approximately 32,000 ounces of contained gold in sulphide ore was assumed to be toll processed at facilities in Nevada. At a $1,650 per ounce gold price assumption, this material contributed approximately $32 million in additional pre-tax free cash flow to the main oxide gold project outlined in the 2020 PFS. In the current Feasibility Study, this material is assumed to be mined but not processed. Discussions with external sulphide processing facilities in Nevada will commence in due course and the Company remains confident it will realize incremental value for this material.

In the 2020 South Railroad Project Pre-Feasibility Study (2020 PFS), approximately 32,000 ounces of contained gold in sulphide ore was assumed to be toll processed at facilities in Nevada. At a $1,650 per ounce gold price assumption, this material contributed approximately $32 million in additional pre-tax free cash flow to the main oxide gold project outlined in the 2020 PFS. In the current Feasibility Study, this material is assumed to be mined but not processed. Discussions with external sulphide processing facilities in Nevada will commence in due course and the Company remains confident it will realize incremental value for this material. Rapid Infiltration Basin : The Feasibility Study includes approximately $11 million in capital expenditures and approximately $10 million in operating expenditures for water treatment. An opportunity exists in utilizing a rapid infiltration basin (RIB) which would significantly reduce the water treatment capital and operating expenditures. Work remains ongoing with our consultants to identify an appropriate RIB across our vast land package.

: The Feasibility Study includes approximately $11 million in capital expenditures and approximately $10 million in operating expenditures for water treatment. An opportunity exists in utilizing a rapid infiltration basin (RIB) which would significantly reduce the water treatment capital and operating expenditures. Work remains ongoing with our consultants to identify an appropriate RIB across our vast land package. Pinion Metallurgical Recoveries: The Company will continue to analyze opportunities to economically improve gold and silver recoveries in Pinion ore. One key area of study will include the use of a portable crusher, which would provide a benefit of improved Pinion metallurgical recoveries with no upfront capital and a fixed operating unit cost per tonne crushed.

Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves

Mineral Resource estimates for Dark Star, Pinion, POD / Sweet Hollow, Jasperoid Wash, and North Bullion were prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and outlined in Table 2. The Mineral Resource estimates are based on a gold price of $1,750 per ounce. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves reported in this document.

Table 2. Mineral Resources Summary.

Mineral Resources Summary Classification Tonnage Grades Contained Metal (kt) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Gold (koz) Silver (koz) OPEN PIT RESOURCES Dark Star Measured 7,225 1.24 - 288 - Indicated 24,567 0.79 - 625 - Measured + Indicated 31,792 0.89 - 913 - Inferred 1,176 0.51 - 19 - Pinion Measured 2,336 0.73 6.5 55 488 Indicated 41,193 0.62 5 816 6,617 Measured + Indicated 43,529 0.62 5.08 871 7,105 Inferred 1,178 0.4 2.43 15 92 POD / Sweet Hollow Inferred 4,654 0.95 - 142 - Jasperoid Wash Inferred 11,939 0.34 - 130 - North Bullion Inferred 2,849 3.75 - 344 - Total Open Pit Resources Measured 9,561 1.12 N/A 343 488 Indicated 65,761 0.68 N/A 1,441 6,617 Measured + Indicated 75,322 0.74 N/A 1,784 7,105 Inferred 21,795 0.93 N/A 650 92 UNDERGROUND RESOURCES North Bullion Inferred 457 4.49 - 66 -





All estimates of Mineral Resources have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43 - 101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Michael S. Lindholm, CPG, Mine Development Associates, a division of RESPEC, of Reno, Nevada, is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and is responsible for reporting Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources for the South Railroad Project. Mr. Lindholm is independent of the Company.

Mineral Resources are based on a price of $1,750 per ounce Au. The resources were reported within optimized pit shells created in Whittle, or underground grade shells outside the Whittle pit shells.

Mineral Resources are reported using break-even cut-off grades based on variable recoveries and processing and general and administrative costs: Open pit oxide cut-off grade 0.17 g Au/t. Open pit sulphide cut-off grade 1.54 g Au/t. Underground sulphide cut-off grade 3.43 g Au/t.

Mineral Resources have an effective date of January 31, 2022.

All ounces reported herein represent troy ounces.

Silver is reported for Pinion Mineral Resources only.

Columns may not sum due to rounding.

The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other risks inherent in mineral exploration and development.

Additional supporting details regarding the information in this news release will be provided in the Feasibility Study to be available on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release.

The Mineral Reserve estimates for Dark Star and Pinion are based on an open pit mine plan and production schedule outlined in the Feasibility Study. Table 3 presents the Mineral Reserve estimation for the South Railroad Project. Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves amount to 65.2 million tonnes at 0.77 g Au/t, containing 1.60 million gold ounces and 6.1 million silver ounces. The Mineral Reserve estimate is based on a gold price of $1,450 per ounce.

Table 3. Mineral Reserves Summary.

Open Pit Mineral Reserves Summary Classification Tonnage

(kt) Grades Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Gold (koz) Silver (koz) OPEN PIT RESERVES Dark Star Proven 6,911 1.27 - 283 - Probable 22,248 0.78 - 557 - Proven + Probable 29,158 0.90 - 840 - Pinion Proven 2,049 0.76 6.63 50 437 Probable 33,992 0.65 5.21 714 5,700 Proven + Probable 36,041 0.66 5.30 764 6,137 TOTAL RESERVES Total Mineral Reserves Proven 8,960 1.15 N/A 333 437 Probable 56,239 0.70 N/A 1,271 5,700 Proven + Probable 65,199 0.77 N/A 1,604 6,137

All estimates of Mineral Reserves have been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43 - 101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

Jordan M. Anderson, Mine Development Associates, a division of RESPEC, of Reno, Nevada, is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and is responsible for reporting Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves for the South Railroad Project. Mr. Anderson is independent of the Company.

Mineral Reserves were defined based on pit designs that follow Whittle optimized pit shells created using $1,450 per ounce Au and $18.76 per ounce Ag. Pit designs followed pit slope recommendations provided by Golder and Associates.

Reserves are reported using break-even cut-off grades based on variable recoveries provided by Gary L. Simmons, QP-MMSA, and processing and general and administrative costs: Dark Star leach cut-off grade 0.17 g Au/t. Pinion oxide leach cut-off grade 0.17 g Au/t. Pinion transition leach cut-off grade 0.24 g Au/t.

Mineral Reserves have an effective date of February 17, 2022.

The Mineral Reserves point of reference is the point where material is placed onto the leach pad.

All ounces reported herein represent troy ounces.

Silver reported for Pinion Mineral Reserves only.

Columns may not sum due to rounding.

The estimate of Mineral Reserves may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other risks inherent in mineral exploration and development.

Energy prices of $0.66 per liter of off-road diesel was used to estimate mining costs.

Additional supporting details regarding the information in this news release will be provided in the Feasibility Study to be available on SEDAR within 45 days of this news release.

Mining

The Feasibility Study contemplates open pit mining from the Dark Star and Pinion deposits. Mineral Resources contained within the POD / Sweet Hollow, North Bullion, or Jasperoid Wash deposits, or any potential Mineral Resources at the Pinion SB Zone and LT targets, have not been considered as part of the Feasibility Study and remain subject to ongoing exploration. The mine is designed as a traditional truck and shovel operation with one year of pre-production and eight years of subsequent mining. Ore will be sent run-of-mine (ROM) to a leach pad to be processed.

A total of 29.2 million tonnes of ROM ore is scheduled to be mined from the Dark Star pit averaging 0.90 g Au/t, mined at a relatively steady rate over the first six years of operation. Mining from the Pinion pit is projected to produce a total of 36.0 million tonnes of ROM ore at an average grade of 0.66 g Au/t and 5.3 g Ag/t. The ROM ore deliveries from the two pits total 65.2 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.77 g Au/t.

The open pits have been designed and scheduled to maximize project rate of return. Pit slope optimization has been undertaken based on geotechnical data collected in 2020. Dark Star consists of four phases and Pinion contains five phases. Life of mine (LOM) strip ratios will be 2.80 at Dark Star and 5.15 at Pinion. Mining will be by conventional drill / blast / load / haul methods on 9.1-meter benches. Two 23-m3 hydraulic shovels and a 19-m3 loader will load a fleet of 13 181-tonne payload trucks operating between the two open pits.

Mine equipment is planned to be put into service over a period of three years (pre-production through Year 2) and used through the LOM.

Processing and Recovery

The process selected for recovery of gold and silver from the Pinion and Dark Star ore is a conventional ROM heap leach. Pinion and Dark Star ore will be truck-stacked on the heap as ROM ore directly, without crushing. ROM ore will be stacked in accordance with the mine plan, which averages 8.0 million tonnes of ore per annum, with a peak of 10.8 million tonnes of ore in Year 5. The ROM ore placement is equivalent to a LOM average of 22,100 tonnes per day, with the peak in Year 5 of an average of 29,700 tonnes per day.

Oxide and transition ore types will be leached with a dilute cyanide solution at an average application rate in the range of 1,100-1,400 cubic meters per hour. The leached gold and silver will be recovered from solution using a carbon adsorption circuit. The gold and silver will be stripped from carbon using a desorption process, followed by electrowinning to produce a precipitate sludge. The precipitate sludge will be processed using a retort oven for drying and mercury recovery, and then refined in a melting furnace to produce gold and silver dore bars.

The major reagent consumptions for heap leaching of Pinion and Dark Star ore have been taken from available metallurgical test results from column leach tests on crushed material. No test data exists at the ROM particle size, so the selected reagent consumptions have been estimated based on test results on the coarsest samples tests (37 mm). Cyanide consumptions have been estimated at 0.22 kg/tonne for Pinion and 0.23 kg/tonne for Dark Star. Lime consumption is estimated at 1.0 kg/tonne for both Pinion and Dark Star ores.

A large number of variability samples and master composites, mostly from PQ core, were selected by Gold Standard for feasibility-level testing on the Dark Star and Pinion deposits. A total of 440 bottle-roll tests were conducted at 75 and 1,700 microns, 186 standard column leach tests at various P 80 sizes ranging from 9.5 mm to 25 mm, and 34 column leach tests on HPGR-crushed samples (P 80 = 5 - 6 mm).

ROM heap leach head grade versus gold recovery models were developed for Dark Star and Pinion and silver recovery models were developed for Pinion. Silver grades for Dark Star were not of economic significance. The overall LOM average gold recovery for the Dark Star deposit is estimated at 72% and the Pinion deposit is estimated at 56%.

Capital and Operating Costs

Capital costs have a basis of estimate at Class 3 (FEL3) with a stated +/-15% accuracy (after the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International) and are stated in Q4 2021 US dollars.

Capital cost contingency has been allocated on scopes of work depending on level of completion for each scope. The combined contingency for all scopes of work is equivalent to 18% of direct costs, excluding mining equipment and pre-stripping. More than 80% of equipment costs, bulk materials and labor rates are estimated with budget quotes from vendors. The remaining 20% of costs are estimated from consultant databases on precedent projects, or from factoring such items as freight and construction indirect costs from supply pricing.

Mine equipment is assumed to be acquired through a combination of leasing for most production and support equipment, rentals for pioneering drills, and purchase of some support equipment.

The initial capital cost, including contingency, is estimated at $190 million and LOM sustaining capital cost, including contingency, is estimated at $197 million, for a total capital cost of $387 million.

Table 4. Capital Expenditures.

Item Unit Cost Pre-Stripping $M 23 Mining Equipment (1) $M 14 Heap Leach Pad $M 16 Waste Dumps $M 4 Process Plant $M 24 Water Treatment Plant / Systems $M 6 Power Generation & Distribution (1) $M 18 ADR Building & Ancillaries $M 15 Site General / Water Management $M 21 Indirect Costs $M 30 Contingency $M 19 Total Initial Capital $M 190 Sustaining Capital, Mining (1) $M 103 Sustaining Capital, Infrastructure $M 73 Closure $M 23 Salvage $M (12) Contingency $M 11 Total Sustaining Capital $M 197 Total Capital $M 387

(1) Assumes equipment financing for primary mining equipment and power generators.

Mine operating costs, including pre-stripping, are estimated at $1.92 per tonne moved or $9.80 per tonne processed with a strip ratio of 4.10 (waste:ore) over the LOM.

Processing and water treatment related costs are estimated at $2.26 per tonne processed. General and administration costs are estimated at $0.58 per tonne processed. Diesel costs are estimated at $0.66 per liter and power at $0.15 per kWh (net charge for generated power).

Overall LOM Cash Costs are estimated at $792 per payable ounce of gold net of by-product silver credit. The LOM All-In Sustaining Costs are estimated at $1,021 per payable ounce of gold net of by-product silver credit.

Table 5. Operating Costs.

Item Unit Value Tonnes Moved, including pre-strip kt 332,378 Tonnes Processed kt 65,199 Payable Ounces Produced koz Au 1,030 Mining Costs $/tonne moved 1.92 Processing & Water Treatment $/tonne processed 2.26 G&A $/tonne processed 0.58 Total $/tonne processed 12.64 Refining, Silver Credit, Royalties $M 14 Cash Costs $/oz (net of by-product credit) 792 Total Sustaining Capital $M 197 Nevada Net Proceeds and Excise Tax $M 40 All-In Sustaining Costs $/oz (net of by-product credit) 1,021

Infrastructure and Facilities

The main structures in the South Railroad operating area will be the heap leach pad, solution ponds, the carbon Adsorption-Desorption-Regeneration (ADR) plant, refinery and truck shop. Other structures will house support services such as the laboratory, administration, security and process maintenance. Site geotechnical investigations have been performed to support the engineering effort for site infrastructure design.

The heap leach pad will be a conventional run-of-mine stack with a composite liner system to prevent release of solution to the environment. Process channels and ponds associated with the heap leach pad will utilize dual containment liner systems with leak detection. The heap leach pad and associated facilities will be fully reclaimed at closure.

Power will be supplied by an on-site power generation facility. For the electrical demand of the project, four natural gas generators will be included. Each generator has a capacity of 1970 kW and the design considers operation with three generators. The fourth generator provides (N+1) reliability, which minimizes operating restraints. Natural gas will be delivered to site via trucks in the form of liquified natural gas (LNG). LNG will be stored in a double-walled tank and vaporized for use in the generators. Synchronizing switchgear is included for load-sharing between operating generators.

The main source of water will be from nine pit dewatering wells to support the mining operation of the North Dark Star pit and later from two dewatering wells at the Pinion pit. Excess water will be treated at the water treatment plant and discharged to the tributary to Dixie Creek. Stormwater controls during operations are designed to meet the 100-year, 24-hour storm event, and stormwater controls after closure are designed to meet the 500-year, 24-hour event. Water will be conveyed at site via a series of three primary tanks and the associated conveyance piping and pumps.

Entrance to the site will be located 28 miles southwest of Spring Creek, NV along Nevada State Highway 228. The main access road to the site will be along an existing 21-mile gravel road route southwest of Hwy 228 and the South Fork Reservoir, which will be improved to a standard two-way road with a 5-meter lane and 2-meter shoulder in each direction, and with safety and drainage structures. The road will be straightened where possible and graded to a maximum 8%.

Financial Analysis

At Base Case Gold Price ($1,650 per ounce) the project generates an after-tax NPV 5 of $315M and an after-tax IRR of 44%. Payback on initial capital is 1.9 years.

LOM after-tax free cash flow (FCF) is estimated at $403M. Average after-tax free cash flow during the first four years of production while mining Dark Star is estimated at $98M per annum.

Compared to the 2020 PFS, after-tax NPV 5 , after-tax IRR, and after-tax LOM FCF have grown by 19%, 11%, and 13% respectively, reflecting increased gold production, additional operating life of the project, and an increased Base Case Gold Price.

At Spot Gold Price the project generates an after-tax NPV 5 of $487M and IRR of 62%, and payback on initial capital is 1.6 years.

Table 6. Gold Price Sensitivity.

Gold Price (US$/oz) $1,500 $1,650 $1,800 $1,899 Base Case Spot Case NPV 5 $M 211 315 419 487 IRR % 33% 44% 55% 62% Payback years 2.2 1.9 1.7 1.6 Total FCF $M 281 403 526 606 Avg. Annual FCF (1) $M 54 70 85 95 First 4 Years Avg. Annual FCF (2) $M 80 98 117 130

(1) Average based on the eight years of full year mining and stacking in the mine plan. Excludes pre-production and residual leach years of operation.

(2) Excludes pre-production year.

Permitting

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has implemented a process for the Plan of Operations that commences prior to the submittal and continues through the review and approval process. Gold Standard submitted a Plan of Operations for the project in November 2020 and the BLM determined that a plan was complete in December of 2020. The review and approval process for the Plan of Operations by the BLM constitutes a federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and BLM regulations. The BLM is required to comply with the NEPA and the BLM has determined that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. A NEPA contractor was selected in August 2021 and initiated work in September 2021. The BLM will need to publish the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register to officially commence the NEPA Process. Gold Standard will also need an Individual Section 404 Permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and this agency will be a cooperating agency on the NEPA documents.

There are a number of environmental permits issued by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) that are necessary to develop the project and which Gold Standard needs to permit the project. The NDEP issues permits that address water and air pollution, as well as land reclamation. The Nevada Division of Water Resources issues water rights for the use and management of water, and an application for water rights at SRP has been made.

The SRP is a previously explored minerals property with exploration related disturbance. However, there have been very long periods of non-operation. There are no known ongoing environmental issues with any of the regulatory agencies. Gold Standard has been conducting baseline data collection for a number of years to facilitate environmental studies required to support the EIS and permitting process. The waste rock and mineralized material characterization and the hydrogeologic evaluation are completed and under review by the BLM and NDEP. Material characterization indicates the need to manage a significant portion of the waste rock as potentially acid generating in engineered facilities. Additional results to date indicate limited cultural issues, air quality impacts appear to be within State of Nevada standards, traffic and noise issues are present but at low levels, and socioeconomic impacts are positive.

Social and community impacts have been and are being considered and evaluated in accordance with the NEPA and other federal laws. Potentially affected Native American tribes, tribal organizations and/or individuals are consulted during the preparation of the EIS to advise on the proposed projects that may have an effect on cultural sites, resources, and traditional activities.

Potential community impacts to existing population and demographics, income, employment, economy, public finance, housing, community facilities and community services are evaluated for potential impacts as part of the NEPA process. There are no known social or community issues that would have a material impact on the projects ability to extract mineral resources. Identified socioeconomic issues (employment, payroll, services and supply purchases, and state and local tax payments) are anticipated to be positive.

A Tentative Plan for Permanent Closure (TPPC) for the project would be submitted to the NDEP with the Water Pollution Control Permit application. In the TPPC, the proposed heap leach closure approach would consist of fluid management through evaporation, covering the heap leach growth media, and then revegetating. Any residual heap leach drainage will be managed with evaporation cells.

South Railroad Project Next Steps

The South Railroad Feasibility Study contemplates ground-breaking for site construction in Q2 2023, with a total 12-month construction period and first gold production in Q3 2024. This schedule is dependent upon the completion of the final EIS and the receipt of a Record of Decision permit. Activities for Gold Standard in 2022 will focus on the following:

Construction Capital Financing Process : The construction capital financing process, led by Cutfield Freeman, will begin this quarter. Orion Mine Finance has agreed to provide the Company with a term sheet to provide up to $200 million of financing support to the Company, following the satisfaction of mutually agreed milestones, to help finance the construction of the South Railroad Project. In connection with the financing support, Orion shall be granted a right of first offer on any financial instrument for financing the Company including, but not limited to, streaming, royalty, prepay or offtake agreements for precious metals of the Company. Orions right of first offer does not include (i) any bought or overnight marketed equity or convertible debt deal with banks or brokers, (ii) project finance, term loans or a credit facility by a bank or syndicate of banks, (iii) a marketed high yield offering underwritten by a bank, and (iv) any financing transaction with aggregate proceeds of up to $40 million. Separately, the Company has received interest from numerous capital providers about participating in the financing process. Given the robust free cash flows in the first four years of operation and rapid payback of initial capital as outlined in the Feasibility Study, Gold Standard is targeting 75% of the total construction capital financing to be non-equity. The Company anticipates concluding the construction capital financing process before year end 2022.

: The construction capital financing process, led by Cutfield Freeman, will begin this quarter. Orion Mine Finance has agreed to provide the Company with a term sheet to provide up to $200 million of financing support to the Company, following the satisfaction of mutually agreed milestones, to help finance the construction of the South Railroad Project. In connection with the financing support, Orion shall be granted a right of first offer on any financial instrument for financing the Company including, but not limited to, streaming, royalty, prepay or offtake agreements for precious metals of the Company. Orions right of first offer does not include (i) any bought or overnight marketed equity or convertible debt deal with banks or brokers, (ii) project finance, term loans or a credit facility by a bank or syndicate of banks, (iii) a marketed high yield offering underwritten by a bank, and (iv) any financing transaction with aggregate proceeds of up to $40 million. Separately, the Company has received interest from numerous capital providers about participating in the financing process. Given the robust free cash flows in the first four years of operation and rapid payback of initial capital as outlined in the Feasibility Study, Gold Standard is targeting 75% of the total construction capital financing to be non-equity. The Company anticipates concluding the construction capital financing process before year end 2022. Continued Permitting Activities: The Company anticipates that the Notice of Intent will be filed in the Federal Register before the end of this quarter. Once that milestone is complete, public scoping meetings can commence in conjunction with the development of the EIS. SWCA Environmental Consultants have been engaged to manage the EIS process on behalf of the BLM.

The Company anticipates that the Notice of Intent will be filed in the Federal Register before the end of this quarter. Once that milestone is complete, public scoping meetings can commence in conjunction with the development of the EIS. SWCA Environmental Consultants have been engaged to manage the EIS process on behalf of the BLM. Begin Detailed Design Work and Award EPCM Contract: The Company anticipates awarding the Engineering, Procurement & Construction Management contract for SRP in Q2 2022. In conjunction, detailed engineering and design work would commence to prepare for a construction decision following the receipt of the Record of Decision permit.

The Company anticipates awarding the Engineering, Procurement & Construction Management contract for SRP in Q2 2022. In conjunction, detailed engineering and design work would commence to prepare for a construction decision following the receipt of the Record of Decision permit. 2022 Exploration Program: Exploration in 2022 will initially focus on oxide drilling at the Pinion SB Zone with the goal of expanding the resource base at Pinion. In addition, the Company will begin drilling sulphide gold targets at Ranch (500m north of Dark Star) and North Bullion (10km north of Pinion). Exploration capital will be allocated in two stages for the year. Based on the drilling success in the first phase at the targets mentioned above, additional capital may be allocated for further drilling in the second half of the drill season.

NI 43-101 Technical Report

The Feasibility Study Technical Report will be prepared by M3 Engineering & Technology Corporation (M3) and filed on SEDAR within 45 days following the date of this news release. Matthew Sletten, PE, Project Manager of M3 and Art Ibrado, PhD, PE, of Fort Lowell Consulting PLLC, working with M3, are the qualified persons (QPs) responsible for the scientific and technical information in this news release as defined by NI 43-101. Thomas L. Dyer, PE and Jordan Anderson, RM-SME of MDA (a division of RESPEC), are the QPs for the reserve estimate and mine planning in this news release, as defined by NI 43-101. Michael S. Lindholm, CPG of MDA (a division of RESPEC), is the qualified person (QP) for the resource estimates in this news release, as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Ibrado, Mr. Sletten, Mr. Dyer, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Lindholm are independent of Gold Standard.

Qualified Persons

Michael S. Lindholm, CPG of MDA (a division of RESPEC) is the QP responsible for the preparation of the February 2022 South Railroad Project Mineral Resource Estimates, including geological technical information and QA/QC review of drilling and sampling data. The QPs responsible for the preparation of the Mineral Reserves and mine planning are Jordan Anderson, RM-SME and Thomas L. Dyer, PE of MDA (a division of RESPEC). Gary L. Simmons, QP-MMSA of GL Simmons Consulting, LLC is the QP person responsible for mineral processing and metallurgical testing. Benjamin Bermudez, PE of M3 is the QP responsible for the design of the process plant. Matthew Sletten, PE of M3 is the QP responsible for the design of infrastructure, capital and operating costs of the process plant, and financial modelling. Kevin Lutes, PE of New Fields is the QP responsible for the heap leach pad design. Richard DeLong, QP-MMSA of EM Strategies, Inc. is the QP responsible for environmental studies, permitting and social or community impact. All the QPs cited above are independent of Gold Standard.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

The Company has included certain non-IFRS financial measures in this news release, such as Cash Costs, AISC, and Free Cash Flow which are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. As a result, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. Each of these measures are intended to provide additional information to the reader and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Certain non-IFRS financial measures used in this news release and common to the gold mining industry are defined below.

Cash Costs and Cash Cost per Ounce

Cash Costs are reflective of the cost of production. Cash Costs reported in the Feasibility Study include mining costs, processing & water treatment costs, general and administrative costs of the mine, refining and transportation costs, silver revenue credits, and royalties. Cash Costs per Ounce is calculated as Cash Costs divided by payable gold ounces.

All-In Sustaining Costs (AISC) and AISC per Ounce

AISC is reflective of all expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from operations. AISC reported in the Feasibility Study includes Cash Costs, Sustaining Capital, and Nevada Net Proceeds and Excise Tax, but excludes corporate general and administrative costs. AISC per Ounce is calculated as AISC divided by payable gold ounces.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flows are revenues net of operating costs, royalties, working capital adjustments, capital expenditures and cash taxes. The Company believes that this measure is useful to the external users in assessing the Companys ability to generate cash flows from the project.

Conference Call and Webcast

Gold Standard will host a conference call on February 24, 2022, at 10:00 am PT, to discuss the results of the Feasibility Study:

 Conference call and webcast:

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: +1 (800) 319-4610 All other callers: +1 (604) 638-5340 Webcast: https://services.choruscall.ca/links/goldstandard20220224.html  The conference call will be archived and available on our website. Audio replay will be available for two weeks by calling: Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: +1 (855) 669-9658, replay code 1857 All other callers: +1 (604) 674-8052, replay code 1857

About Gold Standard



Gold Standard is developing the South Railroad Project, an open pit, heap leach gold project located in Elko County, Nevada. The project is part of a +21,000-hectare land package on the Carlin Trend and is 100% owned or controlled by Gold Standard. The goal of the Company is to become the low-cost junior producer of choice in Nevada, one of the premier mining jurisdictions in the world.

About M3 Engineering

M3 is a privately held full-service design company that has provided architecture, engineering, and construction management services in over 30 countries. Founded in 1986 in Tucson, Arizona, M3 has offices in Chandler, Arizona; Charlotte, North Carolina; Hermosillo, Mexico; Arequipa, Peru; Santiago, Chile; and Buenos Aires, Argentina; and is incorporated in Colombia and Canada. M3 is well known for its contributions to mining and telescope projects.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the project economics, including capital costs, operating expenditures, free cash flow, IRR and payback of the SRP; the timing and availability of construct financing for the SRP; the ability of the Company to extend mine life and expand the Mineral Reserves and Resources at the SRP; the potential upside opportunities at the SRP, including the expansion of the Pinion open pit, the ability to process sulfide ore, the ability to reduce costs associated with water treatment, and the ability to economically improve gold and silver recoveries; the project operations, including the processing and recovery projections; and the timing and completion of the permitting process; and the timing and completion of an Engineering, Procurement & Construction Management contract; and the timing and ability of the Company to produce gold from the SRP.

Such forward-looking statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company, including that that the geology of the ore in the area of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves at the SRP will conform to that set out in the Feasibility Study for the SRP; that operations at the SRP will conform to the mine plan and schedule set out in the Feasibility Study for the SRP; that the Company will be successful in the financing and construction of the SRP; that the Company completes the necessary permitting process; and that operating and capital costs, and commodity prices, will conform to the costs and prices set out in the SRP. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: that the pit and the area of demonstrated Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves at the SRP will be different than that set out in the Feasibility Study for the SRP, that the Company may not be successful in financing and constructing the SRP; that the SRP may never be placed into production; global financial conditions and volatility of capital markets, uncertainty regarding the availability of additional capital, fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) and with the SEC on EDGAR (available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

Cautionary Note for U.S. Investors Concerning Mineral Resources and Reserves

National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) is a rule of the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Technical disclosure contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Classification System. These standards differ from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and resource information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by domestic United States companies subject to the SECs reporting and disclosure requirements.

All references to $ in this news release are to U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Alternative performance measures in this news release such as cash cost, AISC free cash flow are furnished to provide additional information. These non-GAAP performance measures are included in this news release because these statistics are used as key performance measures that management uses to monitor and assess performance of the Project, and to plan and assess the overall effectiveness and efficiency of mining operations. These performance measures do not have a standard meaning within International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and, therefore, amounts presented may not be comparable to similar data presented by other mining companies. These performance measures should not be considered in isolation as a substitute for measures of performance in accordance with IFRS.

For further information contact:

Michael McDonald

Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations

Phone: 1-604-687-2766

E-Mail: info@goldstandardv.com




DALLAS, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Were excited to announce that CMB Regional Centers (CMB) Group 25 just received its first I-829 approval! This is a life changing milestone for the CMB limited partner that was approved. It is also great news for other investors in this partnership, as it means the USCIS determined that the Group 25 investment generated the requisite number of jobs to satisfy the requirements of the EB-5 program for each of the investors.



The I-829 petition is the final step in the immigration process for EB-5 investors. An approval removes all EB-5 conditions and grants permanent U.S. residence to the petitioner and their immediate family. Once permanent residence is achieved, the investor can either choose to pursue American citizenship, or complete a simple green card renewal every 10 years.

Group 25 included 52 EB-5 investors from China, the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, India, Russia, and South Korea. The partnership made a loan of $26 million to Stillwater Capital Partners (Stillwater) to partially finance the construction of three residential developments in Texas:

The Peak Street Townhomes is a 180 unit luxury townhome community located just north of downtown Dallas.

The Hyde Park Apartment Homes are located in Austin, TX. The complex includes 210 modern apartment units on a 2.4 acre site.

The Alamo Heights Apartment Homes include 107 units on a 4.28 acre site in San Antonio, TX.

Group 25 opened for subscription in 2014 and was the first collaboration between Stillwater and CMB Regional Centers. The loans Group 25 extended to finance these projects were fully repaid in 2020, and the partnership has since returned funds to eligible EB-5 investors.

Founded in 2006, Stillwater is a fully integrated, private real estate company with expertise in sourcing, underwriting, developing, acquiring and managing a vast spectrum of real estate products. Although Stillwater has experience across all real estate products, their primary focus is on residential developments, both single-family and multifamily projects. To date, Stillwater has participated in over $8+billion in real estate transactions and have completed in excess of 6,500 combined residential units. Stillwater has 70+ team members with offices located in Dallas, Frisco, Austin, Phoenix, Nashville and Denver.

Stillwater is a cross-platform partner of CMB affiliate, NHK Capital Partners. NHK Capital Partners, is a Hogan family company focusing on investment opportunities in the U.S. alternative investment sector. NHKs mission is to provide risk adjusted returns to investors by generating current income from its debt investments and/or capital appreciation from its equity related investments. The company was founded in response to requests from former CMB limited partners searching for opportunities to grow their wealth after successfully immigrating to the United States through the EB-5 program. NHK has partnered with Stillwater to develop four residential projects all across Texas.

CMB and NHK continue to partner with Stillwater to produce high quality investment options for our clients. If youd like more information about our current offerings, please contact CMB at: www.cmbeb5visa.com; info@cmbeb5visa.com; or +1-309-797-1550, or NHK HERE.

CMB engages Prevail Capital, LLC, a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA and SIPC, to be the administrative placement agent for all CMB EB-5 partnerships.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ff87962-5463-4f85-b4c9-7f22d6c00078
Cambodia starts COVID-19 vaccinations for kids aged 3-4 with China's Sinovac vaccine

Xinhua) 14:32, February 23, 2022

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday began inoculating children aged three and four against COVID-19 with China's Sinovac vaccine amid a surge in daily cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

A lot of kids, assisted by their parents or legal guardians, are seen waiting for their first dose at vaccination sites in capital Phnom Penh, as the inoculation drive targets roughly 700,000 children at this age group across the kingdom.

Speaking to Xinhua after having her 3-year-old girl vaccinated at an inoculation site in the capital's Pochentong Referral Hospital, Touch Sreyroth, 30, said she is delighted for this group age to be eligible for vaccination against the virus.

"I'm very happy that my little girl received her first shot of China's Sinovac vaccine today because I had waited for this time for several months," she said. "I believe that vaccine can protect my daughter against the COVID-19, especially the Omicron variant."

Sreyroth said as a mother, she's always worried about her daughter's safety, but she feels relieved now after her little girl received the jab.

"I absolutely trust the safety, quality and efficiency of Sinovac vaccine in protecting my life and family from this highly contagious disease. So far, all of my family members have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Sinovac vaccine," she said.

Ek Chantha, a 37-year-old mother, said Chinese vaccines have not only protected Cambodian people's lives but also helped the country reopen its socio-economic activities in all areas with confidence.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed. China, thank you for supplying vaccines to Cambodia. We will remember this help forever, and thank the Cambodian government for providing vaccines to us free of charge," she told Xinhua after having her little son inoculated.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia and China have been standing together through thick and thin, adding that the joint COVID-19 fight should serve as a role model for cooperation between countries.

"Our joint COVID-19 fight proves that our ironclad friendship is unbreakable and there is no doubt that this joint effort will inject fresh impetus into the building of a community with a shared future between Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua.

Cambodian health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said each child has to be given two doses of the Sinovac vaccine 28 days apart.

Meanwhile, she urged people to continue caution as the Omicron variant is widely circulating in the country.

"It is not a flu disease and our complacency will create a good environment for the virus to attack our bodies," she wrote on social media. "3 dos + 3 don'ts + COVID-19 vaccinations will save life, reduce disease severity, hospitalization, and death."

China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines are most widely used in Cambodia's immunization campaign.

As of Tuesday, the southeast Asian nation had administered at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to 14.4 million people aged five and older, or 90 percent of the country's 16-million population, the health ministry said.

Of them, 13.82 million people, or 86.4 percent, had been fully vaccinated with two required shots, 6.47 million, or 40.4 percent, had taken a third dose or booster shot, and 858,739, or 5.3 percent, had got a fourth dose, the ministry added.

The kingdom on Wednesday registered 558 new COVID-19 cases, all were confirmed to be the Omicron, with one new death, the ministry said, adding that to date, the country had recorded a total of 128,133 cases, with 121,553 recoveries and 3,023 fatalities.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The Manhattan District Attorneys ongoing investigation into ex-President Trumps finances took a dramatic and unexpected turn Wednesday when two top prosecutors in the case abruptly resigned.

Highly-regarded lawyers Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz bailed after their new boss, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, indicated he had doubts about proceeding with the case against Trump, according to The New York Times.

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A witness in the case against Trump confirmed to the Daily News that the probe had ground to a halt in recent weeks, with prosecutors last reaching out a month ago.

But a source pushed back at the suggestion that the Trump investigation was not a priority for Bragg.

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He [Bragg] is just following the facts, said the source, noting the departures did not signal the case will disappear. Theres a whole team of lawyers.

The investigation was launched by Braggs predecessor Cy Vance Jr., with the current DAs spokeswoman confirming the sudden departures of the two attorneys from the prior regime.

We are grateful for their service, said Danielle Filson of the departed prosecutors. The investigation is ongoing. We cant comment further.

Neither the departing prosecutors nor Braggs office offered any explanation for the stunning turn of events as a Manhattan grand jury hears evidence in the case against Trump. The probe faces a ticking clock, with the panels time due to expire in April.

Bragg took over from Vance this past New Years Day.

Dunne argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in a successful fight for Trumps tax records. And Pomerantz, a one-time prosecutor with a 1990s resume of mob prosecutions that included Gambino crime family boss John Junior Gotti, joined the DAs office last year at Vances behest as an assistant district attorney for the Trump investigation.

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington, on Nov. 5, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP)

There was no immediate response from one-time New Yorker Trump, although hes derided the allegations in the past as a witch hunt.

Ex-top Trump advisor Michael Cohen, who testified in the DAs investigation against his estranged boss, was stunned by the development.

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Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne just resigned? Cohen said when contacted by The News. What? Wow. 

Cohen, who spent upwards of 300 hours answering questions from the prosecutors, was rattled by word of their exits.

I am deeply disturbed by this report, he said. I know the information in the New York DAs possession  and not to indict is a dereliction of duty to all New Yorkers and the country.

Bragg just last month offered kudos to Dunne and Pomerantz for making a smooth transition to a new DA in their high-profile investigation.

I do think the one continuity is the staffing and (Vance) brought on incredible lawyers to do it, Bragg said. And theyve been dedicated and weve been working and keeping them in place and thinking about the kind of resources to continue the investigation.

Meanwhile, in a filing late Tuesday, The Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg called in court papers for the dismissal of charges brought against them in 2021 stemming from the DAs probe, alleging Cohens cooperation was motivated by vengeance rather than justice.

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Weisselberg previously testified with immunity before a grand jury investigating Cohen, who was convicted in 2018 of violating campaign finance laws and lying to Congress. The case involved hush money payments Cohen arranged to porn star Stormy Daniels and model model Karen McDougal during Trumps 2016 campaign.

Daniels and McDougal say they had extramarital affairs with Trump, which Trump denied. Cohen spent about 13 1/2 months in prison and another 18 months in home confinement.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Weisselberg became a defendant himself when Vances investigation led to indictments on tax-related charges last summer against him and The Trump Organization. Both entered pleas of not guilty against the allegations.

The new court papers portray Weisselberg as collateral damage in the DAs probe, alleging he was singled out for prosecution based on his long-time business association with Trump and his refusal to become a cooperating witness against his boss.

Prosecutors accused Weisselberg of collecting more than $1.7 million in unreported compensation, including apartment rent, car payments and school tuition.

Cohen described the Trump Organizations motion to dismiss the charges as a hail Mary pass and said Weisselberg and the company were trying to delegitimize him to save themselves.

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Its just another typical Trump-style ploy that lacks credibility, Cohen told The News.

How many more crimes are going to be committed by Trump and his inner circle seeking to exonerate themselves by pointing a finger at me?

New York state Attorney General Letitia James is still conducting her own probe into Trump and last week received a judges approval to grill Trump and two of his adult children. While she cannot criminally pursue the Trumps, she can bring a civil case against the former chief executive.
Gloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Periods of rain. High 51F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Governor Youngkin Signs Day One Game Plan Tax Conformity Bill

Governor also Signed Election Reform Legislation

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA  Governor Glenn Youngkin today signed HB 971 to conform Virginias tax code to the federal Internal Revenue Code in part to grant Virginia businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic significant tax relief. Through this bill, Virginia expanded and made retroactive tax benefits related to Paycheck Protection Program loans and Rebuild Virginia grants to ensure COVID-19 aid granted to businesses would not be treated as taxable income. Altogether, this bill will save Virginia individual and business taxpayers $201 million in taxes.

After signing HB 971, sponsored by Delegate Kathy Byron, Governor Youngkin issued the following statement: The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the most difficult times for Virginians since the Great Depression. The federal government and the General Assembly came together to offer aid programs designed to keep businesses open and workers employed. While the worst parts of the COVID-19 pandemic are in the rearview mirror, many businesses are still struggling from the effects of unnecessary, forced economic shutdowns. This bill ensures programs designed to aid businesses dont transform into tax liabilities that hinder Virginias economic recovery.

"Making our tax code more consistent with the federal government is not only the right principle, it is also good for business and good for everyday Virginians. This bill will save taxpayers over $200 million and provide much needed relief to small businesses. I appreciate Governor Youngkin and my colleagues in both chambers and in both parties working quickly to make these necessary reforms as tax season is underway, said Delegate Kathy Byron.

Governor Youngkin also signed bills designed to improve Virginias elections process. HB 55, sponsored by freshman Delegate Karen Greenhalgh, requires the State Registrar of Vital Records to transmit to the Department of Elections a weekly list of decedents rather than monthly as previously required. This bill ensures Virginias voter rolls are as up-to-date as possible when issuing mail-in ballots and when heading into election day.

HB 195, sponsored by Delegate Margaret Ransone, improves local elections by allowing the Department of Elections to issue a waiver and establish a polling place that does not meet the current location requirements that a polling location must be within a precinct or within one mile of a precincts borders. This bill helps rural localities with limited public building options hold elections.

Finally, Governor Youngkin also signed HB 386 sponsored by Delegate Rip Sullivan, which adds the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge to the list of Potomac River bridges subject to the Potomac River Bridge Towing Compact. This bill improves traffic from Arlington County into the District of Columbia by facilitating the prompt and orderly removal of disabled and abandoned vehicles from the bridge.

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Delegate Kathy Byron after signing bill HB971, Feb. 23, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Delegate Karen Greenhalgh after signing bill HB55, Feb. 23, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin. Governor Glenn Youngkin and Delegate Margaret Ransone after signing bill HB195, Feb. 23, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin. Governor Glenn Youngkin and The First Lady Suzanne Youngkin while signing bill HB386, Feb. 23, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

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A man was stabbed and wounded on a Brooklyn street by two strangers who stole his Infiniti SUV after meeting up with him to discuss the sale of his BMW, police said Wednesday.

The 53-year-old victim, who lives in Queens, drove to a home on Hubbard St. near Avenue X in Sheepshead Bay to meet his assailants about 4:40 p.m. Sunday and discuss selling them the BMW, police said.

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But the two men instead stabbed him multiple times before jumping into the victims 2013 Infiniti JX35 and driving off in it. The victim was hospitalized in stable condition.

Cops released surveillance footage image of two men being sought after a stabbing in Brooklyn. (NYPD)

Cops released surveillance images of the two suspects Wednesday and asked the publics help identifying them and tracking them down.

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Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
The Formula 1 season has started with the first day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The first four hours of testing are over and it was Charles Leclerc who managed to set the fastest time. But what is perhaps even more important is the number of laps driven and that ranking is led by Max Verstappen.

RB18 unveiled

Everyone was looking forward to it: pictures of the RB18 on track. They started coming in around 08:00hrs [UK time] and demonstrated that Red Bull seems to have done something very special with the side pods. Also in the paddock, the RB18 attracted a lot of attention, for example, James Key stopped by to see if he could find anything interesting.

Photographers of the crews are strategically positioned, trying to get a good shot of the competitors' cars to see if they might be able to recreate a similar concept.

The times are not so important at this point. The race teams mainly want to collect data by doing miles. The cars we now see at work in Barcelona are certainly not the cars we will see in Bahrain in a week and a half. Teams don't want to give away their biggest secrets just yet, because that gives the competition time to imitate them.

Verstappen gets off to a flying start

Verstappen finally came up with a 1:22.246 and with that a sixth time. The Dutchman drove that time with the C2 compound, a relatively hard tyre. Most of the drivers above Verstappen in the standings at lunch drove with relatively softer C3 tyre. In the end, the 24-year-old Dutchman managed 80 laps.

Leclerc went over two seconds faster than Verstappen with a 1:20.165, but that doesn't mean anything at all. At least for Ferrari it's a good start, that's for sure. Leclerc ended up driving 78 laps in Spain. George Russell set the third time and drove about the same number of laps as his Monegasque rival (76).

Read more Red Bull now shares official footage of 'secret' filming day

At the end of the morning, we also see more and more drivers following other cars to see how their own car reacts to this and to see if the following is actually easier than with the previous generation cars.

Difficult start for Alfa Romeo

One team where things did not go as smoothly as expected was Alfa Romeo Racing. Spare driver Robert Kubica got into the car, most likely because he agreed to do so in the contract negotiations, but he didn't put in many laps. Alfa Romeo came up with a camouflage livery again, just like during the filming days, but due to minor problems the counter stopped at nine laps.

In their own words, the problems were 'nothing unexpected', but it's a different matter for the Italian-Swiss formation of Frederic Vasseur. Halfway before the flag fell, Kubica only drove his first representative time.

Continued from Wednesday

Kubica will not return to the car after the lunch break. He will be relieved by Valtteri Bottas. Mercedes, Aston Martin, Haas F1 and Williams also change their drivers. Verstappen just stays in the RB18 to gather more information. The lunch break lasts exactly one hour and at 1pm [UK time] we sit down again for four hours of testing.

Dat was de ochtendsessie in Barcelona. Productieve ochtend Verstappen, Leclerc en Russell. pic.twitter.com/sFCGBZJfh8  Erik van Haren (@ErikvHaren) February 23, 2022

Read more Bottas keeps faith with Alfa Romeo on world title
Ten months after an e-bike rider was fatally struck in a Brooklyn intersection, the driver who hit him has been charged with recklessly speeding and blowing the red light, police said Wednesday.

At the time of the April 24 crash, the NYPD said victim Luis Alvarez, riding his e-bike east on Clarendon Road in Flatbush, was disobeying the traffic signal when he entered the intersection at Rogers Ave. and was struck about 3:40 a.m. April 24.

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But now cops say that both Alvarez and driver Joshua George-Victor, who was heading north on Rogers Ave. in a 2001 Nissan Sentra, blew a steady red light.

Because of a 10-second delay at the corner to allow pedestrians to cross, both sides of the intersection had a red light, police sources said. Both Alvarez and George-Victor ignored the red signals when they entered the intersection, the sources said.

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George-Victor was speeding when he barreled into the intersection and hit Alvarez, cops said.

Alvarez, 25, was knocked off his e-bike by the impact and suffered head injuries. Medics rushed him to Kings County Hospital, but he couldnt be saved.

George-Victor, 22, remained at the scene and initially faced no charges. But after a 10-month investigation he was arrested Tuesday for reckless driving, speeding and running a red light, cops said.

Both George-Victor and the victim lived in Crown Heights, according to cops.

This was George-Victors second arrest, according to authorities. On March 8, 2020, he was charged with harassment and obstructing government administration after he refused to leave a clothing store on Church Ave., police said.
A 33-year-old Brooklyn man was busted after killing his friend in a drunken crash early Tuesday, police said.

Angus Fischer was charged with manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and DWI after crashing his Nissan Sentra into a parked, unoccupied tractor-trailer at Ditmas Ave. and Branton St. in East Flatbush.

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Medics responding to the 1:30 a.m. collision rushed Fischers passenger, a 29-year-old woman, to Brookdale University Hospital, but she could not be saved.

Fischer was taken to Kings County Hospital for minor injuries.
In 2021, a large share of Europes supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) originated in the United States, Qatar, and Russia. Combined, these three countries accounted for almost 70% of Europes total LNG imports, according to data by CEDIGAZ, reported by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).





The United States became Europes largest source of LNG in 2021, accounting for 26% of all LNG imported by European Union member countries (EU-27) and the United Kingdom (UK), followed by Qatar with 24%, and Russia with 20%. In January 2022, the United States supplied more than half of all LNG imports into Europe for the month.

Exports of LNG from the United States to EU-27 and the UK increased from 3.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in November 2021 to 6.5 Bcf/d in January 2022the most LNG shipped to Europe from the United States on a monthly basis to date, according to the US Department of Energys LNG Monthly reports and EIA estimates, which are based on LNG shipping data.

Rising US LNG exports are the result of both natural gas supply challenges in Europe and the sizable price differences between natural gas produced in the United States and current prices at European trading hubs.

Natural gas supply constraints in Europe and the low storage inventories of the past year contributed to recent increases in US LNG exports to Europe. Europes natural gas production has been in continuous decline because of production limits on the Groningen field in the Netherlands and declines in the mature fields in the North Sea. To meet demand, Europes natural gas imports, particularly from Russia, have increased in recent years.

Pipeline flows of natural gas from Russia decreased during 2021. Pipeline receipts from Russia at the three main entry points (Kondratki in Poland, Greifswald in Germany, and Velke Kapusany in Slovakia, which combined account for 14.3 Bcf/d of import pipeline capacity from Russia) averaged 10.7 Bcf/d in 2021, compared with 11.8 Bcf/d in 2020 and 14.1 Bcf/d in 2019, according to data by Refinitiv Eikon, reported by the EIA.

More natural gas delivered by pipeline from Norway, which increased from 10.4 Bcf/d in 2019 and in 2020 to 11.1 Bcf/d in 2021, was not enough to offset reduced pipeline receipts from Russia.

Supply challenges in the European market have led to rising regional prices for natural gas. The natural gas spot price at the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) in the Netherlandsthe most liquid virtual natural gas hub in Europehas been trading at all-time high levels. The TTF price averaged $28.52 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) from September 2021 through the first week of February 2022. The TTF price peaked at $60.20/MMBtu on December 21, 2021. Prior to this sharp price increase, the TTF price had averaged $9.28/MMBtu from January through August 2021, $3.28/MMBtu during 2020, $4.45/MMBtu during 2019, and $6.45/MMBtu from 2014 through 2018.

Historically, spot natural gas in Europe has traded at prices lower than LNG spot prices in Asia. In recent months, however, natural gas prices in Europe have closely tracked LNG prices in Asia. On some days, the natural gas price in Europe has exceeded the LNG price in Asia, attracting higher volume of flexible LNG supplies to Europe. LNG imports to Europe increased in December 2021 and January 2022, averaging 10.8 Bcf/d and 14.9 Bcf/d, respectively, partly in response to the price at TTF rising above LNG spot prices in Asia.
MP Materials Corp. has been awarded a $35-million contract through the US Department of Defense (DoD) Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program to support the construction of a commercial scale processing facility for heavy rare earth elements (HREE) at Mountain Pass. MP Materials owns and operates Mountain Pass, the only integrated rare earth mining and processing site in North America. (Earlier post.)

HREEs have higher atomic weights and are generally less abundant than light rare earth elements (LREEs). They are essential inputs to many critical defense and commercial technologies, particularly permanent magnets instrumental to the performance of electric vehicles, wind turbines, drones, and missile systems.

In a separate contract awarded in December 2020, the DoD committed $9.6 million to MP Materials Stage II optimization, a project underway to restore LREE processing capabilities to Mountain Pass.

The ability to process HREEs alongside LREEs will enable MP Materials to extract and refine all rare earths required to manufacture high-performance permanent magnets. It will also enable the company to recycle all recoverable rare earths from end-of-life magnets and magnet production scrap, increasing the resiliency and environmental sustainability of the domestic supply base.

In addition to its mining and processing operation at Mountain Pass, MP Materials is developing a rare earth metal, alloy and magnet manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Materials sourced from Mountain Pass will be transformed into manufactured products at this new facility, restoring a wholly domestic and vertically integrated US magnetics supply chain.

In December 2021, MP Materials entered into a long-term agreement with General Motors to supply US-sourced and manufactured rare earth materials, alloy, and finished magnets for the electric motors used in the GMC HUMMER EV, Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and more than a dozen models using GMs Ultium Platform. (Earlier post.)

To meet growing magnetics demand and promote supply chain resiliency, MP Materials processing facilities at Mountain Pass will accept qualified third-party feedstock and end-of-life magnets, in addition to processing the ore extracted from and beneficiated at Mountain Pass.

MP Materials operations provide certainty of US provenance and sustainability. Mountain Pass is a closed loop, zero-discharge rare earth production facility with a dry tailings process that recycles more than one billion liters of water per year.
Janet Medcalf is a former president of the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society and is currently manager of the Greeneville-Greene County Animal Shelter.
A man on trial for stabbing his son-in-law to death during a wild clash inside the familys Queens apartment pleaded guilty to manslaughter as a jury began its first day of deliberations, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Marco Ortiz pleaded guilty Tuesday and is expected to get 19 years in prison for the Jan. 24, 2019, killing inside his Briarwood home.

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Marco Ortiz

As jurors decided his fate, the defendant opted to plead guilty to manslaughter in the killing of his daughters husband in 2019, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. A family dispute should never end in bloodshed but in this instance an argument between the two men escalated in violence and a tragic death.

Ortizs pregnant daughter, his granddaughter and his son-in-law Travis Ford moved in with him two weeks before the fatal clash, cops said.

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Police investigate the scene of the stabbing inside the apartment on 139th St. Queens. (Gardiner Anderson)

On the night of the slaying, Ortizs daughter was in the hospital after just giving birth, prosecutors said. Ortiz was home caring for his granddaughter when Ford, who was drunk, began arguing with him and punched him in the face, according to court records.

I grabbed my granddaughter and went into another room where he followed me and began punching me again and again, Ortiz told police, according to prosecutors.

Travis Ford with his family. (GoFundMe)

During the ensuing brawl, Ortiz grabbed a knife and slashed Ford in the face and jammed the knife into his stomach, police said. He dropped the knife in a glass of water in the kitchen sink, which cops found when they arrived.

Cops charged Ortiz with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. His trial began on Feb. 7 and lasted about two weeks before going to the jury, court records show.
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GREENWICH  With Central Middle School now deemed a top priority, the Board of Education plans to return to the Board of Estimate & Taxations Budget Committee to seek more funds to plan for the future of the aging building.

I believe there is general agreement on the need to accelerate the replacement of Central Middle School, BET Budget Committee member Leslie Moriarty said Tuesday.

The boards will meet Monday as the Budget Committee continues its month-long review of the proposed 2022-23 municipal budget.

The school board will now seek $2.5 million for architecture and engineering work for what will likely be a new building as well as funds to draw up educational specifications and to cover emergency repairs as well as to rent the scaffolding now set up at Central Middle School.

The BET will consider the emergency repairs, the cost of which have not been publicly released, at a March 1 special meeting. That expenditure will then go for approval by the Representative Town Meeting at its March 8 meeting.

We expect a continuing dialogue on an important project, Central Middle School, that most, if not all, expect must be accelerated and is essential for a safe and efficient middle school for the towns students, Budget Committee Chair Leslie Tarkington said.

Initially, the Board of Educations three major capital priorities in its 2022-23 budget plan included a $250,000 study of a new or renovated Central Middle School, and $1.5 million each for design work for renovation projects at Julian Curtiss and Old Greenwich Schools.

But the focus changed after a report from Diversified Technology Consultants found significant structural concerns in Central Middle Schools walls. Then on Feb. 5, one day after the initial meeting between the two boards, the town closed Central until repairs could be made.

Students returned to the building Tuesday after scaffolding was erected around the impacted walls.

Work on a new Central Middle School had been expected in fiscal year 2025-26, but the project was discussed at the first meeting.

Budget Committee member Leslie Moriarty, chair of the minority Democratic caucus, said they will also take a close look at the projects planned for Julian Curtiss and Old Greenwich schools.

While CMS will be accelerated, the needs of the other schools, like Julian Curtiss and Old Greenwich, cannot be further postponed, Moriarty said. There are approaches to moving forward on those projects that need more detailed information from architectural and engineering work to be done and modifications to the capital plan projects and funding strategies.

I believe there is a workable solution to address the (three) major school renovation projects in a timely manner, she said.

Tarkington had asked Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones and Board of Education Chair Kathleen Stowe to return for a second meeting.

Were going to just be requesting one change, as far as I see it right now, in the fiscal year 2023 capital plan, which is moving Central Middle School (architecture and engineering) money up since were asking now for the educational specifications, Stowe said Tuesday.

She said she expected the BET would support the school boards plan for Central.

Call me hopeful, but I do think theyll be amenable to that, Stowe said. I hope the RTM will be as well.

The BET Budget Committees agenda for Monday also includes the first of two days set aside for what is known as consolidation day. That is when members of the Budget Committee will discuss motions for any cuts, adjustments or additions to the 2022-23 budget.

Consolidation day can sometimes take more than one round of meetings. If needed, the Budget Committee has scheduled a second day for Wednesday, March 2.

The Budget Committee will vote on the budget March 7 as it makes a recommendation on the spending plan. The full BET will hold a public hearing to hear comments on March 28 and vote on the 2022-23 budget on March 31.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com

This story has been updated to reflect that BET Budget Committee member Leslie Moriarty stated, I believe there is general agreement on the need to accelerate the replacement of Central Middle School.
Adilova Rahima was crossing 18th Ave. at E. 2nd St. in Kensington about 10:25 a.m. Monday when an Infiniti sedan driver rammed into her, knocking her onto the asphalt. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

A 65-year-old woman was fatally struck by an Infiniti driver in a Brooklyn intersection five blocks from her home, police said Wednesday.

Adilova Rahima was crossing 18th Ave. at E. Second St. in Kensington about 10:25 a.m. on Monday when an Infiniti sedan driver rammed into her, knocking her onto the asphalt, cops said.

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Adilova Rahima was crossing 18th Ave. at E. 2nd St. in Kensington about 10:25 a.m. Monday when an Infiniti sedan driver rammed into her, knocking her onto the asphalt. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

Medics rushed Rahima, who was five blocks from home when she was hit, to Maimonides Medical Center, where she died the next day, police said.

The 23-year-old man driving the Infiniti was making a left turn from E. Second St. on to 18th Ave. when he hit Rahima, cops said. He remained at the scene and has not been charged, police said.
GREENWICH  Neighborhood opposition is ramping up against a plan to build a 192-unit residential building in central Greenwich that would set aside a third of the apartments as affordable housing.

A formal application has been submitted for the seven-story building at 35 Church St. and Sherwood Place. It calls for demolishing a number of buildings on the block, which includes a restaurant, medical offices, a spa and several homes.

Under the 8-30g law, which has come under criticism by state lawmakers from Greenwich, local land-use agencies cannot deny affordable-housing proposals except when there are public-health or safety concerns, giving them much less latitude in the approval process.

SJP Properties, a New York City-based real estate developer, is working with a local developer, Eagle Ventures, on the project.

It would create a thoughtfully designed building, which features a contextual inspired architectural design intended to blend in with the various historic buildings surrounding the property, according to an announcement from the development team.

The building would help alleviate limited housing options available to the towns residents and create housing for Greenwichs public sector workers and first responders  including teachers, police officers, hospital staff and others  who meaningfully contribute to the community on a daily basis but are often forced to commute up to an hour and a half both ways to do so, the developers said.

During a preliminary and informal review of the project last year at the Planning & Zoning Commission, neighbors and commissioners raised concerns about traffic and overdevelopment.

An online petition was launched to oppose developing Sherwood Place and demolishing significant buildings. The Greenwich Preservation Network, founded in 2015 as an affiliate of the Greenwich Historical Society, is calling on the community to oppose the unreasonable destruction of 39, 43 and 47 Church Street and 32 Sherwood Place. Nearly 250 signatures have been digitally recorded on the petition since it was posted to Change.org.

The neighborhood, which is known as the the Fourth Ward Historic District, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Planning commissioners are seeking expert advice on what the historical designation means for the site-plan approval process.

Central Greenwich has been the focus of a building-boom in the making.

The Planning & Zoning Commission is also set to review plans for 110 new residential units on Benedict Court and Benedict Place, and 60 units proposed for 240 Greenwich Ave., at its next meeting March 1.

A residential complex with 30 units is under construction on Milbank Avenue. And a number of other residential buildings have gone up around the neighborhood in recent years.

The formal application for Sherwood Place has not yet been placed on the agenda for the planning commission. The proposal also calls for 288 parking spaces, including an underground parking facility. The full application was filed last week at Town Hall.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
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Interim state Education Commission Charlene Russell-Tucker cleared the first hurdle toward full confirmation on Tuesday when a key legislative committee unanimously approved her nomination.

Russell-Tuckers nomination next heads to the House of Representatives. She has been working in an acting capacity since last March, after then-Commissioner Miguel Cardona accepted President Joe Bidens offer to head the U.S. Department of Education. In August, Gov. Ned Lamont nominated Russell-Tucker to the full commissionership.

I am privileged to live in a state where education receives robust bipartisan support from the legislature, year after year, she said, acknowledging the continuing effects of the pandemic have created many challenges for students and faculty alike. One of her main goals is to create a system of care to help all students and staff to deal with emotional and behavioral needs.

I acknowledge, embrace and value the diversity of our student body here in Connecticut, she said. With over a half million students in our schools, there are 50 percent who are non-white, 43 percent who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, 16 percent with disabilities, 8 percent English-language-learners, with more than 145 spoken languages.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, co-chairman of the Executive & Legislative Nominations Committee, praised Russell-Tuckers 20 years of agency experience and her record over the last 11 months, which was challenged further by the lingering pandemic.

Youve come in in the middle of a storm, thats for sure with the pandemic and everything else, Duff said during a morning interview, followed by a public hearing in which Russell-Tucker received support from the states two teacher unions. But one of the positive traits for your leadership is the fact that you worked your way through the department over many years.

She stressed that hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in accelerated learning, mental health support and community engagement.

At the end of the day weve got to make sure that our kids are the beneficiaries of the investment were making, she said, adding that family engagement is crucial. Russell-Tucker acknowledged that in-person learning is very important, but remote learning remains an option, depending on health considerations.

Teaching is probably the most important job in our country, said Rep. David Yaccarino, R-North Haven, a committee member, adding that he is worried about students not reaching proper reading levels for their ages.

Literacy is one of the big goals were working on, Russell-Tucker said, noting that previous state law requires two new entities to help children reach literacy targets.

Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, said he is concerned about rising truancy rates.

We were actually one of the states that did nationally recognized work on attendance and engagement and addressing the issues around truancy over the years, Russell-Tucker replied. Our numbers were on the downward trend until the pandemic. There are issues around school avoidance for all kinds of reasons. That students are just, in some cases, struggling with being out and certainly coming back in.

She said homelessness and issues of mental health supports for trauma need to be included in the public debate and policy decisions on truancy and absenteeism.

Perillo said he was disappointed that there is no statewide data on school-based COVID infections. Russell-Tucker replied that individual schools and school districts are aware of local cases and provide information to parents. They still have a good sense of what is happening locally, she said, stressing that transmission rates have been very low in schools.

On the issue of masking in classrooms, Russell-Tucker said that health professionals have guided the statewide face mask requirements that will expire on Feb 28. Perillo said that after so many months of masking in the classroom, he is concerned about emotional and mental health of students. He asked how the department balanced the issues.

We have students who are immunocompromised and we have teachers who are immunocompromised, she said. We understood the challenge on both sides of that as well. We continue to focus on how do we maintain, as best we can, the in-person learning, which we know, based on the data and everything else is so critically important.

State Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, said he is worried that when the mask requirements are lifted at the end of the month, children who will continue to wear masks in school could become targets for bullying. Getting picked on by their classmates is bullying and should be not merely discouraged, but should be punished, Godfrey said

Noting that a pandemic shift has brought so many new families to Danbury, mostly from nearby New York state, that the high school has reached record student population and overcrowded levels.

Its so bad that they had to make the time between courses longer because there were so many kids crowding the hallways that they couldnt get to class in a timely manner, Godfrey said, adding that the city has been coping with about 20 years of local underfunding for schools.

Godfrey said that the city enrolled in the states Open Choice program about a year ago, offering incentives to suburban school districts to send their kids to city schools. We had great hopes for it, but like Norwalks attempt to send young kids to nearby Darien, Danbury suburbs have demurred. It makes me very angry, Godfrey said. Because weve been seeing in the last five or six years, more overt racism has seeped into civil discourse and into policy making.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
Qualcomm is said to be working on a new generation of smart wearable chipsets in the Snapdragon Wear family and WinFuture.de is bringing us our first set of details on them. The Snapdragon Wear 5100 and 5100+ are said to be in the works bringing significant performance gains over the current Wear 4100 generation. Both new chips will be fabbed on Samsung Semiconductors 4nm process.

Snapdragon Wear 5100 uses a molded laser package (MLP) that separates SoC and power management IC. Wear 5100+ will use a molded embedded package (MEP) which has the SoC and PMIC integrated in the same package. The plus model is said to bring an additional QCC5100 co-processor based on ARMs Cortex-M55 which is already used in various smart warbles like Bluetooth headphones. The co-processor will be able to handle data and Bluetooth connection including notifications completely on its own while the Wear 5100+ will only kick in for more demanding tasks.

Elsewhere, both Snapdragon Wear 5100 chips will feature four ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 1.7GHz alongside an Adreno 702 GPU working at 700MHz. Both will support LPPDR4X RAM, eMMC 5.1 storage and an integrated ISP that can handle up to two camera sensors and 1080p video recording. The upcoming chipsets are said to support both full-fledged Android as well as Googles Wear OS. Snapdragon Wear 5100 and 5100+ are still in their development phase and are expected to launch later this year.

Source (in German)
OnePlus rumors abound today, starting with the fact that the company is apparently working on a pair of Nord-branded true wireless earbuds, to go with its line of mid-range smartphones.

A few renders purportedly showing the Nord buds have been leaked, but the source says some changes may occur on the path to a finalized product, as these renders are based on live images of "final prototyping stage units". In other words, the actual shipping product will probably resemble what you see here, but just how much remains to be seen.

The Nord buds seem to have a physical button with a gold hue on it, thus eschewing touch controls. Or perhaps the touch control surface is marked by the gold accent. Otherwise, they're very black and have a very short (but very wide) stem.

The Nord buds should become official at some point later this year. There aren't really any other details about these yet, but given the Nord branding we assume they should slot in right under OnePlus' Buds series of true wireless earbuds, just like the Nord phones are cheaper than the numbered OnePlus flagships.

Moving on, in other OnePlus news the company is rumored to be working on a new phone that will be part of the numbered flagship series. It's codenamed Oscar, and that's all we know about it so far. Wait, there's one more detail: it will allegedly debut in Q2, so between April and June.

Since the OnePlus 10 Pro launched in China without a OnePlus 10 non-Pro alongside it, the most obvious thing to assume here is that this Oscar device will end up being sold as the OnePlus 10.

OnePlus' lineup will be constantly expanding this year, with rumors suggesting a bunch of new Nord devices, as well as a fitness band, a smartwatch, and a tablet all arriving in 2022.

Source 1 | Source 2
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero announced Friday that proof of COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing will not be required for most employees, and there will no longer be limits on outdoor gatherings.
A former college cheerleader and criminal justice major was convicted Tuesday of the murder of three prostitutes more than 15 years ago.

Robert Hayes, 39, was found guilty of all three counts of first-degree premeditated murder of Laquetta Gunther, Julie Green and Iwana Patton, all of whom were killed in 2005 and 2006 during his senior year at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla.

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The first victim, 45-year-old Laquetta Gunther, was found naked and shot in the back of the head on Christmas Day 2005. The second, 35-year-old Julie Green, was also naked and shot in the back of the head, discovered on Jan. 14, 2006. The third, 35-year-old Iwana Patton, was shot in the face. Her naked body was found on Feb. 24, 2006.

Robert Hayes (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Hayes was originally questioned about the string of murders at the time as investigators interviewed everyone who had purchased a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson VE pistol in the area, but no charges were ever filed, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

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He was finally arrested in 2019 after his DNA matched that found on a fourth woman, 32-year-old Rachel Bey, who was found strangled to death on March 7, 2016. That was enough for investigators to reopen the three earlier cases and charge Hayes for those as well.

Hayes told police that he never had sex with prostitutes without a condom and had not done so before 2012, but DNA matching his was found on both Gunther and Patton.

Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty for Hayes.
A Catholic school principal testified at the District Court of Guam that the Archdiocese of Agana is one body, from a theological perspective.

As a Catholic institution we are one body in Christ, Santa Barbara Catholic School Principal Sister Maria Rosario Gaite said at the bench trial that will determine whether assets of Catholic schools and parishes will be used to pay Guam clergy sex abuse claimants.

Prosecuting attorney Edwin Caldie from the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, who aims to prove the archdiocese and its parishes are one financial entity, called Gaite to the stand Wednesday afternoon.

Caldie asked Gaite, Santa Barbaras principal since 2017, a series of questions on how the school financially operates in relation to the archdiocese.

Can the school spend money on whatever it wants? Caldie asked.

No, Gaite responded.

Are there dollar limits on what the school can spend without authority?

Gaite said $25,000 is the limit.

We need to seek permission if were going to spend (more than) that amount.

And from whom do you seek permission? Caldie asked.

The archdiocese, Gaite said.

Cross-examination

To follow up Caldies questions, the attorney representing the archdiocese, Geri Diaz, asked Gaite more specifically where the money comes from and who handles it.

Gaite said schools would be able to function on their own and run independently from the archdiocese as they are not instructed on what to spend and dont receive any money from the archdiocese.

As a principal of the school and your knowledge of the financial workings of the school, would you say that your school is financially independent? Diaz asked Gaite.

Yes, Gaite replied.
Guam Customs and Quarantine Officer Mark Garcia and drug detector dog Toya demonstrate how they detect drugs hidden in luggage at Jose Rios Middle School in September 2016.
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Duluth planning to add new burger restaurant, activity lawn at Town Green

Photos: City of Duluth This rendering shows a new burger restaurant and social gathering lawn that Duluth officials said will be built on the current site of the citys Paver Lot parking area and veterans and public safety monument. This view shows the perspective of someone looking at the restaurant from the Duluth Town Green and the Dream Keepers sculpture. Photo: City of Duluth This rendering shows a new burger restaurant and social gathering lawn that Duluth officials said will be built on the current site of the citys Paver Lot parking area and veterans and public safety monument. This view shows the perspective of someone looking at the restaurant from Main Street and Truck and Tap. Photo: City of Duluth This rendering shows a new social gathering lawn that Duluth officials said will be built on the current site of the citys Paver Lot parking area and veterans and public safety monument. Part of a new restaurant that will also be built on the site can be seen on the right. This view shows the perspective of someone looking at the redeveloped site from the Duluth Town Green toward Main Street and Truck and Tap. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans A visitor to downtown Duluth walks past a fence that surrounds the Paver Lot parking area at the Duluth Town Green. The city is tearing out the parking lot, and moving an adjacent monument honoring veterans and public safety workers, to make room for an activity lawn and burger restaurant. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Visitors to downtown Duluth walk past a fence that surrounds the 'Paver Lot' parking area at the Duluth Town Green. The city is tearing out the parking lot, and moving an adjacent monument honoring veterans and public safety workers, to make room for an activity lawn and burger restaurant. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Duluths Living Honorarium monument and Paver Lot parking area are shown, looking from Main Street and Truck and Tap, with City Hall in the background. The city is planning to redevelop this small site as an activity lawn and burger restaurant. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Visitors to downtown Duluth walk past the Paver Lot parking area at the Duluth Town Green. The city is tearing out the parking lot, and moving an adjacent monument honoring veterans and public safety workers, to make room for an activity lawn and burger restaurant. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans The area where Duluths Paver Lot parking area and monument honoring veterans and public safety workers is located can be seen from the Duluth Town Green. The city is tearing out the parking lot, and moving the monument, to make room for an activity lawn and burger restaurant. Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans Duluth's 'Paver Lot' parking area can be seen from the Duluth Town Green. The city is tearing out the parking lot, and moving a monument honoring veterans and public safety workers, to make room for an activity lawn and burger restaurant.

Duluth residents likely noticed something different about a little pocket on the edge the Duluth Town Green this past week.

Fences went up around the area between Taylor Park and Truck and Tap on Main Street this week. That area includes a parking lot known as the Paver Lot, as well as the Living Honorarium, which is the citys military veterans and public safety monument.

Its first step in an overhaul that is coming to that little plot of land that will not only become additional green space but also an additional downtown eatery, all of which is expected to be completed a year from now.

This is going to be a fabulous project so were super excited about it, Duluth Economic Development Director Chris McGahee said.

The city is working with Fabric Developers and Vantage Realty Partners on the project. Fabric and Vantage have some experience with downtown Duluth already since they also worked on the Parsons Alley entertainment district.

Duluth officials are remaining tightlipped about the identity of the group that is planning to put a roughly 3,000-square-foot restaurant on part of the Paver Lot space.

McGahee said the restauranteurs asked the city keep their identity a secret for now. He did say that foodies who are familiar with the dining scene in towns like Lawrenceville will be familiar with the management.

And, for all of the foodies out there who dying to know what is coming, McGahee was able to at least confirm what kind of restaurant it will be.

It is a burger joint with a history of management in Gwinnett County, lets put it that way, he said.

He later clarified that it is expected to offer casual burgers and fries and milkshakes and that kind of thing. The restaurant will have an open-air rooftop dining area, with a shed roof to protect diners from any rain, as well.

There will also be a lawn where people can relax between the new restaurant and Truck and Tap. Renderings show large lawn chairs with string lights stretching out overhead.

The lawn will have artificial turf and the idea is to give city officials a space that can be used for a variety of different activity needs. The citys economic development director compared it to activity green spaces designed for developments such as Avalon in Alpharetta, Halcyon in Forsyth County and the Mill on Etowah in Canton.

We hope to hold things like a skating rink in the winter and then programing during the rest of the year, McGahee said.

McGahee said the lawn will be installed in a space where the veterans and public safety monument is as well as about half of the Paver Lot. The restaurant will then take up the remainder of the paver lot, backing up to Taylor Park.

But, that requires making adjustments to accommodate not only the loss of the Paver Lots parking spaces, but also the displacement of the monument.

The city does have plans for both of those.

For starters, the city is not getting rid of the monument. It will just be relocated.

The Living Honorarium is going to be dismantled and then it will be rededicated at a new little park that were building over by the public safety building as part of (a) new intersection project, McGahee said.

And, as far as parking is concerned, McGahee said residents who fear a loss of parking, particularly handicap parking, should not be worried.

The Paver Lot itself contains two handicap spaces and in the site plan, were putting nine spaces back on Main Street, right directly in front of that development and two of those spaces will be handicap parking, he said. So, theres no net loss of handicap parking.

McGahee also pointed out that the site of the new Thrive co-working business building that is under construction across Main Street from City Hall will also include additional public parking. That parking will include additional spaces for handicap residents.

Site plans for that development show a new parking lot between Thrive and the Duluth library, as well as an extension of the existing public parking available along the train tracks.

There are 102 spaces that will be added (as part of the Thrive development) and that will have handicap parking as well, McGahee said.

The city is also looking at the possibility of converting existing general parking spaces to handicap parking spaces in the downtown area.

Beyond parking, however, another downtown project that is adjacent to where the new lawn and restaurant will be built is the overhaul of Taylor Parks playground. The parks playground, which McGahee said had become worn out, is being dismantled. The plans call for it to be replaced with a train-themed playground.

McGahee said the park will also gain some Americans With Disabilities-complaint space.

We will be adding a tier, a level tier which is ADA accessible from the former Paver Lot area, but basically part of the amphitheater will have an additional level that will be flat and usable and will lead up into Taylor Park, McGahee said.

And, there will be an art pad for playable art, an oversized piece of art, that were building the pad for that will be commissioned at a later date.

McGahee said the park improvements are expected to be completed by July. Site work preparations for the restaurant and activity lawn are also expected to be finished by July 1.

So, theyll start that in July and then we think it will be about a six to seven-month process to construct the restaurant, McGahee said. And, then once the restaurant reaches a certain level of readiness, we will finalize the project with the artificial turf grass surface.
A Las Vegas girl gave her elementary school teacher a note from her mother, claiming she was being held hostage and that her son was dead. Now, the moms boyfriend is in jail.

Police found the remains of a 4-year-old boy in a garage freezer inside the familys home, hours after the teacher alerted officials about the note, the Reno Gazette Journal reported late Tuesday night.

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She stated that she didnt know where her younger child was, Las Vegas homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said of the note, and that she believed he was deceased.

By 10 a.m. Tuesday, police had surveillance on the home, and spotted the woman and her boyfriend, 35-year-old Brandon Toseland, leaving the house. Officials stopped Toseland down the block and arrested him.

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Mason Dominguez (GoFundMe )

She said she was not allowed to leave the house alone or go into the garage, Spencer told the Gazette Journal of the woman, who has not been publicly identified.

The woman told police she hadnt seen her son since Dec. 11.

A GoFundMe started by relatives identified the boy as 4-year-old Mason Dominguez, who was described as happy, sweet, intelligent, very outgoing.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Hes super loved by his aunts, uncles & cousins. His dad loved him so much, he made him super happy that he looked & acted just like him, the fundraiser reads. We had always hoped we would be able to see him again , at least once... just to give him a hug ? A kiss & tell him we love him ... To know Mason was loved.

Masons father died from pneumonia last year, his family told KLAS.

Toseland, who is not the father of either child, has been charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping, according to online jail records, but the Gazette Journal said a murder charge is expected to be added.

A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Wednesday.

Masons cause of death is awaiting a report from the Clark County coroners office. Its unclear how long he had been dead when police found his body.

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The daughter is staying with relatives for now.

The mother is not believed to be involved, Spencer said, but the investigation is ongoing.




Haiti - FLASH : Haitians clash with the National Guard in Tapachula (Mexico)





Tuesday, February 22 in Tapachula, a border town with Guatemala, located in southeastern Mexico, more than a hundred migrants, mostly from Haiti, clashed with riot police with stones and sticks. National Guard near the regulatory office of the National Institute for Migration (INM)



The incident occurred after the discovery in the trash of appointment documents attributed to migrants of other nationalities,



Some Haitians have said they have been waiting for their papers for months, so that clashes with the authorities have intensified since the beginning of 2022. They also denounce that the INM asks them 150 pesos per person, including children for have access to appointments and be able to be assisted and begin the process of processing the humanitarian visa, which allows them to continue their journey to the United States.



In an initial clash, Haitian and African migrants knocked down metal fences and forced federal authorities to withdraw.



Several INM agents found themselves stuck in the administrative office, while Civil Protection agents assisted injured women.



National Guard agents pushed back a group of migrants who managed to enter the street near the immigration offices, which provoked a second confrontation which lasted more than an hour during which the Haitians threw stones and other objects at the riot police who responded by beating the migrants hard. The windows of a van were smashed and stones were thrown at several other vehicles.



After the confrontation, the Haitians erected a barricade of stones, branches and burning tires on the street leading to the immigration regulation office blocking traffic...



"It's gotten completely out of control because people are very desperate, the authorities keep making them believe they're going to help them, but many have been waiting for months," said a human rights activist who supports the protests. immigrants for several years.



It should be noted that these conflicts are the consequence of record migratory flows experienced by the region towards the United States. The Customs and Border Protection Office detected more than 1.7 million people in an irregular migration situation at the border with Mexico in fiscal year 2021, which ended on September 30. For its part, Mexico expelled more than 114,000 foreigners in 2021, according to data from the country's Ministry of Interior.



Let's recall that the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR) received 131,448 refugee applications, a record number in 2021. Among these applications, more than 51,000 came from Haitian citizens.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35591-haiti-mexico-pilot-program-to-regularize-the-situation-of-haitian-migrants.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35327-haiti-flash-the-mexican-government-is-preparing-a-decree-to-massively-regularize-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35319-haiti-migration-the-mexican-government-is-trying-to-cope-with-the-massive-influx-of-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35307-haiti-flash-thousands-of-haitians-in-tapachula-want-to-cross-mexico.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diaspora Covid-19 : Daily Bulletin #705





GLOBAL SITUATION 2019-2022:

Epidemiological situation:



On Wednesday February 23, 2022 the number of people infected worldwide with the Covid-19 coronavirus and its variants since the start of the pandemic (March 11, 2020) amounted to 428,356,612 cases (+1,827,034 in 24 hours ), the day before (+1,426,513)



Number of countries infected: 221



*Healings: 356,421,979 people have been cured of Covid-19 worldwide (+2,675,543 in 24 hours), the day before (+2,889,287)

*Deaths: 5,926,266 people died of Covid-19 worldwide (+11,021 in 24 hours), the day before (+3,337)

*Active cases (less deaths and recoveries) in the world is currently 66,008,367 cases (-864,530 in 24 hours), the day before (-1,466,111)



Average cure rate in the world: 83.20% (+)



Average mortality rate in the world: 1.38% (=)



World: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day 1)



Vaccination: 10.67 billion doses of vaccine injected (+10 million doses injected in 24 hours. Update February 23, 2022 (latest data available).



HAITI:

Epidemiological situation:

According to the Ministry of Public Health, +27 new cases in 48 hours of Covid-19 and its variants have been confirmed in Haiti as of February 19, 2022 (latest partial data available) for a total of 30,287 confirmed cases throughout the national territory (48.7% women and 51.3% men), since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ). Previous update (+34 cases on February 17, 2022).



Heals: 25,180 (+11)



Cure rate: 83.13% (-)



Deaths: 819 deaths (+0) ()



Death rate: 2.70% (=)



5th Wave (Omicron Dominant):

Total of the 5th wave (starting December 27, 2021) amounts to 4,292 confirmed cases and 53 deaths



Haiti: Active Cases Trend: (less recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



Screening since the start of the pandemic: 177,182 tests (+548 in 48 hours) since March 19, 2020, latest data available. Note that the very small number of people screened every day at the national level out of a population estimated at 11.6 million citizens, does not statistically allow us to make a representative estimate of the situation in Haiti, which translates into a < B>number of daily confirmed cases largely underestimated.



TOP 5 of the most affected municipalities in the West (2022):

Delmas: 720 (+2); Petion-ville 610 (+0); Port au Prince 400 (+1); Tabarre 275 (+1); Croix-des-Bouquets 218 (+0)



Confirmed cases by department (2022 / 2021 / 2020):

West: 2022: 2,462 cases; (2021: 9.890); (2020: 6,945 cases)

North: 2022: 260 cases; (2021: 664); (2020: 677 cases)

Center: 2022: 211 cases; (2021: 1.001); (2020: 508 cases)

Artibonitis: 2022: 155 cases; (2021: 855); (2020: 593 cases)

Northeast: 2022: 146 cases; (2021: 404); (2020: 314 cases)

Southeast: 2022: 216 cases; (2021: 768); (2020: 274 cases)

South: 2022: 209 cases; (2021: 891); (2020: 262 cases)

North West: 2022: 241 cases; (2021: 383); (2020: 229 cases)

Grand'Anse: 2022: 132 cases; (2021: 861); (2020: 176 cases)

Nippes: 2022: 30 cases; (2021: 249) (2020: 149 cases)



Cumulative deaths by department (2022-2021):

West: 292 deaths (2020: 104 deaths)

North: 53 deaths (2020: 34 deaths)

Center: 74 deaths (2020: 13 deaths)

Artibonite: 39 deaths (2020: 39 deaths)

North East: 7 deaths (2020: 6 deaths)

South: 51 deaths (2020: 6 deaths)

Southeast: 14 deaths (2020: 9 deaths)

North West: 15 deaths (2020: 12 deaths)

Grand'Anse: 7 deaths (2020: 13 deaths)

Nippes: 26 deaths (2020: 5 deaths)



Distribution of deaths by age (since the start of the epidemic):

0-9 years: 15 deaths

10-19 years: 10 deaths

20-29 years: 29 deaths

30-39 years: 54 deaths

40-49 years: 78 deaths

50-59 years: 133 deaths

60-69 years: 185 deaths

70-79 years: 181 deaths

80 years and over: 134 deaths



Vaccination:

150,734 Haitians (1.29% of the population) +920 in 24 hours have received a 1st dose of vaccine since July 16, 2021, date of the first injection through 149 open vaccination centers https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35051-haiti-covid-19-list-of-149-vaccination-centers-open-in-the-country.html and 100,126 Haitians are fully vaccinated (2 doses, 0.86% of the population) +889 in 24h. Update February 15, 2022 latest information available (source MSPP).



List of the 149 Vaccination Centers open in Haiti (and hours) by department:

(updated October 20, 2021, latest information available)

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35051-haiti-covid-19-list-of-149-vaccination-centers-open-in-the-country.html



DIASPORA:

Epidemiological situation :



USA:

*Cases since the first case (February 29, 2020): 80,270,563 cases (+125,281 in 24 hours), the day before (+57,665)

*Healings: 52,199,829 healings (+270,585 in 24 hours), the day before (+255,289)

National Cure Rate: 65.02% (+)

*Deaths: 963,371 deaths (+3,214 in 24 hours), the day before (+745)

National mortality rate: 1.20% (+)

*Active cases (minus deaths and recoveries): 27,107,363 (-148,518 in 24 hours), the day before (-198,369)

Tests: 942,817,780 last data available.



USA: Number of daily confirmed cases





(Day-1)



Vaccination: 551.27 million doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, the date of the first injection in the United States (+480,000 doses in 24 hours). Update February 23, 2022 (latest data available).



DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:

Confirmed cases since March 1, 2020: 572,596 cases (+306 in 24 hours) the day before (+434). First case (March 1, 2020)

Healings: 566,088 healings (+447), the day before (+415)

National Cure Rate: 98.86% (+)

Deaths: 4,360 deaths (+3 in 48 hours), the day before (+0)

Death rate: 0.76% (=)

Positive rate over 4 epidemiological weeks: 7.0% (+)

Active cases: (excluding deaths and recoveries) 2,148 cases (-144 in 24 hours) the day before (+19)



Dominican Republic: Trend of active cases: (minus recoveries and deaths)





(Day-1)



TOP 5 Provinces with the most new cases in the last 24 hours:

National District: +93 new cases in 24 hours (-55 compared to the previous day)

Santo Domingo: +91 new cases in 24 hours (-27 compared to the previous day)

Santiago: +19 new cases in 24 hours (+8 compared to the day before)

San Pedro de Macoris: +18 new cases in 24 hours ()

Puerto Plata: +10 new cases in 24 hours ()



Tests (since the 1st case): 3,084,256 tests (+6,637 in 24 hours), the day before (+5,759)



Vaccination: 15.21 million doses of vaccine injected since February 16, 2021, date of the first injection in the Dominican Republic (+20,000 doses injected in 24 hours). Update February 22, 2022 (latest data available).



QUEBEC:

Confirmed cases since the first case (February 27, 2020): 913,901 (+1,438 in 24 hours), previous (+4,007 in 72 hours)

Healings: 880,748 people (+2,305 in 24 hours), previous (+8,000 in 72 hours)

Cure rate: 96.37% (+)

Deaths: 13,886 deaths (+30 in 24 hours), previous (+21 in 72 hours)

Death rate: 1.51% (=)

Active cases: (excluding death and recovery) 19,267 cases (-897 in 24 hours), previous (-3,950 in 72 hours)



Quebec: Confirmed case trend:







Test: 16,600,856 people tested since the first case (+15,893 in 24 hours)



Vaccination: 18,341,739 doses of vaccine injected since December 14, 2020, date of the first injection (+15,030 doses in 24 hours), latest data available - MSSS as of February 21, 2022)



FRANCE:

*Confirmed cases since the first case (January 24, 2020): 22,401,406 cases (+97,382 cases in 24 hours), previous (+ 17,195)

*Healings: 19,735,713 healings (+310,749 in 24h), previous (+420,828)

National Cure Rate: 88.10% (+)

Deaths: 137,276 deaths (+603 in 48 hours), previous (not available)

Death rate: 0.61% (=)

Active Cases: 2,528,417 (-217,981 in 24h), previous (-399,701)

Test: 243,529,298 (last data available February 17, 2022)



France: Trend of active cases: (minus recoveries and deaths)





(day 1)



Vaccination: 140.66 million doses of vaccine injected since December 27, 2020, date of the first injection in France (+150,000 doses injected in 24 hours. Update February 23, 2022 (latest data available)



Previous bulletin : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36023-haiti-diaspora-covid-19-daily-bulletin-704.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30165-haiti-flash-first-case-of-covid-19-in-the-dominican-republic.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





PNH : Arrest of 5 members of the "400 mawozo" gang

On Monday, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) intercepted and arrested 5 individuals who were members of the "400 mawozo" gang who were trying to flee to the Dominican Republic. Among the 5 individuals, "Donald" thus known was actively sought by the police for his involvement in the assassination of a police officer from the Intervention and Order Maintenance Corps (CIMO) and Commissioner Auguste Ismagne.



The Prime Minister withdraws Security of Claude Joseph

On the order of the Primature, the police assigned to the security of the former Prime Minister Claude Joseph, have been withdrawn. Joseph sees in this decision an act of intimidation because of his positions in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise and the alleged role of Prime Minister Henry, recalling that all former Prime Ministers have police officers assigned to their security.



Rector Gerard Dorcely released

The rector of the University of Port-au-Prince, Gerard Dorcely kidnapped in early February https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35923-haiti-news-zapping.html was released for ransom earlier this week after 18 days of sequestration.



Justice : Launch of the anti-Corruption circuit

The Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) will launch the anti-Corruption circuit on Thursday, February 24, 2022, at the Court of Cassation. Made up of magistrates from the Courts of First Instance and Courts of Appeal of Haiti, the anti-corruption circuit aims to "strengthen judicial efficiency and put an end to impunity in relation to corruption cases sent to justice", indicated Tuesday Hans Joseph the Director General of the ULCC on his twitter account.



Towards the resumption of activities at the Hotel School of the South

Tuesday, February 22, in view of the resumption of activities at the Hotel School of the South, a meeting was held around the possibilities of collaboration for the rehabilitation of the school premises. Luz Kurta Cassandra FRANCOIS, Minister of Tourism, Ambassador Wen-Jiann KU of Taiwan (Republic of China), Ms. Savela J. Berenji Director of the Minister's Cabinet and Ms. Karine Conde Director of the Hotel School were present.



Condolences from the Department of State

Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols "Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Paul Farmer, the founder of Partners In Health who dedicated his life to fighting epidemics and providing health care. health to millions of people, starting with Haiti. On behalf of the U.S. Department of State, we send our condolences to his colleagues, friends and family."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Romney, WV (26757)

Today

Rain showers early with some sunshine later in the day. High 71F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy in the evening with more clouds for later at night. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
A manhunt was underway in Florida on Wednesday for a registered sex offender accused of gunning down a deputy.

Gregory Miedema was identified as the suspected shooter in a tweet by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Authorities said he was last seen traveling on US Route 19 near the city of Perry in a gold 2000 Chrysler Sebring with the license place YZ8TKU.

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He was also last seen wearing a dark colored tank top.

Gregory Mediema (Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement)

The shooting late Tuesday night triggered a Blue Alert around 11:30 p.m. The emergency notification is typically used when officers are either hurt or killed in the line of duty.

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The deputy involved, who has not yet been identified, was flown to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Miedema is a registered sex offender in the state of Florida. He was sentenced in 2011 to six and a half years behind bars after he was convicted of lewd or lascivious battery, intercourse with a victim 12 to 15 years old and possession of child pornography, according to the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office. He was also ordered to serve two months of probation.

Authorities have warned the public against approaching Miedema should they see him.
Published on 2022/02/22 | Source

Kim Woo-bin, ahead of the release of Noh Hee-kyeong's comeback drama "Our Blues" and Netflix's new series "Black Knight - 2022", decorated the cover of the March 2022 issue of men's fashion and lifestyle magazine Esquire.

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In an interview with Esquire, Kim Woo-bin recently finished filming his appearance, saying, "If the characters I showed before were often up and angry, Park Jeong-joon in this drama is a character with a daily and calm state of mind. Writer Noh Hee-kyeong's script healed me". Kim Woo-bin's character Park Jeong-joon is a captain of a boat with a clear and gentle character who meets Yeong-ok (Han Ji-min) while looking for a woman who will not leave Jeju Island.

Regarding Netflix's production "Black Knight - 2022", Kim Woo-bin then said, "First of all, the background is in 2071 where classification progresses within 1% of mankind who survive the rapid desertification of the Korean Peninsula. Delivery drivers play an important role in this future society and my role of '5-8' is a legendary delivery driver". In addition, Kim Woo-bin said, "Existing dramas do not often start by looking at the entire script, so there are times when you have to calculate characters without knowing the ending", adding, "Because of the nature of OTT and the entire pre-production, "Black Knight - 2022" has the advantage of knowing the ending and acting the way it is calculated".

When asked by Esquire, "Tell yourself what you want to say in 2022", Kim Woo-bin said, "I want to tell myself not to worry uselessly and live happily", adding, "I read somewhere that older adults regret the most the time they spent worrying about useless things. I keep thinking about the words not to worry about what didn't happen in advance", he said.

The March 2022 issue of Esquire, covered by Kim Woo-bin, will be available at bookstores from February 22nd, 2022, and will also be available on the Esquire Korea website.
Published on 2022/02/23 | Source

Korean movies opening today 2022/02/23 in Korea: "Serve the People", "Comfort" and "Apink Special Movie: Horn"

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"Serve the People" (2020)

Directed by Jang Cheol-soo

With Yeon Woo-jin, Ji An, Jo Sung-ha, Kim Ji-chul, Park Jung-eon, Woo Ju-bin,...

Synopsis

A melodrama about the story of Moo-gwang who dreams of becoming a model soldier of the division commander's house, conflicting between the wall of status and the temptation to escape due to his meeting with the commander's young wife Soo-ryeon.

"Comfort" (2020)

Directed by Emmanuel Moonchil Park

Synopsis

KIM Soonak is a survivor of sex slavery by the Japanese military. The war may have ended, but her life was still at a war. She lived in the prostitute quarters to survive, did sex business in the US military camp town, and peddled goods from the US military. She raised two kids on her own as she worked as a maid. We'll listen to her story in her absence. The film reconstructs the life story of the deceased KIM Soonak with interviews with activists, archive videos, animation, and read-aloud testimony.

22nd Seoul International Women's Film Festival



"Apink Special Movie: Horn" (2022)

Directed by Kim Jin-soo-IV

Narrated by Park Cho-rong, Yoon Bo-mi, Jung Eun-ji, Son Na-eun, Kim Namjoo, Oh Ha-young,...

Synopsis

The longest K-Pop girl group in existence, 'Apink'

Let's look back on the 10th anniversary of 'Apink', which has always been by our side!

How will the group look like preparing for their 10th-anniversary special album, from their 12/31 performance to the end of the 10th anniversary, to the special album 'Horn' and the title track 'Dilemma'.

Includes a commentary film for the fans!
Korean Movie | 2018

 Animation  Adventure

Directed by Jung Mi-hwa ()

Written by  Jung Mi-hwa ()  Park Jae-woo ()

72min | Release date in South Korea: 2018/09/20

Synopsis

I am going to be a playground ranger!

Bboing dreams of being a playground ranger. He seeks the help of Doctor Hyena who has oustanding skills. However, Bboing makes a mistake and the dinosaur toy becomes a Tyrano Robot and the animals in the forest become monsters.



Bboing attempts at a super transformation, Bing Bing is super strong and idea bank Mongba go on an adventure to protect the playground.
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The lone Kentucky officer charged criminally in the botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor went on trial Wednesday for shooting bullets that hit Taylors neighbors apartment.

Former cop Brett Hankison fired 10 shots in the chaotic moments after he and two other Louisville officers burst into Taylors home at 12:40 a.m. on March 13, 2020. His rounds didnt hit Taylor or her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, but struck the flat next door, endangering the couple and child who lived there, prosecutors said. Hes charged with three counts of felony wanton endangerment.

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Hankison and Officers Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove were at executing a warrant at Taylors apartment, one of five locations linked to Taylors ex-boyfriend, a convicted felon suspected of supplying a local drug house.

There was no evidence of drugs in Taylors apartment, and her former flame wasnt living there anymore.

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When the cops barged in, they woke a sleeping Taylor and Walker, who fired a shot with his legal firearm, because he said he thought the police were intruders.

The officers returned fire, striking Taylor, 26, six times. The emergency room technician died at the scene.

Breonna Taylor was shot to death nearly two years ago. (AP)

Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley said Hankinsons bullets ripped through the wall of Taylors apartment and into the neighboring unit.

The man who lived in that next door apartment, Cody Etherton, was the first witness to take the stand on Wednesday.

He recalled how he and his pregnant wife, Chelsey Napper, were awaken by the cops busting down Taylors door. Worried about his family, Etherton sprang out of bed to investigate and said he was nearly struck by police gunfire.

One or two more inches and I would have been shot, he said. I would have never got to meet my son.

State prosecutors presented evidence of gunfire damage in Ethertons apartment.

I pretty much knew it was gunfire going through the wall. I do remodeling for a living, so when drywall started hitting my face, I pretty much knew. I hit the floor and went back into the bedroom, Etherton testified. I dont even remember how many shots I heard because it was so chaotic.

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Brett Hankison is the only cop charged. (AP)

Hankisons defense attorney said his clients actions were justified, adding that he had to make a split-second decision.

Walkers gunfire triggered Hankisons instincts, his lawyer, Stewart Mathews said.

Hankison was attempting to defend and save the lives of his fellow officers who he thought were still caught in that fatal funnel inside that doorway, Mathews said, as he was taught to do  he was taught to shoot until the threat is stopped.

Former Louisville police officer Brett Hankison prepares to leave the courtroom during a recess Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. (Timothy D. Easley/AP)

Officers Mattingly and Cosgrove have not been charged criminally in connection with the raid. They were not indicted because they were acting in self-defense, in response to Walkers first shot, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said.

Louisville Det. Mike Nobles testified Wednesday that cops spent two to three minutes knocking and announcing themselves, drawing attention from an upstairs neighbor. Nobles said he heard someone say who is it? from inside Taylors apartment.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Police - search warrant! Nobles said they announced, and hearing no reply, he used a battering ram to break open the door on the third blow.

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Thats when Walker opened fire, striking Mattingly, Nobles testified.

Breonna Taylor and Kenneth Walker.

In June 2020, the Louisville Metro City Council passed Breonnas Law, prohibiting the warrants like the one issued ahead of Taylors death.

The Kentucky State Legislature also placed restrictions on no-knock warrants in April 2021, but stopped short of outlawing them.

The city of Louisville settled a lawsuit with Taylors family for $12 million.

Hankison has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He faces a one- to five-year prison term for each count, if convicted.

With News Wire Services
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the murder and battery convictions of a Knox man who killed his former girlfriend's 5-year-old son at a home in Schererville.

Michael Tunstall, 28, was sentenced last year to 55 years in prison for causing the death of Daniel Holdcroft Jr. while babysitting the child April 16, 2020, according to court records.

Records show the child was playful and happy prior to being placed in Tunstall's care. At some point during that care, however, Holdcroft suffered extensive and fatal injuries, including head trauma, a ruptured lung and human bite marks on his body.

Tunstall claimed in his appeal prosecutors failed to produce sufficient evidence to sustain his convictions for battery on a child and murder.

The appeals court disagreed in a unanimous ruling.

It said while no one witnessed Tunstall inflict the fatal trauma upon Holdcroft, a murder conviction may be sustained on circumstantial evidence alone.

"To put it bluntly, the jury heard evidence that a healthy (Holdcroft) was left in the exclusive care of Tunstall and had suffered fatal trauma at the hands of another person while in that care, leading to the reasonable, if not almost inescapable, inference that Tunstall had caused the trauma," the appeals court said.

Similarly, the appeals court said Tunstall's admission that he had bitten Holdcroft  notwithstanding his claim, "I didn't think I did it hard"  is sufficient to support to the jury's conclusion Tunstall committed battery on a child.

The appeals court also rejected Tunstall's contention that testimony Holdcroft suffered burns while previously in Tunstall's care shouldn't have been presented to the jury.

It said in light of the overwhelming evidence of Tunstalls guilt on the murder and battery charges and the relatively inconsequential nature of the challenged testimony, "We have little hesitation in concluding that any error that might have occurred in its admission can only be considered harmless."

Tunstall still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to review his case and overturn his convictions.

Otherwise, his earliest possible release date from prison, assuming good behavior, is July 16, 2061, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.
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Andre Deshawn Parker, 22, and Vidal Lopez Ramirez, 44, were both arrested following a reported shooting incident on Feb. 18.
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Henry County's new district map approved by Senate, House

Special Graphics The new Henry County district map reflects a number of changes including swapping Districts 2 and 5. The former Henry County district map. The new map will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

McDONOUGH  The map redrawing Henry County districts for the Board of Commissioners and Board of Education was approved in the state House and Senate on Thursday, Feb. 17 and is now awaiting the governors signature.

The Senate approved the new district map on Feb. 14 and the House on Feb. 17.

Sponsored by Senators Emmanuel Jones and Brian Strickland and Rep. Demetrius Douglas, the new map swaps Districts 2 and 5. District 2 is now in the northern portion of the county extending south along the Clayton County border. The new District 5 decreased in size due to population and sits in the central and western portion of the county.

District 1 grew in size extending through the southern area of the county and west to the Clayton County border. Districts 3 and 4 also shrunk in size.

As a result of the changes Commissioner Bruce Holmes will not be eligible to run as District 5 representative because he no longer lives in the district. His term ends on Dec. 31, 2022.

Senator Jones said the population growth in the county required a change in the districts.

He said the new map fairly reflects the shifting and changing population. There was a very big shift in population.

Senator Strickland said he and Jones worked to keep the political balance the same.

We preserved the two rural seats in the county and left the others the same politically, he said.

In 2010, 203,922 people lived in Henry County. The ideal size of each district was 40,784.

The 2020 consensus revealed the county had grown to 240,712 residents creating an ideal district size of 48,142 people.

In November, former County Attorney Patrick Jaugstetter predicted that, based on population, the new map would look a whole lot different.

Redrawing is done by the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office every 10 years following the census to balance population shifts within the county.

Typically input is given by the county delegation as well as local boards affected by the changes.

In this instance, the Henry County BOC was not part of the redrawing after the board failed to approve a resolution presented during the Nov. 16, 2021 meeting that would have given them a voice in the changes.

Jaugstetter explained in November the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Office would likely not discuss the redrawn map with the BOC unless the Henry County Legislative Delegation asked them to communicate with the board.

This is the best way to get you in the ballgame, he said to the board in November. The resolution just says we want to be involved. I think the earlier you say it, the better. The longer you wait, the less likely you will be involved.

Commissioner Dee Clemmons said she thought it was the right thing for the board to work to together to have a voice, but added she didnt want to rush approval of the resolution.

Holmes said the board needed to have discussions and presentations before the board signed the resolution. He requested someone from the reapportionment office give the board a presentation.

The board opted to table the measure on Nov. 16, 2021, stating they needed more time.

The resolution appeared on the Nov. 3, 2021, agenda, but the meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum when Clemmons, Holmes and Commissioner Vivian Thomas did not attend the meeting.

The same scenario played out on Nov. 30.

The resolution did not appear again on any of the following BOC agendas.

The new district map takes effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
Commentary: Anti-China disinformation -- Washington's geopolitical weapon under pretext of so-called "press freedom"

Xinhua) 14:46, February 23, 2022

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the America COMPETES Act, appropriating 500 million U.S. dollars for news coverage to malign China. The move makes people wonder how the self-styled "beacon of press freedom" dares to openly manipulate media in an attempt to squeeze China out of what it calls a "Great Power Competition."

The bill, passed earlier this month as an industrial policy plan for semiconductor production and supply chain resilience, will direct funding to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a U.S. media service, as well as local outlets and programs to produce journalism that is critical of China, particularly the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

From the Spanish-American War and World War I to the Cold War, the Gulf War and the Iraq War, U.S. propaganda has been omnipresent. These days, Washington's disinformation campaign against Beijing is reminiscent of its playbook during the Cold War, when it denigrated the Soviet Union through mass media, stoked hysteria over the "Communist Threat" and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

Last year, Zimbabwe's The Herald newspaper revealed that local journalists were allegedly offered 1,000 U.S. dollars by a proxy of the U.S. embassy for each anti-China story they wrote to portray Chinese businesses based there as unethical, reckless and harmful to local communities.

"Out of sheer jealousy, envy and pique, Western countries have begun a spirited campaign against Chinese investments in Zimbabwe using a phalanx of corrupt media, paid activists and civil society organizations," The Herald wrote.

Not coincidentally, in September 2021, Javier Garcia, then head of the Beijing office of Spain's EFE News Agency, announced his decision to leave journalism because "the embarrassing information war against China has taken a good dose of my enthusiasm for this profession."

This time, the bill claims U.S.-funded media coverage would be "independent." Considering the news reports are sponsored by Washington with the precise aims of crowding out Chinese investment in developing countries and smearing China's projects, the claim is nonsense.

"If the government is setting out ahead of time in legislation what the conclusion and the point of coverage is going to be, that doesn't really qualify as genuine journalism," Tobita Chow, the director of Justice is Global, a U.S. advocacy group, was quoted by the American Prospect magazine, as saying.

By spreading misinformation and disinformation in traditional and social media, Washington is trying to enclose audiences at home and abroad into echo chambers built on its Cold War mindset. Nonetheless, its old playbook no longer applies in today's world, where truth and multipolarity prevail over lies and hegemonism.

Obsessed with meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, the United States has failed to understand why Chinese businesses and investment overseas continue to thrive: Because China has always upheld the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits when partnering with other countries and abstains from internal interference.

Meanwhile, suppose Washington does hope to create some competitive advantage for its foreign investment. In that case, it should provide mutually beneficial loans to developing countries instead of narrowly focusing on its own interests and pouring money into shaming China.

Between the infrastructure plan proposed by China and the versions by the United States and the European Union, many low- and middle-income countries prefer Chinese investment, since rich countries, which see developing countries as high risk plus low reward, often impose onerous conditions that delay project implementation and increase costs, according to a recent article in The Diplomat magazine.

China's approach is different: It speaks up for developing countries and thus obtains their support.

In the wake of increasing rhetoric against China, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated that investments from the Asian country are most welcome.

Additionally, in the State of Southeast Asia 2020 Survey by Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, which interviewed some 1,300 respondents from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China's activities were given the nod by the majority of respondents from seven of the 10 regional countries.

By funding journalism as a political tool, Washington has turned itself into the greatest enemy of press freedom, and its propaganda is set to proliferate in the coming years. Just don't buy any of it.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
An amendment to Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay bill that would require schools to out LGBTQ students to their parents  even if that could lead to abuse, abandonment or neglect  has been withdrawn by the bills sponsor.

State Rep. Joe Harding, a Republican, said on Tuesday the amendment was not about outing a student. However, instead of battling misinformation related to his amendment, he said, he decided to focus on the primary bill that empowers parents to be engaging in their childrens lives.

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Rep. @CarlosGSmith, who worked behind the scenes to kill the proposed amendment, told his Democratic caucus that pulling the sinister, malicious, unconscionable amendment did not make the #DontSayGay bill OK at all in any way, shape or form.https://t.co/wqNN12syOy  Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) February 23, 2022

Floridas House Bill 1557  which prohibits school districts from encouraging classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students  has been slammed by critics as dangerous, deeply bigoted and hateful.

Last weeks proposed amendment  which would require school officials to out students to their families within six weeks of learning that kids identify as LGBTQ  would deliberately put LGBTQ youth in harms way, Rep. Carlos G. Smith, a Democrat, tweeted Sunday.

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FILE - Members of the Florida House of Representatives convene during a legislative session April 30, 2021, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. On Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, Florida House Republicans advanced a bill, dubbed by opponents as the Dont Say Gay bill, to forbid discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, rejecting criticism from Democrats who said the proposal demonizes LGBTQ people. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Tuesdays move surprised some House Democrats, who cheered when they learned that the amendment had been pulled, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

After the amendment was killed, however, Smith reminded his Democratic caucus that pulling the sinister, malicious, unconscionable amendment didnt make HB 1557 OK at all in any way, shape or form.

Smith, whos Floridas first LGBTQ Latino lawmaker, talked about how the bill could affect the states LGBTQ population during an emotional speech on the floor.

It is impossible for us to not make this personal because this impacts peoples lives, he later told reporters. It puts children in harms way.

The now-pulled amendment was one of many being debated by lawmakers this week. The bill should face a full vote on Thursday, according to WFLA-TV.
Greenville, TX (75401)

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A helicopter operated by a military contractor suddenly plunged to the ground during a training exercise in Hawaii, killing all four people on board, according to the U.S. Navy.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, along the north side of the complex, located in Kekaha on the island of Kuai. There were no survivors, the facility said in a statement.

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The helicopter involved in the incident was flown by Croman Corporation, a company that manages Sikorsky S-61N helicopters, according to a press release form The National Transportation and Safety Board. The companys choppers are often used by the Navy to retrieve material used during open ocean testing at the missile range.

(File) Four people are dead after a civilian-contracted helicopter crashed at a U.S. naval facility, officials said. The incident occurred at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, a Navy base in Kauai, Hawaii, shortly after 10 a.m. local time Tuesday. (Shutterstock)

Brian Beattie, director of operations for Croman Corporation, told Hawaii News Now the aircraft had just scooped up an object from the water when something went wrong and caused the crash. The NTSB said it was investigating.

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The names of those killed have not yet been released, but Beattie confirmed they were all Croman employees.

Pacific Missile Range Facility is used by the military to carry out tests and other training exercises, according to its website. It spans some 2,300 acres, which includes more than 1,000 square miles of underwater range and 42,000 square miles of airspace.

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Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we've all known individuals who have done more than their share to help their neighbors and communities with food, comfort, care, companionship and dozens of other needs. If you know of such a person, you can nominate them to be featured in our upcoming H
The Lyon County Fiscal Court and Rostan officials discussed and reviewed debris cleanup bids during the meeting on Thursday, Feb. 10. Rostan was awarded the debris monitoring bid and Promise Land Tree Service was awarded the debris cleanup bid. The court and Rostan estimate the entire cost of the natural disaster cleanup should not exceed $2 million.
A jury began deliberations Wednesday in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis cops accused of violating George Floyds civil rights by depriving him of medical care during his fatal May 25, 2020, arrest.

Thomas Lane, 38; J. Alexander Kueng, 28, and Tou Thao, 35, failed to follow their training and duty, U.S. Assistant Attorney Manda Sertich charged in her closing statement earlier Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, urging jurors to convict all three.

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No one did a thing to help, Sertich said.

Thao and Kueng are also charged with not intervening and stopping fellow officer Derek Chauvin from committing a violent crime while kneeling on Floyds neck.

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This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on June 3, 2020, shows, from left, former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. (AP)

Chauvin was convicted last year of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison. He also pleaded guilty to federal charges in December.

A human being, someones son, father, friend, significant other, George Perry Floyd Jr. died a slow and torturous death ... underneath their knees, handcuffed, unarmed, not resisting in broad daylight on a public street, Sertich said.

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin is pictured during the arrest of George Floyd. The other two cops who pinned Floyd down during his arrest besides Derek Chauvin were J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. Officer Tou Thao watched. (Handout)

The defense offered a different view of the officers actions.

A tragedy is not a crime, Thaos attorney, Robert Paule, argued. He added his client radioed for an ambulance, a sign he was not neglecting Floyd.

Thomas Plunkett, Kuengs attorney, blamed his clients lack of training and his perceived subordinate role to Mr. Chauvin.

He respected this person. He looked up to this person. He relied on this persons experience, Plunkett said of Kueng and Chauvins relationship.

George Floyd

Lanes attorney, Earl Gray, said the government had indicted an innocent man for political reasons.

During his testimony, Lane recounted how he asked whether they should keep restraining Floyd and later performed chest compressions after the man was loaded into an ambulance.

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The court has not released information about the jurors, eight women and four men, but they appear to be white, The Associated Press reported. The jury was selected from all of Minnesota, not just the Minneapolis area.

The Daily News front page is seen after Derek Chauvin was convicted in April on all counts in George Floyd's murder. (New York Daily News)

Four of the jurors are reportedly from the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas, while the other eight are from suburban and rural counties in the souther part of the state, including a woman who lives along the border with Iowa.

Where the jurors live could have implications on the jurys conclusion.

The more suburban, the more rural, the less-populated place, the more deferential attitude there is to police, Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant, told The AP. I think thats something the defendants had going in: When you broaden the pool outside the metro area, you do tend to get people who are a little more sympathetic (to police).

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 42 This undated file photo provided by Christopher Harris shows George Floyd. Floyd died May 25, 2020 after being pinned to the pavement by a police officer who put his knee on the handcuffed man's neck for over eight minutes until he stopped breathing. (Christopher Harris/AP)

Prior to their deliberations, Judge Paul Magnuson told the jurors they had to deliver separate verdicts for each man.

Lane, Kueng and Thao could face up to life if convicted of the federal charges. They are also set for a state trial this summer on charges alleging they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter.

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An investigation has been launched into the sudden death of a University of New Orleans student who was unresponsive when her Uber driver dropped her off at a hospital following a day of Mardi Gras-related celebrations over the weekend.

Ciaya Jordan, a 21-year-old majoring in in business, kicked off her weekend by attending a parade with friends on Friday before hitting bars later on in the night, according to the New Orleans Advocate. She also made a stop at her boyfriends in the suburb of Hanrahan before Ubering home to her apartment in Gentilly to check on her dog, her friends told the outlet.

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Ciaya Jordan, a 21-year-old majoring in in business, kicked off her weekend by attending a parade with friends on Friday before hitting bars later on in the night, according to the the New Orleans Advocate. (Obtained by Daily News)

When she arrived, she told her roommate, Reese White, she was going to find her car with the help of her Uber driver. White said she advised her friend against it, but she ignored her and did so anyway.

Another friend, Roberto Torres, told the newspaper that he called Whetstone around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. He said he heard the driver ask her, Do you like to party? in the background.

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Whetstone said she would call Torres back, but she was not seen or heard form again until early Saturday, when she was dropped off unresponsive at a hospital. She was pronounced dead a short time later.

According to authorities, she arrived via private conveyance around 7 a.m.

Uber in a statement to Fox said it launched an investigation into the incident. They have also deactivated the driver who transported Jordan.

Our thoughts are with Ciaya Whetstones family as they grieve the loss of their daughter, a spokesperson for the company said. We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.
A Portland, Ore., man fatally shot a woman and wounded four more racial justice protesters Saturday night at a city park before another protester returned fire, authorities said Tuesday.

Benjamin Smith, 43, talked about wanting to go shoot commies and antifa all the friggin time, his roommate told Oregon Public Broadcasting.

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Smith was charged Tuesday with one count of second-degree murder and four counts of attempted second-degree murder, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office said in a press release.

Police respond to a fatal shooting in the area of Normandale Park in Northeast Portland on Feb. 19. (Mark Graves/The Oregonian/AP)

Smith is accused of killing Brandy June Knightly, a 60-year-old racial justice advocate. Knightly was shot dead in a park outside Smiths apartment on Saturday night. Protesters were inspired to gather in the park by the fatal police shooting of Amir Locke in Minneapolis in early February.

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Multiple witnesses to the shooting said Smith approached the protesters and told them to leave, the district attorneys office said. In response, the demonstrators said he should be the one to leave.

The confrontation led to Smith pulling a gun and opening fire, prosecutors said. He only stopped when another protester returned the fire and shot Smith in the hip area.

Investigators work Feb. 19 at the scene where Brandy "June" Knightly was killed. (Beth Nakamura/AP)

Smith was hospitalized in serious condition but expected to survive, according to the district attorneys office. Hes been watched by police officers since arriving at the hospital.

Kristine Christenson moved in with Smith several years ago in their Portland apartment building and said he slowly became more radicalized through the end of Barack Obamas presidency and into Donald Trumps, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

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He talked about wanting to go shoot commies and antifa all the friggin time, Christenson told the public radio station. He was just a sad, angry dude.  He talked about wanting to do this for a while. He was angry at the mask mandates, he was angry at the damned liberals.

Knightly was part of a group of unarmed women peacekeepers who supported racial justice demonstrations and engaged in compassionate work with the homeless, Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said Tuesday.

According to the district attorneys office, Smiths gunfire struck another protester in the neck, leaving the victim paralyzed from the neck down. A third victim remained hospitalized Tuesday, while the final two victims had been treated and released, OPB reported.

The protest was organized after the fatal shooting of Locke, a 22-year-old Black man who was killed by Minneapolis police officers. The cops were investigating a murder, but Locke was not a suspect. His cousin was arrested a few days after he was killed.

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Amir was not guilty of anything but being young and Black in America, the Rev. Al Sharpton said at Lockes funeral.

The fatal shooting of Knightly is the latest deadly incident in a series of political violence across the U.S. It was the second such incident in Portland, after left-wing activist Michael Reinoehl fatally shot 39-year-old Aaron Danielson, a Trump supporter, in August 2020.

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A giant explosion sparked by a student cooking up homemade rocket fuel inside a Brigham Young University dormitory building has left several students without a place to sleep.

The DIY rocket fuel triggered a fire alarm inside Heritage Halls, located on the grounds of the Utah universitys campus, Sunday around 4:30 p.m. When firefighters responded to the scene, they discovered the fire sprinklers had been activated and were already flooding the main floor, according to a press release from the Brigham Young Police Department.

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The subsequent investigation revealed that a resident had been making homemade rocket fuel on the stove when the volatile mixture suddenly exploded into a fireball, it reads.

The flames from the explosion had engulfed the walls and ceiling around the stove and the intense heat tripped the fire sprinkler system.

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Firefighters were able to quickly contain the flames, but the dorm sustained water damage.

No one was injured in the blast, but at least 22 students were displaced as a result, KUTV reported. The university said it would help those without beds find housing in the meantime.

Authorities said its still not entirely clear why the student was mixing up the rocket fuel in the dorm room common area. BYU Police spokesperson Jeff Long said its more typical for firefighters to respond to things like a burned pop tart, adding the latest incident remained under investigation on Wednesday.

We dont know right now, Long told the news outlet. We dont have that answer today, until our investigation is done, of what he was actually going to with this.

He added that charges have not yet been filed, but have not been ruled out.
The New York Working Families Party is moving to shore up four of their New York City congressional favorites, rolling out endorsements for incumbents facing newly redrawn districts, the Daily News has learned.

The progressive-leaning party is set to put its stamp of approval on Democrats Reps. Nydia Velazquez, Jamaal Bowman, Mondaire Jones and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. None of the elects faces much of a threat from Republicans, but the composition of their districts is changing to accommodate the new 10-year Census numbers.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News)

The backing by Working Families comes as potential inter-party challengers may be sizing up the new landscapes due to redistricting.

Rep. Jones Westchester district is shifting north, west, and getting whiter while Rep. Bowmans primarily Bronx district is moving a bit deeper into Westchester.

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Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Rep. Ocasio Cortez, who hails from the Bronx, is shifting a bit more into Queens, and Rep. Velazquez, whose long-time base has been Sunset Park, loses all of that territory.

Of the four candidates, Bowman seems the most likely to draw a serious challenge, possibly including Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, who made a flippant comment during a radio show on WVOX Radio 1460 AM after the Bronx congressman was arrested after protesting for voting rights in front of the Capitol.

[ Rep. Jamaal Bowman wont face action by Ethics Committee over voting rights protest ]

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Well, listen, they should have arrested him for his vote on the infrastructure bill, but, you know... Im a very hardcore moderate. Im very much in the middle. I think that there is  both sides all have merits to their arguments, Spano said.

The NAACPs Yonkers and New Rochelle chapters denounced Spanos remarks as having gone too far.

At this moment, we need to ensure that our champions get the push, the support, and encouragement to continue to ensure that this agenda gets delivered on, said Sochie Nnaemeka, the director of the New York Working Families Party. We think that they have a lot of work to do and want to make sure they know that the Working Families Party is behind them, and expects the fight to continue.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) (Susan Walsh/AP)

Notably absent from the partys endorsement round is the incumbent facing the most robust challenge, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who barely won in 2020. She faces significant challenges from community organizer Rana Abdelhamid and the hotel family scion who nearly beat her last time, Suraj Patel.

[ Rep. Carolyn Maloney gets endorsed by feminist icon, Gloria Steinem ]

Nnaemeka said while many of her party members like Abdelhamid, the party wasnt ready to weigh in yet.

We are going to continue to roll out endorsements, she said. I think theres more to come on those on other more contested races.

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Abdelhamid does have the backing of the Justice Democrats, who propelled Ocasio-Cortez to victory in 2018 and backed Bowman in 2020.

Maloneys East Side-centric district is less susceptible to the progressives poaching voters  and Maloney has worked to shore up her progressive credentials  but two of Wednesdays endorsees described the WFP nod as an essential boost.

The Working Families Party has been an engine for the progressive movement in New York, providing crucial support and infrastructure for progressive candidates and causes. Im proud to have their endorsement, said Ocasio-Cortez in a statement that will be included with the endorsements.

Back in 2020, WFPs endorsement was important in helping us build the grassroots support that we needed to beat an incumbent, said Bowman.
Born in November 1983 in Cochin - Southern India, during his childhood Anoob was always interested to watch and help his father in the kitchen; he was his partner. He says "My initial memories of food are from my father when he cooked with my mother. He prepared our meals with love and passion. His attention to detail was meticulous; every step, every ingredient, every spice, and the part of the meat he choseEven the choice of pot was carefully thought of."

Anoob discovered very early on that he wanted to share his dad's passion for cooking with the world. He joined the culinary institute at the age of 12 and started his first job with the Le Meridien hotels in 2001 at the age of 18. Three years later, he spread his wings and started his travels on a mission to explore more about food.

From Malaysia, to The Oberoi Group of hotels in India, Anoob gathered his experience from all around and moved to the Middle-East for a new challenge. He joined the Rosewood Hotels in Jeddah where he worked with award-winning French, Australian and Moroccan Chefs. With his eagerness to learn more about the Arabic and European Cuisine he was soon promoted to Junior Sous Chef in 2010.

In 2011, Anoob's story with The Ritz Carlton Hotels started in Doha, Qatar as Assistant Chef de Cuisine and with continued determination and experience, he moved up the ladder until he reached the position of Executive Chef and F&B in-charge at Al Bustan Palace; a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Oman where he managed 6 outlets, in-room dining, stewarding, an extensive indoor and outdoor banqueting facilities and led a kitchen brigade of 79 chefs, 25 stewards and 90 F&B team members.

Being a man on a mission, Anoob won in 2018 the Continent Finalist MILUX Category, ACE Rising Star Award, was nominated to be the EMEA MILUX Culinary Advisory Board among many other achievements. He also supported as a taskforce in St.Regis Maldives, Ritz-Carlton Doha and worked with 3-Star Michelin Chef Sven in Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg in Germany.

With such professional expertise, passion, determination and experience in dealing with different cultures; it is crystal clear how Anoob will drive and lead the culinary team of The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo to further elevate the dining scene in Cairo.
Hard Rock International today announced Allie Evangelista as the new President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol. In this role, Allie will report directly to Jon Lucas, Chief Operating Officer of Hard Rock International.

In 2006, Allie joined the gaming industry as an Assistant Slot Operations Manager in Missouri. Allie would continue to climb becoming Director of Casino Operations and then Vice President of Casino Operations at an Iowa casino in 2014. Five years later, she would become the Vice President and General Manager of the Hollywood Gaming and Racetrack property in Ohio. Allie's most recent position was Vice President and General Manager of the Hollywood Casino Perryville in Maryland.

Allie has a Master in Business Administration from Lindenwood University and a Master in Human Resources Management from Washington University. Allie is married to her husband of 21 years, Fabio Evangelista.
Nick Galli joins the team as Regional Director of Finance. Galli is responsible for ensuring that the portfolio achieves institutional-grade controls, procedures, and reporting to meet USALI-11 compliance as Kirkwood prepares to launch its syndication platform integrating with private equity capital. Prior to joining Kirkwood, Galli was Director of Finance at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and previously worked at the St. Regis Aspen Resort.
21c Museum Hotels, the multi-venue contemporary art museum and award-winning hospitality company, has announced the appointment of JP Roberts as General Manager of their newest hotel, opening in the first quarter of 2023 in downtown St. Louis' historic YMCA building.

Roberts comes to 21c with extensive experience working for both independent hotels and luxury properties within the Dream Hotel Group and Marriott's Autograph Collection. A few of his most recent roles include general manager of the Dream Nashville property, and opening general manager for Hotel Vandivort in Springfield, MO, an upscale boutique hotel at the forefront of downtown Springfield's renaissance that received various accolades during his tenure.

In his new role, Roberts strives to bring that same passion and deep knowledge of the hospitality industry to lead the highly anticipated opening of the 21c St. Louis. In addition to overseeing day-to-day sales & operations for the hotel, he will be focusing his efforts on community engagement and social impact, rooting the new property in its neighborhood through the brand's signature art exhibitions and food & beverage outlets.
Hotels dont need to be big to benefit from the best technology. Such is the case for The Ivy Hotel, a world-class historic mansion in Baltimore. Ranked No. 6 in the U.S. by TripAdvisor among its Top 25 Luxury Hotels and named a Travel + Leisure Best Hotel on the Planet, this boutique wedding and meetings destination boasts just 17 guestrooms, along with a small luxury spa, and an acclaimed culinary concept, Magdalena, A Maryland Bistro, that has earned Wine Spectators Award of Excellence and the OpenTable Diners Choice award. Behind all the accolades at the heart of the hotel sits Aptech, the industry standard for hospitality financial management.

Accounting Manager Kenny Cassara said 2021 was the best year yet for The Ivy Hotel due to the proliferation of Staycations brought on by the pandemic. As business continues to flourish, Cassara said Aptechs enterprise accounting solution PVNG is enabling him to keep financial processes flowing smoothly, as he can now access operational data in real time.

Throughout my hospitality career Ive worked with a number of accounting systems. PVNG is by far the best accounting software on the market, Cassara said. Its simple. Its smooth. Its user friendly. And most importantly, its obvious  meaning it doesnt require a high level of training and support. Reports can be generated, sorted, and shared in just minutes. PVNG is unlike any software Ive ever experienced. You cant get lost in Aptech; I can run P&Ls, accounts payable, and process invoices in my sleep.

The Ivy Hotel and Magdalena Restaurant are a Baltimore jewel. Owners Eddie and Sylvia Brown are committed to a deeply personalized approach to hospitality fueled by a desire to exceed guests expectations. The Ivy Hotel boasts eight airy suites and nine bedrooms, each with a gas fireplace and lavish bathroom with heated limestone floor. Magdalena restaurant features bistro fare inspired by the classic dishes of France, the comforts of England, and the vast spirit of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay region. The Ivy is ideal for weddings or events, backed by state-of-the-art technology. After a day of meetings, guests can enjoy The Ivys full-service spa or relax with an in-room massage.

When a hotel like The Ivy  rated the No. 1 hotel in Baltimore and earning a distinguished 4 stars from Forbes Travel Guide in 2021  calls your accounting solution best in the industry, it speaks volumes, said Sam Costa, Aptech Director of Customer Service and Support. Almost daily I hear people like Kenny say PVNG is effortless. They appreciate the user-friendliness of the system, which can be accessed from anywhere because it is cloud-based. I am thrilled that The Ivy Hotel has remained a satisfied Aptech customer over the years, and that the finance team is so pleased to be running on PVNG. This is a one-of-a-kind property known for having the best tea service, amazing food, lavish luxury, and a fun neighborhood. We are proud to add best accounting platform to their impressive list of accolades.

For more information on Aptech solutions, visit www.aptech-inc.com.

About Aptech Computer Systems Inc.

Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only provider of a fully integrated enterprise accounting, business intelligence and planning ecosystem to the hospitality industry. All clients are companies like yours, which own or manage hotels. Its solutions help customers at both the corporate and property levels understand their financial and operational data for faster goal achievement. The company is renowned for introducing business intelligence into the hotel industry and offers a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner and Premier Solution Provider, as well as a Prophix Premier Business Partner. Incorporated in 1970, Aptechs state-of-the-art back office, true business intelligence and enterprise planning solutions are 100% hotel specific. Solutions include PVNG, Execuvue and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 3,500 properties  including large chains, multiple-property management companies and single-site hotels. Execuvue is registered to Aptech Computer Systems Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information, please visit www.aptech-inc.com.

Barbara Worcester

+1 440 930 5770
Todays travelers are seeking contactless, efficient tools to help them better engage with their accommodations host before, during, and after their stays. Award winning AKA, operating luxury hotels and extended-stay hotel residences, is delivering on these expectations by leveraging technology and software that touches all parts of the guest journey. That includes implementing a Payment Portal from Maestro PMS that enables travelers to pay deposits, make full payments for third-party reservations, or settle outstanding balances on hotel or monthly/annual residential stays from the convenience of their mobile or desktop device. AKA Beverly Hills  a fully appointed luxury residence with the style and hospitality of an intimate hotel  was first in the system to go live with the Maestro Payment Portal. Following a successful pilot, 11 additional properties will deploy the convenience tool beginning this week.

AKA is always at the forefront of technology innovation to provide personalized and seamless experiences while creating operational efficiencies, said Jessica Maidat, Vice President Portfolio Operations for AKA. Technology is critical for AKA to provide robust, client-centric solutions, while automating as many processes as possible. This strategy enables our team members to dedicate even more time to residents, as our brand and culture are driven by creating and developing relationships."

AKA decided to implement Maestros Payment Portal to offer people an efficient and compliant means to provide payment to both group and individual reservations, she said. We feel confident that our traditional hotels and hotel residences will greatly benefit from the Payment Portal. We truly love how the credit card interfaces with the Maestro property-management system and the payment is processed automatically. This creates many efficiencies for our team members while providing residents with a tech-forward and secure way to process payments. The whole process is seamless. Clients of AKA Beverly Hills say they love how easy and efficient the payment portal is, in addition to noting that not many properties are using any sort of payment portal that they have experienced. Team members also enjoy the tool as it reduces paperwork and no follow up is required to secure payments.

Maestros Payment Portal is a mechanism that enables guests to pay for their stays. Its contactless and extremely convenient; people can use it without having to engage with live agents. For example, rather than having to walk down to the front desk to make a payment for the next months stay, residents can pay from the privacy of their accommodations via mobile devices, tablets, or computers. With this PCI-compliant tool, transactions are funneled through the hotels payment gateway.

We chose Maestro as our PMS provider because they have a very robust platform that integrates incredibly well with many other software solutions and because it can support the needs of AKAs multiple business models, Maidat said. Maestro has continued to work with AKA to enhance their software even further to ensure Maestro continues to support and scale with AKA. AKA selects software providers that share a similar company culture and value system of being service and solution-oriented as well as innovative."

We anticipate this enterprise rollout will further enhance our resident experience, provide more efficient payment remittance opportunities and mitigate the risk of financial transactions, Maidat said. We are expecting to see positive responses from clients and residents via review responses and post-stay surveys in the short term.

Maestro President Warren Dehan said he is proud that AKA is such a satisfied and growing Maestro customer. He said the enterprise-wide rollout of the Payment Portal strengthens the notion that hoteliers are continuing to invest in contactless technologies that make everyones lives easier.

People tell us they love the Payment Portal because its safe and expedient, Dehan said. Guests dont have to call the front desk or accounting office and recite their credit card numbers over the phone. When Maestro sends out a reservation confirmation, guests will be apprised of their payment schedule. The system can also be configured to send reminder emails as desired. Its a real time saver for staff and cuts labor costs for owners. Soon the Payment Portal will be capable of extending payments beyond reservations. This is important to our many condo hotel customers. By keeping labor-intensive transactions to a minimum, operators of hotels, condo hotels, and hotel residences like AKA will be able to boost operational efficiencies and drive customer loyalty for the long run.

AKA will be introducing new properties in 2022, including locations in Miami (now open), and Old Town Alexandria and New York City this summer.

About Maestro

Maestro is the preferred Web Browser based cloud and on-premises PMS solution for independent hotels, luxury resorts, conference centers, condo vacation rentals, and multi-property groups. Maestros PCI certified and EMV ready enterprise system offers a Web browser version (or Windows) complete with 20+ integrated modules on a true single database, including mobile and contactless apps to support a digitalized guest and staff journey from booking to checkout and everything in between. Maestros sophisticated solutions, with a collection of open APIs to 100s of 3rd party systems, empower operators to increase profitability, drive direct bookings, centralize operations, and engage guests with a personalized experience. For over 40 years Maestros Diamond Plus Service has provided unparalleled 24/7 North American based Live support and education services to keep hospitality groups productive and competitive. Click here for more information on Maestro. Click here to get your free PMS Buying guide.

About AKA

AKA is the hospitality division of Korman Communities. Led by Larry and Brad Korman, AKA is a growing portfolio of innovative hotel and hotel residence properties in high-barrier to entry markets, including NYC, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and London. All properties are design-driven with exceptional business, wellness, innovative technologies and lifestyle amenities and service. As AKA continues to expand its collection, and due to its established and successful long-stay residence model, AKA will be able to bring its key differentiating factors to the traditional, transient hotel guest accommodating both short and long term stays. For more information, visit https://www.stayaka.com/.

Barb Worcester
At the beginning of this month, in a UK first, an army of custom-made RoboVac Buddies have checked-in to 579 Travelodge hotels the length and breadth of the country.

This multi-million pound investment of 7,500 RoboVac Buddies is Travelodges latest brand evolving initiative, specifically designed to support the companys 579 housekeeping teams  who have to clean up to nearly 44,000 rooms every day, 365 days of the year.

This is no mean feat, as housekeeping is one of the most important and physically demanding jobs within the hotel sector. This role includes the remit of vacuuming, which is a strenuous task.

To help lighten the workload for its housekeeping team members, who collectively vacuum the distance from London to New York every day, Travelodge travelled into the future to create an industrial hotel spec RoboVac.

The hotel chain teamed up with KILLIS Ltd, a Sheffield-based company that specialises in manufacturing specialist cleaning equipment, and together engineered the UKs first industrial RoboVac designed for a busy hotel.

This laborious mission took nine months to complete and included the production of five prototypes before the birth of the Travelodge RoboVac Buddy. But this is no ordinary RoboVac - it has robust features to enable it to withstand the daily heavy duty requirements of working in a busy hotel. These features include:

An industrial booster battery allowing the RoboVac Buddy to vacuum lots of rooms with one charge during their shift

A larger and lighter dust collector so that the RoboVac Buddy just needs to be emptied at the end of its shift

It is greener and quieter than a traditional corded vacuum cleaner. A traditional vacuum uses 1,200 watts of power while the RoboVac takes 60 watts of power. It is also bagless, so reduces waste to landfill

It speaks Travelodge-specific software data language

A Travelodge RoboVac Buddy has been allocated to each housekeeping team member to support them during their shift. Whilst the housekeeping team member completes a comprehensive room and bathroom cleaning task list, its RoboVac Buddy gets to work, thoroughly vacuuming the room. This includes going under the Travelodge Dreamer bed and in every nook and cranny of the room. It also vacuums the hotels hallways, public spaces and the Bar Cafe if the hotel has one.

At the end of their shift, the Travelodge RoboVac Buddies are tucked into their custom made (six) team bunk beds for some much needed R&R (Recharge & Rest). Each hotel has been supplied with 12 RoboVac Buddies on average, while larger sites have up to 40.

Craig Bonnar, Travelodge, Chief Executive, said: We are very excited to kick start 2022 by revolutionising the hospitality sector and supporting our housekeeping teams with the roll-out of the UKs first hotel RoboVac Buddy recruitment programme. Housekeeping is the most important and physically demanding job at Travelodge and we are always looking for low cost and innovative ways to support our colleagues. Automating vacuuming with the introduction of the Travelodge RoboVac Buddies is a fun, win-win solution which helps us to drive a greener, cleaner and more efficient room clean. The army of Travelodge RoboVac Buddies have settled in really well and are a massive hit with our hotel teams and customers.

Lira Namoni, Travelodge RoboVac Buddy Trainer, said: On behalf of my colleagues across all of the UK Travelodge hotels, we are thrilled to welcome our new RoboVac Buddies. They are just incredible and made such a significant difference to housekeeping duties. They have now all completed their induction training and passed their probation and are just raring to get to work."

"There have been a couple of casualties during training: a RoboVac Buddy at Gatwick Airport Travelodge took a wrong turn and was found in Spain. Another RoboVac Buddy at Cambridge Orchard Park Travelodge had a technical glitch during its reception cleaning shift and bolted out of the hotel onto the streets. The hotel team were distraught and put a SOR (Save Our RoboVac) message out on social media channels for its safe return. Luckily, the RoboVac Buddy was rescued and, after a good reboot and recharge, it is back on duty.

Travelodge has around 1,000 RoboVacs on standby in a secret base so that they can be deployed to a Travelodge hotel in case of an emergency.

KILLIS Ltd who designed and built the RoboVac Buddy with Travelodge have also built a bespoke surgery at their headquarters to provide a full health service for the Travelodge RoboVac Buddies.

Tibor Killi, KILLIS Ltd, Managing Director, said: We are delighted to work with Travelodge and create the UKs first hospitality spec RoboVac. This is the largest cleaning equipment mobilisation in our companys history and it has been an honour to be making history with Travelodge within the hospitality world.

The Travelodge RoboVac Buddies are going to revolutionise the companys housekeeping teams working lives and will be a great addition to the Travelodge hotel teams. It has been a pleasure working with an innovative company who puts its people and customers at the heart of its business, and we look forward to the next challenge Travelodge gives us.

About Travelodge

Travelodge is the UK's first budget hotel chain and opened its first hotel in 1985 on the A38 Burton under Needwood. Today the UK's second largest hotel chain operates 593 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain. Room rates start from 32 and can be booked at www.travelodge.co.uk

The Travelodge Press Office

+44 1844 35 8703

Travelodge
PHOENIX  WorldHotels today announced the addition of five new properties to the brands newest collection of hotels: WorldHotels Crafted Collection. The Hotel Kung Carl, NOFO Hotel, The Winery Hotel, Hotel Frantz, and Hotel Ruth, all located in Stockholm, Sweden, have joined the exclusive portfolio of WorldHotels Crafted Collection hotels and resorts.

We launched this new collection less than a year ago and we have already seen tremendous growth and success, said Larry Cuculic, President and Chief Executive Officer of WorldHotels. Crafted Collection is quickly becoming one of the most authentic, daring and spirited collections of independent hotels around the globe and we are thrilled to welcome these stunning new properties to our portfolio.

The WorldHotels Crafted Collection is a new generation of lifestyle hotels for guests who love creativity and who are looking for experiences beyond the ordinary. Whether cool, urban, stylish or chic, the common thread connecting Crafted Collection hotels is that a concept, theme or story underlies the hotel's idea. Here you are met by thoughtful elements in both whole and detail, in the form of beautiful architecture, exciting modern design, history and art.

"The goal of Crafted Collection is to create the leading collection of lifestyle hotels around the world. We are proud to offer Scandinavian hoteliers the opportunity to be part of a group of hotels where creativity, unique experiences and personal service are in focus. We are tapping into a critical trend where todays travelers seek unique travel experiences and these five new Crafted hotels in Stockholm are no exception," says Johan Michelson, CEO of BWH Hotel Group Scandinavia.

The Hotel Kung Carl

The Hotel Kung Carl, is centrally located in the bustling area of Stureplan, famous for its exclusive stores, fine dining and nightclubs. The hotel, housed in an historic building, offers a welcome respite from the thriving hustle and bustle. Guests can relax in the lobby bar or enjoy a meal in the popular restaurant where the focus is on classic dishes with a modern touch. The hotel's themed rooms offer something to everyone's taste, from Gustavian design featuring antiques and fine art, to modern design and fashionable wallpaper.

NOFO Hotel

Guests at NOFO Hotel find themselves in a beautiful and historic building from 1780 that was orginally built as a brewery. The hotel boasts the personal and original touch of its historic building with eclectic decor that provides a truly boutique experience.The hotel is in the vibrant Sofo neighborhood in central Stockholm within walking distance of Old Town, Slussen and the City.

Hotel Frantz

Hotel Frantz is the house that Master Tailor Frantz Bock built in 1647. Frantz was inspired by his muses and tailored his clients garments differently to express who they were, in the same way every guest will be met with care to create a magical and wonderful experience. This personal boutique hotel is located between Karatinahissen and Gotgatsbacken on Sodermalm, in the middle of the classic silhouette of Slussen.

Hotel Ruth

Inspired by the owners insatiable appetite for everything that makes life exciting, Hotel Ruth offers equal parts curiosity, warmth and love. The hotel invites guests to share each other's experiences over an exquisite drink in the bar or enjoy excellent cuisine in the dining room.

The Winery Hotel

Sweden's first combined urban winery and boutique hotel, The Winery Hotel features its own in-house wine production and offers a fresh take on accommodation, meeting and dining - with a love of fine wine at its heart.

"Crafted, that is craftsmanship, permeates everything we do at The Winery Hotel, says Sarah Djerf, Marketing Manager at The Winery Hotel. From our heart  the winery  where we produce wine from grape to bottle, to the kitchen where the flavors are composed in perfect harmony to the character of the wines. The craftsmanship also follows us into the interior details and the familiar welcome from our vineyard workers. All that together creates the atmosphere that makes our guests feel comfortable, enjoy and return, time and time again."

Other inspiring hotels included in the WorldHotels Crafted Collection around the world include the trendy ACME Hotel in Chicago, which is known for its urban art and playful high-tech elements; Hotel Bijou in San Francisco, which offers a first-class art-deco designed environment; and Arnhem Hotel Haarhuis in the Netherlands, which offers local gastronomic experiences and family service, among many others across the globe.

For more information about WorldHotels Crafted Collection, please visit: worldhotels.com.

About WorldHotels Collection

WorldHotels Collection is a privately held hotel soft brand within the BWH Hotel Group global network. Founded by independent hoteliers dedicated to the art of hospitality, and celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2021, WorldHotels offers one of the finest portfolios of independent hotels and resorts around the globe, expertly curated to inspire unique, life enriching experiences that connect people and places. WorldHotels is comprised of four unique collections, each with its own personality and style to appeal to the needs of today's traveler. The collections include: WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted. For more information visit WorldHotels.com.
Mayor Adams dismissed criticism Tuesday over his decision to tap two Christian pastors with histories of anti-gay views for senior roles in his administration, declaring that the controversial hires are whats best for the city.

Adams, who has come under fire from the LGBTQ community in recent days, made the sweeping defense of his appointments of Fernando Cabrera and Erick Salgado after being asked during a press conference which gay leaders he spoke with and what he told them before announcing the picks.

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I stated I respect your thoughts, but Im going to do whats best for the city of New York. And so did I reach everyone in the city that is a member of the LGBT community? No, I did not. But Ive met with and communicated with several of the leaders in the community, Adams told reporters in Brooklyn, adding that former Council Speaker Corey Johnson was among the LGBTQ lawmakers he consulted.

Cabrera, a former Bronx councilman and pastor who once praised Ugandas government for its hard-line ban on same-sex marriage, was appointed by Adams on Monday as a senior adviser in his newly formed Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships.

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Salgado, a Brooklyn pastor and onetime mayoral candidate who also has a long history of anti-gay rhetoric, was picked last week as an assistant commissioner of immigrant affairs.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (Shawn Inglima/for New York Daily News)

At Tuesdays press conference, Adams noted that both Cabrera and Salgado apologized in written statements for their past remarks.

People evolve, he said. They become better because of what they experience. I sat down with all of my appointees in a very rigorous appointment process. I believe that what they stated and how they feel in their own words. I heard them, I accept their apologies and now its time for us to bring our city together.

But a growing chorus of LGBTQ politicians and activists have disputed the idea that Salgado and Cabrera are truly apologetic for their past actions.

Late Monday, the City Councils seven LGBTQ members  six Democrats and one Republican  sent a letter to Adams urging him to rescind both appointments.

In the letter, they noted that Salgado praised Ugandas government at a time when it had months prior adopted a law making homosexuality a criminal offense punishable to prison time. Salgado claimed in his apology statement that he didnt know of that egregious law when he offered support for the countrys other anti-LGBTQ policies.

Housing Works, a city-based nonprofit dedicated to fighting AIDS and homelessness in the LGBTQ community, said Salgados claim of ignorance doesnt pass the smell test and blasted Adams defense of his appointments as beyond the pale.

How dare you tell NYCs LGBTQ+ community and leadership that appointing homophobes to positions of power is whats best for the city of New York, the group tweeted at Adams after his press conference. Hatred and negation of LGBTQ+ rights is not somehow balanced by political acumen. Reverse these appointments NOW.
One of the main economic engines of the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley experienced tremendous growth during the last business cycle. Major companies such as Google, Apple, and Meta (formerly Facebook) have expanded their presence in recent years, which has historically translated to strong lodging performance. However, with the onset of the pandemic and a market-wide shift in policy toward remote working in 2020, hotels have been severely affected, particularly in terms of average rate. Moreover, the influx of new supply over the last several years has been significant, which has substantially heightened competition within most Silicon Valley submarkets.

Silicon Valley has traditionally been a midweek market, heavily reliant on high-rated business travel and related corporate group demand, supported by the plethora of companies in the high-technology and life-science industries. However, virtually all major companies in Silicon Valley have implemented a remote workforce policy because of COVID-19. In December 2021, both Apple and Google indefinitely delayed their return to office given the uncertainties regarding the Delta, Omicron, and future variants. As a result, the market mix in terms of demand has shifted away from higher-rated commercial demand to lower-rated leisure travel. Silicon Valley experienced a roughly 85%95% decline in RevPAR in April 2020. While some demand has begun to return, RevPAR in this market still remains approximately 60%70% below pre-pandemic levels.

Further compounding these issues, the entrance of new supply in recent years has hampered the recovery of hotels in this market. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the threat of new hotels affected virtually every submarket within Silicon Valley. Most submarkets realized a decline in occupancy in 2018 and/or 2019, and local operators reported notable declines in demand on weekend and shoulder periods. Mountain View, home to Googles headquarters, experienced the opening of 623 hotel rooms between 2018 and 2021. In nearby Sunnyvale, more than 1,100 rooms across seven hotels either have recently opened or are currently under construction. The North San Jose/San Jose Airport submarket gained 906 rooms between 2019 and 2021, with an additional 209 rooms currently under construction. Even with its extremely high barriers to entry, nearly 300 rooms were added to Palo Altos inventory in 2021. In the near term, new supply will continue to affect the market, spreading the already reduced demand across an even larger pool of hotels.While numbers for the lodging market appear somewhat grim, investors are still betting big on Silicon Valley, with numerous projects underway in and around the region. Google remains committed to its new campus around Diridon Station near Downtown San Jose, which is planned to include between six and eight million square feet of office, retail, housing, and research space. In Mountain View, Google is spearheading the redevelopment of the North Bayshore Master Plan, which is slated to feature three million square feet of office space and 7,000 residential units. The largest office lease in 2021 was signed by Meta in December; the company leased roughly 720,000 square feet in Sunnyvale and another 520,000 square feet in Burlingame near the San Francisco International Airport. Meta has also announced plans to develop a new live/work village adjacent to its headquarters in Menlo Park, encompassing roughly 3.5 million square feet of office, residential, and retail space.

We are confident that the Silicon Valley market will eventually recover to pre-pandemic levels; however, our current outlook for most submarkets in the region does not indicate a full recovery until 2024/25. Moreover, the improvement in performance will remain gradual until higher-rated business travel resumes, larger corporate groups reconvene, and the return to offices becomes more widely adopted. We continue to watch the factors affecting Silicon Valley lodging, and our many consulting engagements throughout the metropolitan area allow us to keep our finger on the pulse of the market.

For more information, please contact John Berean of HVS San Francisco.
EHL's Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business (MGH) provides not only a 360-degree view of the industry and its different departments and challenges, but also offers experience and understanding of countries' different cultural needs, giving learners a complete global overview of the industry. So what are the most memorable and transversal features of this program, what are the best reasons for doing a Masters Degree and how can they help prepare graduates for today's changing business landscape?

Personality and Soft Skills Development: the key to be part of the family

"In addition to the academic and strategic business skills that allowed me to get into a real estate finance role, I developed some valuable soft skills. I gained self-confidence and learned to work effectively in teams", Rubina Insam, EHL Master in Global Hospitality Management graduate.

The MGH program concentrates heavily on the fact that soft skills are key to the hospitality sector since it is first and foremost a people business. Whether back or front of house, there are few touch-points in this industry that do not involve human exchange. Whether between employees, teams or customers, the more this exchange is imbued with a spirit of empathy, agility, collaboration and communication, the better the outcomes. The human-centric leadership style aims to achieve both individual and collective impact that effectively replies to the needs of all stakeholders.

"While soft skills and EQ may seem more like personal traits rather than business ones, these are the precise skills needed to deliver outstanding customer experiences in the multi-cultural environments. When delivering a service, designing a service experience or business concept, these skills are essential to helping shape the identification and execution of a distinctive Customer Value Proposition", Dr Ines Blal, Executive Dean.

Ambitious future leaders need to understand that success depends as much on how well they deliver a tight business plan as it does on how well they manage the people-centricity of their team and mindset. Furthermore, the soft skills associated with hospitality are today even more sought-after across industry due to the renewed call for optimal human interaction in the post-pandemic landscape.

During the program, MGH classes are kept small to make sure that the students have a real one to one relationship with the professors, and that their fellow students - with whom they travel the world and share this wonderful experience eventually - turn into family, which is one of the core values at EHL.

"Given that we have a history of dealing in a human business, we aim to teach a human-centric approach to hospitality management and leadership, because we think happy employees create happy customers. Hence the focus should not be on the customers, it should be on the employees. Leading with humility, empathy and self-awareness - all this is built into the DNA of the graduate academic content. We start as a team and finish as a team; maintaining the cohort group feeling is key to the MGH program", Dr Achim Schmitt, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs.

Cultural Nuances: experience the lifestyle on three different continents

Not only do classes have a cultural mix of on average 14 different nationalities, but one of the biggest assets of the program is the cultural immersion and field trips students will experience during the year and a half of study. Each of the three semesters are located on a different continent, providing the students with a very different lifestyle experience for approximately five months. Understanding cultural nuances and developing awareness of personal cultural biases is an important aspect that the MGH program explores.

Throughout each of these semesters the students are taken on three different field trips to visit hotels and restaurants. While in Lausanne the students are taken to Paris, Berlin, and Lisbon; in Hong Kong they are taken to Macau, Beijing, and Shanghai; in Houston they are taken to Washington DC, Mexico & Las Vegas.

"In Hong Kong, my favorite thing to do was to discover the restaurants and bars of this vibrant city, visit the beaches and search for the best vistas on the hills of the island. The campus is in Kowloon, which is the less westernized part compared to Hong Kong Island, making it an amazing location for anyone interested in stepping into Asian culture", Rubina Insam.

Why is career planning important?

This program is geared for those looking to continue working within the hospitality industry. Upon graduation some students go on to work for the companies with which they did their Capstone Project - one of their biggest projects throughout the program. Thanks to the numerous business field trips, students are given ample networking opportunities and the chance to meet numerous leaders from the industry.

"I probably met more than a hundred industry professionals, and every time it was an opportunity to perfect my personal strategy for making a lasting first impression. This is essential in my line of work as I have to convince clients to trust in me, my professionalism and skills", Rubina Insam.

The MGH also provides an easy access to the fast track trainee programs that most hotels offer these days. It is a qualification that implies both hard and soft skills. In brief, it equips students with not only a 360-degree view of the industry and its different departments and challenges, but it also allows them to experience and understand the different cultural needs within different countries, giving them a complete global overview of the industry.

How to become a master and how to get a job in the hospitality industry

The MGH offers one seamless program based on academic study, industry exposure and global experience - all taught from three prestigious academic institutions (EHL Lausanne, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Houston University). Built for todays global hospitality industry, this master's degree ensures professional success by giving you the ability to manage the complexity of worldwide operations, with the local touch that makes great hospitality managers.

What awaits learners are three semesters packed with an exceptional blend of classes, cultural and business immersion periods on three continents, with industry seminars delivered by world-class speakers, a real-life business project and three professional certifications. Students graduate from this program with one diploma from EHL as well as from Polytechnic University of Hong Kong and University of Houston; consequently, they also join the alumni networks of all three universities.

"I chose EHLs MGH because it is a unique program that offers so much industry exposure and global experience. I was interested in the real-world industry projects, such as the Capstone Project with a real company and the business field trips where you get the chance to meet numerous leaders from the industry", Rubina Insam.

How this life changing experience will open new perspectives

"The MGH is life changing! This 18-month program is a quick-starter for careers, especially for students who have hospitality experience that is limited to one area of operations or one area of the world. I probably met more than a hundred industry professionals, and every time it was an opportunity to perfect my personal strategy for making a lasting first impression. This program opens the horizons for your career options and gives you the confidence to take your career to the global stage much faster", Rubina Insam.

Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne

Communications Department

+41 21 785 1354

EHL

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick takes me back to my halcyon days fighting bigotry and promoting economic growth at the University of Texas at Austin.

Patricks rant against critical race theory, the woke left, and Marxist professors reminds me of my college years, when conservatives railed against multiculturalism, political correctness, and, you guessed it, Marxist professors.

Demagogue Dan uses a tried-and-true playbook to silence minorities, censor dissidents and drive away intellectuals. He doesnt care that tenured faculty make important discoveries and drive economic growth.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Abbott puts Elon Musk on the spot over abortion ban, other extreme policies

Patricks assault on academic freedom is already causing problems for freethinkers, but if he convinces the Legislature to eliminate job protection for professors, he will blow up Texass engines of innovation.

Our lieutenant governor has always been an intolerant Christian nationalist. He frequently promises that his religious beliefs take priority over his political party or the laws of man. But now that the Republican Party is adopting his brand of populist authoritarianism, hes going for broke.

I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory. We banned it in publicly funded K-12 and we will ban it in publicly funded higher ed, he tweeted on Feb. 15.

Patrick followed up with a press conference where he said fighting tenure at public universities was his top legislative priority in 2023. He wants to make it illegal for administrators to offer tenure to new professors, and he wants to expand powers to take it away from existing faculty.

Tenure is a tradition designed to protect intellectuals from politics. Academics spend their lives studying, writing and helping people better understand their world. At their best, universities are places to discuss and debate this research without fear of retribution or cultish dogma.

Political winds can shift suddenly, and demagogues like to purge dissident thinking to consolidate their power. Tenure protects intellectuals, both on the left and right, from the mobs mood at the moment.

Critical race theory, like multiculturalism, examines how authorities have used skin color to dole out power and privilege. Adherents believe that because our institutions were created by Anglos who used their power to oppress people of color, we should question how those institutions work today.

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Despite Patricks disinformation, the goal is not to make Anglo young people feel bad about their race but to create a more perfect union. To improve the present, we need to understand the past.

Patrick rejects that premise. He was enraged when UTs faculty passed a nonbinding resolution affirming that educators, not politicians, should make decisions about teaching and learning, and supports the rights and academic freedom of faculty to design courses, curriculum, and pedagogy, and to conduct related scholarly research.

Tenure is a vital perk that most universities offer to attract top talent. Professors of medicine, science, engineering, business and mathematics expect tenure in return for a life-long commitment to an institution.

Tenure also attracts more than experts on applying Marxist theory to community basket weaving in Stone Age clans.

Tenured professors drove the creation in 1945 of the Texas Medical Center, which now includes eight specialty institutions, eight academic and research institutions, four medical schools, seven nursing schools, three public health organizations, two pharmacy schools and a dental school.

Tenured faculty at UTs business school and electrical engineering department transformed Austin into Silicon Gulch in the 1980s. All of the capitols tech growth emerged from professors attracting the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation in 1982.

Lastly, tenured UT and Texas A&M academics are turning San Antonio into a cybersecurity hub, spinning off new companies and creating thousands of jobs.

Extremism, though, frightens off Americas top minds. A UT professor told me one candidate responded to a recruiting call by referring to Margaret Atwoods novel The Handmaids Tale, asking, Why would I want to move to Gilead?

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Republican voters need to fire Texas Railroad Commission chair

I know from personal experience that Patrick doesnt care about freedom of ideas.

On July 2, Patricks campaign sent a fundraising email promising to protect the First Amendment. Then, he ordered the Bullock State History Museum to cancel a talk about my bestselling book Forget the Alamo just hours before the scheduled start time.

Patrick is coercing private companies too. He supported a law demanding that state contractors swear they will not boycott Israel, and he banned the state from doing business with entities that dont invest in fossil fuel companies.

Patricks right-wing thought police have started with public schools, moved to government contracting and are headed for higher education. Hes far from done, and anyone who supports his reelection is responsible for the fascism and economic slowdown that comes next.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Cooper Neill, Bloomberg / Bloomberg

Chevron Corp. has enlisted a third party to inspect wells in Texas and Colorado as the oil giant works on eliminating methane emissions, the company said Wednesday in a statement.

It will be a pilot project with Project Canary, a Denver company that tracks environmental data for energy companies through a certification process, Chevron said. The company aims to certify its environmental performance in the Permian Basin in Texas and the DJ Basin in Colorado.
Oil switched between gains and losses, with the market remaining dominated by U.S. sanctions on Russia and the potential for a conclusion to nuclear talks with Iran, which could add supply to the market.

Brent crude traded near $97 a barrel after a jump on Tuesday to just 50 cents shy of $100. President Biden announced sanctions targeting Russias sale of sovereign debt abroad and the countrys elites, responding to what he described as the start of an invasion of Ukraine, but avoided a sweeping package of penalties.

Traders also continue to watch the progress in efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal. The countrys foreign minster said on Wednesday that it wants to settle the remaining issues in the coming days, but that it wont concede on its red lines under any conditions.

Headline crude prices have been subject to wild swings over the last week amid conflicting geopolitical headlines from Ukraine and the Iran nuclear talks. Beyond that, Brents prompt spread has surged to an unprecedented level, indicating continued tight supply in the market. As tensions in Ukraine add to the risk of supply disruptions, the International Energy Agency said its members are ready to act to ensure global oil markets are adequately supplied. Moscow has repeatedly denied that it plans to invade its smaller neighbor.

Most of the panic about the further escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict appears to have passed, said Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank AG. The calmer mood on the market is likely to be due to a large extent to the fact that the sanctions on Russia agreed by the West so far are unlikely to hamper energy supplies.

The U.S. is in discussions with oil exporters and importers to try to smooth fallout from any escalation in hostilities and sanctions, Daleep Singh, Bidens deputy national security advisor, said at the White House. The talks include the possibility of tapping strategic oil reserves on top of the plan announced last year, he said.

One area of the market that is coming under pressure is the value of Russias Urals crude. The grade was offered at its biggest discount in at least a decade on Tuesday. At the same time a South Korean oil buyer purchased Middle Eastern crude, apparently as an alternative to Russian oil.
Houston industrial real estate is receiving an infusion of capital from foreign investors who are betting on the Sunbelt states, which have seen a boom in ecommerce and population gains since the pandemic.

Cross-border investments in industrial real estate in the U.S. reached a record $19.5 billion in 2021, rising 152 percent over the year, according to a report by JLL Capital Markets. The investments are part of a record $143 billion in U.S. industrial sector investments in 2021.

In the Houston region, cross-border industrial acquisitions reached $950 million in 2021, according to JLL. The investments represented 21 percent of the total $4.5 billion in industrial investments in the region, up from 6 percent of total industrial investments in 2020.

While Houston has traditionally been a strong market for industrial investments due to population growth and global trade through the Port of Houston, it is benefiting from a heightened demand for industrial assets since the pandemic, along with Memphis, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Indianapolis, according to JLL. Investors are expanding their scope from traditional top markets such as Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.

RELATED: Houston team tapped to grow Stream Realty Partners industrial platform

A record 17 million square feet of industrial space was completed in the Houston area in 2021 as local demand reached a record 40 million square feet, including new projects for tenants such as national retailers Amazon, Floor & Decor and Home Depot, according to commercial real estate firm Transwestern.

The pandemic accelerated the online shopping trend as more people made a habit of shopping online rather than going to stores for everything from household items to furnishings to clothing, creating a greater need for warehouses and distribution buildings close to where people live to process and fulfill orders. Also, demand for industrial space is increasing as tenants aim to mitigate supply chain issues by increasing their storage capacity, according to Transwestern.

"What we're really seeing is just more and more capital in the system for real estate in general, and specifically industrial product," said Charlie Strauss, a director with JLL Capital Markets in Houston. "As long as we continue to see significant capital chasing product in the space and tenant demand driving up rents and filling up vacancies, I think it continues on."

Canadian pension plans, which commonly invest in, develop and operate facilities similar to U.S. investors, and overseas investors seeking to invest in properties occupied by companies, such as Amazon, with sterling credit, are driving sales in the United States and Houston, Strauss said. Local examples include South Korea-based Miraes acquisition of the facility leased by Amazon in Pinto Business Park, and real estate investment management firm PRPs acquisition of the new Lowes distribution facility in New Caney.

GIC, which manages investments for the government of Singapore, acquired $6.8 billion in industrial properties from global investment firm EQT Exeter in a $6.8 billion transaction in the fourth quarter. The purchased included several properties in Houston.

Canadian investors increased their U.S. investment activity by 65 percent year over year, according to JLL. The deals included Toronto-based Oxford Properties Group's purchase of a $2.2 billion portfolio totaling 14.5 million square feet. Oxford also formed a venture with Denver-based EverWest to accelerate growth of its U.S. industrial infill portfolio.

We are surrounded by a surplus of foreign capital in the industrial market that has propelled strong operators to grow their portfolios and platforms, Managing Director Marc Duval with JLLs Capital Markets group said in the report. The joint venture between Oxford, a foreign capital source, and EverWest, a proven operator, will be a force for the long-term. We anticipate more partnerships to form in the coming months due to foreign capitals further interest in U.S. industrial real estate.
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Houston-based Partners In Building is pushing into north Texas with the acquisition of Paul Taylor Homes, a private home builder based in Dallas. The deal, which closed Tuesday, gives Partners In Building a presence in Dallas and positions the company for growth. Terms were not disclosed.

The acquisition includes approximately 80 homes under contract and in various stages of construction, more than 120 lots, three model homes, the companys portfolio of home designs, and its corporate office lease at 17950 Preston Road.

"We're looking for growth opportunities, and Dallas is either the No. 1 or No. 2 homebuilding market in the nation," said Jim Lemming, president of Partners In Building. "We think the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex supports a growth narrative, and wed like to be a part of it."

Last year, the Dallas metro was the top market for home construction with 54,760 houses started in 2021, according to research firm Zonda. Houston was the second largest with 41,729 starts.

The combined company will operate as Partners In Building and continue to offer plans in the Paul Taylor portfolio, while adding larger Partners In Building homes in the $1 million to $3 million range. The Paul Taylor homes are built on large lots and have an average sales price of about $800,000.

RELATED: New Houston-based homebuilder begins operations in Houston market

Paul Taylor, who founded the company in 1979, was looking to retire, but wanted to find a way to keep his longtime team, including 16 employees, in business. Taylor and Lemming, who is from Dallas, struck a deal after being introduced by a mutual friend.

"It gives us certainly a strong group to become part of our team and to help us launch our operations in D-FW," Lemming said.

Founded in 1986, Partners In Building builds about 250 homes a year, including approximately 200 in Houston and 50 in Nashville, Lemming said. Partners In Building plans to sell about 70 homes in its first year in North Texas with a goal of topping 200 homes annually within a few years.

Chris Lemming, the son of Jim Lemming, will lead the new market as Partners In Building's Dallas-Forth Worth division president.

While construction activity mostly occurs east of Interstate 75, Partners In Building plans to expand to surrounding areas such as Prosper, Celina, Argyle, Bartonville, Flower Mound, Southlake, Keller, Colleyville and Fort Worth. The company will also offer its "build on your lot" program.

RELATED: The top-selling master-planned communities in the Houston area

"Dallas is growing," Lemming said. "It's got a large influx of new jobs, new people, so the relocation business is very strong in Dallas. We think those municipalities provide us a unique opportunity as well."

The acquisition also gives Partners In Building access to Paul Taylor home plans that could complement its higher priced offerings in Houston, where houses typically sell in the range of $1.2 million to $2 million, Lemming said.

Buying an existing company made it easier to expand to a new region at a time when builders are facing widespread supply chain disruptions and a tight labor market.

"Every component it takes to build a house right now is either in short supply or the prices have gone through the roof in terms of the cost it takes for us to obtain that material," Lemming said. Among the components that take longer to receive are windows, appliances and garage doors.

The supply chain and labor issues have added about 30 to 60 days to the timeline for completing a home, Lemming said. Homes now take about nine to 12 months to finish.
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Twenty-five Pearland Independent School District students are bound for the Health Occupations Students of America State Leadership Conference April 20-22 in Galveston.

State competitors include: Turner College and Career High School students Rubi Aleman, Diya Babu, Jenna Bellview, Lamont Bennett, Leah Burdick, Amelia Cantu, Kaylee Castro, Evangeline Curless, Sebastian Escobedo, Hanna John, Marisa Koshy, Trinity Morales, Andrea Vazquez Moreno, Dariel Naval, Jade Nguyen, Hannah Philip, Hiba Qureshi, Adriana Ramirez, Kevin Roesler, Jasmine Romero, Grace Sneed and Chandell Williams; Dawson High School students Daria Lamont and Hien Nguyen; and Pearland High School student Hayley Bartlett.

TCCHS sponsors are Caren Wonders, Taylor Norris, Belinda Ganceres-Garcia, Rebekah Farmer and Monica Jackson. April Harris and Gretchen Carter serve as sponsors at DHS. PHS sponsors are Katelyn Joyce, Michael Ganz and Allison Peek. Learn more at www.pearlandisd.org.

Outstanding principals recognized

Alvin Independent School District has selected Pomona Elementary School Principal Victoria Kwan and Harby Junior High School Principal Elizabeth Lawson as its 2022 elementary and secondary principals of the year.

Both administrators demonstrate what it means to be a student-focused, results-driven leader with high expectations for every student and staff member, Superintendent Carol Nelson said.

Mrs. Kwan is a strong instructional leader on her campus, and it shows in everything she does, Nelson said. Ms. Lawson is a committed, caring leader who relentlessly pursues excellence for her students and staff.

Pomona speller wins district bee

After 10 rounds and correctly spelling the word enzyme, Pomona Elementary Schools Jacob Adetiba took first place at the 2022 Alvin Independent School District Spelling Bee Feb. 15.

Michael Hairston, from Brothers Elementary School, was runner-up.

Adetiba will compete in the Houston Public Media Spelling Bee in March.

Fun run nets $130,000 for district

Alvin Independent School District Education Foundation is calling its 2022 Turtle Race  which drew more than 550 runners and 70 vendors  a success.

With 15,791 turtles adopted to race down Mustang Bayou, the event raised more than $130,000 for grants, scholarships and more, according to foundation estimates.

It was a great day and a wonderful community event. It is always fun to see the staff, students and families enjoying the fun run and activities together, foundation board member and race chairperson Mary Jane Crumm said.

Find race results at www.runhoustontiming.com. For information about the foundation, visit alvinisd.net/educationfoundation.

ACC takes look at racial climate

Some students of color say more discussion about race is needed at Alvin Community College, according to a recent study.

The National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates, developed by the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center, asked students whether they felt they mattered and were affirmed in the classroom. Additional questions related to cross-racial engagement, racial learning and literacy, encounters of racial stress, appraisal of institutional commitment and impact of external environments.

Students make up the institution, said Earnest Burnett, speech instructor and ACC liaison for diversity, equity and inclusion. We wanted to find out how students felt with regard to their inclusion.

About 350 ACC students participated in the survey, in which African American and Hispanic students reported feeling they did not matter as much as their white and Asian counterparts in the classroom. The survey also showed Hispanic and African American students felt the college could do more to make them feel included on campus and in class.

Obviously we still have some work to do, Burnett said.

The survey is a project of the Houston Guided Pathways to Success Equity Initiative. Visit https://uh.edu/provost/university/houstongps/ to learn more.

Ole Miss recognizes area students academic achievement

Ethan Clark, of Pearland, has earned a place on the fall 2021 deans honor roll at University of Mississippi.

To qualify for the list, students must complete at least 12 graded hours and earn a semester GPA of 3.50-3.74. Learn more at www.olemiss.edu.
From doodling as early as she can remember, Mia Huckman has grown in skill and has now been recognized as the 2022 Reserve Grand Champion in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeos School Art Contest.

That means the Foster High School juniors acrylic painting Partners in Time placed second out of roughly 37,000 entries from 95 public school districts and 54 private schools across Southeast Texas.

On HoustonChronicle.com:

Mia started taking art lessons in the third grade. Eight years later, she finds solace in creating.

Its just kind of always been something that I could fall back on when I felt like I wasnt doing well in school or with other people, with friends, she said. I could always just go back and draw or paint something and be like, OK, I am good at something. I can do this.

In years of lessons and classes, Mia has learned one medium well before taking up another and then another. Recently, she has had her hands in digital art.

Mia is no stranger to success at the HLSR School Art Contest. She has been competing since elementary school. Each of her entries from her three high school years has been selected for the auction. Mia said her piece freshman year sold for $10,000. Last years was selected as Reserve Class Champion in painting and sold for $28,000. The funds support rodeo scholarships, but the artists get to keep some.

Mias art teacher, Monica Arratia, said Mia had a good eye this year when she selected a cowboy photo for her painting. What I did see is that she chose a more challenging photograph. Not that the other one wasnt challenging from before, but she went all out this time: full horse, full body, lighting, background, like, everything.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Cultures, kites and fireworks: Sugar Lands International Art & Kite Fest set for March 26

While this has been Arratias first year teaching Mia, she said of course she had seen her work. Mia was born with technical skill and raw talent, Arratia said. She added that Mia has a lot of conviction.

Quality rodeo art is time-consuming. Mia worked on her painting from mid-October until early January. She frequently gave up time with friends and stayed up late to paint, painting even when she feel like it. It is hard work, she said.

Apart from her art, Mia takes a heavy load of Advanced Placement classes. She performs in Fosters color guard and theater programs and participates in UIL academic competitions.

Art contest entries from as far south as Victoria and about as far east as Beaumont are selected from their schools and then their districts before moving ahead to the contest at the rodeo. Lamar CISD sent its best 25 pieces, which competed among 739 pieces. Seventy-two pieces were chosen for the auction.

Mia learned she had been selected as Reserve Grand Champion during an awards ceremony. She realized she was a top winner when her name wasnt called with the Class Champions. She had to answer questions and pose for pictures but was confident and didnt sweat it.

I was just making sure that I looked good and that I was saying something that sounded smart, Mia said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Scouts to help their communities through Spring of Service initiative

Mia definitely sees art in her future. Right now, she is considering pursuing concept art for film and TV at Savannah College of Art and Design or Ringling College of Art and Design. She has applied to Ringlings summer program for this year.

Well, I know shes going to be a success no matter what, so I know shell make it. I hope she enjoys what she does in the future and gets all the recognition, Arratia said. And were going for Grand Champion next year as well.

Lamar CISD has a rich legacy of success over the 28 years of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeos School Art Contest. According to Fine Arts Director Ram Estrada, Mia is Lamar CISDs 12th Reserve Grand Champion or Grand Champion. He said the district always strives to do well at the contest and that fine arts programs are valuable to its community.

The fine arts make a more well-rounded student. So we have kids that will go through our programs, and they may not necessarily go into the arts, Estrada said. But it certainly makes their lives better and more appreciative of having a better life.

To see some of the contests other winning pieces, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p8snstp.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Hes taking mudslinging to a new level.

A candidate challenging Rep. Lauren Boebert for her congressional seat in Colorado announced his entrance to the race with an ad featuring flying cow feces.

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We are real Coloradans, candidate Alex Walker says in the ad. We deserve a living wage, small government that actually works and freedom of choice. Instead, we have bulls---.

(Warning: Video contains explicit language)

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In the ad, Walker says Boebert is to blame for the cow excrement that real Coloradans have to deal with. He drives the point home with a Faux-Boebert spraying it across her office.

Walker, a political newcomer, is the 11th Democrat to enter the race for Colorados 3rd District, according to the Denver Post. All of Boeberts potential Democratic opponents, who must first win a primary before even facing Boebert, have raised much less money than her.

Boebert, a QAnon supporter, stunned political observers by taking down Scott Tipton in the 2020 Republican primary. Tipton was a five-term Republican representative who had been endorsed by then-President Donald Trump.

The 35-year-old outsider quickly made a name for herself with blatant anti-Muslim bigotry and misspelled demands to imeach Biden. Boebert is often named alongside Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) among the influx of far-right Republicans in Congress.

Colorados 3rd District leans Republican; 52% of its voters chose Trump in both 2016 and 2020. According to the Denver Post, the person with the best chance of beating Boebert is fellow Republican and Colorado state senator Don Coram.
This column was originally published on Feb. 23, 1959.

***

Returned from lunch a while back to find Felix Morales, the John Daly of Radio Morales, had called. Returned his call promptly because it was Felix's office dog, Pulga, that bit me a month ago, and I had asked him to let me know the minute there was the slightest change in the animal's behavior.

Felix was out when I returned the call, but his secretary said, "I think it was something about a mad dog."

***

The next half hour was as bad a one as I can remember. I alerted the doctor. And telephoned the undertaker. Even started writing my obituary. At last Felix called again.

"No, no, no," he exclaimed. "What I told my secretary was that the dog was NOT mad YET. But what I called you about was to ask you to come and get my Cadillac. I've given it up for Lent again."

***

Felix Morales is a devout man. He was about to depart for Mexico to make a pilgrimage to a shrine somewhere in the Sierra Madre between Saltillo and Torreon.

As an extra penance he was going in a small, uncomfortable car. In any event I was welcome to use his new Fleetwood for a couple of weeks.

"What about the dog Pulque?" I asked.

"You mean Pulga?"

"Whatever her name is. The one that bit me."

"Don't worry about her," said Felix. "I took her to the vet right after she bit you and he gave her all the shots he could think of. I think she's gonna be all right."

***

It was not the dog's health but my own that I was worried about. I explained, "What I mean is, are you taking her to Mexico with you. Because if you are, how will I know if she goes mad?"

"Don't worry about that either," said Felix. "I will leave the little dog with my aunt, Mrs. Pete Fierro, of 606 San Patricio in San Antonio. If Pulga gets sick, my aunt will take her to the vet, then telephone Saltillo. From Saltillo they will send a messenger to me in the mountains. If there is any danger I will call you."

So that's the situation. The dog that bit me is in San Antonio. Her owner is somewhere between Saltillo and Torreon.

***

Before me I have a road map of Mexico and it shows absolutely nothing between Saltillo and Torreon except the highway number and the mileage. The number is Federal 40 and the distance is 170 miles.

I can just picture a messenger from Saltillo, probably riding a burro hunting Felix Morales down among the mountain villages of the Sierra Madre. When I begin frothing at the mouth with hydrophobia.

And I didn't take the Cadillac, after all. Last Lent, when Felix loaned me his new Fleetwood, I couldn't even get the monster into my driveway, let alone the garage.

"I believe I'll take the jeep instead," I told the man at the Morales garage.

Now I am just back from a trip down the coast to the mouth of the Brazos and up the Neches to Dam B. Brought back stories and pictures about various subjects, including the strongest man in the world, who has never tasted liquor or tobacco, but who, in his prime, could lift almost a ton and a half.

As of this writing, I still have no symptoms of rabies.
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A retired Houston educator was killed over the weekend in a double homicide in San Antonio, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Noreen Burger, 58, died shortly after noon on Sunday from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office. The manner of death was homicide. Police said the suspected killer may be her son.

Local school administrators have said they believe her husband, a middle school assistant principal named William Burger, was the second victim in the shooting, though San Antonio authorities had not confirmed this by Wednesday.

The medical examiner said only that the second victim is a 56-year-old white man.

RELATED: Houston-area educators possible victims of deadly domestic violence shooting in San Antonio

San Antonio police responded to reported gunshots at an apartment complex on Sunday where they found Michael Burger, 20, standing outside with an assault rifle and shotgun. He was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of capital murder of multiple persons.

Court records show Burger remains in jail with bond set at $500,000.

Police said on Sunday that they believe the victims were the parents of the suspect.

Noreen Burger worked for Spring Branch ISD for 25 years, according to the district. She retired in 2020 but continued working as a substitute.

William Burger worked for the same district for three decades, serving as an assistant principal for the past 11 years at Cornerstone Academy.

Spring Branch ISD released no new information on Wednesday.

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Police on Monday arrested a man in the death of missing 18-year-old woman after he set his Alief apartment ablaze and then told investigators where to find her body, authorities said.

Henry Cossette, 28, is charged with murder, arson and tampering with evidence, in this case a human corpse. Police said they believe he strangled Sara Goodwin Feb. 6 and dismembered her before hiding her bagged-up body in south Houston.

A hospital confession to a police officer tied Cossette to Goodwins disappearance, according to court records.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Funeral arrangements have been scheduled for 9-year-old Arlene Alvarez

Police believe Cossette set his apartment in the 8600 block of South Course Drive on fire late Saturday. He was taken to a hospital for medical treatment following the fire. While there, he told a police officer that he killed a prostitute in his apartment earlier that month, sources with knowledge of the investigation said.

He said he picked the woman up on Bissonett Street and took her to his apartment for sex. He paid her on Cash App but she tried to leave, the sources said.

He confronted her and the woman brandished a knife, with Cossette then contending that he had to defend himself. He then strangled her and put her body in a bathtub.

According to police, Cossette dismembered the womans body and bought bags from a store to hold her remains. He drove 14 miles and dumped the remains in the 1800 block of Fellows Road  the address he later gave to authorities to find the womans body.

Investigators found bags containing human remains at the location. Although additional identification is pending, detectives said they believe the body is Goodwin.

On HoustonChronicle.com: El Chapo's wife Emma Coronel Aispuro transferred to Texas prison

After Goodwins disappearance, a cousin reported her disappearance.

The family member said that Goodwin called her Feb. 6 and told her that she was getting into a mans car. A missing persons flyer for Goodwin said she may have been seen in the area of South Course and Bissonnett.

Cossette faces an arson charge in connection to a Saturday night fire at his apartment. Investigators contend he ignited the fire in an attempt to take his own life, according to court records.

Cossette, who will undergo a review for possible mental illness or an intellectual disability, is being held on a combined $1.2 million on the three charges. He is slated on Wednesday to appear in the 184th District Court.

He has no prior criminal history in Harris County.

nicole.hensley@chron.com
A Houston-area worker for the U.S. Postal Service has been charged with a felony after a fraud investigation that alleges she stole mail from the elderly in Harris County.

Jasmine Marie Brown, 31, was arrested on Friday at the Westbury facility on Chimney Rock Road, according to Friendswood Police.

Fraud investigators allege that Brown, who investigators confirmed was a temporary seasonal USPS worker from December 2021 until January 2022, intercepted a total of four checks in the mail and deposited them into her bank account, according to a release.

The investigation also found that one check belonged to a 74-year old Friendswood resident, and was meant to pay his office rent, police said.

Harris County court records show that the man mailed his $870 rent check on Dec. 15 from his community mailbox to a P.O. Box located at the Westbury Post office. The man told investigators that after his rental company contacted him that they did not receive his rent check, he went to his bank, JP Morgan Chase, and learned that he was the victim of fraud. A bank employee told him that the check was cashed and deposited into an unknown Capitol One account, according to court documents.

The man's rent check was one of the four checks Brown allegedly cashed on Jan. 3, which in total amounted to $3,270, according to court records.

Brown is charged with felony aggregate theft and was released on a $2,500 bond, court documents show.

OnHoustonChronicle.com: US Postal Service investigating Crosby video that allegedly shows worker throwing out voter registration cards

A spokesperson from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General confirmed Tuesday that Brown is no longer employed by the U.S. Postal Service.

"The U.S. Postal Service employs more than 625,000 employees and is the largest civilian federal workforce in the country. This type of alleged behavior within the Postal Service is not tolerated and the overwhelming majority of Postal Service employees, which serve the public, are honest, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who would never consider engaging in any type of criminal behavior."
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An off-duty San Jacinto County deputy constable was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon by a man who gained control of his weapon during a disturbance at a southwest Houston mall, authorities said.

Deputy Neil Adams was working an extra job at PlazAmericas shopping mall at 7500 Bellaire Boulevard in Sharpstown when a disturbance broke out and someone grabbed his gun, said Houston Police Chief Troy Finner.

The man shot Adams, Finner said, and Houston police officers responded around 4 p.m. to a call to assist the deputy. Minutes later, the suspect came at the officers with a sharp object, likely a knife, in the food court of the mall; two officers fired shots at the armed man, striking him.

The suspect later died at the hospital. Police said he was a Black man in his 30s but did not release his name.

CRIME: 'These are brutal, brutal murders': Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable shot to death during traffic stop in west Houston

The officers who discharged their weapons both worked for the police departments Midwest division and had two years of experience. They have been placed on administrative leave. The Harris County District Attorneys Office is conducting an investigation into the police shooting, per policy.

Top law enforcement officials from across the area, including Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena, San Jacinto County Precinct 1 Constable Roy Rogers and San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers stood together at a Wednesday night news briefing outside Memorial Hermann hospital.

Rogers, who rushed down to Houston after getting a call from Finner, asked for prayers for the slain deputys family.

We lost one of our heroes, he said. Its a good man, he worked hard to take care of his family, to take care of the constituents of our county.

Adams was the environmental officer for San Jacinto County, according to Rogers. The deputy constable became a peace officer in 2012 and previously worked for the sheriffs department.

San Jacinto County is located roughly 70 miles north of Houston near Sam Houston National Forest.

POLICE: Slain Harris County deputy remembered for big smile, friendship at packed funeral

Dee Dee Adams, the deputy constable's wife, also spoke briefly, criticizing anti-police sentiment and urging the public to pray for the region's law enforcement officers.

"Pray for all the sheepdogs (police) out there," she said, referencing a common description of law enforcement officers as the guardians of the public, or sheep.

She said police "get a bad rap," when they're just trying to protect the public.

Its unclear what exactly led to the shooting. Finner said there was some type of confrontation. Multiple gunshots were fired.

RELATED NEWS: Mayor Turner outlines $44 million plan to combat violent crime

The violent encounter startled mall patrons and employees.

Roni Brizuela said he was working at the mall when he heard gunfire and people screaming.

I threw myself to the ground, he said.

He saw police rushing into the mall and two wounded people whisked away on stretchers as he took shelter in a store with a closed gate.

The shooting prompted the mall to shut down for the remainder of the day.

Along with other shoppers and employees, Brizuela rushed to his car to leave the premises.

The shooting marks the latest in a string of attacks against local law enforcement officials. Cpl. Charles Galloway of the Harris County Precinct 5 Constables Office was shot and killed Jan. 23 during a traffic stop.

The next day, Sgt. Ramon Gutierrez of the Harris County Sheriffs Office was fatally struck by a driver during a traffic escort.

Additionally, three Houston police officers were wounded Jan. 27 in a chaotic domestic disturbance call that ended in a shootout.

nicole.hensley@chron.com

anna.bauman@chron.com

st.john.smith@chron.com

OTHER NEWS: Houston educator killed in San Antonio family shooting identified by officials

Houston health employee at center of FBI raid placed on leave, hires attorney
Capitol Police warned Wednesday that so-called Freedom Convoys of truckers protesting COVID vaccine rules may seek to cause widespread disruptions coinciding with President Bidens State of the Union address next Tuesday.

The police warned lawmakers in a memo that they are tracking plans for nationwide traffic snarling protests inspired by the right-wing anti-vaxxer rallies that crippled Canada and blocked key trade routes in recent weeks.

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These convoys .... make cause disruptions on and around roadways in the Washington D.C. area, the memo read and may culminate on Mar. 1 for the annual address given by the president to both chambers of Congress.

Heavy vehicles, including garbage trucks and snowplows, are set near the entrance to Capitol Hill at Pennsylvania Avenue and 3rd Street NW in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, amid reports that trucker protests will arrive on March 1, the day of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The Pentagon is expected to approve the deployment of 700 to 800 unarmed National Guard troops to the nations capital, a U.S. official said Tuesday after the District of Columbia government and the U.S. Capitol Police requested the National Guards assistance.

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The troops would be mainly used to help control traffic and are expected to come from the districts National Guard and three states, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss aid not yet formally approved.

Separate truck convoys in the U.S. have been planned through online forums with names like the Peoples Convoy and the American Truckers Freedom Fund  all with different starting points, departure dates and routes.

One report from Bidens hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, suggested the protest was off to a slow start with a planned convoy headed for Washington attracting just one truck.

Truck drivers and supporters gather a day before a Peoples Convoy departs for Washington, DC to protest COVID-19 mandates on February 22, 2022 in Adelanto, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

It remains to be seen if any U.S. convoys would seek to actively shut down Washingtons streets the way their Canadian counterparts did in Ottawa. Some convoy organizers have spoken of plans to briefly roll through the city, then focus on shutting down the Beltway, which encircles the capital.

People pose for a photo as truck drivers and supporters gather one day before a Peoples Convoy departs for Washington, DC to protest COVID-19 mandates on February 22, 2022 in Adelanto, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Peoples Convoy organizer Mike Landis, in a video testimonial on the groups website, said the current COVID vaccine is not proven yet but supported individual choice on whether to take it or not. Landis said the convoy was open to all vehicles and said the primary goal was to pressure Biden to lift the national state of emergency.

We want this government to bring back the Constitution, Landis said. We do not want to be under a dictatorship, communism-style regime, like where we are right now.

A state of emergency in the U.S. was declared by former President Donald Trump in March 2020. Last week, Biden announced his intention to extend it beyond the current Mar. 1 expiration date.

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A Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy struck a 77-year-old man who was walking in the middle of a road late Tuesday night, authorities said.

The deputy was responding to reports of a suspicious car about 11 p.m. when he attempted to maneuver his patrol vehicle around the man who was walking in the 21000 block of westbound Clay Road, officials said.
Jay R. Jordan / Jay Jordan, Staff

A man who is believed to have strangled his son and then died by suicide Sunday at their west Houston apartment was scheduled to be in court Tuesday on a misdemeanor family violence charge, according to authorities and court records.

Alireza Tabarzan, 57, and Amir Tabarzan, 19, were identified by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences as men who died on Sunday around the time of the incident. The agency has ruled the death of the elder man as a suicide and as of early Tuesday afternoon, has not ruled on a manner of death for the teenager.
Clarksville ISD superintendent Dr. Kermit Ward is facing a challenge he has never had to overcome.

According to Ward, Clarksville ISD, which is located in Red River County in the northeast segment of Texas, is not hiring or retaining enough teachers. In every other district where Ward has worked as an administrator, he has never had a problem receiving quality applicants to staff his schools.

Ward's solution is to implement a four-day school week, which he says is "probably going to happen, because it needs to happen."

"What we have here is a phenomenon that is really unlike what I've ever seen before," Ward said. "We've got four districts in the county where they're all fighting over staff that just really is not there."

"That made me realize that I am somewhere that is just starkly different," he said. He added that offering a four-day week may be needed "in order to really give myself a leg up on what's around here and to be able to reach beyond my county" for staff.

TEA: Texas now requires new charter schools to ensure they wont teach critical race theory

Ward has been the superintendent for Clarksville ISD since 2018. Before that, he taught at Pflugerville ISD for eight years and Waco ISD for nine years. Clarksville is the smallest district Ward has been a part of, with 72 teachers and 540 students. Clarksville is the second-largest school district in Red River County.

It would not be the first Texas school district to operate a four-day school week. According to Times Record News, four-day school weeks are becoming a trend for rural Texas towns. Petrolia Consolidated Independent School District has Fridays off, and Olfen ISD, about 27 miles northeast of San Angelo, has operated a four-day school week since 2016.

According to Ward, smaller school districts run the risk of needing educators to teach subject matter that is outside their areas expertise far more than districts with larger populations. If a district operates on a four-day workweek, teachers may be able to have more time to plan for each subject, Ward says.

"That's one of the reasons why you see so much burnout on the secondary level," Ward said. "It's just not enough time to put together a lesson plan for each one of those content areas."

Ward has tried other alternatives to retain quality teachers in his time at Clarksville. He once offered a $12,000 stipend for an English teacher position, which worked for that role but isn't sustainable for all the positions the district needs.

EDUCATION: 2 adults accused of assaulting Klein ISD principal during meeting, according to court documents

To gauge interest, Ward sent an anonymous poll to the teachers in his district that resulted in 87 percent saying they would be in favor of the calendar change. Ward also said he received little pushback from parents about the idea, except for one who expressed concerns about their child who receives dyslexia services.

"The parent's argument, which was a valid argument, is that their child is losing one day of consistency and one day of reinforcement," Ward said. "I think that is a real argument and I don't know if I can create a reply that can overcome that. That does weigh on my conscience because, for some kids, the consistency and the routine is disrupted.

Some parents voiced their frustrations on Facebook.

"What about the parents that have to work five days??," one commenter wrote. "Hard to find child care for one day a week. Just leave things alone."
Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The Houston Health Department employee at the center of an FBI search last week has been placed on administrative leave by the city.

Barry Barnes, an administrative marketing coordinator in the department, maintains he has been following all the regulations, the letter of the law and doing a fantastic job promoting the health department, according to his lawyer, Michael J. Wynne. (Barnes is unrelated to the mayors former law partner, also named Barry Barnes, who was involved in allegations of attempted contract steering in the housing department last year.)
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Brownsville community activist Rebekah Hinojosa heard banging on the front door. She thought it was a package delivery, but then she saw police. She cracked the door to speak with them, and the officers pushed inside her apartment.

Still in her pajamas, Hinojosa was handcuffed and escorted outside, she said. She spent 26 hours in jail. Then Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez posted her mugshot on Facebook.

Her alleged crime? Painting gentrified stop SpaceX on the bottom of a controversial downtown mural that was paid for with funds from Elon Musks foundation.

This is a targeted political attack and so it has nothing to do with graffiti in downtown Brownsville, her attorney Mike Siegel said. Why is the mayor using public resources to go after Rebekah Hinojosa? The mayor considers himself more loyal to Elon Musk than the people of Brownsville.

SPACEX IN BROWNSVILLE: Elon Musk brings exploding rockets and real estate to South Texas. Not everyone is happy.

Mayor Mendez said his concern was vandalism. I have spoken out against previous acts of vandalism to other iconic artwork by local artists and will remain consistent in doing so.

The Brownsville Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. The mayor said he had asked that an investigation be conducted into the arrest.

Hinojosa is a vocal opponent of SpaceX, the rocket company thats developing spacecraft prototypes along a beach outside of Brownsville. Musk founded the company in 2002 and, in more recent years, has chosen Boca Chica as the testbed for his Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket that are being designed to carry people to the moon, Mars and beyond.

The greater Brownsville community has a front-row seat to his fast-paced, iterative and explosive development. City officials and space enthusiasts praise the projects economic development; others worry about its environmental and cultural ramifications.

Hinojosa works for the Sierra Club, a nonprofit environmental organization, and has been outspoken against SpaceX and how its development affects wildlife, beach access and nearby residents. Mendez said on Facebook that city cameras captured the downtown mural being vandalized; Hinojosa declined to answer questions about the graffiti allegations and her attorney said theyd address these claims in the criminal justice system.

We are confident that Rebekah will be vindicated, Siegel said. The facts of the allegations against her, those will be sorted out through the criminal process.

Hinojosa wasnt sure why police knocked on her door around 9 a.m. Feb. 16. She didnt see a warrant as they rushed inside and held her arms behind her back. When she tried to grab shoes, Hinojosa said an officer threatened to charge her with resisting arrest.

She was taken to jail, and Hinojosa said officers took away her prescription glasses.

I have really terrible vision, she said. I cant see anything. I cant even read the badges of these cops.

It was during questioning with a detective that Hinojosa learned her arrest was about the BTX mural. The graffiti has since been painted over.

Teddy Kelly, of Los Angeles, was paid $20,000 to paint the mural. The money came from funds the Musk Foundation provided to help revitalize downtown Brownsville, according to other media reports.

Hinojosa had heard community members gripe about the piece, saying it was money that could have benefited a local artist, and the mural doesnt reflect the Rio Grande Valleys culture. Instead, Hinojosa said, people in the community say it feels like a rebranding  an attempt to attract SpaceX employees and tourists.

Ive never heard anyone in Brownsville call this city BTX, she said. ATX, however, is commonly used to described Austin.

Hinojosa returned to her jail cell after being questioned by the detective. She was held for about 26 hours and then released without having to post cash bond. She was charged with a Class B misdemeanor for graffiti.

Then her mugshot was shared on the mayors Facebook page.

Mendezs first post, which was later edited, noted that Hinojosa had been quoted in several anti-SpaceX articles. It also listed her job title.

The version currently online has an innocent until proven guilty clause.

We will let the legal process take its course on these criminal charges and respect that someone is innocent until proven guilty, Mendez wrote on Facebook. However, the City of Brownsville takes all crimes, especially those to city property, very seriously.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Mendez said he respects Hinojosa but cannot dismiss the seriousness of this act.

I respect her prior work and her resume as an activist, Mendez said, and I hope she continues to ask tough questions to corporate interests that may seek to exploit our community and its residents.

Hinojosa called the mayors actions abuses of power, and shes asking the city to dismiss her charge and investigate Mendez.

Ive been singled out and publicly attacked by the mayor of Brownsville specifically because I speak out against SpaceX, she said. Ive been feeling a lot of emotional distress.

STARSHIP UPDATE: Elon Musk says SpaceX could emphasize Florida over South Texas for Starship launches

Siegel, the attorney who is representing Hinojosa pro bono, wants to know why she was treated like a violent criminal and who prompted this behavior. He said its not normal for four officers in two police vehicles to make a graffiti arrest.

Jennifer Carreon agreed. Carreon is director of the criminal justice project at Texas Appleseed, a public interest group that advocates for social justice reform. She described the number of officers and show of force as egregious.

Mendez said: If we see that any wrongful conduct occurred on the part of our police department, I will be the first to support the findings and recommendations resulting from that investigation.

Texas law permits officers to cite and release people arrested for Class B misdemeanor graffiti charges. With cite and release, an individual would receive a citation and a notice to appear in court  not jail time.

But law enforcement agencies must establish this cite-and-release policy on a county and local level, and Carreon said Brownsville and Cameron County have not created such policies. Because they dont have cite and release policies, an officer would have to arrest the person charged with graffiti and bring him or her to jail.

This can typically be done without force, she said, and there was no need for officers to enter Hinojosas home. They wouldnt be looking for drugs or weapons, for instance, in a graffiti case.

My guess is no judge is going to offer a warrant for search of premises or search of residence based on a graffiti charge, she said. They shouldnt have stepped foot in her house. That is not a typical response.

Hinojosa said she cares deeply about her communitys environment, people and downtown area. She told that to the detective who questioned her last week, and she will continue spreading that message to others in the Rio Grande Valley.

I will continue to protest the negative environmental impact of continuing space launches, she said, and I will continue to oppose the mayors efforts to sell Brownsville to Elon Musk."

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder
The Castroville police chief is accused of using a racial slur while at the scene of a slaying in Medina County earlier this month.

Chief Brian Jackson is alleged to have used the slur on Feb. 5 as multiple law enforcement agencies were investigating the discovery of a body near Houston Street and Highway 90, city officials said.

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City Council was expected to discuss Jacksons employment status during a meeting at 5 p.m. today.

Castroville Mayor Darrin Schroeder said in a phone interview Tuesday that internal actions have already been taken, but he could not elaborate because they relate to personnel matters.

We dont take this lightly, Schroeder said. Discrimination and racism is a huge problem in our country and the world, and it cant be a problem in Castroville.

The slur was reportedly used at least three times in front of a Medina County sheriffs deputy equipped with a body-worn camera, a source told KSAT.

Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown overheard the language used in the footage and alerted the city, he told the news station.

Brown could not be reached for comment as of Tuesday afternoon.

Schroeder said that the city is investigating the allegation and proceeding with due process toward Jackson, and that action cannot be taken without any proof.

The city has requested any kind of video footage and information from the Sheriffs Office that would substantiate the allegation, Schroeder said.

We believe in all human rights, Schroeder said in a statement. So we will not discipline simply on rumors or hearsay, but we will act decisively if we determine guilt of discrimination.

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He said Jackson does not have any history of discrimination.

The mayor said that Jackson, who previously was a lieutenant in the department, has worked hard to develop trust with the community during his time as chief.

Hes the one who has turned the department around quite a bit, Schroeder said.

He recalled one case in which students from an area high school wanted to lead a Black Lives Matters march.

Jackson coordinated the officers who were protecting the demonstrators and made sure they stayed far away enough so the students would not feel surrounded, Schroeder said.

The meeting is to be live streamed and may be viewed on the citys Facebook page.
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Jason Holt thinks a lot about Pfc. Thomas C. Hawkins and the life he might have lived.

Intelligent and deeply religious, Hawkins was beloved by his family in North Carolina and had recently re-enlisted for a third tour of duty in the Army, but it all came to an abrupt end two weeks before Christmas in 1917.

Dear mother and father, when this letter reaches you I will be beyond the veil of sorrow, he wrote. I will be in heaven with the angels.

Hawkins and 12 other soldiers of the all-Black 3rd Battalion, U.S. 24th Infantry were executed Dec. 11, 1917, convicted for participating in a deadly riot in Houston the previous August. In all, 19 African Americans would be hanged for their roles in what became known as the Camp Logan Mutiny.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Seventeen of them are buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, where Holt, a New Jersey lawyer and distant cousin of Hawkins, helped dedicate a marker near their graves Tuesday. Others on hand included Army commanders and a group working to overturn the soldiers convictions and those of 91 others court-martialed in the riots wake.

Today you are not forgotten, Holt said, addressing the executed soldiers after identifying each of them and asking their descendants to stand. I dont know what historys ultimate judgment will be, but on this day, at this time, theres an acknowledgment that your lives mattered, that your lives had impact, value and meaning, because injustice in its cataclysmic struggle with justice cannot win.

The clash on Aug. 23, 1917, left 16 people dead and two dozen injured, most of them white. The Black soldiers at Camp Logan, now part of Memorial Park west of downtown Houston, had reacted to routine police harassment and beatings and a rumor that lawmen had killed an infantryman.

A clemency petition has been in the works for years and is now under review at the Pentagon. A driving force behind it is the belief that impartial proceedings would not have produced so many executions, even under the standards of military justice during World War I.

Another reason is that those standards were so poor to begin with.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

All the soldiers were tried at Fort Sam Houstons Gift Chapel, 118 of them in three groups, for mutiny, willful disobedience of orders, murder and assault. They were represented by a single officer who was not a lawyer. Not even one witness identified any of the accused.

A short walk from the soldiers graves, Matthew Quinn, a Veterans Affairs Department undersecretary, stood before a crowd of around 50 people, some in the uniforms of the Armys famed Buffalo Soldiers, and struck a theme others would echo: the effort underway to right old wrongs.

NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here.

I paused when we all said the Pledge of Allegiance with the final words, liberty and justice for all, and if there are not more fitting words for today, I dont know that Ill be able to do any more justice, he said.

The unveiled plaque is an informational marker and contains slices of the the 24ths history and the racial unrest of the era, said cemetery director Aubrey David.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

If the clemency petition is approved, it would allow the executed soldiers to receive new headstones listing their rank, unit and, in some cases, war zones where they served, including the Philippines and Gen. John J. Pershings expedition against Pancho Villa in revolutionary Mexico.

Today, the headstones list only their names and dates of birth.

On HoustonChronicle.com: South Texas College of Law, NAACP push for clemency for soldiers convicted in Camp Logan riots

The men did not get due process, said Angela Holder, a Houston Community College history professor and descendant of Cpl. Jesse Moore, who was among the first to be executed. They did not get a chance to get an appeal on their case.

When one of the members of the tribunal  was told the men had been executed and buried, he was outraged, she added, noting that a new general order forbade executions without trial reviews.

That rule would spare 10 of 16 men later tried in connection with the riot.

Their convictions, while technically legal, were not just, Dru Brenner-Beck, an adjunct professor at the South Texas College of Law, wrote in the petition. It is time that the records of these men reflect the service they rendered to their nation and continue the legacy of honor, patriotism, and valor that mark the history of the 24th Infantry Regiment.

On the base: Tour recalls executed soldiers at Fort Sams Hangmans Grove

Rosieleetta Reed, president of the Dallas-based Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association, recalled learning about the mutiny from her grandfather, a veteran, when she was a little girl.

I cried and he said, Well, when you become a soldier, youre the property of the United States government. And then they put a black eye on the rest of the soldiers, recalled Reed, 72. They already had a hard time because of Jim Crow, Texas, but they had an extremely hard time after that.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Her grandfather told her soldiers were confined to their posts for three years, unable to go home to visit families.

Reed thinks the mutinys leaders should have been executed but the younger participants spared. Court-martialing them was appropriate because they disobeyed orders and 119 of them marched into Houston and they killed some civilians, she added.

The riot was a culmination of simmering resentment against a police force that terrorized Black residents, John Haymond, a historian of military law who is writing a book on the mutiny and trials, said in an email.

One of those executed, Sgt. William Nesbit, was the grandson of a president of the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League, said a descendant, Charles Anderson, 64, of Lampasas.

He has spent 30 years trying to learn about Nesbit, a journey that took him to the National Archives and the Philippines, where the soldier had served at one point in his Army career. Anderson said he turned up no evidence that Nesbit participated in the riot but enough about his family and record that would puzzle me to think that he would even be involved in something like that.

One advocate for clemency is Sandi Hajtman, even though her great-grandfather, Houston police officer Ira Rainey, was shot and stabbed 26 times and had his heart cut out by rioters.

Just who killed him isnt known. Hajtman said Rainey was described as a kind man, widely respected, but she understands how racism in Houston lit the fuse that erupted with the riot.

I was hoping for a long time that their convictions would be overturned because I just think its a terrible miscarriage of justice, said Hajtman, who worked as a legal secretary and paralegal with a Houston law firm and collaborated with Holt on a petition to pardon the soldiers.

I believe in a fair trial, she said, and I dont think these men got a fair trial.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

As Holt, the New Jersey lawyer, reckons the times, World War I wasnt far removed from slavery  freed slaves, and their slaveholders, were still alive. For Black people, the window of Reconstruction-era participation in civic life in the South had long since given way to second-class citizenship and danger from racial violence in most parts of the country.

In the early 20th century, that violence included military-civilian clashes involving African American soldiers in El Paso, Brownsville, San Antonio, Del Rio and Waco.

As the final 12 hours of his life ticked away, Hawkins, the distant cousin of Holt, kept his bearing.

He says, Im sentenced to be hanged for the trouble that happened in Houston, Texas, Holt said, reading from Hawkins last letter. Although I am not guilty of the crime that I am accused of, but mother, if it is Gods will that I go now, it is Gods will that I go now, and in this way.

How would you like to be a mother and get that?

Holts efforts to win a presidential pardon have failed. Even if it had been granted, the verdicts would have remained. The petition for clemency, if successful, would overturn those convictions.

Originally sent to then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, it was given to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. Brenner-Beck said it will be expedited, but a six- to eight-month review period is likely before the boards recommendation goes to the current Army secretary, Christine Wormuth.

Sometimes progress is incremental and you have to have a long view, but progress nonetheless is something to celebrate, Holt said.

For Holder, the Houston history professor, the sting wont go away.

Whatever we do, and Im really sad when I say this, it wont undo the way that they died, and Ive always described the men as having served in the tropics of the Philippines and eating the dust in Mexico and to end up at the end of a hangmans noose  and they were young men, she said.

My uncle was 27 years old, and he was not married, he did not have children. But no matter what we do now, it wont take away the hurt and the pain of his siblings, the pain that he endured, but it will give his spirit, his soul, peace to know that he did get justice.

sigc@express-news.net
Born and bred on the Chesapeake,

Young Danny Goeb was never meek;

Bound for Texas like Davy Crockett

Dan fit right in like ball and socket;

Chasing fame, he changed his name,

Our Lone Star State was never the same. 

Oh, sorry, we got carried away with the legend of Danny Goeb, the native Baltimorean who has anointed himself supreme arbiter of Texas history.

Were pretty sure that the man now known as Dan Patrick did not study Texas history in the seventh grade, as youngsters raised in this state traditionally do. We doubt he gave much thought to Austin, Travis, Houston and their fellow Texians as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Nevertheless, he has determined that teachers in Texas, from kindergarten through graduate school, must answer to him when they presume to teach the history of that big wonderful thing known as Texas, to borrow Austin writer Stephen Harrigans title for his 2019 history of the state.

Harrigans superb book took its title from Georgia OKeeffes description of the state and all 925 pages should be required reading for the lieutenant governor. He would discover that Texas history is so much richer, more complex and more interesting than his own Song of the South notions of antebellum Texas or his John Wayne hagiographic rendering of the Texas independence struggle.

Maybe Patrick has read Texas history  we hope so  but we see little evidence of any learning. More likely hes been too busy to read, too busy digging through his toolbox of disputatious cultural issues, assiduously searching for yet another hammer he can wield to raise welts of animosity and divisiveness. Thats the Patrick way, whether hes trying to unleash the bathroom cops on transgender students or pushing extreme abortion laws and even more extreme gun notions. He may be our all-powerful lieutenant governor, but the statesmans mantle has never hung naturally. Basically, he's still the self-promoting radio and TV shock jock who painted himself Houston Oiler-blue and underwent a vasectomy during a live broadcast.

Wading into Texas history not long ago, it was the Battle of the Alamo that earned his ire, after a recent book offered a revisionist history of that iconic battle.

Presently its critical race theory. Although we suspect Patrick has only the vaguest notion of its meaning, critical race theory is a handy tool to bash any educator audacious enough to suggest that maybe Texas hasnt always been the paragon of racial equality and equanimity.

I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory, he tweeted recently, doing his best to look Texas Ranger tough. We banned it in publicly funded K-12 and we will ban it in publicly funded higher ed.

His Twitter rant was in response to a vote by the Faculty Council of the University of Texas at Austin approving a resolution rejecting any attempt by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate the content of university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice. The vote was 41-5, with three abstentions.

Patrick then doubled down on his assault on academic freedom, a bedrock tradition in academia that is as useful to conservative professors and liberals ones. During the upcoming 88th Legislative Session, one of my priorities will be eliminating tenure at all public universities in Texas. Additionally, we will define teaching Critical Race Theory in statute as a cause for a tenured professor to be dismissed.

The lite guvs threat brings to mind a venerable aphorism, one that Patrick presumably has forgotten, never knew or chooses to ignore. Those who do not learn history, said the writer and philosopher George Santayana, are doomed to repeat it.

Every Texan, not just Patrick, needs to know that we have been here before. In the early 1940s, members of the University of Texas board of regents, appointed by Gov. Coke Stevenson and his predecessor, Pappy ODaniel, decided that so-called liberal professors were themselves in need of a hard lesson. Scouring syllabi and curricula, the regents found evidence of professors who seemed to be sympathetic to labor unions and the socialist programs of President Franklin Roosevelts New Deal.

In Harrigans words, the regents were men disposed to regard the professors in Austin as agents of a far-reaching evil. They demanded that UT President Homer Rainey fire four economics professors with New Deal leanings. Rainey refused. He also refused to bounce the English professor who had included John Dos Passos critically acclaimed but obscene novel, The Big Money, on an undergraduate reading list. In addition, the regents determined that UT harbored a nest of homosexuals.

In 1944, at a meeting held at Houstons Rice Hotel, they fired Rainey. Protests by thousands of students, professors and Rainey supporters included a mock funeral replete with pallbearers carrying a coffin labeled Academic Freedom. The protesters were accompanied by the Longhorn Band playing Frederic Chopins Funeral March.

The protests were darkly humorous, in a way, but there was nothing amusing about the issue itself  academic freedom. It took years for the University of Texas to shed its reputation, deserved or not, as an intellectual backwater, a plaything of governors and their big-money supporters who knew indoctrination, not education.

UT historian Bill Brands, the author of a number of books about Texas, expects that Patricks assault on academic tenure is likely to prove an empty threat.

And after the elections, Brands observes, the realistic members of his party will remind him that Houston became a world leader in medicine, Austin a midcontinent alternative to Silicon Valley and Dallas the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country in no small part because of the quality of higher education in the state of Texas.

Lets hope the professor is right. If Patrick is not distracted by some other culture-war cudgel between now and the next legislative session, Texas higher education could see universities from around the world swooping in to lure away academic talent.

One more thing about our would-be academic arbiter: His complaints borne of ignorance demean his fellow Texans  and our forebears. If teachers and students are not allowed to engage those who came before as actual human beings, with flaws, foibles and shortcomings just like ours, then students can only learn of them; they cant learn from them. Young Texans cant identify with granite statues.

Annette Gordon-Reed, who grew up in Conroe and is now a Pulitzer Prize winning historian at Harvard, writes that she is often asked to explain what she as an African-American woman loves about her native Texas, given all that I know of what has happened there 

Love does not require taking an uncritical stance toward the object of ones affections, she writes in her most recent book, On Juneteenth. In truth, it often requires the opposite. We cant be of real service to the hopes we have for places  and people, ourselves included  without a clear-eyed assessment of their (and our) strengths and weaknesses. That often demands a willingness to be critical, sometimes deeply so.

It's a good book, Patrick, one that every Texan ought to read, particularly a native Marylander who presumes to write the one-and-only syllabus of Texas history. Also, Gordon-Reeds book is short, Patrick, only 146 pages.
Two of Texas most prominent right-wing megadonors, known for their efforts to unseat Republican incumbents who fail their conservative purity tests, are funding efforts to unseat nearly 20 GOP state lawmakers in favor of insurgent challengers.

In the weeks leading up to the March 1 primary, a political action committee called Defend Texas Liberty has poured $192,000 into the campaigns of seven Republican candidates running to the right of incumbent Texas House members. Of the $5.5 million raised by the PAC this cycle, $4.6 million has come from Midland oilman Tim Dunn and Cisco fracking billionaire Farris Wilks, the duo known for bankrolling a similar political group, Empower Texans.

Riding the tea party wave and Republican backlash to then-President Barack Obama, Empower Texans spent lavishly in support of libertarian-style social conservatives through 2018, when the group failed to unseat all but a few GOP targets in the primary, then suffered key losses in November.

Though Dunn and Wilks played a lesser role in 2020, ultimately dissolving the Empower Texans PAC, their return to the primary battlefield this year under a different name pits them directly against House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, who is supporting the seven incumbents facing challengers funded by Defend Texas Liberty.

Candidate standing Republican House incumbents opposed by Defend Texas Liberty PAC Cole Hefner, R-Mt. Pleasant, District 5 Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, District 11 Kyle Kacal, R-College Station, District 12 John Raney, R-College Station, District 14 Ernest Bailes, R-Shepherd, District 18 Justin Holland, R-Rockwall, District 33 Glenn Rogers, R-Graford, District 60 Matt Shaheen*, R-Plano, District 66 Jeff Leach, R-Plano, District 67 Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, District 83 Ken King, R-Canadian, District 88 Mike Schofield, R-Katy, District 132 Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, District 150 *Unopposed in primary Republican House candidates running against GOP incumbent who received contribution from Defend Texas Liberty PAC, Jan. 21 to Feb. 19 George Lavender (vs. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, District 1) Wes Virdell (vs. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, District 53) Shelley Luther (vs. Reggie Smith, R-Sherman, District 62) Andy Hopper (vs. Lynn Stucky, R-Denton, District 64) Casey Gray (vs. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, District 81) David Lowe (vs. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, District 91) Christine Kalmbach (vs. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, District 138) Republican House members supported by Defend Texas Liberty PAC, Jan. 21 to Feb. 19 Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, District 6 Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, District 94 Republican House candidates running for open seat who received contribution from Defend Texas Liberty PAC, Jan. 21 to Feb. 19 Tom Glass, District 17 Nubia Devine, District 19 Patrick McGuinness, District 52 Matthew Poole, District 57 Jim Herblin, Distrrict 61 Jeff Younger, District 63 Nate Schatzline, District 93 Mark Dorazio, District 122 Republican Senate candidates supported by Defend Texas Liberty PAC Kevin Sparks, District 31 See More Collapse

In campaign finance reports posted Wednesday by the Texas Ethics Commission, the Dunn- and Wilks-funded PAC reported spending undisclosed amounts to oppose a dozen more Republican incumbents in contested primaries. All 12 of the candidates have also received financial support from Phelan.

Additionally, the group is backing eight Republicans running for open House seats and one GOP candidate, Kevin Sparks, who is running for an open Senate seat. The PAC also has contributed to two incumbents in recent weeks: state Reps. Matt Schaefer and Tony Tinderholt, who are among the most conservative members of the lower chamber.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

On the list of targets, meanwhile, are a number of Phelans key allies, including state Rep. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock, who chairs the influential House Calendars Committee, and state Rep. Stephanie Klick, R-Fort Worth, chair of the House Public Health Committee.

Also on the groups hit-list are two members of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus: state Rep. Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, and state Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano. Though Shaheen is unopposed in his primary, Defend Texas Liberty PAC has sent mailers around Shaheens North Texas district slamming him for voting not to block Democrats from chairing committees in the House.

The group has leveled the same attack against a number of other Republican candidates in recent weeks, though only five Republicans in the 150-member House voted to bar Democrats from chairmanships.

Much of Defend Texas Libertys spending has come in districts outside the Houston area. One of the groups biggest beneficiaries, however, is a PAC funded by Houston conservative activist Steve Hotze, called Conservative Republicans of Texas. The group  one of three that mails a slate of recommended primary candidates to hundreds of thousands of households  received $150,000 from Defend Texas Liberty in January.

On his groups mailer for the 2022 primary, Hotze characterizes the candidates he supports as Christians, conservatives, patriots who promote Biblical marriage, school choice and the right to refuse vaccines. The mailer casts other candidates as socialists and communists who censor Christian and conservative views and support gay marriage, which the mailer describes as a mirage.

Jared Woodfill, the president of Conservative Republicans of Texas, said GOP voters are feeling emboldened this year by a favorable national landscape, leading to a revival of the primary battles between moderate or establishment candidates and less compromising groups motivated by social causes. He said Hotzes group has similar interests to the PAC supported by Dunn and Wilks.

I think their values are very consistent with the values of our organization, Woodfill said. They're looking for individuals that are pro-family, pro-faith, limited government.

Dunn and Wilks could not be immediately reached for comment.

Otherwise, Defend Texas Liberty donated $10,000 to a nonprofit group called Abolish Abortion Texas, which has been attacking Republican House members who did not support a bill last year that would have abolished abortion. The bill would have classified the procedure as assault or homicide, the latter of which can be punished by the death penalty.

Among the targets of Abolish Abortion Texas is state Rep. Lacey Hull, a freshman Republican from Houston who, along with every GOP member of the House, voted to support the near-ban on abortions passed into law last year.

Though Defend Texas Liberty has waded into 29 contested House primaries since mid-January, the bulk of its political spending during the period  $2.6 million out of $3.8 million  went to support Republican gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines, who is Gov. Greg Abbotts best-funded challenger.

Earlier this month, Defend Texas Liberty received a $500,000 contribution from Huffines twin brother, Phillip Huffines.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
Chicago, IL (60637)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 47F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 41F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
China's anti-epidemic supplies arrive in Kiribati

Xinhua) 16:29, February 23, 2022

SYDNEY, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Anti-epidemic supplies provided by China were flown to Kiribati's capital Tarawa on Wednesday to help the South Pacific island country to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The medical supplies, transported by a chartered plane, include oximeters, monitors, electrocardiographs, ultrasonic diagnostic systems, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), according to the Chinese Embassy in Kiribati.

Chinese Ambassador to Kiribati Tang Songgen said these supplies highlighted the deep friendship between the Chinese government and people and the Kiribati government and people. China will always stand together with Kiribati in the fight against COVID-19, and will continue to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in pandemic control and public health.

Another batch of anti-COVID-19 supplies will be shipped to Kiribati in the near future.

Kiribati Minister of Health and Medical Services Tinte Itinteang thanked the Chinese side for providing the supplies, which the island country is in urgent need of. He expects the two countries to further enhance cooperation in anti-pandemic effort and public health.

According to the World Health Organization, from Jan. 3, 2020 to Feb. 22 this year, 2,847 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed with 11 deaths in Kiribati.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
Valentines Day is over but one former U.S. president just cant stop sending flowers and chocolates to his pal in the Kremlin.

Former President Trump stepped up his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday even as the strongman continued his military invasion of neighboring Ukraine and threatened a wider war.

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The twice-impeached president mocked President Biden for his leadership, a highly unusual step as the president seeks to unify the nation and the Western alliance against Russian aggression.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and then-U.S. President Donald Trump (right) (JORGE SILVA/AFP/Getty Images)

Putin is playing Biden like a drum. It is not a pretty thing to watch! Trump said in an email statement.

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The new round of praise-singing for Americas top bogeyman came a day after Trump called Putin a genius and very savvy for framing his invasion of breakaway regions of Ukraine as a peacekeeping mission.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 191 Firefighters work to extinguish a fire after an airstrike hit a tire shop in Lviv, Ukraine, Monday, April 18, 2022. Russian missiles hit the city of Lviv in western Ukraine on Monday, killing at least six people, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow's troops stepped up strikes on infrastructure in preparation for an all-out assault on the east. (Mykola Tys/AP)

Key Republican leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), have offered support to Bidens strategy, which is normally how American opposition leaders act when faced with a clear external threat to the U.S. and the Western alliance.

[ Sen. Lindsey Graham says enough is enough after Russia moves on Ukraine ]

That could change soon when the pro-Trump Conservative Political Action Committee kicks off its annual convention in Orlando, Florida from Thursday through Sunday.

Along with Trump, several top MAGA figures are expected to speak, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and far-right-wing media figures like Sean Hannity and Candace Owens, who has spouted pro-Russian talking points in recent days.
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Suspect Arrested in Murder of Man Found in Pittsfield State Forest

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  A suspect in the murder of Reymon Delacruz-Batista last year was arrested on Sunday by Pittsfield Police.

Jamel Nicholson, 33, was arraigned Tuesday in Central Berkshire District Court on single counts of murder, kidnapping, and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The body of Delacruz-Batista was found by a hunter in Pittsfield State Forest on Dec. 4. Emergency responders were called and paramedics with Action Ambulance pronounced him dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined his death a homicide as the result of multiple gunshot wounds.

Delacruz-Batista was 32 years old.

The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office obtained an arrest warrant for Nicholson and he was taken into custody without incident.

The court ordered that he be detained without bail.

"I thank the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit and the Pittsfield Police Department for their investigation into the death of Reymon Delacruz-Batista. I again extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends who are mourning his loss," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said. "This investigation remains active and ongoing and I ask anyone who may have information about this case to contact detectives and help deliver justice for Delacruz-Batista's loved ones."

The State Police Detective Unit's investigation remains ongoing and police ask anyone with information to contact State Police detectives at 413-499-1112 or the Pittsfield Police Department Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705.
Cheshire Council on Aging Leaders Resign

CHESHIRE, Mass.  The Cheshire Council on Aging met on Tuesday to discuss its next steps following the resignation of both its chair and director.



Former Director Carole Hilderbrand and former Council Chair Gene Gebarowski resigned late last week, following a Board of Selectmen meeting discussing the council's fiscal 2023 budget. The board appointed Brenda Caufield to the position of interim coordinator following the resignations.



"It's just an unfortunate situation," said Selectmen Chair Michelle Francesconi in an interview after the meeting. "The resignations were effective immediately. But we're trying to minimize the impact that that has on the services that are being provided."



The board took issue with changes in the job description, including increasing the director's compensation and providing the director benefits. The board also questioned the legitimacy of a previous change in the job's title from coordinator to director.



Francesconi said the changes to the job description legally necessitated reposting the job. She said the board intended to discuss the issues further but did not get the chance to because of the resignations.



"We did receive two legal opinions since then that did verify that we would have to repost that job if we did what they were asking, changing the title, job description and salary to become a benefited position," she said. "We were protecting the town."



The COA had voted to change the job title from coordinator to director in April 2021. Then Town Administrator Mark Webber told the council that it needed to vote on the name change to become official.



"Mark said you can call a Council on Aging meeting. We did; the Council on Aging voted on it," said Carol Francesconi, who the council elected as its chair until April, when it will hold its annual meeting. "I notified Mark that we had done it, and I notified the chairman of the Board of Selectmen that we had to change the title, so that we felt we were covered as far as what we had done."



When asked why the Board of Selectmen did not act on the job title change in April 2021, Michelle Francesconi said she and others were not aware the position had to be appointed by the board. She explained this is why the job title has reverted to coordinator for the time being.
The fire on a cargo ship transporting luxury cars across the Atlantic Ocean is dying out, according to authorities.

The Portuguese navy said Tuesday that the fire was subsiding and the ship would be towed to the Bahamas soon.

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The Felicity Ace started burning six days ago near the Azores, in the mid-Atlantic. The Portuguese navy evacuated the 22-person crew via helicopter but the vessel has been adrift since.

In this undated photo provided by the Portuguese Navy, smoke billows from the burning Felicity Ace car transport ship as seen from the Portuguese Navy NPR Setubal ship southeast of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese Azores Islands. (AP)

Capt. Joao Mendes Cabecas, the harbormaster at the port in Horta, in the Azores, told The Associated Press two tugboats with firefighting equipment had sprayed down the ships hull enough to cool it. Two more tugboats are expected to arrive at the scene this week, as well.

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He said the ship should be safe enough to board on Wednesday when a salvage team hopes to hook up a tow line.

The cause of the fire is still unknown but lithium batteries in the electric vehicles on board may have ignited the blaze. Volkswagen said some of its cars were on the ship, but did not reveal the makes and models.

In this undated photo provided by the Portuguese Navy, smoke billows from the burning Felicity Ace car transport ship as seen from the Portuguese Navy NPR Setubal ship southeast of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese Azores Islands. (AP)

We know from what the captain told us that there were a lot of electric vehicles on board, as well as non-electric vehicles, Mendes Cabecas said.

The harbormaster said the navy had not seen the ships manifest either, but the ship can hold more than 1,000 vehicles in its cargo areas.

Mendes Cabecas also said there was no risk of pollution as the firehoses are not being aimed inside the ship in order to avoid sending lithium battery runoff into the ocean.

With News Wire Services
10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival Continues

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The 11th annual 10x10 Upstreet Arts Festival continues this week with ice sculpting moved to Thursday Feb. 24.

The festival features a live array of music, art, theatre, dance, play, ice sculpting, outdoor fun, fireworks and more from February 17-27, 2022 in the heart of the Berkshires.

Artists Peter Vacchina and Robert Markey will be creating works of art made from ice in front of the Berkshire Museum on Thursday, Feb. 24. Look for Facebook and Instagram updates and live footage of this event. Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) and Berkshire Running Center all have 10x10 events.

Most events are back in person, with some streaming options, including: the 10x10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Company. Berkshire Museum is hosting its Ten Days of Play; the Berkshire Art Association's Real Art Party and the Berkshires Jazz concert. There will be live music every night at venues downtown during the 10x10 Tour.

The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts will feature the 5 x 10 Art Exhibit featuring five artists, each with ten pieces. Berkshire residents, as well as current and former arts teachers Michael Boroniec, MaryBeth Eldridge, Lisa Ostellino, Barbara Patton and Colleen Quinn will be showing ten pieces each at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts. The show runs February 17-March 18, 2022.

The Lichtenstein will also host other in person events including a Darrow School Theater Workshop; a pottery demonstration with Jim Horsford and a performance by Irish dancers.

The Berkshire Athenaeum and the Berkshire Historical Society are joining forces once again to present a collaborative exhibit of writing visualizations by this year's Melville Fellows.

The free 10 Minutes of Fireworks is back! Sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union, it returns to the Common on First Street on Saturday, February 26 at 6pm (dusk).

Other highlights of the festival include live music every night at downtown restaurants and a 10 percent discount at Mission Restaurant every night of the Festival.
Daniel Radcliffe is looking appropriately white and nerdy ahead of his upcoming trip to an Amish paradise.

The Harry Potter star is set to portray Weird Al Yankovic in a biopic based on the life and career of the prolific songsmith. The film recently started production of the first image of Radcliffes transformation into a mustachioed, glasses-and-Hawaiian-shirt-wearing, accordion-jamming, curly haired funnyman has been released.

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Daniel Radcliffe is @alyankovic. Your first look at #WEIRD is here  pic.twitter.com/m9BBZndorA  The Roku Channel (@TheRokuChannel) February 22, 2022

The movie is making its way to screens via Funny or Die, which created the parody biopic trailer being expanded to feature length now. The movie, like that 2010 parody video, will be directed by Eric Appel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Yankovic.

When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. Im very happy to say were on schedule, Yankovic said when the film was announced in January. He added that was absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for.

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The flick, WEIRD: The Weird Al Yankovic Story is set to debut on Roku and fans will be able to eat, er, watch it sometime in the future.
Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera vouched for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after his Fox News colleague Tucker Carlson called the left-wing politico an entitled rich white lady on Friday.

To be clear Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a proud woman of color, Rivera tweeted Tuesday. To claim otherwise is mere provocation.

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Carlson claimed otherwise on an episode of Tucker Carlson Tonight during a rant about a book on the liberal lawmaker he felt was too flattering.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks at a rally for Democratic Congressional candidates Jessica Cisneros and Greg Casar, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay/AP)

There is no place on Earth, outside of American colleges and newsrooms, where Sandy Cortez would be recognized as a woman of color, because shes not, he falsely claimed. Shes a rich, entitled white lady. Shes the pampered, obnoxious ski bunny in the matching snowsuit who tells you to pull up your mask while youre standing in the lift line at Jackson Hole. Theyre all the same.

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[ Kyle Rittenhouse tells Tucker Carlson hes launched Media Accountability Project ]

According to her congressional biography page, Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx to a dad who is a second-generation Bronxite and a mom who is from Puerto Rico. Her parents met in Puerto Rico, according to the 32-year-old progressive, who said her mom learned English after moving to New York City.

AOC addressed Carlsons remarks on Twitter, using a bit of Spanish.

This is the type of stuff you say when your name starts with a P and ends with dejo https://t.co/92chHFQUN7  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 19, 2022

This is the type of stuff you say when your name starts with a P and ends with dejo, she tweeted.

She was referring to the Spanish word pendejo, which essential translates to a--hole or idiot, according to Dictionary.com. She also called the right-wing conspiracy pundit trash in Spanish and a creep in English.

[ Feds want prison for privileged Jan. 6 defendant who took Nancy Pelosis lectern ]

Rivera, who frequently bickers with his Fox News colleagues, was born in New York City to a Puerto Rican father and a Russian Jewish mother.

Ocasio-Cortez told attendees at a 2018 Hanukkah event that her family had been tracing its roots in recent years and learned that many generations ago her family tree included Sephardic Jews. That Jewish group, which numbered around 300,000 according to Haaretz, fled Spain in the 15th century.

Carlson is well-known for espousing rhetoric thats highly offensive to minority groups.
Another state suing Monsanto two years after it was sued for polluting Wenatchee and other parts of WA
Ali Kismir, the President of the Cyprus Turkish Journalists' Union, Basin-Sen, an International/European Federation of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) affiliate, faces a 10-year prison sentence for an article published a year and a half ago. The IFJ and EFJ call for the charges against him to be dropped.

Ali Kismir, a columnist for the newspaper Ozgur Gazete Kbrs, faces up to 10 years in prison for "insulting and mocking the security forces" in an opinion piece he wrote over a year ago. Kismir is expected to appear in court on Monday 28 February on charges of violating article 26 of the Military Crime and Penalty Law.

The police informed him about the charges against him on 22 February, which carry a risk of a ban on travelling abroad, as well.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Board of Basin-Sen strongly criticised bringing criminal prosecutions against journalists for reasons linked to freedom of thought and expression.

"These criminal proceedings initiated by the security forces are a threat to all Cypriot journalists. This is an intolerable act of intimidation, which we strongly denounce," said the IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger.

"With these totally disproportionate criminal proceedings, the Turkish Cypriot authorities are violating European legal standards of press freedom and freedom of expression. Together with members of our affiliate Basin-Sen , we demand the immediate withdrawal of the charges against Ali Kismir," added the EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez.

"This lawsuit should be seen as an operation to oppress critical voices. We know that this is the practice of authoritarian regimes. These efforts to intimidate and silence critical journalists and media outlets in Northern Cyprus are gaining momentum under the guidance of the Erdogan government," said Mustafa Kuleli, General Secretary of the Turkeys Journalists Union (TGS). "We have stood up against those who intimidated us in the past through solidarity. We shall do it again, whenever necessary."
Stacey Abrams has become a well-known national figure for her voting-rights advocacy, political campaigns, and best-selling books. But in the midst of her work on all these fronts in recent years, she's also co-founded three companies.

Not all of them survived. The first was a consulting company, called Insomnia, which Abrams founded with Lara Hodgson. Soon, their interest in bringing a tangible product to market led them to found Nourish, a sterile baby bottle pre-filled with water.

The small company had some success, and found hotel and disaster-relief uses--in addition to traditional retail. A moment of inflection, a sizable order from a major retailer, turned into the first sign the company wasn't on stable footing. But initially, what was actually a death knell appeared to be a big win.

"It took months to get a sense of the scope of the problem," Abrams, who is running for governor of Georgia, told Inc.'s What I Know podcast. "There was no cinematic moment of, here it is, you're getting your prognosis. Our first moment of death looked like success."

With retailers placing orders and paying for them much later, Nourish found that its cash-flow situation was unsustainable. Winding down the business took years. But by that time, Abrams and Hodgson had dug into the problem they faced--and tried to solve it not just for themselves, but for other small businesses.

"Thirty days after you send in your supplies and your product and your invoices, [a customer or retail buyer] will get around to paying you," Abrams says. That 30 days can turn into 60 or 90, she adds. "If you're a small business, that is an almost impossible standard to meet when you're trying to scale ... You can essentially lend that money for a short period of time if the invoice is small. But the larger the invoice grows, the more risk you have that you're not going to get your payment. You can't pay your staff. You can't buy new product."

Abrams and Hodgson channeled their frustration into a finance company that pays invoices for small businesses. It's called Now, and its instant invoice-payment product is called Now Account. The pair don't regret having to shutter Nourish to found Now, especially since it supplied the idea for a company that could nurture many other small businesses.

Abrams says entrepreneurship inherently involves risk. While she says she's not a natural risk-taker, Abrams has become "risk-tolerant," and advises would-be founders to stick to their ideas--even if others don't believe in them right away.

"The real risk is not trying," she says. "That, to me, is so important because when you're willing to take risks, you see opportunities others may not expect."
Tony Tjan isn't the first entrepreneur to be inspired by Starbucks. But he is the first to try to apply the coffee chain's model of employee-friendly practices to the decidedly un-employee-friendly nail salon industry. And he just took his nail salon company, MiniLuxe, public to help fuel its expansion across the U.S.

On December 6, 2021, the Boston-based MiniLuxe--a chain of 20 nail salons aiming to promote healthy working conditions and quality service, at a slight premium--completed the largest capital pool company (CPC) offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) in history. The company--which charges $30 for a "signature manicure" compared with the $22.75 charged by competitors, on average--debuted at $1.12. It raised $15.5 million through its reverse takeover transaction and a non-brokered private investment in public equity, a deal in which investors buy stock directly from a company below market price.

Like blank-check or special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), CPCs are formed with the express intention of taking private companies public. Also like SPACs, CPCs have been around for decades: The first CPC offering was completed in 1986. However, the Canadian financial instrument recently received a surge of interest thanks to favorable regulatory changes. In 2021, 88 companies, including MiniLuxe, sought a public offering via CPC on Canadian exchanges, up from 31 the year before. Last year, the majority of all Canadian IPOs completed were either CPCs or SPACs.

Whether more U.S. companies will buy into CPCs remains a good question, and only time will tell. For now, entrepreneurs like Tjan think it's a good bet. But he's not out to evangelize CPCs, he'd settle for changing the nail industry.

Why Nail Salons?

Prior to a 2015 New York Times expose on the nail industry, the poor quality of life among many nail workers was something of a dirty little secret. In the insular industry, which has traditionally been staffed by immigrant laborers, stories of abject conditions rarely got out.

But Tjan knew better. As a child in Newfoundland, Canada, the son of Chinese immigrants grew up around entrepreneurial family members--aunts and uncles who established Asian eateries around the country. This upbringing gave him an early introduction to business ownership, but also an understanding of the "stigmas and stereotyping" that often surround service-based retail establishments that are largely helmed by immigrants. "For whatever reason, we have been conditioned to accept a series of services as something that should be cheap," he says.

It didn't need to be cheap, he thought. In the U.S. alone, consumers spend over $8 billion annually on nail salon services. So the demand is there. He also thought, if consumers knew that better service and better treatment of employees was the reason behind a slightly higher price, they'd still buy it. They'd even be glad to. "We're rooted in a purpose of clean, guilt-free self care," he says. "There's a very, very big market for that."

Still, he took a wayward path to starting up. After getting into Harvard Business School in 1994, he deferred for a year to work as an analyst for McKinsey. While getting his MBA in 1996, he founded his first business, Zefer, a web service application company that was eventually acquired for $48 million in 2001.

He landed on the idea of nail salons in 2008, shortly after he and his business partner, John Hamel founded their Boston-based venture capital firm, Cue Ball Capital. They were interested in investing in early-stage companies, but also wanted to use the firm as a vehicle to launch their own business. Today, Tjan serves as chairman of MiniLuxe, while Hamel sits on its board of directors. The two installed Zoe Krislock as CEO in 2018.

With plans to "Starbuck" the nail salon, the team agreed that an IPO was the way to go--in part because in 2021, MiniLuxe effectively hit a wall when it came to private fundraising. As the pandemic barreled in, driving local and state officials to temporarily shutter non-essential businesses, MiniLuxe had to close up shop and furlough nearly all of its workforce. "We went from close to 500 employees to under 20 in the span of three weeks," says Tjan.

While the founders were able to go back to investors and extract a clutch fund raise in the spring of 2020 to help the company "get to the other side" of the pandemic--bringing their grand funding tally up to $57.4 million--there was a limit to their investors' largess.

One of those investors, Vernon Lobo, countered with a different offer: Why not go public? The founding and managing director of the Toronto-based early-stage venture firm Mosaic Capital Partners had also just launched a CPC, Rise Capital, and he needed to find a company to acquire.

North Star

What's more, CPCs have just become more attractive. In January 2021, TMX Group, which operates Canada's stock markets, moved to amend the rules governing CPC offerings, making going public through this route faster and easier than filing for a traditional IPO in Canada--which, like in the U.S., can take six to nine months and cost around 7 percent of the total raised in underwriting fees alone. The rule changes also involved doubling the amount companies could raise to $10 million CAD, from $5 million CAD (or $7.8 million USD, from $3.9 million USD).

To be sure, going public via SPAC in the U.S. doesn't pay off in the same ways. For starters, companies going public via SPAC in America typically raise between $200 and $750 million, so your chances of raising more money are higher in the States. But the CPC cap actually works to the benefit of smaller companies--particularly those that simply have lower capital needs. It means younger and smaller companies may get a better shot at accessing public markets.

Canada also has a stock market that's specifically designed to help younger companies go public. The TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) is geared for companies that are valued between $500,000 and $20 million. Once they grow to meet requirements for it, they can graduate to the TSX. In 2021, 30 U.S. companies went public on the TSXV via CPCs; four went public on the TSX the same way, including MiniLuxe, according to Catherine Kee, senior manager of TMX Group corporate communications and media relations.

Tjan hitched his company to Lobo's Rise Capital. "I told Tony, 'You're not going public for the sake of going public,'" says Lobo. "We're trying to build a business. And we're trying to make sure it's financed in a way that's strategic and smart."

Course for Growth

Of course, Tjan is less interested in pioneering CPCs than he is in growing his company. Besides helping the company expand into Canada and the southern United States, the money should also help MiniLuxe acquire complementary brands and technologies. Mergers and acquisitions between public companies tend to be easier than private M&A, Lobo says. "In private deals, there's no benchmark for valuation and no liquidity."

While its salons are not yet at full capacity--and its headcount remains below pre-pandemic numbers--Tjan says MiniLuxe is seeing its "highest demand ever." In December, MiniLuxe announced a total revenue of $4.7 million for the third quarter of 2021--which was subdued given constraints arising from Covid, but still comparable to the company's 2019 results over the same period, notes Tjan.

Tjan has no regrets about his path. He notes that the IPO was a means for faster change. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reset the industry," he adds.

Ultimately, it will help MiniLuxe achieve its next phase of growth, which involves training nail talent to meet high quality and safety standards. In January, the company launched its first Nail Academy in Boston, where total beginners can get their nail technician certification in four to eight weeks. Tjan says the company will also work to train nail technicians to operate in its MiniLuxe Anywhere service, which allows customers to hire MiniLuxe-certified nail technicians directly. The service is currently available in Boston and Dallas with plans to expand.
A Central Florida woman was killed Tuesday morning after being hit by a vehicle, leaving authorities to investigate, according to various news outlets.

At around 11:30 a.m., Melbourne police responded to a crash involving a pedestrian at the intersection of Babcock Street and Silver Palm Avenue, according to a report by WFTV.

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Police arrived and found 59-year-old Jacqueline A. Haynes critically injured at the scene, WFTV reported. She was taken to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, WFTV reported.

Officers learned 32-year-old Jared Gayle was traveling northbound on Babcock and hit Haynes, WFTV reported.

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Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to call Traffic Homicide Investigation Officer Chris Livingston at (321) 288-8288.

Read more at WFTV.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
In the race for talent in India, new research released today from Qualtrics reveals nearly 40 per cent of workers in the country could switch jobs this year - a figure higher than most countries in South Asia, and the global average.



Despite respondents in India reporting some of the highest levels of engagement (85 per cent) and wellbeing (89 per cent) at work globally, just 62 per cent plan to stay with their current employer for the next 12 months. At a time when Tier-II and Tier-III cities are emerging as talent hubs, and high levels of hiring sentiment, the Qualtrics findings - taken from the Qualtrics 2022 Employee Experience Trends report - highlight the critical need for employers to prioritise improving the employee experience in order to attract and retain talent in Indias competitive job market.



For employers looking to increase intent to stay among their employees in hybrid or remote environments, ensuring individuals are aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation is key. Prioritising employee wellbeing, creating a culture of belonging, and ensuring employees feel like their career goals can be met are also important drivers of intent to stay in India.



To effectively compete in the race for talent and successfully navigate challenges caused by the shift to hybrid, businesses across India must continue to adopt new mindsets, and define and iterate their ways of working. As seen in the Qualtrics research, addressing the challenges faced are not as simple as setting new work schedules or boosting engagement. People are making career decisions based on multiple factors, meaning the ability to quickly and easily identify and respond to the issues having the biggest impact with tools like Qualtrics is a significant advantage, said Lauren Huntington, Employee Experience Solutions Strategist for Qualtrics in India.



Successfully adopting permanent hybrid work policies in India will also be critical to attracting and retaining talent in 2022, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they would look for a new job if forced back to the office full-time - almost double the global average (35 per cent). The most popular hybrid arrangement for employees is three days remote / two in the office, followed closely by four days remote / one in the office.



To support the shift to hybrid work in India and better enable employees, employers must focus on improving the technology experience for employees. Findings reveal just over half (54 per cent) said the technology provided meets their expectations. Investing in improving technology in the hybrid workplace will pay off in many ways. Beyond helping drive retention, the Qualtrics research shows employees who are satisfied with the technology available are almost three times more likely to be engaged at work.



The Qualtrics research reinforces the importance of regularly listening, understanding, and acting on employee feedback to create an advantage in Indias competitive and evolving job market. By better and more frequently understanding the complete employee experience delivered - from the technology used through to the drivers of retention - organisations can quickly and confidently design new and improved offerings aligned to changing employee needs and expectations.



Source: Qualtrics 2022 Employee Experience Trends Report



The views and opinions expressed are not of IIFL Securities, indiainfoline.com
NITI Aayog and World Resources Institute (WRI), India, with the support of GIZ India, conducted a virtual consultation workshop on Financing for Decarbonization of Transport as part of the NDC-Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) project. The Government of India is actively working towards the decarbonization of transport, with a major focus on the adoption of sustainable mobility.The workshop aims to identify actionable strategies and bring together financing institutions and transport organizations to collectively work towards furthering innovative financing policies for the decarbonization of transport.The workshop was attended by dignitaries from various ministries, NDC-TIA project partners, representatives of Indian banks, international financial institutions and private sector companies, and stakeholders and experts from the transport and financing sectors.NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant delivered the keynote address while Dr Stephen Koch, Minister and Head of the Department for Economic and Global Affairs, Germany, gave a special address.In his keynote address, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said, We need more such financial instruments to provide a further impetus to clean mobility in India. This is why we need to bring states, domestic and international financial institutions, manufacturers and operators on the same page. We must come up with financing mechanisms that are widely applicable, acceptable and, most importantly, sustainable. We must foster shared mobility by leveraging private sector investments and unlocking financing for e-buses, which form the core of public transportation in our cities. Our overarching aim should be to balance the needs and aspirations of our citizens, improve liveability and productivity by improving connectivity, bring down the cost of logistics and accelerate clean mobility while taking an approach that is climate-centric and sustainablenot just from an environmental point of view, but also from a financial perspective. Green financing will enable low-interest cost financing of electric vehicles.Dr Stephen Koch said, India requires a robust roadmap for the electrification of transport. Financing plays a crucial role here. Mobilization of capital is possible through multi-stakeholder collaborations. The NDC-TIA initiative brings together a wide spectrum of participants to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and information exchange on various themes, including Financing the Decarbonization of Transport.WRI India CEO Dr OP Agrawal said, Transport, the third-most greenhouse-gas-emitting sector in India, accounts for 14% of our energy-related CO2 emissions. It is also the most rapidly growing sector in the country. Therefore, moving towards a low carbon future would necessarily include accelerated decarbonizing of the transport sector.Amit Bhatt, Executive Director (Integrated Transport), WRI India, added, The lack of availability of financing is one of the biggest impediments towards the decarbonization of the transport sector. Strategic investments and innovative financial solutions can kickstart an accelerated transition to 100% zero-emission motor vehicles, which is an essential takeaway from the COP26 declaration.The NDC-TIA is a joint programme of seven organizations that engages India, China and Vietnam in promoting a comprehensive approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries. The project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) support the initiative based on a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.The NDC-TIA is a joint programme of seven organizations that engages India, China and Vietnam in promoting a comprehensive approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries. The project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) support the initiative based on a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.NITI Aayog is the implementing partner for the India component of the project.
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A total of Rs 18,000 crore has been returned to the banks in case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi, the government has told the Supreme Court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the SC that total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounts to Rs 67,000 crore.

AFP

He further added that as on date 4,700 cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the last 5 years varies from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21. Mehta submitted before the bench that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.



The top court is hearing a clutch of petitions, challenging the wide scope of powers available to the directorate of enforcement (ED) for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

Mehta submitted before the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, that during the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIR of approximately 33 lakh for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies.

AFP

Earlier this month, the SC had given a final opportunity to Mallya, who is accused in bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, to appear before it personally or through his lawyer in a contempt case where he has been found guilty.

The top court said it had given multiple opportunities to Mallya to appear either personally or through a lawyer and had even given specific directions in its last order dated November 30, 2021.

On November 30 last year, the top court had said it cannot wait any longer and the sentencing aspect in the contempt matter against Mallya would be dealt with finally.

AFP

Mallya, who is presently in the United Kingdom is facing extradition to India.

He has already exhausted all his avenues of appeal in the UK and the extradition has been delayed due to certain confidential proceedings.

Last month Sebi has barred fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi and one Rakesh Girdharlal Gajera from the capital markets for one year and levied a fine totalling Rs 2.5 crore on them for violating insider trading rules in the matter of Gitanjali Gems.

BCCL

Choksi, promoter and managing director of Gitanjali Gems, is the maternal uncle of Nirav Modi, both of whom are facing charges of defrauding state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) of over Rs 14,000 crore.

Both Choksi and Modi fled India after the PNB scam came to light in early 2018. While Choksi is said to be in Antigua, Modi is lodged in a British jail and has challenged India's extradition request.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Residents were left stunned after a mysterious object was filmed lurking over a major Pakistani city for more than two hours. The unusual object dubbed as "bulging triangle UFO" was spotted prowling the skies of Islamabad, Pakistan, in broad daylight by an extraterrestrial enthusiast.

Gobsmacked Arslan Warraich, a UFO hunter, says he spent a lengthy two hours watching the triangular shape hovering above the capital city. The 33-year-old was mesmerized by the unusual object drifting over the citys wealthy DHA 1 district  and the clip has now sent sky-watchers tongues wagging. See the video here.

Arslan Warraich

UFO hunter and his description of the object

Warraich who is a businessman and formerly from Birmingham, filmed the UFO from several angles. In the extraordinary footage, the mystifying object is seen hanging motionless over the hustle and bustle of the capital city below. "I filmed it for over 12 minutes at different times, took dozens of pictures and observed it for the best part of two hours," he said. "I still don't know what it was."

A fly and several birds then also crossed into the shot, showing the clear difference between the creatures and the distant UFO. I actually got birds in the clip while I was filming this thing. I fly drones myself so I know it wasnt a commercial drone either.

YouTube/Pen News

"To the naked eye it seemed like a black round rock but as I zoomed in, I could see it was roughly the shape of a triangle with a clear bulge on top towards the back," Warraich said while describing the mysterious object.

And it makes no sense for our military to be flying secret drones over a posh area of Islamabad where most of the army and government officers live.



Video viral on YouTube

The video has racked up thousands of views on YouTube, where it also sparked a spirited discussion around aliens and UFOs.

bulging-triangular-ufo-was-filmed-over-the-city-6215bc61bea5d

One user wrote: The recording is extremely high quality. Not just for the technical achievement of such extended physical effort to track it for so long, but also for the extended verbal commentary and description of the event. Do you realise how rare a document like this is?

Another user commented: This is how you capture a UFO!

While a third conspiracy theorist suggested the interestingly shaped object was a perfect match for a sighting theyd had in New York. They wrote: It was just like this, not blinking lights, no nothing, just floating in the sky for about four minutes and then it went up until it was completely gone.

It comes after alien hunters claimed NASA accidentally captured a flying saucer zooming above the Earth on an unearthed image from the Apollo 9 mission. They suggested the picture showing the tiny black triangle lurking among the clouds was mistakenly shared by the space agency.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.


After being de-platformed from Facebook and Twitter in the aftermath of an insurrection attempt on the US Capitol last year, former US President Donald Trump promised to return to social media... with an app of his own!

While most people dismissed the idea as another Trump tirade against social media companies, the app is now available to download on iOS devices.

Reuters

Truth Social - Far from truth?

The app, called "Truth Social" is expected to be available on Google Play Store soon, but his followers that use Android have fallen for a phony. Called "MAGA Hub - Truth Social Trump," the app is a rip off of the original TRUTH Social that is yet to make its debut on Android.

Spotted first by Insider, the app has crossed over 100,000 downloads so far. However, we were not able to find the app listed on Google Play anymore. The rip off is actually the original in many ways, for it was launched in August 2021, months before Trump announced the development of Truth Social.

AFP

Also read: Donald Trump Reveals Plans To Launch His Own Social Media Network Named 'TRUTH Social'

Trump Media & Technology Group recently released a beta version of Truth Social on Apple App Store, but the app is not available on Android yet. If you're a fan of Mr. Trump for reasons we cannot justify, then you'll have to wait to hear his version of the "truth."

The MAGA Hub app offers in-app purchases worth $28.99 for purposes that Insider reported remain clean. On top of that, it subscribes users to a global chat group that sends out a "constant stream of memes and messages."

Reuters

If you missed the memo, MAGA or Make America Great Again was Trump's punchline for the presidential elections that he lost to Joe Biden. The app claims to offer a "MAGA-Game" for its user base.

Also read: Donald Trump Says Mark Zuckerberg Used To Come To The White House To 'Kiss My A**'



It appears that Trump's followers need a few lessons on how to spot a fake app. In the meantime, let us know what you think about this epic fail in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.



References

McKay, T. (2022, February 22). A Shady App Is Tricking Trump Supporters Into Thinking Theyve Joined the True Truth Social. Gizmodo.

Loh, M. (2022, February 22). An Android app bearing a similar name to Trumps Truth Social platform has been downloaded over 100,000 times. Business Insider.
Indian students know all sorts of hacks to cheat in an exam and there are several cases about the same that prove it. With technology, cheating has got much easier.

Another such case has come to light where students got inspired by the cheating scene from the movie Munnabhai MBBS. Two medical students in Madhya Pradeshs Indore got micro-sized Bluetooth devices installed surgically into their ears to cheat in an exam.

These two students were caught red-handed by the flying squad of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) on Monday. The duo was appearing in last year's examination of the MBBS course at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Medical College. Notably, 80 students from MGM Medical College, Aurobindo Medical College and Indus Medical College are taking the exams.

Afternoon Voice

"One of the students had hidden a small device with SIM in his vest, which was being used as a mobile phone. Another student was found with a normal mobile on which phone calls were being made during the examination, the official said. These two students had placed the Bluetooth- powered microphones in their ears in a way that no one would notice or be able to see them, he said.



DAVV Vice-Chancellor Renu Jain said, We think these microphones were surgically fitted in the ears of both the students. Cases have been prepared against both the students. A committee of DAVV will take a decision in this regard.



MGM Medical College dean Dr Sanjay Dixit said the college management has shared all the information with DAVV, which will take suitable action in this regard.



Shutterstock (Representational)

This is not the first case where students were caught cheating in the exams with a high-tech Bluetooth device. Last year, five people were arrested in Rajasthan for allegedly selling Bluetooth device-fitted 'chappals' worth Rs 6 lakh to candidates appearing in the teachers' recruitment exam, REET.

The gang of five people, including a woman, was arrested and a cheating racket busted by Rajasthan Police who acted after sensing something fishy by a candidate who appeared at an Ajmer centre in the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) that was held on Sunday.



Mobile internet and SMS were snapped in several districts of Rajasthan for 12 hours to prevent cheating in the REET. Some 16 lakh students took the test for 31,000 posts in government schools.



Came across this picture on Telegram. A Chappal with phone & Bluetooth connectivity, used in Rajasthan Teachers Selection Examination. That's the level of morality amongst "teachers wannabees"! Shame!! pic.twitter.com/4gpGjGkWp5  Andromeda  (@AndromedAlamak) September 27, 2021





There was another case in Pune where a student was caught wearing a face mask fitted with an electronic device. The mask was seized by Pimpri Chinchwad police.

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Robert Hayes, 39 of West Palm Beach, was arrested in 2019 for the killing of a 32-year-old woman in 2016. He currently stands trial for the murder of three women in 2005 and 2006. (Volusia County )

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP)  A former criminal justice major and college cheerleader was convicted in the killings of three Florida women more than 15 years ago.

Jurors deliberated more than eight hours before returning the guilty verdict against Robert Hayes, who was linked by DNA evidence to the three victims after another killing in Palm Beach County, where he had been working as a chef until his arrest in 2019.

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Hayes, 39, showed no reaction as the clerk read the jurys verdict Tuesday evening, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty during the sentencing phase beginning next week.

Hayes graduated in 2006 from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. The victims, all prostitutes, were found slain in the city his senior year.

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The body of Laquetta Gunther, 45, was found in a gap between an auto parts store and a mostly empty utility building around Christmas 2005. Julie Green, 34, was found Jan. 14, 2006, on a dirt road at a construction site. The body of 35-year-old Iwana Patton was found that Feb. 24 along a dirt road. All were nude, lying face down, shot in the head.

The deaths caused widespread panic among sex workers in the Daytona Beach area, resulting in some of them working with investigators to memorize license plates and vehicle descriptions.

Hayes also is accused in the killing of Rachel Bey, 32, a prostitute whose body was found, strangled and with her jaw and teeth broken, on March 7, 2016, near Jupiter in Palm Beach County. It took three more years before investigators said DNA recovered from all four killings led them to arrest Hayes at his home in West Palm Beach.

Years earlier, authorities investigating the Daytona Beach killings questioned Hayes twice, but didnt arrest him, as they looked into everyone in the area who had recently purchased a .40-caliber handgun similar to the one used against the first three victims, the newspaper reported. Police said he bought the gun in 2005, shortly before the first victim was killed.
What will you expect if a train driver stops the locomotive train unexpectedly? Some emergency, right? But would you call it an emergency if he stopped the vehicle to collect some street food? Well, a train driver in Rajasthan thought so.

A loco pilot halted the train on railway crossings just to collect a packet of kachoris. Yeah, you read that right. A video of the same has gone viral.

Youtube





In the said video, a man waits patiently for the train to approach. As soon as the train approaches, the man walks towards it. Then the train stops and the man hands over a packet of kachoris to someone in the engine compartment and walks away, as casual as it can be. After this interaction, the loco pilot blows the horn and the train starts moving again.

According to Dainik Bhaskar, this bizarre scene is repeated almost every morning at Alwar's Daudpur crossing and may have continued had the interaction not been documented and shared on social media.

According to the same report, the crossing gates are lowered every day at around 8 am so the snack can be delivered to the train driver. It is the railway personnel posted at the crossing who would buy kachoris from a nearby shop and deliver it to the train driver. Meanwhile, hundreds of commuters are made to bear this inconvenience every morning for the sake of the driver's snack.



YouTube

After the video was circulated, it received a lot of flak from railway officials and the general public. Following this, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Jaipur launched an investigation into the matter. DRM Narendra Kumar said five railway employees including two loco-pilots, two gatemen and an instructor have been suspended. Final action will be taken on completion of further investigation."

Alwar station superintendent RL Meena also condemned the loco pilot's action. "The loco pilot cannot stop the engine or the train of his own free will," he said. "It is wrong to stop like this for kachori."



In the morning hours when the gates are closed and people are rushing to their workplace this unscheduled halt takes place causing discomfort to all. Moreover, many have to go to hospital during an emergency and the gates being closed for an hour is a major inconvenience.





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Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Cloudy in the morning followed by isolated thunderstorms during the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 81F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
People with weakened immune systems or other high-risk conditions argue that now is the time, as the omicron surge subsides, to double down on policies that protect vulnerable Americans like them.
On the eve of the anniversary of his death, a federal jury found Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Roddie Bryan guilty of hate crimes on all counts in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
Nexus Underwriting Management Ltd. (NUML), the London-based specialty managing general agent and intermediary, announced it will be renamed Kentro Capital Ltd.



Nexus Underwriting (Nexus), the specialty MGA, and Xenia Broking (Xenia), the leading credit insurance and surety distribution specialist, will operate as distinct, independent brands under the Kentro holding company.

Colin Thompson will continue to lead Kentro as chief executive officer. Tim Coles will remain chief executive officer of Xenia and Colin Thompson will continue as chief executive officer of Nexus.

The change of name to Kentro  the Greek word for centre  became effective on Feb. 22, 2022.

Nexus today underwrites in excess of US$500 million gross written premium, is the product of 15 acquisitions, operates out of nine counties and very much has its own distinct brand as a leading MGA platform, commented Thompson, founder and CEO of Kentro.

Similarly, Xenia is the second largest trade credit broker in the UK  having successfully concluded eight acquisitions and employing in excess of 70 staff  and is now a leading specialty broking platform, he added.

Since the group started in 2008, it has enjoyed unparalleled success with a group EBITDA compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%, Thompson said.

It is clear as we continue along this development path  and in order to continue along this trajectory  that our branded businesses need to continue to forge their own unique identities, he continued.

By becoming Kentro Capital Ltd., we are refocusing our central purpose of managing our capital structure and identifying and funding acquisitions  while ensuring that our distinct business segments are provided the space and separation to fulfil their ambitions.

He noted that nothing will change from an ownership perspective and Kentro Capital Ltd., which successfully refinanced in last summer with a new debt facility of 70 million ($95 million), will continue to provide institutional support to its wholly owned businesses.

Source: Kentro Capital Ltd.

Topics Excess Surplus Underwriting Insurance Wholesale
Aston Lark Ireland announced it has agreed terms to acquire Marine & General Insurances DAC.

Terms of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, were not disclosed.

Based in Dublin, Marine & General provides bespoke solutions to individuals and businesses, offering a wide range of general insurances, financial services and life and pensions products, said Aston Lark in a statement. In addition, the company boasts an impressive team of talented and highly motivated professionals that have driven the business onwards and upwards.

Established in 1972, the founding principles of Marine & General have remained the same ever since, with the client being paramount and central to every decision taken by the company. To this day the team, led by Colm Tyndall and Gavin Kennedy, attributes their success over the last 50 years to the exceptional experience and service provided to all clients.

This is the eighth acquisition made by Aston Lark Ireland, following the acquisitions of North County Brokers, OLoughlin Insurance Group, McMahon Galvin Limited, Brady Burns & Associates, Principal Insurance Ireland, Abbey Murphy Insurance and Brassington Insurance.

Marine & General Insurances DAC has built up an enviable reputation over the years as a broker providing exemplary service and striving to put their clients interests at the heart of everything they do, commented Robert Kennedy, Aston Lark Ireland CEO.

Since joining Marine and General in 1982, I had no intention of ever changing the successful model of the business. However, after chatting with Robert Kennedy, it became very apparent that our shared values and principles, particularly regarding staff and clients, were closely aligned, allowing for a perfect fit for the future growth of our business, said Colm Tyndall, director at Marine & General.

With the ever-changing insurance market in recent years, it became very apparent if I wanted to secure the future for our clients and staff, the opportunity to join Aston Lark could not be missed, according to Gavin Kennedy, director at Marine & General. This will afford us access to markets and expertise we never previously had in our arsenal, giving us an opportunity for future expansion and opportunities for staff and clients alike.

Aston Lark Ireland is a subsidiary of the Aston Lark Group, the insurance broker that is currently backed by Goldman Sachs and will soon become part of Howden.

Source: Aston Lark Ireland

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions
This edition of International People Moves details appointments (and a retirement) at Beazley, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) and Oneglobal Broking.

A summary of these announcements follows here.

Beazleys Eaton to Retire at End of 2022

Specialist insurer Beazley announced that after almost 16 years at the company and nearly 40 years in the insurance market, James Eaton, head of Specialty Lines, will retire at the end of the year. He will remain in charge throughout 2022 and Beazley will announce its succession plan later this year.

Eaton joined Beazley in 2006 as a programme and treaty underwriter in Specialty Lines having previously been a broker. He then led the Private Enterprise team for seven years before heading up the Specialty Lines division in 2018 when he also joined the executive committee.

James has played a pivotal role at Beazley having overseen one of the founding divisions of the business, helping our Specialty Lines group grow into the successful business it is today. We wish him a long and enjoyable retirement and thank him for the dedication and service he has given Beazley since 2006, said Adrian Cox, CEO, Beazley.

James has built an outstanding Specialty Lines business delivered by a team with great depth of experience and breadth of knowledge. I look forward to sharing more details around succession later in the year, but in the meantime, our brokers and clients will experience the same high level of service under James continuing leadership, commented Bob Quane, CUO, Beazley.

***

BHSI Promotes Flesch to Head of Marine in Germany

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced the promotion of Dirk Flesch to head of Marine in Germany. He was previously senior underwriter, Marine, at BHSI.

Flesch, who has more than 25 years of marine insurance experience, joined BHSI in 2017. In his new role as head of Marine in Germany, he will oversee underwriting of BHSIs full line of marine products, including cargo (stock-through-put and multinational) and logistics liability.

He will continue to be based in Cologne and can be reached at +49 221 4555 1974 and via email at dirk.flesch@bhspecialty.com.

***

Oneglobal Latin America Appoints Generalis Silva to Lead Regional Team

Oneglobal Broking, the London-based broker, has appointed Nery Silva as CEO of Mercosul / chief strategy officer for Oneglobal Latin America.

Silvas appointment will contribute to Oneglobals strategy to build out its operations across the region and will be another step towards its ambitious growth plans. Silva will be working closely with Jose Miguel Gonzalez, chief commercial officer and the wider operational team to develop and grow Oneglobals LatAm footprint.

Silva has had an extensive career working for over 20 years in the Latin American insurance industry. Prior to joining Oneglobal, he was CEO of Generali  Corporate LatAm. Previous to this, he has held roles at AIG, Munich Re, Unibanco AIG and Travelers. Silva is also a member of the advisory board of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, in Sao Paulo.

Topics Excess Surplus Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. Germany
The family of Daniel Knight, who was fatally shot by a Winter Park police officer during a confrontation at his nieces wedding reception over the weekend, have since repeatedly disputed police claims that he was killed after attacking fellow guests and officers.

Family members told reporters during a Tuesday night press conference that Knight wasnt violent during the Saturday night reception at the Winter Park Events Center and accused police of failing to deescalate the situation once they were called to the event.

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Pastor Carl Soto, vice president of Black Lives Matter Restoration Polk, said Knights family is confident there was wrongdoing by the police department. He spoke flanked by nearly a dozen of Knights loved ones, including his mother, Patricia Keeby, and niece, Janisha Paul.

He is a gentle guy, Keeby said. His sisters, his nieces and nephews, they all know that he is a gentle guy. And theres no one to go fishing with his nieces and nephews anymore. He was my last son. He didnt deserve that. His children dont deserve that.

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I want answers and I want them prosecuted, she said of the officers.

Soto said the family hopes to retain Benjamin Crump, the famed civil rights attorney, to represent them. Crump has not responded to requests for comment on the case.

The family is in the process of trying to get transparency  theres a lot of things that just dont add up, between... the events [center] staff employee that made the [911] call to the way the officers responded, Soto said. All we know is within three minutes, Mr. Knight was dead.

Knights killing has made national headlines since Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Winter Park Police Department has so far refused to release body-worn camera footage of the killing, due to an ongoing investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. While some Florida police agencies quickly release footage after police killings, others refuse until the state agencys work is complete.

WPPD has also declined to identify the officers involved, citing Marsys Law, the recent victims rights amendment to Floridas constitution. The use of the law to shield officers who use deadly force has been decried by transparency advocates and a case concerning it is pending before the Florida Supreme Court.

The officer who shot Knight has been placed on administrative duty.

Police responded to the facility, part of a $42-million campus near Martin Luther King Jr. Park that opened in December, after a 911 caller described Knight, 39, as a very irate, drunk guest, who was trying to beat people up, according to the audio released Monday by the police department.

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The agency has not publicly identified the caller, but family members said it was someone involved with managing the event.

Officers arrived at the end of the 3 minute call, the audio indicates. According to statements by Winter Park PD, they tried to calm the situation, but were attacked by Knight.

Department spokesperson Lt. Lisa Suepat said the officers tried to separate Knight from another guest but he punched an officer in the face, which knocked him unconscious, then turned toward a second officer, who stunned him with a Taser.

Knight was not affected by the stun, Suepat said, and hit the other officer, who also fell. That officer then fired his gun at Knight, who was struck and later died at AdventHealth Orlando.

Knights family denied he was assaulting guests.

Keeby said that her son put his arm around her as she sat down on a chair during the reception but it was a helpful gesture and she was not injured.

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There was a lot of people drinking that night, Keeby said. Not one of them was belligerent, though. Keeby said her son was celebrating his nieces marriage and enjoying himself.

Paul said his blood was all over my wedding dress.

I wish that he was here, she said, that none of this had even happened. He was loved. He was never harmful. He was never aggressive. He was never any of that.

Paul questioned why the event center staff didnt notify her or her husband about a disturbance so they could have addressed it first, which she said is protocol stated in their venue contract.

Soto claimed that body cameras worn by the WPPD police officers who responded were inoperable, an allegation denied by Acting Chief Pam Marcum on Tuesday.

The officers body worn cameras were working properly and recorded the encounter, Marcum said in an email. The recordings have been supplied to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their investigation.

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lgarza@orlandosentinel.com
Officials have issued a health advisory for the Flint area after equipment failed at a municipal pumping station, sending an unknown amount of raw sewage into the Flint River.

Genesee County Health Department officials recommended Sunday afternoon that people avoid bodily contact with the Flint River due to the untreated sewage, The Flint Journal reported.

The advisory was particularly aimed at the Flint River west of Mill Road Bridge at Flushing Road in Flint Township because that area is downstream from where the sewage was released.

The sewage release happened around 1:25 p.m. Sunday at Flints Northwest Pump Station.

Jeanette Best, Flints water pollution control manager, did not say how many gallons of raw, untreated sewage was discharged into the river.

The discharge at the station, which is under construction, happened due to equipment failure, she said.

Large amounts of runoff and churning river sediments generally result in high bacterial levels in high flow areas, Best said. Water sample test results will be posted on the state of Michigans website.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Michigan
A Chicago brewery was destroyed by a dramatic blaze early Feb. 21 that fire officials believe started in a nearby apartment building.

The Twisted Hippo partially collapsed due to the fire which started about 3:30 a.m. in the Albany Park neighborhood on the North Side.

Tenants in the apartment building were able to escape. One man was taken to a hospital suffering from possible smoke inhalation, according to police.

Neighbors reported hearing explosions, WBBM-TV reported.

Its hard to see everything you worked for go up in flames, but Im just glad my staff and everyone is okay, Twisted Hippo owner Marilee Rutherford told the television station.

We have CO2 nitrogen tanks, just as a regular part of our business and Im certain thats what the explosions were, Rutherford added.

An adjacent business, the Ultimate Ninja gym, also was damaged by the fire, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Trov, an early insurtech that started life as a creator of micro-duration policies and evolved into an embedded insurance specialist, announced this morning that The Travelers Companies will acquire its technology assets.

Trov did not disclose financial terms of the deal and Travelers did not release a separate media statement but Trov did state that most members of Trovs have now joined Travelers.

Trovs insurance technologyapplication programming interfaces (APIs) and softwareis dedicated to facilitating embedded insurance.

According to Trov, the insurtechs team and Trovs embedded technology will be positioned within Travelers Personal Insurance segment.

Michael Klein, president of Personal Insurance at Travelers, said, This is yet another example of how were investing to enhance the experience for our customers, agents and partners, adding that Trovs technology and team would help to accelerate ongoing efforts to provide customers with personalized solutions in their channel of choice.

Earlier this year, during a fourth-quarter earnings conference call, Travelers Chief Executive Officer Alan Schnitzer confirmed the property/casualty insurers continued interest in making technology investments. Our scale, profitability and cash flow support our ability to invest well over a billion dollars annually on technology, Schnitzer said during the call.

This isnt Travelers first acquisition of an insurtech. On the commercial lines side, in 2017, Travelers acquired Simply Business, a UK online insurance broker with a focus on the small business market for $490 million.

Trovs first innovation in the insurance world was the 2016 introduction of micro-duration insurance policies for items like guitars, laptops and cameras, delivered on demand through completely digital buying experiences. But Scott Walchek, the serial entrepreneur who founded Trov, actually launched the platform four years earlier as a way to digitally store an inventory of a persons valuable possessions.

In subsequent years, the company expanded into verticals including the gig economy and transportation, offering coverage for passengers and items traveling in autonomous vehicles. For example, in December 2017, Googles self-driving car unit, Waymo, partnered with Trov to provide trip-based insurance coverage underwritten by a nonadmitted affiliate of Munich Re. And in mid-August 2019, Trov announced the launch of a portfolio of end-to-end digital, white-labeled insurance products designed to be rapidly deployed by financial organizations and insurers in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, the UKs largest retail financial services provider.

Most recently, the company launched its embedded insurance platform, public APIs, and developer support tools to enable companies to distribute insurance products within their existing digital applications.

Walchek, who is also Trovs CEO, attributes the Travelers transaction to the companys years of experience at the forefront of insurance innovation and credits Trovs team and partners for successfully introducing technologies and experiences that he says have produced material change in the insurance industry. Over the past several years Trov has reimagined many components of the insurance value chain, he said in a statement.

In June 2021, Walchek spoke to Carrier Management about the evolution of Trov, and about the leadership decisions involved in multiple reinventions of the insurtech.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions InsurTech Tech
After his house burned down in 2015, Rick Merechka turned in a sworn proof of loss statement telling his insurance company that the replacement value of his household goods was $607,640.

But in December 2010, Merechka and his wife at the time had told a bankruptcy court that the total value of everything they owned was $8,925.

Merechkas only reported source of income was a $1,300-per-month disability benefit. How had he amassed nearly $600,000 in property in four and half years?

A panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals decided Feb. 16 that those numbers dont add up. The appellate panel affirmed a ruling by a District Court judge in Arkansas that Vigilant Insurance Co. owes nothing on Merechkas claim seeking the $475,500 policy limit for the contents of his home.

The 8th Circuit went even further. The panel also remanded the case and directed District Court Judge P.K. Holmes III in Fort Smith to fully vet Vigilants argument that it should also recover its damages, including the $380,001 it paid to Merechkas mortgage lender before its claims investigation was completed. Holmes had dismissed Vigilants counterclaim without holding a hearing on the issue.

The panels opinion says the three circuit judges could not accept Merechkas statement that he had not lied to his insurer about the extent of his loss. The panel said no reasonable juror could believe that Merechka acquired so much property in such a short time on his modest income.

Both sides appealed after Holmes ruled in 2019 that Merechka would take nothing from his claim for destruction of his home, which he says is worth $634,000 on top of the value of its contents. Vigilant asked the 8th Circuit to overturn the portion of the district courts ruling that found it could not recover the money it paid to Merechkas mortgage lender.

During oral arguments, Vigilants attorney, Brian Patrick Henry, said the insurance policy clearly states that coverage is void if any person insured by the policy makes material misrepresentations. He said the list of 1,200 items of property that Merechka turned in with his proof of loss statement was clearly bogus.

Just to give some context: 126 pairs of shoes. Twelve firearms, which he was not legally allowed possess. Twenty pairs of dress pants, 30 pairs of dress shorts, 20 pairs of work pants. And the list goes on and on. A bear-skin rug. In a 52-month period that he purchased all magically with cash that never shows up anywhere in any document and no one other than Mr. Merechka testifies that he received.

Henry told the circuit court that Vigilant hired Inservio to inventory Merechkas losses after the fire and was unable to verify that any of the items listed on the proof-of-loss statement actually existed.

There was nothing that could be validated in the rubble, he said.

Merechkas attorneys told the court that their client also earned $700 a week working for his brother, who owns a pallet company. Merechka also said that his brother administers an investment account that was set up for him when he settled a personal injury action for a head injury. His brother testified that he doesnt remember making any payments, and he was unaware of any investment account.

Attorney Benjamin Patrick Cowan admitted during oral arguments that Merechka never reported any of the income to the Internal Revenue Service.

In fact, for the majority if not the entirety of this time frame, he did not file file tax returns, Cowan said. That is an issue potentially for a tax court. The fact whether or he did or did not report income is not required for this case.

And why were there no receipts? Cowan said Merechka and is ex-wife didnt use credit cards.

They are cash people, he said. They have maintained throughout the entirety of this investigation, that all of their money was in cash.

Judge Holmes didnt believe it, and neither did the panel of Circuit Court judges. The panel said in its opinion that it could accept that Merechka may have guessed that the replacement value of his property was less than he thought it was. Inservio had estimated the value of all of the listed items at $325,000.

But the panel said even with that more conservative estimate of value, Merechka would have had to spend more than $6,000 a month to accumulate all of the property that he said he owned. The panel said Merechka could not afford to spend that much even if he earned all of the money he says he did.

The problem for him is obvious: He made only $4,300 per month and had a $1,750-a-month mortgage payment and other bills, the opinion says. Even if he spent every remaining penny assembling a collection of personal property, it would not have been enough.

The panel affirmed the portion of the district court ruling finding that Vigilant owes nothing for the contents of the home. But the panel also reversed the portion of the ruling that dismissed Vigilants counterclaim seeking to recoup the money it paid to the mortgage lender.

The panel said the district court made the ruling without hearing any argument on the point.

As Vigilant now argues, it would have drawn the district courts attention to cases allowing insurers to pursue their policyholders after paying off a mortgage lender, the panel said, and then listed those cases.

To be clear, we are not saying that this line of cases necessarily applies here, the opinion says. Just that a remand is necessary to allow the district court to consider whether it does.

Topics Carriers Profit Loss Property Arkansas
From attorneys fees to water damage to reimbursement limits in no-fault auto insurance, Florida appeals courts have sided with insurers in several cases in recent days. Heres a look:

Attorney Fees and Another Ambiguous Settlement Offer

Attorney fees and the wording of policies and settlements continue to be significant legal issues for insurers and plaintiffs. In most cases, insurance companies are the ones complaining about paying fees to plaintiffs lawyers.

In Tower Hill Signature Insurance Co. vs. Alex Kusch, Floridas 4th District Court of Appeal last week reversed a trial court and found that a settlement offer was not ambiguous and the Broward County Circuit Court must now reconsider the amount of fees and costs owed to Tower Hill lawyers.

The homeowner, Kusch, had sued Tower Hill over an unpaid claim. He then rejected a settlement offer from the insurer. The trial court later found in favor of Tower Hill on the claim dispute, but decided that the settlement offer was ambiguously worded on attorney fees.

The policyholders lawyers had argued that the settlement proposal noted that it resolves any and all damages, but said it was exclusive of attorney fees. It also stipulated that a court should decide reasonable fees to be awarded. The Broward Circuit judge said that wording was unclear, but the appeals court overruled him.

When read as a whole, the Homeowner was required to release all claims against the Insurer arising out of this claim and litigation, except for those relating to attorneys fees and costs, 4th DCA Judge Spencer Levine wrote in the Feb. 16 opinion (emphasis by the court).

He added: Both the Homeowner and the trial court were nit-picking the Insurers proposal by finding the proposal ambiguous with respect to attorneys fees.

Judge Jonathan Gerber concurred but wrote that this is the latest in a long line of cases that have examined whether a settlement proposal was ambiguously worded. He cited from his own opinion in a 2011 decision, noting that Florida rules of civil procedure do not require the offeree to notify the offerer when a proposal appears to be ambiguous. Another judge at the time called the latent ambiguity argument a gotcha tactic and a waste of judicial resources.

More than eleven years have passed, during which no amendment (to the rules) has occurred, Gerber said in his concurring opinion. Thus, history repeats itself yet again in this case, as it has in many other cases, and will likely continue to do so into the future.

He again urged the Florida Bar or the state Supreme Court to revise the rules and mandate that if the party offered a settlement does not identify an ambiguity within a fixed time frame, an ambiguity objection should be deemed waived.

Water Damage Excluded

In two cases last week, the 4th DCA decided that homeowners policies excluded at least some types of water damage.

In Geovera Specialty Insurance vs. Craig Glasser, the policy attempted to make it clear that, if ambiguity could be found between the policy and its endorsement, the endorsement controls. But even that left some questions about the extent of coverage.

The policyholder had filed a claim after a water pipe burst in a bedroom wall. Geovera denied the claim, citing the exclusion for any type of water damage. Glasser sued over breach of contract and bad faith, arguing the policy covered loss from plumbing system discharges of water. The Broward Circuit Court granted partial summary judgment for the homeowner, citing previous court rulings.

But on appeal, Geovera argued that its policy endorsement made its exclusion different from those previous cases. The appeals court pointed out that while the policy appears to cover plumbing system leaks, the endorsement bars coverage for water damage in any form, including water that exerts pressure on, or seeps, leaks or flows through a building, sidewalk, driveway, patio, foundation, swimming pool or other structure.

The homeowners attorney argued that Geovera had a duty to make it clear what damages are excluded, and the insurer had not been specific enough in its exclusion clause.

The 4th DCA disagreed.

While this policy may require the reading of multiple policy provisions, it is unambiguous and simply does not cover the water loss suffered by the insured, Judge Melanie May wrote for the majority. Judges Gerber and Levine concurred.

The court remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to enter a summary judgment in favor of Geovera.

In an assignment-of-benefits case, the 4th DCA found that a Citizens Property Insurance Corp. policy clearly excluded losses from leaks that happened over a long period of time.

In Projekt Property Restoration vs. Citizens, the assigned contractor sued after Citizens declined to pay an invoice for restoration services needed after a water leak in a shower. The policy excluded damage from leaks occurring over a period of two weeks or more.

Citizens experts testified that the leak had existed for some time  more than two weeks. The restoration company produced an expert who suggested that the insurers expert opinions werent valid because additional testing was needed to show the cause of the leak.

The appeals court noted that the contractors expert did not opine on the actual length of time of the leak, only that there was little evidence that the damage happened over several months.

Because appellant did not provide any opposition to the length of time that the leaking water continued for at least weeks, no genuine issue of material fact existed, and insurer was entitled to judgment, the per-curiam opinion reads.

On appeal, the plaintiff also cited a 2018 case, Hicks vs. American Integrity Insurance, that examined a similar policy exclusion. The 5th DCA irked some insurers in that case when it found that the policy should cover at least the first two weeks of the leak.

But in the Projekt Property case, the 4th DCA said that the contractor did not raise the first two weeks argument at trial. The court upheld the Broward Circuit Courts ruling in the case.

Appraisal Required

Again, a plaintiff argued that a policy was ambiguous. But the 1st District Court of Appeal didnt bite.

First Call 24/7 vs. Citizens originated in Bay County, home of Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base, which were hit hard by Hurricane Michael in 2018. The restoration company had been assigned benefits by the homeowners, Kole and Meghan Rhodes, and the firm performed emergency mitigation services after the storm.

First Call sent Citizens a bill for $40,253. After investigating the claim, Citizens paid just $8,196 and notified the contractor that an appraisal process was needed to resolve the dispute over the difference. First Call did not participate in the appraisal process and filed suit for breach of contract. The company argued that the appraisal procedure does not apply to mitigation services, which must be done quickly to prevent further damage to the home.

The Bay County Circuit Court disagreed and ordered the parties to proceed with the appraisal. First Call appealed to the DCA, arguing that the policy was ambiguous about the scope of the appraisal process.

The appeals court upheld the trial court. In its Feb. 16 opinion, the judges found that the Citizens policy was not ambiguous and that the appraisal process applies to emergency mitigation work.

Each of the arguments it (First Call) offers in support of its interpretation is either contrary to the plain language of the policy, focuses on isolated words or phrases rather than the policy as a whole, or otherwise lacks merit, DCA Judge Stephanie Ray wrote in the opinion.

The appraisal process, as described in the Citizens policy, does not define the type of disputes subject to appraisal and does not exclude mitigation services, the court noted.

First Call also argued that mitigation services cannot be fairly appraised because they do not involve replacement costs or actual cash value and that an appraisal panel cannot accurately inspect the damage once its been buttoned up and repaired.

The appeals court found that the policy states that Citizens would pay for reasonable and necessary costs  not just any costs. The appraisal process is the method to be used to determine which costs are reasonable and necessary, the court said.

This is not the first time First Call and Citizens have crossed swords on AOB disputes. In 2021, the 4th District Court of Appeal found in a similar case that the appraisal clause does not apply only to existing property damage and does, in fact, apply to mitigation repairs. The 1st DCA opinion in the Rhodes case noted that we align ourselves with the holdings of our sister courts in First Call vs. Citizens in the 2021 case and a similar case from the 3rd District.

Bay County Clerk of Court records show that First Call has filed eight lawsuits against property insurers in that county in the last three years.

Auto Fee Schedule in PIP

In American Mobile Health Services vs. State Farm Auto Insurance, a personal injury protection case that has been in the courts for nine years, the 3rd District Court of Appeal upheld a Miami-Dade jury verdict in favor of the insurance giant.

After a car crash in 2008, Tania Jimenez assigned insurance benefits to American Mobile. The health care firm billed State Farm for $3,220, but the insurer paid only $810. State Farms expert witness, a physician, testified that American Mobiles charges were unreasonable and were in excess of 200% of Medicares Part B fee schedule.

American Mobile argued that if State Farm intended to rely on the Medicare fee schedule, it should have said so in the policy.

The court noted that Florida PIP law requires that insurers reimburse medical providers 80% of reasonable expenses for medical treatment, and allows insurers to adopt a maximum charge based on various fee schedules, including 200% of the Medicare fee schedule for participating physicians. But the 3rd DCA also pointed out that Florida courts have rendered conflicting opinions on the matter.

An appeal court in 2014 held that State Farm was barred from doing exactly what it did in the American Mobile case.

To permit an insurer who opted not to pay the medical expenses of its insured pursuant to the Medicare fee schedules to use those same fee schedules as the sole basis for the determination of reasonable expenses  would circumvent the legislative intent of the statute as defined by the Florida Supreme Court, 1st DCA wrote in the 2014 decision.

But Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lisa Walsh in 2019 found that if the insurer does not elect to use the fee schedule, it is just one factor that can be considered when determining if a providers fees are reasonable.

We agree with Judge Walsh and hold that the insurer could use the Medicare Part B fee schedule as evidence to argue that the providers charges exceed a reasonable amount,' even though the insurer had not adopted the schedule of maximum charges, the 3rd DCA noted.

Topics Carriers Florida Property Homeowners Contractors
The family of a couple who were on a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary when they died in an Amtrak train derailment in Montana has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak and BSNF Railway, which owns the tracks.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Illinois, says Amtrak and BSNF Railway were responsible for the Sept. 25, 2021, derailment in north-central Montana that killed three people, including Donald and Marjorie Varnadoe, and injured at least 44 passengers and crew members.

The Varnadoes, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, had boarded the Amtrak Empire Builder in Chicago on Sept. 24. They were in the observation car when the train derailed near Joplin, Montana. The observation car, which has larger windows, tipped onto its side and slid along the tracks before eventually coming to a stop, the complaint states.

The couple were thrown around inside the car and suffered excruciating injuries before their deaths, the complaint states.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not completed its investigation of the derailment. But the complaint lists possible causes ranging from track and equipment failure to human error and says Amtrak and BSNF Railway were negligent in failing to prevent the crash.

Amtrak will respond to the complaint in court filings, spokesperson Marc Magliari said. BNSF Railway cant comment on pending legislation, spokesperson Lena Kent said.

The complaint seeks damages for the deaths of Donald and Marjorie Varnadoe and for their pain and suffering. The family is also seeking damages for loss of income, emotional support and companionship along with funeral costs and attorneys fees.

Donald Varnadoe, 74, had a career in real estate and served on a school board while Marjorie Varnadoe, 72, worked in education. They were active in their community and their church, the complaint states.

Robert Kozlowski, Donald Varnadoes boss at Coldwell Banker Access Reality in Brunswick, Georgia, said Varnadoe had called the office the day before he died and said they were having a dream vacation.

The Varnadoes are survived by their son, Jason Varnadoe, who is administrator of their estates, along with his wife and their son.

Mom and dad passionately believed in doing good for others. Dad was famously known for always asking folks, How can I help?' Jason Varnadoe said in a statement. We know theyd want their memory to serve a positive purpose, and our hope is that through this tragedy, lessons are learned and Americas rails become safer so that other families are spared our unimaginable pain and suffering.

The wife of the third person who died in the derailment, Zach Schneider, 28, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak and BSNF Railway.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits
Ms. Richards states, It is an honor to serve a carrier so dedicated to fighting for justice on behalf of our insured partners.

Chicago, IL, February 23, 2022  Rick J. Lindsey, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Prime Insurance Company and Prime Property & Casualty Insurance Inc. recently appointed Ms. Elizabeth Richards to the Board of Directors of both Prime Insurance Company and Prime Property & Casualty Insurance Inc.

Ms. Richards is a supervising claims attorney with Primes claims-handling team, Claims Direct Access. Before joining Prime, Ms. Richards worked as a trial attorney practicing in insurance defense litigation. Over the course of seven years, Ms. Richards acted as first-chair in over seventy jury trials taken to verdict in Chicago, Illinois, and surrounding suburbs. Ms. Richards earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law.

Rick J. Lindsey, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board, states I look forward to having Ms. Richards join the board as we continue to pursue my vision for the leadership and growth of both companies.

Prime Insurance Company (PIC) provides specialty solutions to the property and casualty excess and surplus lines marketplace. Prime Property & Casualty Inc. (PPCI) is an affiliate of PIC and offers commercial auto coverage on an admitted basis. Prime Insurance Company is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and writes business in all 50 states, US Virgin Island and Guam.

Media Contact:

Barbara Malkowski

SVP Marketing

barbaram@primeis.com

312-884-5801

www.primeis.com

For information on the latest rating, go to www.ambest.com

Topics Carriers Property Casualty Property New Markets Casualty
Opinion Policies

Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue.

Feedback policy

If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com).

Column Policy

Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
A veteran police officer from Jamaica was indicted after attempting to smuggle close to 3 pounds of cocaine into South Florida, a federal grand jury says.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Shelian Cherine Allen, a 42-year-old Jamaican citizen, arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Feb. 3.

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During a pat-down search in customs, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered something hard protruding from Allens groin. After pulling a package of cocaine from her genitals, Allen willingly removed several pellets of cocaine from inside each of her bra cups, the grand jury indictment and a criminal complaint say.

According to an arrest report, investigators asked Allen if she swallowed any cocaine but she denied doing so. investigators pressed, saying they were concerned for her safety, and Allen admitted she had swallowed a number of packages of cocaine. Reports say she was taken to a hospital where she expelled 90 pellets of cocaine.

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In total, Allen had approximately 1,350 grams of cocaine on or inside her body when she entered the United States, the government claims. That amount of cocaine has a street value of $37,000.

[ RELATED: Honey helped make swallowing drug pellets easier ]

The 1,350 grams is equal to 2.97 pounds. By comparison, a typical bag of sugar from a grocery store weighs 2.2 pounds.

At the time of her arrest, Allen had been a law enforcement officer employed by the Jamaica Constabulary Force for 18 years.

Stashing drugs inside the body is a way to try and conceal drugs by drug mules, and can be deadly. Typically drugs are placed in latex gloves, condoms or small balloons. If swallowed, stomach acid can rupture the latex pellets and lead to acute cocaine toxicity.

[ RELATED: Tales of Broward drug smugglers back in court ]

The indictment charges Allen with two counts: importation of 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. If convicted, she faces up to 40 years in prison on each count.

Eileen Kelley can be reached at 772-925-9193 or ekelley@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Twitter @reporterkell.
Today at the Caravan Show

Channel 5, 8pm

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome show runs from February 22-27. birminghamccmshow.co.uk

All this week, lovers of the great outdoors are gathering at the NEC Birmingham to see the latest and greatest in mobile accommodation. Check out the biggest, the smallest, the coolest, the cutest, the most expensive and the quirkiest caravans, campervans, motorhomes and tents. This evening, they look at the latest products that save space or add a touch of luxury to your caravan interior as well as items that add space to the outside.

The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome show features some of the smallest and coolest caravans on the market

The team road-tests one of the smallest and coolest caravans on the market to see if its teardrop design lives up to the hype. Plus, four lads head to Scotland in search of gold as they road test a variety of tents, and influencer Andrew Ditton takes to the road with Dougal the dog in his iconic Airstream caravan.

Tomorrow: How a luxurious caravan is constructed.

Landscape Artist of the Year 2022

Sky Arts, 8pm Series 7, episode 7

Its the grand final of this years competition, and our remaining artists are within fingers reach of claiming the 2022 Landscape Artist of the Year title and the 10,000 commission.

Finne

TG4, 9.30pm

Finne: Sean Binder on TG4

Kerryman Sean Binder was working as a volunteer rescuer on land and in the sea in Greece in 2018. Although he fully cooperated with the authorities, he was arrested for his humanitarian work and spent 106 days in pre-trial detention. The charges against him include money laundering, espionage and illegal smuggling. The case remains ongoing and Sean could face 25 years imprisonment.

Grey's Anatomy

RTE2, 9.30pm

Hamilton and Meredith prepare for a milestone, Link wants to spend the holiday with Amelia and Scout as a family, and Schmitt faces a difficult decision during surgery.

Sport

UEFA Champions League: Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United, 8pm, BT Sport

Radio

Soundseekers Audio Festival, UCC 98.3FM, 5pm: Documentaries on the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, and the realities of motherhood in direct provision.

Selector: After Dark, RTE Pulse, midnight: Bringing the sound of the UK club scene to Ireland, with an uninterrupted one-hour mix from a different DJ every week.
Puzzles hub



Visit our brain gym where you will find simple and cryptic crosswords, sudoku puzzles and much more. Updated at midnight every day. PS ... We would love to hear your feedback on the section right HERE
An 18th-century icon that a British officer spirited out of war-wracked Cyprus in 1974 was returned on Wednesday to the islands Orthodox Church by the officers son to reunite it with those who really appreciate what it stands for.

A representative of the Cyprus Archbishop Chrysostomos II received the icon during a ceremony at Genevas Villa Moynier which houses the Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.

The Royal Air Force officer had been serving on Cyprus during the summer of 1974 when Turkey invaded and cleaved the island along ethnic lines in the wake of Greek junta-backed coup aiming at union with Greece.

The officer found the icon and took it back to Britain, where his son said it remained locked away in a box for years.

Happening now at the @geneva_academy! #Restitution of the looted icon of St. John the forerunner to the church of #Cyprus. pic.twitter.com/1KsBVJfVfl  Geneva Academy of IHL and Human Rights (@Geneva_Academy) February 23, 2022

The son, who wished to remain anonymous, said keeping it out of sight for so long seemed such a waste and thought its return would be best for all concerned.

If only this picture could talk.

It would have a great tale to tell about its creation and the joy it has given to many generations of worshippers, the officers son wrote in a note.

It would also tell of the sorrows of the world, conflict and removal to another land for many years.

He reached out to Professor Marc-Andre Renold who runs the Art-Law Centre of the University of Geneva and holds the Unesco chair in International Cultural Heritage Law.

Prof Renold then contacted art historian Maria Paphiti, herself involved in the repatriation of several looted religious artworks, who coordinated the icons handover with the Cyprus Church.

Prof Renold said the icons smooth and transparent return was the result of the sons wish to do the right thing.

Ms Paphiti said the icons return is a cause for celebration but also for contemplation for the thousands of artworks that are illegally trafficked.

The Cyprus Church has for decades tried to track down numerous religious icons, mosaics and frescoes stolen from hundreds of abandoned churches and monasteries in the islands breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and sold abroad.
Burma Refugees Running Out of Rice in Lower Myanmar

Refugees from Pekon Township displaced after junta forces burned down their villages on February 18. / Kayan Rescue Committee-KRC

Refugees burned out of their houses in Kayah State by junta forces are facing food shortages as little humanitarian aid is reaching them.

170,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Kayah in southeast Myanmar, with clashes taking place almost daily in and around the town of Moebye and in Pekon Township, according to the Karenni Human Rights Group, which is helping the refugees.

Banya, the Director of the Karenni Human Rights Group, told The Irrawaddy that even the camps that have received rice from the Save the Children organization will soon run out. Other refugee camps are already facing food shortages. There are now around 100 camps for the internally displaced in Kayah.

Save the Children halted their humanitarian operation in Kayah State after two members of the organization were killed by the Myanmar military in Hpruso Township on December 24, 2021. Their bodies were subsequently burned.

I am very worried about this situation. If the United Nations continues to ignore us, many people will be starving and facing malnutrition within three months, said Banya, who asked to be identified by only one of his names.

He added that the refugees also face difficulties in finding shelter, water, medicine and fuel for electricity generators.

Currently, internally displaced people in Kayah State are dependent for food and aid on local civil society organizations, donations from Karenni people living abroad and elsewhere in Myanmar.

The number of old people dying in the camps is increasing. More and more of the old people are suffering strokes because of the poor living conditions, said Banya.

Around 600 military regime soldiers from No. 66 Division, No. 55 Division and No. 99 Division are continuing their operations in War Yi Phu Pha Lai and Wi Thae Ku villages near Moebye. Villagers who stayed rather than fleeing are being tortured and killed and used as human shields, according to resistance groups.

One resistance fighter told The Irrawaddy that villagers are being tortured and killed at War Yi Phu Pha Lai Village, but they cannot do anything because junta forces are based at the village.

When I looked at the village with binoculars, I saw one villager handcuffed with his head hanging down. I think he is dead, the fighter said.

Over 70 houses in War Yi Phu Pha Lai, a village of 400 houses, were burned down by junta troops on February 17 and 18, according to the Kayan Rescue Committee.



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Guest Column Myanmar Impasse Challenges ASEAN

Most of the ASEAN foreign ministers joined the AMM Retreat in person on Feb. 16-17, 2022 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. / ASEAN

While the Myanmar quagmire will continue to dominate ASEANs agenda under Cambodia and future chairs, one must not forget that the current chair must also deal with a myriad of challenges across all sectors of the groupings ongoing cooperation. The much-awaited foreign ministerial retreat last Thursday has once again shown that ASEAN remains a closely knit, pragmatic family.

This sentiment emerged after the chairs press statement was released. Even though the chair has the prerogative on the final wording, Cambodia invited all members to provide their input, which resulted in an ASEAN-centered statement for all to see. The tone is leaning toward engagement rather than disengagement with Myanmar. For the first time in nearly a decade, the statements section on Myanmar took up more space than the South China Sea dispute.

All the hullabaloo in the first six weeks regarding the chairs behavior was settled once the ministers met last week. At the retreat, all members expressed support for the current chairs efforts including the headline-making visit by Prime Minister Hun Sen to Myanmar early last month. ASEAN remains united in implementing the Five-Point Consensus.

Last week, in public remarks, Hun Sen appeared pessimistic on his chances of persuading the junta to implement ASEANs Five-Point Consensus on resolving the crisis in Myanmar, and seemed to have given upless than two months into his chairmanshipon making any progress.

RFA quoted him as saying that there are only 10 more months and 14 days left and my duty [as ASEAN chair] will be finished, and suggesting, the next chair of ASEAN take care of the issue.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, in his capacity as ASEAN special envoy, will visit Myanmar in the second week of March. The outcome of his visit will be a key factor in determining the future status of the military junta in Naypyitaw, officially known as the State Administration Council, both regionally and internationally.

At the retreat, the ASEAN members had to wrestle with Myanmars credentials as the quagmire entered its second year.

Speaking to reporters last week, Singapore Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan aptly put it that in the coming days there would be so-called administrative wrinkles that the ASEAN members will have to smooth out.

There will be some documents that all ASEAN members have to sign. The question most often asked is, who will sign on behalf of Myanmar?

The first document in question is the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). In order for six more countries  namely Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates  to be formally recognized as observers, all 10 foreign ministers would have to sign the Instruments of Accessions to complete the process.

ASEAN did not invite the regime representatives in previous meetings but invited only non-political representatives. Myanmar has so far refused to send non-political officials.

Some ASEAN members have come up with the idea of allowing Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin to sign on behalf of Myanmar, which would be followed by a joint statement by the rest of the group which explicitly says the ministers signature does not confer legitimacy on the SAC and its actions. These are some of the delicate issues with which ASEAN will have to come to grips.

In the next few weeks, the SAC has to show that it has made concrete and sufficient progress in implementing the 5PC to deserve further support, otherwise there could be some dramatic changes of heart among old ASEAN members and key dialogue partners. Washington, in particular, is closely watching the manner in which ASEAN is engaging the military junta. That could be one reason why the US keeps changing the date of the proposed special ASEAN-US summit in Washington. While the White House has confirmed that it will now be held in March, the exact dates have yet to be announced.

Indeed, this summit would allow the rest of the world to gauge the future of SAC and its nemesis, the National Unity Government. The US Congress is pressing Washington to recognize the NUG. Just as Myanmar is the only ASEAN member not to be invited to the Ministerial Forum for Indo-Pacific in Paris this week, Myanmar also looks set to be the only ASEAN state not to be invited to the summit in DC.

If there is significant progress during Prak Sokhonns planned visit, especially pertaining to the end of violence, access to all stakeholders and sites for humanitarian assistance as well as a timeline for political dialogue, Myanmars status within ASEAN could change in the next few months. In addition, this time ASEAN foreign ministers encouraged the special envoy to coordinate closely with Noeleen Heyzer, the special envoy of the UN Secretary General on Myanmar.

As the Myanmar stalemate continues, ASEAN will only face more dilemmas.

Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.

This article first appeared in The Bangkok Post.



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Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Showers early becoming a steady light rain later in the day. High 63F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 42F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Fort Lauderdale  Two people were hospitalized after being bitten by dogs Tuesday, and an officer fired a shot at one of two dogs involved in the incident, authorities said.

Officers responded to reports of two aggressive dogs about 10:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Northwest First Avenue near Sunrise Boulevard, according to Fort Lauderdale police.

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One officer fired a shot at one of the dogs after the dog charged aggressively at the officer, police said. Its not known whether the dog was shot.

Both dogs are in the custody of animal control.

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The victims were taken to the hospital by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. Theres no word on their conditions.
COMPANY NEWS: Sydney-based Fintech start-up Easy Business App (formerly Easy Payslip) today announced the launch of a new invoicing solution, Easy Invoicing, that has been specially built for Australian small business owners, sole traders and accountants, fully available on mobile.

Founded in 2017, Easy Business App aims to accompany small business owners throughout their entire digital finance and admin journey, while remaining accessible with a pay for what you need and mix & match features model. It also supports accountants in managing their clients financial and reporting obligations.

Easy Business App co-founder and CEO Paul Sharpe commented: Most Fintech solutions on the market today have not been designed specifically for small business owners and sole traders. Theyre often expensive, complex to navigate and use if you dont have a dedicated finance person, and theyre usually part of a locked-in integrated accounting package with lots of unnecessary features aimed at big businesses. Also, none of them today are actually 100% mobile - as they pretend to be.

Easy Invoicing is the latest capability in the Easy Business App ecosystem, adding to the existing payslip and STP compliance solutions. It is a free online estimate and invoice generator that is 100% small business and sole trader focused, as well as fully web and mobile-native.

Easy Invoicing lets users create professional, customised invoices and quotes in seconds, on the go, and send them by email, text and even WhatsApp, as well as helps make BAS reporting easier. Features include overdue reminders and tracking of customer activity. It also helps businesses to get paid faster by allowing them to add a 1-click card payment link straight from their invoices.

Do an invoice, plant a tree!

For every account that processes two invoices, Easy Business App will plant two trees including one in Australia, and one in a country in need of reforestation. The company is aiming for over 5,000 trees planted, including 1,000 in Australia by the end of March.

Paper work is a nightmare for small businesses. Its difficult to manage, and its terrible for the environment. So were inspiring our customers to go paperless by planting trees for each of the first 2 invoices they send, Sharpe says.

Doubling down onsuccess: closing in on $1 billion in processed payrolled, and +10,000 new customers in 2021

Easy Invoicing comes following the success of the companys first small business finance solution, Easy Payslip, which comes with embedded Single Touch Payroll (STP) compliance features and was the first payroll app to market that let todays business owners do their payslips anytime, anywhere, and truly on any device.

As we kick off 2022, Easy PaySlip is closing in on $1 billion in processed payroll since the solution was launched in market in 2018. In 2021 alone, the company also recorded over 10,500 new small business account sign ups, including 500 Australian accountants.

This included a significant cross section of Australian businesses from hairdressers, tradies, consultants, doctors, and a new breed of entrepreneurs that started up micro businesses during lockdowns, using Easy Payslip to help demystify the complexities of running a business.

Running a business as a sole trader or small business owner can be hard, and third party support expensive. What small businesses tell us is that theyre too busy and dont have time to solve everything at once, added Sharpe. You shouldnt have to be an accountant or tax expert in order to run payroll and STP, create professional invoices, or get quick insights into the health of your business. And you certainly shouldnt need to be at a desk in front of a PC.

Beyond helping business owners, we are also the only solution that provides accountants with their own mobile dashboard. This means that accountants can set up and manage all their clients payroll, invoicing and reporting from a mobile or tablet, as well as PC. We have built this based on feedback from the over 1,000 accountants that have signed up, adds Sharpe.

Made in Australia and set for strong 2022 growth

Easy Business App prides itself on delivering beautifully designed apps that are extra easy to use, as well as excellent customer service, all based in Australia.

A huge amount of effort has gone into completely rebuilding and rearchitecting the product and technology, in order to support the companys long term vision of building one single ecosystem able support small business throughout their entire business operations journey

With an all in-house tech team and a strong focus on local customer service, Easy Business App is able to turn customer pain points and feedback into new features and updates in a quick time, and offer users a dedicated local support.

Our secret weapon is our great local support. This includes myself and other senior members of the team who speak to our customers every day, gathering insight that drives us to keep improving our product, says Sharpe.

The ultimate goal for us is to become an ecosystem that is able to follow the entire small business journey, allowing businesses to grow with us. This is something weve seen in particular over the past two years with people setting up businesses and side hustles overnight, whether it be consulting services or a shop on Shopify.

In the next 12 months, Easy Business App expects to have a fully featured ecosystem to help small business owners - and accountants - with administration, accounting, tax, compliance, websites, and many other needs that are unique to small businesses.

About Easy Business App

Easy Business Apps mission is to help small business owners and sole traders remove complexity from accounting and admin by providing an ecosystem of apps that are ultra easy to use - and beautiful - with built-in compliance, adapted to our new ways of living and working.

Founded in Sydney in 2017, Easy Business App provides a wide range of finance and admin modules including payroll, invoicing, with banking, expenses, time sheet, websites and more to come.

The company is on track for reaching $1 billion in processed payroll in 2022, and has thousands of customers across Australia using its solutions.

For more information, please visit Easy Business App.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released the latest Notifiable Data Breaches Report , covering July to December 2021. The report shows 464 data breach notifications, up 6%, with almost one in five being due to somebody emailing the wrong person.

Of the 464 notifications, 55% or 256 were due to malicious or criminal attacks, yet this is a decrease of 9% from the previous quarter.

Human error breaches have increased to 190 notifications or 41% of the total - and of those, 43% were from personally identifying information - or PII - being emailed to the wrong recipient. Thats 43% of 41% of the total, meaning over 17% of all data breaches from all sources were due to careless emails. The next highest human error cause was unauthorised disclosure.

Health service providers are the top industry reporting data breaches, followed by finance. 71% of breaches affected 100 people or fewer. However, one data breach notification affected more than one million, but fewer than 10 million people. Two notifications affected 50,001 to 100,000 people.

80% of breaches were identified in under 30 days, while 4% were not identified until a year or more had passed. 1% of data breaches could not be pinpointed as to when the breach actually occurred.

Angelene Falk, the Australian information commissioner and privacy commissioner, calls for organisations to put accountability at the centre of their information handling practices. Doing so would give individuals greater confidence that their personal information will be handled fairly and securely when they engage with an organisation, she said.

Falk noted some organisations are falling short of the scheme's assessment and notification requirements. As the risk of serious harm to individuals often increases with time, the OAIC expects organisations to treat 30 days as a maximum time limit for an assessment of a data breach and to aim to complete the assessment in a much shorter timeframe. Of the 464 breaches in the second half of 2021, 75% were reported to the OAIC within 30 days, while 13% took up to 60 days, and the remainder took longer.

The OAIC report received widespread interest from security and privacy experts.

"The fact that the financial services industry is so often the victim of a cyber breach does not indicate a lack of cybersecurity commitment or good practice on their part, said Steven Armitage, country director, SANS Institute. The sectors position as one of the most breached shows how heavily targeted the industry is by cyber adversaries. It also illustrates how cooperatively the FSIs work with regulators under their mandatory breach notification requirements. They take their cyber obligations seriously. The sector has made significant investments and genuine leaps forward in improving its cyber security posture in recent years, investing in its people and technology. Nevertheless, with 42 per cent of data breaches resulting from malicious or criminal attacks and 48 per cent of data breaches resulting from human error, the need for FSIs to remain vigilant and to continue that improvement is clear.

Of the 464 notifications, 55% are attributed to malicious or criminal attacks. This figure suggests the sophistication and scale of cyber-attacks are continuing to get the best of Australian organisations. Threat actors are chasing larger paydays and finding new vulnerabilities in a wide variety of targets, while many organisations are struggling to bring their cybersecurity up to standard for hybrid work, said John Donovan, managing director ANZ, Sophos. First and foremost, Australian businesses must change their mindsets around cybersecurity and adopt a model wherein they assume they will be breached. Subsequently, its crucial that leaders invest in the right technology to build their cybersecurity foundation and focus on resilience and recovery as well as protection. Considering 41 per cent of the data breaches were a result of human error, up 11 per cent from the previous report, organisations need to make staff cybersecurity education a priority; this is essential to creating a cyber-aware culture and addressing this statistic.

Despite progressive steps taken by companies to modernise their technological infrastructure in an effort to boost data protection and cybersecurity efforts, the latest OAIC report suggests that organisations do not have strong accountability measures in place to manage data breaches in line with compliance requirements. Without the protection that office systems provide, educating and training employees on what security measures need to be put in place, prior to and during an attack, is paramount to reducing the amount and degree of future security breaches, said Matthew McWhirter, senior director, Asia Pacific and Japan, LastPass. With 41% of data breaches caused by human error, organisations need to foster a security-first culture. This involves ensuring employees have secure online habits and practices to complement implemented technology to effectively combat cybercrime. For example, risks of phishing and brute-force attacks can be minimised by adopting password managers with single-sign-on (SSO) and passwordless MFA to act as the moat for your company to deter cybercriminals."

"The new OAIC Notifiable Data Breaches Report confirms what many in Australia's security industry know already, and that is that we must do more to achieve heightened security awareness and indeed higher prioritisation of security best practices at an organisational level," said Pieter Danhieux, co-founder and CEO, Secure Code Warrior. "The numbers around breaches caused by human error have shot back up from where they were in the first 2021 report, and while malicious or criminal cyberattacks have had a slight downward trend, the consequences of such a breach can be devastating. With the healthcare sector being the highest reporting industry, experiencing almost one in five of all reported incidents, the potential disruption to vital services is concerning. These same criminal attacks are also successful in eight per cent of cases as a result of hacking, and while this number may seem small, there is a worrying trend of some breaches resulting from this attack vector taking much longer to discover and report, giving threat actors a significant advantage in making away like bandits with large volumes of sensitive data. While there is no breakdown of how exactly the systems and software were compromised in the relevant reported breaches, common ways that attackers can infiltrate are by exploiting security bugs in code, and security misconfiguration, both of which can be mitigated by security-aware developers. However, until we get serious about providing comprehensive training in secure coding and enabling every developer to share the responsibility for security, they will continue to be a rare commodity in most organisations."

"The report suggests that the upward trend of user-sourced breaches continues, where the actions of a staff member or other trusted party are used to gain a foothold into an environment. As perimeter defences become more effective, threat actors have turned their attention to social engineering, primarily via email and compromised credentials to gain entry. The approaches of least privilege and segmentation are highly effective at containing the impact of a breach, ideally limiting consequences to one of an inconvenience rather than crippling an organisation altogether, said Sash Vasilevski, principal, Security Centric.

"As many companies take steps to ensure that they can emerge stronger from the pandemic, this latest OAIC report shows that malicious or criminal activity remains omnipresent and responsible for the majority of data breaches suffered by enterprises. As compromised credentials and ransomware were responsible for more than one in four data breaches in this latest report, businesses really need to appreciate that compromised credentials relating to privileged accounts or users are often the first step in a ransomware attack. Indeed, criminals leverage the privileges associated with an individual account to move through an organisation until they reach the crown jewels of the company," said Scott Hesford, director of solutions engineering, Asia Pacific and Japan, BeyondTrust. "We continue to see compromised credentials be amongst the most significant causes of data breaches in Australia. Organisations storing information should look to implement multi-factor authentication to better secure key accounts alongside password management solutions that help to discover, manage, audit, monitor and secure the credentials of privileged accounts. Additionally, it is worth noting that many managed privileged accounts contain privileges in excess of what they need for any given task. Organisations should also consider implementing tools that can assign specific privileges to accounts based on what they should be used for. Ultimately, today, data protection is of the utmost priority and organisational IT teams must have clear visibility to rapidly detect and neutralise any security threats that may arise."

"Based on the current OAIC report the six% increase in notifications from the previous report is alarming as 41% of data breaches are coming from human error with 43% being from personal information being emailed to the wrong recipient. This makes it imperative for companies to continue to invest in security awareness training in certain subject areas for their staff with the inclusion of an overall security product offering implemented. With the health sector remaining the highest reporting industry sector notifying 18% of all breaches, its important that they continue to improve on all aspects of security such as protecting all devices, planning for the unexpected, limiting access outside of the network and creating and building a great security culture with all internal users. It is however pleasing somewhat to see that ransomware incidents have dropped 11% from the previous reporting period suggesting that emails and the like are being looked at more carefully before any action is taken," said Anthony Daniel, regional director, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, WatchGuard Technologies.

"Malicious cyber activity continues to plague Australian organisations and leave behind a destructive wake, with the OAIC's latest update revealing 55% of data breaches in the July to December period were a direct result of criminal cyber activity and almost a quarter of cyber security incidents leading to breaches caused by ransomware," said Derek Cowan, director of systems engineering, Asia Pacific and Japan, Cohesity. "Australia's public and private organisations must consider how they can augment their current security posture by embracing next-gen data management practices to better govern, manage, and protect their data. It's little surprise that the healthcare, legal, and financial services sectors are being targeted, due to the volume of sensitive data or crown jewels for malicious actors. To help thwart malicious cyber incidents and minimise their impact, organisations need to enhance their security postures by embracing next-gen data management capabilities that allow them to: utilise immutable backup snapshots, ensure their data is encrypted at transit and in rest, enable multi-factor authentication, detect potential anomalies via AI/ML, employ zero trust principles, and reduce their overall data footprint caused by mass data fragmentation."
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
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By 3-1 vote, Jackson City Council approves sending letter to Georgia DOT asking for options to proposed roundabouts

Special Photo The proposed roundabout at Hwy. 16 and Brookwood Ave. (Hwy. 42).

By a 3-1 vote, the Jackson City Council approved sending a letter to the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) expressing their concerns about the roundabouts proposed for Hwy. 16 and Brookwood Ave (Hwy. 42), Hwy. 16 and Hwy. 42 on the east side of Jackson near Piggly-Wiggly, and the Hwy. 36 truck bypass. The letter asks the DOT to meet with the council and provide alternatives and other options for the roundabouts.

The action came at the councils Feb. 15 meeting. Council members Theodore Patterson, Lewis Sims and Beth Weaver voted in favor of the letter, with Don Cook casting the dissenting vote. Council member Ricky P-Nut Johnson was absent from the meeting.

The issue of the roundabouts came up at the council meeting after the Butts County Board of Commissioners sent a letter to DOT in January expressing their disapproval of the Hwy. 16/Brookwood Ave. roundabout and the Hwy. 36 truck bypass. The BOC asked DOT to reallocate the funds for those projects for a proposed truck bypass that would divert traffic from Hwy. 16 West to Hwy. 36 East on the north side of Jackson, with the county possibly providing additional funds from a proposed Transportation SPLOST (TSPLOST).

The discussion was not on the agenda when the council meeting began, but Patterson made a motion to amend the agenda to add the discussion. The motion was seconded by Weaver and passed by a 3-1 vote, with Cook casting the dissenting vote.

Patterson opened the discussion by stating that the countys letter concerning the roundabout and Hwy. 36 truck bypass affected the city more than the county and he felt the city needed to express its feelings as well.

Cook said he thought the council had passed a resolution in favor of the roundabout before current mayor Carlos Duffey took office in January and he was surprised it was coming back up again.

Weaver said she thought the city had asked DOT for a review of the roundabout to improve traffic flow.

Cook noted that the county wants to use the DOT money for the roundabout and the Hwy. 36 bypass for a larger truck bypass, plus pass a TSPLOST to provide additional funding. Cook said he thought it will be hard for the county to get a TSPLOST passed.

He added his concern that DOT will get tired of Jackson going back and forth on road projects and will just skip over Jackson and go on to the next town.

I think were rocking the boat too much, said Cook. We need the roundabout and the state is not going to pay for a traffic light.

Patterson said everyone has their own opinions. He said he has talked to several state DOT project managers several times and that they dont have concrete answers for the concerns that have been proposed to them.

Patterson added that theres no secret that something has to be done about the traffic, but said the roundabout is not going to prevent traffic problems in the city.

No matter what you do, youre going to have a traffic situation, said Patterson.

Weaver expressed her concerns about the proposed roundabout at Hwy. 16 and Brookwood Ave, stating she has been told by DOT that it would be similar to the roundabout at Bass Road and Hwy. 87 in north Bibb County. She said that roundabout is horrible, with trucks unable to negotiate the roundabout and constantly running over and trashing the center island.

I just dont think that roundabout is what we want as an entry to our city, she said. Weve worked so hard to make this a pretty city and it wont be. Please just consider that and think about all the traffic that will be coming through there.

Mayor Duffey said he can see both sides of the concern that DOT may not do projects with Jackson in the future if the roundabout is not built, and the concerns people have about the roundabout.

Im not for or against anything; its just a matter of at some point someone agreed to do the roundabout and now were at the junction of it is here, the project is going to happy, he said. All the dialogue weve had with DOT is were going to do the project.

I see everybodys point here at the table, but looking forward, what is this going to look like for us as a community thats trying to progress and go forward? Will DOT favor Jackson, and thats something I think we have to consider.

Peoples minds change, things evolve as we go, we mature a little bit, Duffey added. Some things that we didnt see then we see now, but at the same time, going forward we have to really start looking at the future. What is this going to look like 20 years from now? I think those are things we really have to consider going forward.

Patterson said he personally would like to go on record that at this point he feels that with the situation with the roundabouts and the safety and concerns and impact that it will have on the county, city and public property, that he is totally opposed to them and would like the DOT to come and have a dialogue with this council and the citizens to see if there are other alternative solutions to arrive at a meaningful solution to the situation that were in.

Patterson went on to make a motion that the city draft a letter to DOT addressing the concerns about the roundabouts being proposed and would like to see other options and solutions before DOT continues moving forward. Weaver seconded the motion and it was approved, 3-1.
PERRY, Fla. (AP)  A man was killed while trying to break into a home Wednesday morning after shooting and wounding a deputy during a traffic stop the previous night, officials in Florida said.

Deputies found Gregory Miedema dead at a Dixie County home following a 10-hour manhunt, Florida Department of Law Enforcement special agent Mark Perez said during a news conference.

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Taylor County Deputy Troy Anderson attempted to pull over Miedema on Tuesday evening on U.S. 19 and Miedema shot the deputy multiple times, officials said. Anderson was airlifted to a Gainesville hospital in critical condition. Taylor and Dixie counties are located west of Gainesville.

Officials issued a blue alert shortly before midnight, informing the public that a law enforcement officer had been wounded on duty.

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Several hours later, Miedema attempted to break into the Dixie County home, officials said. Miedema was fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire with the homeowner, officials said. The homeowner was also injured but was expected to recover.

According to state records, Miedema, 33, was a registered sex offender in Lee County. He was convicted of lewd or lascivious battery and other charges in 2011.
Jacksonville, TX (75766)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.




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Chinese FM calls on all parties to remain calm, resolve Ukraine issue through dialogue

(People's Daily App) 16:30, February 23, 2022

Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday called on all parties on the Ukraine issue to remain calm, ease tensions and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier in the day, expounding China's stance on the Ukraine crisis.

"China is concerned about the evolving situation in Ukraine, and China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent," the spokesperson quoted the foreign minister as saying, noting that the legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld.

He said the current situation in the Ukraine crisis is closely related to the delay in the effective implementation of the new Minsk agreement, and China will continue to make contacts with all relevant parties according to the merits of the matter itself.

China once again calls on all parties to exercise restraint, realize the importance of implementing the "indivisibility of security" principle, ease tensions and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation as the situation in Ukraine is getting worse, the spokesperson said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A Florida woman was charged with disorderly conduct after police say she stripped naked in a bar and refused to leave.

Kelly Elizabeth Elkins, 49, of Treasure Island arrived at the Beach Lounge in St. Pete Beach so intoxicated Friday that the manager refused to serve her, according to a police report.

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She went to the restroom and came out wearing no clothes, the report stated.

Police were called shortly after 2 a.m.

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After being asked several times to get dressed, Elkins put on only a hoodie, but would not zip it up, police said.

An officer ordered her to put on her pants, but she refused, stating she was too tired, the report said.

Several patrons were in the bar at the time of the incident.

Elkins was booked into the Pinellas County jail on a misdemeanor charge shortly after 5 a.m. Friday and was released at 10:41 a.m. that day.

WFLA-Channel 8 reported that Elkins is a licensed attorney listed as a member in good standing on the Florida Bars website.
Johnson City, TN (37604)

Today

Showers likely along with a possible rumble of thunder in the morning, then partly cloudy late. High around 75F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Johnson City, TN (37604)

Today

Showers with the chance of some thunder in the morning, then skies turning partly cloudy late. High around 75F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. Low 51F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Joplin, MO (64801)

Today

Thunderstorms in the morning will give way to steady rain in the afternoon. High 61F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Rain. Low 58F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
WASHINGTON  The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorneys criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and his business dealings suddenly resigned Wednesday, throwing the future of the probe into question just as pressure was building on Trump on several legal fronts.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz, top deputies who had been tasked with running the investigation on a day-to-day basis. Both started on the Trump probe under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., and Bragg asked them to stay when he took office in January.

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Dunne, the offices former general counsel, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in a successful, multiyear fight for Trumps tax records. Pomerantz, a former mafia prosecutor, was brought out of private practice by Vance last year to add his expertise in white collar investigations and had been involved in questioning witnesses before the grand jury.

We are grateful for their service, Bragg spokesperson Danielle Filson said. She declined to comment further, saying the investigation is ongoing.

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The New York Times, citing sources, reported that the grand jury investigation had stalled, with no sessions in the last month, and that Dunne and Pomerantz quit after Bragg raised doubts about pursuing a case against Trump himself. No former president has ever been charged with a crime.

So far, the nearly three-year investigation has resulted only in tax fraud charges against Trumps company, the Trump Organization, and its longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg relating to lucrative fringe benefits such as rent, car payments and school tuition.

Messages seeking comment were left for Dunne and Pomerantz.

Trump did not immediately respond to the news. In a telephone interview, his lawyer Robert Fischetti said: Im a very happy man. In my opinion, this investigation is over.

Fischetti said Bragg has not spoken to him about the status of the investigation or potential charges against Trump but, given Thursdays developments, the lawyer said it appeared that the D.A. had reviewed the case and signaled to his deputies he was not inclined to pursue an indictment.

My client has done nothing wrong, Fischetti said.

The resignations were likely to further embolden Trump, a Republican who continues to tease another run for president in 2024, after several recent legal setbacks. Trump has repeatedly railed against the New York probes as baseless and politically motivated, saying in a statement last week that Democratic prosecutors were spending historic amounts of time, energy, and money trying to get Trump.

But Trumps legal challenges continue. Last week, a judge in New York ordered him to testify under oath in a parallel civil investigation focused in part on whether his company misrepresented asset values, a judge in Washington, D.C. refused to dismiss conspiracy lawsuits trying to hold him liable for the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot and the National Archives revealed that classified information was found in 15 boxes of White House records taken to his Mar-a-Lago home.

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Meanwhile, the Jan. 6 committee is continuing to investigate the insurrection, and what role Trump played in inciting it, and an investigation in Georgia is continuing into whether Trump broke the law by trying to pressure state officials to throw out President Joe Bidens 2020 election victory. A special grand jury is expected to be seated in May in that case and will work for up to a year.

The Manhattan D.A.s office started investigating Trump in 2019, first examining hush-money payments paid to women on his behalf and then expanding into an inquiry into whether the presidents company misled lenders or tax authorities about the value of its properties.

Just last month, Bragg said he was proud of the continuity that Dunne and Pomerantz had brought in running the high-profile investigation as he took over the D.A.s office from Vance, who declined to run for re-election after winning the battle over Trumps tax returns.

I do think the one continuity is the staffing and (Vance) brought on incredible lawyers to do it, Bragg said in a Jan. 20 question-and-answer session with reporters.

Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. >

And theyve been dedicated and weve been working and keeping them in place and thinking about the kind of resources to continue the investigation in order to then be in a position to make decisions on the direction of the probe, Bragg said.

Bragg, limited by ethics rules from discussing the case in detail, said at the time that he was getting up to speed on the Trump investigation and that he would follow the facts. He didnt offer a timeline for a charging decision.

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Its a matter thats personally, as you would imagine, on my radar screen and that Im mindful of and paying attention to, Bragg said.

Weisselberg, the only person charged in the investigation, has pleaded not guilty to charges he collected and failed to pay taxes on more than $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation.

On Tuesday, lawyers for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization filed court papers seeking to throw out the case. Weisselbergs lawyers argued the D.A.s office was targeting him as punishment because he wouldnt flip on the former president.

___

Associated Press reporters Jim Mustian in New York and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.
NEW YORK  The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorneys criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and his business dealings suddenly resigned Wednesday, throwing the future of the probe into question.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and former mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. Both started on the probe under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and were asked to stay when Bragg took office in January.

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Dunne, the offices former general counsel, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in a successful fight for Trumps tax records. Pomerantz was brought out of private practice by Vance last year to add his expertise in white collar investigations to the probe.

We are grateful for their service, said Braggs spokesperson, Danielle Filson. She declined to comment further, saying the investigation is ongoing.

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Attorney Mark Pomerantz arrives at Federal Court in New York, Aug. 12, 2002. (DAVID KARP/AP)

The New York Times, citing sources, reported that Dunne and Pomerantz quit after Bragg raised doubts about pursuing a case against Trump.

Messages seeking comment were left for Dunne and Pomerantz.

The D.A.s office investigation led to tax fraud charges last July against Trumps company, the Trump Organization, and its longtime finance chief, Allen Weisselberg.

Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. >

Weisselberg was accused of collecting more than $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation, including apartment rent, car payments and school tuition. He and the company have pleaded not guilty.

On Tuesday, lawyers for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization filed court papers seeking to throw out the case. Weisselbergs lawyers argued the D.A.s office was targeting him as punishment because he wouldnt flip on the former president.

Just last month, Bragg said he was proud of the continuity that Dunne and Pomerantz had brought in running the high-profile investigation through the transition from Vances administration to his leadership.

I do think the one continuity is the staffing and (Vance) brought on incredible lawyers to do it, Bragg said in a Jan. 20 question-and-answer session with reporters.

And theyve been dedicated and weve been working and keeping them in place and thinking about the kind of resources to continue the investigation in order to then be in a position to make decisions on the direction of the probe, Bragg said.

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Bragg, limited by ethics rules from discussing the case in detail, said at the time that he was getting up to speed on the Trump investigation and that he would follow the facts. He didnt offer a timeline for a charging decision.

Its a matter thats personally, as you would imagine, on my radar screen and that Im mindful of and paying attention to, Bragg said.
Genocide, nuclear ambitions, neo-Nazis: the Russian presidents incendiary rhetoric this week against Ukraine and its leaders has portrayed them as diabolical, fanatical and intent on harming Russia.

Many of the outrageous claims were contained in a televised address Vladimir Putin gave on Monday in which he recognised two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, setting off alarm bells around the world.

Here are some of the key claims Putin has made:

 Genocide 

This unfounded accusation has been appearing more and more in Russian public discourse since December as, according to Western sources, some 150,000 Russian soldiers set up camp on Ukraines borders.

Putin claims Ukraine wants to exterminate Russian speakers in the east of the country.

In his speech on Monday, which veered between the threatening and the professorial, Putin questioned Ukraines right to exist and accused its government of being a neo-Nazi regime supported by the West.

Visibly angry, he accused the West of closing its eyes to the genocide that four million people are suffering  a reference to the mostly Russian-speaking population of eastern Ukraine.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 14,000 lives since it broke out in 2014 but the casualties have been on both sides.

Russian is still widely spoken in Ukraine and the government has not banned it, as Putin has claimed.

But Kyiv has adopted a law making Ukrainian mandatory in government offices and the media  a text criticised by international non-governmental organisations.

In its defence, Kyiv has said the country was forcibly Russified during the Soviet era and has been suffering Russian aggression for eight years, including with the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

 Nuclear ambitions 

This is the most recent accusation against Ukraine, which was first put forward on Monday by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu when he said that Kyiv was planning to acquire nuclear weapons.

The Russian president repeated the claim in his speech on Monday and went into greater detail at a news conference on Tuesday.

Thanks to its Soviet heritage, he said of Ukraine that the only thing they are missing is a system for enriching uranium but this is only a technical question and not an insoluble problem.

Kyiv can, he said, develop nuclear weapons and increase the range of its missiles to 500 kilometres (310 miles).

Moscow would be in the destruction zone. For us, this is a strategic threat, Putin said.

Ukraine has never spoken of any nuclear ambitions.

Its president has, however, referred to a 1994 agreement on nuclear weapons called the Budapest Memorandum, saying it appears obsolete.

The memorandum foresees the respect of Ukraines territorial integrity by Russia in exchange for Kyiv abandoning its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal.

Zelensky has called for consultations with Moscow, adding that if they do not take place or if their result does not guarantee the security of our country, Ukraine will have the right to consider the Budapest Memorandum as no longer functional.

In many ways this is already the case.

Moscow has annexed Crimea from Ukraine and this week recognised as independent two regions in eastern Ukraine whose separatist ambitions it has been supporting for the past eight years.

 NATO and all-out war 

For several weeks, Putin has been repeating the catastrophic scenario of all-out war in order to justify the security guarantees demanded by Russia  no NATO expansion to Ukraine and the withdrawal of additional NATO forces sent to eastern members of the alliance.

His reasoning is that if Ukraine does join NATO as it wants to do and if it then tries to take back Crimea, this would lead to a direct confrontation between nuclear powers  Russia and the West.

This week, Putin also accused NATO and the United States in particular of using regular military drills in Ukraine as a cover for rapidly deploying NATO military units into Ukrainian territory.

NATO members have defended Ukraines ambition to join the Western military alliance but have said that membership is not on the cards for now.
The Gambia insisted Wednesday that allegations it brought before the UNs top court alleging genocide against Myanmars Rohingya Muslims were legitimate, after the Buddhist nation tried to get them dismissed.

Banjul dragged Myanmar before the International Court of Justice in 2019, accusing it of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority following a bloody 2017 military crackdown.

We seek to protect not only the rights of the Rohingya, but our own rights as a state party to the genocide convention, The Gambias attorney general Dawda Jallow told the court.

They were doing that by holding Myanmar to its obligation not to commit genocide, not to incite genocide and to prevent unpunished genocide, he added.

These violations of the genocide convention are a stain on our collective conscience and it would be irresponsible to pretend that it is not our business, the Gambian lawyer told judges.

In court on Monday, Myanmar struck out at The Gambia for having brought the case before the Hague-based ICJ, set up after World War Two to rule in disputes between countries.

Its lawyers accused Banjul of not acting as a country in its own right, but as a proxy for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a 57-member body set up in 1969 to represent global Muslim interests.

 Long-running proceedings 

Jallow dismissed that argument.

This is very much a dispute between The Gambia and Myanmar, he said.

We make it our business when we, as civilised nations committed ourselves to the pact under the 1948 Genocide Convention, Jallow said.

When the case opened in December 2019, Aung San Suu Kyi personally represented Myanmar at the ICJ, but she was ousted as the Asian countrys civilian leader in a military coup last year.

The Nobel peace laureate, who faced criticism from rights groups for her involvement in the case, is now under house arrest and on trial by the same generals she defended in The Hague.

Around 850,000 Rohingya are languishing in camps in neighbouring Bangladesh while another 600,000 Rohingya remain in Myanmars southwestern Rakhine state.

The Rohingya case at the ICJ has been complicated by the coup that ousted Suu Kyi and her civilian government, triggering mass protests and a bloody military crackdown. More than 1,500 civilians have been killed, according to a local monitoring group.

The ICJ made a provisional order in January 2020 that Myanmar must take all measures to prevent the alleged genocide of the Rohingya while the years-long proceedings are under way.
The India chief executive of software giant Salesforce said the countrys IT sector is grappling with a skills shortage crisis, as companies struggle to meet surging demand and compete with well-funded tech start-ups for workers.

The shortage is challenging Indias IT companies, which serve as the foundation of the countrys services industry and as back offices to the worlds biggest companies, including Citibank UK, Microsoft and AstraZeneca.

Arundhati Bhattacharya, Salesforce India chief executive, said that her company was rushing to hire and train staff, after the pandemic had driven up demand as companies have embraced online working and services.

We are doing certain stop-gap measures, but there is definitely a skills shortage, said Bhattacharya, a former chair of the State Bank of India who joined the San Francisco-headquartered software company in 2020.

We are doing a number of things which we feel . . . in the medium term will solve our issues. And its not only us, the entire IT sector is doing [it], Bhattacharya said in an interview with the Financial Times. In the shorter term, however, there is a crisis.

According to data compiled by Xpheno, a specialist staffing company, the number of active job openings in Indias IT sector reached a two-year high of 129,000 in January, almost double the 68,000 registered in January last year.

The root cause of the shortages predates the pandemic. In 2018 and 2019 we had relatively a lesser intake of new graduates, said Kamal Karanth, Xpheno co-founder.

Churn in the sector, which now employs about 5mn people and generated $227bn in revenue for Indias 2022 financial year, had shot up, said experts.

During the pandemic, IT companies have slashed their workforces to cut costs. Yet demand for digital skills hit an all-time high, said Karanth.

According to InterviewBit, a company that helps IT job candidates in India prepare for interviews, software development engineers command an average annual base salary of Rs1,191,752 (about $16,000), rising to Rs2,225,470 with experience.

But at the lower end of the skills scale, the average yearly salary for a technical support engineer is Rs300,000 according to jobseekers site AmbitionBox.

Competition for workers with five years or more experience is being spurred by Indias booming start-ups flush with cash, said Sid Pai, co-founder of Siana Capital Management, a Bangalore-based venture capital fund investing in technology start-ups.

Its actually ludicrous, Pai said. People are getting 50, 80, 100 per cent raises to move.

Tech companies are responding with massive hiring drives. Milind Lakkad, head of human resources at Tata Consultancy Services, Indias second-largest listed company by market capitalisation, said during an earnings call that TCS had hired 77,000 new graduates in nine months. The unprecedented volumes of hiring brought the companys workforce to more than half a million employees.

On a smaller scale, Salesforce India has expanded from 2,500 employees when Bhattacharya was appointed to 6,500.

We are talking to colleges. We are also establishing relationships with companies that will actually go into [smaller] cities, and pick out the bright guys or girls, added Bhattacharya. We are on the verge of creating another programme for women to return to the workforce.
Song Kang graces GQ Korea's March issue, where he showcases his charms, head-turning visuals and muscular biceps.

Song Kang Exudes Elegance with Maison Cartier's Newest Collection

In partnership with jewelry and watch brand Maison Cartier, GQ Korea gives a sneak peek of Song Kang's latest magazine pictorial.

The "Forecasting Love and Weather" star captures fans' hearts by completely digesting Cartier's newest ICON collection.

With his endearing and mature eyes, he created a soft charm and displayed his identity as a professional model.

In the photos, Song Kang also showed off his simple, classic style and elegance wearing jewelry and watches from Cartier.

The actor also displayed his perfect and fit physique, which stood out. His suave and masculine image pleased the fans' eyes. He had a matured transformation with his overall visuals.

Song Kang's interview and other upcoming GQ Korea content will be released on the magazine's official website and social media accounts.

'Forecasting Love and Weather', Lead Stars Remain the Most Buzzworthy K-drama and Actors

Meanwhile, Song Kang currently plays as Lee Si Woo, a smart weather forecaster, in JTBC's Saturday-Sunday drama "Forecasting Love and Weather," alongside Park Min Young. The newly-premiered office romance series continues to receive favorable reviews from viewers.

The drama's concept also received praise from the audience and media as it's the first Korean drama to tackle weather forecasting combined with the familiar office romance.

"Forecasting Love and Weather" recently beat its own viewership rating records.

Further, "Forecasting Love and Weather" remain on top five most buzzworthy K-dramas for two consecutive weeks since. Its stars Park Min Young and Song Kang also reserved their spots at no. 3 and no. 4, respectively, as most buzzworthy actors.

Meanwhile, its rival K-series "Twenty Five, Twenty One" and its leads Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Tae Ri remain unbeatable as the most buzzworthy drama and actors.

Catch "Forecasting Love and Weather" every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 p.m. (KST) on tvN and Netflix.

For more Korean drama and celebrity news, keep your tabs open at Kdramastars.

Shai Collins wrote this.

Kdramastars owns this article.
Fans are guessing whether Kim Soo Hyun's new Intagram photo is hinting at his new project or not.

Is it a new K-drama? Keep on reading to know more.

Kim Soo Hyun Instagram Update: Actor Looks Dandy in New Photos

"It's Okay Not to Be Okay" star Kim Soo Hyun surprised his followers on February 23 after he posted a photo of him looking dandy in his navy blue suit as he sat like a distinguished gentleman.

What captured fans' attention the most is his sculptural facial features and his polished elegant hairstyle.

As of this writing, just three hours after Kim Soo Hyun posted the picture, it has garnered over half a million reactions.

The new photo is his first update following his birthday last February 16. Meanwhile, the actor's last drama "One Ordinary Day" premiered in November 2021 on Coupang Play and ended the following month.

But since this is his first update in a while, fans are curious if the photograph means he's working on a new project.

Until now, the actor and his agency haven't revealed a new drama or film of him in the works or in talks.

Kim Soo Hyun's Previous Works

Apart from being one of the highest paid Korean actors, the "Dream High" star also possesses a plethora of titles and recognitions he won from various prestigious awaring ceremonies.

This year, Kim Soo Hyun will celebrate his 15th debut anniversary. Throughout his career, he was starred in countless dramas and movies that took his name to stardom. He has also worked with many

In 2011, he teamed up with idol-actress Bae Suzy in the school-romance drama "Dream High," Han Ga In in the megahit series "Moon Embracing the Sun" in 2012.

Kim Soo Hyun made a perfect portrayal of Do Min Joo in the record-breaking romance drama "My Love From the Star" where he worked with A-list actress Jun Ji Hyun.

He reunited with IU in "The Producers" and made a cameo in her drama "Hotel Del Luna" in 2019. Following his drama in 2015, the award-winning actor had his biggest small screen return with a new lead role in tvN's fantasy-romance drama "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" and collaborated with actress Seo Ye Ji and Oh Jung Se.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Kim Soo Hyun First Hallyu Star to Have a Digital Replica

Which drama genre do you want to see Kim Soo Hyun next? Share your comments with us!

Follow KDramastars for more Korean drama, movie and celebrity updates.

Shai Collins wrote this.

Kdramastars owns this article.
Supporters of Trayvon Martin rally in front of Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-FL) office in April 2012 in protest of the state's "stand your ground" law following 17-year-old Trayvon's killing that February in Sanford. Experts say studies have since shown that "stand your ground" and laws like it lead to increases in homicides, and possibly vigilantism. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

When George Zimmerman pursued and shot to death 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on a rainy night 10 years ago this week, he was the captain of a neighborhood watch group in a gated Sanford neighborhood that had grown increasingly worried about a rash of burglaries and drug activity.

Trayvon was returning to his fathers townhome from a nearby convenience store. But Zimmerman, who had a state permit to carry a concealed firearm, said he acted in self-defense and police photos showed him with a broken nose and a bloody face. He was later acquitted of second-degree murder by a jury for the Black teenagers death.

Two years ago, in a South Georgia neighborhood, residents also became alarmed about a rise in burglaries and break-ins. According to police, two men grabbed a handgun and a shotgun, got into a pickup truck, and  along with a third man  chased Ahmaud Arbery, who was jogging through the neighborhood. They shot and killed the 25-year-old Black man.

The men were found guilty of murder by a jury last month after they argued the shooting was in self-defense and claimed Arbery fought back as they tried to make a citizens arrest.

Ahmaud Arbery stumbles and fall to the ground after being shot as one of his three killers, Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Ga., on Feb. 23, 2020. (AP)

Ahmaud Arbery was... hunted down and shot, Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley of Georgias Eastern Circuit said as he sentenced Arberys killers. And he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands.

These shooting deaths and others in the past decade have raised questions about whether laws that expand the right to self-defense have encouraged vigilantism  including stand your ground laws, which Florida pioneered in 2005 and became a flashpoint after Trayvons killing.

I think so, said Kenneth Nunn, a law professor at the University of Floridas Levin College of Law. Such legislation, he said, encourages people who could walk away not to do so and engage in conflicts when they are not necessary.  There is a lot of research that shows that the rate of violent homicides has increased significantly after the passage of SYG legislation.

Despite facing widespread controversy as Trayvon Martins killing made national headlines in 2012, Floridas stand your ground law was never significantly reformed  and in the decade since has been adopted in more than two dozen other states.

A study published Monday in a peer-reviewed medical journal linked stand your ground laws to an 8% to 11% increase in national monthly homicide rates  including double-digit rate increases in Florida and several other southern states.

Orlando attorney Mark OMara, who represented Zimmerman a decade ago, said the Sanford shooting has made people more aware of Floridas stand your ground law and similar legislation around the country  and some now use it to justify violence.

If I asked you before 2012 [about stand your ground], you would look at me with a dull look in your eye, because few people knew about it, OMara said. But because of Zimmerman, it is now a catchphrase that everybody knows. ... It has led to people believing that they have more rights than they actually do  and to respond with more force.

George Zimmerman (right) stands when the jury arrives to deliver the verdict in his 2013 trial in the killing of Trayvon Martin. His lead defense attorney, Mark O'Mara (left), says the case drove awareness of Florida's "stand your ground" law, with some using it to justify violence. (Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel)

Expert: SYG hostile to common law

In a Clearwater convenience store parking lot in July 2018, Markeis McGlockton was shot and killed by Michael Drejka after he became upset that McGlocktons girlfriend had illegally parked in a disabled spot without a permit. As Drejka yelled at the woman, McGlockton came out of the store and shoved Drejka to the ground.

Drejka pulled out a handgun and shot McGlockton as he was stepping away.

The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office, at first, did not charge Drejka, citing Floridas stand your ground law. But Drejka was later charged and convicted of manslaughter and is now serving a 20-year prison sentence.

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, shot and killed two men and wounded another in August 2020. Rittenhouse and others had gathered in front of a car dealership and claimed they were protecting it from rioters.

Rittenhouse was acquitted of two counts of homicide and one count of attempted homicide after his attorney argued the shooting was in self-defense.

Wisconsin does not have a stand your ground law. But the state does have self-defense legislation that allows a person to use force if they reasonably believe that force would prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves, which mirrors some of the Florida laws language.

In an Aug. 23, 2018 file photo, Michael Drejka sits in court during a bond hearing at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater, Fla. Drejka, who fatally shot an unarmed black man during a dispute over a handicapped parking space, told detectives he fired because he had been pushed to the ground and he feared the man was about to "finish" what he started, video played at his trial Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 shows. (Jim Damaske/Tampa Bay Times )

Supporters of stand your ground and similar legislation say the laws make it clear that a person who uses lethal force must be in a place where they have a legal right to be and cannot be engaged in unlawful activity.

In other words, the person who uses stand your ground as a defense cannot be the person who started a confrontation by threatening, stalking, or assaulting another person, said state Sen. Dennis Baxley, one of the authors of Floridas original legislation.

Its when you are under attack, and when you have every reasonable expectation that you need to defend yourself, said Baxley, as he dismissed suggestions that the law encourages vigilantes. Its about this principle that a law-abiding citizen can stop a violent act.

The real problem, Baxley argued, isnt vigilantes but lawlessness in the streets, and its making people say to themselves: I want to be prepared and protect my family from harm. I better take care of myself because the government is moving to disarm people.

Kyle Rittenhouse walks along Sheridan Road in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in Aug. 25, 2020 during a street protest. (Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP, File) (Adam Rogan/AP)

Rev. Gregory OMeara, a former prosecutor and now an associate professor of law at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said that under common law, a person who is somewhere other than their home can use force for self-defense if they were subject to an imminent attack, could not retreat safely and it was the only way to thwart the attack.

The common law permits you to use defensive force if you reasonably believe that an attack by another is imminent and that every step of your response, every bullet you fire, every swing you take, is necessary to repel the attack that you reasonably believe is occurring, said OMeara, whose areas of research at Marquette include legal ethics, criminal procedure and legal interpretation.

But stand your ground legislation seems hostile to the common law idea that a person should avoid killing someone else if they can possibly avoid it, he added.

The Florida law says that a person can use deadly force anywhere theyre allowed to be, with no duty to retreat, if that person reasonably believes the force is needed to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to someone or to prevent a forcible felony.

I dont know if the [stand your ground] laws have led to more vigilantism, OMeara said. But those who take the law into their own hands and choose to cloak themselves in the mantle of stand your ground laws surely have another legal defense tactic in their quiver.

Force as default reaction?

Zimmermans defense team argued that the common law definition of self-defense justified their clients actions. They opted against requesting a so-called stand your ground hearing prior to his trial, at which he could have sought immunity from prosecution.

Zimmerman, who prosecutors said prior to the fight followed Trayvon into a darkened alley against a police dispatchers instructions, claimed he was lying on the ground being beaten by Trayvon when he fired his gun  leaving him no option to retreat, his attorneys said.

But the controversial self-defense law still had bearing on the case. Sanfords police chief cited the law in explaining his agencys initial stance that Zimmerman could not be arrested. And stand your ground language appeared in the instructions Zimmermans jurors were given when they deliberated the charges against him.

Sanford police Chief Bill Lee Jr. cited the "stand your ground" law in initially refusing to arrest George Zimmerman in the Feb. 26, 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin. (GARY W. GREEN/ORLANDO SENTINEL)

Because the law allows the use of lethal force in response to a perceived threat, It certainly serves to protect the actions of those who have a conspiratorial or suspicious bent, said OMeara, of Marquette University.

And, of course, I worry about the safety of young men of color because so many see them as objects of irrational fears, he added.

Though comprehensive data on Floridas stand your ground law is hard to come by, studies have found evidence of racial bias in its application. For example, a review by the Tampa Bay Times found that defendants who claim stand your ground are more likely to succeed if the person they used force against is Black.

But former state Sen. David Simmons, who chaired the House Judiciary Committee in 2005 and was the laws main drafter, argues the legislation is not racially biased. African Americans, he said, can use it as a defense as comfortably as white defendants.

I am more than thoroughly convinced that it is a good law, because its been adopted by many states almost verbatim, Simmons said. And stand your ground protects African Americans 100%. Because if you are a victim, and you acted reasonably, then you should be able to rely on stand your ground.

The findings of the study published Monday by the journal JAMA Network Open do not lend support for the claim that SYG laws widen racial disparities, its authors wrote, but suggest that adoption of SYG laws across the US was associated with increases in violent deaths, deaths that could potentially have been avoided.

Simmons  who was a member of a task force formed by then Florida Gov. Rick Scott in 2012 to look at the states stand your ground law  introduced a bill a year after the Trayvon Martin shooting that would tweak the law to bar Neighborhood Watch volunteers from confronting suspects.

Simmons, at the time, said that he agreed with legislation that allows people to defend themselves. But I do not agree with people being able to willy-nilly brandish firearms, he said.

Critics of the law argue the question of whether someone acted reasonably in using deadly force  a standard on which conviction or exoneration in stand your ground cases can hinge  is too subjective, leading to inconsistent outcomes, sometimes within the same case.

Michael Dunn looks toward the courtroom gallery during his October 2014 trial in the killing of 17-year old Jordan Davis, which happened during a dispute over loud music at a Jacksonville gas station in November of 2012. (Bob.Mack /AP)

In November 2012, Michael David Dunn shot and killed 17-year-old Jordan Davis after telling the Black teenager and his friends to turn down their music at a gas station parking lot in Jacksonville. Dunn, a white man, told authorities that Davis had threatened him with a gun or a stick.

After Dunn was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, he appealed his case to the Florida Supreme Court, citing Floridas Stand Your Ground law. But justices rejected his appeal.

In New Orleans, Catina Curley, a Black woman, was found guilty of second-degree murder for killing her husband in 2005 after suffering years of abuse. She spent nearly 11 years in prison until March 2019, when a judge ruled that the fatal shooting was a justified act of self-defense.

This month, the trial began for Curtis Reeves, a 79-year-old man, who shot and killed Chad Oulson in January 2014 in a Wesley Chapel movie theater after an argument over the use of a cell phone escalated and Oulson threw a bag of popcorn at the retired police captain.

Reeves initially claimed self-defense under stand your ground. But three years later, a judge said the law did not apply in the case. Reeves is now charged with second-degree murder and aggravated battery and has pleaded not guilty.

OMara, the attorney who defended Zimmerman, said stand your ground has created the false impression  that you can act immediately rather than judiciously when faced with a conflict on neutral ground.

The problem with that is that people uneducated in the law just sit back and say: ... I can just take my gun and shoot, he said. Unfortunately, that has become the default reaction to aggressive behavior rather than the last resort.

mcomas@orlandosentinel.com
More than 22,000 students in Kelowna schools had been about to receive COVID-19 rapid antigen tests. But the distribution has been paused based on a Health Canada advisory, issued Thursday, that such kits should be kept out of the reach of children.
This courtroom sketch shows former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane during his trial in the killing of George Floyd in federal court in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. The former Minneapolis police officer charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights testified at his federal trial that officers considered using a type of restraint known as the hobble because Floyd was kicking and had hurt himself, but that it seemed excessive because an ambulance was on the way. (Cedric Hohnstadt via AP)
While leaders of other Democratic-leaning cities have refused, officials of Kenosha city government were deposed by investigators for the partisan probe into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin

Wednesday afternoon Kenosha City Administrator John Morrissey confirmed in an email that he appeared pursuant to a legislative subpoena issued by Speaker Robin Vos at 9 a.m. on Feb. 16. Morrissey continued, saying that an Assistant City Attorney and an attorney working for the special counsel spoke (and) after their discussion, no questions were asked of me.

It was not revealed what they discussed.

We continue to work on obtaining and providing documents as requested by the special counsels (sic) office, Morrisseys email concluded.

Michael Gableman, the former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice leading the taxpayer-funded probe, has repeatedly complimented Kenosha for being more cooperative than the rest of states five most-populous cities: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Racine.

Gableman has called for the mayors of Racine, Madison and Green Bay  among others  to be jailed for refusing to comply with his subpoenas, which were signed by Vos, R-Rochester.

The full list of those deposed by Gableman and his associates is unknown. Some of the subpoenas have been made public, but Vos said he has signed dozens the public does not know about  possibly more than 100.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway both said they would be willing to testify, but only in public, not behind closed doors as Gableman has demanded.

Mason and Rhodes-Conway have criticized Gableman and his supporters for conducting their work in secret and elevating claims that the 2020 election was stolen, for which there isnt evidence, even though Gableman stated in November 2020, without offering proof, that your elected leaders have allowed unelected bureaucrats at the Wisconsin Elections Commission to steal our vote.

Vos and Gableman have repeatedly claimed that working in secret would prevent the spread of misinformation about the probe.

Documents published by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight, received via open records request and after a court battle, show that a deposition of Kenosha officials had been scheduled to be held in November. But its unclear if that deposition occurred then or later.

Racine officials had been scheduled to be deposed on Valentines Day, but the citys (Racines) administration made the decision not to send anyone to be interviewed by the Gableman investigation, Racine City Attorney Scott Letteney said in an email.

Kenosha, Racine, Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee have been targeted by Gablemans probe as those five cities received the lions share of private donations to Wisconsin municipalities prior to the 2020 election. Courts have repeatedly affirmed the legality of those donations from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which was funded by Priscilla Chan and her husband, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

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Central Floridas transit picture is moving fast. The dramatic remake of I-4 is substantially complete. Brightline rail service from South Florida is expected by 2023. And in 2024  when the DeLand station is complete  the state will hand off responsibility for SunRail, the regions commuter-rail service, to local officials.

What will that look like?

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One thing is clear: Leaders need to make some decisions quickly  with the understanding that theres probably no solution that will make everyone happy.

The transition will come with a big price tag  about $50 million annually, split between the five local governments that make up the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission.

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Under the bargain struck in 2007, state and federal money would cover the majority of SunRails operations through 2022, when the baton would pass to the local governments in each respective jurisdiction. That was extended through 2024 due to COVID and the delay in opening the DeLand station. But the handoff still feels imminent to local officials  and theres still far too much mystery about how the system will operate in the future.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

That starts with a general consensus about what the future holds for the system, starting with an agreement on how it will operate. According to a study paid for by the commuter rail commission, the most efficient possibility may be to contract the operations of SunRail to Lynx, the transit service that covers Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. That move could stiff-arm Volusia County, which has its own transit system and has already been made to feel like the red-headed stepchild of the five-government partnership. (The fifth partner is the city of Orlando.)

Other possibilities include operating SunRail as a standalone entity, or striking an operating deal with some other agency. Seminole County Commissioner Bob Dallari even floated the possibility of contracting with the state  something other partners, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, quickly struck down at a meeting earlier this month.

Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings have tied future plans for SunRail to the fate of a one-cent sales tax that has been proposed for the November ballot. But the County Commission hasnt approved that ballot question yet, and might not take final action before April. Thats a good argument for identifying the most likely possibilities now, and starting the discussion.

Most of those involved in SunRail agree on basic goals:

The extension of night and weekend routes to serve tourists and hospitality workers. The tag commuter rail has been a hangup, but in Central Florida, people commute at all times of day and night. That trend will only increase as housing prices continue to climb in Orange and Seminole counties, pushing lower-wage workers further into suburban areas like Deltona and Davenport to find affordable housing.

Connectivity to other transit systems, including Brightline and air service. Currently, SunRail only connects to Orlando International Airport via a 15-minute bus ride from the Sand Lake station. Connecting to the Sanford and Daytona Beach airports is even more laborious.

Identification of future stations. Polk County officials have expressed interest in a SunRail extension, and Volusia County leaders say it makes sense to extend service at least as far as mainland Daytona Beach.

Pursuing any of those plans, however, could strain the balance between counties  especially under the current structure of the commuter rail commission, which gives any partner veto power over expansion plans. It will likely take some serious horse-trading to make significant changes, which is another good reason to start talking now.

In years to come, residents of Central Florida will appreciate the effort that went into creating a regional, accessible transit system. But right now, the pressure is on to design the systems future in a way thats fair to all the partners and keeps costs under control. Even if some factors (such as the sales tax vote) have yet to be decided, its not a decision that should wait.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com.
A road in the community of Cayce shows some of the tree debris after a tornado reportedly touched down in the community for the second time in two months Tuesday morning. (Facebook photo from Ben Rudy)
Vulnerable children and Florida families in need are facing added challenges today. The struggles that threaten their stability are running headlong into workforce shortages and regulatory shifts plaguing the entities designed to help them. The state has an obligation to protect them, and Florida TaxWatch believes that immediate attention is needed to sustain the organizations, case managers and professionals providing that critical care.

Who is at risk? Children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned; those needing counseling, emergency shelter, residential treatment, foster care, or adoption services; families dealing with mental health issues, substance abuse, disabilities, or the threat of suicide; kids that would benefit from early intervention or prevention programs; and those in need of safety and permanency.

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Dominic M. Calabro is president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch.

The vast majority of human services in Florida are provided by community-based organizations under contract with state agencies. The services they provide cannot be ignored. Dollars for prevention and protection provide a real return on investment for us all. It matters to the children and families in crisis and to communities trying to meet immediate needs and prevent future tragedy.

Normally, the attention in child welfare services is on the kids, but lately, the organizations providing care need support too. Weve heard that staffing challenges are arising at the same time the need for services is growing, the complexity of cases is increasing, and the constraints demanded by regulators are making it harder to keep the doors open. Many providers are struggling with an inability to maintain adequate staffing and increasing expenses associated with running community-based organizations, which are not keeping pace with state contract rates. And the entities providing the care are largely not-for-profit organizations that rely on government funding, so resources are finite, keeping them at a competitive disadvantage.

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The Florida Legislature should not only ensure the availability of adequate funding for these providers operating costs, but also offer fiscal support to shore up their current worker shortages.

Its important to remember that who does the work is almost as important as how the work gets done. There needs to be a profound shift in how we view individuals that have the skills and passion for working with our most vulnerable citizens. To get good outcomes, we should recognize the important and impactful nature of this work, view positions as more than minimum wage jobs, professionalize and stabilize the workforce, and build a compensation strategy commensurate with the outcomes expected.

Beyond funding pressures, we also need to explore regulatory relief and reduce barriers to providing effective services. Many state agency requirements do not seem to add value or improve the quality of care. Its time to reevaluate constraints placed on providers to ensure that expectations arent overreaching the level of resources provided to support them. Innovation has always been the cornerstone for nonprofits finding better outcomes. The more flexibility is removed, the less likely they can meet the unique needs of their communities.

Our ask is simple: Invest in caregivers, innovation and accountability.

As legislators finalize the important work of crafting the state budget, Florida TaxWatch urges them to keep these safety-net programs and vulnerable children and families in mind. The organizations delivering critical human services are essential. They protect individuals and provide an important return on investment to communities and our state.

Dominic M. Calabro leads Florida TaxWatchs research team as president and CEO.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Russia and Ukraine in the East Room of the White House on February 15 in Washington, DC.
So it has begun. Russian President Vladimir Putin, by recognizing two separatist regions of Ukraine as independent states and sending in Russian soldiers as peacekeepers, has made the overture for what could become war. Whats on the mans mind? How does he see the world? Analysts and pundits everywhere have been wondering. The possibilities are frightening.

There was a time, in the early years of his reign, when Putin still surrounded himself with advisers and experts who gave him diverse views and interpretations of the world, a time when he spoke to foreign leaders and actually listened to them. By all appearances, he was in touch with reality.

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Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. - Original Credit: Bloomberg Opinion (Courtesy photo)

But at some point  more than a decade ago  Putin began constructing an alternate reality. He became a hobby historian and made up his own theories about the past, eliding facts willy-nilly to tell himself stories he liked. In one of these, Ukraine is not a proper country, just a part of a greater Russia  his Russia. In 2014, he began seizing parts of it.

Around that time, Angela Merkel, then German chancellor, had many conversations with him. Shes a fluent Russian speaker and is said to be the world leader who understands Putin best. After one call, she turned to her aides and said she was not sure he was in touch with reality, that he seemed to live in another world.

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Eight years on and Putin has, by all appearances, journeyed further into his own metaverse. As the political scientists Adam Casey and Seva Gunitsky describe in Foreign Affairs, thats because the Russian president, like most strongmen, has created an information bubble from which he can no longer escape.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Obsessed with secrecy, he doesnt even use a cellphone. Hes shrunk his circle of advisers to just a few minions, chosen for loyalty or sycophancy rather than competence. They come disproportionately from the so-called siloviki, the top brass of the army and services like the FSB, the successor to the KGB that was Putins own alma mater.

These yes-men (most are men) mirror back to Putin his paranoia about an allegedly aggressive West. They feed his hawkish ego and withhold information about risks, making him feel more in control of events than he is. In effect, Putin has built a machine for confirmation bias. The pandemic has made all this worse. Its turned Putin into a germaphobe, who lets hardly anybody near him, and then only at shouting distance.

Putin is far from unique in succumbing to this interplay of seclusion and delusion. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, the British historian Lord Acton famously observed. He could have added that power also isolates, and distorts reality as a result. It has happened to every tyrant from Nero to Saddam Hussein, and uncountable corporate honchos and other kingpins, poo-bahs and bigwigs.

Nor is the affliction necessarily a peculiarity of autocracies. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has at times behaved as though he were emulating Putin in style, and approaches truth and facts with similar legerdemain. The difference is that a Trump, living in a vibrant democracy like the U.S., can only banish countervailing views from his own circle. A Putin, in charge of an authoritarian propaganda and security apparatus, can suppress them in nearly all of public life.

Putin watchers often speculate whether the man actually believes his humbug or is just being cynical. At some point, that distinction no longer matters, because when people hear themselves or others repeating something often enough, they deem it true. Either way, theres nobody around him who can or will set Putin straight.

Some Western pundits seem to regard Putin as an evil genius, a tactical mastermind wholl outsmart us all. Maybe. But it seems more plausible that Putin is just an ordinary human being whos been alone in his echo chamber too long to hear any sounds from the outside  a man whos been wearing the goggles of power until he can no longer see anything but his virtual reality. This makes Putin more dangerous, not less.

Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.
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Highly regarded and much loved by sean-nos fans, both locally and internationally, Iarla O Lionaird and Steve Cooney have forged a unique musical partnership over many years. In 2020, the Journal of Music described their interpretations of songs from the sean-nos tradition as having set a new standard of artistic integrity and creative innovation within the traditional structures of the Gaelic song tradition.

They have explored their own individual paths in their careers: Iarla performing with such renowned groups as the Afro Celt Sound System and the Gloaming, as well as his collaborations with classical ensembles, opera and film performances; Steve, performing in many Irish traditional instrumental ensembles and contributing to more than 250 CDs as a guitarist, bass player and producer.

They have long shared an empathetic link that has grown out of their love of the melodic and poetic art forms created during the time when Gaelic culture was in its full flowering. Iarla grew up immersed in this culture in Cuil Aodha, County Cork; Steve grew up in Australia and brings an imaginative perspective to song, based on the traditions of the harpers.

Friends and collaborators, both musicians have enthralled audiences at the National Concert Hall and over many decades on the international stage with their beautiful and rare music.

Both have received critical acclaim, O Lionairds real triumph is his voice: as soft as a feather and as searingly sharp as a blade when the mood Calls (The Irish Times). His voice will astound you. It soars, and it's as profound, simple and beautiful as wild horses (Time Out, New York).

Steve Cooney has been described by the Irish Times as a musical polymath best known for his development of an influential style of guitar accompaniment to traditional Irish dance music. Recognising Cooneys immense talent and skill, the late Seamus Heaney speaking at the Fiddlers Green described how Master Cooney restores the ancient link between lyre and lyric, between poetry and performance, the rhapsody and rascality.

Iarla O Lionaird and Steve Cooney will perform in the Medieval Mile Museum Music series Thursday, March 17 at 7.30pm. The concert is one of the fabulous nightly concerts featuring some of Irelands most talented and well-loved performers of Traditional Irish music, 16th  20th March. All proceeds from this magnificent series of concerts in the spectacular setting of the Medieval Mile Museum go to Amber Womens Refuge. Tickets: 20 + booking fee.

The concert is just one of the many superb acts in this years Kilkenny TradFest. The programming of musicians is supported by the Local Live Performance Support Scheme (LLPPS): a Government funded scheme administered through the Kilkenny Arts Office which aims to support the return of in-person music events, utilising Government resources to provide much needed employment for performers and musicians who were hardest hit by the pandemic.

Booking for all concerts: www.KilkennyTradFest.com
Putins Ukraine action evokes Stalins

Many scholars say Vladimir Putins motivation for an invasion of Ukraine is to secure his place in history as the leader who restored Ukraine to its historic status as a province in a grand imperial Russia. But if he pursues this bloody chimera, he is much more likely to take his place in history next to the first Russian leader to inflict carnage on Ukraine  Josef Stalin. In the early 1930s, to punish Ukraine for resisting his program of collective farming, Stalin engineered a famine in Ukraine that killed 4 million people (the lowest estimate)  purportedly his countrymen. Does Putin really want to join the fratricidal Stalin in a Russian Leaders Hall of Infamy? Its a mystery why President Biden and NATO leaders are not asking this question every day.

Greg Dawson Maitland

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SunRail is a waste of money, time

A recent Sentinel editorial (Accelerate vision for SunRails future, Feb. 23) attempts to paint a rosy picture of the regions commuter-rail service, but SunRail, which began service in 2014, has been a boondoggle from day one. And, now, eight years later, things have gotten no better. The only thing keeping SunRail alive, so far, has been federal funds and state dollars, which by 2024 will be transferred to local governments.

To date, this misbegotten project has cost taxpayers over $1.5 billion in capital expenditures and hundreds of millions more in operating expenses. Some critics say it is among the worst-performing commuter-rail lines in the nation.

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The main problem with SunRail, which should have disqualified it from ever being built in the first place, is that Central Floridas population and job densities are simply too low to support a commuter train. Further complicating the matter is the north/south orientation. Unless one lives very close to one of its 16 stations and has a job equally close to another, its an impractical way to get to work. Thus, its ridership has never met expectations and likely never will.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Yet, our local politicians keep promising beyond all available evidence that, someday, SunRail will come into its own, as long as we keep throwing more good money after bad for this underperforming, overly expensive, and decidedly wasteful venture.

Al Krulick Maitland

College presidents should be promoted from within

I dont understand why they want to search far and wide for president of their college or university (Government in the darkness: Dont shield university president searches, Feb. 16). Why not build a bench of vice-presidents and build from within? It certainly would help morale of the schools, keeping politics out of it. Thats a way more reasonable system.

John Weyrick Orlando

Trump must be grilled for missing documents

Donald Trump took classified documents to Mar-A-Lago after leaving the White House, the National Archives says  documents that may have direct bearing on the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.

Why isnt there the same outcry for an investigation that accompanied revelations of Hillary Clintons missing emails? Where is the 11-hour grilling by Congress? Why the double standard?

Michael Showell Titusville
Republican Party of Florida Chairman. Joe Gruters, who is also a state senator from Sarasota, has filed a bill that would ban cities and counties from requiring contractors to pay employees anything more than the federal and state minimum wages. A contracting company pushing the bill gave campaign money to Gruters, the bill's House sponsor, the governor, House Speaker and Senate President, cutting the first check two months before the bill was filed. (Steve Cannon/AP)

Some Florida politicians really seem to want to keep people poor.

I didnt always believe that. I used to think they were just indifferent to the working poor. But we have evidence lawmakers want to keep them that way.

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A bill advancing in the Legislature would ban cities and counties from choosing to hire only contractors that pay living wages.

If you found that last sentence confusing, thats probably because you have a brain.

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After all, were not talking about local municipalities passing citywide minimum-wage laws. Were just talking about cities choosing how they want to spend their money.

In this case, many city councils and county commissions decided years ago that they didnt want to be responsible for creating jobs that dont pay people enough to live. So they passed policies that say any company that bids on a contract must first agree to pay all its employees, say, $15 an hour.

Thats what Orlandos city commission did a few years ago. It was basically the City Beautifuls way of saying: If were going to use our tax dollars to create jobs, we want to make sure the people who fill those jobs arent also eligible for food stamps. And were willing to pay more to do so.

Senate Bill 1124 would make that illegal.

It says local governments cant require their contractors to pay workers any more than state and federal minimum wages, which are currently $10. In other words: It ensures that some of the lowest-paid people would make even less.

What a dumb idea for a state that usually ranks around 40th in median wages.

See, the not-so-sunny side of Floridas economy that were a state filled with cruddy paying jobs. We have a lot of them. They just dont pay enough to make ends meet. Orlando ranks dead last among major metros for median wages.

So why is there any effort to lower wages even further?

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Well, thats the story the Tampa Bay Times told last week in revealing that the lower-wages bill is being pushed by a Tampa Bay company that scores bids off contracts with local governments  and is funneling campaign cash to key GOP legislators.

The company  Power Design, a construction and engineering firm in St, Petersburg  gave $5,000 to the political committees run by the bills sponsors in both legislative chambers: Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and Rep. Joe Harding, R-Williston.

But the company didnt stop there. The Times found Power Design also gave $25,000 to Gov. Ron DeSantiss political committee and $15,000 each to Senate President Wilton Simpsons and House Speaker Chris Sprowls political committees.

[ Tampa Bay Times: St. Petersburg company pushing for bill that would prohibit higher local wages ]

And heres a fun fact the Times found: The company had never made political contributions before September 2021  two months before the legislation was filed. What a coincidence.

The bill is also being backed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a group that loves to claim it cares about lifting wages when the cameras are rolling. A few years ago, the Chamber staged an event was called the Less Poverty through More Prosperity Summit.

Well, you know what causes less poverty? A decent-paying job.

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Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Thats why a number of local governments have said theyre willing to pay what it takes to provide that. Yet Tallahassee Republicans are saying no.

The bill advanced through its first House and Senate committees along party lines. Locally, Seminole County Republicans Sen. Jason Brodeur and Rep. David Smith voted in favor of the lower-wage law.

The bills supporters say its a hardship on businesses to demand they pay their workers more. Except, in this case, nobody is demanding anyone pay anything. If a company doesnt want to pay its employees $12 or $15 an hour, it doesnt have to bid on the city or county contract. Problem solved.

The Times reported that the city of St. Petersburg requires its contractors to pay a measly $12 an hour, which is $24,960 a year. Thats apparently too extravagant.

The state's argument here is basically:

Cities and counties shouldn't be allowed to pass their own laws. We should be allowed to overrule and control everything beneath us.

Wait, the feds want to pass a law?

UNFAIR! STATES RIGHTS! DONT TREAD ON ME!https://t.co/zVP1isIL1S  Scott Maxwell (@Scott_Maxwell) February 16, 2022

If this law passes and cities and counties are banned from ensuring their tax dollars arent being used to create poverty-level jobs, theres another solution: Stop using contractors altogether. Dont hire companies to clean the courthouse or build roads. Hire city or county employees to do it and pay them whatever you want. See how the contractors like that.

Really, though, this bill should die. Its bad policy and yet another example of Tallahassee politicians meddling in local affairs. It takes the serious problem of low wages and makes it even worse  which is what the Florida Legislature often does best.

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smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com
Jasper, TX (75951)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 87F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.
TALLAHASSEE  Gov. Ron DeSantis appointment of Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo was confirmed Wednesday by the Senate, despite objections from Democrats who criticized his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 24-15 party-line vote displayed the fissure between the parties on DeSantis approach to the pandemic, which in the past year has mostly concentrated on treating people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Ladapo has joined DeSantis in questioning the effectiveness of vaccines, opposing lockdowns and rejecting mask and vaccination requirements.

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Senate Health & Human Services Appropriations Chairman Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, said Ladapo has gone against the COVID-19 narrative, which might scare people, but he follows the science and questions it.

We have a national draft pick, a national draft pick, said Bean, who also referred to Ladapos Ivy League education. Not just the best in our state, the best in the nation.

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But Democrats argued that DeSantis has politicized the public health system. They questioned why they should trust Ladapo, who they contended doesnt act in the best interests of all Floridians, doesnt think independently and evaded answering questions in Senate committees.

As head of the Department of Health, Ladapo plays a crucial role in battling the pandemic, which has killed nearly 69,000 Floridians so far.

Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, called Ladapo a mouthpiece for skepticism.

There is a place in science for those who like to go against the grain, like the radical Americas Frontline Doctors with which he is associated, and that place is research or academia, which is his specialty, Polsky said. He can publish all the editorials he wants to decry accepted science. But what he cannot and should not do is lead the Florida Department of Health.

Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, said Ladapo also did not offer responses about issues related to HIV and the opioid epidemic during his committee appearances.

We need a state doctor who has the skills to be a public health leader, Berman said. The surgeon general needs to protect our citizens as we transition from a (COVID-19) pandemic to an endemic and face other health crises.

Ladapo, who watched Wednesdays confirmation debate from the Senate gallery, said hes looking forward to focusing on health issues. He described the federal approach to the pandemic as fear and coercion and said he didnt take the job for the politics. Im here for health.

It just so happens that the governor and I happened to sort of see things similarly amongst some major health issues, Ladapo said. And thats good because I think thats the right way to see it. And I think thats the way thats best for Floridians.

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He declined to say if he has disagreed with the governor or raised objections on any health issue, calling their conversations private.

Democrats said the state needs a top physician willing to push back against DeSantis handling of the pandemic.

Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-North Miami Beach, said Ladapos predecessor, former Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, could have been fine if allowed to speak beyond the official line of the governors office.

I asked you (Ladapo) for the sake and safety of our children, speak up, Pizzo said. No ones ever going to criticize you for going against the opinion of somebody else whos running for re-election. So, earn it. Because today, you dont have it.

Ladapo, who also has a faculty position at the University of Florida College of Medicine, has described the Department of Healths approach to the pandemic as providing education and access, rather than coercion and propaganda and that people can make decisions for themselves.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Ladapo is a Harvard Medical School graduate and former UCLA researcher, where he focused on fighting cardiovascular disease and worked on the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic technology.

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Before the Florida appointment, he was already deviating from the medical establishment. He argued in opinion pieces against COVID-19 lockdowns and appeared with a group of physicians on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court promoting the benefits of hydroxychloroquine, a medicine primarily to treat malaria, against COVID-19.

Federal health officials have said the drug isnt an approved COVID-19 treatment or preventive measure.

Democrats walked out of a Jan. 26 meeting of the Senate Health Policy Committee instead of voting on the confirmation because they said Ladapo was not answering questions.

After that, Ladapo drew additional scrutiny because of a Florida Department of Law Enforcement background check conducted for the Senate. In the report, an unidentified former supervisor of Ladapos at UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine said Ladapos hands-off approach to COVID-19 violated the doctors Hippocratic oath of doing no harm and created stress and acrimony among his coworkers and supervisors.

In October, Ladapo refused to wear a mask when he and two aides arrived for a meeting in Polskys Senate office to discuss the confirmation. Polsky told Ladapo she had a serious medical condition, later revealed as breast cancer.

Ladapo defended his decision by saying he could not communicate clearly when half of my face is covered.
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The Board of Directors of Vietnam Electric Cable Corporation approved the plan for holding the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders as follows:

- Record date: March 10, 2022

- Exercise ratio: 01 common share  01 voting right

- Meeting date: scheduled from April 5, 2022 to April 8, 2022. The specific meeting time will be announced in the invitation letter.

- Meeting venue: will be announced in the invitation letter.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Burkinabe Ministry of Trade announced on Wednesday the suspension of cereal flour exports (millet, maize, sorghum) from Burkina Faso, with a view to dealing with security and food crisis in some areas of the country
Then-Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens waits to deliver remarks near the capitol in Jefferson City in this May 17, 2018 file photo.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a greenhouse farm in South Hamgyong Province, Friday, in this photo provided by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Yonhap



China's Paralympics, two significant political meetings may affect Pyongyang's decision



By Kang Seung-woo



As the Beijing Winter Olympics have come to a close, North Korea is anticipated to restart its show of force in the near future amid an impasse in nuclear talks with the United States, according to diplomatic observers.



Pyongyang carried out an unprecedented seven rounds of missile launches in January, including a test-firing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), but has since refrained from saber-rattling in what seems to be a move to not steal attention from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olymmpic Games hosted by China, its lone economic pipeline and diplomatic protector. The quadrennial sporting event held its closing ceremony on Sunday.



"I think North Korea refrained from any missile launches  or other activities  that could have interfered with media coverage of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Now that the Olympics are over, it's likely we'll see a resumption of missile launches from North Korea, possibly to include an ICBM launch," said Joseph DeTrani, a former U.S. special envoy for negotiations with North Korea.



Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a professor of international relations at King's College London, presented a similar view, citing the absence of North Korea's negotiations with South Korea and the U.S.



"Once testing resumes, I would imagine that it will involve short-range ballistic missiles, medium-range ballistic missiles and technologies useful for intercontinental ballistic missiles," he said.



Amid growing speculation that North Korea is likely to soon pick up its saber-rattling where it left off to capture U.S. attention for its missile and nuclear threats, the South Korean unification ministry urged the North to return to dialogue, Monday.



However, experts differed on the timing of the North Korean weapons tests as China is scheduled to hold the Winter Paralympics at the same time as two major sessions  from March 4 to 13. The two sessions are the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislative body, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body.



"North Korea does not seek approval from China for its testing schedule, but Pyongyang is sensitive to the impact these tests will have on relations with Beijing," U.S. Naval War College Professor Terence Roehrig said.



According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Tuesday, its leader Kim Jong-un has sent a verbal message to Chinese President Xi Jinping to congratulate China on the "successful" closing of the Beijing Winter Olympics in an apparent effort to strengthen ties with his country's traditional ally, according to the unification ministry.



"I think it is likely North Korea will hold off on any further testing until after China holds its March meetings, but after that, there could easily be a restart," Roehrig said.



Pacheco Pardo also said, "The dates of the conference overlap with the Paralympics. I think that this will make North Korea reluctant to conduct any tests then."



However, DeTrani said China would have no interest in North Korea's weapons tests, unless it detonates a nuclear bomb.



"I doubt that China's National People's Congress scheduled to be convened in March will affect North Korea's decision to launch one or more missiles," DeTrani said.



"It probably will, however, influence the North not to have a seventh nuclear test during the NPC."



Roehrig and Pacheco Pardo said Kim may also wait until South Korea's March 9 presidential election is over to see how the new administration's North Korea policies take shape.



Recently, the North Korean regime threatened to lift its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile tests in protest of Washington's "hostile" moves. The North Korean leader declared a halt to all nuclear and ICBM tests in April 2018, during talks with then-U.S. President Donald Trump.



In that respect, the pundits speculate that North Korea may reach out to the U.S. in order to offer a formal testing moratorium in exchange for sanctions relief.



"Talks on a formal testing moratorium are certainly possible, but so far North Korea has shown no interest in talking and Pyongyang will expect something in return, most likely some level of sanctions relief," Roehrig said.



"(U.S. President Joe) Biden might be willing to offer some concessions in return for a formal agreement on a testing moratorium, but that is unclear."



DeTrani added, "If they did, it's likely the subject of a moratorium on missile launches and nuclear tests in exchange for the lifting of selective sanctions will be discussed."



Pacheco Pardo said North Korea will want to talk with both the U.S. and South Korea if it sees a window of opportunity with the new South Korean president.



"I think that the Biden administration would agree, since it has openly called for dialogue," he said.



"Plus, the Biden administration will want the new South Korean president on its side with its China policy. Reducing U.S.-North Korea tensions would help with this."




Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Senior Libyan officials have discussed the latest developments in the military and security situation in the country, including the unification of the army and the departure of mercenaries, fighters and foreign forces
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Kendallville will be one of nine Indiana counties hosting a tour of documentaries on Indiana waterways. The screening in Kendallville will take place on April 20 at the Strand Theatre.
Kep1er member Huening Bahiyyih opens up about the pressure she faced as TXT member Huening Kai's younger sister while competing on "Girls Planet 999".

Keep on reading for all the details.

Kep1er Huening Bahiyyih Reveals Pressure of Being TXT Huening Kai's Sister While on 'Girls Planet 999'

On February 16, Teen Vogue shared their interview with hit rookie group Kep1er! There, Huening Bahiyyih opened up about the pressure she faced as Huening Kai's sister while she was competing on "Girls Planet 999."

The publication noted that Huening Bahiyyih arguably did not get enough screen time during the earlier episodes of "Girls Planet 999" to show her talents fully. Despite that, the 17-year-old female idol never lacked support from fans, leading to her monumental rise from 13th place to 2nd place in the finale, landing her a spot in Kep1er.

Teen Vogue then brought up how, in the first episode, mentor Sunmi made an "obvious remark" during Huening Bahiyyih's introduction  her last name sounds familiar.

It was then revealed that she is the youngest sister of TXT member Huening Kai and former VIVA member Lea.

In that same episode, Huening Bahiyyih is seen video calling her brother for advice and support.

As the younger sister of a top male idol, expectations for Huening Bahiyyih were sky-high. Though she rarely mentioned her brother on the show, she was soon known as "Huening Kai's sister."

The idol acknowledged the pressure the label put on her during the interview with Teen Vogue. She tells the publication, "Since my brother is famous, I knew that if I appeared on 'Girls Planet 999,' people would expect certain standards from me."

Huening Bahiyyih shared her resolve to turn that pressure into motivation, however. She revealed that she took the pressure she had to push her to do better. Huening Bahiyyih added, "I worked as hard as I could to show the best performances."

Her efforts certainly paid off! The viewers at home saw her hard work, which helped secure her spot in Kep1er. Furthermore, the publication applauded her for shining with a light of her own. At this, Huening Bahiyyih replied with a small, shy "thank you."

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

Kep1er Recent Activities

On February 21, it was announced that Kep1er would be competing in the second season of the Mnet survival show "Queendom." The program is slated to premiere in March 2022.

On February 15, 2022, it was announced that Kep1er is the model for the South Korean cosmetics brand S2ND.

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Alexa Lewis
Rapper Jay Park has shocked many with the appearance of his home.

Keep on reading to know what it looks like!

Jay Park Shocks Many With the Appearance of His Home

Jay Park is a rapper and founder of AOMG and H1GHR Music, and with his trendy senses and success over the years, a lot of people would assume that lives in a high rise and modern penthouse overlooking the Han River like his fellow rapper Dok2.

However, Jay Park had shocked numerous viewers when they discovered that that wasn't the case for the Korean-American rapper, who actually lives in a rather "ordinary" looking home.

On an online community forum, one fan had compiled photos of Jay Park in his home that he had posted at different times and instances in the past.

In the photos shared, portions of the "All I Wanna Do" rapper's home can be seen, such as his bedroom, living room, and kitchen.

And what caught fans' attentions was how the interior of his home is far from looking luxurious. Rather, it looks like an ordinary family home that you can often see in South Korea.

Some of Jay Park's furniture also seemed quite old-fashioned, such as his TV stand, sofa, and kitchen cabinets.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jay Park Explains Why His Soon-to-Debut Group Is Different From Other Idol Groups

Many have also noted how his duvet and his dog's blankets seem "unstylish" and "outdated" for someone who dresses and looks trendy and seems up-to-date.

Meanwhile, Jay Park lives in Apgujeong in Seoul, which is one of the most expensive areas to live in. Despite living in an expensive area, many found it unexpected that his home seems ordinary-looking.

After people saw the photos, they said how his home looks a lot like their own homes, and that because of this, they feel a lot closer to Jay Park.

Jay Park to Host JTBC's Upcoming Program 'Showdown'

In other news, Jay Park will be greeting viewers as the host of "Showdown."

According to media outlets, JTBC will be launching their very own dance survival reality program "Showdown," which will feature some of the biggest breakdancers and dance crews in South Korea as they compete in battles to prove why they are the country's powerhouse dancers.

Jay Park, who is a former breakdancer, is said to be the perfect host for the show with his experience, and is expected to lead the show with his friendly and comfortable energy.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jay Park Addresses Rumors of Resignation and Future Release

He will also be providing the viewers with commentary during the battles, to help them understand rules and the backgrounds of breakdancing.

According to JTBC, a total of eight dance crews will compete on the show, and will even have some of the biggest names in South Korea's breakdancing scene, such as Rivers Crew, Fusion MC, Jinjo Crew, FlowXL, Gamblerz, and more.

Not only that, but some of the dance crews are home to the country's national breakdance representatives who are in the running to compete in the 2022 Asian Games, such as Fresh Bella and BBOY LEON of Fusion MC.

Meanwhile, "Showdown" will premiere in March.

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Robyn Joan
The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With Valentine's Day coming up, do you think the ECU community and the City of Greenville is doing all they can to make people feel loved and supported?

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Law enforcement agencies across the state of Idaho are reporting an increase in drug and drug trafficking cases, particularly when it comes to cases involving fentanyl. Read more
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The Northern New England Red Cross is installing smoke detectors this weekend. Do you have a fire evacuation plan for your home? How about when you are traveling?
From camping and flag ceremonies to helping those in need, Lake Geneva Boy Scout Troop 235 is constantly active in the community.

Last year, the troop placed flags on the graves of veterans at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lake Geneva during Memorial Day.

The troop participated in Scouting For Food in 2021 at Stinebrinks Piggly Wiggly in Lake Geneva.

During the food drive, Lake Geneva residents donated 2,000 pounds of food, which the Scouts gave to local food pantries.

Boy Scouts Troop 235 also took a camping trip to Richard Bong State Park, where it performed the time-honored duty of retiring flags.

With dignity and respect, the troop retires U.S. flags when they are worn and beyond repair.

The scouts also repaired camp tables for the park as a thank-you for allowing them to camp there.

Scouts also performed service projects to meet the requirements in order to become Eagle Scouts.

One of the scouts, Sutton Fritz, built a new boardwalk with others at the Hansen Preserve in Elkhorn.
A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday means Mark Jensen, convicted of killing his wife, Julie, in December 1998 in Pleasant Prairie, will stand trial for a second time.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled without giving a specific reason that it would not hear the case, which lets stand a previous decision by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court that Jensen should receive a new trial.

Jensen, who was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2008 by Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder, has a status hearing Monday before Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Anthony Milisauskas, the third judge to preside over the case.

Prior to Tuesdays ruling, a final pre-trial hearing had been scheduled for April 8, with a jury trial set to begin May 23. Those two dates have since been removed from the calendar.

Jensen, now 62, has been in custody in the Kenosha County Jail since April 12, 2021, on a $1.5 million bond. He had been incarcerated at the Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun since his sentencing in 2008.

After a series of state and federal appellate court rulings, Jensens original conviction was overturned when it was ruled that Schroeder erred in allowing Julie Jensens letter from the grave and voicemails about her suspicions that her husband was trying to harm her to be presented to the jury.

Kenosha County District Attorney Mike Graveley, whose only role in the original trial was briefly as a witness, said his office was disappointed to learn of the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling.

Were disappointed that the Supreme Court didnt take the case, Graveley said. We believe it would have been a great opportunity to sort of clarify that the letters, what we call the dying declaration, would be finally admissible in this case.

In light of that ruling, there is a status conference that is happening on Monday. We anticipate there will be some additional motions that will be filed by both sides, but probably also that some firm dates will start to be given. At this point, we expect the case to be tried again.

Original conviction overturned

Prosecutors have argued that Mark Jensen, who has always maintained his innocence, poisoned his then-40-year-old wife with antifreeze, then smothered her in their Pleasant Prairie garage. At the original trial, which was moved to Walworth County, the defense suggested that Julie Jensen, who had sought treatment for depression, had committed suicide.

Jensen again was convicted in 2017 when Judge Chad Kerkman ruled the letter again would be allowed. Kerkman reinstated the original conviction without a trial, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court last year overturned that decision with a mandate that the letter and voicemails would not be allowed.

Where that letter stands in the upcoming trial remains to be seen, Graveley said, based on a number of motions that are expected to be filed.

Theres been some motion work that was done before this case went through the appeals this time, he said. There have been some rulings made, and those rulings will be the basis of the next trial. What will happen next is the opportunity will be there for both sides to try the case again, so I expect that will happen.

(Whether the letter) can be (a part of the case), it depends entirely on the courts rulings. We expect it to be a piece of the evidence based on the state that the law is currently in nationally. We expect that will be admissible again. We have to await the courts rulings and then go from there.

The state again will be led by former Kenosha County District Attorney Robert Jambois, who originally prosecuted the case and has returned as a special prosecutor. Jambois will be joined by Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Carli McNeill.

Court records show that Jensen has had 12 attorneys as the case has wound through the system. Hes currently listed as being represented by a team of five: Dustin Haskell, Jeremy Perri, Lauren Breckenfelder, Mackenzie Renner and Bridget Krause.
The Republican-led Assembly on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment to give lawmakers final say over how the governor spends federal funds allocated to the state.

The amendment comes as the Legislature takes up a flurry of bills before both chambers adjourn from session in a matter of weeks. Other bills to pass the Assembly Wednesday would raise the minimum age for buying tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 and protect firearms and ammunition manufacturers from certain lawsuits.

The Assembly will convene again Thursday to take up a slew of fast-tracked election bills that would, among other things, allow lawmakers to cut funding for the Wisconsin Elections Commission when its deemed not to have complied with state election laws. Republicans continue to scrutinize the 2020 election as part of a nationwide GOP effort to overhaul elections.

The package of bills has been touted as an effort to clean up election processes after a report last year from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau that found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but made several recommendations for improvements.

Democratic lawmakers have widely blasted the bills at a time when bipartisan measures, such as a bill aimed at eventually closing the embattled Lincoln Hills juvenile correctional facility, have stalled in the Assembly.

We should put down these partisan election lies and voter suppression tactics and take up broad bipartisan bills, Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, told reporters before Wednesdays session.

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would borrow $42 million for a juvenile correctional facility to replace the states embattled Lincoln Hills facility, but Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said earlier that day the measure is unlikely to be taken up by the GOP-led Assembly before the chamber adjourns.

One of the bills to pass the Senate Tuesday, SB 214, would allow election officials to begin counting absentee ballots the day before Election Day, a measure local clerks have pushed for to help address the massive number of ballots that must be counted after polls close.

Republicans in the Assembly previously said that bill would not likely come before the chamber before it adjourns, but Vos said Wednesday its possible the measure could be worked into a different election-related bill as an amendment. The move could force Gov. Tony Evers, who has pledged to strike down most, if not all, of the election bills, to veto the measure.

Route to voters

Legislative Republicans, who lack the votes needed to overturn a veto by Evers, have increasingly turned to constitutional amendments as a means of bypassing the Democratic governor.

Such measures would need to pass the Senate and Assembly in two successive sessions before going to voters in a referendum. The governor cannot veto a constitutional amendment.

AJR 112/SJR 84 passed along party lines and would prohibit any executive branch official or department from allocating any federal dollars without first securing approval from a legislative committee, which officials have said would likely be the GOP-led budget committee.

Currently, the governor has sole discretion over how federal funds are spent, but there has been a growing push among legislative Republicans seeking more control over how the executive office doles out federal funds  primarily in recent years as the federal government pumped billions of stimulus dollars into the state to help address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Evers has vetoed several efforts in recent years by Republicans seeking control over federal funds.

Theres not one single person in this state that should be able to unilaterally control billions of dollars, said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna. Our job is to control the purse strings and have a say about how dollars are expended in this state.

An amended version of the bill clarifies that it only applies to federal money accepted by the governor on behalf of the state and not initial allocations provided to departments. The amended resolution also maintains the UW-System Board of Regents authority to accept and allocate federal funding without legislative approval. The amended resolution heads back to the Senate for concurrence.

AJR 135, which is scheduled to come before the Assembly on Thursday, would call for a constitutional convention to consider term limits for congressional delegates.

The measure initially failed after five Republicans joined Democrats to reject the resolution in a 17-16 vote. However, Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, then changed her vote, allowing the proposal to pass, despite objections from Democratic members who said Senate rules did not allow for such a move. Darling did not explain her flip.

If passed, Wisconsin would become the fifth state to call for such a convention. Thirty-four states would be needed to formally convene a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Another constitutional amendment before the Assembly Thursday, AJR 134/SJR 101, would bar the state from receiving private funds to help administer elections.

Other bills

The Assembly voted 61-35, with Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, joining Republicans in support of SB 570, which would bar anyone from suing a firearm or ammunition manufacturer for damages related to those products design or use. The measure, which is supported by the National Rifle Association of America and Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. and opposed by groups including the Wisconsin Council of Churches, would still allow lawsuits related to a breach of contract or death/damages caused by a defect in a firearm or ammunition.

Bill author Rep. Gae Magnafici, R-Dresser, said the measure aims at preventing needless lawsuits and protects individuals Second Amendment rights.

I just feel that when a crime is committed, we should blame the criminal and not the gun, Magnafici said.

The bill is likely to be vetoed by Evers, who has pushed for more gun regulations.

The Assembly also passed AB 348, which would align state law with changes to federal law in 2019 that increased the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The measure heads to the Senate.

AB 960 also passed the Assembly and would make it a felony to attack or threaten a health care provider or staff member of a health care facility. The bipartisan measure would create a new felony crime of battery against a health care provider and expand current felony battery laws to include nurses or emergency medical care providers.

Such an offense, which also includes threatening a health care provider, would be punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mallory White, the national FFA Eastern region vice president, visited Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 22 to celebrate FFA Week.

White visited three local FFA chapters before keynoting a countywide gathering at the Farm and Home Center.

Using personal stories and comparisons to crop production, White told the members that they can decide whether adversity will define, defeat or develop them.

We have the power to choose to grow in any environment, she said.

White, a Kentucky native, is an agronomy student at Murray State University. FFA Week ends Feb. 26.

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Philip Gruber Phil Gruber is the news editor at Lancaster Farming. He can be reached at 717-721-4427 or pgruber@lancasterfarming.com. Follow him @PhilLancFarming on Twitter.
Many farmers look at feeding calves as a cost, but they should see it as an investment. The right calf management can lead to higher levels of milk production.
Getting high yielding crops is possible, but it takes the right soil, the right timing and a little bit of lucky weather.
Kolkata/Howrah, Feb 23 (PTI) Two personnel of Amta police station in West Bengal's Howrah district were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the death of student activist Anish Khan, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

The two personnel were arrested as they could have influenced the investigation in the case, she told a press conference at the state secretariat.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: First-Time Female Voter and Presiding Officer Plant 'Mat Vriksha' Sapling at Green Booth in Lucknow.

"We don't know the actual incident but we will find out the truth very soon. No laxity will be tolerated. The government is tough," Banerjee said, amid widespread protests across the state, demanding justice over the "mysterious" death.

Home guard Kashinath Bera and Civic Volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya of the Amta police station were arrested after interrogation, Director-General of Police Manoj Malviya told reporters at another press conference.

Also Read | Karnataka: Former Cop Turns Vehicle Lifter To Treat His Ailing Son Battling Cancer.

Four people in uniforms of police and civic volunteers had allegedly pushed off Khan from the third floor of his house in Amta in the dead of the night on February 18, according to his family.

During the incident, the men in uniform had allegedly held his father Salem Khan at gunpoint after barging into the house, citing an ongoing investigation against him, the family said.

The police had earlier claimed that no personnel went to Khan's house that night.

The West Bengal government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death, but Khan's family is adamant about their demand for investigation by the CBI.

The DGP said Khan's family was obstructing the SIT investigation "at the behest of some political parties in the area".

"The family did not hand over the mobile phone of the victim to the SIT. They are not allowing us to collect important materials but still, we have managed to make a breakthrough. We will achieve more success after custodial interrogation of the two arrested," Malviya said.

The two arrested were booked under IPC section 302 (murder), he said. Bera and two other policemen were suspended on Tuesday.

Khan's father insisted that since the state police was allegedly involved in the death of his son, there was no point in the same agency probing the incident.

When SIT members visited the house on Wednesday, Salem Khan even showed them an old clipping of then opposition leader Mamata Banerjee, demanding a CBI probe into the death case of Rizwanur Rahman, which rocked Kolkata in 2007.

He questioned that if Banerjee could seek a CBI probe as an opposition leader, then why she was not handing over the investigation to the central agency this time.

The family also turned down the SIT team's proposal for a second post-mortem on the body of Khan in the presence of a magistrate amid allegations that the first one was done without following proper procedures.

The chief minister, meanwhile, came down heavily on the Left students' unions that have been protesting against Khan's death.

"I have no issue with democratic protest. I had led so many protests in past," she said.

"But, if someone obstructs roads for political violence, if someone causes inconvenience to students returning from schools and colleges, office-goers and daily businesses, if someone's movement forces people to miss flights, that is a criminal offence and not a democratic movement," she said.

Banerjee said that West Bengal "will not tolerate this type of culture", questioning the Left over its government's response to the Singur and Nandigram agitations of the late 2000s.

She also cautioned a section of the press not to encourage "disruptive activities" to increase their viewership, stating that she believed in freedom of speech and do not want to initiate any action.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 23 (ANI): Amid the declining trend of the COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, state Health Minister K Sudhakar on Wednesday informed that all government and private hospitals in the state have been instructed to discontinue precautionary COVID-19 testing of asymptomatic patients prior to hospitalisation, surgeries, scanning and other medical procedures.

"This shall also include those patients who were earlier Covid-19 positive and have since recovered and transferred to the earlier non-Covid ward for continued treatment," said the letter that the Minister shared in his tweet.

Also Read | Milan 2022: Indian Navy's Multi-National Exercise to Commence From February 25 in Visakhapatnam.

However, the letter further informed that the symptomatic patients would continue to be tested, isolated, and treated as per current guidelines.

Earlier today, state Health Minister Dr Sudhakar K said, "Karnataka has crossed 10 crore COVID vaccinations doses today."

Also Read | Nawab Malik Arrested: Special PMLA Court Sends Maharashtra Minister to ED Custody Till March 3.

Dr Sudhakar said that to achieve this milestone, the state took 1 year and 39 days. He also mentioned that the state had completed 100 per cent of inoculation of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 93 per cent of the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The state health minister also congratulated all the health workers and the district administration on this milestone. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI): Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed two petitions against Alia Bhatt-starrer movie 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' and disposed off another petition against it.

The dismissed petitions include the one filed by Congress MLA Amin Patel. The High Court has disposed off the petition of Hiten Mehta.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: First-Time Female Voter and Presiding Officer Plant 'Mat Vriksha' Sapling at Green Booth in Lucknow.

The film directed by ace filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, landed in a legal soup after Congress MLA Amin Patel on Tuesday filed a petition in Bombay High Court to change the name of the film, alleging it misrepresents Kamathipura as a red-light area while showing the Kathiawadi community in poor light.

Meanwhile, actor Alia Bhatt in her latest conversation with ANI, opened up about how she deals with such controversies.

Also Read | Karnataka: Former Cop Turns Vehicle Lifter To Treat His Ailing Son Battling Cancer.

"Neither any controversy nor any comment bothers me. I don't think anything bothers me beyond a point. Of course, I feel like there's a certain novelty that just a part of a film holds...whether the film is a good film or a bad film ..that doesn't matter. The audience makes the final decision after watching the film... Anything that happens before or after can't really change the fate," Alia told ANI while promoting her movie in the national capital on Tuesday.

Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' revolves around a maiden sold by a suitor into prostitution and how she becomes a prominent and celebrated figure in the underworld and Kamathipua red-light district.

The film is scheduled to hit the theatres on February 25. (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 23 (ANI): Digital connectivity of villages is no longer an aspiration but the need of the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.

"Digital connectivity of villages is no longer an aspiration but the need of the day. Broadband connectivity will not only provide facilities in the villages, but it will also help in creating a large pool of skilled youth in the villages," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a programme on the Union Budget 2022.

Also Read | Samsung Galaxy S22 Series India Pre-Bookings Now Live, Here's How To Pre-Book; Check Offers.

"When the service sector expands with broadband connectivity in the village, the country's potential will increase further. If there are any problems in optical fiber connectivity, then we have to identify them and find solutions," the Prime Minister said.

He said that the citizens of the country need to inform the rural population about the proper usage of optical fibre networks.

Also Read | India Reports 15,102 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 278 Deaths in Last 24 Hours; Kerala Accounts for 130 Deaths.

"We need to identify and solve all optical fibre connectivity issues across the nation's rural areas. We also need to inform the rural population about the proper usage of optical fibre networks in villages that are now connected," he said.

In this view, the Prime Minister highlighted that over 40 lakh property cards have been provided under the SWAMITVA Yojana. "A unique land identification PIN and land record registration will further make the process seamless," said PM Modi.

SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) was launched by Prime Minister on April 24, 2020, as a Central Sector Scheme to promote a socio-economically empowered and self-reliant rural India.

"To achieve 100 per cent target in different schemes, we also have to focus on new technology. So that the projects are also completed faster and there is no compromise with the quality," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a post-budget webinar on the Union Budget 2022 on Wednesday.

The theme of the programme 'Leaving No Citizen Behind', as per the Ministry of Rural Development's press release, is aimed at bringing industry leaders, policymakers and government officials together to deliberate upon the positive impact of the budget and identify actionable strategies to collectively work towards furthering the common goal of upliftment of everyone, a saturation of each household and village, leaving no one behind. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
In a first big jolt to Ashneer Grover, BharatPe has terminated the services of his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, head of controls at the fintech platform, for alleged financial irregularities during her tenure.

Sources on Wednesday confirmed to IANS that Madhuri Jain's contract was terminated as the probe has found misappropriation of funds during her time at the fintech platform.

"Madhuri Jain's contract has been terminated and the reasons for this are misappropriation of funds and authorisation of inflated bills during her tenure," said the source.

BharatPe did not immediately respond to the development. Madhuri Jain was yet to respond to the development too.

Alvarez and Marsal, a leading management consultant and risk advisory firm, is set to submit its report into financial irregularities at the firm during Grovers' time soon.

Global audit firm PwC was also roped in auditing the functioning of the fintech platform during the Grovers' tenure.

The newly-appointed BharatPe CEO Suhail Sameer recently wrote a letter to disgruntled employees, saying that there are some "serious allegations" based on internal complaints which are being reviewed and they must keep their faith in the Board.

While many findings of governance review are "pretty standard", there are "a couple of more serious allegations," he wrote, saying the review is still "substantiating the allegations".

Sameer said that whatever the Board decides, it will be in the best interest of employees, merchants and consumers.
New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached assets worth Rs 2.87 crores of family members of former Border Security Force (BSF) Commandant under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in illegal cattle smuggling case into Bangladesh from India.

The probing agency said it has provisionally attached four immovable properties and four Mutual Funds having a total value of Rs 2.87 crore in the name of Tanya Sanyal (wife of Satish Kumar, then BSF Commandant) and Bhaskar Bhuvan (son of Satish Kumar).

Also Read | Karnataka Hijab Row: Social Media Monitoring Cell To Keep Tabs on Hate Posts in Coastal Region.

"A money-laundering investigation on the basis of FIR registered by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Satish Kumar, Muhammad Enamul Haque and others for illegal cattle smuggling," said ED.

The ED investigation by ED revealed that a bribe to the tune of Rs 12.8 crore was deposited by Manoj Sana associate of Enamul Haque in the bank accounts of Tanya Sanyal and Badal Krishna Sanyal (father of Tanya Sanyal).

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"Later on, the said Proceeds of Crime were invested in the above-mentioned immovable properties and Mutual Funds," the ED added.

The central agency further said that Enamul Haq has also been arrested by ED on February 18, 2021, and is currently in ED custody. Proceeds of Crime to the tune of Rs 179 crore till now have been identified by ED, it added.

Further investigation is in process. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) will participate in a three-week multilateral air exercise at Waddington in the UK from March 6 with a fleet of five Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA).

The IAF said on Wednesday that 'Cobra Warrior 22' exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and sharing best practices amongst the participating air forces. `It said the exercise from March 6 to 27 will be a platform for the indigenously developed Tejas aircraft to demonstrate their manoeuvrability and operational capability.

Also Read | Karnataka Hijab Row: Social Media Monitoring Cell To Keep Tabs on Hate Posts in Coastal Region.

"The IAF Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will participate in the exercise along with fighter aircraft of the UK and other leading air forces," the IAF said in a statement.

"The exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and share best practices amongst the participating air forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship," it said.

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The IAF said five Tejas aircraft will fly to the UK and the C-17 aircraft will provide the fleet necessary transport support.

Last week, the IAF showcased Tejas jets at the Singapore Air Show with an eye on the possible export potential of the jet to friendly countries in years to come.

Three Tejas fighter jets and a 44-member contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) had participated in the Air Show from February 15 to 18.

Manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.

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Mumbai, Feb 23 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik was produced before a special court here on Wednesday after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him in a money laundering case probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, his aides and the Mumbai underworld.

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In the morning, Malik was taken to the ED's office in south Mumbai for questioning and he was later arrested.

The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken to the state-run J J Hospital in the afternoon for a medical check-up after which he was taken to the sessions court.

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Malik, clad in a white kurta, was brought to the courtroom of Special Judge R N Rokade, designated to hear matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), at 4.50 pm and was made to stand in the witness box.

When the judge asked him if he had any grievances, Malik said the ED officials came to his house in the morning and took him to their office.

In the office, they (ED) made me sign a document which they later said was the summons, the minister told the court.

Further proceedings are on.

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New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI) The Congress' women's wing on Wednesday slammed Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia for his remarks comparing the state budget with the face of a dark-complexioned bride after a good makeover, and alleged that "anti-women mindset is in the BJP's DNA".

Talking to reporters after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the Budget for the year 2022-23, Poonia kicked up a controversy by saying: "It seems to be a 'daubed up' budget. It seems like a dark-complexioned bride has been taken to a beauty parlour and presented after a good makeup."

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Mahila Congress president Netta D'Souza termed Poonia's remark "reprehensible" and "outrageous".

"This very outrageous remark is not only an insult to women but it is an anti constitutional statement that stinks of untouchability and apartheid," D'Souza said in a statement.

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"This is not the first time that a BJP leader has made any anti-women statement. From Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, all top BJP leaders have made highly objectionable taunts on women," she said.

Why has the National Commission for Women, not reacted to this statement yet, D'Souza asked.

The All India Mahila Congress demands that Poonia immediately withdraws this "indecent" statement by apologising unconditionally, otherwise, "we will agitate against the BJP across the nation", she said.

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New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI): Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday inaugurated Nikarshan Sadan" - The DCI (Dredging Corporation of India) Dredging Museum at DCI campus in Visakhapatnam.

The museum displayed models of different types of dredgers, vintage photos and historical milestones of this dredging behemoth from the Eastern Port City of Vizag.

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Sonowal addressed the DCI employees and said Dredging Corporation of India is a very important organization in the Maritime Sector.

He emphasised the fact that all the employees have to work together as a team because the expectation of the people of the country is very high from DCI.

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The Minister said that Dredging is very important for the existence of the port and in this competitive world DCI has to prove it is the best in the dredging business.

He said dredging is very important for strengthening the country's economy.

"We must learn from our Prime Minister Narendra Modi how to work as a team with full dedication," Sonowal said.

The Minister reviewed the performance of DCI. A detailed presentation on the performance and future plans of DCI was given.

Dredging Corporation of India is celebrating 45 years of rendering dedicated dredging services to the Nation's ports coinciding with the "Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav"

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also inaugurated a skill development facility -Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) at a function in Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the occasion he said he was pleased to see this laudable initiative take shape under the Skill India program initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said CEMS will provide opportunities for the youth to enhance their skills thereby improving employability and being industry-ready.

The Visakhapatnam facility has 18 state-of-the-art labs, covering every aspect of manufacturing from design, simulation, analysis and production. CEMS also has a Mumbai campus at the Head Office of the Indian Register of Shipping which mainly caters to re-skilling.

CEMS supports PM Gati Shakti initiative through skill development programs in four out of seven engines of growth identified, including ports, mass transport, waterways and logistics. CEMS was developed as a special purpose vehicle - in association with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Indian Register of Shipping with an aim to bridge the skill gap, up-skilling and re-skilling of the current workforce.

CEMS equips students with employable engineering and technical skills in the areas of Ship Hull Design, Ship Detailed Design, Shipbuilding & Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), robotics and advanced digital manufacturing. (ANI)

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Kochi, February 23: Renowned Malayalam film and stage actor KPAC Lalitha passed away at the age of 74 on Tuesday at a hospital in Kerala's Kochi. She has won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress along with four Kerala State Film Awards. She got the national award for the character in Amaram in 1999 and for Shantham in 2000. KPAC Lalitha Dies; Veteran Malayalam Actress Was a Two-Time National Award Winner.

In a career spanning five decades, she has starred in over 550 films in Malayalam and Tamil. She has held the position of the Chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy for five years.

Born as Maheswari Amma in Kayamkulam of Alappuzha, the actress had joined K.P.A.C (Kerala People's Arts Club), a prominent drama troop in Kerala. She was then given the screen-name Lalitha and later when she started acting in movies, the tag K.P.A.C was added to her name.

She was married to the late Malayalam filmmaker Bharathan. Siddharth, her son is also a filmmaker and actor in Malayalam cinema and has a daughter also.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed his condolences on the death of Lalitha. In his condolence message, Lalitha has become part of the history of an era, penetrating the hearts of different generations with her acting skills. The Chief Minister recalled her contribution as chairperson of Kerala Lalitha Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and said that she has always been associated with the progressive movement.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan has condoled the demise of KPAC Lalitha and said she was a unique genius in Malayalam cinema and drama. "They made each character unique with her extraordinary acting skills. As an artist, she has offered extreme justice to her characters. She was a school of natural acting. he said.

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New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the 'Vibrant Village Programme' announced in the budget is very important for the development of our border villages.

Addressing a webinar today on the Union Budget 2022, the Prime Minister said, "The Vibrant Village Programme announced in the budget is very important for the development of our border villages."

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On February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed to cover villages on the northern border under the new Vibrant Villages Programme.

Speaking further today, the Prime Minister said, "In this budget, a clear roadmap has been given by the government to achieve this lofty goal of saturation. In the budget, necessary provision has been made for every such scheme including PM Awas Yojana Gramin Sadak Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, North East connectivity, broadband connectivity of villages."

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The Prime Minister highlighted that 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas' are the driving force behind the policy and action of our government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a post-budget webinar on the Union Budget 2022 on Wednesday.

The theme of the programme 'Leaving No Citizen Behind', as per the Ministry of Rural Development's press release, is aimed at bringing industry leaders, policymakers and government officials together to deliberate upon the positive impact of the budget and identify actionable strategies to collectively work towards furthering the common goal of upliftment of everyone, a saturation of each household and village, leaving no one behind.

"In order to encourage participation from all stakeholders alike during the webinar, sessions will be held on the themes of housing, potable water and LPG in every home, providing road and info-way connectivity, land governance through end-to-end digitization, a saturation of development schemes in remote and backward areas and livelihood options and access to financial services to all, especially rural women," the release read. (ANI)

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Beijing [China], February 23 (ANI/Sputnik): China opposes any unilateral sanctions and has never considered restrictions the best way to resolve problems, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday.

"Are you asking whether China will impose sanctions on Russia? Obviously, you do not understand the policy of the Chinese government enough ... China always opposes illegal unilateral sanctions," the diplomat told a briefing.

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The official added that Beijing had never considered sanctions to be an effective way to settle conflicts.

China opposes any unilateral sanctions and has never considered restrictions the best way to resolve problems, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday. (ANI/Sputnik)

Also Read | Multipolar World Requires Multipolar Economic Order, Says EAM S Jaishankar.

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Washington, Feb 23 (AP) Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has cancelled plans to meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva later this week as Russia presses ahead with recognition of separatist regions of Ukraine.

Blinken told reporters on Tuesday that Russia's actions indicated Moscow was not serious about a diplomatic path to resolving the crisis. As a result, he said he had called off his Thursday meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 27 European Union Nations Unanimously Approve Russian Sanctions.

Echoing President Joe Biden, Blinken said Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the independence of Ukraine's Donbass region was a violation of international law. And, he said the placement of Russian troops there constituted the beginning of an invasion.

Although he held out hope for a peaceful resolution through diplomacy, he said he did not believe a meeting with Lavrov would be productive at this time. (AP)

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: President Vladimir Putin Gets OK to Use Military Force Outside Russia.

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Toronto [Canada], February 23 (ANI): Accusing the Justin Trudeau government of "double standards" China has slammed Ottawa for the way the Freedom Convoy in Canada was portrayed in comparison with the protests in Hong Kong.

This comes as the trucker protests in Ottawa were quelled using emergency powers what the government termed an "occupation" and "blockade" of the nation's capital that presented a "threat to democracy."

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According to China's Embassy in Canada, this characterization stood in stark contrast to Ottawa's support for the unruly protests that swept Hong Kong in March of 2019 and ended several months later.

"In the eyes of some people in Canada, similar protests and demonstrations should be referred to differently in different places. In Hong Kong, they are 'human rights movement,' but in Canada they are 'a threat to democracy.' Such stark double standard is unacceptable," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a regular press conference on Tuesday.

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The Chinese diplomatic mission noted that Canadian police used violent means to disperse the peaceful protesters that set up base in Ottawa's downtown core.

Since late January, Canadian truck drivers have been rallying against the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandates, as the truckers were requested to be fully vaccinated for crossing the border into the United States.

After being joined by thousands of pedestrian protesters, the rally then turned into demonstrations against the government's overall restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. (ANI)

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After being away from the limelight for months following his son Aryan Khan's detention in a narcotics case, Shah Rukh Khan is back, albeit in an advertisement for a soft drink brand.

The actor, who is currently busy with the production of 'Pathan', took to his Twitter and dropped a 45-second digital advertisement. The edgy video boasts of sleek action choreography, grungy background score and SRK's new look with long hair with stubble.

The video starts with a guy offering a soft drink to Khan, who takes off the hood. The video then dives into an action sequence atop a moving train where SRK fights armed men as he slides his way into a moving car, knocking out the armed men one after the other as he flashes his signature smile before mouthing the tagline.

SRK's look in the advertisement is an extension of his look from YRF's 'Pathan', which will also see a cameo appearance by Salman Khan. The film, directed by 'War' fame Siddharth Anand, also stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham and is set for August 15 release.
Beijing [China], February 23 (ANI): China has removed one of the most popular gay dating apps, Grindr from several of its app stores further encroaching upon the basic rights of the LGBT community, reported a Canada-based thinktank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).

Grindr is a location-based social networking and online dating app for gay, bi and other queer sections. One of the first geosocial apps for gay persons, the app was launched in 2009 and has become one of the most popular gay dating apps globally.

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Although China decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, same-sex marriage is illegal and LGBT issues remain taboo. China has also expressed support for gay rights at the United Nations however it does not recognise same-sex marriages and regularly censors media featuring such people.

In a similar episode in 2017, the Chinese government had shut down another gay dating app, Zank, after accusing it of hosting pornographic content.

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Xi Jinping-led government is carrying out all these activities in the veil of controlling online rumours, pornography, superstitions, reported the think tank.

Furthermore, citing an increasingly challenging business and legal environment, many top multinational firms have closed their business in China. The names include Yahoo, Microsoft Corp.'s LinkedIn and Epic Games Inc.'s Fortnite.

Banning apps is not the only way that China is trying to retrain LGBT rights, the country has also banned depictions of gay romance in films. Last year, social media accounts belonging to major LGBT rights groups were blocked from the popular WeChat app.

The Chinese government does these activities under the garb of "endangering national security, disrupting social order, or infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of others". (ANI)

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Tokyo [Japan], February 23 (ANI): A diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing was detained temporarily by Chinese authorities in Beijing on the charges of "acting inappropriately."

Japanese Foreign Ministry has posted on its website that on Monday, a member of the Japanese Embassy in China was temporarily detained by Chinese authorities against his will.

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"This case is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations," said the Japanese ministry.

The Japanese government lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, saying, "We cannot overlook (the incident) and it is absolutely unacceptable."

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But the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo refused to accept the protest, releasing a statement Wednesday that the diplomat had been investigated and questioned in accordance with the law after acting inappropriately, without elaborating.

The statement was released after Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori summoned Yang Yu, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, to the ministry on Tuesday night and demanded that China issue an apology and prevent a recurrence, saying that the incident clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which stipulates the inviolability of diplomats, the ministry said.

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, the staffer was detained Monday afternoon while on legitimate official business, despite disclosing his profession to the authorities. The diplomat was released a few hours later after exchanges with Chinese authorities and was not physically harmed, reported The Japan Times. (ANI)

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Paris [France], February 23 (ANI): Finance ministers of the European Union will meet from February 25-26 to elaborate on tougher sanctions against Russia, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday.

"We have left in reserve much more severe sanctions against Russia in case [Russian President] Vladimir Putin continues his policy of violating international law. We are working on them. There will be a meeting of EU finance ministers from Friday to Saturday, who will continue this work," Le Maire told French broadcaster BFM TV, as quoted by Sputnik.

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Tensions escalated to unprecedented levels when Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine on Monday.

Later in the day, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) met following requests for an urgent meeting by the United States and allies.

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Condemning Russia's move to recognize regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations demanded Moscow to return to the table for negotiations as well as immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops. (ANI)

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Detroit, Feb 24 (AP) The CEO of Ford Motor Co. says the automaker has no plans to spin off its electric vehicle or internal combustion businesses, but is reinventing itself by removing costs and ramping up for large-scale EV and software sales.

Ford CEO Jim Farley told the Wolfe Research virtual global auto technology conference Wednesday that the company could hit Tesla-like profit margins by using common electric motors, electronic components and other parts across all sizes of vehicles.

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But to do that, Ford needs radically different human talent than it now has, Farley said in a surprisingly candid interview with analyst Rod Lache. He also said the company has too many people and too much complexity, and it doesn't have the expertise to transition to battery-electric vehicles.

That's the simple answer. There's waste," he said.

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Ford, Farley said, can't just pivot from internal combustion engines to battery powered vehicles. The internal combustion engine organization is good at body, paint and manufacturing, and would be envied by startup EV makers.

But I can't turn to the ICE organization and say go be Tesla,' Farley said. They may do it on the (auto) body. They may do it in plant operations, but that's not good enough, he said, without giving specifics of what changes are coming.

Ford has only 15% of the market in the U.S., so the transition to battery vehicles is a chance to attract new customers. But Farley said it needs to make the buying process simple and all online, with no inventory in the system and home deliveries of the vehicles.

Ford's distribution costs are $3,000 to $4,000 higher than Tesla's, Farley said, and is seeking to close that gap by attracting new talent with those skills.

Neither Ford's internal combustion business nor its electric vehicle operations earn as much profit as they could, Farley said. The company needs more talent to lower structural costs and raise quality in its ICE business, and cut the cost of materials for electric vehicles, he said.

The company also can differentiate itself by doing online software updates so that customers understand how their vehicle is changing, and it needs to keep service customers so if they have a fender bender or a problem develops in four or five years, they can stay within a simple Ford system, Farley said.

He said also the company is working hard to secure raw materials such as lithium and nickel to make EV batteries, and to expect more announcements in the coming months.

Bloomberg News on Friday reported that Ford is looking at ways to separate its electric vehicle business from its legacy combustion operations to earn the kind of investor support enjoyed by Tesla.

But Farley said Wednesday that's not happening.

We have no plans to spin off our electric business or our ICE business, he said.

It's really more around focus and capabilities, expertise and talent.

Shares of Ford, which is based in Dearborn, Michigan, fell 2% to $16.95 Wednesday. They have lost about one-third of their value since hitting a 2022 high on Jan. 14. (AP)

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Kabul [Afghanistan], February 23 (ANI): Ahead of a Security Council briefing on Afghanistan, UN Special Representative Deborah Lyons met with the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban regime, Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement on Wednesday that discussions focused on the rights and protection of all Afghans, the return of boys and girls to schools, and economic challenges.

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Lyons also met the former state minister for peace of the Afghan government, Abdul Salam Rahimi and discussed "the importance of all Afghans coming together to build a more stable and inclusive future," the UNAMA statement said.

The Security Council briefing comes at a time when the Taliban regime is facing renewed resistance in the provinces of Panjshir, Bamiyan, Kapisa and Parwan, Tolo News reported on Monday.

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A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets and international sanctions on the Taliban have plunged the country, already suffering from high poverty levels, into a full-blown economic crisis.

More than half of the country's poverty-stricken population, or an estimated 24 million Afghans, face an acute food shortage and some one million children under five years of age could die from hunger by the end of this year, according to UN estimates.

India, on Tuesday, sent 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat to Afghanistan overland through Pakistan. (ANI)

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Islamabad [Pakistan], February 23 (ANI): The provincial government in Pakistan's Balochistan on Wednesday claimed to have arrested the alleged killer of journalist Athar Mateen from Khuzdar district.

The Pakistani journalist was shot dead last Friday in an armed attack on his car in Karachi's North Nazimabad area.

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Balochistan's Parliamentary Secretary Bushra Rind said that the alleged killer of Athar Mateen was arrested in a joint operation launched by Sindh and Balochistan police, The News International newspaper reported.

The Parliamentary Secretary maintained that the alleged killer of the journalist is being shifted to Karachi from Khuzdar.

Also Read | Multipolar World Requires Multipolar Economic Order, Says EAM S Jaishankar.

While speaking on the rising crimes in Karachi on ARY News transmission, Athar's brother last week had said that people in Karachi fear that their belongings will be looted and thus they have to hide their cash and phones.

He criticized the Pakistani government saying, "The government functionaries only had to issue a condemnation after every such incident without taking concrete steps to deal with it."

Furthermore, while grieving he said that the police station was less than a kilometer away from where his brother was shot. (ANI)

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Jerusalem, Feb 23 (AP) A 14-year-old Palestinian boy was killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Palestinian health officials said, allegedly after throwing firebombs at passing Israeli vehicles.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Mohammed Shehadeh was killed in al-Khader, a town near Bethlehem. It gave no further details.

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The Israeli military said soldiers opened fire after spotting three suspects throwing firebombs at passing traffic. It confirmed that troops fatally shot one of the suspects.

According to the army, the soldiers were in the area because there had been seven firebombing attacks over the past month.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: President Vladimir Putin Gets OK to Use Military Force Outside Russia.

The Israeli military considers stone throwing and firebombing to be life-threatening threats in which live fire is justified. Human rights groups accuse the army of often using excessive force.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has established dozens of settlements where more than 500,000 settlers live.

Palestinians seek the territory  along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip  as part of their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to resolving the conflict. (AP)

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Washington, February 23: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) announced new sanctions against Russia and called President Vladimir Putin's moves in eastern Ukraine the "beginning of a Russian invasion". This comes after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops there.

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also called Putin's moves the "beginning of a Russian invasion" of Ukraine as he announces new sanctions against Moscow. "We are implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: VEB and their military bank," Biden said adding, "We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt. That means we have cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and can not trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either." Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin Signal Bigger Confrontation Ahead over Ukraine.

"Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbours?" Biden asserted from the White House podium. In his remarks, Biden, further said, "We will also impose sanctions on Russia's elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well," adding, "We have worked with Germany to ensure that Nord Stream 2 will not ... move forward."

Following Putin's announcement, Biden on Monday signed an Executive Order that will prohibit all new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics".

The US strongly condemned Putin's decision to recognize the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" as "independent." Russia-Ukraine Conflict Latest Updates: After Russia Recognises Rebels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Says We Are Not Afraid; Here Are Recent Developments.

US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield supported Ukraine's call for an Urgent Meeting of the UN Security Council. She criticized Russia's announcement and said that it is "nothing more than theatre, apparently designed to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine."

Notably, Putin has also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions after recognizing their independence in his Monday address to the nation. Notably, in March 2014, Russia invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict.

In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraine's borders in what it said were training exercises. Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATO's steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations.

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Moscow, Feb 23 (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the stakes in the Ukraine standoff by recognising the independence of rebel regions in the country's east, and a key question now is whether he will stop at that or try to move deeper into Ukraine.

Putin signaled his readiness to up the ante in an hourlong address to the nation that cast Ukraine as an artificial construct, a US puppet that has robbed Russia of historical lands lost in the Soviet collapse. But at the same time, the Russian leader appeared to keep the door open for diplomacy if the West agrees to Moscow's security demands.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 27 European Union Nations Unanimously Approve Russian Sanctions.

Russia wants the US and its allies to keep Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back alliance forces in Eastern Europe  demands the West has dismissed as nonstarters.

On Tuesday, Putin offered a streamlined version of his top demands, saying that Ukraine should renounce its bid to join NATO, partially demilitarise and recognise Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: President Vladimir Putin Gets OK to Use Military Force Outside Russia.

Given NATO's position to keep an open door to potential new members, Putin said, one way out of the impasse would be for Ukraine to drop its plans to join the alliance and adopt a non-aligned, neutral status.

Putin, who quickly received permission from the Kremlin-controlled parliament to use military force in Ukraine, also insisted that he has not yet sent troops into the rebel regions, despite Western leaders' claim to the contrary.

Asked how far Russian troops could push if sent to the rebel east, Putin responded coyly that "it's impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action  it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.

The U.S. and its allies have responded to Moscow's latest move with new sanctions and threatened even more crippling penalties in case of an all-out invasion, including tough financial restrictions and draconian bans on technology imports. But Putin shrugged off the threats and said that Washington would inevitably ramp up sanctions anyway to contain Russia.

Putin has grown tougher, more intransigent and aggressive, said Moscow-based political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin, explaining that Putin could ponder a future offensive to capture territories in southern Ukraine all the way to the Black Sea port Odessa, but that he probably would not rush it.

Putin sees himself as a "great collector of Russian lands a view that drives him to take brazen steps that would harm national interests, Oreshkin added.

The Russian leader's no-holds-barred approach comes as Russia has amassed over 150,000 troops that surround Ukraine on three sides in what the U.S. sees as a sign of an imminent invasion.

In a long rant, Putin scathingly described Ukraine as a creation of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin and other Communist leaders of the Soviet Union that unfairly included big swaths of land that once belonged to Russia. He derided Ukraine's effort to shed the Soviet-era legacy in the decommunisation effort, and said sarcastically that the country should be named after Lenin.

We are ready to show you what the real decommunisation would mean for Ukraine, Putin added ominously in an apparent signal of his readiness to level new land claims against the neighbor.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also openly questioned Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said Tuesday that those principles are only valid in relation to governments that represent entire nations and contended that the Ukrainian regime falls short of that standard because it does not represent the whole country.

In a potential precursor of more land claims, Putin emphasised that Russia has recognised the rebel regions in the borders that existed when they proclaimed their independence in 2014.

Ukraine has retained control of about two thirds of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including the major port of Mariupol on the Azov Sea, following the eight-year separatist conflict that has killed over 14,000.

Putin himself said the rebels should negotiate with Ukraine to determine their regions' borders, but separatist leaders held open the prospect for a future offensive to seize more territory. Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin said Tuesday that time will show what next moves we will take.

Russian troops around Ukraine include forces that were deployed to Moscow's ally Belarus for joint military drills, which were to end Sunday but were instead extended indefinitely.

Those exercises offer the Kremlin a convenient vantage point for a potential attack on the Ukrainian capital, which is just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the Belarusian border.

Even as Russia has ratcheted up its rhetoric and kept its troops in combat posture, Putin hinted that he was still ready for more talks with the West.

Before the Kremlin made its latest move, French President Emmanuel Macron had sought to broker a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden provided that Russia does not launch a full-fledged invasion, but the prospect of such an encounter appears dim after Putin's recognition of the rebel territories.

Ivan Timofeev, the program director at the Russian International Affairs Council, noted that Putin's actions effectively put on hold any further negotiations with the U.S. and NATO. There still will be a room for diplomacy, but there will be no talk about any sort of negotiations on European security, he said in a commentary.

Most observers expect Putin to keep forces around Ukraine to maintain pressure on Kyiv and the West.

Paradoxically, Russia is trying to reverse its status of a power that has lost the Cold War by creating a Cold War-style crisis, Alexander Baunov of the Moscow Carnegie Center said. (AP)

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London, Feb 23 (AP) Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said Wednesday they will seek regulatory approval for a new COVID-19 vaccine after human trials showed it provided a high level of protection against the disease.

Late-stage trials found that two doses of the vaccine were about 58% effective in preventing infection and 75% effective in preventing moderate to severe disease, the companies said in a statement. A separate study on the vaccine's use as a booster showed that it induced a significant increase in neutralizing antibodies,'' they said.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: European Union Sanctions Against Russia Come Into Force.

The evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 demonstrates the need for a variety of vaccines,'' Roger Connor, president of GSK Vaccines, said in a statement.

The Sanofi-GSK vaccine uses a well-established approach that has been applied widely to prevent infection with other viruses including pandemic flu,'' he said. We are confident that this vaccine can play an important role as we continue to address this pandemic and prepare for the post-pandemic period.

Also Read | Russia Evacuates Embassy in Ukraine As Crisis Escalates.

The drugmakers said they plan to seek regulatory approval from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, which regulates drugs in the European Union.

The companies had planned for their vaccine to be ready last year but early trials showed the vaccine produced an insufficient immune response in people over 60 because it didn't contain enough of the material that triggers the production of disease-fighting antibodies.

Late-stage trials of the current formulation of the vaccine were conducted on 10,000 adults in the U.S., Asia, Africa and Latin America. The companies didn't provide a breakdown of the vaccine's effectiveness for different age groups. Full results from the study will be published later this year.

Authorisation of the shot would bolster efforts to combat a pandemic that has already taken more than 5.9 million lives worldwide as the makers of existing vaccines struggle to produce enough doses to meet demand. GSK and Sanofi have signed agreements to supply millions of doses to the U.S., EU, Canada and developing countries. (AP)

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The introduction of art into efforts to create a more beautiful countryside, including enriching the cultural lives of rural residents, boosting the development of traditional crafts, and initiating the renovation of rural buildings, has delivered more possibilities for rural development. The artistic renovation of Xicun, a village surrounded by green mountains, rivers and beautiful scenery in Ningguo, a county-level city under the administration of Xuancheng city in east Chinas Anhui Province, has significantly improved the appearance of the village. Taking a walk in Xicun, one may see vivid paintings on the walls of houses in the village. Among them is a wire pole which was painted to look like the golden cudgel of the Monkey King, while on the wall of a house behind the pole is a painting of the same fabled character. The visual design is so creative that it seems as if the Monkey King is holding the golden cudgel in his hands. After the artistic renovation, Xicun village has become a popular tourist attraction. During the peak travel seasons, cars will always have to queue up for several kilometers in an attempt to enter the village, said Li Xue, a member of the Party committee of Gangkou township, which administers Xicun village. In 2016, Gangkou township kicked off a beautiful courtyard building project, encouraging farmers to renovate their houses in an artistic manner while in the meantime offering subsidies to them to show additional support. One year later, the village invited professionals to create paintings on walls of the houses, with the paintings later becoming popular photo spots, attracting visitors to the area on weekends. The village also encouraged others in society to take part in the artistic renovation efforts by building cultural centers and art galleries while making full use of empty and abandoned houses. Not only have the rural houses been renovated, the cultural lives of local residents have been enriched as well. In April of every year, a flower-drum opera cultural week is held in the village, during which performers from art troupes will stage spectacular artistic performances for villagers and tourists, introduced Li Hua, deputy mayor of Ningguo city, who is also secretary of the Party committee of Gangkou township. By holding these activities, Xicun village has built its own intellectual property (IP) in the field of art that enjoys both popularity and reputation. The local government also built an artistic brand for Xicun village that hinges on photography. In 2018, Xicun village was designated the first photography village in China by the China Photographers Association. In October 2018, a national photography exhibition on rural China, the first of this kind, was held in Xicun village, attracting photography enthusiasts from across the country to gather together in the village. Four sessions of the photography exhibition have been held so far, and each year, we will select some excellent photos and then display them on the walls of the villagers houses. Nowadays, the wall of photography has become a special tourist attraction in the village, said Li Xue.


As the Enforcement Directorate continued grilling Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik for over 5 hours, hundreds of NCP activists staged protests outside the ED Mumbai offices, here on Wednesday.

Simultaneously, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut warned the Bharatiya Janata Party's "Mahatmas" to be prepared for their fate after the 2024 elections even as top leaders of NCP and Sena slammed the ED for its 'selective targetting' of their leaders in alleged corruption cases.

Hundreds of NCP workers marched to the ED offices carrying posters, banners and photos of Malik and raised anti-ED slogans, "Tanashahi Nahi Chalegi", "Nawab Malik, We Are With You" and slammed the central probe agency for its pre-dawn action picking up the Minister from his home.

NCP President Sharad Pawar, state President and Minister Jayant Patil also slammed the ED and party MP Supriya Sule asked whether the ED had served any notice before taking the arbitrary action against Malik.

"We expected this and we are not worried... Malik-bhai will only speak the truth... He has been exposing the central agencies openly in the past few months," said Sule.

NCP Spokesperson Vidya Chavan attacked the ED for its political vendetta and said why no action is taken against the BJP leaders for various charges against them.

Sena's MoS Kishore Tiwari came out in support of Malik saying "the ED is active only in Maharashtra and hounding Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders" and the Centre is using the agency to topple the state government.

BJP legislators like Atul Bhatkalkar and Ram Kadam defended the ED and said the party had already submitted full details of Malik's alleged business deals between Malik and associates of fugitive mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

The issue was first highlighted by BJP's Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis in November 2021, and submitted the documents to the central agencies, but Malik had hit back terming it as 'making a mountain out of a molehill'.

Bhatkalkar demanded that if the business deals by Malik are proved in the investigations or if the NCP leader is found to be acting as a 'front' for the mafia, then he must be arrested.

BJP party crusader Kirit Somaiya asked the MVA leaders that they should now consider whether it is appropriate for Malik to continue in the cabinet.

He also trained guns on Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family of certain alleged land deals in Raigad's Korlai village -- which Raut has strongly denied -- and brought it to the notice of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Earlier, in a pre-dawn swoop, the ED landed at Malik's home and took him away for questioning in the alleged 17-year-old deal on a Kurla property, Goawala Compound, said to be owned by a couple of close associates of Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.
Brussels, February 23: European Union sanctions against Russia have come into effect. They are the first steps in a planned series of retaliatory measures devised to be cranked up if Russian President Vladimir Putin orders an attack or pushes his troops deeper into Ukraine.

The sanctions that took effect Wednesday targeted senior Russian government officials, several companies and hundreds of lawmakers who voted in favour of recognising the independence of separatist parts of southeast Ukraine. The sanctions are mostly a freeze on the assets of those listed and a ban on them travelling in the 27-nation EU. Russia Evacuates Embassy in Ukraine As Crisis Escalates.

The measures come on top of a slew of economic and other sanctions slapped on Russia since it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Those sanctions already targeted Russia's financial, energy and defence sectors, as well as goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. (AP)
Nairobi, Feb 23 (AP) The United Nations is failing to support hundreds of ethnic Tigrayan members of a U.N. peacekeeping force as they fear returning home to Ethiopia and facing potential detention amid the country's Tigray conflict, peacekeepers tell The Associated Press.

Their accounts highlight the concerns among Tigrayans after thousands of them, both military personnel and civilians, were detained throughout Ethiopia after the country's war erupted in November 2020 between Ethiopian forces and fighters from the Tigray region. An unknown number have been released in recent weeks after much of the fighting eased, and Ethiopia this week lifted a state of emergency.

Also Read | Pakistan, Turkey Collaborating to Develop 5th Generation Fighter Jet: Report.

Two Tigrayan peacekeepers told the AP that they and hundreds of colleagues have ended their U.N. peacekeeping stint in Abyei, a region contested by Sudan and South Sudan, and are now expected to return to Ethiopia. They asserted that their peacekeeping camp is under Ethiopian control and U.N. personnel are not allowed access.

Sgt. Angesom Gebru, who slipped away from the camp with a few dozen others, said the remaining Tigrayan peacekeepers can only walk away safely once they are taken to a local airport for flights back to Ethiopia, which began this week. But as Tigrayans refuse to board them, he said, there are fears that those still in the peacekeeping camp could face retaliation.

Also Read | Ukraine Crisis: Australia Sanctions Russian Officials, Organizations, Banks Against Recognition of Donetsk, Luhansk.

Dozens of the Tigrayan peacekeepers held a protest against the war in Ethiopia this week. A photo taken and shared by Angesom shows the men and women, with their blue U.N. passes around their necks, standing with a handwritten sign reading Stop genocide in Tigray.

The Tigray region of some 6 million people has been largely blockaded by Ethiopia's government since June of last year as authorities claim that humanitarian aid or other supplies could be used in support of the Tigray forces.

Fuel, cash and supplies available for humanitarian partners in Tigray are at near-exhaustion level, the U.N. humanitarian agency said last week.

A spokesman for Ethiopia's military and government did not respond to questions about the Tigrayan peacekeepers with the U.N. mission. Ethiopia's government has sought to portray a return to normal at home after the Tigray forces withdrew into their region in December under a drone-supported military offensive.

The two peacekeepers told the AP that Ethiopian authorities at the camp told the Tigrayans they would not be harmed if they returned home. But they said they weren't reassured, and they and colleagues who left the camp are sheltering with newly arrived peacekeepers from Ghana.

The Tigrayans described themselves as stranded in a remote region on the border between two of the world's most troubled countries, Sudan and South Sudan.

Officials with the U.N. peacekeeping mission and the U.N. refugee agency did not respond to questions about why the Tigrayans say the U.N. is not allowed to access the Ethiopians' peacekeeping camp or what help the U.N. is giving the Tigrayans.

It is not clear how many Tigrayan peacekeepers have refused to board the flights home.

Ethiopia is one of the top five troop contributing countries to U.N, peacekeeping missions, and the nation's war has turned the homecoming of Ethiopian peacekeepers into sometimes fraught, or even physical, affairs.

In February 2021, more than a dozen Tigrayan members of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan refused to board a flight home when their stay ended. And in April, U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said a number of Ethiopians in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region sought international protection as several hundred troops were being repatriated.

Ethiopia's government has sought to restrict reporting on the war and detained some journalists under the recent state of emergency. Those still held include a video freelancer accredited to the AP, Amir Aman Kiyaro. (AP)

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Washington [US], February 23 (ANI): US President Joe Biden during his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington on Tuesday (local) affirmed that his administration would continue providing security assistance and macroeconomic support to Kyiv, the White House said in a statement.

This comes after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered the sending of Russian troops in the regions.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: 27 European Union Nations Unanimously Approve Russian Sanctions.

"Biden updated Foreign Minister Kuleba on the United States' response to Russia's decision to recognize the purported 'independence' of the so-called DNR and LNR [Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics] regions of Ukraine, including the Executive Order issued last night and new sanctions announced today. He also affirmed that the United States would continue providing security assistance and macroeconomic support to Ukraine," the statement read.

Biden reaffirmed US' commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also confirmed Washington's readiness to cooperate with allies in order to respond "swiftly and decisively to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine," the statement added.

Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: President Vladimir Putin Gets OK to Use Military Force Outside Russia.

In a key development, Biden on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia and called President Vladimir Putin's moves in eastern Ukraine the "beginning of a Russian invasion". He also authorized additional movements of US forces and military equipment in Europe to "strengthen" Baltic allies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, following Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into two separatist regions of Ukraine.

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also called Putin's moves the "beginning of a Russian invasion" of Ukraine as he announces new sanctions against Moscow.

"We are implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: VEB and their military bank," Biden said adding, "We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt. That means we have cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and can not trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

"Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbours?" Biden asserted from the White House podium.

In his remarks, Biden, further said, "We will also impose sanctions on Russia's elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well," adding, "We have worked with Germany to ensure that Nord Stream 2 will not ... move forward."

Following Putin's announcement, Biden on Monday signed an Executive Order that will prohibit all new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics".

The US strongly condemned Putin's decision to recognize the "so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" as "independent."

US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield supported Ukraine's call for an Urgent Meeting of the UN Security Council. She criticized Russia's announcement and said that it is "nothing more than theatre, apparently designed to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine."

Notably, Putin has also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraine's breakaway regions after recognizing their independence in his Monday address to the nation.

Notably, in March 2014, Russia invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict.

In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraine's borders in what it said were training exercises.

Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATO's steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations. (ANI)

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Barabanki, February 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at rivals, saying they only bothered about "vote-bank politics" and did not pay attention to the "mountain-like" problems faced by Muslim women due to evil practices like triple talaq.

Addressing an election rally for Barabanki and Ayodhya districts, he claimed that the opposition parties are rattled as the poor people, who have benefited from various welfare schemes including free ration during coronavirus pandemic, are carrying the BJP's victory flag. Increasing the safety and dignity of daughters has always been the priority of the double-engine government, the prime minister said and highlighted the large-scale recruitment of women in Uttar Pradesh Police as well as in the paramilitary forces and the army.

"Today, daughters are giving protection to the country and society by becoming commandos in maximum numbers. Around 6-7 years ago the number of women police personnel in our country was only 1.10 lakh. Now the number of women police personnel has reached above 2.25 lakh," he said.

He also took a swipe at opposition leaders for claiming that they can understand people's pain more than those who have no family, saying for him, UP and the entire country is family. Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: First-Time Female Voter and Presiding Officer Plant Mat Vriksha Sapling at Green Booth in Lucknow.

"Those who say that they have families, I want to ask these dynasts why didn't they worry about the pain of my Muslim sisters and daughters and their families when they were forced to return to their father's home. "The dynasts always bothered for their 'vote bank' but shut their eyes on the mountain-like problems faced by the Muslim women due to triple talaq practice.

"It is our government which has freed these Muslim sisters from the vicious cycle of triple talaq," he said, adding it not only helped women but also their families. Asserting that it was his government that for the first time addressed the issues of small and marginal farmers, the prime minister said "we have transferred more than Rs 800 crore in the bank accounts of farmers in Barabanki district only". Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: From Akhilesh Yadav to SP Singh Baghel, Here is The List of Five Key Candidates in Phase 3 of UP Polls.

Claiming that the interest of farmers is central to his government, Modi said that a national vaccination programme especially for cattle worth Rs 13,000 crore is underway. The vaccination programme is focused on diseases in cattle like foot and mouth disease. The government has started a Govardhan scheme where plants are being set up to manufacture biogas using animal dung, he said.

This will help farmers to earn from the waste of their cattle and get high-quality organic fertiliser for their farms, he added. Attacking the previous governments at the Centre as well as in UP, Modi said "these dynasts provided the people bare minimum and always wanted them to remain at their feet". ''Due to development work done by the double-engine government, people in UP have faith in us and are craving for more and more work in their areas,'' he said.

Assembly segments in Barabanki and Ayodhya will go to vote in the fifth phase on February 27. Polling for the fourth phase of the assembly election in the state was held on Wednesday.
A social media monitoring centre has been established at the #Mangaluru Police Commissioner's office to monitor social media posts and accounts which cause disharmony, provoke people in the society in the coastal #Karnataka region. pic.twitter.com/zumelzgbfy IANS Tweets (@ians_india) February 23, 2022

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The Enforcement Directorate (@dir_ed) has claimed that it has established money trail in a #PMLA case involving Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim and others to #NawabMalik, the #Maharashtra Minister who was arrested on Wednesday, sources said. pic.twitter.com/ynbPwMxsJl IANS Tweets (@ians_india) February 23, 2022

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A jury in Phoenix on Thursday convicted a man charged in the 1991 killings of nine people, including six Buddhist monks, bringing an end to a bizarre decades-long case that involved multiple trials and evidence of overzealous police interview tactics.

Johnathan A. Doody sat impassively in Maricopa County Superior Court as a clerk read guilty verdicts in a robbery gone bad nearly a quarter-century ago: nine counts of first-degree murder, nine counts of armed robbery and single counts of burglary and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Now 39, Doody was just 17 on Aug. 10, 1991, when shortly after midnight he ordered six Buddhist monks, two young initiates and an elderly nun to kneel on the floor of the Phoenix-area Wat Promkunaram temple. One by one, he shot them in the head and torso during a heist that netted $2,600 and some cameras. All the victims were Thai or of Thai descent, as is Doody.

Authorities garnered confessions in the case from six men, including Doody. Four were later cleared and three of those successfully sued Maricopa County. The police tactics were at the heart of Doodys repeat trials.

Legal experts said Thursday that the case represented the perils of police departments using aggressive tactics to get confessions.

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This case is about the failure of the criminal justice system to come to grips with the reality of both coerced and false confessions, said Steven Drizin, a Northwestern University Law School professor and legal director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions. This particular police department not only got false confessions from four innocent men, they got Mr. Doodys using inappropriate tactics.

In 1991, working the high-profile case, Maricopa County sheriffs deputies quickly arrested four Tucson men  who came to be known as the Tucson Four  in addition to Doodys best friend, Alessandro Alex Garcia.

After many hours of being separately interrogated, Doody and Garcia confessed. Garcia said he had committed the killings with the Tucson Four. But the Tucson men were cleared in the case, and three won lawsuits against Maricopa County.

Doody was found guilty in 1993 and sentenced to 281 years in prison. But in 2011 an appeals court rejected his conviction after ruling that investigators improperly obtained his confession. The appeals court ruled that Maricopa County deputies distorted their reading of Doodys Miranda rights, telling him he was entitled to an attorney only if he had committed a crime.

Doody was tried a second time in August, but in October, a hung jury resulted in a mistrial. The third trial began in December. Doodys confession was declared invalid, and in both cases the evidence hinged on Garcias testimony.

On Thursday, the jury returned its verdict after five days of deliberations. Doody has maintained his innocence.

Whats stunning is that state court judges often bless the kinds of tactics used here, Drizin said. It took the federal courts to finally provide a remedy for Mr. Doody.

Garcia, who pleaded guilty and testified against Doody, said the pair donned their high school ROTC uniforms and boots they figured would disguise footprints. With a 20-gauge shotgun and a borrowed .22-caliber rifle, Garcia said they ransacked the temple while holding the group at gunpoint.

Garcia testified that Doody shot them all in the head with the .22, and that he himself discharged four shotgun rounds into the bodies.

Dan Simon, a professor of law and psychology at USC, said confessions were not foolproof evidence in trials. We just cant be sure that just because someone confessed, they actually committed the crime, he said.

One puzzle, he added, is why people confess to crimes under interrogation in the first place.

Most people have a strong intuition that no innocent person would ever confess to a crime, Simon said. But we know that people confess primarily because of psychological pressure brought on during interrogations. And we just cant be confident that its only the guilty who succumb and break down.

john.glionna@latimes.com
Moscow solidified its hold on Crimea in April, outlawing the Tatar legislature that had opposed Russias annexation of the region since 2014. Together with Russian military provocations against NATO forces in and around the Baltic, this move seems to validate the observations of Western analysts who argue that under Vladimir Putin, an increasingly aggressive Russia is determined to dominate its neighbors and menace Europe.

Leaders in Moscow, however, tell a different story. For them, Russia is the aggrieved party. They claim the United States has failed to uphold a promise that NATO would not expand into Eastern Europe, a deal made during the 1990 negotiations between the West and the Soviet Union over German unification. In this view, Russia is being forced to forestall NATOs eastward march as a matter of self-defense.

The West has vigorously protested that no such deal was ever struck. However, hundreds of memos, meeting minutes and transcripts from U.S. archives indicate otherwise. Although what the documents reveal isnt enough to make Putin a saint, it suggests that the diagnosis of Russian predation isnt entirely fair. Europes stability may depend just as much on the Wests willingness to reassure Russia about NATOs limits as on deterring Moscows adventurism.

After the Berlin Wall fell, Europes regional order hinged on the question of whether a reunified Germany would be aligned with the United States (and NATO), the Soviet Union (and the Warsaw Pact) or neither. Policymakers in the George H.W. Bush administration decided in early 1990 that NATO should include the reconstituted German republic.

In early February 1990, U.S. leaders made the Soviets an offer. According to transcripts of meetings in Moscow on Feb. 9, then-Secretary of State James Baker suggested that in exchange for cooperation on Germany, U.S. could make iron-clad guarantees that NATO would not expand one inch eastward. Less than a week later, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to begin reunification talks. No formal deal was struck, but from all the evidence, the quid pro quo was clear: Gorbachev acceded to Germanys western alignment and the U.S. would limit NATOs expansion.

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Nevertheless, great powers rarely tie their own hands. In internal memorandums and notes, U.S. policymakers soon realized that ruling out NATOs expansion might not be in the best interests of the United States. By late February, Bush and his advisers had decided to leave the door open.

After discussing the issue with West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on February 24-25, the U.S. gave the former East Germany special military status, limiting what NATO forces could be stationed there in deference to the Soviet Union. Beyond that, however, talk of proscribing NATOs reach dropped out of the diplomatic conversation. Indeed, by March 1990, State Department officials were advising Baker that NATO could help organize Eastern Europe in the U.S. orbit; by October, U.S. policymakers were contemplating whether and when (as a National Security Council memo put it) to signal to the new democracies of Eastern Europe NATOs readiness to contemplate their future membership.

At the same time, however, it appears the Americans still were trying to convince the Russians that their concerns about NATO would be respected. Baker pledged in Moscow on May 18, 1990, that the United States would cooperate with the Soviet Union in the development of a new Europe. And in June, per talking points prepared by the NSC, Bush was telling Soviet leaders that the United States sought a new, inclusive Europe.

Its therefore not surprising that Russia was incensed when Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and others were ushered into NATO membership starting in the mid-1990s. Boris Yeltsin, Dmitry Medvedev and Gorbachev himself protested through both public and private channels that U.S. leaders had violated the non-expansion arrangement. As NATO began looking even further eastward, to Ukraine and Georgia, protests turned to outright aggression and saber-rattling.

NATOS widening umbrella doesnt justify Putins bellicosity or his incursions in Ukraine or Georgia. Still, the evidence suggests that Russias protests have merit and that U.S. policy has contributed to current tensions in Europe.

In less than two months, Western heads of state will gather in Warsaw for a NATO summit. Discussions will undoubtedly focus on efforts to contain and deter Russian adventurism  including increasing NATO deployments in Eastern Europe and deepening NATOs ties to Ukraine and Georgia. Such moves, however, will only reinforce the Russian narrative of U.S. duplicity. Instead, addressing a major source of Russian anxieties by taking future NATO expansion off the table could help dampen Russia-Western hostilities.

Just as a pledge not to expand NATO in 1990 helped end the Cold War, so too may a pledge today help resuscitate the U.S.-Russian relationship.

Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson is an international security fellow at Dartmouth College and assistant professor at the Bush School of Government, Texas A&M University. His article, Deal or No Deal? The End of the Cold War and the U.S. Offer to Limit NATO Expansion was published in the spring issue of International Security.

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The awaited Ahmaud Arbery verdict for the killing of the 25-year-old Black man from Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery, has been released with the three men found guilty of hate crimes and other charges by a federal jury.

U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey came up with a conclusion after a jury composed of eight white people, three Black people, and one Hispanic finished deliberating, according to an NBC News report.

Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael with their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan were found guilty of all federal charges that they each faced.

Their charges include hate crimes, attempted kidnapping, as well as the use of a firearm to commit a crime.

President and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Sherrilyn Ifill, tweeted about the verdict.

The tenacity, courage and determination of Wanda Cooper Jones, the mother of Ahmaud Arbery must be recognized and lauded. She was determined that this prosecution would move forward. https://t.co/1dovMgh3iF  Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) February 22, 2022

Ifill said that Wanda Cooper Jones, Arbery's mother, should be lauded for her "tenacity, courage, and determination." She added that Arbery's mother determined that the prosecution would move forward. American civil rights activist Al Sharpton said that Arbery's case is a precedent-setting verdict.

The guilty verdict of the 3 murderers of Ahmaud Arbery of hate crimes is a precedent setting verdict. Even in the Deep South the Feds will convict you of hate actions. I salute Ahmauds parents for forcing the trial.  Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) February 22, 2022

Cooper-Jones said she was thankful for the prosecution. However, she also said that the Justice Department "did not hear" her cry.

The Department of Justice continued to push forward with a plea deal that she did not support. Cooper-Jones said that their family would not have got today if it was not for the fight they did put up.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said that his heart goes to the family, not having the ability to imagine the pain it caused them.

READ NEXT: Ahmaud Arbery's Mother Accuses Prosecutors, Police of 'Vast Cover-up' in New Civil Lawsuit

Ahmaud Arbery Killing

The McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery through their neighborhood in trucks. The three men spotted Arbery running by their homes in February 2020, cornered him, while Travis fatally shot him with a shotgun.

Twelve days before the shooting, Travis had seen Arbery outside the house and called 911 and claimed that he saw Arbery reach toward his waistband.

Travis said that it made it seem like he could have been reaching for a gun, according to The New York Times report.

Travis' lawyer, Amy Lee Copeland, said that his client had been shocked rather than "gleeful" after the shooting.

J. Pete Theodocion, a lawyer for Bryan, noted that his client did not know anything about Arbery's history with the McMichaels.

Arbery's killing prompted state legislators to weaken a citizen's arrest law that one local prosecutor cited soon after the shooting, arguing that the three men should not be arrested.

In addition, state legislators were also inclined to pass a state hate-crime law.

Ahmaud Arbery Verdict

Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, said that they got justice for his son in the federal and the state.

Cooper-Jones said that his son will continue to rest in peace but now "he will rest in power," according to an ABC News Go report.

Cooper-Jones said she spoke to the assistant attorney general for the civil rights division of the DOJ, asking her not to accept a plea deal with defendants.

Meanwhile, Arbery's family noted that they will now focus on ensuring former Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson is convicted of allegedly using her position in an effort to protect the McMichaels from prosecution.

READ MORE: Ahmaud Arbery Killing: Arbery's Father 'Mad as Hell' Over Now-Rejected Plea Deal

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WATCH: Ahmaud Arbery's murderers found guilty in hate crimes trial I ABCNL - from ABC News






The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on Abbot's baby formula due to contamination of Cronobacter and Salmonella.

The FDA issued the warning on Abbot's three milk formulas known as Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare, per Local 12.

The warning was issued by the FDA after Abbot issued a voluntary baby formula recall on their products as the agency investigated complaints of Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella newport infections from three states.

FDA then advised parents not to use Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas if the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2; and the expiration dates on the containers is 4-1-2022 or later.

According to FDA, Cronobacter may cause severe, life-threatening infections or meningitis. Meanwhile, Salmonella makes people develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, and its severe cases may cause symptoms, including high fever, headaches, rash, or blood in the urine or stool.

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Baby Formula Recalls

Wink News reported that the baby formula recall was voluntarily issued by Abbott after complaints of four infants affected.

Abbott noted that the impacted EleCare, Alimnetum, and Similac were manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan. The company furthered that they also found evidence of Cronobacter sakazakii during their routine testing.

Abbott's senior director for global public affairs, Vicky Assardo, said that their company does "extensive quality checks" for every batch of their formula before it is issued for release.

Assardo stressed that those tests include screening for Salmonella newport, Cronobacter sakazakii, and other pathogens.

"We value the trust parents place in us for high quality and safe nutrition and we'll do whatever it takes to keep the trust and resolve this situation, Abbot's spokesperson said in the statement.

Baby Formula Recall: 4 Infants Fell Ill, 1 Dead Over Contaminated Milk

The voluntary recalls from Abbott came at least four infants reportedly fell ill due to the contaminated baby formulas, per FDA. The agency furthered that one infant death was also associated with the contaminated baby formulas.

This investigation has been associated with four illnesses (three for Cronobacter and one for Salmonella) spanning the following states: MN, OH, and TX. All four cases related to these complaints were hospitalized and Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case.  U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) February 17, 2022

FDA noted that the infants who developed a disease due to the baby formulas were from the states of Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. Furthermore, the agency stressed that all four cases related to the complaints - three fell ill from Cronobacter and one from Salmonella - were hospitalized.

Meanwhile, Cronobacter potentially contributed to the death of one infant.

In response, the FDA noted that they are conducting investigations on the issue.

"As this is a product used as the sole source of nutrition for many of our nation's newborns and infants, the FDA is deeply concerned about these reports of bacterial infections," FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy Response Frank Yiannas said in a statement.

Yiannas added that they want to "reassure" the public they work "diligently" with their partners to probe the complaints on the baby formulas, and they want to resolve the issue "as quickly as possible."

FDA is currently working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local partners in probing the issue concerning the baby formulas that were recalled.

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WATCH: FDA Issues Recall for Baby Formula - From 11Alive
Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan on Wednesday said that Indians in Ukraine will not be forced to return in the light of the developments there.

"One thing that the Modi government assures is the safety, concern of our people there is uppermost, things will be assessed and action will be taken accordingly," said Muraleedharan.

He said that there are around 18,000 students and 2,000 people from India in Ukraine.

"All of them have been asked to register at the Indian Embassy there, so if needed, the embassy officials can contact them," added Muraleedharan.

He said that while many anxious parents want their children to return, the general impression from Ukraine is the students are not that keen to return.

"We assure all that the Government of India will be at the forefront and if a situation warrants, then there will be timely intervention," said the MoS.
Two black hawk helicopters crashed on Utah on Tuesday while on a winter mountain training near a popular ski resort.

The crash was confirmed by a Utah national guard, calling the incident in the American Fork Canyon a "blessing," as there were no reported casualties following the accident, FOX 13 reported.

Reports noted that the incident was placed under investigation.

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Utah Black Hawk Helicopters Crash Near Ski Resort

According to Aviation Public Affairs Officer Jared Jones, the black hawk helicopters, known as UH-60, involved in the crash were participants of a winter mountain training. The 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion and the 211th Aviation Regimen were also reportedly part of the training in which the choppers participated.

"We train this as a part of routine mission set. So both summertime and wintertime mountains training, including dust and snow conditions, including, we call it a full white-out condition," Jones highlighted, adding that they experience landing on difficult areas that is why they train on these environments as a "standard."

The Daily Mail reported that the black hawk crash exactly occurred in the Mineral Basin, a backside bowl area at the snowbird ski resort. The said area is about 28 miles from Utah's Salt Lake City.

"As they landed, the snow kicked up and the aircraft probably lost sight of the ground," Lt. Jones said.

Jones said that the accident occurred when the first helicopter landed, per CNN. He then stressed that the blade of the lead black hawk helicopter separated, and it struck the second helicopter

During the landing, the report mentioned that a blade from the second helicopter's main rotor system struck the main black hawk helicopter, prompting its tail rotor to come out and force one of the choppers to land on its side.

Witnesses to the helicopter crash described what they saw and heard during the accident.

According to Robbie Shine, a Colorado native who was on the site during the accident, they heard "metal crashing" and then a "big cloud of all the new snow came flying up," per KSL TV 5.

"It was scary because one of the helicopters that were [closest] to the Mineral Basin life ended up being feet away from those people were standing," Shine said.

Another witness from the Mineral Basin, Billy Halloran, said that they thought what happened was an explosion as they expected "the worst" could have happened.

"I saw the choppers coming in and to be honest, it looked kind of weird from the start, thinking this is unusual following so close together," Halloran said.

Utah Black Hawk Crash Reports Zero Casualties

As the black hawk helicopters crashed in Utah, authorities reported that there were no casualties following the accident.

Fox 13 noted that the experienced crews on either of the helicopters were not injured in the accident.

Second general support aviation battalion commander, Major Matthew Green, expressed his thoughts on the incident.

"We are grateful that no one has seriously injured thanks to the quick reaction and training of both command pilots... Right now, our top priority is taking care of both crews," Green said.

Meanwhile, Jones pointed out that skiers were also safe during the incident.

Both black hawk helicopters that crashed were damaged and it was still unclear if they are still usable.

On Tuesday, Utah's National Guard announced that all training flights were canceled until further notice.

READ NEXT: Baby Formula Recall Issued Amid Possible Cronobacter, Salmonella Contamination: Which Brands Are Involved?

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WATCH: 2 National Guard Black Hawk helicopters crash in American Fork Canyon - From FOX 13 News Utah
Former U.S. President Donald Trump lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin's move on Ukraine, while also calling the Russian president "pretty savvy" for his military strategy.

Putin announced the mobilization of military forces for a "peacekeeping mission" while he also labeled rebel regions Luhansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic as independent, according to a Newsweek report.

Western leaders slammed Putin's move, with U.S. President Joe Biden imposing new sanctions. Many believe it will not be enough of a hindrance for the Russian president.

Trump said that the situation "never would have happened" if he was the sitting president. He told his sentiments to Clay Travis and Buck Sexton. However, the former U.S. president also said that he was watching the news unfold, adding that he thought of the situation "genius."

Former White House Russia advisor Fiona Hill said that Trump's foreign policy had paved the way where Russia feels it can invade Ukraine, according to a Business Insider report.

Hill added that Trump's foreign policy was driven by personal interests and impulses and not by concern about the U.S. national interest.

The former White House advisor then said that never once that Trump did anything to put Americans first.

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U.S. President Joe Biden's New Sanctions on Russia Amid Ukraine Invasion

Biden announced on Tuesday sanctions on major Russian bank VEB and its military bank, including the country's sovereign debt and on three individuals.

The bank sanctions will refrain American financial institutions from processing transactions for VEB and for Russia's military bank, PSB.

It would effectively cut the banks out of transactions involving U.S. dollars, which is the global reserve currency, according to a CNBC News report.

The U.S. president also announced that the U.S. would impose sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt.

Biden said that they have cut off Russia's government from Western financing.

The Biden administration had also imposed sanctions on the two sons of high-ranking Russian government officials.

Biden noted that the adult children members of Putin's inner circle benefit from the Kremlin policies, adding that "they ought to share in the pain as well."

Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Putin has sent his military troops on a "peacekeeping mission" to Ukraine, which would mean that Russia will formally occupy sovereign Ukraine territory the second time after the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Putin also signed a document allowing him to establish military bases or place missiles in the territories, according to The Guardian report.

Putin has implied that he questions Ukraine's right to statehood, calling it an "artificial construct of the Soviet Union."

In addition, the Russian president through a Western-leaning Ukraine can pose a threat to Russia, and called the possibility of NATO membership for Ukraine a "red line" for the Kremlin.

The Minsk peace deal was created containing a ceasefire agreement. It is now considered void.

Russia has gathered more than 190,000 troops along the Ukrainian border and is positioned to launch an attack, threatening Kyiv.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Would Win and Beat Pres. Joe Biden if Next Presidential Election Were Held Now, New Poll Shows

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WATCH: Biden says Russia has begun an invasion of Ukraine, announces sanctions | Special Report - from CBS News






Major mining firms are eyeing to expand to protected indigenous lands in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, a report said.

The report by the environmental group Amazon Watch and the Association of Brazil's Indigenous Peoples (APIB) revealed Tuesday that the mining firms are supported by billions of dollars in funding from international banks and investment firms.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has pushed to open protected lands to mining and agribusiness. The report noted that firms are betting Bolsonaro will succeed in passing legislation introduced by his government that would eventually allow them to operate on indigenous territories, according to France24 News.

In a statement, Ana Paula Vargas, Brazil program director at Amazon Watch, said the environmental damages and threats against the lives of forest peoples by mining activities are brutal and only worsened during Bolsonaro's administration.

Vargas noted that the Amazon rainforest is at the tipping point of ecological collapse. She added that they need to involve all the key players behind the industry.

Experts were pushing for the preservation of indigenous lands, saying it is among the best ways to protect the world's biggest rainforest, a key resource in the race to curb climate change.

READ NEXT: Indigenous Groups Push to Protect 80 Percent of Amazon From Deforestation

Mining Companies Are Targeting Amazon's Indigenous Lands in Brazil

Nine major mining companies have filed applications seeking authorization to mine on indigenous reservations in Brazil, even though that is currently illegal, the report said.

The mining companies were considered key players in extracting rare metals for electric vehicle batteries as of November. According to Inside Climate News, the companies had active applications to expand operations into or near Indigenous territories in Brazil's Amazon rainforest.

APIB released the report noting that U.S.-based financial institutions are among the top funders for the venture. The report named nine mining companies that included Vale, Anglo American, Belo Sun, and Glencore.

The companies reportedly received a total of US$54.1 billion in financing from international investors for their Brazilian operations over the past five years. However, Vale denied the claims stated in the report, while the other companies have yet to comment on the matter.

AngloGold Ashanti, Rio Tinto, Potassio do Brasil, and Mineracao Taboca and Mamore Mineracao e Metalurgia (both from Grupo Minsur) were also named in the report.

Sonia Guajajara of APIB's executive coordination said that the Brazilian government and mining companies are trying to advance a "project of death," according to Mining Watch News.

The report noted that U.S. firms Capital Group, BlackRock, and Vanguard collectively invested $14.8 billion in the mining companies. Meanwhile, the top U.S.-based creditor Bank of America, provided $670 million in loans and underwriting services to the companies. Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase were also named as top creditors.

Mining Companies Hold Active Applications to Explore Indigenous Lands in Brazil

According to the report, the companies had 225 active mining applications to Brazil's National Mining Agency (ANM) as of November that overlap 34 indigenous lands, for a total area more than three times the size of London.

The report noted that Vale had the highest number of applications with 75, followed by Anglo American with 65. These mining companies have reportedly caused environmental damage in the past that had stirred social discontent and contributed to a series of destruction in the Amazon rainforest.

Vargas said the companies have all made environmental, social, and governance announcements regarding how they will "protect the Amazon and Indigenous rights." However, she noted that their research showed that what they committed was "not true."

Vale was allegedly responsible for polluting the Catete River with lead, mercury, manganese, aluminum, and iron from its nickel mining project.

Anglo Americans polluted waterways and destroyed springs with their operations, while Belo Sun, which has 11 active mining applications covering indigenous lands, allegedly harassed and forcibly evicted residents in territories it mined for gold.

READ MORE: Parts of Amazon Rainforest in Brazil Are Being Illegally Offered for Sale on Facebook Marketplace

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WATCH: Brazil Gold Rush: Illegal Mining Threatens Amazon Tropical Rainforests - From WION






The mayor of Washington D.C. on Tuesday issued an alert over potential truck protests that could happen in the city, ahead of and during President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address on March 1.

According to the alert acquired by Fox News, the alert mentioned that Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is being briefed by the public safety officials as they monitor the situation closely.

"There are layer mitigation strategies in place and our agencies remain in regular contact with local, regional, and federal partners," the alert reads. The warning from the D.C. mayor also asked residents to "remain vigilant" and report any "suspicious activity."

The alert from the Washington D.C. mayor came after separate truck convoys will reportedly protest against pandemic restrictions and mandates. Associated Press reported that the truck convoys, including People's Convoy and the American Truckers Freedom Fund, will be in the city from different starting points and departure dates.

The outlet noted that some of the truck convoys are slated to arrive during President Biden's State of the Union Address on March 1, and some are expected to arrive after the event.

READ NEXT: Utah: 2 Black Hawks Crash After Rotor Blade Hits Other Helicopter During Landing

Pentagon to Approve Request for National Guard Reinforcement

As the alert was issued by the Washington D.C. mayor over potential truck convoy protests on the day of Joe Biden's state of the union address, the Pentagon is expected to approve a request of national guard reinforcement from the U.S. Capitol Police and the District of Columbia.

The agency is expected to deploy around 700 to 800 unarmed national guard troops in the nation's capital, per Associated Press.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that the government of Washington D.C. and the Capitol police requested the national guard reinforcement to "provide support at traffic control points" in and around the city.

Kirby added that the reinforcement is also expected to "stand ready" over "possible disruptions at key traffic arteries.

Although the Pentagon is expected to approve the requests, Kirby underscored that there is no formal decision on the matter.

Possible Truck Protests on Joe Biden's Address

The request for the national guard reinforcement and the alert issued by the Washington D.C. mayor was not the only security preparation made ahead of President Joe Biden's state of the nation address.

It can be recalled that last week, the United States Capitol Police said that they are considering the reinstalment of the fences around the U.S. Capitol over the possible truck protests that may occur.

USCP noted that they are collaborating with the law enforcement agencies across the National Capital Region, explaining that they are aware of the plans of the protests involving truck convoys in Washington D.C., over COVID restrictions and mandates.

According to reports, Freedom Convoy, the truck convoy that shut down the U.S.-Canada border, may head to D.C., as well as the American truck convoy known as The People's Convoy.

In a statement from the People's Convoy, the group said that their trucks will not be going to the "D.C. proper."

Meanwhile, The American Truckers Freedom Fund, another group that will also attend the protest, said on their website that is demonstrating "the unscientific, unconstitutional overreach of the federal government.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Called Russian President Vladimir Putin "Pretty Savvy" Over Move On Ukraine; Pres. Joe Biden Imposes New Sanctions

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WATCH: Possible US trucker protest could happen this week - From FOX5 Las Vegas
A town in Mexico was reportedly held hostage for 24 hours by hitmen loyal to the sons of Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera.

According to Daily Star, the Caborca town in Mexico's Sonora state was invaded by more than 20 pickup trucks of armed men linked to El Chapo's sons to intimidate the rival gangs in the area and lay siege to the town.

The outlet noted that words about the drug cartel raiding the town started to circulate among residents on February 15 from truck drivers who heard cartel members at gas stations brag: "The Chapiza is here: we are coming with everything."

El Pais reported that the pickup trucks covered in homemade armor and mounted with assault rifles that were seen moving from Altar town arrived in Caborca at around 7 p.m.

The vehicles were reportedly marked with an "X," while the armed men were dressed in military and tactical gear. Reports said the hitmen took time to fill their vehicles with gas and filmed themselves boasting about their artillery.

The armed men then roamed through the town and searched houses for enemies before killing two men and leaving them in the street.

The National Guard, police, and the armed forces reportedly knew about the attack. However, residents said no authorities were present to defend them from the drug cartel's hitmen.

"There was not a single authority that went out to confront them. They all hid. They abandoned us," a woman told El Pais.

The hitmen also kidnapped several people, including Eduardo Uribe and his friend, Sebastian Manriquez, the son of a veteran Caborca journalist.

Manriquez reappeared the next night, while Uribe was found alive on Thursday. Three others were abducted on Tuesday night, and two are still missing.

At least 100 men with heavy weapons who posted photos on social media as they took the streets of Caborca left the town after 24 hours.

Another woman told El Pais that she heard the first shots at midnight and the final ones at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

"It's like being in a war zone... Nobody slept," she noted.

According to local reporters, El Chapo's sons, known as "Los Chapitos," wanted the drug routes, weapons, and even the migrants, so they would threaten and besiege a rival territory when they felt like it.

Caborca is a town located a few kilometers from the U.S.

READ NEXT: El Chapo Son's Turf Is Being Invaded by El Mayo's Hitmen as They Battle for Control of Sinaloa Cartel

Rewards Offered For 4 Sons of Sinaloa Cartel Boss' El Chapo

Last December, the U.S. State Department offered $5 million rewards for any information that could help federal agents arrest El Chapo's four sons, who reportedly share control of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, and Jesus Alfredo Guzman had reportedly assumed leadership roles in the Sinaloa Cartel with their uncle Aureliano "El Guano" Guzman and co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada after El Chapo was arrested and extradited to the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Treasury said Joaquin, Ovidio, and Ivan had been previously indicted on federal drug trafficking charges. The Treasury Department has sanctioned the trio.

Joaquin was indicted with Ovidio in April 2018, and they were both charged with conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, 500 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

Investigators said that Joaquin and his brother manage around 11 laboratories in their home state of Sinaloa that produce up to 5,000 pounds of methamphetamine monthly.

'Los Chapitos' in The Drug Trafficking Trade

The State Department said that "Los Chapitos" are high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel and are each subject to a federal indictment for their involvement in the illegal drug trade.

But despite the million-dollar rewards, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier said that U.S. federal agents could not simply step on Mexico's soil and arrest El Chapo's sons.

The president noted that it is up to the local authorities in Mexico to stop them if the brothers are in the national territory. Lopez Obrador said that foreign agencies are not allowed to do any apprehensions.

InsightCrime reported that Ovidio, Ivan, and Jesus were brought into the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal operations when they were teenagers by their father and El Mayo to learn the ins and outs of the organization.

Los Chapitos was reportedly much flashier with spending drug proceeds and partying than El Chapo's former right-hand man, El Mayo, who now appears to be the internal enemy number one of Los Chapitos.

El Chapo's sons have also been at odds with their uncle, El Guano. The Los Chapitos are reportedly looking to assume supreme control of the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of Mexico's largest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations. The group was founded in the late 1980s and headed by El Chapo.

Under El Chapo's leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel earned its reputation through violence and outfought several rival groups.

El Chapo was sentenced to spend the rest of his days in the ADX Florence "supermax" prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019.

READ MORE: El Chapo's Wife Emma Coronel Aispuro Moved to Texas Prison to Serve out Rest of Sentence for Taking Part in Sinaloa Cartel's Operation

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WATCH: New Details of Government Plan to Track Down, Arrest 4 of El Chapo's Sons - From ABC 7 Chicago
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said an invasion of Ukraine had been Russian President Vladimir Putins "plan all along", calling the situation a "manufactured crisis", The Guardian reported.

In a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington, Blinken said: "His (Putin) plan all along has been to invade Ukraine; to control Ukraine and its people; to destroy Ukraine's democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads; to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia.

"That's why this is the greatest threat to security in Europe since World War II."

During the press conference, Blinken also added that he will no longer meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Paris on Friday as planned.

"Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy it does not make sense to go forward that meeting at this time."

Blinken's remarks come after President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced the first round of tougher sanctions against Russian banks, oligarchs and others, with plans to escalate sanctions if Moscow advances its invasion.
The head of the services that monitors conditions at jails in Portlaoise and other parts of Ireland has resigned, the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee has confirmed.

Ms Patricia Gilheaney stepped down as Inspector of Prisons with effect from 16 February 2022 after four years in the post which leads the Office of Inspector of Prison in monitoring and if necessary investigating conditions and incidents in jails.

The Minister made the announcement on February 23 when she announced the appointment of Mr Mark Toland as the Inspector of Prisons, on a temporary interim basis.

No specific reason was given for the resignation. The Department of Justice said planning for the recruitment process to appoint a new Inspector of Prisons commenced last summer after Ms Gilheaney indicated her intention to step down from her position. Minister payed tribute to the departing inspector.

The role of Inspector of Prisons is so important and Patricia Gilheaney has led the office since 2018 with commendable dedication and commitment to her role and left a lasting legacy in the Inspection Framework for the Office of the Inspector of Prisons. Despite the constraints of the pandemic, she has greatly increased the impact and influence of the Office.

It was always clear to me that Patricia kept the human rights of people in prison at the heart of the Offices work. I have always valued Patricias views and will continue to do so," she said.

Minister McEntee said the temporary appointment allows the Inspectors oversight work to continue uninterrupted pending a permanent appointment. She added that a Top Level Appointment Competition by the Public Appointment Service, which was launched on 29th October 2021, to recruit a new Inspector of Prisons Service is expected to be completed shortly.

Mr Toland took up his position in a temporary capacity as Inspector of Prisons on 18th February 2022.

Mr Toland is currently the Chief Inspector of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate and will continue in his current role during this interim appointment as Inspector of Prisons.

I would like to thank Mark Toland for agreeing to take on this important role. Oversight and evaluation are vital to ensuring the safety and security of the often vulnerable people in the care of the State in prison and the office of the Inspector of Prisons plays a key role in ensuring this work is carried out to the highest standards, said Minister McEntee.

Mark Toland was appointed Chief Inspector of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate in November, 2017. Prior to being appointed Chief Inspector, he served as a Commissioner at the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission between 2016 and 2017and during that time he led a comprehensive whole of organisation review.

He previously served as a Deputy Chief Inspector of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate from June 2012, a position he held for four and a half years. During that time, he was the lead inspector for several important inspections including the Crime Investigation, Changing Policing in Ireland and Responding to Child Sexual Abuse reports.

He joined the Metropolitan Police Service in 1980 where he served for 30 years prior to relocating to Ireland with his family in 2010.

Ms Gilheaney was appointed Inspector of Prisons in May 2018. She has a human rights background due to her psychiatric and general nursing background. Immediately prior to being Inspector she was Chief Executive of the Mental Health Commission (MHC).

The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory but independent body set up under the Prisons Act 2007. Its mission is to support excellence in both delivery and outcomes in Irelands prisons through an independent programme of inspections and investigations.
Green Party representatives in Laois have welcomed the Vacancy Dereliction and Regeneration Bill 2022, launched by the party saying it will be good for the local economy and our communities

Under this Bill, homes that are vacant in for at least 180 days in the preceding year would be subject to a new vacant home tax at 3% of the market value of the property, to be collected by revenue as part of the local property tax. The Greens believe this would be re-paid to the local authority where the vacant property lies, which for example, would fund housing needs.

The tax would not apply to the principal private residence of the owner and includes a number of key exemptions, including if an owner is in care; if the occupant has moved temporarily for work purposes; if the property is a holiday home; or if the property is undergoing major renovations. The Greens say an initiative introduced in Canada has seen a 25% decrease in vacant property since introducing similar tax measures in 2017.

Rosie Palmer is the Green Party representative in the Portlaoise District.

One of the most critical issues in Ireland at the moment is housing and the cost of living. It is an issue faced by every age group across every part of society. There are at least 90,000 vacant homes across the country and neglected and derelict building can be seen across all of our towns and villages in Laois. This Bill will be good for rural towns and villages, our local economy and our communities, she said.

John Holland is the Green Party representative for Portarlington.

Im delighted to see this bill being introduced. Here in Portarlington, we have a former bank building lying idle and thwarting the efforts of Tidy Towns to improve the appearance of the town. Laois County Council is trying to engage with the owner but legislation like this will greatly strengthen the hand of local authorities in taking action on derelict buildings like this, he said.

Under this Bill, homes that are vacant in for at least 180 days in the preceding year would be subject to a new vacant home tax at 3% of the market value of the property, to be collected by revenue as part of the local property tax. This would be re-paid to the local authority where the vacant property lies, which for example, would fund housing needs.

The tax would not apply to the principal private residence of the owner and includes a number of key exemptions, including if an owner is in care; if the occupant has moved temporarily for work purposes; if the property is a holiday home; or if the property is undergoing major renovations. An initiative introduced in Vancouver has seen a 25% decrease in vacant property since introducing similar tax measures in 2017.

The Bill was introduced by Steven Matthews TD, Green Party spokesperson on Planning and Local Government

We need to reimagine our existing built environment to create vibrant, liveable villages and towns that will also bring jobs and enhance security and safety. The Green Party is committed to rejuvenating our towns, villages and cities and ensuring they are fit for purpose for individuals and families to live, work and play.

"In addition to addressing vacant property, this bill also simplifies the planning process and makes it easier for over the shop units to be brought back into residential use. This bill is in line with the objectives for the Government Housing for All and Town Centres First strategies, he said.
The weather in Ireland is set to turn very wintry with the latest Met Eireann weather forecast featuring snow, hail, thunderstorms and freezing temperatures.

Met Eireann has already issued a Status Yellow Snow and Ice Warning for Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim for. A Status Yellow Wind Warning for Donegal and Mayo has also been issued.

In its latest forecast Met Eireann warns that winds will continue strong in the west and north tonight and moderating a bit elsewhere. Chilly with a scattering of snow, sleet and rain showers. There is also a chance of some thunderstorms too with local hail. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +1 degrees. Some frost and ice will set in also, especially in sheltered areas.

Met Eireann says it will be cold and very windy on Thursday with strong to gale force and gusty west to northwest winds bringing in sunny spells and further scattered wintry showers. A scattering of snow showers and icy stretches during the morning will lead to treacherous conditions in parts. Some thundery showers and hail too, especially in the west and north. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 7 degrees, coldest in the north, with an added wind chill factor.

Met Eireann expects Thursday night will feel raw in rather brisk northwest winds with some further scattered wintry showers, mainly confined to western and northern coasts overnight. Long clear spells will develop elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees with frost and possible ice developing later, that's as the winds ease.

The outlook for Friday and Saturday is for drier weather but it will turn wet for a time later this weekend. MORE BELOW TWEET.

Staying unsettled & turning cold over the next few days with wintry showers on Wednesday night & Thursday. 



Some snow  is likely in places & showers will be heavy with possible hail & thunder too. 



The cold spell will come to an end by Friday. pic.twitter.com/3eUwcD22XD  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 22, 2022

NATIONAL FORECAST Issued at 11.17am on Wednesday, February 23.

FRIDAY: Mostly dry with good sunny spells and just light southwest breeze. During the afternoon however, cloud will build across much of the western half of the country. The odd spot of drizzle is possible in Atlantic fringes later. Highest temperatures will range 8 to 10 degrees.

Little change overnight, though southerly winds will freshen towards morning. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees, coolest across eastern counties.

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy and breezy with patchy drizzle across southern and western counties. Highest temperatures of 8 to 10 degrees in fresh and gusty southerly winds.

Rain is expected to move in across the country during Saturday night, turning heavy at times, however a clearance will develop across Atlantic counties later. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees, coolest across western counties.

SUNDAY: The last of the overnight rain is likely to clear early on Sunday, leaving a mostly dry day with sunny spells and just light south to southwest breezes. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees.
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Victims families have hit out at the undue delays being put in the way of an inquest into the Stardust fire tragedy.

Forty-eight people died in the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin on February 14 1981.

On Tuesday, the families of those victims expressed frustration at once again having to fight for an inquest to take place.

A new bill is being brought forward in the Seanad to ensure that the inquest is held before a jury, with it selected in the same way as in a criminal case.

Campaigners say that the Government also needs to ensure that jurors can be paid during the inquest, which is expected to last for several months.

The bill is being proposed by Sinn Fein senator Lynn Boylan, who described it as a simple piece of legislation.

The inquest system in Ireland is deeply flawed and in need of reform, Ms Boylan said.

We had the issue around the free legal aid early on.

We fought that battle with the Government and we won and they backed down.

Now were having the next obstacle in the way, which is around the jury at the inquest.

Antoinette Keegan, who lost her two sisters in the blaze, spoke on Tuesday on behalf of the families.

Ms Keegan said that she had raised her concerns during a recent meeting with Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

If somebody is selected for the jury and they sit on it for six months, their employer is not obliged to pay.

They are not going to be able to do it because it wont be sustainable for them.

We want this to go ahead.

We want this inquest to happen.

And we want all the obstacles in our way to be removed so that when the inquest is ready to start, were up and running and ready to go.

There are too many undue delays in the whole lot of this and it is time now that they all stop.

The inquest will not be proceeding if we dont have a jury.

The Government is not expected to oppose the bill on Wednesday.

However, Ms Boylan warned: Not opposing the bill is one thing, but they have to then make sure that the time is made available for the bill to progress in time for the inquest to start on schedule.

Last week, a judge ruled that a verdict of unlawful killing will not be excluded in the inquest into the tragedy.

Eamon Butterly, the former manager of the nightclub, had sought a ruling that would have seen such a verdict ruled out ahead of the forthcoming inquest.

A letter signed by nearly 30 figures from the world of law, including former justice minister Michael McDowell, was sent to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on Tuesday.

In it, they write: The Stardust Inquest will be the largest inquest in the history of the State and will be watched around the world. The bare minimum that should be expected is that the evidence is heard by a jury that is selected in a manner that is transparent and representative of wider society.

It is a fundamental principle of our legal system that independent juries, properly formed, reach findings of fact, and this should just as equally hold true for inquests.

The jury played a crucial role in the most recent Hillsborough inquests, and are of particular important in cases of public interest, where families have fought so long for truth and justice.

Therefore Minister, we are calling on you to ensure that the Stardust Inquest will be heard before a jury and that that jury will be selected in a transparent manner.
BUSINESS owners across Limerick are being encouraged to take advantage of the many events taking place as part of Local Enterprise Week.

Between Monday, March 7 and Friday, March 11, more than 220 events aimed at small to medium sized enterprise owners and entrepreneurs are taking place around the country, including here in Limerick.

The theme of this years week is Making It Happen and is focused on helping businesses to look forward and to future proof themselves for the years ahead.

Limerick's Local Enterprise Office is running a range of training workshops and bespoke one-to-one clinics for business people on a range of topics including business planning, human resources, finance, cyber-security and grant funding.

Its head of enterprise Mike Cantwell said: "Local Enterprise Week offers existing businesses and those considering starting a business an excellent opportunity to engage with the wide range of supports offered. In addition to national events, we are offering a full programme of events over five days on a range of topics from marketing to financing your business as well as a range of one-to-one clinics with business experts to support owner-managers.

For more information on Local Enterprise Week and to find information on the National Spotlight Events and Limerick events visit www.LocalEnterprise.ie/Week.
LIMERICK councillors are calling on the government to establish a Minister for Womens Health, following a suggestion made by cervical check campaigner Vicky Phelan.

The motion was put forward by Cllr Olivia O Sullivan at a recent meeting of the Metropolitan District, in a show of solidarity with the Annacotty-based activist and mother-of-two.

The time for platitudes is over and now is the time for action, Cllr Sarah Kiely said, criticising both the health system and the justice system, which she said, are failing women around the country.

The Limerick city east representative stressed that the odds are stacked against women, when you have the misfortune of dealing with either of these two systems.

The women of Ireland deserve better, we demand better. Vicky Phelan has given us the strength, the motivation and the vision of what is possible, she told her colleagues.

Mayor Daniel Butler, who recently conferred Vicky with the Freedom of Limerick, only the fifth woman to receive the highest civic honour, offered his support to the motion.

Vicky Phelan, he said, set down a very clear challenge to the government when she spoke at the recent conferring ceremony.

Its not just about giving her the freedom, its about what her story is and what she has done as an activist on behalf of the women of Ireland.

Its our duty to take up that challenge and support her in that regard, Mayor Butler stated.

Cllr O Sullivan described several inequalities within the health system, stating that women are routinely underrepresented in clinical trials and that more medical research proposed by women and for women must be funded.

She referenced other countries, such as Scotland, who have already addressed the issue, establishing a Ministry for Womens Health and the UK, who have appointed Womens Health Ambassadors.

The Limerick city north representative emphasised the need for the Health Minister to make the Patient Safety Bill, which provides for mandatory open disclosure on safety incidents, a priority.

Open disclosure and mandatory reporting will bring Ireland in line with international best practice in a patient centric approach, she said.

Progress here is simply taking too long and we need reassurance that the Patient Safety Bill is still a priority for Minister Donnelly.

We need women to know that action is being taken on our specific health needs, that we are not less important, Cllr O Sullivan concluded.
A MAN charged with the murder of teacher Ashling Murphy has been further remanded in custody pending formal directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Jozef Puska, 31, with an address of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, was initially remanded in custody on January 19.

He is accused of killing the 23-year-old primary school teacher who studied at Limerick's Mary Immaculate College. Ms Murphy was attacked while out running along the Grand Canal near Tullamore on January 12.

The Slovakian national faced his fourth hearing at Cloverhill District Court this Wednesday.

Mr Puska appeared before Judge Cephas Power via video link.

Dressed in a grey tracksuit, he listened with the help of an interpreter and spoke only to give his name and to say he could see and hear the proceedings.

Court Garda sergeant Olwyn Murphy told Judge Power, "directions are still outstanding".

She explained gardai sent the investigation file to the State solicitor and the DPP in Dublin on February 18. A four-week remand was sought.

Defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght submitted that the case "is only going one way". He asked the judge to refuse jurisdiction at this stage and adjourn the case for a book of evidence to be completed.

The court sergeant pointed out that there was no time limit, and she asked the judge to adjourn for formal directions from the DPP first and a book of evidence after that.

Judge Power noted the nature of the charge and indicated he would put the case back for four weeks.

However, Mr Lysaght said his client would only consent to a two-week remand. He also asked for the directions to be expedited, adding that the DPP has been involved from day one.

The sergeant said the DPP gave "ordinary directions" on day one, and now formal directions were required.

The judge noted the volume and complexity of the case and remanded Mr Puska in continuing custody to appear again on March 9.

Detective Sergeant David Scahill gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Mr Puskas first hearing on January 19.

Detective Sergeant Scahill had said that when asked if he had anything to say in response to the charge, the accused replied: "No".

The High Court only can consider a bail application in a murder case.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved stockpiles of blood and medical supplies to Russian troops positioned on the Ukrainian border, in a move US President Joe Biden warned was in preparation for "a massive military attack" against Kiev, the Daily Mail reported.

A huge military convoy of more than 100 military trucks with soldiers was also seen heading towards the Ukrainian border where 190,000 Russian troops are already massed, raising fears Putin is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine, the report said.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is closest to the border, and has long been suspected as a possible target in a Russian invasion, according to western analysts.

Putin has already moved more than 10,000 Russian troops into Ukraine's breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after he recognised them as indepedent.

Some 6,000 troops were sent to Donetsk, 5,000 to Luhansk and 1,500 to the city of Horlivka, a source with links to Ukrainian intelligence said.

While announcing new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine, Daily Mail reported.

"This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war," he declared.

Biden also announced he was moving American troops, fighter jets and helicopters to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on NATO's eastern flank as a defensive move and imposing heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs.
THE Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler is to lead one of the largest St Patrick's Day parades in the world in London.

The parade through the streets of the British capital takes place on March 13, and Limerick's first citizen will join Taoiseach Micheal Martin, London's Mayor Sadiq Khan and Limerick Exiles chairman Con Dee at the head of the spectacle.

Like the various parades across Limerick on St Patrick's Day, London's event is back for the first time in two years after the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It's a huge honour for Limerick to be leading it this year, especially post Covid-19. It's a really exciting thing. I know the Limerick Exiles are really excited and proud of that as well," said Cllr Butler.

St Patrick's Day celebrations in London - which of course has a huge Irish population - will take place both on Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13, with the parade kicking off at Green Park, near Buckingham Palace from noon.

Eleven key workers will be honoured for their efforts in the fight against coronavirus.

Last week, Mayor Butler held a special event in West London to honour Murroe man Mr Dee - who headed 2018's London parade and has given decades of service to the Limerick Exiles, formerly known as the Limerick Association in London.

He said he was "taken aback" to be invited to take such a prominent part in London's parade.

"But it's not me they are asking. it's the people of Limerick I represent. But it's a massive honour. It's a big parade to lead. Especially with everything going on in the UK, maintaining these links are very important. I know in meeting some representatives of the councils, they are keen to retain connections with their European neighbours and particularly with Ireland. I think it's as important to them as it is to us," he concluded.
The Dail has heard that Ireland needs to crack down on Russian money moving through the countrys finance centre.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin also backed a call for the Dail to vote soon to formally censure Russian actions at the border of Ukraine.

Full details of EU sanctions against Russia will be confirmed later on Wednesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of Ukraine, prompting fears about a full-scale invasion.

In the Dail on Wednesday, Labour leader Alan Kelly said 118 billion (98 billion) was funnelled through Dublin to Russia between 2005 and 2017.



Labour Party leader Alan Kelly (Niall Carson/PA)

He told Mr Martin: Were at risk of becoming the best small country in the world to funnel corrupt, dirty, Russian oligarch money.

If sanctions in the UK, US and EU lead to a clampdown on Russian billionaires, theres a likelihood that oligarchs under shell companies, thousands of them, may seek to use Ireland to continue to funnel the money.

Mr Kelly said the Dail must unanimously condemn the Russian aggression of recent days, which has stoked fears of a full-scale war in Europe.

The Taoiseach, who was in Berlin on Tuesday for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, again condemned Russian actions.

Were part of the European Union-wide sanctions regime and the European Union along with United States, and its (through) working in concert with other like-minded countries who value democracy that a range of sanctions have been agreed.



Micheal Martin during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Embassy of Ireland in Berlin/PA)

We will share with the European Union any sanctions and obviously support all sanctions, including the targeting of the ability of the Russian state to access the European Unions capital and financial markets, which will be a significant sanction in itself.

Mr Martin backed the call for a Dail motion on Moscows actions.

Russias behaviour deserves the unequivocal condemnation of everyone in this house, and our support as a country for Ukrainian sovereignty, territorial integrity and right to choose its own foreign security policies is unwavering, he said.

It is a very dark moment in European history on the continent. It is very, very serious. The sheer scale of the militarisation of the border in Ukraine is something that we would have thought a relic of the past.

Earlier, the Irish finance minister said he understood the concerns of business, as the EU, UK and US begin to impose punitive sanctions on Russia.

Russia has manufactured this crisis and is responsible for the current escalation. We will now quickly finalise the sanctions package, in coordination with our partners. Read President @vonderleyen's speech on the EU's response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine   European Commission (@EU_Commission) February 22, 2022

Paschal Donohoe said full details of the EU sanctions would be announced on Wednesday afternoon.

An element of that will be to break and challenge the links between the finance and capital markets of the European Union and Russia. So there will be elements of that that will be included in the package of measures that will be confirmed by the European Union later on today, he said.

Asked on RTE radio about the role of Ireland in the sanctions package, he replied: If a country has a large financial services sector and values that, and we do here in Ireland  its a really big employer in the Irish economy  that does mean that weve international capital and international money in Ireland and, yes, there is indeed a level of Russian capital traded in and out of our IFSC (International Financial Services Centre).

He said the Government has already changed the law on tax, while also updating anti-money laundering legislation, in response to concerns.

Mr Donohoe said a war in Europe would have a detrimental impact on the Irish and European economy.

However, he again ruled out further measures to tackle the rising cost of living before the October Budget, even if energy prices rise due to the crisis in Ukraine.

He said he knew companies were concerned about the impact of sanctions on business, adding: I think its very understandable for companies that are involved in sectors that have particular links with either exports or imports that come from Russia, or go to Russia, are of course concerned about what a war or sanctions could mean.

If you look at where our economy stands overall, our exports to Russia are approximately 1% of our national income. Our imports from Russia are approximately 0.5% of our national income. But inside that 0.5%, there are sectors that do have a little bit more of a reliance on Russia than other sectors would.

(PA Graphics)

Its understandable that they would raise concerns regarding what could happen, but we are making these decisions inside the context of the security and the ability of states to determine their own future being threatened by unacceptable and illegal behaviour.

And Ireland does need to be part of the response to that.

Mr Martin told the Dail: I dont think its enough to say that theres growing anxiety about the aggressive position in Russia.

I think we should all be clear in this house that we all condemn the Russian aggression and use that language clearly and without equivocation.

Yes, there will be repercussions and sanctions, that is the inescapable consequence of Russias behaviour.

We dont want to take economic sanctions, nobody does.

Those sanctions will have an impact, the crisis is having an impact on oil and gas prices, and it will continue to have that, and that is the inevitable consequence of what is going on now.
Frances Haugen, the whistleblower who last year leaked internal documents from Facebook and accused it of prioritising its growth over users safety, has issued tech regulation advice to the Oireachtas.

Last October, the former Facebook employee testified before the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and subsequently to the European Parliament last November.

During her testimony, she notably advocated for government regulation of Facebook.

Ms Haugen appeared virtually before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, and also recently took part in a radio interview with Newstalk.

She said that while Ireland has a unique role to play in holding social media companies to account, she stressed that the Irish Government needs to establish a new online safety regime.

Data Scientist and former Facebook employee Frances Haugen. Pic: Twitter

The Iowa native, who now resides in Puerto Rico, explained: "The tech companies on your shores have, once again, got away with it.

"As you create an independent, robust and effective online safety regulator, you must launch an independent review into the Data Protection Committee, so that it too can start to enforce the law thoroughly and boldly," she added.

Ms Haughen urged the govt to reflect deeply on its own role, as well as "on the responsibilities which come with housing these social media manipulation machines."

She also discussed the limits of Artificial Intelligence, such as the algorithm present in Facebook, in identifying offensive comments or speech, and claimed that "some of the most egregious harms caused by the decisions made in the shiny, glass headquarters of Facebook in Dublin have been in faraway places like Myanmar and Ethiopia."

In response, Facebook's parent company Meta has denied the accusations and says that it has invested billions of dollars in safety and security.

"Contrary to claims about our company, we've always had the commercial incentive to remove harmful content from our platform," a spokesperson for the multinational giant said.
Media firm Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (ZEEL) has moved an application before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) requesting the dismissal of the plea filed by private sector lender IndusInd Bank against the company.

IndusInd Bank had moved NCLT claiming default of 83.08 crore against the media & entertainment firm. The petition, to initiate insolvency proceedings against ZEEL, has been filed under section 7 of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

"The Company has on February 21, 2022 filed an interlocutory application before the NCLT, Mumbai Bench for dismissal of IndusInd Banks petition under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016," said ZEEL in a regulatory update.

ZEEL has claimed that the petition by IndusInd Bank is an "act in breach/violation of the orders dated February 25, 2021 and December 3, 2021 passed by the Delhi High Court".

Earlier this month, while sharing the details, ZEEL had said it is a party to the Debt Service Reserve Account Guarantee Agreement (DSRA Guarantee Agreement) entered into with IndusInd Bank Limited for the term-loan facility advanced to another Essel Group firm Siti Networks Ltd.

Siti Networks, formerly known as Wire and Wireless Ltd, is a multi-system operator promoted by media baron Subhash Chandra led Essel Group.

According to ZEEL, "the issue of the Company's alleged default under the DSRA Guarantee Agreement, is sub-judice before the Delhi High Court" in a suit filed by the Company against IndusInd Bank.

"Filing of the said C1RP Application is in breach of the order dated 25th February 2021 as modified by the order of December 3, 2021 passed in the said suit," it said, adding "the Company will therefore be adopting appropriate legal steps in that regard".

On December 22 last year, ZEEL announced its merger with Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd (SPNI) after signing definitive agreements.

As per the deal, Sony would invest USD 1.575 billion and hold 52.93 per cent stake in the merged entity and Zee the remaining 47.07 per cent.
BharatPe on Wednesday confirmed that it has sacked its head of controls Madhuri Jain while she took to Twitter with allegations of a witch hunt." The fintech unicorn is also clawing back Jains equity in accordance with her employment contract, said an official with the company.

As per your query, we can confirm that the services of Madhuri Jain Grover have been terminated in accordance with the terms of her employment agreement," a BharatPe spokesperson said.

Mint first reported on 21 February that the Delhi-based startup had sacked Jain due to alleged fraud and that it is clawing back stocks held by her as employee stock options (ESOPs).

Jain, the wife of embattled co-founder Ashneer Grover, is charged with the misappropriation of funds. The firing is based on a 24 January report by Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) submitted to the BharatPe board.

Jain did not immediately respond to a query seeking her response.

However, Jain made several allegations on Twitter. She alluded to BharatPe chief executive Suhail Sameer sitting on Governance Review and passing judgement on me".

A spokesperson for BharatPe declined to comment on Jains comments on Twitter.

A&Ms preliminary report highlighted two egregious instances of fraud at BharatPeirregularities in recruitment and paying non-existent vendors. Jain, who had headed BharatPes procurement, admin and HR departments since 2018, is allegedly linked to both the fraudulent schemes.

Jain was questioned by BharatPe investigators and lawyers for close to six hours last week. The investigators are understood to have reached a decision regarding her role in the so-called financial fraud. Therefore, the equity is getting clawed back," said the official cited earlier. Jain is not a founder or member of key management, which is why the firm sacked her even before the board took a call on the findings of another report by PwC, this official added. PwC and A&M were hired last month to look into alleged financial irregularities in the company.
Russia said Wednesday that new US sanctions will meet a "strong response" after US President Joe Biden announced fresh penalties against Moscow for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine.

"There should be no doubt -- sanctions will meet a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that Washington had slapped a new round of sanctions in order to "change Russia's course."

"Russia has proved that, with all the sanctions costs, it is capable of minimizing the damage. And even more so, sanctions pressure cannot affect our determination to firmly defend our interests," the statement said.

On Tuesday, Biden announced what he called the "first tranche" of sanctions, including steps to starve Russia of financing and target financial institutions and the country's "elites."

Earlier this week Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised Ukraine's separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent statelets and put his forces on stand-by to move into the Western-backed country.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Taiwan is nervous that Beijing may take advantage of a distracted West to ramp up pressure on the island amid the crisis in Ukraine, but there have been no unusual manoeuvres by Chinese forces in recent days, officials in Taipei say.

The government, always on alert to what they view as Chinese provocations, last month set up a Ukraine working group under the National Security Council. China views Taiwan as its own territory and has stepped up military activity near the self-governing island during the past two years.

President Tsai Ing-wen told a meeting of the working group on Wednesday that Taiwan must increase its surveillance and alertness on military activities in the region and tackle foreign misinformation, though she did not directly mention China.

Although Taiwan's government says the island's situation and that of Ukraine's are "fundamentally different", Tsai has expressed "empathy" for Ukraine's situation because of the military threat the island faces from China.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned in two foreign media interviews this month that they were watching very closely to see whether China would take advantage of the Ukraine crisis to attack.

"China may think about using military action against Taiwan at any moment, and we need to be prepared for that," he told Britain's ITV News.

A senior Taiwan official familiar with the government's security planning told Reuters that the chances of a sudden uptick of military tension are "not high", but that Taipei has been watching closely for any unusual Chinese activities.

The person pointed to the People's Liberation Army's joint military drills in areas between Taiwan's northeast and near the Miyako Strait close to Japan's southern islands, which have become more frequent in the past month or so.

The drills included fighter jets, bombers and warships and were meant to increase pressure on Japan, the official said, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A Japanese Defence Agency spokesperson declined to comment.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday that Taiwan's government in concert with the West was using Ukraine to "maliciously hype up" military threats and whip up anti-China sentiment.

WESTERN CONCERN

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.

Two Taiwan-based diplomatic sources told Reuters that President Xi Jinping's primary focus at the moment was preparing for a tricky once-every-half-decade congress of the ruling Communist Party this year, where he will cement a historic third term in office.

"Once that's done, he will be able to focus once more on Taiwan," said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity as neither was authorised to speak to the media.

Taiwan, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has lived under the threat of Chinese invasion since the defeated Republic of China government fled to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to the Communists.

Su Chi, a former head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council under the previous administration of President Ma Ying-jeou, said Taiwan, like Ukraine, was caught between two great powers.

Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin deal with their respective territorial claims very differently, added Su, who runs the Taipei Forum think tank.

"So far Xi has been firm but gradual, not lightening fast like Putin."

One Western security official familiar with policy planning toward China said Beijing was most likely looking at how the Ukraine situation developed in terms of sanctions on Russia.

"It's probably seen as a laboratory by China, on what they might face in a Taiwan contingency," the official said, referring to how Western countries may react to a Chinese attack on the island.

The Taiwan official said there were some similarities between Putin's and Xi's military moves in recent years, pointing to Russia's "grey zone" tactics towards Crimea before annexing it in 2014. Taipei has called China's frequent air missions near the island a "grey zone" tactic.

"Rather than conjecturing whether Xi would restrain actions before the party congress, it is more realistic to analyse its daily military activities and make preparations accordingly," the official added.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Russias troop deployment to two breakaway regions of Ukraine threatens to extend Europes energy crisis, after Germany put a major natural-gas pipeline on hold and traders grew concerned Moscow would withhold gas in retaliation.

In Europe, natural-gas prices rose 10% to 80, equivalent to $91.65, per megawatt-hour, after the German announcement. Prices of oilanother big Russian export to Europerose 1.5%, with futures for Brent crude moving as high as $99.50 a barrel, their highest level since 2014. U.S. natural-gas prices also rose Tuesday, though the move was less pronounced than in Europe. Futures gained 1.5% to about $4.50 per million British thermal units. Prices for aluminum, nickel and wheat, all produced in large quantities in Russia or Ukraine, rose too.

Germany froze the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on Tuesday, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Russian-controlled breakaway regions of Ukraine and sent troops there as part of what Russian authorities called a peacekeeping mission.

The submarine pipeline, which was nearing operability but awaiting the final green light from Berlin, was expected to double direct Russian gas exports to Germany. The U.S. and some of Germanys allies have argued the project, costing 10 billion, would act to increase Russias leverage over European gas supplies. The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the project, though the Biden White House removed them. Germany has argued the pipeline is a private, and not political, endeavor that is critical to boost Germanys gas supply.

German certification wasnt expected until later this year, so Tuesdays announcement doesnt affect current gas supplies. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday that the bloc had secured enough shipments of liquefied natural gas that, together with existing reserves, would allow it to get through the winter.

Germany had until now held back on threatening the future of the project in recent weeks as tensions between Moscow and the West rose over Ukraine. The decision by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz surprised some project observers.

There will be a new assessment of the security of our energy supply considering what has happened in the last days," Mr. Scholz said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the Wests stance over the pipeline runs counter to what she described as principles long proclaimed by Western countries. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russias Security Council and a former Russian president, said that any suspension of the pipeline would cause gas prices in Europe to skyrocket.

Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2.000 for 1.000 cubic meters of natural gas!" he wrote on Twitter.

There were no interruptions to Russian gas flows through separate pipelines into Europe on Tuesday, traders and analysts said. The worry, they said, is that Russia will withhold gas in the coming months now that Nord Stream 2 is on hold.

In recent months, Russian state gas giant Gazprom PJSC has met its contractual commitments in Europe but gone no further, constricting supplies and helping to push prices to record highs. Traders say Europe will struggle to build up adequate supplies of gas before next winter if the state supplier sticks with that strategy.

European gas prices began to shoot up in the fall and are almost five times as high as they were a year ago, a rally that is feeding into higher bills for consumers and leading companies in energy-intensive industries such as fertilizers and aluminum to cut production.

Some traders girded for retaliatory action by Russia, which could turn off taps on other pipelines to Europe. Mr. Putin, though, told an energy conference Tuesday that Russia wouldnt turn off gas supplies to Europe.

Nord Stream 2 illustrates Europes growing dependence on Russian natural gas over the past decade, as governments closed coal-fired power stations and wound down domestic gas production amid a broad push toward renewables. Rising hostilities in Ukrainea major gas crossroads itselfthreaten huge economic damage if they snag supplies of a fuel widely used to generate electricity, heat homes and fire factories. More broadly, if European gas prices stay high, that can affect markets farther afield, by diverting supplies and driving up prices elsewhere.

Russia is Europes biggest supplier of gas, crude oil and coal. Delivered through a sprawling pipeline network and on vessels carrying supercooled gas, Russian gas exports met about 38% of European Union demand in 2020, according to the most recent official data.

In any military escalation by Russia, pipelines carrying Russian gas through Ukraine to Eastern Europe and beyond are the most likely flashpoint.

Yuriy Vitrenko, chief executive of Ukraines state gas company, Naftogaz, said in the weeks before Moscows mobilization of troops into the Ukrainian provinces that the government would likely have to close parts or even all of the network for safety reasons if hostilities break out. In a war zone, high-pressure gas pipes could cause explosions that destroy entire towns, he said in an interview.

Sanctions imposed by the West against Moscow could also make it difficult to finance, pay for and transport Russian oil and gas in the coming months. President Biden on Tuesday introduced new sanctions on Russia and said he would take steps to soften the effect of the crisis on gasoline prices. The U.K. froze assets of five banksnone of them major funders of the oil-and-gas industryand the European Union proposed restrictions on lending to the Russian government among other measures. Lawyers say the sanctions regime is likely to evolve.

U.S. and European officials have scrambled in recent weeks to shore up supplies. If Russian flows were cut off, Europe could import large amounts of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, as well as fuel from pipelines linking the continent to Norway, Azerbaijan and Algeria. It also could release gas held in a strategic reserve in Italy.

However, analysts say making up for lost Russian supplies would prove all but impossible and come at huge expense. The uneven distribution of LNG terminals in Europe poses an additional complication. A third of Europes LNG-import capacity sits in Spain and Portugal, analysts at S&P Global Platts say. A further 24% is in the U.K.

Nord Stream 2 AG, the Switzerland-based company behind the pipeline, is owned by Gazprom. In turn, the Russian government owns more than 50% of shares in the gas producer and exporter. Jens Mueller, a spokesman for Nord Stream 2, said Tuesday that the German gas regulator hadnt contacted the company about the suspension of the approval process. He declined to comment on Mr. Scholzs decision.

Five Western energy companiesShell PLC, Frances Engie SA, Austrias OMV AG and Germanys Uniper SE and Wintershall Holding GmbHhelped finance the 1,230-kilometer pipeline. Each stumped up as much as 950 million, according to Nord Stream 2 AG, which doesnt provide further details about the nature of the funding. Four of the companies declined to comment on the suspension while Wintershall didnt respond to questions.
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This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy / FBI San Antonio Division Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy / FBI San Antonio Division Show More Show Less 3 of 3





The FBI is asking for the public's help in locating a Laredo man who may have been kidnapped.

FBI's San Antonio Division announced on Tuesday that a man has gone missing in Monterrey and is believed to now potentially be in Nuevo Laredo.
Following a boil water notice this weekend, multiple water distribution sites being created and ongoing updates regarding the repairs of a broken water line, the city held a press conference on Tuesday to further inform the community about the status of the affected areas.

According to Laredo Utilities Department Director Arturo Garcia, the broken water line was a 36-inch line coming from the Jefferson water plant and is a main artery that feeds the Lyon tank. Conservation will allow the tank more opportunities to refill.

A temporary solution is to build a temporary surface pipeline from Monterrey Street, traveling east to the Lyon Tank, and fill it over time. After this measure, the Lyon tank would fill the other tanks from its pipeline, including the airport, east corridor and Bartlett and Price tanks. Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz estimated that the solution may take approximately two to three days, but not with certainty.

Ultimately, the break was a result of corrosion on the pipe, and Garcia said that work with various parties to conduct bypasses will better help flows with the system.

We continue to work, and we are here to get the job done. It is critical right now that we conserve water so we can get water out to those areas, he said.

Discussing the corrosion, Saenz said that the line was a 50-year-old corroded line, which prompted questions online about the overall status of other lines in the city water system. Saenz acknowledged that prospects are high for more lines, similarly corroded, to break moving forward.

Ultimately, the entire line needs to be replaced, he said. This is what brought us too today. It is very unfortunate that its occurring, but it is occurring, so we are dealing with the immediacy of how do we restore and get water to the people that have not had water within the last three or four days now, and that is really our concern at this point.

In the case where residents require water but cannot access to travel to distribution centers, Saenz encourages them to call 3-1-1 to receive bottled waters. He added that additional staff were added to the service, which should allow more calls to go through and request services.

As far as the future, Saenz said that replacing the line from the Jefferson plant will result in street closures and the presence of Laredo Police Department, Public Works personnel and other staff members to ensure that the water flow to the Lyons tank fills without interruption.

When asked about the total estimated cost of a complete replacement of pipes, Saenz said cited high costs to do so. He said that $52 million to date have been allocated to plan, design and hire contractors. However, he said that improvements have been made, but it will still take time. The grand cost of fixing the entire system would be an estimated $500 million.

This would require a tax increase on water and sewer, Saenz said plainly, and admitted that the changes will be necessary.

District II Councilmember Vidal Rodriguez said that the proposed tax rate hike is a cause and effect of the ongoing situation. This comes after the southern region of the city has been disproportionality affected by boil water notices.

Interim City Manager Samuel Keith Selman provided a recap early on and said that the boil water notice and interruptions to water services were caused by a water line ruptured in several areas. He also went over the three goals of the press conference, which were to outline the citys efforts on getting water back to community and residents, what is being done to restore the services, and encourage unaffected residents to conserve water.

The boil water notice was a precautionary measure while the repairs were underway, as the city is mandated to inform the public by the TCEQ. It affected all of south Laredo, east of Zacate Creek, south of Saunders and other areas serviced by the Lyon distribution system around Lake Casa Blanca.

Selman reiterated the importance of conservation and encouraged residents to avoid watering their lawns, filling their pools, and washing cars, buildings, etc. during the current situation. He called them very simple measures that would help restore service throughout the community.

Similarly, he acknowledged that it will take millions to address the prevailing issues within the water system. He said that a factor in the issues is the poor planning of prior management and previous councils.

We are going to have more line breaks, unfortunately, it is what it is, Rodriguez said. We arent going to hide anything  we are here to show our face and we were elected for a reason. Good or bad, we are going to be here, and its going to take a couple of days, so we are just going to hunker down and expect us Laredoans to help each other.

cocampo@lmtonline.com




Everett Library's two branches expand their hours





Everett library circulation assistant Rachel Wallis sorts through new book releases that will be available in regular circulation at the main branch of the library in downtown Everett on Thursday, Feb. 17.



EVERETT  The citys two public libraries are extending their hours starting this week as they climb back toward pre-pandemic service levels.

The main library, 2702 Hoyt Ave., is set to be open again on Sundays; its hours will be 1-5 p.m. Both the main library and the Evergreen Branch, 9512 Evergreen Way, plan to extend their evening hours until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Were kind of doing a soft launch of it, said library director Abigail Cooley. Were trying to work our way backwards to pre-pandemic hours.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an economic crunch that resulted in budget cuts for many city services, including libraries.

Public libraries across the state closed in March 2020 for public health reasons. They are slowly starting to reopen and rehire staff.

Many Everett library employees have been rehired, but Cooley said there is still a ways to go.

Our ability to operate at full capacity is not there, she explained.

Cooley is working with city leaders to determine when the libraries might resume offering in-person programs suspended during COVID. There is nothing planned at this point, she said.

Meanwhile, grants and partnerships have created three recent programs offered through both branches.

The newest is free KN90 masks, in partnership with the county health district.

Library patrons can also check out one of two Citizen Science Kits to use for up to three weeks, courtesy of a grant from Arizona State University and SciStarter.

The first kit, Measuring Light in the Night, explores astronomy and air quality. The second, Exploring Biodiversity, teaches how to document and identify plants and animals.

A third program allows library customers to borrow a Discover Pass for seven days, in conjunction with Check Out Washington.

A Discover Pass is required to park a car at a state park or at lands managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Department of Natural Resources.

It costs $30 to buy an annual pass or $10 for a one-day pass.

The library system is exploring more grants and seeks private donations to add more services.

Were still here for our community. We want to support our community as well as we can, Cooley said.

The extended hours mark a tentative first step toward resuming full speed.

Ninety-nine percent of our public programs are funded by private individuals and grants, said Cooley. Its more difficult to find donations for staff positions.

Check out our online publications!
Lockport, NY (14094)

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West Virginia college students who receive the Promise Scholarship will get a little extra help next school year. A little.

The Higher Education Policy Commission says Promise scholars will receive $5,000 next year, up from $4,750 this year. It helps, but not by much. As noted by HD Medias Ryan Quinn, tuition at West Virginia University tuition grew from $5,300 in the 2009-10 academic year to $9,100 now. At Marshall University, tuition increased from $5,200 to $8,600.

According to data published by the HEPC, in the 2020-21 school year, 9,936 students at West Virginia public and private colleges received Promise scholarship grants. Of those, 5,072, or more than half, attended West Virginia University. Another 1,904 attended Marshall University and 170 attended West Virginia State University. At the two-year schools, 38 attended Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, 32 attended BridgeValley CTC and eight attended Mountwest CTC. The University of Charleston, a private school, had 188 students receiving Promise money.

The average award for the 2020-21 school year was $4,536. Three years earlier, 10,403 students received an average award of $4,545. So the number of recipients and the average award went down as tuition rose. Thats not how the program was supposed to work.

As with many programs, Promise started out with good intentions and good results, but things have changed the past two decades.

Then-Gov. Bob Wise sold the Promise scholarship program to the Legislature in 2001 as a way of paying 100% of college tuition in exchange for making widespread but illegal video poker machines legal. The state would regulate the video poker business, and it would use the proceeds from limited video lottery to pay eight semesters of tuition for high school graduates with top grades and top standardized test scores. Money from video lottery would also pay for other programs, but the Promise scholarship was the primary selling point.

Those limited video lottery locations are everywhere now. They are so much of the background that they are easily overlooked. Yet there are not enough of them to fulfill Promises original intent, partly because other programs get part of that revenue, too, and because tuition continues to climb.

If West Virginia wants more of its young people (adult learners, too) to earn two-year and four-year degrees, it must either reduce the cost of going to college or else provide more financial aid. The first seems the most logical. Schools know students can borrow more money and schools have no incentive to ensure students will be able to repay those loans, so they have little incentive to either hold costs down or ensure students get a good return on their investments.

This $250 per year increase in Promise scholarships will help, but really not by much considering the ever-rising price of tuition.
Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Peggy Nolan has officially unveiled the Iora Nua sculpture at the gates of Castle Forbes in Newtownforbes.

The culmination of a three-year project between Mide Arts Group and sculptor Tom Duffy, Mr Nuts  the eight-foot-tall, multi-coloured fibre glass squirrel was released into nature at the same location that the infamous grey squirrel was released 111 years ago.

Mide member and project founder Shane Crossan explained Iora Nua is a temporary public art project intended to support the development work of towns and villages, by bringing some colour and fun to the built environment.

Iora Nua (Iora is the Irish for Squirrel) is a partnership project with County Longford Arts Office and is funded by the Creative Ireland programme and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Welcoming the project, County Arts Officer Fergus Kennedy said, Longford County Council is delighted to partner on this project, because given the tough time that everyone has just come through, art like this brightens up neighbourhoods and has a positive impact on citizen well-being, tourism and the local economy. This project is also part of Longford County Councils place making programme.

Mr Nuts is decorated with larges leaves representing Irelands four native trees and the squirrels natural environment  the oak, the beech, the sycamore, and the chestnut.

The launch, on Friday, 18 February, was attended by members of Newtownforbes Tidy Towns, Biodiversity and Heritage Trail Group, who came out to welcome their newest neighbour.

Mr Nuts is one of four Squirrels that have been commissioned in 2022 to be unveiled in Longfords three municipal districts later this year.

The commissioned artists include Mary Fleming, Phil Atkinson and Kevin Flood. In May, their new squirrels will be delivered to locations in Granard, Ballymahon and Longford town.
Details of EU and Irish sanctions against Russia will be confirmed later today (Wednesday February 23) the Finance Minister has indicated.

Paschal Donohoe said that he understood the concerns of business, as the EU, UK and the US begin to impose punitive sanctions on Russia following the serious escalation of the crisis in Ukraine.

The sanctions come after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of Ukraine, prompting fears about a full-scale invasion of the independent country.

Mr Donohoe said that full details of the EU sanctions would be announced this afternoon.

An element of that will be to break and challenge the links between the finance and capital markets of the European Union and Russia. So there will be elements of that that will be included in the package of measures that will be confirmed by the European Union later on today, he said.

Asked on RTE radio about the role of Ireland in the sanctions package, he replied: If a country has a large financial services sector, and values that and we do here in Ireland  its a really big employer in the Irish economy  that does mean that weve international capital and international money in Ireland and, yes, there is indeed a level of Russian capital traded in and out of our IFSC [International Financial Services Centre].

He said that the Government has already changed the law on tax, while also updating anti-money laundering legislation, in response to concerns.

Mr Donohoe said that a war in Europe would have a detrimental impact on the Irish and European economy.

Russia has manufactured this crisis and is responsible for the current escalation. We will now quickly finalise the sanctions package, in coordination with our partners. Read President @vonderleyen's speech on the EU's response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine   European Commission (@EU_Commission) February 22, 2022

However, he once again ruled out further measures to tackle the rising cost of living before the October Budget, even if energy prices rise due to the crisis in Ukraine.

The Finance Minister said that he knew that companies were concerned about the impact of sanctions on business.

I think its very understandable for companies that are involved in sectors that have particular links with either exports or imports that come from Russia, or go to Russia, are of course concerned about what a war or sanctions could mean, he said.

If you look at where our economy stands overall, our exports to Russia are approximately 1% of our national income. Our imports from Russia are approximately 0.5% of our national income. But inside that 0.5%, there are sectors that do have a little bit more of a reliance on Russia than other sectors would.

Its understandable that they would raise concerns regarding what could happen, but we are making these decisions inside the context of the security and the ability of states to determine their own future being threatened by unacceptable and illegal behaviour.

And Ireland does need to be part of the response to that.
Homestead, FL (33030)

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Food, Wine, & Dining

By Ls Cohen Published: February 23 2022

Tickets on sale now.

Get ready to mug it up at Nassau Coliseum when the Spring Craft Beer Festival hits Long Island on Saturday, March 26. Event coordinator Starfish Junction announced the news that the celebration of craft beer and brewing is returning to the venue in Uniondale.

With a focus on great beer, the event will feature local favorites like Five Boroughs Brewing Company and Westhampton Beach Brewing Company to global brands including Sullivans Brewing Company (Ireland) and Nicaragua Craft Beer Company.

But its not just beer this year.

There will be amazing breweries pouring amazing beers; weve got a selection of hard ciders, spiked seltzers, and wine so everyone can find something they enjoy; plus, weve added a mini arcade right into the heart of the festival, said Andy Calimano, owner of event producer Starfish Junction.

Arcade Alley, a mini arcade within the footprint of the festival, will provide free plays all day for attendees.

It is going to be a good time for sure, Calimano said.

General admission tickets for the show are $60, which includes all samplings, a tasting cup, and free play in the Arcade Alley. An enhanced ticket for $80 includes all thats included with the general admission ticket plus a bonus hour/early admission, a designated seating area/lounge, and specialty beers poured exclusively in the lounge (not available to other ticket holders).

Food will be for sale from venue concessions and will feature specialty items cooked with beer from local breweries, parking will be $5 per vehicle.

All transactions including parking fee payments and food purchases are cashless, they will accept credit or debit card only.

Designated driver tickets are also available for $15 each. No one under 21, including designated drivers, will be admitted and photo ID is required for entry.

Tickets are on sale now. Click here to purchase. This is a 21 and over event.

Location: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness

By Chris Boyle Published: February 23 2022

PSEG-Long Island, New York State Union of Teachers and NYBRA Plastic Surgery Rank Top 20 in the US.

Long Island, home to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, the number one breast cancer event in the nation, is also home to some of the nations leading businesses and individuals who provide continuous leadership, commitment, and dedication to impact the American Cancer Societys mission.

With over 3,000 corporate and business led teams involved in the Making Strides movement nationwide, PSEG Long Island, New York State Union of Teachers (NYSUT) and NYBRA Plastic Surgery all landed in the top 20 fundraising companies for MSABC according to Katie Goepfrich Schafer, Executive Director.

Other notables include top individual supporters Jodi Koelsch from Team Jodis Journey who raised over $44,000 this year. Koelsch, a breast cancer survivor who gets her company involved to support her fundraising efforts, has once again ranked nationally in the top 8 for individual fundraising. Another top-ranking team from Long Island is Lindas Angels, a team from Massapequa, was recognized for their continual support in memory of Linda Cestaro who sadly lost her breast cancer battle.

Behind every Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event are many talented, determined, and extraordinary individuals who go above and beyond to support the American Cancer Societys mission to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer, said Goepfrich Schafer. They lend their time, talents, and generosity to Long Islands Making Strides Against Breast Cancer movement, and we truly cannot thank them enough.

Corporate support for Making Strides is one-way local companies represent, advance the cancer cause, while expanding community presence, according to Brittany Lawton, Director for the Making Strides walks at Jones Beach and in Riverhead. To learn more about Making Strides, visit makingstrideswalk.org/longisland or call 212-237-3875.

Funds raised help the American Cancer Society to invest in groundbreaking breast cancer research and provide free, comprehensive information and support to those touched by breast cancer. The American Cancer Society provides screening guidelines, education for health care professionals, and engages in efforts to increase public awareness about the importance of awareness and tests in reducing breast cancer deaths. We help cancer patients through their journey as they move through the health care system, including helping with insurance problems, referring them to local services, peer support, assisting caregivers, and addressing obstacles to care, said Lawton.

About the Awards

The Spirit of Strides Awards seek to honor and recognize all those who have gone above and beyond to help the American Cancer Society lead the fight for a world without breast cancer through Making Strides. From engaging survivors or an entire school community to promoting your event or creating an event experience to remember, our individual victories will collectively translate to the ultimate victory of beating our biggest rival  cancer.

About the American Cancer Society
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Homestead, FL (33030)

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Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will give way to occasional showers in the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 87F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Showers in the evening, then clearing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
23 February 2022

GEM DIAMONDS LIMITED

("Gem Diamonds" or "the Company")

Notification of Full Year 2021 Results

Gem Diamonds Limited (LSE: GEMD) will be releasing its Full Year Results for the period ended 31 December 2021 on Thursday, 17 March 2022.

The Company will be hosting an audio presentation on Thursday, 17 March 2022 at 09:30 GMT. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available on the Company's website: www.gemdiamonds.com

The Gem Diamonds Limited LEI number is 213800RC2PGGMZQG8L67.

For further information:

Gem Diamonds

Susan Wallace, Company Secretarial department

ir@gemdiamonds.com

Celicourt Communications

Mark Antelme / Felicity Winkles

Tel: +44 (0) 208 434 2643

About Gem Diamonds:

Gem Diamonds is a leading global diamond producer of high value diamonds. The Company owns 70% of the Letseng mine in Lesotho. The Letseng mine is famous for the production of large, top colour, exceptional white diamonds, making it the highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond mine in the world. www.gemdiamonds.com
23 February 2022

Technology Minerals Plc

Update on Cameroon Licences/OEL SPA

Technology Minerals Plc (the " Company ") (LSE: TM1), the first UK company focused on creating a sustainable circular economy for battery metals, announces the following update in respect of the OEL Share Purchase Agreement (" OEL SPA ") as referred to in the Company's Prospectus:

By way of background, OEL's wholly-owned subsidiary, Technology Minerals Cameroon Limited, applied for five exploration permits in Cameroon. As these were not granted prior to Admission, the purchase price and accordingly the issue of New Ordinary Shares to OEL Vendors were reduced by 20% until such time as all five permits are granted, provided that the date of grant was no later than 31st December 2021. Accordingly, the Directors reserved 84,000,000 ordinary shares in the Company to issue to the OEL Vendors providing the permits were granted no later than 31 December 2021.

The Company has now received copies of all permits concerned and has instructed Cameroon legal counsel to verify the validity of the permits.

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for this announcement.

For further information please contact:

Technology Minerals Limited Robin Brundle, Executive Chairman Alexander Stanbury, Chief Executive Officer +44 20 7618 9100 Arden Partners Plc Ruari McGirr, George Morgan +44 207 614 5900 Luther Pendragon Harry Chathli, Alexis Gore, John Bick +44 20 7618 9100

END
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Louisiana... Mississippi River At Red River Landing affecting West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupee Parishes. For the Lower Mississippi River...including Red River Landing, Baton Rouge, Donaldsonville, Reserve, New Orleans...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/lix. Click on the Rivers and Lakes menu for forecasts and observations. The next statement will be issued when updates are needed. && ...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Mississippi River At Red River Landing. * WHEN...Until Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...At 51.0 feet, All river islands along the reach from Red River Landing to Baton Rouge will be inundated. Recreational camps and river bottom farm land will be under water. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 8:00 PM CDT Tuesday the stage was 49.9 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage early Saturday, May 7 and continue falling to 38.5 feet Tuesday, May 31. - Flood stage is 48.0 feet. - Flood History...This crest compares to a previous crest of 48.8 feet on 04/22/2014. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&
Jefferson, GA (30549)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies with a few passing clouds. Low 59F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
School Club Day on the air May 5th

The annual School Club Day aims to encourage on air activity from young people in school amateur radio clubs across the continent of Europe



Organised by the Arbeitskreis Amateurfunk in der Schule (AATiS e. V.) the activity is a great way to get young operators on the air from their school shacks using their training call signs (or the school clubs call sign for irrelevant messages only  according to national law).

Very often a new operator will be intimidated by the fear of not knowing what to say to the stranger on the other side of the radio. The exchange of information helps to overcome this fear in a low pressure contest format, it should not be made a 59 contest, though.



Operators are encouraged to take more time to chat beyond the exchange of the necessary details. A certificate of participation will be issued for stations that send an excerpt from the log of the day. There is also the chance of winning one of the fantastic prizes issued by AATiS.



Details are on the IARU Region 1 site at

https://www.iaru-r1.org/2022/the-annual-school-club-eu-day-on-may-5th-every-year/
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MANISTEE COUNTY  Munson Healthcare may downgrade to pandemic level orange, within the next couple of days, according to Dr. Christine Nefcy, chief medical officer for Munson Healthcare.

Nefcy announced at the beginning of the weekly press conference on Tuesday, that the COVID-19 test positivity rate in the area that Munson Healthcare covers was below 20%. She had said that below 20% positivity is one of the main metrics that is used when moving from the highest tier  pandemic level red  to pandemic level orange.

Overall the state of Michigan has a 14-day average of 12% COVID-19 positive. The single-day average for the state as of Feb. 17 was nearly half that with a test positivity rate of 6.4%.

Dianne Michalek, the chief marketing and communication officer of Munson Healthcare, confirmed what Nefcy said.

"I can confirm that we are just finalizing some operational concerns and we will get that information out to the public as soon as we are able to make those changes," Michalek said of downgrading from pandemic level red.

Nefcy also noted that Munson could further downgrade to level yellow if the current trend of falling case counts and lower hospitalizations continues.

She added that the downgrade will likely depend on not seeing a new surge from the omicron subvariant called BA.2. She also emphasized that these decisions would be coming from objective methods like cases per 100,000 people, the number of patients in Munson Healthcare hospitals for COVID-19 infections, as well as staffing levels.

Health officers from local health departments including District Health Department #10, Grand Traverse County Health Department, the Bezie-Leelanau Health Department and the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, all noted dropping case rates. Some even began to announce new guidance in regards to masking.

Lisa Peacock, health officer for the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department and Health Department of Northwest Michigan, broke down some terms that people may be hearing in the coming weeks and months, particularly as local health departments announce the new guidance.

Peacock stated that the COVID-19 cycle can be broken down into three primary phases:

 Response  Local and state public health implement rapid response to a surge. The public may be advised to increase mask usage, testing and social distancing.



 Recovery  Post-surge. No immediate resurgence predicted. Local and state public health will monitor conditions that could lead to future surges.



 Readiness  A surge in cases is expected, with implications on the severity of illness and hospital capacity. Increased communication to the public regarding possible new risks.

Peacock said that much of the area and the state as a whole are in the recovery phase. Both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the District Health Department #10 recently announced via a press release that they were issuing new guidance on masks.

"MDHHS recommends that individuals, regardless of vaccination status, practice universal masking when in high-risk, congregate settings such as long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, corrections facilities and healthcare facilities. It is also important that individuals wear a mask during isolation and quarantine periods to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. School districts and organizations are encouraged to continue to consider their local conditions when determining their masking policies," the release reads in part.

However, MDHHS said that it still believes that masking in school settings is still appropriate with the current case count.

"At this time, universal masking is still recommended in all school settings. This will continue to be the recommendation until the amount of COVID-19 in our areas decreases further," the MDHHS release said.

DHD#10 also agreed with the statement with Dr. Jennifer Morse, medical director for DHD#10, saying as much during Tuesday's press conference. She also added statements to the joint press release from DHD#10 and MDHHS.

"We can confidently say at this point, that those who are up to date on their COVID vaccines and boosters, as well as wearing a high-quality mask, are well protected from COVID-19 infection, regardless of what others around them choose to do," said Morse in the news release. "We are now at a point where responsible behavior is up to the individual and parents to decide. Those that wish to be fully protected from COVID-19 illness and its complications are encouraged to continue to mask in public and get vaccinated or boosted.

Tuesday's press conference can be viewed at facebook.com/munsonhc/videos/262987049352217l.
MANISTEE  There is a new grant opportunity to help with COVID-19 impacts to certain businesses.

The Michigan Department of Treasury is administering a $409 million business grant relief program designed to help certain Michigan businesses that have experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Under the Afflicted Business Relief Grant Program:

 Eligible businesses in operation before Oct. 1, 2019, may receive a percentage of their loss in total state sales through a grant.

 Eligible businesses that began operating between Oct. 1, 2019 and June 1, 2020 may receive a grant equal to 25% of certain specified costs.

Other conditions and eligibility requirements are needed for the application, including documentation that show damages like financial and tax forms. Businesses interested in applying are encouraged to attend an informational webinars hosted by the Michigan Department of Treasury from 1-2 p.m. on March 7.

Program details and the sign up for a webinar can be found on the grant programs website, michigan.gov/abr.

The application will become available on March 1 at 8 a.m. at michigan.gov/abr, and will close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. Grant awardees will be notified in the spring and grant awards will be distributed by July 1.

To learn more about the Afflicted Business Relief Grant Program or read frequently asked questions, go to michigan.gov/abr. Individuals with questions about this grant program should email Treas-abr@michigan.gov.
As the old adage history repeats itself goes, we find that exactly 100 years ago to the day, Manistee County, as well as the state of Michigan, was in the midst of a significant ice storm similar to what we have been experiencing over the last 24-48 hours.

The impact that this storm had on the people from a century ago is significant as the storm not only closed schools, offices and businesses but also stopped travel and industry as well as completely shut down power and all communication with the outside world for over a day.

Details on the ice storm of February 1922, preceded by the headline Loss of Power Paralyzes Industry 32 Hours, were compiled by Teena Kracht and were originally published in the Manistee News Advocate on Feb. 23, 1922:

Electric power, the interruption of which by a break in the high tension transmission wires between this city and the Junction Dam [which] paralyzed Manistee industry for two days, was restored tonight at 6:30.

The interruption was the longest and most serious in Manistee.The last one was last fall when power was off for only a day.

The break yesterday morning was caused by the heavy sleet forming on the wires. The power lines were not alone in feeling the wrath of the storm. Telephone and telegraph wires were down both inside and outside the city. The instruments at the Western Union office have not been in motion since yesterday morning.

This, together with the damage to the telephone toll lines, has practically cut off communication with the outside world. The only touch Manistee has had with other cities has been through the railroads, and they, too, have been delayed by the storm. The city was in almost total darkness last night.

The Manistee News-Advocates long distance telephone wire to Lansing, by which the news of the world is obtained, is out of commission. The only outside town reached by telephone was Kaleva.

Telephone wires in Manistee were broken and tangled on many streets. A large number of wires, coated heavily with ice, were strained to the breaking point. The telephone company is unable to determine the extent of the damage.

The article goes on to describe the various practices that were employed by local factories and businesses and how the storm affected the normal, everyday work schedule:

Electric power ceased about 10 oclock Wednesday morning. It had previously been off until about 8:30. But an hour and a half later it died for good. All factories in the city were at once idle, and when it became known that service would not be restored for hours, the managers sent their employees home.

The industries in town not affected were those that are supplied by their own power plants, namely, Ruggles & Rademaker, the Iron Works and the furniture factory.

The Pere Marquette railroad was operating under difficulties, their lines of communication suffering with all others in this section of the state

As usual, The News-Advocate was absolutely crippled. It was hit in two places  the Linotype machines and the presses. Even should it have been possible to set the type, the paper could not have been printed. Added to this was the loss of its long distance wire news service.

In Manistee the rain which followed the sleet storm added to the difficulties of all workmen. The basement of the telephone exchange was flooded. It is understood a number of homes had similar trouble. All sewer catch basins were clogged with ice, but city workmen were out early Wednesday morning trying to create an outlet for the puddles which formed over the frozen streets.

Huge branches of trees were forced almost to the ground by the heavy covering of ice. Walking was extremely dangerous, especially in the evening, and few people ventured out, doing so only on necessity.

The following day, it was reported that losses from the storm would reach into the thousands taking into account the repair work that needed to be done on are telephone wires (with the telephone company reporting that 50 poles were down between Manistee and Scottville) as well as the roughly 1,000 people that were put out of work for at least a day.

On Feb. 24, 1922, the News Advocate provided yet another example about the severity of damage due to the ice storm:

Some idea of the damage a sleet can do to heavy, high-tension electric cables can be gained from the knowledge that between Manistee and the dam 10 breaks had occurred. And the covering of ice was so heavy that no sooner was one break repaired than another occurred near to it

An article, also published on Feb. 24, 1922 in the News Advocate, provides the answer to the question, what if you were stuck on a train during such a perilous weather event:

Train service everywhere was chaotic

Baldwin was congested with stranded travelersThe inadequate station and small depot hotel were jammed with fretful folks spending hald a lifetime there waiting for some train to come.Passengers for points further north were stuck up in Baldwin for goodness knows how long

The last lap of the journey home [to Manistee] was not without its discomfortsThe train made good headway until about a half-mile south of Eastlake station, where a local freight was wedged in a heavy drift. After a wait of over an hour the passenger engine proved unequal to its duty and the train was stuck. The conductor finally established communication with the freight engine crew, imploring them to come to his rescue, but not until the train had been abandoned by practically all its passengers, some of whom walked across the lake to the city and others of whom were picked up and brought home by several private automobiles and by Walter Kinneys big car and a taxicab, which managed to make the trip with difficulty.

Among the Manistee passengers who were glad to get home as best they could were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph KirsterC. S. KresslerIra NotewareMr. And Mrs. Harry W. MusselwhiteHoward L. Campbell, George A. Johnson, George Hunter and Tom Jensen.

All the travelers, whatever their direction, expressed the sentiment that it is a great life if one does not weaken.

The following day clean-up from the storm continued; however it was noted that Manistee was still pretty isolated from the outside world.

Attempting to put the ice storm into context, the News Advocate ended their coverage of the meteorological event by writing:

One thing is sure: in the years to come Washingtons birthday will be remembered as one of the most disastrous in the history of Manistee. And it is hoped it will not happen again.

More on the ice storm of 1922 (as compiled by Teena Kracht) can be found online at manisteenews.com/localhistory.
Mankato, MN (56001)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. High 62F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 43F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
When he hears the music of the Champions League, he is transformed. There is no other way to understand Cristiano Ronaldo's dreamlike performances in this tournament, but on Wednesday Atletico Madrid will be looking to stop a recurring nightmare.

The Portuguese forward is having a turbulent season on his return to Manchester United. His numbers are disappointing by his own sky-high standards: just nine goals in 22 Premier League games. In the Champions League, however, he is the same Ronaldo as always: six goals in only five games.

"He has hurt us a lot," Atleti forward Angel Correa told MARCA as Los Colchoneros prepare to meet again the only player to have eliminated Diego Simeone's Los Colchoneros in the Champions League between 2014 and 2019.

With the exception of the 2017/18 group stage, the only time Atleti have failed to navigate their way into the knockout stages under the Argentinian, the common denominator in their eventual exits was always that their opponent had Cristiano Ronaldo.

Two finals... two hat-tricks

Undoubtedly, two matches that will never be forgotten by Atleti for all the wrong reasons are the Champions League finals of 2014 and 2016. In the first one, Cristiano was not at his best but he put the icing on the cake for Real Madrid from the penalty spot in extra time. Then, in 2016, he scored the winning penalty in a shootout that saw Jan Oblak fail to stop any of Los Blancos' five attempts.

As well as the two finals, there were also two decisive hat-tricks. The first came at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of the 2017/18 semi-finals. The second was for Juventus in the last 16 in 2019, while he was also part of the Real Madrid team that knocked Atleti out in the 2014/15 quarter-finals.

All the goalscoring records

To understand what the Champions League is for Cristiano Ronaldo, you only have to look at his records in the tournament: nobody has scored more goals (140), played more games (181), surpassed his top goalscoring mark in a single tournament (17 in 2013/14), played more games or scored more goals in the knockout stages (98 and 67). He is also the only player to score in three finals and in 11 consecutive games.

He is looking to equal Gento

Cristiano Ronaldo reached five Champions League trophies in 2018. He was playing for Real Madrid at the time, but he left that same summer for Juventus to seek a sixth conquest that only the late Paco Gento managed to achieve.

His competitive edge, especially in this tournament, makes him particularly dangerous for an Atletico who have suffered so many times at his hands. They will also surely pay special attention to a player who excels just where they are struggling the most right now: in the air.

Reception at the Wanda Metropolitano

On his last visit to Atleti in the knockout rounds, Cristiano had a run-in with the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano crowd, who gave a hostile welcome to their perennial enemy, although he'd have his revenge in Turin. His five-fingered gesture - an allusion to his Champions League titles - wasn't well received by the Rojiblanco faithful and they likely won't have forgotten it either.

Ronaldo returns to the Wanda wearing a different shirt, but he is the same nightmare that has tormented Atleti so many times before. Can they finally break the pattern?
President Joe Biden ordered heavy sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs after Russia stepped up its confrontation with Ukraine.

Russian lawmakers authorized Vladimir Putin to enforce the military outside their country.

In a press address from the Withe House, President Biden accused Putin of violating international laws, calling Russia's actions the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

President Biden joined the 27 European members to levy their own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials.

Previously, Germany announced the no-certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline coming from Russia.

Russia wanted Nord Stream 2 to function, it was a lucrative deal sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for raising the dependence on Russian energy.

Biden began imposing "full blicking" on two large Russian financial institutions and "comprehensive sanctions" on Russian debt.

"We've cut off Russia's government from Western finance," Biden said. "It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

Members of the Federation Council voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country, formalizing a military deployment to the rebel regions.

Numbers demonstrate that in an eight-year conflict, the Russian army killed nearly 14,000 people.

The European Union soon followed, with the first set of sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine. In addition, they also sanctioned 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world.

The prime minister of Estonia and presidents of Latvia and Lithuania made a direct plea to VPKamala Harris for the US troops to step up their presence in the Baltics.
Mayfield, KY (42066)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.
Weather Alert

...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. &&
HEFEI -- Police in Qiaocheng district of Bozhou city, East China's Anhui province, on Monday released the cause of a drowning incident that resulted in the deaths of six people the previous day.

A local villager, surnamed Guo, had been drinking prior to driving an electric three-wheeled cart carrying five other passengers, including four children, to go fishing at a local pond.

The vehicle fell into a river ditch in a village in the district's Lide township. The driver and passengers were found dead at about 7 am on Sunday.




OAKLAND PARK  The dog involved in last weeks fatal attack on a 71-year-old woman in Oakland Park has been euthanized, according to Broward county animal care spokesperson Lisa Mendheim.

The mixed-breed dog, Gladys, killed Pam Robb and injured Jan Halas-Stenger, 51, who attempted to save Robb in the attack on Feb. 17 at 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida.

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The dog was rescued from the Everglades about a month prior to the attack.

The Broward Sheriffs Office said its investigators found there were no previous incidents with the dog and no evidence of negligence or mistreatment of animals at the facility. At least one animal activist thinks the attack highlights the need for for government regulation of dog rescue facilities.
TAMARAC  An early-morning fight near a Tamarac bus stop ended with a man stabbed to death, deputies said.

An argument between David Vaz, 67, and John Lucki, 49, of Tamarac, turned physical on the morning of Feb. 11 in the 7200 block of North University Drive, the Broward Sheriffs Office said. Vaz later admitted to stabbing Lucki with a knife, a probable cause affidavit said.

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About 6:30 a.m. Feb. 11, an off-duty Plantation Police sergeant driving north on University Drive saw a man, later identified as Lucki, lying naked in the middle of the road, his leg bleeding profusely with blood-stained clothes strewn across the road, the affidavit said.

David Vaz, 67, admitted to stabbing John Lucki, 49, of Tamarac, after an argument turned physical on the morning of Feb. 11 in the 7200 block of North University Drive, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. (Broward Sheriff's Office)

The Sheriffs Office Traffic Homicide Unit arrived at the scene and thought Lucki had been hit by a car. But surveillance video from a nearby shopping plaza captured a fight between Lucki and a man wearing a beige sweater and dark pants, the affidavit says.

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Lucki was seen in the video walking north along the median in the 7200 block of North University Drive while the suspect, later identified as Vaz, sat at a bus stop on the west side of the road. Lucki stopped in the median in front of the bus stop, and Vaz was then seen throwing two orange traffic cones at him, the affidavit says.

Lucki ran north as Vaz chased him in the median. Lucki then fell onto the road where the fight ensued, the affidavit says. Vaz appeared to stand over Lucki, hitting him multiple times as he laid on the ground.

After the fight, Lucki ran south in the northbound lanes toward oncoming traffic but was not hit by any cars, the affidavit says. Vaz went back to the bus stop where he boarded a county bus shortly before 7 a.m. and headed south.

Blood drops at the scene trailed from where Lucki fell to where the off-duty sergeant saw him lying in the road, records say.

A nurse pronounced Lucki dead at Broward Health Medical Center at 7:29 a.m. At the hospital, detectives saw Luckis ankles were broken, and his body had multiple cuts and bruises.

Bus surveillance video showed a man onboard wearing the same beige sweater and dark pants as seen in the shopping plaza video, the affidavit says. The man appeared to have a knife hooked on his belt in the video.

Investigators discovered that deputies spoke to a homeless man matching the description of the suspect who was sleeping outside of the Winn-Dixie at 7015 North University Drive about 1:30 that morning. Deputies identified the man as Vaz, the affidavit says, and he and a woman were asked to leave the Winn Dixie next to the bus stop for trespassing.

Detectives found Vaz on Feb. 12 near where he got off the bus the prior morning at the intersection of Oakland Park and University Drive in Sunrise. Officials took him to the Sheriffs Office Public Safety Building where investigators said they found clothes matching the description from the bus surveillance video and a large knife on his belt, records say.

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Vaz told detectives he stabbed the man he fought with using the same knife they found on his belt, the affidavit says. He is held in the Broward Main Jail and is facing a murder charge.
MIRAMAR  A Miramar convenience store employee who was beaten during an attempted robbery pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot the suspect, police said.

This is the second incident in Miramar in two weeks in which an apparent crime victim pulled a gun and shot a suspect.

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About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jeffrey John Philippe attempted to rob the Sunoco gas station at 7520 Pembroke Road, according to Miramar police.

Jeffrey John Philippe was shot by a cashier during an attempted robbery of a convenience store Tuesday night in Miramar, according to police. (Miramar police)

Philippe, who didnt have a weapon, entered the cashiers booth, which is intended only for employees, and started beating the cashier. The suspect then threw the cashier to the ground and kept beating him as the cashier attempted to defend himself, police said.

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The cashier, who has a concealed weapons permit, pulled a gun from his waistband and fired several shots at Phillipe, who ran away.

[ IN OTHER NEWS: Well give them everything they want: Isle Casino in talks to add corporate headquarters to huge redevelopment project ]

Philippe, who was wounded, was found on the ground in front of a residence in the 7500 block of Tropicana Street. Miramar Fire Rescue took him to Memorial Regional Hospital, where he underwent surgery and is expected to recover. He remains hospitalized and in police custody.

Surveillance video captured the struggle between Philippe and the employee. The employee stands at the register, working on the point-of-sale system, and turns his head to the right. Seconds later, a man wearing a black hoodie and pants lunges at the employee and starts to punch him, the video shows.

The employee is thrown onto the ground and slammed into shelves behind the counter after he gets back up. The employee attempts to fight back with the man in all black, knocking products off the shelves behind the booth.

After the suspect runs out of the booth, the employee pulls a gun from his waistband and fires, video shows.

Phillippe has been charged with burglary and battery.

Records show Phillippe was charged with felony burglary and resisting/obstructing arrest without violence in December after he attempted to steal items from a car parked at an apartment complex in Pembroke Pines. He was also arrested Friday night for trespassing in Pembroke Pines.

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[ RELATED: Juvenile shot and killed during attempted armed robbery in Miramar, police say ]

On Valentines Day a man who said he was the intended victim of an armed robbery by three juveniles pulled a gun and shot and killed one of the juveniles in the Silver Shores community. The other two suspects were arrested Tuesday.

Eddie Gonzalez, who said hes been a manager at the Sunoco for four months, said this is the first robbery attempt since hes been at the store.

This happens everywhere, he said.

Gonzalez said he didnt know his employee carried a gun but said he doesnt mind. He said its a matter of personal protection. Gonzalez said police told the employee not to speak to anyone about the incident. Gonzalez further said hes not worried about another robbery attempt.

Im not worried about anything, he said.

Staff writer Angie DiMichele contributed to this report.

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Chris Perkins can be reached at chperkins@sunsentinel.com.
Meadville, PA (16335)

Today

A few showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 57F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 42F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
FILE - This Sept. 16, 2019 photo made available by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office shows Robert Hayes under arrest. A jury has found Hayes, a former Bethune-Cookman University cheerleader, guilty in the deaths of three Florida prostitutes more than 15 years ago, on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty during a penalty phase next week. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) (AP)

DAYTONA BEACH  A former criminal justice major and college cheerleader was convicted in the killings of three Florida women who were working prostitutes more than 15 years ago.

Jurors deliberated more than eight hours before returning the guilty verdict against Robert Hayes, who was linked by DNA evidence to the three victims after another killing in Palm Beach County, where he had been working as a chef until his arrest in 2019.

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Hayes, 39, showed no reaction as the clerk read the jurys verdict Tuesday evening, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty during the sentencing phase beginning next week.

Hayes graduated in 2006 from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. The victims were found slain in the city his senior year.

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A jury on Tuesday found Robert Hayes, a former Bethune-Cookman University cheerleader, guilty in the deaths of three Florida prostitutes more than 15 years ago. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty. Hayes was linked by DNA evidence to the three victims after another killing in Palm Beach County, where he had been working as a chef until his arrest in 2019. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) (AP)

The body of Laquetta Gunther, 45, was found in a gap between an auto parts store and a mostly empty utility building around Christmas 2005. Julie Green, 34, was found Jan. 14, 2006, on a dirt road at a construction site. The body of 35-year-old Iwana Patton was found that Feb. 24 along a dirt road. All were nude, lying face down, shot in the head.

The deaths caused widespread panic among sex workers in the Daytona Beach area, resulting in some of them working with investigators to memorize license plates and vehicle descriptions.

Hayes also is accused in the killing of Rachel Bey, 32, a prostitute whose body was found, strangled and with her jaw and teeth broken, on March 7, 2016, near Jupiter in Palm Beach County. It took three more years before investigators said DNA recovered from all four killings led them to arrest Hayes at his home in West Palm Beach.

Years earlier, authorities investigating the Daytona Beach killings questioned Hayes twice, but didnt arrest him, as they looked into everyone in the area who had recently purchased a .40-caliber handgun similar to the one used against the first three victims, the newspaper reported. Police said he bought the gun in 2005, shortly before the first victim was killed.
Mebane, NC (27302)

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Ever since Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez's intimate photos with conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar went viral on the internet last year, the money laundering case has been making headlines, leading to a big controversy. Sukesh, who claims to be a government lobbyist, is now locked in Tihar Jail in Delhi. The conman, 32, is accused of extorting Rs. 215 crore from Aditi Singh, the wife of former Fortis Healthcare CEO Shivinder Mohan Singh. They founded Ranbaxy Laboratories as well.

As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the case, the latest buzz suggests that the conman also targeted three younger actresses besides Jacqueline Fernandez and Nora Fatehi.

Revealing the names, sources told India Today that Bhumi Pednekar, Sara Ali Khan, and Janhvi Kapoor too were on Sukesh's radar. Allegedly, the conman used extorted money to send gifts to the actresses.

Sara Ali Khan

In May 2021, he reportedly targeted Sara with the help of his associate Pinky Irani. He introduced himself as Suraj Reddy on WhatsApp. He told the Kedarnath actress that as a friendly gesture, he would want to give her a car. The conman told Sara that his CEO Pinky had attempted to reach her. As Suraj Reddy, he was adamant about sending gifts. At last, Sara Ali Khan agreed to just a box of chocolates. As mentioned in the letter sent to ED on January 14, 2022, he also sent a Franck Muller watch along with the gift package.

Janhvi Kapoor

Janhvi, on the other hand, was approached by his wife, Leena Maria Paul, who worked in the Malayalam cinema industry as an actress. Janhvi received gifts worth over Rs 18 lakh from him. As per the India Today report, it might have come from Aditi Singh's extortion money. On July 19, 2021, the Dhadak star was invited to inaugurate a nail salon in Bengaluru. For this appearance, she was paid around Rs 19 lakh and the amount was deposited into her bank account. The actress was also given a Christian Dior bag by Leena's mother.

Bhumi Pednekar

Sukesh's associate, Pinky Irani, approached Bhumi in January 2021, purporting to be the Vice President HR of News Express Post. She informed the Badhaai Do actress that Mr. Suraj (Sukesh Chandrasekhar), the chairman of their company, was a fan of hers and wanted to speak about a major project. She further told Bhumi that he also wanted to give her a car as a gift. However, Bhumi has informed ED officials about not receiving any gifts from the conman or any of his associates.
A Memorial Service of Christian Burial will begin at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home Chapel. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements. Mrs. Cobb, 68, of Meridian, passed away Sunday, May 1, 2022, at Bedford Care Ce
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Florida senior Sen. Marco Rubio has made himself seen and heard a lot lately  unfortunately.

He did TV interviews on Face the Nation and NewsNation and made an infrequent appearance at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he has helped to obstruct confirmations of dozens of President Joe Bidens ambassadorial nominees, including the Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt.

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Rubio is up for re-election this year. But the more he opens his mouth, the less he appears to deserve six more years.

On CBS Face the Nation, he defended the Republican National Committees jaw-dropping declaration that the House select committee investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection is persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.

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However, he alluded to only one such person, who turned out to be properly under investigation for having signed one of those fraudulent elector certificates intended to keep Donald Trump in the White House.

Afraid of Trump?

In the same interview, Rubio couldnt bring himself to say that Trump was wrong when he claimed Vice President Mike Pence could have discarded electoral certificates for Biden. Rubio said he didnt believe a vice president had such authority, but he left viewers with the impression that he was too timid to contradict Trump directly.

On NewsNation, Rubio took exception to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnells description of the event (accurately) as a violent insurrection.

It was a dangerous riot  a violent riot, Rubio conceded, but he insisted it was not an insurrection because it didnt come close to succeeding.

Nonsense. The federal law on rebellion or insurrection criminalizes the attempt without regard to the outcome. It also states that anyone convicted under that title is incapable of holding any office under the United States.

That may explain Rubios semantic quibble and parsing of words to avoid stating the obvious.

It caters to some of his colleagues in Congress as well as their idol, Trump, who could be barred from ever again holding office by terms of the 14th amendment if theyre found to have contributed to an insurrection.

To his credit, Rubio did not join Floridas junior senator, Rick Scott, in voting against accepting any of Bidens electors on that terrible day. But it does him no credit now to portray the events of Jan. 6 as anything less than they were.

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Fact-checking failure

Rubio needs to fact-check himself. He boasted of his signature on a Republican bill to ban the U.S. government from distributing pipes to smoke crack and other illegal substances, but it did no such thing, according to Politifact, a leading fact-checker.

The claim was based on a conservative media source, the Washington Free Beacon, which misinterpreted a Department of Health and Human Services announcement of a substance harm reduction grant. The 75-page grant proposal, Politifact said, does not mention crack pipes.

Whats Rubio smoking? He should have read it rather than relying on a second-hand account. Harm reduction kits, which typically contain disinfectant wipes, rubber mouthpieces and filters, are intended to help keep addicts from unintentionally killing themselves.

At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Feb. 8, Rubio took the lead in questioning Lipstadt about her past criticism of Republicans  in particular of Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., for a tweet that said he would have been more concerned about the violence of Jan. 6 had the overwhelmingly white rioters been Black Lives Matter or antifa protesters.

This is white supremacy/nationalism. Pure and simple, Lipstadt had tweeted in reply.

Thats the truth, but her willingness to call out a senator is the main reason she has not been confirmed as Bidens special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism worldwide. Her nomination has been on hold since July. Rubio, who represents a state with one of the nations largest Jewish populations, is part of that problem.

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Time to vote yes

Lipstadt, an Emory University professor, is one of the worlds leading authorities on antisemitism. She famously won a libel suit filed against her for having exposed the British writer David Irving as a Holocaust denier.

At the hearing, she cited past criticisms of Democrats as well, but it didnt mollify Johnson, who isnt a member of the committee but showed up to accuse her of malicious poison.

[ RELATED: In approving antisemitism envoy, Rubio can do his part to fight hate | Opinion ]

Johnson, the most controversial senator from Wisconsin since Red-baiting Joe McCarthy in the 1950s, trumpets Trumps false claim that the election was stolen from him.

According to news accounts, Rubios questions to Lipstadt were appropriate, not hostile. But the time is long past for him to choose between a fellow Republican senator who cant bear the truth and the professor who put that senator to shame.

The committee should confirm Lipstadt with no more delay, and Rubios vote should be an enthusiastic yes.

The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com.
Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year  those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX.
Lauren Hunt, 16, of Hawesville, has been playing violin since she was 5 years old. The Hancock County High School junior keeps busy and fills up her week playing her instrument, volunteering, being active in her church youth group and maintaining a 3.8 GPA.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid recently pledged $80,000 to organizations throughout Kentucky to fund care closets, $10,000 of which was donated to the Daniel Pitino Shelter.

The closets will be stocked with personal care products, including toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, laundry detergent, toilet paper, feminine hygiene products and more.

More than 4,000 Kentuckians will experience homelessness on any given day, according to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The care closets and donated funds are meant to provide some relief for those individuals.

While the Pitino shelter already has a stock of hygiene supplies that it provides for clients, programs director Cheryl Moore said the grant will enable the shelter to expand its outreach and limit barriers to access for hygiene products.

A lot of times, when people present for services  individuals, they just have the items they might have on hand, Moore said. They dont have hairbrushes or socks or underwear, because a lot of these individuals, theyve just been going from place to place trying to stay alive and warm and safe.

They dont have the luxury like you and I to just go to the store and purchase these items.

Most of the funds individuals experiencing homelessness have typically go toward shelter or food, she said.

The grant provides more funding to grant access to basic necessities that many experiencing homelessness simply do not have, she said.

They can just walk in, present for service, and let us know what they need, and we will take them back there, and we will help them, she said. Theres no shame, theres no judgment, theres no stigma attached to it.

Moore said the grant has enabled the shelter to further grow its service and not only provide more to those in need, but also provide for children and babies as well by providing diapers, baby food, bottles, formula and other essentials.

Additionally, she said, there are no limits to how much an individual can take or how often they can receive assistance through the care closet.

This allows us to expand on a service we already have, and I am just so grateful, she said, because that means more individuals will be able to access services and get help, and that just means the world to us.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360
The region could be headed to a better place in the near future as COVID-19 cases continue declining, according to Clay Horton, public health director for the Green River District Health Department.

But while things appear to be looking up, Horton said the pandemic is still not over, and it could be some time before the endemic stage is reached. However, public health officials are hopeful the situation is headed in that direction.

On Tuesday, GRDHD reported 214 new cases in the seven-county region between Feb. 18-21, 116 of which occurred in Daviess County.

The latest report shows new cases have dropped significantly from where they were less than a month ago, when the region saw its highest reported case count for the entirety of the pandemic on Jan. 28, with 2,533 cases reported between Jan. 25-27.

Infection rates, however, continue to be high, although Horton expects those to continue dropping, and by summer, he said rates could be fairly low.

I think thats probably what our future looks like, but right now, were still seeing very high rates of spread within our community, he said. They are greatly improved from where they were, and thats great news, but its not over by any stretch of the imagination.

The new daily case average for the region sits at 77.9 as of Tuesday. The highest regional average was also reported on Jan. 28, when it was 848.9, according to data from the GRDHD.

In Daviess County, the incidence rate, as of Tuesday, was reported at 35.75 new cases on average per day for a population of 100,000.

The incidence rate, while much lower than the 337.61 reported for the county on Jan. 28, is still considered to be at a critical rate of spread, which is 25 or more cases daily.

Three of the seven counties in the GRDHD region  McLean, Henderson and Union  have incidence rates lower than the critical rate.

Were hopeful that well continue to see a decline in that average for daily cases, Horton said.

As to whether there are any potential surges or new variants on the horizon, Horton said it is difficult to predict.

There are a lot of variables that are hard to predict there, human behaviors being one of those, and whether additional variants will emerge, he said. What were expecting to happen, and what I hope for our community happens, is that we will see these rates go down even lower.

I think yes, we will see things go to an endemic stage; were not there yet.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have also continued to decline, with Owensboro Health reporting 27 COVID-related patients throughout its facilities, with 21 at OH Regional Hospital as of Monday evening.

Of those individuals, five were in critical care  none of whom were fully vaccinated  and three were on ventilators.

The highest number of patients to date was reported Sept. 21, with 69 COVID-19 hospitalizations at OHRH.

Everything is moving in the right direction, Horton said. And thats not to declare it over.

But I think theres some hope that were probably going to go through a phase here really soon that will give us all some relief and will be much more normal than anything weve experienced in the last two years.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360
Rodney Berry, a tremendous community advocate who worked tirelessly for community improvement from the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2016, died Monday.

He was 68.

Berry was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2014 and also suffered from Lewy Body Dementia.

His fingerprints could be found on virtually every major city project, especially those downtown, for the past 40 years.

He was everywhere, David Boeyink, former editorial page editor of the Messenger-Inquirer, who succeeded Berry as president of the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro, said Tuesday. He is still everywhere you look in Owensboro. You cant wrap your arms around everything he did.

Rodney Berry encapsulated the best of humanity, Candance Castlen Brake, president of the Greater Owenboro Chamber of Commerce, said. He personified the virtues that philosophers say are necessary to live the good life. A man of impeccable integrity, quiet courage, leadership through example and deep intellectual curiosity; he truly lived out the highest ideals.

On a personal level, he was an encourager who always made time for people. His kindness and ability to always see the good in others set a standard for everyone around him. A man who could have succeeded anywhere, he chose to live his professional life devoted to his hometown. His untimely passing leaves a tremendous void in our community. He will be deeply missed.

Berrys son, Joe, who now heads the Public Life Foundation, said his father was a tremendous community advocate. He loved Owensboro. He was devoted to his family and the community.

Former Owensboro Mayor David Adkisson, who retired as president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said, Rodney and I graduated from Owensboro High School together, but became close friends in the late 1970s, especially around the plans to improve downtown Owensboro. He became the executive director of Downtown Owensboro when I was heading up the chamber of commerce.

There would be no RiverPark Center without Rodney Berry. He was hired as the executive director very early in the process, and he oversaw the fundraising, the design, the construction and, after it opened in 1992, the operations of the RiverPark for several years.

Adkisson said, As a tribute to Rodney during the 25th anniversary celebration of the RiverPark, a few of us decided to create the Rodney Berry Childrens Arts Fund for underprivileged kids to attend events at the RiverPark. Serving kids was Rodneys real passion. Our goal was initially $50,000, but we raised almost $200,000 within a few weeks. That spoke volumes about how much people loved Rodney.

Bruce Hager, chairman of the Public Life Foundation, founded by his father 25 years ago, said, He was passionate about his community, and it showed in everything he did.

He said Berry brought people together to effect change.

Grandfather of RiverPark CenterWhen he stepped down as president of the RiverPark Foundation in 2000 to become executive director and later president of the Public Life Foundation, they called Berry the grandfather of the RiverPark Center.

He took us all the way from the concept to what it is today, Board Chairman Jesse Mountjoy said.

Berry had worked behind the scenes with a group that was pushing for the performing arts center in the mid-1980s.

When the Kentucky General Assembly provided the seed money for the facility in 1988, Berry was hired to oversee its development.

He served as executive director from June 1988 until late 1995, when he became president of the RiverPark Foundation, the facilitys fund-raising arm.

I love this place, Berry said of the RiverPark Center. I put my heart and soul into it. Its always difficult to make a decision like this. But the Public Life Foundation will give me an extraordinary learning opportunity and allow me to immerse myself in a broad range of civic interests from health care to social issues to riverfront development and the arts.

He said he had opportunities to manage other arts centers in other states, but I dont want to leave Owensboro.

In 1978, two years after his graduation from Western Kentucky University with a degree in sociology, Berry was already busy in the community.

That year, he was co-chairman of the Owensboro Hydrofair, executive director of the Owensboro Downtown Development Committee and co-chairman of the Christmas Parade committee.

Berry was also the first executive director of the old Downtown Owensboro Inc., which worked to revitalize downtown after many of the stores moved out to the then-new Towne Square Mall.

When the International Bluegrass Music Association was formed in Nashville in 1985 and moved to Owensboro four months later, Berry became its projects director, overseeing its efforts to create such things as the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

We the PeopleLater, as president of the Public Life Foundation, he spearheaded We the People forums in 2007 and 2010, meetings that acted as a catalyst for downtown redevelopment.

Berry organized PRIDE, a city beautification project, and helped launch the Community Care Clinic to provide free dental care for those in need.

Hager said the dental clinic wouldnt have happened without him.

Berry also started the PLFOs Early Childhood Education Initiative to help preschoolers prepare for kindergarten.

About 2005, Berry began writing Holding on to Hope, a 412-page novel about a small group of college students who bonded during the Vietnam War.

In 2008, Gov. Steve Beshear appointed him to the newly-formed Kentucky Commission on Philanthropy.

Six years later, the Daviess County Bar Association presented Berry with its community service award.

Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com
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Miami, FL (33127)

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Cloudy with showers. Thunder possible. High around 85F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 16, 2022

Contact: press@michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer Announces Additional $400 Million to Support Businesses, Retain or Create Jobs, and Boost Michigan's Economy

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced a new grant program beginning March 1, 2022 that will provide business with additional financial support totaling $409 million to help retain or create jobs and boost our state's economy.

"This program will support Michigan businesses that were impacted by COVID-19 and help us build on our economic momentum," said Governor Whitmer. "I'm focused on putting Michiganders first and growing Michigan's economy as we work together to take advantage of our $7 billion surplus and make investments in the issues that matter most to families. Right now, Michigan's resilient, innovative small businesses need support, and we should keep having their backs as they work to expand operations and create more jobs."

Under this program, eligible businesses in operation before October 1, 2019, may receive a percentage of their loss in total state sales through a grant, up to $5 million. Eligible businesses that began operating between October 1, 2019, and June 1, 2020, may receive a grant equal to 25% of certain specified costs. The grants may be prorated depending upon the number of businesses that apply to ensure that all eligible businesses can receive funding.

"Treasury is committed to ensuring these payments are received by eligible businesses," State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. "We are working with our business and community partners to ensure potential applicants are aware of this funding opportunity. I encourage businesses to check if they're eligible for a grant."

Businesses must submit a completed online application to the Michigan Department of Treasury no later than 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday, March 31. Grant awardees will be notified in the spring and grant awards will be distributed by July 1, 2022.

The application will become available at 8 a.m. EST on Tuesday, March 1, at www.michigan.gov/abr.

Businesses interested in applying are encouraged to attend one of the following informational webinars hosted by the state Treasury Department:

Thursday, Feb. 17 at 9-10 a.m. EST

Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 10-11 a.m. EST

Monday, March 7 at 1-2 p.m. EST

Details for signing up for a webinar can be found on the grant program's website.

To learn more about the Afflicted Business Relief Grant Program or read frequently asked questions, go to www.michigan.gov/abr.

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BIG RAPIDS  A new ordinance regulating the operation of shared mobility devices within the city of Big Rapids was adopted by the city commission during its meeting this week.

Big Rapids attorney Eric Williams said that when Bird scooters made their entrance into the city last year, staff discussed whether there should be an ordinance regulating their use but decide to take a wait and see approach.

We decided that since this was our first experience with scooters, rather than coming up with an ordinance that fit how we thought it was going to work, we would see how it works and then develop an ordinance for regulation, Williams said. We have one company that has been in operation so far, and they have been operating under a 'resolution' giving them authorization to operate in the city.

Williams told the board that the staff had looked at ordinances from other similar communities and made adjustments to meet the needs of Big Rapids in developing the ordinance.

The ordinance doesnt come with any new regulations as to what they have to do to operate in the city, other than apply for a permit, pay fees and provide the city with a list of their equipment, he said. Staff is comfortable with it, and has shared it with Bird, and overall, they are good with it as far as we know.

Mike Cavato with Bird Scooters confirmed that they are in support of the ordinance.

We are grateful to be part of the community and look forward to continuing our work in the city for years to come, Cavato said.

The ordinance defines shared mobility devices as all bicycles, electric bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric skateboards, low-speed vehicles, and any other small, wheeled vehicles that are not motor vehicles under the Michigan Vehicle Code.

Every person or business entity wanting to offer shared mobility devices, including electric skateboards and scooters, for public use in the city must obtain a permit from the city clerk, it states.

A maximum of three permits will be issued or be in effect at any one time. Each permit is limited to 150 shared mobility devices. Only one permit is allowed per person or business entity, and it is valid for one year, and cannot be transferred.

An application fee of $250 and a $10 per device fee will be assessed, and applicants are required to provide a bond and certificate of insurance.

Permit holders are responsible for insuring the proper storage, parking, removal and disposal of its devices. They must maintain devices in good and safe working condition and in compliance with all applicable laws and should promptly remove any device not in good and safe working condition, as well as, recover any abandoned devices, the ordinance states.

The ordinance also requires that permit holders provide educational information for users on the responsible and legal use of its devices.

ADDRESSING CONCERNS

Commissioner Jonathan Eppley questioned why the scooter permits would be limited to three businesses.

I am wondering why we are limiting that, versus allowing the open market, like the marijuana businesses, Eppley said.

Williams said the reason is that the scooter businesses are not regulated by the state like the marijuana businesses, and there is a big unknown for municipalities regarding scooters  that being the number of scooters that might be in the community and how many the community can use appropriately.

Limiting the number of permits was a way to limit the number of scooters, he said. We selected three with the hope that it will work, and we could measure the market. If we end up with a fourth coming to town, we may have to revisit that cap.

Commissioner Jennifer Cochran said she too was concerned about the numbers, but for a different reason.

I am visualizing Big Rapids with 450 scooters flying around and thinking about the constituents that have expressed concerns about the scooters on the Riverwalk and concerns of businesses owners, Cochran said. The ordinance has adequately addressed that in terms of giving city staff the power to adjust the equipment as needed in certain areas.

I appreciate that people love the scooters for getting around town, but I do want us to be mindful of those who use the Riverwalk for contemplative purposes and are there for the quiet, she continued. The challenge is to balance the availability of scooters with the needs of others in the community, and I think you have done a good job in this ordinance.

The ordinance gives the city manager the authority to designate that the permit holder disable or reduce the speed of devices when operating on the Riverwalk Trail, and the authority to designate other areas of reduced speed or disabling of the devices, Williams said.

That is there so that if it turns out that the use of the scooters in a particular area becomes problematic, the city manager has the authority to regulate that without coming to the commission for approval, Williams said.

Shared mobility device permits may also be revoked by the city manager, after notice and an opportunity of the permit holder to be heard, for the following violations:

Nonpayment of permit fees;

Failure to file a bond or letter of credit as required;

Failure to provide or maintain insurance as required;

Violations of the Michigan Vehicle Code or the city code; or

The permitted shared mobility devices causing a nuisance by three or more occurrences within 180 days of the city removing devices that are blocking the city right of way or private property from pedestrian or motor vehicle traffic.

The revocation of a permit by the city manager can be appealed to the city commission by the permit holder within 21 days of the revocation.

To view the ordinance in more detail visit cityofbr.org.
Screenshot provided/StrongHearts

MANISTEE COUNTY  The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians is joining a domestic and sexual violence advocacy services project ongoing in Michigan.



According to a news release from StrongHearts Native Helpline, it started a pilot project in 2021 to expand its existing domestic and sexual violence advocacy services to support tribal programs and their contacts in that state.



The project is a partnership with the Division of Victim Services at Michigans Department of Health and Human Services, which is also providing the funding.

A well recognized issue throughout tribal domestic violence advocacy and shelter work is that many tribal programs are small with limited staff. Their advocates may need to carry pagers or cell phones at all times in order to respond to victims, resulting in overtime and additional stress, reads the release in part. Sometimes, advocates are unable to respond and victims calling after hours are simply advised to call back during office hours, which can create a safety issue for them. This project will give Native American victim-survivors in Michigan access to culturally-appropriate advocacy 24/7 even if they call their local tribal program after regular operating hours.
Water levels on the Great Lakes are continuing to fall from record highs seen just a few years ago.

Data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shows a 2-foot drop on Lakes Michigan and Huron from their monthly record high for February set in 2020.

Lake Michigan water levels fell about 4 inches between December and January, after receiving well below average precipitation, according to the Army Corps report.

Forecasted water levels as of Feb. 18 are lower than they were a year ago across the Great Lakes except Lake Ontario. The levels are still above their long-term average for February on all lakes other than Superior.

Over the next month, Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron are expected to remain steady near their current levels, according to the report. Lake Erie is forecast to rise about 1 inch and Lake Ontario is expected to rise about 4 inches.

The Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District releases weekly forecasts of the water levels on its website, lre.usace.army.mil.

Ice coverage on the Great Lakes has also increased in February according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

According to statistics from NOAA, total coverage on the Great Lakes is about 33% as of Feb. 21, down from a high this month on Feb. 16 of just under 50%. Ice coverage on Jan. 1 was just 2.35%.

Courtesy photo/Great Lakes Surface Environmental Analysis

Here is the ice coverage for each lake as of Feb. 22:

 Lake Superior  30.65%

 Lake Michigan  21.99%

 Lake Huron  39.94%

 Lake Erie  70.67%

 Lake Ontario  5.62%

 Lake St. Clair  87.65%

 Total Coverage  33.02%

Arielle Breen/News Advocate

What is the Winter Grab?

Scientists are collecting evidence from the Great Lakes in a wideranging study to learn how climate change is affecting the lakes and the creatures that live in them.

Crews from over a dozen U.S. and Canadian universities and government agencies began their expeditions onto frozen sections of the Great Lakes last week to collect water samples and other information from below the ice.

We've been ignoring winter on the Great Lakes for so long, said Ted Ozersky, a lake biologist with the University of Minnesota Duluth, who announced the Winter Grab expedition on Feb. 3.

There are lots of ways in which ice and winter conditions can affect the ecosystem. We dont fully understand all of them. We have a general idea of how it should work but in many cases we havent done the footwork to see, Ozersky said.



Great Lakes ice cover has declined steadily since the 1970s and some projections indicate it could become scarce later this century.



While that might boost the cargo shipping industry, the results for lake ecology are unknown.



Ice is a dramatic physical force," Ozersky said, influencing everything from the exchange of carbon dioxide between air and water to light penetration and the water column's thermal structure. Such characteristics can determine how much plankton is available for fish.



Nearshore ice can protect fish eggs and prevent crashing waves from eroding shorelines.



We know its important but because we havent studied it, there are many areas where we dont fully understand the effect of having or not having ice, Ozersky said.



The University of Michigan's Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, a partnership with the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, is funding this month's excursion.

Its studies could influence practical matters such as upgrading shoreline infrastructure and planting winter cover crops to prevent erosion, according to Ozersky.

As we get this information, we'll hopefully have a better idea what the loss of winter will mean and how to adjust management practices to mitigate the harmful effects, Ozersky said.

$1 billion aimed at Great Lakes clean up

A $1 billion federal investment announced Feb. 17 is being aimed at restoring several Great Lakes harbors and tributary rivers that have been polluted by industrial toxins.

The investment comes from a bipartisan infrastructure agreement that was enacted in November 2021. Combined with annual funding through an ongoing recovery program, it will enable agencies to finish work on 22 sites designated as areas of concern by 2030.

These areas of concern were first identified in 1987 under the federal Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

The U.S. and Canada listed 43 sites  31 of them in the U.S.  as toxic hot spots, largely because of contaminated sediments that make the waters unsuitable for fishing, swimming and other uses.

The billion-dollar bonus from the infrastructure package will enable the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies to devote more resources to those issues from the program's core budget. Congress voted separately in 2021 to increase the initiative's annual funding from $300 million to $475 million over five years.

Locations targeted by the restoration efforts include the Clinton River, Detroit River, Manistique River, Muskegon Lake, River Raisin, Rouge River, St. Clair River, St. Marys River and Torch Lake in Michigans Upper Peninsula.

$1.1 million for coastal management in Michigan



More than $1.1 million in grants have been awarded to 17 coastal management projects and programs in Michigan.



Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says the funding will help protect, preserve, enhance and wisely develop the state's coastal resources.



Recipients are located across Michigan and include $45,000 for Hancock to do a feasibility analysis for nature-based shore protection and restoration. The analysis will help address erosion issues at a high erosion shoreline areas on the Keweenaw Waterway.



Bay City will receive $80,000 to develop design and construction plans to enhance four waterfront boating access sites on the Saginaw River, while the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority in Brighton will get nearly $195,000 to install a barrier-free kayak launch, install site amenities for an outdoor education space, and plant trees.

Associated Press writers John Flesher and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
North Haven Police / Contributed Photo

NORTH HAVEN  Police said they arrested a Hamden man accused of stealing from a Stop and Shop in North Haven this weekend.

North Haven Police officers were called to a Stop and Shop Sunday for a report of a physical altercation in the store. Police discovered a person, later identified as 31-year-old Alahn Cole of Hamden, was attempting to flee the store after they were suspected of stealing merchandise, the police department said on its Facebook page Tuesday.
UPDATE AT 5:11 p.m. Eastern

A press release from the National Guard Bureau published Wednesday afternoon identified the states from which troops will be drawn for the capital mission, including 100 from the Vermont National Guard, 100 from New Jersey, and about 80 from West Virginia.

The troops will deploy to Washington, D.C., later this week.

ORIGINAL STORY

The Pentagon announced that it has signed off on a request for up to 700 National Guard troops to be activated in response to potential protests in the nation's capital tied to President Joe Biden's first State of the Union address next week.

"The Secretary of Defense has approved the provision of 400 District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) personnel and 50 vehicles to support the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia at designated traffic posts," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced Wednesday in a statement.

Kirby added that "the Secretary of Defense also approved the provision of up to 300 National Guard personnel from neighboring states to support the United States Capitol Police."

Read Next: Military Is 'No Place for Extremism,' Says Guard Leader. But He's Powerless to Boot Capitol Rioters.

It is not clear how many of the approved troops have been mobilized so far. Inquiries to the D.C. National Guard were not immediately returned. Meanwhile, Capt. Ben Hughes, a spokesman for the Maryland Guard, told Military.com in an email that "at present, no members of the Maryland National Guard have been mobilized."

"We are aware of the situation and are conducting prudent planning in the event the Maryland National Guard is needed," he added.

U.S. Capitol Police and other D.C. agencies fear that protesters -- mainly truck drivers -- will descend on the city around Biden's State of the Union speech March 1. Organizers of the self-described "People's Convoy" are modeling the action after the Canadian "Freedom Convoy," a weeks-long protest by truckers that opposed all vaccine mandates in that country.

According to the protest's website, the group demands that "the declaration of national emergency concerning the COVID-19 pandemic be lifted immediately."

The website says the plan is for the convoy to depart from a small town north of Los Angeles on Feb. 23 and head for Arizona. It will then go to Texas and Oklahoma and eventually the D.C. area by March 5. The site also notes that "the People's Convoy will abide by agreements with local authorities, and terminate in the vicinity of the DC area, but will NOT be going into DC proper."

The group's website claims it has raised more than $400,000 despite forgoing traditional crowdfunding websites such as GoFundMe and GiveSendGo.

GoFundMe removed support from the Canadian protest after it received "evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."

After that, supporters of the protesters moved to GiveSendGo, which describes itself as the "#1 Free Christian Crowdfunding Site." But the site was hacked, and all the donor data for the campaign was publicly released, revealing that much of the financing came from donors in the United States.

Initial reports from journalists following some of the American truckers have suggested that turnout will not be nearly as robust as it was in Canada.

Law enforcement organizations, like the U.S. Capitol Police, said in a press release last week that they are "aware of plans for a series of truck convoys arriving in Washington, DC around the time of the State of the Union" and that the request for the activation of the National Guard stems from those plans.

Kirby said that National Guard troops "will be prepared to assist Metropolitan Police officers at traffic posts as soon as operationally and logistically feasible through March 7, 2022."

The Pentagon said that the National Guard personnel will be in "Title 32 duty status," meaning that they will be under federal, not state, control and be paid by the federal government.

Kirby's statement also noted that soldiers "will not be issued firearms and they will not engage in the surveillance of U.S. or foreign persons, although they are authorized to report any observed criminal activity to appropriate law enforcement personnel."

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: A Year Later, a Guardsman Who Responded to the Capitol Riot Recalls Delays and Uncertainty
KYIV, Ukraine  Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences you have never seen.

Ukraine's leadership said at least 40 people have been killed so far in what it called a full-scale war targeting the country from the east, north and south. In response, NATO envoys agreed to beef up air, land and air forces on the alliance's eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian border guards released footage of what they said were Russian military vehicles moving in, and big explosions were heard in the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east and Odesa in the west. As the Russian military claimed to have wiped out Ukraines entire air defenses in a matter of hours, Ukrainians fled some cities and European authorities declared Ukrainian air space an active conflict zone.

World leaders decried the start of a long-anticipated invasion with far-reaching consequences, as global financial markets plunged and oil prices soared. Russias actions could cause massive casualties, topple Ukraines democratically elected government and upend geopolitics and Europes post-Cold War security balance.

Governments from the U.S. to Asia and Europe readied new sanctions after weeks of failed efforts for a diplomatic solution  but global powers have said they will not intervene militarily to defend Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cut diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared martial law, saying Russia has targeted Ukraines military infrastructure. Ukrainians who had long braced for the prospect of an assault were urged to stay home and not to panic even as Ukrainian authorities reported artillery barrages and airstrikes on targets around the country.

An adviser to Ukraines president, Oleksii Arestovich, said about 40 people have been killed so far in the Russian attack and several dozen wounded. He didnt specify whether the casualties included civilians.

The Ukrainian military is waging hard battles, repelling attacks in Donbas and other regions in the east, north and south, Zelenskyy said at a briefing. He said the Ukrainian authorities will hand weapons to all those willing to defend the country.

After weeks of denying plans to invade, Putin justified his actions in an overnight televised address, asserting that the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine  a false claim the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russias demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and for security guarantees. He also claimed that Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine but will move to demilitarize it and bring those who committed crimes to justice.

The attacks came first from the air, but later Ukrainian border guards released security camera footage Thursday showing a line of Russian military vehicles crossing into Ukraines government-held territory from Russian-annexed Crimea.

Oleksii Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said that Russian troops have moved up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) into the Ukrainian territory in the Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions, and, possibly in other areas.

A Ukrainian soldier talks with her comrades sitting in a shelter at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

President Joe Biden pledged new sanctions to punish Russia for the aggression that the international community had expected for weeks but could not prevent through diplomacy.

Putin justified it all in a televised address, asserting that the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine  a false claim the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russias demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and for security guarantees. He also claimed that Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine but will move to demilitarize it and bring those who committed crimes to justice.

Biden in a written statement condemned the unprovoked and unjustified attack, and he promised that the U.S. and its allies would hold Russia accountable. The president said he planned to speak to Americans on Thursday after a meeting of the Group of Seven leaders. More sanctions against Russia were expected to be announced Thursday.

In the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko advised residents to stay home unless they are involved in critical work and urged them to prepare go-bags with necessities and documents if they need to evacuate. An Associated Press photographer in Mariupol reported hearing explosions and seeing dozens of people with suitcases heading for their cars to leave the city.

We are facing a war and horror. What could be worse? 64-year-old Liudmila Gireyeva said in Kyiv. She planned to head to the western city of Lviv and then to try to move to Poland to join her daughter. Putin will be damned by history, and Ukrainians are damning him.

The Russian claims about knocking out Ukrainian air defenses and Ukrainian claims to have shot down several Russian aircraft could not immediately be verified. The Ukrainian air defense system and air force date back to the Soviet era and are dwarfed by Russias massive air power and its inventory of precision weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it was not targeting cities, but using precision weapons and claimed that there is no threat to civilian population.

Zelenskyy urged global leaders to provide defense assistance to Ukraine and help protect its airspace from the aggressor. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency told air operators of a high risk to civilian aircraft over Ukraine, reminding air operators that this is now an active conflict zone.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraines interior minister, said on Facebook that the Russian military had launched missile strikes on Ukrainian military command facilities, air bases and military depots in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro.

After the initial explosions in Kyiv, people could be heard shouting in the streets. Then a sense of normality returned, with cars circulating and people walking in the streets as a pre-dawn commute appeared to start in relative calm.

The consequences of the conflict and resulting sanctions on Russia started reverberating throughout the world.

World stock markets plunged and oil prices surged by nearly $6 per barrel. Market benchmarks tumbled in Europe and Asia and U.S. futures were sharply lower. Brent crude oil jumped to over $100 per barrel Thursday on unease about possible disruption of Russian supplies. The ruble sank

Anticipating international condemnation and countermeasures, Putin issued a stark warning to other countries not to meddle, saying, whoever tries to impede us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must know that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen in history.

In a stark reminder of Russias nuclear power, Putin warned that no one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to the destruction and horrible consequences for any potential aggressor.

Though the U.S. on Tuesday announced the repositioning of forces around the Baltics, Biden has said he will not send in troops to fight Russia.

Putins announcement came just hours after the Ukrainian president rejected Moscows claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and made a passionate, last-minute plea for peace.

The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace, Zelenskyy said in an emotional overnight address, speaking in Russian in a direct appeal to Russian citizens. But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs.

Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.

In an apparent reference to Putins move to authorize the deployment of the Russian military to maintain peace in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky warned that this step could mark the start of a big war on the European continent.

Any provocation, any spark could trigger a blaze that will destroy everything, he said.

He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that you are told that this blaze will bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free.

At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council called by Ukraine because of the imminent threat of a Russian invasion, members still unaware of Putins announcement appealed to him to stop an attack. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the meeting, just before the announcement, telling Putin: Give peace a chance.

European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to hold the Kremlin accountable.

In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives, they said on Twitter.

Even before Putins announcement, dozens of nations imposed sanctions on Russia, further squeezing Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has shrugged off the sanctions, saying that Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage.

The threat of war has already shredded Ukraines economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

___

Isachenkov and Litvinova reported from Moscow. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.
CONCORD, N.H.  A judge on Wednesday granted the dismissal of a lawsuit over a Bible displayed on a table at a New Hampshire veterans hospital after the plaintiffs' lawyer proposed a separate display.

Two U.S. Air Force veterans filed the lawsuit in federal court in 2019 against the Manchester VA Medical Center director, saying the Bible's inclusion on a missing man" table near the entrance honoring fallen or missing veterans and prisoners of war is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The table, usually set up near military dining facilities, is set for one person and features a white tablecloth, single rose, a lit candle and more. In some displays, a Bible is also on the table.

The lawsuit said the table should be a memorial to all who have served. The veterans had suggested replacing the Bible with a Book of Faith containing the writings and prayers from seven religious groups. Government lawyers argued the lawsuit should be dismissed, saying some of the allegations were vague and undefined, and that the lead plaintiff acknowledged he wasnt offended by the display. The matter went to mediation.

One of the focuses was us putting up our own table," attorney Lawrence Vogelman, who represents the veterans, said at a hearing in requesting the dismissal. He said the VA has a specific procedure for requesting a table and would negotiate the details with the hospital's lawyers in an effort to avoid any more litigation.

I think that we're close enough, or hopefully we are, and in the event it doesn't work out, then you'll see us again, but I am very optimistic," Vogelman said to the judge.

An attorney representing the hospital director did not object to the voluntary dismissal request and agreed it would be fine for the veterans to use the hospital's procedure.

U.S. District Judge Paul Barbadoro approved of the idea and noted that it doesn't involve any necessary change to the current missing man table.

Barbadoro told Vogelman that from the beginning, I've had some confusion about exactly how to conceptualize your claim." He said he thought it would be better poised for resolution if it were a restricted or limited public forum case, rather than a government speech case."
FORT ORD NATIONAL MONUMENT, Calif.  For nearly 80 years, recruits reporting to central Californias Fort Ord considered themselves the lucky ones, privileged to live and work amid sparkling seas, sandy dunes and sage-covered hills.

But there was an underside, the dirty work of soldiering. Recruits tossed live grenades into the canyons of Mortar Alley, sprayed soapy chemicals on burn pits of scrap metal and solvents, poured toxic substances down drains and into leaky tanks they buried underground.

When it rained, poisons percolated into aquifers from which they drew drinking water.

Through the years, soldiers and civilians who lived at the U.S. Army base didnt question whether their tap water was safe to drink.

But in 1990, four years before it began the process of closing as an active military training base, Fort Ord was added to the Environmental Protection Agencys list of the most polluted places in the nation. Included in that pollution were dozens of chemicals, some now known to cause cancer, found in the bases drinking water and soil.

Decades later, several Fort Ord veterans who were diagnosed with cancers  especially rare blood disorders  took the question to Facebook: Are there more of us?

Soon, the group grew to hundreds of people who had lived or served at Fort Ord and were concerned that their health problems might be tied to the chemicals there.

The Associated Press interviewed nearly two dozen of these veterans for this story and identified many more. The AP also reviewed thousands of pages of documents, and interviewed military, medical and environmental scientists.

There is rarely a way to directly connect toxic exposure to a specific individuals medical condition. Indeed, the concentrations of the toxics are tiny, measured in parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of an immediate poisoning. Local utilities, the Defense Department and some in the Department of Veterans Affairs insist Fort Ords water is safe and always has been.

But the VAs own hazardous materials exposure website, along with scientists and doctors, agree that dangers do exist for military personnel exposed to contaminants.

The problem is not just at Fort Ord. This is happening all over the U.S. and abroad, almost everywhere the military has set foot, and the federal government is still learning about the extent of both the pollution and the health effects of its toxic legacy.

The APs review of public documents shows the Army knew that chemicals had been improperly dumped at Fort Ord for decades. Even after the contamination was documented, the Army downplayed the risks.

And ailing veterans are being denied benefits based on a 25-year-old health assessment. The CDCs Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded in 1996 that there were no likely past, present or future risks from exposures at Fort Ord.

But that conclusion was made based on limited data, and before medical science understood the relationship between some of these chemicals and cancer.

This is what is known:

Veterans in general have higher blood cancer rates than the general population, according to VA cancer data. And in the region that includes Fort Ord, veterans have a 35 percent higher rate of multiple myeloma diagnosis than the general U.S. population.

Veterans like Julie Akey.

Akey, now 50, arrived at Fort Ord in 1996 with a gift for linguistics. She enlisted in the Army on the condition that she could learn a new language. And so the 25-year-old was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and lived at Fort Ord as a soldier. By then the base was mostly closed but still housed troops for limited purposes.

Photos of Julie Akey during her time at Ford Ord rest on a table in her home in Herndon, Va., Tuesday, June 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

It was incredibly beautiful, she said. You have the ocean on one side, and these expansive beaches, and the rolling hills and the mountains behind.

What she didnt know at the time was that the ground under her feet, and the water that ran through the sandy soil into an aquifer that supplied some of the bases drinking water was polluted. Among the contaminants were cancer-causing chemicals including trichloroethylene, also known as the miracle degreaser TCE.

Shed learn this decades later, as she tried to understand how, at just 46 and with no family history of blood cancers, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

No one told us, she said.

___

Despite the militarys claims that there arent any health problems associated with living and serving at Fort Ord, nor hundreds of other shuttered military bases, almost every closure has exposed widespread toxic pollution and required a massive cleanup. Dozens have contaminated groundwater, from Fort Dix in New Jersey to Adak Naval Air Station in Alaska. Fort Ord is 25 years into its cleanup as a federal Superfund site, and its expected to continue for decades.

To date, the military has only acknowledged troops health could have been damaged by drinking contaminated water at a single U.S. base: Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and only during a 35-year window, between 1953 to 1987. Servicemembers there were found by federal epidemiologists to have higher mortality rates from many cancers, including multiple myeloma and leukemia. Men developed breast cancer, and pregnant women tended to have children with higher rates of birth defects and low birth weight. Like Fort Ord, Camp Lejeune began closing contaminated wells in the mid-80s.

Soldiers are often stationed at different bases during their years of military service, but neither the Defense Department nor the VA has systematically tracked toxic exposures at various locations.

Fort Ords primary mission was training troops who deployed to World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam. It supported several thriving small towns on a piece of coastal land the size of San Francisco. Soldiers and their families lived in houses and apartments connected to its water system, and civilians worked at its airfields, hospitals and other facilities.

In the course of their work preparing for battle, they spilled solvents into the bases drains, sloughed chemical sludge into underground storage tanks and discarded 55-gallon drums of caustic material in the base landfill, according to a 1982 hazardous waste inventory report.

Curt Gandy, a former airplane mechanic, recalls being routinely doused with toxic chemicals from the 1970s to the 1990s. He said he hosed down aircraft with solvents, cleaned engine parts and stripped paint off fuselages without any protection. There were barrels of toluene, xylene, jet fuel and more.

It gets on your body, it gets in your face, you get splashed with it, and were using pumps to spray this stuff, he said. Its got 250 pounds of pressure and were spraying it into the air and its atomized.

On Fridays, crews would forklift barrels of the used flammable liquids down a bumpy sandy road, dumping solvents, paint and metal chips onto the hulks of broken aircraft and tanks at a burn pit. One weekend a month, airfield firefighters would light up the toxic sludge and then douse the roaring fires with foam.

In 1984, an anonymous caller tipped off Fort Ords officials that approximately 30 55-gallon drums, containing about 600 gallons of a solvent-type liquid had been illegally spilled there, an Army report said. The state, which ordered a cleanup two years later, determined the Army had mismanaged the site in a way that threatened both ground and surface waters.

And the burn pit wasnt the bases only polluted site.

In 1991, when the Army began investigating what had actually been disposed of at the bases dump overlooking Monterey Bay, officials told the public the trash was similar to what one would find in the landfill of any small city, according to transcripts of community meetings.

While its true that much of the trash going into that dump came from nearby houses  food scraps, old furniture, busted appliances, even gasoline  the Army officials who spoke at the meetings made no mention of the toxic stew of paints and solvents that today are banned from open landfills. The solvent TCE was among dozens of pollutants that scientists discovered as early as 1985 and today still exists in concentrations above the legal limit for drinking water in the aquifer below, according to local and federal water quality reports.

The water from the aquifer above leaks down into the aquifer below and the pollution just gets deeper, said Dan OBrien, a former board member of the Marina Coast Water District, which took over the Armys wells in 2001. The toxic material remains in the soil under where it was dumped. Every time it rains, more of the toxin in the soil leeches down into the water table.

The Armys early tests of Fort Ords wells near the landfill detected levels of TCE 43 separate times from 1985 to 1994. The VA told the AP the contamination was within the allowable safe range in areas that provided drinking water.

But 18 of those TCE hits exceeded legal safety limits; one reading was five times that amount. Its unclear how long and at what concentrations TCE may have been in the water before 1985. And TCE was only one problem. The EPA identified more than 40 chemicals of concern in soil and groundwater.

It was not recognized that it was so toxic back then, and they threw it on the ground after use. They used a ton of it. Now, its the most pervasive groundwater contaminant we have, said Thomas Burke, an environmental epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former EPA official.

Contractors initially brought in to clean up the contaminated groundwater were warned not to tell community members what they found in their drinking water, specifically not the news media or even local public agencies, according to a 1985 military memo.

At the time, there were elevated levels of TCE in the aquifers, yet the military assured the public the drinking water was safe.

There never have been any test results that indicate that Fort Ords water was unsafe, an Army official told several local papers in August 1985.

Since then, advances in medical science have increased the understanding of the dangers of the chemicals at Fort Ord. TCE, for example, is now a known human carcinogen, and epidemiological studies indicate a possible link between TCE and blood cancers like non-Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

TCE circulates in the body real effectively when you breathe it or drink it, Burke said. Its related strongly to kidney cancer, the development of kidney cancers and suspected in several other cancers.

Julie Akey spent years collecting names of people who lived at Fort Ord and were later diagnosed with cancers. Her database eventually grew to more than 400 people, nearly 200 of which were listed as having those blood cancers.

___

Akey spent most of her Fort Ord days in a classroom, studying Arabic. But in the afternoons and evenings, shed run along the coastline and do military drills. At home, she watered her small vegetable plot with the bases water supply, harvesting the fresh crops to chop into salads.

She filled her water bottle from the tap before heading out each morning, and thought nothing of the showers she took each night. After all, she was among hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the bases history who did the same.

Julie Akey, center, visits with her sons, Sam and Theo, in their home in Herndon, Va., Tuesday, June 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

She fell ill in Bogota, Colombia, in 2016. Shed left the military after nearly six years as a translator and interrogator to become a State Department foreign service officer, a dream job that gave her the chance to travel the world with her twin sons. Quite suddenly she became fatigued with a persistent ache in her bones. Soon she was in screaming pain.

When the Colombian doctors couldnt find a cause, Akey was sent to the U.S. for what she assumed would be a quick trip. She left plants on the mantel, food in the refrigerator and clothes at the dry cleaners.

She never went back.

After weeks at the Cleveland Clinic, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that attacks plasma cells, and is most often detected in elderly African American men. The disease is treatable but has no cure.

I was a zombie, she said. I cried all the time.

Worried about keeping her government health insurance, she applied to work at a nearby airport as a part-time baggage checker while recovering from a bone marrow transplant.

You dont ever think youre going to have cancer at 46. Why? Why do I get this crazy cancer that no ones ever heard of? So, I started looking for answers, she said.

Akey meticulously reviewed her assignments in Spain and Haiti, her stints in Guyana, Ecuador, Nigeria, at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Gordon in Georgia. And Fort Ord  a federal Superfund site.

I think that that was my answer, she said.

Akey read as much as she could about the base, and searched for others like her. She combed through EPA reports, water records, newspaper clippings and obituaries. She scoured social media, and built a database of sick veterans; its grown to 491 people to date.

Soon after Akey started a Facebook group in June of 2019, she connected with Tracy Lindquist. Lindquists husband, Scott, was stationed at Fort Ord for two years in the 1980s. He has three types of rare cancers, including multiple myeloma. He had a stem cell transplant a few years back, and has been on chemotherapy since 2014.

He has health insurance through the VA, but when he applied for disability payments that would have allowed him to stop working, Tracy said, his claims were denied  twice.

Until May, he drove a van for $11 an hour, shuttling people with developmental disabilities from their group homes to daylong workshops. Sometimes he had to change the oil or do maintenance, and the physical labor was hard on him, Tracy said. Then he started having seizures, and could no longer drive. He tried working three days a week, cleaning the vans and assisting clients, but he couldnt even manage that. Earlier this month, he was approved for Social Security disability payments.

Scott hardly ever left the base and he drank water like a fish, and that water was contaminated, Tracy said. I know there are people out there, theyve lost legs and arms, and they need to take care of those people who got hurt in action. But this is a disability, too.

Debi Schoenrock, who lived around the corner from Akeys house at Fort Ord, was diagnosed in 2009 with multiple myeloma at 47. Like Akey, she was stunned. She was a military wife and lived on base for three years, from 1990 until 1993. Shed never been sick, and had no family history of cancer. Nobody said anything about toxic substances, she said.

In 1991, the Army surveyed dozens of community members to find out what they knew about groundwater contamination at Fort Ord. Everyone said they were concerned, and no one reported receiving any information from the Army.

Five years later, a federal report assured them that because the concentration of contamination detected in the past in Fort Ord and Marina drinking water wells was low and the duration was not over a lifetime (70-years), those exposures will not likely result in adverse health effects.

Decades on, such health assessments at Fort Ord and other military bases are outdated and based on old science, said Burke of Johns Hopkins.

A 1990s health assessment is a weak thing, he said.

Peter deFur, a biologist who worked as an EPA-funded scientific adviser at the base, agrees. The report stated that there could not be future health effects, which is not possible to know, he said.

While the federal government has established acceptable standards for the amount of TCE in drinking water, no level of such carcinogens is safe, according to the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. Complicating matters, TCE vaporizes easily, and when it is inhaled it can be even more dangerous, according to a National Toxicology Program assessment.

William Collins, who is leading Fort Ords cleanup for the Army, said hes never heard of anyone sickened by pollution at the base. Like the VA, Collins points to the 25-year-old study that found no likely human risks from exposure at Fort Ord. He said anyone can request a new, updated study if they want, which is what happened at Camp Lejeune in 2017.

Federal health officials told the AP no one has done so at Fort Ord.

___

LeVonne Stone and her husband, Donald, were living at Fort Ord when the base shut down. LeVonne had a civilian job there, and Donald had been in the 7th Infantry Division.

During the base conversion, Stone formed the Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, demanding answers about the toxic materials and the impact on friends and neighbors, who, at the time, made up the only significant Black community on Californias central coast. But she said military and state officials were determined to develop the valuable coastal property and, in her mind, didnt want to deal with the pollution.

LeVonne Stone, CEO and executive director of the Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, holds a poster describing harmful chemicals at the military base, in her office in Monterey, Calif. on Aug. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

We tried telling everybody, the state, the federal, everybody, she said. Theres so many people who have died of cancer. They have not done anything for the community locally.  They just turned their heads, they looked the other way.

There have been efforts in recent years to force the government to come to grips with the effects of the militarys environmental abuses.

Numerous bills have been introduced seeking to compensate veterans sickened by exposure to toxic chemicals during their service, but nothing significant has passed.

Last year President Joe Biden called on the VA to examine the impact of burn pits and other airborne hazards. In November, the White House announced that soldiers exposed to burn pits in a handful of foreign countries, who developed any of three specific ailments  asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis  within 10 years can receive disability benefits.

The Board of Veterans Appeals has ruled repeatedly that theres no presumptive service connection for any disease  stroke, cancer, vision problems, heart disorders and more  due to exposure to toxic chemicals at Fort Ord, according to an AP review of claims.

The VA told the AP that it is updating how it determines links between medical conditions and military service, and encourages veterans who believe their ailments may have been caused by their service to file a claim.

Burke, the Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, said doing a study of health effects of living at Fort Ord now is difficult, if not impossible. We cant reproduce what happened on that base in California, he said. We need to admit we exposed people to a huge amount of toxic materials.

And its not just a matter of exposures in the past.

Today Fort Ord is home to a small public university; some students live in former Army housing and spend weekends Ording, exploring the abandoned, and contaminated, military buildings. More than 1.5 million mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders a year enjoy some 85 miles of trails in a vast national monument. Brand-new neighborhoods with million-dollar homes are being built across the street from the Superfund landfill cleanup. Local water officials say drinking water is now pulled from other areas and treated before being delivered to customers.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta grew up next to Fort Ord, went through basic training on the base and now runs a nonprofit institute there.

Too often, he said, the military does whatever is necessary at its bases to ready troops for war, and they dont spend a lot of time worrying about the implications of what will happen once they leave.

Panetta said the military is abandoning communities, leaving huge messes to clean up.

I think that they have every right to ask the question whether or not whatever physical ailments they may have was in part due to the failure to provide proper cleanup, Panetta said. And in those situations, there is liability. And somebody has to take care of people who have been adversely impacted.

___

For Akey and other veterans with cancer, its a matter of accountability. Health insurance, disability benefits and an acknowledgment of wrongdoing, she said, isnt asking for too much.

Youre not just serving for six years, like me, and then youre out, she said. If youve been given cancer, thats a life sentence.

Labeled with asbestos and lead warnings, sheeting covers rubble from demolished barracks at Fort Ord on Thursday, April 29, 2021, in Fort Ord, Calif. AP Photo/Noah Berger)

On a recent foggy morning, Gandy, the former airplane mechanic, walked past the rusting hangar at the old airfield where he used to work. The single-landing strip and buildings are now the Marina Municipal Airport. But much of the legacy military infrastructure remains, including sheds with old paint cans, an oil separator the size of a school bus and disconnected nozzles and hoses.

Gandy became an outspoken activist along with LeVonne Stone, and also founded community groups to maintain pressure on the military to clean up the site.

His group repeatedly sued the Army, but a judge agreed with Defense Department attorneys who said the claims were moot because a rigorous cleanup was underway.

Gandy, now 70, said he talked to the base commanders, every mayor and health and safety officer. Twenty-five years later, Gandys comments  captured in videos and transcripts of contentious community meetings  seem prescient.

I told them, If we do what we need to do now, nobody will know that we did the right thing. But if we do it wrong, theyre going to know, because in about 20 years people are going to start dying, he said.

The AP obtained a roster of Gandys co-workers on a single day at the airfield in 1986. There were 46 pilots and welders, mechanics and radio engineers. Today, he was told, almost a third of them are dead, many of cancers and rare diseases, some in their 50s.

He knew three former colleagues had died, not 13. I feel terrible, he said, tearing up. It breaks my heart. Those guys were good guys and they deserved better.
MBABANE  The on-the-run Swaziland Building Society (SBS) employee, who was wanted in connection with the E900 500 alleged fraud, has been arrested.

Police are said to have arrested the suspect on Monday. His identity and further particulars will not be revealed for now as he is yet to make an appearance in court. Sources close to the matter claim that the suspect, believed to be in his 20s was stationed at the Information Technology Department of the institution. It was reported last week that the society had sought the courts intervention in interdicting Prophet Vusumuzi Major V Dlamini, from making withdrawals in his newly-opened account, following a deposit of about E900 500 that the bank was investigating. It later transpired that the deposit was not due to the banks system, but the suspected employee had a hand in it, though the prophet has maintained that the money belonged to him.

The suspect had not reported for work for about a week after the incident was made public. The fraud incident involving the whopping sum of E900 500 was discovered by the SBS Matsapha branch manager on February 4, 2022. By that time, the funds recipient, Major V, had allegedly begun making withdrawals and transfers to other banks.

Investigations

For almost a week, the source of the funds and how they were deposited into the prophets newly-opened account remained unknown. SBS then initiated vigorous investigations, which revealed that its banking and security systems were intact. The internal investigations further exposed that the transaction was allegedly orchestrated by one of the societys employees. Otherwise it could not have happened miraculously or without any human intervention, a source had earlier been quoted. Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni yesterday confirmed the arrest.

Mnguni said it was always advisable for wanted suspects to hand themselves over to the police to avoid creating complications and unnecessary trouble. The matter has already been to the High Court after the societys management filed an application to have the prophet interdicted from making more withdrawals and transferring the funds to other banks. Judge Mzwandile Fakudze issued the order pending further investigations. The suspect is yet to make a court appearance.
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

NATO Gambles with Ukrainian Lives in Standoff with Russia by Ignoring Reality

Now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has illegally recognized the independence of two breakaway parts of Ukraine -- and the Russian Duma has handed Putin an authorization to use military force -- the world is not just in the 11th hour before war, but also the 59th minute.

The West loves to wield sanctions to solve any international problem. That hasn't deterred Putin since 2014 with Ukraine and it won't work now. Recognizing reality and making rational choices, even at this late hour, remain the only things that can prevent major war in Eastern Europe.

What is now acutely clear: the only thing that has any prospect of forestalling war at this point is for the West to acknowledge the plain reality that Ukraine is never going to be invited into NATO. It is the foolishness of the highest order to pretend otherwise, especially when relentlessly keeping NATO's door open is the most likely spark that would convince Putin that attempting a limited objective military strike into Ukraine might be better than having NATO as his next-door neighbor.

Ignore these realities by stubbornly clinging to the fiction NATO's door remains open to Kyiv, and the U.S. will likely reap rotten fruit: potentially tens of thousands of Ukrainian people dying in an avoidable war, NATO security damaged -- and regardless of which choice NATO makes, Ukraine will remain outside of NATO.

The West at large is trying every diplomatic way imaginable to avoid compromising on any of its baseline positions and refusing to grant Putin any of his key demands (which are no NATO membership for Ukraine, a return to 1997 security lines, and no intermediate- or short-range missiles near Russian borders). NATO prefers to resolve the crisis in a way that results in Putin standing down his military buildup, preserves the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and keeps the door open to future NATO aspirants.

There is nothing wrong with the West having such goals, but for them to have any prospect of success, the objectives must be grounded in the complex reality surrounding Ukraine. That means there must be some practical, realistic prospect by which the gulf between NATO preferences and Russian demands can sufficiently be narrowed to produce a minimally acceptable non-war resolution.

But there is no way to narrow that gulf. If Western leaders continue holding out for their preferred outcomes and refuse compromise, the likelihood of war is high, and it will be the people and troops of Ukraine -- not Western publics or troops -- that will pay the price in blood.

Putin's demand that NATO withdraws back to its 1997 position is a demand no Western leader could consider. But the declaration that NATO membership will not be offered to Ukraine and that missiles won't be stationed near each other's borders offers room for compromise for both sides. Putin may be amenable to resolving the crisis and avoiding war if he gets some portion of his demands.

Until or unless Russian military forces begin active combat operations against Ukrainian targets, the possibility of averting war remains. But Putin is deadly serious about not allowing NATO to advance any further towards Russia's border. This might be the West's last chance to avoid war by acknowledging political and military reality.

First, Russia has more than enough combat power to defeat the Ukrainian armed forces, potentially within days. Second, Zelensky is right: no NATO country is giving any consideration to fighting Russia on Kyiv's behalf, meaning Ukraine will be on its own when bullets start flying and would likely suffer egregious military and civilian casualties.

Third, the end result of a Russian attack will be a devastated Ukraine that will never be admitted to NATO. If the alliance refuses to negotiate on any of Putin's top three requirements, war is the almost-certain outcome and a Ukraine defeat all but assured. All rhetoric and optimistic words aside, that is the cold reality on the ground in eastern Europe.

The United States can either accede to this reality and prosper because of it, or we can ignore it, condemning Ukraine to a destructive and bloody war and a decrease in NATO's security as the rift between Moscow and the West accelerates. That would mean taking actions including placing an indefinite moratorium on Ukrainian membership in NATO, negotiating a mutual distancing of Western and Russian combat forces from the Ukrainian border, and strengthening current NATO borders.

Policies of that nature would prevent war and save Ukrainian lives, preserve Ukrainian independence, and safeguard American and NATO security. Whether anyone likes it or not, Putin is deadly serious about preventing any further eastward advance of NATO. We either ignore this reality to our own harm or prosper by making good policy based on honest recognition of reality.

A 1945 Contributing Editor, Daniel L. Davis is a Senior Fellow for Defense Priorities and a former Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army who deployed into combat zones four times. He is the author of The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America. Follow him Twitter: @DanielLDavis1.

This article originally appeared on 19fortyfive.com.
When the U.S. military absolutely, positively needs something built in a hurry, they call on the Navy's elite construction crews: the Seabees. With more than 14,000 active and reserve personnel on the roster, there seems to be nothing they can't build -- even if the bad guys don't want them there.

With the motto "Can Do," Navy Seabees have been seen in some of the world's most troubled hotspots. From the islands of both theaters of World War II to the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan today, the road to victory was paved by Seabees.

3rd Marine Division, 2nd Raider's sign during the Bougainville Campaign, 1943. (U.S. Navy Seabee Museum) 3rd Marine Division, 2nd Raider's sign during the Bougainville Campaign, 1943. (U.S. Navy Seabee Museum)

1. "Seabees" Is a Play on Words.

The Seabees' name isn't actually "Seabees." The unit's official name is United States Naval Construction Battalions, or CB, for short. It's much easier to say "CB" or "Seabee" than "United States Naval Construction Battalions," or even "construction battalions."

A name like Seabees also lends itself to the easy creation of morale patches and insignia, which are all the rage in the military, if you haven't noticed.

2. The Original Mascot Was a Beaver.

This makes sense when you think about it. The beaver is an industrious mammal, at home in both the water and on land. Frank Iafrate, designer of the original logo, was instructed to create one using a Disney-type character, according to the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum. Iafrate then discovered the beaver runs away when threatened. That's not a good mascot for the U.S. Navy, especially during World War II.

"Then I thought of a bee. ... The busy worker, who doesn't bother you unless you bother him. But provoked, the bee stings. It seemed like an ideal symbol," Iafrate told CNN in 2015.

(National World War II Museum) (National World War II Museum)

3. The Navy Needed Fighting Construction Workers.

Even in the days of World War II, the U.S. military had no problem contracting out construction projects to third parties. Unfortunately, civilian construction workers building critical infrastructure aren't allowed to fight back when attacked. Under international law, they could be considered guerrilla fighters and might be executed when captured.

A construction crew that also happens to be a military unit, however, would make a pretty big surprise for any enemy against which they thought they were about to get an easy win on any given day. Attacking Japanese troops would learn quickly they were fighting construction workers trained by the Marine Corps.

Hence their other motto, "We build, we fight."

4. Seabees Were the Oldest and Highest-Paid Sailors in WWII.

In recruiting the first Seabees, the Navy was looking for the same seasoned skilled tradesmen found on any major construction site in America. They had to be talented and fast, even if they were a little bit older than other recruits. As a result, they received higher rank upon entering the Navy than most other recruits, too.

In order to fill the Seabees' ranks with these skilled workers, physical standards and age limits were waived for any recruit under age 50. Some 60-year-olds still managed to slip through, so the mean age for a Seabee during the war was 37, when the average age for the rest of the military was just 26.

5. A Seabee Unit Could Do Almost Anything.

With just more than 1,100 skilled men and officers, a Navy construction battalion could be deployed and build almost anything. It was made up of four companies of construction workers and deployed alongside medical, dental and logistics personnel, along with all the other kinds of professions a unit needs in the field.

As construction projects became bigger and more complex, multiple CB units were deployed to the same projects. By the end of the war, the Navy had more than 258,000 men working in the Seabees, well short of the number it needed.

6. Black Seabees Filled in for Fallen Marines at Peleliu.

The need for cargo handlers increased throughout the war, Black men were drafted to fill those ranks in segregated units. The 17th Special CB unit was attached to the 1st Marine Pioneers the day they landed on Peleliu (pronounced peh-luh-loo). As Japanese resistance stiffened, the 17th CB began hauling ammunition to the front and carrying the wounded to the rear.

As the fighting on Peleliu ground on, more and more Marines were falling to enemy fire. For three days, the Black sailors of the 17th Special Construction Battalion filled in for those who were killed or wounded by the enemy.

During World War II, the 17th Special Seabees, attached to the 7th Marine Regiment, rest amid the rubble on the island of Peleliu, Sept. 1944. (National Archives) During World War II, the 17th Special Seabees, attached to the 7th Marine Regiment, rest amid the rubble on the island of Peleliu, Sept. 1944. (National Archives)

7. The Original Seabees Built Projects in Every Theater.

Seabees were paving the way to victory for the Allies every step of the way. They built more than 400 projects at a cost of $11 billion in the Caribbean, North Africa, Sicily, Italy, England, France, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, China, Alaska, the Philippines and most of the islands in between.

An estimated 300 Seabees were killed in action, and another 500 were killed in construction accidents. The Navy's go-to construction crews also earned five Navy Crosses, 33 Silver Stars and 2,000 Purple Hearts.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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Fort Madison, IA (52627)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 63F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. Low 51F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Keokuk, IA (52632)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 63F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 51F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
The Kentucky Wild Health Genomes of the independent Atlantic League have signed reliever Edubray Ramos, according to the leagues transactions log. Itll be the first stint in indie ball for the 29-year-old, who has spent the past decade-plus in the affiliated ranks.

Ramos is best known for his four-year run with the Phillies from 2016-19. The righty was a capable middle innings option for a good chunk of that time. He debuted with 40 innings of 3.83 ERA ball as a rookie, then combined for a 3.41 mark across 100 1/3 frames the following two seasons. Ramos posted decent strikeout, walk and swinging strike numbers during that time, and he showed a knack for avoiding barrels and keeping the ball in the yard despite being a fly-ball pitcher.

While Ramos appeared to have cemented himself as a reliable member of the Philadelphia relief corps, his career was thrown off track by an injury-plagued 2019. He missed the bulk of that season with shoulder troubles and struggled mightily over his 20 appearances. The Phils outrighted him off their roster at the end of the year, and the Venezuela native hasnt returned to the majors since.

Ramos signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers over the 2019-20 offseason. He spent the shortened campaign at their alternate training site but didnt get a big league call. Last winter, he inked a minors pact with the Rangers. He never appeared in a game with one of Texas affiliates, though. Hell try to work his way back into the affiliated ranks with a strong showing for the Lexington-based Atlantic League club.
Reggie Rockstone

23.02.2022 LISTEN

Legendary Ghanaian hiplife artist Reggie Rockstone is not happy with organizers of the various musical events over their refusal to invite him to most of their functions.

According to the hiplife originator, he feels saddened when he is been sidelined from these events even when he feels he is still eligible and strong enough to perform like any budding arrtiste.

When you guys meet up and clad in your fanciful clothes and you meet at places, it saddens me to find out that I am not been invited.

"I visit Kokonsa, Zionfelix, and the others and I will notice everybody is there but myself, and sometimes you guys claim you are assembling the legends in Ghanaian music but how do you single good artists without me, he stated in a live video.

He added that event organizers who have singled him out of events must all be ashamed of themselves.

Reggie added that he is a decent man who does behave himself very well whenever he is out at events.

I may be past 50 but I can still perform on stage without losing my breath but I believe I am on the low because of my humility, he laments.

Reggie Rockstone, now a member of music trio VVIP believes his efforts and contributions towards the music industry in the country qualify him as a real patriot.

Watch the full video here;
The Dome-Kwabenya Constituency leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the absence of their Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo has not hindered development in the area.

According to them, necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the constituency gets its share of the national cake.

The constituency secretary of the NPP, Theophilus Ansah Larbi told Citi News that, weve been managing everything in this constituency. Although we expected that her absence will affect the constituency, when it comes to development, we have taken steps in going to the various ministries as constituency executives so that whatever developmental needs we expect at Dome-Kwabenya are taken care of.

Theophilus Ansah Larbis comment comes on the back of calls for her removal over her continuous absence from Parliament.

As Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, she has also been on a long leave granted by President Akufo-Addo.

In an earlier Citi News interview, the Constituency Chairman of the NPP for the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Robert Osei Bonsu, said the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet to decide what actions to take against the MP.

Unfortunately, we have not heard from our Member of Parliament for some time now. All efforts to get to her have proven futile. The National Executive Committee will definitely decide on the next line of action.

Her actions are not the best. It is not in the interest of the party or Ghanaians.

A week prior, a Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Michael Kofi Okyere Baafi, accused Sarah Adwoa Safo of sabotaging government business.

The New Juaben South MP said the former Deputy Majority Leader's continuous absence in Parliament is making government business in the chamber difficult.

She had become the subject of public debate some months ago following allegations that she was impersonated during Parliamentary proceedings on November 30, 2021, because the Majority side needed the numbers at all cost to approve the government's 2022 budget, which they did despite the disapproval by the minority side.

---citinewsroom
Member of Parliament for the Bole Bamboi constituency, Yusif Sulemana has advised his colleagues in the Minority Caucus not to trigger any parliamentary action against absentee Dome-Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo.

According to him, they should instead continue to focus their attention on taking down the controversial E-levy Bill, which the government is bent on having it passed into law.

The Dome-Kwabenya MP has been the subject of attacks from some of her colleagues for absenting herself from Parliament since the current Parliament started operating.

They accuse her of holding the Majority Caucus to ransom, considering the numbers needed to pass the e-levy bill.

Adwoa Safo has been accused of requesting to be made the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, a position she held in the previous Parliament.

Per the constitution and parliamentary procedure, an MP who is absent from Parliament for more than 15 days can be hauled before the Privileges Committee, which can lead to the seat being declared vacant.

In an interview with Citi News, Sulemana Yusif said, those of us on the Minority side are not happy about her absence. What we know is that we are 137 and are ready to vote against the E-levy anytime, any day. We have listened to Ghanaians and have decided to do what is in their best interest.

I will not advise any Minority MP to raise an issue over the absence of one of the members of the house. I have heard members of the Majority say they are going to trigger parliamentary processes to remove her. If that is what they want to do, we will only listen to what the Speaker has to say and advise ourselves.

---citinewsroom
United Nations Security Council meets after Russia recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities, in New York City on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states. Ukraine decided to recall its charge d'affairs in Russia and will reconsider its diplomatic relations with Russia. The sudden change in the Ukraine situation has aroused great concern around the world. In this regard, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that the legitimate security concerns of any country must be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be upheld. He said China once again called on all parties to exercise restraint, appreciate the importance of implementing the principle of indivisible security, and de-escalate the situation and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiations.

It should be noted that it is very regrettable that the Ukrainian issue has evolved so far. The US has continued its intensive containment on Russia, which finally forced Russia to try to realize its security demands in such a way. This is the outburst of the dissatisfaction of the party whose security demands have been ignored for a long time since the end of the Cold War. The situation in Ukraine is deteriorating. At this time, the international community cannot discard its efforts for peace and to avoid further escalating the situation.

The prospect of the situation between Russia and Ukraine remains highly uncertain. The US and Western countries immediately condemned Russia's move. The White House officials said further "coordinated" sanctions directed at Russia would be announced on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Russia's decision is "a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." He called for addressing "all issues peacefully." Many countries said they should not give up diplomatic means to peacefully solve the problem and underlined that "constructive diplomacy is the need of the hour."

The Russia-Ukraine crisis is a dual crisis, in which bilateral conflicts between Russia and Ukraine are intertwined with the strategic suppression that NATO's eastward expansion has brought to Russia. All relevant parties have put forward their own security demands before. Although no consensus was reached, that doesn't necessarily mean a complete breakup of negotiations. It hasn't reached the point that the issue must be solved by war. Whether the situation will further escalate next mainly depends on the scale of the US sanctions imposed on Russia and whether Russia will be provoked to take more aggressive measures.

Peace and no war is in the biggest and common interests of all countries in the European continent. In this sense, only by achieving a soft landing for the Russia-Ukraine crisis can Europe realize peace. True security should be inalienable, common, integrated, cooperative and sustainable. This means all sides' security interests should be respected and safeguarded, and if any party's security concerns are ignored or even trampled on, geopolitical disputes will continue and never cease. The knot must be untied by the one who tied it. Russia and Ukraine need to have face-to-face dialogues. The US and NATO should be pulled back from the Russia-Ukraine crisis as much as possible and there should be no more complicated elements added to influence the situation.

In particular, at a time when the situation is uncertain, all sides should leave some space for Russia and Ukraine to solve the problems. Confrontation, sanctions, or even a direct battle will not help ease tensions. The flames scattered in eastern Ukraine are reminding all parties of the fact that blindly imposing pressure will only lead to an escalation of conflicts. What is most needed there are restraints and rationality, as well as constructive efforts of the international community.

China has no self-interest in the Ukraine issue. It has always upheld a fair and responsible attitude and will decide its own position based on the merits of the matter itself. Although all parties have different views on the Ukraine crisis, the top priority now is to avoid any actions that could intensify tensions. The international community should reach such a consensus as soon as possible. The development of the Ukraine situation is the result of a series of complex factors. Now that it has come to the brink of a cliff, all parties should work together to pull it back.
MANZINI - The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) is unhappy following that the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and Municipal Council of Manzini have once again denied the workers federation to host a gathering in the hub of the country.

The workers were supposed to march to deliver a petition to the at Manzini Police Regional Headquarters over arbitrary arrests and police brutality. The stand of the federation is contained in a statement which was issued by its Secretary General Mduduzi Gina yesterday afternoon. Gina said on October 25, 2021, the federation notified the office of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, of its intention to hold gatherings in various towns and cities across the country. He said the notification of the ministry followed an administrative directive issued by the same department, in respect of issuance of permits to gather within urban local authority areas.

Statute

It was clear then that the Public Order Act of 2017, as a governing Statute for such matters was being violated. In its response, the ministry informed the federation that in actual fact, the local governments were stripped off the powers to entertain notices of gatherings not by the ministry but by the executive in its collective, reads part of the statement. Thereafter, he said it was getting clear then that the law and the constitutional rights of citizens to gather, were under the carpet of the executive and it was broken. After that, he said on October 28, 2021, government supposedly sent the police and the army to violently crush the intended gathering of the federation, which had followed all the known procedures for a legal gathering. As a result, he said workers from Mhlume were heavily assaulted by the army personnel in the bushes at KaLanga, after their bus was forcefully diverted. He added that the workers were beaten with sticks by the soldiers and ordered to roll in the muddy ground.

After that, Gina said on February 2, 2022, the federation notified the Municipal Council of Manzini of its intentions to petition the police on various reports regarding their supposed brutality and arbitrary arrests. Again, he said the municipality denied them the permission on the basis of the said ministers directive. He said the matter was taken to court and the municipality learnt that government disowned the said directive.

Municipality

The municipality was ordered by the court to consider the notice of the gathering. On February 17, 2022, the federation again notified the same council of its desire to proceed with the police petition on February 23, 2022 (today) on the strength of the court ruling, Gina said. Following that, he said a consultation meeting was held on Monday, February 21, 2022, for the determination of the gathering logistics intended for today. He said the meeting was held at the council chambers.

The police indicated that the country was not ready to host any kind of gathering due to security issues. The security issues were not disclosed in the meeting, Gina said.

Thereafter, he said the municipality, through a letter dated February 21, 2022, communicated to the federation its prohibition of the gathering and cited national security and public order concerns as a reason.

Gina said it was clear to the federation that there was allegedly an undeclared State of emergency in the country. He said this was because the suspension of the application of the rule of law could only apply during a state of emergency. If indeed there are security concerns at the level that constitutional rights of citizens should be suspended, which we do not agree they exist, the government should declare a State of emergency, the unionist said. He added that the covert declaration of a State of emergency by the security forces was negative as it discourages potential investors and it was likely to cause civil disobedience.

Subsequently, he said they held a consultative meeting with affiliates of the federation on Monday, and it was resolved that they should prepare all its structures and the general membership to cause for the restoration of a civil constitutional order. In this connection, he said the federation would engage in a country wide membership consultation for strategies and tactics that would assist it in carrying out its mandate, including defying unjust and authoritarian orders. He said this process would take two or three months.

Advice

Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni, said the police were not supposed to comment on such issues as they only advice the municipality. She referred this publication to the municipality. Efforts of getting a comment from the Municipal Council of Manzini Information Communications Officer Mathokoza Thwala, proved futile as his mobile phone rang unanswered yesterday afternoon. A WhatsApp message was sent to him and he was asked to confirm that the municipality had denied TUCOSWA to gather in the city today. However, he had not responded by the time of compiling this report.
A leader expects his home base to come under fire! You must expect an attack on the family, friendships and alliances that are a source of your strength. Every attack on your home base, aides, alliances, friendships will have a significant impact on the war.

Whilst King David was out fighting the enemy, Amalekites cleverly attacked his home base and burnt it down. All their wives, sons and daughters were taken captive. David was devastated! No matter how hardened a warrior is, he looks forward to going home, to a place of rest.

And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. SO DAVID AND HIS MEN CAME TO THE CITY, AND, BEHOLD, IT WAS BURNED WITH FIRE; AND THEIR WIVES, AND THEIR SONS, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, WERE TAKEN CAPTIVES. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

1 Samuel 30:1-5

If you are a travelling minister, you can expect an attack on your home. The devil would like to leave you homeless. He would like to leave you without a place to come back to. Satan would like to attack your physical home and leave you without any solace or comfort. He would like to bomb your shelter so that you have nowhere to go to when you finish fighting. This is why many ministers have marital problems. It is an attack to bomb their shelters so that they have nowhere to go to. It is called a de-housing attack! Instead of pastors coming home to softness, comforts and delights, they come home to hardness, more hard work and arguments. Loving words are replaced with accusations, opposition and resistance. Soon, a minister of the gospel does not consider his house as a place of solace, comfort, softness and delights. That means he has been de-housed!

The Royal Airforce of England, under the command of Bomber Harris de-housed the citizens of Hamburg, Dresden, Berlin, Cologne and many other German cities. They did this by bombing and smashing the cities of Germany.

Similarly, Satan has de-housed many pastors and preachers of the gospel. This is also the reason why there are few evangelists. If you dare step out of your church and evangelise the world, your church can be taken over and you will have nowhere to come back to. You will also have no one to support you. Many evangelists are de-housed ministers, having no support, no more aid and no more aides.

Your family and your aides are very important for your mission. Their importance is spelt out by how the enemy will target them and try to eliminate them. Do not be surprised if your home base of close aides and alliances come under attack. Often, your ministry cannot be completed without the input of these close aides and alliances. Do not be surprised if Satan tries to turn your aides into rebels. It is an attack on your home base!

Stand up and defend your home base! Fight to maintain your house! Build bomb shelters so that you will not suffer a de-housing attack of the enemy!

Hannibal's Home Base Attacked

Hannibal is famous as the African general who invaded the Roman Empire with his elephants. Hannibal crossed the Italian Alps with his armies and elephants and entered deep into Italy and defeated the Roman armies several times.

For eight long years whilst Hannibal was in Italy, the Romans were never able to defeat him. Then the Romans devised a strategy to get rid of Hannibal. This strategy was to invade Carthage (Tunisia), which is the home base of Hannibal.

When Carthage came under serious attack, Hannibal was called back home to defend his own country. It was only when Hannibal was forced to return to Carthage to help defend his home country that the Romans were able to get him out of their territory.

When the Romans eventually fought with Hannibal in Carthage, they defeated him. Indeed, the mighty Carthaginian general who had brought the Roman Empire to its feet, and for eight years had lived within striking distance of Rome, was defeated by an attack on his home base.

Remember, a leader must expect an attack on his family, friends and alliances that are a source of his strength because that is his home base!

Culled from A Good General

[email protected]

By Dag Heward-Mills
France's competition regulator has fined the electricity provider Electricite de France (EDF) and its subsidiaries 300 million euros for abusing its dominant market position for over 15 years.

The French Competition Authority found that EDF took advantage of its extensive client lists as a former public utility to try to win over millions of new customers starting in 2004, when France was opening up its energy markets under European Union directives.

As the energy market began to open, EDF was required to continue to offer a fixed electricity price, set by the authorities, but customers could look elsewhere, to dozens of companies new to the market, which were free to set their own prices.

The regulator said that EDF was looking to maintain its market share in the electricity supply sector and to strengthen its position in the related gas supply and energy services markets."

By using "human and technical resources" unavailable to other companies, the group ended up "delaying the development of alternative suppliers".

The regulator also said EDF and several subsidiaries unfairly used marketing divisions dedicated to its fixed-rate electricity contracts in order to develop market-price offerings for gas and other energy services.

EDF agreed to a negotiated procedure for the 300 million euro fine, as it did not contest the allegations and agreed to a settlement.

The group said it noted the decision, and had already calculated the fine into its 2021 accounts.

The French state still owns a large share of the company, which is facing a cash crunch after the government ordered it to supply power below market prices to protect customers from price increases this winter.

To help ease the financial pain, the government said last week it would inject 2.1 billion euros into the company as part of an upcoming capital increase.

EDF said the company would not exclude inviting foreign sovereign funds into its investment programmes.

(with wires)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today announced the appointment of Hanna Serwaa Tetteh of Ghana as his Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa.

She succeeds Parfait Onanga-Anyanga of Gabon to whom the Secretary-General reiterates his deep gratitude and appreciation for his dedicated service.

Ms. Tetteh brings to this position decades of experience at the national, regional and international levels, including well-honed skills in building consensus among stakeholders, which will allow her to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and countries in the Horn of Africa, as well as with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in the area of peace and security.

She served since 2019 as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU). Prior to that, she served as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi. She also served in the cabinet of the Government of Ghana as Minister for Foreign Affairs during which time she was also a member of the National Security Council and the Armed Forces Council (2013-2017). She was Minister for Trade and Industry (2009-2013). From 2014 to 2015, she was the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers as well as Chairperson of the Mediation & Security Council of the Economic Community of West African States. During her term as Minister for Trade and Industry, she was a member of the Governments economic management team, the board of the Millennium Development Authority and the National Development Planning Commission as well as the Chairperson of the Ghana Free Zones Board. In 2009, she served as Spokesperson for President John Evans Atta Mills Administration transition team.

She was a Member of Parliament in 2000-2005 and 2013-2017. She was appointed Co-Facilitator in the High-Level Forum for the Revitalisation of the Agreement for the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan (2017-2018).

Ms. Tetteh holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, Legon. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 1992. In addition to English, she is fluent in Hungarian and Fante.

---United Nations
Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Yendi Constituency are set to meet today, Tuesday, February 22 to resolve grievances surrounding the distribution of forms for the polling station executive elections.

The Member of Parliament for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama, was accused of hoarding the nominations forms and also changing the meeting dates for the form distribution by the constituency chairman, Alhaji Saddick.

But speaking to Citi News, the MP denied these allegations.

How can I, as an MP who won by an overwhelming majority, be the one who would like to cause anarchy within the party?

The Regional Chairman appointee who chairs the committee has handed over the forms to the Regional Secretary for him to call electoral area executives for them to fill the forms and return them in two days before the stipulated time for the election. Lets get the fact right. On what basis are they saying I am hoarding the documents? The forms are all in the hands of the constituency secretary.

Confusion has been recorded in the NPP after party members accused executives of giving preferential treatment to their colleagues in the distribution of the forms for the polling station elections.

In other parts of the country, party members are also protesting a decision by the executives to sell out the forms to them after some big-wigs in the NPP announced paying for the forms.

---citinewsroom
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has urged government to fulfil its promises as the association returns to the negotiation table.

UTAG called off its almost seven-week-old strike after several appeals by government, the education committee of Parliament, student unions, Vice Chancellors Ghana, as well as a ruling by an Accra High court.

After a National Executive Committee meeting, the association resolved to resume negotiations till March 4, 2022.

In an interview with Citi News, the National President of UTAG, Professor Solomon Nunoo, said he's hopeful about the negotiations.

For us, we took the decision to suspend the strike finally after the Vice Chancellors Ghana spoke to us. The parliamentary select committee actually gave the government side a one-week ultimatum from the day of the suspension of the strike to ensure that the whole process is completed, and we believe that brings some form of pragmatism to the negotiation process. So that is what we are actually banking our hope on.

We are cautiously optimistic that our employer would get things done within this period. It is a risk we have taken because if we continue looking at the past experiences of government, I can assure that, this strike would have continued Infinitum, but we are being optimistic about it. I believe that if the government side is serious about this whole thing then we should be able to finalize these things about improved conditions of service, that's our target, he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says the government is willing to actively engage with members of the union over their concerns.

Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng is hopeful that the government's negotiations with UTAG will yield positive results.

As I speak to you, we have started a conversation about inviting UTAG as soon as possible to begin negotiation. During negotiation, there will be some level of consensus building. That demonstrates the government's commitment to meet UTAG in a position that is comfortable for all parties, he said on Eyewitness News.

UTAG has been on strike since January 10 to force the government to restore the conditions of service agreed in 2012.

An injunction had been placed on the strike after an appeal by the National Labour Commission (NLC).

The court had on two occasions ordered both parties to adopt an out-of-court settlement.

The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.

UTAG had complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members' basic premiums to $997.8

---citinewsroom
23.02.2022 LISTEN

The Ministry of Education says government is willing to actively engage with members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) over their concerns.

The National Executive Committee of UTAG after a meeting on Monday suspended its seven-week-old strike for further engagement with the government on the grievances of its members.

The resolution will, however, be put before members of the association, who have five days within which to vote to reject or accept the decision.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng is hopeful that the government's negotiations with UTAG will yield positive results.

As I speak to you, we have started a conversation about inviting UTAG as soon as possible to begin negotiation. During negotiation, there will be some level of consensus building. That demonstrates the governments commitment to meet UTAG in a position that is comfortable for all parties, he said on Eyewitness News.

UTAG has been on strike since January 10 to force the government to restore the conditions of service agreed in 2012.

An injunction had been placed on the strike after an appeal by the National Labour Commission (NLC).

The court had on two occasions ordered both parties to adopt an out-of-court settlement.

The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.

UTAG had complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members' basic premiums to $997.8

---citinewsroom
The Police has assured that it will fish out robbers who attempted to rob a bullion van at the Industrial area in Accra but failed in their attempt.

A police officer who was on duty nearby forcefully intervened to stop the robbery.

According to the police whiles the robbers were fleeing the scene, they fired indiscriminately into the crowd.

Three people as a result sustained various degrees of injuries and have been admitted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.

The Inspector-General of Police Dr Akufo Dampare has spoken to the medical team at the hospital and the victims and assured them of the needed support.

Beyond the Police intervention, the armoured bullion vehicle used saved the lives of the officials and the police officer onboard the vehicle even though the robbers fired into the van.

The Police has, therefore, re-echoed its call for all financial institutions in the country to resort to the use of such fit for purpose vehicles for their cash in transit activities.

The Police administration has also commended the Police officer whose intervention foiled the robbery incident.

---Classfmonline.com
Under the blazing sun, Salado Adan Mohamed puts the finishing touches to her makeshift shelter, cobbled together from branches and fragments of discarded cloth.

She has just arrived in the southwestern Somali city of Baidoa, the last refuge for people fleeing the worst drought in the country in a decade.

Along with her three children, the 26-year-old mother walked for five days "without eating" to make the 70-kilometre (43-mile) trek from her village to Baidoa.

Map of Somalia locating the city of Baidoa. By AFP

She settled in Muuri, one of 500 camps for displaced people in the city, where aqals -- traditional dome-shaped huts -- have been hastily built in recent weeks.

Desperate, hungry and thirsty, more and more people are flocking to Baidoa from rural areas of southern Somalia, one of the regions hardest hit by the drought that is engulfing the Horn of Africa.

According to the UN's World Food Programme, nearly 13 million people, mostly farmers and herders, are going hungry in the region: 5.7 million in Ethiopia, 2.8 million in Kenya and 4.3 million in Somalia -- a quarter of the country's population.

In Somalia, the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said this month that the number of people who have left their homes in search of water, food and pasture has doubled to more than 554,000.

'We have nothing left'

Mohamed says she and her husband saw their crops devoured by swarms of locusts that have ravaged many parts of East Africa in recent years.

Salado Adan Mohamed walked for five days 'without eating' from her village to Baidoa. By YASUYOSHI CHIBA AFP

Within just a few months, what little they had left was wiped out when the rains failed for a third straight time since the end of 2020.

"We had three camels which died during the drought season, 10 goats -- we ate some, others died and the rest were sold -- and all five cattle perished because of the lack of water and pasture," she says.

"We have nothing left."

With her husband and children, Mohammed started out from her home village for Baidoa, the last hope for many in the stricken region.

But her husband, who has tuberculosis, did not make it all the way. Too weak to continue, he turned back. She has not heard from him since.

In Somalia, the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA said this month that the number of people who have left their homes in search of water, food and pasture has doubled to more than 554,000. By YASUYOSHI CHIBA AFP

The countryside around Baidoa is under the control of the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab Islamist group, which held the city itself for several years at the height of the insurgency before being driven out in early 2012 by Somali-led forces.

But the persistent insecurity means almost no aid can be sent out of the city.

Even in Muuri, Mohamed says she struggles to provide even one meal a day for her children.

"Sometimes we get something to eat, sometimes not... If there's not enough, I sacrifice for my children," she says, a weary look on her face.

Spectre of 2011

Humanitarian organisations have been ringing alarm bells on the deteriorating situation in the Horn of Africa for weeks, with fears of a repeat of the 2011 famine in Somalia that cost the lives of 260,000 people.

Humanitarian organisations have been ringing alarm bells on the deteriorating situation in the Horn of Africa for weeks, with fears of a repeat of the 2011 famine in Somalia that cost the lives of 260,000 people. By YASUYOSHI CHIBA AFP

Insufficient rainfall since late 2020 has come as a fatal blow to populations already suffering from locust invasions between 2019 and 2021 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We had our usual reserves of sorghum, but we have eaten through them in the last three years. They are now finished," says Ibrahim Mohamed Hassan, a blind 60-year-old who walked about 60 kilometres with his family to Garas Goof camp in Baidoa.

He says 30 of the 50 families in his home village have fled.

"The others will follow," he predicts, adjusting his sunglasses which are held together with a rubber band.

Malnutrition and disease

Over the past decade, Baidoa -- which lies about 250 kilometres northeast of the capital Mogadishu -- has become accustomed to large population influxes.

Insufficient rainfall since late 2020 has come as a fatal blow to populations already suffering from locust invasions between 2019 and 2021 and the Covid-19 pandemic. By YASUYOSHI CHIBA AFP

At least 60 percent of its population -- now estimated to be between 700,000 and 800,000 -- are displaced and the number of informal settlements has exploded from 77 in 2016 to 572 now.

But at the medical centre in Tawkal 2 Dinsoor camp, the scale of the current influx is worrying.

"Before, we used to receive about 1,000 internally displaced people, or even less, per month. Today, we host about 2,000 to 3,000," says the centre's supervisor Hassan Ali Amin.

He says he has observed cases of malnutrition and diarrhoea among children, as well as measles and pneumonia among weakened adults.

"If the situation continues to worsen, we expect to receive thousands, hundreds of thousands of people," adds Mohamednur Mohamed Abdirahman, field director of the British charity Save The Children in Baidoa.

'Sad and skinny'

Abdulle Kalar Maaney says he does not want to imagine the worst-case scenario: a fourth season of poor rainfall.

Ibrahim Mohamed Hassan, a blind 60-year-old who walked about 60 kilometres with his family to Baidoa, says 30 of the 50 families in his home village have fled. By YASUYOSHI CHIBA AFP

He says he is "very hopeful" that the rains will return in March and that he will be able to return to his home village.

He arrived in Muuri with his wife and 10 children having lost his last precious possessions: his donkey and his cart.

He was counting on the beast to earn some money after they arrived in Baidoa, but the donkey died during the 90-kilometre journey to the city and he abandoned the cart.

"I never thought I would end up like this," sighs the slender 48-year-old, clad in an oversized shirt.

"I was big and strong when I had my cattle," he says. "I've become sad and skinny since the drought killed them all off."
The Supreme Court has dismissed another attempt by former COCOBOD Chief Executive, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni to get trial Judge, Clemence Honyenuga JSC off his case.

Dr. Opuni filed a two-legged application at the apex court seeking to quash some decisions of the trial Judge who is sitting as an additional High Court Judge, and to prohibit him from continuing as trial judge.

It would be recalled that an earlier attempt at axing Honyenuga JSC from the case through the Supreme Court was shot down at review, where the court said it did not see any real likelihood of bias demonstrable against Dr. Opuni.

In court on Tuesday, lawyers for Dr. Opuni, led by Samuel Cudjoe, first attempted putting Justice Honyenuga into the witness box for cross-examination.

Mr. Cudjoe told the court that on January 22, 2022, Honyenuga JSC filed his affidavit in opposition to the application, the facts of which were in serious dispute, and he (Justice Honyenuga) needed to be cross-examined on same.

Relying on case law, Mr. Cudjoe argued that a judge whose affidavit is on the record may also be cross-examined.

The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboa Dame, however, opposed the application, arguing that there were no issues on the face of the affidavit which were not resolvable so as to warrant a cross-examination of the trial judge.

Describing the application as without merit and needed to be rejected, Mr. Dame insisted that the general rule was for motions to be tried on the strength of their affidavits, and a cursory glance of the trial judge's affidavit only revealed his contention that he did not violate Dr, Opuni's rights.

The court ruled that the records of proceedings available to it from the trial court did not reflect any personal interests of the trial judge against the applicant; as such the application to quash the proceedings of December 16, 2021, could not hold.

It further held that it did not find the existence of a real likelihood of bias against Dr. Opuni. The application was thus dismissed in its entirety.

With this, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni will return to the High Court for the hearing to continue.
Minister of Interior Ambrose Dery has made a suggestion that the Electronic Transfer Levy Bill will reduce the issue of youth unemployment in the country drastically.

In an impassioned address in Wa during governments townhall meeting on the Bill on Monday, February 21, Mr Dery said the suggestion by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the government to rather go for extended credit facility (ECF) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will rather worsen the unemployment situation in the country.

You see they are changing the story, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nandom Constituency noted.

The most offensive one is that we should go to IMF. We went to IMF before. What was the result? High youth unemployment.

He cited how the recent recruitment by security agencies highlighted the issue of youth unemployment in the country.

Therefore, he maintained that the introduction of the Bill, popularly known as e-levy, will provide government with the needed funds to employ more youth.

One of the reasons why we are collecting this tax is to provide our boys and girls, sons and daughters, with employment and you say we shouldnt collect it?

He cited how trainees of the Akufo-Addo-introduced Nation Builders Corps (NABCo) took to the streets in Accra on Thursday, February 17, demanding their unpaid stipends.

Now you have NABCo people asking to be paid. That is better than having unemployed graduates association. At least, they are paid to look up and we are sure we will pay them.

He finally called on Upper Westerners to embrace the e-levy for government to do more for them especially with the expansion of road networks and electricity in the region.

---3news.com
MBABANE  We did not send the youth to constituencies to deliver petitions.

This is according to Hosea Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, who was speaking in a video that was played at the High Court yesterday during his and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dubes trial yesterday. The video is part of the Crowns evidence in a bid to prove the allegations that the MPs, together with former Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Gawzela Simelane, incited members of the public to riot against government, brought hatred against the King and committed murder, among other offences. In the video, Mabuza was in the company of his two co-accused, former Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) President Quinton Dlamini and Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) President Colani Maseko. They all addressed the public.

Mabuza said those who thought that it was he, together with Dube and Simelane, who sent the youth to the constituencies, were wrong. We are speaking here for the first time. No one here came up with an idea to deliver petitions. EmaSwati wanted this, they stood up and delivered the petitions. We did not send children to deliver petitions, he said. The Hosea MP mentioned that the election of a prime minister was not about them. He said some MPs supported the call for an elected PM. He said they felt sorry for MPs who created lies yet they had been elected by the people.

Change

The MP mentioned that he wished those MPs could invite him where there were emaSwati who did not want change and an elected PM. We pity those MPs and emaSwati, he said.

Concerning the Constitution of the country, Mabuza said it was not produced by fools but by clever people. He said a certain Hosea woman once asked him if the Constitution was a product of the people. When I look at the Constitution, it was produced by clever people. If we can say we are now using a Constitution that came from Parliament, we would be saying a chicken must prepare water for its own plucking. Thats why emaSwati should stand and fill the streets, peacefully and shout for what they want.

Looking at the Constitution, we (MPs) are 99, including senators. Forty (40) of the people are there by grace and 59 came by election. Among the 59 who came by election, the 40 can never boil the water to cook themselves because all the 40 live under grace. Let me make it clear, we are not crazy. That is why we are talking on the streets and outside, we have done all the research, said Mabuza. The Constitution, according to Mabuza, was made to enslave emaSwati. He alleged that there were things that were inputted during the Constitution writing process to enslave all emaSwati. He said this was something they could not reverse, which was why we are saying a chicken cannot prepare water to pluck itself, it can never happen.

According to Mabuza, the people who made the Constitution at the time allegedly did not intend for it to control them. He stated that for there to be the Constitution in the first place, there were demands, marches and protests. The only way to change the Constitution is what emaSwati are doing now - delivering petitions in your constituencies, he said. On another note, Mabuza said they were disappointed with former Acting PM Themba Masuku. He accused Masuku of abusing COVID-19 regulations at the time. They received power unlawfully to enslave emaSwati because now, tell me, he (Masuku) said buses should be loaded to full capacity and passengers lean against each other. In a wedding and meeting, the social distance was to be 1.5 metres. Does it make sense? No matter how stupid you are, if we board a bus from Nhlangano, 80 of us leaning against each other, there is no social distancing there and along the way we offload and load passengers. But if we are in a meeting, Masuku says there should be 1.5 metres social distancing, and there should be 50 of us there. In a bus you could be about 80 or 100.

In short, maSwati, if I can reveal what is so bad about our system, I can tell you a lot. We go to Parliament to do what is in the interest of government. No liSwati is not taxed. You are all paying VAT, whether you are an elderly or a child it does not matter, you are taxed. Others pay income tax. You are paying exorbitant tax for everything. In the end, when you look for a job, after being taxed all these years, they demand to see your graded tax certificate and you have to pay more money. You ask yourself, the graded tax law is very old, it existed before VAT, but you cannot question it because of who it serves. An amendment that is forthcoming for the revenue authority. You see, they are thinking of tax, how to take money from the people, and they dont want to be accountable, because once you call for accountability, you will be arrested. Harassment and everything will be done to you, Mabuza alleged.

Lies

He said he did not tell lies and that even in Parliament, when 20 other MPs spoke in whatever direction and lied, he would point the lies out. According to Mabuza, what had killed Eswatini was paying respect to stupidity in the name of being respectful. You have to tell that person that I am also born of a woman just like you, I would like to live well just like you. In life, God has blessed me, but I have decided to stand for the poor. I live life with the poor and I know what I am talking about, how the people are suffering, going around looking for jobs that they will not find, said the MP. Mabuza said the elderly were given a grant of E500. Ministers, according to Mabuza, drove Toyota Prados which required more than E500 worth of fuel if one wanted to travel to Nhlangano.

But since this is an elderly woman, she will be given E500 to remove the scales from her eyes and be told that Bacede and Magawugawu hate the King. We are not going to be stupid. We do not want to interfere with the King; all we are interested in is an elderly person who worked for, and liberated this country, because even royalty did not liberate the country. There were people who spoke for the country to be liberated, and there were people who brought the country back to the dark days. The elderly and young people should all live a good life like all other emaSwati. TUCOSWA, maSwati I said it, I am not saying there should be war. I am saying everybody should be straight and speak the truth, said Mabuza. COVID-19, alleged Mabuza, was abused by government so that it continued to benefit from the problem. He said emaSwati should be smart and realise that the then acting PM was benefitting from the COVID-19 situation, in that he rushed to try to arrest Simelane using the COVID-19 regulations.

Control

The Hosea MP said that was why he says a bus can load to full capacity because he shows everybody he is not clear what he is talking about, but is trying to control politics. We feel really sorry Mr Masuku, we are not that generation you think we are. We are this generation which knows what they do. We cannot be so stupid, you have been in government for years, benefitting without being elected by the people. You change positions, today you are minister of agriculture, tomorrow you are RA then deputy prime minister and today you are acting prime minister. You are benefitting, on taxpayers money without qualifications, while the people who have got qualifications, are on the street eating nothing, Mabuza said. He also pointed out that emaSwati believed in ancestors for years. He said ancestors and being bewitched would never rule the country.

We will be governed by the will of the majority and the will of God. Let us be free from that generation that believes we will die. I have been bewitched for several years and they are going to bewitch me again, I wont die. Only God knows me and my life. I will die at Gods appointed time. No one can kill me when God says no. To those who are afraid of being bewitched, we are the victims of change. We are not afraid of being bewitched. We are not afraid of being stopped along the road and being insulted. We are not afraid of hearing sirens making noise so that when they pass, other cars should move to the side. We are saying we want our country to be free. For years we lived a life that we did not want.
23.02.2022 LISTEN

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has voted against its National Executive Committee's decision to suspend the strike.

According to the Vice President of UTAG-UEW, Dr. Pascal Kpodo, we are waiting for the other campuses to vote on the matter within five days.

These resolutions will go back to NEC, and they would take a decision. While this voting is ongoing, we are hoping to reach an agreement with the government on how to better the conditions of service of the UTAG members. If that agreement is reached, the voting done by the universities will be null and void.

UTAG's National Executive Committee suspended its seven-week-old strike on Tuesday after a meeting on Monday.

The resolution taken by the NEC of UTAG will however have to be put before members of the Association, who have five days within which to vote to reject or accept the decision.

UTAG had been on strike since January 10 to force the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012.

The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.

UTAG complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members' basic premiums to $997.84.

An injunction was placed on the strike by UTAG after an appeal by the National Labour Commission.

---DGN Online
The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta has called on Ghanaians to rally and support the electronic transaction levy, though the ongoing debate on the controversial 1.75% E-levy is facing some opposition from a section of the public.

According to him, the government needs the E-levy revenue to take care of critical government expenditure.

He said it will help the government improve development effectiveness and facilitate local participation in budgeting and planning.

Speaking in Wa in the Upper West Region during the governments town hall meeting on the E-levy, Ofori-Atta said even though the revenue expected to be generated through the E-Levy may not bring in a lot of money, it would be enough to support the government.

E-levy as small as you might think, it will be GH7 billion, starting this year if we had started early so we could pay your District Assembly Common Fund but your [opposition] sitting on it, he added.

He stated that the majority of the Members of Parliament (MPs) in the 11 constituencies in the Upper West are NDC and that he is not surprised they do not support the e-levy.

If I look at Upper West where we have 11 constituencieswe have 340,000 people being youth with serious issues of unemployment with eight of our MPs coming from the NDC. What reason will they have to support an e-levy which is looking about GH10 billion intervention called YouStart which is looking at getting to the heart of employment, he said.

Hate NPP all you want but what about your 340,000 youth who need jobs? What is the reason? he asked.

---pulse.com.gh
The Member of Parliament (MP) North Tongu Constituency, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said Ghanaians should prepare for three by-elections to unseat three New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs.

The MPs include MP for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong, Henry Quartey who is Ayawaso Central MP, and under-fire Dome Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo.

The three according to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa have all breached Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 16 (1) of the Standing Orders for their absence from Parliament for 18 days without permission from the Speaker.

In all fairness, we expect and will also ensure that the Privileges Committee considers the matter of three absenting MPs and not one. Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 16 (1) of our Standing Orders must not and will not be applied selectively.

Realistically, Ghanaians should be preparing for three by-elections in Assin Central, Ayawaso Central, and Dome/Kwabenya, part of the post on the Facebook page of Okudzeto Ablakwa reads.

The post follows recent attacks on Sarah Adwoa Safo by her colleague NPP MP Kennedy Agyapong.

Mr. Agyapong has expressed unhappiness about Dome Kwabenya MP long absence from Parliament in recent weeks although the Majority side needs her to add to their numbers to pass the e-levy.

According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, it is shocking the Assin Central MP will rant and attack his colleague when he is equally guilty of the same offense.

Read the full statement from the North Tongu MP below:

From a thorough and unimpeachable assessment of the Votes and Proceedings of Parliament  between October 26, 2021 and November 24, 2021; two NPP MPs: Ken Ohene Agyapong and Henry Quartey who is also Greater Accra Regional Minister were absent without permission from the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Alban S.K. Bagbin, for 18 working days each.

I am therefore perplexed and wondering, in all sincerity, the basis for the discriminatory and unprincipled attacks on Sarah Adwoa Safo by our colleagues on the NPP side of the House, and particularly from Ken Ohene Agyapong who is equally guilty of the same offence hes been raving and ranting about.

In all fairness, we expect and will also ensure that the Privileges Committee considers the matter of three absenting MPs and not one. Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 16 (1) of our Standing Orders must not and will not be applied selectively.

Realistically, Ghanaians should be preparing for three by-elections in Assin Central, Ayawaso Central and Dome/Kwabenya.
The Economic Fighters League (EFL) will on Monday, February 28, 2022, stage a protest in Accra to demand the release of Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor.

The convenor of the FixTheCountry Movement was arrested earlier this month for a post on social media where he disclosed that he would personal stage a coup in the country should parliament approve the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy).

Subsequently, when he was arraigned before court, Oliver Barker-Vormawor was charged with treason felony and remanded into police custody.

The activist who at a point went on a hunger strike is scheduled to re-appear in court on Monday, February 28, 2022.

On that day, the Economic Fighters League has planned to meet at the premises of the Accra High Court to march and demand the release of the FixTheCountry Movement leader.

The upcoming march has been dubbed Yani Abre March and is scheduled to commence at 6am.

Find more details in the flyer below:
After months of agitation and weeks of consultations with stakeholders in the trading community on the benchmark values reduction policy, government has finally concluded on a 30 percent discount for all goods and 10 percent for vehicles.

According to the government, this development, which will take effect from March 1, 2022, allows for a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Initially, a discount of 50% was applied on the benchmark values of selected goods, while a 30 percent discount was applied on vehicles.

A deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei Asare, confirmed the new development to Citi Business News after a final meeting between the Finance Ministry and the concerned parties on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Several meetings had gone on between the Trade Ministry, GUTA and AGI and as part of the consensus that we have built with all the stakeholders, the reversal of benchmark values is going to be graduated. It's not going to be a complete reversal. With the first phase, all goods are going to be reduced from the 50% discount to a 30% discount. The benchmark values were on two things; some selected goods and vehicles. But this time, we are placing the discount on all goods and that of vehicles, from 30% to 10%.

She continued, When the Minister for Finance engaged the stakeholders on Tuesday, they welcomed what government has done because they realized that government had indeed listened to them and, as a result, come up with something that will best serve all parties.

Abena Osei Asare is also confident that this new development will help the government and the Ghana Revenue Authority meet the GH80.3 billion revenue target for the year 2022.

She stated, What I can say is that it's going to help us achieve our GH80.3 billion revenue target set out in the 2022 budget. So we look forward to it. We'll give them all the support that they need to enable them implement it to enable them to be guided by what we have done so that at the end of it all, it is Ghana that will benefit.

The policy has, since its inception, received varied views among players within the port and trading industry.

When government in 2019 announced the decision to reduce benchmark values for some general goods by 50% and 30% on cars, the idea was to increase volumes of traffic at the port and ultimately increase government revenue.

While importers and exporters, freight forwarders as well as the Ghana Union of Traders' Association praised government for how the decision reduced the cost of doing business, groups such as the Association of Ghanaian industries were concerned about the impact on the competitiveness of their products.

But government nonetheless went ahead with its implementation.

Two years down the line, the government announced the reversal of the benchmark value reduction policy in the 2022 budget and set January 4 as the implementation date of the policy.

That was met with stiff resistance from the trading community, with GUTA hinting of a 50% increment in cost of goods and services if the policy is implemented.

On January 4 however, business was on standstill at the ports as freight forwarders who had made their declarations and accepted their duties could not proceed to make payments.

This led to a temporary postponement of the date to Jan 6 and later to Jan 17 for stakeholder engagements. The Presidency subsequently suspended it and gave the GRA a Jan 17 deadline to consult on the matter.

citinewsroom
A former Deputy Information Minister, Felix Ofosu Kwakye has noted that Sarah Adwoa Safos absence from Parliament has been more beneficial to the country than the presence of the 136 other New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament in the house.

In the last few weeks, the Dome Kwabenya MP has not been in Parliament to attend to her duties.

As a result, she has been overly criticised with her colleague NPP MP Kennedy Agyapong blasting her for holding the Majority in Parliament to ransom.

Amid all the attacks, Felix Ofosu Kwakye has said Adwoa Safos continuous absence from Parliament is a blessing to the country.

Adwoa Safos absence from Parliament has been more beneficial to the people of Ghana than the presence of all the 136 other NPP MPs and the Independent (but very dependent on the NPP) MP who are obsessed with approving the loathed E-Levy, the former Deputy Information Minister posted on his Twitter page.

Without Adwoa Safo in Parliament, the NPP in recent times has appeared to be the minority in Parliament.

The Majority hopes to have the Dome Kwabenya MP back in Parliament next week especially as the Finance Minister prepares to relay the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) to Parliament.
An award-winning Ugandan author who fled the country after being charged with insulting President Yoweri Museveni and his son told AFP Wednesday that he was "relieved" to be in Germany for medical treatment after being "tortured" in jail.

Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was detained shortly after Christmas and later charged with "offensive communication" in a case that has raised international concern, with the European Union and the United States calling for his release.

After arriving in Germany on Wednesday, the novelist told AFP about his relief at being saved "from the mouth of the crocodile."

"I wasn't safe in Africa since dictators work together to deport dissidents. Now that I'm in Germany, I feel really protected," he said in a WhatsApp message.

Rukirabashaija, 33, slipped out of Uganda two weeks ago -- after a court denied his application to have his passport returned -- ahead of a criminal trial that was due to begin on Wednesday.

He said he was tortured in custody and appeared on television earlier this month to reveal painful-looking welts criss-crossing his back and scars on other parts of his body.

Rukirabashaija, who was released on bail last month, fled Uganda by walking into neighbouring Rwanda and then travelled to a third country.

The UN Refugee Agency then facilitated his journey to Germany, according to his lawyer Eron Kiiza.

The charges against Rukirabashaija relate to unflattering comments on Twitter about Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, and his powerful son Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

In one post, he described Kainerugaba, a general who many Ugandans believe is positioning himself to take over from his 77-year-old father, as "obese" and a "curmudgeon".

'Ugandans must be free'

The novelist told AFP earlier this month that he had "been diagnosed with damaged kidneys, bruised ribs and post-traumatic stress disorder."

He has described being beaten with batons, forced to dance for hours at time, attacked with pliers used to tear at his flesh and injected repeatedly with an unknown substance.

Rukirabashaija won acclaim for his 2020 satirical novel The Greedy Barbarian, which describes high-level corruption in a fictional country. By KATUMBA BADRU SULTAN AFP

"I'll get the medical attention I need, then after recovery, decide on the next course of action," he said Wednesday.

"I'll have to join the vanguard and we send the dictator and his son -- who thinks that he's entitled to proliferate his father's barbarism -- packing. Ugandans must be free in our country."

Since he fled, Rukirabashaija has been tweeting relentlessly, even becoming embroiled in a Twitter spat with Kainerugaba and branding him a "baby despot."

Rukirabashaija has accused Kainerugaba of being "in charge" of his torture and instructing him to stop writing, but the general denied the claim.

"I've never met him or talked to him and I have no desire to do so," Kainerugaba tweeted.

Crackdowns

Uganda has witnessed a series of crackdowns aimed at stamping out dissent, with journalists attacked, lawyers jailed, election monitors prosecuted and opposition leaders violently muzzled.

The author accused Museveni's son Muhoozi Kainerugaba of being in charge of his torture. By PETER BUSOMOKE AFPFile

Activists have been repeatedly targeted using the strict Computer Misuse Act which was used against Rukirabashaija and which carries heavy penalties, including jail time.

Outspoken Ugandan activist and writer Stella Nyanzi, who fled to Germany earlier this year, was imprisoned in 2019 under the same law after posting a profane poem about Museveni.

Rukirabashaija won acclaim for his 2020 satirical novel "The Greedy Barbarian", which describes high-level corruption in a fictional country.

He has been repeatedly arrested since "The Greedy Barbarian" was published and said he was previously tortured while being interrogated by military intelligence.

He was awarded the 2021 PEN Pinter Prize for an International Writer of Courage, which is presented annually to a writer who has been persecuted for speaking out about his beliefs.

PEN's German branch said Rukirabashaija was "under the care of friends and PEN", adding that he would now be enrolled in its Writers-in-Exile programme which provides grants to authors facing persecution in their home countries.
The impact of the Ukraine crisis and sanctions against Moscow will only have a minor effect on the French economy, says Bruno Le Maire.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says sanctions imposed by the Western countries on Russia for ordering troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine would have a "relatively" limited impact on the French economy, despite rising energy costs.

Speaking on French television this morning, Bruno Le Maire said the French government is not ruling out an extension of the freeze on gas prices with Russia over Ukraine should the price hikes continue,

"We have made a commitment...to freeze gas prices, this commitment will be respected for individuals," he said on BFMTV.

France must diversify energy supplies

The freeze, which was announced at the end of September, "runs until the summer of 2022 and if ever it is necessary to prolong it because we see a massive spike in gas prices, it would seem essential for me to do so," he added.

Le Maire also reaffirmed the need to protect French consumers against rising energy prices.

"We must diversify our supplies," Le Maire said, stressing that France had a 20% reliance on Russian gas.

Western countries fear a conflict on a scale unseen in Europe since the Yugoslav and Chechen wars of the 1990s, when hundreds of thousands died and millions fled, will impact consumer prices.
A political analyst, Jonathan Asante Okyere, has explained that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has allowed its fixation with the passage of the controversial E-levy to cloud the judgement of the leadership of the party over the absence of the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.

The analyst noted that the partys desire to pass the E-levy has led them to dangerously sacrifice the sitting Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo which he said is not good for the cohesion of the party.

Mr Okyere said this in an interview on Accra 100.5 FMs evening news on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

He admitted that the happenings in Parliament over the long absence of the Dome-Kwabenya MP leading to the party's failure to garner the numbers for the passage of the E-levy is a clear indication that the centre cannot hold for the NPP.

What is happening in Parliament goes down to leadership failure of the NPP as well as the government, he added.

He cautioned the leadership of the NPP to tread cautiously with its decision to antagonize the MP over her absence in Parliament.

We all know the woman has not been so well and if the party does not take care, it will be accused of betraying women, he argued.

He reminded the NPP to be truthful with Ghanaians over Sarah Adwoa Safo's issue.

It will be dangerous for the party if women groups should see this as a form of betrayal of womanhood, he cautioned.

He said the leadership of the party for that matter the government should be blamed for their wanton expenditures in the last general election which has given rise to the introduction of the E-levy because the country is financially unstable.

If the government had not overspent, the country will not be where it is today. We are here today fighting for the passage of E-levy which will generate a little over GHS 6 million annually because of overspending in the last elections.

If as a nation we had spent prudently, all the rating organisations would not have downgraded the economy, he added.

 Classfmonline.com
The Supreme Court has ordered that the processes of the court should be served on Hon. James Gyekye Quayson, Member of Parliament for Assin North, through substituted service.

It further directed that the court process be posted on the gate and walls of the MP's residence and same should be published once in a national daily newspaper.

The order was made in relation to an injunction application filed by one Mr Michael Ankomah Nimfah against the MP.

Mr Nimfah is praying the court to restrain the MP from holding himself as a legislator.

Mr Frank Davies, counsel for Mr Nimfah in ex-parte application prayed the court to grant a substituted service to be served on the MP.

The court adjourned the matter sine die.

A High Court in Cape Coast in July 2021 ruled that Mr Quayson could not hold himself as an MP because he held dual citizenship when he contested the 2020 Parliamentary election.

Article 94 (2) of the country's 1992 constitution disqualifies an MP who holds allegiance to a country other than Ghana.

The court has dismissed a review application filed by Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, counsel for the Assin North MP.

According to the court, the application did not meet the threshold of a review application, saying the Review application fails and same is dismissed.

Mr Davies noted that the review application filed on February 10, this year, had no exceptional circumstance which had resulted in a miscarriage of justice.

According to the counsel, there were no discovery of any new matter and the review application was incompetent, abuse of the court process, same had been rehashed.

It was the case of the MP that he should be given some more days to respond to the injunction application.

The Supreme Court also dismissed a request to subpoena the Supreme Court Registrar to provide him (MP) with certain court documents.

The documents include a certified copy of a bailiff report on February 8, this year, and a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

GNA
MBABANE  An astute leader and an honest man who brought a wealth of experience and knowledge.

These were some of the phrases used to describe the late Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Peter Bhembe, by some of his colleagues yesterday during interviews. According to a statement issued by the Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Masuku, yesterday, the minister passed away on Monday evening at a South African health facility where he had been undergoing specialised treatment. This was Bhembes first term as a Cabinet minister, having been sworn in during the 11th Parliament in 2018. Previously, Bhembe was the Managing Director of the Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC). He served the corperation for 26 years, having joined as MD in 1995. Prior to his appointment as MD, Bhembe was an Engineering Manager at Eswatini Breweries and had also held the position of Engineering Manager at GENCO (South Africa) and Emaswati Coal Mine.

Dedicated

Many described Bhembe as an honest leader, who was dedicated to his work and diligent in the execution of his duties. My sincere condolences to Their Majesties, Cabinet, government, the Bhembe family and the nation. It is a big loss to lose a leader like Bhembe in the middle of his term. He had a lot of experience; he leaves behind a huge legacy, especially in the Water Services Corporation, where he served as managing director for many years and a lot more work, said Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi. Within Cabinet it is a really big loss as we have lost other ministers before. He was an honest man who was dedicated to the work he did. He brought great wisdom from his own experience and growth. His absence will leave Cabinet weaker because of the value he added. We will miss him as a minister and as a colleague with his unique sense of humour, Nkosi further said. Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Moses Vilakati described the late Bhembe as an astute leader, who was humble and hard-working.

Sympathise

It is a very sad moment for us as Cabinet, we sympathise with Their Majesties, the nation, Cabinet and Parliament, said Vilakati. He said the late minister was passionate about his work and exerted himself selflessly to the development of Eswatini, be it in water services or energy supplies. He loved his family, particularly his grandchildren. We will dearly miss him. Akalale ngekuthula, added Vilakati. The Chairperson of the Eswatini National Petroleum Company, Muzi Dlamini, said the loss of the minister was evident on many fronts. He came with a good business and work ethic. He wanted reports on time and wanted to put honesty and integrity at the fore in everything he did. In issues pertaining to raising funds for Phuzumoya, he was very instrumental in creating a good rapport between us and DVSA because he had a previous relationship with them when working for EWSC, said Dlamini.

He further said the late minister gave them support whenever they needed it.

More especially in the matter of the Petroleum Act of 2020, he really pushed in Parliament to ensure that it was enacted into law, which is basically the foundation on which our organisation stands. He was a hard-working man and visionary, ngibuhlungu kakhulu kakhulu and I convey my condolences to his family, His Majesty, who appointed him and the prime minister as well as the entire nation, said Dlamini. EWSC Public Affairs and Customer Experience Manager Nomahlubi Matiwane, in a statement, said the Board of Directors, management and staff passed their condolences to His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the government, and the Bhembe family on the demise of the minister.

After leading the corporation as managing director for over 25 years, the minister was a leader, a father and a spiritual mentor to the EWSC family. The corporation conveys its prayers to his wife, children and his entire family, read in part a statement sent by Matiwane. On the other hand, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Thuli Dladla said she was at a loss for words over Bhembes passing.

Experience

We are tired emotionally from the losses we have encountered as Cabinet. Sikhalela emakhosi, because Bhembe had a lot of experience in a number of portfolios, which made him a cut above the rest. He was especially well-informed in the mining sector and untouchable on issues pertaining to energy. He was a man of a few words but always directed Cabinet to a better route and way of doing things. The sector he was in charge of has truly lost someone who added substantial value, said Dludlu. The late minister is the fourth Cabinet minister to pass away since 2020. This follows the death of former Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, former Minister of Public Service Makhosi Vilakati, and Minister of Labour and Social Security Christian Ntshangase.
23.02.2022 LISTEN

Abidjan-About 600 Muslim scholars, Christian clerics, and experts in interfaith dialogue are in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan to review and discuss the state of interfaith relations in Africa.

The three-day international symposium, which is themed: the eternal message of religions, is being jointly organized by the Superior Council of Imams, Mosques, and Islamic Affairs of Cote dIvoire and the King Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema.

Prominent among the objectives of King Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema is consolidation of values of tolerance, peace, and interfaith dialogue.

At the end of the symposium, which is being attended by 34-member countries of the foundation across Africa, an all-encompassing document on peace and interfaith tolerance to be known as The Abidjan Declaration will be announced - to serve as a roadmap towards implementing the recommendations to be made.

The King Mohammed Foundation of African Oulema is a grouping of African Islamic scholars established by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in 2016 aimed at uniting the efforts of these scholars around the common grounds that unite the Ummah - regardless of a few doctrinal differences among Muslims scholars on the continent. The foundation upholds the Asharite path of Sunnah, revives the letter to Allah Maliki school of Islamic law, and promotes the Sunni path of Sufism.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI is renowned as a champion of interfaith dialogue. Under his able leadership back in 2016, over 250 Muslim religious leaders, heads of states and scholars, global interfaith leaders met in Marrakesh and announced, The Marrakesh Declaration, which aims at championing the rights of religious minorities in predominantly Muslim countries.

By Alhassan Y. Al-Waiz, Modern Ghana Special Correspondent
Some houses and structures at Ntoboroso in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region have been burnt after the anti-galamsey taskforce, Operation Halt II team set ablaze some excavators parked in the community.

The incident occurred today, Wednesday, 23 February 2022 during the operation of the task force in the District to fight the illegal galamsey activities.

The Assembly Member for the area, Mr. Charles E.K Nsiah told Class News' Elisha Adarkwah that the houses were close to the area where the excavators were parked and for that reason, the fuel which was in the excavators traveled to the houses and caught fire.

He said about four houses were burnt including the house of the owner of the excavators which were burnt.

One of the townsfolk, Mr. Nsiah said, sustained injuries and has been rushed to hospital after one of the soldiers allegedly hit him with the butt of his gun.

He, however, indicated that the angry residents pelted and chased away the DCE for the area, Isaac Kofi Marfo who came to the community during the incident.

Mr. Nsiah said the fire service personnel who were deployed to the community to fight the blaze were not spared as they were also pelted with clubs and chased away.

Classfmonline.com
23.02.2022 LISTEN

Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP), Kennedy Agyapong has said between Dome Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo, with whom he has two children; and the widow of the later Courage Quashigah, who is currently the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Prgramme, he would go for the latter  politically.

Ms Safo, who is the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, fired Mrs Gertrude Quashigah from her post on 18 May 2021 with immediate effect.

A letter to that effect signed by Adwoa Safo at the time, directed Mr Quashigahs widow to hand over any official documents or property in her custody to the Chief Director of the Ministry.

Three days later, however, the same Adwoa Safo, on the orders of President Nana Akufo-Addo, was forced to issue a statement withdrawing Mrs Quashigahs dismissal letter and reinstating her.

The minister indicated that the earlier dismissal of Mrs Quashigah was due to an administrative error.

Speaking on that incident, publicly, for the first time, Ms Adwoa Safos ex-lover, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, told Asaase Radio in an interview on Tuesday, 22 February 2022: The school feeding coordinators  listen carefully  when Adwoa was made the minister, they came to me [and said], Oh, Adwoa is your wife; tell her to remove Mrs Quashigah because she [Mrs Quashigah] doesnt pay us, she doesnt do this.

I did not listen to them but I did investigations and I realised that these women that are complaining about Mrs Quashigah, they are rather inflating the schools, Mr Agyapong said.

Ken Ofori-Atta had agreed with the Swedru MP [Cynthia Morrison] that, Look, these are the numbers you have to take; it should be within the budget. The NPP women organisers, on their own authority, gave some schools to some women and up to date, theyve not been paid because it was not captured.

So, they had gone to Mrs Quashigah to change the names of the schools or put in more schools for them then she said no. So, these coordinators were pushing the woman and the woman said, no, he recounted.

But they made a U-turn to come and complain that I should convince Adwoa to remove Mrs Quashigah, which I didnt do.

Unfortunately for her [Adwoa Safo], she didnt listen or investigate and within six months in office, you said that the coordinator should leave.

And let me tell you straight: me, in NPP, and you media people, the way you twist [words], I want to state emphatically and it should be reported as it is, not twisting: family matters I will not discuss here because Adwoa is good at taking care of my kids but politically, Ill choose Mrs Quashigah over Adwoa any time any day because we have to reward hard work, commitment to party, Mr Agyapong said.

Those days when Quashigah put his life on the line for NPP, where was Adwoa Safo? And, you come to office in six months, you write a letter without even consulting the president; you write a letter to sack the woman, he fumed.

According to him, The only time the president got to know was that it was in the papers that Mrs Quashigah had been sacked. What is this?

So, if the president instructs you to reinstate the women, [then you get angry].

Mr Agyapong condemned Adwoa Safo for holding the governing New Patriotic Party to ransom over the e-levy.

I want to tell Dr Amoako Baah that Adwoa Safo is in parliament in the name of NPP but we are in opposition. So, if we lose; we go to by-elections and lose, it doesnt make a different for the way the girl or the woman is treating NPP as a party.

Its not rosy as you see it out there; we all have problems but party first. So, if you think you have a problem and the way you are going to operate is to sabotage the party, now you are asking for the president to remove the deputy majority leader for you to be a deputy majority leader; Ill also go back to America and tell President Akufo-Addo, resign before I come. If President Akufo-Addo should yield to Adwoas demand, Ill also go to America then Ill make a phone call to the Chief of Staff, Well, tell President Akufo-Addo to resign before I come back. Somebody will look at me and say, OK, Kennedy Agyapong, you talk too much; Im also not coming. What precedent are we setting in this party?

Classfmonline
The Minority in Parliament has accused the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta of peddling lies after claiming that the government will use funds from the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy) to pay district assemblies common fund.

Speaking in Wa in the Upper West Region during the government's town hall meeting on the E-levy, the Finance Minister said in an attempt to justify why the government needs the levy said, "E-levy as small as you might think, it will be GH7 billion, starting this year if we had started early so we could pay your District Assembly Common Fund but your [opposition] sitting on it.

Speaking to the media in Parliament to react to the statement by Ken Ofori-Atta, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said his claims are all lies.

According to the Tamale Central Member of Parliament, the 1992 Constitution already makes it clear how district assembly common funds are to be paid.

He stressed that attempt to find a link between the fund and the E-Levy is misleading and Ghanaians should not take the Finance Minister serious.

The 1992 Constitution requires that 5% of total revenue is dedicated to the district assembly common fund. It is in areas from 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021. It is in areas of over GHS2 billion yet the Finance Minister has been collecting revenue.

Many district assemblies have become dysfunctional because they do not have the basic resources to run and run effectively. So he should stop misleading the Ghanaian public using district assembly common fund as justification to impose e-levy, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu told journalists.

Despite a number of townhall meetings on the controversial E-Levy, Ghanaians still appear to be against it.

The Minority in Parliament has not been moved a bit and stands by their position that it is draconian and must be scrapped.
Five Chadian soldiers have been killed by jihadists in the Lake Chad region, a vast marshland that has become a bolthole for Islamist rebels, President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said on Wednesday.

"This latest loss, which can be ascribed to a terrorist ambush by the Boko Haram sect, is a reminder of the security challenges posed by the terrorism which we still face," Deby said in a posting on Facebook.

The attack took place on Tuesday at Kaiga Kindjiria, about 150 kilometres (95 miles) north of the capital N'Djamena, he said.

He gave no further details of the incident, neither did local officials contacted by AFP.

"The blood spilt by our soldiers will not be in vain. We will win this war against the madmen of Boko Haram," Deby vowed.

Chad has been fighting jihadists from neighbouring Nigeria for years. In official communications, the rebels are invariably called Boko Haram, even though the historic group has splintered, with the emergence of a pro-Islamic State faction.

At least 26 Chadian troops were killed last August in the Lake Chad region near the border with Cameroon.

Deby, a 37-year-old general, took power last April at the helm of a junta following the death of his father, veteran president Idriss Deby Itno, from injuries he sustained while fighting rebels in the north of the country.
A new Commonwealth report released today highlights why Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the Commonwealth are faring relatively better at global trade than non-Commonwealth LDCs. According to A new programme of action for Commonwealth LDCs a significant and growing Commonwealth advantage in trade has driven an increase in exports, helping to build, strengthen and sustain trading relationships between Commonwealth LDCs and other member countries.

Speaking about the report, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth said:

Trade can provide a post-pandemic tailwind that supports recovery, especially in Least Developed Countries and Small States, which have been particularly hard-hit. Enabling the Least Developed Countries to access regional and global trade offers real economic and development opportunities and can help to build resilience.

Commonwealth member states benefit from the Commonwealth Advantage, which reduces trade costs while stimulating investment. They can also draw on the mutual support and benefits offered through initiatives such as the Commonwealths Connectivity Agenda, Blue Charter, Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda and our other work that helps boost trade recovery in a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable way. This report is another step forward in bringing Commonwealth member states together in order to enable our whole family of nations to share in the benefits of global trade.

Four factors seem to have driven export growth in Commonwealth LDCs.

Faster economic growth

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Commonwealth LDCs gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% between 2011 and 2019, compared to an average global growth rate of just 2.2% and 4.2% for all 47 LDCs combined.

Higher GDP growth rates in Commonwealth LDCs were accompanied by larger trade volumes. Collectively, global goods and services exports by all 47 LDCs rose from USD 215 billion in 2011 to just over USD 241 billion in 2019, an increase of around 12%. The corresponding increase for the Commonwealth LDCs was 41%. Their exports grew from USD 57 billion to about USD 80 billion at an average rate of 3.7% per annum, compared with just 0.6% for the 47 LDCs and 1.2% across the world.

A major boost from intra-Commonwealth trade

Commonwealth LDCs relied heavily on intra-Commonwealth trade during 2011-2019, which grew significantly despite the Commonwealths 54 members not being a trading bloc. In 2019, the Commonwealth absorbed one quarter (USD 19 billion) of their total goods and services exports (USD 79 billion). During the pre-pandemic years (2011-2019), the share of Commonwealth LDCs in intra-Commonwealth goods exports climbed from 2.18% to 3.4%. Over the same period, the share of LDCs in world trade stagnated at 1%.

The significant and growing Commonwealth advantage in trade spurred this increase in exports. Historical ties, familiar legal and administrative systems, the widespread use of English and the presence of large and dynamic diasporas, mean bilateral trade costs are around 21% lower, on average for Commonwealth countries compared with the cost of trading with non-Commonwealth countries.

Bangladeshs strong export performance

Bangladesh, the largest Commonwealth LDC, contributed significantly to this groups overall trade performance. Bangladeshs global exports increased by almost 65%, from USD 27 billion in 2011 to more than USD 45 billion in 2019. By the end of 2019, Bangladeshs share in world trade was 1.5 times higher while it remained largely unchanged for African LDC members and grew marginally (1.15 times higher) for the four Commonwealth LDCs in the Pacific.

Diversified exports  both merchandise and services were drivers of export growth

Commonwealth LDCs export growth was driven by both the merchandise and services sectors. Overall, Commonwealth LDCs service exports grew faster than their merchandise exports, increasing by USD 7.5 billion  from USD 9 billion in 2011 to around USD 17 billion in 2019. Despite the improved performance of services exports during the pre-pandemic period, Commonwealth LDCs still rely heavily on merchandise trade, which accounts for 80% of their exports.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic reversed many of these trade gains with the services sector being particularly hard hit. In 2020, services exports from Commonwealth LDCs contracted by 27% and merchandise exports shrank by 10%. While Rwanda and Bangladesh maintained their shares of global exports at 2019 levels, these shares declined for five African members: The Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. Zambia was the only Commonwealth LDC whose share of global exports increased slightly in 2020, mainly due to rising demand for copper in the transport (electric vehicles), renewable energy and manufacturing sectors.

While there are still many challenges ahead, the new Commonwealth report A new programme of action for Commonwealth LDCs identifies possible pathways to help guide Commonwealth LDCs towards progress, recovery and sustainable development. Read the report here.
The international day for Women and Girls in Science has been marked with a call on women to begin a new conversation to advocate for Science, fully participate in the subject area to clear the notion that it was male centered.

The event, held in Anomabo in the Mfantsiman Municipality of the Central Region was organized by the Boys and Girls Club of Ghana, Anomabo, with CAMFED Association, Mfantsiman in collaboration with the Girls Education Unit of the Municipal Education Directorate.

It engaged with over 360 students under the theme; Gender Equality in Science."

Giving the keynote address, Mrs Beatrice Abena Mensah Bonsu, a science teacher at Biriwa Methodist Basic School said women and girls held vital roles in the sustenance of their homes and jobs translating to a vibrant economy.

She said their involvement in science today, would yield a wider, broad and more interesting generation who would be more participating and would field the subject area easier.

She urged all to practice what is learnt in all the science areas thus: physics, chemistry and biology to broaden their understanding and enlarge their thinking capacities.

Mrs. Julia Damalie-Korsah, the Mfantsiman Girls Education Officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES) urged parents to allow their wards choose a career for themselves.

Sometimes, parents would want their children to live their lives for them, it is so wrong, each child was born unique and as such as different interest in life,  she said.

She noted that it was also important to understand the diversities and differences in the various gender roles thus, gender sensitive, gender equity, equality and a host of others.

Mrs Abena Ofori-Twum, the Guidance and Counseling Coordinator of Kwegyir Aggrey Senior and Technical Secondary School (KASHTS) told teachers to help guide their students in choosing the right courses that would help pursue their dreams.

To students, she said you will always dream of a career if you fail to make a move, learn to be an achiever because nothing is achieved on a silver platter."

She cautioned students to not succumb to distractions but endeavor to be exceptional as far as the oath they took was right.
23.02.2022 LISTEN

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has told his First Deputy, Joseph Osei Owusu (Joewise) that the attitude of dismissing a decision he Mr Bagbin has taken, is illegal and offensive.

He said the action is also unconstitutional.

This comes after Joewise overruled an earlier decision taken by Mr Bagbin on the motion filed by the Minority that was seeking a probe into the Covid-19 spending. Mr Alban Bagbin had early admitted the motion.

A livid Bagbin who noted that this is the second time Joewise is rubbishing his decisions said in Parliament on Wednesday February 23 The penchant of the First Deputy Speaker overruling my decisions is unconstitutional, illegal and offensive.

Mr Bagbin further assured that the two of them will meet and find a way out in order to prevent this development for recurring.

Regarding this matter, Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the Minority were being partisan with the motion they filed to investigate the utilization of Covid funds by the Government of Ghana.

The Effutu lawmaker said every Covid-19 expenditure is a matter of public records therefore, the government has nothing to hide.

His comments come after the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu questioned the decision by the First Deputy Speaker to dismiss the motion.

Joewise in his ruling on Tuesday February 22 said All the committees of the house including the Public Accounts Committee are bipartisan, and the Public Accounts Committee is designed by nature to be chaired by members of the Minority.

In all its form, the Public Accounts Committee , if it is minded to investigate anything related to the Covid-19 expenditure, fully sees to the authority and power to investigate that, particularly because all the accounting of it has been provided for in the budget which budget has been provided by the House and is before the committee.

My view is that this motion ought not to have been admitted, and it's improperly before the House.

Reacting to the Speaker's ruling, the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said The precedent that is being set is a worrying for the future of our parliament and I worry for the future of any parliamentary committee tomorrow, that will be under Article 133(3) of the 1992 Constitution to enquire into any matter of public interest.

The motion was moved by ranking member on the Finance Committee Casiel Ato Forson.

He prayed the house to constitute a bi-partisan parliamentary committee chaired by a member of the minority caucus to probe the expenditures made by Ghana Government in relation to Covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.

Also addressing the press on Tuesday February 22, Mr Afenyo-Markin said We simply think that our colleagues are being overly partisan, it is part of their preparations towards 2024.

Democracy is respect for rule of law and process, that is the only way democratic principles can be sustained. We can't do it haphazardly, we can't do it as and when it pleases us and as and when it suits us.

Everything about public expenditure is a matter of public records. This house approves certain facilities, this house mandates government to spend certain money. There is no way, in this day and age with the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System (GIFMIS) system, government can spend and hide, it is not possible. I repeat, there is no way government of Ghana can take public funds, spend and hide those expenditure, it is not possible.

It is constitutional bonfide of the Auditor General. When the Auditor General is done with his work he will bring a report to Parliament, that is why the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is there.

When the PAC does its work, the PAC has the mandate, after perusing the report to set up further committee to investigate and to look into other matters flowing from the issues that they have identified. So, I think that we should move one step at a time. We think they (Minority) want to usurp the powers of the Auditor General, we think that they want to bulldoze their way and then create a certain impression that there is some questionable expenditure which we think is unfair.

3news.com
Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources; MSWR, Cecilia Abena Dapaah on Tuesday, February 21, 2022, visited the Nsawam Water Treatment Plant in the Eastern Region.

The purpose of her visit was to inspect the Densu River which serves as the raw water source for the Nsawam Water Treatment Plant and to further investigate ongoing human activities in the buffer zones.

Ms Dapaah was accompanied by officials of the Ministry and Staff of the GWCL, including the Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Ing. Dr. Clifford Abdallah Braimah.

The Sector Minister was taken on a tour of the plant where she was briefed on the current levels of the raw water source.

Due to the dry season, the Densu River had gone down below the minimum abstraction level. The minimum abstraction level of the plant is 2.3 meters but as at February 13, 2022, the level was at 1.3 meters, as a result the plant had to be shut down for lack of water. With recent rains upstream, water levels had increased to 2.3 meters, which was enough for operational activities of the plant.

Ms Dapaah commended staff of the Nsawam Treatment Plant for their efforts in keeping the plant functioning and neat.

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, further cautioned inhabitants to desist from engaging in clearing and farming activities along the buffer zones.

She highlighted the fact that once such activities are perpetrated, siltation occurs as loose soil is washed into the water source, thus, leaving small amounts of water for treatment.

GWCL is forced to use more chemicals in the treatment process which makes the cost of production very high and eventually impacts on our tariffs.

The Minister indicated that every water source or river should be given a 100-meter buffer on both sides which will allow for trees to be planted, as a means of providing shade for the raw water source. Without vegetation in the buffer zones, water sources are likely to dry up due to siltation and exposure to the sun, which causes high rate of evaporation, hence the need for these demarcations, Ms Dapaah stated.

The Ministry will collaborate with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources for seedlings to be planted around demarcated areas owned by Ghana Water Company Limited and buffer zones for water bodies. We will not wait for people to encroach before taking action. We need to be proactive, Ms Dapaah intimated.

WEIJA TREATMENT PLANT

Ms Dapaah also visited the Weija Treatment Plant to assess the impact of illegal sand wining activities and encroachment around the Weija Dam catchment area.

During the tour of the catchment area, an excavator was spotted on site, digging and filling trucks with sand. The Sector Minister ordered an immediate halt of the excavator in operation and confiscation of its key.

Ms Dapaah further instructed trucks which were already loaded with sand to offload them. It was brought to the Ministers attention that a truckload of sand or stone was sold at an amount between GHS180 and GHS200.

Ms Dapaah indicated that illegal mining activities along the catchment area were affecting operations of the treatment plant and ordered activities to be stopped with immediate effect. She tasked security/military forces stationed at the Headworks to stop all trucks from going uphill. If these trucks are stopped, such nefarious acts cannot be perpetuated, she added.

The Sector Minister explained, that water from the Weija Treatment Plant serves as a source of water supply for over 1.5 million people in the western part of Accra, hence the need to protect its integrity. We are looking for funding to rehabilitate and expand the treatment plant to take care of population growth for the next 20 to 25 years. If sand winning activities continue, there will be no land left for future expansion, she stated. She, therefore, cautioned illegal sand miners to desist from destroying the land and water resources.

Ms Dapaah indicated that her tour has given the Ministry an insight into happenings on the ground. We have seen things for ourselves and we are going back to the drawing table to come out with deterrent measures, she intimated.

The Sector Minister also stated that this is the first in the series of nationwide tours to ascertain the current situation of water supply in the country.

 Classfmonline.com
A 2014 presidential candidate aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Francis Addai-Nimoh has expressed some concerns about the scarcity of the partys nomination forms for the upcoming polling station elections.

According to Mr Addai-Nimoh the event is worrying.

Mr. Addai-Nimoh in a statement dated February 22, 2022, said there are reported cases of abuse of the process by some sitting Members of Parliament and Constituency executives.

He said constituencies such as New Juabeng South, Mampong, Manhyia North, among others have been hotspots for these grave infractions against some aspirants.

The main controversy is the hoarding of forms to prevent interested aspirants from filing their nominations, an issue I have been a victim of, in the past, the statement said.

He said in 2022 he was prevented by some faceless individuals in the party from picking forms for the parliamentary elections.

I went as far as regional executives to the National Chairman as well as the General Secretary of the party to no avail, he explained.

Press release

STATEMENT BY FRANCIS ADDAI-NIMOH ON NPP'S REORGANIZATION AND MATTERS ARISING

I have taken notice of events occurring around the party's attempts to reorganize the party in the shape of the polling station elections. The events are troubling as we have witnessed instances of violence in some constituencies.

There're reported cases of abuse of the process by some sitting MPs and constituency executives in their reelection bids. Constituencies such as New Juabeng South, Mampong, Manhyia North, etc have been hotspots for these grave infractions. The main controversy is the hoarding of forms to prevent interested aspirants from filing their nominations, an issue I have been a victim of, in the past.

I find it unacceptable that these matters would be happening in defiance of clear guidelines issued by the national party.

It appears the horrifying events of 2020 that masked the party's primaries are being replayed in 2022.

I am calling on the party leadership to take a strong stance on the matter and sanction anyone who has made it a business to continuously drag the party's image into disrepute. If breaking the eight come 2024 is top on our agenda, then we must do all that is necessary to prevent the party from courting bad press due to these grave but preventable infractions.

The struggles of the party currently in parliament is a sequel of the 2020 primaries and we can't afford not to take lessons from it accordingly.

Long live NPP

Long live Ghana

Francis Addai-Nimoh

Former MP, Mampong and 2014 Presidential Candidate Aspirant

Classfmonline.com
MBABANE - It remains to be seen if a proposed meeting between some local political parties and former South Africa (SA) President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma will see the light of day.

This publication is in possession of a letter which newly-formed political entity, the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) wrote to the former SA president seeking to have an audience with him. According to the letter, six other organisations have been roped in in the plan to meet the former ANC president. In the letter, titled Request for an audience with His Excellency as Political Organisations of Eswatini, the other listed organisations are the Swaziland Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM), Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) and the Economic Freedom Fighters of Swaziland (EFFSWA). The rest are the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA), Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) and the Swaziland Massacre Victims and Survivors (SWAVISA).

Meeting

The letter states that the meeting will assist the seven political organisations in preparation for the imminent National Dialogue as planned by His Majesty King Mswati III and the Government of Eswatini. It is envisaged that this meeting will build capacity of the leaders as the president is well experienced on the issues currently faced by the people of Eswatini, reads part of the one-page letter, which was signed by SWALIMO Secretary General Dr Siphetfo Dlamini. It should be noted that last week, the former president met with members of pro-monarchy group Mangololo Eswatini at his Nkandla Residence situated in KwaZulu-Natal. The meeting with Zuma happened two weeks after the members of the pro-monarchy group had held another private one with One South Africa (OneSA)Movement leader Mmusi Maimane.

owever, it remains to be seen if the meeting of SWALIMO and the other political parties with Zuma will see the light of day. In fact, if the words of Jacob Zuma Foundation Spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi are anything to go by, the meeting is unlikely to take place. Called yesterday, Manyi stated that Zuma was known for being a man who had been credited for bringing peace in KZN when there were issues between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). He said Zuma actually had a track record for being sent to various envoys to bring peace. He is a man who does not like war. So I am not surprised that there is a request to have an audience with him. Basically, it means that there are many people who want to get his wisdom whenever tensions are at an all-time high.

So, it should not be surprising because here we are talking about a man with a proven track record of bringing peace. Even when he was arrested in July last year, a lot of his supporters were ready to spill blood but because he is a peaceful man, he did the right thing and agreed to go to prison to avoid bloodshed, Manyi stated. Elaborating, Manyi said if there were many locals and organisations wishing to have private meetings with Zuma, it would not be a surprise as even in South Africa he had to meet many entourages week in and week out. He said, however, there were principles followed for people to visit Nkandla, whether to have discussions or wish him well. Manyi was asked specifically if the former president would open his hands to have audience with the local political organisations.

In response, Manyi said; I think the big issue this side is the protocols of the country. The last thing that Zuma will want to do, would be to be seen to be undermining the countrys protocols. For instance, if people from royalty or some groupings want to see him, it is possible. But organised formations like the one you are talking about (SWALIMO), that would invoke formal protocols of the country, he said. He said for such a meeting, the details would have to be looked into. But from the sound of things and what you have asked, it sounds like if Zuma has to deal with that matter, he would have to be delegated by the country (SA) because there are diplomatic issues, so it is about principles. This reporter also brought it to the attention of Manyi that the meeting Zuma had with Mangololo Eswatini members had not been received well by some members of certain political parties.

In response, he said; For those who are finding fault in him meeting the group you mentioned, the question they should ask themselves is whether they have ever heard of a man who was a global icon by the name of Nelson Mandela. Do they know that Nelson Mandela met with the architects of apartheid? Also, do they know that it was a peaceful engagement? I am not comparing but just picking a worst case scenario. Manyi said if someone had the confidence to meet apartheid architects, surely they could meet anyone else.

Understand

So people must try and understand that if you want peace, you cannot run away from coming to the table, he said. However, he emphasised that even though it was key to ensure that one engaged everyone, it all depended on the protocols in place. He said Mangololo Eswatini members came to Zuma as a concerned group of emaSwati as opposed to formal political parties. I mean it is not like this was an envoy from King Mswati III himself, this was just a concerned group of people who have a particular view, it was fine. But now you are talking about formalised political parties so the different protocols have to obtain, he said. It should be noted that when Mangololo Eswatini was unveiled in August last year, the members emphasised that they were against multiparty organisations.

Commenting on the meeting with Zuma in our sister publication the Times SUNDAY, Mangololo Spokesperson Gcina Dlamini said the talks which were lengthy, were influenced by the well-known fact that the former president was a long-time friend of Eswatini and among the few remaining leaders in the ANC who knew the value of the ANC-Eswatini relationship dating back to the times of Queen Regent Gwamile. Some members of local progressives, however, did not hide their displeasure at Zuma meeting the Mangololo members. South African publication, the IOL, quoted Swaziland Solidaritry Network (SNN) Spokesperson Lucky Lukhele who did not hide the fact that his organisation had been irked by Zumas meeting with Mangololo. Lukhele was quoted saying it was not surprising that Zuma did so, as he was close to the countrys authorities.
Mr George Asare, North-East Regional Commander, National Intelligence Bureau, says Ghana is not immune to terrorism and violent extremism and needs.

He said the country needs to adopt measures to protect the country's prevailing peace and democracy.

He called on the government and major stakeholders to work collectively to address issues that give rise to the formation of terrorist groups and support the security agencies to protect the country's territory.

Mr Asare said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a symposium on preventing violent extremism organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Gambaga, East Mamprusi Municipality.

The Regional Commander said almost all the neighbouring countries, including Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, had experienced various forms of attacks, which put Ghana at risk.

The communities around us have all been attacked and it has even led to a coup in Burkina Faso because the government's attention was on extremists while other people were acting just like it happened in Mali, he added.

He identified economic hardships, marginalisation and political exclusion as major factors that drive the youth to join violent groups and destabilise countries.

He urged the government and major stakeholders to address the concerns of Ghanaians to avert any such incidents in the country.

Mr Asare noted that Ghana's borders was also a major concern and urged the citizenry to be vigilant and report suspicious characters in their respective communities for investigation and action.

Mr Wilberforce Zangina, North-East Regional Director, NCCE, stated that violent extremism in neighbouring countries was a worrying phenomenon for peace and national cohesion.

Mr Zangina admonished the youth to resist mouth-watering offers to join groups that tended to destabilise the country.

It is the women, children and the marginalised who suffer most when there is violence and government spends huge sums of money on security agencies instead of undertaking development projects, he added.

The symposium was part of the activities of the Commission with funding support from the European Union to implement a project dubbed, preventing electoral violence and providing security to the Northern Borders of Ghana (NORPREVSEC).

GNA
Nicholas Boakye, alias Kwame Antwi Boasiako, a 28-year-old excavator operator, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for defiling a 12-year-old girl in Assin-Akropong in the Assin-Fosu Municipality of the Central Region.

The convict pleaded guilty to defilement at the court presided over by Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur.

Chief Inspector Gilbert Anyongo, the Prosecutor, presenting the facts, named the complainant as Madam Mavis Mensah, the mother of the victim, who is a trader and resides at Assin-Akropong with the victim and convict.

The Prosecutor said the victim had the habit of asking Boakye for money anytime she met him.

However, on Wednesday, February 9, at about 1230 hours, the victim who was in school, went for a break outside the school compound and saw the convict at a joint watching television.

As usual, the girl went to Boakye and asked for one Cedi of which he obliged but beckoned her to follow him to his house for more money to buy eggs.

The Prosecutor said naively, the girl followed the convict home, where he had sex with her and gave her five Cedis to return to school.

However, the victim was spotted by one Auntie Wole as she was coming out of the convict's room and when questioned, she confirmed that Boakye had sex with her.

Auntie Wole informed the complainant, and a report was made to the Police at Assin-Fosu and a police medical form was given to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital.

Subsequently, the police arrested Boakye, who admitted the offence in his caution statement and was charged as such.

GNA
The Winneba District Magistrate's Court has sentenced a 33-year mason, Ernest Ackom, to six months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing an HP Laptop valued at GHc4,000.00.

The Convict, also known as 'Naya', who is already serving a nine-month jail term for a similar offence, pleaded guilty to stealing and the Court presided over by Mr John Kweku Josiah-Koffie convicted him on his plea.

The prosecutor, Detective Police Inspector Madam Dorinda Azumah, told the court that Mr Samuel Kwesi Nyan, a businessman and owner of Wise-up Publication Centre, was the complainant, while the convict resided at Flamingo, a suburb of Winneba.

The Prosecutor said on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the complainant left his business centre in the care of an attendant, Mr Daniel Clottey, a witness in the case, to attend to some other work in his house at Low-Cost.

The prosecutor said the attendant, who was then sitting behind the counter, went into the shop to print a document and on his return to the counter, realized that the HP Laptop valued GHc4, 000.00 had disappeared.

The attendant then came out of the shop and saw the convict running suspiciously and gave him a chase but he managed to escape, the Prosecutor said.

Detective Inspector Madam Azumah told the Court that Mr Clottey then moved into the community and described the attire the convict was wearing to the people in the vicinity, who directed him to the house of one Prince Ekow Acquah Sampson, Alias Prasado at Winneba Zongo.

The convict, realising that the attendant was still pursuing him, entered the house and scaled the wall.

The prosecutor said on Wednesday, January 5, the complainant met the convict at the Winneba Zongo area and demanded the HP Laptop from him.

The convict said he gave the laptop to Acquah Sampson and pleaded with the complainant to give him some time to retrieve it for him, but he failed to do so.

On January 7, the complainant managed to arrest Ackom at the Zongo Area and sent him to the Winneba Police Station, where he admitted the offence and said the laptop was with Acquah Simpson.

The convict was arraigned and charged with the offence, the prosecutor added.

GNA
The Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, has paid a days familiarization visit to the Bono East Region.

During the visit, she engaged regional heads of security agencies, among others.

She first paid a courtesy call on the Regional Minister, Kwasi Adu-Gyan in Techiman, the regional capital after which she visited the Omanhene of Techiman, Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, who is also a Member of the Council of State.

Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV thanked Maame Tiwaa for the visit wished her well in all that she came to the region to do.

Ponzi schemes

The Omanhene appealed to her to take adequate steps to crack down on Ponzi schemes, which he observed were gaining grounds in some parts of the country as they mostly end up defrauding unsuspecting Ghanaians of their hard-earned monies.

He reminded her of the harm caused by similar schemes in the past such as DKM, Jastar Motors, God is Love to people and called for a swift action to avert their recurrence in any part of the country.

Mr. Kwasi Adu-Gyan, the Regional Minister, for his part, observed that Maame Tiwaas visit would deepen the decentralization efforts of her outfit and the government as a whole.

He said her visit will go a long way to make the regional offices more effective and pledged the full commitment of the Bono East Regional Co-ordinating Councils support toward EOCO at all times.
Kwasi Adu-Gyan, the Bono East Regional Minister, has again emphasised the need for all ethnic groups in the region to live in peace and harmony with other people for the mutual benefit of all.

He said it is only when everyone is at peace with each other that the much-needed development being pushed for could be realized.

Mr. Adu-Gyan made this point when Bono East wing of the Gonja citizens association called on him at his office in Techiman.

Govts plans

The regional minister mentioned the upgrading of the Kintampo College of Health and Wellbeing into a university, efforts to make the region a commercial rice production hub in Ghana, the establishment of military barracks and the re-development of the Fuller Falls at Kintampo as some of the plans of government.

He however observed that all these would not be realized in the absence of peace and unity in the region.

Irrespective of one's tribal or political background, as long as they are Ghanaians, he or she is entitled to live at any place of their choice. But in all of these, peaceful coexistence should be pursued by all, he further stressed.

He recounted how different tribes have lived in the region especially in the northern part of Kintampo peacefully, without any qualms was quick to condemn the recent skirmishes among some of the tribes which he said was inimical to the development of the area.

He entreated people to resort to the appropriate channels and institutions to address all manner of disputes including; chieftaincy and land, instead of taking the law in their own hands which could breach the peace in the area.

He was optimistic that with the support of leadership and members of the Gonja Association and all other tribes, the region will be developed for the benefit of all.

Partnership

Nana Karbato, the chief of Babatokuma near Kintampo, who led the group, seized the opportunity to also introduce to the Minister, the existence of the Gonja Association in the Bono East Region and their readiness to partner with the Regional Coordinating Council and other institutions for the peace, unity and development of the region.

Nana Karbato thanked the Minister and other political actors for contributing to the successful organization of the first-ever Gonja Association meeting in the Bono East at Kintampo couple of weeks ago.

According to Nana Karbato, the association is aware of the importance of decentralization and that made Gonjas in the region fully participated in the activities leading to the creation of the Bono East Region.

He therefore requested the Minister to consider facilitating the creation of a new district out of the Kintampo Municipality, which in his opinion is too large for effective local governance.

He also appealed to the Minister to consider the establishment of a Second Cycle School along the Kintampo-Babato Kuma-Kadelso stretch of the municipality.
One of the prison officers holding the boot of the injured officer

23.02.2022 LISTEN

A Prison officer has been left injured following an accidental discharge of his gun while on escort duty to the Criminal Court 5 Division of the High Court.

At the moment, the identity of the officer and the circumstances that led to the discharge of his gun is unknown.

The court has taken the necessary measures and awaiting the arrival of an investigation team from the Ministries Police Station to look into the incident.

Meanwhile, the Prison officer has been sent to the clinic of the High Court Complex in Accra where he is receiving treatment after shooting himself in the foot.

On the scene of the incident, bloodstains can be seen on the floor on the path that leads to the courtroom located on the 4th floor of the building.

The officer is one of a team of prison personnel that escorted four persons standing trial for unlawful kidnapping of Canadian ladies to the court.

More details of the incident will emerge after the investigators look into what happened.
On 15 and 16 February 2022, 10 villages in the southern part of Unity state, South Sudan, were attacked by armed youth. The result: Thousands of people had to leave their homes and properties, fleeing to nearby Leer town seeking refuge.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), upon receiving initial reports of the conflict, has been working non-stop to reduce tensions and bolster the fragile security situation.

When the fighting broke out, UNMISS peacekeepers from Ghana accompanied me as I reached out to all humanitarian partners and helped us put together our first coordinated response to the crisis, reveals Stephen Taker Riak, County Commissioner for Leer.

Peacekeepers have ramped up patrols in the area and are engaging with communities to build confidence and maintain calm.

The influx of displaced civilians into Leer town is massive and creates a challenging security environment, states Major Frederick Gaffa, who is currently leading all efforts by Ghanaian peacekeepers on the ground.

We are, therefore, intensifying our patrols to keep people safe, reassure the newly displaced and prevent any further escalations.

Unity state is already beleaguered by the worst flooding in 60 years and this latest upsurge in conflict has exacerbated an already large humanitarian need.

Food and clean drinking water are in short supply for the newly displaced, so we are, temporarily, also providing them with water, adds Major Gaffa.

This initiative by peacekeepers has been much appreciated.

We are surrounded by flood waters here in Leer and when women and children began arriving, it was a difficult situation, explains Paulino Kuch, Coordinator, Relief and Rehabilitation Commission. There were four days when the newly displaced faced shortages of food and drinking water. However, thanks to UNMISS peacekeepers they now have clean water.

It is estimated that some 3,000 households are currently sheltering in Leer town, and more are flocking in every day. Ghanaian peacekeepers stationed here are offering to transport those needing urgent medical attention with their sole ambulance.

However, the situation remains dire and urgent humanitarian relief is needed for the suffering.
Some police personnel and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atwima Mponua in the Ashanti Region have been attacked by some angry residents of Ntobroso.

The residents, who are believed to be illegal miners alleged that the DCE brought in military officers to the area to clamp down on their activities.

Officers from the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces are currently in the area as part of the second phase of Operation Halts deployment against illegal mining activities.

The team has visited some illegal mining sites and some excavators and other equipment were set ablaze.

The incident however infuriated the illegal miners who attacked the police together with the DCE of the area.

The angry residents caused damage to a police vehicle in the process.

Some miners mounted roadblocks to deny the military access to the mining sites.

With the nature of this job, the Military came in here, and they didnt inform me as DCE. I do not know anything about the deployment. But look at the situation prevailing over here, it is very bad he lamented.

---citinewsroom
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), says it has not received any official letter on the alleged sacking of Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo, its Minister.

We have not received any such official communication from the Presidency, the Public Relations Unit of the Ministry told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, February 23,2022, and asked the public to disregard such discussions in the media.

This followed media reports that the Minister had been 'fired' for her absence in Parliament and the Ministry.

The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, has for weeks been criticised in the media for 'abandoning' Parliament and the Ministry, with some people calling for her removal from office as Minister.

In October last year, a statement from the Presidency signed by the Director of Communications, Mr Eugene Arhin, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had directed Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, to act as a Caretaker Minister of MoGCSP.

This was after the President's extension of the leave of absence from office of Madam Safo, which was to have ended on August 31, 2021, the statement said.

It explained that the Minister sought leave of absence for personal reasons and that the Caretaker-Minister would be in charge until further notice.

GNA
What Remains is one of the most successful South African plays of recent years. Written by Nadia Davids and directed and choreographed by Jay Pather, both artists and academics from the University of Cape Town, it has won numerous awards . Most recently Davids received the prestigious English Academy of Southern Africa Olive Schreiner Prize for Drama for the published text. We asked them about creating the work that shines a spotlight on South Africa's history of enslaved people.

What is the play about?

Nadia Davids: What Remains is a fusion of text, dance and movement that tells a story about the unexpected uncovering of a slave burial ground in Cape Town, the archaeological dig that follows and a city haunted by the memory of slavery . When the bones emerge from the ground, everyone in the city  slave descendants , archaeologists, citizens, property developers  is forced to reckon with a history sometimes remembered, sometimes forgotten.

So the play fictionalises the uncovering of a graveyard at Prestwich Place where, in 2003, a corporate real estate development famously struck an eighteenth century burial ground  one of the largest ever to be unearthed in the southern hemisphere. Nearly 3,000 bodies were accounted for, from babies who were a just few weeks old  the children of enslaved washerwomen  to men in their late sixties.

Four figures  The Archaeologist, The Healer, The Dancer and The Student  move between bones and books, archives and madness, paintings and protest, as they struggle to reconcile the past with the now.

What does it tell us about Cape Town's history?

Nadia Davids: As I wrote in 2017, The response in Cape Town was immediate and polarised: the property developers wanted to continue building, heritage managers and archaeologists prioritised a scientific examination of the remains (important data could be drawn from the bones, the material traces held answers, frustrating gaps in archival research could be closed) while an alliance of community activists claiming descendancy from those buried insisted on the immediate reinterment of the bones.

They felt (understandably) that to examine the bones, to pick them over, would be to commit violence afresh on bodies that had in life been subjected to unforgivable cruelty. "Stop robbing the graves! cried someone at one of the first community meetings, and another, I went to school at Prestwich Street Primary School. We grew up with haunted places; we lived on haunted ground. We knew there were burial grounds there. My question to the City is, how did this happen?

It struck me that this discovery  its evidence of terror and the complex response to it  was, in and of itself and a profound metaphor for our country. History, a deeply unresolved history, had literally emerged from the earth and demanded a present-day conversation  and the conversation (or the argument) that came of it was a struggle between capital, memory, hurt, history, the official, the neglected, how we remember and whom we cherish. It was both of its own time and, painfully, of ours.

Why did you ask Jay Pather to collaborate?

Nadia Davids: Jay Pather is a brilliant artist  his choreography is exquisite and captivating but it is also political, deeply felt, impossibly precise, full of a profound understanding of our country and its brutal histories. And yet somehow, it's always hopeful, dreaming about a different, better future. When I first started writing What Remains I thought I was writing a novella. At a certain point I realised that this was a story that needed liveness, embodiment  collectively, collaboration, immediacy. In other words, it was a play, not a novel. And I knew Jay was the person to direct it.

I approached him with the text and was thrilled that he was interested. Early in our discussions he suggested adding the character of The Dancer. He explained that he wanted to work with movement and dance as a means of understanding the text as choreographic in and of itself and that The Dancer's movement's would not just animate, but respond to the text and narrate the stories that were unspeakable. I thought this an absolutely electrifying idea.

What did you hope to add with dance, Jay?

Jay Pather: Nadia's text is pithy  restrained and poetic and yet grounded in major historical events and questions about our future. The dance derives from this, prompted by the text. So dance in the work is not present just as interludes and even though there is a designated dancer who gives form to all the hauntings, all the actors move. The text moves effortlessly, like seamless choreography, in and out of the ordinary and large scale epochs. Saturated with movement, the direction and choreography follow that cue.

The text pushes the envelope?

Nadia Davids: In the published version, Jay and I were working with the idea of shifting how playtexts are usually created. We wanted to do something genre-bending by including ideas around the staging and evocative descriptions (not steps) of the dance and movement.

What responses have you had from audiences?

Wits University Press

Nadia Davids: Audiences have been deeply invested in the work  people stayed behind to speak to us, they were moved, enraged, disturbed, comforted  In its first iteration in 2016 the play was staged at the University of Cape Town. In 2017 it was invited to the South African National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Another run in Cape Town followed and then stagings at the 2017 Afrovibes Festival in the Netherlands. Almost all performances were sold out.

Sometimes a work strikes an unexpected chord, is able to articulate a moment or a feeling held by many. In this instance, a simultaneous need for historical reckoning around enslavement, long disenfranchisement and access to the city centre, coupled with a sense  both locally and globally  that we are in a very dangerous moment politically.

The text of What Remains is available at Wits University Press

Nadia Davids has received funding from AHRC, The Leverhulme Trust and The Prince Clause Fund. She is affiliated with PEN South Africa.

Jay Pather does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

By Nadia Davids, Associate Professor, University of Cape Town And

Jay Pather, Professor, University of Cape Town
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has descended heavily on First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu for overruling his decision.

On Tuesday, February 22, 22, the First Deputy Speaker, popularly known as Joe Wise overruled an earlier decision taken by the Speaker on the motion filed by the Minority seeking a probe into the Covid-19 spending.

Unhappy about the decision of his deputy, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin described it as unconstitutional, illegal, and also offensive.

According to the Speaker of Parliament, what happened in the house on Tuesday is completely unacceptable.

The penchant of the 1st Deputy Speaker to overrule my ruling is, to say the least, unconstitutional, illegal, and offensive. Be that as it may, I shall not be taking any steps to overrule the decision of the 1st Deputy Speaker to dismiss the motion as moved by the Honorable ranking member of the Finance Committee, Speaker Alban Bagbin said while addressing the house.

In his address, the Speaker of Parliament stressed that very soon, he will start ordering the marshals to walk out members of Parliament that misbehave during sitting.

Speaker Bagbin charged MPs to take the work of the house seriously and always put the interest of the Ghanaian people first.
The Central African Republic has opened an investigation after four soldiers from the French Foreign Legion operating under a UN mandate were arrested in Bangui on Monday, accused of planning to "assassinate" the head of state.

Tuesday's announcement came on the same day that France and the United States accused mercenaries working for the Russian private security company Wagner of having "executed and massacred" dozens of civilians.

US and French ambassadors to the United Nations voiced their grievances at the UN Security Council, alleging that the Wagner group was conducting a "systematic campaign of terror" in the Central African Republic where they are fighting the rebel forces alongside the regular army.

The four Legionnaires arrested on Monday at Bangui airport were reportedly heavily armed and in army fatigues.

According to the Bangui public prosecutor, the accused are believed to be either French, Italian, Romanian or Bulgarian nationals, who were allegedly travelling in an unmarked vehicle without a UN logo.

The French army and United Nations maintain the men were escorting French General Stephane Marchenoir, chief of staff of the UN peacekeeping force in Central African Republic to the airport, where he was taking a plane to Paris.

Assassination claims

However, the four were immediately accused on several private accounts on social networks - many with photos of their equipment - of having wanted to "assassinate" the Central African President Faustin Archange Touadera.

Touadera's convoy was reportedly due to pass through the same area at the same time.

Paris and the have UN forcefully denied the allegations, denouncing the accusations as "disinformation" and "gross manipulation."

Proxy war of words

The incident comes at a time when relations between France and its former colony are increasingly tense, exacerbated by a bitter war of influence between Paris and Moscow in the country, which has been in civil conflict since 2013.

France accuses the Central African Republic of being "complicit" in an anti-French campaign orchestrated by Moscow, notably through trolling on social networks and some media outlets.

Moscow blames Paris for accusing Wagner's paramilitaries of having seized power and resources in the country.
The Central African Republic (CAR) says it has launched an investigation into four French Foreign Legionnaires who are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the strife-torn country, as the UN chief demanded their release.

The four were arrested on Monday, sparking accusations on social media that they had planned to "assassinate" President Faustin Archange Touadera -- allegations that coincide with a row with France over Touadera's use of Russian paramilitaries.

The CAR public prosecutor late Tuesday said the soldiers -- "of French, Italian, Romanian and Bulgarian nationality" -- were arrested outside Bangui airport.

They had been travelling in an unmarked car and were dressed in camouflage uniform and were heavily armed, the prosecutor's office said.

It announced the opening of a "routine inquiry to shed light on the facts."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly condemned" the arrest.

As part of the UN's peacekeeping force MINUSCA, the four "enjoy privileges and immunities which are held in the interest of the United Nations," his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

That includes a "specific procedure" for when a member of MINUSCA is suspected of having committed an offence -- a procedure which Dujarric said had "not been followed."

They must be released "unconditionally and without delay," he said.

'Systemic' violence

The French army and the United Nations say the four had been providing a security escort for General Stephane Marchenoir, a Frenchman who heads the MINUSCA in the deeply troubled CAR.

He had gone to the airport to take a plane for Paris, they say.

But rumours instantly circulated on social media -- condemned as false or manipulative by France and the UN -- saying the Legionnaires had planned to "assassinate" Touadera, whose motorcade was to pass nearby.

A senior UN official in the CAR met Touadera in a bid to secure their release, a UN spokesman said in New York on Tuesday.

The incident coincided with French and US allegations at the UN Security Council on Tuesday that "mercenaries" from Russia's Wagner group, hired by the CAR, killed dozens of civilians last month.

"The violence is systematic, deliberate... aimed at provoking terror to control certain areas of land and extract profit," the French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, charged.

The CAR plunged into bloodshed along sectarian lines in 2013 when the then president, Francois Bozize, was toppled by a predominantly Muslim militia.

Map locating Central African Republic, with its capital Bangui. By AFPFile

Military intervention by France, the country's former colonial power, helped stabilise the situation, enabling the deployment of MINUSCA.

But peace today remains elusive, and powerful armed groups that arose during the conflict retain significant clout.

A coalition of them tried to topple Touadera ahead of elections in December 2020, but were thwarted after Russia flew in hundreds of paramilitaries and Rwanda sent its own military contingent.

The Kremlin describes the Russians as "unarmed instructors," while the UN and France say they are Wagner personnel who have carried out repeated abuses.

With the Russians' help, the beleaguered CAR armed forces have regained control over the major cities.

The rebels have been forced into the countryside, where they launch attacks on the security forces and civilians.

cv-vi-amt-prh-gir/mm/ri/cdw/st/
Sarah Adwoa Safo, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has been sacked from the ministerial position and a substantive replacement would be announced in a matter of days, The New Publisher has gathered from the corridors of power.

The exact reasons for her dismissal are still sketchy.

Adwoa Safo has been absent from the Ministry for several months and the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, hinted on Tuesday that she may have lost interest in remaining Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection after her failed attempt to sack Mrs Gertrude Quashigah, the National Coordinator of the School Feeding Program.

Mr. Agyapong said that embarrassing attempt by Adwoa Safo to sack Mrs. Quashigah, in itself, was a wrong move because she had failed to investigate and establish the truth behind some frivolous allegations raised against the very highly respected woman.

Public calls for either the resignation or dismissal of Adwoa Safo heightened after her prolonged absenteeism from the Ministry and the continuous nature of the attitude.

The Presidency, when it became obvious Adwoa was not returning anytime soon, had to direct the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah, to be a caretaker for Adwoa Safos office while she continues to cool off in America and periodically appears on Tik Tok with a pretty polished face, dancing and singing.

Sarah Adwoa Safo doubles as the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in the Greater Accra Region and she has topped headline news for the better part of this year over her absence from Parliament as well, especially the explanation her party members and persons close to her are claiming to the reason she is not showing up in Parliament.

One of such persons is Kennedy Agyapong, the Assin Central MP with whom Adwoa Safo has two children.

Kennedy, her college MP from same party and father of her two children, has stated during several media interviews that Adwoa Safo had insisted she would not return to Parliament until it is officially announced that she has been made the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament.

In plain language, the return of Adwoa Safo to Parliament would only be possible if the current Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander AfenyoMarkin, MP for Effutu Constituency, is officially told and compelled to hand over the position to her, as though she were some extraordinary genius or an overly pampered spoilt little kid yelling and rolling on the floor over the loaded gun of a hunter she wants to play with.

According to Kennedy Agyapong, There are fine men and women who have made the efforts to talk to Adwoa; first is the President himself, I dont know why he has a soft spot for Adwoa Safo. Two is the Chief of Staff. Three is Honourable Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and myself  A chief had travelled to where she is just to convince her, she refused to come

He continued: Adwoas condition is that you have to remove Afenyo-Markin as Deputy Majority Leader and announce it publicly that Afenyo-Markin has been removed then she would take a plane and come. Her second demand is that if she does not get what she wants, she would not come to vote for the E-Levy and if the E-Levy is not passed, the country would go to IMF.

Kennedy continued: Adwoa Safo; they hired a private jet for her to fly to Ghana and when she came, she refused to come to Parliament. The Chief of Staff, after buying the tickets and flying her in, she had to take a motorcade to Adwoas house. She stood behind her gates for 30 minutes, what kind of rudeness is that, before she opened. The chief of Staff was made to sit at her living room for 35 minutes. When she came she was tired so we could not vote. Then going back, she was demanding another private jet. Ahhhh!

Kennedy said the Chief of Staff has done everything humanly possible to pamper Adwoa Safo to return to Parliament but the Dome-Kwabenya MP would simply not co-operate.

He said there was a time the Chief of Staff even gave him an amount of 120,000 which he deposited in Adwoa Safos bank account yet she still would not be appeased.

Videos of Sarah Adwoa Safo dancing on Tik Tok went viral on Monday and earned her some public verbal bashings.

By close of day Monday, all posts on her Tik Tok got deleted and then the account was completely deactivated.

MORE SOON.

Source: thepublisheronline.com
Guinea-Bissau's former prime minister, Domingos Simoes Pereira, has been banned from leaving the country due to a probe into an alleged coup attempt last year, the attorney-general told AFP on Wednesday.

The move comes several weeks after a failed coup attempt in the notoriously unstable West African country in which 11 people died.

On February 1, heavily armed men attacked government buildings in the capital Bissau while President Umaro Sissoco Embalo was chairing a cabinet meeting.

Embalo, 49, later told reporters that he had escaped the five-hour gun battle and described the attack as a plot to wipe out the government.

The identity and motives of the assailants remain unclear. Guinea-Bissau's government launched an investigation into what it called a failed coup.

On Wednesday, Attorney-General Bacary Biaye told AFP that Pereira had been placed under judicial review the previous day, meaning that he cannot leave the country without permission.

The decision is related to a separate alleged plot to overthrow Embalo in April 2021 -- of which the details remain vague.

Guinea-Bissau. By AFP

Pereira, who lost a 2019 presidential election to Embalo, is the leader of the once-dominant African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC).

Embalo took office in February 2020, following four years of political in-fighting under Guinea-Bissau's semi-presidential system.

Pereira bitterly contested the result, but Embalo declared himself president without waiting for the outcome of the former prime minister's petition to the Supreme Court.

Guinea-Bissau, a coastal state of around two million people south of Senegal, has suffered four military coups since 1974, most recently in 2012.
Chairman of the movement for Bawumia, Duncan Opoku Boateng (Bombay), has called for a swift probe into the 2024 flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kyerematen.

This call comes on the back of Alan Kyerematens decision to purchase nomination forms for all aspiring polling station executives across the country, totaling an estimated amount of GH1 million.

According to him, Alan Kyerematens presidential ambition makes it questionable for him to purchase the forms for these aspirants. We need to investigate him for purchasing the forms for the polling station executives. I know he has a presidential ambition and his actions can be interpreted as buying party people so that when the ban is lifted they will be convinced to vote for him.

In an interview with Happy98.9FMs Don Kwabena Prah on the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show, he believes the investigation into the dealings of Alan Kyerematen will prevent his actions from becoming a precedent for others.

Asked if Alan Kyerematens actions were not equal to that of the Ashanti Regional Chair, Chairman Wontumi, Bombay answered in the negative. To him, Chairman Wontumi has been purchasing nomination forms for polling station executives since time immemorial. If Alan is doing it for the same reasons as Wontumi then thats fine but if not, then he has to be investigated.

New Patriotic Partys Presidential hopeful, Alan Kyerematen, has paid for nomination forms for all aspiring polling station executives across the country.

The Trade and Industry Minister funded the entire nomination forms in all 275 constituencies to facilitate the ongoing polling station level election process within the elephant family.

To lessen the burden on the grassroots leaders, the hugely revered party stalwart sent out monies to the various constituencies to cover the cost which otherwise would have been borne by the very grassroots members of the party.

In the case of orphan constituencies, Alan Kyerematen paid for both the nomination forms and the cost of the passport pictures of the aspiring polling station executives.

This gesture forms part of longstanding efforts by Mr. Kyerematen to support polling station executives as he is noted to place much emphasis on the well-being of the grassroots of the New Patriotic Party.

Some political pundits and experts have predicted Alan Kyerematen as the replacement to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the next Presidential candidate of the NPP heading into the 2024 general election.

---happyghana.com
Chairman of the movement for Bawumia, Duncan Opoku Boateng (Bombay), has touted General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu as an irreplaceable leader in the party.

According to him, no one can compare to John Boadu and even replace him for the effective and efficient leader he is. He insists he (John Boadu) is not to be blamed for the violence that erupted over polling station executive forms in the Ashanti Region.

John Boadu has been described as having no authority and regard in the NPP, as his directives are continually disregarded by regional and district level executives.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has released its timetable for the election of its local and national executives across the country.

The opening and closing of nominations for the executives will be from February 19, 2022, to February 29, 2022.

However, some regional executives in the Ashanti Region have withheld the nomination forms refusing to obey the national directive with authorization from John Boadu and this has led to the questioning of his role as a leader.

Bombay vehemently opposing these sentiments about John Boadu stated, We can never get a leader as dedicated and committed as General John Boadu. When we are going through a problem he will be right there to resolve it in a twinkle of an eye.

He revealed John Boadu has been in the Ashanti Region for the past few days working judiciously to resolve the conflict and make sure the polling station executive aspirants can easily pick up forms without incident.

Although John Boadu is ensuring sanity prevails in the region, Bombay argues the NPP General Secretary is not a security operative responsible for peace in the Ashanti Region.

John Boadu is not a security operative to ensure there is peace or to resolve the violence in the party that results from someone refusing to release forms or heed to a national directive. Anyone engaged in any form of vandalism will have to be reported to the police for the law to take its course. Even put that aside, the constituencies recording these violent occurrences have 17 executives and a chairman each so if there is any violence in their jurisdiction, they need to ensure peace and not John Boadu. Why should he be blamed from everything? he asked in an interview with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9FMs Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

---happyghana.com
23.02.2022 LISTEN

The RUBICON is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, just south of Ravenna. Its significance is grounded with the ancient river Rubicon, famously crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 BC.

The phrase RUBICON MOMENT alludes to Julius Caesars crossing the Rubicon River (between Italy and Gaul), thereby starting a war against Pompey and the Roman Senate, which ultimately led to his death.

It is the moment in time when we commit to a course of action, make a fateful and final decision to cross the Rubicon.

An ancient Roman law forbade any army general from crossing the River Rubicon and entering Italy proper with a standing army. To do so was to be considered an act of treason, punishable by tortuous and agonizing death; the purpose of the Roman law was to protect the Republic from internal military threats.

When Julius Caesar was about to cross the Rubicon, he was quoted to have said: anerriphto kybos or LET THE DIE BE CAST, with no turning back.

For each one of us, what do we consider as our RUBICON MOMENTS with no turning back, once we cross that fateful river, and how many times in our individual lives or even in our national collective lives as a people, have we come to these moments without thinking of the consequences before, especially as some of these transcend space and time and generations?

The phrase: RUBICON MOMENT is also that definitely short period of time or instant or present time or any other particular time, usually preceded by an ACTION that invariably changes a course as it is that definite period in history or stage, as in a course of events, noted for its importance or consequences. It could also be a decision of great import, a defining moment, instance or spark of success, excellence, litigation, revolution, genocide, bloodbath, mayhem or massacres and indeed, the most memorable occurrence recorded in history.

Truth be told, it is also that moment in time, when we commit to a course of action, make a fateful and final decision to cross the Rubicon.

In all human history, crossing the Rubicon is also the MOMENT that we invariably always regret, the HAD I KNOWN MOMENT, that leads to the death of someone, an arrest for prosecution, attracting the pointing of fingers wherever we pass, becoming part of folklore and sometimes so shameful to wish not to have been born or the earth would open up and swallow us up; that one slip of tongue, instance of insanity or madness, when we are so full of ourselves to make us think that it is better to let it stand, damn the consequences than to APOLOGIZE for the damage or hurts done by our actions or utterances.

Over the last fifty years of my life here on earth, I have witnessed RUBICON MOMENTS destroy friendships, families, nations, treaties, alliances, siblings, even twins, marriages, political parties, institutions, governments, generations and civilizations because of one moment of careless talk or joke or misconstrued phrase in a language; a very insignificant utterance, misplaced by time and space to provide the spark to inflamed emotions, a raging inferno that end up destroying the very best of everything.

We have all seen what happened during Elections 2020 and as we walk towards Elections 2024, desiring to Break The Eight or Do Or Die to stop the eight, what we should all be mindful of is particularly with our utterances, public discourses, participation in radio and TV discussion programmes, social media postings, deliberate posting of FAKE NEWS, we should know that at the RUBICON MOMENTS something should prompt us to have second thoughts to back down, knowing that once we cross those moments, there would be no turning back.

We ought to remember always that such moments in time require some higher levels of soberness, deep introspections or reflections of the future consequences of the decisions, including impact on our families and their future, including even those yet unborn and funnily sometimes, our pets and innocent bystanders or neighbourhoods. They are always not reversible, once we cross the moments, there will be no turning back.

There are three human institutions, which over the ages since creation have suffered variously as well as severally as VICTIMS of Rubicon Moments, namely Marriages, Families and Friendships because we are all easily prone to falling victims to our own moments, that split fleeting instances that we think we have been so hurt to damn any consequences of our actions and or inactions. Indeed, we become so incensed not to mind what we say to each other at such moments of brief INSANITIES, to make us drop that bombshell to change the course of personal or institutional history.

You know, beautiful, envious, publicly admired marriages have collapsed beyond redemption, leading to divorces because of WORDS SPOKEN in those moments, for the river Rubicon to be crossed.

Life-long friendships have been destroyed beyond redemption for a simple wrong-turn of sad commentary or misplaced opinion, which will so hurt the ego of the other that could require an instant APOLOGY but pride as always will have the centre-stage and the Rubicon Moment sets in to destroy such friendship.

Families have also been so devastated and broken with such bitterness to affect their pets and even the very air they both breath or to the extremities of refusing a seat in church because the seat offered is next to his or hers. Such absurdities can only be possible, even in the Church because of a Rubicon Moment, either between siblings or twins and worse, it is expected that other offsprings would of necessity take a side in the conflict, including friends and domestic animals such as pets.

So I dare ask: how on earth can an animal appreciate such conflict between humans and take a side?

Accommodation of each other with all our imperfections, wrong sense of humour and timings, many times not seeing beyond our noses, always missing the bigger pictures of life and thereby falling victims of occasions with dire consequences.

We have become as base as to even say: AS FOR YOU, I WILL NEVER TALK TO YOU AGAIN TILL MY DEATH.

Remember, almost all of us are guilty of such misdemeanors, which we see as JOKES but in the long run defeats the real reasons why we are here on earth, at such a time as this, not before nor after, for specific assignments that we have to perform to expand the FRONTIERS OF LIFE, making life much better for the next or future generations than to allow such moments to deny us of such accomplishments.

We should never, ever forget that like atoms and molecules in the space of time, whatever we say or do in time, will always come back to haunt us, as consequences for every action or inaction.

If you know me, its never been my intention to court controversies ever in my life but then there are moments in this life that plain innocent comments by their very nature can rake up such issues as Julius Caesar faced at that Rubicon Moment; and by some twist of fate these special instances happen in one place that its least expected.

The Church has always been so reflective of the kind of societies various civilizations have molded for themselves, even to their eventual collapses because of human influences  our fears, our anxieties, our wickednesses, our apprehensions, our constant desires and or quests for absolutions for various omissions and commissions we commit, our show of opulence and ultimately, our cry for penitence after our Rubicon Moments.

The Church has always reflected the decadence of the kind of society we collectively build for ourselves, to the extent of seeing two sworn enemies refusing seats offered in the church because it will force them to hold hands should the priest call for that; and where whole families stop fellowshipping at a particular church because someone their father or mother hates just joined the church.

You know, this life here on earth is a whole different ballgame, considering the impact of the RUBICON MOMENTS, we take for granted variously in our lives, requiring some higher levels of soberness, deep reflections of the future consequences of the decisions, including impact on our families and their future, even those yet unborn; and funnily sometimes, our pets and innocent bystanders or neighbourhoods, making it imperative for us to make haste slowly at such moments.

Indeed, it might even be better if we could sleep over these decisions for days, before going back or reverting as they are always NOT REVERSIBLE, once you cross there would be no turning back.

It is for these RUBICON MOMENTS that I am beginning to be worried about the language of our political class as we walk towards ELECTIONS 2024 with all the show of MACHOISM  assertive or aggressive manliness or machismo; an assertively virile, dominating, or domineering show of force, always forgetting that it is the children of ordinary Ghanaians, who would suffer. You remember, those who died during Elections 2020 were not the children of the political class.

Even with the polling station registrations and pending elections for the executives, just check the language and show of force, how much more when we get to the Constituency, Regional and finally, the National level before the Presidential Candidates over the next year, and before ELECTIONS 2024, need I say more?

We should all endeavour to MIND OUR LANGUAGES before we get into the RUBICON MOMENTS with more than dire consequences, even as some of us worry about the state we will leave this nation, Ghana for our children, childrens children and rest of our descendants.

This is why, we will continue to call for a CHANGE, preach for a CHANGE and continue to write about CHANGES in our body-politick because a CHANGE IS GONNA COME, sooner than later.

By Magnus Naabe RexDanquah, the Ghanaian - is a Land Economist & Appraiser,

Events Architect & Planner, SportBusiness Consultant, Social Commentator and an Author
23.02.2022 LISTEN

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has called on government to evacuate Ghanaian students stuck in Ukraine as a result of the geopolitical war between the country and Russia.

In a statement on February 23, the union stated that as other countries are evacuating their students Ghana must not as usual be tardy in doing same.

The union suggested that the measure of evacuation used for Ghanaian students abroad during the peak of the covid-19 pandemic can be adopted to bring home stranded students in Ukraine.

The statement added that some students had already left Ukraine and have arrived in Ghana.

Find full statement below
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has warned miscreant Members of Parliament (MPs) that he will in the foregoing have them arrested by the marshals of the house.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, the Speaker with an unhappy tone stressed that MPs who have been misbehaving in the house are making him sick.

He said if such bad attitudes are not changed, he will be left with no choice but to have such Members of Parliament arrested.

You are all matured adults. What Im talking about is still happening. The marshals department get ready. I will be compelled to get the marshal to get people arrested and sent out, Speaker Alban Bagbin told the house.

Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin continued amid ongoing murmuring You are saying eii. Parliament is not a place for joking. Its a place for serious business. The parliament we are in has never been in Ghana, even Gold Coast. This is a different type of parliament. We must be prepared to change to accept the decision of the people and work together. You make me sick.

The Speaker today also took time to emphasise that he will not tolerate any disrespect from the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu.

On Tuesday, February 22, the First Deputy Speaker, popularly known as Joe Wise overruled an earlier decision taken by the Speaker on the motion filed by the Minority seeking a probe into the Covid-19 spending.

Unhappy about the decision of the deputy, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin described it as unconstitutional, illegal, and also offensive.

According to the Speaker of Parliament, what happened in the house on Tuesday is completely unacceptable.

The penchant of the 1st Deputy Speaker to overrule my ruling is, to say the least, unconstitutional, illegal, and offensive. Be that as it may, I shall not be taking any steps to overrule the decision of the 1st Deputy Speaker to dismiss the motion as moved by the Honorable ranking member of the Finance Committee, Speaker Alban Bagbin said while addressing the house.
Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has announced that a total of 19 developer/developer consortiums have been prequalified for the Ras Mohaisen-Baha-Makkah Independent Water Transmission Pipeline Project (IWTP) in the kingdom.

On completion, the 300-km-long Ras Mohaisen-Baha-Makkah pipeline project will boast a transmission capacity of up to 400,000 cu m per day, said a statement from SWPC.

The list of the pre-qualified bidders (lead and/or technical) for the project include global players such as Spanish infrastructure major Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios; Japan's Marubeni Corporation; and Chinese companies - Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment, China Harbour Engineering Company and China Railway Construction Corporation; in addition to regional firms - Utico and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (UAE), Kuwait's Gulf Investment Corporation and Bahrain-based Lamar Holding.

SWPC said in June last year, 37 companies had expressed their interest in the project, of which 25 were Saudi firms.

The big Saudi firms which have now been prequalified are Abdul Aziz Al Ajlan Sons; Al Bawani; Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies; Al Sharif Group; Al Yamama; Mutlaq Al Ghowairi; Mowah; Sarh Attaqnia, Tamasuk and Vision International Invest Company.

SWPC in an earlier notification said it will be conducting a competitive process to select a developer/developer consortium for the Ras Mohaisen-Baha-Makkah pipeline project which will be set up on a build, own, operate and transfer (Boot) basis.

The winning developer will provide the entire transmission capacity to SWPC under a water transmission agreement (WTA), which is likely to be up to 35 years.

SWPCs obligations under the WTA will be supported by a credit support agreement entered into by the Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For the project, SWPC had appointed Synergy Consulting IFA as the lead and financial advisor), Amer Al Amr Law Firm as legal advisor and Fichtner GmbH & Co KG as technical advisors.
Nana Owusu Banahene, a communication team member for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has told the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta that being sympathetic at the town hall meetings will not convince Ghanaians to accept e-levy.

He urged the Finance Minister, to conduct an investigation on the embezzlement of public funds rather than overburden the already fed-up Ghanaians with "killer taxes."

According to the NDC spokesperson, he believes the emotional approach being used by the sector minister to cajole Ghanaians to buy into the e-levy will make matters worse considering his business track record.

I think if youre going to go on a huge platform to use emotional approach to motivate Ghanaians to agree on the e-levy, your life story with your parents and your kindness doesnt come in. We all know you have also contributed to the development of the country by creating jobs through the establishment of your businesses, he mentioned during a panel discussion with Don Kwabena Prah on Happy98.9 FMs Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

He continued, Kofi Amoabeng even came to tell us your businesses were all facing challenges. Upon all your Yale education, you went ahead to even take loans from UT Bank. He wasnt able to pay for two to five years. He was able to pay when the NPP came into government. So, his talks about him being successful and all that kindness on the personal level doesnt come in. All Ghanaians have been saying since its introduction is that it is a bad levy, he added.
Rescuers in Madagascar on Wednesday began to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Emnati, which overnight lashed the island nation still reeling from the impact of another cyclone earlier this month.

Faly Aritiana Fabien, a senior official at Madagascar's National Risk Management Office (BNGRC), told AFP no human casualties had been reported but said it was important to "remain cautious" less than 24 hours after Emnati's arrival.

Houses were submerged in brown water, debris and uprooted trees, an AFP correspondent saw, as the weather conditions prevented rescuers from carrying out thorough searches in the worst-affected areas in the south and southeast.

Emnati "made landfall around 2300 GMT just north of the southeastern district of Manakara", Fabien had earlier told AFP.

Cyclone Emnati. By Simon MALFATTO AFP

The storm, which passed just north of the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Reunion, had weakened slightly by the time it reached the eastern coast of Madagascar.

But it was still packing winds of around 100 kilometres per hour (62 miles per hour) and gusts of 140 kph, according to Meteo-France.

The cyclone is forecast to exit Madagascar Wednesday night, but national weather forecaster Meteo-Madagascar warned of strong gusts, heavy rain and widespread flooding around the southern and southeastern districts.

Meteo-France has warned that another tropical storm may form in the next five days.

UN agencies had on Tuesday said they were preparing "for the worst".

Another storm, Cyclone Batsirai, struck the island on February 5, affecting some 270,000 people and claiming 121 lives.

At the same time, some 21,000 people remain displaced from when Tropical Storm Ana struck in late January.

Another 5,000 were affected last week by Tropical Storm Dumako.

More than 37,000 people have been moved to emergency shelters as a precautionary measure.

One of the poorest countries in the world, Madagascar's southern region has been ravaged by drought.

The UN says it is the worst in 40 years and blames climate change for the crisis.

Madagascar is prone to numerous storms and cyclones between November and April every year.
23.02.2022 LISTEN

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, has expressed his utter dissatisfaction with a cash donation of $4 million presented by the Ghana Chamber of Mines to the Appiatse Support Fund, established to, among others, support the victims of the Appiatse explosion and to reconstruct the Appiatse community.

The Chamber made the donation at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2022.

Presenting the donation, the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Eric Asubonteng, said the Chamber was very concerned about the incident and have therefore pulled their resources together, culminating in the $4 million they were presenting.

He revealed that the main contributors to the donation are Anglogold Ashanti Ltd, Chirano Gold Mines Ltd, Goldfields Ghana Ltd, and Newmont Ghana Ltd.

He said the Chamber has a total membership of over seventy (70) companies, and expressed his hope that the other members will contribute to the Fund.

It has been handled in such a way that the industry has been held together. Because it could have meant anything, and if it had gotten out of hand, it wouldn't have been to the benefit of any stakeholder, Mr. Assubonteng said.

Receiving the donation, the Minister thanked the Chamber, and particularly the four main contributors to the donation made.

He, however, expressed his disappointment and dissatisfaction with the amount donated.

He said given the membership of the Chamber, the industry they are engaged in, and their portfolio, the donation made was very insignificant, having regard to the destruction caused. He said the extractive industry must do more to carry the people with them, and must, therefore, show leadership and greater responsibility in such unfortunate and tragic incidents.

Mr. Jinapor said, having visited the people of Appiatse on several occasions after the tragic incident, he is aware of the general feeling of the people.

Most of them feel they were sitting in their homes, doing their little farming, only for some mining they do not benefit from cause an explosion that has devastated their lives and made them miserable, Mr. Jinapor said.

The Minister said, it is not out of place for the Chamber to take up the entire cost of the reconstruction of the community, and if he had his way, he would have compelled the Chamber to do so.

He said he was excited that the Chamber named the companies that contributed, and looked forward to the other companies to do same.

He encouraged the Chamber to publish the names of the companies and the amount they are contributing for transparency and accountability.

Mr. Jinapor pledged the Ministry's continuous support to the Chamber and urged the Chamber to work hand in hand with the government as partners.

---DGN online
Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged the Parliamentary Subsidiary Legislation Committee to consider increasing the membership of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

He said Parliament would also strategize to form subcommittees within the PAC and assign them the voluminous reports before it and report to the leadership of the Committee to finalize and submit to the House.

The Speaker made the recommendation on Tuesday in a statement to the House to address matters that were pertinent to the functioning of Parliament and lies at the core of what Members of Parliament do in the Chamber and by extension the House.

He intimated that the reports of the Auditor-General were very critical and crucial for the sanity of Ghana's democracy.

I have had the opportunity to dialogue with the Auditor-General and his team and they are ready to support us in this direction, Mr Bagbin said.

He (Auditor-General) says their spirits are low because a lot of what they submit to Parliament, we haven't attended to. We must lift up that spirit by quickening our pace for consideration of those reports and submitting to the House. I hope we are together.

The Speaker said there was a growing trend where members of the various Committees of the House sat in Committee meetings, participate in the meeting and then come on to the floor of Parliament to raise new objections to the Committee's report when same was not done at the committee's level.

We have what we have in this House as the Bagbin's rule, that when a member of a committee raises objection at the Committee's level and doesn't succeed, it doesn't prevent the member from raising the same objection at the plenary... but you must first raise it at the Committee level.

You can disagree with the decision of the committee and therefore you bring it to the plenary for the whole House to consider the reason behind your objection and agree with you or disagree with you, he said.

And that is what I did some years ago as Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee; where on the floor I objected to report of my committee and it was upheld and ruled upon by the Speaker. That is what I call the Bagbin's rule. That is permitted but if you don't raise it at the Committee's level, I don't think it is proper for you to come and raise new objections against the Committee's report that you all agreed upon (either by consensus or unanimously) and you come to raise new objections against it, that definitely will not be accorded in the House.

He noted that deliberations at the various committees' levels and their reports were extremely crucial in the work of Parliament.

He reminded all Parliamentary Committees that they were required under the law to provide reports on matters referred to them before the expiration of the Session of the House, which must be complied with; unless leave had been sought and granted by the House.

GNA
Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has declined reversing the First Deputy Speaker Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu's ruling, dismissing the Minority's Motion to probe Government's COVID-19 expenditure.

It is interesting to note that this is the second time that the First Deputy Speaker has taken the Chair and has made a ruling which in effect was to overrule a position I had earlier on established before the House, Mr Bagbin said in his statement to the House.

The First Deputy Speaker has contended and rightly so on several occasions that he is not the Speaker. I have also on several occasions alluded to various areas of parliamentary practice where when the Speaker is in the Chair, makes a ruling, another presiding officer may not overturn that ruling.

Mr Bagbin said events emanating from the House on Tuesday, February 22, had occasioned the need for him to make the statement and provide clarity and some perspectives on some of the issues raised on the floor of the House.

He said Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam and Ranking Member for Finance Committee, moved a motion for the House to constitute a bi-partisan Committee to look into the activities of the Government with respect to Covid-19 expenditure.

I must note that this Motion was submitted to me and I admitted same within the context of Order 79 (4) of the Standing Orders of the House, Mr Bagbin said.

He said when Dr Forson was on his feet in an attempt to table the motion, the Deputy Majority Leader Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin rose to make a preliminary objection to the Motion.

It was at this juncture that I asked him to suspend his objection, wait for the Motion to be tabled and then he may proceed to submit his objection.

The Speaker said it was improper to object to a Motion that had not yet even been tabled in the first place and that to that extent, he (Mr Afenyo-Markin) could only object to a motion after it had been tabled and before it had been seconded by another member.

He said when he was handing over to the First Deputy Speaker, he gave him the message that he had ruled that the Deputy Majority Leader could raise his objection after the Motion had been tabled and seconded.

Because some of you were talking to each other, you did not hear the ruling.

The Speaker recalled that in his formal statement on the matters arising from the 2022 Economic and Budget Statement, he said: Honourable Members, although our Standing Orders are silent on this, many standing orders and rulings from several sister Parliaments provide persuasive rules, which suggest that when Deputy Speakers or other Speakers are in the Chair, whatever happens in the House is that Officer's responsibility and the Speaker cannot be called upon to overrule it.

He said similarly, the reverse was also the case that when the Speaker was in the Chair, whatever happens in the House was the Speaker's responsibility, and that the Deputy Speaker or Acting Speaker could not be called upon to answer.

The penchant of the First Deputy Speaker to overrule my ruling is to say the least unconstitutional, illegal, and offensive. Be that as it may, I shall not be taking any steps to overrule the decision of the First Deputy Speaker to dismiss the Motion as moved by the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, he said.

He noted that the Deputy Speakers and himself would deliberate on how to present a more coherent uniform structure with respect to rulings so that the House would be guided at all times during deliberations.

He said the Standing Orders of the House provided the procedure for challenging the rulings of the Chair and that those who were aggrieved by the rulings might take the necessary steps to right the wrong.

I hope this statement provides clarity on the matter of the dispute that arose yesterday. I hope we can forge ahead for the common good of the people who have entrusted us with leadership and the mandate to better their lives.

The Speaker said the Standing Orders would guide those who brought the Motion and that the proper thing would be done for the House to consider the Motion.

GNA
Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin

23.02.2022 LISTEN

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin has issued a strong warning to Members of Parliament (MPs), not to turn the House into a comedy cinema.

Apparently, the veteran Ghanaian politician has observed how some MPs continue to misbehave in the house whenever he is presiding over sitting.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin made it clear that he will not tolerate any form of bad attitude from Parliamentarians.

The Speaker warned that MPs that continue to misbehave will be arrested by the marshals of the house and thrown out of Parliament.

You are all matured adults. What Im talking about is still happening. The marshals department get ready. I will be compelled to get the marshal to get people arrested and sent out, Speaker Alban Bagbin told the house.

In the midst of his address, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin who heard some MPs still making noise fumed further and demanded that Members of Parliament respect Parliament and see the house as a place for serious business.

You are saying eii. Parliament is not a place for joking. Its a place for serious business. The parliament we are in has never been in Ghana, even Gold Coast. This is a different type of parliament. We must be prepared to change to accept the decision of the people and work together. You make me sick, Speaker Alban Bagbin said.

During his address, the Speaker of Parliament assured MPs that he will have talks with his two deputies to chart a harmonious path to ensure the house discharges its duties to meet the expectations of the Ghanaian people.
President Nana Akufo-Addo says the Komenda Sugar Factory will resume operations by April this year.

He said ongoing civil works on the factory were expected to be completed by the end of March to enable operational activities at the factory to commence.

The President disclosed this when a delegation of chiefs and elders from the Komenda Traditional Area called on him at the Jubilee House, Accra, on Wednesday.

The chiefs were at the Presidency to thank the President for the support offered by the Government during the final funeral rights of the late Paramount Chief of Komenda, Nana Kojo Kru II, who passed away last year.

President Akufo-Addo, during his tour of the Central Region last October, pledged that his administration would ensure that the factory was revamped to commence production by the first quarter of 2022.

He said though the facility had become an albatross on the neck of the Government, no effort would be spared to revive it.

The factory was established in 1964, but ceased to operate for well over 30 years due to technical and managerial difficulties.

Attempts in 2016 by the previous administration to revive it became unsuccessful due to the lack of raw materials to sustain operations.

The President told the delegation that his administration was determined to ensure that the factory was operational and profitable.

He said a 20,000 acre land had been secured at Wassa Fiase in the Western Region for a sugarcane plantation to ensure the sustainable production of raw material to feed the factory.

About 5000 acres of sugarcane farm lands belonging to the factory have been encroached by private developers.

The development threatened the cultivation of sugarcane needed for the viability of the plant.

The Acting President of the Komenda Traditional Council and the Twifohene of the town, Nana Kwahin V, thanked the President for the commitment of the Government to the development of the area.

He commended the Government for the sea defense at Komenda and the establishment of a landing bay, with capacity to hold more than 200 canoes.

GNA
The Court of Appeal on 16th December, 2021 dealt a severe blow to Fred Afful aka. Fredmann Afful, aka. Nii Obour Fred Afful and his cohorts who have been holding themselves out as Trustees of EAST DADEKOTOPON DEVELOPMENT TRUST and alienating the Trust lands.

It may be recalled that on Thursday, April 20, 2017 the La Mantse Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III and some two persons Nii Adjei Kofeh IV and Nii Benjamin Kojo Yemoh held themselves out as members of the La Traditional Council and Settlors of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust published in the Daily Graphic suggesting that since 2006 no Trustees had been appointed to the Trust and so they had appointed some eight (8) persons as the new Trustees of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust (EDDT) with effect from March 2017.

Upon the publication Nii Adjei Boahen II, the Nmati Abonase Mantse (who led the Nmati Abonase Quarter in Suit No. L 353/97 that led to the formation of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust and the Chief who executed the Trust Deed of 10th April, 2002 on behalf of the Nmati Abonase Quarter) caused a rejoinder to be published in the Daily Graphic of May 23, 2017 denying the false publication by the La Traditional Council and confirming that the Trust had a duly constituted Board of Trustees led by Nii Kwade Okropong I, its Chairman.

Other major stakeholders in the Trust such as the Kowe Quarter and the Abese Quarter of La (the two Quarters that by custom provide the occupant of the La Stool) all came out denying and denouncing the false publication by the La Traditional Council and confirming that there was indeed a Board of Trustees led by Nii Kwade Okropong I. Indeed, even Nii Benjamin Kojo Yemoh who was alleged to be a signatory to the said false publication came out in the Daily Graphic of 21st April, 2017 distancing himself from the said publication.

On 28th April, 2017 the Trust led by its Chairman Nii Kwade Okropong I and the incumbent Trustees sued the La Traditional Council and the three (3) personalities that claimed to have appointed new Trustees, as well as the eight (8) persons they alleged to have been appointed, in the High Court, Accra in Suit No. LD/0487/2017 titled:

East Dadekotopon Development Trust  Plaintiff

No.7 Otswe Street

Ako Adjei Park

La-Accra Vs

1. La Traditional Council

2. Nii B. K. Yemo

3. Nii Adjei Koofeh Iv

4. Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru Iii

5. Samuel Sowah Oblejuma

6. Jerry Oddoye

7. Israel Gonti Adjei  Defendants 8. Enoch Addo Sowah

9. Joseph Nii Odoi Mensah

10. Andrew Nii Odoi Yemo

11. Nii Obuor Fred Afful

12. Robert Okpoti Mensah

13. Lands Commission 

In the Suit, The East Dadekotopon Development Trust (EDDT) claimed the following reliefs among others;

(i) A declaration that the La Traditional Council has no lawful authority to appoint the Trustees of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust.

A declaration that the purported appointment of the 5th to 12th Defendants as Trustees of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust as published by the 1st Defendant in the Daily Graphic of Thursday, April 20th, 2017 is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

An order directed at the Defendants from holding themselves out as Trustees or the lawful authority to deal with the East Dadekotopon Development Trust lands situate behind the Ghana International Trade Fair in any way.

An order declaring void any contract, lease or title documents executed by the Defendants in respect of the said Trust lands, etc.

On 8th June, 2017, Lawyer Amarkai Amarteifio, the lawyer for the 1st, 4th to 12th Defendants filed a motion for an order striking out the pleadings in the Plaintiff's Statement of Claim and dismissing the action. The Trust filed an affidavit in opposition challenging the competence of the motion and vehemently denying the allegations of the Plaintiffs. On 21st June, 2017, the 3rd Defendant Nii Adjei Kofeh IV, filed his defence to the action, through his lawyer, Paul K. Opoku in which he admitted some of the allegations of the Trust, denied others and made counter allegations against the Trust.

In a ruling of the High Court delivered on 31st July, 2017, His Lordship Amo Yartey J. held that the Plaintiff Trust lacks the capacity to institute the suit and therefore dismissed the action without going into the merits of the case.

Being dissatisfied with the decision of Amo Yartey J, the Trust appealed to the Court of Appeal on 11th August, 2017 on a number of grounds which stated, among others, that:

(i) In view of the documentary evidence on record that the plaintiff Trust has been duly incorporated under Act 106 with perpetual succession and the right to sue and be sued in its corporate name the learned judge committed an elementary and fundamental error of law by holding that the plaintiff has no capacity to bring the action.

The learned judge committed a grievous error of law when he bluntly refused to follow the decision of the Supreme Court on the capacity of the Trust to sue and be sued in its corporate name as determined in the case of the Republic vs. Court of Appeal Ex Parte East Dadekotopon Development Trust, the Director of Survey (Interested Party) - Suit No.

J5/39/2015 (unreported).

In the light of the serious and controversial issues raised by the parties in the pleadings and processes filed the learned judge committed a fundamental error of law by dismissing the action in limine.

In the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on 16th December, 2021 (Suit No. H1/79/2021), the Honourable Justices of Appeal namely, Senyo Dzamefe J A (Presiding), P. Bright Mensah J A and Jennifer Dodoo J A, upheld the appeal of the Trust and set aside the decision of Amo Yartey J dated 31" July 2017 as a nullity in law.

In coming to the above conclusion, the Court held among others, as follows:

"Our conclusion is that the learned trial judge certainly did not adopt the best practice or the appropriate approach when it dealt with the application. In consequence, he fell into a serious error of law when the trial judge summarily dismissed the claim of the appellant. To begin with, instead of the learned trial judge adopting the well-established principles as stated supra, he regrettably chose to raise the issue of capacity of the plaintiff suo motu, and summarily dismissed the claim when the application placed before him was anchored on Order 11 r 18 (1) of CI 47. In other words, the learned trial judge pursued a course of procedure that denied a party to the cause the right to be heard See: Pobee, Tufuhene Elect of Apam v Yoyoo [supra].

"We need to add that the process by which an issue of capacity of a party may be raised for consideration and determination is quite different from the process and the perimeters set out in Order 11 r 18 (1) of C I 47.

"The lower court pursuing a course of procedure the parties never anticipated, the effect was that it did not give the appellant the opportunity to be heard on the issue of its capacity to sue. Without giving hearing to the appellant before summarily dismissing the claim, the lower court was in serious breach of the rules of natural justice, the audi alteram partem rule. On the authority of R V Bolgatanga High Court; Exparte Hawa Yakubu [2001-2002] SCGLR 53 the decision of the lower court that has culminated in the instant appeal is a nullity and a fertile ground to be upset on appeal.

"Next, the lower court brazenly refused to apply the well-established principle of stare decisis to the case.

"The main fulcrum around which the lower court based its decision to dismiss the suit was that the East Dadekotopon Development Trust has to be incorporated every four [4] years or that its mandate has to be renewed every four years to enable it continue in existence or sue and be sued. However, this is not borne out of the record. In any event, the issue whether or not the East Dadekotopon Development Trust can sue and be sued had earlier in time been settled by the Supreme Court in a ruling in the case, The Republic v Court of Appeal; Exparte East Dadekotopon Development Trust, [Civ. App. No. J5/39/2015 delivered 30/07/2015 (unreported). Being a question of law, the High Court was bound to follow it and apply it to the instant case. For, per Article 129 (3) of the 1992 Constitution, the decision of the Supreme Court was binding on the High Court. Insofar the case turned on interpretation on Ss.1 and 4 of the Trustees (Incorporation) Act, 1962 [Act 106] the decision of the Supreme Court handed down in The Republic v Court of Appeal; Exparte East Dadekotopon Development Trust [supra] was a question of law that the lower court had no discretion in the matter but to apply it. It was therefore palpably wrong for the lower court to have refused to apply it to the facts of the case before it. Regrettably, it rather decided to follow the decisions of the High Court, a court of co-ordinate jurisdiction which was only of, a persuasive nature, to hold that the appellant has no capacity to sue. That was indeed a serious foundational error the lower court committed.

"Having regard to serious issues raised in the pleadings that could be resolved only by viva voca evidence, we uphold the submissions that the learned judge committed a fundamental error of law when it granted the application and dismissed the case in limine. See: Lartey & Lartey v Beany [1987-88] 1 GLR 590.

The Court of Appeal concluded its judgment in the following manner:

Overall, we are of the considered opinion the appellant has made sufficient case invoking our jurisdiction to interfere with the exercise of judicial discretion the lower court in the instant appeal. The appeal succeeds. Consequently, we allow the appeal, set aside the ruling of the High Court [Land Court], Accra and all its consequential orders delivered in this case.

"Justice, they say, must not only be done but must be seen to be done.

"Given the circumstances under which the application was handled and the costs the lower court awarded, we think to do substantial justice in the matter we recommend to the Honourable Chief Justice to exercise his prerogative powers to cause the case to be transferred from that particular court and put it before another court, which we hereby do. Appellant's costs assessed at Ghc10,000.

Meanwhile, information and documents in the possession of the victorious Trustees show that since the delivery of the Amo Yartey Ruling of 31st July, 2017, the Trust lands have been recklessly dissipated through the unlawful alienation of public roads, parks and reservations in the carefully planned and approved layout of the Trust estate. The Trust lands have also been unlawfully and clandestinely cheaply alienated to some public servants and politically exposed persons with the hope of getting their support and protection and escaping accountability.

In some cases the prime Trust lands have even been fraudulently exchanged with second hand vehicles by persons who have never even owned a bicycle! In all these the incomes have been diverted into private pockets and not even one cedi paid into the Trust Accounts at the La Community Bank.

The GENERAL PUBLIC, especially, beneficiaries and victims of these fraudulent transactions are therefore advised to obtain copies of the Court of Appeal judgement of 16th December, 2021 and advise themselves accordingly.

NII KWADE OKROPONG I EMMANUEL ODOI YEMO

CHAIRMAN EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
When you want to serve your people and society to contribute to development, you are given negative names, Gladys Ramatu Bawa, a retired Teacher in the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly in the Northern Region of Ghana bemoaned.

In Ghana, though women constitute about 51% of the total population, the country has witnessed low participation of women in leadership since independence. For example, out of Ghanas 275 members of parliament (MPs), there are only 40 women representing about 16%. Similarly, only 18 women are appointed as Ministers out of the 86 current ministerial positions, representing about 21%. The situation is not different at the local government level, where out of the current 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), only 38 are women, with the remaining 223 being men. Though these statistics suggest some progress made from previous years, there is still more work to be done to bridge the gender inequality gap.

Besides women, youth representation in political institutions, policy-making and decision-making processes has remained limited in Ghana; despite the country being touted as a youthful nation, with the youth constituting about 37% of the population.

My community elders had a meeting with me to step down as an Assemblywoman aspirant to allow a man in the community to contest unopposed. Their reason was simply because I am a woman and must not challenge a male-aspirant who was contesting with me in the community because this is disrespectful. I had to step down because I had no support. But I will stand again, said Agnes Akanwake in the Kassena Nankana West District Assembly in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Agnes was among a group of women and youth engaged at leadership and advocacy capacity development sessions organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for selected district and municipal assemblies to promote inclusive recovery from COVID-19. During the sessions, the women and youth noted challenges confronting them in their bids to take up leadership positions.

Lack of confidence, social norms such as cultural and religious beliefs, absence of support from men and society, intimidation, harassment, name tagging, and lack of funds are some of the challenges cited by the women participants as factors preventing them from exercising their civil responsibility to take up political leadership positions. For the youth, age is mainly an inhibiting factor.

Despite the legal and constitutional provisions which clearly state that a person shall not be discriminated against on any ground such as gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status, the story of Gladys and Agnes, and other women who aspire for leadership and political positions in Ghana seems to be improving at a rather slow pace.

For women and youth to effectively engage in development and recovery efforts for pandemics such as COVID-19; society must respect their rights and they need to have the right capacities to articulate their issues and concerns. In this regard, about 250 women and youth participants in five selected districts where UNDP has been providing COVID-19 recovery support to the local assemblies, are benefiting from the leadership and advocacy training. The selected districts are Sagnarigu, Ketu South, Kasena Nankana West, Sefwi Wiawso and Jomoro. The participants including assembly women and aspirants, representatives of queen mothers, youth groups, and other relevant community leaders/ members involving persons with disability are being engaged in useful lessons and discussions to identify structural barriers and co-create solutions to address the gender equality barriers.

We still have men who get intimidated with the success of their wives or women in general. So, sensitization efforts must also target men to break down the gender barriers. The good thing in supporting women is that they get the opportunity to support development efforts which benefit everyone including men and children, noted Desmond Abire, Assembly Member, Kassena Nankana West District.

The women want to see more sensitizations targeting men, traditional rulers, and opinion leaders to contribute to efforts to break down the cultural and religious barriers inhibiting gender equality at the grassroots. Funding support for women aspiring for political leadership positions, and honoring men and communities that support the political leadership of women, they stated, will also help in closing the gender inequality gap.

For Sherifa Bawah, who leads a women group in Paga at the Kassena Nankana West District, it would also be helpful if women build their confidence level, as this would help overcome the odds.

My advice to my fellow women is that they should ignore the criticism and discouragements and remain focused on what they want to do to help society.

Empowering women and girls advances social inclusion, economic growth, and development. It is therefore important to end all forms of discrimination against women, girls, and youth to ensure a sustainable future for all.
Fifty-six years ago, an unretrievable catastrophe befell Ghana, precisely on 24th February 1966. Local collaborators, from the privileged classes of landed property and individuals affiliated with the feudal establishment and the top echelons of the army and police corroborated with foreign imperialist interests (teleguided by American and British Intelligence agencies) and overthrew the progressive government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP). They were determined to destroy and prevent Ghana from emerging as a beacon of hope for the African continent.

The polices of CPP of industrialisation through import and export substitution industries that created employment and provided goods and services for Ghanaians were aborted. Viable state enterprises were sold out to foreign interests. Those that were considered not viable were abandoned. The state control of some of our extractive sectors such as the gold mines were sold out to foreign capitalist interests. Ghana was firmly returned to the stranglehold of neo-colonial domination. The Pan-Africanist goal of bringing Africa together was stopped. The liberation of Africa was not of concern to the new military rulers  Lt. Generals Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa and Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka. The foreign press hailed the coup as a return to democracy in Ghana. The capitalist countries led by the United Kingdom and the United States rejoiced on the return of Ghana to neo-colonial domination and their sphere of influence.

On the occasion of the coup, which destroyed anything progressive in Ghana, it is the duty of progressive forces to reflect on this day and work together to revive and continue with the progressive programme of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Over the years, progressive forces have agonised but not acted to salvage Ghana from the neo-colonial calamity that befell Ghana on the 24th of February 1966.

Ghana is a pale shadow of what it was emerging to become shortly after independence. Those who have led Ghana since the 24th of February 1966 coup and the current two competing parties (NPP and NDC) have nothing to offer to the Ghanaian populace. Despite the claim that one is liberal democratic, and the other is social democratic, they have both pursued very similar policies. They have continued to follow and implement the policies laid down by the foreign capitalist interests that organised the overthrow of the CPP government led by Nkrumah. They compete in who is more greedy in looting the wealth of the country and this has brought untold hardship to the Ghanaian population. Millions of young people are without jobs and the few jobs that are available are sold to the highest bidders invariably people connected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) depending on who is in power. And when they are in power, they invent ways to take money away from the poor as the E-levy seeks to do or rush to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank who will prescribe polices that leave the majority poor in the name of economic growth. There is therefore little to chose from when deciding whether to vote NPP or NDC.

It is incumbent on progressive forces to understand and come to the realization that our inability to offer an alternative to the decadent economic and social system will sustain and deepen the downward slide into poverty and immiseration of the mass of our people.

We, in the SJMG have recognised that no single progressive party or organisation can provide an alternative to the dyarchy of the NPP/NDC. As a result, we have entered into an alliance with a number of progressive organisations and formed the Progressive Alliance of Ghana (PAG). PAG shall be a party of a new type where integrity, transparency, and genuine internal democracy rather than who is the biggest financier to the party will determine party policy and practice. The PAG is almost at the stage of registering as a full-fledged progressive and socialist party with a clear agenda on how to get Ghana out of the stagnation of colonial domination and exploitation. We call on mass organisations and other progressive groups to join us in this noble task to free our country from continued neo-colonial control, domination, and exploitation.

The only way we can avert the damage that has befallen Ghana and destroyed the socio-economic fabric of the country is to come together and complete the task that Kwame Nkrumah started. The struggle must be supported by all of us. We must eschew all forms of sectarianism and realise that the agenda for social transformation can never happen if we remain in our small enclaves and struggle to access resources from the two dominant parties or remain largely in social media (rather than in the villages and towns where the people are) and spend endless hours talking to ourselves instead of mobilising the mass of the people.

The population is crying for change. The people want a genuine socialist organisation that can transform this country for us all. It is by working together honestly, transparently and with integrity that we can achieve this collective agenda for social change and avenge the crime of the 24th of February 1966.

Onwards with the struggle for social justice and social transformation in Ghana Now.

The struggle Continues.

For further information contact:

Richard Asueme (Convenor) 0202228991

Nyeya Yen (Convenor) 0542026869

Hillary Adongo 0247483235

Phanuel Yao Ayawli 0559268987

Date: 24th February 2022
Vectra AI, a leader in threat detection and response, have awarded Hilal Computers, a leader in IT solutions, and Hilal CTTC the accolade of Technical Partners of the Year in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.



Celebrating the dedication of outstanding partners across the Middle East, Turkey, and North Africa (Metna), the ceremony was held during Saudi Arabias LEAP conference, a platform for future technologies and disruptive innovators from around the world.



Winners in disciplines from value-added distribution to systems integration were awarded for their commitment to Vectras regional vision, their contributions to the companys growth, and the parts they have played in the stability and security of end customers digital estates.



Shijas Mohidheen, Cyber Security Manager for Hilal said: The Technical Partner Award was recognition of our employees ability to meet the standards of Vectra in innovation and achievement for our clients in Government Organisations, Private Sector Corporations and the Tele communication Sectors in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.



Vectra is recognized throughout the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa for our long-standing commitment to the regions organisations, which face a multitude of threats, from increasingly sophisticated RansomOps to APTs; but we do not stand alone. said Fuad Enaya, regional partner manager - Metna, Vectra AI.



Our partners are the frontline force through which we provide customers with our patented AI-driven threat detection platform.



Vectra is the leader in threat detection and response  from cloud and data center workloads to user and IoT devices. Its Cognito platform accelerates threat detection and investigation using AI to enrich network metadata it collects and stores with the right context to detect, hunt and investigate known and unknown threats in real time. In 2021 Vectra saw a growth of 40% for year-on-year sales.



"The landscape of the threats ecosystem has changed. A cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds our team are alert to the fact RansomOps will be affecting even more of our cloud customers. Vectra AI has been an important tool in our armoury of protection solutions that we are able to offer. The quality and reliability of the products produced by Vectra is there for all to see and experience. Vectra lives up to its reputation as Security that thinks! concluded Mohidheen.  TradeArabia News Service
National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), indeed, gave a project sanction to Bapudham Milk Producer Company, a non-operationalised project in 2017 with an outlay of Rs32.63 crore, the Union government informed the Rajya Sabha. In January 2021, Moneylife exposed how NDDB, headed by Dilip Rath at that time, had transferred funds to a non-operationalised milk production company from Bihar under the National Dairy Plan phase-1 (NDP-1).

In a written reply, Parshottam Rupala, minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, says, As per the guidelines of NDP-1, the National Steering Committee (NSC) set up by the department of animal husbandry and dairying, had approved the change in eligibility criteria for producer companies to participate in NDP-1 scheme from the hitherto annual average milk procurement should be more than 1 lakh kg per day from at least 30,000 pourers to annual average milk procurement should be more than 1 lakh kg per day from at least 20,000 pourers.

The eligibility criteria was changed in March 2014 to accommodate more milk producer companies under the scheme and accordingly, Bapudham Milk Producer Company (MPC) was assisted as per the revised eligible criteria, the minister says.

Prof Manoj Kumar Jha, a member of Parliament (MP), had asked about the waiver of eligibility criteria for providing grant-in-aid under NDP-1 to Bapudham MPC and how NDDB sanctioned the project with an outlay of Rs3,263.49 lakh (Rs32.63 crore).

Papers from the project steering committee (PSC) clearly show that at the time of approving the grants, Bapudham MPC had not procured even a drop of milk and there was absolutely no approval of any kind from the Union government to the PSC to consider any relaxation or waiver. Therefore, it does appear that the NDDB deliberately misled the Union minister, Mr Rupala to wrongly state, accordingly, Bapudham Milk Producer Company was assisted as per the revised eligible criteria.

Further, neither did Bapudham MPC have a year average milk procurement volume of 1 lakh litres, nor did it have at least 20, 000 pourers in FY17-18. In fact, even four years down the line, the companys year average milk procurement in FY21-22 is only 55,533 litres per day.

Interestingly, in February 2020, Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balayan, the then minister of state for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, had told the Rajya Sabha that based on a request from NDDB, the department had authorised the PSC to relax the eligibility criteria for the Bapudham MPC.

PSC, in its meeting held on 21 July 2017, approved Bapudham MPC as an end implementing agency under NDP phase-1 after relaxing the eligibility criteria for milk producer companies. As per the decision of the PSC, funds under NDP phase-1 were released to the Bapudham Milk Producer Co only after it was operationalised, Dr Balyan had said.

Bapudham MPC was incorporated on 12 April 2017 with a paid-up capital of Rs12,000. This company was inaugurated by Radha Mohan Singh, former minister of agriculture, as Motihari was his constituency.

Mr Rath was also mission director of NDP-1 when on 21 July 2017, NDDB gave the project sanction to the company for NDP phase-1 with a total outlay of Rs33.35 crore.

On the same day, NDDB sanctioned Rs22.28 crore as a grant under NDP phase-1 to Bapudham MPC with only a vague commitment that Rs11.07 crore will be the contribution by the producer company for the project in the future.

Interestingly, when Bapudham MPC had a paid-up capital of just Rs12,000 when it was incorporated on 12 April 2017 and had not even started operations, how could NDDB grant project sanction on 21 July 2017 the MPC? That too without ensuring the required physical and financial criteria for the MCP is met? How did NDDB sanction Rs20.89 crore as a grant on 21 July 2017 with only a vague commitment that Rs11.07 crore will be the contribution by the milk producer company for the project in the future?

The department of animal husbandry and dairying has no answers to these questions.

Bapudham MPC, located at Motihari in the East Champaran district of Bihar, was finally operationalised on 2 October 2017.

Interestingly, a note written by SS Kandpal, director in the department of animal husbandry and dairying and fisheries, records the modification in the eligibility criteria for producer companies under NDP phase-1.

The note dated 4 July 2017 states that the NSC had changed the eligibility criteria for producer companies to participate in NDP phase-1 by reducing the number of pourers to 20,000 from 30,000 without changing the original requirement that the annual average milk procurement of any such milk producer company ought to be more than 1 lakh kg per day.

However, it appears that the PSC took a liberal meaning of this note and sanctioned a grant to the Bapudham MPC, overlooking other criteria. The PSC, comprising key persons like Mr Rath, mission director and chairman of NDDB, Sangram Chaudhary, executive director (ED) of NDDB and Meenesh C Shah, general manager (GM) and group head of CMC, stated, ...the eligibility of Bapudham Milk Producer Company was assessed based on the eligibility criteria as laid out in the project implementation plan (PIP) volume-I of NDP phase-1. It is recommended that the existing eligibility criteria be relaxed for Bapudham MPC as a special case since the company is yet to be operationalised...
The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern at freebies - including gold coins, fridges, LCD TVs, and funding international trips for vacations -offered by pharmaceutical companies to "manipulate" doctors' prescriptions and to recommend drugs produced by the firms.

Against this backdrop, the top court held that companies are not entitled to claim tax exemption on the expenditure incurred in giving incentives, and rather it would be considered as part of their income.

A bench of Justices U.U. Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat said: "It is a matter of great public importance and concern, when it is demonstrated that a doctor's prescription can be manipulated, and driven by the motive to avail the freebies offered to them by pharmaceutical companies, ranging from gifts such as gold coins, fridges and LCD TVs to funding international trips for vacations or to attend medical conferences."

The top court did not entertain the plea of a company seeking exemption on expenditure of Rs 4.72 crore incurred for providing freebies to medical practitioners to create awareness on its health supplement.

Justice Bhat, who authored the judgment on behalf of the bench, said freebies are technically not 'free' - the cost of supplying such freebies is usually factored into the drug, driving prices up, thus creating a perpetual publicly injurious cycle.

The top court upheld a 2012 circular issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes clarifying such expenses incurred by pharmaceutical and allied health sector industries for distribution of incentives to medical practitioners are ineligible for the benefit of Section 37(1) pertaining to business deduction.

The bench said: "Pharmaceutical companies' gifting freebies to doctors, etc. is clearly 'prohibited by law', and not allowed to be claimed as a deduction under Section 37(1). Doing so would wholly undermine public policy. The well-established principle of interpretation of taxing statutes - that they need to be interpreted strictly - cannot sustain when it results in an absurdity contrary to the intentions of the Parliament."

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the government, submitted though gifting freebies to doctors may not be classified as an 'offence' under any statute but it was specifically prohibited. He added that pharma companies should not be allowed to benefit by claiming a tax exemption on the freebies.

The bench added that the threat of prescribing medication that is significantly marked up, over effective generic counterparts in lieu of such a quid pro quo exchange was taken cognisance of by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare.

It said that it is also a settled principle of law that no court will lend its aid to a party that roots its cause of action in an immoral or illegal act, meaning that none should be allowed to profit from any wrongdoing coupled with the fact that statutory regimes should be coherent and not self-defeating. "Doctors and pharmacists being complementary and supplementary to each other in the medical profession, a comprehensive view must be adopted to regulate their conduct in view of the contemporary statutory regimes and regulations," said Justice Bhat.

The bench said the conceded participation of the assessee - the provider or donor- was plainly prohibited, as far as their receipt by the medical practitioners was concerned. "That medical practitioners were forbidden from accepting such gifts, or 'freebies' was no less a prohibition on the part of their giver, or donor," it added.

The apex court made these observations while dismissing an appeal filed by Apex Laboratories Pvt Ltd challenging a Madras High Court verdict, declining to interfere with the Income Tax authorities' decision against the firm to claim benefit of business expenditure towards gifting freebies to medical practitioners for creating awareness about health supplement 'Zincovit'.

It said the denial of the tax benefit cannot be construed as penalising the assessee pharmaceutical company and only its participation in what is plainly an action prohibited by law, precludes the assessee from claiming it as a deductible expenditure.

"The incentives (or 'freebies') given by Apex, to the doctors, had a direct result of exposing the recipients to the odium of sanctions, leading to a ban on their practice of medicine. Those sanctions are mandated by law, as they are embodied in the code of conduct and ethics, which are normative, and have legally binding effect", it added.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that Rs18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

Mr Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by justice AM Khanwilkar that the total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounts to Rs67,000 crore.

He further added that as on date 4,700 cases are being investigated by the directorate of enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the past five years varies from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21. Mr Mehta submitted before the bench that Rs18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The top court is hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the wide scope of powers available to the directorate of enforcement (ED) for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

Mr Mehta submitted before the bench, also comprising justices Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar, that during the past five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIR of approximately 3.3mn (million) for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies.

He added, "very small number of cases are being taken up for investigation under the PMLA as compared to annual registration of the cases under the Money Laundering Act in the UK (7,900), the US (1,532), China (4,691), Austria (1,036), Hongkong (1,823), Belgium (1,862) and Russia (2,764)."

Mr Mehta emphasised that the measures against money-laundering have clearly left embryo of drug or terrorism related offences and moved beyond the same. "Further, the efforts against money laundering have consistently advocated to include the widest range of predicate offences in the domestic laws," he added.

Over the past few weeks, a battery of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Sidharth Luthra, Amit Desai, and others have made submissions before the top court on various aspects related to potential misuse of PMLA provisions introduced by way of amendments to the Act.

The law has been criticised on various aspects: stringent bail conditions, non-communication of grounds of arrest, arrest of persons without supply of ECIR (enforcement case information report (akin to FIR -- first information report), broad definitions of money laundering and proceeds of crime, and statements given by accused during investigation made admissible as evidence during trial.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
HELENA, Mont. - The National Guard is starting to lease hangar space in the eastern part of Montana and plans to expand soon.

While it is still a few months away, they are hoping to have six aircraft, like the Blackhawk helicopter, down in the Billings area to better assist eastern Montana and northern Wyoming.

"If you look at a map of the U.S., that area Montana, southern Montana, northern Wyoming, that area is the largest area in the U.S. that does not have military aviation coverage," said Colonel Rob Oleson, Director of Aviation and safety at the Montana Army National Guard.

They are leasing a facility near the airport in Billings and are doing environmental studies so they can break ground on a new aviation support facility on a piece of land they already purchased.

They have contracted with a firm to do the assessment and believe it will be done around September.

"Once that's complete, we'll be able to start aviation operations down in the Billings area, limited aviation support facility," said Col. Oleson.

Overall, this will help cut down response time for people who need help.

"Emergencies such as wildland fires, flooding, winter storm response, search and rescue... It allows us to have a better response time, " said Col. Oleson.

On the topic of emergencies, we often know the weather can be quite different in Helena than it is in Billings, Col. Oleson says having a facility in Billings will allow them to be able to respond when they couldn't necessarily respond from Helena.

It doesn't just help cut down emergency response time, it also helps with recruitment and retention as there are around 80-90 national guard members who live in the Billings area.

It also helps boost the economy with some jobs as well.

"Roughly 14 full-time positions, which will impact the economy, and then we think we'll have somewhere between 80 to 90 additional people that show up on drill weekends and the two weeks during the year for their annual training event," said Col. Oleson.

While Montanans may be worried about funding, Col. Oleson says the money for the facility has already been set aside and nothing will be coming out of your pockets.

"This is a numerous pronged approach at how do we best take care of Montana National Guard members and the citizens of Montana," said Col. Oleson
Bahrain has launched an initiative that will provide eligible Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud skills training to help them become more innovative and grow at a faster rate.

Launched by the Bahrain Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism (MOIC) and ThinkSmart (TS), in collaboration with the Bahrain SME Development Society, the initiative is aligned with Bahrains 2030 Vision and its Cloud First Policy and aims to skill thousands of MSMEs in Bahrain over the next three years and help them stay ahead in the digital economy.

At the helm of this initiative is ThinkSmart, a leading IT training provider with over two decades of training experience in the kingdom. As an AWS training partner, ThinkSmart will work with training delegates to evaluate skill gaps, build a customised learning journey, and provide a comprehensive cloud training strategy.

The programmes curriculum will cover the basics of the AWS Cloud and move to more advanced courses that will prepare participants toward achieving world recognised AWS Certifications. For Bahraini citizens, costs for certification exams will be covered by Tamkeens Individual Development Programme.

Commenting, Shaikha Abdullah Al Fadhel, SMEs Development Director at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, revealed: This initiative will be dedicated to SMEs Classification Certificate holders aiming to strengthen their capacities and boost their competitiveness.

She also added: We believe that the initiative will enable MSMEs to adopt Cloud Computing into their business strategy and head toward digital transformation which consequently increases their innovation and sustainability.

Ahmed ALHujairy, Group CEO of Gulf Future Business, said: The objective of this initiative is to educate Bahraini MSMEs on Cloud Computing and enabling them to adopt Cloud into their business strategy and foster innovation and economic competitiveness in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

He also added This project will lead Bahraini MSMEs towards developing a strong infrastructure by adopting state of the art technology to aid them in the private sector.

The first training will take place on February 27. To benefit from this programme, Bahrain MSMEs are encouraged to register their interest by visiting the website of the project.-- TradeArabia News Service
February 23, 2022 There Is Still No 'Russian Invasion' But The Sanctions Proceeded Anyway The information war about the current U.S.-Russia standoff continues. That is why the New York Times is again pushing fake Russian invasion claims: Russia faced mounting pressure and economic sanctions over the Ukraine crisis on Wednesday as the United States and allies coordinated punishments and denounced the beginning of an invasion of Ukraine.

...

The global response began early Tuesday, just hours after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia recognized the self-declared separatist states in eastern Ukraine and Russian forces started rolling into their territory, according to NATO, European Union and White House officials. It was the first major deployment of Russian troops across the internationally recognized border since the current crisis began. No Russian forces have recently been seen in Donbas or have been noticed rolling in. Moreover the Ukraine has made no claims that an invasion is happening. The alleged invasion is again a claim without any evidence. It is part of the information war the U.S. is waging against Russia. All the anonymous intelligence-lacking officials who make such claims are simply lying. They have no sources or evidence to support such claims. Just ask how many of them have predicted that Russia would officially recognize the Donbas republics? There is not one I am aware of. As Patrick Cockburn notes: Information wars are always a component of military conflicts, potential and actual. Usually, security services play a large role in orchestrating them. But these propaganda wars are dangerous because they tend to fly out of control and demonising an opponent hinders negotiations. Political leaders, for their part, tend to believe an unhealthy amount of their own propaganda and often act as if it was all true. The last part is the real danger and it is happening right now. Biden, Blinken and others have for months falsely predicted a 'Russian invasion' and threatened to issue sanctions if it would come. There is currently no 'Russian invasion' of Ukrainian or Donbas republics territory but the sanctioning has proceeded anyway without any further reasoning. In a press conference yesterday the Russian president Vladimir Putin explicitly said that no Russian troops were yet to go in: Regarding the use of the Armed Forces abroad. Well, of course. By all means. We signed treaties yesterday, and these treaties with the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic contain relevant clauses that say that we will provide these republics with appropriate assistance, including military. Since there is an ongoing conflict there, we make it clear by this decision that, if need be, we plan to fulfill our obligations.

...

Vladimir Putin: First, I did not say our troops would enter right away, after our meeting here. That is first. Second, it is absolutely impossible to predict the detailed path of possible actions. It depends on the concrete situation that is unfolding on the ground, as they say. Russia is not interested in going to war. It wants do avoid an attack of Ukrainian forces on the Donbas republics. That is why it gave the security guarantees to them. It hopes that this will be sufficient to deter an Ukrainian attack. This is what Russia wants to stop:

bigger The cutout above is from a map by the OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine and depicts the number of explosion the OSCE observers registered on Monday, February 21 2022. The majority of the explosions are again by far on the Donbas republics side and have, after a lull on Sunday, again increased. This imbalance has been the case for a long time. A UN report about civilian casualties in Ukraine (h/t Aaron Mate) shows that in recent years more than 80% of the civilians killed in the conflict were on the Donbas side.

bigger The artillery impacts show that the Ukrainian military is currently preparing the ground for an attack towards Donetzk and Luhansk. It has also brought up air defense systems which it will need to cover the attack. If the Ukrainian military stops its bombardment and retreats from the border there is no need for any Russian soldier to roll into Ukraine. There are claims that Russia will invade anyway because it has recognized the DNR and LNR republics within their constitutional borders. These are the original administrative regions borders and exceed the currently held grounds. However Putin says that this should be negotiated: With regard to the borders within which we will recognise these republics, we did recognise them, which means we recognised their foundational documents, including the Constitution, and the Constitution stipulates their borders within the Donetsk and Lugansk regions at the time when they were part of Ukraine. But we expect, and I want to emphasise this, that all disputes will be resolved during talks between the current Kiev authorities and the leaders of these republics. Unfortunately, at this point in time, we realise that it is impossible to do so, since hostilities are still ongoing and, moreover, they are showing signs of escalating. But I hope this is how it will turn out in the future. Putin has also shown a clear way out of the conflict: The situation around Ukraine could be resolved with demilitarization of the republic and its rejection of accession to NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, answering reporters questions in the wake of the talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev. The head of state underscored that Russia will provide military aid to Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR), adding the deployment of forces in Donbass will not be announced right now. In order to settle the situation, democratic states must first and foremost recognize the will of the residents of the Crimean Peninsula on reconciliation with Russia. "The first thing that everybody must do is to recognize the will of the people who live in Sevastopol and in Crimea," he said. Next, Moscow offers Ukraine to voluntarily drop its plans to join NATO. "We act out of what many people are saying, including in the Western capitals: that the best resolution of this issue for our colleagues to preserve their faces would be Kiev authorities voluntary rejection of accession to NATO. Effectively, they would implement the concept of neutrality." Russia demands that the West "stopped pumping the current Kiev authorities with modern weapons." "Therefore, the main point - is demilitarization of the modern Ukraine to a certain degree, because this is the only objectively controllable factor, which could be supervised and which could be reacted to." Moscow cannot allow restoration of Ukraines nuclear power status, which Ukrainian authorities talk about. "Even acquisition of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine means a strategic threat for us," he said. 'Western' media seem confused why Putin made that last point. It was in reply to a threat the Ukrainian president Zelensky had made during the Munich security conference: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference that he would initiate consultations within the framework of the Budapest Memorandum. If the summit of the countries participating in the Budapest Memorandum does not take place or does not provide Ukraine with security guarantees, the document will be recognized by Ukraine as invalid along with the points that were signed in 1994, the Ukrainian President said.

...

The Budapest Memorandum, signed on December 5, 1994, by Britain, Russia, the United States and Ukraine, provided guarantees of Ukraine's security and territorial integrity in exchange for Kyiv's surrendering of nuclear weapons. The document entered into force after Ukraine signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons. The Ukraine has the materials and knowledge to build nuclear weapons if it wants to do that. It also has the missiles needed to deliver them. No Russian leader will condone such a threat right next to its border. If the 'western' and Ukrainian officials really wanted to prevent a 'Russian invasion' they would now take steps to deescalate the situation. Unfortunately they are doing the opposite. Posted by b on February 23, 2022 at 14:49 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
Kim Brent / The Enterprise

(Bloomberg) -- Union members, whove been locked out of Exxon Mobil Corp.s Beaumont refinery on the Texas Gulf Coast since May, accepted the companys latest contract offer Monday, people familiar with the vote said.

Approval by the union means Exxon and workers will now negotiate a return-to-work agreement for union-represented employees, ending the nearly 10-month lockout. Temporary workers have been running the refinery since May 1. The approval comes four months after members of the local United Steelworkers union resoundingly turned down a previous deal to end the labor dispute.
Raising Cane's is preparing to open its largest Texas restaurant at 4001 E. 42nd St. in Odessa on March 29, according to a press release. Midland's own Raising Cane's opened in February of 2020.

The new restaurant is hiring more than 200 local crewmembers to help prepare quality chicken finger meals in the double kitchen and share it via a double drive-thru. Crewmembers for multiple positions ranging from crew to shift managers and beyond will be available. Odessa's first Raising Cane's opening will mark the second in the Permian Basin and 183rd location in Texas.
A 21-year-old Midlander pleaded guilty to hate crime charges for attacking an Asian family he believed was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic because he believed them to be Chinese, according to the Justice Department.

Jose Gomez III pleaded guilty to three counts of committing a hate crime. He is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for each offense.

On March 14, 2020, Gomez entered Sams Club and followed the family and their two young children because he perceived them to be a threat as they were from the country who started spreading that disease around, according to court documents.

Gomez briefly left the family to grab a serrated steak knife from the store and bent the blade so that when he held the handle in his fist, the blade rested against his knuckles, sharp-edge facing outward. Gomez then returned to the family and punched the father in the face, cutting him. Gomez then left the scene, only to retrieve an 8-inch knife from the store.

When Gomez returned, he abruptly went after the 2- and 6-year-old children who were seated in the front basket of the shopping cart. Gomez slashed open the 6-year-old's face. The blade entered millimeters from the childs right eye, split his right ear and wrapped around to the back of his skull, according to court documents.

Gomez also stabbed a Sams Club employee who intervened to stop Gomez from further assaulting the family. While being held down on the ground, Gomez yelled at the family, Get out of America!

Gomez admitted after his attack that he believed the family was Chinese, and he blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic. Gomez also admitted he had attempted to kill the 6-year-old child and attacked the store employee because he prevented him from killing the child.

An Asian family was shopping when the defendant brutally attacked them because of their race and because he blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. Racially motivated hate crimes targeting the Asian American community are on the rise and have no place in our society today. All people deserve to feel safe and secure living in their communities, regardless of race, color or national origin.

The defendant violently and horrifically attacked an unsuspecting innocent family because of how they looked and where he thought they came from, said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas. This type of hate-based violence has no place in our society and will not be tolerated. These victims and others who suffer such brutal, hate-based attacks deserve justice and to live without fear in our communities. We will continue to vigorously enforce federal laws that protect civil rights and combat bias-motivated violence.

"No one should be afraid to go shopping or feel like they could be targeted by an act of violence based on their race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, country of national origin or immigration status, said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. Acts of hate and racism have no place in our community and will not be tolerated. The FBI encourages people who have been victims or witnessed a hate crime to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

The case was investigated by the Midland Police Department and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Harwood of the Western District of Texas and Trial Attorney Angie Cha of the Civil Rights Divisions Criminal Section.
Kantar Strengthens Leadership Team in Singapore

In Singapore, Kantar has promoted Katie McClintock to Managing Director, South-East Asia (Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam), while Emma Eichbaum moves from Kantar Thailand to take up the position of Head of Client Growth.



McCllintock was most recently CEO of the Insights division in Singapore, before which, she spent a decade at Kantar's brand strategy specialist Added Value, latterly serving as CEO in Singapore, having previously been the business's CEO in Greater China. Earlier, she was responsible for MasterCard's marketing planning, insight and strategy development for the Asia Pacific region, and she worked for PepsiCo.



Eichbaum moves from Kantar in Bangkok City, where she served as Chief Strategic Officer. Before which, she spent more than twelve years in the city in various roles, latterly working as Head of Client Service - Growth Solutions. During her time with the group, she also served as Head of Kantar TNS Thailand, and Executive Director Kantar TNS New Zealand.



Wayne Levings, CEO, Insights, APAC - who arrived in Singapore from London in November - comments: 'There are many similar opportunities and challenges across South-East Asia, and with Katie at the helm, we are providing more focus on these key markets, and better utilising expertise and best practice in a more scaled and ambitious way. Singapore is the key client hub for many South-East Asia markets and Katie will work closely with each to further accelerate growth. The addition of Emma to support our commercial excellence work will undoubtedly augment the ambition of clients to be their best in the region.'



Web site: www.kantar.com .




Muskogee, OK (74401)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 69F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. Low 62F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
About 23 million people in Afghanistan dont have enough to eat. The picture shows Afghan children sharing food on the ground.

By Ai Min

The US president Joe Biden recently signed an executive order planning to spend half of the USD senven billion frozen assets in the US that belonged to the Central Bank of Afghanistan on compensating the victims of the 9/11 attacks and transfer the other half to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for creating a trust fund that will be distributed by what the US called humanitarian organizations to nominally provide aid for Afghanistan. The US made it clear that it will not return the assets to the Taliban.

Analysts pointed out that the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan was entirely the making of the US, and now the superpower is blatantly taking away itslife-saving money. That will not only pour fuel on the flame of misery that the Afghans are afflicted with, but will exert far-reaching negative impacts on the international community.

Statistics show that before the Taliban came to power, the Central Bank of Afghanistan controlled about $9 billion foreign exchange reserves, of which about $7 billion was deposited at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York in a mixture of gold, cash, US Treasury bonds and other paper money. Not having a well-developed financial reserve system of its own, the Central Bank of Afghanistan also deposited a total of about $2 billion assets in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, UAE and other countries.

Following Talibans control of Afghanistans capital Kabul on August 15, 2021, the international community cut off all the aid to the country, and the Biden administration took the chance to freeze the $7 billion forex reserves in New York, which, it is learned, consisted of both international aids and the savings of ordinary Afghan people.

After the executive order was signed by Biden, Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman of the Taliban political office, criticized the decision as stealing the properties of the Afghan people. The office protested that there were no Afghans among the people executing the 9/11 attacks, nor was the attacking plane from Afghanistan, then why on earth should the US use Afghan peoples money to compensate for 9/11 victims? On the contrary, it is the US that has waged a war in Afghanistan and thrown its people into the abyss of suffering. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai commented days ago that the US governments detention of forex reserves of the Afghan Central Bank is equivalent to slaughtering of the Afghan people.

In fact, such an arrangement for the frozen Afghan assets reflects the Biden administrations selfish calculations. On the one hand, it can use the money to buy support among the voters; on the other hand, it will control how the so-called trust fund for Afghan peoples relief will be used and at what pace, which is a new way for it to interfere in Afghanistans internal affairs.

Such a selfish move doubtlessly lends one more blow to the teetering Afghan economy. The country is experiencing a serious humanitarian crisis with its economic recession, ongoing drought, protracted conflict, and spreading pandemic posing the most severe challenge to its people. According to statistics, about 23 million people in Afghanistan dont have enough to eat now, 3.2 million children under five suffer from malnutrition, and about 3.5 million are made homeless.

Bidens decision met vehement objection from the international community as well. Foreign ministries of countries such as Russia, Iran and Pakistan said the Afghan people have the right to use their assets deposited around the world as needed, and the frozen Afghan assets in the US should be returned to them. Taliban said earlier on that it would reconsider its US policy if Washington doesnt revoke its unjust decision to peculate the Afghan assets. In the meantime, economic plummeting is accompanied by soaring terrorism in Afghanistan, which will not only threaten the security of the country itself but also undermine the anti-terror efforts in countries worldwide.
PITTSFIELD  Farmers State Bank has donated $2,400 to the Pikeland school district's Snack Pack program.

The program distributes meals and is designed to serve children in the school district who might go hungry on the weekends.

Since 2020, the bank has donated more than $14,000 to the program.

"The Pikeland Snack Pack goes above and beyond to assist families during their time of need," Farmers State Bank President Nevin Grigsby said. "No child or family should ever have to worry about where their next meal will come from. We truly appreciate this organization's mission and all they do for area families. We are proud to support their efforts in any way we can."

Locally owned Farmers State Bank, with assets in excess of $300 million, is headquartered in Pittsfield.
Provided

PITTSFIELD  Farmers State Bank has donated $500 to the Pikeland school district through the bank's Saukee Loyalty Card program.

The program offers Farmers State Bank customers the opportunity to show their Saukee Pride and raise money for their school at the same time. A percentage of each debit card purchase made with the card as a credit is donated to the school.
GRAFTON  Voters will be asked in June to consider raising the city's sales tax.

City Council voted to place this issue on the June 28 ballot asking voters if they wanted to have the municipal sales tax raised from 0.5% to 1%, the maximum allowed.

Mayor Mike Morrow said the proposal was the result of a yearlong process of looking at funding for the community. In July, he and City Attorney Will Miller decided to waive their salaries in support of the Grafton Police Department. Afterward, a committee was formed to figure out how to improve funding of city services.

"The easiest way, and the one that made the most sense, was to raise the 0.5% to 1%, be on the same playing field as everybody else, and that solves the problem," Morrow said.

Council approved the ballot proposal with one no vote, from Alderman Peter Allen.

"I think we are in a good place financially," he said.

Morrow said he plans to send a letter explaining the need for the increase closer to the election.

"I don't think anybody likes taxes," he said, "but if you want a good municipality, a good police department, and if you want to get those people in there, you need to be able to pay them. This is the only way."
Rochelle Eiselt | Journal-Courier

CARROLLTON  A series of grants for the Greene County Health Departmentwill allow it to provide additional services such as family planning and a sexually transmitted disease clinic, increase immunization and vaccination awareness, and enhance the fight against opioids.

The department said Tuesday that it has received a total of $170,000 in funding from separate grant proposals. Funding is through the Illinois Department of Public Health and the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
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A quarter of a million dollars.

Thats the amount that Ive paid in FICA payroll taxes during my working career, according to my recent Social Security statement.

FICA, which stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act, is a payroll tax that helps fund both Social Security and Medicare programs, which provide benefits for retirees, the disabled and children, says the Social Security Administration.

The FICA tax also will partially fund  at least I hope it will  my retirement years.

My statement says I am eligible to begin receiving Social Security payments of $1,851 a month when I hit age 62.

If I wait until I am 70, Ill receive $3,370 a month  which is a nice little chunk of dough.

However, if I had invested the $250,000 FICA deducted from my earnings on my own, Id have, according to my money manager, more than $1.5 million socked away.

If I drew a conservative 4% of that $1.5 million every year, Id be collecting a $5,000 retirement check every month right away.

Of course, that is assuming I would have saved and invested all the money that FICA took from my weekly paychecks.

More likely, me knowing me, I would have blown most of it on nicer cars and more vacations.

Saving money for your future is hard, even for more-disciplined people.

My parents raised six kids on one income and had a lot of big bills along the way, so saving money for the future was not always possible.

They now rely on the Social Security payments they receive every month to help them cover their basic expenses.

Millions of elderly Americans are in the same precarious financial boat.

The Social Security Administration reports that about 40% of Americans 65 and older receive half of their retirement income from Social Security  and about 13% rely on it for 90% or more of their income.

It takes some of the sting out of the 15.3% FICA tax that is imposed on my self-employed earnings to know that my contributions are helping others get by in their old age.

But will Social Security be around to help me in my old age?

Social Security is now paying out more than it is taking in and the funds working taxpayers contribute now go directly to Social Security recipients.

But what about the Social Security trust fund, which saved trillions of the surplus tax contributions that had rolled in for years?

The partially good news is that it will not run out of money until 2034  at which time Social Security payments will have to be reduced, taxes will have to be raised or more money will have to be borrowed.

The bad news is that its funds were invested in government bonds, which the federal government happily spent on day-to-day budget expenses, such as foreign wars, food stamps and the national debt.

As the great columnist Charles Krauthammer explained in 2011, the Social Security trust fund is filled not with money but with special-issue government IOUs that can only be repaid by raising taxes or borrowing even more money.

In any event, its anybodys guess how much my monthly Social Security checks will be, so let me make the guys at the Social Security Administration an offer.

How about you give me back my 250 large in return for removing me from your rolls?

What do you say, SSA?

Hello?
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Every day, we are putting our children at risk for neurological problems, and we must all work together to stop this.

Exposure to lead endangers many children in the state of Illinois.

Lead poisoning is distinct among environmental health risks. Unlike other toxins, for decades, we have known exactly how childhood lead exposure occurs  through inhalation or ingestion of lead-based paint flakes in old homes, drinking water delivered by deteriorating service lines, and soil in industry-laden areas.

For decades, we have understood the devastating effects of childhood lead exposure. A potent neurotoxin, lead, damages the brain and nervous system, leading to lifelong development and health problems. We also know there are no safe levels of lead. We also know who is most affected by lead poisoning: children less than 6 years old, often in poor, minority communities.

We know, too, precisely how to eliminate the risk: Remediate lead from homes; screen every child in the United States for lead; and filter drinking water until aging service lines can be replaced, especially in schools and daycares.

Yet for decades, despite our knowledge, childhood lead poisoning persists and can harm childrens learning.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 offered an unprecedented opportunity for Illinois to take action. The ARPA provides $350 billion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments to address health disparities, provide investments in housing and neighborhoods, and promote healthy childhood environments in under-served communities.

Tackling childhood lead poisoning happens at the nexus of all three categories.

Gov J.B. Pritzker has announced that Illinois will earmark some of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to eliminate lead service lines in childcare facilities. This is an important first step, and we must continue to do more here in Illinois.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois, in conjunction with the Learning Disabilities Association of America, is offering to do workshops for childcare facilities about creating healthy environments for children. If your childcare facility is interested in our organization doing a workshop via Zoom for you on the dangers of lead, please email beverleyhjohns@gmail.com.

We know the risks and we have the solutions. Lets all work to do more.

Our children deserve to be protected from the harm that lead causes.
The Global Meeting of the Regional Entities established by the WCO Members and the Council Vice-chairs Offices held its 17th Session on 17-18 February in a hybrid format enabling delegates who could not travel to participate remotely via an online platform.

The 17th Global Meeting was chaired by Mr. Larry Liza, Director of ROCB East and South Africa and was attended by over 140 delegates representing Vice-Chair offices (VCOs), Regional Offices for Capacity Building (ROCB), Regional Intelligence Liaison Office (RILO), Regional Training Centers (RTC), Regional Dog Training Centers (RDTC), Regional Customs Laboratories (RCL) and host Administrations of regional entities.

During the course of interactive discussions over two days, the meeting addressed a range of issues of common interest, such as latest the development of tools that support strategic human resource management, including the WCO Guide to Managing Customs Human Capital through Crises and Beyond and the WCO Learning and Development Evaluation Tools. The participants also exchanged views and supported the recently developed WCO Middle Management Development (MMD) Training Programme.

Following the requests from the delegates to the previous Global Meeting, at the 17th Global Meeting, interested Regional Entities had an opportunity to share their experiences and good practices with other delegates.

The Global Meeting was also informed by the competent WCO Directorates and units about recent developments in their work areas, primarily focusing on areas that impact CB activities and the work of the regional entities.

The participants reconfirmed their willingness to work closely with each other to ensure strategic and cohesive functioning and carry out activities in supporting Members in their efforts in Customs reform and modernisation.

The Global Meeting elected Mr. Norikazu Kuramoto, Director of ROCB AP, as the Chairperson and Mr. Ulugbek Tadjiev from Uzbekistan Customs Service as the Vice-chairperson of the next 18th Global Meeting.
Sonora, CA  The Tuolumne Joint Powers Authority, which administers insurance programs for various schools in a four-county region, has sent a letter voicing complaints to Governor Gavin Newsom, legislative leaders, and state public health officials.

The letter signed by various local school superintendents notes concerns about the amount of time educators are spending on requirements like contact tracing and quarantine measures. It also asks that masking requirements be the same for all public sectors and criteria be established immediately allowing school districts to safely shift to an endemic response.

In addition, the letter asks state leaders to, Reduce the complexity and number of reports school districts must produce so they may have time to spend with students to address their social-emotional, academic, and learning loss needs.

We reported earlier that Governor Gavin Newsom, and state public health officials, are planning to release more information about plans related to things like masking in schools on February 28.

You can read the full letter from the JPA by clicking here.
Tuolumne County, CA  Life-saving tools purchased mostly from federal coronavirus pandemic funding are being put to work in Tuolumne County.

Noting that the quality of rescue tools is increasing, TCFD officials added, This dedication is going to save lives of residents and visitors alike and we sincerely thank those involved in acquiring these vital pieces of equipment.

Called a combi-tool, similar to the Jaws of Life the rescue extrication equipment is battery operated and fast, according to Tuolumne County Fire Department officials. Four of the tools, pictured in the image box, were purchased for $72,339 out of the $800,000 allocated to the department by the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors from the federal American Rescue Plan funding. These tools are now part of the wintertime county-funded engines at Twain Harte, Blanchard (Don Pedro) and Groveland CAL FIRE stations and the volunteer-staffed TCFD Station 58 Cedar Ridge.

Another grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will pay for another combi-tool for the TCFD Station 55 Pinecrest and additional funding for Jaws of Life equipment for Columbia FPD Station 74, Mi Wuk Sugar Pine FPD Station 77, Twain Harte CSD Fire Station 72, TCFD Station 51 Mono Village.

The Holmatro PCT50 combi-tools arrived earlier this month. TCFD outlined some of the reasons it chose this specialized combination equipment:

Fastest Combi Tool on the market, thanks to Stepless Speed Maximization (PATENTED). A mechatronic system inside the tool continuously optimizes the motor and pump settings to deliver a maximized oil flow over the full pressure range. This results in unparalleled speed at any tool load.

Should there be a rescue in the water the tool is completely submersible.

10,443 max operating psi

418,145 lbf spreading force

15 spreading distance

12.6 cutting opening

19,558 lbf max squeezing force

23,380 lbf max pulling force

Weight 44.8 lbs.

NFPA 1936 compliant
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
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Plainview Area Retired School Personnel met on Monday, Feb. 14 for their regular meeting at the Plainview Adult Activity Center. Valentines Day was celebrated with dessert and some informative and entertaining information. President Linda Murphree called the meeting to order and two new members were welcomed to our state organization, TRTA and our local unit.

Our program included Gretchen Massingill introducing the group to the newly formed Plainview Education Foundation. This organization will provide grants to teachers and scholarships for students, also funding for students to enroll in dual-credit courses. Donations to the Education Foundation are tax-deductible. In the near future there will be fundraisers and opportunities to support this worthwhile endeavor for our local school district students and personnel.
Manuel Cunha, Jr. also known as "Manny" currently celebrated 100 years young on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 with family, friends, and members of the VFW in Wallingford, Ct. along with Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati who proclaimed Feb 3, 2022 as Manuel Cunha Day.

Manuel Cunha, Jr. also known as "Manny" currently celebrated 100 years young on Thursday Feb 3, 2022 with family, friends, and members of the VFW in Wallingford, along with Mayor William Dickinson, Jr. of Wallingford and Mayor Kevin Scarpati of Meriden. (They will be presenting him with proclamations)

Manny resides in South Meriden, Ct. with Alice Parys who is and has been his companion for 15 years.

Manny was born on January 10, 1922 in Woonsocket, R.I., to immigrant parents from Portugal.

When Manny was five years old he moved with his family from Woonsocket to New Haven where he attended school. As a child around the age of 10 Manny kept busy earning money shining shoes, selling magazines, and miscellaneous jobs. After 8th grade, Manny then went to Bordman Trade School in New Haven where he graduated and soon after on Sept 28, 1942 enlisted in the Army.

While in the Army, Manny had he basic training for 8 weeks at Ft. Jackson, S.C. and then went to England for additional training. Manny served in the Journey of the 50th Signal Core attached to the infantry division in WWII serving in Europe and in Africa chasing German General Rommel. Manny also served in World War II D-Day, The Invasion of Normandy under General Patton on Jun 6, 1944. Manny also served in the liberation of Paris in 1944 and later received his honorable discharge in 1946.

As a result of his service, Manny received several medals including: The Three Star Campaign Battle Medal, The American Campaign Medal 1941-1945, The African Campaign Medal, The WWII medal 1941-1945, and the Connecticut Veterans Medal.

After Manny's discharge from the Army he married in New Haven and had one daughter. After 20 years of marriage, Manny was divorced. He does have two grandsons but no great grandchildren.

After Manny's divorce he married again, and unfortunately his second wife passed away from cancer.

When Manny was home from the service his first job was at Cowles and Company earning .40 / hour. After working there a while, Manny's cousin told him of a job in Waterbury where he could make more money. Manny eventually retired from Black and Decker where he worked as a tool setter for 20 years where he started with a pay of .50 / hour .

Years after Manny's second wife passed he met his current love of his life through a mutual friend in Meriden. He then moved from Waterbury to Meriden where he has been sharing his life with this special lady, Alice for 15 years. He also has a step daughter that currently lives with them.

Manny has a few memorable highlights in his life that include: He returned to his homeland Portugal where he was reunited with many family members; While on a trip to Texas Manny received a special blessing by the bishop in San Antonio; A memorable boat cruise in Florida; A great week spent with his brother in Seattle Washington after many years apart; A wonderful trip to New Orleans; The latest trip was to Branson Missouri with family where everyone was together renting a house for a week.

Manny's favorite things include watching wrestling as much as possible, eating hot dogs, dancing, and going to the casinos.

Manny attributes his long life to praying, being religious, and to not smoking or drinking.

This past year Manny spent two months in the hospital and nursing home where he survived Covid 19 and five fractured ribs and miraculously , at this time he is back to normal and doing well.
WALLINGFORD  Mark Vincent, the man under investigation in his daughters 1988 disappearance from his Whirlwind Hill Road home, was arrested in a Milford church parking lot last week in possession of a stolen gun, over 100 rounds of ammunition and rubber gloves, according to his arrest warrant.

Vincent, 65, was charged Thursday with theft of a firearm and two counts of criminal possession of a firearm. Vincent, who has a last known address of Johnson, Vermont, had recently returned to Connecticut from Vermont after being questioned late last month in his 12-year-old daughter Doreen Vincents disappearance, which the states attorneys office has reclassified a homicide.

Doreen Vincents body has never been found. Mark Vincent has not been charged in her disappearance.

In July 2021, police spoke with Kathy Andrasko Vincent, Mark Vincents estranged wife, the warrant said. Andrasko Vincent told police during the course of their over 20-year marriage she only spoke with Mark Vincent a couple of times about his daughters disappearance, the warrant said.

Andrasko Vincent told police Mark Vincent was working and living at Teen Challenge, a Christian substance abuse recovery program in New Haven. Police learned Mark Vincent moved to the Teen Challenge campus in Johnson, Vermont. Andrasko Vincent told police that she did tell Mark Vincent that officers spoke to her regarding his involvement with Doreens homicide, the warrant said.

Police learned Paul Vincent, Mark Vincents son, was also living at the same location in Vermont and on Jan. 26 officers went to speak with both men. Mark Vincent provided inconsistent and vague accounts of the events surrounding Doreens disappearance and did not provide any information to advance the investigation, according to the warrant.

During the conversation with Paul (Vincent), he informed investigators that he does not know what happened to Doreen however he knows that Mark knows and he believes he will never disclose the truth, the warrant said.

On Feb. 10, Paul Vincent called a Wallingford detective to report that Mark Vincent had left the Teen Challenge program in Vermont. Paul Vincent said his father was acting uneasy since police visited and he began giving away his personal belongings. Paul Vincent said his father left on Feb. 10 without saying goodbye, that he took very little clothing, and was likely driving his 2009 Honda CRV.

Paul Vincent also told police he believed Mark Vincent left with Paul Vincents Ruger LCP .380 caliber handgun. Paul Vincent purchased the gun in Vermont and kept it hidden under his bed. He said no one else knew about the gun or its location besides himself and his father, the warrant said. After Mark Vincent left, Paul Vincent checked his room and the gun was gone. Paul Vincent told police his father later called him and said he was going to a pastors house in Connecticut.

Paul (Vincent) stated that based on his experiences with his father and knowing his personality, he believed that Mark (Vincent) was afraid that the police were getting closer to making an arrest in Doreens homicide, according to the warrant.

Paul Vincent told police the pastor was James Loomer, of Orange. Loomer is the head pastor of Milford Christian Church, 989 New Haven Ave. Police conducted surveillance and on Feb. 16 they saw Mark Vincent leaving Loomers home and later found him at the church in Milford.

On Tuesday, Loomer told the Record-Journal he couldnt verify if Mark Vincent was at his home, and declined to comment on the case. Loomer said he wasnt at the church when Mark Vincent was arrested but was told police were very professional and didnt make a spectacle. Loomer declined to comment on his relationship to Mark Vincent or Doreen Vincents case.

On June 18, 1988, Doreen Vincents mother, Donna Lee, arrived at her ex-husband Mark Vincents Whirlwind Hill home to pick up their daughter, three days after the date Mark Vincent said Doreen ran away from home.

Mark Vincent hadn't notified police, Lee discovered. He said at the time that Doreen had packed a bag and ran off. It was Lee who insisted on calling the police.

Mark Vincent has never been charged in connection with Doreen Vincent's disappearance but was convicted on criminal possession of a weapon charges and served two years in prison after police found a gun hidden between wall studs in the garage of his mother's home in Bethel while searching the house as part of the missing person case in 1989. He was charged and the gun seized because of prior felony convictions. Mark Vincent was convicted of two larceny and burglary charges in 1974 and 1984.

Vincent is currently held on $250,000 bond. He was arraigned in Milford Superior Court last Thursday. His next court date is listed as March 18. According to the criminal clerks file, a judge ordered that if Vincent posts bond it must be done at a courthouse and he will be placed on electronic monitoring.

The state's attorney's office reclassified the Doreen Vincent case as a homicide investigation in late 2019 or early 2020. Police said at the time they were investigating a suspect and expected to submit an arrest warrant possibly within the next year.

lsellew@record-journal.com203-317-2225Twitter: @LaurenSellewRJ
Update at 5:26 p.m. February 25: On Friday, February 25, Alpha Media announced iconic San Antonio radio voice Jonny Ramirez will join the new Tejano station's morning programming. Ramirez is known for his 22-year career at KXTN, but is ready to start a new chapter with Tejano 95.7.

"Tejano is part of everything we do in San Antonio,, and the people deserve to have a strong, solid signal with talent that reflects that Tejano community," he says in a press statement. "I am extremely proud to be a part of this."

Bo Corona, another on-air voice, has also been hired for the 3 to 7 p.m. drive.

Original story continues below:

A nostalgic sound hit the San Antonio lunchtime airways on Wednesday, February 23. At noon, Alpha Media flipped the switch on La Ley to become Tejano 95.7 FM, bringing back the Tejano sound that San Antonians know and love.

The new station was introduced shortly after the switch with a social media rollout and new website telling the city, "Tejano is back in San Antonio."

La Ley, which focused on regional Mexican music, will now be dedicated to Tejano, showcasing San Antonio's beloved icons as well as new talent. The radio group's leaders say a Tejano station in San Antonio is a no-brainer.

"I'm very excited and happy to bring back Tejano music on an FM radio station to the people of San Antonio," Alpha Media Program Director Alfonso Flores says. "As the Tejano Music Capital of the World, and with many artists living in South Texas, it just made perfect sense."

Bob Perry, the group's programming consultant, says the decision was made in response to feedback from listeners.

"We have been talking to people in San Antonio and the bottom line is that people missed the format," he adds. "It was time to bring it back."

Tejano sounds are woven into the fabric of San Antonio culture. The sounds of the accordion and voices like Emilio Navaira, Selena, Freddy Fender, and Michael Salgado have created the soundtrack for decades of memories in the Alamo City and rest of South Texas. Radio stations like KXTN and KEDA were sources for Tejano for generations (the latter was launched in the 1960s) and served as a springboard for many of the genre's greats. KEDA was sold to a Corpus Christi-based group in 2011 and KXTN's change to an HD2 station in 2019 shocked San Antonio listeners. Petitions were launched within days, asking Unvision to rethink the decision to replace the nostalgic station with VIBE 107.5.

A week later, a 98.9 FM KLMO (K Alamo) was launched by Carlos Lopez and his family in response to help fill the void. The station remains on air.

Hector Saldana, curator of the Texas Music Collection at Texas State University's Wittliff Collections, is not surprised that Tejano music is seeing a renewed interest. Part of the wave could be credited to a natural cycle of nostalgia, he says. In the 1970s there was a revival of the 1950s. Now the 1990s are getting their remembrance.

"The thing about Mexican American culture or Tejano music is that it's not completely apart from the mainstream. It's American music and American culture, so it's going to be affected by those trends," he explains "It doesn't surprise me that there would be sort of a nostalgia for the heyday of Tejano and that it would be part of the natural cycle that we're seeing for the love of late '80s and '90s music."

He says having a dedicated radio station is vital for the infrastructure of the genre and emerging talent.

"Besides a sense of pride (in getting airtime), there still is a sense of discovery, even with all the technology change," Saldana says.

Saldana points to musicians like Grammy-nominated Gabriel Zavala or groups like Las Fenix, a Houston band made up of sisters, that would be a good fit to play on the new station alongside the legends.

As San Antonio gets a larger national spotlight, Saldana hopes the presence of stations like Alpha Media's new programming proves that Tejano is not niche and remains an important part of Texas culture.

"I think this may be a lifeline to that, to show, 'Hey, there's still interest in this genre, it's still vital,'" he says. "It doesn't matter what area of music, it is always about discovery. So now that (Tejano 95.7) is there, that's going to be the key."
Like many sports venues all across the country, the Alamodome once saw thousands of people getting tested for COVID-19 every single day as a makeshift testing site. However, the amount of San Antonian's seeking COVID-19 testing has significantly dropped over the past couple weeks. As a result five different testing sites across the city are imminently closing.

San Antonio Metropolitan Health is shutting down the Alamodome testing center on Monday, February 28.

Community Labs, responsible for many testing facilities around the city, announced Tuesday, February 22 that it will be closing four more facilities. These testing sites first opened to meet the needs of the city as the omicron variant surged in January of this year. They will cease operations on Friday, February 25, citing a major decrease in testing numbers.

"If you'll remember in January, people were looking desperately to find resources to get tested," Mary Ullmann Japhet of Community Labs tells MySA. "We had a really strong, pent up demand in our community. So once we opened those sites that we were just, you know, inundated with people, which was why we opened."

"At our peak in January we were testing 6,000 people a day, and now it's under 200," Japhet adds.

These numbers were tallied across Community Labs' eight public testing locations. Since the public sites began operating in January, they have conducted 60,400 COVID-19 screenings. The most recent figure, less than 200 testers, was collected on Thursday, February 17.

Concurrently, the positivity rate at the Community Labs public sites decreased from 53% in mid-January to 14% presently, which is still "nothing to sneeze at," says Japhet.

"That's still very high," she adds. "We hope to get back into the single digits real soon."

Ultimately, the San Antonio Fire Department and Metro Health have the final say in whether or not a testing facility closes. The forthcoming closures will occur at Copernicus Community Center, Yates Community Center, St. Philips College, and Melendrez Community Center.

By no means does reducing the number of public testing sites mean COVID-19 is no longer a threat, said Sal Webber, president of Community Labs in a press release. We encourage everyone to heed the advice of the CDC and our own Metro Health authorities and get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. Community Labs will be here to serve our community through mass public testing as long as we are needed.

The nonprofit continues to operate across 300 school campuses in 13 area school districts and at several local businesses. Testing sites that will continue to provide free PCR testing include Divine Providence Catholic Church, Alamo Colleges District Support Operations Building, and Wonderland of the Americas.
The City of San Antonio has decided to postpone the vote to remove several trees at Brackenridge Park. The decision follows public backlash and concerns from the Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC) during a highly-contested, long-winded hearing on February 16.

During the meeting, the city's parks and recreation and public works departments sought approval to remove three heritage live oaks, two heritage pecans, one heritage Bald Cypress, and one heritage Crepe Myrtle located along the river banks in the Lambert Beach area in the local park. The seven trees presented were a part of the city's master plan to remove 105 trees, with 10 being heritage trees.

The city said it needs to cut down several trees to repair and restore some of the historical features at Brackenridge Park. Places needing repair include the Lambert Beach River Walls, the Brackenridge Pumphouse that dates to the 1870s, and the upper labor diversion dam and upper labor acequia that date back to the 1700s.

San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department

However, HDRC didn't deny or approve the request and motioned to call for a special meeting to give the city more time to present them with additional information regarding the project. Several commissioners shared their concerns on how they couldn't approve the seven trees without seeing the entire details of the whole master plan for Brackenridge Park. Over 25 residents spoke at the meeting and voiced their disapproval of the trees removal and asked for more public input.

Harlandale bond: Harlandale ISD asking voters to approve $125 million bond in May

According to a news release on Tuesday, February 22, the city decided to postpone going back to HDRC until the spring or summer, so it can complete the design work for the Brackenridge Park master plan, which was approved in 2017 through the bond project.

"No one wants to remove heritage trees, especially from a historic city park, but if the removal ultimately remains necessary to protect the public and historic structures at Brackenridge, I want the community to understand the full context of the project," City Manager Erik Walsh stated in the release. "So, I have directed staff to pause consideration by the HDRC, which has dominated the conversation and distracted from the broader benefits of the restoration work, while we complete the design and work with our partners and stakeholders."

Marvin Pfeiffer, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

The city said it will work with the Texas Historical Commission and reengage a committee of Brackenridge Park stakeholders to ensure that historic structures in the park are adequately protected and the removal of heritage trees is minimized. The committee will include park tenants, adjacent neighborhood associations, and regulatory agencies to create a forum for guiding park development and information sharing. This committee will convene prior to the city project team returning to HDRC, according to the release.

San Antonio's District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, who has been apprehensive towards the project, told MySA he's happy to hear the city's plan to delay the vote. He said it gives the city a good opportunity to go back to the drawing board and correct "a lot of the wrongs" in the process.

"I think we'll have an opportunity for true community input," McKee-Rodriguez said. "We'll have an opportunity to go over the plan and what has to be versus what could be."

Castroville chief: Castroville police chief on admin leave after racial slur accusations

District 1 Councilmember Mario Bravo said he was also not comfortable with the speed the city was moving the project. He added the delay now gives them all some time to make sure that the project reflects the vision of the community. Bravo said he's grateful Walsh heard the concerns and decided to delay the vote. Several locals expressed their relief at the city's recent action as well.

"It's a huge relief to me to see that the city has made the decision to take more time to examine the issues at hand before moving forward with any sort of tree removal," Justin Parr told MySA.

Both council members said they will begin to host monthly public input meetings between now and the time that the design is complete. The public meetings will be announced via social media of the council members, McKee-Rodriguez said.
Paul Stephen /Staff

Soon, San Antonio runners, walkers, and beer lovers alike can enlist in a 5K fun run that begins and ends at their favorite local brewery. The Austin-based Texas Brewery Running Series announced plans to trot into San Antonio and parts of the Texas Hill Country.

If you're more into hops than sprints, this may be the gateway to physical activity for you.
For decades, the Institute of Texan Cultures has highlighted the diverse cultural heritage of the states residents. Many San Antonians have memories of visiting with classmates or attending festivals there.

But the building, constructed for the 1968 Worlds Fair and cut off from the surrounding area by berms, has been hampered by decaying infrastructure, declining attendance, staff layoffs and outdated displays.

Now, an Urban Land Institute panel sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio suggests moving it to a new spot at Hemisfair and considering the removal of its old digs to create a site for a hospitality school integrated with the urban park.

The panel was part of a broader effort focused on the museums future. It was made up of representatives from development, architecture and consulting firms in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, N.C., and Arlington; the Capitol Riverfront BID in Washington, D.C.; and Arizona State University.

They met last summer with nearly 50 community members, including staff from the museum and university, and this month released a report with their recommendations.

The 182,000-square-foot museum building, which was the Texas Pavilion at the HemisFair 68, is in poor condition and not easily accessible from downtown attractions, such as the nearby Convention Center, they wrote.

Massive deferred maintenance needs are causing significant risk, and it could cost more than $50 million to update the building to basic accreditation standards, they added.

Without the supporting context of the 1968 amenities, the existing Texas Pavilion is not suitable for and integrated with the Hemisfair grounds, nor is the facility itself safe or suitable for ITCs continued use, they wrote.

On ExpressNews.com: UTSAs Institute of Texan Cultures at HemisFair Park is a neglected treasure. Now, community leaders are negotiating to secure its future.

The institute and its presentation of history and artifacts also need a refresh.

The museum has the potential to be a hub for educational and community activities, drawing a wider range of visitors and featuring more digital and interactive components, they said. Adding retail and food could also generate more revenue.

But that should be separate from evaluating the Texas Pavilion building, the authors wrote.

Jerry Lara / Staff file photo

They zeroed in on two relocation options for the museum  the John H. Wood Jr. Federal Courthouse building or a facility near the Tower of the Americas  and potentially removing the Texas Pavilion building.

UTSA could use the 14.7-acre site to build a hospitality school and hotel, capitalizing on the downtown location and the tourism industrys prominence in San Antonio.

This approach maximizes the land value and allows UTSA to create new revenue streams and strengthen community partnerships, they wrote. The ITC can inhabit another building better suited to enhance its reimagined mission.

UTSA could also keep the building and renovate it for event space shared with the Convention Center, retail or a grocery store, but rehabilitating it would be expensive, they said.

In graphic representations of possible site configurations, they included mixed-use and retail components, a restaurant and food trucks.

The panel also suggested that UTSA partner with the city and the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corp., which is charged with revitalizing the Worlds Fair site.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

What is clear is this opportunity is rare, occurring once in a 50-year horizon, they wrote. It can change the trajectory of the ITC, the city of San Antonio and the region.

The panel stressed the importance of rebuilding trust with community members and making them part of the process of reconfiguring the ITC and Texas Pavilion site.

The University of Texas System asked developers to submit proposals for the ITC site in 2016  a decision that lacked a robust community engagement and review process and was highly controversial, the authors wrote. The request was later withdrawn, but the damage was done.

UTSA announced its ITC Centennial 2068 effort in 2021, and set up a steering committee and task forces focusing on three aspects: the museum, community engagement and support, and facility and land stewardship.

It conducted a survey last fall to solicit community input and submitted ideas, which included offering more activities, updating the building, putting more material online, and offering more research opportunities and classes for students and professors.

The steering committee will meet over the coming months to review residents feedback and reports from the task forces, UTSA said. Final options are expected to be available for input in May.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
Ugandan police officers participate in a parade to mark the 36th anniversary of the Liberation Day at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 26, 2022. Uganda on Wednesday marked the 36th anniversary of the Liberation Day, when the ruling National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) took over power after a five-year guerrilla war. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)

Members of Uganda People's Defence Force participate in a parade to mark the 36th anniversary of the Liberation Day at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 26, 2022. Uganda on Wednesday marked the 36th anniversary of the Liberation Day, when the ruling National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) took over power after a five-year guerrilla war. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)
(Natural News) Chief of Staff Charles Brown and Chief Master Sergeant Kaleth Wright have made diversity and wokeness into the core of the Air Forces mission. Meanwhile the planes wont fly.

(Article by Daniel Greenfield republished from FrontPageMag.com)

Brown has spent the past few years unleashing worthless diversity reviews to try and blame the Air Force for a supposed lack of diversity, even though it now has a black chief of staff and a black top enlisted leader. The military justification for their divisive shenanigans was that diversity equated somehow to military readiness. How is the Air Forces readiness?

The latest numbers show that the Air Force has made no progress in improving the readiness of its planes with a rate of 71.5% or 7 out of 10 planes in 2021.

The United States Air Force is supposed to have mission capable rates of 75% to 80%, but about the only aircraft that meet that criteria are the unmanned drones. The high ratings of the drones disguise the fact that the actual numbers, when broken down by aircraft, are worse.

The F-35As, the fifth generation fighters that would be crucial in countering any sizable aerial engagement with Communist China, dropped catastrophically from 76% to 68.8%.

Last year, the Biden administration boasted about the largest deployment of F-22 stealth fighters in the Pacific. Unfortunately their readiness hovers at around 50%.

Deploying fighters with the readiness rate of a coin flip wont impress Communist China.

The F-15Es, the workhorse fighter we rely on in every theater, is down from 69% to 66%, the F-15C are down to below 70%, and the situation is expected to worsen due to parts shortages. The C-130 Hercules, a backbone of our operation, has slipped below 70%. The CV-22 Osprey fell from 54% to 50%. The B-1 Lancer fell from 52% to 40%, and, at its worst, was at 10%.

All in all, only one Air Force aircraft actually met mission-capable goals: the venerable UH-1N Huey which is three years older than Chief of Staff Brown.

Thats not just a disgrace, its a catastrophe waiting to happen.

The United States is at risk of entering a military confrontation with China that we are not ready for. The Chinese have built up their own air force using stolen American technology. Meanwhile after generations of dream planes and endless billions spent, the Air Force still remains reliant on outdated aircraft that are over 50 years old in some cases and which are harder to support.

The next generation aircraft have not panned out. Their repeated failures have been met with an aggressive push by the brass to ignore the problems, punish critics, and junk the older aircraft. Older planes are being cannibalized for parts to repair other aircraft of the same generation leading to shrinking squadron sizes and brass congratulating themselves for saving money.

Rather than bootstrapping its way to military readiness, the newly woke Air Force is jettisoning readiness and focusing on diversity.

During the nomination of Brown, Bidens disastrous pick, he provided worthless and misleading mission capable rates on the F-16, the F-22, and the F-35.

Most notably, Brown claimed that the F-22 mission capable rate achieved a high of 68% in April 2019. That would be impressive, except that the actual F-22 yearly rate fell to 51%.

More significantly, Bidens Secretary of Defense Austin decided to drop even the expectation of a 75% to 80% readiness rate. Brown is on board with that which means we are not ready. And the military leadership has decided to stop even trying to hit those basic readiness targets.

Instead of having at least 3 out of 4 aircraft ready, the brass have decided to take a more holistic view of readiness.

Communist China is not taking a holistic view of winning wars.

While Bidens brass expect us to accept a holistic view of readiness, in which we arent actually ready, they have set the gold standard for diversity with conversations on race and hard diversity quotas. If Brown and the Air Force had the same attitude toward aircraft readiness quotas that they do toward racial quotas, we would have total military readiness at all times.

Instead we have the first black Secretary of Defense, the first black Air Force Chief of Staff, and the first black Chief Master Sergeant who tweets things like, You dont know the anxiety, the despair, the heartache, the fear, the rage and the disappointment that comes with living in this country every single day. And we have an Air Force full of planes that dont fly.

The woke Air Force brass dont know the anxiety, the despair, the heartache, the fear, the rage, and the disappointment that comes from spending tens of billions on aircraft that dont fly while the woke brass throw themselves pity parties and act like expecting them to win wars is racist.

During his nomination, Air Force Chief of Staff Brown released an unprofessional video complaining that he had been a victim of racism because someone in Korea once questioned whether he was entitled to a parking space when he was out of uniform.

Now Brown has his woke parking space and a whole lot of our planes are parked on it.

Read more at: FrontPageMag.com
(Natural News) A Chinese bio-fermentation company is setting up shop in Americas heartland.

Fufeng Group Limited is reportedly building a behemoth corn processing plant in North Dakota where it will manufacture products like corn starch, animal feed and pharmaceuticals.

The company is listed as being based in Hong Kong, however most of its production facilities are located in northeast China. The national security implications of this are astounding.

In early November, Fufeng announced that it was in negotiations to build a new agribusiness plant in Grand Forks. The facility is expected to consume around 25 million bushels of corn per year, and will cost around $350 million to build.

Fufeng USA, the companys American subsidiary, is reportedly in charge of the endeavor.

The investment has been dubbed historic, not just because the company is tied to the communist Chinese regime but also because it is the largest single private capital investment in the regions history, according to Keith Lund of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation.

On January 12, city officials tentatively approved significant tax breaks for the Fufeng Group to encourage the company to follow through with the project.

The future plant will be a wet corn milling facility and is expected to be fully operational by 2024 or 2025, reported The Epoch Times, citing local media coverage about the project.

The company will produce corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed, lysine, and threonine for predominate use in animal feed products.

Americans need to say NO to the Chinese takeover of our countrys agriculture systems

The Chinese takeover of American agriculture has actually been going on for quite some time now.

As we reported last June, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has breached the inner walls of the American food system, and is now stripping machinery, barns, bins, and fields of all valuables.

Chinas goal is to completely consume all arable land throughout the country, and to do so by 2049. In many cases, China buys up land and resources in order to steal the agricultural technology, as well as to take control of food production.

As for Fufeng USA, this project will allow China to generate large profits using American land  and those in charge in Grand Forks apparently see nothing wrong with this.

On February 22, the city council there is slated to vote on whether to approve the deal. It is expected to get the green light with flying colors, followed by a later meeting on March 7 to finalize the agreement and all of its details.

Local residents are not happy about the project. One of them, Diana Hoverson, wrote the Grand Forks Herald to say that it sounds like North Dakota is ready to deal with the devil!

It turns out that Li Xuechun, the top executive at the Fufeng Group since November 2016, served as a member of the Peoples Congress of northeastern Chinas Chandong Province.

The Peoples Congress is a rubber-stamp legislature of the CCP, revealed The Epoch Times.

In 2003, Li was honored for Outstanding Achievement by Shandong provincial authorities. Ross Kennedy, the founder of Fortis Analysis, says that Li embodies the synthesis of the economic and political goals of the Shandong region and the CCP.

However, Brandon Bochenski, the mayor of Grand Forks, claims that the project was approached with a high level of due diligence and that everything is a-okay.

We have been in contact with our Governor, ND [North Dakota] state agencies, U.S. Senators, and U.S. House Representatives regarding the project, Bochenski said in a 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.

More related news about how the American government is allowing communist Chinese corporations to take over the countrys agriculture system can be found at Treason.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A team of scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that proves Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines are causing myocarditis  and at rates much higher than the official databases show.

Entitled, Myocarditis Cases Reported After mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccination in the US From December 2020 to August 2021, the paper contains a key paragraph that tells us all we need to know about the accuracy of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS):

Furthermore, as a passive system, VAERS data are subject to reporting biases in that both underreporting and overreporting are possible. Given the high verification rate of reports of myocarditis to VAERS after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination, underreporting is more likely. Therefore, the actual rates of myocarditis per million doses of vaccine are likely higher than estimated.

Keep in mind that it is CDC scientists admitting that VAERS is stricken with a serious underreporting factor (URF). And even though they also threw in the word overreporting, there is actually no scientific evidence whatsoever to support that notion.

I cant even figure out how VAERS could be overreported since the system should eliminate duplicates unless there is a bug, writes independent investigator Steve Kirsch.

But the key thing here is they did absolutely nothing to attempt to quantify the underreporting factor (URF).

VAERS underreporting factor for covid jab myocarditis at least 100, Kirsch says

According to Kirsch, these CDC scientists know full well how to estimate the URF. One of its authors, Dr. John Su, wrote a paper about how to do so back in November 2020 entitled, The reporting sensitivity of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for anaphylaxis and for Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Su et al. could have easily applied this same methodology in their latest paper on covid shots and anaphylaxis, but for whatever reason they chose not to do so. The reason, Kirsch says, is that they do not want to let anyone know how serious it is.

So they deliberately leave out the estimate of the minimum URF (the minimum URF is the URF calculated using the most serious events that would be expected to be always reported) and leave it as an exercise for the reader, he writes.

Kirsch made his own URF calculations showing that at a minimum, the number is 41. In reality, though, the URF is more like 100 or higher, 100 being a conservative estimate.

Thats pretty high, Kirsch says. Its unacceptably high. Thats why they never apply the URF. Because it would disqualify the vaccine.

When we say an URF of 100, by the way, what that means is that one out of every 100 people injected develops myocarditis symptoms. That is an astoundingly high number, especially compared to the official government figures.

The real world data is kept hidden from view of everyone, Kirsch says. I have yet to see a single school that publishes their myocarditis cases.

The only way you find these out is when parents talk to parents. The government doesnt want anyone to know the real numbers for obvious reasons: it would kill the vaccine program if people knew the truth. So everyone keeps quiet and you have to get really lucky to get any data at all.

Kirsch points to Monte Vista Christian School (MVCS) as a case-in-point. There, four cases of post-jab myocarditis were reported. With 800 students, roughly half of whom are boys and roughly half of whom are vaccinated, this would seem to substantiate a URF of 100 for post-jab myocarditis.

More of the latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine injuries can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

SteveKirsch.substack.com

ScienceDirect.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dr. Jane Ruby talked about leaked emails involving three drug regulators on her Brighteon.TV program Live with Dr. Jane Ruby. Her guest Sasha Latypova, a former drug executive, said the regulators purportedly adhered to the Operation Warp Speed timeline set by the Trump administration.

Ruby named the regulators involved in the scheme as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United Kingdoms Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Europe.

She added the leaked emails provided by Latypova made it appear that the agencies were working to meet an outside deadline, one that could have been set by [former] President [Donald] Trumps Operation Warp Speed  in alignment with Pfizer.

Latypova confirmed the existence of the leaked emails, adding they identified 140 people in the correspondences. Most of those people from different European nations were connected with EMA.

All of them are highly trained professionals experienced in different diagnostic techniques, tests and statistics. There are plenty of red flags that any of them could have identified  and surprisingly, [the vaccine] got shoved through the door very quickly, she said.

Its all three of them obviously coordinating by email. All these three separate agencies [under] separate governments [in] separate continents, paid by separate sets of taxpayers. Yet you see them all coordinating. Not only is [the] FDA involved, but its [the] MHRA and EMA [too].

Theyre referring to Trump who already, by that time, lost the election  [but] it seems like theyre all still working on his timeline. I didnt see emails referring specifically to [Operation] Warp Speed, but they clearly refer to [former Health Secretary Alex] Azar and Trump as being sort of drivers of the times. There are numerous emails that refer to these specific deadlines and timelines for approval, and even [one] email saying that If we dont meet this time, its going to be extremely difficult for all of us.'

Pfizer pulled strings for an expedited vaccine approval

Latypova also mentioned that the leaked emails repeatedly refer to Pfizer, and touched on how the New York-based vaccine maker pulled some strings to ensure speedy approval of its vaccines. There were two officials from EMA emailing each other and saying that We need to share notes between us.' (Related: FDA executive reveals truth about agencys extremely close ties to Big Pharma in undercover video.)

She told Ruby that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla repeatedly misrepresented the three regulators in emails. [The] Pfizer CEO told FDA officials that EMA is pushing for [a] faster timeline, which they were not  [it was] the opposite. FDA was pushing EMA for [a] faster timeline, but [Bourla] was going and misrepresenting it to FDA officials trying to push it even faster. From what Im reading from these emails, the Pfizer CEO was lobbying for even faster timelines.

Latypova also put forward a hierarchy based on the leaked emails. Bourla was at the top of everything, with Trump below him and Azar at the third rank. The American, European and British regulators followed  with the FDA pressuring its counterparts across the pond to expedite approval of Pfizers vaccine.

If anybody asks you: How can you say that theres [a] global conspiracy? These are huge agencies in separate countries with separate rules. Well, heres the evidence of a global conspiracy. Theyre exchanging emails with each other about how to shove this through the door faster, Latypova said.

True enough, all three regulators gave their thumbs-up to the Pfizer vaccine within the same time period. The FDA issued an initial emergency use authorization (EUA) to the shot on Dec. 11, 2020. The MHRA approved the vaccine for the U.K. on Dec. 2, 2020  nine days before the FDAs issuance of an EUA. Meanwhile, the EMA approved the vaccine for the entirety of Europe ten days later on Dec. 21, 2020.

More related stories:

Pfizer, FDA know the COVID vaccine is dangerous, but they push it anyway.

Robert Scott Bell slams FDA for granting full approval to Pfizers KILLER vaccine  Brighteon.TV.

Whistleblower says Pfizer falsified data, conducted flawed covid vaccine trials to rig FDA approval.

Leaked emails reveal EU vaccine regulators were worried about early batches of Pfizers coronavirus vaccine.

First batch of FOIA documents released by FDA about Pfizers covid vaccines shows 1,223 DEATHS already reported in early February 2021.

Watch the conversation between Dr. Jane Ruby and Sasha Latypova about the leaked emails below.

This video is from the FalconsCAFE Sharing is caring channel on Brighteon.com.

Conspiracy.news has more stories about Pfizer colluding with regulators to expedite approval for its vaccine.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

FDA.gov

Reuters.com

DW.com
STORY AT-A-GLANCE

The German Club of Clear Words takes a deep dive into the network of individuals and organizations responsible for the COVID scam

Whether blatantly visible or not, you can identify just about any network by connecting dots between individuals and organizations. Whos working with whom, where, and why? Whos paying whom? And once youve done that, you can more clearly identify the motivations behind various decisions

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation appears to be near the top, or the center, of this COVID plandemic network. Gates is also a major funder of mainstream media, and his network extends into global food and climate change policy

The Gates Foundation, through its funding of the WEF, also plays an important role in The Great Reset, which was officially unveiled during a WEF summit in May 2020

Every conceivable aspect of life and society is scheduled to be reset according to their plan. Ultimately, thats where this criminal COVID enterprise is trying to take us

(Natural News) (Article by Dr. Joseph Mercola republished from Articles.Mercola.com)

During a February 4, 2022, interview with Time magazine,1 former National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins accused me of being to blame for the governments inability to bring the COVID pandemic to a close.

In his mind, the COVID-19 deaths experienced in the U.S. were not due to the lack of appropriate treatment but, rather, our failure to get a needle into every arm in America. In other words, vaccine resistance is the reason COVID-19 is still with us, and people who share basic facts about the COVID jabs are to blame for that.

Times editor-at-large Belinda Luscombe asked Collins why so many of those who distrust vaccines are Christians, to which he replied, in part:

I dont want to blame any of those people who have been somehow seduced by misinformation into a position that is not good for them. I want to blame the people who are spreading the misinformation especially those who know its not true and are doing so anyway 

I look at what happens in social media, at the top 12 distributors of false information on Facebook. And some of them are doctors who are making a lot of money on this.

Theyre the people who I have the hardest time forgiving, physicians who have given an oath to do no harm and are now saying These vaccines are dangerous, and Here is an alternative approach and that if you buy from me, youll be fine. Look at Dr. Joseph Mercola from Florida.

Before correcting the article, Luscombe interjected at this point, asking, The one who claims to be the inventor of mRNA? to which Collins replied, Yes. In the corrected copy, Collins reply is changed to, No thats Dr. Robert Malone 

But originally, both of them somehow managed to get the two of us confused. I guess its hard to keep all the facts straight when youre trying to cover up lies with more lies.

Evidence Does Not Support Collins Denials

To me, it seems Collins is desperately trying to deflect and hide the NIHs own involvement in the pandemic  both its creation and its continuation  which is getting more obvious as time goes on. From the start, Collins2 and Fauci denied the possibility of a lab leak, even though most of the evidence pointed straight in that direction.

In January 2022, House Oversight Committee Republicans released National Institutes of Health emails that show Drs. Anthony Fauci and Francis Collins led the effort to bury the lab leak theory, even though the scientific consensus in early February 2020 was that the virus likely leaked from the Wuhan lab.3 For example, a note from professor and microbiologist Robert (Bob) Garry, Ph.D., read:

Before I left the office for the ball, I aligned the nCoV with the 96% bat CoV sequenced at WIV. Except for the RBD the S proteins are essential identical at the amino acid level  well all but the perfect insertion of 12 nucleotides that adds [sic] the furin site.

S2 is over its whole length essentially identical. I really cant think of a plausible natural scenario where you get from the bat virus or one very similar to it to nCoV where you insert exactly 4 amino acids 12 nucleotide [sic] that all have to be added at the exact same time to gain this function  that and you dont change any other amino acids in S2?

I just cant figure out how this gets accomplished in nature. Do the alignment of the spikes at the amino acid level  its [sic] stunning. Of course, in the lab it would be easy to generate the perfect 12 base insert that you wanted.

That was a private note; yet, publicly  and in retrospect, duplicitously  Garry was claiming it came from nature, and even cowrote a paper in March 20204 stating that, plausibly, the virus could not have come from a lab. A year later, in May 2021, in a video interview with the American Society for Microbiology,5 he again insisted the virus came from nature and not a lab.

One can only speculate why he had one story for Faucis eyes only, but another for the public. Then, again, Collins and Fauci also denied ever having funded gain-of-function (GOF) research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China, despite documented evidence of such funding.6,7,8,9

As reported by The Federalist,10 while Fauci insists that the NIAIDs funding of research on bat coronaviruses at the WIV (through grants to the EcoHealth Alliance) could not possibly have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2, the records that could actually prove this assertion  the complete lab records  have never been disclosed. Why is that?

Its also worth noting that the natural origin theory does not automatically dismiss the lab leak theory. Even if SARS-CoV-2 had a natural origin, it still could have escaped from the Wuhan lab  if it was kept and/or studied there.

So, why are Fauci and Collins so adamant about denying both scenarios? And why are they not cooperating and releasing relevant information if that information can clear them of suspicions of wrongdoing?

Criminalizing Truth

For the time being, Collins and his underling, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Anthony Fauci, are protected by political powers, but that could  and hopefully will  eventually change. For now, theyre relying on a combination of projection, censorship and intimidation to keep the truth under a tight lid.

According to the DHS, Americans who undermine public trust in government institutions are the primary threat actors. With that, they have literally labeled free speech a terrorism threat to the U.S.

To that end, February 7, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raised the terrorism threat level a notch:11

The United States remains in a heightened threat environment fueled by several factors, including an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories, and other forms of mis-, dis- and mal-information (MDM12) introduced and/or amplified by foreign and domestic threat actors.

According to the DHS, Americans who undermine public trust in government institutions are the primary threat actors. With that, they have literally labeled free speech a terrorism threat to the U.S.13

Anyone who presents information that results in people losing confidence in government institutions is a terrorist. The problem with this is that its THE TRUTH that is triggering this loss of confidence. So, theyre actually criminalizing truth telling!

National Security Apparatus Targets Citizens

DHS claims that domestic violent extremists have and may continue to use COVID measures, such as mask and vaccine mandates, to justify violence against government, health care and academic institutions that they associate with those measures.

Strangely enough, the DHS then goes on to cite threats directed at synagogues, mosques, Jewish facilities and Black colleges, as well as rumors of election fraud, as examples of events that can inspire and mobilize this kind of violence. Just what race, religion and election fraud concerns have to do with how people feel about COVID measures is unclear.

To keep Americans safe, the DHS urges everyone to maintain the digital and media literacy required to recognize and build resilience to false or misleading narratives.

For their part, the DHS and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are sharing information with partners across every level of government and in the private sector. Theyve also established a new, dedicated domestic terrorism branch to produce the sound, timely intelligence needed to counter related threats.14

In the same vein, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has a dedicated MDM team, a special taskforce charged with building national resilience to mis-, dis-, and malinformation 15 In short, national security agencies are being weaponized against the American public itself. Theyre openly being used to shut down Constitutional rights.

DHS Bulletin Cannot Be Allowed to Stand

In response to the DHS bulletin, Malone writes:16

In the United States, our right to free speech and the right to assemble is paramount to who we are. [The DHS National Terrorism Advisory Bulletin] has some of my colleagues as well as myself very worried. Those who are writing and speaking about science and health policy are now in danger of being targeted by the U.S. government as domestic terrorists for spreading mis-, dis- and mal-information (MDM).

The manipulative linking of election violence to COVID-19 policies is disingenuous. It is a calculated strategy to allow government authorities to crack down on those people who are going against the Health and Human Services narrative that there are no early treatments for COVID-19 and that everyone must get vaccinated, and that the lockdowns and mask mandates were necessary.

The U.S. government must be held accountable for their failed policies and authoritarian behavior during this pandemic. Scientists, the press, physicians and yes, laypeople, must be able to speak and write freely 

As a people, we cannot allow ourselves to be censored in this manner. It is time that our legislative and judicial branches of government do their job to protect our first amendment rights. This bulletin cannot be allowed to stand or we will no longer have freedom of speech in this country.

Read more at: Articles.Mercola.com
(Natural News) Tammy Cuthbert Garcia slammed the Canadian government for infiltrating private entity platforms GoFundMe and GiveSendGo to sabotage the largely successful Freedom Convoy.

The money is still not being distributed. Thats how much power the government has over this fund. And these are private companies. Imagine the power they will exercise over us when they control one centralized currency, Cuthbert Garcia said during a recent episode of Naturally Inspired Daily.

Consider it a preview of what is about to come.

Cuthbert Garcia cited a piece published on the Federal Reserve website last year. Its talking about programmable money, she said, adding that she just recently learned about the concept. (Related: Australia to overhaul payments system with digital currency issued by central bank.)

I, of course, have heard of digital currency. And tracking through digital currency has always been an issue and a concern of mine, because anyone with that much control over your currency, any entity that has that much control over your currency, I find that problematic. Because they can, of course, shut it down at any time.

Programmable money is a way to ration things

Programmable money involves a blockchain code, Cuthbert Garcia said, so its almost like a token system.

You wont be able to use your money just for anything. You will have to use that code, that programmable code, to buy certain things, she explained.

So, maybe, you only have 10 digital tokens to buy beef that week. And once you use those tokens, you cant buy anymore. Its a way to ration things. And so if the holder of the centralized currency, the comptroller of the central centralized currency, doesnt want certain things to take place, then theyll simply not create those tokens to buy those things. Its kind of like a lock and key type thing.

The article on the Federal Reserve website noted that one facet of successful public blockchain systems that may provide some clarity is how they closely link digital value and programmability in a single system that only functions properly when both are present.

It added: Any programmability offered for this money, whether internally to the entity maintaining the database or exposed to its customers via an application programming interface, involves another technology system built separately from that database and then connected in some fashion.

The vaccine passport immediately comes to mind. (Related: Bill Gates funded the creation of a vaccine passport tracking system long before the coronavirus pandemic.)

This is what were been talking about with the vaccine passport. This is what weve been talking about, for goodness sakes. I dont know how much more clear this can be. And we still have people out there willingly using vaccine passports, completely missing the point, Cuthbert Garcia said.

Okay, this is not about proving your health medical injection status. This is about a centralized currency that will drastically change your ability to exchange goods and services and to move freely about the world. Please go learn about programmable currency.

Microsofts cryptocurrency system exemplifies control

People may also want to learn about a cryptocurrency system registered on March 26, 2020  just 15 days after the World Health Organization officially declared a global pandemic  by Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC.

Titled Cryptocurrency system using body activity data, it gained international status on April 22, 2020. Microsoft gave it the patent code number 060606.

Under this system, the human body activity associated with the task provided to a user can be used in the mining process of a cryptocurrency. A server provides a task to a users device connected to it. A sensor attached to the users device or positioned within it can detect the users body activity.

Body activity data can be generated based on the attained body activity of the user. The cryptocurrency system connected to the users device can verify whether the data generated by body activity meet the conditions set by the cryptocurrency system, and can issue cryptocurrency to the user whose body activity data is verified.

In other words, a chip that monitors daily physical activity will be placed in your body. And if the conditions are met, you will receive certain bonuses that can be spent on something.

A server will essentially become your master.

In a detailed description of the invention, Microsoft explains how to use the device with 28 concepts.

It also provides a list of countries for which the invention is intended. There are several regional organizations with all members part of the United Nations, which are separately mentioned. These include the European Patent Office, the Eurasian Patent Organization and two African intellectual property protection organizations.

More related stories:

Enzyme that will make Bill Gates vaccine microchip implant work known as LUCIFERASE.

Globalist Klaus Schwab called for implantable global health pass microchip back in 2016.

Implantable microchips could soon be voluntarily injected into state government employees.

Chinas electronic money may bring surveillance state to private wallets worldwide.

Watch the video below to learn more about programmable money.

This video is from the Tammy Cuthbert Garcia channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow CryptoCult.news for more stories related to cryptocurrencies.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

FederalReserve.gov

ProIPPatent.com
(Natural News) Russian President Vladimir Putin declared two disputed regions in eastern Ukraine as independent republics. He also sent ground troops to the two regions for peacekeeping purposes.

In a Feb. 21 speech, the Russian leader declared the independence of the Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) and Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR). He also signed decrees recognizing the DPR and LPR as sovereign states. I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of [the] DPR and LPR, he said.

Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation on the bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine, Putin continued. On the same day as his speech, he mobilized troops into the DPR and LPR to maintain peace. According to the Daily Mail, there are now an estimated 190,000 Russian troops at the Ukrainian border alongside air support.

Putins Feb. 21 speech also took swipes at the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Who is the main enemy for the U.S. and NATO? We know that too. Its Russia. In NATO documents, our country is officially and directly declared the main threat to North Atlantic security, he said. The Russian leader accused NATO of being responsible for the current crisis in Ukraine and the U.S. of pumping in weapons to the smaller country.

The Daily Mail said in its report that Putins recognition of the DPR and LPR paves the way for the long-feared Russian invasion. It added that the move opens the door for Russia to sign treaties with the two states and openly send troops and weapons there to defend them against Ukrainian threats.'

A senior official in the Biden administration said Putins Feb. 21 speech was not only just about Russias security, but also a larger plan involving Ukraine. He made clear that he views Ukraine historically as part of Russia, and he made a number of false claims about Ukraines intention that seems designed to excuse possible military action. This was a speech to the Russian people to justify war, the official said. (Related: Russia warns Ukraine of full-scale conflict along the countrys eastern border.)

Peacekeeping troops in Ukraine may actually be mercenaries

Former intelligence officer and Brighteon.TV host Jeffrey Prather touched on mercenaries standing in for Russian soldiers on the Feb. 18 edition of his program Prather Point. He mentioned several attacks in Ukraines disputed regions, but said he takes these reports with a grain of salt as these may possibly be false flags.

[The reason] why I am so skeptical of this is because PMCs  private military companies, contractors or I like to use the old term mercenaries  especially from the Wagner group have been redeployed from Africa to the Ukrainian front. The Biden administration and Western officials are claiming that mercenaries linked to Russian spies have increased their presence in Ukraine.

Prather cited an article from British outlet iNews about the Wagner PMCs presence in Ukraine. It featured an interview with Dr. Dan Lomas of Brunel University London. According to the intelligence and security studies lecturer, the mercenary group has had a presence in eastern Ukraine since 2014 to aid Russian-backed separatist rebels.

Lomas said the increase of Wagner PMC mercenaries in Ukraine could fit into Moscows narrative of it pulling out troops in the contested areas  with mercenaries taking their place. It allows the Russian government to muddy the waters and say [the mercenaries] are not officially linked to Russia itself. Where Russia wants to extend their influence, youll see Wagner [mercenaries] on the ground, he told iNews.

The article said the Wagner PMC is made up of individuals who have served in the Russian armed forces and Russian intelligence agencies. The individuals have also been contracted by foreign governments and groups involved in various conflicts around the globe, such as in Syria and Libya. Thats interesting, because the U.S. government has [also] been involved in Syria and Libya, Prather commented on this observation.

More related stories:

Russias red line: Moscow not about to allow Ukraine to join NATO as World War III hangs in the balance.

Biden and his war hawks clamor for war with Russia; Ukraine tells him to STOP WARMONGERING and calm down.

Dr. Carole Lieberman: Biden repeating a doomed history with decision to send US military to Ukraine  Brighteon.TV.

Watch Jeffrey Prather talking about the Ukraine conflict on Prather Point.

This video is from the Brighteon.TV channel on Brighteon.com.

WWIII.news has the latest updates on the conflict brewing in Ukraine.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.com

iNews.co.uk
(Natural News) Urging CDC scientists to speak out, Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Ryan Cole reacted Monday to the news reported by the New York Times that agency officials admit they have withheld COVID data broken down by age, race and vaccination status because the American people might misinterpret it.

(Article by Art Moore republished from WND.com)

This meets the criteria of scientific fraud, said Malone, the key inventor of the mRNA technology platform used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Withholding data is scientific fraud.

Cole, a Mayo Clinic-trained pathologist who runs a major diagnostic lab in Idaho, said that as an ethical physician who took oaths to the human race, this is incredibly disturbing.

These are the people that are entrusted to tell us the truth, he said of the CDC officials.

The two outspoken medical scientists were featured at four sold-out events Sunday and Monday near Seattle hosted by a non-profit called One Washington that is helping equip parents, lawmakers and activists to counter moves by the state Board of Health to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the required shots for public school children.

See the WND video interview with Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Ryan Cole:

The Times reported the CDC has been routinely collecting information since the Covid vaccines were first rolled out last year, but the agency has been reluctant to make those figures public, the official said, because they might be misinterpreted as the vaccines being ineffective.

The report said that [t]wo full years into the pandemic, the agency leading the countrys response to the public health emergency has published only a tiny fraction of the data it has collected, citing several people familiar with the withheld data. Much of the withheld information could help state and local health officials better target their efforts to bring the virus under control, the Times said.

Malone noted the Times quoted Samuel Scarpino, managing director of pathogen surveillance at the Rockefeller Foundations Pandemic Prevention Institute, saying the CDC is a political organization as much as it is a public health organization. He said the steps that it takes to get the data released are often well outside of the control of many of the scientists that work at the C.D.C.

Malone said that what Scarpino essentially is saying is that the governmental leadership of the CDC has stifled CDC scientists, in preventing them from disclosing key information to the public about the risks of the vaccine.

That is stunning, he said.

Malone said its way past time for CDC scientists and physicians to come clean and speak out.

Cole agreed that they have an ethical responsibility to humanity to tell the American people what is going on. Last month, he testified with Malone and other physicians and scientists at a panel convened by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., called COVID-19: A Second Opinion. Cole testified that he has observed in his lab over the past year a startling uptick in incidences of clotting, auto-immune diseases and cancers.

We physicians and scientists have one responsibility, and one responsibility only, and that is the health and wellness of humanity, no matter the inconvenient cost of telling that truth, he said.

In the interview with WND, Malone also reacted to Bill Gates remark last week that sadly, the omicron variant is acting like a natural vaccine, with the vaccine inventor recalling his forecast in December that omicron could turn out to be a Christmas present.

And he discussed worrisome data from around the world indicating that the fear the FDA expressed during the clinical trials of the possibility of vaccine-enhanced disease and infection is occurring.

This knee-jerk (reaction) of just doing more vaccination  it has significant risk of making things worse rather than better, he said.

Cole noted that Israels top vaccinologist, Cyrille Cohen, is arguing the science indicates the vaccines should be stopped. And Cole contended President Bidens extension of the COVID-19 national emergency order beyond March 1 is fraudulent, because there is no emergency.

Last week, after its data indicated vaccinated people were more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection than the unvaccinated, Scotlands national health system announced it would stop publishing its weekly chart of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths by vaccine status, explaining it was being misinterpreted by anti-vaxxers.

Meanwhile, the CDC has a database called the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System, or VAERS, that CDC Director Rochelle Walensky continues to undermine as unreliable while refusing to disclose to the public how many people have been seriously injured or have died from the COVID vaccines.

More excerpts from the Times story:

When the C.D.C. published the first significant data on the effectiveness of boosters in adults younger than 65 two weeks ago, it left out the numbers for a huge portion of that population: 18- to 49-year-olds, the group least likely to benefit from extra shots, because the first two doses already left them well-protected.

Much of the withheld information could help state and local health officials better target their efforts to bring the virus under control. Detailed, timely data on hospitalizations by age and race would help health officials identify and help the populations at highest risk. Information on hospitalizations and death by age and vaccination status would have helped inform whether healthy adults needed booster shots. And wastewater surveillance across the nation would spot outbreaks and emerging variants early.

Without the booster data for 18- to 49-year-olds, the outside experts whom federal health agencies look to for advice had to rely on numbers from Israel to make their recommendations on the shots.

Read more at: WND.com
(Natural News) Many governments are offering pharma companies exemption from legal liability, but Pfizer has made indemnity demands that have gone way beyond that of other manufacturers. Pfizer has included additional indemnity from civil cases meaning that it would not be held liable for rare adverse effects, but also astonishingly, for its own acts of negligence, fraud, or malice including manufacturing errors. Acts that we show in this article, that is not out of the ordinary for Pfizer.

(Article by Patricia Harrity republished from DailyExpose.uk)

Why though has the government failed to let the public know this? Pfizer has a long history of committing acts that would question their drug safety, and the drug pushing companys, honesty, and integrity, why has the public not been made aware of this fact?

We Rely on Testimonials

Scanning reviews and testimonials have become increasingly common practice for our nation of consumers, and there are even websites created specifically for the purpose of enabling us to read the experiences of others before purchasing anything and everything from a tin opener to a car.

This enables us to have an informed choice as a consumer knowing whether a particular company or product is of quality, good value trustworthy, and importantly, is it safe. It seems ridiculous to say, but if there were over 1000 reported deaths attributed to a new product, in the first two months of sales, chances are everyone would know about it and it would be very unlikely that the product would still be available.

Exempt From Public Review?

That is, unless it is a big pharma company, such as Pfizer, as we know that this has happened with the Pfizer COVID product, yet it is still available, despite there being evidence that it is ineffective and potentially deadly.

When it comes to deciding to have a pharma product injected into our bodies where a potential side effect is death, testimonials or reports of adverse events are either met with cries of fake news or just censored altogether.

This should ring the alarm bells, yet many people have trust in a company that certainly would not do well on a public review website, but individuals choose to ignore the shocking Pfizer track record and trust them with their rushed through experimental product.

Here are some of the Pfizer business which we shall call the Pfizer Testimonials

Those Who Seek to Earn A Profit Through Fraud

We can start In 2009 when Pfizer paid $2.3 billion in the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice. for mis-promoting medicine Neurontin for uses not approved by medical regulators, and paying kickbacks to compliant doctors, the Guardian newspaper reported.

The investigation was sparked by Pfizer whistleblower John Kopchinski, who exposed Pfizer for mis-promoting their drugs, thus, putting patients at risk of heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. Kopchinski reportedly said that at Pfizer, he was expected to increase profits at all costs, even when sales meant endangering lives. I couldnt do that. he said.

Pfizer pleaded guilty and also settled civil allegations concerning improper payments to doctors who prescribed nine other pharmaceutical products, although it continues to deny these charges but was to pay record sums in an out-of-court deal with the US department of justice.

Prosecutors said Pfizers crimes had been carried out over an extensive period of time a government attorney added such blatant and continued disregard of the law will not be tolerated [] it was a victory for the public over those who seek to earn a profit through fraud.

Unfortunately, the $2.3 billion fine against Pfizer according to the New York Times amounted to less than three weeks of Pfizers sales.

Illegally Promoting Drugs & Putting Lives at Risk

This was just pocket change to Pfizer who clearly undeterred by the huge fine, was sued again in 2009. for illegally promoting their drugs, this time regarding Neurontin which was being promoted as an epilepsy treatment.

The New York Times had published extensive evidence that Pfizer manipulated the publication of scientific studies to bolster the use of its epilepsy drug Neurontin for other disorders while suppressing research that did not support those uses.

Pfizer had delayed the publication of studies that had found no evidence the drug worked, spinning negative data to place it in a more positive light, and bundling negative findings with positive studies to neutralize the results.

Also, one of Pfizers own studies showed a placebo was more effective than Neurontin on neuropathic pain, the study was suppressed and Neurotonin was still illegally promoted.

The case was instigated by whistle-blower Dr, Franklin who had previously testified in another Neurontin case in 2004 which resulted in Pfizer pleading guilty and paying a $430 million settlement. the 2004 case did not cover everything and new unsealed court documents were produced evidence that not only did the company, and its subsidiaries push Neurontin for unapproved uses, they did so  knowing that the drug was ineffective.

Outright Deception and Suppression of Scientific Truth

According to the documents, Pfizer engaged in outright deception of the biomedical community, and suppression of scientific truth and more, Pfizer were said to be guilty of stalling or stopping the publication of negative study results; manipulating both trial designs and data to make the drug look more effective than it was, and using questionable tactics to enhance the drugs image and increase its sales.

The author of the documents was also the director of the Center for Clinical Trials at John Hopkins University, Kay Dickersin who wrote that the Pfizer practices were highly unethical, harmful to science, wasteful of public resources, and potentially dangerous to the publics health.

The Pfizer Ex-CIA Agent

As a result of the case Pfizer showed their true colours, mafioso style, as the night before the case Pfizer stalked whistleblower Dr Franklin and sent an ex-CIA agent to his home, where the Pfizer investigator called Franklins wife repeatedly, blocked the driveway, looked through the windows shouting at his wife, and would not leave until his wife called the police, This was terrifying for the family including an eight-year-old child., they would not leave until his wife called the police.

Dr. Franklin told the judge that Pfizers investigator told the family on the phone, We know all there is to know about you, and then cited the location of my daughter 200 miles away at college. How the hell am I supposed to remain unbiased when you do that? It feels like a threat. The judge placed a restraining order on Pfizer for any private eye with respect to Dr. Franklin or his family.

Trovan Children & Blackmail.

Pfizer has shown their disregard for children previously when they administered an experimental drug Trovan on 200 children after a deadly outbreak of meningitis in Nigeria in 1996. The drug pushers never told the parents that their children were the subjects of an experiment.

11 of the children died & many suffered side effects such as brain damage and organ failure.

Pfizer was sued by the Nigerian state and federal authorities, but did not want to pay out to settle the two cases, one civil and one criminal, but came to a tentative settlement with the Kano state government costing them $75m (source).

Although it was leaked that Pfizer again hired investigators in an attempt to unearth evidence of corruption against the Nigerian attorney general in order to blackmail/persuade him to drop legal action according to a leaked US embassy cable. Also, eligibility was dependent on DNA tests carried out on the children. to prove that they are victims, which was felt was to deny the victims of the money.

Watch the video to find out more. here:

Read more at: DailyExpose.uk
DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A 14-year-old girl has been killed and a 38-year-old woman was injured after they were struck by lightning in Tanzania's southern highlands region of Katavi, police said on Sunday.

Ally Makame, the Katavi regional police commander, said the lightning strike that hit Tulieni village in Mpanda district on Saturday evening also burned two houses to ashes.

"The girl was inside one of the houses that were struck by lightning. She died on the spot," Makame told a news conference.

He said the lightning strike followed a heavy downpour that was accompanied by strong winds in the area.

Meanwhile, two herders sustained serious injuries when a tree under which they took shelter from rain fell after it was struck by lightning.

The two herdsmen took cover under the tree in Ololosokwan village in Ngorongoro district in Tanzania's northern region of Arusha, said Justine Masejo, the Arusha regional police commander.

Masejo said the two herders were using their cell phones when the lightning struck the tree on Saturday afternoon, adding that none of the livestock they were herding was injured. 
(Natural News) Doctors in the United Kingdom recently warned of a mental health pandemic after the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns. They pointed out that almost 10 million people in England  including 1.5 million children  may require treatment for different mental health issues.

Officials of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) and the National Health Service (NHS) Confederation told the Guardian that there are currently 1.6 million Britons awaiting specialized mental health treatment. They added that a further eight million people cannot even get on a waiting list despite being eligible for mental health support.

NHS Confederation Chief Executive Matthew Taylor said: For a worrying number of people, the virus is leaving a growing legacy of poor mental health that services are not equipped to deal with adequately at present. With projections showing that 10 million people in England, including 1.5 million children and teenagers, will need new or additional support for their mental health over the next three to five years  it is no wonder that health leaders have dubbed this the second pandemic.

RCPsych President Dr. Adrian James agreed with Taylor. He said: Millions of children, young people and adults are seeking help from mental health services that are overstretched and under-resourced. We urgently need a fully-funded mental health recovery plan  to ensure everyone with a mental illness can get the help they need, when they need it.

Downing Street itself has acknowledged the impact of lockdowns on Britons mental health. According to a document published Feb. 21 by the office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, citizens mental health have also been negatively impacted.

It continued: Self-reported measures of personal well-being dropped to record lows during the first and second [COVID-19] waves, with some groups experiencing particularly poor or deteriorating mental health. (Related: Extended coronavirus lockdowns having severe negative effect on mental health of children  report.)

Doctors in the UK now stretched thin

The Guardian piece also noted the practice of bouncing back mental health patients in some areas in the U.K. due to the health systems there being stretched thin. Due to being overwhelmed, some specialist mental health providers have referred the most serious cases back to general practitioners (GPs) that originally referred them.

Oftentimes, the patients referred back to their GPs are at risk of self-harm, starvation and even suicide. This has caused several doctors to raise concerns that this practice could cause the deaths of those with mental health issues for lack of sufficient care.

Dr. David Turner, a GP in Hertfordshire in southern England, said his utmost concern about the situation led him to publicly speak out about it for the first time in his 25-year career. I and many other GPs feel the issue has become critical, and it is only a matter of time before a child dies, he said.

According to Turner, access to mental health services for children and adolescents was never great pre-COVID and had only become appalling since then. He explained that a spike in demand during the pandemic and prior under-investment in these services were putting patients at risk.

The Hertfordshire GP also spoke about the practice of bouncing back. He explained that under this practice, GPs are tasked to carry out weekly monitoring of weight, blood and vital organs for patients with anorexia nervosa and other mental health issues. We have no specific training in this specialized area, said Turner.

Fellow GP Dr. Phil Moore  who chairs the NHS Confederations mental health, learning disability and autism system group  shared the same concerns. He warned that the mounting backlog of mental health care could see patients deteriorating to the point of crisis. Moore commented: No clinician wants to see this happen. This was a problem before [the COVID-19 pandemic,] but things are a lot worse now.

More related stories:

COVID-19 lockdowns causing deterioration of childrens mental health.

Mental health crisis, tyrannical mandates characterize pandemic  Brighteon.TV.

Coronavirus pandemic creating perfect storm for huge global mental health crisis.

An invisible danger: Coronavirus pandemic a threat to the mental health of Americans.

Experts warn impact of coronavirus pandemic on childrens mental health is increasingly alarming.

Watch the video below highlighting 10 tips for mental health during lockdown.

This video is from the Health Tips channel on Brighteon.com.

Pandemic.news has more stories about the decline of mental health amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

TheGuardian.com

Assets.Publishing.Service.Gov.uk [PDF]

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A man who worked for Amazon for seven years lost every penny he and his wife had saved because he allegedly deprived Amazon of his honest services, although Amazon never disclosed what that entails. Are you not giving 110 percent effort, in their opinion, to your corporate employer? Expect the FBI, on behalf of monster corporations, to seize every penny youve ever saved, and threaten you with expensive federal court proceedings if you dont settle.

Thats right, Amazon and the FBI are conspiring together to DESTROY families and seize all their assets for two years, without any real legal case or charges, and then just return the money two years later with no explanation. In other words, the FBI, who raided the Nelson home and seized all of their assets for two years, acts as the enforcement arm of the corporate tyrants.

Man works for Amazon for 7 years, suddenly hes not giving them his honest services so they seize his entire familys assets, including wifes retirement funds

Mr. Nelson, a man who worked for Amazon for seven years, and who has NOT been charged with a crime, lost all of his savings for 22 months, including his wifes own savings and retirement money, and she has NOTHING to do with Amazon. This was all based on Amazons opinion of what they claim is honest work.

Amazon, the communist company that supports riots, the sale of toxic products, and other horrific ventures too numerous to name, now functions in tandem with the corrupt FBI to raid homes, seize assets and terrorize innocent Americans, any time they want, and for any made-up reason.

This couple was not even allowed to see Amazons allegations (theyre sealed by the FBI), so they couldnt even contest the seizures with any kind of judicial proceeding to recover any of their money.

FBI and Amazon SEIZED nearly $900,000 from the Nelsons

Though Mr. Nelsons wife is not even named in the Amazon civil suit, and the Nelsons lawyers say Amy was not identified as a target or subject of the FBI investigation, the FBI still froze all of her savings (shes an attorney) and her retirement accounts.

This is just the latest example of tyranny (under the lawless guise of civil forfeiture) in America where state and federal governments have seized nearly $70 billion from Americans in the last 20 years. Proceeds fund law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, so they have more power to seize more assets. Its like giving bank robbers badges and awards so they can keep stealing.

Due to the pandemic, everything got delayed even more, while the FBI stalled discovery by claiming it would have an adverse impact on a pending criminal investigation. In other words, the FBI doesnt want the public knowing theyre in cahoots with Amazon, who seizes the assets of any employees who dont give their honest work at the sweat shop and slave ship known as the worlds largest online shopping mall.

Will Facebook follow suit (pun intended) and start raiding their employees savings and retirement funds for workers who dont do their very best every day? No retirement for you should you criticize the globalist monopolies.

No indictment has been issue, but the case is actively proceeding so Amazon and the FBI can hold onto their money

The Nelsons had to sell their home last month and cant even pay their income taxes because the seizure took that money too, according to the court filing. Maybe the IRS will jump in now and jail the couple for owing taxes, since the FBI and Amazon seem to be able to function above the constitution and Americans rights.

Small businesses all across the country are being seized, bankrupted and shut down for good by these flagrant court filings, including millions in assets from over 50 companies during the pandemic. This includes Nelsons wifes business called the Riveter, which is a modern union of women striving for equity of opportunity so much for that.

You wont read about this in mainstream news, because it shows how evil Amazon really is. Stay tuned and stay frosty. Tune your internet to Censored.news for huge swaths of truth news thats being censored from the rest of media as you read this.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

TheGatewayPundit.com

Censored.news

Medium.com
(Natural News) BardsFM host Scott Kesterson has called on the American people to give their support to the Canadians who are fighting for freedom in their country.

Canada is facing a crisis and it needs our support. So people say what does that look like? Well, for one, lets mirror their actions, said Kesterson during the February 17 episode of BardsFM on Brighteon.TV. And theyre starting to do runs on banks, we should be doing the same thing here.

We should be denying the purchase of Canadian products. We need to be squeezing their government as Americans are supportive. At the very least, our truckers need to be parking it, need to stop moving goods for Canada and companies in Canada. We need to stop this stuff and we need to shut it down.

He noted that the Canadians are going through a nationwide boycott and Americans really need to support them by taking actions that mirror Canadas actions. Kesterson said it is necessary that Americans support the Canadians because they are the greatest allies of the Americans.

There is no greater ally, there is no closer brethren than we have in Canada, Kesterson pointed out. Canada isnt just one of our great allies, it is the greatest ally we have.

Kesterson, owner and founder of production company Xpedition Cafe, mentioned that America is dealing with a war between political classes, and that the greatest fear all of the elites have is when the people come together, awaken together and stand together.

He also cited American patriot and businessman Mike Lindell, who was denied access to Canada to deliver 10,000 pillows to the truckers because his trucking guy didnt have the right pass to get past the border.

Canadians are living through tyranny

The former infantry soldier also talked about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergency Act, which he said suspended democracy and brought tyranny to the country that is in the northern border of America. (Related: Trudeau declares martial law in Canada using draconian Emergencies Act.)

Kesterson said Canada has been suffering through extreme measures, where people are being denied access to stores if they dont have a Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pass. He added that Canadians have been losing jobs at a greater rate and are being denied benefits.

Canadas been living through a greater tyranny than United States and it hasnt been carried well in our news. Families have been split up, childrens have been taken away because of lack of vaccines, said the Kesterson, adding that a British Columbia court has literally gone so far as to say that children can be taken away from their parents and forcefully turned into another gender.

Americans are still asleep

Kesterson pointed out that while the Canadians are holding the line and standing up against tyranny, the Americans are still asleep.

A country by and for the people is not a country that waits for a single man or a group of elite military or whatever your fantasy to save it. A country by and for the people stands together to literally bring together the unity of the people and to stand against tyranny, Kesterson said.

He noted that Canada is in a very unique situation because it is not living on social media but is doing real action on the ground instead. In the United States, Kesterson said, people are still relying on social media and they have not extended their actions beyond the keyboard.

More related stories:

Trudeaus latest attack on peaceful Freedom Convoy is straight from Communist Chinas playbook.

Fascist Canadian police state attacks trucker Freedom Convoy, supporters say government is ripping everything apart.

Jordan Peterson the theft of GoFundMe donations to the Truckers was the single worst act of political corruption I have ever witnessed in Canada.

Watch the full Feb. 17 episode of BardsFM below. You can catch new episodes of the program every Thursday at 5-6 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Follow Freedom.news for more news related to the fight for freedom in Canada.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

IMDb.com
(Natural News) Author and physician Dr. John Abramson branded the opioid crisis as one of the biggest disgraces the pharmaceutical industry has ever known.

During a recent episode of the podcast Under the Skin hosted by comedian and political commentator Russell Brand, Abramson said the opioid crisis happened because pharmaceutical companies lied about the addictiveness of their drugs to make a huge profit.

The opioid scam eventually garnered widespread attention that led to legal actions, but what these companies did was not an isolated case. Pharmaceutical companies tend to lie all the time, not just to patients, but to doctors and public health agencies as well.

Abramsons book, Sickening: How Big Pharma Broke American Health Care and How We Can Repair It, covers that and more. It explains how doctors find themselves in the position of prescribing medication thats no good for their patients because of the lies of Big Pharma.

Opioid overdose crisis

Nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid overdoses in 2019 alone. The misuse and addiction to these drugs, including prescription pain relievers, heroin and synthetic versions such as fentanyl, has now become a serious national crisis that affects public health and social and economic welfare.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the economic burden of opioid misuse in the United States amounts to $78.5 billion a year, including the loss of productivity, addiction treatment, healthcare and criminal justice involvement.

The opioid crisis began in the late 1990s when pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers. Healthcare providers began prescribing them at greater rates that soon led to widespread diversion and misuse of the drugs before it became clear that they are indeed highly addictive.

Opioid overdose rates started increasing. In 2017, over 47,000 Americans died from an overdose in prescription opioids like fentanyl. In the same year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the U.S. suffered from substance use disorders related to opioid pain relievers, while 652,000 suffered from heroin use. (Related: Ohio jury finds Walmart, Walgreens and CVS all guilty of fueling opioid epidemic.)

Up to 29 percent of patients prescribed with these drugs for chronic pain have ended up misusing them, and around eight to 12 percent have developed opioid use disorder. Moreover, an estimated four to six percent who misused prescription opioids have transitioned to heroin use.

The likelihood of developing an opioid disorder depends on many factors, such as the length of time that a person is prescribed to take opioids for acute pain and the time they continue taking them, whether as prescribed or not.

The opioid crisis has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences, such as the increase of opioid misuse and related overdoses. There was also a rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to its use during pregnancy. The increase in injection drug use also contributed to the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis C. (Related: DOJ announces biggest healthcare fraud and opioid takedown in its history.)

In response to the opioid crisis, the Department of Health and Human Services decided to focus on five major priorities: improving access to treatment and recovery services, promoting the use of overdose-reversing drugs, strengthening the understanding of the epidemic through better health surveillance, providing support for research on pain and addiction and advancing better practices for pain management.

The pandemic has both masked and amplified the ongoing opioid crisis. Addiction specialists across the country also said that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, colliding with a preexisting drug epidemic has been devastating for recovering patients.

The stress, isolation and economic upheaval brought about by COVID are known to be triggers for addiction and relapse. The lack of access to quality care and prevention also put the crisis unchecked, and an urgent, unified and comprehensive response is needed to improve the situation.

Stephen Taylor, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist in Birmingham, Alabama, said: Theres all of these ways COVID-19 has hurt the folks we take care of. Efforts to get this under control have really been decimated by the pandemic.

More related stories:

Could medical marijuana be a solution to the opioid epidemic?

Federal jury finds drugstore chains responsible for Ohio opioid crisis.

The opioid epidemic in context: Expert reviews the history, facts.

State sues drug makers over opioid epidemic.

Opioid manufacturer pleads guilty to federal charges following bankruptcy.

Watch the video below to know more about the opioid crisis.

This video is from the Finding Genius Podcast channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow DangerousMedicine.com for more news related to the opioid crisis.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

NIDA.NIH.gov

StatNews.com
(Natural News) The Biden regime has declared a national emergency ahead of the Freedom Convoys arrival to Washington, D.C.

The Resident-in-Chief claims that the Peoples Convoy, as they are also calling it, represents a national security threat and a possible terrorism risk. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) riots of 2020, meanwhile, were a brave example of democracy, according to the Democrats.

Following the lead of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who invoked the Emergencies Act to stomp his boot on the truckers, Beijing Biden is cracking down on free speech here in the United States by pretending as though the freedom protesters are enemy combatants.

In an executive letter to Speaker of the House and dinosaur lush Nancy Pelosi, Biden (meaning his handlers) wrote that:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.

In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020, beginning March 1, 2020, concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is to continue in effect beyond March 1, 2022, the letter adds.

Biden blames COVID pandemic for martial law aggression against freedom protesters

Bidens handlers insist that the national emergency must continue going into the Freedom Convoys arrival into D.C., though it is blaming the COVID-19 pandemic as a cover.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant risk to the public health and safety of the Nation, Bidens letter further states. More than 900,000 people in this Nation have perished from the disease, and it is essential to continue to combat and respond to COVID-19 with the full capacity and capability of the Federal Government.

In other words, the national emergency that was first declared by Donald Trump during his presidency when the plandemic first began is conveniently being extended right before its expiration at a time when protests against COVID restrictions and mandates are reaching a fever pitch.

Back in Canada, Trudeaus regime is engaging in a brutal authoritarian crackdown on the peaceful Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa. Police officers donned in riot gear with no nametags or identification have been violently oppressing protesters with arrests and other forms of persecution.

Trudeau also gave his fascist thugs the green light to compile an enemies list of everyone at the protests whose identity can be uncovered  all this simply for standing up in defense of the right to not be forcibly injected with Big Pharma chemicals.

If you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges, announced interim police chief of Ottawa Steve Bell, who replaced former chief Peter Sloly.

This investigation will go on for months to come. It has many, many different streams, both from a federal financial level, from a provincial licensing level, from a criminal code level, from a municipal breach of court injunction level. It will be a complicated and time-consuming investigation that will go on for a period of time. You have my commitment that the investigation will continue and we will hold people accountable for taking our streets over.

Keep in mind that both Trudeau and Biden gleefully endorsed the BLM riots, which resulted in entire city blocks being burned to the ground and many lost lives.

The latest news about the Biden regime can be found at Treason.news.

Sources include:

BeckerNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) When Operation Warp Speed was first launched, we discovered that the manufacturers of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines were granted full legal immunity in the event of unexpected injury or death. We have now learned that Pfizers legal immunity is even more expansive than that, covering its own acts of negligence, fraud or malice, including manufacturing errors.

The federal government conveniently failed to notify the public about this, which would seem to be important information given Pfizers extensive history of greed and malfeasance. How many millions of people took the companys Fauci Flu shots without any knowledge whatsoever concerning the risks involved?

The answer to this question is most of them, and it turns out that Pfizers indemnity extends to all of its drug products, not just covid jabs. The following examples show the extent to which Pfizer has taken full advantage of the system at no risk to itself, raking in billions of dollars in profits in the process.

Pfizers Neurontin scandal resulted in a $2.3 billion settlement, which is less than three weeks worth of sales for the company

In the largest healthcare fraud case in history, Pfizer agreed to settle with a payout of $2.3 billion after the company was caught mis-promoting a drug called Neurontin for uses not approved by medical regulators, as well as for paying kickbacks to corrupt doctors.

While $2.3 billion sounds like a lot, it turns out that this amount is less than three weeks of Pfizers sales, according to The New York Times, meaning it is just part of the cost of doing business. This is despite the fact that it was determined that Pfizer knowingly put patients lives at risk with blatant and continued disregard of the law.

It turns out that Pfizer paid the $2.3 billion settlement and continued to illegally promote Neurontin because profits from the drug were still greater than having to potentially pay another settlement. Pfizer lied about Neurontin studies, spun negative data and illegally promoted the drug, and the second time around settled for a mere $430 million.

Keep in mind that it was determined that Pfizer knew full well that Neurontin was ineffective for epilepsy, in that case, but who cares when you know that you cannot be prosecuted and will, at worst, have to pay out a relatively small settlement that amounts to a mere fine, or even a tax?

Settlements are just the cost of doing business for Big Pharma

In 1997, Pfizer conspired with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fast-track approval for a drug called Rezulin that supposedly treats diabetes. In just six months, which at that time was the fastest approval of a diabetes pill, Rezulin was sent to market.

When patients started to experience liver failure and die, lawsuits were filed that resulted in a $750 million settlement to cover 35,000 claims. The FDA stood behind Pfizer and the drug despite a mounting death toll, and the whole thing was swept under the rug after Pfizer paid the settlement tax.

Time and time again, Pfizer has paid out settlements like this for everything from Chantix to Protonix to Epi Pens, and thanks to the legal immunity it negotiated for itself with the federal government, it continues to make bookoo bucks as a result.

Is it any wonder, therefore, that Pfizer has demanded indemnity [when] the company can act negligent, fraudulent, or with malice, and expect not to be held liable!? How can they really expect to ask for indemnity for these things? It is not as if they are so unlikely to act in these ways either, reports the Daily Expose.

Why are they being trusted to jab the population with a rushed through, an experimental cocktail that has already shown to be harmful and deadly when they clearly cannot be trusted with our health?

More related news about Pfizer can be found at Corruption.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyExpose.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Ukrainian born-American artist and fashion designer Oksana Davyda Romero said Russian President Vladimir Putin is not ready for an open war against Ukraine.

They are not ready and they dont like to go to open war. Putin is a KGB guy. Hes not a military general. He likes to do that sneaky war. So his hybrid war is much better for him, Davyda Romero told host Ann Vandersteel during a recent episode of Steel Truth on Brighteon.TV.

How he occupied part of Ukraine in Donbass area quietly, how he occupied and took over Crimea because he just wanted to have access to Black Sea. So he knows he cannot do open war because in open war somebody has to be the winner, somebody has to lose, and we are not sure who is it gonna be. (Related: Russia warns Ukraine of full-scale conflict along the countrys eastern border.)

The Youwalk Today founder and owner said Putins perfect dream is to have Ukraine back in the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Its absolutely 100 percent sure. He started to dream about it and talk about it since his first year of presidency. Its still kind of a nightmare for Russia to live without Ukraine, Davyda Romero said.

She added that news about Russias troop movements on Ukraines border has caused her sleepless nights. She noted that Russia already has access to Ukraine from the north through Belarus, which gives it an even more open border with Ukraine. Davyda Romero said a Russian occupation of Ukraine wont happen today, but this has been Putins dream.

Biden acting like Putins media coordinator

Davyda Romero criticized President Joe Bidens political stance on Ukraine. She compared it to a comedy-tragedy theater show, adding that Biden is acting like Putins media coordinator.

How come the president of United States can do the role of PR coordinator or mass media coordinator of Mr. Putin? Why is he announcing Putins plans? And you dont have to be a graduate of West Point to understand that nobody in the history of human being, nobody announced his big attack, big war, if he wants to win that war, she said.

The painter/designer also noted that Putin was very quiet during President Donald Trumps presidency, but started to have Ukrainian soldiers killed on the border with Biden in office.

Ukraine is a very desirable land

She pointed out that Ukraine is a very desirable land with a lot of very important natural resources and very rich soil. She shared that Ukraine can feed like 400 or 500 million people just by their agriculture and that it is a big buffer pillow between Russia and Europe.

And you know, all our life or history of Ukraine, we fight for freedom. We have never really been free because since medieval times, it was always a war about Ukraine. Because its too big, too desirable, too sweet piece of cake. And everybody wants to use it, she said.

Davyda Romero, whose husband Paul Romero is running for governor in Oregon, added that the Biden and Clinton families had benefited in making investments in Ukraine.

More related stories:

MintPress study: NY Times, Washington Post driving U.S. to war with Russia over Ukraine.

Biden and his war hawks clamor for war with Russia; Ukraine tells him to STOP WARMONGERING and calm down.

Biden admin official claims Americans should care about Ukraines borders while Biden opens U.S. borders to unlimited illegal immigration.

Melissa Red Pill: The Cabal is inciting Russia into war  Brighteon.TV.

Dr. Carole Lieberman: Biden repeating a doomed history with decision to send US military to Ukraine  Brighteon.TV.

Watch the full episode of Steel Truth below. You can catch Steel Truth with Ann Vandersteel every weekday from 9:30-10:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Follow WWIII.news for more news about Russias probable war against Ukraine.

Sources include:

OksanaDavyda.com

Brighteon.com

YouwalkToday
(Natural News) Englands royal family made a big oopsie recently after Queen Elizabeth, who reportedly tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), was caught taking ivermectin for it.

Even as the plebes are restricted from accessing ivermectin because it is supposedly risky and dangerous, and not government-approved for the Fauci Flu, Queen Elizabeth was seen in a media appearance holding a box of Stromectol, which is one of the brand names for ivermectin.

Press pause at 0:19..? pic.twitter.com/nuj9B4Dsfw  Joost Broekers (@JoostBroekers) February 21, 2022

It almost seems like a parody that something so blatantly stupid and obvious was allowed to happen by Queen Elizabeths handlers, but it did. Apparently, the producers of the program failed to look at the fine print below Stromectol to see what the drug actually is.

The Queen has today tested positive for COVID, announced the Palace. Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.

The 95-year-old, we are told, had previously been in contact with her son, the Prince of Wales, who also tested positive for the China Flu.

Ivermectin is good enough for the elites, but not appropriate for you

According to BBC News, the Queen is continuing on with light duties at Windsor while she continues to receive medical attention.

The royal matriarch is also said to be following appropriate guidelines, which for her apparently means taking a drug that the common people she oversees are not allowed to access because it is just for horses, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The truth, of course, is that the FDA approved ivermectin for human use back in 1996. The person who discovered the drug in a soil sample was awarded a Nobel Prize because of how miraculously effective it is at ridding the body of viruses, parasites and other nasty critters.

It is cheap, safe and effective, which is why ivermectin had to be banned, in essence, for the general public. For royal elites, however, ivermectin appears to be the drug of choice for treating the Fauci Flu.

The Queens positive test result came just days before England announced plans to drop its legal requirement that anyone who catches COVID self-isolate. Apparently, the Queen did not want to do that, and also did not want to be seen as a hypocrite for abiding by her own special rules.

She dropped the ball, though, in accidentally flashing ivermectin on the screen for the world to see. Now the entire world knows that the powers that be are using ivermectin for themselves, but not allowing you and your family to gain access to it.

Everyone gets ivermectin except the little people,' is how one commenter put it.

Ivermectins creators were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2015 for the role it plays in reducing human suffering, wrote another.

How were humans affected if it is a horse dewormer? The truth is it destroyed parasites in humans as well as bacterial, fungal and viral infections. The federal government supplies it to hundreds of thousands of people every year who are immigrating to the USA. It treats a number of infections very inexpensively.

Another person pointed out that ivermectin is a broad-spectrum destroyer of viruses, including flu viruses.

I own a farm and have been taking ivermectin for most of my life every time wed get a cold or flu, said someone else. It knocks it out quicker than anything. Its an inside secret amongst farmers who deal with this stuff everyday.

The latest news about the plandemic can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

CitizenFreePress.com

BBC.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The crisis between Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union threatens to put even more strain on the global food supply, driving up prices of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. The UK has already sanctioned five Russian banks. The United States and the European Union are also getting involved with their own list of sanctions. As conflict escalates, the global food supply hangs in the balance.

Russia and Ukraine are responsible for nearly 80 percent of all sunflower oil exports around the world. Approximately 29 percent of the worlds wheat exports and 19 percent of the global corn supply comes out of Russia and Ukraine. Wheat, corn and sunflower oil are commonly incorporated into food products that populations depend upon throughout the world. Many smaller nations in the Middle East depend on Russia and Ukraine for wheat. As ports in the Black Sea are cut off due to military conflict and the threat thereof, crucial grain exports will not make it to their destinations.

As conflict increases between Ukraine and Russia, routine grain exports get shut down

As the Russian-Ukraine conflict escalates, food prices could increase further, even in the United States. After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics and dispatched troops in those regions, U.S. wheat futures jumped 9.72 percent and corn futures spiked 9.34 percent from their February 3rd low.

The regions most impacted by food rationing, military conflict and shipment diversions would include North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. These regions depend heavily on Russian and Ukrainian exports of wheat and corn. Russian wheat exports are predominantly sent to Africa and the Middle East; approximately 70 percent of Russian wheat was sent to these regions in 2021. When Russia took over the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, wheat prices spiked by 20 percent, threatening food supplies throughout Africa and the Middle East. As ship routes are cut off and sanctions are imposed, wheat and corn availability will be threatened and ship routes will be thwarted.

Many smaller nations also depend on Ukraine for their wheat supply. Lebanon receives half of its wheat supply from Ukraine. Libya imports 43 percent of their wheat from Ukraine. Other countries that will be impacted include Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt. These countries receive anywhere from 14-28 percent of their wheat supply from Ukraine alone.

The threat of food shortages increases across the globe

Even though Ukraine hopes to export 56 million tons of grain in 2022, many of their ports and shipping routes will inevitably be disrupted. Most of their exports are transported across the Black Sea. If military conflict continues in the region, these ports and shipping routes may be cut off for an unknown amount of time.

The threat of war in the region is already diverting crucial food supplies. Buyers are already preparing by diverting vessels to different suppliers. Buyers cannot risk long delays when loading the ships, so they are planning ahead and finding the most efficient way to export their grain. A buyer from Singapore spoke to Reuters about the diversion. Ships are avoiding entering the Black Sea because of the war risk, the trader said. Supply disruptions are already taking place.

The situation is escalating quickly. In fact, the leader of the Ukrainian Grain Association, Nikolai Gorbachev, already said that corn and wheat prices are expected to jump 20 to 30 percent as routine grain exports are shut down in the Black Sea. Even worse, Phin Ziebell, an agribusiness economist at the National Australia Bank, said, Disruptions in supplies from the Black Sea region will impact overall global availability.

For more on the growing food supply crisis around the world, check out Collapse.News.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com

Reuters.com
(Natural News) Dr. Martin Kulldorff, an epidemiologist and statistician, has worked on detecting and monitoring infectious disease outbreaks for nearly two decades but is still treated as a pariah by the government and narrative-shapers who deny real facts about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Kulldorffs methods to detect and monitor infectious diseases have been widely used around the world, as well as by hundreds of people at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He has worked on vaccine safety, developing globally-used methods to monitor adverse reactions in new vaccines. He worked at Harvard Medical School since 2003, but parted ways in November 2021 for reasons that Kulldorff preferred to keep private.

However, he did admit that he placed himself in the crosshairs of the pandemic narrative by saying that the country needed only 15 days to slow the spread lockdown, and has since paid the price. For a scientist on top of his game, it was jarring for the Swedish native to admit that both science and public health are broken.

For some reason, a public official narrative was established, and you werent allowed to question it  which, of course, is very detrimental, both to the pandemic and how to deal with the pandemic, because you have to have a vibrant discussion to figure out how best to deal with these things, he said.

Kulldorff said he tried to point out there was a very steep age gradient in mortality for COVID-19. But when he attempted to publish a paper both in the U.S. medical journals and mainstream newspapers stating that the focus should be on protecting the elderly and those at high risk, his paper was set aside.

While he was able to publish in Sweden, U.S. publications do not allow for a debate, which he found troubling. (Related: Harvard professor urges parents not to give children coronavirus vaccines because risks outweigh any benefit.)

In October 2020, Dr. Sunetra Gupta and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya announced the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for a more nuanced approach to the restrictions that have been imposed on much of society. The declaration stated that the most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits of reaching herd immunity is to allow those at minimal risk to live their lives normally to build up their immunity against the virus through natural infection.

Gupta is a professor at Oxford University and an epidemiologist with expertise in immunology, vaccine development and mathematical modeling of infectious diseases. Bhattacharya is a professor at Stanford University Medical School, a physician, epidemiologist, health economist and public health policy expert who focuses on infectious diseases and vulnerable populations.

Fundamental principles of public health not followed during pandemic

Kulldorff said the Great Barrington Declaration proposed nothing new, noting that it was the basic fundamental principles of public health that already existed in the pandemic preparedness plan from many years ago. He said it was astonishing that it wasnt followed from the very beginning of the pandemic.

Conventional public health science has also deemed it unnecessary and potentially harmful to close schools and small businesses, to impose masking on the general public and to quarantine healthy people.

In an article, he noted that keeping schools close will have negative consequences on children who not only missed education, but also the development of their physical health, mental health and socialization skills. This can especially affect children from working and middle-class families, as most of their parents cannot afford tutors, pod schools or private schools.

According to Kulldorf, the document was not for politicians or scientists or doctors. The most important audience was the public because its the public that ultimately will end these misguided public health policies. Its the public, regular people, who are suffering the consequences.

He also noted the authors wanted to advise the average person that their intuition was correct. The restrictions were not based on public health science, so when they oppose the directives, theyre standing on firm scientific ground. (Related: Harvard study obliterates any argument for covid vaccine passports)

The key thing was to break the pretense that there was scientific consensus for these lockdowns  which there wasnt, he said.

Theres really no public health arguments against the declaration. So if you want to criticize it, you have to make up lies about it and then attack that, as well as slander the people behind it. And they did both of those things.

More related stories:

Harvard professor exposes vaccine passports as scientific nonsense.

Harvard medicine professor warns that children should not get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Public health expert: Lockdowns are the single biggest mistake in public health history.

NIH Director Francis Collins conspired with Fauci in a propaganda effort to take down scientists who discussed the harms of lockdowns.

Eighty medical centers in the US are now conducting inhumane, heart-damaging genetic experiments on BABIES.

Watch the video below to know how Twitter censored Dr. Martin Kulldorff for telling the truth about the COVID-19 pandemic.

This video is from the Dryburgh channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow Pandemic.news for more updates related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

MotherJones.com
JERUSALEM, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed on Wednesday his planned trip to Turkey, saying it is part of his new plan to form regional cooperation to fight the climate crisis.

"Over the next month I am going to visit our neighbors along the Mediterranean littoral -- Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey -- and to meet their leaders," Herzog told a climate change conference in Jerusalem.

He said he is also keeping "close and warm contact" with the leadership of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the Palestinian Authority and that he intends to "get them all on board for a regional partnership confronting the climate crisis."

Herzog cited a series of scientific studies conducted by Israel and the United Nations that predict an average rise of 4 degrees Celsius in temperatures in the Middle East, 10-20 percent less precipitation on average, and an intensification of floods, torrential rains, heatwaves and rising sea levels, if no effective action is taken.

"For anyone who does not understand what this means, let me explain: this spells a genuine catastrophe," the president said.

"A catastrophe for everyone, for anyone living near the sea, for inhabitants of areas that will turn into deserts, for victims of lethal floods and heatwaves. It means fears of millions of refugees uprooted from their homes in Africa and the Middle East; it means a potential crisis in Gaza; it means disasters in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey. It means grave consequences for all of us, for everyone who is blessed to call this beautiful region 'home,'" Herzog added.

"This is a fully-fledged existential threat," he concluded.

Herzog's role as a president is largely ceremonial but since taking office in 2021, he has been employing diplomacy to improve Israel's relations with Turkey. Ties between the two countries have been deeply strained since Israel's deadly assault on a Turkish-led aid flotilla toward Israel-blockaded Gaza in 2010.

During his planned trip in March, Herzog will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two presidents already spoke over the phone several times in 2021. 
(Natural News) The past few weeks have been a pretty busy time for the sun.

February has been a heavy month of solar activity so far, with the solar systems star discharging two massive explosions from its far side (facing away from Earth).

A brilliant coronal mass ejection (CME) that extended millions of miles into space was reported by the STEREO-A spacecraft of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the early hours of Feb. 15.

The largest solar prominence eruption ever seen in a single image together with the full solar disc was captured by the Full Sun Imager of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager on the NASA/ESA (European Space Agency) Solar Orbiter spacecraft.

Coronal mass ejection causes geomagnetic storm

CMEs are colossal eruptions that send plasma hurtling through space, and the sun has sustained a lot of them throughout the month.

These plumes of material can bring about geomagnetic storms that could knock out satellites and disrupt power grids if they hit Earth.

Astronomer Dr. Tony Phillips said the latest CME was fired from the side of the sun that faces away from Earth, thus posing no danger to the planet.

This CME will not hit Earth; it is moving away from, not toward our planet. However, if such a CME did strike, it could produce a very strong geomagnetic storm. We may have dodged a bullet, Phillips wrote on his website spaceweather.com, which tracks the activity of the sun.

It is likely that the eruption was an X-class flare, the most powerful category available, based on its size.

This is only the second far-side active region of this size since September 2017. If this region remains huge as it rotates to the Earth-facing side of the sun, it could give us some exciting flares, astronomer Junwei Zhao of Stanford Universitys helioseismology group told SpaceWeather.

Phillips said it has been a busy month of solar activity for the sun, which has erupted every day for the month of February with some days showing multiple solar flares.

Three of these flares have fallen into the M-class, the second-most powerful flare category. The month of January saw the sun firing up five M-class flares.

On January 29, an M-Class flare led to a solar storm that put 40 SpaceX satellites out of operation. The other flares in February have dipped into the milder C-class category.

Solar storms, flares are part of the suns normal activity

Although it sounds frightening, theres no need to panic since its all part of the suns normal activity. Astronomers are keeping a close eye on the suns activity to ensure there is enough warning before any potential geomagnetic storm hits Earth. (Related: Earth will only have a 12-hour warning before massive solar storm wipes out grid  are you prepared?)

CMEs, which are huge expulsions of hot material called plasma from the suns outer layer, can cause geomagnetic storms.

Geomagnetic storms can spur the appearance of colorful auroras by energizing particles in our planets atmosphere. Every solar storm is classified by severity on a scale of one to five, with a G1 reported as minor and a G5 as extreme in its grading scale.

At the upper end of the scale, storms can unleash chaos on Earths magnetic field, which can rattle power grids and communications networks.

Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earths atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However  when intense enough  they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel, NASA said.

In the past, huge solar flares have caused disruption to Earth. A strong solar eruption in 1989 fired so many electrically charged particles on the planet that the Canadian Province of Quebec lost power for nine hours.

Aside from causing tech issues, a solar storm can cause harm to astronauts working on the International Space Station through radiation exposure and by interfering with mission control communications.

The sun is presently at the outset of a new 11-year solar cycle, which usually features eruptions and flares that grow more intense and extreme. This solar cycle is based on the suns magnetic field, which spins around every 11 years with its north and south magnetic poles swapping places. These events are expected to reach their peak around 2025.

More related stories:

Solar telescope offers unprecedented glimpse into the sun.

Discovery: The suns magnetic waves react to sound.

Astronomers find 1,000 mysterious filaments of radio energy blasting from center of Milky Way.

GPS-dependent America is one solar storm away from collapse.

Watch the video below to know how the suns solar activities can affect us.

This video is from the Roots Restored Wellness channel on Brighteon.com.

Follow Space.news for more news about the sun and the Solar System.

Sources include:

The-Sun.com

ScienceAlert.com

Brighteon.com
One of the world's strangest and haunting exertion is nearing its close. For the time being, hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs have been caught from the waters off the east coastline of the United States and bereaved of their costly blue blood.

This is a hyperrealistic practice, but for good reason. The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, has invaluable blood.

Unlike the blood of animals, horseshoe crabs don't apply hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout their body. Instead, they use hemocyanin.

Hemocyanin is a chemical that gives blood a unique blue color. But, it is the type of immune cell that carries them that is highly valuable.

The horseshoe crabs existence will soon to extinct

Horseshoe crabs have been around the earth for 450 million years and have survived mass ruins and multiple ice eras, but because bright blue blood is fundamental for pharmaceutical companies, conservationists can snappily defunct brutes.

According to Dailymail, the blue blood contains inviolate cells called Limulus Polyphemus (LAL).

These immune cells are sensitive to poisonous bacteria and can be used to test vaccines and noxious bacterial poison medicines before these product goes on the market.

The coveted blood has been in use for nearly 20 years and is an important tool for testing the coronavirus vaccine presently on the market.

Most of these animals died after scientists drained horseshoe crab blood and returned it to the ocean, with South Carolina laboratories presuming horseshoe crabs are dehydrated for over to eight minutes.

Read more: Fossils of Ancient Horseshoe Crab Shed Light on its Final Moments

The life-saving purpose of the blue blood

Vertebrates attain white blood cells in their blood while invertebrates similar as horseshoe crabs attain amebocytes.

When a quartz cell comes into contact with a pathogen, it releases a chemical that causes local blood clotting, which researchers believe is the mechanism by which dangerous pathogens are sequestered.

Specifically, the blood cells of horseshoe crabs solidify when they are exposed to endotoxin, a common and sometimes deadly product of bacteria that activates the immune system, sometimes leading to fever, organ failure, and kidney failure or septic shock.

Rabbits received interest from researchers and observed it for hours to see if the immune system reacts to indicate the presence of endotoxin.

But horseshoe crab blood amebocytes are a game changer- rather of running time- absorbing tests on rabbits, horseshoe amebocytes can be cast to a specimen.

The substitute for the blue blood of horseshoe crab

In the late 1990s, biologists at the University of Singapore developed a synthetic version of LAL called recombinant factor C (rFC).

Several studies have shown that rFC is as effective as horseshoe crab-derived LAL and is currently on the market.

According to The Verge, Roughly 60 countries have approved the utility of rFC, involving EU countries and China.

A Maryland-based pharmaceutical industry guideline organization, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), needs to look at more data before equating rFCs with LALs as Conservation activists were frustrated because they decided there was one.

Enterprises can choose to use rFC instead of LAL (Eli Lilly already uses it). However, only if you first go through an additional bureaucratic process.

Also read: Horseshoe Crab Blood Harvesting Practices Questioned by Researchers
Insect populations are declining all over the world and have a huge impact on our ecosystems, and we cannot know exactly why. The new AI method at the University of Copenhagen aims to support the previously extremely difficult biodiversity monitoring and cataloging of insects.

Insects are essential in nature as pollinators of plants, food sources for a wide variety of animals, and decomposers of dead substances.

But in the last few decades they have been struggling. It is estimated that 40% of insect species are declining and one-third of them are endangered.

Advanced artificial intelligence in biodiversity

As per ScienceDaily, to overcome these hurdles, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method for detecting and detecting the flapping of individual insects using data obtained from infrared sensors.

The AI method is based on unsupervised machine learning, and algorithms can group insects of the same species without human intervention. The result of this method was to shed light on the biodiversity of insects in natural space without the need for anyone to manually catch and count creatures.

Researchers have already developed algorithms to identify pests on agricultural land. However, instead of identifying insects as pests, researchers were able to develop this new algorithm to identify and count the populations of different insects in nature based on readings received from sensors.

According to India Education Diary, "Sensors are a bit like wildlife surveillance cameras used to monitor the movement of large animals in nature, but instead of taking pictures, the sensors measure insects that jump into the light source. The algorithm uses the flapping of insects to classify insects into different groups," explains Assistant Professor Ragavendra Cervan of the Faculty of Computer Science, who led the development of artificial intelligence used in sensors.

Read more: The Important Role of Insects in the Decay and Decomposition of Corpses and Carcasses

Testing of prototype will be on spring

With the vigorous emergence of insects in the spring, scientists use the first prototype to go out naturally and collect real-world data.

So far, researchers have tested algorithms and artificial intelligence using a large image database of insect images acquired under controlled conditions and some real-world data, with promising results. Brought about.

Importance of insects

Many insects can look like pests, but they perform a variety of services for other plants and animals in our environment. In fact, a variety of insect species are essential to the survival of most organisms on Earth, including bats, birds, freshwater fish, and even humans.

Together with plants, insects form the basis of the food network, and most of the plants and animals we eat depend on insects for pollination and food.

According to the United States Natural Resource Conservation Services rely on pollen maters for breeding about 35% of the world's food crops. In other words, you can thank pollen maters with one meal every three meals.

More than 100,000 species of animals are involved in the contamination of 250,000 flowering plants on Earth, including bees, moths, butterflies, flies, and beetles which are the most common. In addition, some insects are natural enemies of pests that can damage food crops, as per Florida Museum.

Also read: Insects Become Environment-Friendly Alternative to Pet Food to Combat Climate Change
A 'potentially damaging' thunderstorm was forecasted to hit northeastern Louisiana to western Kentucky, following a severe thunderstorm that 'hammered' parts of Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas last Monday night.

As wintry weather arrives in North Texas, temperatures will potentially drop below freezing. Precipitation is likely to move into the area early Wednesday, while thunderstorms will most likely erupt across the Mississippi Valley and develop northeastward into Tuesday evening.

Multiple tornado watches had been issued across Central US. Such warning had been placed shortly in Mayfield, Kentucky before 7 a.m. local time Tuesday, and across the Mississippi Valley.

"As Tuesday's system evolves, storms will explode farther south across Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Any of these storms will be capable of producing damaging winds, flooding downpours and a tornado," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz.

Multiple tornado and hail warnings





As storms continue to roll northeastward, eastern counties of Oklahoma and western counties of Arkansas will face severe storms, as well as Justin, Texas, located about 36 miles northwest of Dallas.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) also reported multiple hail warnings on late Monday, ranging in size from 0.75-1.75 inches in diameter. Regions affected were Fort Worth, Texas, and neighboring south of Decatur, damaging houses and windows along its path.

"More than 9 million are facing a "slight" risk of severe weather on Tuesday," according to the SPC. "This population area includes Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; and Jackson, Mississippi."

As of Wednesday, SPC reports no severe thunderstorms expected today or tonight.

The highest rainfall totals are expected to come through Wednesday morning from northeastern Arkansas to border of eastern Kentucky. Meanwhile, AccuWeather Local StormMaxTM predicted 6 inches of rainfall in cities such as Nashville and Louisville which will be "in the zone of the heaviest rainfall."

Also read: Landslides Due to Heavy Rains Kill Almost 100 People in Brazilian Mountain City of Petropolis





Flood advisory in some areas





After a drenching rain on some parts of the Mississippi Valley and northeast, a threat of flash flooding was forecasted through Wednesday. Some rivers and streams across the Tennessee and Ohio valleys are already at a minor flood stage, while few locations in Ohio and Indiana are experiencing moderate flooding, such as the Tippecanoe River and St. Joseph River, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.

Forecasters fear that additional rainfall will flood rivers throughout the region.

"Areas have been hit hard with rain already this month, so the ground is already saturated. That means any additional rainfall will run off quickly into already swollen rivers, keeping river levels high and contributing to additional flooding through at least Wednesday," said Benz.

While Wednesday storms are expected to be likely isolated and less severe, a second storm predicted to arrive in central US this week may result to another batch of rain and thunderstorms to the Gulf coast.

A "storm duo" will most likely aggravate flood risks in Louisiana to Pennsylvania, and forecasters warn that chances of flood in nearby areas may change over time. This "pair of cross-country winter storms" is also expected to deliver snow and icy conditions across the central and eastern United States, as early as this week.

Also read: Predicting Disaster? Sea Turtle Swam For 47 Days After Sensing Devastating Volcanic Outburst




Following the yearly barbaric custom of killing dolphins, nearly of these mammals were washed out in the Faroe isles of Denmark. Photos and videos of the weekend event showed that the blood of dead dolphins turned the water and coastline red. Hunting has evoked anger and sharp reactions from animal rights activists.

Hunting is called Grindadarap. Dolphins flock to the shore by motorboat. After that, they are killed by an offshore whaler with a harpoon or a drill. Grindadrap is considered an example of traditional "native whaling"

Coastal fishermen slaughter them with their knives.

The Faroe Islands, Denmark's dominion, began discussions on Tuesday about the future of the controversial dolphin drive hunt, saying decisions are expected in the coming weeks.

On Monday, a petition with about 1.3 million signatures calling for a ban on traditional hunting was submitted to the Government of Farose, the Prime Minister's Office and the Whale Conservation Group told in a report in Phys.org.

At a meeting in Torshavn on Tuesday, the government discussed the conclusions of a reassessment ordered by Prime Minister Baldur in September after the extraordinarily large massacre of more than 1,400 Atlantic dolphins have triggered by protests.

In September, a global uproar broke out when fellow hunters killed 1,428 dolphins at once, and a few days later killed dozens of pilot whales and became bloody.

Since then, the government has requested the government to suspend the 2019 trade deal with the island until the end of whale and dolphin hunting, with 73,000 signing petitions and seafood from the Fellow Islands to supermarkets. Is urging you to stop selling, as per Independent.

British Animal Welfare Secretary Zac Goldsmith wrote to the Faroe Islanders and the Danish government condemning the slaughter.

Every summer, bloody hunt photos make headlines around the world and spark outrage among animal rights activists who view the practice as barbaric.

However, hunting is still widely supported in the Faroe Islands, and proponents point out that the animals have fed the local population for centuries.

In general, about 600 dolphins are harvested this way each year. However, on September 12, 2021, dolphin hunting in the Scala Fjord was much larger, sparking an international backlash and pressured governments to review the practice.

Also read: Dolphins Deliberately 'Get High' Using Toxins of Pufferfish

Vulnerability of dolphins

According to National Geographic, for centuries, people have hunted dolphins for meat and fat. Their main threat today is to accidentally fall into commercial fishing nets. Dolphins must come to the surface regularly to breathe.

Getting entangled in the net can prevent this and lead to drowning. For Maine dolphins, rising sea temperatures due to climate change have shifted some of their main food sources to deeper, cooler waters.

In addition, ocean heat caused by climate change is negatively affecting the reproduction and survival of dolphins.

Several species and variants of dolphins have been threatened, all for artificial reasons. Numerous human exertion, whether purposeful or accidental, have a disadvantageous impact on the environment, diminishing dolphin populations and adding the threat of extermination, as per Owlcation.

Animals around the planet, including dolphins, face problems that overhang their actual existence.

In 2006, freshwater dolphin species were declared virtually extinct. Its extinction is mainly due to the destruction of its habitat.
According to recent study, a low-lying landmass that flourished 40 million years ago, which was also rich to diverse wildlife; might just have laid the route for Asian animals to reach southern Europe.

The Forgotten Continent - Balkanatolia

Wedged amid Europe, Africa, and Asia, this vanished peninsula, called Balkanatolia by experts has established a bridge connecting Asia and Europe some 34 million years ago, when ocean levels plummeted and a network of roads emerged, as per Science Alert.

In latest research published by palaeogeologist Alexis Licht and his associates, experts confirmed that how and when the first wave of Asian animals arrived in south-eastern Europe persists unknown.

However, the end product has been anything less of spectacular. While new Asian animals developed, in what is today regarded as the Grand Coupure during the near conclusion of the Eocene period, approximately 34 million years ago, thousands of indigenous creatures vanished from Western Europe.

Subsequent fossil discoveries in the Balkans, though, has derailed that timetable, alluding to an unusual bioregion that seems to have allowed Asian animals to overrun southeastern Europe 5 to 10 million years prior the Grande Coupure.

Re-examination of substantiation from across all recognized fossil facilities in the region, which includes the modern-day Balkan archipelago as well as Anatolia, Asia's westernmost protrusion was done by French National Centre for Scientific Investigation, Licht and peers in order to scrutinize. Given existing archeological evidence, the date of these settlements was altered, and the researchers recreated paleogeographic alterations that occurred in the territory, which has a historical background of intermittent flooding and re-emergence.

What they discovered implies that Balkanatolia provided as a staging post for living creatures migrating from Asia into western Europe, with the antiquated landmass' conversion from standalone peninsula to bring straight and colonization with Asian animal species, concurrent with some significant paleogeographic shifts.

The review discovered that over 50 million years ago, Balkanatolia was a disconnected island nation, detach from the surrounding landmasses, where a broad array of living creatures distinguishable from those of Europe and eastern Asia flourished.

Eventually, around 40 and 34 million years ago, a mixture of dropping coastal erosion, expanding Antarctic ice glaciers, and geological movements joined the Balkanatolia landmass to Western Europe.

Also read: Ancient Spanish Village Once Lost in Decades Becomes a Tourist Attraction





Discovery of the Lost Continent from 40 Million Years Ago

According to the evolutionary history, this permitted Asian animals like as mice and four-legged hoofed species called ungulates to move westward and occupy Balkanatolia. Licht and associates added to that milestone by discovering parts of a rhinoceros-like animal's mandible at a fresh archaeological deposit in Turkey, which they calibrated to 38 to 35 million years ago.

In an article under Daily Mail, the specimen is perhaps the earliest Asian-like ungulate found in Anatolia to present, predating the Grande Coupure by at least 1.5 million years, implying that Asian animals were already on their way to Europe through Balkanatolia.

According to Licht and collaborators, this southern route to Europe across Balkanatolia may have been more appealing to daring species than relatively high pathways over Central Asia, which at the era were harsher, colder arid plains.

Even so, experts note in their publication that previous convergence among independent Balkanatolian archipelagos and the occurrence of this southern translocation pathway persist discussed. Furthermore, the narrative so far is only constructed on mammals' relics, and an extra detailed overview of previous Balkanatolian wildlife stays to be derived.

Several of the natural formations that led directly to Balkanatolia are still unknown, and it's crucial to remember that this assessment is based on the assessment of one group's archaeological evidence.

However, the geological evidence of mammals and other animals dwelling on archipelagos is typically limited and uneven. The study points out that Balkanatolia's extensive continental genetic evidence offers a great potential, to chronicle the development and extinction of archipelago biotas in geological history.

Also read: Earth's True Source of Water: Scientists Explain Earth's History with the Moon




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BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The greater protection afforded to workers' rights in the food-delivery and car-hailing industries over the past year illustrates how a talking point at China's "two sessions" can result in swift and solid action to tackle thorny problems.

A year ago, national legislators and political advisers called for new policies on the protection of laborers' rights in the new economy, issuing their call during the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

They urged efforts to clarify the responsibilities of online platforms, such as food-delivery apps, and to tackle the lack of guarantees for workers regarding occupational injuries.

"We pay great attention to suggestions and proposals submitted by legislators and political advisers," said an official of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

After thorough discussions and careful studies, a guideline, which incorporated the opinions of legislators and political advisers, was unveiled jointly by seven central government departments in July. The document emphasized that platform companies should shoulder their due responsibilities in protecting the lawful rights and interests of workers.

Over the past months, most of the top platforms have taken action in line with the guidelines, including building channels of expression for workers and mechanisms for communication and consultations, improving their rules and algorithms, and stepping up supervision over labor dispatching partners, the official said.

The official said that many suggestions and proposals are targeted and practical, and the ministry will continue to heed and adopt the opinions of legislators and political advisers in the future.

The guideline was only one of the numerous policy improvements prompted by the "two sessions."

Last year, offices and departments under the State Council handled 8,666 suggestions from NPC deputies and 5,718 proposals submitted by CPPCC members, accounting for 96.4 percent and 93.4 percent of the total numbers of suggestions and proposals, respectively.

Relevant departments adopted more than 4,300 pieces of advice and subsequently introduced over 1,600 policy measures.

The fifth annual session of the 13th NPC is scheduled to open on March 5, and the fifth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee is set to begin on March 4. 
More than three dozen Metro-North Railroad trains will be restored on the New Haven Line as the rail agency reaches roughly 89 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

The move, announced by Metro-North on Tuesday, is expected to reduce trip times at several stations. It goes into effect Sunday, March 27.

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted many to remote working options, causing ridership to take a dive.

Sixty-six weekday trains will be restored. On the New Haven Line, weekday service will jump from 244 trains to 278 with additional trains between Grand Central Terminal, Stamford and New Haven.

Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North Railroad, said in a statement Tuesday that as more riders return to their usual peak times, the agency is revising its services during the week.

We have been listening to our customers and the message is clear  they want more trains and seating capacity as well as faster trips, Rinaldi said.

Ridership is currently recovering from an Omicron-related dip in demand. The service adjustments are intended to offer additional seating for customers, improve peak-period travel times and reduce trip times by up to 13 minutes at some locations, officials said.

The changes to come in March also include an increase from 190 trains to 208 on the Harlem Line and a bump up from 142 trains to 156 on the Hudson Line. Among the changes will also be the return of the Yankee Clipper for all New York Yankees home games.

The latest schedule tweak comes after the ones made in August 2021, when Metro-North increased its train service to 82 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
CNHI Harrisburg Bureau

Eric Scicchitano is the CNHI Pennsylvania state reporter. He is a former CNHI Reporter of the Year and previously worked at The (Sunbury) Daily Item before until he took over the Harrisburg beat in January 2022. Email him at erics@cnhinews.com.
Rashid's boasts rich family tradition Samuel Rashid was what his son calls New Castles last gentleman.

A 21st century pandemic has pulled the rug out from under a local business with 19th century origins.

Rashid Oriental Rugs, which opened in New Castle in 1930 but which traces its history to 1896 when the grandfather of current owner Jerry Rashid arrived from Lebanon and began to travel from town to town peddling rugs, has taken the first steps toward shutting down for good.

Rashid already has ended his rug cleaning service, which provided the bulk of his business and attracted thousands of customers from as far away as San Francisco. Hes still doing some rug repair, and hes selling his remaining inventory of Oriental rugs at 50 percent off.

Its a bittersweet moment for me, said Rashid, who will turn 80 in April. I dont have a choice. Ive lost my help, my rug-cleaning help. I had two guys that didnt come back after the pandemic, and I cant blame them.

One guy did come back, Bob Elliott, hes been here 48 years. He still comes in if I need him, but hes retired and hes not replaceable. He probably knows more than anybody in the country about cleaning rugs.

Age, Rashid went on, also played a role in the decision to pull the plug on the cleaning portion of the business.

I cant wash them any more, he said. Theyre too heavy if you do them right, when theyre soaking wet. We have special machines, but its still hard to do.

Its something that I love to do but something I cant do any more  bad knees, bad feet, bad hips. He (Elliott) and I are both in that position.

Elliott agreed.

Its physical work, and we did it for quite a few years, he said. You hate to disappoint people when they call and they dont know where to go. They ask you where they can go, and I really cant give them a good answer. But we were getting older, and at some point, you have to stop.

Rashids, both men said, created a cleaning method they say is exclusive to their business.

Bob and I have developed top secret things to wash these Orientals, and I can honestly say, I dont think weve ever had a complaint, Rashid said. We get rugs that are filthy and full of dog urine and cat stuff. We developed methods that we can get that out.

Moreover, Elliott noted, not all rugs are the same, and thus, may require different approaches to cleaning.

Story continues below video

You have to understand the country it came from, the dyes they may have used, he said. The Persian rugs (from Iran) used vegetable dyes, and you had to be careful with them because they can be fugitive (meaning they can run or bleed). The Indian rugs and the Pakistani rugs that we got in later years, they used chemical dyes, which they werent allowed to do in Iran.

The chemical dyes, for the most part, hold up a little better, But the Persian rugs were usually more valuable. Back in the 70s, we had a lot of Persian rugs.

Rashid admits he has not sought out anyone to train to take over the business, citing the exacting nature of the cleaning procedures.

To learn how to wash these rugs takes 10 years, he said. There are so many things you have to watch. A lot of the Persian rugs have dye that is fugitive, and we have to know what to do. Thats why you cant teach someone. Theyll ruin a $10,000 rug in five minutes.

You cant find a carpet cleaner that knows how to really clean them. Ive had carpet cleaners bring me rugs all the time that theyve about ruined.

As for his remaining inventory, it includes one rug on his showroom floor that is 100 years old, and others like it that hes been loath to part with and has had wrapped up and put away for 20 or 30 years.

Theyre in great condition, but I cant take them home with me, he said. Were having one-half off on rugs that cost thousands of dollars. We have rugs that have been here for years  brand new, never used, and we have not changed the prices, nor would I change the prices. They were staying at that price.

Now Im selling them for a price I couldnt buy them at today, and theyre hand knotted. They take years to make.

The question is, though, once the rugs are sold, who will clean them when that time comes, with Rashid gone.

Thats something, Rashid said, buyers may never have to worry about.

Some people dont clean them for 40 years, he said. If you vacuum them and take care of them, they dont get dirty. Theyre amazing. Theyre wool, and theyre wonderful.

My house is full of them. I love them. I have rugs that are over a hundred years old in my house. The runner that you walked in on (at the store) is 130 years old. Thats what we wipe our feet on. Theyre sturdy; they last lifetimes.

d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com
TEHRAN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Wednesday that "a few but important" issues remain in Vienna nuclear talks to be solved, official news agency IRNA reported.

The Vienna talks have reached a critical stage, and "still a few but very important issues remain in our talks" aimed at removing U.S. sanctions and restoring the 2015 nuclear deal, said Abdollahian in a joint press conference with his visiting Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi.

Iran has "made it clear to the West and Josep Borrell, EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, that we would not cross Iran's red lines in the Vienna talks," he added.

The Iranian foreign minister revealed that many messages have been received from the United States about direct talks, but Iran wonders the benefit of direct dialogue and whether there would be a difference from what happened in the past.

"So far, we have heard mostly positive messages from the Americans, but still no practical action has been taken to prove their good will," he explained.

"We are optimistic about the Vienna talks and hope that the few critical issues that remain in the negotiations will be resolved in the coming days with realism from the West," Abdollahian concluded.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (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 program.

Since April 2021, eight rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital between Iran and the remaining parties, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, with the United States indirectly involved in the talks, to remove anti-Iran sanctions and revive the landmark deal. 
Chinese Ambassador to Kiribati Tang Songgen (3rd, L) and Kiribati Minister of Health and Medical Services Tinte Itinteang (4th, L) pose for a group photo in front of the anti-epidemic supplies at the airport in Tarawa, Kiribati, Feb. 23, 2022. (Chinese Embassy in Kiribati/Handout via Xinhua)

SYDNEY, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Anti-epidemic supplies provided by China were flown to Kiribati's capital Tarawa on Wednesday to help the South Pacific island country to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The medical supplies, transported by a chartered plane, include oximeters, monitors, electrocardiographs, ultrasonic diagnostic systems, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), according to the Chinese Embassy in Kiribati.

Chinese Ambassador to Kiribati Tang Songgen said these supplies highlighted the deep friendship between the Chinese government and people and the Kiribati government and people. China will always stand together with Kiribati in the fight against COVID-19, and will continue to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in pandemic control and public health.

Another batch of anti-COVID-19 supplies will be shipped to Kiribati in the near future.

Kiribati Minister of Health and Medical Services Tinte Itinteang thanked the Chinese side for providing the supplies, which the island country is in urgent need of. He expects the two countries to further enhance cooperation in anti-pandemic effort and public health.

According to the World Health Organization, from Jan. 3, 2020 to Feb. 22 this year, 2,847 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed with 11 deaths in Kiribati. 

Anti-epidemic supplies provided by China arrive in Tarawa, Kiribati, Feb. 23, 2022. Anti-epidemic supplies provided by China were flown to Kiribati's capital Tarawa on Wednesday to help the South Pacific island country to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The medical supplies, transported by a chartered plane, include oximeters, monitors, electrocardiographs, ultrasonic diagnostic systems, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), according to the Chinese Embassy in Kiribati. (Chinese Embassy in Kiribati/Handout via Xinhua)
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wears a mask during her swearing-in ceremony at Boston City Hall on Nov. 17. She announced Saturday that she plays to lift Bostons proof-of-vaccination requirement at restaurants, gyms and other indoor public spaces in light of encouraging pandemic numbers.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
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BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A China-Europe joint space mission, Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE), has successfully carried out the extension test of its payload magnetometer in Europe, Science and Technology Daily reported Wednesday.

The test shows that the function and performance of the magnetometer subsystem integrated with the payload module meet the mission requirements and that the researchers from China and Europe have reached an agreement on the development specifications, technical process, test methods and evaluation standards.

The magnetometer is a set of high-precision detection equipment of space vector magnetic field. It is used to detect the three-dimensional vector of the space magnetic field and obtain the detection data on the size and direction of the solar wind magnetic field.

The magnetometer arrived at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) of the European Space Agency (ESA) last month for thermal vacuum test, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The SMILE mission is a comprehensive collaboration between the CAS and the European Space Agency (ESA). The magnetometer of the mission was developed by the State Key Laboratory of Space Weather under the CAS National Space Science Center.

The mission, reportedly, expects to send satellites into space before the end of 2024. 
Due to a printer error, some stories that should have appeared on page two in the print edition did not because the wrong page was put on the 
Danbury is hosting its own celebratory culinary tour of the city.

Tastes of Danbury will invite guests to try four local restaurants in the city each month. With the purchase of a $25 ticket, attendees can try specific dishes from each restaurant.

This month, the dishes include American comfort food like cheeseburger and milkshakes along with Portuguese pastries and Peruvian delicacies.

Once a ticket is purchased, the attendee will be emailed four separate tickets for each restaurant to be presented upon arrival. The tickets do not rollover and are only good for the month indicated on the ticket.

"Tastes of Danbury" will continue into April and May. Check with the website for updated menus.

Read on for restaurants and dishes on the menu for March

Mothership Bakery Mothership Bakery & Cafe held a pre-Christmas dinner for area homeless, day laborers and anyone in need in Danbury, Conn., on Wednesday Dec. 23, 2020. Volunteers from the food pantry Jericho helped bring in the guests for the dinner and staff at Mothership prepared and served the meals. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media This breakfast, brunch and lunch cafe focuses on using all-natural ingredients, including house-made dressings and house-roasted coffee and meats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mothership Bakery & Cafe (@mothershipbakery) For Taste of Danbury, Mothership will offer guests the choice of a MoM Burrito and a coffee, a Sabrosa salad or any sandwich with a bottled drink or regular coffee or iced coffee. 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 331 Main Street, Danbury

Empire of the Incas Pescado a lo macho, a Peruvian-style fish stew seasoned with herbs, is on the menu at Empire of the Incas on Main Street in Danbury. Photo taken Thursday, May 5, 2011. Carol Kaliff This Peruvian restaurant has been in Danbury since 2005 and is decked in colorful murals depicting the landscapes of Peru. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Empire of the Incas (@empireoftheincas) For Taste of Danbury, Empire of the Incas will offer one of the following options: Papa a la Huancaina, Inca Platter, Tamale, Papa Rellena, Choclo con Queso, Anticuchos, Choritos a la Chalaca, Calamares Fritos, Camarones Empanizados, Chicken Wings, Chicharron de Cerdo con Yuca, Supreme Chicharron. Salchippa, Empanadas or Causa Rellena.

11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 241 Main Street, Danbury

Holiday Diner A corned beef reuben sandwich from the New Holiday Diner in Danbury, Conn. Thursday, March 6, 2014. The diner is a family-run business open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tyler Sizemore This family-owned diner has been in Danbury for 70 years, according to its Facebook page. Holiday Diner will offer a cheeseburger topped with tomato and lettuce, with the choice of a chocolate, vanilla or strawberry milkshake. 6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, 123 White St. Danbury
Contributed Photo / Hartford Police Department

HARTFORD  Two people were shot dead near Westminister Street Tuesday, according to Hartford police.

Police were called to the scene just before 6 p.m., Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert said Tuesday evening.
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WASHINGTON  Jeff Liberty was among the thousands of African descent who participated in the American Revolution.

Some entered as slaves and left free men. Liberty was one of them.

Before enlisting in 1781, he had been enslaved by Bell Hill Road resident Jonathan Farrand.

The story is he served in the American Revolution and, in exchange, his owner freed Jeff and he took the last name Liberty, said Stephen Bartkus, Gunn Historical Museums curator.

Liberty  who historians estimate was in his mid-50s when he enlisted  was a private in the 2nd Company of the Continental Armys 4th Connecticut Regiment.

The 2nd Company was an all-Black company, consisting of 48 privates and noncommissioned officers, that formed in October 1780.

Liberty served with the regiment from June to October 1781, during which time it performed garrison duty along New Yorks Hudson River, according to Glenn A. Knoblocks African American Historic Burial Grounds and Gravesites of New England.

After the war, Liberty lived the rest of his life as a free man in Washington.

Liberty married a woman named Phyllis and had two daughters  Bathsheba and Henrietta  who were born in 1781 and 1785. Theirs was one of the towns two free Black households listed in the 1790 U.S. Census, according to Knoblock.

Details of his post-war life are uncertain, but Liberty lived in an area in Washington referred to as under the hill, according to the Gunn Historical Museum.

Liberty died in May 1797 at the estimated age of 72 and was buried in Washingtons Old Judea Cemetery.

His grave remained unmarked until 2019, when the Sons of the American Revolution located his burial site and erected a gravestone.

According to Knoblock, other suspected former slaves who fought in the war and were buried in the Old Judea Cemetery include men named Cummy, Galloway, Jem, Tony, Peter, Robin and Tite.

Although its unclear when Libertys wife and daughters died, records show his daughter Bathsheba was still living in Washington in 1850.

According to Census records, she worked for and lived with the Mitchell family in the mid-1800s. In his last will and testament, Abner Mitchell ordered his heirs to maintain Bathsheba Liberty  during her natural life.

According to the 1860 Census, Bathsheba was one of only three Blacks living in Washington that year. The other two were a 12-year-old girl named Louisa Freeman, who lived with the family of Jerome Kinney, and a 57-year-old laborer named Joseph Gregory, who lived with the family of Elisha Barlow.

This story is part of a series of pieces on historical Black residents from the Danbury area in honor of Black History Month.
LONDON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Billions of dollars have been lost to fraud and error in Britain's support schemes in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, an official report revealed Wednesday.

The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons, the lower house of British Parliament, said the total losses from fraud and error across all COVID-19 state-backed business schemes are expected to be at least 15 billion pounds (20.4 billion U.S. dollars).

These schemes included the furlough scheme, loan programs, grants, and credit welfare payments backed by different government departments, according to the committee.

In the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, known as the furlough scheme, around 5.3 billion pounds (7.21 billion U.S. dollars) are estimated to have been lost to fraud and error, said the report, adding that the loss represents 8.7 percent of the total money distributed through the scheme.

"A lack of preparedness and planning, combined with weaknesses in existing systems across government, has led to an unacceptable level of mistakes, waste, loss and openings for fraudsters which will all end up robbing current and future taxpayers of billions of pounds," said Meg Hillier, who chairs the committee.

Hillier said taxpayers could be paying the cost of the COVID-19 response for the next 20 years.

The National Audit Office's COVID-19 cost tracker reported in its September 2021 update that the British government had spent 261 billion pounds (355 billion U.S. dollars) on measures in response to the pandemic, according to the report. 
George Lucas is one of history's most financially successful filmmakers responsible for the Star Wars franchise and Indiana Jones, he has been nominated for four Academy Awards for his work. The multi billionaire, visionary, film director, producer, screenwriter, and entrepreneur turns  Click for more.
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).
Among our panelists: Willy-Ann Hoff, Amber Oberheim, Renee Cloyd, Julia Rietz, Bryant Seraphin, Lamont Holden, Heidi Ladd, Marc Changnon, Janie Miller-Jones, Dave Griffet, Karen Simms, Skully Andrews, Jenell Hardy, Michael McDonald, Michele Cooper, LeConte Nix, Lily Walton, Sheldon Turner, Sonny Walker, Linda Turnbull, Diane Marlin, Deb Feinen and the Revs. Terrance Thomas and Melissa Keeble.

Where are all of the guns coming from? Why can't we arrest our way out of this problem? Those are among the questions asked and answered by our panel in Part 2 of The News-Gazette's continuing conversation on gun violence.

Tracy Parsons on why some local youths obtain guns: They dont believe we as a society  families, police, schools  can keep them safe, so they believe they need a gun. ... We were told a couple years ago: Mr. Parsons, Id rather be caught with it than caught without it."

LeConte Nix: We have to normalize that going to therapy is great and is needed  just like going to a movie or your regular doctors appointment. We all have stuff that we hide mentally or avoid. Now, think about a young adult who only knows how to deal with anger by violence of some sort, because he or she has never been taught how to handle certain situations."

Among our Part 7 panelists: Centennial's Sylvie Leyerle, Jake Cox, Montez DuBose and Ellison Radek; Central's Lucy Moss; Danville's Kedzie Griffin; law enforcement's Kurt Buckley, Curt Apperson, Geoff Coon and Kyle O'Brien; Rev. Thomas Miller; Stephanie Burnett; Kim Norton; Ruby Mendenhall and Evette Campbell.

Joining the founder of Crime Stoppers USA, the New York criminologist whose book inspired C-U Fresh Start and a former FBI director on this week's panel: Allen Jones, C.J. Johnson, Sylvia Moore, Dannel McCollum, Rev. Bob Freeman, Ashanti Files, Eric Kizer, Katherine Thompson, Durrell Robinson, Jason Chambers, Bob Fitzgerald and Roger Digges.

Which gun violence-related causes should C-U's COVID relief funding go to? Weighing in for Part 11 of our Community Conversation: Margareth Etienne, Imani Bazzell, Andrew Terrall Sr., Angela Worthey, Beth Satterthwaite, Hattie Paulk, Steve Carter, Mike Dilley, Darnell Cox, David Sholem, Deb Busey, Pattsi Petrie, Rochelle Funderburg and Dr. Krishna Tangella.

"From the time my child texted me until I got the all clear was about 16 minutes. It was the longest 16 minutes of my life," says Heidi Slough, whose daughter was working at Market Place Mall Saturday. Read what others experienced Saturday, plus recommendations for where Champaign and Urbana should direct COVID relief funds.

We can no longer continue to turn away from, dismiss or ignore the power of being intentional. We cannot again wait on a pandemic to renew a prioritization of humankind and a shift away from the age-old system of the haves and have-nots.

The gun law grades are in

The good news: Illinois received another high grade  A-minus  in the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violences annual state-by-state gun law scorecard.

The not-so-good news: Were surrounded by poor performers  Iowa (F), Missouri (F), Kentucky (F), Indiana (D-minus)  where guns are sold legally, then re-sold illegally here, authorities say.

The Giffords Law Center ranks states based on the strength of their gun laws. Illinois checked in at No. 8 out of 50 on the just-released list, with the center citing three positive developments in the past year for the Land of Lincoln: It substantially increased investment in community violence intervention and trauma recovery programs, enacted one of nations first Medicaid violence prevention programs and closed gaps in (its) firearm relinquishment law.

Here are gun safety rankings and grades for every state, followed by the number of deaths by firearm per 100,000 residents:

A

1. California: 8.5

2. New Jersey: 5.0

A-minus

3. Connecticut: 6.0

4. Hawaii: 3.4

5. Massachusetts: 3.7

6. New York: 5.3

7. Maryland: 13.5

8. Illinois: 14.1

B

9. Rhode Island: 5.1

10. Washington: 10.9

11. Virginia: 13.4

12. Delaware: 14.3

13. Colorado: 15.4

B-minus

14. Pennsylvania 13.6

15. Oregon: 13.0

C-plus

16. Nevada: 17.0

17. Minnesota: 8.9

18. Michigan: 14.6

C

19. New Mexico: 22.7

C-minus

20. Nebraska: 10.1

21. North Carolina: 16.0

22 (tie). Vermont: 11.6

22 (tie). Wisconsin: 12.2

24. Florida: 13.7

D

25. Ohio: 15.2

D-minus

26. Indiana: 17.3

F

27. New Hampshire: 8.9

28. Georgia: 17.7

29. Maine: 10.4

30. Iowa: 11.2

31. Alabama: 23.6

32. South Carolina: 22.0

33. Utah: 13.6

34 (tie). Louisiana: 26.3

34 (tie). W. Virginia: 18.1

36. Texas: 14.2

37 (tie). Oklahoma: 20.7

37 (tie). Tennessee: 21.3

39. North Dakota: 13.8

40. Montana: 20.9

41. Alaska: 23.5

42 (tie). Arizona: 16.7

42 (tie). Kentucky: 20.1

44. South Dakota: 13.6

45 (tie). Kansas: 16.9

45 (tie). Mississippi: 28.6

47. Missouri: 23.9

48. Idaho: 17.6

49. Wyoming: 25.9

50. Arkansas: 22.6
Silgan Closures is Marchs recipient of Champaign American Legion Post 24s flag award, and not just because of how impressive Old Glory is displayed in front of the building on Farber Drive.
Multimedia Specialist

Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis).
Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, delivers the 2022-23 budget speech in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua)

HONG KONG, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Wednesday said it aims to direct more than 54 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 7 billion U.S. dollars) to the financial hub's anti-COVID-19 work in the new financial year.

"At this critical time, we need to direct more resources to relieve people's hardship and provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with some breathing space so as to stabilize the economy and maintain public confidence," said Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, in the 2022-23 budget speech.

With the latest local and external situations as well as the stimulus effect of the fiscal measures, Chan forecast that Hong Kong's economy will put up a better performance in the second half of this year and achieve a growth of 2 to 3.5 percent in real terms for the year as a whole.

About 22 billion Hong Kong dollars will be used to strengthen the COVID-19 testing work and support the HKSAR Hospital Authority, while a further injection of 12 billion dollars will be injected into the Anti-epidemic Fund for the construction of various anti-epidemic related facilities.

Chan said another 20 billion Hong Kong dollars have been earmarked for other potential anti-epidemic needs.

"We will provide full support to fight the epidemic should more resources be required," he said in the speech via video link to members of the Legislative Council.

The budget highlights enhancing Hong Kong's economic resilience and enriching industrial development.

"During this critical juncture of fighting the epidemic, we must take all necessary measures to preserve the vitality of the economy, in particular the survival of SMEs, and strive to safeguard jobs," he said.

The financial secretary proposed reducing profits tax for the year of assessment 2021/22 by 100 percent, a measure expected to benefit 151,000 businesses and reduce government revenue by 1.2 billion Hong Kong dollars.

It is estimated that the counter-cyclical measures which cost a total of over 170 billion Hong Kong dollars in the budget, together with the spending in infrastructure projects and other items, will have a fiscal stimulus effect of boosting the economy by around 3 percentage points, Chan said.

"I forecast that Hong Kong's economy will grow by an average of 3 percent per annum in real terms from 2023 to 2026, slightly higher than the trend growth of 2.8 percent during the decade before the pandemic," he said. 

Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, delivers the 2022-23 budget speech in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua)
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A blood test developed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has proven highly accurate in detecting early signs of Alzheimer's disease in a study involving nearly 500 patients from across three continents, providing further evidence that the test should be considered for routine screening and diagnosis.

The study is available in the journal Neurology.

Our study shows that the blood test provides a robust measure for detecting amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease, even among patients not yet experiencing cognitive declines." Randall J. Bateman, MD, senior author, the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology

"A blood test for Alzheimer's provides a huge boost for Alzheimer's research and diagnosis, drastically cutting the time and cost of identifying patients for clinical trials and spurring the development of new treatment options," Bateman said. "As new drugs become available, a blood test could determine who might benefit from treatment, including those at very early stages of the disease."

Developed by Bateman and colleagues, the blood test assesses whether amyloid plaques have begun accumulating in the brain based on the ratio of the levels of the amyloid beta proteins A42 and A40 in the blood.

Researchers have long pursued a low-cost, easily accessible blood test for Alzheimer's as an alternative to the expensive brain scans and invasive spinal taps now used to assess the presence and progression of the disease within the brain.

Evaluating the disease using PET brain scans  still the gold standard  requires a radioactive brain scan, at an average cost of $5,000 to $8,000 per scan. Another common test, which analyzes levels of amyloid-beta and tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid, costs about $1,000 but requires a spinal tap process that some patients may be unwilling to endure.

This study estimates that prescreening with a $500 blood test could reduce by half both the cost and the time it takes to enroll patients in clinical trials that use PET scans. Screening with blood tests alone could be completed in less than six months and cut costs by tenfold or more, the study finds.

A commercial test based on Bateman's research was certified in 2020 under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program. The CLIA certification program is run by the Food and Drug Administration in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Known as Precivity AD, the commercial version of the test is marketed by C2N Diagnostics, a Washington University startup founded by Bateman and his colleague David Holtzman, MD, the Barbara Burton and Reuben M. Morriss III Distinguished Professor of Neurology. Bateman and Holtzman are inventors on a patent the university licensed to C2N.

CLIA certification makes the test available for doctors in the United States. It is intended to provide information that will aid the medical evaluation and care of patients who already have symptoms of cognitive decline. A similar certification makes the test available in Europe. The test is not yet covered by most health insurance.

The current study shows that the blood test remains highly accurate, even when performed in different labs following different protocols, and in different cohorts across three continents.

Scientists didn't know if small differences in sampling methods, such as whether blood is collected after fasting or the type of anti-coagulant used in blood processing, could have a big impact on test accuracy because results are based on subtle shifts in amyloid beta protein levels in the blood. Differences that interfere with the precise measurement of these amyloid protein ratios could have triggered a false negative or positive result.

To confirm the test's accuracy, researchers applied it to blood samples from individuals enrolled in ongoing Alzheimer's studies in the United States, Australia and Sweden, each of which uses different protocols for the processing of blood samples and related brain imaging.

Findings from this study confirmed that the A42/A40 blood test using a high-precision immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry technique developed at Washington University provides highly accurate and consistent results for both cognitively impaired and unimpaired individuals across all three studies.

When blood amyloid levels were combined with another major Alzheimer's risk factor  the presence of the genetic variant APOE4  the accuracy of the blood test was 88% when compared to brain imaging and 93% when compared to spinal tap.

"These results suggest the test can be useful in identifying nonimpaired patients who may be at risk for future dementia, offering them the opportunity to get enrolled in clinical trials when early intervention has the potential to do the most good," Bateman said. "A negative test result also could help doctors rule out Alzheimer's in patients whose impairments may be related to some other health issue, disease or medication."
Women who conceive with assisted reproductive technology (infertility treatment) may be at increased risk for vascular and pregnancy-related complications, according to new research published today in a special Go Red for Women issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Assisted reproductive technology, also known as ART, is the umbrella term for infertility treatments in which eggs or embryos are handled to improve the odds of pregnancy. These treatments may involve administering medication to control timing of ovulation, as well as procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, during which a woman's eggs are surgically retrieved and fertilized in a laboratory before being implanted back into her uterus. According to 2019 statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of assisted reproductive technology has more than doubled during the past decade. More than 2% of infants born in the U.S. every year are conceived with assisted reproductive technology. Since 1978, ART has contributed to the birth of more than 5 million infants worldwide.

Older women are increasingly turning to assisted reproductive technology. However, advancing maternal age  specifically being age 35 and older  increases the risk of having or developing conditions, such as chronic high blood pressure, that increase the risk of pregnancy complications." Pensee Wu, M.B.Ch.B., M.D., study author, senior lecturer and honorary consultant obstetrician and subspecialist in Maternal Fetal Medicine, Keele University School of Medicine in Staffordshire, United Kingdom

"Adverse pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure during pregnancy have now been established as risk factors for future cardiovascular disease," Wu said. "All of this has raised concerns about adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with assisted reproductive technology, yet studies on the topic are few and have inconsistent findings. A better understanding of the potential impact of assisted reproductive technology on women's risks for cardiovascular- and pregnancy-related outcomes will help inform women considering assisted reproductive technology and is valuable after birth to develop cardiovascular risk reduction strategies."

For this study, researchers examined data from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample, which contains all hospital discharges between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016. They extracted records for all delivery admissions and specifically records that noted the use of assisted reproductive technology, as well as cardiovascular and pregnancy-related complications. The researchers also evaluated hospital costs, length of stay and more. The study included more than 106,000 deliveries conceived with assisted reproductive technology and more than 34,167,000 deliveries conceived without ART.

The analysis found:

Women who conceived with assisted reproductive technology were older, at an average age of 35 years compared to 28 years for those who conceived without ART.

Those who conceived with assisted reproductive technology also had more pre-existing health conditions, such as chronic hypertension, obesity and diabetes.

Women with assisted reproductive technology-conceived pregnancies were more than 2.5 times more likely to suffer acute kidney damage, also known as acute kidney failure, and they were also found to have a 65% higher risk for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

Assisted reproductive technology-conceived pregnancy was associated with a 57% greater likelihood of placental abruption, a serious complication in which the placenta separates from the lining of the uterus; a 38% increased risk of Cesarean delivery; and a 26% higher risk for preterm birth.

The increased risks were present even among the women having ART who did not have pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors.

Hospital charges for women who conceived with assisted reproductive technology were an average $18,705 compared to $11,983 for those who conceived without ART.

"We were surprised that assisted reproductive technology was independently associated with these complications, as opposed to being associated with only the existence of pre-existing health conditions or only among older women undergoing infertility treatment," Wu said.

The study highlights the importance of counseling patients who are considering assisted reproductive technology about health and pregnancy, as well as postpartum-related risks.

"Especially patients with existing cardiovascular risk factors should be counseled about the potentially long-term cardiovascular implications and risks associated with ART," Wu said. "It's important for women to know that assisted reproductive technology carries a higher risk of pregnancy complications, which require close monitoring, particularly during delivery. Primary and specialist health care professionals should ensure these risks are communicated and strategies to mitigate them are discussed and implemented."

A study limitation is its retrospective nature, meaning it is an examination of data that was recorded for reasons other than research, therefore, there may be errors, such as misclassification or misdiagnosis.

"Future research should examine how optimizing cardiovascular risk prior to assisted reproductive technology impacts pregnancy complications and long-term cardiovascular health," Wu said.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official You Quan met with the 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu in Beijing Wednesday.

You, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, extended Tibetan new year greetings to the Panchen Lama and all Tibetan Buddhism believers.

Recognizing the progress the Panchen Lama has made in various aspects, You encouraged him to thoroughly study the historical experience the Party has gained over the past century and play a more active role in adapting Tibetan Buddhism to the Chinese context.

The Panchen Lama said he would firmly support the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and safeguard national unity and ethnic solidarity. The Panchen Lama also said he would uphold the principle that Tibetan Buddhism must be Chinese in orientation and make new achievements in promoting the adaptation of the religion to socialist society. 
People with a history of allergic-like reactions to iodinated contrast media, which is used in a variety of X-ray-based procedures, such as CT and angiography, are susceptible to similar reactions from commonly used MRI contrast agents, according to a large, eight-year study published in the journal Radiology. The study also found that premedication or switching to a different MRI contrast agent may reduce risk in patients who have had previous contrast agent reactions.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) have long been used to improve visualization of organs, tissues and blood vessels on MRI and provide a more accurate depiction of disease. Although GBCA are relatively safe, recent studies have reported several adverse reactions related to their use, including allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions, such as rash and flushing.

The incidence of these reactions is increasing with the widespread use of GBCA, prompting an urgent need for research into risk factors, according to the study's senior author Hye-Ryun Kang, M.D., Ph.D., from the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea.

Dr. Kang and colleagues recently analyzed more than 330,000 cases of GBCA exposure in 154,539 patients over an eight-year period at the Seoul National University Hospital. There were 1,304 cases of allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions, for a rate of 0.4%. In patients who had a previous GBCE reaction, the average recurrence rate was 15%.

Acute allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions, or those that occur within one hour of contrast administration, accounted for 1,178 cases, while a far smaller number of 126 cases were delayed allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions, or those that occur beyond the first hour and mostly within one week after exposure.

The risk of allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions to GBCAs was higher in those with a history of similar reactions to iodinated contrast media. Traditionally, a history of iodinated contrast media hypersensitivity was not considered as a risk factor for hypersensitivity to GBCAs and vice versa, owing to the structural and compositional differences between the two.

"The results of our study challenge this idea," Dr. Kang said.

The increased risk may be the result of an underlying predisposition to drug allergies in susceptible patients, Dr. Kang said, rather than any cross-reactivity associated with structural similarities between iodinated contrast media and GBCA. In fact, the risk of hypersensitivity reactions to iodinated contrast media was also higher in those who previously experienced a similar reaction to GBCA.

"Thus, physicians should be aware that patients with a history of hypersensitivity to one of iodinated contrast media or GBCA are at greater risk of developing hypersensitivity reactions to the other," she said.

Analysis of the data showed that premedication, typically with steroids and antihistamines, and changing the GBCA showed preventive effects in patients with a history of acute allergic-like hypersensitivity reactions. Patients who received premedication and before MRI or were switched to a different GBCA showed the lowest rate of recurrence. Only premedication significantly reduced the incidence of reactions in patients with a history of delayed reactions.

As the most important preventive measure is avoidance of the culprit agent, a precise record of previously used GBCA should be kept for all patients. Physicians should discuss appropriate premedication strategies with their patients prior to MRI procedures." Dr. Hye-Ryun Kang, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University College of Medicine

Dr. Kang emphasized that contrast-enhanced MRI examinations are invaluable in the diagnosis and follow-up of various diseases, and the overall risk remains low.

"As most of these reactions are mild, we believe the benefits of MRI outweigh the potential risks associated with GBCA use," she said.

Dr. Kang advises that in all patients receiving an MRI with GBCA exposure, a detailed history of previous hypersensitivity allergic reactions be conducted, and when necessary, appropriate prevention measures such as using premedication and switching to different types of GBCA should be implemented.

The researchers hope to conduct future studies with larger populations to identify possible risk factors and effective preventive strategies for delayed hypersensitivity reactions to GBCA.
A research team collaborating across the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Pfizer Vaccine Research, and BioNTech SE recently conducted a study on the neutralization capacity of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine against the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and found that while two doses effectively protect against hospitalizations, a third dose of the vaccine is critical to confer robust neutralization against Omicron.

The new study, published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, also finds that the neutralization against Omicron remains robust at four months after the third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine.

Study: Neutralization and durability of 2 or 3 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine against Omicron SARS-CoV-2. Image Credit: davide bonaldo/Shutterstock

SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve while generating new variants of concern (VOCs), including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron. These variants carry genetic mutations, and the ones occurring in the spike S glycoprotein are mainly responsible for altering viral transmission potential, disease severity, and immune escape. The newly emerged Omicron variant, owing to its high transmissibility, is rapidly spreading worldwide, causing even more incidents of breakthrough infections in previously infected and vaccinated individuals.

BNT162b2 vaccine, encoding the prefusion stabilized full spike S glycoprotein of Wuhan-Hu-1 isolate of SARS-CoV-2, is being used around the world for vaccination in people 16 years and older, and recently has been granted emergency use authorization (EUA) by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to permit its use in individuals 5 years of age and older.

Earlier, the team had reported the susceptibility of other VOCs and variants of interest (VOI) to BNT162b2 vaccine-elicited antibodies. Now in the current study, the team examines the BNT162b2 vaccine-elicited neutralization potential against the Omicron variant and the duration of persistence of this capacity.

Study details

The team used a reverse genetics approach to generate a recombinant USA-WA1/2020 bearing Omicron variant full spike glycoprotein, which was used in the neutralization assays.

The 50% plaque-reduction neutralization titers (PRNT50) were measured for serum samples collected from the BNT162b2 vaccinees participating in the phase 1 of the ongoing clinical trials. Four longitudinally collected BNT162b2-vaccinated serum panels were used in the study:

Panel 1 (n=20) collected at 2 weeks or 4 weeks after the second dose of BNT162b2.

Panel 2 (n=22) collected on the day of the third dose of BNT162b2 (administered at 7.9 to 8.8 months after the second dose).

Panel 3 (n=22) collected at 1 month after the third dose.

Panel 4 (n=21) collected at 4 months after the third dose.

50% plaque reduction neutralization titers (PRNT50) were measured for each serum sample in duplicate assays, and the geometric mean titers (GMTs) were calculated.

Study findings

Panel 1 sera, collected 2/3 weeks after the second dose, neutralized USA-WA1/2020 and Omicron-spike SARS-CoV-2 with GMTs of 511 and 20, respectively. All panel 2 sera had neutralization GMTs of 160 or higher against the wild-type USA-WA1/2020 isolate, while only 11 of the 20 sera reached neutralization titers of 20 (limit of detection) or more against the recombinant Omicron-spike virus. Thus, the neutralization potential against Omicron-spike SARS-CoV-2 was 25.6 times lower than that against USA-WA1/2020 and was in line with GMT reductions noted in some previous reports.

Panel 2, collected on the day of the third BNT162b2 dose, demonstrated a reduction in GMT levels against USA-WA1/2020 to 65. The GMT against Omicron remained even lower at 13, with only 8 of the 22 sera exhibiting neutralization titers of 20.

Panel 3 sera, collected one month after the third dose, neutralized USA-WA1/2020 and Omicron-spike SARS-CoV-2 with GMTs of 1342 and 336, respectively, equivalent to an increase of 2.6 and 16.8 times, respectively, when compared to the corresponding GMTs of Panel 1 sera.

The Panel 4 sera, collected four months after the third dose, demonstrated a dip in the neutralization capacity with GMTs of 820 and 171 against USA-WA1/2020 and Omicron-spike SARS-CoV-2, respectively. But, notably, all the Panel 4 sera neutralized Omicron-spike virus at GMTs of 28 or more.

From 1 to 4 months post-dose 3, the neutralization GMTs decreased by 1.6 and 2 times against USA-WA1/2020 and Omicron, respectively. However, the difference between the two panels' PRNT50 ratios was not statistically significant between the variants, pointing to a similar antibody decay kinetics for both USA-WA1/2020 and Omicron variant.

The neutralization GMT against Omicron-spike virus after dose 3 was close to the neutralization GMT against wild-type USA-WA1/2020 after dose 2, which was previously associated with high efficacy in the pivotal efficacy study, explains the team.

Conclusion

All in all, the current in vitro study suggests that a primary vaccination constituting two doses of BNT162b2 remains effective against severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and protection from hospitalizations; however, the third dose of BNT162b2 is crucial to maintain effectiveness against Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

The team also advises more studies to examine the durability of the neutralization against the Omicron variant beyond four months post-third dose of BNT162b2, along with the necessity to probe other immune effectors, such as T cells and non-neutralizing antibodies that could mediate antibody-dependent cytotoxicity and can modify neutralization graphs.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the importance of timely information on public health immunity for effective and efficient public health decision-making processes.

Seroprevalence studies that estimate the prevalence of antibodies are considered important sources of this information. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, seroprevalence estimates have been obtained from research studies rather than part of ongoing public health surveillance efforts, which could raise questions regarding their public health impact.

Study: Timeliness of reporting of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence results and their utility for infectious disease surveillance. Image Credit: SergeyBitos / Shutterstock.com

Effective seroprevalence studies that can be used for public health surveillance must have the attributes of effective surveillance systems, which include timelessness, validity, and representativeness. Many of these attributes are challenging when the findings are distributed in shared research manuscripts published as peer-reviewed articles.

Some researchers have turned to more rapid and accessible platforms such as preprints, government reports, and news to obtain quicker results. However, it remains unclear whether these alternative platforms lead to faster reporting as compared to scientific journals and if bypassing peer-review can result in the prolific publication of weaker evidence.

A new study posted to the preprint server medRxiv* aimed to determine the timelessness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence studies in providing information that is useful in public health surveillance, as well as further analysis.

About the study

The current study involved a living systematic review that was registered with PROSPERO. News media, electronic databases, and grey literature were searched for cohort and cross-sectional studies that reported seroprevalence estimates published between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021.

Inclusion criteria included sample size, geographic location of sampling, sampling end date, and seroprevalence estimate. Furthermore, a risk of bias (RoB) assessment was carried out by two independent reviewers.

For each study, the publication venue was categorized into peer-reviewed journal articles, institutional reports, preprint, media, or presentation or conference materials. In addition, the sample frame was categorized into healthcare workers, household or community samples, blood donors or residual sera, other special populations, and studies that sampled multiple populations.

After that, the timelessness of seroprevalence studies was determined in both the overall sample as well as those stratified by publication venue. Finally, the median timelessness was compared between preprints and institutional reports or media, along with peer-reviewed publications and preprints. The role of preprints in accelerating the release of data was also assessed.

The researchers also assessed the relationship between timelessness and study characteristics, as well as a comparison of timelessness between publication venues. Finally, the factors that were independently associated with timeliness were examined.

Study findings

Out of 1,844 studies included in the analysis, 59% were released as peer reviews, 24.2% as preprints, 6.24% as news articles, 7.81% as institutional reports, and 2.66% as presentations for presentations conference abstracts. The majority of the studies were cross-sectional.

The median time to publication was reported to be 154 days across all publication venues, with media reports requiring the shortest time and peer reviews the longest. The timelines were found to vary across publication venues. No significant difference in time to publication was observed in the case of 230 studies that were first published as preprints and later appeared as peer-reviewed journal articles.

A higher proportion of the low or moderate RoB was observed in preprint, peer-reviewed, and institutional reports as compared to media reports and conference materials. In addition, a significant difference in timelessness was observed in several World Health Organization (WHO) regions compared to Regions of the Americas (AMRO).

Faster timelessness was also observed in studies with unclear RoB as compared to low RoB. A significant difference in timelessness was observed in the case of sample frames, where analyses of household/community samples took less time to be released as compared to the other sample frames. Studies that did not report antibody test sensitivity and specificity and those that were not representative of the target population had a high probability of being published in a short time.

Taken together, the current study demonstrates that seroprevalence studies have often released results slowly through venues that are more suitable for research studies, thus limiting their utility as surveillance tools. The surveillance system could be supported by well-sourced public health surveillance or close government-academic partnerships. However, more timely and robust reporting and the distribution of standardized seroprevalence results can help increase their usefulness for surveillance, which, in turn, leads to effective public health responses.

Limitations

The current study could not detect the duration of each step in the reporting process for each article. Second, only the first public report of seroprevalence studies was included in the analysis, and its subsequent publications were not.

Furthermore, some news and conference articles did not report the end date for sampling. Studies that reported directly to public health agencies could not be included in this analysis.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Unvaccinated students had eight times the incidence of COVID-19 infection compared to vaccinated students in a North Carolina independent school, according to a study by the ABC Science Collaborative appearing online Feb. 22 in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers analyzed COVID-19 data from more than 1,100 students in grades 6-12 from Aug. 1-Nov. 12, 2021. During the study period, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified COVID-19 county transmission as high, and the Delta variant comprised more than 99% of infections in the region.

School policy required universal masking indoors after Aug. 9, 2021. The school's ventilation system used upgraded air filters but did not install high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Physical distancing was minimal, and there was no routine surveillance testing of students or staff.

As of November 2021, the school reported 829 (73.5%) students in grades 6-12 were vaccinated and 299 (26.5%) were unvaccinated. Twenty unvaccinated students reported a COVID-19 infection during the study period, compared to seven vaccinated students. Among the unvaccinated students who tested positive for COVID=19, 16 were symptomatic, compared to five of the vaccinated students.

Of the 27 infections, only two were classified as within-school transmissions, both a result of unmasked exposures to unvaccinated cases.

Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection in this study was 88%, providing evidence that vaccination is a critical component of safely continuing in-person education.

Unvaccinated students had eight times higher incidence of documented COVID-19 infection. Less than 1% of vaccinated students reported infection.

These findings indicate that vaccination, along with other school-based safety measures, such as masking, play a critical role in minimizing transmissions within schools and keeping students in school." Ibukun Kalu, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine

As school districts lift universal masking policies, being vaccinated becomes the strongest tool to prevent COVID-19 in students.

Providence Day School student Pavan Thakkar, in partnership with the ABC Science Collaborative, conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, reviewed and revised the manuscript, designed the data collection instruments, collected data, and carried out the initial analyses.
When Greg and Sugar Bull were ready to start a family, health challenges necessitated that they work with a gestational surrogate. The woman who carried and gave birth to their twins lived two states away.

The pregnancy went well until the surrogate experienced high blood pressure and other symptoms of preeclampsia, which could have harmed her and the babies. Doctors ordered an emergency delivery at 34 weeks gestation. Both infants had to spend more than a week in the neonatal intensive care unit.

It was April 2020, early in the pandemic. Unable to take a plane, the Bulls drove from their home in Huntington Beach, California, to the hospital in Provo, Utah. They had to quarantine in Utah before they could see the children in the hospital.

A couple of weeks later, after the babies could eat and breathe on their own, the Bulls took them home to California.

Then the bills came.

The Patients: Scarlett and Redford Bull, newborn twins covered by a Cigna policy sponsored by Greg Bull's employer. The gestational surrogate had her own insurance, which covered her care.

Medical Service: Neonatal intensive care when the babies were born prematurely after emergency induced labor. Scarlett spent 16 days in the NICU; Redford, 10.

Total Bill: $117,084. The hospital was out of network for the infants. Cigna paid for some of Scarlett's care, for reasons the Bulls couldn't figure out. The Bulls were left on the hook for about $80,000, for both babies. Their account was ultimately sent to collections.

Service Provider: Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, Utah, one of 24 hospitals run by Intermountain Healthcare, a nonprofit with about $8 billion in revenue.

What Gives: The Bulls' ordeal points up a loophole in coverage for emergency care  even under the No Surprises Act, which took effect Jan. 1 and outlaws many kinds of surprise medical bills.

Patients who need prompt, lifesaving treatment often don't have time to find an in-network hospital. In the past, health plans sometimes have said they would pay for emergency care even if it's out of network. The No Surprises Act now makes this a legal requirement in every state. The provider and insurer are supposed to negotiate a reasonable payment, leaving the patient out of the equation.

But what if the insurance company denies that the care is for an emergency? Or the hospital doesn't supply the paperwork to prove it?

That's what happened to the Bulls. Cigna said it lacked documentation that the NICU care for the twins qualified as an emergency.

So the Bulls began receiving insurance explanations showing huge balances owed to Utah Valley. The family had expected to owe its out-of-network, out-of-pocket maximum of $10,000 for the twins' care. They assumed most of the bills would be paid by Cigna soon. They weren't.

"I was, like, there is no way this can be real," said Sugar Bull, an interior designer.

"Dear Scarlett Bull," began one of Cigna's letters, addressed to a 6-month-old baby. "We found the service requested is not medically necessary."

How could NICU care not qualify? The gestational surrogate was admitted to obstetrics by her doctor without going through the emergency department, which prompted Cigna to initially conclude there was no emergency, said Dylan Kirksey of Resolve Medical Bills, a consultancy that eventually worked with the Bulls to resolve the claims.

To establish that there was, Cigna asked for daily progress notes and other medical records on the infants. The Bulls tried to get the hospital to comply. Cigna kept saying it hadn't received the necessary documentation.

The Bulls appealed. Sugar spent hours with insurance paperwork and hold music. But almost a year later, about $80,000 in bills remained. Utah Valley sent the accounts to collections, Sugar Bull said. It was the last thing she had time for.

"I own a company, and I am super busy, and we had twins," she said. "Every two weeks or so, I would feel a panic and righteous anger about it. And I would keep pushing and calling, and it would take like five hours every time."

Though they disputed what they were being charged, the Bulls agreed to pay the hospital $500 a month for five years to settle just one of the babies' bills, in an attempt to keep their good credit.

Resolution: With seemingly nowhere else to turn, the family hired Resolve, which beats a path through the claims jungle in return for a portion of the money it saves clients.

"It was a lot of prodding" to get Utah Valley to give Cigna the information it needed to pay the hospital, said Kirksey, a senior advocate with Resolve, which was founded in 2019 and has 16 employees. He said he had to give the hospital a detailed list of steps to take and then follow up with multiple calls and emails per week.

In the end, most of the errors causing the Bulls' nightmare were on the hospital's side, Kirksey said. But instead of supplying what Cigna needed, Utah Valley went after the Bulls.

"The hospital repeatedly failed to provide a detailed list of services and important clinical information, despite our continuous efforts to secure the information," said Cigna spokesperson Meaghan MacDonald.

"There were no errors on the hospital's part," said Utah Valley spokesperson Daron Cowley. Utah Valley Hospital properly billed for services provided to the twins and provided the requested information to Cigna in a timely manner."

The hospital didn't bill the Bulls for outstanding balances until nine months after the twins were born and didn't send the accounts to collections until six months after that, "after the family did not return the legally required paperwork to set up a payment plan," he said.

Finally, in fall 2021, the bills were settled. The twins were 1 years old. To compensate Resolve for curing the balance, the Bulls paid the company about 10%  $8,000.

The fee, though substantial and unrelated to medical care, was worth it to avoid the much larger debt, said Greg Bull, who works in finance. "At the end of the day, it was such a relief for it to be a smaller amount," he said. Still, many families could not have afforded it.

The Takeaway: About 1 in 5 emergency room visits are at facilities that are out of network for the patient's insurance, research has shown. The No Surprises Act requires insurers to cover non-network emergency treatment with the same patient cost sharing as in-network care. It also prohibits hospitals from billing patients extra.

But if the insurer denies that the care was for an emergency or doesn't obtain documentation to prove it, the claim can still be rejected and the patient left on the hook.

"That's a coding issue we see a lot," said Kirksey, especially "if the person didn't literally check in through the emergency room."

If this happens, insurance experts urge patients to immediately appeal the decision to the insurance company, a process the law requires to be available. Unfortunately, that usually requires more phone calls, paperwork, and waiting. (If the appeal with the insurer fails, patients can then turn to an independent reviewer, like their state insurance board, state attorney general's office, or the No Surprises Help Desk.)

"It would be a critical step for the consumer to leverage their appeal rights  and get the determination that it was an emergency service from the get-go," said Kevin Lucia, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.

Once it's established that the visit was for an emergency, he said, protections from the No Surprises Act clearly apply.

The No Surprises Act is a step in the right direction. But it is clear that loopholes and minefields remain.

Stephanie O'Neill contributed the audio portrait with this story.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!
Bishops Stortford, UK, and San Diego, CA, 23 February 2022: Dotmatics Ltd, an Insightful Science company that provides scientific informatics software to drive the automation of lab data workflows and accelerate critical R&D discovery, today announced the release of Dotmatics Platform 22.1. Dotmatics Platform is the common framework that underpins the Companys web-based scientific applications and allows them to work together to provide users with seamless end-to-end workflows.

The latest release, and first for 2022, builds on the inherent capability of Dotmatics Platform for deployment in the Cloud or on premise with an open architecture that enables workflows to include third-party software integration. Dotmatics Platform 22.1 offers advanced features for users, with enhancements to individual applications to further streamline R&D processes and facilitate collaboration, flexibility and access. This will ultimately lead to quicker and better-informed data-driven research decisions.

Key updates include:

Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) integrated with Microsoft Office for the Web for live editing and compatibility across all devices supporting Microsoft Office for the Web

Web-based visualization and analytics workspaces extended to include formulations and animal model data, giving researchers a seamless translation of data to insights that can be communicated in real-time

Enhanced reactions and transformations, metadata handling and structure alignment, for improved reaction planning in Dotmatics ELN

Assay Data Management functionality provides greater flexibility in calculations and statistics, and improved user experience and speed

Platform Authentication - new user sign-in experience that provides enhanced security configuration options and increased flexibility for external identity providers and organizational compliance

Michael Swartz, Senior Vice President Enterprise Product at Dotmatics, commented:

Platform 22.1 demonstrates our commitment to advancing scientific innovation through supporting a wider range of capabilities that serve our customers ever-evolving needs for new science, new modalities and enhanced interoperability. Our mission is to help customers make decisions from their complex scientific data, faster, and we look forward to continue achieving this through our new platform.

For more information visit www.dotmatics.com
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers estimated the comparative virulence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between the vaccinated and unvaccinated subjects hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Canada.

Study: Relative Virulence of SARS-CoV-2 Among Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Individuals Hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2. Image Credit: Pimen/Shutterstock

The development of effective and safe COVID-19 vaccines quickly following the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 has been a remarkable scientific accomplishment and has lowered the number of infections and deaths associated with the disease. However, the subsequent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) with a high number of mutations, including the Omicron, pose a substantial threat to public health since they significantly evade the vaccine- and natural infection-induced immunity.

The vaccine's ability to prevent infection and protect from severe outcomes such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality indicates the vaccine efficacy (VE). However, the differentiation of the impact of these two factors on VE is often challenging.

Additionally, confounding from differential testing and health-seeking behaviors based on vaccination status may skew results to show an increase in COVID-19 severity after vaccination.

About the study

In the current study, the researchers determined the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in lowering COVID-19-related ICU admission and mortality in vaccinated subjects hospitalized for COVID-19 and compared it with unvaccinated patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 from January 1 to 5, 2021, in Canada.

The team utilized data from the Case and Contact Management System (CCM) of COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada, and integrated it into COVaxON, a provincial vaccination dataset, and constructed a time-matched group of subjects who were admitted to the hospital with SARS-CoV-2. The scientists only included those subjects with unique pseudo-health card numbers from the CCM to permit linkage with the COVaxON database.

Every vaccinated subject was matched up to five unvaccinated individuals based on the date of the COVID-19-positive test. The risk of COVID-19-associated ICU admission and mortality was estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression models among the study and control groups. In addition, the factors linked to variations in vaccine effects were determined using unmatched exploratory analyses.

Study findings

The results show that among the 20,064 participants hospitalized with COVID-19 between January 1 and 5, 2021, 69.47% were aged 50 years or older, 33.41% were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 N501Y+ VOCs such as Gamma, Beta, and Alpha variants, 53.69% were males, and 21.58% had serious comorbidities. The COVID-19 vaccinated and unvaccinated participants hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection demonstrated significant variations in age group, infecting SARS-CoV-2 variant, the long-term care residence, and comorbidity status in the univariable analyses.

Forest plot to evaluate heterogeneity between estimates by infecting variant and outcome. The analysis is stratified by outcome, with results for death in the upper rows, and ICU admission below. NOTE: CI, confidence interval; ICU, intensive care unit; I-V, contribution of within-stratum variance to overall variance; n501, N501Y-positive variant; VOC, variant of concern.

Among the 3,353 COVID-19 vaccinated participants, 51.12%, 44.23%, and 4.65% received a single dose of vaccine, two doses, and three doses, respectively. Of the 20,064 participants hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the 3,353 subjects who received a first, second, or third dose of COVID-19 vaccine exhibited a lower risk for SARS-CoV-2-associated ICU admission and mortality compared to the 16,711 unvaccinated individuals.

The number of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses received demonstrated an inverse dose-response association with the COVID-19-related ICU admission and death among the vaccinated subjects.

While the restriction analyses indicated significant vaccine-induced protection against COVID-19-related ICU admission and mortality for the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and N501Y+ variants, no relevant protection against the Omicron variant was seen, suggesting the low statistical power of the analyses because of the recent emergence of Omicron.

The risk reduction associated with COVID-19 vaccines was higher for the SARS-CoV-2-related ICU admission than the mortality in the vaccinated lot. Nonetheless, no substantial variation in risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2 VOCs was observed among the vaccinated and unvaccinated participants.

Conclusions

The study findings implied a lower risk of COVID-19-related ICU admission and mortality in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated subjects than the time-matched unvaccinated controls in Ontario, Canada. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 vaccines failed to prevent a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection that required hospitalization. COVID-19 vaccines remain an essential technique for reducing ICU admission and death in COVID-19, despite their reduced effectiveness against novel SARS-CoV-2 VOCs infections. Hence, higher SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rates are required to protect community health and lower mortality and the requirement of the ICU during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A significant limitation of the present study was the inability to confirm that the results seen were not at least in part attributable to residual confounding, suggesting future studies are warranted to overcome this limitation. Further, the study lacked statistical power to evaluate Omicron-specific protections associated with vaccines due to the recent emergence of the variant and the delay in progression to serious COVID-19 and death.

Overall, the study emphasizes that COVID-19 vaccination is of paramount significance to healthcare systems and individuals even when it fails to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization as it reduces SARS-CoV-2-related ICU admissions and mortality rates.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
With prospects dim for the U.S. to adopt a single-payer "Medicare for All" program, health care reform advocates turned instead to an insurance plan designed by the government that could compete with private insurance plans sold on the health care exchanges. The idea behind this "public option" is that it could ultimately expand health care access by making a lower-cost plan available to consumers.

But that public-option plan, though backed by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama, also has gone nowhere because of political opposition in Congress.

Some states have picked up the banner and are creating their own public-option plans. But they, too, are facing formidable opposition from the health care establishment, which is resisting the pressure to reduce costs on the back end so that consumers can pay less.

Washington state, in its second year of offering the nation's first public-option health insurance plan, has learned an important lesson: If you want hospitals to participate, you're probably going to have to force them.

The Washington public option is more of a public-private partnership: The plan was designed by the state but is offered by private insurance companies. Anyone buying their own policy on the state's health insurance marketplace can sign up for a public-option plan and, depending on their income, may receive significant subsidies from the federal government to lower its cost. But two years in, the plans are available in only 25 of the state's 39 counties, enrollment numbers have been underwhelming, and state leaders blame hospitals.

Health Care For All: What Does That Mean? Play

"The plans had a hard time getting networks put together because the hospitals wouldn't play," said state Rep. Eileen Cody, the Washington legislator who introduced the public-option bill in 2019. "They're a big part of the problem."

Officials from the Washington State Hospital Association said that more hospitals than not are voluntarily participating in public-option plans. But, they noted, the public option relies on cutting payments to hospitals to control costs and ties reimbursement to Medicare rates, which don't cover hospitals' cost of providing care.

"If patients opt to join a public-option plan rather than private insurance, over time it could create financial challenges, especially for small, rural providers operating on thin margins," said Chelene Whiteaker, senior vice president of government affairs for the hospital group.

State legislators last year voted to mandate that hospitals contract with a public-option plan if public-option plans weren't available in each county in 2022. That mandate will go into effect for 2023.

Now, other states looking at a public option are learning from Washington's challenges. Colorado and Nevada, which are implementing public-option plans for 2023 and 2026, respectively, have already incorporated ways of forcing hospitals to participate. And other states considering a public option  including Connecticut, Oregon, New Jersey, and New Mexico  are likely to follow suit.

"One thing that the states have learned is you cannot make it optional for hospitals to participate," said Erin Fuse Brown, director of the Center for Law, Health & Society at Georgia State College of Law. "Otherwise, there's just no way for the public option to have a chance. It will never build a sufficient network."

Washington's public option was designed to save consumers money primarily by lowering what hospitals and doctors get paid, capping aggregate payments at 160% of what Medicare would pay for those services. By comparison, health plans had been paying providers an average of 174% of Medicare rates.

Public-option plans are available to anyone and come in the same gold, silver, and bronze tiers as private plans on the health insurance exchange. Proponents estimated the cap would result in public-option plans having premiums 5% to 10% lower than traditional plans on the exchange. But public-option premiums were, on average, 11% higher than the lowest silver plan premium available in each county on the marketplace in 2021, and a public-option plan was the silver plan with the lowest premium in just nine counties. Silver plans cover, on average, about 70% of health care costs. Only 1% of people buying plans on the exchange chose public-option plans in 2021.

Public-option premiums for 2022 came in about 5% lower than public-option premiums in 2021. This year's enrollment numbers have not been finalized  the state is waiting to see how many of the people who signed up complete the process by paying their premiums.

"We know premiums are what drive decision-making in terms of enrollment," said Liz Hagan, director of policy solutions for United States of Care, a nonprofit that advocates for improving health care access. "People often don't look at anything other than the premium. They rarely look at the out-of-pocket costs."

But exchange officials say that savvy consumers are finding that the public-option plans are less expensive in the long run. Compared with traditional exchange plans, they have lower deductibles and provide more services not subject to the deductible.

"Premium is still king," said Michael Marchand, chief marketing officer for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. "But we have a lot of people who have gotten a lot smarter about how they're pricing out something."

Marchand also said it may take a few years for a new product like the public-option plan to gain traction in the marketplace. Insurance companies may have priced their plans a little high in the first year, not knowing what to expect. Now, with a year under their belt, they have lowered premiums somewhat.

Washington's stumble out of the gate reflects the difficulty of lowering health care costs while working within the current system. Legislators originally wanted to cut payment rates to hospitals and other providers much more, but they raised the cap in the legislation so hospitals wouldn't oppose the bill. Now, it's unclear whether the payment cap is low enough to reduce premiums.

"That's kind of the big trade-off," said Aditi Sen, a health economist with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "You are trying to lower premiums enough that people will enroll, but not so much that providers won't participate."

That will be a challenge for any state or federal public-option plan. There are only so many ways to lower premiums. Hospitals, doctors, and other health care professionals have pushed back hard against any cuts in their payment rates, while insurance plans balk at plans that could eat into their profits.

Plans can reduce the size of their provider network to save money, but consumers dislike plans that limit what doctor they can see. Public-options plans could rely on existing public health programs, like Medicare and Medicaid, which already pay lower rates than commercial insurance, but government-run insurance plans carry negative connotations for many consumers.

Sen and her colleagues found that in 2021, Washington counties with public-option plans were primarily in areas where hospital and physician payment rates were lower than those in other parts of the state. That may have helped insurers build out networks and still stay under the 160% provider payment cap.

Five of the 12 private insurers that sell plans on the exchange offer public-option plans.

Insurance companies that had previously offered plans in Washington were able to cobble together networks based on existing contracts with hospitals and physician groups. But two carriers new to the Washington exchange had to start from scratch and negotiate prices with providers for their public-option plans. Some of the insurance companies tried to offer public-option plans in other counties but could not persuade hospitals, particularly those in larger hospital systems, to accept their rates.

Washington saw enrollment in public-option plans start to climb during a special enrollment period launched in mid-2021 because of the covid-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act also provided more subsidies, which made all plans on the exchange more affordable. But those subsidies are due to expire at the end of the year unless Congress votes to extend them. An extension is included in the Biden administration's Build Back Better legislation, but it has stalled in Congress.

Washington legislators approved other moves to make the public option more affordable. They set aside $50 million in state subsidies, but officials must still determine how to allocate those funds. And lawmakers authorized the state to pursue a waiver with the federal government that could allow the state to keep more of the savings achieved through premium reductions. Currently, lower premiums also mean lower subsidies from the federal government. The state can request those savings be passed through to consumers.

Washington did not pursue such a waiver before implementing its public-option plan, but many believe the Biden administration might be more amenable to such a request than the Trump administration.

State progress on public-option plans comes amid disappointment among many progressives that Congress did not implement a federal public option under the Affordable Care Act to compete with private plans on the marketplaces.

Washington state officials realize that because they were the first to implement a public option, other states will be watching them closely to see how it all plays out. "We're not the only ones, but we're the furthest along," Cody said. "Other people can learn from our mistakes."
Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental (TMDU) develop artificial tendons in vitro from human stem cells that could fix common tendon injuries such as Achilles tendon rupture.

Tendons are tissues that connect muscles to bones and are important for movement and locomotion. Injuries to tendons are quite common, with millions of people  particularly athletes  affected worldwide, and can often take many months to recover from, significantly impacting quality of life. Furthermore, while many options for treatment exist, none of them are perfect cures and many result in pain, immunogenicity, or long-term treatment failure. Therefore, a novel therapeutic strategy for tendon repair is needed.

In a study published in the Journal of Tissue Engineering in January 2022, researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have successfully induced human stem cells to create artificial tendon-like tissue that mimics tendon properties and offers significantly improved tendon reconstruction in a mouse tendon-rupture model.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells, or hiPSCs, are special stem cells that can be derived from any adult cells and can be differentiated into any specialized cell-type. "Using hiPSCs with Mohawk (Mkx), we could produce artificial tendon tissue." explains Hiroki Tsutsumi, lead author of the study. Mohawk is a transcription factor that promotes the expression of genes involved in tendon-formation and thus drives differentiation of stem cells into tendon cells. These Mohawk-expressing stem cells were then put in a specialized 3D culture system that exerts mechanical force on the cells while they are growing. This simulates the conditions for tendon development and enhances the cell alignment and organization, allowing them to create tendon-like tissues.

Next, the research team tested the artificial tendon in a mouse model of tendon rupture. The results were exciting. Six weeks after the implantation, the artificial tendon had similar mechanical properties to a normal undamaged mouse tendon. In addition, the implanted tendon-like tissue was able to recruit and mobilize tendon cells from the host that can further participate in the repair process. This confirmed a good integration of the tissue.

We demonstrated that the bio-tendons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells have similar mechanical and biological properties to normal tendons and can be fully integrated relatively quickly after a transplant surgery in a mouse model, making them an attractive strategy for clinical application in tendon injuries. The next step towards clinical translation would be to test them in large animal models to assess their capacity as a biomaterial on a larger scale." Hiroshi Asahara, lead author of the study

These promising results suggest that a novel medical strategy for tendon repair may be clinically available in the future.
In a recent study published in Cell Reports, researchers investigated the effectiveness of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections using three animal models.

Innate immunity plays a vital role in protecting the host against infectious pathogens. The administration of live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) such as the BCG vaccine leads to the generation of host innate immunological memory consisting of trained immune responses by competent cytokine-releasing monocytes in humans. This innate immune response is based on epigenetic reprogramming of immune cells at central and peripheral levels in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) of bone marrow (BM) and specific tissues of the human body, respectively.

According to previous studies, BCG vaccination offered protection against a wide spectrum of infections such as viral infections with Herpes, Influenza, tuberculosis, yellow fever, infantile sepsis, fungal diseases, and parasitic infections. However, BCG vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 is unknown.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers assessed BCG vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 by the administration of BCG vaccines intravenously in wild-type of C57BL/6J mice and subcutaneously into transgenic mice expressing the viral spike (S) glycoprotein binding- K18- human angiotensin-converting enzyme (hACE2) receptors in lethal as well as sublethal doses similar to that administered intradermally or intravenous in human beings.

Four weeks after BCG vaccination, a sublethal dose of Influenza A virus (IAV) was injected intranasally into the mice. Pulmonary viral load was assessed three days after IAV injection by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). K18-hACE2 expressing mice were infected with lethal doses of SARS-CoV-2/SB2 strain belonging to B.4 cellular lineage.

Following the development of severe and rapidly progressing neurological diseases and associated deaths in mice intranasally infected with SARS-CoV-2/SB2 strain previously, the animals were injected with the same viral strains intratracheally. Due to low levels of hACE2 levels expressed by transgenic mice, Syrian and Roborovski hamsters were injected with SARS-CoV-2/SB2 and SARS-CoV-2/RIM-1 strains along with IAV to evaluate and compare BCG vaccine efficacy.

Pulmonary histological analysis and SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral loads were assessed to determine the presence of lung pathologies and their role in viral dissemination to various organs of the human body, respectively. Monocytes from humans voluntarily participating in this study were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and IAV before and after approximately three months post-BCG vaccination to determine whether they react differently to SARS-CoV-2 and IAV.

Results and discussion

Although BCG vaccination significantly protected mice and Syrian and Roborovski hamsters against IAV, as indicated by a substantial reduction in viral loads, mortality, morbidity, and maintenance of body weight, it was ineffective against SARS-CoV-2-associated morbidity. This was suggested by the absence of significant changes in pulmonary leukocytic and myeloid counts, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-beta (IF-) levels or viral loads five days post-vaccination. Genes associated with viral multiplication such as N2 and upE were also detected in SARS-CoV-2-infected animals due to increased intracellular viral replication. No deaths were observed in the animals after intratracheal administration of vaccines and injections containing SARS-CoV-2 and IAV.

Histopathological analysis revealed the presence of pulmonary hemorrhage, microthrombi, and lymphocytic infiltration in vascular endothelium as well as peri-vascular tissues in all the animal models. Elevated levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were obtained in the BM of animals infected with SARS-CoV-2, the central location for developing trained innate immune memory. The vascular damage observed in pulmonary macrophages, endothelial cells, and pneumocytes were unique to SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Conclusion

The researchers concluded that the BCG vaccine does not confer effective protection against SARS-CoV-2 strains based on the present study findings. This conclusion was due to severe pulmonary endothelial and perivascular cellular injuries that facilitate SARS-CoV-2 dissemination from the lung vasculature into extrapulmonary organs such as the BM, liver, heart, kidneys, and brain that increases viral susceptibility and diminishes trained targeted immune memory generation in the host by the BCG vaccine.

Future studies using uniform BCG strains (Pasteur or Tick) across all the samples, larger sample sizes, and epigenomic or transcriptomic procedures are required to provide more accurate information on BCG vaccine efficacy against mild as well as moderate SARS-CoV-2 infections. The development of immunological strategies and novel vaccines capable of genetic reprogramming procedures could enable the administration of BCG vaccines as a protective measure against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the America COMPETES Act, appropriating 500 million U.S. dollars for news coverage to malign China. The move makes people wonder how the self-styled "beacon of press freedom" dares to openly manipulate media in an attempt to squeeze China out of what it calls a "Great Power Competition."

The bill, passed earlier this month as an industrial policy plan for semiconductor production and supply chain resilience, will direct funding to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a U.S. media service, as well as local outlets and programs to produce journalism that is critical of China, particularly the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

From the Spanish-American War and World War I to the Cold War, the Gulf War and the Iraq War, U.S. propaganda has been omnipresent. These days, Washington's disinformation campaign against Beijing is reminiscent of its playbook during the Cold War, when it denigrated the Soviet Union through mass media, stoked hysteria over the "Communist Threat" and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

Last year, Zimbabwe's The Herald newspaper revealed that local journalists were allegedly offered 1,000 U.S. dollars by a proxy of the U.S. embassy for each anti-China story they wrote to portray Chinese businesses based there as unethical, reckless and harmful to local communities.

"Out of sheer jealousy, envy and pique, Western countries have begun a spirited campaign against Chinese investments in Zimbabwe using a phalanx of corrupt media, paid activists and civil society organizations," The Herald wrote.

Not coincidentally, in September 2021, Javier Garcia, then head of the Beijing office of Spain's EFE News Agency, announced his decision to leave journalism because "the embarrassing information war against China has taken a good dose of my enthusiasm for this profession."

This time, the bill claims U.S.-funded media coverage would be "independent." Considering the news reports are sponsored by Washington with the precise aims of crowding out Chinese investment in developing countries and smearing China's projects, the claim is nonsense.

"If the government is setting out ahead of time in legislation what the conclusion and the point of coverage is going to be, that doesn't really qualify as genuine journalism," Tobita Chow, the director of Justice is Global, a U.S. advocacy group, was quoted by the American Prospect magazine, as saying.

By spreading misinformation and disinformation in traditional and social media, Washington is trying to enclose audiences at home and abroad into echo chambers built on its Cold War mindset. Nonetheless, its old playbook no longer applies in today's world, where truth and multipolarity prevail over lies and hegemonism.

Obsessed with meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, the United States has failed to understand why Chinese businesses and investment overseas continue to thrive: Because China has always upheld the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits when partnering with other countries and abstains from internal interference.

Meanwhile, suppose Washington does hope to create some competitive advantage for its foreign investment. In that case, it should provide mutually beneficial loans to developing countries instead of narrowly focusing on its own interests and pouring money into shaming China.

Between the infrastructure plan proposed by China and the versions by the United States and the European Union, many low- and middle-income countries prefer Chinese investment, since rich countries, which see developing countries as high risk plus low reward, often impose onerous conditions that delay project implementation and increase costs, according to a recent article in The Diplomat magazine.

China's approach is different: It speaks up for developing countries and thus obtains their support.

In the wake of increasing rhetoric against China, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated that investments from the Asian country are most welcome.

Additionally, in the State of Southeast Asia 2020 Survey by Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, which interviewed some 1,300 respondents from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China's activities were given the nod by the majority of respondents from seven of the 10 regional countries.

By funding journalism as a political tool, Washington has turned itself into the greatest enemy of press freedom, and its propaganda is set to proliferate in the coming years. Just don't buy any of it. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Cao Kai and Zhang Yuliang in Harare also contributed to this story.)
Scientists have extensively studied water and sanitation interventions to decrease the transmission of pathogens and disease prevention.

But a new University of Michigan study suggests a broader approach that includes looking at the environmental transmission of pathogens both in soil and water to help improve our understanding of the spread of these pathogens and better inform strategies to mitigate it.

The study, researchers say, adds to a growing understanding of soil being an underappreciated pathogen reservoir and of how traditional water, sanitation and hygiene interventions might not be sufficient to lower the burden of disease, especially in urban areas.

We have to think more about pathogen transformation via different mediums and understand in which areas different transmission pathways occur, said Leon Espira, who conducted the study as a doctoral candidate at U-Ms School of Public Health. For a very long time, our focus has been water, water, water. Were showing that we have to think more broadly about the environment.

Joseph Eisenberg, professor of epidemiology at U-Ms School of Public Health and corresponding author of the paper agrees.

Historically, water and sanitation has had a much stronger rural focus, he said. Now that were seeing this very sharp increase of people moving into more of an urban space, we need to rethink what kinds of mitigation and interventions are going to be effective in more urban settings.

Chasing pathogens around the world

Espira has been studying the transmission of pathogens in water for years in Mexico and Ethiopia. Then, Pam Jagger, an associate professor at U-Ms School for Environment and Sustainability, reached out to ask if he was interested in looking at pathogens in Myanmar. Jagger is a co-investigator on a grant from the National Geographic Society's Sustainable Cities Program focused on air quality and sustainable energy transitions in Yangon, Myanmar. The team wanted to add a water quality dimension to the study to highlight the range of environmental health issues urban residents face.

Myanmar is very understudied and the Yangon Region is very unique, said Espira, who is currently a research fellow at the Center for Global Health Equity. You basically have parts of the city that are flooded during the monsoon, so the houses are on stilts and after monsoon season the water recedes. Its a really unique environment. I was pretty excited to go to a part of the world that not a lot is known about.

Espira also knew the work would be relevant for the countrys health. In Myanmar, diarrea is the fourth leading cause of death among children under 5. And hospital surveillance studies have shown that rotavirus has been a major cause of that disease in children.

Identifying the sources and the pathways of these pathogens into childrens environments can help determine better interventions to stop the spread of disease, he said.

For the study, Espira and his team picked three urban sites in Yangon and two rural sites outside of Yangon. They tested samples for a range of bacteria, parasitic worms and viruses.

The main question I had was how pathogen numbers compare in soil and water. And is there a difference in the pathogens that you pick up in the soil? And then the second question that comes up is: What are the environmental drivers of these differences? Joseph Eisenberg, professor of epidemiology, U-Ms School of Public Health

The research team picked the Yangon region, which has a population of about 7.4 million people, and is predicted to attain mega-city status in the coming years . The sites were Hlaingtharyar, within the city of Yangon, and Htantabin, an adjacent predominantly rural area.

University of Michigan researcher Leon Espira and local partners collect samples in urban Yangon Homes in Yangon, Myanmar.Photo credit: Leon Espira, University of Michigan

In their sample collection, conducted in September-October 2019, the researchers collected data on environmental characteristics such as the presence of man-made wastewater drainage, standing bodies of water, presence and state of sanitation facilities, presence of animal and human feces, and presence of uncollected domestic garbage in trash piles.

After a six-month delay because of the pandemic, the team analyzed the results. The researchers found that in soil, bacterial pathogens were associated with elevation and drainage ditches, while viral gene counts were associated with the sanitation facilities within 50 meters of the collection point. In water, pathogen and bacterial countsincluding enterococcus faecaliswere associated with drainage ditches.

The findings suggest that ditches are acting as accumulators of contamination within the urban areas, while the lack of association between drainage ditches with viral gene counts suggests that stagnant water might be more important for the transmission of viruses like rotavirus, Espira said.

Historically, we only focused on indicator bacteria that provides some information on contamination, but now we have the capability of actually measuring pathogens in the environment and so we have a much, much greater specificity of what pathogens are contaminating the environment, Eisenberg said. Knowing which pathogens are present can help us think about how to mitigate and clean up that contamination.
Bald eagles have been spotted in the area of the Clark Regional Airport.
The poll workers volunteered to help with the local primary elections on Tuesday.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani and Martin Bille Hermann, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani and Martin Bille Hermann, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link Tuesday.

Wang said the Security Council is the core of the international collective security mechanism. In the current turbulent global environment, the Security Council needs to improve its capacity and efficiency through reform to better perform its duties entrusted by the UN Charter.

China has always supported the reasonable and necessary reform of the Security Council and has always made constructive efforts to this end, Wang added.

He said the reform of the Security Council should prioritize increasing the representation and voices of developing countries so that more countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, have more opportunities to participate in the decision-making of the Security Council. It is the original intention and the direction of the reform of the Security Council.

He stressed that the reform of the Security Council is a systematic project that requires a package solution striking a proper balance among five paramount issues involved in the reform.

In pushing through the reform, it's necessary to build consensus, adhere to the leadership of member states, reflect their agreement, and ensure that the results are acceptable to them. The status of intergovernmental negotiations as the main channel should be upheld, Wang said.

He expressed the hope that the two co-chairs, bearing in mind the long-term development of the UN and the common interests of all member states, will guide all parties to enhance their understanding of each other's positions to push forward the reform of the Security Council on the right course.

Al-Thani and Hermann, who are permanent representatives to the UN of Qatar and Denmark, respectively, appreciated China's efforts to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen the role of the UN. They extended congratulations on the successful Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

They said the reform of the Security Council is complex and sensitive, and they will continue to adhere to the leadership of member states, fully listen to their opinions, broaden consensus, and reduce differences. The co-chairs expressed readiness to strengthen communication and coordination with all member states, including China, to steadily advance the reform process of the Security Council.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani and Martin Bille Hermann, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
(Newser)  As the world waits anxiously for his next move on Ukraine, Vladimir Putin continues to make demands over the crisis, exacerbated this week by his ordering of Russian troops into eastern Ukraine. Now, comments made about Russia a decade ago by Sen. Mitt Romney, then a presidential contender against incumbent Barack Obama, are being resurfaced, and the general consensus on the matter: Romney was right all along. More on the topic:



Romney's original remarks: Obama had been caught on a hot mic in March 2012 telling then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Obama would have more "flexibility" on missile defense after the next election, a comment that riled the GOP. In an interview following that remark, Romney said he was "very concerned" about what Obama had said, noting that Russia "is, without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe," per ABC News.

Obama had been caught on a hot mic in March 2012 telling then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that Obama would have more "flexibility" on missile defense after the next election, a comment that riled the GOP. In an interview following that remark, Romney said he was "very concerned" about what Obama had said, noting that Russia "is, without question, our No. 1 geopolitical foe," per ABC News. The fallout: Romney was roundly ridiculed in Democratic circles after saying as much, including by Obama in their final presidential debate, per Fox News. "The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back," Obama mocked. "Because the Cold War's been over for 20 years." Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton piled on in an interview at the time, noting, "I think it's somewhat dated to be looking backwards instead of being realistic about where we agree, where we don't agree." And Biden himself, then vice president, added: "Romney acts like he thinks the Cold War's still on ... I don't know where he's been."

Romney was roundly ridiculed in Democratic circles after saying as much, including by Obama in their final presidential debate, per Fox News. "The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back," Obama mocked. "Because the Cold War's been over for 20 years." Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton piled on in an interview at the time, noting, "I think it's somewhat dated to be looking backwards instead of being realistic about where we agree, where we don't agree." And Biden himself, then vice president, added: "Romney acts like he thinks the Cold War's still on ... I don't know where he's been." Fast-forward to 2022: David Axelrod, a former Obama adviser who's now a political commentator for CNN, told the network's Brianna Keilar this week that clips from Democrats on the issue during the 2012 campaign cycle didn't age well. "Looking back, [Putin] is a problem," said Axelrod, who himself at the time had said Romney was living in a "time warp," per Fox. Axelrod added to Keilar: "You know, there's no other way to look at it. Romney had a point."

David Axelrod, a former Obama adviser who's now a political commentator for CNN, told the network's Brianna Keilar this week that clips from Democrats on the issue during the 2012 campaign cycle didn't age well. "Looking back, [Putin] is a problem," said Axelrod, who himself at the time had said Romney was living in a "time warp," per Fox. Axelrod added to Keilar: "You know, there's no other way to look at it. Romney had a point." From CNN: The outlet's Chris Cillizza takes a similar look back at the 2012 commotion, when he says what looked then like a "major flub" by Romney was used as a "political cudgel" by Obama. "It should serve as a reminder that history is not written in the momentand that what something looks like in that moment is not a guarantee of what it will always look like," he writes.

The outlet's Chris Cillizza takes a similar look back at the 2012 commotion, when he says what looked then like a "major flub" by Romney was used as a "political cudgel" by Obama. "It should serve as a reminder that history is not written in the momentand that what something looks like in that moment is not a guarantee of what it will always look like," he writes. From the 'Wall Street Journal': The conservative-leaning newspaper's editorial board applauds that "the '80s got their foreign policy back," riffing on Obama's original mockery. The Journal's word of advice for Biden? He "could do worse than to invite Mr. Romney to help fight the new Cold War."

The conservative-leaning newspaper's editorial board applauds that "the '80s got their foreign policy back," riffing on Obama's original mockery. The Journal's word of advice for Biden? He "could do worse than to invite Mr. Romney to help fight the new Cold War." Not his first vindication: The apology tour for Romney actually started a few years ago. In 2019, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a Democrat, offered him a personal mea culpa, per ABC News. "I think that we underestimated what was going on in Russia," she said at the time.

The apology tour for Romney actually started a few years ago. In 2019, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a Democrat, offered him a personal mea culpa, per ABC News. "I think that we underestimated what was going on in Russia," she said at the time. Romney's latest take: On Monday, the senator tweeted that "Putin's KGB mentality drives his malevolent obsession for repression and regression: he shamelessly abuses the sovereignty of a democratic nation to foster his foolhardy dream of rebuilding a soviet empire." Romney added: "The response from NATO must be unified and withering."

(The White House is officially calling Russia's move into Ukraine its latest "invasion.")
(Newser)  Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will deliver the Republican response to President Joe Biden's State of the Union address on March 1, GOP congressional leaders announced Tuesday as they look outside Washington to appeal to voters in a midterm election year. Reynolds is the first woman to be elected governor in Iowa. She also was the first governor in the country to require schools to open for full-time in-person learning, the AP reports. The GOP is anxious to portray GOP-led states as doing a better job of navigating the pandemic than the federal government, where Democrats control the levers of power. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell praised Reynolds for fighting COVID-19 "without forgetting common sense."

Reynolds pushed back against mask and vaccine mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic. She was chided by the Trump administrations White House Coronavirus Task Force for ending mask mandates while Iowa was seeing a rapid increase in cases and deaths. States around the country are easing restrictions as cases begin to drop and as a large majority of people become vaccinated. That is also true at the US Capitol, where some GOP lawmakers have incurred fines for refusing to wear a mask while in the House chamber.

But the scene at the Capitol will be one that starkly reminds Americans that the pandemic has not gone away. Increased protections are being taken to protect the health of the president and those in attendance. Those attending Biden's first State of the Union address must undergo a COVID-19 test, avoid physical contact with others and wear a KN95 or N95 mask that completely covers the nose and mouth. Those precautions are being taken even as the District of Columbias indoor mask requirement for most indoor gatherings and businesses is to be lifted on the same day as Bidens address.

(Read more State of the Union Address stories.)
(Newser)  Update: In the aftermath of a hostage situation at an Apple Store in Amsterdam, details are emerging about the alleged gunman and a man police are framing as a hero. The AP cites Police Chief Frank Paauw as describing the suspect as an armed 27-year-old who demanded he be paid nearly $230 million in cryptocurrencies in order to release his hostages. Except one hostage tried to flee, and police say the gunman chased after him, at which point police ran over the suspect with a car; he's currently hospitalized. "The hostage played a sort of hero's role by, in that split second that he had, forcing a breakthrough in this situation," Paauw said. "Otherwise it could have been a very long and unpleasant night." Our story from Tuesday follows:

Police in Amsterdam say a hostage is safe after an hours-long standoff at the city's flagship Apple store. The suspect was arrested Tuesday night after he ran from the store and police drove into him. "We managed to end the situation by hitting the hostage taker with a car when he ran outside," police said in a tweet, per Reuters. After the man was checked for explosives, he was treated by medical staff but there was no word on his condition, the AP reports.

The hostage incident in the Dutch city's busy Leidseplein area began Tuesday afternoon when police were called to an armed robbery, the BBC reports. Dozens of officers cordoned off Leidseplein Square and people in the area were urged to stop sharing photos and videos of the scene on social media while the police operation was underway. Images seen by Reuters showed an armed man in a camouflage outfit holding at least one person hostage, though dozens of other people were able to leave the store during the standoff. (Read more Amsterdam stories.)
(Newser)  The East-West faceoff over Ukraine escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and President Joe Biden and European leaders slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks. Both leaders signaled that an even bigger confrontation could lie ahead. Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while Biden held back on even tougher sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression, the AP reports. The measures came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist regions in defiance of US and European demands.

Members of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously Tuesday to allow Putin to use military force outside the countryeffectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people. Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war. Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join NATO, and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from NATO.

Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: "I havent said that the troops will go there right now." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia, and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow. If Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. "If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay," he said. Zelensky said he was calling up some of the countrys military reservists but added there was no need for a full military mobilization. (The Kremlin made an ominous move connected to the breakaway Ukraine regions Tuesday.)
(Newser)  Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy were known to have clashed while filming Mad Max: Fury Road, but a new book details just how badly they clashed. For Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of "Mad Max: Fury Road," Kyle Buchanan interviewed dozens of cast and crew members to put together an oral history of the movie, USA Today reports. Among the stories revealed was this: "It was like two parents in the front of the car," Theron said of working with Hardy. "We were either fighting or we were icing each otherI don't know which one is worseand (our co-stars) had to deal with it in the back. It was horrible! It was not a conducive working environment. ... I apologize profusely."

Among the problems was that Hardy wanted justification for everything that was being filmed, while Theron preferred to get the work done so everyone could get home (they filmed for nine months in the Namibian desert). One day when Hardy showed up three hours late, Theron confronted him, suggesting he be fined $100,000 for every minute of the "disrespectful" delay, Variety reports. A camera operator, who says Hardy was notorious for being late, says, "(Hardy) charged up to her and said, 'What did you say to me?' He was quite aggressive. She really felt threatened, and that was the turning point, because then she said, 'I want someone as protection.' She then had a producer that was assigned to be with her all the time." Theron confirms she "didn't feel safe," and an assistant director describes the tension between the pair as "unbelievable," E! reports.

For his part, however, Hardy says in the book, "Charlize is an intense woman. Very intense, actually. In a good way. I mean, look at her in Monsterthat's not somebody walking in the park. You don't just summon up that kind of authenticity without bringing a tremendous wealth of artistic ability. She's a very serious actor. So, I don't see why she would ever be intimidated by me or in any way feel frightened. I think that was more bollocks." Cast member Zoe Kravitz says both Hardy and Theron were at times frustrated with filmmaker George Miller's methods: "It was hard to watch with Tom. He really had moments of frustration, of anger. Charlize did, too, but I feel like he's the one who really took it out on George the most, and that was a bummer to see." USA Today has more from the book. (Read more Charlize Theron stories.)
(Newser)  The world is currently hyperfocused on tensions between Russia and Ukraine, but some eyes are starting to turn to another geopolitical tussle: that between Taiwan and China, with the latter scoffing at any comparisons made between the two conflicts. The New York Times reports that Tsai Ing-wen, the president of Taiwana self-ruled territory that China insists belongs to Chinathis week bolstered surveillance and defenses on her island, after noting late last month that "we empathize with Ukraine's situation." On Wednesday, in front of a task force she created specifically to study tensions in Ukraine, Tsai blasted Russia for "encroaching on Ukraine's sovereignty."

Both the Times and CNN note the similarities between the situation in Ukraine and that of Taiwan. Both, for instance, are democracies aligned with more Western values, lying in the shadows of autocracies that have made no secret of wanting to sweep them back into their own fold. World leaders have recognized those comparisons, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who said over the weekend that "echoes" of what goes down in Ukraine "will be heard in Taiwan." The Times notes that while "no sign that an invasion of the island is imminent ... a distracted West or a weak response to a Russian invasion in Ukraine could embolden the ruling Chinese Communist Party to ramp up pressure on the island." Still, not everyone agrees that China will soon make a move on Taiwan.

"[Xi Jinping] doesn't really want to take any risk" right before he's likely to ascend to a third term in October, Steve Tsang, the director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, tells CNN. "A military adventure that is not successful will not do his third term of office much good, and a failure could potentially derail it." Tsai herself acknowledged Wednesday that Taiwan isn't a mirror image of Ukraine, especially when it comes to geographical, economic, and geopolitical conditions. China, for its part, says "Taiwan is not Ukraine," but its reasoning likely won't ease Tsai's mind. "Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China," a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, per Reuters. "This is an indisputable legal and historical fact." (Read more Taiwan stories.)
(Newser)  A warming planet and changes to land use patterns mean more wildfires will scorch large parts of the globe in coming decades, causing spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill prepared to confront, according to a UN report being released Wednesday. The western US, northern Siberia, central India, and eastern Australia already are seeing more blazes, and the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires globally could increase more than 50% by the end of the century, according to the report from the UN Environment Program. Standout points:

CNN reports that the report indicates it's time we "learn to live with fire."

Areas once considered safe from major fires won't be immune, including the Arctic, which the report said was "very likely to experience a significant increase in burning." Tropical forests in Indonesia and the southern Amazon of South America also are likely to see increased wildfires, the report concluded, per the AP.

The report projected a 14% uptick in such events by 2030, and a 30% increase by 2050, getting that 50% rise by century's end. The Washington Post points out those projections factor in "deep cuts" to greenhouse gas emissions occurring.

UN researchers faulted many nations for continuing to spend too much time and money fighting fires and not enough trying to prevent them. The Guardian has the specifics: Right now about half of current funding goes to direct wildfire response; planning and prevention see less than 1%. The report wants things moved around so that half goes to planning, preventing, and preparedness, 30% goes to response, and 20% to recovery.

In the United States, officials recently unveiled a $50 billion effort to reduce fire risks over the next decade by more aggressively thinning forests around "hot spots" where nature and neighborhoods collide. However, the Biden administration has so far identified only a fraction of the funding called for in the plan.

The UN researchers also called for more awareness of the dangers from smoke inhalation, which can affect tens of millions of people annually as plumes from major wildfires drift thousands of miles across international borders.

(Read more wildfires stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump may no longer be the president responding to Vladimir Putin's moves, but his comments on the Russia-Ukraine situation swiftly grabbed headlines. In a Tuesday interview on the conservative Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show (full interview here), Trump spoke about Putin's decision to recognize two breakaway regions in Ukraine's east. NPR flags some of his comments:

"I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.' Putin declares a big portion ... of Ukraine, Putin declares it as independent. So, Putin is now saying, 'It's independent,' a large section of Ukraine. I said, 'How smart is that?' And he's gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That's [the] strongest peace force. ... We could use that on our southern border," he said in reference to the US-Mexico border.

"Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened. But here's a guy that says, you know, 'I'm gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent,' he used the word 'independent,' 'and we're gonna go out and we're gonna go in and we're gonna help keep peace.' You gotta say that's pretty savvy. And you know what the response was from Biden? There was no response."

Reaction was swift. At the Washington Post, Philip Bump calls Trump's reaction "not surprising" but "noteworthy." He points out that in the interview, Trump once again claimed that were he president, Putin wouldn't have entered Ukraine. "The impression he hopes to give is one of strength; that Putin feared his response," writes Bump, who points out there's no indication that's true. His take: "It seems much more likely that, if American politics played any role at all, Putin would want to move when he could expect the political right to criticize Biden more than himself. That includes the former president. After all, Putins so savvy, right?"

Writing for the National Review, Rich Lowry sees some truth in what Trump is claiming about how things would have gone under a Trump presidency, writing, "Trumps policy on Russia was pretty sound and I believe Putin would have been much more hesitant to try what hes doing now on Trumps watch." But he balks at Trump's most recent comments, which he calls "shockingly favorable and morally bankrupt."

At Fox News, David Marcus takes a swing at the perception of Trump as "Putin's puppet," and an assertion from the left that perhaps Putin didn't get aggressive under Trump in order to maintain that favorable relationship. "Let's be honest, this explanation makes absolutely no sense and flies in the face of credulity," writes Marcus. "Are we really supposed to believe that Putin held off on invading Ukraine because Trump was too nice to him?"

At CNN, Stephen Collinson has another theory as to why Putin left Ukraine alone under Trump. "One of the goals of Putin's pressure on Ukraineas he has made repeatedly clearis to drive NATO back to its boundaries at the end of the Cold War and to divide the Western alliance. With Trump in power, the Russian leader didn't need to bother with the latter goal, since his counterpart in the White House frequently berated trans-Atlantic allies and cozied up to US enemies." He also notes that Russia did meddle with the US under Trump, citing cyberattacks like SolarWinds.

(Read more Vladimir Putin stories.)
(Newser)  The Miss Florida Scholarship Program was designed to distribute funds to young women coming up through the beauty pageant world, but prosecutors say that for Mary Wickersham, an ex-executive director for the nonprofit, it was a personal piggy bank used to buy an array of goods and services for herself. NBC News reports on the Tuesday arrest and indictment of 76-year-old Mary Wickershamwho also used the aliases Mary Sullivan and Mary Harvey, per a release from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Floridawho's been hit with seven counts of wire fraud, accused of stealing from both corporate and individual donors to the scholarship program.

Prosecutors say that Wickersham, who helmed the Miss Florida Scholarship Program and had access to the nonprofit's donor and sponsor list, opened up an account with Bank of America for the fake "Miss Florida" company. Then, the indictment alleges, when money came in for the real scholarship program, Wickersham would alter the checks and funnel the cash into her secret account instead of the legit one. Prosecutors say she then used that money to take care of various "personal expenses, including utilities, shopping, home goods, [a] maid cleaning service, online dating fees, and dining out."

Among the organizations Wickersham is accused of scamming are the Children's Miracle Network, which, per NBC, raises funds for hospitals, and the conservation group Everglades Foundation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says in a release that an investigation began when it got word from the legitimate scholarship nonprofit of missing funds. The release notes that law enforcement agents believe Wickersham, over "several years," stole at least $100,000 in donations. (Read more fraud stories.)
(Newser)  Federal officials have come up with a list of potential replacement names for hundreds of geographic features in three dozen states that include the word "squaw," kicking off a public comment period that will run through late April. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in November formally declared the term derogatory and initiated a process to remove the word from use by the federal government and to replace other existing derogatory place names. "Consideration of these replacements is a big step forward in our efforts to remove derogatory terms whose expiration dates are long overdue," she said Tuesday. "Throughout this process, broad engagement with tribes, stakeholders, and the general public will help us advance our goals of equity and inclusion."

Experts have said the word "squaw," derived from the Algonquin language, may have once simply meant "woman," but over time it morphed into a term used to disparage Indigenous women. The agency is planning three virtual meetings to consult with tribes in March, and written comments will be accepted through April 24, the AP reports. Under Haalands order, the first action by a task force made up of officials from several federal departments was to finalize a decision to replace a full spelling of the derogatory term with "sq----" for all official related communications. It also will be up to the task force to prioritize the list of replacement names and make recommendations to the Board on Geographic Names before it meets later this year.

As part of the process, the US Geological Survey came up with five candidate names for each feature. The list includes more than 660 sites in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Idaho, and many other states. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Board on Geographic Names took action to eliminate the use of derogatory terms related to Black and Japanese people. The board also voted in 2008 to change the name of a prominent Phoenix mountain from Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak to honor Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving in the US military. (Read more Department of the Interior stories.)
(Newser)  Yet another ominous sign in Ukraine: Government and banking websites in the country were taken down Wednesday in what the country's digital minister describes as a massive cyberattack, Politico reports. The targets included Ukraine's defense, foreign, and interior ministries, though many of the websites affected were soon back online again. The cyberattack follows a similar one last week and one in January in which the hackers warned Ukrainians to "expect the worst." Analysts believe the cyberattacks, and others dating back to the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea, are the work of Moscow's military intelligence agency, reports the AP. In other developments:

Ukraine says army is ready . With fears of all-out war rising, the head of Ukraine's national security and defense council said Wednesday that "our army is ready" to counter a Russian attack, the New York Times reports. Military reservists have been called up.

. With fears of all-out war rising, the head of Ukraine's national security and defense council said Wednesday that "our army is ready" to counter a Russian attack, the New York Times reports. Military reservists have been called up. State of emergency declared. Reuters reports that Ukraine declared a state of emergency Wednesday and told its citizens to get out of Russia immediately. Moscow, meanwhile, began evacuating personnel from its embassy in Kyiv. Emergency regulations expected to take effect in Ukraine Thursday could include restrictions on freedom of movement for men of fighting age.

Warnings of an imminent attack . The Guardian reports that warnings of an imminent Russian attack have been received by Ukraine and its allies, with a senior US defense official saying Russia has moved almost all of its troops in the area into an invasion-ready position. "Diplomats I have been talking to are aware the west has cried wolf once before, on 16 February, so there are caveats," notes Guardian reporter Julian Borger.

. The Guardian reports that warnings of an imminent Russian attack have been received by Ukraine and its allies, with a senior US defense official saying Russia has moved almost all of its troops in the area into an invasion-ready position. "Diplomats I have been talking to are aware the west has cried wolf once before, on 16 February, so there are caveats," notes Guardian reporter Julian Borger. US helps Poland prepare for refugees. American troops are helping Polish authorities prepare for a potential flood of refugees over its 300-mile border with Ukraine, the Washington Post reports. Polish officials say that in a worst-case scenario, a million Ukrainians could end up fleeing a Russian invasion.

UN chief warns of 'moment of peril.' UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday that the world is facing a "moment of peril" amid mounting fears of an invasion, the BBC reports. "The latest developments regarding Ukraine are a cause of grave concern, and they include reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line, and a real risk of further escalation on the ground," he said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday that the world is facing a "moment of peril" amid mounting fears of an invasion, the BBC reports. "The latest developments regarding Ukraine are a cause of grave concern, and they include reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line, and a real risk of further escalation on the ground," he said. Fresh sanctions . President Biden's sanctions against Russia will include sanctions on the company building the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which Germany has halted approval of, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nord Stream 2 AG is a subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom. Australia and Japan have now joined the US, EU, UK, and other countries in sanctioning Russia.

. President Biden's sanctions against Russia will include sanctions on the company building the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which Germany has halted approval of, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nord Stream 2 AG is a subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom. Australia and Japan have now joined the US, EU, UK, and other countries in sanctioning Russia. Putin 'disappointed' by Western reaction. CNN reports that according to Russian officials, Vladimir Putin "expressed his disappointment with the reaction of the United States and NATO" to Russia's demands in a conversation with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday. Turkish authorities say Erdogan told Putin that a "military conflict will not benefit anyone."

(Read more Ukraine stories.)
(Newser)  Two 57-year-old women in Oklahoma are trying to deal with the disturbing discovery that they are not who they thought they were. Tinna Ennis and Jill Lopez discovered they had apparently been switched at birth after Ennis' 26-year-old daughter asked her to take a DNA test in the hope of finding her estranged grandfather, Daily Beast reports. Ennis says she was surprised when the results of the test from Ancestry.com came back with a list of strangers with the surname Brister, as did her daughter's results. She says when her daughter called the company's support line, a rep told her: "You know, you find out some interesting things on Ancestry."

In Ennis' case, the "interesting thing" was that she had apparently been switched at birth with Lopez at Duncan Physicians and Surgeons Hospital on May 18, 1964. Ennis' daughter tracked down Lopez online after searching for people who had been born that dayand noticing that she looked strikingly like Kathryn Jones, the women Ennis thought was her mother. DNA tests confirmed that Lopezwho had been raised by Joyce and John Bristerwas Jones' biological daughter, People reports. Jones says disbelief turned to devastation after Ennis showed her a photo of Lopez that looked so much like her that Jones thought, "Where was I when that was taken? I don't remember those clothes." She says one of the worst moments was when she realized that her grandchildrenEnnis' childrenwere also not her biological relatives.

Ennis, Jones, and Lopez are suing the hospital, alleging recklessness and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The hospital denies the allegations. Both doctors involved died years ago, as did the Bristers, the Guardian reports. Ennis tells the Daily Beast that she sometimes struggles with feelings of jealously when she thinks about how Lopez got to know the couple she thinks of as her parentsJones and the man she married when Ennis was two years oldas well as her biological parents. "It has not been something I would wish on anyone," she says. Ennis has three children and Lopez two, and they say they all got along well when they spent Christmas at Jones' house last year. (Read more switched at birth stories.)
(Newser)  On Tuesday morning, an elementary school student handed her teacher a note that had been written by her mother, KVUU reports, and Las Vegas police say the contents were grim: "That note indicated that the mom was being held against her will," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Ray Spencer said. "She also stated that she did not know the whereabouts of her preschool-aged child." Police then searched the home on Saddle Brook Park Drive where the woman was living and found her son's body in a freezer in the garage.

Police say the woman told them she had last seen her son on Dec. 11, and that her boyfriend abused her and did not permit her to enter the garage or leave the home, NBC News reports. She indicated that she suspected the child was dead, Spencer said. Police arrested Brandon Toseland, 35. Toseland, who is not the father of either child, faces kidnapping and murder charges. In a Wednesday court hearing, prosecutor Tim Fettig said the deceased 4-year-old "had visible injuries," per the Review-Journal. Toseland is being held without bail. (Read more Las Vegas stories.)
(Newser)  Truckers are hitting the road for Washington to stage protests similar to the ones that shut down parts of Canada's capital. Members of the convoys, largely opposing pandemic restrictions, were leaving from various places and planned varied arrivals in DC, the Guardian reports. One group, which planned to leave California on Wednesday, said it wants to reopen the country and boost the economy. Labeling itself the "People's Convoy," the group said in a statement it plans to arrive March 5 but will stay outside the District. Truckers in other convoys plan to arrive by Tuesday, in time for President Biden's State of the Union address.

The Pentagon approved the use of 700 National Guard troops in the city during the protests, per the BBC. They'll be unarmed, with duties including staffing traffic posts, through March 7, a statement said. In addition, 50 "large tactical vehicles" will be deployed. An organizer of a group of about 20 trucks that left Scranton, Pa., on Wednesday said they want to clog the Beltway in the DC area. Bob Bolus, who owns a tow truck company, told WRC the trucks will move with traffic, though he'd earlier said they'd block traffic on Interstate 495. Bolus listed the group's complaints as fuel prices, mask mandates, and coronavirus vaccinations.

"We're not shutting the traffic down today," Bolus said. "If we don't have a resolution from the government, to the rights that they're taking from us, I will predict in the future it will get shut down." He said he expects thousands of protesters to gather in DC. Some of the organizers have described the protests as nonpartisan, but the California convoy that left Adelanto, on Wednesday is backed by groups tied to the far right and the attack on the US Capitol, per the New York Times. "We're just trying to show what the people who back us believeand our own beliefsof what our country needs to go back to," said a Republican trucker from Texas. (Read more truckers stories.)
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Bill Walker is running for governor and served as the 11th governor of Alaska from 2014-2018. He lives in Anchorage with his wife, Donna. His lieutenant governor running mate is Heidi Drygas, who served as the commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development from 2014-2018. She lives in Juneau with her husband, Kevin, and daughter, Olive.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Staff Reporter

Government apps for smart devices recorded a 141 per cent increase in the number of users, reaching 1,349,000, according to the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA).

Transactions during 2021 topped 937,000, an increase of 84pc, mainly attributed to the BeAware Bahrain and Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) apps.

More than BD54 million was collected in revenue, an increase of 98pc due to newly launched apps for smart devices.

This information came as iGA Chief Executive Mohammeed Ali Al Qaed spoke at a press conference yesterday held at the iGA's premises in Muharraq to highlight the governments 2021 digital transformation achievements and its upcoming action plan.

iGA Deputy CE of Electronic Transformation, Dr Zakareya Ahmed AlKhajah and other senior officials were also in attendance.

The support offered by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for providing advanced, convenient and accessible government services is in line with the objectives of the Kingdoms national digital transformation strategy, Mr Al Qaed said.

Mr Al Qaed pointed out that the iGA is committed to achieving the senior leaderships vision and implementing the directives of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology (SCICT), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa to accelerate the launch of digital strategies and technical initiatives.

He also reaffirmed implementing the directives of the Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa to enhance services within the government sector and work with all public and private organisations to improve their offerings in a way that benefits citizens and residents.

As reflected in the statistics and indicators gathered, Dr AlKhajah said that 2021 was an exceptional year for digital transformation.

For the first time, revenues from online transactions crossed the BD500 million mark, representing a 116pc increase. There were more than 15 million visits to the National Portal, an increase of 37pc from 2020, resulting from initiatives and strategies designed and implemented meticulously over the last two decades.

He said that the iGA, since the launch of the Kingdoms digital transformation strategy and until the end of 2021, had provided over 563 services via online channels.

434 of these are offered through the National Portal, bahrain.bh, 19 through self-service kiosks, and 110 via smartphone apps that can be downloaded from the eGovernment Apps Store, bahrain.bh/ apps.

There was also an 86pc reduction in government operational expenses due to restructured procedures, which led to a 77pc reduction in the time needed to complete transactions.

This helped safeguard the publics health during the pandemic, as there was almost no need to visit service centers.

Financial transactions at all government entities increased by 65pc compared to 2020, exceeding 3.7 million.

The Ministry of Interior launched the lions share of new eServices in 2021, 38 in total, including 18 for the General Directorate of Traffic (GDT); six for the iGA; five for Nationality, Passport and Residence Affairs; four each for Civil Defence and the Guards Training School; and one for Customs Affairs.

There were six for the Ministry of Housing, one for the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), five for youth and sports, four for transportation and telecommunications, two for judicial services, and one for the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE).

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Mr Al Qaed said that iGA is working with HRH the Premiers office, to improve the websites of all departments and ministries to make them more user friendly.

The Ministry of Health website is one of the best globally, and it has won many accolades, including the UN honour, Mr Al Qaed said.

However, content generation is the job of the ministry or department concerned. Eventually, we will have the best websites for ministries and departments.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), one of the best financial and banking service providers in the Kingdom, will be having special programmes for the entire coming year, marking its Golden Jubilee celebrations.

The bank has led a journey of leadership and innovation during the past fifty years.

BBK is proud of its ongoing contributions to Bahrains economic and socially sustainable growth, meeting the aspirations of its leaders and citizens, said BBK Chairman of the Board of Directors Murad Ali Murad, while speaking at the press conference held at Four Seasons Hotel yesterday.

We pledge to continue its national and banking role over the next fifty years by maintaining its customers confidence and supporting Bahrains sustainable growth and future aspirations, Murad said.

Marking the occasion, the bank has announced the launching of various products and community investment initiatives.

Fifty scholarships will be offered to graduating students from Bahrains public and private schools for enrollment at Bahrain University and Bahrain Polytechnic.

In addition to these scholarships, BBK will repay 50 of its customer loans with the maximum amount set at BD5,000.

The bank will announce the details of these initiatives later this year. Murad praised the development and prosperity the Kingdom is witnessing under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He also emphasised that BBK is proud of these developments.

Murad further praised the efforts of His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Shaikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and the regulatory and legislative authorities in the Kingdom and Kuwait.

Murad reviewed aspects of the history of BBK, established in 1971, and the significant events that it has witnessed during crucial periods in the history of Bahrain and the region over half a century.

He added: We had witnessed The Golden Age of the Bahraini banking sector in the 1970s when Bahrain attracted regional and international banks, with the valuable support of HH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The pillars of the banking industry were integrated through a flexible environment that provided advanced legislation and qualified cadres.

We have always exceeded our customers expectations at BBK, and we have achieved significant progress in competition and growth.

We are now continuing those steady steps towards a brighter future. Commenting on this occasion, Dr AbdulRahman Saif, Group Chief Executive, said that BBK has always affirmed its position as one of Bahrains most stable and well-established financial institutions and continues to develop and grow steadily year after year.

The bank is constantly working on launching innovative financial products that meet the aspirations of customers, expand its digital branches and improve the performance of its subsidiaries.

He also revealed that the bank continues to develop its strategic and operational plans for the coming years under the slogan Leadership and Innovation, as BBK has always been one of the pioneers and innovators in the financial and banking sector.

During the press conference, Dr Saif highlighted the banks future vision based on its five-decade journey of contribution and success.

He said, The national banking icons who have led the banks successful path have given us a significant legacy with rich achievements, and it is our job to maintain and develop these achievements now and in the future.

BBKs work environment is marked by loyalty and passion for excellence and innovation, which are passed to the banks cadres for future generations, giving us the confidence that no matter how the banking industry evolves and data changes.

BBK will remain at the forefront of institutions not only keeping pace with this development but rather leading it as well, he added.

The Group Chief Executive thanked the media and the press for shedding light on the banks development and prosperity over the past fifty years.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Solidarity Bahrain, one of the largest insurance companies in Bahrain and a subsidiary of Solidarity Group Holding, has announced a net profit attributed to shareholders fund of BD 827 thousand for the three months ended 31st December 2021, compared to BD 710 thousand for the same period in 2020, representing an increase of 16%.

The earning per share is 6.89 fils compared to 5.92 fils for the same period in 2020. The total comprehensive income attributed to shareholders funds is BD 878 thousand compared to BD 885 thousand for the same period in 2020, representing a 1% decrease.

The total net profit and surplus for the three months of 31st December 2021 are BD 1.019 million compared to BD 947 thousand for the same period in 2020, representing an increase of 8%.

With regards to policyholders fund, Solidarity reported a net surplus of BD 192 thousand, as compared to BD 237 thousand surpluses in the year-ago quarter, a decrease of 19%. The gross premium was BD 8.825 m compared to BD 7.917 m for the corresponding previous period, representing an increase of 11%.

Full-year results

The net profit attributed to shareholders fund is BD 2.885 m against a net profit of BD 2.685 m a year ago, representing a 7% increase which is the result of improved performance of the shareholders fund. Earning per share increased to 24.05 fils compared to 22.38 fils for the same period in 2020. T,

The total comprehensive income attributed to shareholders funds is BD 3.723 m compared to BD 2.860 m for the same period in 2020, representing a 30% increase. The total net profit and surplus are BD 3.308 m compared to BD 3.079 m for the same period in 2020, representing a 7% increase which is the result of improved underwriting performance. With regards to policyholders fund, the net surplus was BD 423 thousand, as compared to the BD 394 thousand surpluses last year, representing an increase of 7%.

The increase in the overall net profits is mainly due to the improvement in technical results and investment income in 2021 as compared to the corresponding previous period. The gross contribution is BD 31.629 m compared to BD 30.204 m for the corresponding previous period, representing an increase of 5%.

Cash Dividend

The Board of Directors proposed to distribute a cash dividend of 20% of the paid-up capital, equivalent to 20 Fils per share amounting to BD 2,398,408 (net of treasury shares).

The dividend recommendation is subject to the approval of the related regulatory authorities and the Companys shareholders in the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

optimistic outlook

Commenting on Solidaritys performance for 2021, Tawfeeq Shehab, Chairman to the board of directors said: The Board is pleased to report the positive financial results for 2021, and these positive results are the outcome of Companys investment in its infrastructure and human capital as well as the constant efforts put forth by our diligent workforce. Jawad Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Solidarity Bahrain commented: We have an optimistic outlook for Solidarity, and we look forward to another successful year ahead. We are pledged to provide an unparalleled customer experience, with unmatched innovative solutions.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

By P Unnikrishnan

Efficient monitoring is being implemented to tackle cybersecurity threats, said BBK Chairman Murad Ali Murad yesterday.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Murad said cybersecurity threats to the banking sector is a significant challenge not only for the Kingdom but also for the region and the whole world.

Cyber security threats have grown exponentially and you will never be able to eradicate them. When we compare the resilience we have and the effectiveness we offer compared to other countries, I think Bahrain is one of the best countries successfully dealing with the issue.

You have to look from different sides and continuously monitor the issue. You have to frequently update systems and procedures to overcome this issue.

"Even then, we can never expect a 100 per cent foolproof system.

The only way to sustain is to develop an efficient monitoring system within the bank. It is in the back of our minds and we are cautious to minimise any possible damage due to a lack of cyber market security.

Dr AbdulRahman Saif, Group Chief Executive, said that there is a positive correlation between distrust and the level of automation and digitalisation. We are updating our infrastructure, our setup and our application, he said.

There are two issues: hacking directly bank data and targeting our customers. When it comes to BBK, we are of the utmost care and vigilant.

Unfortunately, we dont have much control over the customers, who must be very careful while disclosing their credentials.

The Central Bank of Bahrain and the Ministry of Interior have introduced a comprehensive campaign to minimise the risk and raise awareness. Banks never ask for any credentials through WhatsApp or SMS. The awareness campaign is helping a lot to reduce such issues in Bahrain, the CEO said.
The surge of coronavirus infections in Japan has slowed, but deaths from the disease rose to a record 319 on Tuesday. More than 69,000 new cases were reported nationwide.

A vaccine rollout facility has been set up at a park in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo. 30 converted shipping containers have been joined to create the facility. The local government moved up its booster shot plans. The ward plans to inoculate 1,000 people a day.

Tokyo reported more than 11,000 new cases on Tuesday. That's about 4,000 fewer than last Tuesday. The capital's hospital bed occupancy rate for patients in serious condition stands at 36.3 percent.

The pandemic has made it more difficult to provide emergency medical care for other types of patients. Oda Jun at Osaka University Hospital said, "Unfortunately, we are unable to accept every request for emergency care. Patients with injuries or illnesses other than the coronavirus have been affected."

In the seven-day period through Sunday, there were more than 6,000 cases in which ambulance crews were unable to find hospitals to which they could transfer patients immediately. Coronavirus infections are not suspected in 66 percent of them. The number of such cases has been rising and has reached a record for six weeks in a row.
The education ministry is stepping up the establishment of online learning environments for public elementary and junior high schools as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

A Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology project to provide a tablet computer to each student was completed within the 2020 school year, which ended in March 2021, three years ahead of schedule, enabling schools to adopt staggered attendance and online classes if a COVID-19 state of emergency or similar restrictions are introduced.

In April 2020, schools were asked by the ministry to create online education environments. With COVID-19 infections spreading rapidly across Japan in the summer of the following year, a succession of local governments began in earnest efforts to comply with the ministrys request at schools under their management.

The Kumamoto Municipal Government conducted online classes for elementary and junior high school students, combined with physical attendance at school on days specified for each grade, for about 10 days.

In Gifu Prefecture, second-semester classes for high school students were held online for a certain period, while in Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture, remote classes began after the end of summer vacation.

Online classes have revealed technological difficulties that need to be resolved to smooth the way for full-scale use of information and communication technology in school education.

Schools reported problems such as children being unable to gain access during periods of network congestion and struggling to hear or see teachers clearly.

In response, the ministry set aside about Y8.4 billion in its supplementary budget for fiscal 2021, approved by parliament in December last year, to provide computers, cameras, microphones, large displays, mobile routers and other devices for use by teachers. ...continue reading
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese idiom "as clean as ice and as pure as jade", or "Bing Qing Yu Jie" in Chinese, symbolizes double-distilled, pure, and noble minds.

Huan Tan, a philosopher of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 A.D.), once commented that Boyi and Shuqi, who died for their moral pursuits, had their minds "as clean as ice and as pure as jade."

Motai Yun (widely known as Boyi) and Motai Zhi (Shuqi), the eldest son and the youngest son of the sovereign of the Guzhu Kingdom during the late Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.), were heirs to the kingdom.

It was a common practice to support the eldest son of the dead king as the new ruler in ancient China. However, Boyi insisted that his father's wishes be adhered to, and his youngest brother should ascend to the throne.

In the story, both brothers refused to come to the throne for moral reasons, rejected any grain grown on the territory of the later Zhou Dynasty because they opposed the emperor's idea of meeting violence with violence, and finally sacrificed their lives for their lifelong beliefs.

Confucianists revere them for abiding by etiquette, benevolence, justice, and daring to sacrifice for truth and compare their precious and chaste character with the purest ice and jade in nature.

In modern times, the phrase is more often used to hail one's pure inner self and lofty behavior. Many Chinese prefer to name their children after the idiom, hoping their offsprings can pursue such pure and noble characters. 
From its origins in niche online music circles, the revival was amplified by YouTube's algorithm, which detects when a song is being liked and shared and recommends it worldwide.

Tel Liyanto wasn't alive during Japan's 1980s boom, but she loves the "timeless" City Pop hits of the era, now going viral thanks to a new generation of young, international fans.

The glamorous soundtrack that accompanied the country's economic miracle is exploding in popularity decades after its upbeat synths, influenced by soft rock, boogie and soul, first hit the airwaves.

The retro genre is so hot that Canadian star The Weeknd sampled the 1983 track "Midnight Pretenders" on his latest release, and record companies are racing to reissue long-forgotten City Pop vinyl.

"It's like disco: a nostalgic sound, but also modern," said Liyanto, a 27-year-old from Indonesia who works for a creative agency, as she danced to City Pop in a Tokyo bar.

"I listen to it when I'm dancing, I listen to it when I'm chilling," she told AFP.

From its origins in niche online music circles, the revival was amplified by YouTube's algorithm, which detects when a song is being liked and shared and recommends it worldwide.

The most popular tracks, like Mariya Takeuchi's "Plastic Love", have tens of millions of views on YouTube. ...continue reading
Japan Times - Apr 27

The average age of homeless people in Japan has hit a record 63.6 years old, with 40% of them living on the streets for more than a decade, according to a health ministry survey conducted every five years to keep track of homelessness in the country.
TEHRAN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday that Iran and Qatar are determined to boost mutual trade and economic ties, Press TV reported.

Raisi made the remarks upon arrival in Tehran from his trip to Qatar's capital Doha, adding Iran's and Qatar's industry ministers will take immediate steps to remove economic, trade, and investment barriers between the two countries.

The president said businessmen in Doha told him they were interested in doing investment and economic activities in Iran.

Iran and Qatar also discussed the establishment of an Iranian trade center in Qatar in near future, he added.

"My trip (to Qatar) was in line with neighborly diplomacy, with the two main goals of increasing mutual trust and cooperation with neighbors as well as Iran's share in the region's economy and trade," Raisi noted.

Raisi visited Doha on Monday on an official two-day visit to participate in the sixth summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and to hold talks with Qatari officials on bilateral ties. 
To the editor,

Southbury can justifiably boast of its excellent educational system, plentiful parks and wonderful town library. There are people who would like to live here, but cant afford to because it would take more than 30 percent of their income to pay the rent. Forty-five percent of some who already live here are paying too much of their income on rent.

Southbury lacks sufficient affordable housing. This lack is currently being addressed in several ways. A volunteer group was formed in 2019 by Sharon Boast Wirt, known as the Southbury Affordable Housing Committee. It began exploring such issues as funding and grants, successful affordable housing in other Connecticut communities and possible locations. Since then the Southbury Planning Commission, Southbury Land Use Department and Strategic Planning Commission have worked together to explore, study and implement their findings.

A common misconception is that this type of housing clears out neighborhoods composed of old, often unoccupied buildings in poor repair. Further, that the housing built in replacement is not well cared for. This is not true here. Existing affordable housing visited in other towns in Connecticut are well kept and reflect the care the residents give to them.

Our town will benefit from this type of housing. It will provide a bigger and more diverse pool of employees for local businesses and schools. It will keep some young people from leaving the state. It will add to revenue from money spent in local businesses. It will help keep property taxes down.

Southbury is offering a Zoom workshop on this topic on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 6:30-8 p.m.

Louise P. Duke, Southbury
I recently revisited a couple bottles of sub-$25 bottles, lovingly filling glasses, tumblers, and coffee cups with dive bar standards like Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, and my personal favorite old man whiskey, Evan Williams.

After spending a week (or maybe it was two months?) reviewing each bottle with an open mind, positive attitude, and salivating mouth, here is my official ranking of each:

Rest assure, bottom shelf is a social construct.

Best bourbon for drinking neat

And the award goes to Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky; a sweet and approachable sippin whiskey about as pleasant and approachable as it gets. I dig Old Foresters smooth caramel body and not-too-sweet vanilla sweetness; its a flavor that scratches that itch for sugar without overwhelming the tongue or drowning out the bourbon flavor. I suggest drinking this strait Kentucky bourbon whiskey neat or even throwing in a couple whiskey stones to keep things on the chillier side.

Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky drizly.com $28.68 Shop Now

Best bourbon on the rocks

If youre looking for an affordable bourbon that jumps out of the bottle into your mouth like a bat outta hell that I guess flew into your mouth, look no further than our good ol pal Wild Turkey. In the same vein of diluting coffee concentrate like Grady's to bring out the flavor, I think Wild Turkey goes through a hell of a transformation when you add a splash of water or seltzer to it. Unlike the brands more expensive bottles 101 Rye or Rare Breed, Wild Turkeys signature bourbon thrives on that little jolt of H20 to help those underlying citrus-y caramel not bloom. I know some lunatics who cut cans of Dr. Ugly with Wild Turkey Bourbon, and all I can say is: keep an open mind, dont @ me.

Wild Turkey Bourbon Wild Turkey drizly.com $21.99 Shop Now

Best bourbon for cocktails and mixed drinks

Rightfully earning its spot as Americas top-selling bourbon between the 1930s and 1950s, Four Roses Bourbon is a bottom-shelf/well whiskey standard that is beloved for its mild taste, approachable flavor, and surprisingly complex flavor. Adaptability is the strong suit of this classic Kentucky bourbon, turning any cocktail made with Four Roses into a Four Roses cocktail. Want a drink thatll put some pep in your step? (Or is it step in your pep? Anyway) Four Roses recently posted the recipe to the Judges Choice from their 16th annual Rose Julep Cocktail Competition. Concocted by Bill Whitlow from Kentuckys own Richs Proper Food and Drink, the Storm Clouds over the Downs uses both Torres Spanish Brandy and Bananas foster syrup as a truly adventurous take on the classic Mint Julep.

2 oz Four Roses Single Barrel

1/2 oz China-China liqueur

1/2 oz Torres Spanish Brandy

2 Dashes Chocolate bitters

3 Drops Orange blossom water

2 Spoons Smoked maple syrup

1/2 oz Bananas foster syrup

7 Large Mint leaves

Stir and strain into mason jar then smoke with apple wood smoke. Pour over crushed ice in julep glass. Garnish with mint leaf and powdered sugar/allspice blend

Four Roses Bourbon Four Roses drizly.com Shop Now

Best bourbon for shots

And right-outta-the-bottle award goes to Jim Beam. Honestly, Beam is a whiskey you can enjoy every which way  on the rocks, mixed with Coke, or chased with a tall boy of beer, but its rightful place belongs in a shot glass preferably with your friends nearby. Its sweet, strong, and oh-so-smooth, which is makes it perfect to slam responsibly. Get all that crazy stuff out of the way in your twenties, because even one shot is a freaking production once you crack 35. Jim Beam is a great bourbon for a shot because its the only bourbon some of us aging millennials can stomach.

Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey Jim Beam drizly.com $23.99 Shop Now

Most versatile bourbon

Evan Williams is a brand Ive always held close to my heart. It was the first whiskey I ever bought as a post-21 adult and a bottle I find myself going back to again whenever I want something I know I can depend on. I think Evan Williams is a bit of misunderstood entity  like Holden Caulfield or Shrek. Its gruff (that is, harsh) demeanor can be a bit of an acquired taste, but once you get past that medicinal quality, Evan reveals a spicy  almost toasted nut  flavor that makes you want to melt into a puddle. If youre looking for a two-ingredient cocktail thatll take transport you to the Amalfi Coastl, try a shot or two of Evan with Casamara Clubs Italian amaro leisure sodas.
MOSCOW, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament, on Tuesday approved Russian President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of military abroad.

"Senators unanimously supported the adoption of the relevant Resolution," said a statement published on the website of the Federation Council.

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorizing the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier in the day, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session.

Putin inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR. The president also signed two decrees recognizing the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine. 
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of nearly $150,000 for the Canadian Wool Council to help build a more sustainable wool industry in Canada and spread awareness of the beneficial qualities of Canadian wool.

Environmental awareness has led consumers to be more particular about where they shop and what they buy, creating new opportunities for natural, sustainable and durable products. Developing Canada's wool industry will provide consumers at home and in international markets with a greater variety of sustainably produced products.

The funds announced today will support the Council in conducting market research, promoting trade and export opportunities, connecting the sector with global best practices, and improving industry and consumer awareness through education and promotional activities.

This announcement coincides with the release of the Council's report, Carpet Plan (2022-2026), which maps opportunities for new and existing products in Canada's carpet sector, which is valued at more than $367 million. The report identifies opportunities to grow Canada's wool industry in international markets such as Europe, Australia and Asia.

One of these opportunities is a collaboration between the Canadian Wool Council, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Creative Matters Inc. to design and produce Canadian wool carpets at a Waterloo, Ontario plant for Canadian embassies in Copenhagen, Denmark and Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

AAFC's funding comes through the federal AgriMarketing Program, which aims to increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize domestic market opportunities.

Quotes

"The demand for natural and environmentally friendly products continues to grow. By promoting the benefits of locally made, sustainable and biodegradable wool products, this initiative will help the Canadian wool industry tap into markets both domestically and around the world."

- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"This investment will help position the Canadian Wool Council to take advantage of the significant opportunities in the Canadian wool industry. Through manufacturing happening at the carpet mill here in Waterloo, we are seeing how wool products offer sustainable options that are in demand in Canada and markets around the world."

- The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo

"Canadian wool is renewable, sustainable and biodegradable. Today's investment from the Government of Canada demonstrates a commitment to developing the full potential of this natural fibre and improving the livelihoods of Canadians across the value-chain - from producer to consumer."

- Matthew J. Rowe, CEO, Canadian Wool Council and the Campaign for Wool - Canada

Quick Facts

Ontario Sheep Farmers, an organization representing over 3000 producers, has also provided financial support for this initiative.

The AgriMarketing Program aims to increase and diversify exports to international markets and seize domestic market opportunities through industry-led promotional activities that differentiate Canadian products and producers, and leverage Canada's reputation for high-quality and safe food.

reputation for high-quality and safe food. Global Affairs Canada's interior design program has the mandate to portray an image of Canada that connects, engages and inspires. By featuring the best of Canadian interior design through furniture, furnishings and original Canadian art, we reflect our rich and diverse culture.

that connects, engages and inspires. By featuring the best of Canadian interior design through furniture, furnishings and original Canadian art, we reflect our rich and diverse culture. The Canadian Wool Council is a not-for-profit industry association that represents the wool sector in Canada . Their aim is to improve consumer awareness of the unique qualities of Canadian wool and to develop opportunities for the fibre and the Canadians who transform it.

Additional Links

Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada

Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture



SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

For further information: Marianne Dandurand, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 343-541-9229; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The COVID-19 crisis has made it clear that access to affordable housing and supports is key to Canada's recovery.

When a community member needs social supports like income assistance or food subsidies, it often involves a complicated process involving numerous agencies with different requirements and procedures,, creating confusion for Canadians at a time when they are most in need of help. Fragmented social services make it difficult to receive support, leaving people feeling "lost in the system". Up to $190 billion is wasted each year due to inefficiencies and redundancies in the social services support sector, and without sufficient data about how these social supports interact, service providers and policy makers cannot address the gaps.

To increase the speed, fairness and efficiency of social service options, the Digital Supercluster is proud to announce its investment in the Compass project, a platform that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to create a social services safety net that aligns the needs of individuals, service providers and policymakers across the social services sector to streamline and improve wayfinding for Canadians and their families.

Led by HelpSeeker Technologies in collaboration with Corsac Technologies, and the University of Toronto Centre for Social Services Engineering, Compass will deliver a humanized experience for those in need of social services, while providing transparency and efficacy for service providers and policymakers.

The platform will integrate the interactions of three target audiences: those looking for social support, service providers and decision makers. In doing so, users will be able to navigate social services, optimize service delivery, improve decision making, and maximize fair social outcomes and community impact.

Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion announced that the Government of Canada invested $3 million in this first-of-its-kind platform, contributing $2.5 million in 2020 towards the expansion of HelpSeeker across the country and the mapping of Canada's social safety net, plus an additional $500,000 specifically for this Compass project. The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry also announced that the Government of Canada is investing an additional $1.5 million through the Digital Technology Supercluster, for this project.

The Compass platform is co-developed, implemented and validated through community partnerships with the City of Lethbridge, Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and Homeward Trust in Edmonton, as well as the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The project has a total investment of $4.9 million, with $2.9 million invested by industry and $2 million co-invested by the Government of Canada. More information on the Compass project can be found here.

Quotes:

"Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Through our government's National Housing Strategy, we are investing in approaches to address gaps in access to affordable housing. We are proud to support startups like HelpSeeker, who provide innovative solutions as we work to provide safe and affordable housing for all Canadians." The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

"Compass exemplifies Canada's commitment to advancing social innovation through transformational digital technologies. Supporting the needs of our most vulnerable populations is critical to improving the health, wellbeing and safety of all Canadians."  The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"Unleashing our social responses to meet current and future challenges requires technology innovation to allow us to address the root causes of societal challenges. Compass is the project to build this technology foundation that will underpin effective solutions to the world's complex social challenges"  Dr. Alina Turner, Co-Founder, HelpSeeker Technologies

"We are exceptionally proud of the ambition and focus in the Compass project as it shows how digital innovation can transform any and demonstrates how technology can serve the greater social good. Canadian-made technologies like this show the world that Canada is poised to own the podium in digital innovation."  Sue Paish, CEO Digital Technology Supercluster

Associated links:

As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit www.placetocallhome.ca.

Ahead of the curve starts here. The Digital Technology Supercluster is building a better Canada by growing Canadian businesses, creating a digitally skilled workforce and positively impacting lives across our Country. We accelerate the development and adoption of digital technologies that keep Canadians healthy, address climate change and drive economic productivity. Through a powerful combination of co-investment, cross-sector collaboration, IP creation and digital talent development, we unlock the potential of Canadians to lead and succeed in the digital world. For more information, visit: https://www.digitalsupercluster.ca/

HelpSeeker is a Canadian social technology and innovation startup focused on accelerating the digital transformation of the social safety net to maximize its equitable outcomes. To learn more, please visit our corporate website www.HelpSeeker.co , our online directory of social services at www.HelpSeeker.org . Follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook , and Instagram . Download our service navigation app on Google Play Store or Apple .

SOURCE Government of Canada

For further information: Media contacts: Arevig Afarian, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [email protected]; Valerie Sergienko, HelpSeeker, [email protected]; Elysa Darling, Director, Public Affairs, Canada's Digital Technology Supercluster Email: [email protected], Phone: 587-890-9833
The Port had another strong year moving construction materials including steel coils and rebar, cement and aggregate. In 2021, the port recorded cement cargo and steel imports reaching 19 and 18-year highs respectively, with more than 734,000 metric tonnes of cement and 185,000 metric tonnes of steel transiting through the port to construction sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Aggregate tonnage more than doubled year-over-year, with 215,232 metric tonnes moving through the port to supply various land erosion projects led by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. In addition to importing 572,683 metric tonnes of sugar from Central and South America to support Toronto's food and beverage industry, the port moved 583,425 metric tonnes of salt and saw 4,365 metric tonnes of container services tonnage  a 15 per cent increase over 2020 for container services.

"Shipping has a major role to play in ensuring the sustained resiliency of our national supply chain. In 2021, the Port of Toronto continued to provide a reliable trade gateway for the transportation of goods to the Greater Toronto Area, connecting Toronto to marine ports around the world while much of our transportation sector experienced delays. Further to the economic benefits to the region, shipping is a more efficient way to move goods and produces far less carbon emissions per tonne kilometre than other industries in Canada's transportation system," said Geoffrey Wilson, CEO of PortsToronto. "While the Port of Toronto will continue to play an essential role in our national supply chain in 2022, it will also play an important role supporting Toronto's tourism sector as we anticipate hosting a record 37 cruise ships in 2022, including a number of new cruise ships designed for expedition cruising on the Great Lakes."

Supporting Toronto's tourism and hospitality sectors, the Port of Toronto expects to host a record 37 cruise ships between May and October 2022 , including a number of new cruise ships designed for expedition cruising on the Great Lakes. A gateway to Canada's largest city, the Port of Toronto is a turnaround port, allowing Toronto to host arriving and departing cruise ship passengers for several days as they enjoy the many accommodations, restaurants and attractions the city has to offer.

tourism and hospitality sectors, the Port of expects to host a record 37 cruise ships between May and , including a number of new cruise ships designed for expedition cruising on the Great Lakes. A gateway to largest city, the Port of is a turnaround port, allowing to host arriving and departing cruise ship passengers for several days as they enjoy the many accommodations, restaurants and attractions the city has to offer. In 2021, the Port of Toronto saw the arrival of three bridge spans from Nova Scotia via tug/barge for Waterfront Toronto's Villiers Island project, and was critical in providing berthing for marine equipment working on the City of Toronto Ashbridge's Bay Sewer Treatment Plant new outfall project.

saw the arrival of three bridge spans from via tug/barge for Waterfront Toronto's project, and was critical in providing berthing for marine equipment working on the City of Toronto Ashbridge's Bay Sewer Treatment Plant new outfall project. Through its mixed-use facilities, the Port also plays a role in supporting Toronto's $2 billion film industry by providing a production hub for industry players such as Cinespace and Netflix. This complementary use is facilitated in parallel with traditional port and cruise ship terminal operations, and has proven to be successful in ensuring the full utilization of PortsToronto property.

film industry by providing a production hub for industry players such as Cinespace and Netflix. This complementary use is facilitated in parallel with traditional port and cruise ship terminal operations, and has proven to be successful in ensuring the full utilization of PortsToronto property. In addition to its economic impact, increased imports through the Port of Toronto has a positive impact on the environment given the 2.2 million metric tonnes of cargo delivered by ship last year took approximately 57,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto's congested roads and highways.

About the Port of Toronto

Since 1793, the Port of Toronto has served as Toronto's gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway and to marine ports around the world. Serving primarily as a bulk cargo destination, the port boasts a unique location minutes from Toronto's downtown and moves goods from countries as far away as Germany, South Korea, China, Brazil, Australia, South America and the United States. In addition to managing the movement of ships through the harbour, PortsToronto is the owner and operator of Marine Terminals 51, 52 and the Cruise Ship Terminal within the Port of Toronto.

The Port of Toronto is one of Canada's inland ports and is situated on the northwest shore of Lake Ontario. Located minutes from Toronto's downtown core, the Port provides a seamless network of cost-effective intermodal links to road, rail and air transportation, serving as a unique and crucial piece of economic infrastructure. Marine cargo arriving and managed at the Port of Toronto generated $377.7 million in economic activity and 1,566 jobs in Ontario in 2017. Port also welcomes cruise ships and passengers from around the globe through the Cruise Ship Terminal.

Take a virtual tour of the Port of Toronto to learn about the important role the Port plays in Canada's transportation network as well as the environmental benefit of marine transportation.

About PortsToronto

For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomed approximately 2.8 million passengers in 2019; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $12 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a board with representation from all three levels of government.

SOURCE PortsToronto

For further information: Media Contact: Jessica Pellerin, Manager, Media Relations and Public Affairs, PortsToronto, Cell: (647) 298-0585, E-mail: [email protected]
With the first three phases of seven-phased Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections over and campaigning having ended for the fourth phase also, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will finally hit the ground for electioneering in Amethi and Prayagraj during the fifth phase of elections in the electorally crucial state. Party sources said the Wayanad MP will paign in Amethi and Prayagraj on February 25. The two districts will go to the polls in the fifth phase on February 27. The Wayanad MP, who has campaigned aggressively in Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and now Manipur for the ensuing assembly election, has not so far addressed a single rally or road-show in electorally crucial Uttar Pradesh since the polls were announced in early January.

Leaving aside Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi has held nearly 30 campaign programmes in the remaining four states.

As a lead campaigner of the Congress, Rahul Gandhis absence from the active campaign in Uttar Pradesh so far has come as a surprise to party workers. He had extensively campaigned in the state in the last three Assembly elections from 2007 to 2017. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been on a campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh along with other senior leaders including Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, party MP Deepender Singh Hooda, former union minister Salman Khurshid and party leader Imran Pratapgarhi.

Rae Bareli, considered Gandhi family bastion, will go to the polls in the fourth phase of the elections on February 23. In an effort to reach out to voters, Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed a virtual rally on Monday. Rahul Gandhi had won the Amethi Lok Sabha seat from 2004 to 2014. He lost the 2019 elections from the seat. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were last seen in Amethi and Rae Bareli on December 18 last year when they addressed corner meetings and held a roadshow in these districts. Rahul Gandhi had addressed a press conference with Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi to release the partys youth manifesto for Uttar Pradesh.

With the fourth phase of polling on Wednesday, polling would be completed in nearly 58 per cent of the seats in the state. Both BJP and Samajwadi Party are exuding confidence of forming the government in the state. Congress is betting on issue-based election campaigning which is led by Priyanka Gandhi. The fourth phase of elections tomorrow will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur districts. The voting for the remaining phases will be held on February 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will be done on March 10.
A Delhi Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Union of India, Archaeological Survey of India and others on an appeal moved against the order of a Civil Judge which rejected a civil suit and sought the restoration of 27 temples in the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli. Additional District Judge Pooja Talwar on Tuesday admitted the appeal and issued notice to all respondents. The matter is deferred to May 11 for the next hearing. The appeal has been filed by Jain deity Tirthankara Lord Rishabh Dev, Lord Vishnu (Principal Deity, Temple Complex) and others through Advocates Hari Shankar Jain, Ranjana Agnihotri and Jitender Singh Vishen. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain and Amita Sachdeva appeared for the appellant before the additional district judge.

Civil Judge Neha Sharma on November 29 last year, while rejecting the suit had said, Nobody has denied that wrongs were committed in the past but such wrongs cannot be the basis for disturbing peace of our present and future.

She also said, There is a presumption of correctness in every official act. A notification dated January 16, 1914 has not been challenged till date. Even plaintiffs have not challenged the validity of the said notification. Consequently, it stands valid. Hence, as per the provisions of the act, the ownership lies with the Government and the plaintiffs have no right to claim restoration and right to religious worship in the same without challenging the notification itself, she added.

The suit was filed to preserve and protect the religious and cultural heritage of India and to exercise the right to religion guaranteed by Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India by restoring 27 Hindu and Jain temples with respective deities which were dismantled, desecrated and damaged under the command and orders of Qutub-Din-Aibak, a commander of invader Mohammad Ghori, who established slave dynasty and raised some construction at the same very place of temples naming it as, Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque, the suit said.

It claimed that according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) 27 Hindu and Jain temples were demolished and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex reusing the materials and sought to restore the demolished temples. The suit sought to declare that Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Sun, Goddess Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishab Dev have the right to be restored within the temple complex at the site of Quwwatul Mosque Complex, Mehrauli, south-west Delhi after rebuilding it with the same honour and dignity.

It also sought to issue an injunction directing the Central government to create a trust, according to the Trust Act 1882, and hand over the management and administration of the temple complex situated within the area of Qutub Complex in Mehrauli after framing a scheme of the administration to such trust.

Pass a decree in the nature of a permanent injunction, restraining the defendants permanently from interfering in making necessary repair works, raising construction and making arrangement for the pooja, darshan and worship of deities in accordance with Sections 16 and 19 of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 by a trust, to be created by the Central government within the area, the suit said.
Chetan Kumar Ahimsa, an actor and pro-Dalit activist, was detained by Bengaluru Police on Tuesday for tweeting against Karnataka High Court Justice Krishna Dixit, who is hearing the disputed hijab issue. The Seshadripuram police department initiated an investigation into the popular actor, who is also a prominent tribal rights activist.

Chetan Kumar had tweeted about an old case involving the present Chief Justice of Karnataka, Krishna Dixit. In a tweet, actor Chetan Kumar expressed his displeasure with a high court ruling issued by Justice Krishna Dixit in a rape case, making derogatory statements against the sitting judge.

This is a tweet I wrote nearly two years ago regarding a Karnataka High Court decision



Justice Krishna Dixit made such disturbing comments in a rape case



Now this same judge is determining whether #hijabs are acceptable or not in govt schools



Does he have the clarity required? pic.twitter.com/Vg8VRXmJTW  Chetan Kumar Ahimsa /   (@ChetanAhimsa) February 16, 2022

Meanwhile, in the matter, the actors wife showed great support towards his spouse and said she is with Chetan in his fight. In a democracy, everyone has a right to question. She went on to say that the Police, judge, or Modi, whoever it might be, everyone can be questioned. Chetan has not used any objectionable words. I have spoken to Chetan, and he said that we will fight a legal battle against the arrest, she added.

Today, the Karnataka High Court resumed hearing petitions on the wearing of hijab in educational institutions. On behalf of the state, Advocate General Navadgi claimed that the freedom to wear the hijab did not fall within Article 25 of the Constitution.

The court had already issued an interim order prohibiting the wearing of hijab and saffron shawls (bhagwa) at Karnataka institutions. The state administration told the high court on Monday that the petitioners claimed that wearing the hijab was an essential religious practise that required every Muslim woman to follow a strict dress code.
The former CEO, her predecessor Ravi Narain, and former Group Operating Officer (GOO) Anand Subramanian have all been questioned by the CBI, and lookout circulars have been issued against them.

Chitra Ramkrishna, the former Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), is accused of abusing her position by making inappropriate appointments, failing to conceal confidential information about the exchanges operations, and making false and misleading submissions to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Her mysterious spiritual Yogi affected her decision-making, according to the regulator. The former CEO, her predecessor Ravi Narain, and former Group Operating Officer (GOO) Anand Subramanian have all been questioned by the CBI, and lookout circulars have been issued against them.

Reportedly, in 2013, Chitra Ramkrishna was inspired by a yogi in the Himalayas to hire Anand Subramanian, a relatively unknown figure in the sector, as the exchanges chief operating officer (COO). The NSE paid 5 crores for the appointment. Ramkrishna addressed the unnamed yogi as Sironmani and exchanged information with him including NSEs five-year predictions, financial statistics, dividend ratio, business goals, board meeting agenda, and even staff performance reviews.

In 2016, Ramkrishna was fired from the NSE for her participation in the co-location and algo trading scams, as well as for abusing her position in the recruitment of Subramanian. Ramkrishna managed NSE with impunity, according to the investigation. No one in the companys upper management, board of directors, or promoters  which include large government agencies and banks  ever complained about her activities. Instead, when Ramkrishna left NSE, she was awarded Rs 44 crore in overdue dues and salaries.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ramkrishna faces a three-year ban from trading in stocks, depositories, intermediaries, or clearing companies, as well as a fine of Rs. 3 crore. For the next three years, Mr. Subramanian is prohibited from engaging with any market infrastructure institution or intermediary. Hed also have to pay a fine of Rs. 2 crore.

SEBI said it was disappointing that the CEO of Indias largest and most powerful stock exchange had to stoop to such desperate measures to excuse her conduct in exchanging secret NSE information with an unknown person.
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) announced new sanctions against Russia and called President Vladimir Putins moves in eastern Ukraine the beginning of a Russian invasion. This comes after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops there. Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also called Putins moves the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as he announces new sanctions against Moscow.

We are implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: VEB and their military bank, Biden said adding, We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russias sovereign debt. That means we have cut off Russias government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and can not trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either. Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbours? Biden asserted from the White House podium.

In his remarks, Biden, further said, We will also impose sanctions on Russias elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well, adding, We have worked with Germany to ensure that Nord Stream 2 will not  move forward. Following Putins announcement, Biden on Monday signed an Executive Order that will prohibit all new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics. The US strongly condemned Putins decision to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics as independent.

US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield supported Ukraines call for an Urgent Meeting of the UN Security Council. She criticized Russias announcement and said that it is nothing more than theatre, apparently designed to create a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine. Notably, Putin has also ordered the sending of the Russian Armed Forces to Ukraines breakaway regions after recognizing their independence in his Monday address to the nation.

Notably, in March 2014, Russia invaded and then annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. In April pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region declared independence. The war continued in the eastern Ukrainian region and then spread westwards. Roughly 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians eventually died in the conflict.

In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, was elected by a large majority as President of Ukraine on a promise to restore Donbas to the country. The crisis deepened in January 2021, when Zelensky appealed the US President Biden to let Ukraine enter NATO. In the spring of 2021, Russia started massing troops near Ukraines borders in what it said were training exercises. Russia stated that its troop deployment is in response to NATOs steady eastward expansion. It argued that its moves are aimed at protecting its own security considerations.
WINDSOR LOCKS  Air Canada has announced it plans to restart nonstop flights between Bradley International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport on June 1, another sign of the Connecticut airports recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flights between Bradley and Toronto will operate daily, on a year-round basis. Air Canada Express Jazz will operate the flights, which will use CRJ900 jets with business and economy class cabins.

Air Canadas service between the airports has been suspended since spring 2020 because of the pandemic.

With overall travel demand accelerating, our flights linking Hartford and Toronto will be of interest to customers visiting friends and family, looking to explore Canadas largest city, Mark Galardo, Air Canadas senior vice president of network planning and revenue management, said in a statement. The route will reconnect two well-established business regions and Air Canadas flights are scheduled to connect easily to a myriad of flights across Canada and Europe through our Toronto Pearson hub. We look forward to welcoming you onboard.

Officials at the Connecticut Airport Authority, which owns and operates Bradley, welcomed the announcement.

Air Canada has been an important partner for many years at our airport, facilitating seamless connectivity between our regions, CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon said in a statement. The resumption of the Toronto service is a major milestone on our road to recovery. Today, we extend our thanks to Air Canada for their continued commitment to Bradley International Airport and for underscoring the importance of this route with their return to Connecticut. Welcome back, Air Canada.

Air Canada has not yet resumed flights between Bradley and Montreal, another route that operated before the pandemic. At the same time, Aer Lingus has not yet announced a date for resuming flights between Bradley and Dublin, but CAA officials said the Irish airline remains committed to Connecticut.

Cancun is the other international destination with nonstop flights to and from Bradley. Delta, Frontier and JetBlue are the airlines that fly between Bradley and the popular destination on Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula.

Meanwhile, Bradley continues to expand its domestic service. Breeze Airways announced last Thursday that it would establish an operations base at Bradley, with plans to create more than 200 jobs and eight new routes at the airport.

Last Friday, Frontier Airlines launched nonstop service between Bradley and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Last year, about 4.6 million travelers passed through Bradley  jumping 96 percent from the total in 2020, according to data from the Connecticut Airport Authority. But the turnout in 2021 was still down more than 30 percent from the approximately 6.8 million who passed through the airport in 2019.

Were very pleased with where were at right now, Dillon said in an interview last week. Particularly when you start adding capacity that were talking about with Breeze, I am very confident that by the end of the year, we will be back to where we were prior to the pandemic.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
NANJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- By Tuesday, over 99 percent of industrial enterprises with an annual business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 3.2 million U.S. dollars) in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou had resumed work, according to the municipal bureau of commerce.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, the city has registered a total of 105 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 28 asymptomatic cases since new infections were first reported on Feb. 13, the city's COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters said.

The city has taken a series of measures to help enterprises run safely and stably.

Nearly 12,000 industrial enterprises with an annual business turnover of at least 20 million yuan resumed operations after the Spring Festival holiday. By Tuesday, over 95 percent of the industrial enterprises' employees had returned to their posts, Wan Li, director of Suzhou municipal bureau of industry and information technology, told a press briefing.

"Currently, more than 30,000 foreign-funded and foreign trade firms in Suzhou are operating normally," said Sun Jianjiang, director of the municipal bureau of commerce.

Since January, Suzhou has established 181 new foreign investment projects and received newly registered foreign capital of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, with those figures respectively increasing by 11.7 percent and 26 percent year on year. 
WEST HAVEN  Has the city purchased itself more state oversight because of a lack of written procedures?

Several members of the Municipal Accountability Review Board, a state body tasked with bringing financially-distressed municipalities to long-term solvency, discussed whether the board should increase its level of oversight and control in West Haven at a Tuesday subcommittee meeting.

The discussion came about because of the citys credit card usage policy  or in the eyes of several MARB members, the lack of such a policy.

Theres pre-vetting for approval, but theres no controls systemwide, said state Office of Police and Management Secretary Melissa McCaw. This policy is quite frankly so far from protecting you, if you will, from misuse and thats what you want to accomplish.

Kimberly Kennison, executive financial officer of OPM, said the citys policy around credit card usage  which McCaw noted was not signed or dated when submitted to the MARB for review  apparently had been established within the last month, which she deemed a red flag. She further noted that the citys policy, as written, does not outline what qualify as allowable expenses and the policy does not have a proper sign-off with individuals.

Last week, members of the City Council expressed concerns over an email from Lou Esposito, executive assistant to Mayor Nancy Rossi, informing department heads of the proper procedure governing usage of the citys single credit card. Council members learned that department heads can request authorization from Esposito to use the card to make time-dependent emergency purchases.

Esposito said Tuesday his email was intended to address department heads who do not submit the receipts from their purchases in a timely fashion, giving them a final reminder before revoking their credit card use privileges, and had nothing to do with any suspected fraud.

There has not been one instance of fraud on our part on the credit card, Esposito told MARB members, although he said one unscrupulous vendor attempted to overcharge the card, something he said was caught because of regular monitoring of the credit card account.

The day after the council questioned Espositos email and the potential for misconduct stemming from having a single credit card with routing information known to multiple people, McCaw sent a letter to Rossi directing her to cancel the card until clearer procedures could be established.

Presently, the city is a Tier III municipality under the MARB; some MARB members suggested it may be time for the city to enter Tier IV, which would encompass an escalation of the MARBs control over the citys finances.

I know the intentions are great, but it seems to me that each month we come back to the same table and find a new event taking place: this month its the credit card, said Stephen Falcigno, former CEO and president of Statewide Meats and Poultry and a member of the Woodbridge Police Commission. The level of control, in my view, is limited in numerous aspects.

Falcigno said that OPM, however, had impressed him with its responsiveness to West Havens issues.

I really think at some point this board needs to take a good, honest look at the level we are participating to represent the people of Connecticut, he said. At some point I think were going to have to increase our level of participation.

Christine Shaw, State Treasurer Shawn Woodens designee to the MARB, said she does not believe MARB oversight ad infinitum is the solution to the citys problems. Quinnipiac law professor Bob White noted that several council members call for department heads to be fired to set an example about compliance is not our bailiwick, but he hopes the city can properly adopt any recommendations made by forensic auditing firm CohnReznick, which currently is looking into the citys financial practices at OPMs behest.

Im just wondering how many department heads are there? Do we have their names? I dont want to get into personnel matters, but it just seems middle management isnt playing ball, White said. The city doesnt have a clue about best practices.

McCaw said she grows increasingly alarmed at the number of policies in West Haven that appear problematic to the MARB.

If the progress continues at this pace, there will need to be additional resources in West Haven, she said.

Rossi said after the meeting she would not think it fair to put West Haven to Tier IV under the MARB.

When I came in, everything was broken, she said. Are there problems? Yeah, but youre not going to immediately fix years of financial mismanagement.

Rossi said that in order to improve the citys financial position she had to make difficult decisions, such as cutting the citys personnel budget by $2 million. The move helped the city budget, but left some remaining City Hall workers doing double duty. Only recently has the city begun making hires for new positions, Rossi said.

Rossi said there are positive developments in City Hall, such as making new hires with money available in the citys budget, so taking an entirely pessimistic view of the citys finances and processes would be unfair, and a Tier IV designation would take us backwards.

Tuesdays meeting was not the first time a member of the MARB threatened to move the city into Tier IV. The city came under MARB control in 2017 based on deficit bonding decisions made by former Mayor Ed OBrien shortly before Rossi took office, which automatically triggered the MARBs oversight. In July 2018, about eight months after Rossi took office, MARB members threatened to support increasing the city to Tier IV over what they deemed an inadequate five-year fiscal plan.

Recent indicators reflect that West Havens finances have improved since the MARB has taken control and Rossi has led the city as mayor: the city has had a recent trend of positive fund balances, its bond rating outlook has improved and it has begun to make hires in its understaffed purchasing department.

However, a scandal has thrown the citys control over its finances into doubt. In October 2020, former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa, who worked in West Haven City Hall as an administrative assistant for the City Council, was arrested and charged with wire fraud after allegedly using falsified invoices to steal $636,000 in federal money intended to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, three alleged accomplices have been arrested in connection with the alleged scheme, which has also brought the amount of money DiMassa is alleged to have stolen for himself or others above $1 million.

McCaw said that, despite the citys improvements on budgetary issues, fundamental vulnerabilities remain in the citys lack of written policies, procedures and checks and balances.

Now we need that infrastructure to be strong, she told city officials.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

A New Haven man was sentenced to more than three years in prison after police found firearms and more than 20 grams of crack in his home, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

New Haven police on May 10, 2019, searched the home of 43-year-old Theo Sargent, also known as Ciph, 43, based on information obtained from a confidential informant, according to court records.
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HAMDEN  A massive fire at a Hamden apartment complex earlier this month that displaced about 60 people started with a mini freezer plugged into an extension cord in a small closet, according to Hamden Fire Marshal Brian Dolan.

A collaborative investigation revealed the fire from Feb. 14 at the Warner Street apartment building started in the pantry closet of Unit B12. Inside the small closet was a mini freezer plugged into an extension cord that was plugged into a wall outlet in the closet, Dolan said.
Interim state Education Commission Charlene Russell-Tucker cleared the first hurdle toward full confirmation on Tuesday when a key legislative committee unanimously approved her nomination.

Russell-Tuckers nomination next heads to the House of Representatives. She has been working in an acting capacity since last March, after then-Commissioner Miguel Cardona accepted President Joe Bidens offer to head the U.S. Department of Education. In August, Gov. Ned Lamont nominated Russell-Tucker to the full commissionership.

I am privileged to live in a state where education receives robust bipartisan support from the legislature, year after year, she said, acknowledging the continuing effects of the pandemic have created many challenges for students and faculty alike. One of her main goals is to create a system of care to help all students and staff to deal with emotional and behavioral needs.

I acknowledge, embrace and value the diversity of our student body here in Connecticut, she said. With over a half million students in our schools, there are 50 percent who are non-white, 43 percent who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, 16 percent with disabilities, 8 percent English-language-learners, with more than 145 spoken languages.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, co-chairman of the Executive & Legislative Nominations Committee, praised Russell-Tuckers 20 years of agency experience and her record over the last 11 months, which was challenged further by the lingering pandemic.

Youve come in in the middle of a storm, thats for sure with the pandemic and everything else, Duff said during a morning interview, followed by a public hearing in which Russell-Tucker received support from the states two teacher unions. But one of the positive traits for your leadership is the fact that you worked your way through the department over many years.

She stressed that hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in accelerated learning, mental health support and community engagement.

At the end of the day weve got to make sure that our kids are the beneficiaries of the investment were making, she said, adding that family engagement is crucial. Russell-Tucker acknowledged that in-person learning is very important, but remote learning remains an option, depending on health considerations.

Teaching is probably the most important job in our country, said Rep. David Yaccarino, R-North Haven, a committee member, adding that he is worried about students not reaching proper reading levels for their ages.

Literacy is one of the big goals were working on, Russell-Tucker said, noting that previous state law requires two new entities to help children reach literacy targets.

Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, said he is concerned about rising truancy rates.

We were actually one of the states that did nationally recognized work on attendance and engagement and addressing the issues around truancy over the years, Russell-Tucker replied. Our numbers were on the downward trend until the pandemic. There are issues around school avoidance for all kinds of reasons. That students are just, in some cases, struggling with being out and certainly coming back in.

She said homelessness and issues of mental health supports for trauma need to be included in the public debate and policy decisions on truancy and absenteeism.

Perillo said he was disappointed that there is no statewide data on school-based COVID infections. Russell-Tucker replied that individual schools and school districts are aware of local cases and provide information to parents. They still have a good sense of what is happening locally, she said, stressing that transmission rates have been very low in schools.

On the issue of masking in classrooms, Russell-Tucker said that health professionals have guided the statewide face mask requirements that will expire on Feb 28. Perillo said that after so many months of masking in the classroom, he is concerned about emotional and mental health of students. He asked how the department balanced the issues.

We have students who are immunocompromised and we have teachers who are immunocompromised, she said. We understood the challenge on both sides of that as well. We continue to focus on how do we maintain, as best we can, the in-person learning, which we know, based on the data and everything else is so critically important.

State Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, said he is worried that when the mask requirements are lifted at the end of the month, children who will continue to wear masks in school could become targets for bullying. Getting picked on by their classmates is bullying and should be not merely discouraged, but should be punished, Godfrey said

Noting that a pandemic shift has brought so many new families to Danbury, mostly from nearby New York state, that the high school has reached record student population and overcrowded levels.

Its so bad that they had to make the time between courses longer because there were so many kids crowding the hallways that they couldnt get to class in a timely manner, Godfrey said, adding that the city has been coping with about 20 years of local underfunding for schools.

Godfrey said that the city enrolled in the states Open Choice program about a year ago, offering incentives to suburban school districts to send their kids to city schools. We had great hopes for it, but like Norwalks attempt to send young kids to nearby Darien, Danbury suburbs have demurred. It makes me very angry, Godfrey said. Because weve been seeing in the last five or six years, more overt racism has seeped into civil discourse and into policy making.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
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WALLINGFORD  A police officer was injured Tuesday night after a car rammed into his cruiser stopped on Route 68, according to Wallingford Police Chief John Ventura.

Wallingford Police Officer Justin Bussell was helping a disabled tractor trailer on Route 68 around 9:15 p.m. The tractor-trailer was stopped in the right-most lane on Route 68 east near Barnes Road. Bussell was in his police cruiser, which had its emergency warning lights activated, behind the tractor-trailer truck when a Ford Expedition struck his vehicle, Ventura said.
WATERBURY  A city teacher charged with leaving her kids in the basement of her home to go on a Florida vacation with her boyfriend now faces accusations she stalked an ex-boyfriend over money, according to a warrant for her arrest.

Kerry Caviasca, 36, of Watertown, was charged by Waterbury police with second-degree breach of peace, second-degree harassment and third-degree attempt to commit larceny, police said in a statement. She was arrested last week, and has been released on a written promise to appear in court, the states online court system shows.Caviasca, who has not entered a plea to the charges, was scheduled to appear in court on March 14.

According to the arrest warrant, Waterbury police were dispatched to the ex-boyfriends home the evening of Jan. 12 for a report of a domestic disturbance. The man, who was not identified in the warrant, told dispatchers Caviasca was stalking him and that she was currently in her car and refusing to get out, the warrant states.

While police were on their way, the man told dispatchers Caviasca had driven away. When police arrived at the scene, they were unable to contact the man, and without allegations of physical violence, the case was closed, the warrant states.

Days later, Caviasca went to police and claimed she was actually the victim, according to the warrant. She told police in a sworn statement she had gone to the mans home to confront him about money, about $5,000, that she had lent him, the warrant states.

She told police she waited by the mans car for about six hours until he came outside, but when he did, he ignored her, according to the warrant. Caviasca then claimed she stood in front of the mans car when he attempted to drive away, and that he bumped her. with the car, according to the warrant.

Caviasca told police she tried to confront the man at the drivers window, but her shirt became caught and she jumped on the running board of the car and held on as the man drove away, according to the warrant. She then claimed she got in the back seat of the car when it stopped and tried to get the man to talk to her about the money, but he pulled her out and threw her to the ground, according to the warrant.

The man later provided a sworn statement to police claiming Caviasca had sent her the $5,000 in increments in order to get him to talk to her again since he had stopped communicating with her, the warrant states.

The man told police on the day the incident occurred that Caviasca had knocked on his door and texted him for two hours before going outside where she continued to text him for almost three hours, according to the warrant.

The man claimed Caviasca jumped on to the running board of his car and then got in the back seat after he stopped as she claimed in her statement, the warrant states. However, the man said that after he pulled her out of the seat, she got back in the car and didnt get out until after he called the police, according to the warrant.

The man told police Caviasca began texting him dozens of times over the course of the next few days after the incident, and messaged him saying she wouldnt go to the police to have him arrested if he would just talk to her and pay her back, the warrant reads.

Investigators said they reviewed the messages and noted that they contradicted a claim by Caviasca that she had not had contact with the man since the incident occurred.

Police also applied for an arrest warrant for the man, charging him with second-degree breach of peace, according to the warrant.

Caviasca went to Waterbury police to give her statement just days after Watertown police arrested her on a warrant charging her with leaving her two children at home in November to go on a vacation to Florida with her boyfriend, the warrant states.

Police said both children were under the age of 12, and a warrant in that arrest claims texts messages from Caviasca to the children allegedly show she instructed the two kids to stay in the basement of her home, and told them to just eat candy when they asked what was for dinner.

The Waterbury school district announced Caviasca was placed on leave last month while the district conducts an investigation into the incident. It is unclear if her status with the schools has changed since the arrest in Watertown.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A digital working platform designed to assist China's lawmakers in better performing their duties was officially launched on Wednesday.

The platform enables the full cycle of online processing of the proposals and suggestions put forward by deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, making available information on their receipt, handling and feedback.

According to the working arrangements of the NPC Standing Committee, the platform will be put into service during the upcoming fifth session of the 13th NPC scheduled on March 5.

The platform was put into trial operation during last year's NPC session and proved effective, with deputies finding it more convenient to acquire information and communicate through the online service.

So far, over 2,500 deputies have registered on the platform. 
WEST HAVEN  The Rev. E. Carl Howard shared his vision for a city that cannot be separated by the cultural differences of its residents.

As we look beyond the epidermal and the colors of our skin and our cultural differences and our backgrounds, there should be nothing separating us from doing the things we need to do, he said.

Howard, since 2019 the first Black minister of First Congregational Church of West Haven in its more than 300-year history, was honored as the citys African American Citizen of the Year by the West Haven Black Heritage Committee at its 26th annual celebration.

It means so much to me that the work Im so passionate about is resonating and has resonated with so many here in this city, Howard said.

Steven R. Mullins, chairman of the Black Heritage Committee, said Howard embodies the traits he urges others to follow inside and outside the church.

Pastor Howard has certainly demonstrated that being the church is a lot more than what is contained within four walls, he said.

The Rev. Ken Vance of Vertical Church said God has a tremendous sense of humor in that he knew Howard, a Stamford native, throughout school and they both ended up doing ministry in the same city.

Vance said Howard emanates leadership and the lifestyle you want young people coming up behind.

Bishop Harold Golston, retired pastor from House of Jacob, said a minister is someone who gives his life and serves others, which Howard embodies.

As Howard spoke of a vision for a unified city that respects differences, the Rev. Denya C. McGee, pastor of Abbas House International Fellowship in North Branford, shared in her keynote address thoughts about the negative effects racism continues to have on Black people in schools, in health and in interactions with police.

Yes, there is a matter: should we not speak about it? she said. Do not say its not my neighborhood, not my children.

Howard received citations for his award from both city and state officials.

As a man of great character, conviction, integrity and wisdom, you personify the best of West Haven, said Mayor Nancy R. Rossi. Diversity is the heartbeat of our city and I am thankful for your pioneering contributions.

Reading a state citation, state Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, said Howard could be relied on to uplift the community in hard times as well as to be present to celebrate good times.

Your character and journey are an inspiration to be lauded, she said.

Two high school students also were honored at the ceremony  West Haven High School juniors Randy Alston Brown and Ayannah Obas were recognized for their excellent academics and extensive extracurricular involvement.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
Ansonia is getting into the Mardi Gras spirit with a Fat Tuesday Paczki-eating contest.

A paczki (pronounced ponch-key) is a Polish treat similar to a donut and filled with some kind of sweet filling like jelly or Bavarian cream. The dough also contains a splash of vodka. These sweet treats are usually eaten on Fat Tuesday, a final day to indulge in treats before the beginning of Lent in Christian religions.

Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti will preside over the competition.

Past contest winners included Torrington body builder Nick Wehry who downed nine over-stuffed paczkis in five minutes in 2017. In 2019, Lorenzo Manware of West Haven won with seven paczkis consumed in five minutes. Last years winner, Manny Cambra, consumed 11  pastries in eight minutes, according to the City of Ansonia Facebook page.

The first, second and third-place contest winners will receive gift cards to local Ansonia restaurants.

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The contest takes place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 1, at the Ansonia Armory, 4 State St.

To join, contestants should call the mayors office at 203-736-5900.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. High near 60F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low around 40F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Reality star, Maria Benjamin has revealed what will happen if any man tries to assault her. A fan alleged that Maria was beaten up b...

Reality star, Maria Benjamin has revealed what will happen if any man tries to assault her.

A fan alleged that Maria was beaten up by her man Kevin.

The fan wrote: Did Kelvin punch you today? Hows the black eye he gave you?

The BBNaija star, responding to the claim, said she would be jailed for murder the day any man assaults her.

Maria said: And if there is nothing you know about me, let me school you. The day a man touches me in that manner is the day I go to jail for murder.

She told the fan to return to her parents for home training.

Run to your parents and get them to love you differently, so you can have peace within! Stay blessed, Maria wrote.

Some followers chastised her for making such statements about murder, adding that such words could hunt her in the future.

@Okpopol Statements like this can go a long way to hunt you going forward.

@Sendarus Avoid toxic relationship, be it friendship or dating or marriage. Because if you kill person, you don get blood on your hands oh.

@BestOjike Please try and keep yourself in check too so you dont attract assault.

@Eugenelexxy She shouldnt be saying words like going to jail for murder. Those women currently in jail for that crime are definitely regretting their actions.
South Africa's Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana (L, Front) talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (R, Front) after delivering the budget speech at the parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

CAPE TOWN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday predicted an improved fiscal outlook in his budget speech for 2022/23 financial year, while saying it is subjected to "significant" risks.

The 2022/23 budget will shift from the trend that has seen over 308 billion rands (20.5 billion U.S. dollars) expenditure on bailing out failing state-owned companies and a reduction of 257 billion rands in frontline services and infrastructure since 2013, and restore focus on the government's core functions, Godongwana told the National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, in Cape Town, legislative capital of South Africa.

The Africa's most-industrialized country is also on course to close key fiscal imbalances and restore the health of public finances, reducing the fiscal deficit and stabilizing debt, he said.

The minister predicted the consolidated budget deficit to narrow from 5.7 percent of GDP in 2021/22 to 4.2 percent of GDP by 2024/25, while the country will have a primary fiscal surplus, where revenue exceeds noninterest expenditure by 2023/24.

The government reduces the borrowing requirement, by using some of the extra revenue it has collected, for the first time since 2015, which decreases by 135.8 billion rand this year and a total of 131.5 billion rand over the next two years, he said.

However, the country has to stay vigilant and mitigate the risks where possible, including slowing global and domestical economic growth, calls for a permanent increase in social protection that exceed available resources, pressures from the public-service wage bill, continued requests for financial support from financially distressed state-owned companies, he added.

The budget will support Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Program, which remains essential to growth after over a decade of economic stagnation, and the government is accelerating the implementation of critical structural reforms contained in this program particularly in electricity, rail, ports and telecommunications, he said.

The national economic growth has been lowered to 4.8 percent in 2021 from last November's 5.1 percent, due to the impact of changes in the global environment and South Africa's own unique challenges, read the budget speech.

Real GDP growth in 2022 is expected to be 2.1 percent and to average 1.8 percent over the next years, it said.

South Africa has "turned the corner" and will build on the gains of 2021, Helmo Preuss, economist at South Africa-based consultancy Forecaster Ecosa, told Xinhua via email after the budget speech.

The government has made economic growth its priority, which is why economic development gets the highest growth of non-interest spending over the next three years, said Preuss.

The economist also forecasted GDP growth for 2022 could be stronger than the government's forecast, and higher revenue growth for 2022/23 financial year. 

South Africa's Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana delivers the budget speech at the parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

South Africa's Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana (3rd R, Front) arrives at the parliament to deliver the budget speech in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua)

A woman selects clothes at a market in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

A vendor shows his products at a market in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

People walk past a restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Rain. High 57F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

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DANCE FOR PARKINSON'S: The Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust has provided financing for the New Orleans Ballet Association to continue Dance for Parkinson's classes that may help hold back advancing symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Over the past four years, since its inception in 2017, the program has reached more than 5,000 people through free, specialized, ongoing weekly classes and special outreach activities that empower people with Parkinsons to creatively explore movement and live music, in a safe, welcoming and fun environment. The schedule of in-person, drop-in classes is:

Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in Room 3 of Pontiff Gym, 1521 Palm St., Metairie

Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center at 5342 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans.

There will be no in-person classes on Feb. 28, March 2, April 18 or May 30.

Virtual Zoom classes are also available on select Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. For information, contact Millette White Lin at (504) 522-0996, ext. 213, or at mwhite@nobadance.com.

NEW ORLEANS VA: The VA Office of Research and Development has honored Dr. Franck Mauvais-Jarvis, an endocrinologist working at the New Orleans Veterans Medical Center and Tulane, for his work to prevent prostate cancer patients from developing Type 2 diabetes due to their lower testosterone levels. The Senior Clinician Scientist Investigator Award, which increases funding for further research, is now funded at $150,000 per year for eight years, for a total of $1.2 million.

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FREE OVERDOSE RESCUE PACKS: Jefferson Parish has partnered with University Medical Center New Orleans, the Spirit of Charity Foundation, St. Bernard Parish and Orleans Parish to offer free overdose rescue packs to anyone over the age of 18. The packs include one dose of intranasal naloxone, along with instructions on how to identify an overdose and administer the medication, which is designed to rapidly reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. The packs can be obtained Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at these locations:

Fire Station No. 13: 4642 Calumet St., Metairie

Fire Station No. 26: 115 Hickory Ave.

Fire Station No. 31: 10423 Jefferson Highway, River Ridge

Fire Station No. 39: 401 Vintage Drive, Kenner

Fire Station No. 76: 4040 U.S. 90, Avondale.

AUTISM INDICATORS: People on the autism spectrum now have the option to have an autism indicator added to their driver's license, appearing under the driver's picture. Verification of the diagnosis of autism by a mental health professional is required. LA Wallet users can display the autism indicator on their license in the LA Wallet app. The purpose of the indicator is to ease interactions between law enforcement officers and people with autism.

AL-ANON: People whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking may find help through an Al-Anon family group. These family groups bring together relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experiences to solve their common problems. For information about support groups in the New Orleans area, visit www.neworleansafg.org.

ALATEEN: Teenagers whose lives have been affected by someone else's drinking may find help through an Alateen support group. For information about support groups in the New Orleans area, visit www.neworleansafg.org.
Have fun but hold on to your mask during the last days of Carnival, New Orleans Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno said at a City Council committee on Wednesday.

Amid declining COVID-19 numbers, officials are nervously eying the peak of the first full season of parades and parties since Mardi Gras 2020, which led to a deadly outbreak.

Carnival balls and parades were canceled ahead of Mardi Gras 2021, when few were vaccinated. This time around, knowledge of the virus, vaccines and masks are all widely available, and Avegno urged revelers to use them.

"We have the biggest show on earth, we have the biggest party on earth, so we need to have the strongest protection on earth," Avegno said.

The state health department is still reporting dozens of COVID deaths daily after a surge of cases brought on by the highly-infectious omicron variant, but new infections nosedived during February.

On Wednesday, the daily average in Orleans Parish over the past week was 58 new cases, a far cry from the more than 1,000-case daily average that New Orleans reported during the peak of the omicron surge last month.

The percent of tests coming back positive has stayed well below 5% in New Orleans. On Wednesday, the positivity rate hit 0.9%.

Yet if Louisiana needed any reminder of COVIDs toll, a Tuesday press release from the state provided it. Officials confirmed that three more children died from COVID in the last week, including two who werent eligible vaccines because they were under the age of five.

"While cases are declining from our omicron surge, the risk is not zero, State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter said in a prepared statement. Families should carefully judge their risk and risk tolerance, particularly in the Mardi Gras season.

There are ways to minimize risk, Avegno said. She pointed to New Orleans smooth experience with the Krewe of Boo parade in October, the negligible impact on Chicagos COVID numbers after the Lollapalooza festival in August, and a recent CDC study of a 53,000-person anime convention in November.

All of those events happened in periods of relatively low local transmission. They also involved mitigation measures, like the vaccinate-or-test requirement at New Orleans bars and restaurants. Last month, the city also instituted a vaccination or negative test requirement for parading krewe members.

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Masks help blunt transmission in high-risk indoor spaces. The vaccine-or-test mandate helps prevent an "influx" of unvaccinated or infectious visitors to the riskiest activities, Avegno said.

Staying outdoors also helps. Residents should feel free to take off their masks in most outdoor situations, with some exceptions, Avegno said.

"If youre going to be up in that crush of the crowd, trying to get a shoe or whatever youre going to get, I would wear a mask," she said.

Already, city health workers have been passing out free, rapid COVID tests at first-aid stations along parade routes and at bars. Baby dolls will also be fanning out along Frenchmen Street this weekend with tests, Avegno said.

There will be a testing site near the airport's baggage claim section, Avegno said.

While many bars and restaurants still dutifully check for vaccination cards or negative test results, adherence to the citys indoor mask mandate has grown increasingly sloppy. Mayor LaToya Cantrell seemed to flout her own mask mandate for parts of a ball on Friday night.

Lesli Harris, who chairs the quality of life committee which hosted Avegno's presentation, was also photographed maskless at the ball. Harris said she did wear a mask for other parts of the ball, and asked Avegno for a refresher on the mandate.

"The indoor mask mandate means that any indoor public space, you should be wearing a mask unless you are actively eating or drinking. There isnt a specific clause for photographs," Avegno said. "Certainly, that is relatively low risk. However, if you're doing it 100, 1,000 times a night, then it maybe violates the spirit."

Cantrell hasn't said whether she will keep the mask mandate and other restrictions in force after Mardi Gras, but Avegno indicated that rules could change after the Carnival season ends.

"Immediately after Carnival, we are hoping to remove some of these requirements," Avegno said.

Overall, Avegno said she was encouraged by the city's high vaccination rate. 67.4% of residents are fully vaccinated, compared to the 52.4% Louisiana rate and the 64.7% national rate. Still, she would like to see higher uptake for boosters and among youths.

"We have a community that takes this very seriously," she said.
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Wednesday announced that it is set to launch Africa's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Centre in Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo.

Africa's first AI Research Centre, which will be inaugurated this week by the UNECA and the government of the Republic of Congo, is a groundbreaking centre devoted exclusively to advancing research through artificial intelligence to advance digital technology in Africa in areas of digital policy, infrastructure, finance, skills, digital platforms and entrepreneurship, the UNECA announced Wednesday.

The African Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence, funded through the ECA and other partners, will provide the necessary technology education and skills to promote Africa's integration, contributing to generate inclusive economic growth, stimulate job creation, break the digital divide, and eradicate poverty for the continent's socio-economic development and ensure Africa's ownership of modern tools of digital management, it was noted.

"The centre will be the first of its kind in Africa, and it will provide a regional hub for the development of emerging technologies in the region," the UNECA said.

A partnership agreement to develop the project was signed in March 2021 by the Republic of the Congo and UNECA during the official opening ceremony of the 7th session of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.

The international partners involved in the realization of the center include the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UNESCO, the International Telecommunications Union, Alibaba Jack Ma Foundation and other key ECA partners.

"Congo will serve as a regional AI hub across the continent to give access to the deepest and highest quality pool of AI talent," the UNECA said.

With Agenda 2063 as the blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future, the AI Centre is said to serve as a new dynamic to Africa's participation in the global value chain.

The centre offers hybrid modes of training on the areas of AI and robotics for researchers, youths and interested citizens.

It will further provide basic AI and robotics skill-oriented training for talented elementary and senior school students. The pursuit of a Masters of Science Degree in AI and data science in collaboration with the University of Denis Sassou Nguesso is available at the AI Centre.

In line with the growing global digital and knowledge economy, the ECA works towards enabling countries to promote, adopt new and emerging technologies and promote digital skills in order to deliver the transformation of their economies. 
A man was shot and killed in Plum Orchard in New Orleans East Tuesday night, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

Paramedics arrived at the 4500 block of Dodt Avenue (map) at 7:20 p.m. and found the man shot. They brought him to an area hospital, where he died, the NOPD said. His name has not been released.

The killing is one of several violent incidents to take place in New Orleans in the 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to police.

Boy shot in Lower Ninth Ward

A boy was shot in the Lower Ninth Ward Tuesday night, police said.

The boy was in the car with his mother in the 1300 block of Lizardi Street (map) at 8:39 p.m. when he was shot in the leg.

His mother got out of the car to run indoors to safety but saw her son was injured.

Paramedics brought the boy to the hospital, police said.

Woman robbed in Central Business District

A 40-year-old woman was robbed in the 300 block of Saint Joseph Street (map) in the Central Business District Tuesday at 9:02 p.m., the NOPD said.

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The woman and a man were arguing when the man hit the woman, grabbed her phone and ran away, according to the NOPD. A warrant has been issued for the man's arrest, police said.

Man and woman tied up, home burglarized

A 50-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman were tied up while their home in New Orleans East was burglarized early Wednesday morning, the NOPD said.

Three armed men allegedly tied the man and woman up in their home at 1:36 a.m. in the 13600 block of Granville Street (map) before asking the man for money, police said.

When the man refused, the subjects beat him up, but the woman complied. The men ran away with money and the victims' things, according to the NOPD.

No other details were immediately available.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes is asking to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
Just five days after Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies wearing new body cameras shot and killed a man in Marrero, the two officers have been fired and arrested on manslaughter charges.

It was the first major test of the technology's capabilities for the Sheriff's Office, and it resulted in Isaac Hughes, 29, and Johnaton Louis, 35, surrendering themselves to fellow officers on Monday. They are thought to be the first Jefferson deputies to face criminal charges for killing someone. Bond for each was set at $150,000.

Hughes and Louis are accused of using unjustified, deadly force when they shot and killed Daniel Vallee, a 34-year-old homeless man whom they encountered while responding to a noise complaint about a crack house. They found Vallee sitting in an SUV, but he refused their entreaties to get out.

Barely 12 minutes into the confrontation, one of the deputies opened fire after Vallee honked his vehicle's horn, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said. The other fired in response to the first deputy's gunshots. Authorities have not said which deputy fired first.

"Their perception was that their life was in danger at that point in time. Unfortunately, the use of deadly force in this situation was not justified," Lopinto said.

Vallee's relatives questioned why the officers weren't facing a second-degree murder charge, more serious than manslaughter.

"We're not happy, but at least they're charged at this point," said Tara Phillips, 47, Vallee's aunt.

Community activists who've accused the Sheriff's Office of excessive and deadly force, especially against Black people, have long pushed for the agency to begin using body-worn cameras.

Michelle Charles, a lawyer who organized a series of demonstrations outside the Sheriff's Office in 2020, lauded the criminal charges against Hughes and Louis, but she and others could not help but note that the victim in the case, Vallee, is White, and the accused deputies are Black.

"The first case from which the community benefits from body cameras also resulted in the arrests of two Black deputies. The irony is not lost on me," she said.

Noise complaint

Vallee was shot Feb. 16 at about 2:15 a.m. in the 500 block of Wilson Street. Deputies found him sitting inside a sport utility vehicle that relatives said had been loaned to him by a friend, and in which he sometimes slept.

He was unarmed. Initial toxicology results showed several drugs in his system, Lopinto said.

Deputies asked Vallee to step out of the SUV, but he refused to cooperate with officers for more than 12 minutes. "Not only did they ask him to get out of the vehicle, they begged him, they threatened him, trying to get him to come out," Lopinto said.

Vallee had turned off the SUV's engine and locked the doors. But at some point, he restarted the engine, causing several deputies to draw their weapons, concerned he was about to drive off, Lopinto said. Of the two deputies who evenutally fired, one stood at the front of Vallee's SUV, the other stood to the side.

Vallee dropped his hands and hit the vehicle's horn.

"That horn, whether it scared my deputy, or whether my deputy reacts to the shot of horn, he ends up firing his weapon," Lopinto said.

Vallee was hit by multiple bullets. He died at the scene.

Sheriff's Office investigators arrested Louis and Hughes after reviewing video and interviewing witnesses. The body camera video didn't contradict the deputies, Lopinto said; it actually backed their statements of what happened but left in question their perception of the events.

"There was force that was certainly justified at this moment, but it wasn't deadly force," Lopinto said.

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Patrol officers

Both Louis and Hughes were fired from the Sheriff's Office after their arrests.

Louis had been with the agency since 2020, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, a Sheriff's Office spokesperson. Before that, he was a patrol officer with the Gretna Police Department. Louis joined Gretna as an emergency medical technician in 2012 and began attending the department's nighttime police academy, Deputy Police Chief Jason DiMarco said. He graduated from the academy in 2013 and joined the department's patrol division in July 2014, DiMarco said.

Reached by telephone Tuesday, Louis' relatives said they are withholding comment until they can hire an attorney.

Hughes had been with the Sheriff's Office since 2013, Rivarde said. He worked as a corrections officer at the jail until he joined the patrol division as a deputy two years ago, Rivarde said. Hughes' family could not be reached for comment.

Though the two deputies are booked with manslaughter, the district attorney's office still must review the case and make a formal charging decision.

Options for DA's office

Prosecutors could file a bill of information charging Hughes and Louis with manslaughter, which carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, or negligent homicide, which carries no more than 5 years in prison. They also could take the case to a grand jury if they decide the evidence merits the more serious charge of second-degree murder, which must be punished by a life sentence. Or they decide not to prosecute the deputies.

While Vallee's family questioned whether the deputies should face a second-degree murder charge, Charles said she thought the deputies had been appropriately charged with manslaughter.

"Second-degree murder rarely stands up in police officer-involved shootings because you have to have the specific intent to kill," Charles said. The assumption is that officers "didn't go there specifically with the intent to kill this man."

Manslaughter occurs under two circumstances, said LSU law professor Ken Levy: In the heat of passion, or recklessly without intent to kill.

Negligent homicide, Levy said, is the inadvertent or unconscious disregard that leads to the death of another.

Hope for justice

Unlike the New Orleans Police Department's set guidelines and timelines for the release of body camera videos, the Sheriff's Office has no such policy. It does not plan to release the shooting video at this time, Lopinto said Monday.

"It will be once the criminal investigation is over," he said.

Charles called that typical of the Sheriff's Office "arbitrarily making decisions with what the public should know."

Still, she said she is elated that body-worn cameras are in use, and they've at least provided some answers for Vallee's relatives.

"This is what the community asked for. They're being used as a tool for transparency and accountability in the police department," Charles said. "We hope that they will mean swift justice going forward in all cases."

Phillips said she's seen the chatter on social media, the complaints that Hughes and Louis were arrested only because they are Black. She said she doesn't think her nephew's killing was racially motivated, but she wants justice for him.

That should be a straight-forward matter, Levy said.

"If the body cameras show they were not justified in using lethal force, they should be prosecuted," he said. "They killed somebody."
School bus drivers didn't get everything they wanted from the St. Tammany Parish School Board Monday night  the board didn't agree to support a bill before the state Legislature to increase operational pay for drivers.

That amount has been stagnant at an average of 87 cents per mile since 1986, and Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, has introduced a bill that would set a minimum of about $1.47 per mile.

But the drivers did leave the special meeting with a big win. The School Board agreed to pay them an additional $4,100 between now and the end of May  and more for drivers who have been covering routes when regular drivers are sick or absent.

Brant Osborn, president of the Federation of Teachers and School Employees, said that the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive -- not only because of the additional money but because drivers saw an effort by the board and union to come together to address the problem.

That's in marked contrast to recent tensions over pay that culminated in a sickout by 62 drivers earlier this month.

School Board members, who met in executive session for about an hour, emerged with an $2.16 million proposal that Osborn said will not make every driver whole but will help.

The offer was close enough to the $2.23 million proposal that the union had made, he said, and after a brief meeting with union officials and group of drivers, the offer was accepted.

What that will mean for the nearly 400 bus drivers is:

An additional $400 a month for four months

A $2,500 emergency stipend for drivers

Pay of $20 for driving an extra morning route and $20 for an extra afternoon route not to exceed $40 per day. That pay will be retroactive to Aug. 6, 2021.

That's more than four times as much as the $1,000 that the school system had initially proposed. Drivers had said that offer  $200 a month for five months  was insulting, and the union rejected it.

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Osborn said rumors of work stoppages had surfaced as early as August, and the union, which has a no-strike clause, had been trying to prevent that from happening. He feared that another sickout would create a public backlash.

But several parents spoke in support of the drivers Monday.

Erica Sylvester, a mother of three, said she was happy to see something worked out for drivers. "I still remember my bus drivers. They hugged us, they loved us and they made sure we got home safely every days. They are very important. They hold my most precious items, my children."

Board member Elizabeth Heintz pointed out that bus drivers have received salary increases and stipends over the years as well as a $3,700 stipend for COVID in the 2020-2021 school year and $1,000 for the current year.

Bus drivers get a starting salary of $25,850 a year for 177 work days.

Heintz said it is the state's operational pay formula that has not gone up since the 1980s and said drivers have received an additional $1,200 a year in parish money since 2010 and also receive a fuel allotment that is adjusted monthly.

But driver Barbara Sharp said that the $1,200 payment was supposed to have been a stopgap measure with a solution to come in collective bargaining.

"We look forward to this year's negotiations. For the first time we'll have a real negotiation, and the employees are really looking forward to it," she said.

The union will meet with school district administration Wednesday to discuss the agreement.
Synthetic rubber manufacturer Firestone Polymers of Sulphur will pay a $3.35 million fine to settle allegations that it emitted illegally excessive amounts of toxic chemicals, federal and state officials said Tuesday.

Acting on behalf of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality, the federal Department of Justice filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against Firestone in September, accusing it of emitting large amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and other hazardous chemicals, officials said. Those emissions ran afoul of the federal Clean Air Act and other anti-pollution laws.

The DOJ also filed a federal consent decree in September detailing remedies Firestone must make; that settlement was reached after several years of negotiations between Firestone and the government.

Under that decree, Firestone, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Inc., will pay the EPA $2.1 million and pay DEQ $1.25 million. The company also will pay DEQ $654,125 to upgrade ambient air monitoring systems in southwest Louisiana as a Beneficial Environmental Project," an alternative penalty recently embraced by the Biden administration.

The decree also requires Firestone to meet federal and state emissions limits, comply with operating and maintenance requirements, and limit the amount of hazardous air pollutants released from facility dryers, heat exchangers, and flares, changes that will likely cost millions.

The company has already complied with other requirements, including installing a new system to handle waste gases at the plant, EPA officials said.

This settlement requires Firestone to take concrete steps to reduce emissions of air pollutants from its manufacturing facility in Sulfur, Louisiana, said Larry Starfield, Acting Assistant Administrator of EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. This will result in cleaner air for communities in Southwest Louisiana, particularly for communities that have suffered a historically disproportionate burden from pollution.

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We plan to use this penalty and the beneficial environmental project funds from this consent decree to further enhance the environment in Louisiana, DEQ Secretary Chuck Carr Brown added.

DEQ will use its portion of the money to either relocate or upgrade the departments existing Westlake ambient air monitoring site, upgrade and replace equipment at multiple monitoring sits in southwest Louisiana, or purchase field monitoring equipment for the departments southwest regional office.

"Before the settlement, Firestone Polymers took proactive corrective actions and measures to address emissions issues at the facility, which included installing a new regenerative thermal oxidizer to reduce emissions," said a statement from Bridgestone officials. "This piece of equipment successfully started operation in March 2019. Since 2017, through the implementation of emission reduction projects, Firestone Polymers has reduced facility-wide volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by approximately 98% and hazardous air pollutants by approximately 97%."

Many of Firestone's problems date back almost 10 years, according to an April 2016 probe conducted by EPAs National Enforcement Investigations Center.

The inspectors found the company had not reported releases of 1,3-butadiene or n-hexane from cooling towers to Louisiana emergency officials as required by law at least a dozen times in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The unreported emissions totaled as much as 287 tons of the two chemicals.

Hexane, a solvent, can affect the central nervous system, with chronic exposure linked to numbness of extremities, muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache and fatigue.

Acute, short-term, exposure to 1-3 butadiene, a gas, can irritate eyes, nasal passages and lungs, and epidemiological studies of workers in rubber plants have shown an association between exposure to the gas and leukemia, according to the EPA.
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.
Tioga County -- The Pennsylvania Sled Dog Club has officially cancelled the Canyon Sled Dog Challenge due to this weeks weather forecast, but there's still a chance to experience the sled dog sport.

Mary Beth Logue, Challenge organizer, is inviting the public to meet some of her sled dogs, see sled dog teams in action depending on trail conditions, and to learn more about other dog sports, such as skijoring and canicross this Saturday, Feb. 26 in the Wellsboro area.

This special free event will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Darling Run Access to the Pine Creek Rail Trail. To get there, take U.S. Route 6 from Wellsboro or Galeton to Shippen Township, turn onto Route 362, drive about 1.5 miles, turn right, enter the access area slowly and park.

Whether we can do a demonstration by running our dogs on the Pine Creek Rail Trail this Saturday is dependent on trail conditions, Logue said.

This mid-distance sled dog racer who lives in Trout Run, Pa. will have seven of her Alaskan huskies with her at Darling Run as well as racing equipment and supplies. "I am also inviting other mushers to bring their dogs, she said. We may run on the trail if conditions are safe.

At the Darling Run Access parking lot, Logue will give short presentations about mushing. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet her and her dogs and also to dress like a musher and stand behind a sled so a friend or relative can take their photo.

"My sled dogs are friendly so people can walk up to them," Logue said. "I am bringing Hornet, Inish, Limerick, Ruby, Cyclone, Typhoon and Triumph."

At 11 a.m. this Saturday, Logue will also have her huskies, sled and equipment on display at the Burnin Barrel at the Ansonia Valley Inn in Shippen Township (Address: 5440 Route 6, Wellsboro, PA 16901). This will give people a second opportunity to meet this musher and her dogs as well as dress like a musher and stand behind Logue's sled to have their photos taken for free.

The Challenge is a mid-distance run on the Pine Creek Rail Trail that covers a total of 18 miles from Ansonia to Tiadaghton and back to Ansonia. Its purpose is to test the abilities of skijorers - cross-country skiers harnessed to one or two dogs - and teams of six to eight pro and registered breed sled dogs and their mushers.

The Challenge has been scheduled in 2018, 2019, 2020 and this year but due to a lack of snow or the threat of ice on the trail has not yet been held. In 2021, it was not scheduled due to COVID-19.

If there is ice on a trail, it is not safe to run teams of six or eight dogs on it because there is no way to slow them down or to safely stop them, said Logue.

As of Monday, the weather forecast calls for an 87 percent chance of ice on Friday, she said. Thats why we called off the challenge. If there is some snow we might be able to hold demonstrations with our dogs on the trail at Darling Run this Saturday.

The number of mid-distance races--30 to 150 miles--Logue enters in any given year is dependent upon if there is enough snow to hold the events. Some years I have gone to one race and other years, none," she said.

The organizers of the Canyon Sled Dog Challenge are the Pennsylvania Sled Dog Club, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry and the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about the Feb. 26 event, visit the club's Facebook page, call the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce at 570-724-1926, or email info@wellsboropa.com.

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SYDNEY, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) announced on Wednesday that it would no longer accept applications for offshore mining and exploration, instituting a ban on the practice in the state.

The ruling seeks to protect beaches along the coast of NSW as well as marine and coastal ecosystems.

"NSW has some of the world's most spectacular coastlines which support local industries and make them a great place to live and visit, and we want that to continue for future generations," said Paul Toole, deputy premier of NSW and the minister responsible for natural resources.

It would also mean that the controversial Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP 11) proposal is now dead in the water.

The project, which would drill for gas off the coast of Sydney's most famous beaches, has long been a point of contention for local residents, advocacy groups and local governments.

"After four years of hard work, here's our fantastic result," read an announcement from Australian coastal conservation group Save Our Coast.

"This flawed plan (PEP 11) risks devastating our coastal ecosystem, the whale migration route and the rich biodiversity off the coast, our climate, our livelihoods and our way of life," said the group in a petition that garnered some 80,000 signatures in the lead up to the eventual ban.

The NSW government said that while going forward all commercial projects would be banned from operation, sand mining for the purposes of beach restoration would still be able to go ahead.

Toole said they would also be looking towards onshore coal and gas mining exploration to compensate for the lost access to resources and job creation.

"We've unveiled a strategy to grow the local critical minerals and advanced manufacturing sectors... This is another way we are shaping a stronger and more sustainable sector," he said. 
Jersey Shore, Pa. -- Collaboration by leaders of Lycoming County and the Borough of Jersey Shore has made a good impression on the Executive Director of USDA-Rural Development for Pa., Bob Morgan. That was one element he said stood out during a roundtable discussion between borough and county leaders held in the Jersey Shore last week.

Morgan traveled from Harrisburg to meet with Lycoming County Commissioners and leaders of Jersey Shore government and public safety to discuss various funding opportunities for the construction of a Regional Public Safety building to consolidate and regionalize police, EMS, fire, and other government offices.

The lead partners are humbly requesting that the Lycoming County Commissioners allocate $5.3 million to this important project, with the first $1.2 million to be used immediately, according to a memo by Penn Strategies, consultant to the Jersey Shore Borough.

The projects total cost is expected to reach $10.5 million, and is already partly funded via a $1 million RACP grant.

Talks of consolidating into one regional facility have been underway for some time, and as steps are taken to make the project real for residents in Jersey Shore and the surrounding communities, now its time to secure additional funding, according to the roundtable participants.

The developing partnership between municipal government, police, fire, and EMS in Lycoming County is trailblazing and will benefit residents in the western region of Lycoming County in numerous ways, according to Penn Strategies, including taxpayer savings, improved efficiency in municipal services, and standing as a model for regionalization in other communities.

According to Bruce Boncal, board member of the Citizen's Hose, the fire company was making plans to construct a new facility when borough Manager Cody Hoover and Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department (TVRPD) chief Nathan DeRemer proposed the concept of a regional complex to house all public safety services, rather than constructing three or four separate buildings.

The idea, according to borough officials, is to house municipal administration, public works, the office of Magisterial District Court 29-3-01, police, fire, and EMS services. All agreed that a single complex would make better financial and logistical sense.

According to Penn Strategies, the complex would be jointly owned and maintained by the Borough of Jersey Shore and Citizens Hose to be leased by TVRDP and the County and would be governed by a board which would include representation from each involved entity, including Lycoming County.

The need

TVRPD serves nearly 8,500 residents in 180 square miles of city and rural landscape in the municipalities of Jersey Shore Borough, Porter Twp., Cummings Twp., Nippenose Twp., McHenry Twp., and Piatt Twp. According to the chief, officers have responded to nearly 3,500 calls already this year.

The department has simply outgrown its physical location at 129 South Pennsylvania Ave, Jersey Shore, DeRemer said.

The building, built in 1974, sits in the flood zone and has had to be evacuated in past flooding events. It was designed to house a force of six to seven officers, yet the number of staff has increased since regionalization of police departments.

Since I took over as chief in 2016, weve added Piatt Township as a contracted service, Cummings Township, and McHenry Township which are up north in the Pine Creek Valley. We have also since added two full time officer positions and two part time officers. So were cramming a lot into a small building, DeRemer said.

The interior is dark, crowded with files, equipment, and other gear, inadequate for holding suspects, and unsafe. There are unsightly stains in the ceiling from water leaks.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, plans were underway to construct a new facility, with a $1 million Pa. Department of Community and Economic Development grant in place.

On the fire/EMS side of the equation, first responders serve approximately 20 municipalities in both western and eastern regions of Lycoming County as well as Clinton County, serving a roughly 525 square mile service area and a population of about 20,000, according to Casey Lowmiller, director of Jersey Shore Area EMS.

The fire department averages about 40 or 50 calls a year, and EMS calls came in near 2,900, Lowmiller said.

Their building was constructed in 1956, with additions in the mid-70s and again in the 90s.

Their own plans to construct a new facility were in progress, with the planned sale of the Robert H. Wheelend Community Center. According to Boncal, the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce approached Citizens Hose to discuss selling the center to West Pharmaceutical, who was considering expanding their operations to a different state. They agreed upon a price, and West Pharmaceutical remained in Lycoming County.

In return, the commissioners agreed to help the fire company expand in another direction.

Collaboration continues

With full support of the Jersey Shore borough, the police department and fire company, all parties involved have contributed to costs of engineering, consulting, and architectural planning of a new facility on the 1200 of Locust Street, Jersey Shore, to the tune of $300,000, according to Penn Strategies.

Land has been acquired, and the project is shovel ready, awaiting the release of further funds via loans and grants.

The building is expected to be two stories, with approximately 33,644 total square feet available for use.

USDA Rural Development has made $106 million in investments in the county in the last 15 years, Morgan said.

As the Executive Director of USDA-RD for Pennsylvania, Morgan represents 3.5 million people in the state, but said his visit to the north central region is encouraging. When he considers proposals for funding, he said, I look at the element of can you afford this. Is there an ability to repay? Regional public safety is not only an attractive proposition, but essential to rural communities, he said.

You dont get this cooperation in a lot of communities, he said. "You dont get the commissioners sitting down with the borough council, and Im thoroughly impressed by that. This is the kind of project that will make rural America better.

Additional funding

According to Penn Strategies, other funding sources for this project include the Pa. Dept. of Community and Economic Development, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Facilities Direct loan/grant, U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Agency (USEDA) Public Works Grant Program, and appropriations from the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Steadily declining public school enrollment took a sharp dip over the past two years, propelled in part by the uncertainty during the pandemic as well as masking policies and conflicts over education content.

In Lycoming County, public school enrollment has declined by roughly 1,000 students over the past five years, with some districts seeing their largest decreases over the past two years. The only exception is Montgomery Area School District, which has recorded an enrollment increase each year since 2017.

High school senior Lily Wimer contemplated leaving Loyalsock Township School District for years, but it was the March 2020 pandemic upheaval that pushed her to make the transition to cyber school.

Previously a cheerleader and active in social groups at the school, Wimer and her mother, Marianne Beane agree that she has been more independent and confident during the past year and a half.

My school (Reach Cyber Charter School) puts in effort into giving me a lot more resources, Wimer said, stuff I would never have access to otherwise.

Wimer is not alone in her move out of the standard schooling system. Pennsylvanias 14 cyber schools saw record enrollment after 2020, increasing from 38,000 students across the state to over 60,000 students.

Moving away from standard schooling

Brian Hayden, CEO of PA Cyber Charter School, said the 20-year-old cyber academy saw a sharp enrollment increase after the pandemic began. The school has an enrollment cap of 11,677 and is roughly 100 students below max capacity, Hayden said.

Reasons for the switch varied among families, according to Hayden, who added that the school does intake surveys with each family when they enroll. For many, it ranged from a desire for stable learning schedules during a time of classroom uncertainty to frustration over masking requirements.

We got people on both sides, Hayden said. Parents who didnt want to mask  and those who did.

Declining numbers

In Lycoming County, an already downward enrollment trend was exacerbated over the past two years, specifically in the Jersey Shore, Montoursville and Muncy districts.

According to Jersey Shore Superintendent Brian Ulmer, the most recent exodus was due to COVID and how districts handled it.

Much of this was due to COVID. Either parents were not OK with children being required to wear masks or parents wanted to reduce their childrens exposure, Ulmer said.

The district created its own cyber educational platform in an attempt to bring students back to the district. (We)added staff to it to recruit, monitor and engage with families in our program, he said.

In Muncy, declining enrollment is due to fewer students coming into kindergarten and is attributed to below average birth rates, according to Superintendent Andrew Seese.

Seese added that the district is continuing to advertise the schools education and extracurricular options to help bring in more students.

Requests for comment from other county school districts were not returned.

Alternative options

For Wimer, the reason was complex. On one hand, she was pushed into virtual learning when school buildings shut their doors in March of 2020 due to the rising COVID-19 pandemic. But soon she found that learning from home opened her up to new opportunities and resources she may not have had within the district.

I realized I have a lot more time and resources to look at, Wimer said. Classes that I wanted to take werent available because there were too many people at the public school.

But its not just students who are looking for alternative options...

Continue reading On the PULSE

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Limestone Twp., Pa. -- A 2011 Dodge Avenger crashed into a horse and buggy on State Rt. 44 west of Shed Road on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1:52 p.m., according to a news release from Pennsylvania State Police - Montoursville.

Allison Schweikart, 23, of Jersey Shore was traveling north on Rt. 44 when police said she failed to maintain visual of the roadway "due to becoming distracted by their dog in the backseat" of the vehicle.

Schweikart rear-ended the horse and buggy which was also traveling north.

The driver of the buggy, 42-year-old Elam Stotzfus and passenger, 41-year-od Mary Stolzfus, both of Jersey Shore, were taken to UPMC Williamsport with unknown injuries.

Police said eight minor children were passengers in the buggy, ranging in age from one to 15 years old. According to the police report, two of those minors were also transported to the hospital via Jersey Shore Area EMS. Their injuries were also unknown.

Schweikart was charged with careless driving.

NorthcentralPa.com posted a scanner report on Facebook Saturday alerting readers to the crash. Many people in the comments cited drivers on Rt. 44 going too fast, including a bus driver who reported motorists passing the bus on multiple occasions.

Police said the driver of the car was uninjured and not transported to any area hospital. The horse was reportedly also uninjured in the crash.

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ULAN BATOR, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia held a national conference starting on Wednesday to protect the freshwater Khuvsgul Lake.

The two-day national conference, co-organized by the Office of the President of Mongolia and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, aims to better protect the lake's ecosystem, clean up pollution and hazardous waste and develop sustainable tourism around the lake, according to the organizers.

"The number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the Khuvsgul Lake is increasing year by year," Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh said during the opening ceremony of the conference. "As a result, many tourist camps have sprung up around the lake, causing widespread pollution and litter."

Mongolians respectfully call the Khuvsgul Lake "Mother Ocean" or "Blue Pearl," Khurelsukh said, calling on his people to pay attention to keeping the lake clean and pure and preserving it for future generations.

Khuvsgul Lake is located in the northern province of Khuvsgul near the Russian border, and is the second largest freshwater lake in Asia, holding nearly 70 percent of Mongolia's fresh water and 0.4 percent of the world's total.

The lake is 1,645 meters above sea level, 136 km long and 262 meters deep. 
A bus fell into a steep ravine in a remote northwestern area of the Andes in Peru on Thursday, leaving at least 20 people dead and 33 injured.

Local authorities said the accident occurred when the bus went off the road in the province of Pataz, plunging some 100 meters (984 feet).

Video images of the scene of the accident show the wreckage of the bus on a hillside.

We are lending support to the local municipality of Pataz with healthcare resources and local police efforts, Pataz Mayor Omar Iparraguirre said.

Ambulances carried the wounded to hospital in the nearby town of Tayabamba.
WELLINGTON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand launched the Road to Zero public awareness campaign on Wednesday, which sets a target of zero road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, and a 40 percent reduction by 2030.

"There should be zero tolerance for people being killed or seriously injured on our roads," Transport Minister Michael Wood said in a statement.

"We're aiming for significant reductions in a relatively short space of time, and we're targeting all aspects of the transport system to get there," Wood said.

Road to Zero is not about any single initiative but about how to develop an overall safer system. The measures that are being introduced are internationally proven and have reduced deaths and serious injuries when systematically rolled out, he said.

Police Minister Poto Williams stressed a renewed focus on the vital role of police enforcement to deter impaired driving and other unsafe behavior.

The government will invest 2.9 billion New Zealand dollars (1.95 billion U.S. dollars) in Road to Zero activities over the next three years. 
Doctors across the state of Indiana next year likely will be required to offer parents of children between nine months and six years old an opportunity to test their child for lead.

The Indiana Senate voted 48-0 Tuesday to mandate doctors offer a blood lead screening test for any Hoosier child in the designated age range whose blood has not previously been tested for lead contamination.

House Enrolled Act 1313 last month was approved 91-0 by the House. It now goes to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law.

"Lead in blood is bad," said state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, the sponsor of the measure. "It causes serious problems  particularly in young people."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood exposure to lead through environmental sources, old paint chips or contaminated water can damage a child's brain and nervous system, leading to slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems and hearing and speech problems.

The legislation does not require Indiana parents submit their children for lead testing. In most cases, the cost of a child's blood lead screening will be covered by insurance or Medicaid.

Charbonneau said the goal is to get a more complete understanding of the amount of blood lead contamination among Hoosier children to guide future mitigation efforts and treatment options.

The legislation also was sponsored by state Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, among others.

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Beginning Wednesday, schools will no longer be required to conduct contact tracing or report positive cases to the Indiana Department of Health.

However, schools plans on whether they will individually maintain a COVID-19 dashboard vary across the Region.

Crown Point Community School Corp. took down its dashboard when the state made its decision last week to discontinue its reporting requirement.

The school corporations website includes a frequently asked questions page regarding COVID-19. One question listed is Where can I find the data about the number of cases at CPCSC schools?

The response states: As of Feb. 17, 2022, schools are no longer required to report cases or complete contact tracing. The Indiana Department of Health will no longer maintain a COVID dashboard for school data.

Micah Pollak, who has a daughter in kindergarten in Crown Point and who has been a frequent critic of the school administration's approach to COVID, said he considered it reasonable to eliminate the COVID-19 dashboard when there is no longer a requirement from the state, due to how much time it requires.

However, he said doing it immediately, even though the policy would only begin Wednesday, concerns him.

I wish the district administration had shown half as much motivation to protect the health of their students and teachers as they are at ending their COVID-19 policies, Pollak said.

CPCSC previously had a mask optional policy, where masks would be required in a specific school building if cases were over 2% of that buildings population. The district is now fully mask optional.

The school corporation's removal of the dashboard does not allow the public to see previous cases, from when they were required to be tracked. However, the Indiana Department of Health also lists individual schools on its dashboard.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 126,600 student cases in the state of Indiana. Last week IDOH reported 1,633 new student cases of COVID-19.

Schools saw a spike in cases at the beginning of January. The highest recorded day on IDOHs tracker statewide was 6,193 active cases Jan. 18.

The School Town of Munster has also taken down its COVID-19 dashboard. Its website stated masks would be optional beginning Feb. 18 and contact tracing and quarantining due to exposure would no longer be required.

Gary Community School Corp. will also remove its dashboard.

Hanover Community School Corp. indicated Monday it plans to maintain a COVID-19 dashboard, despite the new requirements. LaPorte Community School Corp. also plans to maintain a COVID-19 dashboard.

LaPorte said the it plans to continue to record and monitor positive COVID-19 cases, update its daily dashboard and maintain the data found on the COVID-19 page of the corporation website.

LaPorte went mask optional Tuesday amid the change in policy from IDOH. Leo Cavinder, a student at LaPorte High School, said some students are frustrated by the change due to the lack of consistency.

Portage Township Schools said they will continue a COVID-19 dashboard, but it will no longer include close contacts or those in quarantine.

Superintendent Larry Veracco of Lake Central School Corp. said Monday the district was still determining plans. He said regardless of the decision, the district would still track COVID-19 cases, even if they were not publicized. Lake Central went mask optional beginning last week.

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LAPORTE  A 21-year-old passenger in a Saturday night snowmobile crash in LaPorte has died, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Allysen Walls, of South Bend, died of injuries she suffered when the snowmobile she was on struck a stationary vehicle in a private driveway while crossing the 300 block of U.S. 6, the DNR said.

The 20-year-old Osceola man driving the snowmobile was treated for minor injuries at Northwest Health Hospital in LaPorte, while Walls was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital in critical condition with a serious head injury, according to the DNR.

The crash was reported to police around 9:45 p.m. Saturday.

Neither of the individuals on the snowmobile were wearing helmets or other safety gear, the DNR said.

"The accident is still under investigation and alcohol is considered a contributing factor," officials said.

Conservation officers encourage the use of helmets and other protective riding gear when operating off-road vehicles.

Information on off-road vehicle laws and safe operating procedures, as well as the legality of operating off-road vehicles on public roadways, is available at offroad-ed.com/in/handbook and in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4431.htm.

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State lawmakers have agreed to reverse a key component of Indiana's criminal justice reform initiatives enacted nearly a decade ago.

House Enrolled Act 1004 permits judges to sentence level 6 felony offenders to state prisons operated by the Department of Correction (DOC), replacing an existing mandate that individuals found guilty of minor felony crimes only serve their sentences in county jails.

Under the plan, it will be up to each judge to decide where a defendant convicted of a level 6 felony in connection with a crime occurring on or after July 1 should serve his or her time  which can range from six months to two-and-a-half years behind bars.

"The DOC has more capacity. Many local jails are suffering from overcrowding and this (housing level 6 felons locally) is complicating the issue," said state Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, the sponsor of the measure.

Koch said the DOC also has more programs to help offenders get their lives back on the right track compared to the relatively slimmer rehabilitation services available at the jails in most of Indiana's 92 counties.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA) declined to put a specific price tag on the added housing and transportation costs of going back to incarcerating level 6 felons in state prisons instead of county jails.

Records show DOC commitments fell by approximately 40% to an average of 8,840 a year, from an average of 14,760 a year, after the switch to housing level 6 felons in county jails took effect in mid-2015, as part of an effort to keep minor criminals better connected to their families and communities in the hope of reducing recidivism.

According to LSA, the minimum cost for each additional DOC inmate at an existing facility is $4,333 annually, not including any extra staff that may be required.

The Senate voted 46-3 Tuesday to send the legislation to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to be signed into law. It previously passed the House, 90-3.

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CROWN POINT  A judge refused to reduce a man's bail Tuesday in a murder case but allowed any bond he posts to also secure his release from jail in an unrelated firearms case.

Devonte T. Phillips, 20, is the only defendant who remains charged in connection with a shooting July 5, 2020, in Gary that killed 16-year-old Christopher Watson and wounded a 56-year-old man. Shots also were fired at a woman, but she was not wounded.

A witness initially identified Phillips and two other men as the shooters, but Lake County prosecutors dismissed charges against Phillips' two co-defendants last year after further investigation.

Phillips is accused of targeting the family of Christopher Watson's brother Xavier Watson, who was charged with fatally shooting Phillips' brother, Phillip Phillips, 21, and Trevion Hudnell, 19, on May 18, 2020, in Gary. Prosecutors dismissed charges against Xavier Watson and a co-defendant about a week after they were filed due to insufficient evidence.

Phillips has pleaded not guilty to murder and two counts of attempted murder.

He's also pleaded not guilty in a separate case to felony theft of a firearm and misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license.

Lake Criminal Court Magistrate Kathleen Sullivan in November granted Phillips' petition to let bail in his murder case. She set his bail at $125,000 surety or $12,500 cash.

Phillips also had a bail of $20,000 surety or $2,000 cash set in his firearms case, which means he would have had to post a total $14,500 cash bond to be released from the Lake County Jail.

Defense attorney Kenneth Elwood said the state's case against Phillips is weak and Phillips had no prior criminal history before his two cases were filed.

Phillips' family has been unable to raise that much bond money, Elwood said.

"My client  he is innocent and looks forward to proving it at trial," he said. "He is not a flight risk."

Elwood asked Judge Gina Jones to consider setting Phillips' bail between $10,000 and $75,000.

Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Patrick Grindlay said the standard bail, when granted in a murder case, is $500,000 surety or $50,000 cash.

Grindlay objected to any further reduction, arguing Phillips already received a substantial deviation from the bail guidelines set by Lake Criminal Court judges.

The deputy prosecutor also said there have been no substantial changes since Phillips' bond was set to warrant any reduction.

Elwood said Sullivan's order did not appear to show she took Phillips' bail in the firearms case into account when setting his bail in the murder case.

Jones denied Phillips' request to reduce bond in the murder case. However, the judge said she would allow Phillips to be released in both cases if he were to post a $12,500 cash bond.

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CROWN POINT  A Chicago man posted a $3,000 cash bond Tuesday on charges he was involved in the fatal shooting of a man riding a bicycle May 25 in North Hammond.

Javier Mendez, 41, was arrested last month in Chicago and extradited last week to Lake County, Lake Criminal Court records show.

Mendez has not yet entered a plea to assisting a criminal, a level 5 felony. If convicted, he could face a sentence of one to six years in jail or prison.

David C. Velazquez, 21, of Hammond, and Terrell Bradley, 23, of Calumet City, previously were arrested in Wilson's homicide, police said.

According to court records, Mendez owned the aqua-colored minivan used in the homicide of Asael Wilson, 26, of East Chicago, and was seen riding in the front passenger seat at the time of the shooting.

Wilson was riding his bicycle north on Indianapolis Boulevard about 7:45 p.m. May 25 when the minivan turned south from State Line Road and accelerated toward him. As the van rounded the corner, its passenger sliding door opened and a backseat passenger pointed a gun out and fired at Wilson at point-blank range, according to court records.

Police identified the backseat passenger as Velazquez using facial recognition technology and surveillance video, court records state.

A Chicago police officer identified Bradley as the van's driver after Hammond police circulated surveillance images of him, documents state.

All three co-defendants are alleged to be members of the Spanish Vice Lords street gang, court records state.

Wilson's family told police he had a mental disability, according to court records.

Velazquez has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. His attorney, John Cantrell, previously said, "Police have the wrong guy." The court recently denied Velazquez's petition to let bail.

Bradley remained in custody at the Cook County Jail awaiting extradition to Lake County. His attorney, Michael A. Campbell, has said his client is innocent of the charge.

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by Hayati Nupus

JAKARTA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lala Yusuf, 29, lives in Semarang on the Indonesian island of Java. She fell sick at the beginning of February and has been self-isolating in her boarding house since. A swab test confirmed that she was infected with COVID-19.

The PCR test results were recorded in PeduliLindungi, the official test-and-trace app, and Yusuf was given access to the Ministry of Health telemedicine. In less than 24 hours, a courier came to deliver a package of medicines consisting of antivirals, multivitamins and paracetamol that had been prescribed by a doctor.

"The process is quick and easy. The medicine is worth 1 million rupiahs (about 75 U.S. dollars), but was completely free," said Yusuf.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, university lecturer Tya Azhari, 42, is also self-isolated and consulted a doctor via the app. As she sees it, the telemedicine service is a breakthrough in public health. "The quality of the service is bound to improve in time," Azhari said.

The Indonesian government wants everyone infected with COVID-19 to receive free medical services through 17 telemedicine providers, especially those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, preventing facilities from being overwhelmed. Those with severe symptoms are still advised to go to the nearest medical center. More than 40 percent of patients now use telemedicine. Most tested positive but without symptoms.

Amid the third wave of COVID-19 in Indonesia, bed occupancy has remained below 40 percent of total capacity, while the daily infection rate peaked at 65,000 on Feb. 16 due to the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant. 
VALPARAISO  A 22-year-old Michigan City man has pleaded guilty to falsely claiming a Valparaiso police officer turned off his body camera during a traffic stop and threatened his life at gunpoint.

Caleb Hernandez pleaded guilty before Porter Superior Court Judge Christopher Buckley to two of five misdemeanor counts of false informing in return for prosecutors dropping the remaining charges and agreeing to a sentence of 360 days of formal probation, court records show.

The judgment in the case, which came Tuesday, further calls on Hernandez to complete 20 days of community service and write letters of apology to the Valparaiso Police Department and the officer involved, according to the plea agreement.

Valparaiso police said they became aware of the accusations in October 2020. Police were not contacted directly, but rather learned from social media that Hernandez claimed the officer turned off his camera, pulled out his gun and pointed it at him in a threatening manner during a traffic stop.

"Immediately upon doing so, we initiated an investigation, as we believe all complaints should be taken seriously," Valparaiso Police Chief Jeffrey Balon said in a prepared statement. "That same day, investigators located Mr. Hernandez and obtained his statement."

Investigators then reviewed the body cam footage and it had no interruptions during the traffic stop in question, he said. The officer also was interviewed and surveillance footage from a nearby business further disputed the claim.

"Mr. Hernandez was afforded every opportunity, on multiple occasions and dates, to tell the truth of his interaction with (the officer), but remained untruthful," Balon said.

"(The accused officer) continues to be a hardworking, dedicated and professional member of VPD," Balon said. "As a direct result of Mr. Hernandez's libelous claims, (the officer) and his family received threats of an abominable nature; all of which were received from sources outside Valparaiso and Porter County."

Police said a 26-year-old Florida man has been charged in that state with making such threats.

"It is my hope that those who came to judgment against (the officer) before all of the facts were known, will consider this a teachable moment and learn not to believe everything initially posted on social media," Balon said. "This is a prime example of allowing the investigative process to take its course in pursuit of the truth."

"It is important to realize that Valparaiso police officers take an oath to protect the Constitution and the constitutional rights of citizens," he said. "They value their word and their integrity, which should be trusted with or without body camera validation."

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PORTAGE  High waves and floating ice chunks forced officials Tuesday morning to cut short a boat search for the body of an Indianapolis man who fell through shelf ice into Lake Michigan a day earlier.

Bryce Dunfee, 22, was at the Indiana Dunes National Park site about 5:30 p.m. Monday with four friends when he fell into the frigid lake waters after venturing onto the shelf ice, said Indiana Department of Natural Resources Public Information Officer Nicole Baumann.

Firefighters, dive teams and others searched for Dunfee for about two hours Monday night until it got too dark and conditions became too treacherous in the near-freezing lake.

The search resumed Tuesday morning, but deteriorating weather conditions and melting shelf ice limited those efforts.

DNR Conservation Officer Alex Neel said the DNR boat had to head back after an hour on the water, leaving himself and others to continue scouring the area on foot in the foggy, wet and cold conditions.

"The conditions are constantly changing, and we're just trying to keep up with that," he said from the beach early Tuesday afternoon.

The search is complicated further in that the frigid water temperature, which is in the freezing range, is known to keep a body submerged, Neel said.

"It's such a big area," he said, describing efforts by those on foot to scour the beach and take to the higher dunes to search the water visually using binoculars.

The rough water conditions limited searching from a boat to surface level only and prevented the use of a helicopter or drone, Neel said.

Despite predictions of frigid temperatures moving back into the area over the next several days, the search will continue for the foreseeable future, Neel said. The colder temperatures could result in the shelf ice rebuilding along the shoreline.

Dunfee and his friends were visiting the beach and began walking on shelf ice, Baumann said.

"The shelf ice is elevated. They had to climb up a little hill onto the snow," she said. "A little piece of the shelf ice broke off, and he tripped and fell into the lake."

The friends are believed to be in their 20s. The others were local, hailing from Portage and Lake Station.

The four other people who walked out onto the shelf ice tried to rescue their friend, but the lake pulled him in.

"The lake conditions are such that there are 3- to 5-foot waves and big chunks of ice," Baumann said Monday. "The waves are just pounding that shelf ice. They had a hold of him and were able to bring him up, but the conditions were too treacherous."

They called 911 and were able to return to shore safely, she said.

A massive search party gathered Monday to try to rescue the man. Indiana Dunes National Park Rangers, Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and firefighters from Portage, Porter and Ogden Dunes combed the lakefront.

A Lake County Sheriff's Department helicopter shined a spotlight across the shore, and rescuers raked the inky black water with their flashlights. They saw no sign of the man and had to call off the search at about 7:30 p.m.

It's unlikely the man could have survived in the near-freezing water with such strong waves and huge chunks of ice, Baumann said. Hypothermia would set in within minutes.

People should avoid walking on shelf ice, especially when the temperature increases, she said.

"There are melting pockets right now," she said. "It's super unstable. It's like a honeycomb. There are currents of water running underneath and waves crashing up and over. Do not climb on the shelf ice. It's not safe. You are on the lake. The water is rushing in underneath. You don't know the stability or the thickness."

While there have been many drownings on Lake Michigan, Baumann said she can't recall any involving people venturing out onto shelf ice since she was first assigned to Northwest Indiana in 2006.

"We've had people missing where they weren't found for months," she said. "All that ice and snow makes an unstable platform for rescuers, but we want to bring him back for his loved ones."

Dave Benjamin with The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project said shoreline ice formations were a public health issue. He said warning signs at the park, beach and parking lot should caution people about the dangers of shelf ice.

"Drowning continues to be a neglected public health issue," he said.

Times Staff Writer Sarah Reese contributed to this story.

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Bob Kasarda Porter/LaPorte County Courts and Social Justice Reporter Bob is a 23-year veteran of The Times. He covers county government and courts in Porter County, federal courts, police news and regional issues. He also created the Vegan in the Region blog, is an Indiana University grad and lifelong region resident. Follow Bob Kasarda Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
In a first of its kind decision, the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously ruled Tuesday that probation officers are state employees entitled to legal representation by the Indiana attorney general when sued in connection with their official duties.

The ruling gets Lake County off the hook for defending and paying any judgment against a former probation officer accused in a pending federal civil lawsuit of negligence, wanton and willful misconduct and violating the constitutional rights of a Lake County probationer under his supervision.

According to court records, Lake County repeatedly asked the attorney general to defend the suit involving the probation officer "multiple" times, only to be told each time the attorney general considered probation officers to be county employees.

That spurred the county to sue the state to obtain a definitive ruling on the status of probation officers.

After losing in both the trial and appellate courts, Lake County ultimately prevailed at the state's highest court.

Matt Fech, an attorney for the Lake County Board of Commissioners, declared the result "a huge victory for Lake County."

"The Supreme Court found that other than paying and providing benefits and holidays to probation officers, the county has no other role regarding the duties of a probation officer," Fech said.

Indeed, Chief Justice Loretta Rush noted in her opinion on behalf of the Supreme Court that the workload of probation officers, as well as the standards for hiring, training and supervising probation officers, all are set and controlled by the judiciary  a state entity.

She said a plain reading of Indiana law clearly indicates probation officers are state employees, including for purposes of the statute requiring the attorney general to defend state employees in connection with their official duties.

Rush noted probation officers are unique due to their inextricable link to the judiciary. She said other trial court employees hired and regulated by counties are not entitled to the same "state employee" designation, or representation by the attorney general in job-related lawsuits.

At the same time, Rush said the attorney general remains entitled to decline to represent a probation officer if the attorney general concludes the officer's alleged misconduct occurred outside the scope of his or her official duties.

"That determination is not ours to make," she said.

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A plan to bring full-service restaurants to downtown Lowell by creating additional alcohol sale permits solely for the historic area will not become law this year.

State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, said he recently learned Senate Bill 305 is not needed to accomplish the town's goal, and the legislation was pulled Tuesday from further consideration by the House Public Policy Committee.

Niemeyer said he was informed by the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC) that Lowell currently is not using its full complement of one-way (beer) and two-way (beer and wine) alcohol permits.

He said existing state law allows for those permits to be converted into three-way (beer, wine and liquor) permits, which then can be deployed to attract one or more downtown Lowell restaurant operators.

That also will prevent the Indiana Code from getting further clogged up with one-off measures expanding the number of alcohol sale permits in growing areas of the state, Niemeyer said.

The original legislation, which was approved 41-8 by the Senate on Feb. 1, would have authorized the ATC to issue up to 10 additional permits for restaurants to sell beer, wine and liquor in a downtown area generally bounded by Main Street, Commercial Avenue and the north-south roads in between.

John Yelkich, Lowell Town Council vice president, last month told the Senate Public Policy Committee that putting additional restaurants, not bars, in downtown Lowell will keep more money in the local economy, boost downtown activity generally and improve local property values.

"Right now we're lacking a sit-down dinner restaurant and we're trying to engage that in our downtown," Yelkich said.

Town Manager Craig Hendrix said the town already is working with a developer to identify and prepare downtown buildings for reuse as restaurants in the hope of attracting additional retailers and more people to downtown Lowell.

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After being tested for almost 40 years, the soil surrounding the former USS Lead site in East Chicago still contains many unknowns  an issue a crew of local academics have decided to take on, one zip lock bag of dirt at a time.

"Right now a lot of local governments do not have enough resources to do the kind of work we are doing, said Ellen Wells, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at Purdue University. "We [researchers] have the resources so it is a no-brainer that we should get involved at this stage.

Armed with about five X-ray fluorescence analyzers, or XRF machines, a team of six researchers has been testing water, dust and soil throughout Northern Lake County. Called Northern Lake County Environmental Partnerships, the group was able to publish a paper on their findings last year and is going after more funding so they can hire community health workers and expand their reach.

Contaminated past

Since the late 1800s a host of industrial plants operated on a 322-acre patch of land in the Calumet section of the city. Bounded by East Chicago Avenue on the north, East 151st Street on the south, the Indiana Harbor Canal on the west and Parrish Avenue on the east; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been testing the area since 1985. The property was added to the EPA's National Priorities list of the worst contaminated sites in the country in 2009, however cleanup did not begin in earnest until 2016 when residents of the West Calumet low-income Housing Complex were evacuated.

While the EPA has been sampling and remediating properties within the superfund site boundaries, a group of local professors has been collecting samples throughout the area.

In 2016, residents, local officials and experts gathered together for public meetings to discuss the contamination. That is where Wells met Valparaiso University Chemistry Professor Julie Peller.

Peller grew up in the Region and has watched, as heavy industry changed the surrounding landscape. She wanted to put her expertise to work, directly helping residents impacted by pollution and contamination. After some discussion with Wells, whose research focuses on how environmental risk factors impact human health, the idea for interdisciplinary team took shape.

Real-world research

The crew consists of professors from Purdue University, Valparaiso University, the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University Northwest and even Hope College out of Michigan. The researchers held a series of "XRF Days" where residents brought in soil samples from 32 different sites throughout Northern Lake County. The team also collected samples from 14 sites within the superfund boundaries.

The final analysis included 228 samples. When remediating superfund sites, the EPA develops 'screening levels' to determine when further investigation is needed. Samples taken both inside and outside the superfund boarders contained amounts of arsenic, lead and manganese over the EPA screening levels. Though the levels were significantly higher closer to the former industrial site.

The findings showed that samples can vary greatly even within one property, a factor that should be considered during remediation, the report said.

The group hopes to conduct more research looking at the human health impact of coexisting contaminants.

"The EPA's regulatory levels are all based on the assumption that we are only exposed to contaminant at one time and that is not even remotely close to what the reality is, Wells said. "There is a limited combination of contaminants that have been looked at together ... this would be quite novel.

As educators, an important element of the research has been incorporating findings in the classroom. Students ran analyses on the samples and a few even helped collect data. Chris Iceman, associate professor of chemistry at Valparaiso University, said some of his students were actually from the areas being sampled.

"We train our students to be scientists in the lab a lot, but often fail at connecting what that means in the real world, Peller said. "When you apply lessons to real-world problems it ignites a lot of interest among students."

This fall, the team's research continued with water sampling events held in East Chicago, Hammond and Gary. Residents filled "milk jugs, their favorite aquarium tank and two-liter pop bottles" with tap water from their homes, explained Graham Peaslee, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. The team used a gravity filter to collect the sample, once the filter dried they could use an XRF to test it.

If contaminants are detected, the team connects residents with the Indiana Health Department so further tests can be conducted. The goal is to publish a comprehensive study showing the total extent of the contamination, to hopefully draw federal intervention.

"We are stepping in because we feel compelled to and there is sort of a vacuum there ... to really actually fix things, if they can be fixed, there needs to be a national infrastructure bill chunk of change," put towards remediation, Iceman said. But it is hard to get traction on something like that when there is not enough awareness of how it is impacting communities across the nation."

Lived experience

While water is not the primary source of lead contamination in Northern Lake County, Peaslee said the water testing days helped the researchers make "inroads" with local residents, allowing them to later test their soil and house dust. While the researchers have tools and expertise, local residents have experienced living through it. Peaslee explained that engaging with the community is essential as their daily observations, of blocks with a strong chemical smell or houses with ill residents, can guide where samples are taken.

"Initially, we encountered a lack of trust in us because we are outsiders," said Peller, adding that the distrust stemmed from past experiences where "academics would come in, write their paper and be done with (residents)."

To build community trust, the team partnered with a few local outreach organizations such as Sojourner Truth House in Gary and created a community advisory board. Comprised of about eight residents and environmentalists, the board meets quarterly and advises the group on how to further their reach.

One way the group hopes to connect with more residents is by hiring community health workers that live in the areas being tested. Because it only takes a few minutes to run a sample, community health workers could canvas neighborhoods and distribute questionnaires to help gauge the impact on human health.

The more we have residents involved, the better, Wells said. That is where they live every day, they have so much more information than we have because that is their lives and their daily circumstances

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In 2014, as Uganda was promulgating a law that made some homosexual behavior punishable by life in prison, a councilman from the Bronx traveled to the country and hailed its godly governance.

Gay marriage is not accepted in this country, the councilman, Fernando Cabrera, said approvingly, sitting among palm trees in a video posted to YouTube. Why? Because the Christians have assumed the place of decision-making for the nation. Abortions are illegal here, things that Christians really stand for.

The video was subsequently removed from YouTube, but not before a gay rights activist and blogger, Andres Duque, had downloaded it and reposted it online.

Now, eight years after his trip to Uganda, Mr. Cabreras embrace of a government that developed anti-gay laws at a time of anti-gay violence and even murder in the country is proving a political liability for Mayor Eric Adams, who recently named him to a position in his administration.
Dennison Young Jr., a discreet, unflappable lawyer whose life became intertwined with that of his polar opposite, the volatile former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, as Mr. Giulianis top aide and confidant for decades, died on Feb. 13 at a hospital in Manhattan. He was 78.

The cause was cancer, his son, Nicholas, said.

Mr. Young and Mr. Giuliani struck up a friendship in the early 1970s, when they were both prosecutors in the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York  Mr. Young in the civil division and Mr. Giuliani in the criminal division  and they plowed through life together.

Mr. Young served as Mr. Giulianis right-hand man through Mr. Giulianis two terms as mayor, starting with his election in 1993. And he was in on the ground floor when Mr. Giuliani formed Giuliani Partners, a highly lucrative security consulting business, in 2002.

The two men also shared several life-defining events: They went through divorces and dealt with prostate cancer around the same time, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. And on Sept. 11, 2001, they were having morning coffee together when the mayor received word that the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. Mr. Young remained by his side throughout the daylong chaos, including for a period when they were caught in a building in Lower Manhattan after a second plane had struck the second tower.
On the first morning rush hour since Mayor Eric Adams announced a sweeping plan on Friday to remove homeless people who shelter in the New York City subway, the transit system felt a little different.

Judith Williams, who has lived in and around the subway for years, said she had noticed fewer people sleeping sprawled out on trains in the last couple of days.

Maybe theyre getting the message, she said Tuesday at a station in Brooklyn.

At Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan, outreach workers in orange vests, carrying clipboards, fanned out in search of homeless people to help. Police officers approached two men, one sleeping at the foot of a staircase, another lying on the floor, and told them they had to move.

Manuel de Jesus Delgado and some of the other regulars who shelter inside the Jamaica-Van Wyck station in Queens took a look at the gaggle of police officers patrolling the platform and headed up an escalator.
FRONT PAGE

An article on Tuesday about President Bidens efforts to prevent armed conflict in Ukraine misstated the location where the Presidents Daily Brief is normally held. It is in the Oval Office, not the Situation Room.

NATIONAL

An article on Friday about the Trump administrations public charge immigration policy, relying on inaccurate information from the Department of Homeland Security, misstated the reason it was creating a regulation that could make it harder for future presidential administrations to restore the policy. The department started drafting the rule after a court vacated the Trump administration regulation, not because it was under a court order to create the rule.

An article on Friday about a plan by Mayor Eric Adams to suspend the expansion of New Yorks composting program misstated the number of community board districts in which composting is currently available. It is available in seven districts, not five.

A graphic with an article on Sunday about who is behind QAnon misstated the year that a tweet by Paul Furber was posted. The tweet included in the article was from 2019, not 2018.
A man removes snow from the rooftop of his house amid heavy snowfall at a village in Sursyar area of Budgam district near Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

A man walks amid heavy snowfall at a village in Sursyar area of Budgam district near Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

A man walks amid heavy snowfall at a village in Sursyar area of Budgam district near Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

A man walks amid heavy snowfall at a village in Sursyar area of Budgam district near Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

A man clears snow from his vehicle amid heavy snowfall at a village in Sursyar area of Budgam district near Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
MILAN  When Alice Etro was a little girl, she used to spend after-school hours with her father, Kean Etro, creative director of Etro mens wear, playing with fabric samples in the design studio of the fashion brand that her grandfather Gimmo started in 1968. Shed create garments from off-cuts for her dolls and play with the tubes from the rolls of cloth.

I loved it all, she said. She remembers the thrill of attending a runway show, and the walk-through alone with her parents. I wanted to be him, she added, of her designer father. Expectations were she would follow in his footsteps and join the family firm, just as he and his three siblings had followed their parents. As, indeed, has been the norm among many of Italys storied fashion dynasties.

Theres an expression in Italian  capitalismo familiare or family capitalism  that denotes the passing on of a private company from one generation to the next, said Matteo Persivale, special correspondent for the newspaper Corriere della Sera. For decades it has been the rule in fashion, where the stewardship of brands was passed down like a closely kept saffron risotto recipe or a chalet in Cortina.

Angela, Luca and Vittorio Missoni took over from their parents, Rosita and Ottavio, the founders of Missoni, for example. Silvia Fendi is a third generation Fendi, working in the company that her grandparents Adele and Edoardo founded in 1925, (and her daughter, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, is now artistic director of jewelry). James Ferragamo, a third-generation descendant of Salvatore Ferragamo, the founder of Ferragamo, is a brand, product and communications director at the family company. And one of the fourth generation of Zegnas, Edoardo Zegna, is in the running to take over the brand, created in 1910 by Ermenegildo Zegna.
PORTLAND, Ore.  A 43-year-old Portland man was charged with murder on Tuesday in a shooting during a weekend protest against police killings in which a woman was killed and five others including the suspect were wounded.

The man, Benjamin Smith, remained hospitalized in serious condition on Tuesday after the encounter in the Rose City Park neighborhood on Saturday, the Portland Police Bureau said.

Mr. Smith was charged with one count of murder in the second degree with a firearm, four counts of attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm, two counts of assault in the first degree with a firearm, and two counts of assault in the second degree with a firearm.

On Saturday night, Mr. Smith confronted a group protesting at Normandale Park, near his house, and asked several participants to leave, according to an arrest affidavit. When someone in the group told Mr. Smith that he should leave and go home, Mr. Smith told them that they should make him leave and he aggressively approached someone in the group, who pushed him back, according to the affidavit.
[Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of three officers over George Floyds death. Follow live updates.]

ST. PAUL, Minn.  In the prosecutions telling, three Minneapolis police officers did little more than callously watch as their colleague, Derek Chauvin, slowly killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes. In the eyes of defense lawyers, the officers had trusted Mr. Chauvin, the veteran officer on the scene, to do his duty and should be acquitted.

The dueling positions presented on Tuesday brought the arguments in the federal trial over Mr. Floyds death to a close, and jurors on Wednesday will begin deliberating whether any of the three officers  Tou Thao, 36; J. Alexander Kueng, 28; and Thomas Lane, 38  are guilty of violating Mr. Floyds civil rights.

Jurors have heard from doctors, police officers and other witnesses since the trial began nearly a month ago, and now they must decide whether any of the officers actions on May 25, 2020  for which they were quickly fired  rose to the level of a crime. Mr. Kueng and Mr. Lane, who were both on their first week on the job as full officers, helped to hold Mr. Floyd down, and Mr. Thao kept back a group of concerned bystanders. All three officers are charged with failing to provide medical aid to Mr. Floyd, while Mr. Kueng and Mr. Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Mr. Chauvin.
A reading at a storefront library in Providence, R.I., was interrupted on Monday night, when a group of people carrying a flag with a swastika banged on the windows of the building, shouted slurs and chanted white power.

The Red Ink Community Library, which describes itself as a nonprofit community library, reading room and organizing space, was hosting a reading of The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels for Red Books Day, celebrating the 174th anniversary of the day the manifesto was published.

In a video stream of the event, someone is seen reading from the manifesto when a sudden banging is heard offscreen, followed by a number of slurs being shouted. The person tries to continue reading, while a group is heard outside shouting slurs and white power.

After several interrupted attempts to continue reading, another person steps in front of the microphone and wraps up the event.
Financial markets around the world wobbled on Tuesday in the wake of the Russian actions and the response from Western governments. In the United States, the news pushed stocks lower, leaving the S&P 500 in correction territory, more than 10 percent below its January peak. Oil prices, which had risen to nearly $100 a barrel in anticipation of a global disruption, settled at $96.84 a barrel, up 1.5 percent.

Mr. Biden and his counterparts in Germany, England and other European nations described the package of global sanctions as severe. They include financial directives by the United States to deny Russia the ability to borrow money in Western markets and to block financial transactions by two banks and the families of three wealthy Russian elites.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany put the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on hold. The $11 billion conduit from Russia to Germany  completed but not yet operational  is crucial to Moscows plans to increase energy sales to Europe. European Union foreign ministers and the British government approved sanctions against legislators in Moscow who voted to authorize the use of force, as well as Russian elites, companies and organizations.

It will hurt a lot, said the E.U. foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell Fontelles.

But the moves in Washington and other capitals around the world were limited in scope and fell short of the more sweeping economic warfare that some  including members of Congress and other supporters of Ukraine  have repeatedly demanded in recent weeks.

Mr. Biden and his counterparts have said they must balance the need to take swift and severe action with preserving the possibility of even greater sanctions on Russia if Mr. Putin escalates the conflict by trying to seize more territory claimed by the separatists, or even the entire country  a war that could kill tens of thousands of people.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said, adding that well continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

European leaders also vowed to get tougher if Mr. Putins forces continued to advance. Prime Minister Boris Johnson described British sanctions as just the first tranche.
Here is a lightly edited transcript of President Bidens speech on Tuesday from the East Room of the White House announcing new sanctions against Russia for what he called the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Well, good afternoon. Yesterday Vladimir Putin recognized two regions of Ukraine as independent states. And he bizarrely asserted that these regions are longer part of Ukraine and theyre sovereign territory. To put it simply: Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.

Last night, Putin authorized Russian forces to deploy into these regions. Today he asserted that these regions actually extend deeper than the two areas he recognized, claiming large areas currently under the jurisdiction of the Ukraine government. Hes setting up a rationale to take more territory by force in my view. And if we listen to his speech last night, and many of you did, I know, hes setting up a rationale to go much further. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, as he indicated and asked permission to be able to do from his Duma.

So, lets begin to  so, Im going to begin to impose sanctions in response far beyond the steps we and our allies and partners implemented in 2014. And if Russia goes further with this invasion we stand prepared to go further as with sanctions. Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?
One week after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia announced a partial withdrawal of troops from the border with Ukraine, newly released satellite images show a different reality. In addition to redeployments in the Belgorod-Valuyki area in western Russia, where there has been a lot of military activity over recent days, new military activities continue to emerge in Belarus.

A satellite image collected by Maxar Technologies on Tuesday morning shows a new deployment, most likely Russian, at an airfield in the village of Velikii Bokov in Belarus. The site is 25 miles from the Ukrainian border, and about 110 miles north of Ukraines capital, Kyiv.

A Times analysis of prior satellite imagery from that location found that it had been active only since mid-Feburary; a video posted on Feb. 14 showed military fuel tanks heading toward the airfield. Tuesdays imagery shows that more than 100 vehicles and dozens of tents have arrived.

Some of the locations in Belarus and western Russia are possibly intended as support sites for combat units in case of a Russian attack on Ukraine.
As President Biden announced sanctions against Russia and warned of more if President Vladimir V. Putin did not withdraw his forces from Ukraine, former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday praised Mr. Putins aggression as genius and called the Russian leader very savvy for describing the troops aligned on the Ukrainian border as peacekeepers.

Mr. Trumps praise for a foreign adversary in a geopolitical confrontation with a sitting United States president was extraordinary for any former president, even one with a long history of cozying up to Mr. Putin, dating to his first presidential campaign.

In July 2016, Mr. Trump directly appealed to the Russians to hack the emails of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, and make them public, the same day that the Russians made their first effort to break into the servers used by Mrs. Clintons personal office.

Once elected, Mr. Trump broke with decades of American precedent and repeatedly showed unusual deference toward Russia and expressed admiration for Mr. Putin, among other strongman leaders.
The leader of the United Nations deepened his criticism of Russia on Tuesday over its actions in Ukraine, not only describing them as a violation of Ukrainian sovereignty but disparaging the Kremlins descriptions of its troops as peacekeepers. He called the crisis a test of the global organization.

The remarks by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who cut short an overseas trip to return to U.N. headquarters in New York because of the Ukraine developments, were among the strongest criticisms the Portuguese statesman has made against a major member country since he became the leader of the organization in 2017.

They went beyond his reaction on Monday, when Mr. Guterres described Russias recognition of two breakaway Russian-backed enclaves and its decision to send troops into them as inconsistent with the U.N. Charter and a violation of Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years  certainly in my tenure as secretary general, Mr. Guterres said. We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come.
The Pentagon is moving up to eight F-35 fighter jets and a slew of other warplanes to Eastern Europe, the Baltics and Poland to shore up support for NATO allies following what President Biden called the beginning of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

At the direction of the president, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III also ordered an infantry battalion task force  some 800 troops  to the Baltics, according to a senior Defense Department official. All of the troops and warplanes were already in the European theater, the official said.

The latest orders come as the Biden administration and its European allies called the Kremlins recognition of two separatist regions of Ukraine a defiance of international law. Mr. Biden on Tuesday joined European leaders in imposing economic sanctions against Russia for what he termed as a violation of Ukraines national sovereignty.

The Pentagon said the additional forces are being repositioned to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO member states, and train with host-nation forces. The Biden administration has said that it does not intend to send troops into Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance.
Starter episode: To All The Girls Ive Loved Before

This deep-dive series from The Australian newspaper chose its title for a reason  Hamish Watson, the Sydney-born con man at the heart of this show is a shape-shifter, operating under so many identities that its hard to separate truth from fiction. A compulsive liar, Watson claimed to unsuspecting victims that hed survived a plane crash as a child, and that he was inside the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. The show details how Watson scammed millions of dollars from not only from investors, but also women he seduced via dating apps. Though many questions are unsurprisingly left unanswered, this is an insightful, riveting character study of a master manipulator.

Starter episode: The Day Max Died

This seductive con-man story from Wondery and The Los Angeles Times, which debuted in 2017, has spawned a whole podcast subgenre. John Michael Meehan used online dating sites to present himself as a catch, a wealthy anesthesiologist who had worked with Doctors Without Borders and just wanted to settle down. Debra Newell, an Orange County interior designer with a blind spot for sketchy men, fell hard and paid the price. Although the slow unraveling of their romance is gripping, the show finds its meatiest material in the standoff between John and Debras two daughters, who see the red flags waving from the start. Dirty John doesnt make the mistake of focusing solely on the perpetrators psyche; it spends just as much time exploring why Debra was a perfect victim  a flashback to the history of male violence within the Newell family is arguably the most unnerving part of the show.

Starter episode: The Real Thing

After a rough divorce and far too many dispiriting online dating experiences, Arya was thrilled to meet Mordechai, a sensitive, charming, creative guy who also happened to be a millionaire. Unfortunately, he wasnt what he seemed. This is an unusual catfish story, in that the man calling himself Mordechai Horowitz never physically hid himself from his victims. His ruse is also less extreme than many of the other examples  theres no financial gain or violence involved, which doesnt make the manipulation any less hard to stomach. Most surprisingly of all, Mordechai himself gives an interview to podcasts host, Kathleen Goldhar, and hearing from him in addition to all the women he conned offers an unusually layered picture. Without ever making excuses for his behavior, this format allows listeners to draw their own conclusions about the mental illness that may be at play.

Starter episode: A Knock On The Door

Like so many couples in these stories, Lynette and Chris Dawson had a storybook romance from the outside. They were high school sweethearts during the 1960s, and built their dream home together above Sydneys northern beaches, using the fortune Dawson made as a professional rugby player. But in 1982, Lynette disappeared  and within days, Dawson had moved his teenage lover into the house. This brazen act of betrayal is just the tip of the iceberg, and the journalist Hedley Thomas unpacks the dark truth about the Dawsons marriage in meticulous detail. Since the evidence against Dawson was all circumstantial, the authorities declined to arrest Dawson  until 2018, when the case was reopened thanks at least in part to The Teachers Pet. Since Dawsons arrest, the show has had a strange afterlife. After becoming the first podcast ever to delay a murder trial, its been pulled from all platforms in Australia to comply with the countrys contempt-of-court rules. But if youre elsewhere in the world, its well worth the listen.

Starter episode: Bayview
Along two walls runs a floor-to-ceiling easel system designed to drip any excess paint away from the canvas, onto the floor. Wooden shelves still hold glass Mason jars full of Roy Lichtensteins old paints, their colors ranging from scarlet to mustard to periwinkle. It was here that the ponytailed pop master worked on the reflections series, the interior series, sculptural interpretations of his 1960s brushstroke series and Landscapes in Chinese Style.

This is a studio space where Lichtenstein  by then well-established, after the height of his fame in the 1960s  practiced his art between 1988 until his death in 1997. Back then, artists and writers like Ellsworth Kelly, Julian Schnabel and Frederic Tuten would drop in to visit. On Sundays, Lichtenstein would sometimes Rollerblade around the neighborhood with the photographer Bob Adelman. Now, it will house another set of artists, the Whitney Museums Independent Study Program (I.S.P.), known for nurturing the next generation of artists.

The program has fostered a community for a long line of distinguished artists, curators, art historians and writers  among them, LaToya Ruby Frazier, a visual artist and photographer; Madeleine Grynsztejn, the director of Chicagos Museum of Contemporary Art; and Naomi Beckwith, deputy director and chief curator of the Guggenheim Museum.

But it has never had a permanent home of its own  until now.

Dorothy Lichtenstein, president of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, and Adam Weinberg, director of the Whitney Museum, on Wednesday announced that the Lichtenstein family will donate the studio building to the museum. The aim is to relocate the program into the building in 2023, 100 years after Lichtensteins birth.
Fears of an attack grew when the Kremlin said this evening that separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine had requested President Vladimir Putins help in repelling the aggression of the armed forces and formations of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say there has been no such aggression and none is planned.

The appeal could be used as a justification for Putin to order an invasion.

The Pentagon, in its grimmest warning yet, said that 80 percent of the 190,000 Russian troops and separatist forces in or near Ukraine were now in combat-ready positions.

They are ready to go, John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman said. They could attack at any time, he added, with a significant military force.

Ukraines National Security and Defense Council approved a state of emergency for 30 days that Parliament then endorsed, and officials told Ukrainian citizens in Russia to leave immediately.

Our army is ready to defend against a Russian attack, said Oleksiy Danilov, the head of the council.
Ukraine in a state of emergency

In its most dire assessment yet, the Pentagon said on Wednesday that 80 percent of the 190,000 Russian troops and separatist forces in or near Ukraine are in combat-ready positions, and that a full-scale military assault is most likely imminent. Here are the latest updates.

Ukrainians braced for all-out war as officials prepared to declare a 30-day state of emergency and mobilized military reservists. Government websites, including that of the Foreign Ministry, were brought down by a hack.

Australia and Japan on Wednesday joined the U.S., European allies and other nations in announcing sanctions on Russia. Among those who face financial and travel penalties are Russias defense minister, the chief of staff to President Vladimir Putin and other members of Putins inner circle.

Officials said more sanctions were to come. The Biden administration is preparing a ban on American technology exports to Russia if it escalates the conflict.
The bribery and money-laundering trial of a former Goldman Sachs executive was thrown into turmoil after federal prosecutors  for the second time in a little over a week  said the government had failed to promptly turn over thousands of pages of emails and other personal documents belonging to a key witness for the prosecution.

The federal judge presiding over the trial of Roger Ng in Brooklyn said Wednesday that the governments failure to produce documents was particularly troubling and would result in a delay in the proceedings so that defense lawyers had time to review the additional materials.

I am going to give the defense as much time as they need, said Judge Margo K. Brodie, the chief judge for the Eastern District of New York, during a brief hearing with the jury.

She made her decision after Marc Agnifilo, one of Mr. Ngs lawyers, said he was considering asking the judge to declare a mistrial. He added that he might ask for the charges against his client to be dismissed because of what he called government misconduct.
The rollout of Truth Social, former President Donald J. Trumps social media alternative to Twitter, has gotten off to a slow start.

On Wednesday morning, Mr. Trumps account on the app, available free on Apples App Store since Monday, had just under 50,000 followers. That is a far cry from the tens of millions of followers he had on Twitter before the social media platform barred him last year after some of his supporters attacked the Capitol.

Mr. Trumps account still has a single post, which the company calls truths as opposed to tweets.

The official debut of Truth Social on Monday was marred by error messages and a long waiting list for people who had already signed up to download the app. (This reporter was at 94,000 on the list but was able to download the app on Tuesday.)
To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

A landmark United Nations report has concluded that the risk of devastating wildfires around the world will surge in coming decades as climate change further intensifies what the report described as a global wildfire crisis.

The scientific assessment is the first by the organizations environmental authority to evaluate wildfire risks worldwide. It was inspired by a string of deadly blazes around the globe in recent years, burning the American West, vast stretches of Australia and even the Arctic.

The images from those fires  cities glowing under orange skies, smoke billowing around tourist havens and heritage sites, woodland animals badly injured and killed  have become grim icons of this era of unsettled relations between humankind and nature.
Lesson Overview

Featured Article: Why Was I Born a Girl? An Afghan Poem Inspires U.S. Students by David Zucchino with photographs by Jim Huylebroek

After Kabul, Afghanistan, fell to the Taliban in August, the world wondered: Would the country return to some of the worlds strictest restrictions on women?

In the 1990s, when the Taliban were first in power, Afghan women were generally not allowed to leave their homes except under narrow conditions. Those who did risked being beaten. And while Taliban leaders have insisted that this time will be different, their actions say otherwise. The New York Times reported in January:

Among the most dramatic consequences of the Taliban takeover has been the swift reversal of gains made by women for two decades following the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the previous Taliban government in 2001. Women attended schools and universities and served in Parliament and government. They served in the army, the police force and as lawyers and judges. Women once made up at least a quarter of the government work force. But the Taliban have allowed only a handful of female medical workers and educators to retain their government jobs. Most Afghan girls above the sixth grade have not attended school since August. In September, the Taliban converted the Ministry of Womens Affairs building into offices for the religious morality police. Last month, the Taliban banned women from taking long journeys without a male relative and from using public transport without a hijab, a type of head scarf.

In this lesson, you will learn how a Zoom connection between high schoolers in Afghanistan and San Diego have opened a window of mutual support  hardening Afghan students resolve to pursue their educations and inspiring American students to appreciate theirs. In Going Further activities, we invite you to learn more about the living conditions in Afghanistan and to write a letter or poem to these courageous Afghan students.

Warm-Up

Part 1. Share your thoughts and opinions about the importance of education.

Imagine that you were suddenly no longer able to go to school because of your gender, race, ethnicity, religion or other characteristics beyond your control. How would you feel? How would you react? How do you think it would it affect your life and your future?
A Jamaican beef patty is an islands history in the palm of your hand. All of its spices, triumphs, fluctuations and migrations. Theyre minced. Lathered. Chewed between the flakiest of pastry crusts. The patty is a vehicle for deliciousness and a simulacrum of the nations rhythms, and your patty could be a late breakfast, or an early lunch, or a boozy midnight snack. You might eat yours in a paper bag. You could order four under the streetlights of a curbside pop-up. Or maybe, if youre lucky, its simply pulled from your oven, tossed directly from your baking pan into the loaf of coco bread on your counter. For a moment, your only problem in the world is wishing you had three or four more.

For the uninitiated, a beef patty is a meat pie with a diced filling  oftentimes beef, but it can be an abode for any number of stuffings, including lobster, lamb, chicken, cheese or the Jamaican fruit ackee. This filling is layered in a suet-laden dough colored by turmeric. And while the dish has (mostly) avoided the Americanized elevation of so many immigrant cuisines, youll find beef patties in restaurants, across bar tops and behind convenience-shop counters wherever the Caribbean diaspora has made a home.

In Jamaica, youll find patties brandished across fast-food stands and convenience stores and walk-ups. Theyre as reliably present as a burger with fries. And on trips to the island as a kid, I had patties in Kingston that were noshed on the go after crossing three lanes of rush-hour traffic on foot. But my first encounters with the patty were in Houstons Alief neighborhood.

My family went to our usual Jamaican takeout spot only on Saturdays, but whether we ordered two dishes or 12, we always waited an hour for our food, queued behind a seemingly infinite backlog. The same soaps always droned from the television. The restaurants matron stood by the register, resting her elbow on the counter. After we made our order, shed pat my head exactly once, less out of approval than to dismiss us as she disappeared into the kitchen indefinitely. These patties were obligatory: It mattered that I liked them as much as it mattered that I liked air or water. They just were. I sneaked bites from the bag on the way home, breaking off just enough crust to pretend that I hadnt disturbed them at all.
Denis Burkitt, an Irish surgeon, traveled to Africa during World War II as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and afterward he settled in Uganda to practice medicine. There he observed that a surprising number of children developed strange jaw tumors, a cancer that would come to be known as Burkitt lymphoma. Eventually, Burkitt sent samples of the tumor cells to Middlesex Hospital Medical School in London, where Michael Anthony Epstein, a pathologist, and his colleagues Yvonne Barr and Bert Achong examined them through an electron microscope.

Their findings  they noticed particles shaped like a herpesvirus, only smaller  were published in a landmark paper in The Lancet in 1964 and spurred the realization that this newly identified member of the Herpesviridae family, subsequently named Epstein-Barr virus, was a cause of Burkitt lymphoma. It was the first evidence that a viral infection could lead to cancer. The virus has since been shown to increase the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as nasopharyngeal and stomach cancer. It is also the virus most often responsible for infectious mononucleosis, a disease usually characterized by extreme fatigue, sore throat, fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. These symptoms can last for weeks and, in chronic cases, recur for years.

We now know that upward of 90 percent of adults have the Epstein-Barr virus. As happens with other herpesviruses, once you have been infected, the virus stays with you forever  it deposits its DNA alongside yours in the nucleus of many of your cells. (RNA viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, can be cleared from your body.) Most people contract Epstein-Barr in childhood: It is spread through body fluids, usually saliva; kissing is a frequent route of transmission (as may be the sharing of utensils). Young children, if they get sick at all, typically develop symptoms indistinguishable from those of a cold or flu; mono is more common when the first infection happens after puberty. Most people never know theyre infected, says Jeffrey Cohen, the chief of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The virus enters cells at the back of the throat and from there moves into B cells, a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies. In some B cells, the virus replicates, making proteins that the immune system can recognize and subdue. In other cells, though, it remains dormant. Its very stealthy, Cohen says. Ultimately, as those infected B cells circulate throughout the body, they reach the back of the throat again. The virus awakens and starts replicating itself, potentially spreading the pathogen to others, probably for several days each month. The vast majority of people who are infected are passing it around, Cohen says. Its shed in our saliva the rest of our lives.
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to intensify as Russia recognized "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as "independent and sovereign states."

As the Ukraine crisis is arousing widespread concerns, the United States, the European Union (EU), and Britain have announced sanctions against Russia for its latest actions.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia.

Calling Russia's move "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," Biden said in remarks delivered from the White House that his administration will impose sanctions on two Russian financial institutions -- the VEB and the country's military bank -- as well as on Russia's sovereign debt and five individuals.

He explained that the measure "means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

Additional sanctions will be followed if the situation escalates, he said.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called off a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

In a statement on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU member states had given their political consent to a new package of sanctions against Russia.

The package contains a number of "calibrated measures" targeting banks that finance the Russian military apparatus and contribute to the destabilization of Ukraine.

It also bans trade between the two regions and the EU, as it did with Crimea in 2014, and limits the Russian government's ability to raise capital on the EU's financial markets.

According to Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, the package comprises sanctions against 351 members of the Russian State Duma or lower house of the country's Federal Assembly, who voted to recognize the two "republics."

The EU will also "target 27 individuals and entities who are playing a role in undermining or threatening Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," he said.

Furthermore, the sanctions aim to target the Russian state's ability to access the EU's capital and financial markets and services.

"If Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it has created, we are ready to take further action in response," von der Leyen said.

On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a range of sanctions against Russia.

Johnson said that Britain would sanction five Russian banks and three very high net worth individuals.

"Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen, the individuals concerned will be banned from traveling here, and we will prohibit all UK individuals and entities from having any dealings with them," he said, adding that this is the "first tranche, the first barrage, of what we are prepared to do alongside the United States and the European Union if the situation escalates still further." 
Why? Because the Oscars rarefied sensibility actually means something, and that aspirational golden sheen shouldnt be watered down  indeed, its the whole reason people pay attention.

If the academy and its broadcast partner, ABC, worried less about which movies were nominated and more about making the show entertaining, theyd be on to something: A key reason the 12 Years a Slave Oscars outrated the American Sniper Oscars is that the former was hosted by a selfie-taking Ellen DeGeneres at the peak of her talk-show fame.

And on that note 

The Three Hosts

First, after three years without an M.C., let me praise the academy for hiring hosts. Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall are entirely capable, and anything that gets the tremendous Hall in front of more Oscar voters is a good thing, since shes been doing award-worthy work in films like Support the Girls and the coming Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.

Oscar hosts help give the telecast an identity, and theyre often responsible for the sort of buzzworthy moments that this sort of show sorely needs. At their best, they can even provide a ratings bump: When a good hire is made, viewers will tune in just to see what the host is going to say or do.

But I wonder whether the academy has missed the mark. This trio feels like a lineup imported from 2015  when Schumer was still riding high off her big-screen comedy Trainwreck  instead of one that has any meaningful relationship to the year 2022. And the three women were announced awfully late in the game: Just days before their Feb. 15 unveiling, the academy was still in negotiations to add Jon Hamm as a fourth host.

If the Oscars really want hosts who will encourage people to tune in, they should start locking them in a year in advance, since big stars like Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds need that kind of lead time to start clearing their schedules. Instead, the academy typically starts its search after a producer is hired  and this years producer, Will Packer, wasnt announced until October. Thats way too late to begin booking A-listers.
As recently as last month, Mr. Lieber said that installing the doors would be unfeasible given the special complexities in New Yorks subway. But as pressure mounted, he signaled an openness to the idea, noting that he had formed a task force in December to address a rise in the number of people ending up on the tracks.

Last year, the transportation authority reported 1,267 track intrusions  meaning a person on the tracks  a jump of 19 percent from 2019, even as subway ridership declined by more than half. Of those incidents, 200 resulted in people being hit by a train, with 68 deaths.

Transit officials say most people on the tracks, including those hit by trains, chose to be there. Of the 200 collisions last year, about a quarter, or 47, involved suicide attempts.

Another significant number are people who hop off platforms to retrieve something theyve dropped. Others traverse the tracks to get from one stations platform to another. Some are mentally ill people whose motivations are unclear.

But the subway system has also seen an increase in people pushed onto the tracks. According to the Police Department, 30 people were shoved to the tracks in 2021, up from 20 in 2019, when ridership was far higher. The police did not have information on how many shoving incidents led to injuries or deaths.

Felony assaults have also risen in the system: They were up nearly 25 percent last year compared with 2019.

The issue of subway safety drew widespread attention after a 40-year-old woman, Michelle Alyssa Go, was shoved to her death in front of a moving R train at the Times Square station. A homeless man who the police said confessed to having pushed Ms. Go was charged in her killing, a shocking crime that prompted Mayor Eric Adams to increase police patrols in the system.
When the first news reports of Russian troop movements began to appear in the Ukrainian media a few months ago, Vironika Giacchi, who manages a jewelry store in Manhattan, enrolled in a first aid class near her home in Staten Island. If Russia mounted a full-scale invasion, she said last week, she would return to Ukraine and volunteer as a nurse.

I love Ukraine, its my country, and if theres a need to defend it, I would definitely go back.

New York City is home to more than 150,000 Ukrainians, the largest such community in the country, with pockets in Manhattans East Village and Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, and scattered populations throughout the five boroughs. There are Ukrainian banks, restaurants, bars, schools, churches, synagogues and cultural centers.
What happened to us at Beth Israel in Colleyville is only the most recent, dramatic event. Even before the Jan. 15 attack on my synagogue, many Jewish people were on edge. Antisemitic attacks have increased in recent years. Hatred has already led to harassment and even bloodshed in too many houses of worship. These problems have been with us for far too long.

At least part of the problem is because we, ourselves, are strangers. Jews are strangers. Muslims are strangers. People with a different religious tradition  or no religious tradition  are perceived as strangers. People of different ethnicities can be considered strangers. People who hold different political views are seen as strangers. Were strangers because one can look from afar and make judgments without understanding anothers reality. Were strangers because it takes too much work to be curious, to give others the benefit of the doubt. It is a lot easier and a lot more comfortable to stick with ones group. Love your neighbor is hard enough.

And thats why I, and so many other religious leaders, have pointed out again and again the sacred obligation to love the stranger. The command to care for the stranger is mentioned at least 36 times in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible  more than any other mitzvah. Its mentioned so often because we need the reminder, because it isnt natural. It is hard. Just getting past the notion of fearing the stranger is a big enough hurdle.

I stress this teaching and try to live by this ethos even after living through a hostage situation  where every minute feels like it could be your last. I understand the temptation to seek comfort solely in those one knows and trusts. My congregants and I spent over 10 hours with a gun pointed at us in our sacred home.

Adding to the agony, I opened the doors of my synagogue and unknowingly welcomed the individual who would later attack me and my fellow congregants. That I opened the door will always weigh heavily on me. Still, I remain committed to the idea of welcoming and caring for the stranger and living that value.
To the Editor:

Re Condemning Russia, Biden Issues Sanctions (front page, Feb. 23):

We have lost our moral compass by standing idly by, watching a Russian madman with a penchant to rewrite history and swallow up his democratic neighbor  because he can. President Bidens tough sanctions on the regime and its oligarchs are laughable. Vladimir Putin has a rainy-day fund of billions, and if that dries up, China will come to the rescue.

We in America sit thousands of miles away from Ukraine, a country that just wants to live freely with the rights that we enjoy. And yet, the U.S. and other allies of Ukraine sit back and their leaders deliver speeches, words that have no effect other than to assuage their guilt for not taking more forceful actions to help Ukraine defend itself.

I pray that Mr. Biden and our allies will find the courage to back up their words with stronger actions that will make a difference.

(Rabbi) Reuven H. Taff

Sacramento

To the Editor:

Re China and Russia Strengthen Their Bonds, Raising Alarms in U.S. and Europe (news article, Feb. 21):

The Biden administration needs to show that China cant have its cake and eat it, too, regarding the Ukraine crisis by publicly calling on China to impose economic sanctions against Russia, despite Beijings criticism of their effectiveness.
Mr. Putins actions have triggered massive sanctions, with more to come if he launches a full-scale assault and attempts to seize the entire country. These would devastate not just his countrys economy but also his tight circle of corrupt cronies  who in turn could challenge his leadership. What is sure to be a bloody and catastrophic war will drain Russian resources and cost Russian lives  while creating an urgent incentive for Europe to slash its dangerous reliance on Russian energy. (That has already begun with Germanys move to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline.)

Such an act of aggression would almost certainly drive NATO to significantly reinforce its eastern flank and to consider permanently stationing forces in the Baltic States, Poland and Romania. (President Biden said Tuesday he was moving more troops to the Baltics.) And it would generate fierce Ukrainian armed resistance, with strong support from the West. A bipartisan effort is already underway to craft a legislative response that would include intensifying lethal aid to Ukraine. It would be far from a repeat of Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014; it would be a scenario reminiscent of the Soviet Unions ill-fated occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Mr. Biden and other Western leaders have made this much clear in round after round of furious diplomacy. But even if the West is somehow able to deter Mr. Putin from all-out war  which is far from assured right now  its important to remember that his competition of choice is not chess, as some assume, but rather judo. We can expect him to persist in looking for a chance to increase his leverage and strike in the future. It will be up to the United States and its friends to deny him that opportunity by sustaining forceful diplomatic pushback and increasing economic and military support for Ukraine.

Although Mr. Putin will, in my experience, never admit to making a mistake, he has shown that he can be both patient and pragmatic. He also is surely conscious that the current confrontation has left him even more dependent on China; he knows that Russia cannot prosper without some ties to the West. Sure, I like Chinese food. Its fun to use chopsticks, he told me in our first meeting. But this is just trivial stuff. Its not our mentality, which is European. Russia has to be firmly part of the West.

Mr. Putin must know that a second Cold War would not necessarily go well for Russia  even with its nuclear weapons. Strong U.S. allies can be found on nearly every continent. Mr. Putins friends, meanwhile, include the likes of Bashar al-Assad, Alexander Lukashenko and Kim Jong-un.

If Mr. Putin feels backed into a corner, he has only himself to blame. As Mr. Biden has noted, the United States has no desire to destabilize or deprive Russia of its legitimate aspirations. Thats why the administration and its allies have offered to engage in talks with Moscow on an open-ended range of security issues. But America must insist that Russia act in accordance with international standards applicable to all nations.

Mr. Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, like to claim that we now live in a multipolar world. While that is self-evident, it does not mean that the major powers have a right to chop the globe into spheres of influence as colonial empires did centuries ago.
Explosions were reported in cities across Ukraine early Thursday morning after President Vladimir Putin of Russia vowed in a speech to demilitarize the neighboring nation, and any hope for a peaceful resolution to the crisis appeared all but snuffed out. On Wednesday, Ukraine declared a 30-day state of emergency, called up military reserves and warned its citizens to leave Russia. The European Union announced it was preparing to handle a large influx of refugees uprooted by war. Financial markets are bracing for the turmoil that a land war and sanctions could unleash across the global economy.

As the cause of all of this, Vladimir Putin is giving a master class in dangerous and destructive leadership and making it all the more important that President Biden and other nations stand resolutely together in the face of threats, feints and misinformation and remain disciplined and energized in confronting Mr. Putin. He is clearly playing a long game, and the West should continue to prepare for that and make clear, as Mr. Biden has done, that the Russian president is acting unacceptably and will pay consequences for his actions.

The scope of Mr. Putins professed ambition is alarming and bewildering for much of the world. As Mr. Biden asked, Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?

All this makes clear that Mr. Putins attack is not primarily about NATO or security. Its all about his xenophobic, imperial and misguided notion that Ukraine was inherently an appendage of Russia, its independence a historical fluke and its rulers usurpers. His recognition of separatist states in Ukraine extended not only to enclaves controlled by pro-Russian forces but also to entire provinces, amounting to a major chunk of Ukrainian territory that includes the important port of Mariupol.
The dinosaur-killing meteor hit in spring.

That is the conclusion of scientists who examined the bones of fish that died on that day when a six-mile-wide asteroid collided with Earth.

These fishes died in spring, said Melanie During, a graduate student at Uppsala University in Sweden and lead author of a paper published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The reign of dinosaurs ended in spring.

Scientists have known when the meteor hit  just over 66 million years ago, give or take 11,000 years  and where it hit, off the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. That ended the Cretaceous period of Earths geological history, but even though three-quarters or more of the species of plants and animals disappeared in the mass extinction that followed, it has been hard to pinpoint fossils of anything directly killed by the meteor.
DuckDuckGo, which has about 3 percent of the United States search market, holds little direct control over the links in its search results because they are generated by the search engine algorithm provided by Bing, which Microsoft owns. And all search engine algorithms are considered black boxes because the companies that create them do not completely disclose what informs their decisions.

In a statement, DuckDuckGo said it condemned acts of disinformation and said the companys internal surveys showed that its users had a wide mix of political orientations. The company said it was also studying ways to limit the spread of false and misleading information.

For a glimpse at what conspiracy theorists encounter when they search online, The New York Times reviewed the top 20 search results on Google, Bing and DuckDuckGo for more than 30 conspiracy theories and right-wing topics. Search results can change over time and vary among users, but the comparisons provide a snapshot of what a single user might have seen on a typical day in mid-February.

For many terms, Bing and DuckDuckGo surfaced more untrustworthy websites than Google did, when results were compared with website ratings from the Global Disinformation Index, NewsGuard and research published in the journal Science. (While DuckDuckGo relies on Bings algorithm, their search results can differ.)

Search results on Google also included some untrustworthy websites, but they tended to be less common and lower on the search page.

The Times then reviewed a selection of those terms to check whether the content on the linked pages advanced the conspiracy theory or not. Those comparisons often showed even sharper differences between Google and its competitors.

Those findings matched results from two recent studies, which concluded that Bings algorithm surfaced content more supportive of conspiracy theories than Google did.
BERLIN, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Munich Re, a Munich-based leading global provider of reinsurance, generated profits of 2.9 billion euros (3.28 billion U.S. dollars) in 2021, despite difficult conditions due to COVID-19 and natural disasters, the German reinsurer said on Wednesday. The company's profits were slightly higher than the target of 2.8 billion euros.

"Propelled by this momentum, we will resolutely tap into the favorable market environment," said Munich Re Chief Executive Officer Joachim Wenning, adding that profits should further increase to 3.3 billion euros in 2022.

Meanwhile, Munich Re's core reinsurance segment met its profit target of 2.3 billion euros.

The cost of major losses due to natural disasters increased significantly from 906 million euros in the previous year, to 3.12 billion euros in 2021. The most expensive disasters were Hurricane Ida in the United States, and storm Bernd in Germany, with losses of 1.2 billion euros and 500 million euros respectively.

During the floods that hit parts of Europe in mid-July 2021, entire villages were destroyed, leaving 184 people dead in Germany alone. Several other countries in Europe were also seriously affected.

According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), 2021 was the most expensive natural hazard year ever, due to flooding and extreme hail damage. In total, losses in Germany amounted to around 12.5 billion euros.

Munich Re's gross premium revenues rose by 8.5 percent compared with 2020, reaching 59.6 billion euros. In 2022, the premium income is expected to further grow to around 61 billion euros. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) 
This article is part of the On Tech newsletter. Here is a collection of past columns.

Americans shopped online like crazy during the pandemic, right? Motivated by fear or convenience, more of us grew comfortable clicking buy from our sofas  including to buy sofas  and theres no turning back.

That is true. And also, well  no? Or maybe?

Fresh data from the U.S. government shows something that surprised me: Physical stores beat online shopping in 2021. No joke.

Americans spent 18 percent more on food, cars, furniture, electronics and other retail products last year compared with 2020, the Commerce Department disclosed on Friday. Online retail sales increased by 14 percent. In other words, e-commerce lost ground last year to brick-and-mortar stores.

Admittedly, 2021 was a strange year for shopping. More of us had the urge to browse in person than we did in the scary first months of Covid in the U.S. Climbing prices and shortages changed what people bought and where they shopped. And one year doesnt alter the long-term trend that online shopping is grabbing more of Americans wallets.
Pathways is a group effort  initial investment came from the TreadRight Foundation, the Travel Corporations nonprofit arm, and funds are managed through the nonprofit Tourism Cares. New York City-based TripSchool, which builds online and in-person courses for tour guides and tour operators and last year launched a diversity initiative, is providing the curriculum.

Its been an open secret that if you look around at conventions, hiring conferences, or even internally at staff and independent contractors of companies, you dont see much diversity, said Mitch Bach, TripSchools chief executive. There are a lot of diversity initiatives out there, but this is something that has never existed in group travel until now.

Other group tour organizers are also making strides: Intrepid Travel last year launched a new marketing policy that involves a series of inclusivity pledges, including ensuring that at least half of its partner creators and influencers were Black, Indigenous or people of color; companies like Outdoor Afro are encouraging the Black community to connect to nature.

And the adventure cruising outfitter Hurtigruten Expeditions has created a six-person Black traveler advisory board, offering each member a $5,000 consulting fee, as well as a matched donation to an organization of their choice that supports Black travelers. In February, the group traveled together to Antarctica, where they held sessions on marketing to, and investing in, Black travelers.

While these may be the first organized, mainstream efforts to tackle the lack of diversity on group tours, Black tour guides have been operating for decades amid a growing Black travel sector. Black travelers in the United States spent nearly $130 billion on leisure travel, both domestic and international, in 2019. But Black travelers face unique challenges. The tourism marketing agency MMGY Global reports that concerns of both safety and representation weigh heavy on Black travelers.

Its not that Black tour guides arent there, they just arent getting the recognition that they deserve, said Martinique Lewis, a diversity-in-travel consultant who serves as president of the Black Travel Alliance, a nonprofit launched in 2020 to hold travel brands accountable to their claims of diversity and inclusion (she is a member of Hurtigrutens advisory board, as well). Theyre not the ones the travel publications put on their big list, and not the ones that destinations use when you go to their site. But there are multiple tours around the world that cater to a different narrative than one of the European background.

Tashieka Brewer, a publicist who lives in New Jersey, began aggregating many of those tours on a website, Pink Girls Run The World, after growing frustrated with her own group travel experiences, including hearing a fellow traveler on a plantation tour in New Orleans who questioned whether African Americans had actually been held as slaves. She also links to Airbnb postings, restaurants and hotels that have been recommended as welcoming to Black travelers, and blogs about her own travel experiences.
The only trial to emerge from the nighttime police raid that killed Breonna Taylor began on Wednesday, but the case centers not on an officer who shot her, but rather on a former police detective accused of recklessly endangering her neighbors with a hail of bullets that inadvertently hit their apartment in Louisville, Ky.

The detective, Brett Hankison, was dismissed several months after the March 2020 raid and is facing three charges of wanton endangerment after firing 10 shots during the operation. The former chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department said that when Mr. Hankison fired blindly into Ms. Taylors apartment, several bullets entered a neighbors apartment, endangering the three people who were sleeping there: a pregnant woman, her husband and their 5-year-old child.

This is not a case to decide who is responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor, the states assistant attorney general, Barbara Maines Whaley, said during opening statements of a trial that is expected to take about two weeks.

Ms. Whaley said the prosecutions case would show that the former police detective acted that night with extreme indifference to human life and that he made several missteps that endangered the lives of Ms. Taylors neighbors, Chelsey Napper and Cody Etherton, as well as their son.
To like-minded scientists who felt that their dissenting views had been silenced, Dr. Ladapos move from researcher to policymaker gave hope for those who hold views outside the mainstream.

To scientists appalled by Floridas hands-off approach to the virus, Dr. Ladapos ascent cemented their belief that public health had become entrenched in the nations polarized politics.

Dr. Ladapos predecessor, Dr. Scott Rivkees, a surgeon general with more conventional views, had all but vanished from public view since warning early on in the pandemic that masking and social distancing would need to last for at least a year. Since his appointment, Dr. Ladapo has been a fixture at Mr. DeSantiss side as Florida has abandoned those virus mitigation measures and banned their enforcement by local authorities.

Florida will completely reject fear as a way of making policies, Dr. Ladapo said.

He did away with school quarantines and masks. When public health officials across the country were urging vaccines as a way to end the pandemic, Dr. Ladapo was raising warning flags about possible side effects and cautioning that even vaccinated people could spread the virus. He has refused to disclose his own vaccination status, which he maintains is a private matter.

Though Dr. Ladapo has acknowledged that vaccines are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death, he said in October that adverse reactions to vaccines should receive more attention and urged people to stick with their intuition and their sensibilities.

Equally troubling for his critics was Dr. Ladapos failure to reject more fringe views on virus treatments, including the drugs hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. He joined Mr. DeSantis in clamoring for the federal government to supply some monoclonal antibody treatments even after they had been deemed ineffective against the Omicron variant, which dominated caseloads.
A helicopter operated by a military contractor crashed during a training mission in Hawaii on Tuesday, killing all four people on board, the U.S. Navy said.

The helicopter, a 58-foot-long Sikorsky S-61N, was supporting a training operation at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai Island, and was operated by the Croman Corporation, an Oregon-based contracting company, the Navy said.

The four people on the helicopter were all Croman employees, said Brian Beattie, an operations director at the company. The aircraft was conducting routine training operations under contract to the U.S. Navy, he added.

Late Wednesday, Mr. Beattie identified the people on the helicopter as Daniel Maurice, 64, the chief pilot; Patrick Rader, 55, the command pilot; Ericka Tevez-Valdez, 42, a mechanic; and Mathew Haider, 44, a mechanic.
Joe Tom Easley, the gay rights activist and lawyer who worked to repeal the militarys dont ask, dont tell policy, and whose 2003 wedding was among the first same-sex unions announced in The New York Times, died on Feb. 13 at a hospital in Miami Beach. He was 81.

The cause was complications of lung disease, Mr. Easleys husband, Peter Freiberg, said on Tuesday.

Mr. Easley, who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, spent years fighting for the repeal of dont ask, dont tell, which was enacted in 1993 by President Bill Clinton and allowed gays to serve in the military under the condition that they keep their sexuality a secret. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed away the policy.

Mr. Easley was a chairman of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a group that sought to end discrimination against gay military personnel and to repeal the dont ask, dont tell policy.

Joe Tom Easley was born on Sept. 28, 1940, in Robstown, Texas, to Tom Lee Easley and the former Lady Hampton. He grew up in Truby and Eagle Pass, Texas, in the 1940s and 50s, when being openly gay was far from commonplace.
WASHINGTON  A North Carolina court rejected a Republican-drawn map of the states 14 congressional districts on Wednesday and substituted its own version, the second time in less than two weeks that a court in the state has invalidated a Republican House map as unconstitutionally partisan.

The new map, drawn by a nonpartisan panel of four redistricting experts, appeared to split North Carolinas congressional districts roughly equally between Republicans and Democrats, in a state where voters are divided evenly along partisan lines. It gives each party six relatively safe House seats and makes the remaining two winnable by either side.

The Republican-drawn map that was rejected would have awarded the G.O.P. six safe seats and Democrats four, leaving the remaining four as tossups.

Voting-rights advocacy groups and Democrats had argued to block the latest Republican map, saying it unlawfully favored Republicans. A three-judge panel of the state Superior Court in Raleigh agreed. It ruled Wednesday that the latest map failed to meet the standards for fairness set out by the State Supreme Court on Feb. 4, when that court invalidated the original map drawn by the Republican-controlled State Legislature.
BOGOTA, Colombia  Decades of grass roots organizing, with meetings in living rooms and in the streets, online and across borders, have produced a tectonic shift on abortion in Latin America, a historically conservative region where access to the procedure has long been severely limited.

In just over a year, Colombia has joined Mexico and Argentina in knocking down barriers to abortion. Its all the more striking in contrast to the shift taking place in the United States, the country whose Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right to abortion  Roe v. Wade  had been a seminal spark for many activists in Latin America.

As the United States faces growing restrictions on abortion, feminist activists in Latin America are increasingly relying on one another for legal strategy, organizing tactics and inspiration, pointing out that their counterparts to the north might have something to learn from them.

Its now an inspiration going south to north, said Catalina Martinez Coral, 37, a Colombian lawyer and member of Causa Justa, the coalition of abortion rights groups that brought the case recently considered by the Colombian court. We are going to inspire people in the United States to defend the rights set out in Roe v. Wade.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  The antigovernment protests that jolted Canada have been quashed. But 9,000 miles away, in the capital of another Western democracy largely unaccustomed to violent tears in the social fabric, an occupation on the grounds of Parliament has entrenched itself and turned increasingly ominous.

Hundreds of demonstrators opposed to New Zealands Covid-19 vaccine mandate are in their third week of encampment in Wellington, erecting tents, illegally parking vehicles and establishing communal kitchens and toilets in a deliberate echo of the Canadian siege.

Initially, the New Zealand occupation had a carnival atmosphere, with a popcorn stand and a doughnut truck and a number of children brought in by their parents. New Zealanders joked that it was the countrys only Omicron-era music festival: Officials blared Barry Manilow and James Blunt to try to drive out the protesters, who responded with some Twisted Sister of their own.
ATHENS  In the summer of 2017, Bakari Henderson, a 22-year-old American student, was beaten to death on the Greek holiday island of Zakynthos. The men convicted in Mr. Hendersons case were initially charged with murder, but a court instead found them guilty of assault and most have served their sentences and been released.

On Wednesday, a court began in earnest to retry the case, again on murder charges, after the defense requested a delay on Monday. The retrial comes after a prosecutor deemed the assault convictions and subsequent sentences too lenient.

Were starting from the very beginning, a blank slate, said Christos Kaklamanis, the lawyer representing the family. They all face murder charges.

This type of retrial is rare. The concept of double jeopardy is applied in Greece, but it only attaches if a verdict is final. Since the original decision was appealed by a prosecutor, it was not final and there can be a new trial on the same original charges.
CAIRO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 17,000 homicides in Mexico were linked to trafficked weapons in 2019, most of which were from the United States, reported the website of Al Jazeera.

According to an opinion piece by Belen Fernandez, there are no fewer than 7,000 licensed firearms dealers in the southern U.S. state of Texas bordering Mexico, and some half a million firearms are reportedly trafficked each year from the United States into Mexico.

In August, 2021, the Mexican government filed a 10 billion-U.S. dollar lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court against 10 American gun companies -- including Smith & Wesson, Colt, Beretta, and Glock -- which are accused of willfully fuelling violence in Mexico.

According to the suit, these firms have designed and marketed military-style assault weapons and other assorted lethal goodies to cater for criminal cartels and others.

Yet U.S. gunmakers contended: "Under bedrock principles of international law, a foreign nation cannot use its own law to reach across borders and impose liability," asking a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Mexico.

The opinion article called this a "charming assessment" from companies "whose cross-border reach literally kills people, and which form a pillar of society in an imperial superpower that could not care less about international law or borders aside from its own."

"Just ask Iraq and Afghanistan," the article added.

The author quoted a line from the Mexican lawsuit as saying: "As a result of the continued use and possession of many of these (U.S.-manufactured) guns, residents of Mexico will continue to be killed and injured by these guns, and the public will continue to fear for their health, safety, and welfare." 
China on Wednesday criticized the expansion of economic sanctions against Russia, saying that they were unlikely to solve the Ukraine crisis and that they had the potential to harm average people as well as the interests of Beijing.

The position of the Chinese government is that we believe that sanctions have never been a fundamental and effective way to solve problems, and China always opposes any illegal unilateral sanctions, Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for Chinas foreign ministry, said at a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

Since 2011, the United States has imposed sanctions on Russia more than 100 times, but we can all think about it calmly, she added. Have U.S. sanctions solved the problem?

Russia has cultivated close ties with China, a neighbor whose huge domestic economy offers a potential bulwark against Western sanctions. Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, met with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia at the Olympic Games in Beijing this month, and they declared in a joint statement that their friendship had no limits.
WASHINGTON  Russia faced mounting pressure and economic sanctions over the Ukraine crisis on Wednesday as the United States and allies coordinated punishments and denounced the beginning of an invasion of Ukraine.

After the United States and others imposed penalties, Australia, Canada and Japan joined in similar efforts to thwart the Kremlins advances, with Western officials confirming that Russian forces had begun crossing the Ukrainian border. In less than a day, nations have halted a key natural gas pipeline for Russia, limited its access to global financing and hampered the countrys elite.

With their condemnations, global leaders sent the same message: Russia was violating international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine.

Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia said while announcing sanctions on Wednesday.
Follow the latest news on Russias invasion of Ukraine.

SLAVIANSK, Ukraine  Russian mercenaries with experience fighting in Syria and Libya have covertly trickled into two rebel territories in eastern Ukraine, helping to lay the groundwork for war, according to two senior European security officials.

The mercenaries, which so far number about 300, are with the Russian paramilitary group Wagner and arrived in the separatist enclaves of Donetsk and Luhansk wearing civilian clothes, according to the European officials. Western intelligence services have tracked them leaving Libya and Syria and arriving in Russian-controlled Crimea, from where they have filtered into the rebel territories, one of the officials said.

Their numbers are tiny compared to the estimated 190,000 troops that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has placed around Ukraines border as he threatens to wage what many fear could be the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.

But the presence of Wagner fighters is another ominous sign of the approach of war, and raises the possibility that Mr. Putin may follow a playbook used in 2014, when the Kremlin deployed Russian mercenaries, mostly veterans of the Russian military, to augment the forces of rebel fighters in eastern Ukraine.
President Biden and Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission announced that the U.S. would help the European Union secure an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas this year.

The United States announced a deal with European leaders on Friday to increase shipments of natural gas to help wean Europe off Russian energy. And Germany set an ambitious goal of halving its imports of Russian oil and coal this year and freeing itself from its dependence on Russian natural gas by the middle of 2024.

Germanys timelines, outlined by its vice chancellor, are a remarkable turnabout by Europes largest economy, which has long relied extensively on Russia for energy. Just a few months ago, Germany was still aiming to buy even more natural gas from Moscow through a new pipeline called Nord Stream 2.

But President Vladimir V. Putins invasion of Ukraine has forced leaders in Germany and other European countries to rip up the energy playbook they had used for years, decades even, in just a month. The German vice chancellor, Robert Habeck, said at a briefing in Berlin that his country was shifting away from Russian energy at an insane pace.

President Biden is seeking to encourage similar moves by other European countries, in part by offering up the United States as an energy supplier.

The deal he announced, in Brussels earlier on Friday, lacked many details but contained some big goals: The United States would send an additional 15 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas to Europe this year  roughly 10 to 12 percent of current annual U.S. exports to all countries. By 2030, the president said, the United States will aim to increase supplies by as much as 50 billion cubic meters a year.

The moves caught many in the U.S. energy industry by surprise. Oil and gas executives who have become accustomed to being pilloried for their contributions to climate change were suddenly being called up to help liberate European allies from Russian energy. While the industry was not certain how Europe would make such a giant pivot, executives clearly relished their new casting as saviors rather than villains.

I have no idea how they are going to do this, but I dont want to criticize them, because for the first time they are trying to do the right thing, said Charif Souki, the executive chairman of Tellurian, a U.S. gas producer that is planning to build an export terminal in Louisiana.

Mr. Biden and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said many of the specifics would be worked out by a task force dedicated to reducing Europes dependency on Russian oil and gas in ways that would not undermine the climate policies of the two partners.

Among the things they did not address was the shortage of port capacity to ship and receive more gas on both sides of the Atlantic. The effort could also struggle because the Biden administration cant simply order U.S. exporters to sell gas to European buyers or to set prices acceptable to those buyers.

Were going to have to make sure that families in Europe can get through this winter and the next while were building an infrastructure for a diversified, resilient and clean energy future, Mr. Biden said.

The European Union is heavily reliant on energy imports from Russia, a big producer of oil, diesel, coal and, perhaps most important, natural gas. That dependence has become a growing problem as the European Union seeks to punish Mr. Putin. Russia provides about 40 percent of Europes natural gas, and a sizable chunk of it is shipped by pipeline through Ukraine.

Germany has long been one of Russias biggest customers. Having decided to shut down its nuclear plants, Germany has increasingly relied on natural gas. Because it got relatively affordable gas by pipeline from Russia  and some from the Netherlands, Norway and other suppliers  it declined to build any terminals where liquefied natural gas could be imported.

Germany also imports nearly a third of its crude oil from Russia. It has been trying to slash its consumption with generous subsidies for electric cars and greater investment in public transportation.

The Ukraine war has accelerated such German efforts under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who leads a coalition government made up of conservatives, liberals and environmentalists. Germany this year has revived plans to build gas importing terminals and has suspended final approvals of Nord Stream 2, an almost-complete pipeline that would have fed it a steady supply of Russian gas.

Every supply contract that is terminated hurts Putin, Mr. Habeck said on Friday.

Later in the day, E.U. countries agreed to jointly purchase and store natural gas. They set a target of filling 80 percent of their underground gas storage facilities by November as a buffer against supply disruptions during winter, when gas use increases for heating.

In the United States, gas exporters were already shifting sales to Europe from Asia in recent months, largely because prices in Europe have been higher than almost anywhere else in the world because of rising tensions with Russia and, more recently, the war in Ukraine. Nearly 75 percent of U.S. L.N.G. exports have gone to Europe so far this year, up from 34 percent in 2021. The Biden administration has encouraged that shift by relaxing export restrictions to certain European countries.

Charlie Riedl, the executive director at the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, a trade group, said he thought an extra 15 billion cubic feet of U.S. gas exports to Europe could be achieved relatively easily. He said two-thirds of that total could come from diverting shipments that otherwise would be bound for Asia, and the rest could come from recent federal approvals for additional production from existing American L.N.G. export terminals.

Obviously its a positive sign that Europe is making attempts to wean itself off Russian gas, Mr. Riedl said.

Energy executives say the Biden administration could help increase the flow of gas by streamlining permitting for new U.S. export terminals, where natural gas is chilled into a liquid and pumped into oceangoing tankers. Washington and the European Union could also provide loan guarantees for U.S. export terminals and European import terminals. There are roughly a dozen U.S. export terminals that have won regulatory approval but need financing to be built. About 10 European import terminals are being built.

Image A liquefied natural gas terminal in Italy. Credit... Clara Vannucci for The New York Times

Executives complain it can take more time to obtain permits for pipelines and export terminals than to build them.

Export terminals require investments of up to $10 billion, while import terminals cost about $1 billion to build. The United States has seven export terminals, and Europe has 28 large-scale import terminals.

Environmentalists criticized Mr. Bidens announcement because they fear it will commit the United States and Europe to using fossil fuels for decades longer than they argue is sustainable given the growing toll of climate change.

There is no way to ramp up U.S. L.N.G. exports and deliver on the imperative climate commitments that the U.S. and E.U. have pledged, said Abigail Dillen, the president of Earthjustice, an environmental law organization. She warned that the buildup of L.N.G. infrastructure would lock in expensive fossil dependence and dangerous pollution for decades to come.

American and European officials also agreed to seek ways to decrease greenhouse gas emissions from L.N.G. infrastructure and pipelines and to reduce the release of methane from gas operations. They said they would ramp up energy efficiency initiatives, such as the deployment of heat pumps and the use of clean hydrogen technologies to displace fossil fuels, as well as expedite planning and approval of renewable energy projects such as offshore wind and solar power.

The Biden administration has banned Russian energy imports as part of a set of sanctions against Mr. Putin, a relatively easy step for the United States because it is a net exporter of energy. Some U.S. lawmakers would like the European Union to stop buying oil and gas from Russia altogether, but the prospect for that has been dismissed by several E.U. leaders, who see it as a financially disastrous step that would hurt Europe more than Russia.

Some energy experts said a further escalation of the war, such as a decision by Mr. Putin to use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, could leave the European Union with little choice but to bar the purchase of Russian energy.

We want as Europeans to diversify away from Russia, toward suppliers that we trust, that are friends and that are reliable, Ms. von der Leyen of the European Commission said at the announcement with Mr. Biden. Therefore the U.S. commitment to provide the European Union with an additional at least 15 billion cubic meters of L.N.G. this year is a big step in this direction, because this will replace the L.N.G. supply we currently receive from Russia.

Still, oil and gas executives said Mr. Biden and Ms. von der Leyen would have to be patient and recognize that decisions on who sold gas to whom would be made across negotiating tables by private companies, not by politicians. Ultimately, exporters will seek to sell their gas to buyers willing to pay the highest price.

This is a capitalist system, Mr. Souki, the Tellurian executive, said. Its people like me who make those decisions. The government cant tell us where to send the gas.

Reporting was contributed by Matina Stevis-Gridneff , Christopher F. Schuetze , Monika Pronczuk and Zolan Kanno-Youngs .
BRUSSELS  Humanitarian groups have warned of a major crisis for millions of people in Ukraine if Russia further invades, and the European Union says it is preparing for large numbers of displaced people if a full-on conflict breaks out.

The European commissioner for migration, Ylva Johansson, said during a visit to Poland on Tuesday that the European Union and experts working for her in Brussels were drawing up plans on how to respond to a possible large-scale arrival of Ukrainian refugees.

The focus has been on the contingency planning for the very dangerous situation in Ukraine, Ms. Johansson said in Warsaw. Although it was unclear what the next steps by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would be, she added, We have to be prepared if there will be a massive inflow of refugees of Ukrainians into the European Union.

The U.S. troops who arrived in Poland this month are preparing to assist with Ukrainian evacuees.

Jan Egeland, who leads the Norwegian Refugee Council humanitarian agency, said that communities in Ukraine were already suffering since Russia invaded the countrys east in a 2014 conflict.
UKRAINIAN RAILWAYS TRAIN 749  We boarded the train heading for Lviv, in the northwest corner of Ukraine, near the Polish border and the NATO front lines, expecting to find it crowded with people fleeing ahead of a Russian invasion.

But two days before President Vladimir V. Putin announced an invasion of the country, there were no lines of people clamoring for tickets at the station on Tuesday, no people with jam-packed bags stuffed with precious valuables suggesting they were planning to leave for good.

On the train, in conversations during a seven-hour ride on a 330-mile journey, Emile Ducke, a photographer and translator traveling with me, and I talked to passengers making the journey west to Lviv, often for complicated reasons, many struggling to grasp that what they were seeing was actually happening.
What does Taliban rule mean for women?

The Taliban were founded in an ideology dictating that women should play only the most circumscribed roles in society.

The last time they ruled, they barred women and girls from taking most jobs or even going to school. And women caught outside the home with their faces uncovered risked severe punishment. Unmarried women and men seen together also faced punishment.

After the Taliban government was toppled by an American-led coalition, women made many gains in Afghanistan. But two decades later, as the U.S. negotiated a troop withdrawal agreement with the Taliban, many Afghan women feared that all of that ground would be lost.

And as the militants take power, there have been ample signs that those fears are well-grounded.

In just one example, Taliban fighters entered a bank in Kandahar during fighting in July and ordered nine women working there to leave and said that male relatives should take their place, Reuters reported. And in the northern city of Kunduz this month, the citys new Taliban rulers ordered women who had worked for the government to leave their jobs and never return.

Its really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is, one of the bank workers in Kandahar said.
Whos Requiring Workers to Be Vaccinated?

The New York Times surveyed 500 top corporations about their Covid-19 policies as some workers prepare to return to offices. Many require vaccinations, but the consequences for failing to comply vary widely.
A little more than 10 years ago, I began looking back at the diaries I had kept over the previous decade. I wondered if Id changed. So I loaded all 500,000 words of my journals into Excel to order the sentences alphabetically. Perhaps this would help me identify patterns and repetitions. How many times had I written, I hate him, for example? With the sentences untethered from narrative, I started to see the self in a new way: as something quite solid, anchored by shockingly few characteristic preoccupations. As I returned to the project over the years, it grew into something more novelistic. I blurred the characters and cut thousands of sentences, to introduce some rhythm and beauty. When The Times asked me for a work of fiction that could be serialized, I thought of these diaries: The selfs report on itself is surely a great fiction, and what is a more fundamental mode of serialization than the alphabet? After some editing, here is the result.

This is part 6 of a 10-part series. Sign up to get it in your inbox.

Naturally it seems and feels like all the cards have been tossed in the air, but I am better off now than I was a week ago. Ness lay down on her bed and went to sleep. Ness looked beautiful  her skin was so amazingly clear. Ness pointed out that my shirt was always somewhat unbuttoned. Ness said she doesnt think about breasts. Ness said she would only want to read a story by me from St. Petersburg if I killed myself in the end. Ness thinks my craving for beauty is like someone elses craving for money. Ness was stroking me, and I had my white tank top on. New sheets for the bed. New York, I think, made me depressed. Next week Ill get a membership to the gym. Next year is going to be great, I hope. Nice after we were done to lie there, holding him, but at a certain point it became too much, and that is when I had to leave. Nine years later, almost the exact same thing. No checking email on Sunday. No cigarettes this year. No good comes of fantasizing, of deluding yourself that he does want you when he doesnt. No good comes of knowing anything in advance. No grandma. No man. No matter how nice or interesting these people are, it doesnt feel worth it. No money. No more mysticism  or not as much. No more publishing in textbooks. No more second-guessing. No more stupid assignments. No more worrying. No one at this point in history knows how to live, so we read biographies and memoirs, hoping to get some clues. No one sees, no one applauds. No phone, no internet. No union is without its blank spaces. None of her work compelled her. None of this is causing the slightest flurry of emotion in me. None of this is very interesting to read, and I know it wont be interesting for me to read later.

Nora gave me a pink jewel to remind me of the pink shoes I didnt buy. Not a very literary publisher. Not boys, ideas, writing or being super-cute. Not buying expensive presents for people. Not casual, posing. Not decadent, narcissistic, meaningless, valueless. Not drinking alcohol or coffee or even black tea. Not enough brains to distribute among us humans. Not enough girls in my week. Not enough time to walk, be alone and think. Not everybody needs a home with other people. Not everybody needs a spouse and children. Not everyone does, but thats part of the reason for her success. Not smoking cigarettes. Not spending money. Not staying in touch by phone  only by postcards or letters. Not the moviemakers, not the fashion designers, not the chefs. Not the physicists. Not to be a waste of a life. Not to be afraid of getting married or being married. Not to live according to images but according to time. Not to live according to story but according to feelings. Not to reach out to him for love when what I want is reassurance  they are not the same thing. Not to say you should live a monkish life without a partner or other humans, but remember what you are actually wedded to, and wed yourself to it as in your girlish fantasies you imagined you would wed yourself to a man. Not to talk to Rosa about my romances anymore  she is too influential, the things she says to me. Not to use the book as an excuse for anything anymore, for there will always be a book. Not to worry about sentences anymore, or numbers. Not to worry about timeliness. Not to worry so much about things. Not wanting painful feelings. Not wanting to fill that void with him. Not-smart boys are no fun to be around. Note for the future. Nothing can damage the writing. Nothing others do is because of you. Nothing really happened this month. Now all of a sudden I feel a longing for Pavel. Now all the men I loved most are lost to me, and all the men of lesser importance as well. Now he is gone, and I feel better. Now he is seeing someone else now. Now I am drinking tea. Now I am feeling bad. Now I am getting tired, so I will write one more story and go to bed. Now I am not living honestly again. Now I am reading fiction again. Now I am reading Lady Chatterleys Lover. Now I am thinking about my book, and how it was all on track until Pavel said the other night, Maybe if it had some emotion in it, your 700-page book might actually be worth reading. Now I come to the part of the night I dont want to write about, because I began to get drunk, and woke up this morning with shame and regret. Now I feel like I want to cry. Now I feel pretty calm; if only I can put a system in place of not squandering money. Now I have Dave Hickeys agent. Now I know what I need to do with my book. Now I think I finally understand trust: You cant have real trust with a person if youre showing them a mask. Now I want to cry even more. Now Im back to this? Now Im crying and am feeling very hurt, angry, upset and neglected. Now it is later in the summer. Now it is 1 in the morning. Now it is the climbing, and later there will be the pasture. Now it is a story of a girl who is looking for herself, is abandoning art meanwhile, is trying to find ways of living that are artlike but are not art, cant find the answer for how to make art that is not art while at home, so goes away and travels around the world to try and figure it out, but nothing is happening there, either; her mother calls her home to help clean out her childhood stuff from the basement, the girl returns, is broke, starts working in a hair salon when she meets a hairdresser who is so impressive to her  is a role model of professionalism and mastery  and she realizes this is what she wants to be, a master of her craft, so she quits the salon and returns to art with the knowledge of where and how and in what direction to go. Now my feet are going numb, and there is weakness in my legs. Now my whole body is cold, very cold. Now that the book is done, I can commit to him, I think. Now that the book is done, I need not panic about anything. Now the next 12 years begin. Now the sky is the color of computers.
In Georgia for Ahmaud Arbery Day Tariro Mzezewa Reporting from Brunswick, Ga.

Dustin Chambers for The New York Times

Ive been covering the hate crimes trial of the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery. On Tuesday, they were convicted of targeting him because he was Black. Wednesday marked the second anniversary of his death.

Heres how his family spent the day 
URUMQI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region held a video conference on Tuesday with the Permanent Mission of China to the UN Office at Geneva to showcase the region's social and economic development.

Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva, delivered a video address at the conference held in the regional capital of Urumqi.

He said that Xinjiang gives top priority to the interests of the people of all ethnic groups, and major achievements have been made on the region's economic and social development and human rights, while the people of all ethnic groups have led an unprecedented happy life.

Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the people's government of the autonomous region, said Xinjiang has always adhered to a people-centered development philosophy and continued to advance projects to benefit the people, focusing on employment, medical care, education and social security.

Maxime Vivas, a French writer and journalist who has visited Xinjiang twice, said at the conference that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are living happy lives and the so-called "genocide" fabricated by some Western media outlets is a complete lie. 
Stillwater, OK (74078)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 66F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 58F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
A Chinese man claims he was kidnapped by a criminal gang whose members used him like a blood slave, routinely draining his blood and selling it on the black market.

Weve heard of people being kidnapped and having their organs removed, but one 31-year-old man from Beijing claims his kidnappers were more interested in his blood. The man, whose identity has not been revealed, to protect his privacy, used to work as a security guard in Beijing and Shenzhen, but decided to try his luck as a nightclub bouncer after finding an online job advert. The pay was a lot better, so he decided to travel to the southwestern region of Guangxi for an interview, not knowing that the job offer was actually a trap.

Photo: LuAnn Hunt/Unsplash

The man was kidnapped by members of a criminal gang as soon as he arrived in Guanxi, and smuggled to the Cambodian coastal city of Sihanoukville, via Vietnam, where he was allegedly sold to a local gang for $18,500. He was forced to carry out various telemarketing fraud schemes in order to earn his own ransom, and also had to let the gang routinely extract his blood, so they could sell it for profit.

According to sources in China, the man had 800ml of blood taken from him every month since August last year, and had the bruised arms to prove it, upon his rescue. Apparently, criminals had started draining blood from the veins in his head, after those in his arms and legs became unusable.

The American Red Cross recommends blood donations not be made more frequently than every 56 days, but the gang turned to their blood slave every month. They even threatened to sell his organs on the black market, if he didnt cooperate.

The man only managed to escape his captors when one of the gang members switched sides. He managed to return his China, where he was eventually committed to a hospital with multiple organ failure, due to the frequent blood extractions.



The former blood slave told authorities that there were at least seven other men being held captive by the gang, but they didnt have their blood taken as often as he did. Apparently, he has the O blood type, which is universal, making it more valuable on the black market.

This shocking story has been doing the rounds on Chinese social media for the past week, and Chinese authorities have been issuing warnings to people to be very wary of Cambodia job offers that sound too good to be true, and only use formal communication channels.
Is Donald Trump auditioning for his own show on Russias RT network? That must be the reason why he is once again cozying up to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Trump, a self-described stable genius, lauded Putin as a genius for moving Russian troops into two breakaway regions of Ukraine.

He also praised Putin for sending more army tanks than Ive ever seen into Ukraine and mused that the US should do the same on the border with Mexico.

RT does have a soft spot for washed up western politicians. Alex Salmond, who was first minister of Scotland, hosts his own political chat show, where he vows to battle the mainstream media narrative, according to a RT blurb.

Nicola Sturgeon, who succeeded Salmond, is appalled by his continued involvement with the Russian propaganda network.

I dont think its any secret now that I dont think he should ever have had a television show on RT, but it is even more unthinkable now that it should continue, she said.

Trump may be angling to take over William Shatners RT program that seeks to answer fascinating and timely questions that pique the natural interest of everyone but that are too-often overlooked by establishment media.

The former president could put a populist spin on Shatners show, which tries to reach curious intellectuals whod rather be educated than merely entertained by their TVs, coming face to face with some of todays most perplexing conundrums with each mind-blowing episode.

Trump could even keep the name of Shatners show. Its called, I Dont Understand.

McDonalds shouldnt mess with corporate raider Carl Icahn, who first made his mark with the hostile takeover of Trans World Airlines in 1986.

Animal lover Icahn wants McDonalds to change the way that its suppliers treat pigs.

Icahn, who owns 200 McDonalds shares, plans to nominate two directors to the companys board to advocate that the company end the practice of keeping pregnant pigs in crates.

McDonalds issued a snooty statement on Feb. 20, knocking Icahns nominations as representing a narrow issue, while its board works to foster sustainable value creation by acting on some of the worlds most pressing social and environmental issues that are important to our stakeholders.

The fast-feeder also huffed that it selects board members that represent the interests of all shareholders.

McDonalds in 2012 made its commitment to not buy pigs from producers who use gestation cages. That promise is now a decade old.

The company says it is on track to source 100 percent of its pork from sows housed in groups by 2024.

Icahn, 86, is apparently tired of waiting. Were not going to fool around with them any more, he told Bloomberg.

The company shouldnt be so dismissive of Icahn, who has a knack of shaking things up.
Deputy Michael Lowry has welcomed news that Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue has revealed a 7-million support scheme for pig farmers.

The package is worth 20,000 to around 300 farmers and will be paid out to all finisher pig farmers who are members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme.

The porcine sector supports up to 8,000 jobs in Ireland It has been absorbing steep losses on production for months. Rising feed and energy costs combined with low international prices have resulted in many farmers losing thousands of euro per week.

Minister McConalogue said: "Irish pig farm families are currently facing unprecedented challenges due to a combination of low pig meat prices and extraordinarily high input costs, due to international factors outside their control".

This 7 million scheme aims to provide emergency support to commercial pig farmers. It is an urgent, short-term response to assist producers that would be viable but for the extreme current circumstances and allow space for a more medium-term adjustment to market signals.

The fund of 7 million will be distributed through a flat rate payment of a maximum of 20,000 per pig farmer sending more than 200 pigs per annum to slaughter.

Last year, the value of pig sector food exports was 930m.
Residents living on the Rahan Road in Tullamore say they are "shocked and amazed" at a decision by An Bord Pleanala to allow a biogas facility on a site which they claim is "totally unsuitable" for such a development. They are also adamant that it will not go ahead.

"We will not stand for this apparent blatant disregard for the opinions of the common man over big business," said Paschal Fox, the Chair of Rahan Road Residents Association who lodged an objection to the development.

In a statement, Mr Fox stresses that the people have "no option but to fight this decision in any way we can. We are thus reviewing our options currently and taking various advices not just on our behalf but on behalf of the town of Tullamore as a whole."

On July 23, 2020, Strategic Power Limited applied to Offaly County Council to construct a renewable biogas facility at Ballyduff, Tullamore. The plant will receive organic matter such as animal manure and food wastes and in the absence of oxygen break it down into biogas and organic fertiliser.

The facility includes a feedstock reception hall, a laboratory, two primary digester tanks, one secondary digester tank, liquid digestate storage tanks, water storage tank, manure reception tanks and stores, the application states.

The application drew a massive negative response from nearby residents associations on the Rahan and Clara Road. They were joined by a large number of small and medium-sized businesses trading in the area along with local councillors. Barry Cowen TD also added his name to the list of those objecting to the proposal.

In January 2021, Offaly County Council refused to grant permission for the facility. This was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanala by Strategic Power.

The residents say a "minimum of 30 loads of farm manure per day will be carried into the site by trucks. The fertiliser will then be brought out to be spread on surrounding farms."

They also say the development has the potential to attract vermin, increase traffic volume on the Rahan Road and create additional noise as the plant will run 24/7. They also fear a fire or explosion at the plant.

"We are adamant that the proposed activity cannot be conducted at this site nor in the environs of any town in Ireland, no matter how well designed and operated, without significant, environmental impacts occurring. We are determined to have the people of the towns opinions heard before it is too late. We are convinced that preventing the development is the only viable option," said Mr Fox.

The residents are also seeking the support of businesses and all of the residents of Tullamore in their quest to prevent this development.

Outlining the reasons for granting permission An Bord Pleanala said it took into consideration the requirement for an Anaerobic Digester Plant to be subject to and regulated under an industrial emissions licence to be issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.

It said it also noted the pattern of existing and permitted development in the vicinity of the site, the location of the proposed development on lands on the outskirts of Tullamore and its close proximity to the source of agricultural feedstock material. It took account of the proximity of the site to the gas networks Ireland gas network for export of gas.

The Board Inspector proposed that subject to compliance with a number of conditions the development would comprise an acceptable form of energy recovery from primarily agricultural waste. It would also not be prejudicial to public health and would not give rise to a risk of serious pollution or major accident risk.

Under the conditions laid out, the developer will be required to submit an annual report on the operation of the facility to the local planning authority.
The weather in Ireland is set to turn very wintry tonight with the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland forecasting snow, hail, thunderstorms and freezing temperatures.

Met Eireann has already issued a Status Yellow Snow and Ice Warning for Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim for tonight. The UK Met Office has issued a Snow Warning for Antrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry. A Status Yellow Wind Warning for Donegal and Mayo has also been issued.

In its latest forecast Met Eireann warns that winds will continue strong in the west and north tonight and moderating a bit elsewhere. Chilly with a scattering of snow, sleet and rain showers. There is also a chance of some thunderstorms too with local hail. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +1 degrees. Some frost and ice will set in also, especially in sheltered areas.

According to Met Eireann, it will be cold and very windy on Thursday with strong to gale force and gusty west to northwest winds bringing in sunny spells and further scattered wintry showers. A scattering of snow showers and icy stretches during the morning will lead to treacherous conditions in parts. Some thundery showers and hail too, especially in the west and north. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 7 degrees, coldest in the north, with an added wind chill factor.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, Thursday night will feel raw in rather brisk northwest winds with some further scattered wintry showers, mainly confined to western and northern coasts overnight. Long clear spells will develop elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees with frost and possible ice developing later, that's as the winds ease.
A MAN charged with the murder of teacher Ashling Murphy has been further remanded in custody pending formal directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Jozef Puska, 31, with an address of Lynally Grove, Mucklagh, Co Offaly, was initially remanded in custody on January 19.

He is accused of killing the 23-year-old primary school teacher who was attacked while out running along the Grand Canal near Tullamore on January 12.

The Slovakian national faced his fourth hearing at Cloverhill District Court today. (Wednesday)

Mr Puska appeared before Judge Cephas Power via video link.

Dressed in a grey tracksuit, he listened with the help of an interpreter and spoke only to give his name and to say he could see and hear the proceedings.

Court Garda sergeant Olwyn Murphy told Judge Power, "directions are still outstanding".

She explained gardai sent the investigation file to the State solicitor and the DPP in Dublin on February 18. A four-week remand was sought.

Defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght submitted that the case "is only going one way". He asked the judge to refuse jurisdiction at this stage and adjourn the case for a book of evidence to be completed.

The court sergeant pointed out that there was no time limit, and she asked the judge to adjourn for formal directions from the DPP first and a book of evidence after that.

Judge Power noted the nature of the charge and indicated he would put the case back for four weeks.

However, Mr Lysaght said his client would only consent to a two-week remand. He also asked for the directions to be expedited, adding that the DPP has been involved from day one.

The sergeant said the DPP gave "ordinary directions" on day one, and now formal directions were required.

The judge noted the volume and complexity of the case and remanded Mr Puska in continuing custody to appear again on March 9.

Detective Sergeant David Scahill gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Mr Puskas first hearing on January 19.

Detective Sergeant Scahill had said that when asked if he had anything to say in response to the charge, the accused replied: "No".

The High Court only can consider a bail application in a murder case.
A forecaster us warning that Ireland could be in for another storm this weekend as the country braces for a cold snap through Wednesday night and Thursday.

Weather forecaster Alan OReilly from Carlow Weather warned of the possible approaching storm on Twitter.

"Latest charts show risk of storm Sunday into Monday. Might stay far enough away not to cause us any big issues. Still subject to change this far out though.

Latest charts show risk of storm Sunday into Monday might stay far enough away not to cause us any big issues. Still subject to change this far out though. pic.twitter.com/FZvV5PCflu February 23, 2022

Ireland was hit by three storms in just five days last week as Storm Dudley, Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin caused damage across much of the country leaving thousands without power with one man tragically losing his life in Wexford.

The potential storm will follow a very cold snap of weather with Met Eireann forecasting 'raw' conditions through Wednesday night and all of Thursday.

Met Eireann has already issued a Status Yellow Snow and Ice Warning for Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim for tonight. The UK Met Office has issued a Snow Warning for Antrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry. A Status Yellow Wind Warning for Donegal and Mayo has also been issued.

In its latest forecast Met Eireann warns that winds will continue strong in the west and north tonight and moderating a bit elsewhere. Chilly with a scattering of snow, sleet and rain showers. There is also a chance of some thunderstorms too with local hail. Lowest temperatures of -2 to +1 degrees. Some frost and ice will set in also, especially in sheltered areas.

According to Met Eireann, it will be cold and very windy on Thursday with strong to gale force and gusty west to northwest winds bringing in sunny spells and further scattered wintry showers. A scattering of snow showers and icy stretches during the morning will lead to treacherous conditions in parts. Some thundery showers and hail too, especially in the west and north. Highest temperatures of just 3 to 7 degrees, coldest in the north, with an added wind chill factor.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, Thursday night will feel raw in rather brisk northwest winds with some further scattered wintry showers, mainly confined to western and northern coasts overnight. Long clear spells will develop elsewhere. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees with frost and possible ice developing later, that's as the winds ease.
THE team at Birr Castle Demesne took some time out to celebrate being listed as one of Irelands top ten visitor attractions for 2022. Birr Castle Demesne was fourth in the visitor attraction section of the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards 2022.

Speaking about the Awards Pol O Conghaile, Travel Editor said As things takes a turn for the better, we're celebrating not just the lights at the end of the tunnel, but the lights that have helped us through the tunnel  Irelands breathtakingly resilient tourism and hospitality industry.

Grainne OMalley, Birr Castle Demesne Manager said It was wonderful to see the efforts of the terrific team, who kept everything going over the past couple of years, being rewarded. Thanks to everyone who voted for us. It is hugely appreciated. This accolade comes on top of all of the other Awards won by Birr Castle Demesne in recent years including being named in 2021 by the Lonely Planet list as one of the top eight hidden treasures in Ireland for visitors and also being named by Lonely Planet as one of top ten most child-friendly castle estates in the world in 2019.

On your doorstep, Birr Castle Demesne is one of Irelands most intriguing destinations and a must-see for anyone with a passion for photography, botany, wildlife, nature, education, science, engineering, astronomy, and heritage. Beautifully framed within a 120-acre demesne, this 17th-century castle is home for the past 400 years to the Parsons Family, who are celebrated for their remarkable scientific and engineering feats, including the world-famous Great Telescope (1845). A self-guided adventure of endless discoveries includes 10 kilometres of scenic walks, rivers, waterfall, a lake, one of Europes finest plant collections, Science Galleries with the worlds oldest intact dark room, the worlds tallest box hedge, forest bathing, trails and Irelands tallest treehouse! www.birrcastle.com
The Taoiseach has committed to ensuring that the long-awaited Stardust inquest can take place as soon as possible, amid concerns about further delays.

Forty-eight people died in the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin on February 14 1981.

A new Bill is being brought forward in the Seanad to ensure that the inquest is held before a jury, with it selected in the same way as in a criminal case.

Campaigners say that the Government also needs to ensure that jurors can be paid during the inquest, which is expected to last for several months.

The Bill is being proposed by Sinn Fein Senator Lynn Boylan and on Wednesday in the Dail, her party leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the matter with Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

She said: The Government has given a commitment that the Stardust inquest will be human rights compliant, so to deliver on this commitment the matters relating to juries in terms of selection and income protection need to be urgently addressed.

Most people are unaware of just how opaque jury selection for an inquest really is and how ad hoc it is.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett also backed the call, telling the Taoiseach: The only reason we have an inquest is because these families have never given up in their quest for truth and justice about the deaths of their loved ones.

In response, Mr Martin said he had met recently with the families of the people who died in the blaze.

He said he had spoken to Justice Minister Helen McEntee about the issue, as well as the Attorney General.

Ive asked them to see if can they come up with an exceptional provision there or some approach to deal with the Stardust inquiry to make sure that jurors can be empanelled for the duration of the inquest, the Taoiseach said.

He gave no indication of how long it would take to solve the issue, but promised to update the Dail on progress.

Given that weve come this far I think its important that we would give as much closure as we possibly can, notwithstanding limitations to the coroners inquest, Mr Martin said.

I think its important to bring this to completion, to a satisfactory completion.

Families have bemoaned the fact that this is the latest obstacle put in the way of an inquest.

On Tuesday, they received the backing of nearly 30 figures from the world of law, including former justice minister Michael McDowell.

The letter, sent to Ms McEntee on Tuesday, said: The Stardust Inquest will be the largest inquest in the history of the State and will be watched around the world. The bare minimum that should be expected is that the evidence is heard by a jury that is selected in a manner that is transparent and representative of wider society.
Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson on Wednesday urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority to stop obstructing ferry links between Kinmen and Xiamen.

Calling the ferry services an important, convenient channel for exchanges among people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, especially Fujian and Taiwan residents, spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang expressed his hope that the DPP authority could heed the call for early resumption of the ferry links and no longer obstruct the services.

Ma noted that the DPP authority unilaterally called a stop to the Kinmen-Xiamen ferry services after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. 




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BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has rolled out measures for administrative supervision of social insurance funds and to crack down on insurance frauds.

The measures will take effect on March 18, the ministry said Tuesday, adding that it will guide local governments to implement these measures, strengthen supervision and crack down on illegal acts such as frauds, hedging, or misappropriation of social security funds.

The ministry will overhaul social security funds involving all types of insurance and probe wrongdoings to ensure the safety of the funds. 
Oneindia 23 Feb 2022

Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar Ahimsa has been arrested amid the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka allegedly for his..
Vladimir Putins move on Ukraine is causing concern in Sydneys Russian community, who are worried about relatives overseas and strained conditions at home.
Ryan Shaw, an army veteran who was vying for the Labor-held seat of Lilley, said the election campaign was affecting his mental health and PTSD.
The worlds eyes are now on Russias Vladimir Putin after sanctions imposed by Western nations, including the US, UK and Australia, appear to have fallen on deaf ears in the Kremlin. Follow our live coverage.
Sky News 23 Feb 2022

Ukraine has brought in emergency measures and told its citizens in Russia to flee the country as fears mount of a large-scale..
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of One News Page Ltd.
The lawmakers, some of whom have historical animosities, are appealing to Biden to get a nod from Congress before sending troops to Ukraine.
Ukraine's foreign minister calls for the West to hit Putin and his inner circle with more sanctions. Meanwhile, satellite images show a new buildup of military equipment near the Ukraine border. Follow DW for more.
The "Uprising of the Last Generation" group sought to block access to airports in Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich in protest of food waste in Germany.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia would have a devastating impact worldwide. Meanwhile, Russia is evacuating its diplomats from Kyiv. Follow DW for more.
Boris Johnson has made clear the UK will not send troops to Ukraine if Russia launches a full-scale invasion, but there are other ways of aiding the European ally.
The US president announced financial sanctions against Russian banks in response to what he called the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.''
The top US diplomat said Russia has "rejected diplomacy" by ordering troops to eastern Ukraine. The UN condemned the deployment and said calling the troops "peacekeepers" was a "perversion." Follow DW for more.
Germany's historic Russia policy, which has been focused on "special relationship" diplomacy and economic ties rather than confrontation, has been struck a blow by Russia's escalation. What now for Berlin?
The US has cancelled a Blinken-Lavrov meeting schedule for Thursday, arguing Russia is not serious about diplomacy.
Sanctions against Russia for Ukraine invasion to go in effect, truck convoys are heading to Washington, D.C., and more news to start your Wednesday.


Ukraine's national security council called for a state of emergency as the crisis with Russia continues. Meanwhile, satellite images show a new buildup of military equipment near the Ukraine border. Follow DW for more.
Rumble 13 Mar 2022

Thousands marched in Paris on Saturday to call for climate action, ahead of Frances presidential election and amid an energy..
Two Ukrainian security councils called for a state of emergency as the crisis with Russia continues. Meanwhile, satellite images show a new buildup of military equipment near the Ukraine border. Follow DW for more.
Ukraine's president asked the nation to not remain silent as he called up military reservists with as many as 150,000 Russia troops at his borders.


Ukraine will impose a state of emergency once it's approved by parliament to allow for transport checks after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would send troops to eastern Ukraine.
Rumble 18 Mar 2022

Biden lifted sanctions on Nord Stream 2 on day one in office, which opened up billions of dollars in revenue to Moscow. President..
Deutsche Welle 24 Feb 2022

The UN Security Council is meeting to discuss the crisis in Ukraine after Russian lawmakers approved the use of force outside the..
This comes after President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops there.
Night curfew to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus was lifted from Tuesday night. All other pandemic curbs imposed have already been withdrawn.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon stood by his decision to speak to the anti-mandate concerns of the Parliament protesters on Monday in a speech the Prime Minister described as "dangerously close to sympathy" with the protesters.Speaking...
United States President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Russia and the country's elites and their families after President Vladimir Putin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. The situation comes as Moscow has moved its troops to the two regions.
President Biden, Prime Minister Johnson, President Macron, Chancellor Scholtz and the European Commission President von der Leyen: as the West woke up to Russian incursions into Ukraine, the co-ordinated response began with leaders announcing limited sanctions, with the promise of more.
ODN 28 Apr 2022

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says Russia must be "pushed out of the whole of Ukraine" and that sanctions "need to go further", in a..
Former United States President Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for the latter's actions and decisions on Ukraine. The Republican businessman said that the move to send "peacekeeping" forces to two breakaway regions was "smart" and "savvy."
In the wake of the Russian occupation of the Donbas region and sending its forces to Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, President Joe Biden ordered U.S. troops already based in Europe to shore up the defenses of nations bordering Ukraine.? Biden directed Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin to move forces within the U.S. European Command's area of operations to the Baltic Repub
The Duchess of Cambridge will receive an official welcome from Denmarks Queen Margrethe on the second day of her trip to the Scandinavian nation.
TV regulator Ofcom has been encouraged to review Russia Today's ability to broadcast in the UK after the channel was accused of being Vladimir Putin's "personal propaganda tool".
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has hit out at the UK Government legacy plans, calling them a radical departure from the approach agreed between the two countries.
According to the World Health Organization, new COVID-19 cases worldwide declines by 21%, marking the third week in a row of decreased coronavirus infections.
Over the weekend, at least six people were stabbed in the New York subway only hours after Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul presented a safety plan to curb crime on public transportation.
WASHINGTON  The Pentagon is expected to approve the deployment of 700 to 800 unarmed National Guard troops to the nation's capital, a U.S. official said Tuesday, in the face of trucker convoys...



#nationalguard #protests #pentagon
Germany can meet its energy needs without Russian gas, its economy minister has said, after the government decided to halt the approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline amid rising Ukraine tensions.
Former US President Donald Trump has described Vladimir Putin's aggression towards Ukraine as "genius", "wonderful" and "very savvy".
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson denied that his Conservative Party took donations from Russian oligarchs, saying all those who fund the governing party were registered in Britain.
Newsy 28 Feb 2022

Watch VideoAn embattled Ukraine moved to solidify its bond with the West on Monday by applying to join the European Union, while..
After remaining silent on the crisis, former US president Donald Trump has hailed Russian President Vladimir Putin a "genius" and bragged that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would never have happened under his watch.In his latest...
Rumble 13 Mar 2022

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report talks to Nikki Haley, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, about why Russia is invading..
As the West sounded the alarm about the Kremlin ordering troops into eastern Ukraine and decried it as an invasion, Russian state media painted a completely different picture  of Moscow coming to the rescue of war-torn areas tormented...
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

Global private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) firms are largely optimistic of their fundraising prospects for the year ahead despite facing an increasingly packed field of cash-hungry rivals, said a study.

"Firms overwhelmingly agreed that competition for funds has increased in recent months, but that fundraising conditions should improve in 2022," revealed a survey conducted by Acuity Knowledge Partners.

Respondents representing over 80 firms spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, reported on their outlooks, concerns, and business plans for 2022. Three-quarters of these respondents have senior roles at their firms, with 87% having over five years of experience in the industry and over half relying on a decade or more of industry knowledge to prepare their responses.

Respondents indicated that, amid the positive fundraising environment, funds available to deploy are likely to increase, with more than half of respondents expecting levels of dry powder to remain high for some time.

According to the survey produced by consultancy, despite many respondents (74%) experiencing increasing competition for funds recently, almost the same number (72%) still believe the quality of fundraising opportunities should improve in 2022; 21% expect it to remain the same.

Regionally, UK- and Europe-based firms are more optimistic about fundraising. Over 80% of respondents from these regions expect an increase in fundraising, while only abou......................

To view our full article Click here
Oskaloosa, IA (52577)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. High 62F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 49F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
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Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals.

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The following area students were named to the dean's honor list at Cedarville University for Fall 2021. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.75 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.

The following area students were named to the dean's list at Cedarville University for Fall 2021. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.5 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Noah Haines of Midland, majoring in biblical studies-accelerated

Jenna Wallenbeck of Midland, majoring in communication

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,715 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation, and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about Cedarville University, visit www.cedarville.edu.
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As the economy and businesses have had to adapt during the pandemic, so have cottage food industries across Michigan. Midland resident Amanda Hamann, owner and creator of Above Measure Cookies, is seeking to change the states Cottage Food Law with the help of Rep. Annette Glenn.

Michigans Cottage Food Law, approved in 2010, focuses on cottage food operations, which are foods that are made in an unlicensed kitchen of a single-family domestic residence.

While the law exempts food operations from licensing and inspection requirements in the Michigan Food Law, it does have its own requirements. Under the Cottage Food Law, Cottage Food businesses cannot make more than $25,000 a year in gross sales, must operate direct sales at venues such as farmers markets and farm or roadside stands, and conduct delivery in-person delivery if an order is made over the phone, among other conditions.

Hamann began baking cookies for her kids and the endeavor quickly grew; she established Above Measure Cookies in 2018. Looking for some support, she joined a Facebook group, Michigan Cookiers and got to talking with other bakers about the states Cottage Food Law.

We started discussing the food laws because we want to be careful about following them, Hamann said. Theres a huge cottage foods movement around the country right now.

Hamann reached out to Rep. Glenn in October, asking for her support to change a handful of aspects of Michigans Cottage Food Law.

She was immediately on board with the changes. I was just looking for information and it snowballed from there, Hamann said.

Glenn, R-Midland, is sponsoring Michigan House Bill 5704 (2022). The bill proposes three adjustments to the Cottage Food Law, one of which is removing the $25,000 cap. By removing the cap, cottage food businesses can provide a more livable income for their families, said Hamann.

The thing with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is theyre very resistant. Their stance is that it (the income cap) would lead us into getting a permanent food license outside the home, Hamann said, adding that starting a larger business is a pipe dream for most of cottage food businesses. Theres a giant gap between $25,000 and what it would take to start a commercial (food) business.

As the pandemic has caused the cost of food and packaging to increase, cottage food businesses across the state are realizing that $25,000 is not enough to support themselves. Glenn explained cottage food businesses offer special orders that can quickly meet the cap and then are forced to turn customers away to abide with the law.

These (Above Measure Cookies) are not your 25 for $2 cookies. These take time and talent to make. They are worth every bite as well, Glenn said.

Both Hamann and Glenn researched cottage food laws across the country and discovered Michigan is one of seven states that has a cap of $20,000-$25,000. Meanwhile, 11 states have caps of $35,000-250,000 and 30 states and the District of Columbia have no sales limits for cottage food businesses.

We are definitely at the low side, Glenn said.

The second change proposed by HB5704 is to allow for online orders and mail delivery. Hamann said the change would be ideal for customers to receive food orders through third-party delivery platforms, such as Uber Eats and Grubhub. Glenn stated shes hopeful HB5704 would provide a chance for cottage food businesses to send mail orders of their products within the state.

The third alteration would let cottage food businesses be able to request a unique identification number from Michigan State University Extension. Hamann explained this measure would provide more privacy to cottage food businesses, as the ID would replace their home address on product labels.

That way if theres a problem, MDARD can look up the number and alert cottage food producers, Hamann said.

Hamann said one time a customer walked into her home, not knowing that Above Measure Cookies was operated from a residence. She has heard of other instances of security breaches, including a report of a baker who was assaulted in her home by a man pretending to be a customer.

Last week, Hamann and Glenn presented HB5704 to a hearing committee with great success. The bills language is currently being reviewed; the Michigan House of Representatives Agriculture Committee will vote on the bill in the next couple of weeks. If it passes, the bill will go to the House floor.

We need more eyes on it and people saying that they support local business, Hamann said.

Michigan residents who would like to show their support for HB5704 may do so at

instituteforjustice.quorum.us/campaign/supporthb5704/ or contact their local representative.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has hired Ryan Rickel as its director of strategic partnerships and promoted Taylor Piotrowski to outreach manager.



Rickel holds a bachelor of science degree in business marketing from Ferris State University. He brings a diverse array of professional experience in sales and customer service, including a special talent for helping small business owners reach their goals, to the Mackinac Center. He is passionate about helping bring more freedom and opportunity to the people of Michigan and the nation and making a better future for the next generation.



Piotrowski has a B.A. in political science with a minor in communications from Valparaiso University, where she was also a member of Christ College, the Honors College. She is in charge of managing the Mackinac Center's outreach efforts for current and new audiences.



The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. It's one of the largest state-based think tanks in the United States.
MECOSTA COUNTY  Deputies with the Mecosta County Sheriffs Office responded to the following calls. All calls may not be reported.

Deputies responded to one car-deer crash and four car crashes without injury.

A report of larceny of diesel fuel was made in the 5000 block of 11 Mile Road.

A report of harassment was made at 225 S. Stewart, in Big Rapids Township. A male showed up at the Mecosta County Sheriffs Office to turn himself in on some warrants. He had no warrants. An unknown subject called and told him he had warrants out for his arrest.

A report of criminal sexual conduct was made in the 19000 block of 14 Mile, Big Rapids Township. A female stated that she had nonconsensual sex with a male.

Threats against a school were reported at 4700 Northland Drive. A student made threats against the school. He stated it was a joke, and he was only kidding. Probate court will review the case.

A suspicious situation was reported in the 21000 block of 15 Mile Road, Big Rapids Township. A female reported that after she got fast food from Door Dash, she became sick.

A suspicious situation was reported in the 19000 Block of Hoover Road, Green Township. A male reported seeing another male walking down the road after finding his basement doors open. Nothing was damaged or missing, and deputies were unable to locate the male.

A report of domestic violence was reported in the 18000 block of 60th Avenue. A female arrived at her ex-boyfriend's with all her belongings via a taxi and refused to leave. She then slapped the ex-boyfriend in the face and threw belongings at him. She was arrested and lodged without incident.

Deputies attempted to stop a vehicle near 20 Mile Road and 35th Avenue. The vehicle stopped 30th and Hoover before it took off again. Deputies pursued the vehicle into Osceola County and then east to Lake into Clare County until Clare County took over the pursuit. Clare was able to use stop sticks later and stop the vehicle. Driver was arrested for driving while license suspended; operating while intoxicate, third offense; and had a neglect child warrant out of Isabella County. Driver resisted and was tasered. K9 was used to arrest.

A arrest warrant was executed in the 2000 block of Costabella Avenue, Millbrook Township. A male reported getting chased by multiple vehicles starting in Bay City until his vehicle broke down on Costabella. The male had two misdemeanor warrants and a felony warrant out of Roscommon, who wanted a hold. he was lodged at the Mecosta County Sheriffs Jail. Vehicle was towed by Huffs.

A suspicious situation was reported in the 300 block of North Norman. A female had a male stop in front of her house and take pictures and a video. He placed the pics on Facebook on the Barryton Community page

Tuesday, Feb. 22

Deputies responded to one car-deer crash and five car crashes without injury.

Deputies responded to the 9000 block of Buchanan Road in Morton Township. A 70-year-old resident was upset about his tooth hurting and the staff not taking him to the dentist.

A traffic stop for expired plate near Cass and Seventh Street in Aetna Township led to driver being issued appearance ticket for no insurance.

Retail fraud was reported in the 21000 block of Perry Avenue. A female suspect stole several items from the store, which in her mind was an obvious mistake as she had no idea how those items were not scanned.

Deputies responded to a residence in the 7000 block of Taft Road. A male called stating his neighbor to the east of him is crawling under his trailer and shocking him.

An arrest warrant was executed in the 100 block of South Cass Street in Morley. A male was arrested on a stalking warrant from this complaint. He was lodged at Mecosta County Jail without incident.

A report of a suicidal subject was made in the 11000 Block of 4 Mile Road in Hinton Township. A male ingested 30 Mirtazapine sleeping tablets. He was transported to Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital without incident by EMS.
To the editor:

Midland County residents have a right to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods.

Thats why I was proud to introduce the COPS on the Beat Program Reauthorization and Parity Act, with Republican and Democratic support in Congress.

This bipartisan legislation nearly triples the federal funding for COPS grants available to local law enforcement, including the Midland Police Department and Midland County Sheriff.

For Midland and the Tri-Cities, my bill would mean more funding for local law enforcement to hire and train more police officers to help reduce crime. Federal COPS grants would also allow smaller, more rural communities to raise officer wages so they can recruit and retain good officers.

Since coming to Congress, I have worked closely with mid-Michigan law enforcement leaders to understand the challenges they face and ensure that Im delivering the federal resources they need. Im proud that my new legislation has the support of local law enforcement leaders across our region.

Police are an important pillar of our community. In Congress, I will keep working with Republicans and Democrats to pass my legislation to increase funding for Michigan police departments, help reduce crime and keep mid-Michigan communities safe.

DAN KILDEE

Congressman
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.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, president of the Patriotic Movement for the Safeguard and Restoration (MPSR), received here Wednesday the report of the technical commission for the elaboration of draft texts and agenda of the transition, the presidency reported in a statement
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, has renewed his determination to hand over power only to an authority elected by the people, reaffirming his commitment to the holding of parliamentary elections on June 24 as announced in his plan
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The President of the High State Council, Khaled Al-Mechri, stated that there was no agreement that the vote on the executive authority to appoint a Prime Minister by the House of Representatives (Parliament) would be conducted in this manner
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Two police officers were killed in an attack by four unidentified gunmen on Monday in Timbuktu, the Malian News Agency (AMAP) reported, citing a local source
Washington, DC, US (PANA) - The US says it is "gravely concerned" by the reports of atrocities, including sexual violence, committed by fighters affiliated with the rebel Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia
Photo: (Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A new study from Georgetown University revealed that kids in Missouri would suffer the most if the Medicaid coverage will be removed when the public health emergency ended.

Once the federal government declares that the COVID-19 crisis is over in the U.S., Medicaid coverage will be affected. The study noted that Missouri is one of six states that have had swelling of Medicaid beneficiaries in the last two years since the federal government has prevented states from making changes to this medical benefit.

However, as eligibility for coverage is based on a person's income, some beneficiaries could no longer receive the benefit when the government updates their personal information. According to the experts, low-income families usually experience job instability that may change their coverage, especially in the last two years.

As a result, losing this medical benefit could expose many families to larger medical bills, especially sick children. Such a scenario happened in 2019 when 90,000 kids were removed from the Medicaid coverage list in Missouri since their parents were no longer eligible or didn't report their new jobs to the state.

Unfortunately, this benefit doesn't provide ongoing coverage for families with fluctuating income, except during the pandemic.

Read Also: Common Antihistamines Could Rapidly Resolve Long COVID, New Study Says

When Will the Public Health Emergency End?

In January 2022, President Joe Biden extended the public health emergency for another 90 days or until April 15, 2022. According to NBC News, this is the eighth extension since early 2020.

Daniel Tsai, the Center for Medicaid director, acknowledged the possibility of Medicaid coverage losses for at least 15 million Americans in 25 high-risk states. He said they have been working with community groups and health care sectors in these states to be "very cognizant of the realities on the ground" to prepare for the transition.

When Biden declared the extension when he assumed office, he gave states one year to re-evaluate the Medicaid coverage. At that time, 76.7 million were enrolled in the benefit.

The Republicans, on the other hand, have asked Biden not to renew the public health emergency anymore but come out with a phase-out plan to prepare the people to go back to their normal lives. Aside from removing Medicaid coverage for some parents, additional SNAP benefits will also no longer apply. Telehealth services will also end as the COVID-19 guidelines are further loosened, and America shifts to an endemic public health situation.

But Biden said on Friday, February 18, that the National Emergency Act has to continue. Essentially, this means that the government will sustain the emergency funds until July 2022.

What to do if Medicaid Coverage is Gone

Once an individual loses the coverage, they will have an opportunity to sign up for the Special Enrollment Period or SEP. This provides beneficiaries a 60-day window to find better options. If the SEP closes, the person can't apply for extended health coverage until the next enrollment opens.

Americans also have the option to apply for ACA coverage to help fill in the gaps until the person could gain eligibility and reply for Medicaid coverage. There are also short-term but restricted health coverage options that can help people who have lost their health insurance.

Related Article: Republican Senators Propose Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Only
Photo: (Photo : Dimitrios Kambouris/"Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust)

Drew Barrymore has big plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of "E.T." with her daughters and the special father figure in her life, director Steven Spielberg.

The actress revealed that she had been talking with Spielberg about the anniversary celebration, and he agreed that her kids, Olive, nine years old, and Frankie, seven years old, should join in as well.

Barrymore said that Spielberg had seen her daughters grow up in the same way the director has known her for most of her life. In 1982, the actress was about six years old when she filmed the alien movie with Spielberg at the helm.

"I do want to revel in this moment with them and include them and celebrate with Steven," Barrymore said, per People. "He's a big father figure to me."

Read Also: Hollywood Wild Child Drew Barrymore Admits Being 'Really Broken' After Her Divorce to Will Kopelman

The Man Who Changed Her Life

In 2021, Barrymore said that Spielberg was the man who changed her life, and she has always looked up to the director as a father. On the other hand, Spielberg considers Barrymore his first child, and the actress confessed that, like any dad, he would get upset or appalled about her behavior in her teens.

Barrymore revealed that Spielberg told her to cover up when she did a Playboy cover shoot. He also never failed to tell her to stop wearing red lipstick in her younger years.

Spielberg also had a say on when Olive and Frankie could get their ears pierced, advising the single mom to hold this off until her daughters are ten years old. Barrymore said that Olive is excited because she will be able to wear earrings soon.

The actress said that her daughters love Spielberg as a father figure as well and their relationship with the director feels like she has achieved full circle. So, when Spielberg said he wanted to celebrate the anniversary of "E.T." with Barrymore and her daughters, the actress could not help but get misty-eyed.

Happy Birthday to the incredible @DrewBarrymore!  From 'E.T.' to '50 First Dates,' which of her roles is your favorite? https://t.co/6fxd1X7pnW pic.twitter.com/QMuXkpZhJX  IMDb (@IMDb) February 22, 2022

Protective of Her Daughters

As much as she has grown up as a famous Hollywood child star, Barrymore has shielded her daughters from the limelight. She has rarely shared photos of her kids on her social media accounts, and while she remains active on TV because of her talk show, the actress' children have not been featured in her show.

In another interview for Demi Lovato's show, Barrymore said she wants her girls to have a normal childhood. After experiencing the pitfalls of childhood stardom, where she was exposed to parties at a tender age, the actress sees the value of protecting and shielding her kids from the public.

Barrymore shares Olive and Frankie with ex-husband Will Kopelman, who has since remarried Alexandra Michler. Barrymore has said, time and again, that she has the best relationship with the father of her kids and their stepmother. Because of Michler, she and Kopelman can co-parent their daughters better.

Related Article: Drew Barrymore Reflects on Dating Challenges as a Single Mom
Photo: (Photo : FRANK RUMPENHORST/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)

A hospital in North Carolina has welcomed a miracle baby, Judah Grace Spear, on a very special date as she was born on Tuesday, February 2, 2022, or 2/22/22, at exactly 2:22 a.m. in room No. 2 of the labor and delivery ward.

Alamance Regional Medical Center announced the baby's birth on their social media, adding that the mom, Aberli Spear, survived Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer attacking the immune system.

Before having Judah Grace, Aberli and her husband, Hank Spear, struggled to get pregnant as her cancer treatment reduced her chances of conception. Thus, the birth of the miracle baby was an answered prayer for the family.

Read Also: Tinder Date Rushes to Be With Young Mom for the Birth of Her Newborn on 4th Date

Judah Grace is God's Promise

Kristi Engelbrecht, Judah Grace's grandmother, told WFMY that it took Aberli six years to beat cancer. But the miracle baby's arrival into the family is a stark reminder of all good things and the promises of God.

Aberli, a first-time mom, was in the labor room for 26 hours. The nurses excitedly screamed when she gave birth because it was on the mark. The new mom said that Judah Grace's birthdate is not the only thing that's special about her. They named her Judah, which means "praise," to honor God's perfect timing.

The new parents met in 2014, and three months after they dated, Aberli learned of her cancer. Her doctors told her that she might not have kids, but Hank accepted their fate as a couple.

Amid her illness, Aberli and Hank continued to pray for a miracle and thought about freezing her eggs just in case. She and Hank went as far as to consult with a fertility clinic, but they decided against it in the end because the procedure was expensive.

After she survived cancer, Aberli conceived and had a healthy pregnancy. Thus, Judah Grace's remarkable birthday, 2/2/22 at 2:22 a.m. in room No. 2, will always remind the new parents that hope remains despite the odds.

Her actual due date was February 22, but no one could have predicted the time of birth. Hank thought his wife would give birth around midnight.

Significance of 2/22/22

The date 2/22/22 comes but once in a lifetime. The special date last occurred in 1622 and it won't happen again until 2422.

Numerology expert Jasmine Wolfe said this sequence is an "angel number," or a series of repetitive numbers that may carry a divine message. The numbers also dictate relationships, intuition, and observation. For numerology experts, two brings the energy of a heartful and open connection to relate and communicate, especially with loved ones.

Numerologist Johanna Augusta also said that 2/22/22 drives sensitivity and empathy in people. Nicknamed Twos-day, the number series strive for balance and harmony as well. However, Morten Heedegaard from Denmark said that the date does not seem to carry any bigger meaning even though he has managed a very simple website counting down to 2/2/22 at 22:22 since 2016.

Related Article: Proud Virgin Mom Gives Birth to Mini-me, but Pregnancy Wasn't an Immaculate Conception
Photo: (Photo : Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

A frustrated dad, whose kids spend a lot of time on social media, wanted to limit screen time by using a jammer to block their internet access at home. But he ended up accidentally shutting down the connection in his small town, affecting more than 1,000 users.

The unnamed father, who is from Messanges, France, is now facing the possibility of spending six months in jail. He could also be asked to pay a substantial fine of about $34,000 because he used a jammer for their internet access.

According to the New York Post, the use of jammers or scramblers that interfere with the internet or telecommunication networks is illegal in France. After residents reported that services were down, the local carrier raised the odd problem with the National Frequency Agency. They conducted an investigation and detected the jammer at the dad's home.

Read Also: 'Cocomelon' Too Stimulating? Famous Kids YouTube Channel Allegedly Bad for Child Development

Dad Wanted Kids to Get Enough Sleep

In his confession to the authorities, the father admitted that he placed the device so that his children would not have access to the internet from midnight to 3:00 a.m. when they should be sleeping. His only purpose was to limit screen time, but he did not realize that his jammer was so powerful it also cut the connectivity of at least two municipalities.

Such an activity would also land anyone in trouble with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has a specific prohibition on jammer enforcement. The FCC said that these devices cut connectivity and prevent people from making calls to 9-1-1 and other emergency services. Thus, jammers are a threat to public safety.

In 2016, a 63-year-old man from Chicago used a jammer whenever he was on the CTA Red Line, a rapid transport system. He blocked his fellow commuters from using their mobile devices because he wanted to ride the CTA in peace. However, after a series of investigations, the Chicago police flagged the guy, Dennis Nicholl, who was charged with a felony.

Meanwhile, parents in a community in Reddit said that the French dad could have just changed the password to their internet access or hid their mobiles and other gadgets before bedtime. Some of the comments also took a shot at the father's parenting style because it seemed like he failed to explain to his children why they needed to limit screen time.

Recommended Screen Time for Kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn't recommend kids under 18 months old be exposed to screen time, though the occasional video chats with family members are fine. The AAP also recommends that kids under five years old should only have a total of one hour of screen time a day.

As they grow older, the parents have to decide how much screen time to allot for kids, depending on their development and activities. There is no one strict rule nor one-size-fits-all approach to regulating gadget use in kids. However, younger children have to be consistently monitored and supervised if they are getting familiar with the internet.

If possible, families must also schedule a day of unplugging, including the parents. The adults should lead by example so that their kids will understand that even moms and dads have to take a break from the internet.

Related Article: Today's Kids Spend an Average of 9 Hours of Screen Time Every Day, Study Reveals
Photo: (Photo : David Ryder/Getty Images)

The amount of graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods is distressing residents and upsetting parents who claim that the vandalisms could be linked to gangs and criminal activities.

In an exclusive on Fox News, downtown resident Christine Villani said she feels demoralized because the graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods looks like they are living "in a war zone." Dad Ari Hoffman noted that the vandalisms are like territorial marks by these gang members, inviting more crime in the community.

The parents decry that, and the local government is not doing anything about it. Residents or businesses are left to clean up after the damages left by these individuals.

Read Also: Community Shows Support for Family of 9-Year-old Mistakenly Shot Dead by Man Aiming at Robbers

Reporting Graffiti in Seattle

Seattle residents are very aware of the rise in vandalism because the local government has a mobile app, "Find It, Fix It," for reporting various problems in the Emerald City since 2013. However, at the height of the pandemic lockdowns, users of the app noticed increased reports of graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods with pictures of the ugliness in their streets.

The vandals do not spare any space and have spray-painted graffiti even in historical and educational sites. Businesses like restaurants and retailers have also expressed that their customers and workers are turned off as graffiti equate to petty crimes like harassment, break-ins, or drug use.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who took office in January 2022, announced in early February that he is diverting resources towards the Seattle Police Department to focus on crime "hot spots" that could potentially curb vandalism and other safety issues. However, the locals, especially in the crime-riddled neighborhood of Little Saigon, have taken matters into their own hands by brainstorming solutions, albeit short-term, given that there are only six government workers in the Graffiti Rangers team.

Meanwhile, the government has advised property owners to install proper lighting, motion sensors, or CCTV devices to deter vandals. They also suggested growing vines on their walls or painting these with graffiti-resistant coating.

Dads Creating Awe-Inspiring Chalk Art

While Seattle has been riddled with tasteless graffiti, it's a different story in San Diego and Florida, where dads are leaving creative chalk artworks much to the delight of the locals.

Erick Toussaint and Brian Morris said they started drawing chalk art on walls and sidewalks during the pandemic lockdowns to amuse their kids. They have kept at it more than two years into the public health crisis.

Both fathers have also created a social media following, where people post their requests for more drawings. While Toussaint draws actual artistic images, such as Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Morris draws familiar cartoon characters.

Unlike the graffiti in many Seattle neighborhoods, these chalk artworks will wash away easily when it rains, when bikers ride past the pavement, or when street cleaners clean off the graffiti.

In Orange County, on the other hand, more than 200 families regularly participate in an event they created during the pandemic called Sidewalk Chalk Fridays, where kids and adults alike draw chalk graffiti to amuse themselves, enjoy the outdoors and get their vitamin D, as well as engage in a socially-distanced activity with their neighbors.

Related Article: Dad Makes School Lunch Mistake That Leaves Daughter Vomiting in Agony
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Yesterday Patently Apple posted a report titled "The Netherland's Antitrust Authority has levied its fifth consecutive fine against Apple over the App Store's non-compliance for payment options." This trend didn't escape the attention of the EU Commission's VP Margrethe Vestager who commented on this at a news conference earlier today, according to Reuters.

Vestager stated that some U.S. tech giants may prefer to pay a fine rather than comply with antitrust rule and cited Apple as an example regarding the Netherland's Competition Authority. Vestager added that Apples behavior could indicate how other big companies may behave in the future.

"Some gatekeepers may be tempted to play for time or try to circumvent the rules. Apples conduct in the Netherlands these days may be an example. As we understand it, Apple essentially prefers paying periodic fines, rather than comply with a decision of the Dutch Competition Authority on the terms and conditions for third parties to access its App Store."

In addition to Vestager's online speech for a U.S. awards ceremony, she gave another speech in Europe regarding their new "Data Act." Vestager stated in-part:

"Today, we adopted the proposal for the Data Act  an important step towards the creation of a single European market for data. We announced the Data Act in our European Strategy two years ago.

The data act clarifies who can access and share data, and on what terms. It provides legal certainty and it aims at removing barriers to data sharing. This is our second main legislative initiative directly related to data. The first one was the Data Governance Act. It provided the legal framework for trustworthy infrastructures needed to promote data sharing. And as you know that proposal is adopted.

We have already launched a number of initiatives to "shape Europe's digital future." This includes our proposal on trustworthy AI, our work on digital platforms, as you will know it from Digital Services and the Digital Markets Acts, both now in trilogues, our "Digital Compass" and our recently proposed Declaration of digital rights and principles.

The aim of all our initiatives is two-fold: We want to unleash the huge benefits that the responsible use of data and digital technologies can bring to every one of us. At the same time, we want safe use of data and technologies. A use that works for people and respects our fundamental rights. That means addressing the risks that may be associated with the use of technologies  risks to our privacy, risk to our integrity, even risk to our physical and mental health."

The speech went on to cover the following topics:

Benefits of data sharing

The main part: B2C and B2B data sharing

The Fairness Test

Cloud switching

B2G data sharing

Interoperability

To read the specifics outlined today, read the full speech below in our Scribd document.

Speech by EU Commission Executive VP Vestager on the Data Act by Jack Purcher on Scribd
Rukirabashaija's lawyer, Eron Kiiza, confirmed his client's arrival in Germany, describing the news as "a big relief".



The Ugandan writer's arrival was also welcomed by Deniz Yucel, a Turkish-German journalist and director of PEN Germany. Speaking on behalf of PEN International, Yucel said he was "very happy" Rukirabashaija was able to flee "from the clutches of his tormentors".





The novelist was detained shortly after Christmas and later charged with "offensive communication" in a case that has raised international concern.



In an interview with FRANCE 24 last month, Rukirabashaija's wife, Eva Basiima, said she saw signs of extensive torture on her husband's body during a brief home visit under custody while police searched the couple's home.



Rukirabashaija was released on bail weeks later and said he was severely tortured in custody. He also appeared on television earlier this month to reveal painful-looking welts criss-crossing his back and scars on other parts of his body.



The European Union was among those calling for a "comprehensive investigation" into rights abuses in Uganda.



The 33-year-old author slipped out of Uganda two weeks ago  after a court denied his application to have his passport returned  ahead of a criminal trial that was due to begin today.



He fled Uganda by walking into neighbouring Rwanda across the hilly border and then travelled to a third country.



Following that, the UN Refugee Agency facilitated his journey to Germany, according to Kiiza who declined to provide further details.



'Baby despot'



The charges against Rukirabashaija relate to his critical comments on Twitter about Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Africa's longest-serving leader who came to power in 1986.



Rukirabashaija had recently stepped up criticism of Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, an army general who many Ugandans believe is positioning himself to take over from his 77-year-old father.



The 47-year-old Kainerugabas rise up the military ranks is being carefully monitored by experts who note that the countrys security forces are key to his fathers grip on power.



Since he fled, Rukirabashaija has been tweeting relentlessly, even becoming embroiled in a Twitter spat with Kainerugaba whom he accused of being "in charge" of his torture and branding him a "baby despot".



Rights campaigners have called for an investigation into his claims of torture and urged the authorities to drop all charges against him.



"It is intolerable that Ugandan security forces are still torturing and ill-treating detainees," Oryem Nyeko, Uganda researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement earlier this month.



"Instead of prosecuting their critics over tweets, the Ugandan authorities should be investigating this and many other serious allegations of torture by state security in recent years."



Crackdowns

Rukirabashaija told the rights group that he was taken to see Kainerugaba during his detention and instructed to stop writing, but the general denied the claim.



"I don't know who this young boy is whom they say was beaten! I never heard of him until the media started talking about him. I've never met him or talked to him and I have no desire to do so," Kainerugaba said on Twitter.



Uganda has witnessed a series of crackdowns aimed at stamping out dissent, with journalists attacked, lawyers jailed, election monitors prosecuted and opposition leaders violently muzzled.



Activists have been repeatedly targeted using the strict Computer Misuse Act which was used against Rukirabashaija and which carries heavy penalties, including jail time.



Outspoken Ugandan activist and writer Stella Nyanzi, who fled to Germany earlier this year, was imprisoned in 2019 under the same law after posting a profane poem about Museveni.



Rukirabashaija won acclaim for his 2020 satirical novel "The Greedy Barbarian", which describes high-level corruption in a fictional country.



He has been repeatedly arrested since "The Greedy Barbarian" was published and said he was previously tortured while being interrogated by military intelligence.



He was awarded the 2021 PEN Pinter Prize for an International Writer of Courage, which is presented annually to a writer who has been persecuted for speaking out about his beliefs, and PEN's German branch has campaigned in his support.

Source: France 24









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Dean of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana, Professor Kofi Agyekum has welcomed the decision of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to suspend their strike action.



He is thankful the lecturers did not let their annoyance about how government is dealing with their grievances cause them to act in any manner that would have resulted in the students needlessly bearing the brunt of their actions.



The University teachers, who went on strike since the early part of last month on grounds that the government hasn't met their demands for better conditions of service, on Monday, February 21, 2022 rescinded their decision following an emergency meeting held by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to evaluate their industrial action.



Temporarily Suspended



In a statement jointly signed by the groups National President, Prof Solomon Nunoo and National Secretary, Dr Asare Asante-Annor, UTAG said it has "agreed to heed the advice of the eminent leaders, the Select Committee on Education and the court ruling to suspend our strike action



The suspension of the strike is expected to last till March 4 by which time UTAG says it hopes to have reached a favourable consensus with government during its deliberations.



Why UTAG Strike?



UTAG has been on strike since January 10, 2022, over governments failure to review their conditions of service since 2017.



The Association wants government to restore their 2012 conditions of service which pegged the monthly income of entry-level lecturers at $2084 and also claims the current arrangement has reduced its members basic premiums to $997.84.



Prof. Agyekum's Take



Making his submissions on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', Prof. Kofi Agyekum held a view that the lecturers including himself should heed the decision by their executives.



Advising the teachers to go back to the classrooms, Prof. Agyekum stated it isn't the students' fault that their conditions of service haven't been resolved, and therefore urged them to resume work while the government and UTAG leadership works out a compromise.



"....accept it that the students haven't done us anything wrong...our grievances are with government....if we see it that way, we won't act to the detriment of the students because of government's actions or inactions'', he added.





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 Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye has today inaugurated six (6) Technical Committees of the Engineering Council with a call on the regulating body to use every legal means available under the Act to ensure that industry practice is well regulated to secure the highest professional standards in Accra.



The Engineering Council is a regulatory body under the Ministry of Works and Housing, mandated by the Councils Regulations, 2020 (L.I. 2410) to among other things, certify and license individuals and appropriate corporate engineering bodies for initial and continuing registration as stipulated by law under the Engineering Council Act, 2011 (Act 819) while ensuring that members undertake works in accordance with the highest standards of engineering practice in the country.



The Works and Housing Minister observed that though majority of engineers go through rigorous professional training to maintain high professional standards, some few engineers do not. This situation, Asenso-Boakye observed, has resulted in the collapse of buildings and other forms of infrastructure with projects failing to meet their design lives due to poor engineering.



Asenso-Boakye indicated that the provision of infrastructural base to support the countrys growth requires forward thinking and innovative engineering input, noting that the Technical Committees are expected to work with all relevant stakeholders, locally and internationally to meet global engineering standards.



Our engineers cannot make much impact if they operate in isolation. They do not only have to interact with the public, but also, with their international counterparts with whom they can share knowledge and experiences to enrich the profession in the country. The Minister stated.



With increasing technological advancement in engineering, Asenso-Boakye challenged the Education and Training Committee to develop and promote educational programmes that will stir up the innovative capacities of engineers towards addressing existing challenges in the countrys efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.



The inaugurated Six Technical Committees are Finance and Administration, License and Registration, Standards and Professional Practice, Public and International Affairs, Disciplinary, Ethics and Legal and Education and Training.



The Chairman for the Licensing and Registration Committee, Dr Kwame Boakye, urged members of all the Committees to strive to build a strong engineering community guided by the ethos and principles of the Engineering Council.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says the introduction of the electronic levy (E-levy) for revenue mobilisation to improve the economy was a better option than going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance.



The town hall meeting

The E-levy, he said had the potential of raking in GH7 billion for the country if it had commenced this year, a figure which according to him was higher than what the country received under the last IMF intervention in 2015.



What will the IMF give you, the last time they did it was a billion dollars in a three-year programme which was US$ 300 million a year for three years and e-levy as small as we see it would have given us GH7 billion if we had started this year, he stated.



The minister stated this yesterday at Wa when the Upper West Region took its turn to host the town hall meeting to explain to Ghanaians the rudiments of the levy.



The meeting brought together traditional rulers, politicians, heads of departments as well as leadership of student councils in the various tertiary institutions across the region and representatives from the informal sector.



The minister said the e-levy was needed to meet the increasing demands for development and job creation and to also continue to embark on social interventions.



Salaries for instance are indecent but still accounts for 60 per cent of governments expenditure and there are calls for increment which are very legitimate but can only be achieved through the introduction of the e-levy which will offer the citizenry the opportunity to share in the burden of government, he said.



Mr Ofori-Atta mentioned that the economy was fraught with demand for jobs, salary increment, the need to implement social interventions as well as reducing the nations debt stock and said these responsibilities could be met if the e-levy was accepted for implementation.



He indicated that there were over 34,000 unemployed youth in the Upper West Region who could benefit from the e-levy if it was implemented, as a portion of it would be used for the YouStart programme by resourcing the youth for entrepreneurship.





We are moving from an electronic business that was earning GH78 billion in 2016 to GH950 billion in 2021 and going to continue, why should we not begin to tax so that we can do the work that we all need to do?  he queried.



He encouraged the public to buy into the new tax policy in order to raise enough revenue to support the economy.



Adding his voice, Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, said the government was resorting to digitisation to check corruption which was a major concern of some adamant Ghanaians.





He assured that the funds from the e-levy would be safeguarded and used for the intended purposes for which they were collected.



While some participants raised the issue of reducing the threshold of the levy, others wanted the government to scrap the e-levy and look at other sources of taxation, such as increasing taxes of workers who earned more than GH3,000 a month.

Source: The Ghanaian Times









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 Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is inspired by the peace initiatives of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to secure the nation and propel development, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Vice Admiral Seth Amoama has said.



He said the mandate of the Armed Forces to protect the nation tied in with the Asantehenes agenda to use peace drive development because without security there could not be sustainable development.



The CDS said this when he received the Otumfuo Commemorative Gold Coin at the Burma Camp in Accra on Monday, February 21, 2022.



The impressive ceremony was witnessed by the top brass , as well as other officers and men of the armed forces.

A team from the E ON 3 Group and its partners was at the Burman Camp to do the presentation of the coin.



Ranking



Vice Admiral Amoama said it was partly due to the work of the Armed Forces that the country had been ranked the most peaceful country in West Africa and the second most peaceful in sub Saharan Africa only after Mauritius.

The credit goes to the gallant soldiers who provide security to the country, he said.



Dedication



Vice Admiral Amoama dedicated the coin to the officers and men. and civilian staff of the Ghana Armed Forces who have worked in various ways to keep the country safe, and protected water bodies and forest resources.

He said he was humbled to be selected as one of the eminent persons of the country to be given the minted 24 carat gold coin, adding that, and I will treasure this coin for life.





National affairs



Acknowledging the immense role the Asantehene continued to play in national affairs, the CDS said Otumfuos extraordinary skills in conflict resolution had told positively on the peace being enjoyed by the country.

Particularly, he mentioned the role Otumfuo played in resolving the protracted chieftaincy dispute in Dagbon, which restored peace to the ancient traditional area.



Again, Vice Admiral Amoama noted that the progress chalked by the Otumfuo Education Fund was so glaring for one to ignore.



He also stated that the ascendency of His Majesty to the Golden Stool has further enhanced the image of the Asante Kingdom and the chieftaincy institution of the country.



Dignity



The CDS said the novel commemorative gold coin attested to the dignity and resourcefulness of Otumfuo Osei Tutu.

It is my fervent hope that His Majestys efforts would not only result in the resolution of chieftaincy disputes but also tackle other societal ills like illegal mining, he said.



Recognising chieftaincy as an important institution in the country, and the colour that Otumfuo had added to the institution, the CDS expressed the hope that the King would continue to spur development across Asanteman and beyond.



Promise



Vice Admiral Amoama congratulated the EON 3 Group and its partners for the minting of the coin to celebrate Otumfuo.

Encouraged by the plan by the E ON 3 Group to use the proceeds from the sale of the coin to establish an ultra-modern Cultural Resource Centre in Kumasi to serve as a national heritage, the CDS promised GH 50,000 towards the project, a announcement that was welcomed with rapturous applause from the gathering.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Residents of Lake Side Estates as well as Santor, East Legon Hills, and its environs have showered praises and commended the Lake Side Police Station Officer, Chief Inspector Samuel Darko for boosting the visibility of police in the area.



Policing within this part of the city currently falls under the supervision of the Adenta Divisional Police.



According to the residents, he has made this possible by expanding and building extra police offices from resources he raised through his own efforts.



The residents have attested to the fact that the newly built and completed offices have helped to boost policing and its accompanying operations in East Legon Hills and Lake Side in general.



They further appreciated that these interventions have also brought armed robbery to the barest minimum.



For quite some time now, residents of the area have had to contend with rampant robbery attacks.



They, therefore, see this gesture by Chief Inspector Samuel Darko as a timely intervention to address the series of crimes in the area.



One of the residents, who gave his name as Pascal Ampong, said the East Legon Hills area have indeed witnessed a big deal of improvements, particularly the security situation and crime-fighting.



In fact, we cant be thankful enough for all the good works being done here by our Chief Inspector Samuel Darko. We have seen other structures even under construction from his own resources through family friends and kind-hearted people who believe in what he is doing, he said.



Another resident, Diana Abena Kwansah, urged all residents to rally behind Chief Inspector Samuel Darko as a big inspiration for him to do more for the community.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has stressed participatory inclusiveness in the business of the House to bring uninterrupted progress in Ghanas march for democracy.



He said, the concept of majority rule should give way to participatory inclusiveness.



Speaker Bagbin added: Given the current changes, Parliament cannot continue to apply the old rules, procedures, culture and conduct whilst going through the transitional period, else the march towards democracy will be halted."



Mr Bagbin made the remark when Madam Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner in Accra, paid a courtesy call on him, at Parliament House, in Accra, on Monday.



In an apparent remark on issues concerning the 2022 Budget and Financial Statement, the Speaker, while emphasizing consensus building, remarked that, as Leader of the House, he can only be impartial, but he cannot be neutral.



The Commissioner and her delegation's visit formed part of processes to understand the times in which Parliament found itself, the need for a bi-partisan approach, and the experiences worth sharing.



Madam Thompson also wanted to understand Parliaments perception of the various engagement with, and support for the institution.



To that end, Mr Bagbin underlined the need for continuous support for Ghanas Parliament to strengthen the institution in its work and said democracy would thrive in the West African sub-region only if Ghanas democracy succeeded.



If Ghana fails, others would fail as well, he said.



Mr Bagbin called for a mutually beneficial relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom to ensure that the two countries supported one another in their national agenda.



He said Ghanas Parliament remained committed to strengthening ties with the United Kingdom, which had existed since Independence.



According to the Speaker, that commitment transcended to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), whose mandate, he believed must be reviewed.



The CPA, Mr Bagbin explained, must cease to exist as a charity organization and transition into an international diplomatic organization, facilitating economic diplomacy, strengthening democracy and the promotion of fundamental human rights among member associations.



Ultimately, he said, the CPA should create progressive links between member countries and the United Nations.



Speaking on the nature of Ghanas Parliament, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, said the current composition of the House was a unique opportunity for Ghanas legislature to become more assertive and enhance the concept of checks and balances in the governance process.



He stressed the need for more dialogue and consensus-building between the two sides of the House if democracy in Ghana was to be sustained and the interest of the citizens served.



Mr Iddrisu expressed disquiet about the constant negative attacks by the Majority in Parliament, which he said was targeted at the person of the Speaker.



That will not only traduce the Speakers character, image and reputation but will only make consensus building difficult to attain and impact negatively on the ethos and integrity of the House," Mr Iddrisu said.



Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongo, was of the view that the interest demonstrated by Ghanaians in the work of Parliament would lead to a gradual shift of public perception from the belief that Ghanas legislature is a lame duck, weak institution and a rubber stamp for Governments policies.







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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Anxiety and tension have gripped many polling station executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over their inability to obtain nomination forms to begin the partys internal elections ahead of the crucial 2024 general election.

This has compelled the national executive of the party to extend the closure of nominations, which was scheduled for yesterday, to today.



The NPP has set an agenda to break the eight-year cycle of being in power.



But since the nomination opened last Saturday, there have been suspicions and disturbances in some constituencies, as some aspirants accused election committee members of not making the forms available for purchase.



This is against the background that some leading party executives are said to have paid for the forms to enable all aspirants interested in contesting to do so.



From Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region to New Juaben North and Kade in the Eastern Region; Kwadaso, Manhyia North, Asante Akim South, Atwima-Kwanwoma, Asante Mampong, Ejisu, Asante Akim North to Kwabre East in the Ashanti Region, there have been disturbances as a result of the unavailability of the forms.



In the Northern Region, Tolon and Nanton are the hot spots of the disturbances as aspirants have accused leaders of not making the forms available.



The Upper East Region is reported to be peaceful, as the regional executive supervised the distribution of forms for aspirants in all the constituencies.



Press confab



At a news conference to extend the deadline, the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Freddie Blay, directed all polling station and electoral area executives to comply with the new directive, reports Zadok Kwame Gyesi.



He urged them not to deny any eligible candidate the nomination forms, adding that the party had made available adequate forms for all the 38,632 polling stations across the country to facilitate the smooth conduct of the exercise.



Mr Blay said the party leadership had been monitoring the exercise keenly and would not allow anyone to mar the exercise.



He also urged all party stalwarts who wanted to purchase the forms for aspirants to channel the money for the forms through the party headquarters.



Remain calm



The NPPs Director of Research and Elections, Mr Evans Nimako, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, asked all aspirants to remain calm, as the party would overcome the teething challenges.



Evans Nimako, NPP Director of Elections and John Boadu, General Secretary of the NPP



He assured all aspirants that their needs would be catered for.



He also reminded them to use internal party processes to seek redress.



Ningo-Prampram



Benjamin Xornam Glover reports that some aspirants accused the constituency executive of the party of preventing polling station aspirants from obtaining forms to contest the upcoming polling station elections.



The aggrieved party members noted that if the national executive did not intervene, the party's attempt to retain power would be a fluke.



One of the aspirants, Mr Gabriel A. Martey, accused the constituency executive of holding on to the nomination forms for their personal interest.



He alleged that the executive, instead of opening the party office to sell the forms to potential aspirants, kept them in their homes and gave them out to their favourites.



The Constituency Chairman, Mr Michael Tetteh Eku, declined to comment, saying that he had been instructed by the party hierarchy not to grant any media interview over the alleged confusion.



Northern Region



From the Northern Region, Mohammed Fugu reports that some members of the party had accused some executives of failing to open nominations for candidates interested in contesting as polling station and electoral area coordinators.



More than 100 members of the party were stranded at the party offices in the Tolon and the Nanton constituencies which were locked up, denying them opportunity to pick up forms to contest the elections.



The situation degenerated into chaos, as the aggrieved members threatened to destroy the party property and attack some executive members whom they accused of being behind the matter.



As of yesterday, which was supposed to be the deadline for the opening of nominations, no known aspirant had been able to access the forms.



In Nanton, the aggrieved party supporters said the forms were nowhere to be found and the executive could not tell them where the forms were.



One of the aggrieved members, who only gave his name as Sahanaa, told the Daily Graphic: Since they opened nominations, we have done all we can to get the forms but it has not yielded any result and no executive seems to know where the forms are.



Tolon



The situation was not different in Tolon, as the aggrieved members last Sunday morning besieged the party office, demanding the release of the forms.



The Constituency Youth Organiser, Alhaji Kobshiyi, narrowly escaped attack when he went to the party office to try and disperse the angry party supporters.



Reacting to the issue, the Constituency Secretary, Dr Hudu Zakaria, refuted claims that executives of the party were hiding the forms.



It is not true that we have denied them access to the forms; the issue is that we are still sorting out things before selling the forms, he explained.



North East



Checks by the Daily Graphic indicated that the situation was different in the North East and the Savannah regions, as all interested candidates had picked nomination forms.



The various polling stations and electoral areas were said to have come to a consensus on the persons they wanted to take up the positions.



Members of the party also agreed unanimously to conduct the elections in areas where the incumbent executives had passed on or been suspended from the party.



The Nalerigu/Gambaga Constituency NPP Communications Officer, Mr Haruna Ibrahim, said no incident had been recorded in the area so far.



The election committees have gone round all the electoral areas and polling stations to sensitise the members to the elections and everything is moving on smoothly, he said.



Ashanti Region



In the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the party, confusion broke out in the Kwadaso, Manhyia North, Asante Akim South, Atwima-Kwanwoma, Asante Mampong, Ejisu, Asante Akim North and Kwabre East constituencies.



Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports from Kumasi that calm has returned to both Kwadaso and Manhyia North following a stand-off between the aspirants and the party executive over nomination forms.



While some angry aspirants in Kwadaso had to literally chase the chairman to the Suntreso Police Station where he had gone to seek refuge, the police had to whisk the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia North, Mr Kwasi Konadu, to safety last Saturday.



In Kwadaso, following the initial hitches in the distribution of the nomination forms, the issue was resolved and the forms were distributed virtually to those who could not access them.



The party members also accused the executives of trying to change the constituency album by fixing their favourites to skew the election in favour of some aspirants.



In Manhyia North, the misunderstanding was between supporters of the incumbent MP, Mr Konadu, and his predecessor, Mr Collins Owusu Amankwah, over the distribution of the forms.



It was alleged that the MP was seen distributing the forms to his supporters in their homes, while others had queued in the sun waiting for their turns.



That allegedly angered some of the constituents, who wanted to beat up the MP and retrieve the forms from him.



Counter accusation



However, another group claimed that it was the former MP who sent thugs to the party office and demanded the forms to be shared equally.



Both Messrs Konadu and Amankwah denied the allegations levelled against them.



The timely intervention of the police ensured that both sides reached a memorandum of understanding, leading to all aspiring candidates receiving nomination forms.



Regional Secretary



The acting Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwame Adom Appiah, acknowledged that there had been some few incidents with the distribution of the nomination forms in the region for the polling station elections.



He said the problem arose as a result of the inadequate number of forms received from the national office.



In Asante Akim South, some supporters besieged the residences of the Constituency Chairman, Mr Gilbert Adarkwa Yiadom, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Alexander Frimpong, over their inability to access the forms, reports the Ghana News Agency (GNA).



They accused the constituency executives of deliberately denying them access to the forms in order to manipulate the elections in favour of their preferred candidates.



Similar reports were recorded in Atwima-Kwanwoma, Asante Mampong, Ejisu, Asante Akim North and Kwabre East, according to the GNA.



In another situation in New Juaben North in the Eastern Region, aspirants were stranded at the party office as the executives were not present to distribute the forms.



They alleged that it had been the modus operandi of the constituency executive that the forms ended up in the hands of family and friends.



Interestingly, in Abuakwa North, for instance, scores of party members thronged the constituency office at night to sleep there to wait for the forms.



In its schedule of activities for elections, the NPP indicated that all elections, from the polling station through constituency, regional and national, would be held from February 19 to July 16, this year, with the national executive elections and the Annual National Delegates Conference slated for July 14 -16, this year.



Upper East



The distribution of nomination forms for prospective contestants for the election of polling station executives has been smooth and peaceful in all the 15 constituencies in the Upper East Region, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey.



The exercise began peacefully last Saturday, devoid of hoarding and handing over of the forms to cronies and incumbent polling station executives.



In Bolgatanga Central, the First Vice-Chairman, Mr Thomas Ayoore Adams, said the constituency executives divided themselves into two and toured all the 27 electoral areas to hand over the forms to the aspirants.



In Bolgatanga East, the Daily Graphic gathered that the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, had paid for the nomination forms for all the incumbent polling station executives seeking re-election.



According to the acting Constituency Chairman, Mr Asumbekere Karim Anagbila, only aspirants who were contesting for the first time paid GH10 for the forms.



Checks in the other constituencies in the region revealed the process had been orderly and transparent, as the forms had been made readily available and no one had been prevented from picking a form to participate in the electoral process.



For his part, the Upper East Regional Secretary, Mr Cletus Innocent Ayambire, said those who would be successful at the close of nominations and also go through the vetting process would contest the elections.



Sunyani East



The Sunyani East Office of the NPP began selling the nomination forms after confusion and several agitations had marred the exercise last Saturday.



As early as 5 a.m. last Saturday, some interested party members rushed to the party office to purchase the forms.



However, they were disappointed when the constituency executives failed to show up to sell the forms.



Some supporters stayed at the office until 1 a.m. the next day, with the hope that the leadership would show up, to no avail.



Ransacking



With their hopes dashed, the aggrieved aspirants ransacked the party office to show their displeasure at the attitude of the constituency officers.



When the Daily Graphic visited the party office yesterday, it was closed, with some broken glasses and blocks at the entrance.



It was observed that the suspected attackers forced open the office, as the front glass door leading to the office was also smashed.



As of 4 a.m. yesterday, hundreds of the party faithful had already rushed to the party's office to purchase the forms.



However, they were later moved to the Sunyani Municipal Assembly, where the forms were sold to them, amid tight security.



The Daily Graphic gathered that the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr John Boadu, and the Bono Regional Chairman, Mr Kwame Baffoe, visited the sales point to monitor the exercise.



Background



The NPP opened nominations for candidates interested in contesting as polling station and electoral area coordinators from February 19 to 21, 2022.



The vetting of prospective aspirants is scheduled to take place from February 22 to 24, while the polls will take place from February 25 to March 5, this year.



The National Council of the NPP had earlier announced guidelines for polling station, constituency, regional and national executive elections for this year.



The guidelines are part of measures by the party's leadership to ensure an effective re-organisation of the party to strengthen it to enable it to retain power in the 2024 general election.









Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Recent incidents of political instability in countries that share border with Ghana are a major threat to the countrys peace and security, a Deputy Chairperson in charge of Operations of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Samuel Asare Akuamoah, has said.



The current security situation in Ghanas neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and others should be of great concern to everyone to prevent the disruption of our democracy, he said.



Symposium



Mr Akuamoah said this at a symposium on violent extremism at the St John Boscos College of Education in Navrongo in the Kassena Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region last Saturday.



It was attended mostly by the students of the school who were taken through a presentation on the modus operandi of the violent extremists and how they could help the security agencies scuttle their activities.



Also, a video documentary on political conflicts in some African countries was shown in a bid to let the participants know the consequences of wars on the citizenry and the nation.



The event formed part of a national campaign against violent extremism which is being carried out by the NCCE, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security with funding from the European Union (EU).



No attack



Mr Akuamoah noted that with the growing activities of violent extremists in the sub-region, Ghanas security was under threat.



It is very important to intensify community engagements in the area of violent extremism and jihadist movements to prevent any possible spillover of their activities in the country since its consequences will be very devastating, he said.



Mr Akuamoah called on the government and other stakeholders to take conscious steps towards tackling the current high unemployment rate among the youth to protect the nations peace.



Our internal matters bordering on economic, tribal and chieftaincy issues have made people desperate and agitated and in their desperation, they can easily fall into the hands of violent extremists to destabilise the country, he stated.



Social media



In a presentation on the topic: Preventing violent extremism in Ghana, the Upper East Regional Security Coordinator, Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Benjamin Ajibadeck cautioned the youth about the use of the social media since it had become a fertile ground for promoting activities of violent extremists.



It is very worrying that the internet, particularly the social media, has become a fertile ground for recruiting many vulnerable youths to jihadist movements and violent extremist groups, he said.



He further urged Ghanaians to be security-conscious at all times and notify security agencies of suspicious individuals living among them.







Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt Hnr., has urged government to shift the economic burdens on foreign companies in the country to ease the pressures on Ghanaians.



Speaking in relation to the new fare increment proposed by transport unions, Kwesi Pratt fumed over the liberality of government towards foreign multinational corporations operating in Ghana.



Citing the Telecommunications companies earning much profits from Ghanaians while the country earns what could be termed as ''chicken change'' from the telecom sector, Mr. Pratt asked the government to shift her focus to these huge companies instead of heaping all burdens on Ghanaians.



Transport operators have agreed to adjust fares by 15 percent commencing on Saturday, February 26, 2022.



The transport unions had earlier proposed a 30 percent increase in fares but after a meeting on Monday February 21, 2022, they agreed on the 15 percent upward adjustment.



We kindly request all commercial transport operators to comply with the new fares and post same at three loading terminals, the transport group said in a statement.



But to Mr. Pratt, ''it's reached a period where our leaders must do something extraordinary. Everytime when there is hardship, the burden is placed on the drivers. If we don't burden the drivers, we burden the passengers...It's about time that the huge companies or corporations from foreign countries or Western countries also suffer because we can't always put the burdens on Ghanaians''.



''Why should Ghanaians be the only ones to suffer all the time while the huge multinational corporations celebrate Christmas everyday?'' he questioned.



He further stressed; ''The time has come to shift the burden from already suffering poor Ghanaians to those who benefit most from the exploitation of our resources.''



Kwesi Pratt made these submissions on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' Tuesday morning.





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 Supreme Court has ordered for the removal of Hon. James Gyakye Quayson as Member of Parliament for Assin North constituency following a long battle over his nationality.



The embattled MP is said to have held dual citizenship before his election in contravention to the constitution of Ghana, hence rendering him disqualified to be a Parliamentarian.



He, however, ignored attempts to remove him from the chamber and attended Parliamentary proceedings.



A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court yesterday ruled for a writ to be served on Hon. Gyakye Quayson through a publication in the Daily Graphic and for same to be posted at his residence.



The court's directive comes on the heels of an ex-parte application by a plaintiff, Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, a resident of Assin Bereku, who is challenging the legitimacy of the Assin North MP.



In July 2021, Mr. Ankomah-Nimfah secured a judgment from the Cape Coast High Court to annul the Assin North MP's election.



Reacting to this new development, James Kwabena Bomfeh, a former acting CPP General Secretary, offered advice to Mr. Quayson.



James Kwabena Bomfeh, also called Kabila, during a panel discussion on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' Wednesday morning, pleaded with the MP to stop holding himself as a legislator.



"I plead with him to heed to this court ruling," he briefly said.





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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Adwoa Safo Absent From Parliament But Present On Tik Tik - VIDEO

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Ken Agyapong Blasts Adwoa Safo; Asks Her To Contest Tik Tok Parliamentarian Seat - Daily Guide

Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has lambasted his baby mama, Sarah Adwoa Safo over her consistent absent from Parliament.



According to him, the Dome Kwabenya MP is sabotaging government business by making it difficult for the Majority in parliament.



Speaking to GTV on Monday morning, the long-serving Parliamentarian accused Adwoa Safo of dancing on TikTok at the expense of the NPP MPs in Parliament.



If you dont come to Parliament and youre on Tik Tok dancing. Excuse me. Dome-Kwabenya is not for Apostle Kwadwo Safo, get it striaght. And I am very furious because people are insulting me because I went there to campaign for her. I went to campaign against the son of my very good friend, a man that I respect very much the former Speaker of Parliament Hon. Mike Oquaye in the last elections for Adwoa Safo to win because Adwoa used my sons to get me. Dont think because I have two kids with Adwoa Safo, I would not speak the truth to her. Even at gunpoint, I will continue to speak the truth.



Asked by the host whether Ghanaians should expect that her seat should be declared vacant, Kennedy Agyapong answered by saying why not, she should go and contest on Tik Tok.



He revealed that Adwoa Safos continuous absence from Parliament is due to her constant demand to be made the Deputy Majority Leader in the house.



She says she want to be Deputy Majority Leader. That woman has failed in life, please. A whole minister, cabinet minister now demanding that she should be Deputy Majority Leader before she comes. She should go to hell.



Asked further whether Adwoa Safo officially made the parliamentary leadership request, Kennedy Agyapong affirmed that Yes she has requested for that. She should not think that Ive two kids with her so I will not speak the truth. Ill speak the truth and die.





Source: instagram









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The Founder of a group known as Fans of Nana Acheampong, Ebenezer Kojo Nyavor aka K-Lover has accused some DJs and management of highlife legend, Ernest Nana Acheampong, of not doing much to push his music.



Fans Of Nana Acheampong was created last year to help promote Owoahene music.



The President of the group, Andrews Kwabena Owusu has vowed to ensure FONA creates a serene environment to help achieve their goals.



K-Lover said Nana Acheampong deserves huge publicity but his songs are not played like his colleagues in the music industry.



He noted that the musician has quality songs that are not in the public domain because the DJs and his management are not doing great work with promoting the legend's songs and brand.



Is it because Nana Acheampong is a calm person? I know he wouldnt want to see me doing this but Nana, I am telling the truth. We can even demonstrate against DJs in Ghana and the management as well'', he stated.





Source: Ebenezer Kojo Nyavor/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A pickup truck drives a highway between Vankleek Hill, Ont., and Ottawa, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, after officers cleared a trucker protest from nearby Ottawa, that was aimed at COVID-19 measures before growing into a broader anti-government protest that occupied the nation capitals downtown core. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Elmwood-Transcona NDP MP Daniel Blaikie has written a letter to Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about employment insurance rules being unfair for new moms who lose their jobs while on parental leave. Blaikie delivers remarks at the Canadian National Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa on Thursday, May 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Kawai
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath looks on inside the Ontario Legislature at Queen's Park in Toronto, Ont. on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Ontarios New Democrats intend to table legislation Wednesday aimed at fighting Islamophobia and other hate crimes.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jack Boland POOL IMAGE
An eastern Ontario doctor facing a murder charge has had his case adjourned to next month.

Dr. Brian Nadler is accused of killing 89-year-old Albert Poidinger at the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital last year. The Hawkesbury General Hospital is shown Friday March 26, 2021 in Hawkesbury, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
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Ponakovs Back-to-Back Super MILLION$ FT Ends in Victory

February 23, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

Aleks Ponakovs reached the GGPoker Super MILLION$ final table last week as the chip leader but could only muster a fifth-place finish. This week, Ponakovs navigated his way to the Super MILLON$ final table again, where he sat down in fifth place. Fast-forward three-and-a-half hours and Ponakoivs got his hands on the title and the $475,125 top prize, denying Andras Nemeth what would have been his third Super MILLION$ victory.

Super MILLON$ Season 3 Episode 31 Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Aleks Ponakovs Latvia $475,125 2 Andras Nemeth Hungary $366,372 3 Rodrigo Selouan Brazil $282,511 4 Chris Klodnicki Canada $217,846 5 Tauan Naves Brazil $167,982 6 Elio Fox Mexico $129,532 7 Ole Schemion Austria $99,882 8 Seth Davies Canada $77,020 9 Sung Joo "ArtePokerTV" Hyun Hong Kong $59,390

There was drama from the moment the final table action commenced because Elio Fox cracked Andras Nemeth's aces with pocket queens in one of the very first hands.

Final table short stack and last week's champion, Sung Joo "ArtePokerTV" Hyun was the first player to bust. Hyun never managed to get going and busted when he pushed all-in with ace-seven on the button for a shade under ten big blinds. Nemeth looked him up from the big blind with ace-nine, which held to reduce the player count by one.

Seth Davies busted during the next level when blinds were 40,000/80,000/10,000a. Davies looked down at ace-deuce in the cutoff and moved all-in for 405,988. Nemeth called in the small blind with pocket kings, but big blind Rodrigo Selouan did not take the bait. However, he did call with ace-ten offsuit. Both players checked the jack-high flop, leading to another jack landing on the turn. Again, the action went check-check. A six on the river saw Nemeth lead for a third of the pot, which folded out Selouan. Game over for Davies.

Ole Schemion came unstuck in seventh place

One of the pre-final table favorites, Ole Schemion, was the next superstars heading for the showers, doing so on the very next hand after Davies' demise. Schemion min-raised to 160,000 before jamming in 1,737,530 over the top of Nemeth's 360,000 three-bet. Nemeth called with pocket nines and was racing against the ace-queen of Schemion. The board ran out void of aces or queens, and Schemion bowed out.

The first five-figure prize, namely $129,532, went to Fox despite him being second in chips when six-handed play began. Fox can count himself unlucky with the way his tournament ended. He made it 250,000 from the button during the 50,000/100,000/12,500a level with ace-king of clubs. Nemeth folded his small blind, but Selouan piled in 4,954,638 from the big blind, which covered Fox's stack. Fox called and discovered he was way ahead of his Brazilian opponent's ace-four of diamonds. Selouan flopped a four but Fox had a club flush draw. The flush never came in, instead, Selouan improved to an unlikely full house, fours full of nines, and Fox headed for the exits with a bad beat story in tow.

There was a lull in eliminations until the 100,00/200,000/25,000a level. Tauan Naves open-shoved for six big blinds from the button with ace-jack of spades. Nemeth re-shoved with pocket fives, and won the pot when the five community cards fell queen-high. Naves' $167,982 payout more than doubled his lifetime winning at GGPoker.

Chris Klodnicki

The final four became three when Chris Klodnicki ran out of steam. Klodnicki made a move for his 11.5 big blind stack from the small blind with ace-five, but Nemeth was lying in wait in the big blind with ace-king, and made a standard call. Unlike the cruel Fox exit hand, the ace-king remained true this time around.

Klodnicki's seat had not even gone cold when Selouan joined him on the rail. Selouan min-raised to 500,000 from the button with ace-queen, and Ponakovs shipped in his 8,089,796 stack from the small blind with the dominating ace-king. Selouan called and lost despite flopping an ace as the door card.

That hand gave Ponakovs a narrow 12,154,588 to 11,345,412 chip lead over Nemeth, the latter looking for his third Super MILLON$ victory. Ponakoivs dominated the early heads-up confrontations, but Nemeth refused to bust. However, an ill-timed bluff from Nemeth when Ponakovs held a king-high flush turned the contest on its head because Ponakovs held a 10-to-1 advantage.

The final hand saw Nemeth shove for 8.7 big blinds with queen-six, and Ponakovs called with pocket threes. Ponakovs' lowly threes held, and he won the Super MILLION$ title for the first in his career.
The PokerStars EPT Returns to Monte Carlo This April

February 23, 2022 Matthew Pitt Editor

PokerStars has delighted live poker tournament players around the world by announcing the return of the ever-popular PokerStars and Monte-Carlo Casino European Poker Tour stop.

The EPT returns to the Monte-Carlo Casino from April 28 and stays there until May 7. Monte-Carlo Casino served as the home of the EPT Grand Final on 11 occasions and saw some of the biggest-ever EPT Main Event prizes awarded at the luxurious venue.

Gavin Griffin won the EPT Monte Carlo's first seven-figure prize when he outlasted a 706-strong field and banked an impressive 1,825,010. Glen Chorny won the following year and netted 2,020,000 before Netherlands' Pieter de Korver got his hands on 2,300,000 when he won in 2009. Chorny's incredible haul is considered the largest-ever EPT Main Event score due to the euro-to-dollar exchange rate at the time of his victory.

German superstar Manig Loeser is the reigning EPT Monte-Carlo champion, having triumphed over 921 opponents in 2019. The event did not run in 2020 nor 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is returning with a bang between April 28-May 7, 2022.

EPT Prague Live Reporting Hub The PokerNews live reporting team is on the ground for the latest stop on the European Poker Tour. Be sure to check out the action as it happens. Click Here

Highlights of the Upcoming EPT Monte-Carlo Festival

Sergio Aido won the 100K Super High Roller in 2019

Several side events complement three must-play tournaments during the festival. A 100,000 buy-in EPT Super High Roller runs from May 1-3 and is sure to attract the biggest names in the business to Monaco. When this event ran in 2019, 52 players bought in for 100,000, and Sergio Aido left them all in his wake as he marched on and collected 1,589,190.

The eagerly anticipated EPT Main Events runs from May 2-7. It comes with a 5,300 buy-in, although online satellites are available at PokerStars from a mere 1.10. As mentioned, Loeser is the reigning champion. PokerNews fully expects him to be on the ground for an attempted title defense.

"Live events have always been a big part of PokerStars"

A 25,000 EPT High Roller is scheduled for May 5-7. This tournament paid out 3,374,630 in 2019 with a significant chunk of it heading to Benjamin Pollak and Koray Aldemir who struck a deal that saw the former bank 705,840 and the latter 655,840. Aldemir is another star likely to be in Monaco especially as he won the 2021 World Series of Poker Main Event.

Severin Rasset, Managing Director & Commercial Officer, PokerStars, had this to say about the return of EPT Monte-Carlo.

EPT Monte-Carlo is a favorite for many, and were pleased we can now share details for the event along with the exciting announcement that regional tours are back. We understand that these are uncertain times for everyone.

The health and safety of our players and staff is paramount to our plans and well continue to communicate openly with players as each event approaches. Live events have always been a big part of PokerStars, and we cant wait to get back to the live felt and hope to see many of our players at events soon!

Former EPT Monte Carlo Champions

Pieter de Korver netted 2.3 million for his EPT Monte-Carlo win

Some of the biggest names in world poker have returned home from the EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event with the title of champion and a suitcase crammed with euros.

Rob Hollink won the first-ever event back in 2005, while American Jeff "yellowsub86" Williams became one of the youngest EPT champions when he triumphed in 2006.

Others who have returned home victoriously from an EPT Monte-Carlo trip include Lebanon's Nicolas Chouity, Mohsin Charania, Steve O'Dwyer, and Adrian Mateos. Taking down the 2022 edition of this long-running event puts you among some esteemed company.

*EPT Monte Carlo served as the EPT Grand Final from Season 1-12 with the exception of Season 7 which took place in Madrid

Full PokerStars EPT Prague Schedule; Festival Just Three Weeks Away!

Regional Tours Return After a Five-Year Hiatus

It is not only the EPT Monte-Carlo festival that is returning because seven regional tours are back for 2022. Eureka, UKIPT, ESPT, and FPS all make their long-awaited return throughout the year, giving players with shallower bankrolls the chance to play in an amazingly-structured event and potentially win life-changing prizes.

Dates Festival March 6-10 Eurkea Prague March 28-April 3 ESPT Madrid Gran Via April 4-10 UKIPT London April 28-May 2 FPS Monte-Carlo May 20-29 Eureka Rozvadov October 4-9 FPS Divonne November 22-27 FPS Aix-en-Provence

More details of the EPT Monte-Carlo festival and the schedules for the regional tour will be published in due course.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening hours. Skies will become partly cloudy overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Fast-food chain Chick-fil-A is planning a new roost in one of the Lowcountry's megadevelopments in Berkeley County.

The Atlanta-based company plans to build a 4,452-square-foot restaurant at 1726 State Road on an outparcel at the Publix-anchored Market at Cane Bay Shopping Center, according to site plans.

The parcel sits between Parker's Kitchen convenience store and a building jointly occupied by AT&T and Starbucks coffee shop.

"While we are still early in the process, Chick-fil-A is happy to share that we are actively pursuing a new location in the Summerville area," according to company spokeswoman. "We look forward to working through the approval process  and are excited by the prospect of joining the Cane Bay neighborhood."

The representative did not provide a construction timeframe. The chicken chain has several other restaurants across the Charleston region.

Another one is slated for Charleston International Airport and could open in December, pending a contract extension with airport concession giant Hudson Group.

Looking to expand

A downtown Charleston restaurant wants to expand but needs permission from the city to forgo the required number of parking spaces.

Roy Neal, owner of El Jefe Texican Cantina at 468 King St., will ask the city's Board of Zoning Appeals on March 1 for a special exception to build a 1,220-square-foot outdoor deck without providing more parking. The expanded restaurant would require 28 spaces under city regulations.

Architectural firm Synchronicity is representing the restaurant in the special exception request.

On the way

A new jewelry store is on the way to Tanger Outlets in North Charleston.

Banter by Piercing Pagoda plans to open in a 1,572-square-foot space between Brooks Brothers and Francesca's, according to site plans.

The retailer has another shop in the Charleston area in Northwoods Mall, also in North Charleston.

It's part of Ohio-based Signet Jewelers, which also operates well-known brands such as Kay, Jared, Zales and Diamonds Direct, among others.

Relocated

An artisan boutique and gift shop is now open in a new location in Mount Pleasant.

Lavender Hill Designs recently moved to 10 Resolute Lane in the I'On neighborhood from Belle Hall Shopping Center off Long Point Road.

The locally owned shop includes home accents, linens, womens apparel, jewelry and gifts from Europe as well as unique items online. It also offers complimentary in-store gift wrapping.

The owner is Tracey Wonnacott, a self-described Francophile whose shop displays a French flair. She plans a grand opening later in the spring. The new location is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m Monday through Saturday.

Getting pampered

A new massage franchise will open its first South Carolina location in the Lowcountry on March 2.

The Now Massage will welcome customers at 1421 Shucker Circle, Suites 103-105, in the Oyster Park retail center in Mount Pleasant.

Town residents Camila and Jensen Anderson will own and operate the new business.

"We cant wait to welcome the Mount Pleasant community to our cityside oasis for some much-needed rest and relaxation," Camila Anderson said.

As part of the boutique's grand opening week of March 2-8, all massage bookings will receive a complimentary enhancement of either a cooling peppermint salve or a hydrating eye mask with vitamins and antioxidants.

The shop also will offer freebies to some of its first members. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

For more details, go to thenowmassage.com/mount-pleasant.

Now serving

A Virginia-based restaurant with a bawdy-sounding name is now welcoming diners in downtown Charleston.

Well Hung Vineyard, named after a former grape-growing farm in the Old Dominion, opened Feb. 19 at 49 S. Market St. across from the City Market.

Owner Anthony Herring has two other locations in Virginia in Roanoke and in Gordonsville, near the companys base outside Charlottesville.

Herring bought the business in 2016. It started as a vineyard near Charlottesville in 2008 by three women.

The restaurants wines come from a winery in the Old Dominion that make them from grapes grown in Washington, Oregon and California.

The eclectic menu will be tweaked every three months. Offerings include salads, sandwiches, pizzas, shrimp and grits, and various other dishes.

The Market Street site includes some seafood choices the restaurants in Virginia do not offer.

The restaurant is open seven days a week with brunch on weekends. The dining room includes the bottom two floors while the third floor serves as an office.

Aaron Lee is the general manager, and Stephanie Wilson is the chef. The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Reservations are not required.
COLUMBIA  A Republican-led effort to cut financial incentives to Chinese-owned businesses and make it more difficult for companies from that communist country to locate in South Carolina is getting a lukewarm reception from Gov. Henry McMaster and catching criticism from a group that promotes U.S.-China trade.

State Rep. Patrick Haddon, a Republican from Greenville, held a news conference Feb. 22 to draw attention to seven bills he has introduced in the S.C. Legislature aimed at crippling Chinese investment in the state.

The legislation would ban the S.C. Commerce Department from providing incentives to Chinese-owned firms or any company contracting with Chinese firms and prohibit public entities in South Carolina from contracting with Chinese-owned firms.

Chinese companies also would not be allowed to own or lease more than 100 acres of property in the state.

In addition, the bills also would ban the state's treasurer from investing public money and state retirement funds in companies tied to China or that country's armed forces, called the People's Liberation Army.

"Every Chinese company, without exception, is either majority owned or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party or the People's Liberation Army," Haddon said. "Investing in Chinese companies and doing business with these companies, at the very least, contributes monetarily to the Chinese government as China is in the midst of a massive military buildup and modernization programs."

Haddon said state financial incentives given to Chinese companies have helped support alleged covert actions by that country, such as intellectual property theft, suppression of civil and religious liberties and the spread of disinformation about COVID-19's origins. There are no Democratic co-sponsors for the legislation, which resides in House committees.

McMaster acknowledged that China "is a real threat," but he urged caution in passing legislation that could wind up backfiring and hurting the state. There are 42 Chinese companies with investments in South Carolina, including multimillion-dollar factories by appliance maker Haier and power tool manufacturer Techtronic Industries supporting hundreds of jobs. Since 2017, Chinese-owned companies have announced $488.6 million in capital investment and 2,252 jobs in South Carolina.

"We need to be careful and know what we're doing," McMaster said. "Because we do want to build trade in South Carolina and have all of our people working."

Doug Barry, vice president of communications for the U.S.-China Business Council, said the legislation would likely hurt South Carolina's economy because states with less-restrictive laws would fill the void if investments in Chinese firms is banned.

"Many people in the state derive benefit from China trade whether it be exports, imports, goods and services," Barry said. "Foreign direct investment generates jobs and contributes to the tax base, which helps to fund schools and roads, and transfers skills and technology to the local workforce. How much will this cost in lost economic development? States have foreign interests and relationships. They need to think clearly how to intelligently manage them."

China is tied with Germany for the state's top trading partner, with $4.6 billion worth of South Carolina-made goods exported to each country during 2021. South Carolina ranks No. 6 among all states for exports to China, with the total dollar amount growing by 29.5 percent in the past decade, according to a report by the Washington-based U.S.-China Business Council.

Barry said China might retaliate against state efforts to thwart investment by cutting back on purchases of South Carolina goods. That could particularly harm automaker BMW, which counts China as the top foreign buyer of sport-utility vehicles built in the Upstate. Boeing Co., which builds the 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, also sees China as a key trading partner and recently opened a facility in Zhoushan, China, to support deliveries of the 737 MAX when they resume.

It's not clear how the proposed legislation, which bans incentives to companies contracting with Chinese firms, would impact Boeing and others that conduct business in that country.

The state's Commerce Department did not specifically address the proposed legislation but said investments by foreign-owned companies are important to South Carolina's economy.

"Foreign direct investment has been a key part of South Carolinas economic development strategy and success for decades," spokeswoman Alex Clark said. "We have cultivated a tremendous international business community and will continue to support both existing and prospective companies from around the world to ensure they are able to locate and thrive within our borders."

Haddon also said he planned to introduce legislation forcing Commerce to move a recruiting office from Shanghai to Taiwan, which China sees as a rogue province. Clark noted, however, that Commerce doesn't have physical office space in China but contracts with agency representatives who promote the state to businesses in both China and Taiwan.

Efforts to limit Chinese investments are part of a growing trend among Republican lawmakers in several states. Barry said similar legislation has been introduced in Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

"Anti-China messages have resonated with an electorate sensitized to the debate over the origins of COVID-19, the impact of industrial outsourcing to China and increasing military tensions in the Taiwan Strait," said a report in Politico magazine detailing Missouri's efforts. The magazine said a "China fear-focused campaign could be a bellwether for (the) 2022 mid-terms."

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., told the magazine that China isn't interested in U.S. electoral politics, "but we firmly oppose some politicians hyping up 'China threat' in their campaigns to gain attention and votes."
COLUMBIA  Attorneys for the family of a man found dead at a Richland County jail said he died alone amid deplorable conditions and lack of oversight caused by chronic staff shortages at the facility.

Lason Butler, 27 of Orangeburg was found dead in his cell at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Feb. 12. While authorities and attorneys for Butler's family have not released a cause of death pending a toxicology report, those representing Butler's family said he died alone in his cell, that it was hours before his body was discovered and that there was evidence of rodent bites on his body.

"He died alone while people were supposed to be watching over him and protecting him and checking on him, and they did not," Bakari Sellers, an attorney representing the family along with Texas-based attorney Audia Jones, said Feb. 22.

Sellers, a former state representative and CNN political commentator, said he plans to file state and federal lawsuits over Butler's death and also called for state and federal criminal investigations. He called for Alvin S. Glenn to be shut down over conditions he likened to a "pig pen."

Richland County Councilwoman Allison Terracio, who chairs the county committee that considers issues at the jail, pointed to efforts in 2021 to raise starting pay and improve security at the jail in an effort to better recruit and retain officers amid ongoing staff shortages. She said she would be open for the jail committee and council to consider other potential changes at the jail.

County Council Chairman Overture Walker declined to comment Feb. 22. A phone message for Assistant County Administrator John Thompson, who oversees the jail, and County Administrator Leonardo Brown wasn't immediately returned.

Staff shortages have been an ongoing issue predating current administrators and policymakers. But the current labor market has exacerbated issues at the facility.

Last summer, 141 of the jail's 264 budgeted positions were unfilled, then-jail director Ronaldo Myers told county officials. County Council approved raising pay for entry level officers up to $36,500, from $32,210, and to freeze 50 positions that had gone unfilled for years.

In September, inmates escaped their cells and rioted at the jail, injuring two officers, authorities said. Twelve people face charges in the alleged assault.

Myers resigned as director effective the end of the same month in what administrators said was a planned retirement. Myers had been on unapproved leave the day of the riot, county records obtained by The Post and Courier showed.

At the news conference Feb. 22, Stuart Andrews, a civil rights attorney who has worked cases involving South Carolina jails and prisons for 20 years, stopped short of saying Alvin S. Glenn should be closed, saying the prospect was unlikely. But if the jail can't maintain a staff level adequate to house the more than 600 inmates, that the number of those detained should be reduced, he said.

The inmates at the facility currently include Alex Murdaugh, the disgraced Hampton County lawyer of a powerful Lowcountry family charged with numerous crimes of financial wrongdoing and insurance fraud.

The majority of inmates in the Richland County jail are not a danger to the public but are there because of a "barbaric system" in which they can't afford to pay bond to be freed until court proceedings, Andrews said

Butler was being held on charges of failure to stop for blue lights, reckless driving and driving under suspension, Sellers noted and court records confirm. His most serious charge carried $1,500 bond.

Because of the staff shortages, many of those at Alvin S. Glenn remain locked in a cell 24 hours a day and unable to walk around or get recreation time, he said. Andrews described inmates held in solitary confinement without legitimate reasons urinating in cell drains and defecating in foam containers that contained meals brought by officers.

"What we're seeing in Alvin S. Glenn, it suggests there is a crisis that's emerging," Andrews said during the news conference. "Deaths like Lason Butler's don't occur in a vacuum. They actually point to structural deficiencies in the operation of correctional facilities."
Georgia-based Southern Bank will open its first South Carolina location in Greenville, with a Spartanburg location coming soon.

The bank acquired the 575-square-foot building at 101 Cleveland St. in Greenville for $562,500. Southern Bank will renovate, furnish and add equipment to the building for about $675,000, according to a company release.

The renovations will include an additional 439 square feet of space, two drive-through lanes, offices, a safekeeping room with deposit boxes, a staff break room and a bathroom. The exterior will also be updated with new brick, windows, doors and roofing.

The Southern Bank looks forward to serving the Greenville market with local hometown banking, president of the bank Scott Frierson said in a statement.

The bank currently has four branches in Georgia in Sardis, Waynesboro, Gibson and Hephzibah, according to its website. The website also promotes a Spartanburg location "coming soon."

The Greenville location will open this summer.

Burger King coming to Mauldin along U.S. Route 276

The fast food restaurant famous for its whoppers is setting up a new location in Mauldin.

Burger King is currently constructing a building on New Neely Ferry Road next to the Popeyes at 200 S. Main St., Pintail Capital Partners Director of Marketing Miller Howard confirmed. The commercial real estate agency was involved in the transaction.

According to Greenville County records, the property was sold for $1.2 million.

The Post and Courier reached out to Burger King for an estimated opening date.

In other news...

Kansas City-based commercial real estate firm Hunt Midwest plans to develop a 476,280-square-foot logistics facility on 47 acres in the Fort Prince Industrial Park along the south side of Highway 129 in Spartanburg County. Adjacent to the property is the $450 million Walmart distribution center scheduled to open in 2024. The new Fort Prince Logistics Center is expected to be completed by the end of the year. This is the firms first entry into the South Carolina market.

Cancer and ostomy surgery solutions company Stomagienics, founded in 2018, plans to expand operations in Greenville County. The company announced in a news release it would create 30 new jobs over the next three years. The company, located at 1200 Woodruff Road in Greenville, also plans to expand its facilities and equipment for sales and operations; production of its Stomagenie pouch replacement cartridge; and research and development, according to a release. The expansion is expected to be complete by August 2022.

Thats all for this week. Email your thoughts, tips, releases and newsy bits to smirah@postandcourier.com.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Charleston is arguing its removal of a Robert E. Lee road marker last summer doesn't run afoul of state law because it's a monument to a specific person, and not the Civil War.

The legal strategy, laid out in a Feb. 23 letter to S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, is the latest volley in the conflict since Wilson threatened to sue the city Feb. 17.

Although the issue has not been taken up in court, the American Heritage Association claims the city violated the state Heritage Act by removing the historical marker from a school campus at 1002 King St. in late July. The Heritage Act requires approval from state legislators for the removal of certain historic monuments.

The memorial, which states it is located on the "Robert E. Lee Memorial Highway," was erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and donated to the Charleston School for Math and Science in 1947, the monument states. The stone marker stands several feet tall and was one of several such markers that were placed on state roads during the middle part of the 20th century by the UDC.

Wilson sided with the AHA in a letter sent to the city Feb. 17 where he threatened to sue if the marker is not returned to the campus.

But Charleston's five-page letter to Wilson on Feb. 23 claimed the Heritage Act only applies to monuments that relate specifically to a war or a person's service in a war.

"(Robert E. Lee) is not himself that war, any more than Colonel Strom Thurmond is World War II," the letter said.

As a result, Charleston's legal department does not believe the city is in violation of state law.

The letter also states the stretch of King Street where the marker was located was never officially named the "Robert E. Lee Memorial Highway."

Officials with the S.C. Department of Transportation told The Post and Courier the marker was not on state right of way. They also "were not able to completely verify and determine the exact routes where the markers were originally placed."

The city agreed to remove the marker and place it in storage at the request of the principal of the Charleston Charter School for Math and Science, the city letter states.

The stone monument had drawn concern from school officials, students and residents in the area for its origins and promotion of one of the Civil War's most prominent figures. It is one of several that were erected across the state.

The website Historic Columbia includes a description of that citys Lee marker on Gervais Street thats nearly identical to the one removed from the Charleston school.

"The UDC glorified the Confederacy, explained secession as a political act rather than a defense of slavery, and vilified the federal governments empowerment of African Americans during Reconstruction, the website states, adding the UDC in South Carolina celebrated the Confederacy by designating a series of roads that crossed the state from Charleston to Greenville to Lee.

In correspondence with the city, the principal for the Charleston School for Math and Science said the marker "has been a pain point for our scholars, staff and community for many years," according to the citys letter. When a person cleared ivy off of the marker and left flowers in front of it, officials became concerned, the letter states.

The principal asked the city that the marker be removed "so no harm comes to the school building."

Charleston's legal department also wrote the marker drew concern from Rodney Scott, the Black barbecue pitmaster and owner of Rodney Scott Barbecue, which is located across the street from where it stood.

Whether those concerns will play a role in the dispute remains unclear, as is whether a resolution can be reached before needing to be settled in court.

The Attorney General's Office declined to comment on Charleston's most recent letter, stating Wilson will not discuss the matter until it is taken up in court.
A $4.5 million federal grant application could allow the Charleston Fire Department to hire an additional 15 firefighters to serve Johns Island. If the application is approved, the firefighters will work out of a new fire station that has been in the works for over a year.

City Council unanimously voted Feb. 21 to approve the department submitting the grant.

"We apply for a lot of grants for our Fire Department, mostly to renovate buildings. Not often do we actually get to apply for salaries for firefighter positions," Mayor John Tecklenburg said. "I understand our folks feel like we have a decent shot. It would be a terrific allocation to our city."

The grant would allow the city to create new positions that were not previously budgeted while plans for Johns Island Fire Station 23 take shape.

The grant, called the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The FEMA program helps fire departments increase their number of employees outside of what their annual budget may allow.

If the application is approved, Charleston will be on the hook for funding the extra 15 firefighter positions after the three-year, $4.5 million grant period ends.

The city decided to build the new station to accommodate the area's rapid growth, Councilman Karl Brady said. His district covers most of Johns Island within the city limits.

"Anyone that has been around Johns Island has seen the growth occurring," he said. "With the future development that could happen based on the properties being considered, life safety is one of the most important things for us to prioritize."

In September, the city purchased an approximately 3-acre lot at Maybank Highway and Wildts Battery Drive. City Council approved an $800,000 purchase agreement for the parcel from Shade Tree Holdings.

The station will add to the city's existing station on Bohicket Road and the St. Johns Fire District stations on the island.

It is planned to be big enough to house four firefighters and a ladder truck. The grant application states the new firefighters would staff the ladder truck. If the application is approved and the firefighters complete training before the station is built, they will staff the other stations on Johns Island, Brady said.

The new ladder truck is already included in the city's budget but it will be some time before both the truck and the fire station are ready, Charleston Deputy Fire Chief Jason Krusen said.

"There is a pretty lengthy lead time," he said of ladder truck purchases.

Designs for the new fire station may be complete this spring, Brady said.

"We have several things moving forward at once," he said.

The decision comes as city officials are conducting a salary study for the department at the request of Charleston Firefighters Association representatives, who say wages are too low to effectively recruit and retain employees.
JAMES ISLAND  Lets start with 1861, though really its historical importance began 4,500 years ago.

It's common knowledge the first shots of the Civil War were fired in Charleston Harbor upon the Union-held Fort Sumter. Many assume those shots came from Fort Moultrie, the Confederate stronghold on Sullivans Island just across the channel.

But really they came from Fort Johnson on James Island.

In the early morning of April 12, 1861, Col. James Chesnut Jr. ordered Capt. George S. James to fire a signal shot over Fort Sumter. Lt. Henry S. Farley, commander of the beach battery, prepared the mortar then fired it at exactly 4:30 a.m.

The shell arched through the air and exploded just above the Union installation. A second shot soon was unleashed by Lt. W.H. Gibbes. The war had begun.

Fort Johnson is no more  not the fortifications anyway. Since 1970 the S.C. Department of Natural Resources has been the primary resident of Windmill Point. The College of Charleston maintains its Grice Marine Laboratory there, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Marine Fisheries division is housed in a building on the point. The Medical University of South Carolina has its lab for environmental microbiology research, and has owned a big structure in the northwestern corner of the site that has been languishing unused for many years.

There has been very little room for historical interpretation or public access  until now.

MUSCs board of trustees has agreed to sell its Fort Johnson holdings at the northeastern tip of Windmill Point to the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust which, in turn, will place a conservation easement on the property to prevent any commercial or residential development, then donate the land to DNR.

The Trust will be in charge of historical interpretation at the site, and will add it to its Liberty Trail project. DNR recently secured a large tract of adjacent property from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, and the states Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism will transform the 23-acre waterfront parcel into a public park.

The two properties likely will be linked, according to the Trusts executive director, Doug Bostick, who said PRT also will manage the 1.58-acre historic site.

The Trust is paying $3.5 million  a huge price tag considering the size of the parcel but well worth it, Bostick said. Because the state is involved in the transaction, the sale is subject to approval from the State Fiscal Accountability Authority.

Marking the newest addition to the statewide Liberty Trail, the Trust will install signage and QR codes enabling visitors to appreciate the historic fortifications, their purpose and use. The Liberty Trail app, now available for download, will provide a wealth of information about 30 Revolutionary War sites, including eventually Fort Johnson, whose historic timeline is remarkably long.

The Liberty Trail and its companion app and website www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/libertytrail were developed in partnership with the American Battlefield Trust and soon will feature an augmented reality component, giving visitors to the sites a chance to visualize installations that have deteriorated or disappeared.

Those installations included a large tabby fort built in the late 1750s, the remnants of a couple of batteries, and the base of a brick tower. The site of a mortar battery also has been identified on the adjacent convent property, Bostick said.

Our interest is history that has not been interpreted to the public anywhere, he said. Also, we think that scenic point is such an asset to the community that we dont want to see anything built on it.

Revolutionary War

More than four millennia ago, the Fort Johnson area was inhabited by Native people who surely understood the advantages of living on the leeward side of James Island in proximity to the harbor.

Flash forward nearly 5,200 years and English colonists, too, recognized the strategic advantages of this protrusion into the harbor. They built a watch house here in 1685, then a windmill in 1697, according to a chronology provided by the Trust.

The threat of attack from Spanish forces gave rise to the idea of building military fortifications on the site, from which one has a broad view of the harbor, including its mouth between Sullivans Island and the tip of James Island.

On Aug. 29, 1706, French and Spanish troops landed in whats today Mount Pleasant and at Windmill Point but were defeated by South Carolina troops. In 1708, local authorities built a fort and named it in honor of Royal Governor Nathaniel Johnson.

In 1719, a public road was laid from Fort Johnson to the Wappoo Creek Ferry  roughly the current path of Fort Johnson Road to Riverland Drive to Maybank Highway.

By 1737, the fort was in disrepair and not equipped with adequate armaments. Work soon commenced to restore it, but it was in vain, for on Sept. 15, 1752, a powerful hurricane demolished it. Seven years later, a new tabby fort was built  in time for the Revolution.

On Sept. 13, 1775, William Moultrie, commander of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment, ordered his troops to seize Fort Johnson, putting Col. Isaac Motte in charge. Three 50-man companies led by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Barnard Elliott and Francis Marion attacked, easily taking control of the installation and raising the new state flag on the site. It was the first time the South Carolina banner was mounted upon property that had belonged to the Crown.

For 4 years, Patriot forces held firm. But on Feb. 25, 1780, the British army landed on James Island, and a battalion arrived at Fort Johnson the next day, only to find that the facility had been destroyed by the rebels. Two weeks before Christmas in 1782, the British occupation of Charleston ended. A garrison of 354 men from several British units evacuated the property.

After the British left, the fort once again fell to ruin, and once again had to be rebuilt as tensions heightened between the nascent United States and England. New gun batteries were installed and again destroyed by a strong storm in the summer of 1813.

Around 1821, South Carolina troops constructed a circular, 38-foot-high Martello Tower on the site. It might have served the Confederacy well as a mini-fort and a gunnery platform, but it burned in 1859.

In the mid-1820s, the point became a summer village for James Island planters. It was called Johnsonville, and it included more than 25 homes, a schoolhouse, a chapel and, eventually, a meeting house and commissary. White slavers could pay regular visits to cotton plantations nearby, then return by dusk to the shady village.

By 1829, the Fort Johnson property became a depot and engineering headquarters for the Fort Sumter construction project. Its small garrison was transferred to Fort Moultrie. All three installations, along with Castle Pinckney in the middle of the harbor, were controlled by federal authorities.

That would change with the onset of another war.

The Civil War

In 1860, engineers were scrambling to finish Fort Sumter. On Dec. 20, South Carolina seceded from the Union.

On Dec. 26, Maj, Robert Anderson of the U.S. First Artillery ordered families at Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island to transfer to Fort Johnson, but the schooner carrying them stopped just short of the point, anchoring in the harbor.

When Gov. Francis W. Pickens learned that the forts were essentially unoccupied, except for Sumter, he ordered them seized. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard decided a mortar fired from Fort Johnson would serve to signal all harbor batteries to fire on Sumter, including two batteries at Fort Johnson, one on the beach and one on the hill.

During the war, the garrisons at Fort Johnson and at Union-held Battery Gregg on Morris Island often exchanged artillery fire. On July 3, 1864, Union troops attempted an amphibious assault and failed.

As the Union gained the upper hand in Charleston in early 1865, Confederate soldiers evacuated Fort Johnson and other harbor bulwarks on Feb. 17. Troops with the 54th Massachusetts, a Black volunteer regiment, and the 52nd Pennsylvania, a White volunteer regiment, rowed to Fort Johnson from Morris Island, taking control of 26 abandoned guns.

That spring and summer, seven companies of the 21st Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops, formed the garrison for Fort Johnson. On July 31, men from the 54th Massachusetts regiment dismounted the guns, and the fort was abandoned.

In 1872, a quarantine station was established there. Thus began its association with public health. In 1948, the quarantine station was closed and the 90-acre property transferred to the state. Six years later, the College of Charleston devised a plan to establish a marine biology research center there, and the Medical College set up an animal research facility. The old quarantine officers home was occupied by the president of the Medical College.

In 1970, much of the Fort Johnson tract was transferred to DNR's forerunner, the S.C. Department of Wildlife and Marine Resources Department. In the years since, the condition of the MUSC buildings has deteriorated, posing safety hazards.

Public access

State Sen. Chip Campsen was instrumental in securing both the Fort Johnson and the May Forest properties.

In the spring or 2021, with just two days left in the bidding process, Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, engaged his legislative colleagues to make an offer on the convent tract. The pitch was convincing: This was relatively pristine waterfront property, of which little is left, and the public deserves access to it.

The state purchased its 23 acres for $23.25 million.

Through that process, we took a much closer look at Fort Johnson, Campsen said. A larger vision was emerging, though a couple of dilapidated structures, some gravel parking lots and some maritime objects were in the way. It is a squandered opportunity that we never had any type of master plan for Fort Johnson, he said.

So he assigned himself the task of correcting that.

There will be one owner of the two adjacent properties, DNR; one manager, the parks department; and one interpreter of history, the S.C. Battleground Trust.

The sprawling yaupon will be thinned or cleared and, eventually, trails will be built, picnic tables and signage will be installed, and water access will be granted. The engineering firm Davis & Floyd is developing a master plan.

The parks department could accommodate private events such as weddings on the site, generating some revenue that would be used to maintain the property.

And maybe  just maybe  the state will add incrementally to its holdings there, protecting more property from development and ensuring the public can use it in perpetuity, Campsen said.
North Augusta, SC (29801)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning. Partly cloudy skies late. High 88F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Those critics of the Sullivans Island maritime forest warned us about this.

They always said one of the reasons the forest must be cut down is that 100 acres of wooded area along the beach could attract crime to the island.

Well, today the forest is a crime scene. Theres yellow police tape strung along its perimeter, marking the spot where someone went in earlier this month and cut down dozens of trees between the dunes and the street.

What those Nostradamuses never mentioned was that their prediction was a self-fulfilling prophecy; they never told us they were talking about themselves.

Because make no mistake, the illegal clear-cutting wasnt the work of aliens, Paul Bunyan or antifa. It was almost certainly someone aligned with the perspective of people whove tried to get rid of that marvel of nature  which just so happens to obscure their Atlantic Ocean views.

This arrogant, defiant stunt has shocked Sullivans, and may turn out to be the short-term victory that costs forest opponents the war.

The town is investigating the illegal cutting, but theres little chance anyones going to jail over this environmental vandalism, as Sullivans Island Mayor Pat ONeil calls it. And thats a shame. There should be consequences for such disrespect of the law, the last election, the authority of Town Council  and the community.

Which has made it pretty clear where it stands.

For years, the forest  which, since Hurricane Hugo, has grown into an honest-to-goodness county park  has been a source of controversy and mixed feelings. Some see it as a marvel of nature, others as an eyesore that blocks their ocean views.

Even forest supporters had some sympathy for their opponents predicament, but not anymore. Because their conduct has shown a blatant disregard for anything beyond their own desires.

See, as bad as it was to cut down dozens of trees, this is only the second-most brazen thing to happen on the island in the past couple of years. The worst came in 2020, when the last Town Council called a meeting with minimal public notice, during a spike in the pandemic, to settle a long-standing lawsuit with forest opponents.

A settlement that called for substantial cutting in the forest, and went against majority opinion on the island  as the election six months later proved. Every council member on the ballot whod supported the settlement was booted out of office.

When the new council asked retired federal judge William Wilkins to review that settlement, the anti-forest crowd got antsy. And after Wilkins declared the agreement legally questionable, somebody sent in the chainsaws.

It was last week, shortly after the clandestine cutting, that Town Council voted to take legal action challenging the settlements validity. No surprise there; the agreement was already on shaky ground. More than a year after it was signed, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control still hadnt signed off on the plan.

The bigger issue here is not the damage to the forest, but to the reputation of forest opponents. Town Councilman Gary Visser believes this could become the inflection point in a fight that has dragged on for decades.

See, the vast majority of residents dont see the forest issue in simple terms; opinions are nuanced. But this has upset everyone hes talked to.

This is just so egregious, Visser says. This might be the point where everyone says we have gone far enough.

It should be. But then, some of the loudest forest critics have been caught doing this before, and it really didnt move the needle. Perhaps this will be different. Most of those folks only cut down a couple of trees.

Drone footage on YouTube shows this most recent offense resulted in a flattened swath of forest that looks like Godzilla stomped his way through. Several residents say it made them sick.

Word among the islanders is that the town has stepped up patrols around the forest; some say surveillance cameras have been installed. The real danger is some sort of confrontation if it happens again, because everyones on edge.

Thats too bad. Sullivans is a laid-back community, one of the greatest places to live in the Lowcountry. And you can bet the next person caught pulling a stunt like this wont be welcome there anymore.
COLUMBIA  The family of Jamal Sutherland  a Black man who died in the Charleston County jail after being Tased nearly a dozen times  was in the Statehouse to rally support for a pair of bills meant to restrict the potential for excessive force on inmates in jails and prisons.

The two bills include legislation establishing guidance for excessive force by police as well as the Jamal Sutherland Justice Act, which would require inmates to undergo a mental health evaluation before being transferred from a mental health facility to a jail or prison for bond hearings.

"South Carolina doesn't have an excessive force statute on the books," one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Marvin Pendarvis, D-North Charleston, said at a Feb. 23 news conference. "And so the question is, 'why aren't we making sure that we're giving our prosecutors every tool in the toolkit in order for them to prosecute the crimes that are out there?'"

The bills, which were introduced in 2021, are inspired by Sutherland, a schizophrenic man who died at the hands of detention officers on Jan. 5, 2021, after being repeatedly pepper-sprayed and Tased while being transported to a bond hearing.

"They Tased him 11 times," Nelson B. Rivers III, vice president of religious affairs and internal relations for the National Action Network, said in the news conference. "One officer at least seven times on her own admission. And the solicitor refused to indict or charge results. We refuse to accept that that is justice."

While they were fired from their positions and the death was later ruled a homicide by the Charleston County coroner, the two officers involved  Sgt. Lindsay Fickett and Detention Deputy Brian Houle  did not face charges after the solicitor determined she could not find criminal intent.

Sutherland's family, which has continued to pursue charges against the officers involved in his death, believes the legislation is necessary to address the circumstance in which the officers were allowed to remain free.

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"Accountability brings consequence," his father, James Sutherland, told reporters. "Consequence brings behavior change. So many people that work in law enforcement believe that they are above the law, that they can do whatever they think they can do to people, especially Black people, Brown people, other people in marginalized communities and other minority races."

"We are always wanting to fall victim to excessive force," he continued. "This type of behavior needs to stop."

It remains to be seen whether the bills will be successful, or even if they will get a hearing. Pledges by the General Assembly to consider sweeping law enforcement reforms in 2021 never materialized. The General Assembly has not considered substantial police reforms in the 2022 session, and has yet to assign either reform bill to a committee.

Meanwhile other bills, including a hate crimes bill passed in 2021 by the House of Representatives, have stalled in the Senate, with no clear timeline for a future hearing.

Sutherland's family hopes they'll at least try.

"I pray, I'm begging you, please do the right thing," Amy Sutherland, his mother, said in the news conference. "Don't allow any mothers to have to cry 24 hours every day of the year. Every time I come over here my son dies again. I have to relive his death over and over because my state won't do the right thing."
COLUMBIA  A federal court has upheld a judge's decision to temporarily block South Carolina's ban on abortions after six weeks, setting the groundwork for an appeal that could make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a Feb. 22 ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Stephanie Thacker wrote the state's abortion ban  colloquially referred to as the "fetal heartbeat" bill  was unconstitutional and explicitly written to carry out the ban.

Planned Parenthood of the South Atlantic  which filed the suit in February 2021  praised the decision in a press statement shortly after its release.

The courts decision means that  for now  our patients can continue to come to us, their trusted health care providers, to access abortion and other essential health services," Jenny Black, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said in the statement.

"However, the U.S. Supreme Court could unravel todays victory by this summer, and South Carolina lawmakers are in a race to pass a complete ban on abortion," she added.

While the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's decision in South Carolina, a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court is currently weighing the constitutionality of a less-strict, 15-week abortion ban passed in Mississippi.

Critics believe a decision in that case could overturn or undermine the bedrock protections for women seeking abortions established under the 1972 Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which prevents states from imposing any laws restricting abortions before the second trimester of pregnancy, typically between weeks 13 and 26.

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"Todays decision helps to shield us from one of the most egregious laws," Black continued, "but without continued protection from the courts, South Carolinians may soon have to travel long distances to access an abortion or carry a forced pregnancy.

A spokesperson for Gov. Henry McMaster's office said the administration will appeal the decision, adding that the office will provide "any resources that we possibly need to defend this law."

"This is a roadblock, but this isn't the end of the road," McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said. "The governor is going to keep on fighting for this legislation to become law in South Carolina. He'll take it to the Supreme Court if necessary."

South Carolina officials have already spent nearly $200,000 on outside counsel defending themselves against the lawsuit, in addition to the work provided by in-house counsel and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.

"We are disappointed in the courts opinion," Robert Kittle, a spokesperson for Attorney General Alan Wilson, wrote in a statement. "However, we will continue to explore any and all means necessary to protect life in the remaining stages of this case as well as in any other cases that may arise."

Meanwhile, Statehouse lawmakers are aiming to impose even stricter limitations on abortions in the instance Roe v. Wade is overturned, including legislation that would allow physicians who perform abortions to be charged with murder.

A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of the South Atlantic said it will continue to prevent the state's heartbeat bill from taking effect.

"It's disappointing, but not surprising, that Gov. McMaster would appeal this ruling," PPSA spokeswoman Molly Rivera said in a statement. "We, of course, would urge the governor to focus on improving health outcomes for people in South Carolina rather than waste taxpayer dollars on another appeal. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic will do whatever it takes to keep abortion safe and legal in South Carolina."
COLUMBIA  Private businesses that fire anyone for not taking the COVID vaccine could be required to pay $30,000 extra in taxes for every worker on their payroll in South Carolina under a bill sent to the Senate floor.

The only exemption would be for employers that have to require vaccination to get or keep a federal contract due to White House mandates. They could seek a waiver through the state's unemployment agency.

Otherwise, private businesses would be hit with a hefty surcharge on their unemployment insurance taxes that applies to their entire workforce  equal to 10 times the states highest rate, or roughly $7,500 per employee  for four years.

"Wait! What?" said Sen. Greg Hembree, R-Little River, after Senate staff clarified the bill's penalty.

"That's not a stick! That's a bazooka!"

Senate Finance Chairman Harvey Peeler, R-Gaffney, said he recognized changes will be necessary, but the proposal definitely sends a message as intended.

"I believe they're trying to get everyone's attention," he told reporters after the Feb. 22 meeting, referring to business leaders and their lobbyists who filled the room. "I believe they've done that."

Many of the GOP senators who voted 14-9 along party lines clearly don't support the measure as advanced. Following lengthy debate over government mandates in the workplace and the potential consequences of such a high penalty in a state that touts its pro-business policies, several GOP senators tried to strike the tax altogether or at least allow for more exemptions.

But Peeler was determined to move the bill out of his committee. Amid growing confusion over what the suggested changes would or wouldn't do, he urged his GOP colleagues to send it along and work on amendments later.

"We've got miles to go," he told them about reaching a consensus. "But it's going to leave here."

That directive from the Senate's chief budget writer brought an end to Tuesday's debate.

When it could be debated on the Senate floor is unclear. In the Senate, a single senator can block legislation, and this one is certain to get an objection.

Those who tried to make changes included Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, who argued waivers should extend to subcontractors of a company with federal contracts. It would be pointless to exempt a large employer, such as Boeing, without also applying that waiver to the subcontractors needed to complete the job.

"Im not for mandating COVID vaccinations, but I'm also not for people losing their jobs," he said.

"To save five jobs, we may lose 5,000," he continued, before eventually withdrawing his amendment. "If the alternative is to pay a fine of $150 million or lose a contract, theyll leave the state."

Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, suggested returning to the anti-mandate bill the House passed in December. Following an outcry from business groups, that pared-down bill applied only to public employers, not private businesses.

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"I'm going for a 'Hail Mary,'" he said.

While stressing he doesn't support COVID vaccine mandates, he also had a problem with telling businesses in a state that allows firing employees for any or no reason that they can't suspend, demote or fire someone for refusing to get a shot.

They could still do it; they'd just be hit with a penalty if they do, said Sen. Shane Martin, R-Pauline, who led the subcommittee that advanced the measure.

Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, tried what he saw as a simpler solution  striking the sections dealing with the unemployment insurance surcharge.

But, like Grooms, Young and Goldfinch ultimately withdrew their motions and voted to advance the bill.

Parts of the bill that got no pushback from Republicans would bar public employers  including local governments, state agencies and school districts  from mandating COVID vaccinations for their employees or students. And it would ban vaccination-for-service requirements, to include removing a patient off a transplant waiting list.

That would also ban so-called vaccine passports, meaning businesses  including restaurants, hotels and theaters  could not make COVID vaccination a requirement for entry, as some Democratic-led cities mandate.

Anyone already fired for refusing to roll up their sleeves would be entitled to unemployment benefits for however long they were without work, up to the state's 20-week maximum. Anyone who voluntarily left a job before getting fired because of a mandate would also be eligible.

Under one adopted amendment, those benefits would be paid by the state instead of applied to the employer's account, which could move that business into a higher tax rate.

It wouldn't be fair to retroactively penalize employers for actions the state permitted at the time, said Senate President Thomas Alexander, R-Walhalla.

It was his amendment that also allowed exemptions for federal contracts.

"While we want to protect the employees, we don't want to cost other employees a job," he said. "In our area, weve got companies that operate 100 percent from federal contracts. Lets say 100 of 1,000 dont have the vaccine. We want to make sure we dont do anything to cause the other 900 to lose their job."

Sen. Ross Turner, the president of an independent insurance agency, said the bill does exactly what it claims to stop  impose a mandate.

"When my daddy told me what not to do, it was a mandate," said the Greenville Republican. "Why are we putting our private companies as the pawn between us" and the federal government?

"That makes no sense, us telling a private company what to do or not to do. They live and die by their decisions every day," he continued. "I dont want to mandate anything, but the hair on the back of my neck stands up when you tell me what I cant do  This is politics in the workplace in the worst way."
In the adjacent post I quoted Star Tribune music reporter Chris Riemenschneiders Star Tribune story on the announcement that Liz Collin has gone to work for Alpha News:

In August 2020, more than 100 Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside the couples home, where they smashed pinata effigies of them. During those chaotic months, Collin was not involved in stories related to law enforcement or protests at WCCO, where she worked for 14 years.

Riemenschneider implies that Liz was involved in stories related to law enforcement after those chaotic months[.] I asked Liz if that was the case. Liz responded, No, I never was  and added this:

[T]he reporter literally asked me Do you mind if I ask what Bob [Kroll, Lizs husband] is up to these days? Thats when I lost it on him and said women could have their own careers and that he better print that. That newspaper is literally obsessed with Bob. They ran a picture of our house more than 30 times online or in the newspaper itself before I had to call one of their attorneys to get it to stop. Once he stopped talking to them they went crazy.

Just to clear that up.
 Jim Geraghty of National Review passes along this factoid this morning: Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported just 55,590 illegal immigrants in 2021, the fewest number in five years.

Chaser from Jim: It sounds farcical to hear Kamala Harris pledging to protect Ukraines borders at the Munich Security Conference when she and the rest of the Biden administration have done such an abysmal job of protecting Americas borders.

Chaser:

Biden to pay Texas ranchers and farmers for property damage by illegal migrants AUSTIN, Texas  The Biden administration has agreed to reimburse farmers and ranchers across 33 Texas counties for damages sustained in the surge of illegal immigration and drug smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border. In an unprecedented move, the Department of Agriculture announced an initiative this week that would provide financial assistance to landowners currently impacted by damage to fields and farming infrastructure, though the government news release skirted mentioning what had caused the widespread damages.

 How deranged must you be not to figure this out:

PORTLAND, Ore.  A deadly weekend shooting in Portland at a protest against police killings left one person dead and five others wounded, raising tensions once again among the citys social justice activists.

Nice to have police around sometimes, isnt it? Yeahpolice are the problem. Thats the ticket. I hear that Portland is offering large bonuses for officers who quit during the defund mania to return to the force.

 I neglected to report on a recent Berkeley/IGS Poll (I used to share offices with the IGS pollster Mark DiCamillo, and hes first rate) that finds leading Democrats are now underwater in California:

Californians job approval ratings of both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have declined over the past six months. Voters here are now about evenly divided in their assessments of the job Biden is doing as President, with 47% approving and 48% disapproving. Last summer Bidens approval ratings in the state were 59% to 37%. The job ratings that Californians now give to home state Vice President Harris are even lower than the Presidents, with 38% rating her performance positively and 46% negatively, down from a 49% to 38% positive assessment last July. . . In addition, the poll finds that U.S. Senator Dianne Feinsteins job ratings are now at an all-time low. At present, just 30% of the states registered voters approve, while 49% disapprove of her performance in office. A major contributor to Feinsteins negative standing is that she is falling out of favor among many of the states traditionally Democratic voting constituencies. The five-term Senator now receives more negative than positive job ratings from strong liberals, women, voters of color, younger voters, as well as voters in Los Angeles County or the San Francisco Bay Area.

At the moment, I believe Sen. Feinstein has indicated her intention to run for re-election in 2024. (Shes filed the campaign paperwork with the FEC.) When shell be 91. Maybe she just wants to make Biden look youthful by comparison.

What about Gavin? He might be in trouble:
Earlier today I credited Alexander Vindman with the hottest take on Ukraine. Vindman blamed Russias aggression on conservative pundits in the United States. Because we have so much influence on the Biden administration, apparently.

But yesterday my old law professor Larry Tribe went Vindman one better with this bizarre tweet. Which, by the way, was published at 4:09 a.m., not generally seen as a time for clear, sober thinking:

Tribe thinks that Tucker Carlson and other unnamed Republicans in the Trump wing of the party are guilty of treason, and therefore subject to criminal prosecution and five years imprisonment under 18 U.S.C.  2381. This is sheer lunacy, as the question at hand is whether the U.S. should support one side or the other in a foreign controversy, and if so, at what level, given that actual ground warfare is not on the table. There is no conceivable basis on which taking any position on such a question constitutes treason; otherwise there would be a far more substantial case that many Democrats who opposed the Vietnam War or the first and second Gulf Wars should be in prison.

I almost never watch television news, so I dont know exactly what Tucker Carlson has been saying about Ukraine. I take it that he is a doveas most Democrats have been in most foreign policy controversiesand thinks that the U.S. has little or no interest in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, that Russias case is not notably weaker than Ukraines, and that we should stay out of it. Whether you agree with that view or not, only a lunatic would say that it is treasonous.

As for the rest of the Trump wing of the Republican Party, is there any validity to Tribes claim that it is throwing its weight behind Putin? Trump himself has denounced Joe Biden for imposing only weak sanctions on Russia:

Russia has become very very rich during the Biden Administration, with oil prices doubling and soon to be tripling and quadrupling. The weak sanctions are insignificant relative to taking over a country and a massive piece of strategically located land.

Trump sayscorrectly, it seemsthat [Putin] would have never done during the Trump administration what he is doing now, no way! It is hard to understand how this constitutes throwing [Trumps] weight behind Putin.

How about the rest of the Trump wing of the Republican Party? The place to start, presumably, is with Trumps Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. Has Pompeo been throwing [his] weight behind Putin? It doesnt seem so. Pompeo says that we should be crushing the Russians on this.

How about other relevant Republicans? Idaho Senator Jim Risch is the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said:

This is precisely the kind of action that many of us expected, and it is one step closer to Putins clear goal of dismantling Ukraines sovereignty. The U.S. and our allies must immediately implement harsh sanctions that Putin cannot ignore.

Not exactly throwing his weight behind Putin. Senator Tom Cotton was often identified with President Trumps foreign policies. Has he thrown his weight behind Putin? This is what he had to say:

President Bidens timid sanctions tonight are wholly unequal to this moment. Russia is invading Ukraine now. The time has come for the swift and severe sanctions that Joe Biden has long threatened but refused to impose. There is not a minute to lose.

How pro-Russia can you get? Obviously, apart from the idea that disagreeing with a Democratic President constitutes treasonwhich I think is perilously close to the view held by many Democrats, like Larry Tribethis is, in a sane world, anti-Russian.

Ted Cruz is a prominent Republican Senator who generally sided with President Trump on foreign affairs. What does he have to say?

[The] United States must impose devastating sanctions against Putins interests, including immediate and mandatory sanctions permanently putting an end to his Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Larry Tribes suggestion that the Trump wing of the Republican Party is somehow pro-Putin is literally demented. It makes me sad that Tribe, whom I considered a friend and a normal and reasonable person when I knew him decades ago, has fallen so far.

For present purposes, though, what is sadder is that, as of the time of the screen shot embedded above, Tribes tweet had 4,998 retweets, 637 quote tweets, and 18,300 likes. There are a great many Democrats to whom even the most insane anti-Republican screed makes perfect sense. If they had their way, we would all be either unemployed or in prison.
We reported here early last month about University of Washington Prof. Stuart Reges upending UWs virtue-signaling land acknowledgement that is all the rage in academia right now. Today Inside Higher Ed picks up the story, with an interesting wrinkle. As argued here, if land acknowledgements are meant literally, they are the height of liberal hypocrisy, since stolen land by definition should either be returned to its rightful owner, or compensation should be paid. Not one university proudly proclaiming land acknowledgments is proposing to do this, nor will they ever.

It seems some native Americans are having second thoughts about this virtue-signaling, as the Inside Higher Ed story relates:

Last fall, three anthropologiststwo of whom are Native Americanwrote a piece about land acknowledgments in The Conversation, arguing that many contemporary land acknowledgments unintentionally communicate false ideas about the history of dispossession and the current realities of American Indians and Alaska Natives. They noted at the time that the Association of Indigenous Anthropologists had requested that the American Anthropological Association pause the practice of land acknowledgments and welcoming rituals in which Indigenous people offered prayers or blessings to open events. It felt like their blessing ceremonies were just playing on stereotypes, said Michael Lambert, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who co-authored the opinion piece in The Conversation and is an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The American Anthropological Association, he noted, took heedit formally paused the practice and created a task force to determine how to approach the issue going forward. . . Luhui Whitebear, a professor at Oregon State University; director for the universitys Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws, a Native and Indigenous center; and an enrolled member of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, said that she occasionally sees problematic land acknowledgments, often when colleges are more focused on checking a box rather than making a difference.

Checking boxes is the chief day-to-day function of the whole diversity racket.
I went down to the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown St. Paul to view the attorneys closing arguments in the federal trial of the three former Minneapolis police officers other than Derek Chauvin charged with violating the civil rights of George Floyd in the arrest that resulted in his death. The three officers are Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane. I covered the scene and the opening statements last month here.

The Associated Press covered the closing arguments in a story by Steve Karnowski, Tammy Webber and Amy Forliti here. I am not going to summarize the arguments in this post. Rather, I want only to add my own observations and impressions on the closing arguments in the form of bullet points.

 The video feed for reporters is in the Jury Assembly Room on the courts first floor with windows overlooking Robert Street outside. The skyway into the courthouse is closed to the public and the building is ringed with special security fencing. Not a single protester has been in sight. I saw one St. Paul police officer stationed in a cruiser outside the First Bank Building kiddy corner and down the block from the courthouse on Robert Street. The situation was well in hand.

 Our winter weather has proved inimical to the mob scene that surrounded the trial of Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis. One of the reporters told me that protesters were organizing themselves on Facebook in anticipation of the jury, but they have made themselves scarce so far.

 The court declared a snow emergency and Judge Magnuson excused the jury at 4:00 p.m. without providing jury instructions. He is instructing the jury this morning.

 This case has disrupted and delayed the orderly prosecution of the three officers in state court. I have yet to see an explanation for what the Department of Justice has done here. In his closing argument, defense attorney Earl Gray raised the question in slightly different form and offered his own explanation. Gray indignantly exclaimed: Its politics! (Judge Magnuson overruled the governments objection.)

 Assistant United States Attorney Manda Sertich made the closing argument for the government. She emphasized the observations of the bystanders and the undisputed legal duties of the officers. Sertich read her opening statement from a notebook and drew on exhibits that illustrated her argument as she spoke. Her occasionally mocking tone grated on me. I thought Sertichs argument was competent and effective but canned. Indeed, I thought she was most effective in thinking on her feet to modify her argument in response to the objections that Judge Magnuson sustained. KARE 11 reporter Lou Raguse thought more highly of her argument than I did (and I respect his judgment).

 Defense counsel objected frequently to Sertichs argument. Judge Magnuson sustained a surprising number of these objections. He was antipathetic to the repetitive elements of the governments case.

 Assistant United States Attorney LeeAnn Bell gave the rebuttal to the defense arguments and Judge Magnuson all but shut her down in response to defense objections. Bell was aggressive and skilled speaking from notes without a text. Her appearance and demeanor struck me as the essence of high-handed second-guessing from a perch in a comfortable office.

 Defense counsel Robert Paule represented Tou Thao and spoke on his behalf. I thought he was a credible and compelling advocate.

 Defense counsel Tom Plunkett represented Alexander Kueng. He was not good. He was the least persuasive of the three defense counsel  disorganized and somewhat incoherent.

 Defense counsel Earl Gray represented Thomas Lane and spoke on his behalf. Lane is charged with only one of the two counts the other officers face (the deliberate indifference count). The governments case against Lane is the weakest of the three.

 Gray was intense in broad strokes that left openings on rebuttal. He was impassioned. He poured it on. Lane is a good man. He has lived a good life. Going beyond the presumption of innocence and the burden of proof, Gray did especially well in arguing that the evidence introduced against Lane was evidence of innocence.

 Each of the three officers testified at trial. All three defense counsel hammered on Floyds drug intoxication and the excited delirium that each of the officers believed Floyd labored with at the time of the arrest. It took three officers to subdue him and they were afraid that he would revive and continue his resistance. I would guess the jury will begin with Lanes case in deliberations. He has a strong defense. If he is not acquitted, I should think the other officers will be convicted on both counts.

 None of the three defense attorneys mentioned in their closing that the government would have the last word before Judge Magnuson instructed them in the law they are to apply and that they would not have the opportunity to respond.

 All defense counsel emphasized the willfulness (bad purpose or improper motive) element of the two charges against Thao and Kueng. This is the challenge of the governments case. Sertich and Bell asked jurors to use their common sense in analyzing this element. Willfulness is like a child doing what he knows is wrong.

 This was a much fairer trial than Chauvins. Chauvin defense counsel Eric Nelson confronted a dream team more or less all by himself. The presence of three defense counsel contending with the government in this case came closer to leveling the field. Perhaps most importantly, as I say above, each of the three officers testified in his own behalf and must have helped himself to some extent in the eyes of the jury.

UPDATE: Beyond the scope of anything I can contribute, Andrew McCarthy criticizes the Department of Justices theory of the case in his NRO column this morning (behind the NRO paywall):

[T]he Civil Rights Division is inflating what progressives see as best policing practices  e.g., that a police officer must take action to prevent another officers brutality (especially in a racially fraught case), and that a police officer must provide some minimum quantum of medical attention  as if those best-practice guidelines were actually constitutional rights. And DOJ is doing this in the absence of any congressional action. There is no law from which we could say that the Biden administrations preferred practices have been codified into statutory rights. The prosecutors are simply making it up. The Section 242 civil-rights crime prescribes the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a sentence of up to ten years, depending on the extent of bodily injury a victim suffers due to an alleged deprivation of rights. If penalties of such severity are going to be imposed, not just for violent police acts but for police omissions, then there must be a higher obligation on the Justice Department to spell out, in the indictment, exactly where it is stated in federal law that a police officer must take the action that prosecutors accuse him of omitting. Not in a Biden-preferred policing-practice manual; in an actual federal law. If there is no such federal-law provision, the Justice Department should be required to state, in the indictment, from what source it is deriving this duty to take action (is it a court decision, a presidential speech, a Justice Department memo?). Finally, to satisfy the criminal-intent requirement, prosecutors should also be required to state their basis for alleging that this duty is so well-established that the police officers failure to act must have been willful. It is rudimentary constitutional law that an accused must be given notice of the crime charged. Cops have civil rights, too.

Its a shame that no one has pressed the Department of Justice on any point related to this prosecution, let alone the question of fundamental right that Andy raises.
The famous Yoruba actor, Lateef Adedimeji, who is playing Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, in his (Tinubus) soon-to-be-released biopic, Last Man Standing, has described the role as scary.

The actor disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

NAN reports that Mr Adedimejis performance as the lead character in several biopics like Ayinla and Ige has made him highly sought after by Nigerian producers.

The actor said that he found out that Mr Tinubu has a good sense of humour, through research.

I have been watching him closely, I have even read and what is most important is seeing the person a few times. Then close your eyes, bring all you have read and heard about the person, and let it flow naturally. Somehow, someway, you will key into it. That has been my pattern, from the way Asiwaju Tinubu talks slowly, picking his words one after the other and the way he drops his jokes.

A lot of people wont notice that he can be a comedian because he goes straight to the point, but if you pay attention, you will notice the comic quality in some of his words. So I hope for the best with this production, he said.

Playing Tinubu

The actor stressed that it was always scary playing a role when the person would sit and watch the movie, and if the actors did not depict the character well, the person could say so.

I dont know why I am always called upon to play these roles; this is going to be my fourth biopic. First, I did Ayinla, Ige, Strangers, and now this.

I believe my versatility and ability to bring the character to life makes you a great actor. Also, studying other people and ensuring that you can drop them when you need to play them and bring them into reality makes an actor unique.

It is a lot of work, and I had to be on YouTube studying his mannerism, the way he talks, the way he moves, smiles and all of that and try to replicate that, it is about forgetting yourself totally for the duration of the shooting, he said.

2023

In the 2023 presidential election, the actor noted that Mr Tinubu was not just a politician but a stakeholder in all spheres of life.

He initially declined the role because Nigerian politics can be scary.

Now, Asiwaju is not a mere politician, and he is a stakeholder, a man with a lot going on around him, lots of controversies happening at the same time, and thinking that in the peak of all these is when they want to put this out, I refused.

But again, I know that it is going to be another stretch for me as an actor. I am taking this on because I want to rechallenge myself; I want to see how far I can push myself, he said.

Mr Adedimeji said that acting as Mr Tinubu would further define him as an actor, saying, Yes, this will be one of the defining points because this is a tough one.

He said Mr Tinubu would have few things to say about his interpretation and pass judgment at the end of it all.

He said he was hopeful that he would perform the role beyond expectation and that viewers would see another form of him as an actor.

I hope that it is going to be another stepping stone for me in my career. That is all I am about. This career is the most important thing to me now.

I am putting lots of effort to see that the movie gets me to another level. I pray that I can deliver it in a way that people will say, congratulations, you did well, he said.

The actor, however, described Mr Tinubu as a philanthropist, go-getter, and someone who goes after whatever he wants, adding that there was a lot to say about him.

He added that the movie would give people a better understanding of Mr Tinubus personality.

(NAN)
Nollywood actor, Jerry Amilo, often referred to by the nickname Nigger please or Don J, has revealed how he cheated death after surviving three days in a mortuary.

Mr Amilo, in a recent interview with BBC Igbo, narrated how he survived a ghastly motor accident that claimed his lawyers life.

The 51-year-old actor is recognised as one of the earliest members of Nollywoods bad boys, a group of actors known for their notoriety in movies in the early 2000s.

He held sway with the likes of Hanks Anuku, Emmanuel Ehummadu aka Labista, Gentle Jack, also Wariboko, and Jim Iyke.

The actor became famous at 18, after landing a lead role in the Nollywood classic, Burno and the Law.

The film, which was shot in 1992, is touted as Nollywoods first action movie.

Five years after starring in the movie, Mr Amilo said he and his brother had to travel to Ibadan for a business meeting.

He said he and his lawyer, Dilo, were en route to Lagos to attend a movie award where he won Best action actor when the front tire of his vehicle suddenly spun off its wheel.

He said that a passerby at the scene of the accident informed the police who would later confirm that all the occupants of his vehicle had died.

The ill-fated accident

Narrating his near-death experience, the actor said that it was a terrible accident that could have led to his death.

He said: Its a testimony. Its true that I was no more and returned after three nights in the mortuary. I was involved in a terrible accident. We all died. That same day the accident occurred on May 1998, the actor narrated.

It was the day I had won the Best Action Actor category of an award on its debut. I had gone to see my brother in Ibadan for business. I was returning with my lawyer. I was driving and suddenly saw my front tyre ahead of me.

The front tire was removed. I turned to Dilo, my lawyer, to ask if he was seeing what I was seeing. I couldnt finish the words. We all died. That was all I could remember. The vehicle somersaulted, over 16 times, as I was later told.

From peoples accounts, I was told that a trailer driver was returning to Lagos from an offload point in Ibadan. He was returning to Lagos when he witnessed the accident. He got to the toll gate to report to the police. It was at 7 pm.

Three days in the morgue

The actor said the police, on reaching the accident scene, took inventory of the bodies, including his, and thereafter, they were deposited in the morgue.

Mr Amilo said he was told that his body had suddenly started shuddering after three days in the morgue.

He said: Its a hospital morgue for accident victims. It was full. Most bodies start decaying before they are claimed. Three days later, it seemed as though my body was twitching. The attendant had been with my body but it didnt decay a bit.

The attendant raised the alarm. The morgue is far from the hospitals main building. Those along the way began running out of panic.

The actor said that he was moved to the hospital where he was in a coma.

They noticed I was still alive and took me to the emergency section. Three days after, I reawakened. Touched by the development, my IPO was with me throughout the coma.

I woke up blind with my jaw broken into three, I was blind with a broken jaw. Youd weep if you saw my face at the time. I was injured in the face. If you watch my past movies, youd see them. I couldnt see with my eyes. My IPO was with me until the sixth day. He explained it to me. They saw my diary as I always kept one then. For four months, the world thought I was dead. I underwent a series of surgeries to restore my face.

My jaw broke into three. I couldnt eat through my mouth for 14 months. I was taking liquid food through straws. My face was sewn so the bones could heal.

The big come back

Several years after the accident, Mr Amilo still features in movies. He made a comeback to the movie industry with his role in the 2001 blockbuster movie, Desperadoes.

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It was the role that established his full membership of the Nollywood bad boys club.

Aside from his debut role in Bruno and the Law (1993), the actor has featured in several other movies like Desperadoes (2001), Wanted Alive (2001), Love boat (2001), Bad boys (2003), Discord (2004), Trinity (2005), Across the Bridge (2005), Grandmasters (2006) and Across the River (2006).

Others are King of the Town (2006), Life Abroad (2006), Mafians (2006)

The Lords (2018), The city (2019), Bags of Blood Money (2020), Evil Father (2020), Blood of My Business (2020), War for Power (2020), and Debit Alert (2021) among many others.
The renewed clash between rival cult groups in some areas in Ilesa, Osun State, has reportedly left 10 people dead, residents have said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that blood flowed as rival suspected cultists clashed at Brewery, Ifofin, Idasa and Irojo areas of the town on Monday and extended to Tuesday, leaving behind dead bodies.

Busuyi Agunbiade, a resident of the area, told NAN that the clash started from Irojo, around 7p.m. before it spread to other communities where the cultists had strongholds.

Some guys on motorcycle suddenly started shooting around Irojo inflicting injury on residents in the area, who scamper for safety.

Then, in what looks like a revenge attack, another set confronted them and both groups engaged in shootout.

Other cultists from other hideouts joined in the fracas thereby spreading the crisis to other parts of the town.

About 10 people were killed in different areas of the town, majorly cult members, he said.

Mr Agunbiade said that shop owners quickly locked their shops, while residents also ran for safety, thereby deserting the major streets in the town.

NAN recalls that a man was killed by some people suspected to be cultists at Atakumosa East Local Government on Feb. 19 last during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the state.

There have been pockets of cult attacks in the ancient town for some time now, and the situation has been a major source of concern for the residents.

Reacting to the suspected cultists clash that claimed lives, the Owa Obokun of Ijesa land, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, condemned cult group killing in Ijesaland.

Mr Aromolaran described the recent killings as disturbing and unacceptable, and called on security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.

He appealed to traditional rulers, chiefs and politicians to support law enforcement agencies efforts at restoring peace in the land.

Mr Aromolaran also warned that behaviours that were inimical to the rich culture of his domain would not be condoned.

Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who confirming the killings, however, said only five persons were killed in the cult war.

More special police units have been deployed to the hotspots to curb breakdown of law and order, she said.

Also contacted, state spokesperson for Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Olabisi Atanda, said security operatives were on top of the situation and that peace had returned to the affected areas.

(NAN)
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the interim forfeiture of assets and monies allegedly traced to the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.

Obiora Egwuatu, the judge, gave the order while deciding on an ex-parte request by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, a counsel to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

According to the ICPC, some of the assets are located in the United States of America, Abuja and Kaduna, among others.

Mr Egwuatu held that the interim order granted would last for 60 days to enable the ICPC to conclude its investigation, following which the commission could apply for final forfeiture.

He ordered the anti-graft agency to publicize the order for any person or persons with interest in the affected properties to show cause within 14 days why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Nigerian government.

Mr Yari, who served as governor of the banditry-ravaged Zamfara State, North-west Nigeria, has been having a running battle with a sister anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), since he left office in 2019 after serving for eight years.

Mr Yari, who is vying for the chairmanship position of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has, however, not been charged by the EFCC, which says it is still investigating the matter.

Details later
Nigerias minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, has declared the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as illegal, saying by law, the union was supposed to issue the government at least a 14-day notice.

The ministers new position might not be unconnected with the governments failure to persuade the striking workers to end the industrial action at a reconciliatory meeting which was held at Mr Ngiges conference room on Tuesday.

But the union has said there is nothing illegal about its action, noting it did not embark on any new strike but only resumed an action it suspended in 2020.

The president of ASUU, Emmanuel Osodeke, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that the nine-month prolonged strike that was suspended in 2020 was only suspended conditionally.

And the condition was that the government would implement the agreements we both signed, but that if they did not, we would resume the action without informing anybody, Mr Osodeke said.

Ministers claims

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning and signed by the deputy director of press at the labour and employment ministry, Charles Akpan, the minister also insisted that ASUUs demands are already being met by the government.

He added that the letter informing him of the industrial action was received days after the strike had commenced.

The minister said, I saw their letter in my office on February 18, which is last Friday and as you know, they started their action on Monday, February 14. So, it is a clear breach of labour laws. There are violations.

If you must notify us of intending strike action, you give us a minimum of 14 days notice. I pointed out to them that we are a country guided by laws. Nobody is above the law. They should obey it.

ASUU reacts

The president of ASUU condemned the minister for making statements which he said could further aggravate the problem.

The president said, Well the decision to declare the strike illegal is his (the ministers) choice. It doesnt bother us. If he wants to shut down the universities permanently, it is his business. If he wants to sack all the lecturers in the universities, its his business; so its his choice.

I thought he would come to resolve the issues, but he is coming to make an aggravating statement. If he loves Nigerian students, its his choice. Its completely left to him. Whether he loves the universities or not. After doing it (shutting down the universities permanently), let him wait for the Nigerian students, their parents and the Nigerian people. He should go ahead.

Corroborating Mr Osodeke, the Lagos zonal coordinator for ASUU, Adelaja Odukoya, said after five years as a labour minister, Mr Ngige ought to be familiar with the rules governing strike actions.

Mr Odukoya said ASUU had thought Mr Ngige was a true conciliator but we have now known that he is a co-conspirator.

What were they all waiting for before we resumed the strike? So they were waiting for this action before they would attend to the issues? It shows how unserious the government is. ASUU will not blink until the best is achieved for the Nigerian university system because their evil plan is to completely kill public education.

Meeting deadlocked

The labour ministry said it pleaded with ASUU to call off the strike but did not get a positive response from the union.

They did not say anything. You know in their normal way, they did not say we are going to or we are not. So, that is how the meeting went, the ministrys spokesman, Mr Akpan, said.

While both parties are billed to meet on Monday to continue negotiation, Mr Osodeke said nothing was agreed upon at the end of the meeting. He said the government only made promises as usual.

He said: Theyve not done anything. Its the usual promises. We have come to them. They promised to do XYZ, once you finish the meeting, they go to sleep. So theyve not done anything. Its just the usual promises that they dont implement.

Mr Osodeke, however, confirmed that the union is awaiting a response on the university revitalisation fund from the labour and employment ministry.

Labour speaks

Meanwhile, Mr Akpan said his ministry will be meeting with its finance counterpart the office of the head of service to determine the current status of the university revitalisation fund and get back to ASUU today (Wednesday), before meeting again on Monday.

He said, We are meeting with the chief of staff and the finance minister today to discuss with them and whatever amount is approved for the next tranche of the revitalisation fund, we will let ASUU know and from there, ASUU will make their decision.

That was the only issue that was still on the table which was not approved. And ASUU said they are waiting for that. And whatever is approved they will let ASUU know today. And they will meet on Monday.

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Mr Akpan added that ASUU technical committee and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) have been given two weeks to fine-tune grey areas found in the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

A committee was set up to go and look into UTAS again. It was discovered that some grey areas needed to be worked out. So, the technical team of ASUU agreed to meet with NITDA to look into it and now fine-tune it and they were given two weeks to do that. So, ASUU has agreed to that, the spokesman added.

Other discussions

According to Mr Ngige, the meeting also discussed all the five-point demands of the union and sorted out four of them with timelines for action.

Parts of the demands discussed, according to the minister, is the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), which he said the government had earlier paid N22 billion, a sum ASUU had long described as paltry.

The minister said, The second area is the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement. It talks about the renegotiation of their conditions of service, both salaries and allowances. I made it clear to them that there is a government process. The Federal Ministry of Education alone cannot wake up and increase your salaries.

There was a committee we empanelled in the Federal Ministry Education to take it up because they are their direct employer. That committee was headed by Professor Manzali, and there was a draft proposal, which the Education Ministry has to agree on with them and then bring it up to the higher bodies of the government such as the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PSC). And from the PSC, it can then go to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

The minister also noted that there are known rates for allowances and any proposal not in sync with what the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission prescribed, would not sail through.

He said the meeting agreed that the education ministry should resuscitate the committee within two weeks to look at the draft proposal it had with ASUU, so that they could come up with something for the PSC to have a look at and then send it to the FEC.

On UTAS, Mr Ngige, who accused ASUU of wasting time before reporting back to him, said ASUU only replied the ministrys last correspondence on the matter two months after the initial report by NITDA.

I sent that on December 12. They now replied NITDA through me in February. So, who has wasted time? I took their report, sent it to NITDA, copied Finance, Education and the rest of them. Some of these things are not supposed to be done by my ministry but we are proactive about anything Education and Health, the minister said.

On the outstanding issue of revitalisation fund 2022, he said the government side, comprising the finance and education ministers and the Chief of Staff would meet as directed by the President Muhammadu Buhari, to finalise the grey areas.

Meeting to continue Monday

Meanwhile, the minister, at the end of the Tuesday meeting, said its next meeting would have been on Thursday but for ASUU which said it would be visiting a member who was bereaved.

Well, we wanted to reconvene on Thursday but they said that one of their trustees, Prof. Assisi Asobie was bereaved. He lost his wife, so they said they were going there Thursday and Friday. I am hopeful that we can reconvene next Monday, he said in a statement.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly has impeached the states deputy governor, Mahadi Ali.

This is coming barely three hours after the House received the report of the investigative panel constituted by the states chief judge, Kulu Aliyu.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Assembly started a process to impeach the deputy governor.

Eighteen members of the House had voted for the impeachment move, following which the Chief Judge of the state inaugurated an Investigative panel to probe the deputy governor.

In a press briefing, however, Mr Ali lashed at the members for going ahead with the move despite court order.

The spokesperson of the House, Mustapha Jafaru, confirmed the impeachment to Premium Times but asked this reporter to wait for his statement on the development.

A total of 20 members were present at Wednesday sitting of the Assembly and they all voted in support of the impeachment.

The House has 24 members and requires at least 18 of them voting to remove the deputy governor from office.

The Speaker of the House, Nasiru Magarya, said the investigative panel found the deputy governor guilty of the charges against him.

Earlier on Wednesday, the investigative panel set up by the the states Chief Judge, Mr Aliyu to investigate allegations against Mr Ali presented its report to the state House of Assembly.

The Houses spokesperson, Mr Jafaru, disclosed this in a statement, Wednesday afternoon.

The chairman of the panel, Justice Haladu Tanko, said the committee demonstrated professional excellence and due delligence in the conduct of the assignment.

He commended the prosecution counsel for following due diligence and ethics of the law profession in the course of the proceedings.

Mr Tanko had urged the legislature to carefully study the report and act in accordance with the law.

Responding, the Speaker, Mr Magarya, had commended the chairman and members of the committee for the job and promised to look clause by clause at the report in accordance with section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Members of the judicial investigation panel were Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN) as the vice -chairman, Abdul Ibrahim (SAN) and Hussaini Zakariyau (SAN).

Others are Ahmad Buhari Rabah, Amina Tanimu Marafa and Sani Mande. Umar Asho Tsafe served as the secretary.

Mr Ali had declined invitation to appear before the panel, saying he had taken the state House of Assembly to court over the move to remove him from office.

Rift over defection

The deputy governor had parted ways with Governor Bello Matatwalle after he refused to join the defection to the APC.

They had all taken their offices on the platform of the PDP after the Supreme Court disqualified candidates of the APC, who had been declared winners in the 2019 elections.

The House had served Mr Ali the impeachment notice through the Secretary to the State Government before asking the Chief Judge to constitute an investigative panel to verify the allegations against the deputy governor.

Offences

The House, through its Chairman, House Standing Committee, Shamsudeen Basko, said Mr Ali was accused of three offences.

These are abuse of office, criminal self-enrichment using public funds and failure to discharge official duties.

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Mr Basko said: Abuse of office. This includes Constitutional breach of sections 190 and 193 (1), (2) (a)(b)(c), of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

Criminal self-enrichment using public funds; includes criminal diversion of state funds, conspiracy to defraud the state and approval of dubious retirement in his office.

Failure to discharge constitutional duties, which give rise to insubordination, he added.
The wife of a police officer who died at the home of the former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, has said the family does not believe the official account of how her husband died.

Abosede Ogunsola, the wife of the police sergeant, said the family also rejected a N1 million offered them.

The deceased, Adeleke Ogunsola, died last weekend at the Sagamu home of the former governor.

According to the police, Mr Daniels driver hit the deceased while he was trying to open the gate into Mr Daniels private residence in Sagamu.

He was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Mrs Ogunsola told PREMIUM TIMES that both the police and Mr Daniels aides informed her that the death was as a result of an iron mistakenly hitting her husband in the chest.

She, however, said the mark she saw on her husbands corpse at the mortuary could not have killed him.

She added that the family is already making arrangements to conduct an autopsy on the body.

When we got to the mortuary we insisted on seeing his corpse, said Mrs Ogunsola.

We saw a wound on his chest and we do not believe that injury could have killed my husband. But we are sure of something, whatever is hidden to men is clear to God. Again, we do not accept that it was that wound on his chest that killed him.

Money offer

Mrs Ogunsola said after the incident, the family was offered N1 million. She did not specify who offered the N1 million or what it was for.

She said although the deceased had two wives and three children, he never allowed any of his wives to fend for the family.

Since this happened, it was yesterday (Monday) that they came to see us and they tendered N1 million to us. They didnt give that money to us in our house, but few minutes after they left, it was the DPO that called us to say that they brought the sum of N1 million.

My brother-in-law then asked what the money was for? Is it to send the children to school or to establish his wives?

My husbands elder brother had said, if they are not ready to say something tangible, we would leave the corpse at the mortuary, we have started discussing about the autopsy but we are not done, when we decide on that we will let you know.

Police investigation

A source, who preferred not to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident, told PREMIUM TIMES that the police initially started investigating a murder case but was later compelled to change the case to a case of death in active service.

It has always been issues about who opens the gate. The story they gave is not true. We were not there when the incident happened but people that were present told us that it is not an accident, the source said.

Later, when the driver was arrested and taken to the police station, the IPO in charge of the case knew that it was a case of murder and was already preparing the case of murder for discrete investigation before we learnt that the police authority in the state instructed that the case should be changed to a case of death in the cause of active service.

This man is a friend of mine and very gentle and easy-going as well. We have also learnt that the people of the former governor are already negotiating for settlement, the question now is that, why settlement if they do not have anything in their cupboard?

Daniel speaks

In a statement after the incident, Mr Daniel said he was not at home when it happened.

On Saturday, 19th February, 2022, one of the security details assigned to the residence of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Leke Ogunsola, was involved in an accident at the security gate of the premises. He was immediately taken to the hospital, and then referred to Babcock Hospital in Ilishan, read the statement issued by Steve Oloyede on behalf of the former governor.

He was alive and responding as he walked his way to treatment all through until he, unfortunately, passed on later in the day.

The former governor who was not in Sagamu as at the time of the incident was duly informed and he has been in touch with the deceased family through police authorities.

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The matter is under investigation. We call for prayers for the dearly departed and the loved ones left behind. May his soul rest in peace.

The statement added that the police is the only competent authority to speak on the incident.

One, the victim is their staff; two, the matter is still under investigation, and it will be unthinkable that we should be talking about the circumstance of death at this stage; that will be preemptive of the outcome of investigation.

Contacted for comments, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, said an investigation had commenced on the matter.

Mr Oyeyemi also said he was not aware of a N1 million offer to the deceaseds family.

We shall get to the root of the matter, we have commenced fact-finding. But on the one million naira allegation, I am not aware of that.
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has recommended immunity for heads of legislature and judiciary less than one month after it rejected the clause.

The recommendation was contained in the report laid by the committee before the House in plenary on Wednesday.

The presentation of the report by its Chairman and Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase, was witnessed by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who was admitted into the chamber alongside, the Minister of Women Affairs, Paullen Tallen, and other women.

Although, Mrs Buhari did not state the reason for coming to the chamber, the visit could be linked to the gender-related bills.

The committee had stepped down the recommendation for immunity for the heads of legislature and judiciary contained in a bill during a meeting with its consultants.

The bill, sponsored by Segun Odebunmi (APC, Oyo) is titled An Act to alter section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to extend immunity to cover presiding officers of the legislative institutions.

Mr Odebunmi is the sponsor of the controversial National Broadcasting Commission bill and the Nigerian Press Council bill. He also chaired the Committee that approved the suspension of Twitter by the federal government.

Abdulhamid Mohammed, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is one of the consultants working with the committee, opposed the immunity clause in the bill.

It is really unconventional all over the world for judicial officers and presiding officers (of legislature) to have immunity. It could also be self-serving from the angle of morality.

There could be a conflict of interest if the immunity is now extended to judicial officers and that you need to go to the judiciary to seek leave to sue the officers concerned, you are now going to apply before the judicial officers because these are courts of competent jurisdiction. There are perhaps issues of bias, he said.

Some members of the committee agreed with him while others opposed it.

Some of the lawmakers in the committee who spoke against the bill during the meeting include Uzoma Abonta (PDP, Abia), Rimamnde Shawulu (PDP, Taraba), and Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos).

The presiding officers of the legislative houses in Nigeria are the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the Representatives and Speaker and Deputy Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly.

Only the President, Vice President, Governors and their deputies currently enjoy immunity under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The immunity clause for executives has been a subject of controversy.

A similar bill was introduced in the 8th Assembly by the then Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta). The bill was, however, rejected by the lawmakers then.

68 bills for consideration

Altogether, the Committee recommended 68 bills to the House for consideration.

The panel recommended the bill to establish 111 additional seats in the National Assembly for women, the bill on affirmative action on political parties administration and expansion of citizenship by registration.

The lawmakers will next week consider the bills.
Ahead of its national convention, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned the position of the National Chairman to the North-Central geopolitical zone.

This comes barely 24 hours after APC governors met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja with regards to the zoning arrangement for party offices.

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had said positions earlier held by the north will now go to the south and vice versa.

In the zoning list seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the offices of the National Chairman and Deputy National Secretary were zones to the North Central  which comprises Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau States).

Also zoned to the region is the Deputy National Legal Adviser and Deputy National Publicity Secretary.

According to the new zoning formula, the South-south zone will produce the partys National Publicity Secretary, National Women Leader, Deputy National Treasurer and Deputy National Welfare Secretary.

This region comprises Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States.

The position of National Secretary, National Youth Leader and Deputy National Auditor have been zoned to the Southwest  which comprises Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States.

The positions of Deputy National Chairman (for the South) and National Treasurer were zoned to the South East. Also zoned to the region is the National Welfare Secretary and Deputy National Organising Secretary.

This region comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo States.

To the North-east, the party zoned Deputy National Chairman (North), National Auditor, Deputy National Financial Secretary and Deputy National Women Leader.

This region comprises Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States.

The positions of National Legal Adviser, National Organizing Secretary, National Financial Secretary and Deputy National Youth Leader were zoned to the North-west.

The region comprises Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States.

Each region will have a National Vice Chairman, Zonal Secretary, Zonal Youth Leader, Zonal Organizing Secretary, Zonal Women Leader and Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader.

The APC has approved March 26 for its National Convention and March 12 for Zonal Congresses.

See the full list of zoned positions below:

EXTRAORDINARY NATIONAL CONVENTION 2022

ZONING OF NATIONAL OFFICES

South-South:

(Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States)

1. National Vice Chairman (SS)

2. National Publicity Secretary

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3. National Women Leader

4. Deputy National Treasurer

5. Deputy National Welfare Secretary

6. Zonal Secretary

7. Zonal Youth Leader

8. Zonal Organising Secretary

9. Zonal Women Leader

10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader

South-West:

(Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States)

1. National Secretary

2. National Vice Chairman (South-West)

3. National Youth Leader

4. Deputy National Auditor

5. Zonal Secretary

6. Zonal Youth Leader

7. Zonal Organising Secretary

8. Zonal Women Leader

9. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader

South-East:

(Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo States)

1. Deputy National Chairman (S)

2. National Vice Chairman (SE)

3. National Treasurer

4. National Welfare Secretary

5. Deputy National Organising Secretary

6. Zonal Secretary

7. Zonal Youth Leader

8. Zonal Organising Secretary

9. Zonal Women Leader

10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader

North-East:

(Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States)

1. Deputy National Chairman (N)

2. National Auditor

3. National Vice Chairman (NW)

4. Deputy National Financial Secretary

5. Deputy National Women Leader

6. Zonal Secretary

7. Zonal Youth Leader

8. Zonal Organising Secretary

9. Zonal Women Leader

10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader

North-Central:

(Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau States)

1. National Chairman

2. National Vice Chairman (NC)

3. Deputy National Secretary

4. Deputy National Legal Adviser

5. Deputy National Publicity Secretary

6. Zonal Secretary

7. Zonal Youth Leader

8. Zonal Organising Secretary

9. Zonal Women Leader

10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader

North-West:

(Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States)

1. National Vice Chairman (NW)

2. National Legal Adviser

3. National Organising Secretary

4. National Financial Secretary

5. Deputy National Youth Leader

6. Zonal Secretary

7. Zonal Youth Leader

8. Zonal Organising Secretary

9. Zonal Women Leader

10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability  PWD) Leader
A London high court on Wednesday began hearing of a lawsuit filed by the Nigerian government against U.S. bank JP Morgan Chase in the controversial Malabu scandal.

In the suit, Nigeria is claiming more than $1.7 billion for the banks role in the controversial deal.

According to court documents reported by Reuters, Nigeria alleges JP Morgan was grossly negligent in its decision to transfer funds paid by oil giants Shell and Eni into an escrow account controlled by a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete.

On Wednesday, Nigerias lawyer, Roger Masefield, argued that the nations case rested on proving that there was a fraud and JP Morgan was aware of the risk of fraud.

The evidence of fraud is little short of overwhelming, the lawyer told the court.

Under its Quincecare duty, the bank was entitled to refuse to pay for as long as it had reasonable grounds for believing its customer was being defrauded.

Quincecare refers to a legal precedent whereby the bank should not pay out if it believes its client will be defrauded by making the payment.

Damages sought by Nigeria include cash sent to Mr Etetes company, Malabu Oil and Gas, around $875 million paid in three installments in 2011 and 2013, plus interest, taking the total to over $1.7 billion.

But the bank in a statement to Reuters Wednesday said it was confident that it acted appropriately in making these payments, adding that it would robustly defend against this claim.

Background

In the OPL 245 deal, Shell and Italys Eni in 2011 paid the Nigerian government of then president Goodluck Jonathan a combined $1.3 billion for an oil block. Of that amount $875 million was paid to Malabu Oil & Gas, a company controlled by Etete.

Mr Etete had awarded Malabu the rights to the block in 1998 when he was Nigerias oil minister.

Within weeks of the deal in April 2011, half of Malabus money was allegedly packed into bags and paid out to Nigerian government officials and Western oil executives as cash bribes.

The deal has also spawned further lawsuits, including efforts by a new presidential regime in Nigeria to recover assets. A panel of judges in Milan acquitted the companies and executives, who all denied any wrongdoing, of bribery last March. Prosecutors have however appealed the ruling.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how classified documents from Britains financial crime agency revealed how it allowed JP Morgan to pay $875 million of suspicious funds to Mr Etete, a former Nigerian oil minister widely known as a convicted money launderer.

The documents, rarely seen Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), were filed by the banking giants London branch as it raised concerns about huge payments it was being asked to make by the Nigerian government to Etete.

The reports were filed in 2011 and 2013 to the UKs Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which at that time sat within the now defunct Serious Organised Crime Agency.

The trial opened Wednesday with details of the claim by Mr Masefield. Reports said JP Morgan will present its defence early next week, and the trial will end on April 7.
The Oyo State Government has approved March 11 as the date for the installation ceremony of Lekan Balogun as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

This is contained in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Bashir Olanrewaju.

The letter was addressed to Mr Balogun with the title: Installation Ceremony: Olubadan of Ibadan, which further affirmed Governor Seyi Makindes approval of the appointment of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The letter reads: I wish to refer to a letter No.18SELG.243TI/17 of Feb.16, 2022, on the above subject and inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State has approved Friday, March 11, 2022, as the date of the Installation of the New Olubadan of Ibadan.

Mr Makinde had, on February 14, approved Mr Baloguns emergence following a recommendation to that effect by the Olubadan-in-Council, which was communicated to the governor.

NAN reports that the stool of Olubadan of Ibadanland became vacant following the death of the 41st Olubadan, Saliu Adetunji on January 2, at the age of 93.

(NAN)
The police in Abia State, Nigerias South-east, have confirmed the abduction of a two-year-old baby in the state.

The police spokesperson in Abia, Geoffrey Ogbonna, who confirmed the abduction to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Tuesday, said the incident happened at Umuobiakwa in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Ogbonna, a superintendent of police, said the child, known as Precious Akataobi, was reportedly abducted by suspected child traffickers at her mothers shop in Umuobiakwa on Saturday.

Narrating how the incident happened, he said that the childs mother was with her and his elder brother in the shop until she went into the compound to get some items.

The woman left the girl in the custody of her elder brother, Mr Ogbonna said.

Mr Ogbonna said the police learnt that at that point, some persons came to the shop, bought an item and gave the boy N500 note and then asked him to go get change for them.

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He said that as soon as the boy went into the compound to get the change from their mother, the abductors fled with the baby.

The police spokesperson said the police had commenced a preliminary investigation into the matter.

He appealed to residents of the state to assist the police with credible information that could help in tracking down the baby and her abductors.

He warned parents to be vigilant and guard against exposing their children to danger.

(NAN)
Delta Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, has said that persons living with HIV/ AIDS in the state would benefit from the governments empowerment programmes.

Mr Aniagwu disclosed this on Monday when the Zonal Coordinator, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Uduak Daniel, led his team on a courtesy visit to Asaba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Executive Secretary, Delta State Agency for the Control of AIDS, John Osuyali, and Head, Prevention and Communication Unit, Delta State, Iheaka Ezieme, were part of the team.

Mr Aniagwu said the stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS has remained because of the initial fears and lack of effective communication on the virus.

He, however, called on Nigerians to know their status.

Mr Aniagwu said a lot of sensitisation about the virus and the emergence of antiretroviral drugs had been provided, to enable people to live freely.

He commended the efforts of NACA and its partners for making Delta to lead the chart in ensuring that the virus is being tackled.

A healthy environment, he said, contributes to productivity in every sector in the state.

He also applauded the teams dedication in the area of case tracing, identifying and reducing the ability of carriers to infect others, adding that people should stop seeing the virus as a death sentence.

The commissioner promised to promote the sensitisation of the public on different media platforms for free as part of community service.

He said Delta has recorded a milestone in tackling the virus but called for more efforts in mopping up to get to a stage where people would stop being scared about the virus.

Earlier, Ms Daniel said the HIV/AIDS response was not strictly a health sector issue, but multi-sectoral, adding that the support given to other sectors should also be extended to the HIV/AIDS sector.

She said that new HIV self-testing kits had been launched and are readily available in health facilities in order to avoid stigmatisation amongst persons, and to also make sure that there was a more productive workforce.

She appealed to the commissioner and the state government to include the HIV carriers in different programmes organised by the state, so as to increase the confidence level of the people living with it.

(NAN)
A non-governmental organisation, Finishers Initiative for Social Transformation (FIST Africa), has empowered some Nigerian women with small business grants. The Women Empowerment Programme is part of its social and community service initiatives that focus on providing interventions for underserved communities.

The small business grant of N100,000 each, which was presented on Sunday to 8 out of 10 expected beneficiaries, started with business profiling and a training session on February 19, to equip the women with basic business skills that would help them start, sustain and scale up their small businesses.

In his welcome address at the training on Saturday, the Executive Director of FIST Africa, Frederick Adetiba, said that the organisation has been providing interventions for underserved communities in the form of food items, hygiene materials and medical supplies since it was founded in 2019. The new Women Empowerment Programme is to provide a more sustainable intervention in those communities because according to him, When you empower a woman, you empower a household. And when you empower women, you empower a community.

The lead facilitator at the training, Imade Osuobeni, took the women through the rudiments of starting and sustaining small businesses. The women were encouraged to see their business as babies that must be kept alive and properly cared for.

Most of the women raised concerns that their husbands might want to collect the money and use it for other purposes. In his response, Toni Falade, the project manager, said it is best for the women not to mix their business money with their personal money. He informed them that a separate bank account will be opened for them. He also assured them that the team would continue to monitor and support their progress.

Before the training ended, FIST Africa assisted the women in opening separate bank accounts with Zenith Bank, which the organisation sees as a way of promoting and facilitating financial inclusion among women in Nigeria, in addition to helping the women separate their personal money from their business capital.

At the end of the training, the women also went home with food items for them and their households, as well as sanitary wares for their own use.

FIST Africa, which is the social arm of The Finishing Church, has engaged in numerous projects such as medical outreach for internally displaced persons, welfare outreach to various communities, including a recent distribution of food items to about 4,000 people at Gishiri community in Abuja in partnership with other organisations.
The Police in Ogun have confirmed the death of two persons in an accident involving a trailer and a motorcycle at Asero in Abeokuta on Tuesday night.

The police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Wednesday said the accident occurred at about 8:00 p.m.

Mr Oyeyemi noted that an angry mob descended on the truck and set it ablaze, while the driver of the vehicle took to his heels.

The incident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. The command learnt a trailer crushed two people travelling on an Okada at the More Junction in Abeokuta.

The mob we heard later set the trailer ablaze. We are already investigating the incident, he said.

ALSO READ: Police rescue suspected kidnapper from mob

Mr Oyeyemi explained that the deceased were taken to the State Hospital Ijaye morgue by officers of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the motorcyclist was trying to manoeuvre the junction in-between Asero and Car wash, when the accident occurred. (NAN)
The local council elections conducted in Enugu State on Wednesday witnessed low turnout and late arrival of materials in many parts of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents who monitored the situation reported that the election was, however, peaceful.

At the Trans Ekulu primary and secondary school in Enugu East with seven polling stations, the turnout was not up to 30 people as at 10 a.m.

An election official at the primary school, Onyinye Ohazume, said that as at 9.45 a.m. she had accredited only 20 voters out of 613 persons that registered in the polling units.

The turnout was not encouraging at all, unlike other elections.

In previous elections, people will be waiting for the ENSIEC officials while today is the other way round. ENSIEC officials are here since 8 a.m. waiting for the electorate, Ohazume said.

At New Haven, Enugu, with eight polling stations, one of the election officials, Nkechi Aniebonam said people did not come out, unlike in other local elections.

We were here since 8.15a.m. waiting for the voters to come and do their accreditation.

Although they are coming gradually, we have only accredited 14 persons out of 782 persons that registered in the polling station Aniebonam said.

Accreditation began at Uwani in Enugu South Local Government Area amidst late arrival of election materials in some polling units.

A NAN correspondent who monitored some polling units in the area, reported that the exercise went on smoothly, except at the Zik Avenue Primary School where election materials and officials were yet to arrive as at 10:30 a.m.

At polling units 003, 002, 001 and 020 all in Uwani River, the materials arrived at 9 a.m., while accreditation and voting had since begun.

Also, polling units 004, 005, 006 and 007 at Bigard Memorial Seminary (BMS), the accreditation and voting had commenced.

NAN also reported that there were presence of security men at each polling unit to maintain peace and order.

Meanwhile, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) party agent, Emeka Uzor, alleged that materials provided for the election at BMS were not enough.

Uzor said, The stamp is not enough as different polling booths are using one stamp and ballot papers are yet to be stamped.

A voter was given two ballot papers to vote in the councillor election and this is not acceptable by my party, he alleged.

Out of the 18 polling units visited in wards seven and eight in Igbariam Primary School and Union Boys Secondary School respectively, security agents were spotted in only two units.

The turnout of voters was low as most polling units were without voters.

Voters interviewed in ward seven appealed to the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission to be diligent in their duties, so as to gain the confidence of voters.

There was not much business going on around the voting areas as most shops were yet to open.

At Okpara Square Polling Units three, four, five, six, seven and eight in Enugu North Local Government Area, materials arrived at 9:10 a.m., while accreditation and voting started by 10 a.m.

No result sheets

There were no result sheets in any of the polling units.

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The Presiding Officer in Polling Unit seven, Jessica Ibeneme, said they were not given result sheets.

The APGA agent, Kingsley Ezi, said he was boycotting the exercise due to unavailability of card readers and result sheets.

At ward 2 in Enugu North Local Government Area, located at Afia-Nine, Obiagu Road, voting commenced by 10:30 a.m as ENSIEC officials arrived late at 9:50 a.m.

The voting went on without a hitch and the voter turnout was impressive.

There was partial compliance to the restriction of movement, as some commercial buses were plying most routes within the metropolis.

But most shops and business centres within the metropolis were not open, as the government had declared a work free day to enable people to go out and vote.

However, the popular Afia-9 Market in Obiagu axis of the metropolis was open and business activities were going on during voting hours.

NAN reported that 10 political parties were contesting for 17 chairmanship of 17 local councils and the councillor position for the 260 wards of the state.

The chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Enugu North, Emeka Onuora expressed satisfaction with the exercise. He said the turnout was impressive.

(NAN)
The House of Representatives has directed the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to intervene in the cult-related killings in Osun State.

The House directed the Director-General of SSS, Yusuf Bichi, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Akali, to deploy their men to the Irojo area of Ilesha East and other hotspots in the state.

This resolution was a sequel to a motion of urgent importance moved by Lawrence Ayeni (APC, Osun) on Wednesday during plenary.

In his motion, Mr Ayeni said some unknown cult groups have been killing residents of Atakumosa East/Atakumosa West/Ilesha East/Ilesha West Federal Constituency of Osun State.

He stated that the unknown groups killed five persons on February 7 in Ilesha, a town in Osun State.

Explaining further, the lawmaker said on the 21st February 2022 in Irojo area of Ilesha East, seven persons were killed after an attack by suspected cultists.

On the 7th February, 2022, members of the dreadful cultist group in broad daylight killed five persons while those who were hurt by stray bullets and sustained various degrees of injury were taken to Wesley Hospital located in Ilesha East for medical treatment.

There was another massacre carried out on Monday, 21st February 2022 in Irojo area of Ilesha East during which seven persons were killed by the suspected cultists around 7.30 pm, barely an hour of a peace meeting by some community leaders and the Osun State Commissioner of Police, he said.

While raising concerns on the killings, Mr Ayeni said there is a need for investigation into another attack by political thugs during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Osun State.

Mr Ayeni warned that the violence could escalate to other neighbouring states if urgent action is not taken to control the situation. He added that residents are in fear over the incessant attacks.

Resolutions

Consequently, the House resolved to mandate the joint Committee on Defence, Police and Army to interface with relevant authorities with a view to save lives and properties.

It mandated the police and SSS to run an investigation on the recovered abandoned branded vehicle and ordered the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

The motion was taken when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The head of medical record of Kubwa General Hospital in Abuja, Bassey Amah, on Wednesday said that the ex-minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, does not have any medical record with the facility.

Mr Amah gave evidence before Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, a judge at the Ikeja Special Offence Court, in the ongoing alleged medical report forgery of the former minister.

While being led in evidence by the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, the first prosecution witness said, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode does not have a record with Kubwa General Hospital.

Mr Amah confirmed he is the chief custodian of medical records who takes vital information from patients at the hospital.

According to him on October 3rd, 2021, Kubwa General Hospital received a letter from the EFCC to investigate the authenticity of a medical report on Mr Fani-Kayode.

The witness said upon receiving a letter dated October 3, 2021, from the EFCC to investigate the defendant, a response was sent on October 13, 2021, to the commission by the hospital.

He insisted that the medical report purportedly emanating from his hospital is not authentic.

As Mr Oyedepo sought to tender the letter of request by EFCC dated October 3, 2021, and the response from the hospital, Norrison Quakers, a lawyer representing Mr Fani-Kayode, objected to the admissibility of the documents as evidence.

The lawyer objected on the premise that the witness in the box was not the author of the document.

Mr Oyedepo, however, countered him saying the document tendered is a public document. It emanated from Kubwa General Hospital and the witness in the box has given evidence on oath.

He has told how they received the document, how it was investigated and how the letter was prepared.

The EFCCs lawyer argued that by virtue of the role the witness played in making of the document, the document is original and the witness is the maker of the document. Even the certified copy of the document was made a public document, he said.

I refer your Lordship to Section 102 (3) of the Evidence Act which says officer or offical on duty is authorised to submit documents.

On the contrary, Mr Quaker noted that there was nothing on the face of the document linking the witness to the document.

The judge admitted the documents into evidence noting that there was no need to bring the authors of the documents to court for the documents to be admissible as evidence.

The witness led the evidence to state that he is the head of the medical record and the letter was issued by the medical director.

In this case, I have certified that the witness in the box is competent to give evidence in court. I, therefore, admit the documents into evidence, Mrs Abike-Fadipe said.

Mr Oyedepo, leading the witness, asked, Do you know Abdulrazak Jimoh?

He is a staff(er) of Kubwa General Hospital, Mr Amah responded.

Has your facility issued any other medical report in relation to this defendant?

He answered, no.

Again, counsel to the defendant objected on the line of EFCCs questioning.

The EFCC lawyer, probing the head of medical record department further on what the position of the hospital is on the exhibits earlier admitted and marked by the judge, the witness insisted As I said earlier, Mr. Fani-Kayode is not our patient and has no medical report in our hospital.

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The name is not even found therethe number is not our hospital unit number.

He added that he does not know a certain Tochukwu Eze in the hospital where he works as a Chief of Medical Record.

Further hearing in the matter continues on February 25.

The EFCC arraigned the former minister on a 12-count charge of forging a medical report to evade trial.
History was made on Monday (February 21, 2022), as the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a new agricultural innovation hub in Adamawa State to serve the Northeast region.

The MoU establishes a partnership between the two institutions for research opportunities and for donor-funded projects on nutrition, training for farmers, and education for vulnerable women and children.

The President of the American University of Nigeria, Margee Ensign, and the Deputy Director-General, Partnerships for Delivery of IITA, Kenton Dashiell, signed for the two organizations.

The signing ceremony held in the 24-hour Room of AUNs Robert Pastor Library and E-Resource Centre, was attended by the Adamawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Umar Iya Daware, a representative of the Vice-Chancellor of the Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Abdullahi Tukur, members of the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), and the AUN Community.

President Ensign described the AUN-IITA partnership as a life-changing opportunity not only for both institutions but  far more importantly  for the people, farmers, women, youth, and children in the Northeast, and all of Nigeria.

In America, we call this a marriage made in heaven, the President said.

Further explaining the importance of the new partnership, the AUN President described food security and education as the foundations of society.

Without enough to eat, and the ability for individuals to learn, a society cannot advance, she said. The American University of Nigerias mission as a Development University is to train bold leaders to solve societal problems and to improve educationin all its different formsespecially in Northeast Nigeria.

The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is an award-winning, research-for-development (R4D) organization whose goals are to reduce poverty and increase sustainable agricultural productionto improve the lives of farmers and reduce poverty. We have come together to partner to work on these two fundamental challenges: food insecurity and poor education.

President Ensign bemoaned the grim statistics about education and nutrition in the Northeast region. UNICEF, she pointed out, concluded that Nigeria has the second-highest burden of stunted children in the world, with a national prevalence rate of 32 percent of children under five.

Every year in Nigeria, malnutrition contributes to more than 33% of the deaths of children below 5 years, and these deaths mostly occur in the northern geopolitical zones where nearly 50% of all children below 5 years are stunted.

President Ensign said numerous projects are being considered under the new partnership.

The IITA motto is zero hunger. Ours at AUN is Education for all. The projects will give IITA the opportunity to have a research station in Northeast Nigeria. Crop testing and performance variation under different ecological conditions on land inside the campus of AUN in Yola will enable IITA to complete its ecological coverage of Nigeria. AUN has contributed 100 hectares of our land for this effort, and an office for IITA. We can together develop radio and mobile programs to educate women on nutrition and health, and farmers to increase agricultural productivity, the President said.

On other benefits, President Ensign said AUN would work with its peace network, the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), to introduce these agricultural practices in conflict-prone areas.

We will bring Christian and Muslim groups together, people whose conflicts are often related to land use. There are tremendous opportunities for AUN faculty and students for development research. I am confident that this partnership will be life changingand life savingfor many in this region.

IITAs Dr. Dashiell also listed the many benefits of the partnership.

We have some commonalities with AUN, but we also have some distinct areas that would be highly complementary. We work on the business incubation platform, youth, agro-business, development and delivery, mechanization, communication, and capacity development. The IITA is one of the worlds leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.

The IITA works with international and national partners to improve livelihoods. On the other hand, AUN nurtures and gives knowledge, skills, and practice of civic values and has a reputation for offering assistance to its community and in blending community development with academic research. Their mission is to enhance the food security, income, and well-being of resource-poor people in the Northeast and sub-Saharan Africa by related activities to increase agricultural production, improve food systems and sustainably manage natural resources.

Daniel Okereke

Executive Director,

Communications, AUN
The fire incident at the Federal Ministry of Finance building, on Wednesday morning, was a minor one involving some inverter batteries and was quickly quenched, the federal fire service has said.

The spokesperson of the Federal Fire Service, Abraham Paul, told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident happened at the basement of the ministry where inverter batteries were kept.

He said no life was lost and no major injuries were sustained. But, not less than 20 high voltage batteries were destroyed.

My men were there at 7 oclock. It took us a few minutes. They called us from Garki, which is the headquarters of the Federal Fire Service and they also came down from the Federal Secretariat, which is very close. They also got a backup from Wuse Command, Mr Paul said in an interview Wednesday morning.

There was some smoke that resulted in fire because there was some spark from the inverter room. They have a room in the basement where they have the inverters. There was some smoke which resulted in fire but there were no active fires.

In his account, the spokesperson of the inistry, Olajide Osundun, put the time of the incident at 6:50 a.m. when some staff of the ministry noticed smoke emanating from the basement.

Mr Osundun said the incident was put under control due to timely intervention from different quarters.

ALSO READ: Egbin power plant resumes operations after fire incident

Necessary alarm was raised and the internally provided fire fighting equipment were deployed and within about 15-20 minutes, the fire was put under control. Information was also sent to the Federal Fire Service system. Before they came, everything has been brought under control.

The fire emanated from an exploded battery which then affected other batteries. About 10 to 16 batteries were affected. It only affected the battery compartment at the base of the ministry, it did not affect other parts of the building, he told journalists at the ministrys headquarters.

The incident at the ministry is coming almost two weeks after another government agency recorded a major fire outbreak.

Some offices at the headquarters of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) were burnt in the fire outbreak on February 10.
A United States court has postponed the trial of a Nigerian politician, Abidemi Rufai, who faces charges of $350,000 fraud, until May 31, this year, as the prosecution filed fresh evidence fraud against him.

Mr Rufai, a suspended aide to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, has been in detention since his arrest in New York in May 2021.

The U.S government arraigned him on 15 counts of fraud and identity theft at the District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma, on June 25, 2021.

He is accused of using the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

His lawyers, in January, sought the second rescheduling of his trial from February 1, 2022, to May, in quest of more time to review available evidence with his client, and for further negotiation with the U.S. government.

The judge, Benjamin Settle of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma, granted the defendants request on January 11, court documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES show.

Mr Settle postponed the trial until May 31, 2022, although the defence suggested May 17.

It was the second postponement of the case within months.

The judge had, earlier on August 3, 2021, issued an order shifting the trial originally slated for August 31, 2021, to February 1, 2022.

Both the prosecution and the defence jointly applied for the earlier postponement, anchoring their agreed request on the voluminous and complex nature of the evidence submitted by the government.

The judge had acceded to the request and postponed the trial till February 1, 2022.

New exhibit, negotiation

But the five-month postponement granted in August last year appeared insufficient for the defence.

In his motion filed on January 3, 2022, Mr Rufais lawyer, Lance M. Hester, asked for further postponement of the trial from February 1 to May 2022.

Mr Hester said he needed more time to review over 100,000 pages of evidence filed by the U.S. government with his client.

The discovery, in this case, is voluminous and complex. The government had produced over 100,000 pages of discovery material, Mr Hester stated.

He also indicated that the government had filed more materials broadening the case beyond the original employment benefit fraud allegations.

Mr Hester said the fresh allegations include fraudulent claims for tax refunds and disaster relief.

Further, in addition to the transactions described in the indictment, which relate to alleged fraud involving unemployment benefits, the government has also produced material relating to allegedly fraudulent claims for tax refunds and disaster relief, he added.

He called for the postponement of the trial to gain more time, not only to review the discovery with the defendant and to prepare pretrial motions, but to also further negotiate a possible resolution of this matter.

He said failure to grant the postponement would unreasonably deny the defence the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence.

Filed in support of the application was an agreement which Mr Rufai, who has now been detained for nine moths awaiting trial, signed with his lawyer to waive his right to speedy trial.

The U.S. governments prosecuting counsel, Seth Wilkinson, was served the application but had no objection to it.

Ruling

In his ruling, the judge, Mr Settle, agreed with the defence lawyers submission, saying, Failure to grant a continuance under these circumstances would result in a miscarriage of justice.

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The ends of justice outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendant in having the matter brought to trial sooner, he added.

He then scheduled what he described as a pretrial motions cutoff date for April 8, and a pretrial conference for May 23 at 2 p.m.

The judge fixed May 31 at 9 a.m. for the commencement of trial.

Charges

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Rufai was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York before boarding a flight to Amsterdam in May 2020.

He is said to have bypassed security systems at the Washington ESD using a simple feature of Googles free Gmail service to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

He now faces 15 charges, comprised of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, nine counts of wire fraud, and five counts of aggravated identity theft.

The court had, on June 25, adjudged him to represent a flight risk, and ordered he should be attending his trial from jail.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday swore in six National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event preceded the commencement of the virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the Council Chamber, State House, Abuja.

The national commissioners are Mohammed Haruna (Niger), May Agbamuche-Mbu (Delta), Ukaegbu Nnamdi (Abia), Abubakar Alkali (Adamawa), Rhoda Gumus (Bayelsa) and Sam Olumekun (Ondo).

Those at the inauguration of the Commissioners were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, some ministers as well as INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu also witnessed the inauguration of the INEC Commissioners.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, after the swearing-in, Mr Yakubu said with the inauguration of the commissioners, Nigerians should expect the best out of the commission.

He said: Well, its a good day for the Commission, with the swearing-in of the six National Commissioners, we have the full complement of 12 National Commissioners.

Its coming three days to by-elections in four states of the federation and as we plan for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.

As we continue to prepare for the 2023 general elections, well go on firing on all cylinders now that we have the full complement of commissioners and Nigerians should expect the best out of the Commission.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate on February 3, confirmed the nominees, following Mr Buharis request in compliance with the provisions of Section 153(1)(f) of the Constitution, and pursuant to the provision of Section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

(NAN)
The Senate Committee on Constitution Review on Wednesday presented its report with the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, present in the chamber to witness the event.

Mrs Buhari walked into the upper chamber at about 12:10 p.m., in the company of the Minister for Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, the Minister of Finance and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and other women.

She appeared in plenary to witness the laying of the report of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, had on Tuesday, announced that the report will be laid at the Senate today and voting on the panels recommendations for the new amendments to the constitution will be done next Tuesday.

Let me on behalf of all of us welcome to the chamber the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the mother of the nation. Your Excellency, you are welcome.

Let me recognise the presence of the honourable Minister of Women Affairs, who is a friend of the senate, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said after Mrs Buhari settled in the chamber.

Thereafter, the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya, moved a motion for the Senate to receive the report from the committee chairman, Mr Omo-Agege.

Before laying the report, Mr Omo-Agege said in the proposed amendments, there is a provision for 36 slots in the Senate meant for only women.

This prompted Mr Lawan to say the Senate has been gender-sensitive and is working to include women in governance.

The first lady has been consistent in supporting gender inclusivity, we are all in support of gender sensitivity. In this senate, we have only two groups, the female senators and he for shes.

This is a report on the constitution review and the presence of the first lady is to show her support for one of the bills on affirmative action for more female parliamentarians in both chambers, the Senate and the House and the state legislatures.

Your Excellency, I want to encourage you to continue with your advocacy.

Mrs Buhari left the chamber soon after the report was laid.

The lawmakers are expected to study the contents of the report ahead of the voting process on Tuesday.

Some provisions of the report require the mandatory two-thirds and four-fifth requirements of the membership of the entire Senate, to be considered and voted on.

The Constitution Review is the fifth alteration to the primary Nigerian law. The voting process will be the final stage of the review process.

While some Nigerians have condemned the entire process, describing it as a waste of time and resources, other Nigerians said it is timely and long overdue.

Some major recommendations made by individuals and civic groups range from restructuring and devolution of powers, robust electoral reforms, gender inclusiveness, and financial autonomy for the judiciary and local governments.

The creation of new states and state policing are some other major demands that came up during public hearings  a point President Muhammadu Buhari has openly opposed.
Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with a global increase of extreme fires of up to 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by the end of 2050 and 50 per cent by the end of the century, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal.

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

GRID-Arendal is a non-profit environmental communications centre based in Norway. It aims to transform environmental data into innovative, science-based information products and provide capacity-building services that enable better environmental governance.

The report was released before the resumed 5th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) convenes in Nairobi, between 28 February 28 and March 2.

Sounding the alarm

The report, released on Wednesday, states that the Arctic, previously all but immune, faces rising wildfire risk.

Experts, who are alerting the world ahead of the upcoming UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, said wildfires and climate change are mutually exacerbating

Governments are called to radically shift their investments in wildfires to focus on prevention and preparedness, they added

In Nigeria, the wildfire hazard is classified as high according to the information that is currently available to scientists.

This means that there is greater than a 50 per cent chance of encountering weather that could support a significant wildfire that is likely to result in both life and property loss in any given year.

Press Release

The paper called for a radical change in government spending on wildfires, shifting their investments from reaction and response to prevention and preparedness.

The report, Spreading like Wildfire: The Rising Threat of Extraordinary Landscape Fires, finds an elevated risk even for the Arctic and other regions previously unaffected by wildfires.

The publication calls on governments to adopt a new Fire Ready Formula, with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with one third left for response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of related expenditures, while planning receives less than one per cent.

To prevent fires, authors call for a combination of data and science-based monitoring systems with indigenous knowledge and for stronger regional and international cooperation.

Current government responses to wildfires are often putting money in the wrong place. Those emergency service workers and firefighters on the frontlines who are risking their lives to fight forest wildfires need to be supported, said Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director. We have to minimize the risk of extreme wildfires by being better prepared: invest more in fire risk reduction, work with local communities, and strengthen global commitment to fight climate change.

Wildfires disproportionately affect the worlds poorest nations. With an impact that extends for days, weeks and even years after the flames subside, they impede progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and deepen social inequalities:

Peoples health is directly affected by inhaling wildfire smoke, causing respiratory and cardiovascular impacts and increased health effects for the most vulnerable;

The economic costs of rebuilding after areas are struck by wildfires can be beyond the means of low-income countries;

Watersheds are degraded by wildfires pollutants; they also can lead to soil erosion causing more problems for waterways;

Wastes left behind are often highly contaminated and require appropriate disposal.

Wildfires and climate change are mutually exacerbating. Wildfires are made worse by climate change through increased drought, high air temperatures, low relative humidity, lightning, and strong winds resulting in hotter, drier, and longer fire seasons. At the same time, climate change is made worse by wildfires, mostly by ravaging sensitive and carbon-rich ecosystems like peatlands and rainforests. This turns landscapes into tinderboxes, making it harder to halt rising temperatures.

Wildlife and its natural habitats are rarely spared from wildfires, pushing some animal and plant species closer to extinction. A recent example is the Australian 2020 bushfires, which are estimated to have wiped out billions of domesticated and wild animals.

There is a critical need to better understand the behaviour of wildfires. Achieving and sustaining adaptive land and fire management requires a combination of policies, a legal framework and incentives that encourage appropriate land and fire use.

The restoration of ecosystems is an important avenue to mitigate the risk of wildfires before they occur and to build back better in their aftermath. Wetlands restoration and the reintroduction of species such as beavers, peatlands restoration, building at a distance from vegetation and preserving open space buffers are some examples of the essential investments into prevention, preparedness and recovery.

The report concludes with a call for stronger international standards for the safety and health of firefighters and for minimising the risks that they face before, during and after operations. This includes raising awareness of the risks of smoke inhalation, minimising the potential for life-threatening entrapments, and providing firefighters with access to adequate hydration, nutrition, rest, and recovery between shifts.

The report was commissioned in support of UNREDD and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. UNEP will be exploring how further investments can be made to reduce fire risks in critical ecosystems around the world.

UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degradation of ecosystems and restore them to achieve global goals. The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the UN Decade and it is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The UN Decade is building a strong, broad-based global movement to ramp up restoration and put the world on track for a sustainable future. That will include building political momentum for restoration as well as thousands of initiatives on the ground.

UNEP@50: A time to reflect on the past and envision the future

The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, was the first-ever UN conference with the word environment in its title. The creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was one of the most visible outcomes of this conference of many firsts. UNEP was created quite simply to be the environmental conscience of the UN and the world. Activities taking place through 2022 will look at the significant progress made as well as whats ahead in decades to come.

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Ukraines parliament has also voted to approve a draft law that gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defence

Ukraines National Security and Defence Council on Wednesday said a state of emergency will be introduced across all parts of the country except Donetsk and Luhansk.

Across the territory of our country, apart from Donetsk and Luhansk, a State of Emergency will be introduced, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, was quoted by CNN as saying on Wednesday.

The measure is expected to be approved by the Ukrainian parliament within 48 hours and would last for 30 days, with the possibility of it being extended for an additional 30 days.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kyiv, Mr Danilov said the State of Emergency would include strengthening public order and security at critical infrastructure facilities and tightening inspections on certain transportation movements.

Depending on the local circumstances, there may be stronger or milder measures to ensure the security of our country, he added.

These are all preventative measures, in order to preserve peace and calm in the country and for the economy to continue to work.

Ukraines parliament has also voted to approve a draft law that gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defence, Al Jazeera reported.

The adoption of this law is fully in the interests of the state and society, the authors of the draft law said in a note, adding that the law was needed due to existing threats and dangers for the citizens of Ukraine.

This comes on the heels of Russia recognising Donetsk and Luhansk (breakaway regions) as independent States and sending in Russian troops to maintain peace.

Russias action has led to sanctions by Western countries such as the U.S., UK and the EU on Russia.

President Joe Biden of the U.S. signed an executive order that prohibits new investment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. The White House said the measures were separate to wider sanctions which are ready to go should Russia further invade Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia had violated Ukrainian sovereignty and completely torn up international law. He said Mr Putin appeared bent on a full-scale invasion, and promised a barrage of sanctions. Already the UK has announced sanctions on some of Russias largest banks.

In light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia and in line with our previous support, the UK will shortly be providing a further package of military support to Ukraine. This will include lethal aid in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid, Mr Johnson told parliament on Wednesday.

Liz Truss, UK foreign secretary, said it will stop Russia from selling sovereign debt in London.

Weve been very clear that were going to limit Russian access to British markets, Ms Truss told Sky News. Were going to stop the Russian government from raising sovereign debt in the United Kingdom.

Ms Truss added that there will be tougher sanctions on key oligarchs and key organisations in Russia, limiting Russias access to the financial markets, if there is a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was halting the process of certifying the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline because of Russias actions.

Japan and Australia also announced they will impose stringent penalties on individuals connected with the aggression against Ukraine.

Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison targeted members of Russias Security Council for behaving like thugs and bullies.

Japans sanctions include banning the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has put its military including over 200,000 reserve forces on notice that they will be mobilised as tensions with Russia escalate.

Reservists aged 18 to 60 will be called up, Al Jazeera quoted the Ukrainian Ground Forces as saying in a Facebook message, adding that the call will start today. The maximum service life is one year.

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Additionally, Ukraines parliament has approved imposing sanctions on 351 Russians, including politicians who supported the recognition of the independence of separatist-controlled territories and the use of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.

The sanctions restrict almost all possible types of activities, in particular, a ban on entry into Ukraine, and an access ban to assets, capital, property and licences for business.

It also advised its nationals in Russia to exit the country and others to refrain from trips into the country.

The foreign ministry recommends that citizens of Ukraine refrain from any trips to the Russian Federation, and those who are in this country to leave its territory immediately, the ministry said in a newly issued travel advisory.

Russias foreign ministry has said Moscow will respond strongly to new sanctions imposed by the United States, saying the measures imposed by the White House run counter to American interests.

Russia has begun evacuating personnel from all of its diplomatic facilities in Ukraine, the TASS news agency reports.

Moscows embassy in Kyiv confirmed the evacuations were underway, TASS reported. Russia also has consulates in Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv.

In what may seem like support for Russia, Irans foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, said his country is not happy with developments in Ukraine and accused the US and the Washington-led NATO military alliance of making provocative moves.

In my phone calls with [the] foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine last week I expressed the Islamic Republics clear views that NATO and US interference doesnt help the situation and that the solution is not war, but diplomatic discussions, Mr Amirabdollahian said at a joint press conference with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Bard in Tehran.

Iran has not so far directly addressed Mr Putins recognition of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) and Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine.

Syria, a Russian ally, has, however, declared support for Russias actions and the two breakaway republics in Ukraine.

However, China has refused to recognise the breakaway regions but criticised sanctions on Russia.

We believe that sanctions are never the fundamental and effective way to solve problems. China always opposes any illegal unilateral sanctions, Hua Chunying, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during the ministrys daily briefing.

Have they solved the problem? Is the world better off because of US sanctions? Will Ukraines problems be resolved automatically by the imposition of US sanctions against Russia? Will Europes security be more secure as a result of US sanctions against Russia? I think we should try to solve the problem through dialogue and negotiation, she said.

Fears have continued to grow in Ukraine as Putin says that Russias interests are non-negotiable even as he is ready to talk about diplomatic solutions.

Russias main demand is an assurance that its neighbour, Ukraine, will not join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, a U.S.-led organisation committed to the security of its member states. The U.S. and its allies have, however, refused to give such guarantee, saying only Ukraine can decide whether or not it wants to join NATO.
Nigerians have blamed the federal government for the scarcity and the importation of dirty fuel into the country, raising concerns about the health and economic implications of this on citizens.

Many participants, who spoke at the weekly episode of the PREMIUM TIMES TwitterSpaces titled Yeye fuel for the market, who we go blame?, accused the federal government of demonstrating irresponsibility in importing substandard fuel.

PT TwitterSpaces is an innovation of PREMIUM TIMES to advance conversations around issues of national concern and those that may be trending on social media and particularly Twitter.

The federal government had said methanol, a chemical additive, found in recently imported fuel exceeded Nigerias specification.

The development has resulted in a shortage of petrol and queues reappearing in major cities including Abuja and Lagos.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the scarcity worsened last week across many cities, as many struggled to go to work or engage in other daily routines.

Traffic gridlocks appeared across major parts of Abuja as many service lanes were closed to traffic due to queues from petrol stations.

REACTION

Speaking on PREMIUM TIMES Twitter Space, Daniel Ojukwu said aside from damaging cars, the dirty petrol will have a negative effect on peoples health.

He made reference to developed countries, saying, Naturally in civilized climes, weve seen people protest for smaller issues. In very civilized countries, youd have seen a lot of people take to the streets, youd have seen people demanding answers from the government.

He said it looks like Nigerians are practically waiting and relying on whatever the government would say to determine the next line of action.

Another participant, Ruona Meyer, recalled past reports that showed that the fuel produced in the Niger Delta creeks is far cleaner than the fuel which comes from Europe.

She spoke about cars that are no longer fit for use in other places are dumped in Africa.

She said just as it is with the car, the situation is pretty much the same with the fuel.

Making reference to the class action mentioned earlier by one of the speakers, she said it would make more sense if the Nigerian government sues the foreign sellers of the dirty fuel.

This is not a matter to be handled by ordinary citizens. We have been talking about dirty fuel since the year 2016 and I think journalists like myself should begin to keep data of all that relates to it for further actions, she said.

Like I said earlier, it is important that we begin to collate data of people this bad fuel has affected because it will help us in proving and driving our points home when the time comes.
A lawmaker in Ebonyi State, Nigerias South-east, said she has been prevented from getting her salary and other entitlements because of her refusal to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The lawmaker, Ngozi Eziulo, who represents Afikpo North East State Constituency in the Ebonyi House of Assembly, disclosed this to reporters on Tuesday in Abakaliki.

She is one of the two lawmakers whom the Speaker of the House, Francis Nwifuru, claimed they had written a letter to the house indicating that they had resigned from the PDP.

She denied writing the resignation letter that was read at plenary by the speaker, adding that she has no reason to leave the party which has been so good to her.

Both Mrs Eziulo and the other lawmakers, Oliver Osi (Ivo Constituency) were absent at the plenary when the letters were read.

She challenged the House leadership to produce a copy of such a letter bearing her signature to prove that she wrote it.

I never wrote the letter and can never write such a letter.

I am still wondering how they came about such a letter. That letter is a forgery. If they said I have resigned, let them bring such a letter and let me see it with my signature.

I am considering legal action because that letter is forged and you know forgery is a criminal offence, she said.

Mrs Eziulo said she has not been paid her salary and entitlements since Governor David Umahi defected from the PDP to the APC because of her refusal to join the APC.

Ever since the governor defected, I have not been paid my entitlement including salary.

When I asked, they said their reason is that I have not joined them in APC, that once I join, they will start paying.

I told them if that is the condition I will never join, and they are still holding on to it, she said.

She said the House has refused to pay her, despite a series of letters and reminders by her lawyers.

She said instead her life was being threatened by those who are hell bent on forcing her to join the APC.

In fact, they have threatened to take (away) my official car. They have also been threatening my life, by saying they will send their thugs after me all because I refused to join them, she said.

Mrs Eziulo said despite not being paid her entitlements, she has been attending sittings and other functions of the House.

She vowed to remain with the PDP.

I dont see any reason why I should leave my party PDP. This is a party that brought me to the House. I am somebody that will ever remain grateful to people that do me good. PDP did me well so I cant leave the party, she said.

The speaker, Mr Nwifuru did not respond to calls and a text message seeking comment from him.

His media aide, Leo Oketa, did not also respond to calls.
A magistrates court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Wednesday, restrained an estranged wife of Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, from making controversial comments about their children.

The court ordered Precious Chikwendu not to make public comments that could unduly expose the identities of the children whose custody is subject of ongoing litigation.

Mr Fani-Kayode and Ms Chikwendu have been locked in a legal battle over the custody of their four sons since they split in late 2020.

The crisis between them has snowballed into various court actions and filing of petitions against each other. The police recently arraigned Ms Chikwendu on attempted murder charges based on Mr Fani-Kayodes complaints.

Ms Chikwendu, whose series of court actions have failed to earn her the custody of the children, recently sent petitions to the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International, United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in quest for justice.

There are also ongoing proceedings concerning the children custody dispute between the former couple at both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Mr Fani-Kayode, on Wednesday, approached the magisterial family court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja to obtain an order to restrain Ms Chikwendus comments on their children.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ex-ministers lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, moved the ex parte application on Wednesday.

Ruling on the application, the magistrate, Njideka Duru, issued an interim injunction restraining Ms Chikwendu from publishing the names, address, school, photographs or making any comment, presenting any speech or paper whether at a public gathering or during a programme described as Green Shift (Apostolic Roundtables) slated for February 24.

She also granted the order restraining the mother of four from commenting on any social media platform of any information likely to lead to the identification of any of the children whose custody issues have been submitted to this court for determination, pending the determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

Other payers granted

The magistrate also granted other prayers contained in the ex parte motion marked: MN/05/2022 and filed on February 14.

Other prayers granted include an order setting down for hearing in camera, the conduct of any or all proceedings in this case, in the best interest of the children involved; to preserve their respective rights to dignity and privacy.

He also asked the court for an order of interim injunction stopping Chikwendu or associates from making presentations at any public gathering or social media platform of the broken relationship.

The magistrate also issued an order granting leave to the applicant, to amend the originating process filed in this case.

She also ordered the substituted service of the main suit, and other applications filed by Mr Fani-Kayode on Ms Chikwendu, who is the sole respondent in the suit.

The magistrate then adjourned the case until March 24.

Meanwhile, the police had on February 14, arraigned Ms Chikwendu and three others on 13 counts of attempting to kill Mr Fani-Kayode, among other offences.

The ex-beauty queen and her co-defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The judge, Inyang Ekwo, subsequently fixed April 27 for commencement of trial.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced five additional countries that have gotten approval to begin vaccine production locally.

These countries are Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Serbia, and Vietnam.

This is coming a few days after six African countries including Nigeria were selected by the global body to receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said vaccine inequity called for the urgent need to increase local production.

He said the aim of the hub being built is to provide a facility where manufacturers from low and middle income countries can receive training on how to produce certain vaccines and the licences to do so.

We believe the mRNA technology transfer is a huge promise, not just for increasing access to vaccines against COVID-19 but also for other diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, and cancer, he said

Speaking on the cost of production and accessibility, Mr Ghebreyesus added: I was honored to have the opportunity to visit the hub two weeks ago, and its already producing results with regions announcement that it has produced its own mRNA vaccine candidates.

Producing mRNA vaccines poses some barriers to low and middle-income countries, including their costs, the fact that they require a cold chain thats difficult and expensive to implement. It also requires a skilled and trained workforce,

He added that the Government of the Republic of Korea has offered a huge facility that conducts manufacturing training locally and will expand its operations to accommodate trainees from other countries.

Vaccine inequity

Mr Ghebreyesus further described vaccine inequity as the most obvious lesson from the pandemic which has undermined the WHOs efforts in eradicating COVID-19 like other diseases.

He said: Vaccines are among the most powerful inventions in human history. Thanks to vaccines, smallpox is no more, polio is on the brink of eradication. And once feared diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, measles, and meningitis can now be easily prevented

Then, of course, vaccines have held to change the course of the COVID 19 pandemic but the scientific triumph has been undermined by vast inequities in access to these life-saving tools.

About mRNA technology hub

According to WHO, the global mRNA technology transfer hub was established in 2021 in South Africa as a partnership between WHO region biologics the biologicals and vaccines Institute of South Africa or the South African Medical Research Council, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the medicines patentable and strong support from Belgium. Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the European Union, the African Union.

The technology will also ensure that the countries have all the necessary operating procedures and know-how to manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.

It explained that the hub was primarily set up to address the COVID-19 emergency because it had the potential to expand manufacturing capacity for other products as well.

Vaccination goal

Local production of vaccines is one of WHOs strategies to achieve its vaccination goal.

The WHO had set a target to vaccinate 10 per cent of every country, economy, and territory by the end of September 2021 but by that date 56 countries, including Nigeria, had not been able to do so.

WHO came up with a new strategy and concluded to vaccinate 40 per cent of the population of every country by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by mid-2022.

According to the New York Time vaccine tracker, as of February 21, 2022, more than 4.9 billion people worldwide have received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, equal to about 63.9 percent of the world population.
President Muhammadu Buhari may sign the long-awaited Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, on Friday.

Authoritative presidency sources confirmed that the president would be signing the bill into law around 12 p.m. on the day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Assembly transmitted the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 to the president on January 31, a second time, having reportedly revised the bill, which he withheld his assent to for some noted reasons.

Sources close to the office of the president revealed that arrangements had been finalised for the president to sign the amendment bill into law on Friday, finally putting all anxieties to rest.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said all these anxieties will disappear by Friday afternoon.

He will be signing the bill around noon of that day.

I believe he has taken his time so that the Act can be as unassailable as much as possible.

The president had withheld his assent to the bill in December 2021, citing the cost of conducting direct primary elections and security challenges as part of the reasons for his decision.

Another reason is possible manipulation of electoral processes by political players.

It was the fifth time the president would be declining assent to the Electoral Bill since 2018.

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, had, on Tuesday, assured that Mr Buhari would sign the bill Any moment from now.

He spoke just as about 25 civil society organisations protested in Abuja the delay in assenting to the bill by the president.

(NAN)
The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, over his failure to defend the proposed amendment to the 2022 Appropriation Act

Buba Yakubu, the chairman of the committee, summoned the minister on Wednesday in Abuja during the committees meeting.

He said the minister was invited to appear before the committee to explain why the ministry was asking for an amended budget for the ministry in the proposed amendment Appropriation Act which was sent to the House by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He cautioned the minister for failing to appear before the committee to defend its previous budget, adding that such would no longer be tolerated.

In spite of the non appearance to defend its previous budget, the committee had allowed it to pass, the lawmaker, said.

it behoves on the minster to provide detailed explanations on its demand for amendment of the 2022 appropriation as it affects the Ministry.

This, according to him, is in view of the fact that the committee had discovered in its scrutiny of the budget that funds were allocated to mission buildings and staff accommodation .

He added that where those embassies had in place adequate provisions and school fees, adding that supplements were provided where schools were free in public schools in English speaking host countries.

 There is need at this point to clearly state that all funds the Committee re-appropriated from such Sub-heads as rents and School fees/Education Supplements in the 2022 appropriations Act became necessary.

This is because the Committee discovered that accommodation for office space and living quarters exist in places like Accra, Ghana, and other Missions where these funds had been allocated, he said.

He said: it was against the law for the Ministry or anyone else to transfer and expend funds under one sub-head to another sub-head without virement or corrigendum.

(NAN)
The strategy of relying on SMEs to lift and transform Sub-Saharan African economies is a very much failed one already. Our SMEs cannot do better than selling imported goods. Almost all of them have neither the patience, perseverance, time, resources, finance, personnel, structure nor, indeed, inspiration, to be innovative in a way that can inch black Africa closer to relative self-sufficiency, or even help in solving our existential problems.

How else is one going to say this so that the mass hypnosis that we almost collectively suffer will clear, so that our brains may function well? The idea that the continuous encouragement of Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) is a sure bet approach to economic development is false, foolish, unscientific, fraudulent, wasteful, mediocre, lazy, and deleterious of our effort at achieving economic development.

Why? It hasnt worked for as long as we have been implementing it. It has not worked anywhere and could never work. At best, it lulls us to sleep, miniaturises our dreams, keeps us permanently at a point where we could never compete with larger, well-established enterprises, keeps us hooked only on importation economics, helps to retain our woeful unemployment indices, and ends up frustrating our youths out of their minds. Check the odds: out of 1,000 youths who become half-baked, import-dependent entrepreneurs, only one or two will be able to build to sustainable levels in five or 10 years. Most will crash out or live on the fringes of poverty all their lives. Funny though, most of those pushing these ideas  government people and politicians  are not entrepreneurs themselves and if they are, they started with monies they got from being government officials or politicians (and thereafter set up by creating a facade to make ill-gotten wealth less recognisable). Otherwise we should have asked a person like Rauf Aregbesola, who as a minister told graduating students of Osun State not to bother looking for work, how he made his money. I think it is a callous strategy.

The strategy of relying on SMEs to lift and transform Sub-Saharan African economies is a very much failed one already. Our SMEs cannot do better than selling imported goods. Almost all of them have neither the patience, perseverance, time, resources, finance, personnel, structure nor, indeed, inspiration, to be innovative in a way that can inch black Africa closer to relative self-sufficiency, or even help in solving our existential problems. We have been had. And anyone who continues to push that strategy should understand that we are merely markets for foreign importers, from China and Western nations, by promoting MSMEs. The transformative ability of research and development, such as we require, can only be undertaken with substantial reserve capital, a good, diverse, well-motivated complementarity of personnel, and mega ability to earn. I also think we have too many of our people running MSMEs. At the last count, according to SMEDAN, we had 41 million of them. That is not to count the probably 40 or 50 million Nigerians who sell small things in the thousands of local markets around the country, at street corners, in traffic, and the booths of their cars, including online etc. It gives them some sense of having something to do but such businesses are not scalable, cannot help them in times of health emergencies and cannot even take care of hygiene factors (food, shelter, clothing) for most of them. They find it tough just sending their children to school or treating malaria.

What I suspect we need are ideas around ECONOMIC inclusion. How do we include our vast majority of financially excluded people in the economy proper, by ensuring they are actually productive beyond shifting foreign goods as middlemen for a spread? I also think that even though the face of industry is fast-changing around the world, we should do the difficult task of building companies to be bigger, stronger and able to employ more people.

Then we say all they need is financing. And government has been spending a lot of resources on financial inclusion. We start with getting them to own accounts (which is okay), then we promote the financialisation of the economy through the establishments of snazzy banks. We did not see a major groundbreaking turnaround in the fortunes of the country, and a coalescing of our SMEs into a formidable force for employment generation, or even competition with other countries, until the traditional banking format gave way to technology when our banks replaced almost all their staff with robots (ATMs and Apps). Today, we live in the FINTECH era, by which this category of businesses can only get lending from smart organisations backed by technology. The traditional banks have never had time for that segment of businesses and were not built to service them by the way. Today, some of them own the FINTECH companies and use that means to lend to small companies at very exorbitant rates.

The experience of our SMEs with the FINTECHs has been hilarious. Many of them borrow using apps with no intention to repay willynilly. The FINTECH companies go crazy and start harassing their families. In one instance, the FINTECH company published the obituary of their debtors. In our financialised economy where only banks and bank-like entities thrive, we are trying to conflate a fundamental problem of governance failure, inability to properly identify the issues and document our peoples existential problem, and solving what is a multidimensional poverty (poverty that extends to access to health, education, water, environment etc), with mere financial inclusion. The results will be even more disastrous as we go along. What I suspect we need are ideas around ECONOMIC inclusion. How do we include our vast majority of financially excluded people in the economy proper, by ensuring they are actually productive beyond shifting foreign goods as middlemen for a spread? I also think that even though the face of industry is fast-changing around the world, we should do the difficult task of building companies to be bigger, stronger and able to employ more people. Even if we are able to do this for five years, it will be worth it. Even Western nations are careful to push all their workers on the streets in favour of robots. They understand the meaning of mass unemployment and would never dare it.

Government cannot hope to escape its core objective of pursuing and achieving full employment (yes, that is a valid expectation of governments in economics). How people will get engaged gainfully is one problem that should take most of the time of governments, if they were serious. This task cannot be farmed out to the people through the idea of entrepreneurship or MSMEs. No successful country has done that in the past. And none will be able to achieve that into the future. If at all, we should encourage a situation where majority of our youths work for organisations for a spell, understand how companies are built, the concept of corporate governance, risk management, internal control, and also build their own abilities to go the long haul. We should also remember that entrepreneurship is not for everybody. Some do it much better than others. As things stand, we are just on a wrong track in this country; and it is beyond sad.

Tope Fasua, an economist, author, blogger, entrepreneur, and recent presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), can be reached through topsyfash@yahoo.com.
UnfortunatelyGeneral Babangida is still vilified till today despite his amiability, aura and achievements in office, his only offence being the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. Leaders should learn from the past, balance fragile arrangements of the polity, remain above the fray and think about posterity. President Buhari has limited moments to write his name in glorious era or black book of history because only a thin line exists between the two.

History is replete with leaders who came to power in a blaze of glory and ended in ignominy. As good as it is to start a race well, it is not as important as ending excellently. That is why in a foursome relay race, a good runner starts the race, and the best sprinter ends it. Only those who end well are celebrated anyway. For President Muhammadu Buhari, the next few weeks are key to determining whether his eight-year-old government will end gloriously or gravely. Luckily for him, the power to make his tenure a memorable one is right in his hands.

Starting from his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), which in 2013 could be described as a patchwork of disgruntled elements among politicians, his roles, as the biggest beneficiary, has been less than sterling, especially in conflict management. But because he is revered, respected and honoured (everyone calls him Baba, and even the most aggrieved hardly speak ill of him), he has been a larger-than-life figure in the APC.

To be fair, staying out of a party crisis as president, not as a member, is the ideal; so it was in the past when party supremacy was so strong, and political party leaders could summon the president. That did happen in the Second Republic when the Adisa Akinloye leadership of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) would summon President Shehu Shagari and he would honour the invitation.

That was then. However, since the Olusegun Obasanjo era, himself a powerful president with grit as a former military head of state, party supremacy took the back seat. Hence, the president became treated as the leader of the party, while at the state level, governors also became the leaders of their parties in their respective states. But for President Buhari, it is difficult to say whether he acts as the leader of the party (APC) or that party supremacy is at play in his case. In most cases, the president keeps mute, while his party boils, and only intervenes when the crisis threatens his high office or when (APC) governors are fully pacified.

Before the APC convention was scheduled for February 26, the party was already tense over the extension of the tenure of Mai Mala Buni, who in June 2020 emerged as a child of necessity to head the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) for a period of six months. That committee has not been able to nip the various crises in APC in the bud  Zamfara and Osun are still raging and more frontiers of wars are opening up, although the Buni committee was able to get some high profile politicians, including three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors to decamp to APC. Just yesterday, the APC finally decided to stage its national convention on March 26, after a series of horse-trading by governors who are clearly calling the shot in all affairs of the party.

It does appear that what matters to President Buhari is to showcase new members (especially PDP governors) brought to the party than to reconcile aggrieved members, as each of those members was given the red-carpet treatment and a presidential handshake at the Villa. For these achievements, Bunis six-month term is already getting close to two years. And to think that, after much dithering, even the February 26 date for the convention had to be moved to March 26, which is taking loyal members of the party for granted.

The question now is why the president is delaying or reluctant to act swiftly. This has gotten tongues wagging, citing the personal interest of a few close allies; some names, among which is the AGF Malami and some APC governors, who do not feel secure with a part of the bill, mostly about a clause which talks about officials resigning from office before vying for elections. This will put paid to the habit of governors to roll from office to the Senate or vice-versa.

And this is where the presidents intervention is direly needed; a time he needs to show leadership and call recalcitrant members to order. Instead, the president first jetted out to Belgium for the AU-EU summit without meeting with relevant stakeholders and without any form of communication to that effect, until his return to a hurriedly choreographed meeting with the APC Governors Forum. Even after the presidents return, the CECPC only got the presidents blessing to postpone the convention to March 26.

Let us not forget that the main objectives of the Buni committee, as embedded in its name, was to organise a convention, resolve conflicts and unite members for a common purpose. Almost two years after, there is neither peace, reconciliation nor unity in the party. Instead, the man has become a governor-general of sort, who struts the political scene with grace, so much power and influence.

Another major assignment the president is reluctant to act upon is the Electoral Amendment Bill. Having been passed and sent to him for assent since January 31, the president has kept the populace guessing and speculating about what his intentions are. In his almost seven years in office, President Buhari has refused assent to the electoral bill amendments five times. The previous National Assembly headed by Dr Bukola Saraki had a running battle with the president because of the manner of his (Sarakis) emergence; in fact there was no love lost between the executive and legislature throughout that period, and this sour relation affected almost all the bills passed by that Senate, as the electoral bills passed were politicised and tainted. With so many controversies around those bills, the president rejected all of them.

However, with the Ahmed Lawan Senate said to be hands in gloves with the president, no one expected the delay and reluctance of the president to assent to their bills. Alas, the situation has not changed. The last electoral amendment bill passed provided for only direct primary by political parties for the election of candidates; the president wanted a more liberal approach, citing insecurity, cost, and infringement on the rights of Nigerians and returned it to the National Assembly. A reworked Bill providing for different options  direct, indirect or consensus was finally sent to the president.

The question now is why the president is delaying or reluctant to act swiftly. This has gotten tongues wagging, citing the personal interest of a few close allies; some names, among which is the AGF Malami and some APC governors, who do not feel secure with a part of the bill, mostly about a clause which talks about officials resigning from office before vying for elections. This will put paid to the habit of governors to roll from office to the Senate or vice-versa.

The president should understand that once out of power and his legacies are open to scrutiny, only his name will come up and not those who used him for their personal aggrandisement. He should worry about his reputation and reflect on the lives of those who have travelled this road. I also hope the president is not giving the impression that APC has served its purpose in the fulfilment of his personal ambition of becoming a civilian president and can now be dispensed with?

Why would the president listen to these governors at all? Why would he undermine himself and rubbish his legacy just to please others? Cant he see that he is losing the moral battle? Why allow the National Assembly, with whom he has enjoyed a good relationship, to pass a bill only for him to disagree with some parts of it? Why would the president not discuss with them on all the grey areas before going public with their resolutions?

President Buhari has come a long way. He commands respect even from non-APC members. He is held in awe and revered for his principles. But people are now wondering why these qualities have gone with the wind. Why does he allow himself to be manipulated by aides who have their own personal agenda in government? Are these aides doing the presidents bidding or have his (President Buharis) full consent?

The president should understand that once out of power and his legacies are open to scrutiny, only his name will come up and not those who used him for their personal aggrandisement. He should worry about his reputation and reflect on the lives of those who have travelled this road. I also hope the president is not giving the impression that APC has served its purpose in the fulfilment of his personal ambition of becoming a civilian president and can now be dispensed with?

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was thrown to the dogs and vilified all through his tenure, but one good deed (of handing over peacefully) which conformed with his earlier statement that his ambition is not worth the blood of Nigerians, endeared him to Nigerians and the international community. Today, he is a toast on every occasion and the beautiful bride everyone wants to associate with, including the people who upstaged him out of power, the APC power brokers. Because General Olusegun Obasanjo kept to his principals (General Murtala Muhammeds) promise to hand over to civilians in 1979, he had a triumphant return in 1999, 20 years after, and has remained relevant till today, whether you like him or hate him. Same with General Abubakar Abdulsalami, who did not waste much time to hand over due to the circumstance of his emergence, after the controversial death of General Sani Abacha and MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 election.

Unfortunately, the reverse is the case with General Babangida, who is still vilified till today despite his amiability, aura and achievements in office, his only offence being the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. Leaders should learn from the past, balance fragile arrangements of the polity, remain above the fray and think about posterity. President Buhari has limited moments to write his name in glorious era or black book of history because only a thin line exists between the two.

zainabsule@yahoo.com
there is a crucial need for businesses to compete fairly without encroaching on their competitors trademarks, as this violates the law and creates unnecessary tension in the business environment. More importantly, a proper legal determination of this case needs to be done within the ambit of the conventions and articles of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) standards.

At this juncture when the Nigerian economy has almost become a basket case that is facing all sorts of fiscal challenges and the need for reinvention, essentially due to a weak productive base, as fallout of the unravelling of oil as the major income earner for government, alongside a feeble regime of taxation and an expanding informal sector, the proclaimed mantra of economic diversification and the shoring up of productivity couldnt be more urgently necessary.

As such, there is the need for the creation of a business environment that enables the production of goods and services, sees to the honouring of business agreements  in a manner that protects the intellectual property and rights of different actors in the environment, including issues relating to trademarks  and allows for fair and timely adjudication in periods of dispute. This is particularly crucial as, daily, Nigeria appeals for the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDIs) to help in enhancing the productive base of the economy.

It goes without saying that in any environment where issues of dispute between businesses over intellectual property rights fester and are not resolved on the side of fairness, as swiftly as possible, both by the regulators and the justice system, this would scare off potential investors, despite whatever might be the other levels of appeal in such business sector.

Crucially, many businesses thrive in creating product and services, for which unique identities are built through efforts at branding, which also differentiates them from other similar goods and services in the industry, on the basis of which they woo customers. And many times, these consumers gradually get emotionally and psychologically connected to the products and services of particular businesses, to which they become brand loyalists.

However, when other products and services try to edge their ways into markets that already have secure brand loyalists, not by creating their own unique identities and making their brands to tell newer stories that differentiate them as better than what is on ground, but by looking as similar as possible to those they met in the market, this leads to fertile grounds for trademark violations and conflict.

A very striking case at hand that elucidates upon this is the ongoing dispute between the manufacturers of Coca Cola and Pop Cola, who have been in court in Kano over what one of the actors, Coca Cola, which is the plaintiff in this case, considers as the illegal appropriation of its brand identity and trademark violations by Mamuda Beverages Limited, which is the defendant in this case. It pertains to the manner of the use of the colours red, white and black, the special script and font of the name lettering, and the dynamic ribbon device, which Coca Cola has trademarked as its brand identity.

No doubt, it is not difficult to notice a similar expression of these colours and the utilisation of a ribbon device in the branding of the Mamuda Beverages product, Pop Cola, which could be easily considered as an attempt at a similar identification. More so, there appears to be an uncanny resemblance in the shape of the bottles of the two soft drinks. A number of people, particularly in Kano, also seem to have pointed out that the similarity in the visual identities of both products has led them to make the wrong choice on a number of occasions, as they ended up with Pop Cola, even when their purchasing intention was to buy bottles of Coca-Cola.

It is equally easy to see why this would generate conflict between the two beverage companies, as there appears to be a very conscious attempt by Pop Cola to leverage on its similar look to tear into and erode the market share of Coca Cola. Hence, the reason for the litigation that has ensued, with the Coca Cola company seeking to get the producers of Pop Cola to desist from using the same colours and other visual branding elements that have come to define its flagship product through the ages.

While Mamuda Beverages has sought to pushback on the claims of Coca-Cola by alleging that the litigation by Coca Cola is more in terms of a competition war than a battle over visual identity, this actually appears more like an emotional line of defence than one ruled by logic, as the facts bear out.

The facts are that in over a century of its global market presence, Coca Cola has been trading under the brand markers that are presently being played with by the competition, and many across the world can instantly recognise Coca Cola by means of the dominant red colour and the dynamic ribbon device. This visual identity is a source of emotional connection between the brand and its numerous consumers, the widespread adoption of which has earned Coke a market share of over 50 per cent, both globally and locally in Nigeria.

Therefore, issues of ethics and the violation of trademarks will naturally be culled up when any other soft drink product tries to play around with these established elements of the Coca-Cola visual identity, more so in a way that it creates confusion in the mind of the consumer, who is misled into patronising any other product bearing these, instead of Coca-Cola.

It has also been pointed out that the elements of the visual identity under which Coca Cola is offered to the public are already registered and safeguarded by the law, with Coca Cola owning the Coca-Cola (Script) and Dynamic Ribbon device, both in Nigeria and worldwide, which have trademark numbers 71808 and 26655. How then can any other product lay claim to these elements of visual identity without violating the law and business ethics in a fundamental way?

From the foregoing, there is a crucial need for businesses to compete fairly without encroaching on their competitors trademarks, as this violates the law and creates unnecessary tension in the business environment. More importantly, a proper legal determination of this case needs to be done within the ambit of the conventions and articles of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) standards.

The Coca Cola/Pop Cola trademark infringement issue offers Nigeria a clear opportunity to show that government, regulators and indeed the legal system aligns with World Intellectual Property Organisation standards, as mentioned above. And, to moreover show that our legal system is robust and fair enough to resolve business dispute in an equitably manner that boosts confidence in the environment in all sorts of stakeholders, who are not scared off by the capacity of the system to decide on potential shenanigans.

As the substantive case in this trade dispute would soon be adjudicated upon, it should be of utmost concern to all that an equitable resolution of this and similar matters will be in the interest of the Nigerian consumer and the business community, while it will ultimately enhance the ease of doing business in the country and create better access to the much needed foreign direct investments.

Fidelis Nwangwu, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja.
According to Professor Shugaba, the university equally has a consulting services company that generates revenue, and a centre for distant learning that generates between N800 million and N1 billion annually. In addition, the university has a hotel named Kanem Suites, with branches in Abuja, Kano and on the campus in Maiduguri. All these serve as avenues for generating revenue for research in the institution.

Research plays an important role in discovering new medical treatments, and making sure that we use existing treatments in the best possible ways. It can find answers to things that are unknown, fill gaps in knowledge and change the way that healthcare professionals work.

In Nigeria, research development seems a mirage. Could lack of funding be responsible?

Nigerias tertiary institutions have three statutory functions  teaching, research and community service. While more attention is given to teaching, little effort is committed to research. Nigerian universities, which should exist as centres for research, knowledge dissemination and creativity, havent delivered on their full responsibilities.

Regrettably, research in Nigerian institutions is not given the priority it deserves because of poor funding of the education sector. Funding of universities, generally, and research, in particular, is inadequate. This condition partly accounts for the inability of lecturers to access research fund.

As a result, giant strides have not been recorded from the research efforts of Nigerian universities. Besides, the bulk of university research in Nigeria is driven by demand for publication towards career advancement.

Every year, scores of Nigerian academics fail to secure funding for their research and a few do rarely get what they need as it is beginning to look like universities now want to solely depend on the government agency tasked with utilising education taxes that corporations pay to fund research known as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

TETfund was established as an intervention agency through the TETFund Act 2011, which charges with the responsibility of managing, monitoring and disbursing the education tax to public tertiary institutions. To enable TETfund achieve its objectives, the Act imposes a two per cent Education Tax on the assessable profit of all registered companies in Nigeria.

According to section 7 of the Act, the mandate of the fund is to disburse grants to federal and state tertiary educational institutions, for the provision and maintenance of essential physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, instructional materials and equipment.

However, instead of consistently waiting for funds from TETfund, tertiary institutions can actually try to generate revenue internally to fund and support their research endeavours.

Recently, during a courtesy visit to the Image Merchant Promotions (IMPR) Abuja office by the Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, Professor Aliyu Shugaba, and his management team, I asked the VC what the university is doing internally to generate revenue to fund the research department of the institution.

Professor Shugaba explained that the University of Maiduguri, being an institution with the largest student population of 75,000, has a centre for entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

According to him, the centre started as an idea to generate revenue for the institution, through entrepreneural activities also geared towards imparting skills in students, regardless of their courses of study. He said the skills involved ranged from computer repairs, animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry to bakery. He said the centre has trained over 40,000 students since its inception.

He further said that the University had collaborated with the Nigerian Airforce at some point during the peak of the insecurity in Maiduguri and through the Centre, a diagnostic bench was invented to diagnose a faulty jet, which was subsequently repaired to perfection. From there, the University was able to have a patent registered for the test bench and thereafter more patents were registered through the same means.

The institution has also come up with a science park, which looks at different research findings, some of which are being packaged for commercialisation. According to Professor Shugaba, the university equally has a consulting services company that generates revenue, and a centre for distant learning that generates between N800 million and N1 billion annually. In addition, the university has a hotel named Kanem Suites, with branches in Abuja, Kano and on the campus in Maiduguri. All these serve as avenues for generating revenue for research in the institution.

While a lot of experts have stressed the need to improve the quantity and quality of research outputs from higher institutions, they have also added that the focus of research should be in line with national priorities, while also being knowledge-and demand-driven, to aid national development.

Personally, Im really impressed with University of Maiduguris numerous efforts to generate revenue for research and I want to urge all tertiary institutions to enumerate these steps and start up profitable avenues to internally generate funds for research, so that at least the government through the TETFUND can meet them half way through, instead of just letting the young and active minds that can do perfectly well in research and development stay idle due to the lack of funds.

Rahma Olamide Oladosu writes from Abuja and can be reached through: oladosurahma@gmail.com.
Following series of rumour making the rounds in several quarters including the media, the management of VKS Group of companies has stated categorically that the Group is strictly in the business of delivering general goods and services, including building, construction and investments.

A release signed by Onur Kumral, the Managing Director of VKS Group pointed out that the Group is not in any way a political party or political group or have any interest in politics. The statement was necessitated by attempts by some individuals who perhaps, may be seeking political offices, and thus plot to drag the Group into their argument and discussion. The release stated:

We completely distance ourselves from such group of persons, and advise that these few individuals should focus on their political endeavours and allow VKS to carry out their legitimate responsibility effectively which will be to the overall interest of the general public and particularly our esteemed host, Akwa Ibom State.

Since we berthed Akwa Ibom State some six years ago, there is no gainsaying that we have delivered world class projects in the state within record time. Our firm, VKS Nigeria Construction Limited, delivered the 21 Smart Storey building to the State Government weeks before the actual contractual time of delivery. It is public knowledge that our company has also constructed and delivered to the state a 12,742km Awa Iman-Asong Road with two bridges in Onna and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas, coupled with dualization of 1km Awa- Nkan Road, with outfalls drains in Onna, as well as the St. Gabriel Coconut Refinery in Mkpat Enin LGA.

Satisfied with the quality of our projects and our culture of timely delivery, the State Government awarded the Victor Attah International Terminal to our construction firm, VKS. The work at present is near completion and will be delivered again, on record time, by December 2022.

May we reiterate that some of the projects we have been entrusted to deliver to the State Government in the last five years are: The 21 Smart Storey building, St. Gabriel Coconut Refinery, construction of Victor Attah International Airport Terminal building, construction of 12,742km Awa Iman-Asong Road with two bridges in Onna and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas, dualization of 1km Awa- Nkan Road, with outfalls drains in Onna, and Odio, Ndon-Eyo, Ikwe  Ikot Akpatek road project. In all these, we have completed and handed over to the State Government all, except the later, coupled with the airport project.

May we state that these two projects are already in various advanced stages of completion and they could easily be accessed and appraised by the public. We have a track record of project delivery in some states of Nigeria. We have a name to protect, hence we assure Akwa Ibom State Government and the good people of the state that these two ongoing projects, mentioned above, would be completed soon. There is certainly no cause for alarm.

We are focused on contributing our quota to the industrialization dreams of the state through our companies. Needless to mention that our Jubilee Syringe manufacturing company operating in Akwa Ibom State, which we built from scratch, continues to maintain its position as the largest syringe manufacturing company in Africa, even as our Kings Flour Mill, again, which we conceived and built, has kept Akwa Ibom State on the map as the state hosting the fourth largest flour producing company in Nigeria. The gains of our investment in Akwa Ibom State will continue to resonate in the state for years to come.

To this end, we wish to emphasize that we are committed to the growth and development of Akwa Ibom State in particular and Nigeria in general through our deliveries and investments. However, we appeal to all in the state and country at large, to continue to support us to meet these targets and goals.

We are not given to distractions. We will not be distracted. We are on a mission to create lasting legacy in Nigeria, and we are poised on remaining apolitical in all our operations across Nigeria, the release concluded.
A total of 120 security personnel are currently in the forests of Ovia West and Ovia North-East Local Government Areas of Edo to flush out criminals.

Governor Godwin Obaseki stated this on Tuesday in Benin while reviewing the states security situation for the month of February.

The review came after a joint security meeting with representatives of various security agencies in the state.

Mr Obaseki said the Security Council planned to deploy similar security squads in other forests in the state to prevent criminals from migrating to places currently enjoying peace.

He added that the council had resolved to begin to arrest and prosecute drivers of unregistered vehicles and those with covered number plates.

The governor noted that crime incidents reduced to 46 in February from 170 in January.

According to him, the council was working, proactively, to ensure security in communities where farmers-herders clashes were prevalent, especially as the farming season is approaching.

He said the council had approved necessary security backing to the newly-inaugurated Private Property Protection Law Enforcement Committee.

The committee, he said, would be expected to update the council with its activities regularly.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Edo, Philip Ogbadu, said the police had arrested many suspects, including three who had been on the police wanted list since June 2021.

Mr Ogbadu said three AK-47 rifles were recovered from suspected kidnappers during the period under review.

In his remarks, Henry Benamaisia, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission in Edo, said security agencies would immediately begin the arrest and prosecution of drivers of unregistered vehicles.

Mr Benamaisia said this was in line with the directives of the Security Council, adding that those with covered number plates would not be left out of the arrest and prosecution.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Wole Iyamu, said Edo was poised to stamp out cybercrime.

This, he explained, was a decision taken at a meeting between the state governor and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

(NAN)
The Evbuoriaria Magistrates Court in Benin, on Tuesday, adjourned the trial of the Iyesere of Warri Kingdom, Johnson Atseleghe, over alleged assault until March 10.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the absence of the prosecution witnesses in court due to the fuel scarcity in the city stalled the trial of the Warri chief alleged to have assaulted an octogenarian, Grace Tietie, on February 7.

The defendant is being tried on a one count charge of assault.

Mrs Tietie, 84, is the Keke of Ologbo Dukedom in Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the police prosecutor, N. A. Ukpebor, told the court that his witnesses were finding it difficult to come to court from Ologbo as a result of fuel scarcity.

Mr Ukpebor, therefore, urged the court for an adjournment for his witnesses to be present in court to give their evidence.

Consequently, the Magistrate, Festus Okoro, adjourned the case to March 10 for hearing.

The prosecutor told the court the defendant committed the offence on December 31, 2021 and January 1, at Ologbo Community, Ikpoba-okha Local Government Area of Edo.

Mr Ukpebor said the defendant beat up Mrs Tietie and inflicted injuries on her head.

He said the offence contravened Section 351 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol.11 Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo State.

Section 351 of the Criminal Code prescribes one year jail term for assault.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The magistrate admitted the Iyesere to N100,000 bail with one surety in like sum, who must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

(NAN)
A State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Tuesday discharged and acquitted three men for a murder charge and sentenced one to 21 years in prison.

The four persons were arraigned on September 10, 2018, over a murder that took place in Onitsha.

However, after a four-year trial, Wilfred Ezike, Chisom Amakaeze, and Paul Anozie walked out of the courtroom as free men, while Sunday Emenike, was convicted for the murder.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that they were charged with conspiracy and murder of Akachukwu Ezebuilo.

They were also tried on another two-count charge of conspiracy and attempted murder of Nnamdi Obumse.

Delivering the judgment on the two-count charge, Justice S.N. Odili said that Messrs Ezike, Amakaeze, and Anozie proved beyond reasonable doubt that they were not involved nor present at the scene of the incident.

Justice Odili, however, found Mr Emenike guilty of the conspiracy and attempted murder charge.

He said that from Mr Emenikes defense statement, he was not able to convince the court about his non-involvement in the murder case.

I am convinced from what he told the court that he was involved in the conspiracy and attempted murder of Obumse.

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It has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was involved and I hereby sentence him to four years imprisonment for conspiracy and 21 years for the attempted murder of Obumse.

The sentences are to run concurrently, Justice Odili said.

The judge said he would have sentenced him to life imprisonment but for the plea for leniency by his counsel, Kenechukwu Oguejiofor.

Mr Oguejiofor had pleaded that Mr Emenike was a first offender and had conducted himself orderly throughout the four years he was in prison custody.

He, however, said that they may appeal the judgment after going through the certified true copy to get a better judgment for the convict.

Chuma Oguejiofor, the lead counsel for the four, in his remark, said he was happy that his clients were set free.

(NAN)
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has discharged an Umuahia-based oil merchant, Kingsley Onwuzuruike, accused of financial crimes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr Onwuzuruike was arrested on January 26, 2020, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and arraigned on an eight-count charge.

He was charged with conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, fraudulent impersonation, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery of identity card and a U.S. international passport and money laundering, all the offences punishable by law.

He pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences on June 30, 2020, and entered a no case submission.

In a 13-page ruling, on February 16 and made available to reporters in Umuahia on Monday, Justice Adamu Mohammed, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.

Justice Mohammed said that after careful consideration of the evidence of the first and second prosecution witnesses, the defendants statements vis-a-vis the necessary elements of the allegations in count One to Eight, I am of the view that there is no prima facie evidence to warrant court to order the defendant to enter defence.

Consequently, upon my finding, I find the defendant not guilty and he is hereby discharged.

Reacting to the judgment, Mr Onwuzuruike expressed joy that he had finally been acquitted by the court.

He recalled how 15 EFCC operatives stormed his house in Umuahia in the early hours of January 26, 2020 and whisked him away like a common criminal.

They seized my phones, laptop and passport and took me to their office in Port Harcourt.

They held me for 10 days and I became sick.

They handcuffed me, took pictures of me while in handcuffs and posted on the internet, alleging that I am a fraudster without any evidence.

I am into the oil and gas business and I have business interests outside Nigeria. I have lived abroad for 17 years without any issues.

What is bad in someone making progress in life?

Maybe, my only crime is coming back to invest in my own country, Mr Onwuzuruike said.

(NAN)
The Ebonyi Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has seized 243,520 kilogrammes of illicit drugs in the state in 2021.

The command also said that 238 persons were arrested for allegedly trafficking illicit drugs within the period.

The agencys Deputy Commander in the state, Amaka Ekwalor, disclosed this at a news conference in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

The conference was part of the agencys week-long programme organised to sensitise youths and women of Izzi/Abakaliki Federal Constituency on the dangers of substance abuse.

The programme is sponsored by the lawmaker representing the constituency, Sylvester Ogbaga, in collaboration with Randburg Nigeria Ltd.

Mrs Ekwalor said: It may interest you to know that between January and December 2021, the command seized 243,520 kilogrammes of drugs and arrested 238 suspects.

Cannabis accounts for the bulk of the seizure with 183,313 kilogrammes, followed by psychotropic substances.

The seizures were not made without the arrest of the perpetrators.

According to her, 20 male suspects, aged between 20 and 65, were convicted at the Federal High Court, Abakaliki.

She described the sensitisation as apt, saying it would help to involve the public in the efforts to combat drug challenges not only in the state but Nigeria at large.

She said the agency was intensifying advocacy and sensitisation across the communities to rid the state of illicit drugs.

(NAN)
A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State said it boycotted the Wednesday local council elections in the state.

The factional chairman, Ugochukwu Agaballah, who received his Certificate of Return from the APC National leadership on February 14, confirmed the boycott to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday evening.

He alleged that the candidates of the party for the elections were excluded by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC).

We are not participating in the election, because ENSIEC excluded our candidates (from the election). Anybody (from the APC) who is participating is on his own, he said.

Mr Agaballah also accused the electoral body of including unregistered parties in the ballot papers for the election.

The election itself is a charade, he said.

The APC boss, who said the country would be in trouble if the electoral process was allowed to be violated, said the party had taken the matter to court to seek legal redress.

When contacted, Ben Nwoye, a factional chairman of the party in the state, declined comment on the matter, saying he would not join issues with Mr Agballah.

Mr Nwoye expressed displeasure with the National Leadership of the party for issuing Certificate of Return to Mr Agballah without screening him.

The party at the national level has caused a lot of confusion, he said.

So, thats why, at this point, people dont even know their role, who they are or what they are. People are running around making claims, he added.

Mr Nwoye, who said he was still mourning the APC members killed by gunmen last month, contended that Certificate of Return does not guarantee any position for anybody.

He insisted that he remains the chairman of the party in the state.

Anybody can claim anything in Nigeria, Mr Nwoye said.

ENSIEC spokesperson, George Okwelu, when reached for comments, said he was no longer empowered to interact with journalists until the end of the election.
The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday issued a summon to an administrative officer attached to the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Abati Abidemi, to testify as a witness in the ongoing alleged certificate forgery of a former acting director of the institute, Chima Igwe.

Mr Igwe was arraigned in November 2021 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for alleged certificate forgery and he pleaded not guilty.

The summon was issued when the prosecution lawyer, Henry Emore, notified the judge, Sherifat Solebo, that his second witness, Mr Abidemi said he had been warned by the chairman not to appear in court as a witness in the matter.

Immediately, the court issued a subpoena saying that a warrant of arrest would be issued if Mr Abidemi failed to obey the court order.

Hence, the matter which was earlier fixed to continue on Thursday, February 24, was rescheduled for June 14, 15, and 16.

Cross-examination

Earlier in the hearing, the first prosecution witness, Vera Esideme, during cross-examination by the defendants lawyer, C. Nwonu affirmed that the investigation team did their best.

She said that Mr Igwe submitted an attestation signed by Mansour Moudathirou, a professor at the Abomey Calabi University in the Benin Republic.

She said that during their investigation, they wrote to the university and sent a team there to verify the suspects claim adding that Mr Igwe said he sent the attestation to a French translator and it was translated to mean that he had completed his Ph.D. programme.

whereas our finding from the responses to the school says that it is neither a certificate or statement of result, Ms Esideme said.

In the course of your investigation, you investigate all the academic records of the defendants? The lawyer asked.

The witness replied in the affirmative.

Mrs Esideme said they found out that the defendant is a first-class graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He had a Masters degree at the University of Lagos and proceeded for his Ph.D. in Benin Republic between 1999  2002 but did not defend the thesis.

She insisted that the correspondence they received from the University revealed that the defendant did coursework, not research.

That attestation is a precursor to the ceremonial public presentation of the thesis? the defendants lawyer asked.

Responding, Ms Esideme said, No, it is not a prerequisite.

Are you aware that before the attestation was issued to the defendant, the defendant had presented and defended his thesis before core academicians namely, Professor Koumaglo, Professor Chalchat, Professor Mansur? the lawyer asked.

He stated that he submitted a thesis and he also defended these before Professor Mansur and two others. He stated this in about four statements on January 20, 27, 29, and 31, 2020, Mrs Esideme said.

It was in the process of verifying his claims that letters were written to the embassy of Benin Republic in Nigeria where we requested to know if he had completed the Ph.D. programme and if the attestation that he submitted was a statement of the result of his certificate and if he applied to the university requesting for the certificate.

And the embassy wrote back to the commission that the attestation was neither a statement of result nor a certificate. And he did complete the coursework between 1998 and 2001 but had not defended his thesis.

And the thesis is the prerequisite for you to receive a certificate

Mr Nwonu asked if they invited one Segun Ajayi from Arose Group during the investigation, Ms Esideme said no.

Are you aware that the defendant defended his Ph.D. attestation publicly on the 13th of Feb 2020? The lawyer asked.

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Im aware because the correspondence said that he defended his thesis on 13th of February 2020, but he failed to get his certificate because he failed to defend his thesis publicly, she replied.

The lawyer said one of those who petitioned the ICPC against Mr Igwe, Olanrewaju Suraju, the Chairman of Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), is undergoing trial before the Federal high court in Abuja.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed about 255 hectares of cannabis farms in Ondo state.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Commissions spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the agency said it also arrested 13 persons in connection with the business.

The latest development comes amidst the agencys renewed clamp down on drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria.

Although the drug has been declared illegal in Nigeria, some countries have legalised its use with Nigeria being one of the major sources in West Africa.

The drugs are usually grown in the South-west and South-south regions of Nigeria.

In the statement by Mr Babafemi, the NDLEA said it seized 250 kilograms of cannabis seeds as well as 63.85kg cannabis weeds from five major forests in the state.

Read full statement:

NDLEA destroys 255 hectares of cannabis farms, arrests 13 in Ondo

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in a major operation that lasted seven days, have destroyed a total of 255 hectares of cannabis farms spread across five local government areas of Ondo state.

In addition, 13 suspects were arrested and 250 kilograms of cannabis seeds as well as 63.85kg cannabis weeds were recovered during the operation deep inside five major forests: Omolowo/Powerline forest; Ipele forest; Ala forest; Ogbese forest; Utte and Okuluse forest that spread across five local council areas of the state.

The exercise codenamed Operation Abub, which began at Ogbese forest on Tuesday 15th February lasted till Monday 21st Feb, 2022. At the Ogbese forest, a suspect, Olatunde Olaoluwa was arrested in his cannabis farm measuring 10 hectares, which was destroyed and burnt along with other cannabis farms spread across the Ogbese riverbank.

The following day, 16th of Feb, the Agencys Strike Force operatives in their numbers stormed Ipele forest where they arrested Amos Mark; Luke Job; Monday Momoh, and Otunuya Waya while 19 hectares of irrigated cannabis plantations were destroyed. One of the suspects, who escaped during the farm destruction, was later arrested in his house.

The Omolowo community in Ogbese area was next on Wednesday 17th Feb when one Mary Udonije was arrested inside a 10-hectare farm with 16.5kg of cannabis seeds and 4.5 kg of processed cannabis. Also recovered in the farm was an irrigation pumping machine with over 700 metres hose for watering the illicit weed.

Not less than 154kg of cannabis seeds was also seized at Ala forest, Akure North Local Government Area with over 30 hectares of irrigation cannabis farms destroyed and burnt. A suspect, John Mike who claimed to be a labourer was also apprehended with 2.5kg of cannabis seeds.

On day four of the operation, 54 hectares of cannabis farm was destroyed at Utte and Okuluse forest, Ose Local Government Area of the state. Also recovered in the farm was 95kg of cannabis seeds, 2.5kg of processed cannabis sativa and a pumping machine with long hose.

On the fifth day, one Anthony Agbe, 58, was arrested with 43kg of fresh cannabis inside a farm that was earlier destroyed at Ogbese. He claimed he was contracted by one Henry Daniel, (a.k.a Calender) who is at large to help gather the destroyed cannabis weeds. On the same day, one Ahmadu Abubakar was arrested with three Dane guns in a hut within a farm where over three hectares were destroyed at Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

On the last day of the operation, Monday 21st Feb, over 50 clusters of cannabis farm spread across 47 hectares were destroyed and 2kg of cannabis seeds seized, while a suspect, Olorunlogo Lekan was apprehended inside a large cannabis farm measuring 10 hectares at Ala forest before it was destroyed and burnt by Strike Force officers drawn across Edo, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states Commands of the anti-narcotic agency. At least, 72 hectares of other cannabis farms in small clusters close to the identified ones in the five forests were also destroyed in the course of the operation.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers and men of the Strike Force corps of the Agency for their sacrifices and commitment to the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that all such cultivation and plantations in the forests must be located and destroyed. He charged them to look out for more of such farms in any part of the country for similar response.

Femi Babafemi

Director, Media & Advocacy

NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja

Wednesday 23rd February 2022
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said the zoning of the presidency to the South by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) poses no threat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Mr Mohammed, a PDP governor, spoke Wednesday after a meeting with former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Mr Obasanjo was president on the platform of the PDP between 1999 and 2007, before his dramatic resignation from the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The governor made this disclosure, even as he described former Mr Obasanjo as a man with a lot of wisdom and an elder statesman par excellence.

Mr Mohammed said the PDP would continue to strategise to rescue Nigeria from its challenging situation.

He said the APC zoning their presidential ticket to the south is not a threat to the PDP because each party is trying to strategise, to plan and organise.

If they zone to the South, it is open to us to see how it is going to give us more electoral victory or if we put it to the North it will give us more electoral victory, said Mr Mohammed, who is a presidential aspirant on the PDP platform.

This is the kind of things we are doing; the leg works, the permutations and so and so forth. So that, at least, whatever we are going to do, is give us and provide for Nigerians to choose between the best alternatives.

He said his visit to Mr Obasanjo was to tap from his wisdom as 2023 approaches.

We know that Baba is non-partisan, we know hes an elder statesman per excellence, the governor said.

But we are rebuilding our party to remove rancour, division and what-have-you. So, we still need him, because his words of wisdom are always very useful.

So, I have come to sound his opinion on some the things going in the party, to close ranks and make sure that we provide Nigerians with the opportunity to rescue the country, from the present division going around which we have found ourselves.

On his chances of getting the partys presidential ticket to contest the 2023 election, Mr Mohammed expressed optimism.

He said, to me, presidency is a consensusstatesmanship, its responsibilities. Of course, every Nigerian should try to contribute his or her quota to the growth and development of the nation.

Nigeria is too large and too important to be ignored. Some of us have benefited so much. It is not about me and my expression, but about the country.
Budding trees and blooming flowers.

The return of robins, loons and other migrating birds.

The return of bees, butterflies and frogs.

Melting snow and lake ice.

Longer days and light in the evening.

Shedding the winter garments.

The myriad scents of flowering trees and plants.

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MOSCOW, Feb. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chairman of the RussiaBrazil Business Council and CEO of PhosAgro, Andrey Guryev, has proposed the creation of a working group on carbon neutrality in collaboration with Brazilian businesses.

The idea was floated on 15 February in Moscow during a Forum for the two countries' Business Councils.

"Russia and Brazil account for 32% of global forests. This means that Russia and Brazil are de facto the 'lungs' of modern industrial civilisation as well as global leaders in carbon sequestration.

"It would make sense to form a working group comprised of leading scientists from Russia and Brazil, as well as regulatory organisations, to develop and validate a methodology to track carbon sequestration in Russian and Brazilian forests. The goal would be to create a mechanism for monetising carbon sequestration on a global scale.

"This could lead to the creation of a joint carbon trading platform with the goal of providing carbon credits to other carbon-emitting countries. The New Development Bank could serve as the basis for the initiative.

"I suggest that Russia and Brazil work together on the scientific and business fronts to show that they have a negative carbon footprint despite their mature industries. Given the possibility of carbon regulation in the EU, the US and later other nations around the world, this would give us an additional competitive advantage," said Mr Guryev, Deputy Chairman for Russia to the Intergovernmental RussianBrazilian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

Mr Guryev stated that, in the context of agriculture  the driving force behind Russia and Brazil's expanding trade  it is critical to jointly develop and apply technologies for soil carbon sequestration. Furthermore, Brazil was invited to join the Green Club, a newly formed group of countries that use eco-efficient fertilizers to grow crops that are free of dangerous substances. The ability to produce food using eco-efficient and potentially carbon-neutral fertilizers from Russia will create a unique green platform for interaction with Brazilian agribusiness. The green platform will enable the responsible production of agrochemicals, agricultural products and food based on sustainability principles as well as the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

The Brazilian part of the Business Council supported the recommendations, which are to be submitted to the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, on Wednesday, 16 February, during his meeting with representatives of Russian business.

SOURCE PhosAgro
BENGALURU, India, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Giift, a leading provider of loyalty management solutions, around the globe and Apis Partners, an ESGI-native global private equity and venture capital asset manager, backed by Apis Growth Fund II, a private equity fund managed by Apis Partners LLP, announced today that it has acquired a significant strategic interest in Xoxoday, a fintech disruptor in the rewards, incentives and payout space. The partnership included both primary and secondary capital components, and the collaboration will enable both Giift and Xoxoday to enlarge their service offerings and collectively accelerate growth globally. The Apis Group ("Apis") is an ESGI-native global private equity and venture capital asset manager that supports growth-stage financial services and financial infrastructure businesses by providing them with catalytic growth equity capital.

Xoxoday provides technology infrastructure to enable businesses to automate rewards, incentives and payouts across the value chain. Xoxoday will use the US $30 million (225 crores INR) investment to fuel the next stage of growth in international markets and upgrade the technology infrastructure required to serve the next set of billion users.

It took a pandemic to expose the gaps in the way businesses engage with people. It is inevitable that businesses invest in systems that align people, delight customers, and empower their partners.

Xoxoday's founders have been forerunners in creating solutions that the world has just started contemplating. Almost a decade ago, the four founders, Sumit Khandelwal , Manoj Agarwal , Abhishek Kumar , and Kushal Agrawal , began their entrepreneurial journey by solving the complex everyday problem of human motivation using technology. With a first-principles approach, they reimagined how rewards, incentives, and payouts should work via branded currency. Today, through its platform, Xoxoday enables rewards and incentives embedded and integrated in the flow of work across the value chain. Since different business contexts demand tailored solutions, Xoxoday has three SaaS offerings for the market.

Plum, a horizontal platform infrastructure, automating rewards, incentives, and payouts programs at scale from the flow of work.

Empuls, a vertical platform enabling organizations to build an engaged workplace, where everyone is aligned, motivated, empowered and connected.

Compass, a platform automating and gamifying sales incentives and commissions for sales teams.

Co-Founder and CEO of Giift Laurent Xatart commented, "Xoxoday is a unique and powerful loyalty platform for employee, sales and consumer rewards. Our partnership with Xoxoday will enable Giift to offer the most comprehensive engagement and loyalty solution available on the market, and represents a big step forward in our mission to create the global standard for the loyalty industry."

Sumit Khandelwal, Co-founder & CEO Xoxoday, added, "We firmly believe that growth compounds with the right people and right partners. With Giift and Apis Partners on board, I can only see growth upwards and onwards from here. Giift's loyalty infrastructure and Xoxoday's rewards infrastructure, together, cover the length and breadth of business use cases across the entire lifecycle for employees, channel partners, and consumers."

Manoj Agarwal, Co-founder Xoxoday, says, "While we have been busy enabling rewards, it feels like we have been awarded today. However, it is not just us. The true architects of Xoxoday have been our customers, our employees, and partners, who are the ones rewarding us every day with their trust. I would like to thank our teams, customers & partners who have helped us grow. I am looking forward to working with the team at Giift and Apis Partners."

Apis Partners Co-founder and Managing Partner Matteo Stefanel said: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with Xoxoday. It is rare to see a business with such a strong founding team and targeting such an under-invested opportunity. Xoxoday's impressive and largely self-financed growth over the last decade is a testament to the sharp focus with which the team has been executing its plans."

Udayan Goyal, Apis Partners Co-founder, and Managing Partner added: "Following Apis' recent partnership with Giift, we are very happy to be expanding our efforts in the rewards and loyalty sector with Xoxoday. The space that Xoxoday occupies is becoming a necessity around the world for businesses, particularly as the world transitions to a hybrid work environment. The convergence with financial services further leverages Apis' sector-specific expertise in fintech. We are excited to support them in the next phase of their growth."

About Xoxoday

Xoxoday is a rapidly growing fintech SaaS firm that propels business growth while focusing on human motivation. Xoxoday offers a suite of three products - Plum, Empuls , and Compass . Xoxoday works with more than 2000 clients, across 10+ countries and over 2.5 million users. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Xoxoday is a 270 member strong team with four global offices in San Francisco, Dublin, Singapore, New Delhi. www.xoxoday.com

About Giift

Giift serves the multifaceted loyalty industry across three main functions including Loyalty Issuance, Loyalty Exchange, and Loyalty Payment. Founded in 2013, today Giift manages 50k+ programs across 55+ countries and over 130 million users. The company is headquartered in Singapore and has offices in New York, London, Wuhan, San Francisco, Nairobi, Beijing, Mumbai, Dubai, Lagos, Jakarta, New Delhi, Doha, Dhaka, and Colombo. www.giift.com

About Apis Partners

The Apis Group ("Apis") is an ESGI-native global private equity and venture capital asset manager that supports growth-stage financial services and financial infrastructure businesses by providing them with catalytic growth equity capital. Collectively Apis, through its team of approximately 30 professionals with deep industry expertise, manages or advises on total committed capital from investors (including drawn and invested capital) of US$1.2 billion. Including its headquarters in London, Apis has representation in seven countries across Europe, North, East and West Africa, and South and Southeast Asia. www.apis.pe

Media Contacts

Xoxoday-Janani Rangarajan: [email protected] | +91 9884540050

Giift - Pascal Xatart: [email protected] | +44 7470 605 095

Apis Partners - Stephanie Mullard: [email protected] | +44 20 3653 050

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1224198/Xoxoday_Logo.jpg



SOURCE Xoxoday
SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelligent Technology, LLC (I-Tech), a Wood River Federal company, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a General Services Administration (GSA) 8(a) STARS III contract. STARS III is a Best in Class (BIC) Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) with a $50B ceiling that provides service-based IT solutions to Federal Government and DoD customers.

STARS III is a proven contract vehicle that provides a low risk, streamlined acquisition process for IT services. I-Tech was also awarded both STARS III focused scope sub-areas: Emerging Technologies (ET) and IT services Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS). As an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC), I-Tech can receive sole-source task order awards up to $25M for Federal Civilian agencies and $100M for Department of Defense (DoD) customers through STARS III.

Will Emerson, General Manager of I-Tech, commented, "Wood River Federal companies focus on integrating client-site IT support teams with our government customers. STARS III is a perfect contract for our business model and expanding our IT services with current and new Federal Government customers."

About Intelligent Technology, LLC

Intelligent Technology, LLC (I-Tech) is part of the Wood River Federal group of companies. All Wood River Federal companies are subsidiaries of Choggiung Limited, an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC). Wood River Federal companies provide IT, professional, and technical services to Federal Government customers around the world. From IT support to Master Divers to ATV repair, Wood River Federal has proven capability to recruit and retain a wide variety of expertise for Federal Government customers.

Contact: Will Emerson

Media Contact: Janet Waring

Website: woodriverfederal.com

Address: 2722 West Bitters Road

Suite 118

San Antonio, TX 78248

Phone: (210) 899-1900

SOURCE Wood River Federal
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles based actress and activist Tiffani Fest has turned her most personal transformation story into a powerful new TEDx talk that launched this month on the TED YouTube channel.

Titled "Turning Your Greatest Suffering into Your Greatest Gift," Fest shares publicly for the first time how she turned her own greatest suffering as a sexual abuse survivor into her greatest mission to advocate on behalf of women survivors around the world.

Turning Your Greatest Suffering Into Your Greatest Gift | Tiffani Fest | TEDxWoodside Los Angeles based actress and activist Tiffani Fest has turned her most personal transformation story into a powerful new TEDx talk. Fest is an ambassador to New Light India, the largest non-profit operating in the red-light districts of Kolkata, whose mission is to educate and empower women and girls there in order to end the cycle of second generation prostitution.

She added: "When I began my global philanthropy efforts in 2015, as a solo female traveler, never did I imagine my passion for championing oppressed women and children would begin to forge a path for my public speaking & survivor advocacy work to emerge."

She has gone on to become an ambassador to New Light India, the largest non-profit operating in the red-light districts of Kolkata, whose mission is to educate and empower women and girls there, thus ending the cycle of second generation prostitution. Championing New Light's work & supporting their initiatives has transformed Fest's life into one of purpose-driven joy and fulfillment.

It has also deepened her work as an artist. She goes on to say, "I believe strongly that art exists at the intersection of storytelling and social justice. And that my work as an activist is not separate from my work as an actress. The job of all art is to hold a mirror up to humanity, to create a dialogue with our own reflection, to challenge it, and often to be a catalyst for social change."

"We can all turn the source of our greatest suffering into wellsprings of purpose and mission. As a speaker and a survivor, my goal is to continue to use my voice to amplify and champion female survivor leadership."

To learn more about Tiffani Fest or to book her as a speaker, visit her speaker website: www.tiffani-fest-speaks.com .

She can also be booked via AEA Speakers Bureau at www.aaespeakers.com/

To learn more about her work as an actress, visit: www.imdb.me/tiffanifest

Media Contacts

Media Company: Tiffani Fest Speaks

Media Name: Tiffani Fest

Media Phone: 9178600259

Media Email: [email protected]

Social media: www.instagram.com/tiffanibrookefest

Media URL: www.tiffani-fest-speaks.com

SOURCE Tiffani Fest
PHOENIX, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisor Group, the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, today announced the launch of the next stage of its strategic vision for transforming the financial advisor and client service experience with the addition of three executives across operations, marketing and advisor engagement.

The firm named Tim Hodge as Executive Vice President, Trading and Operations; Jen Roche as Senior Vice President, Corporate Content, Communication, and Public Relations; and Aiyisha Adams as Vice President of Advisor Engagement.

"As we embark on the next stage of our strategic vision, we are committed to hiring top talent that will help us align ongoing advisor feedback with a boutique service approach and industry-leading scale to deliver tailored solutions that help our advisors and their clients thrive," said Jamie Price, CEO, Advisor Group. "Each of these new additions to our management team brings a unique level of expertise and fresh perspective that will only enhance our ability to deliver a differentiated experience for our financial advisors and their clients."

In recent months, Advisor Group has launched numerous initiatives aimed at collecting and understanding advisor feedback. Each of these new hires represents an area essential to that journey with responsibilities that will directly impact the experience for financial professionals.

With more than 50 years combined experience, Mr. Hodge, Ms. Roche and Ms. Adams join Advisor Group with a diversity of thought and strong track records of success.

Tim Hodge joins the executive team of Advisor Group as Executive Vice President, Trading and Operations with more than 25 years of experience in the industry, leading and building large teams focused on client care. Most recently he was with LPL Financial as EVP, Service, Trading and Operations. Throughout his career at LPL  and earlier in 18 years at Goldman Sachs in a series of leadership roles, Mr. Hodge consistently raised service performance to clients, implemented large-scale technology enhancements that improved operations workflow and case management, and engaged directly with advisors.

joins the executive team of Advisor Group as Executive Vice President, Trading and Operations with more than 25 years of experience in the industry, leading and building large teams focused on client care. Most recently he was with LPL Financial as EVP, Service, Trading and Operations. Throughout his career at LPL  and earlier in 18 years at Goldman Sachs in a series of leadership roles, Mr. Hodge consistently raised service performance to clients, implemented large-scale technology enhancements that improved operations workflow and case management, and engaged directly with advisors. In her role as Senior Vice President, Corporate Content, Communication, and Public Relations, Jen Roche will assume responsibility for streamlining and building corporate communications, both internally and externally. Prior to joining Advisor Group, Ms. Roche led marketing and communications functions for AssetMark and LPL Financial and handled PR for a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies and executives.

will assume responsibility for streamlining and building corporate communications, both internally and externally. Prior to joining Advisor Group, Ms. Roche led marketing and communications functions for AssetMark and LPL Financial and handled PR for a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies and executives. As Vice President, Advisor Engagement, Aiyisha Adams will lead the firm's advisor feedback strategy and initiatives by amplifying advisor voices and measuring advisor priorities to enable seamless delivery of exceptional service experiences. In addition to her previous experience as Advisor Group's Director of Specialty Teams, Ms. Adams has also held positions at several financial services firms, including Lincoln Financial Group, Northwestern Mutual and BB&T Investments.

"We are thrilled to welcome Tim, Jen and Aiyisha to Advisor Group," said Greg Cornick, President, Advice & Wealth Management at Advisor Group. "These high caliber executives could have joined any firm in our industry, but they chose Advisor Group because they recognize we are building a truly exceptional firm with a clear vision for transforming wealth management."

Advisor Group is comprised of FSC Securities, Royal Alliance Associates, SagePoint Financial, Securities America, Triad Advisors and Woodbury Financial Services.

About Advisor Group

Advisor Group, Inc. is the nation's largest network of independent wealth management firms, serving approximately 10,000 financial advisors and overseeing over $515 billion in client assets. The firm is mission-driven to support the strategic role that advisors can play in the lives of their clients. Cultivating a spirit of entrepreneurship and independence, Advisor Group champions the enduring value of financial advisors and is committed to being in their corner every step of the way. For more information visit https://www.advisorgroup.com.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through the firms: FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Triad Advisors, LLC, and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and members of FINRA and SIPC. Securities are offered through Securities America, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Arbor Point Advisors, LLC, Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Inc., Securities America Advisors, Inc., and Triad Hybrid Solutions, LLC, registered investment advisers. Advisory programs offered by FSC Securities Corporation, Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., and Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., are sponsored by VISION2020 Wealth Management Corp., an affiliated registered investment adviser. Advisor Group, Inc. is an affiliate of these firms. 20 E. Thomas Rd., Ste. 2000, Phoenix, AZ, 85012. 866.481.0379.

Media Inquiries

Joseph Kuo / Donald Cutler

Haven Tower Group

[email protected] or [email protected]

424 317 4851 or 424 317 4864

SOURCE Advisor Group
BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, a CVS Health company (NYSE: CVS), today announced that the Louisiana Department of Health intends to award the company a new statewide Medicaid contract through the Louisiana Medicaid Managed Care Program.

Aetna Better Health has served Medicaid enrollees in Louisiana for more than seven years. Through the contract award, Aetna Better Health of Louisiana would continue to serve several Medicaid eligible populations, including those enrolled in the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Louisiana Medicaid expansion population (EXP) and Specialized Behavioral Health (SBH) programs.

"We appreciate that the state of Louisiana continues to have confidence in Aetna Better Health's commitment to better health outcomes for Louisianans," said Kelly Munson, President, Aetna Medicaid. "We look forward to furthering our delivery of personalized, holistic care - with a deep focus on population health and health equity to continue to increase positive impacts on our members' health and quality of life."

Aetna Better Health of Louisiana has been working to improve the health of Medicaid enrollees and their communities. The organization has reduced health care disparities and achieved the highest percentage of COVID-19 vaccinated enrollees among all Medicaid plans serving Louisiana, in collaboration with CVS Health and local community-based organizations. In addition, CVS Health has offered more than 45 Project Health events, providing more than 2,700 no-cost biometric screenings in the state with more scheduled.

Aetna Better Health of Louisiana has also continued to support the social care needs of underserved populations in the state. Since 2019, the organization has provided over $775,000 in funding to Louisiana community-based organizations, helping to fill needs such as food insecurity, maternal health and education. In addition, CVS Health is making a $25 million investment to help build 224 affordable housing units for families and seniors in Louisiana.

"Our focus is on continuing to work closely with our state partners in Louisiana, helping them achieve their objectives for the Louisiana Medicaid Managed Care Program," said Richard Born, CEO Aetna Better Health of Louisiana. "We'll catalyze the efforts of the state and community partners and deliver innovative programs and services that support a healthy Louisiana."

Aetna Better Health serves over 150,000 enrollees across the state through the Louisiana Medicaid Managed Care Program. The new contract is anticipated to begin later this year, with the option of renewals, pending the completion of the state's protest period and contract negotiations.

About Aetna Medicaid

Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of the most medically vulnerable, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has particular expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve approximately 2.8 million people in 16 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and approximately 300,000 dedicated colleagues including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health  whether that's managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications, or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system  and their personal health care  by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Learn more at www.cvshealth.com.

Media contact

Robert Joyce

[email protected]

SOURCE CVS Health
HAMBURG, Germany, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On music streaming platforms algorithms ensure that users hear the music they like. However, this well-intentioned service has a downside. Once you listen to one of the many right-wing bands, more and more fascist music is suggested to you. A vicious circle that the German association "Laut gegen Nazis" (loud against Nazis) is now breaking with their band "Hetzjaeger" and proving: platforms are not powerless against right-wing bands.

- Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) -

"Laut gegen Nazis" has manipulated these algorithms so smartly that they work against the Nazi bands. To do this, they created the fake Nazi band "Hetzjaeger" - with their debut single "Kameraden" (comrades). Initially, only a teaser was published. A month later when the complete song and music video are released, it becomes clear after the 2nd verse: this band had set out to finally put an end to right-wing music on streaming platforms.

The song and the band were designed to perfectly serve the parameters of the algorithms.

Algorithms recommend bands based on how similar they are to the listeners' favourite artists. Besides sound and lyrics, visuals, listener behaviour and links and mentions in social media are also important. "Hetzjaeger" nailed all of them, by even infiltrating big fascist groups on Telegram to secure their support.

The band is quickly accepted and celebrated in the scene. Within a month, the audio sample

trained the algorithms so well, the teaser was recommended to over 120,000 right-wing extremists in Germany and around the world.

The stunt is a complete success, proving the point: the platforms could do something against their fascism problem - now it's time to do so.

Press Contact:

Jorn Menge

Laut gegen Nazis e.V.

+49 (0) 40-22867561

[email protected]

https://www.lautgegennazis.de

SOURCE Laut gegen Nazis
At the forefront of this endeavor is seasoned advertising executive and entrepreneur, John Gallegos. Gallegos' desire to push the envelope while infusing sensibilities of his Mexican heritage has come to fruition with the expansion of SouthNorte's portfolio. Since its inception in 2016, there has been an expressed passion for positioning this lifestyle brand in a distinct way that pushes the bounds through its Mexican-inspired flavors and allows all cultures to intersect.

In December 2019, Gallegos increased his investment and became majority owner of SouthNorte, allowing the company to focus on the acceleration of the company's creative marketing efforts, expansion into new territories, and the appointment of Paul Cummins as SouthNorte Brand's President. Through Gallegos' vision, the moment is ripe to position SouthNorte as a leader not only in the RTD cocktail category, but as a culturally attuned brand built to satisfy consumers' thirst for discovery.

"Ready to drink cocktails are capturing consumers' hearts and interest, as such we expect there be explosive growth in the category. This parallels the increased consumer demand for Tequilas, Tequila-based cocktails and all things authentically Mexican," said John Gallegos, founding partner and majority owner of SouthNorte Brands."SouthNorte is ideally positioned to capitalize on the trends with our portfolio expansion into ultra-premium tequila-based cocktails that are inspired by the flavors of Mexico."

Authenticity is not just a word to the brand, but it is who they are. SouthNorte's desire to share Mexican culture with others is expressed throughout their entire process. The authenticity of Mexico is carefully crafted into every can through the quality, colors, taste and design.

"Undeniably, the trend for RTD cocktails accelerated in the wake of the pandemic," said Paul Cummins, President, SouthNorte. "We saw an opportunity for SouthNorte to pave a new path forward and expand our flavor portfolio. For an increasingly omni-cultural generation, flavors and associations are tickets to places, feelings, ideas they may have never otherwise experienced. It's an exciting time for us to leave an imprint in this category."

All Good Things Come in Three

The premium crafted experience comes in both solo and variety packaging, allowing consumers to easily choose which flavors of Mexico to savor, whenever and wherever they please. SouthNorte's eye-catching and colorful can is designed with an homage to Mexico, featuring the traditional and decorative papel picado. The refreshing, tequila-based cocktails include:

The Paloma: A cocktail that combines blue agave tequila with refreshing red grapefruit, infused with fresh lime.

Mexican Mule: A cocktail that blends blue agave tequila, ginger beer, lime and a hint of jalapeno.

Matador: A cocktail that mixes blue agave tequila with natural pineapple and fresh lime.

SouthNorte canned cocktails are expected to hit shelves Spring 2022. For more information about SouthNorte's new canned cocktails or their award-winning beer portfolio, visit @southnorte on social media or www.SouthNorte.com.

About SouthNorte

Established in 2016, SouthNorte was born at the crossroads of cultures, where the blend of energies, wisdom, and talents equal more than the sum of the parts. We are brewers, makers and travelers wanting to bring the flavors of Mexico to crafted beer. Our latest innovation, SouthNorte Spirits, introduces three refreshing ready-to-drink tequila cocktails - Paloma, Matador and Mexican Mule, crafted with natural and high-quality ingredients. We invite you to explore SouthNorte, so you can satisfy your thirst for adventure one sip at a time. For more information, visit southnorte.com.

SOURCE SouthNorte
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The brain health supplements market is expected to grow by USD 1.76 bn from 2020 to 2025, progressing at a CAGR of 6.93% during the forecast period, according to Technavio. The report offers an up-to-date analysis as well as exact growth variance and the Y-O-Y growth rate.

For additional insights related to the brain health supplements market, Request a Free Sample Report.

Brain Health Supplements Market 2021-2025: Scope

The brain health supplements market report covers the following areas:

Brain Health Supplements Market 2021-2025: Drivers and Challenges

The growing urban population is one of the key factors driving the global brain health supplements market growth. According to the data stated by the World Bank Group, 56% of the overall population in the world lived in urban settlements in 2019. However, the incidence of dementia and chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's is also increasing. Moreover, the affordability of brain health supplements has increased in developing countries. High disposable incomes in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam are expected to drive market growth further. In addition, the easy availability of products through strong distribution channels will further support the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period.

The low penetration in developing and under-developed countries is one of the key challenges to the global brain health supplements market growth. Moreover, these products are not considered a necessity. Product visibility and availability are also low in such countries, which can be attributed to the poor distribution channel and low Internet penetration.

Brain Health Supplements Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

By distribution channel, the market has been segmented into retail and online. The retail segment will have significant market share growth during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the increase in the number of retail outlets in developing and emerging countries such as China and India. The demand for products such as brain health supplements is high in these countries, owing to a growing aging population.

By geography, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW. North America will have the highest market share growth during the forecast period.

Learn about the contribution of each segment of the market. Download a Free Sample Report

Brain Health Supplements Market 2021-2025: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the brain health supplements market, including Abbott Laboratories, Amway Corp., Archer Daniels Midland Co., Arkopharma Laboratories, BASF SE, Bayer AG, Glanbia Plc, GNC Holdings Inc., Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Koninklijke DSM NV among others.

Subscribe to our "Lite Plan" billed annually at USD 3000 that enables you to download 3 reports/year and view 3 reports/month.

Brain Health Supplements Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist brain health supplements market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the brain health supplements market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the brain health supplements market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of brain health supplements market vendors

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Brain Health Supplements Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.93% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 1.76 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.67 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW Performing market contribution North America at 36% Key consumer countries US, Germany, China, France, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Abbott Laboratories, Amway Corp., Archer Daniels Midland Co., Arkopharma Laboratories, BASF SE, Bayer AG, Glanbia Plc, GNC Holdings Inc., Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Koninklijke DSM NV Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table Of Contents :

***1. Executive Summary

***2. Market Landscape

**2.1 Market ecosystem

*Exhibit 01: Parent market

**2.2: Market Characteristics

*Exhibit 02: Market Characteristics

**2.2 Value chain analysis

*Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis for pharmaceuticals

*2.2.1 Research and development (R&D) and drug discovery

*2.2.2 Integration and product development

*2.2.3 Manufacturing

*2.2.4 Outbound logistics

*2.2.5 Marketing and sales

*2.2.6 Support services

*2.2.7 Innovation

***3. Market Sizing

**3.1 Market definition

*Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

**3.2 Market segment analysis

*Exhibit 05: Market segments

**3.3 Market size 2020

**3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

*Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%)

***4. Five Forces Analysis

**4.1 Five Forces Summary

*Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025

**4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

*Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers

**4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

*Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers

**4.4 Threat of new entrants

*Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants

**4.5 Threat of substitutes

*Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes

**4.6 Threat of rivalry

*Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry

**4.7 Market condition

*Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020

***5. Market Segmentation by Distribution channel

**5.1 Market segments

*The segments covered in this chapter are:

*Retail

*Online

*Exhibit 15: Distribution channel - Market share 2020-2025 (%)

**5.2 Comparison by Distribution channel

*Exhibit 16: Comparison by Distribution channel

**5.3 Retail - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 17: Retail - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 18: Retail - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**5.4 Online - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 19: Online - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 20: Online - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**5.5 Market opportunity by Distribution channel

*Exhibit 21: Market opportunity by Distribution channel

***6. Customer landscape

**6.1 Overview

*Exhibit 22: Customer landscape

***7. Geographic Landscape

**7.1 Geographic segmentation

*Exhibit 23: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%)

**7.2 Geographic comparison

*Exhibit 24: Geographic comparison

**7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 25: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 26: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 27: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 28: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**7.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 29: Asia - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 30: Asia - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**7.6 ROW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

*Exhibit 31: ROW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million)

*Exhibit 32: ROW - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

**7.7 Key leading countries

*Exhibit 33: Key leading countries

**7.8 Market opportunity by geography

*Exhibit 34: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

***8. Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

**8.1 Market drivers

*8.1.1 Growing urban population

*Exhibit 35: Urban population (% of the population), 2019

*8.1.2 Increase in sales outlets

*8.1.3 Increase in older adult population

*Exhibit 36: Older population aged 65 years and above (% of the total population), 2019

**8.2 Market challenges

*8.2.1 Low penetration in developing regions

*8.2.2 Stringent government regulations

*8.2.3 Ignorance about health benefits of brain health supplements

*Exhibit 37: Impact of drivers and challenges

**8.3 Market trends

*8.3.1 Growing demand in online retail

*8.3.2 Increasing awareness through social media marketing

*8.3.3 Monetary growth among consumers

***9. Vendor Landscape

**10.1 Competitive scenario

**10.2 Vendor landscape

*Exhibit 38: Vendor Landscape

**10.3 Landscape disruption

*Exhibit 39: Landscape disruption

**10.4 Industry risks

*Exhibit 40: Industry risks

***11. Vendor Analysis

**11.1 Vendors covered

*Exhibit 41: Vendors covered

**10.2 Market positioning of vendors

*Exhibit 42: Market positioning of vendors

**10.3 Abbott Laboratories

*Exhibit 43: Abbott Laboratories - Overview

*Exhibit 44: Abbott Laboratories - Business segments

*Exhibit 45: Abbott Laboratories - Key news

*Exhibit 46: Abbott Laboratories - Key offerings

*Exhibit 47: Abbott Laboratories - Segment focus

**10.4 Amway Corp.

*Exhibit 48: Amway Corp. - Overview

*Exhibit 49: Amway Corp. - Product and service

*Exhibit 50: Amway Corp.  Key news

*Exhibit 51: Amway Corp. - Key offerings

**10.5 Archer Daniels Midland Co.

*Exhibit 52: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Overview

*Exhibit 53: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Business segments

*Exhibit 54: Archer Daniels Midland Co.  Key news

*Exhibit 55: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Key offerings

*Exhibit 56: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Segment focus

**10.6 Arkopharma Laboratories

*Exhibit 57: Arkopharma Laboratories - Overview

*Exhibit 58: Arkopharma Laboratories - Product and service

*Exhibit 59: Arkopharma Laboratories - Key offerings

**10.7 BASF SE

*Exhibit 60: BASF SE - Overview

*Exhibit 61: BASF SE - Business segments

*Exhibit 62: BASF SE  Key news

*Exhibit 63: BASF SE - Key offerings

*Exhibit 64: BASF SE - Segment focus

**10.8 Bayer AG

*Exhibit 65: Bayer AG - Overview

*Exhibit 66: Bayer AG - Business segments

*Exhibit 67: Bayer AG  Key news

*Exhibit 68: Bayer AG - Key offerings

*Exhibit 69: Bayer AG - Segment focus

**10.9 Glanbia Plc

*Exhibit 70: Glanbia Plc - Overview

*Exhibit 71: Glanbia Plc - Business segments

*Exhibit 72: Glanbia Plc - Key offerings

*Exhibit 73: Glanbia Plc - Segment focus

**10.10 GNC Holdings Inc.

*Exhibit 74: GNC Holdings Inc. - Overview

*Exhibit 75: GNC Holdings Inc. - Business segments

*Exhibit 76: GNC Holdings Inc. - Key offerings

*Exhibit 77: GNC Holdings Inc. - Segment focus

**10.11 Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc.

*Exhibit 78: Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc. - Overview

*Exhibit 79: Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc. - Product and service

*Exhibit 80: Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Inc. - Key offerings

**10.12 Koninklijke DSM NV

*Exhibit 81: Koninklijke DSM NV - Overview

*Exhibit 82: Koninklijke DSM NV - Business segments

*Exhibit 83: Koninklijke DSM NV  Key news

*Exhibit 84: Koninklijke DSM NV - Key offerings

***12. Appendix

**12.1 Scope of the report

*12.1.1 Market definition

*12.1.2 Objectives

*12.1.3 Notes and caveats

**12.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

*Exhibit 85: Currency conversion rates for US$

**12.3 Research Methodology

*Exhibit 86: Research Methodology

*Exhibit 87: Validation techniques employed for market sizing

*Exhibit 88: Information sources

**12.4 List of abbreviations

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MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinality.ai , a data technology group helping government agencies achieve better outcomes through artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, today announced the closing of its first external investment round, led by Attain Capital Partners . In connection with the transaction, Thiag Loganathan has been named CEO and President. With this strategic move, Cardinality steps closer to achieving its vision of impacting one billion people globally by 2024. Named a GovTech100 company by Government Technology magazine three consecutive years, the company serves 10M+ US constituents by providing ready-built software as a service (SaaS) solutions for state and local government agencies.

Greg Baroni, Founder and Managing Partner of Attain Capital Partners , has joined the Cardinality Board of Directors as an investor and strategic advisor. Attain Capital Partners is a private equity firm which invests in growth-stage companies with cutting-edge, technology-enabled solutions. Baroni, himself a tech entrepreneur who helped to launch a distributed learning group that is now Blackboard, has led a diverse portfolio of successful businesses throughout his career, including KPMG Consulting, Unisys, and more recently, Attain, LLC, selling the company's federal business division in 2021. He also is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Attain Partners .

"I am excited to join the Cardinality Board of Directors and contribute to their important work of achieving social impact at scale," shared Baroni. "Cardinality has created significant market momentum, leveraging AI to accelerate improved outcomes for workforce and social services programs, and I look forward to being part of the next phase of their corporate journey," he said.

Thiag Loganathan, Cardinality's Co-Founder and a serial entrepreneur , will serve as the company's CEO and President. He previously co-founded a marketing AI SaaS company, which is part of the Detroit-based Rock Family of Companies. This is a personal milestone for Loganathan, who shared, "I'm very thankful for this opportunity to lead a talented team, driven to make a positive social impact, while having a mentor like Greg Baroni who has been there and done it. I very much look forward to making it easier and faster for U.S. government workers to serve their constituents."

Loganathan brings deep expertise in data/AI solutions and data-driven frameworks. Earlier in his career, he led DMI's Big Data Insights Division. He also founded Kalvin Consulting, a data analytics solution provider and SAP Partner, in 2007. The company was acquired by DMI in May 2013.

Ganesh Venkatramani and Vijay Krishna, Co-Founders , announced, "We are excited to usher in the next phase for the company, leveraging innovation and technology to challenge the status quo and bring rapid, modular modernization to government programs."

About Cardinality

Cardinality is a data technology group helping government agencies achieve better outcomes by eliminating friction and improving the experience of citizens and government workers using Artificial Intelligence (AI) SaaS Solutions. Founded in 2017 by four serial entrepreneurs and a team of data specialists, the company has one goal: impact a billion lives. And it's already on its wayCardinality solutions are being used by multiple agencies in the states of Indiana and Maryland. The company's suite of solutions was built specifically for workforce, health, and human services leveraging modern AI Case Management, CRM, ERP, RedBird AI, and Low-Code platform, so that agencies can modernize existing systems up to 50% faster than other low-code platforms and 200% faster than custom or unproven solutions.

Cardinality has been recognized as a GovTech 100 company in 2020, 2021, and 2022 and as the SaaSBOOMi vertical SaaS startup of 2020. For more information, please visit www.cardinality.ai .

About Attain Capital Partners

Attain Capital Partners invests in growth-stage companies in the knowledge economy. We seek to partner with firms delivering high-value technology-enabled solutions and services to business, government, and education clients. Our mission is simple: Truly empower teams while building lasting partnerships that make a real impact. For more information, please visit www.attain.capital .

Media Contact

Erin Yeazell

513-560-5560

[email protected]

SOURCE Cardinality.ai
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Curinos, a global data intelligence business serving financial institutions across lending, deposits and digital banking solutions, today announced its partnership with PSCU, the nation's premier payments credit union service organization, to help credit unions strategically manage their digital investments.

Under this collaboration, PSCU's newly formed digital banking advisory service within its Advisors Plus consulting practice will utilize Curinos' Digital Banking Hub  a centralized platform of digital banking journeys that allows financial institutions to review digital banking capabilities in the market  and its services to help credit unions inspire their roadmaps and innovate digitally.

"We are thrilled to partner with PSCU, a firm with rich history in helping credit unions expand their businesses," said Craig Woodward, CEO at Curinos. "Providing intelligence that allows credit unions  and all financial institutions  to better serve their members and increase business effectiveness is a Curinos core principle, one that PSCU shares. With any partnership, we actively seek to identify firms that share similar values as our own and PSCU is a natural fit."

"In the current market, it is critical for credit unions to strategically manage their digital banking deployments," said Eric Edwards, Curinos' Head of Partnerships and Data Licensing. "This partnership will support credit unions in understanding the strengths, gaps and opportunities within their digital banking offering and the actions needed to offer the best digital experiences to their respective members."

Credit unions have traditionally struggled with necessary data to strategically manage their digital offerings. Working together, Curinos and PSCU aim to redefine this paradigm and empower credit unions with a detailed analysis of member preferences and industry best practices. In conjunction with PSCU's Digital Consulting practice, the Digital Banking Hub will launch in pilot phase with several PSCU credit unions, with general availability expected later this year.

"Curinos' Digital Banking Hub has proven invaluable in helping financial institutions evaluate digital developments and provide a path for evolution," said Yvonne Stelpflug, Senior Vice President, Advisors Plus at PSCU. "With this new tool, we can further build upon our established track record of helping credit unions make strategic, data-informed decisions while fueling growth and exceeding member expectations."

Both Curinos and PSCU will be participating in the Exhibit Hall at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) 2022 on Feb. 27-March 3 in Washington, D.C. Credit unions in attendance can connect with Curinos at booth 237 and PSCU at booth 227 to learn how the Curinos Digital Banking Hub can help plan their digital roadmaps.

For additional information about Curinos and its solutions, please visit: https://curinos.com/.

About Curinos

Curinos is the leading provider of data, technologies and insights that enable financial institutions to make better, and more profitable, data-driven decisions faster. Born out of the combination of two familiar industry powerhouses, Novantas and Informa's FBX business, Curinos brings to market a new level of industry expertise across deposits, lending and digital experience solutions and technologies. Through access to comprehensive datasets and analytics, intelligent technologies and connected behavioral insights, Curinos is the partner of choice to help you attract, retain and grow more profitable customer relationships. For additional information, please visit www.curinos.com.

About PSCU

PSCU, the nation's premier payments CUSO, supports the success of more than 1,900 financial institutions representing nearly 7 billion transactions annually. Committed to service excellence and focused on innovation, PSCU's payment processing, risk management, data and analytics, loyalty programs, digital banking, marketing, strategic consulting and mobile platforms help deliver possibilities and seamless member experiences. Comprehensive, 24/7/365-member support is provided by contact centers located throughout the United States. The origin of PSCU's model is collaboration and scale, and the company has leveraged its influence on behalf of credit unions and their members for more than 40 years. Today, PSCU provides an end-to-end, competitive advantage that enables credit unions to securely grow and meet evolving consumer demands. For more information, visit pscu.com.

Media Contacts:

Zach Allegretti, JConnelly (for Curinos)

973-850-7341

[email protected]

Leah Markham, French/West/Vaughan (for PSCU)

919-277-1176

[email protected]

SOURCE Curinos
Founded in 2011, DMH is a holding entity with multiple brands underneath its umbrella, all dedicated to providing healthcare solutions or improved patient care on a national basis. DMH's companies are Premier Medical Laboratory Services, CPT Medical, Vessel Medical and OnGen which between them provide expertise in the arenas of clinical reference laboratories, medical supply and equipment distribution, sterile medical manufacturing, and medical software. The companies combined serve customers in all 50 U.S. states and several foreign countries.

The announcement was made during a special program at SCBIO 2022: The Life Sciences Conference of South Carolina, taking place in Charleston, SC. The conference was attended by more than 500 live and virtual attendees from across the country and multiple countries, indicative of the thriving industry which has expanded rapidly across the Palmetto State. Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed Feb. 21-25 as Life Sciences Week in the state, in honor of its rapid growth and opportunity to benefit all South Carolinians.

"Our mission is to positively impact patient lives with solutions that drive the healthcare industry forward. All of our companies under DMH work together to address many needs within the healthcare industry," said Diversified Medical Healthcare CEO Kevin Murdock. "We are extremely proud to expand in our home state of South Carolina to carry out that mission on a larger scale and are appreciative of everyone who helped to make this possible."

The corporate headquarters of DMH is located at 6000 Pelham Road in Greenville. The announced expansion by the DMH companies will result in a portion of company operations expanding into a new 136,000 sq. ft. facility in Garlington North at 315 Tanner Price Way, Greenville, SC. The expansive facility overlooks a key interstate connector in I-85, ideal for the organization's expanding business nationally as well as statewide.

The expansion also will support the company's launch of its MyHealthPro product line, which produces retail-based genetic testing kits for at-home use. The tests, which will be sold directly to consumers, identify potential genetic markers for susceptibility and identification of medical issues. Additionally, it will enable their in-house research and development team of scientists to further conduct vital research for the growth of their lab developed test offerings which serve the most up-to-date needs of the population. Through this growth, all Diversified Medical Healthcare companies will continue to fill supply chain gaps and create solutions to make healthcare more efficient and effective for improved patient outcomes.

"I am thrilled that Diversified Medical Healthcare continues to grow and succeed in South Carolina. Today's expansion announcement once again demonstrates that South Carolina is a place where medical companies want to do business. Congratulations to DMH, and we look forward to many more years of our business partnership," noted South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.

Over the last two years of the pandemic, Diversified Medical's companies developed groundbreaking solutions for COVID-19 and provided a testing capacity of over 100,000 tests per day with 98% result delivery in under 24 hours. Its laboratory became the trusted testing partner for state health departments and Health and Human services surge sites throughout the country. Its custom surgical procedure tray company expanded production to add in-house manufacturing of millions of COVID-19 testing kits. The company also supported development and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) and worked around the clock to achieve unmatched innovation in science and technology for the fight against COVID-19.

"South Carolina's life sciences sector is booming, and this latest expansion by Diversified Medical Healthcare in Greenville County is further testament to this critical sector's growth. Congratulations to DMH on their success right here in South Carolina," added Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III.

"We are always pleased when a homegrown organization like Diversified Medical Healthcare chooses to expand and deepen its commitment to Greenville County," stated Greenville County Council Chairman and Greenville Area Development Corporation Board Member Willis Meadows. "The company's expertise in medical software, sterile manufacturing, medical supply and equipment distribution, and clinical lab operations  along with its passion for being good community leaders -- fits well here, and we wish them continued success into the future."

The expansion is now underway and is expected to be completed by 2025. Individuals interested in joining the DMH team should email [email protected].

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $200,000 Set-Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with site preparation and building construction for the additional facility at Garlington North.

ABOUT: Diversified Medical Healthcare (DMH), headquartered in Greenville, SC is a holding entity with several portfolio companies providing healthcare solutions for improved patient care nationwide. Offering advanced clinical laboratory services that span throughout the US, their fully accredited laboratories include Premier Medical Laboratory Services, Dynasty Medical Laboratory Services, and First Medical Laboratory Services. DMH also provides medical supply and equipment distribution under Vessel Medical, delivers custom procedure trays for various surgical needs with CPT Medical, and helps to quickly and accurately manage medical data with their medical data software company, OnGen. For more information, please visit www.divmedinc.com or call 833.639.0143.

SOURCE Diversified Medical Healthcare
OAK PARK, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19 has changed the trajectory of our lives. It has changed where we want to live and which parts of the country are best for raising a family. Dwellics, a proprietary real estate platform utilizing a patented algorithm to search, study, and recommend everything from regions to specific neighborhoods based on personal preference recently released their study on the best places to raise a family through COVID and beyond.

The study considered numerous factors, including affordability, education, health hazards, natural disasters, parks and playgrounds, feasibility for growth, proximity to family-based vacations, and more. The study looked at all 50 states and included the amount of sprawl, movement to and from an area, infrastructure, and more.

According to the study, Iowa, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, and Washington State were some of the most affordable locations for families. Maryland, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, and California ranked the highest with respect to education, with Maryland having 12 of the top 50 schools (elementary, middle, and high school) in the country.

The best for health and safety were Nevada, Georgia, Minnesota, and New Hampshire. In contrast, the worst were Alabama, Arkansas, New Jersey, and Hawaii. Open areas, playgrounds and family fun were superior in Illinois, New Mexico, and Alaska. This is ironic considering that the home to Lake Superior or many of our National Parks aren't on this list.

According to the Institute For Family Studies, "Older, denser cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago face some structural challenges to attracting and keeping families. Their building stock is older, often featuring upper-floor walkup units, smaller apartments, and limited closet space. Navigating the city via transit can be difficult, even in cities where the subway is accessible. Today's popular battleship-sized strollers may be banned from buses, for example."

These are significant concerns for new parents or those with multiple children. Having this information, in advance of moving can take at least some of the pressure out of the process. Dwellics was designed to help individuals  and families  make the best real estate decisions possible before they move. For more information or to find your dream location, visit Dwellics.com.

Media Contact:

Giselle Sitdykova,

[email protected]

SOURCE Dwellics
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Elsewhere Partners today announced the addition of two proven investment professionals to its growing Austin-based team  Meaghan Mahoney and Cody Younkin, both as associates.

Cody Younkin, Elsewhere Partners Meaghan Mahoney, Elsewhere Partners

As it expands its network and increases investment activity, Elsewhere continues to strengthen its team of growth-stage software industry experts to manage sourcing, diligence and portfolio management needs. In their new roles, Mahoney and Younkin will provide support across all stages of research, diligence and execution for Elsewhere Partners' growing portfolio. They will also work closely with the firm's extensive operating advisor network to identify new areas of interest, develop investment theses and build relationships with software startup founders.

"Activity in the software space is at a new all-time high, and Elsewhere Partners is committed to supporting the growth of innovative software leaders breaking the traditional Silicon Valley mold," noted Chris Pacitti, founder and partner at Elsewhere Partners. "As we continue to build our team, finding investment professionals who share our passion and bring additional expertise to the table will prove incredibly valuable not only for our team and our LPs, but also for the entrepreneurs who partner with us to carve out their next growth path."

Before taking on his new role, Younkin spent four years in investment banking at D.A. Davidson. There, he executed M&A and growth equity transactions for technology companies across the B2B software, infrastructure, and security sectors. Prior to D.A. Davidson, he served as an equity research assistant at SGL Investment Advisors, where he helped develop internal software tools for investment decision making and assisted in portfolio analysis. Younkin earned his BS degree in Finance and Management Information Systems from the University of Montana in Missoula, where he graduated with high honors

"I'm energized by the opportunity to help software businesses realize their full growth potential. It's an honor to partner with founders who've overcome the odds to build healthy, customer-obsessed platforms without the advantages of, or access to, early VC money," added Younkin. "For many of these companies, the right hands-on resources and a little capital can go a long way in accelerating long-term value  something the Elsewhere platform does extremely well. Joining the Elsewhere Partners team, I now have the opportunity to help drive our mission to back and support best-in-class software platforms alongside an unparalleled community of industry veterans."

Prior to joining Elsewhere Partners, Mahoney served as an associate at The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC") where she underwrote venture debt, growth capital, and buyout transactions for growth-oriented software companies. She also helped with portfolio management and business development efforts across Texas and surrounding states. Prior to CIBC, Mahoney was a venture associate at Ecliptic Capital, an early-stage innovation fund focused on disruptive technology businesses. Her primary responsibilities included deal flow management, due diligence, and sourcing. She earned her BA in Economics and BA in International Relations from Tulane University, where she graduated with honors.

"Elsewhere's investment strategy provides a unique opportunity to partner with businesses from all over the world. We invest in companies whose founders are passionate about building a great product, and as a team, this keeps us close to the sources of innovation that are driving change in various industries around the globe," said Mahoney. "It is at these formative stages of a company's lifecycle where implementing the right people and processes around a fantastic product can be key to accelerating growth. Being part of a team that helps take businesses to the next level is not only exciting, but also extremely fulfilling."

Collectively, Elsewhere's investors and operating advisors represent experience across 150+ organizations, 100+ acquisitions, 150+ rounds of financing and $1+ billion in total investment. It focuses on providing transitional growth capital and transformative operational expertise for capital efficient B2B software companies that are looking to scale to the next level.

About Elsewhere Partners

Elsewhere Partners is a growth-stage venture capital firm that invests in Elsewhere Outliers  business software companies that are located outside of traditional venture capital hubs and have achieved substantial customer traction and revenue growth without significant outside funding. Elsewhere Partners combines transitional capital with transformational expertise to help companies achieve exit readiness on their own terms. To learn more, visit www.elsewhere.partners.

Media Contact:

Erica Camilo

Connexa Communications for Elsewhere Partners

C: 610.639.5644

[email protected]

SOURCE Elsewhere Partners
EpicentRx and Texas Children's Cancer Center studying the safety and benefit of EpicentRx's lead small molecule, RRx-001 Tweet this

Cancer cells are programmed to travel to different tissues in the body, where they establish a barrier to prevent drug delivery. One of the hypotheses of this trial is that RRx-001 may "normalize" the tumor microenvironment, making the tumor vasculature more efficient for the delivery of irinotecan and temozolomide so that their efficacy is increased while overstimulating immune cells like macrophages to go on the attack through its antagonism of the "do not eat me" CD47 signal. Another hypothesis is that RRx-001 will protect normal tissues, but not tumors, from the toxicities of irinotecan and temozolomide.

"We are excited to launch this study with RRx-001 and to establish its role as a potential treatment for pediatric CNS tumors," said Tony R. Reid, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of EpicentRx. "This trial would not have been possible without the enthusiastic support of Texas Children's Cancer Center. As clinical trials in adult CNS tumors suggest that RRx-001 may provide benefit in a pediatric population, our collaboration with them is a testament to the commitment of this company to follow the data wherever it leads."

"There is compelling preclinical and clinical rationale for the safety and potential efficacy of RRx-001 in CNS tumors," said Dr. Holly Lindsay, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine and lead Investigator. "The incidence of CNS tumors in children is particularly difficult to treat, and we expect that the PIRATE study will generate valuable data to help inform future treatment decisions."

For more information about PIRATE please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04525014

About EpicentRx, Inc.

EpicentRx is a leading-edge biopharmaceutical company with a complementary pipeline of small molecule and cancer-targeting virus platforms that represent the next frontier in treating patients with diseases of significant unmet need. With two platforms, CyNRGY and AdAPT, EpicentRx has developed novel therapies and drug delivery devices with emphasis on not just treating the disease but improving quality of life. For more information, visit www.epicentrx.com.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for Pediatric Research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

SOURCE EpicentRx, Inc.
ROCHESTER HILL, Mich., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Few banks are disclosing the number of AI users that engage with their chatbots. Why? Bank of America reported about 20 million or about 30% of their customers arere using ERICA  their chatbot. ERICA has been in use for over 4 years, So, Foresight Research wondered about consumer resistance to AI and chatbots and surveyed 700 consumers of banking products and services to find out the resistance to AI in Illinois.

To start with, about 83% of all consumers are comfortable with asking banking questions or gathering advice on investments, loans or retirement planning in-person. But when asked about call center text message engagement that number drops to about 2 of 3 customers. For chatbots or AI a low 38% of consumers are comfortable using this technology for routine questions. For gathering information or for asking for advice on loans, retirement planning or investments only 35% would be comfortable using AI. While chatbots are still in their infancy, it seems that consumer adoption will take a lot of time. Not surprisingly, younger consumers are more comfortable with this technology and when it comes to Gen X or Baby Boomers a tall task can be expected. Foresight Research found one surprise  high income consumers are more likely to become comfortable perhaps because they have more need  especially for advanced applications. Of course, advanced chatbots are not yet available, but expanding technology is just one issue  another is consumer adoption.

In addition to younger and high- income consumers, there are a few small rays of light. One area is satisfaction with their primary financial institution. Consumers who are extremely or very satisfied with their bank's performance in problem solving, offering financial advice, and digital banking are more likely to express comfort with routine AI and advanced AI applications. So, the overall customer experience seems to be a prerequisite to automated banking adoption.

Foresight Research (a Michigan marketing research company) and a leader in cost effective syndicated market research has been working with Fortune 500 companies for over 20 years Visit our website, shoot us an email or give us a call to find out more about this report and other available reports.

Contact

Steve Bruyn

Foresight Research.com

248.608.1870 x 12

[email protected]

SOURCE Foresight Research
SARASOTA, Fla., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With Americans from both sides of the political aisle concerned about the integrity of our elections heading into the 2022 mid-terms and 2024 presidential election, The America Project (TAP) is prepared to fund an eight-state effort in hopes of monitoring the 2022 elections and train activists on how to expose political shenanigans at the ballot box. Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin, Georgia and Virginia will serve as the first eight states where TAP implements their efforts, which they are dubbing "Operation Eagles Wings."

General Michael Flynn Patrick Byrne

According to TAP Founder Patrick Byrne, Operation Eagles Wings will educate election reform activists on everything from grassroots training to election canvassing and fundraising. Operations Eagles Wings also plans on preparing and circulating commentary on current election policies, where the strengths and weaknesses are in regards to the current laws on the books, in order to ensure the American people have access to fact-based truths about the election process across the United States.

"Our goal is to not only provide the proper training for Americans who want to make sure that there are no repeats of the errors that happened in the 2020 election, but also to educate them on how to manage volunteers and fundraise for their efforts in a way that allows each state to become self-sustaining and financially secure. In order to restore America's trust in the integrity of our elections, we need to do everything in our power to protect the voting process from election meddlers who care only about serving crooked special interest groups that neither respect nor value the rule of law," stated Byrne.

A press conference detailing the primary and general election outlook for Operation Eagles Wings will be held at Beth's Burger Bar (9938 Universal BLVD #120, Orlando, FL, 32819) at 10AM on February 25th, 2022 during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone, Lt. General Michael Flynn, Patrick Byrne, Joe Flynn and MAGA musician Bryson Gray will speak during the press conference and take questions from the media.

To schedule an interview about Operation Eagles Wings or RSVP to the press conference, please contact Kristin Davis at 212-920-9918 or [email protected].

SOURCE The America Project
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 6; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 733

Companies: 162 - Players covered include Adecco Group; Almost Family; AMN Healthcare; Aureus Medical Group; CHG Management, Inc.; Cross Country Healthcare, Inc.; Envisions Healthcare Corporation; Healthcare Staffing Services; inVentiv Health; LocumTenens.com; Maxim Healthcare Services, Inc.; Supplemental Health Care; Syneos Health, Inc.; TeamHealth; Vista Staffing Solutions and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Service Type (Travel Nurse Staffing, Locum Tenens Staffing, Allied Healthcare Staffing, Per Diem Nurse Staffing)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Healthcare Staffing Market to Reach US$47.8 Billion by the Year 2026

Healthcare staffing refers to process of providing temporary nursing/healthcare personnel to serve patients in various healthcare facilities. Propelled by growing need to save precious human lives, various countries are now focusing their attention towards adopting healthcare staffing model. The novel strategy is assisting medical professionals in improving clinical quality, along with enhancing patient satisfaction. With the world facing shortage of trained healthcare workers, governments are devising a wide range of innovative strategies with an intention of saving precious human lives. As a result, healthcare staffing is gaining acceptance among several hospitals, nursing homes, as well as pharmaceutical companies. Healthcare staffing is an expanding area especially due to the rise in geriatric population, and growing availability of medical insurance for more people. Advancements in healthcare technology have brought about different innovations such as telehealth and medical informatics. Thus, skilled labor is needed to handle the non-technical as well as technical aspects of the new medical devices. Automation and technology is being used by firms to streamline sourcing, recruiting and credentialing healthcare staffing recruitment to ensure that demands are met.

Healthcare staffing agencies have been operating around the world for several decades, and thus the concept of healthcare staffing is not new. However, the way by which healthcare staffing solutions are provided has witnessed notable changes in recent years. A considerable shift has been witnessed from temporary staffing solutions to permanent staffing solutions in healthcare staffing, while simultaneously, opportunities for freelance medical professionals have also increased substantially. All these trends reflect the progressive digitization that is evolving in healthcare staffing. Permanent roles at healthcare systems have been taking several months to fill, leading to escalation of recruitment costs and short-staffed facilities for a certain duration. In the last decade, and particularly during the pandemic, medical freelance platforms have experienced significant growth, and the marketplace is evolving rapidly with several startups are competing for retaining their position. Certain platforms serve specific forms of healthcare staffing businesses and workers, while certain others differentiate themselves depending on the services they provide. However, both of these cases represent mutually beneficial scenarios for both healthcare organizations and professionals. Thus, the platforms are expected to continue offering the latest healthcare staffing solutions in the future.

New technologies are enhancing the number of opportunities for developing digital freelance platforms. Several industries, such as the ridesharing sector, have been benefited from the digital freelance platforms, and thus rapidly embracing these technologies. However, healthcare sector has been slow in adopting the greatest and latest technologies. Examples such as telemedicine and telehealth have been there for two decades, and yet they have not experienced extensive adoption by the healthcare organizations till recently. The situation is almost similar for modern healthcare staffing solutions and medical freelance platforms.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Healthcare Staffing estimated at US$38.2 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$47.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6% over the analysis period. Travel Nurse Staffing, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.9% CAGR to reach US$21.6 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Locum Tenens Staffing segment is readjusted to a revised 7.4% CAGR for the next 7-year period. With cost of healthcare continuing to rise, hospitals are adopting measures such as reducing working staff. In this regard, the role of travel nurses becomes critical when these healthcare facilities witness higher workloads. Increasing concerns for minimizing attrition rate and improving profitability margins is fueling demand for travel nurse segment. Locum tenens physicians typically are utilized for filling up for other physicians temporarily or for some days up to 6 months. The staffing model is chosen to address temporary staffing shortages occurring due to staff illnesses, vacancies and other reasons. Benefits offered including cost efficiency and growing physician preference to work as locum tenens are fueling market growth.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $22.3 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $3.4 Billion by 2026

The Healthcare Staffing market in the U.S. is estimated at US$22.3 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 58.9% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$3.4 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 8.1% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Canada and Europe, each forecast to grow at 6% and 5.5% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 5.6% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$2.7 Billion by the year end of the analysis period. Better healthcare infrastructural availability together with constant R&D proficiencies to offer better healthcare facilities spur growth in North America region. Due to presence of large patient pool, demand for healthcare staffing in Asia-Pacific is gaining momentum. Absence of adequate medical facilities is fueling demand for healthcare staffing in the region.

Allied Healthcare Staffing Segment to Reach $8.3 Billion by 2026

Allied healthcare professional differ from nursing, pharmacy and medicine personnel, as they work in healthcare facilities mainly to ensure appropriate functioning of the healthcare system by offer technical, diagnostic, therapeutic and support services. Allied healthcare staffing includes workforce such as assistive personnel, technicians like community health aides, dental assistants & technicians, home health aides, OR technicians, pharmacy assistants, and radiology technicians among others. In the global Allied Healthcare Staffing segment, USA, Canada, China and Europe will drive the 4.8% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$5.5 Billion will reach a projected size of US$7.5 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$842.9 Million by the year 2026. More

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DUBLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Vinyl Acetate Monomer Market 2022-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The publisher has been monitoring the vinyl acetate monomer market and it is poised to grow by $2.02 billion during 2022-2026, progressing at a CAGR of 4.52% during the forecast period. The report on the vinyl acetate monomer market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.



The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the rising residential and commercial infrastructure activities and growing packaging industries across the globe.



The vinyl acetate monomer market analysis includes the type segment and geographic landscape.



The vinyl acetate monomer market is segmented as below:

By Type

PVA

PVOH

EVA

EVOH

others

By Geographical Landscape

APAC

Europe

North America

South America

MEA

This study identifies the increasing use of shale gas as one of the prime reasons driving the vinyl acetate monomer market growth during the next few years.



The report on vinyl acetate monomer market covers the following areas:

Vinyl acetate monomer market sizing

Vinyl acetate monomer market forecast

Vinyl acetate monomer market industry analysis

The robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading vinyl acetate monomer market vendors that include Celanese Corp., China Petrochemical Corp., Dow Inc., INEOS Group Holdings SA, Kuraray Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries NV, Saudi International Petrochemical Co., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Solventis Ltd., and Wacker Chemie AG. Also, the vinyl acetate monomer market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage all forthcoming growth opportunities.



The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.



The publisher presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters such as profit, pricing, competition, and promotions. It presents various market facets by identifying the key industry influencers. The data presented is comprehensive, reliable, and a result of extensive research - both primary and secondary. The market research reports provide a complete competitive landscape and an in-depth vendor selection methodology and analysis using qualitative and quantitative research to forecast the accurate market growth.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary

Market Overview

2. Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

3. Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2021

Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

4. Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

5. Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

PVA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

PVOH - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

EVA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

EVOH - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Market opportunity by Type

6. Customer landscape

7. 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 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 MEA - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Key leading countries

Market opportunity By Geographical Landscape

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

8. Vendor Landscape

Landscape disruption

9. Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Celanese Corp.

China Petrochemical Corp.

Dow Inc.

INEOS Group Holdings SA

Kuraray Co. Ltd.

LyondellBasell Industries NV

Saudi International Petrochemical Co.

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.

Solventis Ltd.

Wacker Chemie AG

10. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/l1pku7

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

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[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets
CLEVELAND, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals is now accepting Letters of Intent for the 2023 Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award for physician-scientists. The award offers successful applicants financial resources and expertise to advance their discoveries toward clinical trials. Intellectual property rights are retained by the award recipient or their institution. Up to 12 Scholar-Innovators will be selected to receive:

$100,000 guaranteed; opportunity to qualify for up to $1,100,000 in funding .

guaranteed; opportunity to qualify for . Drug and business development support from Harrington Discovery Institute's Therapeutics Development Center (pharma-experienced industry leaders with a track record of bringing drugs to market).

from Harrington Discovery Institute's Therapeutics Development Center (pharma-experienced industry leaders with a track record of bringing drugs to market). A personalized drug development team and project manager dedicated to each scholar.

The call is open to physician-scientists at accredited academic medical centers, research institutions and universities in the United States and Canada. Selection criteria include innovation, creativity and potential for impact on human health. Applicants must have a doctorate in medicine. Award recipients will be selected by the Harrington Discovery Institute's Scientific Advisory Board and announced in first quarter 2023.

The deadline to submit a brief Letter of Intent is March 28, 2022 . The full application deadline, for those invited to submit, is May 30, 2022.

Learn more and apply to the 2023 Scholar-Innovator Award at: HarringtonDiscovery.org/funding/harrington-scholar-innovator

SOURCE Harrington Discovery Institute
CLEVELAND, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HeroX , the leading platform and open marketplace for crowdsourced solutions, today launched the NASA's Watts on the Moon Phase 2 Challenge prize competition on behalf of NASA. In support of the agency's return to the Moon under Artemis , which will establish a long-term human presence at the Moon, NASA seeks innovative engineering approaches that will integrate power transmission and energy storage to support astronauts, hardware, and systems in the extremely challenging thermal and lighting conditions on the lunar surface.

Up to $4.5M in Prizes to Support Sustained Presence on the Moon

As Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate stated in NASA's release , "Challenges like Watts on the Moon give us the chance to utilize the creativity of industry, academia, and the public to power our return to the Moon. I look forward to seeing how their solutions may also have important applications here on Earth and help advance similar technologies for terrestrial application and commercialization."

A long-term presence on the Moon will require lunar surface power systems that can deliver continuous, reliable power to support various industrial activities and human habitation. NASA has identified two specific areas in need of improvement:

Power Transmission that can deliver power from a remote generation source to critical mission operation loads where (1) power loads are frequently or permanently immersed in extreme cold and (2) there are large variations in average power loads versus peak power loads. NASA has significant interest in both wired and wireless transmission, and the Challenge seeks to incentivize and demonstrate both types of solutions. Energy Storage that can (1) power mission operation loads when intermittent power generation is not available and (2) survive and operate in extreme cold environments.

Phase 1 of Watts launched in September 2020 and focused on the ideation of energy management, distribution, and storage solutions. In May 2021, seven winners were awarded a total of $500,000 in prize purses.

Because Phase 1 showed that there are a number of promising approaches to address this need, Phase 2 will be launched to allow these approaches and others an opportunity to vie for part of the $4.5M prize purse to develop and demonstrate their performance in simulated lunar conditions. Phase 2 is a three-level competition that will award up to 17 prizes across the challenge.

"It is exciting to collaborate with NASA on solving problems of this nature," says Kal K. Sahota, HeroX. "Any advancement in lunar technology is important in its own right, but these developments in power transmission and energy storage may have an outsized impact on our planet, too. This could be the next 'giant leap for mankind' in more ways than one."

The Challenge: The Watts on the Moon Challenge is a $5 million, two-phase competition focused on addressing critical gaps in lunar surface power systems, specifically related to power transmission and energy storage.

NASA is seeking solutions that can be designed, built, and then tested in simulated lunar conditions and are well-positioned to progress toward flight readiness and future operation on the lunar surface after the challenge. The first phase of the challenge presented a mission scenario with three mission activities. Teams chose one or more activities to address by proposing an energy distribution, management, and/or storage solution.

This current second phase presents competitors with a conceptual power load profile and environmental conditions intended to represent part of a lunar mission. Teams must design and build a solution that delivers the required power, optimizes mass and efficiency and is demonstrable within the challenge timeline.

The Prize: NASA will award a total prize purse of $4.5M to winners over three levels.

Eligibility to Compete and Win Prize(s): Individuals must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States and be 18 years of age or older. Organizations must be an entity incorporated in and maintaining a primary place of business in the United States (some restrictions apply).

To accept the challenge, visit https://www.herox.com/WattsOnTheMoon

ABOUT HEROX

HeroX is a platform and open marketplace for crowdsourcing innovation and human ingenuity, co-founded in 2013 by serial entrepreneur, Christian Cotichini and XPRIZE Founder and Futurist, Peter Diamandis. HeroX offers a turnkey, easy-to-use platform that supports anyone, anywhere, to solve everyday business and world challenges using the power of the crowd. Uniquely positioned as the Social Network for Innovation, HeroX is the only place you can build, grow and curate your very own crowd.

Explore the latest challenges at www.herox.com

Media Contact:

Alexandra Pony

[email protected]

250.858.0656

SOURCE HeroX
The right cloud strategy accelerates an organization's ability to deliver data-driven experiences by providing on-demand access to a host of data processing, management, analytics, and storage applications. But cloud is complex, with different operating models, legacy infrastructure, a shortage of cloud talent, and issues with security and compliance. Hitachi Vantara meets our customers wherever they are on their cloud journey and supports them with innovative cloud operating models and world-class performance and resiliency.

Today, Hitachi Vantara announced new hybrid cloud products and services engineered for data-driven organizations who want to automate and simplify their infrastructure and operations to capture the full value of the cloud operating model across on-prem, near-cloud, and public cloud.

Virtual Storage Software Block (VSS Block) , a software-defined data platform that extends our virtual storage platform to cloud native applications

, a software-defined data platform that extends our virtual storage platform to cloud native applications VSP E1090 , our next generation mid-range storage array with new virtual storage scale out capabilities

, our next generation mid-range storage array with new virtual storage scale out capabilities Hitachi Ops Center Clear Sight , an AI-driven cloud management tool to support our Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform with simplified cloud-based reporting and analytics

, an AI-driven cloud management tool to support our Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform with simplified cloud-based reporting and analytics Hitachi Cloud Connect, to deliver a near-cloud solution with deep integration into public cloud extending the data fabric to support cloud applications from the leading public cloud providers

to deliver a near-cloud solution with deep integration into public cloud extending the data fabric to support cloud applications from the leading public cloud providers Unified Compute Platform RS, the latest hyperconverged "cloud in a box" offering and our cloud data protection appliance to ensure your data is secure across your hybrid cloud operating model

"We are accelerating the pace of delivering new hybrid cloud products and services to enable our customers to find innovative ways to enhance their data-driven outcomes today, and in the near future," said Mark Ablett, president, Digital Infrastructure Business Unit at Hitachi Vantara. "By enabling the right cloud strategy with greater automation and simplicity, we allow our customers to divert valuable resources and talent that can be used on AI and data analytics to help them accelerate their ability to find new ways to improve the digital experience of their business."

New Software Defined Data Platform Extends Hitachi Storage Platform to Cloud Native Applications

Hitachi's Virtual Storage Software Block (VSS Block) is a new software-defined data platform that provides cloud agility and scalable storage support for traditional and cloud-native applications running on commodity x86 servers. Running on Hitachi's universal Storage Virtualization Operating System (SVOS), VSS Block provides customers with a single data plane across our mid-range, enterprise, and software defined storage portfolio. VSS Block will seamlessly connect to our near-cloud offerings and ultimately extend into the public cloud.

Leveraging Hitachi's patented Polyphase Erasure Coding, VSS Block provides improved data read performance and increased efficiency over traditional erasure coding schemes. VSS Block supports both mirroring and erasure coding for maximum performance and efficiency and is flexible and easily compatible with traditional storage environments with both iSCSI and Fibre Channel host connections.

New Near-Cloud Data Services for Cloud Applications

Introduced today, Hitachi Cloud Connect enables customers to realize the best of both worlds with enterprise class storage speed and reliability paired with public cloud compute provisioning and scaling. Leveraging the benefits of near-cloud hosted environments with highly connected datacenters for hybrid cloud use cases including compute scaling, data protection, and disaster recovery, Hitachi Cloud Connect enables the extension of your data fabric to near-cloud with the ability to support cloud resident applications in Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure Cloud.

Hitachi Cloud Connect delivers enterprise performance and data services for cloud-based applications with the reliability Hitachi Vantara is known for, establishing the client's ownership of their data with seamless data services between on-premises data centers and cloud storage.

The Hitachi Cloud Connect at Equinix offering allows customers to locate Hitachi VSP enterprise-class storage at Equinix International Business ExchangeTM data centers worldwide and includes the option for customers to procure this solution through one agreement and one invoice, greatly simplifying and accelerating their time to market. By leveraging Equinix IBXO data centers and Equinix Fabric to interconnect sources of data to applications, VSP enables organizations to locate their data next to clouds while still maintaining control and enabling applications such as data protection and back-up for hybrid and multicloud data availability.

New VSP E1090 Midrange System Delivers Performance, Capacity, Simplified Management and Clustering for Scale

The newest addition to Hitachi Vantara's midrange portfolio, VSP E1090 delivers continued innovation and expansion to support larger configurations and broader consolidation. Delivering the lowest latency of any NVMe midrange storage on the market at 41s and performance of 8.4M IOPs, non-disruptive data-in-place migration, simplified monitoring and management and quick self-install, the VSP E1090 provides performance, capacity, ease of use, resilience, and peace of mind. Hitachi Replication Plug-in for Containers automates storage replication between Kubernetes clusters and storage systems located at different sites, enabling your organization to take a self-service approach.

VSP E series now brings even more enterprise class capabilities to midrange buyers with Hitachi engineered technology for data reduction performance and non-disruptive, data in place upgrades to next gen platforms. Hitachi Virtual Storage Scale Out enables customers to cluster VSP arrays to scale performance and capacity to start small and quickly adjust in line with the growth of your applications and business. The VSP E series supports clustering of up to 65 nodes and 130 controllers. Powered by Hitachi Ops Center, VSP E series solutions operate as a single virtual system to hosts, delivering federated management, data mobility, data protection and automation across all nodes in a cluster, including virtualized 3rd party arrays.

Hitachi VSP Storage Management delivers an AI-enabled, flexible storage management architecture that enables ease of use through analytics and automation across systems and clusters that seamlessly adopts to meet your unique IT requirements. VSP Embedded Management promises rapid setup and provisioning of midrange arrays without need for additional software installation. VSP E Series is self-installable and can be up and running in 30 minutes or less. Hitachi Modern Storage Assurance also ensures you have the latest VSP technology, easing purchasing and lifecycle management to take the uncertainty out of your next upgrade and allowing you to scale as needed delivering IT agility and maximizing investments.

Hyperconverged "Cloud in a Box" for Rapid Deployment of Cloud-native Application Infrastructure

The Hitachi Unified Compute Platform (UCP) family of converged and hyperconverged solutions now provides 'cloud in a box' functionality, enabling businesses to improve application release time, enhance operational simplicity and reduce costs with cloud flexibility, intelligent automation, and scalable performance. Delivering a truly flexible hybrid cloud platform, the new factory integrated Hitachi Unified Compute Platform RS (UCP RS) powered by VMware Cloud Foundation with VMware Tanzu is designed to increase business agility and deliver operational consistency across on-premises and public cloud environments.

In addition, Hitachi Vantara's joint solution with Cisco, Hitachi Adaptive Solutions, now includes the latest in Hitachi VSP Storage and supports Cisco's recently introduced UCS X-Series Compute, all managed by the Cisco Intersight hybrid cloud operations platform.

AI-Driven Cloud Infrastructure Management

Hitachi Ops Center provides a centralized, integrated architecture for the consolidation of multiple storage silos and administrative tools, delivering a unified management service across data configuration, mobility, and protection. Today, Hitachi Vantara debuted Hitachi Ops Center Clear Sight, a cloud-based, AI-driven app for monitoring assets from anywhere. Ops Center Clear Sight enables administrators to observe, analyze and optimize VSP storage infrastructure remotely, and AI-driven insights show up-to-date inventory asset views, health status, risk management, and capacity planning. Powered by Hitachi Remote Ops, Hitachi Ops Center Clear Sight can resolve up to 90% of support issues using predictive analysis before they affect your environment.

Automated As-a-Service Operations with EverFlex

For customers seeking to purchase more of their IT resources as-a-service, Hitachi Vantara offers EverFlex, a portfolio of on demand, subscription, and managed service solutions. Today, Hitachi Vantara added Hitachi Infrastructure Orchestration as a Service to the EverFlex portfolio. The new offering extends Hitachi Vantara's renowned data storage management and automation expertise to complex, multi-site IT environments. It enhances traditional operations with ML, AI, business process management, integration, and IT process automation software, and services to provide continuous insights and intelligence about IT environments. The Hitachi Infrastructure Orchestration Platform helps create service-based infrastructures that facilitate autonomous, 'self-driving' IT operations that adapt to changing requirements for ongoing infrastructure modernization.

Hybrid Cloud Data Protection

Hitachi Vantara provides a variety of data protection offerings delivering reliable data accessibility across data stores from the Hitachi Ops Center Protector to integrations with our trusted partners. Designed to manage and protect cloud-native technologies, the new Commvault HyperScale X for Hitachi Data Protection Suite accelerates hybrid cloud adoption with an integrated solution that delivers comprehensive data protection across applications, databases, public cloud environments, hypervisors, operating systems, and storage arrays from a single, extensible platform.

Supporting Quotes:

"The speed, efficiency and availability of Hitachi's VSP E-series storage solution with Hitachi Ops Center is a perfect fit for our business requirements," said Benedikt Hartl , Head of IT Managed Services for POTTINGER Landtechnik GmbH , one of Europe's leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery. "The easy usability of Hitachi Ops Center means we can manage and provision storage much faster and gain a rapid overview of the most important performance data and we're looking forward to exploring the new capabilities provided by Ops Center Clear Sight."

, one of leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery. "The easy usability of Hitachi Ops Center means we can manage and provision storage much faster and gain a rapid overview of the most important performance data and we're looking forward to exploring the new capabilities provided by Ops Center Clear Sight." "The resilience and reliability provided by Hitachi Vantara's range of VSP enterprise and midrange storage solutions has been cornerstone to our business and ensuring our customers receive a world-class experience across our platforms," said Brian Mathis , Head of Server & Storage Platform at Suva, the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund . "As we continue to evolve and invest in modern infrastructure solutions, we're very excited about Hitachi's block and file storage ambitions to help us improve operations for our distributed workloads and applications."

. "As we continue to evolve and invest in modern infrastructure solutions, we're very excited about Hitachi's block and file storage ambitions to help us improve operations for our distributed workloads and applications." "Our Storage team needs to be agile, competitive and proactive as we oversee multiple data centers and different types of applications so a central management tool has been crucial for fast provisioning of daily tasks and simplified deployment," said Utku Sert , Infrastructure Operations Director at Turkcell , a large telecommunications provider in Turkey. "We are running a dynamic environment with lots of changes to performance and capacity usage day by day. With Hitachi Ops Center, we can get all the important parameters such IOPS, transfer rates and response time for each component level, helping us to monitor deeply on any level with weekly reports that shows capacity usage, processors status, physical health status and detail reports of each storage component in the environment."

, a large telecommunications provider in Turkey. "We are running a dynamic environment with lots of changes to performance and capacity usage day by day. With Hitachi Ops Center, we can get all the important parameters such IOPS, transfer rates and response time for each component level, helping us to monitor deeply on any level with weekly reports that shows capacity usage, processors status, physical health status and detail reports of each storage component in the environment." "In today's digital age, automation and data management should be harnessed by all. To deliver the best experience to our customers, we have embarked on a digital transformation journey by addressing the company's infrastructure. Singapore Pools implemented a cloud-based ERP system, supported by a data lake that helps separate and protect its data, which is growing exponentially due to the digitization of its services," said Yeo Teck Guan , Chief Business Technology Officer at Singapore Pools , a world-class socially responsible gaming company. "During this transition, Hitachi Ops Center has been crucial to our daily operations by incorporating AI and predictive analytics. We look forward to the new Hitachi Ops Center Clear Sight that can boost our performance further. The proliferation of AI within the company, coupled with a push to institute a culture that embraces digital transformation and employee empowerment through IT adoption, allowed us to deliver seamless customer experience."

, a world-class socially responsible gaming company. "During this transition, Hitachi Ops Center has been crucial to our daily operations by incorporating AI and predictive analytics. We look forward to the new Hitachi Ops Center Clear Sight that can boost our performance further. The proliferation of AI within the company, coupled with a push to institute a culture that embraces digital transformation and employee empowerment through IT adoption, allowed us to deliver seamless customer experience." "Utilizing Hitachi Ops Center to automate our day-to-day tasks like Lun provisioning without human intervention and Hitachi replication technologies for our disaster recovery efforts has been key to streamlining our operations," said Deniz Armen , Cloud Data Storage Technologies Manager at Garanti BBVA, Turkey's second largest private bank. "Through Ops Center Protector, we reduced GAD and HUR operations time from 3-4 hour to 15 min and with the help of Ops Center Analyzer, Garanti BBVA can customize and set alarms to match business KPIs, such as Recovery Point Objective time for replication or CPU utilization of the systems to ensure maximum uptime with minimal human intervention."

second largest private bank. "Through Ops Center Protector, we reduced GAD and HUR operations time from 3-4 hour to 15 min and with the help of Ops Center Analyzer, Garanti BBVA can customize and set alarms to match business KPIs, such as Recovery Point Objective time for replication or CPU utilization of the systems to ensure maximum uptime with minimal human intervention." "Given the highly sensitive nature of our clients' data, performance, availability and security are vital, but the flexibility of hybrid cloud models are increasingly in demand to match the requirements of modern application architectures, and that adds complexity," said Jung-Kwon Cho , Vice President of DX Business Division at Hyosung Information Systems , the largest Unified Compute Platform (UCP) partner in Korea. "Hitachi's UCP RS hybrid cloud platform addresses that complexity by providing an automated, scalable solution to consistently run applications anywhere. The new UCP RS is an excellent addition to the portfolio, giving our customers improved agility, complete control over their mission critical data, and seamless workload mobility. Add to that extensive collaboration from our partner Hitachi Vantara, just the type of support we need when managing complex projects."

, the largest Unified Compute Platform (UCP) partner in Korea. "Hitachi's UCP RS hybrid cloud platform addresses that complexity by providing an automated, scalable solution to consistently run applications anywhere. The new UCP RS is an excellent addition to the portfolio, giving our customers improved agility, complete control over their mission critical data, and seamless workload mobility. Add to that extensive collaboration from our partner Hitachi Vantara, just the type of support we need when managing complex projects." "Hitachi Vantara customers are challenged with managing and accessing large volumes of data when and where they need it. Their need to transition to a cloud environment will drive greater flexibility and reliability while reducing medium- and long-term operational costs," said Jeremy Deutsch , President, Asia-Pacific , at Equinix . "By collaborating with Equinix, Hitachi Vantara offers data storage and management services to support customers' hybrid- and multi-cloud requirements on a global scale."

. "By collaborating with Equinix, Hitachi Vantara offers data storage and management services to support customers' hybrid- and multi-cloud requirements on a global scale." "By combining Hitachi Vantara and VMware technologies we can address the primary challenges customers face with traditional Hybrid Cloud environments," said John Gilmartin , senior vice president and GM, Cloud Storage and Data at VMware. "Hitachi's UCP RS and VMware Cloud Foundation can deliver the agility, operational consistency and efficiency to reduce cost and complexity while improving time to market with new applications and offerings."

"Hitachi's UCP RS and VMware Cloud Foundation can deliver the agility, operational consistency and efficiency to reduce cost and complexity while improving time to market with new applications and offerings." "Enterprises across the board are realizing the benefits of hybrid cloud to best serve their data and applications needs but no two environments are the same and data operations can become stifled across data silos," said Eric Burgener , research vice president, Infrastructure Systems, Platforms and Technologies Group, IDC . "Whether you're just beginning or have an established multi-cloud environment, Hitachi Vantara's new infrastructure solutions deliver a variety of options to help connect data and applications seamlessly from edge to core to cloud with the operational agility and as a service offerings of the public cloud."

. "Whether you're just beginning or have an established multi-cloud environment, Hitachi Vantara's new infrastructure solutions deliver a variety of options to help connect data and applications seamlessly from edge to core to cloud with the operational agility and as a service offerings of the public cloud." "The first requirement for any modern data management solution is that it needs to support modern workloads," said John Tavares , vice president, Worldwide Channels Alliances at Commvault. "With Commvault HyperScale X for Hitachi Data Protection Suite you have unmatched scalability, security and resiliency to accelerate an organization's digital transformation journey as they move to hybrid cloud, container and virtualized environments."

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Explore more stories from Hitachi Vantara on our blog: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/newsroom-hvtv/blog.html

About Hitachi Vantara

Hitachi Vantara, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., guides our customers from what's now to what's next by solving their digital challenges. Working alongside each customer, we apply our unmatched industrial and digital capabilities to their data and applications to benefit both business and society. More than 80% of the Fortune 100 trust Hitachi Vantara to help them develop new revenue streams, unlock competitive advantages, lower costs, enhance customer experiences, and deliver social and environmental value. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, contributes to a sustainable society with a higher quality of life by driving innovation through data and technology as the Social Innovation Business. Hitachi is focused on strengthening its contribution to the Environment, the Resilience of business and social infrastructure as well as comprehensive programs to enhance Security & Safety. Hitachi resolves the issues faced by customers and society across six domains: IT, Energy, Mobility, Industry, Smart Life and Automotive Systems through its proprietary Lumada solutions. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2020 (ended March 31, 2021) totaled 8,729.1 billion yen ($78.6 billion), with 871 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 350,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.

HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Hitachi Vantara Corporation
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A supermajority of employees at Impact Justice (IJ) have formed Impact Justice United (IJU), and today requested from their employer voluntary recognition of their union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 29.

"The energy we have invested into organizing with our colleagues is a direct reflection of our commitment to our work at Impact Justice," said IJU in its letter requesting recognition from the founder and president of the criminal justice reform organization, Alex Busansky.

"Forming a union strengthens our collective pursuit of dreaming of a humane and restorative system of justice in the United States," the letter continued. "We draw inspiration from Impact Justice's core values and guiding principles  each of which speak to the necessity of unionizing."

The unit of 56 employees seeking recognition of their union is continuing a national trend of nonprofit employees organizing for better wages, benefits and working conditions at mission-based organizations.

IJU listed their employer's core values and guiding principles of diversity and equity, liberation and integrity as reasons they've decided to come together in union. Unionizing will, they wrote, bring the organization closer to its professed values while also strengthening IJ's important research, policy and advocacy work in pursuit of a more humane criminal justice system.

IJU has requested a response from management by Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. PST and a start to the collective bargaining process shortly thereafter.

"In the event that leadership is unwilling to recognize us," they wrote, "we are prepared to file for and win an election through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)." In asking for voluntary recognition, IJU is asking its employer to bypass the lengthy and flawed NLRB process in favor of a collaborative approach that truly respects the rights of IJ staff and strengthens the organization's core mission. "Voluntarily recognizing Impact Justice United will promote transparency, ensure equity, and increase staff well-being, in alignment with our organization's core values," they concluded.

ABOUT OPEIU

The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, represents more than 100,000 working people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Representing employees in nonprofit organizations, technology, credit unions, hospitals, insurance agencies, colleges and universities, hotels, administrative offices and more, OPEIU is committed to advancing economic justice for working people no matter their occupation. Professional organizations and guilds affiliated with OPEIU are a diverse group that includes podiatrists, registered nurses, teachers, helicopter pilots and Minor League Baseball umpires. OPEIU is an affiliate of the 12.5 million-member strong AFL-CIO.

SOURCE Office and Professional Employees International Union, AFL-CIO (OPEIU)
TWIN FALLS, Idaho, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The social and emotional learning (SEL) program, Positive Action, developed by Positive Action, Inc. ("PAI"), the leading education and technology company for evidence-based SEL programs, will be implemented in select Philadelphia area schools by the Youth Violence Outreach Initiative of the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP), funded by approximately $1 million in grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) of the US Department of Justice.

"We are honored to have been chosen as the only recipient in Philadelphia of the Bureau of Justice Assistance's STOP School Violence Program 2021 grant," said Natasha Daniela de Lima McGlynn, Executive Director of the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia. "Our city is bleeding from gun violence, the impact of which continues to take its toll on our children and youth. We have seen elsewhere the extraordinary effectiveness of Positive Action's evidence-based curriculum in reducing violence and violent behavior amongst children and youth. We look forward to working with Positive Action to implement their holistic model in Philadelphia and empower children and youth to learn positive actions like peaceful conflict resolution that can guide them in positive directions."

AVP will provide four full-time Violence Prevention Counselors to implement the Positive Action program in select Philadelphia area schools, impacting the lives of 3,500 children in grades K-12, and to work with school administrators, including principals, climate officers, and police resource officers to support and reinforce the program. AVP will purchase materials and training from Positive Action, including classroom curriculum and climate tools (or materials).

"The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia has a long history of service in working to reduce the entire cycle of violence with origins dating back to 1980 and recognition at the national and local level from such organizations as the National Organization for Victim Assistance and the Philadelphia County Medical Society," said Alex Allred, CEO of PAI. "We are humbled to be selected as AVP's partner in this initiative to apply our SEL curriculum to the mission of eroding the cycle of violence facing youth in the Philadelphia area."

Funding will be provided under the BJA's Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program. The STOP School Violence Grant Program is designed to improve K-12 school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence and ensure a positive school climate. The BJA was created in 1984 to reduce violent crime, create safer communities, and reform our Nation's criminal justice system.

About Positive Action, Inc.

Positive Action, Inc. (PAI) is the leading education and technology company for evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs. Developed by founder Dr. Carol Allred beginning in 1973 and first published in 1982, our PK-12 programs are based on the intuitive philosophy that we feel good about ourselves when we do positive actions. We offer the only SEL program proven to simultaneously improve student academic achievement and behavior in multiple, multi-year randomized controlled trials, the highest standard of evidence-based education. Our programs have earned prestigious accolades from numerous institutions, including the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, Harvard University, and The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). For more information, visit: https://www.positiveaction.net/.

SOURCE Positive Action, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Google names San Francisco digital marketing agency, Upgrow, as a 2022 Premier Partner, a status earned by less than 3% of all Google advertisers. The announcement aligns with the surging growth in the agency's paid media and SEO services - having worked with Leesa, TalkDesk, Capital Bank, Lyft Business, SingleStore, CareDx and many other leading brands.

Founded in 2017 by industry veterans, Danny Ng (eBay) and Ryder Meehan (Samsung, Razorfish), Upgrow has disrupted the performance marketing agency model. By offering not just ads management, but comprehensive growth solutions - including design, B2B account-based marketing, audience segmentation, and messaging, Upgrow is generating up to 800% growth for tech, finance, and healthcare clients. Learn more at www.Upgrow.io .

"Using Google Ads we've generated massive results for our clients, it's a major honor to be included as a Premier Partner."

- Ryder Meehan, Co-Founder, Upgrow

This month, Google recognized the achievements of top-performing digital marketing partners across the globe by awarding Premier Partner status as part of the new Google Partners program .

"Congratulations to our Premier Partners for being among the top 3% of Google Partners in the US. These companies stand out based on their commitment to developing product expertise, building new client relationships, and helping their current clients grow. We look forward to supporting them as they help their customers succeed online."

- Davang Shah, Senior Director, Google Ads Marketing

Upgrow is part of a select group of Premier Partners in the Google Partners program . This program is designed for advertising agencies that manage Google Ads accounts on behalf of other brands or businesses.

About Upgrow

Upgrow's mission is to accelerate growth for remarkable brands. An ROI-driven digital marketing agency, focused on results to help brands reimagine how they reach, message and engage through a data-based approach.

Offering SEO, SEM, social media marketing, web design, web analytics and lead generation. Complete end-to-end online growth solutions. Upgrow works with brands to create a highly customized conversion-optimized web design and complete digital marketing solutions.

To learn more and to book a growth strategy call, visit: www.Upgrow.io .

SOURCE Upgrow
ATLANTA, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackson Healthcare, a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies, today announced that its president, Shane Jackson, has been named one of Georgia's top executives by Titan CEO.

The Georgia Titan 100 list is comprised of leaders from both the private and public sector who demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision, passion and influence in their respective fields. Honorees represent Georgia's diverse business community, working across the technology, manufacturing, education, healthcare, construction, real estate, staffing, professional services, hospitality, transportation and nonprofit sectors. Collectively, the 2022 Georgia Titans and their companies employ more than 240,000 individuals and generate over $66 billion in annual revenue.

Titan CEO selected Jackson in recognition of his contributions in the healthcare staffing industry. Since assuming the role of president in 2014, he has consistently led the organization to growth of more than double the industry average, establishing Jackson Healthcare as one of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the country and one of the top 10 private companies in the state of Georgia. Spearheading an innovative staffing model at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled the organization to expedite the placement of healthcare professionals when and where they've been critically needed throughout the pandemic. Under Jackson's leadership, the organization has staffed over 15,000 positions across Georgia and placed healthcare workers in more than 1,000 facilities across all 50 states since early 2020.

The full list of the 2022 Georgia Titan 100 honorees is available here.

About Jackson Healthcare

Jackson Healthcare is a family of highly specialized healthcare staffing, search and technology companies. With a mission to improve the delivery of patient care and the lives of everyone it touches, it helps healthcare facilities across the country serve more than 10 million patients each year. Backed by more than 1,600 associates and with over $1.8 billion in annual revenue, Jackson Healthcare is one of the largest healthcare staffing organizations in the U.S. In addition to being Great Place to Work certified, it is consistently named an employer of choice, having been nationally recognized as a best workplace in healthcare, a best workplace for women and a best workplace for millennials, as well as being named among the healthiest employers. Learn more at www.jacksonhealthcare.com.

SOURCE Jackson Healthcare
KERRVILLE, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- James Avery Artisan Jewelry, a family-owned jewelry retailer based in Texas, announces the opening of its new store in Midland at the Commons at Northpark. The new address is 2900 W Loop 250 N, Ste 105  a relocation from Midland Park Mall.

"Our associates are excited to greet customers in the new bigger, brighter Midland store today," James Avery CEO John McCullough said. "This new location improves our guests' shopping experience with easier parking and access from 250. Plus, the extra space will let customers enjoy a bigger selection of our timeless jewelry."

The new store opens today, and visitors are invited to register for the gift card drawings. During the grand opening celebration Saturday, March 5 there will be drawings for 30 James Avery gift cards valued at $50, $100 or $500. Additionally, the first 100 guests will receive a gift with purchase.

Putting customer and associate safety first, the Midland store is following recommended COVID-19 health protocols and guidelines implemented in all James Avery stores. Store Manager Karen Rowe and her team are ready to welcome customers to shop in the new store or use the Contactless, Curbside Pickup or Buy Online, Pickup in Store options at JamesAvery.com. Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

About James Avery Artisan Jewelry James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, bronze and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed and crafted by our own skilled artisans in Kerrville, Comfort and Hondo, Texas using the finest materials sourced worldwide. We are a multi-channel retailer with over 100 James Avery stores in four states. Our jewelry is also available at JamesAvery.com, more over 220 Dillard's locations and Dillards.com. You can also find our designs at airport stores in Austin, Houston and Nashville, as well as select Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations.

About the Drawings  Odds of winning depend on total number of entries received. Thirty James Avery gift cards will be awarded: twenty-four $50 gift cards, three $100 gift cards, and three $500 gift cards. Entries accepted February 23 through March 5. Hourly drawings on March 5 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the Grand Opening Celebration at the Midland James Avery Artisan Jewelry store. No purchase necessary. Must be at least 13 years old to enter. Only one entry per person per day. Winners not eligible to win a subsequent gift card in the same promotion. Winners need not be present to win; however, if prize is not claimed within 14 days of drawing, prize will be awarded to an alternate winner. Associates and immediate family members not eligible for this gift promotion.

SOURCE James Avery Artisan Jewelry
The key metric used in all of Sandhills' market reports is the Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI). Buyers and sellers can use the information in the Sandhills EVI to monitor equipment markets and maximize returns on acquisition, liquidation, and related business decisions. For 2022, Sandhills has enhanced its EVI with new metrics. The data now includes model year equipment actively in use, which grows the used equipment population beyond that available in auction and retail markets. New EVI data, already available for the United States, is also now available for Canada to better reflect machine values by location. The enhanced version of Sandhills EVI requires Sandhills to restate the values starting in January 2022, so prior numbers will not be comparable to the new, more insightful values.

Chart Takeaways

Sandhills Market Reports highlight the most significant changes in Sandhills' used heavy-duty truck, construction equipment, and farm machinery markets. Each report includes detailed analysis and charts that help readers visualize the data. The industry-specific inventory statistics in this report are supplemented with historic inventory levels for the late-model (0- to 5-year) age group, helping quantify how the lower production of new equipment has impacted the number of late-model machines reaching the used market.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Trucks

The Sandhills EVI finds inventory levels of used heavy-duty trucks across all age groups down 58.5% year-over-year between January 2021 and January 2022 .

and . From 2017 to 2020, inventory levels for late-model used heavy-duty trucks averaged between 10,000 and 12,000 annually.

During 2021, inventory levels of used late-model trucks averaged under 5,000 units; this serves as an example of how sluggish new truck production has had a major impact on the used truck market.

U.S. Used Heavy-Duty Construction Equipment

Inventory levels of used heavy-duty construction equipment are down 42.5% YOY. This figure includes crawler excavators, dozers, and wheel loaders within all age groups.

From 2017 to 2020, inventory levels for late-model construction equipment averaged between 8,000 and 9,000 machines annually.

With inventory levels averaging around 7,000 across 2021, late-model construction equipment trended considerably down from previous years.

U.S. Used Farm Equipment

Used farm equipment inventory levels are down 37.4% YOY from January 2021 to January 2022 . This figure includes 100-plus-horsepower tractors and combines within all age groups.

to . This figure includes 100-plus-horsepower tractors and combines within all age groups. From 2017 to 2020, average inventory levels for late-model agriculture equipment hovered between 7,000 and 10,000 machines annually.

In 2021, inventory levels for the same age group averaged around 4,000 machines.

Obtain the Full Report

For more information, or to receive detailed analysis from Sandhills Global, contact us at [email protected] .

About Sandhills Global

Sandhills Global is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our products and services gather, process, and distribute information in the form of trade publications, websites, and online services that connect buyers and sellers across the construction, agriculture, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, commercial trucking, and aviation industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Globalwe are the cloud.

About the Sandhills Equipment Value Index

The Sandhills Equipment Value Index (EVI) is a principal gauge of the estimated market values of used assetsboth currently and over timeacross the construction, agricultural, and commercial trucking industries represented by Sandhills Global marketplaces, including AuctionTime.com , TractorHouse.com , MachineryTrader.com , TruckPaper.com , and other industry-specific equipment platforms. Powered by FleetEvaluator , Sandhills' proprietary asset valuation tool, Sandhills EVI provides useful insights into the ever-changing supply-and-demand conditions for each industry.

Contact Sandhills

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402-479-2181

SOURCE Sandhills Global
New York City NY - According to statistics, the United States needs more than 80,000 drivers to avoid shortages in the trucking industry. It is a record number and a worrying figure. LOAD2GO is implementing the knowledge and many years of experience into working solutions to prevent a crisis.

LOAD2GO for professional CDL Drivers

From 1935 to 1980, truckers were the highest-paid workers, an annual trucker's salary amounted to $100,000 until the US government introduced a law to lift restrictions on the number of transport companies and lost control over the prices of truckload shipment. LOAD2GO presented a solution where professional CDL drivers can start running their own trucking company to increase their profit while enjoying a work-life balance. LOAD2GO has a wide network of partners that provide assistance with MC and DOT authority, equipment rental, insurance, billing, safety, and much more. 24/7 customer support will allow professional CDL drivers to start and run the business without challenges.

LOAD2GO for Trucking Companies

'Small trucking companies are another good match for LOAD2GO': says vice president of sales Patrick Crain. The market price for each load and 100% of transparency will also allow the business to earn much more and make truck drivers' work less stressful. LOAD2GO is a future of supply chain that offers new opportunities for small trucking companies and takes great care of their partners.

LOAD2GO for Freight Brokers

By offering direct communication with a driver LOAD2GO offers an ability for a broker to contact and check a driver any moment needed, the shipment is live tracked from a pickup point to delivery point, this lowers the chance of miscommunication and secures the goods. The CEO of LOAD2GO Khrystyna Berezovska suggests that free-of-charge integrations with freight brokers improve transportation by carefully picked carriers and professional drivers.

LOAD2GO for Shippers and Receivers

Shippers and receivers will also greatly benefit from working with LOAD2GO as it fills in the gap and uncertainty of inexperienced drivers. The approach LOAD2GO has towards the business will allow saving thousands on transportation costs.

'We are committed to making the process easier and more efficient for any driver, trucking company, freight broker, and customer. The market price for each load, 100% transparency, 24/7 professional customer service, technology, big data, and much more is offered by LOAD2GO.'

To find out more visit: https://load2go.us.

Contact: Khrystyna Berezovska, 302-231-1441

SOURCE LOAD2GO
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LumApps , a leading Employee Experience Platform, today announced that it was recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Intranet Platforms, Q1 2022, and earned the highest possible score in six criteria, including Market Approach, Product Vision and Delivery Model. Of the 12 vendors evaluated, LumApps was one of only three vendors to be named a "Leader", which is determined according to the strength of the vendor's overall strategy and current offering.

According to analysis by report author Cheryl McKinnon, Forrester Principal Analyst Serving Enterprise Architecture Professionals, "LumApps has a strong vision for employee experiences driven by journeys and insights. LumApps' vision for the intranet market goes beyond classic content and communication; it views its platform as an essential component of a digital EX."

Forrester further recommends that deciders, "consider LumApps for large deployments that include multilingual or mobile workers, when both Microsoft and Google ecosystems are important, when video is a key component of communications, or when EX pros have a vision of mapping communication to key journeys."

"We are very proud to be named a leader among the 12 other vendors evaluated in the report," said Sebastien Ricard, LumApps CEO. "We believe this placement further solidifies our position in the market and highlights our strong vision for the future of the employee experience: enabling our customers with intelligent employee journeys and next-level personalization."

Forrester is a leading global research and advisory firm providing insights for organizations and businesses around the world. The Forrester Wave: Intranet Platforms, Q1 2022 Report compares 12 significant market providers to help application development and delivery (AD&D) professionals select the right solution for their organization's individual needs to achieve excellent customer experience. The report's conclusions are based on 27 criteria grouped into three main categories: current offering, strategy and market presence.

To learn more about The Forrester Wave and download the report , visit the LumApps website: www.lumapps.com .

About LumApps

LumApps is a leading Employee Experience Platform first launched in 2015 to unify the modern workforce through better communication, engagement, and instant access to information. Integrated with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, LumApps intelligently connects people, information, and business applications to empower employees and enhance productivity. The product tailors each experience to the unique needs of the employee, from executives and managers to frontline workers. LumApps is a true SaaS platform designed to scale to the needs of today's largest enterprises and is easily accessible across any device or language.

With over 250 people in 7 offices located on three continents, LumApps serves prominent companies like Veolia, Airbus, Valeo, Air Liquide, The Economist and Electronic Arts, supporting more than 4 million users worldwide. To fuel its continued rapid growth and enhance the capabilities of its platform, LumApps has raised $70M in a Series C round in 2020. Learn more at www.lumapps.com

Media Contact:

Andrea LePain

eMediaJunction

[email protected]

617-275-8112

SOURCE LumApps
BANGALORE, India, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Luxury Travel Market is Segmented by Type (Customized and Private Vacation, Adventure and Safari, Cruise/Ship Expedition, Small Group Journey, Celebration and Special Event, Others), Age Group (Millennial, Generation X, Baby Boomers). The report covers global opportunity analysis and industry forecasts from 2022 to 2028.

The luxury travel market size was valued at USD 22200 Million in 2021, and it is anticipated to reach USD 39300 Million by 2028, registering a CAGR of about 8.4% during the forecast period (20222028).

Major Factors Driving The Growth Of The Luxury Travel Market :

The luxury travel market is expected to be driven by rising middle-and upper-class disposable income and consumer spending, rising demand for accumulating travel memories, and an increase in micro trips. In addition, the growing use of the internet and the presence of social media are driving the market forward.

The primary benchmark for the luxury travel market is growing traveler preference for personalized service, reliable transportation, exclusivity, and positive and professional interactions with staff.

Furthermore, growing political stability around the world in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, human rights, racism, citizenship, and visa availability is propelling the luxury travel market forward.

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Trends Influencing The Growth Of The Luxury Travel Market:

The luxury travel market is likely to be driven by an increase in the number of people who prefer solo luxury tourism to achieve their travel goals without distractions or interruptions.

Consumer spending, rising millennial spending, and tourism sector expansion are all contributing to the growth of the luxury travel market. Growing middle-class populations are important contributors to market expansion. Consumers are rapidly increasing their travel spending as a result of increased disposable income and celebrations and special events. Furthermore, rising affluence and government relaxation of visa restrictions on travelers are propelling the market forward at a rapid pace.

Consumer spending on travel is increasing as the working population grows, with a greater number of women in the workforce. As a result, the market has seen an increase in the number of female travelers, which is driving the market's growth. According to statistics, luxury travel has become popular and a top priority for most people in terms of future spending options. Market leaders are devising unique strategies to target the growing middle-class segment in order to capitalize and attract more customers.

The increasing use of the internet and the presence of social media are propelling the luxury travel market forward. Traditional advertising is less effective than user-generated travel content. Furthermore, travel storytelling on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and blogging websites has exploded.

Browse the Table of Contents and List of figures at: https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Othe-1O497/luxury-travel

Luxury Travel Market Share Analysis

Based on region, Asia-Pacific held the largest Luxury Travel market share of about 33%. Europe is in second, accounting for about 30% market share.

Based on age group, the Millennial segment is expected to be the most lucrative segment. Luxury and meaningful consumption are more important to millennials than owning things. They are more religiously and politically independent, more entrepreneurial, less likely to marry, distrustful of authority, better educated, and more travel-oriented than any previous generation.'

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Top Companies In The Luxury Travel Market:

Major companies discussed in this report include TUI Group, Thomas Cook Group, Jet2 Holidays, Cox & Kings Ltd, Lindblad Expeditions, Travcoa, Scott Dunn, Abercrombie & Kent Ltd, Micato Safaris, Tauck, Al Tayyar, Backroads, Zicasso, Exodus Travels, Butterfield & Robinson, etc.

"The top 5 companies are expected to hold about 14% of the market share".

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- The global leisure travel market size was valued at USD 1,006.5 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach USD 1,737.3 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 22.6% from 2021 to 2027.

- The global travel insurance market size was valued at USD 19.2 Billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 39.3 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 17.4% from 2020 to 2027

- The global Hotel and Hospitality Management Software market size is projected to reach USD 3637.2 Million by 2027, from USD 2540.7 Million in 2020, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.2% during 2021-2027

- Global Travel Agencies Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021-2027

- Global Travel Management Services Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

- Global Travel Application Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global Sustainable Travel Market Insights and Forecast to 2028

- Global Custom Travel Services Market Insights, Forecast to 2028

To see the full list of related reports on the Luxury Travel

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WAYNE, Pa., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Moves for Seniors, the nationwide leader in senior moving and transition services, announced today a partnership with MBK Senior Living. The agreement provides extensive internal logistics services, as well as a full range of senior downsizing and moving services for new residents moving to any of the company's 35 communities located in the Western United States.

"We are thrilled to welcome MBK Senior Living as a new partner and we look forward to helping them reach their operating goals," said Robert J. Burg, Executive Vice President of Moves for Seniors. "This agreement will enable MBK to offer its prospective residents a consistent concierge-style experience across its portfolio. There is also the advantage of giving staff easy access to professionals who will help manage the logistics of operations; this greatly improves employee safety and lowers the cost of injury risk and lost workdays."

Revolutionizing the Move Experience

The senior housing industry is experiencing tremendous growth and rapid transformation as baby boomers and their parents look to experience an active lifestyle that leaves the burdens of home maintenance behind. Moves for Seniors was purpose-built for senior housing to provide specialized services that ease the transition. Having a single partner to provide local and long distance moving, downsizing, organizing, clean outs, move management and more enables Sales Directors to address a key barrier that seniors face when transitioning from a long-time home to a community.

"The most common feedback we hear from seniors, family members, and communities is 'We wish we knew about you earlier,'" says Chris Smith, CEO of Moves for Seniors. "As MBK's partner, we will work closely with their residents to ease the daunting process of downsizing from one home to another. We will serve as an advocate to navigate the complexities and oversee delivery of high-quality service."

Moves for Seniors is able to act as a single point of contact across MBK's portfolio through a national network of providers that represent a wide range of move- and downsizing-related services. A key requirement for all network members is senior sensitive business practices and dedication to the health and safety of clients. This is a perfect match for MBK's focus on providing value-added services and high-quality care to exceed residents' expectation.

"We are very excited about our partnership with the Moves for Seniors team," said Jeff Fischer, president of MBK Senior Living. "Meeting the needs of residents and providing families with greater peace of mind starts before they even move to an MBK community. That's why we're excited to partner with the Moves for Seniors team to offer new residents, as well as existing residents, a comprehensive solution to make the transition smooth and seamless. Moves for Seniors offers a unique combination of services, nationwide bandwidth and focus on the senior housing industry that will be of tremendous help to MBK residents and community team members."

About Moves for Seniors

Since 2007, Moves for Seniors has been leading the way in providing innovative moving and downsizing related solutions for the senior housing industry and the residents they serve. Comprehensive service offerings are tailored to create consistency and efficiency at the operator level, reduce risk and maximize occupancy at the community level, and enhance the transition experience at the resident level. Moves for Seniors is a division of Transit Systems, Inc.

About MBK Senior Living

Ranked among the Top 50 "Best Workplaces in Aging Services" by Fortune magazine, MBK Senior Living (MSL) owns and operates Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care services senior living communities throughout the Western United States. Based in Irvine, CA, MBK Senior Living is a subsidiary of MBK Real Estate LLC, which is supported by the vast financial strength and global resources of its parent company, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. For more information, please visit the company's website at mbkseniorliving.com or on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Bob Burg

610-535-6597

[email protected]

SOURCE Moves for Seniors
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA experts will join a virtual news conference hosted by Axiom Space to preview the launch of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The briefing will take place at 11 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 28.

The virtual press conference will be available on Axiom Space's YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/axiomspace

The Ax-1 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 2:46 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 30, at from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the 10-day mission, which includes eight days aboard the space station, the four-person multi-national crew will complete more than 25 research experiments developed for microgravity in collaboration with health and science organizations across the globe.

Briefing participants are:

Kathy Lueders , associate administrator, Space Operations, NASA

, associate administrator, Space Operations, NASA Robyn Gatens , director, International Space Station, NASA

, director, International Space Station, NASA Phil McAllister , director, Commercial Spaceflight, NASA

, director, Commercial Spaceflight, NASA Michael Suffredini , president and chief executive officer, Axiom

, president and chief executive officer, Axiom Michael Lopez-Alegria, Ax-1 crew commander, Axiom

Christian Maender , director, In-Space Research and Manufacturing, Axiom

, director, In-Space Research and Manufacturing, Axiom Benjamin Reed , senior director, Human Spaceflight Programs, SpaceX

To participate, media must contact: [email protected] by 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, to receive call-in details.

Axiom Space astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria, Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe, are prime crew members of the Ax-1 mission. Lopez-Alegria, who was born in Spain, raised in California, and is a former NASA astronaut, will serve as the mission commander. Connor, of Dayton, Ohio, will serve as pilot. Pathy, from Canada, and Stibbe, from Israel, will serve as mission specialists.

NASA continues to make rapid progress in its efforts to build a robust low-Earth orbit economy. The agency recently announced its selection of Axiom Space to begin negotiations for the second private astronaut mission. NASA also recently announced its selection of companies to develop designs of space stations and other commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit.

Prior to these new awards, NASA selected Axiom Space in January 2020 to design and develop commercial modules to attach to the station. Axiom recently completed the preliminary design review of two modules as well as the critical design review of the modules' primary structure with NASA participation. Flight hardware for the first Axiom module is currently undergoing fabrication.

For more information about NASA's low-Earth orbit commercialization activities, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/leo-economy/

SOURCE NASA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the media and public are invited to participate in NASA's imaginAviation, a three-day virtual event that will focus on the future transformation of aviation that begins Tuesday, March 1.

Notable speakers include NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Bob Pearce, associate administrator for the agency's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Simon Sinek, author of The Unshakable Optimist, and Kathryn Jablokow, from the National Science Foundation.

Among other topics, NASA researchers will discuss efforts to improve the sustainability of aviation while contributing to the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to tackle climate change.

Participants will have opportunities to learn how NASA aeronautics projects and technologies are building a safer flying experience for all. They will engage real-time with agency subject matter experts and industry leaders, learn about NASA STEM engagement with K-12 and university students, and hear how NASA will transform the future of aviation.

The showcase will provide attendees an opportunity to experience NASA's "Gateway to Aviation Transformation" through the eyes of the University Innovation, Convergent Aeronautics Solutions, and the Transformational Tools and Technologies projects, all within NASA's Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program.

This year's event will include technology maturation and market infusion potential with support from industry, other government agencies, and NASA Aeronautics' Advanced Air Vehicles, Airspace Operations and Safety, and Integrated Aviation Systems Programs.

For more information on the imaginAviation event or to sign up to attend, visit:

https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/imaginaviation/

SOURCE NASA
After the founding members partnered with John Leonesio and The Leonesio Group, whose name is synonymous with successful Health & Wellness franchising, the company experienced explosive growth despite the Covid-19 pandemic. "The pandemic took its toll on everyone across the world in various ways. We were not immune to that, but thanks to our outstanding team, our incredibly valuable chiropractic industry, and our many franchise partners we were able to weather the storm and actually outpace many growth goals over the last two years," says Founder Dr. Todd Hedlund.

After exiting their executive roles in their other self built healthcare companies, Dr. Marc Ott, Dr. Bret Scheuplein, and Dr. Gerard Hinley (GMB I, LLC members) were looking to expand their business portfolio by franchising a private pay model in the central Florida market. After experiencing the NuSpine way, the GMB members were eager to get involved. NuSpine leadership took note of their collective skills and capacity for growing chiropractic businesses and brought them in at the corporate level to drive a fresh perspective in their franchise network.

NuSpine Franchise units have unique differentiators from the rest of the private pay sector that caught the attention of the GMB partners. Specifically, NuSpine delivers private personalized care in an efficient affordable environment. The new leadership team is continuing to add new systems to drive up the potential of the individual units and the reputation of the NuSpine model in the greater chiropractic and healthcare industries.

With the addition of the GMB I, LLC team NuSpine's leadership has over 100 years combined industry experience and proven success. Dr. Ott brings 17 years of chiropractic industry specific experience coupled with a proven track record of being able to build large, scalable organizations with multi-unit site development. His previous position as CEO he grew one chiropractic clinic into 30+ units with over 430 employees and 40+ physicians. Dr. Scheuplein focused his entire 18 year career on clinical excellence and physician training and recruiting inside the company he co-founded with Dr. Ott. Dr. Scheuplein has become one of the most respected professionals in that arena. Dr. Hinley built and sustained one of the largest cash practices in the nation and spent his 30 year career honing his communications and procedural skills for best practices in managing and educating patients toward higher levels of health while teaching them to take personal responsibility for their choices and the health those choices produced. Dr. Hedlund has 34 years of clinical experience in chiropractic opening 24 individual chiropractic offices in private pay, insurance, and injury sectors. He focused his professional energy into the art of the adjustment and teaching doctors excellence in the service that they provide. These four industry leaders add a unique dynamic to NuSpine that stands apart from all others in the space.

NuSpine Franchise has proven and refined the private pay model, TLG has implemented franchise systems to foster rapid, sustainable growth and GMB is adding support in multi unit chiropractic operations, doctor recruitment and wellness management. The company is offering Area Representative licenses and Franchise licenses across the United States.

Employment opportunities are also available in all markets where licenses are already awarded.

NuSpine's existing licenses holders are projected to triple their open units in 2022, and new marketing strategies have the company on pace to increase leads and licenses awarded by over 200% in the next 12 months. For more information visit www.nuspinefranchise.com .

CONTACT: Aaron Hedlund, 402-975-2500, [email protected]

SOURCE NuSpine Franchise Systems, LLC
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Story, one of the largest special education companies in the U.S. and with schools and clinics throughout Ohio, announced that Mario Basora, M.Ed. and Alicia Cachat, M.Ed., BCBA, COBA have joined the organization bringing decades of leadership and results-driven outcomes to children, young adults and families in need of education, alternative education and mental health services. Basora joins New Story as its Senior Vice President of Operations for Ohio, responsible for oversight of the organization's five Ohio-based New Story Schools and three Applied Behavioral Services (ABS) clinics. Cachat is focused on ABS day-to-day operations and for ensuring families receive high-quality and compassionate care.

Mario and Alicia are joining New Story and our Ohio team at a time of exciting growth and service expansion," said Jon Bicknell, Chief Executive Officer, New Story. "Last fall, ABS joined the New Story family of companies adding important clinical capabilities specific to full treatment intervention for children with autism and related disabilities. This month we opened the doors of a new, New Story School campus located in Independence that's been purpose-built for the needs of our students. The leadership and experiences Mario and Alicia are bringing to us and to our families will not only energize our schools and clinics, but also support continued improvement in the delivery of our services and programs.

New Story Schools in Ohio and ABS boast impressive impact in Ohio including:

Monitoring at the New Story School Columbus location from 2013-2019 showed that the academic program students in grades K-8 averaged more than one year's grade level equivalency growth each year,

More than 4/5 of families surveyed in 2021 believed that New Story Schools were the ideal placement for autism services,

More than 97 percent agree that New Story Schools provide an inviting place for their students to learn, and

ABS has provided over 20 years of intensive intervention, with over 30 years of collective experience with children with special needs.

Basora is an educational advocate and leader with experience across a variety of positions, including teacher and principal. Pror to joining New Story, Mario spent the last decade serving as Superintendent for Huber Heights City and Yellow Spring School Districts.

"I'm thrilled to join New Story and lead our teams of directors, coordinators, teachers, behavior support specialists, and staff" said Basora. "They work every day in our schools and clinics to support students and families and are critical to our collective success. I'm looking forward to working alongside them and in partnership with our families and district partners to continue bringing high-quality education and support programs to Ohio's families."

Cachat is a long-time ABS leader, joining the organization more than 15 years ago as a clinician and eventually becoming Executive Director of its West Chester clinic. Her transition to this new role means she can now share those insights to all ABS families.

"I've seen first-hand how working hand-in-hand with families, who put so much trust in our services and our model, can greatly improve outcomes for their children diagnosed with autism spectrum and other disorders," said Cachat. "With oversight of all three sites, we can continuously improve ways of working and sharpen our focus and programs for the betterment of all the families we serve."

About New Story

New Story is a leading provider of special and alternative education and mental health services for children and young adults with serious and complex challenges. The New Story family of schools and clinics serve families across Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. For more information, visit www.newstory.com.

For more information about Applied Behavioral Services, visit www.appliedbehavioralservices.com.

SOURCE New Story
What's New for 2022?

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Edition: 8; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 1193

Companies: 55 - Players covered include Abbott Laboratories; Alcor Scientific; Amsino International Inc.; Applied Medical Technology; Avanos Medical; B.Braun Melsungen AG ; Becton ,Dickinson and Company ; Boston Scientific ; Cardinal Health,Inc ; Conmed Corporation ; Cook Medical; Danone ; Dynarex Corporation ; Fidmi Medical ; Fresenius Kabi AG ; Medela Inc ; Moog,Inc; Nestle SA ; Vesco Medical, LLC; Vygon Group; and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Application (Neurological Disorders, Cancer, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Other Applications); End-Use (Hospitals, Home Care, Ambulatory Surgical Centers)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Enteral Feeding Pumps Market to Reach US$1.6 Billion by the Year 2026

Enteral nutrition refers to the delivery of enteral products including human breast milk through an enteral access device into a functioning gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Some of the medical conditions that necessitate enteral feeding in patients include malnutrition, swallowing disorders, neurological disorders, digestive disorders, cancer, eosinophilic disorders, and anatomical or post-surgical malformations of mouth. Growth in the global market is driven by the continuous rise in the number of people suffering from various chronic medical conditions, an aging population at a high risk of age-related medical conditions, and the steady increase in prevalence of premature births across the world. Traditionally, enteral feeding devices were deemed suitable only for end-of-life applications. However, the convenience and higher efficiency rates associated with these devices led to the extrapolation of its use to pediatric indications as well. A growing number of ambulatory care settings and hospitals worldwide are using enteral nutrition therapy to provide effective clinical nutrition to patients, thus driving demand for enteral feeding devices. Demand is especially being spurred by the growing number of reconstructive surgeries being performed, which often necessitate the use of enteral feeding therapy over long periods of time. Rising awareness about the advantages of tube feeding and gradual decline in the cost of enteral nutrition therapy are also expected to spur market growth. Technology advancements and R&D initiatives are playing a critical part in the development of innovative and advanced devices, as well as lighter and simpler enteral feeding devices such as tubes and pumps.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Enteral Feeding Pumps estimated at US$1.2 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$1.6 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% over the analysis period. Neurological Disorders, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.6% CAGR to reach US$627.1 Million by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Cancer segment is readjusted to a revised 6.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 29.8% share of the global Enteral Feeding Pumps market. Enteral nutrition is considered to be best option during treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases and cancer to prevent nutritional deficiency and to ensure optimal functioning of the organs. Cancer specifically has the potential to cause severe weight loss and malnutrition, whereby it is essential for patients to be administered with nutrient feeding on a continuous basis. The need for effective nutritional management of neurological patients is thus raising importance of enteral feeding as a nutritional support for patients suffering from neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementias, stroke, and neurone diseases.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $419.2 Million in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $159.5 Million by 2026

The Enteral Feeding Pumps market in the U.S. is estimated at US$419.2 Million in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 33.97% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$159.5 Million in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 7.5% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 4.1% and 5.3% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.5% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$171.2 Million by the end of the analysis period. North America and Europe represent the leading regional markets, market growth is being fostered primarily by the development of novel and patient-friendly devices that are integrated with several safety features. The large and growing population of elderly individuals and their high susceptibility to various chronic illnesses remains a major growth influencing factor for the market. Developing economies of Asia-Pacific and Latin America, meanwhile, are high-growth markets for enteral feeding devices including pumps on account of the expanding elderly population and the growing prevalence of chronic disorders and illnesses, as well as the rising prevalence of premature births in the region.

Gastrointestinal Diseases Segment to Reach $215.7 Million by 2026

The steadily rising prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders is necessitating administration of additional nutritional support through enteral feeding, thus driving growth in the market. In the global Gastrointestinal Diseases segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 4.7% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$128.9 Million will reach a projected size of US$177.2 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$19.8 Million by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 5.9% CAGR through the analysis period. More



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ORANGE COUNTY, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A woman in Orange County has been awarded $1.325 million by a jury after she slipped and fell at a Brookshire Brothers grocery store while shopping for ice cream on Memorial Day weekend in 2020.

Jurors in the trial heard evidence that this particular Brookshire Brothers location had recurring issues with leaking freezers dating back as far as August 2019. While Cheryl Huelsman was shopping, she slipped on a wet area near the ice cream freezers that caused her to fall and suffer serious injuries.

Brasher Law Firm, PLLC represented the plaintiff, who broke her kneecap in the fall and had to undergo two surgeries. She was in a brace for several months, couldn't drive and needed help bathing, dressing and doing basic chores. She was 70 at the time of the incident and otherwise in good health.

"We are happy that the jurors unanimously held the defendant responsible and set a standard for safety in our community," said firm partner, Clint Brasher. "We know that stores want customers looking at the goods on their aisles and we expect stores to fix problems they know are dangerous. We are proud to have helped her get the justice she deserves."

Throughout the trial, Brookshire Brothers denied any responsibility for the accident, blaming the victim's flip-flops. At trial, the plaintiff's attorneys suggested apportioning 20 percent responsibility on her. After a three-day trial, the jury attributed 70 percent responsibility to Brookshire Brothers and 30 percent to the victim. The Brasher Law Firm team representing Ms. Huelsman asked the jury for $1.154 million in closing arguments, but received $1.325 million in a unanimous vote.

The case is Cheryl Huelsman v. Brookshire Brothers, Inc., Cause No. A200196-C, in the 128th Judicial District Court of Orange County, Texas. This was the first civil jury trial tried to verdict in the 128th Judicial District Court since the pandemic began. Brasher Law firm thanks co-counsel Peter LaPray and Jon Healy for their work on the case.

About Brasher

Texas-based Brasher Law Firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights and interests of its clients using its unique and passionate approach to litigation. Brasher represents individuals throughout Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma in cases involving personal injury claims, insurance claims, employment law and maritime law. For more information, visit https://brasherattorney.com/.

Media Contact:

Alyssa Woulfe

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Brasher Law Firm, PLLC
Overland Partners with local associate Able City , were unanimously chosen by Laredo City Council and members of the Binational Working Group, a public-private consortium, to conceptualize this binational river park project. On February 18, a site plan for the 6.3-mile tract, aerial renderings, and eye level perspectives for a one-mile developed stretch was presented to the Mayors and city leadership of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, the Governor of Tamaulipas, United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, U.S. Consul General for Nuevo Laredo Deanna Kim, along with the Binational Working Group and community and business leaders.

"We are inspired by the Binational River Park and excited by the unique challenges an aspirational project of this magnitude presents  environmentally, socially, and culturally," said Rick Archer, Overland Senior Principal and CEO.

The 6.3 river mile park has been identified as an ecological restoration project, one that will reestablish the river's ecosystem, revitalize the economy, add cultural assets, such as public art, and attract tourism on both sides of the river, transforming the space into a distinctive international landmark that joins two communities and nations into one.

With international experts from OLIN Studios and ARUP, and regional engineering firms Crane Engineering and LAN Hydrology, Overland with Able City led a workshop February 7  9 with members of the Binational Work Group and key stakeholders to understand project needs and study the surrounding physical context. Nearly 35 people participated in a series of visioning exercises and site visits that resulted in a unified concept of the Binational River Park.

This workshop led to a mission statement to guide the project:

The Binational River Park at the Rio Grande-Rio Bravo in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo connects and celebrates our common culture on the United States and Mexico border. It reclaims our shared history, spurs the economy, promotes security on both sides of the river, and restores the ecological treasure we call home. The first of its kind, this international conservation project enhances our quality of life and serves as a prototype for border cities around the world to follow. Two nations, one community. One river. One park.

"Together with our partners and stakeholders, we want to create an international cultural destination and model for cooperation, conservation and community," Archer said.

Media Contact:

Erika Picard  210-793-6951

[email protected]

SOURCE Overland Partners Architects
Can you tell us about your role as director of breast cancer clinical research?

One of the most important aspects of my role as director of breast cancer clinical research is to ensure that we have a constant, dynamic flow of clinical trials that are applicable to our very diverse patient population. These include trials in the early and metastatic settings, as well as in the maintenance setting for women who are cancer survivors, since there are clinical trials aimed at improving their quality of life. These trials encompass everything that you could think of that a person with breast cancer deals with, including side-effect management.

On a daily basis we are approached by either pharmaceutical companies or cooperative groups for clinical trial opportunities. There are many different trials that we can open, and my job is to select and curate the clinical trials that best serve our patient population and that allow patients to go on trials more easily.

There have been several studies done to look at why, across the nation and particularly at major cancer centers, less than 10 percent of patients ever go on a clinical trial. My job is also to dispel some of the stigma that surrounds being enrolled in a clinical trial. For example, people might think a clinical trial is the end of the road for them or that they are being used as a guinea pig. Also, being assigned to a placebo arm of a trial can be scary. We spend a lot of time in our clinic talking with patients to dispel some of those things.

How are you choosing clinical trials that meet the diverse patient populations that Perlmutter Cancer Center serves?

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is probably as diverse as you can get, and the patient population there is very different than at other sites in the NYU Langone Health and affiliated network. We see a lot of different and very interesting pathologies at Bellevue, which in many cases has to do a lot with access to care. We see patients coming in with later-stage cancers. We want to make sure that our clinical trials portfolio also covers those patients.

People come from all over the world to seek care at Bellevue and Perlmutter Cancer Center. I've done a lot of telemedicine visits with patients as far away as Europe and the Caribbean who are looking to New York City and Perlmutter Cancer Center as a hub for advanced cancer care. Each of these patients is diverse in different ways, and our clinical trials have to encompass all of the populations that we serve.

You have a special interest in phase 1 clinical trials. What is their importance for treating people with breast cancer?

The other hat that I wear is as a member of the novel therapeutics team at Perlmutter Cancer Center.

We generally are able to provide our patients with breast cancer a good quality of life, and for many years in many different cases. Each type of breast cancer is different, and in the metastatic setting, we have patients who have been through multiple lines of prior therapy.

For those patients, our goal obviously is to find them effective therapy. They always need to be on some therapy because they have metastatic disease, but often the breast cancerspecific trials may exclude them because they've had more than four or five lines of therapy, which is the cutoff for eligibility in many trials. So, what do we have to offer for our patients who are still in really good shape, have a good quality of life, and who are on their ninth line of therapy? It is those patients for whom we turn to our phase 1 studies.

When I screen a patient for a breast cancer trial, even if they haven't had eight or nine lines of therapy, I keep the phase 1 trials in mind because there may be a specific tumor mutation that a patient has that, if we can match that mutation to a specific targeted drug, then even if it's not a breast cancerspecific clinical trial, the patient may respond because we're treating according to their underlying genomic biology. That offers patients another avenue for early access to potentially effective drugs.

In Long Island and in Brooklyn, we're expanding our breast cancer research program. NYU Langone HospitalLong Island and NYU Langone HospitalBrooklyn are very robust sites. And we now have phase 1 clinical trials that cover not just people with breast cancer, but also other tumor subtypes. These other clinical trials are very important because they provide access to patients who otherwise would probably have to travel to Manhattan to get access to these studies.

What are some of the clinical trials that you have been conducting?

I have been very fortunate to participate and be one of the co-investigators on an upcoming trial coordinated by the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP), which is the early drug development branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This is a very interesting study that combines radium-223 with a standard of care chemotherapy agent, paclitaxel, which is commonly utilized for treatment of breast cancer. Radium-223 is an isotope of radium that emits alpha particles specific for people with cancer that has metastasized to the bone. Essentially, this is a clinical trial combining a bone-targeting agent with systemic chemotherapy to potentiate the anti-tumor effects. Paclitaxel also targets breast cancer outside of the bone. Therefore, for people who have multiple sites of disease throughout the body, this may be a useful combination. This study is open and currently accruing at multiple NCI-designated cancer centers across the nation.

We have another study, part of the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium, that is studying pembrolizumab combined with fulvestrant to treat hormone-positive breast cancer. Immunotherapy, which is more widely used in triple-negative breast cancer, is not commonly studied in hormone-positive breast cancer. The majority of our patients have hormone-positive breast cancer, both in the early and metastatic settings, and that's an area of interest that I want to explore to understand which patients will respond to immunotherapy. I presented that investigator-initiated trial in a poster session at the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

I presented another investigator-initiated trial in a poster session at that meeting on a study that recently completed accrual, which concluded that four cycles of neoadjuvant liposomal doxorubicin and carboplatin were found to be just as effective, but less toxic, than standard chemotherapy regimens.

What should people expect when they come for care at Perlmutter Cancer Center?

When I think about the different hats that I wear in the job that I do, the patient care part of it is so important. I love to get to know patients and not just their breast cancer history and how they were diagnosed. I take very good notes on how they were diagnosed, but also who they are and what they do. I ask them about their families and what's important to them. What are the relevant things that are going on in their lives? I have found that when you give time to patients and dive deeper into who they are, they really open up to you.

For example, I just met a young patient who started to tell me the story about her breast cancer diagnosis and told me something about her family history that she hadn't revealed to anyone else. A close family member had died a year earlier from breast cancer and that caused a lot of trauma. The diagnosis of breast cancer in a patient is traumatic enough, but to have also experienced it with an immediate family member is devastating. And this patient carried that burden with her through her own cancer diagnosis. That is just one example of really getting to know people.

With my patients, we come up with a treatment plan together, taking all the information we have from the breast cancerfrom the pathology and from their historyand incorporating that into the person they are. That is something that I love to do and is truly important because that's what makes people feel that you truly care. At Perlmutter Cancer Center, across the board, this is what I see from my colleagues. The way that we approach a person with breast cancer is not just the breast cancer, but the person as a whole.

Contact:

Ryan Dziuba

212-404-4131

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Polyconcept, parent company of Polyconcept North America (PCNA), announced today it has completed acquisition of Spoke Custom Products. Headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, with an additional fulfillment center in Mesa, Arizona, Spoke Custom Products is a leader in the North American print-on-demand industry, serving many of the largest global marketplaces, retailers and e-commerce platforms.

"We have a great opportunity to leverage our core strengths." Neil Ringel, Polyconcept CEO Tweet this Polyconcept North America Spoke Custom Products

Polyconcept is enthusiastic about the print-on-demand industry, with Spoke Custom Products representing the second such acquisition in less than a year. In March 2021, Polyconcept acquired U.K.-based T Shirt & Sons Ltd., a leader in the European print-on-demand market.

"With the acquisition of Spoke, we have a great opportunity to leverage our core strengths in product development, sourcing, supply chain and decoration across the fast-growing print-on-demand market. Our recent acquisitions in this industry have provided the technology and operational capabilities to serve customers in the estimated $8 billion print-on-demand channel," said Neil Ringel, Polyconcept CEO.

"Spoke Custom Products was an early entrant in the North American print on-demand market and has built a reputation for offering the industry's highest print quality and service reliability," said Jose Bernal, leader of Polyconcept's new print-on-demand division. "Polyconcept will greatly benefit from Spoke Custom Products' market leadership while continuing investment to grow the company's capabilities and market presence."

"Leveraging Spoke Custom Products' capabilities for fulfilling customized products at order sizes as small as one unit will provide customers with the ability to design and sell products personalized to their exact specifications," Bernal added. "In addition, Spoke Custom Products will leverage Polyconcept's global product development and sourcing capabilities to create one of the industry's largest print-on-demand catalogs."

Spoke Custom Products will continue operating from its Norcross headquarters and Mesa fulfillment facility, and CEO John Rogowski will continue leading the company with support from the existing management team.

"We couldn't be happier to join the Polyconcept family and believe we can leverage the strengths of both companies to better serve our customers. Polyconcept is the perfect partner to enable Spoke Custom Products to accelerate growth of our business," Rogowski said.

About Polyconcept

Polyconcept is the world's largest supplier of promotional products, operating on five continents and selling to over 100 countries. With main offices in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong, Canada and China, the company supplies a wide range of promotional, lifestyle and gift products to several hundred thousand companies, from small enterprises to global corporations, through a network of advertising specialty distributors. Learn more at www.polyconcept.com.

About Spoke Custom Products

Spoke Custom Products was established in 2013 as a result of a management buyout of Case-Mate's custom products division. Since then, the company has added over a dozen product categories, driving significant growth while becoming a one-stop-shop for online retailers that require print-on-demand expertise. Spoke Custom Products has facilities in Georgia and Arizona, providing short shipping times to customers across the United States. Learn more at www.spokecustom.com.

Media Contact:

Jose Bernal

Senior Vice President, Transformation

[email protected]

SOURCE Polyconcept North America (PCNA)
OrbitSecure is designed to bring Zero-Trust Security to Zero-Gravity Environments. This light-weight, agile solution is designed to provide a software-only approach to ground and space platforms for assured command, control, and communication (C3) in hybrid space architectures. This capability means encrypted C3 and other data can travel on untrusted infrastructure and remain secure.

The winner of the 2021 Satellite Technology of the Year will be determined by a combination of the Via Satellite editorial team, including Editorial Director, Mark Holmes, and votes that come directly from industry. The public can vote for OrbitSecure online.

"We are honored to be in the running for this year's STOTY award," stated Dave Pearah, SpiderOaks Chief Executive Officer. "Right now, most of our industry has been focused on getting satellites and other infrastructure into space, and not so much on how to secure these systems from cyber threats once they are deployed." Pearah continued, "We are confident the VIA Satellite nomination will help SpiderOak bring attention to these cyber vulnerabilities and the proactive actions necessary to address these challenges."

From the host of the prestigious "Satellite Executive of the Year Award," Via Satellite has a longstanding history of recognizing the people leading the charge for the satellite industry.

"The Satellite Technology of the Year award, less than five years old, goes from strength to strength. We had a record number of companies taking part in the process and the competition has been ferocious. There are so many great technology stories in our industry, that asking us to pick just one is getting harder each year. Our industry has a wonderful strength in depth from seasoned tech companies, to those starting out and trying to shake up the established order," said Mark Holmes.

Voting closes at noon ET on March 22. The winner will be announced at SATELLITE 2022 on Wednesday, March 23 at the Via Satellite Awards Luncheon, which is open to all conference-level attendees. Register for SATELLITE here and press can register here.

For more information on the award, or to vote for OrbitSecure, please visit https://www.satellitetoday.com/vote.

About SpiderOak Mission Systems

SpiderOak Mission Systems builds need-to-know technology that supports customers working in hostile environments like space. Our software combines end-to-end encryption with a distributed-ledger technology to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our clients' most sensitive data in any environment from space to ground and back again.

For more information about SpiderOak Mission Systems, check us out at www.SpaceCyber.com, or http://www.spideroak-ms.com

About Via Satellite

Via Satellite provides essential news and expert business analysis on the global satellite communications marketplace, including current and evolving applications, infrastructure issues, technology, and business and regulatory developments around the word reaches the most engaged community of satellite professionals and qualified industry decision makers.

About SATELLITE 2022

SATELLITE unites a diverse community of aerospace and connectivity thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, engineers, end-users and enthusiasts from around the world for most important global satellite technology event of the year. The SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition will take place on March 21-24, 2022 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, Washington, DC 20001). For more information, please visit www.SATShow.com.

For inquiries, please call SpiderOak at (866) 432-9888 ext. 6 or write [email protected]

SOURCE SpiderOak Inc.
According to Statista, plastics accounted for 12 percent of the municipal solid waste generated in the U.S. in 2018, however just 8.7 percent of the volume of plastic waste was recycled that year.

"There appears to be a growing trend in the USA where High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) are looking at sustainable countries, some of which embrace a plastic-free way of life. Investing in these economies not only ticks an ecological box but also delivers them second citizenship as a valuable by product of the investment," says Paul Singh, a director at CS Global Partners  one of the leading government advisory and marketing firms in the world, specialising in residency and citizenship by investment solutions.

St Kitts and Nevis adopts a collaborative approach to reducing plastic waste

Last year, St Kitts and Nevis' Department of Environment commenced a series of consultations with relevant stakeholders in the proposal to ban single-use plastics in the country.

The consultation was held in April 2021 under the theme "Are you Ready to be Plastic Free?"

The stakeholder meeting was attended by representatives from the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Small Business Development Centre, the Ministry of International Trade, Solid Waste Management Corporation, the Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives, and Ital Creations.

The next round of consultations will continue with the private sector this year.

"The Ministry of Environment is consulting with relevant stakeholders to implement a ban on single-use plastics, following in the footsteps of several Caribbean countries that have already done so," said Sharon Rattan, St Kitts and Nevis' Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives.

Several Caribbean island nations have already banned the use of single-use plastics, among them Jamaica, Dominica, Turks and Caicos and Barbados.

"One of the things that the ministry is endeavouring to do is to make sure we have meaningful collaboration so that we can make informed decisions because we are quite aware that such a ban cannot be done overnight," added Permanent Secretary Rattan.

Minister of Environment and Cooperatives, the Honourable Eric Evelyn, said at the consultation that the banning of single-use plastic bags is "long overdue and the talk about banning single-use plastic bags has been around for some time and I believe the time is right now for us to act. There has been a lot of talks but there has not been a lot of action, and I believe the time is right."

Since becoming the environment minister in 2020, Honourable Evelyn submitted a proposal to Cabinet to ban single-use plastics. The proposal, he said, received the blessing of every member.

Minister Evelyn noted the importance of banning single-use plastics because of the significant number of plastics generated yearly, and how these plastics are a burden on the country's landfill as they are not biodegradable. Plastics also end up in the ocean and have a devastating impact on marine life.

The country's Ministry of Tourism and Sustainable Destination Council (SDC) joined forces in advocating for the ban of single-use plastics in 2018 and started an initiative called Plastic Free July. The initiative aims to educate citizens on the ways plastic pollution threatens marine life, personal health, and the islands tourism product.

St Kitts and Nevis' rules on single-use plastic products aim to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, particularly the marine environment, and human health.

They also aim to promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products, and materials, therefore also contributing to the efficient functioning of the internal market.

Plastic-free champion

Plastic Free July is a month-long campaign that runs annually in St Kitts and Nevis, it encourages residents and businesses to take part in the action-filled agenda that hopes to change people's behaviour around the reliance of single-use plastics.

Diannille Taylor-Williams, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, said, "We must continue to consider the trajectory of our long-term well-being, and our actions play a significant role in ensuring a sustainable future for our island-home and the generations to come - a future in which single-use plastics is not a threat to the health of our communities and viability of our environment."

The Plastic Free July initiative is part of the Sustainable Destination Council's broader "Plastics Be Gone" initiative, which aims to reduce the amount of single-use plastics consumed in St Kitts and Nevis by at least 30% over the next five years.

The SDC was established in 2013 and has been tirelessly facilitating collaboration across different sectors around destination stewardship and pursuing leading practices in sustainable development.

The SDC's goal is focused on the overall well-being of St Kitts and Nevis and is enacting its five-year plan focused on Community Involvement and Benefits, Culture and Natural Heritage and Environment and Destination Management.

The "Plastics Be Gone" initiative was identified as one of the destination-stewardship projects the SDC will implement to combat the threat that plastic pollution poses to the future of St Kitts and Nevis' ecosystems, communities, and destination appeal.

Although the SDC and its partners continually champion the "Plastics Be Gone" initiative all year long, the Plastic Free July campaign reinforces the magnitude of the SDC's dedication to mitigating the harmful effects of single-use plastics.

Using its Citizenship by Investment programme to fund climate resilient initiatives

Last year, the government of St Kitts and Nevis submitted its strategy on how it would prioritise climate resilience. Titled 'Nationally Determined Contribution' (NDC), the document was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and was then presented COP26 last November.

The strategy highlights a financing and implementation approach that will mobilise support for its climate goals and position the island as an eco-friendly destination committed to the environment.

Part of the funding from the country's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme will be funnelled into programmes that support climate resilience.

"Sustainable tourism is an important part of our economy. St Kitts and Nevis' climate action plan will cater to a growing sustainability travel trend while aiming to reduce its environmental footprint," said Prime Minister Timothy Harris at the wings of COP26.

In 1984, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis created the world's first CBI programme which is now regarded as the Platinum Standard and offers reputable investors from all over the world the chance to get the full benefits of citizenship of the twin-island Federation.

The programme was ranked first by The Financial Times' PWM magazine among 14 jurisdictions worldwide and offers investors a safe and secure route to second citizenship once they contribute to the Sustainable Growth Fund.

Contact: [email protected], http://www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Taiwan's Startup Terrace and SOSA are launching the IP Scale Out Program to provide seven Taiwanese startups with the tools needed to advance their international expansion goals. The first IP Scale Out cohort will support IoT startups, highlighting one of the key strengths of Taiwan's tech ecosystem.

Startups will participate in a series of workshops which will provide insight on how to successfully expand into the U.S. market and find potential opportunities for investment from American VCs. Supporting a diverse set of IoT startups, the 14-week accelerator will conclude with a month-long residency at SOSA's New York City office.



Taiwan's government is promoting innovation in its ecosystem and plans to invest $1 billion by 2023 to increase the ecosystem's international exposure, promote global collaborations, and position Taiwan as a startup hub in East Asia. In addition to IP's current efforts to promote Israeli companies in Taiwan, the joint accelerator with SOSA marks yet another significant milestone. "We are now accelerating the exposure and activity of Taiwanese startups to the global and Israeli ecosystem," says Dr. Gary Gong, Chairman of i2i.



"Taiwan's tech ecosystem is a global leader in innovation. Through our partnership with i2i, SOSA will support Taiwanese tech companies in the critical step of U.S. market validation," says Uzi Scheffer, CEO of SOSA.

ABOUT INNOVATION TO INDUSTRY (i2i)

i2i grew out of Taiwan's largest IT research institute. Since 2000, i2i has been one of Taiwan's four government-approved organizations which run incubators, and it runs Taiwan's largest incubators - Nan-Kang Software Incubator and Kao-Hsiung Software Incubator.

i2i has founded, and manages, a technology ecosystem supporting and connecting stakeholders within the Taiwanese tech ecosystem and operates the IP LaunchPad program. Taiwanese Innovation Program IP LaunchPad accelerates the entry of Israeli companies into the far eastern markets and Taiwan's ecosystem. The program operates at the Startup Terrace Innovation Center, which is supported by the Small and Medium Enterprises Administration (SMEA), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taiwan. Rani Shifron  CEO of Israeli consulting firm Healthier Globe, representative of i2i, and head of the program in Israel. i2i's Website: https://www.i2i.com.tw/en/index/

ABOUT SOSA

SOSA is a global open innovation company that builds strong relationships within the tech ecosystem and even stronger cross-vertical open innovation programs. By identifying advanced technology solutions and innovative models, SOSA works with corporations and public entities to implement solutions that lead to business growth and successful digital transformation. SOSA's partners include corporations such as HP, Schneider Electric, SwissRe, RBC, Rafael, Tokio Marine and governmental entities such as Austrade, CNI and JETRO. For more information, visit https://www.sosa.co/

SOURCE SOSA
ATLANTA, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conservationist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow founded Ted's Montana Grill in 2002 with a mission  to help save the bison and lead sustainability efforts in the restaurant industry. Twenty years later, Turner, McKerrow and a passionate team at Ted's have made a significant impact on the bison population and the environment.

Teds Montana Grill has worked with Turner Ranches and others to double the herds to an estimated half a million bison in North America, successfully saving this American icon from the endangered species list. Teds has also pioneered the first green restaurant with a commitment to sustainability. When we started Teds, we envisioned a restaurant with the spirit of the Great American West at the core of every meal and guest experience, said George McKerrow, CEO and co-founder. Teds is a place where the little things are the big things. Were proud of the overall impact we have made on bison and the environment in 20 years, and that is an ideal worth protecting.

Ted's Montana Grill has worked with Turner Ranches and others to double the herds to an estimated half a million bison in North America, successfully saving this American icon from the endangered species list. Ted's has also pioneered the first "green restaurant" with a commitment to sustainability. As the restaurant that started the paper straw movement, Ted's has prevented nearly 75 million plastic straws from ending up in landfills, saved 40 million gallons of water, reduced food waste by more than half compared to the average restaurant, and more.

"The bison business was once in a state of economic meltdown due to the steep cost of live animals and unsold bison meat," said Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association. "Turner and McKerrow recognized the great taste and health benefits of bison, realizing they could help save them if they made it the cornerstone of their menu. Opening Ted's was exactly what we needed to introduce consumers to bison and grow the population."

Ted's serves ranch-raised American bison with no hormones or steroids. Selections include bison burgers, steaks, meatloaf, short ribs, and more. Bison is also the leanest red meat, rich in iron and Omega-3 fatty acids, among its many health benefits.

"Everyone in the bison business welcomed the concept of Ted's, and continues to support the restaurant," said Carter. "The impact Ted's has made on the bison population is an amazing story of how a conservationist and a restaurateur collaborated to save what is now America's National

Mammal."

"I believe that you should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for," said Turner, owner of the largest private bison herd in the world. "The idea of saving an animal from extinction was once an insurmountable challenge. Witnessing the growth of bison each year is an indescribable feeling of pride. I can only hope that our herds will continue to thrive, as long as consumers continue to support bison restoration."

In addition to their commitment to bison, Ted's sustainability program has been the heart of its operations since it opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio. Ted's sources its food locally to reduce waste, uses recycled table paper instead of linens to save water, has Boraxo soap in the restrooms, and trains its team members that sustainability is the guiding principle for every decision.

"When we started Ted's, we envisioned a restaurant with the spirit of the Great American West at the core of every meal and guest experience," said McKerrow. "Ted's is a place where the little things are the big things. We're proud of the overall impact we have made on bison and the environment in 20 years, and that is an ideal worth protecting."

About Ted's:

Ted's Montana Grill is an Atlanta-based restaurant founded in 2002 by environmentalist Ted Turner and award-winning restaurateur George McKerrow. Known for its made-from-scratch, classic American cuisine, the menu includes ranch-raised bison and premium beef selections, iconic burgers, hand-cut, aged steaks in its on-premise butcher shop, all-natural chicken, fresh seafood, salads with locally-sourced ingredients, hand-crafted cocktails, bourbons, local beers, old-fashioned milkshakes, malts, wines, hand-squeezed lemonade and Boylan sodas.

Contact:

Krista Joiner

Marie Berlin PR

(404) 272-9157

[email protected]

SOURCE Ted's Montana Grill
CHICAGO, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TextLocate selects Socket as its preferred integration solution to enable easier, faster integration between shippers, brokers, carriers, and technology providers.

Many freight businesses have set up APIs but have yet to realize these APIs to their full potential. Socket is a freight-specific integration platform developed by Metafora to empower companies to leverage these APIs quickly, without taking time away from their product team.

When it comes to visibility, TextLocate gives power back to the driver to enable tracking when required and disable when not required, in an affordable way that also meets shipper expectations.

Ryan Rogers, Founder & CEO for TextLocate says, "When looking for an integration partner, we felt Metafora's Socket platform is a great fit to connect TextLocate's API to enable Visibility Simplified for current and future customers. Our text enabled location services, combined with 2-way chat communications, becomes most powerful when combined with Socket to create a one-to-many connection."

Ryan Schreiber, VP of Industry and Growth for Metafora adds, "TextLocate is a great product that we're excited to have on the Socket platform. It's a simple visibility solution that can provide incredible value for brokers, shippers, and carriers to drive up adoption without sacrificing the quality of data, simply by giving drivers more control over the choice of when to be tracked."

About Metafora

Metafora, previously "CarrierDirect", is a business consulting and software development firm that exclusively serves the transportation, logistics, and supply chain space. Metafora partners with carriers, shippers, and freight tech vendors to help them optimize their business and develop tech strategy to fuel their growth. Metafora+ is their partnership network for the thinkers, the leaders, the innovators in the logistics space.

About TextLocate

TextLocate is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was founded in 2021 by logistics technology executive Ryan Rogers as the solution to freight location tracking and communication for brokers, partner carriers, and shippers. Rogers, a Chattanooga native, has formerly held executive positions with Amazon.com and Chattanooga transportation companies U.S. Xpress and Covenant Logistics. For more information about TextLocate or to sign up for a free account, visit www.textlocate.com .

SOURCE Metafora
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Diego personal injury attorneys of Guy Levy Law have been awarded, once again, among "The Best San Diego Workers' Compensation Lawyers" from Expertise.com. The review process for selection involves an investigation for each category that it awards, such as the volume of cases won in each particular category, reputation, client reviews/testimonials, as well as the California State Bar, among other licensing reviews.

Guy Levy is one of California's most accomplished litigation lawyers. As a talented lawyer, he has led his firm to its unique competency in Workers' Compensation + Personal Injury, for which he has a high win and results rates across thousands of cases spanning his 25+ year career in personal injury law and workers compensation law.

Guy Levy Law is one of the few "crossover" Workers' Comp and Personal Injury law firms based in San Diego. Crossover cases mean that a third-party liability claim may be pursued from a negligent party in addition to workers' compensation for the same client's injury claim (someone other than the employer is responsible for a work related injury). Workers' compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages while injured accident victims in a third party liability case can also recover money for pain and suffering / loss of enjoyment of life. So filing a concurrent but separate personal injury claim against an at fault third party allows work accident victims to seek compensation for damages that are not covered by workers compensation benefits. The firm has handled all types of workers' compensation cases including slip-and-fall, trip and fall on the job, work-related car accidents and other work related injuries causing physical injuries resulting in catastrophic injury such as traumatic brain injury, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, amputation and severe burns.

The firm's notable workers compensation awards, judgements, settlements and verdicts that Guy Levy Law has obtained for its clients include 6-figure and 7-figure results. In several of the cases handled by the firm, the insurance company's initial offer was a fraction of the final amount of the settlement or award.

To learn more about Attorney Guy Levy and the Guy Levy Law Firm, visit: GuyLevyLaw.com

Media Contact:

Angie Vasquez

(619) 232-9900

SOURCE Guy Levy Law
"I am humbled and honored that the HondaJet continues to be selected by our owners and operators as we expand our global fleet," said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. "Being the best-selling aircraft in our class for five consecutive years is a reflection of the Honda Aircraft team's commitment to offering our customers a product of the highest performance, quality, and our maturity as a leader in the aviation industry. We will continue to bring new value to the industry and provide superior service and support to customers."

Honda Aircraft Company celebrated several milestones recently, including delivery of the 200th HondaJet in late December. The worldwide HondaJet fleet also surpassed 100,000 flight hours in January.

Additionally, the FAA recently awarded Honda Aircraft Company with the "Diamond level AMT employer award," the highest level in the William (Bill) O'Brien Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards program, in recognition of the skill and professionalism of Honda Aircraft's maintenance technicians. Since the beginning of HondaJet deliveries to customers in December 2015, Honda Aircraft Company has led the aviation industry with innovation and technology, while bringing the same high standard of service and support to every customer. The HondaJet also continues to demonstrate its industry-leading dispatch reliability.

During 2021, Honda Aircraft Company continued development with two major announcements: the HondaJet Elite S, honored with a "Top Flight Award" as best new business jet from Aviation International News, and the HondaJet 2600 Concept, Honda Aircraft's proposal for the next generation of business jet. Meanwhile, the global presence of the HondaJet further increased when it received Thailand type certification, marking 14 countries with HondaJet certification. Honda Aircraft Company's sales and service footprint now spans North America, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, India, Japan and Russia.

Watch 2021 recap video here: https://youtu.be/eqtF8y59FVc

About the HondaJet Elite S

The HondaJet Elite S is the fastest, farthest and highest-flying plane in its class. The HondaJet Elite S incorporates Honda Aircraft's many technological innovations, including the unique Over-The-Wing Engine Mount (OTWEM) configuration, Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) nose and wing, and composite fuselage. The aircraft is also powered by the GE Honda Aero Engines HF120. All of these advancements contribute to the aircraft's superior performance, unparalleled efficiency and maximized fuselage space, making the aircraft's cabin the largest in its class. The HondaJet Elite S cabin features a full service galley, a private lavatory with optional belted seat and an industry-first Bongiovi sound system. The aircraft sets the standard in safety and human-machine interface technology with an ergonomically designed cockpit and highly customized Garmin G3000 avionics suite.

SOURCE Honda Aircraft Company
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. ("New Oriental" or the "Company") (NYSE: EDU) American Depositary Shares ("ADSs" or "shares") between April 24, 2018 and July 22, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). New Oriental investors have until April 5, 2022 to file a lead plaintiff motion.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

On May 12, 2021, media reported that the impending crackdown by the Chinese government on the online education industry would be more drastic than previously reported. Anticipated regulations included banning on-campus tutoring classes and weekend tutoring, as well as industry-wide fee limitations.

On this news, New Oriental's ADSs fell 20% to close at $11.51 per share on May 13, 2021.

Then, on June 1, 2021, Chinese regulators announced that they had fined New Oriental and 14 other off-campus training institutions for false advertisement and fraud, including fabricating teacher qualifications, exaggerating the effects of training, and fabricating user reviews. New Oriental was accused of faking the teaching experience of 74% of teachers surveyed. New Oriental had also been accused of providing false pricing information, engaging in false publicity and price fraud, and failing to honor its contractual commitment to students.

On this news, the price of New Oriental's ADSs dropped 16% to close at $9.32 per share on June 3, 2021, thereby injuring investors further.

Then, on July 23, 2021, China unveiled a sweeping overhaul of its education sector, banning for-profit teaching and tutoring companies. On July 25, 2021, New Oriental responded that complying with the new regulations would "have a material adverse impact on its after-school tutoring services."

On this news, New Oriental's shares fell 70% to close at $1.94 per ADS on July 26, 2021, thereby injuring investors further.

The complaint alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) New Oriental's 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 to an extreme risk that more draconian measures would be imposed on New Oriental; (2) New Oriental 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's programs to its customers; (3) New Oriental had falsified teacher qualifications and experience to increase student enrollments; (4) New Oriental had defied prior government warnings against linking school enrollments with the provision of private tutoring services; (5) as a result, New Oriental 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's 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 and its business; and (7) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW.

If you purchased New Oriental shares during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than April 5, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you purchased New Oriental securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles
This move is in full alignment with Titan America's parent company, Titan Cement International, which undersigned the "Business Ambition for 1.5C" Commitment letter in October, an initiative in which the Group aspires to deliver society carbon-neutral concrete by 2050.

"Our customers are increasingly requesting low-carbon products, and we are excited that, not only are we able to meet their growing demands, but this shift is parallel to Titan's commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of our products," says Kevin Baird, President of Titan America's Mid-Atlantic Business Unit. Type IL is a cement with approximately 15 percent lower-carbon emissions as compared to Type I or Type II cement.

Titan America is a leader in the "green" cement sector and currently the largest producer of Type IL sold in the US. Against the backdrop of the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and paired with the increase of building activity across a multitude of segments throughout the country, the outlook is a positive one for green solutions. Specifiers, including the transportation agencies of most states, have embraced the lower-carbon cement, and are increasingly requesting its use.

"Our sales are quickly moving to 100 percent Type IL," says Joe Tedesco, Sales Manager for Titan America and current President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Concrete Institute. "We see an increase in demand as infrastructure money is budgeted by transportation agencies requiring construction with the use of lower-carbon cement."

Type IL cement delivers a substantial reduction in carbon emissions, aiding societal goals of lowering carbon in the environment. With this shift, Essex Cement will continue to meet customer demand as the supplier of choice for lower-carbon cement in this market.

About Titan America LLC

Titan America LLC (http://www.titanamerica.com) and its family of companies are leading heavy building materials producers in the Eastern United States. Titan America is headquartered in Norfolk,

VA and its subsidiary companies produce cement, aggregates, ready mixed concrete, concrete block, and beneficiated fly ash. Titan America is a member of TITAN Cement Group, an international cement and building materials producer. The Group employs about 5,500 people and is present in more than 15 countries. Throughout its 120-year history, it has aspired to serve the needs of society, while contributing to sustainable growth with responsibility and integrity. For more information, visit www.titan-cement.com.

CONTACT:

Mary Beth Kramer

Kramer Consulting

(215) 431-3946

SOURCE Titan America LLC
Capgemini's Freelancer Gateway program is an innovative direct source solution built to improve talent attraction, reduce recruitment costs, and ultimate engagement with the Capgemini brand. Tundra was participating in Capgemini's International Suppliers Day in which the company shared its strategic priorities, financial results, portfolio updates, innovation approach, and sustainability actions. It also covered the new power of values-based leadership in a series of interactive sessions.

"Tundra not only provided us with a new, quality source of freelancers, but also proposed an innovative AI-based solution, called 'Freelancer Gateway by Capgemini,' for integrating the freelancer database directly to our internal sourcing and screening platform," said Erba. "Because it works so well and saves us a lot of time, this new way of hiring is 50 per cent faster than the traditional contractor streams and agencies  creating an immediate positive impact on our top line."

"It is very exciting to be able to work with the Capgemini team to find innovative and progressive solutions to engage with talent, and the Freelancer Gateway project is helping us to achieve this goal," said Tundra Technical president Micah Williams. "We also want to congratulate American Express and HP for their exciting innovations. Tundra is extremely proud of our partnership with Capgemini and honoured to be in the company of great international organizations like American Express and HP.

Joining Williams in Paris in receiving the Capgemini Innovation award was Laura Boby, Tundra, VP - Curation Services. "Capgemini is a complex client with a large, vibrant talent stream. It's very exciting to be able innovate together," Boby said. "We are excited to see our relationship with Capgemini grow in the years ahead."

Erba said that in 2019 Capgemini launched the "Freelancer Gateway" North America, plugging in via Tundra a community of 70,000 additional freelancers directly into its internal subcontractor search. Capgemini and Tundra will continue with global expansion of the Freelancer Gateway by Capgemini this year.

About Capgemini

Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 300,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of 16 billion.

About Tundra Technical

Tundra Technical Solutions, a global staffing leader and innovator of direct sourcing solutions, hires top talent for industry-leading organizations across the globe for the past 17 years. Tundra is consistently named one of the fastest growing and largest staffing firms in North America according to Staffing Industry Analysts, and recently earned the Diversity Champion Award by LinkedIn in 2021.

SOURCE Tundra Technical Solutions
CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- February is Black History Month, an observance to honor the historic past and present contributions from the black community. This year aims to focus on the multiple facets of "Black Health and Wellness." To reinforce the importance of this subject matter, UpstartWorks announced today the company is donating clean-cut wipes to 10 different historically black colleges and universities. 10,000 clean-cut wipes will go to eight HBCUs and 1,000 clean-cut wipes to two.

UpstartWorks' donation is meant to assist in maintaining a healthy environment, help meet safety protocols, and provide needed hygienic wipes to students and staff.

"Black History Month is a time for us all to recognize and honor the phenomenal contributions from the black community to our culture, politics, the arts, and so much more," said Melonie Carnegie, UpstartWorks CEO, and black business leader. "This is a small gesture to help some great schools; UpstartWorks is proud to be a part of that message."

Ten pallets of clean-cut wipes will be donated to Jackson State University, Carnegies' alma mater. An additional donation of ten pallets will also be made to Grambling State University, the alma mater of employee Myles Davis and intern John Allen. The remainder of the wipes will be donated to other historically black colleges and universities including Dillard University, Central State University, Kentucky State University, Morris Brown College, Texas Southern University, Savannah State University, Southern University and A&M College, and Wilberforce University.

Carnegie is a vision-driven leader with more than 25 years of experience. She is passionate about leading her teams to achieve excellence, creating an open environment for all voices, and giving back to her community.

"We're driven to support historically black colleges and universities. Jackson State was an important institution and had a big impact on my life and future career," continued Carnegie. "As a company, we wanted to ease this burden so that these institutions could do the important work of educating."

About UpstartWorks

UpstartWorks helps industrial brands establish, expand, and propel their presence on Amazon and other e-commerce marketplaces. UpstartWorks combines a suite of advanced technologies, paired with a deep understanding of marketplace dynamics to optimize brands' e-commerce profitability. With a focus on industrial brands, UpstartWorks creates strategies focused on the commercial buyer, enabling brands to reach a more extensive customer set.

SOURCE UpstartWorks
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cannabis Support Center Specialists at the Verilife Call Center of Schaumburg, Illinois have voted unanimously to join Teamsters Local 777. The call center is the sixth Verilife location that has voted to affiliate with the union.

"Our momentum throughout the Illinois Cannabis industry isn't slowing down  not today, not tomorrow, not ever," said Jim Glimco, President of Local 777. "We're committed to ensuring everyone we represent at Verilife has a Teamster contract that guarantees good wages, fair treatment, high safety standards and a voice on the job. The Teamsters Union is transforming this industry to make it the best it can possibly be."

Jim Thompson has worked at the Verilife Call Center since it opened in 2018.

"It's important for us to go union to keep up the high standard of patient and customer care that call center workers here have established," Thompson said. "On a personal note, this is the same Teamsters local union that my father joined in 1972, so that makes it even more special for me."

Founded in 1937, Teamsters Local 777 represents workers in a wide variety of industries throughout the Chicago area. For more information, go to https://www.teamsters777.org/.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 777
DENVER, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Willow Industries, the leader in cannabis decontamination and kill-step technology, closed $2M in Series A venture funding from a top-tier syndicate of cannabis institutional investors including Panther Group, LAGO Innovation Fund, and PhytoPartners, joined by current investors, Halley Venture Partners and others.

Willow Industries' latest round of financing will continue to accelerate its exponential growth as the standard for clean cannabis, cementing the company as an essential part of the critical supply chain in the cannabis industry. Their WillowPure technology is currently deployed in 26 states and has started to expand internationally with Canada and Australia. The company is prepared to support the international market, lending years of experience from their work with cultivators of all sizes, from top MSOs to craft cultivators. "Their patented kill-step technology, combined with a focus on quality assurance and comprehensive microbial support, has made WillowPure widely adopted as the industry standard decontamination solution," said Steve Schuman, Managing Director of Halley Venture Partners.

Willow Industries is enabling regulatory compliance and bringing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to the industry. The company will continue to expand and support new markets as they legalize, educating cultivators on microbial contamination and compliance testing with their industry-leading Science and Customer Success teams. With the WillowPure360 at the forefront of their tech platform, innovation of their proprietary technology will remain a top priority, as the company accelerates research and development on both hardware and software.

"We look to continue to set the standard for high quality, clean cannabis within the industry. Consumers are demanding transparency from cultivators, and we are well positioned to continue advancing our technology with hardware and software to be the catalyst for consumer safety," said Jill Ellsworth, founder & CEO. "The Series A financing will allow us to double-down on accelerating our national & international growth plans."

Jordan Tritt, CEO and Co-founder of Panther Group, added, "As the industry drives towards legitimacy and national legalization, Willow Industries' unique focus on microbial understanding and quality assurance throughout the manufacturing process has positioned the company as a pillar for compliance standards in the industry."

WillowPure is the only organic kill-step available on the market today, operated off a simple use system that flows within the production process. Adding on to the microbial kill rates of the technology, recent studies have proven its effectiveness in protecting shelf life, enhancing the value of the product once it is available to consumers.

"We believe with new levels of strictness being implemented by regulations, that a kill-step will become a standard for the industry. It is our belief that the Willow kill-step will become this standard and the market leader for mitigating this mission critical problem. Ultimately, cultivators and the American consumer will demand an organic kill-step like WillowPure for the products they ingest, both to improve freshness and get rid of mold and mildew," said Jonathan Rubin, Portfolio Analyst and Partner of PhytoPartners.

About Willow Industries

Willow Industries is the cannabis industry leader in post-harvest microbial decontamination technology, bringing cultivators the solution they need to provide patients and consumers with consistently clean, high-quality products. WillowPure, the company's patented, organic ozone-based technology is scientifically proven to reduce or eliminate contaminants such as yeast, mold and bacteria from cannabis while protecting the medicinal properties of the plant. With its environmentally friendly, non-toxic cannabis decontamination technology, cultivators can meet standards and address underlying issues. In 2021, the company ranked no. 205 on the Inc 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.

Learn more at www.willowindustries.com.

SOURCE Willow Industries
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

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Edition: 6; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 363

Companies: 67 - Players covered include AMD Telecom S.A.; Angkor Data Communication Group Co., Ltd.; CLX Communication; Cybercomm; Fortytwo Telecom AB; Infobip Ltd; Mahindra Comviva ; MBlox Inc.; Ogangi Corporation; SAP SE (SAP Mobile Services); Silverstreet BV; Symsoft AB; Syniverse Technologies ; Tanla Solutions; Tata Communications; Trillian Group; Twilio, Inc.; Tyntec; Vonage Business and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Application (Promotional & Marketing Services, Authentication Services, CRM Services, Pushed Content Services, Interactive Messages, Other Applications); End-Use (BFSI, Retail & eCommerce, Healthcare, Hyperlocal Businesses, Travel & Hospitality, Other End-Uses)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

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ABSTRACT-



Global A2P SMS Market to Reach US$74.7 Billion by the Year 2026

A2P SMS, otherwise called professional or enterprise SMS, is an SMS industry branch that enables governments, institutions, or companies to send reminders or notifications regarding their services and products. Growth in the global market is set to be driven by increased use by large and medium companies across the globe to focus on customer and employee engagement. A2P SMS offers a wide reach, allowing businesses to deliver reminders or notifications to many customers simultaneously. These advantages are likely to shape the A2P SMS market in the next decade. A2P SMS is used by a wide range of organizations and businesses in various technical modes to send messages to consumers such as banking notifications, marketing notifications, two-factor authentication SMS, and automated booking confirmations, among others. Other factors driving the market are two-factor authentication for web services and platforms, increasing use of mobile marketing and growing adoption in banking sector. Rapid digitalization led to increasing instances of spamming and phishing which are a cause of concern. Increasing security concerns in view of such cybercrimes have prompted several A2P SMS messaging providers to enhance security measures with features such as two-factor authentication to lower this risk. With increasing e-Commerce activity due to the lockdown, there was increase in traffic related to notifications, alerts, online transactions and one-time-password (OTP) alerts. Thus, the boom in e-Commerce sector can offer abundant opportunities for the market players in this sector. Increasing security concerns in view of cybercrimes have prompted several A2P SMS messaging providers to enhance security measures with features such as two-factor authentication to lower this risk.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for A2P SMS estimated at US$63.3 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$74.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4% over the analysis period. Promotional & Marketing Services, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 4% CAGR to reach US$24.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Authentication Services segment is readjusted to a revised 4.7% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 24.7% share of the global A2P SMS market. Growing adoption of two-factor authentication technology among various web-based platforms is expected to fuel demand for A2P SMS messages in the Authentication Services segment.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $16.5 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $14.4 Billion by 2026

The A2P SMS market in the U.S. is estimated at US$16.5 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 26.2% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$14.4 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 4.7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.1% and 3.5% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.8% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$15.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Increasing acceptance of Internet of Things (IoT), digital advertising, and advanced technologies is fueling demand for A2P SMS services in North America. Constantly increasing number of Internet and Smart phone customer base is fueling demand for A2P SMS in the Asia Pacific region. Burgeoning telecom sector in China and India is opening new avenues of growth for A2P SMS service providers. With a huge subscriber base, enterprises are using A2P messaging solutions for becoming competitive and in improving customer service.

CRM Services Segment to Reach $15.3 Billion by 2026

Customer relationship management represents a key application of A2P SMS as an increasing number of business organizations adopted digitalization and prioritized customer engagement. Growth in this segment can also be attributed to the growing use of this application in offering billing-related and transaction information to users, particularly by banking and financial services companies. In the global CRM Services segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 3.5% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$9.3 Billion will reach a projected size of US$12 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$2.7 Billion by the year 2026. More

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LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 3 Mavins' Beer, one of South Florida's fastest-growing craft beer companies, today announced ABC Fine Wine & Spirits and Luekens Wine & Spirits, two of the largest independent retailers in Florida, will begin carrying its popular flagship American Style Lager and newly released session style IPA ENCORE at select locations in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa-Saint Petersburg and Vero Beach. The company also has come to an agreement with The Fresh Market to begin carrying four Prision Pals Brewery products from 3 Mavins' partner distribution portfolio in select Florida stores where it already carries 3 Mavins' brands.

"The demand for locally-sourced, quality craft beers is constantly growing," said Kevin Thomas, CEO of 3 Mavins'. "ABC is one of the largest family-owned alcohol beverage companies in the nation while Luekens carries one of the largest selections of craft beers in Florida. Now we have a great opportunity to reach a wider range of Florida craft beer enthusiasts who can discover what makes our brand so unique. Our distribution division also is growing by working with more independent liquor stores, bars and restaurants not only offering them great 3 Mavins' products but other beers from Florida craft players such as Prision Pals Brewery, King Fox Brewery and Shojo Beer Company."

3 Mavins' also has begun supplying Oak & Stone, a popular American Tavern in Naples, Sarasota and Saint Petersburg that features artisanal pizzas and a wide collection of the finest hometown craft beers. American Lager and ENCORE will be available at multiple locations later this month.

3 Mavins' was established in January, 2021. During the second half of last year the company doubled its number of retail accounts. Brewed in Lakeland, Florida, the company was born out of the idea that simple clean ingredients should take precedence over the infinite supply of craft beers that are either too fruity, sour, bitter or hoppy for the average beer consumer. 3 Mavins' American Style Lager with notes of honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup, is the perfect refreshment to pair with meals and share with friends and family. ENCORE has a strong hop character and understated citrus aroma with a clean and sweet toasty finish making every sip a progression filled with different flavor experiences. Each six-pack retails for $9.99.

The company also believes in giving back to its loyal consumer base and supporting the community at large. Each month 3 Mavins' selects a different inspiring charity to support. Beer drinkers can participate by scanning a special QR code on each can of 3 Mavins' and one lucky beer drinker will be selected to receive a $120 e-gift card. Additionally, 3 Mavins' will make a donation of 3% of that month's profits to the winner's charity of choice.

About 3 Mavins'

South Florida-based craft beer 3 Mavins' was created in an apartment kitchen in Lauderdale Lakes, FL in 2019 and now is commercially produced in Lakeland, Florida. The "Mavin" name comes from a combination of the founders names: Kevin, Maja and their dog Windy. Kevin and Maja have tasted beer in more than 40 countries and applied their knowledge to 3 Mavins' American Style Lager and ENCORE. Mavin is a derivative spelling of Maven -- defined as one who is experienced or knowledgeable and known as an expert. For more information on South Florida's newest craft beer sensation, please go to www.3mavins.com and follow us on Instagram @3mavinsbeer.

SOURCE 3 Mavins Beer
MOBILE, Ala., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 22, 2022, the personal injury law firm of Cunningham Bounds, LLC obtained a $35 million jury verdict for the family of a man who died more than seven years ago at Springhill Medical Center following a successful surgery on his thumb.

On June 14, 2014, while using a table saw at his cabinet shop, Jay West severely cut the fingertip of his left thumb. He went to Springhill Medical Center and was advised by an orthopedic surgeon that surgically amputating the fingertip was medically necessary. Following a successful surgery without any complications, the surgeon wrote an order authorizing up to four milligrams of IV Dilaudid (a powerful opioid) every three hours for pain management. Mr. West was transferred to the hospital's orthopedic floor for the night and scheduled to go home the next day. However, less than 10 hours after surgery, Mr. West was found unresponsive and not breathing in his hospital room and could not be resuscitated.

Twenty-two months prior to his admission, the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) published a "Sentinel Event Alert," regarding the safe use of opioids in hospitals. Based on the recommendations set out in the Sentinel Event Alert, Mr. West should have been identified by hospital personnel as being at high-risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression, should have received serial respiratory monitoring, and should have been provided with continuous electronic monitoring of his oxygen saturation levels. Springhill Medical Center did not implement any of those safety measures. Nor did the hospital provide any training to its nursing staff on how to protect its patients from the known fatal dangers of post-operative IV opioids.

Prior to being found unresponsive, Mr. West had been given four milligrams of IV Dilaudid by his nurse. Less than two hours later, she administered an additional four milligrams of the drug. After the second dose, Mr. West was not monitored by any of the nursing staff until he was found unresponsive almost four hours later. Dilaudid carries an FDA-mandated "Black Box Warning," due to its potentially deadly side effect of causing respiratory depression and cardiopulmonary arrest.

"We appreciate the jury's verdict for the West family. We hope it will prompt the hospital to place a higher priority on the timely training of its staff to ensure patient safety. When Mr. West entered Springhill Medical Center, healthcare facilities had known for years that certain patients were at high-risk of respiratory depression when given opioid medications. Springhill breached the standard of care by failing to have policies and procedures in place and by failing to train its staff appropriately," said Brian Duncan of Cunningham Bounds, who represented the family. Mr. Duncan tried the case with his law partners Robert Mitchell and David Wirtes.

"My children and I are so thankful for the jury and their verdict against the hospital. We have waited seven years for this day, and hope no other family has to lose a husband and a father unnecessarily like we did because hospital staff are not properly trained," said Patricia West after the verdict was announced.

"All it would have taken was for the nursing staff to have simply placed an electronic pulse oximetry monitoring device on one of his fingers, and Mr. West would still be alive today," added Mr. Duncan.

The personal injury law firm of Cunningham Bounds, LLC, founded in 1958, is based in Mobile, Alabama and has been representing plaintiffs for over 60 years. Today the firm continues its tradition of representing victims in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by work related accidents, defective products, truck and automobile accidents, and medical malpractice. The firm also has expertise in business litigation, complex litigation, and national and state class action litigation involving defective products and consumer rights. For more information, please visit www.cunninghambounds.com.

For more information, contact:

Joan Cumbie

251-471-6191

SOURCE Cunningham Bounds, LLC
What's New for 2022?

Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

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Edition: 20; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 4013

Companies: 399 - Players covered include Bemis Company, Inc.; Berry Plastics Corporation; DuPont Teijin Films; Inteplast; Jindal Poly Films Ltd.; Paragon Films, Inc.; SABIC Innovative Plastics; Sumitomo Bakelite Company Limited; Taghleef Industries; The Vibac Group; Toyobo Company Ltd.; Trioplast Industrier AB; Uflex Ltd. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Material (LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE, Polypropylene, PET, Other Materials); Application (Packaging, Agriculture, Construction, Other Applications)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Plastic Films Market to Reach US$142.7 Billion by the Year 2026

Plastic films, used for packaging of both food and non-food products, apart from various other plastic products, is the largest sub-sector of the plastics processing industry. Apart from packaging applications, plastic films are also used in construction, agriculture, healthcare and other non-packaging application areas. Growth in the global market is being spurred by the surge in demand for biodegradable plastic films along with the growing use of different plastic films like polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, cellulose acetate, low-density polyethylene films in various packaging and non-packaging applications. Market growth is likely to be augmented by several factors like advanced decorative laminates; use of plastic as a popular substitute for metal and glass; rising demand for flexible food packaging materials to ensure food safety and hygiene; soaring demand for PVC, PP, and PET decorative laminates; along with consumer shift towards sustainable and environmentally friendly products. High growth in food packaging as well as healthcare industries is driving expansion in the plastic straps market, which in turn, is augmenting market growth. In addition, the thriving agriculture sector is also anticipated to drive significant growth in the market. Widespread plastic film usage in the consumer goods sector to package cosmetics, personal hygiene products, household cleaners, shampoo, along with laundry and dish detergents is also likely to spur growth in the market.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Plastic Films estimated at US$118 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$142.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% over the analysis period. LLDPE, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.2% CAGR to reach US$50.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the LDPE segment is readjusted to a revised 4.8% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 23.1% share of the global Plastic Films market. Linear low-density polyethylene or LLDPE has effectively replaced high-density polyethylene, cellulose acetate, low-density polyethylene, among other types of films because of its superior tensile strength along with remarkable puncture and impact resistance. LLDPE is popularly used in numerous film applications like general purpose film, agricultural film, stretch film, and apparel packaging, among others.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $22 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $24.6 Billion by 2026

The Plastic Films market in the U.S. is estimated at US$22 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 18.74% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$24.6 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 5.4% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.5% and 4.6% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.9% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$25.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Adoption in emerging markets especially in Asia-Pacific is mainly supported by strong growth in population, which translates to surging demand for packaged products including packaged food, and pharmaceuticals. Also, the increase in large-scale retail chains like hyper markets adds to the demand for these products, due to focus on reducing costs and increasing shelf life of various products. Demand in established markets such as North America, Western Europe, particularly in the food packaging sector, is being fostered by time constraints among customers, which has led to increased demand for products such as microwavable meals, compartmental packaging, multipacks, flexible pouches, and flow-wraps.

Agriculture End-Use Emerges Into the Spotlight

Agriculture is an important source of income and the world's largest business. One-third of the economically active population obtains its livelihood from agriculture. Against this backdrop, plastic films are expected to receive a boost in agricultural applications. Plastic films find use in agricultural applications such as greenhouses, mulching and silage. Plastic mulch films provide multiple benefits for crop production. They help to control weeds and insects, increase soil and air temperature, reduce evaporation, minimize soil erosion, and prevent soil splashing on fruits or vegetables. This in turn reduces pesticide use, increases crop yield, facilitates early planting in spring, and promotes water conservation. Low-density polyethylene is the most commonly used plastic mulch because it is inexpensive, easily processed, highly durable and flexible. Greenhouses double yield and extend the growing season, which enables farmers to produce more food on less land. The plastic mulch used in greenhouses blocks weed growth, reduces the need for herbicides and protects the soil from erosion. The plastic also helps warm the soil and conserve water.

Plastic film mulches are primarily used to protect shoots and seedlings by preserving or marginally increasing soil humidity and temperature in order to prevent evaporation and insulation. In addition, the use of plastic mulch significantly reduces pest and weed pressure, and this is a major factor driving plastic film demand in the agricultural sector. Governments are also making heavy investments in agricultural initiatives as it is an effective way to improve environmental sustainability. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture invested $560,000 in 2020 to develop the Canadian Agri-Food Sustainability Initiative while the European Union has undertaken programs like Young Farmers and Common Agricultural Policy. Such supportive agricultural policies by governments are stimulating growth in agricultural production across many regions, which in turn, is triggering demand for plastic mulching and boosting growth in the overall plastic films market over the analysis period.

HDPE Segment to Reach $20.2 Billion by 2026

The good moisture barrier performance of HDPE films makes these films an ideal choice to package breakfast cereals, particularly flakes. Consistent growth in the market for quick, but nutritious breakfast items is likely to drive demand for HDPE films. In the global HDPE segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 3.3% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$11.2 Billion will reach a projected size of US$14.1 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$2.8 Billion by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 3.7% CAGR through the analysis period. More



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NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AC Power, a woman-owned solar brownfield redeveloper, is pleased to welcome three new employees to its team. Karen Jernigan, Gina Wolfman and Corey Hindin joined AC Power with extensive experience in the solar sector, and have hit the ground running. These strategic hires were brought on as AC Power expands its solar development expertise further into the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as in emerging markets such as the Mid-west, Southwest, and Appalachia.

"We are encouraged by the growing awareness and enthusiasm around solar on brownfields, landfills, and other previously disturbed land. AC Power is growing its team to ensure we meet the demand and have the resources needed to transform these underutilized sites. While most are not easy, they are gratifying as solar is an excellent long term end use," noted AC Power founder, Annika Colston.

Karen Jernigan, joins as Vice President of Development and Partnerships, with 20 years of senior leadership experience in energy, having co-owned a global solar and oil remediation consultancy. Gina Wolfman brings 12 years experience in brownfield redevelopment as she joins the Project development team as Senior Director of Project Development. Corey Hindin will round out the team as Senior Director of Business Development. Corey comes to AC Power with 6 years of experience in clean energy with particular focus in site origination and relationship management.

There has been a large amount of reporting recently as groups work to help the US achieve clean energy goals, state by state. In 2021, RMI released The Future of Landfills Is Bright report based on just 43% of the 10,000 closed landfills. Within this report, an estimated 63 gigawatts of solar capacity can be generated to help power more than 7million residences. Similarly, The Nature Conservancy released a new tool estimating the tremendous potential of solar development on reclaimed mine lands across the central US.

About AC Power, LLC

AC Power is a mission-driven solar development company developing in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, maintaining its vision of redeveloping undervalued land to provide renewable energy to local communities. AC Power is as certified WBE.

www.acpowerllc.com

SOURCE AC Power
LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Brand Awards is an annual event held by Global Brands Magazine (GBM), an international publication headquartered in the UK. The award aims to recognise global brands achieving excellence in performance across a broad range of sectors while keeping its readers updated on key trends surrounding the branding world. Access Bank was evaluated based on customer service, satisfaction, digital innovation, strategic relationships and new business development.

Commenting on Access Bank Mozambique winning the awards, ShivKumar (CEO) of Global Brands magazine, said, "Access Bank Mozambique won not only one, but two of our prestigious award. The team at Access Bank, under the guidance and leadership of Marco Abalroado has taken massive strides to improve and make banking more efficient. With all the hard work that they have put in, it is no doubt that they have become one of the most successful banks in Africa."

Commenting on winning the awards, Marco Abalroado (CEO) of Access Bank Mozambique, said," At Access Bank Mozambique, the objective is to contribute to the exponential growth of the country in the coming decades, trying to create sustainable financial bases that improve the lives of Mozambicans. With the ambition to be more, it presents itself as an important financial partner for the country.

With the Group's expertise, easy access to international markets and teams of highly qualified and experienced professionals, Access Bank has positioned itself as the strategic partner of choice for companies and public-private institutions."

"We have a global vision, and we are strongly committed to the development and financial inclusion of all Mozambicans by offering innovative products and exceptional services. We want to be a reference bank in Mozambique..

These milestone achievements were achieved with the unwavering effort and support of its employees committed to a sustainable model of development through actualizing the dreams of Mozambican."

About Access Bank Mozambique

Access Bank is today the largest bank in Nigeria and leads the ranking of African banks in terms of customer base. It is a universal commercial bank, operating in a network of more than 600 branches and agents, in 3 continents, 15 countries and 49 million customers. It employs more than 28,000 employees in its operations in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa and United Kingdom, with representative offices in China, Lebanon, India and the United Arab Emirates. The Group keeps looking for opportunities to grow its network in international trade and payment centers, helping Africa to increasingly show its potential for the rest of the world. In Mozambique, Access Bank intends to operate in all customer segments of the Market, with the main focus on Retail and Business banking in the various sectors of relevance to the Mozambican economy. Aware of the challenges associated with the level of financial inclusion in the country, Access Bank intends to bet on a set of solutions and services, which will allow greater access to services benefiting mass market at remote areas as well as the agents of the informal market.

About Global Brands Magazine (England)

Global Brands Magazine (GBM) has been at the forefront, bringing news, views and opinions on brands shaping the future of their industry. The UK-based magazine provides its readers with the latest news and information on 'best-in-class brands across the globe. Each year, GBM develops a series of awards for companies that stood out, having a unique vision, exceptional service, innovative solutions and consumer-centric products among their industry leaders.

About Global Brand Awards

Global Brand Awards honours brands for their excellence in performance and rewards companies across different sectors for the quality of their services. The Brand Awards highlight accomplishments of organisations that have performed remarkably well in finance, education, hospitality, automotive, lifestyle, education, real estate, technology and several more. Global Brand Awards recognise vital players who progress towards excellence by providing a platform to acknowledge their efforts. In addition, GBM strives to create awareness concerning the significance of such organisations and rewards them for their notable efforts with the ultimate global recognition.

Check out the below links for our social media shout out:

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3JLsurv

Linkedin: https://bit.ly/353nsrD

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Instagram: https://bit.ly/36r267T

SOURCE Global Brands Publications Limited
Founded in 1908 by African-American women who were service-minded scholars, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is comprised of professional women who have succeeded despite unimaginable odds to lead in every area of human endeavor. Sadly, however, there are still "firsts" to be achieved and glass ceilings that still must be shattered.

We are encouraged by the fact that with so many Black women serving as attorneys, state and federal judges, law clerks, public defenders, prosecutors, corporate counsel, law professors and non-profit lawyers  all fighting on the frontlines of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in America  there has never been more qualified Black women ready to meet this moment. It has only been the glaring absence of opportunity that has stunted our progress and impeded the Supreme Court from reflecting the true diversity of these United States. We are now waiting with resigned anticipation that this glaring omission will be corrected with President Biden's commitment to nominate the first Black woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court by the end of February.

We stand united in the continued fight for Black women to be represented in all arenas important to the progress of our nation, and we are ready to walk arm-in-arm with this administration every step of the way as some of the very best and brightest Black women judges and attorneys are identified, vetted, interviewed, and presented to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.

Finally, we support swift confirmation hearings under the leadership of Senator Dick Durbin, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, leading to a fair vote for the chosen candidate. We also call for the highest level of professionalism befitting the institution and solemnity of the U.S. Senate and worthy of the ultimate nominee's qualifications and accomplishments for this sacred service.

To witness a Black woman confirmed as a United States Supreme Court Justice for the first time in the Court's 233-year history will merely affirm what we all already know to be true. There are countless Black women in the legal field who have distinguished themselves as brilliant jurists, fierce advocates, and venerable legal scholars and made tremendous sacrifices to shape the laws of the land and help secure justice for all. Charlotte E. Ray would be one case in point. Attorney Ray was the first African-American woman lawyer in the United States. She graduated from Howard University Law School in 1872 upon gaining admission under the name C.E. Ray and was the first woman admitted to the District of Columbia Bar 150 years ago. Described as a woman of "decided ability" and "one of the best lawyers on corporations in the country," she was unable to sustain her legal practice and was eventually forced to return to teaching. However, Ray's historic bar admission was the precedent that set the stage for the admission of countless other women to state bars around the country.

This confirmation of an African-American woman Supreme Court Justice will be a moment in time when at least one African-American woman will no longer be forced to abandon her dream and live beneath her privilege. We know for certain that this hallowed institution will be better with the appointment of an African-American woman. That fact serves us all well.

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American, college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of over 300,000 members in more than 1,000 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and in the Middle East. Led by International President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenda Glover Ph.D., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated is often hailed as "America's premier Greek-letter organization for African-American women." Visit www.aka1908.com for more information.

SOURCE Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Underwriters has announced that it will acquire Catlin Specialty Insurance Company ('A+' rated) from the AXA XL group of companies, consolidating the company into the North American Casualty group of companies ('A' rated) in a move intended to bolster Applied's operating capabilities in support of its strategic partners as the E&S market hardens. The transaction is scheduled to close during Q2 as anticipated regulatory approvals are received.

Mr. Jamie Sahara, President of Applied Underwriters, characterized the acquisition as a major advantage to Applied, its emerging E&S market leadership and its growing collaboration with channel partners in the sector: "Applied has consistently executed our commitment to sustaining and growing our national platform for E&S business and to intensifying our relationships with our strategic partners with whom we have impacted the sector. This is an important development for us and for our partners in the E&S market."

Mr. Steve Menzies, Chairman of Applied Underwriters, noted that the structure for the transaction drew upon a business transfer process used in Oklahoma that is based upon the successful Part VII transfer procedure used in the UK and the EU: "We found great potential in the Oklahoma Insurance Business Transfer (IBT) Act's regulatory process and its regulators' application of it. Uniquely, the IBT process permits insurers the ability to effect the absolute transfer of blocks of insurance business from one insurer to another, providing both the transferring and assuming companies an efficient, transparent and straightforward process, while also realizing a legal finality. Our deal was complex and the Oklahoma regulatory format really helped facilitate this."

According to Mr. Menzies, the transaction required the redomestication of the company: "The Catlin Specialty Insurance Company is licensed as an E&S carrier in all states except Oklahoma where it will be domiciled and where it holds a large number of surplus lines authorizations. To effect the acquisition, Applied and AXA XL worked with Delaware and Oklahoma regulators to redomesticate Catlin from Delaware to Oklahoma, so that Oklahoma's IBT process could be used. We thank the regulators involved in these states in acting to benefit the sector and, ultimately, the clients we serve."

Formed in the 1950s, the Company that is Catlin Specialty Insurance Company today was the subject of a series of transactions that culminated in its acquisition in 2006 by Catlin Group Limited. In 2015, the Company became part of what is now AXA XL.

Catlin Specialty Insurance Company currently holds an 'A+' rating from AM Best. The North American Casualty companies are rated 'A' by AM Best.

For further information contact: Ryan Gerding, Public Relations, at +1 (913) 602-8531 or at [email protected].

About Applied Underwriters (www.auw.com)

Applied Underwriters is a global risk services firm that helps businesses and people manage uncertainty through its business services, insurance and reinsurance solutions. As a company, Applied Underwriters has been distinguished by its innovative approaches to client care and by its strong financial strength. Applied Underwriters operates widely throughout the US, UK, EU and Middle East. Its operational headquarters is located in Omaha, Nebraska.

About AXA XL (www.axaxl.com)

AXA XL, the property & casualty and specialty risk division of AXA, provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. AXA XL partners with those who move the world forward.

SOURCE Applied Underwriters
BOSTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcadia (arcadia.io), the leading population health management and health intelligence platform, today announced it is hosting a full schedule of events at HIMSS22 that will focus on how the health data platform is fueling healthcare transformation at scale.

The HIMSS22 Global Health Conference & Exhibition, to be held in Orlando from March 14 to 18, is where professionals throughout the global health ecosystem connect for education, innovation, and collaboration. HIMSS members and healthcare professionals -- from CIOs and senior executives to providers and payers to IT consultants and entrepreneurs -- attend this influential conference and trade show to learn about the greatest challenges and opportunities facing the healthcare industry.

Hear from Arcadia customers in HIMSS General Education Sessions

Arcadia customers will share detailed case studies and lessons learned in HIMSS General Education Sessions.

Building ACO analytics: Identify Opportunities, Measurement, and ROI : Leaders from Summit Health will share their approach to implementing advanced analytics to drive value-based care (VBC) performance. Learn how they leveraged analytics to prioritize, execute, and measure data-driven initiatives for success under advanced payment models. Friday, March 18 ; 10:30 a.m.  11:30 a.m. ET ; Room W307A; Session #299. Endorsed by HIMSS CIO Experience.





: Leaders from Summit Health will share their approach to implementing advanced analytics to drive value-based care (VBC) performance. Learn how they leveraged analytics to prioritize, execute, and measure data-driven initiatives for success under advanced payment models. ;  ; Room W307A; Session #299. Harnessing Data to Advance Quality of Care: Frederick Health explains how they invested in data governance, data aggregation, and analytics to drive population health initiatives. Learn how effective data governance helped them ultimately drive better patient outcomes and reduce the cost of care. Wednesday, March 16 ; 2:30 p.m.  3:30 p.m. ET ; Room W414A; Session HA9.

Learn from fellow healthcare leaders in dedicated forums

Arcadia will bring together thought leaders and customers in focused sessions to address some of health IT's biggest challenges.

Lunch and Learn: Data science for clinical impact - building a predictive analytics ecosystem. Arcadia's director of data science Michael Simon , PhD has most recently been recognized for his work on the drivers of long-COVID, but his longtime focus has been on designing predictive algorithms that surface patients in need of intervention and promote better health equity. Explore best practice for implementing predictive analytics for your populations, from the importance of training algorithms on a massive, diverse, longitudinal data asset to best practices for avoiding implicit bias. Thursday, March 17 ; 11:15 a.m.  12:15 p.m. ET ; Room 203B . Registration required  request a lunch invitation here .





director of data science , PhD has most recently been recognized for his work on the drivers of long-COVID, but his longtime focus has been on designing predictive algorithms that surface patients in need of intervention and promote better health equity. Explore best practice for implementing predictive analytics for your populations, from the importance of training algorithms on a massive, diverse, longitudinal data asset to best practices for avoiding implicit bias. ;  ; Room . Forum: Accelerate value-based performance  even when the low-hanging fruit is gone. Tackle strategies for advanced value-based care organizations to surface opportunities to continue to drive performance under increasingly complex risk-based payment models. Hear from leaders at Rush Health, Summit Health, Castell, and other pioneering organizations via case studies and interactive panel discussions. Wednesday, March 16 ; 11:15 a.m.  12:15 p.m. ET ; Room 202A and 3 p.m.  5:30 p.m. ; Room 202A. Attendance limited to value-based care leaders; request an invitation here .





Tackle strategies for advanced value-based care organizations to surface opportunities to continue to drive performance under increasingly complex risk-based payment models. Hear from leaders at Rush Health, Summit Health, Castell, and other pioneering organizations via case studies and interactive panel discussions. ;  ; Room 202A and  ; Room 202A. Forum: Achieving interoperability takes more than an envelope: How do you deliver population-level interoperability? Join fellow CIOs and CAOs along with leaders from KLAS, Arcadia , Rush Health, Castell, IMSNY, and others to share strategies and avoid interoperability "gotcha" moments for effective, outcome-driven information-sharing inside and outside your walls. Tuesday, March 15 , 11:15 a.m.  12:15 p.m. ET ; Room 202C and 3 p.m.  5:30 p.m. ET ; Room 203B . Attendance limited to information technology and analytics leaders; request an invitation here.

Get to know Arcadia

Meet the team, get a demo: Walk away with a better understanding of how to harness the power of diverse data, advance global health outcomes, and drive strategic growth for your organization. March 15 , 10 a.m.  6:00 p.m. ; March 16 , 9:30 a.m.  6:00 p.m. ET ; March 17 , 9:30 a.m.  4:00 p.m. ET . Booth #2711; HIMSS22 Exhibit Hall.

Additionally, Arcadia is hosting two social events:

Evening at Universal with Arcadia : Unwind in the fresh air and enjoy a taste of the Island life. Kick back and enjoy tropical drinks and a buffet dinner with your HIMSS colleagues and the Arcadia team. Guests will receive complimentary park passes to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. March 15 ; 6 p.m.  9 p.m. ; Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Universal Studios. Invitation required.





: Unwind in the fresh air and enjoy a taste of the Island life. Kick back and enjoy tropical drinks and a buffet dinner with your HIMSS colleagues and the team. Guests will receive complimentary park passes to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. ;  ; Margaritaville at Universal Studios. Sips and socks happy hour: Join us for happy hour to network with peers and snag a limited-edition pair of Arcadia socks. March 16 ; 4:30 p.m.  6:00 p.m. ; Booth #2711; HIMSS22 Exhibit Hall.

"After months of too many video calls and remote meetings to count, our team is looking forward to some much-needed in-person interaction at HIMSS22 with partners, stakeholders, prospects and old friends," said Michael Meucci, chief operating officer, Arcadia. "Please stop by Booth #2711 or one of our informative forums to learn how to revitalize your organization's care and research with data-driven insights. We look forward to seeing you in Orlando!"

For more information about Arcadia's schedule of events at HIMSS22 and to request an invitation to any of our exclusive events, please click here.

About Arcadia

Arcadia is dedicated to happier, healthier days for all. We transform data into powerful insights that deliver results. Through our partnerships with the nation's leading health systems, payers, and life science companies, we are growing a community of innovation to improve care, maximize value, and confront emerging challenges. For more information, visit arcadia.io.

Media Contact

Marcia Rhodes

Amendola Communications for Arcadia

[email protected]

SOURCE Arcadia.io
CONFERENCE CALL ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022, at 11:00AM ET

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA) (OTC: AUSAF) ("AUSA" or "AUDACIOUS" or the "Company"), today announced it will be filing its results for its fiscal third quarter 2022, the three-month period ended December 31, 2021, on March 1, 2022, after markets.

The Company will be hosting a conference call to discuss its results for the quarter on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at 11am ET.

Conference call details





Canada: 1.647.794.4605 North American Toll Free: 1.888.204.4368 Webcast URL: https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1532386&tp_key=0ca289c8c0 Confirmation #: 5701328

A replay of the call will be available until March 9, 2022. The replay can be accessed as follows:



Encore Replay Canada: 1.647.436.0148 Encore Replay North American Toll Free: 1.888.203.1112 Encore Replay Entry Code: 5701328

For further information about AUSA, contact the Company by e-mail at [email protected].

SOURCE Australis Capital Inc.
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, artist-first music streaming and discovery platform Audiomack and the Black Music Action Coalition announced the launch of "Black Music Executives Are The Future," an internship and mentorship program committed to grooming and developing the next generation of Black executives in the music industry.

As part of the initiative, Audiomack and the Black Music Action Coalition will select five, Black undergraduates  or recent graduates who earned degrees as recently as April 2021  to participate in three-month paid internships at Audiomack across several departments, including marketing, creative design, editorial & content strategy, content operations and tech development.

Additionally, the five recipients will be assigned at least two distinguished music industry executives to serve as their mentors over the course of the program. The list of award-winning executives includes:

Amina Diop  Senior Vice President of Republic Records & Artist Manager

 Senior Vice President of Republic Records & Artist Manager Andrew McInnes  CEO of TMWRK; manager for Diplo, A-Trak, etc.

 CEO of TMWRK; manager for Diplo, A-Trak, etc. Cortez Bryant  CEO of The Blueprint Group; served as artist manager for Lil' Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X

 CEO of The Blueprint Group; served as artist manager for Lil' Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Lil Nas X Damien Smith  Artist Manager at Full Stop Management; manager for Offset and Anderson. Paak

 Artist Manager at Full Stop Management; manager for Offset and Anderson. Paak Gordan Dillard  Artist Manager at SALXCO, manager for Doja Cat

 Artist Manager at SALXCO, manager for Doja Cat Prophet  Co-founder and co-chair of Black Music Action Coalition; Artist manager

 Co-founder and co-chair of Black Music Action Coalition; Artist manager Tariq Cherif  Co-founder and CEO of Rolling Loud

"It's disheartening to see that, of the 70 major and independent music companies, only 4.2% of high-level executives are Black," Audiomack VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy Jason Johnson said. "As leaders in this industry, we must commit to hiring, developing and elevating Black talent to better reflect the communities that we serve. With this partnership with BMAC, our hope is to establish a strong pipeline of young, Black talent to enter the music industry and equip them with the resources to thrive."

"If we are serious about closing the wealth gap and building an equitable industry and society, then there must be a true investment made into the next generation of Black executives and artists," Black Music Action Coalition co-chair and artist manager Willie "Prophet" Stiggers said. "BMAC's mission is not to only hold our industry accountable for dismantling systems that have historically prevented us from reaping the benefits of a culture we created, but to also to create new systems, new ideas and new leaders. It starts with leveling the playing field and ensuring that the executives and artists coming up, has the tools, support, resources, and access to excel. If Black lives matter  prove it."

To apply for the paid internship program, prospective candidates must submit HERE, create an Audiomack account, upload their resume, identify their preferred internship department and follow Audiomack, Black Music Action Coalition and Culture Fusion Agency on Instagram and Twitter.

Finally, applicants must submit a 300-word paragraph that explains why they want to be selected as a "Black Music Executives Are The Future" recipient and outlines how they would leverage the experience to further their professional development.

The deadline to apply for the program is March 4. From there, Audiomack and Black Music Action Coalition will review submissions, announce the program winners on March 14 and assign the recipients to start their respective internships on March 21.

About Audiomack

Audiomack, which launched in 2012, currently reaches more than 20 million monthly users globally. The streaming and discovery service has played an integral role in breaking new acts, such as Roddy Ricch and Kaash Paige; served as a trusted partner to Eminem and Nicki Minaj, among other notable artists, to debut exclusive releases; and helped rising African stars, such as Omah Lay, reach an international audience. As of January 2021, Audiomack is the top-ranked music streaming app on Apple's iOS in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, and Kenya.

About BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION

Tuesday, June 2, 2020, the music industry went silent for one day to join the fight for equality as part of #BlackOutTuesday...the day the show paused!. This movement spread beyond the business and inspired tens of millions worldwide to follow suit. Galvanized by this historic moment, close to 200 preeminent artist managers, attorneys, business managers, agents, and other industry executives signed up to join forces, instituting and introducing the first-ever BLACK MUSIC ACTION COALITION.

Together, these individuals form one common voice, representing the interests of artists, producers, songwriters, and executives.

This illustrious cadre of industry heavyweights notably represents artists who comprise a majority of the industry's revenue.

This advocacy organization endeavors to uphold and actualize the mission of Black Lives Matter in the music industry and reach racial justice not just across labels, publishers, agencies, distributors, and DSP's but throughout society at large. BMAC works together with leaders from various business leaders to hold their companies accountable and implement a system of checks and balances to ensure change takes root. The group fosters and shepherds various educational, mental health, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, policing, social justice, and political causes that directly impact Black communities. In 2021, the BMAC released the first annual Music Industry Action report card that measured and assessed the music industry's progress toward achieving racial justice and equity. To commemorate the report card, BMAC also held the inaugural Music In Action Awards Gala to honor musicians, activists, and industry professionals who have used their platforms to enact change within the music industry and broader society. The Weeknd, H.E.R., Ethiopia Habtemariam, Ben Crump, and more were honored for their contributions to change.

SOURCE Audiomack
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV) and (SSE: ALIV.sdb), the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, today announces its intent to collaborate with Polestar in its industry-leading initiative Polestar 0. The goal is to develop a truly climate-neutral car by 2030.

The "Polestar 0" project unites companies across the automotive supply chain to leverage innovation and collaboration to address the climate crisis and change the view of how to manufacture cars in a sustainable way. The collaboration is in line with Autoliv's commitment to be the first automotive safety supplier to become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030 and aim for net-zero emissions across its supply chain by 2040.

Autoliv and Polestar intend to research and develop technology aiming at finding climate neutral solutions and innovations related to automotive safety such as pyrotechnics, textiles, and new generations of materials for airbags and seatbelts.

"We are happy and proud to join forces with Polestar. To reach our ambitious climate targets, we need to collaborate across the value chain. We are well-positioned to continue to support our partners and customers in achieving their sustainability goals," says Mikael Bratt, President and CEO of Autoliv.

"It was clear from the start that this is not a solo-mission and we are very excited to present such a strong line-up of interested partners, all leaders within their fields, including Autoliv. We are leveraging innovation and collaboration to address the climate crisis," says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO.

More information about Autoliv's Sustainability and Climate commitment is found at www.autoliv.com.

Inquiries:

Media: Gabriella Ekelund, Tel +46 (70) 612 64 24

Investors & Analysts: Anders Trapp, Tel +46 (0)8 587 206 71

Investors & Analysts: Henrik Kaar, Tel +46 (0)8 587 206 14

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/autoliv/r/autoliv-to-collaborate-with-polestar-on-groundbreaking-climate-neutral-car,c3512294

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/751/3512294/1539202.pdf Autoliv to collaborate with Polestar on groundbreaking climate neutral car

SOURCE Autoliv
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern informed consumers are increasingly aware of how important it is to consider what goes into their health and hygiene products. Harmful ingredients like synthetics, silicones, mineral oil, PEG's, DEA's, SLS, and parabens are constantly finding their way into formulas. While this is difficult enough to navigate as an adult, choosing products for one's children is infinitely more intimidating.

This concern is what pushed the team behind Baby Kingdom to develop their innovative line of luxury baby care and family care products. "We use good quality extracts within all our products," explains Baby Kingdom's Global Sales Director, Katie Roberts, "because our customers are very aware of what they are putting onto their babies' skin. They want to be reassured that there are no harmful ingredients."

This has motivated the Baby Kingdom product development team to use natural ingredients to get the job done. The company utilizes options like vitamin E, coconut oil, nettle leaf extracts, and Aloe vera to provide high-quality formulas that are both gentle and effective on a baby's sensitive skin.

Over time, the company has expanded the application of its skincare knowledge to tackle more severe concerns, as well. "Due to the exceptional results achieved from our Body Cream," Roberts says, "we have also been able to provide parents with a natural and effective alternative to prescribed eczema treatments. This is important for many parents, as an increasing number of babies and children are suffering from sensitive skin conditions like this. This makes safety and efficacy for sensitive skin a critical element for our brand. We need parents to trust that they are getting safe, proven solutions when they invest in the Baby Kingdom way."

While there continues to be an endless number of baby care options available, few of these are setting a standard as high as Baby Kingdom. The ability to opt for skincare and hygiene products that are trusted and safe is difficult to overstate. The company's recent launch in the U.S. comes as a welcome relief for the millions of American parents who are facing the challenge of caring for their children's sensitive skin on a daily basis.

About Baby Kingdom: Baby Kingdom is a health and wellness brand that operates out of Warwick in the U.K. The company was founded in 2018 as an enterprise created by parents for their children. Since its inception, the brand has seen a rapidly growing demand for its luxury baby products. The Baby Kingdom's product line is proud to be vegan-friendly, recyclable, 97%-99% natural, hypoallergenic, and suitable for sensitive skin. Learn more about Baby Kingdom at babykingdomcollection.co.uk .

Please direct inquiries to:

Teddie Wolf

(954) 673-4634

[email protected]

SOURCE Baby Kingdom
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- There are many baby care brands on the market. Choosing between the options can feel impossible as consumers parse through countless benefits and competitive advantages that each brand claims to offer. That's why the team behind the popular U.K. family care brand, Baby Kingdom, puts one factor above all others when parents choose products to use on their children: were those products created by other parents?

It's easy for someone in a lab to decide that a product is suitable for use on a child. However, when you leave the test tube setting and go out into the real world, it doesn't take long to realize how complex and challenging it can be to make decisions as a parent. Opinions come at you from a hundred different directions. Scientific research is always revealing new information that those with children should seriously consider.

This information overload can make it very difficult for parents to choose between the various childcare products available  especially when it comes to the health and hygiene products that they're going to put on their children's skin and hair. This is why Baby Kingdom focuses on a few key elements when it develops its formulas.

First, Baby Kingdom is devoted to using the highest quality ingredients possible. This includes natural options that are free from things like SLS, parabens, and synthetic colors. Second, the brand is committed to remaining transparent. It lists its ingredients right on its website and includes explanations for why each item has been integrated into Baby Kingdom formulas.

Third, Baby Kingdom makes sure that its own team is intimately aware of the challenges of raising children. "Our products have been passionately developed by parents for children," explains Baby Kingdom's Global Sales Director Katie Roberts.

This intimate knowledge of the trials of parenthood has helped guide Baby Kingdom in every area of its business, even down to something as small as adding a spray function to their popular Baby Powder for ease of application. By maintaining this well-informed, parental touch as part of their business model, Baby Kingdom has set up a new level of sustained excellence as its team has sought to answer real-world concerns with effective family care solutions.

About Baby Kingdom: Baby Kingdom is a health and wellness brand that operates out of Warwick in the U.K. The company was founded in 2018 as an enterprise created by parents for their children. Since its inception, the brand has seen a rapidly growing demand for its luxury baby products. The Baby Kingdom's product line is proud to be vegan-friendly, recyclable, 97%-99% natural, hypoallergenic, and suitable for sensitive skin. Learn more about Baby Kingdom at babykingdomcollection.co.uk .

Please direct inquiries to:

Teddie Wolf

(954) 673-4634

[email protected]

SOURCE Baby Kingdom
RESTON, Va., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bechtel and Westinghouse, two leading U.S. companies in the global nuclear industry, today announced they've signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GE Steam Power to explore opportunities in their joint pursuit of civil nuclear power projects in Poland. GE Steam Power nuclear steam turbines are installed in half of the nuclear power plants in the world.

"Poland is taking visionary steps to transition to a clean energy economy while retaining its energy independence and security," said Ahmet Tokpinar, operations manager of Bechtel's Nuclear Power business line. "The cooperation with GE Steam Power, along with future additions from the Polish supply chain, will form a team with local talent and proven, hands-on experience in nuclear project delivery."

Bechtel and Westinghouse are preparing a front-end engineering design (FEED) for a plant on a site chosen by Poland on the Baltic Sea coast, for the Polish Nuclear Power Plant program. The FEED is partially funded by a grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.

"Westinghouse is well-positioned to help Poland meet its energy goals through our proven AP1000 technology, our in-country investments for local manufacturing, and our global shared services center in Krakow. We look forward to working with GE Steam Power to explore joint pursuit on this important project," said Elias Gedeon, SVP Commercial Operations of Westinghouse Energy Systems.

"As one of the most dependable sources of carbon-free power generation providing around-the-clock energy supply, nuclear energy is a critical pillar for today's energy transition," said Frederic Wiscart, Nuclear New Build Leader for GE Steam Power. "GE is a long-standing partner to the Polish energy industry, and we look forward to offering our decades of technological expertise in turbine island design and installation to Bechtel and Westinghouse."

Bechtel has designed, built, or provided services to 80 nuclear reactors in the United States and 150 worldwide, across all major reactor designs. Westinghouse and Bechtel are currently completing a two-reactor expansion of Plant Vogtle in the United States using AP1000 technology.

About Bechtel

Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.

Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; and Mining & Metals markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com

Media contact:

Fred deSousa

T : +1 703 429 6435

C : +1 571 364 5733

Email: [email protected]

For Westinghouse:

[email protected]

SOURCE Bechtel
USCIS is now refusing to process tens of thousands of visa applications after taking in over $47 million in fees. Tweet this

In 1990, Congress created the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program to provide an opportunity for foreign nationals and their families to become permanent U.S. residents when they invest in businesses that create jobs for American workers. In 1992, Congress created the Regional Center Program with the intent to help simplify and stimulate EB-5 investment by enabling investors to pool their investments and subscribe to projects pre-approved by USCIS. A plain reading of the statute demonstrates that Congress established the Regional Center Program as an additional vehicle to facilitate EB-5 investment. In a separate provision of the same legislation, Congress then created an introductory incentive to attract participants in the form of a visa set-aside reserved for Regional Centers that would kick off the new program. That separate incentive was set to expire after 5 years. For almost 30 years, Congress issued extensions for the set-aside incentive. USCIS has now wrongfully associated the expiration of that temporary incentive as the expiration of the EB-5 program as a whole. USCIS is now refusing to process tens of thousands of visa applications after taking in over $47 million in fees from EB-5 regional center investors and their families.

"For years, many people operated under the false pretense that the program was set to expire, and it never made sense  it is unfathomable that Congress would design a program where foreign nationals could invest their life savings in U.S. businesses and pay USCIS millions in application fees only to watch the program self-destruct in the middle of a years-long wait for a visa. But as a plain reading of the statute indicates, the core program was never intended to expire," said Colin Behring, CEO of Behring Co. "This misinterpretation has had far-reaching effects, as artificial expiration dates create havoc for investors and projects that have an ultimate desire for stability. We are hopeful that the court will order these agencies to continue processing regional center-associated petitions and visa applications, removing 40,000 investors from an unjust position of limbo."

Behring added: "We have long been supporters of positive EB-5 modernization, and we recognize that Congress is in the process of creating meaningful reforms to the program. The simple text of the law and the merits of this case prove the permanency of the Regional Center program. Congress can now squarely focus on reform as there is no need to reauthorize a program that is already permanent. More importantly, if positive reform efforts were thwarted by parties leveraging a fake expiration to hold the fate of existing investors hostage while trying further their own self-interest, that can end now. The initial law's correct interpretation combined with the commonsense reforms being developed by Congress will restore EB-5 to its position as our country's most powerful and only fully self-funded economic development program."

For Behring Co., this suit follows its 2021 legal victory, when a federal judge vacated the EB-5 Modernization Rule unlawfully implemented by DHS in 2019. Before being overturned, the rule had rendered the program inoperable, causing participation in the program to plummet by nearly 99%. Greenberg Traurig, LLP is representing Behring in both cases.

Though three decades old, the EB-5 program gained particular prominence in capital markets after the 2008 financial crisis, when traditional lenders slowed their activity and real estate developers sought alternative sources of capital. Since the program's inception, EB-5 investors have injected more than $41 billion in U.S. projects that have created over 820,000 full-time jobs at no cost to U.S. taxpayers.

"We all bear different responsibilities within the EB-5 industry, from advocates, to issuers, to borrowers, but we all share the common responsibility of ushering our clients and investors safely through the EB-5 process," said Nima Korpivaara, Partner at KLD LLP. "Congress and USCIS have left tens of thousands of investors on unstable ground and in fear. During this time, Behring has continued to look for a solution, and now with action, we have a chance as an industry to protect EB-5 investors."

Behring may have been early to file its own suit but USCIS, DHS and Department of State are set to receive additional litigation as over 40,000 investors and their families are impacted by their action. Large multiple-investor lawsuits are forming and in search of additional plaintiffs seeking there own injunctive relief, writ of mandamus action and even recovery of unlawfully collected fees under the "Little Tucker Act." One such group is led by The Galati Law Firm and the law firms that form the Immpact Litigation Team, Siskind Susser, Joseph & Hall, and Kuck Baxter Immigration.

"USCIS has not held up its end of the bargain  the timely, good faith adjudication of EB-5 related benefits in exchange for the exorbitant fees it collects from investors and their family members," said Matthew Galati, Principal of the eponymous law firm. "Many of our clients have leveraged their life's savings in an effort to achieve the American dream. Imagine the anxiety these families plunged into a bureaucratic and political nightmare now face."

"The Agency's unlawful actions during the so-called lapse are but the latest episode of not giving immigrant job creators their due." Galati continued. "For years USCIS has sat on its hands while administrative backlogs have become out of control and thousands of visas wasted. And now it argues it can do nothing? While collecting millions of fees for doing nothing? The statutory language mandates that processing must continue. Our team is heading to court to end this abuse of those applicants who have created hundreds of thousands of American jobs."

More information regarding their lawsuit can be found at https://www.immpactlitigation.com/eb-5-regional-center-litigation-2022/.

Learn more about the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program at BehringEB5.com

About Behring Co.

Behring Co. is a vertically integrated real estate developer, private equity fund manager, and EB-5 regional center serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley. Behring owns and operates the Behring Regional Center, a USCIS accredited EB-5 regional center with 100-percent investor approval history serving hundreds of investors since 2013.

Media contact:

Shlomo Morgulis

Antenna

201-465-8007

[email protected]

SOURCE Behring Companies
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SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BIORCHESTRA is a leading RNA therapeutics company whose lead programs focus on neurodegenerative diseases using its proprietary RNA-based drug and drug delivery platforms. Today, BIORCHESTRA announced the completion of its 45 million USD (54 billion KRW) Series C Fundraising as of 22nd February 2022.

Participants in the Series C were Daily Partners, IMM Investment, SBI Investment, LSK Investment, E&Venture Partners, Smilegate Investment, Quantum Ventures Korea, Stick Investment, Widwin investment, and NH Securities as FI (financial investors). GS holdings, Chong Kun Dang Holdings, and Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical participated in the series C as SI (strategic investor). It is unusual for all existing shareholders who have participated in the series A, series B, and series B bridges to participate in series C fundraising as well. The financing was significantly oversubscribed with high demand from both existing and new investors. It is interpreted that not only the existing shareholders participated in the follow-up investment, but also the new participating institutional shareholders showed confidence as investors in the scientific foundation, business development, potentials of BIORCHESTRA growth and the social value of the BIORCHESTRA technology.

Branden (Jinhyeob) Ryu, CEO of BIORCHESTRA, said, "We are delighted with the support we received in this Series C financing from both existing and new investors. We have successfully completed the series C capital increase, thanks to investors who showed confidence in BIORCHESTRA technology. BIORCHESTRA will develop the world's first RNA-based treatment for neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis disease). This funding will allow us to both continue and expand our development activities through internal programs and strategic partnerships. In addition, we will verify our drug delivery system, BDDS through open innovation with global big pharmaceutical companies by establishing a stable production system in the pilot plant, which will be operating from this year, and continue to develop next-generation delivery systems such as mRNA delivery systems."

Dr. Louis O'Dea, BIORCHESTRA's CMO and US President, said, "BIORCHESTRA has developed a novel, breakthrough technology to deliver targeted therapies through the blood-brain barrier to address the unmet needs of patients with progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative diseases. The growing interest of established pharma and biotech companies and the confidence of our investors validate the scientific platforms and progress of BIORCHESTRA. We look forward to using this funding to accelerate the filing of our first IND and our entry into therapeutic clinical trials."

Young-Gil Kim, CFO of BIORCHESTRA, said, "Proceeds from this financing will support the expansion of our research and development activities and product pipeline, completion of our GMP facility, and initiation of our nonclinical toxicology programs leading to IND filing in 2023 for BMD-001, our leading clinical program in neurodegenerative disease. In preparation for IPO, we will adopt and stabilize internal control over financial reporting system and IFRS."

In 2021, BIORCHESTRA was selected as the awardee in the NYC Innovation QuickFire Challenge on Neuroscience. In January 2022, BIORCHESTRA signed a collaboration research agreement with SK Biopharm to develop a new drug for Epilepsy.

Branden (Jinhyeob) Ryu, CEO of BIORCHESTRA, and Dr. Louis O'Dea (a founding member of Moderna) has attended the Clinical Trial on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) 2021 in Boston and presented the therapeutic effect through microRNA regulation in neurodegenerative disease, received a lot of response from experts. In 2022, Branden (Jinhyeob) Ryu, plans to present the therapeutic effect of BMD-001 as a speaker at renowned international conferences such as RNA Leaders World Congress, DIA/FDA Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics Conference, RNA Therapeutics & Delivery US Congress, Formulation & Delivery UK Congress, and RNA Therapeutics Modalities Summit in 2022.

About BIORCHESTRA

BIORCHESTRA, with offices in Daejeon, South Korea, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, is an innovative biotech developing ribonucleic acid (RNA) based therapeutics. Our goal is to change the therapeutic paradigm from symptoms treatment to diseases modifying therapeutics in neurodegenerative and other diseases.

The BMD is a therapeutic agent development platform that can control microRNAs that regulate multiple messenger RNAs (mRNAs) involved in pathological factors related to diseases. We believe that exclusively targeting single pathological protein, such as A or tau, like most candidate AD therapies of other pharmaceutical companies is too late in the disease course to halt the progression of AD. This upstream regulation with anti-sense oligonucleotide aims to reverse the epigenetic changes in the AD brain induced by the overexpression of target microRNA-485-3p, which we have proven to induce A/tau production, cognitive impairment and a reduction in synaptic plasticity. We have developed proprietary drug delivery system (BDDS) for commercial drug development. Delivering the ASO via intravenous injection route, we observed target microRNA knock-down efficacy not only in cortex but also deep brain such as hippocampus even striatum and spinal cord as well.

For further information visit: www.biorchestra.com

Biorchestra Named Awardee in NYC Innovation QuickFire Challenge on Neuroscience - News | JLABS (jnjinnovation.com)

Speakers | RNA Leaders (lsxleaders.com)

Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics Conference (diaglobal.org)

SOURCE BIORCHESTRA Co., Ltd.
BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Birch Gold Group, a leading gold IRA company and enthusiastic supporter of financial literacy, is giving back to the community with a donation of $20,000 to Operation HOPE.

Operation HOPE is a nationally-recognized financial literacy nonprofit focused on bringing financial dignity and inclusion to underserved communities. Their mission is to disrupt generational poverty and expand economic opportunity by making free enterprise and capitalism work for everyone. As of 2020, they've received seven consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator, outperforming 93% of the charities in America.

"We're thrilled to support Operation HOPE's crucial mission to empower underserved individuals and communities," said Phillip Patrick, Precious Metals Specialist at Birch Gold Group. "We took a company-wide vote to choose the recipient of our donation, and Operation HOPE won hands-down."

How do Birch Gold Group's services align with Operation HOPE's mission? Patrick explained by dispelling a common misconception about Birch Gold Group's work. "A lot of people think we're a financial services company," he said. "If you had to give us only one label, perhaps that's the best description. However, at Birch Gold we truly believe in the power of empowering Americans through education. We spend most of our time educating our customers about options for their retirement savings they won't hear about from a broker or financial advisor or cable news channel. We give them the tools they need to make a fully-informed decision that's best for their personal objectives."

As an example, Patrick highlighted the efforts Birch Gold Group has made improving financial literacy for veterans. Surely this partnership will lead to the production of even more resources to educate and empower Americans.

"The lack of financial literacy in America has proven to be devastating. With the support of partners, like Birch Gold Group, we're on a mission to change the status quo," said John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE. "We are honored that their employees selected Operation HOPE to receive this generous donation and look forward to empowering underserved individuals and communities together."

To learn more about Birch Gold Group's products and services, visit https://www.birchgold.com or call (800) 355-2116.

About Birch Gold Group

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Burbank, California, Birch Gold Group is a leading dealer of precious metals serving a diverse customer base across the United States. Employing a team of experienced professionals and precious metal experts, the company provides a wide range of metals for physical possession and placement within an IRA, including silver, gold, platinum and palladium.

With a strong commitment to helping its customers discover how investing in precious metals can offer enhanced protection in the face of economic instability, Birch Gold Group is known throughout the industry for its exemplary reputation and track record, consistently maintaining top scores and ratings with the Better Business Bureau, the Business Consumer Alliance and multiple renowned review websites.

SOURCE Birch Gold Group
LEESBURG, Va., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bow Wave LLC (https://www.bowwavellc.com), a leading provider in services for mission critical fields to support National Security, is pleased to announce the company's certification as a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) business by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The HUBZone program promotes small business growth in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone certified companies each year.

SBA HubZone Certified

"Bow Wave's HUBZone certification enables us to help Federal Government agencies and prime contract holders meet their contractual set-aside targets, while providing jobs for individuals in underutilized communities," says Joshua Skule, President of Bow Wave LLC.

To achieve HUBZone certification, Bow Wave met specific criteria defined by the SBA that includes 35% or more of its employees residing within HUBZone regions. As a certified HUBZone small business, Bow Wave may receive program benefits including eligibility for HUBZone set-aside awards, competitive and sole source contracting, 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions, as well as subcontracting opportunities.

About Bow Wave LLC

Bow Wave LLC is an SBA certified HUBZone small business providing subject matter expertise and professional technology services for a variety of mission critical fields to support National Security. Our experts in cybersecurity, counterintelligence, data science and transformative services provide innovative and proven hi-tech solutions. Bow Wave professionals mitigate risk and enhance resilience in today's dynamic environment. For more information, visit www.bowwavellc.com

SOURCE Bow Wave LLC
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brompton, the London-based manufacturer of the iconic folding bike, is gearing up for a promising 2022 with a fleet of new, redesigned bikes. Represented with a fresh rebranding across its full line of bikes coupled with a host of exciting technologies and innovations, Brompton has released its lightest-ever models, including the T Line - an entirely reinvented 16.4-pound titanium bike - the P Line, a new titanium-steel superlight model, and an upgraded version of its electric bike.

Brompton Bicycle Launches Reinvented Flagship Models, Signals Innovation Ahead

The rebranding of Brompton models replaces over 40 years of product naming by bike specification in favor of centering the bikes around individual user needs. It is a fundamental change that allows consumers to more easily navigate the Brompton range to find their perfect bike.

"Brompton aims to be the go-to urban bike brand in cities across North America by 2027," said Juliet Scott-Croxford, Brompton's President of North America. "To fuel this, we are moving into a new phase of innovation and product development to make our bikes lighter and more convenient to move around a city. At the same time, we are focusing on the ownership experience, drawing inspiration from our dedicated fanbase of Brompton owners in New York City and around the world."

Following are details of the Brompton T Line, P Line, C Line, and A Line model.

T Line - This is Brompton. Reinvented. This fully titanium Brompton is the lightest, most premium Brompton ever. Ten pounds lighter than the all-steel model. Available from $4,810.

P Line - A redesigned Brompton Superlight, now lighter and stronger than the previous model. Features a new four speed gearing system starting at $2,750, with upgraded models from $2,965.

C Line - Brompton's classic all-steel folding bike, starting at $1,550. Also, available as the C Line Electric with a detachable battery ($3,550).

A Line - An entry level, all-steel Brompton priced at $1,095.

For more information or details on Brompton's new models, please contact Zach Pickett, 802.738.6335, [email protected]

About Brompton Bicycle:

Made for cities, Brompton produces over 70,000 bikes a year and over 500,000 have hit the streets since the first bike was made in 1975 by inventor Andrew Ritchie. A Brompton bike is perfect for those that live, work or play in cities: The bike folds up to a third of its size, which means a Brompton is suitable to take on all forms of transport  perfect for commuting on trains, storing in the trunk of your car and taking out of the city for some fresh air, hailing a taxi when the weather changes or you need to get home late at night. Brompton products are available to purchase and ship directly to your home at us.Brompton.com, or from over 1,500 accredited retailers worldwide and 15 flagship Brompton Junction stores.

SOURCE Brompton Bicycle
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Lawyers Association (CLA) is pleased to honor California Sen. Thomas J. Umberg as 2022 Legislator of the Year and acknowledge his distinguished service as a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former federal prosecutor, three term state legislator, small business owner, and Deputy Drug Czar for President Bill Clinton.

CLA is a member-driven, mission-focused organization dedicated to the professional advancement of attorneys practicing in the state of California. CLA will present the award to Sen. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) on April 6 at its fourth annual Legislative Day, which brings CLA members together with key decision-makers to explore legislative issues that could have a significant impact in California and how CLA can make a difference.

As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Umberg has taken the lead on passing legislation that is integral to the daily practice of CLA members and improves the lives of all Californians. He also served three terms as central Orange County's State Assembly Member, authoring 76 laws and forging ties across party lines.

He also founded a successful boutique law firm, and is a strong advocate for small business owners, helping them cut red tape and streamline unnecessary regulation.

He served three overseas tours in Korea and Afghanistan and was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone for leading the U.S. military effort to attack corruption in partnership with the Afghan Army and Police. In addition to being a former federal criminal prosecutor, he served as Deputy Drug Czar for President Bill Clinton, where he was responsible for foreign drug interdiction, counter-drug intelligence, and international drug policy.

"With this impressive track record, Senator Umberg has shown himself to be an incredibly effective advocate and we look forward to continuing to work with him and his colleagues in the Legislature," CLA Executive Director and CEO Oyango A. Snell said. "Advocacy is a key pillar of CLA's mission. We are proud to speak for the legal profession in recognizing Senator Umberg for his achievements."

CLA President Jeremy M. Evans said CLA is grateful for the ability to work with Sen. Umberg and other justice system partners to enact laws that advance the administration of justice and improve the practice of law.

"Senator Umberg is an essential advocate in these efforts of balancing the sacred relationship between attorneys and clients," Evans said. "We applaud him for his efforts and congratulate him for being a tremendous collaborator."

Umberg said of the award: "As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am grateful to the California Lawyers Association for advancing the best values of our profession  excellence, diversity, inclusion in the legal profession and fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law  and humbled by this recognition."

ABOUT CALIFORNIA LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

Established in 2018, California Lawyers Association is the bar association for all California attorneys. CLA's mission is to promote excellence, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession and fairness in the administration of justice and the rule of law.

SOURCE California Lawyers Association
SPRINGFIELD, Va., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new nationwide study commissioned by SICPA North America, a leading provider of regulatory compliance solutions, shows overwhelming support among cannabis users for more in-depth information about the products they may use. The poll was conducted online by The Harris Poll among 2,056 U.S. adults. Key study results include:

Nearly three in five cannabis users (58%) (defined as those who have ever used cannabis products) say they don't know how to determine which cannabis products are worth consuming and which are not, likely given the myriad of product options in the marketplace.

(defined as those who have ever used cannabis products) say they don't know how to determine which cannabis products are worth consuming and which are not, likely given the myriad of product options in the marketplace. More than four in five cannabis users , or 83%, support requiring cannabis retailers to provide verified certificates to consumers to validate that their products have been legitimately tested for safety and potency.

, or 83%, support requiring cannabis retailers to provide verified certificates to consumers to validate that their products have been legitimately tested for safety and potency. Four in five cannabis users (80%) say it is important to them to have a way to verify the safety of a cannabis product before using it.

say it is important to them to have a way to verify the safety of a cannabis product before using it. Almost four in five cannabis users (78%) say it would be important to them to be able to validate whether a cannabis product has ever been recalled prior to making a purchase.

"Cannabis users clearly crave a greater depth of information about the safety of cannabis products, whether they're using flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures or topical products," said Karen Gardner, Chief Marketing Officer at SICPA US. "The desire among consumers for more safety information about the cannabis products they consume aligns with SICPA's survey last fall that showed a broad appetite for secure, tamper-proof labeling of cannabis products to provide assurance that cannabis products are legitimate and safe."

When it comes to improving social equity in the industry, the survey also shows large support exists for buying cannabis products from historically disadvantaged businesses, with 63 percent of cannabis users in support of buying cannabis products from groups who have been historically disadvantaged, such as people of color, women, veterans or small businesses, over buying from groups who have not. Social equity has been a priority for cannabis legalization and licensing in many states, with some states creating programs to provide reduced fees and mentoring to encourage historically disadvantaged groups to enter the market. New York, for example, which legalized cannabis in 2021, has set a goal of having 50 percent of licenses go to minorities and other social equity applicants.

Similar to the growing interest in organic products in the food industry, the SICPA survey also shows significant support for organic products; more than three in four (77%) cannabis users would rather buy cannabis products that are developed with organic principles, over ones that are not.

The SICPA survey also measured cannabis use among Americans, finding that 50 percent of Americans have used cannabis products at some point in time, with more than 1 in 3 (36%) stating they've used cannabis products in the past 12 months, and 13 percent saying they consumed cannabis products for the first time in the past 12 months. This is the second SICPA-The Harris Poll survey on cannabis; the first poll, released in Fall 2021, showed broad support among Americans for securely labeling cannabis products to verify their legitimacy and safety in the marketplace.

Survey Method

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of SICPA between January 11-13, 2022 among 2,056 adults ages 18+, among whom 1,022 have ever used cannabis products. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact [email protected].

About The Harris Poll

The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys in the U.S. tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963 that is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. We work with clients in three primary areas; building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Our mission is to provide insights and advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible. To learn more, please visit www.theharrispoll.com.

About SICPA

SICPA is a trusted global provider of authentication, traceability and verification solutions, protecting the majority of the world's banknotes and identity credentials and billions of regulated products from counterfeiting and fraud. SICPA currently provides secure labels with authentication and traceability solutions to 44 U.S. States and more than 20 countries for regulated products including cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1927, SICPA operates worldwide with its global headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and U.S. headquarters in Springfield, VA. https://www.sicpa.com and https://us.sicpa.com/cannabiscontrol.

SOURCE SICPA
CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Capri EGM, an investment company specializing in corporate build-to-suit and sale leaseback financing, and the acquisition of income generating life science, R&D, and logistics real estate, has funded and acquired a newly constructed, state-of-the-art lab and R&D facility for National Resilience Inc (Resilience), a technology-focused biomanufacturing company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines and protecting biopharmaceutical supply chains against disruption.

Ology Bioservices, a wholly owned subsidiary of Resilience, and the operator of the Lab & Research facility, has recently been awarded contract valued as much as $250 million by the Department of Defense for manufacturing development of a monoclonal antibody as a medical countermeasure (MCM) to botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT). Resilience also has a multi-year agreement to produce mNRA for Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, a strategic multi-year R&D alliance with Harvard University to develop complex medicines, and a multi-product biomanufacturing development agreement with Takeda supporting their plasma-derived medicines portfolio.

The Resilience Lab & Research build-to-suit is strategically located in North Florida's Research and Life Science cluster near the University of Florida and the University of Florida's Innovate Sid Martin Biotech Incubator, the #1 ranked biotech incubator globally. The property is surrounded by a variety of other symbiotic high-tech uses including bioscience and medical product development, pharma compounding, and R&D firms. The proximity to the University of Florida, a top 5 ranked public university, provides a pipeline of talent and research opportunities.

Capri EGM confirms that life science and R&D corporate real estate remain high conviction themes for its ongoing build-to-suit program and investment activity and believes that these types of assets are among the biggest beneficiaries of the developing macroeconomic trends. Life science real estate capital markets activity set an all-time record in 2021, with investment volumes of $18.4 billion according to Newmark. Capri EGM believes the pandemic has only increased the need for these types of assets and has highlighted their importance. As Capri EGM looks to current investment, innovation-oriented markets with leading research universities will remain areas of focus for its investment activity as it believes these markets will continue to experience strong demand from corporations interested in participating in their local ecosystems.

National Resilience is a technology-focused manufacturing company dedicated to broadening access to complex medicines and protecting biopharmaceutical supply chains against disruption. The company is building a sustainable network of high-tech, end-to-end manufacturing solutions to ensure the medicines of today and tomorrow can be made quickly, safely, and at scale. By continuously advancing the science of biopharmaceutical manufacturing and development, Resilience seeks to free its partners to focus on the discoveries that improve patients' lives.

Investment Management Company Comments

Shelby E. L. Pruett, Capri EGM's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to protect our biopharmaceutical and overall supply chains from disruption and strengthen our country's ability to manufacture pharmaceuticals and develop treatments for potential future health risks. Resilience is a company on a mission to accomplish those objectives and we are happy to be part of supporting its infrastructure needs through the funding and acquisition of this build-to-suit facility. Life science, R&D, and logistics related real estate remain high conviction themes for our ongoing build-to-suit and investment programs as we believe that these types of assets will be among the biggest beneficiaries of the developing macroeconomic trends."

Capri EGM

Capri EGM is an established real estate investment company specializing in corporate build-to-suit and sale leaseback financing and the acquisition of income generating logistics, life science, and R&D corporate real estate in high growth markets throughout the United States. Since 1992, Capri EGM's executive team and its predecessor organizations have acquired, originated, and managed over $10 billion in commercial real estate investments directly and through entity level investments. Please visit capri-egm.com for more information about Capri EGM.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. The comments of Mr. Pruett and statements regarding the acquisition of the National Resilience facility or the characteristics of the property are examples of forward-looking statements.This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security relating to Capri EGM or any of its entities' funds or investment vehicles. Any offer or solicitation may be made only through the delivery of a definitive Private Offering Memorandum and all information contained herein is qualified in its entirety by such Memorandum.

Contact:

Jeff Fisher

[email protected]

SOURCE Capri EGM
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group, one of America's largest networks of financial professionals, announced today a strategic relationship with Abound Credit Union that will expand investment services and enhance the member experience. Cetera Investment Services  Cetera's financial institutions community  will provide insurance solutions and investment advisory services to Abound, which will leverage Cetera's integrated technology, robust growth and operations support, and advice-focused platform.

"We are proud to partner with Abound Credit Union to collaborate in offering expanded solutions and enhanced service to their members," said LeAnn Rummel, president and CEO of Cetera's financial institutions community. "As the affiliation partner of choice for financial institutions looking to enrich client experience and elevate their business, we look forward to empowering the delivery of an Advice-Centric Experience to Abound members. Our firms' shared values and vision make this a strategic relationship that will benefit members and both firms for years to come."

For more than 38 years, Cetera Investment Services has empowered financial institutions to deepen client connections and expand their services with customized support that helps financial professionals meet their members' full lifecycle needs. The partnership provides Abound Credit Union financial consultants access to a wider array of tools, technologies and solutions, including AdviceWorks  Cetera's award-winning platform for financial professionals and members  and Growth360, Cetera's peer-based methodology that helps financial professionals learn from and incorporate the successes of their fastest-growing peers. More than 1,000 Cetera-affiliated advisors have participated in the Growth360 program, which has identified key metrics and opportunities for financial professionals to grow their businesses.

"Cetera has a first-rate reputation for delivering the best service and support in the industry, and we look forward to working together to provide more solutions and expanded services for our members," said Marc Prasch, Abound's Chief Member Experience and Operations Officer. "We appreciate the additional support, resources and access to senior management that Cetera offers, and we know that our members will be better equipped to achieve their version of financial wellbeing thanks to Cetera's expertise and guidance."

Based in Radcliff, Kentucky with $2 billion in assets, Abound is a leader in financial education, supporting the military community and helping hardworking Kentucky families thrive.

Click here to learn more about Cetera's resources and support for financial institutions.



About Cetera Financial Group

Cetera Financial Group (Cetera) is a leading financial services firm whose purpose is to enable the delivery of best-in-class financial advice to as many Americans as possible. Cetera empowers its financial professional communities to help clients achieve their version of financial wellbeing through the Advice-Centric Experience. Cetera proudly serves independent financial professionals, tax professionals, banks and credit unions in providing wide-ranging financial planning and wealth management services.

Cetera oversees approximately $353 billion in assets under administration and $122 billion in assets under management, as of December 31, 2021.

Visit www.cetera.com, and follow Cetera on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

"Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Cetera Investment Services LLC (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions or Cetera Investors), Cetera Financial Specialists LLC, and First Allied Securities, Inc. All firms are members FINRA/SIPC. Located at: 655 W. Broadway, 11th Floor, San Diego, CA 92101

Individuals affiliated with Cetera firms are either Registered Representatives who offer only brokerage services and receive transaction-based compensation (commissions), Investment Adviser Representatives who offer only investment advisory services and receive fees based on assets, or both Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives, who can offer both types of services.

About Abound Credit Union

Abound Credit Union, a leader in financial education, has been providing valuable banking solutions to help hardworking Kentucky families thrive for 70 years. We've grown over the years and now have 18 locations, $2 billion in assets and over 115,000 military and civilian members. The Credit Union was named 2021's Best Mortgage Lender and Best Financial Institution in The News-Enterprise Readers' Choice Awards and has been recognized for its leadership in financial education at the state and national level. Abound Credit Union is also proud to be one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. It's simple to become a Member, visit our website at http://www.AboundCU.com to see how you may be eligible.

SOURCE Cetera Financial Group
MONTREAL, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Charter Hall Group (Charter Hall or the Group) and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), one of Canada's largest pension investment managers, are pleased to announce that they have extended their 11-year relationship to acquire a development project under construction in Brisbane.

The property, located at 31 Duncan Street, within the fringe Central Business District (CBD) Fortitude Valley precinct, comprises a 25,000m2 office development and a major 464-bay public carpark, currently under construction by national contractor Hutchinson Builders. The vendor has secured 70% leasing pre-commitments and will provide a rent guarantee over the balance of the space, with subsequent secured lease terms determining the final cost of the investment to the Charter Hall partnership.

The vendor is a private partnership that purchased the public carpark several years ago, gained planning approval for a new office building constructed above the carpark and secured several pre-commitments to bring total pre-leasing to approximately 70% of forecast income on completion. The vendors include Brisbane property identities Andrew King and Tim Mahony. Committed tenants include Urban Utilities, CS Energy, Hutchinson Builders, RPS, CoreLogic and Secure Parking.

Due for completion in December 2022, the new office building will be multi-tenanted and is located within 200 metres of the Fortitude Valley train station and within convenient walking distance to nearby retail and hospitality amenities, and the CBD.

Project features

The building offers a range of sustainability features, including natural ventilation and operable windows, as well as efficient plant and equipment which support the building in achieving its target design ratings of NABERS Energy 5.0 star and NABERS Water 4.0 star at completion. The building will be powered by 100% grid supplied renewable electricity, supporting a shared commitment by the partnership in taking climate action and contributing to a global low-carbon economy.

"Large 2,000m2 floor plates, retail facilities and high-quality end-of-trip facilities combine to provide an excellent investment proposition," said David Harrison, Charter Hall Group Managing Director and CEO.

The Charter Hall and PSP Investments partnerships

Mr. Harrison noted that "Charter Hall and PSP Investments have partnered for over 10 years on various investments in Australia, including the following partnerships:

Charter Hall Office Trust (CHOT)  a national $3.75 billion prime office portfolio BSWF Partnership (BSWF)  a $1.3 billion prime office portfolio 242 Exhibition Street partnership  the $930 million Telstra global HQ located in Melbourne CBD Development and subsequent divestment of the $250 million BOQ anchored office building in Newstead Investment and subsequent divestment of an interest in the $200 million Bateau Bay shopping centre."

"We are pleased to extend our long-term relationship with Charter Hall and look forward to expanding our real estate investments in Australia," said Stephane Jalbert, Managing Director, Head of Asia-Pacific and Europe, Real Estate Investments, at PSP Investments.

"We have invested in the Australian real estate market for over 10 years and look forward to exploring further opportunities that respond to evolving needs in terms of building flexibility and sustainability, while also offering an attractive risk-adjusted return."

Practical completion of the development is scheduled for late 2022, whilst settlement of the acquisition will take place in February 2022, having secured Foreign Investment Review Board approval.

Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)

With over 30 years' experience in property investment and funds management, we're one of Australia's leading fully integrated property groups. We use our property expertise to access, deploy, manage and invest equity across our core sectors  Office, Industrial & Logistics, Retail and Social Infrastructure.

Operating with prudence, we've curated a diverse $61.3 billion portfolio of 1,506 high-quality properties. With partnership at the heart of our approach, we're creating places that help grow communities; turning them into the best they can be and unlocking hidden value. Taking a long-term view, our $9 billion development pipeline delivers sustainable, technologically enabled projects for our customers.

Charter Hall has also extended its Fund Management capability into another asset class with the 50% acquisition of the $18.2 billion listed equities Fund Manager Paradice Investment Management (PIM), which invests on behalf of wholesale and retail investors across domestic and global listed equities.

The impacts of what we do are far-reaching. From helping businesses succeed by supporting their evolving workplace needs, to providing investors with superior returns for a better retirement, we're powered by the drive to go further.

About PSP Investments

PSP Investments is one of Canada's largest pension investment managers with approximately C$204.5 billion of net assets as of March 31, 2021. It manages a diversified global portfolio of investments in public financial markets, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, natural resources and private debt. Established in 1999, PSP Investments manages net contributions to the pension funds of the federal Public Service, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force. Headquartered in Ottawa, PSP Investments has its principal business office in Montreal and offices in New York, London and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.investpsp.com or follow PSP Investments on Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE PSP Investments
BERLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For months, China Evergrande Group has been teetering on the brink of insolvency. On several occasions, China's second-largest real estate developer, which has accumulated more than $300 billion in debt, has defaulted on interest payments on U.S. dollar bonds. Now an international creditor, in cooperation with DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH, has filed an allegation of criminal conduct against the Evergrande holding company for committing insolvency fraud.

Things are getting tighter for Evergande: A bondholder, Liechtenstein-based Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, filed an allegation of criminal conduct on Friday, February 18, 2022 for insolvency fraud against the Cayman Islands-registered Evergrande holding company. FMPC Consulting AG was supported and advised - in addition to internationally active insolvency lawyers - by DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH.

Background: Evergrande has defaulted on interest payments on so-called offshore bonds amounting to more than one hundred million US dollars on several occasions since mid-November. These are held by international investors, including FMPC Consulting AG. (Note to editors: More about FMPC Consulting AG and its investment in Evergrande bonds can be found at the end of this press release.) On December 3, Evergrande officially admitted to international investors for the first time in an ad hoc announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - the holding company's home exchange - that there was "no guarantee that the Group will have sufficient funds to continue to meet its financial obligations."

If a company domiciled in the Cayman Islands is insolvent or of doubtful solvency, its directors have a fiduciary duty under the laws and regulations applicable there to act in the interests of its creditors. They then also have to consider whether it is in the interest of their creditors to initiate reorganization or insolvency proceedings. As the management of Evergrande Holding has so far failed to initiate insolvency proceedings, there is a strong suspicion that the directors of Evergrande have caused substantial pecuniary loss to the company's creditors through deception and breaches of their duty of care. Such conduct is punishable, inter alia, under sections 248 et seq. of the Cayman Islands Criminal Code.

DMSA Managing Director Michael Ewy explains, "With the allegation of criminal conduct, we are trying to save what can be saved for FMPC Consulting AG and other international creditors." At the latest with the official announcement of the default of the interest payment on December 6, 2021, the Evergrande directors had been obliged to file for voluntary or provisional insolvency at the court of the company's headquarters in the Cayman Islands. "To date, this has not happened despite multiple requests from us. As a consequence, we have now filed an allegation of criminal conduct with the Cayman Islands Public Prosecutor's Office for committing insolvency fraud." Thus, he said, it is now also the responsibility of the local authorities to investigate the case and hold the directors personally liable, as well as to have the insolvency determined by the authorities.

The reasoning behind it: "Evergrande has defaulted, but has still not been officially declared completely insolvent," explains Dr. Marco Metzler, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FMPC Consulting AG. "As more and more distress sales are taking place and overdue bond interest is repeatedly not paid to foreign investors, we had to act in our own interest but also in the interest of all international creditors. If the local authorities do not officially declare insolvency, we intend to file a bankruptcy petition against Evergrande ourselves. This will happen as soon as we have an official, enforceable debt instrument against Evergrande in our hands. Until then, it may take a few more weeks."

As FMPC Consulting AG sees itself as the trustee of all international Evergrande creditors and in order to reduce the cost risk for each claimant, the company is offering other international creditors to join its proceedings, which took another step forward yesterday with the filing of the allegation of criminal conduct in the Cayman Islands.

Incidentally, Metzler and Ewy are not alone in their view: China Evergrande Group was already officially downgraded to "partially insolvent" by international rating agencies at the beginning of December. Thus, the rating agency Fitch has assigned Evergrande a status of "Restricted Default" (RD). Similarly, rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the real estate developer to "Selective Default" (SD). All 23 of Evergrande Group's international bonds are affected by this selective default. The only rating worse for both agencies is "Default" (D) - complete default. This rating will be assigned at the latest when the Evergrande Group has been officially declared insolvent by a court.

This is exactly what FMPC Consulting AG and DMSA now want to achieve with their allegation of criminal conduct order to prevent further asset transfers to the detriment of international creditors. The company has already sold shares and assets several times in a distress sale, knowing full well that it was making losses. Worse still, in recent months there have been multiple illegal transfers of assets, causing significant damage to the company's international creditors, as this illegal action is likely to have severely impacted their chances of recovering their assets.

For example, in November 2021, Evergrande sold its stake in the streaming service provider HengTen Network Group for the equivalent of 273.5 million US dollars. This "gave" Evergrande a loss of the equivalent of 1.09 billion US dollars. Incidentally, the stake was sold at a 24 percent discount to the closing price at the time of the acquisition. As a result, HenTen's share price plummeted by 24 percent.

In addition, Chinese authorities ordered Evergrande founder and chief executive Hui Ka Yan to sell some of his private assets - including high-end art, calligraphy and three properties - to compensate Chinese Evergrande bondholders. It is feared that this has led to unequal treatment of Evergrande creditors, as it is unclear whether creditors were given preferential treatment.

"In this respect, it would have been best for Evergrande's international creditors if the group itself had taken action earlier and filed an insolvency petition with a provisional restructuring plan in accordance with the bankruptcy laws of the Cayman Islands," explains DMSA CEO Michael Ewy. The management of the Evergrande holding company has been guilty of delaying insolvency for some time now.

From Dr. Metzler's perspective, there is virtually no hope for Evergrande's turnaround. "The restructuring analysis I have from Fitch Ratings - one of the three largest rating agencies in the world, where I started my career as a financial analyst years ago - assumes that Evergrande would be liquidated with a restructuring rate of zero to ten percent." That means creditors would get back a maximum of one-tenth of their invested capital.

What's more: Evergrande is not the only one struggling at the moment. A number of other Chinese developers - such as Kaisa Group, Fantasia Holdings, Modern Land China, and Guangzhou R&F - are also having great difficulty refinancing. Some have also already experienced payment defaults.

No wonder that Ewy and Dr. Metzler consider the insolvency of Evergrande and other Chinese property developers to be inevitable. In their wake, there would then likely be a host of other bankruptcies. "To avoid internal unrest, China would be forced to return to a hard communist line," concludes Dr. Metzler. This would ultimately imply that all of China's international debt of around 585 billion U.S. dollars would no longer be serviced and that equity investments by foreign investors of around 600 billion U.S. dollars would also have to be written off completely - with devastating consequences for the global banking system and the entire world economy.

About Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG:

Financial Market Partners Capital (FMPC) Consulting AG, is a private investment and advisory firm based in Ruggell, Liechtenstein. As a single family office, FMPC Consulting AG invests exclusively its own funds of its owner, the Metzler family.

About the Evergrande investment of FMPC Consulting AG:

FMPC Consulting AG holds 200 units of EVERRE 10  Bonds, April 11, 2024 (ISIN: XS19 8204 0641) with a total par value of US$200,000. These were purchased on November 01, 2021 for 50,000 US dollars via the house bank of FMPC Consulting AG and have since been held in custody at SIX Switzerland via the house bank in Liechtenstein. Already on November 10, 2021 an interest payment for this bond was missed.

About DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH:

DMSA Deutsche MarktScreening Agentur GmbH is an independent data service that collects and evaluates market-relevant information on companies, products and services. The research house, which has the same owner as FMPC Consulting AG, the Metzler family, sees itself as an advocate for consumers, private customers and private investors. For them, DMSA bundles important and decision-relevant information and prepares it in an easily understandable way. DMSA works with FMPC Consulting AG as needed.

Press contact:

Inga Oldewurtel

Press Officer

mailto: [email protected]

Tel.: +49 176 62 26 18 97

Responsible for the content:

DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH

Wichertstrae 13

10439 Berlin

Germany

Michael Ewy

Managing Director

http://www.dmsa-agentur.de

SOURCE DMSA Deutsche Markt Screening Agentur GmbH
MONTREAL, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Coencorp Consultant Corporation has been awarded a substantial contract to upgrade the fleet fuel management systems of five Canadian Forces Bases with its cloud-based SM2-FUEL fleet management solution . The Canadian military operates several bases across Canada with a fleet of vehicles totaling more than 60,000 units.

The Canadian military had operated the fuel management of their fleet with Coencorp's legacy desktop system for over twenty years. Over this time, the database had grown extensively which required increased IT maintenance. Another challenge for the military was their unique fuel management operational and reporting requirements. Because Coencorp's fuel management solution is designed and built in-house, they were able to customize it to meet the needs of the CFB bases. Updating the fuel management system was a concern for the military because they did not want to lose this level of customization and reporting. Coencorp's new cloud-based SM2-FUEL technology is capable of being implemented with strategic hardware updates and the support functions to move the database from a desktop version to a cloud-based alternative.

Coencorp's CEO, Mr. Ali Tavassoli comments, "This is a testament of Coencorp's technology, commitment to its user base and past product support for the hardware and software components. We are very pleased to continue to be a partner with the Canadian Armed Forces with their fleet fuel management objectives and we look forward to providing the level of service and unique customization our proud military requires."

The upgrade process will begin almost immediately with a projected completion date for the 5 designated bases by May of 2022.

About Coencorp: Founded in 1991, Coencorp is a leading manufacturer of automated fleet and fuel management solutions. They design, develop, manufacture, market, and support sophisticated hardware/software systems that deliver efficient management of fleets of 100 or more vehicles. Their mission is to contribute to their valued clients' bottom line by reducing their highest operating expenses, namely labor cost, fuel consumption, and asset tracking & maintenance, through the intelligent use of Coencorp advanced automated hardware and software technologies.

Today, Coencorp systems are used globally in over 1000 sites, managing over 500,000 vehicles in various public or private organizations, including but not limited to municipalities, public transits, national defense, oil & gas operators and companies, mining, construction, transportation, utilities, telecom, private fleets, and automobile dealerships.

SOURCE Coencorp
LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Complement Therapeutics Ltd (CTx), a preclinical stage University of Manchester spinout, announced today the completion of its EUR 5 million seed financing round from BioGeneration Ventures (BGV) and Forbion, two leading European venture capital firms. BGV provided the initial seed-funding in early 2021 with both Forbion and BGV now investing additional seed financing.

Built on the pioneering research carried out by its three founders at the University of Manchester, Prof Simon J. Clark, Prof Paul Bishop, and Dr Richard Unwin, the CTx team will focus on addressing unmet needs in complement mediated diseases such as geographic atrophy due to dry age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of vision loss and blindness globally. In particular, the founders have conducted highly innovative research into the pathophysiology of complement driven diseases, having recently published work on the role of factor H related (FHR) proteins in age related macular degeneration. In addition to its pipeline of therapeutic candidates, CTx has developed a precision medicine diagnostic platform allowing it to stratify patients based on their complement-activation profile with the potential to enable both patient selection and serving as an efficacy biomarker in future clinical studies.

The company also announces today the appointments of two highly experienced industry executives, Dr Rafiq Hasan as Chief Executive Officer and Dr John Ford as an independent director.

Dr Hasan has pursued a highly successful career in the pharma industry globally, including senior positions in ophthalmology with Bayer and Novartis. Most recently as SVP and Global Head of Ophthalmology at Bayer, Dr Hasan grew the business of Eylea (aflibercept) from launch to over USD 2.5bn in 5 years, including its launch in 5 indications in 3 years.

Dr Rafiq Hasan, Chief Executive Officer, CTx commented: "I am very excited to be joining CTx to advance innovative therapeutic modalities for the treatment of complement driven diseases such as dry AMD. With the ongoing support from our investors BGV and Forbion, I look forward to establishing the company as a leader in the field."

Dr John Ford, an experienced biotechnology entrepreneur who co-founded Xention (CSO), Ario Pharma (CEO) and Metrion Biosciences (co-owner) commented: "Having worked with BGV and Forbion for many years, I am confident that we can continue to contribute to the growth of the CTx team."

Dr Geert-Jan Mulder, Managing Partner at Forbion and CTx Board member commented: "We are pleased to have the opportunity to continue our successful track-record in investing in innovative companies in ophthalmology."

Dr Dmitrij Hristodorov, Partner at Forbion and CTx Board member added: "Rafiq and I have been successfully working together at Bayer and I am excited to continue this collaboration with him and his team advancing new science towards products for patients that make a difference. CTx has all the ingredients to become the next-generation complement company for diseases of the eye and beyond."

Dr Max Klement, Principal at BGV commented: "BGV identified Complement Therapeutics as a promising opportunity in complement biology in late 2020. Together with the founders and the team, we developed the plans for the lead indication in ophthalmology and other indications. With this additional financing and support of Forbion, our longstanding joint venture partner, CTx is well positioned to develop novel ground-breaking therapies for patients suffering from complement driven diseases."

SOURCE Complement Therapeutics
DALLAS, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Corganics, healthcare professionals' most trusted and recommended clinical cannabinoid (CBD) company, today announced Jeff Hartness has joined its board of directors.

Hartness, who currently serves as a senior vice president at Bausch Health, brings more than 25 years of pharmaceutical and healthcare industry experience to Corganics.

Jeff Hartness

"Jeff's successful and diverse background crosses all channels and segments of the pharmaceutical business, making him a perfect fit for Corganics," said CEO and Co-founder of Corganics, Chad Collins. "He has a proven track record serving in leadership roles in top pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations and we're thrilled he's joining the board at such an important time as we continue to scale for growth."

In Hartness' current role at Bausch Health, he leads market access, commercial operations, policy and government affairs. He is responsible for pricing, contracting and the creation of patient access to Bausch Health products, as well as the distribution of those products throughout the healthcare system. Additionally, Hartness works on significant strategic business development initiatives, health care professional and patient channel development and product launch capabilities.

"Jeff's breadth in navigating the U.S. healthcare ecosystem, coupled with Corganics' strategic approach and channel development, make him a great addition to our team as we set the standard in trust and acumen in an emerging market," added President and Co-founder of Corganics, Reggie Gatewood. "We are excited about his history of company, category and product growth in healthcare. Jeff's strategic outlook and proven experience complement our journey."

Prior to joining Bausch Health, Hartness spent 15 years at Sanofi in various leadership roles, including product launch execution and as the head of pharmacy benefit managers, employers and specialty businesses.

"There is big need in healthcare for reliable, proven CBD products that providers can trust to recommend to patients," said Hartness. "Corganics' products and educational strategies are leading the way in this space, and I look forward to doing my part to help the company expand and support patients' growing quest for quality, clinical CBD therapeutics."

Corganics' mission is to deliver effective clinical CBD products that healthcare professionals and their patients can trust. The company accomplishes this by helping healthcare professionals become a relevant patient partner providing safe, effective all-natural, organic products and clinical education. Corganics' products are third-party tested in ISO-certified labs and manufactured in a cGMP compliant and NSF certified facility. Corganics' clinical CBD therapy products also contain no detectable THC and can only be purchased through healthcare professionals.

About Corganics

Corganics is a Dallas-based life sciences company that provides scientifically formulated and physician advised products including clinical cannabinoid therapies and other natural products with the highest quality and manufacturing standards. Corganics' clinical cannabinoid therapy portfolio is available exclusively through healthcare professionals. Corganics operates a Clinical Division as well as a Consumer Health Division with distribution across the continental U.S. and other regional countries. https://corganics.com/

Contact:

Julie Callahan

4695798045

[email protected]

SOURCE Corganics
LAS VEGAS, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2021, Las Vegas-based credit card company Credit One Bank, granted a total of $2,500,000 to 23 organizations in Southern Nevada and one organization outside of Nevada, continuing their commitment to serve and give back to the Southern Nevada community through donations of time, resources and funding.

Credit One Bank's philanthropic efforts are centered around the company's three 'Pillars of Giving': affordable housing and homelessness, employment services and financial education.

The grants given in 2021 ranged from $10,000 to $500,000 and were given to organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, The Shade Tree Shelter, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada and 18 others.

"Credit One Bank has had a long-standing commitment to contributing time and efforts to create a lasting impact on the Southern Nevada community," said Lenny Chide, senior vice president of facilities at Credit One Bank. "Being able to witness how our team has come together throughout the organization and at all levels, to give back to the Las Vegas community has been nothing short of incredible. We pledge to continue supporting the community that we have called home for over 25 years."

Credit One Bank employees at every level of the company participated in fundraising and volunteer initiatives throughout the year. The Las Vegas headquarters team served over 1,300 meals at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, donated blood multiple times through Vitalant, made direct contributions of money and school supplies to Communities in Schools of Nevada, and volunteered with U.S. VETS Las Vegas, Opportunity Village, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada and many other local nonprofits. In addition, employees collected over 1,000 toys, gifted 19 bikes and donated $2,000 for the 23rd annual 98.5 KLUC Chet Buchanan Show Toy Drive to benefit HELP of Southern Nevada, doubling their donations from the previous year.

Last year also marked the inaugural 'One for the Community' program, in partnership with the Las Vegas Raiders. For each of the successful extra points kicked throughout the regular season by Raiders Kicker and four-time AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Daniel Carlson, Credit One Bank donated $2,000 to After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. Over the course of the entire regular season, One for the Community raised $60,000, but Credit One Bank upped the ante and generously surprised the charities with an additional $40,000, making the grand total $100,000 divided evenly between After-School All-Stars and Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada.

Images from 2021 community support can be downloaded here: spaces.hightail.com/space/poOxrgG4Z3. For more information on Credit One Bank and its charitable contributions, visit CreditOneBank.com.

About Credit One Bank

Credit One Bank, N.A. is a data-driven financial services company based in Las Vegas. Founded in 1984, Credit One Bank offers a spectrum of credit card products for people in all stages of financial life. One of the fastest-growing credit card providers in the United States, Credit One Bank offers credit cards through the Visa, Mastercard and American Express networks. Credit One Bank is the Official Credit Card of the Las Vegas Raiders, Vegas Golden Knights, and NASCAR, and is a proud partner of the WWE, Six Flags, and the Las Vegas Aviators. Learn more at CreditOneBank.com and on social media (@CreditOneBank) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Credit One Bank
NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global culture media market is expected to grow from USD 4.85 billion in 2020 to USD 12.74 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 13.30% during the forecast period 2021-2030.

The rising popularity of regenerative medicines across the globe is offering future opportunities in the global culture media market. The regenerative medicines are continuously in the spotlight, as these medicines promise to deliver therapies to replace the tissue or organ of the human body. These medicines are the upcoming treatment and are being used clinically around the world. Therefore, regenerative medicine offers enormous potential for the growth of culture media over the forecast period.

Increasing demand for dehydrated culture media owing to its widespread application in various industries is fuelling the growth of the market.

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Culture media, also known as growth media, is a specific media that contains the growth nutrients for the development of microorganisms. It is available in various forms such as liquid, gel, and dehydrated powder in the market. The primary purpose of the culture media is to provide growth nutrients to the microorganisms. Some of the culture media components are growth-promoting factors, energy sources, carbon sources, vitamins, essential minerals, metals, etc.

The culture media market is experiencing high growth, owing to rising research and development activities in the pharmaceutical sector. The rapid progress in oncology, regenerative medicines, stems cells, and biologics have increased the demand for culture media over the past few years. However, the high cost of the culture media and risk of contamination are primary factors that could hinder the growth of the market over the forecast period.

For more information about this report visit: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/report/culture-media-market-12610

Major players in the global culture media market are Avantor, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Becton Dickinson and Company, Caisson Laboratories Inc, General Electric Company, Lonza Group AG, Corning Incorporated, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Cell Culture Technologies LLC, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Hi Media Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., and Merck & Co., Inc. among others. The key players of the global culture media market are majorly focusing on the adoption of various strategies to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Some of the strategies are product innovations, geographical expansion, new product launches, and forming a strong distribution network among others.

In June 2019 , Fujifilm Holdings Corporation announced that the company has opened the third manufacturing facility for the cell culture media, located in Tilburg, Netherlands . The company has also two other manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Japan .

, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation announced that the company has opened the third manufacturing facility for the cell culture media, located in Tilburg, . The company has also two other manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and . In March 2021 , Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. announced the launch of the new Gibco Human Plasma-like Medium (HPLM). It is the first cell culture medium available in the market that mimics the metabolic profile of the human plasma. The new Gibco Human Plasma-like Medium (HPLM) is specifically designed for researchers to provide a realistic scenario of cell growth inside the human body.

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The classical media segment accounted for the major market share and was valued at USD 2.60 billion in the year 2020

The type segment is divided into classical media, stem cell media, serum-free media, and others. The classical media segment accounted for the major market share and was valued at USD 2.60 billion in the year 2020. The classical media are low-cost compared to the other types of culture media, and therefore, their demand is high across the globe. It is increasingly being used for various types of cell lines.

The solid and semi-solid culture media segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of 14.5% over the forecast period

The state segment includes liquid culture media and solid and semi-solid culture media. The solid and semi-solid culture media segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of 14.5% over the forecast period. The growth is mainly due to the rising demand for dehydrated culture media powder due to its longer lifespan as compared to liquid culture media.

The cancer research segment held the largest market share of 32.56% in the year 2020

The application segment is divided into cancer research, biopharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine & tissue engineering, stem cell technologies, drug discovery, and other applications. The cancer research segment held the largest market share of 32.56% in the year 2020. This is mainly due to the increasing prevalence of different types of cancers across the globe. Therefore, there are high research and development activities conducted by biopharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical companies to find effective treatment, which increases the need for culture media in the market.

The research laboratories segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 14.02% over the forecast period

The end-user segment is divided into the biotechnology & pharmaceutical industry, academic institutes, research laboratories, and others. The research laboratories segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 14.02% over the forecast period. Rising research on various types of diseases and increasing interest in vaccine production are expected to drive the demand for culture media in the research laboratories over the forecast period.

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Regional Segment Analysis of the Culture Media Market

North America (U.S., Canada , Mexico )

(U.S., , ) Europe ( Germany , France , U.K., Italy , Spain , Rest of Europe )

( , , U.K., , , Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan India, Rest of APAC)

( , Japan India, Rest of APAC) South America ( Brazil and Rest of South America )

( and Rest of ) Middle East & Africa (UAE, South Africa , Rest of MEA)

The North America region dominated the global culture media market and was valued at USD 2.01 billion in the year 2020. The factors such as the presence of many manufacturers, technological advancement, mature healthcare sector, and high investment in the pharmaceutical industry are driving the demand for culture media in the North America region. In addition, the European region accounted for a significant market share in the global culture media market in the year 2020. The rising prevalence of chronic diseases has pushed the demand for research and development activities for new treatments.

About the report:

The global culture media market is analyzed on the basis of value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed on global, regional and country basis. The study includes an analysis of more than 30 countries for each segment. The report offers in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining the key insight of the market. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, and competitor position grid analysis.

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DLT Solutions was awarded a $167.5M enterprise agreement by the U.S.Navy for Red Hat solutions, training and services. Tweet this

"Managing enterprise agreements is complex, multifaceted and you must have the right resources and systems in place to do it successfully," said Chris Wilkinson, president, DLT Solutions. "The DON has put its trust in DLT and our Enterprise Agreement Platform again by selecting DLT as the sole source for our partners to procure Red Hat solutions in support of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps."

DLT's recently awarded enterprise agreement with the DON is a five-year contract, offering support for the DON through the following Red Hat offerings:

Red Hat's open hybrid cloud solutions, including support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux,add-ons, management and provisioning tools such as Red Hat Satellite, Red Hat Consulting and Red Hat Learning Subscriptions.

Other Red Hat solutions such as Red Hat OpenShift, including OpenShift Virtualization, Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform and Red Hat Storage.

DLT will use its Enterprise Agreement Platform to manage this enterprise agreement. The Enterprise Agreement Platform is a turn-key solution that enables technology vendors, channel partners and U.S. public sector end-users secure, manage and maximize enterprise agreements. It also allows technology vendors and channel partners to build and uncover new revenue opportunities, strengthen customer relationships and lockout their competition, and end-users get access to real-time reporting, asset visibility and increased cost avoidance. To learn more about DLT's Enterprise Agreement Platform, please click here .

[email protected] awarded $167.5M enterprise agreement by the @U.S.Navy for @RedHat solutions, #training and services. DLT's #EnterpriseAgreementPlatform will be used to streamline procurement and management of the #ITsolutions. #publicsector

About DLT Solutions

DLT Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tech Data and part of the TD SYNNEX family. DLT is the premier government solutions aggregator that specializes in understanding the IT needs of the U.S. federal, state, local and education markets. We help simplify the process for independent software vendors, federal systems integrators and value-added resellers doing business in the U.S. public sector. For more information, please visit www.dlt.com or follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter and Facebook .

About TD SYNNEX

TD SYNNEX (NYSE: SNX) is a leading global distributor and solutions aggregator for the IT ecosystem. We're an innovative partner helping more than 150,000 customers in 100+ countries to maximize the value of technology investments, demonstrate business outcomes and unlock growth opportunities. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, and Fremont, California, TD SYNNEX' 22,000 co-workers are dedicated to uniting compelling IT products, services and solutions from 1,500+ best-in-class technology vendors. Our edge-to-cloud portfolio is anchored in some of the highest-growth technology segments including cloud, cybersecurity, big data/analytics, IoT, mobility and everything as a service. TD SYNNEX is committed to serving customers and communities, and we believe we can have a positive impact on our people and our planet, intentionally acting as a respected corporate citizen. We aspire to be a diverse and inclusive employer of choice for talent across the IT ecosystem. For more information, visit www.TDSYNNEX.com or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook and Instagram .

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 2022 TD SYNNEX Corporation. TD SYNNEX, the TD SYNNEX Logo, and all other TD SYNNEX company, product and services names and slogans are trademarks of TD SYNNEX Corporation. Other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Red Hat, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the Red Hat logo, JBoss, Ansible, Ceph, Gluster and OpenShift are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. Linux is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.

SOURCE DLT Solutions
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Drip , a leading provider of marketing automation solutions for the ecommerce industry, announced its acquisition of Sleeknote, a cloud-based provider of forms and on-site engagement tools.

Sleeknote helps businesses capture customer data such as email addresses, SMS numbers and consumer preferences when they visit a brand's website. This information - called zero party data - informs and powers relevant, personalized marketing communications enabled by Drip's marketing automation platform. The combination of these two companies and products will unify the customer experience across a brand's marketing channels - website, email and SMS.

"Today's brands recognize that acquiring and intelligently using zero-party customer data is the key to scalable, sustainable growth," said John Tedesco, Drip CEO. "Skyrocketing customer acquisition costs through paid media channels are forcing brands to optimize every site visit. And increasing privacy restrictions from Apple and Google are forcing brands to quickly understand who their customer is and use that knowledge to build brand affinity."

"Sleeknote's high performing forms and onsite conversion tools for upsells, cross-sells, and promotions have been used by thousands of customers across the world capturing data on more than 7 billion visitors in the past year alone," Tedesco continued. "By bringing their tools directly into the Drip platform, brands will be able to own their customer data and personalize the customer experience across channels."

"Marketers need to be equipped with the tools and strategies that deliver digital experiences that reflect well on the brand and that consumers have come to expect," added Mogens Moller, Sleeknote CEO. "Drip's powerful segmentation engine and intuitive workflow builder has already helped brands generate more than $2 billion in sales. When combined with the Sleeknote platform, Drip will provide a powerful, turnkey offering that allows every marketer to uplevel their execution."

Based in Denmark, Sleeknote's operations will become the base for Drip's European operations which will see continued expansion. The combined entity will have 150 employees serving more than 10,000 brands in over 100 countries.

Thousands of ecommerce brands all over the globe trust Drip to build engaging and profitable relationships with their customers. Our ecommerce marketing automation platform has generated more than $2 billion in sales since 2018. We do this by unleashing the power of customer data to deliver perfectly personalized email and SMS marketing strategies that are proven to grow revenue. Learn why more than 30,000 marketers use Drip at www.drip.com or follow us @getdrip.

SOURCE Drip
OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eko , a digital health company advancing heart and lung disease detection, today announced the appointment of Eric Davidson as President and Chief Operating Officer. Davidson joins Eko from Johnson & Johnson, where he served as President of Flexible Robotics following the company's $3.4 billion acquisition of Auris Health.

Eric Davidson, Former Johnson & Johnson, Auris Health, and Intuitive Surgical Exec to Lead Eko's Commercial Expansion

"Eric's extensive background in the medtech industry will be an invaluable asset as we work to bring early cardiac and pulmonary disease detection to the masses," said Connor Landgraf, CEO and co-founder, Eko. "We are on a mission to put our technology in the hands of every healthcare professional, giving them the ability to screen patients at any point of care."

Davidson's appointment follows a year of significant milestones for Eko. The company doubled its clinical user base of healthcare professionals, and with continued engagement from investors recently extended its Series C funding to a total of $125M raised. In January, the NHS published a landmark independent study validating Eko's ability to screen patients for heart failure in seconds with AI during routine physical exams.

"My passion for the transformative potential of Eko's technology has me incredibly excited to join Eko's exceptional leadership team," said Davidson. "Eko is uniquely positioned to enable earlier and more accurate diagnosis of heart and lung disease, to democratize the diagnosis itself, and to unlock powerful, innovative ways for healthcare providers and professionals to reach and manage patients."

Prior to joining Auris Health, Davidson led Product Marketing for Intuitive Surgical, and helped to bring minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery to physicians and patients around the world.

"Eric's operating and commercial leadership at multiple industry-defining companies makes him the ideal steward for Eko's next phase of growth," said Vasudev Bailey, PhD., Board Chair at Eko and Senior Partner at ARTIS Ventures. "We are delighted to welcome aboard a President who shares our passion for elevating the standard of cardiopulmonary care."

About Eko

Eko, a digital health company, is advancing how healthcare professionals detect and monitor heart and lung disease with its innovative suite of digital tools, patient and provider software, and AI-powered analysis. Its FDA-cleared platform is used by hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals worldwide, allowing them to detect earlier and with higher accuracy, diagnose with more confidence, manage treatment effectively, and ultimately give their patients the best care possible. Eko is headquartered in Oakland, California, with over $125 million in funding from Highland Capital Partners, Questa Capital, Artis Ventures, DigiTx Partners, NTTVC, Morningside Technology Ventures Limited, Mayo Clinic, Sutter Health, and others. To learn more about Eko, visit ekohealth.com .

Media Contact:

Alexandra Pony

[email protected]

250.858.06561

SOURCE Eko
LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Emperia, the leading virtual reality retail technology developer for the premium fashion and art sectors, announced today a new SaaS solution, Artemis, that provides luxury fashion brands with full control over product placement, in their virtual stores. Brands can update collections and refresh the space according to seasonal themes, in a matter of 30 minutes, with no technological know-how required.

Emperia is preparing brands for a strong presence in the metaverse with virtual reality 3D stores that communicate the brand narrative through interactive, immersive virtual experiences. Creating a unique virtual experience that captures the essence of the brand and tells its brand story is vital to luxury fashion retailers' e-commerce strategy. Giving designers full control over visual merchandising enables them to keep their virtual store updated with the latest products, while better aligning to their physical locations, allowing them to maintain a strong omnichannel approach.

Emperia's virtual experiences integrate directly into the brand's existing e-commerce solutions, which allows for direct checkout and inventory management.

"The past 12 months have been crucial in our space, with brands starting to switch from a one-of virtual promotional experiences state-of-mind into a notion of creating permanent online, flagship stores, which requires a different look and feel and user experience," says Olga Dogadkina, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Emperia. "With the realization that clients will be using these spaces in the long term, and the need to constantly change/update the virtual store, the same way they would change their physical space, Emperia has created of a platform that enables full customization of both product display as well decor, allowing brands full creative control; a new era in immersive virtual retail experience design."

Using Emperia's data analytics, marketers can optimize product placement, based on user interactions, determine which products are most popular, analyze traffic, and track user activity to increase engagement, customer loyalty and ultimately sales. Data demonstrates that users spend an average of 14 minutes in Emperia's virtual experiences, compared to the average online session duration of static e-commerce websites, which is estimated at two minutes.

About Emperia

Emperia leverages virtual reality technology for the premium fashion and art sectors, providing a realistic virtual experience to consumers, one that communicates a brand narrative that is tailored for the unique environment of the virtual world. Virtual stores can be extended into the metaverse, further- providing brands and their customers with branding cohesion and a seamless transition, from physical to virtual. Emperia's selected clients include leading brands such as Dior, Burberry, Harrods, Christie's, and Getty Images.

London-based, Emperia is the winner of the Plug and Play Brand & Retail Start-up Award and is a British Fashion Council Patron.

For more information, visit emperiavr.com .

SOURCE Emperia
IRONDALE, Ala., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Most Catholics have at least heard of the concepts of "heresy" and "heretics." However, few can list or define them, and even fewer understand how  even today  various heresies affect many people's thinking, including their own. EWTN's new series, "The Heresies," is about to change that. While individual "Heresies" episodes have previously aired, they proved so popular that EWTN has added new episodes and turned them into a series with a regular time slot. (Airs 5 p.m. ET, Thursdays, beginning March 3, with an encore at 6:30 a.m. ET, Sundays.)

Heresies can confuse the faithful because they contain partial truths. Tweet this Tim Moriarty hosts EWTN's newest series, "The Heresies." Most people have at least heard of heresies and heretics, but few can list or define them. Even fewer understand how they affect modern man today. This series is a real eye-opener! Airs 5 p.m. ET, Thursdays, beginning March 3, with an encore at 6:30 a.m. ET, Sundays. (Go to www.ewtn.com/everywhere and click on the television, radio, or online photos to find all the ways to connect with EWTN.)

In putting this series together for EWTN, Host Tim Moriarty of Castletown Media says: "One of the great things I discovered is that so many of the great Doctors of the Church and founders of religious orders were responding to the heresies of their time. For example, St. Augustine's writings on grace were a direct response to the heresy of Pelagianism. The Dominican order was founded to combat to the heresy of Albigensianism. When we see these great figures of the Church in their historical and theological context, it brings them to life in exciting ways."

Each episode is separated into three segments. "The first segment begins with an introduction to the heresy by providing the historical context for the controversy. The second segment looks at how various orthodox teachers confronted the error and how the issue was resolved by the Church. The third segment explores where elements of the heresy are present in the culture today." Moriarty is especially pleased with the dramatic reenactments in this series which really bring the historical controversies to life.

Moriarty says that heresies can confuse the faithful because they contain partial truths. In Episode 1, we learn that Gnosticism is the belief that human beings contain a divine spark within themselves. That spark has fallen from a spiritual world, ruled by a good God, into a material world ruled by an evil one.

"To the Gnostics, therefore, the world is nothing but a place of suffering and ignorance," says Moriarty. "For them, the goal of life is to escape the material world through gaining of interior knowledge (gnosis) of the true world within oneself."

Moriarty says all of this is "deeply relevant" to those of us living in the 21st Century. While people today do not necessarily see the world outside as evil, they frequently see it as meaningless. Because they believe they only have themselves to rely on, they must create their own meaning.

"The Church has always taught that the world, as created by God, is good and that the human person is created in the image of God," Moriarity says. "In other words, the way towards salvation is not through the negation of the body and the material world, but through the redemption of the world. It is for this reason that orthodoxy has always defended the importance of the incarnation, the sacraments, human sexuality, etc. While a modern Gnostic might claim that he is 'spiritual but not religious,' seeking his or her own inner truth, orthodox Christianity has always taught that being part of a concrete and historical body  i.e.: the Church - is essential."

In creating this series, Moriarty said he came to have a deeper appreciation and love for our forefathers in the Faith.

In addition to Gnosticism, viewers can look forward to episodes on Arianism, Pelagianism, Nestorianism, Albigensianism, Jansenism, Modernism I, Modernism II, and Donatism, with even more to come.

Want to learn how to better defend the Faith? Tune in to "The Heresies" on EWTN beginning 5 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 3.

In its 40th year, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN's 11 global TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 390 million television households in more than 150 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the largest Catholic websites in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, "The National Catholic Register" newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.

SOURCE EWTN Global Catholic Network
MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A deck is a fantastic addition to a house  not only does it provide a great outdoor setting to entertain and relax, it can also add significant resell value to the home. The downside, however, is its exposure to the elements: heavy rain, harsh sunshine and even snow can damage a deck over time. In particular, explains Softwoods, sun damage causes decks to become susceptible to fading, greying, warping and surface checking or splintering.



To avoid any damage to their deck, Softwoods urges homeowners to begin taking precautions as early as they can. Before building a deck, Softwoods recommends those in a sunny climate should consider the varieties of decking timber available and their performance in exposed environments. The building experts also suggest investing in a high quality protective stain or sealant. This works to guard the wood against all kinds of weather conditions; only requiring reapplication every couple of years, sealants are a low maintenance way to give a deck an extra layer of protection.



Upholding a deck's integrity over the years is made much easier with shade or coverings, explains Softwoods; pergolas, awnings and outdoor umbrellas are all great options. Awnings are especially popular in climates that experience a range of extreme conditions  such as harsh heat and severe storms  as awnings are typically retractable and won't blow away in strong wind. Outdoor umbrellas, on the other hand, are often cheaper and can be picked out to suit the homeowner's taste and match other outdoor furniture. Both awnings and umbrellas temporarily work well to block intense sunlight from beating down on the deck, preserving its condition, while pergolas are a more permanent solution.



Softwoods, leading provider of everything from pergolas to outdoor decks, assures homeowners that with a bit of extra care and effort, decks can be maintained to look brand new for years to come.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Softwoods
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Totus Medicines, a company using a groundbreaking, high throughput AI-enabled platform to create treatments for cancers and other diseases, today announced the hiring of Dr. Ovid Trifan as the company's first Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Dr. Wei Chen as the first Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). At Totus, Dr. Trifan and Dr. Chen will report directly to CEO and co-founder Dr. Neil Dhawan, Ph.D.

Dr. Trifan and Dr. Chen, who both have significant experience in complex drug development, will help Totus Medicines advance its first drug program  TOS-358  to the clinic in 2022. A revolutionary breakthrough in cancer treatment, TOS-358 treats PI3K-alpha, an oncogene that mutates in more than 500,000 people in the U.S. every year, causing a significant percentage of breast, colon, lung, bladder, stomach, and other cancers.

"The addition of Dr. Trifan and Dr. Chen as our CMO and CSO is a major step forward for Totus," said Dr. Dhawan. "Dr. Trifan's experience steering the clinical development of multiple oncology drugs, and Dr. Chen's understanding of advancing small molecule drug candidates into clinical trials, will be crucial for our team as we stand on the cusp of clinical trials for our first candidate. As leaders on the Totus team, Dr. Trifan and Dr. Chen will help us to fulfill our vision of creating medicines for previously undruggable targets."

Dr. Trifan brings to Totus extensive oncology clinical drug development experience. Over his career, he's held leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, and Apexigen, where he led or contributed to the development of several medications, some of which are now used in clinical practice. He will lead the advancement of TOS-358 and Totus' pipeline of novel drug candidates into the clinic.

"I am very excited about Totus' cutting-edge drug discovery platform and its tremendous potential for developing novel, safer, and more effective drugs for cancer treatment," Dr. Trifan said. "The science at Totus, coupled with the ambitious vision and focus on delivering results, could dramatically change lives. I am looking forward to joining this outstanding team and taking TOS-358  as well as our other innovative medicines  to patients who need them."

Dr. Chen brings to Totus over 20 years of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery experience. At Totus, he will be tasked with utilizing his expertise to further develop Totus' vision, managing the company's strategic initiatives and planning, and optimizing partnerships and investments to ensure the Totus mission of treating all disease is accomplished. Before coming to Totus, Dr. Chen served as a senior leader at both Pharmacyclics/Abbvie and CuraSen Therapeutics, where he successfully built high-performance drug discovery teams and led the efforts resulting in first-in-human clinical trials.

"I have tremendous respect for Neil and the mission of Totus Medicines," said Dr. Chen. "To be able to utilize Totus' peerless platform to develop drug candidates that can treat our world's most threatening diseases is a very exciting prospect, and I look forward to helping lead Totus toward our first round of clinical trials."

About Totus Medicines

Founded in 2019, Totus Medicines uses revolutionary chemical biology to create life-changing therapies to treat previously untreatable diseases across the entire human genome. Totus is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

For more information, please visit totusmedicines.com and follow Totus on LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOURCE Totus Medicines
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on " Eyelashes Enhancing Agents Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Curling, Lengthening, Volumizing, and Others); Content-Type (Bimatoprost, Lash-Building Serum, and Others); Application (Repairing Damaged Eyelashes and Nourishing)". The eyelashes enhancing agents market growth is driven by the rising prevalence of eye diseases and online availability & purchase of products. However, the side effects such as skin allergies, swelling, hyperpigmentation, and excessive growth is limiting the growth of market. The growing personal care and cosmetics industry is a key factor driving the growth of the market in the US.

et Exclusive Sample Pages of this research study at https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00007331/

Report Coverage Details Market Size Value in US$ 425.13 Million in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 593.29 Million by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 4.9% from 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021-2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 154 No. Tables 84 No. of Charts & Figures 73 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Type, Content-Type, Application Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends

Eyelashes Enhancing Agents Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

Estee Lauder Inc.; AbbVie Inc.; Athena Cosmetics, Inc.; L'Oreal S.A.; Skin Research Laboratories; SkinGen International; Grande Cosmetics LLC; Ame Pure; Rapidlash; and Rodan & Fields are among the leading companies operating in the eyelashes enhancing agents market. These players focus on expanding and diversifying their market presence and acquiring a new customer base, thereby tapping prevailing business opportunities. The overall market is consolidated in nature as the top six to seven players captured the majority portion of eyelashes enhancing agents industry.

In January 2021, Athena Cosmetics, Inc. (US) launched The Curl Effect, an eyelash serum to add natural curl to lashes. The product is patented by the company.

In August 2018, L'Oreal announced the signing of an agreement to acquire Logocos Naturkosmetik AG, the German beauty company which pioneered natural cosmetics with the brand Logona and other brands such as Sante. All the company's brands are vegan, and bio certified with a range of products using their own plant extracts and natural ingredients derived from organic farming.

In July 2018, UK-based beauty brand ame pure has announced a retail expansion to include multi-brand retailers. The brand offers a range of beauty products from face and body care to male grooming, with the primary focus of making micro-needling technology more accessible for consumers.

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPRE00007331/

Eyelashes Enhancing Agents Market: COVID-19 Impact

In 2020, a sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had led to the implementation of stringent lockdown regulations across several nations resulting in disruptions in import and export activities of eyelashes enhancing agents. Due to the pandemic, the lockdown scenario has slightly affected and hampered the supply chain of the eyelashes enhancing agents market in the region. The non-availability of raw materials and labor, owing to the restrictions on the movement of people, has hindered the production. In starting phase of COVID-19 impact, the personal care industry has experienced an irregularity as consumers are selective in their purchases. The disruption of the supply chain has further halted the accessibility of products. Consumers have opted to spend lower on consumer goods owing to the ambiguity surrounding their income. The US has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases compared to Canada and Mexico. This is negatively impacting the consumer goods industry in the region as the COVID-19 outbreak negatively affects the supply and distribution chain. For instance, in the second quarter of 2020, the US prestige beauty sales totaled US$ 2.8 billion, a -36% decline compared to the same period of 2019. However, online sales spiked 90% in the quarter, representing about 61% of industry sales volume.

Surge in Prevalence of Eye Diseases Boost Eyelashes Enhancing Agents Market Growth:

According to the American Optometric Association, blepharitis is an eyelid inflammation that causes redness, irritation, and itching to eyes, along with the formation of dandruff-like scales on the eyelashes. It can further lead to the blurring of vision, missing or misdirected eyelashes, and inflammation of cornea. According to studies cited in the Review of Optometry, a huge number of Americans suffer from itchy eyes caused by allergies. As per experts, blepharitis is seen in people of all ages, ethnicities, and gender, but it is more common among individuals of age 50 and above. According to the survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in the US 3747% of patients had a sign of blepharitis. Based on the estimation of Lemp et al, 86% of patients with dry eyes have concomitant blepharitis, while more than 25 million Americans suffer from blepharitis.

Eyelashes Enhancing Agents Market: Segmental Overview

The eyelashes enhancing agents market, based on type, is segmented into curling, lengthening, volumizing, and others. The lengthening segment held the largest share of the market in 2021. However, the volumizing segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Buy Premium Copy of this research report at https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00007331/

The eyelashes enhancing agents market, based on content-type, is divided into bimatoprost, lash-building serum, and others. The lash-building serum segment held the largest share of the market in 2021 however, the same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The eyelashes enhancing agents market, based on application, is bifurcated into repairing damaged eyelashes and nourishing. The nourishing segment held the largest share of the market in 2021 however, the same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

About Us:

The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials.

Contact Us:

If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us:

Contact Person: Sameer Joshi

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: +1-646-491-9876

Press Release: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/pr/eyelashes-enhancing-agents-market

SOURCE The Insight Partners
HOBOKEN, N.J., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Female investors are taking charge of their investments now and for the long-term, new data from eToro reveals. The social investing network's survey of 1,000 female investors in the US found that 38% of women are in full control of their household finances, with a primary goal of establishing long-term financial security.

A third (33%) of female investors say their investing strategy is 10 years or longer. Still, women approach their investments actively and often, with 44% depositing new funds into their investment accounts each month.

Confident Female Investors are Choosing Crypto

The survey also found that crypto is moving into the center of women's investment strategies. Domestic equities currently top investment choices for 53% of female investors, with crypto assets, at 41%, a close second.

In the US, female investors are also remarkably confident about their financial futures - 79% of respondents believe they will achieve their retirement goals using their current investment approach. When evaluating investments, female investors are flocking to tech - globally and within the United States.

eToro's US Markets Analyst, Callie Cox, comments: "It's wonderful to see women taking greater control of their financial paths and on their own terms. The past few years have been particularly challenging for markets, and with volatility on-going, it's promising to see the majority of female investors staying level-headed and maintaining a long-term approach to their portfolios."

COVID-19 Anxieties Still Linger For Many Female Investors

Despite high confidence levels, most female investors admit the effects of the pandemic have had an impact on their financial habits, and nearly half (48%) say they have less disposable income as a result.

Challenges don't end at the pandemic, however - nearly a third (27%) of female investors say that knowing what to invest in is often the biggest challenge.

For Women, Investing is Inherently Social

When evaluating investment opportunities, more than half (52%) of women in the United States turn to friends and family for advice when making investment decisions - and for them, this is just another part of household management.

Women are also increasingly responsible for the management of household finances in higher numbers than ever before  1 in 3 female investors surveyed have full control of their household's financial management, and fully three in four (76%) of women regard investing as a primary part of their role in household financial management.

The way to get more women involved in investing? Representation, of course. Over half (53%) of women say more female representation would help other women get started in investing.

To learn more or request an interview, contact [email protected] .

Notes to editors

Survey research conducted by Appinio from February 4-15, 2022. In total, 10,000 retail investors sampled across 14 countries - 1,000 in each: UK, US, Germany, France, Spain and Australia. 500 in the following: Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic, Denmark (300) and Norway (150). Female investors were defined as those who held Investments such as bonds, funds, crypto assets, currencies, equities, FX and cash linked to stock markets. They did not need to be eToro users. Data sources available upon request.

About eToro

eToro is a social investment network that empowers people to grow their knowledge as part of a global community of successful investors. eToro was founded in 2007 with the vision of opening up the global markets so that everyone can trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Today, eToro is a global network of more than 25 million registered users who share their investment strategies; and anyone can follow the approaches of those who have been the most successful. Users can buy, hold and sell assets, monitor their portfolio in real time, and transact whenever they want.

Disclosures

Crypto Trading is offered via eToro USA LLC. Securities trading is offered via eToro USA Securities, Inc.("The BD"), a broker dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The BD is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ( FINRA ) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation ( SIPC ). eToro USA LLC (NMLS ID: 1769299 ) is not a registered broker-dealer or FINRA member and your cryptocurrency holdings are not FDIC or SIPC insured. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Our full disclosures page is here . Our fees page is here . eToro USA LLC.  2022

SOURCE eToro
SPRINGVILLE, Utah, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Five Star Franchising, an innovative service-based franchise platform company, has appointed J. Andrew Mengason as Chief Growth Officer. Additionally, one of Five Star Franchising's brands, Bio-One Inc., has promoted former Vice President of Operations Sandi Ellis, to President of the brand.

Mengason comes to Five Star Franchising with two-and-a-half decades of experience in franchising and acquisition of brands, most notably in the restoration and home service industries. He began his career with a small textile restoration firm, then took a leadership position with Certified Restoration Dry Cleaning Network (CRDCN) and then moved to Chief Operating Officer with BELFOR Franchise Group. As COO of BELFOR Franchise Group, he led the acquisition of 1-800 Water Damage and oversaw the growth of the company's other residential and commercial brands, including DUCTZ and HOODZ, eventually positioning the company for a sale to American Securities in 2019.

Mengason will focus on franchise development growth of the Five Star brands. In addition to leading the franchise development team, he will have operational responsibility for several Five Star brands.

"I'm thrilled to join the Five Star Franchising team," said Mengason. "Throughout my career, growing companies through acquisitions, expanding brands and making sure franchisees get the support they need to succeed in their businesses have been my priorities, and Five Star shares these goals."

One of Five Star Franchising's five brands, Bio-One Inc., has promoted former Vice President of Operations Sandi Ellis to Brand President. After being a Bio-One franchise owner from 2013 to 2017, Ellis joined the Bio-One corporate team, helping it grow to more than 115 franchise locations across 40 states. Prior to owning a Bio-One franchise, Ellis was with Brinker International where she held multiple finance and operational roles.

"Now is an exciting time to be a part of Bio-One, and I deeply enjoy working alongside our passionate and dedicated teams," said Ellis. "Bio-One has been part of my life for nearly a decade, and I'm humbled and honored to lead the organization through this next chapter of growth and continue our long-standing tradition of helping those in their greatest times of need."

"Much of Andrew's success in franchising can be tied to his entrepreneurial spirit and relentless pursuit of providing the highest level of support to the customer; the franchise owner," said Five Star Franchising CEO, Scott Abbott. "With Sandi, as a former franchisee and Vice President of Operations, she fully understands what franchisees experience and how to help them succeed. In her new role, she will oversee ongoing business operations for our franchise offices across the United States."

If you are interested in one of the Five Star Franchising brands, visit http://fivestarfranchising.com/franchise-opportunities/ to learn more.

About Five Star Franchising

Five Star Franchising is an innovative group of franchised brands that includes Five Star Bath Solutions, Joe Homebuyer, Gotcha Covered and Bio-One. Also under the Five Star umbrella is ProNexis, a leader in call center and lead-generation systems for home services franchisees. Five Star represents the best franchising systems in the industry with a mission to ensure its brands are top performers in technology, marketing, branding, and people. With a franchisee-first approach to business, Five Star excels at ensuring local-market success for each of their franchisees. For more information, visit www.fivestarfranchising.com.

CONTACT: Katie Harris, [email protected] or 847-945-1300

SOURCE Five Star Franchising
ROCHESTER, Mich., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half of all new retail vehicles sold in the US will be accessorized within two years of delivery, yielding $18 billion in new vehicle accessory spending, according to Michigan automotive insights firm Foresight Research.

Foresight's most recently published US Accessory Immersion Report  finds over 6.2 million new vehicles are accessorized in the first year of ownership, representing over $12 billion in spending. Another $7 billion in accessory spending occurs within the two-year period from delivery.

No longer is the focus on just a few truck accessories, or on wheels and floor mats, says Steve Bruyn, Foresight's CEO. "The top installed accessories are connectivity-based, with Bluetooth, iPods, cell phone holders and charging devices topping the list. This is a whole new direction for the automotive accessory business, and it is right in line with what is going on in the industry. Appearance and protection accessories are also top performers."

Foresight's Accessory Sales & Marketing Report  finds that successful accessory marketing plans are rooted in advance market planning. Accessory buyers perform significant self-research in advance, gathering accessory information from digital media, brochures and print articles, as well as during visits to their local auto show. These are the "low handing fruit" that automakers can and should actively support. And with today's increasing digital car buying, these advance consumer research channels will likely play an even more important role moving forward.

Case in point: only half of all new vehicle buyers recall having a discussion about accessories with their dealer, and the majority of those discussions were initiated by the consumer themselves. Since the average buyer is spending $1,000 + on accessories in the aftermarket, these are sales dealers are surrendering by not proactively selling. And with limited dealer vehicle inventories, accessorizing at the dealer will be an even more important part of the dealer revenue in the coming year.

Foresight Research is a proven leader in automotive marketing research and insights since 1998. Our Automotive Accessory Group publishes annual syndicated reports on the US new vehicle accessory market and on the sales and marketing of accessories.

For more information, contact:

Bob Longstreth

Foresight Research

248.608.1870 x 18

[email protected]

www.foresightresearch.com

SOURCE Foresight Research
PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital agency Fox Dealer has achieved 2022 Premier Partner status in the Google Partners program.

Fox Dealer's team of experts provides custom websites, digital advertising, and digital retailing for automotive dealerships in the United States, Canada and South America. Explore the full range of offerings on www.foxdealer.com.

Fox Dealer Founder and CEO GianCarlo Alabastro

"Attaining Google Premier Partner status for the sixth consecutive year has proven to be invaluable to our organization" said Fox Dealer Founder and CEO GianCarlo Alabastro. "This recognizes that we are a cutting-edge partner with Google, one that offers best-in-class advertising practices and expertise in industry trends across all categories and business sectors."

Google recognized the achievements of top-performing digital marketing partners across the globe by awarding Premier Partner status as part of the new Google Partners program .

The Google Partners program has undergone significant changes for 2022, including redefining what it means to be a Premier Partner through new, advanced program requirements and offering new Premier Partner benefits to support growth and success with Google Ads.

"Congratulations to our Premier Partners for being among the top 3% of Google Partners in the United States. These companies stand out based on their commitment to developing product expertise, building new client relationships, and helping their current clients grow. We look forward to supporting them as they help their customers succeed online."

- Davang Shah, Senior Director, Google Ads Marketing

Fox Dealer is part of a select group of Premier Partners in the Google Partners program . This program is designed for advertising agencies and third parties that manage Google Ads accounts on behalf of other brands or businesses. Its mission is to empower companies by providing them with innovative tools, resources, and support to help their clients succeed and grow online.

About Fox Dealer

Fox Dealer connects dealers to car shoppers across the US, Canada, and Peru with custom websites, stunning creative design, eCommerce solutions, and cutting-edge digital and social media marketing products including Facebook Messenger ads and Instagram videos. A Google Premier Partner, Fox Dealer is recognized for excellent AdWords skills and SEO know-how, a winner of the Automotive Website Awards and has been recognized by Inc. 500 and LA Business Journal. Now offering TagRail, an advanced retailing platform to help you increase sales with a seamless online-to-showroom shopping experience.

Media Contact:

Jeff Perlman

818.317.3070

[email protected]

SOURCE Fox Dealer
What is the Legal Difference Between Amending Tax Returns and a Voluntary Disclosure? There are some major differences in what an amended tax return does compared to a voluntary disclosure. It is important to understand the differences between these two options and when they might be used before you can understand what you should do in your case.

An amended tax return is exactly what it sounds like: when you file an amended tax return, you go back and edit a previous tax return to make corrections or changes. For Federal purposes, this primarily refers to Form 1040-X, and for California purposes 540-X.

Typically, amended tax returns are used to correct mistakes or change amounts on a previously filed tax return. If your amended return says you owe more in taxes than your original return reported, you immediately obligate yourself to pay the additional tax, potential penalties, and interest right away.

Amended tax returns are often helpful if you made errors on the original returns that resulted in you paying too much. Getting the money, the IRS or California owes you, is often the main reason to file an amended tax return, but it can also be a necessary and important step in correcting past mistakes and making sure that your tax record is updated and correct. Filing an amended return may set things straight if you are later audited, as your amended return will correct any holes or errors in your tax record. Filing an amended return could also trigger an audit if the IRS sees evidence of suspicious practices or repeating patterns of underpayment followed by correction.

You can only receive a refund from a federal amended return if it is filed within three years of your original return (or, if it comes later, within 2 years of the time you paid those original taxes).

The big danger with filing amended returns is that they can be viewed as criminal admissions and will restart the three year statute of limitations from which the IRS has to audit the amended return. Attempting to correct your prior willful acts leading to exposure for income tax evasion will not prevent criminal tax charges related to the original or the amended returns. As the IRS sees it, you shouldn't have cheated to begin with. For this reason, you should contact a seasoned dually licensed Criminal Tax Defense Attorney & CPA prior to filing amended returns to discuss the best manner to correct any pattern of intentional misrepresentations you've made in the past in a manner that is nearly guaranteed to avoid criminal tax prosecution if you follow your seasoned counsels advice to the letter via a voluntary disclosure.

Voluntary Disclosure

The duty to file taxes in the U.S. is grounded in the concept of voluntary compliance enforced with a big stick for those caught cheating. The taxpayer voluntarily reports to the IRS what they, or their preparer, calculate they owe in taxes, and the IRS usually takes their word for it. There is a HUGE difference between making an honest mistake out of a misunderstanding or negligence resulting in your inadvertent underpayment of your income taxes, versus intentionally underreporting income, overstating deductions or claiming credits that you are not legally entitled too, which results in various tax crimes being committed.

The IRS may audit or criminally instigate you and double-check and compare your original or amended return positions. If you are found to be, at worst, negligent in the positions you took on the original or amended returns, you are potentially facing a 20% negligence penalty on any additional tax you self-assessed, and interest back to the original filing date of the returns. If you are found to have acted criminally because of the apparent badges of fraud found in your fact pattern, at best you are looking at a 75% civil fraud penalty on any additional tax assessed, and at worst, criminal tax prosecution, incarceration, and restitution for your willful tax crimes. If you are present in the U.S. on a green card, you face deportation after being released from prison. Moreover, if you have professional licensing, you may lose it as result of the criminal convictions.

When we discuss "voluntary disclosures" in the context of federal income tax underpayment, we're talking about entering you into a program ran by the criminal investigation division of the IRS that specifically puts them on notice of noncompliance that the IRS could potentially view as intentional tax fraud you've committed in the past. This program is formally entered into utilizing Form 14457 (Parts I and II).

We routinely utilize the offshore and domestic voluntary disclosure programs to enable taxpayers to fully cooperate with the IRS and show them that they are making a good-faith effort to fix their prior mistakes. The program is powerful enough that taxpayers can flat out admit to their prior intentionally fraudulent conduct, and the disclose the overly aggressive advisors that led them down the golden path, if any, and still receive a pass on criminal tax prosecution.

In the thousands of domestic and offshore voluntary disclosures we have advised on, or entered clients into, over the past 12 years since the inception of our largely criminal tax defense practice, we have never had a client criminally prosecuted upon making a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure. For that matter, there are very few known cases of the IRS criminally prosecuting those that have made voluntary disclosures in the organization's history. Where they have occurred, it was largely for the same reason, the taxpayer's attempting voluntary disclosure get caught cheating in the process of attempting to wash their hands clean.

For example, a taxpayer knew that the IRS Criminal Investigation Division had discovered their Swiss UBS account under a John Doe summons because of communication they received from UBS. They rightfully entered an offshore voluntary disclosure to attempt to remove the risk of criminal tax and foreign information reporting prosecution. However, they failed to come back into compliance over other undeclared foreign accounts they held elsewhere that they did not believe the IRS would discover.

A voluntary disclosure comes with an implied promise to pay back the additional tax, program-based penalties, and interest you voluntarily report as owed if you have the funds available. If you do not have all the funds available, you are instructed to provide a collection information statement as part of your voluntary disclosure package.

We routinely, and successfully, use voluntary disclosures to head off potential criminal tax exposure with the IRS by essentially admitting our client's prior mistakes and offering to fix them, and that has always been enough to avoid criminal sanctions and limit the penalties the IRS could assess outside of the program to the program penalty terms.

If the IRS has already started an audit or criminal tax investigation, been alerted to your errors by a third party, or filed a subpoena for noncompliance, it may be too late to file a voluntary disclosure. In that case, you should absolutely contact our dually licensed Criminal Tax Defense Lawyers & CPAs, who will take immediate action to assess, then correct, your tax compliance record, negotiate / cooperate with the IRS, and attempt to mitigate your criminal tax exposure in dealing with a Standard Civil Audit, Eggshell Audit, Reverse Eggshell Audit or Criminal Tax Investigation. (See hyperlinks at bottom of this article for more information on these topics)

Which Should I File: A Voluntary Disclosure or an Amended Tax Return?

According to the IRS' official website and documentation, the purpose of the voluntary disclosure program is to give people the opportunity to avoid criminal tax prosecution by admitting their mistakes and paying what they owe. An amended tax return, in contrast, is often viewed by the IRS as an attempt to fix intentional compliance problems with the original returns while attempting to fly under the IRS' civil and criminal enforcement radar. The crux of the issue is that informing the IRS about your prior intentional compliance errors through an amended return can be the legal equivalent of making a criminal tax admission rather than receiving a virtually guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution where the domestic of offshore voluntary disclosure program terms are strictly complied with. Moreover, attempting to document the correction of a series of intentional errors utilizing amended returns in terms of negligent behavior or mistake can also be viewed as making false statements  which is a felony.

When you file amended returns that show substantial increases in the taxes you subsequently report you now owe, or produce large & suspicious refunds, the IRS is likely to flag you for an audit or criminal tax investigation. Especially if you've filed multiple amended returns or have a history of making "mistakes," that were found under previous audits or often undetected criminal tax investigations. The IRS may closely examine / investigate your amended returns, leading to, at best, additional tax, penalties, and interest, and at worst, criminal tax prosecution and restitution.

When you properly enter a voluntary disclosure, you are protected against any potential criminal tax prosecution  assuming you meet the program requirements and enter the voluntary disclosure program before an audit, criminal tax investigation or incriminating information has been gathered from third parties or whistleblowers, against you. However, a voluntary disclosure will ordinarily result in a mandatory civil audit to determine if the program terms were met and thus you will, or will not, receive a pass on criminal tax prosecution.

A rule of thumb that we use is in advising between filing amended returns versus entering a client into a voluntary disclosure is, if a taxpayer will owe less than $30,000 in additional tax because of a series of amended returns, amended returns are an option as $30,000 of tax loss equates to one year in jail under the federal sentencing guidelines. The rational for this is that, even if a federal prosecutor believes a taxpayer committed tax crimes, they are not likely to prosecute unless the case will draw the publicity, they are seeking for the deterrent effect it is seen on having on taxpayers and preparers. Convicted taxpayers with cumulative tax losses of less than $30,000 can potentially serve their time under house arrest which does not have the perceived punch as a deterrent in comparison to one year or more of federal incarceration.

Call Our Dual Licensed California Tax Attorneys & CPAs for Help with Entering into a Domestic or Offshore Voluntary Disclosures or with Filing Amended Returns and Assessing Any Risk in Doing So.

If you have failed to file a tax return for one or more years or have taken a position on a tax return that could not be supported upon an IRS or California tax authority audit , eggshell audit , reverse eggshell audit , or criminal tax investigation , it is in your best interest to contact an experienced tax defense attorney to determine your best route back into federal or California tax compliance without facing criminal prosecution.

Note:

As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed foreign information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income tax on offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure before the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply.

It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.

Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.

As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys , Kovel CPAs and EAs , our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!

Regardless of your business or estate needs, the professionals at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing are here for you. We are open for business and our team will help ensure that your business is too. Contact the Law Offices of David W. Klasing today to discuss your business with one of our professionals.

In addition to our main office in Irvine, the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing has unstaffed (conference room only) satellite offices in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Panorama City, Oxnard, San Diego, Bakersfield, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Carlsbad and Sacramento.

Our office technology allows clients to meet virtually via GoToMeeting. With end-to-end encryption, strong passwords, and top-rated reliability, no one is messing with your meeting. To schedule a reduced rate initial consultation via GoToMeeting follow this link. Call our office and request a GoToMeeting if you are an existing client.

Here is a link to our YouTube channel: click here!

See our Audit Representation Q and A Library

See our 2011 OVDI Q and A Library

See our FBAR Compliance and Disclosure Q and A Library

See our Foreign Audit Q and A Library

Public Contact: Dave Klasing Esq. M.S.-Tax CPA, [email protected]

SOURCE Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, PC
Canada's lifting travel restrictions means a return to cheaper prescription drugs for Americans

SURREY, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Beginning February 28, 2022, Americans will be able to travel to Canada without a PCR test. This is major news for the many Americans who once relied on travel to Canada not only for tourism and leisure purposes, but also for important missions such as business meetings or buying their prescriptions more affordably across the border.

The Government of Canada issued an explanation behind this shift: "Recent data indicates that the latest wave of COVID-19 driven by the Omicron variant has passed its peak in Canada. As provinces and territories adjust their public health measures, and as we transition away from the crisis phase, it is now time to move towards a more sustainable approach to long-term management of COVID-19."

According to the release, Canada's "series of adjustments to the current border measures" represent "the beginning of a phased easing of travel restrictions" and include easing the on-arrival testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers.

Beginning February 28, 2022, fully vaccinated travelers (which means those who received at least 2 doses of an approved vaccine) arriving to Canada from any country will be randomly selected for arrival testing but are no longer required to quarantine while awaiting their test result. In addition, travelers to Canada now have more options when it comes to COVID-19 tests: they can take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test or a molecular test.

As the Government of Canada adjusts its Travel Health Notice from Level 3 to Level 2, it's important to note that these eased travel restrictions apply only to vaccinated travelers. Unvaccinated travelers will continue to be required to test on arrival as well as on day 8 of their trip, and must quarantine for 14 days.

Still, easier travel to Canada means cheaper drugs for Americans who travel to Canada to secure the prescriptions they rely on in daily life. When Canada eases its COVID-19 testing requirement for Americans, vaccinated travelers will have more seamless access to their northern neighbor for the drugs they need.

For example, the anticoagulant drug Eliquis sells cheaper in Canada than in the United States, so being able to cross the border to purchase medications such as these makes a big difference in the bottom line of many American patients.

While free shipping has helped Americans get their Canadian drugs more affordably throughout the pandemic, now Americans can travel to order or pick up their own medications rather than waiting for them to arrive in the mail.

Still, no matter what travel restrictions are implemented, ordering from a reputable online Canadian pharmacy like Canadian Pharmacy World can be a convenient way to ensure an adequate supply of prescription medications, with hassle-free delivery directly to your doorstep.

As borders continue to open around the world, a return to better drug affordability is around the corner.

About the Company

Canadian Pharmacy World was established in 2006 and remains the primary choice for Canada drugs. It is located in Surrey, just 30 minutes from the border of Vancouver. For many years, we have been providing our customers with quality prescription and over-the-counter medications at excellent prices through our website.

https://www.canadianpharmacyworld.com

Toll Free: 1-866-485-7979

Toll Free Fax: 1-866-486-7979

[email protected]

Twitter: @CANPharmaWorld

Facebook: @CANPharmaWorld

SOURCE Canadian Pharmacy World
VALLETTA, Malta, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Glitnor Group, the fast-growing igaming operator and games provider, has acquired affiliate powerhouse KaFe Rocks Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition spearheads Glitnor's move into the lead generation space and will add to the long-term growth of the business.

As part of the takeover, KaFe Rocks Co-founder Feda Mecan will join the Glitnor board of directors# while CEO Simon Pilkington will join the Glitnor Group executive management team. The day-to-day management of KaFe Rocks will continue in its current format.

KaFe Rocks is a leading iGaming affiliate, with multiple Power Affiliate top 10 rankings also based in Malta, with a successful global portfolio of assets, diversified over 10+ markets, with its user-centric flagship brands time2play.com, and USCasinos.com focused heavily within the US market, alongside their own previous acquisition and key asset Online-slot.co.uk.

The acquisition complements Glitnor Group's B2C business which currently includes online casino brands Lucky Casino and Gambola. The company is also making waves with its B2B business through its fast-growing casino content supplier, Swintt.

Founded by the creators of Maria Casino and Vera&John, Glitnor Group strives to be the most entrepreneurial business group in the iGaming industry.

The acquisition of KaFe Rocks helps progress that ambition and allows the company to drive further forward into lead generation.

Glitnor Group CEO, David Flynn, said: "Glitnor is not shy about its ambitions to become a leading igaming group and the acquisition of KaFe Rocks and our move into the lead generation space is evidence of this.

"In KaFe Rocks we have an established business being run by an incredibly talented team that owns and operates a network of successful, reputable affiliate assets that will drive growth for the wider group.

"I look forward to working closely with Simon, Feda and the entire KaFe Rocks team of 170 Rocketeers as we further expand Glitnor Group's Total Addressable Market across the iGaming and Sportsbook value-chain, offering reputable iGaming products and services around the world."

KaFe Rocks CEO, Simon Pilkington, added: "I've been hugely impressed with the leadership team at Glitnor and am massively excited for what the future holds for both KaFe Rocks and the Glitnor Group.

"Since initial talks began, it's been clear that both companies share a vision for growth, but that they also value the people driving it and believe in developing a culture where people can thrive.

"The trust that they are showing in us to continue being KaFe Rocks is gratefully received and I'm extremely driven to deliver the results that will help the new group achieve its goals."

Co-founder and Chairman of KaFe Rocks, Tim Tepass, also added: "At the heart of KaFe Rocks' success is its people; for us as the owners of KaFe Rocks it's been imperative that we look to accelerate growth through finding the right people to work with going forwards, and in David and his fantastic team at Glitnor Group we are adamant we've found just that.

In Glitnor Group, we know that the future of KaFe Rocks and its Rocketeers is in great hands, and I look forward to being able to lend our experience and desire to help drive Glitnor forward to a level of growth that we fully believe in and support.

We have a shared belief in creating products that are for the user, and I know that together, Glitnor will build on its already impressive progress."

# Subject to standard shareholder approval processes

Media Contacts: Nick Shotadze, [email protected], [email protected]

SOURCE KaFe Rocks Group
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 18; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 10196

Companies: 129 - Players covered include ABB Ltd.; Emerson Electric Company; Endress+Hauser AG; General Electric Company; Honeywell Sensing and Control; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Schneider Electric SA; Siemens AG; STMicroelectronics NV; Texas Instruments, Inc.; Yokogawa Electric Corporation and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: End-Use (Automotive & Transportation, Healthcare, Aerospace & Defense, Energy, Other End-Uses)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Wireless Sensors Market to Reach US$10.1 Billion by the Year 2026

Wireless sensor networks are groups of dedicated and spatially distributed sensors that monitor and record the environment's physical situations and enable centralized organization of the collected information. Wireless sensor networks can be easily deployed and they are much cheaper compared to traditional wired networks. WSN emerged as a suitable option for the industrial sector, owing to its high return on investments and low replacement costs, which in turn increase the scalability and reliability of the mesh networking. The major factors driving growth include the increasing need for remote monitoring; and the growing market for end-user industries, including aerospace & defense, automotive & transportation, BFSI, and healthcare. The increasing adoption of wireless sensor networks by the health care industry is driven by the critical role that these networks play in the development of new technologies for supporting diagnostics, therapy and in patient monitoring. As health care systems develop, the demand for medical devices capable of measuring routine activities and leveraging sensors installed in emergency rooms for collecting critical data, as well as for data analytics solutions, is expected to increase.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Wireless Sensors estimated at US$5.8 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$10.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 14.1% over the analysis period. Automotive & Transportation, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 15.6% CAGR to reach US$3.5 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Healthcare segment is readjusted to a revised 18.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 20.9% share of the global Wireless Sensors market. The emerging adoption of wireless pressure sensors by the automotive and health care industries is the primary factor fueling growth within the wireless pressure sensors market. Utmost reliability and high quality are always the priority of automotive industry. because of emerging applications, including vehicle dynamics control, tire pressure monitoring, external airbag deployments, offline navigation, and so on, wireless pressure sensors are being increasingly adopted by the automotive industry. The healthcare industry is continuously taking measures for developing advanced technology with enhanced designs for continuous patient monitoring, which fuels the market in the next years.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.6 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $1.8 Billion by 2026

The Wireless Sensors market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.6 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 28.3% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$1.8 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 20.2% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 10% and 12.5% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 12.3% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$404.6 Million by the end of the analysis period.

Growing Opportunity for Building Automation Opens New Growth Avenues

Usage of wireless sensors for building automation emerged as a trend in Europe, which can be easily adapted to suit the varying floor plans. There is a huge potential for increasing the reliability and quality and reducing the cost and attenuation of such sensors. European researchers are using remote sensing systems in a wide range of applications such as study of stress and displacement in civil structures. The advantage of using such systems is that, if sensing area is spread over a wide area, measurements can be taken from another location, which falls under the safe zone. European researchers are developing wireless sensors to work in such environments, where it is not possible for other sensors to work, and can be controlled by remote controls. Researchers of Italy use wireless local area networks or WLAN for distributed sensor applications, and work at low-power radio frequency. These features simplify the installation procedures and help in attaining expandability and modularity in certain circumstances, where the installation of standard communication links turns out to be a difficult task. Wireless micro-sensors, radio, and embedded processors are now used in distributed wireless sensing in a wide range of applications such as wireless communication.

Aerospace & Defense Segment to Reach $1.6 Billion by 2026

With the ever-rising budget on defense, wireless sensors are a growing technology area with a wide scope of application in the aerospace & defense industry. It is vital to monitor the integrated vehicle health monitoring (IVHM) of aerospace vehicles for the safety of the crew and the vehicle. Different types of sensors are utilized for various purposes. For instance, pressure sensors check the pressure in the cabin of the aircraft, temperature sensors check the temperature of the engine as well as motor parts. In the global Aerospace & Defense segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 12.2% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$602.1 Million will reach a projected size of US$1.4 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$179.8 Million by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 13.2% CAGR through the analysis period. More



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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.



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About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.



CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]



LINKS

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https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp



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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
What's New for 2022?

Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 10; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 583

Companies: 116 - Players covered include Bixolon Co., Ltd.; Brother International Corporation; Fujitsu Ltd.; Honeywell AIDC; SATO Holdings Corporation; Seiko Epson Corporation; Star Micronics Co., Ltd.; Toshiba TEC Corporation; TSC Auto ID Technology Co., Ltd.; Zebra Technologies Corporation and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Component (Supplies, Printers)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.

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ABSTRACT-



Global Thermal Printing Market to Reach US$48.8 Billion by the Year 2026

Thermal printing technology is extensively used to facilitate precise and fast printing of receipts or labels. Thermal printers use heat rather than toner or ink for producing quality images on paper. Growth in the global market is being driven by robust demand from a diverse spectrum of end-user industries and uptake of advanced solutions in different applications. The market is buoyed by increasing adoption of high-speed and cost-efficient printing options. Thermal printing presents a superior and more compelling option in comparison to traditional impact printers, making the technology a popular solution for POS terminals in the retail sector. The demand for thermal printers is also bolstered by their higher cost-effectiveness than standard solutions. These printers are anticipated to witness lucrative opportunities across emerging economies such as China, India, Mexico and Brazil owing to their rapid industrialization and economic expansion. Moreover, these countries are rapidly emerging as manufacturing hubs for several products due to strong focus of companies to modernize the infrastructure and push production efficiency. Market growth is also driven by increasing use of the automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technique to improve productivity, rising uptake of thermal printing for on-demand printing tasks and concerns over product safety or anti-counterfeiting. Another factor augmenting growth of the thermal printing market is the increasing demand for thermal transfer printing. The technology yields lasting and more legible prints in comparison to prints offered by direct thermal printers that are susceptible to smudge.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Thermal Printing estimated at US$40.3 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$48.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.6% over the analysis period. Supplies, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 4.4% CAGR to reach US$36.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Printers segment is readjusted to a revised 5% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 28% share of the global Thermal Printing market. The market is dominated by barcode printers segment that is predicted to account for the leading share in the coming years due to their extensive use in small to large businesses for labeling and tracking products intended to be shipped. Barcoding holds high relevance for numerous industrial settings owing to its ability to combine data management functions that ensures reliable and consistent operations as well as boosts productivity. The Supplies segment gains from rising demand for quality supplies to improve printing quality and reduce wear and tear.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $11.8 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $7.2 Billion by 2026

The Thermal Printing market in the U.S. is estimated at US$11.8 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 29.5% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$7.2 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 6.7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.3% and 4% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.4% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$1.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Increase in consumer incomes, westernization, improved lifestyles and marketing/retailing practices are poised to enhance demand for packaged consumer goods in developing markets. The increasing efforts of several regional governments to implement legislations to curb the growing menace of piracy and counterfeiting also translate into promising opportunities for the Asia-Pacific market.

Wide Web Thermal Printers Enjoy Widespread Use

Various applications require wide web printers for printing 8-inch and 6-inch labels. In countries such as Japan, Europe, and the US, label standards have been created by automotive companies for their suppliers which require extended content that only 6-inch labels can fulfil. Another application area is the chemical sector wherein drum labels are standardized on larger 8-inch format for improved visibility and bigger print. Also in various supply chain applications, wide pallet labels might be employed for printing shipping information and content easily on a label. Another area where wide web thermal printers are employed is for multi-up labels. In this, 2, 3, or 4 separate labels are placed beside each other along the web, facilitating improved printing efficiency, instead of printing lengthy single-up labels. Certain thermal printer multi-up applications were initially printed on line printers or impact dot-matrix printers and have been moved to thermal printers for faster printing and improved print quality.

Another application of wide label printing is for the replacement of letter/A4 laser printers. Laser printers are not suitable for use in industries and cannot manage the print volumes that a thermal printer can. In comparison to laser printers, thermal printers have an extended life. Thermal printers which can support PDF and Postscript print works are suitable to be a replacement to laser printer applications. Designing and producing printers that can handle wide labels in a friction-free manner entails more challenges as compared to the standard 4-inch thermal printer. For wide label printing, aside from correctly guiding the label across the print station, focus needs to be on ascertaining that the ribbon tension is equal across the entire web to prevent wrinkling. Attention also needs to be on maintaining steady printhead pressure. In the absence of accurate engineering and construction, these aspects can lead to low print quality and unreadable or low grade barcodes. This inefficiency has a negative impact on productivity and the application area. More

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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
WATERLOO, ON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's largest service providers is expanding its deployment of Sandvine's Application and Network Intelligence Portfolio in Latin America. This Tier 1 service provider will continue delivering innovative prepaid and postpaid plans to millions of mobile and fixed customers across nine countries through several prepackaged Sandvine use cases, including:

Revenue Generation, such as usage and application-based plans and zero-rating to entice customers

Revenue Assurance, leveraging Data Fraud Management

Analytics, including data exports to the service provider's business intelligence systems to improve application quality of experience (QoE)

Network Optimization, including Traffic Management

By analyzing and optimizing application QoE and network performance based on real-time data, and taking inline actions, the service provider has designed and delivered some of the most creative tiered, application-based plans in Latin America.

Karl Whitelock, Research Vice President, Communications Service Provider Operations and Monetization, IDC, said: "Networks must be responsive and adaptive to application quality of experience if communication service providers are to meet customer expectations involving 5G, IoT, multi access edge computing (MEC), and network slicing. Rolling out revenue-rich services in this complex environment, while keeping costs in check, means service providers need a way for bringing together application usage insight and intelligence concerning how services traverse their networks. That means sophisticated classification of most of their network traffic following advanced machine-learning algorithms to ensure high quality customer experiences."

Lyn Cantor, CEO, Sandvine said: "Beginning with online charging in 2008 to the present day, we have been honored to be a part of this leading service provider's evolution in delivering flexible, app-based plans to prepaid and postpaid customers. Our unmatched library of recognized applications has enabled rapid and seamless changes to apps and services within each tier in the move from 3G to 4G and now to 5G."

To learn more about how to enhance app quality-of-experience across 4G and 5G networks, schedule a meeting with us at Mobile World Congress by clicking here , and check out our recent Light Reading podcast and 2022 Global Internet Phenomena Report .

Resources

Sandvine ActiveLogic

Sandvine Active Network Intelligence (ANI)

IDC Vendor Spotlight: Application and Network Intelligence is Critical for 5G Success

Sandvine's 5G Portfolio

Cloud Ready Options

5G Service Intelligence Engine (NWDAF) Whitepaper

5G Service Innovation and Intelligence Whitepaper

About Sandvine

Sandvine's cloud-based Application and Network Intelligence portfolio helps customers analyze, optimize, and monetize application experiences using contextual machine learning-based insights and real-time actions. Market-leading classification of more than 95% of traffic across mobile and fixed networks by user, application, device, and location significantly enhances interactions between users and applications. For more information about delivering superior quality of experience with uniquely rich, real-time data that can drive performance and revenues, visit http://www.sandvine.com or follow Sandvine on Twitter @Sandvine .

Media Contact:

Susana Schwartz

Sandvine

+1 816 680 1447

[email protected]

Topics: Application Intelligence, 5G, 4G, Application and Network Intelligence

SOURCE Sandvine
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Good Culture , the clean-label cultured foods brand credited with revolutionizing cottage cheese, is thrilled to announce the completion of $64 million in Series C funding led by Manna Tree , with participation from SEMCAP Food & Nutrition and celebrity investor Kristen Bell , a superfan of the brand. This capital will help Good Culture, a certified B-Corp , continue to scale the business and innovate beyond its current product line to build a cultured foods platform.

Good Culture founder and CEO, Jesse Merrill, announces the completion of $64 million in Series C funding led by Manna Tree and SEMCAP Food & Nutrition. Photo Credit: SRW Agency Good Culture's Series C funding includes investment from Kristen Bell, a superfan of the brand. The funds will help Good Culture scale the business and innovate beyond its current product line to build a cultured foods platform. Photo Credit: Ricky Middlesworth

Good Culture immediately disrupted the sleepy cottage cheese category with its 2015 launch, and continues its path toward meteoric growth with their latest round of funding. The company has experienced an impressive 79% Compound Annual Growth Rate over the last five years while increasing its distribution footprint to over 10,000 stores. Good Culture is the fastest growing cottage cheese brand in MULO and natural channels. It is the biggest contributor to cottage cheese growth in the US and it has achieved the status of the #1 cottage cheese brand in the natural channel and the #1 natural cottage cheese brand in MULO. The company's notable growth in high-profile grocery and mass retailers has been driven largely by increasing consumer demand for their products.

As thought leaders in the regenerative agriculture space and revolutionaries in the cultured dairy industry, the company has secured funding from sources aligned with its mission to create foods that are healing for people and the planet.

"In just six years, Good Culture has revolutionized the long-overlooked cottage cheese and sour cream categories," said Manna Tree Director, Sylvio Petto Neto . "We're excited to add Good Culture to our large and growing portfolio of better-for-you brands such as Health-Ade. At Manna Tree, we are inspired to improve human health through nutrition, and we are confident that we can help Good Culture build on its strong foundation to become the leading cultured dairy brand."

Good Culture's relationship with SEMCAP Food & Nutrition was driven by managing partner John Haugen , who was an early investor in the Good Culture mission in his time with General Mills' 301 INC.

"I've worked closely with Jesse and his team over the past six years and have witnessed firsthand their impressive growth," said Haugen. "Good Culture has built a portfolio of remarkable products that are on trend with today's consumer and they are leading the way with their commitment to pasture-raised dairy and regenerative agriculture. This really aligns to SEMCAP's mission to change humanity for the better, and we believe that fueling Good Culture's growth is a phenomenal way to positively impact people and the planet."

Good Culture's relationship with Bell was one nurtured organically, too. The beloved celebrity, known for partnering with mission-driven brands with big growth potential, expressed her love for Good Culture's products, which led to an exciting conversation and partnership on this next phase of growth.

Co-founder and CEO Jesse Merrill 's vision for Good Culture was born from his desire to use food as functional medicine to combat an autoimmune disease. He focused on cultured dairy (specifically, cottage cheese) as a prime starting point in his quest to use food for healing, and then sought to revolutionize the category entirely with clean, whole ingredients and the freshest cultured dairy, responsibly sourced from farms employing regenerative agriculture methods.

"We are evolving from a cottage cheese and sour cream brand to a healing cultured foods company, and this new round of funding will help propel our efforts to create positive food system change," says Merrill. "Expansion and best-in-class innovation will continue to be primary areas of emphasis for the company. We'll also deepen our commitment to real food and sustainable, regenerative farming practices through our partnerships with 1% for the Planet and B-Corp, and continue to build out a pasture-raised supply chain."

Merrill said this funding will serve to grow the Good Culture team, expand awareness-driving marketing and enhance manufacturing, as well as provide liquidity to some early shareholders, including CAVU Venture Partners. In addition, Good Culture will drive innovative product development and plans to grow its offerings in nutrient dense, cultured foods.

Keep up with Good Culture's latest news at www.goodculture.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook .

Media Contact: Anjie Oberholzer, [email protected], 484.241.6926

ABOUT GOOD CULTURE

In 2015, founders Jesse Merrill and Anders Eisner saw that cottage cheese, an overlooked superfood, had the potential to catapult to the forefront of the real food trend, so they decided to shake up and reinvigorate the dairy aisle with their certified organic, pasture-raised, stabilizer and additive-free cottage cheese. Good Culture leads the way with organic, family farm-raised, high-protein, low-sugar, thick and creamy products that never use gums, thickeners or chemical preservatives. This disruptive company is dedicated to using only real foods and simple ingredients across their growing portfolio of cultured foods. The overwhelming success of their flagship product led to expansion into other cultured food offerings including probiotic-rich sour cream and lactose-free sour cream. Good Culture is a proud partner of 1% for the Planet, supporting soil health and regenerative agriculture and is a Certified B-Corporation.

ABOUT MANNA TREE

Manna Tree ( www.mannatreepartners.com ) is a Vail, Colorado-based investment firm committed to improving human health through nutrition. The firm invests in and actively partners with growth-stage companies. Manna Tree believes the future of health, well-being and longevity is attainable through innovation in food. Manna Tree has made 10 investments to date: Cheetah, Health-Ade, The New Primal, Urban Remedy, Evolve Biosystems, Gotham Greens, Verde Farms, Nutriati, Vital Farms, and MycoTechnology.

ABOUT SEMCAP FOOD & NUTRITION

SEMCAP Food & Nutrition invests in remarkable food companies that support sustainable modern health and a better future for food. Led by a highly skilled investment team with deep operating and investing experience in consumer packaged goods, the team provides unique deal insight and support for strategic partnering and enhanced growth. SEMCAP Food & Nutrition partners with companies whose products emphasize organic, natural, non-GMO, and plant-based foods as well as efficient supply chain and delivery and low-waste packaging. SEMCAP is an impact investment manager founded by serial investors Buck Buckley and Cyrus Vandrevala. SEMCAP is committed to investing behind seminal trends in sectors that have the greatest impact on humanity  health, education, and food. SEMCAP, Invest with Purpose.

SOURCE Good Culture
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles based GreenLake Asset Management LLC ("GreenLake") announces Caroline Leritz has joined the company as General Counsel.

Caroline previously worked in the Business Practice Group at the law firm of Sandberg Phoenix, a position she held since 2017. There she represented banks and private lenders in various financial transactions, including single and multi-property purchases, refinancings, bridge loans and construction loans.

Paul Diamond, Chief Operating Officer at GreenLake stated, "We are incredibly excited to have Caroline join our team. We had the pleasure of working with her at her previous firm, where her broad experience across hotel, gas station, retail, office, assisted living and multi-family properties was a strong value-add to GreenLake. Her professionalism and integrity are exceptional, and she will make a great addition to the GreenLake team."

Prior to joining GreenLake, Caroline represented GreenLake in approximately $550MM of closings, including the refinance of real estate owned by a public company located in Kentucky and Minnesota. Caroline received a B.S. in Public Health and Women's and Gender Studies with honors from Saint Louis University, and a J.D. with honors from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Founded in 2008, GreenLake Asset Management LLC and its affiliates provide short-term commercial bridge loans nationwide. GreenLake offers creative, flexible and time-sensitive capital solutions for a broad spectrum of real estate special situations. GreenLake lends across a range of asset classes including hospitality, industrial, multi-family, self-storage, mixed-use, office and retail.

Contact:

Paul Diamond

Chief Operating Officer

626.529.1082

[email protected]

www.greenlakefund.com

SOURCE GreenLake Asset Management LLC
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Higg , the sustainability insights platform for the consumer goods industry, has partnered with the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) to launch a new measurable carbon management program for manufacturing facilities. The Carbon Leadership Program , led by Aii's strategic partner RESET Carbon , developed a new carbon assessment as a collective effort to reduce global supply chain carbon emissions. Higg will serve as the technology partner hosting the assessment.

Once manufacturers complete the assessment, they receive a potential carbon reduction score, which helps brands prioritize manufacturing partners with the highest potential for improvement. As an optional second step, with the support of a dedicated engineer, nominated manufacturers will receive personalized strategies, training, and tools to help set and achieve their carbon targets. On a monthly basis thereafter, manufacturers share assessment data via the Higg platform to help engineers and brands understand progress and identify future areas of improvement.

"The industry has long lacked a standard and pragmatic approach for manufacturing facilities to determine and achieve their carbon reduction potential," said Kurt Kipka, VP of Aii. "When RESET Carbon proposed an in-depth facility questionnaire for creating curated action plans alongside the support of an engineer, we knew it was the perfect solution. Now, our brand partners can confidently nominate, and in some cases, sponsor manufacturing suppliers to help them set or confirm attainable reduction goals."

"American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) is a longtime supporter of Higg, Aii and RESET Carbon. We view these organizations working together as a significant step for the retail industry and more importantly for climate change. Carbon Tech Assessment provides AEO the opportunity to develop more meaningful, impactful relationships with our partners while also prioritizing the suppliers we connect with," said Michelle Tarry, Senior Director, Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability at AEO . "This enables AEO to move the conversation beyond introductory topics like energy efficiency to specific remedies, such as coal phase-out and renewable energy. With this data now available on the Higg platform, AEO will be able to reach suppliers faster and implement solutions more efficiently."

Given that the "Scope 3" area of global supply chains create the most emissions, it's critical that apparel brands and their suppliers share data to collaborate on carbon reduction plans. As brands work to measure their full impact, they'll be prepared to set science based targets , which are gaining importance in combating climate change.

"At C&A, we understand the enormous risks climate change poses to our industry and the communities where we source from. Having had the privilege to pilot the Carbon Tech Assessment, we're excited by the Aii and Higg integration. We look forward to using Higg's platform to collect environmental data more efficiently, helping us support our suppliers by setting science backed climate goals and action plans as well as building practical knowledge on the implementation together," said Eunice Cheung, Senior Project Officer - Supply Chain Environmental Stewardship at C&A .

"We're committed to providing businesses actionable data and insights on their carbon impact so they can evaluate emissions and make strategic decisions and changes to improve performance," said Jason Kibbey, CEO, Higg. "Offering this carbon assessment on Higg's platform allows brands access to even more data in one place, delivering a comprehensive view of their environmental impact."

Brands are encouraged to nominate their apparel and footwear supply chain manufacturers to participate in the program. To learn more, read this blog post .

About Higg

Higg is the sustainability insights platform for consumer goods businesses  delivering software and services for measuring, managing, and sharing supply chain performance data.

From materials to products, from facilities to stores, from emissions to working conditions, Higg unlocks a complete view of a business's social and environmental impact.

Built on the leading framework for sustainability measurement, Higg is trusted by global brands, retailers, and manufacturers to provide the single source of ESG intelligence they need to accelerate business and industry transformation.

Launched in 2019 as a public-benefit corporation, Higg is the exclusive licensee of the Higg Index, the industry-leading value chain measurement methodology developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. www.higg.com

About Aii

Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. Aii looks for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more: www.apparelimpact.org

About RESET Carbon

RESET has been operating since 2009. We have conducted over 300 projects in 11 countries across Asia. We currently have a team of 30 people based in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Germany, Vietnam and India. Our mission is focused on supporting companies make meaningful reductions in their environmental footprint in their operations and supply chains. We build long term collaborative partnerships with our customers, setting and implementing ambitious environmental targets, and scaling these up over time.

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Higg
The Honda and Acura Environmental Leadership Programs  often referred to as the Honda "Green Dealer" Program  have helped more than 600 Honda and Acura automobile, powersports and power equipment dealers across the U.S. collectively reduce CO 2 emissions by more than 177,000 metric tons. That reduction is is equal to eliminating the annual CO 2 emissions associated with electricity use by over 21,000 homes.

Honda kicked off the Green Dealer Program in 2011 to demonstrate a comprehensive approach to environmentally responsible operations that extends beyond its fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient manufacturing operations. Now, the program contributes to Honda's goal to achieve carbon neutrality globally for its products and operations by 2050.

On March 11 at the NADA Show 2022, Honda will present its Green Dealer Program learnings during the panel "The Future Dealership is Green." With the average auto dealership expected to spend 15%-20% or more on utility costs by 2030 and utility companies transitioning their pricing plans to focus on peak demand and time-of-use, Honda encourages dealers to integrate energy-efficient measures.

"Over the last decade Honda has gained incredible insights from helping our automobile, powersports and power equipment dealerships of all sizes overcome various challenges to reduce their energy and water consumption, and we want to share this experience with all dealers," said Annika Swenson, sustainability analyst at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and manager of the Honda and Acura Environmental Leadership Programs. "As we work toward a carbon-free society, we hope Honda's Green Dealer Program provides a framework for fellow automakers that want to enhance their dealers' environmentally responsible operations."

Douglas Greenhaus, vice president of Regulatory Affairs, Environment, Health, and Safety at NADA, adds: "Working with the Green Dealer Program has left me with admiration for what Honda is doing to partner with its dealers on sustainability and environmental compliance. The Green Dealer Program is exemplary in that it assists dealerships with a structured way to reduce their environmental impacts and to build greener futures in their communities."

The voluntary Honda Green Dealer Program is structured as a yearly assessment to optimize existing and new facilities in the areas of energy performance, water efficiency and site practices. The program provides dealers with support for data collection, environmental assessment, expert advice, implementation and results verification. Since the program's launch, the average dealership has reduced energy use by 20%, saving an average of $20,000 per year and $34 million in energy costs over the last 10 years.

Other high impact dealership improvements include:

High-efficiency water fixtures that have saved 1.2 billion gallons of water

283 LED lighting upgrades which can consume 60%-80% less electricity

63 heating, ventilation and air condition (HVAC) upgrades, which can reduce total energy required for heating and cooling by 25%

4.1 megawatts of solar panels installed to offset energy use

Electric vehicle chargers installed at 131 Green Dealers

Culver City Honda Achieves 100% Carbon Neutrality

The Honda Green Dealer Program recently recognized Culver City Honda in Culver City, California, as a carbon neutral dealership, meaning it has offset 100% of its operating emissions. A Green Dealer since 2014, Culver City Honda installed an energy management system, interior and exterior LED lighting and controls, drought-resistant landscape to conserve water, high-efficiency water fixtures and multiple electric vehicle charging stations including Level 2 and DC fast chargers. Through the Clean Power Alliance, a Southern California electricity provider offering clean renewable energy, Culver City Honda also receives energy from 100% renewable sources to offset its emissions.

"As a Green Dealer, our focus year over year at Culver City Honda is to find ways in which we can measurably reduce our impact," said Hoss Haghighat, general manager at Culver City Honda. "We have seen continued benefits from the Green Dealer Program, including an enhanced brand image and increased competitive advantage in the community, improved recruitment and retention of quality employees, earning eco-friendly incentives and rebates along with reduced waste and increased preparedness for future regulations."

10-Year Highlights of the Honda Green Dealer Program

Over the past decade the Green Dealer Program has evolved to meet the needs of its dealers and Honda's vision for a carbon-free society. Highlights of the program include:

In 2014, Honda publicly released its free online Green Dealer Guide, a step-by-step resource for dealers to reduce their energy and water consumption, while cutting overhead costs. Although it was created with dealerships in mind, any business owner can use the comprehensive guide to improve the environmental performance of their operations.

The Green Dealer Program expanded to Latin America in 2017 and Canada in 2018, helping to offset more than 6,000 metric tons of CO 2 e through dealer improvements.

in 2017 and in 2018, helping to offset more than 6,000 metric tons of CO e through dealer improvements. At the 2019 Climate Leadership Awards, the Climate Registry and The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions recognized the Green Dealer Program with the Innovative Partnership Certificate for its exemplary leadership in reducing carbon pollution and addressing climate change.

Three Green Dealers  Brandfon Honda in Branford, Connecticut (automobile dealer); Eastern Equipment in Derry, New Hampshire (power equipment dealer) and Rossi Honda in Vineland, New Jersey (automobile dealer)  earned the distinction of being electric grid neutral. This means that they produce as much or more energy from renewable energy sources than they consume from their local electric utilities over a one-year measurement period.

(automobile dealer); Eastern Equipment in (power equipment dealer) and in (automobile dealer)  earned the distinction of being electric grid neutral. This means that they produce as much or more energy from renewable energy sources than they consume from their local electric utilities over a one-year measurement period. A new online Green Dealer Savings Calculator allows dealers and businesses to add up potential savings based on energy efficient upgrades.

Honda utilized the professional engineering services of Altura Associates, Inc. to complete dealership environmental assessments and to help design the Honda and Acura Environmental Leadership Programs. For more information, visit https://greendealer.honda.com/.

Honda Commitment to the Environment

Honda is committed to addressing global environmental and energy issues by striving to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities by 2050. Honda proudly has the highest fleet average fuel economy and lowest CO 2 emissions of any full-line automaker in America, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) latest data. To reduce CO 2 emissions even further, Honda will strive to make battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of auto sales in the U.S. and globally by 2040.

Honda also is working to reduce its business operations environmental impact. To slash North American manufacturing operations' CO 2 emissions, Honda has entered into long-term virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) for renewable wind and solar power covering more than 60% of the electricity that Honda uses in North America. This enables the company to fully offset the remaining carbon intensive grid-supplied electricity used in its Ohio, Indiana, and Alabama automobile manufacturing operations. Honda also promotes environmentally responsible business practices with its suppliers and retail dealer partners across North America.

Learn more at https://csr.honda.com/environment/na-environmental-report/.

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
At the show, Hyundai Transys is exhibiting its color-material-finish (CMF) concept seat in the fair's innovation section under the theme 'Shift to Regenerative Mobility'. The company developed new sustainable leather and other regenerative materials in partnership with Italian and Korean manufacturers to create an innovative seat concept from tanning waste. Hyundai Transys selected the leather fair to showcase the concept in line with the company's push for a sustainable future.

Launched in 1981, Lineapelle is the most important international exhibition dedicated to leather, accessories, components, synthetics and models for footwear, leather goods, garments and furniture. With a shared value of sustainability, Hyundai Transys worked with Lineapelle to utilize upcycled leather and other sustainable materials developed by innovative Italian manufacturers Dani S.P.A., Manifattura di Domodossola and Dyloan as well as Korean suppliers Dual and ATKO Planning.

The concept seat embodies their shared value of sustainability through its use of regenerative materials, and visualizes that value transcending time and space with a design concept called 'Seoul to Milan.' The concept links the cities through colors and patterns, particularly the two main hues, dubbed 'Seoul Grey' for the Korean capital's metropolitan cityscape and granite peaks, and 'Milano Brown' for the Italian city's classical buildings and legendary tanneries. In addition, Seoul's city lights are translated as pixels while Milan's towering gothic Duomo cathedral is conveyed as stripes.

Tanned leathers are used in the seat sections where durability is required, and woven leathers are used in the seatback bolsters, giving a different textural twist while minimizing leather waste from cutting. Leather scraps were ground to powder and regenerated into yarn, which was later combined with yarn made from recycled PET bottles to create a unique regenerated fabric for the floor area.

Along with these innovative materials, Hyundai Transys used upcycled felt fabric and 3D printing to structure the headrest out of regenerated aluminum powder to give the model a cohesive look while demonstrating sustainable applications of such materials. The seat frame model is also an upcycled product from 2018, brought back to life for this project to provide a sustainable approach inside-out.

"When autonomous driving mobility spaces become everyday places in our lives, material research and development from the eco-friendly perspective shown in this concept seat will become more important for the future of mobility," said Sung-kyung Hong, Design Team Lader at Hyundai Transys.

The automotive industry is one of the biggest leather users, due to the material's luxuriousness and durability. However, sustainability and ethical issues have made leather challenging to use in recent years. The new approach to leather regeneration shown through Hyundai Transys' future mobility seat concept sets a meaningful milestone for the future direction of sustainable materials.

Hyundai Transys' booth at Lineapelle shows the company's vision of a sustainable future and its work with innovative partners to achieve it. The booth provides an immersive space for visitors to experience various aspects of the future mobility seat design  from a storyboard showing how the project started to the display of the partners' sustainable materials and a resting zone with stools covered in upcycled leather. For customers who feel uneasy about visiting the booth due to the ongoing pandemic, Hyundai Transys is also providing a virtual exhibition page.

Hyundai Transys minimizes its environmental impact by reducing waste, transitioning to reusable energy and developing eco-friendly products based on its vision, 'Transformation to Sustainable Mobility.' The company also has been working to revolutionize interior space and seat design for future mobility solutions, such as autonomous driving and electric vehicles that offer new opportunities for innovation. The CMF concept shown at Lineapelle is an important step toward aligning its product offerings with Hyundai Motor Group's vision of clean mobility and the goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

After Lineapelle, Hyundai Transys's mobility seat concept will be displayed at Spazio Lineapelle, Lineapelle's HQ in Milan from April to June and will continue to be exhibited at Milan Design Week in June 2022 for a broader audience.

About Hyundai Transys

Hyundai Transys is an innovative technology company specializing in automotive seating and powertrains that aims to be a key supplier in the new mobility industry. The company has 30 sites across 10 countries, with over 9,100 employees worldwide. In 2021, Hyundai Transys ranked 34th by Automotive News magazine among global auto parts manufacturers based on sales revenue. https://www.hyundai-transys.com/en/main.do.

About Lineapelle

LINEAPELLE is the leading world trade fair focusing on leather and the leather industry, with two editions a year, including one in Milan (Fieramilano Rho) with over 1,200 exhibitors from 40 countries and more than 42,000 visitors, featuring footwear, leather goods, garments and furniture sectors, from 100 countries. lineapelle-fair.it

SOURCE Hyundai Transys
"During a time when many consumers are budget-conscious and desire significant features for their transportation needs, the Hyundai Venue is the perfect choice," said Ricky Lao, director, product planning, Hyundai Motor America. "The Venue offers a compact SUV with desirable safety and infotainment features at an attainable price."

The Venue offers a significant number of standard features such as power accessories, alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, keyless entry, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, forward-collision assist with pedestrian detection, and America's Best Warranty plus three years/36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance (oil changes and tire rotations).

"The undefeated and undisputed champ in Cars.com's Best Value Car of 2022 award is the 2022 Hyundai Venue," said Jenni Newman, editor-in-chief, Cars.com. "For the second year in a row, this small, front-wheel-drive hatchback with an SUV-like stance and higher seating provides an incredible value for cost-conscious shoppers. The median list price for the Venue on Cars.com hovered below $22,000 in 2020 and most of 2021  that is thousands below-median pricing for a traditional entry-level SUV. Coming in at 43% below median list price for all new cars, the 2022 Hyundai Venue well deserves the title Best Value Car of 2022."

ABOUT CARS.COM INC.

CARS is a leading automotive marketplace platform that provides a robust set of industry-specific digital solutions that connect car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform, automotive fintech platform CreditIQ, and Accu-Trade Group, a leading provider of vehicle acquisition technology and valuation data.

The full suite of CARS properties includes Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, FUEL, DealerRater, CreditIQ, Accu-Trade, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com and NewCars.com. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 738,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2021, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com.

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
MUNICH, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- IDnow, a leading European Identity Proofing Platform, reports another record year, closing 2021 by organically doubling the number of transactions in its core business. The growth rate is fueled by strong momentum in new sales, increased use of the platform among its existing client base and is further supported by the successful integration of ARIADNEXT in France and identity Trust Management AG ("identity.TM") in Germany.

The acceleration of advanced digital business models has led to a shift in demand from single-product identity verification towards comprehensive identity proofing platforms. IDnow's acquisitions of ARIADNEXT and identity.TM in 2021 have allowed the Company to seamlessly meet this rising demand across Europe with one of the broadest sets of identity verification methods available in the market.

Andreas Bodczek, CEO at IDnow, commented: "Our goal is to build the leading unified identity proofing platform that meets the multi-dimensional user needs of our customers, whilst meeting stringent and often complex regulatory demands. Through our successful M&A ventures, the IDnow group is now positioned to offer best-in-class products and services that deliver a seamless user experience across an expansive range of geographies and verticals."

The combined IDnow platform provides a holistic suite of products, catering to the advanced needs of its leading, international clients. In the past year, IDnow added a record number of new clients, including some of the fastest-growing European brands, such as etoro and Lydia. The IDnow platform is used by leading companies globally, with half of the top 20 banks in Europe as well as each of the top 4 relevant telecommunication operators in France and Germany relying on its services.

IDnow has made a series of senior hires in the past year to support the Company's rapid growth, including Johannes Meerloo as COO, Doug Pollock as Director of Customer Success, Jamie Turner as Vice President People as well as Dr. Heinrich Grave as Senior Vice President Digital Identity. The Company has also opened offices in the UK as well as in the Middle East to cater to regional surges in demand.

"The identity verification and proofing space is experiencing tremendous growth as companies increasingly adopt digital-first strategies. Our automated verification product solutions have proven themselves to be the first choice for some of the biggest companies across Europe, which is a testament to the levels of fraud assurance we continuously offer our customers. Looking forward to the rest of the year, I am very excited about our position in the market. With our holistic identity proofing platform, strengthened team and additional regional locations, we're in a unique position to offer enterprises exactly what they need from a single source," says Andreas Bodczek. "I am looking forward to 2022 - a year in which we will continue to bring our three combined companies closer together and strive for increased market leadership as a unified force."

About IDnow

IDnow is a leading identity proofing platform provider in Europe with a vision to make the connected world a safer place. The IDnow platform offers a broad range of identity verification and document signing solutions combined with a comprehensive service offering. Ranging from automated to human-assisted, from purely online to point-of-sale, the identity proofing methods are optimised to assure the highest security standards with maximum user conversion.

In 2021, IDnow acquired the French market leader for identity verification technology, ARIADNEXT, and the German identity verification provider identity Trust Management AG, enabling IDnow to offer its customers one of the broadest portfolios of identity proofing solutions through a single, integrated platform.

The company has offices in Germany, United Kingdom and France and is backed by renowned institutional investors, including Corsair Capital and Seventure Partners. Its portfolio of over 900 international clients, spans a wide range of industries, and includes leading international players such as, Western Union, UBS, Commerzbank, Sixt and Munich Re, as well as digital champions like N26, Solarisbank, wefox and Tier Mobility.

Global press contact:

Christina Schwinning: [email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1342896/IDnow_Logo.jpg

SOURCE IDnow GmbH
The overall event themed "Redefining Sustainability" focused on delivering sustainable economic and social well-being in a planet-friendly manner. The region's largest trade event for green technologies and eco-solutions achieved commendable results, recording over 15,000 policy makers, entrepreneurs, industry experts and other delegates, from over 50 countries, who explored the 195 booths and participated in the over 144 conference sessions.

Speaking to the media during the briefing, the Minister of Environment and Water, Yang Berhormat Dato' Sri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said, "KASA is very much committed to enhancing the action of addressing climate change. This effort was disclosed in the country's statement in conjunction with the COP 26 conference held in Glasgow, United Kingdom in November 2021."

"In addition to delivering commendable results, the ventures signed at IGEM 2021 cover future-ready sectors such as hydrogen, electric vehicles and low carbon cities. These sectors strongly support the government's sustainable economy agenda while also ensuring the creation of long-term employment opportunities for the Rakyat," he added.

In line with efforts to transition to an endemic phase in the national Covid-19 mitigation strategy, the Minister also announced that IGEM 2022 will take on a hybrid format. A physical exhibition is to be held for 3 days at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 12 to 14 October. Virtual IGEM 2022 will be held one month before the physical event. IGEM 2022 has set targets of RM 3 billion in business leads and 30,000 visitors. It will feature 300 exhibitor booths, both online and across three exhibition halls at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. IGEM 2022 will be a key focus among stakeholders in the implementation and coordination of more effective strategies on climate change in the country.

MIDA, confirmed its participation in IGEM 2022 and will continue to play an important role to facilitate inbound investments in the manufacturing and services sectors. IGEM 2021's virtual booth have yielded a total of 71 project leads with potential investment of RM 2.52 billion in various activities.

MIDA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Datuk Arham Abdul Rahman, said, "As IGEM's strategic partner, MIDA is privileged to continue playing an integral role in facilitating towards the nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). IGEM fits the country's mission to collectively pursue economic and social well-being. We are honoured to be selected as strategic investment partners in such an esteemed event. Working together with KASA on IGEM, over the years we have been able to attract strategic projects that are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Environmental, Sustainability and Good Governance (ESG) policies for Malaysia."

"These green  technology and environmentally conscious business models are crucial in positioning Malaysia as a sustainable and ESG complaint investment destination which is a key competitive advantage for global brands," he added.

IGEM 2021 has succeeded in acting as a catalyst through forums such as the inaugural International Hydrogen Economy Forum and Strategic Lab, 'Visioning a Hydrogen Economy for Malaysia' in collaboration with KASA, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), MGTC and Nano Malaysia. This forum explored positioning Malaysia as a regional leader in the production of green hydrogen as a source of clean energy in power production and transportation, as well as an impetus for new economic growth and new employment opportunities.

Further afield, IGEM 2021 had also featured as part of KASA's month-long programme held at the Malaysia Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai, providing an opportunity to promote IGEM's exhibitors as well as Malaysian green technology innovation and expertise to a wider global audience.

MGTC's CEO, Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor said, "With the success of IGEM 2021, I am confident that the upcoming IGEM will once again surface new opportunities for greater deployment of green and sustainable technologies in the regional post-Covid economic recovery, enhancing climate change mitigation and fast-tracking the roll-out of climate change adaptation technologies and strategies as we all build back better."

"Thank you to our exhibitors, conference partners, strategic partners and visitors for their support and hope that they will reaffirm their commitment by joining us and being a part of IGEM 2022 as we focus our collective efforts to accelerate net zero," he added.

To explore more green technology opportunities and to register in advance, please visit www.igem.my.

About Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC)

Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) is an agency of the Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA) mandated to drive the country in the scope of Green Growth, Climate Change Mitigation and Green Lifestyle.

Three national policies, in particular, the National Green Technology Policy (NGTP), the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and the Green Technology Master Plan (GTMP), regulated MGTC's role as a catalyst for green economic growth.

MGTC's initiatives and programs provide specific details in achieving the long -term impact of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity by 45% based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to emission intensity in 2005 by 2030, increasing the GDP rate from green technology of RM100 Billion and the generation of 230,000 green jobs.

About MIDA

MIDA is the Government's principal investment promotion and development agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to oversee and drive investments into the manufacturing and services sectors in Malaysia. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur Sentral, MIDA has 12 regional and 20 overseas offices. MIDA continues to be the strategic partner to businesses in seizing the opportunities arising from the technology revolution of this era. For more information, please visit www.mida.gov.my and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube.

SOURCE Ministry of Environment and Water
Conceptualized by Knix Founder and CEO, Joanna Griffiths and Ashley Graham, through a shared experience navigating various gender barriers, while both pregnant with twins, the film highlights the common female experience of a world that does not create space for women, to be big and strong. Ashley Graham serves as Creative Director and narrator on the project.

"I am beyond thrilled to show the world what we've been working on for Knix. Together with Joanna, we created this film to showcase all the challenges women face that make them the very picture of strength that should be celebrated every day," says Ashley Graham.

The brand film sheds light on the systemic norms and language that have encouraged boys to be big and strong, while girls are often told from a young age to be the exact opposite. The ethos of this film celebrates the magnitude of female strength in all its forms through a montage of intimate and powerful moments provided by the Knix community and some notable celebrities.

"From choosing to defy traditional gender norms, or enduring the physical and mental strength required to navigate fertility challenges, and loss. There are so many ways that women have to be big and strong. This was a message I wanted to share with my own twin girls," says Joanna Griffiths, who gave birth to twin daughters on International Women's Day last year.

The film made its debut at this year's AdWeek Challenger Summit, where Joanna Griffiths was a keynote speaker. Joanna has been a long standing advocate for women and female entrepreneurs and the fortitude required to be in male dominated business world. The theme of this year's summit was Disruption, which made it a perfect platform for the launch.

To view the Big. Strong. Woman film please click here .

About Knix

Knix is a direct-to-consumer intimates and apparel brand. Through innovative products and a community-first approach, Knix is on a mission to empower people everywhere to live unapologetically free. Every product, campaign and image that Knix puts into the world is tied to this mission that has been embedded in the company's DNA since day one. Founded in 2013, by Joanna Griffiths, Knix is one of the fastest growing DTC brands in North America and is globally recognized as an innovator and disrupter within the apparel space.

SOURCE Knix
FREDERICTON, NB, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Introhive today announced the company has been named to the 2022 list of Best Workplaces for Hybrid Work in Canada . Great Place to Work developed this inaugural list to recognize the companies that have shifted to a hybrid work setting as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Introhive received this honor after a thorough and independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work. The list is based on direct feedback from employees at the hundreds of organizations that were surveyed by Great Place to Work. The data has a 90% confidence and a plus or minus 5% margin of error.

"Being named to this list underscores our commitment to our team members and their work/life success during the pandemic," said Trish Rueda, Senior Director of People Operations for Introhive. We are proud to offer our global employees flexibility and support in our hybrid workplace models. By giving our team a choice where they work, engagement is high and collaboration is strong. Our employees now have more flexibility to pick their children up from school or walk their dogs on lunch breaks. Our goal is to give our teams the tools they need to achieve a better work/life balance as the world moves further into a hybrid model."

Great Place to Work created this list by surveying employees from hundreds of organizations based on the Hybrid Work Readiness Index, organizational workplace programs, and practices that support and enable hybrid work. Great Place to Work determined the BEST based on employee responses to their Hybrid Work Readiness Index and organizational workplace programs and practices that support and enable hybrid work. To be eligible for this list, organizations must be Great Place to Work-Certified in the past 12 months and must complete a hybrid work questionnaire.

"Little did we know the problem we set out to solve more than 10 years ago  helping organizations better understand and utilize their Relationship Intelligence  would also be a huge part of our success through COVID, making us an award-winning hybrid workplace," added Rueda. "We are thrilled to receive this recognition!"

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, Great Place to Work recognizes the world's Best Workplaces in a series of national lists including those published by The Globe & Mail (Canada) and Fortune magazine (USA). Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. Visit us at http://www.greatplacetowork.ca to learn more.

About Introhive

Introhive is the fastest-growing AI-powered sales and relationship intelligence platform, with the single largest revenue acceleration deployment in the world. Trusted by some of the world's most recognizable brands, including PwC, Clark Nexsen, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Colliers International, and Plante Moran, the company has been recognized with 2019, 2020 and 2021 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Canada Awards , 2020 and 2021 Deloitte Fast 500 North America Awards , 2020 and 2021 MarTech Breakthrough Awards , and is Great Place to Work certified in Canada. Introhive's AI-powered SaaS platform seeks to enable organizations to realize the full value of their relationships across the business and to leverage untapped data to drive revenues and increase productivity while simultaneously improving the customer experience. Introhive has grown to 350+ employees with 10 global office locations, supporting 250,000+ customers in over 90 different countries around the world.

more at www.introhive.ai

Media inquires:

Renee Maler

Philosophy PR + Marketing

510.499.9746

SOURCE Introhive
Key Market Dynamics:

Market Driver

Market Challenges

The increased adoption of IT solutions among German SMEs is driving the growth of the market. SMEs operating in Germany actively invest in IT to keep themselves abreast of the latest technologies. German SMEs are extensively using technologies such as cloud computing, Big Data, and IoT to improve their operational efficiency and find new avenues of revenue generation. Moreover, the growing trend of digitalization is driving many enterprises to replace their manual processes with digital workflows by using software and IT services. Such increased adoption of IT solutions among German SMEs is fueling the growth of the market.

In addition, the growing government support for IT solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) will further accelerate the market growth. However, the shortage of skilled professionals will impede the growth of the market.

Learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read our FREE Sample Report Now!

The IT market in Germany report is segmented by end-user (manufacturing, government, BFSI, ICT, and other sectors) and product (IT services, IT software, and hardware).

The end-users in the manufacturing sector are exhibiting high demand for IT solutions in Germany. The presence of many small, medium, and large-scale automobile and engineering companies is driving the demand for IT solutions in the manufacturing segment. In addition, the adoption of Industry 4.0 is further accelerating the growth of the segment.

Similarly, by product, the market is witnessing high demand for IT services among end-users. The rising requirements of IT professional services among German enterprises have increased the spending on IT services. In addition, the increased adoption of advanced technologies such as the IoT, AI, cloud, and blockchain are driving the growth of the segment.

View our sample report for additional insights into the growth contribution of various segments.

Some Companies Mentioned with their Offerings

Accenture Plc: The company offers a wide range of IT solutions for various end-user applications.

The company offers a wide range of IT solutions for various end-user applications. Capgemini Services SAS: The company offers IT services including Artificial Intelligence, Applied Innovation, Business Operations, Cloud Services, Cybersecurity Services, Digital Services, Intelligent Industry, Technology Solutions, and Transformation and Innovation.

The company offers IT services including Artificial Intelligence, Applied Innovation, Business Operations, Cloud Services, Cybersecurity Services, Digital Services, Intelligent Industry, Technology Solutions, and Transformation and Innovation. Dell Technologies Inc.: The company offers IT products including Converged Infrastructure, Data Protection, Data Storage, Hyperconverged Infrastructure, Networking, Laptops, PCs and Monitors and Servers.

The company offers IT products including Converged Infrastructure, Data Protection, Data Storage, Hyperconverged Infrastructure, Networking, Laptops, PCs and Monitors and Servers. Hitachi Vantara Corp.: The company offers IT products including storage, converged and hyperconverged infrastructure, it operations management, IoT software and solutions, data management and analytics, data protection, and video intelligence.

The company offers IT products including storage, converged and hyperconverged infrastructure, it operations management, IoT software and solutions, data management and analytics, data protection, and video intelligence. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP: The company offers IT products including PCs, prints, and business solutions.

The company offers IT products including PCs, prints, and business solutions. International Business Machines Corp.

Microsoft Corp.

Oracle Corp.

SAP SE

T-Systems International GmbH

Gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here

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IT Market in Germany Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of almost 3% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 16.21 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.35 Regional analysis Germany Key consumer countries Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Accenture Plc, Capgemini Services SAS, Dell Technologies Inc., Hitachi Vantara Corp., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., SAP SE, and T-Systems International GmbH Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Market size forecast 2021-2025

Covid-19 impact and recovery in the market

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End user

Manufacturing - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Government - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

BFSI - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

ICT - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Other sectors - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by End user

Market Segmentation by Category

Market segments

Comparison by Category

IT services - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

IT software - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Hardware - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Category

Customer landscape

Overview

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Accenture Plc

Capgemini Services SAS

Dell Technologies Inc.

Hitachi Vantara Corp.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP

International Business Machines Corp.

Microsoft Corp.

Oracle Corp.

SAP SE

T-Systems International GmbH

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

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SOURCE Technavio
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH), the philanthropic arm of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), is set to launch a new Community Plumbing Challenge (CPC) program in Alabama to combat one of America's most critical sanitation challenges. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Program (BBUWP), Alabama Department of Public Health, and LIXIL, a global manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products.

This pilot CPC event is scheduled for March 14-18 in Lowndes County, Alabama. The weeklong project will provide plumbing repairs and upgrades for five homes and develop a framework for ongoing plumbing industry support to the BBUWP.

The Black Belt region is traditionally defined as a set of 17 counties in the south-central part of Alabama, and many of these counties  including Lowndes  have high concentrations of Black Prairie soil, which is virtually nonabsorbent and poses problems for on-site sewage systems. Poverty is rampant in the region, and many low-income homeowners are unable to afford an on-site sewage disposal system, instead resorting to straight piping, which releases sewage above ground. BBUWP estimates that 70-80 percent of all rural households in the region have failing or nonexistent wastewater systems. The dire situation was recently featured on a "60 Minutes Investigates" segment titled "America's Dirty Secret."

The BBUWP was created to increase accessibility of proper on-site wastewater disposal resources, and the program installs and repairs on-site wastewater systems with the help of partners and donors such as IWSH and LIXIL. In addition to introducing innovative technologies, the program also creates a sustainable program for the ongoing operation and maintenance of these systems. The program aims to service 175 homes over the next two years.

"I am very pleased that IWSH is partnering with the BBUWP in this much-needed project," said Sherry Bradley, director of the Alabama Department of Public Health's Bureau of Environmental Services. "Because of IWSH, applicants are receiving low-water-use fixtures that are vital for the proper functioning of on-site septic tank systems in Black Belt soils by reducing the amount of effluent going into the soils. This participation is much needed and appreciated not only by BBUWP but the people receiving the service."

LIXIL will donate septic systems to the project, and Fuji Clean USA, a company specializing in wastewater treatment technologies, will contribute on-site water treatment systems.

"At LIXIL, we are committed to collaborating with academic, government and private-sector partners to develop sanitation solutions to improve the lives of residents of Lowndes County," said Troy Benavidez, leader of Government Relations and Policy for LIXIL. "Together we can provide technologically advanced sanitation systems that are designed to overcome environmental challenges in the region. We also recognize the role skilled plumbers play in safe installation of sanitation solutions in communities and hence have been longtime partners of IWSH in their efforts. We are very excited about the Lowndes County initiative/CPC and are proud to have donated water-efficient products to this effort."

IWSH is actively looking for plumbers, electricians and carpenters who are licensed in the state of Alabama to participate in the March 14-18 CPC. To volunteer or for more information, please contact IWSH North American Program Director Jed Scheuermann at [email protected].

Visit https://www.bbuwp.org/ to learn more about the Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Program.

Visit www.iwsh.org/iwsh/our-work/n-america/us to learn more about IWSH work in the United States.

SOURCE The International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH)
PRAGUE, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, JetBrains, the company that created an extended family of integrated development environments (IDE) for various programming languages and team collaboration tools, presents its 2022 Annual Report. JetBrains launched new significant products in the past year, including DataSpell, Qodana, Compose Multiplatform, and a closed preview of Fleet, opened a new office in Shanghai, and grew its community to over 12.8 million developers globally.

Founded on a single product, JetBrains' portfolio now boasts 34 tools and over 7,000 marketplace plugins. In this Annual Report, significant product highlights include:

DataSpell, JetBrains new IDE for data scientists

Qodana, its new Code Quality Platform

Compose Multiplatform, an extension to Jetpack Compose UI framework allowing developers to build Android, desktop, and web apps from a single codebase

Fleet, its next-generation IDE, is ready-to-use without extensive configuration while lightweight and flexible.

JetBrains also released remote development solutions for IntelliJ-based IDEs, launched the cloud version of TeamCity, and updated most of its existing products with new impactful features.

92 out of The Fortune Global Top 100 companies use Jetbrains products. Every day 269 new organizations and 3,271 individuals become JetBrains customers  the numbers increased by 53% and 14% accordingly compared to the previous year. JetBrains also increased its overall revenue by 25% in 2021, with resurgent growth in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The Asia-Pacific region continues to lead the way with 29% revenue growth.

In 2021, 5.3 million developers used Kotlin, a modern programming language designed by JetBrains and adopted by Google as the preferred language for Android development. More than 70% of JetBrains developers write in Kotlin, and now over 200 top universities have courses on Kotlin. JetBrains Mono font released in December 2020 has now been officially added to Google Workspace editors.

In the past year, 44,000 organizations joined Space, JetBrains unified platform covering the entire software development pipeline, from hosting Git repositories, automating CI/CD, publishing packages, and orchestrating cloud dev environments, to managing issues, documents, and chats in one place. In 2021, Space users sent 6.5 million chat messages, resolved 330,000 issues, conducted 95,000 code reviews, and more.

Rider topped the list of JetBrains' fastest-growing products by paying users in 2021  it has a 40% increase in users compared to the previous year. Next comes DataGrip with a 38% increase, GoLand with 26%, followed by PyCharm and CLion with 23%.

JetBrains has always been a proud supporter of students, educators, research professionals, and seasoned developers looking to expand their knowledge and skills. In 2021, over 1.5 million students and 87,000 teachers received a JetBrains Educational Pack free of charge, 761,000 students received a special 25% discount for JetBrains license renewal upon graduating, and around 2,000 schools and universities received over 154,000 educational subscriptions for classroom assistance. JetBrains added ten new tracks to its Academy and updated its educational products. Moreover, the company became a member of the ESOMAR, a non-profit organization for market, social, and opinion researchers founded in 1947.

JetBrains also supports the open-source community: in 2021, over 6,000 open-source projects received around 11,000 complimentary licenses for non-commercial open-source development. More than 1,000 committers from The Apache Software Foundation and 75 Drupal core contributors received complimentary licenses for their work on open-source projects as a part of their unique partnership with JetBrains. The company also announced the creation of The PHP Foundation, helped the Django Software Foundation and the Python Software Foundation with their fundraising, joined Open Web Docs as a member of its Steering Committee, and launched the OSS Power-Ups initiative to put a spotlight on selected open-source .NET projects.

To support its growing portfolio of tools and services, the company continues to expand its existing product teams and increase the resources available for new products in their early stages of development. In 2021 JetBrains opened its first office in China to better connect with its customers in Asia. JetBrains accepted 256 interns, 73 of which became its employees. The team consists of 1,900 employees in 10 offices across the US, Europe, recently added Asia, and remote locations.

You can read the full report here.

About JetBrains

JetBrains creates intelligent software development tools used by over 12.8 million professionals worldwide, including 92 of the Fortune Global Top 100 companies. JetBrains created 34 products for most programming languages and technologies available and team tools, including IntelliJ IDEA and Space, an all-in-one team collaboration environment. It's the company behind Kotlin, a modern programming language adopted by Google as the preferred language for Android development. JetBrains is headquartered in Prague. For more information, please visit https://www.jetbrains.com/

SOURCE JetBrains
HAMILTON, Bermuda , Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement by Seadrill Limited (the "Company") earlier today, where the Company announced its emergence from Chapter 11 after successfully completing its reorganization pursuant to its Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"). Pursuant to the Plan, and as further set out in the stock exchange notice announced earlier, the new parent company for the Seadrill group, whose name will be changed on or about the date of emergence to Seadrill Limited, will have approximately 50,000,000 new common shares issued and outstanding (the "New Common Shares") on the Effective Date (as defined therein).

- Date on which the terms and conditions of the issuance of the New Common Shares were announced: 22 February 2022

- Last day including: 22 February 2022

- Ex-date: 23 February 2022

- Record date: 24 February 2022

- Exchange ratio: 0.00124519 New Common Shares per existing common share of the Company

- ISIN for the New Common Shares: BMG7997W1029

Delivery of the New Common Shares will be made as soon as possible, and subject to appropriate arrangements being confirmed with Euronext Securities Oslo. Subject to certain approvals, it is expected that New Common Shares will initially be listed at the Euronext Expand market of the Oslo Stock Exchange in the second quarter of 2022, and ultimately listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange once all listing rules are satisfied. Further details in respect of the New Common Shares will be set out in a listing prospectus which will be approved by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority and published prior to such listing.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements of the Oslo Stock Exchange pursuant to Oslo Rule Book II  Issuer Rules.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business, the markets in which it operates and its restructuring efforts. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's regulatory filings and periodical reporting. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward looking statement.

CONTACT:

[email protected]

020 3745 4960

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

SOURCE Seadrill Limited
MONTREAL, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Kinova, a privately-held developer of robotic solutions, announced today the signing of a five-year agreement for robots manufacturing and development with Auris Health, Inc., a subsidiary of Ethicon, Inc., part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies since 2019, with the option to extend for a further three years. As part of the agreement, Kinova will continue to support Auris in the expansion of the MONARCH Platform, leveraging the firm's capacity and expertise to deliver integrated and cost-effective robotic solutions.

Since 2015, Kinova has had a strategic agreement with Auris for the MONARCH Platform, a first-of-its-kind robotic technology indicated for use in diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic procedures. Through this agreement, Kinova worked with the team at Auris to define and develop a purpose-built robotic arm to help enable meaningful progress in surgery.

"An important part of Kinova's vision is to use medical robotics for optimal patient outcomes and enable humans in the process with better tools. We have worked with the Auris team to advance the development of disruptive robotic solutions for the last 6 years, and we are excited to continue our strategic agreement to help advance the frontier of surgery." said Charles Deguire, CEO & Co-Founder of Kinova. "The MONARCH Platform demonstrates perfectly Kinova's capacity to support the robotization, through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, of global leaders in the medical device space. Robotics has evolved, there's this new generation of connected and integrated robots, and we are committed to enabling companies to take full advantage of it."

About Kinova

Kinova Inc., headquartered in Boisbriand (Greater Montreal), Quebec, Canada, is a leader in innovative robotics. Founded in 2006, the company designs and manufactures robots for various markets, including medical robotics, assistive robotics, research and education, and more recently industrial and professional automation. Kinova's ingenious technology improves and extends the capabilities of customers with a human-first approach to serve the growing need for robotics across increasingly complex industries. kinovarobotics.com

SOURCE Kinova Robotics
CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LaSalle St., a family of wealth management firms encompassing an independent broker-dealer and registered investment adviser (RIA) platform, today announced the recruitment to its platform of Chesnut & Associates (Chesnut), an independent wealth management and tax planning firm with more than $125 million in client assets based in Odessa, Texas. The firm's founder and president, Troy Chesnut, CFP  brings over 35 years of experience serving clients needs to the LaSalle St. network.

Founded in 1974, Chesnut provides individual and business clients with wealth management, asset management, financial planning and tax planning services. The firm focuses on guiding clients as they build wealth to ensure successful retirements and then serves as a dedicated partner as they live comfortably while building a lasting legacy.

In addition to its founder and namesake, the firm consists of Mr. Chesnut's grandson Cameron Crone, a financial advisor, who will take over the business in the coming years as part of a succession plan supported by LaSalle St., as well as six professional and administrative staff.

Troy Chesnut said, "As we began our discussions with LaSalle St, we were immediately drawn to its culture of client service. While the firm is the right size for us with a fair fee structure that provides flexibility to choose the right mix of technology and tools for our practice, it is how the firm enables us to work with our clients in a way that fits their needs. We always do what is best for our clients and know LaSalle St. supports us in this approach."

Mark Contey, LaSalle St.'s Chief Business Development Officer, said, "We are excited to welcome Chesnut to LaSalle St. Troy has built an impressive practice, serving clients with distinction for more than four decades. With LaSalle St., they've partnered with a full-service boutique firm with world class wealth management solutions that values enabling the growth and development of our advisors. We look forward to supporting the Chesnut practice as they expand their business and build upon their success."

About LaSalle St.

LaSalle St. is a family of firms comprising LaSalle St. Securities, an independent broker-dealer; LaSalle St. Investment Advisors, a SEC-registered investment adviser; and LaSalle St. Insurance Services, a provider of annuity and insurance products. It has a singular mission of supporting the growth and success of independent financial advisors across the country. Founded in 1974 and based in Chicago, Illinois, LaSalle St. supports more than 300 financial advisors, has over $12 billion in total client assets and is registered in all 50 states. The LaSalle St. companies offer a wide range of services, including brokerage, advisory, investment and insurance. The firm clears primarily through National Financial Services, with custodial services through NFS parent Fidelity Investments. For more information, visit https://www.lasallest.com/

Media Inquiries

Michael Dugan / Julian Arenzon

Haven Tower Group

424 317 4852 or 424 317 4865

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE LaSalle St.
ZUG, Switzerland, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharma major, Lupin Limited (Lupin) announced today changes to its executive team with Dr. Fabrice Egros assuming responsibilities for Global Corporate Development as President, Corporate Development and Growth Markets. Dr. Egros takes over the Corporate Development role from Alan Butcher departing from the Company on February 28, 2022. Dr. Egros will lead the development and execution of the Company's inorganic growth strategy, including mergers and acquisitions, business development, in-licensing arrangements, and related matters. He will continue to lead business in LATAM and Asia regions in this new role.

"We are very pleased to announce Fabrice taking over responsibilities for Corporate Development in addition to the Growth Markets business. With Fabrice's leadership and demonstrated success in growing Lupin's business through both organic and inorganic initiatives, we are well positioned to deliver on our growth aspirations. We thank Alan for his contribution to our organization and wish him well for the future," said Vinita Gupta, CEO, Lupin.

For the past over six years, Dr. Egros has played an integral role in Lupin, leading businesses across both Growth and Developed markets. His extensive cross-border experience as well as successful experience with acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and partnerships will be an asset to Lupin in this new role.

About Lupin

Lupin is an innovation-led transnational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The Company develops and commercializes a wide range of branded and generic formulations, biotechnology products, and APIs in over 100 markets in the U.S., India, South Africa, and across the Asia Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), Europe, and the Middle East regions.

The Company enjoys a leadership position in the cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, and respiratory segments and has a significant presence in the anti-infective, gastro-intestinal (GI), central nervous system (CNS), and women's health areas. Lupin is the third-largest pharmaceutical company in the U.S. by prescriptions. The company invested 9.6% of its revenue in research and development in FY21.

Lupin has 15 manufacturing sites, 7 research centers, more than 20,000 professionals working globally, and has been consistently recognized as a 'Great Place to Work' in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals sector.

Please visit www.lupin.com for more information.

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LupinGlobal|LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lupin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LupinWorld/

For further information:

Shweta Munjal

Vice President & Global Head  Corporate Communications

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc.
MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Australians increasingly search for more ethical ways to live their lives, one financial institution is walking the walk by investing back into their community. Hejaz Financial Services, the leading provider of Halal finance and other Islam finance services, is on a mission to invest in the Australian Muslim community to improve the wellbeing of the community.



For over ten years, Hejaz Financial Services has been providing Australians with an ethical alternative to traditional banking services. The institution specialises in Halal loans, superannuation, investing and more. Since 2014, Hejaz Financial Services has invested over $1 million and has contributed $120,000 in community sponsorships. Chief Operating Officer Muzzammil Dhedhy reveals that the Halal home loan experts have also funded two community projects since 2019 and are looking to support even more in the coming years.



With Hejaz Financial Services, Muslim Australians can be certain that their financial behaviour conforms to their beliefs. Each and every service adheres to a strict set of regulations set by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) to ensure they remain Sharia compliant. A recent study carried out by Hejaz Financial Services reveals that almost half of all Muslim Australians reluctantly utilise traditional banking services because they are not aware that Islamic finance options exist. Through giving back and investing in their community, Hejaz Financial Services also aims to spread awareness and education about Halal alternatives.



The team at Hejaz Financial Services is driven to help their community by generating positive social impact through volunteering and funding. They have proudly introduced thousands of Muslim Australians to Islamic finance and investments since 2014, says Dhedhy, and are excited to see what the future holds for the company. To learn more about the company or access Sharia approved financial services, contact Hejaz Financial Services today.



This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Hejaz Financial Services
ALBANY, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CHA Consulting, Inc. (CHA), an innovative, full-service engineering consulting and construction management firm, announced today that it has acquired A&P Engineers (A&P), a multi-disciplinary consultant in South Florida with expertise in civil engineering, transportation, water resources, environmental, structural, lighting, electrical, traffic studies, and construction engineering and inspection. A&P is based in Doral with over 100 employees and has grown significantly over the last two years. As previously announced, CHA acquired Reiss Engineering, an Orlando-based water resources firm, in February 2021. With the addition of A&P, CHA's headcount in the state of Florida is now over 150 employees.

"A&P Engineers is a great addition and important milestone for our growing firm, propelling our expansion into south Florida and bringing added expertise to our expanding infrastructure teams," said Jim Stephenson, CEO of CHA Holdings. "A&P is an outstanding strategic fit that further advances our goal of building a leading national firm supporting the growing needs for transportation, energy and real estate infrastructure. The added depth and combined capabilities of our two firms will bring tremendous value to both CHA and A&P clients immediately in the transportation and water/wastewater markets where we continue to see growing demand."

A&P Engineers President Tony Acosta said, "CHA has an ideal platform for growth and excellent reputation for market-leading technical capabilities and delivering value with exceptional client service. Our shared focus on technical excellence and quality project delivery aligns perfectly. Being part of a firm with diverse national capabilities and a large geographic footprint, which provides a local presence for clients, will open up new and exciting opportunities for both our A&P team and our clients."

"The need for qualified technical resources continues to accelerate with the passage of the Federal Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and renewed commitment to invest in the revitalization of our most important infrastructure. With our combined teams, CHA is poised to tackle the toughest and most essential infrastructure projects in Florida and beyond," said John Hensley, CHA Infrastructure Sector President.

CHA and A&P are both committed to providing the highest level of client service, and that will continue as we bring the two firms together into one team. A&P will be rebranded effective immediately as A&P Engineers, a CHA Company.

About CHA Consulting, Inc.

CHA Consulting, Inc. is an innovative, full-service engineering consulting and construction management firm providing a wide range of technology-enhanced planning and design services to public, private and institutional clients. CHA was ranked the 53rd largest engineering firm in the United States in 2021 by Engineering News-Record. With technical personnel and offices throughout the United States and Canada, CHA offers engineering, architecture, survey, construction, project management, and other services necessary to complete projects on time and within budget. For more information, please visit www.chacompanies.com.

About A&P Engineers

A&P Engineers is a multi-disciplinary consultant located in South Florida with a mission to provide technical excellence in design and construction. A&P's areas of expertise include civil engineering, transportation, water resources, environmental, structural, lighting, electrical, traffic studies, construction management, and CEI. The firm has been serving South Florida since 2000. For more information, please visit www.apcte.com.

Contact:

Mary Bray Gallagher, APR

Communications Manager

T: (518) 453-8264

C: (518) 231-2412

[email protected]

SOURCE CHA Consulting, Inc.
PISCATAWAY, N.J., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearing aids weren't always the answer for Nabil Ashi, owner of Michigan's acclaimed Aldana Mexican Bar & Grill. When he completely lost his hearing in one ear overnight due to a virus in 2013, Ashi believed it wouldn't be a big deal and that he could live with it easily.

"I didn't want my hearing loss to be a handicap, so I just settled with the fact that I couldn't hear well on my right side," explained Ashi. "But I started facing challenging environments, even before I opened my restaurant  for example, when I was working in a corporate job attending meetings. Sometimes I'd have to record the conversations so I could listen to it afterwards in a quiet environment."

His hearing struggles increased when he opened his restaurant and had to communicate with customers and employees every day. That's until he met Jerry Weber, a Signia sales representative, who was a customer at his restaurant in early 2021. After discussing with Ashi his difficulties hearing, Weber connected him with Dr. Tiffany Inman, audiologist of Inman Audiology, who introduced Ashi to Signia CROS Pure Charge&Go X hearing aids. Shortly after, his entire outlook on the importance of hearing health changed.

Since then, Ashi has upgraded to the latest Signia CROS Pure Charge&Go AX hearing aids, built on Signia's Augmented Xperience (AX) hearing aid platform that uses two digital processors to intelligently understand which sounds should be pulled to the foreground and prioritized, and which should remain in the background.

"The biggest challenge for someone like Nabil, who works in a restaurant with high ceilings, flat surfaces, and an open kitchen, is the inevitable echo and reverberation," explained Dr. Tiffany Inman, AuD. "Signia's new Augmented Xperience technology has made it so much easier for Nabil to hear customers and employees clearly despite the reverberation and background noise."

Benefiting from a CROS device

Aldana Mexican Bar & Grill has been a source of pride and excitement for Ashi since the restaurant opened its doors in 2020. Filled with authentic Mexican flavors, terra cotta flooring and live mariachi music, when guests step into Aldana, they're surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of Mexico.

As a restaurant owner, much of Ashi's role includes communicating with customers and employees. However, with complete deafness in his right ear, this proved to have its difficulties.

The Signia CROS Pure Charge&Go AX is perfectly designed to deliver an augmented hearing experience for those with untreatable hearing loss in one ear to optimize hearing in all scenarios. Signia's CROS technology pairs a hearing aid worn on Ashi's left ear with a similar-looking transmitter device on his right ear. The transmitter then captures sounds from his right side and sends them to the hearing aid on his left ear, while also amplifying sounds from both sides for immersive sound and outstanding speech clarity in all scenarios.

"I've always tended to turn to my left side when speaking with customers to better hear them," said Ashi. "With the CROS functionality, I don't have to worry about which side I'm on when talking to someone. Now, I can hear from my right side perfectly."

Using the Signia App for the most customized experience

In addition to the device itself, Ashi takes advantage of the Signia App, providing on-the-go support and intuitive access to hearing aid controls.

Through the Signia app, Ashi can additionally utilize streaming capabilities, tinnitus therapy, Signia Telecare for remote care support and the new Face Mask Mode for better speech understanding through masks. The app also includes the Signia Assistant, which leverages artificial intelligence to continuously optimize the performance of the device by learning in real time the wearer's individual preferences.

"In a way, I forgot what I was missing," explained Ashi. "With Signia, my hearing has improved incredibly. Now, I'm doing everything I can to educate others on the importance of visiting a hearing care professional if they're struggling with hearing."

For more information on Signia Pure Charge&Go AX, visit www.signia-pro.com/en-us/product-portfolio/signia-ax/pure-charge-go-ax/. To read Ashi's testimonial, click here.

For the press kit, click here.

About Signia

Signia is one of the world's leading hearing aid brands. We aim to enhance human performance through iconic innovations and consumer-friendly designs that shape the hearing health market. Since its launch in 2016, Signia has regularly brought world-first hearing solutions to the market and is a pioneer in rechargeable hearing technology.

In addition to highly innovative hearing aids, Signia also delivers tools and apps to increase customer interaction and engagement at all levels of hearing aid management. Signia, and its hearing care professionals, enable hearing aid wearers to not just correct hearing loss but to gain an edge  to Be Brilliant.

Contact for journalists:

Daniel Griffin

Griffin360

+1 845 536 2200

[email protected]

SOURCE Signia
"With the addition of Exelead's leading capabilities and highly experienced team, our Life Science business achieves an important milestone in becoming one of the leading CDMO players in mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, offering an integrated CDMO across the mRNA value chain from pre-clinical to commercial," said Matthias Heinzel, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and CEO Life Science. "mRNA holds much promise as a treatment well beyond Covid-19 and we will further invest in this technology to help realize its potential."

Exelead, a biopharmaceutical CDMO, specializes in PEGylated products and complex injectable formulations, including Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) based drug delivery technology, which is key in mRNA vaccines and therapeutics for use in Covid-19 and many other indications. The company has experience in all development phases from pre-clinical development to commercial contract manufacturing for LNP formulations, including fill and finish. Exelead will complement the Life Science business sector's more than 20 years' experience in producing lipids as well as its mRNA manufacturing capabilities acquired through AmpTec in 2020. This integrated offering will accelerate the Life Science business sector's ability to bring life-enhancing vaccines and treatments to patients faster by simplifying supply chain complexity and enhancing speed to market through its end-to-end portfolio.

Over the past two years, the Life Science business sector has made significant investments to advance traditional and novel modalities (mAb, ADC, HP-API, viral vector, and mRNA) through acquisitions and expansions. The acquisition of Exelead is another milestone to accelerate innovation in the company's Process Solutions and Life Science Services businesses, one of the company's three growth engines ("Big 3"), through targeted smaller to medium-sized acquisitions with high impact.

Follow MilliporeSigma on Twitter @MilliporeSigma, on Facebook @MilliporeSigma and on LinkedIn.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

About the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has more than 23,000 employees and 59 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing and testing services. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics.

Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices  the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of  17.5 billion in 66 countries.

The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.

All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the EMD Group website. In case you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service.

SOURCE MilliporeSigma
GUANGZHOU, China, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO) ("MINISO Group", "MINISO" or the "Company"), a fast-growing global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products, today announced that it plans to release its December quarter 2021 financial results before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

The Company's management will hold an earnings conference call at 7:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 3, 2022 (8:00 P.M. Beijing Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. The conference call can be accessed by the following zoom link or dialing the following numbers:

Access 1

Join Zoom meeting.

Zoom link: https://dooyle.zoom.us/j/84860705976?pwd=ckh3OW1oeXkydzAwaXlHYnVYeEpBZz09

Meeting Number: 848 6070 5976

Meeting Passcode: 888666

Access 2

Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers by using the same meeting number and passcode with access 1.

United States Toll Free: 833 548 0276 (or 833 548 0282) Mainland China Toll Free: 400 182 3168 (or 400 616 8835) Hong Kong, China Toll Free: +852 5803 3730 (or +852 5803 3731) United Kingdom (Charge Fees): +44 203 901 7895 (or +44 208 080 6591) France (Charge Fees): +33 1 8699 5831 (or+33 1 7037 2246) Singapore (Charge Fees): +65 3158 7288 (or +65 3165 1065) Canada (Charge Fees): +1 613 209 3054 (or +1 647 374 4685)

Access 3

Listeners can also access the meeting through the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.miniso.com/.

The replay will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.miniso.com/.

About MINISO Group Holding Limited

MINISO is a fast-growing global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products. The Company serves consumers primarily through its large network of MINISO stores, and promotes a relaxing, treasure-hunting and engaging shopping experience full of delightful surprises that appeals to all demographics. Aesthetically pleasing design, quality and affordability are at the core of every product in MINISO's wide product portfolio, and the Company continually and frequently rolls out products with these qualities. Since the opening of its first store in China in 2013, the Company has built its flagship brand "MINISO" as a globally recognized retail brand and established a massive store network worldwide. For more information, please visit http://ir.miniso.com/.

Investor Relations Contact

Raine Hu, Mengru Wang

MINISO Group Holding Limited

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +86 (20) 36228788 Ext.8039

SOURCE MINISO Group Holding Limited
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Under Artemis, NASA plans to return to the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. This will require lunar surface systems that can deliver continuous, reliable power to support mining and construction, research activities, and human habitation.

The newest phase of NASA's Watts on the Moon Challenge offers up to $4.5 million in prizes to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype that addresses technology gaps in power transmission and energy storage. Maximizing system efficiency and minimizing system mass will be an important part of what the challenge participants address in their designs, given that transporting all the needed equipment to sustain human presence on the lunar surface will require multiple missions. This challenge seeks advanced technology that is well-positioned to progress toward flight readiness and future operation on the lunar surface after the challenge.

"Challenges like Watts on the Moon give us the chance to utilize the creativity of industry, academia, and the public to power our return to the Moon," said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "I look forward to seeing how their solutions may also have important applications here on Earth and help advance similar technologies for terrestrial application and commercialization."

Phase 1 of Watts on the Moon opened in September 2020 and focused on the ideation of energy management, distribution, and storage solutions. In May 2021, seven winners were awarded a total of $500,000. To compete in Phase 1, teams had to submit ideas to support aspects of a hypothetical mission scenario  harvesting water and oxygen from a dark crater at the Moon's South Pole with energy generated by a power plant located on the crater's outer rim.

NASA invites previous participants as well as new teams to compete in Phase 2.

"We encourage the academic and private sectors to submit entries or even join forces to do so," said Dr. Marla Perez-Davis, director for NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. "Here at NASA Glenn, we design, develop, and test innovative technologies to advance NASA's missions in aeronautics and space exploration. As we lead this challenge, we look forward to many innovations to power operations on the Moon and beyond."

Teams can register to compete on the challenge site by 4 p.m. CDT on June 15, 2022. Phase 2 of the challenge will last approximately 30 months and will take place in three segments, called competition levels. In each competition level, eligible teams will submit the required materials and will be evaluated on their submission and scored by the judging panel. Up to seven winners from competition level one will advance to level two and will be awarded part of prize purse up to $1.4 million. Up to four winners from competition level two will advance to level three and will be awarded a part of a prize purse up to $1.6 million. Up to two teams will be recognized as winners in competition level three, where the first-place team will be awarded $1 million, and second place will be awarded $500,000.

The Watts on the Moon Challenge is managed by Centennial Challenges, based at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Centennial Challenges is a part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program within the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA's Glenn Research Center is the lead center for the challenge and is responsible for defining the challenge goals, success criteria, technology, and infusion paths. Centennial Challenges has contracted HeroX to support the administration of this challenge.

For more information about the challenge, go to:

https://nasa.gov/wattson

SOURCE NASA
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO), a national non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization founded in 1998, of Tribal preservation leaders protecting culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity, resilience, and cultural endurance, is thrilled to host its 22nd Annual National Tribal Preservation Conference which will be held virtually on February 22-25, 2022. The conference theme is "Unity and Healing."

About the Agenda  While we will not be together in person, this conference will remind us we are members of a brilliant community working together to Protect Native Places. Our hope is that attendees will be reinvigorated and ready for all the opportunities of 2022. Tuesday is devoted to a full day of the THPO Toolkit Workshop entitled "If You Only Knew: Radical civil dialogue for relationship building" which offers a platform for THPOs to engage with agencies, states, industry/CRM and other THPOs. The formal conference sessions on Wednesday and Thursday will provide a diverse, compelling agenda full of solutions-focused programming including panel discussions with agencies and leadership, sessions on repatriation, climate change, advocacy and funding, awards, and most importantly, a space to come together.

Special Guests  On Thursday, 2/24 at 4:15 PM EST, we are excited to welcome Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM) to hear about her introduction of the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act which would permanently authorize the Historic Preservation Fund and fully fund it at double its current amount. As Chair of the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States for the 117th Congress, and former Vice Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, we look forward to speaking with her about making lasting progress on key issues for THPOs and Tribes.

On Friday, 2/25 at 9:00 AM EST, we are thrilled to welcome National Park Service Director Charles F. "Chuck" Sams III to talk with attendees about unity & healing from the perspective of his position as the first Tribal citizen in the NPS Director position. Most importantly, he has asked to engage with attendees as they voice their questions & comments with him.

About the Theme  "Unity and Healing." Native Voices  power in unity, healing in restoration. When we speak with united voices, we are powerful. When lands, languages, practices, and ancestors are restored, we heal. When some of us are not whole, none of us are whole.

"We are so honored and grateful to provide this chance for the community of THPOs and allies to come together safely  to connect with and support each other, to advance real change in protecting Native places, and to have a little fun during this time of virtual fatigue!" says NATHPO Executive Director Dr. Valerie Grussing.

For more information about the conference  Those interested in more information about the 22nd National Tribal Preservation Conference should visit the NATHPO website at https://www.nathpo.org/ and the 2022 conference page. Information for those interested in sponsoring NATHPO and the conference and all the work the organization does, is located on the 2022 conference page as well.

Who we are  NATHPO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership association of tribal preservation leaders protecting culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity, resilience, and cultural endurance. Connections to cultural heritage sustain the health and vitality of Native peoples. We provide guidance to preservation officials, elected representatives, and the public about national historic preservation legislation, policies, and regulations. We promote tribal sovereignty, develop partnerships, and advocate for Tribes in governmental activities on preservation issues. For more information visit our website at www.nathpo.org.

SOURCE National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)
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Edition: 10; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 3556

Companies: 53 - Players covered include Advanced Polymer Solutions; Alberts Spray Solutions, LLC; APV Engineered Coatings; BASF SE; Bayer AG; Convertec GmbH; Covestro AG; DowDupont Inc.; Geoliz Waterproofers Pvt. Ltd.; Huntsman Corporation; Hutchinson Manufacturing; LINE-X LLC; Nationwide Protective Coating Mfrs., Inc.; Nukote Coating Systems International; Paramount Metal Finishing; Polycoat Products LLC.; PPG Industries, Inc.; Quaker Chemical Corporation; Rhino Linings Corporation; Scorpion Protection Coatings; Specialty Products, Inc.; SWD Urethane; The Sherwin-Williams Company; VersaFlex, Inc.; W. R. Grace & Co.; Wilko Retail Ltd. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Raw Material (Aromatic, Aliphatic); Product (Coatings, Lining, Adhesives & Sealants, Other Products); Application (Construction, Industrial, Transportation, Other Applications)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.

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ABSTRACT-

Global Polyurea Market to Reach US$1.2 Billion by the Year 2026

Polyurea basically is a synthetic elastomer created when a diisocyanate reacts with a diamine. Polyurea products are used in the form of lining solutions, coatings and sealants for ensuring pigment compatibility, higher thermal stability, faster curing time and higher water sensitivity. The product is widely used in building construction, transportation, mining, automotive manufacturing and such other major domains. Growth in the global market is led by the fast rising demand for spray based elastomeric coatings in the construction and automotive end-use industries where the property of faster curing time offered by the product is critical. In residential construction, importance of use of waterproof membrane has been increasing significantly. In both mining and construction sectors use of lining systems had increased, for environmental protection. Government regulations governing emissions of VOCs by the construction industry are encouraging users to procure and use polyurea linings. This factor is anticipated to create strong demand growth scenario for the market. Demand is also surging for polyurea used as adhesive in the automotive manufacturing industry where it is replacing metal fasteners for reducing overall weight of cars for improved fuel efficiency. There are several other industrial applications of polyurea including industrial bridging and safety-pool coating among others that continue to offer opportunities. In many such industrial applications polyurea sealing and coating solutions have been replacing lead and other incompatible materials.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Polyurea estimated at US$923 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$1.2 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% over the analysis period. Aromatic, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 6.4% CAGR to reach US$813 Million by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Aliphatic segment is readjusted to a revised 4.7% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 37.6% share of the global Polyurea market. Aromatic polyureas find extensive applications across industries owing to their desirable physical properties that make them suitable for diverse uses. Polyurea obtained from aliphatic diisocyanates can be resistant to color change on account of exposure to sunlight and maintain their physical characteristics even during exposure to UV rays. They are preferred for application outdoors as they can improve aesthetic appeal with a glossy appearance and can be used at about 30 mils of film thickness.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $304.6 Million in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $169.8 Million by 2026

The Polyurea market in the U.S. is estimated at US$304.6 Million in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 33.18% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$169.8 Million in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 7.6% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 4.5% and 5.2% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.9% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$182.9 Million by the end of the analysis period. The Asia-pacific market is anticipated to witness strong growth in demand for polyurea based products, driven by the factor of increasing incomes of people. Consumers here are appreciating the significance of quality life which is leading to increased public spending on infrastructure projects like bridges, roads, shipping ports and airports, which is anticipated to increase demand for polyurea products, including linings and coatings, considerably over the coming years. Europe is also a major market for polyurea. Several European authorities sanction use of roofing membranes made of polyurea for waterproofing application because of its ecological and resistive properties. More

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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
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Today

Rain. High 53F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

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In Integrating Land Use and Water Management , author Erin Rugland of the Lincoln Institute's Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy explains how integrating land and water can help communities deal with increased drought or flooding as they navigate the uncertainty of a warming planet and changes in their communities. She outlines best practices in land use planning and water management, provides a detailed menu of policy tools, and shares four success stories from vastly different places: Evans, Colorado; Hillsborough County, Florida; Philadelphia; and Golden Valley, Minnesota.

"Water is not only essential to life and to thriving communities, but it brings value to land," Rugland writes in the report. "Land use determines the character of communities and in turn greatly impacts water demand, water quality, and flooding risks. Connecting land with water and understanding these resources in the context of issues like equity, resiliency, and climate change is critical for building and sustaining healthy communities for the future."

Although land and water are inextricably linked, land use planning and water management have historically occurred in silos. Rugland clearly explains each discipline, focusing on a key policy framework for eachthe comprehensive plan and the water management plan. Comprehensive plans lay out a community's long-term vision, with an emphasis on themes like economic development, transportation, and housing. Water management plans vary more widely from place to place; some focus narrowly on drinking water supply, while others incorporate wastewater and stormwater.

As the report describes, state policy can play a significant role in promoting the integration of land and water planning, whether through mandates or resources. Colorado, for instance, requires utilities to consider how land use efforts can reduce water use. The state also supports the Colorado Water and Land Use Planning Alliance, a peer learning group for local practitioners. Pennsylvania is one of five states to require a water element in local comprehensive plans. And Minnesota's state legislature established the Metropolitan Council, one of the strongest regional planning agencies in the country, which helps communities in the Twin Cities area coordinate development plans with water supplies and requirements.

The report shows how four communities, driven by state policy and their own initiative, have integrated land and water planning in different ways:

Evans, Colorado , used a new water efficiency plan to secure buy-in and resources to implement a fixture replacement program, landscape design regulations, and other measures.

, used a new water efficiency plan to secure buy-in and resources to implement a fixture replacement program, landscape design regulations, and other measures. Hillsborough County, Florida , which includes the Tampa metropolitan area, added a new One Water chapter to its comprehensive plan, leading to policies to encourage development near existing water supplies, deal with environmental damage, and invest in stormwater infrastructure.

, which includes the metropolitan area, added a new chapter to its comprehensive plan, leading to policies to encourage development near existing water supplies, deal with environmental damage, and invest in stormwater infrastructure. Philadelphia enacted a plan to use green infrastructure to filter stormwater, reduce pollution, and improve quality of life.

enacted a plan to use green infrastructure to filter stormwater, reduce pollution, and improve quality of life. Golden Valley, Minnesota , an inner-ring suburb of Minneapolis , is working with neighboring communities to protect water quality, mitigate stormwater runoff and flooding, promote conservation of drinking water, and renovate aging infrastructure.

The report offers four key recommendations for policy makers based on the experiences of these communities and others: collaborate locally, coordinate regional expertise and oversight, build capacity through funding and technical assistance, and use state mandates.

"Integrating Land Use and Water Management is relevant, informative, and necessary at this moment in time," said Chi Ho Sham, president of the American Water Works Association and vice president and chief scientist of Eastern Research Group. "In the age of specialization, we have created many silos. As problems with the urban water cycle become more complex and multidimensional, collaboration with other disciplinary experts is needed. This report provides a practical bridge to facilitate collaboration between land use planners and water management."

The report is available for download at no cost on the Lincoln Institute website: https://go.lincolninst.edu/l/153411/2022-01-14/ppsjk7.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, we integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide.

The Lincoln Institute's Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy seeks to advance the integration of land and water management to meet the current and future water needs of Colorado River Basin communities, economies, and the environment.

SOURCE Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
What's New for 2022?

Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 7; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 511

Companies: 48 - Players covered include ALB Materials Inc.; Ati Specialty Alloys & Components; Boston Centerless, Inc.; Confluent Medical Technologies; Dynalloy, Inc.; Euroflex GmbH; Fort Wayne Metals; Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.; General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals; Hangzhou Ualloy Material Co., Ltd.; Johnson Matthey PLC; M & T (Taiwan) Co., Ltd.; Metalwerks, Inc.; Microgroup; Nanoshel LLC; Nippon Seisen Co., Ltd.; Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation; Precision Castparts Corporation; SAES Getters S.p.A; Seabird Metal Material Co., Ltd.; Stanford Advanced Materials; Sunrise Titanium Technology Co., Ltd.; Ultimate R&D; Xi'an Saite Metal Materials Development Co., Ltd. (SAITE) and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Type (Nitinol, Copper-Based, Iron-Manganese Silicon, Other Types); End-Use (Biomedical, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Consumer Electronics & Home Appliances, Other End-Uses)

Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Shape Memory Alloys Market to Reach US$20 Billion by the Year 2026

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are materials with an interesting ability to get back to their original shape following deformation upon exposure to a specific temperature. The transition of these alloys from their high-temperature stronger form to low-temperature weaker form results in a phase change in their crystal structure. The inherent phase shift allows shape memory alloys to display compelling properties like super elasticity and shape memory effect. Growth in the global market is attributable to increasing application scope along with potential use of these alloys in diverse domains. Future expansion of the market is anticipated to be also bolstered by rising uptake of these alloys in various safety devices like fire sprinklers and anti-scalding. While the market expansion was restrained by COVID-19-led disruptions and impact on primary end-use industries, shape memory alloys are poised to gain from promising scope in the medical arena. The increasing focus on new material properties for industrial applications is set to expand the scope of shape memory alloys. Commercial application of these alloys is poised to increase consistently with ongoing advances and understanding into their properties. These alloys are slated to benefit from rising attention on shape memory materials that are key components of smart composites due to their intriguing characteristics like enhanced damping capacity, pseudoelasticity and shape memory effect.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Shape Memory Alloys estimated at US$12.5 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$20 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 11.5% over the analysis period. Nitinol, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 11.6% CAGR to reach US$15.8 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Copper-Based segment is readjusted to a revised 14.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 13.2% share of the global Shape Memory Alloys market. Nickel-titanium alloys, collectively termed as nitinol, have emerged as the most popular and useful shape memory alloys in the recent years. Nitinol is witnessing increasing acceptance in several applications in the field of robotics, military, safety and medical. In addition to medical applications, nitinol is experiencing broader adoption in robotics actuators as well as micromanipulators for stimulating motion of the human muscle.

Long Shape Memory Alloy Tendons Find Use in Robotic Systems with Grippers

SMAs are used as actuators in robotic applications. Soft robotic systems hold a number of intriguing merits over conventional options, like enhanced compliance along with safe and adaptive interaction with humans and the environment. These systems eliminate the requirement of expensive and sophisticated control systems. Motor-driven and pneumatic tendon systems offer a promising soft actuator option for several robotic applications, including soft grippers and soft wearable devices. While shape memory alloys hold superior power density as well as require electric input for their actuation, they lack desirable performance related to soft robotic systems in real-world applications. The quest has prompted researchers to overcome these issues by leveraging different approaches and options. Shape memory alloy wires feature a small linear stroke, which can be significantly improved by embedding these wires into a polymeric matrix.

The addition of anisotropic components to the matrix leads to coupled bending or twisting deformations using one actuator. In addition, these actuators can be effectively used for achieving swimming robots, crawling robots and blooming flowers. The availability of soft grippers with different thickness levels can lead to hinge-like movements. Latest approaches in this direction focus on long shape memory alloy wires as the free-sliding tendons that can allow accommodation of long wires. The strategy allows researchers to achieve significant improvements in performance without compromising over the matrix design. In addition, the approach allows packaging of shape memory alloy wires into a module by leveraging pulleys while ensuring a compact footprint for the soft actuation system. The soft gripper can grab objects of different weight and shapes in various orientations. The gripper also generates significant pulling forces. The model can be effectively adapted for medical tools and a novel range of robotic applications.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $4.3 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $3.5 Billion by 2026

The Shape Memory Alloys market in the U.S. is estimated at US$4.3 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 34.69% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$3.5 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 14.2% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 9.6% and 10.8% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 10.6% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$1.3 Billion by the end of the analysis period. North America dominates market share due to strong focus of players on capacity expansions and new product development. The regional market is bolstered by notable expansion of the aerospace industry along with high medical implant demand. The Asia-Pacific market is likely to emerge as a lucrative market in the coming years on account of the presence of a sizeable automotive industry along with other manufacturing industries that are slated to create strong demand for these alloys.

Iron-Manganese Silicon Segment to Reach $1.3 Billion by 2026

In the global Iron-Manganese Silicon segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 8.9% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$591.5 Million will reach a projected size of US$1.1 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$167.8 Million by the year 2026. More



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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
RESTON, Va., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Noblis, a leading provider of science, technology and strategy services to the federal government, today announced that Amr ElSawy will step out of his role as the company's president and chief executive officer (CEO) on Oct. 12, 2022, as part of the company's planned and disciplined succession process. The company also announced that Mile Corrigan, senior vice president of its Federal Civilian Solutions (FCS), has been named executive vice president and will become the president and CEO following ElSawy's departure.

"During Amr's tenure, Noblis has significantly grown and matured as a leading science and technology organization and built a strong foundation for driving mission impacts and sustainable growth," said Michael Chertoff, chairman, Noblis Board of Trustees. "On behalf of the Board, I want to thank him for his immeasurable contributions and strong leadership over the years."

"I also want to congratulate Mile on her new appointment," Chertoff continued. "Throughout her 21 years with Noblis, she has held various leadership roles and established a successful track record leading employees and launching strategies and technologies that solve critical client challenges while fostering growth."

"The company and leadership team have evolved significantly since I joined as the chief executive 15 years ago. We have been named one of the world's most ethical companies and a top workplace for multiple consecutive years, received numerous patents and have delivered innovative solutions to help enrich lives and protect our nation," said Amr ElSawy, Noblis president and CEO. "We're ready for the next phase of growth and I know that Mile will continue building on our successes."

"Amr has been an exemplary leader and I'm honored to be selected by the board as his successor and for the opportunity to build on his legacy," said Mile Corrigan, Noblis executive vice president. "I look forward to working together to ensure a seamless transition for our clients, employees and other stakeholders."

Prior to the October transition, Corrigan will partner with ElSawy to further prepare for her new role. Dr. Jordin Cohen will serve as acting vice president of the FCS mission area while maintaining his current role as the company's vice president of Homeland Security until the permanent FCS leader is named.

About Amr ElSawy

ElSawy has served as the president, chief executive and member of Noblis' Board of Trustees since 2007. Amr has led Noblis through significant capability and transformational growth through competition and merger and acquisition activities. He has extensive experience leading organizations and developing practical solutions for some of the most complex challenges facing public enterprises in the national security, intelligence, homeland security and civil sectors. He is a recognized expert in aviation and has broad experience in the field domestically and internationally. Under his leadership, Noblis received multiple recognitions as a top workplace and a leading ethical organizationand he has received multiple industry leadership awards. He earned his Corporate Director Certification from Harvard Business School and master's degrees in Business Administration and Electrical Engineering from Georgetown University and The George Washington University respectively. He also earned a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from West Virginia University. He currently serves on Boards for the Northern Virginia Technology Council and The George Washington University.

About Mile Corrigan

Corrigan was appointed Noblis executive vice president in February 2022. Prior to this role, she served as senior vice president of Noblis FCS and Noblis' corporate solutions delivery. She has a successful track record delivering innovative research, technology solutions and market strategies for complex federal programs in aviation, transportation, telecommunications, health and aerospace systems. She has received numerous professional awards in the government and technology sectors for leadership and technical innovation. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in Management Science and Information Technology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Corrigan is also a member of the Women in Aerospace Board.

ABOUT NOBLIS

Noblis is a dynamic science, technology and strategy organization dedicated to creating forward-thinking technical and advisory solutions in the public interest. We bring the best of scientific thought, management and engineering expertise together in an environment of independence and objectivity to deliver enduring impact on federal missions. Noblis works with a wide range of government clients in the defense, homeland security, intelligence, law enforcement and federal civil sectors. Together with our subsidiaries, we tackle the nation's toughest problems and apply advanced solutions to our clients' most critical missions.

SOURCE Noblis, Inc.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Old Forester Distilling Co. announces the release of the third installment of The 117 Series  1910 Extra Old.

The limited-edition expression is Old Forester's standard 1910 Old Fine Whisky that has been left to age 18 months in a secondary barrel  hence the name "extra old." The result is a bourbon with intense caramel notes.

Old Forester releases the third iteration of The 117 Series, Old Forester 1910 "Extra Old."

"This release in The 117 Series is a curious exploration into the intensity of the proprietary heavily charred 1910 barrel," Master Taster Jackie Zykan said. "This liquid was allowed to rest for 18 months in this secondary barrel, extracting significantly more of the heavily charred influence."

1910 is a beloved Old Forester expression that commemorates an important moment in Old Forester history.

On October 22, 1910, a fire on the bottling line halted the production of Old Forester. Mature whisky ready to be bottled was instead stored in a second barrel. What emerged was a delightful whisky, remarkable enough to become an entirely new expression  Old Fine Whisky.

The 117 Series is a limited-expression lineup that debuted in Spring 2021.

Old Forester 1910 Extra Old is bottled at 93 proof and will be available starting February 23rd at the retail shop at Old Forester Distilling Co. and in select states for direct-to-consumer sales for $49.99 in limited quantities -- and at select Kentucky stores. Visit OldForester.com for more information.

Notes:

Aroma: On the nose, this expression showcases notes of dark brown sugar, sugared pecan and rich chocolate.

Taste: The palate brings with it a medium-bodied expression with a depth of warmth that swiftly transitions from sweet notes of intense caramel to the spice of dried tobacco.

Finish: A balanced ending that is gently rounded out with notes of green apple and raw walnut.

About Brown-Forman:

For 151 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's & Cola, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach, Slane, and Fords Gin. Brown-Forman's brands are supported by over 4,800 employees and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit https://www.brown-forman.com/.

About Old Forester Bourbon:

Old Forester is Brown-Forman's founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. Brown believed Old Forester was so pure and consistent that he sealed it, signed it, and pledged, "There is nothing better in the market."

Please sip responsibly.

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, 52% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. 2022 Brown-Forman. All rights reserved. Please do not share or forward this content with anyone under the legal drinking age.

Press images of 1910 Extra Old can be found here .

Contact:

Chris Poynter

[email protected]

SOURCE Old Forester
FARMINGTON, Conn., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) Chair & CEO Judy Marks and CFO Rahul Ghai are meeting with investors at the Barclays 39th Annual Industrial Select Conference. A corresponding presentation addressing recent investor questions can be found at www.otisinvestors.com.

About Otis

Otis is the world's leading elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company. We move 2 billion people a day and maintain more than 2.1 million customer units worldwide, the industry's largest Service portfolio. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 70,000 people strong, include 41,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn , Instagram , Facebook and Twitter @OtisElevatorCo.

Media Contact: Ray Hernandez

+1-860-674-3029

[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:

Michael Rednor

+1-860-676-6011

[email protected]

SOURCE Otis Worldwide Corporation
DALLAS, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Research firm Parks Associates will host the workshop "Residential Energy Management: Consumer Engagement Strategies" on Monday, February 28, at the Omni Frisco Hotel in Texas, the first day of the 13th annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer. The preshow workshop will feature presentations and analysis of the firm's research, including key energy-focused findings from a 4Q 2021 survey of 10,000 US internet households, which finds 19% of US internet households now use a time-of-use (TOU) rate plan from their utility or energy provider.

Parks Associates: Energy Programs Used Currently Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit, sponsored by Schneider Electric, SmartThings, Rapid Response Monitoring, Zen Ecosystems, and Particle.io, features keynotes from AutoGrid, Constellation Energy, Emerson, Google, and TXU Energy.

"More consumers are seeing the benefits in smart technologies, including the cost and energy savings from smart energy solutions," said Jennifer Kent, Vice President, Research, Parks Associates. "Among smart thermostat owners, nearly 50% report saving more money than expected from their device. At our workshop, we will dig deeper into our consumer research to explore successful strategies and new means to engage consumers in energy management, utility programs, and distributed energy resources, both in single-family homes and MDUs."

Workshop Sessions:

Consumer Adoption Trends

Driving Awareness and Adoption of Energy Management

The Modern Grid: New Approaches to Load Shaping

Consumer Energy Services: Expanding Partnerships and Integrating Platforms

Focusing on the Edge of the Smart Grid

Consumers: Data, AI, and Personalization

Workshop speakers:

Smart Energy Summit will also host virtual sessions throughout the year on April 7, June 30, August 4, and November 17. Sessions address the changing dynamics in the consumer energy markets and extend the learning and networking experiences throughout the learning.

To register, visit the event website. Apply for a Press Pass. To schedule an interview or to request data, contact Rosey Sera, [email protected], 972-490-1113.

About Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer addresses the evolution of the consumer utility market, the impact of COVID-19 on energy management programs, and new opportunities to drive engagement in utility-sponsored programs. Virtual panels and networking sessions, featuring executive-level experts from multiple industries, address discuss strategies for utilities, service providers, retailers, software providers, and manufacturers to expand and monetize energy management and other energy-focused offerings through consumer engagement, new business models, unique partnerships, and innovative technologies.

Smart Energy Summit features an in-person conference February 28March 2 at the Omni Hotel in Frisco, TX, with virtual sessions on April 7, June 30, August 4, and November 17. The summit agenda features leaders from utilities, state and national regulators, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs. Follow the event on Twitter at @SmartEnergySmt and #SmartEnergy22. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.smartenergysmt.com.

Contact:

Rosey Sera

Parks Associates

972.996.0202

[email protected]

SOURCE Parks Associates
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pet insurance market size is anticipated to reach USD 32.7 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a lucrative CAGR of 16.7% from 2022 to 2030. The key factors driving the market growth include the rising number of pets across the globe, high veterinary care costs, and the need to reduce financial risk. As per the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, about 59% of households had pets in the U.K. in 2021. Dogs were the most popular at about 33%, followed by cats at 27%. Other pets include rabbits, indoor birds, guinea pigs, tortoises and turtles, horses, and others.

Key Insights & Findings from the report:

The market was valued at USD 8.3 billion in 2021 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 16.7% during the forecast period.

in 2021 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 16.7% during the forecast period. The dogs insurance segment held the highest share of the market in 2021. The high popularity of dogs as pets and increase in the number of dog pet owners across the globe are the key drivers for this segment.

The direct sales segment dominated the market in 2021 while the others segment is estimated to grow the fastest over the forecast period.

Market players are utilizing various sales channels to distribute their insurance products and increase their market share. Bancassurance, for instance, held a notable share of the market in 2021. This is due to growing collaborations between pet insurance companies and banks. For instance, in April 2018 , CIMB Bank in Singapore was the first to launch pet insurance for a wide variety of pets.

, CIMB Bank in was the first to launch pet insurance for a wide variety of pets. Based on coverage type, the accident and illness coverage segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021. The key drivers of the segment include high veterinary treatment and diagnostic cost, the rise of the companion animal population, and an increase in the awareness of pet insurance.

The accident only segment held a substantial share of the market in 2021. The key drivers of the segment include increasing health issues in animals and high treatment cost.

In 2021, Europe held the dominant share of the market. European countries were found to have a higher rate of pet insurance penetration along with the presence of key market players.

held the dominant share of the market. European countries were found to have a higher rate of pet insurance penetration along with the presence of key market players. North America held the second-largest revenue share as of 2021. The key drivers of the market are a rise in the companion animal population and an increase in awareness related to pet insurance.

Read 150-page market research report, "Pet Insurance Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Coverage Type (Accident & Illness, Accident Only), By Animal Type (Dogs, Cats), By Sales Channel (Agency, Broker, Direct, Bancassurance), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

Pet Insurance Market Growth & Trends

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all industries, including the market. The surge in pet ownership during the pandemic, expenditure on pets, and increasing pet humanization further supported the adoption of pet insurance policies during 2020 and 2021. Concerns over rising veterinary care costs and fear of transmission of COVID-19 from pets to pet owners also increased the demand for reducing financial risks with a suitable pet insurance policy. Although OIE has confirmed that no animals can spread this virus. However, in the initial months of the pandemic, there was speculation that it may spread through birds. Overall, the pandemic positively impacted the market with increased awareness and adoption of insurance policies by pet parents.

Rapidly growing consumer awareness, underpenetrated market, and product acceptance have benefited the market. According to Petplan, in the U.S., the average cost of an unexpected visit to the veterinarian was around USD 800-1,500 in 2018. This burden could be eased with an insurance plan in place. Moreover, untapped opportunities in developed and developing economies are anticipated to provide lucrative growth to this market in the coming years. Furthermore, advancements in pet insurance, such as vet direct pay by Trupanion, are revolutionizing medical insurance for cats and dogs by eliminating the reimbursement model. Similarly, pet insurance in Europe is growing rapidly due to strict pet insurance regulations in countries such as Sweden.

In addition, strategic initiatives by market players are further expected to boost the market growth. For instance, in April 2020, Zoetis entered the pet insurance space by launching Pumpkin Insurance Services Inc.- a pet insurance agency across the U.S. The company offers competitive pet health insurance plans and preventive care plans to pet parents. In December 2019, MetLife, Inc. on the other hand, acquired PetFirst Healthcare, LLC - a companion animal health insurance administrator. This acquisition leveraged the company's position as a leader in group benefits distribution channels in the U.S. by enabling MetLife to expand its offerings. Such initiatives are estimated to boost the market growth in the coming years. Insurance providers are also focused on increasing penetration by targeting the customer base of the sales channels. For instance, in February 2018, Healthy Paws collaborated with Roover.com to increase its market penetration.

Pet Insurance Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global pet insurance market on the basis of coverage type, animal type, sales channel, and region:

Pet Insurance Coverage Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Accident & Illness

Accident only

Others

Pet Insurance Animal Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Dogs

Cats

Others

Pet Insurance Sales Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Agency

Broker

Direct

Bancassurance

Others

Pet Insurance Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



U.K.



France



Italy



Spain



Netherlands



Sweden



Norway

Asia Pacific

China



India



Japan



Australia



South Korea

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Argentina

MEA

South Africa



Saudi Arabia



Israel

List of Key Players of Pet Insurance Market

Trupanion, Inc.

Deutsche Familienversicherung AG (DFV)

Petplan (Allianz)

Animal Friends Insurance Services Limited

Figo Pet Insurance, LLC

Direct Line

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

Embrace Pet Insurance Agency, LLC

Anicom Insurance

ipet Insurance Co., Ltd.

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Insurance Analytics Market - The global insurance analytics market size is expected to reach USD 18.3 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 11.7% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising use of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) by insurance organizations to automate decision-making process and customer targeting is anticipated to propel the market growth. Furthermore, increasing usage of smartphones and growing demand for digitalization across organizations to streamline their operations is expected to propel the demand for insurance analytics in the market.

- The global insurance analytics market size is expected to reach by 2027, registering a CAGR of 11.7% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising use of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) by insurance organizations to automate decision-making process and customer targeting is anticipated to propel the market growth. Furthermore, increasing usage of smartphones and growing demand for digitalization across organizations to streamline their operations is expected to propel the demand for insurance analytics in the market. Healthcare Insurance Market - The global healthcare insurance market size is expected to reach USD 4.0 Trillion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 6.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing cost of healthcare, increasing prevalence of various chronic diseases as well as the rise in government initiatives for health cover schemes to improve healthcare are boosting the market growth.

- The global healthcare insurance market size is expected to reach by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 6.7%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing cost of healthcare, increasing prevalence of various chronic diseases as well as the rise in government initiatives for health cover schemes to improve healthcare are boosting the market growth. Logistics Insurance Market - The global logistics insurance market is anticipated to reach USD 61.55 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing foreign direct investment, establishment of free trade zones, and increasing globalization has resulted in the rapid growth of the transportation industry in the emerging countries. The logistics hubs and trade routes are gradually shifting toward the emerging market. Privatization of the transportation industry has further spurred the industry growth in China , Turkey , and India .

Browse through Grand View Research's Animal Health Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

Grand View Compass | Grand View Pipeline

Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Picnic , the industry's first social engineering prevention and detection platform, announced today $14 million in Series A funding, led by Crosslink Capital, Rally Ventures, and with continued participation from Energy Impact Partners.

As the root cause of almost every major cyber-attack, social engineering involves attackers harvesting exposed public information to effectively research and attack people, companies, and supply chains. Today's hackers are sidestepping traditional cybersecurity defenses and relying on employees' access to systems to enter and exfiltrate data.

"2021 saw some of the largest ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure and the private sector. If as an industry we want to stop ransomware and other major attack vectors before they even start, we need to start thinking differently about how to solve the problem," said Matt Polak, Founder at Picnic. "At Picnic, we recognized early that this is a human problem, not a technical problem. Through the company's platform, organizations can harden the human data layer  thus preventing attackers from gaining employee access."

Picnic is a cybersecurity firm specializing in comprehensive social engineering protection for businesses and their people.

Predict: Enables organizations to see what attackers see and predict who may be targeted. The platform emulates attacker reconnaissance at scale with 1000+ data sources across social media, data brokers, breach repositories, the deep and dark web.

Enables organizations to see what attackers see and predict who may be targeted. The platform emulates attacker reconnaissance at scale with 1000+ data sources across social media, data brokers, breach repositories, the deep and dark web. Prevent: Neutralizes and eliminates data beyond the firewall that could fuel attacks. Picnic's intelligence enriches existing security investments by making them more predictive while removing exposed information about VIPs, companies, and employees.

Neutralizes and eliminates data beyond the firewall that could fuel attacks. Picnic's intelligence enriches existing security investments by making them more predictive while removing exposed information about VIPs, companies, and employees. Protect: Continuously monitor publicly available data and the latest attack vectors. Through the ability to measure and manage employees' digital footprints, organizations can stay on top of countermeasures against the most recent social engineering attacks.

"Companies continue to make investments in cybersecurity awareness training and phishing simulations to educate employees against clicking on malicious links. Unfortunately, these efforts inevitably fall short. With Picnic, organizations and their people can take control of their privacy in a way that they couldn't before," states Charles Beeler, Managing Director and co-founder of Rally Ventures. "Picnic's dedication to security through privacy, the unparalleled bird's eye view of information and automated actions that the platform provides its users, and the power and protection they give to employees and their families are all things we are proud to be a part of."

"Digital consumers are unaware of how information about them is being saved, aggregated, and circulated today. The boundary between an individual's work and personal life has blurred. This has created a unique and complex cybersecurity challenge for the enterprise: how to protect employees in an environment where their data is being used against them by social engineers," said Jim Routh, former Fortune 100 CISO and current Board Member of Supply Wisdom, GrammaTech, Unbiased Security, and the Global Resiliency Federation. "The primary challenge with this dilemma is that it continues to grow larger due to the success of cybercriminals. Picnic has created an employee-forward cybersecurity platform that empowers businesses and security specialists to know and manage digital footprints beyond the conventional perimeter while offering a benefit to the employee."

To schedule a demo of the platform, please visit https://getpicnic.com/schedule-a-demo/ .

About Picnic

Picnic Corporation is a cyber security firm, backed by leading institutional investors and a top-flight group of advisors and experts, that predicts and prevents social engineering attacks. Picnic's founders combined their extensive backgrounds in human intelligence, security, and mathematics with a consummate team of engineers to create a leading-edge product set that finally vests people with the power to take control of their data and to stay protected in cyberspace from social engineers. For more information, contact Picnic at [email protected] , visit us at https://getpicnic.com , and follow us on social media: Picnic (@getpicnic) / Twitter and Picnic Corporation | LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Sara Trammell

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

Picnic Corporation

Copyright  2022 Picnic Corporation

SOURCE Picnic
DENVER, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pipeline, an award-winning startup focused on using artificial intelligence (AI) to increase financial performance of companies by closing the intersectional gender equity gap (gender PLUS race/ethnicity PLUS age), announced today that it has received a strategic investment from Workday Ventures and joined the Workday Software Partner program .

By integrating with Workday Human Capital Management , Pipeline will expand its ability to help organizations address inequity in the employee lifecycle and accelerate their timeline to gender parity. This partnership will provide HR teams with invaluable insights and recommendations, and the ability to take immediate action.

"It's critical that organizations have the tools they need to help identify and address equity gaps in their workforce," said Mark Peek, managing director and head of Workday Ventures. "Pipeline's technology can help companies improve gender equity, while also leveraging the data and insights needed to proactively take action to mitigate bias."

Pipeline's cloud-based AI platform helps companies assess, address and take action against intersectional gender biases. By analyzing hiring, pay, performance, potential, and promotion data, Pipeline helps organizations quickly identify internal areas of inequity to promote decision making aimed at making intersectional gender equity (120 intersectional cohorts) attainable and provides actionable recommendations focused on improving financial performance for the organization, as well as growth for the individual.

"The pandemic widened the intersectional gender equity gap across the world," said Katica Roy, founder and CEO of Pipeline. "Our partnership with Workday, a world-class enterprise software company and leader in human resources and financial management, allows us to help organizations accelerate equity and close the gender equity gap in this lifetime."

Pipeline's research found that for every 10% increase in intersectional gender equity, organizations realize a 1-2% percent increase in revenue, thus creating a significant opportunity in the marketplace.

About Pipeline

Pipeline is an award-winning technology company that increases the financial performance of companies by closing the intersectional gender equity gap. Pipeline's proprietary SaaS platform uses artificial intelligence to assess, address and take action against intersectional gender inequity costing the U.S.$3.4 trillion in lost economic opportunity. A component of the platform, the Pipeline Forecast, provides a clear timeline for return on investment. This issue is not only about good sense, it's also about dollars. Big dollars that turn heads to drive progress toward a more equitable world. For more information, visit PipelineEquity.com .

About Workday Ventures

Workday Ventures is the strategic investment arm of Workday, Inc., focused on accelerating the growth of emerging enterprise software companies that enhance the Workday customer experience and are complementary to Workday products and services. The $250 million fund was launched in February 2018 with investments in areas including employee engagement and talent acquisition, integration and robotic process automation, strategic sourcing and spend analytics, and financial management.

SOURCE Pipeline
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - PressReader is excited to announce the latest addition to its global all-you-can-read newspaper and magazine platform. As part of its mission to bring trusted, world-class publications to readers around the world, the company has partnered with The Economist, one of the most well-read global affairs magazines, and a widely recognized provider of critical analysis.

Since October 15, 2021, The Economist became available to readers using PressReader through the company's global hospitality, travel, healthcare and public library partners. The seven regional editions of the weekly magazine are accessible on the web at PressReader.com and on the platform's award-winning app, which leverages the company's technology to offer an improved reading experience. In addition, Readers are able to search by topic, save issues for later, and choose between original print layouts or optimized text views. The Economist will also be available to read with PressReader Accessibility, a WGAC-approved product that offers assistive technology including audio features, tab navigation, color contract, user font size control and screen reader compatibility.

"Our partnership with The Economist comes in direct response to feedback from our readers. With another world-class publication to our catalog, we continue to provide our readers with premium content, and elevate the experiences our global brand partners can offer their patrons. We're excited to continue working with The Economist to uncover more opportunities within our partnership," notes Alex Kroogman, CEO of PressReader Group of companies.

"We're delighted to partner with PressReader to bring Economist content  trustworthy, fair-minded, fact-checked journalism that readers can rely on in a polarizing world  to new and diverse audiences on the PressReader platform," said Bob Cohn, President of The Economist.

As part of its sponsored access model, PressReader has partnerships with a large network of travel and hospitality brands and public libraries. The organizations pay for access to the platform and, in turn, offer it for free to their patrons  extending the reach of quality, trusted journalism. As an added bonus, using PressReader helps brand partners save costs with a consolidated subscription model, and reduces their carbon footprint as they no longer require print copies to be shipped to multiple locations.

Now, through this model, hundreds of millions of library members, hotel guests, airline passengers, and other individuals will be able to read the leading political and economic analysis found every week in The Economist.

The Economist joins PressReader's prestigious collection of the world's best newspapers and magazines, which includes The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Newsweek, The Guardian, Forbes, Le Figaro and El Pais. Moving forward, PressReader plans to expand its catalog of premium content while it continues to meet the need of readers, support publishers' monetization strategies and carry out the company's social commitment to expand access to quality information for global citizens.

About PressReader:

PressReader empowers readers to access content that informs, entertains and inspires. PressReader is the largest all-you-can-read platform of newspapers and magazines where people can discover relevant and trusted content from anywhere in the world. Find publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Newsweek, Forbes, Le Figaro and Vanity Fair, to name just a few.

Using their phone, tablet, or computer, readers can browse, read and download entire issues for offline use on the PressReader app. They can subscribe for unlimited access or get the full experience sponsored by one of its brand partners - businesses that leverage the premium content platform to enhance their customers' experience  household names like Marriott, Fairmont Hotels, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Air Canada, Princeton University, the New York Public Library, and Seabourn Cruise Lines.

About PressReader Group of companies:

PressReader Limited ("the Company") is a group of technology companies on a mission to transform the way people read and learn in the digital age. The Company is building a data-driven and experience-centric one-stop platform to empower content creators, readers and business partners in every step of content creation, distribution, information consumption and brand engagement.

The Company works with the publishers of over 14,000 newspapers, magazines, and educational publications and collaborates with global business partners from 150 countries to connect people from every corner of the world with quality content. The Company's online reading platform, PressReader, is the world's largest digital newsstand. The all-you-can-read platform offers more than 7,000 newspapers and magazines in 64 languages from over 125 countries.

Founded in 1999 in Vancouver (Canada), the Company has since grown to over 500 employees worldwide with international offices in Dublin (Ireland), Manila (Philippines) and Phoenix (USA).

About The Economist:

With a growing global audience and a reputation for insightful analysis and perspective on every aspect of world events, The Economist is one of the most widely recognised and well-read current affairs brands in the world. In addition to its flagship Economist.com and weekly print and digital editions, The Economist publishes Espresso, a daily news app and Global Business Review, a bilingual English-Chinese product. Economist Radio produces The Intelligence, the award-winning daily podcast and several weekly podcasts. Economist Films produces short- and long-form video. The Economist maintains robust social communities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Medium and other social networks. A recipient of many editorial and marketing awards, The Economist was named the most trusted news source by the 2017 Trusting News Project Report.

SOURCE PressReader Inc.
DUBLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Priothera, a late-clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of its S1P receptor modulator drug, mocravimod, today announces that it has entered a Loan Agreement of 17.5 million with the European Investment Bank (EIB). This loan will further support a European, US and Asian registration-enabling clinical trial with mocravimod in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

The loan facility of 17.5 million is divided into two tranches, the first of which is 10 million and unconditional. Priothera will request payment of the first tranche in 2022 to expand the clinical development of mocravimod and prepare for its commercial drug supply. The second tranche of 7.5 million is available upon achievement of specific manufacturing, clinical and regulatory milestones and will be used to finance clinical validation in CAR-T cancer indications.

Florent Gros, Co-Founder and CEO of Priothera, comments: "We are very grateful for EIB's support, a major and high quality European financial institution, as the Company is at an inflection point of its clinical development and potential commercialization path. This financing allows Priothera to extend its financial visibility to 2024, allowing us to complete a global registration-enabling clinical trial, as well as exploring other blood cancer indications for mocravimod. This new funding tool will help reinforce Priothera's global lead in developing S1P receptor modulators in oncology."

Christian Kettel Thomsen, Vice-President of the EIB, said: "The European Investment Bank Group supports development of innovative and pioneering treatments and medicine by leading biotech and medtech companies in Ireland and across Europe. Priothera's new drugs offer an opportunity to revolutionise treatment of leukaemia and other cancers and the EIB is pleased to agree to 17.5 million of new financing to accelerate the clinical development and commercialization of mocravimod."

About mocravimod

Mocravimod (also known as KRP203), a propane-1,3-diol derivative, is a novel, synthetic, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) agonist with long duration in the body. Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials successfully assessed mocravimod for safety and tolerability in several autoimmune indications. Promising data from a Ph1b/Ph2a clinical study with patients with haematological malignancies led Priothera to further develop mocravimod for the treatment of blood cancers.

Mocravimod will be investigated in a Phase 2b/3 study as a potential treatment for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) receiving HSCT. Allogenic HSCT is the only potentially curative approach for AML patients but remains having unacceptably high mortality and morbidity rates with current treatments.

Priothera leverages S1PRs unique mode of action to maintain anti-leukaemia activity while reducing tissue damage resulting from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a consequence of HSCT. This novel treatment approach - the only S1PR modulator treating blood cancers - tackles a high unmet medical need that intends to add quality life to patients.

About Priothera

Priothera is leading the way in developing orally applied sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators for haematological malignancies. S1P receptor modulators are known to largely reduce egress of T cells from lymphatic tissues and not being immunosuppressants, thereby allowing for inhibition of graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD) while enhancing graft-versus-leukaemia benefits in patients receiving HSCT.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Priothera was founded in 2020 by an experienced team of drug development experts Drs. Florent Gros, Stephan Oehen, Dhaval Patel, Christoph Bucher, Simone Seiter, Philippe Lievre and Brice Suire.

Founding investors are Fountain Healthcare Partners (Dublin, Ireland), funds managed by Tekla Capital Management, LLC (Boston, Massachusetts), HealthCap (Stockholm, Sweden) and EarlyBird Venture Capital (Berlin, Germany).

For more information please visit: www.priothera.com

About the European Investment Bank (EIB)

The EIB is the European Union (EU) long-term financing institution and its shareholders are the 27 EU Member States. Its mission is to contribute to the integration, balanced development and economic and social cohesion of EU Member States. It borrows large volumes of funds from the capital markets and lends them with very favourable terms to support projects which contribute to the achievement of EU objectives. The EIB is working to put the EU at the forefront of the next wave of innovation, especially in the health sector. In response to the Covid-19 health crisis, the EIB has released  6 billion for investments in the health sector to support medical infrastructure, additional research activities or other financing related to vaccines and treatments. As a European bank supporting the climate, the EIB is one of the main fund providers in the green transition towards a more low-carbon and sustainable growth model.

Contacts

Priothera Florent Gros, CEO E : [email protected] MEDiSTRAVA Consulting Sylvie Berrebi, David Dible, Sandi Greenwood, Frazer Hall E: [email protected] T: +44 (0)7714 306525

SOURCE Priothera
"When Bill Cellar first became a builder, he did so with a personal pledge to make a difference in the industry," said President and COO Sean Junker. "He created Providence Homes with a commitment to building beautifully designed homes at affordable prices, and to building every home with the same attention to detail and reliability he would with his own home."

That commitment paid off with numerous industry recognitions regionally, state-wide and nationally, including:

12-time Energy Star Market Leader Award winner (2010 - 2021)

5-time Energy Star Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award (2017 - 2021)

RESNET Energy Smart Homebuilder since 2010

2021 National Association of Home Builders  Best in American Living Award

2021 Florida Home Builder Association - Pinnacle Builder Award

2019 Southeast Building Conference Aurora Award for Design & Energy Efficiency

2014 St. Johns County Builder Association - Builder of the Year

2013 & 2014 St. Johns County Builder Association Showcase Home

More than 150 Parade of Homes Design/Excellence Awards Northeast Florida Builders Association

Built six homes for Hope International "Homes for Hope"

Built seven homes for Habitat for Humanity

Built 2006 & 2017 Homes from the Heart - Northeast Florida Builders Association Builders Care

"To be where we are after 30 years is a testament to the dedication of the team here that never lost sight of the importance of building quality homes," said Junker. "It's an honor that so many families have trusted us to build their homes and be a part of their lives."

In celebration of 30 years, Providence Homes is building homes for 131 families in El Salvador in partnership with New Story Charity and as part of the Homes for Hope project they are donating more than $150k to Hope International for micro-loans in developing nations.

"On behalf of our entire team," Junker said, "we would like to say thank you to all of our employees, trade partners, customers and Realtors for all they have done in helping us achieve this amazing milestone. We look forward to many more years of working together and remain committed to the community we love and call home."

About Providence Homes | providencehomesinc.com

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Providence Homes is committed to providing the highest standards of residential construction in northeast Florida. As one of Jacksonville's only 100-percent ENERGY STAR Certified home builders, Providence Homes pledges to make a difference in the industry by building every home with the same detail and commitment to excellence as they would with their own. Since becoming an ENERGY STAR partner, Providence Homes has built more than 1,800 ENERGY STAR homes helping Jacksonville families save more than $7 million in energy bills.

SOURCE Providence Homes, Inc.
FRISCO, Texas, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Redwood Software and Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. (ASCI)  leaders in business and IT process automation  today announced their merger and the addition of several new senior executives to its leadership team. The combination solidifies Redwood Software's position as the leader in business and IT process automation, now with the richest suite of automation capabilities, global reach and a world-class 24/7 dedicated customer success network.

Turn/River began consolidating these teams in 2019 when it acquired Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. It added JSCAPE, a leading managed file transfer (MFT) platform, in 2020. Redwood is the latest acquisition, joining the platform in 2021. The combined companies will move forward as Redwood Software. ASCI's ActiveBatch and JSCAPE products will continue as distinct brands of Redwood Software, together with Redwood Software's leading cloud-based platform, RunMyJobs, the only workload automation solution specifically designed for the cloud.

"We see a huge untapped opportunity in the automation market that Redwood Software serves," said Matt Amico, a Turn/River principal and member of the Redwood Board of Directors. "By joining forces, we will redefine what's possible for enterprise customers looking to transform their mission critical operations with an intelligent, extensible and reliable suite of automation solutions that serve the entire enterprise  automating processes from IT to finance to HR."

Additionally, the company announced significant expansions to its executive ranks. Kevin Greene, the former software chief at Logi Analytics, has joined as Redwood Software's new CEO. Joining Greene are Ashish Joshi, serving as Redwood's COO and CFO, Abhijit Kakhandiki as its Chief Product Officer, and Patty Donnelly as its Chief People Officer.

"We're thrilled to be joining this one Redwood team," said Redwood CEO Kevin Greene. "We've seen few companies facing such a large opportunity to impact so many mission-critical enterprise operations. By joining forces, our global reach will now empower us to redefine what's possible, bringing together the industry's top business process and automation engineering minds with unparalleled customer success."

Greene joined Redwood last month and is leading this next phase of growth for the company. He has more than 25 years of experience as an operator, investor and banker working with breakthrough enterprise software companies, including most recently as CEO of Logi Analytics. Prior to that, he spent 16 years in various venture capital, operating and investment banking roles at Valhalla Partners, Flagship Ventures, IBM and Goldman Sachs.

Joshi joins Redwood after serving as CFO for Optiva, a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He has more than 20 years of experience as a finance and operations leader at Dell Technologies, GE Capital, Colfax Corporation and Go2Activity.

Kakhandiki joins Redwood and brings more than 30 years of deep product knowledge in the automation space. Most notably, he led product development as EVP of Product and Engineering at Automation Anywhere.

Donnelly brings more than 30 years of HR and talent management experience working with organizations ranging from high-growth entrepreneurial environments to large global companies. She's held leadership positions at Logi Analytics, Inovalon, Ciena, USi/ATT, Betrusted and PwC.

To learn more about Redwood Software and their products, visit: https://www.redwood.com/

About Redwood

Redwood Software delivers IT, finance and business process automation to help modern enterprises excel in the digital age. Redwood orchestrates and automates business processes across complex hybrid IT environments so enterprise organizations can focus on business agility, cost efficiency, and customer experiences. Our automation solutions help thousands of organizations across 150 countries execute with speed and precision. Learn more at www.redwood.com.

About Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc.

Advanced Systems Concepts, Inc. (ASCI) is the creator of ActiveBatch software, which helps organizations automate and manage their business and IT processes in a single platform. ASCI enables companies to reduce costs, both by eliminating human error and by allowing them to redeploy resources into more high-value tasks. Learn more at www.advsyscon.com.

About Turn/River Capital

Turn/River specializes in growth capital investments, founder liquidity, buyouts, spin-outs, and recapitalizations of technology, web, and SaaS companies. Its strategy is to combine rigorous, iterative marketing, sales, and operational execution with flexible capital to help companies double and triple their growth and build value for everyone. Turn/River Capital is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.turnriver.com.

Contact info: Katti Wolfe, [email protected]

Phrase Bank Appendix

This news follows the acquisitions by Turn/River Capital, a leading technology-focused growth equity firm, of ASCI in 2019, JSCAPE in 2020 and Redwood Software in 2021.

SOURCE Redwood Software
PHOENIX and WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University announced today the appointment of one of the country's leading antitrust lawyers to expand the school's work in this important area of law.

David Gelfand joins ASU Law as professor of practice and the Sims Chair in Competition Law and Regulation. Joe Sims, an ASU Law alumnus and nationally renowned antitrust lawyer, recently established the chair.

Gelfand has over 30 years of experience, both in private practice and as a government lawyer. He was a senior antitrust partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, one of the country's premier law firms, and served as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Litigation in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2013 to 2016.

"ASU Law constantly seeks to create new centers and programs that will give our students the best possible legal education along with the practical experience they will need for their future careers," said ASU Law Co-Interim Dean Adam Chodorow. "Hiring faculty who are at the top of their fields, backed by the support of amazing alumni like Joe Sims, is critical to accomplishing this. That is why we are thrilled to bring Dave Gelfand onboard and can't wait to see the difference he will make in our antitrust offerings and the broader legal community."

The professional experience, knowledge and passion for antitrust Gelfand brings to ASU Law will increase thoughtful debate and engage students in how to think critically about pressing issues that affect consumers, businesses and the economy.

"I am thrilled to be taking on my new responsibilities with ASU Law at a time when there is so much interest in antitrust, and I am especially honored to be entrusted with the job of carrying out Joe's vision for this program," Gelfand said. "Antitrust is going through a period of reexamination and debate, and the resulting policies will have an enormous impact on innovation, technology and U.S. industry. I look forward to teaching the next generation of antitrust leaders at ASU Law, as well as developing public-facing programs that contribute to this debate."

There is growing interest by legislators and the public in antitrust, driven both by the perception that tech companies have become too dominant and that industries generally have become too concentrated and powerful. Gelfand hopes to create opportunities for the antitrust bar to learn about and debate legislative and regulatory proposals that will also provide students educational opportunities in an area that is in high demand from potential government and private employers.

"Dave has been one of the most respected antitrust lawyers in the United States for many years," said Joe Sims. "It is gratifying that someone of his caliber would be the first person to hold the Sims Chair. I look forward to doing whatever I can to help him build a program that will be an important voice for competition law and regulation that is practical and effective."

Sims, regarded as an antitrust pioneer, spent 45 years at the forefront of his practice as a partner at Jones Day in Washington, D.C. Before joining Jones Day in 1978, he held a variety of positions in the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, including Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Policy Planning and Legislation and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Regulated Industries and Foreign Commerce.

"Our mission is to build and operate an organization that studies antitrust developments; organizes events to further discussion and debate in the field; motivates and trains law students to become antitrust lawyers; facilitates engagement with leading practitioners, enforcers and policymakers; and leads to thoughtful, common-sense antitrust enforcement that promotes competition and improves the world," Gelfand said.

About ASU Law

The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University is one of the nation's preeminent law schools, focused on offering students a personalized legal education. Ranked No. 1 in Arizona since 2010 and No. 25 nationally by U.S. News & World Report , ASU Law offers students the opportunity to tailor their education, to match externships to their interests and career services resources to help land their ideal jobs. Additionally, ASU Law's LEED Gold certified building in downtown Phoenix is steps away from the legal, political and economic heart of Arizona. For more information, visit law.asu.edu .

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Julie Tenney, Communications Director

Email: [email protected]

Meenah Rincon, Communications Manager

Phone: (480) 727-3116

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Sandra Day OConnor College of Law at Arizona State University
Scalapay is an innovative payment solution for e-commerce merchants across the globe that allows customers to buy now and pay later, without interest. Their BNPL offerings include three options for customers (Pay in 3, Pay in 4, and Pay Later) in which customers are not required to make any payments upfront, and can instead opt to pay in 3 installments, 4 installments, or entirely after 14 days. They are making the purchasing experience more delightful and easy for customers by lightening the financial impact.

Driven by its mission of empowering merchants to offer their customers amazing experiences, Scalapay has also launched a platform called Magic. The platform is designed to revolutionize the checkout experience for customers and solve the most painful areas for merchants wishing to provide a world-class e-commerce solution.

Scalapay was founded by Simone Mancini and Johnny Mitrevski in 2019. The founding team also comprises Raffaele Terrone, Daniele Tessari and Mirco Mattevi. The company has raised over $700M in funding to date. Since its recent Series A round, Scalapay has grown its payment volume three times month over month.

"With interest-free installments, we transformed one of the most frustrating parts of the shopping experience, the payment, into something pleasurable," says Simone Mancini, Co-Founder, and CEO of Scalapay. "Now with Magic, we are going one step further and helping European merchants transform their entire checkout experience, leverage a large network of shoppers, and offer repeat-like purchase experiences which drive significant increases in conversion."

"There is an incredible opportunity for Magic to redefine European eCommerce, which has a lesser reputation compared to its US peers. With Magic, we have removed all the common friction points at checkout and addressed key reasons for cart abandonment such as signup or login, shipping, payment selection, and privacy consents. We have done this whilst respecting Europe's strict PSD2 and GDPR rules," says Johnny Mitrevski, Co-Founder, and CTO of Scalapay.

Scalapay continues to build a world-class team and aims to double its number of employees by the end of the year. They are also planning on expanding their executive team and company board. Some of their recently added board members are Amit Jhawar, former CEO of Venmo, and former COO and CFO at Braintree.





"Scalapay is a brilliant solution that matches an elegant merchant solution with a simple but powerful user experience. I knew Scalapay was a winner when I saw the merchant and consumer experiences that perfectly delivered value to both sides of the two-sided network in Southern Europe," said Amit Jhawar.

Scalapay currently works with major international merchants and retailers, including Shein, Decathlon, Calzedonia, Morgandetoi (Beaumanoir Group), Swappie, Moschino, Don't Call Me Jennifer, Samsonite, Nike, and Pandora, among others. They are also the official sponsor for Milan Fashion Week.

To learn more, please visit http://www.scalapay.com .

About

Scalapay is an innovative payment solution for e-commerce merchants across the globe that allows customers to buy now and pay later, in three convenient pleasurable installments, without interest. Spreading payments over time allows consumers to choose what they really love, gives them access to the best quality, their favorite brand, or item without impacting their budget. Scalapay's mission is to provide a global platform that is based on pleasure and better consumption choices.

Contact:

Kathy Osborne

C: 607-434-2065

[email protected]

SOURCE Scalapay
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seadrill Limited ("Seadrill" or "the Company") (OSE:SDRL, OTCPK:SDRLF), a leader in offshore drilling, provides financial results for the six-month period ended December 31, 2021.

2H 2021 Highlights1

Strong operational performance in 2H, 2021, resulting in 95% technical utilization.

Leading safety performance with TRIR of 0.24 in 2H 2021, better than the industry average of 0.30.

23% increase in Operating Revenues to $556m driven by a number of rigs commencing new contracts after a period of inactivity.

driven by a number of rigs commencing new contracts after a period of inactivity. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $118m , representing 21.2% EBITDA margin.

, representing 21.2% EBITDA margin. Cash and cash equivalents as at December 31, 2021 of $535 million of which $312 million was unrestricted cash.

of which was unrestricted cash. Backlog of $2.2bn , with over 8 years of term added in Brazil .

Financial Highlights Figures in USD million, unless otherwise indicated 2H21 1H21 % Change Total Operating Revenue 556 452 23% Adjusted EBITDA 118 20 490% Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%) 21.2 4.4 382% Operating Profit/(Loss) 95 (252) 138% Net profit/(loss) 18 (605) 103%

Restructuring Update

Seadrill concluded its comprehensive restructuring process and emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 22, 2022 .

. Seadrill New Finance Limited (renamed to Paratus Energy Services), emerged from Chapter 11 on January 20, 2022 . Seadrill Limited retained a 35% interest as a result of the restructuring. Going forward, financial information relevant to Paratus will be made available at www.paratus-energy.com.

Stuart Jackson, CEO, commented:

"Seadrill has finished 2021 strongly, evidenced by our top-line financial highlights underpinned by our operational excellence and continued commercial success. The formidable progress made over the course of 2021 is attributable to the tremendous effort our workforce made overcoming difficult economic and logistical challenges. I am proud of what they achieve on a daily basis.

We have just emerged from a series of Chapter 11 processes across our complex organization involving not just the emergence of Seadrill Limited yesterday but also the restructurings that were completed in other parts of our business. Our emergence completes the second stage of our industry's rehabilitation. As a sector we have taken out nonperforming rigs, we have reduced our collective debt burdens and now we need to reshape an industry that warrants investment to sustain our contribution to the evolving global energy mix. The operational and safety track record of Seadrill, together with our strong customer partnerships, puts us in a leadership position as we complete this industry realignment."

1 The financial information presented excludes the impact for our discontinued operations held for sale, representing Seadrill New Finance Limited ("NSNCo") and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. These statements are made based on management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to offshore drilling market conditions including supply and demand, day rates, customer drilling programs and effects of new rigs on the market, contract awards and rig mobilizations, contract backlog, dry-docking and other costs of maintenance of the drilling rigs in the Company's fleet, the cost and timing of shipyard and other capital projects, the performance of the drilling rigs in the Company's fleet, delay in payment or disputes with customers, Seadrill's ability to successfully employ its drilling units, procure or have access to financing, ability to comply with loan covenants, liquidity and adequacy of cash flow from operations, fluctuations in the international price of oil, international financial market conditions, changes in governmental regulations that affect the Company or the operations of the Company's fleet, increased competition in the offshore drilling industry, the impact of global economic conditions and global health threats and the impact of future negotiations with its lenders to obtain amendments to credit facilities and any related contingency planning efforts, the impact of active negotiations, contingency planning efforts, rulings and outcomes with respect to a comprehensive restructuring of our debt under Chapter 11 Proceedings with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Southern District of Texas, the outcome of which is uncertain, our ability to maintain relationships with suppliers, customers, employees and other third parties as a result of our Chapter 11 filing and the related increased performance and credit risks associated with our constrained liquidity position and capital structure, our ability to maintain and obtain adequate financing to support our business plans post-emergence from Chapter 11, the length of time that we will operate under Chapter 11 protection, risks associated with third-party motions in the Chapter 11 Proceedings that may interfere with the solicitation and ability to confirm and consummate a plan of reorganization, the dispute over production levels among members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil and gas producing nations, downtime and other risks associated with offshore rig operations and ability to successfully employ our drilling units, our expected debt levels, the ability of our affiliated or related companies to service their debt requirements, credit risks of our key customers, the concentration of our revenues in certain geographical jurisdictions, limitations on insurance coverage, such as war risk coverage, in certain regions, any inability to repatriate income or capital, import-export quotas, wage and price controls and the imposition of trade barriers, our ability to attract and retain skilled personnel on commercially reasonable terms, whether due to labor regulations, unionization, or otherwise, or to retain employees, customers or suppliers as a result of our financial condition generally or as a result of the Chapter 11 Proceedings, internal control risk due to significant employee reductions, tax matters, changes in tax laws, treaties and regulations, tax assessments and liabilities for tax issues, including those associated with our activities in Bermuda, Brazil, Norway, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Mexico and the United States, customs and environmental matters and potential impacts on our business resulting from climate-change or greenhouse gas legislation or regulations, and the impact on our business from climate-change related physical changes or changes in weather pattern, the occurrence of cybersecurity incidents, attacks or other breaches to our information technology systems, including our rig operating systems and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed or furnished by us with the SEC. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its 2020 Annual Report on Form 20-F (File No. 333-224459)

The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

February 23, 2022

The Board of Directors

Seadrill Limited

Hamilton, Bermuda

Questions should be directed to Seadrill Management Ltd. represented by:

Stuart Jackson

Chief Executive Officer

Media questions should be directed to:

Sara Dunne

Director of Communications

+1 (281) 630-7064

Analyst and investor questions should be directed to:

Hawthorn Advisors

[email protected]

+44 (0) 203 7454960

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/18925/3512364/1539316.pdf Seadrill Press Release 2021 2H21 https://mb.cision.com/Public/18925/3512364/b19ff9da4e795ed9.pdf Seadrill Consolidated - Fleet Status Report Q4 2021

SOURCE Seadrill Limited
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Tenneco (NYSE: TEN) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Apollo.

Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/tenneco-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Ademi LLP alleges Tenneco's financial outlook and prospects are excellent and yet Tenneco shareholders will receive only $20.00 per share with an enterprise valuation of approximately $7.1 billion, including debt. The merger agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for Tenneco by prohibiting solicitation of further bids, and imposing a significant penalty if Tenneco accepts a superior bid. Tenneco insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements.

We are investigating the conduct of Tenneco's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for Tenneco.

If you own Tenneco common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/tenneco-inc.

We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contacts

Ademi LLP

Guri Ademi

Toll Free: (866) 264-3995

Fax: (414) 482-8001

SOURCE Ademi LLP
NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WeissLaw LLP is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Meritor, Inc. ("Meritor" or the "Company") (NYSE: MTOR), in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by Cummins Inc. ("Cummins") (NYSE: CMI). Under the terms of the merger agreement, the Company's shareholders will receive $36.50 in cash for each share of Meritor common stock that they hold. The transaction is valued at approximately $3.7 billion.

If you own Meritor shares and wish to discuss this investigation or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website:

https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/mtor

Or please contact:

Joshua Rubin, Esq.

WeissLaw LLP

305 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10007

(212) 682-3025

(888) 593-4771

[email protected]

WeissLaw LLP is investigating whether (i) Meritor's board of directors acted in the best interests of Company shareholders in agreeing to the proposed transaction, (ii) the $36.50 per-share merger consideration adequately compensates Meritor's shareholders, and (iii) all information regarding the sales process and valuation of the transaction will be fully and fairly disclosed.

WeissLaw LLP has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at [email protected]

SOURCE WeissLaw LLP
NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WeissLaw LLP is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of TEGNA Inc. ("TEGNA" or the "Company") (NYSE: TGNA), in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by an affiliate of Standard General L.P. ("Standard General"). Under the terms of the merger agreement, the Company's shareholders will receive $24.00 in cash for each share of TEGNA common stock that they hold. Additionally, TEGNA shareholders will receive additional cash consideration in the form of a "ticking fee," the amount varying depending on the date of the closing of the transaction. If the transaction closes between the 9- and 12-month anniversary of signing, the amount will be $0.00167 per share per day (or $0.05 per month). The amount will increase to $0.0025 per share per day (or $0.075 per month) if the closing occurs between the 12- and 13-month anniversary of signing, $0.00333 per share per day (or $0.10 per month) if the closing occurs between the 13- and 14-month anniversary of signing, and $0.00417 per share per day (or $0.125 per month) if the closing occurs between the 14- and 15-month anniversary of signing. The transaction is valued at approximately $8.6 billion.

If you own TEGNA shares and wish to discuss this investigation or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website:

https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/tgna

Or please contact:

Joshua Rubin, Esq.

WeissLaw LLP

305 Broadway, 7th Floor

New York, NY 10007

(212) 682-3025

(888) 593-4771

[email protected]

WeissLaw LLP is investigating whether (i) TEGNA's board of directors acted in the best interests of Company shareholders in agreeing to the proposed transaction, (ii) the $24.00 per-share merger consideration adequately compensates TEGNA's shareholders, and (iii) all information regarding the sales process and valuation of the transaction will be fully and fairly disclosed.

WeissLaw LLP has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at [email protected].

SOURCE WeissLaw LLP
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplilearn , a global digital skills training provider (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries), announced its collaboration with the Aresty Institute of Executive Education of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, to launch a first-of-its-kind program, AI for Business . The course, revolving around the emerging technology of artificial intelligence, will have a duration of four to six weeks. It will help learners understand the fundamentals of big data, AI, and machine learning; the applications of AI in marketing, finance, and people management; and how to deploy these technologies to support an organization's strategy. The program is best suited for senior executives who would like to understand how to leverage AI to drive digital transformation or set up AI engineering capabilities.

The collaboration will help learners on a global scale and will include content created and delivered by Wharton Executive Education's Wharton Online business unit. The program will contain the modules AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists, AI Applications in Marketing and Finance, AI Applications in People Management, and AI Strategy and Governance. Wharton will also be providing the entire course content along with 90 minutes of masterclasses every month. Learners will have access to Wharton Online's platform and course-related materials for one year. On completion of the program, each learner who fulfills the required criteria shall receive Wharton Executive Education digital certificate of completion for the program.

Speaking about the program, Anand Narayanan, Chief product officer, Simplilearn, said, "Artificial intelligence today is pushing the boundaries of machine-enabled functionalities. This bleeding-edge technology enables machines to act with a degree of autonomy, resulting in the effective execution of iterative tasks. AI can be applied to every sector of the economy to enable new possibilities and efficiencies. We are excited to offer this new program, along with the Wharton School's in-depth course content and masterclasses from the experts in the domain, to provide extensive knowledge of artificial intelligence concepts and empower learners with industry-specific insight to grow their businesses while also opening new opportunities."

Speaking of the collaboration, Jagmohan S. Raju, Vice Dean of Wharton Executive Education, said: "Digital technology and artificial intelligence play a crucial role in how businesses operate. In fact, AI has facilitated the creation of a next-generation workplace that thrives on seamless collaboration between enterprise systems and individuals, freeing up resources for higher-level tasks. Given Simplilearn's commitment towards upskilling the workforce with industry-relevant digital skills, we are delighted to collaborate with them to provide this new best-in-class course AI for Business."

To learn more about AI for Business, which starts at the end of March 2022, please visit: sl-onlinetraining.wharton.upenn.edu/ai-program-for-business

Simplilearn conducts more than 1,500 live classes with an average of 70,000 learners who together spend more than 500,000 hours each month on the platform. Programs offered by Simplilearn give learners the opportunity to upskill and get certified in popular domains. In 2020, Simplilearn introduced a free skills development program called SkillUp . SkillUp allows learners to explore in-demand topics in top professional and technology fields for free, helping them make the right learning and career decisions.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 13,000 participants in executive education programs annually; and a powerful alumni network of 100,000 graduates.

For more information, please visit: execed.wharton.upenn.edu

About Simplilearn

Founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco, California, and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn, a Blackstone company is the world's #1 online bootcamp for digital economy skills training. Simplilearn offers access to world-class work-ready training to individuals and businesses around the world. The bootcamps are designed and delivered with world-renowned universities, top corporations, and leading industry bodies via live online classes featuring top industry practitioners, sought-after trainers, and global leaders. From college students and early career professionals to managers, executives, small businesses, and big corporations, Simplilearn's role-based, skill-focused, industry-recognized, and globally relevant training programs are ideal upskilling solutions for diverse career or/and business goals.

For more information, please visit www.simplilearn.com/

SOURCE Simplilearn
LAKE CHARLES, La., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, along with key civic and business leaders took part in a virtual meeting with Governor John Bel Edwards last week in anticipation of a congressional vote on March 11 for federal relief and recovery aid for Southwest Louisiana.

SW Louisiana endured 4 federally declared natural disasters in 10 months and needs federal disaster relief to recover. Tweet this Many homes in Southwest Louisiana damaged by hurricanes in 2020 still remain in disrepair, while recovery funding needs go unmet.

Within 10 months in 2020 and 2021, Southwest Louisiana endured four federally declared natural disasters, more than any other city in American history. To date, Southwest Louisiana was appropriated about 20 percent of the original $3 billion supplemental disaster relief request submitted by the governor. "While we are grateful for the assistance received, the lack of funding leaves a $300 million shortfall just on housing. The other support for local governments to repair infrastructure and other needs is a priority," explains Hunter.

"Congress and the President have another opportunity, perhaps the last opportunity, to right this wrong and offer some semblance of an equitable response. I pray this happens," Hunter says. "Without additional supplemental disaster aid, local government resources will be significantly strained. It will be difficult to provide quality of life and infrastructure upgrade amenities that need to be done."

Senator Bill Cassidy says, "Southwest Louisiana needs more federal help to fully recover. Just as important, we need more resources and investment in infrastructure to prevent further damage. We cannot rest until we secure additional assistance for Southwest Louisiana to prosper."

"No matter how many times you have been through a natural disaster, it doesn't get any easier to see your home or business destroyed," explains Senator John Kennedy. "That's why, as Congress works on another government budget bill, I'm urging Washington to remember the people of Southwest Louisiana, who, through no fault of their own, have suffered from natural disasters and need more help to recover and rebuild."

According to Sara Judson, CEO of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, contacting legislators is key. "Now is the time to flood the phones and email. This is the time for us to rebuild Southwest Louisiana and we need federal dollars to do that."

At www.rebuildingswla.org, contact information is listed for Congressional leaders along with a letter urging them to provide the funding needed. "Simply visit that website, click 'Act Now' to access the letter and phone numbers to call," explains Judson. "Share the social media posts from the RebuildingSWLA Facebook page. The more people who send this message, the louder our collective voice, and hopefully Congress will act on our behalf."

Contact: Sara Judson, CEO of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, (337) 491-6688

SOURCE Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana
Climate change and global warming;

Talent gaps for women and minorities in space sciences;

Disparity and depletion of resources across the globe;

Democratizing space through access and equity

"It is truly an honor to serve as Executive Director for an organization that is transforming the space industry into a dynamic and inclusive frontier," said Ann Kapusta. "For nearly 35 years, Space Frontier has worked to redefine the future of the space industry and the workforce behind it, while also advocating for the use of emerging space technologies to find solutions for problems here on Earth. I look forward to working alongside the talented and innovative minds at the Foundation to accelerate the good work being done."

"We are thrilled to have Ann lead the Foundation," said Kim Macharia, Chair of the Space Frontier Foundation Board of Directors. "Her background and impressive leadership abilities will prove invaluable to the Foundation as we begin to tackle some of our biggest projects yet in order to build a more inclusive, equitable and innovative space industry. I am confident the Foundation and our mission will thrive under Ann's guidance."

Ann is the co-founder and managing director of ThinkSpace Consulting, an operations and innovation firm supporting cutting edge missions in space and organizations with a mission to do good here on Earth. Previously, Ann led internal R&D and external innovation strategy offerings for a digital and emerging technology think tank. Ann has also spent a decade in the aerospace industry on projects ranging from satellite technologies, to space weather research, and human spaceflight.

For her work as Operations Lead overseeing the largest biological experiments aboard the ISS, Ann was awarded the Silver Snoopy - NASA's highest award in support of human spaceflight, selected by the NASA Astronaut Corps. These missions collected data for understanding muscular and ocular degeneration on Earth. Ann earned her Bachelor's Degree in Astrophysics at Dartmouth College and attended the University of Michigan for her graduate work in Space Systems Engineering.

Please find Ann's LinkedIn here .

About the Space Frontier Foundation

Founded in 1988, the Space Frontier Foundation is committed to realizing the vision of a greatly expanded and permanent human presence in space. To realize this vision, the Foundation is fundamentally transforming the conception of space into a widely accessible frontier, ripe with opportunity. Through conferences, speakers, policy papers, awards and prizes, and nationally recognized projects, the Space Frontier Foundation is actively advancing the cause of 'NewSpace'  the term which has come to represent space infused with the spirit of entrepreneurialism and the free market.

SOURCE Space Frontier Foundation
HOUSTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Another investor in Japan has filed a FINRA arbitration claim against Bankoh Investment Services over her Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) losses.

This time, the claimant is a small business owner who lives in Tokyo but had accounts in the U.S. with Bankoh and Bank of Hawaii. Our investment fraud lawyers at SSEK Law Firm are representing this investor in her FINRA arbitration case, seeking up to $500k in damages.

The claimant was referred to broker Yoko Farias, based in Honolulu, by the Bank of Hawaii. Bankoh Investment Services is a Bank of Hawaii subsidiary, and Farias has been a financial advisor with the firm since 2001.

This investor entrusted Bankoh and Farias with her hard-earned savings. She sought minimal risk and safe returns, which they promised her. Unfortunately, the broker-dealer and its financial advisor abused her trust by overconcentrating a massive chunk of her assets in Northstar (Bermuda), which is now defunct. Farias has even described these products as very safe when they are unrated and lack many protections found in US-based products.

At the end of 2018, the company didn't meet statutory disclosures, and owner Greg Lindberg was later convicted of wire fraud and bribery in 2020. This made it clear that Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) was in trouble. Bankoh and Farias either didn't know about any of this, or they did know and neglected to inform the investor.

Instead, they further placed her money at risk by continuing to reassure her that all was well with her investment and no changes needed to be made.

By September 2020, Northstar (Bermuda) could report just $8M in assets and was said to have incurred an over $260M deficit,filing for bankruptcy in December 2020.

SSEK Law Firm is working with dozens of investors against the many brokerage firms that sold Northstar (Bermuda) products to them. Watch this interview with SSEK Law Firm Attorney Kirk Smith and another former customer of Yoko Farias.

Contact us today if you believe that your broker or brokerage firm unsuitably sold you Northstar Financial Services (Bermuda) products.

[email protected]



US Toll Free (800) 259-9010



Internationally via WhatsApp (text only): 713-227-2400

Northstar Bermuda FAQs





Preguntas Frecuentes

SOURCE Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LLP
SUZHOU, China, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SyMap Medical Ltd. (Suzhou, China) announced successful completion of enrollment in the company's SMART Study ( S ympathetic M apping/ A blation R enal nerves for T reatment of hypertension Trial; NCT02761811), using the SyMapCath I Catheter/SYMPIONEER S1 Mapping/RF System for the treatment of uncontrolled hypertension. This is the first pivotal study for registration purpose, worldwide, using targeted renal denervation (RDN) technology to treat uncontrolled hypertension. The system is based on SyMap's proprietary technology with worldwide intellectual property, is the winner of US CRT 2012 Best Innovation Award, and rewardee of China regulatory authority NMAP "Green Channel" designation for innovative medical devices. The system is able to map renal nerves and provide real time feedback before, during, and after RDN procedure in order to achieve selective ablation of renal sympathetic nerves. The completion of enrollment is a major milestone in bringing SyMap's renal nerve mapping/selective ablation system to clinical practice for treatment of uncontrolled hypertension and makes SyMap an undisputable leader in this important emerging field.

The SMART Study is a prospective, multicenter, single-blind, randomized, and sham-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of targeted renal sympathetic denervation using SyMapCath I and SymPioneer  TM in patients with essential hypertension for at least 6 months of the disease history and pharmacotherapy however, their blood pressure still cannot be controlled. The study enrolled a total of 220 patients at 16 prestigious hospitals in China with dual primary endpoints: the control rate of office systolic blood pressure at 6 months (SBP<140 mmHg); the change in composite index based on the classes and doses of antihypertensive drugs to reach the control of office systolic blood pressure (<140 mmHg) at 6 months.

Using "composite drug index" of antihypertensive medications as one primary clinical endpoint, SMART Study will provide answers to a very important question: whether patients may take less or no antihypertensive drugs after RDN. The innovative concept of drug composite index has been recently validated by the endorsement of Medtronic's SPYRAL HTN study investigators and use of medication index in SPYRAL HTN ON-MED study (Kandzari DE et al: EuroIntervention 2021; 16(18): e1496-e1502).

In order to eliminate drug compliance as a crucial confounding factor interferes with the effects of RDN on blood pressure, a rigorous, standardized antihypertensive drug regimen has been executed during the study: classes, doses, manufacturers and methods to adjust the drugs are restricted per the regimen. LC-MS/MS was utilized to monitor drug compliance throughout the study. Office blood pressure was examined and stored in a specially custom designed system.

This study is co-managed by TigerMed, a leading clinical CRO, and SyMap's clinical team.

The leading principal investigators of SMART Study are Professor HUO Yong at Peking University First Hospital, Professor SUN Ningling/a renowned hypertension specialist, at Peking University People's Hospital and Professor GE Junbo at Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University. Numerous leading cardiologists participated in the SMART study.

About SyMap

SyMap is an innovative medical device company focusing on developing revolutionary device therapies for the unmet clinical needs of major cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases including hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, asthma and early-stage lung cancer. Last December, the company announced its latest financing round of nearly $100 million led by Primavera Capital and VMS Group, with the participation of existing investors Sequoia Capital China and Simiao Equity Investment.

The company, co-founded by Dr. Jie Wang and Mr. Kewen Jin, is based in bioBAY, Suzhou, China. Dr. Wang has a long track record in academic research and entrepreneurship. He is a faculty member of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University, professor at the Jiangsu Province Hospital and is the former Dean of Medical School, Nanjing University. He has participated in the development of RDN since the technology's infant stages via Ardian Inc.

SOURCE SyMap Medical (Suzhou) Ltd.
ORANGEBURG, S.C., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Claflin University will soon break ground on construction of a three-story activity center, which will be made available to the Orangeburg community, because of investment from The Innovate Fund. The Innovate Fund, a New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) Community Development Entity, provided $15 million, part of a larger $18.5 million financing package, to assist in the construction of the 82,000 SF center. The project, located in a Persistent Poverty County with a poverty rate of 29 percent, will feature classrooms, student life/ learning space, meeting space, an event center, food court, and a movie theater.

Students enjoy group discussion

Claflin VP for Fiscal Affairs Tijuana Hudson estimates that in addition to serving its student body, more than 3,000 community members will take part in activities provided by the center. "Claflin University, the oldest HBCU in the state of South Carolina, has determined that a Student Activity and Community Center within the heart of campus where the community and students meet generates the best opportunity to impact multiple areas of focus and furthers the University's desire to blend the University and community together," Hudson said.

The project will focus on economic inclusion, equity and racial justice, partnerships with Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, and other workforce development initiatives, in this rural area with a 20.8 percent unemployment rate.

The Innovate Fund partnered with South Carolina Community Loan Fund (SCCLF) to make the transaction possible. Brendan Buttimer, the Upstate Community Development Loan Officer for SCCLF and NMTC Advisory Board member for The Innovate Fund said: "The Claflin University Student Activity and Community Center will have tremendous impact on this non-metro county. We were pleased to participate in the deal by providing additional allocation, and we always look forward to opportunities to partner with The Innovate Fund."

The Innovate Fund would like to extend a special thank-you to Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Tim Scott and U.S. Rep. William Timmons for their support of the NMTC program. Additionally, without the support of Wells Fargo and the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, The Innovate Fund's investment would not have been possible.

About The Innovate Fund

The Innovate Fund (TIF) and its affiliates are designated Community Development Entities under the provisions of the CDFI Fund, which since their inception have been awarded $327 million in allocation of New Markets Tax Credits. TIF's mission is to provide investment capital for operating businesses and real estate development projects in low-income communities across Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The Innovate Fund's partners are the Greenville Local Development Corporation and Tax Advantage Group by Cherry Bekaert.

About Greenville Local Development Corporation

Founded in 1979, Greenville Local Development Corporation (GLDC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, was established by a group of committed community and business leaders in Greenville, S.C., to address obstacles faced by businesses and community-based organizations in obtaining conventional financing. Since inception, GLDC has been working to provide financial assistance, real estate development coordination, and strategic guidance for economic development projects and business expansions.

About Tax Advantage Group by Cherry Bekaert

Headquartered in Richmond, Va., Tax Advantage Group by Chery Bekaert (TAG) is one of the country's most successful consulting firms specializing in New Markets Tax Credits, helping nonprofit and for-profit organizations access capital and transform communities. Since 2004, TAG has played an instrumental role in securing funding for more than $1.4 billion for community projects across the United States.

For More Information:

Emma Wyatt, The Innovate Fund Program Manager

2764518194

[email protected]

SOURCE The Innovate Fund
It'll be the first program to deliver recurring cash relief to women currently incarcerated in state and federal prisons Tweet this

"Basic income guarantee is a key component of reimagining communities and is a tool to continue building a network of support to help our sisters thrive inside and outside of prisons." said Andrea C. James, Founder and Executive Director of The National Council.

The Community Love Fund will materially support women harmed by the criminal legal system. It will be the rst- ever guaranteed income program to deliver recurring cash relief to women currently incarcerated in state and federal prisons. The program recongures the meaning of public safety by developing neighborhood-led systems of individual and collective accountability outside of the carceral state.

"The National Council's Guaranteed Income program is such a blessing and a reminder that I am never alone," said a program participant.

As The National Council's implementation partner, F4GI customized its proprietary payments and public benets platform, and built features to serve women currently incarcerated in federal and state prisons. It will support the Community Love Fund by distributing payments to participants, resolving payment errors, and conducting day-to-day operations. It will also facilitate customer service and collaborate with The National Council to uplift the Community Love Fund as a future-oriented model creating the tools necessary for women to thrive after incarceration.

"Policing and human caging are not our only options for responding to harm. The Community Love Fund demonstrates that GI is a practice of transformative justice. It's an honor to support the blazing leadership of the National Council," said Nika Soon-Shiong, Founder and ED of F4GI.



CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE The National Council for Incarcerated and Formally Incarcerated Women and Girls
NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Unqork , the leading enterprise no-code platform, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to use Unqork's no-code platform to enhance a number of software applications for the HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). Unqork's work with HHS, along with its recent FedRAMP "In Process" designation , validates Unqork's ability to provide the security and enterprise-grade capabilities that federal departments and agencies need, while allowing them to build mission-critical applications without writing a single line of code.

Using Unqork's no-code platform, OASH is actively developing applications that streamline manual and labor-intensive business processes to enhance the operations of the Public Health Service (PHS). The project will be led by the Office of the CIO within HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, and the contract is through Carahsoft Technology Corp .

Unqork worked with HHS to achieve its FedRAMP "In Process" status and will continue working with HHS to achieve FedRAMP Authorization status.

"This is a moment of tremendous opportunity to modernize core processes at all levels of government and Unqork's no-code platform is well-positioned to help government agencies on their digitization journey. The pandemic has greatly accelerated the timeline for virtualizing government services and Unqork has a strong track record at the state and local level providing secure, flexible no-code solutions to enable governments to digitize everything from marriage licenses to building permits to Covid relief efforts," said Kim Thompson, VP of Federal Sales at Unqork. "We applaud the technology vision of HHS and are proud to support their efforts to increase operational efficiencies around payroll."

To learn more about Unqork's work in the public sector, see here .

About Unqork

Unqork is the industry pioneer no-code enterprise application platform that helps large companies build, deploy, and manage complex applications without writing a single line of code. Organizations like Goldman Sachs, Liberty Mutual, the Cities of New York, Chicago and Washington, DC and Maimonides Medical Center are using Unqork's drag-and-drop interface to build enterprise applications faster, with higher quality, and lower costs than conventional approaches. To learn more, please visit: https://www.unqork.com .

SOURCE Unqork
LONDON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Theragnostics announces that NephroScan, its radiodiagnostic imaging drug used as an aid for the evaluation of renal parenchymal disorders in adult and pediatric patients, including term neonates, has received Marketing Approval by the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA").

NephroScan, a proprietary kit for the preparation of technetium Tc 99m succimer injection, is Theragnostics' first FDA approved drug. It is manufactured by ROTOP Pharmaka GmbH in Germany. GE Healthcare, a global leader in molecular imaging, serves as the exclusive distributor of the product in the United States and the product is now available for ordering.

Greg Mullen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Theragnostics, said: "The FDA approval of NephroScan is a significant milestone for Theragnostics and for patients who are affected by kidney disease. NephroScan enables the detection and diagnosis of kidney disease, enabling physicians, patients, and their families to help make informed treatment decisions. The approval has been a remarkable team effort in collaboration with the regulatory development group at Facet Life Sciences and the specialists for radiopharmaceutical development and manufacturing at ROTOP Pharmaka GmbH."

Dr. Ted Treves, Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School and former Chief Division of Nuclear Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital said: "The value of Tc-99m DMSA is well established in the assessment of disorders affecting the kidneys in children and adults. The approval in the US means that Tc-99m DMSA imaging will be brought back as a useful tool for the evaluation of adult and pediatric patients affected by renal diseases. Efforts are underway for renewed education of referring physicians about its value and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) practice guidelines have recently been updated1."

Important Safety Information: Radiation Risks: Technetium Tc 99m succimer injection contributes to a patient's overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure. Long-term cumulative radiation exposure is associated with an increased risk for cancer. Ensure safe handling to minimize radiation exposure to the patient and health care workers. Advise patients to hydrate before and after administration and to void frequently after administration.

Advanced Renal Failure: Some patients with advanced renal failure may exhibit poor renal intake of technetium Tc 99m succimer injection. It has been reported that satisfactory images may be obtained in some of these patients by delaying imaging for up to 24 hours.

About Theragnostics

Theragnostics is a private clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing precision oncology products for diagnostic medical imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy. The Company has completed several proof-of-concept phase I and II clinical trials for several radionuclide diagnostics and targeted therapies. For more information, please visit www.theragnostics.com.

About NephroScan

Following intravenous administration, the radiopharmaceutical agent Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc-99m DMSA) principally binds to the cortical regions of the kidneys. Its biodistribution makes it a logical imaging agent for renal scintigraphy. It is imaged by different methods such as planar and pinhole imaging and SPECT. Tc-99m DMSA imaging during acute renal infection has been used to identify patients that are at risk for later development of permanent sequalae such as parenchymal scarring, hypertension, and even chronic renal failure. Tc-99m DMSA imaging can also be used for the determination of split renal function, kidney shape, size, position, and homogeneity1.

About ROTOP Pharmaka GmbH

ROTOP Pharmaka is a leading radiopharmaceutical company with over 20 years of experience that produces cGMP compliant cold kits and radiopharmaceuticals in Germany and supplies to over 30+ countries. Apart from development, manufacturing, and registration of radiopharmaceuticals, ROTOP offers a broad range of CDMO Services. For more information visit: www.rotop-pharmaka.de.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare is the $17.7 billion healthcare business of GE (NYSE: GE). As a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, GE Healthcare enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications and services, supported by its Edison intelligence platform. With over 100 years of healthcare industry experience and around 47,000 employees globally, the company operates at the center of an ecosystem working toward precision health, digitizing healthcare, helping drive productivity and improve outcomes for patients, providers, health systems and researchers around the world. www.gehealthcare.com

1 SNMMI Procedure Standard/EANM Practice Guideline on Pediatric [99mTc]Tc-DMSA Renal Cortical Scintigraphy: An Update (https://s3.amazonaws.com/rdcms-snmmi/files/production/public/FileDownloads/ProcedureStandards/SNMMI%20EANM%20DMSA%20guideline_final.pdf)

SOURCE Theragnostics
Using its creativity, scale and reach to incubate, transform, and grow exceptional brands, Together Group offers best-in-class practice in strategy, branding, design, e-commerce, digital solutions, and digital marketing, as well as in communications and content creation.

The leading agencies announced today by Together Group service a roster of world-class brands. They are:

PURPLE - An award-winning communications agency specializing in fashion, beauty, luxury-lifestyle, with offices in London , New York , LA, Miami , and Hong Kong . Its clients include BOSS, MESSIKA, LVMH, Richemont, DSQUARED2 and Maison Francis Kurkdjian , ILIA, fresh, EDITION Hotels and PUBLIC Hotels.

- An award-winning communications agency specializing in fashion, beauty, luxury-lifestyle, with offices in , , LA, , and . Its clients include BOSS, MESSIKA, LVMH, Richemont, DSQUARED2 and , ILIA, fresh, EDITION Hotels and PUBLIC Hotels. King & Partners - An agency which provides strategy, branding, creative, marketing and eCommerce services for exceptional brands such as, Neuehouse, Fotografiska, The Boca Raton , Brady Brand , SKIMS, and Auberge Resorts Collection. It is based in New York with offices in LA and Miami .

- An agency which provides strategy, branding, creative, marketing and eCommerce services for exceptional brands such as, Neuehouse, Fotografiska, The , , SKIMS, and Auberge Resorts Collection. It is based in with offices in LA and . Noe & Associates - A brand strategy, design, content, and production agency focusing on architecture, design and the built environment with offices in London and New York . Its clients include Mareterra, Related, Waldorf Astoria , Neom and Rolex.

- A brand strategy, design, content, and production agency focusing on architecture, design and the built environment with offices in and . Its clients include Mareterra, Related, , Neom and Rolex. Construct - A female-led creative consultancy and agency known for the creation of iconic brands like Aman, Claridges and Frette and enduring transformative partnerships with brands like Harrods.

In addition, to support brands with their entry and growth in the important China market, Together Group has acquired Hot Pot China, a digital-marketing specialist with offices in London and Shanghai, developing and executing market strategies for clients in China, including Liberty, Fortnum and Mason, and La Perla.

Together Group's strategy sees a further expansion of its luxury platform this year, attracting creative, digital and marketing agencies, with a particular focus on data & technology, content and activation.

Dr Christian Kurtzke, the CEO of Together Group, said today: "We are building a truly diverse luxury-lifestyle agency group that celebrates a dynamic approach of combining synergistic agencies working in unison to deliver service excellence on a number of levels. Our model combines the benefits of leading-edge, founder-led agencies with the advantages of a larger, global organization."

Within the initial collective of more than 300 employees and 14 offices, the group's agencies will retain their own identities, cultures, and senior leadership teams. Fully aligned as Together Group shareholders, they will drive collaboration across the group, providing more integrated, more creative solutions for our clients.

"We have all the ingredients for significant organic growth as well as for attracting further high-quality agencies to selectively build out complementary service lines," added Dr Kurtzke, the former CEO of Porsche Design and previously a principal at The Boston Consulting Group.

"Together, as a group we have a unique combined strength in transforming, launching and growing brands across fashion, hospitality and lifestyle", states Tony King, CEO of King & Partners.

"All the agency founders and their teams are committed to Together Group and its collaborative way of working for the long term," says Fergus Lawlor, the CEO of PURPLE. "For us, it is not a means to an exit. We regard it as investment for PURPLE rather than a sale: we invested our agency into the group, and we are very excited to continue driving its growth."

"We have created a fulfilling new alternative for agency founders which outperforms the traditional trade-sale model, and which allows founders to remain in the driver seat," explains Paul Sheehy a creative-agency entrepreneur who co-founded Together Group with Brad Fry, managing partner of MatCap.

"Equally, our model provides investors with exceptional opportunities to be part of some of the most successful international high-growth agencies," concludes Brad Fry.

For further information on the Together Group, please contact 

Andrew Lister  [email protected]

+15165905855

SOURCE Together Group
VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Trilogy Metals Inc. (TSX: TMQ) (NYSE: TMQ) ("Trilogy" or the "Company") is providing an update on the Ambler Access Project ("AAP"). Yesterday, the United States Department of the Interior ("DOI") filed a motion to remand the Final Environmental Impact Statement ("FEIS") and suspend the right-of-way permits issued to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") for the Ambler Access Project. The DOI has stated that the suspension of the road permits will allow it to carry out additional supplemental work on the FEIS.

The motion also indicated that the DOI has requested that the lawsuits filed against the DOI by a coalition of national and Alaska environmental non-government organizations be suspended. The lawsuits had been filed in response to the United States Bureau of Land Management's ("BLM") issuance of the Joint Record of Decision ("JROD"), that authorized a right-of-way across federally managed lands for AIDEA and the AAP.

The Company will be commencing discussions with its partners, including NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., AIDEA, the Northwest Arctic Borough, the State of Alaska and South32 Limited to understand the potential impact of the above decision by the DOI on AIDEA's proposed plan and budget for the 2022 summer field season activities that were previously announced.

Tony Giardini, President and CEO of Trilogy, commented, "Foremost we would like to thank all of the Native villages in the Upper Kobuk Region, and the Northwest Arctic Borough, that have passed resolutions in favor of the AAP. This demonstrates the incredible support for the project from our Native Partners. We see this motion as another step in the consultation process leading to the ultimate development of the AAP and we recognize that subsistence is a key factor not just in the development of the road but in the development of the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects which we believe will have significant positive impacts on the local economy, the provision of high paying stable jobs for Native Alaskans and the production of green metals, such as copper and cobalt which are critical for the decarbonization of the planet."

The Company believes that the five-year permitting process for the AAP was carried out in an exhaustive, extensive, and robust manner with considerable outreach and accommodation to affected communities and other related parties. According to AIDEA, during the scoping period (which was extended from 90 days to over 330 days), the BLM held 15 public hearings in 13 communities and received more than 7,200 written comments. Subsequently, after the draft EIS was released in August 2019, the BLM held an additional 18 hearings in rural communities, hearings in two hub communities (Anchorage and Fairbanks), and a hearing in Washington, D.C. The BLM received an additional 29,000 written comments to the draft EIS which were scrutinized and incorporated into the FEIS. AIDEA reiterated that the development and production of the FEIS/JROD, which cost almost $5 million, was an extraordinarily high-quality and comprehensive analysis report.

For more information on the motion by the DOI please go to DOI documents.

About Trilogy Metals

Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metal exploration and development company which holds a 50 percent interest in Ambler Metals LLC which has a 100 percent interest in the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects ("UKMP") in Northwestern Alaska. On December 19, 2019, South32, a globally diversified mining and metals company, exercised its option to form a 50/50 joint venture with Trilogy. The UKMP is located within the Ambler Mining District which is one of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to host high-grade copper and cobalt mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler Mining District  the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within a land package that spans approximately 181,387 hectares. Ambler Metals has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., an Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration and potential development of the Ambler Mining District in cooperation with local communities. Trilogy's vision is to develop the Ambler Mining District into a premier North American copper producer.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to the permitting and construction of the AAP, the timing and benefits of the AAP and the merits of the UKMP are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the uncertainties involving whether the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority will build the AAP; the results of the additional supplemental work on the FEIS resulting from the voluntary remand; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; success of exploration activities, permitting timelines, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests, unexpected cost increases and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2021 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The Company's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

SOURCE Trilogy Metals Inc.
In this role, Reigersman will focus on the rollout and adoption of TrueCar+, a two-sided marketplace that aims to bring the car buying experience fully online. TrueCar+ is currently in pilot in Florida, with plans for full statewide coverage for new and used vehicles by the end of second quarter.

"As our Chief Financial Officer, Jantoon has been a key contributor to developing our business strategy and advancing new key initiatives and offerings, including TrueCar+. This appointment allows him to expand his contributions to accelerate our growth and transformation," said Mike Darrow, President and CEO of TrueCar.

Reigersman joined TrueCar in January 2021 as Chief Financial Officer, after serving as CFO for Leaf Group, an NYSE-listed diversified internal, media and ecommerce company. "I'm excited to take on this expanded role at such a pivotal time for the company," Reigersman said. "TrueCar+ is an innovative product offering that will revolutionize the car-buying experience for consumers, while simultaneously helping our dealer customers achieve greater efficiency," he added.

Reigersman's appointment will assure TrueCar remains focused on innovation that can be quickly scaled and delivers value to dealers and consumers.

About TrueCar

TrueCar is a leading automotive digital marketplace that enables auto buyers to connect to our nationwide network of Certified Dealers. We are building the industry's most personalized and efficient auto buying experience as we seek to bring more of the purchasing process online. Consumers who visit our marketplace will find a suite of vehicle discovery tools, price ratings and market context on new and used cars  all with a clear view of what's a great deal. When they are ready, TrueCar will enable them to connect with a local Certified Dealer who shares in our belief that truth, transparency and fairness are the foundation of a great auto buying experience. As part of our marketplace, TrueCar powers auto-buying programs for over 250 leading brands, including AARP, Sam's Club, Navy Federal Credit Union and American Express. TrueCar is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, with an office in Austin, Texas.

For more information, please visit www.truecar.com , and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Email: [email protected]

SOURCE TrueCar.com
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In disinformation campaigns, like the long-standing pro-Kremlin campaign targeted at Ukraine by the Russian government and its allies, who is at most at risk of believing false information? A new research paper by MIT Sloan School of Management Prof. David Rand, McGill University Prof. Aaron Erlich, and their colleagues found that Ukrainians who engaged in more analytic thinking were less likely to believe the pro-Kremlin disinformation, even if they were generally pro-Russia.

"We found strong evidence that analytic thinking helps curtail belief in misinformation. This is grounds for optimism in Ukraine, which has a long history of fabricated news and pro-Kremlin disinformation. The fact that Ukrainian citizens can still distinguish falsehoods from truthful news sheds a lot of light on how we can further improve the information environment in countries facing similar disinformation campaigns," says Rand.

Erlich points out that Ukraine provides "a new and fascinating" context to study the relationship between analytic thinking, political ideology, and belief in misinformation and disinformation. It is a unique information space because of the high volume of disinformation attacks from Russia and its history of distrust in institutions, making it qualitatively different from the Western democracies in which most prior disinformation studies have been conducted.

Ukraine's legacy as a post-communist country is also relevant, as media outlets under communism were subservient to state propaganda efforts and the government used the media to maintain its power. As a result, post-communist societies like Ukraine tend to have low trust levels in state and media institutions. Further, media owners in Ukraine actively intervene in news coverage to show their support of political patrons, causing more skepticism of information. That environment combined with a ramped-up disinformation campaign from the Kremlin and its supporters since 2014 has likely made it even more difficult, especially online, for Ukrainians to distinguish truth from disinformation, he notes.

In this environment, it was unclear whether greater analytic thinking, which prior work has linked to the ability to identify falsehoods in the U.S., would be similarly protective in Ukraine. To shed light on this issue, the researchers sought to determine if Ukraine's environment and history would "eliminate or even reverse" the relationship between cognitive reflection and belief in disinformation.

Their study, which used online and face-to-face representative samples of Ukrainians, found that Ukraine's environment does not eliminate or reverse the positive relationship between analytic thinking and truth discernment. "The results demonstrated a similar pattern to prior work using American participants. Despite low trust in government and media, weak journalistic standards, and years of exposure to Russian disinformation, Ukrainians who engage in more analytic thinking are better able to tell truth from falsehood," says Rand.

He adds, "This is an important contribution to the literature on the political psychology of misinformation. Individuals who engage in analytic thinking are more likely to rate false stories as false and true stories as true. This was the case regardless of Ukrainians' political position on Russia. Our study provides strong evidence for the role of analytic thinking in improving information environments in countries like Ukraine."

Rand and Erlich are coauthors of "Does analytic thinking insulate against pro-Kremlin disinformation? Evidence from Ukraine," with Calvin Garner of the University of Washington, and Gordon Pennycook of the University of Regina, which has been formally accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed academic journal, Political Psychology.

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu.

For further information, contact:

Patricia Favreau

Associate Director of Media Relations

617-253-3492

[email protected]

SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management
Our 120-pages report with TOC analyzes the feed anti-caking agent market in South America by chemical type (silicon, calcium, sodium, and others) and source (synthetic and natural).

By chemical type, the market witnessed significant revenue generation in the silicon segment in 2021. Silica has a relatively larger particle size and exhibits better adsorption properties. In addition, the increased use of silica as a flow-resistant anti-caking agent is driving the growth of the segment. The market growth in the segment will be significant during the forecast period.

Similarly, by source, the market observed increased demand for synthetic caking agents. This can be attributed to the benefits of synthetic caking agents such as the prevention of mold, the extension of product shelf life, the prevention of clumping of food particles, and the prevention of powdery film (grit) on food particles and the bottom of the packaging. In addition, the proliferation of vendors offering synthetic anticaking agents is driving the growth of the segment.

Download a Free Sample for highlights on top revenue-generating segments in the market.

The feed anti-caking agent market in South America is driven by the rising consumption of food ingredients. Over the years, there has been an increase in the consumption of a number of food ingredients. In addition, changing consumer tastes and rising preference for high-quality food products have led to the demand and innovation of various food ingredients, including food and beverage premixes, food coating ingredients, and others. Also, the growing consumption of food bakery premixes, milk and cream powder, instant soup powder, baking powder, yeast, seasoning and spices, and others has increased the use of anticaking agents in food ingredients to ensure longer shelf-life. All these factors are supporting the growth of the feed anti-caking agent market in North America.

In addition, the growth of the food and beverage industry is anticipated to further boost the growth of the feed anti-caking agent market in South America.

Some of the key players in the feed anti-caking agent market in South America:

The market is highly fragmented due to the presence of numerous small and medium-sized businesses and a few international players. Growth strategies such as collaborations, significant research and development investments, and mergers and acquisitions are being adopted by vendors to compete in the market. Some vendors are focusing on new product launches to expand their portfolios.

Anmol Chemicals Group: The company offers feed anti-caking agents such as Precipitated Silica and Hydrated Calcium Silicate.

BASF SE: The company offers feed anti-caking agents such as Novasil Plus, which is a feed additive for better and safer animal nutrition.

Cargill Inc.: Cargill Salt is the key product offered by the company.

Halliburton Co.: The company offers feed anti-caking agents such as Alphasil which is a unique, specialized Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate (HSCAS).

J.M. Huber Corp.: The company offers feed anti-caking agents such as precipitated silicas and silicates.

Identify other dominant players and factors influencing the market growth. Download a Free Sample Now!

Related Reports:

Bakery Premixes Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Baked Goods Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Feed Anti Caking Agent Market in South America Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.84% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 12.95 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.33 Regional analysis South America Performing market contribution South America at 100% Key consumer countries South America Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Anmol Chemicals Group, BASF SE, Cargill Inc., Halliburton Co., J.M. Huber Corp., Kao Corp., Kemin Industries Inc., Mitsui and Co. Ltd., RAG-Stiftung, and Roquette Freres SA Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of contents:

1. Executive Summary

1.1 Market Overview

Exhibit 01: Key Finding 1

Exhibit 02: Key Finding 2

Exhibit 03: Key Finding 6

Exhibit 04: Key Finding 7

Exhibit 05: Key Finding 8

2. Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

2.1.1 Parent Market

Exhibit 06: Parent market

Exhibit 07: Market characteristics

2.2 Value Chain Analysis

Exhibit 08: Value Chain Analysis: Commodity chemicals

2.2.1 Inputs

2.2.2 Inbound logistics

2.2.3 Operations

2.2.4 Outbound logistics

2.2.5 Marketing and sales

2.2.6 Support activities

2.2.7 Innovations

3. Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 09: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 10: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026

3.4.1Estimating growth rates for emerging and high-growth markets

3.4.2Estimating growth rates for mature markets

Exhibit 11: Global - Market size and forecast 2021 - 2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 12: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2021 - 2026 (%)

4. Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five Forces Summary

Exhibit 13: Five forces analysis 2021 - 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 14: Bargaining power of the buyer

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 15: Bargaining power of the supplier

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 16: Threat of new entrants

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 17: Threat of substitutes

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 18: Threat of rivalry

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 19: Market condition - Five forces 2021

5. Market Segmentation by Chemical type

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 20: Chemical type- Market share 2021 - 2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Chemical type

Exhibit 21: Comparison by Chemical type

5.3 Silicon - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 22: Silicon - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 23: Silicon - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Calcium - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 24: Calcium - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 25: Calcium - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

5.5 Sodium - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 26: Sodium - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 27: Sodium - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 29: Others - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%)

5.7 Market opportunity by Chemical Type

Exhibit 30: Market opportunity by Chemical Type

6 Market Segmentation by Source

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 31: Source Market share 2021-2026 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Source

Exhibit 32: Comparison by Source

6.3 Synthetic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 33: Synthetic - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 34: Synthetic- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.4 Natural - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 35: Natural - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 36: Natural - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Source

Exhibit 37: Market opportunity by Source

7. Customer landscape

Technavio's customer landscape matrix comparing Drivers or price sensitivity, Adoption lifecycle, importance in customer price basket, Adoption rate and Key purchase criteria

7.1 Overview

Exhibit 38: Customer landscape

8. Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.1.1 Rising consumption of food ingredients

8.1.2 Increasing demand for packaged foods

8.1.3 Growth of the food and beverage industry

8.2 Market challenges

8.2.1 Government regulations

8.2.2 Impact of feed anticaking agents on the nutritive value of food products

8.2.3 Use of feed anticaking agents may cause the nutrients in powdered formulations to deteriorate

Exhibit 39: Impact of drivers and challenges

8.3 Market trends

8.3.1 Rising awareness about food safety in developed regions

8.3.2 Frequent product launches

8.3.3 Growing demand for longer shelf life and better appearance of food

9. Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

Exhibit 40: Vendor landscape

9.2 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 41: Landscape disruption

Exhibit 42: Industry Risk

10. Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 43: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 44: ?Market positioning of vendors?

10.3 Anmol Chemicals Group

Exhibit 45: Anmol Chemicals Group - Overview

Exhibit 46: Anmol Chemicals Group - Product and service

Exhibit 47: Anmol Chemicals Group - Key offerings

10.4 BASF SE

Exhibit 48: BASF SE - Overview

Exhibit 49: BASF SE - Business segments

Exhibit 50: BASF SE - Key offerings

Exhibit 51: BASF SE - Segment focus

10.5 Cargill Inc.

Exhibit 52: Cargill Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 53: Cargill Inc. - Product and service

Exhibit 54: Cargill Inc. - Key offerings

10.6 Halliburton Co.

Exhibit 55: Halliburton Co. - Overview

Exhibit 56: Halliburton Co. - Business segments

Exhibit 57: Halliburton Co. - Key offerings

Exhibit 58: Halliburton Co. - Segment focus

Exhibit 59: J.M. Huber Corp. - Overview

Exhibit 60: J.M. Huber Corp. - Product and service

Exhibit 61: J.M. Huber Corp. - Key News

Exhibit 62: J.M. Huber Corp. - Key offerings

10.7 Kao Corp.

Exhibit 63: Kao Corp. - Overview

Exhibit 64: Kao Corp. - Business segments

Exhibit 65: Kao Corp. - Key offerings

Exhibit 66: Kao Corp. - Segment focus

10.8 Kemin Industries Inc.

Exhibit 67: Kemin Industries Inc. - Overview

Exhibit 68: Kemin Industries Inc. - Product and service

Exhibit 69: Kemin Industries Inc. - Key News

Exhibit 70: Kemin Industries Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 Mitsui and Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 71: Mitsui and Co. Ltd. - Overview

Exhibit 72: Mitsui and Co. Ltd. - Business segments

Exhibit 73: Mitsui and Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

Exhibit 74: Mitsui and Co. Ltd. - Segment focus

10.10 RAG-Stiftung

Exhibit 75: RAG-Stiftung - Overview

Exhibit 76: RAG-Stiftung - Product and service

Exhibit 77: RAG-Stiftung - Key offerings

10.11 Roquette Freres SA

Exhibit 78: Roquette Freres SA - Overview

Exhibit 79: Roquette Freres SA - Product and service

Exhibit 80: Roquette Freres SA - Key offerings

11. Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.1.1 Market definition

11.1.2 Objectives

11.1.3 Notes and caveats

11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 81: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.3 Research Methodology

Exhibit 82: Research Methodology

Exhibit 83: Validation techniques employed for market sizing

Exhibit 84: Information sources

11.4 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 85: List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library 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.

Contacts

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
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service announced today it has completed its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, which, in this instance, evaluated the potential environmental impacts of the Postal Service's Next Generation Vehicle Delivery (NGDV) program, a fiscally and environmentally responsible plan to modernize the federal government's largest and oldest vehicle fleet. The Postal Service communicated its completion of the NEPA process in a record of decision (ROD) filed with the Federal Register today.

"As we have reiterated throughout this process, our commitment to an electric fleet remains ambitious given the pressing vehicle and safety needs of our aging fleet as well as our fragile financial condition. As our financial position improves with the ongoing implementation of our 10-year plan, Delivering for America, we will continue to pursue the acquisition of additional BEV as additional funding  from either internal or congressional sources - becomes available," said Postmaster General and USPS Chief Executive Officer Louis DeJoy. "But the process needs to keep moving forward. The men and women of the U.S. Postal Service have waited long enough for safer, cleaner vehicles to fulfill on our universal service obligation to deliver to 161 million addresses in all climates and topographies six days per-week."

The ROD details USPS's response to feedback recently received from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the Postal Service's assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the NGDV program, which calls for the introduction of an initial 5,000 battery electric vehicles (BEV) to USPS's fleet beginning in 2023. The Postal Service's assessment is detailed in a 340-page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which was published under the NEPA process on Jan. 7, 2022.

"We thank the federal agencies, including the EPA, for their input," said Mark Guilfoil, Vice President for Supply Management at the U.S. Postal Service. "The NEPA process attracted more than 39,000 public comments from an array of stakeholders; involved coordination with various federal agencies, including EPA. As a result of those comments we included extensions in the process timeline as requested by EPA. After thorough review and study we determined that EPA's request for a supplemental EIS and public hearing would not add value to the Postal Service's already year-long review. It is also important to note that a supplemental EIS and public hearing are not legally required."

As noted in the ROD filed today, the NGDV program provides for the introduction of internal-combustion and electric-powered, purpose-built vehicles that deliver significant reductions in vehicle emissions and improvements in fuel economy versus the existing delivery vehicle fleet. While the current NGDV plan calls for its fleet mix to be at least 10 percent BEV, the Postal Service in its ROD recognizes a 100 percent mix of BEVs would deliver even greater emission benefits, and notes the program is designed to increase the mix of BEVs as financial resources become available.

The search for replacement vehicles for the Postal Service's delivery fleet, which started in 2015, resulted in the purpose-built NGDVs that will deliver air conditioning and heating, improved ergonomics, and some of the most advanced vehicle and safety technology  including 360-degree cameras, advanced braking and traction control, air bags, a front-and rear-collision avoidance system that includes visual, audio warning, and automatic braking. The vehicles will also have increased cargo capacity to maximize efficiency and better accommodate higher mail and package volumes.

Over the past year, the Postal Service has made its teams available to policymakers in Congress, as they pursued efforts to secure funding to achieve a majority electric USPS delivery vehicle fleet over the next 10 years. Although congressional funding levels have varied, the Postal Service most recently discussed an ability to achieve 70 percent fleet electrification within a decade. The NGDV contract is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, meaning the Postal Service will have the ongoing ability to order more NGDVs over a fixed period of time, in this case 10 years. In addition, the NGDV contract enables the flexibility needed to significantly increase the level of electrification when funding is provided, even after an order is placed.

The full text of the ROD can be found here.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.



Please Note: For U.S. Postal Service media resources, including broadcast quality video, audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and facts.usps.com.

For reporters interested in speaking with a regional Postal Service public relations professional, please go to about.usps.com/news/media-contacts/usps-local-media-contacts.pdf.

Contact: Kim Frum

[email protected]

usps.com/news

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 8; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 409

Companies: 155 - Players covered include C.N.S. Systems AB; ComNav; exactEarth Ltd.; Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.; Garmin Ltd.; Honeywell International Inc.; Jotron AS; Kongsberg Gruppen ASA; Onwa Marine Electronics Co. Ltd.; ORBCOMM, Inc.; SAAB AB; SRT Marine Systems plc; Teledyne FLIR LLC; True Heading AB and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Class (Class A, Class B, AIS Base Stations); Platform (Vessel-based, Onshore-based); Application (Maritime Security, Vessel Tracking, Fleet Management, Other Applications)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.



Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry



ABSTRACT-



Global Automatic Identification Systems Market to Reach US$310.9 Million by the Year 2026

Automatic Identification System (AIS) devices are specialized tracking systems that automatically transmit information pertaining to location and position of vessels on vast oceans, for preventing possible collisions. The unique identification of a vessel, its course and position, and also the speed at which it is travelling are all displayed on the screen of AIS equipment. AIS devices integrate GPS with standardized VHF transceiver and electronic navigation sensors such as rate-of-turn indicators and gyrocompass among others for identifying location of vessels. Increased investments in the global marine industry are leading to increased AIS demand for tracking vessels. Fully automated AIS devices require no manual intervention. Unlike radar, the systems are not impacted by weather conditions and are able to offer longer wavelength, allowing for enhancement in vessel movement monitoring, especially during night times. With AIS, it is possible to transmit accurate information, quickly and dynamically. All these advantages offered by AIS devices helped in market growth over the past many years. Another primary reason for increase in growth for the market for AIS devices is the expansion of applications. There are now several new maritime applications for which AIS has been made compulsory. Initially, deployment of AIS on vessels was only for collision prevention and safety but the technology's flexibility enabled new applications like allowing cost-effective navigation. Oil companies and large shipping operators are the primary end-users of AIS devices. AIS was also employed for identifying how the pandemic impacted fishing activity globally.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Automatic Identification Systems estimated at US$250 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$310.9 Million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% over the analysis period. Class A, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.6% CAGR to reach US$160.6 Million by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Class B segment is readjusted to a revised 5.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 28.7% share of the global Automatic Identification Systems market. The Class A segment is gaining from mandatory installation of Class A AIS on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) vessels. These vessels encompass passenger ships of all sizes, vessels exceeding the 500 gross tonnage mark but not intended for international voyages, and vessels that exceed the 300 gross tonnage mark and move on international voyages. While Class B AIS scores low over Class A options in terms of functionality, they can be used with Class A AIS for communications and operations.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $79.4 Million in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $44.7 Million by 2026

The Automatic Identification Systems market in the U.S. is estimated at US$79.4 Million in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 32% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$44.7 Million in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 6.7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.9% and 4.2% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.5% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$26.9 Million by the end of the analysis period. North American and European markets are currently the largest for AIS devices. These regions depend heavily on water transportation for cross border trade. The large coastline of North America requires constant monitoring. This combined with growing trade and other commercial activities is promoting the need for enhanced maritime surveillance. Also, quite a few AIS device manufacturers are based in this region. Growth is significant in the Asia-Pacific market, where countries like South Korea, India and China are trying to strengthen their maritime security and increase cross border trade.

AIS Base Stations Segment to Reach $70.7 Million by 2026

In the global AIS Base Stations segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 4.2% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$43.8 Million will reach a projected size of US$58.7 Million by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$9.1 Million by the year 2026. More



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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vicore Pharma Holding AB (publ) ("Vicore"), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing medicines targeting the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R), today announces advancing its first new chemical entity from the VP03 program to a first in human phase 1 trial. This molecule is the company's first AT2R agonist to follow C21 in clinical development.

Building on its specific expertise Vicore announces that the first candidate in the VP03 program has completed preclinical development and is ready to enter the clinical development phase. A clinical trial application is planned to be submitted during Q2 2022. The compound C106 shows high selectivity for AT2R and good activity in reducing TGFb in human tissue. Further, four additional AT2R agonistic compounds are expected to finalize preclinical evaluation during 2022.

"Vicore has developed proprietary methods to swiftly advance novel AT2R agonists to the clinic and we expect further compounds with different properties to follow during the coming year" says Johanna Grans, head of preclinical development at Vicore.

AT2R agonists have shown antifibrotic, repair and regenerative effects in multiple animal models of disease, including lung fibrosis, diabetic kidney disease, heart failure, stroke and cognition. The clinical data with C21 in COVID-19, Raynaud's phenomena in systemic sclerosis and the recent interim data in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis confirm that the AT2R plays an important role in human disease.

"This is the first step to transform Vicore from a rare lung disease company to a clinical platform company exploring a new class of drugs, the AT2R agonists, for multiple indications" says Carl-Johan Dalsgaard, CEO of Vicore.

R&D-day on March 10, 2022

Vicore Pharma will host an R&D-day on March 10 to further inform the market of the recent scientific progress with regards to the receptor localization, experimental evidence in human tissues, progress in the chemistry programs and the new indications that are being evaluated as well as an update on the ongoing clinical trials.

Register for the event: https://lifesci.rampard.com/WebcastingAppv5/Events/Registration/registration.jsp?Y2lk=MTY4Ng==&Y2lk=MTY4Ng==

For further information, please contact:

Carl-Johan Dalsgaard, CEO

Phone: +46 70 975 98 63

E-mail: [email protected]

This information was submitted for publication on February 23, 2022 at 08:00 CET.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/vicore-pharma-holding-ab/r/vicore-takes-major-step-towards-a-clinical-platform-company-targeting-at2r---new-molecule-ready-for-,c3512464

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/15668/3512464/1539371.pdf Vicore takes major step towards a clinical platform company targeting AT2R a" new molecule ready for phase 1

SOURCE Vicore Pharma Holding AB
"Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is committed to finding innovative ways to expand access to care in the communities we serve while lowering the cost of care," said Ketul J. Patel, CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. "Our collaboration with Contessa allows us to deliver quality care, traditionally provided in a hospital setting, to our patients in their homes  increasing patient satisfaction and improving outcomes, while creating more inpatient capacity for those with the most critical needs."

Patients who choose Home Recovery Care are transported home and begin receiving hospital-level care that same day. They are sent home with remote patient monitoring devices and have in-home nursing visits and telehealth consults from Virginia Mason Franciscan Health physicians. The program is ideal for patients with a variety of acute conditions including pneumonia, cellulitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, COVID-19 and urinary tract infections.

"Home Recovery Care empowers providers to deliver truly personalized, high-acuity care at home. We are thrilled to bring this care model to Virginia Mason Franciscan Health," said Travis Messina, CEO of Contessa.

Contessa's Home Recovery Care model has grown exponentially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is proven to drive better patient outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. On average, the model historically reduces readmission rates by 44%, decreases the mean length of a hospital stay by 35% and has a patient satisfaction score of more than 90%. This collaboration is a key addition to Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's efforts to manage capacity during the pandemic.

Home Recovery Care is slated to launch at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma later this year and will be available to Medicare fee-for-service patients initially. There are plans to expand to other Virginia Mason Franciscan Health locations and include patients with other health plans in the future.

About Virginia Mason Franciscan Health:

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is an integrated health system serving the Puget Sound region of Washington state, offering access to some of the country's most prestigious experts and hospitals that are internationally known for superior quality. With a team of 18,000 team members, including nearly 5,000 employed physicians and affiliated providers, we unite the brightest health care minds in the region to provide world-class clinical excellence at 11 hospitals and nearly 300 sites of care throughout the Puget Sound area. We are proud to be the home of Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, and Benaroya Research Institute, which is internationally recognized for autoimmune disease research. We embrace our community's uniquely vibrant, active culture by providing holistic, personalized and patient-centered care. We are committed to caring for the most vulnerable in our communities, including the poor and underserved, providing more than $300 million in community benefit  free, subsidized, and reduced cost health care and programs. Learn more at www.vmfh.org .

About Contessa:

Based in Nashville, Contessa is the leader and pioneer of Home Recovery Care, a risk-based model that combines all the essential elements of inpatient hospital care in the comfort of patients' homes. Founded in 2015, Contessa utilizes Care Convergence  a proprietary technology platform  to power the seamless delivery of Home Recovery Care that is safe, affordable and improves patient outcomes. Contessa's turnkey solution provides upfront savings to health plans, enables health systems to reinvent their care delivery model and helps physicians deliver a better experience for patients. For more information, visit contessahealth.com or follow us at @contessahealth.

About Amedisys:

Amedisys, Inc. is a leading healthcare at home company delivering personalized home health, hospice and personal care. Amedisys is focused on delivering the care that is best for our patients, whether that is home-based personal care; recovery and rehabilitation after an operation or injury; care focused on empowering them to manage a chronic disease; or hospice care at the end of life.

More than 3,000 hospitals and 90,000 physicians nationwide have chosen Amedisys as a partner in post-acute care. Founded in 1982, headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA with an executive office in Nashville, TN, Amedisys is a publicly held company. With approximately 20,000 employees, in 528 care centers in 38 states and the District of Columbia, Amedisys is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of care to the doorsteps of more than 445,000 patients in need every year, performing more than 11.5 million visits annually. For more information about the Company, please visit: www.amedisys.com .

Forward-Looking Statements:

When included in this press release, words like "believes," "belief," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "may," "might," "would," "should," "will" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described therein. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19"), including the measures that have been and may be taken by governmental authorities to mitigate it, on our business, financial condition and results of operations, the impact of current and proposed federal, state and local vaccine mandates, including potential staffing shortages, changes in or our failure to comply with existing federal and state laws or regulations or the inability to comply with new government regulations on a timely basis, changes in Medicare and other medical payment levels, our ability to open care centers, acquire additional care centers and integrate and operate these care centers effectively, competition in the healthcare industry, changes in the case mix of patients and payment methodologies, changes in estimates and judgments associated with critical accounting policies, our ability to maintain or establish new patient referral sources, our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, our ability to keep our patients and employees safe, changes in payments and covered services by federal and state governments, future cost containment initiatives undertaken by third-party payors, our access to financing, our ability to meet debt service requirements and comply with covenants in debt agreements, business disruptions due to natural disasters or acts of terrorism, widespread protest or civil unrest, our ability to integrate, manage and keep our information systems secure, our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, and changes in law or developments with respect to any litigation relating to the Company, including various other matters, many of which are beyond our control.

Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely on any forward-looking statement as a prediction of future events. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking, and we do not intend to release publicly any updates or changes in our expectations concerning the forward-looking statements or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any forward-looking statement may be based, except as required by law.

SOURCE Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
"We are absolutely thrilled to receive these three awards from Gartner as we execute on our mission to empower small businesses to achieve success online," said Ali Tajskandar, Chairman and CEO of Wishpond. "Gartner is an independent research firm with a strong reputation for advising businesses who are seeking to purchase leading software and technology solutions; hence we receive this industry recognition on behalf of the dedicated Wishpond employees, as a validation of the Company's strong value proposition and stellar customer experience. Improving our clients' return on their digital marketing investments has helped us achieve our outstanding growth and recognition."

Capterra is owned by Gartner Digital Markets. Wishpond consistently achieved great success on these sites in 2021, getting featured in multiple Gartner Digital Markets flagship reports. With high overall ratings on these platforms, Wishpond stands above the crowd.

"Amazing customer service (chat) - always helping me through any parts where I'd get stuck. Each time I have a new subscriber, the email notification includes how many other times that lead interacted with other parts of my funnel, giving them a rating. PRICELESS!!! LOVE IT!"

said Sebastian, a Wishpond customer, on Capterra.

Another Wishpond customer, on Capterra, said, "Wishpond helps us solve almost every aspect of our inbound lead generation and automated email marketing. I am extremely pleased with the results," - Hank T.

About Wishpond Technologies Ltd.

Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Wishpond is a provider of marketing-focused online business solutions. Wishpond's vision is to become the leading provider of digital marketing solutions that empower entrepreneurs to achieve success online. The Company offers an "all-in-one" marketing suite that provides companies with marketing, promotion, lead generation, and sales conversion capabilities on one integrated platform. Wishpond replaces disparate marketing solutions with an easy-to-use product, for a fraction of the cost. Wishpond serves over 3,000 customers who are primarily small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in a wide variety of industries. The Company has developed cutting-edge marketing technology solutions and continues to add new features and applications with great velocity. The Company employs a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model where substantially all the Company's revenue is subscription-based recurring revenue which provides excellent revenue predictability and cash flow visibility. Wishpond is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker "WISH", and on the OTCQX Best Market under the ticker "WPNDF". For further information, visit: www.wishpond.com .

About Gartner Digital Markets:

Gartner Digital Markets is a Gartner business unit composed of Capterra , GetApp , and Software Advice . It is the world's premier source for software vendors to connect with in-market buyers, through research, reviews, and lead generation. Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice, equip the millions of buyers who visit these sites every month with the unbiased information they need to make great purchasing decisions.

For more information, visit https://www.gartner.com/en/digital-markets.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Ali Tajskandar"

Director and CEO

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "intends", "will", "should", "expects", "continue", "estimate", "forecasts" and other similar expressions. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking information has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including, but not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the public disclosure documents of the Company which such risk factors are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Wishpond Technologies Ltd.
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 9; Released: February 2021

Executive Pool: 13032

Companies: 52 - Players covered include Airspan Networks Inc; AT&T, Inc.; Bittium Corporation; Cisco Systems Inc.; Cobham plc; Frequentis AG; General Dynamics Corporation; Hytera Communication Co. Ltd.; L3Harris Technologies, Inc; Leonardo S.p.A.; Mentura Group OY; Motorola Solutions, Inc.; Nokia Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sierra Wireless; Sonim Technologies Inc.; Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson; Verizon Communications Inc. and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Type (Infrastructure, Services); Deployment (Private, Hybrid, Commercial); Application (Law Enforcement & Border Control, Firefighting Services, Emergency Medical Services, Disaster Management)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; China; Europe; France; UK; Spain; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

ABSTRACT-

Global Public Safety LTE Market to Reach US$16.8 Billion by the Year 2026

Public safety LTE is defined as the use of LTE mobile broadband communication for the use of mission critical communications which were hitherto implemented on LMR and TETRA Networks. Currently, a large percentage of PS-LTE networks utilize the 700 MHz band, with few countries pilot testing LTE on lower bands such as the 400 MHz band. Given that reliable communication is vital for efficient provision of essential services and also planning in an emergency, public safety LTE is witnessing increasing demand. The expansion of first responder teams is resulting in growing number of pre-emergency procurement contracts for telecommunications equipment and services including LTE systems. Launch of community emergency response programs and formation of rapid response teams (RRTs) at hospitals are also expected to benefit market growth. The rise of smart cities will augment the need for advanced public safety LTE solutions. Public safety LTE helps in making cities smarter and safer by providing robust, reliable, and dedicated networks. The technology provides solutions for crime prevention; for emergency medical services; for firefighters and rescue worker, to name a few. Stringent fire safety regulations in the US and Europe, coupled with rise in government initiatives across different regions to increase fire safety awareness, are expected to drive the demand for Public Safety LTE. The use of public safety LTE benefits the fire and rescue teams in several ways such as by providing advanced vehicle location services for supporting fire engine fleet.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Public Safety LTE estimated at US$7.5 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$16.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 19.9% over the analysis period. Infrastructure, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 18.9% CAGR to reach US$14 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Services segment is readjusted to a revised 22.5% CAGR for the next 7-year period. Hybrid networks are expected to witness faster growth as companies focus on leveraging their investments in radios that are LMR-LTE capable. Technology investments and end-user CAPEX on improvements to existing LMR networks/narrowband voice systems will continue rise driving demand for hybrid LTE solutions.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $2.5 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $1.7 Billion by 2026

The Public Safety LTE market in the U.S. is estimated at US$2.5 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 33.9% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$1.7 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 20.7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Canada and Europe, each forecast to grow at 18.5% and 17.7% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, France is forecast to grow at approximately 18.2% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$1.4 Billion by the end of the analysis period. The rising penetration of 4G is expected to support growth in both developed and developing regions. Developed countries such as the US and Japan, and Europe represent the foremost adopters of 4G technology and in majority of developed nations 4G has achieved significant penetration rate. 4G has also made a rapid progress in developing nations such as China, the most populous nation in the world, and has lately gathered steam in India, the second most populous country.

Adoption of LPWA Technologies in Public Safety Applications Grows

As cellular LPWA offers several advantages over non-cellular LPWA, public safety organizations are increasingly opting for cellular LPWA technologies such as LTE machine-type communications (LTE-M) and narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) for monitoring, tracking and other IoT applications. The challenges of non-cellular LPWA such as low data rates policy limiting the use of available bandwidth, and greater interference among devices is expected to pave the way for cellular LPWA technologies in public safety applications. Cellular LPWA connectivity solutions can provide public safety applications at better coverage conditions, lower cost, and lower power consumption than conventional cellular technologies. Nearly 156 such networks have been rolled out, supported by 70 operators in 40 countries. LTE-M is a branch of LTE technology that was built for Machine-to-Machine communication. Unlike other LPWANs, LTE-M/Cat-M1/Cat-M2 networks can use existing 4G LTE infrastructure. Using LTE-M, IoT devices can transmit and receive large amounts of data without draining the battery. The rapid evolution of wearable technology is promising for public safety end-users. The need for information on the move is increasingly being served by wearable technology. Body sensors on firefighters detecting distress, police officers receiving information on smartwatches, and paramedics seeing vital information on smart glasses are just some of the possibilities offered by wearable technology.

Devices using LTE-M and NB-IoT tend to have longer battery life by transmitting small amounts of data and then entering extended sleep cycles. In addition, these devices can transmit data repeatedly until the message is received, which effectively result in extended coverage. LTE-M offers better reliability, low latency and higher data rates at around 4Mbps in comparison with non-cellular LPWA networks. The higher data rate and reliable data transfer while on the move is highly suitable for mission-critical applications requiring real-time input. With higher data throughput than other LPWANs and older networks, devices connected via LTE-M can download major updates, including new capabilities and security updates without draining the battery. While non-cellular LPWA such as LoRa and SigFox operate on unlicensed spectrum, LTE-M and NB-IoT are designed for use on licensed broadband spectrum. The use of unlicensed bands can lead to greater interference among devices which can reduce efficiency. A notable development in the market, Telit, a global provider of IoT solutions, offers LTE modules that are certified to support LTE-M for use on FirstNet, providing reliable connectivity for first responders and public safety devices. More

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Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]



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SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares

Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial

Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates

Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform

Complimentary updates for one year

Edition: 17; Released: February 2022

Executive Pool: 4102

Companies: 200 - Players covered include Applebees Services, Inc.; ARAMARK Corporation; Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc.; Autogrill S.p.A; Brinker International, Inc.; Burger King Holdings, Inc.; CKE Restaurants, Inc.; Compass Group PLC; Darden Restaurants, Inc.; Delaware North Companies, Inc.; Denny's Corp.; Domino's Pizza Inc.; Eddie Rockets (IRL) Ltd.; Gate Gourmet Inc; IHOP Corp.; International Dairy Queen, Inc.; Johnsonville Sausage LLC; JOLLIBEE FOODS CORP.; LSG Sky Chefs; McDonald's Corporation; Mitchells & Butlers Plc; Quiznos Sub; Skylark Co., Ltd.; Sodexo SA; SONIC Corp.; Starbucks Corporation; Wendy's International, Inc.; Whitbread PLC; Yum! Brands, Inc and Others.

Coverage: All major geographies and key segments

Segments: Restaurant Type (Full Service, Fast Food, Limited Service, Other Restaurant Types); End-Use (Commercial, Non-Commercial)

Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Spain; Russia; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Australia; India; South Korea; Rest of Asia-Pacific; Latin America; Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; Rest of Latin America; Middle East; Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; UAE; Rest of Middle East; Africa.



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ABSTRACT-



Global Food Service Industry Market to Reach US$4.1 Trillion by the Year 2026

Foodservice involves making, serving and selling of ready-to-consume foods and drinks or providing catering services to public or private end consumers either by in-house or external operators. As such, foodservice accounts for about 45%-50% of total spending on food in the US, while the percentage in lesser-developed markets can be in the range of 10%-15% or less of total spending on food. The main contributors to growth in the industry include socio-economic conditions, such as high disposable income, busy and increased mobile life, rise in outsourcing of non-core activities by companies and market expansion into new areas such as transport and retail. Some other factors that can influence the market include tourism, immigration, food variety, access to food service places and technological advancements as in Internet through online ordering. A major growth of food service industry is expected as food service operators are encouraged to invest more in eco-friendly and energy efficient equipment to meet the changing needs. Though the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected operations in the overall food service industry including that of fast food facilities and QSRs, long term prospects remain positive, presenting considerable opportunities for the food service market.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Food Service Industry estimated at US$3.4 Trillion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$4.1 Trillion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% over the analysis period. Full Service, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR to reach US$1.5 Trillion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Fast Food segment is readjusted to a revised 6.5% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 28.1% share of the global Food Service Industry market. Full service restaurants (FSRs) are joining the takeaway bandwagon. An increasing number of FSRs are offering takeaway options. Moreover, restaurants are developing new menus for takeaways rather than serving the dine-in menu in the takeaway segment. Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), also known as fast food restaurants, are establishments that are involved in serving fast food and have minimal table services. The convenience and economical foods and time and cost savings are fueling growth in the QSRs market. The rapid growth of the online delivery and home delivery markets, driven by growing consumer desire for home delivery of foods, is also driving growth.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $840.8 Billion in 2022, While China is Forecast to Reach $776.9 Billion by 2026

The Food Service Industry market in the U.S. is estimated at US$840.8 Billion in the year 2022. The country currently accounts for a 25.1% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$776.9 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 7% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 4.1% and 4.3% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.2% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$825.7 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Asia-Pacific region is witnessing fast growth of international fast food chains and the emergence of several local or domestic QSRs. Though the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected operations in the overall food service industry including that of fast food facilities and QSRs, long term prospects remain positive, presenting considerable opportunities for the food service equipment market.

Limited Service Segment to Reach $864.6 Billion by 2026

Quick Service Restaurants, also known as Limited Service Restaurants, comprise mostly of self-service fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, and sandwich shops. Examples of quick service restaurants include McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Starbucks, Burger King, and Subway among others. In the global Limited Service segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 3.4% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$517.9 Billion will reach a projected size of US$664.2 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$116.9 Billion by the year 2026, while Latin America will expand at a 4% CAGR through the analysis period. More



MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.



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NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers from a heating oil supplier for New York City schools testified at a City Council hearing today about retaliation and mistreatment amidst a ten-month union strike. Teamsters Local 553 members from United Metro Energy (UMEC) called on New York City to end fuel purchases from the company and hold it accountable.

The hearing before the City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor, chaired by Council Member Carmen de la Rosa, focused on how New York City can strengthen worker rights. The ongoing essential workers strike became a focus for the hearing, as UMEC and its billionaire owner, John Catsimatidis, face twin investigations by the National Labor Relations Board for retaliating against union activists and the New York City Comptroller's Officer for illegally low wages on city jobs.

Andre Soleyn and Ivan Areizaga are oil terminal operators and leaders in the union drive who testified to the committee.

"Over the past ten months, eight of us have been fired in retaliation for our strike," said Soleyn. "New York City bears responsibility. Despite what John Catsimatidis is doing to us, New York City continues to buy millions of dollars of fuel from the company."

"After just one week on strike, the company stopped our medical benefits," said Areizaga. "My son has Type 1 diabetes. He couldn't get his medication anymore. It's one thing to come after us. It's another thing to punish our families."

Workers at the UMEC oil terminal in Brooklyn have been on strike since April 19, 2021. The workers provided gasoline, diesel, and heating oil to New York throughout the pandemic, while Catsimatidis paid them wages as much as 50 percent lower than at other city oil companies.

UMEC has received an average of $21 million each year from New York City agencies since 2015 as a prime contractor, mostly from the Department of Education for heating oil. In total, New York City agencies have spent a total of $153 million on UMEC contracts since 2013. In addition to the Department of Education, other city agencies that also purchase fuel from UMEC include The City University of New York, the Department of Education, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Social Services.

"United Metro Energy has committed numerous violations of federal labor law, but New York City checks keep flowing to the company," said Demos Demopoulos, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 553. "Worker abuse should not be treated as business as usual by New York City government. When immigrants and workers of color are exploited, New York City public dollars should not be paying for it."

UMEC terminal workers, fleet mechanics, and service technicians voted to join Local 553 in February 2019, but Catsimatidis dragged out negotiations for a first contract for two years, precipitating the strike. While other unionized fuel terminals in New York City pay good wages and provide quality benefits, UMEC has for years undercut those wages and only offered an expensive health plan that is not accepted by many doctors.

The company has sent letters to a majority of the workers over the course of the strike telling them that they have been "permanently replaced." The firings have illegally targeted union activists. The National Labor Relations Board is currently investigating the firings, among other charges.

In November, the New York City Comptroller opened an investigation into complaints that UMEC has not paid workers the prevailing wage when delivering heating oil to City buildings.

Teamsters Local 553 is affiliated with Teamsters Joint Council 16, which represents over 120,000 workers in the tri-state area and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to http://teamsters.nyc/.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 16
SENSEI was used by Dr. Adams in two procedures with the surgical robotic platform, da Vinci Xi, to intra-operatively locate small lung lesions to help diagnose disease. Small lesions in the lung are notoriously hard to locate during surgery.

With broad application in radio-guided surgery across multiple procedures and major cancer types, SENSEI is currently in use worldwide in prostate, cervical, and colorectal cancer surgery.

Dr. Doug Adams, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Bethesda North Hospital said, "Using SENSEI was very straightforward with the da Vinci Xi. I was able to easily manipulate the SENSEI probe within the surgical cavity, see the gamma signal within the robotic console, and quickly locate the small lesions. Being able to perform the procedure with minimal impact on the patient is a high surgical priority. By having a technique that can be easily carried out minimally-invasively with a surgical robot is a significant improvement and technological advance."

Lightpoint Medical CEO, Graeme Smith, added, "Dr. Adams use in the USA and in the lung are both "firsts" for SENSEI and are significant milestones for Lightpoint Medical. SENSEI's unique features are ideal for thoracic procedures and offer the potential for better outcomes for patients and clinicians."

About SENSEI

Lightpoint Medical has developed SENSEI - a miniaturized surgical gamma probe for minimally-invasive and robot-assisted surgery. The device is approved for sale in the US, EU, UK, and Australia and is in clinical use in the US, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.

About SENSEI in thoracic surgery

SENSEI can detect gamma emissions intra-operatively from radiopharmaceuticals. In thoracic surgery, SENSEI is used to help locate small pulmonary lesions. Improvements in diagnostic imaging can help in confirming the presence of such lesions. However, intra-operative location of the lesions can be a challenge due to the small size and the surgeon's inability to palpate. SENSEI offers a unique solution.

Smaller than an AA battery and therefore able to be dropped directly into the surgical site, the probe is designed specifically for robotic and minimally-invasive surgery. Following a pre-operative injection of the radiotracer 99mTc into the lesion under CT guidance, SENSEI can quickly detect the gamma emission from the tracer to locate the lesion intra-operatively.

About Lightpoint Medical

Lightpoint Medical develops and markets innovative technologies for intra-operative cancer detection. By augmenting the benefits of robotic platforms, surgeons can more accurately detect cancer intra-operatively. These improvements can help ensure that no cancer is left behind as well minimize the removal of non-cancerous tissue. Lightpoint is headquartered in the U.K. with offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Barcelona; and Amsterdam. The company recently signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Telix Pharmaceuticals to combine SENSEI with Telix's portfolio of breakthrough cancer-targeted imaging agents.

For more information visit: www.lightpointmedical.com ; www.senseisurgical.com and follow Lightpoint on LinkedIn and Twitter .

SOURCE Lightpoint Medical
DUBLIN, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Metrology Services Market (2021-2026) by Service, Product, Application, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Metrology Services Market is estimated to be USD 654.39 Mn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 957.07 Mn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.9%.



Key factors such as the increasing necessity of achieving high quality and expanding aerospace and defense industries are the primary reason for driving the market's growth. Gradual increase in demand for manufacturing, power generation and automotive applications and increasing awareness about security are providing growth opportunities to the market.



However, factors such as the high risk of data breaches and complexity are likely to restrain the market growth. Moreover, cyber attack is the key challenge in the market.

Company Profiles

Some of the companies covered in this report are Quality Vision International, Nikon Metrology, Renishaw, Carl Zeiss, Mitutoyo, Hexagon, Metrology Services, etc.



Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Competitive Quadrant

The report includes a Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.

Why buy this report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Metrology Services Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's competitive positioning tool.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Influencers

4.1 Drivers

4.1.1 Increasing Demand from Industrial and Power Generation Applications

4.1.2 Increasing Necessity Of Achieving High Quality and Adoption of CAD/CAM

4.1.3 Lack of Applicability of Existing Measuring Equipment

4.1.4 Expansion Of Automotive Industries

4.2 Restraints

4.2.1 Design Complexity

4.3 Opportunities

4.3.1 Increasing Awareness about Security

4.3.2 Growing Demand for 3D Metrology Services

4.4 Challenges

4.4.1 Lack of Trained Machine Operators

4.4.2 Cyber Attacks and Data Breach



5 Market Analysis

5.1 Regulatory Scenario

5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis



1. Global Metrology Services Market, By Service

2. Introduction

3. 3D Measurement

4. Product Quality Optimization

5. Quality Control and Inspection

6. Reverse Engineering

7. Others (After-Sales Services, Virtual Simulation)



6 Global Metrology Services Market, By Product

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Coordinate Measuring Machines

6.2.1 Gantry Machines

6.2.2 Bridge Machines

6.2.3 Articulated Arm Machines

6.2.4 Horizontal Arm Machines

6.3 Optical Digitizers and Scanners

6.3.1 3D Laser Scanners

6.3.2 White Light Scanners

6.3.3 Laser Trackers



7 Global Metrology Services Market, By Application

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Automotive

7.3 Aerospace

7.4 Industrial

7.5 Power Generation

7.6 Others



8 Global Metrology Services Market, By Geography

9 Competitive Landscape

9.1 Competitive Quadrant

9.2 Market Share Analysis

9.3 Strategic Initiatives

9.3.1 M&A and Investments

9.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations

9.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements



10 Company Profiles

10.1 Absolute Metrology Services

10.2 AMETEK

10.3 Atlas Copco

10.4 Carl Zeiss

10.5 Dimensional Metrology Services

10.6 East Coast Metrology

10.7 Exact Metrology

10.8 FARO Technologies

10.9 Hexagon

10.10 Intertek

10.11 Metalock Engineering

10.12 Metrology Services

10.13 Mitutoyo

10.14 Nikon Metrology

10.15 Optical Metrology Services

10.16 Precision Optical

10.17 Quality Vision International

10.18 Renishaw

10.19 Rice Lake Weighing System

10.20 Roberts Metrology Services

10.21 Verus Metrology

10.22 Verus Precision



11 Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9lp481

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets
(Please note, this article was originally published on Tuesday)

A lot of stocks with Russian connections were getting hammered on the London stock market on Tuesday.

Market makers have marked down a number of high-profile stocks in anticipation of countries in the NATO alliance hitting companies with Russian connections with sanctions after Russia sent troops across the Ukrainian border.

Its not clear how big an effect this would have on the myriad Russian resource and banking stocks quoted in London, but based on the share price falls of JSC VTB Bank and Sberbank of Russia (OTC:AKSJF), Lukoil, Rosneft (AIM:ROSN), Surgutneftgas, Novatek and Tatneft, a mark-down of 8% seems to be the going rate.

New ???????? statement spells out what sanctions will be voted on today.



The last one mirrors America's (rather meaningless) ban on doing business with the breakaway regions.



The first presents the most questions. Putin?https://t.co/pZUx4Q8Iyg pic.twitter.com/ySYB8QmOjL  Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) February 22, 2022

Poor old Amur Minerals Corp, which possesses a wholly-owned nickel sulphide asset located in the far east of Russia, is among the tiddlers caught in the crossfire.

Its shares shot up last month when it revealed it may sell its Irosta Trading subsidiary but the shares were down by one-sixth today as the latest developments possibly put that deal in jeopardy.

Not all tiddlers with snow on their boots have been hit, however; Zaim Credit Systems PLC (LSE:ZAIM), the Russia focused fintech group, is unchanged today and up 6.7% over the last week.

Todays widespread losses extend the decline of the likes of VTB Bank, Sberbank, Gazprom, Novatek, Tatneft, Rosneft (AIM:ROSN) and Surgutneftgas over the last week to more than 20%.

Conversely, Evraz PLC (LSE:EVR), the FTSE 100 steel, mining and vanadium business with extensive operations in Russia, is up 4.1% today, paring its loss in the last week to 16% while Polymetal International PLC (LSE:POLY), down 1.7% today and off 6.9% over the last week, has also got off relatively lightly. Ditto MMC Norilsk Nickel, which is up 1.5% today and down 11.7% over the last week.

The West talks tough

UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has pledged to impose the toughest sanctions regime against Russia we have ever had, which may not go down well in the city often referred to as the money laundering capital of the world but will play well in the so-called red wall constituencies.

Songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong once posed the question, war: what is it good for?

You might remember the song by The Temptations or Edwin Starr and the reply to the rhetorical question, which was: absolutely nothin.

Well, thats not entirely true, as the defence companies seem to do well out of it. On that score, BAE Systems PLC (LSE:BA.) is up 0.3% today, Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.) is 2.3% firmer, Chemring PLC is 0.2% heavier but Avon Protection PLC (LSE:AVON), which recently announced it would be winding down its armour business, is off 1.6%.

Cybersecurity firms could come to the fore if relations between Russia and the West get even worse, which might be the reason for Darktrace PLC (LSE:DARK)s 1.6% advance today.
Barclays PLC (LSE:BARC) has suspended millions of pounds in bonus share awards to former chief executive Jes Staley, who stepped down in November last year following an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) into his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the US financier who committed suicide while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.

Based on Wednesdays share price, Staley's share awards are worth nearly 22mln.

Barclays said in a statement: "In line with its normal procedures, the committee exercised its discretion to suspend the vesting of all of Mr Staley's unvested awards, pending further developments in respect of the regulatory and legal proceedings related to the ongoing Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) investigation regarding Mr Staley."

READ: Barclays profits soar as investment bank sees record results
BAE is one of those reporting tomorrow

Its an all-you-can-eat buffet of FTSE 100 results tomorrow with at least five of the UKs biggest names reporting full-year numbers.

Rolls-Royce will be one of those most closely watched given its position as a window on both the engineering and aviation sectors.

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.

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.

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LSE:LLOY), a big retail investor favourite, brings up the rear in the FTSE 100 high street banks reporting season.

Dividend and buyback payments so far have been huge and Lloyds is likely to be no different to its peers.

The full-year dividend is expected to be 2.07p and not wanting to be left out, the bank is expected to announce a bumper share repurchase programme.

BAE Systems meanwhile is one of those companies that might benefit from an outbreak of war in Ukraine.

The weapons maker is a big supplier of UK and US military equipment though recently has seemingly been more interested in beefing up its ESG credentials.

Consensus forecasts for sales in 2021 are around 21.5bn with underlying earnings of 2.2bn.

First-half profits from pig breeding specialist Genus PLC (LSE:GNS) are forecast to be 22% lower than last year due to the impact in China and as the period last year was particularly strong, said broker Peel Hunt.

Pre-tax profit is expected to be 37mln versus 47.1mln, with reported headline PBT of 48.4m last year less 1.3mln adjustment.

Thursday 24 February

Interims: Genus PLC, Hays PLC (LSE:HAS)

Finals: BAE Systems PLC (LSE:BA.), Centrica PLC (LSE:CNA), Conduit Holdings Limited, Derwent London (AIM:DLN) PLC, Drax Group (LSE:DRX) PLC, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Howden Joinery Group (LSE:HWDN) PLC, Inchcape PLC (LSE:INCH) , Lloyds Banking Group PLC, MacFarlane Group PLC, Morgan Sindall Group PLC (LSE:MGNS), Rathbones Group PLC (LSE:RAT, OTC:RTBBF), Serco Group (LSE:SRP) PLC, Spectris PLC (LSE:SXS) , St Jamess Place PLC, WPP PLC (LSE:WPP) , Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.), Grafton Group PLC (ISE:GFTU),

AGMs: Bankers Investment Trust PLC (LSE:BNKR), Ediston Property Investment Company Plc (LSE:EPIC), Integrafin Holdings PLC, Victorian Plumbing Group PLC (AIM:VIC)

Economic data: Continuing Claims (US), Initial Jobless Claims (US), New Homes Sales (US)
Two Russian-affiliated mining companies saw shares rise after saying they will not be affected by new sanctions imposed on Russia.

Eurasia Mining PLC (AIM:EUA) and Amur Minerals Corporation (AIM:AMC, OTC:AMMCF), which are both heavily invested in Russian mining, alerted investors that latest sanctions would not have an impact on their operations, saying no individual or entity were linked in any way.

The US sanctioned two of Russias state-owned banks: VEB and Promsvyazbank, while the UK placed sanctions on five Russian banks and three billionaires: Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg.

In December, Eurasia Mining signed a legally binding cooperation agreement with Russian state-owned Far East and Arctic Region Development Corporation, while Amur' operations are entirely focused in eastern Russia.

Fresh sanctions were placed on Russia by the West, Japan and Australia in response to the country recognizing the independence of separatist regions Donetsk and Luhansk, and sending troops into the regions on a peacekeeping mission.

Most sanctions are focused on limiting Russian individuals and entities access to capital through Western markets, and have not yet hit the mining sector.

But US draft legislation explicitly names 12 Russian banks as potential targets for sanctions, and would also give powers to hit companies in the oil & gas and mining sectors.

Amurs share price rose 3.07% through early afternoon to 2.42p while Eurasia shares rose 8.28% to 17.88p as both made similar announcements today.

Both Eurasias and Amurs share prices have fallen more than 20% in the last month as investors protect themselves from the impacts of an increasingly likely war in Ukraine.

Amur gave up huge gains arising from confirmation that it was in discussions to sell its subsidiary Irosta Trading Ltd. for 100mln.

Further sanctions are expected by all parties if Russia engages in an all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Bitcoin and Ethereum snapped six days of losses as investors digest a raft of international sanctions imposed on Russia in retaliation for President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into Ukraine. Bitcoin was up 3.55% at US$38,151 easing concern the biggest digital token by market value could revisit the 6 month-lows seen in January. Ethereum was 6.21% higher at US$2,682, in tandem with gains in the wider market.

Manchester City has begun building a virtual Etihad Stadium in the metaverse with the help of new partner Sony. The Premier League champions hope the virtual stadium will allow fans to enjoy all the thrills of attending a real game and give international followers the chance to experience the match-day atmosphere, Cointelegraph reported.
Openn Negotiation Ltd (ASX:OPN) has released an encouraging half-yearly update following its successful listing on the ASX in July 2021.

The Australian property technology company, which offers a proprietary cloud-based software platform to support real estate agents to sell property online, raised A$9 million at its initial public offering (IPO) through the issue of 45 million shares at A$0.20 per share.

Since then, it has enjoyed rolling 12-month growth in uploads, which is tracking at 111%, compared to the 71% annual growth rate required to meet 5% target market share set at its 2021 AGM.

North American push

During the six months since it listed, Openn has been busy setting up its US arm, Openn North America Inc. and appointing North American personnel.

It has had a patent accepted in US, which it says will create a strong legal pathway to protect investment in US market entry, and has set up a US pilot program in conjunction with broker agreements ahead of a program launch.

The company plans to introduce Openn Offers, a private treaty product with rapid training growth and uploads, and has been invited into the REACH Canada Accelerator program, with investment from the National Association of Realtors venture arm, Second Century Ventures.

During the current quarter the company will focus on growing industry relationships and formalising partnerships with existing channels to market in key regions across Canada and the USA.

Back home, the company has kicked off expansion of Australian east coast market access capabilities and partnerships with First National, RE/MAX and the Professionals.

Developing core technology

The company has continued to develop its core technology platform and establish its network of clients to increase sales throughout the period.

It has weathered a loss of $3,266,400 during the current reporting period, as a result of continued investment in developing its technology, an increase in overhead costs due to its planned move to new locations overseas and within Australia, and increasing labour costs to support the expansion program.

About the Openn platform

The Openn platform services all forms of real estate sale and is designed to allow sellers and agents to choose the method of sale that offers a best fit for their property.

Each option offers varying levels of transparency to buyers, while providing a full digital contracting and real time communication experience to all participants.

Since the companys initial launch in 2017, the group has followed a well-established process to confirm market viability across all Australian states and in New Zealand.

That process has recognised that the platform solves a genuine market problem and proved that there is a value proposition sufficiently compelling for clients to pay for it.

About Openn Negotiation

Openn Negotiation offers a proprietary cloud-based software platform to support real estate agents to sell property online with greater transparency.

The Openn platform facilitates a negotiation process, featuring streamlined digital contracting and automated communication tools, to enhance a property transaction.

The solution provides buyers with real-time feedback through their device on how much competition exists and where their price stands in the negotiation, which can result in an optimal sales outcome.
Sipa Resources Ltd (ASX:SRI) will increase focus on its extensive Western Australian portfolio of gold and base metal projects after arranging the sale of Akelikongo Nickel-Copper Project in Uganda to London Stock Exchange listed Blencowe Resources PLC (LSE:BRES).

The terms of the staged option agreement will see Sipa receive US$1.5 million in Blencowe shares staged over four separate milestones, assuming successful advancement through all four stages.

It allows for Blencowe to acquire progressive ownership of the project over four stages with a total minimum spend by Blencowe of US$2.75 million (A$3.87 million) while Sipa will maintain interest in project upside via ownership of BRES stock.

Important result for Sipa

Managing director Pip Darvall said, The sale of our Ugandan asset to Blencowe is an important result for Sipa and its shareholders as we can now focus our attention and funds on our highly prospective portfolio of Western Australian assets, with multiple exploration and drill programs planned for 2022.

We wish Blencowe every success in their efforts to become a battery metals producer and believe that Akelikongo is a complementary asset to assist them in achieving this.

Sipa will retain an interest in the project through its holding in Blencowe and our shareholders will benefit if further success in Uganda is achieved.

Staged sale

The acquisition is structured as a series of options, with Blencowe progressively taking control of Sipas Ugandan subsidiary.

This transaction supports Blencowes efforts to become a leading supplier of battery minerals and complements its existing Orom-Cross Graphite Project in northern Uganda.

Terms of the deal are:

Stage 1  Blencowe to spend US$250,000 over the first six months to earn 20%. If Blencowe elects to move to Stage 2 then US$350,000 of BRES stock is issued to Sipa;

Stage 2  A further US$500,000 spent by Blencowe over next six months to earn 30% (cumulative 50%). If Blencowe elects to move to Stage 3 then an additional US$500,000 of BRES stock will be issued to Sipa;

Stage 3  A further US$1 million spent by Blencowe over the next 12 months to earn 30% (cumulative 80%). If Blencowe elects to move to Stage 4 then an additional US$650,000 of BRES stock will be issued to Sipa;

Stage 4  A further US$1 million spent by Blencowe over the next 12 months to earn 20% (cumulative 100%) at which point Blencowe will grant a Net Smelter Royalty of 1.5% to Sipa; and

Escrow  each tranche of Blencowe shares will be subject to six-month escrow.

A total of US$1.5 million (approximately A$2.1 million) will be paid for 100% of the Akelikongo project, all in BRES shares, assuming successful advancement through all four stages.
Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL)s latest update on exploration activities at the 100%-owned Gordons Gold Project, 30 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia, brings tidings of a new high-grade gold discovery at Malone prospect.

Final assay results have been received from 24 reverse circulation (RC) holes drilled at Malone, 500 metres west of the Gordons Dam gold deposit, in a campaign following up encouraging mineralisation defined by aircore and limited RC drilling.

Mineralisation is open in all directions and follow-up RC drilling has commenced in light of the positive results.

"Positive start for 2022"

Managing director Lorry Hughes said: The new high-grade gold discovery at Malone is exactly the sort of intercept the team has been searching for in this area over the past year and it is a very positive start for 2022.

Last year there was a strong focus on testing the extensive felsic-mafic Malone Contact both in the Kink Zone and further along strike.

We drilled a number of RC and diamond holes into the Kink Zone and intersected a number of narrow high-grade and broader low-grade intercepts from within sulphidic quartz veins, small shears and intrusive porphyry rocks.

This new intercept in drill hole, YRLRC0727, potentially represents a strengthening of the Malone system, 300 metres directly west of the Kink Zone.

The extent of the mineralisation is unknown at this stage with large areas nearby considered untested. The two follow-up holes in progress will provide further geological control on mineralisation.

Investors have also greeted the news, driving shares as much as 17.6% higher to $0.335 intraday.

New zones of mineralisation

The most encouraging result, returned from hole YRLRC0727 which was drilled to test beneath anomalous aircore holes, revealed three new zones of mineralisation including:

17 metres at 0.4 g/t gold from 101 metres including 1-metre at 2.1 g/t from 106 metres;

15 metres at 0.80 g/t from 145 metres including 1-metre at 6.2 g/t from 147 metres; and

16 metres at 2.8 g/t from 204 metres including 5 metres at 7.7 g/t from 210 metres.

The high-grade core of the deepest intersection contains individual 1-metre assays including 1-metre at 10.9 g/t from 210 metres and 1-metre at 15.4 g/t from 212 metres.

Yandal is highly encouraged by the result and follow-up RC drilling is underway to confirm the geometry of the high-grades and then to test mineralisation up to 400 metres north along the interpreted strike.

Previous drilling to the north of hole YRLRC0727 was not deep enough to penetrate into the primary rock  the company, therefore, considers this area to be untested, providing a fresh high-priority exploration target.

Other prospects

The company has received assay results from 48 aircore drill holes across 3,376 metres for the Malone and Malone North prospects, up to 1.5 kilometres north of the Malone Kink Zone.

A number of anomalous intersections were returned including:

2 metres at 0.5g/t gold from 49 metres;

3 metres at 0.5 g/t from 48 metres;

1-metre at 0.6 g/t from 65 metres; and

1-metre at 0.1 g/t at end-of-hole.

At Gordons Dam prospect, individual 1-metre fire-assay results have been received from 24 RC holes completed for 2,335 metres.

Several significant intersections were returned including:

18 metres at 1.8 g/t gold from 42 metres including 5 metres at 4.9 g/t from 44 metres;

19 metres at 1.1 g/t from 33 metres including 1-metre at 10.7 g/t from 38 metres and 1-metre at 5.6 g/t from 45 metres; and

3 metres at 1.7 g/t from 37 metres and 1-metre at 4.2 g/t from 37 metres.

Next steps

For the remainder of the March quarter the company plans to:
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Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE, OTC:ARRXF) has extended patent protection of its 12CQ quantum computing chip technology with the granting of a European patent grant.

This patent provides protection in a further 12 countries including the UK, France and Germany, and expands on existing patents granted in the US, China, South Korea and Japan.

It is a major step in the companys efforts to participate in Europes multi-billion-dollar quantum computing ecosystem.

Path to practical quantum computing

These patents protect a proposed qubit processor chip that offers a path to realise practical quantum computing with Archer Materials being the only ASX-listed company and one of a few players in the world developing qubit processor chip technology in the semiconductor industry.

The patent application process and procedures for the additional patent applications in the jurisdictions of Australia and Hong Kong are ongoing.

Strategic milestone

Archer CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said: The company has achieved a strategic milestone with the granting of a European Patent related to our 12CQ chip technology.

The patent will cover Europes largest economies, including the UK, France and Germany, and significantly expands on Archers recent patent grants in the US, China, South Korea and Japan."

Granting of the European Patent (Patent No 3383792) represents an early-stage milestone in Archers development of the 12CQ chip.

Shares have been as much as 10.45% higher intraday to A$1.11 while the company's market cap is approximately A$248.81 million.

Critical strategic markets

The countries in which the European Patent is to have effect are Belgium, Switzerland & Liechtenstein, Germany, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, the Netherlands, Sweden and Ireland.

The company considers these jurisdictions as critical strategic markets to protect and potentially commercialise its IP.

European Patent protection is required for any possible future commercialisation operations in the jurisdictions and also provides Archer with access to Europes largest economies to exploit IP rights related to the 12CQ chip.

Europes quantum ecosystem

Archer works closely with world-leading Swiss technology institute EPFL to develop its 12CQ chip. As the chip development progresses the company will need access to overseas laboratories, people, partners and customers and will look to collaborate with other European companies, institutions and governments.

European countries lead globally in quantum research and development and Archer will need patent protection in Europe to participate in the quantum ecosystem and semiconductor industry across Europe.

Examples of quantum technology activity in Europe include:

In the Netherlands, the National Growth Fund funnelled a 615 million investment through Quantum Delta NL in April 2021, a national hub, to support the further development and commercialisation of quantum technology. The Netherlands quantum and semiconductor ecosystem includes Microsoft, Intel, Google, ASML and others.

The German government announced a 2 billion quantum effort, supplementing EU plans for 1 billion Quantum Flagship investment through to 2028. Germany also houses IBMs first quantum computer outside of the US.

Several EU countries have signed on to develop joint quantum communication infrastructure across the continent and major players in Europes quantum industry have also expressed strong support for quantum infrastructure in Europe.

The UK Government is investing to develop new products based on advances in quantum technologies that will have a significant impact on financial services. This is part of a larger investment in the UK National Quantum Technologies Program which is set to deliver a 1 billion investment. The UK also entered into a trilateral security partnership with Australia and the US called AUKUS, with a focus that includes quantum technologies.

Towards practical quantum computation

The European patent and those granted in the US, China, South Korea and Japan, protect a proposed qubit processor device(s) and an approach to quantum information processing using a unique nanomaterial to store a qubit, offering a path to realise practical quantum computing.

Quantum computing technology is a new way of computing that is distinct from current computing technologies (eg, silicon-based transistor and memory chips including CPUs, GPUs, Flash/DRAM, neuromorphic processors etc).

A qubit processor (quantum chip) is the most crucial hardware component of a quantum computer. Quantum chips come in a variety of forms depending on the qubit type and materials used (in contrast to the modern computing industry dominated by silicon/semiconductors).

Many quantum computing proposals currently use quantum chips that require materials and qubits which operate at low temperatures and/or are difficult to integrate in modern electronics. This limits ownership and use of practical quantum devices.

Scientific breakthrough

The scientific breakthrough made in 2016 to realise Archers 12CQ qubit material is available online in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Communications.

This reports the advantages, technological trade-offs and the technological barriers that have been overcome towards realising practical quantum computing, over several other qubit proposals (eg nitrogen-vacancy centre nanodiamonds, isotopically enriched fullerenes, quantum dots, molecular magnets, phosphorous in silicon, fullerenes, nanomagnets, superconductors, etc).

Some of the advantages of Archers 12CQ chip qubit material include the combination of the potential use for room temperature quantum computing and integration with electronic devices.

Archers technology development advances continue to provide direct evidence to support this possibility. For more information, please view Archers webinar with IBM.
Every Australian has a superannuation account, but many of us pay little attention to where our retirement funds are invested and what those companies are doing with it.

Choosing a super fund and a super investment strategy is one of the most important financial decisions most people make in their working lives.

The difference between choosing a quality fund and one performing poorly  or with prohibitively high fees  could make tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars difference by the time you reach retirement age.

So, what are the different types of super funds, and what should you be looking for?

In this article:

The two main types of super fund are accumulation funds and defined benefit funds.

An accumulation fund works much like a portfolio in the stock market, growing your money over time with the value dependent on contributions and investment returns after fees and costs.

Defined benefit funds are based on a formula rather than investment returns and are usually corporate or public sector funds, with many closed to new members.

Most superannuation funds are accumulation funds, but if you have the opportunity to enter a defined benefit fund, think carefully as they are often very generous and cannot be re-joined if you leave.

There are five categories of funds superannuation options can be broken down into: Corporate, Retail, Industry, Public and Self-Managed. Some are industry- or business-specific and may not be available to everyone.

Self-managed super funds are the most flexible option but come with a disclaimer, while MySuper is a government initiative attempting to simplify the process of picking an investment option.

Main super subcategories

Corporate Funds: Offered to employees of large corporations like Qantas or Telstra. Arranged by the employer exclusively for their employees. Generally return all profits to members and trend toward the low to medium cost and fee range.

Retail Funds: Open to everyone, managed by a bank or investment company. For-profit, with medium to high cost, often with additional advice and platform fees.

Industry Funds: Have obtained a reputation for value due to their not-for-profit model. Low to medium cost with profits returned to members.

Public Sector Funds: Originally exclusive to federal and state government employees, some are now available to everyone. Not-for-profit, low to medium cost.

Self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) are do-it-yourself super funds for the savvy investor who wishes to have more control and flexibility with their retirement money.

SMSFs can include a pool of up to six peoples contributions, often friends, family or business partners, with all members required to act as trustees for the fund (or directors if there is a corporate trustee).

Due to these rules, you and anyone in the fund are directly responsible for the investment decisions made with your contributions, meaning you are liable even if someone else made the call.

You also wont have access to any special compensation schemes or to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, should anything go wrong.

It takes time and money to manage your own super fund, an average of 100 hours a year according to the Australian Government. You will also be required to maintain clear records and accounting, and to arrange audits each year.

SMSFs are therefore generally not recommended for anyone who is time-poor or unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the stock market.

My Super Funds

More a default investing option than a fund in itself, MySuper is designed to be simple, low-cost and easy to compare, taking an apples to apples approach to protect retirement savings from being whittled away by fees for unwanted services and financial advice.

As of September 2021, there were 91 public offer MySuper products with total assets of $923 billion.

MySuper accounts are offered by retail, industry and corporate funds to members in the pre-retirement phase.

Almost half (47%) of super funds offer a MySuper option, and theyre a great opportunity for the time-poor or financially disconnected.

Once youve decided what type of super fund suits you best, its time to choose one for yourself.

There are a few questions you should ask yourself before you start the hunt:

Is a high return or long-term security more important to you?

Are you happy to ride the index, or are you looking for a managed fund that will reach for more?

Are Australian securities enough, or would you prefer more international exposure?

There are three main investment options that almost every superannuation fund will offer:

Growth: Usually the highest risk, highest return option. Mostly shares and property

Balanced: A more diversified option, generally with some exposure to bonds or cash. Aims for reasonable returns without risking the biscuit.

Conservative/Defensive: Risk-adverse, conservative investment options dont always meet the market return, but will generally lose less in a downturn as well.

While the nitty gritty is a little more complicated, super investment strategies can be split into two main categories: Managed and Indexed.

A Managed fund is run by a financial advisor or consortium, and will generally seek to beat the market average, but also comes with significantly higher fees.

An Indexed fund only seeks to match the market index growth, and usually relies on algorithms to pick shares. Fees tend to be very low on these funds, as they require no direct financial advisor supervision.

Ultimately every person has a different risk appetite and will have to decide what matters most to them.

Once youve established some base-line requirements, check with your employer; do they offer a defined benefit funds, extra super contributions, or subsidised insurance?

Often the answer will be no, in which case youre likely looking for an industry or retail super fund.

The Australian Government offers YourSuper, a superannuation fund comparison tool that does its best to simplify choosing your fund with straight-forward comparisons.

Easier said than done, as super funds offer drastically different investment options, portfolio splits, sector exposure and insurance options.

Fees will change based on which internal options you pick (an indexed option will be cheaper than the same companys managed options for example), and as little as 0.75% more in fees can compound to more than $135,000 in lost super over 40 years.

Other resources like Canstar, Super Advice Australia and Super Guide can help with cross-referencing reviews and breakdowns, giving you a fuller picture of your super options.

Dont be afraid to seek formal financial advice in this case, picking the right superannuation fund for you is well worth a consultation.

The global energy revolution is upon us. Sustainable and ethical practices have been drawn into the spotlight of late, spawning an entirely new subcategory of super: sustainable, ESG-based ethical funds and investment options.

The Vanguard/Investment Trends 2021 SMSF Investor Report found 48% of self-managed super funds would consider ESG investing if returns measured up.

A further 19% avoid companies that cause harm, 25% prefer to invest in companies that actively do good and 9% cited responsible investing as their number one priority.

Fortunately for the planet, sustainable investment options have been catching up with more traditional funds, closing the returns gap.

In an analysis of median returns of Balanced options (6076% growth assets) over five years to December 31, 2021, SuperRatings found the median return for Sustainable Balanced options was 8.6% per year, just beating out the median return for comparable Balanced options of 8.5% a year.

Now that sustainable funds are no longer the losing option, those with an eye to the future may wish to think about investing in a fund that suits their ethics.

Most funds will offer a sustainable option, but what that means will differ greatly depending on the company.

Some sustainable funds eschew tobacco or weapons manufacturing, while others focus on renewable energy over hydrocarbons, or take a stand on nuclear energy by refusing to invest in uranium assets.

Marketforces offers a more in-depth look at which funds have fossil fuel investment exclusions and exactly what those exclusions mean, while Moneymag offers a list of the top 14 responsible investment funds.

As with risk appetite, deciding on where you draw the line is an entirely individual, personal choice, but at least now Australians have more options to vote with their dollar to create the kind of future they want to see.
Invinity Energy PLC (AIM:IES) has seen its shares powered up by news of government funding.

The energy storage specialist has received 708,371 from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy under the first phase of the Longer Duration Energy Storage Demonstration competition.

The award will fund a planning and feasibility study for what the company hopes could become become one of the UK's largest co-located solar and energy storage projects.

If the first phase is successful, the company then expects to construct a 40 MWh Invinity Vanadium Flow Battery, funded in part by phase two of the LODES programme.

Invinity is leading the project consortium, which includes Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, and EDF R&D UK.

Work on the feasibility study has already started and is expected to progress throughout 2022.

Invinity shares are up 9.59% at 80p.

2.10pm: Eco Animal Health boosted by marketing deals in China for pigs and poultry

Eco Animal Health Group PLC (AIM:EAH) has roared ahead after it unveiled new approvals in China.

The company has received two marketing authorisations from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for the use of its Aivlosin water soluble granules for treating diseases in pigs and poultry.

The first approval allows the company to market Aivlosin in China for the treatment of respiratory disease caused by Mycoplasma and other sensitive bacteria in chickens laying eggs for human consumption and breeding chickens.

The second approval is for an extension of its swine respiratory disease registration.

Chief executive Marc Loomes said: "China is the world's largest producer of table eggs and accounts for more than a third of the world's laying birds. Aivlosin is the first antimicrobial registered for use in laying hens producing eggs for human consumption, with a zero day egg withdrawal period.

"This will enable Eco to target a new sector, the commercial egg producer, where Mycoplasmosis can cause significant economic losses. China is also the largest pork producing country in the world and broader product label claims in the key swine respiratory disease segment will serve our business well as the market recovers in the future."

Eco shares are up 6.15% at 172.5p.

12.04pm: genedrive signs overseas distribution deals for COVID-19 test

genedrive PLC (AIM:GDR) has seen its shares accelerate after a positive update on its rapid point of care molecular test for COVID-19.

The test, which delivers positive results as quickly as 7.5 minutes and negative results at 17 minutes, was CE market in December.

The company has now entered into distribution agreements covering Spain, Portugal, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, with other opportunities continuing to be assessed in other EU countries.

The customer base that distributors are targeting includes pharmacies, sports and private workplaces. Market requirements differ from country to country depending on government policies and legislation. The company said the initial arrangements are designed to both access and assess the longer-term market potential in each country.

It also has product evaluation continuing in the UK to access specific occupational health markets. The product cannot be commercially sold yet in the UK, as CTDA approval is still pending. With UK government statutory requirements for COVID-19 testing changing rapidly, it said future opportunities would be discretionary testing versus government mandates.

Chief executive David Budd said: "Progress since CE marking is as expected in terms of timeline and a focus on specific use cases. We are pleased with the distributor agreements we have contracted to date and expect to expand to additional countries in due course. While UK government policy has changed, opportunities are continuing in other markets that are taking a different approach with regards to testing."

Its shares have added 22.41% to 17.75p.

10.41am: Unite Group gets good marks from investors after moving back into profit

Unite Group PLC (LSE:UTG), the student housing business, has passed its latest test after moving back into profit.

Its full year score shows it turning losses of 120mln into a 343.1mln profit.

Chief executive Richard Smith, said: The business has seen a strong recovery in performance in 2021 and is well positioned for further growth due to our alignment to the strongest universities, an enhanced reputation thanks to our supportive actions during the pandemic and our best-in-class operating platform...

The outlook for the business and the UK Higher Education sector is strong, driven by rising participation rates, increased demand for our product from returning students, significant and sustained demographic growth and Government support for growth in international student numbers.

We have our biggest ever development pipeline and the balance sheet capacity to pursue new growth opportunities through university partnerships and targeted acquisitions. We are confident in our ability to attract more of the students currently living in the HMO [houses in multiple occupation] sector and also see potential to extend our platform to cater to the growing number of young professional renters living in major UK cities. Together this underpins significant future earnings growth and attractive total returns for shareholders.

Unite shares have received a positive mark from investors, rising 5.93% to 1049.5p.

9.43am: Symphony Environmental Technologies boosted by US contract for biodegradable plastic bottles

Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC (AIM:SYM) has been boosted by news of a US order for a key product.

The company has signed a two year exclusive US contract with packaging group Better Earth LLC to use its d2w biodegradable plastics technology in nutritional supplement bottles

Better Earth, which has been working with Symphony for the last two years, initially on R&D and then trials to demonstrate a reduction in the environmental impact of discarded plastic bottles, will launch the products at the "Natural Products" Exhibition on 8 March 2022.

Manufacturing is expected to start with 20mln d2w bottles of all sizes, growing to 120mln in the first year of exclusivity.

Symphony's chief executive Michael Laurier, said "This contract with Better Earth is an important milestone for Symphony, being the first commercial use of d2w for bottles made of rigid plastic.

"Furthermore, and as we have previously reported, Symphony has an extensive sales pipeline of more than 100 d2p and d2w projects, for which it is always pleasing when the trials and pre-production projects proceed to commercial contract. We are pleased to have worked with Better Earth to respond to all their questions about our d2w technology, to help them find the right solution and which we hope helps them grow their business."

Symphony shares have added 6.85% to 19.5p.

8.59am: Eve Sleep soars after link-up with furniture retailer DFS

Investors in eve Sleep PLC (AIM:EVE) can rest easy today.

Its shares have soared 54.29% to 2.7p after the matress specialist unveiled a partnership with furniture retailer DFS.

Initially the agreement will cover the dfs.co.uk website, but there are plans to extend the partnership to the DFS showroom estate later in the year. DFS will stock a range of eve mattresses, including eve's Original and Premium Hybrid models, as well as a range of eve bedframes. Plans are in place to extend the ranges at a later date.

Eve chief executive Cheryl Calverley said: "This is a very exciting partnership for eve as DFS seek to extend their 'comfort' positioning beyond the living room and bring eve's award winning mattresses to a wider audience. [It] recognises the strength of the eve sleep product range and brand, continuing the momentum in our UK and Ireland business."

Defence company Cohort PLC (AIM:CHRT) is also higher after announcing a new deal.

Its SEA subsidiary has been appointed to supply its Torpedo Launcher System to Hyundai Heavy Industries for two new Philippine Navy corvettes. The contract follows the successful delivery of SEA's torpedo system for the Philippine Navy's frigates.

Andy Thomis, Cohort chief executive, said: "Together with other recent wins across the group, this contract will enhance the visibility of future group revenue."

Cohort shares are up 4.56% at 470p.
The Marudi Mountain Claim Block has been reverted from a mining license to a prospecting license, which allows it to be properly explored

Golden Shield Resources Inc CEO Hilbert Shields has always liked the Marudi Mountain project in Guyana, even as other resource companies sat on the property throughout the years.

Why was Marudi Mountain overlooked? Was it the geology - thought to be a banded iron formation but in fact something much less complex? Was it its location in the southern part of the country, away from the major mining activity in the north? Or was it Guyana itself that wasnt fully understood as a mining jurisdiction?

All of these factors may have contributed, but Shields, a veteran in gold mining and exploration with experience building a mine, felt the project could be something special. For starters, Marudi already has a historical, Non-43 101-compliant resource estimate of 269,000 ounces of gold grading 1.9 grams per ton (g/t) indicated and another 87,000 ounces at 1.6 g/t inferred on a tiny area of the property known as Mazoa Hill. Given that 95% of the 5,457-hectare property is unexplored, thats a lot of upside.

So Shields put a team together and Golden Shield Resources was born. The newly-listed group is dedicated to advancing Marudi Mountain into a company-making asset, while introducing investors to the resource potential that Guyana holds.

The project was never subjected to the systematic, consistent type of exploration that I ran for Golden Star at the Omai project, which became a mine, Shields explained. There are a lot of known targets and showings that have not been advanced.

Shields told Proactive that he and his team have done more work on the project in the last few months than others have done in the last few years.

For 2022, that work includes diamond drilling high priority targets and defining new targets in preparation for an updated resource estimate on Mazoa Hill, expected around mid-year.

With the grey hair on my head, I dont intend to hang around projects, I intend to advance them fairly quickly, Shields laughed.

Responsible mining at Marudi Mountain

Importantly, the Marudi Mountain Claim Block was reverted from a mining license to a prospecting license, which allows it to be properly explored. In the past, local, small-scale miners had worked on Marudi without oversight, bringing with them some, lets say, unsavoury elements like drug and sex trafficking, which caused issues with neighbouring communities.

Now that Marudi is in the hands of Golden Shield, the company can supervise any exploration activity occurring at site while trying to shepherd best practices for artisanal miners in the area, who can continue their work thanks to a separate, special mining permit that allocates 1,012 acres of land within the concession to artisanal miners for a five-year period. Artisanal miners will be limited to a depth of 160 feet and cannot actively mine below an elevation of 376 metres above sea level. Meanwhile, Golden Shields prospecting license is valid for three years, with two year-long renewals, effective December 2, 2021.

Marudi Mountain isnt the only property in Golden Shields portfolio. The company also has claims in the heart of Guyanas mining district in the northern part of the country at Arakaka and Fish Creek, which consist of nearly 18,000 hectares and 6,000 hectares of ground, respectively. Golden Shield is planning on sinking drill holes at both projects this year.

Guyana's mineral potential in focus

With a busy year to come, Golden Shield is hoping to put out results that catch the markets attention and help to put Guyanas mineral potential firmly in focus. Guyana sits on the northeastern tip of South America, tucked in between Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname.

Known as El Dorado thanks to its significant gold reserves, the country sits on the Guyana Shield, which shares continuity with the famed gold districts of West Africa. The Guyana Shield currently hosts around 110 million ounces of gold, while the geologically similar West African Shield is known to host more than 275 million ounces.

Some big names are operating in the country, albeit through strategic alliances with juniors: Barrick, for example, with its Makapa exploration project, a joint venture with Australias Troy Resources, and Chinas Zijin Mining, which recently inked a $323 million deal to acquire Guyana Goldfields.

That said, the Caribbean country is relatively underexplored compared to its counterpart on the other side of the globe. But thats starting to change: the country is in the midst of rapid economic growth, with its GDP (gross domestic product) at nearly 31% in 2020 and predicted to increase over the next decade thanks to a recent oil discovery; and nearly US$30 billion in committed infrastructure investments.

Guyana is still behind West Africa in terms of infrastructure development, and the country is largely covered in virgin rainforest. But the main reason why there has not been more gold discovery in the English-speaking country is that no one has spent the money yet, Shields explained.

If you take the endowment of greenstone belt rocks, and you divide them by the amount of money that's been spent for exploration  and this is not a guarantee of success, but statistically, you will have so much by way of discovery. If you use those numbers, and you put the same money that's been spent on the West African shield, a more mature shield, we should be producing somewhere about four million ounces of gold a year in Guyana, and we're not doing that. So that's where the opportunity lies," the Golden Shield CEO said.

The right team

If anyone can help to make those discoveries, its the Golden Shield team. Shields himself is a dual Canadian and Guyanese national who helped draft the countrys national mining development strategy and was a vice president at the Guyana Gold & Diamond Miners Association.

Also essential to the team is Colin Porter, the vice president for exploration, who holds a PhD in geology and has worked extensively in the West African shield. Co-founder Rory Harding, also a Guyanese citizen, represents a number of multinational companies in the Caribbean, and Leo Hathaway is a geologist who is also part of the executive team of several resource juniors.

Shields tells his shareholders that his philosophy is not to overpromise  this is exploration, after all. But he sees the pathway towards development.

As long as the journey makes sense for all the stakeholders  those being the investors that put money in the company and the host community in which we operate, and the government that oversees what we do and make sure it works for everybody  we can get lucky and find enough goals to be able to build a world-class mine," he concluded.

Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas
The changes were originally scheduled to come into effect on April 1, 2021, and have been postponed for a second time until April 1, 2023

CareRx Corporation (TSX:CRRX) told investors that the Ontario Ministry of Health has announced that it will again postpone previously scheduled changes to long-term care pharmacy funding.

The Toronto-based provider of pharmacy services to senior living communities said the changes were originally scheduled to come into effect on April 1, 2021, and have been postponed for a second time until April 1, 2023.

Under amendments to the Ontario Drug Benefit Act that came into effect on January 1, 2020, CareRx explained that the reimbursement model for long-term care pharmacies in Ontario was changed from a fee-for-service model to a fee-per-bed capitation model under which pharmacies receive a fixed professional fee for all pharmacy services provided to residents in long-term care homes.

The fee for 2020, which was prescribed at $1,500 per bed per year, was scheduled to decline to $1,400 per bed per year on April 1, 2021. The step-down in capitation was previously postponed until April 1, 2022.

"We applaud the Ontario Ministry of Health for once again making the decision to postpone its planned fee changes as long-term care homes and their staff continue to manage through the still significant challenges created by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," CareRx president and CEO David Murphy said in a statement.

"At CareRx, we pride ourselves on the critical role we play together with our long-term care partners in delivering positive health outcomes while helping to improve direct resident care nursing time and reducing the overall cost of healthcare," he added.

The company said the latest postponement will ensure that it can maintain its service offering to its home partners and their residents to continue to support them during this especially challenging time.

We again thank the Ontario Government, and especially Ministers Elliott and Calandra, for their continued dialogue and commitment to protecting the wellbeing of seniors in long-term care, Murphy concluded.

CareRx has a large network of pharmacy fulfillment centers strategically located across Canada. This allows it to deliver medicines in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Leede Jones Gable maintains positive outlook

In an update to clients, Leede Jones Gable analysts noted that the delayed recalibration of long-term care pharmacy funding in Ontario mitigates the risk to its fiscal 2022 forecasts.

Thus, the analysts wrote that they are maintaining a positive view on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) growth trajectory for the nation-leading pharmacy services provider in a key eldercare services niche.

We would have been surprised if the Ontario government held firm on its previously-announced schedule for downwardly revising its reimbursement levels to the long-term care pharmacy sector and as in F2021, it has again predictably decided to delay implementation of its bed-based funding model until no earlier than FQ223, the analysts said.

Funding levels have long been a challenge for CareRx and its peers, and the firm has encountered at least four seismic recalibrations of its revenue model in recent years in both Ontario and Alberta, they added.

Leede Jones Gable analysts cited the Ontario governments compression of dispensation fees on long-term care pharmacy operators in 2015 as well as the Alberta governments similar dynamic compressed dispensation fees in 2018, which in both cases, CareRx was able to respond through cost-containment initiatives and through achieving administrative cost synergies that acquisitive growth affords.

The analysts have a Buy rating and an $8.50 per share target price on CareRxs stock.

--UPDATES for analyst comment--

Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com
Adastra said the developments bring it closer to exceeding its goal of $5 million per month in sales by summer 2022

Adastra Holdings (CSE:XTRX) Ltd. said 2022 has started strongly for the company as it signed co-manufacturing agreements to produce high-potency, pure hydrocarbon-extracted concentrate products, continuing to expand its portfolio of brand partners, and growing its dossier of stock-keeping units (SKUs) in the Canadian market.

The Langley, British Columbia-based company said this brings it closer to exceeding its goal of $5 million per month in sales by summer 2022.

In an update on its facility expansion, Adastra said it is rapidly scaling its production facility to meet growing demand for hydrocarbon-based products and to capitalize on its recently announced dried flower sales license. The company has committed to purchase critical equipment that will effectively quadruple its hydrocarbon extraction capabilities, it added.

"Improvements to our post-processing capabilities, and expanding production operations to include multiple shifts, seven days a week, will allow us to rapidly increase our hydrocarbon capacity and product offerings to include Diamonds, full-spectrum cartridges and other highly sought-after premium cannabis extracts, CEO Michael Forbes said in a statement.

Not only will this help us to diversify our product offering under Phyto Extractions but also offer these in-demand products to our growing list of B2B (business-to-business) customers, he added.

Additionally, the company said it expects to commission a high-capacity automated pre-roll machine in April 2022. Once commissioned, it said this equipment will enable it to produce upwards of 10 million dried flower and infused pre-rolls a quarter, allowing it to tap into an extremely fast-growing market segment.

It said it intends to market pre-rolls and infused pre-roll products under the Phyto Extractions brand and offer contract manufacturing services to other high impact brands in the Canadian market.

Adastra also informed investors that Forbes and the companys chief operating officer, Donald Dinsmore, recently purchased shares of the company on the open market, the details of which have been set out in their respective SEDI reports.

"This is another opportunity to show investors that Adastra management is committed to creating long-term shareholder value, Forbes concluded.

We believe the current share price does not reflect the true value of Adastra and the incredible growth we have coming in the near future.

Adastra is a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative ethnobotanical and cannabis science products designed for the adult-use and medical markets and forward-looking therapeutic applications.

Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com
Hawkmoon Resources Corp (CSE:HM, OTCQB:HWKRF) said it has applied for a permit for a diamond drilling and surface exploration program on its Wilson Gold project property, 150 kilometres (km) northeast of Val-d'Or, in Quebec.

When granted, the permit will allow the Vancouver-based company to drill 5,000 metres (m). Hawkmoon anticipates starting the surface work program in late June and the drill program in the middle of July. The drill program proposes 21 holes around the Toussaint Showing, Midrim Showing and Toussaint East.

The company expects the holes will range from 200m-400m in length. If quality drill targets are identified by the first phase surface work program, the drill program will be adjusted accordingly.

READ: Hawkmoon Resources thanks its talented geologist Thomas Clarke and applauds him as a minefinder

Drill Target 1: Toussaint Showing

Ten holes are proposed for the Toussaint. These holes will aim to extend mineralized areas Hawkmoon identified in 2021, particularly HMW 21-08 (11.25 grams per ton (g/t) gold (Au) over 3m) and HMW 21-09 (13.1 g/t Au over 3m). These two holes extended the Toussaint to the east, both with substantial intercepts. Three holes are proposed to the east of HMW 21-09 and two holes are proposed to the west of HMW 21-09. Three holes are proposed east of HMW 21-08. The final two holes are proposed to be 400m in length, spaced 80m apart.

Drill Target 2: Midrim Showing

Seven holes are proposed to test extensions of the discoveries Hawkmoon made in 2021 at the Midrim. Two holes are planned east of HMW 21-28 to test the extension of the high-grade intercept (83.6 g/t Au over 1m). Two more holes are proposed to be drilled to the west of HMW 21-28 towards the near surface intercept in HMW 21-24 (10.0 g/t Au over 1m). Two additional holes are planned to the west of HMW 21-24. A deeper hole is proposed on section with HMW 21-24 to test the depth of that near surface intercept.

Drill Target 3: Toussaint East

Four holes are proposed to be drilled in between the Toussaint and Midrim. Two of these holes are planned to test the expansion of historical intercept in VP 93-22 (11.71 g/t Au over 5.2m) to the east. One hole will test this same historical intercept to the west. The final proposed hole is planned to test the potential to extend the historical intercepts in VP 11-18 to the east (8.7 g/t Au over 3m and 30.1 g/t Au over 1m).

Before kicking off the drill program, Hawkmoon plans to conduct an outcrop clearing and trenching program. The largest trenching target, the northwestern area on the property, has seen little previous work. The combination of the induced polarization (IP) signature and presence of notable drill intercepts make this area a top priority, said the company.

In a statement, Hawkmoon president Branden Haynes said: "We are all looking forward to getting back to work on Wilson. Hawkmoon plans on building upon the successes of last summer. We are planning a comprehensive work program on Wilson this year. This work will commence with a surface exploration program covering targets of interest. Once this is complete, we plan to drill another 5,000 metres."

Hawkmoon is focused on its three Quebec gold projects, and two of the projects are located in one of the worlds largest gold endowed areas, the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.

Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive
South Star Battery Metals has a large land package with around 13,000 hectares in Brazil, one of the most prospective graphite producing regions in the world

South Star Battery Metals Corp revealed that it has received approval from the Brazilian Mining Authority (ANM) on February 22, 2022, for the final exploration reports for the remaining six of the 13 claims for its flagship Santa Cruz Graphite Mine in Brazil.

The Vancouver, British Columbia-based battery metals project developer noted that the other seven claims had their final exploration reports previously approved on February 8, 2022.

South Star has also launched Product Information Bulletins (PIBs) for a range of concentrate products for its Phase 1 operations.

"All 13 final exploration reports for the Santa Cruz Graphite project have been approved by the ANM. We have a large land package with approximately 13,000 hectares in one of the most prospective graphite producing regions in the world, South Star president Richard Pearce said in a statement.

READ: South Star Battery Metals appoints key team members for Santa Cruz Graphite Mine in Brazil

According to the USGS Mineral Commodities Summary for 2022, Brazil has the third-largest reserves of graphite in the world, while Turkey ranks second, and China controls the largest graphite reserves in the world.

South Star has just increased Brazil's total by 17% with reported 43-101 reserve estimates of 12.3 metric ton (Mt) and a 12-year mine life, and the combined total of our ANM compliant resource estimates in the 13 Final Exploration Reports total over 40Mt," added Pearce. "This is a scalable, high-quality, world-class deposit that is just getting started, and South Star will be the first new graphite production in the Americas in more than a decade.

He noted that 2022 and 2023 will be transformative for the company.

South Star launched the Product Information Bulletins (PIBs) for natural flake, and crystalline graphite concentrate products for the Santa Cruz Phase 1 operations. Flake size distributions vary from very fine (ASTM -325 mesh or 44 microns) to large flake (ASTM +30 mesh or 600 microns) and carbon grade ranging from 87% to 96%.

The PIBs present the physical and chemical characteristics of a range of products, and the company said it is engaged in commercial talks for the sale of 100% of the Phase 1 production.

South Star Battery Metals is focused on the acquisition and development of near-term production projects in the Americas. The Santa Cruz Graphite project, in southern Bahia, Brazil is the first of a series of battery metals projects that will be put into production.

Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive
Minto Metals Corp (TSX-V:MNTO) has released updated drill results from its Minto mine property in Yukon, Canada, which show promising potential for the company to expand the copper resource.

Highlights from the results include an intercept of 1.34% of copper over 25.97 metres, including 2.72% copper over 9.32 metres, according to Minto.

Another drill hole revealed 3.83% copper over 2.05 metres and 0.79% copper over 15.10 metres, including 2.71% over 3.58 metres.

A third drill hole showed 1.42% copper over 15.99 metres, the company said.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions, 242 Indian students returned safely to India at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport late Tuesday evening and reunited with their parents after India started evacuation operations of Indian citizens living in Ukraine and its adjoining areas.

India has deployed Dreamliner B-787 aircraft for carrying out this special operation under which flights were made operational from Kharkiv in Ukraine to New Delhi.

Nirav Patil, a first-year MBBS student studying in Ukraine, said, "The situation is normal around the area where I live. While the university has started studies online so there is not much to worry as before." Another student Krishna said, "I live 900 km away from the Ukraine-Russia border. We are around five to six students, who are residents of Gujarat. Our parents were getting quite worried. This is why we had to return to India." Several government officials were also sent by the Rajasthan government to the Delhi airport as well as students of Rajasthan who have returned from Ukraine, the state government is busy preparing to send them safely to their home bearing their travel expenses. At present, eight students along with their parents have been asked to stay at the Rajasthan Bhawan.

However, there are several Indian students who have not returned to India by an Air India flight.

Monika, a resident of Chhattisgarh and a fifth-year MBBS student, first took a flight from Kyiv to Doha and then returned to Delhi. According to her, air tickets were quite expensive due to which she came to India taking other flights.

She did not express her opinion on the tense situation in Ukraine as many of her Indian friends are still stuck in Ukraine.

She said, "In some places, studies have been made online but in several other places offline studies are still being followed as the norm. My parents were getting quite worried due to which I had to return to India, but the situation in Ukraine is still normal. Now only if our parents ask us to return to Ukraine only then will we return." Air India on February 19 had announced that it would operate flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26. Booking of air tickets is open through Air India booking offices, website, call centres and authorised travel agents. According to the Indian embassy in Ukraine, additional flights from Kyiv to Delhi will operate on February 25, 27 (two flights) and March 6.

At the same time, many students who have returned to India are worried about their studies while some said they had also recently seen a tank used in a war in the city where they lived.

Swati, who is a second-year MBBS student, on returning to Delhi, said, "The situation is normal in Ukraine and I was living a completely normal life there. The people residing there are not worried at all about the Russia-Ukraine tensions." "The reason for many students like me returning to India is because of my parents. They were quite mentally disturbed and were worried about my well-being. Now since I have returned back home, our studies will suffer too. But the university where I was studying will start holding online classes. I have exams scheduled for next year." Another student Tanvi, who is an MBBS student, arrived in Delhi and spoke about the tense situation in Ukraine, saying, "The situation is pretty worse in Ukraine, I am quite distressed. Children studying here are living in fear, every day different kind of news is coming to fore as one is not able to come to judge which ones to believe. At the same time, air tickets have also become quite expensive." The parents of the students also arrived at the airport to pick up their children, but are angry due to the expensive air tickets.

A parent Ratan Singh says, "The situation in Ukraine is absolutely normal, offline studies were being conducted on Tuesday. My son is not worried at all about the overall situation there but most people in India are fast spreading rumours and fear." "I have booked flight tickets worth Rs 60,000, but what will those parents do who can't afford such huge amount of money? The Government of India has sent several flights but how will we be able to book such an expensive air ticket. Till Monday, flight tickets costing Rs one lakh were being sold but after borrowing some extra money from my relatives, I booked the air ticket and called my child back to India, " he added.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Rome, Feb 23 : Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi has said dialogue was key to solving the Ukrainian crisis, warning that the European Union (EU) was preparing sanctions against Russia.

His remarks came on Tuesday after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced the recognition of the "Lugansk People's Republic" and the "Donetsk People's Republic" in east Ukraine's Donbass region as independent and sovereign states.

"Dialogue remains crucial," Draghi stressed as he addressed the official opening ceremony of the Council of State's judicial year in Rome, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia's move is "an unacceptable violation of Ukraine's democratic sovereignty and territorial integrity, and I am in constant contact with our allies to find a peaceful solution to the crisis," he said.

"Within the European Union, we are already defining measures and sanctions against Russia," he added.

According to Putin, Russia considered the recognition of the two Donbass "republics" a necessary step to both protect itself from western powers -- which have been accused of being blind to Russia's security concerns -- and to protect pro-Russian citizens in the two territories.

Russia has repeatedly asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to stop its eastward expansion in Europe. Ukraine is not a member of the US-led military alliance, yet it has repeatedly expressed its interest in joining it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Ukraine had been calling for an emergency summit of the Normandy Format, a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, and a special meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to address the issue.

The Normandy Format, established in 2014, is a diplomatic group of senior representatives from Ukraine, Germany, Russia and France formed to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Italy is not part of the Normandy Format group. Yet, local media in recent days have speculated about a possible meeting between Draghi and Putin in order to de-escalate the tensions.

The Russian Presidency has signaled its interest in such a meeting, the Italian Prime Minister told a press conference on Friday.

Italy's Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio on Monday appealed to "all parties" involved in the crisis to resume diplomatic talks "in the due formats." The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 with clashes between Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups who seized several towns.

With the mediation of the global community, the two sides concluded ceasefire agreements in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in September 2014 and February 2015.

Russia has been seeking NATO's guarantee to halt its eastward expansion. However, US President Joe Biden's administration took a hard line against Russia, supporting Ukraine's efforts to join the US-led military alliance and increasing its military assistance to Kyiv, which has re-escalated tensions in the region.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Brussels, Feb 23 : The Chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has urged Russia to "choose the path of diplomacy" in the conflict with Ukraine.

"This is the most dangerous moment in European security for a generation," NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg said at the conclusion of an extraordinary meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on Tuesday.

"Europe and North America continue to stand strong together in NATO, committed to defend and protect each other," he added.

He said NATO put its Response Force on higher readiness several weeks ago and has 100 jets on high alert and 120 ships at sea, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, he stressed that it was not late to choose the path of diplomacy rather than attack as he called on Russia to engage in talks to find a political solution to the conflict.

He welcomed the economic sanctions announced by many NATO allies and the decision by the German government that it cannot certify the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Stoltenberg said the Russian forces continue to prepare for a potential attack on Ukraine after Moscow recognised two separatist regions as independent.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognising the "Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and the "Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

The European security crisis was caused by NATO's eastward expansion, which has led to the loss of mutual trust, Putin said on Monday.

He added that it was just for NATO to accept Ukraine as a member state and then build facilities on its territory, which would dramatically raise the level of military threats to Russia.
Kiev, Feb 23 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he expects no conflict with Russia.

"We believe that there will be no large-scale war against Ukraine, and there won't be a wide escalation from the side of the Russian Federation," Zelensky said on Tuesday, adding that Kiev stands ready to impose a martial law if there is aggression against Ukraine.

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky said he was weighing a request from the Foreign Ministry to sever diplomatic ties with Russia, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees recognising "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" as independent and sovereign states.

At a ceremony held in the Kremlin, Putin also inked the treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between Russia and the LPR and the DPR respectively with the heads of the two "republics," a Kremlin statement said.
Moscow, Feb 23 : The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of parliament, has approved Russian President Vladimir Putin's request for the use of military abroad.

"Senators unanimously supported the adoption of the relevant Resolution," said a statement published on the website of the Federation Council on Tuesday.

Putin on Tuesday submitted a proposal that the Federation Council approve a resolution authorising the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation abroad on the basis of the generally accepted principles and norms of international law, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ratified the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with "the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and "the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" during a plenary session, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Russian President inked the treaties on Monday, together with the heads of the LPR and DPR. He also signed two decrees recognising the LPR and the DPR as independent and sovereign states on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday that Kiev has been urging the international community to hold emergency talks over Russia's decision on the status of Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
United Nations : , Feb 23 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said people must be at the centre of post-pandemic recovery at a meeting to examine the economic and social impact of the crisis.

Although Covid-19 caught the world unprepared, "we cannot let this happen again," he added on Tuesday in a video message to the Global Forum for a Human-Centered Recovery, organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The three-day forum is being held online, bringing together world leaders, heads of international organisations, and representatives of employers and workers groups from around the world, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We need a human-centered, green recovery that puts people first," said the UN Chief.

"Putting people first means achieving universal social protection, the best line of defense against shocks of all kinds and critical to a just transition." Guterres commended the ILO for convening the forum, which comes at a crucial time for countries, economies, families and workers.

In the wake of the pandemic, poverty is rising, inequalities are widening, and household income is declining, while billionaires' profits are soaring, he said.

The Secretary-General added that the situation is worse for women, as they face rising unemployment and shoulder most of the burden for care.

Many women will be unable to re-enter the workforce without "robust" safety nets and decent job opportunities, he said.

Meanwhile, vaccine inequity persists, meaning that richer countries are preparing for recovery as many low-income nations face spiraling debt as well as a massive and enduring jobs deficit.

Additionally, the Secretary-General emphasised the pressing need for climate action, recalling that countries are "dramatically off-target" when it comes to limiting global warming.

He said that putting people first means renewing the social contract and making massive investments in their future well-being.

Among the key topics of discussion at the forum are the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition, which the UN Chief launched in September 2021.

The goal is to create at least 400 million jobs, especially in the "green" and care sectors, and to extend social protection to nearly 4 billion people who currently are without coverage.

Guterres urged countries to act now to achieve a just recovery, stating that the balance between a global breakthrough and a global breakdown depends on choices made today.
Geneva, Feb 23 : The new session of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, which is tasked to draft a new constitution for the war-torn country, will take place in Geneva in March, a UN official has said.

"While logistics are still being confirmed, it is planned that the seventh session will be held during the week of March 20, 2022," said Jenifer Fenton, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, at a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

She added that the eighth and ninth sessions of the Committee are scheduled in May and June 2022, respectively.

The Syrian Constitutional Committee, which comprises representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition, and civil society, was officially launched in Geneva on October 30, 2019, to draft a new constitution so as to push forward the peace process in the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Members of the Committee have met in Geneva for six rounds without making any major progress.
Wuhan, Feb 23 : Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province, reported 10 new positive cases for Covid-19 from 10 p.m. Monday to Tuesday afternoon, local authorities have said.

As of Tuesday noon, the city had reported a total of 14 confirmed and positive cases. The 14 people in six districts include ten locals and four non-locals, said a press briefing held by the municipal government on Tuesday.

Among them, 13 attended a training session held by a company from Friday to Sunday, and one was the family member of one trainee, Xinhua news agency reported.

All 14 people have been sent to a designated local hospital for isolated treatment, said Li Tao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Wuhan municipal government.

The cases are believed to be infected with the Omicron variant.
Washington, Feb 23 : The three white men convicted of murdering African American Ahmaud Arbery were found guilty of hate crimes by a federal jury in the southeastern US state of Georgia on Tuesday.

The jury found father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbour William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of all the federal charges they individually faced, including hate crimes, attempted kidnapping and the use of a firearm to commit a crime.

The McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery, a 25-year-old African American man who was jogging on the public streets of a Brunswick neighbourhood in Georgia, in trucks on February 23, 2020.

The three men cornered Arbery and Travis McMichael fatally shot him with a shotgun, Xinhua news agency reported.

Arbery was running with his hands empty and in plain view while never did he speak a word to his killers, nor make any threatening sound or gesture, according to court documents.

All three men were previously convicted of murder in a Georgia state court and sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting.

"We as a family will never get victory because Ahmaud is gone forever," Ahmaud Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said outside the federal courthouse in Brunswick.

"No one should fear that if they go out for a run, they will be targeted and killed because of the colour of their skin," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

The state of Georgia declared February 23 as Ahmaud Arbery Day to mark the gravity of his death and the subsequent criminal and federal cases.
Mathura, Feb 23 : The Mathura police have registered a case against a priest and his associate for raping and threatening a nursing student.

The victim has threatened to set herself ablaze at the SSP office if action is not taken against the accused.

According to the police, the victim has alleged that Bhagwatacharya Krishna Nagendra Maharaj and his associate and property dealer, Devendra Shukla, raped her on the pretext of a job.

Nagendra Maharaj has denied all allegations and claimed that investigations will reveal the truth and prove that he is being trapped.

The victim alleged that police was not heeding her complaint and only when she threatened to immolate herself, a case was registered against the accused.

In her complaint, the victim said that she was in a relationship with Pushpendra Shukla for four years and Devendra Shukla, his father, raped and told her to end the relationship with his son.

The police spokesman said that the matter was under investigation.
Kabul, Feb 23 : The names of former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and former Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar have been removed from the UN Heads of State List.

Meanwhile, Naseer Ahmad Faiq has been named as Charge affairs of Afghanistan on the list of Permanent Representatives of States to the UN, reports TOLO News.

Afghanistan's seat at the UN became a contested issue after the resignation of the former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Afghanistan Ghulam Mohammad Ishaczai following the fall of Kabul in August 2021.

After Ishaczai's resignation, Faiq was appointed as the Charge d'affaires. However, Afghanistan's Permanent Mission to the UN issued a statement later saying that Mohammad Wali Naeemi, the Deputy Representative, has become Charge d'affaires instead of Faiq.

Atmar, calling himself the "Foreign Minister of the republic government", reportedly wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, saying Naeemi will assume the leadership of the Permanent Mission as Charge d'affaires.

According to the letter, when Isaczai resigned, based on principle, Naeemi would have assumed the responsibility but since he was ill, Faiq was appointed instead.

The statement said that as Naeemi recovered, he became the Charge d'affaires and Faiq will continue working in his previous role.

Speaking to TOLO News on Tuesday, Faiq said Atmar's letter to the UN was not accepted and Ghani's and Atmar's name have been removed from the UN system.

"Atmar's letter and his attempt to introduce a new acting head of mission led the UN departments, including legal and political sections, to assess the letter. Then, it was decided that the former government was not official after its collapse on August 15 and that the letter was not considered. This also led to the removal of their names from the UN system," Faiq said.
Kanpur : , Feb 23 (IANS) The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has filed a complaint against perfumer Piyush Jain before the court of special chief judicial magistrate (Economic offences)/Additional chief metropolitan magistrate-III, Kanpur Nagar, to prosecute the accused.

The complaint was filed on Tuesday under section 132 (1) (a) read with section 132(I) (i) and section 132 (5) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act 2017, section 132(1) (a) read with section 132(I) (i) and 132 (5) of the Uttar Pradesh GST Act, 2017 further read with section 20 of the GST Act, 2017.

The court in its order observed that a charge sheet/complaint had been filed by the DGGI Ahmedabad zonal unit Sarvodaya Nagar Kanpur Nagar. As there are sufficient grounds to take cognizance of the matter under section 190 Cr P C/section 134 GST Act, 2017 and other papers, the court therefore orders to register a case against Piyush Jain.

The accused was present through video conferencing. The court, after rejecting his warrant under section 167 CrPc, served a warrant under section 309 Cr PC. The court while listing the case for hearing on March 8, has summoned the accused.

According to special prosecutor of CGST, Ambrish Tandon, a 334 pages complaint/charge sheet was filed by the prosecution.

Additional director general Ahmedabad Vivek Prasad had given sanction to file a complaint against Piyush Jain regarding a matter related to unaccounted cash recovery of Rs 196.57 crore.

The department had made as many as 16 witnesses, including the branch managers of Kanpur and Kannauj banks, who had counted the money. Piyush Jain's statements were recorded on January 6,7 and 8 and February 5 at jail. The copies of the complaint had been given to the accused Piyush Jain.

Piyush Jain was arrested by the department on December 26, 2021, and was produced before the court on December 27, 2021.
Bijnor, Feb 23 : Two days after a 17-year-old girl's body was found inside her house in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor, police have arrested a 40-year-old relative for allegedly strangling her.

A school dropout, the girl was killed on Sunday night while her parents and siblings were away at a wedding.

The body was discovered by her father on his return on Monday. As the girl was alone, two children aged between six and eight years, had also slept with her in the room.

Police said the accused was the father of the two children. Identified as Bhoora Singh, he had allegedly tried to force himself on the girl. But she resisted. When she threatened to expose him, he allegedly strangled her.

Bhoora Singh also happens to be a distant relative of the girl's family. The victim's parents reposed faith in Bhoora and had asked him to look after their daughter while they were away.

Bijnor SP Dharamveer Singh said Bhoora was in an inebriated condition when he attempted to rape her.

When he failed, he strangled her to death.
Washington, Feb 23 : Infectious disease experts are keeping a close eye on an even more contagious version of the Omicron variant spreading in the US, fuelling concerns that the country may not return to normal, said a media report.

The virus, known as BA.2, is a strain of the highly contagious Omicron variant that appears to spread 30 per cent more easily, Xinhua news agency quoted the report by National Public Radio (NPR).

BA.2 is found to have quickly overtaken the original Omicron strain in South Africa and other countries and has even caused a second surge of the variant in Denmark.

Researchers cautioned the same could happen in the US, raising fears that the spread "may be on track to rapidly accelerate in the near future", according to the report.

As of Wednesday morning, the US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 78,642,385 and 938,938, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
Mumbai, Feb 23 : Nationalist Congress Party National Spokesperson and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik went to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office for a probe here Wednesday morning. A team of ED sleuths was questioning him though it was not immediately clear which specific case is being probed.

Last week, the National Investigation Agency had raided certain properties linked with the absconder mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.

Five days ago, the ED arrested the don's younger brother, Iqbal Ibrahim Kaskar in connection with a money-laundering case lodged against him.

The NCP Spokesperson Vidya Chavan and Shiv Sena leader Kishore Tiwari strongly condemned the manner in which the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is abusing the official machinery to silence political opponents.

BJP's spokespersons Atul Bhatkalkar and Ram Kadam said that the party had already submitted full details of an alleged business deal between Malik and the mafia don.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Preliminary investigations into the brutal murder of Bajrang Dal activist, Harsha, have hinted that he was killed for pursuing the Hindutva agenda, police sources said on Wednesday.

The sources said the investigations have also showed that the incident was 'celebrated' by some on social media and also points to the involvement of an organisation in the murder.

Police sources confirmed that the investigators were gathering material to find possible links to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Popular Front of India (PFI). The government has given clear instructions to gather material against these organisations, to make a recommendation to the Government of India to impose a ban. The agencies are also probing the role of Campus Front of India (CFI), for conspiring to rake up the hijab issue by training the college students, police said.

Harsha, 28, was in the forefront of organising functions related to the Hindu religion, in matters related to cow slaughter, illegal transportation of cows. Harsha has been very active on social media and carried out pro-Hindutva messages which antagonised a lot of people, police said.

The police are probing the connection of the murder with hijab row. Sources said that they have already got clues on organisation's involvement in the planning and execution of the murder. The elements have also planned to put out a message through social media to instill fear among the Hindu activists.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra have already stated that the police are going to the roots of the crime. The police have arrested six persons in connection with the murder. However, 'they say that there is more than what is apparent'. CM Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra have stated that investigators are looking into the connection of the murder with hijab row.

There was an outcry against Harsha in 'Mangauru Muslim' Facebook account in 2015. After the murder, the miscreants posted another provoking message which went viral.

Meanwhile, financial assistance is pouring in to support Harsha's family from all over the state. Harsha was the only son and he is survived by two sisters and old parents. Though, family has made no appeal for financial assistance and asked Hindus and Muslims to live peacefully like brothers, till date Rs 16 lakh has been collected.

BJP MP and President of BJP National Yuva Morcha, Tejasvi Surya has demanded the government to consider it as an act of terror. He also urged a ban on the SDPI, PFI and CFI. After visiting the family of deceased Harsha, Tejaswi Surya said, "Ours is not a 'haram' government like Congress, FIR's have been changed when Hindu activists were killed during the time of Congress rule in the state. Our government will see to it that the people behind this murder are hanged, this is the message we will give to the people of the state," he said.

However, SDPI Karnataka State President Abdul Majeed squarely blamed the role of Sangh Parivar behind the murder of Harsha. Murders like this are not new in the state. Whenever, there is a murder of Hindu leaders, it is blamed on Muslims and SDPI. "There is a hand of Sangh Parivar behind Harsha murder. There is a role of Sangh Parivar behind 36 murders. Harsha's murder is a conspiracy. Ruling BJP and Sangh Parivar both have their role behind the act. To hide this, they blame it on SDPI and talk about banning it," he said. "Harsha's relative has said Hindu organisation had given Rs 10 lakh for the murder. This should be probed," he added.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kochi, Feb 23 : All roads in Kochi on Wednesday morning is leading to the auditorium near here where body of veteran actress K.P.A.C. Lalitha has been kept for all to pay their last respects.

Ailing for a while, she passed away at her residence here on Tuesday night, three days before her 74th birthday.

Ever since the news of her demise spread, there has been an unending stream of visitors.

Leading actors, which included veteran superstars Mammootty, Mohanlal and Prithviraj paid their last respects to the veteran actor. Dileep, facing trial in a couple of cases related to an actress abduction, was also seen with with his actress wife Kavya Madhavan.

Visuals showed many of her co-stars being teary eyed while bidding goodbye to her.

A co-star in many of her films and former Lok Sabha member Innocent said: "To me Lalitha was like the lady next door. Her acting skills is unparalleled and do not know if there will be one like her again," said Innocent.

Another of her long time co-star veteran Janaradhan said he shared a very good chemistry with Lalitha not only onscreen but even their families were very close when they lived as neighbours in Chennai.

"When we were in the same frame in film shootings, for me, it was her acting skills and dialogue delivery, which helped me perform with ease. All I wish for her is, if there is life in the world that she is now going to, I wish her all the best, as she was a great human being," said Janardhan.

Lalitha was made Chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy in 2016 when Pinarayi Vijayan became the Chief Minister.

It was at the age of 10 that she first acted in a play and later joined the Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC), a prominent Leftist drama troupe and began her acting career with a remuneration of Rs 15.

There she was given the screen name Lalitha and later, when she started acting in films, K.P.A.C. was added to her screen-name to differentiate it from another actress known as Lalitha.

In a career spanning over five decades, she had donned the grease paint in over 550 films.

After debuting in "Kootukudumbham", directed by ace director K.S. Sethumadhavan, in 1969, she had no reason to look back and was Lalithachechi to all.

A winner of two national and four Kerala State Film awards, she was practically indispensable to legendary film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan in most of his films.

In his film, 'Mathilukal' starring Mammootty, her character Narayani appeared in the film only through her sound talking with the character Mammooty played standing on either side of a wall in a jail compound.

Until last year when her health deteriorated, she was very active in the film industry.

Married to the enigmatic director Bharathan, who passed away in 1998, Lalitha was at her actor-director son Siddarth's residence, when she passed away.

She is survived by a daughter as well.

The last rites will be performed at Thrissur, later in the day.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Beirut, Feb 23 : Lebanon's Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi on Tuesday received a complaint letter from his counterpart in Yemeni Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak about the Houthi militia engaging in hostile activities from inside Lebanese territories.

Mubarak said that the Houthis have been broadcasting programs through Al-Masirah and Al-Sahat TV channels from Lebanon without legal licenses, Xinhua news agency reported.

The letter has prompted Mawlawi to request security agencies for necessary investigations on the operators of the two channels.

The Lebanese minister said it is necessary to take all measures against such practices which "create obstacles facing Lebanon's official efforts to strengthen relations with Arab countries and endanger the sovereignty of those countries".
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday appealed to the people to visit border villages as part of the "Vibrant Village programme" announced in the budget 20-23.

The programme is vital for the development of border villages, he added.

"How wonderful it would be if people from tehsils go to the border villages and experience for themselves, the ambience there, how people live there. It will not only be an educational activity but will also help support our Vibrant Villages scheme," Modi said while addressing a webinar on Budget 2022-23 on the theme "#LeavingNoCitizenBehind" focussing on water and rural development.

The series of webinars is a part of the new initiative of discussion and dialogue with various stakeholders associated under the programme.

Striking an emotional chord with the villages, the PM suggested holding birthday celebrations of the villages.

"Women are the backbone of rural economy and over time, financial inclusion has ensured that they participate in the economic decisions of a family," Modi said and added, the scope needs to be broadened through Self Help Groups (SHGs).

As part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the PM said, his government aims at providing 4 crore connections and suggested that more needs to be done. "I insist that each and every state ensures good water quality through the pipeline that is being laid, the water that is being made available through taps." "Now is the time that 100 per cent saturation is achieved in providing basic facilities like water, electricity and all. We will need to push with all our energy. The budget has a clear roadmap for implementing these schemes," the Prime Minister said and enumerated the schemes -- PM Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, connectivity with the NE India, broadband connectivity for rural India-- saying provisions for which has been made in the budget.

PM Modi also mentioned the PM Development Initiative for NE region (PMDevINE) and the SVAMITVA scheme under which 40 lakh property cards have been distributed.

"Optimum utilisation of each and every penny is needed," he asserted.

As part of achieving Atma Nirbhar Bharat by providing 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd) clean tap water through tap in every rural household, the webinar was organised on implementation of Budget 2022 focusing on water and sanitation. As many as 100 districts, 1,144 blocks, 66,647 gram panchayats and 1,37,642 villages have become aHar Ghar Jal'.

Three States - Goa, Telangana, and Haryana and three UTs - A&N Islands, D&N Haveli & Daman & Diu and Puducherry have provided 100 per cent tap water coverage to its people.

The SVAMITVA scheme was launched on April 20, 2020 on the National Panchayati Raj day. It aims to demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land and provide Record of Rights/Property Cards in rural areas.

The pilot phase of the scheme was launched in 2020 with nine states. Currently, the scheme is ongoing in 29 states and UTs and aims to cover all the villages by 2025.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Feb 23 : Nandamuri Balakrishna's upcoming movie will have Malayalam actor Lal on board to play an important role. Tentatively titled 'NBK107', the movie is currently under production.

Now, the latest news is that the Malayalam director and actor Lal is playing a crucial role in this action drama. Lal has appeared in multiple South Indian movies, and his last Telugu appearance was in the Prabhas-starrer 'Saaho'. It is reported that the makers have readied an interesting role for the talented actor.

'NBK107', on the other hand, has Kannada popular actor, Duniya Vijay, while actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar will essay a powerful role as well.

Shruthi Haasan is playing the leading lady in this much-anticipated upcoming movie, which is produced by Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar under the Mythri Movie Makers banner. Thaman will provide the music for 'NBK107'.

Being directed by 'Krack' fame Gopichand Malineni, Balakrishna and his co-actors are currently shooting for this film in Sircilla, Telangana currently.

Balakrishna's first-look poster from the movie was released a couple of days ago, which amplified the buzz around the movie.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Six Nigerian nationals with expired visa were arrested from the national capital and were ordered to be deported, an official said here on Wednesday.

According to the official, the six persons identified as Peter Nwabuisi, Micheal Chukwuemeka Nnachor, Frank Uche Okechukwu, Peter Eluomuno Okafor, Obana Christian, and Celestine Christiane, were deported in coordination with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

"After verification of their credentials, it was found they were overstaying in India without a valid visa," the official said.

They were produced before the FRRO along with their original passports. The FRRO ordered their deportation.

It was officially learnt that some African nationals living in and around the national capital are involved in the illicit drug trade and are being regularly caught by the police.

"There are also cases of the NDPS Act registered against them for supplying Drugs to locals and people from other areas. In addition, a few cases of Cyber Fraud have also surfaced in which African nationals are involved," another official said.

Meanwhile, all the six African nationals have been sent to a detention centre at Lampur Border.

The latest arrests come after the Dwarka district police recently launched 'Operation Varchasva' in their mission to make the area area crime-free.

Since the launch of the operation, several gangsters, snatchers, and robbers have been arrested in a small period of time.

The police are also keeping a tab on illegally staying foreigners in the area.
Beijing, Feb 23 : China has rejected reports that claimed rocket debris from its Chang'e 5-T1 lunar mission is set to collide with the Moon on March 4.

The doomed space debris was first reported by Bill Gray, an astronomer running Project Pluto. In his blogpost, Gray first claimed that the debris is from billionaire Elon Musk owned SpaceX rocket.

But later Gray predicted that the object is a leftover piece of a Chinese rocket, specifically a Long March 3C that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 mission to the Moon.

But China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claim, Space News reported.

"According to China's monitoring, the upper stage of the rocket related to the Chang'e-5 mission entered into Earth's atmosphere and completely burned up," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin was quoted as saying during a press conference.

But the rocket that Gray and others are claiming is from the Chang'e 5-T1 mission, which is a separate flight. Chang'e 5-T1 was a precursor mission to Chang'e-5, which did not launch until 2020.

Most evidence point the debris to be from Chang'e 5-T1 mission.

"We now have good evidence that it is actually 2014-065B, the booster for the Chang'e 5-T1 lunar mission. It will, however, still hit the moon within a few kilometres of the predicted spot on March 4, 2022 at 12:25 UTC, within a few seconds of the predicted time," Gray wrote in a new blog post, last week.

Chang'e 5-T1 lunar mission tested out technology needed to bring samples back from the Moon in 2014.

Gray's conclusion that the object is a Chinese rocket has also been backed up by analysis from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and by a team at the University of Arizona, The Verge reported.

However, Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron - responsible for tracking space debris - says on its tracking website that it burned up in Earth's atmosphere in October of 2015.

Gray noted that apparently, the 18SPCS only provided one update on the rocket's trajectory shortly after the mission launched and then never again. That means the "conclusion" that the rocket burned up is likely a prediction based on that one update, he said.

Gray said he also wondered if there was another object causing all of the fuss.

"It would be really surprising if there were two objects as large as the one we're tracking and the upper stage [of the Chinese rocket]," Gray was quoted as saying to The Verge. "So anybody who says that this is not the upper stage has a pretty good-sized mountain of evidence at this point to overcome."
Patna, Feb 23 : Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav slammed the Nitish Kumar-led state government on Wednesday for the alleged killing of a JD-U worker Samastipur district.

The victim, identified as Mohamad Khalil Rizvi, was killed in Akbarpur Fakrina village on February 17 and his body was buried in a poultry farm after it was drenched with petrol and set on fire. The accused also used salt to decompose the body quickly.

A video in this regard has also gone viral on social media, wherein a person is seen saying on camera that Rizvi has been lynched by violent cow vigilantes.

However, IANS has not verified the authenticity of the video.

Based on the video, Tejashwi Yadav questioned Nitish Kumar's poor leadership.

"What is happening in Bihar Nitish Ji? Law and order has completely ended in Bihar. A Muslim youth who was also a JD-U worker was lynched in the name of cow. He was beaten by cow vigilantes, set on fire, and then buried. Why are such incidents continuously taking place in Bihar and why are people taking laws into their own hands?" he asked.

Meanwhile, the police said that Rizvi was kidnapped on February 17 for making false promise of providing a government job and taking Rs 3.70 lakhs from a Vipul Kumar, five years ago.

Mohamad Sehban Habib Fakri, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Samastipur (Sadar) said: "We have arrested Vipul Kumar on the basis of the video. During investigation, he claimed that he had given Rs 3.70 lakhs to Rizvi for providing him a government job, five years ago. But he was neither returning the money nor providing him any job.

"Hence, Vipul along with his friends kidnapped Rizvi from the area under Musrigharari police station and took him to the poultry farm and brutally beat him up. They then poured petrol over his body and set it ablaze. His charred body was buried in a pit. The accused also put salt in order to decompose his dead body quickly.

"After kidnapping Rizvi, Vipul had also removed his phone's simcard. He then inserted it in his phone and demanded Rs 3.70 lakhs from Rizvi's wife."
Chennai, Feb 23 : Actor Karthi, who also happens to be the younger brother of actor Suriya, on Wednesday thanked Ameer, director of his first film 'Paruthiveeran', on the occasion of the film completing 15 years.

The actor, who has gone on to emerge as one of the bankable stars in the Tamil film industry in the last 15 years, posted a note of gratitude on his Twitter timeline.

In the post, the actor said, "Fifteen golden years since 'Paruthiveeran'. I feel blessed to have started my acting career with that film. Every move of mine was designed and tutored by Ameer sir and all the credit goes to him.

"Of the many lessons learnt, I still treasure the way he taught me to immerse myself and enjoy the work that I do. Thanks to Ameer sir, Gnanavel , anna , my dear fans and the media for ushering me into this beautiful path." The film, which went on to become a roaring success at the box-office, also won two National Awards, one each for actress Priyamani and editor Raja Mohammad.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : All three of the largest groups in the European Parliament are demanding that the European Union (EU) assess whether Switzerland should be categorised as a high-risk country for money laundering and financial crime, as reaction to the Credit Suisse leak continues to reverberate about the world, the Guardian reported.

Less than 48 hours after the Guardian and other media published an investigation into the leak as part of the Suisse secrets project, political groups representing the majority of MEPs in the European Parliament support the possible blacklisting of Switzerland.

The centre-right European People's party's (EPP's) economic and monetary affairs spokesperson had demanded on Monday that the European Commission reconsider whether Switzerland posed a threat to the financial integrity of the bloc.

On Tuesday, spokespersons for the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe, the second- and third-largest groupings representing the left and centre-left in the parliament respectively, expressed support for the move, the report said.

It could mean Switzerland being added to an EU list of rogue nations considered at high risk for money laundering, such as Iran, Syria and North Korea.

"These latest revelations show that too many of the world's largest banks have still not learned their lesson. Banks are only too willing to accept dirty money, as long as they can pocket the fees," said JonAs FernAndez, an S&D MEP and spokesperson for economic and monetary affairs.
Chennai, Feb 23 : Independent candidates won handsomely in two panchayats of Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu in the urban local body polls defeating established political parties.

In Sayalkudi and Kamuthi town panchayats, independent candidates stole the show winning all the 15 seats in the former while losing one seat to BJP's Kamuthi J. Sathya in Kamuthi town panchayat. In Kamuthi, DMK had not even put up a candidate, in Sayilkudi a few of its candidates contested but faced a crushing defeat.

The main reason for the victories of the independent candidates in these two town panchayats is the caste consideration. It is the caste chieftains who decide on the candidates in these town panchayats and the established political parties prefer not to interfere. However, the BJP contested all the seats at Kamuthi and won one, thus scripting history.

Independent candidate, S. Manickavel got 450 votes, which is the highest number that any candidate in Sayalkudi town panchayat got, while another candidate, R. Mariyappan secured 277 votes, the least polled by an independent candidate in the panchayat.

Both the Dravidian majors -- DMK and the AIADMK -- drew a blank in these two town panchayats and only the BJP could stand up and fight against the caste and religious leadership that propped up these independent candidates.

In Kamuthi town panchayat, 11 candidates including the BJP candidate J. Sathya and 10 independents were elected unopposed while elections were held in four wards. Independent candidates won all four seats.

Independent candidates also won 6 out of the 15 wards from the Mudukulathur town panchayat making a mark for themselves. In Mandapam town panchayat also independent candidates won in 5 out of the 18 wards and AIADMK was pushed to the third spot in these constituencies.

Four independent candidates won in Thondi panchayat out of the 15 wards. The remaining seats were won by DMK candidates.

With the independent candidates winning in large numbers even in the remote areas of the city, political parties will have to rework their strategies to overcome the challenge posed by the independents backed by powerful religious and caste groups.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday imposed fine on various state governments for non-compliance of its order to fill up vacancies in district and state consumer commissions.

Sending a strong message to the state governments, a bench comprising Justices S.K. Kaul and M.M. Sundresh said the states have to pay a fine for non-compliance of its order and also delay in filing the affidavit. The bench said this is the only language the state governments will understand, as it imposed a fine on states, which did not comply with its order to fill up vacancies in district and state consumer commissions.

In November last year, the top court said it is not inclined to waste judicial time over parties defaulting in the matter and warned the state governments that it would impose a cost of Rs one to two lakh for recovery from the officers concerned.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, amicus curiae in the matter, had then contended before the bench that a number of state governments -- Goa, Delhi, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab have not submitted information for staff and Bihar has submitted a status report for infrastructure.

The top court said: "This results in a considerable time period of courts being spent. We will impose exemplary costs on defaulting states for wastage of judicial time for recovery against officers." The top court told the state governments that filling up vacancies and providing adequate infrastructure was their job.

"So, what is the judicial intervention required to ask the states to perform their obligation under the Statute. Please appreciate the scope of the Consumer Protection Act", said the bench, adding that it is to redress the small aspect of daily lives of the consumers.

During the hearing, emphasizing on respect for time schedules, it noted, "unfortunately it throws the hearing out of gear for the simple reason that we don't seem to discipline ourselves with any sense of time." The top court was hearing a suo motu matter related to vacancies and infrastructure in consumer courts across the country.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 23 : In a bid to clamp down on risky crypto ads in India, the Advertising Standards Council Of India (ASCI) on Wednesday issued guidelines for all virtual digital assets (VDA)-related advertisements, which will be applicable on or after April 1.

All crypto/NFT ads must carry the following disclaimer, "Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions." No advertisement for crypto/digital asset products or exchanges may show a minor, or someone who appears to be a minor, directly dealing with the product, or talking about the product, said the advertising watchdog.

Since this is a risky category, "celebrities or prominent personalities who appear in crypto/NFT advertisements must take special care to ensure that they have done their due diligence about the statements and claims made in the advertisement, so as not to mislead consumers," the ASCI warned.

Even as the Indian government continues to work on the framework for virtual digital assets (VDA), commonly referred to as crypto or NFT products, advertising for these products has been very aggressive over the past few months across TV, bring and digital media.

The ASCI noted that several of these advertisements do not adequately disclose the risks associated with such products.

"Advertising of virtual digital assets and services needs specific guidance, considering that this is a new and as yet an emerging way of investing. Hence, there is a need to make consumers aware of the risks and ask them to proceed with caution," said Subhash Kamath, Chairman of ASCI.

The ASCI extensively consulted with different stakeholders, including government and the virtual digital asset industry -- to frame guidelines for virtual digital asset advertising.

"Every advertisement for VDA products must clearly give out the name of the advertiser and provide an easy way to contact them (phone number or email). This information should be presented in a manner that is easily understood by the average consumer," according to new guidelines.

"No advertisement may show that VDA products or VDA trading could be a solution to money problems, personality problems or other such drawbacks." The council said that no crypto/NFT advertisement shall contain statements that promise or guarantee future increase in profits.

"No advertisement may show that understanding VDA products is so easy that consumers do not have to think twice about investing. Nothing in the ad should downplay the risks associated with the category," said the council.

The VDA products may not be compared to any other asset class which is regulated, it added.

Advertisers and media owners must also ensure that all earlier advertisements must not appear in the public domain unless they comply with the guidelines, post April 15, 2022.

"We have seen a spate of advertising for virtual digital assets which could compromise consumer interest in the absence of some guardrails. Use of celebrities and high decibel advertising would attract consumers to these offerings, without full disclosure of the risks," said Manisha Kapoor, Secretary General, ASCI.

"Given that this is, as of now, an unregulated space, it is even more important for advertising to be upfront regarding the risks associated with these products," Kapoor emphasised.

Although no Crypto Bill yet, the government in the Union Budget has proposed a 30 per cent tax on digital assets.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed 1 per cent TDS (tax deducted at source) on transactions in such asset classes above a certain threshold. Gifts in crypto and digital assets will also be taxed.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved stockpiles of blood and medical supplies to Russian troops positioned on the Ukrainian border, in a move US President Joe Biden warned was in preparation for "a massive military attack" against Kiev, the Daily Mail reported.

A huge military convoy of more than 100 military trucks with soldiers was also seen heading towards the Ukrainian border where 190,000 Russian troops are already massed, raising fears Putin is about to stage a land-grab in eastern Ukraine, the report said.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is closest to the border, and has long been suspected as a possible target in a Russian invasion, according to western analysts.

Putin has already moved more than 10,000 Russian troops into Ukraine's breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk after he recognised them as indepedent.

Some 6,000 troops were sent to Donetsk, 5,000 to Luhansk and 1,500 to the city of Horlivka, a source with links to Ukrainian intelligence said.

While announcing new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, Biden said it defies logic to think Putin has taken such extensive military preparations, including putting 190,000 Russian troops on the border and moving blood supplies to those areas, for reasons other than invading Ukraine, Daily Mail reported.

"This is the beginning of a Russian invasion. You don't need blood unless you're planning to start a war," he declared.

Biden also announced he was moving American troops, fighter jets and helicopters to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on NATO's eastern flank as a defensive move and imposing heavy financial sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs.

The UK and EU also responded with sanctions after Russian legislators authorised Putin to use military force outside the country, a move that could pave the way for a wider invasion of Ukraine after he rolled troops into rebel-held areas.
Chennai, Feb 23 : Actor Dulquer Salmaan, who joined scores of film industry professionals from across Kerala and Tamil Nadu in mourning the loss of veteran actress KPAC Lalitha, paid her a glorious tribute on Instagram.

Posting a series of pictures shot with the veteran actress, Dulquer said, "My best on screen pairing. The most love I've felt for a co-actor. As an actor, she was magic, wearing her genius as lightly as her smile. I've never felt more alive in a scene cause she transcended the written word.

"These pictures are from our last day together. I couldn't let go and demanded hugs and kisses. She kept saying we should do a film where we are a mother and son constantly bickering. I thought we had time. Like how we began every text message to each other ....Chakkare evideya ??" Film stars from the Tamil film industry too condoled the death of the veteran actress, who has done commendable work in Tamil cinema as well.

The South Indian Artistes' Association (better known as the Nadigar Sangam) the association for actors from the Tamil film industry, expressed its condolences at the passing away of the legend.

Several Tamil actors, including actor Vijay Sethupathi, condoled the demise of the great actress, who has delivered several exceptional performances including her outstanding performance in director Fazil's superhit Tamil film, 'Kadhalukku Mariyadhai', featuring Vijay and Shalini in the lead.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Hitting out at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former state Minister and senior BJP leader Brijmohan Agrawal said that he is trying to mislead people of Uttar Pradesh by promising to solve the problem of stray cattle through his scheme 'Godhan Nyay Yojana'.

Agrawal urged Baghel to focus on solving the issue of stray cows in his own state of Chhattisgarh instead of making a promise in Uttar Pradesh.

Agrawal, who was in UP's Braj region to oversee election campaign of the BJP in the ongoing assembly polls, told IANS that earlier people of Assam rejected 'Godhan Nyay Yojana' of the Baghel government and now people of Uttar Pradesh will reject it. "Whole 'Godhan Nyay Yojana' is a fraud and it has not benefited people of Chhattisgarh.

Stray cows can be seen roaming in Chhattisgarh causing loss of human lives in accidents and Cow shelters are in poor condition, he said, adding that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is committed to address the issue.

Baghel is campaigning in support of Congress candidates across Uttar Pradesh. While campaigning for party candidates, Baghel said that if voted to power, the Congress will implement the scheme in Uttar Pradesh and solve the problem of stray cows by constructing cowsheds in each village.

Taking a dig at Baghel, Agrawal said that Congress has no presence in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister is campaigning across the state only to make party leadership happy. "Where is Congress in Uttar Pradesh? Our Chief Minister is only trying to make Priyanka Gandhi and Congress central leadership happy to protect his 'kursi' (chair). He is least concerned about Chhattisgarh and its people," Agrawal said.

The Former Chhattisgarh minister claimed that the state administration has collapsed and development has come to a halt. "State administration is in complete mess and no development is taking place. He left people to suffer while being busy in political tourism," he added.
Hyderabad, Feb 23 : A domestic air passenger who had concealed gold in paste form inside his rectum was caught at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Customs officials said on Wednesday.

The male passenger had reached Hyderabad from Imphal by Indigo Flight 6E187 on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, the Customs officials apprehended the passenger and recovered 975.16 grams of gold in paste form which he had concealed in his rectum. The gold was valued at Rs 50.70 lakh.

A case of gold smuggling was booked against the passenger.

This is the first case of a domestic passenger being caught smuggling gold at Hyderabad airport. In the majority of the cases, passengers coming from Dubai and some other destinations in the Gulf are found illegally carrying gold.

This is the second case of gold smuggling detected at Hyderabad airport in less than a week. On February 19, a male passenger who arrived from Dubai was caught with 394.18 gms of gold valued at Rs 20.40 lakh. The gold in paste form was concealed between sheets of corrugated boxes.

Tuesday's recovery is also the latest case in which a passenger was found carrying gold in his rectum.

On January 11, 1.48 kg gold valued at Rs 72.80 lakh was seized from three women passengers who arrived from Dubai. One of them had concealed the gold in her rectum.

In the last week of December, Customs officials had recovered 1.19 kg gold valued at Rs 59.23 lakh from a passenger who had concealed it in his rectum. The male passenger had arrived from Dubai.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi.

Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar that the total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounts to Rs 67,000 crore.

He further added that as on date 4,700 cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the last 5 years varies from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21. Mehta submitted before the bench that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The top court is hearing a clutch of petitions, challenging the wide scope of powers available to the directorate of enforcement (ED) for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

Mehta submitted before the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, that during the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIR of approximately 33 lakh for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies.

He added, "very small number of cases are being taken up for investigation under the PMLA as compared to annual registration of the cases under the Money Laundering Act in the UK (7,900), the US (1,532), China (4,691), Austria (1,036), Hongkong (1,823), Belgium (1,862) and Russia (2,764)".

Mehta emphasized that the measures against money-laundering have clearly left embryo of drug or terrorism related offences and moved beyond the same. "Further, the efforts against money laundering have consistently advocated to include the widest range of predicate offences in the domestic laws," he added.

Over the past few weeks, a battery of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Sidharth Luthra, Amit Desai, and others have made submissions before the top court on various aspects related to potential misuse of PMLA provisions introduced by way of amendments to the Act.

The law has been criticised on various aspects: stringent bail conditions, non-communication of grounds of arrest, arrest of persons without supply of ECIR (akin to FIR), broad definitions of money laundering and proceeds of crime, and statements given by accused during investigation made admissible as evidence during trial.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Karnataka police have arrested a former Bahraini policeman who took to crime to treat his son ailing with cancer, police said here on Wednesday.

The arrested person is identified as 61-year-old Nazeer Ahmad Imran a.k.a Pilakal Nazeer, a native of Kerala. According to police, Nazeer served as a cop in Bahrain for 9 years before coming to India.

He has been arrested second time in 14 years. Nazeer became a professional car thief after his son was detected with cancer and he had to arrange money for his treatment. Ashoknagar police had arrested Nazeer in 2008 also, though he obtained bail and came out of prison.

However, after coming out of the prison, he continued committing crime. The recent arrest has been made by Byatarayanapura police station on charges of lifting an SUV from a service centre. The police also seized two bikes lifted from the limits of High Ground police station, from Nazeer.

During the investigation, he revealed that he committed the crimes for the treatment of his son. After lifting vehicles, he created fake documents and sold them off.

Police said that Nazeer was involved in vehicle lifting in various parts of Bengaluru city and Kerala. The investigation is on.
Seoul, Feb 23 : South Korea is not considering military support and deployment in connection with the crisis in Ukraine but is leaving various possibilities open concerning sanctions on Russia, Cheong Wa Dae or the Presidential Office said on Wednesday.

"While looking into how the situation will unfold going forward and what effects it will have on us, we're studying what we can do," Yonhap News Agency quoted a senior presidential official as saying to reporters.

"Military support and deployment are not among them." Asked whether the US asked South Korea to join in sanctions against Russia, the senior Cheong Wa Dae official said the US has repeatedly outlined its plans to impose export controls and financial sanctions while discussing such issues with allies.

"Major Western nations have expressed willingness to join in sanctions," the official said. "We are also looking at this while leaving various possibilities open." Western nations have imposed new sanctions against Russian banks and individuals after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

As a responsible member of the international community, South Korea has been in close consultations with the US and other nations over whether to join sanctions against Russia, the official said.

However, the official declined to give a clear answer on whether South Korea will join anti-Russia sanctions, saying it is still unclear about how the situation is unfolding in Ukraine.

South Korea will also hold close consultations with relevant nations to prevent the Ukraine crisis from posing a threat to peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, the official said.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 23 : Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan on Wednesday said that Indians in Ukraine will not be forced to return in the light of the developments there.

"One thing that the Modi government assures is the safety, concern of our people there is uppermost, things will be assessed and action will be taken accordingly," said Muraleedharan.

He said that there are around 18,000 students and 2,000 people from India in Ukraine.

"All of them have been asked to register at the Indian Embassy there, so if needed, the embassy officials can contact them," added Muraleedharan.

He said that while many anxious parents want their children to return, the general impression from Ukraine is the students are not that keen to return.

"We assure all that the Government of India will be at the forefront and if a situation warrants, then there will be timely intervention," said the MoS.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Feb 23 : A Delhi High Court judge on Wednesday recused himself from hearing pleas by Google and social media giants Facebook and Twitter challenging a single-judge order asking them to globally remove links to a video containing defamatory contents against yoga guru.

As the matter came up for hearing, Justice Vipin Sanghi recused himself from the bench.

The bench, also comprising Jasmeet Singh, slated the matter for further hearing on March 21 before another bench excluding Justice Sanghi.

Earlier in November 2019, a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court had directed Facebook to globally remove, block or disable links to a video containing defamatory allegations against yoga guru Ramdev. The court order had come while hearing a plea by Ramdev seeking global restraint order against Facebook, Google, it's subsidiary YouTube, and Twitter from carrying content related to a book.

The IT giants had said that while they have no objection to blocking the URLs and disabling the same, insofar as access in India is concerned, they were opposed to removal/blocking/disabling the defamatory content on a global basis.

In the last hearing, Facebook's counsel had requested the court to restrain Ramdev from initiating contempt action against it till the appeal was pending.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Nearly 40 per cent of workers could switch jobs this year in India, a report said on Wednesday.

According to experience management firm Qualtrics, despite respondents in India reporting some of the highest levels of engagement (85 per cent) and wellbeing (89 per cent) at work globally, just 62 per cent plan to stay with their current employer for the next 12 months.

"As seen in the Qualtrics research, addressing the challenges faced are not as simple as setting new work schedules or boosting engagement," Lauren Huntington, Employee Experience Solutions Strategist for Qualtrics in India, said in a statement.

"People are making career decisions based on multiple factors, meaning the ability to quickly and easily identify and respond to the issues having the biggest impact with tools like Qualtrics is a significant advantage," Huntington added.

At a time when tier-II and tier-III cities are emerging as talent hubs, and high levels of hiring sentiment, the findings highlight the critical need for employers to prioritise improving the employee experience to attract and retain talent in India's competitive job market.

For employers looking to increase intent to stay among their employees in hybrid or remote environments, ensuring individuals are aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation is key.

Prioritising employee wellbeing, creating a culture of belonging, and ensuring employees feel like their career goals can be met are also important drivers of intent to stay in India, the survey, which included 1,024 respondents, said.

Successfully adopting permanent hybrid work policies in India will also be critical to attracting and retaining talent in 2022, with 60 per cent of respondents saying they would look for a new job if forced back to the office full-time -- almost double the global average (35 per cent).

The most popular hybrid arrangement for employees is three days remote and two in the office, followed closely by four days remote and one day in the office.
IN THIS FILE PHOTO, Linscott Rumford Elementary School second graders Joshua Ganem and Aaron Okech adhere to the mask mandate as they show their respects while Taps is played during their schools Veterans SingALong program on Veterans Day last November. New indoor mask rules are now in place in Woburn schools.

(KAPAndrewsPhoto)
February 23 : Kangana Ranaut is all set to host Ekta Kapoors Lock Upp, which will premiere from February 27 on MX Player and ALTBalaji. The makers have today dropped the name of the third contestant, who will get locked up in jail.

Taking to her Instagram handle, Poonam Pandey on Wednesday, took to her Instagram handle and announced that she has been locked up in Kanganas jail. Poonam is the third contestant on the show. Sharing a teaser, Poonam Pandey wrote, Hot ke chakkar mein ho gayi main locked up! #LockUpp streaming from 27th Feb, LIVE free on @altbalaji and @mxplayer.

Taking to the comments section, a user wrote, Ab toh dekhna he padega (Now I have to watch it), while another wrote, Bigg boss walo se acha casting ye log kar rhe hai. Kuch sikho BB makers. Always repeat log ko mat laya karo (Bigg Boss should learn something from the makers of Lock Upp. Bigg Boss always bring the same people back)." Another user wrote, Ab dangal hoga (the battle begins).

Speaking about Lock Upp, Poonam told India Today, I don't know how am I going to pull this off, but I am nervous and excited at the same time." Lock Upp is touted to be a controversial show. The contestants have to do dangerous tasks, even for their basic necessities and there will be no luxury in the jail.

The show will stream on ALTBalaji and MX Player 24X7, and audiences will be able to interact directly with the contestants. Audiences will also have the power to punish or award the contestants.

The first two contestants were Nisha Rawal and Munawar Faruqui. Nisha is a television actor and was announced as the first contestant of Lock Upp. The charge against her was her controversial fights. Nisha was seen in shows like Main Lakshmi Tere Aangan Ki and Shaadi Mubarak. The actress said in a statement, I am very excited to make this new and challenging journey. Never seen or heard before, this show will set a new benchmark in the Indian OTT industry. I am excited to be a part of this visual treat for the audience. Last year, Nisha was involved in a bitter feud with her estranged husband, television actor Karan Mehra. She had also filed a police complaint against him for physical assault and accused him of having an extramarital affair, which Karan had denied.

Controversial stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was announced as the second contestant for Lock Upp. Faruqui, who is also a rapper, said he is aware that his journey in Lock Upp will be tough but he is prepared for it. "I am glad that this show gives me an opportunity to be myself in a real setup. In January last year, Munawar was put in jail in Indore for a month after a BJP MLA's son filed an FIR and accused him of hurting religious sentiments in one of his stand-up shows. Later in November, the Bengaluru police denied permission for his stand-up comedy show in the city amid protests by the Hindu right-wing outfits.
Islamabad, Feb 23 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the country will no longer be taking sides or playing "camp politics" and will be working towards increasing trade relations with countries to get itself out of poverty.

In an interview to Russia Today, Khan said Pakistan was no longer in a position to take sides in conflicts between two countries, adding that the Cold War ravaged the world in the past.

Khan said Pakistan opted to join the US camp because it needed money, especially after the inflow of millions of refugees from Afghanistan, who had migrated from the war torn country and had camped in Pakistan.

However, khan insisted that Pakistan should have left the financial reliance on US.

"But the country should have left the US camp after a decade or so and pursued an independent policy. Reliance on foreign aid is a curse," he said.

"Such aid stops a country from evolving and developing and becoming self-reliant. The reliance on hand-outs stops a country from becoming independent." Khan said it was because of the financial reliance on the US that "Pakistan could not establish trade relations with the Central Asian states because of its proximity to the US and theirs to Soviet Union".

"This time, Pakistan will not join any camp," Khan said, making it seemingly clear that Pakistan will not be taking any sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This holds great importance because the statement comes at a time when the Prime Minister is embarking a two-day visit to Russia, where he will be meeting with his counterpart Vladimir Putin and discussing various issues including climate change, Russia-Ukraine conflict, Afghanistan crisis and bilateral relations between Islamabad and Moscow.

Talking about the Pakistan-Russia economic relations, Khan said that the gas pipeline project with Russia suffered because the companies involved in the project had been sanctioned by the US.

"Finding a Russian company that was not sanctioned by the US became a problem. Pakistan could also get gas from Iran but it cannot since there was the US sanctions on the country," he added.

Talking about the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Khan hoped that the crisis resolves peacefully.

"If we read reports in the western media, there is an imminent war between Russia and Ukraine on the cards. And clearly, western countries take a very oppositional, I would even say inimical view to Russia," he said.

However, Khan said that Islamabad is not concerned about the Russia-Ukraine crisis and would prefer to expand its geopolitical horizon through strengthened bilateral relations with Russia.

Khan urged that he did not believe that global powers could resolve their conflicts through military solutions, adding that he believed civilized societies resolve their differences through dialogues.

Taking use of the opportunity, khan also spoke about the longstanding dispute of Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan, stating that he offered India in 2018, to sit down at the table and resolve it, but to no avail.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday junked a plea seeking cancellation of physical exams for Class 10 and 12 scheduled to be conducted by all state boards, CBSE, ICSE, and NIOS.

The top court pulled up petitioners for filing premature petition and creating confusion among lakhs of students through such PILs. It warned the petitioner of exemplary costs if such action is repeated.

A bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar told the petitioner's counsel, "Creating confusion by such petitions, what kind of petition you filed?" Advocate Prashant Padmanabhan, representing the petitioners, urged the top court to see the present CBSE directions and also pointed at the petition filed in connection with the exams last year. The bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, said what has happened in past cannot become a norm, and that will be misleading. Padmanabhan added that CBSE has conducted first term exam in offline mode in December 2021 in MCQ mode and results aren't published yet.

Justice Khanwilkar said the situation has not arrived yet and told the counsel to allow authorities to take a decision in the matter. "How can you pre-empt everything", said the bench.

The top court added, "These kinds of petitions are misleading, what kind of publicity these petitions get. These petitions create confusion. Let students and authorities do their jobs." The plea said many students studying in CBSE, ICSE, NIOS and state board approached the petitioner, Anubha Shrivastava Sahai, for issues they are facing regarding the board exams and are directly affected by the outcome of this PIL.

"The other petitioners are students as well as the parents from different states, who were aggrieved by the Boards decision. That, the mental pressure that is created for performance in this exam is so much that every year a number of students commit suicide for fear of under-performance, or of failure", said the plea.

The plea added, "To make students appear and face examination with the additional fear of getting infected by the Covid-19 virus will not only be unfair but the same will be absolutely inhuman".

The plea urged the top court to issue directions to concerned authorities to pass a notification regarding alternate mode of assessment of students from Class 10, 11 and 12 of CBSE, ICSE, NIOS and state boards instead of offline exams.

The second petitioner in the plea is the Student Union of Odisha. The plea has also included a list of students from various parts of the country who approached Sahai regarding issues with the board exams.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Hyderabad, Feb 23 : The second phase of promotions for S.S. Rajamouli's much-awaited magnum opus 'RRR' will kick off soon.

As per reports, the producers of 'RRR' have made plans to resume the promotions, as the release date of the Ram Charan and Jr NTR-starrer is approaching on March 25.

Apparently, Rajamouli and his team, along with actors Ram Charan, Jr NTR, and Alia Bhatt will start promoting the movie from March 1. A big event is being planned in Dubai for the same.

Apart from the events, the team will be interacting with the media and the public during their visits to important cities.

Ram Charan, Jr NTR, Alia Bhatt, and Rajamouli had earlier promoted the film big time in December 2021 and January hoping that the film would release on January 7, as planned.

As a result of the third wave of Covid along with the shutting down of theatres in states such as Maharashtra and Delhi, along with night curfews, and other adversaries, the film was postponed.

Now that 'RRR' will hit the screens on March 25, the team will promote the movie yet again.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, Feb 23 : The shoot of 'Visfot', which stars Riteish Deshmukh, Fardeen Khan, Priya Bapat and Krystle D'Souza, wrapped up on Wednesday. The film, directed by Kookie Gulati, is the official Hindi adaptation of 2012 Venezuelan film 'Rock, Paper and Scissors'.

'Visfot', which began its shoot in the latter part of 2021, has been at live locations in Mumbai and pits two of the city's diametrically opposite worlds against each other and has been bankrolled Sanjay Gupta's White Feather Films and T-Series.

Summing up his experience on the film, Kookie Gulati, who has earlier directed the Abhishek Bachchan-starrer 'The Big Bull', said, "I can't thank Bhushan sir and Sanjay sir enough for trusting me with this film. I also have to thank the team for being cooperative and ensuring that everything falls into place and runs smoothly." "Riteish, Fardeen, Krystle and Priya have been phenomenal as actors - especially Fardeen who was facing the camera after so long. It's easily one of my most memorable experiences", the director added.

Producer Sanjay Gupta, who picked the rights to the original, said, "Kookie, Riteish and Fardeen, and the entire cast and crew ensured we had a smooth run. By far, it's been one of my most chilled out projects ever planned and executed meticulously. The team had everything in control and I pride myself in them, and in the film they have put together, without any delays and hiccups."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Popular Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar Ahimsa has been arrested by the police on charges of posting derogatory messages on social media platforms against the judge, who is part of a three-judge bench looking into the case of hijab row, police said on Wednesday.

The actor has been sent to judicial custody for 15 days. The police took up a suo motu case against the actor under IPC sections 505 (statements of public mischief) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

Actor Chetan, a US citizen and a scholar had retweeted his comment on Justice S. Krishna Dixit. Chetan in his tweet had commented on the granting of bail to an accused in the rape case and also objected to the remarks made by the Judge. He had tweeted the message two years ago.

After retweeting the same message Chetan claimed that, the judge who had given an objectionable statement in a rape case is looking into the hijab case. Chetan had questioned if the judge has clarity on the issue.

Based on the tweet, the Sheshadripuram police lodged a suo motu case against him and picked him up. Hundreds of people have reacted to the incident and condemned his arrest. Meanwhile, Chetan's wife Meghana came on live on social media and claimed that Chetan had been kidnapped. Now, his supporters have stated that they will take up the legal battle for Chetan.

Meanwhile, Karnataka police have arrested three persons in connection with the attack on the brother of one of the petitioners Hajra Shifa, in the hijab row. The arrested persons are identified as Deepak Kumar, Manoj and Sunil Raj. The accused pelted stones on the restaurant run by Shifa's father and attacked her brother on Monday night.
Mumbai, Feb 23 : In a stunning turn of events, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik after he was grilled for nearly 8 hours in an alleged shady land deal case.

Malik was whisked off by the ED to a government hospital for a medical check-up and he is likely to be produced before a designated court later this afternoon.

As he was escorted out of the ED office, a grinning Malik was seen raising a fist, and declaring: "Jhunkenge nahin, ladenge aur jeetenge (will not succumb, will fight and win)" to his supporters.

An ED team had visited Malik's home around 5 a.m. and taken him away for questioning in the Kurla land deal allegedly having a mafia taint.

The ED had deployed CISF security and Mumbai Police security as a large number of Nationalist Congress Party workers had staged a huge protest outside the agency's office since morning to protest the action against Malik.

Top NCP leaders slammed the ED for the arrest and accused it of pursuing the Bharatiya Janata Party's agenda of vendetta and silencing political opponents.
Lucknow, Feb 23 : They were close as peas in a pod. They were friends, mentors and even followers. But today, politics has driven a wedge in their relationship and they are pitted against each other in the electoral battle.

In the Dhampur seat in Bijnor, Moolchand Chauhan is pitted against his disciple Naeem-ul-Hasan.

Naeem is contesting on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket and Moolchand is the BSP candidate.

"This is politics and one has to contest elections. I did not like contesting against my mentor, but certain things are inevitable," says Naeem.

In Pratapgarh, an ugly battle is being fought between independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya and his acolyte Gulshan Yadav.

Gulshan Yadav has been fielded by the Samajwadi Party while Raja Bhaiyya is contesting on his Jansatta Dal ticket.

Raja Bhaiyya has been winning the Kunda seat since 1993 and the battle is largely one-sided but Gulshan Yadav has made it ugly by hurling expletives by his one-time mentor and this is not going down well with the voters.

Raja Bhaiyya dismisses Gulshan Yadav's campaign against him with a wave of his hand and says, "Let us talk about other things." Gulshan, on the other hand, says, "There is a wave in favour of Samajwadi Party and I will create history by winning this seat." In Firozabad, Saifur-Rehman is the SP candidate and his rival is his friend Azeem Bhai's wife Shazia who is the BSP candidate.

Saifur-Rehman, at one time, used to campaign for Azeem Bhai and the two were known to be inseparable but politics has now placed them in opposite ranks.

In Lalitpur, Ram Ratan Kushwaha is the BJP candidate while his first cousin, Ramesh Kushwaha is the SP candidate.

Not so long ago, Ramesh used to campaign for his cousin but now their ways have parted.

Brijlal Khabri is the Congress candidate from Mehroni in Lalitpur while his wife Urmila Khabri is contesting from Orai on a Congress ticket.

His relative, Shri Pal is contesting the Orai seat against Urmila Khabri on a BSP ticket.

Their relatives have cautiously kept away from their campaigns.

"We do not wish to become a party in the family in these elections. What has happened is unfortunate and we hope that the differences melt away after the polls are over," said a relative who did not wish to be named.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Chief of Army Staff, General M.M. Naravane presented the prestigious 'President Colours' or 'Nishan', as they are popularly known in the Army, to four parachute battalions on Wednesday.

The four battallions 11 Para (Special Force), 21 Para (Special Force), 23 Para and 29 Para received the honours in the Colour Presentation Parade at the Parachute Regiment Training Centre(PRTC), here.

The award of President's Colours is one of the greatest honours bestowed upon a Military Unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered by it to the nation, both during war and in peace. It is also known as 'Nishan'.

The Parachute Regiment is an elite force of Indian Army which holds an impeccable record in battle, both pre and post independence.

It has been conferred with 51 Battle Honours, 1 Victoria Cross, 28 Military Medals (MM), 11 Distinguished Service Orders (DSO), 40 Indian Distinguished Service Medals (IDSM) and 40 Military Cross (MC) from the inherited history of its battalions up to independence.

Thereafter, the Regiment has won number of laurels in such diverse theatres of peace and war as Gaza, Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Runn of Kutch, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir including Siachen and in Eastern theatre including Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

Post Independence, the Regiment displayed its troops' potential in all theatre of operations and earned 32 Chief of the Army Staff unit citations. The Parachute Regiment has been awarded with8 Ashok Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 22 Kirti Chakras, 63 Vir Chakras, 116 Shaurya Chakras and 601 Sena Medals.

The Chief of the Army Staff reviewed the parade and during his address, appreciated the laudable efforts and rich traditions of the Parachute Battalions in various arenas to include War, Operations and Training.

The Chief of the Army Staff congratulated the newly raised units for their stupendous performance at the very initial stages of their service and exhorted them to perform their best always.

The Chief of the Army Staff conveyed his best wishes to all ranks and families of the four battalions and asked them to serve the nation in a manner befitting the magnificent Indian Army and The Parachute Regiment. He also brought out that a modern and professional Indian Army has to be always ready to meet the future challenges that come its way.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Indigenously developed aircraft -- Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas -- will take part in a multi-nation exercise in the UK next month.

The aircraft will be part of the Indian Air Force contingent, which will participate in a multi-nation air exercise named 'Ex Cobra Warrior 22' at Waddington, UK from March 6 to March 22.

The exercise is aimed at providing operational exposure and to share best practices amongst the participating Air Forces, thereby enhancing combat capability and forging bonds of friendship.

This will be a platform for LCA Tejas to demonstrate its manoeuvrability and operational capability.

Five Tejas aircraft will fly to the UK. IAF C-17 aircraft will provide the necessary transport support for induction and de-induction.

Earlier this month, a 44-member contingent of the Indian Air Force participated in the 'Singapore Airshow-2022' where the force showcased LCA Tejas capabilities.

The Air Show was held from February 15 to February 18. Singapore Airshow is a biennial event which provides a platform for the Global Aviation Industry to showcase their products.

IAF pitched the indigenous Tejas MK-I alongside participants from across the world.

Tejas aircraft enthralled the audience with its display of low level aerobatics displaying its superior handling characteristics and maneuverability.

The participation of Indian Air Force in the Air Show provided India with the opportunity to showcase the Tejas aircraft and to interact with counterparts from RSAF (Royal Singapore Air Force) and other participating contingents.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : A Mumbai-based contemporary clothing brand, EQUL Store, has begun pan-India operations with the launch of their official e-commerce website: equlstore.com. The brand also debuted its first clothing collection, dubbed "The Feel Good Collection," at the same time. Notably, EQUL is India's first apparel and fashion brand dedicated entirely to and producing 'Gender-Neutral' and 'Body Positive' products.

EQUL's Body-Positive by Design clothing is proudly made in India from sustainable materials such as cotton and hemp. The recently-launched unisex clothing line 'The Feel Good collection' is a special and unique collection aimed to transcend barriers and break societal norms; it includes gender-neutral loungewear made from sustainable fabric and has been designed with people in mind to provide them with a line of clothing that is modern, urban, bold, and expressive. The Feel Good collection includes T-Shirts, Hoodies, Joggers, and Shorts, among other items.

It features a wide range of "at home clothes", wearing which one would feel most comfortable. A few aspects that makes its apparel stand out are: Sizing: Clothing sizes are bigger than most sizes in the same label of other brands. This helps in two ways: physically you don't feel restrained and psychologically you feel you're less pressured even after eating a big meal.

Product Categories: It does not make products that identify with high fashion aka high stress, but instead products categories that identify with comfort and sportiness promoting positivity.

Design: It alters the design where possible to create more comfort while keeping the product true to its style. For example, the brand does drop-shoulders on most of their hoodies and t-shirts, as well as add graphics that promote the brand's message of self-worth and positivity.

Charu Sharma, Founder, EQUL Store says, "At EQUL, we believe that fashion is truly inclusive and for one and all, regardless of people's size, shape, gender and so on, and what they wear should always be only about themselves. With the same outlook and philosophy, we are now happy to launch The Feel Good collection with the objective to celebrate people as they are without changing them. From our choice of fabric, the slogans, to the designs and fits with regards to this collection, have all been made with the belief that when one feels good, one looks good too, which in turn empowers and enables people to express their individuality and their freedom. We are hoping that the urban youth who do not have the inclination towards high-fashion but more towards functional and environment-friendly clothes will be able to resonate with our latest collection and the brand's ethos at large." The core values of the brand are Equality, Empathy, Sustainability, and Kindness. They will also be launching their second apparel collection soon and hope to add more product categories in the coming months. EQUL's website will also include a "Businesses We Support" section, where companies that share the EQUL Store's ethos will be able to sell their products.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Mumbai, Feb 23 : In a stunning turn of events, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik after he was grilled for nearly 8 hours in an alleged shady land deal case, here on Wednesday afternoon.

The development came as a major jolt to the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as Malik is the first serving Cabinet Minister to be arrested in this manner, sending shockwaves in political circles.

Shortly after 3 p.m., Malik was whisked off by the ED to a government hospital for a medical check-up at the Sir J.J. Hospital and he is likely to be produced before a designated Special PMLA Court later in the day.

As he was escorted out of the ED office by police and ED, a grinning Malik sporting a white kurta-pyjama, was seen raising a fist in the air, and declaring: "Jhukenge Nahin, Ladenge Aur Jeetenge" ("Will not succumb, Will fight and Win") to his supporters as he was made to sit in a vehicle.

An ED team had visited Malik's home around 5 a.m. and taken him away for questioning in the Kurla land deal allegedly having a mafia taint.

The ED had summoned teams of the CISF and Mumbai Police security for the arrest even as a large number of Nationalist Congress Party workers staged a noisy protest outside the agency's office since morning.

Malik becomes the first sitting minister and a second senior NCP leader after the former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by ED on November 2, 2021 in alleged corruption and money-laundering cases.

The arrest triggered hectic political activity with NCP President Sharad Pawar going to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Home Minister and other ministers.

Simultaneously, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharpened its knives and intensified efforts to bring down the government before its declared deadline of March 10.

BJP State President Chandrakant Patil demanded that now that he is arrested, Malik should quit immediately as also all other ministers facing various allegations, should resign from the Cabinet failing which the BJP would take to the streets.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The World's First Barbershop Truefitt & Hill has been a fixture among the upper crust of the British upper crust for nearly two centuries, and they are continuing their illustrious legacy by bringing their luxury grooming services to Mumbai's fashionable suburb of Powai. Truefitt & Hill has redefined luxury grooming for men for centuries with their meticulous attention to detail and constant product innovations.

Truefitt & Hill has announced the opening of their newest barbershop in Powai on Saturday, February 19, 2022. Mr. Niranjan Hiranandani, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Hiranandani Group, Mr. Krishna Gupta, Director Lloyds Group, and Mr. Prannay Dokkania, COO, Lloyds Luxuries, inaugurated the luxury barbershop. Distinguished guests included Capt. Pushpinder Singh, GM Air India and COO Air India Express, and Capt. Deepak Dutta, GM Training, Air India. Mumbai has its own magic, and developed suburbs such as Powai are a hotbed for HNI and UHNI residences and corporates. There was a scarcity of exclusive male grooming options in Powai, making it a prime niche market for Truefitt &Hill to promote luxury grooming with a royal touch.

Since their arrival in India, Truefitt & Hill has created an entirely new experience for men. Truefitt &Hill is known for adhering to all the protocols required to maintain a safe and secure grooming experience in today's cautious times where safety and hygiene are important. They provide a soothing experience with a classic regal touch, which is quickly becoming an indispensable part of our modern way of life.

The Powai barbershop's atmosphere is elegant and of noble standards, in keeping with the brand's legacy. The 1500sq ft store has classy interiors decorated with warm ivory and mahogany wood, providing a relaxing environment for the brand's discerning patrons. Aside from signature services such as the Royal Shave and Royal Haircut, Truefitt & Hill also offers a privileged Membership through which patrons can receive complimentary benefits and special discounts on a variety of well-known brands.

Truefitt & Hill, in collaboration with Lloyds Luxuries Ltd, has successfully launched 26 exclusive state-of-the-art barbershops in 13+ cities across India. In order to keep up with high demand, the brand hopes to explore new horizons and potential avenues for the grooming sector in the coming years.

Prannay Dokkania, COO, Lloyds Luxuries excitedly shares, "With more than 2 centuries of grooming experience and has served the best of the people, we are adding new milestones with the launch of our new location in Powai, Mumbai.In the last decade, we see a considerable change in male grooming, and men have become more conscious about what they wear and how they look. We are the market leaders in men's grooming products which are specially chosen to suit Indian men.We plan to reach 50 barbershops in the top 30 cities in India and its subcontinent by the end of 2025." Truefitt &Hill offers a variety of men's grooming products, including shampoo, serum, aftershave balm, bath & shower gel, luxury shaving soap, shaving cream, brushes, and much more. The extensive collection of products has been carefully curated to make one look dapper for a date or debonair for a meeting.

On speaking at the launch, Mr. Krishna Gupta, Director Lloyds Group shares, "It's another milestone moment for all of us to deliver yet another extension despite the conditions and environment we are in. It is indeed a progressive sign for our growing industry of luxury grooming market and how personal care and grooming has become an integral part of our modern living. The newest location of Powai is a perfect match for the luxe brand, as we can reach out to our patrons in this upmarket township of Mumbai. We at Truefitt & amp; Hill make sure that each of our trusted clientele gets the best of our services and products. Every service from haircut to shave, each interaction is executed with great precision and with strict hygiene and safety precautions." (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Global methane emissions from the energy sector are about 70 per cent greater than the amount national governments have officially reported, said a new IEA analysis on Wednesday, underlining the urgent need for enhanced monitoring efforts and stronger policy action to drive down emissions of the potent greenhouse gas.

Methane is responsible for around 30 per cent of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution and quick and sustained emission reductions are key to limiting near-term warming and improving air quality.

Methane dissipates faster than carbon dioxide (CO2) but is a much more powerful greenhouse gas during its short lifespan, meaning that cutting methane emissions would have a rapid effect on limiting global warming.

The energy sector accounts for around 40 per cent of methane emissions from human activity, and this year's expanded edition of the IEA's Global Methane Tracker includes country-by-country emissions from coal mines and bioenergy for the first time, in addition to continued detailed coverage of oil and natural gas operations.

Methane emissions from the energy sector grew by just under five per cent last year. This did not bring them back to their 2019 levels and slightly lagged the rise in overall energy use, indicating that some efforts to limit emissions may already be paying off.

"At today's elevated natural gas prices, nearly all of the methane emissions from oil and gas operations worldwide could be avoided at no net cost," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

"The International Energy Agency has been a longstanding champion of stronger action to cut methane emissions. A vital part of those efforts is transparency on the size and location of the emissions, which is why the massive underreporting revealed by our Global Methane Tracker is so alarming." Last year, significant emissions were confirmed in Texas and parts of Central Asia, with Turkmenistan alone responsible for one-third of large emissions events seen by satellites in 2021.

Relatively few major leaks were detected for the major onshore oil and gas producers in the Middle East.

Satellites have greatly increased the world's knowledge of emission sources, and the IEA Global Methane Tracker incorporates the latest readings from satellites and other science-based measurement campaigns. While measured data continues to improve, the coverage provided by satellites is still far from complete: existing satellites do not provide measurements over equatorial regions, offshore operations, or northern areas such as the main Russian oil and gas producing areas.

Yet uncertainty over emissions levels is no reason to delay action on methane. Major reductions can be achieved with known technologies and with tried and tested policies that have been proven to work effectively.

The Global Methane Tracker includes a new detailed policy explorer that provides examples of effective implementation and shows where these policies could be most impactful.

If all methane leaks from fossil fuel operations in 2021 had been captured and sold, then natural gas markets would have been supplied with an additional 180 billion cubic metres of natural gas. That is equivalent to all the gas used in Europe's power sector and more than enough to ease today's market tightness.

The intensity of methane emissions from fossil fuel operations range widely from country to country: the best performing countries and companies are over 100 times better than the worst.

Global methane emissions from oil and gas operations would fall by more than 90 per cent if all producing countries matched Norway's emissions intensity, the lowest worldwide.

The Global Methane Pledge, launched in November by more than 110 countries at the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, marked an important step forward.

Led by the European Union and the US, its participants agreed to reduce methane emissions from human activities -- including agriculture, the energy sector and other sources -- by 30 per cent by 2030. However, more major emitters need to join.

Of the five countries with the largest methane emissions from their energy sectors -- China, Russia, the US, Iran and India -- only the US is part of the Pledge as things stand.

"The Global Methane Pledge must become a landmark moment in the world's efforts to drive down emissions," said Birol. "Cutting global methane emissions from human activities by 30 per cent by the end of this decade would have the same effect on global warming by 2050 as shifting the entire transport sector to net zero CO2 emissions."
New Delhi, Feb 23 : You've sent out the invitations, planned the menu, bought all the ingredients and readied a playlist. You're almost set for your lavish dinner party at home except for one important detail - the table decor! It's probably just as important as the food and is likely to make a lasting impression on your guests.

At any dinner party, the highlight is always the food and drinks. You'll find your guests milling around the dinner table throughout the night, so it's probably a good idea to add a statement piece or two to lift the aesthetic around the table. Sanjeev Agrawal, CEO & Founder, Orvi Surfaces suggests a few tableware and decor accessories you can use to liven up your party.

Raku Vase Raku firing is an ancient Japanese technique of alternating hand firing and rapid cooling on ceramic to reveal intense colours and patterns. Place a Raku-fired vase topped with a bunch of fresh flowers in the centre of your dining table and watch your table transform into the centre of attention at the party.

Tarkashi Serving Platter Nothing uplifts the ambience of a party more than an exquisite serving platter laden with mouth-watering nibbles. Handcrafted from Acacia wood with intricate floral brass detailing, Tarkashi serving platters may be guilty of drawing attention away from your food! They're ideal for presenting finger food and appetisers in a sophisticated way. Plus, you contribute towards sustaining the centuries old art of Tarkashi, an intricate art dying a slow death due to lack of awareness.

Pietra Dura Serving Tray with Handles Inlaid with the semi-precious Mother of Pearl, the Pietra Dura serving tray is the perfect vehicle to ferry food to and from the table, or even to use as a makeshift charcuterie board. It's sturdy, light and extremely convenient to use, not to mention a superbly striking accessory for any dinner table.

Intarsio Cake Stand The combination of natural stone and brass inlay makes the Intarsio cake stand a dinner party must-have. This is a multi-functional handmade decor-piece - when you're welcoming your guests, top it with delicate flower arrangements or use it as a cheese board, and towards the end of the night, use it to serve cakes, cookies and muffins. This piece is available in a contemporary geometric pattern and also in a delicate flower pattern.

Gravure Coasters If you're planning an intimate sit-down dinner, a set of Gravure coasters is the perfect addition to your table setting. These hand engraved pieces have an eye-catching print, inspired by the Jaipur block prints and Paisley design that has been carved into the stone to give them a signature quality. A felt back and sealant coating mean you don't have to worry about drink spills and stains.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Mumbai, Feb 23 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that it has established money trail in a PMLA case involving Underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim and others to Nawab Malik, the Maharashtra Minister who was arrested on Wednesday, sources said.

ED sources have also claimed that they have found details of benami investments of Nawab Malik in few real estate projects. The ED said it will seek custody of Malik on these grounds.

Malik was reportedly summoned on the basis of statement recorded from Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar. The statement from Kaskar referred to some land dealings, as a result of which summons were issued to him, sources said.

The ED on Friday had arrested Dawood's brother Iqbal Kaskar. Kaskar is in ED's custody till February 24.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik after he was grilled for nearly 8 hours in an alleged shady land deal case.

The development came as a major jolt to the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as Malik is the first serving Cabinet Minister to be arrested in this manner, sending shockwaves in political circles.

Shortly after 3 p.m., Malik was whisked off by the ED to a government hospital for a medical check-up at the Sir J.J. Hospital.

An ED team had visited Malik's home around 5 a.m. and took him away for questioning in the Kurla land deal allegedly having a mafia taint.

The ED had summoned teams of the CISF and Mumbai Police security for the arrest even as a large number of Nationalist Congress Party workers staged a noisy protest outside the agency's office since morning.

Malik becomes the first sitting minister and a second senior NCP leader after the former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by ED on November 2, 2021 in alleged corruption and money-laundering cases.
Bhubaneswar, Feb 23 : The Odisha police have arrested the sister of fake doctor Ramesh Chandra Swain for her alleged involvement in his multiple marriages, an official said here on Wednesday.

Ramesh by introducing himself as a doctor, a senior officer of the Ministry of Health and the Medical Council of India, had married at least 18 women from different states and duped them of lakhs of rupees. He was arrested by the Odisha police on February 14.

During investigations, the police found that Ramesh's sister had helped him in marrying multiple women, said Bhubaneswar DCP, Umashankar Dash.

"We arranged video conference call of a few complainants with Ramesh's sister, during which they confirmed her involvement. The lady (Ramesh's sister) had helped Ramesh to reinforce his fake identity while marrying the women," Dash said.

She had also remained present during the marriages of Ramesh. So, we have asked the complaints to give details of the valuables and other items gifted to Ramesh's sister during marriage, he said.

The police will produce the woman in court on Wednesday and will seek her remand to know about her role in other fraudulent activities of Ramesh, the DCP informed.

Suspecting the involvement of the husband of Ramesh's sister, the police had called him for questioning. However, he has absconded.

The police have received several complaints from the people of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, who have been cheated by Ramesh.

Dash said they have received a complaint from a businessman from Kolkata alleging that Ramesh had taken hatchery machines from him claiming that the Union government is procuring them. However, the businessman is yet to receive the payment, he said.

"We have sealed Ramesh's poultry farm in Patkura area of Kendrapara district where six such machines have been installed. The case has been transferred to the local police station for further investigation," the DCP said.

Similarly, a businessman from Andhra Pradesh had lodged a complaint with the commissionerate police here on Tuesday, accusing Ramesh of duping him of Rs 4.5 lakh.

Claiming to be a senior officer looking after the environment wing of the health ministry, Ramesh placed an order of Rs 4.5 lakh with the nursery and gave a fake cheque. He also gave another fake cheque for Rs 6,500 to the truck driver who had brought the plants to Bhubaneswar, the police said.

After receiving the complaint, the police sealed a farmhouse registered in the name of the second wife of Ramesh. The farmhouse is spread over 15-20 acres of land located near Khuntuni area of Dhenkanal district.

"If required, we will allow the Andhra businessman to identify his saplings and take them back," Dash said.

Apart from that, a person from Jagatsinghpur district alleged that Ramesh had taken Rs 18 lakh from him to help him get admission in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Ramesh had registered his two vehicles by submitting fake documents. For this, another case has been registered against him.

"The remand of accused Ramesh Swain is ending today. As we have received about 15 complaints against him, we will seek another seven day custodial remand of Ramesh," the DCP added.

The commissionerate police has formed a special team for comprehensive investigation of all complaints registered against Ramesh.

Ramesh, a matric fail, had married at least 18 middle-aged single women including two Supreme Court lawyers, Delhi school teacher, police officer and doctor and acquired their money before abandoning them.

Ramesh married the women through matrimonial sites like Jeevansathi.com, Shaadi.com and Bharatmatrimony.com. The interesting part is that Ramesh has saved the phone numbers of several women as wife one, wife doctor, wife Bhilai, wife teacher, wife Guwahati, wife Bangalore, to be wife Dhenkanal, to be wife Jagatsinghpur and so on in his mobile phone.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : The Karnataka High Court was on Wednesday informed by counsel appearing for teachers on Wednesday that the teachers of the Udupi Pre-University Girl's College have been threatened against the backdrop of hijab row.

Senior counsel S.S. Naganand informed the three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi that he has received information about teachers being threatened and a complaint has been lodged in this regard with the local police. "Teachers are threatened by an organisation," he said.

At this, Justice Krishna S. Dixit, who is also on the bench along with Justice J.M. Khazi, took objection and asked why the matter was not brought to the notice of the bench. "You should have disclosed it to us. Are you afraid of it or what?" he questioned Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi. Navadgi stated that he does not have the information on the development, and will seek an update.

Naganand also told the bench about the role of the Campus Front of India (CFI) in creating the hijab row in the state. "CFI is drum-beating and chest-beating for hijab. They are not representatives of anyone. It is a radical organisation which is coming and creating commotion on hijab row," he claimed.

At this, the Chief Justice asked what information does the government have on this organisation. "How this hijab row came to fore suddenly, does the government have intelligence inputs?" he asked.

Naganand also contended that the allegations of threats against the principals and teachers are "sweeping and generalised".

"It is not mentioned what threat was given? The threat is shown as to mark them absent. What is the threat here? "The teachers have quasi-parental authority on students. If the child is doing something which it is not supposed to do in the school, they will be warned and if they are still defiant in the class, they will be punished. It is a matter of discipline.

"Authority of schools cannot be belittled. The decision regarding hijab has not been questioned since 2004. Let drum beaters not threaten the society. It is a harmonious society and in Udupi, from where the hijab row has started, religious pontiffs are supported by Muslims. They attend functions, they help, assist," Naganand said.

The hijab row which started from Udupi Pre-University Girls' College has become a crisis in the state, with students refusing to attend classes without hijab and maintaining that they will wait until the final verdict is given. the high court had issued an interim order banning both hijab and saffron shawls or scarves inside the classrooms, the agitation is ongoing.

The special bench is hearing the matter on a day-to-today basis and has asked the counsel to complete their submissions by this weekend.
Lucknow, Feb 23 : Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has wished for his top-order batters to do well against India in the three-match T20I series. Sri Lanka last played a T20I series against Australia, losing 4-1.

Though the scoreline may not show the competitive spirit Sri Lanka showed, one of the chief reasons for losses was the top-order failing to fire, resulting in the destiny of the match being decided in the first ten overs of the visitors' batting.

It is one of the aspects which Shanaka wants Sri Lanka to come good against an Indian side on a nine-match winning streak in the format.

"Especially in our batting side. India got a very strong bowling line-up. So, I am looking forward for our batters in the top to get some fire. Whenever our top order gets among the runs, we got better chance of winning as the bowlers get a chance to defend. So, looking forward to that in the series," said Shanaka in the virtual press conference on the eve of the first T20I on Thursday.

A couple of hours before the press conference, Sri Lanka's leg-spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the series as he hadn't recovered from the Covid-19 infection he got in Australia. Shanaka also said that Kusal Mendis and Maheesh Theekshana are doubtful for the first match on Thursday because of hamstring niggles and are waiting for MRI scan reports on the same.

Amidst all the troubles with the first-choice players, Shanaka is expecting the youngsters in the side, Janith Liyanage, Shiran Fernando, Ashian Daniel and Kamil Mishara to stand up and lift the side with their performances. "All of these youngsters have been in the system for a while. So, they played LPL (Lankan Premier League), domestic games and they have performed really well." "In Wanindu's case, it's really normal, the Covid situation. All of the teams have struggled with these cases. Wanindu will be a big miss for us but we know that he will be back soon. Fortunately, we have got the next best option available in our squad here. Probably until he recovers and comes back soon, but our squad is still strong." Shanaka had bowled only twice in the five-match T20I series against Australia but is ready to roll his arm over if the team needs him in the series against India. "Our five main bowlers have been really good in the series. Personally, I would like to bowl at any time. But there is no opportunity for me to bowl there. Also, there is specific period of time to bowl the 20 overs. I kept bowling my main bowlers in that series and I am looking forward to bowl at any time in this series." Shanaka is expecting a strong competition from India despite Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul and Deepak Chahar not in the squad. "Not actually. They have got enough experience behind them with the IPL. So, they have got enough international exposure with that. It will be a real good contest. Even though it will be tough but we are a good side as well."
New Delhi, Feb 23 : To assist in the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Pakistan has transported the first load of Indian wheat and medicines to the war-torn country via the Torkham border, the Pak Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

A statement issued by MOFA said that the aid was supplied through the first batch of 41 Afghan trucks that entered into Pakistan via Torkham, as Pakistani authorities had refused to accept the Indian condition of using Indian trucks for transportation.

"The Afghan trucks are returning to Afghanistan today after loading the Indian wheat consignment, delivered at Attari-Wagah Border," the statement read.

MOFA said that the Pakistan government agreed on an exceptional basis to allow the overland transportation of humanitarian assistance from India for Afghanistan to help it fight the ongoing crisis, Geo News reported.

Pakistan has been closely coordinating with both sides to facilitate smooth transit of the aid, it added.

During the talks, Pakistan made it clear to India that it was facilitating the transportation only because of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, therefore, it should not be taken as a precedent to sending other items into its neighbouring country, the report said.
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 23 : The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday witnessed angry exchanges between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and the reason for this was the adjournment motion on deteriorating law and order situation in the state which said, Kerala has now become a corridor of goons.

Hitting back, Vijayan relying on figures, said that the law and order situation under him during 2016 to 21 was far better than what it was during Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's tenure (2011-16).

"During the tenure of the Congress led UDF there were 1,677 murder cases, while during his term the figure stands at 1,516 and when it came to political murders, during the UDF time there were 35 political murders, while during our term there were 26 political murders," said Vijayan.

Vijayan also added that communal elements and the Congress party are out to create trouble in the state.

But Satheesan minced no words and said the now most commonly used phrase by the Communists in Kerala whenever murders, or anything occurs is "this is just a one-off incident".

Pointing fingers at Vijayan, Satheesan went hammer and tongs and said, "Are you not ashamed that you have miserably failed in controlling the law and order situation in the state." "Was it not the CPI-M which started the brutal killing of former CPI-M leader T.P. Chandrasekheran (his wife is now a legislator who won with the support of the Congress led UDF). It's a joke that you have said we are responsible for the poor law and order. Your modus operandi is your party first decides whom to kill, then you decide who should do it. Then you decide who should be the accused. You people function worse than a terror organisation and then you lecture us on law and order," said Satheesan.

"Jails today have now become like a tourist destination and criminals are out on parole and engaged in selling drugs and in gold smuggling. Where is your police and the intelligence? Your party now provides all facilities for those who are out on parole and the real situation in the state is, life has become very tough and people live in fear. You are primarily responsible for the growth of the RSS and the SDPI in the state," slammed Satheesan and led the entire opposition out of the house.

Joining issue was State BJP president K. Surendran (the BJP has no members in the 140 member Kerala Assembly) who said Vijayan has degraded himself to that of a grassroots CPI-M leader.

"Wherever the CPI-M cadres are accused in murder cases, Vijayan describes it as an outcome of a small fight. The recent murders that were witnessed at Ernakulam, Haripad and at Kannur are all done by the CPI-M workers, but Vijayan defends it similar to what the party organ puts out news on such cases. He should not lower himself to that of a grassroots CPI-M leader," said Surendran in a statement issued here.
Jaipur, Feb 23 : Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday announced that the old pension scheme will be implemented again in the state and the appointments made on or after January 1, 2004 shall get their due benefits under this.

Presenting the annual budget in the Assembly, Gehlot said, "We all know that the employees associated with government services should feel secure about the future, only then they can make their invaluable contribution for good governance during the service period. Therefore, for all the personnel appointed on and after January 1, 2004, I announce the implementation of the old pension scheme from the coming year." Later speaking to the media, the CM said, "Other states should also think in this perspective. If an employee gives 30-35 years of his service to an organisation, he should get security for his old age. In 2004, the then government might have taken the decision for some strong reasons but now we need to think on it again," he added.

Gehlot also rolled back the 2017 decision to cut the salary of the employees which shall put a burden of Rs 1000 crores on the government.

The Central government (UPA) in 2003 had announced to discontinue the then pension scheme for all employees that were recruited from/after January 1, 2004.

The pension scheme of employees has already been an issue during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and CM Yogi Adityanath had engaged in a war of words over the issue.

Rajasthan will hold assembly polls in 2023.
Chennai, Feb 23 : Mari Selvaraj, the director of critically acclaimed superhits like 'Pariyerum Perumal' and 'Karnan', has now moved into his new home near Ambattur along with his family.

Sources close to the director said that he recently held a housewarming ceremony with the blessings of director Ram, who happens to be Mari Selvaraj's mentor.

The ceremony was attended by a number of celebrities including director Pa Ranjith and producer Kalaipuli S Thanu.

Sources said that actor Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, paid a visit to the director's new residence and congratulated him.

Interestingly, Udhayanidhi Stalin plays the lead in Mari Selvaraj's next film. M Shenbagamoorthy of Red Giant Movies was also present on the occasion, sources added.
Kathmandu, Feb 23 : Amid the escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged its citizens not to visit Ukraine unless "absolutely necessary".

Stating that the conflict between the two countries could turn into a war, the Foreign Ministry has also "requested" all Nepali citizens in Ukraine to return home after assessing the situation.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the Nepali nationals residing in Ukraine to assess the current situation and developments there and return home using the available commercial flights unless they have to stay," reads the statement issued on Wednesday.

The ministry has requested civilians to postpone the plan to visit Ukraine, unless "absolutely necessary".

According to the ministry, more than 38 Nepali citizens are in touch with the Nepal embassy in Berlin, which also looks after Ukraine issues.

"All of them are safe," reads the statement.

According to Hari Malla, president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) in Ukraine, there are about 200 Nepalis in Ukraine.

"Most of the Nepalis in Ukraine are in transit and have been living in Odessa, Kiev, Kharkiv, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva and other cities. Some of them landed here in after falling into the human trafficking trap," said Malla.

According to the data provided by the Department of Foreign Employment, in the fiscal year 2021-22, as many as 47 men and six women went to Ukraine with individual labour permits.

But the number of those who got institutional approval is zero.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War
Chennai, Feb 23 : The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has given its approval for building a zoo at Tiruchi, which will be the fifth such facility in Tamil Nadu.

The zoo, according to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, will come up in an area of 30 hectares.

Department sources told IANS that the Central Zoo Authority has sent a formal communication about approval to the Tamil Nadu Chief Wildlife Warden.

As part of the zoo area comes under the reserve forest area, the Forest Department is in the process to obtain clearance under the Forest Conservation Act.

Forest Department sources said that the CZA approval is subject to conditions including state government allocations and sufficient funds for the construction and operation of the zoo. It may be noted that the zoo project was pushed ahead earlier also, but due to paucity of funds, it was shelved.

The CZA has, in its formal approval, directed the state Forest Department that no animals or resources from existing zoos should be used for the new zoo. It also mandated that no animals from the wild be acquired for display.

Chief Wildlife warden Shekar Kumar Neeraj told IANS that establishing the Tiruchi zoo has a lot of challenges, including the availability of freshwater, as the proposed site is in a water-stressed area. He said that the Forest Department is planning to dig a canal to draw water from Cauvery. He also said that mixed forest will come up to improve green cover, as the proposed area has only one tree species - Hardwicka binata.
Chandigarh, Feb 23 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday said Z-plus security cover was given to self-styled jailed godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is undergoing a 20-year sentence for raping his two disciples, after assessing the threat perception.

"It is the duty of the government to provide security to any prisoner or outsider. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is out on furlough and on the basis of some inputs, he has been given Z-security," he told the media.

Ram Rahim was released from Rohtak's Sunaria jail on February 7. During his 21-day furlough, he is staying at his Gurugram ashram under heavy security.

"In case the prisoner is released on parole, Z-plus security protection or equivalent may be provided as per existing rules, regulations etc as he faces a high-level threat from radical Sikh extremists in India and abroad," a communication from a senior police official to the Rohtak Range Commissioner said.

Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two women.

His conviction on August 25, 2017, had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured.

Ram Rahim was patronised by political leaders and parties in Punjab and Haryana for nearly two decades due to his ability to influence the votes of his followers.
Dakshina Kannada, Feb 23 : A social media monitoring centre has been established at the Mangaluru Police Commissioner's office to monitor social media posts and accounts which cause disharmony, provoke people in the society in the coastal Karnataka region.

The cell has been established as the hijab row has led to provocative messages on social media accounts causing communal disharmony especially in the communally sensitive coastal region comprising Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts with the focus on Mangaluru city.

The cell is already monitoring more than 1,000 social media accounts belonging to various religious, student, labour and political organisations, police said.

The Facebook page named 'Mangaluru Muslim' had put out a 'celebratory message' after the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga on Sunday night leading to public outrage. The police are looking into the issue and have launched an investigation.

The cell, which will be managed by six experts, has four desks such as 'organisation', 'online media', 'individual' and 'Law and Order'. These desks would monitor WhatsApp groups, Facebook accounts, websites, Telegram, Instagram, online media, print as well as visual media. The cell will function around the clock.

Earlier, cyber police station and Economic and Narcotic police station were merged and upgraded as Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Police station.

The CEN police station will handle cyber crimes and this unit will monitor social media accounts and pass on information to the concerned police departments.
Mumbai, Feb 23 : Popular TV actor Shaheer Sheikh is in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad to shoot a song sequence for Rajan Shahi's upcoming show 'Woh Toh Hai Albela'. He is playing the lead character of Krishna in the show.

Shaheer says: "I am very happy to work with Rajan sir once again. Krishna's character is often compared to all the characters I have played so far. The character is very cool, allowing me to explore Shaheer Sheikh in reel life too and add my own interpretations to the character. Rajan sir always does something different which you will see for yourself in my character." He further elaborates about shooting of the theme song of the show which is being shot in Bollywood and Tollywood style. The choreographer Himanshu Gadani and fight master Riyaz Sultan, are working together to make Shaheer's performance fierce and impressive.

"Shooting the theme song of the show on a very big scale in Ramoji Film City, where I will be seen dancing and performing stunts with the help of a stick in an innovative way adds to the excitement. I have worked hard for this; I hope both my performance and my character will be liked by the audience," he adds.

Producer of the show Rajan Shahi says: "Both this show and Shaheer are very close to my heart. Viewers for the first time will see Shaheer in a different avatar. This song will be shot in the style of a Tollywood song, which will be shot for about three days, it is expected to be greatly enjoyed." Also shooting for the song sequence are popular actors Kinshuk Vaidya and Anuj Sachdeva.

'Woh Toh Hai Albela' is starting from March 14 on Star Bharat.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the office of Lieutenant Governor (LG), Delhi Police among others on a plea alleging encroachment and illegal construction in the Okhla Industrial area of the national capital.

A bench of Justices Manmohan and Navin Chawla also sought response from other respondents--Chairman of Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DSIIDC) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation and slated the matter for further hearing on March 24.

The court was considering a letter in the issue as a Public Interest Litigation. The plea contended that the illegal construction was not removed by the authorities despite judicial orders. It further highlighted that the residents are facing issues due to illegal grabbing of public land and road.

It said Tekhand village falls under the purview of Okhla Phase 1 which is presently not under the control and maintenance of DSIIDC and their office maintains merely the internal roads of Okhla Phase 3 industrial area and is not tasked with the maintenance of main roads on which DTC buses ply.

During the course of the hearing, the court observed that as per the minutes of an earlier meeting with the LG, it had been noted that respective municipal corporations should take necessary steps for the removal of encroachments from common areas in a joint operation with DSIIDC and Delhi Police.
Bahraich : , Feb 23 (IANS) As Uttar Pradesh is about to enter the fifth phase of polling on February 27, the BJP is reaching out to each and every trader to minimize any fallout due to the GST issue. The party's traders wing is working day and night to reach out to the traditional voters of the BJP who are said to be miffed due to GST.

Aggrawal, a prominent trader in the area and goes by this name only, says that the GST has many flaws but the government is not willing to accept it as there are disparities in the slabs which is tough to implement. Secondly, there is a liability on purchaser for GST submission of the manufacturer until and unless the manufacturer submits its GST. The retailer can't claim it and there is a time limit for the claim. The online portal has no corrective step if any figure is wrongly entered. It can only be corrected in the annual report and the discretion is with the GST officer whether to accept or refuse.

However, the BJP says that the traders' allegiance is always to the BJP. "We are trying to pacify those who are upset," said Rajeev Rastogi co-convener, traders cell of Awadh region of the BJP and added, "a trader is a nationalist and has been contributing to nation building. They know that without taxes no nation can move forward when the challenges are international." "We are working on it on the direction of the party as traders are the party's backbone," he said.

As per rough estimates, the traders, mostly from Vaishya community, constitute around 10 to 12 per cent of voters in each assembly constituency.

The party has organised about 50 meetings since the announcement of polls, from state to the assembly level in the past two months to iron out the differences, a party leader said.

Three phases of elections are still left in Uttar Pradesh including Awadh, Poorvanchal and the Varanasi region where the party hopes to fill the gap of western UP where the party is said to have not fared well in the first two phases.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : At least three people, including a minor, were held for robbing a 5-year-old child of a mobile phone, a Delhi Police official said on Wednesday.

The accused were identified as Mukesh alias Pachu, Lalit and a minor boy.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, North, Sagar Singh Kalsi, said that a man lodged a complaint on Sunday that two unidentified men snatched a cell phone from his 5-year-old son while he was playing games on it.

The police registered an FIR under various sections including theft, and assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property at Burari police station and launched an investigation.

A police team conducted technical investigation, checked footage from several CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity of the place of incident and the possible routes taken by the culprits.

"Within six hours of investigation, the team was able to zero down the location of the 17-year-old accused who was then apprehended from Burari area," the DCP said.

On the basis of information provided by the minor, the other two accused were also nabbed, and the stolen phone recovered.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused are drug addicts and committed crimes to fund their habit.
Chandigarh, Feb 23 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday launched a five-year programme named Programme to Accelerate Development for MSME Advancement (PADMA) that is expected to bring in investment of over Rs 25,000 crore.

PADMA is a multi-departmental and multi-agency programme which would not only promote the local products but would also give ample employment opportunity to the local youth, especially to the targeted Antyodaya families.

"Based on the principles of local yet global, PADMA aims to create a dynamic, self-sustainable and thriving industrial infrastructure at the cluster level for each block of Haryana," said the Chief Minister while formally launching PADMA at a function here.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Minister of State for Labour and Employment Anoop Dhanak were present, among others.

"PADMA, a five-year programme, will not only revolutionise the industrial landscape in Haryana through the development of PADMA industrial parks across all the blocks but is also expected to bring in investment of over Rs 25,000 crore in the form of infrastructure, common facility centres, business development service centres and set-up new industrial units in each blocks," said Khattar.

He said around 10,000-15,000 new units are expected to be opened by next year in these clusters.

The Chief Minister said in line with Atmanirbhar Bharat and to support state Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), a tremendous focus has been on development of its MSME ecosystem. "With this in mind the Haryana government has set up a separate directorate for the MSMEs." "The MSMEs play a significant role in the economic landscape of Haryana, contributing over 22 per centA to the Gross State Value Added (GSVA)," said the Chief Minister.

He said under PADMA, one product in each block of 22 districts, has been identified based on the locally available resources, existing micro enterprise ecosystem, demographic profile, key opportunities, sunrise sectors and growth potential.

"If required necessary training and skilling would also be given so as to promote this sector," he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Chautala said with the launch of PADMA a new benchmark has been set for taking the industries forward.

"One year ago, the blueprint of this One Block One Product was prepared and a survey and study was conducted before the implementation of this programme. The findings highlighted that there are various local products at block levels which have a huge market potential. In a bid to give boost to each block and their special product on a larger level, PADMA programme has been launched," Chautala, who also holds the portfolio of Industries and Commerce Departments, said.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea against the selection and appointment of Dr. Nazim Hussain Al-Jafri, Professor in the Department of History and Culture in Jamia Milia Islamia, on the ground that it was done in flagrant violation or contravention and total non-compliance of the university's act.

Pointing out similar instances of several appointments across universities such as Aligarh Muslim University and Maulana Azad National Urdu University and also in JMI, Justice Yogesh Khanna said there is no case made out for the issuance of notice to the respondent and accordingly, dismissed the plea.

The plea filed by Mohammad Javed Malik, an alumnus of JMI's Faculty of Law, alleged that Dr. Al Jafri has no teaching experience, did not apply for the position, and did not appear before the Selection Committee. But still, he was appointed to the position and it violates the Jamia Millia Islamia Act of 1988 and the UGC Regulations.

Malik, in the plea, prayed for a writ of Quo Warranto to be issued declaring that the appointment violates the JMI Act and the UGC Regulations as well as Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

During the course of the hearing, counsel representing the JMI, said Al-Jafri has more than 35 years of vast experience in university administration and he also acted as the VC at Khwaja Moinuddin University (state) on several occasions and served in different universities in various capacities.

Counsel also said that varsity statutes and UGC Regulations hold that the Vice Chancellor has the authority to welcome individuals of specific esteem to become Professor in Jamia Milia Islamia.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Special cell of Delhi Police has busted an inter-continental syndicate of cocaine traffickers operating in a highly organized manner and recovered a massive 1,850 grams of contraband valued at approximately Rs 10 crore in the international market.

Two women -- Maurey Erna Gangadien (45), a resident of Suriname, South America and Namubiru Janat (35), a resident of Navi Mumbai, and a native of Uganda were arrested in this connection.

Furnishing details, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Counter Intelligence, Special Cell) Manishi Chandra said, the syndicate was being operated by its key players based in South America with nodes in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

"The contraband was being clandestinely smuggled into India by smartly packing in ladies' purses & cosmetic articles for the last several months," DCP Chandra said.

According to officials, the Counter Intelligence Unit of Special Cell has been developing intelligence on various cocaine-specific cartels operating in India. Amidst continuous intel-operation, a specific input was received on February 14 regarding movements of a foreign national lady into Delhi who was informed to have brought in significant quantities of cocaine from abroad.

Acting on the input, a team conducted a raid at a hotel in Karol Bagh area in Delhi, where the accused woman Maurey Erna Gangadien was found staying since February 11. "After complying with the stipulations under the NDPS Act, a search operation was carried out at her hotel room and over 1 kg of fine quality cocaine, neatly and professionally packed into the ladies purses', deodorant containers etc, was recovered," said the official.

The accused was accordingly arrested and sent to police custody where during the interrogation, the accused disclosed that she had transported the contraband on directions of her Paramaribo, Suriname based handlers who are connected with other cartels operating out of South American producer countries like Mexico etc and have major transshipment partners in several African nations.

It was also revealed that on February 14, prior to her arrest, the accused had delivered a part of the consignment brought in by her to another foreign national lady namely Lissa, a resident of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Accordingly, efforts were made to identify and track the movements of the suspect Lissa and to recover the contraband that she had reportedly received.

On February 21, the suspect Lisa whose real name was Namubiru Janat was apprehended from south Delhi while she was carrying a portion of the cocaine received from the first accused. She was also arrested and taken into police remand after which she led to further recoveries of cocaine.

"Accused Namubiru Janat holds a Ugandan passport and has been living in India at various places. Her movement records show that almost on a daily basis, she has been taking flights to various metropolitan cities like Bengluru, Ahmedabad etc," said the official.

The police have informed the respective embassies about their arrests and further investigation is under progress.
Srinagar, Feb 23 : Jammu and Kashmir police along with security forces have arrested two terrorist associates linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) in Baramulla, officials said on Wednesday.

Police said it received specific information through reliable sources that unknown terrorist group from Khachadari Zehanpora are using illegal arms and ammunition against police and other security forces in the main area of Town Baramulla to disturb the peace and law and order.

"Acting on the information, joint parties of Baramulla Police, Army 46 RR, 2nd Bn SSB and 53 Bn CRPF established many Nakas within the jurisdiction of Police Station Sheeri. Among them, one Naka was established on Zehanpora-Khadniyar link road and during checking one Scooty bearing registration number JK05A- 9328 which was coming from Zehanpora with pillion ride was noticed moving in suspicious circumstances. On noticing the naka party they tried to flee away from spot, however the alert party apprehended both the persons tactfully," police said.

During their personal search, incriminating materials including 40 live rounds of AK-47 were recovered from their possession.

They were identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad and Muneer Ahmad, both residents of Khachadari Zehanpora.

"During preliminary investigation, the arrested duo confessed that they are working for proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) and involved in transportation of illegal arms and ammunition used to carry out attacks on Police/Security Forces," police said.

A case has been registered and further investigation is in progress.
Geneva, Feb 23 : Even as Covid cases are decreasing and several countries lifting restrictions, testing and surveillance of the virus is also on the decline, which is a major cause of concern, said a World Health Organisation official.

WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said that monitoring the virus remains critical, the Washington Post reported.

"We need to be strategic about this, but we cannot abandon it," Van Kerkhove said during an online question-and-answer session.

"And what we do not want to see is the dismantling of these surveillance systems that have been put in place for Covid-19," she added.

Although global infections have fallen about 20 per cent this week compared with last week, she said the decline "may not be real", because of the reduction in testing.

Van Kerkhove had the same caveat about deaths. About 68,000 deaths were reported last week due to Covid, representing a slight decline, but WHO officials have questions about some of the reporting.

Many European countries, including the UK, have lifted Covid restrictions as the Omicron wave is subsiding.

But, the global health agency expects more variants to arise as the virus continues circulating, though they do not know whether future variants will be more or less severe or transmissible. For that reason, testing remains important, the report said.

However, WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that Covid might end this year. "At least we will get over the health impacts of coronavirus," she said.

Yet,Van Kerkhove said: "Now is not the time to just drop everything. We need to be very careful about what is being done, because we have to limit the spread."
Kolkata, Feb 23 : In a major development, two security personnel of Amta police station in Howrah -- Home Guard Kashinath Bera and civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharyay -- have been arrested by the police on Wednesday in connection with the Anis Khan murder case, giving strong indication that the police were involved in the killing of the student leader on February 18.

"We have arrested Home Guard Kashinath Bera and civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharyay. We are hopeful that some information will come out during their custodial interrogation, which will help us get to the bottom of the case," Manoj Malviya, Director General of Police, told the media.

"We assure that the facts pertaining to the case will be revealed within 15 days as committed by the Chief Minister," he added.

However, the DGP said that the special investigation team is facing obstructions from the family members of the victim and some political groups, which is creating problems for conducting the probe.

"We had asked for the victim's mobile phone which is lying with the family, but they refused to hand it over. Not only that, we wanted to exhume the body and conduct a second post-mortem in front of a judicial magistrate, but that was also not allowed by the family," the DGP said.

"We would like to request the family members and all the concerned parties to allow us to conduct the investigation properly. I assure that everything will become crystal clear soon. We are conducting an impartial probe and we are committed to bring the truth out within 15 days," Malviya said.

Sources in the police, however, said that it is now clear that on the night before the murder, two police vans from Amta police station went to Anis' home, and they were the last people to meet the student leader.

"There is no doubt that the police went to their house, but what happened after that is still not clear. The police are trying to find out the details," a senior police officer said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the state government suspended two policemen and a Home Guard for dereliction of duty. The suspended security personnel are -- ASI Nirmal Das, Constable Jitendra Hembram and Home Guard Krishnanath Bera. Bera was arrested on Wednesday.

When asked whether there was involvement of any other policemen, Malviya said, "We are interrogating many others, but it won't be fair to share the details at this stage of the investigation. We are hopeful that we would be able to provide further details in another couple of days." Meanwhile, the SIT headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh has interrogated the officer-in-charge of Amta police station, Debabrata Chakraborty, and second officer Pritam Bhowmik in connection with the case.

They have been asked to clarify why the police reached the murder spot late and why the basic formalities of the investigation were ignored.

They have also been questioned for their alleged misbehaviour with the family members of the victim.

There are also indications that the SIT might question the SP of Howrah district (Rural), Soumya Roy, who claimed that Khan had a POSCO case registered against him and the police were looking into the possibilities whether that had any connection with his murder.

The investigation team, surprised at the sudden revelation of Roy who also happens to be the husband of Trinamool Congress MLA Lovely Moitra, might question him on this point.

Anis Khan, a former Aliah University student, was allegedly thrown off the terrace of his residence in the dark of night by the assailants, who visited his home identifying themselves as personnel from the Amta police station, as testified by his father who was held at a gunpoint when the assailants committed the murder.

The father has called for a CBI probe into the incident.

The incident became more complicated when a letter came to the fore wherein Anish had written to the officer-in-charge of the Amta police station that on May 22, 2021, a blood donation camp was organised in his village by the the Jana Swasthya Suraksha Committee under his leadership.

But on the previous day, along with the gram panchayat deputy chief (Upapradhan), local Trinamool leaders such as Malek Khan and his elder son Masood Khan along with their acolytes warned him against organising the camp and threatened him of dire consequences.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Ahead of release of Alia Bhatt starrer "Gangubai Kathiawadi", the Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested changing the name of the movie against the backdrop of the several cases against it pending before courts.

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie is scheduled for release on Friday.

During the hearing, a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari suggested the filmmakers change the name of the movie, in the backdrop of pending court cases.

"Is changing the title possible?" the bench asked.

However, the petitioner's counsel insisted on an interim stay on the release of the movie, while the respondent's counsel argued that a name change, days before the release, would not be possible.

An appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order was filed by Gangubai's adopted son, through lawyers Arun Kumar Sinha and Rakesh Singh, claiming that the novel and the movie tarnished the image of the petitioner, his deceased mother and other family members and such statements in the plaint satisfy the ingredients, which defines defamation.

The plea said: "Because the high court while keeping the first appeal pending, in the facts and circumstances of the present case, ought to have granted temporary injunction restraining the respondents from printing, promoting, selling, assigning etc., the novel namely 'The Mafia Queens of Mumbai' or the film namely 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', which are admittedly defamatory in nature." It added the respondents though claim that the novel or the movie are based on true facts, a defence available for the respondents to be taken up during the trial of suit, but they have not made a specific claim that no part of the novel or movie are defamatory in nature.

The plea sought an injunction against Bhansali Productions from producing, directing or airing the promo of any film based on the novel, and also the Alia Bhatt movie.

The top court was hearing an appeal against the high court order, which continued the stay on the summons issued by a Mumbai court in a criminal defamation complaint against actress Alia Bhatt, the producers of "Gangubai Kathiawadi", and authors S. Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges, who wrote the book.

It is likely to continue to hear the matter on Thursday.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Russias Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu, the commanders-in-chief of the Russian Air Force and Black Sea Fleet, leading state "propagandists" and 351 Duma deputies are expected to be targeted in EU sanctions to be announced later on Wednesday, The Guardian reported.

The measures, which need to be signed by EU foreign ministers, would go further than those announced by the US and a significant distance beyond Boris Johnson's Russia sanctions, the report said.

If approved, the EU will impose asset freezes and travel bans on 23 people, three banks and a notorious internet "troll factory" in St Petersburg, in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise the self-proclaimed republics in Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.

The bloc is also expected to sanction 351 members of the Russian state Duma that voted for recognition of the two territories, The Guardian reported.

The Russian government will also see further restrictions on its ability to raise money on EU financial markets. EU officials are drawing up measures to ban trade between the two Russian-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine, mirroring earlier sanctions on Crimea in 2014.

"Everyone seems onboard for the adoption of the sanctions," an EU diplomat said.

At the top of the sanctions list is Shoigu, because he is "ultimately responsible for any military action against Ukraine", said the draft list seen by The Guardian.

He is joined by Anton Vaino, Putin's Chief-of-Staff, who "plays an active role in decision making", as well as Igor Osipov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet, and Sergei Surovikin, the Commander-in-Chief of Russian Aerospace Forces.
Pratapgarh, Feb 23 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on BJP while campaigning for the Congress candidate in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh. He said that the state government has "nothing to say or do as it is suffering from mental bankruptcy".

Addressing a public meeting the Baghel asked, "How long the people of Uttar Pradesh will vote on the basis of caste and religion instead of voting for their own agenda." He urged the people to vote for "those" who fight for common man's cause and said that the "Congress is the only party which is raising the common man's issues".

Targeting the Uttar Pradesh government on MSP and stray animals, Baghel said that the stray animals "have been left to ruin crops due to vote politics".

Farmers in the state are "not getting price" for their crops, he added.

"BJP just creates trouble whereas the Congress gives solution and formulate policies," the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister asserted.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister's 'charbi nikalna' remark, Baghel said that businesses in the state have "ruined", there is "recession" all around and the government is talking about "eliminating arrogance and using sticks".

Raising questions on the achievements of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in last five years, he claimed that traders, youth, farmers and Dalits are angry with the state government.

Baghel said that the BJP "follows divide and rule policy of Britishers" and believes in "dividing people in the name of religion and caste".
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday cautioned that with the flattening of Covid pandemic curve, people should not lower their guard and should continue with the practice of washing hands frequently.

Virtually addressing the national 'WASH Conclave-2022', the Vice President said that children should grow up in an environment that is healthy - physically and emotionally.

"Preventive healthcare measures such as safe water, sanitation and hygienic practices begin from anganwadis and primary schools," he said. He underlined the importance of basic amenities like safe drinking water and sanitation in preventing diseases and contributing towards the overall well-being of people and Naidu cautioned that with the flattening of Covid pandemic curve, people should not lower their guard and should continue with the practice of washing hands frequently.

Observing that taking forward WASH agenda to Gram Panchayats is critical, Naidu stressed the need to ensure institutional strengthening of the Panchayats for effective service delivery to the last mile.

"This is a key aspect of governance which I always emphasise --efficient last mile delivery of services in every field -- holds the key to fast-tracking all-round development," he said.

The Vice President noted that as a nation, we need to ensure that every household gets all the basic facilities - the most essential of them being WASH related and this can be realised only if a vast array of players join hands with singular focus and determination.

The Vice President observed that in many Indian languages the word water is associated with 'jeevan, which means life'.

Quoting the oft repeated sentence 'Jal hi Jeevan hai', Naidu said, "Our forefathers saw the underlying truth behind this statement centuries ago -- we have therefore, for millennia, worshipped life-giving rivers across the length and breadth of this vast country." Calling the adequate amount of safe drinking water for every rural household as a basic necessity, Naidu said that India is making considerable progress in this regard.

He called for further fast tracking and bestowing greater attention to all aspects relating to WASH facilities in both rural and urban areas.

The three-day virtual conclave on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is being organised by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), Hyderabad in association with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, UNICEF and other development partners.
San Francisco, Feb 23 : Google has announced that it is now ready to move into the final phase of the migration from Classic Hangouts to Google Chat for Google Workspace customers.

The company said it will turn on the "Chat preferred" setting for any customers who have not already done so, making Google Chat the default chat application beginning March 22.

"This means that when users visit classic Hangouts in Gmail on the web or the classic Hangouts mobile apps, they will be directed to Chat," the company said in a blogpost.

"Hangouts.google.com will continue to work. It is not possible to opt out of this change. If you would like to export your classic Hangouts and Chat data, learn about exporting your organisation's data," it added.

After domains are upgraded to "Chat preferred", all classic Hangouts applications, except hangouts.google.com, will be disabled. Additionally, the "Chat and classic Hangouts" and "Classic Hangouts only" settings will be removed from the Admin console.

Messages sent in classic Hangouts will continue to be retained and held according to policies set for Chat, and searchable and exportable with Gmail search in Vault. Messages sent in Chat are subject to retention rules and holds you set for Chat and searchable and exportable with Chat search in Vault.

The company also mentioned that except for a few special cases, all the conversation history from Hangouts will be available in Google Chat. However, starting mid-March 2022, any newly created spaces in Google Chat within domain will not appear in classic Hangouts.
Chennai, Feb 23 : The rout of the AIADMK in the urban local body polls will raise major questions for the present leadership of the party led by two former Chief Ministers, O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi. K. Palaniswami.

The DMK returned to power after a gap of ten years in 2021 and in the ensuing rural local body polls for the nine new districts, the DMK front won handsomely giving the opposition AIADMK no chance at the hustings.

The heavy loss in the urban local body polls is a death blow for the present leadership of the party and rumblings are expected to start in the party in the coming days.

V.K. Sasikala, the estranged interim general secretary of the AIADMK, is waiting and watching the developments in the main opposition party and the possibility of the former aide of late J. Jayalalithaa making a bid to take over the party is not remote.

Sasikala was expelled from the AIADMK by the dual leadership of OPS and EPS. With the fighting spirit of her Thevar community she is likely to try and take over the reins of the party.

She has been working in the background ever since she came out from the Central prison in Bengaluru and has been in regular touch with party leaders and cadres across the state. She has set up a team to connect her to the party cadres and leaders and the powerful Thevar community to which she belongs is also supporting her.

AIADMK Chief Coordinator and former Chief Minister Pannerselvam also belongs to the Thevar community and backroom negotiations between Sasikala and OPS had taken place a couple of times at the instance of the Thevar community elders.

However, the Palaniswami faction of the party including D. Jayakumar,CVe Shanmugham, and a few other leaders, were opposed to her re-entry into the party. The total rout of the party in the urban polls including losing seats in the home constituencies of the two leaders will be a major factor and the leaders opposed to her entry cannot do much.

While Sasikala is not a natural leader like the late MGR or Jayalalithaa, she can emerge as a factor to unite the warring party factions and a common factor leading to the party's resurgence among the cadres.

The next big challenge for the party will be the 2024 general elections. The BJP had announced before the urban polls that it was snapping ties with the Dravidian party only for the local polls and will continue the alliance in both the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Dr. R. Umamaheswari, political analyst and Professor of political science in a Chennai college, told IANS that the "AIADMK after the urban local body elections has diminished in strength and the presence of a leader who can command the respect of both the OPS and EPS factions is important for the resurgence of the party. While there may be stiff opposition from the EPS section to the entry of Sasikala but ultimately they will have to budge and relent. The possibility of Sasikala emerging as a power centre and taking control of the AIADMK is not very remote." Another factor is the performance of the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), the political outfit of her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran. The party has got 102 seats across the state and has a good presence in South Tamil Nadu. On close analysis, the AMMK has has acted as a deterrent in the fortunes of the AIADMK in several seats of South Tamil Nadu and if Sasikala is back in the AIADMK, then naturally the support base of the AMMK will also come back to the AIADMK.

The OPS camp can easily state that the presence of the AMMK had led to a major debacle in the South and can push for the entry of Sasikala into the party fold. The opposition from the EPS camp will be feeble as the party was crushed in the strongholds of EPS in Western Tamil Nadu including Coimbatore, Erode and Salem.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy seeking a direction to the Centre to declare Ram Setu as a national heritage monument.

Mentioning the plea before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, Swamy sought listing of his petition as it has been pending for long. The bridge has religious significance, as it is believed to be built by Lord Ram, mentioned in the 'Ramayana', he said.

The plea sought a direction to the Central government and the National Monument Authority to declare 'Ram Setu' as a monument of national importance. Ram Setu, which is also known as Adam's Bridge, is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island or Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.

After hearing Swamy's brief submissions, the bench listed his plea for hearing on March 9, and also sought the response from the Central government in the matter. Swamy contended that the Central government had already filed affidavits in the matter earlier.

He contended that the government has already accepted the existence of 'Ram Setu' and in 2017, a meeting was also convened to examine his demand, but things have not moved after that.

In April last year, a bench headed by the then Chief Justice S.A. Bobde had directed that the plea seeking National Heritage Status for Ram Setu be listed before the next Chief Justice Ramana.

The UPA government, in 2007, had proposed a Sethusamudram project. Under this project an 83-km-long deep-water channel was to be made by extensive dredging and removal of the limestone shoals, to link Mannar with Palk Strait. Swamy moved against this decision in the court and the government resorted to another plan to link Mannar with Palk Strait.
Acapulco : , Feb 23 (IANS) World No 3 Alexander Zverev was removed from the ongoing Mexican Open after attacking the umpire's chair with his racquet during an astonishing rant. The Olympic champion German was furious after he and doubles partner Brazilian Marcelo Melo lost 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 to the British-Finn pair of Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.

Zverev after congratulating their opponents turned his rage towards the umpire, lashing out at the chair with his racquet three times before returning for a fourth crack as the umpire descended the stairs in ugly scenes.

The 24-year-old is the defending singles champion of the ongoing event. He was due to face countryman Peter Gojowczyk in the second round but has now been removed from the tournament.

"Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco," the ATP confirmed in a statement.

It's unclear if Zverev will face any fines or a suspension. Zverev said he regretted his behaviour and apologised for the incident.

"It is difficult to put into words how much I regret my behavior during and after the doubles match yesterday," Zverev was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"I have privately apologized to the chair umpire because my outburst towards him was wrong and unacceptable, and I am only disappointed in myself. It just should not have happened and there is no excuse. I would also like to apologize to my fans, the tournament, and the sport that I love," he said.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Karnataka students, especially those studying in Class 10 and Class 12, who are not ready to appear in exams without hijab are likely to miss their annual exams.

As per the Karnataka High Court's interim order, students are not allowed to wear hijab inside the classrooms. The annual examinations for SSLC (Class 10) and second PUC (Class 12) are scheduled to be held in April.

The authorities have started issuing hall tickets to the students. However, some protesting students are refusing to collect their hall tickets.

The education department, according to high level sources, has decided not to allow the students to appear in supplementary exams, which will be held for those who fail in the exams and opt for re-examination.

The authorities in Vijayanagara district have continued the prohibitory orders for around 250 pre-university (PU) and 80 graduation colleges.

Many students have boycotted the exams insisting to appear in the exams wearing hijab.

As many as 1.25 lakh students, belonging to minority communities, study in PU colleges across the state. Among them, about 84,000 are girl students.

The number of girls insisting on hijab is close to 1,000 and as the examinations are approaching, their numbers are also decreasing, sources said.

Education Minister B.C. Nagesh stated that those who come in uniform will not face any problem, but the administration cannot be "lenient" towards students sporting hijab.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday gave a very strong message to doctors that there will be zero tolerance for poor standard of work at all levels. "No one should feel that absenteeism and poor performance shall go unnoticed", he emphasized.

Mandaviya was on a visit to the Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday and had an informal interactive session with Heads of Departments and Staff of Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. He talked with the heads of various departments, nurses, heads of security and sanitation services.

Mandaviya emphasized on the best output and performance-oriented work culture through efficient coordination, with the goal of providing highest quality healthcare to the patients. He urged everyone to instill a mentality of accepting criticism and work towards institutional building through shared goals, aims and work culture.

"Our goal should be on how to provide the best healthcare to every patient who walks in. When we have clarity on this goal and our resultant role, all our actions will also become clear and action oriented", he stated.

Mandaviya advised all HoDs to evaluate performance and attendance of all employees at all levels including the security and contractual staff to ensure that absenteeism and poor-quality work is effectively addressed. He encouraged the teams in each department to not only achieve superior targets but sustain the high-performance standards. "It is easy to achieve very high performance for a short time, but extremely difficult to sustain for long", he noted.

Mandaviya also advised the HoDs to meet their teams every week, undertake physical visit of all departments and evaluate their performance to ensure best output. Noting that we have a huge advantage due the large number of patients that public sector hospitals treat, the Minister exhorted them to make analytical studies and publish them in reputed and popular journals.

Taking confidence from the efficient handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the Union Minister praised the Indian doctors for leaving an imprint globally. He said, "it is now time to develop our healthcare model and show to the world our strengths in various aspects of healthcare, pharma and R&D".
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Amid the thickening Ashneer Grover-BharatPe saga, Chairman of the board of directors Rajnish Kumar said on Wednesday that Grover is only spreading lies and there is no substance in his allegations of the probe being biased.

BharatPe co-founder and Managing Director Grover, in a latest letter sent to the company addressing Kumar and co-founder Bhavik Koladiya, alleged that the internal governance review was biased.

"Ashneer Grover's allegations of the probe being biased hold no merit. No one ever questioned my integrity ever in my entire career and everyone knows about my credibility.

"I am not quitting the BharatPe Board," Kumar, who has served as SBI Chairman, told IANS.

The company had earlier responded to Grover's letter, saying: "You have been indulging in spreading false and accusatory information about the senior management of the company to the family members and/or spouses of the said members of the senior management." "Such abhorrent conduct on your part is completely unwarranted, and the company takes strong objection to the same. You are again called upon to cease and desist from spreading false and inflammatory content about the members of the senior management of the company. Your conduct in this regard is completely unbecoming of a managing director of the company," BharatPe had said.

The full-stack fintech platform BharatPe on Wednesday confirmed it has terminated the services of Madhuri Jain Grover, the wife of Grover, for alleged financial irregularities during her tenure.

The internal probe found misappropriation of funds during her time at the fintech platform. Madhuri Jain was head of controls at BharatPe.

"We can confirm that the services of Madhuri Jain Grover have been terminated in accordance with the terms of her employment agreement," the company said in a statement.

Sources earlier told IANS that Madhuri Jain's contract has been terminated and the reasons for this are "misappropriation of funds and authorisation of inflated bills during her tenure".

Later in the day, Madhuri Jain posted an audio clip on Twitter where Ashneer Grover and Koladiya were allegedly heard talking about a meeting between them, including Kumar, that ended with abusive words.

In the audio clip, Grover accused Koladiya of leaking probe information to the media, a charge Koladiya has earlier denied.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said that it has arrested a person who supplied explosives in the case of killing of five police personnel by CPI (Moist) in Saraikela district of Jharkhand.

The accused identified as Abraham Tuti was arrested on Tuesday.

The NIA had earlier arrested eleven persons in this case. The agency had also filed a charge sheet against them.

This case pertains to an attack on the Police party by the cadres of CPI (Maoist) in 2019 at Kukru Haat in District Saraikela-Kherswan, in which five police personnel were killed and their arms and ammunitions were looted.

Initially, a case was lodged with the Tiruldih Police Station of Saraikela Kharsawan District. Later the NIA took over the probe.

During investigation it was found that Abraham Tuti used to supply explosive materials and provide other logistics support to the members of CPI (Maoist) as an Over Ground Worker. He was arrested following a tip off.

Further investigation in the matter is underway.
Chennai, Feb 23 : The Tamil Nadu government will form two units of the Marine Elite Force to combat marine wildlife crimes, including smuggling, prevention, and poaching of marine animals, especially in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay.

Each unit will have five marine watchers who will be moving around in two deepwater boats. These units will interact with other agencies like Customs, Coast Guards as also with Indian Navy officers for intelligence gathering.

The primary objective of the force is to protect the management of the marine areas and also watch out for disasters involving marine and coastal wildlife.

Marine resources are constantly exploited for economic reasons and protected species are also hunted illegally due to the huge price they fetch in international markets.

Marine turtles, sea cucumbers, sea horses, sharks and rays, pipefishes, dugongs, and dolphins are regularly poached and hunted down for various economic benefits and hence the state government has decided to form a Marine Elite Force to tackle this down.

Tamil Nadu has already sanctioned an amount of Rs 1.09 crore for establishing two units of the force.
Hyderabad, Feb 23 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday vowed to put the country on the right track and said he was even ready to sacrifice his life for the purpose.

The Chief Minister, who is leading the efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance, reiterated his national ambitions while inaugurating Mallanna Sagar, India's largest man-made reservoir, in the state's Siddipet district.

"Come what may, to put the country on the right track, if need be, I will sacrifice my last drop of blood. I will set right the country and will march forward," he told a public meeting.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief voiced concern over the country losing its way and remarked that an "evil system" is prevailing. "Disgusting things are happening. Havoc is being created in the name of religion and caste," he said and cited the current situation in neighbouring Karnataka.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, said some people including IAS officers shared with him how their children studying in Bengaluru were scared to go to schools and colleges due to the situation created there in the name of religion.

The TRS chief said that the image of Bangalore known as Silicon Valley of India took a beating due to the "hate" being spread at educational institutions. Pointing out that Hyderabad is next only to Bengaluru in terms of IT exports and was attracting huge investments, he cautioned people against the path being followed by the neighbouring state.

KCR termed communalism a cancer and called for rooting it out. "This evil posed a threat to the country. We should not allow this cancer to spread. We should throw it out of the country," he said.

He said all states and regions of the country can develop and prosper if the government at the Centre is virtuous and does not divide people in the name of religion and caste. He said nobody would come to invest in a state or a country where there is communal strife and there is no peace and law and order.

He told people that since they were in public life and were determined to do good to people, they can't be mute spectators to what was happening in the country.

"I am going ahead to impact national politics. For this, I will utilise all the strength the God has given me, and will use all my intellect," he said.

KCR said despite no support from the Centre, Telangana made rapid strides in all sectors during the last seven years and has emerged as the role model for the entire country.

He listed out the schemes implemented by his government to ensure 24 hour electricity supply to all sectors, drinking water to every household, welfare of farmers and all other sections of people.
Kolkata, Feb 23 : On a day when two security personnel were arrested in connection with the murder of Anis Khan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday promised an impartial investigation into the case which will take to book all those involved in the killing of the student leader on February 18.

The Chief Minister also warned that the government will not allow any kind of mismanagement or misrule in the state.

Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee said, "I shall not tolerate any kind of mismanagement or misrule in the state. We have started the investigation to find out who all are responsible for the murder in Amta. Two security personnel have been arrested. They have been taken to custody. We are doing everything to ensure an impartial investigation into the matter." The Chief Minister was referring to two security personnel connected to the Amta police station in Howrah district -- Home Guard Kashinath Bera and civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya -- who were arrested by the police on Wednesday morning in connection with the Anis Khan murder case, giving strong indication that police were involved in the murder of the student leader on February 18.

"We have arrested Home Guard Kashinath Bera and civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya. We are hopeful that some information will come out during their custodial interrogation, which will help us get to the bottom of the case," Manoj Malviya, Director General of Police, told the media.

"We assure that the facts pertaining to the case will be revealed within 15 days as committed by the Chief Minister," he added.

Reacting to the demand for a CBI probe into the matter, Banerjee said, "How many cases the CBI has been able to solve? What happened to the Tapasi Malik murder case? What happened to the Nobel prize theft? No one has been arrested in Hathras yet." The DGP said that the special investigation team is facing obstructions from the family members of the victim and some political groups, which is creating problems for conducting the probe.

"We had asked for the victim's mobile phone which is lying with the family, but they refused to hand it over. Not only that, we wanted to exhume the body and conduct a second post-mortem in front of a judicial magistrate, but that was also not allowed by the family," the DGP said.

"We would like to request the family members and all the concerned parties to allow us to conduct the investigation properly. I assure that everything will become crystal clear soon. We are conducting an impartial probe and we are committed to bring the truth out within 15 days," Malviya said.

Sources in the police, however, said that it is now clear that on the night before the murder, two police vans from Amta police station went to Anis' home, and they were the last people to meet the student leader.

"There is no doubt that the police went to their house, but what happened after that is still not clear. The police are trying to find out the details," a senior police officer said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the state government suspended two policemen and a Home Guard for dereliction of duty. The suspended security personnel are -- ASI Nirmal Das, Constable Jitendra Hembram and Home Guard Krishnanath Bera. Bera was arrested on Wednesday.

When asked whether there was involvement of any other policemen, Malviya said, "We are interrogating many others, but it won't be fair to share the details at this stage of the investigation. We are hopeful that we would be able to provide further details in another couple of days." Meanwhile, the SIT headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh has interrogated the officer-in-charge of Amta police station, Debabrata Chakraborty, and second officer Pritam Bhowmik in connection with the case.

They have been asked to clarify why the police reached the murder spot late and why the basic formalities of the investigation were ignored.

They have also been questioned for their alleged misbehaviour with the family members of the victim.

There are also indications that the SIT might question the SP of Howrah district (Rural), Soumya Roy, who claimed that Khan had a POSCO case registered against him and the police were looking into the possibilities whether that had any connection with his murder.

The investigation team, surprised at the sudden revelation of Roy who also happens to be the husband of Trinamool Congress MLA Lovely Moitra, might question him on this point.

Anis Khan, a former Aliah University student, was allegedly thrown off the terrace of his residence in the dark of night by the assailants, who visited his home identifying themselves as personnel from the Amta police station, as testified by his father who was held at a gunpoint when the assailants committed the murder.

The father has called for a CBI probe into the incident.

The incident became more complicated when a letter came to the fore wherein Anish had written to the officer-in-charge of the Amta police station that on May 22, 2021, a blood donation camp was organised in his village by the the Jana Swasthya Suraksha Committee under his leadership.

But on the previous day, along with the gram panchayat deputy chief (Upapradhan), local Trinamool leaders such as Malek Khan and his elder son Masood Khan along with their acolytes warned him against organising the camp and threatened him of dire consequences.
Jaipur, Feb 23 : Bharatiya Janata Party state president Satish Poonia termed the Rajasthan budget 2022-23 as lacklustre and said it has been announced keeping elections in mind and hence there seems to be a big difference between words and deeds.

"The paradox of the budget is that there is a big difference between announcements and implementation. From farmer loan waiver to unemployment to corruption and crime control, there is no commitment anywhere. It is difficult to understand what will be the financial source of the budgetary provisions," he said.

"The state government should issue a 'white paper' for the ground truth of the first three budgets and the last three Governor's speeches. It is ridiculous to say that 70 per cent of the public manifesto and 85 per cent of the budget commitments are being said to be completed, while the situation on the ground is different," he added.

Former Chief Minister and National Vice President of the BJP, Vasundhara Raje said that this budget is going to disappoint every section as its base is politics and not policy.

Raje said that there is no vision of development in this budget. Painted in election colour, it will neither change the condition nor direction of the state.

She said that there is an agricultural budget just for namesake but it is nothing more than mere deception of the farmers. Farmers loan waiver still remains incomplete and again they have come up with a list of false promises.

BJP national spokesperson and Jaipur Rural MP Col Rajyavardhan Rathod, said the budget is misleading the public. He said just like a magician confuses the public with his magic, the same way the budget confuses the people and in reality the public does not get anything. The Congress formed the government in the state by making false promises to the public at the time of the assembly elections, and in view of the assembly elections to be held next year, in this budget also every effort has been made to mislead the public by making lucrative announcements.

Diya Kumari, MP from Rajsamand said, "Like last year, the budget of the Rajasthan Government has been disappointing this year as well. The Government has nothing to give to the people. Apart from 'will do', there is nothing in the budget. The hopes of the people have been dashed. The announcements made in the last budget are not yet implemented, then what is the benefit of new announcements. The Government has proved to be a failure on every front including the budget. The countdown for the state Government has begun and now change is certain."
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has been allocated the Public Works Department, which was being held by Health Minister Satyendra Jain, an official notification said on Wednesday.

"On the advice of the Chief Minister, Lt Governor Anil Baijal has given the responsibility of Public Works Department to Manish Sisodia. This new responsibility will be in addition to the portfolios he is already holding," read the notification issued by the Delhi government.

Sisodia is already handling 10 important departments which include Education, Finance, Planning, Tourism, Art and Culture, and Employment among others. With the new responsibility, he will be holding charge of a total of 11 departments.

Last year in October also, Sisodia was given the additional responsibility of Labour Department which was being held by Gopal Rai.

Delhi can have total of seven ministers currently which also includes Chief Minister. However, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal doesn't hold any portfolio in this government.

Jain, who had charge of eight departments so far, now holds seven - Health, Industries, Power, Home, Urban Development, Irrigation and Flood Control, and Water Department.

While Rai has three departments and Imran Hussain two, Rajendra Pal Gautam and Kailash Gahlot have five departments each.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The UAE Ministry of Defense has said that it plans to buy 12 L-15 aircraft from China, state news agency WAM said on Wednesday, Al Arabiya reported.

The Ministry will sign a contract with the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) to purchase the aircraft, with the option of buying 36 more aircraft in the future, according to WAM.

Tareq Abdulraheem al-Hosani, Chief Executive Officer of Tawazun Economic Council, said the deal comes within efforts to diversify armament resources and modernise the country's air force and armed forces units.

"We have reached the final stages in negotiations with the Chinese [company], and a final agreement will be sealed soon," Hosani said, adding that such diversification seeks to equip the UAE's armed forces with the "best capabilities" to achieve their strategic goals.

Earlier in February, the US State Department had approved the potential sale of $30 million worth of spare and repair parts for its HAWK missile defense systems to the UAE.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court has observed that indefinite adjournment in a matter relating to anticipatory bail, that too after admitting it, is detrimental to the "valuable right" of a person.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli said: "When an application for anticipatory bail was listed before the learned Single Judge, which was also accompanied by an application for ad-interim relief, the learned Judge should have decided the same one way or the other, so far as the ad-interim prayer or should have taken up for consideration after giving some reasonable time to the state." It added that even if admitted, the judge should have listed the same for final disposal on a specific date, keeping in view the nature of relief sought in the matter.

"Not giving any specific date, particularly in a matter relating to anticipatory bail, is not a procedure which can be countenanced. We are of the considered view that this type of indefinite adjournment in a matter relating to anticipatory bail, that too after admitting it, is detrimental to the valuable right of a person," it held.

The top court, however, made it clear it is not going into the merits of the matter.

"When a person is before the court and that too in a matter involving personal liberty, least what is expected is for such a person to be given the result one way or the other, based on the merit of his case and not push him to a position of uncertainty or be condemned without being heard, when it matters," it said.

The top court's February 21 order came on plea filed by Rajesh Seth citing delay by Chhattisgarh High Court in deciding his pre-arrest bail plea.

The petitioner was aggrieved that the high court merely admitted the anticipatory bail application filed by him with a further direction to list in due course, but did not consider his application seeking interim protection during pendency of the bail application. Seth said the co-accused in the same FIR has been granted interim protection from arrest till the final disposal of application for anticipatory bail by the high court.

The top court asked the single judge of the high court to dispose of the anticipatory bail application, pending adjudication before him, on its own merits and in accordance with law, expeditiously and preferably within a period of two weeks.

"If the main application cannot be disposed of for any reason, the I.A. for interim relief be considered on its own merits. Till such time, we grant interim protection from arrest to the petitioner herein. We clarify that this shall however not influence the view to be taken by the Learned Single Judge on merits," it said.
Bhopal, Feb 23 : A woman in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district refused to marry the bridegroom, right in the middle of the wedding rituals, citing his mental condition. Not only that, the bride's family members even allegedly beat up the bridegroom and the 'baraatis' after taking them hostage.

A video of the incident has gone viral in which the bridegroom is being seen being dragged by hair.

His side alleged that the bride's family took them hostage and beat them up following a dispute.

The 'baraat' from Manikwar village had arrived at Vanpadhar village under Mauganj police station area. Amidst the matrimonial rituals, a dispute erupted over the behaviour of 'baraatis' and the girl refused to get married.

According to the police, the girl raised questions on the boy's mental status and refused to marry him.

The dispute erupted after some of the 'baraatis', during a traditional ritual in which the groom's relatives throw 'batasha' (a kind of sweet) on the bride's relatives, allegedly misbehaved with women of the other side.

The dispute escalated and the girl's relatives allegedly started beating the 'baraatis'. Video of the bridegroom and his companions being beaten has gone viral on social media.

As per reports, one of the baratis rushed to the police station and informed them about the incident after which police reached the spot and freed the 'baraatis'.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Shiv Kumar told reporters that the girl's family members alleged that the boy was behaving "improperly" during the rituals. It was also alleged that the boy's family hid the fact that his "mental condition is not good". There was a dispute over this and the marriage did not take place. At the same time, the boy's father accused the bride's family of taking them hostage and beating the 'baraatis'.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which guards the major airports in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, still has the highest number of 73 cases of Covid-19 when the total number of cases in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) has dropped to 200.

According to the latest official data, the CISF accounts for 38 percent of all active Covid-19 cases in the paramilitary forces till today with 13 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.

Officials in the CISF said that the high number of Covid cases is because of direct contact with the passengers at the airports and the metro stations.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has 67 active cases with five reported in last 24 hours while the Border Security Force (BSF) has 46 active cases with two new cases reported in last 24 hours whereas the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which is deployed at the India-Nepal and the India-Bhutan borders has seven active cases with one case recorded in the last 24 hours.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has reported six active cases with no new cases reported in the last 24 hours whereas the National Security Guard (NSG) has only one active case. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) does not have any active cases as of now.

The total death toll due to Covid 19 cases in the CAPFs is 356 while 1,10,237 security personnel have been cured from this virus since March 2020.

The total number of infected personnel in the para-military forces has been recorded at 1,10,739 till now, the officials said.

The maximum number of deaths because of coronavirus was reported in the CRPF which lost 136 personnel, followed by 91 in the BSF and 83 in the CISF. The SSB and ITBP lost 24 and 19 troopers respectively whereas two in the NDRF and one in the NSG died in the last two years because of this pandemic.

The officials said that all the security personnel in the CAPFs have been fully vaccinated with the double dose and a large number of security personnel were also given booster doses that have been deployed for election duty in five states.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved the judgment on a plea of the Indian Ex-Serviceman Movement (IESM) questioning the November 7, 2015, notification issued by the Centre, implementing One Rank One Pension (OROP) in the armed forces.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath said: "We have heard Huzefa Ahmadi, senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners, and N. Venkataraman, Additional Solicitor General appearing on behalf of the respondents. Arguments concluded. Judgment reserved." In an affidavit settled by Venkataraman, the Centre said: "One Rank One Pension implies that uniform pension be paid to the armed forces personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of the date of retirement and any future enhancement in the rates of pension to be automatically passed on to the past pensioners." The IESM laid repeated emphasis on the expression automatically to convey that the revision of OROP should be automatic and the Centre had failed to do and has instead made it once in five years. Rejecting this argument, the affidavit said: "The dynamic calculations as contended by the petitioners is unheard of in practice whether it is pay scale or pension or any other financial emoluments given to a government servant. This is not in vogue for the simple reason that it is impossible to put it as a scheme of implementation." The Centre also answered the query whether the statement made by the Finance Minister on February 17, 2014 was based on any decision or recommendation by the Union Cabinet. "Respondent respectfully submits that this statement is not based on any decision or recommendation by the then Union Cabinet. On the other hand, the Cabinet Secretariat conveyed the approval of the Prime Minister in terms of Rule 12 of the GoI (Transaction of Business Rules) 1961 on November 7, 2015," added the affidavit.

"More importantly, the policy document states that OROP is to bridge the gap between the rates of pension of current and past pensioners, which objective has been duly complied with." During the hearing, Ahmadi, appearing for IESM, said what is the morality of this government after a minister gives a statement on the floor of the house that it has, in principle, agreed to implement OROP. He added that the sum and substance of their arguments is that they are not inclined to give OROP, but they will give one rank different pensions. He added that the ASG said it could have been given at 10 years but they chose 5 years for the review.

The petitioners have questioned the November 7, 2015 notification implementing OROP, in which the government adopted a modified definition of the expression, under which the gap between the rates of pension of current and past pensioners were to be bridged at periodic intervals.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : A 57-year-old fraudster, who managed to marry thrice with one wife living in Punjab and two in Delhi, has been arrested in a visa racket case after absconding for 18 years.

The accused, identified as Karnail Singh, a resident of Kapurthala, Punjab, and presently residing in Tilak Nagar, Delhi, was declared a Proclaimed Offender in 2003.

Furnishing the details about the two-decade-old case, ACP Shibesh Singh said that Karnail Singh is accused of cheating one person of Rs 5.5 lakh on the pretext of providing a visa for Switzerland.

The accused lured Jeet Singh on the pretext of lucrative employment in Switzerland and promised to arrange a visa for him for a sum of Rs 5.5 lakh.

"After taking the money, Karnail Singh vanished and accordingly a case of cheating was registered in Phagwara against him," the ACP said.

On Tuesday, a police team arrested Karnail Singh from his hideout in Tilak Nagar. He had been changing his addresses on regular intervals and the Tilak Nagar house was his sixth address in the last 18 years, the officer pointed out.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he was active in the visa racket for the last 20 years.

"He used to work with a travel agent at the IGI airport where he learnt the art of hoodwinking potential targets seeking visas. Three criminal cases were also registered against him," said the officer.

He further said that the concerned police stations in Delhi and Punjab have been informed, and antecedents of the accused are being verified.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Three months after its Guwahati office demanded a car in lieu of giving clearance of projects, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has revoked the demand.

As reported by IANS in November 2021, the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) at Guwahati that gave a conditional recommendation to a user agency for a transmission line from a hydropower project on Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border had demanded a vehicle for recommending forest clearance or granting forest clearance.

The REC Guwahati, an agency under MoEF&CC, had even specified that it should be a Toyota Innova in lieu of recommending forest clearance for a transmission line through a reserved forest for evacuating power from a hydropower project on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

When IANS had reported two separate cases, one from Assam/Arunachal Pradesh and another from Odisha in November 2021, sources from the MoEF&CC at Delhi had said, "The Ministry has not yet cleared the proposal. It is the REC that has given a recommendation. The forest clearance is not yet granted. We will not allow such illegal trade-offs." Both proposals pertained to Power Grid Corporation of India, which had sought diversion of 34.32 Ha of forest land for construction of 400 KV transmission line from NHPC Ltd's 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project at Gerukhamukh to Biswanath Chariali in Subansiri Reserve Forest under the Dhemaji Division in Assam and another for diverting 32.78 ha of forest land for transmission lines of the same project by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited.

The REC meeting on November 2 discussed the proposal wherein it recommended the proposal for diversion of 34.32 Ha of forest land with two special conditions apart from the other usual ones. One of them was: "The user agency Power Grid Corporation of India Limited will provide one vehicle (preferably Toyota Innova) to the Integrated Regional Office, Guwahati, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, for monitoring of projects in Assam and other official purposes." Based on the REC recommendations to the MoEF&CC from November 2021 and additional letters from Assam government (one each for both projects) regarding the projects dated February 18 this year, the 'In Principle Approval' for stage I clearance of Central government was granted by the IG Forests in the Ministry with stipulated conditions on February 22. On fulfilment of the conditions, final (stage II) forest clearance would be approved, the letter to Assam said. There was no mention of the Toyota car in any of the letters.

The minutes of the meeting from last year after this issue came to the fore, said: "After detail deliberations and discussion with Deputy Conservator of Forest, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and considering the reply of the State Government and importance of the proposal, the REC revoked the additional condition." Similar lines were mentioned in the REC letters for both the projects with the mention of relevant clauses and numbers as mentioned in the earlier minutes of the meeting.

Sources said, the Ministry had sent out a stern message prompting the REC to take corrective steps. The REC's minutes of the meeting therefore now clearly mention that the condition wherein it was mentioned that Toyota car be provided for Guwahati office "stands revoked."
Jammu, Feb 23 : The J&K Administrative Council (AC) which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Wednesday approved the proposal of Revenue Department to transfer various parcels of land for public purposes.

The Administrative Council approved the transfer of land measuring 63 Kanal four Marla in favour of Higher Education Department for construction of a new Government Degree College in village Firsal, District Kulgam.

The decision aims to provide quality higher education opportunities to students of the region and boost employment of teaching and non-teaching staff through various recruiting agencies.

Moreover, approval was given to the transfer of land measuring two Kanal and five Marla in favour of Health and Medical Education Department for construction of a health centre at Jawaharpora in District Pulwama. Once completed, the institution will provide modern medical facilities to the people of the area.

The Administrative Council further approved the transfer of land measuring five Kanal in favour of Revenue Department for construction of a police post at Newa at village Malawari, District Pulwama. The new police post in the local area will keep a check on illegal activities, security-related incidents, and will allow the police to respond to any law and order situation and natural disaster in a timely manner.

Another parcel of land measuring 148 Kanal situated in village Dambra, Tehsil Mahanpur, District Kathua was transferred in favour of Prisons Department for construction of High Security Prison in the district along with the transfer of State land measuring 160 Kanal four Marla situated at village Dambra, Tehsil Mahanpur, District Kathua as Shamlat Deh (Mehfooz Kahcharai) in lieu of the land proposed for High Security Prison.

The construction of High Security Prison for lodging treasonous and insurgent criminals aims at meeting the security requirements of the region and strengthening the national security.
Mumbai, Feb 23 : A Mumbai court has awarded different jail terms to four persons, including an ex-manager of Bank of India (BoI), for cheating the bank to the tune of Rs 98 lakh.

The Special Judge sentenced Abid Ali Gulam Vohra, the ex-manager of Bank of India's Jacob Circle branch, to four years' rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 3.5 lakh.

Apart from Vohra, three private persons -- Ashok Leharchand Bhansali, Sadiq Sayyad Mir Patel and Rizwan Sayyad Mir Patel -- were also awarded jail term.

While Bhansali has been awarded five years' jail term along with a fine of Rs 3.35 crore, Sadiq and Rizwan have been sent to jail for three years each, besides being slapped a fine of Rs 32.5 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh, respectively.

The CBI had registered a case in 1998 against the four accused based on a complaint lodged by the bank. It was alleged that the accused cheated the bank to the tune of Rs 98.28 lakh.

The accused had opened several accounts in the bank, where cheques were deposited and the same were sent to clearing. In the normal course, a customer was permitted to draw the amount only after a cheque so presented was cleared.

"But the branch was permitted drawing the amount against uncleared effects immediately and thereafter the instruments were sent for clearing. Cheques so deposited in these accounts were purely of accommodative nature as invariably all these cheques were returned unpaid by the drawee bank.

"The branch was expected to debit the account when the cheques were so returned. To make provisions for posting of returned cheques, the said customers deposited further cheques which again were sent to clearing," said a CBI official.

Every day, the customers were depositing cheques in the various accounts to protect the returned cheques. As such, the accounts did not show TOD position and hence it did not get reflected in the TOD statements submitted by the branch to the controlling office. These fraudulent transactions resulted in the loss of Rs. 98.28 lakh.
Patna, Feb 23 : Ahead of the Budget session of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha, the Patna district administration on Wednesday launched an operation to ensure that no liquor bottle is found inside the premises.

The session is starting from Friday and district administration wants to ensure that no "mischief" would take place. During the Winter session, a liquor bottle was found inside the premises and had led to huge uproar.

Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekher Singh and SSP M.S. Dhillon inspected the entire premises on Wednesday and deployed police force at every corner to keep an eye on wrongdoers.

"We have asked every employee inside the Vidhan Sabha to stay alert and have strictly directed police personnel to ensure no liquor bottles be found inside the premises. The police personnel will be held responsible for negligence if any liquor bottle is found in their respective areas," Dhillon said.

"We have also deployed police personnel outside of the premises to keep an eye on persons who may throw liquor bottles or any other banned substance inside the premises," he added.

During the Winter session, a liquor bottle was found around 200 metres away from the chamber of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav highlighted the incident and slammed the Nitish Kumar government.

Following the incident, the Bihar Chief Secretary and the DGP were seen searching for liquor bottles inside the premises, and this video went viral.

Patna police were unable to find clues about the person who may have consumed liquor or thrown an empty bottle inside the premises.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : The 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIH)s set up across the country through the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) are boosting new and emerging technologies to power national initiatives in key areas, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Several technologies and technology platforms established under the mission have helped push impact in multiple sectors and they are bringing out several technological solutions for people-centric problems, it said.

A total of 496 technological products, including 46 new technologies, have been developed through these TIHs. They include the first-of-its-kind Internet of Things (IoT) device that monitors ambient temperature during the transportation of vaccines, including Covid-19, medicines, blood samples, food and dairy products, meat products, and animal semen developed by researchers at the IIT Ropar Technology Innovation Hub - AWaDH and its startup ScratchNest.

Besides, a team of scientists from IIT Bombay has developed tapestry method for screening Covid-19 under Remedial Action, Knowledge Skimming, and Holistic Analysis of Covid-19 (RAKSHAK), an effort supported by the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Jodhpur, the Science and Technology Ministry statement said.

An AI-driven platform that helped chest X-ray interpretation of images sent over WhatsApp was developed by ARTPARK at IISc Bangalore. It brought early intervention through rapid screening of Covid-19, aiding doctors who have no access to X-ray machines.

A consortium launched by IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation and five other entrepreneurial start-up companies in the deep tech and engineering domain have been established Under the mission I-STAC.DB - Indian Space Technologies and Applications Consortium Design Bureau, the release said.

The TIHs have also led to the establishment of 13 Technology Business Incubator (TBI), 54 startups and spin-off companies, and the creation of around 928 jobs. As many as 2,024 human resource development activities, including 1,083 skill development programmes, have been conducted, and 32 international collaborations started. The initiative has also given rise to 191 publications, IPR, and other intellectual activities, as well as 1,073 entrepreneurship development activities.

"NM-ICPS, which fosters technological solutions in health, education, energy, environment, agriculture, strategy cum security, Industry 4.0 is being implemented through 25 TIHs established in top academic, and National R&D Institutes was approved by the Union Cabinet at a total cost of Rs 3,660 crores in December 2018," the release said.
New Delhi, Feb 23 : A man accused of adultery has been publicly whipped by the Taliban in Afghanistan's southern Uruzgan Province, RFE/RL reported.

Several residents of provincial capital Tarin Kowt said that the man was flogged in the city's central square on February 21 in the morning, the report said.

Tarin Kowt resident Noor Agha, who witnessed the public flogging, said that the Taliban brought a man to the town square in a military vehicle.

They later announced the man's name and location over loudspeakers, saying they had arrested him in the Chora district for allegedly having extramarital sexual relations with a woman, RFE/RL reported.

According to Agha, the Taliban said the "public punishment is meant as a lesson." Sultan Muhammad, a 65-year-old eyewitness, told Radio Azadi about the humiliation of the victim.

"The accused was humiliated, and I do not think he would be able to live a dignified life like anyone else in society after this," Muhammad said.

Photos and videos obtained show hundreds of people attended the flogging.

Such public punishments were common during the Taliban's previous regime from 1996 to 2001. But this is the first time since the militant group regained power in August that they meted out such a punishment in public.

No information was available about the fate of the woman allegedly involved in the case.
Patna, Feb 23 : A man, working as an "exorcist", was killed in Bihar's Vaishali, allegedly by a man, whose son he was "treating", police said.

The victim was identified as Ramadhar Singh, 60, a native of Khemas Pakdi village under Siwaipatti police station in Muzaffarpur district. He was doing exorcism of a person named Manish Singh, a native of Madarna village in Vaishali.

Manish Singh's father Harivansh Singh approached Ramadhar Singh a year ago as his son was ill for long time and unable to recover from the illness.

The police said that Harivansh Singh went to Muzaffarpur on February 21 and had brought Ramadhar Singh to his village. Ramadhar Singh did the "exorcism treatment" on the same day and then went missing.

"During investigation, it appeared that Harivansh Singh and Manish Singh suspected that Ramadhar Singh deliberately did some wrongful exorcism which led to his (Manish's) continuous illness. Accordingly, they killed Ramadhar Singh, mutilated his body and disposed it off in a well," said investigating officer of Vaishali police station, K.S. Rai.

"We have registered FIR against 7 persons and two of them have been arrested so far. Efforts are on to nab others. The dead body was recovered from the well," he said.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : The Karnataka High Court bench, hearing the hijab matter, on Wednesday, made it clear that the students should wear uniform prescribed by the schools and colleges until the final verdict in the case.

Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, who heads the three-judge bench, reiterated: "We are making it very clear that whether a degree or PU College, if uniform is prescribed, that has to be followed until the verdict." The bench, which also comprises Justice Krishna S. Dixit and J.M. Khazi, also made it clear that the interim order is directed towards students only.

Counsel, appearing for the students, said that the students are being sent out of institutions, citing the interim order, and teachers who are wearing head scarves are also being turned away and demanded that they should be heard on the issue.

However, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi submitted that the prayer of the petitioner has already been addressed and yet another petition is being filed in this regard.

However, the court clarified that if the uniform is prescribed by the PUC or degree colleges, it has to be worn.

The hijab row which started from Udupi Pre-University Girls' College has become a crisis in the state, with students refusing to attend classes without hijab and maintaining that they will wait until the final verdict is given. the high court had issued an interim order banning both hijab and saffron shawls or scarves inside the classrooms, the agitation is ongoing.

The special bench is hearing the matter on a day-to-today basis and has asked all counsel to complete their submissions by this weekend.
Bengaluru, Feb 23 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday proposed the establishment of a tourism circuit to capitalise on the immense potential offered by the temples and monuments in the state.

Pointing at the potential of temple tourism in northern, southern and coastal parts of Karnataka, Bommai suggested integrating temple and monument tourism for the proposed circuit.

Launching the Integrated Temple Management System (ITMS) developed by the Hindu Endowments Department on Wednesday, the Chief Minister batted for the need for a master plan to provide the required amenities at the temples.

Appreciating the ITMS, Bommai said management of temples is very important, adding that initiatives are needed to record the number of pilgrims visiting the temples and the system to manage the temple assets needs to be streamlined too.

"Integrated development of temples and reforms in their administration is needed. Along with management, proper control too is needed as it involves the contribution of pilgrims and assets of the temples. Action would be taken to redress the problems being faced by the 'archaks' and priests," Bommai said.

The Chief Minister also stressed on the need for maintaining cleanliness and pollution-free ambience at the temple premises.
Imphal, Feb 23 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah after addressing two election rallies in poll bound Manipur, conducted door-to-door campaigns in east Imphal and Churachandpur on Wednesday.

Apart from Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton, several central ministers and leaders also went out for campaigning in Manipur on Wednesday, where polling to the 60-member Assembly would take place in two phases on February 27 and March 5.

Shah tweeted : "Today, interacted with the people of Manipur during the door-to-door campaign in Churachandpur and urged them to bless BJP again with a thumping majority." "Tremendous support and enthusiasm for BJP in Manipur," he tweeted after conducting a door-to-door campaign in Bhamon Leikai in east Imphal.

Several leaders, including the Assam Chief Minister, Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister, Manipur state BJP President A. Sharda Devi, Nagaland BJP President TemjenImna Along, BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra, party's National General Secretary (organisation) Ajay Jamwal and Assam Minister Ashok Singhal, campaigned for BJP candidate Biswajit Singh on Wednesday.

Manipur Minister Singh, who holds six important portfolios including PWD and contesting from Thongju assembly constituency for the third consecutive time, told the media that the BJP would secure at least 40 seats this time.

Singh is the BJP's first MLA (2015) in Manipur and played a vital role in bringing in many Congress MLAs and leaders in the BJP's fold including the incumbent Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Imphal.
Washington, Feb 23 : Dozens of South Koreans in the US, including Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuck, hit the polls early Wednesday as overseas voting in the presidential election began a six-day run.

The South Korean ambassador urged all eligible voters to take part, Yonhap news agency reported.

"It is an honor to exercise one's right in an event to elect someone who will decide the fate of the country," Lee said.

The South Korean election watchdog earlier said some 226,000 overseas South Koreans have registered to vote in the March 9 election, and that they will be allowed to vote at one of the 219 polling stations in 115 countries.

Lee said there are about 880,000 eligible South Korean voters in the US but that only about 53,000 have registered to vote.
Imphal, Feb 23 : The Assam Rifles on Wednesday foiled a terrorist bid to carry out violence in poll-bound Manipur and recovered a large cache of explosive materials and six Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) near Betuk village along the Myanmar border, officials said.

A defence spokesman said that the Moreh Battalion of Assam Rifles, acting on a secret tip-off, nabbed a man riding an imported motorcycle into India from Myanmar carrying a suspicious wooden box.

On being challenged by the troopers, the person dropped the wooden box and fled back to Myanmar.

The Assam Rifles troopers recovered six IEDs with cortex, electric wire and explosive materials from the wooden box.

In the run-up to the Assembly elections in Manipur, Assam Rifles is proactively guarding the unfenced 400 km India-Myanmar border, a spokesperson of the force said.

It is suspected that the IEDs were meant to disrupt the election process in Manipur, the spokesman said.

The seized IEDs and explosive materials were handed over to the Moreh police for further investigation.

The Assembly elections in Manipur will be held in two phases -- on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.
Colombo, Feb 23 : Sri Lankan fishermen on Wednesday held protests in Colombo, demanding the government implement strict laws to confiscate Indian fishing vessels to stop Indian fishermen entering their waters.

Tamil fishermen from the north and the Sinhalese fishermen from the south jointly protested and urged the government to strictly implement two laws, amended in 2017 and 2018, to ban bottom trawling and introducing hefty fines, as well as confiscation of boats and fishing gear.

Herman Kumara, President of the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, told IANS that the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act which was amended in 2017, saw reduction in Indian boats coming into Sri Lankan waters. He said the particular laws banned bottom trawling, a harmful fishing practice, and introduced hefty fines, including confiscating the boat.

"This effectively discouraged Indian fishermen entering Sri Lankan waters," he said.

Kumara also charged that it was not the poor fishermen in India but rich businessmen and politicians are behind this illegal practice and poaching.

"We know Indian fishermen are poor and this is their living. But the main racketeers are Indian politicians and businessmen who sent them here." He said that officials from the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday informed that cabinet paper has been passed to ban illegal fishing vessels from India.

"Presidential Secretariat officials who met group of fishermen representatives have said according to the cabinet paper laws would be introduced to ban illegal fishing and compensation would be awarded on behalf of the fishermen who were killed. Presidential Secretariat representatives also had assured to have a bilateral discussion with the Indian government on the issue," Kumara said.

Meanwhile, 29 fishermen have been arrested by Sri Lankan Navy in February so far with last incident being on Saturday (February 19) where six Indian fishermen were arrested. During the arrest made in seas off northwest of the Kovilan Lighthouse in Jaffna, the Sri Lankan Navy had seized an Indian dhow with six Indian fishermen.

During February, the Sri Lankan Navy also impounded six vessels.

The fishing issue between India and Sri Lanka is a long dragging contentious issue where Indian fishermen allege that the Sri Lankan Navy fires at them. In early February, the issue was discussed between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris in New Delhi.
United Nations, Feb 24 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world was facing a peril unprecedented in recent times and issued a stern rebuke to Russia that it was violating UN principles by recognising Ukraine's breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries.

"The latest developments regarding Ukraine are a cause of grave concern," he said on Wednesday at a meeting of the General Assembly on Ukraine.

"Our world is facing a moment of peril. I truly hoped it would not come," he added.

Reprimanding Moscow, Guterres said, "The decision of the Russian Federation to recognise the so-called 'independence' of Donetsk and Luhansk regions -- and the follow-up -- are violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." Russia was also violating the General Assembly's "Friendly Relations Declaration" that affirms "the territorial integrity and political independence of the State are inviolable," the Secretary-General added.

Citing "reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and the real risk of further escalation on the ground," Guterres called for a ceasefire and a return to diplomacy.

However, one high-level global diplomacy has been shut down now as the US has called off a meeting between between its Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and withdrew an offer for US President Joe Biden to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia recognised the two breakaway regions, signed a security pact with them and announced Russian "peacekeepers" would be sent there.

On Moscow's claims of "peacekeeping", the UN Chief said, "We must also be concerned about preserving the integrity of peacekeeping. The UN has a long and recognised experience deploying peacekeeping operations -- which only take place with the consent of the host country." Russia's Permanent Representative, Vassily Nebenza swiftly criticised Guterres.

"It is to our great regret that the UN Secretary General, today and a few days ago, has made some statements regarding what is going on in the east of Ukraine that are not in line with his status and his mandate," he said.

Nebenza defended his country's action, blaming Ukraine for not respecting the rights of the Russian minority in their country and not dealing with Donetsk and Luhansk as required under international agreements.

None of the 24 other countries that spoke in the morning session of the UN General Assembly supported Russia and most criticised it. (India, which had taken a neutral stand in the UN Security Council on Monday evening, was scheduled to be the 75th speaker and its turn may not come up on Wednesday.) Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba said, "I warn every nation in this distinguished chamber, no one will be able to settle down this crisis if President Putin decides that he can move forward with his aggression against your governments. Your people will face painful consequences together with our government and our people." Asking for decisive international action, he said, "We need your help." US Permanent Representative, Linda Thomas-Greenfield appealed all the countries to join the US and its European allies to impose economic sanctions on Russia.

She said, "What we can do together today is make clear that Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression. That responsible countries do not bully their neighbours into submission. That former empires cannot lay claim to sovereign and independent nations." Tariq Ahmad, Britain's Minister of State for the UN, warned that a Russian invasion "would take a terrible toll on Ukrainians and Russians alike -- both victims of an unnecessary war of the Kremlin's choosing." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Cairo, Feb 24 : Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said Egypt deserves financial support from Europe for its sincere efforts in combating and stopping illegal immigration.

At a press conference on Wednesday following a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, the Hungarian Minister hailed the measures taken by Egypt to curb the illegal immigration to Europe.

"Europe has encountered security challenges coming from Africa... Egypt has been a trusted partner for addressing that crisis and prevented the illegal immigration to Europe," Szijjarto said, adding he expected the EU to support Egypt financially in facing that situation, Xinhua news agency reported.

In regard to bilateral ties, Hungarian Foreign Minister said the economic ties with Egypt "are in best conditions ever," adding that the trade exchange between the two countries has reached $400 million.

For his part, the Egyptian Minister praised Szijjarto's role in promoting Egypt-EU relations in all fields.

"Egypt attaches high importance to continue relations with Hungary on a strong basis of cooperation," Shoukry added.
Mogadishu, Feb 24 : Somali special forces, Danab killed 60-Shabab militants, including their senior leader during operations conducted in several locations in the central part of the country, a military official said.

Hassan Mohamed Osman, Commander of 7th Danab Commandos who led the operation, told Somalia National Army (SNA) Radio that the forces also destroyed al-Shabab hideouts near Goobaalle village in Middle Shabelle region.

"Danab Commandos on Tuesday killed the al-Shabab terrorist leader in charge of insurgents in Hiiraan region and 60 al-Shabab terrorists," Osman said.

The military officials said the operation was carried out in Fidow, Dudubley, Kiliga and Burcadheer in Hiiraan region, xinhua news agency reported.

He said the terrorists' bases, including the so-called court and secret houses where the militants extort money from the locals in BulaArudi, Malable, Siigaale and BusleyDaudi, were also destroyed, including explosive centres.

Al-Shabab militants did not comment on the latest military onslaught on its fighters made by the Somali commandos, but the operation comes as allied forces have vowed to heighten security operations to secure the ongoing elections.
Bandar Seri Begawan, Feb 24 : Brunei celebrated its 38th National Day with a moderate-scaled parade and performances in the capital as the Southeast Asian country is experiencing a series of record-breaking days for Covid-19 infections.

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, together with members of the royal family, attended the celebration at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien and inspected the guard of honour.

Nearly 3,800 participants comprising groups from national security agencies, public and private sectors, civil movements, and frontliners, took part in this year's national day assembly and parade, compared to about 30,000 attendees before the pandemic hit the country in 2020, Xinhua news agency reported.

Facing a fast-rising number of Covid-19 cases, Brunei celebrated this year's national day following the standard operating procedures of the Ministry of Health for the pandemic, including entry only for those aged 12 years and above; full vaccination required for attendees, preferably boosted; body temperature checks; Rapid Antigen Test (ART) screening; wearing face masks at all times and physical distancing.

Brunei reported 3,285 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, another record high, bringing the national tally to 44,334.

As a country of nearly 420,000 population, Brunei saw its daily cases exceeding the 3,000 mark for two straight days on Wednesday, after the daily number exceeded the 2,000 mark last Thursday -- also the latest in a series of record-breaking days for infection in the country.

The newly recorded cases were all local infections, the country's Health Ministry said.

Of the new cases, 2,343 were from Antigen Rapid Test (ART) test results uploaded to the Health Ministry's portal, whereas 942 were from 5,258 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory tests performed in the past 24 hours.

The Ministry said earlier that the country is going through the third wave of Covid-19 and the number of cases is expected to increase beyond the total reported during the second wave, with the Omicron variant replacing the Delta variant as the dominant variant.

As of February 22, 52.9 per cent of Brunei's population have received three doses of the Covid-19 vaccines, while more than 94 per cent of Brunei's population have received one vaccine dose and two doses, respectively.

The Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, China's Sinopharm are administered in Brunei.

Currently, 21,504 active cases are being treated and monitored in Brunei, where 22,718 recoveries from Covid-19 have been reported.
New Delhi/Dimapur, Feb 24 : At a critical stage of Naga peace talks and optimistic of a final pact soon, Naga National Political Group (NNPG) leader, N. Kitovi Zhimomi told a group of youth that the new accord should offer "win-win situation for all" and that "the rule of law" must be upheld.

"We ought to have the rule of law. People have to have rules that apply equally to everyone. One cannot dream of Nagaland as a state where we pursue -- my way or the highway," Kitovi told a group of youth during a virtual video conference.

A video discussion was organised recently by a group of Naga youths in the South Asian region to debate on the theme 'The Conquest and Morality of Nagaism'.

The 64-year-old former rebel leader Zhimomi, a noted Sema Naga and NNPG Convener, was the chief speaker fielding questions from Nagas in Nagaland and also outside, sources said.

"The NNPG. and former Nagaland Governor, R.N.Ravi negotiated on the principle that politics is an art of possibilities, and so the focus was to resolve the Indo-Naga political problems. We should aim for a win-win situation for both sides in the first place," he told the questioners.

Among a few queries, he was also asked, "What makes you hopeful? Who do you see as the main gainers from the Peace process?" Kitovi's response was candid, "I think everyone should gain. That's the whole purpose of the peace process. The Nagas should be happy to live in peace, harmony and development. Let Prime Minister Narendra Modi also be happy that a major conflict has ended during his term. This is a new era for Nagas and the world community, we must show vision and statesmanship. Everyone in the society and in the Naga region and beyond must be a beneficiary of our peace process and the final agreement." From NNPG's side, he said some issues were very emotive and sensitive.

"But to resolve the problems, we have to respect the rule of law and constitutional limitations. We told Governor Ravi initially, we will cooperate with you when it comes to your legal and constitutional positions, but the Government of India should respect the uniqueness of our case and be ready to be flexible." At the end, he told the youth gathering (virtually), "I think things went on in good spirits and we will have a positive outcome." To a question on the Governor's role as the negotiator, Kitovi said, "I agreed to participate in Wednesday's discussions with you all when I came to know about the theme -- the 'Morality of Nagaism'. As Christians, the issue of Nagaism and the morality is very important. Communism and Christianity cannot go together for long. Many Indian officials could not differentiate between the two." "But R.N. Ravi was a real exception. He is close to the Naga values as an individual. He is genuine and honest. Corruption left him disturbed. So, I was not surprised when as the Governor, he spoke against extortion.

This menace of extortion is an extreme form of corruption." Asked how would the Peace pact also cater to the welfare and wishes of thousands of Nagas outside 'Nagaland state', he said, "Of course, emotional Naga integrity is part of our life. I can tell you there is sufficient room for them as well. Our status paper already mentions some of these issues. One will know better what the NNPG is trying to give to our brothers and sisters outside Nagaland state." However, he said as a negotiating player one had to understand the problems and hurdles Indian government or Indian Parliament would face.

"If we want Naga sentiment should be respected, we have to respect their emotion too. The constitutional obligation the Indian parliament has. We cannot create problems. Then you cannot resolve the problem.... That was a big difference in our approach." To another question, he said, "R.N. Ravi had the understanding and right perception about the Naga issue essentially because he tried to understand Nagas by the prism of Naga values. Let me tell you, Ravi was negotiating with us as a representative of the Government of India, but he did not plan to cheat us. I think sincerity was his biggest strength when we took up the negotiations. This made my job easier." The NNPG Chief said, "Ravi was sincere and so even when I had strong argument with him on certain issues, personally I never felt bad about him. Now that he is a Governor of a bigger state like Tamil Nadu, I wish him good luck. I knew R.S. Pandey also and now we are talking to new interlocutor A.K. Mishra." One participant asked Kitovi, "What's the difference between your (NNPG) moral and political vision for Nagas and what existed with other Naga leaders and groups?"

Kitovi tried to answer the question too, saying: "I am happy you linked political vision with morality. The Nagaism as I understand is based on Naga values and so the issue of morality is important. The moral vision we in the NNPG pursued was to help one and all. In the west people talk abut crony capitalism. Any society can suffer from crony capitalism. In Nagaland, we promoted certain bad things like tribalism. Where is Nagaism when you indulge in tribalism?" Another questioner asked, "I am a Naga student now in Bengaluru in Karnataka. What about some personal things, your likes. Who is your favourite writer, what's your favourite food ?" Kitovi responded with a sense of humour. "Food....of course my Sema food. Rice and good meat. Now I cannot take so much of meat. Once a professor from Bengaluru advised me to read books on famous people like Martin Luther King to Mahatma Gandhi. But my favourite book is 'Conquest of Happiness' by Bertrand Russell. You read five books by Russel and in the next six months, you will be a changed person." (Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth' )
Johannesburg, Feb 24 : After Covid-19 exposed some challenges bedeviling the BRICS countries, there is a need to re-examine its strategies and integrate and expand its scope, said South African experts at the webinar "South Africa and the BRICS: Revisiting developmental priorities".

The Witwatersrand University School of Governance lecturer, Lihle Ngcobozi said Covid-19 showed the problems of patents and vaccine nationalism that BRICS should address, Xinhua news agency reported.

"BRICS should lead and be trend or policy setters. They should lead in vaccine democratisation," she added.

She pointed out that BRICS countries have a potential influence on global decisions such as climate change and Covid-19. It should have a blueprint on infrastructure development, economic reforms, fiscal prudence and post-economic recovery while respecting the sovereignty of the countries.

Krish Chetty, the Chief researcher at one of the country's think tanks, the Human Science Research Council, said Covid-19 created new areas of cooperation.

She added that while China quickly managed to adjust to online learning at a large scale, countries like South Africa, India and Brazil faced challenges.

"We should continue with knowledge sharing on BRICS as think-tank and universities. There is a space to work together in renewable energy platforms and new technology. We must promote mass digital skills training for students and lecturers," she said.

Sanusha Naidu, senior researcher at Institute for Global Dialogue, concurred with other experts.

She pointed out that while BRICS made progress in building institutions like Contingent Reserve Arrangement, New Development Bank, there have been calls for the establishment of the digital payment system.

Naidu called on members to address tariff and non-tariff measures which are barriers to trade within BRICS countries.

The webinar was organised by the South African Institute of International Affairs and South African BRICS Think Tank.
Ankara, Feb 24 : The Turkish Justice Ministry demanded the United Arab Emirates (UAE) detain and repatriate a Turkish mafia leader after Interpol issued a red notice for him, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

Sedat Peker, a convicted fugitive, is in the UAE and had been broadcasting videos on YouTube in which he exposed alleged corruption among top Turkish officials, said the Turkish news agency on Wednesday.

He also claimed that public officers were involved in his network's criminal acts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last year, Turkish courts issued two arrest orders against him on charges of extortion and organised crime.

The Turkish government officially demanded his extradition in June last year, but the UAE did not respond to the request. However, Peker has since stopped publishing videos on YouTube as the UAE officials took him for questioning.

Interpol issued a red notice on February 1, 2022, to search for Peker internationally in 194 countries.

The move of the Turkish Justice Ministry came amid reconciliation efforts between Ankara and Abu Dhabi after years of tension.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid an official visit to Turkey's capital Ankara in November 2021, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Gulf country on February 14, aiming to restore their bilateral relations that were long strained by regional disputes.

In 2013, Turkey and the UAE took rival sides after the latter lent support to the overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi who was backed by Turkey.

Relations between Turkey and the Gulf country had derailed over their conflict of interests in Libya, the Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Jerusalem, Feb 24 : Israeli President Isaac Herzog has confirmed his planned trip to Turkey, saying it is part of his new plan to form regional cooperation to fight the climate crisis.

"Over March I am going to visit our neighbours along the Mediterranean littoral -- Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey -- and meet their leaders," Herzog told a climate change conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

He said he is also keeping "close and warm contact" with the leadership of Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the Palestinian authority and that he intends to "get them all on board for a regional partnership confronting the climate crisis".

Herzog cited a series of scientific studies conducted by Israel and the UN that predict an average rise of 4 degrees Celsius in temperatures in the Middle East, 10-20 per cent less precipitation on average, and an intensification of floods, torrential rains, heatwaves and rising sea levels, if no effective action is taken, Xinhua news agency reported.

"For anyone who does not understand what this means, let me explain: this spells a genuine catastrophe," the President said.

"A catastrophe for everyone, for anyone living near the sea, for inhabitants of areas that will turn into deserts, for victims of lethal floods and heatwaves. It means fears of millions of refugees uprooted from their homes in Africa and the Middle East; it means a potential crisis in Gaza; it means disasters in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey. It means grave consequences for all of us, for everyone who is blessed to call this beautiful region 'home,'" Herzog added.

"This is a fully-fledged existential threat," he concluded.

His role as a President is largely ceremonial but since taking office in 2021, he has been employing diplomacy to improve Israel's relations with Turkey. Ties between the two countries have been deeply strained since Israel's deadly assault on a Turkish-led aid flotilla toward Israel-blockaded Gaza in 2010.

During his planned trip in March, Herzog will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two Presidents already spoke over the phone several times in 2021.
Lindstrom industrial wipers for printing

Printing is one of the most significant industries within the UK. Approximately there are 340,000 employees across 15,000 businesses, making the industry one of the largest employers in the country. The printing industry relies heavily on the accuracy, quality, productivity, and time. If anything within the printing process goes wrong, it can cause significant delays and potential damage to a business reputation. With such high demands and time pressures, it is easy for companies to overlook health and safety hazards. However, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report over 560 accidents occur every year within the printing industry for a range of reasons. They reported the most common types of accidents within the industry were manual handling (27%), slips and trips (22%), and machinery (22%).

Moreover, due to the use of a wide range of harmful chemicals, health and safety processes are crucial within the printing industry. The use of pigments, resins, cleaning solvents, and additives could all cause ill health if not handled correctly. Employees could potentially breathe in the vapours and mists or absorb the chemicals through their skin. All of which can cause various health issues such as skin problems such as dermatitis, skin burns, asthma, and potential damage to internal organs. As part of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), all businesses are required to adequately control exposure to materials in the workplace that cause ill health. Therefore, promoting a safe work environment as well as complying with the rules and regulations of COSHH.

Lindstrom UK has launched new industrial wipers specifically for the printing industry. These can help a business reduce the risks that harmful chemicals can cause to employee health. When employees are cleaning the printing plates, machinery, toners, and chemicals they need high-quality, protective printer cleaning rags.

Industrial printer cloths and wipers have superb absorbency and low linting characteristics. Ensuring confidence for workers that they will leave a clean and dry surface, whilst maintaining safety. Made of 100% cotton with varying sizes and weights, reusable industrial wipers are more COSHH reliable than other cleaning methods. Furthermore, one industrial cleaning wipe can clean the equivalent of 5-6 disposable towels and can withstand abrasion. They can be washed and reused numerous times, making them an excellent choice for environmentally conscious businesses. They efficiently absorb solvents, powders, chemicals, and other liquids, cutting back on final clean-up.

Printer industrial wipers can benefit an employee and business in various ways:



High Absorbency - made from 100% cotton. Reduce the risk of exposure to harmful chemicals

Save Time - prevent re-runs of jobs caused by dust or lint. Saving both time and money

Hazardous Waste - eliminate a potentially hazardous waste stream following the regulations

Save Money - 1 wiper can clean the equivalent of 5-6 disposable towels and can withstand abrasion

53% Savings - save up to 53% on the cost of disposable towels and waste

Environmental - reusable industrial wipers generate less waste, making them more environmentally friendly

About Lindstrom UK Lindstrom UK is one of Europes leading textile service companies, with more than 170 years of experience within the industry. Offering a wide range of textile rental services including workwear, industrial wipers, and mats. We supply a wide range of sectors including restaurants, hotels, clean rooms, and washrooms. Contact us today to discuss your workplace needs and requirements we will be happy to help and advice.
The national contracting process is extremely complex, says Mike Wheelock, president of Grayback Forestry and NWSA board member. The support and recognition from our senators is meaningful to the work we do and our team members who do it.

After a rigorous review process, the U.S. Forest Service recently awarded several National Wildfire Suppression Association (NWSA) members contracts for National Type 2 IA Crews.

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkleys recognition of the important role of Professional Private Wildland Fire services and their support of these contract awards help ensure NWSA members can assist agency partners in wildfire suppression efforts.

NWSA members make up nearly 50 percent of all resources available for wildfire suppression across the US. That includes a workforce of over 10,000 firefighters as well as over 6,000 pieces of equipment available during fire season nationwide. These boots on the ground protect our forests and provide fuels mitigation and fire restoration work.

The national contracting process is extremely complex, says Mike Wheelock, president of Grayback Forestry and NWSA board member. The support and recognition from our senators is meaningful to the work we do and our team members who do it.

NWSA member companies awarded National Type 2 IA Crew contracts:


With the resources of a worldwide corporation that employs over 80,000 people in diverse industries, it is likely we have expertise in most any area that is proving to be a challenge, or an opportunity, for a service provider.

Amphenol will be exhibiting at MWC in Barcelona, Spain, and bring together the creative forces of multiple business units to demonstrate innovative networking solutions for wireless service providers. A visit to our booth will allow attendees to learn how product bundling can help providers move to all forms of hybrid networks.

The Benefits of Amphenol

Amphenol corporation consists of more than 100 companies  many of which contribute unique products for wireless network infrastructure. Doing business with any Amphenol company gives you access to a broad range of quality products, as well as a group of companies committed to work together to solve the customers need  this is the benefit of Amphenol.

Mette Brink, CEO of Amphenol Antenna Solutions, explains, With the resources of a worldwide corporation that employs over 80,000 people in diverse industries, it is likely we have expertise in most any area that is proving to be a challenge, or an opportunity, for a service provider.

Four reasons to visit the Amphenol stand



See how Amphenol can provide an integrated network solution which includes base station antenna, fiber, concealment terminal and the advanced connectors and cables to tie them all together

Explore Amphenol Antenna Solutions Integra concept: The worlds first upgradable antenna, allowing MNOs to reduce carbon emission by up to 50%

Hear the story about how Amphenol Antenna Solutions is now working with Open RAN partners to develop active mMIMO 5G antennas

See how FTTx, connectors and other peripherals complete your cutting-edge service offering

We look forward to seeing our customers, partners and anyone else who is interested in the unparalleled depth and breadth of Amphenol. Beyond Amphenol Antenna Solutions, you will experience products and representatives from Amphenol Broadband Solutions, Amphenol Charles Industries and Amphenol Fiber Optics Products.

We welcome you to visit and discover our complete range of wireless and networking solutions at Hall 7, Stand 7B51.

About Amphenol Broadband Solutions

Amphenol Broadband Solutions (ABS) provides innovative technologies to the world's Broadband Service Providers. Providing optical equipment, coaxial cable, wireless gear, premises hardware and more, Amphenol is uniquely positioned to provide network solutions from head-end to premises across the entire spectrum of broadband network topologies; wireless, copper, fiber and satellite. ABS  providing everything you need to complete your world-class broadband network. http://www.amphenolbroadband.com
"This partnership could play a critical role in advancing the science of attention measurement and provide a better understanding of how media and creative work together to influence consumer behavior.  Paolo Provinciali, VP of Media and Data, US, Anheuser-Busch InBev

Realeyes, a pioneer in computer vision and attention AI, and Adelaide, a leader in the field of evidence-based media quality measurement, have announced a partnership to align their best-in-class attention measurement solutions, empowering advertisers to unlock the value of attention insights across both creative and media.

Realeyes PreView solution helps marketers measure and predict how video creatives capture and retain attention, and then encode the brain. This enables advertisers, publishers, and technology platforms to deliver the right creative to the right audiences.

Adelaides AU is the choice of the largest brands in the world to measure omnichannel media quality. AU evaluates thousands of quality signals to predict the likelihood of attention to creative, allowing marketers to make better media investment decisions and drive better results.

As part of this partnership, Realeyes and Adelaide will equip advertisers with unified insights into how creative and media work in tandem to capture attention.

This partnership extends past measurement and will help advertisers to intelligently target the media placements where their creative will work best, maximizing campaign impact and increasing efficiency.

In the future, a streamlined version of Realeyes creative metrics will be available in Adelaides dashboard. This will provide a holistic view of a creatives and medias combined ability to capture and hold attention and drive outcomes.

"Consumer attention is the scarcest resource in the advertising industry, and every marketer should focus on how to best capture and retain it, said Paolo Provinciali, VP of Media and Data, US, Anheuser-Busch InBev. "This partnership could play a critical role in advancing the science of attention measurement and provide a better understanding of how media and creative work together to influence consumer behavior.

"Havas Media believes that meaningful attention measurement stems from the intersection of strong creative and smart media investments. Said Mike Bregman, Chief Data Officer, Havas Media North America. In todays noisy and distracting marketplace, having solutions that can account for the efficacy of both is crucial in delivering compelling results for our clients."

"We are excited to work with Realeyes, as this partnership reflects our shared commitment to the fundamental belief that new metrics must be grounded in outcomes, said Marc Guldimann, CEO, Adelaide. Our combined data will enable advertisers to develop next-generation media strategies that consider two key drivers of campaign success: media and creative, resulting in increased attention and better outcomes."

"Were excited to partner with Adelaide to advance the advertising industrys adoption of attention, said Mihkel Jaatma, co-founder and CEO, Realeyes. As the advertising industry shifts from tonnage to quality, bringing together creative and media attention metrics will result in smarter decisioning, higher ROI and better customer experiences."

About Adelaide

Adelaide is a leader in the rapidly growing field of evidence-based media quality measurement. Adelaides metric, AU, helps advertisers make better media investment decisions. AU is an omnichannel metric that evaluates thousands of signals to predict attention and drive more efficient outcomes. Since 2019, Adelaide has enabled the worlds top brands to understand media quality across their entire media spend and uncover valuable optimization opportunities to reduce waste and drive better results. Named after the global epicenter of evidence-based marketing in southern Australia, Adelaide is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit http://www.adelaidemetrics.com.

About Realeyes

Realeyes is a leading attention data platform. Using front-facing cameras and the latest in computer vision and machine learning, Realeyes measures attention of opt-in participants as they watch video content online. This empowers brands, publishers and technology platforms to predict response and optimize their content, as well as target the right content to the right audiences. Founded in 2007, Realeyes has offices in New York, London, Tokyo and Budapest. Partners include brands such as Mars Inc, Church & Dwight, Hersheys and Expedia, agencies Ipsos, Dentsu and Publicis, and platforms such as Google, TikTok, WarnerMedia and Teads. Visit realeyesit.com.
"Blue collar job prospects are more numerous and lucrative than at any time in recent history. Take blue collar workers word for itnow is the time to pursue one of these careers. - Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller

Two years after many U.S. businesses temporarily shut down to try to contain the first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americas blue collar workforce feels they are more respected and appreciated, and even more in demand than before the pandemic.

This is according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment International. The results are explored in full detail through the companion white paper Industries of Opportunity in Blue Collar America: Rising Wages, Abundant Jobs, and Renewed Respect  which builds on a similar survey of blue collar workers in 2018.

The COVID-19 pandemic put the spotlight on blue collar workersthe men and women who produced essential products, continued delivery and distribution of items, maintained vital infrastructure and more. Two thirds (67%) of these blue collar workers believe this historic time period changed how people view blue collar jobs, and 75% of white collar workers agree with this sentiment.

But what do blue collar workers themselves think about it all? Do they feel confident about their future, anxious about their safety, or uncertain about future technologies?

The findings are clear:



Blue collar workers remain optimistic about the future.

They feel more respected and appreciated than in the past.

They are proud of the work they do, and the majority like the work they do.

They encourage others to pursue similar careers.

While they have concerns, the vast majority are not worried about losing their jobs or being replaced by automation.

Meaningful Work

The vast majority of blue collar workers (91%) say they feel proud of the work they do. When asked how they feel about their jobs, 84% used positive descriptors such as knowledgeable (53%), confident (46%) and valued (44%).

Overall, 62% like their jobs, citing a variety of reasons:



53% say they like their jobs because they make a good living wage.

37% say they like their jobs because they are being challenged.

33% say they like their jobs because they are able to help others/have a sense of purpose.

Nearly three-fourths of blue collar workers in the U.S. (74%) say there is a good career path in their line of work.

Fresh Concerns

Even with this general positivity, blue collar workers have concerns:



28% cite personal safety or danger of the job.

20% mention long hours.

20% lament high performance demands.

Just 13% say there are no advancement opportunities.

The pandemic may have made blue collar workers feel more appreciated, but it has also added new stresses and pressures to their jobsespecially as they feel the effects of a strained labor force.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of blue collar workers say their work-life balance has been impacted by the current labor shortage. More blue collar workers than white collar workers (60%) say this. Nearly two in five (37%) blue collar workers have had a heavier workload due to staff shortages.

The Future of Blue Collar Work

Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, blue collar industries are desperate for workers, and luckily, nearly three-quarters of blue collar workers (74%) believe there is a good career path in their line of work. However, 67% wish they had more exposure to the world of work when they were in school.

More than 2 in 5 (42%) believe there will be more jobs available in their field in the next 10 years, up from 2018 (35%). Just 26% believe there will be fewer jobs available.

One of the most commonly heard views about blue collar careers is that automation will displace these workers. But among blue collar workers, it hardly seems to be a concern as just 8% are concerned about being replaced by automation. Only 7% worry about losing their jobs in the near future, down from 13% in 2018.

Blue collar workers have always been the backbone of the American economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic provided a stark reminder for anyone who had forgotten that, Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. These heroic individuals keep our country running with leadership that has earned them renewed respect in the eyes of Americans. And as the economy recovers, blue collar job prospects are more numerous and lucrative than at any time in recent history. Take blue collar workers word for itnow is the time to pursue one of these careers.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Sept. 28 and Oct. 13, 2021, among 2,002 U.S. adults ages 18+ who are employed full-time, part-time or self-employed. Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, education, race/ethnicity, region, household income, household size and marital status to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. This sample of employees includes 209 blue collar workers (defined as employees who perform manual labor and work in agriculture, automotive services, construction, maintenance, manufacturing, transportation, or utilities).

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If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.
The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB), the premier organization advocating strategic board leadership in higher education, today announced a new grant awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop resources for governing board oversight of equitable student success.

The projects initial phase will focus on building a curriculum focused on equity and student success for governing boards with an emphasis on overseeing measurable outcomes. Through the AGB curriculum, boards can develop the capacity to oversee student success through an equity lens to sharpen their governance policies and elevate the impact of campus-wide programs. The curriculum will highlight data on student success trends and gaps based on demographic characteristics; prioritize this work for institutional transformation, sustainability, and fiduciary duty; and identify strategies and practical resources for boards and chief executives to lead their institutions toward improved outcomes for all students.

The second phase will focus on helping boards assess the impact of AGBs curriculum and refine it via additional tools, methods, and leading practices for boards to oversee institutional transformation for equitable student success.

We are excited to work with the Gates Foundation to develop and provide board members with resources to help them oversee and advance student success, said Henry Stoever, AGB president and CEO. A vital aspect of thinking strategically is to focus on what matters most to long-term sustainability. AGBs Principles of Trusteeship place these responsibilities on trustees as part of leading by example in championing justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. This grant will allow us to create an informative and practical curriculum with actionable recommendations and resources for boards.

In addition to this latest effort, last year the Ascendium Education Group awarded AGB and the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education a grant to develop and launch the Governing Board Equity in Student Success Project, which established an academy for professional development and learning experiences for board members, chief executives, and leadership team members in a single state, Kentucky, as a demonstration project. The project also includes an intensive retention performance management component for leadership teams, using data and proven strategies to promote student success.

Additionally, with the support of AT&T, AGB recently established the Council for Student Success, which regularly convenes a unique cross-functional advisory group of college and university board members, chief executives, select administrators, and faculty from a range of institutional types. The council examines strategic priorities across higher education, shares best practices, and leverages the experiences, perspectives, and insights of its members for the development of AGB insights, convenings, and services designed to strengthen the governing boards role in advancing student success.

The project funded by the Gates Foundation will continue into the fall of 2022. Find out more information about the project at http://www.AGB.org/StudentSuccess.

About AGB

The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) is the premier membership organization that strengthens higher education governing boards and the strategic roles they serve within their organizations. Through our vast library of resources, educational events, and consulting services, and with 100 years of experience, we empower 40,000 AGB members from more than 2,000 institutions and foundations to navigate complex issues, implement leading practices, streamline operations, and govern with confidence. AGB is the trusted resource for board members, chief executives, and key administrators on higher education governance and leadership.
PHENOM is the next level of sustainable cultivation for high density controlled environment agriculture. said Jordan Miles, CEO, Agnetix

Interest has grown amongst those in the vertical farming industry for Agnetixs new PHENOM platform. Since the announcement in November about the trailblazing liquid-cooled vertical grow lighting system, many have been eager to see the impressive eight-foot luminaire in person. Next week  February 28 and March 1  at Indoor Ag-Con in Las Vegas, NV, people will get a chance to see and feel the tremendous piece of technology for themselves.

Dr. Ihor Lys, co-founder and CTO of Agnetix, will be there to personally demonstrate the platform and explain what it can do in terms of improving efficiencies within vertical grow situations. Dr. Lys is a renowned pioneer in LED lighting technologies, having published more than 200 patents and his groundbreaking work in advancing LED technology has shaped and propelled the industry over the last two decades.

Indoor Ag-Con, held at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas, is the premier indoor agriculture trade show and conference for indoor, vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA). They will be co-locating with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show this year. Indoor Ag-Con provides a venue for those working with crops from leafy greens and mushrooms, to alternate proteins, to legal cannabis and other medicinal crops to meet and exchange ideas.

The PHENOM platform includes integrated plant health sensors, canopy imaging technologies, the patented Agnetix liquid cooled hydronics system, and a computer-vision platform allowing the user to interface remotely. The industry benchmark efficiency of the Agnetix system can now deliver close-proximity 100% PAR light (photosynthetically active radiation) to multi-level grows with luminaire wattage of 375 and an astonishing PPE (photosynthetic photon efficacy) of up to 3.61mol/J and precision dimming 100-1%.

Vertical farms can now increase density, height and energy efficiency by counteracting the environmental impacts caused by micro-climates and fixture waste heat pervasive in commercial grows featuring passively cooled lights. PHENOM is the next level of sustainable cultivation for high density controlled environment agriculture. Its the ultimate high efficiency data driven solution for serious commercial growers and a game changing competitive advantage for our customers, said Jordan Miles, CEO, Agnetix.

CEA cultivators and stakeholders may see a demonstration of the Agnetix PHENOM at booth #3013 in the Caesars Academy Ballroom at Caesars Forum.

For additional information, visit http://www.agnetix.com or contact info@agnetix.com.

About Agnetix: Agnetix is an SEC-registered technology company on a steep growth trajectory focused on the development of advanced smart horticultural lighting and information technology solutions for commercial indoor and greenhouse growers  both in fresh produce and cannabis markets. The Agnetix Responsive Agriculture platform delivers meaningful plant and energy data insights for quick, informed decisions to mitigate risks. The Agnetix system includes highly efficient, water-cooled LED lighting, environmental sensors, AI (Artificial Intelligence) imagers, data, and real-time monitoring solutions. Agnetix helps serious controlled environment agriculture (CEA) growers to significantly improve their crop yield, reduce their operating cost, reduce their carbon footprint, and run a more profitable business. http://www.Agnetix.com
Beable Life-Ready Literacy "I am proud to provide such an integral resource to our developing young leaders," stated award-winning artist Howard Schoor.

Beable Education and The Schoor Family Foundation today announced a partnership designed to accelerate literacy recovery and career readiness for all middle, high school, and career transition students in Collier Youth Services located in Wickatunk, NJ. "We are honored to partner with Howard Schoor and the Schoor Family Foundation in providing the Beable Life-Ready Literacy platform to Collier Youth students," said Saki Dodelson, Founder and CEO of Beable. "At Beable, we are passionate about creating solutions to our nation's educational inequity. With Covid, we are facing an ever-widening chasm, and through this incredible partnership, together we are closing the gap for Collier Youth students."

Thanks to the support of The Schoor Family Foundation, all students in Collier Youth Services were provided access to the award-winning Beable Life-Ready Literacy platform at the start of the 2021-2022 school year and are continuing to utilize the platform with great success. The Beable platform, which combines literacy recovery with social-emotional learning and personalized career exploration, has been proven to drive 5x literacy growth over expected gains and across student populations.

An additional grant made by The Schoor Family Foundation will provide all high school students at Collier Youth Services with the opportunity to participate in Beable TestAhead, a powerful component of the Beable Life-ready Literacy System which advances equity by providing all students with the highest quality, personalized ACT and SAT test-prep solution.

Since 1927, Collier Youth Services has been a mainstay of New Jersey, addressing the therapeutic and social issues of students through educational, residential, and recreational programs of the highest quality. Sister Debbie Drago, Executive Director of Collier Youth Services, stated, Howard and Fran Schoor have been supporters and friends of Collier Youth Services for over 30 years they share in our mission to provide at-risk youth a chance to grow towards their potential in an environment that promotes belonging, dignity, and hope. We at Collier Youth Services are grateful for the generous support of the Schoor Family Foundation, and look forward to seeing significant gains from the cutting-edge support they have provided through the Beable platform. In fact, we have already received a tremendous teacher and student response.

"I am proud to provide such an integral resource to our developing young leaders, stated award-winning artist Howard Schoor, "I respect Beable's achievements and know that together, we are transforming our culture, creating a space where literacy can be celebrated. I am thrilled to provide this technology to support students in developing leadership skills and preparing them for gainful employment."

Howard Schoor added, I am certain that Beable will continue to be an impactful addition to the Collier Youth Services toolbox, ensuring that our students will be empowered to support future growth in the community."

About Beable

Beable is a women-owned public-benefit corporation launched by ed-tech visionary Saki Dodelson and the co-founders of Achieve3000. With Beable, Dodelson and her team are pursuing an ambitious and essential mission: to exponentially accelerate literacy and learning for all students, while creating personalized pathways to lifelong success. Beable delivers on its charter by providing K-12's first Life-Ready Literacy System, a revolutionary, multi-dimensional system that enables all students to achieve unprecedented 5X literacy gains by integrating literacy acceleration with content mastery, SEL and career development. Powered by the proprietary BeableIQ engine, which combines automation, artificial intelligence and flexibility across physical and virtual learning environments, Beable is a system created especially for the educational challenges of 2021 and beyond. The Beable Life-Ready Literacy System won a 2021 CODiE Award for the Best Advanced Reading/Writing/Literature Instructional Solution. Beable also provides TestAhead, the ultra-personalized online ACT/SAT prep solution that leverages students' unique strengths to build test-taking skills and cognitive flexibility  while assuring test-prep equity, exposure and access. Learn more at https://www.beable.com.

About Howard Schoor and The Schoor Family Foundation

Howard Schoor is one of the unsung heroes of non-profit organizations. He has spent a lifetime doing his bidding as a philanthropist and humanitarian, changing countless lives with his charitable endeavors. Through his efforts, he has donated and raised millions of dollars for the charities he holds closest to his heart. These charities include Collier Youth Services, the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, the Heritage Affiliate of the American Heart Association, Centra State Healthcare, and many other worthy groups.

For more than three decades, Howard Schoor has been devoted to Collier Youth Services and the Collier Youth Services Foundation, which he created in 1989. The importance of Collier Youth Services is unmistakable because it provides both at-risk and challenged children an opportunity to reach their potential in a caring, suitable environment that caters specifically to their special needs. In addition to previously serving as President of the Foundation Board for over 20 years, Howard Schoor has been instrumental in facilitating the growth and achievements of Collier Youth Services through his philanthropic work.

To an organization like Collier Youth Services (https://www.collieryouthservices.org/), Howard Schoor is one of the most famous philanthropists  so much so that the Howard M. Schoor Humanitarian Fund was created. The Howard M. Schoor Humanitarian Fund benefits the children and families of Collier Youth Services who have additional needs that aren't taken care of by other resources. It is yet another avenue through which Howard Schoor continues to give back to those most important to him. Learn more at https://howardschoorart.com/charity/.
C2A Security, a leading provider of trusted mobility cybersecurity solutions, announced today that Roy Fridman was named Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Fridman will succeed Michael Dick, who founded C2A Security and led the company to be recognized as the leading automotive cybersecurity solution on the market today, giving tier 1s and OEMs full visibility and control over the cybersecurity process. Dick will continue to serve C2A Security as President and member of the Board of Directors, and will be working directly with Fridman on a daily basis.

I am delighted to welcome Roy Fridman to C2A Security, says Dick. His leadership will only serve to elevate C2A Securitys portfolio, strengthen our product offering and help customers develop truly secure connected vehicles. The demand for automotive cybersecurity products reflects a real market need for these solutions; I believe Roy is the right person at the right time to take C2A Security forward into our next phase.

Fridman is a seasoned leader and innovator with many years of experience in multidisciplinary product development, marketing, sales and business development. He has been active in many industries including mobile, telecommunication, video and automotive. Fridman most recently led business development at Foretellix, a leading automotive software company that provides tools and methodologies for safe and productive deployment of ADAS and autonomous vehicles. Fridman also served as Director of Business Development and Product Marketing at Corephotonics (which was sold to Samsung), and was in charge of automotive activities, as well as go to market and key strategic partnerships with OEMs, Tier 1s and ecosystem partners.

As the autonomous vehicle industry comes to fruition and cars become more connected than ever before, I am excited to join a team that is bringing automotive and mobility infrastructure cybersecurity solutions to the market, providing the backbone of security to automotive technology and ultimately propelling the industry towards the era of the software defined vehicle and electrification, says Fridman.

C2A Security's AutoSec empowers the automotive industry with a full spectrum of cybersecurity solutions for the vehicle and its peripherals, providing them with visibility, analysis, control and protection. As the industry adapts to the requirements of ISO/SAE 21434 standard and UNECE WP.29 regulation, AutoSec facilitates and simplifies compliance of in-vehicle cybersecurity. The solution quickly identifies and mitigates cyber-attacks, and provides full control to tier-1s and OEMs to embed security solutions that are customized for individual components. With AutoSec, cyber-attacks are prevented in real-time, providing safety and security to the driver and passenger.

About C2A Security

C2A Security is a trusted end-to-end automotive and mobility infrastructure cybersecurity solutions provider. Its suite of development and embedded cybersecurity solutions takes a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity to provide automotive-relevant protection and safety compatibility. C2A's AutoSec is a comprehensive cybersecurity lifecycle management platform that empowers OEMs and Tier 1s with the visibility required to meet all the cybersecurity needs of connected vehicles across the entire vehicle lifecycle including the vehicles essential peripheral required for connectivity and electrification. With market neutrality, complete fluency in the needs of the automotive industry and ease of integration, C2A is redefining the automotive cybersecurity ecosystem. C2A is the sole provider of the most flexible, comprehensive and transparent cybersecurity solutions on the market. C2A was founded in 2016 by CEO Michael Dick, Co-Founder of NDS, which was acquired by Cisco for $5B. For more information, visit https://www.c2a-sec.com.
Beating Retreat The Christie D20WU-HS laser projector is our preferred choice to light up the Secretariat Building due to its high brightness, color performance and reliability. Pratik Wadhwa, chief executive officer, Modern Stage Services.

Christie laser projectors deployed for a spectacular projection mapping showcase on the iconic Secretariat Building in Indias capital have elevated the scale and solemnity of the annual Beating Retreat ceremony to new heights.

The captivating visuals, specially designed to commemorate 75 years of Indias independence, perfectly complemented the grand ceremony at Vijay Chowk, which included military bands, pipes and drum bands, buglers and trumpeters from Indias armed forces. Held annually on January 29, the Beating Retreat ceremony is a centuries-old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset. In India, the elaborate military ceremony is conducted to mark the formal conclusion of Republic Day celebrations.

Over 40 Christie D20WU-HS laser projectors were deployed for the six-minute projection mapping performance on the parapet walls of the Secretariat Buildings symmetrical North and South Blocks, which feature Indo-Saracenic revival architecture and house key government offices. They were installed and commissioned by Christies longstanding partner, Modern Stage Services, a renowned systems integrator with numerous high-profile, large-scale projects across India under its belt. This is the first time that a massive projection mapping performance has been staged during the Beating Retreat Ceremony.

We are thrilled to be given the honor of delivering the first-ever projection mapping show during the annual Beating Retreat Ceremony, which is a major highlight of Republic Day celebrations, said Pratik Wadhwa, chief executive officer, Modern Stage Services. The Christie D20WU-HS laser projector is our preferred choice to light up the Secretariat Building due to its high brightness, color performance and reliability. The projectors compact, lightweight and omnidirectional capabilities also provide us with a lot of installation flexibility and reduce the complexities to accomplish this major outdoor spectacle.

Rishubh Nayar, sales director for India, Enterprise, Christie, commented, We are delighted that the Christie HS Series has been chosen to illuminate the majestic Secretariat Building for this large-scale projection mapping show, which is a stunning combination of military tradition and state-of-the-art projection technology. My heartfelt congratulations to Pratik and the Modern Stage Services team for delivering a colorful, breathtaking spectacle that brings this years Republic Day celebrations to a close on a high note.

Ranging in brightness levels from 7,000-20,000 lumens and resolutions including WUXGA, HD and 4K UHD, the Christie HS Series offers a powerful, reliable and cost-effective option for almost any high-use application. Setting benchmarks in brightness, color accuracy, power requirements, and form factor, the HS Series pushes the envelope of whats possible with 1DLP technology.

Colors look natural and true-to-life thanks to Christie BoldColor Technology while the onboard Christie Twist warping and blending engine and optional Christie Mystique automated camera-based alignment tools make setup, alignment, recalibration and maintenance of multi-projector systems quick and easy. With their compact and lightweight form factor and omnidirectional capabilities, HS Series projectors are perfect for challenging, space-limited installations.

About Christie

Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual and audio technologies company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ushio Inc., Japan. Christie revolutionized the movie industry with the launch of digital cinema projection, and since 1929 has embraced innovation and broken many technology barriers. Our technology, paired with the support of professional services to design, deploy and maintain installations, inspires exceptional experiences. Christie solutions are used around the world, from the largest mega-events to the smallest boardrooms, and include advanced RGB pure laser projection, SDVoE technology, content management, image processing, LED displays, and Christie CounterAct far-UVC disinfection solution with patented Care222 technology. Visit http://www.christiedigital.com.
Going to the dentist should be exciting and rewarding. Its all about giving kids a positive experience.

There are a lot of exciting changes happening at Childrens Dental Columbia. First, this pediatric dentistry practice has moved its office to a new, convenient and modern location at 6000 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401. Here, patients and parents will find a fun atmosphere geared toward providing excellent services to the pediatric population.

Next, the practice has also launched a new website to provide a helpful resource to parents: https://www.childrensdentalcolumbia.com. The user-friendly platform enables parents to request appointments and get much-needed answers right away. The website includes a useful toothbrush timer, information about the unique dental needs of children, access to personal dental records, and more.

The practice is also excited to announce the addition of their new associate, Dr. Gina Hanafi, DMD. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Dr. Hanafi received her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Georgia and graduated from the Dental College of Georgia in 2014. After completing her General Practice Residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, she practiced as a general dentist in Tennessee for three years. Knowing she has a heart for pediatric patients, she returned to the Dental College of Georgia to complete a residency in Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Hanafi is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and is a member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Thrilled to be a part of the community in Columbia, Dr. Hanafi welcomes the opportunity to help build healthy dental habits that young patients will carry with them throughout life. She says, "Going to the dentist should be exciting and rewarding. Its all about giving kids a positive experience."

Beyond these announcements, a few things set Childrens Dental Columbia apart from other dental practices. Parents with special needs patients will appreciate that the dental team is trained and experienced in handling children of all ages in this population. Childrens Dental Columbia is skilled at understanding the needs of the individual child and creating personalized, effective treatment plans.

A childs early dental appointments set the tone for their future oral health, which is why Childrens Dental Columbia allows parents to accompany their children to appointments - and not just in the waiting room. This dental team understands that a parent's comfort is just as important as a childs during a pediatric dental visit so they do not keep the two separate. This approach has proven to work well for both the family and the dental team.

Furthermore, when it comes to creating a positive experience, the practice also offers in-house oral and IV sedation, which is beneficial to many pediatric patients who require complex or in-depth dental procedures.

Everyone at Childrens Dental Columbia looks forward to treating the young patients in the community - and COVID-19 policies are in place to ensure the safety of all.

About Childrens Dental Columbia

Childrens Dental Columbia provides pediatric dentistry services to residents in and around the Columbia, TN area. The office specializes in dentistry for infants, children, teenagers, and those with special needs.

The dental team offers a comprehensive list of services, including:



Preventative and diagnostic dentistry

Restorative dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry

Early orthodontic treatment

Sedation dentistry

Emergency dentistry

To learn more about Childrens Dental Columbia, check out their website at https://www.childrensdentalcolumbia.com, call their office at (931) 381-9721, or visit their office located at 6000 Trotwood Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401.
Monica Hartinger, Founder of Cultivate Real Estate At Cultivate Real Estate, we pride ourselves in offering customized real estate solutions that we curate for our clients

Monica Hartinger today announced Cultivate Real Estate and its partnership with Side, the only real estate technology company that exclusively partners with high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to transform them into market-leading boutique brands. The alliance will ensure that Cultivate Real Estate, with its caring and experienced real estate professionals who put clients first, is powered by the industrys most advanced platform.

Since entering the real estate industry in 1992, Cultivate Real Estate founder and broker associate Hartinger has garnered a reputation for her passion for service, industry expertise, and thorough knowledge of the market. With this same commitment to integrity, compassion, and respect, she leads the Cultivate Real Estate team.

When working with Cultivate Real Estate, clients can expect a calm, orderly transaction, one in which every need is taken care of by Hartinger, her team, or the firms vast network of elite professionals. All clients receive concierge services tailored to meet their needs, fierce negotiation tactics that center their best interests, and steady support long after the sale has been completed. Headquartered in Benicia, California, Cultivate serves clients throughout California, and Hartinger has plans to expand the brand to Nevada and Texas.

Partnering with Side will ensure Cultivate Real Estate remains on the cutting edge of the evolving real estate market while continuing to deliver premium services to its clients. Side works behind the scenes, supporting Cultivate Real Estate with a one-of-a-kind brokerage platform that includes proprietary technology, transaction management, branding and marketing services, public relations, legal support, lead generation, vendor management, infrastructure solutions, and more. Additionally, Cultivate Real Estate will join an exclusive group of Side partners, tapping into an expansive network from coast to coast.

At Cultivate Real Estate, we pride ourselves in offering customized real estate solutions that we curate for our clients, said Hartinger. Partnering with Side grants us access to state-of-the-art technology, administrative, marketing, and legal services to bolster our proven systems, enabling us to spend more time building meaningful relationships with our clients as we help them achieve their real estate goals.

Side is led by experienced industry professionals and world-class engineers who develop technology designed to improve agent productivity and enhance the client experience. Based on its belief that homeownership is a fundamental human right, Side is on a mission to improve the public good by providing top-performing real estate agents, teams, and indie brokerages with the best system, support, service, experience, and results.

About Cultivate Real Estate

Growing lasting relationships with clients is at the heart of Cultivate Real Estate. The team of professionals pairs local expertise with a passion for getting to know its clients personally. Buyers and sellers are provided with the guidance, tools, and technology they need to navigate the highly competitive market successfully. From start to finish and everything in between, the experience is curated for you, cultivated by us. For more information, visit https://www.homesbycultivate.com.

About Side

Side exclusively partners with the best agents in the industry, empowering them with proprietary technology and a powerful back-office support team. For more information, visit http://www.sideinc.com.
Dan French, a Los Angeles county certified diver, a pilot, a cliff diver,1972 10 Man World Skydiving Champion, held 40 Skydiving World Records, in 1962 Awarded The American National Red Cross Certificate of Merit signed by President John F Kennedy. Member of the 101st Airborne Hawk Recon Platoon Vietnam 1965-66, awarded 3 Purple Hearts has completed his new book Rattlesnake: a brilliant read that shows the life of a warrior who fights in the shadows of war. It is about real soldiers who hold the willingness to protect fellowmen and freedom itself, even if that cost them their own life.

French shares, Sgt. R. S. Daggs is a soldier committed to only three things, his daughter, his country, and his fellow team members. As a member of an elite military unit, his missions are highly classified and very dangerous. While on leave in the Philippine islands with his daughter, he becomes involved with a beautiful doctor. Both Sgt. Daggs and the doctor are kidnapped and become political prisoners of a group of Islamic terrorists. This story is set in todays struggle against the Islamic terrorists worldwide. How a group of dedicated elite soldiers work. How strong the bond between these type of soldiers become and just how far they are willing to go for their country and fellow team members. In this book, you will see how this type of soldier really fights, how they are not above taking revenge, how some fights are just a military objective while others become very personal. These men fight in the shadows of war. No cameras or reporters. No parades or speeches. Their actions only known to a few and spoken of by none.

Tighten your seat belts and come along for the ride.

Published by Page Publishing, Dan Frenchs tale brilliantly depicts how soldiers like the protagonist are human who have feelings as well. They can feel love, hate, and even thirsts for vengeance, and this novel speaks about these men with hearts of steel.

Readers who wish to experience this engrossing work can purchase Rattlesnake at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com
Beginning January 1, 2022, Employers Health Network (EHN) is partnering with Arizona Care Network (ACN) and Phoenix Childrens Care Network (PCCN) to provide a clinically integrated network solution for self-funded employers in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Together ACN and PCCN offer access to over 5,000 primary and specialist physicians in more than 2,000 care locations including over 20 acute and specialty hospitals operated by Abrazo Health, Dignity Health and Phoenix Childrens, and nearly 800 post-acute care, outpatient surgical & ancillary locations. As a clinically integrated network solution, EHN, ACN and PCCN will effectively collaborate and coordinate care delivery to improve the quality of care and reduce overall healthcare costs for employers.

We are extremely excited about the expansion of our presence with Arizona Care Network, Phoenix Childrens Care Network and affiliated health systems. The partnership is a natural fit and supports our overall growth strategy of aligning with high performing providers focused on population health and value-based care to deliver sustained results for our employer clients. EHN, ACN and PCCN will focus on our core competencies of delivering high quality healthcare, at a lower cost to the employer. We believe this partnership will provide an opportunity for self-funded employers in Arizona to experience transparency and control over one of their largest business expenses, healthcare, says Blake Allison, CEO of Employers Health Network (EHN).

As an organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children by delivering high-quality, coordinated, cost-effective pediatric care, Phoenix Childrens Care Network is proud to partner with Employers Health Network and Arizona Care Network, says Chad Johnson, senior vice president of Phoenix Childrens Care Network (PCCN).

Arizona Care Network and our sponsoring health systems, Abrazo Health and Dignity Health, have established a partnership with EHN and PCCN that were confident will deliver exceptional care to the employers in Arizona who are working with EHN to support the healthcare needs of their employees and their families, says Todd Ricotta, CEO of Arizona Care Network (ACN).

About EHN

Employers Health Network (EHN) provides comprehensive healthcare plans, which allow employers to provide exceptional quality healthcare benefits at the lowest possible cost. Our plans connect employees directly with the best quality healthcare providers and our fully transparent pricing allows customers to see, understand and control their healthcare benefit spending.

For more information on the EHN solutions in Arizona or other markets, please visit http://www.employershealthnetwork.com

About Arizona Care Network

Arizona Care Network (ACN) is a high-performing network of healthcare providers and care facilities that collaborate to improve quality of care and create a better patient experience. ACN is a joint venture of Abrazo Health (owned and operated by Tenet Healthcare) and Dignity Health (owned and operated by CommonSpirit Health), and includes affiliations with Phoenix Childrens Care Network, giving families access to the services of Phoenix Childrens Hospital, Phoenix Childrens Medical Group, and affiliated community pediatricians.

For more information, visit http://www.azcarenetwork.org

About PCCN

Phoenix Children's Care Network is a physician-led, pediatric-focused, clinically integrated organization that represents a valuable alliance between and among community pediatricians and subspecialists, with the collective focus on improving quality of care while effectively managing associated costs. It was the first pediatric network in the U.S. to achieve Utilization Review Accreditation Committee (URAC) accreditation as a clinically-integrated network. With nearly 1,200 providers, a total of 80 percent of specialists and 50 percent of primary care providers in the state participate in the care network. For access to the very best pediatric care, make sure PCCN physicians are in your health insurance network. For more information, visit http://www.pccn.org.

About Abrazo Health

Abrazo Health is one of Arizonas largest health systems, with advanced expertise in cardiovascular, stroke and neurosciences, complex orthopedics and spine, minimally invasive surgery and maternity services. Our system includes Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital, the first in the Western U.S. to achieve accreditations in Cardiac Catheterization, Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure and as a Chest Pain Center; Abrazo Arrowhead Campus, a leader in surgical robotics and maternity care; Abrazo Central Campus, a Comprehensive Stroke Center; Abrazo Cave Creek Hospital, a neighborhood hospital serving the North Phoenix area; Abrazo Mesa Hospital, a neighborhood hospital bringing our services to the East Valley; Abrazo Scottsdale Campus, known for its orthopedic and surgical programs, Abrazo Surprise Hospital, a neighborhood hospital providing care for the Northwest Valley; and Abrazo West Campus, a Level I Trauma Center and Primary Stroke Center. Abrazo Health also includes freestanding emergency centers, primary care and specialty physician practices serving the greater Phoenix area. For more information, visit AbrazoHealth.com.

About Dignity Health in Arizona

Dignity Health in Arizona is anchored by 8 outstanding hospitals in Arizona: St. Josephs Hospital and Medical Center, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, St. Josephs Westgate Medical Center, Arizona General Hospital  Laveen, Arizona General Hospital  Mesa, Yavapai Regional Medical Center  East, and Yavapai Regional Medical Center  West.

From this foundation, Dignity Health in Arizona has expanded into a comprehensive health care system, which includes clinics, specialty hospitals, urgent cares, freestanding emergency departments, insurance providers, an accountable care organization and other clinical partnerships. The Dignity Health Medical Group includes hundreds of physicians in Arizona and a wide range of specialties. Dignity Health is part of CommonSpirit, one of the nations largest health care systems.
We Deliver Enterprise 5G Networks Based on a Cellular Mesh Architecture Enterprises everywhere are facing the challenges of growing demands for device connectivity, security, and performance, Sriram Vishwanath, President, CEO and Co-founder of GenXComm said. GXC Onyx, our full end-to-end solution, is specifically designed to meet these needs..."

GenXComm, inc., an innovative communications company delivering the world's first mesh-based 5G private enterprise network, is debuting their first generally available commercial product, GXC Onyx - an end-to-end private 5G network solution specifically designed for enterprises and industrial applications - at Mobile World Congress Barcelona this year.

For over five years, GenXComm has been researching and developing an innovative method of connecting radio nodes across cellular networks. Using proprietary interference cancellation technology, nodes are connected wirelessly to one another in a self-forming and self-healing mesh network configuration using publicly available CBRS spectrum. These nodes also deliver connectivity to end devices using the same CBRS frequencies, eliminating the need for a dedicated spectrum. This solves a significant problem in the deployment of new private cellular networks by eliminating the need to connect all radio nodes with physical connections, such as fiber or ethernet cables.

GXC Onyx, the inaugural GenXComm product, which will be unveiled at MWC and launched in the second quarter of 2022, brings together the mesh access network, a hybrid edge-cloud cellular core, and a cloud-based network management platform which will enable plug and play operations by industrial users. The Onyx platform will be offered as a service so that end users can pay a simple recurring fee to utilize the network in their facility. Network operators and managers can fully control the network operations and all the network elements using a single user portal and a powerful network management system.

Enterprises everywhere are facing the challenges of growing demands for device connectivity, security, and performance, Sriram Vishwanath, President, CEO and Co-founder of GenXComm said. GXC Onyx, our full end-to-end solution, is specifically designed to meet these needs. With a straightforward installation, setup, and lifecycle maintenance platform, we are the backbone for enterprise connectivity.

The first-generation product is primarily focused on key industrial verticals strained by the growing demands of industrial digital transformation. It will provide the backbone network connectivity, which is a critical component for the automation and advancement of enterprises, that are challenged by the growing demands of next-generation enterprises. The GenXComm network uniquely provides the reliability, performance, and security needed to ensure full site operations and growth.

Private 5G networks enable enterprises of all types to control the connections, information, and performance of their facility-wide network. This capability is critical for supporting the exponential growth in the numbers of machine-to-machine, internet of things, and personal devices being connected to on-site networks. GenXComm has developed proprietary solutions to allow more businesses to leverage enterprise 5G for their day-to-day operations and digital transformation.

About GXC

GenXComm, Inc. is an Austin, Texas- based company that provides groundbreaking technology for enterprise 5G networks based on a cellular mesh architecture. This private network platform provides high levels of resiliency, flexible deployments, strong coverage in hard-to-reach areas, and a powerful distributed application platform. The company was founded in 2016 to commercialize years of research and development out of the University of Texas at Austin in interference technology. Enabling full-duplex, high-speed communication, GXCs powerful technology has the capacity to double the worlds available frequency spectrum. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter and contact sales@genxcomminc.com for inquiries.

http://www.genxcomm.com

sales@genxcomminc.com
2022 Nissan Maxima The dealership will work with various banks and lending institutions to tailor a loan package that is just right for the customers

Glendale Nissan in Glendale Heights, Illinois, is offering auto loans to customers who have a bad credit history. The dealership is a simple process by which buyers can apply for a loan.

Customers are required to fill out a form wherein they have to mention their personal information, such as their name, address, phone number, email address, etc. They also need to provide the dealership with their employment information and the details of the type of vehicle they want to buy. Once the form is filled out, customers can hit send. One of the members of the dealerships finance team will contact the customers to confirm their application status.

The dealership will work with various banks and lending institutions to tailor a loan package that is just right for the customers. Moreover, if a customer wants to trade in his old vehicle for a new one or sell his vehicle and use the cash to offset the loan amount, that is also a viable option. Buyers are free to choose any vehicle they want from the dealerships inventory.

Therefore, all interested parties are encouraged to visit https://www.glendalenissan.com/ for more information. They can also call the dealership on 630-469-6100 or visit in person. Glendale Nissan is located at 484 E North Avenue Glendale Heights, IL 60139.


The Goody Business Book Awards announces a Social Impact Author Recognition Giveaway called #EveryDayIsWorldBookDay for 2 months (Feb 23  April 23, 2022) leading up to World Book Day (April 23). We believe Everyday is World Book Day and want to encourage readers and fans to share their favorite books and authors making a difference on Instagram in sync with World Book Day. - Liz H Kelly, Goody Business Book Awards & Goody PR Founder

Goody Business Book Awards announces a new Social Impact Author Recognition Giveaway called #EveryDayIsWorldBookDay in sync with World Book Day starting today for 2 months (February 23  April 23, 2022) on Instagram. Readers are encouraged to post their favorite books on Instagram and tag @GoodyBusinessBookAwards and the author for a chance to win an iPad Mini 6 (2021 Apple iPad Mini, Wi-Fi, 64GB - Space Gray) on World Book Day (April 23, 2022).

"World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995 as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. It is celebrated all over the world in over 100 countries on April 23rd, but on the first Thursday in March in the UK. April 23rd is observed as World Book Day because several prominent authors were either born or have died on this day, including William Shakespeare (Top Bestselling Author in the world), who died on April 23rd.

Award-Winning Author, Goody Business Book Awards and Goody PR Founder Liz H. Kelly explains, We believe Everyday is World Book Day and want to encourage readers and fans to share their favorite books and authors making a difference on Instagram. With the U.S. publishing 4+ million books in 2019 alone (according the ProQuest), this #EveryDayIsWorldBookDay Giveaway and Goody Business Book Awards program can add great value to book marketing and public relations campaigns for authors.

The goal is to shine a light on social impact books. The authors words may be helping people live longer, build wealth, be a better leader, find great relationships, teach children life lessons, provide success tools for entrepreneurs and small business owners, overcome challenges, inspire and/or endless ways to improve lives.

HOW TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN this #EveryDayIsWorldBookDay Giveaway

Authors, publicists, publishers, readers, fans and followers can participate in this giveaway on Instagram and/or nominate books for Goody Business Book Awards.



1. Follow @GoodyBusinessBookAwards.

2. Post a photo of your favorite book that is making a positive impact on your life on Instagram.

3. Tag the Author in your Instagram post.

4. Tag @GoodyBusinessBookAwards in your post.

The Goody Business Book Awards will then share all giveway entries on their Instagram account, along with tagging the author and account that posted it originally to extend the exposure for books making a difference in readers lives. And then a random drawing will be held on World Book Day (April 23, 2022), and the winner will be announced on Instagram @GoodyBusinessBookAwards.

This unique #EveryDayisWorldBookDay Giveaway and Goody Business Book Awards program can help authors increase awareness of their book, build credibility as a trustworthy source, increase sales, and attract more raving fans and business clients.

The Goody Business Book Awards is designed to "Uplift Author Voices" who are making the world a better place! While many book awards highlight writers who are a force for good, this program honors 100% social impact books in 50 categories and 10 genres (Health, Wealth, Self-Help, Business, Finance, Childrens Books and more). Any book that is improving lives is eligible for a Goody Business Book Award if published within 5 years. 2022 nominations are open (Jan 1  Sept 30, 2022), and books published in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, can be nominated.

Goody Business Book Awards  2022 Nomination and Awards Timeline:



January 1 - September 30, 2022 - Nominate your Books

November 15, 2022 - Award Winning Authors Announced

November 15 - December 31, 2022 & Beyond  Promote Award-Winning Authors

100 Award-Winning Authors (50 Winners and 50 Finalists) will be announced by the Goody Business Book Awards on November 15, 2022. These Winners and Finalists can promote their book award on their front cover, website, social media, blogs - and even distribute a press release announcing the news!

NOMINATE BOOKS:

Anyone can nominate a book for 2022 Goody Business Book Awards here: https://goodybusinessbookawards.com/nominate-book

FOLLOW:

Instagram @GoodyBusinessBookAwards

https://www.instagram.com/goodybusinessbookawards

ABOUT: The Goody Business Book Awards are presented by Goody PR to Uplift Author Voices with social impact book awards. Goody PR Founder, Award-Winning Author (8-Second PR) and Podcast Host Liz H. Kelly designed the Goody Business Book Awards program to amplify authors making a positive impact with words. This annual awards program is an extension of Goody PRs Mission to Magnify Good. Kelly works primarily with clients who are Authors, Businesses, Business Professionals, Business Owners, CEOs, Founders, Entrepreneurs, Speakers, CEOs, Thought Leaders, Experts, and Causes. To amplify their story, Goody PR is grateful to have booked thousands of interviews on major media, including the TODAY Show, CNN, BBC World News, NPRs Marketplace, TIME Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, WOR 710 AM, Fast Company, and hundreds of local TV, radio shows and podcasts. For more information about Goody PR and the Goody Business Book Awards, visit https://goodypr.com and https://goodybusinessbookawards.com


Havis Rugged Docking Station for Zebra ET5X 10" Tablet Were thrilled to have the opportunity to release a dock for Zebras ET5X line of tablets, said Chris Bernert, Vice President of Sales at Havis. Weve designed a solution that will be ideal across multiple industries now and in the future.

Havis, a Zebra Technologies PartnerConnect Alliance Partner, is pleased to introduce a new suite of docking stations for Zebras ET5X 8 and 10 tablets. The DS-ZEB-100 and DS-ZEB-200 series docking stations support Zebras ET5X tablets in rugged applications such as waste management, material handling, and work trucks.

These innovative docking stations work with both Android and Windows operating systems and offer multiple port replication and internal power supply options. In-demand features include LED power indicators for easy troubleshooting and a pivoting connector that makes one-handed docking and undocking even easier.

Were thrilled to have the opportunity to release a dock for Zebras ET5X line of tablets, said Chris Bernert, Vice President of Sales at Havis. Weve designed a solution that will be ideal across multiple industries now and in the future.

Both standard and advanced input/output (I/O) port replication options are available with the DS-ZEB-100 and DS-ZEB 200 docking stations, and a spring-loaded docking connector maintains a consistent connection in high vibration environments. A lightweight and flexible design with rounded edges offers end users increased comfort, and safety and an integrated VESA 75 hole pattern ensures worry-free and straightforward mounting.

These new docks address the unique needs of a diverse sector of the market, said Sam Barall, Haviss National Sales Manager of Enterprise. By offering a range of port-replication options as well as isolated and non-isolated power supplies, weve created a versatile suite of products for any ET5X user.

ABOUT HAVIS

Havis, Inc., is a privately held, ISO 9001 certified company that manufactures in-vehicle mobile office solutions for public safety, public works, government agencies, and mobile professionals. For more than 80 years, the Havis mission has been to increase mobile worker productivity with industry-leading products that are built to the highest safety and quality standards and are designed with comfort in mind. Havis is dedicated to responsible intellectual property management and fosters ongoing innovation. Its patent and trademark portfolio demonstrates a commitment to consistently researching and developing unique products and solutions for mobile industries around the world. Havis currently employs more than 300 people, with headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, and globally. For more information on Havis, please call 1-800-524-9900 or visit http://www.havis.com.
The path was the first recreational trail in the U.S. designed to accommodate Amish buggies.

Woolpert has been contracted by the Holmes County Park District to provide survey, engineering and design services to renovate 4 miles of the Holmes County Trail, from Glenmont east to State Route 520. Woolpert will produce detailed construction plans that identify infrastructure repairs to the trail, four bridges, retaining walls and culverts, as well as environmental improvements and aesthetic enhancements.

This $3.6 million project is part of a phased plan to complete the 29-mile Holmes County Trail in northeast Ohio, which is in the heart of Amish country. The trail will be 16 feet wide, except over bridges and when pinched by Black Creek, to accommodate horses and buggies, pedestrians and cyclists. The path was the first recreational trail in the U.S. designed to accommodate Amish buggies. It is part of the 326-mile Ohio to Erie Trail and aligns with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which is building a nationwide network of trails by converting former railroad corridors to multiuse public paths.

Woolpert Roads and Bridges Practice Leader Ron Mattox said this project illustrates how an environmentally sensitive area, complete with challenging and beautiful wetlands, can be expertly repurposed to incorporate local resources and improve the livability of a region.

The railroad bed remains in the Glenmont to Killbuck trail, but the tracks and most of the timbers have been removed. Well clear the trail and place base material and asphalt to support all users and convert the bridges to pedestrian use, Mattox said. Were also working with Briar Hill Stone Co., a great local stone-cutting company that has been in business for over 100 years. We want to incorporate some of their huge sandstone blocks into the trail design, which people will be able to climb.

Mattox added that the project will refresh and revitalize areas of the trail that have been affected by the sites natural elements over time, giving the corridor new life and creating a destination worthy of the region.

The beautiful Black Creek runs alongside much of the trail, and there are Killbuck Marsh lowland and wildlife areas on both sides of the trail, Mattox said. Weve seen eagles back there, as well as beavers. Its a gorgeous area, and a really fun project to be a part of.

Final design plans have been submitted for this project, and construction is expected to begin in the fall.

About Woolpert

Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is an ENR Top 150 Global Design Firm, recently earned its fifth-straight Great Place to Work certification and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been Americas fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. The firm has over 1,300 employees and 42 offices in three countries. For more, visit woolpert.com.
GenH2 We are excited to marry the synergy between GenH2s phenomenal concept and our capabilities to build components and allow mass production under one roof

GenH2, a premier provider of hydrogen infrastructure, today announced the companys acquisition of Pratt Plastics, an established fabrication and manufacturing company located in Titusville, Florida. The acquisition, which took place on January 24, 2022, provides

GenH2 direct manufacturing abilities with the latest technology in high precision, automated computerized numerical control (CNC) equipment and laser cutters, in addition to a proven manufacturing process.

This experience combined with Pratt Plastics background in OSHA safety training, engineering, robotics, rapid-prototyping in thermal plastics, and automated processes, will support the commercialization for mass producing GenH2s patented infrastructure solutions for the new hydrogen economy.

As GenH2 continues to grow and seek out opportunities to commercialize our technology, it is critical that we have the capability to go right from patent to production and mass produce quickly, accurately, and locally, said Cody Bateman, founder and CEO of GenH2. The acquisition of Pratt Plastics gives us best-in-class resources, industry experts, and processes to produce mass quantities of components and finished products in our own facility, with shorter lead time, and no potential supply chain-related delays.

As part of the acquisition, Pratt Plastics, which was founded in 2012 by Richard and Danielle Pratt, will be fully dedicated to manufacturing for GenH2. Past Pratt Plastics customers include Disney, Universal, Kennedy Space Center, Northrup Grumman, Publix, as well as other established brands. Having operated locally in Brevard County for over a decade, the Pratts bring deep community ties as well as strong local and federal government relationships.

We are excited to marry the synergy between GenH2s phenomenal concept and our capabilities to build components and allow mass production under one roof, said Richard Pratt, who is now Vice President of Fabrication and Manufacturing for GenH2. For us, we love having the opportunity to move into a clean energy future. Our training, technology and capabilities added to GenH2s existing engineering means GenH2 can continue their research and innovation, and we can help support the creation of energy solutions.

With the support of Pratt, GenH2 recently launched the MacroFlash  a compact instrument which measures thermal conductivity of materials or complex composites at below-ambient temperatures. The prodcut was was first prototyped by GenH2 co-founder and Chief Technology Officer James Fesmire and later commercialized and prepared for distribution under the guidance of Pratt. Currently GenH2 is developing technology, which will allow safe onsite production, storage and distribution of pure liquid hydrogen, making the product accessible for everyday use. GenH2s innovative technologies include cryogenics sleeves, liquid hydrogen tubing, and innovative solutions to make high purity hydrogen on site. The company has announced plans to deliver its products to hundreds of locations across the country in the coming years.

For more information, please visit http://www.GenH2.com.

About GenH2

GenH2 is an industry leader in hydrogen infrastructure solutions. The Titusville, Florida-headquartered technology company was founded by Cody Bateman, who is widely recognized as a visionary and expert in this industry. The GenH2 team includes former NASA researchers and developers who possess decades of experience researching, engineering, and producing hydrogen solutions. GenH2 is focused on the mass production of infrastructure equipment necessary for the transition to a clean energy economy. GenH2 technology will allow safe onsite production, storage, and distribution of liquid hydrogen, making the product accessible for everyday use. GenH2s innovative approaches include filling station solutions and servicing systems to make clean hydrogen readily available on-site for a host of end-use applications; the company has plans to deliver its product to hundreds of locations across the country in the coming years. Learn more about GenH2 at http://www.DiscoverHydrogen.com.

About Cody Bateman

Cody Bateman is a businessman, scientist and philanthropist. He has founded several startups including Advantek Research, providing engineering solutions for the DoE, and Cryotek, a leader in cryogenic engineering focusing on the technological commercialization of hydrogen for vehicles, drones, maritime applications and supply infrastructure. As the Chairman and CEO of GenH2, Bateman is widely recognized as a leader in the field of hydrogen infrastructure research and development and is an outspoken advocate for the Hydrogen Economy.
The Colorado Spirit initiative, in partnership with SummitStone Health Partners, will conclude the free COVID-19 emotional support program in Larimer County effective March 21. The Colorado Spirit Program was overseen by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The Larimer County Colorado Spirit team is grateful for the opportunity to support our community and we thank you for welcoming us so warmly, said Derek Gaarder, Colorado Spirit Program Manager. Our sincere appreciation goes out to all of our community partners who worked with us to provide much needed emotional support to our community members.

The program kicked off in July 2020 and over the next 20 months Colorado Spirit employees provided one-on-one support, attended events, hosted virtual groups, gave presentations, fielded calls, and worked at vaccination sites for a total of more than 20,000 support interactions. For more information about the Colorado Spirit program and available resources, visit SummitStoneHealth.org/ColoSpirit.

Help for residents is still available from other local and national sources to provide Larimer County residents with support and resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Health District of Northern Larimer County provides a support line if you are feeling out of sorts and just need someone to talk to. Call the Connections emotional support line at 970-221-5551, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. COVID-19 support services are available at no charge. For more information visit healthdistrict.org/services/connections-adult-services

SummitStone Crisis Line

If you are in crisis, call the SummitStone Crisis Line 24/7 at (970) 494-4200, ext. 4, or the Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text TALK to 38255, or call 911 if experiencing a life-threatening emergency.

SAMHSAs National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service) or TTY: 1-800-487-4889, a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Many drivers consider car insurance to be a necessary evil. To lower the costs of insurance, insurance carriers are offering discounts to drivers that fulfill certain requirements, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that explains how useful are car insurance discounts.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/why-are-car-insurance-discounts-so-useful/

In order to keep their car insurance coverage active, drivers need to pay their premium bills on time. Some drivers may struggle with their payments, but protecting their assets against any harm is recommended. To save money on car insurance, drivers can try to obtain as many discounts they can from their insurers.

The benefits of car insurance discounts are the following:



They help drivers save money. Not everyone can appreciate discounts at their true value. For some, even a small 3-5% discount Is valuable and can help them save hundreds of dollars each year. Car insurance companies are offering discounts that can be as small as 2-3% to quite generous discounts that can be as large as 30-40%. Policyholders should do research and identify all the discounts they are eligible for at their insurers. The more discounts they apply, the more they can save on their insurance. Insurers are known for offering large discounts for good drivers, good students, installed safety and anti-theft devices, and bundled policies.

Discounts are under the drivers control. They are one of the few factors that influence car insurance rates and are under the drivers control. It depends on each policyholder to strive to obtain car insurance discounts. Also, obtaining discounts can help policyholders manage their expenses and at the same time, they can help them avoid the high-risk driver status.

Discounts cover a multitude of aspects. Insurance companies are offering multiple discounts for various reasons. Drivers can have access to various discounts after they fulfilled a series of prerequisites. For example, drivers can get a loyalty discount for staying with the same insurer for several years, or they can get a low-mileage discount if they drive fewer miles than a certain limit. For other discounts, drivers need to have a good credit score or they need to be claim-free for several years.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc
"Montagave is the result of those magical moments gathered with friends and family eating, drinking, connecting, and celebrating. What inspires us today is crafting the finest tequila in the world to enhance those moments for others."

Montagave is the result of French and Texan cultures colliding in Aspen, Colorado, after Lucie, a native of France, and John Melvin, originally from Austin, Texas, met there in 2017. In 2019, they married in Aspen and together came up with the idea for Montagave, which was to be served to their friends and family at their larger wedding celebration in France.

After meeting the incredibly talented Salvador Chava Rosales Trejo from fourth generation family-run distillery Tequila Cascahuin (NOM 1123), Lucie and John were welcomed into his family and discovered a shared passion for craftsmanship and connecting with loved ones around exceptional food, wine, and spirits.

In a partnership bonded by authenticity, quality, sustainability, and family, Montagave is introducing an innovative barrel program and elements of old-world winemaking to Cascahuins long legacy of producing award-winning small-batch tequilas.

Montagaves inaugural release, Montagave Blanco 'Heritage', is an unparalleled Tequila experience, rested for 29 days in red wine barrels sourced from some of the finest winemakers in Bordeaux, France. The result is a naturally pink sipping tequila with a floral nose and notes of roasted agave, red berry fruit, stone fruit, citrus, and a light pepper finish.

"Montagave is the result of those magical moments gathered with friends and family eating, drinking, connecting, and celebrating. What inspires us today is crafting the finest tequila in the world to enhance those moments for others." says John Melvin.

The Melvins, who reside full-time in the Roaring Fork Valley with their daughter, aim to launch the company locally alongside craft wholesale distribution partner, LibDib, before expanding into additional US markets later this year.

Montagave is sold with an SRP of $75.00 per 750ml bottle at 41% alc/vol.

Montagave is now for sale at a variety of premium liquor stores, bars, and restaurants throughout Aspen, as well as a limited number of specialty stores in Colorado, New York, and California. For additional information, or to order direct, please visit https://montagave.com/ and be sure to follow @montagave on Instagram.

For additional information please contact:

Heyo@swellspirits.com
Disabled and Faithful: a potent reminder of the strength one can draw from Gods promise. Disabled and Faithful is the creation of published author Moses Macias.

Macias shares, Many people struggle with being disabled. Many believers struggle with being strong in the faith. How do you deal with both? Disabled and Faithful is written to encourage believers who are also dealing with medical issues, whether theyre temporary or permanent, to follow God in the hardships. Even if youre not disabled, the principles discussed in Disabled and Faithful can still apply to any believer in God. Many issues are addressed in Disabled and Faithful, such as giving, prayer, worship, Bible studying, and so forth, that someone who is disabled deals with different circumstances in life than other believers but are encouraged to stay faithful to God despite the differences.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Moses Maciass new book will encourage and empower as readers consider the valid and inspiring points made within.

Macias shares in hopes of reaching others who have faced similar struggles with their physical health, mental wellbeing, and faith.

Consumers can purchase Disabled and Faithful at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Disabled and Faithful, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Drivers can get behind the wheel of a new Nissan/used vehicle at Gordie Boucher Nissan of Greenfield without any hassle.

Gordie Boucher Nissan of Greenfield, an automotive dealership in Greenfield, Wisconsin, is offering an express sales process, where customers can purchase a new Nissan or a pre-owned model online. Interested parties can start the buying process by browsing the dealerships online inventory. Individuals who face any issue while selecting a model or have any other questions during the process can contact the dealership via email, chat, text or call. Once the drivers choose the model they want to purchase, they can get in touch with the dealership via the same mode of communication to schedule a test drive. Alternatively, they can schedule a test drive instantly by visiting the dealerships website.

If the customers want to trade an old vehicle, they can fill out a simple form to schedule an at-home visit with the dealerships sales manager; else, they can start the credit process. At Gordie Boucher Nissan of Greenfield, drivers will find a straightforward method for credit approval. All they must do is visit the dealerships website and fill out the credit application. Once the customer is approved, they can work out the payment options by contacting the sales manager via email, text, call and even FaceTime.

Once the payment options are reviewed, individuals can schedule an at-home delivery of their new vehicle along with e-signing of all the documents. The express sales process at Gordie Boucher Nissan of Greenfield in Greenfield, Wisconsin, allows drivers to purchase a car from the comfort of their homes. To learn more about this process, interested parties can contact the dealership by dialing 414-441-7354.
RIT Professor Barbara Lohse provides free resources on healthy nutrition and well-being through the Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. Credit: A. Sue Weisler/RIT

A Rochester Institute of Technology nutrition researcher hopes to reach 10,000 New Yorkers with free resources promoting healthy nutrition and lifestyle tools that have been tested and shown to be effective.

Barbara Lohse, head of RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, designed the About Eating program for people with limited resources and made it available on the Nutrition Education Engineering and Designs (NEEDS) Center website. Now, through a $194,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Lohse is able to disseminate her nutrition education and healthy lifestyle tools across the state and target underserved communities, including Spanish-speaking New Yorkers. Mother Cabrini is one of the largest foundations in New York that provides funding for health care and training and resources for people living on a low income.

Lohse will use the funding to make About Eating available to New York states 10 fiscal regions and the people they serve.

We are going to do a marketing stratification in whatever way works for each fiscal regionsocial media, email, newsletter, listening sessions, or brochures, Lohse said. Our hope is that we will get a 1,000 people in each fiscal region to at least click on the link to start the website. Our goal is to reach 10,000 people.

About Eating covers topics including cooking, weight acceptance, hunger and satiety, exercise, and healthy lifestyle with lessons that can be completed in any order and multiple times. Participants can choose when to take questionnaires embedded within each module to measure learning success.

One persons experience with the program can be very different than another persons based on their interests, Lohse said.

The healthy lifestyle information will be translated into Spanish by the Ibero American Action League.

We will do qualitative interviews with Spanish-speaking New Yorkers to see what they think about the program and the translation, Lohse said.

About Eating is available to anyone on the NEEDS Center website, a free community resource offered by RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, and was developed and tested with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding.

The digital program grew from a multi-state study that focused on promoting healthy eating to college students. Lohse, a researcher on the grant, revised the website content for the underserved population she worked with in Pennsylvania through SNAP-Ed, the educational arm of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called Food Stamps, and added a module on exercise.

A randomized controlled study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior in 2015 found that participants improved in their ability to make food budgets, use nutrition labels, and plan healthy meals. Building on the program, Lohse added a sixth section on body weight and size called About My Size.

Now, About Eating is included in introductory nutrition classes in RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. Lohse teaches a graduate class called Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health and Well-being, Dissemination science, she said, refers to the timely connection of programs that are backed by science with organizations and people that need them.

Her work in disseminating About Eating to New Yorkers will enrich her class discussions. Its real-life material that Ill be able to bring back to the classroom, Lohse said. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is not only helping New Yorkers, its helping in the way RIT can educate students, who may ultimately end up helping New Yorkers when they enter the workforce.
Paddy Padmanabhan, CEO of Damo Consulting and Nick Patel, MD, Chief Digital Office of Prisma Health will present Developing a Digital Road Map at the invitation-only HIMSS CIO Experience on March 17, 2022, at 11:30 am EDT.

Padmanabhan and Patel will discuss assessing digital maturity, developing a multi-year digital roadmap, and identifying stakeholder needs and preferences for a phased roadmap implementation. They will also examine designing an organization model and governance framework for a digital transformation program.

It is always a pleasure to speak at HIMSS, said Padmanabhan, author of Healthcare Digital Transformation: How Consumerization, Technology, and Pandemic Are Accelerating the Future. Every year I look forward to attending HIMSS to seeing familiar faces, meeting new one, sharing ideas, and learning from other speakers. The conference provides an unmatched platform for brainstorming best practices and educating each other about the latest advances in technology-led innovation for healthcare. This year, I am honored that my session with Dr. Patel is being endorsed by HIMSS CIO experience.

Im delighted that our session has been selected for the HIMSS CIO experience, said Nick Patel, M.D, Chief Digital Officer of Prisma Health. At Prisma, we have taken a structured approach to develop a multi-year digital transformation roadmap. We hope our experiences will guide and inform other health systems on the journey.

The 2022 HIMSS Global Conference & Exhibition will be held March 14-18, 2022, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Developing a Digital Road Map is one of the twelve HIMSS CIO Experience endorsed sessions. The HIMSS CIO Experience is invite-only and allows CIOs, CTOs, and other high-ranking digital and IT executives from healthcare provider organizations the ability to connect and build meaningful relationships with other digital health transformation leaders at HIMSS22. Participants in the CIO Experience also can join the Executive Network, which provides year-round programming, personalized services, high-visibility thought leadership opportunities, peer-to-peer exchanges, executive work groups, and more.

This year HIMSS22 annual conference is being hosted in-person, and digitally for remote participants. The HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition brings together information and technology professionals, healthcare executives and clinicians, consultants, entrepreneurs, and market suppliers from around the world. Exceptional education, world-class speakers, cutting-edge products and powerful networking are hallmarks of this industry-leading conference.

About Damo Consulting

Damo Consulting provides digital transformation advisory services to enable healthcare organizations navigate the technology-enabled transition to telehealth and virtual care. We bring deep industry knowledge, market insights and technology skills to help develop and implement enterprise digital roadmaps.
Patrick M. Young, an educator, businessman, organizer and advocate who is dedicated to serving his community, has completed his new book A Way Up: a thought-provoking guidebook that leads people with criminal history to make better decisions and build a productive life. This will help them navigate and thrive economically in their new chapter of life.

Young shares, The first thought after any arrest is usually, how long will it take to get out? Whether in jail or prison, your sole focus is getting out. Recent statistics shows that three out of every four persons incarcerated always end up returning behind bars within the first three years of release. A large percentage of these people are from low-income communities where access to financial capital, education, and job opportunities are limited, and family ends up getting stuck in a deep cycle of poverty that they found extremely difficult to break out from. Arrested for crimes often sponsored by poverty and the dire economic conditions that defined them, they are taken through a criminal justice system that is far more interested in keeping them in the poverty-incarceration cycle than rehabilitating them and giving them a better chance at life. With no income and criminal history after release, they are unable to pay for food, housing, and health needs.

And what happens eventually? They slip back into a life of crime, and the cycle continues.

It is high time we nullified this poverty-incarceration two-feeder system. How? By dealing with the root, which is poverty. So how do you break the cycle of poverty? You may want to get out of jail or prison but are you ready to get out of poverty. How?

The answers are found here in learning how to experience your own economic development post-incarceration.

Do you feel stuck? Are you tired of going in and out of jail? Or are you an ex-offender who have found it difficult to progress because of barriers associated with your criminal history? This book is the clear road map to creating generational wealth and living the kind of life you deserve. This book is the guide to finding a way up not just a way out.

Published by Page Publishing, Patrick M. Youngs reflective opus is shared for others to find their way just like the author did his. This helps transform ones thinking by showing them a way out of prison and poverty with the aid of a personal economic development plan in a world that has quickly changed in the recent years.

This will not only strengthen their will to survive, but alsotheir will to thrive.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase A Way Up at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com
Patterson Legal Groups St. Joseph team relocates to bigger office space As the needs of our clients continue to grow and evolve, our team continues to expand to help ensure that we maintain the highest level of legal representation possible.

Patterson Legal Group announced that its St. Joseph's team has moved into a bigger office space located at 3705 N. Belt Hwy. The decision to relocate was necessary to accommodate the expansion of its Missouri team that is a direct result of an increase of clients in the St. Joseph and Buchanan County area. The new law office also features additional parking options and ease of access off both N. Belt Hwy. and Rochester Rd.

Tyler Patterson said, we want to make it as easy as possible for our clients to come pick up their settlement checks.

Gary Patterson provided further insight into the relocation of the law firms new St. Joseph law office. As the needs of our clients continue to grow and evolve, our team continues to expand to help ensure that we maintain the highest level of legal representation possible. He added, We also determined that the increased visibility and general location of the new office makes it easier for clients to get to and find us.

Questions about Patterson Legal Groups new St. Joseph law office? Please feel free to contact the law firm directly by calling (888) 687-2400, or submit a direct message via the law firms Facebook page.

More About Patterson Legal Group, L.C.

Patterson Legal Group is a personal injury law firm with offices located throughout Kansas and Missouri. Founded on the principle of helping injury victims pursue their legal rights, they are not afraid to take on large insurance companies or to hold negligent persons accountable for injuring a client. Their lawyers are champions of consumer rights with a strong track record for helping people suffering from personal injury or disability. Learn more about the specific legal services and community outreach activities of Patterson Legal Group at pattersonlegalgroup.com. You can also connect and socialize with their legal team through the law firms Facebook page (/PattersonLegalGroup/).
Lorelei Graye It is paramount that all viewpoints are considered for industry standards development

The Adopting Data Standards Initiative (ADS) leadership formally approved its new name, Private Capital Data Standards Alliance (PCDS) and welcomed Scott Kern at BNY Mellon to its seven-member nonprofit board of directors.

The new PCDS name signifies the sharpened focus on private capital reporting protocol development, the core PCDS mission for 2022 and beyond. President Lorelei Graye said PCDS is delighted to welcome Mr. Kern to the board of directors with fellow industry experts from the investor, advisor, and provider perspectives. It is paramount that all viewpoints are considered for industry standards development. Scott is an expert in custody banking who brings valuable insight to the board and our mission to develop a common electronic reporting language for global private capital markets.

It is an honor for me to be named to the board and contribute to this important moment in private capital where we are focused on transparency and efficiency of our data. As PCDS advances its mission, our goal is that global market participants will see more options and greater versatility in their data than ever, added Kern.

PCDS is a nonprofit corporation with global members spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. PCDS is developing an electronic reporting protocol, or taxonomy, to benefit all participants in the global private capital markets. To join, email info@pcdstandards.org or see http://www.pcdstandards.org
"This GrowFL award recognizes the incredible professionalism and dedication of our entire Red Banyan team," said Red Banyan CEO Evan Nierman. "Leading this remarkable group of communicators is the honor of a lifetime and delivering game-changing impact for our clients is what drives us each day."

Red Banyan, a crisis PR firm with offices across the United States, was among 50 companies honored at the 11th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch. A memorable awards ceremony was held Feb. 17th at the Hard Rock Live in Universal CityWalk in Orlando.

Red Banyan CEO Evan Nierman and Director of Crisis Engagement Mark Sachs accepted the GrowFL award on behalf of the respected public relations firm. Red Banyan Crisis PR was chosen for the honor by a panel of independent judges made up of past honorees, economic development leaders and corporate partners of GrowFL.

"This GrowFL award recognizes the incredible professionalism and dedication of our entire Red Banyan team," said CEO Evan Nierman. "Leading this remarkable group of communicators is the honor of a lifetime and delivering game-changing impact for our clients is what drives us each day."

Competition for the award was stiff. Red Banyan was chosen from a field of nearly 100 finalists based on future growth potential. The group of Honorees represented 20 different counties and 20 different industries in Florida, with nearly 50 percent of the Honorees being owed by women, veterans or minorities.

Among the criteria used to judge business were impact of the business in the job market; increase in sales and/or unit volume; innovativeness of the product or service; growth in number of employees; and current and past financial reports; response to adversity and contributions to aid community-oriented projects.

Being named a GrowFL Honoree affirms Red Banyan's efforts to establish a strategic communications firm that adheres to and promotes important values: Strategy, Integrity, Commitment, Accountable, Results, said Mark Sachs, Red Banyans Director of Client Engagement. Our client base, which spans all four continental U.S. times zones, is expanding rapidly, and we believe it's because of our commitment to our unique value proposition.

Since its launch in late 2010, Red Banyan has continued to grow, establishing itself as one of the leading crisis PR agencies in the United States. Red Banyan provides crisis management, litigation support, media relations and other strategic communications services to a variety of national and global clients.

About Red Banyan

Red Banyan is a top crisis management firm focused on solving complex, highly sensitive and mission-critical communications challenges. Specializing in crisis communications, corporate public relations, government relations, and legal PR, Red Banyan provides an integrated approach to communications rooted in strategy. Learn more online at https://redbanyan.com.
Our success in 2021 is the tale of the two groups that matter most to usthe consumer and our retailers, said David Albert, Managing Director, Schleich USA.

Schleich USA (pronounced Sh-like), the worlds leading manufacturer of animal characters and playsets, announced today that 2021 was its strongest year of growth to date. With 20% YOY growth globally and 39% in the North American market, growth in the US and Canada outpaced the brands core German market. Brand growth also outpaced the US toy industry, which grew 13% in 2021. Schleich USA attributes this growth in part to an emphasis on engaging consumer marketing backed by deep retail support.

Our success in 2021 is the tale of the two groups that matter most to usthe consumer and our retailers, said David Albert, Managing Director, Schleich USA. Our marketing last year began to tell an entirely new story about why the Schleich brand is so important to the consumer and gave them entirely new ways to interact with us and a desire to seek out our products at retail. With strong consumer demand and support from our retailers, we feel we are now poised to double our business over the next three years.

Success in the Canadian market also contributed to the companys growth. Schleich saw a huge surge in Canada i, a precursor to the launch of the brands Canadian online shop, expected to go live in March, and new Canadian flagship store partnerships, planned throughout 2022.

The brand also launched a series of successful, multi-pronged consumer engagement programs. Campaigns included a nationwide job search for the companys first ever child Chief Storytelling Officer. The marketing campaign, which illustrates the brands commitment to storytelling, consumer engagement, and content production, spanned the fall of 2021 and included a live audition session at FAO Schwarz in NYC, a series of nine videos starring the new CSO, Marcello, a marquee interview for the new CSO on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and numerous TV news segments across the country. The program was an extension of 2020s Power of Imagination Campaign, which was awarded two 2021 Silver Anvil Awards by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the preeminent award of the PR and integrated marketing industries.

We are achieving tremendous growth and were doing so by embodying traits exhibited by the children for whom we make our products, said Albert. Were telling stories kids love, were sharing them in ways kids appreciate, and in the case of our new CSO, were asking real kids to expand our grown-up thinking.

Everything Schleich has done in 2021 from a brand perspective has been in service of setting the cornerstone of a brand revitalization that will be fully unveiled throughout 2022. Beginning with a strong understanding of why the Schleich brand matters most to parents and children, the new brand will include a complete refresh of all the brand's visual elements. The new brand will be kicked off later in 2022, supported by a global brand campaign.

Moving forward, Schleich USA plans to continue this growth trend with a commitment to consumer engagement, meaningful partnerships, deep retail support, and a continued investment in the success of all partners. This investment includes continued work to alleviate the supply chain issues that prevented even higher growth numbers last year despite extensive supplier efforts and expensive special transports.

In an effort to support our customers in the best way possible, we are further investing in the supply chain, which will help us stay on top of the global supply chain environment, said Albert.

For additional information on the Schleich brand, visit the Schleich website or follow the brand on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

About Schleich:

Founded more than 85 years ago by Friedrich Schleich in Schwabisch Gmund, Schleich is one of Germanys largest toy manufacturers and a leading international provider of figurines. The famous Schleich figurines are sold in more than 60 countries and are loved by children around the world. As a global player with Swabian roots, Schleich currently generates more than half of its sales outside its core market in Germany. The Company is majority owned by Partners Group, a global private markets investment management firm. Further shareholders are the management team around Dirk Engehausen (CEO). The design of the Schleich play worlds, the manufacturing of the production tools and all quality and safety checks are carried out in Germany. Production itself takes place at the companys site in Schwabisch Gmund and in other production plants abroad.
>>ECINS and SSWAA Join Forces to Provide School Social Workers with Collaborative Case Management System that Allows Better Communication and Engagement Between Students, Families and Other Key Person Our goal is to get this in the hands of as many schools and districts as possible, ultimately using the system as a foundation for standardizing best practices in school social work across America

The School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA), a membership organization empowering school social workers and promoting the profession of school social work, is partnering with ECINS, the global provider of a unique, collaborative, cloud-based case management system, to enable school social workers to create better outcomes for students. In response to the devastating mental health crisis facing todays students, ECINS and SSWAA are offering free access to a comprehensive Student Support System tailored to the specific needs of school social workers.

According to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics, as many as 60 percent of students expressed strong distress, including anxiety and depression. School social workers are on the front lines, helping students scarred by the pandemic and grappling with anxiety, depression, learning loss and a confluence of other mental health challenges. As the US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stated, Mental health challenges in children, adolescents and young adults are real and widespread. Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression and thoughts of suicide  and rates have increased over the past decade.

Providing School Social Workers with Robust Tools to Support Students in Need

School social workers are on the front lines in this time of escalated need, making it critical that they have the insights and tools necessary to support their students effectively; however, the majority operate with limited resources and insufficient systems.

School social workers have been getting by for far too long without a comprehensive, integrated system to manage their caseload. Weve worked with SSWAA to tailor our case management system to meet the unique needs of school social workers, and the response has been overwhelming, says Gary Pettengell, co-founder and CEO at ECINS. We are excited to make our Student Support System easily accessible to schools across the country in order to further our mission of enabling early intervention to support better outcomes.

ECINS is now offering SSWAA members free access to their Student Support System with special discounted member subscription rates following the introductory period.

The ECINS Student Support System is exactly what school social workers need in todays world  weve never come across anything as all-encompassing, explains Rebecca Oliver, Executive Director of SSWAA. Our goal is to get this in the hands of as many schools and districts as possible, ultimately using the system as a foundation for standardizing best practices in school social work across America.

To learn more about the strategic partnership between ECINS and SSWAA, please visit ecins.com/sswaa.

About ECINS:

Empowering Communities with Integrated Network Systems (ECINS) is a social enterprise dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable people and empowering the practitioners who serve them. A purpose-built, cloud-based, highly secure case management system, ECINS is the most widely used multi-agency collaboration tool in the U.K. and is rapidly expanding in the U.S. and around the world. Created on the belief that when people work together they can achieve more, ECINS is capable of solving just about any case management problem that exists. Learn more at ecins.com.

About SSWAA:

The School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) is a membership organization with the mission to empower school social workers and promote the profession to enhance the social and emotional growth and academic outcomes of all students nationally and globally. For more information about SSWAA, please visit sswaa.org.
In this time of extreme shortage, Smiths A&D partners rely on our global reach, in-depth market analysis, and premier quality assurance to stay ahead and keep their supply chains running.

Smith, a leading global distributor of electronic components and semiconductors, today announces its upcoming exhibition at PMMC 2022. This symposium, formerly known as DMSMS, addresses obsolescence, diminishing manufacturing sources, and material shortages in the aerospace and defense industries.

This years conference theme focuses on building sustainable systems and upholding parts-management excellence. Smith representatives will be present at the companys booth, 6, to help aerospace and defense customers seamlessly overcome supply chain challenges with flexible procurement and service programs that guard against market instability. Additionally, these aerospace and defense consultants will showcase Smiths world-class quality program and A&D-specific certifications, such as AS6081 and AS9120.

PMMC has consistently been a prime opportunity for Smith to meet with distinguished aerospace and defense professionals to discuss the constantly evolving semiconductor supply chain, said Tim McQuade, General Manager of Smiths Austin office. In this time of extreme shortage, Smiths A&D partners rely on our global reach, in-depth market analysis, and premier quality assurance to stay ahead and keep their supply chains running. We look forward to exhibiting at the conference and sharing our insights and expertise with our fellow attendees.

WHAT: PMMC 2022

WHEN: Monday, March 7, 2022  Thursday, March 10, 2022

WHERE: Booth 6, Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, 6700 Gaylord Rockies Boulevard, Aurora, CO 80019

About Smith

Founded in 1984, Smith sources, manages, and distributes the electronic components that go into everything from mobile phones and computers to appliances and directional drilling systems. In 17 cities around the world, Smiths legion of employees communicates in 50 languages and dialects and buys and sells components 24 hours per day, generating global annual sales in excess of $3.4 billion in 2021. Smith is always moving: helping manufacturers navigate market shifts; customizing supply chain solutions; testing components using cutting-edge technology. The support of Smiths flexible Intelligent DistributionTM model optimizes customers supply chains from beginning to end, including offering customized options for IT asset disposition that deliver maximum ROI, sustainability, and security. Smiths testing and logistics hubs in Houston, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam cover critical areas like quality management, counterfeit prevention, and environmental safety. Smiths operations, purchasing, and sales worldwide are seamlessly integrated with the companys global IT infrastructure, offering real-time, global inventory and logistics visibility. Smith is the leading independent distributor of electronic components and ranks number eight among all global distributors. For more information, please visit http://www.smithweb.com or reach out to a Smith representative any time of day at +1 713.430.3000.

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Stags Leap District Winegrowers announced the roster of elite chefs and culinary partners for the 2022 Vineyard to Vintner weekend. While renowned wines and rare library offerings take the spotlight throughout the weekend, guests will also be treated to an array of opulent menus designed to beautifully complement the power and grace of Stags Leap District varietals." - Nancy Bialek, Stags Leap District Winegrowers

Offering even more reasons to attend its signature gathering, Stags Leap District Winegrowers today announced the roster of elite chefs and culinary partners for the 2022 Vineyard to Vintner weekend. The annual celebration brings Cabernet Sauvignon enthusiasts together with vintners, winemakers and principals for exclusive tastings, in-depth education and exquisite meals. This years event will be held Friday through Sunday, April 22 to 24, 2022.

While renowned wines and rare library offerings take the spotlight throughout the weekend, guests will also be treated to an array of opulent menus designed to beautifully complement the power and grace of Stags Leap District varietals, said Nancy Bialek, Executive Director of Stags Leap District Winegrowers. Were thrilled to welcome some of the regions most exciting chefs to Vineyard to Vintner this year.

Culinary partners include Michelin-starred and Wine Spectator Award-winning chef Ken Frank of La Toque; chef Daniel Gomez, who has more than 15 years of experience at Michelin-starred restaurants including The French Laundry and Cyrus; cookbook author and acclaimed Napa Valley chef Peter Hall; Top Chef finalist and fan favorite Casey Thompson of the newly opened Folk Table restaurant; chef, restaurateur and author Tanya Holland of Brown Sugar Kitchen fame; executive winery chef Travis Westrope of Stags Leap Wine Cellars, along with Elaine Bell Catering; and Tracy and John Anderson, proprietors of Woodhouse Chocolates in St. Helena.

Featured Vineyard to Vintner Culinary Highlights:

Library Wine Dinners: Friday, April 22 // 6:30PM - 10:00PM



An Illuminating Wine and Food Experience with Chef, Author and Restaurateur Tanya Holland, hosted at Chimney Rock Winery with Shafer Vineyards and Quixote Winery

Homegrown: An Exploration of Fine Wines and Farm-to-Table Dining in Stags Leap District with Chef Casey Thompson, hosted at Regusci Winery with Lindstrom Wines and Stags' Leap Winery

NOLA in Napa with Chef and Author Peter Hall, hosted at Silverado Vineyards with Cliff Lede Vineyards and Ilsley Vineyards

A Feast of Legendary Wine and Food with Chef Travis Westrope and Elaine Bell Catering, hosted at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars with Pine Ridge Vineyards, Malk Family Vineyards and Baldacci Family Vineyards

An Evening Under the Stars with SLD's Pioneering Families with Chef Daniel Gomez, hosted at Taylor Family Vineyards with Clos Du Val and Steltzner Vineyards

Vintner-Hosted Gala Luncheon and Appellation Collection Preview: Saturday, April 23 // 12:30PM - 3:00PM at Stags Leap Winery

Guests, vintners and winemakers will join in a celebratory champagne welcome followed by a strolling lunch prepared by Michelin-starred and Wine Spectator Award-winning chef Ken Frank of famed Napa Valley restaurant La Toque, along with specialties from Tracy and John Anderson of Woodhouse Chocolates of St. Helena. Vintners will showcase critically acclaimed wines as well as a sneak preview of the Stags Leap District 2019 Appellation Collection Cabernet Sauvignons, scheduled for release in October 2022.

The full Vineyard to Vintner weekend also comprises Digging Deeper: Vineyard Walks, Talks and Tastings, on Saturday, April 23, and Savor SLD, exclusive winery tasting experiences, on Sunday April 24. Guests will have the chance to fully explore the region while tasting wines and meeting with vintners from 16 famed properties, including Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Stags' Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards.

Tickets, Schedule and Additional Information

A limited number of tickets remain available and can be purchased at http://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/V2V. The Friday through Saturday experience (April 22-24, 2022) is $1,200 per person, which includes the entire weekends offerings. Visit http://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/V2V for the full schedule and other details.

About Stags Leap District Winegrowers

The Stags Leap District Winegrowers is a non-profit association of vintners and growers united by the mission of enhancing the reputation of the appellation and its wines and sharing its quality with the wine-loving world. The SLDWA is comprised of 16 wineries and 9 grower members. Wineries include: Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stags Leap Wine Cellars, Stags Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards. To learn more about the Stags Leap District, please visit stagsleapdistrict.com or find the Association on Facebook.com/StagsLeapDistrict, Instagram.com/StagsLeapAVA and Twitter @StagsLeapAVA.
Patrick Harvie visits Queens Quay with Star Renewable Energy Manager, Nicky Cowan (pictured left) and Star's Group Sustainable Development Director, Dave Pearson (pictured right) Queens Quays heat network is a great example of how easy it is to switch dense urban environments to affordable, low-carbon heating

Scottish Government Zero Carbon Minister, Patrick Harvie, visited the award-winning Queens Quay district heat pump system in Clydebank on Monday to announce a new 300 million Heat Network Fund to accelerate the rollout of environmentally-friendly heating networks and help Scotland achieve its Net Zero targets.

The Heat Network Fund will be available to public and private sector bodies looking to heat multiple buildings from a centralised source.

Nicky Cowan, Star Renewable Energy Manager, said We were delighted to welcome Patrick Harvie to the Queens Quay Energy Centre to announce the Governments Heat Network fund. Queens Quays heat network is a great example of how easy it is to switch dense urban environments to affordable, low-carbon heating which in a few years should become zero-carbon heating with the decarbonisation of the electricity grid.

With plenty of rivers, lochs and coastlines in Scotland, I hope that we can now see water source heat pumps deployed across other cities and towns across Scotland.

The award-winning heating network at Queens Quay was delivered by Vital Energi on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council and is home to Star Renewable Energys twin 2.6MW water source heat pumps. The water source heat pump system operates by taking a small portion of heat from the river water, consumes electricity to run the heat pump and generates hot water to send out to the buildings connected to the district heating network.

Clydebanks district heating network currently provides low carbon heating to the first phases of the Queens Quay development which includes Aurora House, the Titan Enterprise Centre, Clydebank Leisure Centre and care home, Queens Quay House. On completion of the development, the heat network is projected to supply 1,200 homes, businesses and buildings and deliver circa 5,705 tonnes of CO reduction per year.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Harvie said, By the end of this decade, we aim to have switched over one million homes and the equivalent of 50,000 non-domestic buildings from fossil fuels to zero-emissions heating.''

The projects that receive support from the fund will fully align with the Scottish Governments aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.''

The new fund replaces the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and is part of the overall 1.8 billion committed to decarbonising heating.

At the visit, he also announced the opening of applications for the Social Housing Net-Zero Heat Development fund and the extension of funding for Fabric First energy efficiency projects in social housing.

Following the announcement of the fund, Star Renewable Energy and West Dunbartonshire Council hosted the Scottish Engineering member networking event at Queens Quay on Tuesday.

To find out more about the water source heat pumps at Queens Quay, view the case study here https://www.neatpumps.com/case-studies/queens-quay-water-source-heat-pumps-for-district-heating/
Robert Wright, Stellar Solutions Vice President, Intelligence Systems Bob Wright brings 30 years of extensive space domain experience across military, private sector and strategic consulting realms. He will help us solve our customers critical needs while placing our employees in their dream jobs. -- Stellar Solutions CEO Janet Grondin

Stellar Solutions, Inc., the global aerospace engineering services leader, has named Robert Wright as Vice President, Intelligence Systems. He joins the companys senior executive team as it embarks on its 27th year of delivering high-impact engineering services to intelligence, defense, civil, commercial, and international customers.

In announcing his appointment, Stellar Solutions CEO Janet Grondin, who previously held that position at the company, said, Bob Wright brings 30 years of extensive space domain experience across military, private sector and strategic consulting realms. As a proven builder of sound businesses and talented diverse teams, he will help drive our mission of solving customers critical needs while placing our employees in their dream jobs.

Wright has implemented large-scale data strategy, digital engineering and human capital transformation programs, to include talent recruiting and retention initiatives embracing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion principles.

I am excited to be part of Stellar Solutions bold strategy to seize growth opportunities in the space industry today. With its agile, cooperative culture, the company is a force in delivering systems engineering expertise across business lines and sectors, Wright said.

Most recently as client relationship manager at Deloitte Consulting, LLP, he advised government clients on organizational design transformation, business process re-engineering and enterprise data strategy development. Earlier, as General Manager and Senior Vice President at Integral Systems and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, he led strategy development for a team of over 250 software engineers, more than doubling revenues, and developed and maintained unique command and control software for military satellite communications and rapid Radio Frequency interference detection and response.

Wrights senior military service included roles as Commander of the Space Innovation & Development Center, Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado, and prior to that, Vice Commander of 14AF at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California where he helped stand up the Joint Space Operations Center. He has held numerous and successive military leadership positions with expertise in MILSATCOM, GPS, Space and ICBM Launch, Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP), and classified programs.

He is devoted to nonprofit leadership, having led innovative fundraising in his term as Board Chair of the American Heart Associations Southern Colorado Chapter. As President of the Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association in both Omaha and Colorado Springs, he raised substantial funds for local high schools and student STEM scholarship programs. He serves on the Board of Directors at Peterson AFB Air & Space Museum Foundation.

Wright holds a Bachelors of Science from the US Air Force Academy and a Master of Science in Systems Management from the University of Southern California. He graduated from the Deloitte Executive Leadership Program and Deloitte University, and attended the National Defense University, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Air Command & Staff College and the Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program.

About Stellar Solutions, Inc.: Stellar Solutions is a global aerospace and systems engineering services provider to commercial, defense, intelligence, civil and international sectors. Stellar Solutions provides rapid-response capabilities related to global surveillance and cyber-security, space exploration, risk management, and technology optimization. These solutions to clients critical needs involve satellites in space, sensors on Earth, and intricate technology connections across multiple frontiers. With physical operations in California, Colorado, the greater Washington DC area, London and France, as well as employees throughout the U.S. and the globe, Stellar Solutions has become a recognized leader in delivering end-to-end critical expertise and problem-solving skills to dozens of significant programs. Stellar Solutions Foundation supports employees community engagement. QuakeFinder, Stellar Solutions humanitarian R&D division, pursues earthquake prediction models. http://www.stellarsolutions.com
Taste the Difference: Quality Wines From the Heart of Europe, a campaign co-financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) and the Spanish state-owned company PRODECA, is happy to participate in the Gambero Rosso US roadshow for the second consecutive year. The Taste the Difference campaign continues its mission to raise awareness of European PDOs (Protected Denomination of Origin) and PGIs (Protected Geographical Indication) by giving light to some of the foremost wine producing regions of Italy and Spain.

Gambero Rosso is back in the US to present an exclusive selection of Tre Bicchieri rated wines produced by some of the most lauded wineries and talented winemakers of Italy. Highlighting Italian indigenous grapes, these wines have been recognized in the Vini dItalia 2022 guide. Taste the Difference: Quality Wines from the Heart of Europe campaign will participate in events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York.

The tours event schedule will be as follows:



Wednesday February 16th at The City Market Social House (1145 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015) from 1:00pm to 6:00pm

Friday, February 18 at the Fort Mason Center (Festival Pavilion, San Francisco, CA 94123) from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Wednesday, February 23 at the Bridgeport Art Center  Skyline Loft (1200 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL 60609) from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Friday, February 25 in NYC, at the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street New York, NY 10011), from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

The events are directed to trade and media and will consist of a walkaround tasting, master classes and best Italian restaurant awards.

The program will be present with its institutional area in all the cities of the US roadshow and it will present a masterclass focused on the Custoza DOC case history

Custoza DOC: showcasing a premium selection of the crispy and elegant white wines produced in this region of Veneto, in the province of Verona.

To learn more about the Gambero Rosso US tour in cities near your or to register for an event please visit https://gamberorosso.us/.

For registering to the events: https://gamberorosso.us/

For more information about the campaign visit tastethedifference.wine or email info@tastethedifference.wine. Pages dedicated to the Taste the Difference project can be found on Facebook and Instagram

About TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PROGRAM:

The program: European quality wines: taste the difference is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and PRODECA for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad in China and US. In order to achieve this objective, the TTD.EU program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Spain and Italy, inviting wine professionals to join study trips to Europe. The program, realized in the span of three years (2021-2023) aims at creating awareness about European quality wines, in particular Italian and Spanish, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality.

The beneficiaries: Unione Italiana Vini is the oldest and most commissioned Association of the Italian wine market. It represents cooperative, private and agricultural wine-companies, bottlers, consortia, associations and wine-making machines or wine cellars / laboratory manufacturers, located throughout the Italian territory. Promotora dExportacions Catalanes (PRODECA) is a public company established in 1986 and part of the Ministry of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Government of Catalonia. It supports the agri-food sector and its companies with the knowledge, tools and experience to increase their products in Catalunya and worldwide.
It is such an honor for us to be included on these prestigious lists. I am so proud of the reputation that the Burnside Law Firm has built, says Thomas Burnside.

As a founding partner of Burnside Law Firm, LLP, Thomas R. Burnside, III has devoted over 25 years to helping injured individuals recover the compensation they deserve. Mr. Burnside joins an elite group of Georgia attorneys selected as 2022 Super Lawyer. He is one of the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the state, making this continued recognition a notable achievement. Garon Muller, a partner at Burnside Law Firm, has also been selected once again as a Super Lawyers Georgia Rising Star. To be eligible for inclusion in Rising Stars, a candidate must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. All attorneys first go through the Super Lawyers selection process. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding attorneys from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. For both awards, the selection is determined using a patented process that includes voting of other lawyers, independent research conducted by the editorial team and nomination by a special panel of highly-rated attorneys. The Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional publications across the country.

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Burnside Law Firm represent individuals across the state of Georgia who have been injured by the negligent acts of others. Thomas R. Burnside, III possesses many years of experience in personal injury law at both the trial and appellate court levels. He serves on the State Bar Board of Governors (2007-present), State Disciplinary Board Review Panel (2009-2015) and has been recognized with numerous accolades and awards throughout his career. Garon Muller has been appointed as the President-Elect of the Augusta Bar Association and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. Both attorneys believe in going the extra mile for their clients and taking a personal, collaborative approach which has helped them earn the well-deserved attention of Super Lawyers.

It is such an honor for us to be included on these prestigious lists. I am so proud of the reputation that the Burnside Law Firm has built, says Thomas Burnside.

More about Burnside Law Firm, LLP 

Burnside Law Firm, LLP, represents individuals who have suffered injuries as a result of automobile collisions, trucking accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, work related accidents or other causes. The team makes navigating the legal process as smooth and efficient as possible for clients. With offices in Augusta and Athens, Georgia, and well over thirty years of collective experience in personal injury law and a proven track record, the attorneys at Burnside Law Firm stand ready to help those in need of representation. For more information about Burnside Law Firm, visit http://www.burnsidefirm.com or call (800) 569-1937.


Shelters to Shutters (S2S), a national non-profit that transitions individuals and families from situational homelessness to economic self-sufficiency, today announced a donation from The Wolff Company to fund S2Ss expansion into the Phoenix Market. Based in Scottsdale, AZ, The Wolff Company is an integrated real estate investment firm focused on the mission-driven development and management of rental communities across North America.

"The Wolff Company is a respected and well-known leader of both sustainable businesses and giving back to the community. We are thrilled to work alongside them to bring our proven program to the Phoenix area, commented David Williams, President and CEO, Shelters to Shutters, There are roughly 7,500 individuals experiencing homelessness in the Phoenix area. The Wolff Companys investment will allow us to provide life changing opportunity to so many deserving individuals in need of a hand up.

S2S partners with over 40 apartment management companies  such as The Wolff Company, AvalonBay Communities, Cortland Partners, and Gables Residential  to place people experiencing situational homelessness in on-site, entry-level jobs and provide them with housing at the same communities where they work. Each participant is provided with career mentoring and access to support services to ensure a successful long-term transition. S2S works with a number of homeless-focused non-profits to identify suitable job applicants, changing the lives of individuals and families and providing quality, motivated employees for a rapidly growing industry in need of talent.

We are honored to partner with and support an organization like Shelters to Shutters, which is so aligned with our own companys mission and values, said Jay Petkunas, CEO, The Wolff Company. We are proud that our investment will allow Shelters to Shutters to expand into Phoenix and improve the lives of so many in our local community.

Eighty-three percent of those experiencing homelessness in the U.S. are situationally homeless due to a life-altering event such as job loss, medical or health emergency, divorce, domestic abuse or the loss of a primary income earner. With the effects of the ongoing pandemic, the number of those in need of help continues to climb. The contribution from The Wolff Company will help further ensure Shelters to Shutters can serve more people who want to work and return to a life of self-sufficiency.

Shelters to Shutters currently operates in six major markets: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Nashville, the National Capital Region and Orlando. Phoenix will be the seventh market for Shelters to Shutters.

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About Shelters to Shutters

Shelters to Shutters is a national 501(c)(3) organization that transitions individuals and families from homelessness to economic self-sufficiency by educating and engaging the real estate industry to provide employment and housing opportunities. Across the country, Shelters to Shutters pairs leading property management companies with individuals experiencing homelessness who are ready to work. The result is an innovative program that provides full-time employment and housing opportunities for individuals facing homelessness and a pipeline of high quality, motivated employees for the multifamily housing industry. Shelters to Shutters currently operates in five major markets: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Nashville and the National Capital Region. More information can be found at http://www.shelterstoshutters.org or by following the organization on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About The Wolff Company

The Wolff Company is an integrated real estate investment firm focused on the mission-driven development and management of rental communities across the North America. Wolff combines a discretionary private equity platform with an integrated, in-house development team and a newly formed resident experience company. The Wolff Company focuses on improving the lives of its residents by fundamentally redefining the residential rental experience, while delivering outsized investment returns. Since 1949, The Wolff Company has promoted a people first culture that encourages relentless innovation, steadfast execution, faithful stewardship, and continuous learning. For more information, visit http://www.awolff.com.
Having liability coverage is important for every driver. To save money on this coverage, drivers can keep the limits at a minimum, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents several factors that can affect the price of liability car insurance.

For more info and free car insurance quotes online, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/top-factors-that-affect-auto-liability-insurance-prices/

Before granting coverage to someone, insurance companies will analyze various factors. Some of these factors are very important and they can have a significant impact on the final price of liability insurance. These factors are the following:



The minimum imposed liability. Except for New Hampshire, all other states impose minimum liability insurance that any driver needs to have it in order to legally drive inside a state. The minimum liability insurance is not under the driver's control and the price for this coverage can vary quite a lot depending on the state where the driver is living and the requirements for this coverage.

The driving history. The driving record of a customer is important for every insurance company when they determine the insurance rates paid by their clients. Customers who have traffic violations like traffic tickets, at-fault accidents, DUI driving incidents will pay more on their premiums. On the other hand, drivers with clean driving records will pay lower insurance rates.

The car that is to be insured. Some factors regarding the vehicle can have an impact on liability insurance. These factors are car ownership, make, model, year of production, installed safety and anti-theft devices, safety rating, condition, and value. These factors will help the insurers to determine more accurate insurance deals. For example, an insurer will charge less on a slightly used SUV that has several safety features installed compared to what will charge on a brand-new SUV.

The coverage limits. This factor is in the policyholder's control. Policyholders can decide on higher or lower coverage limits. By doing so, they can increase or decrease the price of their insurance rates.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
Despite the headwinds of COVID, Veronafiere remains resolute in holding this years Vinitaly in April, the traditional month of the signature Italian wine trade event of the year. While other trade shows have been postponed and canceled, Vintialy forges ahead. We think its an important statement to the global wine market that we hold firm on the Vinitaly dates, says Giovanni Mantovani, CEO, Veronafiere. In the face of the pandemic, our wine companies have persevered, and collectively made 2021 a historically successful year for Italian wine exports. We want to support and celebrate these great companies in their efforts.

To ensure the utmost safety of the exhibitors, visitors and staff, Veronafiere has implemented a Covid-safety protocol. There will be temperature scanning devices at all points of entry, 400 cameras around the grounds that will be able to detect potential large gatherings, and an overarching constant sanification process of all areas and surfaces.

The 2019 edition of Vintaly, the last before the pandemic, broke previous records with 33,000+ buyers, 4,692 exhibitors from the 20 regions of Italy and 41 countries,125,000+ total visitors including events held in the city of Verona (Vinitaly in the City) and 5,953 buyers from the US alone. The enthusiasm for Italian wine is reflected in production and sales. In 2021, Italian wine companies exported wine around the world for an estimated 7.1 billion Euro, a new record for Italian wine exports and an increase of 13% over 2020 and 10% over 2019.

Not only will Vinitaly carry on as planned, Vinitaly International Academy continues to educate wine professionals around the world with the hugely successful Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) program. The 2022 VIA program will kick off with a 3-day hybrid course from February 28 to March 2 taking place simultaneously in Moscow and St. Petersburg under the expert tutelage of Sarah Heller, MW. On March 4-6, VIA will travel to New York, taught by Henry Davar IWE. From April 4-7, the flagship annual course will be held in its original home in Verona with the full faculty of Heller, Davar, and Professor Attilio Scienza in person for the event. A further course will be held in Hong Kong, Covid restrictions permitting, later in the year.

The success of Italian wine sales around the world is predicated on education, says Stevie Kim, founder of VIA and managing director of Vinitaly International. Were building an amazing group of educators and advocates for Italian wine that will support the continued success Italian wine companies are enjoying globally. The internationally respected VIA course is now in its 21st edition, having successfully pivoted to an agile format during the first wave of COVID lockdowns in early 2020. The VIA community now comprises over 900 candidates, of whom 262 have achieved the title Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA) accreditation and 15 of whom have qualified as Italian Wine Experts. In the USA there are currently 93 IWAs and 20 in Canada.

The VIA course is divided into two sections, the first of which involves access to a students-only learning platform with instructional videos. Self-study takes place at home, before in-person sessions in each of the cities holding the course. The second section is firmly focused on the tasting aspect of the course and master classes covering particular soils, climates, grapes, regions and denominations. All elements of the course are carefully curated by the VIA Faculty team, assisted by scientific advisor Professor Attilio Scienza. The ethos behind the course is a sound scientific focus on the native grapes of Italy and on the characteristics of the 20 regions biodiversity, history, culture, and business.

Alumni of the Vinitaly International Academy recall their experiences as challenging, life changing and exceptionally worthwhile. I highly recommend the VIA program, said Paul Bologna, Italian Wine Ambassador class of 2021. The curriculum offers the opportunity to learn the most cutting-edge information on the origins of hundreds of native grapes as well as the top producers who are changing the future of Italian wines. Annie Replogle IWA, from the same VIA class commented, The challenge of the VIA course is great for those seeking the utmost knowledge of Italian wine and made me fall even more in love with Italian wine, which I didnt think was possible. Students who take the VIA course come from every aspect of the wine sector, including educators, journalists, importers, hospitality, retailers, and beyond. Faculty member Henry Davar IWE summed up the experience, at VIA we expand on the birds eye view not only by appreciating Italy for the breadth of its geography and wealth of native grapes, but for the wealth of its history.

About Vinitaly

Vinitaly, the most prestigious event in the world of wine business, returns in its 54th edition and will take place in Verona from 10th to 13th April 2022. Vinitaly has always played a key role in promoting contacts between exhibitors, buyers and stakeholder, as it is increasingly focused on the development of B2B relationships: guides and competitions, seated and walk-around tastings, conferences and analysis of reference markets. Vinitaly was the first trade fair to introduce thematic areas that help give voice to the latest international trends. The new entry for 2022 is a thematic area dedicated to an increasing phenomenon and popular trend: Mixology. A specific area inside the trade fair is involving the most talented and trend-setting bartenders.

About Vinitaly International Academy

Vinitaly International Academy aims to be the gold standard of Italian wine education. It offers a complete educational path with standardized courses that will teach professionals and educators to master the diversity of Italian wine in a rigorous, organized manner. VIAs main objective is to foster a global network of highly qualified professionals such as Italian Wine Ambassadors and Italian Wine Experts: in turn, they will support and promote Italian wine throughout the world. VIA was founded by Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International. The new VIA ecosystem avails of the guidance of Italian trade associations Federdoc, Federvini, Vignaioli Indipendenti FIVI, and Unione Italiana Vini as members of the Institutional Advisory Board. Italian vine genetics scholar, Prof. Attilio Scienza, oversees VIAs scientific and educational direction as the Chief Scientist. VIA Faculty Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar IWE teach the flagship Italian Wine Ambassador course. To date, there are 262 Certified Italian Wine Ambassadors of which 15 are also Italian Wine Experts.
In the face of the pandemic, our wine companies have persevered, and collectively made 2021 a historically successful year for Italian wine exports. We want to support and celebrate these great companies in their efforts.

Building the excitement for the return of a full blown Vinitaly in April, the Vinitaly Roadshows will see tastings and press conferences in three cities across three countries. The Roadshows are organized by Veronafiere, with the patronage of the Italian Trade Agency, and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International, will be in attendance in New York and London, while the Italian Embassy in Russia will host the event in Moscow, with the goal of promoting Vinitaly 2022.

First stop: Moscow. The Vinitaly Roadshow will take place at the Italian Embassy on 3 March 2022 from 11am to 5pm. The event will follow Vinitaly International Academys Italian Wine Ambassador course, held simultaneously in Moscow and St. Petersburg in an agile format from 28 February to 3 March. Invited guests include VIA students and Italian Wine Ambassadors, diplomats from the Italian Embassy, members of the Italian Trade Agency, and members of trade and press.

Second stop: New York. On this occasion the Vinitaly Roadshow will take the shape of a Press Conference and Lunch, to be held 8 March 2022 at Il Gattopardo Ristorante in Manhattan. This event will follow on the heels of Vinitaly International Academys Italian Wine Ambassador course, held from 4-7 March at the International Wine Center in New York. Invited guests will include VIA students and Italian Wine Ambassadors, members of the Italian Trade Agency and Veronafiere, and members of the press.

Third stop: London. The Vinitaly Roadshow Press Conference and Lunch will take place on 14 March 2022 at The Dilly in Piccadilly from 12:30-2pm. Participants will include members of the Italian Trade Agency, Veronafiere, trade and press.

The Vinitaly Roadshows will celebrate Veronafieres commitment to holding this years Vinitaly in April, the traditional month for the signature Italian wine trade event of the year. While other trade shows have been postponed and canceled, Vintialy forges ahead. We think its an important statement to the global wine market that we hold firm on the Vinitaly dates, says Giovanni Mantovani, CEO, Veronafiere. In the face of the pandemic, our wine companies have persevered, and collectively made 2021 a historically successful year for Italian wine exports. We want to support and celebrate these great companies in their efforts.

Holding the Roadshows alongside two VIA Italian Wine Ambassador courses reflects the perception that the success of Italian wine sales around the world is predicated on education, as stated by Stevie Kim, founder of VIA and managing director of Vinitaly International. Were building an amazing group of educators and advocates for Italian wine that will support the continued success Italian wine companies are enjoying globally.

Vinitaly will take place at Veronafiere in Verona, Italy from 10-14 April 2022.
Throughout my hospitality career Ive worked with a number of accounting systems. PVNG is by far the best accounting software on the market.

Hotels dont need to be big to benefit from the best technology. Such is the case for The Ivy Hotel, a world-class historic mansion in Baltimore. Ranked No. 6 in the U.S. by TripAdvisor among its Top 25 Luxury Hotels and named a Travel + Leisure Best Hotel on the Planet, this boutique wedding and meetings destination boasts just 17 guestrooms, along with a small luxury spa, and an acclaimed culinary concept, Magdalena, A Maryland Bistro, that has earned Wine Spectators Award of Excellence and the OpenTable Diners Choice award. Behind all the accolades at the heart of the hotel sits Aptech, the industry standard for hospitality financial management.

Accounting Manager Kenny Cassara said 2021 was the best year yet for The Ivy Hotel due to the proliferation of Staycations brought on by the pandemic. As business continues to flourish, Cassara said Aptechs enterprise accounting solution PVNG is enabling him to keep financial processes flowing smoothly, as he can now access operational data in real time.

Throughout my hospitality career Ive worked with a number of accounting systems. PVNG is by far the best accounting software on the market, Cassara said. Its simple. Its smooth. Its user friendly. And most importantly, its obvious  meaning it doesnt require a high level of training and support. Reports can be generated, sorted, and shared in just minutes. PVNG is unlike any software Ive ever experienced. You cant get lost in Aptech; I can run P&Ls, accounts payable, and process invoices in my sleep.

The Ivy Hotel and Magdalena Restaurant are a Baltimore jewel. Owners Eddie and Sylvia Brown are committed to a deeply personalized approach to hospitality fueled by a desire to exceed guests expectations. The Ivy Hotel boasts eight airy suites and nine bedrooms, each with a gas fireplace and lavish bathroom with heated limestone floor. Magdalena restaurant features bistro fare inspired by the classic dishes of France, the comforts of England, and the vast spirit of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay region. The Ivy is ideal for weddings or events, backed by state-of-the-art technology. After a day of meetings, guests can enjoy The Ivys full-service spa or relax with an in-room massage.

When a hotel like The Ivy  rated the No. 1 hotel in Baltimore and earning a distinguished 4 stars from Forbes Travel Guide in 2021  calls your accounting solution best in the industry, it speaks volumes, said Sam Costa, Aptech Director of Customer Service and Support. Almost daily I hear people like Kenny say PVNG is effortless. They appreciate the user-friendliness of the system, which can be accessed from anywhere because it is cloud-based. I am thrilled that The Ivy Hotel has remained a satisfied Aptech customer over the years, and that the finance team is so pleased to be running on PVNG. This is a one-of-a-kind property known for having the best tea service, amazing food, lavish luxury, and a fun neighborhood. We are proud to add best accounting platform to their impressive list of accolades.

For more information on Aptech solutions, visit http://www.aptech-inc.com.

# # #

About Aptech Computer Systems Inc.

Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only provider of a fully integrated enterprise accounting, business intelligence and planning ecosystem to the hospitality industry. All clients are companies like yours, which own or manage hotels. Its solutions help customers at both the corporate and property levels understand their financial and operational data for faster goal achievement. The company is renowned for introducing business intelligence into the hotel industry and offers a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner and Premier Solution Provider, as well as a Prophix Premier Business Partner. Incorporated in 1970, Aptechs state-of-the-art back office, true business intelligence and enterprise planning solutions are 100% hotel specific. Solutions include PVNG, Execuvue and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 3,500 properties  including large chains, multiple-property management companies and single-site hotels. Execuvue is registered to Aptech Computer Systems Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information, please visit http://www.aptech-inc.com.
Miriam's Kitchen Washington D.C. Dame Shellie Hunt of WGC stated " It is a blessing to bring together teams and support other organizations that have such a positive impact in their community.

Homelessness and food inequality have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic. As a result, Women of Global Change took up the challenge to raise funds to help those in need in Washington, D.C. Through a Global Giving Campaign, the organization was able to successfully raise over $4,500 to help Miriams Kitchen. Miriams Kitchen is a fellow non-profit that helps families who are struggling with food insecurity, homelessness and are working to improve domestic relationships for the betterment of families.

Kimberly Heller of Miriams Kitchen stated, We are so grateful for Women of Global Change raising critical funds to support our mission of ending chronic homelessness in Washington DC. Every dollar invested in our organization is being used to meet the most urgent needs of our neighbors experiencing homelessness from meals to housing. Our community relies on our wraparound servicesincluding providing over 300 delicious, healthy, made-from-scratch meals daily and connecting our guests to critical resources on their journey towards housing. It is thanks to partners like Women for Global Change that we can show up every day for our guests and move the needle in ending chronic homelessness in our nations capital. We are so grateful for their support!

Women of Global Change is an international multi-award-winning non-profit 501c3 organization whose impact has crossed into multiple continents. The Women of Global Change have been honored by the U.S. Senate, and U.S. Congress, also WGC has received five White House awards for their service, accomplishments, and recognitions from multiple U.S. Presidents, plus many International Magistrates and more with over 50,000+ families served globally to date.

WGC participates in educational initiatives, business networking events, and national and international projects of betterment through a variety of different programs, social impact missions, and leadership practices. WGC members work together in business, power, and spirit to provide a better world for women, children, and all humankind.

Dame Shellie Hunt of WGC revealed that it is only through humanitarian efforts that we can eradicate homelessness and hunger, that is why WGC works so hard to help those in need. It is a blessing to bring together teams and support other organizations that have such a positive impact in their community. Women of Global Change is always looking for Chapter Presidents to create an atmosphere for women to network, work on charitable causes together and thrive. There are chapters in Georgia, the Philippines, LA, and around the world. This spring, Women of Global Change is hosting a virtual 5k to help the heart mission of a Chapters choice. Click here to find out how to join a chapter or create one.


[Transcript follows]

During the pandemic and when other natural disasters strike, governments may curtail certain liberties in an effort to save lives. These compromises also happen in everyday life, from seatbelt laws to food-safety regulations. A paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, however, suggests that restricting freedoms may have other unintended negative consequences for behavior and health. One of the authors, Nathan Cheek with Princeton University, explains how there may be a balance that can be achieved and how psychological science could help policymakers promote public health, safety, and well-being in times of crisis.

Auto-generated transcript

Charles Blue (00:12)

There is an often misstated and misunderstood quote by Benjamin Franklin, which reads, Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor safety. Though often used rhetorically to denounce impositions or laws restricting certain behaviors, Franklin was actually referring to a specific tax dispute. This quote is therefore more accurately a pro-taxation and pro-defense spending statement than a quote supporting the absolute preservation of freedoms. During the Pandemic and other natural disasters, many actions are taken by governments to save lives at the cost of certain liberties. This is even in everyday life, from seatbelt laws to food safety regulations. The worthy objective of these restrictions is to protect people by imposing limits on what they are free to do. A new article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, however, suggests there may be unintended consequences. Restricting freedoms may have negative consequences for behavior and health. This paper suggests that there is a balance that can be achieved and that psychology can help policymakers promote public health, safety, and well being when crises and disasters strike. Im Charles Blue and youre listening to Under the Cortex today.

Charles Blue (01:33)

I have with me, Nathan Cheek with Princeton University and lead author on this paper. Thank you for joining me today.

Nathan Cheek (01:40)

Thanks so much for having me. Im happy to be here to set the stage.

Charles Blue (01:44)

Can you tell us what did you set out to study and why?

Nathan Cheek (01:49)

Absolutely. So my co-authors and I started having conversations about the many changes we were seeing in the wake of the Pandemic. So in the first few months, we saw dramatic world changes, extreme public policies that for many of us were relatively unprecedented, whether it was in the form of restrictions, social distancing requirements, work from home mandates, and many other things. And as these were unfolding, we were wondering what the psychological consequences would be of these dramatic changes. And then some early data coming out of Italy suggested that the psychology of freedom needed to be taken more seriously. And in fact, in a nationally representative sample of Italians, the most frequently reported new negative consequence of the lockdown was restricted freedom, even above things like financial burdens and social isolation. So clearly we need to be taking freedom seriously. As we were doing this work, we found that there were two broad clusters of negative consequences that seem to emerge when people face these kinds of new restrictions. The first is a cluster of mental and physical health consequences. It hurts to have freedom taken away, sometimes quite literally. And the second cluster was around negative behavioral responses ranging from things like noncompliance to more extreme manifestations of reactants in the form of, for example, public protest.

Charles Blue (03:08)

Your paper implies that there may be an important middle ground and specific tactics that policymakers could use to protect health. This is sort of balancing out the freedom versus protecting public good. Could you spell those out for us.

Nathan Cheek (03:24)

Absolutely. Yeah. So we suggest that if you, as a policymaker, take the psychology of freedom seriously, then you realize its important to balance new restrictions with some other methods of either maintaining a sense of freedom or the very least helping people see the value of increased restrictions. So we try to summarize a lot of behavioral science research around this topic in a set of four easy principles that we call safe principles and thats an acronym for spelling out the benefits of restricting freedom, attaching a moral value to behaviors both desired and undesired, reframing restrictions as freedom from and encouraging freedom in other ways. So I can sort of briefly walk you through each of those one by one.

Charles Blue (04:05)

Yeah, lets go ahead and dive down that path because those all seem to make kind of sense, but Im not sure how they would be implemented.

Nathan Cheek (04:13)

Yeah. So the first spelling out the benefits of freedom can be implemented in different ways. Its really all about making the reasons why restrictive freedom is a good thing more salient. So you can do this by invoking compelling and memorable narratives, maybe focusing on one particular person and having that be a salient example in peoples minds. You can do it by spelling out the many different groups of people who would be benefited by adhering to new restrictions from loved ones, family and friends to children to older adults to compromised individuals and other people who might just be more vulnerable. You can also do it sometimes by effectively invoking threats. So really emphasizing the danger thats posed by the pandemic or by other sources of threat. And what I would say there is that its important when using those kinds of fear appeals to just make sure that people have a sense of self efficacy, that they can do something about it, because if you just make people scared, then they become resigned and they feel panicked and trapped. But if you make them feel like theres a clear thing they can do, like effectively social distancing or staying at home, then threat might be more effective as well. The second principle is about attaching a moral value, and thats about framing restrictions in terms of right and wrong. And so we know from a lot of work on moral cognition that moral framings are potentially really powerful drivers of behavior. And youve seen examples of this throughout history. So things like littering and drunk driving, theres a lot of activism around making those about right and wrong rather than, say personal freedom. And thats why I think many of us were more accepting of public policies restricting those behaviors. And I think you can see the power of moral framing in everyday actions, like why do we return a shopping cart to sort of the shopping cart Loading spot after grocery shopping.

Charles Blue (06:05)

Or we wish people did.

Nathan Cheek (06:06)

Yeah. Or we wish people did. And thats because we see it as a moral action. So when I do that, its not because I think Im going to be punished. No one is going to do anything to me if I just leave it by where my car was parked. But I take the extra steps of bringing it back just because I know its like the right thing to do. So moral framework, at least for those of us who return our shopping cards, can be potentially powerful. The third principle is about reframing restrictions as freedom from so many of these public policies aimed at increasing security can be thought of as ways of increasing a different kind of freedom. They might be limiting your freedom to do whatever you want, but they might be increasing your freedom from threats. So, for example, you see this in the history of smoking bans in the United States. For a long time, smoking was thought of as an individual Liberty, and so attempts to ban smoking would be seen as a real restriction on what youre free to do. But then the conversation shifted and became more about secondhand smoke and the danger of smoking posed to other people.

Nathan Cheek (07:09)

And once it became a conversation about protecting others individual freedom from the threat of secondhand smoking or other kinds of security threats, then suddenly it became more defensible and more accepted to have these kinds of smoking bans. And so that kind of reframing can be really effective. And I think sometimes its so clear to us that we take it for granted. So you dont see public protests around bans on Hasbro for using lead paint and childrens toys. And thats because its so clear to us that we want children to be free from that kind of threat. So its just about understanding new policies through that same kind of light that we often accept. And then the final principle, encouraging freedom other ways Is about finding new outlets for people to exercise freedom. So as youre losing some perceived freedoms to gain security, Maybe there are other ways either at the individual level or the more structural, collective level that you can see ways to increase your freedom as well. So I think when many of us adopted new habits like becoming obsessed with baking sourdough, that was a way of exercising agency, Taking on something new.

Nathan Cheek (08:12)

It was probably about passing the time, But I think also just exercising this freedom of choice. And then I think theres a lot of room for policy makers to facilitate that kind of thing. A couple of examples would just be putting more funding towards resources like online libraries and Museum tours in ways that allow us to virtually explore the world as well as amenities like public parks and hiking trails Where we can get out of the world, exercise our freedom Even as were also under many restrictions.

Charles Blue (08:39)

I want to go back to something you said earlier. And it struck me that you said that the loss of freedom hurts almost as if its a physical injury or damage that a person suffers when they were real or not feel they have given up a type of freedom. Could you explain that a little bit more? What do you mean when someone is physically hurt by giving up a freedom?

Nathan Cheek (09:01)

Yeah, so partly Im invoking metaphor here, but in a sense, we do see a lot of research that connects peoples sense of autonomy to their physical wellbeing. And a lot of that work is under the umbrella of self determination theory which argues that a sense of autonomy, a free choice of freedom is one of the fundamental needs that all people have and that can look different across different cultural contexts. But all of us need to feel some kind of sense of agency or freedom to pursue what we want to do. And so when we have that freedom taken away, It causes mental pain and sometimes physical pain as we suffer the physical and mental health consequences of having that kind of restriction.

Charles Blue (09:42)

This may not come under the umbrella of your research, but has there been anyone whos looked into just changing the term freedom? Because I hear comments Reading online that people no longer have the freedom to go to the store? Well, no, thats not been taken away. You have that freedom, but to exercise that freedom, you are being asked to do something. So even just taking the term freedom off the table, is that such a lightning Rod of a term that even keeping it into the discussion is making it a harder effort to enact policies and to change behavior?

Nathan Cheek (10:22)

I think thats a really interesting suggestion. I think it certainly could be. And I think particularly in the US, freedom is, like you said, sort of a hot button word itself. And it is in some ways a symbolic word for many other political discussions and debates that we have framing that in terms of choice or maybe framing that as. Yeah, not specifically about this sort of magical and powerful word. Freedom might be a way forward. Absolutely.

Charles Blue (10:49)

That ties into my next question, because we are hearing a lot these days about groups and individuals fighting against what they feel are unbearable restrictions on their freedom in the name of safety. This is not a new rallying cry. What does your research tell us about the problem of today?

Nathan Cheek (11:07)

Yeah. I mean, I think the first thing that research tells us and this is exactly what you said, which is that this isnt necessarily a new problem. So when we look at the history of pandemics, the new public policies that emerge in an attempt to increase public health and public safety are almost always met with resistance. We can see that in the protests in California during the early 20th century, flu pandemic, where there was the formation of the California Antimask League. There were riots in Liverpool during the cholera outbreak in the 18 hundreds in England. So theres a history of this kind of resistance. And then we also just see from many other kinds of public policy, attempts to require seat belts, require helmets, banned smoking ban, firearms, and these other freedom related public policies are met with a profound resistance. And so in that way research, we just really see that this is a common recurring theme. The research also suggests, like weve talked about, that there are some ways forward. So we have seen that you can get past this kind of resistance. So with the right kind of collective action and public policies, we are able to move forward.

Nathan Cheek (12:18)

I think relatively few of us feel a lot of resistance when we put on seatbelts today, when we drive, but that wasnt always the case. And so thats changed a lot. And so there are ways forward as well.

Charles Blue (12:28)

I do recall when the seat belt was first coming out. That was when I was in driver education and my parents never had that. So I had to refuse to get in the car until they decided to start wearing their seatbelts. And well, that worked for them. But its not something that you see any, I guess, knee jerk reactions against anymore thats just accepted.

As we look back two years ago, what could policy makers have done better at the outset of the pandemic, and perhaps what could they do now that they arent doing?

Nathan Cheek (13:02)

Yeah, its a great question. And one great thing would have been to, I think, more deeply anticipate some of the consequences that we saw. So in terms of mental and physical health effects of restricted freedom, I think doubling down on government and public infrastructure for things like mental health care resources would have been great. And it would have been also great to start building, even from the beginning a plan to deal with vaccine resistance, which there was a relatively large body of literature on already and could have been, I think, more accurately anticipated. So that when vaccines started to roll out, maybe there was some more effective strategies in place to start dealing with that. I think also building an infrastructure with structural support for things that people need, like health care resources, like financial support for people who are struggling, would have been really helpful because it would lessen the health burdens that we saw. But also it would help people accept new restrictions. So its easier to accept the consequences of maybe not being able to go into work if thats accompanied by a stimulus check and a rent freeze. So there are other kinds of resources you have at your disposal that make it easier to live under these kinds of new restrictions.

Nathan Cheek (14:11)

I think also one of the most profoundly ineffective things we saw was that the pandemic was politicized, at least in the United States. And so we see that in the ongoing pandemic where research has shown, for example, that counties that had a higher percentage of people voting for Donald Trump in the election or that consume more conservative news have higher rates of death from COVID and also just show less adherence to behavioral restrictions and guidelines. But you also see it with other kinds of disasters. So an affecting example is the trajectory over history of Hurricane evacuations, where it used to be the case that Hurricanes were not very politicized. And so you didnt see any relation between county politics and Hurricane evacuations. But in 2017, a research team found for the first time that the share of Republican voters was related to less compliance with evacuations around Hurricane Irma. So thats an example of disasters dont have to be politicized. Theyre not necessarily inherently political, but then they also can be politicized over time, if thats what public figures choose to do.

Charles Blue (15:22)

And there is sort of a foundational understanding in strategic communications that you have to get out ahead of other messages. The first message is usually the one that is the most sticky. And once that message becomes politicized, its too late to pull it back. Its already been us-themed. Last question then. So where do we go from here moving forward? Whats a good next step if were to make things just a little bit better?

Nathan Cheek (15:52)

Yeah. I mean, thats the million dollar question, and I think politicization is a huge problem. But I think even with that, there are ways to move forward. We need a government and public policy efforts that build more trust and more infrastructure. So trust is really related to compliance. Theres a lot of research Where even things like smoking bans, People who have more public trust Are more likely to adhere to them. And so I think building that kind of trust is really important, and the government can do that by passing policies that people see as tangibly helping them. So things like stimulus checks, More health care resources, Public amenities, and resources like parks, libraries, transportation, voting rights, Things like public child care resources can be really useful. When people see that public officials are taking this seriously, but also trying to help people, Then that increases the publics will to adhere to these restrictions. And I think good examples of that range from things like cities passing new drinking ordinances Where people can drink outside So they dont have to go inside to restaurants and bars to things like rent freezes. And those can be good, but they just didnt seem to be permanent.

Nathan Cheek (16:56)

And then I also think trying to adopt some of these principles, Helping people understand that were probably going to be in this situation for many more months and most likely years to come. And so its not about finding a fix that lasts just a short amount of time. Its about taking seriously the changes that we need to make long term and so reframing these restrictions, thinking about them in moral terms, finding other ways to exercise free choice and finding ways to really understand the important and ongoing value of these restrictions Are going to be really essential going forward.

Charles Blue (17:32)

And hopefully we can find some of those tools and enact them. I wait for the day when were back to life closer to normal.

Nathan Cheek (17:40)

Me too.

Feedback on this article? Email apsobserver@psychologicalscience.org or comment below.
Three publishing veteransall women with extensive backgrounds in editing, acquisitions, and management will take over roles at religion presses in challenging times for the church and society.

The Rev. Dr. Bridgett A. Green at Westminster John Knox

Green, once an acquisitions editor at WJK, is returning from a stint in academia as the new v-p of publishing for the Presbyterian Publishing Corp. and editorial director for the WJK Press. She will oversee all editorial developments, production, and relationships with seminaries and academia. Green, the first woman and the first African American person in this role at WJK, is also charged with leading the rest of the executive staff of the Press as they work to re-envision the Press as an anti-racist publisher and organization, according to the company.

PPC president and publisher David Dobson praised Greens scholarship, teaching experience, love of the church, and publishing experience. From 2013 to 2018, Green was an acquisitions editor for WJK, handling bestselling titles and editing both the Old Testament and the New Testament Library series. Between her posts at WJK, Green was an assistant professor of New Testament at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a seminary of the PC (USA) in Austin, Texas.

In a statement, Green said she is a huge fan of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation and the resources it has produced for both the church and academy." She added: "It is an honor to be a part of such a rich legacy of excellence and to rejoin the team as the organization continues to evolve in whom it publishes, what it publishes, and how it operates.

Katelyn Beaty at Brazos

Beaty has been named editorial director, moving up from her role as Brazos Press acquisitions editor since fall 2018 for the Baker Publishing Group (BPG) imprint. She brings a varied background as past print managing editor at Christianity Today, a current co-host of the Saved by the City podcast at Religion News Service, and an author with an upcoming book, Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church (Brazos, Aug.)

Katelyn is uniquely prepared to curate the editorial vision of Brazos Press, Dwight Baker, BPG president and CEO, said in a release. As we survey recent social shifts within and around the church, it is clear that the demand for emerging leaders and discerning voices has never been greater.

Brazos looks to nonfiction titles that Beaty told PW "go deep in representing the best of nuanced Christian thinking. Her aim in the new role, she says, is to help the church fearlessly address timely questions with better answers than the ones we naturally fall back to. Id like people to look back on the books Brazos published during my time as editorial director and say, They were leading the church, not just reflecting the status quo.

Therese Ratliff at Liturgical

Therese Ratliff has been named director and CEO at the Catholic publisher that has provided religious and spiritual resources for parishes and academia for 96 years. Shell become the first woman to lead Liturgical Press, succeeding Peter Dwyer who will leave the post in June after 33 years, including 21 as director.

Ratliff is a veteran of Catholic book and periodical publishing and current v-p of the Association of Catholic Publishers board of directors. She is only the second layperson to lead the press, which is based at St. Johns Abbey, a Benedictine abbey in Collegeville, Minn. Abbot John Klassen, OSB, calls Ratliff an energetic, vibrant person who brings a rich set of leadership experiences. And Dwyer praised his successors wisdom and gifts and her deep commitment to the Gospel" in a press release announcing the news.

Ratliff, who has degrees in theology, literature, writing, and publishing, said in a.release that she is thrilled with the opportunity to lead the historic house into the future. We in Catholic publishing must meet the moment our world faces in diverse new ways, and Im confident that, together, we will find new pathways and explore new directions for the Gospel to take root and flourish, she said.

Her hiring is the latest in a wave of restructuring and reassignments within the company since September as it looks toward increased digital marketing.
After serving as the head of one of the worlds preeminent scouting agencies for some 35 years, Maria Campbell is turning over the reins of Maria B. Campbell Association to Agnes Ahlander Turner, who will become president on April 1. Turner has been with Campbell for 14 years, most recently serving as executive v-p. With the change, Campbell will assume the new role of executive chairman.

In making the announcement, Campbell said that Turner embodies all the qualities that I most value: integrity, intelligence, wit, and passion, and will lead our company to new heights. Turner added, in a statement: It is such an honor to take up the torch from Maria who shaped scouting into what it is today. I have had the privilege to learn from the best of the best and look forward to leading the company into the future.

With its headquarters in New York and an office in London, Maria B. Campbell Associates advises clients in approximately 22 countries about American and international books for translation and publication in their markets, and for adaptation into television and film.

Campbell said that, as executive chairman, she will continue to be involved in strategy and new business, while continuing her relationships throughout the industry. These Covid years have given me the time and space to realize that the workplace has permanently changed, she said. It has also made me appreciate my clients and the incredible privilege of working for them all these decades. Our motto, scouting without borders, has never been more important.
When the pandemic and social unrest first gripped the world in 2020, author and Baptist minister Khristi Lauren Adams noticed Black teenage girls on the front lines of protests as drivers of change and hope. Adams, who portrayed the struggles and resilience of anonymous girls of color in her first book, Parable of the Brown Girl, felt led to share specific names and stories in a new book, Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way (Broadleaf, Mar. 8). It profiles eight rising strategists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, and activists who are working toward a better future.

We were watching social injustices and a global pandemic occur on television, but I was also watching young people really take the stage and lead the way when it came to the political, racial, and climate change issues we were facing in the nation, Adams tells PW. The class of 2020 was going through the end of their high school year or even graduating college virtually, so there was this hyper-focus on Gen Z, how they were doing, and what they were doing.

Adams, who has worked for years as a youth advocate, understands that adult leaders arent the only people we can learn from. Questions arose for her about what is was like for a young Black girl in a pandemic, in this post-Donald Trump, Barack Obama world, doing active shooter drills and still being a teenager.

She adds: What is it in them that wakes up every morning and continues to keep going? I have not experienced that. So we need to speak to them and hear from them, because there's a gem there that can really add to our own lives.

Unbossed, Adams writes, means being unapologetic in their calling and approach to leading on their own terms. This includes 16-year-old Ssanyu Lukoma who created Brown Kids Read, an initiative to foster more reading opportunities for children of color, and Tyah-Amoy Roberts, a school shooting survivor who has organized demonstrations in an effort to improve the safety of young Americans.

The book also analyzes the various leadership styles of each individual, and connects them to Black women leaders from history. We can learn about their resilience, creativity, innovation, and we can be inspired by them, Adams says.

Releasing simultaneously, a companion book for middle-grade readers called Black Girls Unbossed, is a reimagined version of Unbossed specifically designed for young readers between the ages of 9-12. Valerie Weaver-Zercher, Unbossed editor, says readers of both books can discover familiar stories as well as narratives about little-known change-makers of the past.

She introduces readers to women like Septima Pointsette Clark, who created citizenship schools that taught 25,000 adults to read, and MaVynee Oshun Betsch, a twentieth-century environmental activist, and Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old who refused to give up her bus seat to a white woman in 1955, Weaver-Zercher says. By illuminating the links between Black womens work in different eras, Khristi gives readers a rich portrait of Black womens wisdom for leadership and activism.
Social media is one of the dominant influences on culture today, embraced by anybody looking for a voice in the world. Religion publishers are weighing in on the many debated that have sprung up around the impact of social media with books that offer a spiritual footing for healthier online social lives.

Sadie Robertson Huff, who first rose to fame on A&Es Duck Dynasty and has over five million followers across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, is acknowledging her own influential presence online and asking readers Who Are You Following? Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World (Thomas Nelson, out now). Huff writes in the book: I want to see more positive, encouraging messaging spring up. Thats why Im writing this book. This is me doing what I can to help us all wake up to the issues caused by our obsession with our screensinteractions that often provide the wrong answers to questions we dont even know were asking.

The Whoah, Thats Good podcaster draws on Scripture, research from the Pew Center and others related to time spent on social media and online abusive behavior, and personal stories, with the intention of helping readers form a plan of action as well as clear reasons for using social media that is in line with the teachings of Jesus, the ultimate influencer, according to the publisher.

Digging deeper into the social, emotional, and mental effects of social media, Chris Martins Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media (B&H, out now) explores the dominant role the social internet plays in the lives of users. Martina content marketing editor and social media, marketing and communications consultantdemonstrates how social media impacts users in hidden ways, and how readers can push back against the hold the internet has on your mind and your heart, according to the publisher.

Similarly, Silicon Valley-based pastor Jay Kim is following up on his book Analog Church with Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age (IVP, July 26), which examines how values of the digital age affect followers of Jesus. In it, Kim argues that scrolling and swiping is leading to impatience, comparison, outrage, and more in an effort to warn readers of the resulting damage to ones soul, according to the publisher.

There is also help for parents who are navigating their childrens use of social media and technology. Molly DeFrank, a mother of six who pulled the tech plug on her irritable and inattentive kids for two weeks, shares her story in Digital DeTox: The Two-Week Tech Reset for Kids by (Bethany, April 19). What began as an experiment results in improved moods and increased creativity in DeFranks household. Acknowledging an attachment to what she calls an electronic babysitter, the book lays out a 14-day plan for setting boundaries for screen time and provides tips for continuing device restrictions well beyond two weeks.

Parents come at this topic of detox with all sorts of objections on why this would never work for their families, Bethanys acquisitions editor, Jennifer Dukes Lee, tells PW. Molly tackles every single one. She doesnt miss a thing.

And finally, readers looking for an academic exploration of our virtual realities will find it in Digital Communion: Marshall McLuhans Spiritual Vision for a Virtual Age (Fortress, March 29) by Image journal's culture editor Nick Ripatrazone. In the 1960s, literary theorist Marshall McLuhan foretold blessings and sins that would stem from an electric world. Now, Ripatrazone looks at that vision through the lens of McLuhans Catholic faith, while also offering a religious history of mass communication, including the Gutenberg Bible, the novels of James Joyce, and television. For McLuhan, God was everywhere, including in mediums, and he envisioned the electronic world as a place for potential spiritual exchange, Ripatrazone writes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on international travel, but the work and mission of Purdue Universitys Study Abroad office continues and remains as important as ever.

Our staff, along with faculty and advisors across campus, never stopped working to educate and prepare Purdue students for their study abroad experiences, said Michael Bittinger, assistant director of Purdue Study Abroad. We never really went away; study abroad at Purdue continues. There is no doubt that student enthusiasm to study overseas remains very strong.

Applications are currently being accepted for the summer, fall, and academic-year 2022 terms, with a deadline of March 1.

Due to the pandemic, slightly fewer study abroad programs exist. Some popular destinations still remain closed to visiting students this semester. Spring break will have roughly half as many faculty-led program options as in the past. However, students have filled every single spot within these classes.

Thats a testament to the determination of students, and the dedication of faculty and staff to make the programs happen, Bittinger said.

Close to 200 Purdue students are studying abroad this spring semester or will soon depart for their yearlong programs.

Last fall, Purdue sent 49 students to destinations welcoming foreign students, which were France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, South Korea, Hong Kong, Spain, Denmark, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. They experienced required quarantines, mask mandates, and various forms of virtual and in-person learning, but worked through the ambiguity of life abroad during a pandemic.

Sarah VanBuskirk, a psychological sciences major from Fishers, Indiana, spent four months in Madrid, Spain, and she notes that the experience was educational in many different ways.

From not being sure if I was even going to be able to study abroad, to fears of the omicron variant affecting my travel back home, COVID has always been a part of this journey, VanBuskirk said. Ive had to deal with some of COVIDs consequences through program delays, rescheduled classes, and canceled flight plans. However, living with this uncertainty has taught me to become flexible and content with ambiguity. I now feel very confident in my ability to adapt to any situation and be comfortable in having to adjust. If I had studied abroad pre-COVID, during any other semester, I would not have learned some of these valuable lessons.

Current students express similar feelings of resilience. Ben Hardin, a senior in computer science, now in Switzerland for the spring 2022 semester, faced a delay in his original plans.

Im very thankful and excited for this opportunity to go now. I am eager to approach it with an open mind and safely take advantage of every experience I can, he said.

Bittinger said that just before the pandemic, Boilermakers were studying abroad like never before. The offering of substantial financial aid incentives to participate, consistently over numerous years, helped define study abroad as a common part of the Purdue undergraduate experience. Over 450 program options were available in 50-plus countries, ranging from as short as one week to as long as the entire academic year. At its peak, over a quarter of each graduating class was seeking an international experience. But when COVID-19 arrived, things changed.

By the end of March 2020, hundreds of spring semester study abroad students returned to finish their session remotely. Nearly 2,000 additional students met cancellation of study abroad plans over the next year.

As travel restrictions and health concerns recede, Bittinger expects program numbers to rebound and participation levels to return to what they were pre-pandemic. He admires the resilience of the students, faculty, and staff who have made the best out of an unpredictable situation over the last two years.

Studying abroad is a desirable supplement to the Purdue education, Bittinger said. When Boilermakers abroad return to campus, the experiences they share add value to class discussions, group projects, and the overall worldview of our campus community. If COVID cant hold Purdue students back, Im not sure anything can.
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TEGNA currently runs 64 television stations in 51 US markets and claims to be the largest owner of the top four network affiliates in the top 25 US markets among independent station groups. It also owns leading multicast networks True Crime Network, Twist and Quest and has digital and over-the-top (OTT) platforms including the Premion advertising service. The company has been a target for acquisition for a number of years and in 2019 received an offer reportedly worth $3 billion to sell itself to American private equity firm Apollo Global Management. Following the close of the Standard General transaction, TEGNA stations in Austin (KVUE), Dallas (WFAA and KMPX) and Houston (KHOU and KTBU) are expected to be acquired by Cox Media Group . Also after closing, Premion is expected to operate as a standalone business majority owned by Cox Media Group and Standard General.Commenting on the transaction, Soo Kim, founding partner of Standard General, said that TEGNA has a strong foundation and that there were exciting prospects for continued growth. As long-term investors in the television broadcasting industry, we have a deep admiration for TEGNA and the stations it operates and, in particular, for TEGNAs talented employees and their commitment to serving their communities, he remarked.Following the close of the transaction, Deb McDermott, who previously spearheaded the broadcast group at Media General and currently CEO will become TEGNA CEO and Kim will serve as chairman of a new board. McDermott has more than 20 years of experience leading broadcast groups, including previously serving as COO of Media General and as CEO and president of Young Broadcasting. In these roles, she has served as a key member of the leadership teams responsible for the successful acquisition, integration and operation of more than 90 stations.Outlining the scope of the new role she said: I am honoured to lead TEGNAs team to create new opportunities and build on its heritage and successes achieved under [the leadership of current TEGNA CEO and president Dave Lougee]. TEGNAs stations have earned excellent reputations as leading local content providers, and TEGNAs digital and content assets are a key part of its future in an evolving media landscape. These achievements are a credit to the hard work of TEGNAs dedicated employees, who are the Companys most valuable asset. Im very excited about what the future holds for TEGNA.Lougee added: This transaction is the next step in TEGNAs evolution and recognises the value of our portfolio of leading broadcast assets and innovative digital brands. TEGNAs employees deserve tremendous credit for their commitment to serving our viewers with high-quality news and content that informs and supports our local communities. At all levels, we have been tireless in our efforts to ensure TEGNA effectively serves all of our stakeholders, and I am immensely proud of these efforts. Our hard work has built a company that is a leading and trusted local news and media content provider in the markets it serves and has fostered a culture of diversity and inclusiveness.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have created unease in global energy markets. Oil prices have been unstable, U.S. natural gas producers are watching closely, and growing electricity demand is outpacing renewable generation. In the midst of these dynamics, nuclear energy looks really appealing.

Nuclear energy is an integral part of U.S. emissions reduction efforts. More than 70 electric utilities, serving roughly 81 percent of American customers, have significant carbon emissions goals. Concurrently, many of them have made clear that they need firm, flexible clean energy like nuclear to achieve those goals. Even the U.S. Department of Defense, which recently committed to 100 percent clean power by 2030, has been investing in microreactor technologies to meet its clean energy needs.

The problem is 52 nuclear reactors are under construction across the globe, but only two of those are in the United States. Russia accounts for about two-thirds of reactor sales worldwide. China has 14 currently under construction and has announced plans to build 150 new reactors over the next 15 years. Even some traditional allies that once pledged to phase out nuclear power, like the French and the South Koreans, are reversing course.

It is not just a climate imperative, it is an economic opportunity. The International Energy Agency projects global nuclear generation needs to double by 2050 to meet net-zero emissions goals. Think tanks ThirdWay and Energy for Growth Hub estimate nearly 50 countries to have markets for advanced nuclear power, a potential ~$360 billion per year market opportunity. The U.S. is on the cusp of capitalizing on this opportunity but a few big things need to change immediately to fully compete in the innovation race.

A flurry of new American nuclear energy technologies that are smaller, pair flexibly with renewable energy, and are walk-away safe are near commercialization. Nearly 10 new advanced reactor licenses could come before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by 2025, many of which plan to build reactors over the next decade. But it is increasingly clear todays NRC is not equipped to review them.

For example, Oklo, the first non-light water reactor company to submit a license application to the NRC, recently had its application rejected. NuScale, the first small modular reactor to get a design certification, took 5 years and half a billion dollars to navigate the process. There are always hiccups for first movers, but that cannot become the norm for the review of new technologies. The federal government must partner with, not stand in the way of, cutting-edge entrepreneurs like Oklo, X-energy, TerraPower, Holtec, General Electric, Kairos, and NuScale.

Congress has recognized this opportunity and has created a path to further U.S. leadership. The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Capabilities Act (NEICA) strengthened the Department of Energys (DOEs) and NRCs ability to support advanced reactor development in 2018. The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA), enacted in 2019, provided direction and financial resources to modernize nuclear safety licensing. The Energy Act of 2020 authorized the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) and a program to kickstart the domestic development of High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel, which the majority of advanced reactor companies require, but today can only be purchased from Russia. And the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill invested in both the existing fleet and advanced nuclear RD&D so American nuclear power can grow.

Private sector innovation is still outpacing the government and Congress should pass legislation that allows these innovators to actually continue on the path for new nuclear to be licensed, sited, permitted, and exported.

Thats where the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA) comes into play. Spearheaded by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the bipartisan bill enables advanced nuclear by reducing bureaucratic costs for first movers, furthering regulatory modernization, spurring pre-emptive environmental review of potential host sites, and strengthening international collaboration and investment opportunities. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has shown near consensus on the need for a more nimble and efficient regulator. ANIA could be the next big climate policy win that furthers American clean energy leadership here and abroad.

A new generation of American advanced reactors will make immense contributions to global security, U.S. economic growth, and climate action if we let them. If not, the U.S. could fail to meet its own clean energy pledges while also losing ground to China and Russia on technological innovation.

Jeremy Harrell is Chief Strategy Officer at ClearPath Action and Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council.
The Backstreet Boys will kick off their DNA world tour with four shows in Las Vegas.

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The boy band shared the news Wednesday during an interview on Good Morning America.

The Backstreet Boys will perform April 8, 9, 15 and 16 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The shows will be the group's first in Las Vegas since their Larger Than Life residency, which ended in 2019.

"It's a great venue, the acoustics there are amazing, every seat is amazing," Howie Dorough said of The Colosseum. "And if it's not exactly the seat that you wanted to be able to be as close to us, don't worry. We're getting close to all of our fans out there, so it's gonna be a fun night."

Brian Littrell said the best part about performing is "bringing people together."

"If they weren't there, we wouldn't be here," he said of their fans. "They've just been so gracious to us."

Tickets for the Las Vegas shows go on sale Monday at 1 p.m. EST, with pre-sales to begin Thursday at 1 p.m.

"We cannot wait to get the party started in Vegas... see you there!" the Backstreet Boys wrote on Instagram.

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Following the Las Vegas shows, the Backstreet Boys will resume the tour June 4 in Chula Vista, Calif. The North American leg of the tour will come to a close Sept. 14 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Backstreet Boys released their ninth studio album, DNA, in 2019. The group consists of Dorough, Littrell, AJ McLean, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson.
James Spader's series The Blacklist will return for a 10th season.

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The 62-year-old actor confirmed on Tuesday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon that NBC renewed The Blacklist for Season 10.

"We just got picked up just this afternoon. Word came out," Spader said. "Everyone was hustling around to try and do it so we could announce it on the show -- we just got picked up for a 10th season."

The Blacklist is a crime thriller featuring Spader as Raymond "Red" Reddington, a former U.S. Navy officer turned master criminal who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI. Red agrees to help the FBI take down dangerous criminals.

The series is in its ninth season and also stars Diego Klattenhoff, Amir Arison, Hisham Tawfiq, Laura Sohn and Harry Lennix. Original star Megan Boone left the show at the end of Season 8, along with series creator Jon Bokenkamp.

Showrunner and executive producer John Eisendrath will return for Season 10, according to Deadline.

The Blacklist airs Fridays at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.

Season 9 opened with the members of the FBI Task Force having disbanded and Reddington's whereabouts unknown. The group reunites to once again take down dangerous Blacklisters.

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"In the process, they begin to uncover lethal adversaries, unimaginable conspiracies and surprising betrayals that will threaten alliances and spur vengeance for the past, led by the most devious criminal of them all -- Raymond Reddington," an official synopsis reads.
TRAVERSE CITY  The downward trend in COVID-19 cases and percent positivity continues to hold steady, Munson Healthcare officials said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Positivity rates statewide have held at 12 percent for the past 14 days statewide and at 17.2 percent positivity for the northern Michigan region, according to data released at the conference.

The latest on COVID-19 Continuing coverage of COVID-19 and its impact. If you have a question about the novel coronavirus pandemic and haven't been able to find an a

That is a 3.5 percent decline from last week, when percent positivity was at 15.5 percent statewide and at 20.3 percent positivity for northern Michigan. Its also the first time this year percent positivity has dipped below 20 percent for the region, the benchmark for Munsons pandemic code red status.

Officials said they are considering dropping to code orange status within the next couple of days.

On Tuesday, there were 47 beds occupied by COVID-19 inpatients system-wide, with 36 of them at Munson Medical Center. Thats down from the 66 occupied beds on Feb. 17, 49 of those at Munson Medical Center.

Kaitlyn Hans, R.N. and staff manager at West Front Primary Care, said that over the past two weeks, she has noticed a decline in people requesting testing or telehelath services for COVID-19, but said she wasnt sure if it was due to the decline of cases in the area or something else.

Wendy Hirschenberger, Grand Traverse County Health Department Health Officer, said February has shown a sharp downward trend overall in positive cases, percent positivity and demand for testing. While home antigen testing is filling an important gap in accessibility to rapid testing, she said, all positive cases are not being reported as a result.

GTCHD doesnt predict any immediate resurging.

Obviously, its a bit hard to tell, Hirschenberger said, but local and state health departments will continue to monitor those conditions and the metrics that could lead to future surges, Hirschenberger said.

Lisa Peacock, Health Officer for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan and Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, said she thought transmission was still high in most areas of Michigan, as of two days ago.

Peacock believes the area is in a post-Omicron-surge stage and that the recent surge may help predict what the pandemic will do in the future. She identified three stages health departments will be watching out for in the future: readiness, or pre-surge, response; during a surge; and recovery, or post-surge, which is the stage she said the area is in right now.

Cases per day on average for Grand Traverse County were at 30, and percent positivity was at 13.3 percent, which Hirschenberger said were declining numbers.

For District Health Department #10, it was a similar story, with cases decreasing by 42.4 percent, with 1,332 cases reported between Jan, 30 and Feb. 5, and 767 cases reported between Feb. 6 and Feb. 12. DHD #10 also experienced a drop in percent positivity, with percent positivity holding at 22.5 percent on Feb. 5 and 18.8 percent on Feb. 12.

At least 61.2 percent of DHD #10 residents have initiated vaccination and 56 percent have completed a vaccination series, with 17.2 percent of 5 to 11 year-olds initiating vaccination.

Dr. Jennifer Morse, DHD #10 Medical Director, said case counts still are 10 times higher than they would like to see for dropping mask use in public settings.

Again, as cases start to drop, in order to prevent another surge, it becomes more and more important to identify people who do have COVID so that they can isolate and close contacts can quarantine so that we dont have another surge, she said.
COVID-19 cases have continued to decrease at the University of Georgia compared to last week, according to the universitys reporting system. UGA reported 87 new cases during the week of Feb. 7-13  79 fewer cases than last week.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Cloudy with periods of rain. High near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

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ENFIELD  A Connecticut school district may form a task force to help prevent mistakes like an assignment asking middle school students to list their sexual preferences that compared sexual consent with pizza toppings from happening again.

A copy of the Pizza & Consent assignment given to students at John F. Kennedy Middle School that was shared online included a second page that asks students to draw their favorite type of pizza and list toppings as their preferences for sexual preferences.

When you order pizza with your friends, everyone checks in about each others preferences, right? Some people might be vegan, some might be gluten-free. Others might love pineapple, while others prefer pepperoni, the assignment read, according to Parents Defending Education.

Some might not like pizza at all. If youre a vegetarian, your friend is a meat lover, sharing a pizza is going to bring up a lot of issues. You dont know who you can share a pizza with unless you ask!

District officials said that version of the assignment was posted by mistake, and the page that included the language around sexual preferences should not have been included.

There was no hidden agenda, there was no secret cabal to indoctrinate kids on something. They sent the wrong document, Enfield Superintendent of Schools Christopher Drezek said during a Board of Education meeting this month.

Board of Education member John Unghire suggested forming a bipartisan parental task force that would include board members, parents, the assistant superintendent and others to get to the root of what went wrong with the pizza assignment.

I come from an aerospace manufacturing background and to prevent aircraft from falling out of the sky ... we cannot afford mistakes, he said. Anytime a mistake happens  a plane coming down or a part on a plane breaking  immediately theres something done called a root cause corrective action. This is where we find out how what happened, happened.

The assignment has drawn widespread attention online and raised concerns for local parents.

This assignment is prompting kids to become sexually active before their time. You dont even know how to navigate platonic relationships well, so why introduce sexual relationships? Tracey Jarvis said during the meeting.

Sexual preferences come with sexual maturity, so now were to insist that our kids come to the fullness of their sexuality at age 13? Jarvis added.

Sophia Arel also spoke during the meeting and read from the assignment, asking board members if it made them cringe, or if they would like to share their sexual preferences with a roomful of people.

Imagine how a 13-year-old kid would feel, Arel said. Its inappropriate.

But another speaker said parents are delusional if they think students are not talking about sex in middle school.

This particular assignment was not appropriate, but it was not intended to cause harm to any child, and I think that its absolutely ridiculous that it has gotten this far, Marcy Taliceo said during the meeting.

One expert echoed similar points around starting conversations about consent early.

Conversations around consent should start young and they should also happen often, said Michelle Slaybaugh, director of social impact and strategic communications for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, a sex education advocacy organization in Washington.

By eighth grade, Slaybaugh said, young people are aware of what sexual activity is.

It is important as educators, adults, caretakers to provide young people an opportunity to critically think about these scenarios in ways that allow them to have an understanding of whats right for them, she said.

Slaybough said comprehensive sex education also includes the teaching of refusal skills, which she said is important, citing the number of children who experience sexual abuse or assault at the hands of adults before the age of 18.

Thats why its really, really important for us to have conversations about consent, she added.

Drezek said the district employee responsible for the incident apologized and took responsibility for the mistake.

Let me just come out and say it: The information that was inadvertently sent to children was inappropriate, the superintendent said. I agree with it, Im sure all of you agree with it, and you know who else agrees with it? The person who made the mistake.

The superintendent said the staff member has since been ridiculed online, as well as having physical threats made against them.

Im speaking up tonight for two reasons  one to just tell people what happened if you didnt know, and also to apologize to that person, Drezek said. And I dont want to draw any more undo attention to this person because quite frankly, theyve been through enough.

Enfield police said they have not been contacted about any such threats, and do not have any open investigations that are related.

Board Member Jonathan LeBlanc said he was really disappointed by some of the comments online from community members about the assignment.

Thats not the town I know, when I see hundreds of comments bashing our teachers  not cool, not cool what so ever, he said.
Meriden Police / Contributed

MERIDEN  A man was charged Tuesday in connection with a local home being burglarized three times after officers found him hiding in a nearby vacant home during the last incident, according to police.

Police said between Jan. 18 and Jan. 22, an Atkins Street home was burglarized three times.
Joe Jonas sent birthday wishes to his wife Sophie Turner.

The Jonas Brothers rocker posted a tribute on Instagram to the Game of Thrones star to mark her turning 26.

On an Instagram Story, the 32-year-old musician wrote: Happy birthday my love, along with a heart-eyed emoji on the picture of Sophie lying in bed wearing gold-framed sunglasses.

The pair - who were hitched in 2019 - welcomed their first child Willa, 19 months, in July 2020 during a ceremony that was livestreamed on social media by music producer Diplo. They later had a more private ceremony.

In May 2021, Sophie called being a mother her favourite job she has ever been given in an Instagram post.

Her husband called fatherhood new territory as he dealt with juggling all his personal and professional commitments after he reunited for with his brothers with the band that made him famous.

Joe said: 'It's definitely a new experience now that we are all kind of back. I'm going on tour, she's starting a project. It's going to be a lot of flying back and forth on days off, for me at least. It's kind of a new territory.'

Joe was not the only person to make Sophies day extra special as the X-Men: Phoenix star thanked Miami-based restaurateur David Grutman after being presented with a five-tier cake.

On a picture taken of her and the huge sweet treat adorned with British landmarks, such as red telephone box and Union flags, Sophie wrote: @davegrutman you are angel.
Margaret Hays is a longtime Osawatomie resident who has shared her wit, humor and passion for the community in her weekly column Thinking Out Loud for the past 13 years. Her words and presence will be greatly missed in Miami County. She can be reached at hayshill37@gmail.com.
Southeast Asian countries are keeping quiet as Moscow junks the concept that all nations are equally sovereign.

Smoke billows from a power and heating plant after it was shelled in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine, Feb. 22, 2022.

Russia is attacking Ukraine, an act of aggression that could upend the global order. This is a clear violation of the sovereignty of a state, a central principle of international law.

Yet the response from across the capitals of Southeast Asia has been muted, despite the extremely dangerous precedent that it sets.

President Vladimir Putins goal is not to take over Ukraine. He wants a compliant government, like Belarus, that does Moscows bidding. He wants the political and diplomatic assets of having vassal states, without any of the liabilities of their underperforming economies.

In short, Putin is reviving the old Soviet concept of limited sovereignty: Great powers are sovereign, and weaker states have just a little less sovereignty. Should they not comply with the demands of great powers, they open themselves up to military and political intervention.

Wheres the concern in Southeast Asia?

Why have almost all states to date been so reticent on Russias buildup of up to 190,000 troops on the Ukrainian border; Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovs statement that Ukraine has no claim to sovereignty; Putins announcement that two breakaway regions of Ukraine are independent states; his preposterous deployment of peace keepers; and the waiting for a Ukrainian provocation as a pretext for a full-scale invasion?

A reliable weapons supplier

Unlike other countries where Russian dominance of energy markets can often buy diplomatic acquiescence, Russia provides little energy to Southeast Asia. Its economic ties to the region are paltry.

Russias total two-way trade with Southeast Asia is an estimated U.S. $25 billion. Russia barely ranks as a top-tier trading partner for any country in the region.

Vietnam  Russias largest regional trading partner in absolute value  still trades more annually with Cambodia. Russia has almost no foreign direct investment in the region, the largest being an offshore oilfield in Vietnam.

Moscows main source of leverage is the fact that it dominates the regions arms markets with reliable and relatively cheap weapons systems that it will sell to any regime, no matter how odious or repressive their policies are.

Russia remains a key supplier to its traditional clients: Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Russia has been central to Vietnams military modernization and has sold advanced submarines, warships, jet-fighters anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles. Vietnam produces a range of Russian equipment under license.

And of course, Russia remains a key supplier of weapons to Myanmar.

According to a new report by the United Nations, Russia has been the largest supplier of weapons to the junta since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup detat, exporting SU-30MK jets, YAK-130 light-attack jets, armored personnel carriers, and mobile air-defense systems. And they show no signs of letting up, despite the daily human rights abuses and intentional targeting of civilians.

In the early 2000s, Russia began selling fighter-jets to Indonesia and Malaysia, but it was unable to grow those markets. Indeed, perhaps from fear of sanctions, and perhaps because Moscow refused any barter agreement, the Indonesians recently announced two new arms packages worth over $20 billion, including jet imports, from France and the United States.

While Russia promised new weapons factories to the Philippines, which saw a 2016 U.S. Senate hold on weapons exports due to President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs, little has been delivered. Beyond the purchase of a squadron of helicopters, the promise of other weapons sales has not materialized either.

Attempts to enter the Thai arms market, in the midst of two coup detats since 2006, have garnered only limited success. Since 2008, Thai imports from Russia have mainly been helicopters.

Russia has leverage over some Southeast Asian states, but certainly not all.

The MH-17 shootdown

The reticence is not new. Most countries in the region said little during Moscows 2014 invasion of Crimea and later aggression in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

The only reason that Southeast Asia was at all pulled into the situation was the July 17, 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile that killed all 298 passengers and crew.

It defied any plausibility that irregular forces in Donbas had access to advanced missiles. Dutch investigators concluded that the missile was launched by Russian-led forces in rebel-controlled territory.

Russia continues to deny the allegations, spewing unfounded and baseless accusations that the plane was shot down by Ukrainian government forces. It has never accepted culpability or paid any restitution.

Tellingly, few in Southeast Asia showed any will to confront Russia over MH-17 or over its aggression against a state that all but Brunei had recognized since between January 1991 and June 1992.

Rules-based order under threat



The lack of a full-throated response from Southeast Asian capitals is striking.

At a G-20 meeting, President Jokowi spoke of the situation in Ukraine only in terms of something that could threaten the economic recovery caused by two years of a global pandemic. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has spoken to Russian and Ukrainian counterparts in the past week, but has not said anything about the conversations.

Singapore issued perhaps the most forceful statement, demanding that the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be respected. Vietnam, a close partner of Russia, has said nothing.

With limited economic ties, limited political engagement, and geographical distance, Russia poses little in the way of an immediate threat to Southeast Asian nations.

Indeed, for the second year in a row, Russia wasnt even mentioned in the well-respected annual ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Center survey of Southeast Asian elites, even as a potential threat to the rules-based order.

Yet, all the countries of Southeast Asia depend on international law, which is based on the concept of sovereign equality. Every country is threatened by a great power adopting a worldview based on a unilateral interpretation of shared history, language and culture.

This is not some remote conflict that has little bearing on Southeast Asian security. Attempts to upend the world order cut to the core of Southeast Asian security and prosperity. It is not a European security problem or part of Washingtons Great Power Competition.

On the contrary, this is something that creates a very dangerous legal precedent, especially for an assertive country like China that has repeatedly pushed for its own interpretations of international law, most clearly in the South China Sea.

China could easily apply the logic Putin that used to annul Ukrainian sovereignty to make sweeping claims to swaths of Southeast Asia; northern Vietnam was a Chinese province for 1,000 years, and parts of Myanmar, such as the Kokang region, are dominated by ethnic Chinese  just two examples.

We have already seen China publicly warn Southeast Asian states that there are big states and there are small states, as they threatened at a 2010 ASEAN meeting in Hanoi. There is clearly a parallel between the doctrine of limited sovereignty and Chinas traditional All Under Heaven worldview and system of tributary states.

China will deny this. But while Putins actions may ultimately work against Chinas long-term diplomatic and economic interests, for now, Beijing has clearly tied itself to Russian revisionism.

Sadly, most Southeast Asian states are likely to not take sides, avoiding another conflict that they fear could cause them marginal economic harm. Most of them will not join the European Union, the United States, Australia or Japan in imposing sanctions. They do so at their own peril.

Zachary Abuza is a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of the U.S. Department of Defense, the National War College, Georgetown University or BenarNews.
Another 51 workers were detained Wednesday as authorities move to break up the protest against NagaWorld Casino.

Detained NagaWorld Casino workers sit and sleep on the ground at a quarantine facility on the outskirts of Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh, Feb. 23, 2022.

Workers detained for striking against the NagaWorld Casino in Phnom Penh said they are being held in squalid conditions and must agree to stop gathering in protest as a condition of their release.

A copy of a document Cambodian authorities are pressuring the detained workers to sign was shared with RFA. It says that if the workers continue their illegal activities, government officials will take additional administrative and legal measures against them, without exception.

They tried to force me to sign the document, [but] I didnt sign it because I didnt do anything wrong, said worker Meach Srey Oun. It is very unjust.

Meach Srey Oun was one of 51 striking workers detained by City Hall officials on Wednesday. The workers, who are striking against the NagaWorld Casino, were pushed and dragged onto buses by officials from City Hall at about 2 p.m., the workers said.

The workers said they are forced to sleep on the dirty ground and do not have access to clean water but so far have refused to sign the document, despite pressure from authorities.

Thousands of NagaWorld employees walked off their jobs in mid-December, demanding higher wages and the reinstatement of eight jailed union leaders and nearly 370 others they said were unjustly fired from the casino, which is owned by a company based in Hong Kong.

Cambodian authorities said the strike is illegal and allege that it was supported by foreign donors as a plot to topple the government. Phnom Penh City Hall later ordered the workers to stop the strike to protect, it said, against the spread of the coronavirus.

That order was followed by a number of detentions and labor activists see the City Hall directive as a means of breaking up the strike. Authorities detained more than 100 striking workers on Monday and Tuesday for allegedly violating the COVID-19 protocols and said they would have to pay heavy fines to be released.

Siek Kanha is one of the 51 workers detained Wednesday who add to the total detained. She said four employees have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and were taken to a hospital. She also said that conditions at the holding center are miserable.

This is an abandoned place, [and] there is no water, she told RFA. I havent gotten a chance to take a shower.

Siek Kanha said the 51 workers have been kept apart from another 39 casino workers who remain detained from previous roundups.

The group she is in was not given food until 8 p.m., and authorities didnt allow their family members to deliver clean clothes to them, she added.

I dont have the money to pay the fine, she said, adding that she and others have twice tested negative for COVID. We dont have jobs now.

RFA could not reach City Hall officials for contact.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A Philippine Navy band performs as it welcomes the French Navy ship Vendemiaire (F734), a Floreal-classlight surveillance frigate, upon its arrival for a five-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, March 12, 2018.

The European Union has stepped up its strategic engagement with the Indo-Pacific by convening an inaugural meeting with the regions top diplomats and then affirming the blocs commitment to freedom of navigation and international law  an apparent rebuke of China.

At the Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which took place in Paris on Tuesday, the EU announced the extension of the concept of a coordinated maritime presence in the north-west Indian Ocean, to support regional stability and security. That would ensure a permanent and visible European naval presence and outreach.

This will allow the EU to further support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, to optimize naval deployments, to promote coherence of European action and to facilitate the exchange of information and cooperation with partners in the Indo-Pacific, including by conducting joint maritime exercises and port calls, according to a statement issued at the end of the meeting.

Top diplomats from 30 Indo-Pacific counties and 27 foreign ministers from EU member-states took part in the meeting hosted by France, this years president of the Council of the European Union. The United States and China were not at the forum in the French capital.

The forum highlighted the shared ambition among participants to: reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based international order, democratic values and principles, as well as to the strengthening of multilateralism and the rule of law, respect for international law, and freedom of navigation, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the statement said.

Participants also agreed to work towards peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, which has become a pre-eminent geopolitical theater as Washington responds to an increasingly assertive Beijing in the disputed South China Sea. China has never accepted a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that Beijings expansive historical claims in the waterway have no legal basis.

The Indo-Pacific meanwhile has become strategically important for the EU, which is the top investor in the region, according to the European Commission (EC).

Together, the Indo-Pacific and Europe command more than 70 percent of the global trade in goods and services, as well as more than 60 percent of foreign-direct investment flows, the EC said on its website.

However, the commission warned, the growing geopolitical rivalry could threaten this increasingly robust trade and investment relationship.

[C]urrent dynamics in the Indo-Pacific have given rise to intense geopolitical competition adding to increasing tensions on trade and supply chains as well as in technological, political and security areas the commission said.

This is the reason why the EU has decided to step up its strategic engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.

The statement issued after Tuesdays meeting highlighted this point.

The EU participants reiterated the importance of the Indo-Pacific region for Europe and underlined their support for an increased and long-term engagement of the EU and its member-states through concrete actions, the statement said.

The role of the outermost regions and European overseas countries and territories in the Indo-Pacific was highlighted in this respect, the statement said, referring to France which has territories in the region.

The Indo-Pacific is home to nearly 2 million French citizens and 9 million square kilometers (3.47 million square miles) of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (left) and Josep Borrell, the European Unions high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (right), welcome Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi during the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Cooperation Forum, in Paris, Feb. 22, 2022. Credit: AFP Stability in the region has been threatened lately through alleged incursions by Chinese research ships, maritime militia and aircraft in the EEZs or of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively.

Six Asian governments have territorial claims or maritime boundaries in the South China Sea that overlap with the sweeping claims of China.

They are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone.

Retno Marsudi, Indonesias minister of foreign affairs who attended the meeting, said she reiterated that international law must be respected.

Peace, stability and respect for international law must be at the center of regional cooperation and all discussions, she told a virtual news conference from Paris on Wednesday.

Indonesia emphasized the importance of cooperation and collaboration amidst deepening rivalry that could lead to open conflict, she said, adding, Indonesia sees the Indo-Pacific as a vast sea of opportunity too large to be dominated by any one country. Therefore, mutual security, mutual stability, and common prosperity must be a public good.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Authorities in the central Chinese province of Hunan have formally arrested prominent rights lawyer Xie Yang for subversion, after he supported a primary teacher forced into psychiatric "treatment" for her outspoken comments on social media.



Hunan teacher Li Tiantian was held for several days in a psychiatric hospital after she spoke out over the expulsion of a Shanghai journalism lecturer who encouraged her students to verify official accounts of the Nanjing massacre.



Xie was detained more than a month ago, with sources suggesting his online support for Li to have been a factor, but also citing a video he posted containing a satirical reference to ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping.



According to a notice sent by the Changsha municipal police department to Xie's family, Xie was formally arrested on Feb. 17 on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power," and is currently being held at the Changsha No. 1 Detention Center.



Xie's friend Cheng Xiaofeng said Xie had posted a video of pigs being slaughtered to Twitter and Moments, with a caption referring to a "200-pound pig," an apparent reference to Xi's claim that he had carried 200 jin (120 kilos) of wheat for 10 miles along a mountain road without switching shoulders.



"Everyone laughed at that, because yes, he could probably lift 200 jin, but walking 10 miles along a mountain path without shifting shoulders would be impossible," Cheng told RFA.



"In mainland China, if you mention 200 jin, everyone knows you're talking about this," he said. "Xie Yang added this phrase to his video, which by itself would have been nothing. The key is the text that went with the video, which did have a meaning."



Cheng said it is unlikely that any of China's embattled human rights lawyers will be allowed to represent Xie.



"In cases like this, the lawyer is usually appointed by the government; we did try, but the police weren't having it," he said.



Cheng said Xie's fellow lawyers had tried to send him money, with a number visiting his family in Changsha to offer support from around China.



"Xie Yang has constantly worked for social justice over the years, kept working, kept speaking up ... so we should try to do something for him, now."



Xie, whose license to practice law was revoked by Chinese officials after he reported being tortured in detention, has also been an outspoken supporter of jailed citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, whose family say she is close to death following months of hunger strike.



Hunan rights activist Ouyang Jinghua said Xie has long been seen as a thorn in the side of the CCP, but that he had done nothing wrong.



"The whole charge of subversion of state power is a false proposition," Ouyang said. "How did he subvert it? Using what?"



"The CCP probably hate him because he is still a very influential lawyer in Hunan," he said.



Hunan authorities released Li Tiantian from a psychiatric hospital Dec. 27, 2021, following a public outcry over her detention, but restrictions on her freedom remain.



Li, who was pregnant at the time of her detention, thanked people for their concern after being discharged from the Yongshun Country Psychiatric Hospital, but has said she won't be giving any media interviews.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Internet censors in China have ordered news outlets and social media accounts to avoid posting anything critical of Russia or favorable to NATO, after Russia began moving troops across the border into Ukraine, prompting a flurry of international sanctions against the country's leaders.



With immediate effect, regarding all Weibo posts about Ukraine: Horizon News to post first [on this topic], to be reposted by other major accounts," a directive from the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s central propaganda department posted to Weibo ordered.



"No pro-Western posts, no posts critical of Russia. All initial copy to be reviewed by us [the CCP propaganda department] prior to posting," the order, quoted by a video account linked to the Beijing News, said.



"Comments must be selectively moderated, and only appropriate comments must be published," the order said. "Anyone publishing content will be deemed responsible for it, and genuine care must be taken. Each post much be watched for at least two days, and great care must be taken when handing over [to the incoming shift]."



The order, which was published by the China Digital Times, which curates and publishes similar directives under its "Ministry of Truth" column, said all topics should be confined to stories already published by Xinhua, the People's Daily and CCTV.



Former Beijing News founding editor Cheng Yizhong confirmed the order was genuine.



"This is a multimedia account managed by the Beijing News ... and it doesn't just apply to them, but to other media as well," Cheng said. "It's always the case during a major international conflict that only opinions from Xinhua, CCTV and the People's Daily may be published."



"It's one size fits all," Cheng said.



Calls to the Beijing News rang unanswered during office hours on , with a request for an interview to a senior editor going unanswered at the time of writing. An employee who answered the phone at the central propaganda department said they couldn't answer questions over the phone.



A senior Chinese journalist who requested anonymity said the directive is necessary because Chinese nationalists hold a number of grievances against Russia, including the claim that the country occupies "huge swathes" of Chinese territory.



Russian military trucks and buses are seen on the side of a road in Russia's southern Rostov region, which borders the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Feb. 23, 2022. Credit: AFP Swift deletion of criticism

He said the propaganda directive was likely posted in error.



"Anti-Russian comments won't get through on social media ... even the comments will be cleaned up," the journalist said. "The attitude of intellectuals hasn't changed, but any criticism of Russia gets deleted from Weibo."



He said Chinese investors generally avoid investing in Russia.



"Investors aren't bullish about Russia at all, and they have all the information; they watch the markets," he said. "You can make a lot of money by betting against Russia on investment markets; they think life there will get very miserable under sanctions, and this could even bring Putin down."



Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on accused the U.S. of "adding fuel to the fire" by sending weapons to Ukraine.



"Lately the US has been sending weapons to Ukraine, heightening tensions, creating panic and even hyping up the possibility of warfare," Hua told a regular news briefing in Beijing, referring to the U.S. as the "culprit."



"If someone keeps pouring oil on the flames while accusing others of not doing their best to put out the fire, such kind of behavior is clearly irresponsible and immoral," Hua said.



Hua's colleague Wang Wenbin said on Feb. 22 that "the legitimate security concerns of any country should be respected," but called for dialogue and negotiation.



Foreign minister Wang Yi is known to be concerned about any eastward expansion of NATO, according to current affair commentator Guo Chonglun, but China has generally not been openly supportive of Russian incursions into Ukraine, nor its 2014 occupation of Crimea.



"China is facing a dilemma on this right now, because Putin has torn up the Minsk agreement, and forcibly separated [Moscow-backed Donetsk and Luhansk, or Donbas, from Ukraine]," Guo told RFA. "Yet China has yet to recognize Crimea as being part of Russia."

Taiwan worries



Guo said "China is worried that in future, the U.S. might do the same to Taiwan," in reference to the democratic island that has never been ruled by the CCP, nor formed part of the People's Republic of China.



"Everyone is watching to see how China chooses its words ... no country, not even an ally as close as Russia, should just destroy other people's territorial integrity; that's the crux of the matter," Guo said.



Taiwan defense expert Shen Ming Shih agreed that Russia's actions have a close bearing on Taiwan.



"If Russia is allowed to unilaterally recognize the independence of those two territories, then the U.S. could also recognize Taiwan as an independent, sovereign nation at some point in the future, should the CCP want to invade," Shen told RFA.



"This is not a good thing for the CCP ... currently, the U.S. neither recognizes Taiwan as an independent country, nor opposes its independence."



While China and Russia are currently close allies, China will also be unwilling to set itself against the E.U. and NATO, as well as the U.S., Shen said.



Ting-hui Lin, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan International Law Society, said Putin is unlikely to be deterred, given the massive public approval ratings his 2014 invasion of Crimea garnered.



"Putin sees his task as restoring the former glory of the old, imperialist Russia," Lin said. "He doesn't want to invade Eastern Europe or the rest of Europe, or the U.S., or China; he wants to ... shore up the stability of his regime at home."



Lin said CCP leader Xi Jinping could use an invasion of Taiwan in a similar manner, and that the Ukraine crisis for Xi could be a test of U.S. resolve when it came to defending the island against a Chinese invasion.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Twelve members of a Christian family in southern Laos were attacked and driven from their home this month by villagers angered by the groups practice of a foreign religion, family members and other sources said.

The attack was the latest in a string of similar assaults and legal moves against Christians in the one-party communist state with a mostly Buddhist population despite a national law protecting the free exercise of their faith.

The Feb. 9 attack in Savannakhet provinces Dong Savanh village in which the family home was burned down followed an earlier attack on the funeral of the familys father, his widow Seng Aloun  now the family head  told RFA on Monday.

My husband died on Dec. 4 last year, and we took his body to the village cemetery two days later, but the villagers wouldnt allow us to bury him there. They struck his coffin with wooden sticks and hit my family members too, she said.

Later, we buried my husbands body on Dec. 7 in our own rice field. But the villagers then burned down my home on Feb. 9 and seized our rice field the next day. They just want to get rid of us.

The family had been evicted from their village once before in 2017, Seng Aloun said. Village residents and local authorities dont like us because we believe in Jesus Christ. They dont want us here. They say they dont like the religion of a foreign country.

Police from Savannakhets Phalanxay district came on Tuesday to where the family now stays with relatives to ask about the burning of the familys home and seizure of their field, but also told Seng Aloun to remove social media posts and videos she had posted describing the incident and the earlier attack on her husbands funeral, she said.

A district official told RFA on Feb. 18 that Phalanxay authorities were aware of the incident and had set up a team to investigate. But our initial information is that this is a personal conflict, not a religious one, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

We are now looking for the person or persons who burned the familys home, even if they are authorities in the village. Whoever did the burning will be punished according to the law, he added.

'They really don't like us'

Other Christians living in Savannakhet voiced concern over the treatment of Seng Aroun and her family, noting that the Dong Savanh village chief had joined in the Dec. 6 attack on her husbands funeral, leaving two family members injured.

Where are the authorities? Where are the police? the province resident asked. They should be helping the family. The family is now living with relatives and want their land back so that they can work on it, he said.

They really dont like us, another local Christian added.

For example, if we go to village authorities and ask them to sign a document, they turn their back on us and wont do it. The police always side with village authorities and other villagers too, so we have nowhere else to turn for help, he said.

Other conflicts unresolved

Similar conflicts in other Lao villages, districts and provinces have gone unresolved, a member of the countrys Evangelical Church added, saying that local authorities wont tolerate other religions in their largely Buddhist and animist communities.

In October 2020, authorities in Saravan provinces Ta Oy district, in the countrys south, evicted seven Christians and destroyed their homes when they would not renounce their faith.

In March that year, Pastor Sithon Thippavong, a Lao Christian leader in Savannakhets Chonnabouly district, was arrested for refusing to sign a document renouncing his Christian faith and was later jailed for a year on charges of disrupting unity and creating disorder.

Two years earlier, four Lao Christians and three Christian leaders were detained for seven days in Savannakhets Phin district for celebrating Christmas without permission.

Lao Christians are allowed by the countrys Law on the Evangelical Church, approved and signed in Laos on Dec. 19, 2019, to conduct services and preach throughout the country and to maintain contacts with believers in other countries.

But in practice, the law appears to apply only in the capital Vientiane and in other large cities, while Christians in the rural areas remain subject to disrespect by the general public and discrimination at the hands of local authorities, sources say.

Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Richard Finney.
UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews demands a halt to arms flows, and sanctions to cut revenues for the junta.

This handout picture taken on June 22, 2021 and released by the Russian Defence Ministry on June 23, 2021, shows Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as they walk past the honor guard prior to their talks in Moscow.

UN Security Council members China and Russia have continued to provide Myanmar's military junta with weapons used to attack civilians a year after a coup deposed the elected government, a U.N. rights expert said Tuesday.

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tom Andrews called on the UN Security Council to impose a ban on transfers of arms that can be used against civilians in the Southeast Asian country.

Despite the evidence of the military juntas atrocity crimes being committed with impunity since launching a coup last year, UN Security Council members Russia and China continue to provide the Myanmar military junta with numerous fighter jets, armored vehicles, and in the case of Russia, the promise of further arms, Andrews said in a statement.

During this same period, Serbia has authorized rockets and artillery for export to the Myanmar military, said the former U.S. Congressman, who serves as UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Myanmar.

It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar. These transfers truly shock the conscience, Andrews said.

Stopping the juntas atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons. The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in Myanmar, he added.

Noting that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution last June calling got a halt to arms flows, Andrews called for the convening of an emergency Security Council session to pass a resolution to at minimum, ban those arms transfers that the Myanmar military are known to use to attack and kill Myanmar civilians.

The report, titled Enabling Atrocities: UN Member States Arms Transfers to the Myanmar Military, said China had transferred fighter jets, while Russia had supplied drones, two types of fighter jets, and two kinds of armored vehicles, Serbia had sold rockets and artillery shells to the Myanmar military.

While those three countries were the only ones found to have sold weapons to the junta since the Feb. 1, 2021 coup, the report said Belarus, Israel, India, Pakistan, South Korea, and Ukraine had also transferred arms to Myanmar in recent years.

Reuters news agency quoted China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, as responding to the report by saying Beijing "has always advocated that all parties and factions should proceed in the long-term interests of the country" and "resolve contradictions through political dialogue.

The junta has cracked down on its opponents through attacks on peaceful protesters, arrests, and beatings and killings. The military regime has also attacked opposition strongholds with helicopter gunships, fighter jets, and troops that burn villages they accuse of supporting anti-junta militias.

As of Tuesday, nearly 1,570 people had been killed since the coup and almost 12,300 arrested, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a human rights organization based in Thailand.

Andrews in his report also called on UN members to work together to cut the juntas revenue flows from oil and gas, timber and gemstones. The U.S. Britain and Canada have imposed trade sanctions on Myanmar junta figures and military-linked companies.

If the revenues necessary to maintain such a military are reduced, the juntas capacity to assault and terrorize the people of Myanmar will diminish, Andrews said.
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
Though Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping declared having a no limits partnership at a meeting in Beijing on February 4, the Kremlin's massive military buildup around Ukraine and threat to invade is testing Moscow-Beijing ties.

Driven by a shared interest in confronting the United States, Moscow-Beijing relations are the closest since the early days of the Cold War.

The escalating Ukraine crisis, however, has now left China in a difficult bind, balancing its ties with Russia against its established foreign policy of defending state sovereignty and not jeopardizing its long-term strategic interests in Europe and beyond.

The Chinese still have their lines in the sand, Jakub Jakobowski of Warsaw's Center for Eastern Studies told RFE/RL. Anything that could turn Ukraine into a wider military conflict is something that China absolutely does not want.

As the crisis in Eastern Europe has evolved, with Russia massing more than 150,000 troops along Ukraines border, Beijing has tried to walk a fine line: blaming NATO expansion for provoking tensions and criticizing the United States for aggravating the situation, while also calling for greater diplomacy as the prospect of a Russian invasion increases.

Following Putins recognition of the separatist entities of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries and a Russian commitment to deploy troops there, Chinas tightrope act has continued, with Beijing striking a balance between not endorsing Moscows latest moves in Ukraine while also not explicitly opposing them.

This more nuanced position was on display during a February 22 call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which Wang urged all parties involved to exercise restraint and resolve the crisis through negotiations. Yet he still gave a nod toward what he viewed as Russias legitimate security concerns.

This is a test for this new stage of their relationship that was outlined when Xi and Putin met on the sidelines of the Olympics [on February 4], Jakobowski said. And so far, it looks like it is a test that they will pass.

Walking The Line

Beijing has long said that noninterference and respect for territorial integrity form the backbone of its foreign policy, with China citing these aspects when deflecting criticism of its efforts to gain more control or even crack down in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, or its western Xinjiang Province.

The growing crisis in Ukraine is also not so clear-cut for Xis government.

While Beijing is eager to safeguard its strong relationship with Moscow, it also has long-standing, friendly ties with Kyiv. China is Ukraines top trading partner and the country remains a vital gateway for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Xis signature geopolitical project.

China is also hoping to minimize wider spillover from Moscows moves in Ukraine, such as further derailing Beijings currently strained ties with the European Union, avoiding blowback from Western economic sanctions on Russia, and preventing its tense relationship with Washington from becoming even more confrontational.

Zhang Xin, a professor at the Center for Russian Studies at Shanghais East China Normal University, said this puts Beijing in an awkward position moving forward as it looks to move between these competing interests.

The overall tone coming from official Chinese statements is an effort to [preserve] normal relations with all parties, including with Ukraine, as much as possible, Zhang told RFE/RL.

Zhang said he does not expect Beijing to issue any statements judging Russias actions in Ukraine, but that it is also unlikely for the Chinese government to show explicit support or take any steps toward recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as independent countries.

This balancing act is not new for Beijing.

Following Moscows illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, China signed a $400 billion gas deal with the Kremlin and embarked on a path of warming ties with Russia. China, however, abstained in a United Nations General Assembly vote about the status of Crimea and still does not recognize the peninsula as part of Russia.

While the China-Russia relationship has improved since 2014, Zhang said war in Ukraine could still cause strain between Beijing and Moscow.

A lot depends on what happens next in Ukraine, he said. Will there be a [full-scale] invasion of Ukraine or perhaps a wider regional conflict? Those are major factors that could change the structure of their ties.

Mapping A Partnership

Chinas state-run media, meanwhile, has been less measured.

Many outlets have pointed to alleged American provocation in fueling the crisis and been supportive in justifying the Kremlin's military maneuvers, with a February 22 editorial from the state-run Global Times saying that U.S. attempts to contain Moscow finally forced Russia to try to realize its security demands in such a way.

In a more instructive example, Horizon News, a subset of the Chinese Communist Party's Beijing News, appeared to accidentally post instructions on February 22 about how to cover the escalating tensions in Ukraine on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo.

The message, which has since been deleted, stated that any content painting Russia unfavorably or that took pro-Western framing would not be published.

This rhetoric has also begun to be adopted by some Chinese officials, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying tweeting on February 23 that U.S.-led NATO expansion is to blame for the current crisis in Ukraine.

Did the [United States] ever think about the consequence of pushing a big country to the wall? she wrote, in reference to Russia.

Beijing may not love what is taking place, but they wont stop the Kremlin.

While Beijing is indeed moving cautiously, Raffaello Pantucci of London's Royal United Services Institute said the Ukraine crisis is unlikely to derail China and Russias close ties.

Beijing may not love what is taking place, but they wont stop the Kremlin, he said. Thats really what this partnership is about at the end of the day. [China and Russia] look for opportunities together, but the biggest part of their new dynamic is simply just trying to not get in each others way.

Worsening ties with the United States also make the partnership with Russia even more critical to China.

During the February 22 phone call with Blinken, Wang also criticized Washingtons new strategy that names China as the main regional concern in the Indo-Pacific region. Wang said this focus on competition and containment by American officials was likely to evolve into full-scale confrontation between China and the United States.

If youre China or Russia and you know that one of the other great powers will not get in your way and sometimes work with you, then thats a pretty good place to be, Pantucci said.
BISHKEK -- The Western sanctions applied against Russia in an effort to prevent an invasion of neighboring Ukraine will have a trickle-down effect on many smaller countries with close economic ties to Moscow, experts say.

One of those countries is Kyrgyzstan.

With the United States, European Union states, and many other Western countries announcing sanctions on February 21-23 against Russia for its recognition of separatist entities in Ukraine, those effects are already being felt.

Even before the recognition announcement by the Kremlin, the international financial ratings agency Moody's put Kyrgyzstan -- along with Belarus, Tajikistan, Moldova, and Armenia -- on a list of countries most likely to be affected by sanctions on Russia, the U.S. business magazine Forbes reported.

"If sanctions are imposed, they will affect the [Commonwealth of Independent States] countries, which have close economic, financial, and energy ties with Russia through various channels. It will also have a negative impact on their external positions," Moody's said in a study.

Parviz Mullojanov, a researcher at Sweden's Uppsala University, told RFE/RL that if the Russian ruble devalues significantly, "the currencies in the countries in [Central Asia] will also depreciate."

One of the first economic measures in Kyrgyzstan that would be hit due to sanctions against Moscow are the many millions of dollars in remittances from the estimated 1 million Kyrgyz migrant workers in Russia.

Even if the conflict is local, it could affect trade [with countries abroad]. We saw the damage in 2014 when the conflict in the Donbas escalated."

According to the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan, more than $2.77 billion was transferred to the country from abroad by migrants in 2021.

Beyond the sanctions, there is concern that a massive military attack by the estimated 190,000 Russian forces amassed in and near Ukraine would also directly hurt the Kyrgyz economy.

Kyrgyz politician Ravshan Jeenbekov told RFE/RL that an armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine would have severe economic consequences for Kyrgyzstan, which is a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union with Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

"First of all, oil and gas prices will rise," he said. "We all know that Russia is very important in [the energy] market. Secondly, Russia is one of the largest exporters of wheat in the world."

Jeenbekov cited other economic issues likely to affect Kyrgyzstan.

"Because international financial institutions are likely to sever or cut back their business with Russia, the country's economic and financial situation is likely to worsen. It will inevitably affect the lives of our migrants [and result in fewer jobs and therefore less in remittances]," he said.

Kyrgyzstan purchases a lot of medicine, flour, meat, and confectionery products from Ukraine, supplies of which could all be affected by a military conflict.

Kyrgyzstan gets virtually all of its fuel and gas from Russia, importing more than 1 million tons of Russian fuel a year, with Russian gas giant Gazprom supplying the country with its natural gas.

A disruptive military conflict between Russia and Ukraine could also affect Kyrgyzstan's economic ties with Ukraine, which has an annual trade turnover of some $100 million with Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan purchases a lot of medicine, flour, meat, and confectionery products from Ukraine, supplies of which could all be affected by a military conflict.

Azamat Ismailov, a spokesman for the Kyrgyz Chamber of Commerce in Kyiv, said many Ukrainian businesses have established ties with Kyrgyz companies in recent years.

"Even if the conflict is local, it could affect trade [with countries abroad]. We saw the damage in 2014 when the conflict in the Donbas escalated," he said. "The trade turnover between the two countries was about $100 million and dropped to $30 million. Such a situation could happen again."

Mullojanov said as soon as the Russian economy begins to suffer, it will affect all of the Central Asian countries and that the consequences will be "severe."

He added that while Russia is embroiled in the situation in Ukraine and dealing with the resulting sanctions, Central Asian countries may gravitate closer to China.

Written by Pete Baumgartner in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RL Kyrgyz correspondent Bakyt Asanov in Bishkek. RFE/RL's Kazakh Service contributed to this report.
(CHINA LAKE)  Participants in the ceremonial turning of dirt of the fourteenth construction project of the $2.7B Military

Construction and Restoration and Modernization Earthquake Recovery Program to build the Range Control Complex on Naval Air

Weapons Station China Lake on February 16., (L-R NAWS China Lake Executive Officer Cmdr. Jason Simon, Ridgecrest Mayor Eric

Bruen, NAWCWD Director of Ranges/ Targets Operations and Labs Group Tom Dowd, OICC China Lake Commanding Officer Capt.

Laurie Scott, Webcor Builders Project Director Aditya Thakur, Webcor Builders Vice President Charles Chiparo, and Webcor

Builders Senior Vice. President Gust Soteropulos.)
Amelia Jackson, Hope Urich and Jacob Morrison, all in the 11th grade at Burroughs High School, spoke in favor of wearing masks.
Written By

Joe Schulz served as the reporter of the Green Laker in 2019 and 2020, before being hired as a reporter for the Commonwealth in October 2020. He is from Oshkosh and graduated from UW-Oshkosh in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

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Aldo Nova releases new song "Burn Like the Sun" from forthcoming EP, along with companion music video
News

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says lack of votes cast, not fraud, led to Biden's win in Georgia

Staff Photo: Larry Stanford Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Staff Photo: Larry Stanford Secetary of State Brad Raffensperger (left) talks with Conyers Mayor Vince Evans at the Conyers Rotary Club meeting.

CONYERS  Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the reason President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election in Georgia wasnt because of voter fraud, as Trump and his supporters have alleged, but because of the number of voters who did not cast ballots in the presidential election.

While President Joe Biden won by just over 12,000 votes in Georgia, Raffensperger said after an audit and two recounts, including a hand recount of more than 5 million ballots in Georgia, it was found that 28,000 voters skipped the presidential ballot.

They did not vote for either one (Trump or Biden), said Raffensperger, yet they voted for your county sheriff, county commissioners, state representatives, and state senators.

Raffensperger was the guest speaker at the Conyers Rotary Clubs meeting on Thursday, Feb. 17 at Conyers First United Methodist Church. Raffensperger talked about the 2020 election and the aftermath in which Georgia legislators passed Senate Bill 202, the Georgia Election Integrity Act of 2021.

In January 2020 I was talking with people and saying that half the people would be happy and half the people would be sad and wouldnt have confidence in the election, said Raffensperger. Then we had the 2020 election, and it turned out exactly that way.

The Secretary of State, who is running for re-election to a second term, said the claims of voter fraud turned out to be false.

They said there were 2,423 non-registered voters who voted. There was actually zero, he said. They said there were 66,000 underage voters. There were zero. But you have to understand that in Georgia you can register to vote when youre 17 and a half, as long as youre 18 on Election Day. We checked every one to make sure they were all lawfully voting on Election Day. They said there were over 10,000 dead people who voted. We checked and found only four dead people voted. We know who cast those ballots, and they will be prosecuted.

Raffensperger went on to praise the state Legislature for passing the Election Integrity Act of 2021, which both Heritage.org and the Bipartisan Policy Center recently ranked as No. 1 in the nation in election integrity. He highlighted some of the requirements of the act.

If you want to vote absentee in the 2022 cycle, you have to make a copy of your drivers license to send in with your application, and then youll get your absentee ballot, said Raffensperger. The reason I like it is it is objective. You cant argue with someones photo ID. Now all voters have that photo ID requirement. We think that helps with the security and the confidence in the process.

There is now an 11-day cutoff before Election Day for requesting absentee ballots.

If you want to vote in the 2022 cycle, you have to get your application in at least 11 days before. The reason we did that is it gives the county election official time to see the application, send you your ballot, and for you to get your ballot back in time before Election Day.

We also added security papers for absentee ballots and for voting ballots. Absentee ballots will now have to be printed on special security paper with a precinct name and ID listed.

Raffensperger said the state also wants to cut down on third party groups flooding election offices with voting applications.

If you remember back in the fall of 2020, the political parties were helping people fill out their applications, and county election officials were getting multiple applications and they were bogging down the system, he said. Now only voters can request ballots, and we think that will streamline the operation.

Another change is that only poll workers will be allowed to pass out water to voters within 150 feet of a voting location. Raffensperger said that change was needed as some people were skirting the laws in place.

Since the beginning of time, we have had a policy of no politicking within 150 feet of a polling place, he said. But what happened in the fall runoff of 2020 is there were people giving out bottles of water to people standing in line. But instead of just handing out the water, they had their candidates T-shirts on and you could tell who they were supporting, and in that way they were politicking and bending the rules. So we wanted to make sure that doesnt happen again.

Raffensperger also said that with the expanded number of early voting days, voters in Georgia now have up to 21 days before the election to cast their ballots. He noted that in comparison, President Bidens home state of Delaware only allows 10 days of early voting.
BlueRock recovers 11.95ct stone at SA mine

23 february 2022 News

AIM-listed diamond producer, BlueRock Diamonds has recovered an 11.95 carat stone at its Kareevlei diamond mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa.

The stone will go to tender later this week with an expected valuation of over $100,000.

This is another excellent discovery that underpins Kareevleis ability to deliver large high-value diamonds, said company executive chairperson Mike Houston.

Given the stones size and quality and continuing market buoyancy, we look forward to the upcoming tender to build on the success of the January sales, which achieved an average price of $565 per carat.

BlueRocks January sales recorded an average price of $465 per carat in 2021.

The Kareevlei licence area covers 3,000 hectares and hosts five known diamondiferous kimberlite pipes with a combined inferred resource of 10.4 million tonnes per 516,200 carats.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished






Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Rain. High 53F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

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Rain early. Decreasing clouds late. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
CARLSBAD

Carlsbad Triathlon seeking volunteers

The city of Carlsbad needs volunteers to help with the upcoming Carlsbad Triathlon on Sunday. Volunteers are needed for these shifts: Athlete check-in, 5 to 7 a.m.; run course monitor at Carlsbad Boulevard, 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; transition zone, 5:30 to 10:30 a.m.; bike course monitor: 6 to 11 a.m.; finish line: 6 to 11 a.m.; run course monitor at seawall staircases: 6 to 11 a.m.; tear-down crew, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Carlsbad Triathlon is one of the worlds top five longest-running triathlons and attracts beginner to elite competitors. To volunteer, contact Natalie Alegre, natalie.alegre@carlsbadca.gov. Visit www.carlsbadtriathlon.com.

DEL MAR

Library hosts African safari travel talk

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The Del Mar Library will host a talk about budget safari travel to southern Africa, presented by Solana Beach resident Ian Hirschsohn, at 6 p.m. Thursday as a part of the Affordable African Travel groups monthly meeting. Hirschsohn was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and recently returned from a two-month safari through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. He will show his travel photos and discuss topics including airfares, lodging, vehicle rental and guided drives. The library is at 1309 Camino Del Mar. Call (858) 755-1666; visit sdcl.org.CQ

ENCINITAS

Mobile blood drive slated for Friday

The city of Encinitas will host a mobile blood drive with the San Diego Blood Bank from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot at 505 S. Vulcan Ave. Donors must be age 17 and older (age 16 requires parental consent), weigh at least 114 pounds, and be in good health. Photo ID required. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. For an appointment, call (619) 469-7322 or visit www.SanDiegoBloodBank.org.

ESCONDIDO

Gem and mineral show this weekend

The Palomar Gem and Mineral Clubs 64th annual Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Mineral specimens, cut gems, fossils and jewelry made from gems and minerals will be for sale. Club members will demonstrate faceting, silversmithing and more. Gem identification will also be available. Kids can enjoy a rock treasure dig. Grand prizes this year are an amethyst cathedral, and an amethyst necklace faceted and designed by club members. Admission is $5; children 12 and younger free. Visit www.palomargem.org.

Plays in the Park preview Saturday

MAGEC (Museums & Arts Growing Escondido Culture) and Patio Playhouse Plays in the Park present the MAGEC in the Park Family Event and Preview Show from 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday at the Kit Carson Park Amphitheater. The free festival invited students in grades 1-12 to participate in an art contest, which will be judged by audience applause and local arts leaders. Prizes will go to three teams, and all participants will win two tickets to their choice of any Patio Plays in the Park performance this summer. All entries will be exhibited afterward at the Escondido Arts Partnership, 262 E. Grand Ave. The festival will also feature a picnic area, raffle, refreshments, face painting, photo booth and more. For more about MAGEC, see VisitEscondido.com. Visit www.patioplayhouse.com.

OCEANSIDE

Speakers discuss CCC Band, Blue Tech

LIFE Lectures at MiraCosta College hosts two speakers starting at 1 p.m. Friday at the colleges Oceanside campus, 1 Barnard Drive, Bldg. 1000. The topics are the Coastal Community Concert Band presented by Judy Pisciotta, CCC Band Member, and Promoting Blue Tech and Blue Jobs, presented by Bryan Bjorndal, CEO of Assure Controls and a board member of The Maritime Alliance. Buy a $1 parking permit at the machine in Lot 1A, and park in this lot. Visit miracosta.edu/life or call (760) 757-2121, ext. 6972.

RANCHO BERNARDO

Travel club to discuss Australia

The RB Travelers will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Seven Oaks Community Center, 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Sandy and Cleve Hardaker will present their recent three-month trip all around Australia. Guests over 18 are invited. Call (858) 943-1309.

SAN MARCOS

Lake San Marcos Democratic Club meets

San Marcos City Councilman Chris Orlando, a candidate for San Marcos mayor in November, is the guest of the Lake San Marcos Democratic Club at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Discovery Elementary School, 730 Applewilde Drive. Orlando has represented the city on the San Diego Association of Governments board since 2014. He was chairman of the North County Transit Districts board of directors from 2010 to 2012. He holds an MBA from George Washington University and a bachelors degree from UC Santa Barbara. Call (760) 290-2077.

VISTA

Free summer day camp for military dependents

The Boys & Girls Club of Vista is accepting applications for their summer day camp program, which starts Friday and runs through Aug. 10. The club will be offering one week of camp free to North Countys active military dependents ages 5-18. Register at bgcvista.org or (760) 724-6606.

LINDA MCINTOSH & LAURA GROCH -- U-T

If your nonprofit would like to submit calendar listings for events, or photos of events that have happened recently, please email northcounty@sduniontribune.com. Include the name of the group, date and time of event, address, cost and contact information for readers. Photos must be sent in jpeg form, with the names of those in the photo from left to right.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
At almost every concert by The Who since the late 1960s, Roger Daltrey has performed Pinball Wizard, with its tell-tale line: That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball. Its the best known song from Tommy, The Whos classic 1969 rock opera.

Now, in an ironic twist, Daltrey, 74, is  in his words  very, very deaf.

So deaf, in fact, that he lip reads and uses monitors in both of his ears to be able to follow the music on stage. And so deaf he is now encouraging concertgoers to wear hearing protection in order to avoid later needing hearing aids themselves.

The trouble with these ear things that I wear is that I am very, very deaf. And I advise you all  all you rock-and-roll fans  take your f---ing ear plugs to the gigs. If only we had known when we were young ... we are lip-reading, Daltrey told the audience at his solo show Saturday at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, according to a report in the English newspaper The Mirror.

Daltrey, who is scheduled to perform tonight at the Bob Hope Theatre in Stockton, plans to release a new solo album in June. The same month will see him embark on a 13-city U.S. tour that will feature him performing the Tommy album live with orchestras.

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For the record, though, Daltrey is not the only member of The Who  which most recently performed in San Diego in May of 2016  to battle deafness.

Who co-founder Pete Townshend, 72, has wrestled with hearing problems for decades and, according to Daltrey, now wears hearing aids in both of his ears.

In a 1989 Union-Tribune interview, Townshend did not not blame the loud volume of the music at The Whos concerts for his hearing loss. Instead, he attributed his problems to using amped-up head phones while playing and listening to music late at night at his home in London, back in the late 1960s and 1970s,

When The Who embarked on its 25th anniversary reunion tour in 1989, Townshend played only acoustic guitar at first. He was surrounded on stage by plexiglass, the better to protect himself from the volume produced by the bands other members.

He gradually discovered that, if he kept the volume on his side of the stage to 98 decibels, or  as he told the Union-Tribune at the time  about the level of a loud, fairly squawky hi-fi, he could leave his plexiglass sound booth without any discomfort and play electric guitar at least part of the time.

We have to define our limits, he noted. Im surprised at what weve been able to do this time.

In 1994, Daltrey told the Union-Tribune that Who bassist John Entwistle  who died in 2002 wore a hearing aid in each of his ears.

We laugh, but its very serious, Daltrey said at the time, before adding a politically incorrect quip. But I think that (deafness) was (caused by Entwistles) two (former) wives, not the volume of the music.

In 2011, Daltrey told the Daily Mail newspaper: Pete is almost stone deaf. He deafened himself in the recording studio, and when we last performed he had to stand right next to the speakers to hear anything.

Townshend and Daltrey both attended the 1992 opening of The Whos Tommy  at the La Jolla Playhouse. Townshend, while delighted at how well the musical did, complained that the volume of the stage band for Tommy was far softer than he thought it should be.

Earlier this year, fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Eric Clapton disclosed he is also beset with major hearing issues. Other rock legends whose hearing has been afflicted include Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Ozzy Osbourne and AC/DCs Brian Johnson, who was warned by doctors that he could lose all his hearing if he did not stop touring.

Then theres guitar legend Jeff Beck, who  in the 1990s cut back his touring to try and minimize the pain in his ears. He will perform July 22 at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre in Chula Vista as part of his 2018 summer tour.

Its definitely taken a toll, Beck told the Union-Tribune in a 1999 interview, in which he discussed receiving extensive therapy and using special ear inserts to mask the sounds in his head caused by his hearing damage.

I was in big, big trouble. I didnt think I could handle it, he said. To have something in your head, a constant noise, its probably the most horrendous thing a musician could have, not to mention anyone else. But they train you that what annoys your hearing is normal sounds, like the blood flowing through your head, something you never noticed before. Theres no pills. Its just therapy Im getting. And sleep has a lot to do with it. Bad sleep will make it louder, but not worse. Ive been trained not to say `worse. I will try and help anyone who asks. Right now, I hear it screaming away in my head. Im midway through the therapy.

I had one therapist who was a bit tactless. He said I had similar hearing loss to an artillery gunner in World War II. But if thats the case, why have all the drummers Ive played with all these years not suffered? Theyre the ones where all the noise comes from. I wouldnt play at a painful level on my amp; that would be unthinkable. But every time he hits a drum, the drummer is closest to the noise. Im mystified why drummers arent screaming in pain.

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga
Sanford, NC (27330)

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Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms before midnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images

State and local governments across the United States are easing pandemic restrictions as health officials and the American public begin to accept that COVID-19 will become a part of daily life for the foreseeable future.



Washingtons indoor mask mandate  which was initially implemented in 2020, then nixed in early 2021, only to be reinstated weeks later  is set to lift in most places on March 21. At a news conference last week, Gov. Jay Inslee said that date was chosen based on current hospital admission projections.



To those who think maybe it should end earlier, all I can tell you is we lost 1,000 people in January to this disease, he said. And when we make decisions, it seems to me we ought to have a recognition of how dangerous and deadly this disease still is after this period of time.



Additionally, Inslee said the state will no longer require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend large events  those with 500 or more attendees  after March 1.



Like the rest of the country, Washington has seen steady declines in the number of new cases and hospitalizations since the omicron surge peaked late last month. The average number of new cases has dropped 58% over the past two weeks, and the number of hospital admissions is down 32%.



Despite this, public leaders are hesitant to completely ditch pandemic restrictions. Masks will still be required in some indoor places statewide, and King County  the states largest county  says it has no current plans to lift its indoor mask order. Inslee also said private businesses can continue to enforce mask wearing and vaccine verification for employees and customers, if they choose.



While more detailed guidance is expected to be released by the state Department of Health in the coming weeks, heres what we know so far about latest COVID-19 policies in Washington and King County.

Where are masks still required?
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Jimi Johnson had been bouncing between the emergency room and jail for months before he was booked for the final time.

At 27, Johnsons schizophrenia was feeding him hallucinations that only grew worse inside his Shelton jail cell. He downplayed them in a last letter to his grandmother  the voices, he wrote from solitary, were not that BAD!! Then, on April 23, 2013, he strangled himself with a bedsheet looped over his Mason County Jail bunk.

Two years later, it happened again.

Like Johnson, 31-year-old Brandon Dahl found himself locked up alone after a string of strange, minor crimes. Having been badly beaten during a purported attitude adjustment delivered by other inmates, Dahl tried suicide on Sept. 15, 2015.

He didnt manage it that night. But, left alone with a sheet and uncontrolled mental illness, he tried again the next night and succeeded.

The bottom line is that we were left without the tools necessary to care for mentally ill inmates, one former jail worker said in a sworn statement. Everyone knew it, nobody did anything about it, and at least two inmates died as a result.

Their families thought, At least there, theyll be watched. At least there, theyll be taken care of, said Ryan Dreveskracht, an attorney representing Dahls father and Johnsons grandmother. The jailers shouldve been trained on how to recognize and know how to deal with mentally ill people. There should be policies in place that keep them safe. 

Everyone is at risk when you have these sort of roughshod operations like these jails.

And yet there is absolutely nothing in Washington state law that would change them.

No oversight, no standards

Washington, like the rest of the United States, moved away from large psychiatric institutions in the 1970s and 1980s. The change was motivated in part by disgust at the hospitals, seen as hopeless, overly restrictive and abusive places.

Instead, by accident and negligence, the nations mentally ill were sent to jail.

Jails are meant to temporarily house criminal defendants waiting for trial or serving short sentences. They are designed for waiting, transition and confinement. They are not built for healing.

No one denies that reality. No one seems to like the situation either. Whether anyone will change it, though, remains an open question.

Olympia does not set standards for Washington's jails. Each is profoundly local, managed by an elected sheriff and funded by county taxes.

Where to call for help Crisis Clinic 24-Hour Crisis Line

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State prisons officials note that they are the states largest mental healthcare provider. King Countys jails may be the states second biggest de facto mental institution. Most of Washingtons county jails are the only secure facilities in their jurisdictions where a person in crisis can easily be held against their will.

Smaller jails have not adapted to the new reality. A recent Public Citizen/Treatment Advocacy Center survey showed that just 11 percent of jails with fewer than 50 inmates have added civilian staff to care for seriously mentally ill inmates. Only one third of Americas jails offer individual psychiatric counseling.

Most of Washingtons 57 county and city jails dont have full-time medical staff, said Ned Newlin, a former corrections chief for Kitsap County now with the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. Very few have psychiatric services.

Its not that sheriffs and chiefs that run jails dont want to provide those services, Newlin said. A lot of times, those services dont exist in the community.

Every Washington county outside the Olympia-to-Everett urban belt is experiencing a critical shortage of mental health workers. Not counting Indian Health Services doctors, there were only two psychiatrists practicing in rural Washington in 2014.

In March, a team of Gonzaga University law students, led by Disability Rights Washington researchers, did a snap survey of all of Washingtons jails.

They found most facilities werent built or staffed to care for people with mental illnesses. Jail staff often placed severely mentally ill inmates in solitary cells. There was no consistency in practices, policy or oversight.

We just didnt know what was happening, said Kayley Bebber, an attorney with Disability Rights Washingtons jail project, Amplifying Voices of Inmates with Disabilities. No one else is keeping track right now.

The last priority

Inmates who could use inpatient psychiatric treatment rarely receive it, Newlin said. Hospital space is at a premium in Washington  some advocates estimate the state needs five times the number of psychiatric beds currently on offer  and the highest priority is given to people in the community.

The last priority are the people who are in jails, he said. Thats the way it goes with the civil commitment process.

Marc Moreno couldve used a hospital bed instead of a jail cell. That, Bebber said, was why the Pasco teens family took him to a crisis services center.

The Kennewick center, aware that the 18-year-old had outstanding warrants, called the police and had Moreno arrested on March 3, Bebber said. Moreno died of dehydration eight days later as Benton County Jail workers carefully noted his decline.

Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong, Bebber said.

Why, she asked rhetorically, are we sending people to jail when theyre in the middle of a mental health crisis?

Morenos family is preparing to sue Benton County over the young mans death. His supporters produced a video tribute to him after the county released a humiliating video showing Morenos booking.

In-custody mental health care generally comes down to medication management. But jails struggle to ensure that inmates are able to receive medication when theyre transitioning into or out of jail.

Care coordination is a big challenge for jails, Newlin said.

Most people dont come into jail with their medications, he said. The reason they come across the criminal justice system is that theyve stopped taking their medications and committed some crime.

Of course, a difficult job can still be done right. Or wrong.

Absolutely no training

Lori Dodge, a former Mason County Jail worker, said no one there knew the rules for handling mentally ill inmates. Dodge, in a statement to the court, said she and her colleagues received absolutely no training on the official policies.

Instead, jail staff followed unofficial practices set out by managers there, Dodge said. Inmates known to present a suicide risk were left alone and unsupervised.

Lawyers for Mason County contend jail staff didnt know Johnson posed a suicide risk, and that practices at the jail were legally sufficient. Theyve denied responsibility for Dahls death as well.

By Dodges account, the jail was chronically understaffed. Overburdened jailers could not complete all their duties or respond to kites  written requests for assistance from inmates. The kites were passed from one shift to the next without action. Most ended up in the trash.

Suicide prevention measures were not implemented. The danger had been known since at least 1999, when another young man strangled himself at the jail, Dodge said.

It was only a matter of time until someone died again, she said.

Following Johnson's suicide, Mason County Sheriffs Office brass sought funding for crisis intervention training that would help jail staff better serve mentally ill inmates. They didnt get it.

And we were just denied mental health funds for our (crisis intervention) training, Sheriff Casey Salisbury said in a memo uncovered by attorneys for Dahl and Johnson. Were so progressive! Lets wait and see how many peoples lives are damaged before we do something proactive.

I just dont know what people are thinking, wrote Salisbury, who was the countys undersheriff when he wrote the 2014 memo.

Nationally, just 2 percent of a corrections officers training relates to mental health services. They are taught to operate a jail, not a psychiatric hospital, which probably made sense in an era when they werent being asked to do so.

Locked alone with a terrifying mind

Jimi Johnson spent the last months of his life in crisis.

He tried to end it at least three times, and was hospitalized with suicidal ideation and schizophrenia four times, including a forced 10-day stay. By the time he broke down in October 2012, he was sleeping just an hour or two a night.

His grandmother, Peggy Johnson, took him to Olympias Providence St. Peter Hospital on Oct. 9 of that year, after he told her he was hearing voices urging him to kill himself. He asked staff at the hospital if someone could read the microchip in his head.

I think Im going to be here for a long time, Johnson told staff.

That, too, was a delusion.

Johnson was discharged the next day without a plan for his care, according to medical records filed with the court. He was told to make an appointment with a counselor.

Johnson bounced in and out of the hospitals emergency room for a few days. Peggy wanted him committed somewhere that could keep him safe until his psychosis could be managed; he wanted a brain scan to find the chip he believed to be in his head.

Im not crazy, Johnson told a counselor at the hospital. It is not mental health. There are microchips behind my ear and in my stomach. Quit playing stupid with me, you know whats going on.

Johnson was sent home with his grandmother.

The cycle repeated again a few weeks later. Psychotic and suicidal, Johnsons father had found him standing on a chair with a noose looped around his neck. Johnson refused to provide blood and urine samples necessary to have him voluntarily admitted to inpatient treatment. He told hospital staff he was only there to have the microchips examined.

After six months of psychosis, Johnson was involuntarily committed on Oct. 25, 2012. Johnson was diagnosed with schizophrenia and released after a 10-day stay. He had planned to move into a Shelton motel and receive outpatient care through the Squaxin Island Tribes medical office.

After a promising few weeks, Johnson tried to kill himself again on Dec. 30, stabbing himself in the arm with a steak knife while attempting to overdose. He ended up in Mason County Jail on warrants related to a prior sexual offense and allegations that he had failed to update his sex offender registration.

Johnson, refusing his medication, was housed in solitary confinement, hooting and hollering in his cell alone, another inmate reported. He was still hallucinating that April, writing in a letter to his grandmother that the drugs were helping.

Peggy Johnson was there in court on April 22, 2013. Johnson looked to her to be suicidal. She called the jail that day in a panic, begging jail staff to look after her grandson.

At 1 a.m. the next morning, a corrections officer found Johnson sitting next to his bunk. He had strangled himself by looping a noose, made from a torn sheet, over the bedframe.

'Obvious to any competent corrections official'

Despite a warning in jail policy papers that people experiencing psychosis are always to be considered a suicide risk Johnson had not been put on suicide watch. Hed been placed in a high-security area, jail staff later reported, because other inmates tend to abuse sexual offenders.

Eldon Vail, former head of Washingtons prison system, described the jails inaction in the wake of Johnsons suicide as deeply disturbing.

A death in a correctional facility is a very serious incident, Vail said in an affidavit filed by Johnsons attorneys, for whom he is a paid consultant.

Vail noted that the jails suicide cells were not adequate to that purpose. They lacked the large, fishbowl-like windows that enable jail staff to easily see the entire cell. In Mason County, the cells had solid steel doors and shutters.

Vail said that, during a March tour of the jail, a man could be heard babbling incoherently inside one of those cells. Jail staff had closed the shutters on the cell window.

These problems are obvious to any competent corrections official exercising his or her good judgment, the former Department of Corrections chief said in court papers.

Johnsons death should have shaken the 150-inmate jails leaders into action, Dreveskracht said. But, the attorney continued, it didnt change a thing.

And so it happened again.

Attitude adjustment ends in suicide

Brandon Dahl shouldve been a familiar face at Mason County Jail.

But when his father, Keith Dahl, called to ask after his son, the jail worker who was supposed to be caring for Brandons mental health didnt know who he was. Keith was worried his son was going to kill himself.

Dahl had been jailed in October 2014 and then extradited to Utah the following January to resolve a warrant. When he was ready for release, Keith Dahl drove out to pick up him up.

Brandon Dahl was breaking down. He didnt sleep for days, talked nonsense and was generally distraught.

Passing through Kittitas County, Dahl lost it. He attacked his father, punching him in the back of the head while ranting incoherently. He was arrested and taken to the Ellensburg jail.

Released again after a three-month jail stay, Dahl was enrolled in outpatient treatment. According to the lawsuit, Keith sought out a more intensive program but was told it was too full to accept his suicidal son.

His illness unmanaged, Dahls behavior worsened. He was arrested after stealing a case of beer and drinking it in front of the store. Released, he repeated the crime days later before punching his mother and stealing her car.

Dahl was arrested in the early hours of Sept. 13, 2015, and booked into Mason County Jail. He did not leave it alive.

Jail staff placed Dahl in solitary confinement, locked up alone 23 hours a day. Keith called the jail to warn staff that his son was suicidal.

According to his attorneys, Dahl was released to a larger unit for an attitude adjustment after angering a jail worker. He was beaten badly by three other inmates, then dumped in a solitary cell, unable to get up.

Dahl tried to hang himself shortly after the assault but couldnt manage it. The bruises and abrasions still disfigured his face when he tried again the following day.

That night, Sept. 16, 2015, a jail worker passing Dahls cell spotted him strangled with a sheet tied to his bunk.

Dreveskracht described the autopsy that followed as having been shoddily done. Investigators determined that Dahl died of hanging and noted that his face was severely bruised; the attorney said medical examiners may have ignored or missed evidence that the earlier attack on Dahl contributed to his death.

Both men, Dreveskracht said, were basically tortured to death. Denied relief, they were tormented by their illnesses until they couldnt stand it any longer.

Legislators pitching oversight; counties want money, too

Washington once had a robust set of statewide standards for jails. The Legislature created an oversight board in the 1970s meant to force modernization of the county jails.

But the state was also paying the counties way back then, assisting in the construction of new jails. That state funding disappeared and with it, in 1987, went uniform jail standards.

Around 2010, Newlin and other state jail leaders decided they would try to establish a jail review process that might be feasible for most Washington jails. Several national accreditations exist, but the expense and time involved dissuade most jurisdictions from pursuing them.

Newlins employer, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, rolled out an accreditation program in 2014. The South Correctional Entity  a regional Des Moines jail housing low-level suspects and offenders  was the first to receive the accreditation.

Working with Disability Rights Washington, SCORE was able to cut its use of solitary confinement by 60 percent. More than that, Executive Director Penny Bartley and her team changed the places culture.

SCORE added a full-time nurse to manage inmates medications and four therapists to provide counseling to inmates with mental illness. They improved screening practices so that staff at the 700-inmate jail know who in their care needs help, and moved those inmates into a wing oriented toward providing mental health care.

Instead of warehousing them and waiting for them to leave, its in everyones best interest to invest in them while theyre here, said Nancy Whitney, a veteran community health worker brought on as SCOREs director of mental health services in July 2015.

Jails are where mentally ill people show up now.  Old school is, throw them in a cell and wait them out, Whitney said. This is a major culture shift.

Jim Kelly, SCOREs deputy executive director, described the change as a no-brainer. About half of the jails inmates need mental health services. If they dont receive them inside, theyre unlikely to get them anywhere.

Whitney said the work can be challenging, and theres no sure fix. Some inmates continue to cycle in and out of SCORE without stabilizing. But the payoff, she said, is huge.

Picture an 18-year-old young man. He has landed in jail during his first psychotic break after, say, throwing his mother to the ground. At SCORE, if it all works correctly, he gets stabilized and connected with care.

You get to send him to the hospital, and he comes back and looks like hes joined a boy band, Whitney said. Hes back off to college and you never see him again.

Bebber proposed a two-pronged approach  stop charging people with minor crimes tied to their illnesses, such as trespassing or unlawful bus conduct, and create a state oversight office to push jails toward better practices.

State Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, put forward legislation that would create a task force to review conditions in the states jails. It didnt get far but, as chair of the House Public Safety Committee, Goodman and co-sponsor Rep. Brad Klippert, R-Kennewick, may be able to move it forward in the coming session.

Without infusions of state money to Washingtons poorer, rural counties, though, its not clear how much change can be made. Municipal and law enforcement leaders cautioned that any reform from Olympia must be paid for with state money.

Weve always said that if the Legislature is going to consider mandating anything, then theyre going to have to provide 100 percent of the funding, Newlin said.

He did not deserve to die

Suicide is far and away the most common cause of in-custody deaths in American jails. Bureau of Justice Statistics numbers show 31 percent of all inmate deaths are attributed to suicide; heart disease, the No. 2 in-custody killer, accounts for 22 percent.

The year Johnson died, 327 in-jail deaths were attributed to suicide. And, while the number of Americans in jail has declined in recent years to 731,200 in 2013, the number of jail suicides has not.

Dahl and Johnsons deaths drew the same heartbreaking refrain  they could have lived.

The young mens suicides left their families shattered. Johnsons death hit his grandmother the hardest.

They were best friends, Peggy and Jimi. Unstable as he was, Jimi was her rock.

Now that Jimi is gone, Peggy is a shell of her former self, Jimis aunt, Harriet Vasquez-Luna, said in court papers.

Peggy still hurts. She cries every day, said Jaralee Johnson, Jimis sister. My family had hoped the trauma and scars caused by Jimis death would not be too deep and would start to fade with time. Unfortunately, this has not occurred.

Jaralee remembers her troubled brothers strengths. He was good at harvesting clams and oysters, and a fine fisherman. He couldve provided for himself and been a productive member of the Skokomish tribal community.

The family saw jail as a safe place for Johnson, his sister said in court papers. Hed be watched there, they thought, and kept from killing himself.

But Mason County did not keep Jimi safe. Far from it, Jaralee said in a statement filed in February. Mason County jailers were bullies, were hateful, and had no care for him because he was Native American and had mental health problems.

They did not treat Jimi like he was human. But Jimi was human, and he had a family that loved him, and he did not deserve to die.

Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.


 

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From Tim ORourke, vice president of content strategy for Hearst Newspapers:

Were thrilled to announce that Alejandra Matos is joining the DevHub  Hearst Newspapers editorial engineering, product development and strategy team  as director of strategy and operations, overseeing the product roadmap, analytics and tactics around interactive projects.

Its imperative that local newsrooms serve their communities with valuable journalism that helps readers make informed decisions, whether thats choosing the best restaurant for a night out or electing a new mayor, Matos said. The DevHub team is at the forefront of creating unique experiences to deliver this information to readers, and I am honored to be a part of it.

Hearsts DevHub team works with local newsrooms such as The San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle, Albany Times-Union and a group of newsrooms across Connecticut. The team is focused on local news, and builds major projects such as election results subsites, programs such as Top Restaurants, tools such as the California Fire Tracker and Texas Flood Tracker, and a series of templates that allow journalists to publish interactive stories and experiences without requiring programming skills.

Matos returns to Hearst after spending the past two years on the audience team at Wirecutter, the New York Times product recommendation site. As Wirecutters deputy director of audience development, she was responsible for growing the sites reach across social platforms, newsletters and social video. She also managed homepage strategy and worked with the Times audience team to promote Wirecutter to millions of readers.

The DevHub straddles many teams, and Alejandras blend of audience, product and editorial skills will be an ideal fit as we innovate for our local news readers, said Tim ORourke, Hearst Newspapers vice president of content strategy. Shell be a leader on our team, and an advocate for high-quality journalism and smart strategy.

Before her time at Wirecutter, Matos was the Texas newsletter editor and a politics and government reporter at Hearsts Houston Chronicle, where she covered education policy, statewide elections and also uncovered that the Texas attorney general gave half a million dollars in taxpayer money to anti-abortion advocates to defend the state's abortion restrictions in federal courts. She covered the 2018 midterm elections and helped build the 2018 Texas Voter Guide. Prior to joining the Houston Chronicle, Alejandra covered local education at the Washington Post and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Alejandra grew up in El Paso, Texas, and is a UTEP alumna. She has a masters degree in investigative journalism from American University and lives in Austin.

About Hearst

At Hearst, it is our mission to be the most trusted, most respected and most accurate source of news and information in the communities that we serve. We place our readers' interests above all others, and dedicate ourselves to the principles of truthfulness, fairness and independence. We understand that the free flow of accurate information is vital to our system of government and the foundations of our economy.

About The San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. The staff won ONA Online Journalism Awards for General Excellence in 2020 and for Breaking News coverage in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Follow us on Twitter at @SFChronicle.
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After Californias civil rights agency accused Tesla of maintaining a racially segregated workplace at its Fremont factory, a former project quality manager said in a lawsuit Tuesday that the electric-car giant ignored his findings of serious safety hazards, as well as factory restrooms littered with swastikas and racist slurs, and fired him for speaking out.

Tesla illegally retaliated against Marc Cage for reporting numerous safety violations at its plants in Fremont and Sparks, Nev., and protesting discrimination against him and other Black employees, Cage said in his suit filed in Alameda County Superior Court.

He said the company, whose revenue reached $53.8 billion last year, clearly valued profits over safety: When he saw a welder at the Nevada plant fail to take routine precautions against a potential explosion and reported it to a supervisor in 2019, Cage said in the lawsuit, he was told that slowing production would interfere with the agenda of Elon Musk, Teslas billionaire chief executive, and the companys automotive president, Jerome Guillen.

He also said that virtually every restroom in the Fremont factory contained writings or carvings of racist symbols and slurs, including swastikas and prominent displays of the n-word. Cage, a veteran construction supervisor, was hired by Tesla as a quality project manager in November 2018 and said he was demoted in February 2020 and fired 10 months later.

More for you Jury awards $137 million to former Tesla employee who was racially harassed in Fremont by co-workers

His suit follows a lawsuit in the same court Feb. 10 by the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing accusing Tesla of relegating Black employees to menial, difficult jobs in a separate area of the Fremont factory  known to workers as the plantation  where they are regularly subjected to racial slurs.

Tesla has denied mistreating Black employees. But last October, a federal court jury in San Francisco awarded $136.9 million in damages to a Black man, Owen Diaz, who said he was repeatedly called racist names, shown racist cartoons and subjected to abuse during 9 months of employment at the Fremont factory. Tesla has appealed the verdict.

The company was also sued last fall by eight women who said that they were subjected to sexual harassment, including taunts and groping, at Tesla plants and that supervisors ignored their complaints. And on Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tesla had agreed to pay a $275,000 penalty to settle complaints of hazardous air pollution from vehicle coatings at the Fremont plant.

Tamarah Prevost, a lawyer for Cage, said Tesla appears to be the worst example of what she described as a trend in Silicon Valley tech companies of favoring innovation over employees rights and safety. She said Cages lawsuit, and the state agencys Feb. 10 suit, both describe the companys complete disregard of horrible conditions for employees.

She said Cage has found another job, but did not have details.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the suit.

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.

As an illustration of the companys response to safety issues, Cage said that in November 2019 he saw dangerous conditions in a trench at the Fremont plant, and learned that the contractor doing the work lacked a legally required permit. He said he told the contractor, who replied that Tesla had approved the work and that he should get the f out of here. Cage said he reported the problem to the factorys construction director, who ignored it.

After his demotion to building permit superintendent in January 2020, Cage said, a construction supervisor told him, Do not report any more deficiencies  and when he continued to report them, his manager berated and swore at him.

And on another occasion, Cage said, he submitted an expense report for meals during a trip for the company. His manager signed an approval slip, but added, in writing, This is $160 for BBQ?  a comment Cage described as an insulting, racist stereotype.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Three Bay Area counties improved to the moderate coronavirus infection rate, as COVID cases nosedived in the region this month. Is it time we all started getting booster shots? Experts say keep your sleeve rolled down for now: Theres not enough data to recommend fourth shots for everyone and the current booster regime provides plenty of protection.

Latest updates:

CDC to unveil new metrics for assessing virus risk: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will change the way it assesses community levels of disease for COVID-19 as early as Friday, according to a source inside the agency who spoke with CNN. The updated metrics will help many counties nationwide to move closer to lifting safety measures aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus, such as mask mandates. By the current standards, 97% of the counties in the U.S. are at substantial or high levels of virus transmission  tiers for which the agency recommends masking indoors. The agency will move away from looking at case rates and positive test rates in determining virus risk, according to the source, and also incorporate hospitalizations, emergency room visits and deaths in each region.

L.A. County drops mask mandate for businesses that verify vaccination: Businesses and venues in Los Angeles County that verify vaccination status will be allowed to make masking indoors optional for fully vaccinated customers and workers beginning Friday, according to a modified order issued by the health department. With lower rates of hospital admissions and COVID hospitalizations, it is appropriate in settings verifying vaccination or negative test status, that we transition to strongly recommending masking instead of requiring masking, said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the countys public health director, in a statement.

Contra Costa doctor cleared by medical board for giving shots: Dr. Rebecca Parish, the Lafayette internist who was accused of giving COVID-19 vaccines to people not yet eligible for them during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, was cleared of the charge in January 2022 by the state Medical Board that licenses and governs doctors, The Chronicle has learned. Read the full story here.

Vaccine demand in U.S. falters following omicron surge: The average number of Americans getting their first shot of a vaccine against COVID-19 has fallen to about 90,000 a day, according to federal data  the lowest number since December 2020, when shots were available on a limited basis. Nearly 25% of the eligible U.S. population has not yet received even one dose of vaccine, and more than 35% are not fully vaccinated. The trend doesnt appear likely to reverse anytime soon as government leaders have abandoned incentive programs and some vaccine mandates. Demand for shots has bottomed out, especially in conservative regions and among communities of color where distrust of the government runs deep, according to a report by the Associated Press. In California, about 74% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, with only 56.3% having received a booster dose, which health officials say is critical in protecting against omicron, especially as the state winds down other COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Vaccines offered less advantage against infection during omicron surge: Vaccinated Americans continued to enjoy higher levels of protection against COVID-19 during the winter surge than those who hadnt had shots. But the level of protection was lower against the highly infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus than for the earlier delta and alpha variants, a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms. The reduced protection resulted in an unprecedented spike of cases, and also substantially increased hospitalizations and deaths, even for people who were fully vaccinated or, in some cases, boosted. At the peak of the summer delta surge, the risk of testing positive for the virus was 400% higher for those who were unvaccinated than for those who had completed their initial vaccine series. At the peak of the winter omicron surge, that relative gap closed to 120%. Still, shots and boosters still made a big difference in outcomes: Unvaccinated adults were 14 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated, while unvaccinated adults were 41 times more likely to die than those who were both vaccinated and boosted.

Up to 12,800 Americans may die of COVID-19 by mid-March: The number of newly reported COVID-19 deaths will likely decrease over the next 4 weeks according to federal forecasts, with 5,400 to 12,800 new deaths likely reported in the week ending March 19. The national ensemble used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that a total of 963,000 to 983,000 COVID-19 deaths will have been reported by that date. California is forecast to see between 500 to 1,500 additional COVID deaths over the same period, bringing the state tally of lives lost closer to 90,000.

Rise of BA.2 not slowing overall global case decline, WHO reports: The BA.2 sublineage of the omicron coronavirus variant should continue to be considered a variant of concern but does not warrant a distinct Greek letter, nor is it extending the tail of the current surge of COVID-19 cases, the World Health Organization said in a special bulletin on Tuesday. Although BA.2 sequences are increasing in proportion relative to other omicron sublineages (BA.1 and BA.1.1), there is still a reported decline in overall cases globally, the agency said. BA.2, which is reportedly 30% more contagious than its parent strain, accounts for about 3.9% of all new infections in the U.S., and that rate appears to be doubling weekly. It has already become the dominant version of the virus in at least 10 countries, including Denmark, China and India.

CDC recommends waiting 8 weeks between initial vaccine doses: Some people getting Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should consider waiting up to eight weeks between the first and second doses, instead of the three or four weeks previously recommended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in guidance it quietly updated on Tuesday. Officials said they were reacting to research showing that the longer interval can provide more enduring protection against the coronavirus, the Associated Press reports. Research suggests that 12- to 64-year-olds  especially males ages 12 to 39  can benefit from the longer spacing, the CDC said. The original, shorter interval is still recommended for people with weakened immune systems; people 65 and older; and anyone who needs fast protection due to risk of severe disease.

U.S. truckers plan convoy protest inspired by Canadian counterparts: Inspired by the recent trucker protests in Canada, groups of American truckers from several states plan to descend on Washington D.C. for President Bidens State of the Union address on March 1, according to federal officials. The Pentagon plans to deploy up to 800 unarmed National Guard troops to the nations capital, according to press secretary John Kirby, to provide support at traffic control points in and around the district and stand ready in case of possible disruptions at key traffic arteries. According to a series of online posts, Reuters reports the truckers want to see an end to pandemic safety measures such as mask and vaccine requirements.

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.

Point Bonita Lighthouse reopens after two-year pandemic closure: The Point Bonita Lighthouse in the Marin Headlands has resumed tours for the first time in nearly two years after closing its doors for the coronavirus pandemic. The 167-year-old lighthouse, which is accessible by a suspension bridge, is open Sundays and Mondays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., according to an update from the Golden Gate National Park Service. A secret jewel of the Bay Area, the Point Bonita Lighthouse, built in 1855, was the third lighthouse built on the West Coast and helped shepherd ships through the treacherous Golden Gate straits, the agency says. It also advises lines can be long and guests should arrive early to ensure you get to cross the suspension bridge.

Drugmakers say their COVID vaccine is 100% effective against severe illness: Drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said their COVID-19 vaccine was 100% effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalizations, according to a statement released by the companies Wednesday. The companies are now seeking regulatory approvals for their vaccine, which may also prove useful as a booster shot, the companies said.

U.S. flight attendants push to keep passengers masked until more are vaccinated: A union representing U.S. flight attendants has asked the Biden administration to delay a plan to lift masking requirements on flights, the New York Times reported. Officials with the Association of Flight Attendants-C.W.A. said removing masks put flight staff and medically vulnerable people at risk. Transportation officials plan to lift the mask mandate on flights on March 18.

Cases down 80% in Bay Area: The number of new coronavirus cases in the Bay Area has fallen by nearly 80% since the beginning of the month, but all but three counties in the region still have high or substantial transmission rates, as does most of California, according to federal data. The daily death rate  a lagging pandemic indicator  is up about 10% since the beginning of the month, making California one of a handful of states not to see a steady decline in fatalities coming out of the omicron winter surge. Read the full story.

Bill would require schools to have a virus testing plans: Each California school district would have to have a coronavirus testing plan under legislation introduced Tuesday by state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento. SB 1479 also would provide resources to implement such plans, contingent on appropriations, as a part of a broader legislative package to keep schools open and safe and protect public health, and require the California health department help districts develop the plans for each school.

S.F. data shows widening racial and ethnic disparities in child vaccination rates: San Francisco health officials on Tuesday highlighted widening racial and ethnic disparities in coronavirus vaccination coverage among children ages 5 to 11. About 67% of the age group have received their shots. But the racial divide is large: 81% of Asian and 64% of white children are vaccinated, compared to 22% of of American Indian and Alaska Native children, and 44% of Pacific Islander, 48% of Latino, and 29% of Black children. Among Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or Samoan children 34% are vaccinated, Said Dr. Grant Colfax, the citys health director, in a statement: We are listening to the needs of the community and working on tailoring solutions to bridge these gaps so that all children in San Francisco can receive the best defense against the virus.
An Oakland man is facing drug trafficking charges for allegedly selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in and around the Tenderloin in San Francisco, officials said.

Dixis Archaga-Reyes, 26, was arrested this month after he sold the lethal drugs to an undercover San Francisco police officer working with the Drug Enforcement Administration four times between Nov. 2 and Feb. 4, according to a criminal complaint.

In the most recent sale, the undercover officer and Archaga-Reyes allegedly arranged a deal for an ounce of fentanyl for $500 and 4 ounces of methamphetamine for $1,000. On Feb. 4, the officer drove to the agreed-upon location in the area of 7th and Mission streets and Archaga-Reyes got in the car and sold the officer the drugs, prosecutors said.

Archaga-Reyes allegedly gave the officer numerous clear plastic bags containing suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine in exchange for $1,500 in pre-marked bills, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California said in a statement Tuesday. After the sale, the government took steps to confirm the plastic bags contained methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Hundreds of people in San Francisco die from drug overdoses every year, and more than half of all reported drug incidents occur in the Tenderloin, according to city data. Fentanyl has been a leading driver of those deaths, having been found in the bodies of almost three-quarters of the roughly 1,310 people who died from drug overdoses in the city in 2020 and 2021.

Archaga-Reyes was charged with distributing 5 or more grams of methamphetamine and distributing 40 or more grams of fentanyl. He could face up to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine, up to a lifetime of supervised release and the denial of federal benefits.

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He made his first court appearance on Tuesday in San Francisco and remained in custody. His detention hearing is scheduled for Monday, officials said.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
UPDATE: San Francisco police officer was found not guilty of assault and battery charges in landmark use of force trial.

A San Francisco police officer who trains the department on uses of force testified on Monday that Officer Terrance Stangel complied with his training when he repeatedly clubbed a man with a baton during a 2019 incident near Fishermans Wharf.

Officer Patrick Woods testimony came on the third week of a closely watched police brutality trial against Stangel, who is charged with assault and battery after prosecutors said he used excessive force when he beat Dacari Spiers while out on a domestic violence call.

Stangel is believed to be first San Francisco police officer to face a criminal jury for alleged misconduct that occurred on duty. The trial is seen as an important test for progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin, whose office has aggressively sought to prosecute officers accused of wrongdoing.

Five other excessive-force cases against officers are pending in San Francisco Superior Court.

Prosecutors rested their case against Stangel last week.

By testifying as a defense witness, Woods statements served as a counterargument to the prosecutors expert witness, who testified last week that Stangels use of force was unreasonably excessive.

Under questioning from defense attorney Nicole Pifari, Woods on Monday said he had witnessed use-of-force incidents that were outside the bounds of officer training. This case, he said, wasnt one of them.

I found that (Officer Stangel and his partner) complied with their training, Woods said.

Woods additionally testified that his unit would often use real-life incidents to recommend changes in the departments use-of-force policies. The incident involving Stangel and Spiers did not prompt any such adjustments, Woods said.

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Under cross-examination, Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Young underscored how, in audio from body camera footage, Stangel is never heard commanding Spiers to put his hands behind his back, or to stop resisting. Woods agreed with this characterization, and that the only command Stangel is heard giving was for Spiers to get on the ground when he was already on the ground.

Stangel faces four charges: battery with serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury  with an allegation that he did in fact cause great bodily injury  and assault under the color of authority. Spiers was never charged with a crime.

While momentous in its own right, the trial against Stangel took on even greater significance earlier this month when it prompted San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott to announce he would sever an agreement that names the D.A.s office as the lead investigative agency in police use-of-force cases. An investigator in Boudins office had testified in a pretrial hearing that prosecutors pressured her to withhold evidence favorable to Stangel from police.

Boudin has denied wrongdoing by his office, and has alleged that the police department has withheld evidence from the D.A.s office. Police and prosecutors are now working to renegotiate their agreement.

The defense is expected to continue calling witnesses Wednesday morning. It is unclear whether Stangel plans to testify.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
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Ukrainians in the Bay Area reacted with alarm and fear Tuesday as the threat of war with Russia moved closer to reality amid worsening political tensions.

Ive been on the phone with my parents, who have begun preparing for the possibility of leaving their home soon, said Mick Safron, a Ukrainian immigrant living in San Mateo whose parents live in Kyiv. They are safe, and Kyiv is safe. For now, at least.

Diplomatic talks floundered Tuesday as the United States and several European countries announced fresh sanctions against Russia following Putins recognition of two separatist, pro-Russian regions in eastern Ukraine  parts of Donetsk and Luhansk  a day earlier.

Putins move was widely condemned, with President Biden officially calling it the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and a flagrant violation of international law at a televised press conference Tuesday.

There are about 150,000 Russian troops lined up along parts of Ukraines borders. In an overnight address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had tried to promote a sense of calm, telling the country, We are not afraid of anyone or anything.

But the Ukrainian diaspora in the Bay Area is worried. About 10,000 of the just over 1 million people of Ukrainian descent in the U.S., live in the Bay Area, according to the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, a nonprofit in the region. The community is clustered around San Francisco, Fremont, northern San Jose and the Peninsula. About 100 people gathered Sunday in front of the Ferry Building in San Francisco to protest.

I went to the Ukrainian church on Sunday, something I dont do too often, just to be around community and support, said Tatiana Fedyk, an El Cerrito resident who is a professor at the University of San Francisco.

Nova Ukraine/Provided by Nova Ukraine

Fedyk said people were panicked about how quickly the situation was deteriorating and are worried about the uncertainty of whats to come. She first moved to the U.S. with her husband and two young children in 1999 as she pursued a Ph.D. They have another daughter who was born in the U.S. and call the Bay Area home. Her profession allowed her to spend two to three summer months, when she was not teaching, back home with her mom every single year, she said.

This time, I brought my mom back to the U.S. with me. I wanted her closer, she said. But my sister and my sister-in-law, along with their families, are back in Ukraine. She said theyre closer to the Western border, which is relatively safe and far from the conflict playing out on the eastern borders.

Igor Markov came to the U.S. in 1993 as a graduate student at UCLA. Hes lived in cities across the country and moved to the Bay Area in 2014. He now works as a research scientist at Meta. Markov is part of the Bay Area organization called Nova Ukraine, a nonprofit helping with humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.

By any means, this is absolutely nuts. Its just madness, he said about Russia sending in troops and recognizing the independence of Ukraines separatist regions.

Markov, who lives with his spouse and child in Mountain View, said his father lived in France, but he has large swaths of relatives back home including an aunt, uncle, cousin and his family.

By the looks of it, its war, and as you can imagine, no one wants war. There could be a lot of casualties. Theres a lot of fear, and there is a lot of anxiousness and disgust also, he added.

Nova Ukraine/Provided by Nova Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and annexed, or occupied, Crimea, pro-Russian rebels in the country seized parts of the east and have fought Ukraines military ever since. Ukraines pro-Russian prime minister at the time, Viktor Yanukovych, was removed from office after the Ukrainian Revolution, also dubbed the Revolution of Dignity, that year. An international peace accord was signed, but the conflict has since claimed an estimated 14,000 lives.

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Ukraine sought its independence in 1991 and has steadily embraced European institutions, the European Union and is open to NATO. Putin vehemently opposes Ukraines membership in NATO and sees the Western military alliance as a threat.

Safron serves as the secretary of the Bay Area chapter of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council and is the co-founder and chief executive of Biohacking Congress, a health and wellness startup. More than half of his workforce is based in Kyiv, he said. He is worried about losing communication with them, which could be a real scenario soon, he said.

Its about thinking about everyones safety at this point, he said.

Safron said Russias aggressive advances were bigger than Ukraine. If the country falls to Russia, former Soviet countries could be next, he said.

People need to understand that this is also about Moldova and Belarus and Lithuania, and so many of the other former Soviet countries. We cannot let Putin control Ukraine, we just cannot. He is not welcome there.

More for you How Russia invading Ukraine affects the workforce of these S.F. companies

Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika Instagram: @shwanika
Experts say homelessness exploded throughout the Bay Area over the last few years, as tents popped up under freeways and RVs lined many neighborhood streets. But numbers on the unhoused remained outdated despite the dire need for accurate data.

This week, Bay Area counties are finally taking a step to find out how many people are living on the street with one-night counts unfolding throughout the region, a crucial event that helps determine how much federal, state and local money is directed to the homelessness crisis.

In Alameda County, nearly 500 people spread out early Wednesday to conduct a count of unsheltered people for the first time in three years. San Francisco did its count Wednesday night.

The highly anticipated count, mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is done every two years and was supposed to be held last year, but was canceled due to the pandemic. Even this years count was postponed by about a month due to omicron.

Officials combine a count of those who are unsheltered with data on the homeless population in shelters, jails and other indoor places to get an accurate look at the crisis.

The numbers are shared in a report that also details the demographics of the homeless population and why people wound up without housing. The report is expected to be ready by summer.

Homelessness experts say the pandemic has likely resulted in a huge increase in people living on the streets, but no exact figures have yet been released on the impact of the pandemic.

This count counts more than any count before, said Chelsea Andrews, the executive director of EveryOne Home, which organized the count in Alameda County. Andrews said the count is important to get a full picture of the pandemics impacts.

In the last point-in-time count in 2019, Alameda Countys homeless population increased by 43% to 8,022 from 5,629 in 2017. Oakland accounted for nearly half and had the highest increase in the Bay Area: 47%. The city had 4,071 homeless people in 2019 compared to 2,761 in 2017.

Some of the volunteers who had fanned out across Oakland Wednesday said they expected that the number of people living outside had increased despite unprecedented state funds available to cities due to COVID. In 2020, the state launched Homekey, which allows cities to purchase hotels and motels and convert them into permanent homeless housing.

About six volunteers gathered at Grove Shafter Park in Oakland for coffee around 9 a.m. after completing counts in their assigned areas. Jared Bunde, a registered nurse with StreetHealth, a county program that aims to address health disparities among the homeless population, counted people near Highland Hospital and the area near Grove Shafter Park.

Tent density has increased, Bunde said. Good interventions have happened ... and we are still going to see an increase in the street population.

Volunteers from EveryOne Home and other organizations spent Wednesday from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. counting people sleeping outside  whether they were in tents, RVs, cars or pallet homes. On Wednesday evening, volunteers counted homeless youths in shelters throughout the county. And over the next few weeks, volunteers will visit shelters to tally the number of people who are homeless but living indoors. In addition, the county will survey people sleeping outside and ask their race, health, length of homelessness and housing history.

Each city in Alameda County will receive a report of their figures.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf joined Andrews to count people living outside around Lake Merritt. Schaaf said she counted fewer tents than expected  at least 60  and said it could be in part due to recent homeless interventions that the city has launched.

Near Lake Merritt, at least two temporary housing programs have launched in the past year. Last June, Lake Merritt Lodge, a six-story, 92-unit hotel, opened its door for the homeless; in November, a tiny home village invited about 70 people living in encampments in and around Lake Merritt.

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But those solutions are temporary and mostly rely on state funding.

What we have is completely vulnerable, Schaaf said, adding that cities need a permanent source of state funding to combat the homelessness crisis.

The sky was still dark as Schaaf walked around the lake counting people sleeping outside. She walked behind a building and found a woman sleeping against the door, without any form of shelter. Nearby, she shooed away a rat that was smelling a pile of blankets that appeared to hide someone sleeping in the corner of the gazebo at the lake.

As the sun rose and people flocked to the lake to exercise, Mariam, a housed resident, asked Schaaf what she plans to do about the unsheltered people living at the lake. Mariam declined to share her last name.

This is the gem of Oakland and its completely trashed, Mariam said. This is out of control.

Schaaf listened to the woman and explained the citys response to the crisis.

This is a humanitarian crisis, she said before returning to the count.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
The future arrived first at 14th and Guerrero.

It looks a lot like the past: Were inside a shotgun dive bar retrofitted with an outsize dance floor. At 9 p.m. there are around 50 people, average age 25, milling about, waiting for something to happen. The decibel volume thumps. They are dressed in designer hoodies and slouchy knit caps, denim shackets and New Balance sneakers in the color palette of Saved by the Bell. Severe haircuts and acid wash denim abound. There is a general vibe of affected Frenchness  thin mustaches, rolled cigarettes  as though inspired by the wine in each glass.

This is Bar Part Time, a new sort of nightclub: the natural wine party bar, where revelry is driven by the cacophonous incantations of nightlife DJs, and where the only thing served, save for the odd cheeky beer or nonalcoholic bitters soda, is minimal intervention wine. The future looks like a glass of chilled Grolleau filled all the way to the top.

Often lost in the discussion around natural wine, which tends to hinge on abstract concepts like sulfur levels and lunar cycles, is the fact that slowly and surely over the last decade, and now seemingly all at once, this stuff has become a sort of shorthand for Millennial-and-under bohemia. The ascendancy of Bar Part Time is proof that we are approaching the zenith of what influential wine critic Alice Feiring has called style drinking, in which natural wine  the rarer the better  has become a lifestyle token, emblematic of a certain sort of urbanity.

Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle

Already, Bar Part Times influence can be seen on Instagram, where similarly styled wine bars in Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., Melbourne, Australia, and Vancouver toy with the bars signature cartoon, googly-eyed iconography; and IRL, at any other natural wine bar in the Bay Area right now, where chances are the person sitting next to you is sporting a Bar Part Time T-shirt or tote bag. If this trajectory continues, five years from now, when the pandemic is a bad memory, its not hard to imagine that there could be natural wine party bars like this in cities throughout America.

At some point in the evening I find myself at a table enmeshed with a group  a photographer, a colorist, a salon owner, a teacher, a model, a Google masseuse  and one of them tells me, shouting over the music, ACTUALLY I HATE NATURAL WINE!!

I ask the obvious follow-up question: Why come to this place then?

Because if you go to other bars around town theyre all empty right now  everyone is here.

Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle

The overlap of youth culture and natural wine should be looked at as a quirk of history. Natural wine remains a product with a microscopic footprint, produced in tiny batches by obscure artisans, often located in the parts of Europe where tourists seldom tread. Until recently, it was more or less a fringe intellectual pursuit. Natural wine bars werent scenes so much as gathering places for drinkers with a shared niche philosophy.

Natural wines detractors love to argue that the wines can be flawed, that the consumption culture around them can feel like desultory trend chasing, and that it is essentially the same 200 bottles being sold by the same 10 importers in every hip wine shop in America. But it doesnt matter. Natural wine has its hooks into a certain type of young American, and there is no better emblem of this than walking into Bar Part Time on a random Friday night and experiencing the scene.

Bar Part Time began as a series of FOMO-inducing pop-ups in early 2020, at the gloaming dawn of the pandemic. These wild street parties spilled out from the confines of the Mercury Cafe in Hayes Valley. The owners, Jeremy Castillo, Dan Small and Justin Dolezal, built a distinct digital identity for Bar Part Time on social media, functioning as a burgeoning lifestyle brand, and eventually pivoted to local wine delivery and merchandise sales. Small, a partnerships manager at Baggu, designs the merch, whose drops sell out with breakneck alacrity.

Castillo is the visionary, inhabiting a hybrid identity of natural wine and dance-music cultures. Hes a working DJ who balanced influential club nights  including Club Lonely, a queer dance night at the SoMa nightclub OMG  with day jobs in the wine industry, previously at Ruby Wine and Verjus. Dolezal, also formerly of Verjus and the Punchdown, handles the business side.

Felix Uribe / Special to The Chronicle Felix Uribe / Special to The Chronicle Bar Part Time serves only zero-zero wine, left, meaning the bottles have no chemical interventions at all. Right, co-owner Jeremy Castillo is the visionary behind Bar Part Time, combining natural wine and dance music cultures. Photos by Felix Uribe / Special To The Chronicle Bar Part Time serves only zero-zero wine, left, meaning the bottles have no chemical interventions at all. Right, co-owner Jeremy Castillo is the visionary behind Bar Part Time, combining natural wine and dance music cultures. Photos by Felix Uribe / Special To The Chronicle

The concept of a natural wine night club does have antecedents, like Nightmoves in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Brilliant Corners in London. But none of them has achieved the clubby apotheosis of Bar Part Time, whose success  and if the crowds are any indication, it is a wild, massive success  is driven in no small part by the enduring ostinato of San Franciscos outsize cultural influence, the drum beat lure that has for centuries brought people here from around the world in search of a different sort of life. Had Armistead Maupins Mary Ann Singleton in Tales of the City been born in 1998, this is where she would go dancing.

What becomes of youth culture in a pandemic? The night is young, and over the DJ a thousand conversations fragment in the air. Half the room is on their cell phones at any given time. There is an augmented hedonism to it all, an incautiousness that some might find disturbing, others delicious. Call it Disco in the Time of Corona, Hi-NRG at the End of the World.

The backbar displays bottles from cult producers like Radikon and Serragghia  some of the more genre-bending, mind-expanding natural wines in the world, coming from Italys Slovenian border and a postage-stamp-size Mediterranean island called Pantelleria. Nearly every bottle in the shop is imported, with the exception of a few California producers like Stagiaire and Emme Wines. Theyre wild, glowing wines, rare and expensive, produced with extended skin contact using little-known grape varieties like Pignatello and Zibibbo. Bottles like these serve as a shibboleth to natural wine drinkers, symbolizing that the wine bar or bottle shop exhibiting them is au courant. I try a Cab Franc / Sauv Blanc blend from Domaine de la Petite Soeur, which tastes of violets with just a touch of Gauloises ash, and then later, a punchy-crunchy gulpable Loire Pinot Noir by Mathieu Coste, both served ice cold. (The menu changes daily, but glass prices often range $13-$15.)

Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle

At about 9:30 some tentative dancing starts, first behind the bar, where staff, I should note, are among the only people in the room wearing masks. The DJ, a longtime San Francisco nightlife fixture named Josh Cheon, starts to break through the white noise. This is the real genius of Bar Part Time: By fusing nightlife dance culture with natural wine culture, the bar has created a sort of perpetual motion machine. Drinking and dancing is nothing new, but this mode of drinking and dancing feels transgressive, small batch, revolutionary.

The music gets a little louder but the conversations continue. The attendees are waiting to see if a dance floor will materialize. Near the front door a group of VIPs is sprawling out with bottles of $100 natty Burgundy from Domaine Derain, and one of them really is dressed like this is Studio 54 or something, in what looks to be a snakeskin fedora and matching three-piece suit.

I step outside to catch my breath. A group is standing around the entrance, talking loudly and vaping. (Some guy just invested 10 million dollars in our company and the concept is honestly stupid ) I turn to the security guard and ask if the scene inside is typical. This is a little slow, they tell me. It wont start getting busy for another hour.

Some things just cant be digitized. Back inside a couple is making out next to me in the corner. There is an old-fashioned analog line for the bathroom. A small, fashionable group of roughly 25-year-olds with long, pre-Raphaelite hair (not quite ironed like its 1979 again, but not far off) occupies the middle of the dance floor, and with a rush the crowd fills in around them.

Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle

Do they wish they were somewhere else? Ten years ago these same folks would have been drinking cans of PBR; 20 years ago, angular pink-glo Cosmos. But tonight there are three empty bottles of preciously scarce natural wine on the table, and now theyre ordering a fourth. The wine matters and it doesnt matter. Natural wine was once something a very small, very dedicated group sought out for complicated intellectual reasons, but thats not why theyre drinking it tonight at Bar Part Time, especially when the music sounds this good and the room feels so interesting.

In its own marketing materials, Bar Part Time has dubbed itself probably the best wine bar in the world and in this moment, in the packed dark club, irony reflects reality.

Janet Jacksons The Pleasure Principle flows like so much chilled Mondeuse. One hundred people or more are now packed inside the club, and those heroically full glass pours begin to seem like an architectural dare. The dance floor is a decadent bacchanalia of the young and invincible collapsing into now, fueled by natural wine and something like a shared moment for which caution was given wrong directions, and the future arrived first.

At last the evening begins.

Jordan Michelman is an author and James Beard Award-winning journalist. Instagram: @suitcasewine Email: food@sfchronicle.com
California is a state of contradictions. We are the richest state in the country, but we have the highest poverty rate. Were home to some of the most successful companies in the world, with more billionaires living here than all but two countries, but we have more homeless residents than anywhere in America.

It doesnt have to be this way. Californias poverty problem is a policy choice, and it persists because of a fundamental distrust of poor people and institutions that historically have not met people where they are.

When I was mayor of Stockton, we worked to pilot a direct cash-benefit program that gave $500 a month to randomly selected individuals living in a neighborhood with a median income at or lower than the citys median income of $46,033 a year. Program recipients received money with no strings attached. No drug tests. No work requirements.

At the end of the two-year pilot, we saw reduced income volatility, lower rates of depression and more full-time employment, despite there being no work requirements. The program was heralded as an innovative policy. But it shouldnt have been. Policies that cut through red tape and support people living in poverty in a manner that centers their dignity shouldnt be exceptional. They should be the norm.

Californias social safety net has historically been hard to access. Complex application requirements create confusion. Unnecessarily intrusive questions make people feel shame. Gaps in eligibility and insufficient funding leave behind people like domestic violence survivors, the formerly incarcerated, people exiting homelessness, former foster youth, undocumented families and gig workers  exactly those our safety net should be catching.

The safety net should be there when the system fails to create economic opportunity or when people are unable to find work. But the truth is, the safety net shouldnt even be the primary tool we use to reduce poverty. It should be our poverty-fighting tool of last resort.

This month, Stanfords Center on Poverty and Inequality issued a new report confirming that idea. It found that a successful anti-poverty campaign must fix the existing social safety net so that it reaches everyone it is intended to help. And it needs to overhaul things like the criminal justice system, the education system and the housing market to level the playing field and stop poverty before it begins.

As the report lays out, a long history of economic and racial discrimination caused inequalities to be built into these systems, ensuring that people living in poverty stay there. Historically, Black and brown people  who are far more likely to live in poverty  have been excluded from Social Security and New Deal protections, denied mortgages through redlining and blocked from accessing capital to start a small business. These inequalities demand root-cause fixes to rebuild the states labor markets, justice system and housing markets to create an inclusive and fair economy for all.

We can start with solutions like baby bonds for every child, so they automatically have savings when they become an adult; reviving wage boards that bring workers, employers and government together to set fair wages and workplace conditions; bolstering union organizing; expanding the supply of affordable housing through changes to zoning laws and deepening our commitment to second chances through high-quality education during incarceration.

But these policy changes will only be possible if we also replace the current American poverty narrative that blames poor people with a new, authentic one that blames poverty on what I call the setup: systems and policies that create and sustain poverty like mass incarceration, lack of access to affordable housing and exclusionary red tape to block access to benefits.

It will take work to shift that narrative and upset the setup to build the political will to make change. So long as leaders view poverty as a consequence of individual failures rather than policy failures, the status quo will remain unchanged.

We now have the data to prove that Americas false poverty narrative is as baseless as it is pervasive. If you look at policies that provide unconditional cash assistance to poor Americans, the evidence shows that it works. Poor people spend their money wisely, and not just in Stockton.

Just consider the expanded Child Tax Credit signed into law by President Biden, which delivered monthly payments to the families of more than 60 million kids. According to data from the Census Bureau, 91% of low-income families used their Child Tax Credit payments for basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, utilities or education. The result? Child poverty rates were on track to drop by nearly 40% in the nation  with the potential to lift 613,000 California kids out of poverty  before Congress failed to renew the program.

The Child Tax Credit and Stocktons direct-cash benefit program are clear evidence that when people are given the agency and resources to improve their lives, they do. Poverty isnt a consequence of individual choices, its a consequence of our collective choice to leave millions of Californians behind  and then blame them.

No one in the Golden State should live in poverty and everyone should have a real opportunity to define their own lives. If people-made policies created poverty, then people-made policies can end it.

Michael Tubbs is the former mayor of Stockton and the founder of End Poverty in California, a nonprofit organization working to end poverty in California.
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As Russian President Vladimir Putin ramped up aggression against Ukraine with both words and deeds, the Ukrainian employees of JustAnswer gathered online for a meeting on Tuesday about how the San Francisco company will keep them safe and maintain operations during the escalating conflict.

More than a third of Just-Answers 700 staffers are based in Ukraine. All were shocked after Putins pugnacious speech on Monday, in which he laid claim to Ukraine, said Nadiya Semen, JustAnswer senior director of international management in Ukraine.

The speech leaves no doubt that he has no intentions to seek (a) peaceful way of solving the conflict, said Semen, who oversees the companys 252 employees in Ukraine. At the meeting, she reviewed JustAnswers plans for relocating workers, backing up its infrastructure, handling employees military service and making sure they get paid, among other issues.

People really appreciated all the efforts, Semen said.

JustAnswer is among many Silicon Valley companies with large complements of workers in Ukraine. For American tech companies seeking talent, Ukraines highly educated population, with heavy emphasis on sought-after STEM specialties, is appealing, as is the fact that salaries there are about one-third to one-quarter of those for comparable jobs in the Bay Area. Google, Snap, Oracle, Grammarly and Ring are other large Bay Area employers with Ukrainian outposts.

Now U.S. companies like JustAnswer are quickly revising contingency plans to protect their workers and businesses.

We put together a crisis committee for this, said JustAnswer CEO Andy Kurtzig. The company, which connects customers with experts such as doctors, lawyers and mechanics for real-time advice, has had a presence in Ukraine since 2010 when the country was still under quasi-Russian control. It has already experienced multiple rounds of Russian hostilities, including the 2014 invasion and annexation of Crimea, formerly part of Ukraine. The company has had plans to contend with Russian warmongering for years that it continually updates.

The majority of JustAnswers Ukrainian workers are in Lviv and Uzhhorod, which are close to the countrys western border and thus not at imminent risk of invasion. It has 19 employees in Kyiv, the countrys capital, near where Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops. Like their counterparts worldwide, many of JustAnswers Ukrainian employees have been working from home during the pandemic.

JustAnswer will pay to relocate any of its workers and their families who live in Kyiv, eastern Ukraine or other risky areas, to safer parts of the country. As of Tuesday morning U.S. time, one of its 19 Kyiv workers had requested to move along with her husband, while others were still mulling their options. While the relocations initially would be temporary, the rapidly evolving situation could mean they may not get to go back to their homes again, Kurtzig said.

Semen said her co-workers biggest question was, How will JustAnswer support employees who are called up or volunteer for military service? The company said all those in the military can return to their jobs and will earn 50% of their regular compensation during their service (the military also pays salaries).

The company is also providing flexible hours for workers to take training in civil defense or first aid. Ukrainians can own weapons to protect their families in case of war. A lot of people right now decided to take the courses on how to shoot correctly, Semen said.

JustAnswer gave all its Ukrainian workers two extra paid days off to be used before the end of March for emotional health breaks, packing or anything else. Its also drafting plans for which workers can step in if their colleagues are called for military service.

We live and breathe on our phones; thats likely one of the things Putin will take out first: phones, internet, power, financial institutions, Kurtzig said.

The company bought satellite phones, walkie-talkie radios and additional laptops and cell phones, and signed up for multiple ISP subscriptions. It put all workers on chat groups via multiple messaging systems such as WhatsApp and others in case one goes down.

To address the issue of potential power outages, JustAnswer purchased diesel generators for its offices, and got permission from its landlords to install them on the roofs.

We have to figure out how to pay folks, in case power outages or cyberattacks shut down local banks, Kurtzig said. The current plan is to try to stock up on cash there in case we cant send cash across the border. Weve also got funds going to Poland (which is close to the companys offices), so if we need to pay people we could go to Poland to get funds or have employees go there.

The company backs up all work systems and data to U.S. services, and made hard copies of leases, employee contracts and other crucial documents.

San Franciscos Grammarly, founded by three Ukrainians, also has a large workforce in the country.

We are monitoring the situation closely and have contingency plans in place for a variety of scenarios to help our team members and their families remain safe, including temporary relocations and evacuation, said Senka Hadzimuratovic, head of communications, in an email.

To prevent business disruptions, it has established backup communication methods and temporarily transferred some responsibilities to team members outside of Ukraine to ensure our Ukraine-based team members can focus on the immediate safety of themselves and their families, she said.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Andrew Vasylyk and his brother Alex Vasylyk founded StartupSoft to connect U.S. companies, primarily high-growth San Francisco startups, with Ukrainian engineers. It employs some 130 Ukrainians who work as remote contractors for about 25 U.S. companies, including San Franciscos Zumper, Emeryvilles Madefire and WeStrive in Austin, Texas.

Like other companies, StartupSofts contingency plans include relocation either within Ukraine or to other countries, although so far most of its workers, who are mainly in western cities, have not opted to move, Andrew Vasylyk said.

One client offered to temporarily move all 20 of its workers plus their families and pets to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, a prized vacation destination, but only seven accepted, he said.

Everybody understands the current situation; everybody is conscious about the risks and that something may happen, Vasylyk said. People are prepared for different scenarios, but dont let this completely disrupt whats going on in their lives.

For Ukrainians, the current conflict is all too familiar, said JustAnswers Semen.

Weve been living under the probability of military escalation already for eight years, she said.

Her daughter Cornelia, 11, doesnt remember a time when Russia was just a neighbor and didnt do any harm. Shes scared about what will happen.

Kids were extra stressed already because of COVID. Many have returned to in-person school, but that carries its own complication.

Right now they need additional bags to carry around their coats in case they need to run home from school at a moments notice in the freezing weather, Semen said.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
An aggrieved Bay Area teacher is suing a local school district, alleging in a lawsuit filed last week that he was the victim of an unlawful layoff three years after he gave students who skipped a pop quiz to protest gun violence a failing grade, the Bay Area News Group first reported.

David Kissner, a former math and science teacher at C.T. English Middle School in Los Gatos, scheduled a pop quiz at the same time as the National Student Walkout on April 20, 2018. The walkout followed the events of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, Florida, the deadliest high school shooting in American history, which killed 17 and ignited a movement of student activism against gun violence.

Students were promised by the Loma Prieta Joint Union Elementary School District that they would not be punished for walking out, and in fact, were encouraged by administrators and school officials, including by then-Superintendent Corey Kidwell. One student, reported NBC Bay Area, even attempted to complete most of the quiz. Still, Kissner failed that student  and two others who walked out.

They can protest, its not a matter of debate, he told the Bay Area News Group, Wouldnt any student expect that if they walked out of class it would affect their grade?

Shortly after the grading fiasco, Kissner told the Bay Area News Group that he was shunned by the district, facing swirling rumors of inappropriate behavior toward minors that he says were politically motivated.

Kissner, a veteran who served in the Marines and served as a substitute teacher in a juvenile detention center, also claimed that his firing was kind of expected in the years running up to it.

We know theres difference of opinion, and kids are seeing people in power create reasons to get rid of opposition, he told the Bay Area News Group.

But a state hearing held in October 2021 under Californias Office of Administrative Hearings  which came after a statement of charges in February of that year from then-superintendent Lisa Fraser  complicates his story.

In documents obtained by SFGATE, Kissner was fired by the district under the California Education Code for immoral conduct, for evident unfitness for service, and for persistent violation of or refusal to obey the school laws of the state or reasonable regulations prescribed for the government of the public schools.

Tim Pearce / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

The district did not take any disciplinary action against Kissner for failing the students who protested in 2018. But as the flurry of controversy came for Kissner, the office said, an anonymous individual sent in a letter to the districts board of trustees with several serious allegations about [Kissners] behavior outside the school setting. Kissner later testified during the hearings that he knew who the letters sender was, though this was never corroborated.

Many of these were unfounded, but at least a few allegations were confirmed: He had served alcohol to minors in two separate instances, brought four students to Las Vegas during a camping trip without informing their parents and admitted to making crude jokes during class.

But none of these incidents warranted Kissners dismissal, the documents said; he was left with a warning that some of the allegations were indicative of either a lack of professional boundaries or questionable teaching practices, and a note to be mindful of the possibility that parents or children could misperceive his mentorship as inappropriate sexual interest.

Kissner said in a letter to then-Superintendent Fraser that he intended to change nothing about his behavior, called the investigation a witch hunt, and refused to cooperate with any following investigations about his performance or conduct, the documents said.

In the years that followed, parents and staff members began to complain about Kissners work performance and conduct.

During the fall 2020 semester, he taught an after-school program for accelerated seventh-grade students called the Mountain Math Initiative  which Kissner allegedly said would count toward school credit. Once the district caught wind, school principal Billy Martin asked Kissner to stop treating that program as a substitute for actual class, which was taught through Zoom at the time. He continued to teach the Mountain Math Initiative, still claiming to students that the program would count for school credit, until he was put on leave in February 2021.

He also testified that he set up three group camping trips during this time, where he taught his District classes from a tent, with some students in attendance without their parents, despite the prior incidents during past camping trips and the COVID-19 pandemic being fully underway.

During the same semester, some parents complained that Kissner had not provided timely feedback to students on their class performance. Kissner said that the parents merely disagreed with his political opinions, including his vocal opposition to a ballot measure that would fund school programs in the district, and gave a response that the district said was unprofessional in tone, because they deflected parents concerns  onto students and onto District administrators.

Separate complaints over the span of 2019 to 2021 also alleged crude conduct by Kissner. He was allegedly angry at a student during a class, pounding a table with his fist and using profanity, reportedly referred to an Asian students slitty eyes to other students, and allegedly told a student whose parent was about to be deployed to Afghanistan explicit stories of his personal experience with Afghanistan combat fatalities.

Most, if not all, these claims had inconclusive or were not fully established, due in part to Kissners refusal to cooperate with Fraser and other school administrators.

The Office of Administrative Hearings commission did not find any proof of two charges brought against Kissner by the district: immoral conduct or persistent violation of or refusal to obey the school laws. However, it determined that he had in fact displayed unfitness for service by resisting both supervision and cooperation, communicating unprofessionally with parents and for the Vegas and Mountain Math Initiative incidents.

Kissner, the documents read, "presented himself to the Commission as someone who deserves respect for his moral courage but who instead faces persecution." Indeed, Kissners attorney, Bill Becker, told the Bay Area News Group that Kissners lawsuit was due to the fact that he was retaliated against by the school district for taking a position it didnt like.
Andrew Kennelly/Getty Images

Traffic on the Bay Bridge was brought to a halt Tuesday night after a rogue firework display, launched from the upper deck, lit up the sky.

California Highway Patrol said in a statement that 10 to 15 cars stopped in the westbound lane near Treasure Island at around 7:45 p.m. The drivers got out of their vehicles and lit the fireworks before moving on after a few minutes. Fireworks are illegal in San Francisco and Oakland. CHP reported that 911 calls flooded emergency dispatch operators during the stunt.
This article was first published on NerdWallet.com.

Welcome to the new travel reality, one in which the idea of making firm plans seems laughably quaint. The focus these days is not so much on nailing down an itinerary, but building one that can be painlessly un-nailed when circumstances and rules change.

Americans are ready to travel. A 2021 poll from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America showed that 72% of respondents plan to travel in the first half of 2022, regardless of the state of the pandemic.

Yet all the good intentions in the world wont matter if your flight is canceled, you get sick or your destination closes its borders to foreigners. So its not just about avoiding travel disruption in 2022  its about avoiding the headaches that come with uncertainty.

1. Forget about basic economy

The rules and fees for basic economy fares were always a hot mess, and they only got worse during the pandemic. One major change flew under the radar, though, and it is the most important.

Basic economy fares have moved to even less flexibility. On most airlines, you can't change them at all, and on some, you must pay a fee. This is in contrast to regular economy (or main cabin) fares, many of which now allow changes and cancellations with no fees at all.

To be clear, this change is not a temporary pandemic policy, but a permanent shift in how many airlines handle changes and cancellations. It means that, unless youre equipped with a crystal ball to see into the future, you should forget about booking basic economy tickets altogether.

The flexibility of main cabin fares makes them more appealing in nearly every situation, regardless of the extra cost.

2. Do your research with travel insurance

In a 2022 survey conducted by insurance provider VisitorsCoverage, 64% of respondents say that getting a travel insurance policy that covers emergencies will make them more likely to travel.

But travel insurance isn't as straightforward as it seems.

Will a policy cover changes to your trip if a country closes its borders? What about if you get sick with COVID-19 and are unable to travel?

The answer is a resounding It depends. Some travel insurance policies  such as cancel for any reason insurance  will cover these events, but will also cost much more. Most travel medical plans will cover hospital costs (that your health insurance might not) while abroad, but wont cover cancellations or rebookings for the rest of the trip.

Basically, travel insurance is an umbrella term that can refer to a range of coverage options. Dont assume the first policy you find will cover what you need. Do your research and get a plan that covers COVID-related disruptions, or make sure your travel plans are flexible enough to withstand them.

3. Never prepay for cars and hotels

Youve found a hotel room and are ready to book it when you notice that it's a prepay (or similar) rate. Under most circumstances, you might not care much. But in the new COVID reality, you should care a great deal.

Most hotels, most of the time, should offer a flexible rate that can be canceled 24 hours prior to check-in for no fee. This is what you want in our current reality, regardless of how confident you think you are in your plans.

Hotels are getting a little trickier at hiding these refundable rates, or making less flexible options the default during checkout. Thats because they want to lock you into paying now that so many travelers are canceling and rebooking at the last minute. The same applies to rental car companies, which have enjoyed greater leverage over customers due to an ongoing car shortage.

Dont fall for it. Pay the few extra bucks to keep your itinerary flexible.

4. Make a backup plan

Its a great idea to plan a family trip to Southeast Asia for the autumn. Its also a great idea to pencil in a backup plan in case that falls through. If we cant go to Thailand, well rebook for Hawaii instead.

The reason for having a backup is less practical and more psychological. Its disheartening to have plans fall through, especially this far into the pandemic. So its smart to build in a backup plan that you can switch to without losing your steam.

To be clear: You shouldnt book any travel for your backup plan. Just have it ready to go if and when borders close or virus variants emerge.

5. Dont overbook

With airline fares so much more flexible than they used to be, you might be tempted to book three or four trips and cancel whichever ones dont work out. But watch out: Free cancellations doesnt necessarily mean youll get your money back.

For example, the value of canceled main cabin fares on Delta Air Lines is returned as a credit that can be used for future flights. So if you cancel three $800 flights, you could end up with $2,400 in credits that can be used only on Delta. This outcome might seriously restrict your options when rebooking.

Take advantage of airlines cancellation policies to avoid getting stuck with a ticket you cant use, but dont abuse them or you might get saddled with an even bigger hassle.

The bottom line

Its easy to get frustrated in the new travel reality. Understanding travel rules and restrictions can feel like a full-time job, never mind predicting what will happen next with the pandemic  or is it endemic?

To minimize these travel disruptions and headaches, keep it simple. Keep your bookings flexible by avoiding prepaid rates and basic economy fares. Make sure your travel insurance covers what you think it does. And have a backup plan ready when everything changes again.

Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif.

The article 5 Ways to Avoid Travel Headaches This Year originally appeared on NerdWallet.
Cristine G./Yelp

As the Bay Area eagerly awaits the debut of Raising Canes later this summer, a newly opened restaurant in Elk Grove had long lines of frenzied fans queuing up for a box of crispy chicken fingers.

The new location at the Marketplace 99 on West Stockton Boulevard opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning after offering a special preview on Monday. It's among a flurry of new outposts to appear in Northern California after the Louisiana-based fast food chain introduced its famous fried chicken in Manteca last summer, per the Sacramento Bee.
For nearly a decade, Jackie Shaw, 43, worked three jobs: One at a housing clinic in San Francisco, a second at the county social service agency in Oakland, and a third at home in Treasure Island, as the single mother of three kids. It was a struggle, but with a combination of hard work and help from family, she made ends meet.

Everything changed in March 2020, when her eldest daughter gave birth to twins in the same month that all of their kids schools switched to distance learning. Around the Bay Area, the pandemic turned an already-existing childcare shortage into a crisis. For the Shaw family, it left two adults  Jackie and her daughter  caring for six young children around the clock.

We were pretty much house swapping so one can go to work while the other stayed with all the children, Shaw said. I just felt like there had to be a better way.

Children's Council of San Francisco

Parents around the country have spent the last two years reckoning with a childcare shortage that has disproportionately fallen on women to solve. An estimated 2 million women and 1.6 million men have left the workforce since 2020, many forced out by the need to care for family. California alone saw nearly 8,500 childcare centers shutter within the last two years, a higher rate than the nationwide average; one research group found that many California counties saw a 40% or larger decline in childcare outside the home, a problem far more likely to affect Latino parents. And while the total number of San Francisco closures is unclear, the non-profit Childrens Council of San Francisco estimates that nearly 25% of the 250 childcare centers it works with temporarily closed this winter due to the omicron variant.

That impacts families, said Gina Fromer, CEO of Childrens Council of San Francisco. The group has spent the last few years helping women, particularly women of color, become licensed childcare providers, as well as serving as a conduit for state programs that pay people who provide more informal childcare to friends and family.

Faced with a choice between her two jobs and her familys well-being, Shaw decided to become part of the solution. With help from the Childrens Council, she began working towards her childcare license in September 2020, which will eventually allow her to run a full-time, unsubsidized daycare center from her home. In the meantime, shes been earning about $3,400 a month in return for watching her grandchildren while her daughter works full-time.

Marissa Leshnov/Special to SFGATE

COVID has revealed an underlying structural system that has existed for decades, a system that does not uplift women, said Fromer. It has pushed so many people back into poverty that were already vulnerable, and Children's Council is encouraging them to open up their own childcare. So even if they decide to stay home, we can still support those families.

Since making the switch to full-time childcare, Shaws mornings have remained hectic, beginning at 7 a.m. when her grandchildren get dropped off. The minute they enter her home, shes ready with organized lessons, reading time and scheduled naps. After they head home for the day, Shaw is able to focus all of her attention on her 8-year-old daughter, who is dyslexic and needs a lot of help with homework.

Shes in second grade but is more on a kinder level, Shaw said. So that's a challenge as well, but we're working on that too. This week shes learning sight words and she also wants to learn how to braid [hair]. So she's receptive to learning a couple of sight words as long as I'm teaching her how to braid.

Shaw told SFGATE that the licensing process has been more challenging than she anticipated. Shes not computer-savvy, she said, and so has had trouble signing up for online training that filled up quickly, and are difficult to navigate once she enrolled. The state subsidies, meanwhile, arent enough to cover rent, food, clothing, and other necessary expenses. But with six kids to watch, she doesnt have time to take on a second job.

Im just focusing on one thing because I cannot continue to bite off more than I can chew, Shaw said. Being able to provide a safe and healthy environment for the children is definitely a plus, but financially, I am struggling way more than I ever have been. Trying to be a full-time mom and a childcare provider, stretched me to my thinnest but it was something that it tested my ability.

Once she makes it through the certification process, though, her financial prospects are much better  particularly since the huge demand for care means shell be able to set her own rates. The California Department of Education notes that the average subsidy is about $200 per child per month, while licensed childcare centers in San Francisco charge an average of $1,880 a month for full-time care, according to the Childrens Council.

Children's Council of San Francisco

COVID may have disrupted the system, but Fromer believes its made women stronger than ever. She trusts that things will get better for mothers who depend on childcare centers. Last year, San Francisco granted 87 new childcare licenses; half of them had received training from the Children's Council, according to the organization.

Mona Malan, director of childcare quality and business support at the Childrens Council, said that while California has seen a 20% decline in childcare centers during the last decade, San Francisco has actually seen an increase overall, even in the last year.

While Shaw recommends that any parents considering pursuing a license anticipate bumps in the road, she still believes shes chosen the right path.

In the middle of trying to become licensed, you're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, Shaw said. But when you love children the way I love children  that's your passion.

In the meantime, she manages the stress with patience, prayer, and the precious moments when she can soak in the tub and just breathe.

And lately, shes been seeing light at the end of the tunnel. On Thursday, she finally secured a spot in one of her required courses and is on track to earn her license by June. Once licensed, Shaw hopes to offer care beyond the standard nine to five schedule, a significant challenge for her when she was a working mom.

Childcare has always been a big barrier, not just for myself, but for a lot of women in my community, Shaw said. I'm trying to be that small bridge where I'll be open for the [later] shifts because that was always my biggest issue. The ball is really starting to roll.
At first it may not catch your eye: just another Chevron gas station, one of many in San Francisco, one of 1,500 in California.

But if something doesn't look quite right, something that feels like it's from another era, that's because the station on Van Ness and Pine doesn't say "Chevron" on it at all. It's in fact the last Standard Oil stop in California, and there's a bizarre reason why.

Standard Oil was once the largest oil refiner on earth. Founded in 1870 by John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler, the petroleum giant quickly took over the entire industry, which then predominantly provided oil for lighting.

As the company grew, refineries, ships and pipelines were constructed at lightning speed across the country. In the Bay Area, Standard bought up 500 acres of rolling hills along the shore in 1901. The Richmond refinery (still operating over a sprawling 2,900 acres today) made an ideal marine terminal, and the company acquired several vessels to ship the fuel, including the Asuncion, a 2,196-ton collier that was converted into a 21,000-barrel tank ship.

Standard was an American colossus, but it got so big it had to be split up.

In 1909, the U.S. Justice Department sued Standard Oil under federal antitrust laws established by the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.

In the landmark 1911 U.S. Supreme Court case Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States, the company was found guilty of monopolizing the industry through a series of abusive and anti-competitive actions. Standard was accused of duplicitous dealings, price wars and even espionage; the company had been aggressively undercutting their competitors' prices and acquiring them.

Wikimedia Commons

The court forced Rockefeller to divide his behemoth into several geographically separate firms. The business magnate was by then the wealthiest American of all time and controlled 90% of all oil in the United States at the time.

The decision did nothing to lessen Rockefeller's fortune, though, as the sum of the parts  that Rockefeller still owned shares in  were worth more than the whole, with the 34 smaller companies' combined wealth soaring above even that of Standard's.

Rockefeller's fortune would put Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk to shame, with his personal wealth estimated at $900 million in 1913, making up 3% of the U.S. gross domestic product that year. He wasn't just the richest man in America  he was the richest man in the world.

All of the 34 "baby Standards," including BP, Mobil and Exxon, abandoned their rights to the Standard Oil trademark ... except one.

Chevron has maintained one Standard gas station in each of its 16 states of operation, a strategy that enables the company to keep Standard as an active trademark to this day.

Outside of San Francisco, others include this station on Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas:

Google Street View

This move is somewhat controversial though, because it relies on an interpretation of the 1988 Trademark Law Revision Act which states that these trademarks cannot be used only for "token use," and that usage requires the bona fide use of a mark in the ordinary course of trade.

The issue has never been taken to court. Until it is, the gas station on Van Ness and Pine will continue to brandish a name, now almost forgotten, that once monopolized America.

Andrew Chamings

This story was first published in February, 2021.
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The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recently published permanent rules requiring COVID-19 vaccination and masking for employees in health care settings and K-12 schools, as well as a permanent rule on indoor masking that applies statewide. But while the rules are "permanent," they are not meant to last forever.

"Oregon will remove general mask requirements for indoor public places no later than March 31," according to state health officials. The rule replaced a temporary standard that expired Feb. 8.

State leaders also expect to lift masking requirements for schools by the end of March.

We've gathered articles on masking rules from SHRM Online and other media outlets.

Directives for Health Care and School Employees

The permanent rules on vaccination and masking for health care and K-12 workers replace temporary rules that had expired. The rules will "remain in effect unless the State Public Health Director or State Public Health Officer issues an order stating that the requirements ... are no longer necessary to control COVID-19," according to state leaders. Oregon officials will consider the following factors when determining whether to loosen or lift the orders:

The degree of COVID-19 transmission.

The number of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths.

Disparate impacts of COVID-19-related health issues for communities of color and tribal communities.

Guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The proportion of the population partially or fully vaccinated.

"Health care and K-12 employers may want to revisit their COVID-19 policies and workplace practices to consider whether they are complying," said Paul Cirner, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Portland, Ore.

(Ogletree Deakins)

Indoor Mask Mandate

On Feb. 7, OHA issued a permanent rule on indoor masking, which will remain in effect until it is revised or rescinded by the state's public health director or health officer. "Although the rule repeatedly references COVID-19, it is unclear if the indoor mask mandate is limited to COVID-19 or if it may be invoked in the future if the public health director or health officer deems it necessary," noted Heather Van Meter, an attorney with Bullard Law in Portland, Ore.

Under the directive, people must wear masks in public indoor spaces unless they are:

Younger than age 5 or not yet in kindergarten (although everyone age 2 and older must wear a mask on public transportation).

Sleeping.

Actively eating or drinking.

Engaged in an activity that makes wearing a mask infeasible (such as swimming).

In a private individual workspace.

Briefly removing the mask to confirm their identity.

Practicing or playing a competitive sport.

Officiating a competitive sport if the role requires a high level of physical exertion.

Performing music or theater or delivering a speech to an audience.

Businesses must post signs at entrances and enforce the mask mandate for all employees, visitors and customers. Violations may result in fines of up to $500 per person per day.



(Bullard Law)

Oregon Drops Vaccine-or-Testing Rule

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that halted the federal government's vaccine-or-testing rule for large private employers, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) announced that the state was dropping plans to adopt a similar policy. "Oregon OSHA maintains a COVID-19 rule that requires employers to implement protections for workers. Those protections include infection control planning, exposure risk assessments, sanitation and notification," the state agency said.

(KPTV)

Some States Relax Pandemic-Related Masking Rules

Many statesincluding California, Illinois and New Yorkare easing their mask requirements as COVID-19 cases decline after the winter spike caused by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The CDC has not relaxed its guidelines, but Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency will be updating its COVID-19-related metrics soon. "We are assessing the most important factors based on where we are in the pandemic, and we'll soon put guidance in place that is relevant and encourages prevention measures when they are most needed to protect public health and our hospitals," she explained at a White House press briefing on Feb. 16.

(SHRM Online)

Visit SHRM's resource hub page on COVID-19 and the coronavirus.


India could become a global green energy superpower with exports of clean energy increasing to $500 billion over the next 20 years, Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Asia Economic Dialogue, Ambani said, India should have a plan to end dependence on fossil fuels in the next two to three decades.

India is one of the most attractive destinations for renewable energy investments, Ambani said, adding that he believes the union government is extremely dedicated to promote green energy and is one of the most proactive in world.

Ambani has already declared plans last month to invest $75 billion in renewables infrastructure including generation plants, solar panels and electrolyzers.

"If the last 20 years, we were known for India's emergence as an IT superpower, next 20 years, I believe, along with technology, will mark our appearance as a superpower in energy and life sciences," the oil-to-telecom conglomerate's chief said.

The government has recently unveiled a green hydrogen policy under which it seeks to produce five million tonnes of green hydrogen per annum by 2030, aiming to meet its climate targets and become a production and export hub for the fuel.

Green hydrogen -- made from water and clean electricity -- is seen as crucial for the worlds emissions reduction goals, helping consumers and key industries such as steel transition to lower-carbon fuels.

While Reliance hasnt broken out how much will be devoted to hydrogen, the $75 billion investment in clean energy is by far the largest in the country. Other companies such as Adani Enterprises Ltd. and state-run energy firms NTPC Ltd. and Indian Oil Corp. also have set plans for green hydrogen.

The government will set up separate manufacturing zones, waive inter-state power transmission charges for 25 years and provide priority connectivity to electric grids to green hydrogen and ammonia producers in a bid to incentivise production.

The five million tonnes production target is half of that of the European Union, which strategy is to produce 10 million tonnes of hydrogen from renewable energy by 2030.

India is the world's third major oil importer and consumer and its power sector is heavily reliant on coal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target to make India a net-zero carbon emitter by 2070. The state plans to install 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2030, from about 105 GW currently, and has recently announced plan to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.
Reliance Jio declared today that it will be landing a multi-terabit India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) undersea cable system in Hulhumale, Maldives to directly connect the country to major internet hubs in India and Singapore.

Todays global economy is driven by low-latency broadband, between people, businesses, content, and services. IAX will not only connect the Maldives to the worlds content hubs, but it will also hold up the explosive growth in data demand expected from the new initiatives being launched by the government of Maldives, Mathew Oommen, president at Reliance Jio said.

The IAX system originates in Mumbai, connects in a straight line with Singapore, and has additional landings in India, Malaysia, and Thailand. Jios India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) system connects Mumbai to Milan with a landing point in Savona, Italy and additional landing points in the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. Jio plans for IAX to be ready by the end of 2023 and IEX to be ready in mid-2024.

This is the first stride towards enhancing our connectivity infrastructure and opening vast opportunities for our people through providing secure, affordable and high-quality services. We also aim to diversify our economy and establish ourselves as a key connection hub in South Asia. Aside from economic development, this will speed up social development through high-speed internet access throughout the Maldives allowing us to attain the equitable development we seek, said Fayyaz Ismail, minister of economic development for the Republic of Maldives, while speaking at the launch of the cable.

High-capacity and high-speed systems like IEX and IAX are probable to provide more than 200 tbps of capacity at speeds of over 100 Gbps over a range of 16,000 km. It will employ open system technology and is designed to ensure enable rapid deployment of upgrades and have the flexibility for network bandwidth.
Wego, the online travel marketplace in West Asia and North Africa, on Monday said it has entered into a final agreement with Flipkart to acquire Cleartrips business in West Asia.

The transaction also includes the sale of Flyin.com and a technology co-operation agreement between Wego and the homegrown e-commerce player

The board of directors of Wego and Flipkart have accepted the transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, a statement from the company said.

Last year, Flipkart, which is owned by Walmart, had declared the acquisition of the travel portal Cleartrip to expand its overall offerings.

Cleartrip extended organically into the West Asian region in 2010 and acquired Riyadh-based Flyin.com in 2018, which played a similar role in improving the online travel business in Saudi Arabia.

Wego and Cleartrip both have their local headquarters in Dubai Internet City.

Cleartrip and Flyin are both product-driven companies with best-in-class OTA technology that have well-known strong brands and strong positions across West Asia, said Ross Veitch, CEO & co-founder of Wego.

Ravi Iyer, senior vice-president and head corporate development, Flipkart, pointed out that given its strategic priorities and focus on the Indian market, the acquisition of Cleartrips West Asia business by Wego provides continuity to its business.

We believe that they are the right partners to boost its next phase of growth, he added.

Rothschild and Company were exclusive advisers to Flipkart on this transaction.

Our focus is clear, building a world-class online travel business emanating from West Asia but with global ambitions. The region is well placed to be the engine of growth for travel both as a purpose and as a highly-mobile, digital-savvy demographic looking for choice and value. By joining forces with Wego, we are able to offer everything from search to service and to contribute meaningfully to that story, Stuart Crighton, co-founder and head of Cleartrips International Business, said.
Cryptocurrencies are digital assets disrupting the financial systems in jurisdictions all over the world. It is hosted on blockchain technology as well as offers innovative new financial products and services. It constitutes digital tokens that are exchanged between the blockchain users or through the crypto exchange platforms, facilitating transactions in both fiat and digital currencies.

However, transactions between the users are usually anonyms and even take place within seconds. It is because cryptocurrency is cryptographically secured on the blockchain. It also attracts criminals as they try to evade conventional AML/CFT controls. According to the Research, the illicit transactions of cryptocurrency totaled around $14 billion in 2021. It is anticipated that $10 billion in cryptocurrency is held in illegal addresses by 2022.

In this article, we will talk about kyc crypto and its importance in detail. So, keep up with it.

What Is KYC?

The Know Your Customer is a foundation of AML/ CFT compliance regulations facilitated around the world. It requires financial institutions to identify the customers and to understand the nature of the business they are involved in. this process involves several diligence measures alongside ongoing screening and monitoring since customers engage in those services offered by a particular firm.

KYC is very significant financially because criminals employ a plethora of strategies to evade AML/CFT controls. If each customer has a rich and accurate risk profile, financial service providers can detect the customers misusing their services effortlessly. It will also prevent clients from money laundering and terrorism financing.

Challenges Crypto Exchanges Faces With KYC

With the evolving expectations about KYC for crypto exchanges, companies have to keep up with the regulatory evolution throughout the world. These currencies are anonymous and are entered in a public ledger of blockchain security, which makes them easy to trade against the international border. While trading, it does not require any complicated conversion calculations or rigorous central bank oversight.

Some countries like Netherlands, Switzerland, and France have rolled out identification requirements for users so that they can address this largely unregulated market effortlessly. In the Netherlands, the clients have to verify the ownership of their wallets as well as describe their intentions behind using cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, users have to prove their ownership of non-custodial wallets through verified documentation in Switzerland. Meanwhile, France has barred all anonymous files.

Therefore, with the growing complexity of the global regulatory requirements, the KYC processes like collecting customer data, verifying key information, protecting PII, etc., will become a more complex and cumbersome task.

Importance Of KYC in Crypto Exchanges

Despite the operational changes and challenges faced in crypto exchanges with KYC, it still holds greater importance by ensuring regulatory compliance.

Enhanced Customer Transparency And Trust

Verifying the identity of the user has the capability of improving transparency and building customer trust. When you are confident about your crypto exchange taking proactive and precautionary measures to protect your account, you will continue using their service.

Eliminates Legal Risk

With the evolution of legal expectations, the implementation of sturdy KYC can make companies more successful. Therefore, instead of running to catch up with the pace, they will focus on improving the conversion rates, streamlining the transactions, and even ensuring compliance with evolving international guidelines. This way, companies can minimize the risk of legal challenges or regulatory penalties.

Minimizes Potential For Money Laundering And Other Scams

According to Forbes, 80,000 plus instances of cryptocurrency fraud were noted in the United States the previous year. However, implementing sturdy identity verification will reduce fraudulent activity and boost market reputation significantly.

Enhanced Stability Of The Crypto Market

We all are aware of the volatility of the crypto market. The increased identity verification as part of KYC programs helps in stabilizing the market and even boost the market value.

Conclusion

Today, a number of startups are devoted to solving the KYC problems for crypto firms. These startups are offering apps, a tool that allows users to upload selfies with their IDs for increasing the verification speed.

KYC crypto is going to stay and increase the regulatory expectations worldwide as the volume and velocity of cryptocurrency transactions ramp up. This way, crypto exchanges cannot afford to wait on deploying and integrating the best KYC solutions.
At Zoom, our companys purpose to help the world connect is interwoven with our core value of Care. Thats what led us to establish Zoom Cares, our social impact arm, in 2020, furthering our commitment to our communities and making a difference in our world.

Over the past two years, weve seen challenges exacerbated across interconnected areas of society, including racial and social inequity, climate disasters, limited education access, and lack of mental health support. Often these issues impact young people, low-income families, and communities of color, who might experience multiple challenges overlapping at the same time. Recognizing the urgent need to address these issues, we dedicated our most recent funding to these areas.

Were writing to share that Zoom Cares donated $5.5 million in January to support over 20 organizations globally. Read on to learn more about these phenomenal organizations and their work.

Our approach to community-centered grantmaking

We aim to distribute resources in the way community leaders have asked us to  with them at the decision-making table.

We take a community-centered grantmaking approach, looking to expert advisors with deep issue understanding and lived experience to help us identify organizations to fund. We believe these nonprofit leaders and issue experts have a strong understanding of the solutions needed to enact change. Our social impact efforts at Zoom could not be achieved without their help.

Our advisors guide us to diverse organizations serving those most affected by inequality. Grantees are recommended to us with the following guiding principles in mind:

Led by individuals representative of the community being served

Focus on supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), with a particular interest in young people

Grassroots organizations with budgets less than $5 million in size

Supporting intersectional solutions to pressing community needs

Leading with our community-centered grantmaking approach, we asked eight experts in the climate and social equity space to map where Zoom Cares resources are most needed. The group helped us direct $5 million to grassroots organizations all steered by representative leadership, focused on empowering young people and communities of color across the globe.

We encourage you to get to know these organizations and their critical work:

Black Land and Power, coordinated by the National Black Food and Justice Alliance, is a strategic alignment of Black land institutions and organizations around the U.S. working to deepen collective strategy towards regional and national Black land retention, protection, and recovery.

Geledes, Black Women Institute is a Black feminist organization in Brazil that emphasizes youth leadership of Black girls, public policy, and campaigns to address discrimination.

IALA Puerto Rico supports and promotes agroecological initiatives led by small-scale farmers in Puerto Rico as grassroots solutions to climate change.

Local Clean Energy Alliance promotes a clean energy future at the local, state, and national levels through the development of local renewable energy resources in California.

Michigan Alliance for Justice in Climate (MAJIC) is a coalition of Michigan organizations striving to achieve and actualize climate justice for the house of the Great Lakes.

MPP Haiti is a Haitian farmers organization that pioneers in agroforestry/ecology as solutions to ecological crises by planting native flora.

Native Movement supports Indigenous-led local grassroots projects in Alaska to build healthy, sustainable, and just communities for all with Indigenous values

NSS / WAS is a collaboration of women-led family farmer organizations in West Africa that promotes female leadership in agroecology through local knowledge.

Oakland Kids First works to increase youth leadership and power to create engaging and equitable public schools in Oakland, California, for working-class youths.

PODER in Action invests, trains, and supports POC, youth, queer folks, and mixed-status communities in Arizona to build power to disrupt systems of oppression.

RSF Social Finance will direct funds to support the Pawanka Fund, which promotes Indigenous peoples rights and knowledge globally.

Saude E Alegria (Health & Happiness) places Brazilian Indigenous communities and youth at the heart of decision-making processes for environmental justice and education.

Seed Mob is Australias first Indigenous youth climate network promoting a sustainable future with strong communities and renewable energy.

Tamil Nadu Womens Collective organizes 100,000+ women in India to establish collective farms to address climate change by popularizing traditional seeds.

The Rise Fund provides comprehensive grants to Black and POC-led organizations in the U.K. women and girls sector on leadership and representation.

The YP Foundation empowers young Indian people by increasing access to information, services, and leadership opportunities in policy initiatives. (Lead blog image courtesy of The YP Foundation)

Continuing our support in the youth mental health space

Last September, we announced a $2 million mental health grant round, in which issue area experts connected us to eight mental health organizations.

As part of our continued dedication to addressing challenges experienced by young people, Zoom Cares has committed an additional $500,000 to organizations in Brazil and Japan focused on serving youth and communities of color.

Association for the Emotional Support of Children (ASEC) is an emotional learning school in Brazil with a focus on mental health support for children, youth, and teachers in the home and learning environment.

CVV is a free-of-charge national volunteer hotline with 24/7 community support for Brazilians via email, phone, chat, and 11 residential homes and clinics.

Light Ring helps youth peers in Japan get trained by mental health professionals to support young people at risk of suicide

TELL Japan is a 24/7 hotline in English and Japanese that targets youth with bilingual counselling and national public education campaigns.

Vita Alere promotes the mental health of the individual, organizations, and society in Brazil with a focus on the prevention of suicide and self-injury.

Building connections together

As a next step, we are partnering with each group to understand how we can collaborate beyond funding in the ways they identify, such as capacity building or network connections. Were thrilled to have the opportunity to support these organizations and look forward to following their progress.

If youd like to learn more about our work, visit our 2020 Social Impact Report and stay tuned for our 2021 report, coming soon!
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A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
For decades, Rupert Myer AO has been one of this countrys most consistent advocates for arts and culture. On Tuesday night the businessman and philanthropist delivered a keynote lecture titled Growing Australias Cultural Inheritance at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. An impassioned argument for greater cultural awareness and support on behalf of both government and the private sector, it was the kind of address to which no one could take exception.

Unfailingly polite and full of goodwill, Myer called for bipartisan generosity for cultural initiatives, and the establishment of a National Cultural Plan. He spoke in praise of Indigenous culture, saying we have a lot to learn from the First Australians. Ours is not a derivative culture. he said, It is anchored with the stories and practices of Indigenous Australians, and evolves as our nation does, moment by moment.

Donor Michael Blanche with the artwork Jabanunga Goorialla (Rainbow Serpent) by the late Rover Thomas. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Myers message received a sympathetic response from filmmaker, Alison Page, who echoed the idea that Indigenous culture could and should be available to all Australians who cared about this country and ongoing issues of national identity.

Hear, hear! we shouted, but a quick look around the audience revealed not a single member of federal parliament, and relatively few representatives of Canberras other museums and galleries. The Governor General and Mrs Hurley were in attendance, but those best placed to implement Myers suggestions were nowhere to be seen.
A Stitch in Time

(M), 97 minutes, selected cinemas

 A Stitch in Time has an A-list Australian crew behind the scenes - just not from the current century. Thats part of the point: its a film that says its never too late to follow your dreams, or dump a husband whos a waste of space. Glenn Shorrock - that Glenn Shorrock - plays Duncan Miller, a washed-up geriatric rocker with a mean streak and a foul mouth. After years surviving on one gig a week at his local RSL, even that peters out. Maggie Blinco plays his long-suffering partner Liebe, whose only crime is to love a man who blames everyone but himself. So far, we have a variation on the plot of A Star is Born. Maggie Blinco and Hoa Xuande in A Stitch in Time. Credit:Hadden Motion Pictures The crew mixes vast experience with youth: the director is on debut, but Sue Milliken is one of the producers and the great Don McAlpine shot it. Belinda Giblin does fine work as Liebes rich but lonely friend Christine. In what must have been one of his last roles, John Gregg plays her husband Justin, who made millions after he turned his back on the band. Duncan reserves a special scorn for Justin.

Shorrock and Gregg go at each other like two pit bulls under a blanket - or two musicians who never held back, way back. Their scenes crackle with humour, but so do those between Blinco and Giblin. Writer-director Sasha Hadden has a facility for comedy; all he needs now is control of his sentimentality. The film will stop at nothing to make us cry. Its a feel-sad movie on its way to being feel-good. Liebe lost her parents in the Holocaust; she just got out of Germany on a kinder transport - the trains that took Jewish children out just before the war. She was a dressmaker, before Duncan destroyed her self-confidence. Loading With the help of a young Australian-born Chinese man at Balmain markets (Hoa Xande), Liebe starts to sew her way back to independence. Its a craft-driven comedy, in that sense, with some good textural scenes about cloth and cutting and design. There are homilies too, about doing things the hard way or not at all. Hadden leaves nothing to chance: we must eat our full pudding, treacle and all.
Vikings: Valhalla 

Netflix, from Friday

Bradley Freegard (centre) as Canute in the bloody and action-packed sequel Vikings: Valhalla. Credit:Bernard Walsh/Netflix

The sequel series to the enduringly popular Vikings (Netflix) crashes on to our lounge room shores on a tide of blood and foam. Its the year 1002 and Anglo-Saxon king Aethelred II (Bosco Hogan), fed up with frequent Viking raids, orders the genocide of every single Dane living in England. This plays out in miniature a bit like the Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones, and it does not go down well in Scandinavia. At his fjord-side capital in Norway, a certain King Canute (Bradley Freegard) assembles a huge army drawn from across the Viking world and prepares to invade England for vengeance.

Among those arriving in town are a certain Leif Eriksson (Australian Sam Corlett) and his sister, Freydis Eriksdottir (Frida Gustavsson), who have survived a gruelling voyage from Iceland. But theyre on a different mission  to find and kill the Viking who raped and mutilated Freydis. And its here that were introduced to one of the most fascinating aspects of this series  the bitter and often deadly divisions between the Vikings who still worship the old gods, and those who have embraced the strange new monotheistic religion known as Christianity.

Leif and Freydis believe in the old gods, while her rapist is a Christian, and the viciousness of his attack was driven by  or at least cloaked in  the Christian contempt for those they derisively labelled pagans. This rift presents quite a management problem for Canute  many of the old-school Vikings in his army consider the Christian Vikings they must fight alongside to be just as much their enemy as the Christian Anglo-Saxons who just massacred their kinfolk.
Sydneysiders are warned bursts of heavy rain could trigger flash flooding throughout the city and coastal areas of NSW on Thursday, as north-eastern parts of the state are braced for hundreds of millimetres of rain.

The mercury is expected to hit a muggy 26 degrees in Sydney on Thursday, with 10 to 35 millimetres predicted to fall across the city throughout the day.

A swimmer braves the water at Bondi as a downpour sweeps across the beach on Thursday morning. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Days of torrential downpours have swollen waterways, triggered floods, inundated roads, brought down trees and damaged homes across Sydney. The stormy weather is expected to persist for the next week.

Sydney Airport received about 53 millimetres in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, with 44mm falling at Observatory Hill near the CBD, 34.4mm in Canterbury and 22.8mm in Gosford on the Central Coast.
Woodville, AL (35768)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Police have charged a man with committing an act of terrorism after he allegedly armed himself with two large guns and fired at members of the public before barricading himself inside a shop south of Sydney last year.

It is the first time an individual who is alleged to have an ideologically motivated violent extremist ideology has been charged with committing a terror attack in Australia, AFP Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee told reporters on Wednesday. He added that the alleged attack was consistent with the current terror threat from lone wolf actors with mixed ideologies, which boil down to being anti-government.

Bystander video shows a man dressed all in black and armed with two firearms on Windang Road.

The frightening incident unfolded on a Sunday morning on the main street of Windang, near Wollongong, on November 28. Police responded to reports that a man armed with two firearms had fired at vehicles and pedestrians before entering a dive shop on Windang Road.

Video taken by bystanders showed a man clad head-to-toe in black and carrying a large gun appearing to take shots outside on the quiet shopping strip.
Loading I said, f--- that, you weak dog, and I walked away, Mr McLeod said. He ceased contact with Mr Roberts-Smith after this time, he said. Asked about text messages in which he referred to the former soldier as a prick and a psycho, he said it reflected a degree of frustration and disappointment. Mr McLeod rejected a suggestion by Mr Roberts-Smiths barrister, Bruce McClintock, SC, that the alleged events didnt happen and his evidence was knowingly false. He also denied he had spoken to the media about the alleged events or Mr Roberts-Smith generally, saying I despise the media.

Mr McLeod told the court that Mr Roberts-Smith had given him the name of another soldier, dubbed Person 1, as a potential recipient of two letters, but the former soldier later told him Person 1 was either on deployment or overseas and to throw them into the bin. Person 1 has previously given evidence that Mr Roberts-Smith threatened and bullied him over a number of years, an allegation Mr Roberts-Smith has denied. Mr Roberts-Smith has denied giving letters to Mr McLeod to send to Person 18, and denied giving him two postal addresses for the soldier. He has also denied giving documents to Mr McLeod as part of a plan to send threatening letters to Persons 1 and 18. Asked about odd jobs he did for Mr Roberts-Smith and his family, Mr McLeod said he had pretended to be a bartender to listen to the conversations that were happening at a party hosted by the former soldier, now general manager of Seven Queensland, and report back to Ben. That happened when he took over Channel 7 up in the Sunshine Coast, and he had the majority of staff turn up at his house. He wanted to know what they thought of him, Mr McLeod said.

Mr Roberts-Smith has taken leave from his role at Seven during the defamation trial. Mr McClintock put it to Mr McLeod that he was hired to be the doorman and check people going in, not to spy on the guests. No. Thats not correct, Mr McLeod said. Mr McLeod agreed he conducted surveillance on a woman in 2017 or 2018 at the request of Mr Roberts-Smith, who was seeking video evidence of her entering and leaving an abortion clinic in Queensland. He said the woman appeared to have gone to a neighbouring hospital with a similar name, which did not perform abortions.

Mr Roberts-Smith has admitted in court that he had an affair with the woman and asked Mr McLeod to follow her to check if she attended an abortion clinic because he suspected she was lying about being pregnant to manipulate him into staying in the relationship. The private investigator said Mr Roberts-Smith also asked him in about 2017 or 2018 to help get another SAS soldier investigated over an alleged weapons offence. Mr McLeod said he used an anonymous email address to contact the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, The Australian, and former independent Senator Nick Xenophon. He said Mr Roberts-Smith asked him to reply to a journalist who responded to the email and say he was a serving member of the SAS, because its not from you, its from me. The court has previously heard that Mr Roberts-Smith suspected the soldier at the centre of the allegations, Person 6, had made damaging claims about him to the media.

Mr Roberts-Smith told the court last year that he told Mr McLeod it was fine with me if he passed on allegations about Person 6 to his contacts or friends in the AFP but he didnt instruct [Mr McLeod] to do anything. He said he did not remember discussing with Mr McLeod if material was given to a journalist at The Australian but they possibly discussed it. The court has heard Mr Roberts-Smith sent a text to his wife, Emma, which read what happened to [Person 6] will scare the others. He has denied seeking to intimidate anyone but agreed last year that he believed Persons 1, 6 and 18 were engaged in a whispering campaign against him towards the end of 2017. Mr McLeod gave evidence for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times in the defamation suit filed against the mastheads by Mr Roberts-Smith. Mr Roberts-Smith alleges a series of articles published in 2018 portray him as a war criminal who bullied a fellow soldier, among other claims. He denies all wrongdoing. The media outlets are seeking to rely on a defence of truth.
The owner of a luxury Airbnb property in Hepburn has been charged for a second time with using a carriage device to harass, after allegedly telling a guest she would burn in hell for posting that his award-winning guesthouse was just okay on a travel website.

David Penman, 53, was granted a diversion in the Melbourne Magistrates Court last week, when he faced the same charge for menacing a prospective guest who left a negative review when his booking was abruptly cancelled.

Hepburn Springs accommodation operator David Penman faces a new court hearing. Credit:Simon Schluter

Now, the operator of Clifftop at Hepburn faces a fresh charge over allegations he left an expletive-laden tirade on a womans answering machine in May last year. A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed Mr Penman was due to appear before the Moorabbin Magistrates Court next month.

In the message, said to have been left on May 1, 2021, Mr Penman can allegedly be heard saying: You have greatly misjudged me. You obviously didnt do your research about the defamation case on Google...dont bother removing your review, dont bother offering to settle. Ill see you in f---ing court, you better have a lot of money. This is not over, were not accepting a payout. Were going to f---ing court, and you will burn in hell.
The Omicron outbreak killed more Victorians than other coronavirus variants, but experts say many of those deaths could have been prevented had governments been more proactive about booster shots, rapid antigen tests and restricting large events.

The experts say politicians must avoid repeating the same mistakes if another outbreak occurs, by ensuring there is a more effective and targeted booster shot rollout and planning for future variants.

Health Department data provided to The Age shows 943 people in Victoria have died with or due to COVID-19 since the start of the Omicron outbreak in early December last year.

The toll during the Omicron wave has been higher than in any other outbreak, with 801 Victorians dying during the second wave of the original strain in 2020 and 19 dying during the first wave that same year.
Australias competition watchdog says a potential conflict in Victorias energy market could pose a challenge for Mike Cannon-Brookes and Brookfields bid for energy giant AGL, but the states energy market rules might still clear the way for the deal to go ahead.

Tech billionaire Mr Cannon-Brookes has joined Canadian asset manager Brookfield to launch an $8 billion bid to buy energy gentailer AGL this week, announcing plans to rapidly close its coal plants by 2030 and invest a further $20 billion to replace them with renewable farms and batteries.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims spoke at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said the proposed deal could potentially breach competition laws through Brookfields ownership of a Victorian electricity transmission and distribution network company.

I think the only issue that I can think of so far with the bid is that Brookfield own a company called AusNet. It has the transmission assets in Victoria, Mr Sims told the National Press Club on Tuesday.
Principals say primary school communities cant wait to get rid of face masks, but have accepted them as a necessity, as the Chief Health Officer moved to justify his recommendation to retain the mask mandate for children in grades 3 to 6.

Professor Brett Sutton confirmed it was his advice to retain masks for some primary school children and not high schoolers, mostly because of stalling vaccination rates, but said the mandate wont be forever.

The government removed mask requirements for adults from Saturday, except in settings such as public transport, hospitals and for retail and hospitality workers.

Epidemiologist Fiona Russell, director of child and adolescent health at the University of Melbourne, questioned why Victoria was keeping mask mandates for some primary-school-aged children when other states were not.
In the past six years, Adam* and his wife have had three miscarriages. For complex medical reasons, they lost each baby four months into the pregnancy. As their last hope, they turned to a surrogacy agency in Ukraine, the second-biggest destination after the United States for Australians seeking help to create a family.

Their baby was born last week a few days earlier than expected in Kyiv, which is bracing for invasion by Russia. Against government advice, they are on their way there. But after Australia withdrew its diplomats from the country, they do not know how they will get their baby - whose sex they are keeping a surprise until they are united in person - home.

Four Australian babies have been born to surrogates in Ukraine over the past two months, and at least 15 more are due between March and September. Their parents are all frantically worried about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. To get their child a birth certificate, Ukrainian authorities require both to be there in person. But without an Australian embassy, they cannot do the interview required to get the baby a passport, which means they cannot leave.

Nurses care for newborn babies at a hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine. During the pandemic, many babies could not be picked up due to border closures. Credit:EPA

One couple has secured a Chinese passport, as one of the babys parents was born there. The other parents could hire a nanny to look after the baby until stability returns. But that could mean a wait of weeks or months, and these families - who have been struggling to conceive for years - desperately want to meet their child. They could help the surrogate mother move to a safe neighbouring country, but that would invalidate the surrogacy contract, which was created under Ukrainian law.
London: The European Union is sanctioning 23 high-ranking individuals including banking executives, military chiefs, media figures and a top Kremlin official in retaliation for Russian President Vladimir Putins recognition of separatist territories in Ukraine.

These measures come as the US and UK levy sanctions on the Russian economy and the separatist territories in eastern Ukraine, too.

Sanctioned: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. Credit:AP

The list of sanctions was adopted by EU member states on Wednesday. The measures are expected to be published and come into force shortly, according to officials familiar with the process.

The bloc included state television presenter Vladimir Soloviev, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova and the head of Kremlin-backed media outlet RT, Margarita Simonyan, on its list, according to the officials. The EU also sanctioned Denis Bortnikov, deputy president of state-owned VTB Bank PJSC, a day after the US penalised him.
The most significant response against Russia came from Germany, which announced it would halt certification of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which was crucial to Moscows plans to increase energy sales to Europe. Australia will impose travel bans and financial sanctions on at least eight high-ranking members of Russias security council, who gave Putin the advice and justification to recognise the breakaway Ukrainian regions and send troops into the territory. Credit:Matt Golding Canberra will join with the US and Britain in sanctioning five Russian elites and their family members: Aleksandr Bortnikov (and his son, Denis), Sergei Kiriyenko (and his son, Vladimir), and Promsvyazbank CEO Petr Fradkov. They will also impose sanctions on two Russian banks, VEB and Promsvyazbank, closely associated with the Kremlin and the military.

Mr Morrison also announced an extension of existing sanctions on Crimea and Sevastopol to the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Morrison said on Wednesday the invasion of Ukraine had effectively already begun. Russia is at peak readiness to now complete a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and that is likely to occur within the next 24 hours, he said. Morrison said he would be looking at options for granting Ukrainians refugee status, but also to allow them in through other migration pathways such as student and family visas.

He said Australia would work very closely, especially with Poland, but other European partners to deal with the likelihood of displaced persons coming into their countries. Right now, my gravest fears and concerns are for the people of Ukraine and the... 38,000 Australians of Ukrainian descent who will be terribly worried about loved ones, families, friends, because of what weve seen amassed on their border, Morrison said. A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod. Credit:Maxar Technologies via AP The Prime Minister said Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia. NATO, European Union and White House officials all confirmed that Russian troops had begun crossing the internationally recognised border into the two breakaway regions.

Loading Satellite images also showed a new deployment of more than 100 military vehicles and dozens of troop tents in southern Belarus near the Ukraine border. If Russia does look to invade more territory, the Biden administration could unplug Russia from the SWIFT global electronic payment system, a move Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez dubbed the mother of all sanctions. Herve Lemahieu, director of research at the Lowy Institute, said SWIFT was the trump card... but I think thats off the table for the moment. He said he was underwhelmed by the sanctions and that there would have been wisdom in pre-empting Putin and going all out to show him that there is resolve and the West is willing to go beyond the low-hanging fruit.

It was a game of chicken and Russia was gambling on the idea that were only going to go so far and no further, Lemahieu said. Maybe there is some value in playing the nuclear card upfront and showing Putin that the West means business, he said. In terms of really changing the calculus and getting Russia where it hurts, I dont really think he sanctions amount to that yet. Lemahieu said he feared that Putins next move would be to take the areas of the Donbas region that are claimed by the separatists but controlled by Ukraine. I think thats certainly the plan, said Herve Lemahieu, director of research at the Lowy Institute, It would be surprising for Putin to have gone this far... and not to exercise that option.

The US President warned that more sanctions would follow unless Putin withdrew his forces and sought a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Loading Biden warned that Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine, and said Putin was setting up a rationale to take more territory by force. Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbours? Biden said. This is a flagrant violation of international law and demands a firm response from the international community.

Biden and his allies needed top balance the need to punish Russia for moving troops into Ukrainian territory with preserving the options of imposing much tougher sanctions if Putin escalates the situation and starts a bloody war. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine... Well continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates, Biden said. Both Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris johnson described their move as the first tranche of sanctions against Russia. We want to stop Russian companies from being able to raise funds in sterling or, indeed, in dollars, Johnson said.
Kharkiv, Ukraine: About 80 kilometres from where Russian troops and tanks are massed, a group of Ukrainians put their hands over their hearts, held up flags and sang the countrys national anthem in unison.

Glory to Ukraine, glory to heroes, they said in unison, before adding a crude quip about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Valeriy Kocherga, 75, joins other Ukrainians as they gather for the annual memorial for the victims of a 2015 bombing in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 22. Credit:Washington Post photo by Salwan Georges

Activists in Kharkiv always meet on February 22  what they call Patriots Day  to commemorate the citys stand against Ukraines ousted pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, who fled here eight years ago during the Maidan revolution that cemented Ukraines political bonds with the West. The day is also used to remember victims of the 2015 Kharkiv bombing, during a rally to mark the anniversary of the uprising.

But this years demonstration was also an act of defiance just a day after Putin delivered a speech challenging Ukraines legitimacy as a sovereign state and recognised two Russian-backed separatist areas in eastern Ukraines Donbas region as independent.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Director of the Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performing Arts, Tatiana Arrindell, on Wednesday is making every effort to reassure parents that school management and staff have taken a proactive approach at the school to ensure that the teaching and learning environment remains safe and conducive to learning, despite the unusual and unfortunate incidents that took place on Monday and Tuesday.

Arrindell and her staff addressed the discovery of edible marijuana cookies in the possession of one student on Monday after being alerted by a vigilant adult. The following day, the school called an emergency assembly with the entire student body and invited guest, Inspector Felix Richards to not only discuss what transpired but the consequences thereof.

During the emergency assembly, a student volunteered the information that he was in possession of an air gun which he intended to use as a prop for one of his classes. Arrindell upon returning to the school campus and seeing the proposed prop alerted the police who intervened and confiscated the air gun from the minor who is currently in grade 7 (Form 1). It was reported that the student once again highlighted that his intention was not to be malicious towards his peers and teachers but to enhance his performance in a skit/role play. Arrindell affirmed that The school is in no way promoting violence among youths but creativity from our students. Unfortunately, on this occasion, it was poor judgment on part of the student in choosing to bring that air gun to school which he claimed was given to him by an adult.

Arrindell stated that In promoting the continued holistic development of our students and ensuring the safety we have implemented an extra supervision schedule of the campus during the schools staggered breaks She added that although the weapon was not lethal, it is not a toy and could cause bodily harm, therefore, it cannot be taken lightly. She further explained that the disciplinary process will now move forward with the cooperation of the police. Students found to be involved with such incidents will face disciplinary consequences in accordance with the schools handbook.

Arrindell also called on adults to recognize their role and influence over a child and be careful with what they open children to. "I ask that parents use this incident as a teachable moment with their children to help educate them of the importance of saying no in certain circumstances and practice discernment This message was reinforced by Police Inspector Felix who also via the media stressed the role of parents in helping to prevent such incidents by being more involved. Ms. Arrindell also added, It is our duty to educate, protect and guide our children, especially in an age when they are exposed to so many influences that can adversely affect their lives. The school will continue to work together with the police and the community so as to effectively cater to the students placed under our care.
FILE - Jockey John Velazquez, front left, stands with Jill Baffert as they watch as Jill's husband, trainer Bob Baffert, holds up the winner's trophy after their victory with Medina Spirit in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Medina Spirit was stripped of the victory in last years Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun was declared the winner in a ruling by state racing stewards on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, 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
Among those attending the ceremony recognizing the presentation of more $2 million in Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission grant funds to Dale County municipalities Feb. 11, from left, are SEARP&DC Community and Economic Development Director Emily Van Scyoc, and Executive Director Scott Farmer, Dale County Commission Chairman Steve McKinnon, Ozark City Councilman Les Perault, Ozark City Councilwoman Leah Harlow, State Sen. Donnie Chesteen, Ozark Mayor Mark Blankenship and Ozark City Councilman Winston Jackson.
The Walking Dead returned with No Other Way written by Corey Reed and directed by Jon Amiel whose other credits include The Borgias, Aquarius, Carnival Row, and American Gods. We were right back in the thick of the action with the fight with the Reapers and the storm in Alexandria. Sadly, we finally get closure on Aldens (Callan McAuliffe) fate. I dont think they ever made real use of McAuliffes talents, and Im really sad to see him go. We also seem to be losing Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) at the end of the episode, but something tells me well be seeing him again before too much longer.

The episode picks up exactly where we left off with exploding walkers everywhere. Unfortunately, Maggie (Lauren Cohen) takes shelter and is joined almost immediately by a Reaper, and a brutal fight ensues. She manages to push him out, and hes immediately hit with a rocket and explodes. Maggie makes her way into one of the buildings, and luckily, because this is her former home, she knows all the hidey-holes.

She soon encounters Negan and Elijah (Okea Eme-Akwari), gets them medical supplies and slips into a secret room. Maggie and Negan disagree about next steps. Negan wants to get the food and go, but Maggie insists that shes not leaving Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Gabriel (Seth Gilliam). Carver (Alex Meraz) comes into the room as she watches, and they overhear Leah (Lynn Collins) tell him to find Maggie and that not one of them is leaving alive. It would seem that Maggie has no choice.

Back in Alexandria, Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Lydia (Cassady McClincy) are struggling to keep the walkers at bay on the stairs. Dianne (Kerry Cahill) arrives to tell them that Judith (Cailey Fleming) and Gracie (Annabelle Holloway) never made it upstairs.

In the basement, the water is rising. The girls try to reenforce the door with a shovel, but it only buys them a couple of minutes. They end up on a table surrounded by walkers. Judith manages to kill one, but then drops her katana  where are the bungee cords when you need them?!?!

Back out in the storm, Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Jerry (Cooper Andrews) have retreated from the windmill fire. Aaron insists that they have to try something else, and Jerry in an unusual moment of pessimism suggests a fire truck. Seeing the others running by looking for another breach in the wall, Aaron calls them in to where they are sheltering. Carol (Melissa McBride) tells him theyve closed the one, and Magna (Nadia Hilker) says there has to be another one. Carol tells them theyre headed toward the east wall, and Aaron tells them that if the windmill falls, it will open a breach they wont be able to close. Magna and Connie (Lauren Ridloff) go to take care of the breach, and Carol and Kelly (Angel Theory) stay to help with the windmill. Connie and Kelly tell each other to be careful  and I love the connection between these two. Aaron hears Gracies alarm whistle and immediately goes to save her.

Gabriel is limping across the courtyard, and Austin (Lex Lauletta) is about to shoot him when Daryl comes out of nowhere and the two fight in the schoolroom. While this was a good fight, I was really disappointed at how easy it was to tell that Reedus did very little, if any, of the actual stunt work/fight. Its a problem when an actor moves so distinctively and suddenly the stunt double takes over. As Daryl is choking out Austin, a walker appears at the door  and we get a splat before someone starts yelling for Austin, and we hear Leahs voice say to knock the door down. Daryl finishes him and ducks into the secret hiding place behind the blackboard before Leah comes in. She declares no more over Austins now dead body.

Back in Alexandria, Judith has resorted to kicking walkers away. They know they have to get to the window  and Aaron arrives at one to help them  but they cant get there. Theres a nice hero shot of Aaron leaping down onto a walker and crushing its skull, but realistically, theres no way he could have crawled through that window and done it. Once again, the show does a good job in ramping up the tension by cutting back and forth between perilous situations. I was really worried for Aaron here! Especially when he was trapped under the water! Naturally, he gets the girls out  but theres clearly no way for him to get back up there He tells Judith to get Gracie to safety before going for help. Again, theres more hand waving in this episode as we never see how Aaron gets up on that pipe

Gabriel stumbles upon Mancea (Dikran Tulaine), who is in his super creepy chapel. Hes clearly not helping with the fighting. Mancea reveals that he saw Gabriel at the grave and that God speaks to him. Gabriel doesnt believe that God would speak to someone who helps monsters who kill children. Mancea insists hes just doing what God says. Gabriel sarcastically says just following orders  where have I heard that before? If youre wondering, it was the Nuremburg trials of Nazi war criminals  and it wasnt considered a defence

Mancea tells Gabriel that violence is not the path he takes but blood has been spilled in Gods name for centuries (true!) and all he can do is trust in Him. Gabriel insists that God would not allow him to murder his friends and he wont either. He tells Mancea to stand aside, and Mancea realizes that Gabriel doesnt hear God anymore. He tells him to listen. He offers to help renew Gabriels faith, and that they can take fresh steps for both their flocks. He tells him that no matter what anyone has done, no one is above saving. Gabriel thinks about it for a minute  until he is distracted by a noise on the roof and runs Mancea through with his machete. He tells Mancea that he doesnt believe it. I thought this was a really powerful scene for Gilliam and shows how far Gabriel has come. Im not entirely convinced it is in a good way, however. Weve seen that Mancea was a bit unhinged, but was he sincerely offering a peaceful solution? Its doubtful Leah would have agreed anyway.

Maggie, Elijah, and Negan set up a trap for Carver. We get a good fight scene, but Maggie, Elijah, and Negan are all pretty pathetic here. Well, maybe not Negan, who makes use of sand to blind him before punching him out with a bell  Ding-ding! He just happens to save Maggie in the process. Elijah wants Maggie to kill Carver for him for killing his sister, but shes stopped by Daryl. He tells him that he hates this prick, but they need him for leverage. Negan is doubtful in will work. Maggie promises that theyll get whats coming to them  maybe not today, but some day.

Back in Alexandria, Lydia finally goes to the cellar where Aaron is trapped on the pipe. It eventually lets go and creates some good tension. Lydia shows up and says shell be right back and then we cut to Aaron getting out via a rope um what? What is it anchored to inside the basement? Where did it come from? It makes no sense Aaron thanks her, and she says hed do the same for her. He thinks about it for about a second and then says yes. Has Lydia finally been accepted? I didnt think Rosita and Dianne looked like they had everything under control, but Lydia and Aaron head back to the windmill.

Daryl leads the others to a meeting with Leah. Elijah wants Maggie to just leave him so he can kill Carver, but she wont  because, um stupid? Daryl drags Carver out and Leah and the two Reapers left come out. Daryl tells them to leave and they will head out. When they get far enough, Daryl will let Carver go. Leah asks if shes supposed to trust him now. He tells her that shes doing this all wrong. Theyve survived for this long, why keep fighting and killing each other? Leah says if thats what it takes. Its her way of surviving. Daryl tells her that hes giving her a chance to save whats left of both their families.

It almost looks like shes agreeing as she says no more lies  but she has a sniper on the roof or does she? Theres a warning shot, and she tells everyone to come out. Leah tells Janson to take out the woman. Daryl releases Carver, and Elijah tries to go after him and no one stops him and he simply falls on his face. Suddenly, Carver is shot in the leg. I LOVED the look on Negans face as he hears over Leahs radio  No Janson here. Call me Gabriel. The avenging angel?

Maggie tells her that now Gabriel will pick Leahs people off one by one. Leah calmly agrees but points out that they may still take down some of them first. Leah tells them they can have the town. Theyll walk. She turns to Daryl and says, I save my people, you save yours. Maggie asks Negan  and he says she knows what he thinks (we all do). Maggie appears to agree, telling them to drop their weapons and go  but Carver stays. Leah agrees and tells Carver that shell see him soon, clearly thinking Maggie will honor the initial deal.

Maggie goes to Elijah as Daryl goes to Carver, telling him to get up. Elijah says something unintelligible, ending with for all of them, and Maggie follows the other Reapers, shooting them in the back. Leah is only wounded and gets away. She then comes back and finishes Carver with Elijahs weapon when the gun (that Daryl gave her) runs out of bullets. Maggie and Gabriel have definitely gone to very dark places. Are they really our heroes any more? Is Maggie any better than Negan now?





Daryl tracks Leahs blood to where shes hiding. Neither really acknowledges the others presence. He tells her that its not what he wanted, and they both could have had a second chance. He tells her to go before he changes his mind.

Everyone loads up a wagon with food. Maggie leaves Gabriel in charge and tells Elijah shell be back soon before heading out. Negan thoughtfully watches her go. Shes gone to FINALLY give us closure about Alden. When she gets to the church, she calls out to him before opening the door. Shes met by a Reaper-walker, and then finds Alden, also turned crawling on the floor. I was really sad  though not surprised to lose McAuliffe in this way. Every time I thought that they were finally giving him a nice juicy storyline, the other person in it was killed! And then he got that nice long morality speech in Part 1  always the kiss of death on this show. Maggie sobs over his body after putting him down. Not only has she lost a friend, but he also represented a part of her that was still willing to show mercy  remember that Alden began as a prisoner of war from Negans Saviors

Its fitting then, that as she finishes burying him, Negan shows up. He sees how Maggie has changed. He knows that promise or not, its just a matter of time before she takes him out. Maggie clearly thinks that when he says hes not giving her a choice, hes going to kill her, but instead, he simply goes on his own way. Theres no way this is the last weve seen of Negan.

Gabriel and Daryl have a great scene over a fire as they roast some nebulous little animal. Gabriel tells Daryl he heard what he said: Youre doing it wrong. Daryl questions whether they even have a choice anymore. Gabriel tells him it depends on whos making the choice. Gabriel tells him that doubt is important but it doesnt make you wrong. Of course it doesnt make you right either Daryl assumes Gabriel is asking him to have faith. Gabriel smiles and says he supposes so  ironic isnt it? Daryl asks what about you and Gabriel says hes tried as he fingers his collar. I suspect were going to see more existential crisis coming Gabriels way.

Daryl gets up to kill a stray walker as Dog barks (clearly hes decided to stick with Daryl now). Maggies arrow beats him to it as she returns. She tells them about Alden and Negan. Its interesting that Gabriel and Daryl share a look over Negan  theyve both started to see him differently.

Jerry and Carol are on watch as the four make it home. Jerry wonders where everyone else is. Alexandria is full of burning dead piles of walkers. The kids all run to parents. Elijah is welcomed by masked members of Maggies new group presumably. Lydia is the first to ask where Negan is, and Daryl tells her hes not coming back. Lydia is the only one to visibly care. Rosita asks Gabriel if its all food, and Gabriel tells her that he made a promise and kept it. There is a brilliant reunion between Daryl and Connie  he drops a basket of apples to run and hug her!

Aaron checks on Gabriel and asks about Alden. Gabriel tells him that Alden died so that they could all survive. Aaron tells him that after the storm, they had nothing. But now they will survive and at that very moment, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) arrives with Hornsby (Josh Hamilton). So, it would seem, that Alden  and the others  all died for nothing.

Eugene is his usual bubbly self. He addresses the gathered people of Alexandria, and introduces Hornsby. Hornsby tells them that theyve clearly fallen on hard times, but they are there to help and can provide labor and supplies to build back all theyve lost. However he also has another  potentially more interesting choice to offer.

And then we jump ahead 6 months. Maggie and Elijah stand on the gate at Hilltop. I love how the camera pans from Daryl in the moment to Maggie in the future. The house at Hilltop is still a burnt out shell, but there is some movement behind her. Standing in front of the gate, are a troop of Commonwealth soldiers. It looks like Hornsby is also there  though we dont see his face. He steps aside and a soldier steps forward, telling Maggie to open up. She is now the one saying it doesnt have to be this way. The soldier removes his helmet and its Daryl!!!!! He tells her, yeah, it does. Clearly a LOT of interesting choices have happened in the interceding six months.

An action-packed return with a great twist at the end. Terrific performances by Reedus, Cohen, Collins, and especially Gilliam. Im curious as to whether Eugene is really on board. Im betting the Alexandrians are going to choose the Commonwealth after all theyve been through. What did you think of the episode? Should they stay or go? Has Maggie lost the thread? Will you miss Negan? Alden? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!




STAMFORD  The suspect in the fatal stabbing of a 43-year-old Norwalk man in Stamford last year was arrested in New York over the weekend as part of a six-month murder investigation.

Donald Copeland, 31, whose last known address was in Bridgeport, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force during an early morning raid on a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., home on Saturday, according to Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin.

Copeland was arrested as a fugitive of justice and is expected to be extradited back to Connecticut where he will face a murder charge in connection to the stabbing death of 43-year-old Jimmy Louis in August 2021.

The fatal stabbing was reported to police around 1 a.m. Aug. 8 after Louis was found in a crashed car near the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Culloden Road.

Conklin said Louis and Copeland, who were known to one another, are believed to have been involved in a struggle in an area in the 100 block of Culloden Road. Louis suffered several stab wounds in the struggle and then attempted to drive away from the scene, but crashed a short way down the street, Conklin said.

Copelands arrest comes on the heels of a lengthy, complex investigation, Conklin said.

Investigators were able to pinpoint Copeland as a suspect in the case based on a large amount of DNA evidence, including Copelands blood, that was recovered from the scenes of the crime.

Copeland is scheduled for a court hearing in Duchess County, N.Y., on Friday. Police said they believe he will be extradited back to Connecticut shortly thereafter.
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Live greyhound racing in Connecticut ended in 2005, but animal rights advocates continue to push lawmakers to make it illegal here.

A bill introduced by the legislative Public Safety and Security Committee, and raised at the committees public hearing Tuesday, would prohibit Connecticut dog racing, which is technically still legal under state statute. Residents would still be allowed to bet on these kinds of races.

The proposal, which has bipartisan support, has come up several times in the General Assembly in recent years, but has failed to gain traction.

CT Votes for Animals, a grassroots animal advocacy organization representing over 5,500 supporters, testified Tuesday that the bill would formally close the statutory book on live greyhound racing.

Residents expressed a collective sigh of relief when the states two live dog racing tracks, Plainfield Greyhound Park and Bridgeport Shoreline Star, closed in 2005 after years of decline and financial losses, said Jo-Anne Basile, executive director of CT Votes for Animals.

There are no longer any active dog tracks or dog track licensees in Connecticut. But Basile said, I believe I speak for many who would be shocked to learn a technical issue exists in which live greyhound racing could resume without scrutiny.

At least one member of the public safety committee questioned why the bill is needed when greyhound racing ended in Connecticut more than 15 years ago.

I dont know that I ever think dog racing will be here again. I dont necessarily follow the point in this legislation, said Rep. Kurt Vail, R-Stafford.

At least 41 states, including Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, have made greyhound racing illegal, according to Annie Hornish, Connecticut Senior State Director for the Humane Society.

Greyhounds suffer extreme confinement and drugging; injuries and premature deaths are common, Hornish said in testimony. In addition, the dog racing industry has been found to use live lure training, where small animals are forced to suffer in terror before being killed.

Rep. Michael DAgostino, D-Hamden, the owner of a Greyhound named Vella, a retired racing dog whom he rescued, said the bill would ultimately close out this sad chapter in our state when many dogs were abused and injured.

It would send a strong statement that we want to make sure something like this can never happen again and do so in the memory of those animals, he testified.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
HARTFORD  Kent Mawhinney, a co-defendant in the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a violating a protective order charge that stemmed from an incident involving his ex-wife.

Mawhinney entered his plea under the Alford Doctrine, which means he does not admit guilt but agrees there is sufficient evidence to potentially be convicted. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Mawhinney will not spend any time behind bars, with a suspended five-year prison sentence and three years of probation.

However, the deal is not connected with any potential help Mawhinney is providing to prosecutors in the Dulos case, Hartford States Attorney Sharmese Walcott said Wednesday.

Mawhinney, who has pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy to commit murder charge in the Jennifer Dulos case, appeared in Hartford Superior Court Wednesday for the allegations stemming from 2019 incidents involving his former wife.

Mawhinney is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20. A protective order will also prohibit him from contacting his ex-wife for five years. All other charges in Hartford will be nolled when he is sentenced.

Mawhinneys attorney declined to comment Wednesday.

Attorney Lisa Gilbert with the Victim Rights Center that is representing Mawhinneys ex-wife told the court that her client is still afraid of him and wanted a standing criminal protective order barring him from contact with her for life.

She is very concerned, Gilbert said. Their six-year marriage was riddled with domestic violence.

The woman will likely speak during his sentencing, Gilbert said.

The worst thing that could happen is that police fail to come out because there is no protective order in place, Gilbert said. Theres no turning back from violence.

Walcott told Judge Hope Seeley that the cases Mawhinney faced in Hartford were separate from the conspiracy to commit murder charge and the resolution of the domestic violence cases does not have any impact on the Dulos case in Stamford Superior Court.

Based on the evidence, Walcott said she agreed with the five-year protective order. They do not have children together and their divorce is final, Walcott said.

The disposition in this case is one the state is in agreement with, she added.

The two cases charging Mawhinney with spousal sexual assault and violating a protective order had been repeatedly continued for three years without a resolution. Evidence from the cases are also the subject of court proceedings filed by the attorney representing Michelle Troconis, who also faces a conspiracy to commit murder and other charges in the Dulos case.

Attorney Jon Schoenhorn, representing Troconis, contends that he needs all evidence from the Hartford cases to determine if Mawhinney was offered a deal to testify against his client.

Following an order from a judge, Walcott has until next week to provide the court with a detailed list of items in her possession that Schoenhorn is seeking.

Mawhinney initially pleaded not guilty to sexual assault of a spouse, disorderly conduct, second-degree unlawful restraint and violation of a protective order in the Hartford cases. He also pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy to commit murder charge and is taking that case to trial. He has been free on bond since October 2020.

Mawhinney was charged with spousal sexual assault in January 2019, records show. He and his estranged wife were still living together in South Windsor as they were preparing to divorce, when the woman reported to police that Mawhinney forced her to have sex in exchange for rent, court documents said.

Mawhinney was charged a second time in June 2019 with violating a protective order that had been put in place when he was arrested on the sexual assault charge, records show. In that case, Mawhinneys estranged wife claimed he had been driving by her home despite being prohibited from contacting her, court documents stated.

Walcott also pointed out that his ex-wife alleged Mawhinney had Fotis Dulos contact her to discuss a reconciliation in May 2019  just days before Jennifer Dulos disappeared.

The drive-by was an attempt to harass her as the attempts to reconcile werent going well, Walcott said.

Mawhinney, whose divorce was finalized in December 2020, was a longtime friend and former attorney of Fotis Dulos, who was embroiled in a contentious two-year divorce and child custody dispute when his estranged wife vanished in May 2019.

Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020 not long after he was charged with murder and kidnapping in his estranged wifes death and disappearance.

Mawhinney has been accused of trying to provide an alibi for Fotis Dulos the morning of the disappearance on May 24, 2019, according to a warrant for his arrest.

Mawhinney was arrested in January 2020 and held on $2 million bond until he was released in October that year on a reduced amount of $246,000. The release came weeks after Mawhinney was interviewed by state police about Jennifer Dulos, Schoenhorn said in court filings.

A prosecutor has said that Mawhinney will be one of their witnesses if the Troconis case goes to trial.

Troconis, the former live-in girlfriend of Fotis Dulos, has also pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and other charges in the Jennifer Dulos case. She has been free on $2 million bond.

As part of her defense, Schoenhorn has repeatedly asked whether Mawhinney is working out a deal on the domestic violence charges in exchange for his cooperation in his clients prosecution.

Schoenhorn wants all arrest reports and evidence in the domestic violence cases, along with any other evidence indicating whether Mawhinney struck a deal to testify against his client. On Jan. 24, Seeley told Walcott she had a month to provide the court with the information Schoenhorn was seeking.

Schoenhorn said Tuesday that so far no court date to discuss the information, has been set but he believes Walcott has until next week to provide the data.
A Williamsport craft brewery is sharing its love of state parks through the beer it brews.

A brew honoring Hickory Run State Park is the latest in New Trail Brewing Co.s specialty-themed line of beers.

It is packaged in cans featuring a rendering of the Carbon County parks famous boulder field.

Pennsylvanians do not need to go to the Rocky Mountains to experience something majestic, we have that in our backyard, said Don Rieck of New Trail Brewing Co. So we wanted to highlight the state parks and forests on our cans, tell some great stories about those areas and donate a portion of proceeds back to the staff and volunteers to complete improvement projects.

The Hickory Run release, called H.R.S.P., is a double hazy IPA and the fifth in the brewerys state park series.

The line started last last summer with a beer named for Keystone State Park. It was followed by brews for Worlds End State Park, Cherry Springs State Park and Cook Forest State Park.

New Trail partners with the nonprofit Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation and, in turn, a portion of the sale proceeds are returned to the parks for projects and improvements. Needs lists for state parks and forests total more than $1 billion, according to the PPFF.

Hickory Run State Park is our newest project. The park boasts over 40 miles of hiking trails, endless trout streams, waterfalls and several remarkable natural areas, Rieck said.

Its boulder field was formed more than 20,000 years ago and is a National Natural Landmark. Unfortunately, Rieck said the site is often marred by graffiti.

Proceeds will go to the park to help clean graffiti and to plant native trees.

We are focusing our messaging on leaving the world better than you found it  no graffiti, no littering, no alterations, Rieck said.

The brewery describes H.R.S.P. as boasting juicy mango and bright citrus characteristics. Supplies are limited because it is was brewed and canned in a single run.

H.V.S.P., or Hyner View State Park, will be the sixth beer.

We do not plan to stop. Nothing would make us happier than to increase our donation with each iteration. Pennsylvania has given us 121 parks and 20 forest districts to brew beers for, and if we can do them all, we can start round two, Rieck said.

New Trail was founded in 2018. Its logo is a boot footprint containing the outline of a tree and cone.

Our focus has always been to share a piece of Pennsylvanias great outdoors with the entire state. We brew the beers we want to drink during our own adventures and hope we inspire people to get outdoors with us, Rieck said.

Rieck said those drawn to the state park series are often already fans of New Trail.

The lifestyles already went hand in hand, he said.

Many regulars stock up on the state park series more than for other offerings.

Others are learning about the series and want to drink this plus anything else we brew, Rieck said.

New Trail also brews hazy IPA, Pilsner, amber ale, Belgian styles and stout beers. Its tasting room is open Wednesdays to Sundays and customers are invited to experience beers right from the source and try some small batch experiments.

The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation oversees a number of volunteer groups at state parks, including the Friends of Tuscarora and Locust Lake State Parks and the Friends of Beltzville State Park.
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The Romanian Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) informs on Wednesday that 45 foreign citizens were denied entry in the country, due to not fulfilling the legal requirements, while 13 Romanian citizens were banned from exiting, because of various legal reasons.

Approximately 92,100 persons, Romanian and foreign citizens, with over 35,200 vehicles (of which 16,900 freighters), completed control formalities at the border crossing points at the level of the entire country in the past 24 hours, , according to a press release sent to AGERPRES.The press release also mentions that entering Romania were approximately 44,600 people, with 17,300 vehicles, while exiting Romania were 47,500 persons, with 18,900 vehicles.The most frequently crossed borders were:* border with Hungary - approximately 31,000 persons and 17,600 vehicles;* air border - approximately 24,800 persons;* border with Republic of Moldova - approximately 14,500 persons and 5,700 vehicles.As regards the specific activities, in the areas of competence - the crossing points and the "green border" - the border guards found, in the last 24 hours, 50 illegal acts (27 offenses and 23 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens. (AGERPRES)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, welcomed, on Wednesday, Eric Stewart, the executive president of the American Romanian Business Council (AMRO).

Stewart leads the AMRO delegation in Bucharest, which is made up of representatives of 17 major American companies.

During the meeting, the Romanian minister reviewed the topics of priority interest on the international agenda, "dominated by the worrying evolution of the regional security situation, as a result of the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, which are contrary to international law," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release sent to AGERPRES.

According to the quoted source, the head of the Romanian diplomacy highlighted the opportunities offered by the cooperation with the USA in the civil nuclear field, regarding the development of the Cernavoda nuclear power plant and the collaboration on small modular reactors (SMR), both for the industries of the two countries, as well as for reducing energy dependence, Agerpres.ro informs.

Bogdan Aurescu and the AMRO Executive Chairman continued the dialogue on the priority regional strategic projects promoted by Romania for connecting the Central and South-Eastern European states, especially Rail2Sea and Via Carpathia, discussing the possibilities of involving the American private sector and the US Administration in their materialization. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the projects "are also of great use in facilitating military mobility on NATO's Eastern Flank, which is particularly important in the context of efforts to ensure the security of allies in the region and to strengthen the Alliance's defence and deterrence."

At the same time, Minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated the common Romanian-American objective of including Romania in the Visa Waiver Program.

Eric Stewart congratulated the OECD Council on the decision to open accession negotiations with Romania and assured that it will continue to support AMRO in ensuring that this goal is achieved, the release said.

Stewart also confirmed AMRO's intention to continue to support, in dialogue with the US Administration, the need to strengthen the Romanian-American Strategic Partnership.
More than a hundred deputies, senators and parliamentary employees donated blood during the first such action in the Parliament, USR MP Diana Stoica announced on Wednesday.

"Together we have saved 300 lives. The blood has no political color. No matter what separates us, the desire to save lives unites us. For 3 days, more than 100 parliamentarians and employees donated blood, donated life. (...) I thank each and every one of them! I hope this is just the beginning and we will have a tradition with biannual blood donations in the Parliament," Diana Stoica wrote on Facebook.

The action was initiated with the support of the Bucharest Blood Transfusion Center, as well as the deputies Maria Gabriela Horga (PNL), Carmen Mihalcescu (PSD), Csep Eva Andrea (UDMR) and Tudor Rares Pop (USR), who assumed the role of ambassadors of the event, Agerpres.ro informs.

"The statistics on blood donation are disastrous for Romania. We are at a percentage of 2%, while the European average is over 6%. The WHO places us in the emergency zone from this point of view. We lack constant donors. I recently read that, globally, 90% of those eligible for donation do not do so. (...) One blood unit (450 ml is the standard) can save as many as 3 lives. Blood donation remains the only solution to meet the needs and help doctors save lives," PNL MP Sebastian Burduja wrote on Facebook.

He also cited other benefits of donating blood, such as a significant increase in the donor's immunity, a 30% reduction in the risk of paralysis and stroke, and an increase in the body's resilience.
Romania welcomes the package of sanctions adopted by the European Union in the context of the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Wednesday, adding that the EU community is united against aggression.

"RO welcomes t/adoption of t/package of sanctions targeting RU officials, State Duma members & other entities, trade, banks: t/1st step 2 impose costs 4 breaching sovereignty & territorial integrity. Any violation of int'l law comes w/high price. We stand united against aggression!," Aurescu wrote on Twitter, Agerpres.ro informs.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca had a meeting on Wednesday at the Victoria Palace with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is currently paying a visit to Bucharest, on which occasion the two high officials reiterated their countries' "strong" support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The two heads of Executive "strongly" condemned Russia's new violation of the international law by recognizing the so-called independence of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk and the aggression against Ukraine by other Russian troops, which entered this state, Agerpres.ro informs.

"Given the complicated security context in our immediate vicinity, the security situation in the Black Sea region and at the borders of Ukraine could not be missing from the agenda of our meeting, for this is an important and topical issue. I strongly condemn Russia's new violation of the international law, of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, by recognizing the so-called independence of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, and the aggression against Ukraine by the other Russian troops that entered the territory of this state. At the end of the talks, Prime Minister Ciuca held a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He added that he had also discussed with his Greek counterpart about the continuation of the coordination at the NATO level in strengthening the security of NATO's Eastern flank, as well as about the appropriate response measures.

"In this context, we reiterated the strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Diplomatic efforts are intense, and both Romania and Greece support them by all means and in all available formats," Nicolae Ciuca said.
The Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, present in Bucharest on Wednesday, said that Russia's actions violate international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements, constituting expressions of revisionism that endanger security and global stability.

"My visit comes two days after the Russian Federation unilaterally recognized the so-called independence of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics. Unfortunately, Russia also sent troops to Ukraine. These are actions that obviously violate international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the Minsk agreements. These are expressions of revisionism that threaten global security and stability. I would like to reiterate that a fundamental principle of Greece's foreign policy is respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of all states. We condemn without appeal the actions that contravene these values. As an EU and NATO member state, we are coordinating our efforts with our partners so that our response is common and substantial," Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a press statement at Victoria Palace, Agerpres.ro informs.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis added that his country has "one more reason to be anxiously watching" what is happening in eastern Ukraine, where there is also a Greek community.

"Our main concern is to support the Greeks in Ukraine and that is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly in touch with them. The latest developments, of course, raise security and border challenge issues. (...) We in Europe know very well that violence and instability have never helped anyone," he said.

The Greek prime minister said that his country has taken all necessary measures to ensure that the natural gas supply is carried out safely and continuously. According to him, three conclusions emerge from the current crisis: the importance of green energy, the support of vulnerable consumers and the discussions on the strategic-military autonomy of Europe.

"The transition to the green economy must not be delayed, so that we can help the poorest families to have access to green energy. The energy of the future is green energy, and it is our duty not only to diversify our energy sources, but also to reduce our dependence on natural gas in Russia. Romania has a privileged situation, because it produces natural gas and could extract more gas. In the short term, it is very important at European level to have measures in place to support European consumers. (...) Each country has its own way of dealing with this problem, but it is a European problem - common ways must also be found. I will also present this issue to the European Council. The third conclusion is all this discussion that is taking place at EU level on Europe's strategic-military autonomy. It is a topic that is becoming more and more urgent," said the Greek prime minister.
The chairman of the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) Liviu Jicman says that at the start of his term, that the new leadership team within the institution aims to put creators, writers, Romanian artists and culture institutions "into the spotlight".

"With the risks that I am taking, I, as occupant of this position, we do not have to focus on visibility in Romania, we must act responsibly in report with the public money, to do our jobs by abiding the law. I will say this every time I can: I am not aiming towards laurels, to go on stage, to offer prizes just for the sake of being the one who hands out prizes. I believe that the spotlight should be set on creators, writers, Romanian artists, culture institutions," Jicman said, in an interview for AGERPRES.The institutions' development strategy for the period of 2022-2026 offers a general framework for developing and carrying out activities of the Romanian Culture Institute.The document adopted on January 19 aims towards priorities that "we must watch in the coming years: transparency, open job contests, promoting Romanian creativity internationally, with a broader look towards cultural heritage and contemporary creation, which has an inclusive approach"."ICR needs to be an open gate for all artistic areas and for all creativity areas, in general. On the other hand, this open gate, I dare say, must not look at each artistic area separately, but rather it would be desired to encourage transdisciplinarity, to encourage projects that tackle several artistic areas, to also encourage Romanian presence in collaboration and in partnership with international partners, Europeans and from other spaces and I believe that that is the direction which we should be heading to."It is important for our representation to not just be for organizing events, but to be facilitators of dialogue between artists, Romanian creators, between cultural operators in Romania and local partners. (...) That also depends on the relationship which our representations have abroad with the local media, but also depends on the cultural program that we are proposing. It depends on how connected we are to the local environment," Liviu Jicman said, during the interview.The new director of ICR says that he wishes to promote the Romanian language, a defining element for our culture, adding that "is is very important to maintain accreditation which Romanian language classes have, and the classes that we organize to have a unitary format, regardless of being in Istanbul or New York, London or Madrid. The diploma's beneficiary to such a class should enjoy the same level of expertise in the Romanian language".Going back to the youth, or going towards the youth, ICR has diverse programs, for example, scholarships for young creators, young artists."We must also make an evaluation here of already existing programs and see how we can improve them".For 2022, ICR wishes to once again be part of a newly defined program "Festival du Livre" in Paris, the new name of the traditional book fare in Paris, "Salon du Livre"."I am also thinking with hope towards the Europa Award in the field of literature, which will have results during the first part of the year, I am thinking about our priority, which is represented by the Republic of Moldova and the activity of ICR Chisinau which we will be focusing on this year as well. I am also thinking, even if we do not have the budget for it now, but I hope that we can obtain an important support from the budgetary rectification, so that we will be one of the organizers of the Theater Reunion, which will take place in the fall of this year. I am also thinking about the Bienala in Venice, which, apart from Romania's Pavilion and the project selected to represent us this year in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are in a dialogue with and we will be present to, I dare to anticipate and say we will have a Romanian presence at the Central Pavilion, an outstanding artist, Alexandra Pirici, we attempt to support with our limited resources this year. These are just a few of the things I am thinking about, in the short term," Liviu Jicman also said, at the end of the interview. (AGERPRES)
Romania is increasingly proving itself as a stable force in the European Union, said Japan's Ambassador in Bucharest Hiroshi Ueda, adding that he will support our country's efforts to adhere to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

"Japan and Romania share the same core values, such as the rule of law state, democracy and more. An important partner for Japan, Romania is increasingly proving itself as a stable force in the EU and as a country on NATO's Eastern border. Currently, we are working hard to launch our Strategic Partnership meant to take our relations to the next level. Romania has recently begun the negotiations for accession to the OECD. I believe this to be an extremely important opportunity for Romania and I want to support its efforts in the future," the diplomat said in a video message recorded on the occasion of Japan's National Day.

In this context, he spoke about bilateral economic relations and about infrastructure projects, such as the subway line to the "Henri Coanda" airport, Agerpres.ro informs.

The ambassador also said that the bridge in Braila "will be completed by the end of this year and will become a new landmark of Romania."

The diplomat also mentioned the cultural cooperation of the two countries and admitted that he was impressed by the popularity of Japanese language, literature and pop culture in Romania.
The latest COVID-19 test positivity rate in Romania is 18.42%, the Ministry of Health informed on Wednesday.

Within a period of 24 hours, 11,477 people having tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus were reported in Romania, out of a total of 62,286 RT-PCR and antigen tests performed.The ministry is asking people who have symptoms that may indicate the presence of COVID-19 (fever, cough, fatigue, headache, loss of taste and smell, etc.) to call their family physicians, DSP call centers, or the 112 emergency line to request testing.People who show symptoms and are in Bucharest or Ilfov County can travel by their own means, not by public transport, to the centres specially created for the collection of samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing.People who test positive can go to the COVID-19 assessment centres for consultation and treatment.According to the same source, out of the 1,030 people admitted to the ICU, 900 are unvaccinated. Also, out of 119 reported deaths, 98 occurred in unvaccinated patients," according to the Ministry of Health. (AGERPRES)
A group of migrants was detected by border police officers before crossing the border into Hungary on foot, through the green frontier, while other migrants were detected in the Arad Train Station, after leaving the centers where they were remanded.

At approximately 100 meters from the border with the neighboring state, in the Nadlac area, a crew observed three persons making their way on foot towards Hungary."Because they did not justify their presence in the area, they were led to the headquarters of the sector for the conduct of checks. Following investigations, it was established they are citizens of Afghanistan, asylum seekers in Romania. In the case, border police officers are conducting investigations to detect the entirety of criminal activity," informs, on Wednesday, the Arad Border Police.Furthermore, during an action to prevent and combat illegal migration, in the Arad Train Station, six Afghans were found, asylum seekers in our country. According to the authorities, after the finalization of all checks, they will be sent to the Regional Centers for Accommodation and Procedures for Asylum Seekers where they are registered. (AGERPRES)
The new projects being prepared by the Oltenia Energy Complex (CEO) represent the light at the end of the tunnel in the Romanian energy production sector, where nothing has been done for a long time, Sorin Elisei, senior manager with Deloitte Romania, told a relevant conference.

"I think the Oltenia projects and the fact that the restructuring plan has been approved are, as far as I am concerned, the light at the end of the tunnel, in a sector where things have been stagnant for a very long time," Elisei told ZF Energy Summit on Wednesday.He noted, however, that Romania has not undertaken an official document on totally giving up coal and that there have been only statements to that effect, stating that this will happen in 2032. In his view, this statement will be signed and assumed, as the Oltenia Energy Complex restructuring plan materializes.OMV Petrom and Tinmar will be the partners of the Oltenia Energy Complex in 9 of the company's 10 projects for the construction of new solar and gas power plants, announced Lacramioara Diaconu Pintea, member of the board of CE Oltenia, in the same conference."The financing from the Modernization Fund provides us with an important proportion, 70 percent for photovoltaics and 50 percent for combined cycle gas plants. Otherwise we are in talks with two banking unions for all investments and, in addition, we will have the contribution of the Oltenia Energy Complex and of some private investors that we have identified in 9 out of the 10 projects we have," said Pintea.She mentioned OMV Petrom, which is involved in four solar energy projects, where the shareholding will be 50% -50% with the Oltenia Energy Complex, and Tinmar, where the shareholding will be 55% Tinmar and 45% the Oltenia Energy Complex."We are going to sign contracts with them in a few weeks, so that we can set up those project companies in the middle of this year. We expect to get the building permits at the beginning of next year, which will be followed by the opening of the building site. We are currently working on obtaining funding and attracting partners," she said.The project for which the Oltenia Energy Complex is still looking for partners is the construction of a gas plant in Isalnita. The process will be relaunched next week, with an announcement in the local and international press.The goal is for the new power plants, with a total capacity of 2,000 MW, to be put into operation, the solar ones in 2024, and the two gas power plants, Isalnita and Turceni, in 2026, Pinta went on to say. (AGERPRES)
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said today that Romania is currently on a downward trend of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the government will therefore come up with "response measures to suit this specific situation."

"Given the evolution of the pandemic, we have discussed and publicly stated that the Health Ministry and the other institutions involved in the management of the pandemic crisis will conduct an analysis after February 15. These assessments have taken place. It is very clear that we have entered a downward line of the fifth wave and I have spoken with Health Minister Rafila to take a concrete look at the situation and come up with suitable measures, taking into account the fact that the effects of the relevant government decision end in early March," Ciuca said at the beginning of the government meeting.The Prime Minister mentioned that "the population has a lot of expectations" and that hopes are that the decreasing trend in the number of infections continues."Yesterday we had over 14,000 infections. We still have more than 1,000 patients in ICUs, but, as I understood from the Minister, there is hope that this downward trend continues, which could lead to another set of measures we should consider at governmental level," he explained. (AGERPRES)
Greece is dynamically supporting Romania's request to join the Schengen area, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is currently paying an official visit to Bucharest, said on Wednesday.

"I would like to reiterate that Greece is dynamically supporting Romania's request to join the Schengen area. This must happen and the benefits for Romania as a result of this integration will be very important. We had the opportunity to discuss the recent developments in the Western Balkans. We believe that all countries in the Western Balkans have a place in Europe and, by cooperating with them, we will facilitate their integration," said Mitsotakis, at the Victoria Palace, after talks with Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca.

He thanked Prime Minister Ciuca for Romania's support to Greece in matters of national interest. The Greek PM referred thus to Turkey's "illegal actions" in the Western Mediterranean.

"I would like to reiterate Greece's fundamental position: Greece always keeps the threat gate closed, but the dialogue gate is open. The tool, as Prime Minister Ciuca also said, for solving problems is international law, not threats," Mitsotak told a joint press conference with Nicolae Ciuca, Agerpres.ro informs.

The Greek Prime Minister also noted that bilateral trade has reached two billion euros, adding that there are "even more important perspectives."

"We have large Greek companies operating in Romania and they want to expand their investment activity and we have many visitors, many tourists, especially Romanian tourists in Greece. We want even more, we want them to exceed 1 million visitors, which was their number in 2019. Greece is already a country open to visitors all year round, not just during the summer months," added Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

He mentioned that a collaboration agreement had been signed in the field of civil protection, highlighting the help offered in "exceptionally difficult situations" by the Romanian firefighters, who proved their "spirit of sacrifice" and professionalism.

"We have the best memories of the heroism of the Romanian firefighters. This heroism was also the starting point of this collaboration in the field of civil protection. We hope that the Romanian firefighters will be present in Greece much more frequently, to collaborate with them including in what concerned the extension of the civil protection mechanism to the European level, by using, of course, the means of air protection and not only," said the Greek Prime Minister.
Police trade unionists are calling for the dismissal of Prahova County Prefect Virgiliu Nanu, following a decision by the County Committee for Emergency Situations (CJSU) concerning the involvement of employees of several public institutions, including the Prahova Police County Inspectorate (IJP), in conducting epidemiological investigations.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday evening by the Police and Contractual Staff National Trade Union (SNPPC), through the decision of CJSU Prahova of February 14 on supplementing the personnel with the Prahova Center for Coordination and Management of Interventions (CJCCI) in charge with data collection for the drawing up of epidemiological surveys in the county, these surveys are carried out "topsy-turvy" by people who do not have specialized training in this regard."Practically, the police officers with IPJ Prahova, planned in service at CJSU Prahova, are required to perform illegally duties that clearly fall within the competence of DSP [the Public Health Directorate] employees. We understand the political obedience of Mr. Chief Commissioner Preda Ginel who hopes to be tenured, whose appointment as Chief Inspector of IPJ Prahova, if the above is confirmed, should immediately cease and the preliminary investigation against him should be launched by the IGPR," shows the cited source.SNPPC refers to the shortage of staff in the police structures, explaining that "every police officer taken from the street means a higher chance that the street will be overrun by criminals"."In this way, we ask Minister [of Internal Affairs] Lucian Bode to order the cessation of this illegal practice, harmful to public health and safety. Next thing you know, we will be equipped with a stethoscope, signature, vaccine doses ... The Prime Minister of Romania must immediately remove from office the Prahova county prefect, who can order, as a representative of the Government in the territory, such aberrations at will, with the endorsement of the county chiefs of arms," the release further mentions. (AGERPRES)
President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday welcomed the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, their meeting's agenda including topical issues on the European, regional and international agenda, also paying a special attention to the Euro-Atlantic security and the increased tensions in the Eastern Vicinity of the European Union, according to the Presidential Administration.

"The President of Romania and the Prime Minister of Greece reaffirmed their strong support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and condemned the actions of the Russian Federation, which break the international law, and deny the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another country. The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining close coordination, both at the level of the EU and at NATO level, in preparing and applying the various measures," informs the Presidential Administration.During the meeting, the two officials reconfirmed on this occasion the excellent state of relations between the two countries and voiced their desire to exploit the high potential of bilateral, European and regional cooperation.The same source shows that the high officials underscored the symbolism of this day: on February 11/23, 1880, 142 years ago, the Consulate General of Greece in Bucharest sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the note by which the Greek state recognized Romania's independence."The President of Romania and the Prime Minister of the Greek Republic appreciated that the bilateral relationship of the two countries benefits from a number of catalytic factors, such as significant economic cooperation, interest in increasing sectoral cooperation, increased mutual investment and implementation of energy interconnection and other infrastructure projects. Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agreed to continue cooperation in the energy field, including in a trilateral format (Romania, Bulgaria, Greece) in order to find solutions together to the current energy security challenges," said the Presidential Administration.The two officials pointed out that the presence of the Romanian community in Greece and of the Greek community in Romania plays a positive role in the development of bilateral relations, to which are added the tourist and cultural exchanges.On the occasion of this visit, President Klaus Iohannis welcomed the signing by the Prime Ministers of Romania and Greece of a joint Declaration on strengthening political, economic and sectoral cooperation between Romania and the Greek Republic, which will have the role of setting a high and pragmatic pace to bilateral cooperation.The Greek Prime Minister thanked President Klaus Iohannis for the support Greece received last summer from Romania in extinguishing the devastating fires that affected Greece and welcomed the efficiency and professionalism of the Romanian firefighters.The Greek official is currently paying an official visit to Bucharest. AGERPRES
President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday is going to participate in the extraordinary meeting of the European Council in Brussels, informs the Presidential Administration, Agerpres.ro informs.

According to the same source, the meeting was convened by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in the context of the recent worrying developments in terms of security at the Ukrainian borders and in the Black Sea region, and the major implications of the decision made by the Russian Federation to recognize the self-proclaimed "independence" of the separatist Ukrainian regions Donetsk and Luhansk and the adoption of the presidential Decree dispatching Russian Army troops to back up separatists in Eastern Ukraine.

The European leaders will discuss the latest developments, the ways to protect the international order based on norms and rules, the way to manage the relation with the Russian Federation and how to hold it accountable for these actions. They will also discuss concrete modalities of support for Ukraine and this country's population.
The government approved today a decision to donate 1,100,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Health Ministry's reserve as free humanitarian aid to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and Libya.

According to a Health Ministry release, the vaccine amounts will be assigned as follows:- 500,000 doses to Pakistan;- 200,000 doses to Bangladesh;- 200,000 doses to Algeria;- 200,000 doses to Libya. (AGERPRES)
The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is paying an official visit to our country, has met Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca at the Victoria Palace.

After the reception in the Hall of Honour of the Victoria Palace, the two officials will have a one-on-one meeting, after which they will participate in the exhibition focusing Romanian-Greek diplomatic relations and the handing over of the album dedicated to the first foreign minister of Modern Romania, Apostol Arsache.A plenary meeting of the two delegations will also take place at the Victoria Palace.The two PMs will sign a joint statement and later they will hold a joint press conference.Earlier, the Greek official was received at the Cotroceni Palace by President Klaus Iohannis. AGERPRES
Romania's Tourism Fair (TTR), the spring edition, is debuting on Thursday in the B2 Pavilion of the Romexpo Exhibition Center, with over 85 companies from the tourism industry participating, and the holiday packages benefit from discounts of up to 50%, Romexpo informs.

The internationalization degree of the fair is 46%, #TTR2022 seeing the attendance of companies from eleven countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Moldova, Palestine, Morocco, Romania, Spain and Hungary."The consultants in tourism expect visitors both with special offers for the spring and summer holidays, as well as with recommendations for safe travel. Tourism packages, all-inclusive or half-board, towards destinations such as: Bulgaria, Croatia, Dubai, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, benefit from discounts of up to 50% at #TTR2022," announce the Romexpo representatives.Consistent discounts can be found also for packages to exotic destinations. Visitors can purchase a trip to Kenya, Mexico, Maldives, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar or Thailand with up to 30% discount, in 4 or 5-star hotels.Romania's Tourism Fair is also offering discounts for European city-breaks, Those interested can buy airplane tickets and accommodation for Italy, France, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Czechia, Belgium or Hungary with up to 20% discount.Moreover, #TTR2022 is also host to deals on holidays in the Danube Delta, on the Romanian littoral or in the most beautiful mountain areas of Romania.The promotions are available for trips purchased during the 4 days of the Fair, within availability, the Romexpo release sent to AGERPRES mentions.
Transelectrica and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will intensify their cooperation in order to consolidate and speed up investments in the Romanian electricity network, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

The technical consultancy, whose role is to facilitate and streamline energy investment processes, was agreed on Wednesday in Bucharest by Gabriel Andronache, President of Transelectrica, Florin Tataru, member of Transelectrica Board, and Christian Kettel Thomsen, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, in charge with energy and lending operations in Romania.

Transelectrica is the National Electricity Transmission Company of Romania and operates high voltage electricity transmission lines, managing a network of 8,931 kilometers, as well as 81 transformer power stations throughout the country. Cooperation with the European Investment Bank will bring together best practices to increase the pace of future investments in the electricity grid, improve the course of auctions and public procurement, as well as the management of energy projects, Agerpres.ro informs.

The European Investment Bank collaborates with Romanian partners in the energy sector to consolidate high-impact energy investments across the country. We are pleased to conclude our first consultancy agreement with Transelectrica to support transformational investments to accelerate future projects needed to increase capacity. Energy investment is essential for meeting climate policies and long-term decarbonisation targets, said Christian Kettel-Thomsen, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, in charge with energy and lending operations in Romania.

In turn, Gabriel Andronache, President of Transelectrica, said that the agreement signed with the European Investment Bank will be an important step in decongesting the processes and accelerating the investments that Transelectrica has foreseen in the 10-year Electric Transmission Network Development Plan.

"At the moment, in order to align ourselves with European targets, the infrastructure of the electricity transmission system requires major, high-impact investments that can make it possible to increase transmission capacity and integrate renewable energy. Therefore, Transelectrica will closely follow new approaches and opportunities, which will exist on the basis of the Consultation Agreement signed with the European Investment Bank," said Andronache.

The European Investment Bank has allocated over 1.2 billion euros to investments in energy all over Romania since 1991.
The National Public Health Institute (INSP) informs on Wednesday that, in the week of February 14 - 20, 43.9% of COVID-19 cases were registered in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Constanta and Ilfov.

According to the Weekly Surveillance Report, 49.8% of confirmed cases were reported in unvaccinated people.Of those vaccinated who fell ill, 47% were either immediately after the jab, or more than six months after the last dose.Also, in the last week, 29.2% of all deaths were recorded in Bucharest, Prahova, Bihor, Iasi and Constanta.83.7% of the registered deaths were in unvaccinated people.Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 86.1% of all deaths have been in people over 60 and 54.6% in men.According to the INSP, 93.4% of the fatalities had at least one underlying condition. (AGERPRES)
Iesha White is so fed up with the U.S. response to COVID-19 that shes seriously considering moving to Europe.

Im that disgusted. The lack of care for each other, to me, its too much, said White, 30, of Los Angeles. She has multiple sclerosis and takes a medicine that suppresses her immune system. As a Black disabled person, I feel like nobody gives a [expletive] about me or my safety.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a strict definition of who is considered moderately or severely immunocompromised, such as cancer patients undergoing active treatment and organ transplant recipients. Still, millions of other people are living with chronic illnesses or disabilities that also make them especially susceptible to the disease. Though vulnerability differs based on each person and their health condition  and can depend on circumstances  catching COVID is a risk they cannot take.

As a result, these Americans who are at high risk  and the loved ones who fear passing along the virus to them  are speaking out about being left behind as the rest of society drops pandemic safeguards such as masking and physical distancing.

Their fears were amplified this month as several Democratic governors, including the leaders of California and New York  places that were out front in implementing mask mandates early on  moved to lift such safety requirements. To many people, the step signaled that normal life was returning. But for people considered immunocompromised or who face high risks from COVID because of other conditions, it upped the level of anxiety.

I know my normal is never going to be normal, said Chris Neblett, 44, of Indiana, Pennsylvania, a kidney transplant recipient who takes immunosuppressive drugs to prevent his body from rejecting his transplanted organ. Im still going to be wearing a mask in public. Im still probably going to go to the grocery store late at night or early in the morning to avoid other people.

He is especially concerned because his wife and young daughter recently tested positive for COVID.

Even though hes fully vaccinated, hes not sure he is protected from the viruss worst outcomes. Neblett participates in a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine study tracking transplant recipients immune response to the vaccine, so he knows his body produced only a low amount of antibodies after the third dose and is waiting on the results of the fourth. For now, hes isolating himself from his wife and two kids for 10 days by staying in his second garage.

I told my wife when COVID first happened, I have to make it to the vaccine, he said. But learning the vaccine hasnt triggered an adequate immune-system response so far is crushing. Your world really changes. You start wondering, Am I going to be a statistic? Am I going to be a number to people that dont seem to care?

Scientists estimate that almost 3% of Americans meet the strict definition of having weakened immune systems, but researchers acknowledge that many more chronically ill and disabled Americans could be severely affected if they catch COVID.

By summer 2021, scientific evidence indicated that immunocompromised people would likely benefit from a third shot, but it took federal agencies time to update their guidance. Even then, only certain groups of immunocompromised people were eligible, leaving others out.

In October, the CDC again quietly revised its vaccine guidance to allow immunocompromised people to receive a fourth COVID vaccine dose, though a recent Kaiser Health News story revealed that pharmacists unaware of this change were still turning away eligible people in January.

People with weakened immune systems or other high-risk conditions argue that now is the time, as the omicron surge subsides, to double down on policies that protect vulnerable Americans like them.

The pandemic isnt over, said Matthew Cortland, a senior fellow working on disability and health care for Data for Progress, who is chronically ill and immunocompromised. There is no reason to believe that another variant wont emerge.  Now is the time, as this omicron wave begins to recede, to pursue policies and interventions that protect chronically ill, disabled, and immunocompromised people so that we arent left behind.

Several people interviewed by Kaiser Health News who are part of this community said that, instead, the opposite is taking place, pointing to a January comment by CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky that implied it was encouraging news that the majority of people dying of COVID were already sick.

The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least four comorbidities, so really these are people who were unwell to begin with, said Walensky, when discussing a study during a television interview that showed the level of protection vaccinated people had against severe illness from COVID. And yes, really encouraging news in the context of omicron.

Although the CDC later said Walenskys remarks were taken out of context, Kendall Ciesemier, a 29-year-old multimedia producer living in Brooklyn, New York, said she was disturbed by the comments.

Walenskys statement sent shock waves through the disability community and the chronic illness community, said Ciesemier, who has had two liver transplants.

It was saying the quiet part out loud, she added, noting that though it was likely a gaffe, the strong reaction to it stemmed from this holistic feeling that these communities have not been prioritized during the pandemic and it feels like our lives are acceptable losses.

When asked by a Kaiser Health News reporter at the Feb. 9 White House COVID press briefing what she wanted to convey to people who feel they are being left behind, Walensky didnt offer a clear answer.

We, of course, have to make recommendations that are, you know, relevant for New York City and rural Montana, she said, adding that they have to be relevant for the public, but also for the public who is immunocompromised and disabled. And so, that  all of those considerations are taken into account as we work on our guidance.

Although the CDC currently recommends that vaccinated people continue to wear masks indoors if they are in a place with high or substantial COVID transmission  which includes most of the U.S.  federal officials have indicated this guidance may be updated soon.

We want to give people a break from things like mask-wearing, when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen, said Walensky during a Feb. 16 White House COVID briefing, when discussing whether CDCs COVID prevention policies would be altered soon.

But theres no mask break in sight for Dennis Boen, a 67-year-old retiree who has had three kidney transplants. Because his community of Wooster, Ohio, already lacks a mask mandate and few residents voluntarily wear masks, he hasnt felt comfortable returning to many of the social events that he enjoys.

I quit going to my Rotary Club that Ive been a part of for decades, Boen said. I went once in the summer to a picnic outside and it was like the people who didnt believe [in COVID] or didnt care werent wearing masks and they werent giving me any space. Therefore, it was just easier to not go.

Charis Hill, a 35-year-old disability activist in Sacramento, California, has postponed two surgeries, a hysterectomy, and an umbilical hernia repair for over a year because Hill didnt feel safe. Delaying has meant Hill has had to take additional medications and eat only certain foods. The surgeries are scheduled for March 21, but now that Californias mask mandate has lifted, Hill is thinking about delaying the procedures again.

I feel disposable. As if my life doesnt have value, said Hill, who is living with axial spondyloarthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease, and takes immune-suppressing medication. I am tired of constantly being told that I should just stay home and let the rest of the world move on.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Expectant U.S. women died in greater numbers during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, either during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth, a new federal study reports.

This increase hit Black women particularly hard. They had a maternal death rate about three times that of white women, according to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics study.

One-third of U.S. women who died during pregnancy or in the first six weeks after delivery in 2020 were Black, even though Black Americans constitute about 13% of the total U.S. population.

The overall number of maternal deaths went up 14% during the first year of the pandemic, from 754 in 2019 to 861 in 2020. This was fueled largely by the increased rate of maternal deaths among Black and Hispanic women, the report says.

Dr. Denise Jamieson, an obstetrician at Emory University in Atlanta, told The New York Times she was not surprised by the increases.

"We actually said when the lockdown started that we anticipated an increase in maternal deaths, both due to COVID and the responses to COVID," said Jamieson, a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' COVID expert group.

Pregnant women are at greater risk for severe COVID-19, but the U.S. health system also failed to adapt to COVID in a way that protected their health while expecting, Jamieson said.

Many doctors stopped seeing patients in person, and hospitals were often so flooded with COVID-19 patients it was hard to find a bed, Jamieson told the Times. Pregnant women taking care of kids at home couldn't get away for checkups.

Also, COVID vaccines weren't available to these women in 2020.

Other experts said the stress of the pandemic caused mood disorders, other mental health problems and substance abuse to increase, which might have contributed to worse outcomes.

The nation's maternal mortality rate reached 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, up from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.

That rate compares to fewer than two deaths per 100,000 live births in Norway and New Zealand and just below nine deaths per 100,000 live births in France and Canada, according to the Times.

More information

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has tips for a healthy pregnancy.

SOURCE: The New York Times, Feb. 23, 2022

Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.
Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey, during her trial in April 2019. Sorokin is the subject of a new Netflix miniseries. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Maybe she had so much money she just lost track of it. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding.

Thats how Anna Sorokins marks explained away the supposed German heiresss strange requests to sleep on their couch for the night, or to put plane tickets on their credit cards, which she would then forget to pay back.

The subject of a new Netflix series, Inventing Anna, Sorokin, who told people her name was Anna Delvey, conned over $250,000 out of wealthy acquaintances and high-end Manhattan businesses between 2013 and 2017. It turns out her lineage was a mirage. Instead, she was an intern at a fashion magazine who came from a working-class family of Russian immigrants.

Yet the people around her were quick to accept her odd explanations, even creating excuses for her that strained credulity. The details of the Sorokin case mirror those from another recent Netflix production, The Tinder Swindler, which tells the story of an Israeli conman named Simon Leviev. Leviev persuaded women he met on the dating app to lend him large sums of money with similarly unbelievable claims: He was a billionaire whose enemies were trying to track him down and, for security reasons, couldnt use his own credit cards.

How is it that so many people could have been gullible enough to buy the fantastical stories spun by Sorokin and Leviev? And why, even when [t]he red flags were everywhere  as one of Sorokins marks put it  did people continue to believe these grifters, spend their time with them and agree to lend them money?

As a social psychologist who has written a book about our surprising power of persuasion, I dont see this as an unusual glitch of human nature. Rather, I view the stories about Sorokin and Leviev as examples of bad actors exploiting the social processes people rely on every day for efficient and effective human communication and cooperation.

To trust is to be human

Despite the belief that people are skeptics by nature, primed to shout gotcha! at any mistake or faux pas, this simply isnt the case. Research shows that people tend to default to trusting others over distrusting them, believing them over doubting them and going along with someones self-presentation rather than embarrassing them by calling them out.

Elle Dee, a DJ whom Delvey once asked to pick up a 35,000-euro bar tab, described the ease with which people went along with Delveys claims: I dont think she even had to try that hard. Despite her utterly unsound story, people were all-too-eager to buy it.

It still might be hard to believe that people in Sorokins circle would willingly hand over their money to someone they hardly knew.

Yet psychologists have watched participants hand over their money to complete strangers for many years across hundreds of experiments. In these studies, participants are told they are taking part in various types of investment games in which they are given the opportunity to hand over their money to another participant in the hopes of receiving a return on their investment.

Whats fascinating about these studies is that most participants are cynical about ever seeing their money again  let alone any returns on their investment  and yet they still hand it over. In other words, despite deep reservations, they still choose to trust a complete stranger.

Simon Leviev wooed women on the dating app Tinder before persuading them to give him access to cash and credit cards. Tore Kristiansen/AFP via Getty Images

Theres something deeply human about this impulse. Humans are social creatures, and trusting one another is baked into our DNA. As psychologist David Dunning and his colleagues have pointed out, without trust it is hard to imagine endeavors like Airbnb, car shares or a working democracy having any success.

Lies are the exception, not the norm

Of course, Sorokins requests were often accompanied by elaborate explanations and justifications, and you might wonder why so few people seemed to doubt the veracity of her claims. Yet just as trust is a default of human interaction, a presumption of sincerity is a default expectation of basic communication.

This maxim of communication was first proposed by Paul Grice, an influential philosopher of language. Grice argued that communication is a cooperative endeavor. Understanding one another requires working together. And to do that, there must be some ground rules, one of which is that both parties are telling the truth.

Sorokin  then known to her acquaintances as Anna Delvey  appears, far right, at a fashion award ceremony in New York City in 2014. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

In an era of truthiness and fake news, such a premise may seem absurd and nave. But people lie far less than you might think; in fact, if the default assumption were that the person you were talking to was lying, communication would be nearly impossible. If I challenged you on whether you read every book you claimed to have read, or whether the steak you had last night was really overcooked, wed never get anywhere.

Researchers have found experimental evidence for what is sometimes called the truth default. In one series of studies, researchers asked participants to evaluate whether statements were true or false. Sometimes the participants were interrupted so they couldnt fully process the statements. This allowed the researchers to get at peoples default assumption: When in doubt, would they default to belief or disbelief?

It turns out that when participants werent able to fully process statements, they tended to simply assume they were true.

A reluctance to accuse

Even if Sorokins marks were to doubt her story, its unlikely that they would have called her out on it.

The sociologist Erving Goffmans classic theory of facework argues that it is as uncomfortable for us to call someone else out  to suggest they arent who they are presenting themselves to be  as it is to be the person called out. Even when people see someone doing something they disagree with, theyre loath to say anything.

Other studies have explored this phenomenon. One found that people hesitate to call others out for using racist language they disagree with or for sexual harassment.

As much as youd like to believe that if you were in the shoes of Sorokins and Levievs targets you would have been emboldened to blow the lid off the whole charade, chances are that rather than make things uncomfortable for everyone, youd simply go along with it.

The tendency to trust, believe and go along with other peoples explanations of events may seem disadvantageous. And its true, these inclinations can expose people. But without trust, there is no cooperation; without assuming others are telling the truth, there is no communication; and without accepting people for what they present to the world, there is no foundation on which to build a relationship.

In other words, the very features that look like glitches when exploited are in fact the very essence of what it means to be human.

___

Vanessa Bohns receives funding from the National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with the Academy of Management.

Youre smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversations authors and editors. You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter.

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Illinois law enforcement agencies announced a large increase in drugs and weapons seizures last year in an effort to address opioid and meth addiction across the state.

Agents statewide seized nearly 400% more fentanyl, over 260% more heroin and over 190% more methamphetamine in fiscal year 2021  July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021  than they did in fiscal year 2020.

Generally speaking, police drug seizures increase scarcity, which can slow consumption, according to Richard Wright, professor emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis criminology department.

But scarcity also drives up prices, which in turn can entice others to enter the drug-selling market, he said.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly noted the drugs seized were valued at $71 million.

I think what were seeing is while weve all been focused on a pandemic, and rightly so, theres also been an epidemic which has continued across this country where the cycle of addiction is still a major challenge, he said during a news conference Wednesday announcing the seizure totals.

The Metropolitan Enforcement Groups represent a collaborative effort among state, federal and local law enforcement agencies to enforce Illinois drug laws and investigate street gang activity.

MEGs partners with several community groups as well as the Statewide Terrorism Intelligence Center to focus on felony-level drug distribution and trafficking.

According to Kelly, MEGs agents in nine units closed approximately 1,131 cases out of the 1,404 they opened. During those investigations, they made 2,229 seizures of illegally possessed cannabis, cocaine, crack, ecstasy, fentanyl and carfentanyl, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, pharmaceuticals, psilocybin and other drugs.

They also made 878 arrests for either delivery or possession of those illegal substances, in addition to 68 gang-crime related arrests.

Master Sgt. Elbert Jennings, head of Illinois State Polices Division of Criminal Investigation zone six, said MEG of Southern Illinois covers Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties.

Agents from that zone opened 229 investigations and closed 218 cases, with about 570 ongoing investigations. They also made 278 illegal drug seizures.

Illinois State Police Sgt. Erik Bethel directs the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, which covers Williamson, Johnson and Jackson counties. Agents there opened 107 investigations, made 107 seizures of illegal drugs and closed 42 cases.

They made 48 arrests for either delivery or possession of those illegal substances.

The announcement of the seizure totals follows a deadly weekend of overdose deaths in St. Louis Central West End earlier this month where seven people died from suspected fentanyl overdoses in a two-block area. A woman was charged that week with distributing the drugs.

Fentanyl is an unpredictable synthetic drug 50 times stronger than heroin.

During the media event Monday, Kelly noted that while the opioid epidemic began with pharmaceutical drugs, drug cartels saw they had a large populace in the U.S. who would buy their product.

Nine times out of 10, the precursor (ingredients) that make the fentanyl are coming from China, they manufacture it and put it all together in labs in Mexico, then it makes its way up the interstates and into our communities, he said.

Kelly said there are two main causes for the seizure increases, one being the increase of drugs brought into the area by the cartel and the other being a focus in law enforcement to confront the epidemic.

Kelly also noted state legislators expanded MEGs jurisdiction at the beginning of this year to include the investigation and enforcement of human trafficking, gun laws and violations of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.

The nine MEGs units encompass 20 Illinois counties.

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Liz Miller and Beth O'Malley talk with reporter Josh Renaud about his experience finding a security problem with a Missouri state website, reporting the issue and having Gov. Mike Parson accuse him of "hacking" the website.

Renaud was the focus of an investigation, but the Cole County prosecutor declined to charge him. Plus, Liz and Beth talk to Josh about his STEM and robotics work with area youth as well as his Star Trek fandom, including his 2016 story titled, "50 reasons we still love 'Star Trek.'"

Liz and Beth also chat about the Loop trolley and the upcoming miniseries about Pam Hupp.

Read more about the stories we discussed:

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ST. LOUIS  The death of a 57-year-old man five months after he was injured in a shooting in July in north St. Louis has been ruled a homicide, St. Louis police said.

Curtis Banks, of Spanish Lake, was shot in the leg in the 3500 block of Clarence Avenue about 10:40 p.m. July 27, according to St. Louis police.

Officers found Banks in an alley at the scene in the Greater Ville neighborhood with several gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Five months later on January 10, Banks died at a rehab center, police said. Banks lived in the 1400 block of Cove Lane in the Spanish Lake area of north St. Louis County.

The St. Louis Medical Examiners Office on Tuesday ruled the death a delayed homicide."

The death will be added to the 2021 St. Louis homicide count maintained by police, which today sits at 198.

Police ask anyone with information on the shooting to contact detectives at 314-444-5371. Anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous can contact CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.

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ST. LOUIS  A man from St. Louis has been arrested on charges connected to the armed robbery of a Kohl's store in Manchester last year, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Mercedes W. Gregory, 33, pleaded not guilty Feb. 16 to charges of robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and another robbery-related gun charge.

Prosecutors say on July 12, 2021, Gregory entered the Kohl's store and began stealing merchandise. He pulled a gun when confronted in the parking lot by a Kohl's loss prevention officer, they said.

He faces robbery charges in St. Louis County Circuit Court and gun and escape charges in St. Louis Circuit Court.

Gregory was being taken to the hospital from the St. Louis City Justice Center on July 13, 2021 when he escaped, officials said at the time. He was arrested later in Florissant.

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ST. LOUIS  A local chain of pubs says a ghost kitchen company in Chicago is confusing customers by using a deceptively similar name.

Three Kings Public House started in the Delmar Loop in 2011 and now has locations in Des Peres and south St. Louis County. It also has a restaurant and quick-service concept, Biscuits, Beer & BBQ, at St. Louis Lambert International Airport listed as temporarily closed.

In a trademark lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Tuesday, lawyers for Three Kings say that a Chicago-based ghost kitchen concept named Three Kings Pub by Dirk Flanigan is confusing customers.

Ghost kitchens are existing restaurants that also make food for delivery using the recipes and names of celebrities or celebrity chefs. They pop up as options when someone tries to order food through food delivery apps, such as Grubhub.

The lawsuit says a local customer was unable to order from Three Kings Pub last year because he or she was told that delivery was not available in St. Louis, and other customers have likely been confused as well.

Three Kings Pub by Dirk Flanigan does not deliver to the St. Louis area, based on the Foodhaul website, which features two Dirk Flanigan-branded ghost kitchens. Flanigan is a chef in Chicago.

The lawsuit says Urban Entrees LLC, which does business as Foodhaul, brazenly appropriated Plaintiffs trademark to capitalize on Plaintiffs many years of success and rode on the coattails of Plaintiffs goodwill to deceive consumers.

Representatives of Foodhaul did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.

Foodhaul CEO Bill Stavrou told Modern Restaurant Management a year ago that ghost kitchens helped struggling restaurants increase revenue during the pandemic.

Stavrou said the company was seeking to expand in smaller markets in the Midwest.

The suit asks a judge to bar Urban Entrees LLC from using Three Kings Public House, Three Kings or Three Kings Pub.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Officials in Missouris 13 cities that have casinos called Wednesday for a stronger crackdown on illegal gambling machines that have flooded the state in recent years.

Members of the Missouri Home Dock City Association said Attorney General Eric Schmitt, county prosecutors and law enforcement agencies should move aggressively to enforce laws prohibiting unregulated and untaxed slot machines in convenience stores, bars and truck stops.

Only Missouris voters can decide where gambling can take place legally in our state, and currently that is limited to our 13 state-licensed riverboat casinos, said Maryland Heights Mayor Mike Moeller, who is president of the coalition.

The state Constitution prevents gambling outside of regulations set by the states gaming commission.

But companies such as Wildwood-based Torch Electronics have placed as many as 14,000 machines in gas stations and other establishments.

The Missouri Highway Patrol has said that the slot machines are illegal, but prosecution has been spotty. And the Legislature has not moved on the issue amid intense lobbying from politically connected consultants who are on Torchs payroll.

For more than a decade, a handful of companies have ignored this voter-approved structure by placing thousands of illegal gaming machines in gas stations, truck stops and other venues of convenience. These illegal gambling machines have evaded state regulatory and transparency rules and fail to deliver on the job creation and economic development required by the Missouri Constitution and state law, Moeller said.

The resolution approved by the group follows a similar announcement by the Missouri Municipal League in November.

In the Capitol, lawmakers have compared Torch with an illegal drug dealer, calling the argument its video gaming devices arent games of chance loose and fictitious.

The Senate is considering Senate Bill 632, which would state clearly that an illegal gambling device is one not regulated by state gambling authorities that involves cash payouts. It bans individuals and companies convicted of illegal gambling from participating in any future expansion of legal video gambling in the state.

It requires the Missouri Gaming Commission to refer tips to the Missouri Highway Patrol, which would be required to investigate.

The legislation also threatens the liquor licenses of establishments that gaming authorities or law enforcement report as in possession of an illegal gambling device.

The Home Dock Cities Association said more needs to be done by police and prosecutors.

Its high time our states law enforcement community remove these machines from our local communities and hold the manufacturers accountable instead of allowing them to put millions of dollars into key legislators pockets to change the laws without a vote of the people, Mayor Moeller said. To date, Missouri state legislators have rejected all such demands.

Originally posted at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23

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JEFFERSON CITY  U.S. Sen Josh Hawley is doubling down on his support for U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzlers Senate campaign, with the two teaming up this week to launch a joint fundraising account.

At the same time, Sen. Roy Blunt, the man Hartzler wants to replace in the U.S. Senate, is staying quiet on the crowded GOP primary to fill his seat.

Im going to support the Republican nominee, Blunt said Wednesday when asked whether he would vote for former Gov. Eric Greitens, and whether he thought the ex-governor was fit for office. I hope that this works itself out without my involvement.

Blunt made the remarks to reporters following a speech he delivered Wednesday morning to members of the Missouri House.

He also rejected an effort by former Sen. John Danforth, R-Mo., to recruit a center-right Republican to run as an independent for the Senate seat.

The Republican candidate needs to be the candidate that Missouri Republicans and conservatives rally around, Blunt said. Ill be supporting the Republican candidate.

Hawley endorsed Hartzler this month at the state GOPs annual Lincoln Days event. Both of their campaigns have paid political consulting firm OnMessage.

The paperwork for the joint Hawley-Hartzler fundraising committee, called the Hawley Show-Me Strong Committee, is being filed with the Federal Election Commission, according to a Hawley campaign staffer.

Josh Hawley is the top champion for Missouri conservatives, and we are honored hes going all in for Vicky with the Show-Me Strong Committee, said Michael Hafner, campaign manager for Hartzler.

Hawley can use the joint fundraising committee to tap his donor network to support Hartzler.

Recent polling by Remington Research Group showed Greitens leading the Republican primary field, with Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Hartzler close behind.

The rest of the well-known GOP candidates include U.S. Rep. Billy Long of Springfield; St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey; and Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan.

Some Republicans have expressed concern that if Greitens is nominated, the party could lose Blunts seat to the Democrats, given Greitens scandals surrounding his extramarital affair and alleged campaign finance violations.

Hartzler, after she signed paperwork on Tuesday to run for Senate, made the most pointed anti-Greitens remarks in the Senate campaign so far.

Its not conservative to tie a woman up in your basement and to assault her, and to bring shame and disgrace on our state. And he did. Missouri deserves better, Hartzler said.

She also said she would support the Republican nominee in the general election unless its Eric Greitens.

Said Greitens on Tuesday, No matter what the mainstream media does, no matter what the Republican establishment does, no matter what the left does, were going to win this race.

Originally posted at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23

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Races for county executive in St. Louis and St. Charles counties formally kicked off Tuesday, with incumbents Sam Page and Steve Ehlmann and two well-funded challengers, Shamed Dogan and Bob Onder, signing up to run as expected.

But there were also other entries in the contests Tuesday, the first day candidates could formally file for this years August-November election cycle.

In St. Louis County, Katherine Pinner, a Republican from South County, filed to take on Dogan, a state representative from Ballwin, in the Aug. 2 GOP primary.

In St. Charles County, Michael Carter, Wentzvilles municipal judge, and Arnie Dienoff of OFallon made it a four-way GOP primary by registering to take on Ehlmann, the four-term incumbent from St. Charles, and Onder, a state senator from Lake Saint Louis.

Dienoff has been a frequent candidate for various offices over the years.

Page, from Creve Coeur, so far is unopposed in the Democratic primary in St. Louis County. No Democrats filed for the post in St. Charles County.

Meanwhile, in Jefferson County, Republican County Executive Dennis Gannon of De Soto filed for a second term Tuesday, drawing no first-day opposition in either major party.

In St. Louis County, Dogan  the only Black Republican in the Missouri Legislature  has said he hopes to build a coalition of Republicans and voters in the heavily Democratic, majority-Black north St. Louis County.

Page won a four-way Democratic primary in 2020 and easily defeated his GOP challenger in November of that year. Pinner, Dogans newly declared GOP primary foe, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Also in St. Louis County, County Councilwoman Rita Heard Days and her previously announced Democratic primary opponent, Jennings City Councilman Terry Wilson, both filed in the 1st District.

Former state Rep. Vicki Lorenz Englund, D-Sunset Hills, filed for the 3rd District council seat held by Republican Tim Fitch of West County.

Mark Harder, the GOP 7th District incumbent from Ballwin, got Democratic opposition in Kristine Callis of Chesterfield, the director of education, research and outreach for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

Harder also filed for reelection Tuesday. So did 5th District Councilwoman Lisa Clancy of Maplewood, County Prosecutor Wesley Bell of Clayton and Assessor Jake Zimmerman of Olivette, all Democrats.

In St. Charles County, all four County Council members up for reelection drew GOP primary opposition. Among the challengers are former Wentzville Alderman Matt Swanson, who is running against 1st District incumbent Joe Cronin of St. Paul.

In Jefferson County, term-limited state Sen. Paul Wieland of Imperial filed to run for collector of revenue against GOP incumbent Michelle Worth of Festus.

County Clerk Ken Waller, a Republican and a former county executive, is giving up the clerks job to run instead for state representative.

Running to succeed him in the GOP primary are Jeannie Goff of De Soto, Wallers chief of staff and a 30-year-plus employee in the office, and Jeremy Day of Imperial, who lost to Waller in 2018.

In St. Louis, Collector of Revenue Gregory F.X. Daly and License Collector Mavis Thompson, both Democrats, filed for reelection.

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ST. LOUIS  Despite a prosecutors decision earlier this month not to file charges against a Post-Dispatch reporter who found a vulnerability in a state education department database, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson reiterated Tuesday that he believed the reporter committed a crime.

Speaking at a business ribbon-cutting event in St. Louis, Parson said he still had questions about the Post-Dispatch and reporter Josh Renauds discovery that teachers Social Security numbers could be exposed to the public due to flaws on a website maintained by the states Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Why did you take peoples personal information out? Parson said to reporters after the ceremony. If you just wanted to disclose theres a problem, OK, you could have done that without taking anybodys personal information. Thats where the real problem is, and I think the answer still has to be said: Wheres that information at? Whatd they do with those peoples personal information? We dont know.

Parsons comments came a day after the release of a Missouri Highway Patrol investigation into the incident, which indicated that the flaw allowing a member of the public to access teacher Social Security numbers with a publicly available decoding application had been around since 2011. The police report included an interview with a state information technology employee who said the data should have been encrypted but wasnt.

According to the Highway Patrol, Renaud told investigators he did not retain any of the exposed Social Security numbers. Renaud had verified with three teachers that the numbers included in the database code were Social Security numbers, and he said he did not share the numbers with anyone else.

Renaud, a data reporter for the newspaper working to compile teacher certification information from publicly available data, told the state of the flaw in October, and the newspaper delayed publication of his story until the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education could correct the problem. Education officials initially planned to thank Renaud in a statement, according to records obtained by the newspaper.

But the day after publishing, Parson held a news conference declaring Renaud a hacker and said his office had referred the matter to the Cole County prosecutor. Later, a political action committee aligned with Parson ran an ad congratulating the governor for standing up to the fake news media.

Parson has cited a state statute that says computer tampering occurs if a person without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he has such authorization discloses or takes data, or accesses a computer network and intentionally examines personal information.

A cybersecurity expert has called the states website configuration a serious flaw, and emails obtained through open records requests indicate an FBI official told state officials that it was not an actual network intrusion.

Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson on Feb. 11 said he would not pursue charges against Renaud, saying there was an argument to be made the law was violated but that the the issues at the heart of the investigation have been resolved through non-legal means.

Parson said Tuesday it was Thompsons decision to make but reiterated his belief that Renaud did break the law.

(Thompson) never did say the law wasnt broken, Parson said. He didnt say that at all. He basically said he didnt want to pursue it because of the expense to the taxpayers in Cole County.

Responding to a question from Kevin Killeen, a reporter for KMOX (1120 AM), about whether he owed the Post-Dispatch an apology, Parson said most certainly not.

I think theres a lot of political hype to this, but the bottom line is, the people I think that should be real concerned is, who got the information? Parson said. Who are the people that somebody took their information, and whatd they do with it? I mean, if anybody had to apologize, I would be thinking that somebody would be apologizing to them for taking their personal information out because nobody has a right to do that.

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St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said Wednesday morning that he will be ending the countys mask mandate at 8 a.m. Monday.

As COVID-19 numbers in the region continue to decline, Page said he was now moving to a recommendation  not an order  that people wear face coverings.

Page made his announcement at a news briefing Wednesday. He walked to the microphone wearing a mask and removed it before talking.

The virus remains very much among us, but its not nearly at the dangerous levels it was just two months ago, he said.

At the beginning of January, the countys seven-day average of daily new cases was 2,700. Today, the county is down to under 130, he said. The positivity rate is now under 10% after being three times higher, Page said. And hospitals are reporting relief in their COVID admissions and intensive-care units.

Based on these trends, we are confident we can end our mask mandate on Monday, he said. Im announcing it today to give our schools and businesses time to determine how they want to move forward.

Missouri Attorney General Schmitt, who has challenged the mask mandate in court, said in a statement that Page was rescinding an already illegal mandate.

Schmitt has argued that people should have the freedom to choose what is best for them and their families.

The government has no authority to force them to wear a mask or get vaccinated, Schmitt said in January.

At his news conference Wednesday, Page recounted the highlights of the countys response to COVID-19, including how the states first confirmed case was in the county and the ups and downs with mask rules.

As an elected official, I could have taken the easy road and done nothing, but as a doctor, theres no way I could do that, Page said. Ive taken grief from COVID deniers and listened to anti-vaxxers spread their dangerous lies and misinformation. Criticism always comes with the job.

Page said he was cautiously optimistic about how things are going.

With the mask mandate, a continued effort to get more people vaccinated and the virus weakening, were in a much better place today, Page said.

Sixty-two percent of county residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and a total 70% have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

The mandate required face coverings in public places indoors and on public transportation for vaccinated and unvaccinated people ages 5 and older. Despite the order, many people could be seen ignoring it and there wasnt really an enforcement mechanism in place.

Missouri has not had a statewide mask requirement, but St. Louis County was among local Democratic-led jurisdictions with one.

Nick Dunne, a spokesman for St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, didnt say whether the city has similar plans to end the mandate early. The citys current indoor mask mandate is set to expire March 6 and we are deferring to the expertise of the (city) health department for the next steps.

Were going to continue to talk with them, Dunne said.

Mask mandates have ignited public debate and confusion about the legality and enforceability of such orders.

Last Friday, a judge turned down 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.

The same allegation had been made by St. Louis County Republicans and vocal anti-mask and anti-vaccine mandate protesters who had packed weekly County Council meetings to complain about the mask order.

Council Republicans Tim Fitch, Mark Harder and Ernie Trakas have not worn masks in council chambers and argued that the order was unenforceable because a county judge had barred the county from applying criminal penalties for violation.

On Tuesday, Trakas asked the council to vote to overturn the mask mandate  immediately.

Page had said last week that he would lift the mask mandate by the end of the month because health officials expected COVID-19 cases to decline to moderate levels.

Trakas said they were late to the party by a longshot.

We have in St. Louis County a mandate in name only, he said.

You go into any retail store, any restaurant, any location where people are gathered, and people are unmasked  so lets just do what is long overdue and undo what should have never been done.

The vote failed 3-4 along party lines. Democrats Rita Days, Lisa Clancy, Kelli Dunaway and Shalonda Webb voted against the move.

On Wednesday, Fitch argued Page had no power to lift the mask mandate alone but wanted to take credit.

A County Council majority of Democrats had voted Jan. 4 to approve the mask mandate; Fitch argued another council vote would be required to end it.

If there was truly a mask mandate in place, it was enacted by the council, not by Sam Page, Fitch said. How can Sam Page undo what the council had to vote in?

Still, Page said Wednesday the mandate could return.

We would need to see an extraordinary rise in cases again, he said. We would need to hear the Pandemic Task Force, the CDC and our public Health Department sounding the alarm. Right now, we dont see anything like that in the future. But well listen and well watch.

St. Louis County offers COVID-19 testing and vaccination at its three public health clinics. Appointments can be made at ReviveSTL.com.

Mark Schlinkmann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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Kim Bell Kim Bell is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Kim Bell 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
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Republican Party moved Wednesday to block a sitting lawmaker from running in the 2022 election.

Rep. Patricia Derges, R-Nixa, had been seeking to run for a seat in the Legislature despite facing federal Medicaid fraud charges since last year.

But the party said it would not accept a required filing fee from the southwest Missouri lawmaker to get on the August primary election ballot.

The MOGOP has refused the filing fee from Derges, said Charlie Dalton, the partys executive director. We will reevaluate the situation once her case has gone through the court process.

The partys decision marks the latest setback for Derges, an assistant physician who was stripped of her committee assignments in the House and given an office in a broom closet in the Capitol after the federal charges were lodged against her.

Prosecutors say Derges administered amniotic fluid, which she falsely claimed contained stem cells, as a treatment for patients who suffered from various diseases, including erectile dysfunction, Lyme disease and urinary incontinence.

A trial is set for June 6, which is about three weeks after the current legislative session is scheduled to end. Filing for the August primary ends March 29.

Derges license to prescribe narcotics also was placed on probation for three years with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

It wasnt immediately clear whether Derges was planning to run for the House or Senate. She earlier said she was eyeing a seat in the state Senate.

She could not be reached for comment in the Capitol Wednesday.

It is not the first time political parties have blocked lawmakers from getting on the primary ballot.

The GOP Tuesday also rejected the filing fee submitted by Steve West, who wanted to run for a Kansas City-area House district, over anti-Semitic comments he has made.

Wests past comments are vile and conflict with the fundamental values of our platform, the party said in an announcement.

In 2018, the Missouri Democratic Party used a similar maneuver to block former Rep. Courtney Curtis, D-Ferguson, from running for a seat in the Senate because he had not paid more than $114,000 in fines for violating numerous state campaign finance laws.

Curtis sued to challenge the decision but lost in a case that went to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Originally posted at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23

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CLAYTON  A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a new St. Louis County Council district map after county Republicans and Democrats failed to reach agreement before a deadline last fall.

The map, ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Nannette A. Baker, sets the district lines for the next decade by making as few changes as possible while coming within a difference of 74 people between each districts population. Federal laws require redistricting commissions to make districts as close in population and as geographically compact as possible.

But the map draws Councilman Tim Fitch out of the district he was elected to represent.

Fitch, a Republican who has represented the 3rd District for the past four years, will have to move at least a mile south in order to run for reelection as he had planned.

It wasnt entirely unexpected.

A year ago, Fitch moved from Fenton, in the southern half of the 3rd district, to his new residence, in a condominium at the southeast corner of Olive Boulevard and Highway 141, near the north edge of the district. The condominium was less than a quarter mile from the north edge along Olive and less than a mile from the west edge.

During the redistricting process last year, Fitchs residency became one of the major points of disagreement for the Bipartisan Reapportionment Commission.

Republicans argued that Fitch could not be drawn out of the district and accused Democrats of purposefully drawing him out of the district so he couldnt run for reelection when they similarly shifted the north edge southward.

But shifting the border on Olive southward met federal redistricting equity goals while allowing for as few changes to each of the districts as possible, Baker said. The map is more statistically compact and equal in population than the proposals put forward by the countys Bipartisan Reapportionment Commission.

In the new map, Fitch now resides in the 2nd District, a majority-Democratic area represented by Kelli Dunaway.

To me, its no big deal, he said.

He said he purposefully did not file for reelection on Tuesday, the opening date for filing for the 2022 elections, because he was waiting to see what the judge would decide.

We were waiting to see what the judge did, he said.

Former state Rep. Vicki Lorenz Englund, D-Sunset Hills, filed for the 3rd District council seat on Tuesday.

Fitch declined to confirm whether he would move to run against Englund but emphasized that he had plenty of time and flexibility to decide.

All options are on the table at this point, Fitch said.

Candidates have until March 29 to file for the August primary. And his lease is up in October, giving him three months to move back into the district if he wins reelection in November.

Im not tied to my current address, he said. I certainly have time on my side.

The court-ordered map also keeps Black majorities in the 1st and 2nd districts. A Democratic proposal to keep municipalities intact would have upended a Black majority in the 1st District, spurring criticism from incumbent Rita Days, the current council chair.

The court took over the redistricting process after Republicans and Democrats on the county redistricting commission failed to negotiate how to redraw the lines.

Agreement would have required at least nine votes of approval for a map, meaning at least two Republicans or two Democrats would have had to vote with the other partys representatives.

The last time the commission successfully drew County Council lines was in 1971. The last four iterations of the commission failed to reach agreement and kicked the issue to federal judges, who have drawn County Council lines each decade since 1981.

Redistricting is required every 10 years to try to ensure the seven County Council districts are as equal in population as possible. Voters in each district elect one representative to the council, the countys legislative body.

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CLAYTON  Gender expression will be added to anti-discrimination protections for St. Louis County employees under a new law that also extends the coverage to contractors and non-civil service workers.

The bill, sponsored by Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, won final approval from the County Council on Tuesday night in a 4-3 vote along party lines.

Voting with Clancy were Councilwomen Kelli Dunaway, D-2nd District, Shalonda Webb, D-4th District, and Rita Days, D-1st District.

Councilmen Tim Fitch, R-3rd District, Mark Harder, R-7th District, and Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, voted against the bill but did not talk about the decision during the public meeting.

Among other changes, the legislation adds language to the countys nondiscrimination ordinances clarifying protections for gender expression, or the way someone expresses their identity outwardly.

The bill was praised by both PROMO, a state advocacy group for LGBTQ equality, and the Human Rights Campaign.

PROMO is proud to stand behind St. Louis County in choosing to protect all employees, PROMO senior director of policy Shira Berkowitz said in a news release.

Everyone needs to be able to earn a living, including those who are transgender and gender expansive. Employees should be judged on their qualifications, experience, and the job they do  nothing more and nothing less.

The Human Rights Campaign, a national advocacy group, also praised the bill as a major step forward for LGBTQ+ people and people of color in St. Louis County.

It provides clear, unquestionable protections against discrimination for County employees and better ensures that those in need of County services will be able to access them, said Sarah Warbelow, legal director.

The bill also extends the countys nondiscrimination protections to non-civil service employees, to include contractors and others, Clancy said.

I think we all believe that there is no place for discrimination in St. Louis County and that our non-civil service employees deserve protection from discrimination under county law as much as any other employee, Clancy said Tuesday night before asking the council to vote.

Clancy also said the countys past revisions to anti-discrimination had been piecemealed.

This cleans up a lot of that piecemeal approach to make sure that our ordinance provide fairness, clarity and consistency, she said.

County Executive Sam Page said in a tweet Wednesday that he will sign the bill.

We must be an inclusive workplace for all, he said.

Fitch, in an interview, said he voted against the bill because he thought the protections Clancy mentioned were already covered by the current ordinances.

Im for any kind of anti-discrimination rules, but to carve out and add language into this bill wasnt necessary because the protections already exist, he said.

Harder and Trakas did not respond to a request for comment.

Originally posted at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23.

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Natural gas service for the entire town of Potosi was knocked out Tuesday  leaving officials worried that outages could last days even as winter weather moved into the area.

Joseph Blount, mayor of the Washington County town of roughly 2,500 people about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis, said the outages affected about 1,000 local households and businesses and close to 3,000 people in total.

By midday, officials were scrambling: The Red Cross helped set up an emergency shelter at Potosi Southern Baptist Church. Gas personnel from outside areas drove in to assist getting service back up and running. Officials estimated the town could be without gas for as many as three days.

By 6 p.m., workers had repaired the main but still had to restore individual gas line services  door to door.

Some restaurants stayed open during the outage. But Josh Thiele, owner of Hubs Pub and Grill on West High Street, said with gas appliances down he couldnt sell much food.

We can do salads and beer, he said.

He was using space heaters to keep the place warm. But he worried about the community: Are heaters going to be able to keep up? Are water lines going to freeze and bust?

The problem started Tuesday morning, when contractors working to install a larger gas line broke the main serving the town. No one was hurt in the accident, gas was shut off, and students at local schools were sent home early, according to Blount. The break happened more than 2 miles outside of the city limits, he said.

The town raced to restore service at individual homes and businesses, while freezing temperatures loomed in the forecast.

Conditions in Potosis part of the Ozarks were expected to plunge below freezing overnight, reaching a low of about 18 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Snow and sleet were expected Wednesday and Thursday, with highs just below freezing.

Blount said about two-thirds of the city relies on the municipally owned gas system for heating, while the remaining third has fully electric heating. Some residents outside of town have wood stoves, he said.

He encouraged those affected to go to the emergency shelter or visit friends or relatives with working heaters.

By Tuesday evening, with the main fixed, workers began going door to door to relight pilots and restore service to the rest of town.

Other facilities, such as nursing homes and a nearby prison, were on track to get gas fixed quickly, Blount said.

He said theres even a chance local schools might even be in session on Wednesday.

Hopefully, its not three days, he said. Were really hoping it can be restored faster.

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George Washington, whose birthday Americans celebrate this month, sent a letter on Aug. 13, 1776, to the president of Congress regarding the safeguarding of his papers. Washington understood the importance of preserving our new nations history. Many of our first presidents successors also appreciated this. They became stewards of the records of our past, believed that truth and transparency matter, and held onto the idea that our institutions are more significant than one single individual.

Before Congress created the National Archives in 1934, each executive department was tasked with keeping its own archives. Congress gave the Department of State the important task of safeguarding the nations early state papers, such as Washingtons papers as commander of the Continental Army, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

During the War of 1812, the British landed troops in Maryland and started advancing north. It became clear to then-Secretary of State James Monroe that the British intended to invade Washington. He dispatched a messenger with a note to President James Madison, saying, The enemy are in full march for Washington. Have the materials prepared to destroy the bridges. In a postscript, Monroe added: You had better remove the records. Department of State individuals bagged up the archives including the Articles of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

Prior to evacuating the White House, first lady Dolly Madison sacrificed packing up private property for Cabinet papers and valuables. She also famously insisted that the Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington be removed to prevent it from falling into the hands of the British. The British had destroyed or removed nearly all the government papers that had remained in the city. When President Madison returned to the city, he denounced the British forces for destroying depositories of the public archives, not only precious to the nation as the memorials of its origin and its early transactions, but interesting to all nations as contributions to the general stock of historical instruction and political science.

In 1930, President Herbert Hoover named a panel to draw up specifications for the building that would later become the National Archives. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 signed legislation creating the National Archives. Roosevelt eventually became the most influential president in establishing the broad outlines of the National Archives agency.

President Harry Truman delivered an address during ceremonies dedicating a new shrine for the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives in 1952. The Archives began referring to the three documents collectively as the Charters of Freedom. The Charters of Freedom can still be seen on display today in the rotunda of the National Archives in Washington.

Following the Watergate scandal, President Richard Nixon wanted to take all his presidential records with him. Congress had the foresight to see the issues with this and in 1978 passed the Presidential Records Act. This legislation designated all the records of presidents, beginning with the president who took office January 1981, as the property of the federal government and directed that they be deposited with the National Archives at the end of each presidents term. President Ronald Reagan signed legislation in 1984 removing the National Archives from the General Services Administration and creating an independent agency called the National Archives and Records Administration.

The Presidential Records Act has been in the news lately. It has been widely reported that former President Donald Trump took classified information to his Florida home after leaving the White House. The National Archives sent a letter to Congress that the agency recovered 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago.

It has also been reported that Trump routinely tore up documents and that White House staff during the Trump administration recovered and taped together some of the torn-up records. The matter has been referred to the Justice Department.

It remains to be seen if Trump will face any sort of accountability for his violations of the Presidential Records Act. The Presidential Records Act has historically relied on acts of good faith and norms. This is just one more example of how Trump violated the integrity of the office of the president.

There has been a long history of presidents, starting with our first, who grasped the concept that having access to the American peoples records can help us understand our history and strengthen our democracy. Since we can no longer assume they will be protected, let us remember fondly and celebrate our presidents who ensured the safety of our archives.

Lynn Schmidt is a Post-Dispatch columnist and Editorial Board member. lynnschmidtrn@outlook.com On Twitter: @lynnschmidtrn
Shocking as Russias invasion of Ukraine is, it should come as no surprise to anyone in the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin, performing exactly as the United States predicted, set up a straw-horse justification for invading Ukraine and is now acting on the basis of that lie. He used the same set of lies in 2014 to justify seizing and annexing Crimea and, in the same year, to arm separatist militants in two eastern regions of Ukraine. Key to Putins fiction is the idea that Ukrainians oppressed by freedom and democracy are crying out to be united under his murderous dictatorship.

Russia is now launching the process of swallowing enough territory, combined with Crimea, to constitute a tenth of Ukraines territory. In his speech Monday, Putin dismissed Ukraine as an artificial creation of Soviet communism and asserted that it belongs to greater Russia. His remarks Monday appeared to open the door to future military adventurism in Baltic states that won independence after the Soviet Unions collapse. President Joe Biden said Tuesday NATO is boosting its forces in those states, raising the specter of a direct NATO-Russia confrontation should Russia continue advancing troops, tanks and missiles westward.

Putin seems unfazed by threats of unprecedented Western sanctions, but he might soon change his mind. Germany has canceled certification of a new pipeline that Russia was counting on for natural gas export revenues. An international embargo on Russian oil also could inflict more economic hardship. But the mother of all sanctions still awaits: the freezing of all Russian government bank accounts abroad and its exclusion from the global Swift banking system, which could severely limit Moscows ability to pay bills and collect revenue from abroad.

Theres something oddly familiar about a scenario in which a cataclysmic event unfolds based entirely on lies and false provocations. The last time the world witnessed such an event was Jan. 6, 2021, when the foundations of American democracy were rattled by the actions of extremists responding to one mans ego-driven fiction.

One of Putins longtime cheerleaders, former President Donald Trump, asserted Tuesday that the Ukraine crisis is the result of Biden administration weakness. Putin would have never done during the Trump Administration what he is doing now, no way! Trump wrote. Putin didnt need to because Trump already was doing Russias bidding. Trump weakened NATO and publicly sided with Putin when U.S. intelligence assessments said Russia meddled in the 2016 election. It was Trump who withheld badly needed U.S. military aid from Ukraine while extorting its president to help to dig up dirt that would undermine Bidens election campaign.

Putin also enjoys the support of Fox News cheerleaders like Tucker Carlson, who is openly supporting Russia over Ukraine. Then theres Missouris junior senator, Josh Hawley, who seems to think Russia attacking Ukraine isnt such a big deal. And Biden is the weak one?
A cybersecurity perfect storm has been brewing for years in Missouris state government computer systems under the supervision of a governor who clearly is clueless regarding computers and data. State computer systems and online data networks are antiquated, using programming languages that became obsolete decades ago. Recent comments by Gov. Mike Parson suggest he thinks that people in white coats with floppy discs and boxes of punch cards are what make those dang computers work.

The Office of Administration under Parsons direction is not to be trusted with cybersecurity as long as the governor insists that hes right and the rest of the world is wrong when it comes to identifying hackers. The Legislature and State Auditors Office should team up to devise an independent auditing system to ensure the sensitive personal data of state employees, contractors and students cant be inadvertently exposed because of the governors willful incompetence.

The stakes are too high to trust that the executive branch wont again blunder its way into another mishap like the one Post-Dispatch reporter Josh Renaud exposed in October. While reviewing online teacher-certification data, he discovered that teachers Social Security numbers were embedded in source code on a state website. He alerted state authorities and withheld publication of a story until the sensitive data could be secured.

Instead of thanking Renaud, Parson labeled him a hacker, ordered an investigation by state troopers and asked the Cole County prosecutor to consider criminal charges. The prosecutor was unable to justify wasting taxpayer dollars on it. A 158-page Missouri Highway Patrol report showed that Renaud hadnt accessed anything that wasnt publicly available. The kinds of sensitive data he stumbled across had been available via the website for at least the past decade, the report indicated.

Renaud, state investigators concluded, did not retain any of the sensitive data he uncovered but did verify with three teachers that the nine-number combinations he found were, in fact, their Social Security numbers. Yet Parson insisted on putting his computer ignorance out there for the world to see, wondering aloud on Tuesday, Wheres that information at? Whatd they do with those peoples personal information? We dont know.

Actually, we do know, as do investigators and state education authorities. Even members of the general public know.

Since at least 2015, State Auditor Nicole Galloway has warned of lax data security and warned that the state was also putting student Social Security numbers at risk of exposure.

The state executive branchs Office of Cyber Security currently lists 10 guiding principles governing its operations, the first of which seems more attuned to reducing government input than guarding sensitive data: We enable government services, not prevent them. Principle No. 9 states: Dont be content with what you know and do today. And No. 10: Above all else, have fun; life is short.

Thats the status of cybersecurity under Gov. Mike Parson.
Regarding "Missouri Senate attempts to move on from redistricting debate, runs into another wall" (Feb. 15): In my opinion, Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, is wasting time with political maneuvering. I don't believe he is serving the citizens of the Missouri State Senate District 2, and he is endangering billions of federal dollars that could be used for the educational benefit of our children.
Coastline Exploration, a four-year-old American oil exploration and production sharing company specializing in East Africa, announced it had signed an agreement with the Somali government for developing oil and natural gas deposits in seven locations off the coast. The Somali Minister of Petroleum and Natural resources signed for Somalia. President Farmajo declared the deal was not legal and wants it renegotiated and approved by the president. Farmajo had issued a decree that such deals could not be signed during an election campaign. The long-delayed elections are supposed to be completed by February but that is in doubt. Corruption is suspected and Farmajo is an unpopular president. Coastline Exploration already has deals with several other East African governments.

Famine Failure

The UN complained that only two percent of the money needed for food aid in Somalia during 2022 had been pledged. With half the Somali population in need of food aid, fewer have been receiving it over the last year. This is because more donors were refusing to contribute. The donors were sending their aid elsewhere, where it was less likely to be stolen and more likely to reach the people who needed it.

Corruption in Somalia has long been epic and recognized as the worst in the world for over a decade. Corruption ratings come from the annual Transparency International survey. While the hunger and suffering in Somalia are often reported in mass media, the donor nations face more demand that aid donors can handle and are increasingly refusing to provide aid for nations where little of the aid, particularly food aid, reaches the people in need and are featured in the mass media. Foreign journalists are allowed to cover the hunger but not the corruption. Doing so will get you arrested or worse. Media that depend on local sources for details on corruption have a difficult time documenting the aid thefts but it is obvious after more than three decades of disappearing aid that is not getting through. This scam has been ongoing in Somalia for decades.

Kenya And the Somali Invasion

Kenya has suffered from Somali raiders for centuries, but relatively few Somalis settled in what is now Kenya. The violence is particularly acute in northeast Kenya, especially Lamu country on the coast. Lamu a has a mixed Christian-Moslem population where many of the Christians recently moved in to take advantage of economic opportunities and the need for skilled workers. Al Shabaab considers any area where Moslems live as Islamic territory. That means non-Moslems should be converted, driven away or killed. Because of this attitude there is growing tension between Kenyan Christians and Somalis. About ten percent (4 million) of Kenyans, mostly along the coast, are Moslem and about half of these are ethnic Somalis. There has always been some Islamic radical activity among Kenyan Moslems, but the police have been particularly attentive to it after Kenyan Moslems were found to be involved in terrorist operations in the 1990s.

Kenyan security forces believe the violence is worst in Lamu because of the Boni Forest, which has long been a refuge for outlaws because the thinly populated woodlands are on both sides of the border. Kenya spends over $20 million a year providing security for the 360-kilometer Somalia border. Because of the continuing al Shabaab violence in Somalia there are plenty of people (refugees, smugglers) crossing illegally besides Islamic terrorists and bandits. Despite the high level of Somali violence in Lamu, the Christian majority remains because of the economic opportunities and the ability, since independence in 1962, to fight the Somalis and win. That came from the brief (1888-1962) period of British colonial rule. During this time Britain recruited and trained Kenyan volunteers to fight in the World Wars as well as serving in colonial police. This created a tradition of efficient military training and leadership in Kenya that continued after the British left. The Somalis, colonized by Britain and Italy, were less eager to accept military discipline and leadership. Somalis were more entrepreneurial and disdainful of the British and other Europeans who were Christians and enemies of Islam.

The British had no solution for the hostile attitude of the Somalis and by the late 19th century British colonial administrators concluded that the only practical approach to dealing with violent Somalis was to "shoot on sight, shoot first, shoot to kill and keep shooting." Not unexpectedly, post-colonial Somalia proved unable to govern itself because when the Somalis had no foreigners to fight and plunder, they went after each other. Kenyans, especially the Christians who dominated the government and military, were as bad as the Europeans when it came to dealing with Somali raiders and Somali violence in general.

While many ethnic Somalis living in Kenya as Moslems are eager to do so peacefully, they are more vulnerable to going old-school if threatened by Somali Islamic terrorists. This is more common along the Somali border, where there are a lot more Somali refugees, bandits and Islamic terrorists. This is particularly the case in the prosperous Lamu country.

Al Shabaab Balance Sheet

A study of al Shabaab operations in 2021 determined that the Islamic terrorist organization obtained about $180 million that year from extortion and other criminal enterprises. About 13 percent of that was spent on weapons with a smaller amount for bribing local and foreign officials. Most of the income was spent on payroll and operations. That included necessary equipment (vehicles, communications and so on) as well as fuel and bomb components.

February 22, 2022: In the south (Lower Shabelle region) soldiers and special forces spent the last week clearing at least six villages of any al Shabaab presence. These villages were used as bases for al Shabaab groups that maintained lucrative checkpoints that demanded fees from vehicles in order to pass. Returning these roads to government control made it more difficult for al Shabaab to terrorize larger towns and the population in general.

February 21, 2022: In the north (Puntland) an al Shabaab bomb attack on the Puntland president failed, but two soldiers were killed.

February 19, 2022: In central Somalia (Beledweyne) al Shabaab took credit for a suicide bomber who attacked a popular restaurant. This killed 13 and wounded 18 civilians. One of those killed was a candidate in the parliamentary elections and may have been the target. Al Shabaab considers democracy un-Islamic.

In the north (Puntland) a similar attack occurred, killing two and wounding five. Such clusters of attacks to disrupt voting have been occurring with increasing frequency since late 2021.

In the south, across the border in Kenya, al Shabaab raided a clinic and kidnapped a doctor and two other people there. These two were released before the al Shabaab teams crossed back into Somalia where the doctor was held for ransom and probably compelled to treat injured al Shabaab members.

February 16, 2022: In Mogadishu al Shabaab carried out two attacks using car bombs and gunfire. Five people were killed and many more were wounded. This is part of the al Shabaab effort to disrupt the national elections, which end in nine days. So far only about half the 275 seats in the parliament are likely to be filled because elections could not be held for voters in many parliamentary districts.

February 8, 2022: The U.S. put restrictions on a long list of Somalis known to be corrupt or opposed to democratic government. Many of these Somalis have family, friends and followers in the United States and often come visit and raise money or recruit more Somalis in America to their cause.

February 6, 2022: In the south (Jubaland) Somali soldiers and special operations troops shut down al Shabaab four al Shabaab bases, killing seven al Shabaab gunmen in the process. Al Shabaab also uses these bases to terrorize local civilians into silence. That does not always work.

Two weeks ago, the Somali government signed an agreement with the AU (African Union) and the UN to accept the end of the AU peacekeeping force by the end of 2023. Somalia agreed that its security forces would be capable of dealing with security problems without AU peacekeepers, who are financed by foreign donors under the supervision of the UN. Although the SNA (Somali National Army) has about 15,000 trained and equipped personnel, the loyalties of these troops are still to their clan rather than Somalia. As long as they are paid on time, these troops will do their job and know how to do it. If the Somali government can no longer pay and supply the troops, the army will disintegrate. The only potential solution is a functioning democracy, which has yet to be achieved. This is an ancient problem, not a new one and for Somalia the failure to find a solution is why Somalia is considered one of the few existing failed states.
NEW YORK & BOTSWANA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Forbes today announced its first-ever Under 30 Summit Africa to be held in Botswana April 24th-29th 2022  bringing together 600 participants,  one-third from the Under 30 Africa community, one-third from our host (Botswana), and one-third from the Under 30 community worldwide  for mentorship, networking and important conversations centered around sustainability, innovations and entrepreneurship.

Hosted in partnership with the Botswana Presidents Initiative, the six-day event will convene Botswana business leaders, government officials, venture capital and business role models, alongside the worlds most influential young entrepreneurs and innovators, to foster entrepreneurship locally and network with likeminded innovators who are changing business around the world. It presents an unrivalled opportunity for cultural immersion, inspiration and networking on an international scale.

Beginning in Botswanas capital city, Gaborone, attendees will have the chance to immerse themselves into Botswanas culture and experience the sounds and cuisine of local performers and chefs. Halfway through the event, attendees will travel to Chobe National Park, the worlds largest elephant sanctuary, for a fully programmed agenda focused on sustainability, a sunset river cruise among hippos and crocodiles, and a one-day safari that ranks among the best in the world. Across four days, guests will explore the best of Africa and harness the power of entrepreneurial capitalism on the continent whose growth will help define the 21st century.

Were excited to bring the Under 30 Summit to Africa for the first time, with the continents growth set to play a driving role in the global economy over the course of the 21st century, said Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer, Forbes. We are especially excited to bring together the worlds top young entrepreneurs in Botswana, not only one of the worlds most beautiful countries, but one which is poised to become a global hub for innovation and start-up acceleration.

The Forbes Under 30 summit highlights Botswanas commitment to open its doors for business, says His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana. It is an opportunity for our young entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and will also play a key role in unearthing ideas from our young people that will put Botswana at the centre of entrepreneurship in the regional and global business landscape.

The summit will focus on the theme of The African Century: Inspiration, Innovation, Exploration, exploring how the world can invest in and engage with the growing potential of entrepreneurism across the region. Attendees will see first-hand how Botswana harnesses the power of entrepreneurial capitalism and cultivates critical conversations that help solve global problems, foster entrepreneurship locally and network with likeminded leaders.

To learn more, please visit 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit  Africa.

To join the conversation on social, follow #Under30Summit.

The Republic of Botswana and De Beers Group are the anchor sponsors of the 2022 Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa. Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), Citizen Entrepreneurial Development (CEDA), Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development (MYSC), Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) and Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) are presenting sponsors. Hollard Insurance and Absa Bank are supporting sponsors.

About Forbes

Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business, and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 150 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 44 licensed local editions in 77 countries. Forbes Medias brand extensions include real estate, education, and financial services license agreements.

Forbes recently announced plans to go public through a business combination with Magnum Opus (NYSE: OPA), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), which is expected to close in Q1 2022.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220223005343/en/

Media

Jocelyn Swift

[email protected]

Source: Forbes
Toronto, Ontario and New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 23, 2022) - QuantGate Systems Inc. (OTCQB: QGSI) (the "QuantGate" or "Company"), an Artificial Intelligence ("AI"), Machine Learning ("ML") SaaS-based Fintech solutions provider, is pleased to announce it has executed a digital asset joint venture agreement with Darkhorse Technologies Ltd. (the "Darkhorse") to launch one of the world's first tokenized algorithmic based trading signal platforms in the crypto currency and blockchain ecosystem.

QuantGate is in the business of developing & distributing algorithmic based proprietary signals, derived from any form of electronic order book, to display opportunities, for dissemination to broker-dealers, trading platforms.

Under the Agreement, QuantGate and Darkhorse have entered into terms to create "Signal Digital" (the "Venture") to memorialize the terms and conditions of their relationship with the business and to commit to together leveraging the anticipated, exponential growing demand of digital assets in the traditional financial markets, as well as crypto industry, specifically as it relates to the QuantGate assets in Canada and across the world. The Venture will create a marketplace for the sale and resale of the QuantGate assets and related content through non fungible tokens, creation of brand related tokens, as well as cryptocurrency and fiat payment technology.

Signal Digital will create the digital environment specifically designed to underpin the AI growth in the trading signal market, generate a marketplace for the sale of non-fungible tokens ("NFT's"), as well as offering users the option to engage with both cryptocurrency and traditional fiat payment channels. Signal Digital aims to commercialize through tokenomics the QuantGate assets as well as Darkhorse technology, and create digital intellectual property for the benefit of both Parties (the "Business").

David van Herwaarde, CEO at Darkhorse commented: "Darkhorse is strategically positioning itself as a technology provider to existing businesses looking to migrate into the Crypto economy. QuantGate has built some incredible Artificial Intelligence assets, and this Venture is an opportunity for both our businesses to use each other's know how to expand our market presence."

Govin Misir, CEO of QuantGate comments: "The collaboration between QuantGate and Darkhorse will allow us to offer more robust and revolutionary services than ever before. With the latest technologies at our fingertips, we are confident in our ability to meet the needs of all future users who want to trade all types of assets, including crypto and NFTs - this will revolutionise how people trade!"

About Darkhorse Technologies Ltd: Darkhorse Technologies Limited is a Business to Business (B2B) FinTech Group. The Company has established itself as a market leading service provider to the multibillion-dollar digital asset industry. Using sophisticated technology, we have bridged the commercialisation gap between cryptocurrency and traditional payment channels. By uniting these billion-dollar industries Darkhorse is now monetizing a highly scalable diversified digital asset business. Darkhorse is incorporated in Canada and has multiple business partners that operate and span five continents.

About QuantGate Systems Inc. (OTCQB: QGSI) is a publicly-traded Fintech company operating for over ten years, developing sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and proprietary big-data processing algorithms and analytics to deliver SaaS solutions and seamless API integration. Pilot Trading (www.pilottrading.co) is a 100% wholly-owned subsidiary of QuantGate. Our core intelligence identifies investment opportunities across multiple asset classes, rooted in the financial markets, and perfected for cryptocurrency exchanges, enabling our valued clients to make better-informed investment decisions. Turnkey solutions and efficient APIs, founded on robust and scalable SaaS architecture, easily allow 3rd party integration for onboarding existing users and scaling globally.

The transaction is a related party transaction under multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority security holders in Special Transactions (the Instrument). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from a formal valuations found in Section 5.5(b) of the Instrument and of the requirement for shareholder approval found in Section 5.7(1)(a) of the Instrument.

For additional information on QuantGate Systems Inc., please visit the Company's website at www.quantgatesystems.com , or visit social media: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

For further information on Pilot, please visit www.pilottrading.co and connect on Facebook and Instagram.

Contact Information:

QuantGate Systems Inc.

Govin Misir, CEO & President

150 Bloor Street West, M103

Toronto, ON, M5S 1M4

E: [email protected]

T: +1 (416) 580 8604

Forward-Looking Statements:

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

QuantGate Systems Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements and cautions investors to consider all other risks and uncertainties, including those disclosed in QuantGate filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/114511
VILNIUS (Reuters) - Ukraine deserves European Union candidate status, and Poland and Lithuania will support it in this goal, the presidents of the two countries said in a joint declaration with the Ukrainian president on Wednesday.

"We emphasize that, given the significant progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement and internal reforms, as well as the current security challenges, Ukraine deserves EU candidate status and Lithuania and Poland will support Ukraine in achieving this goal," said the declaration, signed in Kyiv by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

The joint declaration calls on international community for "swift introduction" of "robust" sanctions on Russia, including measures targeting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Alex Richardson)
The Armys top public affairs soldier, who was suspended from her duties last year amid toxic leadership allegations, has been cleared to retire from the service as a brigadier general, a service spokesperson said Wednesday.

An Army inspector general investigation found Brig. Gen. Amy Johnstons leadership violated service policy, the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity.

Johnston, the Army chief of public affairs, was issued a general officers memorandum of reprimand following the IG investigation, a typically career-ending administrative punishment, but she will retire with the benefits of a one-star general, the spokesperson said.

The Department of the Army inspector general investigation into  Johnston has concluded and appropriate administrative action was taken, the spokesperson wrote in an email. She is in transition status preparing for her approved retirement.

Her official retirement date was not immediately available on Wednesday, the spokesperson said.

Johnston, who previously used the last name Hannah, became chief of public affairs in April 2019, putting her in charge of the Armys communications activities and its efforts to shape the services public appearance. In that role, she was also the Armys top adviser on public messaging for the services top leaders.

Before her arrival at the Pentagon, Johnston served as director of the Armys Marketing and Research Task Force in Washington, D.C., and as the top public affairs officer for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., and for the Army secretary.

She was suspended in September following a command climate survey that showed some 97% of Army public affairs personnel felt they had experienced a hostile work environment under her leadership, an Army official said at the time. Complaints filed with the inspector general made similar accusations about Johnstons leadership, the official said.

Among the complaints made by Army public affairs officials were allegations Johnston belittled subordinates in meetings, according to an Army official. Army public affairs officials also reported high rates of racial and sexual harassment in their workplaces and feelings the service undervalued the role of public affairs, according to Army Times, which cited leaked service documents.

Johnston also played a role in building the Armys communication response to the 2020 disappearance and death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood, Texas, according to an Army investigation. The report from the investigation found the response was ineffective and the case became the impetus for an ongoing effort to improve Army public affairs.

Michael Brady, the civilian principal deputy chief for Army public affairs, has filled in as the Armys top public affairs official in Johnstons absence. The Army has not named a permanent replacement for the retiring general, the service spokesperson said.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas  Jason Holts family has preserved a letter that his uncle, Army Pfc. Thomas Hawkins, wrote nearly 105 years ago.

The letter and the events it describes led Holt on a decades long journey to clear the legacy of his uncle, who was one of 19 Black soldiers executed in 1917 and 1918 after courts-martial found them guilty of charges stemming from a race riot in Houston that left 19 people dead.

Hawkins professed his innocence in his letter. On Tuesday, Holt said he felt one step closer to clearing his uncles name. The Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a sign at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio to acknowledge the race riots that led to Hawkins court-martial and death sentence and the changes that trial sparked in the military justice system.

That acknowledgment isnt justice, but its a step forward, Holt said.

Initially, it was a very well-concealed fact what took place in 1917. It was not talked about, but many family members, including ones that are here today, weve been advocating, he said. The approach today is to work collaboratively with the administration, and hopefully, well get some level of clemency that will come about through their good graces.

Hawkins wrote the letter to his mother and father on Dec. 11, 1917, the day that he was hanged.

When this letter reaches you, I will be beyond the veil of sorrow. I will be in heaven with the angels, Hawkins wrote. I'm sentenced to be hanged for the trouble that happened in Houston, Texas, although I am not guilty of the crime that I'm accused of. But mother it is God's will that I go now and in this way.

Holt, an attorney in New Jersey, read from the letter during Tuesdays ceremony about a sign meant to educate cemetery visitors on the events known as the Houston Riots and the Camp Logan Mutiny of 1917.

To many, the Houston Riots is simply a footnote in history, Holt said. But for us, the family members, its a little different. For us, it's a time when we know that we lost someone dear to our family.

Hawkins was a soldier from North Carolina assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment. It was a unit of the Buffalo Soldiers, the nickname given to Army regiments of Black troops who served beginning in 1866.

In the summer of 1917, the battalion was sent to Houston to guard Camp Logan, one of many training sites that the Army established during World War I. Racial tension began immediately between the Black soldiers and white Houston police officers, through ongoing slights and open hostility that built into a volatile situation.

On Aug. 23, 1917, racial tensions boiled over, culminating in a two-hour riot through the city. Four soldiers and 15 white civilians and police officers died.

By December, the Army orchestrated the first of three courts-martial at Fort Sam Houston for 118 Black soldiers charged with mutiny and murder, among other lesser charges. They were all represented by one Army officer who had some legal experience but was not a practicing attorney. After the three trials, 19 soldiers were hanged, including Hawkins.

Seventeen of those 19 men were eventually buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery under gravestones that only bear their names and death dates, which was customary at the time for executed soldiers. The gravestones stand in contrast to those around them because they lack rank and service branch, birth dates and any wars in which the troops served.

The sign installed Tuesday at the cemetery states the trials were flawed by serious irregularities.

Earlier this month, the Army began a review process of the trials, which could result in clemency for some or all the soldiers. The request to review the case came not just from family members of those who died, but also retired general officers, said Gabe Camarillo, undersecretary of the Army, who attended Tuesdays event alongside Donald Remy, the deputy VA secretary, and three descendants of soldiers who were hanged.

Thanks to the very rich and deep historical record, there's ample documentation that they can currently undertake to review it to provide that broader context, Camarillo said. At the conclusion of that process, the Board of Correction of Military Records will make recommendations to the secretary of the Army for any relief that would be appropriate.

Remy said if any outcome of the Armys review calls for an update to the sign, the VA will do so.

Entering a powder keg

When the battalion arrived in Houston, they entered what civil rights activist Malcolm X would have referred to as a racial powder keg, said James Jones III, an associate professor of history at Prairie View A&M University, located northwest of Houston.

Military service was one of the few professions available to Black men during that time that would allow them to build a career. But uniformed Black men were also a target of white aggression, he said.

The Camp Logan incident is so representative and emblematic of America at this time. You have to remember that the 24th [Infantry Regiment] had actually served internationally. They had been in Cuba [and] they participated in a Spanish American War, Jones said.

Many of them said they experienced less racism during those deployments than they did at home, which builds the context surrounding the Houston Riots, Jones said. So, the soldiers were not prepared for the level of hatred awaiting them in Houston.

It was truly a different situation, more intense than they had ever experienced, Jones said.

On the day in August when the riots broke out, it began with the arrest of a Black woman by white police officers, Jones said. A private from the battalion intervened and offered to help in her, but the police officers beat him and arrested him. Cpl. Charles Baltimore goes to inquire about the private, only to be beaten and arrested himself.

Rumors circulate at Camp Logan that Baltimore had been murdered, which caused members of the battalion to react, Jones said. At about the same time, soldiers believed a group of armed white people were heading toward the base. The situation devolved, soldiers took arms, and what was meant to be a march to police headquarters became a riot.

Afterward, the Army sent the unit to Fort Sam Houston, where the mass courts-martial began. In one, 63 soldiers were tried at once, making it the largest court-martial in U.S. military history, said Richard Hulver, historian for the VAs National Cemetery Administration.

The first trial lasted 25 days with about 200 witnesses, he said. It had to be held in the post chapel because the courtrooms werent large enough to hold that many people. Some soldiers were coerced to testify against other soldiers, and, in the end, it was never clear who had fired shots that killed.

The court-martial resulted in 13 men found guilty and hanged one day after the verdict was approved. All were hanged at once before sunrise and buried next to the gallows in numbered graves. Each was buried with a glass bottle with their name inside.

Two more courts-martial followed, and six more soldiers were hanged. Two mens bodies were returned to their families.

Of all 118 men on trial, seven were acquitted, while others found guilty received various prison sentences.

The public reacts

The legacy of the first court-martial was, there was such a public outcry about that, the Army changed its appellate process, Hulver said. Their burial site becomes a site of public interest immediately. People start coming, and the Army actually has to put guards up to keep people out.

In 1937, visitors to the site became such a problem that Maj. Gen. James K. Parsons, the commander of Fort Sam Houston, had the soldiers bodies moved to the cemetery, which was then under the Armys command. The commander marked each grave with the headstone allowed for executed soldiers under the policy for the time.

President Woodrow Wilson stepped in following the third trial, commuting the sentences of 10 soldiers from death to prison, Jones said. In his statement, Wilson also said the trials were properly handled and all investigations were thorough.

On the one hand, hes soothing the white conscience, that we got them. But at the same time, he's telling Black soldiers, We appreciate your work. It's one of those classic examples of serving two masters. He does it well. It was very admirable, Jones said.

The Army did not include a timeline for their review of the cases.

Charles Anderson, a Texas-based distant cousin of Sgt. William Nesbit, another soldier hanged for mutiny in 1917, attended Tuesdays ceremony. Anderson brought with him a photo of Nesbits grave, where hed written in marker the soldiers full military service on the headstone. Like Holt, he would like to see his relatives name cleared.

Anderson said he first learned of the Houston Riots and his relatives involvement when researching Nesbits grandfather. On his path to learn about the history and educate others, hes connected with the descendent of a white Houston police officer killed in the riot.

Coming here to just be a part of something that's actually recognizing these guys is just amazing. Its amazing to know that they're getting this attention right now, Anderson said.

Remy, the VAs deputy secretary, said the ceremony and addition of the sign is just a small measure of the dignity that these soldiers have long deserved because their service was marred by racial injustice.

This day, in some small way, reflects the progress that we have made as a nation since these men were interred here, he said.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Tribune News Service)  With a background in hazardous substance training, Savannah Kuntz is aware of the science behind candles and indoor air quality.

So when Kuntz, a Coast Guard lieutenant, started Even Keel Candle Co. in October 2020, she focused on sustainably sourced and ethically made hand-poured vegan soy candles.

By making your own, I know exactly what goes into them and exactly what doesnt, Kuntz said.

Her candle-making dates back 10 years when she started it as a hobby. Friends and family members received candles as gifts and as her knowledge expanded, it kindled her interest in the clean candle industry.

During the pandemic, Kuntz, like many, spent more time in her Virginia Beach home and decided to create a side business.

Within the first three months of launching, Kuntz said she had shipped her products to every state in the U.S.

Although she maintains a busy schedule working full-time, Kuntz makes time on the weekends and off-duty for her role as a candlemaker.

She said social media tools such as Facebook Business Manager have enabled her to plan out her posts for weeks in advance.

Her collections include more than a dozen fragrances in winter, essentials, and apothecary scents. She also created a line of reed diffusers. The Even Keel website explains clean candles as no unhealthy chemicals, additives, dyes, or funny business.

Candles are sold in 8-ounce ($16), 14-ounce ($20), and 21-ounce ($30) jars. Customers can recycle candle jars for discounts on future purchases.

Her nod to the nautical term runs deep for Kuntz, who grew up in a small Ohio town on the South Shore of Lake Erie.

My family runs a marina; I was always on the water and loved sailing, she said.

By the age of 5, Kuntz donned a life jacket and soloed at the helm of an Opti sailboat.

A 2017 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, Kuntz majored in management and is working on her Master of Business Administration through the American Military University.

As a response officer, she said her primary job is to serve as a federal on-scene coordinator representative leading a team that provides investigations for pollution response, proper cleanup, and environment restoration along the Virginia coastal zone.

We get to do some pretty amazing missions every day, Kuntz said.

Erin OBrien, a real estate agent with Howard Hanna, burns Even Keel candles at home and at her office. She said she loves to support locally owned small businesses and loves that Even Keel is owned by a member of the military.

I love knowing that they are all natural and the time that Savannah puts in to making sure they are clean and sustainable, OBrien said.

As for Kuntz, its all just another part of her mission.

Its a great stress reliever for me because youre creating something, she said. This is the chance that I get to step back and say, Weve got smooth sailing days ahead.

For more information, visit evenkeelcandle.com.

sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com

2022 The Virginian-Pilot.

Visit pilotonline.com.

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(Tribune News Service)  As his mother wept from her seat in the courtroom, 4-year-old Damien Temores tried to console her.

The dark-haired preschooler stood in front of her, talking to her quietly, and holding onto her while other family members told a judge about the devastating loss they suffered when Damiens father was killed in a 2019 crash at Joint Expeditionary Little Creek-Fort Story.

Damien was just 2 when his father, 23-year-old Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Oscar Temores, died.

The crash occurred at the base around 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30. Temores was working as a sentry when he heard a radio call about a pickup speeding the wrong way through the gates. Temores got into his cruiser and was responding to the area when the truck hit his vehicle head-on.

The driver, Nathaniel Lee Campbell, of Shenandoah, was going 79 mph at the time of impact, according to prosecutors. Temores died at a hospital a short time later. Campbell was hospitalized and had part of his right leg amputated.

Virginia Beach Circuit Judge Kevin Duffan sentenced Campbell to 10 years in prison. It was the maximum allowed under the law. Sentencing guidelines had suggested Campbell, now 41, only get probation, which Duffan called completely inappropriate.

Three of Temores family members and a friend who was working with him that night gave highly emotional testimony during Campbells sentencing hearing Tuesday. They described Temores as a hardworking man who was proud to be in the Navy and dedicated to his family, especially his young son.

Campbell pleaded guilty in December to involuntary manslaughter, which prosecutors said was the highest count he could face.

To be able to charge him with aggravated involuntary manslaughter  which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison  there would have had to be another factor other than excessive speed involved in the crash, said Macie Allen, spokeswoman for the Virginia Beach commonwealths attorneys office. Tests showed Campbell had no alcohol or drugs in his system, and none were found in his vehicle or the motel room where he was staying.

Temores was looking forward to an upcoming trip home to California to see his family and was talking about it with his friend and colleague, Andrew Crum, when he got the call about the truck, Crum testified.

I yelled to him, Go get em, and be safe, Crum said. Not long after, Crum heard there had been a crash and raced out to see what happened. He found Temores in his cruiser, still alive but gravely injured.

I started to talk to him and to tell him that I was there for him, Crum said as he fought back tears. All he could say was that he didnt want to die and he wanted to talk to his family.  He looked me in the eyes and he told me to tell his mom, his wife and his son, he loved them.

Those were the last words Crum said he heard from his friend.

Campbells attorney, Assistant Public Defender Kimberly Smith, told the judge Campbell has struggled to explain what he was thinking that night.

Hed recently come to Virginia Beach and was staying at a motel when he reached out to a woman he knew and asked her if she wanted to get married, Smith said. The woman was in Chicago and had no intention of marrying him, the defense lawyer said.

After the rejected proposal, Campbell decided to head to a strip club and got confused on how to get there. He didnt have his phone with him and there was no GPS in his truck.

He felt out of control that night, Smith said. He remembers speeding but he doesnt remember much more than that.

Campbell never intended to hurt anyone, she said. There was something else going on that night, Smith said. Im not really sure what.

Campbell spoke briefly to the court before the sentence was handed down, much of it inaudible. He apologized to the Temores family and said he wished he could take it back.

jane.harper@pilotonline.com

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NAPLES, Italy  An annual NATO anti-submarine exercise in the Mediterranean Sea got underway this week with less American participation than in recent years, as U.S. forces in the region turn their attention to the Russian military advance in Ukraine.

U.S. destroyers, submarines and maritime patrol planes have traditionally been frequent participants in Dynamic Manta. But the only U.S. vessel taking part in this years iteration, which started Monday off the coast of Sicily, is the replenishment ship USNS Robert E. Peary. Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily also is offering support for patrol planes and helicopters.

Our participation in maritime exercises is balanced with operational commitments and real-world requirements of our forces, said Lt. Tyler Barker, a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet spokesman.

Dynamic Manta includes Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S. It is one of two major anti-submarine warfare exercises led every year by NATO Maritime Command, an alliance statement said.

We still have enough allied units in the exercise to achieve exercise objectives as planned, said NATO spokesman Cmdr. Erik Reynolds, adding that it isnt unusual for units to leave between the planning and the start of an exercise.

It was unclear Wednesday how many U.S. ships or planes were scheduled to participate. The U.S. was actively involved in the exercises planning phase, Barker said.

The downsizing of the U.S. contingent at Dynamic Manta comes as the Russian navy is out in force in the Mediterranean and Black seas. Some analysts see that as an indication that Russia may launch an amphibious assault on southern Ukraine.

At least six Russian amphibious assault ships and a Kilo-class submarine armed with Kalibr cruise missiles have passed through the Mediterranean and into the Black Sea in recent weeks.

On Saturday, the Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat International released satellite images that it said show a sizeable military buildup in the Crimean Peninsula over the previous four days, the newspaper The Times of Israel reported.

If it engages in a large-scale invasion, Russia likely would launch an amphibious assault from Crimea to somewhere near the Black Sea port city of Odessa, said Jeffrey Edmonds, a research scientist and Russian military expert at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank CNA.

The naval forces would be linked with ground troops and the goal would be to surround and cut off Odessa, Edmonds said.

The Russians are not going to fight into a terrain just using (landing ships) ... if you have a lower axis that is coming across southern Ukraine that this links in with, there isnt going to be any resistance, I think, Edmonds said.

In the eastern Mediterranean, another exercise also started Monday in the increasingly crowded sea, bringing together France and Egypt, the newspaper Times of Malta reported Monday.

Meanwhile, a Russian naval exercise in the eastern Mediterranean that was focused on anti-submarine warfare and included ships from the Pacific, Northern and Black Sea fleets was expected to end Tuesday, Russian news agency Tass reported.

About 15 ships and support vessels along with more than 30 aircraft participated in that drill, Tass reported Monday.

The U.S. Navy remains well represented in the region. The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, including at least four destroyers and a cruiser, is operating in the Mediterranean. While it is rarely announced, carrier groups often have submarine support.

Other U.S. ships in the theater of operations include the expeditionary sea base USS Hershel Woody Williams, which departed Croatia on Friday, and the USS Mount Whitney, which left Rota, Spain, on Feb. 14.
(Tribune News Service)  One of the worlds largest concentrations of sunken warplanes is hiding somewhere off the Northern Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific, and a NOAA-backed team sets out this week to find it.

The graveyards occupants include the remains of many B-29 bombers and 76 U.S. service members who died as part of a plan to bring World War II to the doorstep of Japan. This included flying thousands of miles to bomb military factories in Tokyo.

Among the best known of the lost planes is Joltin Josie the Pacific Pioneer, the first B-29 superfortress in the Pacific Theater to threaten Japan  and one that went down with its entire crew, historians say.

Finding Joltin Josie is a priority for the team, which will scour the seafloor off Tinian and Saipan Feb. 24 through March 11, according to a release from NOAA Ocean Exploration.

Tinian and Saipan served as major air bases during the final year of World War II, with B-29 bombers flying long-range missions to Japan, NOAA Ocean Exploration reported in an expedition overview.

Many aircraft were lost on takeoff and landing. The lost aircraft have great significance to American history, yet the final resting places of these B-29s remain largely unknown.

The team will map the seafloor, create an inventory of crash sites and provide experts with the data needed for site management and preservation.

Finally, the expedition team hopes to document and honor the final resting place of 76 U.S. service members who lost their lives in these waters, NOAA Ocean Exploration says.

The team will use a remotely operated device that will reach depths of nearly 2,000 feet during the expedition.

NOAA says it knows the location of just one B-29 off Saipan, and that plane was found by accident when a team investigated sonar anomalies in 2016. It found the bomber upside down but still in fairly good shape, including wings with still-retracted landing gear.

That discovery had to be quickly abandoned due to bad weather, so the upcoming mission will offer a first chance to survey the wreckage, NOAA says.

Joltin Josie exploded

If the team does find Joltin Josie, its possible there may not be much left.

Crash reports were pretty clear about how most of the planes that ditched or crashed off Tinian broke apart or even exploded, NOAA reported in 2016. Additionally, wreckage that has been on the bottom for 70 years does not necessarily look like pieces of an airplane on a sonar image.

Joltin Josie was loaded with bombs and headed to Japan on the evening of April 1, 1945, when it mysteriously burst into flames shortly after takeoff.

She was taking part in Mission 51, a grand scale offensive in which 121 B-29s were sent to attack the Nakajima aircraft plant in Tokyo, the Aviation Safety Network reports.

The cause of the explosion isnt included in historical data, but engine fires were not uncommon in B-29s, NOAA reports.

All 12 passengers on Joltin Josie were lost when it fell burning into the sea, according to the Aviation Safety Network. The 12 included 11 service members and one passenger, The Digital Archaeological Record says.

The network lists the 11 service members as:

 Campbell, John W. ~ 1st Lt, Kansas

 Canfield, Robert H. ~ 1st Lt, Indiana

 Currier, Wilson C., Jr. ~ Capt, Pilot, New Mexico

 Hansen, Warren L. ~ 2nd Lt, Illinois

 Hill, George L., Jr. ~ T/Sgt, Montana

 OConnor, Robert M. ~ 1st Lt, Nebraska

 Phelps, Raleigh E. ~ 1st Lt, North Carolina

 Rannels, Robert V. ~ S/Sgt, Indiana

 Roberts, Norman T. ~ S/Sgt, Massachusetts

 Russell, Richard W. ~ S/Sgt, Minnesota

 Wyatt, Roger H. ~ Sgt, New Hampshire

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STUTTGART, Germany  The establishment of permanent American military bases in allied countries near Russia has been a NATO taboo for 25 years.

But Russian President Vladimir Putins announcement Monday recognizing the independence of two self-proclaimed peoples republics in eastern Ukraine and subsequent movement of troops toward the breakaway territories could be the impetus to cast aside an agreement limiting how NATO members base troops on the alliances eastern flank.

I believe the alliance and/or the U.S. are going to seriously reconsider our position on permanent basing in Poland, Romania and the Baltic countries, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who led the U.S. Army in Europe from 2014 to 2017.

In an effort to assuage Kremlin fears about NATO, the alliance signed an agreement with Russia in 1997 that aimed to promote transparency and trust.

The NATO-Russia Founding Act said that no permanent allied bases would be set up in new member countries in the east, and troop deployments would be limited in scope and duration.

I think that act of good faith on our part has been rewarded with continuous Russian aggression, Hodges said.

Now pressure is building in NATO to stake out a more formidable military presence in countries once dominated by the Soviet Union, the predecessor of todays Russian Federation.

Critics of the NATO-Russia Founding Act say it became a relic following the 2008 war Russia waged against Georgia and its first invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

Russia loyalists in the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk peoples republics, and nearby parts of the Donbas region, have since been at war with the Ukrainian central government for several years. At times, Russian military members have fought alongside them.

Following Putins announcement Monday, Russian forces moved toward the region openly as peacekeepers.

Putins recent actions may be swaying allies who were hesitant to pull the plug on the founding act until now.

Earlier this month, French diplomats indicated an inclination to discard the act should Russia launch a new invasion in Ukraine, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine reported last week.

Other allies say its long past time for NATO to go bigger in the east. Poland and Romania have long sought permanently based U.S. troops on their territory.

Putins comments Monday about Ukraine, which he described as part of Russias spiritual space, were likely to heighten the sense of urgency among NATO allies Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, all of which have complicated histories with Russia and notable Russian-speaking communities.

On Saturday, during a joint news conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Lithuanias foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, reaffirmed his countrys quest for permanent American troops.

We need to make sure that (Putin) sees that his actions are creating a response in the Baltic region ... and we are reinforced, we are strengthened, and we do not allow him to even think about looking (in our direction), he said.

So far, the U.S. has sent 5,000 extra troops to Europe in response to the crisis around Ukraine, where between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian military members are assembled along the border areas, according to U.S. estimates.

The U.S. says Moscow could launch a full-fledged invasion any moment. But no extra forces have been dispatched yet to reassure worried allies in the Baltics.

Some security analysts say Russias aggressive moves should force the Pentagon to reexamine its global defense posture writ large, especially the Armys role in Europe, where troop numbers dwindled sharply after the Cold War.

Hodges said the Army in Europe needs more capability to maneuver faster in the east, along with added air defense weaponry. The Armys recently reestablished V Corps headquarters in Kentucky, which manages maneuvers along the allied eastern flank, has a small forward element of rotational soldiers in Poland. Basing the full headquarters in Poland would make them more effective, Hodges said.

Barry Pavel, director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council, said in an op-ed published Thursday in Defense One that the U.S. Army now must prioritize Europe to counter Russia.

Beyond the Korean Peninsula, there should be no other top priority for the Army, he wrote. Europe is where its needed the most, and it has very limited roles elsewhere.
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  More than a dozen people claiming they were injured by petroleum contamination in the Navys water system in Hawaii filed claims with the service Tuesday seeking compensation, their attorneys said in a news release that day.

The claims by 15 individuals, who allege a host of health issues as a result of the contamination, are a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act in federal court, according to the release by Just Well Law of Austin, Texas, and Hosoda Law Group, of Honolulu, the firms representing them.

The attorneys contend that military medical facilities denied even the most basic care to residents suffering from symptoms, failing to run standard toxicology lab tests to check, for example, liver and kidney function.

The crisis, now in its fourth month, has displaced thousands of military families from their homes on and near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The Navy has said its Red Hill well is contaminated with jet fuel.

My message to the Navy is, here are the first claims  we have hundreds more to come, attorney Kristina Baehr, of Just Well Law, told Stars and Stripes by phone on Tuesday.

Its an opportunity for them to make it right, she said. They have six months from the date of this filing to pay out on the claim.

During this six-month administrative process, the Navy and law firms will negotiate over an agreement on how much compensation would be adequate, Baehr said.

They need to compensate the families for the harm done, she said.

The Navys chief of information, Rear Adm. Charlie Brown, said in a statement Tuesday that the Navy has no comment regarding any potential future legal actions.

Many of those affected by the contamination continue to suffer a wide range of illnesses and are at risk for conditions such as acute leukemia, respiratory disorders, immune and hematological disorders, neurological effects, visual and hearing disorders, renal and hepatic diseases, cardiovascular conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, genotoxic and metabolic effects, the law firms news release said.

In a letter to the Navys judge advocate general, Vice Adm. Darse Crandall, that accompanied the filings, the attorneys wrote that they represent hundreds of clients who were poisoned by the negligence of federal operators of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility, a World War II-era underground complex.

On (at least) two occasions, May 6 and November 20, 2021, United States personnel at Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility made negligent errors that released tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel and other contaminants directly into our clients drinking water, the letter stated.

Because government personnel then failed to disclose those leaks, our clients ingested contaminated water and became sick from that exposure.

The letter outlines the health issues experienced by several of the families. Two children in one family exhibited symptoms of dehydration, projectile vomiting, abdominal pain and neurological disorders but were denied basic testing when they presented at Tripler Medical Center with acute reactions to the contamination, the letter said.

One of the things that we're asking for is testing for all these families for just a basic toxicology blood lab, Baehr told Stars and Stripes. The Navy and military facilities should be providing these labs as a matter of course.

Baehr maintains that Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toros statements that the Navy takes responsibility for the contaminated water should be enough to move the service ahead in compensating those affected.

The Navy admitted its own wrongdoing, and we hope we can resolve these claims through the administrative process and give [the Navy] a chance to make it right, she said.

olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson
Forbidden photographs of three generations of North Korean leaders that were discarded at an outdoor market in South Korea were traced to two perpetrators, according to police.

The two men, friends in their 20s or 30s, wont be charged for leaving framed photographs of Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung at Moran Market, a Seongnam city police officer told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. Its customary in South Korea for some government officials to speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

South Korean law prohibits certain depictions of North Korea and its leaders, and also restricts access to television broadcasts from the communist regime.

Someone on Friday reported finding the photos at the outdoor venue that sells a range of household goods. Using closed-circuit television cameras in the area, police identified two suspects, one who purchased the frames and printed the North Korean leaders photos and another person who received them.

The two took part in an exchange of useless gifts, the police officer said. The gag gift exchange is typically held during the Christmas season and has grown in popularity after social media users displayed their items on online forums.

The person who received the frames with the pictures looked for a way to throw them away and dumped them in Moran Market recently, the officer explained.

Gyeonggi police closed the case without filing charges; it was just a prank, the police officer said. He released no further details.

Kim Jong Un, the current ruler of North Korea, came to power following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011. Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea after the death of his father, the nations founder, Kim Il Sung, in 1994.

South Koreas National Security Act says that a person who manufactures, imports, reproduces, holds, carries, distributes, sells or acquires any documents, drawings or other expression materials with an intent to promote an anti-government organization and endanger the existence and security of the State or democratic fundamental order can be jailed for up to seven years, according to the Ministry of Government Legislation.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Coronavirus cases among U.S. military forces in South Korea fell again over the past seven-day period as COVID-19 continued to post record-high figures across South Korea on Wednesday.

U.S. Forces Korea on Tuesday reported 119 infections for the week ending the same day. Thats 43 fewer cases than recorded Feb. 8-14 and 34 fewer than the prior week.

USFK, whose population is over 90% fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, also reported declining case numbers every week in January. Approximately 28,500 U.S. service members are stationed in South Korea.

Meanwhile, infections in South Korea have soared. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday reported 171,452 new cases from the previous day. The previous record, 109,823, occurred on Feb. 17.

The dramatic uptick of cases prompted Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum to call for calm.

Let us be clear, we dont have to be too afraid or have fear of the number of confirmed cases as we did in the past, he said in public remarks on Wednesday.

The nations medical system can competently respond to the influx of new cases and the number of severe infections can be comparatively managed, Kim said.

"The people may have confidence, he said. We should not lose awareness of anti-epidemic prevention measures and the implementation of the guidance for COVID-19.

Over 87% of South Koreas 51 million people have received the first dose of a vaccine and nearly 60% received a booster shot as of Tuesday, according to the KDCA.

Gyeonggi, the countrys most populous province, counted 53,524 new cases and Seoul counted 41,389, according to the KDCA. South Korea has reported more than 2.3 million infections and 7,607 related deaths since January 2020.

South Koreas government loosened social distancing restrictions on Friday and allowed some businesses, including restaurants, cafes, gyms and karaoke clubs, to operate an extra hour until 10 p.m.

Private gatherings are still limited to six people, regardless of vaccination status.

USFK personnel are required to adhere to South Koreas policies, as well as directives given by the command and individual commanders. USFK allows service members, their families and civilian employees to dine in off-base restaurants and visit shopping malls.

However, USFK personnel are still prohibited from traveling to Seoul except for official duties or to visit the Dragon Hill Lodge, a hotel at Yongsan Garrison.
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TOKYO  The coronavirus continued to infect tens of thousands of people across Japan on Wednesday, even though new case numbers overall are falling week after week.

Tokyo confirmed another 14,567 people had contracted COVID-19 on Wednesday, public broadcaster NHK reported. Thats about 3,100 more people than Tuesday and the highest one-day count since 16,129 on Friday.

However, Wednesdays tally is 2,764 less than the count on Feb. 16, according to metropolitan government data online.

Japan on Tuesday reported a pandemic one-day record number of COVID-19-related deaths, 322, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Another 69,447 people across the country tested positive.

The U.S. military in Japan recorded a handful of new cases on Wednesday by comparison.

U.S. Forces Japan reported 73 new infections at 11 installations since Tuesday, including two people awaiting confirmation. None of USFJs new cases are hospitalized or considered serious. The command last reported 90 new cases on Friday.

Kadena Air Base on Okinawa accounted for 21 of those cases, followed by Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo with 12, according to USFJ. The Marine Corps Camp Hansen, also on Okinawa, reported nine.

Okinawa prefecture, where the bulk of U.S. forces are stationed, on Wednesday said 737 people tested positive for COVID-19, plus nine in the U.S. military population on the island, according to the prefectural Department of Public Health and Medical Care.

U.S. Army Japan, headquartered 25 miles southwest of central Tokyo at Camp Zama, said 22 people tested positive for the coronavirus between Feb. 16 and Wednesday, according to an Army news release.

Of those, 17 were already quarantined as close contacts and four reported COVID-19 symptoms prior to testing. One person was in restriction of movement after recently arriving in Japan.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, south of Hiroshima and an early hotspot in the sixth wave of COVID-19, said 19 people tested positive there between Friday and Tuesday, according to a base news release Wednesday.

Sasebo Naval Base on Kyushu island reported one new case Wednesday, according to a post on its official Facebook page. The naval base has three active cases.

Stars and Stripes reporter Mari Higa contributed to this report.
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  Two people affiliated with the U.S. military escaped unharmed from a collision that injured two Japanese men early Tuesday on the Okinawa Expressway, according to local media.

A northbound U.S. military vehicle was rear-ended by a two-ton commercial vehicle around 4:45 a.m. in the Yamazato area of Okinawa city, the Okinawa Times reported Tuesday. The commercial vehicle rolled over, injuring two men in their 40s. They were treated at a hospital; a third was not hospitalized, according to the newspaper.

None of the U.S. personnel were injured, the Times reported. It did not identify whether they were active duty, their service branch, how many were in the vehicle or what type vehicle was involved in the collision.

Okinawa police, contacted by phone on Wednesday by Stars and Stripes, had no details of the incident available due to a Japanese holiday. Marine Corps Installations Pacific did not respond to an email from Stars and Stripes on Wednesday seeking information.

Police closed the busy expressway for nearly three hours of the morning commute, from 5:25 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., to process the scene, the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper reported Tuesday.

Traffic was backed up about six miles to the south, near the Naha interchange, Okinawa Times reported.
Newly established temporary camps in southeastern Poland will enable U.S. soldiers to move quickly if called to support joint missions with the Poles or help Americans crossing the border from neighboring Ukraine, Army officials said Wednesday.

The XVIII Airborne Corps Joint Task Force Dragon, which now has command elements in Germany and Poland, is in charge of the roughly 5,000 soldiers from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions ordered to Poland to reassure allies amid the heightened threat from Russia.

We've been able to plug in with the Poles pretty seamlessly after arrival here in Europe, Col. Joe Buccino, spokesman for the XVIII Airborne Corps, said Wednesday in a statement.

Paratroopers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Campbell in Kentucky have been brushing up on tactics at various military grounds in the region. So far, most of the exercises are happening at ranges in the provinces of Lublin and Podkarpacie, which border Ukraine, the Polish military said Wednesday.

This week, U.S. troops and Polish 18th Mechanized Division soldiers have been doing medical evacuation drills at a base in Nowa Deba, the Polish army said.

The paratroopers also could factor into U.S. contingency plans if large numbers of Americans end up flowing out of Ukraine because of the unfolding crisis there.

We are prepared to conduct a range of mission sets, including assistance to American citizens in Poland if requested by the Department of State, Buccino said.

President Joe Biden has warned that Americans should depart Ukraine because U.S. forces wont come to the rescue should large-scale fighting break out.

On Monday, Biden also ordered the repositioning of additional U.S. paratroopers into the Baltics to guard against potential Russian aggression there as tensions with Moscow continue.

About 800 soldiers from the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade are expected to depart in the coming days.

Bidens decision came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putins announcement Monday that Moscow will recognize the independence of two self-proclaimed peoples republics in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

Putin also green-lighted the deployment of Russian forces, dubbed peacekeepers, into areas of the Donbas held by pro-Russia rebels. Ukraine has been at war with the separatists since 2014.

Western officials say that Putins moves could well be a prelude to a much larger Russian invasion in the days ahead.
BERLIN (Tribune News Service)  Although Udo Grelzik spent almost half his life under communist rule in East Germany, he never anticipated the threat of anything like a new Cold War in Europe.

Those days were supposedly consigned to a shadowy epoch of the Berlin Wall, countless noirish thrillers and the daily proximity of nuclear Armageddon.

Im definitely scared now, because you never know what might happen once the fighting starts, said Grelzik, 61, a renewable energy project developer who lives outside Berlin, the German capital. What might begin as a regional fight could end up spreading fast. Thats the last thing that anyone in Germany or anywhere else wants.

The threat of major war in Ukraine  accelerated by Russian President Vladimir Putins decision Monday to recognize the independence of two Ukrainian separatist regions  has sparked angst throughout Europe, more than three decades after the Cold War ended. The continents collective consciousness is wedged somewhere between fear and denial  with lots of blame tossed into the mix  as many view with dread the prospect of a region once again divided into Eastern and Western blocs.

The protracted East-West standoff after World War II and its attendant threat of a nuclear conflagration remain a not-so-distant memory to many in Europe. Although U.S.-Russian ties have become increasingly frayed in the post-Cold War era, the current Ukrainian crisis appears to have pushed matters to a near-breaking point.

Its very unsettling, said Ian Shields, an associate lecturer at Cambridge University who spent three decades in Britains Royal Air Force and flew nuclear-armed training missions in the early 1980s. From the European point of view, we should be very worried by this.

Putin, said Shields, is accomplishing two key goals: beefing up his domestic popularity with nationalist pronouncements while driving a wedge through Europe.

I think politically Putin is playing a very clever and very worrying game, said Shields. If we dont respond sufficiently robustly, are we going to see literally a return to the Cold War, where you have areas around the world split into one or two camps?

Act of War, blared the headline on Britains Sun newspaper describing Putins move, labeling the moment the most perilous international period since the Cuban missile crisis 60 years ago.

The declaration by Putin sparked vows of a new round of U.S. and European sanctions against Moscow, targeting businesses, wealthy Russians and the countrys financial services.

But perhaps the most consequential response was German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs announcement Tuesday that he was suspending certification of the $11-billion Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, which runs from Russia to Germany.

Germany and much of Europe are heavily dependent on Russian natural gas. More than a third of the gas the 27-nation European Union uses to generate electricity and heat homes comes from Russia. That is one reason Berlin has sometimes been viewed as a reluctant partner in Washingtons bid to contain Moscow.

The German leader was cryptic in explaining why his government had moved to block the pipelines certification  a measure that Washington had long urged Berlin to wield against Moscow. Authorities would make a new assessment of the security of our supply in light of what has changed in the last few days, Scholz said.

Others were less diplomatic.

Speaking Tuesday on the BBC, Gen. Richard Shirreff, Britains former top NATO commander, warned that the situation could devolve into warfare on a scale not seen in Europe since 1945. I think its difficult to overstate the seriousness of the situation.

In Paris, a French official told France 24 that the Russian leaders declaration Monday was rigid and paranoid, and betrayed promises made to President Emmanuel Macron. The French leader spoke with Putin twice by telephone Sunday in a frenetic bid to reduce tensions and become perhaps Europes chief interlocutor with his Russian counterpart.

In Eastern European nations such as Poland and Hungary, once Soviet satellite states, officials were bracing for a possible influx of refugees from neighboring Ukraine. The former front-line states in the Cold War  and current members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization  have no illusions about the potentially calamitous consequences of a war in Europe.

The Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, condemned Putins action as a crass violation of international law.

Likewise, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called Russias recognition of the two breakaway regions an unacceptable violation of the democratic sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Italy has long been viewed by many as soft on sanctions against Russia. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi forged a close friendship with Putin, and Matteo Salvini, the hard-right populist leader and former interior minister, lavished high praise on Russia.

Germany, home to Europes largest economy, has also sometimes been seen in Washington as hesitant to go full throttle on sanctions against Russia, for various reasons  especially its dependence on Russian natural gas for energy needs and its many business ties with Russia. Also, there is a lingering sense of guilt among some Germans for the destruction inflicted on Russia in World War II.

Moreover, many Germans, especially in the former East Germany, believe that the West is largely responsible for the current unrest. They often cite Washingtons aggressive policy to push NATO expansion up to Russias borders, which Moscow views as a grave security threat.

The problem is that the West hasnt shown enough respect for Russia and its interests, said Grelzik, who lived not far from a major Soviet base in the East before the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. NATO expansion is the cause of all this right now. And the attitude that after the Cold War the West could do whatever it wanted. Putin felt he had to react and show strength.

The devastation of World War II also left a profound pacifist strain in Germany. Nie wieder Krieg (Never again war) has been a popular slogan for decades, appearing on bumper stickers and elsewhere. Embracing the never-again-war goal are both survivors of the World War and its aftermath, and a younger generation that has only heard of the Cold War from elders or historical and dramatic accounts.

Western political leaders had a lot of time to act more diplomatically and be a little more cautious toward the East, said Stefan Marten, 40, a city manager in a Berlin suburb. But its too late now.

Like many other Germans, Marten said that he condemned Putins actions in Ukraine and that the Russian leaders views on the rule of law and human rights are incompatible with Western norms. Still, Marten said the current crisis could have been prevented.

Diplomatically, Russia needs to be treated like an equal  and that hasnt been the case for many years, Marten said. Thats what led to the situation in Ukraine.

Special correspondents Kirschbaum and Boyle reported from Berlin and London, respectively, and Times staff writer McDonnell from New York. Special correspondent Tom Kington in Rome contributed to this report.

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ukraine announced plans Wednesday to declare a state of emergency, as the nation prepared to defend itself from an expected Russian invasion.

The 30-day state of emergency, subject to approval by parliament, would impose curfews and restrict mass gatherings in certain regions if necessary to confront increased Russian aggression, the chief of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council said. It follows a call-up of reservists as Ukraine braces for Russian President Vladimir Putins next moves.

Ukraines National Security and Defense Council secretary, Oleksiy Danilov, announced the plans and the parliament also passed a law to allow people to carry firearms for defense.

Danilov said that under the state of emergency, curfews would be imposed in certain regions only if necessary, in the event of increased Russian aggression.

The 30-day state of emergency, which must be confirmed by parliament, allows Ukraine to impose curfews and restrictions on mass gatherings in certain regions. It does not apply to the two eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk that were recognized by Putin on Monday as independent states and where fighting broke out when Russia backed separatist rebels there in 2014. Two-thirds of the territory is under Kyivs control, and the rest is under insurgent control.

Putins move to recognize the regions in their entirety, not just the areas under rebel control, has sharply raised the risks of a major military escalation.

Danilov rejected Putins accusation that Ukraine might develop nuclear weapons, a charge used by Putin to try to justify his actions against Ukraine.

Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons in 1994 in return for guarantees in the Budapest Memorandum from Russia, the United States and Britain that they would not attack Ukraine.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said NATO membership would offer more protection for Ukraine than the memorandum.

He called for a summit of the signatories to the 1994 accord, demanding affirmation of its security guarantees. Otherwise, he warned, Ukraine could conclude that the Budapest agreement is not working.

In Moscow, Russias Foreign Ministry vowed a tough response Wednesday to Washingtons sanctions package that hit Russian sovereign debt and two banks that finance infrastructure and defense.

The package also targeted Russian elites and their families.

Russias response measures would not necessarily be symmetrical but would be well-grounded and painful, the ministry said in a statement. It said Russia has proved it could withstand the impact of all previous Western sanctions packages.

The ministry said that the U.S. policy of trying to change Russias course through repeated sanctions amounted to blackmail, intimidation and threats, adding that this would not work with a global power such as Russia.

The United States reliance on sanctions showed its foreign policy to be trapped in the stereotypes of a unipolar world with a false belief that the U.S. still has the right and the ability to impose its own rules of the world order, the statement said.

Invoking Cold War rhetoric, it said the United States is being emulated by satellites and clients, who have completely lost their independence.

After Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a meeting this week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the ministry said Russia was still open to diplomacy based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and consideration for each others interests.
WASHINGTON  Some of the 4,700 troops deployed from the U.S. to Poland are poised to help evacuees from Ukraine, though few Americans have crossed the border as the Russian invasion begins, a senior defense official said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden in the past three weeks has sent roughly 4,700 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Ky., to Poland. Those forces joined about 4,000 troops already stationed there on a rotational basis.

Some of those troops are positioned at several points near the Polish border with Ukraine working in lockstep with Polish authorities and the State Department," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. However, they have not yet seen many Americans come through those checkpoints.

We have not seen significant numbers of American citizens crossing that border to date, the official said. Now that could change. Hopefully, they'll abide the advice of the State Department and the president and leave Ukraine.

However, the official noted Americans in Ukraine might have found alternate ways to leave the country, such as by air or train.

Biden and the State Department for weeks have been urging Americans in Ukraine to leave the country as Russian President Vladimir Putin stacked more than 150,000 troops along Ukraines borders with Belarus and Russia.

The U.S. assessed Wednesday that Putin has near 100% of all the forces that we anticipated he would move in [to invade Ukraine], the official said, adding about 80% of those forces are now in a ready position to attack.

[Putin] has a cruise-missile capability, he's got ballistic-missile capability arrayed, he's got armor artillery [and] certainly infantry [and] special forces, the official said.

While the Pentagon has not independently verified recent reports of Russian troops arriving in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, the official said, the U.S. does not deny that it has happened. Russian parliament on Tuesday approved Putins request to deploy its forces abroad.

The senior defense official also said Putin might be planning a mass invasion of Ukraine, rather than just targeting the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk that Russia on Monday recognized as independent of Ukraine.

[Putin] made it very clear in his speech the other day [that] he does not recognize Ukraine's sovereignty, he does not recognize their right to exist as a separate state, the official said. That, by itself, was pretty telling."

Putin has also amassed a significant naval presence to Ukraines south in the Black and Mediterranean seas, where the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group is also operating, the official said.

He has more than two dozen warships in the Black Sea, the majority of them are surface combatants, the official said. "We see that he has more than 10 landing ships in the Black Sea, and those ships exist for one reason and that's to put boots on the ground, we have to assume."

Despite some U.S. and Russian ships operating in the same area, the official said there is no naval standoff between the navies.

[Russia is] obviously monitoring the Truman  that is not unusual  but it is only that, the official said. The Truman and her strike group aren't being shadowed by an overwhelming number of Russian surface combatants, it's classic intelligence monitoring of U.S. naval activity.

In addition to the troops deployed to Poland, the U.S. in the past three weeks moved 1,000 troops from Germany to join about 900 troops already stationed in Romania and sent 300 troops from Fort Bragg to establish a joint force headquarters in Germany.

You can expect to see [troops] conduct training missions, training flights and conduct exercises to improve [NATO] alliance defensive capabilities, the official said.

On Tuesday, Biden also ordered an infantry battalion task force of about 800 U.S. soldiers in Italy to move to the Baltic region, which includes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, after Russia refused to withdraw its forces from Belarus. An attack aviation battalion of 20 AH-64 helicopters from Germany will also join them.

Largely the mission that they're being assigned in the Baltics is one of reassurance, joint training and improving defensive capabilities up there, the official said. Obviously, one of the things that military is good at doing is humanitarian assistance and evacuation support. If that's the mission that's assigned to them, theyll be able to contribute to that [too.]

Additionally, up to eight F-35 strike fighter jets will move from Germany to several operating locations along NATOs eastern flank, a defense official said Tuesday. An attack aviation task force of 12 AH-64 helicopters will also move this week from Greece to Poland.

The Pentagon also on Tuesday announced the addition of company-sized Stryker units to Hungary and Bulgaria, meaning the U.S. has now deployed additional forces to almost all NATO countries that border Belarus and Ukraine.

In total, there are 90,000 U.S. troops based across Europe, and 8,500 additional troops in the U.S. are on heightened alert to deploy to the Continent should NATO activate its Rapid Response Force, which is made up of 40,000 troops from multiple NATO countries.
CHICAGO (Tribune News Service)  The young Afghan men prayed together at a Willowbrook, Ill., mosque just two days after arriving in Illinois from a military base in New Jersey. Afterward, they shared a meal of chicken, rice and samosas.

In the midst of listening to words of welcome over lunch, one of the men raised his hand.

I dont have a question, but I thank you for everything, he said, through a translator.

After a pause, he added: I love your food.

The men are among scores of Afghan refugees arriving in Illinois this month, as the U.S. government works to move people from military bases into communities. Since September, about 2,142 Afghans have resettled in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. In all, Illinois plans to welcome about 2,500 to 3,000 refugees.

Chicagoland resettlement agencies and related nonprofit groups have worked on overdrive with strained resources since the U.S. completed its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in August, leaving the country in control of the Taliban and tens of thousands of people evacuated to the U.S. due to the humanitarian crisis there. Many Afghan workers who aided the U.S. military during the war have sought asylum in other countries, fearing for their safety under a Taliban regime.

Though the agencies have welcomed a steady flow of refugees since August, they are geared up to accept an influx of new people this month, as federal officials designated Feb. 15 as a goal for emptying the military bases that had served as temporary housing, according to those working in the resettlement process and reporting from national outlets.

Resettlement agencies, still in the process of rebuilding after being whittled down during the Trump era, are working with nonprofit groups, mosques, churches, private donors and volunteers to bridge the gaps in funding and resources.

Even though the government will support people for a short period of time, the funding offered is bare minimum, said Irshad Khan, chairman of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. We are asking our communities to step up.

Because the resettlement agencies are operating at capacity, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago is among the organizations aiding in the efforts.

These are families who were assisting the U.S. military in Afghanistan. They had good jobs, said Ayesha Ahmed, board director of development at Urban Muslim Minority Alliance, who has also been working closely with refugees. Overnight, their lives were just uprooted.

A high level of need

Those who work with refugees said their communities are offering money, time and translation services and donating basic necessities. But the need is overwhelming, they say.

Generally, the government supports refugees for a short time period, after which, they rely on private funding through nonprofits and resettlement agencies until they are self-sufficient.

Since September, the Illinois Department of Human Services has provided more than $12.5 million in state and federal funding, along with some ongoing rolling funding, to the refugee process, including funds for emergency housing assistance, mental health, legal assistance and other aspects of the resettlement process.

Jims Porter, manager of communications and advocacy at RefugeeOne, a resettlement agency in Chicago, said the agency settled more refugees in a three-month period than during the three previous fiscal years combined.

Porter said resettlement agencies lost infrastructure during the years former President Donald Trump was in office. The agencies are in the process of rebuilding.

Its definitely put a stress or strain on the system, he said, adding that they rely heavily on community support.

Nan Warshaw, founder of a group that seeks to help resettlement agencies meet the basic needs of refugees, uses Facebook to crowdsource in obtaining much-needed items. Her group, Refugee Community Connection, provides winter apparel, pots and pans, toiletries and culturally relevant items like Afghan rugs. The organization also stocks up these items in free stores in Rogers Park and Albany Park.

The resettlement agencies have been operating in crisis mode since the fall and they are doing a little bit better, but all are still dramatically understaffed and overworked, Warshaw said. Were trying to fill in the gaps.

Housing is one of the most difficult hurdles in the resettlement process, experts say. There is already a lack of affordable housing in Chicago, and refugees generally come with no credit or rental history. RefugeeOne guarantees rent for the first three months, Porter said.

There is a need right now for landlords, rental management agencies to open their doors to refugees to start a new life here, he said.

It takes a long time to start over

During a Friday prayer service days before Valentines Day, Imam Hassan Aly of the Mecca Center in Willowbrook spoke about love among community members. He bid his community to embrace the newly arrived refugees praying beside them.

Today, we have a beautiful group of our Afghan brothers who are visiting us, who just came to Illinois two days ago, Aly said during the service. We are so honored and so humbled to welcome them.

Despite working with strained resources, those coordinating resettlement efforts say their communities have stepped up.

Volunteers with Exodus World Service, which works with resettlement agencies, have helped welcome more newly arrived refugees in recent months than all of last year, said Susan Odom, the executive director.

It takes a long time to start over and rebuild your life, Odom said. We do need volunteers and more people to be involved.

A group of north suburban Illinoisans are supporting about eight Afghan families who are living in a hotel, said Ahmed, of the Urban Muslim Minority Alliance. They cater Friday dinners for them, provide basic necessities as well as company and comfort.

One Friday at the hotel, Ahmed watched a mother video-chat with her daughter, who was still in Afghanistan. The teenager was separated from her family amid the chaos that upended Kabul as the U.S. withdrew, Ahmed said, and did not make it out of the country.

The volunteers are working with the family to bring their daughter here, including eliciting the help of local officials. A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, confirmed the office is working with the family to do what it can.

Its heartbreaking, Ahmed said.

The familys story is just one of many who risked their lives to come, and were forced to leave loved ones back home.

None of the 9/11 hijackers were Afghani, but their country has been in some kind of war for the last 40 years, Ahmed said. All of a sudden they were just kind of displaced overnight.

I really feel like it is our duty as Americans to help them rebuild their lives.

2022 Chicago Tribune.

Visit chicagotribune.com .
Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

WASHINGTON  As many as 700 National Guard troops have been activated to assist Washington law enforcement with traffic control through March 7 as several planned trucker protests make their way to the U.S. capital in the coming weeks, according to the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the requests by the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Capitol Police, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday.

Of the 700 troops, 400 will come from the District of Columbia National Guard and up to 300 will come from neighboring states, Kirby said in a statement. It represents the first time that D.C. National Guard troops are being deployed under a new expedited activation process that Congress established last year after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

The D.C. National Guard troops will help city police officers at traffic posts as soon as operationally and logistically feasible through March 7, Kirby said. Guard troops from neighboring states will help Capitol Police officers with traffic control at designated points around the Capitols perimeter as soon as possible.

Multiple truck convoys are leaving for Washington this week to disrupt traffic in protest of coronavirus-related government mandates such as mask wearing and vaccines, according to convoy organizers.

The first convoy left Scranton, Pa., on Wednesday and intends to circle Washington in Maryland and Virginia along I-495, known as the Capital Beltway, according to a statement by its organizers Bob Bolus Towers and Truckers for America. They intend to disrupt traffic flow to and from the city.

Another group, dubbed The Peoples Convoy, is scheduled to leave California on Wednesday and arrive in the beltway area March 5 to disrupt traffic in a similar way, according to a statement from the group.

The Guard troops will operate under Title 32 duty status, meaning they will be under state authority not federal. They will not be issued firearms for their duties, nor will they conduct surveillance of people, although they are authorized to report any observed criminal activity to appropriate law enforcement personnel, according to the Pentagon.

Although participating service members will conduct traffic control, they will not affect arrests or conduct other such law enforcement activities, the Pentagon said. The Metropolitan Police Department and the USCP are responsible for conducting searches, seizures and arrests within their respective jurisdictions.

The Capitol Police said Friday in a statement that they will help facilitate lawful First Amendment activity for the protest.

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 State of the Union, the police agency said. The USCP is closely coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, including D.C.s Metropolitan Police Department, the United States Park Police, the United States Secret Service and other allied agencies to include the D.C. National Guard.

The protests follow similar trucker protests in Ottawa, Canada, where truckers shut down traffic flow around the countrys parliament buildings. That protest ended Saturday after police were sent in to clear the area, according to The Associated Press. Police arrested 170 people.
(Tribune News Service)  A Birmingham, Ala., woman has been indicted in last years strangulation death of a U.S. Army veteran in Homewood.

A Jefferson County grand jury issued the capital murder indictment against 30-year-old Alexandria Nicole Davis on Feb. 10, and the indictment was made public Wednesday.

Davis is charged in the slaying of Johnnie Will Anderson III during the course of committing a theft of his cell phone, car keys and a debit card. Court records indicated he was killed with a necktie.

Davis has been held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail since her arrest in September.

Andersons decomposing body was found Friday, Sept. 10, at his home at the Park at Buckingham apartments on Aspen Circle. Authorities believe he had been dead for several days.

Davis was taken into custody Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Circle K on Lorna Road. She is also charged with attempted murder in the unrelated stabbing of another woman that happened in Birmingham on Saturday, just hours before she was arrested in Hoover.

The lookout bulletin for the suspect in the stabbing matched the description of Andersons missing vehicle. An officer spotted the wanted vehicle Saturday afternoon.

Both Homewood and Birmingham police also responded to the scene, and Birmingham police placed Davis in the Birmingham City Jail pending their ongoing stabbing investigation.

Birmingham detectives then charged Davis with attempted murder and obstruction of justice, claiming she provided them with a false identity. After the formal warrants were obtained, she was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on bonds totaling $165,000.

On Thursday, Sept. 16, Homewood detectives obtained the warrants in Andersons death.

Davis had just been arrested on Aug. 30 by Hoover police on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. That arrest followed Hoover police responding to a reported robbery that turned out to be a civil dispute. Used needles and meth were found during that incident, according to court records.

Prior to that arrest, Davis in May had pleaded guilty to a 2020 theft of a Nissan from a man in Birmingham. As part of her plea, she was ordered to take part in the Deferred Theft Court Program, with the stipulation that she would have to serve 18 months in prison if she failed the program.

On Sept. 12, a judge ruled her non-compliant and issued a warrant for her arrest.

A trial date has not yet been set.

2022 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit al.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Stillwater, OK (74074)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 66F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. Low 58F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says travellers coming into Auckland Airport will be issued with a pack including three rapid antigen tests, information and advice when the border reopens to some on Monday.

The border reopening plan's first stage - allowing vaccinated New Zealanders and certain other eligible travellers to arrive from Australia without entering managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) - begins at 11.59pm this Sunday, February 27.

The second step - opening with the same criteria for travel from the rest of the world as well as working-holiday visas and skilled workers earning 1.5x the median wage - is set for two weeks later, on March 13.

Ardern has been touring Auckland Airport this week, and been briefed on readiness for the change.

She says the beginning of our reconnection plan is "extremely exciting".

Travellers coming into New Zealand will find a familiar airport welcome but with some added extras "that will help us ensure that we're doing everything to keep them safe and the community safe as well", she says.

She says after they have collected their bags, they will be issued with a pack including three rapid antigen tests, information and advice.

She says the system is expected to change over time, however, and expert advice on whether self-isolation times can be further reduced is being sought.

Ardern says the government knows that self-isolation has a knock-on effect for many industries, so as much advance warning as possible needs to be given. She says the government also needs to consider the safety of New Zealanders during a pandemic at the same time.

She says the government has prioritised New Zealanders for being able to self-isolate over tourists and other foreign travellers because they are more likely to stay long term, and self-isolation is less likely to present as much of a barrier to them.

It's important that people welcomed into New Zealand should feel safe and free to move, and too many cases being seeded into the community from the border would mean tourists not having that experience, she says.

"We do need to get that balance right."

She says once we come through the Omicron outbreak we'll have the opportunity to open up more widely.

She yesterday gave further assurances that restrictions within New Zealand would begin easing "well beyond" the Omicron outbreak's peak, some three to six weeks away.

The government laid out the rules for self-isolating travellers last week, and criteria for allowing people to leave MIQ early were loosened.

Under the government's plan, unvaccinated travellers would still be required to go into MIQ and some facilities will continue to house those unable to isolate at home, but the Defence Force would no longer secure the facilities.

Ardern has also signalled the government may no longer require self-isolation for vaccinated travellers in the "not too distant" future.

Move to phase three expected 'fairly shortly'

Ardern says we're seeing increased Covid-19 case numbers and hospitalisations, but the hospitalisation rate is about 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent.

"But the scale is large, and it will grow."

From Thursday, GPs will be using rapid antigen tests where they may previously have used PCR testing.

However, Ardern says if you have not been told to get a test, have no symptoms and are not a contact, you should not go seek a test.

"They are causing long lines," she says.

"One of the major issues still continues to be people who are worried coming to be tested. I understand your anxiety, but please if you are not symptomatic or you are not a contact who needs to be tested, please do not attend our testing stations. It is standing in the way of people who need to be tested."

She says there is flexibility in the system for teachers to return to school if they have been a contact but are not symptomatic, via rapid antigen testing and the test to return to work scheme.

A move to phase three is expected "fairly shortly". That means more frequent use of rapid antigen testing and a further narrowing of the definition of who a contact is, she says.

-RNZ.
Update, 5pm: State Highway 29, on the Waikato side of the Kaimai Range, has reopened following an earlier crash involving two trucks.

The logs that spilled out onto the road, resulting in the highway being closed, have now been removed from the lanes.

Police thank motorists for their patience.

Earlier, 2.09pm:

Two trucks, one of which is a logging truck, have crashed on the Waikato side of the Kaimai Range on State Highway 29, spilling logs onto the road.

NZTA report that the crash is near Rapurapu Road. Emergency services are responding.

It appears one truck has clipped the other while trying to overtake, resulting in some logs being dislodged onto the road.

There are delays for traffic in both directions, as there is stop/go traffic management in place allowing traffic in only one direction at a time to pass the crash site.

Police are advising motorists to avoid the area as there are likely to be delays for at least a couple of hours.

The logging truck crash has closed the eastbound lanes SH29 Lower Kaimai range between SH28 and Hanga Rd. Contractors are on-site, and cordons are being put in place. Westbound lanes remain open.

An alternative route for eastbound traffic: divert from SH29 on SH28, turn left onto SH5 to Rotorua, turn left onto SH36 to Tauranga. Expect an additional 60 minutes to journey time.

No injuries have resulted from the crash.

Traffic is delayed in the area. Image: Google Maps.

At the scene?

Phone 0800 SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
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A proposed charter amendment that would make it more difficult to disband the Belleair Police Department is the only item for town residents to vote on in the March 15 municipal election.
Government of Ireland Scholarship 2022-23 - Guidance to Postgraduate Law Applicants

Government of Ireland Scholarship 2022/23.

As the deadline for Government of Ireland Scholarship Scheme 2022/2023 approaches, we recommend those intending to apply for this scheme submit their postgraduate law course applications to the School of Law as soon as possible and before end of February 2022. This will allow the School of Law and the Universitys Admissions office time to review applications and return recommendations in time for the Government of Ireland Scholarship deadline.

Applications for our four LLM programmes and MSc Law and Finance programme can be submitted here

Full details on the Government of Ireland Scholarship programme are available here

A number of Non-EEA postgraduate law students have been successful in obtaining this prestigious funding since its introduction. In 2020/21, Ms Fatima Asgarova (Azerbaijan) received the GOI Scholarship to support her studies on LLM (Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law. Read her story below:

Fatima Asgarova (Azerbaijan). Government of Ireland Scholar, LLM (Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law) 2020-21

About my education - I passed the University entrance exam with high results which gave me the chance to study at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan during 2014-2018. I then obtained my first masters degree at Baku State University that focused on Commercial law. During my studies I also engaged in many extracurricular activities. I participated in a study visit to ELSA, Amsterdam and in the Human Rights Academy held in Baku and visited the International Criminal Court, European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation and The Netherlands Commercial Court of Appeal. Due to my top exam points and full participation at the Academy, I gained a chance to visit Strasbourg where I attended lectures on the EU's legal issues at the Council of the European Union and visited The European Court of Human Rights. I then worked as a lawyer in private companies in Azerbaijan and as a leading specialist at the Law Department of BakuBus LLC.

As can be seen from my background, I was always interested in the legal policies of different countries, while comparing it with local legislation but it was challenging to find gaps and think about the future of legal relations. The development of new technologies makes lawyers think about the future of law and human rights in that context as well, so I decided to pursue my second masters degree in Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law. My dream was to study in foreign country and the GOI-IES scholarship made my dreams come true.

Getting a chance to study out of your boundaries is a huge challenge and I think everyone should try it once in their life. Considering that the 2020-2021 academic year was an extra challenging one, our professors did their best to deliver their valuable knowledge on data protection, cybersecurity, cyberspeech, media law, copyrights, trademarks, patent law. Studying at Trinity was not only about completing another milestone of my academic background and gaining new skills, it was about being a part of a diverse community and sharing ideas with classmates from all over the world.
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Vivek Kumar Newbie



Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Mumbai Posts: 14 Thanked: 105 Times

Mumbai to Darjeeling in a Maruti-Suzuki S-Cross





Our First Car



We bought our first ever car, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross in November 2021 in Mumbai, where we work. What prompted us to buy this car was to get this car to our native places in Bihar, by covering some of the most interesting places along the route. As expected, everyone advised us not to do this since it meant paying much more than a flight ticket to Patna and spending at least four days in a compact car. I think, the difficulty level, made this idea even more appealing and we decided to go for it, despite the resistance.





Route Selection



We considered two possible routes, one going through Indore-Orchha-Varanasi and another through Mandu-Jabalpur-Varanasi. We found the latter route more interesting, as it not only covered the historical counterpart of Orchha (Mandu) but also had the touchpoint of Bhedaghat (near Jabalpur) where we could witness the mystique waterfall of Dhuandhar and the river Narmada meandering through famed marble rocks seen in the Bollywood movies Asoka (the song, Raat ka Nasha Abhi) and Mohenjo Daro (crocodile fight scenes).



Day 1: Mumbai  Mandu



Distance Covered: 532 Km

Route Taken: Via Nashik  Dhule

Why this route: Shortest and fastest

Where to Eat: The Orchid, Malegaon Road, Dhule, Maharashtra

Where to Stay: MPT Malwa Retreat, Mandu, M.P.

Why stay at Mandu: Jahaz Mahal, Jami Masjid, Rani Roopmati Pavillion and Palace



Day 1 Journey: Thanks to the excellent roads in Maharashtra, this was the smoothest part of our journey which gave us the much-needed confidence to take on a 606 km journey the very next day. The only small hiccup was a shorter route suggested by Google Map, going through uneven roads of a small village in Madhya Pradesh towards the last 40 Km of our journey. We actually felt lost for some time, while travelling through the narrow broken roads of this village in the dark. The key takeaway was  never trust Google to tell you the best route. It always suggests the shorter route, no matter what the condition of the roads may be.

The next day we spent around 1.5 hours visiting Jami Masjid and Jahaj Mahal which were nearby before we headed for Jabalpur.





To keep this thread short and crisp, I will share the details of Day 2 in my next thread with pictures! Why would anyone come up with this crazy idea of travelling from Mumbai to Darjeeling by car, when a flight is an easier option? I would do it, just for the thrill and experience of covering more than 2400 Km (my first ever) in a car. Good, bad or average, whatever it may be, I knew, it will be a lifetime experience to count on and tell stories about. So here I am sharing my story with fellow TeamBHPians.We bought our first ever car, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross in November 2021 in Mumbai, where we work. What prompted us to buy this car was to get this car to our native places in Bihar, by covering some of the most interesting places along the route. As expected, everyone advised us not to do this since it meant paying much more than a flight ticket to Patna and spending at least four days in a compact car. I think, the difficulty level, made this idea even more appealing and we decided to go for it, despite the resistance.We considered two possible routes, one going through Indore-Orchha-Varanasi and another through Mandu-Jabalpur-Varanasi. We found the latter route more interesting, as it not only covered the historical counterpart of Orchha (Mandu) but also had the touchpoint of Bhedaghat (near Jabalpur) where we could witness the mystique waterfall of Dhuandhar and the river Narmada meandering through famed marble rocks seen in the Bollywood movies Asoka (the song, Raat ka Nasha Abhi) and Mohenjo Daro (crocodile fight scenes).Distance Covered: 532 KmRoute Taken: Via Nashik  DhuleWhy this route: Shortest and fastestWhere to Eat: The Orchid, Malegaon Road, Dhule, MaharashtraWhere to Stay: MPT Malwa Retreat, Mandu, M.P.Why stay at Mandu: Jahaz Mahal, Jami Masjid, Rani Roopmati Pavillion and PalaceDay 1 Journey: Thanks to the excellent roads in Maharashtra, this was the smoothest part of our journey which gave us the much-needed confidence to take on a 606 km journey the very next day. The only small hiccup was a shorter route suggested by Google Map, going through uneven roads of a small village in Madhya Pradesh towards the last 40 Km of our journey. We actually felt lost for some time, while travelling through the narrow broken roads of this village in the dark. The key takeaway was  never trust Google to tell you the best route. It always suggests the shorter route, no matter what the condition of the roads may be.The next day we spent around 1.5 hours visiting Jami Masjid and Jahaj Mahal which were nearby before we headed for Jabalpur.To keep this thread short and crisp, I will share the details of Day 2 in my next thread with pictures!
Why it matters: Panasonic has formally introduced the Lumix GH6, its latest flagship digital mirrorless camera based on the Micro Four Thirds standard. The new GH6 features a 25.2-megapixel Live MOS sensor, the highest resolution sensor ever crammed into a Micro Four Thirds camera. It also packs the new Venus Engine for advanced image processing and contains V-Log/V-Gamut, a first for a Lumix G MFT camera.

The announcement comes nearly nine months after the company teased the camera during a launch event for the Lumix GH5M2.

Panasonic claims the new engine is nearly twice as powerful as the one featured in the Lumix S1H.

Of particular interest is the camera's video recording abilities. According to Panasonic, the body is capable of 4:2:2 10-bit C4K 60p, 4:2:0 10-bit 4K120p or 4:2:2 10-bit FHD 240p HFR video recording with audio. Furthermore, the GH6 can do 4:2:0 10-bit 5.8K 30p (4.4K 60p) anamorphic 4:3 video by utilizing the full area of the image sensor.

All of that processing power does come at a cost, and I'm not talking dollars. Recording high-res video is a taxing job that requires a lot of power. With power comes heat, and as has previously been demonstrated, thermal shutdown is a very real concern in compact cameras. To combat this, Panasonic has added a cooling fan to the GH6 which it refers to as a "forced-cooling mechanism" in its PR material.

The GH6 additionally boasts a five-axis gyro sensor with an updated algorithm that's good for up to 7.5 stops of stabilization. The company has also updated the firmware on several lenses to enhance autofocus compatibility.

The Panasonic Lumix GH6 is scheduled to arrive in mid-March. Interested parties can pre-order the body over on B&H Photo for $2,197.99 or grab it with a 12-60mm f/2.8-4 lens for $2,797.99.
Why it matters: Since last year, regulators in different countries have tried to stop Apple from forcing all app payments through the App Store. Over the past month, the Netherlands has taken perhaps the furthest steps in reigning in the tech titan through weekly fines. It remains to be seen if the financial hits even register for Apple.

This week the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) fined Apple 5 million euros (almost $5.7 million) for continuing to effectively block apps from using third-party payment methods. It is the fifth 5 million fine in as many weeks, bringing the total so far to 25 million (around $28 million).

Last year, the Dutch antitrust regulator ordered Apple to let the country's dating apps use alternate payment methods, ultimately setting the deadline for the middle of last month. Apple technically complied but required app operators to release entirely new apps to use new payment methods. Apple would also still take a 27 percent cut from payments through non-Apple systems on the apps instead of the usual 30.

The ACM determined this put an unreasonable burden on developers. In response, the ACM has fined Apple 5 million euros a week every week since mid-January. The maximum fine it can levy is 50 million.

Last August, South Korea became the first country to pass a law forcing Apple (and Google) to allow third-party app payments. After a September ruling on Epic's case against Apple in the US, the Cupertino giant can no longer stop developers from linking to external payment methods.

The US District Court said Apple's control of its App Store doesn't represent a monopoly---yet. The Netherlands agreed in that respect but did charge Apple with abusing a dominant market position.
Are you really, really sure? Sony is finally launching auto-captures on the PlayStation 5 -- again. You might recall that it beta tested the feature in Japan and Canada back in October before seemingly rolling it out in the US back in January. However, as suddenly as users started seeing the feature show up on their consoles, Sony took it away.

Evidently, Game Captures were mistaken released to only a handful of PS5 owners. This time it's for real, as indicated by Sony's official announcement on Twitter---something it did not do back in January. As we suspected last time, it will be a gradual rollout to reduce the load on servers and give Sony time to adjust to the added traffic.

We're gradually rolling out the ability to share your PS5 game captures through PS App in more regions! Americas are first up, with more countries next month. Details: https://t.co/yskER3hn8t pic.twitter.com/8sfrm6PZZj --- PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 23, 2022

Sony will first introduce it in North, South, and Central American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the US, and Uruguay. It will start rolling out to other regions worldwide in March. It will be a standard feature on the PS5, so no PlayStation Plus subscription is necessary.

If you missed the news in October, Game Capture (also known as Auto-Upload and Auto-Capture) allows PS5 users to toggle a setting that automatically sends screenshots and short video clips to the cloud. Sony stores the media for up to 14 days before deleting it from servers to make room for more. During that time, users can access their captures from their phones using the PlayStation app. From there, they can do as they wish---store them on their camera roll, share on social media, or send them to their PC.

Once players receive the update, there should be a notice that pops up allowing them to enable auto-uploads right there. If they miss the message, the setting is located in Settings>Captures and Broadcasts>Captures. There they will find the toggle to turn it on or off.
China claims that the Space Junk, which is expected to crash to the Moon next month, is not from their previous Chang'e-5 T1 lunar mission way back in 2014.

China and Space Junk Crashing to Moon

The denial of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs comes after the upper stage debris of the 2014 lunar mission of China was accused of being the space junk that is heading towards the Moon this March, as per a recent report by SpaceNews.

Thus, the spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of China, Wang Wenbin, spoke on the matter in a press conference in Beijing, denying that the space junk debris hitting the moon is from their previous lunar mission.

On top of that, Wenbin also claimed that the booster from the 2014 Chang'e-5 T1 mission has successfully reentered the atmosphere of the Earth in "a safe manner." After which, the upper stage of the rocket has also been "completely burnt up" since then.

Thus, the Chinese Foreign Ministry says that the space junk headed towards the Moon could not be from its 2014 lunar mission.

What's more, the spokesperson also clarified that all of the aerospace missions of China have consistently been "keeping with international law," according to a news story by DailyMail.

Wenbin further added that the Chinese nation "conscientiously upholds the long-term sustainability of activities in outer space."

Read Also: NASA Vs. China Space Race to Become Nuclear Competition! Here's What This Atomic Energy is Capable of

Space Junk to the Moon

The space debris, headed towards the surface of the Moon, was first discovered by an Astronomer, Bill Gray, way back on Jan. 21, warning that an object is set to collide with the natural satellite of the Earth.

Initially, the astronomer said that the space junk heading to the moon is from a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch way back in 2015.

However, on Feb. 12, Gray revised his previous findings, saying that it turns out to be from the upper stage of the Long March 3C rocket stage, which was used during the Chinese Chang'e-5 T1 moon mission.

NASA also echoed the claim from its own analysis, which showed that the space debris is from the space mission of China.

But the latest denial of China still makes the space debris flying towards the surface of the moon an ongoing mystery.

Related Article: Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Seen Journeying the Red Planet on the Latest Footage Ahead of Chinese Lunar New Year [VIDEO]

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Written by Teejay Boris

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Current U.S. defense systems are still considered ineffective against ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles). This detail was revealed by a new study conducted by the American Physical Society (APS).

APS, a non-profit organization, claimed that the inefficiency of the anti-ICBM systems of the United States will still remain even after 15 years.

The new study relied on a hypothetical North Korean missile strike. Involved experts observed if the current missile defense systems, such as ground-based interceptors, will work against a realistic ICBM threat.

US Missile Defense Systems Ineffective?

According to Breaking Defense's latest report, the new study checked if the current anti-missile systems and futuristic defense techs are efficient against intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Also Read: Robot Dogs To Patrol US-Mexico Border! Ghost Robotics Says It Won't 'Take Over Anyting

But, the study discovered that they are still not enough when it comes to defending the United States in the next 15 years.

"Creating a reliable and effective defense against the threat posed by even the small number of relatively unsophisticated nuclear-armed ICBMs that it considers remains a daunting challenge," explained APS via its official report.

If you want to see more details about the latest study of APS titled "Ballistic Missile Defense: Threats and Challenges," you can visit this link.

Issues of U.S. Missile Defense Systems

The American Physical Society said that the U.S. faces various challenges in its current defense systems. One of these involves unresolved countermeasures for midcourse-intercept.

Aside from this, the nation also experiences the severe reach-versus-time challenge of boost-phase intercept. Although the United States was able to fix some of its defense system issues, many of the major problems still remain.

Right now, the U.S. government has already spent more than $350 billion in ballistic missile defense systems. But, the nation still needs to do more than invest a huge amount of money.

In other news, U.S. embassies recently suffered from high-power microwave attacks. Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force warned about smart meters, claiming they could disrupt U.K.'s EWS.

For more news updates about U.S. missile defense systems and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: China's Navy Vessel Points Laser at Australia's Military Jets! Here's Why This Can Endanger Aircraft

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Slack Technologies confirmed that it could fix the latest outage of the platform, which happened on Feb. 22.

"We've resolved the issue, and all impacted customers should now be able to access Slack," said the software company via its official Slack Status page.

The recent outage was widely experienced since it prevented people from sending messages and even opening their accounts.

But, thanks to the efforts made by Slack Technologies' team, the issue was resolved and didn't last for days.

Slack Troubleshooting Tips

According to How-To Geek's latest report, some Slack users may still be unlucky even after the fix was rolled out for the popular communication platform.

Also Read: Slack Launches Slack Connect that Lets Users Direct Message Anyone Outside Their Workplace

Slack Technologies also said that users need to reload their Slack accounts to fix the issue on their end. The company added that if reloading the page doesn't work, the best thing they can do is to follow the system path below to clear the cache:

Help > Troubleshooting > Clear Cache and Restart from the app menu

On the other hand, the company thanked its consumers for staying patient during the outage. But, if you are still experiencing some issues, you might try these troubleshooting methods.

How To Fix Slack Issues

Troubleshooting methods can be quite handy when it comes to solving app issues. This also goes for Slack's platform:

One of the most effective troubleshooting methods you can rely on is reinstalling/restarting/updating your Slack app.

Using the web version of Slack can also solve the issues, such as login bugs. If you want to use this, just open any browser and visit Slack.com. Once you are there, just choose the "Use Slack in Your Browser" option.

These two are just some of the troubleshooting tips you can try. If you want to see more methods, you need to visit this link.

The recent Slack Android bug, which automatically logs out consumers, has been fixed in other news. Meanwhile, Slack's schedule messages feature recently rolled out.

For more news updates about Slack and other popular messaging platforms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Slack Down! Issues in Sending Messages, Accessing Platform, Experienced

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google claims only a few Pixel 6 owners experience the annoying WiFi connectivity issue, as well as the BlueTooth bug.

"After some investigation, we identified the root cause and determined that it impacts a very small number of devices," said Google.

The tech giant manufacturer added that its team is already working on a fix. However, Pixel 6 users still need to wait until the March software update arrives since the solution is bundled with it.

Google Pixel 6 Owners Experience Connectivity Issue

According to The Verge's latest report, Google Pixel 6 owners shared their frustrations regarding the latest WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity bugs through the Reddit Community group, r/Google Pixel.

Also Read: Google Pixel Bug Stops 911 Calls on Microsoft Teams | Both Companies are Working to Fix the Issue

One of them said that his Pixel 6's WiFi continuously shuts off. He added that the connectivity issue still happens even when the device is in sleep mode.

The Google user further shared that he needs to manually enable his WiFi and select the network since it doesn't connect automatically.

But, he claimed that the issue was fixed after using Beta 3 of 12 L for 10 days, claiming that he experienced no WiFi issue after that.

However, this still doesn't work for all Pixel 6 owners.

Fixing WiFi Issue on Android Device

Google's official Support website explained that there are some signs you can check to see if your device has a bad connection. These include the following:

You can't load web pages in a browser.

Downloads don't start, time out, or remain at 0%.

Google Play is stuck on "Loading..."

If you see these signs, then it's time for you to troubleshoot your device's internet connectivity.

The first thing you need to do is restart your Google Pixel handset.

If that doesn't work, you can try switching from WiFi to mobile data or WiFi to airplane mode. Do this a couple more times and check if the WiFi is already working.

In other news, Google Photos' locked folder feature finally rolled out to non-Pixel Android devices. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 9 and the OnePlus 9 Pro 5G received the advanced Android 12 system version.

For more news updates about Google Pixel 6 and other Android smartphones, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Google Releases Security Patch For Android Bug That Stop Users From Contacting 911 | List of Affected Devices

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tesla paid a fine to the EPA or the Environment Protection Agency of the United States after settling its violation of the Clean Air Act on its facilities in Fremont, California.

Tesla Settles Fine to EPA

As per a news story by CNBC, the US EPA ruled out that the EV tech giant of billionaire Elon Musk, Tesla, has violated the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Surface Coating of Automobiles, which is a regulation from the federal Clean Air Act.

The Musk-led EV tech firm has already agreed to pay the US agency $275,000 fine to settle its Clean Air Act violation.

Related Article: Tesla Car Colorizer Launches in US, Outside China-Does it Change Your Vehicle Color?

Tesla vs. Clean Air Act

EPA said that the Clean Air Act violation of Tesla was from Oct. 2016 up until Sept. 2019 in its car assembly facilities in Fremont.

In a press release, the US agency said that the facilities of Tesla used to apply a coating material on its cars that contains hazardous chemicals, which are considered as air pollutants, such as xylene, formaldehyde, naphthalene, and ethylbenzene,

The hazardous coating materials that Tesla was using from 2016 to 2019 could potentially be both health and environmental risk for the communities within the vicinity of the Fermont factory, according to a report by TechCrunch.

On top of that, the US EPA said that the EV maker failed to "develop and/or implement a work practice plan to minimize hazardous air-pollutants emissions from the storage and mixing of materials used in vehicle-coating operations."

What's more, the US agency also found out that Tesla has been missing its monthly emissions calculations, which should have proven that the car firm has been complying to the federal government.

Tesla and Clean Air

CNBC noted in the same report that the penalty that Tesla paid to the EPA to settle its Clean Air Act violation is "immaterial" to the recent earnings of the EV maker, which is at a staggering $2.3 billion.

It is worth noting that Tesla is touted to be a firm that provides consumers a sustainable alternative, selling electric cars and access to solar power.

Meanwhile, the EPA went on to reveal that Tesla has finally corrected its aforementioned violations not just by merely paying the settlement fine, but by also complying to the regulations.

Read Also: Tesla EVs are Getting an Option to Turn Off Mobile Inductive Charging After Fan asks CEO for Help

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Crypto Web3 movement is currently urging tech employees from giant companies, such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google, to move into the rising blockchain industry.

As of the moment, the ongoing Web3 or Web 3.0 movement wants to overhaul or change the online world by moving online services over to decentralized innovations, such as blockchain.

This idea is what digital currency companies use to tempt tech talents to leave their current positions and transition into the crypto world.

Crypto Web3 Movement Tempts Tech Staff

According to CNBC's latest report, Circle and Polygon blockchain platforms are among the crypto firms that have already hired top employees from giant technology companies.

Also Read: Authorities Warn Influencers That Misleading Crypto Promotions May Lead to Jail Time

Polygon's new gaming studio recently hired Ryan Wyatt, the former global gaming partnership head at YouTube. Now, he is the CEO of Polygon Studio.

"When I started at YouTube Gaming almost eight years ago, I was the first person there. We didn't have a team. People were really starting to show interest in gaming video," shared Wyatt.

This just shows that the Web3 movement's decentralized technologies proposal is attracting highly-skilled tech staff in the tech industry.

Aside from the rising crypto industry, more competitive salaries also play a major role in the tech talent competition between the technology and crypto industries.

Issues of Tech Companies With Their Employees

AFR Financial Review reported that the tech businesses are now having some issues when it comes to acquisition, retention, and upskilling.

A new survey claimed that this would remain the same throughout 2022. The new study surveyed more than 400 CEOs and discovered that 69% of them are hard to retain and hire highly skilled tech employees.

If you want to see more details about this study, you can visit this link.

In other news, an Indian reserve bank official claimed that cryptocurrency is similar to the so-called Ponzi scheme. Meanwhile, crypto exchange FTX acquired its Japanese rival, Liquid.

For more news updates about cryptocurrency and the Web3 movement, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Tech Employees' Salaries To Increase as Talent Competition in Singapore Intensifies! Software Engineers Benefit the Most?

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The new contingent will also perform duties such as guarding key government installations, conducting patrols, ensuring public order, and guarding VIPs and high-level events.

On Wednesday, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said it has received 160 Formed Police Unit (FPU) personnel from Uganda to help enhance stabilization efforts in the Horn of Africa country.

The new contingent, which arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday to begin their one-year tour of duty, will support the advancement of the AMISOM Police mandate, enhancing rule of law and stabilization efforts in Somalia.

"We are going to work with colleagues from other police-contributing countries to help build the forces of Somalia during the transition period, to help restore peace," deputy contingent commander Daniel Okello said.

Uganda is one of AMISOM's police-contributing countries. Other contributors are Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zambia.

Ugandan government has sent new contingents of its FPU police force to Somalia as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). pic.twitter.com/1boiJjAQmy  Ocean Media News (@OceanMediaNews1) February 23, 2022

"We must work with a lot of agility and serve with discipline," Okello said, adding that the contingent will join colleagues from other police-contributing countries to support the Somali Police Force to secure the ongoing elections.

The new contingent will also perform duties such as guarding key government installations, conducting patrols, ensuring public order, and guarding VIPs and high-level events.

The AMISOM Police component is made up of the FPUs who provide operational support and individual police officers (IPOs) who train, mentor and advise Somali police officers.
In 1888, Emile Zola was a writer covered in glory. However, from the top of his 48 years, he is overweight, suffers from shortness of breath and has the impression of having missed his life. Zola grows tired of his wife Alexandrine, who lets herself go and with whom he cannot have a child. In this new episode of the Europe 1 Studio podcast "At the heart of history", Clementine Portier-Kaltenbach recounts the meeting of the famous novelist with the one who will upset the course of his existence: the young and pretty Jeanne Rozerot.
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The chief executive of Australia Post has warned the cost of shipping goods could increase further over the coming months as inflationary pressures driven by COVID and the Russia-Ukraine crisis continue to bite.

Paul Graham, a former Woolworths executive who took on the top job at Australia Post early last year, said that while the organisation would try to absorb any price rises where it could, the extent to which it would be possible was difficult to say.

Australia Post boss Paul Graham says the postal service will fend off price rises for as long as it can. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Its about the efficiency and optimisation of our network. We will obviously look to resist the increasing costs, if we can, he said. But if they do need to be discussed with our customers, well have that opportunity.

Inflation - the rising cost of goods and services - is being felt across the board as COVID-related supply chain pressures have forced companies and suppliers to raise prices. Mr Graham said Australia Post was not immune to these pressures, pointing to the rising cost of fuel due to the escalating Ukraine crisis as a key factor.
The ASX200 saw more than $69 billion in value evaporate on Thursday, in the worst day of trading since September 2020, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military incursion in Ukraine.

The benchmark index plunged at the open of trade and lost more value as the day wore on, closing down 3 per cent or 215.1 points to 6990.6.

Every single sector finished Thursday in the red with tech and materials stocks suffering the most, down 6.4 per cent and 4.3 per cent respectively. Mining giants were hit by slumping iron ore prices which were responding to concerns regarding demand prospects in China.

CIMIC, which is building some of Australias biggest infrastructure projects, soared 33 per cent after a takeover bid from its largest shareholder, Hochtief. Credit:Wolter Peters

The volatile benchmark index was dragged down by eight companies which copped losses in the double digits.

The market has gone full risk-off mode and positioning has got very, very defensive, with the market really piling into gold, said Wilson Asset Management senior investment analyst Shaun Weick.

It feels like a buyers strike - thats the feedback were getting.

In the short term, the market will continue to move according to the rapidly evolving Russia-Ukraine situation, he added.

If the market forms the view that the situation de-escalates, that will provide some level of stability or backdrop for which equities can potentially stabilise.

But I think until such time as theres more clarity around the Russia-Ukraine situation, the markets likely to remain very, very tepid and cautious.

Life360 was the days worst performer, losing 28.8 per cent of its market valuation after losses doubled and said it is unable to provide guidance for the current year.

Data company Appen wasnt far behind, shedding 28.7 per cent after it unveiled results slightly below market expectations and also declined to provide guidance.

Healthcare companies Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals and Imugene lost 17.3 per cent and 15.4 per cent, while consumer stocks Pointsbet, Flight Centre and Blackmores lost 11.7 per cent, 10.1 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively.

Gold proved itself as a safe haven once again, rising to its highest price since January last year. Australian gold miners which were among the few stocks making any gains on Thursday led by Perseus Mining which was up as much as 12 per cent. Newcrest closed 4 per cent higher.

Cryptocurrencies - often seen as a hedge against equity market movements - demonstrated they were not immune to the geopolitical clash.

Bitcoin lost more than 8 per cent of its value in the 24 hours to 4:30pm AEDT Thursday, while Ethereum and Ripple both shed more than 11 per cent over the same period.

The downfall is a continuation of the plunge in cryptocurrency prices over the last week; Bitcoin has declined more than 20 per cent in the last seven days.

On the other side of the spectrum, the ASXs best performer by far was CIMIC, which rose more than 33 per cent after its majority owner Hochtief offered to buy out minority investors at $22 a share.
The look of the season, according to the worlds fashionistas, is an ensemble by the Italian fashion label Miu Miu, a pleated micro miniskirt (more like a wide belt) and a crop top that appears to have been slashed through the middle by a rogue chainsaw.

When I first saw it on the runway, worn by young models with washboard stomachs, accessorised with shoes and socks to look like naughty schoolgirls, I thought idly, Ah, imagine having the figure to pull that off. (Thats a thought Ive had most of my life to be honest, several times a day and Im rather sick of it.)

I naively assumed the look would be left to the models and Gen Z. So, I was quite surprised to see an astonishingly taut and toned Nicole Kidman in the same outfit on the cover of Vanity Fair, as it had not occurred to me this was something we were going to see on a 50-plus woman.

The shot was heavily photoshopped and the 54-year-old actor was wearing an obvious wig. There was a lot of kitschy shock value to the shoot. But I felt vaguely bewildered by the image and I couldnt put my finger on a reason why.
These funny little islands of ours sure know how to pull it out of the hat (literally, in the case of Richard Quinn, the designer the Queen went to see three years ago whose hats this season catered more to pilgrims). Not even storms Eunice and Dudley, an occluded depression in the economy and a general chilling towards excessive displays of extravagance could dampen the nations creative spirit. This fashion week, held in less than ideal circumstances (some brands, such as Burberry, are still citing COVID problems as the reason they didnt show this week) also happened to produce some of the most elegant clothes seen in years. Let me stick my neck out here  possibly some of the most elegant ever.

Looks from the runways of Roksanda Ilincic, Eftychia Karamolegkou, and Emilia Wickstead at this years London Fashion Week. Credit:Getty Images and Instagram/@emiliawickstead

It was all the more notable because elegance is not traditionally in plentiful supply on any catwalks. Edginess, outrageousness, heightened reality, yes. Elegance, however, is generally dismissed as rather an outdated notion. Weird. And yet several designers mentioned it as a consideration backstage this season. If you remember, femininity was seen as uncool at one point, Roksanda Ilincic said backstage at her show. Her dresses have featured prominently on the world stage  Michele Obama, Cate Blanchett, Samantha Cameron, the Duchess of Cambridge, Melania Trump and Vanessa Redgrave  to name a few fans. She knows elegance.

Androgyny, athleisure and oversized silhouettes have all been more fashionable than elegance, but Ilincic wants to combine all the above (she has collaborated with Fila to create voluminous duvet coats) with a dancers sense of grace and dayglow shots of colour  not a standard idea of elegance, it must be said, but on the right women it works.

She also had navy versions on some of her front row guests who, because they were dressed in outfits from next seasons collection, became an extension of the show. I really like the idea of elegance in a modern, sporty context, she added.
NATO Secretary-General, who is now speaking in Brussels, says the alliance has activated its defence plans, enabling it to deploy the NATO response force to where they are needed.

He says Russias invasion of Ukraine is a brutal act of war and that it has shattered the peace in Europe. He said NATOs intelligence had been precise and that as a result, the invasion came as no surprise.

What we see now is a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine from many, multiple directions, we see air, land and naval forces taking part in those attacks, he said, adding that it was too early for a full damage assessment.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Credit:AP

This is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion, Stoltenberg said.

Russia is using force to try to rewrite history and deny Ukraine its free and independent path.

He warned there would be a new normal of Europes security as a result of Russias unprovoked and heinous war against Ukraine.

Its a war of a type and scale we actually thought was part of history in Europe but now its back.

NATO has already built up its forces in Europes east and put more on standby, in light of Russias military build-up ahead of todays invasion.

He says NATO leaders will meet virtually on Friday. Ukraine is not a member of NATO but has sought membership because the alliance offers the collective defence of any country that is attacked.

Stoltenberg said NATO would not send troops into Ukraine.
Sydney is in the grip of a historic drop in new housing supply, driven by a collapse in apartment developments, which could exacerbate the citys shortage and push up prices just as population growth is poised to increase post-pandemic.

An analysis of dwelling completions presented to a Property Council conference on Tuesday also warned that Sydney was failing to capitalise on huge transport infrastructure investment by building higher density developments near commuter hubs.

There has been a decline in apartment developments in Sydney. Credit:James Alock

Planning Department records show fewer than 30,000 homes were completed in Greater Sydney in 2020-21, down from more than 42,000 in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and well below the Greater Sydney Commissions rough target of 36,000 a year.

Apartment completions have nearly halved from their 2017-18 peak of 30,000, but free-standing houses bounced back strongly last financial year and now account for more than 40 per cent of Sydneys new dwellings.
When Gladys Berejiklian had a summer from hell, her stocks rose. Her handling of the Black Summer bushfires was the turning point in her leadership. When Dominic Perrottet had a summer from hell, his stocks sunk.

The crash or crash-through politics Perrottet has embarked upon since taking the leadership stands in stark contrast to the hand-holding NSW came to know under Berejiklian. Perrottet takes risks, Berejiklian was risk-averse.

Dominic Perrottets popularity is slipping. Credit:James Alcock

Berejiklians authority was given a sizeable boost after winning an election in her own right, handing her a mandate to govern on her terms. Perrottet was imposed on the state through a vote in the Liberal partyroom. Replacing the very popular Berejiklian was always going to a big challenge for her successor. At one stage during the pandemic, her approval rating was 64 per cent. She remained liked even after her spectacular demise.

However, Berejiklians popularity should not keep Perrottet up at night. There is little he can do about that. Instead, Labor leader Chris Minns is now a legitimate threat to Perrottet and his government. Minns has edged ahead as preferred premier in the latest Resolve Political Monitor for the Herald. In a significant jump for Minns, 32 per cent of voters prefer him over Perrottet, who has slipped five points to 29 per cent. Significantly, 39 per cent of voters are undecided, and that should concern both Perrottet and Minns.
Its hard to think of a cohort of workers who have done more, under extreme and unprecedented conditions, to keep us safe over the past two years than our frontline public sector workers.

Has mandated mask-wearing been a barrier preventing you from returning to the office? Spare a thought for nurses who worked around the clock, wearing unforgiving personal protective equipment throughout the day, and risked catching COVID (thousands, in fact, did) to care for the sick and assist in the largest and swiftest vaccination rollout in Australian history.

With just a few days notice teachers revolutionised the entire model of school education. They rebuilt lesson plans and created new forms of teaching and learning to support the shift to fully online classes and ensure children werent educationally disadvantaged. As well, many continued to keep physical classrooms open so they could support the children of other essential workers, preventing further social and economic chaos.

And as important as nurses and teachers were the public transport workers who, again, risked working in public every day during a viral pandemic to ferry around those who kept society turning.

At various moments during the worst of the pandemic we clapped and cheered for these workers, we thanked them, and politicians sung their praises.
Piers Morgan and Lachlan Murdoch Credit:John Shakespeare

News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch flew into Sydney on Monday night on his private jet along with a posse that included one very high-profile passenger: controversial British former tabloid editor turned controversial CNN host turned controversial Meghan Markle bete noire turned Sky News talking head, Piers Morgan.

Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan, to give him his full name, is back from a 27-year News Corp exile, and celebrated with a cocktail on the tarmac during a refuelling stop over in Hawaii.

One passenger in stylish jeans and blazer and a Santa Fe-inspired belt was mistakenly identified early on as News Corps luxury supremo and Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann. But she rarely wears denim. And we all know the Santa Fe vibe is McCanns predecessor Nancy Pilchers shtick. Turns out, it was Murdochs executive assistant Krista Yager. But we digress.

Whats at the top of Murdochs priority list this trip? A 25-year anniversary bash for the News-owned right-wing TV network Sky News Australia.
Parts of Queensland could record up to 300 millimetres of heavy rainfall into Friday as severe weather continues to batter already flooded areas.

The deluge caused the death of a motorcycle rider who was washed off his bike in rushing floodwater. He is the second victim from the flooding this week.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned an upper low would move slowly eastward across southern Queensland through Thursday evening and become slow-moving over the south-east on Friday.

A complex surface trough near the south-east coast will deepen in response to this upper weather system into this evening, although uncertainty remains regarding to exact location of the strongest development of this feature, the bureau warned late on Thursday afternoon.
Richie Ludbrook knew thered be unexpected discoveries when his team started renovating Brunswicks Railway Hotel.

Its most recent chapter, primarily as an electronic music venue, ended in 2016 when pub landlord Chris Lytras was arrested for selling ice and cocaine to undercover police officers. Lytras was later jailed for 10 years.

Co-owner Richie Ludbrook, who will reopen the storied Railway Hotel next month after six years with the taps off. Credit:Justin McManus

Previous chapters of the hotels history read more like a book of short stories than a cohesive novel: since opening in the 1880s, the three-storey Melbourne establishment has served as a hostel, television studio, bookmakers office, pub and, depending who you ask, a morgue.

It had a few makeshift renovations over the years. There was a bottle shop added without planning approval, which we think happened in the 70s, Mr Ludbrook said.
Billionaire United Australia Party chairman Clive Palmer has tested negative for COVID-19, a day after cancelling a major speech at the National Press Club in Canberra.

Mr Palmer, who has declared himself to be unvaccinated against COVID-19, cancelled his appearance in the nations capital on Tuesday after coming down with COVID-like symptoms.

Clive Palmer outside Federal Court earlier this month. Credit:Brook Mitchell

A spokesman for Mr Palmer confirmed on Wednesday the Queensland-based mining magnate had contracted a virus.

But while the 67-year-old declared Senate candidate had been tested for COVID-19, the spokesman said Mr Palmer had not returned a positive result.
Previous Liberal leaders would not have dared ask the partys federal executive to steamroll their home division so that they could install preferred candidates in key seats.

Yet, this was the situation reached last Thursday evening by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, which has so infuriated senior Liberals in NSW they now privately threaten to bring the show down if there is intervention in the state branch, or if he attempts to impose his candidates without allowing members to vote in preselections, given his surrogates had purportedly stalled or stymied procedures to achieve their objectives.

Senior NSW Liberals have made it clear to the PM to not interfere in the selection of candidates. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Morrisons political position is precarious enough without outright civil war in NSW, yet that is what is brewing in the state where he needs to win seats to win government. The strain, the frustration, showed in Morrisons behaviour that night, according to those who later recounted events with a mixture of humour and dread.

In between yelling and thumping the table, they say, Morrison felt compelled to remind members of the executive who they were dealing with. I am the Prime Minister, he told them. As if they could possibly forget.
Jane Caro has spent decades trying to persuade people to do things. Now shes stepping in to try to get things done herself.

The prominent author, commentator (including as a columnist for this masthead), feminist and former advertising guru is running for a NSW Senate seat with the Reason Party in the coming federal election.

Author and commentator Jane Caro is looking for a seat in the Senate with the Reason Party. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Shes long been a vocal and outspoken critic of governments and policymaking but says despite lots of voices being raised, were heading in precisely the wrong direction on just about everything.

Caro toyed with the idea of running as an independent in Warringah in 2019  the seat Zali Steggall ultimately won from former prime minister Tony Abbott  but decided at the time it wasnt the right move.
Sydneys commuters will be given half-price peak hour travel on the citys train system and free trips on the weekend as compensation for the chaos caused by Mondays sudden rail shutdown.

As the NSW government comes under increasing pressure over the network-wide closure, commuters left stranded by the rail debacle will be given the reduced ticket prices and free weekend trips for one month.

Sydney Trains were still only running at 30 per cent after Mondays shutdown. Credit:Brook Mitchell

The compensation has been approved by the governments expenditure review committee of cabinet. The cost to the government of the ticket subsidies has not been revealed.

The Herald has been told that Transport Minister David Elliott, who has come under intense criticism for his handling of the shutdown, will make the announcement this week.
The Prime Minister said Australia has no issue with the Russian people as well as the many Australians with Russian heritage.

We will be adding names to the list and we will ratchet it up further to potential areas of economic activity.

What this enables us to do is be more targeted on the perpetrators and the beneficiaries of this violence, he said.

Morrison said the sanctions were just a first step, and he would continue talking with allies such as the US, Britain and European nations on further sanctions.

Let me be very clear about something: We have no quarrel with the people of Russia. None whatsoever, he said.

And I feel for the Russian people and there are many Australians of Russian extraction here who I know will be very disappointed by what President Putin is doing. They will feel strongly about that because that is not what they believe their country is about, that is not what their values are about or their heritage.

This is the action of a Russian government, an autocratic authoritarian government that has forgotten what democracy is, and what liberal democracy is, in undertaking these actions of bullying and threats and intimidation. That is not what I believe the Russian people stand for and certainly those Australians who are Russian here.

Earlier, President Joe Biden said the US was imposing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions, VEB and Promsvyazbank, which have links to Russias military industry.

Todays actions, taken in coordination with our partners and allies, begin the process of dismantling the Kremlins financial network and its ability to fund destabilising activity in Ukraine and around the world, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the statement.
For those old enough to remember, the Ukraine crisis is a stark reminder of the Cold War era. While some European leaders are playing bit parts in the frenzy of diplomacy unfolding, this is really about America and Russia, once again standing toe to toe, daring each other to blink.

The stakes are not as high as they once were  no one is talking nuclear Armageddon, and Russias global standing is diminished as are its ambitions  but they are serious enough to consume much of the worlds attention, and the outcome will have consequences far beyond the immediate zone of dispute.

Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin. The US decided to target key banks and oligarchs in a first set of sanctions against Russia. Credit:AP

At the heart of this crisis is a nations right to sovereignty. Its rarely as clear-cut as a line on a map. Russian President Vladimir Putin made sure of that when, in a recent speech, he declared that the nation of Ukraine was an invention of the Bolshevik revolutionary leader, Vladimir Lenin. In the historically warped world of Putin, if Russia giveth, it can also take away.

As justification, Mr Putin has for some years shown his disdain of NATO creeping closer to its border. Some have argued that the American and European alliance did overplay its hand when the Soviet Union collapsed, pushing to expand NATO further to the east. But for Putin to use Ukraine as a stalking horse to resist the West reflects a perverse willingness to sacrifice one nations independence in a broader geopolitical game of chess that could reset the power dynamics of Europe.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size War with Russia has loomed over Ukraine for more than eight years  from crippling cyber attacks to the seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the long-running conflict in the east that has claimed more than 14,000 lives. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognised breakaway rebel provinces in the east as independent and rolled in his own troops. The West warned this was the start of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and a rain of tougher sanctions on Russia has begun to fall. NATO is also bolstering its troops in neighbouring allied countries. Here are three maps that explain why Ukraine is so important to Putin, why hes accusing NATO of encircling Russia and how a war might play out. Why does Putin claim Ukraine is Russian? This pink sprawl is the former Soviet Union. It took in Ukraine but as it broke apart in 1991, Ukraine and other republics in the union became independent, rewriting Russias boundary to the red line of today. (Wedged between Lithuania and Poland is the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.) With the Black Sea on its doorstep and a host of NATO countries to the west, Ukraine lies on an important crossroads in Eastern Europe. Its one of the largest countries in the region, with a population of 44 million and one of the largest militaries. The capital, Kyiv, is considered the birthplace of the Rus empire that became modern Russia, although the territory has been ruled by many powers, including the Mongols and Ottomans. There are still deep ties to neighbouring Belarus as well as Russia, but most Ukrainians consider themselves a separate people.

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To Putin, Ukraine is still part of Russia and cannot fall to the West. For much of Eastern Europe, its also a red line. If Russia reclaims one ex-Soviet state, will it come for them next? Why is this also a showdown with NATO? Putin calls the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 a major geopolitical disaster, which saw Russia lose 40 per cent of our territory. He questions why NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation formed after World War II to contain the Soviet Union, has continued to expand since the USSR broke apart. Loading Putin wants NATO to disavow talk of Ukraine ever joining the alliance, and pull back military forces in Eastern Europe, effectively rewriting boundaries agreed between NATO and Russia in 1997. Since then, more than a dozen countries in the region have joined NATO, including the former Soviet Baltic republics Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In 2008, when NATO declared its intent to bring Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova into the fold, Moscow said a red line had been crossed and Russia had nowhere further to retreat to. In 2008, the US lobbied to let Ukraine and Georgia into the alliance but was blocked by Germany. In the years after, both Georgia and Ukraine were invaded by Russian forces. While Ukraine is unlikely to join NATO soon, experts say Putin is determined to bring it back into Russia as he looks to reclaim some former Soviet glory and expand his sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. Hes even set up a loose military alliance of his own with Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, and has positioned troops in Belarus, a three-hour drive from Kyiv.

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What are the Ukrainian territories Russia has invaded? When revolution in Ukraine toppled its pro-Kremlin president in 2014, Putin sent in his little green men  soldiers without insignia  to seize the Crimean Peninsula. Shortly after, Russian-backed separatists in Ukraines eastern industrial heartland of Donbas took over government buildings in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk and parts of the surrounding regions of the same name, igniting an eight-year war. Both Crimea and Donbas are home to a large number of Ukraines ethnic Russians and Russian-speakers. Public sentiment about the Kremlin there is mixed, even as people in the countrys west and Kyiv denounce the territory grab. Putin claims he is defending Russian-speakers, many of whom have been issued with Russian passports in recent months, but the West warns Russian reports of Ukrainian attacks in the east are part of false flag sabotage plots by the Kremlin designed to sow violence and offer a manufactured pretext for war. Loading Russian troops inside these eastern territories are a violation of international law, world leaders say, and the start of a further invasion of Ukraine that began with Crimea in 2014. Putin has said that the separatist territories extend throughout the wider regions of Donetsk and Luhansk that the rebels have laid claim to  including land held by Ukrainian forces  raising fears of an invasion beyond the line of contact, a 500-kilometre frontline simmering with sniper fire and rocket shells. Meanwhile, additional Russian warships are moving in the Black Sea near Crimea and some experts warn Russia may be planning a pincer movement, attacking Ukraine with forces from Belarus in the north, from the east in Donbas, and from the southern peninsula.
New York: The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan District Attorneys criminal investigation into former president Donald Trump and his business dealings have resigned suddenly, throwing the future of the probe into question.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT). Both started on the probe under former district attorney Cyrus Vance jnr and were asked to stay when Bragg took office in January.

Donald Trumps Trump Organisation has applied to have tax fraud charges dropped. Credit:AP

Dunne, the offices former general counsel, argued before the US Supreme Court in a successful fight for Trumps tax records. Pomerantz, a former mafia prosecutor, was brought out of private practice by Vance last year to add his expertise in white-collar investigations to the probe. He had been involved in questioning witnesses before a grand jury.

We are grateful for their service, said Braggs spokesperson, Danielle Filson. She declined to comment further, saying the investigation is ongoing.
If you want to be part of the global middle class, you must know English. Sure, you can be comfortable, and even very rich, as a monolingual person in China or Indonesia  countries big enough to hold the dreams of ambitious people. But if you want to study abroad, converse with people beyond your borders, or do business in the largest economy on Earth, it must be in the lingua franca, which is now English.

The students in Sanaz Toossi's English know this, even if they don't love it. Now making its world premiere at Atlantic Theater Company, this intimate classroom drama is about a group of Iranians studying for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), a requirement for enrolling in most English-speaking universities as a foreign student. "I have this amazing dream sometimes that the Persian Empire kept growing," says Elham (Tala Ashe). "And Cyrus the Great would still be our king. Instead of the Americans, the British, everyone telling us what to speak and how to say it, all of us would speak Farsi."

Ava Lalezarzadeh, Tala Ashe, and Pooya Mohseni star in Sanaz Toossi's English, directed by Knud Adams, at Atlantic Theater Company.

( Ahron R. Foster)

But it's 2008, not 550 B.C., and Elham has been accepted into med school in Australia. So, she learns English, a language she openly admits she hates. Her teacher, Marjan (Marjan Neshat), is skeptical that anyone can master a language through hostile takeover. Eighteen-year-old Goli (a sweetly innocent Ava Lalezarzadeh) is the youngest student in the class, and a world of opportunity awaits if she passes the TOEFL. At 54, Roya (Pooya Mohseni) is the oldest student, and she knows from experience: Her son left Iran at a young age and now lives in Canada with his wife and daughter. He has invited mom to join them  provided she speaks well enough to maintain his English-only household. The student who needs the least help is Omid (Hadi Tabbal, as charming as a salesman who lulls you into believing he's not selling anything). English comes naturally to him, and his accent is passably American. Elham loathes him for that.

Ever the teacher's pet, Omid stays behind with Marjan after class to watch English movies, like A Room with a View. The hat tip to Merchant-Ivory feels appropriate. Like those films, Toossi's script contains a quiet power: Characters are introduced, and we slowly get to know them as their dreams and resentments are unveiled over the course of 100 minutes. Not everything is explicit, mysteries are allowed to linger, and the unsaid regularly hovers over the stage in moments of exquisite dramatic tension. English feels like a breath of fresh air when so many new plays seem to follow a thesis with which the playwright delights in bludgeoning the audience. It's a remarkably mature off-Broadway debut for Toossi.

Marsha Ginsberg designed the set for Sanaz Toossi's English at Atlantic Theater Company.

( Ahron R. Foster)

Like he did with Eboni Booth's Paris, director Knud Adams proves a steady hand in staging a play in which not everything is spelled out. We instantly understand and accept the language convention (everything is in English, but when the actors speak rapidly with an American accent, we know the characters are speaking Farsi; when they speak slowly with a Tehrani accent, they are speaking English). This allows us to understand the gap between how the characters sound and how they would prefer to sound  the massive chasm between the world as it is and the world as we would like it to be.

Marsha Ginsberg's gently rotating set provides for cinematic angles, with naturalistic lighting by Reza Behjat. Sinan Refik Zafar underscores scene transitions with impressionistic piano music that allows us a moment to reflect without obstructing the forward motion of the play. Before a word is spoken, Enver Chakartash's costume design gives us our first clue about the characters: Elham wears her hijab (compulsory for all women in public in Iran) as far back on her head as can possibly be sustained in gravity, showing us that she is the kind of woman who does what she must, begrudgingly.

Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat appear in Sanaz Toossi's English, directed by Knud Adams, at Atlantic Theater Company.

( Ahron R. Foster)

Ashe fills out the rest in a performance that is both abrasive and deeply sympathetic. We raise an eyebrow at Elham's occasional cruelty to her fellow students, and yet we cannot help but understand her frustration as a clever woman disadvantaged by the lottery of birth and history. As Roya, Mohseni heartbreakingly conveys the monkey's paw wish of having children who realize your dreams for them, and then find they have little room for you in their perfect lives. She's the Iranian Mama Rose. Neshat delivers a fascinatingly inscrutable performance as Marjan, a woman who lived in England for a decade, but made the decision to move back to Iran. Contentment layers over regret as Marjan counts her blessings while silently wondering, what if? As in life, there are no clear-cut lessons in English  and that makes it well worth your time.
International autonomous vehicle conference set to roll into Florida Poly







LAKELAND, Fla.  Connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology will take center stage at Florida Polytechnic University on March 7-9 at an international conference focusing on advances in this rapidly evolving field. Global leaders in transportation, CAV innovation, and infrastructure will take part in the event.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)International Conference on Connected Vehicles is an annual gathering that seeks to share the latest innovations in CAV research and technology. Researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and standardization engineers will interact and share their insights at the event. IEEE is the worlds largest professional organization for electrical engineers.

This years event is IEEEs first hybrid conference. It will take place at multiple physical locations in different countries connected through a virtual platform. In addition to the main Florida Poly conference, satellite events will be held simultaneously at locations in Germany, India, and China.

Florida Poly is carving its place in the CAV landscape through its work in testing and verification of the technology on campus, and ongoing research at the Universitys Advanced Mobility Institute.

This conference fulfills Florida Polys mission to support innovation and industry, said Dr. Rahul Razdan, senior director of special projects at the University and organizer of the event. The high-level engagement of industrial leaders who will be in attendance is an indication of their view of the importance of this topic and the conference.

The events keynote speakers will include Tyler Duvall, CEO of CAVNUE; Claudia Braun, verification and validation management for autonomous driving at Audi; Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and industry relations at AAA; and Mary Joyce, global vice president and general manager for critical systems and mobility at UL.

Razdan, a CAV thought leader, compared the ongoing advances in the industry to previous technological advances in computers and mobile devices.

Autonomous vehicle technology is the next big thing and it will completely change society, Razdan said. It will show up in things like grocery robots that deliver your food and smart agriculture, and the core idea of this conference is the core research that will enable this new world.

For the most recent University news, visit Florida Poly News.

About Florida Polytechnic University: Florida Polytechnic University is ranked the number one public college in the South, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and a member of the State University System of Florida. Nationally ranked in engineering education, Florida Poly is the only state university dedicated exclusively to STEM and offers ABET-accredited degrees. Florida Poly is a powerful economic engine within the state of Florida, blending applied research with industry partnerships to give students an academically rigorous education with real-world relevance. Florida Polys iconic Innovation, Science, and Technology Building, designed by world-renowned architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava, has won more than 20 global awards and was named one of the 16 most breathtaking buildings in the world. Connect with Florida Poly.
Van Buren, AR (72956)

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Scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 69F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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The move, the governor says, comes after the Biden administration denied assistance to mostly seniors
Daryl James is a writer at the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Virginia. Kyle Sweetland is an Institute for Justice researcher and co-author of Food Truck Truth.
A voter begins to cast his ballot during voting at a poling place inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
This Aug. 31, 2015, file photo, shows the Monsanto logo on display at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.
The floor of the New Mexico state Capitol building rotunda is viewed Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Santa Fe, N.M.
Staff Reporter

Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times.
North Dakota voters could get chance to vote on term limits for state officials
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Brent Addleman is an Associate Editor and a veteran journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He has served as editor of newspapers in Pennsylvania and Texas, and has also worked at newspapers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky.
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RaeLynn Ricarte is the author of two books and an award-winning editor and reporter with more than 25 years in the newsroom. She now covers government in Eastern Washington for The Center Square.
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Towanda, PA (18848)

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UNION SPRINGS - Leonard L. Beers, 90, formerly of Norwich and Otego, passed away Jan. 18, 2022. A memorial graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, May 6, in Evergreen Cemetery in Otego. Arrangements are with Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, Oneonta.
Mike Forster Rothbart | The Daily StarRep. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, speaks about his support for the semiconductor industry during a panel discussion on Feb. 22. We can have all the infrastructure, all the capacity in the world, all the investment in the world, but if we dont have the workforce, then thats going to remain a challenge, he said. Beside Delgado is SUNY Oneonta President Alberto Cardelle.
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Meet Trooper! Trooper is 5-years-old. His favorite activities include sleeping, going on walks and sticking his head out of the car sunroof. T
Forest City, NC (28043)

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13 States Ask Supreme Court to Let Them Defend Trump-Era Immigrant Self-Sufficiency Rule

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich urged a seemingly sympathetic Supreme Court on Feb. 23 to allow a group of 13 states to defend the so-called public charge rule that screens out potentially government-dependent immigrants, after the Biden administration declined to do so.

The public charge rule, which had fallen into disuse, was revived by the Trump administration in 2019, over vehement left-wing opposition. The rule allowed the U.S. government to reject would-be immigrants who were deemed likely to consume public benefits such as food stamps, housing aid, and Medicaid.

Although critics say the extensively litigated pro-taxpayer rule is xenophobic and discriminates against poor aliens, the public-charge principlethe idea that immigrants should have to prove they can survive without becoming wards of the governmenthas been part of the American experience for centuries.

The Biden administration changed course, dropping the immigrant self-sufficiency rule, though it announced recently that it was drafting a new version.

Without any prior warning, the existing parties sprung an unprecedented, coordinated, and multi-court gambit, Arizona and other states said in their petition (pdf) filed June 18, 2021.

Through it, they attempted to execute simultaneous, strategic surrenders in all pending appeals involving the Rule. That included the Second Circuit appeal that this Court had already agreed to hear, as well as the pending petitions for writs of certiorari in this case and the Seventh Circuit case.

The case, Arizona v. San Francisco, court file 20-1775, was heard as migrants continue to illegally stream across the U.S. southern border. Among the respondents are the U.S. government and the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

In addition to Brnovich of Arizona, the attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia are also petitioners in the case. According to Brnovich, the rule saved the states, collectively, more than $1 billion per yeara figure the Biden administration disputes; killing the rule would reimpose these costs on the states.

Brnovich told the justices during oral arguments that the Biden administration had unlawfully stopped enforcing the Trump administrations rule after the U.S. Department of Justice had spent more than a year successfully fighting the rules challengers in four different circuits.

Every injunction against the rule had been stayed, and this very court had granted certiorari, agreeing to consider the rule, Brnovich said.

But the new Biden administration suddenly abandoned its defense of the rule and coordinated with the rules challengers, and dismissed the granted petition by this court, all of the pending appeals in the lower courts as well, and it left one final nationwide injunction against the rule in place.

The Biden administration rescinded the rule without participating in the normal notice-and-comment rulemaking, he said, but within days of these legal maneuvers, Arizona and other states tried to intervene in  every circuit court to defend the rule.

In the case at hand, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit denied intervention without any reasoning.

Responding to Justice Clarence Thomas, Helen H. Hong of the California solicitor generals office said the case shouldnt go forward because there is no rule to litigate.

Theres nothing that the 9th Circuit can do to restore the rule, so the petitioners motion really achieves nothing of significance. Thats why we think that petitioners motion was properly denied in the court of appeals here in the 9th Circuit, she said.

Principal Deputy U.S. Solicitor General Brian H. Fletcher said the states are wrong.

The 2019 public charge rule did not regulate or confer any rights on the petitioner states, he said. Instead, petitioners assert an indirect economic interest in the rules downstream consequences.

The states do not have a legally protectable interest in preserving that indirect effect, Fletcher said.

Congress decided to leave it to the Department of Justice whether to seek further review of decisions against the United States.

The 9th Circuit did not abuse its discretion in declining to allow petitioners to prolong appeals that no longer have any practical consequence. And petitioners criticisms of the governments litigation conduct do not call for a different result.

Justice Elena Kagan took Fletcher to task for the Biden administration skipping the notice-and-comment process when rescinding the rule, instead of seeking input from states and interested parties as it is supposed to do when changing a regulation.

The government doesnt have to come up here and defend something that it no longer believes in, Kagan said. The real issue to me is the evasion of notice and comment.

The Supreme Court shouldnt be green-lighting that behavior, she said.

Addressing Fletcher, a sarcastic Justice Samuel Alito said: I congratulate whoever it is in the Justice Department or the executive branch who devised this strategy and was able to implement it with military precision to effect the removal of the issue from our docket, and to sidestep notice-and-comment rulemaking.

Im not aware of a precedent where an incoming administration has done anything quite like this.

Chief Justice John Roberts told Fletcher the federal government here made it easier for future administrations to short-circuit the legally required regulatory process.

The administration provided really quite a license for collusive action for any incoming administration to change rules that were enacted pursuant to the APA [Administrative Procedure Act] and, therefore, can only be repealed under the APA. Its a way to avoid that burden across the board.
4 Killed in Helicopter Crash on Hawaii Island of Kauai

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is investigating the crash of a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter on Feb. 22 that left four people dead.

Four people were killed after the helicopter crashed during a training operation on the Hawaii island of Kauai, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), which is the worlds largest instrumented, multi-dimensional testing and training missile range, according to the U.S. Navy.

The Navy base is located in Kauai, Hawaii, and the crash occurred shortly after 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday, the Navys Pacific Missile Range Facility said.

At the time of the incident, the helicoptera Sikorsky S-61Nhad been taking part in a range training operation on the base when it crashed on the northern side of the installation.

The helicopter was operated by Croman Corporation, which provides range support services to the base, the facility said. According to its website, Croman is one of the worlds most experienced operators of Sikorsky S-61 helicopters.

No one survived the crash.

The names of those killed in the incident have not yet been released.

The Epoch Times has contacted the Navys Pacific Missile Range Facility for comment.

Brian Beattie, director of operations for Croman Corporation, told Hawaii News Now that all four crew members on board the helicopter were Croman employees.

The Sikorsky S-61N had just retrieved an object from the water and was trying to drop it on the ground when something went wrong, Beattie said. S-61N aircraft are designed to carry a substantial freight or passenger payload, according to the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives website.

A Kauai County spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Spectrum News Hawaii that county police and firefighters responded and were assisting the military.

For the Kauai Fire Department, the Waimea Fire Stations Engine 7 and Truck 7, along with the on-duty Battalion Chief initially responded to the scene, but their assistance was not required. The Navy continues to take the lead in responding to this incident, said Alden Alayvilla, Public Information Officer for the Office of the Mayor.

Kauai Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami also confirmed the crash on Tuesday and issued a statement sharing his condolences with the families and friends of those who died.

First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who were lost this morning in this heartbreaking tragedy, Kawakami said. I know there are no words that can express the extent of what you are going through or provide the solace that you need, but please know that our entire community is here for you.

We offer our partners at PMRF any resources they may need, and we offer the families involved our deepest condolences during this difficult time, Kawakami added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Deeper, Holistic Approach Needed to Treat Long Covid: Study, Doctor

According to a study in the British Medical Journal, dementia, memory loss, headaches, and fatigue may be symptoms caused by infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The pandemic has been going on for two years, and the medical community has now gained a better understanding of the sequelae of the COVID-19 disease. We spoke with Dr. Yuhong Dong, an expert in infectious diseases and antiviral drug development and also the Chief Scientific Officer of a Swiss biotech company, about why this happens.

Some who contract the disease suffer from what is often called long Covid, where various symptoms persist long term.

Long-term COVID symptoms have created a considerable social burden on society as a whole. A survey of more than 4.3 million employees, published on February 8 by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), a human resources group, found that a quarter of British employees cited chronic COVID symptoms as the main reason for their prolonged sick leave, Dr. Dong said.

Unlike the acute symptoms that occur within three weeks of infections, these can be additional health issues that arise later, and could persist for six months or even longer after the initial infection, Dr. Dong explained. Common symptoms include fatigue, dyspnea (chronic heart and lung dysfunction, impaired muscle function), and cognitive dysfunction (attack on nerves).

The virus may have been cleared from most organs of the patients body, but it is still lurking in some corners of the body, such as the digestive system or nervous system, Dr. Dong said.

She referred to a large UK cohort study published in the Lancet Respiratory Journal in October 2021 that found that people with long Covid symptoms with more severe mental and physical impairment may have elevated levels of persistent C-reactive protein (CRP), suggesting an association with the presence of a persistent inflammatory state in the body. The widespread inflammatory state may lead to fibrosis of the lung tissue, heart problems, renal diseases, etc., causing the corresponding symptoms.

Research has found that SARS-CoV-2 invades nerve cells and causes structural damage to the brain. The virus may also alter the metabolic state of cells, Dr. Dong said.

The article published in the British Medical Journal was part of a large study conducted jointly by Optum Health Management Industries, a division of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurance company in the United States, and Harvard University. In the study, 87,337 eligible, insured individuals aged 65 years who were infected with COVID-19 were matched to three comparison groups who were not infected: the 2020 comparison group (n=87k), the 2019 comparison group (n=88k), and the historical lower respiratory tract illness comparison group (n=73k). The study analyzed the presence of persistence and changes in the odds of new long-term symptoms 21-120 days after acute infection.

That study found that about a third of patients with one or more persistent or new clinical sequelae that required medical attention during the post-acute phase of the illness, 11 percentage points higher than a comparator cohort, Dr. Dong said.

There was a higher rate of respiratory failure, hypertension, memory difficulties, kidney injuries, mental health diagnoses, hypercoagulability, and cardiac rhythm disorders. Patients who were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 have significantly higher risks for sequelae than patients who did not require hospital admission.

Given that the age 65 and older demographic had the highest showing of long term symptoms, compared to the general public, it also raised the question of whether those in this demographic who begin to feel symptoms such as memory or respiratory difficulties could have contracted COVID-19 without acute symptoms. Dr. Dong said that there was a possibility that should not be ruled out, but could also be due to a host of other reasons.

If the virus enters the body, there are two outcomes: either the body completely clears the virus (acute infection) or the disease persists, causing chronic inflammation and long-term sequelae in the body. The virus is no longer detectable in the body and there is no indication for antiviral therapy. In the treatment of long Covid, people have realized that one treatment alone cannot solve all problems.  Dr. Dong said.

She further explained the vexing nature of sequelae. With surgery, a doctor can set a broken bone, cut out a tumor, or open a blocked vessel. With medicine, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics to suppress bacteria causing an infection, or antipyretic drugs to stop a fever.

For those with long Covid, there is no tumor nor detectable virus in their bodies. No antiviral or surgical techniques can be used, and the virus is latent in the deeper layers of the body. The human body has not only the physical part, but also the deeper energy and spiritual layers. Long COVID syndrome indicates something occurs at a more subtle and deeper than the cell level. Therefore, we need something that works on the deeper layers of the cell in order to have a therapeutic effect for long COVID, she said.

And what exactly works on that deeper layer?

A February article published by The British Medical Journal mentions that there are currently about 80 long Covid clinics in England that treat long Covid with a holistic approach, Dr. Dong said.

The holistic approach is a therapy for the body, mind and spirit. It usually involves changing the overall lifestyle, mental, and behavioral habits that are causing the person to become ill. It is not only about addressing a single organ or a single problem; it is also multidisciplinary and has general physicians.

The therapies include physical ones, such as infrared, ultrasound, heat therapy, and electrotherapy, where energy at the right frequencies may resonate with the body to heal. Dr. Dong gave an example:

Energy and frequency are factors that can penetrate the molecular structure of human cells and reach deeper into the body. For example, modern scientific research on moxibustion has also found that the peak of the radiation spectrum during mugwort burning overlaps with the infrared frequency of the human body radiation, boosting the resonance between the deeper layers of human body and moxibustion, which can activate cells, promote blood circulation, accelerate metabolism, and alleviate the inflammation, she said. In turn, it promotes the bodys recovery.

The therapies also go beyond the physical, such as with psychotherapists, who guide the patients through talking, eliminating bad emotions, and releasing stress.

They turn the patients negative emotions, anxiety, depression, and other states into positive emotions. Emotions correspond to energy states, with negative emotions corresponding to negative energy, positive emotions corresponding to positive energy. People who regularly focus on moral cultivation have stronger anti-viral immunity in their immune cells. Spirituality connects with the cells of the human bodypeople who are altruistic, honest, tolerant, and looking for meaning of life have a more subtle material structure which can penetrate the cellular structure of the molecular layer, Dr. Dong said, referring to psychoneuroimmunology, an emerging area of study that has shown the link between our spiritual states and immunity.

Dr. Christian Sandrock, a professor of critical care and infectious disease medicine at the University of California, Davis, has suggested ways to treat long Covid, including adjusting sleep, relieving stress, meditating, slowing down the pace of life, giving oneself a chance to heal, and cultivating the bodys ability to recover itself and heal itself, she said.

In the course of the pandemic, people have become more and more aware that disease, especially this one, cannot be remedied with a one-size-fits-all solution, and this is perhaps one silver lining.

When one method does not work, we need to put aside some old concepts and try some new methods with an open mind, Dr. Dong said.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet attends a session of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, on Sep. 13, 2021. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

Activists Urge UN Rights Chief to Release Delayed Report on Xinjiang

GENEVANow that the Beijing Winter Olympics is over, U.N. rights chief Michelle Bachelet must release her long-delayed report on alleged violations in Chinas Xinjiang region against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, urged Bachelet to issue her offices findings before her March 7 speech to the main annual session of the U.N. Human Rights Council which opens next week.

Roth, noting that Bachelets spokesperson had said in early December that the report would be released within weeks, told a news briefing in Geneva: We still dont have it, we are at a loss as to what is going on  There is just no longer any excuse for this ongoing, long delay.

There was no immediate comment from Bachelets office.

Diplomats have also voiced dismay at the unexplained delay and fears that the evidence Bachelets office may have collected over the past three years may lose their relevance.

Rights groups accuse the Chinese regime of wide-scale abuses against Uyghurs and other minority groups, including the torture, forced labor, and detention of one million people in internment camps.

Bachelets office said last month that conversations were underway for a possible trip to the area in northwest China in the first half of the year. The South China Morning Post reported that a visit had been agreed for after the Olympics which ended last Sunday.
Airbnb Proud to Reach Milestone Target of Housing 20,000 Afghan Refugees, Plans to House 20,000 More

Airbnb announced on Feb. 22 that it will accommodate another 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan and other countries after meeting its previous goal of housing 20,000.

In a statement, the San Francisco-headquartered company said it was proud to have met its previous goal of providing free housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees and is marking the important milestone by continuing to support refugees and other displaced people around the world.

The company has worked closely with the Biden administration as well as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Church World Service (CWS), and the Jewish American nonprofit organization HIAS, as well as multiple other organizations to help resettle the refugees.

Airbnb said it was able to provide the free housing to refugees through contributions to Airbnb.org from Airbnb, CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky, and co-founder and Chairman of Airbnb.org Joe Gebbia, as well as donors to the Airbnb.org Refugee Fund.

The company was able to accommodate an additional 1,300 Afghan refugees thanks to more than 7,100 hosts on Airbnb who offered free and discounted stays.

When we began efforts to provide housing to Afghan refugees, we asked our community to open up their homes or donate to meet this critical need. Due to the generosity of our Hosts and donors to Airbnb.org, and the dedication of our nonprofit partners helping to drive this important work, weve been able to surpass our original goal, Chesky said.

The vacation rentals company said it aims to provide free housing to another 20,000 refugees in future, including those from Central America.

It also plans to invest more to understand and track the impact its program has on peoples lives, in line with its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion commitments.

Recognizing that successful integration will require deep and sustained community-based infrastructure, Airbnb will continue to seek ways to engage Airbnb Hosts and its broader community in welcoming Afghan refugees and other newcomersfrom donating or hosting with Airbnb.org to volunteering with local resettlement agencies or becoming a Sponsor, the company said.

Airbnb announced in August 2021 that it was working with multiple resettlement agencies and other nonprofit organizations to provide free accommodation to incoming Afgan refugees in the wake of mass evacuations from the country after the Taliban terrorist group took over.

At the time, the company said it has become abundantly clear that the displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees here in the United States and elsewhere is a significant humanitarian crisisand in the face of this need, our community is ready to once again step up.

Chesky said on Twitter on Tuesday that the company has so far housed 35 percent of all Afghan refugees arriving into the United States, with the majority of the refugee families staying in Arlington, Seattle, Atlanta, San Diego, Omaha, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Florida Gulf Coast, Sacramento, and Fort Worth, as well as Winnipeg, Saskatoon, and Nova Scotia in Canada.

The announcement comes at a time of unprecedented illegal immigration at the southern border.

Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and seven other attorneys general filed a lawsuit against President Joe Bidens administration over its alleged abuse of the Central American Minors Program, a refugee program which they claim is illegal.

The program allows illegal aliens to petition the government to bring their minor children or other family members to the United States.

Earlier this month, the state of Texas received millions of dollars worth of border wall materials from the federal government to continue construction of the barrier on the Mexican border, after it was halted by the Biden administration.
A gemstone, billed as one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence, was sold for $143,750 at auction in Alaska on Sunday.

The opal, dubbed the Americus Australis, weighs more than 11,800 carats, according to the auction house Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals. 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.

The opal specimen Americus Australis. (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 its 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 gemstone sold last Sunday.

Detail of one of the largest opals in the world, Americus Australis, which was sold for nearly $144,000 at auction in Alaska on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022. (Dana Fuentes/Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals via AP)

Nick Cline, a partner and appraisal specialist with Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals, 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 United States.

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 percent certainty know that their provenance information is 100 percent 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 Altmanns shop. The Olympic had been among the stones that John Altmann and partner Rudi Cherny acquired in 1956, according to Altmanns company.

The auction company sought a minimum bid of $125,000 during Sundays auction. Cline said it was a calculated risk, with the company going with what it sees as a conservative approach in hopes of garnering the most attention.

We were honored to conduct the auction of this unique, one-of-a-kind specimen, Cline said after the auction.

The sale includes a smaller piece of the opal that von Brandt said his father cut off to be worn or displayed.

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Ukrainian Military Forces servicemen of the 92nd mechanized brigade use tanks, self-propelled guns, and other armored vehicles to conduct live-fire exercises near the town of Chuguev, in the Kharkiv region, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)

Americans Want Minor Role in RussiaUkraine Crisis, More Concerned About Chinas Influence

The majority of Americans from all political groups think the United States should play a minor role in a RussiaUkraine conflict, a new poll shows.

Over seven out of ten Americans think the United States should play a minor role or no role in the conflict, the latest AP-NORC poll shows.

Republicans and Democrats hold a similar view on this issue.

However, more Democratsthree out of tenthink the United States should play a major role in the crisis. Only two out of ten Republicans and Independents think the United States should play a major role.

When asked how much confidence they have in the people who are running the U.S. military or the U.S. intelligence-gathering agencies, most Americans say they have only some or hardly any, much lower than confidence in the military.

Almost eight out of ten adults said they have only some or hardly any confidence in the intelligence agencies.

The poll was conducted between Feb. 1822 using a probability-based panel at the University of Chicago. Online and telephone interviews using landlines and cell phones were conducted with 1,289 adults.

The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.7 percentage points.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs documents, including a decree recognizing two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent, during a ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on Feb. 21, 2022. (Alexey Nikolsy/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

The United States and other Ukrainian alliances imposed a wave of sanctions against Russia after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine on Monday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday halted the certification for Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline which connects Germany and Russia. President Joe Biden also imposed sanctions on the project on Wednesday.

Yesterday, after further close consultations between our two governments, Germany announced that it would halt certification of the pipeline. Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers, Biden said in a statement.

Men work at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, northeastern Germany, on March 26, 2019. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images)

However, Americans appear to care more about domestic issues and the threats from China amid the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

When asked what theyre concerned about as a direct threat to the United States, most people responded that theyre extremely or very concerned about the spread of misinformation (75 percent), cyberattacks (63 percent), extremist groups based inside the United States (63 percent), and Chinas influence around the world (59 percent).

Five out of ten held the same concern about Russia.
Gold medallist Eileen Gu, a U.S.-born athlete, celebrates with her medal on behalf of the Chinese team during the Women's Freeski Halfpipe medal ceremony on Day 14 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Medal Plaza in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 18, 2022. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Americas Problem With Eileen Gu: The Lack of Patriotism Has Consequences for US Security

Commentary

Olympic skier 18-year-old Eileen Gu is now famous for her accomplishments at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and equally infamous in the United States for choosing to represent China rather than the country in which she was born and raised.

The actions of this young woman are lamentable, and she will rue the day she made such a momentous and disastrous decision. Youth may forgive many transgressions, indulgences, and peccadillosbut not traitorous acts.

The embrace of the Chinese regimes totalitarianism and the rejection of freedom and opportunity provided to her by the United States should make Americans apoplectic. Her judgement and the lack of loyalty is an insult to the Chinese American community within the United States. It also suggests deeper problems.

First, how does Gus generation understand patriotism, loyalty, and fidelity to the United States?

Second, how many will be willing to offer their service to the United States and endure the sacrifices necessary through military or other U.S. government employment?

In other words, how great is the Eileen Gu problem for the United States?

If Gus solipsism, foolishness, and betrayal are symptoms of a major weakness for the United States, her generations patriotism is weak among many that age. Thus, Gus action is a symbol of the loss of patriotism among some Americans. It is also a step toward normalization of treason for young Americans.

If these symptoms are indications of a deeper malaise with Gus generation, the consequences for the future of the United States will be profound. As a result of years of progressive indoctrination of Americas youth, the country is at a tipping point.

The consequence of this indoctrination is now at the fore: why should progressive young Americans serve a country that they have been taught by the educational system and popular culture, has an oppressive history, and is far worse than other countries?

One result may be that it is more difficult to recruit Americans into governmental service, and more broadly, into public service. That is a deep concern. It will take many years to reveal itself fully as todays young enter more senior positions, although it is already anticipated by the entry of millennials into mid- and even senior ranks in some fields, including Big Tech.

Military recruitment is an important example. With the end of conscription in 1973, the recruitment of the enlisted force has been a significant challenge in both the Cold War and post-Cold War environments. Broadly, the motivation of the recruit depends on four factors: patriotism; the desire to receive training, skills, and acquire leadership abilities; the health of the civilian economy; and the desire of young people to test oneself through military service.

The Class of 2021 tossed their hats into the air after they graduated at the U.S. Military Academys graduation ceremony at Michie Stadium West Point, New York, on May 22,2021. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Thus, an ambivalent patriotism of Gus generation may be offset to some degree by the fact that military service will continue to offer considerable opportunity and appeal. This is because it allows the development of skills and training for future employment or for a leadership position in the civilian sector or in public service. Progressivism does not mean the end of personal ambition.

In the future, as in the past, innumerable individuals will seek advantages as they climb what Benjamin Disraeli termed the greasy pole of politics. They will realize that the military will serve as an important credential for personal advancement in civilian careers, including politics, and will remain a mechanism for the development of talents and leadership abilities in uniquely challenging circumstances. Economic downturns will also make military service more attractive. Age is important as well.

Historically, young men have sought to test themselves and evinced a desire to be a part of something greater than oneself. Since the ancient Greeks or early Chinese empires, military service has always provided men an ability to experience adversity and hardship, and to challenge themselves in the company of other men in a uniquely severe and unforgiving environment of profound risks and great dangers. That was well captured by the U.S. Marines recruiting advertisements years ago that stated they were looking for a few good men with the mettle to be Marines.

As important as they are, these motivations will not be sufficient. Americans should enter and remain in public service for reasons of patriotism, not for careerism or the lack of economic opportunity. They should possess a fervent desire to return in some measure what the country has provided. That desire will contribute to their reenlistment in the militaryso good people remain in the military for many years or as a career. This is just as important in the civilian sector where patriotism will sustain them in the tests and tribulations that their public service undoubtedly will entail.

Lost with the rise of progressivism has been patriotic education and the positive consideration and reinforcement of patriotism in popular culture. Traditional recruiting appeals furthered messages of freedom and service to the country. Unfortunately, these messages will not be sufficient as patriotism fades in popular memory and its cultural force to entice citizens to do the right thing for the right reasons weakens, too.

A review of the recruiting advertisements suggests that joining the military will allow one to do good and develop useful skills and abilities. Judged by their ads, the services seem almost embarrassed to make patriotic recruitment appeals.

Fortunately, for every Eileen Gu, there are many thousands of Americansincluding 18 year olds, Chinese-Americans, and Olympic-class skierswho serve as soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and guardians on the Korean DMZ, in Europe, in intercontinental ballistic missile silos, or protecting freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. These men and women did not betray their country. They are not well compensated. And the public is not likely to know their names. But they are the pillar upon which the security, stability, and prosperity of the country rests.

Gu demonstrates that the United States has problems in its youth, but those who serve shows it also has solutions in that generation. The trouble Gu symbolizes will fade if patriotism is no longer seen as a problem but as a solution.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Police special intervention units and rescue workers are seen as the injured hostage taker is carried into an ambulance in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Peter Dejong/AP Photo)

Amsterdam Apple Shop Hostage-Taker Sought 200M-Euro Ransom

AMSTERDAMA gunman who held a hostage for hours in the Apple Store in Amsterdam demanded a ransom of 200 million euros (more than $226 million) in cryptocurrencies before he was run over by police as he chased his hostage out of the shop, police and prosecutors said Wednesday.

The tense, five-hour standoff paralyzed one of Amsterdams most popular nightlife neighborhoods for hours Tuesday as scores of heavily armed police surrounded the store, managing to free about 70 people from the building that houses the shop before the suspect was detained.

Police Chief Frank Paauw said the suspect, a 27-year-old man from Amsterdam armed with a handgun and an automatic weapon and wearing camouflaged clothing, was run over by police as he chased his fleeing hostage. The hostage was a Bulgarian man, police said. They didnt release his identity.

The hostage played a sort of heros role by, in that split second that he had, forcing a breakthrough in this situation, Paauw said at a news conference in the early hours of the morning. Otherwise it could have been a very long and unpleasant night and maybe longer.

Police vehicles cordon off a wide area in Amsterdam, where an armed person is holed up in the Apple Store with at least one hostage in an hours-long standoff with scores of police massed outside, in Amsterdam, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Peter Dejong/AP Photo)

After the suspect was run over, a robot checked him for explosives as snipers in nearby buildings took aim, green laser beams from their weapons clearly visible in the night sky. In contacts with police, the suspect had threatened to blow himself up.

Police said Wednesday that he had explosive components, but that they werent armed.

Paauw said the man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. He remained hospitalized Wednesday under police guard. Police said they were investigating his exact motive.

Investigations were continuing Wednesday, including searching two homes in Amsterdam. The Apple Store was listed on the companys website as being closed Wednesday and Thursday. Bullet holes could be seen in the stores windows.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pose for a photograph during their meeting in Beijing on Feb. 4, 2022. (Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

As Sanctions on Russia Grow, So Too Does Chinas Power

News Analysis

President Joe Biden announced new sanctions on Russia after Vladimir Putin recognized two breakaway provinces in Donbas as independent states, and maneuvered Russian forces into the territory.

What has flown under the radar, according to some experts, is how the Chinese regime is learning and gaining from the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, and how profoundly the lessons it learns will affect the future contours of the international order.

Putin seeks to undermine the liberal international order, said Michael McFaul, a professor of international studies at Stanford University.

[Russia is] the third biggest power in the world, McFaul added. [Putin] understands that theyre the third biggest. But he has deliberately allied himself with China, the second biggest, most powerful country in the world, to balance against the United States.

McFaul made the comments during a Feb. 23 webinar of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington-based defense-focused think tank, wherein several experts discussed the role of China in the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, and the growing relationship between Russia and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The new sanctions came less than three weeks after a meeting between Putin and CCP leader Xi Jinping, which culminated in the announcement of a new no limits partnership between China and Russia, and included over $118 billion worth of gas and oil contracts.

The CCP is central to Russias ability to act in Ukraine despite Western sanctions, as the CCP can effectively offset many of the revenues lost to sanctions through increased economic engagement with Russia in violation of international sanctions.

Whether Chinas communist leadership would wholly commit to this course of action is an open question, but experts believe that Putin would not have committed troops to Donbas without some assurances of diplomatic support from the CCP.

Vladimir Putin would not have embarked on this aggression against Ukraine and at this time if he didnt know that he would have Chinese support, said Angela Stent, director emerita of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University.

Its not the reason hes done it, but he knew that whatever happened the Chinese would be there for him.

What Exactly is Happening in Ukraine?

The current situation in Ukraine traces back to the Maidan Revolution of 2014, which resulted in the overthrow of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych and his government.

Since that time, the United States and its Western allies have recognized the new, pro-EU government of Ukraine as legitimate. Russia, meanwhile, has maintained that it is the illegitimate result of a coup, and worked to prevent the new government from joining NATO, which it fears would result in potentially adversarial troops and materiel being stationed along its borders.

Putin announced this week that Russia would recognize the predominantly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which collectively form the territory of Donbas in eastern Ukraine, as sovereign nations. He subsequently ordered Russian troops into the region, allegedly as peacekeepers.

The United States considers Donetsk and Luhansk as breakaway territories of Ukraine, illegally occupied by Russia. Russia, conversely, considers the United States to be using an illegitimate Kiev-based government as a puppet for maintaining global hegemony.

Indeed, during his announcement that Donetsk and Luhansk would be recognized as independent, Putin described the Kiev-based government led by Volodymyr Zelensky as a U.S. colony with a puppet regime.

Zelensky responded by saying that, Ukraine most certainly considers these last Russian actions as the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country.

Ukraine Will Shape a Deepening China-Russia Relationship

Stent was careful to note that many major Chinese banks adhered to the initial round of sanctions leveled against Russia in 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Russia claims that it legally absorbed Crimea following a referendum of the local government.

Since that time, however, and in large part because of subsequent sanctions, Russia has grown more economically dependent on China, and both nations have grown more assertive in their actions to challenge the U.S.-led West.

To that end, Stent said that the CCP would have to balance its support of Russia with its own economic interests, as its economy depends more on commercial ties with the West than with Russia.

Evan Medeiros, a distinguished fellow in U.S.-China Studies at Georgetown University, said that the China-Russia partnership was as much based on a similar political philosophy as it was on economic interests, however.

There is clearly a set of shared ideas for organizing global governance, Medeiros said.

He added that the CCP and Russia shared a common vision about the need to constrain U.S. power globally and that Chinas efforts to simultaneously affirm Ukraines sovereignty while also blaming NATO expansionism for Russias anger, amounted to a sort of pro-Russian neutrality.

The fear of NATO encroachment into national sovereignty is a hallmark of CCP propaganda against the West. In this instance, however, that propaganda has an added edge, insofar as there is plausible evidence that NATO is expanding eastward.

NATO announced in January that it would seek to work with partners throughout the Indo-Pacific to counter CCP aggression, though it is ostensibly an Atlantic organization. Further, its members have rattled sabres over Russias claims in Ukraine even though Ukraine is not a member of NATO and is not entitled to the common defense that its members enjoy under Article Five of its founding treaty.

That fact runs the risk of reinforcing the idea among CCP and Russian leadership that the liberal Western order is simply power politics by any other name.

A driving factor in the growing partnership between the CCP and Russia is a shared belief that there is no higher political authority than the nation, and that national sovereignty must be protected at all costs. Both are thus wary of international agreements and multinational alliances, which could undermine the sovereignty of individual nations.

The deepening relationship also offers a means of challenging the more powerful United States.

Obviously, Russia-China relations have really deepened significantly across all dimensions of their partnership, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based think tank.

The way that Ive thought about it is that their cooperation actually amplifies the threat that both countries pose to the United States.

The comments echoed a similar statement made by Patty-Jane Geller, a policy analyst focusing on nuclear deterrence and missile defense at Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation.

Geller said that the China-Russia partnership was unprecedented in American history, and would put the United States into a position of needing to defend against two peer-nuclear powers at once, which it has never before done.

As China expands its arms to become a nuclear peer competitor with the U.S. and Russia, the U.S. will have to figure out how to deter two nuclear peers at once, which weve never had to do in our history, Geller said.

Whether or not the burgeoning alliance between the CCP and Russia will rise to an actual armed challenge remains to be seen, though such efforts do appear underway.

Medeiros pointed out that Russia was helping the CCP to develop a new early warning system against nuclear missiles, and that their Feb. 4 no-limits partnership affirmed the belief in inviolable national sovereignty.

In all, he said that how far the CCP goes to provide sanctions relief to Russia would be a key test of the relationships strength against the greater international order.

Ukraine: A Test Case for Invading Taiwan?

CCP leadership likely has its own future in mind as it watches Russian troops mobilize into eastern Ukraine. Specifically, experts believe that it is observing the Wests response to what is happening in Ukraine as a case study for how it would react to a CCP invasion of Taiwan.

Theres a lot of speculation right now about what China may be learning for its own territorial ambitions for Taiwan by watching events in Ukraine, said Jude Blanchette, the China studies chair at CSIS.

Blanchette said that, if a war did break out between Russia and the West in Ukraine, it might demonstrate to the CCP that the United States would be willing to do the same in Taiwan, and thereby deter a potential conflict in the Pacific.

Alternatively, however, CCP leadership could opt to believe that having American troops tied up in eastern Europe would mean they are less likely to be mobilized in Asia.

In either case, and despite bipartisan condemnation of Russia in Congress, the prospect of getting involved in a conflict in Ukraine is extremely unpopular with Americans.

According to a January poll by the Trafalgar Group, an overwhelming majority of Americans are against sending troops or military equipment to Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion. Only 15 percent of those polled believed that the United States should provide troops, while 30 percent believed it should provide weapons and other supplies only.

For comparison, 58 percent of those polled believed that U.S. military assets should be used to defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion by mainland China.

Whatever the United States chooses to do about Ukraine, the CCP is learning, and preparing.

All of this also allows China to watch what the West is doing, said Manoj Kewalramani, a senior associate in China Studies at CSIS.

Kewalramani added that Ukraine was a test case for the CCP that would inform its future strategic decisions regarding Taiwan.

To that end, every option available to the United States appears set to help the CCP in one way or another. And it is unclear whether sanctions could at all improve this situation.

The United States and E.U. have collectively leveled more than 100 sanctions against Russia since 2014. Such efforts have had little effect in curbing Russian ambition and have actively contributed to a stronger partnership between Russia and the CCP.

Indeed, the China-Russia no-limits agreement stated that Russia would recognize the CCPs claims to the self-governed island of Taiwan, and that it would oppose claims that the island was in any way independent.

As such, new sanctions may risk further increasing cooperation between the CCP and Russia, as well as their belligerence toward the United States.

Indeed, if the United States attempts to break Russia by cutting it off from global markets completely, it may give Russia and China the push they need to break away from the liberal international order completely, thereby paving the way for an attempt to form a new Eurasian order to replace it.

Anders Corr, publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, argued in a recent op-ed that Xi was watching Ukraine closely, and comparing the results to his own pathway toward forcibly reuniting Taiwan with the mainland. Whatever the United States chooses to do, he said, the CCP will learn from it, and act accordingly.

As Corr put it: Xi Jinping is the winner, whether or not Vladimir Putin massively invades Ukraine any time soon.
A PLA-N Luyang-class guided missile destroyer (left) and a PLA-N Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel leave the Torres Strait and enter the Coral Sea on Feb. 18, 2022. (Supplied/Defence Department).

Australian Defence Force Disputes Beijings Version of Laser Targeting Incident

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has sought to set the record straight after Chinese officials claimed Australian forces instigated a maritime incident that saw Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Naval (PLAN) forces point a military-grade laser at an ADF surveillance plane.

The incident occurred on Feb. 17, when two PLAN vessels, a Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer and a Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel, were legally traversing the seas north of Australia, within its exclusive economic zone.

The ADF dispatched a P-8A Poseidon surveillance plane to monitor the two ships, also within the boundaries of international law.

However, while the Chinese vessels were in the Arafura Sea, the Luyang-class ship aimed a military-grade laser at the planea move Prime Minister Scott Morrison called an act of intimidation.

Laser pointing is often referred to as painting a target and normally precedes the firing of weapons by a split second. Such a move is recognised by military personnel as a hostile act.

A storyboard depicting the movements of a PLA-N Luyang-class guided missile destroyer and a PLA-N Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel, including their passage into the Arafura Sea and through the Torres Strait into the Coral Sea. Note the lasing incident against a Royal Australian Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft that occurred on Feb. 17, 2022. (Supplied/Australian Defence Department)

Morrison revealed that the defense departments motives for publicising the incident were to put a spotlight and pressure on the PLAN.

We disclosed that because this needs to be called out, he told reporters on Feb. 21. Its an Australian surveillance aircraft this time. Whats next? Its very important that China explain themselves for this act of recklessness.

Meanwhile, Beijings Ministry of National Defense issued its own brief account of events, accusing the Australian aircraft of flying too closefour kilometersto the Chinese vessels and dropping sonar buoys around the ships.

Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the Chinese ministry, called the alleged acts spiteful and provocative and said Australian officials were spreading false information.

Australias defense department responded with its own account of events, saying the use of sonobuoys was common practice and that the Poseidon aircraft only deployed the tools after the lasing incident and at a significant distance ahead of the PLAN vessels.

Further, the lasing incident occurred when the Poseidon plane was around 7.7 kilometers from the PLAN vessel and at an altitude of 457 meters. The closest the Poseidon got to the Chinese ships was 4 kilometers.

The defense department noted that the above procedures were part of the standard flight profile for the Royal Australian Air Force.

The aircraft was acting within international law at all times, the department said in its account. Australia expects all foreign vessels entering our maritime zones to abide by international law, particularly the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea.

Australia does not engage in the spread of misinformation or disinformation.

Australias defense department said concerns had been raised with the Chinese authorities, the embassy in Canberra, the foreign affairs office, and Chinas Ministry of National Defense.

The PLAN regularly sends vessels to patrol the seas around Australia. Last year, it dispatched spy ships to monitor Talisman Sabre, the largest biennial training exercise between the ADF and the U.S. military.
Jes Staley, then-CEO of Barclays, arrives at Downing Street for a meeting in London on Jan. 11, 2018. (Tolga Akmen/AFP via Getty Images)

Barclays Suspends Jes Staleys Share Bonuses Amid Investigation Into Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein

Barclays has suspended millions of pounds in bonus share awards to former bank CEO Jes Staley amid an investigation by UK regulators into his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Staley announced in November 2021 that he was stepping down from his role as head of the multinational banking group after the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced the preliminary conclusions of a probe into his ties to Epstein.

Barclays revealed in its annual report, published on Feb. 22 (pdf), that amid the probe, it had decided to freeze long-term bonus and share payments for Staley.

In line with its normal procedures, the committee exercised its discretion to suspend the vesting of all of Mr. Staleys unvested awards, pending further developments in respect of the regulatory and legal proceedings related to the ongoing Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulatory Authority investigation regarding Mr. Staley, the report reads.

According to the banks annual report for 2021, almost 70 percent of these share awards granted since Staley was appointed in 2015 remain unvested. Theyre made up of a combination of deferred bonus and Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) awards.

In its report, Barclays revealed that Staley has around .11.2m shares that are unvested and have been suspended.

The bank stated that no further remuneration decisions have been made in respect of Mr. Staley.

The Committee will consider these matters further, in conjunction with the BPLC and BBPLC Boards, as and when it considers appropriate but does not currently expect to make further decisions on this until the conclusion of those regulatory and legal proceedings. Any such decisions in the future will be disclosed in future remuneration reports, Barclays stated.

Staley is contesting the regulators findings.

Barclays declined to comment when contacted by The Epoch Times.

Epstein was found dead in a New York federal jail on Aug. 10, 2019, at the age of 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges for abusing women and girls in Manhattan and Florida from 2002 to 2005. He had pleaded not guilty. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

Barclays said in November 2021 that it was made aware on Oct. 29, 2021, of the initial findings of the investigation by the FCA and the Prudential Regulatory Authority into Staleys relationship with Epstein.

It noted that the investigation was into Mr. Staleys characterization to Barclays of his relationship with the late Mr. Jeffrey Epstein and the subsequent description of that relationship in Barclays response to the FCA.

The bank stated that Staley intends to contest the conclusions of the probe, which makes no findings that Mr. Staley saw, or was aware of, any of Mr. Epsteins alleged crimes, which was the central question underpinning Barclays support for Mr. Staley following the arrest of Mr. Epstein in the summer of 2019.

In view of those conclusions, and Mr. Staleys intention to contest them, the Board and Mr. Staley have agreed that he will step down from his role as Group Chief Executive and as a director of Barclays, the bank stated.

It noted that it was disappointed at this outcome.

Staley was replaced by C.S. Venkatakrishnan, head of global markets.

In January, a jury found Epsteins longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell guilty on five of the six sex-trafficking charges brought against her in federal court.
Mike Jamieson, from Windsor, Nova Scotia, is arrested for refusing to move his truck at the Ottawa blockade on Feb. 18, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Before the Crackdown: The Faces and Voices of the Canadian Freedom Convoy

Canadianswhichever side of the Freedom Convoy protest they sit onwill be counting the cost of the three-week demonstration in the capital Ottawa for some time to come.

By Feb. 21, police had made 196 arrests, with 110 people charged with an assortment of matters including obstructing police, causing a disturbance, disobeying a court order, mischief, and assault.

Police said some unlawful protesters returned to the area after being arrested and released, and now face new charges.

Authorities towed away 175 vehicles, including heavy trucks, pickups, and cars.

Canadian police in helmets and carrying long batons halt protesters near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Feb. 20, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson estimated that the protest action was costing the city upward of $626,000 a day, while Ottawa police put the bill of policing the first 18 days of the blockade at about $14 million.

The truckers with rigs that have been towed away are likely to lose their livelihoods, since Watson wants to confiscate their vehicles to help pay for city costs.

After 10 days of interviews with truckers and those who supported them, it was clear that opposition to what many protesters saw as government overreach wouldnt end even after the streets of Ottawa were cleared.

Police walk a detained person away outside the Westin Hotel in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. To the rear, the protest heats up, leading to many arrests. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Mike Jamiesons white whiskers made him look like a lot like a certain character who flies around the world at Christmas; while his transport was no magical sleigh, it certainly was an attention-grabbing, bright yellow Freightliner big rig.

Amid dozens of other vehicles parked on the eastern end of Ottawas Wellington Street, its size and colorcomplete with two distinctive flags of Nova Scotia sitting on either side of its enginemade the truck impossible to ignore.

So much so that on Feb. 16, young Rupert Jack and his mom, Julia, of Ottawa, brought along a Valentines heart to give to the trucker and let him know he had their support, and that he and the other drivers were all doing an important thing.

Julia said she thought the Canadian governments vaccine mandates were illegal under the Nuremberg Code, a set of principles developed after the Nazi atrocities in World War II, during which people were subjected to cruel medical experimentation.

Mike Jamieson and visitor Rupert Jack in his truck at the Ottawa blockade on Feb. 16, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

After delivering his heart, Ruperts next wish was to honk the trucks horn.

Jamieson, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, was tickled by the youngsters attention and helped him into the cab, where he was able to sound the trucks warning claxon.

The boy was thrilled.

Jamieson, who told The Epoch Times that hed been a trucker for 47 years, arrived at the protest site in Ottawa on Jan. 28. He said he came to stand up for freedom.

That word was the one most frequently used by people who spoke to The Epoch Times in the Freedom Convoy encampment in the Canadian capital, directly across from Parliament Hill.

Mike Jamieson, from Windsor, Nova Scotia, in his truck at the Ottawa blockade on Feb. 16, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

It was used by speakers on the stage in the center of the protest area, protesters with megaphones, and in quieter conversations between truckers or those who came into the city to show their support.

The word was featured on signs, flags, and messages that adorned the rigs, and placed along the fleur-de-lis-topped metal fence that edges the parliamentary and governmental precinct.

The second-most-common word was peace, and none of the hundreds of Canadian truckers there seemed the slightest bit interested in doing anything other than staging their protest against pandemic mandates and government surveillance in a peaceful manner.

Im here to fight for your rights. I think there is a higher power above us that knows what is going on and how unfair the world has been. And what is going on in the world, Jamieson said, adding that he would stay until the protest was over.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Feb. 14 declared a state of emergency to break the trucker protest, invoking what was previously known as the War Measures Act. At the press conference announcing the state of emergency, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a number of measures to reduce funding to the protests, including giving banks the power to freeze the accounts of those involved in the protests. Freeland said companies whose trucks were used in the blockades would have their corporate accounts frozen and their insurance suspended.

Protesters confront a police line backed up by mounted officers in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Jamieson said he wasnt scared about losing his truck.

Im not scared if I lose anything, he said, chuckling. Im 69 years old. Whats there to be scared of?

If you have to live in fear, there is no point. We should be able to walk in peace and do what is right. Ive always lived within the law and about the law.

Id like to have freedom for my kids so that they can have a better life  to have things more fair for people.

Jamieson said he felt the world was in chaosnot just in Canada.

I dont like to put people out of their comfort zones, but, sometimes, you have to. You have to fight for what you believe in and fight for your freedom, he said.

Two days later, on Feb. 18, Jamieson was arrested by two police officers for refusing to move his truck. He wore a red cap that day with the words Save Canada.

He exited the cab of his truck peacefully, put his hands behind his back, and was handcuffed and escorted to an area where other protesters were being processed.

Bill Dykema, 71, from Grimsby, Ontario, was one of the first truckers to block Wellington Street, which borders the parliamentary precinct. He has a deeply lined face, glasses, a twinkle in his eyes, and a friendly smile.

Asked why he was protesting for the first time, his answer was simple.

Trucker Bill Dykema, from Grimsby, Ontario, was one of the first protesters to park his rig in the center of Ottawa. He says he is taking action for his 19 grandchildren. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

I have 19 grandchildren. [Its] for them, and to give them their freedom, he told The Epoch Times. My grandson wants to go to university, but he cant because hes not shot, not injected.

I dont call it a vaccine or injection because its bad stuff in my book. Our best friend, she got one shotwe buried her.

Im just a 71-year-old, poor old working man. Our freedoms are gone. You cant go to a restaurant unless youre shot.

Dykema estimated that he probably was losing $1,400 to $1,500 a week while living in his truck at the protest camp.

I have never before done anything like this. I am doing it for my grandchildren, he said.

Armand Theriault, who came from Quebec to support the truckers, patrols the protest area at night. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Armand Theriault, 57, is a retired worker from Quebec. He went to Ottawa to support the truck drivers.

What these guys do is for everyone, he said on Feb. 11, [for] freedom for us and your children.

Dressed in a green winter jacket, a business shirt, and a tie, Theriault had a quiet determination about him.

He arrived on Jan. 10 and spent his first evening walking among the vehicles, keeping an eye out for anything amiss.

One of many signs being held by Ottawa residents at an ambush of vehicles heading toward the truckers blockade on Feb. 13, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Not everyone in Ottawa was happy with the protest.

As Theriault spoke with The Epoch Times, a man walked by and loudly berated him in French, saying, You crashed the economy.

He shrugged it off, and said it was important to provide extra security at night.

We do everything we can, he said.

This is a peaceful protest, and we want to know the truth. It is not just us who will win; every country around the world will.

Protester Dana-Lee Melfi holds a Canadian flag in one hand and makes a peace sign with the other. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

One of the icons of the protest was Dana-Lee Melfi, 50.

With a long gray beard and hair to match, he stood silently for up to 10 hours a day with a Canadian flag in one hand while flashing a peace sign with the other.

I have been here since before the beginning. I was born in Ottawa, and I cant stand to see what our country is becoming, Melfi told The Epoch Times.

We are here in peace, but there were a couple of bad actors and jokers in front of these trucks. So the truck drivers have asked me to stand here and hold the line.

I stand here 10 hours a day and show our simple message that we are here in peace.

What does Melfi do for a living?

I am a government employee  maybe, he said, laughing.

They all have to go, he said about the vaccine mandates and restrictions. No one can force me to do anything to my body that I do not wish.

Its very un-Canadian.

Denis Cadieux, shown here on Feb. 12, 2022, supports the Ottawa protests, but would like to remove some negative messages. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

A nearly retired carpenter from Orleans, Denis Cadieux, told The Epoch Times he liked almost everything about the protests and the way that people had behaved.

If there was one thing he would have changed, it would have been to exclude the negative signs and messages.

Cadieux said the main phrase he didnt like was the one that said [expletive] Trudeau.

Trudeau is a human being like anybody. He makes mistakes and, unfortunately, he is making such a big mistake he needs to step down, Cadieux said.

And that we understand, but we cannot hate him for that. Hate is a big word.

He said Trudeau and the mainstream media had made it sound like the protesters were disrupting the economy, but actually, it is their delays in not sitting down to speak with us that are disrupting the economy.

Chris the Beeman from northwest of Toronto said on Feb. 13, 202, Im not worried about losing my truck, but before I get tossed in the basket, it will lose all four tires. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Chris the Beeman, a trucker and honey farmer from northwest of Toronto, was with the truck protest in Ottawa since the start. The Beeman and his fellow drivers were in a residential part of the central city near Bank and Slater streets on Feb. 13.

He told The Epoch Times the protesters were mindful of being where people lived and had been respectful to the residents.

We dont blow our horns, we dont honk our horns. There was a birthday party across the street last night. We talk to the kids; its all good. Its like a little family on this street, he said.

A protester signals no surrender in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 13, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Was he worried about what was coming from the police?

No, we have a right to demonstrate our rights to freedom, he said.

People are going to get arrested because they fought for their freedoms. What they are doing to the peoplelockdowns and everythingis criminal.

It all needs to come to an end because our people are hurting. Our people cant even go to church. We have rights of freedom and religion, so why cant people go to church? You cant tell me only 10 people can go to a funeral now?

When asked to move on?

Im not worried about losing my truck, but before I get tossed in the basket, it will lose all four tires, he said.

Louis Lassard from Quebec says the protesters are on the right side of history. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Nearby, Louis Lassard of Quebec told The Epoch Times that the Ambassador Bridge protest blockade was beautiful and that his fellow truckers are holding the line. He hadnt heard that police had moved in that morning and cleared the way for about $400 million in goods to resume running across the span linking Ontario to the United States.

Disappointed with the news, Lassard said: Im going to stay as long as it takes.

I dont care about them taking my truck. I dont care.

How many times did Gandhi or Nelson Mandela get arrested for doing the right thing? So I dont mind. We will face the consequences of whatever has to happen, but something has to happen.

We are on the right side of history here.

Eric (R) and Patrick, truck drivers from Montreal, say they are at the Ottawa protest until the end. Eric says he is fighting for his rights and those of his children. Photo taken on Feb. 13, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Two other truckers from Quebec, Eric and Patrick, who declined to give The Epoch Times their last names, said they were protesting against mask and vaccine mandates.

In Quebec, we have no more rights, Eric said. Im here because I want my rights backfor my children, for the other children, for the future generations.

Im not going to move until this [expletive] is done.

Early on Feb. 16, Gaston Lanthier, an Ottawa resident, and Stephane Elia, a trucker from Quebec, were in a central cafe having coffee.

Lanthier said he supported the trucker protest.

Quebec trucker Stephane Elia (L) and Ottawa resident Gaston Lanthier in a central Ottawa cafe on Feb. 16, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Lanthier said he had a few friends who were truckers, and hed met others recently in the city.

To be quite honest, they are very nice people, Lanthier said.

Elia spoke little English and so Lanthier did most of the talking to The Epoch Times.

People are divided 50-50 on the issue. We live in a very selfish world. Its me, myself, and I, Lanthier said.

He said it took the truckers to come in to have other leaders follow, because nobody else would have done it.

Andre Landry is a trucker from Quebec whose vehicle is almost at the center of the Ottawa protest. Photo taken Feb. 16, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

On Feb. 16, Andre Landry of Quebec, wearing a black beanie and an almost constant smile, told The Epoch Times he had been at the protest for 20 days and wasnt worried about losing his truck.

His vehicle was one of the closest to the protests center.

I have 15, he shrugged.

Protester Doug Day, from Toronto, has been with the blockade for six days. He said he was not likely to move when asked to by police. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Trucker Doug Day, from Kitchener, Ontario, had been at the site of the protest for about six days and admitted living in a small truck cab wasnt comfortable, particularly with his large three-legged dog Lucky with him.

Its a little rough sleeping in the truck, but, hopefully, we can stop the overreach of the government, he said.

Id like to see Trudeau stand down. Hes the laughing stock of the world, and hes doing the wrong thing.

History will not be kind to him.

Howard Spencer joined the blockade to regain the freedoms he says Canadians have lost. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Howard Spencer, 44, from near Vancouver, said on Feb. 11 that he had been at the protest for two weeks.

Im here to stand up for everyones rights and freedoms, he said.

Im not an anti-vaxxer. We have a Bill of Rights, and I think thats been lost by the powers that be, and we need to get back to that and get back to our freedoms. I think they are eroding.

Dressed in a red-and-black checked lumberjack shirt and leaning up against the bullbar of a friends truck, Spencer said he was planning to stay for as long as it took.

He said he was losing money, but that was not of concern. Spencer said it was all about the principle.

I feel this is the right thing to do.

His goal was for politicians to drop all the mandates and get back to our lives that we are used to.

Marie Eye of Quebec is happy preparing soup for whoever wants it during the protest. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Toward the western section of Wellington Street, Marie Eye from Quebec was at a long table chopping onions for soup.

Im cooking for everybody. We are all in this together, and were all Canadians, and we all need to eat, and we all need to breathe, and we all need to live, she said.

I came from the first morning, and it kind of evolved; now, I have this nice little soup project.

I never liked making soup so much. It just brings people together.

She said it was just like a magic potion.

Protesters and police face off in Ottawa on Feb. 18, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

On Feb. 14, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino linked an alleged seizure of weapons in Alberta by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers to the Freedom Convoy. However, a street captain representing a number of truckers on Wellington Street rejected the ministers claims.

That sounds like fearmongering and that the government is getting really desperate to discredit us, David Paisley said.

Weve been very peaceful and are cooperating with the city.

The government is starting to play dirty.

He said that nobody in the protesting groups wanted violence.

If I knew of it, I would be shouting it from the rooftops. Wed be the first to deal with it, he said.

Benita Pedersen holds her symbol of hope, freedom, and strengtha steer hornon Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Pedersen is a Freedom Leader and is supporting truckers in their Freedom Convoy protest in central Ottawa. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Among the protest community of truckers and their supporters who converged on the downtown area of Ottawa, organizers were known as freedom leaders.

One such freedom leader was Benita Pedersena seemingly always smiling, cheery woman who saw using her organizational skills as her calling.

Pedersen, of Westlock, Alberta, told The Epoch Times that she became involved with the Freedom Movement in February 2021.

I said to our Lord, Your will, not mine. And I surrendered, she said.

What happened then  basically, something came over me, telling me I had to do everything I can to help the Freedom Movement.

Pedersen said she used every skill she had ever developedas a DJ, karaoke hostess, workshop facilitator, and presenterto organize rallies.

Protest signs adorn a fence around Parliament Hill in central Ottawa on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

There are a number of goals, she said.And some of those goals have already been reached. One of them is the uniting of the people, and that has already happened.

We have people from coast to coastwe have Americans, people from Mexico supporting what is happening here.

Its happening all over the world: Australia, Great Britain.

Pedersen said that ending the mandates isnt enough.

We actually have to go beyond that, and there has to be some sort of transformation in governance, not just in Canada, but in other areas as well. And that transformation needs to happen in such a way we truly have governance for the people, by the people, and not what we have now.

Because what we have right now is some form of dictatorship, because our elected representatives are not listening to the people.

Signs supporting the Freedom Convoy 2022 adorn fences along Wellington St. in the center of Ottawa on Feb. 12. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times)

Pedersen led Jericho Walks around the citys parliamentary precinct for seven days to knock down the walls around the minds of politicians. At the end of each circuit, many followers blew horns.

The horns are the sound of hope and represent freedom, Pedersen said, and your own strength. It is a way of making your voice heard.
Behind the Worrisome Promotion of Antisemitism in Communist China

Commentary

There are approximately 3,000 Jews in China. In a population of a billion people, thats a statistical rounding error. The overwhelming majority of Chinese people will never meet a Jew, even though they have maintained a presence in China for 1,000 years.

So I was surprised to read, in a recent Tablet Magazine article titled Antisemitism with Chinese Characteristics, that since the May 2021 Israel-Gaza conflict, antisemitic tropes and sentiments have been propagated on Chinese state media, encouraged by top Chinese diplomats, and rehashed by well-known Chinese political commentators.

As a case in point, author Tuvia Gering points to popular ex-assembly-line worker turned media sensation Lu Kewen, who boasts 15 million subscribers to his media channel. In late May, Lu published an 8,000-character five-part rant titled What should we make of the Jews? It was a compilation of tired blood libels of European, Russian, and Arab provenance, with quotations from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and Mein Kampf thrown in to spice up the toxic ragout.

Long after the conflict died down, Lus rabid campaign continued. The Jews, according to Lu, are the worlds most powerful drug barons and responsible for the mid-19th-century Opium Wars, when China was humiliated by foreign Western powers. They control American finances, naturally, and are the ideological voice of the United States, the spearhead of the Wests crusade against the Chinese people. Theres much more in this vein.

Lu Kewen may be the most dramatic of Chinas antisemites, but according to Gering, there are a number of other like-minded mainstream antisemitic influencers, celebrated academics, state-affiliated scholars and renowned strategists with access to elite policy circles.

As we know, in China speech is heavily regulated. So if antisemitic speech is well tolerated, then we can assume it is being actively promoted by the Chinese Communist Party. Why? The author sees the trend as a sign of political fragility. He thinks Xi Jinping is doing what authoritarian nationalists generally do when they fear internal fracture: Blame the Others among us. Gering alludes to news reports documenting rising rates of racism, chauvinism, homophobia, and Islamophobia across the country. These are no accident, but part of Xis patriotic education conceived to imbue the Chinese with cultural confidence in their civilizations excellent traditional culture.

In the West, where there are hundreds of similar antisemitic conspiracy theorists, readers and listeners can fact-check what is written and said. In China, firewalls ensure that alternate views are near-impossible to access. So this is a disturbing development.

Ironically, this fat new streak of manufactured antisemitism doesnt replace indifference to Jews amongst well-educated Chinese people. Rather, it must actively compete with a long-established tradition of philosemitism (of a peculiarly Chinese character).

Jews in China have a long-established reputation for values the Chinese prize: a passion for education, a strong work ethic, and a flair for profitable entrepreneurism. The latter trait, often a source of resentment in the West, sparks reverence in China.

In 2004, for example, the fabulous multi-million dollar Harbin Jewish History and Culture Museum was constructed in the northeastern city of Harbin to honour the achievements of the Russian Jews who literally built Harbin, and to memorialize their ultimately tragic fate. Its a fascinating story, and there is avid interest in learning it, so the museums conferences are well attended and the site is never short of visitors.

Until 1896, Harbin, population 16 million today, was nothing but a cluster of fishing villages. Then, Russia was commissioned by China to build part of the Trans-Siberian Railroad through Manchuria to cut the time in travelling from Moscow to Vladivostok. As the route would include a branch line deeper into China, a large administration centre would be necessary, so the project required experienced Russian entrepreneurs who would consent to live in a frigid backwater of Manchuria.

Coincidentally, pogroms in Russia were driving hundreds of thousands of Jews to America. Russian recruiters beguiled Jews with promises of an antisemitism-free environment in which they neednt learn a new language, and where their prosperity was guaranteed. Thousands of Russian Jews signed on.

The first Jews arrived in 1898, and the new community was incorporated in 1903. By 1904, an article in the National Geographic reported that one of the greatest achievements in city construction that the world has ever witnessed is now going on in the heart of Manchuria, adding that the capital for most of the private enterprises is furnished by Siberian Jews.

By 1909, 12 of the 40 members of Harbins city counsellors were Jews. Jewish entrepreneurs created hotels, banks, pharmacies, insurance companies, department stores, publishing houses, and more. They were later joined by Jewish veterans of the 190405 Russo-Japanese War, then by Jewish refugees from the pogroms, then by even more refugees fleeing World War I and the Russian Civil War.

At its peak, Harbins prosperous, culturally flourishing Jewish community boasted 20,000 members. They built schools, a hospital, sporting facilities, and an old-age home. They nurtured cultural talent and enjoyed its musical and dramatic fruits. For a generation, Harbin wasconsidering prior oppression in Russiaa Jewish paradise.

Then came the Japanese occupation of Manchuria from 193145. The Japanesein collusion with a Harbin enclave of White Russian antisemitesravaged Jewish businesses and terrorized Harbins Jewish population through kidnappings, torture, and killings (beheadings a specialty). In 1945, the Soviets took over and further persecutions commenced. Those Harbintsi Jews who could, fled: some back to Russia, others to America or Palestine.

By 1949, Harbin was under Maoist control. There were then only about 1,000 Jews left. By 1962 there were no Jewish families in Harbin. Today there is exactly one Jew, who acts as an adviser to the museum.

Harbin is studied by Chinese academics. Books on Jews are bestsellers. Books like: Unveiling the Secrets of Jewish Success in the World Economy; Whats Behind Jewish Excellence?; The Financial Empire of the Rothschilds; Talmudic Wisdom in Conducting Business; and Talmud: The Greatest Jewish Bible for Making Money. (Can you spot the common thread?)

In 2007, an International Forum on Economic Cooperation between Harbin and the Worlds Jews was held in Harbin. The mayor welcomed participants by paying homage to such esteemed Jews as J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller (neither was Jewish). He then announced that the worlds money is in the pockets of the Americans, and the Americans money is in the pocket of the Jews. This is the highest acclaim and praise to Jewish wisdom.

As noted, this is Chinese-style philosemitism. But given what is said about us elsewhere in China and globally, it looks pretty good. Ill take it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Biden Administration, Pelosi Closely Monitoring Trucker Convoys Heading to Washington

President Joe Bidens administration and one of the top Democrats in Congress are monitoring the trucker convoys that plan to converge on the Washington area as soon as Feb. 23.

The administration, including the Department of Homeland Security, has been monitoring this closely, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

The administration has been working with federal, state, and local partners to continuously assess the threat environment and keep our communities safe, with efforts including enhanced intelligence sharing, a critical incident response plan for the U.S. Capitol, a regional security assessment, and a simulation experiment that developed data-driven recommendations to bolster regional security, Psaki added.

At least one convoy is planning to disrupt traffic in the capital region starting Wednesday, while one of the largest ones was slated to take off on the same day from California and arrive in the region on March 5.

The convoys, inspired by protests in Canada, are protesting against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other Biden administration policies.

Federal, state, and local authorities have been preparing for the convoys. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the deployment of hundreds of National Guard personnel to help with duties including traffic control, a Guard spokesperson said late Tuesday.

Fencing is also being reinstalled around the Capitol building, NTD reported. The fence is the same type erected around the building following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. It was taken down later in 2021.

Members of Congress are also keeping tabs on the convoys.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is monitoring the situation closely but deferred to the USCP, which is in charge of security, her spokesman told Fox News. USCP stands for U.S. Capitol Police.

In this image from video, fencing is re-erected around the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 22, 2022. (The Epoch Times via NTD)

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said she was set to receive a briefing from USCP Police Chief Thomas Manger on preparations for the convoy and Bidens State of the Union address, which is scheduled for March 1.

While temporary fencing due to specific and credible threats is a common-sense precaution, Id like to ensure, even before it is erected, that there are no plans to make the fence permanent, Norton said in a statement, adding that she wanted to discuss how USCP will keep the Capitoland D.C. residentssafe from threats related to the trucker convoy and next weeks State of the Union address.

Republicans have indicated support for truckers, some of whom do not appreciate the border vaccine mandates recently imposed by U.S. and Canadian authorities. Among the bills theyve offered is legislation that would end the Biden administrations requirement that foreign truckers transporting goods be vaccinated to enter the United States.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said in a recent Twitter post that truckers work so hard to deliver food and critical supplies for all people and are now bravely taking a peaceful stand for our freedoms.

America First! she added.

Organizers of several convoys told The Epoch Times they dont plan on going into downtown Washington but an organization called the KNK Foundation filed on Feb. 18 for an event permit, according to a copy obtained by The Epoch Times.

Kyle Sefcik, who filed the application, wrote that the March 1 event would take place in the Sylvan Theater, which sits near the Washington Monument. The peaceful demonstration, which will include speakers against mandates, will be held in support of convoys in Canada and call for lifting mandates in the United States, according to the permit application.

The National Park Service has approved the application.
U.S. Army troops of the 82nd Airborne Division unloading vehicles from a transport plane after arriving from Fort Bragg, at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in southeastern Poland, on Feb. 6, 2022. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo)

Biden Orders More US Troops to Eastern Europe as Russia Evacuates Embassy

The Biden administration on Feb. 22 ordered more troops into Eastern Europe amid concern that Russia would invade Ukraine.

In a speech, President Joe Biden said he would send U.S. troops already based in Europe to the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as Poland.

Biden directed Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III to move forces within the U.S. European Commands area of operations to the Baltic Republics, Poland, and Ukraines southeastern flank, the Pentagon said in a statement. Those forces will move within a week.

Specifically, the Pentagon ordered an infantry battalion task force of about 800 soldiers to deploy from Italy to the Baltic region and also approved the movement of up to eight F-35 Lightning II aircraft from Germany to operating locations on NATOs eastern flank.

Austin placed some 8,500 U.S. service members on a heightened state of readiness to assist NATOs rapid-action forces if needed.

About 20 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will deploy to the Baltic states from Germany, while 12 Apaches will be moved to Poland from Greece.

These additional personnel are being repositioned to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO member states, and train with host-nation forces, Pentagon officials said a statement. All forces are under the command of Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, the commander of U.S. European Command.

Overall, there are about 90,000 U.S. troops stationed across Europe, according to the Pentagon. Earlier this month, the Pentagon ordered all Americans in Ukraine to depart the country amid Russian forces having allegedly massed more than 150,000 troops along its borders.

Bidens speech, which included an announcement that he would sanction Russian sovereign debt and two banks, came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would recognize the independence of two breakaway Ukrainian regions. Putin also signed an order that authorized sending in Russian troops for what he called peacekeeping purposes.

At the same time, Biden said that if Russia decided to take further action, his administration would use tougher sanctions. The president also suggested that gas and energy prices would go up, but he claimed, without elaborating, that his administration is working to mitigate such problems.

Despite Putins rhetoric, there was still no clear indication of whether he planned to follow it up with a massed assault on Ukraine with the troops and heavy weapons gathered near the border.

On Feb. 23, Ukraine declared a state of emergency and told its citizens in Russia to leave the country, while Moscow began evacuating its Kyiv embassy and consulates in other Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters, Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists, or the personal decisions of the Russian president  I cannot say.
Cargo ship Felicity Ace is on fire in the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 17, 2022. (Courtesy of Portuguese Navy)

Blaze Subsides on Cargo Ship Carrying Electric Vehicles Off the Azores

The fire aboard a cargo ship carrying electric cars off the Azores islands is under control and is being put out, according to a Feb. 22 statement from Portuguese authorities.

The flames are no longer visible from the outside and the ship is now stable, they said.

The damaged vessel is expected to be towed across the mid-Atlantic to the Bahamas.

The blaze, which began on Feb. 16 on the Felicity Ace, has burned for six days near Portugals Azores islands leaving the vessel adrift.

The 200-meter-long (650-foot-long) Panamanian-flagged vessel, was on its way from Emden, Germany to the United States.

The 22 crew members on board were evacuated the same day the fire broke out by a Portuguese air force helicopter with no one harmed.

There were some 3,900 vehicles on the cargo ship, including Porsches, Audis, Volkswagens, and Bentleys.

Volkswagen has provided not details on the number of cars on board, Bentley confirmed that 189 of its cars were on the vessel, while Porsche said it had about 1,100 of its models on the ship.

Portuguese authorities do not have access to the ships manifest, so it is unknown how many vehicles are on board or what models they belong to.

According to Captain Joao Mendes Cabecas, the Port of Horta harbormaster on the island of Faial, the lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles on board the vessel were possibly responsible for keeping the fire alive.

The cause of the fire is not known, but he said suspicion has fallen on water sensitive lithium batteries in the electric vehicles.

We know from what the captain told us that there were a lot of electric vehicles on board, as well as non-electric vehicles, said Cabecas.

The harbormaster said that the fire broke out on a cargo deck where the vehicles were stowed, but when the alarm went off, there was already too much smoke to make out where the blaze had started.

Two ocean-going tugboats with firefighting equipment were needed to hose down the hull in order to cool it, as it was too dangerous to go on board after fire spread close to the ships fuel tanks, said Cabecas.

Firefighters could not use water as it would add weight to the ship, rendering it more unstable and because water does not stop lithium-ion batteries from burning, he added.

Two more tugboats are expected to arrive by the end of the week and a salvage crew hopes to get aboard the ship on Feb. 23 to hook up a tow line.

The Felicity Ace has a cargo capacity of more than 17,000 metric tons (18,700 tons) of cargo and can typically fit thousands of vehicles on the multiple decks in its hold.

The ships fuel tanks hold 2,000 metric tons (2,200 tons) of fuel and 2,000 metric tons (2,200 tons) of oil.

There is currently no threat of pollution, said Cabecas, and the flame retardant being hosed on the side of the vessel will prevent runoff from the lithium batteries from going into the sea.

The fire is the latest disaster in a string of setbacks to befall the auto industry, after the pandemic-related lockdowns led to a shortage of components and disruptions to international trade routes.

Although it will be months before the cause of the blaze is known, the incident on the Felicity Ace is raising questions on how to safely transport electric vehicles in the future.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken looks on during a press conference in Geneva on Jan. 21, 2022. (Alex Brandon/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinken Cancels Meeting With Russias Lavrov, Says Ukraine Invasion is Beginning

U.S. Secretary of State Antony on Blinken on Tuesday announced that he had canceled a scheduled Thursday meeting with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, over Moscows decision to recognize Ukraines separatist regions as independent entities.

Shortly after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington, Blinken told reporters that given the circumstances, a meeting between him and Lavrov would not be going ahead as planned.

Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time, Blinken said. I consulted with our allies and partnersall agree.

The decision comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that he would recognize the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic, two Kremlin-backed enclaves that have accused Ukrainian armed forces of shelling and flaring tensionsclaims that Ukraine has unequivocally denied.

The United States and Ukrainian officials have been warning they expect Moscow may fabricate pretexts to justify an invasion of Ukraine.

Putin signed a decree issued by the Kremlin on Monday authorizing Russian military troops into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, saying they will maintain peace. Russian special operations forces have been reported in the Donbas on numerous occasions since the Crimean crisis in 2014.

Blinken said the United States remains committed to diplomacy if Moscows approach changes and if Russia is prepared to take demonstrable steps to provide the international community with any degree of confidence its serious about deescalating and finding a diplomatic solution.

He added that he would do anything he could to avert an even worse-case scenario, an all-out assault on all of Ukraine, including its capital.

But we will not allow Russia to claim the pretense of diplomacy at the same time it accelerates its march down the path of conflict and war, Blinken told reporters.

Blinken said he informed Lavrov in a letter of his decision to cancel their meeting.

Ukraines military servicemen sit in the back of a military truck in the Donetsk region town of Avdiivka, on the eastern Ukraine front-line with Russia-backed separatists on Feb. 21, 2022. (Aleksey Filippov/AFP via Getty Images)

On Tuesday, Russia was hit with a fresh wave of sanctions for ordering troops into Ukraines separatist regions.

The United States, the European Union, Canada, and Britain announced plans to target banks and elites while Germany halted a major gas pipeline project from Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denied that it is planning an invasion despite estimates from western officials that Russia has massed more than 150,000 troops near its borders with Ukraine.

According to U.S. firm Maxar, satellite imagery over the past 24 hours shows several new troop and equipment deployments in western Russia and more than 100 vehicles at a small airfield in southern Belarus, which borders Ukraine

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion, President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

The White House on Tuesday also said a meeting between Biden and Putin certainly is not in the plans. Press secretary Jen Psaki had said on Sunday that Biden had accepted in principle a meeting with Putin, but only if an invasion hasnt happened.

Reuters contributed to this report.
California Medical Board is Lenient with Misconduct: Patient Rights Advocate

A patients rights advocate is criticizing the California Medical Board for allegedly imposing mild penalties for doctor misconduct.

Marian Hollingsworth became a patient rights advocate after her father died from antipsychotic drugs prescribed without her knowledge or consent.

Consent forms were falsified, Hollingsworth said on EpochTVs California Insider program.

After her fathers passing, the doctor involved was only given a reprimand, she said.

Hollingsworth took to the medical board after learning of the doctors alleged negligence, but found the board is more likely to be lenient on a doctor, especially for a considered first-time offense.

Members on the medical board are either appointed by the state Legislature or the governor, many of which are affiliated with the California Medical Association, a doctor lobbying group representing about a third of the doctors in the state.

The Medical Board of Californias mission is consumer protection, and it takes that mission very seriously, Carlos Villatoro, a spokesman for the California Medical Board, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Villatoro said that while the board can discipline a physicians license and take action to rehabilitate the physician, it is not authorized to punish a physician.

Villatoro also mentioned in the statement that the board has put forward to the state Legislature a number of proposals that will help it to improve its ability to protect consumers.

When the medical board receives a complaint, the board will determine if the case is worth investigating, and only about 19 percent of the time they go to a full investigation, according to Hollingsworth.

The board does not handle civil lawsuits or malpractice lawsuits except when a doctor has received a big judgment in a lawsuit that involves over $30,000, Hollingsworth said, as then the case has to be reported to the medical board.

Hollingsworth said there has been a stagnation of many complaints that have been brought up to the medical board.

There have been a number of cases for doctors [who] have been disciplined multiple times for various things  [including] a history of sexual misconduct, gross negligence, personal addiction, she said.

Under Senate Bill (SB) 1448also called the Patients Right to Know Act, and signed into law in 2018doctors who are on probation for certain things such as overprescribing opioids or involved in sexual misconduct, will have to inform their patients before treatment, Hollingsworth said.

However, not every party is happy with this bill, according to Hollingsworth.

[The California Medical Association] was definitely against SB 1448. They will argue that they promote the practice of medicine  [and] its for patient safety, but theyve been consistently against any bill that would help ensure patient safety, Hollingsworth said.

TJ Watkins, a sitting member on the medical board, spoke up against the board and California Medical Association. He filed a complaint with the State Auditors Office to look through the cases and see why the board is allegedly not following its guidelines.

Hollingsworth urged patients to be more aware of the history of their doctors before going in for treatment.

Just do your homework, she said, We do more investigating of what type of car to buy than we do on what type of doctor to go to who literally has our lives in his hands.

Ive had other doctors that have been great and I really appreciate their help. But I still always look up everything they say and thats good to have the conversation.
Capitol Report (Feb. 22): Trumps Truth Social Hits No. 1 on App Store

President Joe Biden slaps heavy sanctions on Russia, after he officially acknowledges President Vladimir Putins actions as an invasion with a plan to attack Ukraine. Escalation is expected to grow in the days ahead.

More and more Americans are expressing concern over the rising cost of living. Biden wants to revive his Build Back Better spending bill, but what effect might this have on the overall economy? Congressman David Kustoff (Tenn.) is here to discuss.

Critical race theory (CRT) is making its way into higher education. A new report shows that almost all of the nations top medical schools are making CRT training mandatory.

Fencing is being put up around the Capitol again. What will it look like? And what does it have to do with the trucker convoys heading for Washington, D.C.?

With the presidents State of the Union address slated for next Tuesday, Ohio Congressman Brad Wenstrup joins us to give his thoughts on the current state of our union.

Former President Donald Trumps Truth Social has reached number one on App Store, while creating a massive waiting list in the meantime.

Follow CapitolReport on social media:

Twitter https://twitter.com/capitolreport

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapitolReport/

Gettr https://gettr.com/user/capitolreport
Bird electric scooter rentals in front of the entryway to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Caruso a No-Show in First Mayoral Debate, but Protesters Show Up

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles top mayoral candidates shared the stage on Feb. 22 in the first debate of the 2022 election at Loyola Marymount University, with U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), LA City Attorney Mike Feuer, former Metro Transportation Authority board member Mel Wilson, and LA City Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Joe Buscaino going head-to-head on some key issues plaguing the city, such as homelessness and rising crime.

Real estate mogul Rick Caruso, who officially joined the race last week, was not in attendance due to a scheduling conflict, according to a Caruso campaign spokesperson.

The candidates took a few shots at Caruso in his absence, with Feuer pointing to sexual assaults reported by women at USC while Caruso was on the Board of Trustees. Buscaino accused Caruso of being anti-union after donating to a 2005 ballot proposition that, if passed, would have prohibited unions from spending their membership payouts on political campaigns.

If he couldnt keep the women at USC safe, how is he going to keep the women in the city of Los Angeles safe? Feuer said. Ive been in my office, and we prosecute sexual assault cases.

Carusos campaign didnt respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

The hour-long debate quickly sparked some heated outburstsmostly at Buscaino and de Leon over their plans to expand the Los Angeles Police Department and remove homeless encampmentswhich Buscaino blamed on members from the citys Democratic Socialists of America clique.

This same group of folks protested at my home while I was connecting people to services in my district.  These folks are not compassionate, Buscaino said.

A handful of attendees were removed from the event after one rushed the stage before being ejected.

All five mayoral candidates condemned the disruption and called for tolerance of opposing views among Angelenos.

The size of LA, de Leon said, also means a diversity of opinion should be accepted. But this is where leadership matters. Because [those disrupting the debate are] not progressive, he said.

Bass, who many closely watching the race say is almost guaranteed the top pick by voters in June, said such an outburst is indicative of the discourse in our country right now.

This is one of the reasons why I decided not to run again [for U.S. Congress] and to come home, because Ive been so concerned about the level of discourse here, right in Los Angeles, she said.

Nonetheless, the candidates carried on discussing LAs top issues of concern, including homelessness, public safety, COVID-19, and the local economy.

While most held relatively the same views, there were few outlying opinions.

Wilson, for one, was the only dissenting voice against mandating COVID-19 vaccines among city employees.

Additionally, all seemed to unite around similar policies on housing the citys some 41,000 homeless. Buscaino, however, is the only candidate in favor of enforcing anti-camping ordinances in public spaces citywide.

The candidates did have some varying views on the citys rising crime rates and the trend for police reforms in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

The trends are not unique to Los Angeles, Bass said. This is happening all over the country, and I believe that we cannot use the uptick in crime to then say that we dont need to have any reforms at all.

Feuer said curbing crime is a nuanced issue.

I do not think that anyones wealth should determine whether they stay in jail or not, he said. But I do think that for crimes like smash and grab burglaries and for organized retail theft, that there shouldnt be what we currently have in place, which is a zero bail policy.

Wilson, who is now a realtor, said LA neighborhoods need to have more patrol officers in their communities, working with the community [and] setting up community policing plans.

Buscaino blamed the citys district attorney, George Gascon, for not prosecuting crimes in the wake of his policing reform procedures.

We elect our district attorney for one purpose, to prosecute crimes, but hes coddling the criminals, he said.

Gascons office didnt return a request for comment.

There are 27 candidates in the bid to replace Eric Garcetti, who will be termed out in December, but the top two candidates chosen during the June primaries will face off in the November general election.

The next debate is on Feb. 27 at the San Pedro Warner Grand Theatre.
Destroyed bicylces lie on charred earth after a wildfire in a region hit by drought and high temperatures, near Santo Tome, province of Corrientes, Argentina, on Feb. 21, 2022. (Matias Baglietto/Reuters)

Catastrophe: Firefighters, Volunteers Battle Blazes in Argentinas North

ITUZAINGO, ArgentinaLuis Candia is battling to put out raging wildfires in Argentinas northern Corrientes province, which have scarred the region burning over 800,000 hectares of land, more than twice the size of Rhode Island.

With a water pack on his back and his face covered to protect him from the smoke and flames, the volunteer who joined firefighting teams told Reuters that the region that borders with Paraguay was fighting for its future.

The truth is that the province is experiencing a catastrophe with these fires, he said, taking a break from trying to douse blazes which have burned farming regions and wetland areas rich with wildlife.

There is a lot of loss of animals, the issue of flora and fauna. On top of that, this was our source of work. If we lose this, what will become of us tomorrow? he said.

Images from the area show large swathes of fields burned, smoldering roots of trees, animals fleeing the fire or dead, and exhausted firefighters.

Firefighters, police, and volunteers have been trying to put out the fires for weeks, which have taken hold amid drought linked to the La Nina climate phenomenon. They have burned a significant proportion of the province.

Everything came together: the drought of a year and a half, the high temperatures, the lack of rain, and the hydric stress that the plants already have, even the soil itself, Josefina Pineiro, a resident of the area, told Reuters.

By Matias Baglietto
A general view of the Centers for Disease Control headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., on April 23, 2020. (Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images)

CDC Says Some People Should Wait Longer for Second COVID-19 Shot Due to Heart Inflammation Risk

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially altered its recommended COVID-19 vaccination schedule in a bid to address concerns about the elevated rate of heart inflammation seen among many groups who have gotten a vaccine.

The two most widely administered COVID-19 vaccines in the country are made by Moderna and Pfizer. Recipients are advised to get a two-dose primary series of each.

Before the new update, people were told to get a second Pfizer shot 21 days after the first, or a second Moderna shot 28 days after the first.

The new guidance says people can wait as long as eight weeks between the first and second jabs.

Lengthening the interval is a response to the higher-than-expected rates of myocarditis and pericarditis, two types of heart inflammation, found among men under 40 and some females after theyd gotten a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna jabs.

While absolute risk remains small, the relative risk for myocarditis is higher for males ages 12-39 years, and this risk might be reduced by extending the interval between the first and second dose, the CDC says on its website.

Myocarditis alone after Modernas second dose was reported at a rate of 68 per million and after Pfizers second dose at a rate of about 47 per million in males 18 to 39, according to a government analysis of data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a surveillance system. Several studies have pegged the risk in some groups of myocarditis following vaccination as higher than from COVID-19 itself, leading some experts to call for a partial pause of at least Modernas vaccine, if not Pfizers as well, but U.S. officials have not heeded those calls.

The CDC says its verified no post-vaccination deaths caused by myocarditis, but autopsies of two young men performed by state experts two young men said the vaccines appeared to lead to their deaths.

Some studies indicate that the risk may be reduced by extending the intervals, and Canada and other countries changed the recommended intervals months ago.

The longer interval resulted in lower myocarditis rates, whereas the shorter interval had higher myocarditis and pericarditis rates, Dr. Bryna Warshawsky of the Public Health Agency of Canada told a CDC vaccine advisory panel in a recent meeting.

Theres also hope that extending the intervals will trigger better immune system responses. Vaccine effectiveness goes down over time, and has proven particularly poor against the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

The widening interval maybe would reduce the incidence of having any adverse effects, especially myocarditis, Dr. Peter Gulick, an associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, told The Epoch Times. Plus, theres some evidence in the past that in certain groups that are young and or otherwise healthy, if you do extend it out you might get a better antibody response because what you do is you allow your immune system to mature a little bit from the first dose, and it gets to mature so that we get the second dose, its not too early where the immune system hasnt matured enough.

The new guidance applies to Americans 12 or older who havent already received a primary series. About 73 percent of Americans 12 or older have gotten a primary series as of Feb. 22, according to data reported by jurisdictions and health care providers to the CDC.

People with weakened immune systems should stick to the previous recommendations, as should adults 65 or older and others who need rapid protection due to increased concern about community transmission or risk of severe disease, the CDC says.

Those who do wait longer to get their second shot will have their recommended booster dose, should they decide to get one, pushed back. The vaccination schedule advises all Americans 12 and up to get a booster at 5 months or later after their second shot.

The change came months after the data were available supporting a shift, some experts noted, with multiple European countries extending the intervals last year.

Dr. Walid Gellad, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, called the update months late but added that it was good to see this now as official guidance.

An 8-week interval may be optimal for some people  especially for young men, he wrote on Twitter.

Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist who formerly worked at Baylor University Medical Center, said that extending the intervals wasnt enough to restrict the risks of vaccine-induced myocarditis.

The only method is to use restrictive sampling, McCullough told The Epoch Times in an email. That means to exclude the population who is at risk for the problem. Based upon the published literature that would exempt men below age 70, women below the age of 50 years, and those with underlying myocardial and pericardial disease. This would get us back to the population that has theoretical benefits of vaccines if they were targeted against future variants, that is, our high-risk seniors.
The logo of U.S. software company Palantir Technologies is seen in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2020. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

CDC Taps Palantir to Support COVID-19 Drug Supply in US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Palantir Technologies Inc. a $5.3 million contract to manage distribution of COVID-19 drugs in the United States, the software maker said on Tuesday.

The contract for supporting distribution of therapeutics is for a duration of six months, Palantir said.

The new partnership is an extension of an existing use of Palantirs Tiberius platform for vaccine distribution, for which the company was selected in 2020.

By Leroy Leo
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a press conference at the Richardson Middle School in Chicago on June 14, 2021. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

Chicago to Drop Vaccine, Indoor Mask Mandates for Certain Locations: Mayor

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday that the citys indoor mask mandate and COVID-19 vaccination requirement for certain businesses will be scrapped effective Feb. 28.

Lightfoot told reporters at a news conference that mask-wearing will still be enforced in the citys public transit system, health care settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, and congregate settings, such as prisons and jails.

Illinoiss statewide mask mandate is also set to be lifted on Monday.

In order to continue maintaining our progress with this pandemic, its vital that we must continue to work together to increase vaccination rates in every age category across every demographic, Lightfoot said.

But in the meantime, its important for us to recognize this moment for what it is: a huge step forward in our effort to overcome COVID-19. We would not have been in a position, even a few weeks ago, to this kind of announcement today.

Lightfoot said individual businesses may still opt to ask customers to wear masks or show proof of vaccination to enter.

That is their right, and we must respect it, Lightfoot said.

The mayor thanked Chicago business owners for complying with the restrictions that were rolled out in the city as part of measures aimed at curbing the transmission of COVID-19.

Thanks to your compliance, we were able to keep people safe, bump up our vaccination rates, and keep our economy open, she said.

The mayor cited a decline in COVID-19 cases in the city as reason to lift the restrictions.

Many residents may continue to wear masks in public spaces for a variety of reasons, even if they are vaccinated or as more mandates and advisories fade, the mayor added.

Chicago Public Schools issued a statement on Tuesday saying that it will continue to enforce its mask mandate.

Chicago Public Schools will keep in place all proven COVID-19 safety mitigation measures, including requiring universal masking by all staff and students, the district said. Thanks to these key safety measures, CPS has been able to preserve in-person teaching and learning and provide a safe environment for students and staff.

We have made great progress in recent weeks against this virus, and we do not want to jeopardize that progress by moving too quickly. We look forward to the day when we can be mask-optional at CPS, but we still need to get more students vaccinated across our District, and we still need to work with our public health and labor partners on the best way to preserve a safe in-person learning environment for all.

Lightfood told reporters on Tuesday that she hopes to never shut down our economy again, but didnt rule out imposing further restrictions in the future.
Beijing is set to sanction two American defense contractors. Both have a hand in the United States selling arms to Taiwan.

China is staying vague about its stance as the Russia-Ukraine crisis unfolds. Besides politics, food and energy considerations are joining the mix.

Two major Chinese e-commerce platforms have made it into Washingtons notorious counterfeiters list. We take a closer look at whats been dubbed the counterfeit shoe capital of the world.

And for those watching our full episode: We break down President Joe Bidens strategy on the Indo-Pacific. The region is vital to Americas future, and is facing increasing aggression from Beijing. 

Australia accuses Beijing of an act of intimidation. The call-out comes after a Chinese warship pointed a laser at an Australian military planean incident Beijing denies.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the Tsinghua University ceremony in Beijing on April 26, 2019. (Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Pool/Getty Images)

Chinese State Media Accidentally Releases Censorship Rules on RussiaUkraine Coverage

A soon-deleted social media postreleased to the public apparently by accidentprovides a rare glimpse of how the CCPs messaging on the escalating Ukraine-Russia tension is channeled to the masses.

Horizon News, a video news network under state-run Beijing News, on Feb. 22 instructed staff to avoid posting any Ukraine-related content on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo that may come across as unfavorable to Russia or pro-Western.

Let me review your draft before you first put it out, stated the Weibo post, which has since been removed. Commentaries, it added, must be carefully selected and controlled, while topic selections should follow the lead of Peoples Daily, Xinhua, and CCTVthree of the countrys foremost Party mouthpieces.

Whoever publishes them will be held responsible, the post stated, noting that each post should be monitored for at least two days.

Although China is well-known for its tight restrictions on press freedom, the post provides a rare, if small, revelation into the workings of Chinese media machinery and the inner anxieties of the regime as politically fraught international developments unfold.

While deepening ties with Moscow, Beijing is also cautious to avoid blowback by being seen as directly supporting a unilateral move to seize sovereignty of another nationgiven the regimes own designs in absorbing self-ruled Taiwan.

Ukrainian troops patrol in the town of Novoluhanske, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images)

The need for China to handle the sensitive geopolitical event with especial delicacy was elucidated by Ming Jinwei, a former senior editor for Xinhua, in his personal blog.

In the Ukraine crisis, a slight nudge will trigger a chain reaction, he wrote, cautioning China to carefully handle relations with all parties involved to avoid inviting trouble.

China, he said, must back Russia morally and emotionally but without overly provoking America and the European Union.

Even though problems principally came from America, he believes the current situation is working in Beijings favor in its rivalry with the United States, and it would be unwise to draw Washingtons anger.

Talk more, do less, was Mings advice for Chinese diplomats, who he said should use private channels to convey their sentimental support for Russia and encourage dialogue in public settings.

Its advice the regime has appeared to follow.

During an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Feb. 23, Zhang Jun, Chinese ambassador to the U.N., urged all sides to exercise restraint and seek reasonable solutions  through peaceful means on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Chinas foreign ministry and Wang Yi, who is both the countrys foreign minister and the state councillor, have also made similar remarks.

Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations (UN) Vasily Nebenzya (C) fist bumps Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permant Representative of China to the UN, as US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield (L) and Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Mona Juul (2nd L) look on during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the Ukraine crisis, in New York, N.Y., on Feb. 21, 2022. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

As Russia moved troops into two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine that it declared as independent, Ukraine has declared a state of emergency and urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately.

Since Feb. 21, President Joe Biden has imposed a slew of sanctions against the two breakaway Ukrainian regions, along with state-owned Russian banks and Russian elites. On Feb. 22, the Biden administration ordered more troops into Eastern Europe amid fears of a Russian invasion into Ukraine. Then on Wednesday, the E.U. also adopted a package of sanctions targeting 351 members of the Duma, Russias lower house of parliament.

Facing growing isolation from the world, Russia has bonded more closely with China. On the opening day of the Winter Olympics, Russias President Vladimir Putin flew to Beijing to meet with his Chinese counterpart, which ended with the two leaders announcing a no limits partnership.
Students play at recess at Lysterfield Primary School, in Melbourne, Australia, on May 26, 2020. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Consent Education Robs Children of Their Innocence: Religious Advocates in Australia

Religious advocates have warned about the consequences of mandating consent education in school curriculums in the wake of a nationwide movement in Australia.

From 2023, all Australian schools will be required to teach consent educationwhich includes coercion, gendered stereotypes and power imbalancesfrom foundation to Year 10.

On Feb. 17, Sen. Jonathon Duniam, who is representing the minister for education and youth, confirmed in senate estimates that state and federal ministers have unanimously agreed to enshrine the consent content within the health and physical education curriculum (pdf).

The draft documents have not been signed off on and are scheduled to be considered in April.

The oppositions Shadow Education Minister Tanya Plibersek praised the move as a fantastic work, saying that understanding consent empowers and protects young people.

However, the Australia Christian Lobby (ACL) has argued that if consent education is taught to children, potentially we robbed them of their innocence, which is a childs birthright.

When were talking about sexual consent, we are talking about an adult concept, Wendy Francis, ACLs national director for politics told The Epoch Times.

Children as young as kindergarten age are being expected to make decisions on their own life that traditionally parents have made or that they are very young to be expected to either consent or not consent to really important decisions.

Francis noted that while it is parents right to oversee what their children are taught, they have not been consulted by the government or seen the planned curriculum before it becomes mandated.

The state doesnt own our children, she said. And they should not be assuming the position to dictate whats taught from kindergarten age regarding gender and sexuality.

Francis added that parents should be able to decide how far theyll go in teaching their small children about the content and concepts surrounding consent education .

Chanel Contos, the founder of the Teach Us Consent, one of the organisations behind the push for mandatory consent education, said the change was made after collecting over 44,000 signatures, more than 6,700 testimonies of sexual assault, and countless hours of volunteer work and support.

Under the proposed curriculum, students across the continuum of learning from foundation to Year 10 would learn about the concepts of consent that is appropriate to their ages, while students from years seven to 10 would explore consent from the perspective of sex education, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Students are required to describe strategies for seeking, giving, or denying consent and rehearse how to communicate their intentions effectively and respectfully, and communicate assertively in regard to consent.

The curriculum would apply to faith-based schools, some of which have raised concerns that mandatory consent education would be in conflict with the schools religious precepts.

Mark Spencer, director of public policy at Christian Schools Australia (CSA) told The Epoch Times that historical, orthodox Christian teaching considers all sexual activity should be consensual and within the confines of marriage between a man and a woman.

There is no place in Christian teaching for coercive or non-consensual sexual activity, he said.

As with other aspects of the Australian Curriculum, Christian and other faith based schools would approach mandatory content from the perspective of their faith and beliefs, he added.

Spencer also noted there have been serious concerns raised about the efficacy of any consent education in the context of a culture awash with pornography, which was previously described by pro-life feminist Melinda Tankard Reist as the worlds most powerful sexual groomer.

According to U.S. research that re-examined the evidence for comprehensive sex education in schools, sex education programs can produce harmful effects on children as they can either increase teen sexual experimentation, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), number of sex partners, sexual activities, forced intercourse, or they decrease condom use in participants.
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre rises during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on May 31, 2019. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Conservative Partys Interim Leadership Shuffles Caucus Roles

The Conservative Party is shuffling some of its shadow cabinet roles, with Ed Fast returning as finance critic to replace Pierre Poilievre who cannot serve as critic due to his bid for party leadership.

During this unprecedented time in our nations history, Conservatives are focused on working to bring unity, calm, and wholeness back to our country, Conservative Party interim leader Candice Bergen said in a Feb. 22 statement announcing the shuffle.

As we find ways to do that and move toward a post-COVID-19 era, we know there will be huge economic and social challenges continuing to face Canada. We need to align our team to tackle these changes and constructively put forward concrete solutions. We will not only hold the Liberals to accountwe want to help provide solutions.

Though circumstances are different this time around, Fast had replaced Poilievre in that role at the same time last year during a shuffle overseen by former Conservative leader Erin OToole.

Poilievre had been given a lesser role as critic for jobs and industry, but was reinstated by OToole as finance critic after the 2021 federal election.

Fast served as minister of international trade and minister of the Asia-Pacific gateway under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In other changes, Gerard Deltell, who was House leader with OToole, will serve as critic for innovation, science, and industry, replacing Fast.

Luc Berthold became deputy leader to Bergen and therefore vacated his role as health critic. This role will now be filled by Michael Barrett.

Alain Rayes, who on Tuesday announced he was encouraging former Quebec premier Jean Charest to run for his partys leadership, was replaced as critic for official languages by Joel Godin.

Kyle Seeback is now critic for environment, James Bezan for ethics, and Shannon Stubbs for rural economic development. Seeback and Stubbs had no previous roles, whereas Bezan was previously deputy whip.

Michelle Rempel Garner, who said she supported OToole before he was ousted as leader, was removed from her role as critic for natural resources and replaced by Greg McLean, who didnt have a previous role.

Bergen also announced that the party would seek to have two MPs appointed on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), which OToole had previously boycotted, citing the governments refusal to release documents related to the firing of scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

Bergen said she wants to have Rempel Garner appointed, as well as Rob Morrison who previously sat on the committee, and mentioned her party would use that avenue to keep pressing on the Winnipeg lab issue.

Critics for key roles such as foreign affairs (Michael Chong), justice (Rob Moore), defence (Kerry-Lynne Findlay), and public safety (Raquel Dancho) have not been shuffled.
The Tesla logo is seen at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, on Jan. 7, 2019. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Corporate America Continues to Coddle Communist China

Commentary

Corporate America wants you to know that theyre making the world a better, more inclusive, more sustainable, and more (insert buzzword of the day) place. Just look at all their donations to left-wing nonprofits, and rainbow flags, and green logos. They must be good if they say they are, right?

Well, just so long as you dont look too deeply. When Corporate America jangles environmental, social, and governance (ESG) credentials in one hand to distract you like a kitten with a shiny thing, theyre shaking the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) hand with the other hand.

For example, Disney will only make movies that look like America, but it isnt about to put black people on their Chinese movie posters. Big Tech has long since sold out to China, with last year Microsoft-owned LinkedIn even blocking an Axios reporters profile in China because she wrote about prohibited content. Amazon, Nike, and others were alleged to have potentially used in their supply chains forced Uyghur labor.

Coming full circle, Disney was quick to thank Chinese authorities for their help with Mulan, which was filmed right on the doorstep of the Uyghur concentration camps, of which China reportedly has 260.

This kowtowing to pure evil is in spite of the fact that one in five corporations say China has stolen their IP within the last yearand that wealth could be turned against us to blow up our aircraft carriers.

Congress has started paying attention to this, with Republican members of Congress introducing sanctions against China for its horrifying behavior toward the Uyghurs. Whether the Biden administration will respond is doubtful, even when they pay lip service to the idea of growing a spine.

If the embarrassingly low ratings for the Olympics in China are any sign, the American public is sick of this self-destructive selling out to Beijing. Corporations will start pulling out of China, but they need a leader.

Without closely examining the facts at hand, one would think that person could be South African entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is beloved by many on the right and the left. His alternative energy efforts earned him Times Person of the Year, and he then went to the conservative Babylon Bee to denounce wokeness as divisive, exclusionary, and hateful. It basically gives mean people a reasonit gives them a shield to be mean and cruel, armored in false virtue.

However, Musk seems to be in on the China long-game as well.

In January, two Democrat representatives, Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in castigating Musk for opening a showroom in the Xinjiang region, the heart of the CCPs anti-Uyghur atrocities. They implored Tesla to set a better example against the CCPs crimes. Its unknown the extent of Teslas involvement behind Chinas red curtain, but we do know Musk took more than $2 billion in loans from China to build its Gigafactory.

In 2021, Musk tweeted well-wishes to the Chinese Communist Party for their 100th anniversary, calling the economic prosperity of the oppressive regime truly amazing. The previous year, hed told one podcast that China rocks. He criticized the complacency and entitlement in the United States, especially in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New Yorkthree cities conservatives arent going to rush to protectwhile praising the Chinese as a hard-working people.

Praising slaves for being hard working?

World affairs have shifted seismically in the last few years. The fact that Western European and North American benevolence and power have positively determined the course of history for the past 100 years is no measure that they will do the same for the next 100. Unless dramatic measures are taken, the CCP will guide the fate of the human race.

This is a group that horribly abuses its own people. The CCP responds to domestic protests with tanks, not open arms. Who knows what their plans are for the rest of us, once nothing can stand in their way?

For years, liberals hated Corporate America because of the corporate part. Now conservatives hate Corporate America for abandoning America. Both sides should come together to oppose abuse of slave labor in Chinas oppressive regime. Its disappointing to see Musks name on the list of companies linked to Xinjianglets hope his name will be at the top of the list to reject it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas speaks to reporters in Washington in a file photograph. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

DHS Warns of Potential Russian Cyberattacks in US

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is warning of potential Russian cyberthreats to U.S. organizations at all levels as RussiaUkraine tensions continue to intensify.

The federal agency issued a SHIELDS UP advisory stating that the Russian government understands that disabling or destroying critical infrastructureincluding power and communicationscan augment pressure on a countrys government, military, and population and accelerate their acceding to Russian objectives.

The Russian government has used cyber as a key component of their force projection over the last decade, including previously in Ukraine in the 2015 timeframe, DHSs Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated.

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, told a press briefing at the White House last week that the Biden administration is preparing for potential geopolitical contingencies.

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Feb. 22 that U.S. organizations must be prepared for potential ransomware attacks.

We have no information to suggest a specific credible cyber threat against the U.S. homeland, but it is our responsibility to be prepared, Mayorkas wrote on Twitter.

A senior FBI cyber official issued similar warnings on Feb. 22, shortly after President Joe Biden took action against Russia for ordering troops into Ukraines separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk for so-called peacekeeping operations.

The FBIs David Ring told reporters during a phone briefing that Russia is a permissive operating environment for cybercriminals, one that is not going to get any smaller as the RussiaUkraine crisis continues and further sanctions are imposed against Russia, CNN reported, citing two people who were on the call.

The advisory comes after Biden told reporters on Feb. 22 that the United States would impose sanctions against two large Russian financial institutions and Russian sovereign debt. Biden administration officials said Russian elites and their family members would also be sanctioned.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden said. Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine by declaring these independent states.

As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well. Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions.

The United States could also see a possible increase in cyber threat activity from Russian state-backed hackers, Ring reportedly said.

White House, FBI, and DHS officials didnt respond to requests for comment by press time.

Nearly 100,000 residents of Ukraines Kremlin-backed separatist enclaves have now been evacuated to Russias Rostov province, Alexander Chupriyan, acting head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, said on Feb. 23, according to Interfax news agency.
Fireworks explode over The Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on May 4, 2005. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Disneyland Welcomes Back Nighttime Spectacular Shows

ANAHEIM, Calif.Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are welcoming back their nighttime spectacular shows this spring, officials announced on Feb. 22.

Disney fanatics should be on the lookout for the Main Street Electrical Parade, Fantasmic!, World of Color, and Disneyland Forever firework shows coming to the theme parks on April 22.

Fantasmic! will be back to celebrate its 30th anniversary at the theme park on May 28. The musical and animated led show that lights up on the waters of the Rivers of America display clips and images from movies such as Fantasia, The Jungle Book, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Spectators can sit back and enjoy the journey of Mickey Mouse as he battles and conquers the most horrific Disney villains while dreaming.

While Disneyland Forever firework show is returning in April, it will only run from Friday through Sunday until returning nightly in the summer. The show occurs at the same time as Fantasmic!

World of Color will return full-time to California Adventure along will its music, fog, and fire effects. The nighttime show displays beloved Disney and Pixar images accompanied by a water show.

As the electrical parade celebrates its 50th anniversary, spectators can anticipate a grand finale with treasured characters from Disney movies, Encanto, The Jungle Book, Raya and the Last Dragon, Aladdin, Coco, Mulan, Brave, and The Princess and the Frog.

When the theme park opened its gates back up for visitors on April 30, 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors missed out on a few park gems.

With the parking lot trams officially made a comeback as of Feb. 23 and the nighttime shows will reappear this spring, nightly firework shows are back after being delayed until the last 4th of July, and the first parade didnt take route until the special Halloween bash beginning in September.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security Division Matthew Olsen, seen from a video monitor, testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee during a virtual hearing to examine the domestic terrorism threat, in Washington, on Jan. 10, 2022. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)

DOJ Terminates Program Targeting Chinese Espionage Amid Accusations of Racism

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Feb. 23 that its ending the China Initiative, an effort to combat economic espionage, trade theft, and technology transfer by the Chinese regime.

The program will be replaced with a broader approach focused on countering espionage, cyberattacks, and other threats from a range of countries, a top DOJ official said. The announcement followed a departmental review into the initiatives practices following mounting allegations of racism and mishandling.

The reviews purpose was forward-looking, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said during a press briefing. The key question was whether this framework still best serves the strategic needs and priorities of the department.

While I remain focused on the evolving, significant threat that the government of China poses, I have concluded that this initiative is not the right approach.

The initiative was launched by the Trump administration in 2018. Its purpose was to broadly counter national security threats stemming from the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) use of espionage, fraud, and cybercrime against the United States.

Olsen said the nations ongoing competition with Chinas ruling communist regime demands a broader approach that wouldnt antagonize ethnic Chinese in the United States. Making that distinction between the CCP and Chinese people he said, is of paramount importance.

To be clear, we are focused on the actions of the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] government, the Chinese Communist Party, and their agentsnot the Chinese people or those of Chinese descent, Olsen said.

As we talk about the threats that the PRC government poses to the United States, we must never lose sight of that fundamental distinction. We must always be vigilant to ensure that no one is treated differently based on race, ethnicity, familial ties, or national origin. This is a foundational commitment of the Department of Justice.

The remarks follow petitions by several rights groups to end the program, as well as the results of a survey that found that the initiative had severely frightened ethnic Chinese working in American universities.

The survey, conducted by the University of Arizona and the Committee of 100, a nonprofit group focused on improving SinoAmerican relations, found that over 42 percent of scientists of Chinese heritage felt racially profiled by the U.S. government.

The results showed that 42 percent of Chinese scientists also said that they were now considering ending their time in the United States because of the initiative.

Olsen said that the CCP had engaged in espionage against the United States, targeted U.S. citizens whom it knew had access to military secrets, and utilized malicious cyber campaigns against the nation, including against those working in critical research and emerging technologies.

He also condemned the regimes attempts to silence dissent globally, including through its illegal international campaign to harass and intimidate ethnic Chinese, called Operation Fox Hunt.

Ultimately, Olsen concluded that the China Initiative was driven by genuine national security concerns but that its methods had raised legitimate concerns that the DOJ had fueled a narrative of intolerance and bias.

He said the initiative was designed as a coherent approach to tackling a complex array of challenges posed by the CCP, but that the blowback it created, and the risk it posed to academic research and economic development in the long term, was too great for it to be maintained.

In all, Olsen said that the DOJ would remain committed to prioritizing national security threats from the Chinese regime and other hostile nations, but that it would pursue a strategy focused on nation-state actors.

Make no mistake, we will be relentless in defending our country from China, Olsen said.

But our review convinced us that a new approach is needed to tackle the most severe threats from a range of hostile nation-states.

Olsen said that the department will focus on threats from the CCP in a manner thats more in line with the Constitutional protections afforded to all Americans.

The United States is a beacon for people all over the world who seek to live in an open and democratic society, Olsen said. It is our duty in the National Security Division to protect the United States from the myriad threats we face, while staying true to the Constitution and the values of the Justice Department.
Salt Lake City attorney Jesse Trentadue poses stands in front of the federal court, in Salt Lake City, on Nov. 13, 2014. (Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock)

FBIs Operation to Infiltrate Right-Wing Extremist Groups Lies at Center of Transparency Lawsuit

An FBI right-wing infiltration operation tangled in allegations of witness tampering, evidence suppression, and connections to the Oklahoma City bombing has been exposed through one mans unprecedented Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. government.

And the case isnt over yet.

Utah attorney Jesse Trentadues 2006 FOIA lawsuit against the FBI and CIA for Oklahoma City bombing records is indeed still an open matter, having been sealed and litigated behind closed doors since 2015 over witness tampering allegations.

Trentadues case is unprecedented, according to Judicial Watch. Its rare for a FOIA case to go to trial and even rarer for one to entail allegations as serious as witness tampering, according to Judicial Watch senior investigator Sean Dunagan.

Were one of the largest FOIA litigants in this country, and weve never been involved in anything that involves that degree of alleged misconduct by the [FBI], Dunagan said. Its astounding.

Trentadue declined to comment on the sealed aspects of the case, including when the litigation might conclude. However, he did agree to an interview about the events leading up to 2015. He also provided The Epoch Times with access to a trove of court documents, transcripts, and other records that show details about the federal governments domestic counterterrorism operations.

His records describe an FBI program known as Patriot Conspiracy (PATCON)a secret operation to infiltrate right-wing and domestic extremist groups.

PATCON has been in the public record for years, described in detail by historian Wendy Paintings 2016 doctoral thesis-turned-book Aberration in the Heartland of the Real. But PATCON has received little media attention outside of the late journalist Will Grigg. Other journalists have attempted to cover PATCON, only to run into censorship issues.

The reasons for the alleged attempts to suppress PATCON are clear, according to Trentadue.

The FBIs real objective in PATCON had been to infiltrate and to incite these fringe groups to violence, he said.

The FBI declined to comment on this story.

The FBI headquarters in Washington on Jan. 2, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Oklahoma City Mysteries

Trentadue started seeking Oklahoma City bombing records from the FBI in the early 2000s.

The Utah attorney believes that the U.S. government is suppressing surveillance footage of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh with an unidentified accomplice on the morning of April 19, 1995, the day of the bombing. Trentadue also believes that this is connected to his brothers murder.

The reasons for Trentadues beliefs are complex and have received numerous book-length treatments.

But to summarize, 24 witnesses told the FBI that they saw McVeigh with someone during the morning of the attackand none were used by the government during the trial. The FBI initially released sketches and appealed to the public for help in finding this mysterious John Doe #2, only to later deny that the man ever existed.

Then it was revealed in 2004 that the U.S. Secret Service had conducted its own investigation of the Oklahoma City bombing, separate from the FBIs.

A Secret Service document on the investigation shocked observers with the following statement: Security videotapes from the area [around the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building] show the truck detonation three minutes and six seconds after the suspects exited the trucksupporting suspicions by many that McVeigh indeed had an accomplice and that there exists surveillance footage that confirms this.

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in the first seconds of its five-second-implosion in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. (POOL PHOTO/AFP via Getty Images)

With McVeighs one known accomplice, Terry Nicholswhos serving life behind bars for providing some assistance to McVeighconfirmed to have been in Kansas on the day of the bombing, the possible identity of the man seen with McVeigh on April 19, 1995, remains a subject of debate.

Seeking to solve this mystery, Trentadue used the Secret Service memo to help underpin his FOIA lawsuits against the FBI.

For its part, the FBI said the Secret Services investigation was riddled with errors. While there were video cameras on the Murrah building, they werent working on the day of the attack, according to the U.S. government.

The Secret Service also walked back its memo, saying that its agents never actually saw any surveillance footage of the Oklahoma City bombing and that some of the conclusions in its investigation were unconfirmed.

Trentadue and the U.S. government argued these points and others for years as their case crawled toward an eventual trial in 2014.

Members of the Secret Service keep an eye on Wall Street in New York on Sept. 6, 2002. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

An Unexpected Call

Leading up to that trial, something unexpected happened in 2011: Trentadue was contacted by a former federal informant named John Matthews.

A retired U.S. Marine, Matthews had worked as a federal asset throughout the 1990s on FBIs PATCON operations. Matthews had been following Trentadues case and became infuriated when he saw that the FBI had released some records to Trentadue that identified him as an informant.

All those years, Ive been a good boy and kept my mouth shut, Matthews said in 2011, explaining his decision to go public. Then you [the FBI] release my name? What kind of [expletive] is that?

Matthews told Trentadue all about PATCON, from selling guns to domestic extremists for FBI sting operations to sitting in on meetings by white supremacists about attacking a nuclear plant in Alabama.

He told me that he had been told by the FBI that the purpose of PATCON was to infiltrate and to monitor the activities of [the] extreme political right consisting of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan and various Neo-Nazi groups, but that he no longer believed what he had been told by the FBI about the purpose of PATCON, Trentadue said in a sworn declaration to the court.

Mr. Matthews told me that, based upon his experience, he now believed that the FBIs real objective in PATCON had been to infiltrate and to incite these fringe groups to violence.

Matthewss most jolting claim was that he saw McVeigh in 1994 with a German national named Andy Strassmeirwhose name appears in CIA records in relation to the Oklahoma City bombing investigation.

Mr. Matthews even told me that prior to the Oklahoma City Bombing he had seen Timothy McVeigh and a German National by the name of Andreas Strassmeir at a militia training facility near San Saba, Texas, Trentadue said in his sworn declaration.

According to Mr. Matthews, he had reported the McVeighStrassmeir [sighting] to the FBI, and was told by the FBI that the Bureau was already aware of that fact, which indicated to Mr. Matthews that others within the FBI were monitoring McVeigh on the [run-up] to the attack on the Murrah Building.

Timothy McVeigh (C) being led from Noble County Courthouse in Perry, Okla., on April 21, 1995. (BOB DAEMMERICH/AFP via Getty Images)

With former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives informant Carol Howe on the record saying that she dated Strassmeier in the early 90s, the revelation from Matthews put McVeigh within two degrees of separation from a known federal informant.

Trentadue and his friend Roger Charlesa nationally acclaimed journalist who also worked a brief stint as an investigator on McVeighs defense teamconnected Matthews with journalists at Newsweek to tell his story.

Trentadue and Matthews expected their information would result in a media frenzy that would rock the country. But when Newsweek published its article about Matthews on Nov. 11, 2011, the former informant was dismayed to find the FBIs most damning secrets unreported.

Mr. Matthews was upset with the Newsweek story, Trentadue said in a sworn declaration for his FOIA case. He expressed to me that he felt betrayed because all Newsweek had done was  expose him to possible retribution from the various groups that he had infiltrated as part of  PATCON without exposing PATCON.

Exposing the FBIs wrongdoings through the mainstream media was apparently not an option. However, Trentadue had another idea: for Matthews to testify at his upcoming FOIA trial.

The two agreed: Matthews would help Trentadue make his case in court, while receiving the benefit of being able to tell his story in court without the threat of media censorship.

U.S. Courthouse for the District of Utah. (Swilsonmc/CC BY-SA 3.0)

Trentadues Trial

The trial of Jesse C. Trentadue v. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al. happened in Utah over a four-day period from July 28 to July 31, 2014.

Matthews never testified.

According to Trentadue and Charles, the FBI intimidated Matthews into abandoning his plans to testify.

The Epoch Times interviewed Charles on Feb. 7, before he tragically died a week later.

John told me he didnt want to end up another homeless Vietnam veteran, he said.

With Matthews off the grid, Charles and Trentadue both delivered signed declarations to the court in August 2014.

Charles said he received a phone call on July 30, 2014, the night before Matthews was set to testify.

John Matthews said that he had been told by the FBI to stand down. John Matthews also said that he had been told by the FBI to take a vacation so that he could not be subpoenaed, Charles said in his Aug. 7, 2014, sworn declaration to the court. He likewise said that the Bureau had made it very clear to him that if he did testify, it could result in the loss of his Veterans health coverage, and Veterans disability pension.

Trentadues declaration says he spoke with Matthews after his phone call with Charles. The conversation revealed more specifics of the FBIs coercion tactics against Matthews, according to the Utah attorneys declaration.

During that conversation, Mr. Matthews related to me the events leading up to his refusal to testify, including the name of the FBI agent who had contacted him, Adam Quirk, Trentadue said in his declaration.

According to Mr. Matthews, FBI Agent Quirk had called him several times, telling him that it would be best for everyone if he did not testify. Agent Quirk told Mr. Matthews to take a vacation so that he could not be subpoenaed, and if he was subpoenaed that Mr. Matthews should answer questions put to him about PATCON with: I dont recall.

The FBI vigorously denied Charless and Trentadues allegations of witness tampering. The bureau obtained an Aug. 2, 2014, email from Matthews to both parties in the FOIA dispute. In there, Matthews said he declined to testify based on the advice of his friend and former handler, retired FBI agent Don Jarrett.

Like we both agree, I had nothing to do with the Oklahoma City bombing or the tapes. I did not want to testify and I did not want to get caught in a crossfire with both sides, Matthews wrote. If I took a trip, no one could find me to give a subpoena to. Don told me we should inform the FBI in Salt Lake City and let them know what I was going to do.

An FBI Police car is parked near one of the office buildings in Washington on March 22, 2019. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

According to Matthews, thats why he was contacted by FBI agent Quirk.

I told him of what me and Don talked about. He agreed with me that if there was no subpoena, I did not have to show up, Matthews wrote. It was my understanding that he was going to let the court know I was not showing up.

In his email, Matthews confirmed that he spoke with Trentadue and Charles.

I told them that I was not going to testify. That Agent Adam Quirk was supposed to [have] told the court, he wrote. This is how this mess got started.

Matthews emphasized in all capital letters: NO ONE FROM THE FBI OR DOJ HAS MADE ANY THREATS TO ME OR MY FAMILY.

The FBI also obtained a sworn declaration from Jarrett. According to Jarrett, Matthews called him in July 2014, expressing concerns about testifying for Trentadue.

I had never heard of the case that Mr. Matthews was describing, and I did not have any idea what Mr. Matthews might be asked to testify about. As far as I am aware, Mr. Matthews would not have any relevant information about the Oklahoma City bombing, Jarrett wrote. I suggested to Mr. Matthews that the best thing to do would be to contact the FBIs attorney handling the case.

Despite Jarretts and Matthewss denial that the FBI prevented him from testifying, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups said he found the witness tampering allegations to be at least plausible.

The current record at least permits a reasonable inference of wrongdoing by Defendant or its agents in influencing Mr. Matthews not to testify, he said.

On April 30, 2015, Waddoups appointed a separate magistrate judgea special masterto investigate the witness tampering allegations. The special master was assigned to collect an internal report of the allegations from the FBI, along with copies of all recorded communications between Matthews and the FBI, any reports prepared of interviews with Matthews, and any other records related to the matter.

The special master shall attend the depositions of Mr. Matthews, Mr. Don Jarrett, agent Quirk (and others, as relevant), as well as [Trentadue and Charles], in which the parties will be able to cross-examine these individuals as to matters relevant to the witness tampering allegations, Waddoups said.

Upon the conclusion of his investigation, the special master shall prepare a report and recommendation, including proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law on  specifically the allegations of the witness tampering involving Mr. Matthews.

Nearly seven years later, the special master has yet to issue his report and recommendations.

Waddoups is reserving his decision on the July 2014 trial until the witness-tampering matter is resolved. With the court-ordered inquiry taking place behind closed doors, theres no indication of when that may be.

Even if Trentadue wins a judgment in his favor, it isnt clear what the outcome would look like.

He seeks to depose FBI agents and search their physical archives. But the FBI has said in court briefings that the court doesnt have the power to provide the kinds of remedies demanded by Trentaduesuggesting that the bureau would appeal any judgment against it.

Such an appeal could extend the litigation for years.

Dunagan, the senior investigator for Judicial Watch, said hes surprised the case has even gotten this far.

Its very good for Jesse that his case is not being litigated in D.C. If this case were litigated in D.C., it would have been closed years ago, he said. Judges in D.C. have a lot more deference to agencies, particularly when it comes to classification of law enforcement records.

Matthews didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. Newsweek also didnt respond to requests for comment.
A judge dismissed the appeal of a Chinese couple who had applied for permanent residency in Canada due to the husbands former employment with the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, on Jan. 19, 2022. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Federal Court Affirms Chinas Overseas Agency in Canada Engaged in Espionage

A federal court judge has affirmed that an overseas agency of China is involved in acts of espionage that go against Canadas interests.

In a ruling on Jan. 19, Justice Vanessa Rochester wrote that there are enough grounds to believe that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (OCAO) has engaged in espionage activities that are contrary to Canadas interest.

Given the evidence in the record that links OCAO to the activities described by the [Immigration Citizenship and Refugees Canada (IRCC)] Officer, it was reasonable for the Officer to conclude that there were reasonable grounds to believe that OCAO had infiltrated overseas Chinese communities in Canada and other countries and engaged in covert action and intelligence gathering, Rochester ruled.

Consequently, I conclude that the Officer reasonably determined that such acts by OCAO fall within the definition of espionage.

The decision came in the case involving former OCAO employee Yong Zhang and his spouse Yuxia Gao, who were sponsored by their daughter, a naturalized citizen, to become permanent residents in Canada. Their applications were denied after an IRCC officer in Hong Kong deemed them inadmissible due to Zhangs previous employment with OCAO.

The couple asked for a judicial review of their applications but they were dismissed by Rochester who upheld the IRCC ruling.

The judge noted Zhang was a computer technician from 1983 until 2002, at which time he was transferred to an administrative position. She wrote in her ruling that Immigration Canada noted by the time Zhang retired in 2004, he was a chief staff member.

Additionally in her ruling, the IRCC officer had cited legislation that prevents members of organizations that engage in espionage and harm Canadas interests from immigrating here, and OCAC matches the requirements.

OCAC is a national-level bureaucracy controlled by the Chinese communist regime. While the regime claims that the agency protect[s] the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese, a scholarly article by James To, a senior adviser at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, cited by the court, says otherwise.

According to To, qiaowu, or overseas Chinese affairs work, in practice works to legitimise and protect the [Chinese Communist Party] CCPs hold on power, uphold Chinas international image, and retain influence over important channels of access to social, economic and political resources both domestically and abroad.

To achieve this, qiaowu is conducted in view of two aims: to attract the OC [overseas Chinese] back into the fold of the Chinese nation-state, and to convey and project to them the nation-state agenda. Implicit in these objectives is the elimination of potential threats and rival discourses that may challenge the CCP.

Relying on the research of To, the IRCC noted that OCAO has been involved in covert action among Chinese communities in Canada, including monitoring their activities and exercising political influence. It also works on how to gain and consolidate trust amongst targets, how to actively manage targets and how to supervise their behaviour.

Akshay Singh, an international affairs and security scholar, and a non-resident research fellow at the Council on International Policy, says that OCAO representatives are actually representatives of the United Front Work Department (UFWD)the primary foreign interference tool of the Chinese regime.

Now the court has concluded that OCAO has engaged in acts of espionage. This means OCAO/UFWD representatives in Canada could be engaging in threat activities in Canada while enjoying diplomatic protections, said Singh in a series of tweets on Feb. 23.

The UFWD is a key component of the United Front System that targets people outside Canada. It looks to subvert open systems to further Party interests. And it targets innocent overseas Chinese who simply want to live their lives in peace.

Singh added that the UFWD doesnt just target the Chinese diaspora.

It leverages a massive system which punishes people who speak out about the Party or China in a negative way and rewards those who praise it, he said.

In an interview with the National Post, Charles Burton, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute who specializes in China affairs, says he hopes the ruling by Rochester sets a terrific precedent.

He said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and RCMP have both advised the federal government about the interference operations conducted by such Chinese organizations. However, politicians tend to suppress the information for fear it will affect the trade between the two countries.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves after holding a press conference at the Miami Dade Colleges North Campus in Miami, on Jan. 26, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

DeSantis Launches Donation Portal After Biden Admin Denies Aid to Tornado Victims

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a donation portal on Feb. 22 following news that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied southwest Florida tornado victims recovery aid.

We cannot continue waiting on the federal government to provide relief to these Floridians, DeSantis said in a Feb. 22 press release. After meeting with survivors last week, its clear they still need our help.

Florida Department of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said in a statement that the tornado victims have been navigating a difficult recovery process.

These donations are going to directly provide assistance to our disaster survivors who need it most, Guthrie said in a press Feb. 22 release. The Division is working around the clock to connect disaster survivors with this vital resource, which will help them recover faster and begin to rebuild after experiencing extensive devastation.

At a Feb. 18 press conference with tornado victims, DeSantis said the disaster affected a vulnerable population, with almost all of the victims being senior citizens and 84 percent dependent on social security benefits as their only source of income.

People are still trying to find stable housing and cleaning up debris, the governor said.

On January 16 approximately 300 Southwest Florida residents were displaced as a result of tornadoes that touched down destroying more than 158 homes in two counties.

National Weather Services later confirmed that a category 1 tornado touched down in Charlotte County and a category 2 tornado in Lee County.

Ed Murray recalled the incident as the most frightening thing to ever happen to him.

My house is laying on its roof, Murray, a Ft. Myers resident told reporters at a news conference on Feb. 18. For an hour or two I didnt know where my daughter was and for seven hours, I couldnt find my puppy.

But something that hurt worse than the devastation of the tornadoes was the treatment of the federal government when claims were denied, he told reporters.

And then to have some government agency to say that this is not a tragedy, 22 years of memories, your children and pets all in danger. This has got to be wrong.

Ellie Costalas, another tornado victim said, We were devastated when this happened, we just couldnt believe it.

After the tornadoes hit, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency for Charlotte and Lee counties that set the wheels in motion to alert the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to begin the process of assessing the damage.

The logo of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seen at its headquarters in Washington in this file photo. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

FEMA officials sent a letter dated Feb. 15 to the governor and said that the damage from the storm was not extensive enough to warrant federal response.

Based on our review of all of the information available, it has been determined that the damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments, and voluntary agencies, reads a letter from FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to DeSantis. Accordingly, we have determined that supplemental federal assistance is not necessary. Therefore, I must inform you that your request for a major disaster declaration is denied.

The governors office has said they are immediately working on an appeal and said that these things should be above politics.

Since Biden has been president it seems like whatever they can do, to thumb their nose at Florida, DeSantis told reporters on Feb. 18. Thats why we are appealing the decision, were going to continue to fight.
Former Sergeant-at-Arms Says Enforcement Without Dialogue a Naive Strategy in Resolving Truckers Protest

A former head of security for the House of Commons said it is naive to think that enforcement alone can resolve protests against COVID-19 mandates in Ottawa and elsewhere, as the federal government pursues an extension of the Emergencies Act to deal with the matter.

In a series of posts on Twitter, former Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers said on Feb. 22 that relying solely on enforcement to end protests without opening dialogue isnt a winning strategy, and called upon the government to follow other countries steps in lifting COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Enforcement alone is always degrees of losing. Simplistic view of Rule of Law. So naive to think this was going to be all resolved through enforcement. Not only those who are labelled populist but thousands of nurses and 100s of Doctors, Educators were vaccine hesitant, Vickers wrote of the Freedom Convoy protests and other demonstrations against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Given that Provinces and many countries have already charted a course to remove mandates and restrictions surely their [sic] is soil already ploughed in which we as Canadians respecting science can plant seeds of compromise, unity and hope.

Vickers, a 29-year veteran of the RCMP and former leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, noted that protests are likely to continue as many parents are concerned about the impacts of ongoing public health restrictions on children and that Canadian citizens have been repulsed by what they view as Government overreach.

Vikers, who was called a Canadian hero after shooting dead the gunmen involved in the 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, had previously called on the federal government to resolve the Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa through The Canadian Way, which he said involves debate and dialogue.

He reiterated this point in his latest tweets, using the hashtag TheCanadianWay to highlight what he said is a better way out of the conflict through communication, respect, and dialogue.

Enforcement alone is always degrees of losing. Simplistic view of Rule of Law. So naive to think this was going to be all resolved through enforcement. Not only those who are labelled populist but thousands of nurses and 100s of Doctors, Educators were vaccine hesitant.  Kevin Vickers (@KVickers) February 22, 2022

The Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa began as a demonstration against the federal governments COVID-19 vaccination mandate for all truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border. It soon expanded to a national-scale movement after large convoys of trucks arrived in the capital on Jan. 29, attracting supporters across Canada who want to see an end to all COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. It has also sparked similar protests around the world.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had refused to meet with the truckers, or have representatives hear their grievances, during the three weeks they remained in Ottawa. He declared a state of emergency on Feb. 14, invoking the Emergencies Act to give the police sweeping additional powers to oust the protesters, including compelling towing companies to remove the vehicles encamped in the citys downtown core.

Financial measures were also brought in to allow financial institutions to freeze the accounts of individuals and corporations suspected of being associated with the protest without a court order. The government also broadened anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws to cover crowdfunding platforms and the payment service providers they use.

On Feb. 21, Canadas House of Commons voted to pass a motion approving the use of the Emergencies Act, with the Liberals and NDP voting in favour and the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois voting against it.
Germany Indicts Arms Control Breach Suspect Over Russia Sale

BERLINGerman prosecutors said Tuesday they have indicted a businessman on suspicion of breaking arms control laws by helping Russia purchase sophisticated machinery that could be used to make chemical weapons.

The man, identified only as Alexander S. because of privacy rules, was arrested by German customs officials in the eastern city of Leipzig last year.

Federal prosecutors said the suspect has also been formally charged with breaking export rules for selling restricted goods to a company in Russia and acting on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency.

Prosecutors allege that a Russian company the suspect had business relations with was a front controlled by the intelligence agency to cover up purchases by Russias military industry.

The purchased goods had dual uses, meaning they could be used for civilian purposes or to develop atomic, biological or chemical weapons or missiles, prosecutors said. They allege that the suspect was aware he needed export permits for the goods he sold from Nov. 2017 for about 1 million euros ($1.1 million) to the Russian front company.

German authorities had repeatedly warned the man of their concerns about the Russian company, prosecutors said.

The suspect provided false information about the actual recipients, they said. They alleged that in one case he also exported electronics to a Russian institute involved in the manufacture of components for the nuclear weapons industry.

Germany has recently detained and indicted several people suspected of acting for Russian intelligence agencies. Earlier this month a 30-year-old Russian man went on trial in Munich accused of passing information about European rockets to Russian intelligence.
Workers build a fence on Metcalfe St. in Ottawa on Feb. 21, 2022, after the Freedom Convoy protest was cleared in the days prior. (Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times)

Government to Withhold Classified Information Justifying Emergencies Act From Parliamentary Review Committee

The government will not allow a committee of parliamentarians tasked with reviewing the application of the Emergencies Act to access the classified information it is using to justify keeping the measures in place, senators heard as they debated the motion to maintain the public order emergency on Feb. 22.

The Senate began debating on Feb. 22 whether to confirm the governments decision to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadian history over protests and blockades of Canadas borders by people opposing vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions.

Sen. Marc Gold provided the governments arguments for invoking the Act in a speech outlining the need for Canada to be able to respond to ongoing threats, but as has previously been the case in the House of Commons, questions arose regarding whether the threshold has been met to declare a public order emergency.

There was a certain amount of trust us in the governments justification for these extreme measures we are debating today, said Sen. Dennis Glen Patterson of the Canadian Senators Group.

However, this comes at a time when trust in governments at all levels clearly is eroding on the part of many citizens. I know this order is based on a perceived threat to the security of Canada, but yesterday during a briefing for senators, Minister of Public Safety [Marco] Mendicino referred to matters within his knowledge that could not be shared.

Patterson asked if it would be possible to access the classified information the government is using to justify its actions.

The short answer is no, answered Gold, explaining that members of the review committee would have to take an oath of secrecy, but would not have the proper security clearance to access the material.

The Parliamentary Review Committee will not be required to have the level of security clearance necessary to review confidential security information.

Patterson pushed back, saying the review committee will then not be able to properly do its job without knowing the facts.

I wonder how you can say that the review committee will have the power to seriously investigatethose were your wordswhen you have just said that certain matters will not be available to the committee, Patterson said.

Gold said current laws to protect information need to be respected and reasserted that the public domain information presented by the government to justify using the Act is sufficient.

[It] more than clearly satisfied the legal test that the government had reasonable grounds to believe that the national emergency was such that the act needed to be invoked and these measures put in place.

The government invoked the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14 and the motion confirming it passed in the House of Commons along party lines on Feb. 21. Now its up to the Senate to debate and vote on it. If the motion passes in the Senate, a joint review committee of the House and Senate will be established. If the motion is rejected by the Senate, the Act will be immediately revoked.

Sen. Scott Tannas, leader of the Canadian Senators Group, was not satisfied with Golds argument, noting that no active protests remain to justify maintaining the emergency.

What emergency exists today other than some secret emergency that you cant tell anybody about and our oversight committee wont get to know about either? said Tannas.

Police forces cleared the Ottawa protest on Feb. 18 and 19, using various crowd-control tactics including mounted police, tear gas, batons, and pepper-spray.

The truckers Freedom Convoy, which called for the lifting of restrictive federal COVID-19 measures, arrived in Ottawa on Jan. 29 and remained parked on city streets for three weeks.

The organizers said their movement was non-violent and drew support from people across the political spectrum and from different backgrounds.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
Growing Number of Experts Call on US Government to Recognize Natural Immunity

CDC vaccination schedule should incorporate prior infection, experts say

A growing number of experts are urging the U.S. government to formally recognize natural immunity, or the protection given by recovering from COVID-19.

More experts are arguing that the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) recommended vaccination schedule should feature fewer dosesor none at allfor people who have contracted COVID-19 and survived.

Natural infection should count as two doses, Dr. Paul Offit, professor of pediatrics at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, and an adviser to the Food and Drug Administration on vaccines, told The Epoch Times.

Offit and two former FDA officials stated in a recent op-ed that requiring people who have been infected to get three shots is overkill at besta waste of valuable dosesand an unnecessary risk at worst (given that vaccines have side effects, albeit rare ones).

Under current CDC guidance, all Americans 12 and older are advised to get three doses of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC defines fully vaccinated as people who get two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab.

The CDCs guidance isnt binding but is cited by companies and jurisdictions when imposing vaccine mandates. Many mandates force workers or residents to get fully vaccinated; others require a booster on top of the primary series because of waning protection. Few have exemptions for natural immunity.

Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote in a separate op-ed that the increasing number of studies showing how strong and long-lasting natural immunity is should prompt the CDC to redefine fully vaccinated in two ways: People who have gotten a primary series and not been infected should need a third dose, while those with prior infection should only need one shot.

Recent research on the matter includes a study funded by Johnson & Johnson and the U.S. government that found that previous infection alone provided 90 percent protection against moderate to severe COVID-19the vaccine only provided 56 percent protectionand a paper backed by the CDC that found natural immunity was more protective than vaccination against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.

Some experts, such as Offit, push for whats known as hybrid immunity. They point to papers that suggest that people who have been infected and go on to get a single vaccine dose are better protected than those with prior infection who remain unvaccinated, including a Cleveland Clinic study published earlier in February.

Dr. David Boulware, a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, agrees.

A transmission electron micrograph shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles isolated from a patient. (NIAID)

Boulware said he worries that not everybody who contracts COVID-19 will generate an immune response. He helped with a study published in 2021 that had participants self-collect serologic samples. The findings indicate that people with more COVID-19 symptoms were more likely to show evidence of prior infection.

For persons with prior documented COVID-19, they should receive at least one follow-up vaccine at three to six months after initial infection. For those with prior infection, two sequential vaccines in rapid sequence of 0, 21, or 28 days do virtually nothing immunologically, other than generate side effects. At present (based on current rules), I would recommend all those with prior infection to have a vaccine at three months after initial infection and then again after six months from initial infection, Boulware told The Epoch Times in an email.

Top U.S. health officials such as CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky have acknowledged that natural immunity occurs but have repeatedly urged people to get vaccinated, even if they recover from COVID-19, with a full vaccination schedule.

Offit says he was among four people who were asked to share their views on natural immunity in 2021 with Walensky and other officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. The virtual meeting, which took place after Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was confirmed by the Senate and before Dr. Francis Collins stepped down as head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), didnt lead to a shift in government guidance.

I think its because the opinions were sort of generally diverse, so there wasnt a clear, unified message that came out of that, Offit told The Epoch Times.

One possible issue is how people could prove theyve been infected and recovered, with suggestions including serologic tests.

The CDC, the NIH, NIAID, Murthy, Walensky, Fauci, and Collins didnt respond to requests for comment. The Epoch Times has filed Freedom of Information Act requests for details on the meeting.

Other experts say the protection people with natural immunity enjoy is so strong that they may not or definitely dont need any vaccine doses.

Dr. Robert Malone, who helped create the messenger RNA technology that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are built on, pointed to research that suggests that people with natural immunity have a greater risk of suffering adverse events after getting vaccinated as well as a collection of studies on protection from natural immunity.

Over 140 papers demonstrate thatsuperiority of natural immunity, Malone told The Epoch Times. And furthermore, if you jab somebody after they have natural immunity, their risk of adverse events goes up.

One recent study from Italian researchers found that people who recovered from COVID-19 had a low risk of reinfection and a very low risk of severe or deadly COVID-19. They said the risk-benefit of vaccine doses for the population should be carefully evaluated.

From the point of view of the individual who recovered from a previous infection, vaccination will provide a very limited benefit, as his/her risk of a severe or lethal disease is extremely low, especially if she/he is young, Dr. Lamberto Manzoli, one of the authors, told The Epoch Times in an email.

On the other hand, vaccinating the naturally immune may still provide some benefit, because approximately 1 percent of these subjects may have a reinfection and therefore transmit the disease, he said. Clearly, their impact on the overall pandemic is difficult to quantify, and it is likely to be very scarce, but if we want to take a very conservative approach, vaccination may still provide some benefit. Importantly, we have to use the word may because, as I mentioned in the manuscript, an in-depth evaluation of the risk-benefit should be made for these subjects.
James and Anna came to see me because of a big fight they were embroiled in. The issue was money, which I learned was something they had been arguing about for years, with no resolution. They had vastly different ideas and values around money, different narratives on its importance and meaning, and what it represented. Within a few minutes, however, it became clear that money was not their onlyor actualproblem.

My work with Anna and James, as I saw it, wasnt just to mediate their current and ongoing struggle but to create relational harmony between them and to help them be together in a way that was indeed harmonious. So then, the question begs, what is harmony in a relationship? We use the word a lot, usually to describe a relationship in which people seem happy and their interactions are easy and relatively conflict-free. We consider two people in harmony when they fit together like concordant notes in a pleasing musical chord. And yes, all this is true. Such relationships are harmonious. But there is one element of relational harmony, which may be the most important and defining one, that we deeply misunderstand and that causes much of our unhappiness in relationships.

We think of harmony as agreement between two people. Consequently, we spend our time and energy trying to agree on some version of whats true, one that we can both agree with. We fight until we determine this shared reality. And yes, agreeing with another persons version of the truth (their ideas and values and belief systems) certainly makes things easier in a relationship. But in fact, deep and lasting emotional, mental, and spiritual harmony requires something different than just agreeing on a shared experience. Harmony in a relationship means understandingnot just agreeing. We dont need to agree to be in harmony, but we do need to be willing to understand another persons experience and to actually hear their truth.

From the time were born, were conditioned to believe that our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs define us; theyre who we are. At the same time, were trained to believe that our thoughts are truenot just true, but fundamentally true. As in, the truth. If someone disagrees with us or experiences something differently, it can feel like our identityour very existenceis being threatened. How can we exist harmoniously with this other person if they dont agree with us, dont see and live the way we do? This implies that they dont agree with who we are, which means that there can be no harmony between us, and furthermore, no harmony within ourselves. We must get this other person to agree with us and our experience; we must win the battle of whose version of reality is true so that we can feel better and find harmony again, at least temporarily.

Returning to our couple, Anna and James were in a state of disharmony when they first came to see me, not because they didnt agree on the role that money should play in their relationship, but rather, because they were unwilling to listen to or even try to understand each others experience around money. They were locked in a brutal fight to determine whose version of reality was right, whose experience was going to be allowed to exist as valid and real. And they were in my office for me to serve as the judge and jury in their battle, and award one of them with the badge of truth. What this couple needed wasnt to agree on who was rightsince they both were rightbut rather to learn how to listen to each other, to hear and understand each others truthto coexist in disagreement and, simultaneously, in harmony.

Harmony in a relationship, whether romantic, platonic, professional, familial, or any other kind, stems from our willingness to understand another persons truth, without judging them or defending ourselves. We let their truth be true for them, and therefore, be true. Harmony is born from our desire to genuinely know what another persons reality looks and feels like, through their eyes and heartnot ours. We seek to understand their truth beyond what we think of it.

Harmony blooms when we have the courage to stop hearing another persons experience solely through the lens of what it means about us. Like grace, it appears when we listen in order to know another human beingnot as they exist in relation to us, but as they are.

At the most profound level, harmony in relationship doesnt mean that we agree with each other on the contents of life, on what should or shouldnt be, or what happened or didnt happenin other words, whats true. It does mean, however, that we share an intention in the relationship to understand and know each other, in agreement, disagreement, and everything in between.

In service to our desire for harmony, we can start by learning to ask harmonious questions: What is this like for you? How do you experience this? What does this mean for you? And not just to ask the questions, but to set ourself aside long enough to really listen to and hear the answers. And  to let them be.

This article was first published in Radiant Life magazine.
Patients lie on hospital beds at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times)

Hong Kong to Conduct Mass Testing of All Residents for COVID-19

Hong Kong will test its entire population of some seven million people for COVID-19 next month as the city battles its worst outbreak.

Local authorities made the announcement Tuesday and predicted it will take seven days to carry out the mass screening.

Professor Lau Yu-lung, who chairs the governments scientific committee on vaccine-preventable diseases, said that the mass testing could identify up to 300,000 new COVID infections, reported the South China Morning Post.

This comes as Hong Kongs Centre for Health Protection announced on the same day that there were 6,211 new cases of COVID-19, of which three were imported cases. There were also 32 deaths within 24 hours of the same date as the announcement, including three children under the age of 5.

Patients lie on hospital beds at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong, on Feb. 16, 2022. (Sung Pi-Lung/The Epoch Times)

On Monday there were 8,013 local cases were reported.

Chuang Shuk-kwan, director of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Centre for Health Protection in Hong Kong, said the number of reported cases on Feb. 1 was 126, and the number of reported cases on Monday increased by 64 times to 8,013.

Lau Ka Hin, chief administrative manager (Quality and Standards) of the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong, said that the current occupancy of quarantine beds in public hospitals is 92 percent.

Lau added that due to the recent cold weather, hospitals have tried their best to arrange for patients to move indoors from makeshift open-air spaces outside medical centers.

Three infants and young children under the age of 5 reportedly died in Hong Kong after contracting COVID-19 within 10 days with pediatric experts noting that the children had cerebral edema, which is believed to be caused by acute encephalitis. The experts said that the most worrying aspect of COVID-19 is the new Omicron subtype mutant BA.2.

Lau Yu Lung, chair professor of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, said that some young patients appeared to have cramps and convulsions.
Then U.S. Senate candidate Abby Broyles speaks to the media at the Colcord Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Nov. 3, 2020. (Garett Fisbeck/AP Photo)

House Candidate Apologizes for Getting Drunk, Berating Middle School Girls at Sleepover

Abby Broyles, an Oklahoma-based Democrat who is running for the House of Representatives, has apologized for her behavior after reportedly getting intoxicated at a sleepover and berating middle school-aged girls.

The accusations were first reported by online media outlet Nondoc, who relayed reports that Broyles had accosted 12- and 13-year-old girls during a Valentines Day weekend slumber party, which Broyles was invited to by her friend who hosted it.

Broyles reportedly denigrated one girl for her acne and another for her Hispanic ethnicity. Later, she allegedly vomited in a clothes hamper.

Broyles initially denied Nondocs report, but later confirmed it in a statement to KFOR, a local news station in the state.

She blamed the event on an adverse reaction between sleep medication given to her by a friend and alcohol she had drunk the same evening.

Instead of helping me sleep, I hallucinated, Broyles told KFOR. And I dont remember anything until I woke up or came to, and I was throwing up in a hamper.

On Twitter on Feb. 16 Sarah Matthews, mother of one of the girls berated by Broyles, decried Broyles behavior and said that the candidate had not reached out to apologize.

Its been five days and you have neglected to reach out to any of the young ladies (12 and 13 [year] olds, including my daughter) you verbally and emotionally abused last weekend, Matthews said in a thread, adding, I thought I would give you a chance to try to apologize (at a minimum) here.

She continued, 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.'

Matthews said that when she vomited, Broyles ruined a pair of shoes that one of the girls had saved up her own money to buy and demanded that Broyles pay to replace the shoes.

In her interview with KFOR, after finally admitting that the allegations were true, Broyles said: I want to say sorry from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for any hurt or damage or trauma that my behavior, when I didnt know what I was doing, caused. Im deeply sorry.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Broyles said, The things Im accused to have said are not who I am. Theyre not a reflection of my beliefs at all.

She opined that the accusations, despite being true, were being spread as part of a media smear campaign orchestrated by her political opponents.

Its clear this media smear campaign is politically backed, and I wont stop fighting for Oklahomans, Broyles said.

Broyles, who is an attorney, mounted an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2020. Incumbent Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) defeated Broyles by a huge margin, winning 62.9 percent of the vote compared to Broyles 32.8 percent.

In 2021, Broyles announced that she would again make a run for Congress, this time challenging incumbent Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) in Oklahomas fifth congressional district.

Even though Oklahoma is generally a GOP stronghold, races in its fifth district are a bit tighter.

The district includes Oklahoma City; Cities are usually friendlier to Democrats than suburban or rural areas, and Oklahoma City is no exception to this rule.

Oklahoma has five districts in total.

In 2020, House Republicans won at least 63 percent of the vote in the first four districts. By comparison, Bice won only 52.06 percent of the vote in the fifth congressional district compared to Democrats 47.94 percent.

In 2018, which saw a wave of Democrats winning seats across the nation, Democrat Kendra Horn won 50.7 percent of the vote compared to the GOPs 49.3 percent, so the district is very much in play this year. The victory indicated to Democrats, who last won the seat in 1974, that the district was a vulnerable one, and the 2018 race is sure to have an effect on Democrats funding of future races in Oklahomas fifth district.

The district is likely Democrats only chance of gaining a foothold among Oklahomas U.S. congressional delegation. Because Democrats are widely expected to lose the majority in November, every seat counts for President Joe Bidens party.

Broyles, who is the only Democrat to have announced a primary run in the district, has made clear that she will not cancel her campaign due to the ongoing scandal. But in a midterm season that is already expected to be tough for Democrats, the controversy may be the nail in the coffin for Democrats hopes of a blue seat in Oklahoma.
People march across the Brooklyn Bridge to protest the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers in New York City, on Oct. 25, 2021. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

House GOP Bill Enables Vaccine Objectors to Sue in Federal Court to Keep Jobs

Americans who fear losing their jobs because they object to getting one of the vaccines against the CCP (China Communist Party) virus would be able to sue in federal court under legislation introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.).

The Biden administrations unconstitutional mandates forced many Americans to choose between their job or getting vaccinated, Harshbarger said in a statement issued by the Republican Study Committee (RSC). While this is wrong and never should have happened, those forced into vaccination should have full rights to pursue legal action if they are injured.

My billthe Protecting Americans Medical Rights Actis a step in the right direction toward holding this administration and our government accountable.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), chairman of the RSC, which is the largest caucus in Congress, with 159 members, lauded Harshbargers proposal, saying, the left forced Americans into medical procedures against their will and simultaneously restricted their right to sue for injuries. Its unacceptable.

If vaccine mandates are ethical, why do they require a legal carveout? The Protecting Americans Medical Rights Act will give Americans hurt by a medical decision they were forced into a real, substantive legal recourse, Banks said.

Besides Banks, other co-sponsors with Harshbarger include Reps. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), and Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.).

No Democrats are co-sponsoring the proposal.

It isnt known how many individuals have been firedin government or private sectorsas a result of their refusal to be vaccinated, but employers around the country, especially in the health care industry, have laid off thousands of such people.

President Joe Biden sought to mandate that all federal employees and those working for most corporations be vaccinated or face termination, but the Supreme Court struck down the requirement last month.

But the same Supreme Court overturned lower court orders against a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate covering more than 17 million health care workers nationwide.

Federal civilian employees are required to be vaccinated, as are members of the military.

Thousands of individuals covered by the civilian and military mandates have gone to federal court seeking redress after their requests for medical or religious exemptions were denied.

In a case in which a Navy SEAL and a Marine colonel are appealing the Department of Defense denial of their requests for religious exemptions from the vaccine, U.S. District Court Judge Steven Merryday issued a temporary injunction against the government.

Merryday said the two plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their appeal.

The decision vindicates the rule of law, which the Department of Defense and every military branch have violated with this unlawful COVID shot mandate, said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of the Florida-based Liberty Counsel public interest law firm representing the two unnamed military members.

These brave service members give their lives to defend the Constitution, and sadly, the freedom they fight to preserve was denied themuntil today.

Under current federal law, the only potential recourse available to private individuals who lose their jobs after declining to be vaccinated is the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) administered by an office within HHS.

But the GOP study committee described the CICP as notoriously stingy, and added that there is no court, judge, or right to appeal. Decisions are entirely made by a bureaucratic administrator.

Compensation for lost wages and death benefits are arbitrarily capped, there is no opportunity for collecting damages for pain and suffering, and there is only a one-year statutory limit for making a claim.

Claimants arent able to seek compensation for their legal costs, which makes it even more difficult to find competent counsel willing to take such cases, according to the RSC.

More than 937,000 Americans have reportedly died as a result of the pandemic that was first detected in the United States in January 2020.
A growing memorial of flowers for the passing of Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella is displayed near the Huntington Beach Police station in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Huntington Beach Police Unveil Memorial for Officer Killed in Helicopter Crash

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.Hundreds of flower arrangements covered a police vehicle parked outside of the Huntington Beach Police Department on Feb. 22 in memory of late officer Nicholas Vella, who died in a helicopter crash last week in Newport Beach.

Surrounding law enforcement agencies along with city officials and residents paid their respects to the fallen police officer after a ceremony was held by the police department.

Huntington Beach Police Chief Eric Parra said was truly dedicated to his job.

A memorial of flowers for the passing of Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella is displayed near the Huntington Beach Police station in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Vella, a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach Police Department, died from injuries he suffered when the helicopter crashed into Newport Bay with a second officer who survived.

As a county, were all grieving, Orange Police Department Sgt. Phil McMullen told The Epoch Times. We came here to support the department however they need us patrol the city.

McMullen, who was joined by other law enforcement, provided meals for the Huntington Beach Police Department and covered dispatch during Vellas procession.

Jack and Bina Balzano, family friends who knew Vella since his birth, were at the memorial and described Vella as a gentle, outgoing family man, who always smiled with a great personality.

Some people can live 100 years and not leave good memories or service behind, Mrs. Balzano told The Epoch Times. But in his 44 short years, everyone will always remember him as this outstanding person who contributed to society and made it a better place.

We just have to guess God needed a security guard for St. Peter, she said. He called Nick.

A growing memorial of flowers for the passing of Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella is displayed near the Huntington Beach Police station in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Many of those who came by to pay their respects, including students from the local high school across the street, didnt know officer Vella but wanted to show their support for his family, friends, and fellow law enforcement.

Officer Nicholas Vella was 44 years old. He leaves behind a wife and daughter.

Officer Vellas family is accepting donations for support through an account established by the Police Department and the Huntington Beach Police Officer Association. Click here to donate.

A growing memorial of flowers for the passing of Huntington Beach Police Officer Nicholas Vella is displayed near the Huntington Beach Police station in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
A user holds a mobile phone showing the 2022 Winter Olympic Games official app "MY 2022" in Beijing on Jan. 20, 2022. (Francois-Xavier Marit/AFP via Getty Images)

India Bans Game Apps on China Surveillance Fears; The World Should, Too

Commentary

Shares of Sea Ltd., a Singapore-based technology company, slumped more than 18 percent on Feb. 14 after India banned 54 game apps, including Seas popular Free Fire game.

While Sea is located in Singapore, its American depositary receipts (ADR) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. While it is the city-states most valuable company by virtue of its wildly popular games, it also runs business-to-consumer internet shopping platform Shopee and internet payment app SeaMoney.

Indias ban was because of elements hostile to the sovereignty and integrity of India and for activities detrimental to national security, according to a government source quoted by The Hindu. India has banned 321 apps for similar reasons.

Indias concerns appear to be well-founded.

Seas founders are natives of China who were educated in Singapore and the United States; the companys seed capital came from Tencent, one of several Chinese companies that Indias intelligence services have identified as having alleged links to Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

U.S. intelligence agencies appear to have concurred.

According to the Financial Times, in early 2021, the State Department and the Pentagon under President Donald Trump (during his final weeks in office) both wanted to add Tencent and other apps companies to a U.S. investor blacklist that would have prohibited Americans from owning shares of the company.

But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, together infighting against Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, an investment banker, resulted in Tencent and the others being excluded from the list. The Financial Times quoted a former U.S. National Security Council official to the effect that removing what he called the Big 3 (Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu) risked being viewed as investors interests taking precedence over national security.

And clearly, U.S. investors are still interested in Sea, notwithstanding the national security concerns and the India ban. Fund manager Cathie Woods of Ark Investments, which invests in innovative disruption, reportedly picked up 145,000 shares after Indias ban on Sea apps dropped the stock.

It takes time for society to adjust to the kind of innovative disruption that is Woodss forte. When such innovative disruptions have cruel or catastrophic consequencesas, for example, when innovation allowed the armies of World War I to resort to the ghastly use of mustard gas and other poison gases on their enemiesthoughtful world leaders of goodwill banded together under the Geneva Convention and defined rules and standards that banned poison gases in warfare. That was nearly a century ago.

Today were on the precipice of seeing such cruel or catastrophic consequences in the realm of cyberwarfare. Recognizing that, a small group of governments and nongovernmental organizations created the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace at the Munich Security Conference.

But this small step is hardly sufficient. Governments and tech companies must expand these efforts quickly and comprehensively, so that we avoid, say, a cyberattack on a nuclear reactor or the disabling of civilian air control radars mid-flight.

But as those movements grow and hopefully become an accepted international norm to protect cyberspace, those forming them must also insist that apps and app stores be included.

There must be for app downloads something akin to the Underwriters Laboratories seal of approval, with their ubiquitous UL logo, that we see on virtually all electrical products. Such an international third-party independent verification would ensure that an app is safe, that data servers are secure from governmental intrusions, and information as to where they are located. Prior to download, consumers should be provided a menu of options so that they select the level of personal information they share with the app, what portions of it they wish to use, and so on.

The independent assurance agencyperhaps part of the World Trade Organization or the United Nations?would also prevent retorsion, which is a kind of tit-for-tat that occurs among governments that act against one another.

We are years away from making all this happen, of course. In the meantime, caveat emptor. And beware any app that has any ties to China as long as that country is enslaved to the global criminal enterprise that the world knows as the Chinese Communist Party.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Infertility Treatments Increase Risk of Heart, Pregnancy Complications: Study

A study found that infertility treatments for women trying to have a baby may have increased the risk for heart and pregnancy complications.

Advancing maternal agespecifically being age 35 and olderincreases the risk of having or developing conditions, such as chronic high blood pressure, that increase the risk of pregnancy complications, said study author Dr. Pensee Wu, with the Keele University School of Medicine in Staffordshire, in a news release.

The study was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, comparing 106,000 deliveries in which the child was conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) to 34 million who conceived children without the aid.

According to the American Heart Association, ART is a category of infertility treatments in which eggs or embryos are changed to improve a womens chances of conceiving. Medications used to manipulate the timing of ovulation and surgery to fertilize and implant eggs in the uterus are also part of ART, the group says.

Among women who received the treatment, they saw an increased risk for vascular complications, including irregular heartbeats and kidney injuries, as well as pregnancy complications like placental separation, cesarean delivery, or having preterm births, the study found. Women who conceived without such treatments had fewer complications.

Adverse pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure during pregnancy, have now been established as risk factors for future cardiovascular disease, Wu also said.

Women who used ART had a 2.5 times greater risk of kidney failure and a 65 percent higher risk of irregular heartbeat, the study found. They also had a 57 percent higher chance of placental abruption, which is when the placenta separates from the uterus before labor. Such women also have a 38 percent higher chance of having to get a cesarean delivery, the study found, adding that they also had a 26 percent higher chance of having the baby being born prematurely.

Chicago reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Dr. Sigal Klipstein, who wasnt involved in the study, told CNN that the research paper has some limitations because it didnt compare different fertility treatments.

A woman requiring a short course of fertility pills in order to conceive and a woman requiring multiple cycles of IVF (in vitro fertilization) were all lumped together in this study, said Klipstein in a statement to the network. There may be significant differences between groups based on type of fertility treatment, length of treatment, and time between treatment and conception, she added.

The study evaluated women who gave birth between 2008 and 2016.
Inside Californias Bizarre Task Force on Reparations

Commentary

California, despite being the wealthiest and highest taxed state in the nation, ranks at the bottom among states when it comes to the essential things people expect government to provide. It ranks at or near the bottom in crime, homelessness, schools, roads, and energy prices. This is because rather than focusing on such things, its progressive leaders prefer instead taking on controversial leftist dream projects, regardless of whether they have popular support.

This includes Californias incredibly costly attempts to unilaterally change the temperature of the globe by imposing massive taxes and regulations on energy, driving up the cost of everything in California. Or its incredibly costly COVID lockdowns and mandates designed to end a global pandemic. More recently, it includes a state law forming a Task Force to Study and Develop Reparations Proposals for African Americans.

The initiative comes despite the fact that reparations are supported by only 20 percent of Americans, according to a 2020 Reuters poll. Even Democrats only support it at a 33 percent level, and black people themselves only at a 50 percent level.

A House bill has existed in Washington for over 30 years to form a similar task force but has never made it to a full vote. On top of that, black people were never enslaved in California! California entered the Union as a free state in 1850. Only 6.5 percent of Californians are black, and the percentage of those with lineage to slavery is unknown.

But none of this matters to California politicians. With Democrats holding a super majority in both state houses and every statewide office, they are free to explore the progressive dream project their counterparts in Washington are not able to pursue. So, California has become the first state in Americas history to establish such a task force.

A review of the statute reveals how bizarre the task force is. The law asks the group to design reparations as a result of the institution of slavery, including both the transatlantic and domestic trade that existed from 1565 in colonial Florida and from 1619 to 1865, inclusive, within the other colonies that became the United States. So, their job is to right wrongs that occurred starting almost 500 years ago and 3,000 miles away!

The task force consists of nine members, five of whom are appointed by the Democrat Governor, two by the Democrat Senate President, and two by the Democrat Assembly Speaker. All but one of the appointees is black. The other is Asian. The task force must recommend appropriate remedies for past slavery. So, the people who stand to benefit from the reparations are the ones making the recommendations. They would be thanked and excused from a jury reviewing the subject.

The law dictates that the task force be diverse. But we know that when the Left uses the term diverse, it simply means the more minorities the better. The absence of a single white person simply makes it more diverse. In fact, this form of diversity is codified in the law, which defines diverse as people who represent the interests of communities of color.

While the task force is supposed to study the history of slavery, the law itself already lays out specific conclusions. For instance, it states, As a result of the historic and continued discrimination, African Americans continue to suffer debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships, including, but not limited to  having nearly 1,000,000 black people incarcerated [and] an unemployment rate more than twice the current white unemployment rate.

Because the legislature has already drawn this conclusion, it appears the task force will be saved the job of explaining how slavery makes it more difficult for African Americans today to obey the law or get a job. Nor does it have to deal with the inconvenient fact that under President Trump, black unemployment was at just 5.4 percent before COVID, which is virtually full employment. It also does not have to explain the significance of 67 percent of black people being born into a single parent home. No, they are directed by the legislature to conclude that any issue facing the black community today is directly due to the history of slavery.

The law asks them to lay out reparations for African Americans, with a Special Consideration for African Americans Who are Descendants of Persons Enslaved in the United States. This leaves the task force with some difficult questions to answer in its report due this summer:

What is the justification for giving reparations to African Americans other than those who descended from slaves?

How does one prove that they descended from slaves?

Does it matter how well the person is doing? For instance, if Denzel Washington can prove he descended from a slave, does he receive a payment?

Who should pay the reparations? If special consideration should go to those who are descendants of slaves, should not also special consideration go to those who are descendants of slave holders when it comes to who must pay? In fact, why should anyone who has not descended from slaveholders have to pay?

What about others who are descendants of victims of injustice? Should not descendants of Holocaust survivors be compensated? Sure, it did not happen in California, but neither did slavery, and it is much more recent. Indeed, why shouldnt anyone who can prove they have ancestors who suffered substantial injustice be permitted to stand in line?

Perhaps it is these thorny questions, and a lot more, that has kept the federal government and 49 other states from pursuing reparations. But, in California, there is no leftist cause too expensive or too divisive for its progressive leaders to take on.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
L: Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney on Feb. 23, 2022. (Steven Saphore/AFP via Getty Images) R: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, on Feb. 22, 2022. (STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia, Japan Announce Sanctions on Russia Over Actions in Ukraine

Australia and Japan announced Wednesday they will be imposing sanctions on Russia over its recent actions in Ukraine, joining a growing team of countries doing so.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Russia now regards two areas in Ukraines Donbas regionsLuhansk and Donetskas independent, and subsequently signed a decree authorizing Russian troops to be sent into the area for peacekeeping operations. Russias parliament on Tuesday approved treaties with Donetsk and Luhansk that effectively create a legal basis to have Russian troops in the areas.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that Japans sanctions will include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing assets of certain Russian nationals.

Kishida said that Russia acted to violate Ukraines sovereignty and asked Moscow to engage in diplomatic talks. Kishida added that Japan was prepared to take further actions if the situation further deteriorates.

Japan relies on Russia for some of its energy needs, with Russia providing more than 12 percent of Japans thermal coal in 2021 and almost a tenth of its liquefied natural gas. Kishida said he did not foresee any significant impact on energy supplies in the short term and would take all measures into account to limit such impacts on households and companies should oil prices continue to rise.

Shortly after Japan announced sanctions, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Russia will face a range of targeted sanctions. He made the sanctions announcement after having convened an emergency national security committee meeting.

Eight members of the Russias Security Council will be hit with sanctions and travel bans, Morrison said. Australia will also expand sanctions already in place for past Russian aggressions. The sanctions are also targeting Russian banks.

The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun, the Australian prime minister told reporters in Sydney. Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia.

Morrison and Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne released a detailed joint statement specifying the entities Australia is targeting in its first round of sanctions. Russian banks that Australians will be barred from doing business with include: Rossiya Bank, Promsvyazbank, IS Bank, Genbank and the Black Sea Bank for Development and Reconstruction.

Morrisons comments were similar to that of U.S. President Joe Biden, who on Tuesday said that Putins actions mark the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden speaks in the East Room of the White House about Russian military activity near Ukraine, on Feb. 22, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia has pledged cyber support to Ukraine but has ruled out direct military assistance. The country has said it could also provide technical military support but Morrison has declined to explain what that entails.

Actions from Australia and Japan follow sanctions announced by other world leaders on Tuesday, who expressed hopes of averting a war in Europe.

Germany halted certification of the new $11 billion Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Meanwhile, Biden announced full blocking sanctions on two Russian financial institutions, as well as on five Russian elites and their family members, and also sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. He promised more sanctions would be coming if Russia proceeds further.

In a similar fashion to the United States, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said the U.K. has imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals.

The European Union announced that all 27 of its member countries have unanimously agreed on an initial list of sanctions targeting Russian legislators and authorities. The sanctions would also limit Russias access to EU capital and financial markets.

This package of sanctions  will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.

Canada also imposed new sanctions and will be deploying more troops to eastern Europe.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that his government will hit Russian politicians, business leaders, as well as a number of companies including banks, with economic sanctions. Canada is also imposing sanctions on Russian sovereign debt, and banned all Canadians from any financial dealings with Donetsk and Luhansk.

He added that up to 460 more Canadian troops are being deployed to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO forces, alongside an additional naval frigate and Aurora surveillance aircraft.

Reuters contributed to this report.
This photo taken on March 29, 2018, shows Junko Iizuka (C), who was sterilized at the age for 16, delivering her message during a meeting with lawmakers in Tokyo. Around 16,500 Japanese were forcibly sterilized under a law in force from 1949 to 1996. (Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP via Getty Images)

Japanese Government Ordered to Compensate 3 Victims of Forced Sterilization

A court in Japan has ordered the government to pay 27.5 million yen ($239,000) in damages to three people with disabilities over forced sterilization, after ruling the now-defunct eugenics protection law unconstitutional, local media reported.

The three include a woman in her 70s with an intellectual disability, who underwent forced sterilization in 1965, and a couple in their 80s and 70s with hearing impairments, of whom the wife was forced to undergo sterilization in 1974.

The victims sought a total of 55 million yen ($478,000) in damages, but their claims were dismissed in district courts due to the statute of limitations expiring 20 years after they had been forcibly sterilized.

The verdict was overturned by the Osaka High Court on Tuesday, which ruled that the statute of limitations should not be enforced as it extremely contravenes justice and fairness, local media Kyodo News reported.

The court concluded in its decision that the victims had difficulty acquiring information due to social prejudice and discrimination, which caused them to take years to initiate the lawsuits.

This is the first time a high court has ruled in favor of victims seeking compensation for forced sterilization.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that the government will review the verdict before deciding whether to file an appeal with the Supreme Court.

Japans eugenics protection law came into effect in 1948 to prevent the birth of inferior descendants from the eugenic point of view.

The law approved sterilization of people with malformations and mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, epilepsy, and abnormal sexual desires without their consent.

Sterilizations peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, with the last surgery under the law carried out in 1993. An estimated 25,000 people were sterilized at that time, with at least 16,500 not giving consent. The law was revoked in 1996.

In April 2019, Japans government passed a law to pay 3.2 million yen ($27,812) in compensation to people who were sterilized without their consent. Victims will have five years to claim compensation, subject to approval by an expert panel.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also issued a statement apologizing and promising that every effort would be made to eliminate discrimination against the disabled in society.

During the period the law was in effect, many people were subjected to operations that made them unable to have children based on their having a disability or another chronic illness, causing them great suffering, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The aftermath of a shooting scene in Johannesburg, on Feb. 21, 2022. (AP Video/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Johannesburg Police and Suspected Robbers in Shootout

South African police said they killed eight suspects in a shootout with a heavily-armed gang that was planning to rob or hijack a vehicle transporting money.

Another eight suspected gang members were arrested, the South African Police Services said.

The shootout on the streets of Johannesburg on Monday terrified bystanders as police officers and suspects swapped fire near a city hospital.

Four police officers were injured, two of which were airlifted to hospital, said Police Minister Bheki Cele, who visited the scene.

Cele said the suspects had shot and injured the pilot of a police helicopter at the start of the shootout.

Provincial Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Elias Mawela said police had been monitoring the gang since last week and they were planning a major heist.

Police estimated that the gang was made up of around 25 men.

The incident began when police moved in to intercept the gang and arrest its members.

The gang members fled in cars to a safe house in southern Johannesburg, where the shootout happened, Mawela said.

Police recovered five stolen vehicles following the shootout and more firearms at the safe house, Cele said.
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The message came within the framework of the National Day of Japan on the occasion of celebrations for the birthday of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito (February 23).





On this occasion, Ambassador Katayama noted that 2023 will mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.





"Peru was the first country in Latin America to establish diplomatic relations with Japan. With the support of all of you, we will prepare a series of significant and memorable events," he wrote in a document which also reviews the main milestones of his current tenure as ambassador to the South American country.





Peru-Japan: Historical ties





The diplomat stressed that in 2024 Peru will host the APEC summit for the third time since the creation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in 1989 adding that in 3 years the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan will be held. Both activities will serve to boost a greater rapprochement between the two nations.





"Peru is the third country in the world with the largest number of Japanese immigrants and descendants. Among them are many from my homeland, Hiroshima," he added.





In this regard, the envoy assured that he feels "proud that the Nikkei, who are Peruvians of Japanese descent, are fulfilling a great role in Peruvian society and being a bridge which unites both countries."





"More than 1 year and 5 months have passed since I arrived in Peru," the ambassador said, welcoming the fact that diplomatic activities are gradually being reactivated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.





"Thanks to the warm welcome and great support that the Peruvian people give me, my work and life in Peru are prospering more and more," he noted.





Diversity and cultural richness





Peru is rich in history and cultural heritage, the ambassador stressed, before listing the places he had visited in this country: Arequipa, Caral, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Huaral, Pachacamac, Pisco, Nazca, Iquitos, Tacna, Moquegua, Puno, Chiclayo, Trujillo, and Cajamarca, among others.





"Once again, I was amazed by Peruvian society and by the diversity and richness of its culture," Dr. Katayama highlighted.





"Besides, Peruvian gastronomy is one of the best in the world, and I am very lucky to enjoy it at world-famous restaurants," he added.





In relation to the efforts to confront COVID-19, the ambassador indicated that the Japanese Government has so far provided its Peruvian counterpart with support worth around US$12 million.





"I hope that this year will be the year of the overcoming the pandemic," he expressed.





Dr. Katayama's message also mentioned that "bilateral cooperation is being promoted both in the field of prevention of natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as in the economic, social, and cultural spheres, among others."





Likewise, the diplomat recalled that in 2021 Peru's Independence Bicentennial was commemorated. In addition, general elections were held and the new Government took office.





"In Japan, the new Government of Prime Minister Kishida also began. I hope that, under the new leaders, the bilateral relationship as 'strategic partners' will be further strengthened," Dr. Katayama expressed.





"To conclude, I offer my prayers for the health of His Majesty the Emperor, as well as the further development of our bilateral relations with Peru and for the health of all of you," he wrote.





(END) CCH/MVB
Herb Wesson (C) attends the City Of Los Angeles's Black History Month Celebration at Los Angeles City Hall, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 4, 2020. (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

LA City Council Temporarily Appoints Wesson to District 10 Seat

The Los Angeles City Council appointed former District 10 Councilman Herb Wesson to temporarily represent the district on Feb. 22 while Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas is suspended due to federal fraud charges.

The council unanimously voted to appoint Wesson to the position until the end of the year, or until Ridley-Thomass suspension is lifted in the event his charges are dropped.

With over 30 years in public service representing the residents of Council District 10, there is no better choice at this time than former council member Herb Wesson, Council President Nury Martinez said in a statement last week.

Councilman Mike Bonin attempted to delay the vote on the appointment until after the council received a full report on options to fill the seat, including a report from the city attorney on eligibility requirements for potential appointments and a report on the logistics of holding a special election for District 10 residents.

While the council voted 86 to adopt Bonins amendment for the council to receive such reports, Bonins second amendment to delay the vote by one week until after the reports arrived failed 77.

Ridley-Thomas was indicted on federal charges of bribery and fraud in October 2021 and suspended by the city council shortly after, leaving his district without representation.

For four months, District 10s community leaders have been calling on Martinez to address the empty District 10 seat, expressing frustration with the districts lack of representation in the city council on key matters.

Martinez introduced the motion to appoint Wesson as interim city council leader on Feb. 16, with Councilmen Mitch OFarrell, Gil Cedillo, and Paul Koretz signing the motion.

Mark Ridley-Thomas speaks during a public event at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles on March 31, 2019. (Rachel Luna/Getty Images)

Wesson represented District 10 from 2005 to 2020 and served as council president before Martinez from 2012 to 2020.

District 10 residents called into the Feb. 22 meeting ahead of the vote to express their support for Wessons appointment and urge the council to act quickly.

I would like to see you have a no-delay vote today, one resident said. We can speak for ourselves in the 10th district  Weve been without representation for four months, and we dont want this to go on another 6 to 12 months. We need representation, we need a vote at the table.

Another resident said its urgent for us to have some time of representation in order to continue key community projects.

I think that the move by other politicians to  wait a bit more  is unnecessary, especially since this has been an ongoing process, he said. It just feels too much like a political play.

Some residents expressed their support for Wessons appointment, but said they thought it was unfair of the council to suspend Ridley-Thomas ahead of his trial.

[District 10] has been disenfranchised and without representation since Oct. 20 [when] Mark Ridley Thomas was removed from his seat, one resident said. What happens to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty?

Civil rights group Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California (SCLC) filed a writ in court on Feb. 18 (pdf), alleging that the decision to suspend [Ridley-Thomas] contravenes the bedrock presumption of innocence guaranteed under California law, according to a statement.

The groups president, Pastor William Smart, called the suspension morally wrong, politically indefensible and patently illegal.

We will not accept an unelected being imposed on us as a community  we operate, as SCLC, in the 10th District and I live in the 10th District, Smart said in a statement. We believe that the councilman was ousted out and we want him to get his position back.

Ridley-Thomas was the executive director of the organizations Los Angeles chapter from 19811991.

After the lawsuit was filed, Ridley-Thomass attorney Michael Proctor released a statement Feb. 18.

Mark Ridley-Thomas  believes that the right to accountable and elected representation is paramount to our democracy, the statement reads. It seems that that is what the SCLCs lawsuit is about. As he has said from the beginning, he has served and is willing to continue to serve as an accountable, elected representative to the voters of District 10.

In 2018, Ridley-Thomas, who then served on the LA County Board of Supervisors, allegedly conspired with Flynn to provide Ridley-Thomass son, Sebastian, with benefits including admission to USCs graduate school, a full-tuition scholarship, a paid professorship, and a mechanism to funnel Ridley-Thomas campaign funds through the university to a non-profit to be operated by the relative, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California.

In exchange, Ridley-Thomas, in his role as a county supervisor, allegedly steered new contracts that would generate millions in new revenue for the school, according to the U.S. attorney statement.

Both Ridley-Thomas and Flynn have denied the allegations and said the evidence will clear their names.
LA Union Begins Circulation of Petition to Increase Point-of-Sale Property Taxes to Fund Housing

LOS ANGELES, Calif.The Los Angeles City Clerk approved the circulation of a union-backed petition that aims to fund affordable housing and tenant assistance programs through a special tax on property sales above $5 million in the City of Los Angeles.

The group behind the effortAlliance for Community Transit-Los Angeles (ACT-LA)began collecting signatures for the effort on Feb. 19, two days after the city clerks approval. The initiative, called House LA, is supported by more than 40 coalitions and unions.

We hope to get 65,000 signatures by registered LA City voters by the end of April in order for the initiative to be on the 2022 ballot, Laura Raymond, director of ACT-LA, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement.

Housing and homelessness non-for-profit community organizations and researchers know how to solve the affordable housing and homelessness crisis on a large scale, but they need the funding to make it happen: and thats what this measure will do. House LA would create the most significant, permanent funding package for affordable housing and homelessness reduction in the City.

The proposal seeks to create programs that will increase affordable housing units and provide aid to tenants at risk of homelessness funded through an additional tax on sales and transfers of properties of more than $5 million. The tax rate would be 4 percent of the value of a property that exceeds $5 million, and 5.5 percent for any property that is $10 million or more.

However, existing qualified affordable housing organizations will not have to face this new tax. Funds for the program would be allocated for supportive and affordable housing programs including development, construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, and operation of housing, according to the city clerks news release.

Additional funds of the program will go toward financial, educational, and other resources to low-income and other tenants at risk of homelessness, displacement, or eviction.

The program would also appoint a Citizens Oversight Committee to develop further guidelines with a clear goal to develop 26,000 additional homes over the course of 10 years.

The initiative claims that by increasing the property transfer tax on real estate properties exceeding $5 million, it will generate an ongoing revenue source which will allow the city to create more tenant stabilization policies to proactively keep vulnerable households from losing their homes and instead, build housing tailored to the citys lower-income households thereby directly preventing and reducing homelessness across the City and lowering the Citys housing costs.

The programs and policies funded through this initiative will be deployed in such a way as to address racial segregation, dismantle racially exclusionary practices, and promote racial equity in housing, academic, and economic opportunities, the proposal reads.

Others are not quite sold on the idea, claiming it may burden an already tax-heavy state recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association President Jon Coupal told The Epoch Times in a previous interview regarding the initiative that itd be bad for the economy.

The new proposed tax would be considered a documentary transfer tax, which means if a property changes ownership or is purchased through a municipality, the buyer would have to pay that tax. Los Angeles already has a transfer tax in place, but its lower than whats being proposed in the United to House L.A. initiative.

And with the homelessness crisis being a critical issue for Los Angeles voters in 2022, 51 percent of voters said they would support a tax increase to support the development of more permanent supportive housing, according to a 2021 poll conducted by the Los Angeles Business Council and Hart Research in cooperation with the Los Angeles Times. The survey interviewed 906 eligible voters living in LA.

Raymond confirmed to The Epoch Times the goal is to have this measure on the November ballot.
President Joe Biden speaks to update the situation of the Ukraine-Russia border crisis during an event in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 18, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Urge Biden to Get Congressional Approval Before Using US Troops in Ukraine

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including members of the Squad and the Freedom Caucus, sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to call on Congress to authorize using U.S. forces in Ukraine.

As you evaluate your possible course of action to address the potential conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we write to reassert the war powers vested in Congress under the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the letter to Biden reads.

In several speeches over the past week, Biden said that he would not deploy troops to Ukraine.

However, if the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine, their lives would inherently be put at risk if Russia chooses to invade, the letter says. Therefore, we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nations laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such deployment.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) led the group of 43 members of Congress.

Several members of the Squad, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and others, signed the letter. Meanwhile, members of the Freedom Caucus such as Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Paul Goas (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) also signed the measure.

On Tuesday, Biden announced sanctions against two Russian banks, several Russian elites, and Russian sovereign debt after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would recognize the Donetsk and Lugansk separatist regions in Ukraine as sovereign. It came as Western officials said that more than 150,000 Russian soldiers, tanks, artillery, and thermobaric weapons massed around Ukraines borders.

Ukraine is not a member of NATO, meaning that the United States and its allies have no obligation to defend it. Meanwhile, one of Putins demands is that Ukraine cannot be admitted into the security organization.

Biden announced that he would send U.S. troops already stationed in Europe to the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, which all share a border with Russia, amid the crisis. The Defense Department in a news release confirmed that troops would be deployed to those countries and Poland, which are all members of NATO.

We strongly urge your administration to respect the separation of powers, U.S. law, and Congresssconstitutional war powers authority, the letter reads. Should your administration seek to introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities or decline to remove any U.S. military personnel currently deployed inside Ukraine from unauthorized hostilities or imminent hostilities, Congress stands ready to deliberate over the potentially monumental implications of such scenarios.

It adds: The American people, through their representatives in congress, deserve to have a say before U.S. troops are placed in harms way or the U.S. becomes involved in yet another foreign conflict.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on developments in Ukraine and Russia, and announces sanctions against Russia, from the East Room of the White House Feb. 22, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Urge Biden to Get Congressional Authorization Before Deploying Troops to Ukraine

A bipartisan group of lawmakers urged President Joe Biden on Tuesday to seek authorization from Congress before deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine.

Forty-three members of Congress penned a letter to Biden amid escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions. Fears of a Moscow-led invasion continue to grow after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two of Ukraines separatist regions as independent entities.

Donetsk Peoples Republic and Luhansk Peoples Republic are two Kremlin-backed enclaves that have accused Ukrainian armed forces of shelling and flaring tensionsclaims that Ukraine has unequivocally denied.

The lawmakers, led by Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), and Warren Davidson, (R-Ohio), acknowledged that Biden previously said he would not involve U.S. armed forces in the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

Should there be a change in circumstances, Congress stands ready to deliberate over the potentially monumental implications of such scenarios, the lawmakers said.

If the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine, their lives would inherently be put at risk if Russia chooses to invade, the letter reads. Therefore, we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nations laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such development.

Im urging Pres Biden to follow the Constitution and the law and receive authorization from Congress before involving US forces in Russia-Ukraine conflict. The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict. pic.twitter.com/0RJKEi1k9u  Rep Peter DeFazio (@RepPeterDeFazio) February 22, 2022

Sharing the letter on Twitter, DeFazio called on Biden to follow the Constitution and the law and receive authorization from Congress before involving US forces in Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict, DeFazio wrote.

Biden in December said that deploying troops into Ukraine is not on the table.

It would depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well, Biden said at the time. But the idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not  in the cards right now.

In an interview with NBC News this month, Biden said no scenario would prompt him to put U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, including rescuing American citizens.

Theres not. Thats a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another, Biden said.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN on Jan. 25 that the alliance will not be deploying combat troops to the country.

NATO will not deploy NATO combat troops to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. But we need to be sure that there is no misunderstanding about our readiness, our commitment to protect and defend all allies, especially in the eastern part of the alliance.

Ukrainian Military Forces servicemen of the 92nd mechanized brigade use tanks, self-propelled guns, and other armored vehicles to conduct live-fire exercises near the town of Chuguev, in the Kharkiv region, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden on Tuesday took action against Russia for ordering troops into Ukraines separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk for so-called peacekeeping operations.

He told reporters at the White House that the United States would impose sanctions against two large Russian financial institutions and Russian sovereign debt. Biden administration officials said Russian elites and their family members were also sanctioned.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden said. Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine by declaring these independent states.

As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well, Biden added. Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, Russia February 23, 2022. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

Leaders of Two Ukrainian Breakaway Regions Ask Putin for Help: Kremlin

The leaders of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for military assistance, said a Kremlin spokesperson on Wednesday, as Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said U.S. intelligence has determined that more military forces have entered the two regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received letters of appeal from the head of the Luhansk Peoples Republic Leonid Pasechnik and the head of the Donetsk Peoples Republic Denis Pushilin, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in remarks to state-run media, referring to the names of the breakaway regions.

Peskov alleged that the two heads of the separatist regions believe there are threats from Kyiv against citizens in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukrainian officials have categorically denied attacking the Russian military or forces loyal to the two separatist regions, while Kirby told reporters that he believes Moscow is attempting false flags to justify an invasion of Ukraine.

We continue to see him form his capabilities in such a way that leads us to believe that we are potentially close to some sort of action, Kirby said Wednesday. Russian forces continue to assemble closer to the border and put themselves in advance stage of readiness to act  virtually any time now, he added. We believe they are ready.

On Wednesday, shelling intensified at the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, and alleged witnesses told Reuters that convoys of military equipment including nine tanks moved toward eastern Ukraines Donetsk from the direction of the Russian border.

Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian presidentI cannot say, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian government and state websites, which have experienced outages in recent weeks blamed by Kyiv on cyberattacks, were again offline on Wednesday. Its parliament, cabinet, and foreign ministry websites were affected.

Meanwhile, Putin on Wednesday claimed he is still finding diplomatic solutions but that the interests of Russia and the security of our citizens are unconditional for us.

President Joe Biden, who unleashed sanctions on Russian banks and sovereign debt on Tuesday, said the U.S. will impose sanctions on the operator of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that spans from Russia to Germany, essentially reinstating sanctions that were placed on the pipeline under the Trump administration.

I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers. These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russias actions in Ukraine, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Liberal MP Says Honk Honk Stands for Heil Hitler

Liberal MP Yaara Saks said that honk honk is equivalent to Heil Hitler, while speaking at the House of Commons in defence of her governments use of the Emergencies Act to oust protesters in Ottawa who oppose the federal COVID-19 mandates.

The protest, which first began in opposition to the vaccine mandate imposed on truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border, expanded into a national movement as large convoys of truckers arrived in Ottawa in a peaceful demonstration starting Jan. 29, with many joining to call for an end to all COVID-19 mandates. Honking was heard constantly throughout the protest.

How much vitriol do we have to see of honk honk which is a new acronym for Heil Hitler? What do we need to see by these protesters on social media? Yaara Saks said in the House of Commons on Feb. 21.

@YaaraSaks This is beyond sick. And u know better.

Honk honk is not the same as Heil Hitler. Go talk to a survivor in ur riding and hang ur head in shame. pic.twitter.com/Lg737SnfAc  Vivian Bercovici (@VivianBercovici) February 22, 2022

On Feb. 22, Saks defended her comment, saying that for those who think that Honk Honk is some innocuous joke. Ill just leave this here and shared a tweet posted by an account owner titled Gwen Snyder is uncivil, who says she is an antifascist.

The tweet says, its easy to miss nazi/alt-right signifiers are if you arent swimming in this cesspool all the time. In a series of Twitter posts, the account owner then shares vocabulary and symbols that should make you suspicious, including one that says 88 and HH for phrases like honk honk' are a classic and a new variant.

For those who think that Honk Honkis some innocuous joke. Ill just leave this here  https://t.co/aG0GDdzOkO  Yaara Saks   (@YaaraSaks) February 22, 2022

Saks comments are the latest in a series of references to Nazis by the Liberals and NDP to imply the protesters are associated with Nazis.

On Feb. 16, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during question period to Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman, who is Jewish, that her party stands with people who wave swastikas.

Lantsman pointed to the contrasting words said by the prime minister in 2015, and his more recent remarks in September 2021 when he disparaged in a French-language interview the portion of Canadians who chose not to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

A positive, optimistic, hopeful vision for public life isnt a naive dream. It could be a powerful force for change. If Canadians are to trust their government, their government needs to trust Canadians. Those are the words of the prime minister in 2015, Lantsman said.

These people, very often misogynistic, racist, women haters, science deniers, the fringesame prime minister six years later, as he fans the flames of an unjustified national emergency, she said, referring to some of Trudeaus more recent comments about the truckers.

So, Mr. Speaker, when did the prime minister lose his way? When did it happen?

Lantsman asked Trudeau to apologize for his remark but he did not.

On Feb. 19, a group of 23 Jewish scientists, doctors, and academics issued an open letter to Trudeau, saying they are deeply concerned about how he had adopted a smear-by-association campaign, portraying the protesters in Ottawa as Nazi sympathizers, racist, and antisemitic.

A couple of flags were seen bearing the Nazi swastika early on in the protest in Ottawa, which the Liberals and NDP have cited when linking the trucker movement to racism and extremism.

On Jan. 29, Tory MP Michael Cooper brought a container of coffee for the truckers who just arrived at the capital. As Cooper was doing a TV interview, a demonstrator carrying a flag with a Nazi symbol on it was caught on camera behind him. Cooper later issued a statement saying he wasnt associated with the person carrying the flag and condemned any displays of the Nazi symbol.

Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, a former federal Liberal cabinet minister, said in a Twitter post that healong with the mayor for St. Albert, Cathy Heronwas troubled to see the photo of Cooper with the flag that had a swastika on it.

As Mayors of the two cities that straddle Member of Parliament Michael Coopers riding, Mayor @CathyHeron and I are troubled by a photo of MP Cooper that is being circulated with an upside down Canadian flag with a hateful symbol of a swastika on it, he said.

We want the rest of the country to know that MP Coopers presence at this rally in no way reflects the values of Edmontonians and St. Albertans. Our communities are diverse, inclusive and welcominghate has absolutely no place here, Sohi said in another tweet.
Los Angeles to Reduce Speed Limits for Over 177 Miles of City Streets

LOS ANGELESLos Angeles will reduce its speed limits by 5 miles per hour in many areas of the city to improve pedestrian safety amid increasing fatal cases of speeding-related car accidents.

On Feb. 22, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to lower the speed limits for more than 177 miles of city streets, after the councils Transportation Committee referred the matter to the council last week.

I am thrilled to be able to restore saner speed limits to 177 miles of city streets, Councilman and Transportation Committee Chair Mike Bonin said in a statement last week.

Seleta Reynolds, general manager of the citys Transportation Department, said that traffic deaths have increased despite our investments and engineering work.

We know speed kills, Reynolds said in the statement. This proposal will roll back speed limits on streets in Los Angeles to common sense levels that will save lives.

This motion comes after state Assembly Bill 43 (AB 43)introduced by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), chair of the Assembly Transportation Committeetook effect this year. The bill allows local authorities more control over speed limits in the city.

Los Angeles was instrumental in helping me modernize the law with the passage of AB 43, and I appreciate the citys quick action to restore safe speed limits across the region, Friedman said in the statement.

Friedman said that the COVID-19 pandemic increased drivers speed, resulting in a 21 percent increase in traffic fatalities in the city in 2021.

Previously, the state law required speed limits to be set at the 85th percentile, or the speed at or below which 85 percent of the drivers travel.

With this methodology, if one in six drivers speeds above the limit on a given street, the streets speed limit must be raised, as the citys Department of Transportation pointed out in a Feb. 10 report.

As a result, the city was required to raise speed limits on more than 200 miles of city streets during the last speed limit renewal cycleincluding on some streets that had experienced the highest rate of severe or fatal crashes, according to the report.

In consideration of pedestrian safety, AB 43 grants the city permission to reduce speed limits in areas identified as business activity districts or safety corridors, where people walk, bike, and gather.

Most of the areas to be affected by the new requirement currently have speed limits between 35 and 50 miles per hour, according to the report, which emphasizes how the speed of a vehicle is closely tied with the severity of a collision.

Lower speeds on streets give drivers and others more time to react to prevent a collision and reduce the severity of collisions that do occur, the report reads. A pedestrian has a 90 percent chance of surviving when hit by a vehicle going 20 miles-per-hour, and only a 10 percent chance of survival if a vehicle is going 40 miles-per-hour.

The ordinance will now go before the desk of Mayor Eric Garcetti, who previously expressed his support for the decrease.

Nothing is more important than the safety of our residents, and every single decision we make prioritizes their well-being, Garcetti said in the statement. Weve fought for the ability to lower our speed limits for years, and this proposal will help make our streets safer for everyone who uses them.

The ordinance should take effect one month after it is approved by the mayor.
A Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC electric vehicle during the Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai on April 19, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Mercedes-Benz Foresees EV-Only Production Lines Within a Few Years

BERLINMercedes-Benz expects to have factories producing exclusively electric vehicles (EVs) by the second half of the decade but will steer clear of building EV-only plants, instead keeping production lines flexible in line with market demand.

The carmaker foresees some of its production lines within factories switching fully to electric even sooner, production chief Joerg Burzer said in an interview with Reuters.

Building a whole new battery-electric vehicle factory takes time. We have taken another approach, Burzer said.

We will certainly have some lines producing only electric vehicles in the next few years we also see whole factories switching to electricthat is a topic for the second half of the decade.

The premium carmaker will launch production of its EQE model, revealed last September at the IAA Mobility show, in Bremen later this year, followed by Beijing and Tuscaloosa.

Mercedes is betting on the model, an electric adaptation of the E-class with a peak range of 660 km, to boost EV unit sales as it shifts investment away from internal combustion vehicles and towards electric-only production platforms.

With the ramp-up of the EQE in Bremen and later in Beijing, we are coming into a segment where we can deliver at far higher volumes, Burzer said.

Just 2.3 percent of Mercedes-Benz Cars sales last year were battery-electric vehicles, rising to 11 percent including plug-in hybrids, which have both an engine and a battery.

As of 2025, it expects electric and hybrid electric cars to make up 50 percent of sales, with all-electric cars expected to account for most of that.

Existing models are all being built in factories also producing internal combustion engine vehicles, with batteries transported by rail from the main plant in Sindelfingen to plants in Germany and Hungary.

Down the line, battery assembly and production could be brought nearer to car plants as the design of vehicles develops to integrate the battery more closely into the car, Burzer said.

By Victoria Waldersee and Ilona Wissenbach
Defendant Joseph Elledge testifies how he pushed his wife Mengqi Ji, during a shoving match before she fell and hit her head in Oct. 2019 during his murder trial in Columbia, Mo., on Nov. 10, 2021. (Don Shrubshell/Columbia Daily Tribune via AP)

Missouri Man Convicted in Wifes Death Admits Child Abuse

COLUMBIA, Mo.A Missouri man convicted of killing his wife, burying her body, and lying to authorities about her whereabouts pleaded guilty Tuesday to child abuse charges involving the couples young daughter.

Joseph Elledge had originally pleaded not guilty to child abuse, child endangerment and domestic assault, KMIZ-TV reported.

Elledge, 26, was convicted in November of killing his 28-year-old wife, Mengqi Ji, a Chinese woman he married while they were studying at the University of Missouri. He was sentenced in January to 28 years in prison.

A judge sentenced Elledge Tuesday to 10 more years on the child abuse charges, which he must serve after he completes his sentence on the murder charge. He will be given credit for the two years he has already served.

Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight said as part of the plea agreement, the state will not charge Elledge with more felonies related to his wifes death, such as abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

And prosecutors will not be allowed to charge Elledge with anything else if an appeal in his murder case is approved. Elledges lawyers filed an appeal of his murder conviction in January.

Elledge was charged with child abuse in October 2019, shortly after he reported his wife missing. In the probable cause statement supporting the charges, detectives said Elledge struck the toddler on the buttocks hard enough to cause severe bruising. Investigators found pictures and videos of the bruising on an iPad, according to the document.

Murder charges werent filed against Elledge until February 2020. His wifes body was found in March 2021.

During the murder trial, Knight sought a first-degree murder conviction, calling Elledge a stone cold killer.

He said Elledge hid his wifes body in the trunk of his car on Oct. 8, 2019, and didnt call authorities for two days, after he had drivenwith their child in the carto Rock Bridge State Park about 5 miles south of Columbia and buried her.

Elledges attorneys argued that Jis death was accidental, saying she slipped and hit her head after he pushed her during an argument. Elledge admitted during testimony that he had buried his wifes body because he panicked after he found her dead in bed and needed time to decide what to do.

Ji earned a masters degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Missouri in December 2014. Elledge was a student at the university when his wife died.
A test tube labelled "COVID-19 Omicron variant test positive" is seen in this illustration photo taken on Jan. 15, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

New Study Finds COVID-19 Vaccines Offer Virtually No Protection Against Omicron

Individuals who are double-vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 have virtually no protection against the Omicron variant, according to a peer-reviewed study.

The research, led by Rudolf Valenta of the Medical University of Vienna, found that only people who had received the third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine can form antibodies that could partially block Omicron, although noting that the protection is far from optimal.

The third vaccination developed protective antibodies in many individuals, Valenta said, adding that there is also a significant proportion (20 percent) in whom no protection was established.

According to results of the study recently published in the journal Allergy, researchers with the Medical University of Vienna examined an Austrian subpopulation of people who had been vaccinated or recovered from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Scientists examined individuals antibody status and protection against the Wuhan, Delta, and Omicron variants, strains that are currently prevalent in the European country.

The study involved people who received all types of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine combinations currently licensed in Austria.

Regarding the Omicron variant, researchers developed a test for the previous variants that investigates whether the COVID-19 strain can bind to the receptor on human cells via its receptor-binding domain (RBD).

The results showed that both COVID-19 convalescent individuals and individuals who had been vaccinated twice had developed antibody protection against Delta. However, the antibodies were not able to block receptor binding against Omicron, the researchers found.

An RBD is a key part used by a virus, including the CCP virus, to enter the spike protein domain that allows viruses to dock to the human body, gain entry into cells, and lead to infection.

The RBD differed only slightly in all CCP virus variants previously known, researchers said, adding that the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently available could provide protection against infections caused by these previous strains.

Omicron is the first variant that differs greatly from the previous variants in RBD, consequently, infections with the previous variants and currently available vaccines provide little or no protection against Omicron, the study found.

The researchers noted that the best protection would be to develop a broadly effective combination vaccine that could protect against both the previous CCP virus variants and Omicron.

Until we have such a vaccine, only repeated vaccinations with the existing vaccines will provide some protection, Valenta said. The protective effect achieved by vaccination can be evaluated with special tests that can be rapidly adapted to new virus variants.

Omicron became dominant in the United States in December 2021 and other studies have already suggested it can evade protection from COVID-19 vaccines and prior infection better than Delta. Most previous studies have also found that natural immunity remains superior to vaccination, including while Delta was dominant.

In a recent study, antibody protection against the CCP virus among recovered individuals was detected at 20 months post-infection, adding to the body of evidence that such protection, known as natural immunity, is long-lasting.

From NTD News
Presidente @PedroCastilloTe: "Esta mesa de trabajo fortalece nuestra relacion con los alcaldes de Lima Metropolitana para articular acciones de manera fluida y atender las necesidades de la poblacion en salud, seguridad y reactivacion economica".#SiempreConElPueblo pic.twitter.com/rDEOB8RwRN
New Yorkers rally in solidarity of the Canadian truckers outside the Canadian Consulates building in midtown Manhattan on Feb. 22, 2022. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

New Yorkers Hold Rally in Support of Canadian Truckers

NEW YORKOn the rainswept afternoon of Feb. 22, about 75 New Yorkers rallied in front of the Canadian Consulates building in midtown Manhattan in support of the Canadian truckers.

In attendance was Dominick Talio, a former operating room nurse from Valley Stream, Long Island, who refused to be vaccinated. He called whats going on in Canada a terrible infringement on peoples personal freedom [and] civil liberties.

Were seeing the beginning of that happening here, he told The Epoch Times.

The rally was organized by NYC teacher Michael Kane, who also runs Teachers for Choice. Kane was recently terminated.

I was just, a couple of days ago, officially fired by Eric Adams, he told The Epoch Times. I loved my job, I loved everyone I worked with, and the city really didnt care about all that stuff. They just cared about this injection.

Kane taught special education for over 14 years, most recently at a high school in Jamaica, Queens. He refused to take the jab for multiple reasons, including sincerely held religious beliefs against vaccination in general.

Kane applied for a religious exemption but was denied. He appealed but was denied again. A lawsuit he filed allowed him to apply a third time but was denied yet again.

Hes currently the plaintiff in Kane v. de Blasio, which is on the verge of being heard by the US Supreme Court.

New Yorkers rally in solidarity of the Canadian truckers outside the Canadian Consulates building in midtown Manhattan on Feb. 22, 2022. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

The demonstrators chanted, no vaccine mandates, stand with Canada, we will not comply, freedom, freedom, freedom, my body, my choice, your vaccine you wont force and coercion is not consent.

The ages of attendees ranged from mid-20s through senior citizens and included a wide variety of heritages.

Several speakers addressed the group using a bullhorn, including Kane, who spoke twice.

On the Teachers for Choice website, Kane lists the four demands the group makes, including having Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau speak directly with the protesting truckers.

A protestors sign at the rally in support of the Canadian truckers outside the Canadian Consulates building in midtown Manhattan on Feb. 22, 2022. (Dave Paone/The Epoch Times)

Even after the Canadians got their heads bashed in, they still danced, Kane said. And they still partied out in the streets of Ottawa. I think theyve really shown the world how to resist in peace, love and joy.

Kane encouraged his group to dance with provided music at the end of the second hour.

The rally was held concurrently with one in Detroit and Atlanta and was the second rally Kane organized at the Canadian Consulates building in as many weeks.
Amotekun guards on an operation in Ekiti state, one of the Southwestern Nigerian states, in February 2020 bearing locally made craft guns. (Courtesy Ekiti State Security Network Agency)

Nigeria: Paramilitary Groups Grapple With Spreading Lawlessness in Yoruba States

By dusk on Jan. 30, Motunrayo Shittu, 30, held her infant and fretted that her husband, who had phoned an hour earlier, hadnt returned as promised. After several hours, she took her worries to bed with her three children.

The next morning, her cell phone lit up with a call from her husband, Bamgboye Adegoroye, former chairman of the Ilejemeje Council of Nigerias Ekiti state. In horror, she heard the gruff, unfamiliar voice of an abductor speaking shredded English to demand a ransom of 30 million nairathe equivalent of $73,000.

Shittu, like thousands of citizens caught in the crosshairs of organized crime gangs in Nigerias six southwestern states, called in the help of a paramilitary group created just two years ago, Amotekun, meaning leopard in the Yoruba language. Amotekun guards arent allowed to use the pistols or assault rifles carried by police, but they defend themselves with locally made hunting rifles known as Dane guns.

Since Nigerian police often have difficulty coping with the high rate of crime and terrorism taking place in Nigerias 36 states, crime victims call upon neighborhood watchmen or, in the case of the six southwestern states where Yoruba is spoken, state-paid Amotekun guards, who travel into the forest along with police and the military.

After a failed rescue mission by a team of police, military, and Amotekun guards, the abductors called Shittu, hurling curses on her for sending the security team to bust their hideout. They also threatened to kill her husband if she tried it a second time.

My husband was angry that I involved the police and other security personnel, Shittu told The Epoch Times. He stressed on [the] phone that his abductors were professional Boko Haram and that they had guns, cameras, and even anti-tracking detectors for any money collected.

Her husband advised her to sell the house, sell the generatorjust get the money. Then he began to roll out the names of his friends who could assist financially. As of then, Shittu said she had gathered a little above 2 million naira ($4,800), but the kidnappers insisted on more, which they never put a figure to.

Amotekun guards photographed in February 2020 taking charge of vehicles and communications equipment provided by Ekiti state. The guards are paid part-time salaries to go after criminals on short notice. (Courtesy Action on Armed Violence)

Adegoroye and his co-abductees were later freed after paying a ransom of 3 million naira (more than $7,000) after a few days of tense negotiations, with no role played by the Amotekun nor the police.

They were lucky. Nigerian media outlets are swimming with reports of kidnapping efforts that have resulted in the murder of their victims. Even traditional leaders, considered Nigerian royalty, have been murdered or kidnapped for ransom. The military hasnt been spared either: In August 2021, some bandits whisked away a military officer for 24 days after killing two others during an invasion of the countrys foremost military institution, the Nigerian Defense Academy in Kaduna.

On average, 13 people were abducted daily in Nigeria in the first half of 2021, according to a report by SBM Intelligence, a geopolitical research firm. The number of people kidnapped in the country within the first six months of 2021 was 2,371.

Of concern to security experts is that the violence linked to swarms of terrorist gangs that started in the northwestern state of Zamfara 11 years ago is spreading into the forested states of the Nigerian south. Ekiti state is a 5 1/2 hour drive from Lagos, but far from the Middle Belt, where violent takeovers of villages and mass killings are routinely reported.

Operation Amotekun, numbering about 2,000 personnel, was created by six southwest state governors and launched in January 2020 to support police in fighting terrorism and banditry within the six states.

Amotekun guards are familiar with that forest, but the problem is people do not report the cases to us on time, making it difficult to catch up with the abductors, Toyin Omoniyi, a member of Amotekun, told The Epoch Times.

Tanwa Ashiru, a former U.S. military officer and current CEO of Bulwark Intelligence, expressed doubt that the criminals described by Shittus husband are professional Boko Haram terrorists.

Its possible they are professional kidnappers operating within the environs of Ekiti, especially given the fact that the state shares boundaries with the north, where Fulani migrate from in search of pasture for their cattle, Ashiru said.

The Fulani are a large semi-nomadic tribe, with some members who are linked to banditry.

Ashiru said it was concerning that the kidnappers had a police informant.

It shows they have insiders somewhere, she told The Epoch Times.

Kidnapping gangs often get tipped off by informants when the police are preparing to move in on their locations, according to Rotimi Iworoko, commander of a vigilante group in one of Ekitis local government areas. Iworoko recalled an incident during a raid into the forest in late January.

The vigilantes were already in the bush when their team leader received a call in the middle of the operation, Iworoko said. It was one of the bandits that called to warn him to order his men out of the forestotherwise they will return to the village to kidnap the people they recently released. Now, the question [is] how did they know the guards were on that operation? Their informant can even be one of the guards on that operation.

Apart from being paid a meager 20,000 naira ($48) per month, the shotgun-toting vigilante teams are no match for bandits holding late-model AK 47 assault rifles and sometimes rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

Nigerian lawmakers approach the violence issue in a similar manner as Democratic lawmakers in the United States, insisting that the guns themselves are the threat. Nigerias House of Representatives is working to amend the Firearm Act, compelling stricter penalties for illegal possession of firearms.

The proposed amendment may further cripple the operations of Amotekun in combating the spies-aided terrorists who have unhindered access to illegal arms.

Omoniyi expressed hope in talks with the government to train some of the guards in the use of arms.

Sunday Abutu, a spokesman for the Ekiti state police, didnt respond to The Epoch Times request for comment about the spate of abductions.

In April 2021, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari sought the help of the United States to halt terrorism, saying that insecurity in Nigeria has largely been worsened by complex negative pressures in the Sahel, Central, and West Africa, as well as the Lake Chad region.

The government also officially declared the bandits to be terrorists in January. In the presidents New Year speech, Buhari promised that the country would be working with international partners and neighboring countries to address human security at the grassroots level.

His recent approach to law enforcement has energized the employees of Amotekun who hope to see more guardsmen recruited and better training for all who risk their lives on crime-stopping missions into the forest.
NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns Expresses Regret Over CCP-Funded China Trip

New South Wales (NSW) Opposition Leader Chris Minns has expressed regret over a trip to China in 2015 that was bankrolled by an organisation linked to controversial political donor Huang Xiangmo whose close ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led Australias spy agency to cancel his visa and declare him unfit to hold an Australian passport.

If you look back at it in reverse, I wish Id changed many things, Minns told 2GB Radio on Feb. 22.

Minns travelled to China in 2015 for five days with a delegation of fellow state and federal Labor MPs for what he said was an invitation from the Chinese regime to hear directly from China about the state of the bilateral relationship about how Australia could prosper off the back of the relationship.

Obviously, things have changed dramatically since 2015. The relationship has changed. It was only one year after Xi Jinping had been elected President of China, but I wanted to hear and see firsthand what the relationship was, how Australia could benefit, and what the risks were, Minns said.

The milestone of Xi Jinping becoming leader of the Chinese regime in 2013 is often cited as a turning point in relations with Beijing, after which the CCP became more openly belligerent as it pursued Xis stated ambitions to dominate the world in military, economic, diplomatic, and political power.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) flag encroaches onto the Australian flag. (Oleksii / Adobe Stock)

Meanwhile, controversy has erupted after The Daily Telegraph revealed Minns did not officially declare that the trip was paid for by the Chinese regime and the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, which was headed by Huang. While he now admits the trip might have been paid for by Huang, he said it was not his belief at the time.

Minns also said his not disclosing who paid for the trip was a technical matter, given it occurred immediately prior to his being sworn in to the NSW Parliament.

The 2015 China excursion took place not long after Huang personally delivered $100,000 cash in an Aldi supermarket bag to Labor headquarters in Sydney. In 2019, the suspicious donation become the focus of an official state Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry.

Minns insisted that he had no knowledge of the donation until it became public knowledge through the ICAC inquiry four years later, despite it being received by his friend, Jamie Clements, who was then secretary general of NSW Labor. Minns also denied that Clements might have privately warned him before he got on the plane.

Absolutely not. Under no circumstances did that happen, Minns said. I completely reject that as an accusation.

He added: Certainly, the extensive ICAC inquiry, which lasted seven or eight weeks, didnt disclose that as a fact. Didnt allude to it. Didnt ask me to give evidence. No one has suggested that. No one. Not in official testimony. Not in inquiries.

Former Australian Labor Partys Senator and former General Secretary of the Labor Party in NSW Sam Dastyari revealed the way that Huang Xiangmo courted him. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Huang, the Chinese billionaire who ASIO deemed an agent of CCP influence, has donated to both sides of politics. However, he has also paid the legal bills of two Labor members.

The first was Sam Dastyari, a former Labor senator who resigned after it was revealed Huang paid his more-than $40,000 legal bills. Dastyari also warned Huang that intelligence agencies, including in the United States, might be tapping his phone.

The second was Clements, who told an ICAC inquiry that Huang invited him to his Sydney home and gave him $35,000 in a wine box to pay for his own legal bills.

Read More Australian Opposition Party Silent on China Strategy Ahead of Election

Minns Defends Personal Record on CCP

Minns admitted it was a mistake to accept the free trip to China but defended his record in speaking out against the CCPs treatment of Uyghurs and Hong Kongers, and said he absolutely supports an independent Taiwan.

Ive never pulled my punches in relation to China. Ive always been honest and independent in relation to it, he said, adding: Id encourage people to look at my record in relation to what Ive said about China.

Demonstrators supporting Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Hong Kongers take part in a protest against the Chinese Communist Party as they march along Regent Street towards the Chinese Embassy in London, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Matt Dunham, File/AP Photo)

Upon return from China, Minns was sworn into NSW Parliament and in his maiden speech said it would be a big and bold move by the state to mandate the teaching of Mandarin in schools in a bid aid firms to take advantage of the Asian century.

A big and bold decision by this Parliament to mandate the teaching of Mandarin to all New South Wales schoolchildren from kindergarten to year 12 would make a big, positive difference, he said on May 12, 2015 (pdf).

Amid concerns of CCP influence in the Australian body politic, he now regrets saying that.

I was wrong, he said, adding: It was before the clamping down on democracy protests in Hong Kong, before the coerced labour of Uyghurs in the north of China. It was a mistake on my partone I regret.
President Joe Biden slaps heavy sanctions on Russia after officially acknowledging Vladimir Putins actions as an invasion of Ukraine, a Georgia jury finds three men guilty as part of the Arbery hate crimes trial, and the FBI is preparing for possible cyberattacks that could cripple entire cities.
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, on Nov. 22, 2019. (Angus Mordant/Reuters)

Oil Falls as Russia, Ukraine Supply Fears Wane

LONDONOil prices fell on Wednesday, retreating from seven-year highs hit the previous day as it became clear that the first wave of U.S. and European sanctions on Russia was unlikely to disrupt oil supplies.

Brent crude was down 59 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $96.25 a barrel at 1027 GMT, after hitting $99.50 on Tuesday, the highest since September 2014.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 76 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $91.15 a barrel, after reaching $96 on Tuesday.

Prices jumped on Tuesday on worries that Western sanctions on Russia for sending troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine could hit energy supplies.

Sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada, and Japan were focused on Russian banks and elites while Germany halted a major gas pipeline project from Russia. But the United States made it clear that sanctions agreed and those which may be imposed will not target oil and gas flows.

However, analysts expect oil prices to continue seeing a level of support from the Russia-Ukraine crisis for the time being, with some Western countries promising to impose more sanctions if Russia launches a full invasion of its neighbor.

The prospect of more conflict in Ukraine should safeguard the geopolitical risk premium, said Stephen Brennock at brokerage PVM Oil.

There is a risk that Russia will retaliate to the sanctions by reducing deliveries of its own accord, Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch said.

The potential return of more Iranian crude to the market further pressured oil prices on Wednesday, as Tehran and world powers inch closer to reviving a nuclear agreement.

Nuclear talks in Vienna are reaching a sensitive and important point, Irans foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Wednesday.

By Rowena Edwards
Crude oil storage tanks are seen from above at the Cushing oil hub, in Cushing, Okla., on March 24, 2016. (Nick Oxford/Reuters)

Oil Settles Near 2014 High on Russia-Ukraine Escalation

Oil rose to nearly $100 a barrel on Tuesday, reaching its highest level since 2014 after Moscow ordered troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

Benchmark Brent futures pared gains in late trading after Western governments announced sanctions aimed at stopping what they fear is the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion.

Global benchmark Brent crude traded as high as $99.50 a barrel, its highest since September 2014, before settling at $96.84 with a $1.52, or 1.5%, gain.

The United States and Britain announced sanctions targeting Russian banks, while the European Union blacklisted more politicians and Germany put the brakes on the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The market obviously pumped in excess risk premium as Russia entered the separatists portion of the Ukraine and this fear premium gradually dissolved, said Jim Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Illinois.

A senior U.S. State Department official said late on Tuesday that nothing that is happening on the ground in Ukraine right now risks the flow of oil and gas to global oil markets.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also hit a seven-year high as it peaked at $96 a barrel, before ending at $92.35, up $1.28 from Friday. The U.S. market was closed on Monday for a public holiday.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the first wave of sanctions against Russia, targeting Russian banks and sovereign debt, and vowed steeper punishments ahead if Russia continues its aggression. The sanctions did not include energy supplies.

The Ukraine crisis has added further support to an oil market that has surged on tight supplies as demand recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply has lagged demand, so oil companies have drained inventories to meet demand.

Brents six-month calendar spread surged to a backwardation of as much as $10.15 on Tuesday, the steepest premium for the price of prompt oil versus the futures price six months later since at least 2004, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. Higher backwardation indicates tight supplies and correlates with low stock levels.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together known as OPEC+, have resisted calls to boost supply more rapidly.

Nigerias minister of state for petroleum on Tuesday stuck to the OPEC+ view that more supply was not needed, citing the prospect of more production from Iran if its nuclear deal with world powers is revived.

Talks on restoring a deal to curb Irans nuclear program and ease sanctions are near a conclusion, a Russian envoy said, which could eventually boost Irans oil exports by more than 1 million barrels per day. The prospect of a new deal with Iran and an increase in global crude supplies has capped oil price gains in recent weeks.

By Laura Sanicola
The Olympics closing ceremony is overshadowed by misery. A U.S. athlete was barred from entry despite negative COVID tests. Athletes are returning home and can speak their minds freely. One German gold winner says she is never going back. One former medalist from Latvia tells me his experience with the team in Beijing.

This is highlighting the suffering of the Chinese people under the regime. A mother in chains is causing explosions on Chinese social media. But reporters are not allowed to investigate. Police are dispatched to hide the truth while the authorities investigate. It is now a standoff between citizens looking for an answer and the CCP censoring information.

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Orange County Sets Record for Marriages on 2-22-22

SANTA ANA, Calif.The Orange County Clerk-Recorders office set a record for marriages on Feb. 22, owing to the popularity of the palindrome date of 2-22-22.

Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen extended his office hours to meet the demand for marriages on the date, which many considered lucky.

His office issued 335 marriage licenses and performed 327 civil ceremonies, breaking the record set on Valentines Day 2014, when 310 marriage licenses were issued and 266 civil marriages were performed.

Couples were choosing 2-22-22 as their day to tie the knot since it is a once-in-a-lifetime date and many also believe it is a lucky date, Nguyen said. I knew we would be busy, but it also turned out to be a fun and romantic day for all. Not even a little rain stopped the couples from getting married on this unique day. I would like to thank my staff for all the hard work they put into making this day special for the couples.

It marked the second time the Clerk-Recorders office provided ceremonies by candlelight, too, in the Old Orange County Courthouse.
Ottawa Lawyer Says Convoy Protest Donors May Have Accounts Frozen, Despite RCMPs Claims Otherwise

Convoy coordinator Benjamin Dichter speaks on impacts on trucker protesters

Despite the RCMP saying that information on donors to the Freedom Convoy protest is not being forwarded to banks under the Emergencies Act, an Ottawa defence lawyer says banks may act of their own accord and freeze the accounts of a wide range of protest supporters, including donors.

In a Feb. 21 statement, RCMP said that while it remains up to banks to decide which accounts to freeze, at no time did it provide them with a list of donors.

The list that was provided to financial institutions included identities of individuals who were influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa, and owners and/or drivers of vehicles who did not want to leave the area impacted by the protest, the RCMP said, adding that its now working with the banks to build a process to address the accounts that were frozen.

In a Feb. 23 statement, the RCMP said its provided new information to banks that can be assessed alongside all other information to help inform decisions to unfreeze certain accounts.

But Matt Wolfson, a criminal defence lawyer at Ottawa-based David Anbers Law Office, says the wording of the financial regulations that came into effect under the Emergencies Act on Feb. 15 suggests that anyone who provided property to support the protest could be flagged by banks.

My take is that accounts can indeed be frozen on the basis of donations, or prohibited activity on or after the order came into effect on Feb. 15, Wolfson told The Epoch Times. Anyone engaged in other prohibited activity, that is attending or participating in protests, are to have basically their funds frozen.

So you should expect many, many more account freezes.

On the night of Feb. 21, the House of Commons voted 185 to 151 to approve the temporary emergency measures, while the bill is now being debated in the Senate.

Members of the Commons finance committee spent the afternoon of Feb. 22 questioning staff from the Finance and Justice departments about the controversial financial emergency measures.

Just to be clear, a financial contribution either through a crowdsourced platform or directly, could result in their bank account being frozen? Conservative MP Philip Lawrence asked Department of Finance Assistant Deputy Minister Isabelle Jacques.

Yes, she replied.

They didnt have to actively be involved in the protest, they didnt have to be here in Ottawa at one of the blockades? Lawrence asked.

No, not themselves, Jacques replied. It could be indirectly.

Jacques confirmed lawyer Wolfsons claim that only donors who contributed to the protest after Feb. 15s emergency declaration could have their accounts frozen.

Jacques added that such actions would be very unlikely, but definitely possible.

She also said police stopped freezing accounts on Feb. 21 as the protests in Ottawa had been cleared.

219 Accounts Frozen

The Commons finance committee meeting was held after unverified claims by some Conservative members of Parliament were told on Twitter that theyve heard from constituents who made small contributions to the convoy and had their bank accounts frozen.

B.C. MP Mark Strahl tweeted on Feb. 20 that Briane, a single mom from Chilliwack working a minimum wage job, made the donation when it was 100 per cent legal and had not otherwise taken part in convoy-related activities.

He provided neither her last name nor financial institution but said her bank account has now been frozen.

While Strahl didnt reply to a request for comment, he tweeted he wouldnt share further details with media, citing privacy reasons.

Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu tweeted on the same day that a woman in her riding had her bank account frozen for buying a $20 Freedom Convoy Tshirt.

On Feb. 21, the RCMP said its enforcement efforts under the act has led to the freezing of 219 bank accounts and other financial products and the disclosure of 57 people or organizations. Those efforts have also resulted in the addresses of 253 bitcoin shared with virtual currency exchangers and in a financial institution freezing the account of a payment processor for a value of $3.8 million.

Lawyer Keith Wilson, who represented convoy organizers during the Ottawa protests, tweeted hes representing nine Canadians alleging frozen accounts or cancelled insurance policies.

None of them are charged with any offences, Wilson wrote. Most had no trucks in Ottawa or elsewhere.

Benjamin Dichter, one of the protest coordinators, says his credit cards and personal and corporate bank accounts, alongside many other trucker protesters accounts, have been frozen.

Our lawyers are all over it working on it right now, Dichter said in a phone interview. Everything is frozen without any explanation from the bank whatsoeverno notices in our message box, emails, nothing.

Dichter says hes currently getting financial support from friends and is concerned about other drivers in the protest.

The average driver is in their mid-50s, and there are some who have to get their medicine. Some have said they need to get insulin by March 15. They cant buy medicine that theyre dependent on to live. Like its crazy, he said.

Dichter says it appears most of the protesters hes heard about whove had accounts frozen were those who had their vehicles parked.

 We Will Actively Look to Identify You 

While attorney Wolfson says hes not representing Dichter, he said some of his clients include those arrested under the Criminal Code for crimes related to what police call unlawful protests.

However, Wolfson says most of his clients worry theyll also have their accounts frozen.

He points to comments from Ottawa interim police chief Steve Bell, who said on Feb. 19 that if you are involved in this protest, we will actively look to identify you and follow up with financial sanctions and criminal charges.

The investigation would continue for months to come, Bell added.

While banks didnt respond to inquiries, the Canadian Bankers Association said the government has indicated that the Emergencies Act measures are intended to be temporary and focused only on a narrow group of individuals and entities involved in specific activities covered by the Order.

The vast majority of customers are not impacted by these measures, association spokesperson Mathieu Labreche said in an email.

Wolfson says financial sanctions against convoy protesters or supporters can only be enforced under the act for 30 days starting Feb. 15, unless the House of Commons lifts or renews the order.

But he said it remains to be seen what parts of the act the Trudeau government will try to keep in force once the order is lifted.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Feb. 18 that the expanded powers given under the act to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) to monitor donations to crowdfunding and cryptocurrency platforms would be made permanent.

The authorities of FINTRAC, I believe, do need to be expanded to cover crowdsourcing platforms and their payment providers, she said. That is something that we need to do, and we will do, and that needs to be in place permanently.

However, Freeland said the ability to freeze bank accounts under the act are only to be used temporarily to ensure the authorities can put an end to all convoy protests.

In a Feb. 21 news conference, she said people not directly involved in the protests should contact police if they believe their accounts were unfairly frozen.

 A Form of Social Death 

Financial crime experts have previously told The Epoch Times that the broad new financial powers to quash the trucker protests are an extreme and unnecessary overreach.

Akaash Maharaj, ambassador-at-large for the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, said that the legislation was originally crafted to target terrorists and transnational organized crime.

In a 21st-century economy, it would be a form of social death, making it effectively impossible for [a flagged truck protester] to hold a job, obtain housing, or pay for his basic needs, Maharaj told The Epoch Times.

Financial crime consultant Vanessa Iafolla says invoking the Emergencies Act is entirely out of proportion to the threats posed by the protesters.

These new powers are a broad overreach and I do not believe they are steps necessary to maintain public order, she told The Epoch Times.

Iafolla said these new measures can increase banks surveillance power on people based in part on their political positions. Under the legislation, there will be no appeal process for the banks actions, something she says should be concerning for Canadians.

 This Is About Civil Liberties for Everybody 

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is calling on the government to revoke the use of the Emergencies Act, pointing out on Feb. 21 that the orders limit peaceful assembly across the country and require financial institutions to freeze accounts without judicial oversight.

The federal government does not control how and when these laws are used. These legal powers have been placed in the hands of police officers across the country, CCLA executive director and general counsel Noa Mendelsohn Aviv said in a statement. As with all broad grants of power, the risk of abuse is significant.

The CCLA had announced on Feb. 17 that it would pursue litigation to challenge the governments use of the Emergencies Act. It is in light of all these violations of civil liberties that we will be taking the government to court, said CCLA director of criminal justice Abby Deshman in a statement.

Protest organizer Dichter says it was refreshing to get support from the CCLA, which he says is usually more known to be politically left-leaning. He warns those cheering on the Trudeau governments use of the Emergencies Act that those powers could be used by future governments that may not support their political beliefs and rights to protest.

I would think people [should] think with a little bit more foresight, he said. Im not against people on the political left protesting. We should be allowed to protest, [as] we live in a free democracy.

You can call us whatever names you want, Dichter said. This is about civil liberties for everybody. It doesnt just affect us, it impacts you as well.
A trucker sits in his cab as truck drivers and supporters gather one day before "The Peoples Convoy" departs for Washington to protest COVID-19 mandates, in Adelanto, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2022. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Pentagon Approves Deployment of National Guard Troops for DC Trucker Convoy Protest

Hundreds of National Guard troops will be deployed in Washington to help police deal with traffic issues related to the trucker convoy protests against pandemic restrictions that are set to start this week, officials have said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the deployment, which had been requested by the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), Pentagon officials said.

Our MPD and USCP partners have asked for our help in ensuring people can demonstrate peacefully and safely, and we stand ready to assist, Maj. Gen. Sherrie L. McCandless, D.C. National Guard commanding general, said in a statement to news outlets. The people who live, work and visit the District are part of our community, and their safety is our first mission priority.

The approval will enable around 400 D.C. National Guard members to provide support at designated traffic posts, provide command and control, and cover sustainment requirements, the National Guard said in a statement.

The troops deployed to the area wont be armed and wont help with law enforcement or carry out domestic surveillance activities. No aircraft has been approved for use.

American flags blow in the wind as cars line up to participate in a Freedom Convoy protesting COVID restrictions and demanding election audits on Feb. 20, 2022, in Lansing, Michigan. (Emily Elconin/Getty Images)

Austin also approved USCPs request for assistance for up to 300 National Guard troops from outside the Washington area to help at certain traffic posts and Capitol entry points, Breitbart reported. That will begin on Feb. 26, according to Breitbart, which noted that 50 large tactical vehicles will also be placed at designated traffic posts on a 24-hour basis in the area.

A Pentagon spokesperson didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told news outlets in a statement on Feb. 22 that the department was analyzing a request for assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police and the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.

Those agencies have asked for National Guard personnel to provide support at traffic control points in and around the District to help the USCP and D.C. government address potential challenges stemming from possible disruptions at key traffic arteries. No decisions have been made yet to approve these requests, he added.

USCP stated recently it was planning extra security in the nations capital ahead of President Joe Bidens State of the Union address on March 1, which looks set to coincide with the trucker convoy protests.

Multiple convoys are planning to descend on the Washington area in protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, among other issues and policies of the Biden administration.

Similar demonstrations have been held in Canada in recent weeks, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canadas history, using it to freeze the bank accounts of protesters and their supporters.

Protesters leave in a truck convoy at the U.S. border crossing after demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates for over two weeks, in Coutts, Alberta, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Protesters stand on the back of a truck during the Freedom Convoy demonstrations against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Canadian politician Mark Strahl on Feb. 20 claimed that a single mom who was earning minimum wage is among those who have had their bank account frozen after she donated $50 to the Freedom Convoy.

Trudeau has accused the demonstrations of blockading the economy and democracy.

Bob Bolus, the organizer of one of the U.S. trucker convoys, told The Epoch Times that plans are to disrupt traffic on the Capital Beltway, a 64-mile interstate highway that encircles Washington.

Were going to have a shutdown, Bolus said.

Its too bad if it disrupts traffic, Bolus said. [People] should stay home then, because its going to be disruptive. I dont care if it was considered an accident on the Beltway, and traffic got backed up. It is what its going to be. We have every right to be on the Beltway and on every other road in the interstate system of the United States.

However, Bolus said the convoy will be peaceful and that lanes would be kept open for emergency responders. He didnt comment on whether or not the truckers plan to halt traffic purposely.

On Feb. 22, Washingtons mayor issued an alert to residents ahead of the trucker convoy arrival.

Mayor [Muriel] Bowser is being briefed by public safety officials as we continue to monitor the situation closely, and our agencies remain in regular contact with their local, regional, and federal partners, the alert said, according to a screenshot posted by Fox5DC reporter Lindsay Watts.

Layered mitigation measures are being put in place, including some that will be visible to the public and others that are not, the alert states. We appreciate the approval of our D.C. National Guard traffic support request as we pull together the resources to support our public safety personnel.
A police officer stands guard outside an entrance to the Rideau Centre in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 22, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Police Operation at Ottawas Rideau Centre Mall Over, Investigation Ongoing

A police operation that sparked an evacuation of Ottawas largest mall Tuesday afternoon is now over, with one person in custody and an investigation ongoing.

In their latest update at 3:31 p.m. ET on Feb. 22, the Ottawa Police Service confirmed that the operation at Rideau Centre that lasted nearly three hours has been completed.

Details of what triggered the operation remain unclear other than a series of tweets posted by the police starting at 12:46 p.m., urging the public to avoid Dalhousie Street to the Rideau Canal and the Mackenzie King Bridge in the citys downtown.

At 12:55 p.m., the police posted and then deleted a statement on Twitter saying they were responding to a shoplifting call with a possible weapon and one person had been arrested. They posted again at 1:10 p.m. that only that one person was in custody and that the police operation was still underway.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Ottawa Police Service for further details but did not receive a reply by publication time.

Witnesses earlier said they were inside working or shopping when some of the lights went out, and stores started closing their doors. Shortly after that, someone on the loudspeaker said everyone should evacuate immediately.

Someone just reported that there was a man with a gun. They reported someone to the mall security and all the police came and they told us to get out, said Budry Hakeemy, owner of the Taylor & Colt barbershop on the malls third floor, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Many police came with guns drawn. A dozen police cars with lights flashing sat in front of the malls various entrances, and police tape closed off one block in front of the northwest doors.

At least six officers were seen guarding the interior doors at the south entrance, one of them with a rifle.

A nearby school went into lockdown briefly as the events began to unfold but returned to normal operations within an hour.

Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd., which owns the Rideau Centre, said in a statement that police immediately responded to the incident. In the late afternoon, the company said the onsite investigation was complete and the mall would open for the remainder of the day.

The mall is a few hundred metres east of the Parliament Buildings, and was closed on Jan. 29 when the Freedom Convoy trucks arrived in the city to protest COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. The mall remained closed until Feb. 22.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
A baby born 15 weeks premature was so tiny that doctors put her into a sandwich bag to mimic her mothers womb and keep her warm. Now, seven months on, the little girl has defied all the odds and is healthy and thriving.

Vanessa Findlay, 32, a waitress from Catterick in North Yorkshire, England, found out she was pregnant in May 2020 when her husband, Kurt, a lance corporal, was away in Afghanistan with the army.

I had lost babies before and had complications so I was deemed high risk, Vanessa said.

Baby Faith Findlay. (SWNS)

She started to become very ill with hyperemesis gravidaruma condition causing horrific constant vomiting and nauseaand for most of the pregnancy had to be on bed rest. Moreover, Vanessa was in and out of hospital as she became very dehydrated to the point her veins collapsed.

It was horrific, and with Kurt not at home, I had to still look after my two boys which I could hardly do, she said.

The mother of three was having regular scans, and at 19 weeks, medics discovered she had little to no cervix left and would have to have emergency surgery to have a stitch put in to keep her cervix closed.

My consultant called my husband home at this point, which was such a relief, Vanessa said. After the surgery, I was on strict bed rest.

The doctors had also managed to do a test which determined that Vanessa would likely go into early labor. Vanessa described her pregnancy as a horrible one, as she always feared that she would lose her baby girl.

At 22 weeks, my water broke, but they kept me in the hospital and tried to keep the baby inside me as long as possible, she said.

Vanessa managed to keep her baby in until her contractions started at 26 weeks, at which time she was taken to the delivery ward at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, to have her baby.

They had to take my stitches out first and then in 15 minutes she was out, Vanessa recalled. I was so relieved when I heard a little cry.

Little Faith Findlay was born at a tiny 1 pound 15 ounces (0.87 kg) on Sept. 13, 2020, via emergency C-section.

Baby Faith Findlay with mother Vanessa Findlay. (SWNS)

Doctors immediately bundled Faith into a see-through sandwich bagwhich mimics the womb and aims to prevent her body temperature from dropping.

Faithwho was lighter than half a bag of sugar and smaller than her mothers handwas rushed to intensive care, where doctors told her parents they didnt know if she would make it or not.

Vanessa and Kurt were able to see Faith later that day.

She looked so tiny with all the wires and in her incubator, Vanessa said. We had no idea if she would make it.

Faith battled a hole in her heart and a brain lesiona spot on the brain which could indicate brain damageand had to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for 79 days.

But miraculously, tiny Faith defied the odds and went home with her overjoyed parents on Dec. 2, 2020, after a traumatic pregnancy and nervous few months.

We didnt know until the day that we could take her home, Vanessa said. The hospital suddenly rang and said: Bring the car seat.

I dont think I slept a wink that first night she was back.

Vanessa Findlay with baby Faith. (SWNS)

Faith is a brave healthy 1-year-old and is doing really well but still has a hole in her heart, which doctors are hoping will close up on its own.

Shes still quite a tiny 1-year-old but shes a little fighter, Vanessa said. Im so happy that she is healthy and thriving.

Epoch Times Staff contributed to this report.

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Progressive Prosecutors Ramping Up Criminal Charges Against Police

Chief prosecutors in Austin, San Francisco, and Chicago have doubled down on criminal prosecutions of law enforcement officials in the past year-and-a-half, following the George Floyd protests.

All three prosecutors were elected on a progressive platform to ease up on criminal punishment, especially on low-level crimes, while getting tougher on police to root out what theyve called the bad apples.

Just one year into his term, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza in Austin, Texas, has secured 29 criminal indictments against law enforcement officials, according to records. Nearly 9 out of 10 indictments alleged excessive use of force while on duty.

The largest batch of indictments came in February, alleging that 19 Austin police officers used excessive force during the Floyd protests in 2020.

People hold up signs outside the Austin Police Department in Texas on July 26, 2020. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

Garza has also secured rare murder indictments for two Austin police officers.

His first indictment against a police officer for excessive use of force fell apart in a few months.

On Jan. 20, 2021, Austin police officers Chance Bretches and Gregory Gentry were both indicted for aggravated assault by a public servant, a first-degree felony under Texas penal code.

The incident happened in March 2019, when Gentry and Bretches moved to arrest two men believed to be engaging in drug sales in a high-crime area. One of the men resisted arrest before he was forcibly put into handcuffs and sustained injuries from the arrest, according to a police statement.

A prosecutor under Garzas predecessor Margaret Moore got an expert opinion that considered Gentrys use of force to be lawful. However, Garzas office failed to disclose that opinion to defense attorneys, according to an official statement. By law, prosecutors have a duty to disclose to the defense evidence favorable to the defendant.

In July, Garzas office dropped the indictment against Gentry.

Public Sentiment

On the campaign trail, Garza, a former public defender, said his predecessor had never charged an officer for an on-duty fatal shooting and vowed to bring all police shootingsand more misconduct casesto a grand jury.

He credited part of his victory to the public sentiment following Floyds death.

San Francisco County District Attorney Chesa Boudin started to push the envelope of prosecuting police officers in November 2020 and charged San Francisco rookie officer Chris Samayoa with involuntary manslaughter. It was believed to be the first homicide prosecution against a law enforcement officer in the history of San Francisco, according to an official statement.

In December 2017, Samayoa shot and killed a carjacking suspect named Keita ONeil who was fleeing on foot and had no weapon on him, according to prosecutors.

A year after the Samayoa case, Boudins office initiated a second homicide prosecution against San Francisco police officer Kenneth Cha. This time, the charge was voluntary manslaughter.

The incident happened in January 2017, when Cha and his partner, Colin Patino, responded to a citizens call complaining that Sean Moore had violated a temporary restraining order that prohibited noise harassment. When Cha and Patino moved to arrest Moore, he resisted. After a few rounds of struggles, Cha drew his gun and pointed at Moore who kicked one of the officers. Cha shot Moore twice in the abdomen. Moore died three years later from complications involving the gun wounds, according to prosecutors.

Since Boudin assumed office in January 2020, he has filed at least six criminal charges against law enforcement officials, all alleging unjustified use of force while on duty.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin speaks during a press conference at his California office on Feb. 15, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

One case, that of San Francisco police officer Terrance Stangel, led to allegations that Boudins office engaged in unethical practices in handling evidence.

On Jan. 27, at a hearing for the Stangel case, district attorney investigator Magen Hayashi testified in court that she was pressured by prosecutors to withhold evidence favorable to Stangel. Hayashi said she honored the request out of fear of losing her job, according to The San Francisco Examiner, which obtained and reviewed the 123-page transcript of the testimony.

Former employee Jeffrey Pailet also alleged that Boudins office attempted to tamper with evidence on search warrants and fired him after he refused to play along. He filed a lawsuit against Boudin in November 2021 over the alleged illegal termination. Before his firing, Pailet supervised a team of investigators at the Independent Investigation Bureau, a unit dedicated to investigations of officer-involved shooting deaths and excessive use of force cases.

Boudins office denied the allegations.

Boudin, a former public defender and the son of incarcerated parents, was narrowly elected in November 2019 on a progressive platform. He faces a recall election in June.

Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx in Chicago drastically increased the number of criminal indictments against police officers in 2021.

In 2021, her office charged four Chicago police officers and one police lieutenant for excessive use of force while on duty. Another three officers were charged with off-duty criminal misconduct.

During her first term between 2017 and 2020, her office only charged one or two Chicago police officers per year, according to official records.

Cook Countys State Attorney Kim Foxx speaks at a news conference in Chicago, on Feb. 22, 2019. (Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo)

In the case of Lt. Wilfredo Roman, he was charged with aggravated battery and official misconductboth class 3 feloniesfor allegedly shoving a flashlight between a suspects buttocks.

The incident happened on Feb. 9, 2021, shortly after Roman and other police officers pursued and arrested a 17-year-old male for an alleged carjacking. The suspect kept yelling that his handcuffs were too tight. As a police officer was adjusting the handcuffs, Roman yelled, Shut up! and used his flashlight against the suspect, according to the criminal complaint.

Romans attorney, James McKay, said at the bond hearing that the flashlight was shoved over the teens clothes and didnt cause injuries, according to Chicago Sun-Times.

Roman had worked at the Chicago Police Department for 21 years. He gathered 112 honorable mentions for his police work, according to official records.

Foxx was reelected to another four-year term in the aftermath of the Floyd protests in November 2020, despite rising crime. She said she would carry on her progressive prosecution agenda.
An employee works at a production line of lithium-ion batteries inside a factory in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, on Oct. 16, 2018. (Joyce Zhou/Reuters)

Push for Electrification to Reach Net Zero Means Large-Scale Mining, Greater Dependence on China: Experts

Electrification has become a watchword for the Biden administration, particularly as part of the push for net-zero emissions in the U.S. economy by 2050.

In November 2021 remarks to General Motors CEO Mary Barra, for example, President Joe Biden credited GM with having electrified the automobile industrya claim that was immediately questioned by Tesla Motors Elon Musk.

The U.S. net-zero by 2050 commitment, shared in one form or another by countries, companies, and nongovernmental organizations across the planet, first gained traction through the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Paris signatories are supposed to undertake rapid reductions [of greenhouse gas emissions]  so as to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century, on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.

President Donald Trump formally left the Paris Agreement on Nov. 4, 2020, the day after Election Day, after first starting to withdraw in 2017. Yet Biden moved to rejoin the deal on his first day in office via executive order. On Jan. 27, 2021, as part of Executive Order 14008, he directed the country to reach net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050.

Bidens moves toward electrification include multiple executive orders.

In addition to the above-mentioned 14008, which asked federal agencies to develop a plan for purchasing clean and zero-emission vehicles for the federal fleet, those orders encompass Executive Order 14037, which established the goal that 50 percent of all new passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles, and Executive Order 14057, which relays plans for the federal government to reduce carbon emissions.

Biden also wants the United States to have 100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, as described in an April 2021 fact sheet.

November 2021s $1.2 trillion infrastructure legislation includes multibillion-dollar outlays related to electrification. One that was detailed on Feb. 10 was a $5 billion, five-year program to develop a national network for charging electric vehicles.

The Biden administration is far from alone in advocating rapid electrification to meet net-zero goals. In an October 2021 blog post published shortly before the COP26 climate meeting, the World Economic Forum (WEF) stated that clean electrification could get us three-quarters of the way to net zero.

Amid this pressure to change how the world gets its energy, the scale and risk of the new investments required for such a transition are coming into focus.

A 2021 International Energy Agency (IEA) report on critical minerals envisions a massive growth in demand for chromium (75 times), copper (67 times), and other minerals, in order to deploy solar installations, electric vehicles, and similar infrastructure on a large scale by 2040.

That means a lot more miningand more mining could translate to more pollution, especially where environmental laws are lax or poorly enforced.

A commentary from the Institute for Energy Research (IER) describes some of the environmental costs of lithium production, which it calls far more environmentally harmful than what turned out to be the unfounded issues with fracking.

Mining, processing, and disposing of these metals can contaminate the drinking water, land, and environment if done improperly, the IER stated, citing issues that have arisen in Tibet, Australia, and South Americas Lithium Triangle, which is made up of parts of Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Some lawmakers have argued that the Biden administration is stymying domestic mining, even as it becomes integral to the sort of electrification and net-zero emissions envisioned by the administrationa conflict only sharpened as the United States tries to reduce its dependence on China, which currently dominates the battery supply chain.

At an October 2021 Republican forum on Bidens departure from Afghanistan, speakers said the administrations flight from the country left huge reserves of lithium, uranium, platinum, and other key minerals under Taliban and, potentially, Chinese control, even at a time when stateside mining ventures, such as Arizonas Resolution copper mine and Minnesotas Twin Metals mine, have been slowed or halted.

Its almost like its intentional to stop U.S. production of these critical minerals and elements, said Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), ranking Republican on the House Committee on Natural Resources, during the forum.

Speaking to a panel at the Hudson Institute, Anthony Vinci, a national security expert who served as chief technology officer for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency under Trump, commented on the challenge China presents by dint of its control of batteries.

Has the issue of batteries and supply chain tripped over that wire to where were now moved from normal, quote-unquote normal, economic competition to economic coercion and into economic warfare? Vinci said. I would propose that were not quite there yet, but were in a state that I would call preparation of the battlefield. Batteries are so key to Department of Defense capabilities in the next five to 10 years.

A few core questions must be asked: What would it take for large-scale electrification in the pursuit of net-zero, and what would it mean for U.S. reliance on China?

A Look at the Numbers

That 2021 report from the IEA is a good place to start. It predicts a stark rise in demand for many critical minerals, in keeping with trends that are already underway.

A typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car, and an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a gas-fired power plant, the report reads. Since 2010, the average amount of minerals needed for a new unit of power generation has increased 50 percent as the share of renewables has risen.

The report stresses the need to step up the mining of lithium, cobalt, and other minerals used in electric vehicles, solar plants, and wind farms. Today, the mining and particularly the processing of many of those minerals is concentrated in China.

Even in cases where extraction doesnt occur in China, the country often occupies a dominant position. Cobalt, which is used in the cathodes of many lithium-ion batteries, was almost entirely obtained from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019, according to the reportbut up to half of that production is controlled by Chinese companies.

The United States, by contrast, imported 76 percent of its cobalt in 2020, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

China owns eight of the 14 largest cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and they account for about half of the countrys output. An American company once owned the largest DRC mine, but sold it in 2016 to China Molybdenum, said Mary Hutzler, distinguished fellow at the IER.

Similarly, although the IEA projects that global demand for graphitea key battery anode materialwill soar, the United States remains dependent on other countries for its graphite supply. It imported 100 percent of its graphite in 2020, according to USGS. China, meanwhile, produces more than 60 percent of the worlds graphite per the IEAs 2021 report.

In her remarks to the Republican forum on the U.S. departure from Afghanistan, Hutzler expanded on the scale of U.S. dependence on China for minerals used in electric vehicles, solar panels, and similar technologies.

Our reliance on China is about 80 percent for these minerals right now, where the high for us in 2001 on oil from the Middle East was 23 percent. Were going to be four times as dependent on China as we were on the Middle East, she said.

Hutzler has also previously highlighted Chinas dominance in new lithium-ion battery factories. In a 2020 analysis, she noted that of the 136 lithium-ion battery plants in the pipeline to 2029, 101 are based in China.

Hutlzers worries mirrored those of Nadia Schadlow, who served as U.S. deputy national security adviser for strategy under Trump. Schadlow told the Hudson Institute that one of her briefers described China as about a decade ahead of the United States in the supply chain for advanced batteries.

Along similar lines, a 2020 report on lithium-ion batteries from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI) underscores the scale of Chinese investment in battery cathodes, including lithium and cobalt chemical supplies, as well as nickel and overall cathode supply.

BMI also drew attention to some of the environmental hazards of lithium-ion batteries.

Against a backdrop of rising ESG concerns in mining investing, the environmental footprint of this supply chain has faced tough scrutiny, the report reads, citing figures from Volkswagen that suggested production of the companys battery-electric vehicles had almost double the carbon footprint of producing one of its diesel vehicles.

As the United States and the world have gone ahead with top-down net-zero and electrification plans, the lithium supply has dwindled, and demand has predictably risen. Lithium carbonate prices in China have increased more than tenfold between late 2020 and mid-February 2022, according to Trading Economics.

Hutzler has highlighted environmental challenges to new mines in the West as factors behind that increase. She drew attention to actions against approved lithium mines in Chile and Serbia, as well as the proposed Thacker Pass Lithium Mine in Nevada, currently embroiled in a court battle.

When demand exceeds supply, prices increase, as is the case with lithium, which could end the spiraling down of electric vehicle battery prices, making the green energy transition even harder to achieve, she said.

The IEAs 2021 report similarly states that the price of raw materials could rise and, as other production costs drop, heavily dictate the prices of future batteries.

It is therefore of paramount importance for governments and industry to work to ensure adequate supply of battery metals to mitigate any price increases, and the resulting challenges for clean electrification, the report reads.

Nickel may also be poised to experience shortages, Hutzler said. In November 2021, Musk asked mining companies to step up their nickel mining operations in anticipation of rising demand.

Any mining companies out there, please mine more nickel, Musk said.

Go for efficiency, obviously environmentally friendly nickel mining at high volume. Tesla will give you a giant contract for a long period of time if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way.

Giga Metals CEO Mark Jarvis responded, If you want environmentally responsible nickel, I really think you have to look at sulphide deposits in first-world jurisdictions such as Canada and Australia.

In the United States, one proposed mine, the Tamarack nickel mine in northern Minnesota, would be only the second high-quality nickel operation in the United States. Its already facing pushback from environmental groups.

WaterLegacy, a group opposed to sulfide mining in northern Minnesota, has written that the proposed mine poses a unique threat because of its potential for yielding copper, nickel, cobalt ore, platinum, palladium, and gold near various state and federal lands as well as high-quality rice waters.

I suspect more groups are taking a wait and see approach in their opposition given how vocal they have been in supporting mandates for electric vehicles, Isaac Orr, a policy fellow with the Center of the American Experiment, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Orr has written about the proposed mine for the center.

These groups typically argue theres no guarantee that the nickel will go to Tesla. In this case, they cant do that, he said. Im confident more environmental groups like the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy will oppose the project as it moves forward.

A spokesperson for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy told The Epoch Times the organization doesnt have a policy on the Tamarack mine, noting that the group is currently gathering information about the proposal.

The folks who think theyre special because they drink fair trade coffee dont seem to have much concern about whether their electric car is made using fair-trade cobalt or fair-trade nickel. Its a classic case of affluent urbanites denying opportunities for high-paying jobs in the natural resource industry for rural communities, Orr said, noting that mining in Minnesota and similar states could be displaced to countries with looser environmental standards.

Hutzler, for her part, believes that rapid electrification could have dire consequences for the United States.

It is clear that electrification of the U.S. economy and its transportation system will mean the Chinafication of these important parts of our economy, she said.

WEF officials didnt respond to a request for comment by press time, nor did representatives for the Electrification Coalition, an organization working on electric vehicle policy; BMI; and various researchers studying net-zero pathways for the United States.

In addition, The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Energy regarding some of the concerns raised by the IEA, Hutzler, and others, but didnt receive a response by press time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden arrive for a summit at Villa La Grange in Geneva on June 16, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia Responds to Biden Sanctions, Claims US Citizens Will Feel Consequences

Anatoly Antonov, Russias ambassador to the United States, claimed that Americans would feel the consequences of White House sanctions against Russia for Moscows decision to recognize two eastern Ukrainian regions as independent.

In a speech on Feb. 22, President Joe Biden said he would sanction two state-owned banks, including one that services the Russian military as well as elites close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the countrys sovereign debt. Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Sholz said the country would suspend its agreement with Russia to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Antonov, in a social media post, said the U.S. sanctions cannot solve a thing.

It is hard to imagine that there is a person in Washington who expects Russia to revise its foreign policy under a threat of restrictions, he wrote. I dont remember a single day when our country lived without any restrictions from the Western world. We have learned to work in such conditions. And not only to survive, but also to develop our state.

In comments to state-run Russian media, Antonov claimed the sanctions would strongly hit the global financial and energy markets, and that ordinary citizens will feel the consequences.

While Biden made note of the costs associated with sanctioning Russia, one of the top exporters of oil to the United States, he said that my administration is using every tool at our disposal to protect American businesses and consumers from rising prices at the pump.

But as we will dobut as we do this, Im going to take robust action and make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at the Russian economy, not ours, he said. We are closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruption. Were executing a plan in coordination with major oil-producing consumers and producers toward a collective investment to secure stability and global energy supplies.

Since taking office last year, Biden has faced criticism for shutting down the Keystone XL pipeline and not renewing drilling leases in the United States, which Republicans say has caused gas and energy prices to spike in recent months. At the same time, the White House has promoted electric vehicles as well as solar and wind power as alternatives.

Bidens announcement to sanction Russia comes a day after Putin, in a lengthy speech, said that he would recognize the Moscow-backed Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions as sovereign states. He then signed an order that authorized sending Russian peacekeeping troops into those areas.

Russias embassy in the Ukraine capital of Kyiv announced on Feb. 23 that it would be withdrawing its staff and shutting down, prompting concerns about a wider Russian invasion.
Workers are seen at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, on June 5, 2019. (Anton Vaganov/Reuters)

Russias Ex-President Sees Gas Prices More Than Doubling After Nord Stream 2 Freeze

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that he expects Europeans will soon face a mammoth rise in natural gas prices after Germany announced a freeze on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline over Moscows provocative moves in eastern Ukraine.

Medvedev, who served a term as Russias president and is now deputy chairman of the Security Council, penned what could be seen as a semi-sarcastic post on Twitter after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ordered a halt to the certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2,000 per 1,000 cubic meters [35,000 cubic feet] of natural gas! Medvedev wrote in reaction to Scholzs announcement of the certification freeze.

Spot natural gas prices listed on the Dutch TTF index were trading at 83.6 euros ($94.9) per megawatt hour on Feb. 23, which works out to around 878 euros ($996.6) per thousand cubic meters. Theyd have to more than double to around 190 euros ($216) per megawatt hour to hit Medvedevs stark prediction.

European natural gas prices on the Dutch TTF exchange hit a record high of 180.7 euros ($205.1) per megawatt hour on Dec. 21, 2021, or around 1893 euros ($2,149) per thousand cubic meters, suggesting Medvedevs target may not be mere hyperbole.

By contrast, European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager said on Wednesday that she believes halting Nord Stream 2 certification would have no impact on prices.

There is no gas in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. What has been stopped is the approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that it needs in order to get into operation, which means stopping the approval process can have no effect on gas prices, Vestager told a news conference.

Pipes at the landfall facilities of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipline are pictured in Lubmin, Germany, on Feb. 15, 2022. (Michael Sohn, File/AP Photo)

Scholz on Tuesday said that certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Germany and Russia has been put on hold. The move came as Western countries rolled out a series of coordinated punitive measures in response to the Kremlins actions in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared the separatist-controlled so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic (LPR) and Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) as independent states, while issuing a decree ordering Russian troops into the two regions, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Western leaders have dismissed the claim that Russian forces are in Ukraine to help maintain peace, accusing Putin of staging a territorial grab and warning that he plans a deeper incursion into Ukrainepossibly laying siege to Kyiv, toppling its government, and imposing a Moscow-friendly regime.

The Kremlin has denied plans for an invasion, instead framing its military moves as measures meant to protect ethnic Russians living in Ukraine. Putin has accused Ukrainian forces and their proxies of genocide in eastern Ukraine, an explosive claim dismissed by Western officials and analysts as propaganda laying the groundwork for a major invasion.

Pro-Russian separatists have controlled parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk districts, collectively known as the Donbas, for around eight years, with the U.N. estimating around 14,000 people killed in the bitter conflict, including at least 3,400 civilians.

A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea on Jan. 18, 2022. (AP Photo)

Scholzs announcement of a halt to Nord Stream 2, which was finished in September but has remained idle since then pending certification by Germany and the European Union, suggests Berlin is serious about imposing tough costs on Moscow for its actions in Ukraine.

The German government has long resisted halting the controversial pipeline project despite pressure from the United States and other European countries to pull the plug.

Washington has argued for years that Nord Stream 2 posed security risks by increasing European dependency on Russian gas supplies and giving Moscow the ability to bypass Poland and Ukraine in gas deliveries to Western Europe.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is capable of transporting around 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from Russia to Germany.
Vaccinator Rosie Buchanan prepares a vial of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the COVID-19 vaccination centre at Dundonald Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Dec 14, 2021. (Liam McBurney/PA Media)

Scottish Health to Stop Publishing COVID-19 Deaths By Vaccine Status to Prevent Data Misinterpretation

Last week, Public Health Scotland announced that it going to hide its public weekly data on COVID-19 cases.

Since July 2021, Public Health Scotland (PHS) has reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths by vaccination status in the weekly COVID-19 statistical report.

Inappropriate Use

PHS stated that the data in the report should not be used as a measure of vaccine effectiveness and added that it is aware of inappropriate use and misinterpretation of the data when taken in isolation without fully understanding the limitations described below.

But a world-leading mathematician has suggested that official data from England proves vaccine effectiveness is waning in England and the latest development could hinder transparency in Scotland.

Due to the increasing risk of misinterpretation from growing complexities as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year. PHS has taken the decision to no longer report COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths by vaccination status on a weekly basis, PHS wrote in a statement.

It added that it is currently reviewing the content and frequency of reporting this information and will continue to communicate up-to-date and high-quality research on COVID-19 vaccines.

PHS officials told The Scotsman that it had significant concerns about the data being misused deliberately by anti-COVID 19 vaccination campaigners and was behind the move.

For example, we know it is 50 percent effective against getting infected, but that it is much higher effectiveness against hospitalisations and deaths which is the key thing really as thats what we want to prevent, they told the publication.

In its latest report, PHS defended the decision to pull the data further (pdf). It noted that COVID-19 rates do not account for potential differences between populations such as behaviour towards social distancing, underlying health issues, or approaches to testing and how much they contribute to COVID-19 rates.

Furthermore, a study found that people with two doses of vaccine were more likely to test themselves for COVID-19 compared to those unvaccinated or with one dose of a vaccine.

This means that unvaccinated people may be less likely to test and report as a case resulting in lower infection rates among the unvaccinated. Comparison of case rates is therefore now inappropriate, wrote the PHS.

A Big, Big Problem

Former Trump administration official Paul E Alexander, an epidemiologist and Canadian health researcher used Scottish data to make a case at Sen. Ron Johnsons (R-Wis.) panel discussion on Jan. 24. Some reports claimed that this was the reason behind removing the data.

The Johnson event discussed the current state of knowledge of early and hospital treatment, vaccine efficacy and safety, what went right, what went wrong, what should be done now, and what needs to be addressed long term

We have some data from the UK and Scotland, this week, the third week of reporting for 2022, which demonstrates conclusively that the vaccine is driving the second dose and third booster dose is driving massive infections in the vaccinated. It is a big, big problem, said Alexander, who has argued for early outpatient treatment for COVID-19.

Prof. Norman Fenton is an expert in risk information management at Queen Mary London University and an expert and mathematician on risk assessment and statistics with a focus on Bayesian probability, a mathematical procedure that applies probabilities to statistical problems.

After crunching the English data, Fenton told The Epoch Times that we cant see any evidence that the vaccines are reducing all-cause mortalitythere is no longer much evidence that they are doing much good actually.

In December (and updated in January), Fenton and Prof. Martin Neil (Computer Science and Statistics) also at Queen Mary University of London, released a paper on ResearchGate which concluded that there is a miscategorisation status of those who died shortly after vaccination.

The ONS get their data by vaccine statuses, mainly from the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) and others.

But they are getting data by the vaccination status of people and mortality from different databases. There is a lot of potential for things to go wrong, he said.

Fenton said that this distorts all the data. With Scotland, he said the same type of thing is going on. But without the available public data, he will have to go through other systems or freedom of information requests.

Their data was clearly showing that the vaccines are heading towards negative efficacy, you are more likely to catch COVID with the vaccine than if you are not vaccinated. Thats what their data is showing, he said.

Inherent Biases

In Scotland, they dont want people finding out that the vaccines are much less effective as has been claimed. I am not suggesting there is some grand scheme or conspiracy around it, but it does fit into a narrative that the vaccines were pushed above everything else, said Fenton.

Last November, the Office of National Statistics guidance on the interpretation COVID-19 case rates in England for vaccinated and unvaccinated groups stated that these raw data should not be used to estimate vaccine effectiveness.

This, it argued, was because the data does not take into account inherent biases present such as differences in risk, behaviour, and testing in the vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.
Selling Fentanyl Should Be Charged as Homicide: Riverside County District Attorney

Fentanyl-dealing that results in death should be charged as homicide, on top of drug trafficking, a district attorney told the EpochTVs California Insider program, where he explained the danger of fentanyl and what his office is doing to fight the deadly opioid crisis originating from pure greed.

The dealers are not trying to kill their clients. They just dont care if they do, said Michael Hestrin, the Riverside County District Attorney. Thats kind of a murder.

In Riverside County, theres an 800 percent increase in the number of fentanyl deaths between 2015 and 2020, Hestrin said.

In just five years, the number of lives lost to fentanyl in the county has spiked from 2 to almost 600 per year, from 2016 to 2021, he said.

To combat the surging fentanyl trafficking and death cases, Hestrins office has prosecuted 10 defendantswho sold fentanyl, knowing how toxic it was, and caused the death of a human beingfor murder.

They know how dangerous and deadly this substance [fentanyl] is, and yet they continue to sell because they want the money, Hestrin said.

Fentanyl is usually mass-produced in China and smuggled into Mexico or other Latin American countries, before arriving in the United States primarily through its southern borders, Hestrin said.

Unlike cocaine and heroin, which are derived from plants, fentanyl is a purely synthetic opioid manufactured in laboratories without natural components, making it much cheaper compared to other drugs, Hestrin said.

To maximize their profit, drug dealers often mix fentanyl with drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana to lower the production cost while providing the same level of high for its users.

However, mixing fentanyl with other drugs often leads to deadly consequences due to the synthetic opioids extreme toxicity. A fatal dose of fentanyl is as tiny as two milligrams, small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

What makes the situation worse is that drug trafficking organizations are getting more sophisticated. They are using pharmaceutical machinery to produce counterfeit pills that look identical to common prescription drugs but contain fentanyl.

People are taking these drugs not knowing [theres fentanyl in it]  and its killing them, Hestrin said. Were finding a lot of people  who are taking [a pill] or theyre biting off half of it, because maybe they think its going to help them sleep. And theyre not waking up.

Due to lack of public awareness, counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl40 percent of them contain a fatal dose, according to the DEAhave been circulating in parties, where many young lives have been lost as a result.

I want to point out, these are not just statistics.  These are [our] kids, our neighbors, our loved ones, our nieces and nephews. Its hitting home in every community, Hestrin said.

The blame should not be placed on the victims, Hestrin said. Even though they chose to ingest the pill in the first place, they were unaware that it would kill them, which is why Hestrins office has been targeting the drug dealers over the past year.

We are not prosecuting people so that they stop using drugs, Hestrin said. What we are trying to do is [to] get people to stop dealing fentanyl because fentanyl is a deadly poison that kills people indiscriminately.

However, Californias legislation is posing a challenge to bringing fentanyl dealers to justice.

Under federal law, furnishing an illegal drug that causes death can result in 20 years in federal prison whereas in California such cases have to proceed under murder, which is far more difficult, according to Hestrin.

We have to painstakingly build a case [and] use many methods to prove the case. But not every case can be proven [as a murder], Hestrin said.

Over 500 lives were lost to fentanyl in Riverside County last year, but not all of the drug dealers involved could be charged with murder, because each case has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt with evidence, according to Hestrin.

After the Riverside County District Attorney prosecuted 10 defendants for selling fentanyl, district attorneys in Orange and San Bernardino counties have followed suit. More counties are jumping on board and taking a similar approach.

As local officials are facing legal limitations in deterring fentanyl trafficking, Hestrin is calling for state- and national-level changes.

Im doing my best to try to keep my public safe, Hestrin said, But state lawmakers in California and around the country, we need your help to turn back the tide of fentanyl deaths. The laws have to protect the average person on the street.

To prevent fentanyl poisoning before a tragedy occurs, everyone has to learn about the hard facts and be a part of the public awareness campaign, Hestrin said, adding that everyone has to have a tough conversation with their loved ones for them to never take a pill that is not prescribed to them by their doctor, like how he has been telling his own children.

If somebody hands you a pill at a party, if someone says Hey I have Percocet. It will make you relaxed, or It will help you sleep.  You cant take it. You have to assume that it contains a fatal dose of fentanyl, he said.
ST. LOUIS, Mo.Art is a form of expression that goes beyond speaking. Shen Yun Performing Arts uses dances and music as their tool of expression to tell the world about the beauty of China before communism.

Michael Davis who worked in publishing and Laurie Davis, a retired Air Force member shared that something that really struck them with Shen Yuns performance was the companys ability for religious expression and freedom, Ms. Davis said.

She emphasized that freedom of expression is important in todays world, in China in particular, but even to some extent even in the United States. It was pretty powerful to me. We have to be careful.

Noticing that the matinee performance boasted a full house, Mr. Davis observed that there are many people looking for truth.

Well obviously the people are hungry to hear stories like this and sometimes when you look back at the past and see the way people expressed themselves through art it gives you hope for the future, he said.

New York-based Shen Yun shares stories of compassion, love, and humor with audiences around the world. Their dances also include spirituality and respect for the divine.

It was definitely spiritual and it crossed the boundary of just being a Christian. It was more of a universal spiritual appeal and I think that applied to the freedom aspect too, Ms. Davis said.

Understanding that Shen Yun is censored in China, Ms. Davis was again reminded of the importance of freedom.

You can probably apply it in any country and I think it speaks of the importance of talking about the past and making sure that these stifling of freedoms or taking away those freedoms  doesnt happen again. I mean especially not right now, but the truth is it is happening in some places, she said.

With the pandemic impacting the world, Ms. Davis feels that experiencing Shen Yun has told her that this freedom was even more crucial than before.

I think at any time it has great value, but I think so even more so during the pandemic because it reminds you that we are all people and when you see that spiritual message that crosses boundaries of countries and things like that it reminds you of all the things we have in common as human beings and the things we need to value as human beings all as one, she said.

The pandemic has certainly brought about divisiveness and mandates that limit freedom. Many audience members have expressed that seeing Shen Yun has reminded them of the beauty in human interaction and that hope can be found.

I think anything you can do that reminds us of the humanity in each other gives us a little hope that well start to get beyond all this divisiveness.  Laurie Davis

I think anything you can do that reminds us of the humanity in each other gives us a little hope that well start to get beyond all this divisiveness, whether its in this country or in the world, because people are really hurting right now, Ms. David said.

Reporting by Stacey Tang and Maria Han.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
South Korea Approves Pfizers Vaccine for Children Aged 5 to 11 Amid Increase in COVID-19 Cases

South Korea has approved the use of Pfizers coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, the Food and Drug Safety Ministry announced on Wednesday, following an increase in the countrys COVID-19 infections.

The ministry stated that children with underlying health problems would be given priority to receive the Pfizer vaccine, with a vaccine rollout plan to be announced in March, local outlet Yonhap News Agency reported.

Health authorities evaluated the safety of Pfizers vaccine in 3,109 children aged 5 to 11, and found that side effects occurred more commonly after the first dose. They noted that the side effects were mild and would typically subside within three days.

The vaccine was 90.7 percent effective at preventing children from contracting the virus, with no severe side effects reported so far, the ministry stated.

Children aged 5 to 11 will receive one-third of the amount a 12-year-old would get, with two jabs given three weeks apart, while those with significantly declined immunity can get a booster four weeks later.

The move comes as the number of COVID-19 cases among younger children has increased significantly in recent weeks, as schools prepare for new semesters beginning in March.

South Korea reported 171,452 new cases on Tuesday, a sharp increase from 99,573 a day before. But Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urged citizens not to panic, saying that hospitalizations and deaths were still at manageable levels.

Kim said that social distancing rules will be relaxed after the current wave peaks, which some experts estimate may come in mid-March.

Omicrons spread is still racing to its peak, but once it is assured that severe cases and deaths can be stably managed, we will reform the broad framework of our anti-virus quarantine policy, including social distancing, he told reporters.

More than 86 percent of South Koreas 52 million residents have been vaccinated, with nearly 60 percent having completed their booster shots.

Meanwhile, Japan has also recently approved Pfizers vaccine for children in this age group, with the vaccine distribution to municipalities and medical facilities expected to begin this week.

The Food and Drug Administration of the United States had previously planned to make a decision on Pfizers vaccine for children under the age of 5, but the meeting was postponed due to the need for additional data.

We believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered as part of our decision-making for potential authorization, the agency stated.

Reuters contributed to this report.
11:58 | Sangalle (Arequipa region), Feb. 7.





It should be noted that rescue teams have been searching for the 28-year-old Belgian visitor since last week.





The foreigner has been missing since January 23, the day she left the hotel where she was staying in Cabanaconde district to go to Sangalle.







The team that has recently joined the search efforts is made up of Carlos Soto Landa, Gary Llamoca Huamani, Brendesi Cayllahua, and Jhojan Zarate, who have the support of Arequipa's Regional Management of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Gercetur)

This new group is joining the two teams that began the search last week. Said teams are made up of high mountain police and Eloy Cacya, a well-known natural rescuer from Colca Valley.



Recent reports indicate that search teams have covered the routes that Natasha Crombrugghe may have taken to reach Sangalle, such as Llahuar, San Miguel, Achachihua and Jesana.

Sangalle is a place that allures many tourists. It is located on the banks of Colca River, in Cabanaconde district.





The surrounding area is wild, hence the need to elicit the services of a tour guide to get to the area.



According to her relatives, Natasha Crombrugghe had arrived in Arequipa alone. In posts shared on social media, she is seen visiting Machu Picchu and the Manu National Park a few weeks beforehand.





(END) RMC/MAO/RMB

A new rescue team has joined the search for Natasha Crombrugghe, a Belgian tourist who went missing in Colca Valley , in the mountains of Arequipa region, several weeks ago.Published: 2/7/2022
Michigans assistant attorney general, Sunita Doddamani, and FBI agent Henrik Impola during a break in the state entrapment hearing for the Whitmer kidnapping plot, in Jackson, Michigan, on Feb. 23, 2022. Impola was accused of perjury in a separate case. (Ken Silva/Epoch Times)

State Entrapment Hearing Starts for Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Defendants

JACKSON, Mich.The entrapment hearing for three former Wolverine Watchmen facing state charges in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer began Feb. 23, in what could be a preview of the upcoming federal trial for the alleged plots ringleaders.

Joseph Morrison, Pete Musico, and Paul Bellar have been charged under Michigan law with providing material support to a terrorist plot. Their case is separate from the federal charges against accused plot ringleaders Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris, and Brandon Caserta.

With at least 12 undercover federal informants or agents involved in the group, both sets of defendants claim they were entrapped.

Testifying at the Feb. 23 state hearing was FBI agent Henrik Impola. Impola is accused of perjury in a separate matter and wont testify at the March federal trial. Defense attorneys for Morrison, Musico, and Bellar said they wouldnt raise the perjury allegations at the entrapment hearing, but indicated that they may return to the issue in the future.

Defense attorneys Andrew Kirkpatrick and Nicholas Sombergwho are representing Bellar and Morrison, respectivelyquestioned Impola at the start of the hearing.

Kirkpatrick made the case that his client, Bellar, abandoned the Wolverine Watchmen in July 2020 due to concerns about the alleged plot leader, Fox. The FBI didnt make any arrests until October 2020.

Impola retorted that Bellar isnt accused specifically of trying to capture Whitmer. Rather, he faces a charge of materially supporting a terrorist groupin this case, the paramilitary Watchmen.

But Kirkpatrick stated that Bellar made numerous attempts to deescalate the actions of his fellow Watchmen. Kirkpatrick cited audio recordings of Bellar heard speaking out against black-bagging politicians and arguing that any military training put to use by the group should be defensive in nature.

The entrapment hearing became heated when Kirkpatrick asked about his client expressing concerns about Fox to an undercover federal informant.

Throughout your investigation, you were made aware multiple times that Bellar thought Fox was crazy, Kirkpatrick said to Impola.

Id have a hard time agreeing with that, Impola responded.

Really? Kirkpatrick asked. The attorney exhibited a transcript from a March 3, 2021, preliminary hearing, during which Impola had admitted to his undercover informant telling him about Bellars concerns.

Impola said he couldnt recall specific instances of Bellar expressing concerns about Fox to undercover informants. This prompted Kirkpatrick to exhibit a court transcript from March 3, 2021, in which the attorney asked the FBI agent the same question.

Your answer: Id have a hard time with an exact answer, but he did say that [Fox is crazy], Kirkpatrick told Impola.

Impola responded, I feel like youre referring to specific comments.

At this point, Musicos attorney, Kareem Johnson, accused Impola of being a hostile witness for not directly answering Kirkpatricks questions. Judge Thomas Wilson declined to treat Impola as hostile, and Kirkpatrick moved to another line of inquiry.

Morrisons attorney Somberg argued that the Wolverines actions escalated after one of the FBIs undercover informants, an unnamed Iraq war vet referred to as Dan, joined the group.

Impola disagreed, instead characterizing Dans actions as deescalating. Later in the hearing, Impola said he didnt know what kind of militia training took place before Dan joined the group.

The hearing was still ongoing at this articles publication. Johnson had yet to question Impola, and Michigans assistant attorney general, Sunita Doddamani, had yet to direct her questions to the FBI agent.

Dan is also set to testify at the hearing. The matter was initially scheduled for just one day on Feb. 23, but Wilson indicated that the hearing will continue at a later date.
Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes is pictured during the announcement of a new Tech Hub near Central Station in Sydney, Australia, on June 25, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Tech Billionaires Bold Takeover Bid Lacks Understanding of Power Grid Stability

Commentary

With his bid to buy AGL, an Australian energy giant, and transition it to renewables, Mike Cannon-Brookes shows he does not understand the broader operating characteristics of the electricity market.

The early retirement of coal fired power stations will drive up the cost to consumers for electricity. This is because of the requirement to invest billions in transmission infrastructure and expensive batteries. This investment would be made over a much longer period if a better managed transition plan to ensure reliability is implemented.

The NEM (National Energy Market) still has a mixture of private and public players but there is now a great deal of intermittent energy in the system requiring backup. While much attention is paid to wind, the bigger recent factor has been solar, with its rapid penetration, particularly rooftop solar, and its falling cost.

As a result of this development, the system has become increasingly unstable and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) regularly is forced to intervene in the market. Its latest planning document, the contentious Integrated System Plan, envisages even greater take-up of renewable energy but has nothing to say about the impact on prices.

There is now no generation facility that has been or can be built without government assistance. Government intervention has destroyed the efficient, market responsive low-cost electricity market created as a result of the competition reforms and privatisations introduced in the decade and a half from 1985.

AGL Power Station at Torrens Island in Adelaide, Australia, on Nov. 4, 2019. (AAP Image/Kelly Barnes)

Without government intercession, this model in the post 1995 NEM delivered low priced, reliable electricity with new plants coming online in a timely manner in response to market opportunities.

The market excluded payments for spinning reserves and other features that were taken for granted under a coal dominated system, but which are not provided by wind and solar. Nonetheless, these distortions were not too serious to prevent efficient markets to operate.

This pattern was broken by subsidies to renewables.

The apparent price advantage of renewables when they are available is because of the annual $7 billion (US$5 billion) of subsidies paid by the government. This has undermined the base load advantage of fossil fuel power which is not suited to intermittent operation.

The transmission lines serving renewable supplies are also less intensively utilisedand hence more costly on a per MWh basisthan those supplying co-located hydrocarbon plants. This is because large scale solar and wind also carry higher transmission costs.

Their intrinsically lower density power and irregularity means they need some threefold the transmission capacity that coal requires.

The subsidies, without which the growth of wind and solar would be impossible, are effectively doubling the revenue that wind/solar receive. The renewable energy industrys lobby group, the Clean Energy Council, recognises that even subsidies that amount to half of wind and solar revenues are inadequate to allow those electricity supply sources to expand.

Among further support, the Clean Energy Council is calling for an additional $20 billion fund to leverage private sector investment in grid infrastructure.

Following the privatisations and competition policy reforms 20 to 30 years ago prices hovered around $30 to $40 per MWh (US$22 to $29). Prices are now in excess of $60 per MWh and will rise further with the acceleration of the retirement of coal fired plants.

Workers leave Hazelwood Power Station after their final shift in Hazelwood, Australia, on March 31, 2017. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

AEMO is influenced by the research of CSIRO which supports the idea that wind and solar have lower costs than coal and gas.

CSIROs conclusions are highly disputable. If they were true, we would not see the increased development of coal and gas plants in third world countries.

By their actions, the key rapidly growing countries including China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam are rejecting measures that would force the substitution of coal and gas by wind and solar.

In adopting such market-based energy policies, these countries are becoming more competitive than those in the first world. Energy intensive industries are therefore migrating to them.

Australian government policy is to reach zero emissions by 2050. Government intervention in the market has resulted in distortions and price increases. These were not anticipated as the information used to arrive at those decisions was faulty. The complexity of the market currently makes it very hard to make competent investment decisions.

This is exacerbated by new entrants such as Cannon-Brookes making bold statements not supported by reality.

We need to take a breath and carefully plan the future to guarantee a reliable supply of electricity at an affordable price. This will happen when the government reduces its intervention policy and sets clear goals with which the market can react.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Texas Skydiving Instructor Dies When Parachute Fails to Open

WALLER, TexasA skydiving instructor was killed after his parachute failed to open during a tandem jump in the Houston area, but his student survived the ordeal, authorities said.

Both were airlifted to a Houston hospital after the jump Saturday in Waller, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Houston. The instructor later died and the student had serious injuries that arent life-threatening, Skydive Houston said.

Waller County Sheriff Troy Guidry said their parachute failed to deploy.

Skydive Houston says jump operations are suspended pending an investigation.
Children hold up signs during a rally against critical race theory being taught in schools at the Loudoun County Government center in Leesburg, Va., on June 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

They Were Humiliated: Children Expelled From School After Parents Questioned Rapid Change in Curriculum

After discussing their concerns with the board of directors regarding what they called a rapid change in the curriculum at Charlotte Latin School in North Carolina, parents Doug and Nicole Turpin say their 11- and 13-year-old children became the targets of the headmasters retaliation when they were expelled last fall.

They were humiliated, Doug Turpin, father of the two children, told The Epoch Times. They were ordered, without even knowing why, to clean out their lockers and were permanently removed from the school.

Now, some parents are seeking to restore the private schools former transparency and working relationship between parents and teachers that they said had deteriorated since 2020.

Parents became aware that there were changes in the schools philosophy that took place during COVID restrictions when teacher-parent interactions were suspended.

At his sons 5th grade graduation ceremony in May 2021, Turpin said parents were able to meet for the first time in months.

At the ceremony, we finally got to talk with other parents and many of us were alarmed by what we were hearing, Turpin said. We began to meet in June to compare notes and come up with a strategy to try to engage in dialog with the board of directors about the changes.

The changes were a dramatic departure from that what had been previously taught at the school, Turpin said.

Among those changes were incorporating an age-inappropriate curriculum and pornographic reading material found in the K-12 library while injecting highly politicalized material into the classroom, although the school had previously said it was nonpolitical.

Refocused Latin

Sixty parents formed the group Refocused Latin to meet and address the issues. Upon invitation from the vice-chair of the board, they presented their arguments in a PowerPoint on Aug. 24, Turpin said.

We were promised that there would be no retaliation allowed for this feedback, Turpin said.

However, the schools headmaster, Charles Baldecchi, put out a video on Sept. 6 attacking the group and calling the PowerPoint just awful, and he said the presentation was inaccurate.

In the video, Baldecchi said that the way Sonja Taylorassistant head of school for the K-12 Curriculum and Instruction, Equity, and Strategic Initiativeswas portrayed in the PowerPoint is despicable, though Turpin later said, we simply listed her background and asked questions about her promotion to assistant head of school, without a job search, as well as about the direction of the school.

On Sept. 10, Turpin, who said he was suspicious of its intent, recorded the meeting between him, Baldecchi, and the middle-school principal, Todd Ballaban, during which Turpin was told his children would be expelled.

Turpin said he recorded the meeting to protect his family from possible slander.

In the meeting, Baldecchi said the PowerPoint alleged that the school was hiring folks of color that did not meet standards, which Turpin said wasnt true.

Youre entitled to your own opinion, but not your own set of facts, Turpin said in the transcript.

Turpin offered to get the presentation out for Baldecchi to find where the accusation was written, though Baldecchi declined, Turpin said.

It was one of many fabrications Baldecchi made about the group that he just made up to slander us, Turpin said.

After Refocused Latins presentation, Turpin alleged that his son began to experience retaliation when one of the teachers refused to let him go to the bathroom during a two-hour class or to pull his mask down to drink water.

When Turpin complained to Ballaban, he said he would investigate with the teacher.

Instead of a resolution, Baldecchi and Ballaban scheduled the Sept. 10 meeting with Turpin, during which he was told that his sons report wasnt true.

Turpins son also said his teacher told the class that because Republicans support voter identification laws, they are white supremacists evocative of the Jim Crow era.

In the transcript, Ballaban said that in his investigation the teacher said she didnt bring up Republicans.

Turpin said that he has a hard time believing this is true, because he said his son isnt political, so he couldnt fabricate connections between voter ID laws, Jim Crow, and Republicans.

White Flight

Charlotte Latin was founded in 1970, according to Turpin, in reaction to radicalized teachings that had emerged in the 1960s. The schools founders sought to return to traditional instruction methods, such as the teaching of Latin, and to refocus on math, science, and English skills.

In a video series Taylor put out with Baldecchi in 2020, Taylor argued that the school was founded as a means of white flight to give white parents a place to take their kids to a school exempt from desegregation laws; however, at the schools onset, it integrated minority children.

The video series became controversial with parents and is what initiated parents to begin questioning the schools agenda.

A Culture of Fear

Turpins essential argument is that Baldecchi violated school policy by effectively shutting down open dialogue between parents and the school by expelling his children.

Baldecchi wanted to silence the movement that was bubbling up with parents, Turpin said. The message was, If you complain, youre next. And that was received loud and clear by both parents and faculty.

By expelling Turpins children, he created a culture of fear, Turpin said.

Hes suing Baldecchi for breach of the enrollment agreement, infliction of emotional distress, slander, and defamation.

Baldecchi countered in the Sept. 10 meeting that it was Turpin who was in breach of enrollment by not maintaining a positive collaborative working relationship between the school and the students parents.

After a back and forth of emails in October, Board Chair Denny OLeary ultimately told Turpin that, according to school policy, its under Baldecchis authority to determine whether a relationship between parents and the school align with school policy and that the board would refuse to review Baldecchis decision, despite its promise to prevent any retaliation against any of the parents in Refocus Latin.

Turpin continued to try to engage the board, he said, to no avail.

When reached for comment, Charlotte Latin said, The decision to separate from a family is never taken lightly; it is a step taken only when it is absolutely necessary. Out of respect for our families and as a matter of policy, we do not provide details about studentspresent or former.

Among Turpins current goals as listed on his website www.honoraboveall.org is to have Baldecchi removed as headmaster and to reestablish transparency and dialog in the schools relationship with parents, teachers, and the schools curriculum.

Reports of the disintegration between the parent-teacher relationship have been reported nationwide, leaving many arguing about who really has a voice in what children are being taught in school.

Agendas of Critical Race Theory

Refocused Latins PowerPoint refers to curriculums evocative of critical race theory (CRT), the quasi-Marxist philosophy that defines society as a class struggle between the oppressors and the oppressed, specifically labeling white people as the oppressors and all other races as the oppressed.

Much of the focus on CRT has been on public schools that take government funding and therefore involve a partnership among the taxpayer/parent, the school, and state and local government.

Though private schools have autonomy in what they teach, there remains a parent and teacher collaboration that Turpin said has been violated.

According to James Lindsayauthor and critic of CRT whose platform New Discourses contains podcasts on the origins and current impacts of the ideologyCRT is at its core a means of control.

Critical race theory literally just means calling everything you want to control racist until you control it, Lindsay said in his podcast, Five Key Points to Understand About Critical Race Theory.

In practice, Lindsay said CRT puts race at the center of every component of life.

According to its theorists, Lindsay said, Racism is present in everything, and it needs to be found and interrogated and to call everything racist until it conforms to exactly what your views are as a critical race theorist, Lindsay said. Do you really want this in schools? Do you want to teach your kids to think this way, that if you just see something in the world you wish you could have command over, all you have to do is call it racist until everybody backs off and you have total control over it?

According to this depiction of the CRT agenda, arguments against the use of CRT are doomed to fail because of the theorys inherently subjective angle and refusal to hear another side.

Baldecchi stated in the Sept. 6 video that Refocused Latins mission was a lost cause, and if staff hear of more complaints from parents to bring them to him.

The CRT argument for honest history, Lindsay said, is disingenuous in its striving to control the conversation and power in society using a format modeled after communism that seeks to fictionalize the structure of reality to tilt power in the direction of those who control the narrative.

CRT presumes to read minds and intentions, Lindsay said, and conclude that ones intentions are always racist.

When incorporated into schools, it doesnt identify itself as CRT but uses euphemisms such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, Lindsay said.

Historically, those who implemented it relied on the manipulation of children, such as former Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong with his Cultural Revolution in which he had youth trained to destroy the four olds: old customs, cultures, habits, and ideas.

A resemblance of these methods can be found in the classroom today through CRT-trained instructors indoctrinating students with ideologies that create division between the children and the parents, thus splitting up the family unitone of the means of control found in Maos blueprint for the revolution.

These curriculums are often handed down by special interest nonprofits, Lindsay has said in previous interviews, and they come at the expense of math, science, English, and all other instruction.

When asked what the biggest tragedy of CRT in schools is, Lindsay said its not the division it creates, but the resources it drains.

Time is not about algebra anymore but is instead about using an algebraic concept to talk about critical race theory, which is a moment not teaching algebra, which is already hard enough, Lindsay said. So, there is a tremendous learning loss.

My Kids Did Absolutely Nothing Wrong

For Turpin, it all comes down to his children, he said, who now have an unjust expulsion in their record hes seeking to have expunged.

My kids did absolutely nothing wrong, he said. They were punished solely because parents wanted to be involved in their childrens education. Regardless of what side you come down on regarding any of the issues we raised, we think it is unconscionable to expel young children from the only school they have ever known, simply because you wish to silence a group of parents asking for dialog.
Trudeaus References to Misinformation When Justifying His Emergencies Act Are Very Troubling

Commentary

With the parliament now formally invoking the Emergencies Act, many civil freedoms can be suspended in the name of dealing with our current emergency, whatever that may be.

The right to peaceful assembly and association has been suspended as gatherings are banned in certain areas. Property rights are being suspended as supporters of the Freedom Convoy are having their bank accounts seized and vehicles impounded. Rights pertaining to the security of the person have been suspended as police can force labour from people, such as tow truck drivers, upon threat of imprisonment.

As if the suspension of all the aforementioned rights wasnt enough, in listening to Prime Minister Trudeau, it sounds like his government may want to infringe upon our rights even further under the dubious justification of quelling a protest crisis in Ottawa.

The Trudeau government may go after our rights to free speech, expression, and press.

During a press conference just prior to the parliamentary vote on the Emergencies Act, Trudeau expressed at length the reasons he felt invoking the Act was justified. Trudeau mentioned what he called misinformation and disinformation multiple times during the presser. What is in the Act that could be used to battle apparent misinformation if indeed such misinformation was part of why the Act was needed?

Nothing in the Emergencies Act itself refers to misinformation but it does give the government some strong powers that are open to some pretty broad interpretation. The government can now force Canadian banks to seize the assets of citizens without a court order. With no judicial oversight required, the government doesnt need to justify to anybody why a citizens bank accounts should be seized. They need only order it.

The Act says accounts can be seized if a person is suspected of supporting the protests. It does not specify that the support has to be in material or monetary form.

Could favourable reporting about the protests be considered to be supporting them? Could lending a person directions to a protest location be considered supporting it? The government has taken some serious, discretionary power and with such broad terms within the Emergencies Act, it looks like they can wield that power in a number of ways.

Is the spread of alleged misinformation to be considered a manner of supporting the convoy? The definition of misinformation has become a pretty subjective thing these days. One doctors medical opinion is called misinformation by another. Quoting the wrong doctor can get a person kicked off of major social media platforms. Can it now cause a person to run afoul of the Emergencies Act? Spreading differing views from what is considered the medical consensus could compel people to go out and protest, couldnt it?

Perhaps Trudeaus focus is more on the press. Legacy media members and politicos were furious when the New York Times dared to report that protesters had been arrested at gunpoint in Ottawa. One CBC TV host called the Times story false and incredibly dangerous rhetoric while a CBC radio host called the report BS. Trudeau confidante Gerald Butts was enraged on Twitter as he called out the New York Times, implying they would lose Canadian subscribers.

Jesse Brown with Canadaland then published a story that included pictures of people who were indeed being arrested at gunpoint in Ottawa. Gerald Butts dismissed the story as clickbait, though the photographic evidence was pretty clear.

The New York Times and Canadaland are both liberal-friendly outlets. The issue that establishment media and Liberal loyalists had with the stories wasnt inaccuracy, it was that the stories contradicted their own narrative.

Could countering the government narrative on protests be declared misinformation and come with sanctions soon? Accuracy appears not to be a defence.

Trudeau also implied that we need reflection on dealing with misinformation. What does he mean by that?

The Liberals Bill C-11 has been modelled to regulate and control broadcasting on the internet. Could that and would that legislation be used to quell differing voices in independent media?

We have seen how vitriolically the government and state-funded media outlets behave when independent and foreign media dare to counter the government narrative of events. Do we want to empower them to determine what may be misinformation worthy of sanctions or charges?

In their zeal to suppress civil rights ostensibly to deal with the convoy protests, it looks like the government may be preparing itself to extend permanent control upon Canadians in the process. They want to regulate speech, press, and broadcasts and appear to be using the current emergency as a justification for it.

In these turbulent times, we need to carefully read between the lines when our political leadership speaks. They are eyeing our right to free speech with an intent to take it.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Truth Finds a Way to Be Told

Looking for reality in a time of propaganda and slanted narratives

You can get information online, investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson says, but trust your cognitive dissonance and talk to the people around you. Youll get a whole different picture of whats really happening.

In this episode of American Thought Leaders, host Jan Jekielek talks about censorship and finding truth with Sharyl Attkisson, host of Full Measure and author of Slanted: How the News Media Taught Us to Love Censorship and Hate Journalism.

Jan Jekielek: Sharyl, Ive been thinking about your book Slanted. You wrote this pre-COVID. I think you were seeing something profound, earlier than many were.

Sharyl Attkisson: Prior to 2015, there was no big movement begging Big Tech or third parties or fact-checkers to get between us and our information online or on the news.

Yet here we are just a couple of years later where some know-nothing third party whose strings are being pulled by corporate or political interests is telling us what we can and cant read and what we should believe.

Mr. Jekielek: The whole phenomenon is strange. People who arent qualified are fact-checking people like Dr. Robert Malone, an expert in vaccine technology.

Ms. Attkisson: Nearly every mode of information has been co-opted by some group. Fact checks are no different. Theyve been co-opted in many instances or created for the purpose of distributing narratives and propaganda.

This is all part of a well-funded, well-organized landscape that dictates and slants the information they want us to have.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about coronavirus. When did you realize there was something amiss in how we were thinking about this?

Ms. Attkisson: Pretty early on, quite a few scientists questioned the advice being given by Dr. Anthony Fauci. These scientists had important differences of opinion with what we were doing. I said to them, Shouldnt you say something? Shouldnt you speak out?

But if the government doesnt like what you say and do, that can get you fired from your institution or make it so youll never get a grant again. So a lot of people are afraid to talk about these things. Its a dangerous environment when esteemed scientists who have valuable information and opinions are afraid to speak up.

Its well-documented, for example, that taxpayer money was used over a period of years to fund controversial research involving China. Every scientist I spoke to thought this partnership with the communist Chinese was one of the most ill-advised things they could think of. Yet they didnt want to say that publicly.

Mr. Jekielek: I was stunned to discover that the term anti-vaxxer in the Webster dictionary was modified at some point. It was changed from someone whos against vaccines to someone whos against vaccines or vaccine mandates.

Ms. Attkisson: Remember I said that virtually every form of information and sourcing that can be co-opted has been. That includes dictionary definitions.

Definitions now are being rewritten and changed to fit with whatever the establishment wants people to think. Websites are changed and definitions are altered to fit the narrative.

In the beginning, some claimed that the vaccines were nearly 100 percent effective at preventing infection. Today Im hearing people say, No, no one ever said the vaccines would prevent infection. So this definition of these vaccines was modified over time because they turned out to be wholly ineffective in a traditional sense at preventing infections.

Do you know about the Wayback Machine?

Mr. Jekielek: Of course.

Ms. Attkisson: This is a really invaluable tool for reporting. You can go to archive.org, and you can paste in a website. Many timesI would say three out of five timesan old version has been captured. You can prove to yourself youre right, that this website used to say something different or a definition has been changed, because the old site is captured.

Its a fascinating way to prove this attempt to change our perceptions of reality.

Mr. Jekielek: The mainstream corporate media and our officials got a lot of the narrative wrong. I dont think its a problem to be wrong, as long as you say, Oh my goodness, I was wrong. Heres the truth.

Ms. Attkisson: Yes. Our public health officials first said masks dont work. Then they said masks do work, but we didnt tell you because we didnt want you making a run on masks.

Very early on, Dr. Fauci testified to Congress that the death rate for coronavirus was 10 times worse than the flu, which sounded pretty serious.

Yet I came across an article published in a scientific magazine about the same time, authored by Dr. Fauci, that said it was about like a bad flu season. Why would he be testifying to Congress that it was 10 times worse, but writing in a scientific journal that it was about the same?

It turns out COVID wasnt 10 times worse than the flu. We were also wrong in sending infected people from hospitals to nursing homes. Many scientists told me that it was wrong to isolate at home. We had early data that showed the vast majority of the people hospitalized with coronavirus had been isolating at home and that people outside werent getting as sick.

Yet here we were telling people to isolate at home when we should have been telling them to go to the parks and beaches.

We were wrong to say the vaccines prevented infection. We were wrong to say they prevented spread. Then we were wrong to say it prevented hospitalization and death. It may do so in some cases, but it certainly didnt do what it was designed and advertised to do.

And we were wrong not to focus more on therapeutics prior to vaccines and even post-vaccine. Many scientists will tell you that.

Mr. Jekielek: The narrative Ive found most problematic of alland theres no data to support thisis that unvaccinated people are responsible for perpetuating the pandemic. Weve heard rhetoric like this before, and its never ended well.

Ms. Attkisson: It reeks to me of a propaganda campaign.

In fact, as we know, Omicron spreads very well among the fully vaccinated. Maybe it doesnt make them sicker, but it seems to be a very efficient spreader among the vaccinated. The notion that this was a pandemic of the unvaccinated isnt supported by the scientists I talked to.

Mr. Jekielek: Its almost like weve given up on common sense.

Ms. Attkisson: A whole generation of people have lived in the box, as I call it. By the box, I mean the internet. Theyve never known a time when information was gathered by talking to people and looking at books and research.

The people who want to control the information understand that if they can control a few sources, like Google and Twitter and Facebook and Wikipedia, theyve got a lock on information. The goal is to make people live online and think its reality.

As I wrote in The Smear, their goal is to make you believe youre an outlier and to make you afraid to say what you think. They want to make you feel like youre the one thats crazy, even though you may be of the majority opinion. So Im constantly telling people to live outside the box.

You can get information online, but trust your cognitive dissonance and talk to the people around you. Youll get a whole different picture of whats really happening than if youre looking online.

Mr. Jekielek: I know youre a pretty optimistic person from having talked to you enough. What do you see as the path through this?

Ms. Attkisson: Truth finds a way to be told. Thats a phrase that came to me when I was writing one of my books. The truth finds a way to be told and it may take some time and there may be a lot of people that dont want a truth out, but inherently, we as humans seek it. There may even be a certain percentage of the population thats happy to go along with whatever theyre told.

But theres a large chunk of the population that wants the truth, even if its not what they want to hear. Our search for the truth is part of us, and it will ultimately win out.

Today, I really encourage people to try to find some original sourcing. From The Epoch Times, for example, I get all kinds of information I cant find elsewhere, including great investigations with graphics that explain things in-depthgood old-fashioned journalism.

Mr. Jekielek: Any final thoughts?

Ms. Attkisson: I always say do your own research, make up your own mind, think for yourself, and use your common sense. Youre going to be right more often than you think. Open your mind, read a lot, think a lot, and dont buy into the prevailing narrative at face value.

Jeff Minick Follow Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of non-fiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
A general view shows damaged buildings following the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tongatapu, Tonga, on Jan. 16, 2022. (Malau Media/Reuters)

Tsunami-Hit Tonga Reconnects to Internet After 5-Week Outage

Tongas main internet connection was restored on Feb. 22, five weeks after a massive volcanic eruption and tsunami severed an undersea cable that links the Pacific island nation with the rest of the world.

Connectivity was restored to the island of Tongatapu after multiple faults and breaks on the cable were repaired, telecom provider Digicel Tonga said in a statement.

The submarine repair vessel worked for more than two weeks to fix it, the company said.

Samiuela Fonua, the chairperson of state-owned Tonga Cable Ltd., said that about 90 kilometers (56 miles) of cable damaged by the tsunami had been replaced.

The fix means that Tonga Cable can now focus on repairing a second severed cable that connects some of the outer islands to the main island, Fonua said. That cable runs close to the undersea volcano that erupted last month.

Digicel noted that Tongas domestic cable remains down, resulting in no connection to Vavau island.

Digicels technical team has set up the satellite link to restore connectivity for Haapai island and are working on trying to get Vavau back online this week, it said.

Tongas fiberoptic communication cable was severed by the eruption of the Hunga TongaHunga-Haapai volcano and subsequent tsunami on Jan. 15, which wiped out an entire village on one of its small outer islands and killed at least three people.

The government announced on Feb. 18 that Elon Musks Space X donated 50 very-small-aperture terminals (VSAT) to Tonga to assist in reestablishing connectivity in the island nation.

The donation came in response to a letter written to Musk by New Zealands Member of Parliament Shane Reti requesting that Musk provide his Starlink satellite internet service to Tonga.

Glad my tweet was picked up and that we can make a difference. Undersea cables are so damaged that cable repair ship Reliance doesnt have enough supply on the ship, Reti said on Twitter.

Fonua stated that his company tested the satellite connections this week, and they had been working well. He expressed hope that the SpaceX connections could be used to reconnect people on some of the outer islands.

Tonga has also been grappling with its first outbreak of COVID-19, which may have been brought in by foreign military crews aboard ships and planes delivering vital aid after the eruption.

The island nation has been placed under lockdown after two workers at the Nukualofa port tested positive for coronavirus, with all inter-island cargo and flights delayed until the lockdown is lifted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves from 10 Downing Street to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons, in central London, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

UK Offers Extra Military Support for Ukraine, Says Ready to Escalate Russia Sanctions

The UK will provide further military support to Ukraine and is ready to escalate its sanctions on Russia, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament.

At Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons on Feb. 23, Johnson said, In light of the increasingly threatening behaviour from Russia, and in line with our previous support, the UK will shortly be providing a further package of military support to Ukraine.

The package will include lethal aid in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid, he said.

The UK has already sent anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian military to help counter the threat posed by Russian forces ringed around the countrys borders.

A Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman aims with a Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) Swedish-British anti-aircraft missile launcher during a drill at the firing ground of the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Jan. 28, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)

Putin announced on Feb. 21 that Russia will regard two areas in Ukraines Donbas region as independent, and signed a decree authorising Russian troops to be sent into the area for so-called peacekeeping operations.

In response, Johnson announced on Feb. 22 that Britain had imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three Russian oligarchs.

At Prime Ministers Questions, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pressed Johnson to impose more sanctions on Russia because there had already been an invasion.

Starmer said Labour would offer its full support if the prime minister brings forward his full package of sanctions including excluding Russians from financial mechanisms like SWIFT and a ban on trading in Russian sovereign debt.

Johnson replied that the UK government still hopes Putin will see sense and deescalate. But he said the UK is ready very rapidly to escalate our sanctions.

He said that any Russian entity, any Russian individual, and members of the Russian Parliament could now be targeted by UK sanctions if needed.

Starmer also said the UK must do more to defeat Putins campaign of lies and disinformation.

He said the broadcaster Russia Today is Putins personal propaganda tool and he could see no reason why it should be allowed to continue to broadcast in this country.

Johnson said Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries had already asked Britains broadcasting regulator Ofcom to review that matter.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told the BBC that Britain will make it as painful as possible for Russia if Putin unleashes an all-out attack on Ukraine.

Truss said the Russian leader appears to be hell-bent on invading his neighbour, including potentially an assault on the capital Kyiv.

She said the UK government has further measures in the locker which it could activate, including sanctions on Russian parliamentarians who supported the move to recognise the independence of the breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Labour MP Yvette Cooper arrives to speak at the Centre For European Reform in Westminster, London, on March 11, 2019. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

UK Urged to Take Action Against Golden Visa Recipients Linked to Russian Government

The UK government has been urged to take action against people granted so-called golden visas who have close links to the Kremlin and pose a security risk to the UK, following Russian President Vladimir Putins order to send troops into eastern Ukraine.

The main opposition Labour Party has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel demanding answers to a series of questions about the Tier 1 Investor visa route for wealthy foreign investors, which the Home Office decided to scrap last week amid security concerns.

The visa, launched in 2008, has often been called a golden visa, as it offered residency to those investing 2 million ($2.7 million) or more in the UK, and allowed their families to join them.

Announcing the decision to scrap the visa scheme, Patel said she wanted to stop corrupt elites who threaten our national security and push dirty money around our cities.

In a letter to Patel, Labours shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper expressed her deep concern at the lack of answers on how those visas have been misused, and the continued delays on acting to tackle abuse.

She said it is immensely important that any individuals linked to criminality or who pose security threats already within the country under the scheme are quickly dealt with.

Cooper specifically mentioned the serious situation in Ukraine, and asked how many people who have arrived in the UK under the visa scheme have close links to the Russian government.

Putin announced on Feb. 21 that Russia will regard two areas in Ukraines Donbas region as independent, and signed a decree authorising Russian troops to be sent into the area for so-called peacekeeping operations.

In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Feb. 22 that Britain has imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals.

There have been a total of 13,213 golden visas issued since the third quarter of 2008, with 564 issued between January and September 2021, according to analysis of Home Office data by the PA news agency.

Since this period in 2008, 2,581 have been issued to Russians, with 55 in the same nine months in 2021.

Cooper said it is incomprehensible that it has taken the Home Office so long to take any action on golden visas, especially since the 2018 Novichok attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, which UK police said was carried out by Russian military intelligence service GRU.

She said the governments action has been clearly too little, too late, despite the clear security risk acknowledged by the government itself.

PA Media contributed to this report.
Russian military vehicles are seen loaded on train platforms some 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the border with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in Russia's southern Rostov region on Feb. 23, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine Imposes State of Emergency, Calls on Its Citizens to Leave Russia, Conscripts Reservists

Ukraine has shifted to a war footing, imposing a nationwide state of emergency, urging all of its citizens to leave Russia immediately, and introducing conscription of reservists as the crisis deepens.

Ukraines National Security and Defense Council backed imposing a state of emergency on the morning of Feb. 23 on all of the countrys territory, apart from the conflict-stricken Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where it has been in place for eight years as Ukrainian forces have battled pro-Russian separatists.

Lawmakers approved a declaration later in the day that imposed the state of emergency.

Oleksiy Danilov, the countrys top security chief, said at a briefing earlier in the day that the measures introduced by the declaration would include beefing up security at key locations, with stricter curbs in high-risk areas such as eastern Ukraine, along the countrys border with Belarus and Russia and in Russian-occupied Crimea.

This can include restrictions on movement of transportation, additional inspections of transportation. This can include inspections of individuals documents, Danilov said, with the state of emergency initially set to last 30 days, with a possible extension.

Ukrainian troops patrol in the town of Novoluhanske, Ukraine, on Feb. 19, 2022. (Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images)

Separately, Ukraines Parliament voted on Feb. 23 to approve a draft law that allows Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defense.

The adoption of this law is fully in the interests of the state and society, the authors of the draft law said in a note, stating that the measure was needed because of existing threats and dangers for the citizens of Ukraine.

Ukraine has also called on all of its estimated 3 million citizens living in Russia to leave immediately.

The first wave of reservists also has been called up, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing conscription of reservists aged 18 to 60 on Feb. 22, although he ruled out a general military mobilization.

Tensions have escalated in the region after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Donetsk and Luhansk independent states and said Russia was moving its troops there, ostensibly as peacekeepers.

Western leaders have dismissed the claim that Russian forces are in Ukraine to help maintain peace, accusing Putin of orchestrating a territorial grab. They say hes likely to use a false flag operation as a pretext for a deeper incursion into Ukrainelaying siege to Kyiv, toppling the government, and imposing a Moscow-friendly regime.

Russia has denied plans for an invasion, instead framing its actions as moves to protect ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, with Putin accusing Ukrainian forces and their proxies of genocide in eastern Ukraine, an explosive claim dismissed by Western officials and analysts as propaganda meant to justify an invasion.

Pro-Russian separatists have controlled parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk districts, collectively known as the Donbas, since 2014.

The U.N. has estimated that about 14,000 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine over the past eight years, including at least 3,400 civilians.

Update: This article has been updated to reflect the approval of a declaration imposing the state of emergency.
Members of the Saskatoon chapter of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan holds a rally outside Saskatoon City Hall in a Feb. 6, 2002 handout photo. (The Canadian Press/HO-Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan)

Ukrainian Community in Canada Hopeful but on Edge as Tensions Escalate With Russia

Iryna Matsiuk checks the news as soon as she wakes up each morning, hoping the escalating Russian-Ukrainian crisis wont put her family in harms way.

Matsiuk, who has been living in Saskatoon since 2011, has a sister living in the capital city of Kyiv and her mother and grandmother live in the northwestern area of Volyn.

Last weekend, I actually was pressuring my sister, asking, `Do you have an evacuations plan?' Matsiuk said. (Kyiv) is a big city and its not the easiest city to get out of, especially if everyone starts leaving.

Her friends and family in Ukraine have been staying calm as tensions with Russia escalate, but Matsiuk said she cant help but worry for them.

We still hope that there will be some kind of resolution, maybe not diplomatic because it doesnt seem to be a likely scenario right now, but at least stop where it is now and doesnt escalate further, she said.

Matsiuk, who volunteers with the Saskatoon chapter of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan, has been organizing rallies in the city to bring attention to the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

The groups next rally will be in front of Saskatoon City Hall on Wednesday evening.

But the threat of an intensifying war and invasion is affecting many across Canada, which is home to more than one million people of Ukrainian descent, census data indicates.

Matsiuk said growing up in the Soviet Union meant a lot of Ukrainian culture, including dance and music, was not encouraged.

She said she was pleasantly surprised when she first came to Canada and saw how many of her countrys traditions were practised by people whose family had been here for generations.

Vitalii Milentyev, president of the Alberta Ukraine Chambers of Commerce, said Ukrainians began settling in Canada more than 120 years ago and each generation had always hoped for an independent Ukraine.

Ever since the first Ukrainians arrived here, that part of the world and that territory was under somebody elses rule  and those rare moments of independence were very desired to those who had fled the country, said Milentyev, who lives in Edmonton.

In 1991 when the U.S.S.R. had collapsed, there was that overwhelming joy and widespread support for Ukraine, because it was for the first time in probably three or four generations that those whose ancestors had come to this country in search for a better life were actually seeing a glimpse of hope for their motherland.

Late Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities and ordered troops into these regions for peacekeeping missions. The move has been seen as the continuation of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. In 2014, Russia invaded and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Canada announced sanctions on Russia in response to the Kremlins deployment of forces into eastern Ukraine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said economic sanctions will ban Canadians from all financial dealings with the regions Putin recognized, Donetsk and Luhansk. The sanctions will also target members of the Russian parliament who voted for the decision to recognize the separatist regions, as well as ban Canadians from engaging in purchases of Russian sovereign debt.

Trudeau also said Canada is sending up to 460 additional Canadian Armed Forces members to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO.

Milentyev said Putin only understands the language of force and power.

He said Canada needs to be arming Ukraine and providing humanitarian help to strengthen the country and force Russia into negotiations.

Milentyevs parents still live in Odessa and he said he will look for ways to get them out of Ukraine if the situation worsens.

Putin has argued that his government is also protecting the minority rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the eastern part of the country.

But Milentyev, who grew up speaking Russian, said they are not in need of Russian protection.

Denys Volkov, who is also a Russian-speaking Ukrainian, agreed.

It doesnt matter what language you speak. Ukraine is a multi-ethnic country and people still want Ukraine to be independent, said Volkov, who has been living in Winnipeg for 16 years.

You can speak whatever language you want. Its a free country. Its a democratic country ? Russian-speaking Ukrainians have the same rights as everybody else.

Volkov said Canadians should be concerned about Russian expansionism because Canada shares a border over the Arctic.

For those who think this conflict is happening somewhere far away from Canada and its not important for us, I would disagree, he said.

What Russia is doing can affect everybody down the road.

By Daniela Germano
US Media Outlets Promote Chinas Zero-COVID Propaganda

News Analysis

Beijings zero-COVID policy is subjecting China to sporadic lockdowns and restrictions that state media, as well as some Western media, are supporting.

US media outlets now recognize Chinas zero-COVID policy. Is it too late for them? wrote Chinas state-run news tabloid Global Times, touting the fact that some U.S. media outlets are supporting the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) ongoing lockdowns and restrictions.

According to The Economist, adherence to the CCPs dynamic zero-COVID strategy is a test of loyalty. And some American journalists are criticizing the West for not following the CCPs example.

NPR published an article, headlined What the U.S. can learn from Chinas response to COVID infections, which suggests that the United States should follow Chinas lead in its ongoing zero-COVID policy rather than easing restrictions. The authors assert that this approach has had impressive results for China.

Reuters, while not directly praising China, reported that a Chinese study had shown that easing restrictions in COVID-zero regions could cause 2 million deaths in a year. This story supports the CCPs claims that restrictions are preventing deaths. It also implies that the pandemic will never end, with people continuing to die at a rate of 2 million per year.

The CCPs plans for perpetual restrictions are reflected in the statement of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Preventions top epidemiologist, Wu Zunyou, who said, We previously thought COVID-19 could be basically contained through vaccines but now it seems that theres no simple method to control it except with comprehensive measures.

GWN claimed that Chinas zero-COVID policy holds lessons for other nations.

Another Western media outlet, The BMJ, published a collection of articles that sheds light on Chinas pandemic experience and draws out lessons for the rest of the world.

The New York Times wrote: Chinas zero-Covid policy has kept deaths very low. Can it continue? This title and the subsequent article suggest that the containment measures save lives, but that they may be difficult to keep in place.

The Wall Street Journal ran an article, headlined Chinas Zero-Covid Policy Holds Lessons for Other Nations. It stated that the measures enable China to suppress infections with less disruption to life than in countries where pandemic still rages.

More than two years into the pandemic, China still has sporadic lockdowns and restrictions. If we have learned anything from Beijings zero-COVID policy, it is that such measures disrupt lives but do not end the pandemic.

The Global Times cited Western articles that supported the wisdom of the CCPs approach to the pandemic. It stated, In a recent Bloomberg article, entitled Why the World Needs Chinas Covid-Zero Policy, which affirms the role Chinas dynamic zero-COVID policy has been playing in safeguarding global supply chains.

As preposterous as it is to believe that the CCP is safeguarding global supply chains with its ongoing restrictions, this story is a huge propaganda win for the CCP. It not only celebrates the altruism of the Party, but it promotes continued lockdowns and restrictions in the United States and elsewhere. And this suits the CCP, which is attempting to export its zero-COVID policy to Hong Kong and the West.

Patients lie on hospital beds at a temporary holding area outside Caritas Medical Center in Hong Kong on Feb. 16, 2022. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo)

Hong Kong is currently facing its most severe COVID outbreak since the pandemic started and Beijing is encouraging the city to lock down. However, the decision is up to Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who assured citizens that widespread lockdowns will not be imposed. This has prompted a harsh response from mainland netizens who accuse Hong Kong officials of worshiping Western values and lacking faith in Chinas dynamic zero covid strategy, according to The Economist.

The inconsistency of Chinas containment policies suggest that they may not be as scientific or as necessary as the CCP would have one believe. To keep out Covid-19, China closed some border gates late last year, leaving produce to rot in trucks, wrote The Journal. China is the worlds largest importer of agricultural products. If the risk of importing COVID on products were real, then the CCP should be halting all shipments, not just some.

The CCP claims that its zero-COVID policy is protecting global supply chains, but neighboring countries are suffering reductions of both imports and exports, causing shortages as well as a loss of income.

When asked about the damage the policies were causing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded, China adopts necessary Covid-19 protocols  with a responsible attitude toward the life and health of Chinese and foreign citizens, according to The Journal.

So far, China seems to be the only country that claims that COVID can be transmitted on imported foods. Apart from closing its borders and letting food rot, the CCP closed supermarkets. The CCP also temporarily suspended imported fruit from Vietnam and shrimp from Ecuador. If there was a real danger of contracting the disease from food originating in these countries, a temporary ban would not be consistent with a zero-COVID policy. Since no changes were made in either Vietnam or Ecuador, the risk should have remained the same when the bans were lifted.

Chinas top disciplinary body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), claimed in an article that the zero-COVID policy is cost-effective because it allows the government to lock down some communities while others remain open. Meanwhile, in the West, although there are still restrictions in most countries, there are no lockdowns. Regardless of how the CCP skews the numbers, zero lockdowns would be cheaper. The CCDI claimed that the destructive power of easing restrictions has become evident in the West.

The CCDI explained that the reason why the ongoing, rolling lockdowns helped the Chinese economy was because they drove the economy toward investment in industry, making it less driven by consumption and services. This is, however, the exact opposite of Xi Jinpings economic strategy, which was to concentrate on consumption-led growth, supported by the service sector. As a direct impact of the intermittent restrictions, the service sector is growing at the slowest rate in five years.

With border restrictions, periodic lockdowns, ongoing mass testing, and decimated sectors of the economy, a Bloomberg article claimed that the pandemic has revealed Americans to be tacit Social Darwinists, while trapping the Chinese in a vast Panopticon. The article, headlined Chinas Covid Victory Over America Turns Out to Be Pyrrhic, is saying that the CCPs zero-COVID strategy was successful at saving lives, but that the cost was too high for America and other countries to adopt.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
US Truck Convoy Departs on Cross-Country Trek to Washington to Protest COVID-19 Mandates

ADELANTO, CaliforniaHundreds of truckers and supporters departed a southern California site on Feb. 23 for a trip planned to culminate in the Washington area.

The group, dubbed the Peoples Convoy and inspired by Canadian truckers who drew international attention, hopes to convince authorities to ease or withdraw COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

The convoy has specific demands, including urging President Joe Biden to rescind his declaration of a national emergency over COVID-19. Biden, a Democrat, on Feb. 20 said the emergency will be extended beyond March 1 because of a risk to the public health and safety.

Other goals include letting our government know that you work for us, Brian Brase, one of the convoy organizers, told a rally that preceded the departure, drawing cheers. People can paint this any way they want, theyre going say this as a far-right or far-left or this is a partisan issue. But its not; its an American issue. Its a world issue. To the truck drivers around the world. Now is your time to stand up. Now is your time to usher in a renaissance time of freedom.

Leigh Dundas, another organizer, told The Epoch Times that the turnout really shows that America is ready to end the state of emergency and the mandates that sprung from those states of emergency.

Its been two years and in the truckers opinion, its time to reopen the darned economy right now, she added.

The convoys planned route would take drivers through approximately 11 states, with stops in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Maryland.

The group is working with local, state, and national law enforcement for all the stops on their planned journey.

The convoy plans to arrive in the Washington area on the evening of March 5.

Ralliers cheer the convoy departing from Adelanto, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

In this screenshot from video, trucks depart from Adelanto, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2022. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Federal authorities are monitoring the convoy and others like it, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington. Maryland and Virginia state police are in touch with the District of Columbia and U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Capitol Police. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members to help respond to the convoys.

Another convoy left Pennsylvania on Wednesday, led by tow truck company owner Bob Bolus. Bolus told The Epoch Times that the convoy planned to shut down traffic on the Capital Beltway which encircles Washington. Bolus said the convoy does not have a set timeline and wants to meet with Congress. We want our voices heard, he said.

Bolus said people with his convoy had spoken with those leading The Peoples Convoy, but Dundas said that The Peoples Convoy is absolutely not connected with them.

Adelanto is about 80 miles outside of Los Angeles. The trip to Washington is about 2,600 miles.

After several people delivered speeches, truckers departed with horns blaring as people waved American flags and waved. Truckers were joined by people driving a range of other vehicles, including SUVs and cars.

Dr. Pierre Kory, who has focused on early COVID-19 treatment, told the crowd that mandates and other government policies have lacked a scientific basis and failed to protect people.

The viruses have infected our bodies and taken some of our lives, but the policies have ruined our society. Our society is so sick right now. And youre all here, trying to get us back on the right track. So thank you for showing up, Kory said.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.

Enrico Trigoso Reporter Follow Enrico Trigoso is an Epoch Times reporter focusing on the NYC area.
A Nissan Leaf electric car during the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy press conference at Carriageworks in Sydney, Australia on Jun. 20, 2021. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

Victorian Govt to Spend $15 Million on Fleet of 400 Zero Emissions Vehicles by 2023

The Victorian state government of Australia will spend $15 million on a fleet of 400 zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) for use by 2023 to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 for Victoria.

ZEVs are considered the cleaner alternative to cars that consume petrol as they run on electricity or hydrogen and therefore do not emit greenhouse gases from their tailpipes. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are run by a rechargeable battery, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) combust hydrogen to emit water vapour.

With the transport sector currently accounting for 25 percent of the states total carbon emissions, the introduction of ZEVs is expected to result in a reduction of net carbon emission as well as air and noise pollution.

The states Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson said in a release that electric and zero-emissions vehicles are the future of transport and the Victorian government was paving the way with its soon-to-come fleet of government vehicles.

These vehicles are part of our transition away from combustion powered vehicles to zero-emission vehicles and a clean energy future thats better for health and our environment, he said.

The funding for ZEVs is part of Victorias 100 million funding for the Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap (pdf) aiming to increase the consumption of ZEVs.

Stage one of this program will entail 75 cars being replaced by ZEVs by June 30, with 325 replacements in the second stage by June 30, 2023.

The Victorian government, under Labor Premier Daniel Andrews, aims to have ZEVs make up 50 percent of all new small vehicle sales by 2030, an expectation echoed by the Queensland Labor government.

Currently, more than 100 ZEVs have already being ordered for the 2021-22 financial year with the first fleet already in use by Victorian government departments and agencies.

Of the $100 million investment into the roadmap, $20 million will be invested for a ZEV public transport bus trial, while $19 million has also been rolled out for power charging infrastructure across the state.

Power Supply Not Addressed

The source of energy to power the vehicles, however, has not been addressed with electricity from the grid expected to be the primary source for EV.

According to the Victorian Renewable Energy Target Progress report (pdf) from the 2020-21 period, 70.1 percent of Victorians electricity are generated from coal and gas with 29.5 percent of electricity generated from renewable sources.

And whilst the majority of Australian EV owners charge their cars from home, the proportion of Australians using renewable energy has not been properly investigated.

The states final roadmap also leans towards BEVs rather than FCEV due to the lower efficiency in generating hydrogen fuel, global demands, and readiness of infrastructure.

Toyota opened the states first hydrogen fuelling station in Melbourne with light passenger FCEVs currently being trialled in Australia.

There are currently 536 charging points in Victoria with 86 DC chargers and 450 AC chargers.
A trip to discover the story ofand the 'best' recipe forNew Orleans' most iconic dish

I gathered with a small group in a back room at SoBou, a Creole restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Each of us had a little cup of a deep brown stew with pieces of chicken and sausage rising above the surface and a small scoop of potato salad in the middle. This was the first stop on a food history walking tour with Doctor Gumbo Tours.

We tucked right in as our guide Beth Kennedy spoke (You never have to wait to eat on our tours, she told us), giving us a quick but comprehensive historical background on the Crescent City before introducing us to our first dish: gumbo.

Gumbo uses the three main tenets of French cooking: the roux, the trinity, and stock, she said. Wait, what was that middle part?

The French would call it mirepoix, an aromatic vegetable mix of diced onions, celery, and carrots, back in the Old World. But because rainy, high-water-table New Orleans isnt especially good terrain for growing root vegetables, cooks here swapped the carrots for green bell peppers and it became known as the Holy Trinity. She said, And you cant have a trinity without a pope, and the pope is garlic.

But at the root of it all is the roux, a flavorful thickener made with fat and flour in a skillet. You can use butter, you can use bacon grease. Today its canola oil, Kennedy said. When you first start to mix that, it just looks like wet sand. But it stirs easier with the heat. That heat helps the color to develop.  Blonde gives way to peanut butter, peanut butter goes to chocolate, chocolate goes to brick. And thats where you want to land this. After brick, it goes to burnt, which goes to the trash.

This particular gumbo was made with chicken and andouille, a coarse-grained combination of pork shoulder and pork butt, seasoned with garlic and double-smoked over pecan wood.

Later that night, still not even hungry after the food tour, I had a fantastic seafood gumbo at Dragos with shrimp, oysters, and crab meat, and a few spoonfuls of rice on top. My server told me he also loved to add andouille to his seafood gumbo. Boundaries were being crossed, I thought. Gumbo ranks up there with chili or paella as an iconic dish, so it must have some hard fast rules about what qualifies as true gumbo. Not exactly.

Depending on the region and the cook, gumbo may be served over a mound of riceor potato salad. (Holly Rae Garcia/Shutterstock)

Gumbo Expressionism

There are both seafood and chicken-and-sausage versions of gumbo on the menus of many restaurants, and the occasional daring combination of the twobut the truth is, one can rattle off gumbos the way Bubba from Forrest Gump could list methods of shrimp preparation.

File gumbo (thats fee-lay, powdered dried sassafras leaves), Creole gumbo, Cajun gumbo, chicken and crab gumbo, vegetarian gumbo, gumbo with duck, turkey, snapping turtle, alligator or even nutria, a regional semi-aquatic rodent. Theres also a gumbo made with greens: gumbo zherbes. Still, most everyone will tell you exactly what the best recipe is.

I spoke with chef Dee Lavigne of Deelightful Roux School of Cooking, who offers cooking classes on various Creole and Cajun dishes, including gumbo. I like to look at gumbo as a cultural-social dish, she told me, because even here in New Orleans, depending on where you grew up, you could potentially have different gumbo in the same city. Gumbo is something passed down through families, generation to generation. It can always be something different. She wasnt kidding: In my research I came across an article where listeners of Lafayettes KPEL radio shared some of their secret ingredientsfrom canned tomatoes or fish sauce to chicken beaks or hog lard.

How did this dish ever come to be?

A Melting Pot

Key elements of this dish we singularly call gumbo come from many sources, making it a common metaphor for the blending of cultures in New Orleans.

Native Americans occupied the area first. Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto actually died of fever along the banks of the Mississippi, but the city itself was founded by the French in 1718. The Spanish acquired control from France in 1762, and rebuilt what is now the French Quarter after a couple of big fires devastated it. And after a brief return to French controlwere talking three weeks herethe city became part of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in December 1803.

But gumbo is a New World dish with some Old World influences. The roux is a very French element. Slaves, arriving in what was the largest slave market in the United States, brought okra seeds from West Africa as well as rice and the knowledge to cultivate it. In fact, okra is ki ngombo in one of the Bantu dialects and is considered the origin of the okra-thickened Creole dish and the word gumbo.

The Native Choctaws introduced file powder, which also can thicken gumbo but now is often added only at the very end for flavor. The smoked-pork andouille has a French origin to it, credited to the Cajuns, a name derived from Acadians, the descendants of the 17th- and 18th-century French settlers in the northeastern maritime regions of North America.

Gumbo is served in a bowl, like soup, though its consistency ranges from thick soup to chunky stew. A couple spoonfuls of rice come on top, but a traditional Cajun gumbo often comes with  a scoop of potato salad at the center? Sure enough, in the early 1700s, German immigrants had begun settling in and around New Orleans and eventually dropped their contribution into the mix, perhaps with a bit of spicy-tangy Cajun mustard in its making. There are some who may even favor both, and a bit of online digging found a call for sweet potatowhich grows in Louisiana, by the way.

Some will claim that if theres no okra, theres no gumbo. (Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock)

Okra or No-kra?

Some will claim that if theres no okra, theres no gumbo. Ive seen recipes without it and had it okra-free at some restaurantsalthough it seems to me seafood gumbo takes that okra assertion most seriously. Chef Dees opinion: Dont add anything you dont want to eat. My husband hates okra, she said with a laugh. Doesnt matter how its cooked. He doesnt like the mouthfeel of it. He doesnt like the texture; he doesnt like the smell.

When these dishes were created, they were done out of necessity, and none of this was done for show. If my grandmother came today and made gumbo for me, its not going to be any less gumbo because she didnt have chicken, or she didnt have shrimp, or she didnt have crab, or she didnt have okra.

That said, Chef Dee points out that Cajun gumbo recipes are typically only thickened with roux made with oil (or even lard), so if you do opt for okra, bake or roast it separately first and add it at the end. On the other hand, Creole versionsmade with a seafood stock base, most likely crabuse okra in addition to the roux, often butter-based, for thickening. For the regular Creole gumbo, add it with the proteins. Allow the slimy texture to come out and cook down, she instructed. You dont want crunchy texture or the fresh green taste in this case. The okra should cook until soft, but not so long that the pieces disintegrate and lose their shape.

At the root of gumbo is the roux, a flavorful thickener made with fat and flour. (Karpenkov Denis/Shutterstock)

Patience and Anticipation

So is there a secret to making great gumbo?

Gumbo is supposed to be a long stew kind of recipe. Its not really something you should rush, said Chef Dee. Its really supposed to be done over a period of time that allows all of your flavors to come through, all the different components of it to actually shine. Take your time.  And dont add anything you dont want to eat!

Fun Fact

The Gumbo Capital of the World, Bridge City, Louisiana, lies across the river from New Orleans. Since 1973, theyve hosted a Gumbo Festival each October, serving up over 2,000 gallons of both seafood and chicken and sausage gumbos.

RECIPE: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Cajun dry spice blends are available on the market. If you are making your own, it will require salt, garlic powder, paprika (try smoked paprika instead), black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme.

This recipe serves 8 and only gets better as leftovers.

Makes 2 quarts

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced bell pepper

1 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 quarts unsalted chicken stock

8 ounces Andouille sausage

8 ounces chicken thigh meat

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Crystal Hot Sauce (or other Louisiana brand) to taste

Cajun seasoning blend (see note above) to taste

In a cast-iron Dutch oven, create the roux by whisking the oil and flour together completely. If cooking on the stovetop, stir continuously over medium heat until roux takes on the color of melted chocolate or brick. This can take more than a half-hour. Do not let it scorch; be watchful of black flecks, which will indicate burning. An alternative is to place the pot in the oven at 375 degrees F for up to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes until you get that darkened color.

Add the Holy Trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery) to the roux and heat on medium-high for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions become soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add chicken stock a cup or two at a time, whisking it into the roux until smooth, then add the rest of the stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the andouille into quarter-inch thick slices or half-inch cubes and fry in a separate pan until browned. Remove the andouille and place it in a bowl. Season the chicken pieces with Cajun spices, then fry in the fat from the sausage until lightly browned, but not necessarily cooked all the way through. Add more oil if necessary here. Keep the chicken with the sausage until ready to use.

After 20 minutes of simmering the gumbo base, add the chicken, sausage, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with Crystal Hot Sauce and Cajun seasoning as desired. Serve hot with rice or warm potato salad.

Recipe adapted from Doctor Gumbo Tours
Why I Donated to the Truckers Freedom Convoy

The author of this letter wishes to keep their name private due to fear of reprisal or doxxing because they donated to the Freedom Convoy.

Thousands of people and hundreds of trucks from across Canada recently came to Ottawa to ask the government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end the restrictions now placed on Canadians due to COVID-19, and especially to end the requirements that 100 percent of the population be vaccinated, wear masks, and submit to periodic lockdowns on business activities.

When tens of thousands of people from inside and outside of Canada donated money to a crowdfunding organization, a hacker penetrated the crowdfunding organizations computer system, obtained a list of the donors and the amounts they contributed, and sent it to several media outlets, including the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly owned broadcaster.

The CBC in turn sent email messages to the donors who live in Ottawa asking whether they would agree to be interviewed. As one of the donors, I agreed. To avoid the possibility of being misquoted, however, I sent the CBC the following top ten list of reasons why I donated. The CBC did not respond. I hope it will serve to shed light on the controversy.

1. I support the elimination of vaccination mandates that unfairly penalize people who in good conscience think the risks of being vaccinated exceed the benefits. This is a fundamental principle of public health, in my view. No person should be forced to accept a medication or other foreign substance into their body that he or she fears will do them harm; this is a matter of personal freedom and privacy.

2. This principle is supported by many other factors and principles. The World Health Organization issued a position paper on Feb. 1, 2021, that presented WHOs position on the advisability of requirements of proof of vaccination for travellers, and by implication, vaccine mandates. It noted that the extent and duration of anti-body-mediated immunity to protect against SARs-Cov-2 reinfection have not been scientifically established. There are also concerns about the suitability of available serological tests to measures individual immunity to SARS-Cov-2. There is a risk of establishing different tiers of restrictions on individual liberties, and potentially undermining peoples freedom to socialize and to travel, violating expectations of privacy and adopting enforcement practices that discriminate against vulnerable groups We stress here that from an ethical and legal perspective, testing negative for protective antibodies should not have the same implications as testing positive for infection; individuals should not be regarded as an infectious disease threat simply because they lack immunity against SARS-CoV-2.  Policy makers should choose the option that least infringes individual liberties.

3. The risks associated with the currently available vaccines are not inconsequential. In addition to the concerns expressed by many prominent doctors and scientists, there is the fact that the vaccines were rushed into distribution without the completion of trials on animals and humans that would normally precede official approval, that the pharmaceutical companies were given complete protection against liability for adverse effects, and that the pharmaceutical companies have refused to make their clinical trial raw data publicly available before 2025 so that independent experts can assess injection safety and efficacy. Further, information about the adverse effects of past vaccinations is being heavily censored in Europe and North America. That fact alone is bound to raise concerns.

4. The statements of public health professionals and the published statistics by public health authorities call into question the thesis that the fully vaccinated are less a source of virus transmission than the unvaccinatedin fact, quite the reverse. Recently, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontarios chief medical officer, conceded that two doses of the vaccine offer minimal protection against infection. Data published by the Ontario Public Health Authority (the only provincial authority to release such information) indicated throughout January 2022 that 75 to 80 percent of the newly infected by COVID (about 98 percent Omicron) were fully vaccinated. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has confirmed in its recent studies that the fully vaccinated are just as likely as the unvaccinated to transmit the virus. These two facts combined undercut the rationale for vaccine mandates, especially when, as in Canada, the number of unvaccinated is less than 10 percent of the population 18 years of age and over.

5. Vaccine mandates discriminate especially against the people who have already contracted COVID-19 and achieved natural immunity. Several recent studies have demonstrated that natural immunity gained from previous infections is stronger and longer-lasting than vaccine-based immunity.

6. The penalties imposed on the unvaccinated have been excessive to the point of cruelty. People have been fired from their jobs with no opportunity for appeal, no severance, and loss of pension benefits. In addition, the federal government has cruelly deprived them of unemployment insurance benefits. To add insult to injury, the people who in other circumstances have defended the rights of labour have abandoned them for ideological reasons.

7. No government, federal or provincial, performed a cost-benefit analysis of the measures taken to restrict citizens freedoms and to lock down the economy. Governments have thus shown neglect in their responsibility to citizens to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of public policies before they are implemented.

8. According to the Stringency Index developed by Oxford University to measure the harshness of anti-COVID policies imposed by governments (see Our World in Data for an explanation), Canada has consistently ranked among the most stringent and heavy-handed jurisdictions in the world. The limits on Canadians freedom have been more severe and lasted longer than those of all but 10 other countries. The Freedom Convoy has become the symbol for average Canadians desire to end this seemingly endless abuse and give us our lives back.

9. What choice did the truckers and average Canadians have in the face of the contempt shown by the prime minister and the unwillingness of any major federal political party to listen to, and be responsive to, their concerns?

10. The truckers have demonstrated peacefully and have appealed to the patriotism and understanding of their fellow Canadiansa far better and more respectable approach to political dissent than almost any other group.

These are my main reasons for donating to the Freedom Convoy, and Im guessing that many others who donated were similarly motivated. Its unfortunate to say the least that we are all now considered criminals by our government.
After being handed an envelope by a stranger on the street, a British woman was stunned by its contents. Inside the envelope were a handwritten card and some money, requesting her to buy a cake in memory of the writers late sons birthday.

Tammi Bennett, 19, had just picked up her cousin from school on Jan. 26 when a woman she had never met before approached her on the street. Bennett, a sales advisor from Barry in Wales, UK, was at first confused.

I honestly didnt know what to think, she told The Epoch Times. She sprayed [the envelope] with antibacterial spray and just handed it to me, told me to have a good day, and left.

Tammi Bennett received a handwritten card with some money from a stranger on the street. (Courtesy of Tammi Bennett)

Opening the handwritten card, Bennett was moved to read the womans message.

To You, read the card. Today would have been my sons 28th birthday. Sadly he was lost to SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy).

My son loved birthday cake, the message continued. Please buy a cake and enjoy it with your family. Cake is good any day of the year, not just on a birthday.

Signed off by Jasons mom, it included a line on family: Family is so important, spending time with family is such a precious GIFT.

Along with the handmade card, Bennett also found a 10-pound (approx. US$13.60) note in the envelope. It honestly made my day, said Bennett. I was having a tough day, so receiving that card really was a heartwarming feeling.

Touched by the gesture, Bennett immediately contacted her mother and read out what was written on the card.

I was emotional but happy that I was the one who received the card, she reasoned, as not many people would buy the cake and [might] just keep the money for themselves.

The 19-year-old and her family then went straight to a local Morrisons store and picked out their favorite birthday cake, vanilla traybake, to enjoy together.

(Courtesy of Tammi Bennett)

Jason passed away in January 2020 at the age of 25 after suffering from uncontrollable epilepsy for over 15 years, said Bennett, who shared the story in its entirety on Facebook. Her post went viral, with many netizens sending birthday wishes in Jasons memory. Family and friends also shared her post and told Bennett that the woman couldnt have picked a better person as they knew she would buy the cake.

Bennett found the bereaved mother after the post and reconnected with her. The stranger wishes to remain anonymous, but Bennett told The Epoch Times, Shes so lovely! We talk quite a lot lately.

Tammi Bennett, 19, from Barry, Wales. (Courtesy of Tammi Bennett)

After sharing her now-viral story, Bennett hopes to use her platform to help spread awareness of SUDEP, and the charity SUDEP Action, which provides education and support to sufferers and their families.

I didnt know anything about it until I received the card, she explained. Ive made myself more aware, and I hope the post that went viral made more people aware of it, too.

Bennett states that Jasons mom just wants to keep his memory alive, and now she wants to do the same.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
El presidente @PedroCastilloTe lidera la sesion del Consejo de Ministros, en la cual, junto con el jefe de la @pcmperu y los titulares de los sectores, articula las acciones del Gobierno para atender las necesidades del pais, en favor de la poblacion.#SiempreConElPueblo pic.twitter.com/nEQIn7aiZY
NORWALK  While most city residents have received the COVID vaccine, few have gotten their booster shots, the mayor says.

In his weekly COVID-19 update, Mayor Harry Rilling said the city is lagging behind with only about one-third of eligible residents having received a COVID booster shot.

About 36 percent of eligible Norwalk residents have received their COVID booster shot, according to Department of Public Health data. About 23,000 booster shots were administered to Norwalkers, according to the data.

This data reflects our status with city residents eligible for booster or additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Rilling said. Currently, only an estimated 36.13 percent of Norwalk residents have received their booster doses. We have made great strides in our vaccination rates, but I also want to communicate that we have room to improve these numbers.

Connecticut health experts have said booster shots were needed as waning immunity from the original COVID vaccine doses contributed to the omicron surge in infections and hospitalizations in January.

About 51 percent of eligible Connecticut residents have received a booster shot, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While more than 87 percent of Norwalkers have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, 77.5 percent are fully vaccinated and 36.1 percent received booster shots, according to the data. Almost 20,000 Norwalk residents of all ages are not vaccinated, according to the report.

Norwalks children between the ages of 5 and 11 are not yet eligible for boosters and were excluded from the calculations. However, Norwalk continues to trail its wealthier neighboring towns in terms of childhood vaccination rates, as 34 percent of children 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, according to DPH data.

Receiving the vaccine and booster shot are essential steps in approaching a return to normal life, Rilling said.

Along with following COVID prevention measures, vaccination is an essential tool to get us closer to normalcy, Rilling said. That is why it is critical you and your loved ones get vaccinated and, if eligible, get the booster.

Despite the citys high overall vaccination rate and continually decreasing case rate following the omicron outbreak in January, Rilling once again skirted discussion of lifting the mask mandate in his statement Friday.

Earlier this month, Gov. Ned Lamont decided mask mandates in schools could be lifted at the end of February. Rilling said at the time the citywide indoor mask mandate would remain in place until further notice, which he repeated in Fridays COVID update.

As city case rates and state hospitalizations continue a gradual decline, I am hopeful we can loosen restrictions in the upcoming weeks, Rilling said.

Rilling said he and Schools Superintendent Alexandra Estrella continue to monitor the situation closely and meet with our local health department experts and school district's medical advisor.

While the city is reminding residents to receive their COVID-19 vaccine boosters, no incentive programs are planned. Last year, the state and city offered various incentives for residents to receive the first vaccine doses, including grocery store gift cards and entry into a raffle for concert tickets.

No such incentives are planned for this year, given the grocery store gift cards were purchased with one-time state funding for coronavirus vaccine distribution, Health Director Deanna DAmore said. The $446,000 ended on Dec. 31.

Our community health workers and other health department staff continue their outreach to community businesses, faith-based organizations, other agencies, and the general public to promote the importance of boosters, connect residents to local vaccine clinics and provide assistance with appointments or other needs, DAmore said.

Each Thursday afternoon, the citys health department holds a Moderna booster clinic, DAmore said. The city also compiles a list of and helps organize other booster and vaccine clinics throughout the city each week.

The full benefit of the COVID vaccine is not experienced until someone completes the entire vaccine course, and is considered fully vaccinated, which is two weeks from the final dose, and then also up to date or additional dose received, which is receiving a booster or additional dose if eligible, the weekly report read.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
For the eighth straight week the national gas price has increased.

Its way too high; it keeps going up every day, said Chelsea Lovett of Alton, an employee at the Alton Caseys General Store.

It aint going down," she said. "I change them, when they go down or up, and they just keep going up.

At $3.52 per gallon, the national price has increased 3.2 cents since last week, 20.7 cents from last month, and 88.9 cents from last year, according to GasBuddy.com. The national average price of diesel went up 5.7 cents since last week, according to GasBuddy.com, and is the highest its been since May 20, 2014 at $3.93 per gallon.

I go across the bridge to get my gas normally, said Eric Frye of Alton. If I wasnt on 'E' I wouldnt be stopping here. I would probably go across the bridge because its always anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar cheaper.

Gas prices in Alton average around $3.55 per gallon according to GasBuddy.com. Across the bridge in West Alton, prices are $3.19 a gallon, the lowest in the area according to the site. Godfrey has the lowest average Illinois price at $3.48 per gallon, closely followed by Granite City, Bethalto and Pontoon Beach which all average $3.49 per gallon. Edwardsville and Wood River average about $3.51 per gallon.

I dont like that its going up, said a Troy resident at an area gas pump. I own a business and its costing me. I fill up my work van at least once a week, maybe twice a week. But you just got to roll on; its one of those things.

Seth Whitehead, executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board, said he expects prices at the pump will continue to climb for some time.

Unfortunately I think pump prices will continue to go up, he said I think $4 a gallon is looking pretty likely. Ive even seen some forecasts for $5 and maybe even above that a gallon.

Whitehead said several factors will cause upward pressure on gas prices, including the approaching spring and summer driving seasons and the production of summer blends of gasoline.

Were in the dead of winter and thats usually when gas prices are pretty low because not a whole lot of people are driving, Whitehead said. People have been cooped up because of the pandemic. So its pretty likely that people will be out and about as the weather gets warmer.

The possible invasion of Ukraine is also a factor. Russia is the No. 3 oil producer in the world, so sanctions put in place by Europe and the United States could lead to higher gas prices.

The United States is also seeing a record oil demand right now, according to Whitehead.

22 million barrels per day, and thats without people returning to flying a lot from the pandemic, Whitehead said. So we basically have demand that our production cant keep pace with.

Whitehead said factors such as the "ESG movement"  the non-financial factors of environmental, social and governance issues  have resulted in oil and as investments declining by 50% since 2011. Labor shortages are also affecting production, he said.

A lot of factors have led to the situation we see right now across the country, he said. If you look at European gasoline prices theyre in that sort of $5.50 range. And a good comp (comparison) for whats happening in Europe is gas prices in California which are just at an absolute record high."

Whitehead said one of the main factors behind California's gas prices is the carbon tax on wholesale gasoline that is passed on to customers. Several refineries have shut down, as well, resulting in production loss.

"It kind of mirrors whats happening in Europe where theyre relying a lot more on imports than they did in the past," he said. "So that leads to higher energy prices  higher gasoline prices specifically."

Missouris gas prices are lower because gas taxes are much lower in Missouri than in Illinois, according to Whitehead. Illinois has the second highest gasoline tax in the country with state, federal and local gasoline taxes combining for 72 cents per gallon, according to Whitehead.

One bit of good news for folks in Alton  local refining with the refinery in Wood River can have downward pressure on gasoline prices because of the local sourcing, Whitehead said.

He said that while Illinois produces between 21,000 to 22,000 barrels of oil per day, the world consumes 100 million barrels per day.

Some folks I talk to think that our local producers can influence pump prices. But gasoline is traded globally and Illinois producers have no control over pump prices, Whitehead said.

Although Illinois does have the potential to produce much more oil than we are currently producing (7.4 million barrels per year), it's a big world and factors such as OPEC's suddenly vanishing spare capacity and the United States' stagnant production are much more relevant to pump prices going up.
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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Crisis and difficult: this is how Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan described his 6-year tenure.

Tatoyan gave a final news conference in his capacity as Ombudsman as his term in office is ending.

He said his term in office since day 1 was a difficult time period.

Since day 1 we worked in difficult and crisis situations. During this period of time I was guided by important principles: remain faithful to the oath of office, do everything and do as much as necessary. The April War started after I took office. I was in Artsakh already on April 3. Then, ceasefire violations happened in Tavush and elsewhere. Weve conducted fact-finding missions everywhere where it was needed, Tatoyan said.

The year of 2016, when Tatoyan took office, was difficult. The Yerevan hostage crisis happened, when gunmen ambushed a police station. Tatoyan said the following year was also difficult because it related to the protection of rights and detention conditions of the arrested and jailed persons in the case of the police station ambush.

Then, the events of April-May 2018 began, Tatoyan said, referring to the Velvet Revolution. We worked day and night. With our task forces, we frequently stayed overnight in police departments and jails to properly conduct our duties, he said.

In July 2020, Azerbaijan attacked the province of Tavush, bombarding peaceful settlements. Tatoyan was carrying out fact-finding missions and maintained contact with international organizations.

The COVID-19 pandemic period was also tense for the Ombudsman. Tatoyan said theyve been working in several directions: raising awareness, isolations, and supervision of governmental bodies.

The disastrous war which Azerbaijan launched in September of 2020 led to numerous victims and many were left with disabilities. Villages and towns were destroyed. Tatoyan said the Azerbaijani violations did not stop and continued in the direction of border towns.

I have a feeling during this entire time as if we are still at war. Weve had a significant increase of applications and complaints during our entire work. If there were 5214 written and verbal applications in the year of 2015, in 2020 there were 14,780, and 21,118 in 2021, Arman Tatoyan said.

Tatoyan said the Ombudsmans hotline also recorded rise in calls. In 2015 there were 2086 calls, in 2020 there were 11,735 and in 2021: 14,124:
It is a day of gloom for the Umuobiakwa community of Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State as a two-years old baby has been abducted.

Abia State Police Commands Spokesman, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the abduction to The Nigeria Voice News in Aba on this Tuesday.

Ogbonna revealed that the minor, with the name Precious Akataobi, was reportedly abducted by suspected child traffickers at her mothers shop in Umuobiakwa over the weekend.

Narrating how the incident happened, he said that the childs mother was with her and his elder brother in the shop until she went into the compound to bring something.

He said that the woman left the girl in the custody of her elder brother.

Ogbonna said the Police further learnt that at that point, some persons came to the shop, bought something and gave the boy N500 note to get change.

He said that as soon as the boy went into the compound to get the change from their mother, the abductors fled with the baby.

The Police Spokesman admonished residents of the state to help the police with credible information that could help in tracking down the baby and her abductors.

He advised parents to be vigilant and guard against exposing their children to danger.
A suspected motor bike thief has been killed by an angry mob in Boji Boji Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to our sources, the deceased met his waterloo at Meme Street, by Okobi Street Junction while he was struggling to kick start a bike, he allegedly stole few metres away.

We gathered that he allegedly stole the bike with registration number, Anambra GDD 620 VF belonging to a man who uses it for commercial purposes (Okada).

We learnt that the thief's ordeal began, when some person's noticed the way he was manipulating and struggling with the ignition, prompting them to raised an eyebrow.

On his failure to provide the key or the registration of the bike, the mob descended on him with stones and sticks.

We were informed that his interrogation went worse when the owner of stolen vehicle surfaced with proofs of ownership and explained how his bike was removed from where he parked it.

An eye witness account has it that in the middle of the occurrence, some members of a vigilante group came to the scene but the mob prevented them from rescuing the suspected thief.

When men of the Nigeria Police Force in the area arrived at the scene of the incident, the mob had dispersed leaving the suspect in the pool of his own blood.

The information we gathered from sources close to the police was that the man whose identity remains unknown, had died following the beating he received and his corpse had been deposited at the mortuary in the Central Hospital, Agbor for further investigation. (Delta State News Bulletin/ News Express )
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has announced a strong tie with its Cameroon counterpart, Ambazonia, after meetings overseas.

The IPOB in a statement signed by Mazi Chika Edoziem, Head of Directorate of State of the IPOB said that on February 12, 2022, a delegation from the leadership of IPOB met with the leader of the Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC) Dr. Cho Ayaba in a location in Europe where the alliance was further strengthened between the two groups.

The statement recalled that in October 2020, a team from IPOB and Ambazonia leadership met in Germany where the Foundational Memorandum of Understanding between the state of Ambazonia represented by the Ambazonia governing council (AGovC) and the state of Biafra represented by the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) was deliberated upon and adopted.

The meeting of 12th February, it said, was essentially to put some structures upon the Foundational MOU.

The meeting discussed specific and practical ways that will economically benefit our two nations and people. We agreed to work collaboratively to create the enabling environment that will help to increase exponentially the volume of economic activity the existing bilateral trade relationship between our people.

The meeting also agreed to deepen relations and cooperation in other areas of mutual interest and benefit for our people and respective Nations, the statement said.

Courtesy: Daily Independent


Production of Palm Oil, no doubt, is one of the productive activities Edo State is known for so much that the Federal Government was unarguably encouraged in 1976 to establish the Okomu Oil Palm Company before converting it to a Private Limited Company (PLC) in 1990, ostensibly to accentuate the industrialization of the product that is in nearly everything. Without any scintilla of exaggeration, the product is in close to 50% of unpackaged and packaged products we find in delicacies prepared in virtually every household, supermarkets, everything from pizza, doughnuts and chocolate, to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and lipstick. It is also used in animal feed and as a biofuel in many parts of the world.

As gathered, Okomus ambition is to develop responsible tropical agriculture as shown in its commitment to produce palm oil and rubber. Since its establishment over 40 years ago, Okomu has always dedicated itself to the production of palm oil and rubber in a way that benefits all concerned, including, but not limited to its employees, smallholders and communities helping them build a better life for future generations. Thus, the leadership asserted in one of its Statements made available to the public, says. We strive for high performance agricultural, industrial, environmental, social and ethical management of our resources to ensure the Companys long-term success, while enhancing rural livelihoods and natural resource management.

The companys leadership has also stated that its commitment to the development of her employees and communities is directed towards the sustainability and conservation of the planet and transparency with all its actions geared to the creation of value for all while ensuring the economic viability of the company, its operations and stakeholders in the long term, and Nigeria at large.

To ensure the implementation of its commitments, the company has certified its activities and developed the necessary policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs), which all its stakeholders must comply with.

Mr. Ben Esiegbe, an Agropreneur, said the benefits that are inherent in the business activities of the Oil Palm industry may not be gained by Nigerians, Edo State; being its immediate environment and Nigeria in general as the company has periodically been attacked by criminals. He said, Many benefits that are derivable from the project may not be achievable as the company has been periodically attacked. Throwing light to the benefits, he said Oil Palm is an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees, the scientific name is Elaeis guineensis. Two types of oil can be produced; crude palm oil comes from squeezing the fleshy fruit, and palm kernel oil which comes from crushing the kernel, or the stone in the middle of the fruit. Oil palm trees are native to Africa but were taken to South-East Asia just over 100 years ago as an ornamental tree crop. Now, Indonesia and Malaysia make up over 85% of global supply but there are 42 other countries that also produce palm oil.

To add voice to Esiegbes view in this context, it will be recalled in this context that in 2015, specifically in February, that unknown gunmen reportedly killed two workers of Okomu Oil Palm Plc. The gunmen, as reported, allegedly invaded the oil palm plantation of the company where about seven workers were working and shot at them, killing two of them, while the other five escaped with bullet wounds.

It was also gathered that prior to the foregoing attack that a large portion of the plantation was set ablaze by the unknown hoodlums over alleged refusal of the company management to settle them, even as the news was rife that several workers were before then attacked in the past but the management usually kept mum about the incidences.

It can also be recalled that in mid-2020 that suspected gunmen killed two of the companys unarmed security guards to which the management of the company pledged N3 million reward for any information that will lead to the arrest of the suspected gunmen.

The companys Managing Director, Dr. Graham Hefer, who made the pledge in Benin described the unknown gunmen as cold blooded assassins, and commiserated with surviving personnel of the security firm who protested the killing of their colleagues by criminals who came to steal palm fruits and rubber cup lumps from the company.

Hefer added that the death of the security personnel was a big loss to the company and urged the protesters to volunteer useful information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act, and assured that the management would work together with the company and the security agencies until those responsible for the act were apprehended and brought to book.

As if the attacks carried out so far on the Oil Palm Company were not enough, Fidelis Olise, its Communication Officer on Friday, last week, issued a Statement that the company has suffered more attacks on its plantation by suspected terrorists. According to him, the attacks were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In another message, same day, Fidelis said The hoodlums set ablaze another part of Okomu rubber plantation, explaining that that was the fourth attack on the company in less than three weeks.

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.
Despite the low greenhouse gas emissions (3%), Africa is the most threatened by climate change. ODIMEGWU ONWUMEREwrites about the concerns for Africa when all three of Africa's glaciers are gone by the 2040s

The commissioner for rural economy and agriculture at the African Union Commission, Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, had the voice heard loud and clear, like a town crier in a given village in Africa, saying that millions of Africans will be at the mercy of climate change dangers by 2050.

Sacko was worried that in a few years from now, many Africans would experience droughts, floods, and excruciating heat like never before, and this could affect the gross domestic product on the continent by up to 3%. That meant Africans were in for some pain if something serious was not done to arrest the situation.

The prediction was made despite the fact that those who know better said the continent only contributes as little as 3% of greenhouse gas emissions. There is apprehension among authorities, like those in the United Nations, that while millions of people are in danger in Africa, the continent's glaciers could all dissolve by the 2040s.

The 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report featured the desperate outcomes of a temperature increment of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, especially for Africa. From 2008 to 2011, a dry spell made monetary misfortunes comparable to 3.9 percent of Djibouti's GDP per annum.

Buttressing their point, Mount Kenya was predicted as the first in a line of mountains in Africa to lose glaciers. It is concerning that Africa is on the verge of food insecurity, poverty, and population disintegration as a result of the threat.

Just recently, as in the year 2020, storms and floods displaced about 1.2 million people on the continent, making the predictions something to earnestly worry about.

Sacko was, nonetheless, not alone in the tirade. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas, was concerned about rising temperatures and extreme weather events such as floods, landslides, and droughts in Africa, which have been accelerating in all directions of late.

According to Taalas, the last remaining glaciers in eastern Africa are rapidly disappearing due to the effects of climate change. It was gathered that Africa, like never before, had had its land mass and waters warmed more briskly than the world standard.

This is happening on a continent where its inhabitants solely get their source of food through agriculture, and its said to be more challenging in the area of increased volatility of crop and livestock produce.

While Africa is a climatologically diverse continent, climate change is happening across the continent according to each countrys demography. Stressed by that, sources said that Ethiopia might encounter huge instability in coffee yields while Mozambique might confront more noteworthy unpredictability in corn production by 2030.

Experts predict that Ethiopian wheat farmers will face an 11-percent greater chance of a 10% or greater decrease in annual yield by 2030 than they do now. Mozambique's fourth-biggest city, with significant energy framework speculation and flammable gas stores off the shore, is Beira.

Besides that, Sub-Saharan Africa has 95% of the world's downpour taking care of agribusiness, but that is also changing. Horticulture accounts for a significant portion of GDP, and work, like other climate-sensitive activities like gathering and fishing, contributes to weakness, causing pay misfortunes and expanding food insecurity.

Given that, it's understood that seven of the 10 nations that are generally helpless against environmental change are in Africa. For instance, in 2015, four African nations were positioned among the 10 nations generally impacted: Mozambique (first), Malawi (third), Ghana, and Madagascar (joint eighth position).

That showed that environmental change poses a significant danger to Africa's capacity to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals.

It's yet another prediction that Ethiopian coffee farmers' chances of experiencing a 25% or greater decline in annual yield could rise from 3.2 percent to 4.2 percent in 2030, a 31 percent increase and a 28 percent overall probability over the next ten years.

An investigation revealed that if yield shocks of this magnitude occur for both harvests at the same time, Ethiopia's GDP development rate will be reduced by nearly three percentage points given that Africa is the weakest landmass when it comes to climate change impacts under all environmental situations above 1.5 degrees Celsius.

In spite of having contributed the least to global warming and having the most reduced outflows, Africa is experiencing significant repercussions, posing significant risks to its economies, foundation ventures, water and food frameworks, general well-being, farming, and livelihoods, while attempting to repair its modest development gains and slipping into more elevated levels of extreme need.

The accompanying elements add to Africa's weakness: (1) WFP proclaimed the floods in Mozambique a Level-3 crisis, on par with Yemen and Syria; (2) A lot of the framework was annihilated in Beira, Mozambique, the focal point of Cyclone Idai.

Of course, a gigantic infrequent tragedy (in excess of 30%) of the corn crop was discovered in Mozambique and is relied upon to go from a genuinely unlikely event to a 100-year event.

It was calculated that a 25% decline in corn yields or greater would reduce Mozambique's GDP by 2.5 percent. On the other hand, cotton yields were discovered to be more consistent, but, given the small size of cotton cultivation, this does not provide a significant offset to the negative effects on corn.

The different outcomes of environmental change on regions and harvests feature the meaning of centered preparation by states, financial backers, and unfamiliar givers. These outcomes are difficult to represent in current arrangement strategies.

To begin, how prepared is Africa for the distributed climate change sway gauges that frequently center around 2050 or 2100, which is simply too long to benefit short-term decisions? Checks revealed that environmental and monetary models with a nearby center are less prevalent than models with a more extensive degree. How ready is Africa?

Alongside COVID-19 recuperation, improving environmental versatility is a pressing and continuing need. Ventures are especially required in limit advancement and innovation moves, as well as in upgrading nations' initial admonition frameworks, including climate, water and environmental noticing frameworks, said Prof. Taalas.

Under the Paris Agreement reached at COP21, all nations agreed to make an aggregate move on environmental change to keep worldwide temperature increments to something like 2 C above pre-modern levels.

In their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, African countries expressed a strong desire to build environmentally sound and low-carbon economies.

As of November 2019, 49 African nations out of 54 had approved their NDCs. Having marked and approved the Paris Agreement, essentially all African nations have focused on improving environmental activity through decreasing their ozone-depleting substance emanations and building flexibility. For the landmass, variation due to the unfavorable effects of environmental change is pressing.

According to specialists, joining exceptionally limited, itemized projections into rural preparation in Africa will help legislatures, undertakings, improvement banks, funders, and different associations, but sadly, they are looking to the West. It was observed that individual farmers and families would be better prepared to oversee climate-related dangers in the event that they had more access to agrarian monetary items like harvest protection.

When Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in April 2021 talked at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, as leader of the African Union, he clarified that every one of the new discharges cutting promises from rich nations were adequately not.

As indicated by him, it is critical that this highest point speeds up the assembly of extra and significant monetary assets. Tshisekedi was one of five African heads of state to take an interest in the culmination, joined by Gabon's Ali Bongo, Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta, Nigeria's Muhammadu Buhari, and South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa.

He kept on, saying it likewise requires improving strategies for getting access to environmental finance for the most undeveloped nations, most of which are in Africa. In such a manner, he said that he might want to emphasize the significance of the responsibility of civilized nations to prepare $100 billion per year from 2020 and to raise it by 2025.

By highlighting rich nations' unfulfilled vows, Tshisekedi zeroed in on the test at the core of a culmination where US President Joe Biden promised a nearly small $5.7 billion every year for unfortunate nations by 2024: A landmass that contributes so little to an Earth-wide temperature boost stands to be harmed the most by it. But, the world has such a long way to go from Africa regarding how to handle the environmental emergency, assuming that the world would just tune in.

Despite having 15% of the world's population, Africa is responsible for only 4% of global fossil fuel byproducts. Of the seven nations on the planet that radiate 66% of all ozone-depleting substances discharged, none are African, as per the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Meanwhile, Africa is dealing with dry seasons, floods, declining rural usefulness, and deforestation; difficult access to water; rising oceans, propelling deserts, and a provincial mass migration.

Nonetheless, on the grounds that most farmers don't have crop protection, expanding it might need support. It is, therefore, believed that Africa will require more than $3 trillion in relief and variation by 2030 to carry out its NDCs.



Odimegwu Onwumere writes from Rivers state via: [email protected]
NACC Phuket seeks arrest warrant in local corruption probe

PHUKET: Suksan Prasara-ae, Director of the Phuket office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), yesterday confirmed that an investigation had found a former Mayor of Thepkrasattri Municipality guilty of corruption.

corruptioncrime

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 12:56PM

NACC Phuket Chief Suksan Prasara-ae at the meeting yesterday (Feb 22). Photo: PR Phuket

Mr Suksan revealed the news by including it halfway through a long report on the progress of the works and investigations conducted by the NACC Region 8 office.

Mr Suksan delivered his report at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Feb 22) presided over by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew.

The NACC in Phuket has conducted various missions this [past] year, Mr Suksan said in beginning his long briefing to the Governor

Mr Suksan explained that the NACC Region 8 office had announced the disclosure of the results of the inspection of assets and liabilities of state officials under the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption. 2018, in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga and Phuket.

A total of 950 cases, comprising 205 cases of persons taking official office and 745 cases of persons vacating office, were investigated, he said.

The NACC has declared to the general public [the results of the investigations] under Section 111 of the Act by disclosing the results of the inspection of assets and liabilities via the NACC website www.nacc.go.th, he added.

Of note, the reports publicly posted by the NACC do not disclose the assets and wealth of those investigated. The reports only confirm that the people were investigated.

Mr Suksan invited people who are interested in viewing the announcement revealing the results of the inspection of assets and liabilities to follow the aforementioned steps on the website above.

Disclosure of the results of the audit assets and liabilities does not deprive the NACC of the power to conduct further investigations at a later date in the event that there is a reason to suspect the correctness or existence [of corruption], Mr Suksan said.

The next task of anti-corruption concerns is the inquiry that was accepted before the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption 2018 came into force, he said.

The NACC has considered the preliminary inquiry case, the case against the former Thepkrasattri Mayor and government officials in Thalang who were accused of corruption in the procurement of the construction project of the Thepkrasattri Municipality Fresh Market and of being unusually wealthy, Mr Suksan said.

"The NACC has ruled that [a/the] former mayor of Thepkasattri is a criminal because the official had the duty to buy, make, manage or maintain any property, and fraudulently exercised power in the position," he said.

Throughout his long delivery of this report, Mr Suksan did not name which former Mayor had been found corrupt.

With the complaint filed five years ago, and no explanation from Mr Suksan as to why the investigation took so long, Piyawat Jirajamorn was Mayor of Thepkrasattri at the time. Mr Piyawat was succeeded by Thanasan Jiramorn.

The current Mayor of Thepkrasattri is Siricharat Trairat, sister of the former mayor Prasong Trairat.

Ms Siricharat was elected to office in December, after her brother Mr Prasong resigned just months after he was elected mayor on Mar 28 last year.

Whoever the NACC now deems to be corrupt has been found guilty of causing damage by performing or refraining from performing duties in order to cause damage to any person or acting or refraining from performing duties dishonestly according to Section 151 of the Criminal Code," Mr Suksan said.

Officials also investigated reports that the individual was unusually wealthy, Mr Suksan added.

"For the unusually wealthy case, it was resolved that the allegation had no basis for the allegation, and it was dismissed, he said.

In this case, the NACC Region 8 office is working to be issued an arrest warrant by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases Region 8, Mr Suksan said.

The NACCs criminal ruling is not yet final. The accused remains innocent until the final judgment of the court," he added.
Phuket pushes for more domestic tourists

PHUKET: On the day when the national government announced the Level 4 alert for the COVID situation in the country, which asked all people in the country to refrain from interprovincial travel, the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA) and the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Phuket) together launched a coordinated push to revitalise domestic tourism to the island.

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 02:43PM

Recent international arrivals, according to Phuket Immigration at the airport. Image: Phuket Immiration

The push for domestic tourists came as the number of international arrivals still has yet to show any significant increase despite the Test & Go entry scheme reopening on Feb 1.

The PTA launched its Consumer Fair and Road Show while the TAT Phuket office launched its Phuket Great Time #3 campaign to stimulate Phuket tourism both domestically and internationally.

During a tourism situation update at a meeting at Provincial Hall chaired by Governor Narong Woonciew yesterday (Feb 22), TAT Phuket Chief Nanthasiri Ronnasiri explained that during the 215 days from from July 1, 2021 to Feb 21, 2022, a total of 331,365 people had entered Phuket under the Sandbox and Test & Go entry schemes.

Foreign tourists on average stay eight nights and spend B55,000 per person, Ms Nantasiri said.

As such, but not noted yesterday, was that with the expenditure per person given, the cost of mandatory PCR tests under the revised Test & Go and Sandbox requirements account for nearly 8% of each tourists holiday expenditure.

No explanation was given as to how much of the average expenditure, or the total expenditure figure that the average figure was derived from, was due to COVID-related requirements, such as being forced to observe 10 days stay in hotel isolation or a quarantine facility after testing positive for COIVD-19 or being designated as a high-risk contact.

Regardless, Ms Nanthasiri said that tourism to Phuket had generated direct income of more than B18 billion, which after accounting for the multiplier effect had generated more than B43bn for the national economy over the past seven and a half months.

In 2022, TAT Phuket plans to push more domestic tourists to Phuket, Ms Nathasiri said.

"For the domestic tourism promotion plan, TAT Phuket has set a target of 160mn tourists throughout 2022, and there will be activities to promote tourism at the local level in all areas during Songkran 2022 as well," she said.

Ms Nantasiri said that now there are more domestic airlines flying to Phuket. Which is a good sign for tourism, she added.

Panatchakorn Jaiyen, PTA Vice President of Domestic Marketing, said the PTA domestic marketing plan for the Thai market this year will include marketing activities to promote its Consumer Fair and Road Show.

Ms Panatchakorn stated that the PTA has already held its Phuket Det Thang Koh tourism promotion campaign and road shows at the Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok and in other provinces throughout January. The campaign is continuing throughout February, she said.

We also plan to hold a promotional activity in Udon Thani on Feb 24-27 as well, she added.

The PTA will conduct tourism promotion activities in Hat Yai, Phuket and Surat Thani during March and April, she added.

Ms Panatchakorn said that the campaign is hoped to revitalise Phukets tourism industry and generate income for the locals.

TAT Phuket Chief Ms Nanthasiri yesterday afternoon also officially launched the Phuket Great Time #3 campaign.

The campaign aims to stimulate tourism to Phuket by offering special packages and tourism-focussed services, including hotel stays, through the www.phuketgreattime.com website.

The campaign will begin on Mar 1, Ms Nanthasiri said.

The Phuket Great Time #3 campaign will focus on the 4P policy set out, promoting: Phuket Even More Amazing, Phuket Active Sport, Phuket Luxperience and Phuket Collaboration.

The campaign is being conducted under the Phuket Even More Amazing project, which is a continuation from last year, Ms Nanthasiri explained.

It has been well received by Thai tourists, she said.

"This year, TAT Phuket will expand the scope to foreign tourists and foreigners residing in Thailand, she added.

People who make bookings through the www.phuketgreattime.com website stood to win special gift vouchers or souvenirs to help make their experience more special, she said.
Police seize illegal timber used to build Phuket resort

PHUKET: Police from the Natural Resources and Environmental Crimes Suppression Division raided and seized illegal timber found stacked behind a resort located near Laem Krathing, north of Nai Harn.

crimeenvironmenttourismpoliceconstruction

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 10:09AM

The man who claimed to legally own the timber is asked to point at the illegal timber seized, which was being used to build residence buildings at the resort. Photo: Supplied

The officers seized the illegal lumber at a no-name resort located behind Laem Krating, in Moo 2, Soi Laem Mum Nok, Karon.

Although Laem Krating is geographically close to Nai Harn, which is in Rawai Subdistrict, the popular peninsula in administrative terms is located within the boundaries of Karon Subdistrict.

The timber was seized in a raid last at midday Saturday (Feb 19), officials have now reported.

The timber seized was being used to build residence buildings at the site, the officers noted.

The man who claimed to own the illegal timber, whose name was not reported by the police, initially told officers that the timber was legal and that had documented evidence.

However, the officers reported that further investigation did not find any documents that confirmed the timber was legally owned as claimed.

The police have taken a picture of the man with the seized lumber as evidence and forwarded the matter to the office of the Royal Forest Department in Karon Subdistrict for further investigation," the CSD officers noted in their report.

Residents in the area said that a 10-wheeled truck made several deliveries of timber to the resort before the officers came to investigate.

Royal Forest Department officials had already made arrests and seized illegal timber in the area in 2019, police noted in their report.

The case was prosecuted as Criminal Case No. 8022562/2019, Asset Seizure Case No. 118/2019, the report added.

"At that time, two suspects were arrested, one a former army officer with the rank of Police Lieutenant Colonel and the other a business owner who lived in the Karon area," the CSD officers noted.

The CSD officers in their latest report said the raids on illegal timber were the result of neglect by forest officials since 2019.

On Oct 30, 2019, the Forest Resources Office 12, Krabi branch, seized illegal timber and ordered prosecution according to its authority and reported [the case] to [their] Director-General, but the case was ignored until a new director took office, their report noted.

The new director also issued a letter on August 20, 2019 requesting further investigation of forest encroachment, If an offense is found, the seizure must be carried out and proceeded under Section 25, the report continued.

But forest officials in the area again ignored the order, the officers stated.

The task force officers [who conducted the raid last Saturday] therefore went to the area to inspect this time and were able to seize the illegal lumber, the report said.
Tourism operators slam Level 4 announcement

BANGKOK: Tourism operators have thrashed the government announcement increasing the COVID-19 alert to Level 4, insisting state policy should enable people to live with the virus instead of limiting travel activities.

tourismeconomicsCOVID-19

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 10:35AM

Patong Beach on Sunday (Feb 20). Photo: TAC Phuket

Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said the new COVID-19 alert will increase anxiety among people and inconsistency in business operations as demand fluctuates, reports the Bangkok Post.

This is the most worrisome situation for the tourism sector, he said.

The new alert encouraging people to avoid non-essential inter-provincial travel is no different from previous semi-lockdowns, which also impacted the industry, said Mr Chamnan.

As tourism largely depends on confidence and the governments policies, any action from the authorities should be consistent and avoid frequent flip-flops to let the tourism industry recover in the long run, he said.

Decisive action that allows economic activities to run as usual is needed after the country dealt with the pandemic for two years, said Mr Chamnan.

He said Thailand can learn from other countries that allowed people to live normal lives and simultaneously rebound from the crisis.

For instance, the Maldives prioritised the economy by fully reopening and saw tourism arrivals surpass the 2019 level, said Mr Chamnan. The country has maintained its reopening policy despite new surges. Some countries in Europe, such as Sweden, recently removed COVID test requirements and most restrictions.

The government should focus on the number of fatalities and severe cases, while rolling out concrete public health plans to calm peoples anxiety, said president of the Association of Domestic Travel Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn.

He said a proactive search for infectious people is vital to stop the highly transmissible virus and can help flatten the curve.

The government should adopt other preventive measures, such as distributing weekly free antigen test kits (ATK) to 50 million people for a month and setting up ATK test sites in communities, fresh markets or mass public transit points, said Mr Thanapol.

He said Tour Teaw Thai, a tour package subsidy programme, is expected to lose steam as families and the elderly  the two key targets  might delay their trips over the next two weeks.

Mr Thanapol said the programme, which is due to end on April 31, should be extended to July to leave more time for those who want to wait and see.

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is not worried about the Public Health Ministrys latest warning as it believes the government can cope with higher daily infections.

The number of Omicron cases is increasing, but the fatality rate remains low compared with the Delta variant, said Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the FTI.

However, the federation said if the government resorts to lockdown measures to control the spread of the virus, it will have a negative impact on the economy.

The FTI wont agree if the government uses lockdown measures again because the economy needs to recover, he said.

Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the Level 4 alert will impact consumer confidence, particularly for shopping at department stores and restaurants.

He said the private sector viewed the higher level as a warning to all parties, both the government and the public, to be aware of outbreaks and strictly follow the Public Health Ministrys advice.

The chamber previously urged the government to improve the Test & Go scheme by waiving the RT-PCR test requirement on the fifth day to reduce unnecessary expenses.

The move will help the economy improve, not only the tourism sector but also trade, services and investments, said Mr Sanan.

Meanwhile, Wallaya Chirathivat, president and chief executive of SET-listed retail and property developer Central Pattana, said the company is accepting any measures and plans to adapt to the new alert.

The current COVID-19 situation is different from the last two years. Omicron has spread rapidly, but we learned quickly that the variant caused mild symptoms among the vaccinated, she said.

Ms Wallaya said operators are more flexible in doing business because this is not the first time they have faced a soaring number of COVID-19 cases given previous waves the past two years.

We urge the government to recognise retail complexes as hygienic venues as few cases have been detected in such places, she said.
US sanctions Russia for beginning invasion of Ukraine

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden yesterday (Feb 22) announced tough new sanctions on Russia for beginning an invasion of Ukraine but said there was still time to avoid war, even as Vladimir Putin signaled plans to send troops beyond Russias borders.

RussianeconomicsmilitarypoliticsUkraine

By AFP

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 10:13AM

Maxar satellite imagery taken on Monday (Feb 21) shows a new deployment of Russian material support and troops in Krasnyy Oktyabr, a rural area southwest of Belgorod, Russia, less than 20 kilometers from the Ukraine border. Photo: AFP

Russias upper house, the Federation Council, gave Putin unanimous approval to deploy peacekeepers to two breakaway Ukrainian regions now recognized by Moscow as independent, and potentially into other parts of Ukraine.

Biden announced what he called the first tranche of sanctions, including steps to starve Russia of financing and target financial institutions and the countrys elites.

But he left the door open to a final effort at diplomacy to avert a full-scale Russian invasion.

Theres no question that Russia is the aggressor, so were clear eyed about the challenges were facing, the president said.

Nonetheless, there is still time to avert the worst case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people.

Bidens address followed a wave of sanctions announced by Britain and the European Union, after Putin recognized the self-declared Donetsk and Lugansk rebel republics.

Germany also announced it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Putins plans remained unclear, but Western officials have been warning for weeks he has been preparing an all-out invasion of Ukraine, a move that could spark a catastrophic war in Europe.

Rejection of diplomacy

The Biden administration signaled it no longer believes Russia is serious about avoiding conflict, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov scheduled for tomorrow.

Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting, Blinken said.

Speaking to journalists, Putin said the Minsk peace agreements on Ukraines conflict no longer existed and he recognized claims by the separatists to more territory than they currently control.

But he added that the deployment of Russian troops would depend on the specific situation... on the ground and appeared to offer Ukraine a way out by giving up on its hopes to join the US-led NATO military alliance.

The best solution... would be if the current Kyiv authorities themselves refused to join NATO and maintained neutrality, Putin said.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had every indication that Moscow continues to plan for a full-scale attack on Ukraine.

Kyiv showed no sign of backing down, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba meeting Biden to appeal for more military aid.

Russias recognition move prompted an emphatic condemnation from United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, who called it a death blow to the Minsk Agreements endorsed by the (UN) Security Council.

Further military aggression

Biden said in his White House address the United States would continue to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine and deploy more US troops to reinforce NATO allies in Eastern Europe.

Kyiv recalled its top diplomat from Moscow as President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Putins recognition of the breakaway regions heralded further military aggression against Ukraine.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said EU foreign ministers unanimously agreed on an initial sanctions package, as he also canceled a meeting with his Russian counterpart.

The sanctions will hurt Russia and will hurt a lot, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters.

Britain slapped sanctions on five Russian banks and three billionaires, and Canada followed suit with similar measures.

In some capitals there has been debate over whether Moscow sending troops into an area that was already controlled by Russian-backed rebels amounts to the kind of all-out invasion that would justify imposing the harshest sanctions.

But Putins rhetoric was sure to raise concerns.

Russia said it had established diplomatic relations at the level of embassies with the separatist-controlled regions, which broke away from Kyiv in 2014 in a conflict that cost 14,000 lives.

Lavrov sent congratulations to his counterparts in the Donetsk Peoples Republic and the Lugansk Peoples Republic.

We werent expecting this

A Ukrainian soldier died yesterday and six suffered injuries in clashes with Moscow-backed rebels in the east, the army said.

In the frontline town of Shchastya, shellfire rang out around an electric power station as fearful residents awaited the Russian deployment.

A shell hit the roof of 59-year-old Valentyna Shmatkovas apartment block overnight, shattering all the windows in her two-room apartment.

We spent the war in the basement, she said, referring to the 2014 fighting.

But we werent expecting this. We never thought Ukraine and Russia wouldnt end up agreeing.

After a dramatic televised meeting with his top officials, Putin spoke to the Russian people Monday in an often angry hour-long address from his Kremlin office.

He railed against Ukraine as a puppet of the West, accusing Kyiv of preparing a blitzkrieg to retake the separatist regions.

US and Asian stocks sank Tuesday on war fears and concerns over sanctions.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. A stable decline in COVID-19 cases is being observed in Armenia in the past several weeks, Minister of Healthcare Anahit Avanesyan said at the Cabinet meeting today.

Yesterday 4759 citizens were tested, the new cases are 946, we have 24 deaths. At this moment Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 sub-strains are being circulated in Armenia. Every week we carry out sample tests, and it seems the Delta variant has been completely pushed out under the influence of the Omicron variant, the Minister said, adding that in case of being infected with Omicron variant citizens more easily overcome the virus, however, she informed that death cases have also been registered.

The Minister urges to keep the vigilance and quickly organize the vaccinations of especially the elderly people and those with chronic diseases.

Among citizens over 60, 40% have been vaccinated. This figure has increased over the past 1-2 months, but we make all efforts to raise the vaccination rates. A total of 1 million 80 thousand 15 citizens received their first dose of the vaccine, which comprises 47.9% of the adult population. 905 thousand 624 citizens received the second dose, which comprises 40% of the adult population. We also conduct booster shot vaccinations. 20,196 citizens have received the booster shot, Anahit Avanesyan said.

She informed that the process of reducing the number of beds for COVID-19 patients in hospitals will start soon.
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Clearfield, PA (16830)

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The delivery of 1,250 M4A1 rifles arrived in Dakar, Senegal Jan. 21. The shipment of weapons is part of a foreign military sales case that will include up to 5,000 M4A1 rifles and accessories expected over the next couple years. The Senegal armed forces are replacing their current M16A1s with the M4s in a modernization effort to upgrade their small arms and light weapons.
This image of the supernova Cassiopeia A combines some of the first X-ray data collected by IXPE, shown in magenta, with high-energy X-ray data from Chandra, in blue.
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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan says they are closely following the developments taking place around Ukraine.

We consider all factors, we are in touch with both exporters and businessmen. We also consider the opportunities which we can use to mitigate the potential shocks, such as the depreciation of the [Russian] ruble, and so on. We had a consultation with exporters yesterday, he said.

Kerobyan added that the government of Armenia is very concerned by the situation.

We will try to do so that our economic entities suffer as little as possible, the minister said.
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Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

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CARLINVILLE  Blackburn College is launching a new Center for Faculty Development and Inclusive Teaching.

The program will provide diverse learning opportunities for faculty such as workshops, seminars, and ongoing faculty orientation as well as mini-grants for collaborative projects focused on inclusive teaching and learning as well as supplemental funding for books, materials, and supplies.

The college recently received a $50,000 Presidents Lab Development Grant from the Endeavor Foundation to assist in funding the program.

In addition to their work in classrooms, studios, and labs, our faculty have collective responsibilities for the curriculum of the college and for the academic policies that shape the environment of students holistic academic experiences," said Provost Karla McCain. "Faculty need continuing opportunities to engage and celebrate their work as scholars.

"While Blackburn does not have an explicit research requirement, there is an ongoing emphasis on professional development," McCain said. "Blackburns faculty produce creative products, publish scholarships related to teaching and learning. They serve in advisory roles as content experts and supervise students working on community-based research projects. This new center will provide a venue for encouraging, supporting, and celebrating this work while also modeling for our students how to participate in intellectual dialogue.

McCain also announced the first director of the center will be Dr. John Essington, Professor of Teacher Education at Blackburn. After attending the college as a student, Essington returned to campus as a faculty member in early 2020. He primarily works with middle and high school education majors.

I believe that the new Center for Faculty Development and Inclusive Teaching will serve a myriad of purposes," he said. "Its goal is not to solely focus on faculty development for development sake but equally on student growth and retention by heightening faculty awareness and skill over a vast array of pedagogical and socioemotional praxis.

The New York-based Endeavor Foundation supports excellence in liberal arts education.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity offered by the Endeavor Foundation to bring this initiative to reality for Blackburn," said McCain. "We are excited about the impact this program will have on student success at Blackburn and how it will enrich intellectual life on campus.
John Badman

ALTON  Tuesday ceremonies in Alton marked the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Alton Mayor David Goins and Grafton Mayor Michael R. Morrow joined U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District Commander Col. Kevin R. Golinghorst in signing proclamations celebrating the corps' 150th anniversary of managing the area's rivers.
SPRINGFIELD  A bill introduced by state Sen. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, would aid Illinois wineries hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance (IGGVA) is seeking support for Crowe's Senate Bill 2976 to help provide relief for Illinois wineries that have experienced a drop in tourism and seen an increase in licensing fees during the pandemic.

SB 2976 would reduce a the licensing fee increase imposed on Illinois wineries during the height of the pandemic when many wineries struggled to stay afloat. The bill would also provide balance for wine production and self-distribution limits compared to counterparts in the beer and spirits industries.

With ongoing challenges created by the pandemic, the wine industry in Illinois is still working to bounce back and prove its resilience, Crowe said. By increasing the production cap and allowing makers to sell more wine directly to retailers, Illinois can offer support to one of its vital but struggling industries.

Illinois is one of the top wine-drinking states in the country, the states wineries are prohibited from producing and selling wine at levels that compare with their peers in the beer and spirits industries, according to the IGGVA.

If we had the ability to increase the volume of wine that were distributing, we could expand our coverage area and better serve retailers with more product variety at a lower price  all of which would benefit our consumers, said Jim Ewers, general manager of Blue Sky Vineyard in Makanda.

Allowing us to produce and directly distribute more would also lead to more work, more jobs, and greater benefits to our local economy as well," he said. "It really makes no sense to keep these caps in place that have only limited our growth.

Specifically, SB 2976 would:

 Reduce a 60% increase in licensing fees for Illinois wineries implemented last year;

 Increase limits on wine production and self-distribution on par with the beer and spirits industries; and

 Eliminate negative impacts of a loss of premise license for wineries that decide to expand manufacturing operations to include beer or spirits.

With our winery sitting directly across the river from Missouri, we see firsthand the differences in the way the state of Missouri treats their wineries compared to Illinois, said Mike Nikonovich, owner of the Grafton Winery.

Missouris license fee is capped at $300 annually, with very minimal rules related to production and self-distribution," he said. "Additionally, Illinois wineries pay over $2 more per case in state gallonage taxes than Missouri wineries. While that may not seem like much, it does add up over the course of the year, especially when you also factor in the higher Illinois property taxes.

According to a 2019 IGGVA report before the pandemic, the Illinois wine industry had a $5.7 billion total economic impact. The report also found the Illinois wine industry:

 Paid $878 million in federal, state and local taxes;

 Employed over 52,000 full-time jobs;

 Paid $2.15 billion in wages; and

 Entertained more than 278,000 tourists.

The study defined the Illinois wine industry as wine grape growers, wine producers, wine wholesalers, wine retailers (on and off premise), wine tourism, wine research and education and wine grape growing associations in the state.
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Mardi Gras time has arrived in the Riverbend.

Saturday marks the return of "Wordi Gras," Worden's 15th annual redneck take on Mardi Gras that has grown to attract bus groups and overnight campers to the village of about 1,000 people. The all-ages parade steps off at 3 p.m. complete with floats and plenty of beads.

Starting at 11 a.m., food and merchandise vendors along Wall Street will feature fare ranging from barbeque to Cajun delights. Live music is planned well into the night at The Yellow Dog Cafe and Bar and the Worden American Legion.

Granite City this year is also marking Mardi Gras with brand new events.

The city's inaugural Mardi Gras parade is set for 1 p.m. followed by a Cajun Cookoff on Niedringhaus Avenue 2-5 p.m. with music by the American Originals. Kids can play games in Alligator Alley, guests can shop at local vendors, and a local bar crawl is planned 5-10 p.m.

For more information, email gcmardigras@gmail.com.

Saturday also brings Mississippi Meanderings at 1 p.m. at the National Great Rivers Museum at Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton.

The Mississippi River Water Trail will host Perry Whitaker who will discuss his Mississippi River speed paddling attempt last year. Other topics include jumping river carp and the creation of Cahokia.

The event is limited to 50 people inside the museum, but will also be available via livestream on the internet.

Pere Marquette State Park also has informative programs this weekend, with Bald Eagle Days set 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

All programs start at the park's visitor center at 8:30 a.m. with a short video presentation followed by an observational drive to view wintering bald eagles. Participants are urged to dress warmly and have a full tank of gas, binoculars, waterproof boots and snacks.

For more information or reservations, call 618-786-3323, Ext. 1 for reservations.

If you're looking for something a little warmer, consider St. Andrew's Book Fair Friday and Saturday at the Episcopal church at 406 Hillsboro Ave. in Edwardsville.

The event will feature more than 20,000 used books as well as DVDs, CDs, vinyl records, jigsaw puzzles and games.

Hours are 3-8 p.m. Friday, by reservation only, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. For reservations visit https://www.standrews-edwardsville.com/ or call 618-656-1294.
Westerly, RI (02891)

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YEREVAN, 23 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 23 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.35 drams to 478.78 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.78 drams to 543.46 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.04 drams to 6.03 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.43 drams to 651.19 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 108.29 drams to 29248.49 drams. Silver price up by 4.50 drams to 369.59 drams. Platinum price up by 150.67 drams to 16732.34 drams.
Fraudsters are exploiting security flaws to take out O2 phone contracts using stolen identities leaving innocent families on the hook for hefty bills.

Customers have also seen their credit scores plummet because the telecoms giant is taking weeks or even months to investigate their complaints.

Last month, Money Mail published a letter from a 76-year-old woman who was chased by the mobile provider for arrears on an iPhone and iPad she had never bought.

Spinning a line: Criminals are taking out O2 mobile phone contracts using stolen details before leaving innocent families on the hook for hefty bills

More readers enduring lengthy battles with the mobile giant to cancel fraudulent contracts have since come forward.

Experts believe scammers may have identified a weakness in the firms security checks.

Julie McCue, 37, received two bills for a total of 918 and spent days fighting for answers from O2.

The single mother says she was told that contracts for an iPhone and landline had been taken out in her name, and that other people had experienced similar problems.

But it took O2 two months to shut down the accounts. By then, the late payment had knocked 200 points off her credit score, which nearly scuppered her plans to move to a new rental property.

Julie, from Manchester, says: O2 should have never allowed a contract to be signed in my name in the first place.

The whole experience has just been appalling.

Victims of such scams have usually had their personal details leaked or stolen online. This can happen if there is a data breach or a company is subjected to a cyber attack. Fraudsters then use the stolen details to pose as legitimate customers and pass credit checks.

Once ordered, phones are intercepted before they are delivered, or redirected to other addresses.

The O2 fraud team has recorded a spate of these cases  and dozens of people have taken to social media to complain about the issue.

Cybersecurity expert Jake Moore says: Once scammers have identified a weakness in a companys security procedure, they will continue to abuse it until that door is closed.

O2 insists its security systems are not to blame. It is understood that many of the accounts were opened with temporary bank cards set up in victims names without their knowledge. O2 is no longer accepting the cards as payment for contracts.

But the company failed to explain why it was seeing a disproportionate number of these cases compared with other firms.

James Howard, 75, was sent a letter demanding 35 a few days before Christmas. He was caring for his wife Linda, 73, at the time, while she recovered from major surgery.

The letter said the money had to be paid within a fortnight or the case might be passed to a debt collection agency. James wrote back saying he had never signed a contract with O2 and asked for a copy of the document.

Although the firm apologised for his experience and directed him to its fraud team, two more letters arrived demanding 30.99. It took two months and Money Mails intervention for the firm to close the account.

Security flaws: Critics warn that mobile phone firms are not doing enough to verify customers' identities online or in branch

Retired engineer James, from Eldwick, West Yorkshire, says: Ive lost weight because Ive been so anxious about this. I dont see why they couldnt just send us the contract.

Critics warn that mobile phone firms are not doing enough to verify customers identities online or in branch.

When Money Mail applied for a mobile contract with O2, Three and EE online, we were only asked for basic information such as a name, date of birth, address and employment status. Not one asked for photo ID as proof of identity.

Martyn James, of complaints site Resolver, says: This should not be happening, as mobile firms should be carrying out stricter checks.

Mobile phone contracts used to require a photo ID and recent utility bill to prove the address.

Telecoms watchdog Ofcom is not required to oversee what identity checks firms carry out for credit agreements.

Nurse Hannah Brown, 30, waited more than three months for O2 to close the account a fraudster had set up in her name at a branch.

She received her first letter from O2 in October  a 26.50 bill for a mobile phone she knew nothing about.

When she rang O2, she was assured the account would be closed and its fraud team would be in touch. However, a month later she received another bill for the same amount.

When she called the mobile company again, she was told that only its fraud department could shut down the account.

Since then she has received another five bills  the latest demanding 168.

Hannah says: I have got really upset when Ive been on the phone to O2, but I just get told they are sorry and that there is nothing they can do without the fraud team.

O2 has apologised for errors in handling all three customer cases and says any notes on their credit files will be cleared.

It is understood the company carries out other background checks to make sure customers are who they say they are.

A spokesman says: At Virgin Media O2 we take the security of our customers incredibly seriously and protecting them from fraud is a priority.

We have robust processes in place and always act quickly when we see new patterns of fraudulent activity emerging to help keep our customers safe.

f.parker@dailymail.co.uk
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has unveiled the name of the consumer healthcare business that it plans to spin out later this year.

It will be called Haleon, a combination of the Old English word 'Hale', meaning 'in good health', and 'Leon' which the company said is associated with the word 'strength'.

The name was developed with input from staff, healthcare practitioners and consumers and will be used in over 100 markets.

Scrutiny: GSK's chief exec Emma Walmsley's (pictured) plans to spin off the business came under fire last year from activist investor Elliott Management

Brian McNamara, chief executive-designate of Haleon, said it aimed to 'deliver better everyday health with humanity'.

When the separation is complete, Haleon will own a large portfolio of well-known brands including Sensodyne toothpaste, Panadol painkillers and Centrum vitamins.

Around 800 GSK staff will be moved from the headquarters in Brentford to temporary offices in Weybridge, Surrey, while a corporate HQ for Haleon is constructed.

The firm will also be listed on the London Stock Exchange as a separate entity, with a value of 60billion, making it a candidate for the FTSE 100 index.

That would mean Haleon is worth more than mining giant Glencore as well as banks Lloyds and Barclays. The board will be chaired by former Tesco chief Dave Lewis.

The name received a muted reception from investors, with shares dipping 0.2 per cent, or 3.8p, to 1557.6p yesterday.

Haleon's emergence comes ahead of a planned capital markets day on Monday when GSK will provide investors with more detail on its strategy and operations.

It follows months of pressure on chief executive Emma Walmsley, whose plans to spin off the business came under fire last year from activist investor Elliott Management.

The feared hedge fund argued the division should be sold rather than floated. It also said Walmsley should reapply for her job at what is left of GSK once Haleon is split off.

Last month, GSK rebuffed offers for the business from consumer goods giant Unilever, which sparked a backlash from investors against Unilever boss Alan Jope.

There were developments yesterday at rival Astrazeneca, which said chairman Leif Johansson, 69, will retire next year.

He has held the role since 2012 and courted controversy last year when he decided to stay despite his tenure exceeding nine years, the period considered best practice under corporate governance rules.
Western leaders could ban Russia from a crucial global payments system as they step up pressure on Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine.

Sanctions have already been slapped on Russia  including by the UK  in a bid to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

This is the first tranche, the first barrage of what we are prepared to do, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after he took action against five Russian banks and three businessmen close to President Putin.

Concerns: A move to ban Russia from Swift is understood to be opposed by the Treasury and Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) amid fears that it would do more harm than good

Another option being talked about by Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, is to ban Russias access to the Swift international payments system.

However, such a move is understood to be opposed by the Treasury and Chancellor Rishi Sunak amid fears that it would do more harm than good.

Swift  the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication  is little known but is one of the most vital financial systems in the world, underpinning trillions of dollars of transactions a day.

Founded in Brussels in 1973, Swift acts as a messaging system for banks, transmitting payment requests and keeping a record of them in servers in Europe and the US.

It was formed by American and European banks because Citi was developing its own network and rivals hated the idea of a monopoly in private hands. It is now owned by more than 2,000 banks and financial institutions.

It handles 42million messages per day worth 1.1trillion, including orders and confirmations for payments, trades and currency exchanges.

Experts say cutting Russia off would result in a severe disruption in payments for the countrys businesses, damaging its powerful oil and gas industry.

Russia is a frequent user of Swift, accounting for 1.5 per cent of global transactions, and officials have estimated being cut off could cause the countrys economy to contract by 5 per cent.

In 2012 Iranian banks were blocked from Swift and the effects were devastating, with oil exports from the Middle East nation dropping from 3m barrels per day to 1m a day.

Russia currently exports 5m barrels per day, with over half of this being sent to countries in Europe.

Susannah Streeter, investment analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: The move would be sanctions by stealth, hurting Russia without targeting specific companies or banks.

Banning Russia from Swift would make it harder to do business with the West, but it wouldnt cut off vital energy supplies needed.

Ultimately, the final decision will be taken in Washington, as 40 per cent of Swift payment flows are in US dollars.

Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for Russia to be blocked from Swift.

It is used by ordinary people as well as businesses, and critics of the plans fear they could be caught up as collateral damage.

There are also question marks over whether sanctions would have the desired effect given that Russia is holding billions in foreign exchange reserves.

A second analyst said: The countrys foreign exchange reserves have reached 470billion, its public debt has reduced, and its debt-to-GDP ratio is at 12 per cent.

In the current context, Russia can largely resist Western sanctions. It has also pivoted towards China for a lot of its business.

Paying via Swift is simple to do and is a service offered by most major banks. It has been made easier in recent years by internet banking start-ups like Wise which offer it for a fee.

But there are major challengers to the system including Facebooks Diem project, which hopes to use blockchain to disrupt the payments systems.

Some of Swifts own members are also challenging it. JP Morgan is developing a blockchain system called Onyx with a messaging system called Liink, which is already moving billions each day.

Russia has also developed an alternative messaging system called SPFS, which handles about a fifth of domestic payments, but this remains less capable and more limited in scope than Swift.
It is the addictive daily word game that has taken the world by storm.

But could Wordle be the key to getting young people interested in pensions? That was the question raised by insurance experts at an industry event yesterday.

Barry ODwyer, president of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said similar games could be used to make pensions and long-term savings more appealing to the younger generation.

The Association of British Insurers says games like Wordle (pictured) could be used to make pensions and long-term savings more appealing to younger generation

He told the ABI annual conference: There is stuff we can do around the gamification of savings.

'We can help people to tap into that Wordle-style competitiveness and motivate them to do better for themselves.

Mr ODwyer, who is group chief executive officer at mutual Royal London, stressed: We dont want to make this into something trivial.

The industry has long been concerned by the lack of interest among young people in adding to their pensions.

The Government is planning an online pensions dashboard to list all pots and savings in one place, so workers can see how their retirement is shaping up.

Any employee over 22 is automatically enrolled to pay into a pension.

The minimum contribution is 4 per cent from the employee, 3 per cent from the employer and 1 per cent via tax relief.

For many, this alone would not deliver a decent retirement income.

h.kelly@dailymail.co.uk
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YEREVAN, 23 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Germany called on Russia to step back from the recognition of the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, ARMENPRESS reports, the Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Tobias Linder announced at the session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.



''Russia must immediately change its course. Firstly, I call on Russia to reduce the tension, withdraw troops from Ukraine, in particular from the self-proclaimed regions and the peninsula of Crimea, as well as from the borders of Ukraine. Secondly, Russia should step back from actions, which promote the provocation of large-scale military conflict with Ukraine. Thirdly, I call on Russia to step back from the decision of recognition of separate entities said Linder.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres made several statements on the situation in eastern Ukraine that are not compatible with his status, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, opening talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on Wednesday, Tass informs.

February 23, 2022, 16:58 UN Secretary General made statements on Ukraine incompatible with his status, Lavrov says

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 23, ARTSAKHPRESS: "To our great regret, the UN Secretary General whom you are representing turned out to be susceptible to pressure by the West and recently made several statements incompatible with his status and his authority under the UN Charter," he said.

The Russian top diplomat noted that Moscow conveyed to Guterres its assessment of his statements. According to Lavrov, the UN Secretary General has never expressed support for the necessity to implement the Minsk Accords and the UN Security Council resolution on the same matter.

"With regards to the situation in Ukraine, the [UN] secretary general has not raised his voice even once to support the necessity of complying with the requirements of the Minsk Package of Measures and Resolution 2202 of the [UN] Security Council which directly demand to resolve all issues by coordination between Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk. Nobody mentioned this in the West. And, unfortunately, the secretary general followed this sad example," the Russian foreign minister said.
Princeton, KY (42445)

Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High around 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.
The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan issued a statement, according to which the units of the Defense Army opened fire on the Azerbaijani positions in the south-eastern direction of the Artsakh Republic on February 23 at around 10:05.

February 23, 2022, 17:00 Azerbaijani side violated ceasefire regime. Defense Army

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 23, ARTSAKHPRESS: In fact, it was the Azerbaijani side that violated the ceasefire on this part of the frontline, as a result of which the Armenian side did not suffer any casualties, Artsakh Defense Ministry informs.
Kingsport, TN (37660)

Today

Thunderstorms during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High 77F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low around 50F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Uganda plans to impose fines on people who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who fail to pay could be sent to prison under a new public health law which lawmakers are scrutinising, parliament said on Tuesday.

Although the East African country started administering COVID-19 jabs nearly a year ago, only about 16 million jabs have been administered in a population of 45 million, with officials blaming widespread reluctance for the low coverage.

Parliaments house health committee has begun scrutinising Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021 which seeks to make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory.

The new law proposes a fine of 4 million Ugandan shillings ($1,139) for those who fail to get vaccinated.

According to the proposal, those who do not get vaccinated against COVID-19 will be fined 4 million shillings or (receive) a jail term of six months, parliament said in a statement on its website.

The parliament statement quoted health minister Jane Ruth Aceng as telling lawmakers on the committee that mandatory vaccinations would ensure enough people are vaccinated so that we create mass immunity. It is important that whoever is supposed to be vaccinated, is vaccinated.

The statement did not say when the proposed law was likely to be brought before all members of parliament for approval.

Uganda fully re-opened its economy last month after two years of anti-coronavirus measures that included curfews, businesses and school closures, the shutting of borders and other steps.

The strict measures helped curb the pandemic but drew widespread criticism from Ugandans whose businesses and livelihoods were affected.

The country has recorded about 163,000 cases of COVID-19 and 3,500 deaths, health ministry data show.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Starting out as a journalist where I learned how to research and build a story based on facts has served me well because so much of what Ive written evolves from my research and not just my imagination, said Irish-born writer Colm Toibin, who will be appearing on Thursday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Page Hall of the University at Albany downtown campus. The talk is presented by the New York State Writers Institute and is free.

He has published 11 novels, two short story collections, numerous essays and poetry. Two of his most famous novels have covered the lives of great writers: Henry James (The Master, 2004) and 1929 Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann (The Magician, 2021).

I had to be careful with the book about Mann. There was so much public turmoil going on during his lifetime in Germany with the first world war, the rise of Nazism, and the second World War. I wanted to keep the book intimate but with so much going on it could have turned into a blockbuster.

In his research Toibin discovered many similarities between the two writers. They both lived secret erotic lives and were attracted to men. James lived during a time of peace, but Mann didnt have that. It wasnt possible for James to ever live an open life as a homosexual. If he had stayed in Paris it might have been possible, but when he returned to England in the 1870s, he was destined to be a bachelor. There was no other choice.

Mann grew up in a conservative family in a conservative part of northern Germany. Like James, Mann lived a life of caution. They were also bourgeois people and Mann liked his domestic life, being married and the father of six dynamic children.

Toibin wrote much of The Magician in Los Angeles where he lives part of the year and does much of his writing. In 1933 Mann went into exile from Germany and refused to ever go back, and after living for a time in Princeton, New Jersey, he eventually moved his family to L.A.

L.A. is and was a city of foreigners filled with many people of different accents. When Mann and other Germans moved there in the late 1930s they discovered it was also cheap. These German immigrants fell in love with the weather, and the views of the ocean. They werent looking for another Germany.

The years in L.A. were some of the happiest for Mann, Toibin said. Around 1941 Thomas Mann became heroic in this country because of his friendship with Franklin Roosevelt. He also went on tour throughout the country sometimes speaking to over 5,000 people about the importance of freedom and democracy and why America needed to defeat Germany, his onetime homeland.

According to Toibin, Manns speeches gave America the sense that the war was not just about defeating the Nazis but also about spreading the idea of freedom. No one from Japan or Italy was going around the country speaking about winning the war. Manns books were also selling very well at this time. Most families in America had at least one Thomas Mann book in their home.

Toibin believes that Mann would have been content to live out his days in America and write, but McCarthyism began in the late 1940s and once again he was thrust back into politics. He had gone back to Germany to speak, and the Americans didnt want him to visit the Eastern Zone. Mann thought if he didnt go, he would be perceived as a puppet of the United States. He told the government officials that German was spoken on both sides of the wall, so he went, and once he did that his days in America were numbered.

The Thomas Mann Toibin wrote about was a bit of a loner, but he was surrounded by six children with strong personalities and an independent wife in Katia Pringshem Mann, the scion of a wealthy and cultured Jewish family. The book is really the story of a marriage, a strange and successful marriage."

Toibins most well-known book was Brooklyn (2009), which was made into an Academy Award-nominated film. Sometimes you can get a lot out of a little. That story came about from an oral history of Brooklyn when an old Italian guy said casually that back in the 1950s a lot of Italians were looking for Irish girlfriends. That wasnt known in Ireland. If it was, every Irish girl would have left for America.

Once Toibin heard that statement much of the story began to come into place. I thought I was writing an Irish book because the main character was the Irish girl, but I didnt realize for so many Americans theyve heard stories of their ancestors coming to this country with one suitcase and not knowing where to turn. That immigrant story seems to be imbedded in the memories of so many Americans, and Ive had many people come up to me and say how their father is Italian and their mother is Irish.

He was very happy with the film and felt it all came together perfectly. I had the right screenplay writer in Nick Hornby and John Crowley was the perfect director who found those wonderful Irish actors. Saoirse Ronan was the perfect age to play the lead part.

He is currently teaching two classes at Columbia University: One on Henry James and another on James Joyce. I have no time to write, but I find teaching these two writers sharpens me in many ways, and I always get a lot of good ideas.
Should older New Yorkers, say, those over 50, have protections enshrined in the state constitution?

That may be one way to fight what a group of lawmakers and AARP activists say is rampant ageism in society and the workplace, but amending the constitution is a long and arduous process.

In the meantime, participants in a panel discussion on Tuesday agree that with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent "Great Resignation" of people leaving the workforce, employers should look to those over 50 as a rich vein of dependable, experienced employees.

Thats not necessarily happening, however, and as a result, a handful of state lawmakers are looking at legislation that would make it harder for an employer to screen out a job applicant based on age.

One such idea, raised by Democratic New York City Sen. Liz Krueger and Ron Kim, a Democratic assemblyman from New York, would be to prohibit employers from asking about a job applicants birth date or graduation year. Most employers no longer do that, but those questions do come up occasionally, said Krueger.

I in my office have had people call me and tell me, they would be asked what their date of birth was or what the date of their high school graduation was, said Krueger, who heads the Senate finance committee.

Another possibility entails lowering the threshold for an age discrimination charge from the but for concept to that of a motivating factor.

Rather than proving that someone would have been hired but for their age, plaintiffs would have to prove that advanced age was a motivating factor in denying someone a job.

The first reason has been very hard to prove in federal age discrimination cases, noted Democratic New York City Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who is proposing such a bill with fellow New York City Democratic Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn.

Biaggi said that measure would be analogous to what happened in 2019 when the standards for declaring a victim of sexual harassment were eased.

Before the change, judges required proof of a severe and persistent harassment to find that state human rights law had been violated. Now, the law says that a violation occurred if a reasonable person would say that an action amounted to harassment.

That made is easier for people to argue they had been harassed.

There is a gap in the way the law has treated those who have experienced age discrimination, said Biaggi. It becomes normalized when not addressed.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Some of the measures are more prosaic. Syracuse Democratic Sen. Rachel May, for example, is backing a measure that would make employers provide seating accommodations for certain jobs rather than making people stand all day, except for when its absolutely necessary.

Workers in many retail outlets, or other public venues often are required to stand for long periods of time.

An AARP snap poll taken during the online discussion found that 83 percent of those questioned said they had experienced or knew someone who had experienced age discrimination.

In some cases, anti-ageism laws could conflict with other rules, such as the state requirement that judges retire at age 70. How do we square that?, asked Jeffrey Reinhardt, a lawyer who focuses on elder law.

Krueger noted that voters several years ago rejected an amendment that would have lifted the mandatory retirement age.

And May wondered if some jobs, including those with lifetime academic tenure, or even U.S. Supreme Court appointments, should come with set terms rather than lifetime employment.

She has seen academics who have stayed on the job even though they werent benefiting their students. They may just be phoning it in after a while, she said.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
Putnam County residents, friends and fellow students are remembering a 21-year-old SUNY Potsdam student who was shot to death on Friday.

Elizabeth Howell, known as Beth by her friends and family, was recalled as an incredible individual who loved music and was an active member of the community through her teaching of swimming, lifeguarding and cello.

Potsdam village police said they responded to a report of an unconscious woman on College Park Road near the music school on Friday around 5:51 p.m. Howell was found with gunshot wounds and rushed to the Canton-Potsdam Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter. A 31-year-old Massena man has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing.

Howell grew up with three siblings in Putnam Lake, a close-knit community in Putnam County. She graduated from Brewster High School in 2018, where she participated in the National Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC).

Beth was a stellar student, an accomplished musician, an exceptional leader who served as Commander of our NJROTC Unit, and an all-around kind person, wrote Deputy Superintendent Dr. Michelle Gosh and Superintendent Dr. Laurie Bandlow in statement from the Brewster Central School District. Beth touched many lives while she was a student in Brewster, and we mourn the loss of the shining and talented star.

Swimmer, musician, friend

Tsubomi Poley

Every summer Howell lifeguarded at Putnam Lakes beaches or at the nonprofit school Green Chimneys, where she helped set up its swimming programs. In Putnam Lake, she trained and supervised lifeguards. Before that, she swam for the Putnam Lake Piranhas for years as well as for the Brewster varsity swim team. As recently as early February she was helping recruit summer lifeguards on Facebook.

Everyone who grows up in Putnam Lake are like siblings, said Cassidy Speller, who knew Howell since she was 8 years old. Its such a loss. Its going to be devastating without her at the lake this summer.

During the pandemic, Speller remembers Howell and her sister picking garbage up around the neighborhood. Not for any reason except because they lived there and its like who does that? A good person does that, said Speller.

Speller described Howell as being hard-headed and hardworking, who wasnt afraid to be herself.

Howell demonstrated such a talent for leadership ... She lead with compassion and empathy and always had a smile, recalled Commander Earl Waidelich, who was the Senior Naval Science instructor at Brewster High School during Howells time there.

She was frequently and widely remembered as a gifted musician who naturally mentored others. When she told me she wanted to be a music teacher, I was ecstatic for her because I had experienced firsthand how good she would be at this, said Florence Cuomo, Howells stand partner in their high schools chamber orchestra. She truly shaped my entire music career, more than any other teacher ever had.

After high school, Howell pursued her love for music by attending the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, where she performed with the Crane Symphony Orchestra. She was set to graduate in a few months.

Florence Cuomo

Beth ... was an aspiring educator with a bright future ahead of her, SUNY Potsdam said in a statement. No words can express the sadness we share as a campus community following this tragic loss.

She was always such a caring person, and I will always cherish her passion for her music, said Katy Brown, a former SUNY Potsdam student who met Howell in 2018.

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Another college friend, Madeline Hommel, wrote of Howell in a Facebook post: I am beyond lucky to have known her. She was fierce, talented, beautiful, so smart and was there for anyone and everyone.

Random victim, parents say

Jason Hunter / SUNY Potsdam

Howells parents told the New York Post that their daughter was likely a random victim in the wrong place, [at the] wrong time.

She was the type of person that didnt have enemies, and certainly no one that would want to kill her, Joe Howell told the New York Post.

State Police charged Michael J. Snow in Howells killing. SUNY Potsdam said the suspect has no affiliation with the college, either as a student, employee or graduate.

It's still unclear the circumstances around the shooting. Snow is currently being held at the St. Lawrence County jail. Bail has not been set.

State Police and Potsdam police are being assisted by the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, the St. Lawrence County District Attorneys Office, the University Police Department at SUNY Potsdam, and federal Homeland Security Investigations.

There is no public information yet on services for Howell. SUNY Potsdam said it will plan a vigil and memorial concert in her honor, and has designated the Hosmer Gallery in the lobby of the concert hall at the Crane School of Music as a memorial place where flowers or items in her memory can be left.
Deaths due to COVID-19 are slowing in the eight-county region as hospitalizations from the disease drop to levels not seen since October.

More than 1,800 residents of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties have died since the pandemic began, with 374, or one out of every five, of those deaths occurring since Dec. 2  the day the highly contagious omicron variant was first identified in New York, a Times Union analysis of state data shows.

In that time, local counties have reported an average of 32 resident deaths a week from coronavirus. And, as many health officials predicted, the worst of the pandemic was felt during the first few weeks of January, when local counties reported a high of 46 weekly deaths from coronavirus for the seven-day periods ending Jan. 10 and Jan. 17.

The rate at which area residents are dying from COVID-19 has slowed since then. On Monday, counties had reported a total of 17 weekly deaths from the virus for a total of 1,844 resident deaths overall.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy noted the declining death rate Tuesday.

Im happy to report that there were no new COVID deaths overnight, and we now have the lowest number of Albany County residents in the hospital with the virus since Nov. 20, he said. We also have the lowest average percent positive rate since the beginning of November.

New cases and hospitalizations from the virus have been declining in the region since January.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The number of people testing positive for the virus in the Capital Region peaked Jan. 7 at 3,536. That number had dropped to 145 as of Monday. Hospitalizations peaked on Jan. 18 with 432 patients in area hospitals with the disease (some had been hospitalized for other reasons but tested positive upon admission, state data show). As of Monday, that patient load had fallen to 144  a number not seen since early October.

As our death, hospitalization and infection rates continue to decline, there is plenty of room for optimism, and I want to thank everyone who helped us get to this point, McCoy said.



Although the regions numbers are headed in a positive direction, community transmission remains high in the eight-county area, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public officials are urging parents who havent done so already to vaccinate their children. Just 39 percent of New York children ages 5 to 11 have had a dose of the coronavirus vaccine compared to 92 percent of adults over age 18.

"While students are off for midwinter break, I encourage parents and guardians to take advantage of this time to consult with their pediatricians and make a plan to get their kids vaccinated and boosted," Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday. "More than 1.6 million children in New York state have already received the vaccine. The vaccine is doctor-approved and our best tool to stop the spread of COVID-19, so there's no reason to delay any further."
ALBANY  The New York Gaming Commission is seeking more information on the purchases made by people and businesses who were clients of a veterinarian who was recently convicted of federal criminal charges as part of the largest race horse doping investigation in U.S. history.

On Feb. 15, the commission sent letters to the clients of the veterinarian, Seth Fishman, asking them to describe their relationship with Fishman and his companies, which of their horses were treated by Fishman and what they purchased from him, according to a copy obtained by the Times Union.

In the letters, the commission requested responses via email from the clients by Feb. 28, but did not say what would happen if they do not respond.

Fishman, a veterinarian who lived in Florida but had worked for more than two decades in New York, was convicted Feb. 2 in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on two counts of conspiracy to commit misbranding and drug adulteration. During his trial, prosecutors introduced an exhibit that listed Fishman's clients; it contained contained about 2,000 businesses, owners and trainers around the country, including 265 in New York, according to a copy obtained by the Times Union.

Brad Maione, a spokesman for the commission, said Tuesday the state agency is in an "information gathering mode" regarding Fishman's clients, but declined to say more about the steps the commission had taken or will pursue.

"At this stage, it would be inappropriate to discuss any potential actions the commission may take in connection with our inquires," Maione said in an e-mail.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Fishman used his veterinarian's license as a cover for his illegal drug manufacturing business, Equestology, which he operated and concealed from state regulators for 20 years. His products were designed to be untestable and were seized by federal authorities at horse racing operations around the country, including barns in New York.

Some of Fishman's clients included trainers who were indicted alongside him for their alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.

But Fishman also sold therapeutic medications and traditional veterinary supplies, sources told the Times Union.

The letters indicate the Gaming Commission is trying to learn what products that clients had purchased from Fishman. It is unclear exactly how many people received the commission's letters. The commission regulates individuals and businesses with licenses to participate in horse racing in New York.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

The Gaming Commission also has the authority to issue administrative subpoenas.

Several horse racing investigators told the Times Union they doubted the new letters would produce much notable evidence, but it's a way for the agency to show they're doing something.

"They just cant say they got this list and we didnt do anything, said Mike Kilpack, a security and integrity consultant for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

A Times Union investigative series that began this month found that lackluster state investigations in New York, combined with underfunded drug testing, have for decades contributed to a proliferation of doping in standardbred and thoroughbred racing.

Law enforcement has rarely involved itself in the problem; an exception has been the FBI-led doping investigation that snared Fishman and more than two dozen other horse racing participants. Fishman was one of seven veterinarians, 11 trainers, and nine other defendants described by prosecutors as distributors of performance enhancing drugs that were used to dope horses in multiple states and overseas.

The commission suspended the horse racing licenses of everyone indicted in the case.

Trials are unfolding for multiple defendants and could produce more evidence of how drugs circulated in the industry.
An Averill Park man who recently began working as a grocery store manager in Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, was found dead in his apartment on Sunday, Feb. 13, after he was involved in a fight in a local bar, the Gouverneur Police Department said Tuesday.

Andrew D. Johnston Sr. was found in his Johnstown Road apartment after emergency squads and police officers responded to a call of a man unconscious and not breathing at 1:03 p.m., police said.

The initial investigation determined that Johnston was involved in a physical altercation at the Serendipity Bar on William Street in Gouverneur, police said. An online obituary said Johnston was 39.

Gouverneur police said they are working on the investigation with the St. Lawrence County District Attorneys Office. The cause of Johnstons death has not yet been determined, police said.

Johnston was a longtime Averill Park resident, living on Totem Lodge Road.

Born in Troy, Johnston grew up in Brunswick and attended school in the Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District and at Hudson Valley Community College.

Johnston was living in Gouverneur at the time of his death where he was working for a Price Chopper supermarket. His obituary said he had recently been promoted to a managerial job.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

Prior to that, he worked in construction for David Browe Paving and Rifenberg Construction. Both companies are based in Rensselaer County. He was a member of Laborers Union Local 157.

Johnston is survived by his parents, four children, his longtime companion and mother of his children, two brothers, two sisters and other relatives, according to his obituary.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 315-287-2121.
STILLWATER  The complaints about loud, smelly trains parked 100 feet behind houses on West Street have become so persistent that the Federal Railroad Administration is coming to evaluate the situation.

Agents from the federal agency will enter PanAm railroad property  which town officials cant set foot on  and test for air pollution and noise.

Residents have tried for years to argue that the stench of the garbage parked behind their homes should justify moving the trains, but despite obscure regulations that reference smells, every agency involved has declined to take action on that issue.

Last year, Stillwater Supervisor Ed Kinowski tried a new tactic: posting no-trespassing signs in the woods so that train engineers couldnt walk out to West Street after parking the trains.

His hope was that they would go back to parking trains near the railroad bridge over the Hudson River, along a wide turn far from any homes. Thats a less convenient place for the engineers to leave the trains, because its not as easy for them to get to a road where they can catch a taxi.

When Kinowski threatened to ticket engineers for trespassing as they walked out to West Street, PanAm improved a road on the other side of the tracks so that taxis could pick up engineers there. Taxis use that road now, but the effect on residents is the same. The train cars are still left in the same location, right behind peoples backyards.

Will Waldron/Times Union

Now Kinowski wants written complaints from residents, which he will present to the Federal Railroad Administration during the visit next month. A date has not yet been set, but it will be in March.

Im looking for people to send me complaints. I dont want to be a one-man army, he said. Complaints should be sent to his email address, EKinowski@stillwaterny.org.

He will also take the complaints to PanAm.

The more complaints I get, theres just more I can provide to the company. Say, Listen guys, youve got a ton of bad press here. Either fix it or youre gonna get more, he said. It will be a fight until its finished or Im finished.

Resident Mark Wells has been tracking noise measurements in an effort to focus on an enforceable issue.

Most often theres three engines pulling the cars. Rarely do they come with less than three engines. They basically are parking outside my back door now, he said. There was one that came yesterday morning, sat there all day idling until quarter of 2 this morning when they blew their horn to wake me up.

Trains blow their horns at road crossings, but theres no crossing near his house.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Will Waldron/Times Union Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Will Waldron/Times Union Show More Show Less 3 of 3





It wasnt until 25 minutes later that they finally moved the train, he said. They left 10 after 2 this morning. Before I realize it, another train pulls up at 3 oclock. I got to sleep about 4. At 6:30, this train decides he has to move and blows his horn and wakes me up.

Its not much better when they sit idling. His decimeter measures the idling at 60 decibels  and thats from inside his house, with all the windows and doors shut.

The noise is just the worst. Its just deafening, he said. And when its for 24 or 48 hours at a time, it really starts to wear you down.

PanAm offered a variety of explanations for the trains last year and did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

In the past, a spokesperson said trash trains were left by the neighborhood because there was no room in the nearby depot and that they were awaiting another crew from another railroad that was understaffed.

But in other cases, there was plenty of room at the depot or the trains were heading in the other direction, not into the territory of another railroad company. Wells has come to suspect the explanations  which could apply to one particular situation at a time  are just excuses.

They do whatever they want, he said. They obviously are not concerned about any of the complaints theyre getting about the garbage trains or the diesel smell or the noise.

He thinks the engineers simply consider the location convenient. He noted that one recent train unloaded at the depot and then parked behind his house.

It was obviously just a shift change. Obviously they werent waiting to unload, they were already unloaded, he said.
Most people know, or think they know, that the U.S. Constitution guarantees free speech.

Well, yes and no. What the First Amendment to the Constitution actually says is this:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Congress shall make no law ... means that the government cannot criminalize speech, and we all know that there are exceptions, the most well known being falsely shouting Fire! where that would create a panic and possible loss of life.

We have laws criminalizing lying when one has sworn to tell the truth (perjury), and a somewhat obscure law making it a crime to lie to the FBI. I didnt even know about this one until 2002 Louisiana state Insurance Commissioner James Brown was charged and convicted for it. So if the FBI ever wants to talk to you, about anything, either decline or have a lawyer present should anything you tell them turn out to be untrue.

There is also a long history of cases in which the government has tried to limit political speech. In recent years, rarely has the government prevailed, and if it did, it was later overturned.

As Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black stated in Mills v. State of Alabama, Whatever differences may exist about interpretations of the First Amendment, there is practically universal agreement that a major purpose of that Amendment was to protect the free discussion of governmental affairs.

As for dangerous political speech, in Schenck v. U.S., the court articulated the clear and present danger standard, but in Brandenburg v. Ohio, the court modified it to speech advocating violence that was imminent and probable for speech to be curtailed.

This constitutional provision does not stop private actors from stifling speech. The biggest offenders are employers, who often place restrictions on what you can say about the company, at risk of firing. Bad news, but no state action, so no violation of free speech in the constitutional sense, unless, of course, you work for the government. Then you may be covered.

The difference bears on the current kerfuffle regarding free speech over Spotify podcaster Joe Rogan, who has hosted people who give out incorrect medical information on COVID-19, which, if believed, could result in deaths. Some musicians whose music is on Spotify asked that their work be taken off.

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Some people screamed, Censorship! Others said, Good for them! Cries of Free speech! rang on both sides.

This is not a free speech issue. The podcaster has not been arrested. Nothing he did violates the law. The musicians who object are exercising their rights to not be associated with his content.

This brings me back to what free speech means. If you believe the First Amendment does not apply to lies, well, yes, mostly it does. And if you argue that Rogans right to free speech is being curtailed, no, it is not. We are allowed to speak as we please, even if what we say isnt true, but we are not immunized from the consequences of what we say.

The late writer Christopher Hitchens said in his memoir, Hitch 22, that one of the main reasons he decided to become an American citizen was his respect for the protections of speech, and the press, in our First Amendment, protections not explicitly provided in his native Great Britain.

Lets not misconstrue what these great rights mean.

Now retired, J. Michael Malec of Albany formerly worked as a legislative lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union in Louisiana.
The denial of a persons freedom in the interest of public safety and justice is one of the greatest powers society confers on law enforcement professionals. That power comes with certain obligations; primary among them is the need to perform due diligence  to get it right.

In the case of Frederick Williams, it appears the system got things very wrong. As the Times Unions Steve Hughes reports, the 33-year-old Albany man was scooped up last June along with 46 other individuals as part of Operation Crosstown Quarantine, a year-long investigation of two alleged drug rings that was conducted by the Albany Police Department, the state attorney generals office and the FBI.

Mr. Williams was charged with multiple felonies that could have put him in prison for decades.

The states case, however, seems to have been based entirely on wiretaps of a phone that Mr. Williams had sold but failed to remove his name from. The alleged drug dealer caught on the wiretaps spoke about how he was on parole and wearing an ankle monitor  details that didnt describe Mr. Williams. None of the other defendants who spoke to investigators revealed ties to him.

If police and prosecutors had any more evidence against him, theyre not revealing it  or discussing his case at all. Their actions speak louder: Earlier this month, the attorney generals office asked a state Supreme Court justice to dismiss the charges against Mr. Williams and seal the records. (They might also remove his name from the news release on the case; on Tuesday, it remained unedited on the offices website.)

If not for the work of his court-appointed attorney, Vincent Uba, Mr. Williams might still be in Albany County jail awaiting trial, perhaps in the dock with dozens of other defendants with far more evidence against them. His bail was set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond  sums far beyond the reach of a restaurant worker with a wife and children.

As a result, he spent almost six months behind bars. While one shouldnt extrapolate too much from a single case, its incontrovertible that Mr. Williams would have been contesting the charges from home if he had the resources. So the only thing that kept an innocent man behind bars was a lack of money.

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Mr. Williams family has been economically damaged and psychologically traumatized: He says his children have a hard time letting him out of their sight because of the fear that their father will be arrested every time a police car drives by.

Operation Crosstown Quarantine, according to authorities, resulted in the seizure of quantities of cocaine, fentanyl-laced heroin and oxycodone as well as nine firearms, including an untraceable ghost gun. This type of police work is necessary, complex and often dangerous.

But whether an investigation involves a simple DUI or a sprawling narcotics conspiracy, we shouldnt give a pass to substandard police work, or prosecutors who take far too long to recognize when theyve misread the evidence.
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ALBANY  Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans Tuesday for a new "Joint Security Operations Center" that she said will strengthen local and state governments from the increasing threat of cyber attacks.

The roll out of the plan was presented on the backdrop of an immediate cybersecurity threat that U.S. officials have warned about due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"That is not sustainable in light of the threats that we are seeing," Hochul said in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon. "We cant expect cities and counties to go at it alone. They dont have the resources; they dont have the technological know how."

The team, Hochul said, is expected to bring together groups that previously did not communicate directly with each other to help the state enhance its cybersecurity efforts. She called it a "first in the nation" hub for data sharing and cyber coordination and urged other states to follow suit.

Hochul hopes to spend $62 million in security-related services, which could assist both the state and local governments with endpoint detection and response, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning and data backup, according to budget documents. The governor's briefing book states $44 million would be used toward cybersecurity for similar causes.

There were 85 reported "cyber events" in local government agencies between 2020 and 2021, according to the governor's office.

The governor's plans add onto a host of existing cybersecurity measures the state already funds. Hochul did not explain the preexisting programs in her news conference.The programs are intended to work together to provide a more centralized view of the issues, according to the governor's office.

Since 2017, New York has had a "Cyber Incident Response Team," which provides services for local governments, non-executive branch state agencies and public authorities.

The program, under the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, offers both proactive and reactive services. It is budgeted for $4.5 million in Hochul's proposed budget and could grow by the equivalent of 28 full time employees.

The state also leans on its "Chief Information Security Office," within the state's Office of Information Technology Services. It evaluates the state's responses and abilities to deal with cybersecurity threats, while also maintaining a cyber command center team.

In addition, the state's homeland security office has used Center for Internet Security, a multi-state, non-profit organization that analyzes cybersecurity threats to state, local, tribal and territorial government entities.

Despite the plethora of cybersecurity efforts already underway in the state, Hochul cautioned New Yorkers to be aware of rising threats related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Hochul said she has been in communication with White House officials regarding the issue.

"Given the increasingly volatile geopolitical circumstances with Russia and the Ukraine," Hochul said, "we can no longer act independently."

The establishment of a joint operations center would not take place until the state budget is approved, which is scheduled to take place in April. She compared the new data-sharing hub to terrorism sharing hubs created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which was when the Center for Internet Security was formed.

Hochul made her announcement in Brooklyn flanked by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray.

Adams presented a dire picture of the risk of security threats, comparing it to the threat COVID-19 has on society. Adams, a former police captain who came into office in January on a platform of public safety, has often painted grim outlooks on the security of New Yorkers in his speeches.

Sheehan offered a triumphant tale of the city of Albany's ransomware attack in 2019.

"We were able to protect our systems and ... able to rebuild and come out of that very strongly," Sheehan said.

The city paid about $300,000 to recover from the ransomware attack, which covered the expenses from destroyed computer servers, upgraded security software, firewall insurance and other improvements.

The city lost a portion of its police departments digital indexing system for an internal affairs case management program, called IAPro. Two years later, the city was able to rebuild its system through manual re-entry of information it retained in physical case files, according to city officials. The files included parts of 2017 and all of 2018.
ALBANY  A new law that will allow hemp farmers to apply for a conditional license to grow cannabis beginning this spring is expected to accelerate New York's launch of a legalized marijuana marketplace.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the law this week after the Legislature passed the bill earlier this month as part of a package of measures intended to help small businesses.

"Our existing hemp growers, who have been some of the hardest hit by market fluctuations, already have the knowledge base to meet this need, and Im proud to sponsor legislation to help them obtain conditional licenses, which will allow New York to implement its cannabis program faster," said state Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Saugerties.

Lawmakers contend the measure will help accelerate the supplies of legalized marijuana and also create what Hochul called a "safe, equitable and inclusive new industry."

The state is seeking to avoid some of the pitfalls that other states, including Colorado, faced when they legalized marijuana growing but were initially overwhelmed with illicit growers who skirted rules and caused enormous environmental damage.

Hochul said the conditionally licensed cannabis farmers would need to meet requirements for "safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly cultivation practices, (foster) participation in a social equity mentorship program, and ... (be connected) with a bona fide labor organization."



Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, a driving force behind the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, said the conditional licenses will ensure there are regulated, sun-grown cannabis products available to meet the demand for the sale of recreational marijuana to adults in New York.

"The temporary conditional licenses authorized by this bill will ultimately help realize the vision and goals of the MRTA,'' Peoples-Stokes said.



Like other lawmakers who pushed for its passage, state Sen. Liz Krueger said the conditional licenses will prioritize New York farmers who "can now put seeds in the ground to ensure we meet the demand of this burgeoning industry."

The conditional licenses will allow farmers to grow outdoors or in a greenhouse for up to two years from the issuance of the license. It also allows them to manufacture and distribute cannabis flower products until June 1, 2023, without holding an adult-use processor or distributor license.

The cultivators will be limited to 1 acre of "flowering canopy" outdoors or up to 25,000 square feet in a greenhouse with up to 20 artificial lights.

Qualified applicants for the program, which is being set up quickly by the state Office of Cannabis Management, must have cultivated hemp for its "non-intoxicating cannabinoid content" for at least two of the past four years and have been in good standing with the state as of Dec. 31.

Holders of the license must also participate in a social equity mentorship program where they provide training in cannabis cultivation and processing for social and economic equity partners, preparing them for potential roles in the industry. Growers will also have to meet sustainability requirements to ensure the cannabis is grown in an environmentally conscientious way, officials said.
Lil' Deb's Oasis, a brightly decorated Hudson restaurant with Latin flair and a dedication to social causes, received nominations as semifinalists in the categories Outstanding Hospitality and Best Chef: New York State for the 2022 James Beard Awards.

The co-owners and chefs are Carla Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black, who founded the Columbia Street restaurant in 2016. They were nominated in the same chef category in 2020. The year prior, before New York was separated into its own chef category, the pair were nominated in Best Chef: Northeast.
The event will feature stand-up comedy by three New York performers. Crenshaw has been performing for five years at venues like Broadway Comedy Club, Greenwich Village Comedy Club and Stand Up NY. James Mac has traveled the world, and recently headlined at the Tiny Cupboard in Brooklyn. And Jeff Scott, of Rochester, has performed at the Brooklyn Comedy Club, Finger Lakes Comedy Festival and other events.
The delivery of charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) is "essential" to meet Ireland's climate goals.

That's according to the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, who made the comment at an informal meeting of transport ministers in Paris yesterday (Tuesday February 22).

Speaking about Ireland's target of almost a million EVs on roads by 2030, the Minister Naughton said the Department will prioritise the delivery of "fast and rapid charge points" over the next five years.

She said, "A strong and balanced delivery of both public and smart home chargers is essential for Irelands climate goals."

Electric cars are becoming more popular in Ireland, with electric and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) accounting for 21% of all new cars licensed in January this year. Just over 9% of all new cars licensed for the first time in January 2021 were electric or PHEVs.

That's according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office, which also shows the number of new licensed Diesel cars is decreasing, with 3,116 recorded in January 2022 compared to January 2021's 5,801.

While in France, Minister Naughton also participated in a roundtable discussion where she spoke about skills shortages in the freight transport sector.

She said, "Transport workers are essential to Irelands economy and have worked in unprecedented conditions over the past two years to keep critical supplies flowing in and out of the country. Todays debate was a timely opportunity for an exchange of views with my EU counterparts on how best to address the needs of these workers and to protect the sector."
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has hit out at the UK Government legacy plans, calling them a radical departure from the approach agreed between the two countries.

The Irish Government has repeatedly made clear its opposition to a proposed amnesty for Troubles offences.

The UK Government wants to bring in a statute of limitations on future prosecutions of military veterans and ex-paramilitaries for Troubles incidents predating April 1998.

However, these plans have faced delays, as well as strident opposition from victims families and all the political parties in Northern Ireland.

Politicians from all parties in the Republic of Ireland took the opportunity to condemn the UK Government proposals in the Irish Parliament on Wednesday.

The debate came after a police watchdog investigation into a series of loyalist murders.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson found the RUC had been engaged in collusive behaviours with loyalist killers in relation to the series of murders in the 1990s.

Mr Coveney said the investigation had shone an absolutely necessary light on aspects of the conflict in Northern Ireland that deserve serious consideration in this house.

He told the Dail that a one-side approach has never worked in Northern Ireland.

He said the UK and Irish governments must work together with parties in Northern Ireland to tackle the complex and sensitive issue.

This is why the Stormont House Agreement, agreed in 2014, after a long and difficult period of negotiation, was a pivotal moment in the peace process on this island, Mr Coveney told the Dail.

He said the UK approach is essentially a proposal for an unconditional amnesty for those not yet convicted.

He added: British Government proposals have caused deep upset and concern to victims and survivors, who were understandably shocked by the idea that the avenue to justice open to all other victims of crime, but now somehow be closed off to them forever by law.

He said the proposals have also caused grave concern to international human rights bodies.

Mr Coveney said: They are without international precedent.

We cannot countenance a situation in which families do not have access to a process of basic justice or where families would be left to once again fight through the courts for years to come to actually to challenge a Government-imposed process.



Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald urged the Irish Government to do more

We will continue to caution the British Government strongly against unilaterally legislating on these issues.

Weve also remained open and ready to engage seriously with them and others to find a way forward.

Unilateral action here cannot work. It never works, in truth, when it comes to Northern Ireland.

Mr Coveney said he has met families who have also urged the Irish Government to do more to deliver justice for the victims of crimes that had a cross-border element.

It is essential that we recognise and respond to that challenge, he said.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dail: The series of reports published by the police ombudsman illuminate in horrific detail what has been known for decades.

She also attacked the UK legacy plans.

Boris Johnson and his Government cannot ignore their responsibilities, she said.

They cannot be allowed to ride roughshod over the opportunity of all our communities to see that future made real. Weve seen that happen far too many times.

And so it is now the responsibility of the Irish Government to make sure that the British Government understands this and understands that this will not happen again.
A decision at the Jackson County Courthouse today proved to be a disappointment for activists and social justice warriors but was, actually, expected by courthouse insiders.



Reality check . . .

MOST LEGAL EXPERTS BELIEVE THE MANSLAUGHTER CONVICTION OF A FORMER KCPD DETECTIVE WILL BE OVERTURNED!!!

The controversial conviction simply did not conform to Missouri search laws and doesn't cite precedent in overturning DECADES of similar cases.

With all respect for the court, today's decision offers a preview of legal reality in Missouri.

Here's is what is likely the most important passage from recent reporting . . .

Despite the fact that Judge J. Dale Youngs has never granted such an appeal bond before in 13 years on the bench, he concluded that the defendants incarceration without bond or other conditions that I might impose on him is not necessary to ensure his appearance at future proceedings.



Youngs said his granting of the appeal bond will be subject to conditions that I will take up more fully with my consideration of the other issues in this case at sentencing on March 4. DeValkenaeres attorney, Molly Hastings, successfully argued that, while appeal bonds may not be common in Jackson County, they are allowed by the states high court for bailable offenses.



According to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 33.01(a), a defendant charged with a bailable offense shall be entitled to be released from custody pending trial or other stage of the criminal proceedings, assuming the court believes the defendant will appear in court, comply with court orders, refrain from any new offenses and wont tamper with witnesses or victims.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

KCPD detective who killed Cameron Lamb will be granted bond on appeal In an unprecedented decision, a Jackson County Circuit Court judge ruled Tuesday that Eric DeValkenaere - the former Kansas City, Missouri, police detective who was convicted of two felonies in the shooting death of Cameron Lamb - can remain free on bail pending a planned appeal.

Judge grants ex-Kansas City officer's request for bond KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Tuesday, a Jackson County judge granted a request by a former Kansas City, Missouri, police officer convicted of killing a man. Judge Dale Youngs granted Eric DeValkenaere bond as he appeals his conviction.

Kansas City detective convicted in killing of Black man will remain free even after he's sentenced The judge who convicted former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere in the killing of Cameron Lamb has taken the unusual step of agreeing to let him stay out of prison on bond after his appeal - even though he hasn't yet appealed.

Former KCPD officer Eric DeValkenaere to remain free on bond awaiting appeal in death of Cameron Lamb A former Kansas City, Missouri, police officer convicted in connection with the death of a man while on duty will be allowed to remain out of jail while he appeals his conviction.A judge ruled Eric DeValkenaere did not need to be remanded into custody while awaiting sentencing on his second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action convictions in the death of Cameron Lamb.The judge said DeValkenaere should be allowed to remain free through the appeals process because he's not a flight risk, nor is he a danger to the community.

DeValkenaere granted appeal bond, can remain free during appeal process KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A former Kansas City police officer who was found guilty of manslaughter will be allowed to remain out of jail during his appeal process.

Developing . . .


Eighteen regional artists selected by students at Wells College will be featured in "Life as Clouds," a new exhibit opening this week in the college's String Room Gallery.

An opening reception for the exhibit will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, in the gallery, which is located in the Main Building of the college, Main Street, Aurora.

The exhibit features artists Mara Baldwin, Amanda Besl, Mia Brown-Seguin, Erin Connolly, Ash Ferlito, Mia Hause, Julie Harrison, Miranda Javid, Travis Johns, Shayna Kiblin, Lily LaGrange, Cecelia Lu, Kym McDaniel, Grace Sachi Troxell, Dan Torop, Paulina Velazquez Solis, Hannah Washburn and Layla Zubi.

Their work was juried and curated by students in the Professional Practices in Visual Arts course at the college, it said in a news release.

"'Life as Clouds' explores emergent themes among artworks by 18 regionally based artists in celebration of the place we call home: the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee, in upstate New York," the college said. "Collectively, these artworks evoke questions about the connection between our human bodies and nature. Through various modalities and media, the artists explore eddies and currents existing in between our creations of self and our conceptions of the world around us."

The exhibit will be on display through Friday, March 11. The gallery is open by appointment only, and wearing a mask on campus is required. Light refreshments will be served at the opening.

For more information, visit wells.edu/string-room-gallery.

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Hypocrisy in American politics has always been endemic.

But today this cowtown's newspaper offers a stellar example of duplicitous rhetoric.



We'll forget, for a moment, that The Kansas City Star has repeatedly ignored reports and allegations of domestic violence in an attempt to sanctify the victim of a deadly police shooting.

To be fair . . . Even (allegedly) beating your girlfriend and recklessly racing through the streets at speeds nearing 90 mph with a stolen gun aren't offenses that merit the death penalty.



However, this politicized lead sentence deserves a bit of scrutiny . . .



"This is what our friends on the right would normally call a pro-criminal court ruling: Though convicted of killing a man, the guilty will remain free as long as his appeal might drag on. Naturally, his defense attorney has said that could take quite some time."

Admittedly . . .

This premise might be correct.

However . . .

The argument against freedom whilst awaiting an appeal for a former KCPD detective ignores so many progressive opponents of cash bail who argue that courts leaning toward locking people up represents systemic racism.

Admittedly, readers would more easily find a unicorn than any semblance of logical consistency in municipal debates over police shootings.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Can you say 'double standard?' KC cop found guilty of manslaughter will remain free OPINION AND COMMENTARY This is what our friends on the right would normally call a "pro-criminal" court ruling: Though convicted of killing a man, the guilty will remain free as long as his appeal might drag on. Naturally, his defense attorney has said that could take quite some time.

And here's opinion inspireing "news" coverage that backs up a biased reporting angle . . .

'It is extremely rare': KC lawyers shocked ex-detective guilty in killing is out on bond "I would like for someone to show me any African-American defendant who has been convicted by a jury of a similar crime who has been given that same latitude," one lawyer said. "I don't think that you're going to be able to find one."

You decide . . .
Brevard, NC (28712)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 53F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 61F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Cayuga Community College has received a new grant supporting the implementation of three workforce-related credentials offering training opportunities in manufacturing and health care.

The college said in a Wednesday news release that through these credential programs, members of the workforce can capitalize on short-term training pathways to enhance skills needed to succeed in todays manufacturing and health care industries. The new credentials are under the SUNY Reimagine Workforce Preparation Training Program, which funds tuition, fees and the cost of instructional materials for a specific number of students enrolled in the programs.

SUNY Reimagine Workforce Preparation Training Program is administered by SUNY and the New York State Department of Labor, and is fully funded by the United States Department of Education as part of an award totaling $18 million, with 0 percent financed from state or non-governmental sources.

The first phase of funding for CCC is approximately $18,000. There is a potential for an additional installment in the future.

The college said it received the grant as it completes one workforce capital project and is in the midst of a second. Construction of the colleges Advanced Manufacturing Institute at the Fulton Campus is near completion, and CCC has started construction on a Workforce Development Center in Auburn. Both projects drew significant support from public and private partners in their respective communities.

With the support of the SUNY Reimagine Workforce Preparation Training Program, CCC will launch credential programs focusing on medical coding and entry-level training for manufacturing and health care. Regional employers were significant supporters of the programs, the college said, which are designed to prepare students for immediate, in-demand entry level positions. The programs offer short-term training in 15 weeks or fewer.

Implementation of the workforce programs started this spring with Cayugas Electro-Mechanical System Fundamentals micro-credential. Available only at Cayugas Fulton Campus, the program offers entry-level training in fields including hydraulics and pneumatics. Individual courses can be completed in two or three weeks, and will prepare students for entry-level positions while doubling as steps to more advanced career training.

The medical coding program is specifically designed for individuals already working in the medical industry, and will pair health care experience with learning advanced technical skills. The health care credential will combine current and new courses in anatomy and physiology, psychology, medical terminology and introduction to health care. Students can also enroll in the health care credential as part of a degree program.

Start dates for the medical coding and health care programs will be announced at a later date.

To have the grant fund their tuition and other expenses, students must complete the credential program in which they are enrolled and earn a WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate.

Questions about the credential programs can be directed to Emily Cameron, Cayugas Assistant Director of Community Education and Workforce Development, at (315) 294-8527 or by email at emily.cameron@cayuga-cc.edu.

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OMAHA, Neb.  The hedge fund trying to buy newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises returned to court Tuesday in a bid to settle a dispute over how votes for two longtime board members should be counted next month at the company's annual meeting.

Alden Global Capital has already lost one lawsuit in the takeover battle when a judge decided last week that it wouldn't be able to nominate its own directors at Lee's March 10 annual meeting. Now it wants the court to decide how many votes Lee's chairman and its lead independent director need to be re-elected.

This new lawsuit is the latest round in the fight that began in November when Alden offered to add Lee to its growing collection of newspapers by paying $24 a share, or roughly $141 million, for the Davenport, Iowa, based company. The publisher of the The Citizen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Omaha World-Herald and dozens of other newspapers rejected Alden's bid in December, saying said it "grossly undervalued" the company.

Alden said in a statement announcing the lawsuit Tuesday that Lee is "brazenly disenfranchising shareholders by rigging the upcoming director election to guarantee the re-election of entrenched directors who have profited substantially even while the company is in a downward spiral and its journalism is suffering."

Alden objects to Lee's decision to use a plurality standard for the director vote because it would essentially guarantee their re-election and negate any "no" votes. As long as the directors get at least one "yes" vote, that is more than any other candidate could get because they are running unopposed. The New York-based hedge fund that owns more than 200 newspapers argues the directors should have to win the majority of the votes cast to keep their seats.

Alden also wants Lee to enforce a rule in its bylaws that says directors who don't win a majority of the votes must immediately resign.

Lee said in a statement that it is "disappointed, but not surprised" by the lawsuit. It said "Alden continues to pursue increasingly desperate measures in an attempt to destabilize Lee and advance its grossly undervalued hostile proposal to purchase the company."

Part of why Lee is fighting the takeover so hard is that Alden has a reputation for imposing deep cost cuts and layoffs at the newspapers it owns, which include all of Tribune's and MediaNews Group's papers that it bought in recent years.

Alden, which owns 6.3% of Lee's stock, argues that the company has underperformed since it bought all of Berkshire Hathaway's newspapers in 2020, but Lee has defended the progress it is making in increasing its digital subscriptions and online ad revenue.

Two other hedge funds that own significant Lee stakes have said they believe the newspaper publisher is worth considerably more than Alden has offered.

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BRIDGEPORT  The criminal charges against local restaurateur John Vazzano, accused of offering a bribe to a teenage girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted in his Bridgeport restaurant, were dismissed Tuesday.

Superior Court Judge Kevin Russo dismissed the charges of bribery of a witness, third-degree hindering prosecution and interfering with an officer after ruling that Vazzano had successfully completed the conditions of accelerated rehabilitation.

This has been a long road for my client and his family but the end result is the charges have been dismissed and that is the appropriate disposition, said Vazzanos lawyer, Edward Gavin.

Last December Russo granted Vazzano accelerated rehabilitation, a pretrial probation program for nonviolent offenders. His only conditions were that Vazzano commit no other crimes and provide a luncheon to a charitable organization that counsels sex assault victims. The victim and her father did not object to Vazzano getting the program.

Gavin told the judge that Vazzano held a luncheon this past weekend for the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport.

A former Barnum Festival ringmaster, Vazzano is the owner of restaurants in Bridgeport, Stratford, Fairfield and Monroe. Following his arrest, he resigned his seat on the Trumbull police commission. In October he was ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in back wages and civil penalties by the state Department of Labor for labor violations at his Broadbridge Road restaurant in connection with the case.

Vazzanos arrest came after a 9-month investigation, initially begun by the Bridgeport Police Departments Detective Bureau, into allegations that in November and December 2019 a longtime dish washer at Bridgeports Vazzys Restaurant and another kitchen employee sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl who was working as a hostess in the restaurant.

In February 2020, the dishwasher, Jaime Sena, 56, was charged with third-degree sexual assault and second-degree unlawful restraint. His case is pending in Superior Court. The second suspect, Jose Tsenkush, is still being sought by police.

According to the arrest warrant, the girls father filed a complaint about the alleged assault with the Police Department on Jan. 11, 2020. The affidavit states that Vazzano told the investigating detective that he would provide the names of the suspects in the assault but did not do so.

The affidavit states in February 2020, during the funeral service of an unrelated person, Vazzano approached the father of the girl and told the father that the arrest of the sexual assault suspect is not a good idea. He then offered to give the victim a job at another of his restaurants and a $1,000 gift card to Macys, the affidavit states. The conversation between the father and Vazzano was overheard by an off-duty police officer, the affidavit states.

The affidavit states that Vazzano later lied to members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force on the whereabouts of the two sex assault suspects and that Vazzanos cell phone call logs showed he had often texted the two men.
Feb. 23, 1997

UNION SPRINGS  Thirty-seven Union Springs Academy students stopped eating for 30 hours to help those who have no food.

The fast lasted from 9 a.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday as the academy's high school students accepted pledges to raise money for food, immunizations and other programs to benefit children in Angola, India and the Dominican Republic.

During the fast, the 15 girls and 22 boys were only allowed to drink water and juice. They raised about $836.

"The purpose is to get young people to focus off their own wants and onto the needs of those in other countries," youth pastor Gary Blanchard said. "To educate them to be good Christians. A lot of times Christ was reaching out to others.

The fast took place in the gym, where students had piled their sleeping bags in areas designated by gender.

Blanchard said activities were organized to keep the students' minds off eating.

 Compiled by David Wilcox

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Almost two months of the year gone already and many in the Trinidad business community say, they have not seen much change economically though restrictions have been relaxed. Is it the same for those in Tobago, here's the view of the Tobago Business Chamber President Martin George on these matters including the safe zone initiative and what does the chamber think about the October Tobago Carnival.

CARNIVAL NOT PRACTICAL SAYS TTCIC TOBAGO Carnival is not a major priority to the country at this time as it is not practical, so says the Tobago Business Chamber. Chairman Martin George says he does not understand why the government wants to have a half-baked Carnival 2022 when there are more pressing issues like the vaccination of children and their safe return to school to consider.

In this, Artiste's Forum, this steelpan musician continues to be one of the champions of this younger generation of our national instrument. He not only plays but composes music. Last Christmas Joshua Regrello released ' De Panmandero' a steelpan parang soca , he's released music for the carnival season ' Play Panman Play' and now, he's getting ready to host a concert event on Carnival Tuesday. Tickets are $200. and $250 , the show begins at 8 pm and he is here to tell us more.
Ukraines authorities could introduce martial law in the event of full-scale aggression on the part of Russia.

This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke at a joint press conference with the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, in Kyiv on Tuesday, February 22, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"As for martial law, its very simple. This issue is clear to us. We believe that there will be no massive war against Ukraine. And there will be no widespread escalation on the part of the Russian Federation. If there is, martial law will be imposed," Zelensky said.

Read also: Zelensky says he will consider severing diplomatic relations with Russia

The president added that Ukraine would not hold any talks with the leaders of the so-called "LPR/DPR."

"We dont talk to them. We don't understand who they are," Zelensky said.

As reported earlier, on February 21, the President of Russia signed decrees recognizing the independence of the two self-proclaimed entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. The agreements concluded between these quasi-republics and Russia provide for military assistance to the said entities.

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The upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, has unanimously approved Russian President Putins request to use Russian troops abroad, an Ukrinform correspondent reports with reference to live broadcasting on Russian TV.

Putin's request to the Federation Council was submitted by Deputy Defense Minister Nikolay Pankov. The Russian deputy minister clarified that such an appeal was made in connection with the "situation in Donbas." Pankov accused Ukraine of aggravating the situation in Donbas, saying that under such conditions "Russia should take the people under its protection."

Earlier, Russias Federation Council unanimously ratified treaties of friendship and mutual assistance, including military assistance, with the pseudo-republics of "DPR" and "LPR".

As reported, on February 21, the president of the Russian Federation signed decrees on recognizing the independence of the so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic and Donetsk Peoples Republic.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to pursue work in any format to end the war, while the preservation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unalterable.

Zelensky stated this in a video address to the nation, delivered in the late hours of Tuesday, February 22, Ukrinform reports.

For us personally, ending the war is unalterable, its not about any particular platform or format. I am ready to do this both bilaterally and involving other leaders. But Id like to emphasize that the main thing for me is to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, said the head of state.

He noted that the first format that is currently being worked out is the summit of the leaders of the states  permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as Ukraine, Turkey, and Germany.

According to Zelensky, most of the summit participants have already supported the initiative, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who spoke with the Ukrainian president over the phone on Tuesday.

As reported, on February 21, the Russian president signed decrees recognizing two self-proclaimed entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. Agreements between these quasi-republics and Russia provide for military assistance. Russia has thus openly acknowledged its military presence in the said areas.

Leaders of the EU, the United States, Canada, and most democracies across the world have condemned the Kremlin's actions as a direct violation of international law and Russias own international obligations.

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Israel supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stands ready to provide humanitarian assistance to the country immediately.

That's according to a statement posted on the website of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

It says that Israel shares the concern of the international community regarding the steps taken in eastern Ukraine and the serious escalation in the situation.

The ministry expressed hope that a diplomatic solution to the conflict would be found, adding that Israel is willing to help if asked.

The statement also stressed that Israel is ready and willing to immediately transfer humanitarian assistance to Ukraine according to its needs and is in contact with the Ukrainian authorities regarding the matter.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of puppet entities "LPR" and "DPR,"

A number of countries and the EU have announced sanctions against Russia.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson announced that London would provide Ukraine with a further package of military support against the background of "Russias increasingly threatening behaviour".

Read also: Britain imposes new sanctions on Russia

Johnson made a relevant statement, speaking to British parliamentarians on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports with reference to Sky News.

As planned, this package will consist of lethal and non-lethal assistance, including defensive weapons.

Johnson also said that Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine Dorries had sent a request to Ofcom media regulator with a request to review RTs broadcast license.

As reported, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss reiterated Britains commitment to guarantee up to $500 million in loans to support Ukraine and mitigate the economic effects of Russian aggression.

On February 21, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the decrees recognizing two self-proclaimed entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

A number of countries and the EU announced sanctions against Russia.

In particular, Britain sanctioned five Russian banks  Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank  and businessmen Gennady Timchenko, Igor Rotenberg and Boris Rotenberg.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is very familiar with Adolf Hitler's book, and he simply repeats his actions according to this book.

Ukraine's Charge d'Affaires in Armenia Denys Avtonomov said this at a briefing on Wednesday, February 23, Ukrinform reports.

"He worked in the GDR, in the KGB residency. I think that he is by definition very familiar with the works of Adolf Hitler's 'My Struggle.' One of the key messages of this book is that Austria is not a state, and the nation cannot be divided. In other words, there's just a repetition: 'Ukraine is not a state. The nation cannot be divided'," the diplomat said.

According to Avtonomov, first the Russian leader "bites a piece where he can" and then starts a big war: "Again, Munich, the Anschluss of Austria, the Sudetenland - Ukraine, Transnistria, Abkhazia, Ossetia."

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the independence of puppet entities "LPR" and "DPR."

On February 22, at a press conference in the Kremlin, Putin said that Russia was recognizing "DPR" and "LPR" within the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Russia's decision to recognize self-proclaimed "republics" in the temporarily occupied territories of eastern Ukraine has provoked a backlash from world leaders, organizations and countries. Their statements say that the recognition of illegal entities in the temporarily occupied territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions is a violation of international law, a gross violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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Ukraine is not a member of any security alliance, but our country needs clear and concrete security guarantees immediately. Russia should be among the countries that provide such guarantees.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a joint press conference with President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda and President of Poland Andrzej Duda in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Currently, Ukraine is not a member of any security alliance. We defend ourselves on our own, with the support of our partners. But Ukrainians are dying. That is why Ukraine needs security guarantees: clear, concrete, immediate. We want to know that we can protect our people, our homes. and not only on our own, there is a need for support from other partners.

Taking into account the fact that there are 150,000 Russian troops on the border now, and the fact that there are temporarily occupied territories, I believe that Russia should be among the countries that provide clear security guarantees," Zelensky said.

The President stressed that he had repeatedly invited the president of the Russian Federation to sit down at the negotiating table and speak because "this is a matter of dialogue, not conditions."

Zelensky stressed that the security architecture of the world and Europe needed "renovation" and noted that "Ukraine is seen" in this architecture.

As reported, the presidents of Lithuania and Poland pay working visits to Ukraine on Wednesday.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, and President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda signed a joint statement.

The signing ceremony took place at the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv before the press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The statement concerns the decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called "DPR/LPR".

We, the Presidents of Ukraine, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland  the Lublin Triangle, gathered in Kyiv on 23 February 2022, express our strongest condemnation of the decision by the Russian Federation to recognize the quasi-entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine  the so-called Luhansk Peoples Republic and Donetsk Peoples Republic. This unprovoked aggressive step by Russia constitutes yet another blatant violation of the fundamental norms and principles of the international law, including the UN Charter, as well as security assurances given to Ukraine in the framework of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Russia deliberately and unilaterally has withdrawn from the Minsk agreements and therefore bears full responsibility for further deterioration of the security situation on the ground, reads the statement, released on the website of the Presidents Office.

It is underscored that Poland and Lithuania reaffirm their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters. The Russian Federations decision to recognize the so-called LNR and DPR will have no legal implications.

The countries also call upon the international community to take resolute and far-reaching steps in response to yet another act of aggression committed by Russia against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This response should include swift introduction of robust package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, including the measures targeting Nord Stream 2.

Russia is urged to de-escalate and to withdraw its armed forces deployed around Ukraines borders and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and to refrain from taking any further military actions.

The Presidents of Lithuania and Poland stand by Ukraine and fully commend and support its efforts to solve Russian-Ukrainian conflict by diplomatic and peaceful means. Ukraine deserves our strongest support of its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, which goes in line with the free will and choice of the Ukrainian nation, reads the statement.

In particular, Lithuania and Poland reconfirm their support for Ukraine's European perspective, in line with respective Joint Declarations signed on 18 March and on 3 May 2021.

We emphasize that, given the significant progress in the implementation of the Association Agreement and internal reforms, as well as the current security challenges, Ukraine deserves EU candidate status and the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland will support Ukraine in achieving this goal, the joint statement says.

As reported, the presidents of Lithuania and Poland pay working visits to Ukraine on Wednesday.

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With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Weekly retail sales of China-made PVs up 67% YoY: CPCA

The retail sales of China-made passenger vehicles in the week of Feb. 14 to Feb. 20 jumped 67% year over year to 329,000 units, but declined 32% compared with the same period of the previous month, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

Wanda registers new auto tech service firm

A new company named Shenyang Wanda Auto Tech Service was incorporated on Feb. 22nd with a registered capital of RMB5 million, according to Chinas corporate information database Qichacha. The new company has a business scope covering retail sales of auto parts, sales of battery, operation of electric vehicles charging infrastructure.

Photo credit: Wanda

Changan announces investment plan for 2022

Changan and its subsidiaries plans to invest a total of RMB8.05 billion this year, RMB3.246 billion of which will be invested in fixed assets and RMB4.8 billion will be for equity investment.

Changan Mazda names new executive vice president

Changan Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd., named Wang Hui as its executive vice president. The new executive joined Changan in 2003.

Iflytek registers new firm

A new company, which was wholly-owned indirectly by Iflytek, was incorporated recently with a registered capital of RMB2 million. The new firms business included software development, manufacturing and sales of Integrated circuit chips and intelligent in-vehicle device.

Lenovo invests in Chinas IoT developer ZiFiSense

On February 23rd, China's IoT developer, ZiFiSense, announced that it had completed its B+ financing round, raising hundreds of millions of yuan.



Faurecia, BYD establish auto parts sub-subsidiary

BYD, Faurecias subsidiary, recently set up a new sub-subsidiary, named Changzhou Faurecia Auto Parts Co., Ltd. (Changzhou Faurecia), according to Chinas corporate database, Qichacha.



Tesla to expand auto parts production in Shanghai Gigafactory

Tesla is planning to add new manufacturing shops dedicated to expand auto parts production in its Shanghai Gigafactory, according to Tesla's environmental impact assesment report released on December 22nd.



CATL, SANY Group co-launch pilot operation of battery swappable heavy-duty trucks

CATL and SANY Group, the Chinese leading heavy equipment manufacturer, jointly held a ceremony in Ningde city, Fujian province to put a batch of battery swappable heavy-duty trucks into pilot operation, signifying the official launch of China's first trunk for heavy-duty trucks' operation.



SGMW to launch first family-use 7-seater MPV bearing Wuling global silver logo

SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), General Motors' joint venture with Chinese partners SAIC Motor and Guangxi Automobile Group, claimed on Tuesday the second strategic model bearing Wuling's global silver logo, named Wuling Jiachen (in Chinese), will be launched soon.
The European Union and NATO must show unity and say a clear "stop" to Russia's neo-imperial policy.

"We are following every step taken by Russia, president Putin, every next decision he makes. We are following this very closely. We believe that, unfortunately, they pose a threat not only to Ukraine, but to our entire region, especially to NATOs eastern flank and the entire European Union," President of Poland Andrzej Duda said at a joint press conference with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He added that the security architecture system in Europe, which has guaranteed peace in recent decades, was being destroyed now. According to the politician, this is a time of big test for European solidarity and unity of the European Union and NATO.

The Polish leader called for avoiding weakness and disparity between member states amid external pressure and games, underscoring that president Putin's main goal is to show the weakness of the EU and NATO.

"In this difficult time, we must show unity, overcome all divisions and different views on the situation. We must say a clear stop to Russia's neo-imperialist policy. And let us remember that this struggle is not only for the sovereignty of Ukraine but, primarily, for the new world security architecture which we must all take care of," Duda stressed.

As reported, the presidents of Lithuania and Poland pay working visits to Ukraine on Wednesday.

On February 21, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the decrees recognizing two self-proclaimed entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. The agreements between these quasi-republics and Russia provide for military assistance. Russia thus openly acknowledged its military presence in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The leaders of the EU, the United States, Canada and most world democracies condemned the Kremlin's actions as a direct violation of international law and Russian Federation's international commitments.

On February 22, the Federation Council unanimously allowed Putin to use the Russian army abroad.

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I do believe in the power of the free world and our joint ability to avert a new devastating catastrophe in Europe that no nation will be able to sit out.

Mr. President,

I am grateful for your leadership in this main policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations.

You have chosen the word Hope as a motto for your Presidency. The same feeling currently dominates the mindsets of Ukrainians and people around the globe. Hope for peace. Hope for common sense to prevail. Hope for diplomacy to ease tensions.

However, today we need much more than hope. We need swift, concrete and resolute actions. A new type of action by the UN and international community which is relevant to the level of threat we all, not just Ukraine, face today because of Russias aggressive course.

The people of Ukraine need these actions by Ukraines strategic partners and international community. We are at a critical juncture in world history and our actions today define it for decades to come. We all read history books. We all watched movies about the mistakes of politicians in the runup to 1914 and 1939. About the feats of our grandparents and a catastrophic price at which a revanchist evil in Europe was defeated.

There is no more important task today than to not repeat the mistakes of the past. I do believe in the power of the free world and our joint ability to avert a new devastating catastrophe in Europe that no nation will be able to sit out. This is why today I address you on behalf of over 40 millions of Ukrainians who only wish to live in peace and prosperity. Not in fear, intimidation, not under Russian fire, bombs and shelling.

We are currently at the middle of the largest security crisis in Europe since the Second World War. This crisis was created and is being escalated by one side unilaterally, by the Russian Federation. Russias accusations of Ukraine are absurd. Ukraine has never threatened or attacked anyone. Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any such action. Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any military offensive in the Donbas. Neither any provocations or acts of sabotage. It is ultimately absurd to suggest that Ukraine could have prepared for anything like this and waited for months until Russia amassed an enormous military force along our borders to proceed with such alleged plans. This absurdity defies basic logic.

Not less absurd are accusations of Ukraine escalating by acquiring defensive weapons from its partners. The only, I want to stress it, the only reason for Ukraine to boost its defenses is Russias ongoing and planned military and political actions. Russias actions and statements are outrageous, horrific and go far beyond threatening Ukraine.

In fact, in his address this week Russian president Vladmir Putin overtly denied Ukraines right to exist. Anyone who might think I exaggerate as the Ukrainian Foreign Minister should just watch this horrifying speech. It is with a heavy heart that we all need to admit the grim reality of a new aggressive and revanchist rule rising over Europe.

This is the fourth time that the General Assembly debates the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. However, this is the first time we debate the situation in the new reality created by the illegal recognition of two territories of Ukraine by Russia. And the backdrop of our discussion today is much more dangerous as Russia attacked the very fundamental principles of international peace and security, the pillars of the United Nations and, as I mentioned, the very existence of the Ukrainian state, the founding member of the United Nations.

A Ukrainian state that signed the UN Charter in San Francisco in 1945 as a founding member and made the principle enshrined in Article 2 of the Charter a cornerstone of its foreign policy. A state that voluntarily gave up its nuclear arsenal under the security assurances of nuclear powers. A state that has endured years of assault by one of these powers, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Two days ago, on February 21st, the Russian President recognized independence of the temporarily occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and ordered the deployment of the Russian Armed Forces in these areas. This is an affront attack on the United Nations and core principles of international law, an ultimate blow to years of peace process and Russias unilateral withdrawal from the Minsk agreements.

What is happening right now in Eastern Ukraine, where Russian tanks are rolling in, and along the Ukrainian borders, where Russian forces are amassed in enormous quantities, must be a concern for everyone, for all of you.

I warn every nation in this distinguished chamber: no one will be able to sit out this crisis if Putin decides that he can move forward with his aggression against Ukraine. Your governments and your people will face painful consequences together with our government and our people. This is why we need to use this last chance for action and stop Russia where it is. It is clear that President Putin will not stop by himself.

Distinguished representatives,

The beginning of a large-scale war in Ukraine will be the end of the world order as we know it. If Russia does not get a severe, swift and decisive response now, this will mean a total bankruptcy of the international security system and international institutions which are tasked with maintaining the global security order. This is a grim scenario which will throw us back to the darkest times of the 20th century. Russia will not stop at Ukraine. If a permanent member of the UN Security Council succeeds in breaking literally all rules, other actors will be inspired by him and follow his pattern. What he tries to do now is to prove that the United Nations are weak, indecisive and unable to defend their core principles, that rules do not apply to him, to Russia, to Putin.

What role for the UN does Russia see? A new League of Nations. We must deny Russia what it wants. I graduated from the university with a degree in international law and a strong belief in multilateralism. After many years of practicing diplomacy, I still do believe in both: rules containing aggression and the power of our collective and firm action. If the United Nations makes a pivot right now to become a strong and proactive player, which is not afraid of resolute actions and using all of its might and powers, I am confident that Russia will stop.

In this context, I welcome yesterdays statement by the United Nations Secretary General which is truly different in tone. We need decisive actions of the same kind to follow these right words.

Russia shows signs of readiness to further escalate its aggression against Ukraine and we have limited time to stop, deter and contain it. Every hour of inaction now is a threat to the lives of Ukrainians, not only military but also civilians, including women and children. This is an escalating threat to our collective global security and to our freedom.

Ukraine expects decisive, immediate and proportional actions by the international community. The United Nations is the organization that has to demonstrate leadership. Not just condemnations. Concrete actions to stop the Russian machine of war without stepping into a bloody conflict with many thousands of casualties, devastation and suffering. I do not want this. Ukraine does not want this. The world does not want this. We need your help right now to stop Russia from proceeding with aggressive plans.

Ukraine believes in diplomacy. We see no alternative to peaceful solutions by political and diplomatic means. There is still an opportunity for diplomacy to say its word. Even as Russia continues its escalation and provocations. For months Russia pretended to pursue diplomacy while bringing more and more troops to our borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Now this number stands at least at 150 thousand.

Under the OSCE Vienna Document on Confidence and Security-Building Measures such actions fall under the qualification of unusual military activities that would require explanation. However, Russia has persistently refused to provide it. Instead, it proceeded with threats.

Russia has literally stuffed the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov with at least 46 military vessels. It routinely closes large parts of the seas under the pretext of holding naval exercises. In practice, it amounts almost to a blockade of Ukrainian seaports. This is already an attack on the global freedom of navigation, one of the sacred principles of international law.

Russias propaganda machine is in full swing. It desperately tries to create a pretext for further aggression against Ukraine.

We resolutely reject all Russian insinuations about any alleged Ukrainian offensive military operations in the Donbas. We do not hold or plan any such actions.

We remain committed to political and diplomatic settlement and together with our partners we maximize efforts to reduce tensions and keep the situation in line with diplomatic dialogue.

For now, we see that Russian occupation forces have already significantly increased shelling of Ukrainian territory and civilian infrastructure. Artillery fire at the contact line in the Donbas from the occupied territory hit a kindergarten in a town called Stanytsia Luhanska and a school in Vrubivka, among the latest terrible examples.

Recognition of the so-called republics has no legal implications. It merely confirms Russias own involvement as a party to the armed conflict in Donbas, which Russia vehemently denied all these years.

The situation in the occupied Donbas has already been terrible for years, with residents living in the atmosphere of fear, lawlessness and insecurity.

The infamous secret prison called Izolyatsia in the occupied Donetsk remains inaccessible for human rights and humanitarian missions. It continues to function as a literal concentration camp. In Europe, in the 21st century. Hundreds of people have passed through this camp and were subjected to heavy forced labour, humiliation, tortures. Cases of extrajudicial killings have been reported too.

Russia continues to block the release of the illegally detained persons. In September 2021 the President of Ukraine handed over to the Secretary General the list of more than a hundred of Ukrainians from Donbas and Crimea who had been unlawfully detained, sentenced or even transferred from the occupied territories to the Russian Federation. We reiterate our call on the Secretary-General to provide good offices and facilitate their immediate release. And I appreciate the readiness of the Secretary General to do so.

Mr. President,

Today, Ukraine defends not only global security, but also freedom, democracy and fundamental principles of international law. Peaceful life and the future of millions of people in Europe and around the globe rely on the rules that Russia tries to destroy. Diplomacy and international fora must prevail and stop Russian aggression.

Since 2014, the General Assembly has already adopted eleven resolutions reaffirming its commitment to Ukraines territorial integrity and condemning the temporary occupation of Ukraines territories by Russia.

The General Assembly has not and will not accept the Russian mantra that the case of Crimea is closed. The occupying power persists in destroying the identity of Ukrainians and the indigenous people of the peninsula  the Crimean Tatars. Since 2014 more than 64,000 Ukrainian citizens have had to leave Crimea and move to mainland Ukraine due to fear, persecution for political and human rights activism, discrimination on ethnic and religious grounds. Political persecutions continue unabated.

Among many others, Mr. Nariman Dzhelyalov, Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, participant of the International Crimea Platform Summit, remains behind bars. He is one of more than 100 political prisoners of the Kremlin.

On February 16th, a court in Simferopol sentenced journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko on trumped-up charges to six years in prison. He is one of fourteen Ukrainian journalists kept by Russians in prison. Russia may continue to pretend it doesnt violate any international norms and principles. Yet, reports by the UN Secretary-General, OHCHR, OSCE, their missions, as well as the report of the ICC Prosecutor, all testify to the contrary.

If Russia doesnt agree with all the mentioned resolutions and reports it should simply provide access to Crimea to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. The access of international organizations to the occupied territories is critical. Ukraine guarantees such access throughout the government-controlled territory and continues to demand from the Russian side to do the same in the occupied territories.

Esteemed members of the General Assembly,

The whole world witnesses today that Russia turns to threatening and blackmailing the global community to close the Crimea case. It is in fact one of the points in the long-list of its recent so-called security demands.

Ukraine continues efforts to achieve de-occupation of Crimea by peaceful means.

The Crimea Platform is a tool designed exactly for that end. We are truly thankful to all the countries supporting the International Crimea Platform. Your active involvement in the Platform is a sound foundation for our future success. We are open to new members and I call on you to join the Crimea Platform. Be it states or international organizations, you are welcome. We expect the UN will find proper modalities to engage with this initiative, established on the principles of the UN Charter.

Mr.President, dear colleagues,

Ukraine made a historic contribution to global security. In 1994 we denuclearized, giving up the world's third largest nuclear arsenal. We have no plans to regain nuclear weapons. Today, we expect the world to reciprocally ensure our security with relevant scale and resoluteness of actions in the face of a historic level of threat. This is the reason why Ukraine requested urgent consultations under article 6 of the Budapest memorandum.

The world owes Ukraine its security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initiated a new format of negotiations to settle the security crisis created by Russia. Five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Ukraine, Germany and Turkey. This is the format that we are trying to convene.

I reaffirm that Ukraine proposed some years ago to deploy a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine. Until now, the UNSC has failed to take necessary decisions.

Ukraine proposes to combine stark sanctions policy and strengthening of Ukraine together with keeping diplomatic channels open to persuade Russia to de-escalate and prioritize diplomacy.

We urge member states to use all available means to protect Ukraine and deter Russia. Whatever action you can take is appreciated. We are grateful for the actions already taken by many of you.

We expect the international community to do its best to put out the fire in the center of Europe, which is about to flare up.

The Russian security crisis must end with Russia returning to the path of diplomacy.

We call on all States and international organizations not to recognize any alteration of the status of the certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and to refrain from any action or dealing that might be interpreted as recognizing any such altered status.

The absence of proper reaction or a neutral stance will only contribute to further escalation and sufferings. And it will not be limited to Ukraines border and territory.

On the contrary, active diplomacy, strong political messaging, tough economic sanctions and strengthening Ukraine can still force Moscow to abandon aggressive plans. Swift and resolute actions by the United Nations can reclaim the organizations leading role at this historic and dark moment.

Russia must withdraw its forces from the sovereign territory of Ukraine. Russia must stop destabilizing the international security situation. We, Ukrainians, want peace. And we want to resolve all issues through diplomacy. We stand ready for all possible scenarios and ready to protect our land and our people if Russia further attacks. Ukraine will not hesitate to exercise its inherent right of self-defense as outlined in article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations in response to the armed attacks of the Russian Federation.

These days we have probably the last window of opportunity to do what Russia does not expect the United Nations and its member states to do. Demonstrate unprecedented ability and readiness to act in order to stop aggression. No matter what relations you develop among each other, it is your ultimate duty to defend the UN Charter.

I thank you!
The Verkhovna Rada has approved the decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky on the introduction of a state of emergency from 00:00 on February 24, 2022, across the territory of all Ukraine, except Donetsk and Luhansk regions, for a period of 30 days.

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, 335 people's deputies backed the move.

The decree says the state of emergency is being introduced in Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv regions, as well as in the city of Kyiv.

This law shall enter into force on the day of its publication, along with the relevant decree.

A state of emergency in Ukraine may be imposed for a period not exceeding 30 days and no more than 60 days in certain localities.

If necessary, the relevant regime may be extended by President, but for no more than 30 days.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on February 23, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine proposed to impose a state of emergency on the entire territory of Ukraine, except for Donetsk and Luhansk regions, because there is a separate legal regime operating there  the Joint Forces Operation. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky issued a state of emergency decree, which was to be approved by the Verkhovna Rada.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing two self-proclaimed entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. Agreements between these quasi-republics and Russia provide for military assistance.

Russia has thus openly acknowledged its military presence in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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White flags are seen on the National Mall near the Washington Monument in Washington, DC on Sept. 19, 2021. - The project, by artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg, uses over 600,000 miniature white flags to symbolize the lives lost to COVID-19 in the US. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On February 23rd, China's IoT developer, ZiFiSense, announced that it had completed its B+ financing round, raising hundreds of millions of yuan.

Photo credit: ZiFiSense

The investment round was led by Lenovo Capital and Vlight Capital. Other participants in this round include Sinochem and Thai cement mogul SCG. According to ZiFiSense, the funds will help the company build a ZETA chip ecosystem and a world-first inductive tracking IoT network. The company will also use the money to expand its business layout in the industrial, energy, and auto parts fields.

As an IoT technology provider, ZiFiSense offers end-to-end IoT solutions based on "ZETA LPWAN", "Edge AIoT", and "ZETag". The company holds strong R&D capabilities and expertise in telecommunication hardware, server platform, wireless protocol, and AI algorithms. The company's IoT solutions target three major scenarios, namely in-building IoT, industrial IoT, and logistics IoT.

ZiFiSense houses a large R&D team accounting for 60% of its roster. Its core research members were from well-known telecom giants, HUAWEI and ZTE. Aside from China, the company currently has global representatives based in the UK, Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

The company has formed a partnership with multiple automakers, SAIC-GM Wuling, JAC Motor, and Great Wall Motor. Other major companies like Bosch, Nestle, SF, JD.com, and Alibaba's Cainiao are also clients of ZiFiSense.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Feb. 22, CATL and SANY Group, the Chinese leading heavy equipment manufacturer, jointly held a ceremony in Ningde city, Fujian province to put a batch of battery swappable heavy-duty trucks into pilot operation, signifying the official launch of China's first trunk for heavy-duty trucks' operation.



Launching ceremony for pilot operation of electric heavy-duty truck trunk; photo credit: CATL



At the same time, Ningde City Communications Investment Group Co., Ltd. and CATLGLP, where CATL holds around 47% stake, signed a strategic investment agreement. The four parties will make joint efforts to promote the low-carbon operation of battery swappable heavy-duty trucks in full commercial-use scenarios.

Under the pressure of reducing carbon emissions, it is quite urgent to popularize electric vehicles in the heavy-duty truck segment, which features a high emission volume. Given the concerns about the slow charging speed, the difficulty in finding charging spots, and the range anxiety, the charging mode cannot thoroughly solve all pain points for electric vehicle users. Thus, battery swapping was born to be a supplementary method.

CATL said it is committed to offering highly efficient battery swapping solutions for trunk transportation, urban infrastructure construction, port transportation, and other scenarios where heavy-truck trucks are greatly demanded.

The newly-launched battery swappable trucks utilize CATL's lithium iron phosphate batteries, which not only enable zero emission and zero pollution, but also support high-power rapid charging, the battery maker added. Besides, the battery can be exchanged to a fully charged one within only three to five minutes, so as to significantly improve the vehicle operation efficiency.



CAES, High-speed Energy Development Co., Ltd. signing MoU; photo credit: CATL



On the same day, CATL's subsidiary CAES (Contemporary Amperex Energy Service Technology Ltd.) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with High-speed Energy Development Co., Ltd., a unit of Fujian Expressway Group Co., Ltd. Under the MoU, both parties will build a joint venture dedicated to developing a battery swapping network for expressways of Fujian province, and promoting the construction and operation of battery swap stations at the province's highway service plazas.
Jennifer Ann Hancock was born Nov. 20, 1956, in Atlanta, to William Roy and Martha Jones Hancock. She went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in Gray. She was preceded in death by her father, William Roy Hancock, and her brother, Timothy Roy Hancock, as well as grandparents
LOS ANGELES  Cybersocket is ready for Round Two with the return of this exclusive, monthly chat on their new Live Channel featuring a Fan Q&A via chat room and streaming video with Falcon exclusive Beau Butler on Tuesday, March 1st at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET. Ask one of the adult industrys most in-demand bottoms the questions youve been dying to know as he answers in real-time, live in-studio.

Fans will be able to log on to Cybersocket.com/Live and register as a user or as a guest and watch the Reign answer their questionsnothing is off limits. The live session will be hosted by Cybersocket Director and on-air personality, Alexander Rodriguez.

Archived Live Chats will be available for viewing on the site, on YouTube, and will be released as part of Cybersockets new podcast lineup, also featuring Silvia Saiges Sexy Funny Raw and Teddy Bears Bear with Us, Gurrrl.



A relative newcomer to the adult industry, Beau Butler enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom and quickly become one of gay porns most highly in-demand performers. With a thriving Fans presence, Beau was quickly snatched up as an exclusive model at Falcon/Naked Sword (plus their Raging Stallion & Hot House). And in 2022 alone, he has won GayVN, Str8UpGay, & Fleshbot Awards.

Check out the Live Channel here.

For more information, visit Cybersocket.com.
Niamey, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Eighteen civilians have been killed in two suspected militant attacks in the west of Niger near the Sahel nation's border with Mali, the government said Tuesday.

The attack happened on Sunday when unidentified "armed bandits" on motorbikes attacked a truck travelling between villages in the Tillaberi region, which lies in a flashpoint zone where the frontiers of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali converge, it said.

The interior ministry, in a statement, said "the provisional toll of the attack is 18 people killed, eight injured" with five of those injured admitted to hospital in serious condition.

The truck was then set on fire, the ministry said, adding that a search was underway to find the attackers.

A local resident confirmed the death toll saying that 14 were killed in the attack on the truck.

"Three people who surprised the attackers in a hiding place in the bush, then another person in the attack on the village of Tizigorou", the individual told AFP, claiming to have lost "a nephew" in the attacks.

A local lawmaker, who gave a far lower toll earlier in the day, said that the vehicle targeted by the attackers had been returning from Niger's capital Niamey on Sunday afternoon carrying passengers from four local villages as well as their cargo.

Witnesses reported that the attackers "killed nearly all of the men onboard, before taking their supplies and burning the truck," the lawmaker said.

Armed groups carried out numerous attacks on civilians in the region in 2021, including a November 2 massacre of at least 69 members of a self-defence militia.

In October 2021, motorcycle-riding assailants killed ten people in a mosque near Tizigorou during evening prayers.

Last Wednesday an improvised explosive device killed five Nigerien soldiers in the southwest of the Sahel country, according to the defence ministry.

The blast occurred in the Gotheye district of Tillaberi.

Western Niger has for years faced militant attacks, despite the efforts of international forces deployed to the wider Sahel region to fight the Islamist insurgents.

Niger, the world's poorest country according to the UN's Human Development Index, has to contend with two insurgencies.

It has faced groups such as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) in the west, as well as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the southeast, near the border with Nigeria.

Niger's neighbour Mali has been struggling to contain a brutal insurgency that first emerged in 2012, before spreading to 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.

France announced a military pullout last week due to a dispute with Mali's military junta, which seized power in 2020 and has since defied international calls to swiftly restore civil rule.
New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Exactly one year after French duo Daft Punk shocked fans by announcing an unceremonious split, they've returned to social media and are hosting a one-day-only livestream of a 1997 show on Twitch.

The era-defining dancefloor act began the livestream at 2:22 Pacific time -- and on 02-22-22 no less -- sharing rare footage from their December 12, 1997 show in Los Angeles when they played the set without their iconic helmets.

Daft Punk also released a deluxe anniversary edition of their debut album "Homework," which came out 25 years ago.

From "Da Funk" in 1995 to "Get Lucky" in 2013, Daft Punk became the torch-bearers for French house music across the globe, winning six Grammy awards and pioneering the monumental sound-and-light shows that came to characterise the electronic dance movement (EDM) of recent years.

They did so while almost never revealing their faces: the ubiquitous helmets became another much-copied trope of EDM stars, but also afforded Thomas Bangalter, 47, and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, 48, freedom from the fame that quickly encircled them.

Their fourth and last album, 2013's "Random Access Memories", was a phenomenal success, winning them four Grammys the following year including best record for "Get Lucky", the millions-selling lead single featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Quito, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso announced Tuesday some 5,000 prisoners would be pardoned to reduce overcrowding in the country's prisons, which were hit with riots that left more than 320 inmates dead in 2021.

"I hope that at least 5,000 people deprived of their freedom will be released," the president told reporters.

He said he aimed "to end overcrowding by the end of the year and thus have a much more favorable environment for security and for social rehabilitation inside the prisons." Ecuador's 65 prisons have capacity for 30,000 inmates but house some 39,000, equivalent to 30 percent overcrowding.

Some 15,000 of the prisoners have not been sentenced.

More than 320 inmates were killed in 2021 in a surge of violence blamed on fighting between rival drug groups in Ecuador, nestled between the world's biggest cocaine producers, Colombia and Peru.

Lasso signed a decree Monday to establish the conditions and system for pardons.

The effort will target prisoners charged with theft, fraud or breach of trust, local media reported.
Mexico City, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday accused US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of "interfering" after he called for greater accountability over a string of journalist murders.

The rare public spat with US President Joe Biden's administration follows the killing of at least five media workers already in 2022 in one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.

"The high number of journalists killed in Mexico this year and the ongoing threats they face are concerning," Blinken tweeted late Tuesday.

"I join those calling for greater accountability and protections for Mexican journalists. My heart goes out to the loved ones of those who gave their lives for the truth," he added.

In response, Lopez Obrador urged Blinken "to inform yourself and not to act in an interfering manner because Mexico is not a colony of the United States, nor is it a protectorate.

" He told reporters he thought Blinken was "misinformed because otherwise he would be acting in bad faith," and insisted that the Mexican government was dealing with crimes against journalists.

"In all cases, action is being taken. There is no impunity," Lopez Obrador said, adding that he had asked his foreign minister to send Blinken details of all the cases and the government's actions.

Mexico has maintained cordial relations with Biden's administration, although there have been frictions on certain issues such as Lopez Obrador's planned energy sector reforms.

The Latin American nation is on course for one of its deadliest years yet for the press, prompting calls from media rights groups for authorities to end a culture of impunity.

Around 150 journalists have been murdered since 2000 in Mexico, and only a fraction of the crimes have resulted in convictions, according to watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Acapulco, Mexico, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Rafael Nadal matched his best career start to an ATP Tour season with a victory Tuesday in his first match since capturing the Australian Open title, reaching the second round of the Mexican Open.

The 35-year-old Spanish left-hander defeated US lucky loser Dennis Kudla 6-3, 6-2 to book a hardcourt date with American Stefan Kozlov in the last 16.

"It has been a positive start, a good victory in straight sets. That's always very positive for the confidence," Nadal said.

"I played a very solid match, a good effort today. Of course there are a couple of things that I can do better, but in general terms, I played well so I can't complain at all." The victory lifted Nadal to 11-0 this year, matching his best career start to any season. He also won 11 matches in a row to begin the 2014 campaign before losing to Swiss Stan Wawrinka in an Australian Open final.

Nadal won his men's record 21st Grand Slam title at last month's Australian Open, breaking the career mark of 20 Slam crowns he had shared with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

World number five Nadal broke 100th-ranked Kudla in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead and held from there to claim the first set of their first career meeting.

When Kudla sent a forehand long to surrender the first break of the second set, Nadal seized a 2-1 lead and held at love to 3-1.

Nadal broke again for a 4-1 edge and held twice more, claiming the victory on a forehand winner.

Fourth seed Nadal fired eight aces and won 36 of 40 points on his serve in the dominating outing.

The Spaniard seeks his 91st career ATP title and third of the year, having also won a Slam tuneup tournament at Melbourne.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Cape Town, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :South Africa's economic recovery -- encumbered by the pandemic, riots, graft and high unemployment -- will be difficult, the finance minister of the continent's most industrialised economy warned on Wednesday.

Economic growth is projected to be 2.1 percent this year, dropping to an average of 1.8 percent over the next three years, Enoch Godongwana said as he tabled the government's annual budget statement.

"Our economic recovery has been uneven and risks remain high," he said. "We must proceed with caution." Restrictions imposed last year and in 2020 to control the spread of Covid-19 brought most economic activity to a standstill and plunged millions of people into unemployment.

With more than 3.6 million Covid cases and nearly 99,000 fatalities, South Africa is the continent's hardest-hit country.

Godongwana said his budget was aimed at striking "a critical balance between saving lives and livelihoods, while supporting inclusive growth".

South Africa was also rocked by riots in July last year which wiped more than $3 billion off the economy's books after businesses were looted in the two most populous provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

- Inequality - The unrest, sparked by the jailing of ex-president Jacob Zuma for refusing to appear before graft investigators, threw millions more people out of work.

Unemployment rates range from 35 percent of the general population to 65 percent among young people.

Analysts say unemployment is a ticking time bomb in South Africa, which attracts many economic migrants from other African countries.

The country has in recent weeks experienced a wave of protests against the employment of foreign migrants in low-skilled and menial positions.

Nearly half of the population of 59 million in one of the world's most unequal countries are now receiving monthly payouts due to poverty and joblessness.

"While tackling inequality is necessary, it will become increasingly challenging considering that South Africa already spends 3.3 percent of its GDP on social expenditure," said Hannes van den Berg, an analyst at financial advisory group Consult.

He also cautioned against creating dependency on social grants rather than creating employment.

The government will set aside some 76 billion rand ($5 billion) for job creation programmes in the medium term.

Government debt is forecast to climb to 5.4 trillion rand in the medium term from the current level of 4.3 trillion rand, Godongwana said, calling the debt burden "a matter of serious concern".

The cost of servicing the debt annually is more than the budget allocated to such key ministries as health and police.

Godongwana promised to stabilise debt and narrow the consolidated budget deficit from 5.7 percent of GDP to 4.2 percent of GDP by the year 2025.

Massive state corruption and cronyism under Zuma, laid bare in a series of reports since January, have played havoc with growth forecasts.

"Corruption is a major blight on our country," said Godongwana. "It has lowered our economic growth potential, made us fiscally more vulnerable, and severely weakened the capability of the state."
Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Russia on Tuesday said it would soon evacuate its diplomatic staff from Ukraine to "protect their lives", after lawmakers allowed President Vladimir Putin to use force abroad.

"To protect the lives and safety (of diplomats), the Russian leadership decided to evacuate the personnel of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine, which will be implemented in the near future," Moscow's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said that its diplomats have received threats and that its embassy and consulate has been under "repeated attacks." "Ukraine has plunged deeper into chaos," the statement said.

Several Western embassies have relocated from Kyiv to the city of Lviv near the Polish border, as the US and its allies have for months accused Russia of planning an attack on Ukraine.

The announcement of evacuations came shortly after Russian parliament's upper house gave Putin permission to use the Russian army abroad.

Putin on Monday recognised eastern Ukraine's separatist-held Donetsk and Lugansk regions as independent and signed agreements with them, opening the door for Russian military presence in the Western-backed country.
(@FahadShabbir)

Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Russia said Wednesday that new US sanctions will meet a "strong response" after US President Joe Biden announced new penalties against Moscow for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine.

"There should be no doubt -- sanctions will meet a strong response, not necessarily symmetrical, but well-calibrated and sensitive for the American side," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Were a week and half away from the debut of HBOs splashy star studded series Winning Time, which is based off of Jeff Pearlmans book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty. Well have a review for you next week ahead of the premiere and we also published a Q&A with Pearlman earlier today.

As we head into the premiere, Winning Time has very much felt like a show HBO was going all in on. From the budget, the cast, the PR efforts, the Super Bowl commercial, and today, an in-depth longform magazine cover feature on the series.

There is a lot of interesting stuff in the feature, but most interesting to us were the various hints that a second season or sequel series seems extremely likely. From the feature:

The writers are back in the room plotting out season two, which hasnt been given a formal green light, but one seems likely to come soon

If youre unfamiliar with the timing of renewals, they typically are announced not long after the premiere of a new season, especially if the show is held in high regard with the network. Usually, chances of a new season happening decrease the further along in the current season you get without an announcement, although sometimes thats the preference of the show vs the network.

Thats a long way of saying that with the writers already working on a second season, The Hollywood Reporter hinting at a second season, and a green light for a second season likely to come soon, I think its fair to say that the network feels very confident about the the series to already be laying track for a second season.

But beyond that bread crumb, we get another clue of HBO being very open to stretching the series even beyond the Magic Johnson Lakers era.

What initially was envisioned to conclude with Magics HIV announcement in 1991 now seems open-ended. If the stories are there and the different eras are there, why not keep exploring it? says Bloys, whose network has quietly optioned Pearlmans follow-up, which takes readers through the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal era of the Lakers.

Book options arent all that pricey, and given Hulu and Apple+ are also airing Lakers focused series (seriously), it probably made sense to option Pearlmans second book, even as just a defensive tactic. With that said, Bloys discussing the open ended interest in the series and the book option seem to point to HBO being hopeful that Winning Time has some staying power. I mean, if Ballers had five seasons of success, I dont think its crazy to think that you could see Winning Time stretch to a similar amount of seasons, especially if Pearlmans second book open the door to the Kobe and Shaq era.

[THR]
UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Weapons exports to the military rulers in Myanmar by UN Member States must stop, the UN expert on the human rights situation in the country said on Tuesday.

In a report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews insisted that these arms had been used against civilians.

He also called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session to vote on a resolution to ban this trade.

"It should be incontrovertible that weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar. These transfers truly shock the conscience," Andrews said in a statement.

"Stopping the junta's atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons. The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in Myanmar." The weapons include fighter jets, armoured vehicles, rockets and artillery.

"The people of Myanmar are imploring the UN to act," said Andrews.

"They deserve an up-or-down vote on a Security Council resolution that will stop the sale of weapons being used to kill them. Too many families are finding themselves in the crosshairs of weapons of war that Member States are supplying. This must end." The report also Names countries that have authorized weapons transfers to Myanmar since 2018, a time he said when military atrocity crimes against the Rohingya Muslims were widely documented.

It further calls for coordinated action by countries to cut the junta's access to revenue. Andrews urged the Security Council to take action.

"I appeal to Member States of the UN Security Council who are appalled by the killing of Myanmar civilians to put forward a resolution to stop it," he said.

"Transparency matters. The Security Council should consider, at the very least, a resolution to ban weapons that are being used by the Myanmar military to kill innocent people."
Saint Paul, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :A Minnesota jury is to begin deliberating the fate on Wednesday of three former police officers charged with violating the civil rights of George Floyd, the African-American man whose murder sparked nationwide protests.

Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are on trial in Federal court in Saint Paul for their roles in Floyd's May 2020 death in the sister city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys for the three men wrapped up their closing arguments on Tuesday after a one-month trial.

Judge Paul Magnuson cut short the day's proceedings because of a snowstorm and said he will charge jurors with the case on Wednesday.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on the neck of a handcuffed Floyd for nearly 10 minutes until he passed out and died, was convicted of murder and is serving 22 years in prison.

Thao, Kueng and Lane were the three other officers involved in the arrest of the 46-year-old Floyd for allegedly using a fake $20 bill to buy a pack of cigarettes.

While Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck, Kueng was on his back and Lane held his legs. Thao kept back bystanders who were telling Chauvin to get off the visibly distressed Floyd.

Floyd's death was filmed by a bystander and sparked months of protests against racial injustice and police brutality.

Thao, Kueng and Lane are charged with showing "deliberate indifference" to Floyd's medical needs.

Thao and Kueng are also accused of failing to intervene to stop Chauvin's use of "unreasonable force" against Floyd.

Lane does not face the second charge. Video of the arrest shows that on two occasions, Lane suggested Floyd be rolled over on his side.

In her closing argument, prosecutor Manda Sertich said all three officers failed to provide medical assistance to Floyd.

"The officers knew that George Floyd couldn't breathe, didn't have a pulse and was dying," she said. "Make no mistake, this is a crime." LeeAnn Bell, another prosecutor, said "this happened because Thao and Kueng did not intervene, and all three failed to provide medical aid." "They didn't do the right but difficult thing," Bell said.

Lawyers for Kueng and Lane stressed that the two officers had only been on the job for a few days and deferred to Chauvin, an 18-year veteran and the senior officer on the scene.

Earl Gray, the lawyer for Lane, said his client did show concern for Floyd during the arrest and asked Chauvin whether Floyd should be placed on his side.

"Chauvin doesn't say anything, he ignores this person over here, he's just a rookie," Gray said.

The defense attorney also noted that Lane asked Kueng to check Floyd's pulse and administered CPR after an ambulance arrived.

"All of that is being concerned about George Floyd's medical needs," Gray said.

Twelve jurors and six alternates are hearing the case.

Thao, Kueng and Lane are to face Minnesota state charges in connection with Floyd's death in a trial that is scheduled to begin on June 13.

But in a sign of the importance of the case, federal prosecutors also charged the officers with violating Floyd's constitutional rights.
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LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said more than 97 per cent of 32,109 complaints from Punjab regarding Federal departments had been resolved on the Prime Minister's Citizen Portal.

Chairing a meeting at the Governor's House here on Wednesday, he directed all federal departments to ensure 100 per cent redressal of the public complaints, adding that serving the masses was the sole responsibility of civil servants and political leadership.

The meeting was attended by the provincial heads of federal departments and regional officers to review redressal of public grievances regarding the Prime Minister's Citizen Portal. Principal Secretary to Governor Punjab Dr Rashid Mansoor, Special Secretary to Governor Punjab Omer Saeed, chief executives of Sui Gas, NADRA, WAPDA, Higher education Department, Accountant General, Benazir Income Support, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, State Life Insurance Corporation and provincial heads of 26 federal departments attended the meeting.

The governor was briefed that during the last three months, a total of 32,109 complaints were received from Punjab regarding federal departments, out of which 31,565 complaints had been settled while 544 complaints are delayed because of various judicial matters and other reasons.

The governor also appreciated the initiative of NADRA Regional Head Office to set up a state-of- the-art facilitation center in Lahore for issuance of inheritance/succession certificate and gave strict instructions to all departments to ensure timely action for resolving public grievances.

Chaudhry Sarwar said problems faced in over-billing and installation of electricity meters of people should be rectified immediately. He said no obstacle would be tolerated in providing relief to people. It was a responsibility of all government agencies to facilitate people instead of creating problems for them.

Governor Sarwar said:" The Prime Minister's Portal is a historic programme for redressal of complaints of people,adding that:" We are bringing transparency and merit in the institutions and for the first time in history the institutions are being cleansed of political interference."The governor expressed satisfaction over the performance of the departments with regard to theCitizen Portal and commended the departments and officers who had shown good performance.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that nepotism destroys institutions and the government has cleansed institutions from this malaise by ensuring merit and transparency

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Feb, 2022 ) :Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that nepotism destroys institutions and the government has cleansed institutions from this malaise by ensuring merit and transparency.

"We must work for discouraging commendation culture in society," he said while addressing a Girl Guides ceremony in connection with the World Thinking Day here on Tuesday. He added that the government is working to provide maximum facilities to the youth of the country and Kamyab Jawan program is a step towards this goal of empowering the youth.

Provincial Minister Sarwat Hameed and students from different colleges attended the event.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that he is happy that Pakistan Girls Guides Association Punjab has become a prestigious organization which has been playing a vital role in empowering women.

He said Girl Guides plays a vital role in character building so that they can serve homes and country better. He further said the girl guides have outshone boy scouts as they have left boys behind the field of education.

He said the girls must seek inspiration from the fact that Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah served as the patron of Girl Guides Association Pakistan, adding that girls must play their role to make Pakistan a developed nation.

The Governor Punjab said human and environmental survival depends on mutual cooperation. He said, "Although climate change is affecting all of us, women are facing the most problems due to these changes." He further said, "We all have a responsibility to work together for the betterment of the environment and for the betterment of mankind, because mutual cooperation is the only way to achieve a goal." Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar expressed the hope that the Pakistan Girl Guide Association would continue its dedication and passion for empowering women and building their character.

Ensuring his fullest cooperation to the girl guides, he said doors of Governor's House are always open for you. He said, "Let's pledge that together we will play our role in cleaning and improving our environment."Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar cut a cake to mark World Thinking Day of the Girl Guides and planted a sapling on the occasion.
SUKKUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Senator Islamuddin Shaikh and his son MNA Noman islam Shaikh, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Barrister Aslan Shaikh on Wednesday have expressed their grief over the demise of former interior minister Senator Rehman Malik.

They prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

They also sympathized with the grieved family and prayed for strength to them to bear the loss.

Senator Dr Abdul Qayoom Soomro also expressed his condolence over the death of the senior PPP leader and prayed for peace of the deceased soul, besides sympathising with the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, MNA Dr Nafeesa Shah also condoled the demise of Senator Rehman Malik and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest his soul in eternal peace.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Minister for Federal education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood Wednesday inaugurated 'School Meal Programme' to provide lunch to students in the public sector Primary educational institutions of federal capital.

Under the initiative, the government has started providing lunch to 25000 students of 100 schools on daily basis.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the Dr. Muhammad Ali Shah, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-e-Azam University, Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah, Secretary, IBCC, Dr. Ikram Ali Malik, DG Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).

Speaking on the occasion, Shafqat Mahmood said that food will be provided to students in government primary schools by 'Allah Wale Trust'.

The Minister thanked the private trust for helping the government in that regard.

"Such institutions are a beacon for us. We will take this program forward at the government level as well," he said.

"I had a meeting with the Director of UNICEF and i wish to take this programme at country level but there are problems due to lack of budget", he said.

Poverty is among several other reasons due to which many children do not go to school, he added.

He went on saying that this is the first step in which 100 primary school children will be given food, while soon it will start in all the primary schools of Islamabad.
Finance ministers of the European Union will meet from February 25-26 to elaborate on tougher sanctions against the Russian economy, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd February, 2022) Finance ministers of the European Union will meet from February 25-26 to elaborate on tougher sanctions against the Russian economy, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Wednesday.

"We have left in reserve much more severe sanctions against Russia in case (Russian President) Vladimir Putin continues his policy of violating international law.

We are working on them. There will be a meeting of EU finance ministers from Friday to Saturday, who will continue this work," Le Maire told French broadcaster BFM tv.
For most of us, food usually represents sustenance and, at times, gastronomic delight. Yet, there are some among us who can see and appreciate another side of what we eat today food as a narrator of history, a reservoir of information that holds up a mirror to the past

ANKARA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :For most of us, food usually represents sustenance and, at times, gastronomic delight. Yet, there are some among us who can see and appreciate another side of what we eat today food as a narrator of history, a reservoir of information that holds up a mirror to the past.

For a region as rich in history as Anatolia, this particular route can offer vital insights into what this ancient land has witnessed over centuries.

This idea has been picked up in Turkish academia, with scholars diving deep in to get a taste of the past.

"By tracing the evolution of certain foods and dishes, we can better understand the political, diplomatic and social histories of different regions," said Ceren Bozkurt, a chef, food researcher, and graduate student at the Hacettepe University in Turkiye's capital Ankara.

"For instance, the weight and ingredients of baked bread can tell us about the economic conditions during different periods of the Ottoman era," she said.

As the empire's economic conditions deteriorated, so did the quantity, quality and variety of the breads being consumed, she explained.

The Ottomans successfully blended food from Central Asia, Anatolia, middle East, the Balkans, and Byzantium to develop one of the most delicious and diversified cuisines in the world, she added.

"It did not take them long to incorporate and master new ingredients such as tomatoes, potatoes and corn, which originated in the Americas," Bozkurt said.

"This also shows just how well connected the Ottomans were to global commerce and trade routes." Another aspect of cuisine to which Ottomans attached immense importance was presentation, she continued.

"How dishes were presented at royal receptions, particularly for foreign envoys, was a way for the Ottomans to convey a perception of themselves to the world," said Bozkurt.

"There were also more subliminal messaging going on through these meals; the more variety on display was a marker of the empire's prosperity and superiority of the sultan."The type, quality and quantity of food laid out for foreign envoys was directly related to their countries' relations with the Ottoman Empire, she added.

As an example, Bozkurt cited a memoir of Cornelis de Schepper, a Dutch diplomat who came to Istanbul in 1533 as part of the Habsburg Emperor Ferdinand I's peace mission to Ottoman ruler Suleyman the Magnificent.

"The mission was attributed much importance and it eventually led to a peace treaty between the Habsburgs and Ottomans. Schepper himself was also held in high esteem by the Ottomans," she said.

"He mentioned a large variety of dishes at his reception, including pilaf with lemon, pomegranate and cold, marinated quail meat, desserts such as rose marmalade, and sherbet for drinks."Similarly, Sir Edward Barton, an envoy of Queen Elizabeth I, with whom the Ottomans had cordial relations, reported over 100 types of dishes, mostly stews and grilled delicacies, at a palace reception he attended during the reign of Mehmet III, Bozkurt added.

"All this goes to show that a closer look at the history of the food eaten in Anatolia over the ages, which has largely not been given the attention it deserves, can definitely help us get a much clearer and in-depth idea of Ottoman and Turkish history," she concluded.
Israel bombarded a Syrian town near the armistice line on the Golan Heights with surface-to-surface missiles early Wednesday, state media reported, without any immediate mention of casualties

Damascus, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :Israel bombarded a Syrian town near the armistice line on the Golan Heights with surface-to-surface missiles early Wednesday, state media reported, without any immediate mention of casualties.

It is the third time this month that Israel has hit targets inside Syria as it keeps up a bombing campaign against the Damascus government in Syria's more than decade-old civil war.

"The Israeli enemy carried out a strike with several ground-to-ground missiles" fired from the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights at around 12:30 am (2230 GMT Tuesday) against the town of Quneitra in the UN-monitored buffer zone, the official SANA news agency said, citing a military source.

It said the strike had caused material damage but gave no other details.

Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been several explosions in Quneitra "following Israeli strikes on military posts" near the armistice line.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes, targeting government positions.

On February 17, Israeli artillery in the occupied Golan shelled the town of Zakiya, south of Damascus. On February 9, Israeli warplanes and artillery hit Syrian anti-aircraft batteries in response to a missile fired into Israel.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The Ukrainian president on Tuesday signed a decree calling military reservists to duty in "special periods." Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message that there is no need for a mobilization right now

KYIV, Ukraine, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2022 ) :The Ukrainian president on Tuesday signed a decree calling military reservists to duty in "special periods." Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message that there is no need for a mobilization right now.

Noting that it is necessary to reinforce the army, he said this is why he signed the decree on calling reservists to duty.

The law approved last November allows calling reservists into the army without declaring mobilization during "special periods." Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday the Minsk Agreement on the Ukrainian settlement ceased to exist when Russia recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Putin said Russia had struggled for eight years for the implementation of the accord while the Ukrainian authorities had stalled them.

The US, with its European allies, has said Russia is setting the stage to invade Ukraine after having amassed over 100,000 troops and heavy equipment in and around its neighbor.

Russia has denied it is preparing to invade and instead accuses Western countries of undermining its security through NATO's expansion towards its borders.

In 2014, Moscow began to support separatist forces in eastern Ukraine against the central government, a policy that it has maintained for the past seven years. The conflict has taken more than 13,000 lives, according to the UN.
What's up Vol Nation?! Check out @Sami_whamiii on this weeks episode of the Weekly Wrap-Up for news involving @tpusautk and their guest speaker @tomilahren, the largest increase to the HOPE Scholarship since its founding, @josiah.j.james declaring for the draft. As always, a wrap up of our 
My name is Hannah Momoh, and I was born in 1999 in Liberia during the middle of a war. My mother took my siblings and me from Liberia to a refugee camp in Sierra Leone, which is where I lived my early years. During the war, there was a tuberculosis pandemic in which my father passed away. I never got to meet him.

When I was six or seven years old, while we were still living in the camp, my mother also passed away. The oldest sibling among the five of us was about 13 years old. We had no parents to care for us and no home. For a couple years, we lived in a warehouse or shelters made of mud without much clothing or food. Most people in the area would buy land and farm and harvest rice. But we were so young, and because we were outside our country, we were not able to farm. Luckily, a few women took us under their wings to take care of us. We called them our aunts.

Since my older sister is deaf, we were able to qualify to come to America through a foster refugee program. It took a couple years to complete the necessary paperwork. People from my country will do anything to come to America  to us, it was the dream land. We came when I was nine or ten, and all five of our siblings had the unique opportunity to go to the same foster home. Each of my three older siblings aged out when they turned 21, and then it was my turn, and my little sisters.

Getting used to living in America was a challenge. I had gone to school in Africa until the fourth grade, but I didnt know how to speak English. I cried every single day in school because I didnt know how to read, I didnt know how to write, and I couldnt understand the teacher. I didnt know how to make friends in such a different culture and with the language barrier. But I can honestly say that my whole life I have been truly blessed. I believe that God has never let me walk alone. I always had some sort of mentor. So many people supported me in school and in my efforts to learn. Even during the school breaks, I had teachers who were willing to show up at the school, sit with me, and teach me how to read and write.

When the time came, I knew for sure I wanted to go to college. Education is one of the things I absolutely love because I understand the importance of it. And a lot of refugees have a goal to gain an education and go back home to help their family members. So thats been my goal ever since I came here.

In high school, I wanted to go to Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), since I imagined starting with a community college and transferring somewhere would be cheaper. But eventually, I decided to apply for a four-year university. After applying to Utah Valley University (UVU), they sent me a welcome package, which contained a paper with a quote by Maya Angelou, who I have looked up to and whose work Ive admired from a young age. The quote was: My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. When I opened that letter, I was in awe that one of my favorite writers was being quoted on the paper. I hung it up in my home and read it every single day. It almost felt like a sign, like I belonged at UVU.
Lincoln, RI (02865)

Today

Periods of rain. High 58F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Update: 23-02-2022 | 12:34:33

The movement of studying and following Uncle Ho in enterprises has been implemented by trade unions at all levels through emulation movements "Good Labor - Creative Labor", "Golden Hand", " Developing initiatives and improving techniques Thereby, many workers have proved the will to be self-reliant, regularly innovates machinery and equipment to improve labor efficiency. Nguyen Van Thuong (Head of Design Department, Asama Yuh Jiun International Vietnam Company, Song Than Industrial Park 2) is such an example.

From passion

With exploration, self-learning and creativity, in recent years, Nguyen Van Thuong, has come up with initiatives and technical improvements not only to increase labor productivity but also to bring great economic benefit for his company. Over more than 15 years working for Asama Yuh Jiun International Vietnam Company, Thuong has had initiatives and technical solutions for new product design applied into production at the company, improving labor efficiency, bringing great economic benefit, are appreciated by the Directors Board and customers.

Nguyen Van Thuong (right end) and leaders of Asama Yuh Jiun International Vietnam Company give gifts and encourage workers.

Most recently, he contributed to the company's project "Automatic surface treatment crane", which shortens operation time and saves labor for workers. Talking about his initiatives and creativity, Thuong said that in order to have ideas and technical improvements, it is important to be passionate about the profession, always be close, and grasp inadequacies of production activities. As the head of design department, I understand difficulties of workers. I told my team members that as working if they encounter difficult operations and waste too much time, they should study it and come up with ideas, then discuss in groups to summarize and give the best idea, only then, it will bring high efficiency", Thuong said.

Creativity to be self-reliant

2021 is a difficult period for the business community because of the Covid-19. The disease prevention control and production maintenance performed at the same time greatly affected the production progress, as well as the purchase and import of new machinery, hiring foreign experts... In Binh Duong, at the end of 2020 and the first months of 2021, while many businesses faced difficulties due to lack of orders, at Asama Yuh Jiun International Vietnam Company, the number of orders remained stable and even increased. However, the company had only one manual surface treatment machine. Therefore, meeting the quantity of orders was a problem that the company's directors board needed to solve.

Nguyen Van Thuong, said that the company's board of directors planned to hire foreign experts coming to Vietnam to do an additional surface treatment tank. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, this encountered many difficulties, had to be postponed, while many orders needed to be done to keep up with the schedule. His design team was given the opportunity to solve this problem, from ideation to construction plan of items, all by themselves.

Thuong carried out research and proposed the initiative of cranes with automatic surface treatment. After the idea was presented, his idea received unanimous support and approval of Directors Board. His idea was based on the principle of manual hoisting, with electrical boards that need to adjust the touch-sensitive eye system to recognize products and control it by touch. The team reached agreement from drawing stage to construction process; but challenges posed by the pandemic and customer's progress requirements, along with new difficulties arising in the implementation process, the team was forced to re-calculate and make another adjustment. Thuong was undeterred, researched and supervised the construction day and night, then after more than a month, the automatic crane for surface treatment was completed and put into use, bringing high efficiency.

The crane automatically operates itself to put the product into the surface treatment water tank, contributing to reducing the number of workers. Instead of four manual operators, now only one operator is needed, avoiding further close contacts in the pandemic situation, while meeting the production schedule as well as expectations of the company's board of directors, reducing the cost of hiring foreign experts, benefiting more than 1 billion VND/year for the company.

At that time, the biggest difficulty to Thuong was finding construction materials due to the complicated disease situation. Fortunately, I always receive the support of the Directors Board; at the same time, colleagues also helped me a lot. This was not my own initiative, but this is of all my colleagues who united to contribute to it. Therefore, this is an achievement of the whole team," Thuong said.

Thuong's efforts and initiatives have been recognized by the company. In addition to the encouragement and reward of the Directors Board, Thuong was also commended by trade unions at all levels for his outstanding results in the movement "Good labor, creative labor".

Reported by Do Trong - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
Normal, IL (61790)

Today

Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 62F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with a few showers later at night. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2022 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam....
On this edition of Straight Talk Africa, host Hayde Adams and her guests discuss the impact of Russia and Chinas presence in Africa. Guests include Salem Solomon, lead editor of the Real Time News Desk at Voice of America, and Phiwokuhle Mnyandu, lecturer of African Studies at Howard University.
Ukraine on Wednesday welcomed the range of sanctions imposed against Russia for its actions in eastern Ukraine, but called for more. What is the complex history between Russia, Ukraine, and throughout the region and how could conflict in the region disrupt global grain supplies?
1. Maya Oppenheim is The Independents Womens Correspondent. She covers news, social policy and global stories from a womens angle  with a particular focus on issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence, abortion, and period poverty.





The following is full text of Maya Oppenheim's 29 August 2018 news report headlined "94 per cent of Native American women say they have been raped or coerced into sex" and the subheading "'Its the legacies, the ongoing legacies of colonisation and policies that have affected tribal communities,' says indigenous women's rights advocate".





(Begin text)

A report found 94 per cent of Native American women living in Seattle say they have been raped or coerced into sex at least once in their lifetime.





The damning new report  from the Urban Indian Health Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  is believed to be one of the first to examine the experience of native women living in an urban environment instead of on reservations.





Seventy-one per cent of native people live in city settings  making the reports findings particularly noteworthy.





Out of the 148 women surveyed, 94 per cent said they had been raped or forced to have sex and 69 per cent claimed they experienced street harassment.





Whats more, 86 per cent reported they suffered from historical trauma  a term which refers to the idea trauma from colonisation and historical oppression gets passed down from one generation to another.





The research  which documents the experiences of sexual violence among Seattle-based American Indian and Alaska Native women  found more than half the women (53 per cent) were homeless at the time they were surveyed.





Lacking permanent housing increases the chance people will experience sexual assault.





Urban Indian Health Institute Director Abigail Echo-Hawk discovered the results of the survey in 2016 in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet in the corner of her office. However the health institute has only just released the survey results to the public.





Indigenous women's rights advocate Susan Balbas of the Naah Illahee Fund said native groups are inclined towards staying quiet surrounding violence against women in the community due to concerns about how outsiders will perceive indigenous groups.





Nevertheless, she said she thinks it is time the community publicly addresses the high rate of abuse and homelessness.





Its acknowledging the violence in the community but really developing a critical analysis about what the causes are, Ms Balbas told the Seattle Times.





Its the legacies, the ongoing legacies of colonisation and policies that have affected tribal communities, intentional policies that have hurt and damaged native communities.





This will be the first of many discussions that will take place around sexual violence in our community, Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez said in a statement.





We have always known that the rates of sexual violence against native women were high, but its going to take others to acknowledge it as well and to do something about it, and that needs to happen now.





Esther Lucero, CEO of Seattle Indian Health Board  the non-profit organisation which oversees the Urban Indian Health Institute  said the reasons for such high rates of abuse and lack of accountability are multifaceted and complex. She said they partly stem from the historical trauma of colonialism.





This is defined in the report as cumulative emotional and psychological injury over the lifespan and across generations, emanating from massive group trauma and a history of genocide.





Historical trauma can display itself as cycles of violence which sees the perpetrators often being survivors of abuse themselves.





She argued boarding schools which strived to assimilate native communities by depriving them of their traditions is where our family systems became dismantled.





Ms Lucero said colonisation also spurred the dehumanisation of indigenous women  forging a culture where women are less valued and thought of as property.





Back in May 2016, a study by the Department of Justice revealed out of the 2,000-plus Native American and Alaskan Native women surveyed (who lived both on and outside of reservations), 56 per cent had experienced sexual assault and rape.





The report attributed the high rate of sexual violence to a flawed tribal court structure, little local law enforcement, and a lack of funding.





Native Americans often face low education levels, poor health care, substandard housing, and high rates of poverty.





Native American history has included mass killings and attempts to deprive tribes of their land, language, rituals and overall culture. In more recent years, disputes have played out in the form of cultural and legal fights over property and casinos. (End text)





Source: independentdotcodotuk





2. With regard to the ongoing systematic raping of native women, the US authorities should allow independent observers into the country to carry out immediate investigations. Reports of systematic rapes and sexual abuses against native women are deeply disturbing to the international community. The US authorities should be warned of the serious consequences of their past and ongoing genocides against the natives.




Journalists in Kenya report the highest rates of sexual harassment in newsrooms, according to a global media study involving 20 countries.

Gathoni Kurias negative experience with a supervisor at a Kenya media outlet derailed her plans for a career in journalism.

"I went to pitch an idea to him, and he was just looking at my hips intentionally, very intentionally," said Kuria. "So I am speaking to him, but hes just looking at my hips, then going up my breast and not looking at my face.

Kuria worked at the same media house for two years, trying to launch her career in print and broadcast. But she says rejecting sexual advances from a supervisor changed that trajectory. Her harasser wasnt interested in her professional growth.

"He did not really care whether I published or not," said Kuria. "He did not even sweat or struggle to even tell me to go do a certain story unless I came up with an idea, and that idea would be merged with someone elses. So, you see, I became almost like just a trophy seated at the desk.

Kurias former supervisor told VOA the claims are ridiculous and suggested she report them to the police.

Kurias allegations aren't isolated, however.

Around 65% of female journalists surveyed in Kenya say they have faced physical or verbal harassment. At the country level, Kenya has the highest rate of harassment  56% -- among the 20 countries examined in the study by the World Association of News Publishers Women in News organization and City, University of London.

The study also says that female journalists in general do not report the incidents in about 83% of cases. One way to curb the problem is to highlight it, say local advocates. Dinnah Ondari works for the Media Council of Kenya.

"When you give that environment and safe space for people to talk about sexual harassment, the person who wants to hide in the secrecy of it to harass their victim, of course, they will feel exposed," said Ondari.

It can be hard to find justice, too. Harassers risk being fired, but they still find work elsewhere. So, the Association of Media Women in Kenya is creating a special committee to help bring suspected attackers to court.

Judie Kaberia heads the Association of Media Women in Kenya.

There is a case, weve had an intern raped at gunpoint in Kisumu, but if you look at how that case was handled, the media house sat, listened to the case, found the guy guilty and fired him," said Kaberia. "After he was fired, he went to another media house. So, the circle continues. There is no redress, there is no punishment, there is no justice for the victim.

Kuria, for now, has abandoned her aspirations to be a reporter. But media advocates hope the Women in News study will shine a light on sexual harassment in the newsrooms and offer support for female journalists.
African health authorities are calling for better coordination to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are distributed quickly to all African nations.

Vaccine supplies have surpassed demand for the first time since the pandemic began two years ago. But health officials at a conference in Nigeria said Wednesday that a lack of refrigeration and poor infrastructure were major challenges for vaccine equity.

The African Union's Vaccine Delivery Alliance organized the conference to highlight hurdles many African countries face delivering COVID-19 vaccines to their citizens.



Tian Johnson, an AU community engagement official, said, "What we see before us through the magnifying glass of COVID-19 are the fruits of decades of deprioritizing health at country levels. The fact remains, as Africans we must be absolutely sure that we leave no one behind."

About 20 percent of Africa's 1.2 billion people have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, a poor record compared with those of many Western nations, where vaccination rates are at 70 percent or better.

Lack of infrastructure



Many African countries, including Nigeria, lack the infrastructure and cooling systems to store vaccines in large quantities.



Last year, up to 1 million doses of COVID vaccines expired in Nigeria, the highest single number in any country.

Officials said the vaccination gap is made worse by lack of funding, which limits African countries' ability to properly receive and distribute vaccines.

A February publication by COVAX  the global vaccine program supported by the WHO and Gavi  showed low-income countries requested only 100 million doses of vaccines out of 436 million doses available.

In Nigeria, where only about 6 percent of people are vaccinated, authorities also have been battling widespread vaccine hesitancy, which authorities partly blame for the low inoculation rate.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said at the Vaccine Delivery Alliance conference, "Global solidarity and proactive leadership is the only way we will beat this virus. This high-level summit calls for greater solidarity and for the world to hear Africa's voice on how we can beat the virus together."

Buhari said authorities were accelerating vaccinations in Nigeria to save lives and kick-start economic recovery.

Vaccine production



The World Health Organization last week said Nigeria and five other African countries would be the first on the continent to begin local production of COVID-19 vaccines. The WHO said training for vaccine production could begin in a matter of weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, one of the speakers at Wednesdays conference, said, "WHO and our partners are working day and night to address the bottlenecks that remain in partnership with countries. We are on ground to do whatever it takes to reach country goals, not only on vaccines but for testing and treatment."

Experts say until Africa is largely vaccinated against the virus, the world will remain unsafe.
Europe is facing calls to impose immediate tougher sanctions on Russia following President Vladimir Putins recognition of the separatist-held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and his pledge to send in what the Kremlin called peacekeeping troops.

We are anticipating further steps on strengthening sanction pressure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday. It's important that Germany decided to halt the certification of the Nord Stream 2. It should be irreversible.

Nord Stream 2

Berlin announced Tuesday it had officially halted the certification process for Nord Stream 2, the newly built gas pipeline that was designed to take Russian gas directly to Germany. The German move was part of a raft of sanctions announced by Western allies in response to Russias actions.

All 27 European Union member states agreed on a range of measures targeting Russian individuals and institutions.

EU sanctions

We have agreed that the 351 members of the Russia State Duma who voted [for] this violation of international law and territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine will be listed in our sanctions list. We agreed to target 27 individuals and entities who are playing a role in undermining or threatening Ukrainian territorial integrity, sovereignty and independency, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday.

And last, but not least, because this is very important, we target the ability of the Russian state and government to access our capital and financial market on services.  This packet of sanctions that has been approved by unanimity by the member states will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot. And we are doing that in a strong coordination with our partners U.S., UK and Canada, Borrell told reporters in Paris.

The European sanctions are similar to those imposed by Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States.

Putins actions have really reinforced transatlantic unity. European allies and the United States have been in close coordination, and they seem to be ready to match every move of Putin, said Sudha David-Wilp, of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, in an interview with VOA.

Russian banks

Britain announced sanctions on five Russian banks, which it said included those favored by oligarchs close to the Kremlin: Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank. Britain also imposed asset freezes and travel bans on three Russian billionaires whom it said had supported the invasion of Ukraine: Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg.

We have more individuals that we will target in the event of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and we'll be targeting them in conjunction with our international allies like the Europeans and like the United States to make sure that these people can't travel, that their assets are frozen and that they will have nowhere to hide, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News Wednesday.

Many British lawmakers say the sanctions dont go far enough. Speaking during a session of Prime Ministers Questions in parliament Wednesday, opposition Labor Party leader Keir Starmer urged the government to go further. We all want to deter aggression in Europe. We are not dealing with breakaway republics. Putin is not a peacekeeper. A sovereign nation has been invaded. The prime minister promised that in the event of an invasion he would unleash a full package of sanctions. If not now, then when? Starmer said.

Long game

Its important that the West holds some sanctions in reserve, says analyst Sudha David-Wilp of the German Marshall Fund.

It's important that the West not put everything out on the table; an element of surprise is also important. This is probably going to be a long conflict and it's important for the West to be measured and proportionate.

Russia has long been preparing for this moment, says analyst Amanda Paul of the European Policy Center in Brussels.

In the last eight years, Russia has done a lot of things to move itself away from its dependency on Western finance and investments.  They have a huge wealth fund of over $600 billion in gold and foreign currency. They do have the ability to keep going for some time despite the pain. So, it means that the West will need to be very committed and very determined to keep pushing and pushing, even though for sure it's going to cost them painful, painful moments too, Paul told The Associated Press.

Russian gas threat

Germanys decision to effectively cancel the gas pipeline elicited a testy response from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has issued an order to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Well. Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2,000 for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas!, Medevdev wrote on Twitter.

Germany has other options, according to energy analyst Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research, in a recent interview with VOA.

Germany does not need Nord Stream 2. We have enough infrastructure; we have enough pipelines where we can transport and import natural gas to Germany and we can also rely on natural gas, LNG imports from other countries, Kemfert said.

Western unity

So far, the Western response has been remarkably united - but that may become more strained, according to Nora Muller of the Korber Foundation, a foreign policy research institution in Berlin.

The more you ratchet up the sanctions regime, the more painful it also is not only for the one who is sanctioned, but also for the one who imposes the sanctions; thats the logic of sanctions. So, when we talk about targeting the sanctions at the Russian energy market, obviously that will be very painful for EU member states, Muller told VOA.
Gambia appealed to the United Nations highest court Wednesday to reject Myanmars legal effort to end a case alleging genocide by the Southeast Asian country against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Gambia brought the case before the International Court of Justice in 2019, arguing the Myanmar junta violated the 1948 genocide convention during a 2017 crackdown on the Rohingya. Gambia argues the crackdown amounted to genocide and that the world court must hold Myanmar accountable.

The Myanmar military launched what it called a clearance campaign in Rakhine state following an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group. Security forces allegedly committed mass rapes and murders, and they burned thousands of homes as some 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to neighboring Bangladesh. A U.N. fact-finding mission concluded the "genocidal acts" were committed during the campaign.

Gambian lawyers urged the court to reject Myanmars challenge to the case two days after Myanmars junta demanded that it drop the case. The junta argued the West African country was no ones proxy and had no legal basis for challenging the case because it was really brought by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and that the court can only hear cases between countries.

This is very much a dispute between the Gambia and Myanmar, Gambias Attorney General and Justice Minister Dawda Jallow said in a rebuttal of the juntas argument.

Judges could take months to rule on Myanmars demands to drop the case.

Myanmar's legal team is led by Ko Ko Hlaing, the minister for international cooperation. He replaced pro-democracy civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi after she was ousted in a military coup last year.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Greek authorities have suspended the search for 10 people missing in a ferry fire near Greece. The vessel is being towed to a mainland port five days after the blaze started.

The Euroferry Olympia caught fire last Friday three hours after leaving Igoumenitsa, Greece, for Brindisi, Italy. The ferry was carrying 292 people. Only 278 were evacuated safely to shore.

Ten people remain unaccounted for. Greek officials said they were thought to be truck drivers from Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, BBC News reported.

Greek authorities requested Tuesday that the ferry be towed from a spot off the Island of Corfu, where it was originally towed after the blaze, to a safe harbor on mainland Greece. Rescuers will continue operations once the ferry arrives at the mainland.

Greece's fire service said Tuesday that "its operational capability for search and rescue (on the ship), in its present position, has been exhausted," according to a coast guard statement, The Associated Press reported.

The ferry is expected to arrive midday in the harbor of Astakos, a small port town in western Greece. Relatives of the missing will be provided with housing in Astakos as the search resumes.

The ferry had been towed Sunday to Corfu, in the Ionian Sea off Greece's northwest coast. Dozens of fire survivors were taken to a hotel on the island. Extreme temperatures, darkness and smoke made it difficult to search the vessel, said Greek coast guard spokesperson Nikolaos Alexiou, according to The New York Times.

Earlier Sunday, a 21-year-old truck driver from Belarus was found alive at the stern of the ferry.

"Tell me I'm alive," he shouted as rescuers helped him off the ferry, BBC News reported.

Hours later, a fire crew found the body of a 58-year-old Greek truck driver, the first confirmed death.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The company that operates the ferry said the fire had begun in a hold where vehicles were parked, AP reported. Truckers interviewed by Greek state TV said Saturday that some truck drivers might have chosen to sleep in their vehicles rather than in the ferry's crowded cabins.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.


Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says the semi-autonomous Chinese city will begin mandatory COVID-19 testing of its 7.5 million people next month.



Lam told reporters Wednesday that Hong Kong will boost its testing capacity to one million tests per day by next month, and that residents will be tested three times during March. She also said the city is aiming to boost its vaccination rate to 90% by next month.



The Asian financial hub is struggling to cope with a surge of new coronavirus cases driven by the highly contagious omicron variant. Since the start of 2022, Hong Kong has recorded more than 53,000 COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths. The surge has pushed the citys health care system to the point of collapse, with thousands of patients being treated outside public hospitals in the rain and chilly weather. The city is rushing to build isolation facilities to house thousands of coronavirus patients, including the conversion of public housing estates and indoor sport centers.



An analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong predicts the citys infection rate could soar to 180,000 new cases a day by early next month, with the number of deaths rising to more than 3,200 by mid-May.



Despite the rising numbers of new coronavirus cases, Lam said Hong Kong will continue pursuing a zero COVID strategy, similar to that of mainland China, which aims to completely eliminate coronavirus outbreaks.



Lam also said Hong Kong will move the annual school holiday season held from July through August to March and April so school buildings can be converted into testing, isolation and vaccination centers. She also extended a fight ban on at least eight nations classified as high risk, including Britain and the United States, until April 20.



South Koreas drug regulatory agency announced Wednesday that it has approved the use of Pfizers two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, the first to be approved for that age group. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said the vaccine was found to be nearly 91% effective in preventing the virus in that age group.



South Korea is also dealing with an omicron-driven surge of new coronavirus cases, with the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency reporting 171,452 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday, setting a new one-day record.



Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
More than a month after its single undersea fiber-optic cable was severely damaged by a volcanic eruption and tsunami, the Pacific island nation of Tonga is finally reconnected to the rest of the world.

Internet service was restored Tuesday for residents on the main island of Tongatupu, 37 days after the archipelago was devastated by an eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Haapai volcano, located about 64 kilometers north of the capital, Nukualofa, followed by a tsunami that washed away entire villages.

Officials with Tonga Cable, the state-owned company that owns the cable, said a repair ship had to replace a 90 kilometer section of the cable that connected Tonga to Fiji and other international networks. Tonga Cable CEO James Panuve says restoration of service to the main island means repair crews can now focus on restoring service to Tongas smaller outlying islands, an operation that could take several months.

Three people in Tonga were killed in the January 15 disaster. The volcanic ash produced by the eruption of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Haapai turned the air over the main island toxic and contaminated the islands fresh drinking water.

The aftermath of the disaster has been aggravated by the islands first outbreak of COVID-19 cases, which may have been brought in by foreign crews delivering critical relief supplies to Tonga.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Ukraine on Wednesday welcomed the range of Western sanctions imposed against Russia for its menacing actions in eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv's security council called for a national state of emergency and the government recalled its ambassador to Moscow.

Tensions mounted two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed the eastern Ukraine regions of Luhansk and Donetsk were independent states and sent what he characterized as "peacekeeping forces" across the Ukrainian border, stoking fears of a broader conflict with the one-time Soviet republic, which has been independent since 1991.

Several Ukrainian state websites, including the government and foreign ministry home pages, could not be accessed on Wednesday. Ukrainian authorities said this week they had seen online warnings that hackers were planning major attacks on government agencies, banks and the defense sector. Kyiv blamed Moscow for the cyberattacks although Russia has denied any involvement.

The head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council called a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days  subject to parliamentary approval. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and urged anyone there to leave immediately, contending that Moscow's "aggression" could curb its ability to provide consular services.

Meanwhile, Russia began evacuating its diplomatic posts in Ukraine and by Wednesday afternoon the Russian flag was no longer flying over its embassy in Kyiv, where police surrounded the building.

The United States, European Union, Canada, Britain and Germany took a variety of actions Tuesday to punish Russia and promised harsher sanctions if Russian troops advance further into Ukraine.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on the company and its executives that built the new Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday had halted certification for the pipeline, which is completed but not yet operational.

"First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said, "We have not yet seen a full-scale invasion, but we are very clear that if President Putin escalates, we, the international community will escalate our sanctions."

Australia added sanctions Wednesday targeting members of Russia's security council, while Japan joined with asset freezes for certain Russian individuals and a ban on the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan.

"Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia, along with all of our partners," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters. "I expect subsequent tranches of sanctions, this is only the start of this process."

Ukraine's military said Wednesday that shelling by pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk region had killed one Ukrainian soldier and injured six others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an order to call up some military reservists, citing a need to quickly staff up the nation's army.

"Ukrainians are a peaceful nation, we want silence, but if we keep silent today, we will disappear tomorrow," Zelenskyy said in a video address late Tuesday.

Putin, who has amassed 150,000 troops along Ukraine's border and recognized areas held by Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, said Wednesday he is always open to finding a diplomatic solution. But he said, "The interests of Russia and the security of our citizens are non-negotiable for us."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken were due to hold talks this week about the crisis and set the stage for a summit between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. Putin's actions scuttled those efforts, with Blinken saying Tuesday that Russia "has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy."

Biden said on Tuesday he was cutting off the Russian government from Western financing and imposed sanctions on two large banks, declaring that its actions in Ukraine were a flagrant violation of international law.

Biden pointedly asked during a brief White House speech, "Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?"

Condemnation came from many other U.S. allies and multilateral institutions. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday, "Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called 'independence' of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."

VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb and VOAs U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Malawi and U.N. agencies have launched an emergency response to the countrys polio outbreak, the first in Africa in five years. The plan includes mass immunization of children under five years of age and intensive surveillance to prevent the virus from spreading further.

The move comes a few days after the country declared a national health emergency after a three-year-old child was paralyzed by the virus, which is the same strain found in Pakistan.

At a press briefing on Tuesday in the capital, Lilongwe, Enoch Phale, Malawis Deputy Minister of Health said that despite the fact the strain is imported, there is need for swift action against its spread.

We are doing whatever we can to ensure that we have broken the infectious circle. One of them is public awareness because its route of infection is two, water and food. And the disease is of global concern; it can affect everybody, including our neighbors.

Malawi last reported a polio case in 1992. The country was declared polio free in 2005 15 years before the African continent was declared polio free.

The emergency response plan includes a rollout of mass vaccination campaign for all children under five years of age and disease surveillance across the country.

But the specific outbreak response is a national immunization campaign targeting all children aged under five with a polio vaccine which is two oral drops, and it will be repeated again in a second round. But what is really, really key is that every under five [child] wherever they are, they are reached. This includes the districts worst affected by Tropical Storm Ana, noted Dr. Janet Kayita, country representative for WHO in Malawi.

So far, a team of experts and rapid response teams from a nonprofit, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, have arrived in Malawi. The organization based at the WHO Regional Office in Africa says it aims to support coordination, case tracking, data management, communications, and operations.

The ministry of health says other partner organizations such as UNICEF, USA CDC and Africa CDC have also started sending teams to support emergency operations and innovative vaccination campaign solutions.

Like many other countries in the world, Malawi provides a polio vaccine that targets type 1 and type 3 of the polio virus, following the eradication of polio virus type 2 many years back.

However, WHO says research into the new case in Malawi has shown that the three-year-old child has type 1 and that the child was not fully vaccinated against the disease.

No reason is given for failure to complete polio vaccine, but some health experts cite pandemic-related preventative measures such as social distancing as factors adding to the challenge in getting children vaccinated.

Malawis community health ambassador, Maziko Matemba, suggests the need to empower community health care workers with skill to identify polio cases.

The community system structures need to be operating. Maybe you can observe our community health workers if they are not well supported, they will not be able to identify that we have a problem of unvaccinated individuals in the community which has got this [disease]

According to the ministry of health, authorities are now working to finalize the budget for all activities to be submitted to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and other partners for funding the implementation of the emergency response plan expected to start in four- or six-weeks time.
The recognition by Russian President Vladimir Putin of two self-proclaimed republics within Ukrainian territory has created an uncertain scenario for Russians, as war and economic sanctions point to a troubled future. Along Russias border with eastern Ukraine, interviews with some members of the local population suggest some are eager to fight while others say there is less patriotic fervor this time than in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. Jon Spier narrates this report from the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Producer: Henry Hernandez
Beatrice firefighters responded to a garage fire that caused more than $100,000 in property damage last night.

Beatrice Fire Captain Craig Fisher said they had a total of 11 firefighters on the scene.

We were notified at 8:11, Fisher said. On arrival, crews found a two-stall detached garage with heavy fire coming through the roof of the structure and from the garage doors and windows. A pickup parked in the driveway, near the garage, was also on fire.

Fisher said the garage, at 1611 N. 19th St., contained several motorcycles and a pickup, which were lost to the flames.

The fire department came with a pumper truck and ladder crew and got the fire under control by 8:40 p.m. Crews found no damage to the house or to any neighboring properties.

A Nebraska Fire Marshal investigator is examining the cause of the fire.

The fire was determined to be accidental with an exact cause yet to be determined, Fisher said.

Fisher said Beatrice Police, Beatrice Fire and Board of Public Works responded to the fire.

Fisher said crews returned about a quarter after Midnight on Wednesday. He said the frigid temperatures made fighting the fire extra challenging.

I think the wind chill was about 20 below, he said. Its very difficult. Of course, using water. The ground gets frozen, very slick. Your gloves become frozen. Its hard to grab tools. Sometimes the regulators our air masks, theyll freeze up. Just as far as anything with water, hoses pumps anything like that, you got to keep at least some water moving Its dangerous Your whole gear is frozen. Its like wearing armor.

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Arshi Qureshi was "auctioned" on the Bulli Bai app, where many Muslim women and girls were offered "for sale," and even though the app was shut down after widespread condemnation, intimidation and online trolling against her have not ceased.

"I am quite often abused on social media if I put up a tweet or post criticizing the ruling regime," Qureshi told VOA.

As a journalist, Qureshi says, it's her job to report on social and political issues affecting her country, India, but she finds doing so increasingly difficult and risky.

"I've realized I can't be silent. This is what they want. They want to silence vocal Muslim women's voices," she said.

Qureshi's is not the only case.

This week, United Nations-appointed independent rights experts issued a statement calling on Indian authorities to stop systematic harassment against a prominent Indian Muslim journalist.

"Relentless misogynistic and sectarian attacks online against journalist Rana Ayyub must be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the Indian authorities and the judicial harassment against her brought to an end at once," the statement said.

Ayyub has been targeted for her consistent reporting on women's rights, government accountability and the situation of religious minorities in India.

"They call our existence, our reportage, our opinions as insignificant but unleash all their favorite anchors, prime time shows, twitter trends, right wing ecosystem, propaganda websites and leaders to defend themselves against a journalist," Ayyub wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Media under fire

Over the past few years, India has ranked as one of the most dangerous and restrictive countries for journalists in the world.

Of the 27 journalists killed in different parts of the world in 2021, five documented deaths occurred in India, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

And despite its secular and democratic status, India is ranked 142nd  next to Myanmar and Pakistan  in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2021 World Press Freedom Index.

"Ever since the general elections in the spring of 2019, won overwhelmingly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, pressure has increased on the media to toe the Hindu nationalist government's line," RSF said.

In addition to facing increased public harassment, Muslim journalists, particularly women, are also exposed to discrimination at their workplaces.

"Even within the large Indian media companies, there is kind of a glass ceiling for many Muslim journalists,  that they had been discriminated against inside many of the big publications," Steven Butler, Asia program coordinator at CPJ, told VOA.

The risks facing free media in India also undermine the country's democratic institutions.

"You cannot have democracy without freedom of the press," Butler said.

Majoritarian politics

India is the world's most populous democracy, and about 14% of its 1.4 billion people are Muslim, but human rights groups say the country has become increasingly intolerant and at times even threatening toward them.

These groups blame the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Modi, for stoking Hindu-Muslim tensions.

"The BJP government at both central and state levels have adopted laws and policies that discriminate against minorities and vulnerable communities, especially Muslims," Jayshree Bajoria, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch, told VOA.

As millions of Indians cast votes in seven state legislative elections, including in the most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, some Hindu religious groups have reportedly stoked religious sentiments for political gains.

In recent weeks, BJP political rallies have included threats of mass violence against Muslims, and some party leaders have labeled Muslims as terrorists.

And a new law banning Muslim girls from wearing hijabs at educational centers has led to protests and closures of schools in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

The hijab ban "is the latest example of Indian authorities increasingly seeking to marginalize Muslims, exposing them to heightened violence," Bajoria said.

For the journalist Qureshi, the fight for hijab is not just religious.

"Hijabi Muslim women are fighting for their constitutional right  rights that are being snatched away in a democratic country," she told VOA.

While Modi has not publicly commented on his party's policies regarding Indian Muslims, he claimed at an election rally this month to have the blessings of Muslim women.

Modi was quoted in Indian media as saying: "We freed Muslim sisters from the tyranny of triple talaq (divorce). When Muslim sisters started supporting the BJP openly, these vote mongers became uneasy. They are trying to stop Muslim daughters from progress. Our government stands with Muslim women."


Aid groups warned Wednesday that a spike in COVID-19 infections and an alarming measles outbreak have compounded the health emergencies in Afghanistan, stretching the impoverished, war-torn countrys fragile health care system.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement that urgent global support, including health and testing services, as well as vaccinations, was needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus that is surging across Afghanistan.

A new wave is hitting Afghanistan hard. Testing is inadequate, and the World Health Organization reports that almost half of tested samples are coming back positive, indicating an alarming spread of the virus, the statement added.

It said the underfunded and understaffed national health system was struggling to cope with the surge in cases. Dozens of COVID-19 health facilities have closed because they didnt have enough medicines, essential medical supplies and funds to pay the utilities and health workers salaries.

The aid group said that fewer than 10 of the countrys 37 public COVID-19 health facilities remained functional, and that they were unable to keep up with demand. Only 10% of the countrys estimated population of 40 million is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Mawlawi Mutiul Haq Khales, the acting president of Afghan Red Crescent, stressed the need for increasing the number of functional health facilities so that pressure can be eased on the few functioning hospitals.

As the number of COVID-19 infections increases from cities to remote corners of the country, the international community needs to open up the doors to support critical health care, testing and other essential services before its too late for the people of Afghanistan, Khales said.

The Taliban takeover of the country in August prompted international donors to suspend foreign aid, impose financial sanctions and freeze billions of dollars in Afghan foreign cash reserves, mostly held in the United States. The restrictions triggered economic upheavals, worsening an already bad humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan that stems from years of war and a persistent drought.

The U.N. World Food Program estimates nearly 23 million people, or 55% of the countrys population, suffer from severe hunger, saying around 9 million of them are a step away from famine. More than 3 million children suffer from severe malnutrition.

The IFRC noted in its statement that the measles outbreak has infected thousands and killed dozens of people in the last month in Afghanistan.

The measles outbreak is alarming since Afghanistan is in the middle of one of the worst droughts and food crises in decades, leaving children malnourished and far more vulnerable to the highly contagious disease, said Necephor Mghendi, IFRCs country head.

Doctors Without Borders, an international charity known by its French acronym MSF, said in a separate statement that most of its programs, including those in southern Helmand and western Herat provinces, have seen high numbers of patients. It described the malnutrition rates as concerning.

MSF is treating a high number of patients with measles in our projects in Helmand and Herat. Our teams are concerned about how the situation will progress unless more children are vaccinated against the disease, the charity said.

The ripple effect of long-running sanctions on the Taliban and the financial measures against the new rulers in Afghanistan are being felt nationwide, according to MSF.

The country faces near economic and institutional collapse, and tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs and are struggling to find work, it said.
Experts say North Korea is exploiting the lack of global regulatory controls on cryptocurrency to steal digital currencies to fund its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Crypto provides Pyongyang with a new form of currency that is significantly less regulated and understood by national governments, financial institutions and international bodies, Jason Bartlett, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) told VOAs Korean Service.

North Korea stole more than $300 million worth of virtual assets between 2019 and 2020, according to a U.N. panel of experts monitoring sanctions quoted in a report submitted to the U.N. Security Council earlier this month.

In the confidential report obtained in part by CBS News, the panel estimated that North Korean cyberattackers stole about $2 billion, presumably including cryptocurrencies as well as other assets, to fund the nations weapons programs in 2019.

North Korea has ratcheted up its missile tests recently, test-firing 11 missiles in January.

Cryptocurrency is a digital form of currency that is nearly impossible to counterfeit, is generally not issued by any central authority, theoretically making it immune to government interference or manipulation, and allows for cheaper and faster money transfers. It can also be converted to fiat money, which is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a physical commodity, such as gold or silver, but rather by the government issuing it, according to Investopedia.

Unlike cash in the form of the U.S. dollar or another currency regulated by a countrys central bank, there is no central authority governing cryptocurrencies in many countries, including the U.S. and South Korea.

A major loophole in crypto regulation that North Korea is increasing efforts to exploit is decentralized finance, also known as DeFi platforms, Bartlett said.

Funding weapons programs under sanctions

The absence of centrally regulated oversight in DeFi platforms leads to a poor practice of know-your-customer (KYC) protocols that gather information on customers, making it easier for North Korean cybercriminals to disguise their identifies to steal crypto funds, Bartlett said.

DeFi is an emerging financial technology that eliminates intermediaries by allowing people, merchants and businesses to conduct financial transactions, according to Investopedia. This is accomplished through peer-to-peer financial networks that use security protocols, connectivity, software and hardware advancements.

Bitcoin was the first digital currency. It emerged in 2009, and by 2021, cryptocurrencies recorded more than $14 trillion in trading volume.

A high trade volume has spurred cryptocurrencys rapid technological innovations. Bartlett said global and regional regulatory bodies cannot seem to keep up with the rise of innovations, enabling Pyongyang to increasingly turn toward cryptocurrency exchanges and away from traditional financial institutions.

Mathew Ha, an analyst at Valens Global, a national security research institute, told VOA's Korean Service that the lack of oversight in cryptocurrency exchanges makes North Korea favor hacking digital exchanges over traditional financial institutions, such as the Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank, where it attempted a billion-dollar heist in 2016.

It is a bit easier [to hack cryptocurrency exchanges than banks] mainly because of the regulatory risks and the security options that a bank may have to make it harder for [hackers] to be able to penetrate, Ha said. North Koreans are actively targeting cryptocurrency exchanges [as] their sanctions resistance strategies.

VOAs Korean Service contacted North Koreas permanent mission to the U.N. to ask about the allegations of its involvement in cryptocurrency thefts but did not obtain a response.

New revenue source

A report by cybersecurity firm Chainalysis found the number of cryptocurrency hacks and the amount of funds stolen increased sharply since 2017, the year the U.N. placed multiple sanctions on North Korea.

Identifying North Korean cyberhacking as advanced persistent threats (APTs), the report by Chainalysis pointed out North Korea netted nearly $400 million worth of digital assets by launching seven attacks in 2021.

Fred Plan, senior analyst at Mandiant Threat Intelligence, a cybersecurity firm, told VOA's Korean Service, The fact that the cryptocurrency has had a lot of public interest, a lot of hype and very, very high market volatility is what makes it interesting for North Korea.

Plan continued, Its very low risk for North Korea [relative] to some other kinds of operations theyre doing, but theres potentially high reward.

However, because cryptocurrencies are stored and their transactions are recorded in a digital ledger called a blockchain, digital currency hacks are traceable and could be preventable, Erin Plante, senior director of investigations at Chainalysis told VOA's Korean Service.

Cryptocurrency is inherently transparent  it operates on public, immutable blockchain ledgers  and so cryptocurrency can be easier to trace than other forms of value transfer, such as cash, Plante said.

[Cryptocurrency] exchanges are able to freeze funds that are known to be tied to criminal activity, if they have the proper compliance processes and transactions monitoring tools in place. In some instances, exchanges were able to prevent the hackers from depositing or trading the stolen funds on their platforms, continued Plante.

The Chainalysis report cites North Korea laundered more than $90 million in stolen crypto assets in 2021. In February of that year, the U.S. Justice Department indicted three North Korean military hackers for conducing cyberattacks to stealing more than $1.3 billion of money and cryptocurrency.

According to Ha, North Korea faces challenges when trying to cash in their cryptocurrency funds because it has to find a third-party intermediary to facilitate transactions. Theyre using the same [money laundering] tricks all over again, but in a different medium, he said.

Young Gyo Kim contributed to this report.
Pakistans prime minister, Imran Khan, arrived in Russia Wednesday for a crucial meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Officials said the two sides will review bilateral ties, including energy cooperation.

Pakistans state-run PTV broadcast live Khans arrival at the airport in Moscow, where he was received by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov.

"What a time I have come; so much excitement, the prime minister told his host, Morgulov, in brief initial remarks, apparently referring to the Russia-Ukraine standoff.



Khan is the first foreign leader to visit Moscow since Putin recognized the independence of Ukraines breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk earlier this week and deployed troops there. Russias action escalated tensions with the West and drew new international sanctions against the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Putins meeting with Khan is scheduled for Thursday. The leaders plan to discuss the main issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as topical regional affairs, including the developments in South Asia, Peskov said. The trip marks the first visit to Russia by a Pakistani prime minister since 1999.

Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, accompanying Khan on the visit, said that several potential (energy) projects the two countries have already discussed in recent months will come under discussion, among other issues, in Thursdays meeting.

Azhar said both sides will discuss certain outstanding issues and further clarifications regarding those projects. He did not elaborate.

The construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar, 1,100-kilometer gas pipeline in Pakistan, in partnership with Russian companies, is among the proposed initiatives.

Moscow and Islamabad had initially agreed to launch what is known as the North-South gas pipeline in 2015 to transport imported liquified natural gas (LNG) from the southern port city of Karachi to the countrys most populous northeastern province of Punjab.

Khan, while speaking to the state-owned RT television network on Tuesday, noted that earlier sanctions on Russian companies had prevented the two countries from launching the project.

"This North-South pipeline suffered. One of the reasons... was the companies we were negotiating with... turned out that U.S. had applied sanctions on them," Khan told the network on Tuesday. So, the problem was to get a company that wasnt sanctioned.

Officials in Islamabad are maintaining that the two-day trip was taking place at the invitation of President Putin and planned before the Ukraine crisis escalated.

Khan himself dismissed suggestions, while talking to Russian media, that his visit had anything to do with Moscows escalating tensions with Europe and the United States over Ukraine.

This [Ukraine crisis] does not concern us. We have a bilateral relationship with Russia, and we really want to strengthen it, Khan told RT on Tuesday.

Now, what we want to do is not become part of any bloc. We want to have trading relations with all countries, the Pakistani leader stressed, saying he hopes the Ukraine crisis is resolved peacefully.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price declined to speculate on the timing of Khans visit to Moscow. Price told reporters in response to a question by VOA that he was not in a position to offer an assessment on the timing of a foreign leaders travel to another country.

We believe it's the responsibility of every responsible country around the world to voice concern, to voice objection to what Putin appears to have in mind for Ukraine, he said.

We've communicated to Pakistan our position regarding Russia's further renewed invasion of Ukraine, and we have briefed them on our efforts to pursue diplomacy.

Price reiterated the U.S. has a long-standing partnership and cooperation with Pakistan.

We certainly hope when it comes to those shared interests, the aversion of a costly conflict, the aversion of a destabilizing conflict, that every country around the world would make that point clearly in unambiguous language, in their engagements with the Russian Federation, he said.

Skepticism

Critics have questioned Khans assertions and said his visit to Russia under the circumstances could still trouble policymakers in Western countries, where Pakistan has much bigger and long-running economic stakes.

With developments unfolding as quickly as they are, Pakistan risks painting itself into a corner if we are to see a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, said Elizabeth Threlkeld, the director of the South Asia program at the Stimson Center in Washington.

The fact the visit is going forward will certainly be noticed in Western capitals, in the U.S., in the EU countries and blocs that far outstrip Russia's role in Pakistan's economy, she added.

Pakistan and Russia were once bitter adversaries, as Islamabad closely aligned itself with the United States during the Cold War.

The Pakistani intelligence agency worked closely with the American CIA in arming and training Afghan fighters to successfully end a decade-long Russian occupation of Afghanistan in 1989.

Islamabad and Moscow, however, have restored ties in recent years, routinely holding joint military exercises and attempting to develop energy cooperation to help Pakistan overcome shortages.

Pakistan also has developed close economic and military ties with Ukraine in recent years and is a major importer of Ukrainian wheat.

Islamabads ties with Washington have recently been strained over allegations the South Asian major non-NATO ally covertly helped the Islamist Taliban in waging a deadly insurgency against U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban regained power last August.

Islamabad denies the accusations and blames what it says was a flawed U.S. military policy in dealing with the Afghan conflict that ultimately led to a chaotic withdrawal of international troops from the neighboring country in August after 20 years.

Russian and Pakistani officials acknowledge their efforts to deepen bilateral economic cooperation face multiple challenges. Several major Russian companies are under U.S. sanctions and are not able to invest in Pakistan.

Critics say meaningful bilateral defense cooperation also faces roadblocks, such as Russias longstanding ties with Pakistans bitter rival India, a major importer of Russian military hardware. They say Moscow does not want to upset New Delhi by offering any major defense-related, or for that matter, economic deals to Islamabad.

Combating regional terrorism and the flow of narcotics from Afghanistan seems to be what is primarily driving Russias diplomatic engagement with Pakistan, according to analysts.
Cameroon's women and children have suffered disproportionately in the country's five-year separatist conflict. But a report by the International Crisis Group says the role of women has expanded from just being victims to being rebels and peacemakers.

The anglophone separatist conflict in the countrys western regions has severely impacted women and put them at greater risk of violence.

Brussels-based think tank the International Crisis Group (ICG), in a report released Wednesday, says women have suffered more than the regions men since armed conflict broke out in 2017.

"Some of the violence women have suffered include kidnaping, rape, torture and execution," said Arrey Elvis Ntui, the ICGs senior consulting analyst for Cameroon. "The conflict has destroyed critical medical infrastructure thereby depriving women of access to health. It has further exposed them to other ills like trafficking and sexual exploitation. The authorities should persecute those who are responsible for crimes and include women in the peace process. Separatists must ensure an effective end to the school sabotage and stop the practice of requiring women to serve them in their camps."

Cameroons separatist groups deny abusing women  and say that some women have joined their forces freely.

Capo Daniel is deputy defense chief of the Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), one of the biggest rebel groups in Cameroon.

"It is unfortunate that the Crisis Group will target the Ambazonian forces for something that is not substantiated. There have been no circumstances where women have been seen in our camps against their will. There are members within our forces who are women, who are volunteers," he said.

Rights activists accuse government troops of abusing women too, though officials deny it.

Marie-Therese Abena Ondoa, Cameroon's minister of Women's Empowerment and the Family, says Cameroon is working with female peace campaigners in initiatives to end the conflict.

"The Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family along with women leaders stepped up to express their indignation on the murder of their sisters and children by secessionists in the North West and South West regions. The government has made the promotion of human rights of its citizens a major concern," she said.

More than a thousand Cameroonian women converged in Yaounde last August for a first-ever peace convention to try to end the conflict.

They asked rebels and government troops to lay down their guns so peace could return to the restive regions, but fighting has continued.

Violence erupted in Cameroons western regions in 2017 after English-speaking teachers and lawyers protested against discrimination by the country's French-speaking majority. The military responded with a crackdown and separatists took up arms.

The United Nations says about 3,500 people have been killed and at least 700,000 displaced, with women and children the most affected.
As South Korea enters a bitter presidential race, Hong Hee-jin is one of many young women who feel that the country's politics has become dominated by discrimination against women, even outright misogyny.

"Women are being treated like they don't even have voting rights," the 27-year-old office worker in the capital, Seoul, said.

For years, South Korean women have made slow but steady progress in the workplace as they confronted an entrenched culture of male chauvinism and harassment. But this extremely tight presidential race, which culminates March 9, has exposed the fragility of what's been won.

Top conservative candidate Yoon Suk Yeol and his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung  both men above 55  are fighting for what they see as a "male" vote crucial for victory. They have increasingly focused their messages on young men who decry gender equality policies and the loss of traditional privileges in a hyper-competitive job market.

"Politicians are taking the easy path," Hong said. "Instead of coming up with real policies to solve problems facing young people, they are fanning gender conflicts, telling men in their 20s that their difficulties stem from women receiving too many benefits."

The tensions can be seen on the streets. Hundreds of women have marched in protest against the "election of misogyny." Small but vocal groups of anti-feminist men have staged rallies in response.

Divisive gender politics has grown as South Korea deals with a fast-aging population, a plummeting birth rate, soaring personal debt, a decaying job market and stark inequality. There's also the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and fears of being squeezed in the confrontation between the United States and China.

No campaign issue, however, has caused more debate than Yoon's vow to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which the candidate says promotes policies unfair to men.

A former prosecutor general, Yoon, 61, has also vowed stronger penalties for false sexual crime reports. Critics say this makes up only a small number of rape claims, and that the threat of tougher punishment could intimidate victims from coming forward amid a recent male backlash against the #MeToo movement.

Liberal ruling party candidate Lee, 57, has taken a cautious approach to gender issues, while clashing with Yoon over the economy and North Korea policy.

Narrowly trailing Yoon in the polls, Lee has faced calls to appeal to more young men, whose support of conservative candidates in mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan may have led to a shocking double-defeat for the liberals.

Lee has described gender tensions as related to joblessness and says men shouldn't be discriminated against. He said he plans to keep the gender ministry, but under a different Korean name that no longer includes the word "women."

Yoon's campaign has been influenced by his party's chairman, Lee Jun-seok, a 36-year-old Harvard-educated "men's rights" advocate who describes hiring targets for women and other gender equality policies as "reverse discrimination." Lee calls feminist politics "blowfish poison."

Yoon during a presidential debate on Monday repeated an argument that South Korea no longer has any structural barriers to women's success, saying discrimination is now about "individual versus individual."

The World Economic Forum ranks South Korea 102 out of 156 nations in an index that examines gender gaps in jobs, education, health and political representation.

South Korea has by far the largest gender pay gap among developed economies at around 32%, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and women remain significantly underrepresented in corporate boardrooms and politics. The country's record-low birth rate underscores how many women find it impossible to combine careers and family.

Scrapping the gender ministry could weaken women's rights and "take a toll on democracy," said Chung Hyun-back, a scholar who served as gender equality minister in 2017-18, under current liberal President Moon Jae-in. It is also a key government department committed to helping single parents, sexual abuse survivors and the families of minorities and migrants.

The prospect frustrates Kang Ji-woo, a 36-year-old single mother who once struggled to find a job in a deeply conservative society and who receives child care support from the gender ministry. Unwed mothers in South Korea are sometimes pressured and shamed into having abortions or relinquishing their children for adoption.

"There's no candidate worth trusting on polices aimed at helping the disadvantaged," she said.

South Korean conservatives are galvanizing around a Trump-like brand of divisive "identity politics" that speaks almost exclusively to men after years of disarray following the 2017 ouster of the country's first female president, Park Geun-hye, over a massive corruption scandal, according to Park Won-Ho, a Seoul National University politics professor.

Park Geun-hye had drawn power from older conservative voters who saw her dictator father, Park Chung-hee, as a hero who lifted the nation from the devastation of the 1950-53 Korean War

Yoon is tapping into the resentment of men in their 20s and 30s who face a bleak job market while agonizing over soaring housing prices and dimming prospects for marriage and parenthood. They are increasingly sensitive to competition from women, who often outpace them at school and are more eager to break from traditional gender roles for professional advancement.

Even as many men cling to the notion that their female colleagues have it easier in the workplace  including being exempt from a mandatory 18-month military service  women have begun to more loudly criticize a male-centered corporate culture that exposes them to harassment, unequal pay and promotions, and often derails their careers after they have children.

Hong Eun-pyo, a 39-year-old who runs an anti-feminist YouTube channel, justifies higher pay for men, insisting they put in longer hours or perform more difficult tasks. "If they want to reach as high as their male peers and be paid the same wages, they should keep working and not get pregnant," he said.

Song Tae-woong, an office worker, says young men, worried about a life path that seems tougher than their fathers, resent women's increasing complaints about society.

"Our parents' generation, now in their 50s and 60s, got married early and progressed step by step," he said. "People today are ... extremely restless."

Some experts, including Chung, think politicians are overplaying the gender grievances of certain middle-class, college-educated men who have become radicalized over the internet as they compete with women for a shrinking number of decent jobs.

Recent surveys, however, show a striking political divide between increasingly conservative young men and their more left-leaning female peers, not just over gender issues but also on the economy and national security, says Park, the politics professor. This indicates conservatives are successfully mobilizing their young male supporters to back broader agendas, including tougher approaches on North Korea and policies emphasizing economic growth over welfare spending. Younger women are left feeling largely unrepresented, polls show.

Lee Ji-young, a teacher who has risen to the top of her field in the highly competitive private tutoring business, remembers years of verbal and physical sexual harassment and unwanted advances by male colleagues who constantly questioned her competitiveness.

One colleague told her that Korean society was stable during the medieval era "because women were quiet, but that now they have ruined South Korea," Lee said.

She said she once twisted the wrist of a male colleague when he tried to touch her backside.

"Usually women wouldn't react this way," Lee said. "I've witnessed women who would cry at home or quit work ... because they were afraid of being judged, personally and professionally."
A World Health Organization-U.N. Childrens Fund study finds aggressive marketing practices by formula milk companies undermine womens confidence, discouraging them from breastfeeding their babies.

Some 8,500 parents and pregnant women and 300 health workers in cities across eight countries were surveyed over a three-year period. The report reveals six of the worlds leading manufacturers of baby formula products engaged in systematic and unethical marketing strategies. All are in breach of international standards on infant feeding practices.

World Health Organization scientist and a lead author of the report, Nigel Rollins, says more than half of parents and pregnant women report being bombarded with messages about the benefits of formula milk. He tells VOA industry claims are largely misleading and of dubious scientific veracity.

"There are many, many examples of how, for example, they see scientific terms being used," said Rollins. "Where there are scientific claims in terms of packaging, claims that it will improve brain development, that it will improve growth, that it will improve immunity. Even during the time of COVID.

Rollins says there is no evidence to substantiate those assertions. He notes new parents may have difficulty judging the truthfulness of marketing claims. He says they want the best for their babies and are vulnerable to messages that promise solutions to day-to-day problems.

The survey was conducted in Bangladesh, China, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Britain, and Vietnam. In those countries, between 49 percent and 98 percent of women surveyed expressed a strong desire to breastfeed their babies exclusively. However, the report says misleading marketing messages reinforce the difficulties of nursing, undermining womens confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully.

The WHO/UNICEF study notes global breastfeeding rates have increased very little in the past two decades. During the same period, sales of formula milk have more than doubled.

Rollins says the health consequences for infants and babies who are not fed with mothers milk are serious, especially in low-income countries.

"But, in fact, breastfeeding has a protective effect against mortality even in high-income settings," said Rollins. "But the impact on lifelong healthso, if you think about things like child obesity and child development and maternal health, risk of cancerthose are true for both children and mothers in every setting.

The report says the baby feeding industry uses promotional gifts, commissions from sales and other inducements to entice health workers in all countries to persuade new mothers to buy their products.

The report does not identify any formula manufacturer by name. However, in response to the study, Swiss-based Nestle, the worlds biggest formula maker, told media it was highly compliant with the WHO Code and that it was voluntarily stopping promoting formula for infants 0-6 months across the world by year end.

The WHO, UNICEF and partners are calling on governments to adopt legislation to end exploitative marketing practices. They add, these laws must be enforced to ensure that the $55-billion industry abides by the landmark 1981 International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
Sudans military leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, is flying to Moscow to hold meetings with senior Russian officials. Dagalos embrace of Kremlin leaders comes as western countries are punishing Russia over its actions in Ukraine and amid tensions with Sudans military government.

Deputy head of Sudans ruling Sovereign Council General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo on Wednesday announced he was heading to Russia.

The visit by Sudans top military leader comes amid tensions between western countries and Khartoums military as the West is seeking to isolate Russia diplomatically and with sanctions for its moves against Ukraine.

Dagalo wrote on his twitter account that his visit aims to expand relations between Sudan and Russia and strengthen cooperation.

When asked to comment on the timing of the trip, Sudans foreign ministry spokesman Khalid Farah said it was unrelated to the conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine.

This visit comes in the context of the will of the two friendly countries (Sudan and Russia) to strengthen their friendship in all fields and aspects. The two countries (Sudan and Russia) have historic and old relations. This visit was scheduled ahead and has nothing whatsoever to do with what is happening in Ukraine. he said.

Retired Major General Ismaeel Magzob, an independent analyst, told VOA the visit appears primarily to be about trade and investment.

He notes the delegation includes Sudanese ministers in charge of finance, minerals, livestock, and agriculture.

But, Magzob said the two sides  both facing western isolation - could also see the tensions between Russia and the West as an opportunity.

Magzob said Dagalo might want to use the current Ukrainian crisis to open a door for Russia into Africa through Sudan. He said perhaps Russia might also want to take advantage of the (anti-military) protests in Sudan to try to make a deal on a Russian (military) base in the Red Sea at Port-Sudan.

Russia has been seeking a navy base in Port Sudan, along the countrys eastern Red Sea coast, which would be Moscows first military base in Africa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a draft agreement for the base in 2020, which was put in question by Sudans transitional government.

Sudans military has been under sustained, mass protests against its rule since it took power in October from civilians in a shared sovereign council.

But just a week after Sudans military took power, its army chief told Russian state media that the base was still on the table.

General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in November, told the Russian government-owned Sputnik news agency the base was part of an existing agreement.
The U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday that three men pleaded guilty to crimes linked to plans to attack power grids in the U.S. to promote white supremacist ideology.



These three defendants admitted to engaging in a disturbing plot, in furtherance of white supremacist ideology, to attack energy facilities in order to damage the economy and stoke division in our country, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said in a statement.



The Justice Department is committed to investigating and disrupting such terrorist plots and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes, Olsen added.



The statement said 20-year-old Christopher Brenner Cook of Columbus, Ohio; Jonathan Allen Frost, 24, of West Lafayette, Indiana, and Katy, Texas; and 22-year-old Jackson Matthew Sawall of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.



The agency said the terrorists were preparing to carry out the federal offense of destroying energy facilities.



A recent report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Intelligence and Analysis concluded that domestic extremists have developed credible, specific plans to attack electricity infrastructure since at least 2020.

The report warns that extremists adhering to a range of ideologies will likely continue to plot and encourage physical attacks against electrical infrastructure, which includes more than 6,400 power plants and 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines that span the country.



The report also says that without inside help, it is unlikely the three could have caused a multistate outage, but they could have caused injuries and damage.



The three defendants each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.



Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
Ukraines foreign minister appealed to the international community on Wednesday to take swift, concrete and resolute actions to help preserve his country from Russian military aggression.

Russia will not stop at Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. He added that a full-scale war against Ukraine would be the end of the world order as we know it.

Russia shows signs of readiness to further escalate its aggression against Ukraine, and we have limited time to stop, deter and contain it, he warned. Every hour of inaction now is a threat to the lives of Ukrainians, not only military but also civilians, including women and children. This is an escalating threat to our collective global security and to our freedom.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has amassed 150,000 troops along Ukraines border, signed a declaration recognizing the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent entities. He then ordered Russian troops to the area, saying the purpose was to protect civilians.

The move has been widely condemned as a violation of Ukraines sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, as well as a breach of international law, the U.N. charter, the Helsinki accords, the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk agreements.

Wednesdays General Assembly session had been planned in advance to discuss the situation in the Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine, which Russia annexed in 2014. No country has recognized that move, and the meeting is known as Situation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine" on the U.N. agenda. This is the fourth time the assembly has discussed it in eight years.

Russias envoy opened by criticizing the name of the event, saying it would be more accurate to say, territory lost as result of hate-filled policy against its own citizens. He then launched an attack on U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his criticism of Moscows latest land grab.

It is to our great regret that the U.N. secretary-general, today and few days ago, has made some statements regarding what is going on in the east of Ukraine that are not in line with his status and his mandate under the U.N. charter, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said.

Guterres has strongly criticized Moscow for violating the U.N. charter and causing the most serious global peace and security crisis in recent years.

Nebenzia also criticized Ukraine for not living up to the Minsk agreements  the framework for a political settlement of the eastern Ukraine issue.

The cornerstone of the [Minsk] package is dialogue, and this has been sabotaged by Ukraine all this time, Nebenzia claimed.

Condemnation of Russia

Nearly 90 countries were scheduled to speak Wednesday. There was overwhelmingly strong condemnation of Russias actions and its threat of force on another sovereign state.

We urge Russia to withdraw its forces and materiel from within Ukraine, including the Crimean Peninsula and non-government-controlled areas of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, as well as from areas adjacent to its borders, and to immediately stop fueling the conflict, Lithuanian Ambassador Rytis Paulauskas said on behalf of eight states bordering the Baltic Sea.

Georgia, which endured a Russian invasion and occupation of part of its territory in 2008, expressed solidarity with Ukraine.

We are seeing the very same playbook in action in Ukraine, Ambassador Kaha Imnadze said. This pattern of behavior brazenly undermines the entire international rules-based order, poses a grave threat to regional and global peace and security, and is inconsistent with the way how responsible states should act in the 21st century.

Calls for restraint, diplomacy

Turkey offered to facilitate talks between the parties and welcomed the Ukrainian proposal to hold a meeting of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) plus Turkey, Germany and Ukraine.

We do not need, nor do we want, a new war in our region, Turkish Ambassador Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu said. We call upon Russia to reverse its decision and return to diplomacy and dialogue on the basis of the Minsk agreements. This is the only way that will take us away from the precipice.

The United States warned of a potential refugee crisis in Europe if Moscow sparks a full-blown war.

If Russia continues down this path, it could  according to our estimates  create a new refugee crisis, one of the largest facing the world today, with as many as 5 million more people displaced by Russias war of choice and putting pressure on Ukraines neighbors, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned.

Canada, which has joined the growing list of Western countries imposing sanctions on Moscow, said it is prepared to turn up the heat if Moscow continues on a military path.

We are implementing responsive measures, including economic sanctions, Ambassador Bob Rae said. If Russia further escalates, we will follow with more severe measures.

Ukraines foreign minister told reporters that he appreciated the sanctions imposed by several countries and the European Union so far, but that they were not enough.

Our partners should not wait for Russian rockets to hit Ukrainian soil or Russian planes to cross into our airspace to impose a new wave of sanctions, Kuleba said. Sanctions make sense when they deter Russia from further action, so the time for the next wave of sanctions has come. We are in a very dynamic situation, so every day matters.

China, which is Moscows close ally, spoke briefly and urged restraint, diplomacy and reasonable solutions.

China has been paying attention to the evolving situation in Ukraine, Ambassador Zhang Jun said. Chinas position on safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states has been consistent, and the purposes and principles of the U.N. charter should be jointly upheld.

But he noted that the situation in Ukraine is rooted in a complex web of historical and present-day factors that have driven the situation to the current point.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 14,000 people since 2014. Nearly 3 million Ukrainians  half of whom are elderly and children  need food, shelter and other humanitarian assistance. The U.N. has appealed for $190 million this year to help 1.8 million of the neediest. That number would likely soar, should a full-scale invasion take place.
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.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said he is conscripting reservists for a special period but ruled out a general mobilization after Russia announced it was moving troops into eastern Ukraine.

One of Europe's worst security crises in decades is unfolding after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two areas of eastern Ukraine as independent. Both adjoin Russia and have been controlled by Russian-backed fighters since 2014.

Ukraine accused Russia of wrecking peace talks on ending an 8-year-old conflict in eastern Ukraine and resisted Moscow's demands it scrap its ambition to join the NATO alliance.

In a televised address Zelenskyy said he was still pursuing diplomatic ways out of the crisis and welcomed Turkey's willingness to participate in multilateral talks. But he said Ukraine would not cede any territory to Russia.

Addressing his country after a cross-party meeting in parliament, Zelenskyy announced a program of "economic patriotism" that included incentivizing local production and value added tax cuts on gasoline.

"There is no need for general mobilization today. We need to promptly replenish the Ukrainian army and other military formations," he said.

"As the supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, I issued a decree on the conscription of reservists during a special period," he said.

"We must increase the readiness of the Ukrainian army for all possible changes in the operational situation," he said.

Zelenskyy has publicly criticized foreign embassies and Ukrainian businessmen for leaving Ukraine for security reasons, and he renewed his call for companies to stay put.

"All of them must stay in Ukraine. Their enterprises are located on Ukrainian soil, which is protected by our military," he said.

Ukraine and Western countries have accused Russia of instigating the conflict in eastern Ukraine and sending troops and heavy weapons to prop up the separatists from 2014. Moscow had always denied doing so and demanded Kyiv hold direct talks with separatist leaders whose legitimacy Ukraine does not recognize.

"Yesterday the Russian Federation recognized the independence of quasi-entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

"Today, it ratified the so-called agreements and gave permission to the president of Russia to use the armed forces abroad. That is in the Donbas. On the territory of Ukraine. 'We are not there' was replaced by the official 'we are still here.'"


The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic has rejected accusations that four of its personnel who were arrested Monday were engaged in suspicious activity. The C.A.R.s public prosecutor said the four men, arrested at the airport shortly before the arrival of the countrys president, were heavily armed.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSCA, is demanding the release of the four peacekeepers, all French soldiers.

C.A.R. authorities have not filed any charges against the men, but the countrys public prosecutor said on national radio that an investigation is open on the case.

He said the four men were arrested aboard a suspicious vehicle carrying a heavy military arsenal.

Right after the arrest, messages on social media accused the peacekeepers of planning to assassinate C.A.R. President Faustin-Archange Touadera, whose plane was about to land at the airport.

MINUSCA spokesperson Vladimir Monteiro dismissed the accusations during a press conference on Wednesday.



"We have nothing to hide, he said. MINUSCA is here as a partner, as a friend. Whats said on social media is disinformation," he said. "MINUSCA regrets the incident of Monday, February 21st and condemns again the intent to manipulate public opinion and firmly rejects the accusations of attacking state security."

The four military personnel remain in police custody, but they are being treated well, says a source at the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The C.A.R. government has refused to comment the case.
The United Nations top North Korea human rights expert is urging the international community to send 60 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to North Korea, one of only two countries yet to begin widespread COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

North Korea has rejected, or failed to move forward with, multiple international offers of COVID-19 vaccines, including through COVAX, the global vaccine-sharing program.

"From the information that we have, the North Korean authorities are suspicious about receiving just the partial number of vaccines and then being subject to some kind of pressure to then receive the rest of the shots," Tomas Ojea Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, told a news conference in Seoul on Wednesday.

Sixty million doses would be enough to provide two vaccine doses to North Koreas entire population, Ojea Quintana pointed out. "I know this has not been proposed to North Korea," he added, saying he raised the issue with diplomats, including those from the European Union, during his ongoing trip to Seoul.

Currently, COVAX has only 1.29 million vaccine doses allocated to North Korea, according to the United Nations Childrens Funds Vaccine Market Dashboard. COVAX previously allocated as many as 8.11 million vaccines to the country, but has had to scale back that number, presumably because of a lack of response from Pyongyang.

As VOA reported in July, North Korea is worried about the safety and efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine that COVAX had initially allocated for the country. It also appears reluctant to allow entry to international workers who would facilitate a vaccine shipment.

A diplomat familiar with the negotiations between North Korea and Gavi, a vaccine alliance that helps run COVAX, said it appears North Korea wont even consider moving the process forward until it is satisfied it can obtain enough vaccines.

"I have not heard the DPRK say it. It is more how we all contextualize their posture," the source told VOA.

North Korea and the East African nation of Eritrea are the worlds only two countries yet to begin a mass vaccination campaign, according to the World Health Organization.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, North Korea has reported a total of 54,187 COVID-19 tests to the World Health Organization. It insists all those tests have been negative.

Asked about whether he trusts those numbers, Ojea Quintana said he does not have "current information" about whether the coronavirus has entered North Korea. But he noted several unverified reports suggesting North Korea was holding individuals in quarantine facilities.

Though North Korea recently resumed some freight train trade with China, the country remains in a severe state of lockdown, with restrictions on both domestic and cross-border travel.

Ojea Quintana described the restrictions as draconian, saying they were all the more reason for the international community to strive to provide North Korea with vaccines.

"Then the government will have no excuse to maintain the closing of the borders," said Ojea Quintana, whose term as special rapporteur ends in August.
The United Nations says it is working to secure the release of four members of its peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic who were arrested earlier this week.

The four French military personnel were arrested Monday at the airport in the capital, Bangui, where they had been escorting French General Stephane Marchenior, the chief of staff of the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MINUSCA.

Marchenior was at the airport for a time Monday before C.A.R. President Faustin Archange Touadera was due to return from a trip to Belgium.

After Marchenior departed, the four soldiers were arrested. President Touaderas plane landed a half-hour after the arrests.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York Tuesday the peacekeeping mission is in touch with the C.A.R. government to secure the release of the four security personnel.

The soldiers remained in custody Tuesday, and police have not given a reason for their arrest. However, pictures of the French soldiers, their U.N. identifications and their military equipment have flooded social media accounts across Africa, along with a message accusing France of attempting to assassinate Touadera.

A Central African website known for its ties with Russian interests in Bangui was among the sites posting the allegations.

The French embassy in Bangui and the U.N. mission in the C.A.R. condemned what they called a misinformation campaign.

U.N. spokesman Dujarric said the campaign is an effort to continue to manipulate public sentiment.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Top U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday called Russian President Vladimir Putins incursion into the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine an assault on democracy.

Its stunning to see  in this day and age  a tyrant rolling into a country. This is the same tyrant who attacked our democracy in 2016, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a press conference, recalling Putins interference in U.S. elections.

Pelosi and other top Democrats returning from participation in the Munich Security Conference this week praised President Joe Biden for working with European allies to maintain a united front in deterring Russia.

The decision to essentially cancel the process of moving forward with the [Nord Stream 2] pipeline, I think, is a very strong indication of the solidarity of NATO and our other allies to punish Putin for this naked aggression and the prospect of further devastating sanctions, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told reporters of the decision to cancel certification of the key pipeline delivering Russian gas to Europe.

Biden announced Tuesday that the U.S. also would sanction Russian officials and banks in response to Putins speech claiming Donetsk and Luhansk were independent of Ukraine. The White House is expected to announce additional sanctions this week.

Sequence of sanctions

Despite significant bipartisan unity for deterring Russian aggression in Ukraine, Democrats and Republicans have struggled to agree on how to sequence sanctions to discourage and penalize Putin for incursions into the independent eastern European nation.

An estimated 150,000 Russian troops have massed at the border with Ukraine in recent weeks. Putins claim that Donetsk and Luhansk were no longer a part of Ukraine opened the door for so-called Russian peacekeeping troops to go into those areas. The U.S. and its allies called this mission a false-flag operation to allow further incursion into Ukraine.

Congressional Republicans have criticized the White Houses approach to the crisis, calling the Russian leaders move an invasion and accusing the Biden administration of waiting until it is too late to deter Putin.

Republican Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the first round of sanctions was too little, too late. First, these sanctions should have happened before Putin further invaded Ukraine  not after. Second, economic sanctions now need to more aggressively target Putins oligarchs to make sure they feel real pain. Third, we shouldnt fool ourselves into thinking that todays incremental sanctions will deter Putin from trying to install a puppet government in Kyiv.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a top Capitol Hill ally of former President Donald Trump, had a direct message for Biden late Tuesday: You said a couple years ago that Putin did not want you to win because you're the only person that could go toe-to-toe with him. Well, right now, Mr. President, you're playing footsie with Putin. He's walking all over you and our allies.

Working with allies

Democrats praised Biden, though, for working in concert with European allies and avoiding escalating the crisis.

I think the administration handled this, given the Russian intentions, as well as it could be handled, Schiff told reporters Wednesday. They telegraphed in advance the punitive sanctions that would be applied if Russia invaded. I think it makes sense not to enforce those sanctions before Russia invaded. If you do that, then Russia loses its disincentive and figures, 'Well, we've already been sanctioned. We might as well move forward with it.' 

Small minorities within both the Republican and Democratic parties have cautioned against escalating tensions with Putin.

While we work in coordination with our European allies to respond and impose targeted sanctions, we must continue to do all we can to de-escalate and utilize the full power of diplomacy to find a negotiated solution to this crisis, Democratic Representative Barbara Lee  the only member of Congress to vote against authorizing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq  said in a statement Wednesday.

I am confident in President Bidens repeated commitment to keep U.S. military personnel out of any conflict in Ukraine itself, Lee continued.

Several members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have expressed concern the U.S. could become mired in a ground war in Ukraine, despite Biden's repeated statements that the U.S. would not commit troops to the conflict.

Senator Bob Menendez and Senator Bob Risch, the top-ranking Democrat and Republican, respectively, on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have separately introduced sanctions bills that would end Russian access to international banking transactions, provide hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, and cut off funding for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Congress is in recess this week and will be back in session at the end of the month.
The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions against what it said were members of an international financing network for Yemen's Houthi rebels after the Iran-backed group recently escalated cross-border drone and missile attacks on its oil-rich Gulf neighbors .

The penalties from the Treasury Department appeared to fall short of the tougher measures that the Saudis and Emiratis, key strategic partners of the U.S., had sought from the Biden administration. U.S. officials have been in talks with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the crisis in Ukraine worsens high petroleum prices and a supply shortfall.

The sanctions are aimed at a source of the rebel group's financial support, targeting shipping companies and other businesses that the U.S. says smuggles petroleum and other commodities around the Middle East, Asia and Africa to fund the Houthis.

The Houthis seized control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the rest of the north of the Arabian Peninsula nation in 2014. A Saudi-led military coalition entered the war the next year in a so-far unsuccessful fight against the rebels.

The Houthis have resisted Biden administration attempts to get them into peace talks and have escalated sporadic air attacks into Saudi Arabia and the UAE instead. U.S. forces in the UAE have fired back with Patriot missile batteries to help repel air attacks.

President Joe Biden said last month that the United States was considering redesignating the Houthis and Houthi leaders as terrorists, a step that typically carries harsh U.S. government penalties for those doing business with them.

The Trump administration imposed that designation in its last days. The Biden administration lifted it as one of its first acts as aid groups said the penalties would scare away commercial food suppliers and humanitarian efforts in an already chronically hungry country. An estimated 80% of Yemen's people live in territory under Houthi control.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and some Americans argue that reinstating the terrorist designation could deter the Houthis.

Humanitarian agencies and some Democrats in Congress say the opposite. They contend that the financial measures that come with such a designation would likely have little impact on the already isolated Houthis but have devastating impacts on ordinary Yemenis already struggling to buy food and fuel.
The World Health Organization is creating a global training center to help low-income countries make vaccines, cancer treatments and antibodies using the mRNA technology that has effectively been used to create COVID-19 vaccines.



At a press briefing Wednesday in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the location of the new hub would be in South Korea and would share the mRNA technology being developed by WHO and partners in South Africa. Thats where scientists have been working to re-create the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine without receiving any help from Moderna.



As the coronavirus pandemic hits more impoverished countries with fragile health care systems, WHO authorities are scrambling for ways to save lives. Tedros said that vaccines have helped to change the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this scientific triumph has been undermined by vast inequities in access to these lifesaving tools.



It is the first time WHO has backed such innovative efforts to reverse-engineer a commercially sold vaccine in order to make an end-run around the pharmaceutical industry, which has essentially prioritized providing rich countries over poor in both sales and manufacturing.



The two authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccine companies  Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech  have declined to share their vaccine technological know-how with WHO and its partners. If the manufacturers agree to help, the timeline to make usable shots will be much shorter.



Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHOs chief scientist, estimates the attempt to re-create Modernas vaccine without the companys help likely will not yield any usable shots until late 2023 or even 2024.



Last week, WHO said six African countries  Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Kenya and Tunisia  would receive the knowledge and technological instructions to make mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.



Five additional countries  Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Serbia  will now receive support from the hub in South Africa, Tedros said on Wednesday.



Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
GULMARG, INDIA  For a unique dining experience, travelers will want to visit the worlds largest igloo cafe in Jammu and Kashmir. But they had better hurry, because the 40-seat cafe is expected to melt away sometime next month.

Owned and operated by the hotel Kolahoi Green Heights, the Snoglu Cafe sits at an altitude of 2,500 meters in the Himalayan ski resort of Gulmarg, 50 kilometers southwest of Srinagar. Its creator, Syed Wasim Shah, says he was inspired by an igloo village that he saw during a visit to Zermatt, Switzerland, a couple of years ago.

With a height of 11.43 meters and a diameter of 13.56 meters, the ice-and-snow structure is easily larger than that listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest of its kind. That one, located in Switzerland, is 10.5 meters tall, with an internal diameter of 12.9 meters.

We have already written to Guinness Book of World Records to certify our record and they will do it in due course of time, Shah told VOA.

The cafe has two sections  one for seating where it serves coffee, chocolate and snacks, and the other for artwork.

It took us 64 days, precisely 1,700 man-days to complete: We started on the 3rd December and completed on the 4th of February, Shah said. We employed all locals to construct it and the snow art was all done by me.

The cafe has become an instant hit with visitors, attracting overflow crowds from among visitors to the ski resort. We are catering to 300 to 400 guests every day, Shah said. The numbers could have been much higher, but we charge INR 200 (about 3 USD) for entry to control the flow of people visiting us.

One of those customers was Dr. Vaishnavi, a first-time visitor to Kashmir from the eastern Indian state of Orissa, who dined with her husband, Dr. Indrajeetm.

Vaishnavi told VOA that she was attracted by the unique concept and impressed by the ambience of the Snoglu Cafe, where guests remain wrapped in their winter woolens and sit on sheepskin seat cushions for warmth.

Hamid Masoodi, general manager of the Hotel Kolahoi Green Heights, says this is the second year that the hotel has maintained an igloo cafe, which is only possible during the winter season from early December until about the middle of March.

We had built one last year with a capacity of 16 people inside the cafe, he said. During a full season with the larger igloo dimensions, he estimates the cafe could serve almost 20,000 guests.

Shah, meanwhile, has even more ambitious plans for next year.

As for our future plans regarding the Snoglu we would create a full-fledged igloo village next year where we would offer sleeping facilities also, apart from our signature Snoglu Cafe, he said.

Hibha Bhat contributed to the report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called up army reservists and ordered military exercises for volunteers in newly created territorial defense brigades, but senior opposition lawmakers and former ministers fear the country is ill-prepared for war with Russia  despite their pleas to the government to get organized.



With credible reports mounting of more Russian forces crossing into Moscows breakaway republics in Ukraines eastern Donbas region, a clamor is building from opposition parties in the Verkhovna Rada, the countrys parliament, for much more intensive war-planning. They are demanding the government start in earnest to draft civil defense orders and to mobilize Ukrainians.



Zelenskyy, in a televised address February 22, said Russias threat to Ukraines sovereignty has compelled him to recall reservists to active duty, but he has urged civilians to go about their normal lives and he has turned his back on mobilizing civilians and to allocate civil defense and emergency roles.



In his short speech overnight Monday, he said: Regarding security and defense. Today there is no need for general mobilization. We need to promptly replenish the Ukrainian army and other military formations.

Zelenskyy has been saying for weeks that Ukrainians should remain calm, and he publicly upbraided earlier this month US politicians for warning of an imminent invasion  saying it was damaging Ukraines economy and risked panicking Ukrainians unduly. He is being restrained in defense planning for the same reason, political allies told VOA.



Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a former deputy prime minister in the government of Zelenskyys predecessor Petro Poroshenko and now a lawmaker, complains Zelenskyy has been much too slow to prepare Ukraine for an existential war. She harbors no doubts that Russias President Vladimir Putin is methodically uncoiling his forces on her countrys borders  and that serious defense planning should have been under way long before now.



For months she and some other opposition lawmakers have been trying to get additional funding for Ukraines armed forces, but the legislation has languished in the Verkhovna Rada. The extra funding has only just been included for consideration.

State of emergency

I really hope that finally today [Wednesday] we will take the decision in the Parliament on allocating additional money to the armed forces of Ukraine in order to both raise salaries for the officers and soldiers but also to be able to buy more weaponry, she told VOA. She says Zelenskyy should be asking the United States for a Lend-Lease program, modeled on the one Franklin D. Roosevelt set up in World War II, which enabled the US to supply Britain, Russia, and Free France with food, oil and military equipment.



On Wednesday the country's defense and security council asked Zelenskyy to declare a state of emergency and Zelenskyy has agreed to do so. But he is also being urged by lawmakers to announce martial law in Donbas, something his aides say would be spun by Moscow as provocative.



Klympush-Tsintsadze and other lawmakers are alarmed at the absence of serious civil defense and emergency planning. We are pushing the government to ensure we have strategic resources available  energy, food, water and medical supplies. We also need to know how many medical professionals we have capable of treating war injuries, she says.



Asked why she thinks there has been little detailed planning for a bigger war going far beyond eastern Ukraine, she fumes: I think it's because for three years, Zelenskyy has been hoping that his special charm will soothe Putin. He seems to think that in order to stop the war all we have to do is stop shooting. And obviously that has proven wrong. There has been a lack of professionalism.



She says she is being inundated by friends, acquaintances and constituents asking what they can do in a national effort to defend Ukraine, but there is no guidance from the government. Only on Monday did Zelenskyy meet leaders of all the parliamentary factions and parties  the first time he has done so in the three years he has been in office, she complains.



Other prominent lawmakers are anxious about Ukraines preparedness for war, although they all believe that Moscow is seriously underestimating the fighting spirit of Ukrainians. They say the international media is too focused on stories about individual Ukrainians displaying fortitude and expressing defiance, but the nuts-and-bolts of fighting a war will be crucial and the media should be asking questions of the government about defense planning.

Opposition discontent



Lesia Vasylenko, one of 20 parliamentarians from Holos (Voice), a liberal and pro-European political party judges that Putins speech on Monday amounts to a declaration of war, or rather an intention to wage a bigger war, a continuation of aggression against Ukraine that goes back to 2014 when Russia annexed forcibly Crimea and shaped the creation of what she sees as make-believe republics in eastern Ukraine.

But she isnt happy with Zelenskyys performance. She says he should have given his response to Putins speech not in the early hours of the morning and on television but in parliament, on the podium, addressing lawmakers, the representatives of the Ukrainian people.



She told VOA: It would have had immense impact and meaning to the people of Ukraine and could have raised morale and sent a much more powerful message to Putin. But she is also frustrated by the lack of preparedness and thinks Zelenskyy thinks only one step ahead, unlike Putin who is thinking four or five moves ahead.

Zelenskyy, a 44-year-old former television star and political novice, has been determined to keep his nerve and to try to cool tensions, say allies.

An informal adviser to Ukraine's leader said he "also wants to avoid doing anything Moscow could claim is provocative and war-like." He added: "We need to pace ourselves." He spoke on condition he not be identified in this article.



Vasylenko adds: Ukraine is trapped with a national leader who does not think strategically because he doesnt have the people around him who think strategically. I think that's the thing that he will be blamed for later. It's not about knowing everything. It's about refusing to have in your entourage experts who know what questions to ask and having advisers who can contradict and challenge you. He picked close friends and trusted allies with little technical or government experience over real experts, and we may pay a price for that.

She and other opposition lawmakers say they have for weeks pleaded with ministers to draw up strategic civil defense plans. Vasylenko has been at the forefront clamoring for details on what energy and food reserves the country has readied but she hasnt been able to secure answers.



On Friday, some key committees have an oversight hearing with the cabinet of ministers and will be pressing again for details. But to be honest, I'm very skeptical we will get any answers, because every time we make specific requests for information from ministries or regional departments, we get nothing  they just don't have any information, she says.



Some lawmakers who attended last weeks Munich Security Conference say they were disappointed when some European politicians told them Ukraine should be readying to form a government in exile. The suggestions dovetail with unconfirmed reports that U.S. officials have raised with Zelenskyy the idea of relocating from Kyiv to Lviv in western Ukraine near the Polish border  to where the U.S. and some other Western powers have moved their ambassadors.

Klympush-Tsintsadze says when the idea was raised with her at Munich that plans should be drawn up for a government-in-exile, she responded with disgust. We are not going anywhere, she says. People were very disappointed when Western military instructors were withdrawn from Ukraine and when the embassies were relocated. It did not play well with Ukrainians.



She adds: I was mad yesterday when a TV journalist from a foreign broadcaster asked me why we would fight back and try to withstand an attack from Russia, which has one of the biggest armies in the World. I reacted emotionally. If my services as a lawmaker are not needed, at that point I will either get a weapon or do something useful and bandage the wounded, I know how to do that.
A Nevada man pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges Tuesday connected to a 2021 crash in Billings that killed a teenager.

Christian James Harshbarger appeared in Yellowstone County District Court via teleconference. The 20-year-old faces charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence, negligent vehicular assault and two counts of criminal endangerment.

Harshbarger and two passengers were driving east on Rimrock Road in a pickup truck on Feb. 2, 2021, according to charging documents. When they reached Virginia Lane, the truck collided with a sedan driven by a 17-year-old girl traveling with her younger sister. The collision killed the girl and put her sister in the hospital.

Following a subsequent investigation of the crash, prosecutors alleged that Harshbarger was driving at speed of about 52 mph as he approached Virginia Lane, where the posted speed limit is 35 mph. The wreck occurred as the sedan was turning onto Rimrock Road. Harshbarger, documents say, showed no signs of braking.

Harshbarger told police after the crash that as he was driving on Rimrock Road, he spotted a friend in a vehicle traveling the opposite direction. He said he pointed and looked over at his friend. When he looked back at the road, the sedan was in front of him. He tried hitting the brakes, he said, but it did not work. A blood draw taken from Harshbarger showed that he had 11 ng/ml of THC in his blood, more than twice the state limit for driving.

First responders pronounced Christine Croft dead at the scene. Her sister, 14 at the time, required surgery for her injuries. Both of Harshbargers passengers were also hospitalized, but survived. A combination of speed, cannabis use and potential inattentiveness are all considered to be factors that caused the crash, according to court documents.

Both Harshbarger and the City of Billings are facing a lawsuit filed by Crofts family. The suit alleges negligence on the part of Harshbarger and city officials in failing to address what they knew to be a potentially dangerous intersection at Rimrock Road and Virginia Lane. That danger was in part due to a stucco and brick wall built between 2007 and 2008 on the intersections southwest corner. After remaining on a priority list for city planners for years, a traffic light was installed at the intersection in October 2021, about six months after the fatal crash.

District Court Judge Rod Souza permitted Harshbarger, who currently lives and works in Reno, Nevada, to appear remotely for his arraignment. He also allowed Harshbarger to remain out of custody until his next court date on the conditions that he submit to drug monitoring for both marijuana and illegal drugs, abstain from alcohol, limit his time behind the wheel to essential driving only and that he remain in Reno.

If convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence, Harshbarger could be imprisoned for up to 30 years and fined up to $50,000. A conviction for negligent vehicular assault comes with up to 10 years in prison and a possible $10,000 fine. He may also have to pay restitution.

Harshbarger, who is represented by Casey J. Heitz of Parker, Heitz & Cosgrove, PLLC, is slated to appear again in court May 12 and has a tentative trial date scheduled for June.

A Billings man pleaded guilty earlier this month to negligent homicide for driving through a downtown intersection and striking a man on a motorcycle in 2019. Andrew David Sherod, 21, entered a plea agreement with Yellowstone County prosecutors Feb. 2 in which he admitted to driving a pickup truck through the intersection of Sixth Avenue North and North 31st Street, striking motorcyclist Joshua Jeffers. The 43-year-old Billings man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 15 years in prison with three suspended, according to the plea agreement. An official date for Sherod's sentencing has yet to be scheduled.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. President Joe Biden cut off the Russian government from international financing on Tuesday and imposed sanctions on two large banks, declaring that its movement of troops into eastern Ukraine was "a flagrant violation of international law."

In a brief White House speech to the American public, Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin's order late Monday to send troops across the eastern Ukraine border into the Luhansk and Donetsk regions was "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine." Hours earlier, Putin had declared the regions as independent, no longer part of Ukraine.

Biden pointedly asked, "Who in the Lord's name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?"

The U.S. leader said his sanctions would cut off the Russia government "from raising money from the West," and vowed that Russia "will pay an even steeper price (with more sanctions) if its forces advance further" west into Ukraine.

He said the United States has no intention of "fighting Russia." But he said that "none of us should be fooled, none of us will be fooled" by Putin's intentions in deploying what he characterized as "peacekeeping forces" into the one-time Soviet republic, which has been independent since 1991.

On Monday, in a Kremlin speech, Putin declared that Ukraine was never an independent state and belonged as part of a greater Russian sphere of influence, not a "puppet" of the West.

"He directly attacked Ukraine's right to exist," Biden said of Putin, while adding there is "still time to avert the worst-case scenario" of a full-scale invasion, through diplomatic settlement of the crisis.

But, Biden concluded, "We're going to judge Russia by its actions, not its words."

Biden warned Americans, "Defending freedom will have costs," with higher gasoline prices as world oil prices surge with the threat of further violence in Ukraine and an expanded Russian invasion.

Biden's implementation of long-promised sanctions came as other Western allies quickly moved Tuesday to punish Russia with sanctions of their own.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz halted authorization for Nord Stream 2, the completed but not yet operational natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, at least temporarily curbing potential fuel deliveries to Germany but also depriving Moscow of revenue from the pipeline.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Parliament he had sanctioned five Russian banks and three "high net worth" executives, freezing their assets in Britain and cutting off financial transactions with them.

"This is the first tranche, the first barrage, of what we are prepared to do," Johnson said.

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday gave Putin permission to use military force outside the country, possibly presaging a broader attack on Ukraine.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that "Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil" in Donetsk and Luhansk but that it was not a "fully fledged invasion."

For weeks, the U.S. and European allies have warned of swift and severe consequences for Russia if it launched an invasion of Ukraine, a possibility viewed with growing concern as Russia deployed 150,000 troops and military equipment along its border with Ukraine and in Belarus, a Russian ally to the north of Ukraine.

Russian tanks entered eastern Ukraine's Donbas region overnight, Western diplomats and residents in Donetsk confirmed to VOA. It was unclear if their presence constituted significant movement of Russian forces or instead movement of Russian-backed militias already in eastern Ukraine.

Biden issued an initial set of sanctions Monday in response to Putin's recognition of the breakaway regions and his order to deploy what he called Russian peacekeeping forces.

A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the first round of sanctions was specifically tied to those actions and did not represent the "swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine."

Biden's Monday order prohibited new investment, trade and financing by Americans in Luhansk and Donetsk after Putin declared them independent from Ukraine.

From a desk at the Kremlin, Putin delivered a nearly hourlong televised address to the Russian people Monday, outlining his version of the history of national boundaries in Europe and the 1990s breakup of the Soviet Union.
THE WHITE HOUSE  Ukraine on Wednesday welcomed the range of sanctions imposed against Russia for its actions in eastern Ukraine, but called for more, and quickly, saying they are necessary to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin "from further aggression."



"First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."



The United States, European Union, Canada, Britain and Germany all took action Tuesday as part of what they have described as incremental approaches with promises of harsher sanctions to come if Russia acts further.

"We have not yet seen a full-scale invasion, but we are very clear that if President Putin escalates, we, the international community will escalate our sanctions," British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Wednesday.



Australia added sanctions Wednesday targeting members of Russias security council, while Japan joined with asset freezes for certain Russian individuals and a ban on the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan.



"Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia, along with all of our partners," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters. "I expect subsequent tranches of sanctions, this is only the start of this process."



Ukraines military said Wednesday shelling by pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk region had killed one Ukrainian soldier and injured six others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an order to call up some military reservists, citing a need to quickly staff up the nations army.

"Ukrainians are a peaceful nation, we want silence, but if we keep silent today, we will disappear tomorrow," Zelenskyy said in a video address late Tuesday.

Putin, who massed 150,000 troops along Ukraines border and whose recognition of rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine as independent and order to send Russian troops there triggered widespread condemnation, said Wednesday he is always open to finding a diplomatic solution. But he said, "the interests of Russia and the security of our citizens are non-negotiable for us."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken were due to hold talks this week about the crisis and set the stage for a summit between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. Putins actions scuttled those efforts, with Blinken saying Tuesday that Russia "has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy."

Biden on Tuesday cut off the Russian government from international financing and imposed sanctions on two large banks, declaring that its actions in Ukraine were "a flagrant violation of international law."

Biden pointedly asked during a brief White House speech, "Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors?"

Condemnation came from many other U.S. allies and multilateral institutions, including from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said Tuesday, "Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called independence of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."

Biden also ordered the movement of infantry troops and air support from elsewhere in Europe closer to Russias borders. He said additional U.S. forces were deploying to the Baltics to "send an unmistakable message that the United States, together with our allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory."

The latest deployments include a battalion of more than 800 troops deploying from Italy to the Baltic region, eight F-35 fighter jets and 20 Apache attack helicopters from Germany to the Baltics, and 12 Apaches from Greece to Poland. Canada also announced the deployment of 460 troops to Latvia to bolster NATO defenses.

But Biden stressed, "These are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia."

For now, the Biden administration says its strongest weapon is sanctions aimed at Russias power players. The sanctions announced Tuesday target three men in Putins inner circle: Aleksandr Bortnikov, head of the Federal Security Service; Sergei Kiriyenko, a top official in Putins office, and Peter Fradkov, chairman of Promsvyazbank.

A senior administration official told reporters that the sanctions target two banks especially close to Russias leadership, including one  Vnesheconombank  that holds more than $50 billion in assets. Daleep Singh, deputy national security adviser for international economics, described it as "a glorified piggy bank for the Kremlin."

Singh said if Russia goes further, then "no Russian financial institution is safe" from sanctions, including its two largest that hold nearly $750 billion in assets.

"Make no mistake  this is only the sharp edge of the pain we can inflict," he said.

Some analysts say the administration could have done more.

"The sanctions announced (Monday) will have almost no impact, either in economic or political terms," Chris Miller, a Russia analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, told VOA. "The sanctions announced today  notably the sovereign debt sanctions  will have a minor, negative macroeconomic impact on Russia."

In a speech at the Kremlin on Monday, Putin declared that Ukraine was never an independent state and was part of a greater Russian sphere of influence, not a "puppet" of the West.

"He directly attacked Ukraines right to exist," Biden said of Putin, adding that there is "still time to avert the worst-case scenario" of a full-on invasion through diplomatic settlement of the crisis.

Bidens implementation of long-promised sanctions came as other Western allies quickly moved Tuesday to punish Russia with sanctions of their own.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz halted authorization for Nord Stream 2, the completed but not yet operational natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, at least temporarily curbing potential fuel deliveries to Germany but also depriving Moscow of revenue from the pipeline.

Russian lawmakers on Tuesday gave Putin permission to use military force outside the country, possibly presaging a broader attack on Ukraine.



NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that Russian tanks had moved into parts of Donetsk and Luhansk.

"Every indication is that Russia continues to plan for a full-scale invasion on Ukraine," he said.

VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb and VOAs U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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Trying to make up your mind, huh? (Laughter.)

Well, good afternoon. Yesterday, Vladimir Putin recognized two regions of Ukraine as independent states and he bizarrely asserted that these regions are no longer part of Ukraine and their sovereign territory. To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.

Last night, Putin authorized Russian forces to deploy into the region  these regions. Today, he asserted that these regions are  actually extend deeper than the two areas he recognized, claiming large areas currently under the jurisdiction of the Ukraine government.

Hes setting up a rationale to take more territory by force, in my view. And if we listen to his speech last night  and many of you did, I know  hes  hes setting up a rationale to go much further.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, as he indicated and asked permission to be able to do from his Duma.

So, lets begin to  so, Im going to begin to impose sanctions in response, far beyond the steps we and our Allies and partners implemented in 2014. And if Russia goes further with this invasion, we stand prepared to go further as  with sanction.

Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors? This is a flagrant violation of international law, and it demands a firm response from the international community.

Over the last few months, we have coordinated closely with our NATO Allies and partners in Europe and around the world to prepare that response. Weve said all along and Ive told Putin to his face a mon-  a month a-  more than a month ago that we would act together and the moment Russia moved against Ukraine.

Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine by declaring these independent states.

So, today, Im announcing the first tranche of sanctions to impose costs on Russia in response to their actions yesterday. These have been closely coordinated with our Allies and partners, and well continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

Were implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: V.E.B. and their military bank.

Were implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. That means weve cut off Russias government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.

Starting tomorrow [today] and continuing in the days ahead, we will also impose sanctions on Russias elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well.

And because of Russias actions, weve worked with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 will not  as I promised  will not move forward.

As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well. Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions.

The United States will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine in the meantime. And well continue to reinforce and reassure our NATO Allies.

Today, in response to Russias admission that it will not withdraw its forces from Belarus, I have authorized additional movements of U.S. forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen our Baltic Allies  Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Let me be clear: These are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia. We want to send an unmistakable message, though, that the United States, together with our Allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.

We still believe that Russia is poised to go much further in launching a massive military attack against Ukraine. I hope Im wrong about that  hope were wrong about that. But Russia has only escalated its threat against the rest of Ukrainian territory, including major cities and including the capital city of Kyiv.

There are  there are still well over 150,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine. And as I said, Russian forces remain positioned in Belarus to attack Ukraine from the north, including war planes and offensive missile systems.

Russia has moved troops closer to Ukraines border with Russia. Russias naval vessels are maneuvering in the Black Sea to Ukraines south, including amphibious assault ships, missile cruisers, and submarines.

Russia has moved supplies of blood and medical equipment into position on their border. You dont need blood unless you plan on starting a war.

And over the last few days, weve seen much of the playbook that Secretary Blinken laid out last week at the United Nations Security Council come to pass: a major increase in military provocations and false-flag events along the line of contact in the Donbas; dramatically staged, conveniently on-camera meeting of Putins Security Council to grandstand for the Russian public; and now political provocation of recognizing sovereign Ukrainian territory as so-called independent republics in clear violation, again, of international law.

President Putin has sought authorization from the Russian parliament to use military force outside of Russian territory. And this set the stage for further pretexts and further provocations by Russia to try to justify further military action.

None of us  none of us should be fooled. None of us will be fooled. There is no justification.

Further Russian assault into Ukraine remains a severe threat in the days ahead. And if Russia proceeds, it is Russia, and Russia alone, that bears the responsibility.

As we respond, my administration is using every tool at our disposal to protect American businesses and consumers from rising prices at the pump. As I said last week, defending freedom will have costs for us as well, here at home. We need to be honest about that.

But as we will do  but as we do this, Im going to take robust action and make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at the Russian economy, not ours.

We are closely monitoring energy supplies for any disruption. Were executing a plan in coordination with major oil-producing consumers and producers toward a collective investment to secure stability and global energy supplies.

This will be  this will blunt gas prices. I want to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump. This is critical to me.

In the last few days, I have been in constant contact with European leaders, including with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Vice President Harris met in person with leaders in Germany over the weekend at the Munich Conference, including President Zelenskyy.

At every step, we have shown that the United States and our Allies and partners are working in unison  which he hasnt been counting on  Mr. Putin. Were united in our support of Ukraine. Were united in our opposition to Russian aggression. And were united in our resolve to defend our NATO Alliance. And were united in our understanding of the urgency and seriousness of the threat Russia is making to global peace and stability.

Yesterday, the world heard clearly the full extent of Vladimir Putins twisted rewrite of history, going back more than a century, as he waxed eloquently, noting that  well, Im not going to go into it, but nothing in Putins lengthy remarks indicated any interest in pursuing real dialogue on European security in the year 2022.

He directly attacked Ukraines right to exist. He indirectly threatened territory formerly held by Russia, including nations that today are thriving democracies and members of NATO. He explicitly threatened war unless his extreme demands were met.

And there is no question that Russia is the aggressor. So were clear-eyed about the challenges were facing.

Nonetheless, there is still time to avert the worst-case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people if they move as suggested.

The United States and our Allies and partners remain open to diplomacy if it is serious. When all is said and done, were going to judge Russia by its actions, not its words.

And whatever Russia does next, were ready to respond with unity, clarity, and conviction.

Well probably have more to say about this as we  if it moves on. Im hoping diplomacy is still available.

Thank you all very much.
Thank you Mr Speaker,

With permission I will make a statement about the situation in Ukraine.

Last night, President Putin flagrantly violated the Minsk peace agreements by recognising the supposed independence of the so-called Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

In a single inflammatory speech, he denied that Ukraine had any tradition of genuine statehood, claimed that it posed a direct threat to the security of Russia, and hurled numerous other false accusations and aspersions.

Soon afterwards, the Kremlin announced that Russian troops would enter the breakaway regions under the guise of peacekeepers, and Russian tanks and armoured personnel carriers have since been spotted.

The House should be in no doubt that the deployment of these forces in sovereign Ukrainian territory amounts to a renewed invasion of that country.

And by denying Ukraines legitimacy as a state  and presenting its very existence as a mortal threat to Russia  Putin is establishing the pretext for a full-scale offensive.

I think Honourable Members will struggle to understand how or to contemplate, how in the year 2022, a national leader might calmly and deliberately plot the destruction of a peaceful neighbour, yet the evidence of his own words suggests that is exactly what President Putin is doing.

When I said on Saturday that his scheme to subvert and invade Ukraine was already in motion before our eyes, the events of the last 24 hours have, sadly, shown this to be true.

We must now brace ourselves for the next possible stages of Putins plan: the violent subversion of areas of eastern Ukraine by Russian operatives and their hirelings, followed by a general offensive by the nearly 200,000 Russian troops gathered on the frontiers, at peak readiness to attack.

If the worst happens, then a European nation of 44 million men, women and children would become the target of a full-scale war of aggression, waged without a shred of justification, for the absurd and even mystical reasons that Putin described last night.

Unless the situation changes, the best efforts of the United States, of this country, France, Germany, and other allies to avoid conflict through patient diplomacy may be in vain.

From the beginning, we have all tried our utmost, weve all tried, to find a peaceful way through this crisis.

On 11th February, my Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Radakin, paid the first joint visit to Moscow by the holders of their offices since Churchill - who was also defence minister at the time  travelled to Russia with General Alanbrooke in 1944.

They held over three hours of frank discussions with the Russian defence minister, General Shoigu, and the chief of staff, General Gerasimov, demonstrating how seriously we take Russias security concerns, how much we respect her history, and how hard we are prepared to work to ensure peaceful co-existence.

My Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary delivered the same messages when she met her Russian counterpart in Moscow on the 10th of February.

I have spoken on a number of occasions to President Putin since this crisis began and so has President Biden, while President Macron and Chancellor Scholz have both visited Moscow.

Together we have explored every avenue and given Putin every opportunity to pursue his aims by negotiation and diplomacy.

And I will tell the house, we will not give up: we will continue to seek a diplomatic solution until the last possible second, but we have to face the possibility that none of our messages has been heeded and Putin is implacably determined to go further in subjugating and tormenting Ukraine.

And it is because we suspected as much that the UK and our allies repeatedly sounded the alarm about a possible new invasion, and we disclosed much of what we knew about Russias military build-up.

Britain has done everything possible to help Ukraine to prepare for another onslaught, training 22,000 soldiers, supplying 2,000 anti-tank missiles, and providing 100 million for economic reform and energy independence, and we will now guarantee up to $500 million of Development Bank financing.

I travelled to Kyiv to meet President Zelenskyy on the 1st February, and I saw him again in Munich on Saturday. I spoke to him last night, soon after Putins speech, to assure him, as Im sure the whole House would agree was the right thing to do, I assured him of Britains unwavering support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

And now the UK and our allies will begin to impose the sanctions on Russia that we have already prepared, using the new and unprecedented powers granted by this House to sanction Russian individuals and entities of strategic importance to the Kremlin.

Today, the UK is sanctioning the following five Russian banks: Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank. And we are sanctioning three very high net worth individuals: Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg, and Igor Rotenberg.

Any assets they hold in the UK will be frozen, the individuals concerned will be banned from travelling here, and we will prohibit all UK individuals and entities from having any dealings with them.

This is the first tranche, the first barrage, of what we are prepared to do: we will hold further sanctions at readiness, to be deployed alongside the United States and the European Union if the situation escalates still further.

Last night, our diplomats joined an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, and we will raise the situation in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

And let me emphasise what I believe unites every member of this House with equal determination: the resolve of the United Kingdom to defend our NATO allies is absolute and immovable.

We have already doubled the size of our deployment in Estonia, where the British Army leads NATOs battlegroup, and when I met President Levits of Latvia and Prime Minister Kallas of Estonia in Munich on Saturday, I told them that we would be willing to send more British forces to help protect our allies if NATO makes such a request.

We cannot tell what will happen in the days ahead, but, Mr Speaker, we should steel ourselves for a protracted crisis.

The United Kingdom will meet this challenge side-by-side with our allies, determined that we will not allow Putin to drag our continent back into a Hobbesian state of nature, where aggression pays and might is right.

And it is precisely because the stakes are so high that Putins venture in Ukraine must fail, must ultimately fail and be seen to fail. That will require the perseverance, the unity and the resolve of the entire Western alliance, and Britain will do everything possible to ensure that that unity is maintained.

And now our thoughts should turn to our valiant Ukrainian friends, who threaten no-one, and ask for nothing except to live in peace and freedom.

We will keep faith with them in the critical days that lie ahead and whatever happens, Mr Speaker, Britain will not waver in our resolve and I commend this statement to the House.
Algeria arrested and imprisoned ten leaders of the Rachad movement for terrorism. According to the authorities, despite its democratic facade, this opposition movement in exile is actually an Algerian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Most of the leaders of Rachad are former members of the FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) which was akin to the Muslim Brotherhood ideology and played a central role in the Algerian civil war.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the partiality of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a protocol meeting in Moscow with his Special Envoy Geir Pedersen on 23 February 2022.

The Russian Minister underlined that Mr. Guterres statements were not consistent with the neutrality of his position, especially since he had never supported either the application of the Minsk Agreements or that of resolution 2202 on the situation in Ukraine.

The Russian Federation considers the independence of the Peoples Republics of Donestzk and Lughansk to be legal under international law in view of the non-compliance of the Minsk Agreements of 5 September 2014 [1].

The Russian Foreign Ministry wrote a letter to Antonio Guterres.
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Facts are stubborn things, and we Montanans care about them. Don Kaltschmidts recent op-ed attacking Sen. Jon Testers character was about as close to the truth as Montana is to an ocean.

So here are the facts: Tester has worked with Republicans, Democrats and Independents to create jobs, combat rising costs, and assist Montanans in every corner of the state.

He played a key role in securing resources to reopen Montanas schools and support small businesses during the worst of the pandemic.

Tester then worked alongside five Republicans and four Democrats to negotiate, write and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This package is creating good-paying jobs by making urgently needed investments in Montana's roads, bridges, high-speed internet, water while making us more competitive against China.

It cuts burdensome regulations for ranchers and provides clean drinking water for rural Montana. It cuts costs for working families and doesnt raise taxes on a single Montanan.

So, did the Republican politicians who claim to represent Montanans join this bipartisan coalition and deliver good-paying jobs for our state? Not a chance.

When it came time to work across the aisle to strengthen local Montana communities, Sen. Steve Daines and Congressman Matt Rosendale put politics ahead of country and voted no. Our adversaries like Russia and China welcome their irresponsible votes.

I challenge Don Kaltschmitdt to name a single time Daines or Rosendale took a significant vote in defiance of Mitch McConnell and their other Party bosses. On the other hand, Tester was recently ranked as the 4th most bipartisan Democrat in the entire U.S. Senate.

Last summer, Tester aggressively defended Montana family farms, ranches and small businesses when he stood up to Sen. Chuck Schumer,

D-N.Y., and killed Bidens proposal to eliminate the stepped-up basis provision of the tax code. That proposal would have raised taxes on working families and impacted their ability to pass their farms and businesses on to future generations, but Tester put Montanans first.

Earlier this year, Tester stood up to President Joe Biden and other national Democrats when he was one of two Democrats in the entire U.S. Senate to oppose the vaccine mandate on small businesses. That didnt sit well with everyone in his party, but he stood up for the constitutional rights of Montanans, just as he always does.

Tester continues to call on the Biden Administrations Department of Homeland Security to stop the vaccine mandate for truck drivers and other essential workers who frequently cross the Canadian border. He is the leading voice on either side of the aisle fighting for farmers and ranchers who are worried this mandate will disrupt free and fair trade across our northern border.

There is another saying that comes to mind when reading Don Kaltschmidts op-Ed: people who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones. Don failed to mention that he personally benefited from Senator Testers work when he took more than $1.3 million in taxpayer money to prop up his business conglomerate in the Flathead. Did he pay taxpayers back? Nope.

Montanans are fortunate to have an independent voice like Jon Tester fighting for us every day.

Sheila Hogan is executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.

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Queen Elizabeth II Photo: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Update: Friday, February 25, at 12:11 p.m.: Hollywood Unlocked published a listicle on Friday fact-checking the reasons it thought the Queen died before apologizing for getting the story wrong. It cited reports that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Her Majesty on Wednesday as the reason for its disavowal. Hollywood Unlocked asserted that a source at British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninfuls wedding overheard a call where the Queens death had been confirmed to a high-profile attendee. Lee also claimed to have spoken to another source familiar with the British military who told him top generals had been summoned to the palace four hours before HU published its original piece. It wrote that its reporting aligned with Operation London Bridge  the plan of action for the Queens death  which, if true, insinuates a world where Jason Lee breaking the news aligns with a ten-step D-Day plan announcing the death of a monarch that has been in place for decades.

Wed never intentionally cause pain or grief to the monarchy simply for clickbait, HU wrote, before quoting Lee: Although Ive never been wrong when breaking a story because this involves The Queen this is one time I would want to be. And based on Wednesdays report from the Palace, I can say my sources got this wrong and I sincerely apologize to The Queen and the Royal Family. Is nothing right anymore in this world? After posting that hes never lied, Jason Lee, the de facto pinnacle of truth and accuracy, at least to himself, has admitted his first wrong.

Update: Wednesday, February 23, at 6:20 p.m.: Jason Lee has deleted the Instagram post asserting that the Queen is dead and his plans to attend the DONDA concert are alive. Also, a source told BuzzFeed that they believe someone confused late Queens of the Stone Age singer Mark Lanegan with the monarch Elizabeth.

Original story follows.

Socialites, it is with our deepest regret to inform you that Hollywood Unlocked, a Shade Roomadjacent gossip blog, and its founder, Jason Lee, are doubling down on reports that Queen Elizabeth is dead. No, not the Jason Lee from Alvin and the Chipmunks or My Name Is Earl. In an article posted Tuesday, esteemed journalist DefaultUser wrote that Hollywood Unlocked had the exclusive on the queens death after sources close to the Royal Kingdom notified them of her passing. The piece comes after Sundays announcement that the 95-year-old queen had tested positive for COVID-19; per the BBC, the monarch experienced mild cold-like symptoms but will be continuing light duties at the palace while she recovers.

After being accused of disseminating misinformation, Lee laid down his five commandments in an Instagram post. 1. Ive never lied. 2. Ive never been wrong, he wrote in a Notes app screenshot. He also asserted that the palace has yet to debunk his claims before topping it off with his most important tenet: 5. Ill be at the Donda concert tonight with Ye.

Photo: Instagram

By Wednesday morning, a now-deleted tweet from an unverified Twitter account, @HollywoodUL  which has posted as the Hollywood Unlocked account for at least two years  apologized to the royal family and blamed the mistake on an intern journalist who published a draft post by mistake. Blaming the intern is a classic move employed by everyone from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump, but Lee refused to take the easy way out. We do not know that account and we have not retracted our story, Lee wrote on Twitter. The original story is still up on the website.

Woke up to some fake account posting a retraction. We do not know that account and we have not retracted our story. There has yet to be an official statement from the Palace. Staying tuned.  Jason Lee (@theonlyjasonlee) February 23, 2022

The gossip sites assertions that the queen was found dead ahead of British Vogue editor Edward Enninfuls wedding spread across the Twitter-sphere with many joking about Hollywood Unlocked and Jason Lees shoddy credibility.

wym the queen died. and wym the source is jason lee.  melv. (@manizegos) February 22, 2022

Lee got at least one thing right: Buckingham Palace has yet to issue a statement on rumors of the queens death at the time of publication. The palace typically refrains from commenting on online gossip, but in the event of the queens actual death, an elaborate plan would be set into motion with the BBC releasing the news first. I balk at the idea of a future in which Hollywood Unlocked makes it into our history textbooks for being first to break the news of the queens passing, but at least it makes more sense than if it were Queen Nicki Minaj.

barbs mistaking queen elizabeth for nicki minaj  pic.twitter.com/em5137YH1M  Spac3 (@spaceeong) February 20, 2022
Streamliner At your service. Charlie Cox in Daredevil. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Netflix/

Update, Wednesday, February 23, at 1:45 p.m.: Marvels Defenders series will officially relocate from Netflix to Disney on March 16. Daredevil, The Punisher, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and The Defenders will be made available to stream on Disney+ Canada. It is currently unclear whether or not they will be part of Disney+s U.S. selection. However, the decision shows Disneys continued foray into the Marvel cinematic universe; it also plans to premiere Moon Knight, adapted from a Marvel comic, on March 30. Vulture has reached out to Disney+ for comment and will update as new information is available.

Big month for Marvel on Disney+#MoonKnight + all the Marvel Netflix shows officially being added! pic.twitter.com/rHu82nhlVb  Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) February 23, 2022

Original story follows.

Binge Daredevil and Jessica Jones while you still can. These Marvel shows and the rest of the Defenders series  including The Defenders, Luke Cage, and Punisher  will be departing from Netflix on February 28. The fan-sphere is ripe with speculation about the future whereabouts of these popular MCU shows, with some theorizing that Hulu or Disney+ may acquire Defenders-related content to boost their status in the streaming wars.

The Marvel series were licensed originals, the rights for which have reverted back to Disney. Forbes previously reported that Netflixs deal with Marvel reportedly contained a clause where Netflix would still retain the rights to these shows and characters for two years after the shows finished airing. With Daredevils cancellation in November 2018 and the last season of Jessica Jones debuting in June 2019, the time is ripe for these shows to swap streaming platforms.

The five shows represent some of the edgier MCU fare, which is why itll be interesting to see what Disney decides do with them for its family audience. If the shows premiere on Disney+, they will join a long list of new Marvel fare, including Loki and WandaVision. However, this may not mean the end for the Daredevil saga. Actor Charlie Cox told The Hollywood Reporter on February 11 that since his show officially entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe, hes hoping to collide with Kingpin actor Vincent DOnofrio once again.
The Billings Police Department has been active in my neighborhood. On Feb. 15, officer Brett Hilde shot and killed Raymond Dupree. Officer Hilde hadnt activated his body cam, but he says Dupree pointed a weapon at him. (It turned out to be a pellet gun.)

The killing will no doubt be ruled justified, but is it acceptable? I recently interviewed the chief of police of Berkeley, California, a city with several thousand more people than Billings. Between January 2012 and June 2020, not a single Berkeley police officer shot at a suspect. In that same period, our local law enforcement killed at least 16 people, according to the Gazette. Hilde has reportedly fired his weapon on three occasions in the last three years.

On Jan. 15, an off-duty officer kneed a car in the Grandstand parking lot, an aggressive act that set off a fight (because of course it did) which led to an unfortunate chain of completely preventable events. And now a young man is recovering from a head injury. Ive left the Grandstand many times (they have a good trivia night) and Ive never felt compelled to act as a parking lot monitor. The off-duty behavior and decision making by this officer and his companions doesnt inspire much confidence about their on-duty performance.

The record suggests that police chiefs in other cities would never tolerate this level of violence in their ranks. For Chief Rich St. John, it appears to be business as usual.

Chris Woolston

Billings

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Charges have been filed in the separate deaths of two children in Bismarck over the weekend, and newly filed court documents shed light on what allegedly happened.

Five-year-old Geremy Doyle was pronounced dead at a Bismarck hospital Friday night. Three-week-old Starlight Black Elk was dead when police arrived Saturday morning at the home where she was in her mothers care.

The boy had bruises around his eyes and on his abdomen and legs, had a number of open sores, and had blackened or frostbitten toes on both feet, according to an affidavit. His stomach was distended and his arms and legs were emaciated.

Caretakers Rolanda Doyle, 40, Russell James, 36, and Serenity Foots, 18, are charged with child neglect. Rolanda Doyle and Foots also face child abuse charges. Rolanda Doyle had been the primary caretaker and legal custodian of the 5-year-old since November, according to an affidavit. It did not specify why she had assumed that role.

One of the other children in the home told police that Rolanda Doyle and Foots had struck Geremy Doyle with a belt, at times causing him to fall. James said the boy should have received medical care after a fall that injured his head three weeks ago, the affidavit states. Video of the child on Rolanda Doyles cellphone allegedly shows the boy clearly suffering from a concussion or traumatic brain injury, wobbling, falling and striking his head, police said. The boy's feet became frostbitten when he went outside barefoot in the first big snowfall of the year, one of his siblings told police.

Its unclear how 3-week-old Starlight Black Elk died. She was obviously deceased and in the early stages of rigor mortis when police responded Saturday morning to a call of an unresponsive child, according to an affidavit. Her mother, Cassandra Black Elk, 26, is charged with child neglect.

Authorities say they found evidence that Cassandra Black Elk fought with Seth Eagle, the babys father, a few hours before police were called to the North Second Street apartment. The baby was alive when Eagle left about 1:30 a.m., Cassandra Black Elk allegedly told police, adding that Starlight Black Elk was swaddled, asleep and face up on the bed after Eagle left.

The mother said she did not recall any of the details of the fight because she was intoxicated, and did not remember doing anything that would harm the child, according to the affidavit. The baby was dead when Cassandra Black Elk awoke about 6 a.m., she allegedly told police.

Cassandra Black Elk told police she had drank at least one beer and several shots of liquor, smoked marijuana, and then purchased more liquor which she also consumed, the affidavit states.

Autopsies will be performed on both children.

No attorney is listed for James in court documents. The attorneys for Foots, Rolanda Doyle and Cassandra Black Elk did not immediately respond to Tribune requests for comment.

Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com

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No covid tests required for fully vaccinated arrivals in Italy and no more quarantine for non-EU visitors after 1 March.

Italy will allow travellers from outside the European Union to enter the country quarantine-free as of 1 March, under new travel rules.

Visitors from non-EU nations are no longer required to show both proof of vaccination or recovery from covid and a negative test result.

The easing of travel restrictions brings Italy in line with other EU countries and means that tourists from outside the EU no longer have to undergo quarantine on arrival.

A pre-departure covid test remains necessary for unvaccinated tourists and for those who have received vaccines not recognised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), such as Sputnik.

From 1 March, for arrivals from all non-European countries, the same rules already in place for European countries will be in force" - Speranza wrote on Twitter - "For entry into Italy, one of the conditions of the Green Pass will be sufficient: vaccination certificate, recovery certificate or negative test."

Dal 1 marzo per gli arrivi da tutti i Paesi extraeuropei saranno vigenti le stesse regole gia previste per i Paesi europei.

Per lingresso in Italia sara sufficiente una delle condizioni del green pass: certificato di vaccinazione, certificato di guarigione o test negativo. Roberto Speranza (@robersperanza) February 22, 2022

The Green Pass (or its equivalent) is a certificate proving that the holder has been vaccinated for covid, recovered within the last six months or tested negative within the previous couple of days.

Italy's decision to ease travel rules follows an EU recommendation that member states "should lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for persons vaccinated with an EU- or WHO-approved vaccine, provided they have received the last dose of the primary vaccination series at least 14 days and no more than 270 days before arrival or they have received a booster dose."

The move is the latest in a series of restrictions to be relaxed in Italy, from the wearing of masks outdoors to a reduced quarantine system for schools, amid an improving covid situation.

The easing of travel restrictions comes as Italy's tourism sector prepares for the Easter holiday season, with a progressive "reopening" of the country promised recently by Italian premier Mario Draghi.

However, for unvaccinated tourists in Italy, it is worth noting that a Green Pass is required to access most activities and services, with the unvaccinated banned from restaurants and public transport.

A two-tiered Green Pass system remains in place, with a "basic" version of the Green Pass available via a negative covid test result, alongside the "Super" version which can only be obtained by people who are vaccinated or have recovered from covid.

However the Green Pass system is expected to be dismantled gradually as Italy heads into a "new phase" after the country's state of emergency expires on 31 March.

For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy (in English) see the health ministry website.
Threat of war in Ukraine causes pontiff "great pain in my heart".

Pope Francis on Wednesday urged all sides in the Russia-Ukraine dispute to "seriously examine their consciences before God", amid fears of a Russian invasion.

The pontiff said he is praying for all parties involved to "refrain from any action that will cause even more suffering" and "discredit international law".

Speaking during his weekly general audience at the Vatican, Francis said that "increasingly alarming scenarios" were emerging "despite the diplomatic efforts of these past weeks", adding that the threat of war has caused "great pain in my heart".

He also called for a day of fasting for peace on 2 March, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar.

Francis made his appeal after Russian president Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine during a defiant televised address on Monday night.

In a statement on Tuesday, Italian premier Mario Draghi described Russia's recognition of the separatist regions as "an unacceptable violation of the democratic sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine."
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The Ukraine crisis makes me miss Ronald Reagan. More to the point, it makes me better appreciate his combination of moral clarity and realism: He understood that some governments are simply evil. Their leaders lust after power and seek to limit the freedom of their citizens. These governments are a threat to global security.

For Reagan, the No. 1 offender was the Soviet Union, but he held this view about communist governments more generally. He saw communism as an ideology that elevated the power of the state, a non-democratic state at that, over the rights of the individual.

Its impossible to know exactly what Reagan would have thought of Putins Russia, which is not a communist country. But everything Reagan said and wrote implies that he would have been highly suspicious of it. Putins Russia already has moved militarily in Georgia, Ukraine and Syria. It imprisons political opponents and clamps down on free speech. It is far from a legitimate democracy.

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So I dont think Reagan would have been surprised by the fact that Russia has amassed at least 150,000 troops on the border with Ukraine, with a good chance that the conflict will soon escalate further. He well understood the logic of what he called evil empires.

Unfortunately, Reagan has gone out of style, including with the conservative base. For 20 years, dissident Republicans have been saying that they want to move away from the legacy of Reaganism. Some of this intellectual migration has been more against Reagans market-oriented economics. But isolationism and even pro-Russian sympathies have become common in the Republican Party.

As I interpret the career of Reagan, he understood another point very well  and that concerns the scarcity of moral capital. Reagan knew there were real bad guys, and that it was up to leaders and elites to identify them and stand up to them, both rhetorically and diplomatically. Most of all, it was important to encourage the American public to internalize these same moral judgments. This may all sound corny and dated, but the pending conflict in Ukraine shows it to be an enduring truth.

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The complementary Reagan vision was positive, optimistic and focused on what Americans can accomplish when working together. Americans are going to disagree on a lot of issues, he acknowledged, but they should maintain a relatively united front and save their real opprobrium for the truly destructive forces on the global scene.

Fast forward 40 years, and it seems that America has almost completely ignored these strictures. Many on the right seem most upset about the worst aspects of the left, and vice versa. Even when bad forces emerge in the international arena, Americans seem far more preoccupied by their fights with each other.

On Russia specifically, as recently as several months ago the current military escalation was hardly a topic of discussion among U.S. elites. When Mitt Romney tried to raise the danger of Russia in his 2012 presidential campaign, the point largely fell flat. Former President Barack Obama actually mocked him.

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Now there is a rush to catch up. Much of the panic about Russia over the last few years has been inward-looking, related to its connection with the campaign of former President Donald Trump. Finally, there is a realization that European peace cannot be taken for granted  and a great deal is at stake.

So far President Joe Biden has done a commendable job building up a relatively united NATO and European coalition to oppose Russian moves against Ukraine. Like Reagan with the Soviet Union, Biden understands that it is necessary to keep open lines of communication and negotiation with Russia.

If an aggressive Russia were to remain central on the global stage, some people might find themselves reassessing more than just the Reagan presidency. War would require a reassessment of pretty much everything else, including the prospects for economic growth and international cooperation. There would also be the question of whether this cycle of combat and conquest has a meaningful stopping point.

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Reagan understood all that. He made his share of mistakes, including on foreign policy, but the main issue he got right looms ever larger in importance. Even those who reject other aspects of his legacy should be able to appreciate this one.

Related at Bloomberg Opinion:

 The U.S. Is Learning to Win the Information War Against Putin: Hal Brands

 Will Sanctions Halt Putins Advance in Ukraine?: Bobby Ghosh

 Bidens Ukraine Response Is Mired in Barrels of Oil: Liam Denning

 Putin and the Specter of a Permanent Ukraine Crisis: Leonid Bershidsky

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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In the 24 hours after Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing two breakaway Ukrainian territories, the European Union, the U.K., and the U.S. bought a combined 3.5 million barrels of Russian oil and refined products, worth more than $350 million at current prices. On top of that, the West probably bought another $250 million worth of Russian natural gas, plus tens of millions dollars of aluminum, coal, nickel, titanium, gold and other commodities. In total, the bill likely topped $700 million.

And thats the way its going to be  at least for now. The U.S. and its European allies will continue buying Russian natural resources and Moscow will continue shipping them, despite the biggest political crisis between the former Cold War warriors since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Both sides are aware of the contradictions. The West knows that commodities are a cash cow for Putin, fueling his imperial ambitions thanks, in great part, to ultra-high oil and gas prices, but the allies are also aware of the economic self-harm of cutting imports to zero. For its part, the Kremlin may be tempted to weaponize its natural resources  which could trigger blackouts in Europe. But it also knows commodity exports are its own economic lifeline.

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Its the commodities market version of the Cold War doctrine of mutual assured destruction, or MAD.

With other adversaries  say Iran or Venezuela  the White House has been quicker to use oil as a geopolitical tool. As a result, both Tehran and Caracas cannot sell oil legally in world markets, not just into the U.S. However, Russia remains free to ship its oil into America; and the U.K. continues to buy Russian diesel, too.

At this point, neither Moscow nor the U.S. and its allies have an economic, political or military interest in weaponizing oil, gas and other natural resources. However, I must emphasize for now. The initial round of Western sanctions  and the reaction from the Kremlin  was a reflection of that current posture.

The European Union and the U.K. targeted five medium-sized Russian banks, accusing them of helping the Kremlins campaign. But they left untouched the three state-owned giant lenders that are key for the commodities trade: VTB Bank PJSC, Sberbank of Russia PJSC and Gazprombank JSC. Putin did the same, telling an industry conference  the day after recognizing the breakaway republics  that Russia was planning uninterrupted supplies of natural gas to world markets.

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The fears of the Kremlin cutting the gas supply remain simply that: fears. Any military trouble remains confined to the two breakaway territories, which are far away from the mighty Russian oil and gas pipelines that crisscross Ukraine from East to West: Druzbha, Soyuz, Progress and Brotherhood. The company that operates the gas pipeline network of Ukraine tweeted: Keep Calm & Transit Gas.

The biggest casualty has been NordStream 2, the Kremlin-backed gas pipeline connecting Russia directly with Germany under the Baltic Sea. Berlin halted the administrative approval process for the pipeline, in effect putting the project on ice. Tellingly, however, it did not impose sanctions on the pipeline itself. In any event, NS2  which hasnt started operations  was unlikely to be approved before the summer. Berlin did not take any action on NS2s sister pipeline, NordStream 1, which follows exactly the same route, and has been pumping gas for several years. Why not? NS2 is empty; NS1 is full.

While NS2 is a cause celebre for many politicians, its importance lies in diplomacy rather than the energy market. For Berlin, halting the project sends a signal to the Kremlin without affecting current German natural gas supply. For its part, Moscow doesnt need NS2 if its sister is at full capacity. Indeed, Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas giant, hasnt sent a single molecule of gas through its other pipeline  the Yamal-Europe, which traverses Belarus and Poland  since late December.

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We may soon see Gazprom boosting its gas supplies to Germany and the rest of Europe. Current spot gas prices are higher than the average of February-to-date, a situation that may prompt European utilities to maximize their Gazprom supply contracts from March 1st. If thats the case, Europe may see an ironic situation: simultaneously higher political tension and higher flows of Russian gas.

Its another sign that both sides have an interest in keeping commodities out of the battle  for now.

More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:



What If Goldman Is Wrong and a Lonely Oil Bear Is Right?: Javier Blas



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Javier Blas is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy and commodities. He previously was commodities editor at the Financial Times and is the coauthor of The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earths Resources.

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Diplomats in Vienna say they could be days away from a new agreement limiting Irans nuclear program, paving the way for a lifting of U.S. sanctions on the country and a return of its energy exports onto world markets. However, the negotiating parties have yet to resolve the most difficult issues remaining after 10 months of negotiation. Among the three toughest points of contention are the Islamic Republics demand for guarantees to underpin the deal, the fate of Irans atomic infrastructure and the outlook for international nuclear monitors.

1. What guarantees has Iran demanded?

Iran has repeatedly demanded guarantees that the U.S. wont again jettison the deal as it did in 2018, when the administration of President Donald Trump unilaterally left an accord agreed in 2015 and reimposed sanctions that have severely reduced Irans oil exports. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told diplomats and defense officials at the Munich Security Conference in late February that the world powers at the negotiating table must provide assurances that Iranians wont be tricked into limiting their nuclear activities only to be trapped again under sanctions. Of the previous deal, he said, It was the Americans who ruined it. It is now up to the Americans to resuscitate it.

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2. Are such assurances possible?

U.S. officials have scoffed at the idea that they can guarantee a future president wont again leave the deal. More than 100 Republican members of Congress have pledged to oppose any sanctions relief for Iran by the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat. The inability of the U.S. to offer clear guarantees has led Iran to come up with its own creative proposals. Amirabdollahian suggested in Munich that the Democratic leaders of Congress could declare their commitment to a new deal.

3. Whats the issue with Irans nuclear infrastructure?

World powers are anxious to seal a return to the deal because in the absence of any constraints, Irans engineers have elevated the countrys capacity to quickly enrich uranium to levels close to what would be needed for a nuclear weapon. The country has always maintained its atomic program is peaceful, but the 2015 deal was forged amid suspicions of that claim. Iran is now operating a higher number of advanced centrifuges -- machines spinning at supersonic speeds to separate uranium isotopes -- than permitted under the agreement, which only allowed operation of 5,060 first-generation devices. Diplomats have been wrangling for months over what to do with the hundreds of advanced new machines that Iran has assembled and entered into service over the last three years. Under the terms of the original deal, Iran would have been able to partially assemble machines under international monitoring, only bringing completed units into service from 2025.

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4. Whats been proposed?

In the absence of full guarantees, Iran wants to leave its centrifuge advancements intact so that it can swiftly reverse course should the U.S. again leave the accord. On this point, the U.S. opened the door to compromise in February by waiving sanctions on civil nuclear cooperation with Iran. That paves the way for the Persian Gulf country to potentially ship the machines to a friendly third country, with guarantees that the centrifuges would be returned should the agreement again be violated. Russia and Kazakhstan have emerged as potential facilitators, with the latter designated in the original agreement as a potential way station for Iranian nuclear fuel. However, the Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council suggested that Irans best course might be to mothball rather than dismantle the centrifuges.

5. Whats the issue with nuclear monitors?

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A side-letter with the International Atomic Energy Agency before the original agreement paved the way for Iran to settle an onerous investigation into its previous nuclear activities. But after the Trump administration left the deal, new suspicions emerged. In the wake of an Israeli spy operation that smuggled documents out of Iran, the IAEA opened a new probe that detected traces of man-made uranium at several undeclared sites in Iran. At the Munich conference, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said it was essential that the IAEA continue to investigate, even in the event of a new deal, which Israel opposes. Iran is keen to have the probe end. Countries negotiating with Iran cant order the IAEA to wrap up its investigation prematurely, but they can prevent it from facing new sanctions, should it fail to cooperate with the agency.

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Interstates and other highways shut down by a two-day blizzard in southeastern North Dakota have reopened.

Interstate 29 from Fargo to the South Dakota border was reopened midafternoon Tuesday, along with state Highway 13 from the interstate to Wahpeton. I-94 between Fargo and Jamestown was reopened in stages, with the last stretches opened Tuesday night.

Scattered snow and snowdrifts remained on numerous highways in the region. Information on road conditions can be found at https://travel.dot.nd.gov/.

The storm that blew in from the west late Sunday dropped 3.2 inches of snow in Bismarck on Monday -- breaking a 60-year-old city record for the date. But eastern North Dakota felt the brunt of the storm, with snow totals topping a foot in some places.

Winds gusting to 40 mph made travel treacherous. A 14-vehicle pileup on I-94 near Mapleton in Cass County injured six people Monday. Accuweather reported that rescuers who responded dealt with wind chills reaching 30 degrees below zero.

Icy cold temperatures will continue through the workweek as arctic air continues to blanket the region, according to the National Weather Service. Wind chills early Wednesday statewide were in the minus 30s and 40s.

But the temperature in Bismarck climbed back above zero on Wednesday afternoon for the first time since Sunday. And the weather is expected to soon turn again, continuing the hot-and-cold pattern of recent weeks.

"A warming and overall dry trend returns this weekend into next week," the weather service said. "Look for temperatures to get back to near-normal readings, with minimal chances for precipitation."

Saturday's high temperature in Bismarck-Mandan is forecast to be in the mid-30s, and that trend is expected to continue into next week. The normal high for late-February in Bismarck is 33 degrees, warming to the mid- and upper-30s in early March.

Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin can escalate his offensive against Ukraine whenever he wants. Even then, however, hell almost certainly prefer a pretext for the move. Is he already writing that script? The other day a car blew up in Donetsk, one of the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine that Putin just recognized as an independent Peoples Republic. In Luhansk, the other breakaway territory, a gas pipeline went up in flames. Theres been more artillery fire near the lines of contact.

Russias state-controlled media were quick to blame these incidents on the Ukrainian side. But Kyiv insisted they were so-called false-flag operations instigated or executed by Moscow. Its in the nature of such deception that the truth is impossible to verify, at least in the short term. But if U.S. and U.K. intelligence agencies are right, the false-flag attacks are about to get a lot more serious.

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Remember that Putin keeps peddling the fiction that Ukraine is waging genocide against ethnic Russians in the countrys east. To justify a full-bore invasion, Moscow might, therefore, be tempted  as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned the United Nations Security Council  to stage atrocities: a terrorist attack inside Russia; the discovery of a mass grave of ethnic Russians; or a drone or chemical attack against civilians. In each case, Russia would blame Kyiv and again accuse it of ethnic cleansing.

The fact that such ruses by Moscow are even imaginable should make any Putin sympathizer think again. Can hybrid warfare get any more evil? And yet, such deviousness  in varying degrees of perfidy  has been used throughout history. As they say, truth is the first casualty of war. And false-flag operations are often the lies that create the excuse for war.

Take whats arguably the most notorious false-flag operation ever, the so-called Gleiwitz incident, which has harrowing echoes today. It took place on Aug. 31, 1939, a time when parts of Europe resembled the Russian-Ukrainian border regions today.

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Adolf Hitler had massed tanks and troops along the border with Poland, which he accused of ethnically cleansing Germans, who therefore needed the protection of the Third Reich. To feed that narrative, the Nazis staged several fake incidents, culminating in a well-rehearsed attack on a German radio tower in the town of Gleiwitz, near the Polish border but inside the Reich.

Seven SS officers dressed up in Polish uniforms and seized the tower, then broadcast in Polish and German that it was now under Polish control. To make the ruse look plausible, they murdered a German man and left him dressed in a Polish uniform as though he had died during the attack, along with the mangled corpses of several concentration-camp inmates dressed as German soldiers, as though they had tried to defend the tower.

This night for the first time Polish regular soldiers fired on our territory, Hitler said the next day. Since 5:45 a.m. we have been returning the fire, and from now on bombs will be met by bombs. And so began World War II.

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Many other powers, both autocracies and democracies, have raised false flags. Later in 1939, Soviet operatives pretending to be Finns shelled a Russian village, thus providing the excuse for the Soviet Unions invasion of Finland. When the U.S. and the U.K. wanted regime change in Iran in the 1950s, they bombed mosques and blamed the attacks on communists tied to the government, which was soon ousted. In 1964, the U.S. used a false-flag torpedo attack in the Gulf of Tonkin to wangle Congress into passing a resolution to deploy ground troops in Vietnam.

The context was different in each case. But the psychology of false-flag tactics in general is intriguing. Warlords like Genghis Khan, as far as I know, would have had no use for them. They conquered simply because they could, and didnt need to invent excuses.

Nowadays, even superpowers and tyrants clearly put on some fig leaf of legitimacy before they invade, pillage or usurp. Whether that leaf covers much, and for how long, seems less relevant. I have no idea how many Germans and other Europeans believed Hitlers version of the Gleiwitz incident at the time, and for how long. But Hitler didnt seem worried about that. Credibility doesnt matter, he had told his generals a week earlier, because victors arent asked whether they told the truth.

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In effect, false-flag attacks are therefore just one more tool in the bigger kit of disinformation and propaganda. But in this case, the motivation is less to convince the other side than to rally your own side with a rhetorical weapon to complement the physical ones.

If anything, modern social media may have made false-flag operations more appealing as an instrument. Well-oiled disinformation machines can spread lies faster and wider than ever before. Putin, who spent his formative years in the KGB, understands all this better than most leaders. Above all, he knows that if a diverse and amorphous adversary like the West cannot establish or agree on what is true, it probably cant stay united for long.

The best we can do is to prepare for the lies to come, and to unmask them with facts when they arrive. The stakes are high. Imagine our world if most people believed its Ukraine thats bullying Russia  or that at Gleiwitz on August 31, 1939, it was the Poles attacking the Germans.

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More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:



Vladimir Putin Has No Time for Your Reality: Andreas Kluth



Putin and Biden Both Win, Ukraine Loses: Leonid Bershidsky



Putin Is Only Pretending to Be Crazy on Ukraine: Eli Lake

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist. Hes the author of Hannibal and Me.

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The newly completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea has come tantalizingly close to being able to pump billions of cubic meters of Russian gas to the European Union. The link between Russia and Germany runs parallel to the existing Nord Stream pipeline thats been fully operational since 2012, and has a ready-made market. But its startup was already delayed by earlier U.S. efforts to block its completion, and now Russias recognition of two separatist republics in eastern Ukraine has further stalled the project, putting approval on ice as Europe prepares new sanctions aimed at Russia.

1. Whats suspended it for now?

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putins recognition of the breakaway republics in Ukraine had materially changed the situation so that no certification of the pipeline can happen right now. Without it, he told reporters, the gas link cannot go into operation. Scholz effectively froze the approval process by having the Economy Ministry withdraw its assessment that the project doesnt pose a threat to security of supply. Economy Minister Robert Habeck, a co-leader of Germanys Green party, which has been a vocal opponent of the pipe, said that the political conflict between Russia and the Ukraine will be taken into account in reevaluating energy security.

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2. Is this separate from sanctions?

Its not a sanction in the classic sense, its a political decision that Nord Stream 2 cannot come, Habeck told Deutschlandfunk radio in an interview on Feb. 23. I say explicitly that this can still happen depending on developments in the war between Russia and Ukraine. The EU separately proposed a package of sanctions on Russia for its moves relating to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, targeting those behind the decision, as well as banks that finance Russian operations in the territories. Member states need to approve those measures for them to take effect. Scholz has said that should Russia take further steps on Ukraine, Germany and the EU could apply more penalties.

3. What was holding it up before?

Russian gas producer Gazprom PJSC needed to restructure its Nord Stream 2 operations to comply with the requirements of the German energy watchdog BNetzA and EU law. Only then would the intricate approval process, which started in September and was suspended in mid-November, be able to resume. The German regulator would have as long as four months to reach a preliminary conclusion and the EU, which has a more advisory role, could take another two to four months to express its opinion. BNetzA then would have a further two months to make a final ruling. Its president, Jochen Homann, already said in December that a decision wouldnt be made in the first half of 2022.

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4. Why was Nord Stream 2 certification halted earlier?

The approval process was first halted at the end of 2021 as the German energy regulator asked the pipeline operator, a Swiss company, to set up an entity in the country to comply with EU regulations. The company has now set up Gas for Europe GmbH, but it still needs to transfer the main assets and human resources to the Schwerin-based unit. BNetzA suspended its review until the new entity was established and could prove it met all the legal requirements.

5. When could the regulator resume deliberations?

If the German government rescinds its objection at some point, then once the new unit submits the application documents to BNetzA, the watchdog could pick up the approval process from where it left off. Since the regulator has already been considering the Nord Stream 2 case for just over two months, it would have a similar amount of time left to complete the study before the European Commission, the EUs executive arm, starts its own review. The German regulator is obliged to take into utmost account the opinion voiced by the Commission, but is not required to follow it entirely.

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Former President Donald Trumps legal problems continue to multiply. Its unclear at this point whether the Department of Justice is seriously considering criminal charges against him for his actions on and surrounding Jan. 6, 2021. But we do know that the House select committee investigating those events seems to be approaching the assignment as if they were prosecutors (which, alas, probably explains why they still havent held or even scheduled their long-promised hearings). That committee may anticipate writing a report that makes the case for indictments. And thats hardly the only trouble Trump is in. Historian Matt Dallek explains:

Bank and tax fraud charges are under consideration in Manhattan. In Fulton County, Ga., a special grand jury is investigating Trumps interference in the 2020 election. In a Washington courtroom, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta told a convicted Jan. 6 Capitol rioter that he was a pawn in a scheme by more powerful people, and the legal community is debating whether Trumps seeming incitement of the insurrection has opened him up to criminal charges. The National Archives requested that the Justice Department open an investigation into Trumps mishandling of top-secret documents that the government recently retrieved from his Florida estate. Trump still faces legal jeopardy for obstructing justice during Robert Muellers probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election (remember that one?). During the 2016 campaign, Trump allegedly orchestrated hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels (the charges that landed his handler Michael Cohen in prison referred to Trump as Individual #1). This list is hardly exhaustive and omits the dozen-plus civil lawsuits and civil investigations Trump faces.

Meanwhile, former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade has published a model prosecution memo making the case for an indictment based just on Trumps attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, in which she argues that the evidence is sufficient to obtain and sustain convictions of charges for conspiracy to defraud the United States and for obstruction of an official proceeding and that Trump should be so charged.

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Dallek raises the decision by Gerald Ford to pardon Richard Nixon, who had resigned the presidency before virtually certain impeachment, conviction and removal, and who was very likely to be indicted and convicted for his various crimes in the Watergate scandal. For Dallek, Fords decision was a mistake that weakened the rule of law, given that Nixon never had to pay for his crimes. Its true, of course, that Nixon was saved from conviction and a prison sentence. But surely resigning from office in disgrace, with almost every member of Congress from his own party ready to vote to impeach and convict, means that Nixon did not get away with it. Yes, Dallek is correct that Nixon returned to a form of respectability over time, but it wasnt the pardon that gave him that opportunity. While it is likely he would have been convicted, he probably would not have served much longer than the 18 months his White House chief of staff served, and at any rate no more than five years. Nixon was determined to rehabilitate his image, and while a trial and prison time might have slowed the process down, its hard to believe that any of those who accepted him as a senior statesman would have acted differently had he been a convicted felon instead of just a pardoned one.

The Trump situation is very different. Nixon never really did act particularly contrite. But he accepted his exile from electoral politics, and while he never entirely gave up spinning the facts and interpretations of Watergate, almost all of his public re-emergence was centered on his policy expertise. He certainly never attempted to be the leader of the Republican Party after August 1974. He did not try to purge his party of those who had opposed him. His presidency had been a threat to U.S. democracy, but his post-presidency really wasnt. Nixon did once famously say in a post-resignation interview that as president he was essentially above the law. But Donald Trump is practically a walking billboard of contempt for the rule of law, and his post-presidency has been nothing but an argument that he is above the law.

Im not a lawyer, so I cannot assess the criminal case McQuade makes or the chances of conviction. I can, however, speak about the constitutional system and the rule of law. I think Fords instinct was a healthy one. The bar for prosecuting a former president should be a high one indeed. Theres an odor inherent in it, especially when the other party is in office. It should give us pause.

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But lets not kid ourselves. If the decision to prosecute Trump would be necessarily political, so would any decision not to prosecute him if the law and evidence and circumstances make it an otherwise reasonable course of action. If we should be uncomfortable about prosecuting him, we should feel far more uncomfortable about a former president who actively attempted to undermine the Constitution while in office and continues to do so now. If it stinks to prosecute a former president? The stench from Trumps actions from Election Day 2020 through Jan. 6 and right up to the present day is overwhelming.

None of that is sufficient. A lot of Trumps misdeeds in office were grounds for legitimate impeachment and removal (and disqualification), but not necessarily violations of law. Any case has to be solid on its own, regardless of what else Trump has done. But if it is, I think McQuade is exactly correct: A sober and clear-eyed assessment of prosecution must consider that charging Trump criminally could have profoundly negative consequences for our country. The only thing worse would be not charging him.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.

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So it has begun. Russian President Vladimir Putin, by recognizing two separatist regions of Ukraine as independent states and sending in Russian soldiers as peacekeepers, has made the overture for what could become war. Whats on the mans mind? How does he see the world? Analysts and pundits everywhere have been wondering. The possibilities are frightening.

There was a time, in the early years of his reign, when Putin still surrounded himself with advisers and experts who gave him diverse views and interpretations of the world, a time when he spoke to foreign leaders and actually listened to them. By all appearances, he was in touch with reality.

But at some point  more than a decade ago  Putin began constructing an alternate reality. He became a hobby historian and made up his own theories about the past, eliding facts willy-nilly to tell himself stories he liked. In one of these, Ukraine is not a proper country, just a part of a greater Russia  his Russia. In 2014, he began seizing parts of it.

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Around that time, Angela Merkel, then German chancellor, had many conversations with him. Shes a fluent Russian speaker and is said to be the world leader who understands Putin best. After one call, she turned to her aides and said she was not sure he was in touch with reality, that he seemed to live in another world.

Eight years on and Putin has, by all appearances, journeyed further into his own metaverse. As the political scientists Adam Casey and Seva Gunitsky describe in Foreign Affairs, thats because the Russian president, like most strongmen, has created an information bubble from which he can no longer escape.

Obsessed with secrecy, he doesnt even use a cell phone. Hes shrunk his circle of advisers to just a few minions, chosen for loyalty or sycophancy rather than competence. They come disproportionately from the so-called siloviki, the top brass of the army and services like the FSB, the successor to the KGB that was Putins own alma mater.

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These yes-men (most are men) mirror back to Putin his paranoia about an allegedly aggressive West. They feed his hawkish ego and withhold information about risks, making him feel more in control of events than he is. In effect, Putin has built a machine for confirmation bias. The pandemic has made all this worse. Its turned Putin into a germaphobe, who lets hardly anybody near him, and then only at shouting distance.

Putin is far from unique in succumbing to this interplay of seclusion and delusion. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely, the British historian Lord Acton famously observed. He could have added that power also isolates, and distorts reality as a result. It has happened to every tyrant from Nero to Saddam Hussein, and uncountable corporate honchos and other kingpins, poo-bahs and bigwigs.

Nor is the affliction necessarily a peculiarity of autocracies. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has at times behaved as though he were emulating Putin in style, and approaches truth and facts with similar legerdemain. The difference is that a Trump, living in a vibrant democracy like the U.S., can only banish countervailing views from his own circle. A Putin, in charge of an authoritarian propaganda and security apparatus, can suppress them in nearly all of public life.

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And so we get scenes like this weeks, which look satirical until you realize theyre historic. First Putin, behind a gilded desk, convenes his so-called Security Council in a rotunda fringed by faux-Corinthian columns. He seats the cronies on simple chairs at a great distance, leaving them to writhe awkwardly and anxiously. Some stammer incoherently. Putin orders them to be clear, then prompts them to utter the correct words. When one accidentally supports annexing Donetsk and Luhansk, Putin reminds him that hes just deciding on their independence for now. A Suetonius, Shakespeare or Orwell could not write a more devastating script.

Next, Putin takes to the airwaves with another rambling amateur history lecture that leaves the outside world rolling its eyes. Ukraine was an invention of Lenin, and is now a pawn of the West? Theres a genocide of Russians in the countrys east? Seriously.

Putin watchers often speculate whether the man actually believes this humbug or is just being cynical. At some point, that distinction no longer matters, because when people hear themselves or others repeating something often enough, they deem it true. Either way, theres nobody around him who can or will set Putin straight.

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Some Western pundits seem to regard Putin as an evil genius, a tactical mastermind wholl outsmart us all. Maybe. But it seems more plausible that Putin is just an ordinary human being whos been alone in his echo chamber too long to hear any sounds from the outside  a man whos been wearing the goggles of power until he can no longer see anything but his virtual reality. This makes Putin more dangerous, not less.

More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:



Bombast, Distance and Distrust: Your Guide to Ukraine Talks: Andreas Kluth



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Putin Is Only Pretending to Be Crazy on Ukraine: Eli Lake

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andreas Kluth is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. He was previously editor in chief of Handelsblatt Global and a writer for the Economist. Hes the author of Hannibal and Me.

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Chinas hands-off approach to the technology sector minted billionaires and giant companies at a breathtaking pace. Now President Xi Jinpings government is reining in the countrys most powerful corporations, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Didi Global Inc., along with their ultra-rich founders. The scrutiny is one of the largest concerted actions against private enterprise in decades, wiping out $1.5 trillion in market value last year -- and new blows keep coming.

1. Who is China targeting?

Maintaining social stability is a signature goal of Xi and the ruling Chinese Communist Party, so any company or person it perceives as threatening can find themselves in the cross-hairs. Such a sweeping definition could include just about any large business. Alibaba has been targeted by antitrust authorities for alleged monopolistic conduct in e-commerce, while Meituan is being scrutinized for food delivery. Didis position as the biggest ride-hailer in China, and the massive amounts of data that generates, caught the attention of the Cyberspace Administration, Chinas internet watchdog, while the Ministry of Education went after tutoring firms that profit from the intense competition to get into the countrys top universities. The speed of change has been dizzying: Rules issued in 2021 to curb monopolistic practices were drafted and finalized in just three months.

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2. How is China cracking down?

With fines, regulatory orders and forced restructurings. For example:

 Chinese authorities told the nations biggest state-owned firms and banks in February to check their financial exposure and other links to Ant Group Co., renewing scrutiny of billionaire Jack Mas financial empire. Ant, which was about to go public before being stopped by regulators in 2020, agreed last year to turn itself into a financial holding company, making it subject to capital requirements similar to those for banks.

 Alibaba, which owns a third of Ant, was hit in 2021 with a record $2.8 billion antitrust fine and was told to change its business practices. It and some two dozen other tech firms were also ordered to carry out internal inspections and address issues such as data security.

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 The top state economic planner on Feb. 18 demanded that Meituan and its peers lower the fees they charge restaurants in pandemic-hit regions. (The antitrust watchdog had already ordered them to ensure their delivery workers earn at least the minimum wage.)

 Didis June 2021 listing in New York is being unwound under pressure from Chinese authorities; it also faces the prospect of massive penalties.

 Tencent, operator of the WeChat super-app, was ordered to give up exclusive music-streaming rights.

 The tutoring sector, where companies such as TAL Education Group garnered multibillion-dollar valuations, saw its future redefined in one sweeping order that banned them from making profits via some of their most lucrative businesses or raising capital, and limited what they can teach.

3. How much is at stake?

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A rally that pushed Hong Kongs Hang Seng Tech Index, which tracks the mainlands biggest tech companies, to its highest level since its July 2020 inception started to unravel in February 2021, wiping out $1.5 trillion in value that year. In late February of 2022, three of Chinas most valuable businesses -- Alibaba, Tencent and Meituan -- shed more than $100 billion in the span of three turbulent days. And that was just after investors including Charlie Munger said they spotted bargains among Chinese tech stocks and Macquarie Group issued a report headlined peak crackdown. Bloomberg Intelligence has estimated that measures proposed to curb market concentration in Chinas online payments market could slash Ants valuation by roughly two-thirds to just over $100 billion and endanger the growth of Tencents fintech division, estimated to be worth $120 billion before the crackdown. TALs shares dropped 71% on the day that changes to after-school tutoring were reported.

4. What explains the crackdown?

Analysts and investors say regulators are simply reasserting their oversight power, or that those in power have grown frustrated with the swagger of tech billionaires and want to teach them a lesson. Alibaba, Tencent and Ant had a combined market capitalization of nearly $2 trillion in 2020 -- easily surpassing state-owned behemoths like Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. as the countrys most valuable companies. And its clear that the Communist Party had grown increasingly concerned about the growing clout of internet firms, which are mostly private entities over which it has little direct control. Much of that concern centers around their grip on the hoards of data that they vacuum up from hundreds of millions of users, considered key to driving the countrys economic and geopolitical goals as well as shoring up the Partys power base. The Cyberspace Administration cited data and national security as its prime reason for investigating Didi and now mandates a data security review for all companies seeking overseas listings. More broadly, Xis administration blames widening social disparities in part on the online boom, particularly in the pandemic era, and is moving to address discontent among the populace that could threaten its authority.

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5. Is there more coming?

Its hard to say. Xis administration is still concerned about eradicating systemic risks -- such as unsupervised growth of consumer debt -- in part to ensure the Communist Partys dominion. Beijing may also seek greater oversight over mergers and acquisitions, including the hundreds of startups backed by the biggest technology firms. Regulators have begun issuing token fines for deals closed years ago, spurring fears of a bigger probe into M&A. Its also signaling a tightening of rules around data collection: The government is said to have proposed a state-backed venture with the tech giants that would oversee how information is collected from hundreds of millions of consumers.

6. Is this really so surprising?

In some respects, it is. The government has played an important role in developing the tech sector in a way that facilitated the development of behemoths. China effectively created its own version of the web, one blocked off from the rest of the world by whats known as the Great Firewall. In the absence of Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. or Twitter Inc., WeChat and Sina Corp.s Weibo flourished as social networks. On the other hand, China has a tradition of cracking down in fits and starts, or making examples out of high-profile companies. For instance, Tencent became a target of a campaign to combat gaming addiction among children in 2018.

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7. Will any tech companies get broken up?

After the $2.8 billion fine, Alibaba executives said they were unaware of any other antitrust investigations. Yet the government remains concerned about Alibabas influence over public opinion given its diverse media assets and a significant stake in Weibo. However, authorities in Beijing are expected to tread cautiously, looking to rein in the growing clout of the tech giants without undermining some of the countrys biggest corporate success stories. Education firms are overhauling what they teach, and how they charge for it, to comply with the new rules. Some have cut back on advertising to eliminate a key area of criticism about how they market services to students and parents. Analysts anticipate that at least some of the major education technology players will have to restructure their business, either spinning off divisions in violation of the new regime or even delisting.

9. How is big technology responding?

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All of the companies are pledging to atone for their transgressions, a common response when China applies scrutiny. Some high profile deals have been scrapped, including the IPO of e-commerce startup Xiaohongshu and a merger of video game streamers that was valued at $6 billion when it was proposed. Some tycoons are donating billions from their vast fortunes to charities amid the rising concern about inequality. Xiaomi Corp. co-founder Lei Jun handed over $2.2 billion of shares in the smartphone maker to two foundations and Meituans Wang Xing gave away a $2.3 billion stake. ByteDances Zhang Yiming gave about $77 million to an education fund in his hometown while Tencents Ma has pledged $7.7 billion of the companys money toward curing societal ills.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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Call it the case of the Tell-Tale Art. A sheet of paper the color and texture of stale toast appears at first glance to hold a key clue toward resolving a puzzle that has baffled scholars of the horror writer Edgar Allan Poe for more than a century regarding the date of the poets marriage to his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm.

In reality, the document  a piece of sheet music titled Mr. Po and bearing the intriguing inscription: ascribed to my wife, Mrs. Poe, by EA Poe: 1835. Richmond, Virginia: editor  is nearly certainly a forgery, though a definitive determination has not yet been made. But, it would be a forgery so audacious and without any obvious motive that it amounts to a mystery in its own right.

Its very confusing, said Sam Bessen, who discovered the sheet music buried in a box at Johns Hopkins Universitys Sheridan Libraries. If its a forgery, its a pretty bold one. Why would someone go to all this trouble?

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If youre going to try to forge a document by Poe, why would you forge something in musical notation instead of trying to pass off a lost poem? If this were legitimate, it would be the only known example of musical notation in Poes hand that Im aware of.

The investigation into the documents origins and history is continuing; theres always a chance, experts say, that an as-yet undiscovered clue will resolve the question of authenticity beyond any doubt.

Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins curators are encouraging amateur sleuths to examine the sheet music for themselves when it goes on view next month at the George Peabody Library, in the exhibit Grace Notes in American History: 200 Years of Songs From the Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection.

The exhibit, which runs from March 15 through July 31, also will feature about 100 songs culled from the librarys collection of 30,000 pieces of sheet music. Highlights include works signed by the songwriter Ira Gershwin and aviator Amelia Earhart.

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The exhibit also includes a copy of the late Maryland jazz great Ethel Enniss recording of God Bless the Child.

Were very excited to have Mr. Po on display and to bring the public into this puzzle, said Bessen, the curator of sheet music and popular culture for the libraries. Everyone loves a mystery, and theres a lot of love for Poe here in Baltimore.

Although the author of The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart lived most of his life elsewhere, Poes family hailed from Baltimore, he died in Baltimore, and Charm City has long claimed the 19th-century bad boy as one of its own.

A musical mystery

Last year, Bessen was digging through four boxes of sheet music in preparation for the exhibit when he chanced upon a copy of the 1827 ditty Mr. Po with the curious inscription.

I saw that the piece of sheet music appeared to have been signed by Poe, Bessen said, and things about it confused me. For instance, it didnt appear to have been written by someone familiar with musical notation.

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In the first staff, a bass clef is hooked onto the bottom of a treble clef, which is a conflicting set of instructions for musicians.

It wouldnt be surprising if a wordsmith like Poe was unfamiliar with musical notation, Bessen thought. He consulted a colleague.

She almost jumped out of her chair, he said. Things kind of snowballed from there.

Mr. Po is a lighthearted tune that was popular in the 1800s about a woman who refuses to marry the man she loves because she doesnt like his last name. (The word poor spoken in a Southern accent sounds a lot like po.) The woman comes to regret her foolish pride.

I was greatly to blame, she sings, to refuse a good man on account of his name.

The songs anonymous author was likely unaware of the then-18-year-old Poe, who self-

published his first book that same year. But over the next decade, the lyrics developed uncanny resonances to the poets courtship of his young cousin.

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Poe was indeed po and spent most of his life on the brink of financial ruin. Moreover, some of Clemms relatives opposed the match. In 1835, another cousin offered to take the girl in and educate her to avoid her being married off to an penniless poet twice her age.

Nonetheless, on May 16, 1836, the couple were wed  at least officially.

Some scholars suspect that they secretly eloped eight months earlier. These experts point to a marriage license that Poe obtained in Baltimore on Sept. 22, 1835.

If the inscription on the sheet music is legitimate, it would be evidence that their wedding actually took place in 1835 instead of 1836, Bessen said.

He investigated further, and found that the piece of sheet music had been purchased in 1939 by Baltimores Edgar Allan Poe Society from George H. Wright of Palo Alto, Calif., who claimed in a letter to have found the document in a second hand store.

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Wright accepted a price of $12.50 for the sheet music of Mr. Po, a sum that would be worth about $250 in 2022.

George Wright basically donated that manuscript to the Poe Society, Bessen said. If he was the forger, his motive clearly was not financial.

The following year, May Garrettson Evans, the first female reporter for the Baltimore Sun, referred to the song in the book Music and Edgar Allan Poe: A Biographical Study.

The text and the signature markedly resemble examples of Poes handwriting, Evans wrote. If genuine (and its genuineness remains to be further considered), the copy was probably made by Poe for the amusement of his bride.

The paper tells the tale

The paper itself is old. Jeffrey Savoye, secretary/treasurer of Baltimores Poe Society, said that the sheet was not made out of wood pulp, indicating that it dates to before the Civil War.

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But as Savoye and other experts studied the manuscript further, the case for authenticity fell apart.

Peter Bower, a paper historian and analyst based in London, concluded that the watermark  a pattern on paper aimed at discouraging counterfeiting  was made using an electrotype. That process wasnt created until 1838, or three years after the piece of sheet music supposedly was written.

Having looked very very closely at the watermark images you sent, Bower wrote in his report, I can say without any hesitation that it cant be right.

Savoye detailed other problems:

The paper was a flyleaf torn from a book, something Poe didnt do.

Poe had access to stacks and stacks of paper, Savoye said. He did not have to take a flyleaf from a book like this.

In places, the ink on the sheet music is blurred, indicating that fresh ink might have been applied to very dry old paper and bled as it was absorbed into the sheet.

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Its not difficult to come up with something that looks like old ink, Savoye said.

The A in Poes signature is also atypical  large and rounded, instead of the angular A the poet preferred.

Finally, the signature contains an obvious and uncharacteristic error. It uses the word ascribed which means attributed to when the writer surely meant to refer to the written record as inscribed.

Poe certainly knew the difference between these words, Savoye said, estimating that the odds are less than 1 percent that Poe copied the song and signed it himself.

These are big tipoffs, he said. Some of these things are common forgers tricks.

Nonetheless, Savoye is pretty sure that Poe would greatly enjoy the forgery and subsequent fuss. After all, the poet wasnt above pulling a prank himself, as was demonstrated by a notorious balloon hoax of 1844.

It seems that Poe wrote an article for the New York Sun newspaper about a trip across the Atlantic Ocean supposedly undertaken by a man named Monck Mason in just three days in a gas balloon.

Unfortunately, not a single word was true. Two days later, the newspaper was forced to retract the article.

Poe absolutely adored hoaxes, Savoye said. I think hed get a big kick out of this.

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BALTIMORE  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. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight 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 year-long criminal tax investigation of her and her husband, Democratic City Council President Nick Mosby.

The motion, one of three defense pleadings filed over the 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.

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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.

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.

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Even if Mosbys attorneys have raised legitimate concerns about the appearance of bias, the effort 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.

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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 to 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.

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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, then in charge of the U.S. attorneys office, 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 that 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.

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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 does 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.

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.

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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.

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.

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, attorney William C. Brennan Jr. wrote of the states attorney 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 that federal officials considered filing tax charges against Marilyn Mosby, no such charges have been filed. Her husband also faces no tax charges.

 Baltimore Sun

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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.
Technology issues at a Fargo facility linked to a third-party telecommunications provider were the apparent cause of widespread phone problems across western North Dakota that disrupted 911 service on Tuesday.

The state Department of Emergency Services reported that the problem was fixed Tuesday evening. The situation had impacted emergency and other calls much of the day, "affecting primarily the western portion of North Dakota, including Bismarck-Mandan and Minot," department spokesman Eric Jensen said Wednesday.

Emergency Services and the North Dakota Association of Counties said the problem was tied to a third-party long-distance provider. Specifics were scarce Wednesday.

The state Public Service Commission, which regulates telecommunications companies, was awaiting more information, according to spokeswoman Stacy Eberl.

"CenturyLink (Lumen) did send an email letting us know that they are still doing analysis into what exactly happened and would send more information when available," she said. "Other than that, we have not received any specific information as to what caused the outages yet."

Lumen Technologies spokeswoman Stephanie Meisse referred Tribune questions to Zayo, another telecommunications company with which Lumen works. Zayo did not immediately provide details.

During the outage, State Radio 911 calls were rerouted to the Red River Valley Dispatch Center in Fargo. Texting 911 remained functional. People also were able to call State Radio on its administrative line.

"I'm not aware of any (emergency) incidents that didn't get responded to," said Jason Horning, next generation 911 program manager for the Association of Counties.

The issue caused disruptions for landline phones, cellphones and internet services, as well.

"There were a lot of things broken yesterday that weren't related to 911," Horning said Wednesday.

The counties group expects a formal report on what happened in the coming days.

More information on 911 is at https://www.911.nd.gov/.

Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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For a nation grounded on the Republican values of self-government and freedom of expression, both of which are served and constitutionally fortified by freedom of the press, the Supreme Courts ruling in the landmark case of New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) provided all the reassurance that even the most demanding citizens could seek.

The central meaning of the First Amendment, Justice William Brennan declared in his opinion for a unanimous court, is the right to criticize government and public officials. The integral role of the press in our democracy, enshrined in First Amendment constitutional protection  Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press  commands respect for the right and duty of the press to inform the American citizenry and engage in public discussion. Freedom of the press, after all, was characterized by Thomas Jefferson as the peoples right to know.

That newspapers might make mistakes and misstatements in various stories and editorials, and even publish advertisements that include errors, which formed the basis of Montgomery Police Commissioner Sullivans libel suit against the Times, is to be expected. Justice Brennan noted that the advertisement contained uncontroverted errors. No profession or industry is free of errors, of course, but newspapers stand virtually alone in issuing corrections and apologies when they do make mistakes. Such principled behavior is befitting of the only profession mentioned in, and protected by, the Constitution.

The constitutional status of the free press, and its essential role in our democracy, explains the courts ruling in Sullivan, and its introduction of a new test to govern actions for libel brought by public officials. In place of actual falsity as the basis for liability, a public official could recover damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to official conduct only by showing that statement was made with actual malice  that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.

This new test  reckless disregard of the truth  raised the bar of protection afforded the press. Without this more rigorous standard, plaintiffs could, and did, threaten newspapers with libel suits which, if successful, could bankrupt newspapers and undercut their essential role in our democracy. The new test did not leave public officials without means to protect themselves. High office provided a suitable platform to contest and denounce newspaper stories that offended their reputations, well before commencing a lawsuit. Their response, moreover, might generate a correction from the newspaper.

The court, as Justice Brennan explained, was persuaded that the low bar for winning libel suits  actual falsity of the claim  resembled in its punitive characteristics the law of seditious libel, which at the time of Americas founding, imposed a chilling effect on criticism of governmental officials. Under that dark and infamous doctrine, as reflected in the Sedition Act of 1798, heavy fines and lengthy prison sentences awaited those convicted of unduly harming the reputations of a public official. The net effect, Justice Brennan reasoned, was to undercut freedom of expression. A low threshold for winning libel actions, and the pain of paying costly libel judgments, would impose a similar chilling effect on the citizenry and result in self-censorship.

Those newspapers that believed their criticisms of officials to be true but feared the difficulties of prevailing in court and the consequent financial ruin that would attend such failure, might well withhold their reports and commentary which, as Justice Brennan said, thus dampens the vigor and limits the variety of public debate.

Justice Brennan envisioned the First Amendment as promoting and protecting open and robust public debate which, in turn, required tolerance of errors, particularly when the mistakes involved public officials. He observed, erroneous statement is inevitable in free debate and it must be protected if the freedoms of expression are to have the breathing space that they need to survive. For support, Brennan invoked his patron saint, James Madison, who introduced the Bill of Rights and championed freedom of the press, despite his own misgivings about occasional newspaper errors. Madison declared: Some degree of abuse is inseparable from the proper use of everything; and in no instance is this more true than in that of the press.

In this Madisonian spirit, Justice Brennan wrote that constitutional protection cannot turn upon the truth, popularity or social utility of the ideas and beliefs which are offered. The inevitability of errors in freedom of debate requires their protection if the freedoms of expression are to have the breathing space that they need to survive.

The defense and preservation of democracy in America requires protection of that breathing space. Let us hope that courts agree to preserve the Sullivan standard and the protection it affords the robust and spirited debate essential to our freedoms and liberties.

David Adler is president of The Alturas Institute. This "We the People" series is provided by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and Humanities North Dakota.

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Victorian public servant Noble Yamak sold his late mother-in-laws car this month and wanted to deposit the cash in the bank. But the 61-year-old was told by the National Australia Bank teller in Ballarat the bank no longer accepted cash payments for credit cards.

Straight face, [they said] were not taking credit card payments at the branch, over the counter. Im thinking, hang on a second, when did this happen? There has been no email, no advice to customers of 40-odd years.

Noble Yamak, a longtime NAB customer, was shocked by its new policy to ban credit card payments in branches. Credit:Noble Yamak

Luckily, his deposit account was linked to his credit card, so after some back and forth, the cash was accepted. But Mr Yamak said he was shocked by the policy that has been quietly rolled out around the country, and worried that it would isolate some customers.

Who would refuse money when you come into a bank? Thats the bit I cant get my head around, Mr Yamak said. Im giving you cash, $1800 in crisp $50 notes, and you dont want it? Sorry, have I missed something? Thats why theyre a bank.
A rebound in shoppers, rent collections and tenants in Westfields shopping centres has coincided with veteran chief executive Peter Allen stepping down as head of the $16.4 billion ASX-listed Scentre Group.

The helm change at the real estate behemoth will see chief financial officer Elliott Rusanow take over running the group just as it recovers from two years of COVID-related uncertainty.

Scentre Group CEO Peter Allen is stepping down. Credit:Russell Shakespeare

The retail landlord, Australias largest shopping centre manager, has reported a strong uplift in its funds from operations - a key earnings measure in the property sector - to $862.5 million for the full year to December, a rise of 12.7 per cent.

Mr Allen took on the role of inaugural chief executive of Scentre eight years ago after it was formed following a restructure of billionaire Frank Lowys Westfield Group, which left its Australian assets parked under Scentre Group and its US and UK business held by Westfield Corporation.
Dave Grohls chart-topping band Foo Fighters will arrive in Victoria next week for a one-night only performance at GMHBA Stadium in Geelong on Friday, March 4.

Supported by Melbourne band Amyl and the Sniffers and veteran punk rockers The Meanies, Foo Fighters will play Australias first full-capacity stadium show by any international band since the COVID pandemic struck in March 2020.

Tickets for the show, which will be Foo Fighters first in Australia since 2018, go on sale on Friday, February 25, at midday. The group will arrive in Victoria hot on the heels of this weeks cinematic release of Studio 666, a horror comedy film featuring Grohl and his fellow band members.

The concert is a partnership with the Victorian governments Always Live music program, teaming local stars and emerging talent with some of the worlds biggest acts. The program aims to feature performances of all scales and styles and was conceived by former Mushroom Group chairman Michael Gudinski, who died a year ago.
Former West Australian treasurer and state Liberal Party leader Troy Buswell is facing a possible jail term after pleading guilty to assaulting his ex-wife during their seven-year relationship.

Buswell changed his plea on Wednesday morning shortly before his domestic violence trial was due to recommence in Perth Magistrates Court, and his former partner was once again expected to take the stand.

Former Liberal leader and treasurer Troy Buswell pleaded guilty the three charges related to attacking his ex-wife. Credit:Holly Thompson

The 55-year-old admitted to two charges of aggravated common assault and one charge of aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm after initially denying the allegations. Three other charges have been discontinued by police.

At the start of his trial in May last year, Buswells defence had argued any injuries his ex-wife Melissa Hankinson, 46, had documented from the alleged incidents were from drunken falls or other unexplained sources catalogued over years and now cast in a sinister fashion.
The queues will be worse than the lines we saw last year. You wont be able to get a property for love or money and I can see sale listings drop down to 3000, which weve never seen before. Mr Thompson expected a gain of at least 10-20 per cent on house prices and possibly even a doubling. Prominent Perth property analyst Gavin Hegney also believed the WA market could handle only around 10,000 buyers. He said he understood there were 22,000 applications pending or approved to come in once WA opened. He said even 20,000 entering at a rate of around 400 per week would cause price and rent rises of roughly 20 per cent across a year.

Above these levels, pressures on the market would dislocate prices upward, causing a boom and bust cycle. Loading Mr Thompson said to compound matters, the building industry was gridlocked because the borders had cut off its labour supply and increased the cost of materials. Youd typically expect releasing land would be a good remedy but building at the moment is a nightmare and youd be lucky to get something built in two to three years, he said. A state government spokeswoman said a campaign was under way to lure construction workers from interstate.

The Build a Life in WA campaign began in November and is being expanded internationally to New Zealand, and to cover hospitality workers. Loading During the pandemic, net interstate migration to WA returned to positive territory (4592) for the first time since 2012-13, meaning for the first time the state gained more residents from the eastern states than it lost to them. Garth Davis, whose company advises on property investment across Australia, said WA needed out-of-the-box ideas to mitigate a catastrophic shortfall in rentals. He said normally new migrants would rent for the first 12-24 months to get a feel for the suburbs and proximity to amenities before buying.

Assuming that 30,000 families try to rent, and there are only 2000 properties to rent, we will have a major rental shortfall catastrophe, he said. Rents are already going at $100 per week above asking price in this market ... rents will be going at $200 to $400 per week above the asking rent ... ridiculously high levels of unaffordability. He said measures the state government could take included incentivising residents with spare bedrooms to offer them as short-term rentals. He also believed any empty property not occupied for at least six months of the year should be charged a substantial vacancy tax so overseas owners would not let properties sit idle. We have a housing crisis already, he said. Which will become a housing catastrophe as the borders reopen.

But this was all wild speculation, according to Steven Rowley, the director of Curtin Universitys Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Loading Obviously there will be some people coming, but also there will be some people leaving, Professor Rowley said. Nobody talks about the net impact ... nobody can accurately forecast that. It could be a lot less. However, he said there was certainly an existing issue with rental stock and any positive net flow into the state would put further pressure on that.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in the Kremlin. Credit:AP Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine, Stoltenberg said in Brussels. We continue to call on Russia to step back ... its never too late not to attack. Russias parliament approved treaties with the two regions a day after Putin said he was recognising the independence of the two enclaves, which adjoin Russia and have been controlled by Russian-backed fighters since 2014. Putin said the territory covered the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, not merely the parts currently controlled by separatists. The move appeared to increase the likelihood of conflict. Celebrations in Donetsk late on Monday after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the breakaway republic as independent from Ukraine. Credit:AP

He also signed a decree on deploying Russian forces there, and on Tuesday parliament formally granted his request to use troops abroad with immediate effect. A deputy defence minister asked the chamber to deploy troops in Donbas  an umbrella term for the two regions. The prospect of a disruption to energy supplies and fears of war  stoked by reports of shelling in some areas and movements of unmarked tanks overnight in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk  rattled international financial markets and sent oil prices surging to their highest level since 2014. The European Union is ready to take further action against Russia if Moscow keeps on ramping up its military activity in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday (AEDT). Ukraines breakaway territories and their historical borders

She spoke shortly after the EUs foreign ministers agreed to sanction 27 Russians and entities, as well as banks, the defence sector and limiting Russian access to European capital markets. Loading Our action today is a response to Russias aggressive behaviour, von der Leyen said during a press conference. If Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it has created, we are ready to take further action in response, she added, also stressing the need for the EU to be less dependent on Russia for gas.

In Donetsk, some residents celebrated, with cars flying Russian flags and sounding their horns. But several blasts were heard in the city on Tuesday, and some people questioned whether Putins moves would bring peace. Germany is Russias biggest customer for natural gas, and the decision by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to freeze the pipeline  built but awaiting approval  was widely seen as one of the strongest measures Europe could take. Scholz said he had asked his Economy Ministry to take steps to ensure that certification could not take place for now. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that reservists would be called up for military training but said there would be no general mobilisation of the armed forces. In a national address, Zelensky welcomed the offer by Turkey to broker talks between Ukraine and Russia.

He welcomed the sanctions announced by Western governments against Russia and referenced Scholzs decision on the pipeline. Zelensky said he would meet 150 major Ukrainian businesses to persuade them to stay in Ukraine. Loading He ended his address by saying: We desire peace and calm but if we are quiet today then tomorrow we will disappear.

The Kremlin regretted Germanys move and said it hoped the delay was temporary. Putin said Russia aims to continue uninterrupted supplies of energy to the world. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron meanwhile agreed to continue to work together to target those who supported what Johnson called Putins aggressive approach. Russias actions dont just threaten Ukraines sovereignty, but are a blatant attack on freedom and democracy, the leaders agreed, a joint statement said. Sanctions so far Loading

The US

The Biden administration imposed sanctions on Russias sovereign debt, the countrys elites and their family members, Russian state development corporation VEB.RF and its military bank. The sovereign debt sanctions, the harshest of the penalties, effectively cut Russia off from Western financing and means it will no longer be able to trade in new debt on US or European markets. Biden, who signed an executive order on Sunday blocking new investments in the separatist territories by US persons or businesses, said the US would continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates. Meanwhile, Congress members havent been able to agree on a bipartisan package to impose sanctions on Russia. Britain

The UK imposed sanctions on five Russian banks including Bank Rossiya and Promsvyazbank. Three individuals saw their assets frozen: Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg. UK sanctions kicked in immediately. The EU

The European Union imposed sanctions on 351 members of the Russian parliament Duma who voted for recognising the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent, plus another 11 Russians who proposed the recognition; three Russian banks that finance military or other operations in the region: VEB.RF, Bank Rossiya and Promsvyazbank. It imposed restrictions on Russian government to access EU capital and financial markets and services, and on trade by the two breakaway regions to and from the EU. EU sanctions still need to be confirmed by member states. Japan

Japan has prohibited the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and froze the assets of certain Russian individuals, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday. He said further steps would be considered should the situation worsen. Australia

Australia has imposed sanctions, including travel bans and financial bans on Russian individuals and entities as part of a first tranche of measures. It will follow the US in placing financial sanctions on the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. It will also use the recent Magnitsky laws which target individuals for human rights abuses.
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Brett Hankison, left, exits the courtroom after the first day of jury selection in his trial on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. Hankison is on trial for allegedly firing shots into the apartment next door to Breonna Taylor's the night she was killed. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)
A man accused of fatally shooting an Indiana police officer who came to his aid following a car crash was convicted Tuesday in the officer's slaying.
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By Zuowang

2022.1.21

"Hold the Line!" It is the last sentence by Tamra, a Canadian hero, said after she was arrested. Perhaps she is the most peaceful criminal in the world. In Chinese, she is called a "prisoner of conscience". On the same Thursday night, I heard the same sentence again. At about nine PM, near the Peace Monument, Ottawa, I saw many demonstrators standing in a line, shouting the slogan "Hold the Line" altogether, and then singing the anthem. There were protecting the big red truck and the driver. A bearded white man recognized me, "Zuowang!" We stood together, arm in arm, becoming a part of the human being wall.

I am an immigrant from China. I have lived in this country for 12 years, but I have only been in Gatineau for less than half a year. Why can a Canadian on the street know me? Whats more, the pronunciation of my Chinese name seems difficult for him.

Let me talk about from the beginning. On January 28, I passed by downtown Ottawa coincidentally. A middle-aged lady from Alberta wearing a maple leaf flag asked me very humbly, can I give this hat to your son? It was so cold that day, my young son's ears were red for the low temperature. This kind lady represents my first impression of the fringe minority by Trudeau ,and they are also demonized by the Ottawa Police and mainstream media as rioters.

Has this lady impressed me deeply? Yes, but, such people are not uncommon in Canada, where I have lived for 12 years. Isn't there such a saying? If you couldn't be friends with Canadians, you would have no friends in this world!

Canadians are such kind of human beings, so in the Freedom Convoy ,which lasted for more than 20 days, there didnt come any violence. On the contrary, the crime rate dropped by more than 90%. And the cleaners did not enter the area, but the ground is still very clean and tidy, which owed to those truckers and supporters.

On the following days, for my disposition as a writer who is interested in observing and recording, I often go to the Ottawa downtown intentionally and chat with other people, and I want to know why they launched this demonstration, what is their destination and how to achieve the purpose. I gradually understood the truth of the matter: this group of blue-collar Canadians, they are different with other classes who have been brainwashed by the name of "political correctness" which are hypocritical and absurd concepts spreading for for decades fabricated by those extreme left wings.

Those protesters still maintain the basic and necessary vigilance , so they can distinguish those nonsense of political correct. Obviously their conscience and sense are still alive.

When the government used the exaggeration of the epidemic as an excuse to erode the individual rights and constitutional freedom bit by bit, and finally hit the bottom line, the Optimus Primes roared righteously and defended freedom for all Canadians, yes, all of us, even including Lizexi, the Asian Canadian, who sued the freedom convoy organizers.I was deeply moved by them and wrote poetry and prose to document the great history event.

At the beginning of the speech, I talked about the big red truck. I was very impressed by the driver because he rejected my donation at first. Finally he accepted but this heros tears almost went down.The second time, I came up to him for supplying a hotel room to rest. I asked him if he remembered me, he smiled, yes, of course, I remember, remember this beautiful face. However, he refused to go to the hotel. He said that he would fight in the truck to the last moment, and give this opportunity to another who need it more!

On the night of Thursday, February 17th, escorted by many supporters, the big red truck moved and stopped at the intersection of Willington street and the Bank street. I stood down his big truck with my friend and I could clearly see that it was he who was in it. So, he was not arrested or left, which comforted me a lot.

However, after a day or two, I learned that there was a truck with broken into and the trucker was arrested by the police, could it be him? I don't know the answer yet, I don't know his name, I'm still very concerned.

These truckers and peaceful demonstrators are the ordinary Canadians, kind, friendly, honest,very brave, freedom-loving and dedicated to Canada. And they slowly got to know me, a Chinese woman who always spreads the poetry and prose for the Freedom convoy in the streets, and I even bravely stepped to the line stage in front of parliament hill to give a speech, although English is not my native language. In this way, I, an immigrant from the Orient, have established a heart-to-heart relationship with other Canadian patriots because we all have the same desire for freedom!

On the other hand, I penetrated the lies and figured out the bullying facts of the mainstream media and the Ottawa police. They frame this peaceful movement as insurrection to break the normal life of local residents, and they pretend that those crowded people who condolence and support truckers are invisible. The supporters came from all over of Canada, including local residents of Ottawa.

In the process, the standoff between the Free Convoy and the government has escalated. Politics is a tricky and cunning issue, and there is filled with those people who are crave for power, money,and they are hypocrisy, greedy and vanity, but this moment, we Canadians, the most peaceful, kind even timid people in the world, are involved in this political issue opposing dictatorship.For the love of freedom, the love of Canada, the love of our children and grandchildren we are involved in the great political struggle.

We lack experience of political issues and seem a bit clumsy, but I still heard people say that maybe there will be communists to make violent troubles and then frame the truckers faults. So the government will make good use of it to knock down the demonstration.However, this wicked did not happen in this way, and we waited for another version, even much more absurd and malicious , on February 14th, Prime Minister Trudeau sent the truckers and supporters a big surprise present on the Valentine's Day, He avowed Emergency Act. This situation occurred four times in Canadian history, three other times during the two world wars and a violent demonstration in Quebec in the 1980s.

In the past 21 days, truck drivers have suffered in the freezing temperature of minus 20 degrees, left their hometowns and relatives, risked offending the authority,losing their jobs,and being frozen bank accounts. And they still used the weak power of the grassroots to fight against the dictatorship of the elites. They overcame their traumas,frustrations and depressions, and defended the constitutional freedom for all Canadians and future generation. They are fighting a good fight in a peaceful and self-disciplined way, with enough respect for the law, and what they finally aim to is freedom guaranteed by the charter.

The Black Lives Matter organization, the Swedish environmental protector young girl, and even the terrorists released all have access to talk in face with Prime Minister Trudeau. He is a so gentle,nice and generous leader before them. If he hadnt compensated them a big money from taxpayers I would tolerant him. But this time, he completely hide in a rat hole! When he really needs to be responsible and repent of everything he has done, such as the death and injury caused by the forced vaccine, causing unemployment, exaggerating the epidemic for dictatorship, continuing the blockade, causing the economy to decline, violating the freedom of citizens, The lockdown has also caused serious psychological trauma to many people, and even many suicides! In this crucial time, so many Canadian citizen came to the capital and they only appeal to lifting mandate vaccine, our prime minister has disappeared over 20 days!

Worse than that, he commanded some brutal police to attack the unarmed peaceful protesters and he froze people's bank accounts, without any reason, just because they are suspected to donate freedom convoy organization. Does the law in Canada ever prohibit peaceful demonstration?

The born responsibility of the media is to monitor the government, but what are these mainstream media doing? Now they are becoming the mental thugs of the government! Psychologically cooperating with the bullying from the police and government. The police hit those law-abiding citizens, trampled people with horses, and then the police office lied blatantly that it was the poor old man who threw a bicycle and attacked the mounted police! Factually, she is just an old woman who needs a walker. Policemen, shame on you! You police are breaking the law, not these truckers and supporters!

Now, what's going on in Canada? Do you still remember Hong Kong in 2018? Canada now is echoing with Hokong! and what is the next step? Is Canada also returning to China?Other Chinese and I, we came to Canada for freedom, if it became a tyrant country then where would my children flee to?

Now, I'm going to talk about, why did all these happen today? I have often heard a saying previously that as long as there is a good political system, the safety, happiness, justice and freedom of the people can be guaranteed.

Then, Canada's political system is not good enough? If not, then our ever quiet and happy life in Canada is an illusion or a propaganda? of course not! So why is it so bad now! My answer is that a good political system is not enough to guard a safe, happy life in a civilized world.For example, this political system has elected a guy like Trudeau to be Prime Minister twice.

Next, I'm going to speak out a lot of things that are politically incorrect, and if it were spoken out by a white man, he would probably get fired, socially die, or even go to jail, however, I'm an Asian, invisible minority, you can understand that obviously I'm not a white-first Racists! But I can't guarantee that I'm not in danger of being frozen my bank account, being sentenced or being assassinated!

One of the important cornerstones of Western civilization is the Christian faith. Over these years, some Western left elites are actively and continuously destroying this foundation. I remember I read a book in which a Western scholar advocated multiculturalism more than 20 years ago when I was in a Chinese university.

As for my point of view, it is OK to eat Chinese food or speak Chinese in a non-official circumstance.No problem at all! But how about this old Chinese saying which is spreading now in Chinese?A person should suffer all of torment so that he can be supreme enough to reign other people. Its a high light time in all ones life! I would like to ask all people who lived in a modern civilization, no matter where you are from. Is it acceptable for you to accept this popular Chinese evaluation in a civilized society?

China was originally an atheist country. At the beginning of the 20th century, it began to accept materialism from Soviet Union. This country, which originated from agricultural civilization and has been under dictatorship for over 3 thousand years, has never really entered the modern civilization world in terms of ideology. Can those Westerners who advocate multiculturalism really understand Chinese culture and other orient cultures?

I'm an immigrant from China, I'm not a China-hater, and in some aspects, I love Chinese culture very much. For example, I love Chinese poetry. We have a large quantity of splendid ancient metrical poems. I have been fed on by these glorious poetry classics mentally. I am deeply proud for them. Additionally, I have many Chinese friends who are also kind and honest, just as most Canadians with normal values, and I love them and respect them very much. What I am criticizing now is the morbid part of Chinese culture and the stupid and hypocritical multicultural concept in Canada, even the concept of globalization is what I will deny.

How can we take globalization into reality If all of countries cannot accept the universal common values, cannot believe in God, cannot be close to God, and cannot become a global huge village on the basis of similar values? Globalization factually have become the current situation: It helps the big capitalists get low cost slaves from developing countries and make huge profits. Despite that they sometimes oppose the terrible human beings rights in developing area their actions can expose their true thoughts.They never stopped to grab black money. Yes,they are hypocritical enough.

These bushiness elites, political elites and intellectual elites have taken advantage of the low human rights conditions in developing countries to get rich, while blue collar classes in Western countries have to lose their jobs, minus their salaries and now they are on the way to be enslaved by the control freak Canada government with the excuse of covid-19.

For many years, Western mainstream media has been bribed by politicians and school education system has been manipulated by the extreme left wings so many people have been brainwashed. Consequently, they are fooled by some hypocritical, ridiculous and chaotic ideas, which are very far from the truth. Many Canadians have betrayed God and are abetted by a group of arrogant intellectual elites who live in an ivory tower with too much rational conceit, completely ignoring the hardships of labor class.

The Freedom Convoy is an awakening and resistance of blue collar class! Whats more, I came to recognize the greatness of Canadians! Because these working class people are the foundation and backbone of Canada rather than the elites!

As a Chinese-born Canadian,from my childhood, my surroundings tell me I should study hard, strive to become an elite, and to be accepted by up class. Factually, I am only a daughter of a working family, and finally I got a master's degree from a Chinese top university, and became a writer and a poet , but in this trek, what really motivated me was my relentless curiosity and my desire to discover a new world, as well as my enthusiasm for literature, not the damn dream of becoming a supreme person to overrule others after enough torment of struggling. Thank God, I am still a normal person though I grew up in a world occupied by Marxist materialism and ancient Chinese traditional culture.

The Freedom Convoy taught me a good lesson that the commoners in this movement is much sublime than the elites in the parliament hill. I doubted profoundly whether the latter elected can really present the former. How can you answer me what the heck the IA was voted to operate? And how could they be so stone-hearted and arrogant to let these truckers heroes alone in Ottawa for 3 weeks in such a frozen season! Then they knock down this peaceful protest by violence!

Why not sit down to negotiate? How can they break the promise of the election? Shame on you! Those liberties,Conservatives and NDPs. You are all cunning and tricky manipulators who play the political games very well! You dont love Canada and you only care about your own powers and profits!

On the other hand, those truckers and protesters have maintained the precious intuition, conscience, and courage of human beings who are not polluted by greedy. When the freedom given by God was eroded and violated, they stand up and resist. They have not been induced by "Rational conceit", nor did they are abetted from the right way supervised by God.

I have talked so much just now but frankly I have not studied political science or sociology and I am just a poet, who loves reading and thinking, furthermore, I love real and concrete life much better than the world in the book. I am qualified as a writer because I have enough empathy. So I believe my eyes, my ears and my heart to figure out the truth of the Freedom Convoy, which is great enough to be written down in Canadian history. Its not an unlawful insurrection or Ottawa occupation but its a peaceful war to protect free Canada. This war has broken out between Canadian patriots and the authoritarian government manipulated by foreign agents.

In the history of China, theres full of wars disasters and I have read many great Russian novels, which is like China, when divisions occurred, came bloody and death. But it is not a correct way to flatten violence with another violence because people will come into a barbarian, dark and chaos world.

We shouldnt forget, this is Canada and Canada is really different. We Canadians are kind, patient and peaceful. We are defending freedom in a legal way, we have the great tradition of negotiating at a round table to solve the conflicts. On 21st February 2022 some people have conspired to destroy this great heritage and all of the innocent truckers and supporters were charged unlawful. Yes, there is a crime happened but the criminals are some people who have betrayed Canada in the Parliament rather than in trucks! The charter was raped on that day by the disgusting voting !

However today I still stand up to back up these truckers heroes because if I had kept silent to these demonized people maybe one day nobody would help me in the similar situation.

As a poet whose native language is Chinese I have written a short poem to describe the Freedom Convoy, in an ancient Chinese metrical genre, firstly I will read in Chinese then I will read the English version:





2022.2.21





The Darkest Hour of Canada

By Zuowang

The truckers are protecting the maple leaf country

While the senators in Parliament are practicing the sophistry.

The Optimus Primes are honking horns altogether

So Big Brother is so scared that he framed them as daggers stabbing citizens.

Probably It is the only opportunity now that we can grab to fight for freedom! If we lose, Canadians will live in a long time of darkness and enslavement.So hold the line! We will win! Thank you truckers! Thank you all !
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I loved Netflix series Wu Assassins. The feature-length movie is a really good time but lacks the depth a series provides.

Iko Uwais, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao, and Juju Chan return to their excellent characters for the second adventure in Wu-space. While it is not the second season that fans have been hoping for, it is a wonderful jump back into the Wu's kung-fu, mysticism and trippy effects world.

Almost none of the questions left open at the end of Season 1 were answered, so there is plenty of room for more solving problems with punches. The team left San Francisco for Thailand and it appears are now supernatural crime-fighting world travelers, instead of restauranteers and car thieves.

Lawrence Kao, who plays Tommy Wah, evidently said this movie is intended to be a standalone adventure that someone could watch without watching the series. While that is maaaaayybe true, I think it is mostly a lot of fun fan service and great action.
With as special a date as Tuesdays, its no surprise people are flocking to their nearest chapel to get married. (WDRB file photo)
Steven White was arrested in connection with the Jan. 31, 2022 shooting and kidnapping at the Flying J truck stop in Waddy, Kentucky.
Martin Hyde, a Republican congressional candidate in Florida, is so confident of his power that he openly threatens a cop pulling him over for speedingafter she warns him her bodycam is on.

"I'll just call your Chief. You know who I am, right? You're going to do this? Big mistake. You're making career decisions."

Florida congressional candidate threatens cop pulling him over"you know who I am, right?"and gets in a jab about her ethnicity pic.twitter.com/3eGrdgO2sX

Jacob Ogles reports:

Immediately after being pulled over, Beskin in the video walks to Hyde's vehicle window and speaks to him about why she pulled him over. She had tagged Hyde driving 57 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone.

"You don't need to point at me, officer," Hyde tells Beskin. "I'll just call the Chief. You know who I am, right?"

Beskin says she does, and later in the video is seen privately saying his name to dispatch.

"The driver is being extremely uncooperative," she states. "Martin Hyde. I just gave him three tickets."

Hyde during the stop not only alludes to calling Rex Troche, but says he will call Marlon Brown, the city manager, and then the Mayor. He at one point asks "Is it your Russian immigrant status that makes you talk to people like this?" Beskin is originally from Latvia and speaks both Russian and English.
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Cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. A few storms may be severe. High 82F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Anna Sorokin, a convicted con-artist who fleeced friends and businesses alike, was paid $320,000 by Netflix for her story. Moreover, she is now the titular star of a fictionalized drama, Inventing Anna, which casts her in a sympathetic lightand her victims as hypocrites.

Rachel Williams, whose writing in Vanity Fair exposed Sorokin's crimes to a wide audience, was taken for $62,000. Williams received mean treatment in the show, which was created and produced by Shonda Rimes. Here's how Netflix describes Williams, the unambigious victim of a convicted fraudster:

"a natural-born follower whose blind worship of Anna almost destroys her job, her credit, and her life. But while her relationship with Anna is her greatest regret, the woman she becomes because of Anna may be Anna's greatest creation."

This kind of Dwight Schrutesque cliche infests the show's storytellingI watched until it had scenes of lawyers and journalists talking like this to each other and I just couldn't go on.

Williams has good points about the problems with the show, that creating empathy for someone incapable of empathy and glamorizing unrepentant living criminals is problematic.

But here's another way of looking at it. Netflix and Shonda Rimes(!) ended up hyping Sorokin and posing her victims as NPCs because Sorokin is an outstanding con artist. They were marks. The gift of the con artist is to make marks blind to the self-destructive consequences of their own impulses. They transmute the mark's empathy into confidence, make the mark pay the tab, then burn them to the ground.

As Sorokin herself told the BBC after it emerged how much she was getting paid and was asked if crime pays: "in a way."
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The LAPD arrested a woman at LAX only because her name was Bethany Farber  the same name as a woman with an arrest warrant in Texas. Although this Farber did not have a criminal record, had never even been to Texas, and was younger and looked nothing like the Texas Farber, she spent 13 days in jail because, as she alleges, the LAPD didn't bother to check her birthday, driver's license, social security number, or booking photo of the other Farber.

Now she is suing the city of Los Angeles, the LAPD and L.A. Airport Police, according to KTLA.

From KTLA:

Bethany Farber said she was at LAX last April, getting ready to travel to Mexico to see her brother and goddaughter, when she was detained, "aggressively interrogated about her identity" and taken into custody by the TSA due to an arrest warrant for a Bethany Farber in Texas.  While she was in custody, Farber's grandmother suffered what her family described as a stress-induced stroke that ultimately led to the grandmother's death. Farber says she now suffers from anxiety and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. She is seeking monetary compensation, but also calling for reforms within the judicial system. "This has caused me a lot of distress in my life, a lot of anxiety. It has set me back financially. It's impacted my business," Farber said Tuesday outside Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. "There's a lot of people out there who this is happening to who don't have anyone advocating for them. They don't have their family fighting for them every day, and every day that they're in jail, wrongfully, their lives are being dismantled."

The LAPD had no comment for KTLA.
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Catholic Health System has taken a financial beating from the pandemic. And the Mercy Hospital strike in the fall only made it worse.

The heath system has posted back-to-back years of big operating losses  totaling more than $230 million.

Catholic Health continues to have ample cash to operate and the system's top executives believe better days are ahead as the pandemic eases and elective surgery restrictions lift. And it continues to expand.

"We've been taking a lot of body blows, if you will, through Covid, through the labor strike," Catholic Health President and CEO Mark Sullivan said. "But we had to advance our strategy for the future."

Sign up for the Buffalo Next free newsletter The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week.

Catholic Health, one of Western New York's largest health care providers with $1.2 billion in annual revenue, lost $74 million in 2020  even with $87 million in federal relief. A $160 million deficit followed last year.

Other local hospital systems are facing similar struggles.

Erie County Medical Center had a loss of more than $80 million in 2020  and it would have been even larger if not for a nearly $63 million federal relief payment. It had a deficit of roughly $30 million last year.

Catholic Health rival Kaleida Health reported a nearly $61 million loss on its 2020 annual filing with the Internal Revenue Service, even after receiving $87 million in federal relief. Its 2021 financial data isn't yet available.

The most updated financial information is available for Catholic Health because of a report last week by Moody's Investors Service after the agency downgraded the system's credit rating.

Catholic Health is rated by Moody's because it goes out to the market and secures bonds publicly. Kaleida is not subject to such credit ratings because it uses loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration.

The losses show how much the pandemic, lengthy pauses on elective surgeries and flat reimbursement rates from Medicare and Medicaid have severely dented hospital finances. It all comes in a Western New York region that already is one of the most challenging in the state for hospitals to break even.

"There's very little buffer to sustain any kind of Black Swan event like the pandemic we've just gone through and the labor situation at Catholic Health," said Larry Zielinski, an executive in residence for health care administration at the University at Buffalo School of Management.

Catholic Health continues to push forward with its plans to grow faster, including the ongoing construction of Lockport Memorial Hospital and the expansion of its portfolio of ambulatory surgery centers.

The push isn't without risk.

Moody's has downgraded Catholic Health's credit rating twice in the last five months, and its rating is now viewed as non-investment grade.

A lower credit rating signals higher risks for investors and could push up borrowing costs for Catholic Health. And as operating losses pile up, it causes an organization to take on more debt or reach into reserves.

Moody's projected Catholic Health's cash on hand could decline to around 70 days by the end of this year, down from 142 days in 2019 before the pandemic.

The Mercy strike

Catholic Health had an investment-grade rating from Moody's when nurses and other workers at Mercy Hospital went on strike last fall. The strike wasn't even two weeks old when Moody's made its first downgrade of Catholic Health.

What's the economic cost of Mercy Hospital strike? Both sides feel the pain For Catholic Health, keeping Mercy Hospital open means paying vastly higher wages to replacement workers. For striking workers, each day means more lost wages.

For both sides, the nearly six-week strike was costly. While striking workers missed paychecks, Catholic Health was shelling out as much as $7 million a week for replacement workers to keep Mercy operating, Sullivan said.

That adds up.

Sullivan said those 41 days of the strike cost Catholic Health about $89 million, which represents about 55% of the organization's operating loss for 2021. Moody's said that $89 million loss included $37 million in lost revenue from reduced capacity at Mercy and $52 million in additional labor costs.

While Sullivan said the strike was "not a great moment for financial wherewithal and our balance sheet," the deal struck with the union sets the bar for contract negotiations at other Buffalo Niagara hospitals.

That contract, Moody's noted, also should help Catholic Health's recruiting and retention efforts in a tight market, though the costs will add to already high labor expenses.

WNY dynamics

While the Mercy strike set Catholic Health apart last year, other Western New York hospitals also struggled through the pandemic.

In 2020, tens of billions of dollars flowed from the federal government to alleviate losses at hospitals busy caring for Covid-19 patients. Some hospitals made out quite well, tacking on that federal relief to bolster their financial positions.

Not so in Western New York, according to an analysis from the Empire Center for Public Policy, a fiscally conservative think tank in Albany.

The Empire Center found that, even with the boost of federal relief, Western New York was the only one of the state's 10 regions where the combined hospital revenues fell short of expenses, leaving hospitals here 5% below the break-even point.

Some of what's driving the losses locally boils down to Western New York's population, which is comparatively older, sicker, poorer and, until this most recent U.S. Census count, shrinking.

That means this region has a large portion of its population on public health insurance, so either Medicare or Medicaid.

At Catholic Health, 60% of its revenue is dictated at either a federal Medicare or a state Medicaid level, said Chief Financial Officer David Macholz. Further, 46% of Catholic Health's revenue base comes from Medicare, he said, noting the aggregate increase for Medicare this year is just 0.7%.

Meanwhile, costs  especially for labor  are rising at much higher rates.

Hospitals have historically lost money on Medicare and Medicaid patients and try to make it up on commercial plans, where they can negotiate rates. The remaining 40% of Catholic Health's revenue base comes from commercial plans.

"The rate compression that we're facing is more pronounced than ever," Macholz said.

What now?

Catholic Health is pressing on with its various strategies and expansions  which may be the only way out of the financial hole.

Proceeds from Catholic Health's upcoming issuance of $60 million in bonds will go toward the Lockport Memorial, now under construction, the renovation of the cardiac catheterization labs at Mercy Hospital and other upgrades, Macholz said.

Catholic Health takes a different approach with new Lockport hospital "The model was built for the community based on need, not based on what textbooks would say about hospitals," Catholic Health President and CEO Mark Sullivan said.

While Moody's notes plenty of the challenges facing Catholic Health, the agency pointed out the organization's strengths, including ongoing expansion efforts in Niagara County that could lead to market share gains. According to Moody's, Catholic Health has a 26.1% market share in Niagara County, short of Kaleida's 34.3%.

The construction of Lockport Memorial could help, as could Catholic Health's continued expansion into surgery centers. Catholic Health's agreement to purchase a 77% stake in Ambulatory Surgery Center of Western New York  located on Sweet Home Road in Amherst  for $23 million should close this year.

Catholic Health takes control of Ambulatory Surgery Center of WNY "We found a superior, high-quality ambulatory surgery center," Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan said. "The team is amazing, their outcomes are great."

Overall, Moody's noted Catholic Health's capital spending this year is projected at about $153 million, which it called a "relatively high" amount. The upcoming bond proceeds, as well as state grants, will help support capital spending.

Also looming is the $10 billion plan to bolster New York's health care system from Gov. Kathy Hochul  a proposal that is subject to negotiation with the state Legislature.

All of this is not without risk.

Higher capital spending will chew into Catholic Health's cash on hand, but Sullivan said the organization is confident its strategy is sound.

But it will be a long road back.

"Our strategy is forward thinking," Sullivan said. "But we can't be hit by five waves of Covid, elective surgery restrictions, a labor strike and not expect to be downgraded."

Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris.

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Ontario securities regulators are accusing Buffalo Grand Hotel owner Harry Stinson of improperly soliciting more than $19 million from Canadian investors for an aborted condominium conversion at the hotel, and then using some of those funds for other projects and purposes.

The accusations from the Ontario Securities Commission  if proven  could mark a potentially significant blow to Stinson's multi-million-dollar effort to redevelop Buffalo's largest hotel property. The hotel was recently rebranded as a Ramada before suffering well over $10 million in arson damage from a fire late last year during extensive renovations.

Buffalo Grand Hotel fire was intentionally set, investigators say; owner cites multiple attempts "There were clearly attempts made to start a fire in various places. They were not all successful," owner Harry Stinson said.

Stinson purchased the 486-room hotel in July 2018 for $17 million, before undertaking a "radical" $24 million renovation and redevelopment of the 600,000-square-foot complex on Church Street.

That plan has focused mostly on the banquet and entertainment areas, but has also morphed several times to include proposals for a new Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired wedding chapel, apartments and a 25-story condominium tower  none of which have been done.

Now his efforts to finance his grand plans are under scrutiny, although Stinson rejects the regulators' allegations.

Owner says damage to former Adam's Mark is 'cosmetic,' pledges another remodel Its destroyed. Theres seven months of work and millions of dollars down the drain, said developer Harry Stinson, who owns the property, which was renamed a Ramada hotel just hours before the fire.

We obviously disagree with it, and we intend to contest it. These numbers are mysterious to us. We didnt even pay that for the hotel, Stinson said. In the meantime, we are discussing with them a potential settlement. We hope to announce a resolution in the near future.

In papers filed this month, officials at the Canadian agency charged that the Hamilton developer, several of his companies and one of his hotel employees misled 207 investors.

Regulators accuse Stinson of illegally promoting the unauthorized purchase of company shares or debt in the hotel project, with the purported opportunity to eventually take ownership of a converted condo suite while sharing in the hotel's profits.

That marketing effort began in November 2016  nearly two years before he even owned the hotel. According to a regulatory filing, Stinson and the other defendants claimed in their promotional materials that the securities investments were registered and approved for sale, even though they weren't. They also failed to provide a formal prospectus to investors, as required by law, and didn't vet the investors as qualified.

Regulators also said Stinson drafted or approved promotional materials indicating that the investments would qualify for Canadian retirement savings plans and tax-free savings accounts, which was false. And they said he claimed that the investments and hotel conversion would be backed by a new $40 million mortgage and a 10% interest reserve, when no such loan or reserve existed.

A closer look: The Buffalo Grand Hotel is becoming the Buffalo Ramada The Buffalo Grand Hotel  formerly the Adam's Mark Hotel  will become the Buffalo Ramada by Wyndham as of Dec. 31, according to Harry Stinson, the hotel's Canadian owner.

Finally, they said, the investor funds were "comingled" with money in bank accounts from other projects, without adequate record-keeping, and were used to pay for other projects or went toward other bank accounts and credit cards.

This would be the second time in 15 years that Stinson "breached the registration and prospectus requirements of the Securities Act" with an unregistered hotel condominium conversion, according to the complaint against him. Stinson settled similar charges in December 2006.

Yet he continued to issue shares to Buffalo Grand investors, even after the Commission ordered him to stop in March 2020 and four times after that, regulators asserted.

The Commission's enforcement staff asked the Commission to order Stinson and his companies to give up any money that was raised and pay several million dollars in fines.

Staff also want the Commission to demand that Stinson and the hotel's manager of client services, Stephen Kelley, resign from any officer or director positions at public companies and to prohibit them from serving in such roles or acting as a promoter at any company that issues investments or is registered with the agency.

Kelley had solicited money as an "investment coordinator," but was not registered and had no education, training or experience.

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Culture Minister Nadine Dorries has unveiled her plans for "the biggest shake-up in arts funding for a generation", with "plans to increase and better distribute funding for the sector to previously overlooked or neglected areas".

The aim is to decentralise funding, with "cultural organisations in London to be supported to expand operations beyond the capital so more communities benefit from their work", running in parallel with the government's levelling up strategy.

According to the new report, published today, places such as Wolverhampton, Hartlepool, Rotherham, Peterborough and Oldham will see increased support, with organisations also required to "have physical plaques in or on their buildings, and carry branding on their websites" that highlight them as recipients of government spending.

There will be a 19 per cent increase in cultural investment by 2025 (to 250 million), the final year of the Spending Review period.

The current list of NPOs (national portfolio organisations) is around 828  it is said that 80 new NPOs could be created, while around 100 will receive this increased funding. It is not stated how many organisations may lose their NPO status.

Arts Council England has stated it has "an instruction to move 24m per annum out of London", and that "some London organisations will be encouraged to relocate outside of the capital".

Concerns are acknowledged, with ACE going on to add: "We understand this is challenging news for London applicants, and we acknowledge the impact for them. London is a leading global cultural centre, and we will continue to invest in our capital, but the budget will be reduced by approximately 15 per cent."

Chris Stafford, chief executive of Leicester's Curve theatre, said: "We believe everyone, irrespective of their circumstances, should have equal opportunity to engage with world-class culture and fulfil their creative potential. We welcome the new Arts Council investment programme which will see a greater balance of public investment across the country, ensuring no one is left behind.

"As an NPO located in the heart of England, we create work with, in and for our local communities every day of the week. Each year we engage up to 60,000 people through free and low-cost creative programmes and activities, we welcome over 330,000 people to our Leicester home and our productions on tour are seen by in excess of 500,000 people across the UK  none of this would be possible without the crucial investment from Arts Council England."
Meet your West End Bonnie and Clyde!

The Tony-nominated piece, which is penned by Ivan Menchell, Frank Wildhorn and Don Black, follows the true story of two outlaws who go on a murderous spree across the nation  gaining fame in the process.

Playing the lead roles will be Frances Mayli McCann (Heathers) returning to the role of Bonnie after taking it on at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, alongside Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet) as Clyde.

McCann told WhatsOnStage: "I can't wait to join forces with Jordan as Clyde at the Arts Theatre. I loved being part of the Bonnie and Clyde concert earlier this year. The show has a huge fanbase, including myself, and we've all been desperately waiting for a west end run of the show. I'm so excited to perform it again and can't wait to raise a little hell in the West End this summer."

The creative team is led by director Nick Winston (Mame) with set and costume design by Philip Whitcomb (Mame). Joining them will be musical supervisor Katy Richardson (Six). You can see who else is in the show here.

Gage added: "To be given the opportunity to play Clyde in the West End premiere of Bonnie and Clyde is a huge honour. I'm overjoyed to join Frances, who is a force of talent. Characters like these don't come around often so I can't wait to get started and for the world to see this production."





The show was seen on Broadway in 2011 following a series of runs from 2009  with Jeremy Jordan playing Clyde from 2010. Jordan having returned for the Drury Lane concerts (which have been filmed for future release).

The piece tells the tale of two outlaws who take on the police  and the bloody consequences of their actions. It runs at the Arts Theatre from 9 April.
It will take a little longer to find out whether workers at three more Buffalo-area Starbucks stores voted in favor of union representation.

The vote count scheduled for Wednesday afternoon was postponed by the National Labor Relations Board, after the agency did not issue a decision on a request from Starbucks ahead of time.

Starbucks is arguing that workers shouldn't be allowed to organize on a store-by-store basis, instead preferring employees at all area locations cast ballots in a single, combined vote. It's an argument the coffee chain has repeatedly lost in previous requests.

The ballots for the three stores are being impounded until the board issues a decision. The three stores are at Walden Avenue and Anderson Road in Cheektowaga; Sheridan Drive and North Bailey Avenue in Amherst; and Transit and French roads in Depew.

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The organizing movement that started in Buffalo last year has since swept across the country. Starbucks workers at 105 stores in 26 states have filed organizing petitions with the NLRB, looking to join the ranks of two Western New York stores that have successfully organized: the location on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo and the store on Genesee Street in Cheektowaga.

The situation that played out in Western New York mirrors what happened last week in Mesa, Ariz., where workers at a store there also had their vote count delayed because the NLRB had not yet ruled on a Starbucks request. The NLRB on Wednesday denied Starbucks' request for the store in Mesa, allowing the agency's office in Phoenix to reschedule the vote count. The Mesa vote count will now occur this Friday.

"I think we can expect a decision, and we'll get the same decision, relatively soon," said Ian Hayes, an attorney for Starbucks Workers United.

In its request in Buffalo, Starbucks says its business was designed to allow employees to "seamlessly work in any store at any time without additional training or orientation to meet business demands." That allows employees to swap or pick up shifts among the chain's 20 Buffalo-area market stores.

"We want to protect rights like that by providing a district vote," a Starbucks spokesperson said Wednesday.

Controversy as employee faces termination while elections at 3 local Starbucks wrap up Social media has been abuzz since local Starbucks employee Cassie Fleischer, who helped organize the Elmwood Avenue store, posted on Facebook on Sunday that she was no longer being scheduled at the location.

Local Starbucks workers said they were disappointed by the delay.

Colin Cochran, a barista at the Cheektowaga store, said his location originally filed a petition for a union vote more than five months ago.

"Starbucks gets what it wants today," Cochran said. "We're going to get what we want sometime soon."

Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris.

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A new Fight Crime: Invest in Kids research report makes a compelling case that recent Congressional preschool investment proposals could provide a strong, long-term, net return on investment (ROI). Montana, for example, could reap an ROI of $240 million if federal early childhood education measures become law.

The report, Preschool Key to Boosting School Success and Enhancing Public Safety, noted that the proposal would allow 16,000 more children to attend preschool in Montana alone. Each one of those children represents a lifetime return on investment of slightly over $15,000, leading to the states $240 million ROI. Nationwide, six million additional children would be able to attend preschool as a result of this expansion, with a long-term return on investment of $90 billion.

I truly hope our nation grabs this opportunity to make these overdue investments. This data shows the funds we invest now will be returned in lower societal costs, said Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton, a Fight Crime: Invest in Kids member. Its a win-win, and its good government policy, its good community policy, its good old-fashioned police work.

The research brief highlights an independent cost-benefit analysis that found an average per-child societal profit of more than $15,000and applies it to the additional children served by the preschool provisions.

This ROI comes via several factors, including increased test scores, which are associated with higher earnings in adulthood, as well as decreases in costs to society, such as expenses created by children being held back in school or needing special education.

Decades of research show that the experiences children have in their earliest years, during a period of critical brain growth, set the foundation for future development and success. Voluntary, quality preschool education can improve academic performanceincluding high school graduationand reduce the risk that participants will become involved in crime later.

Children who attend high-quality preschool are more likely to arrive at kindergarten ready to learn, with enhanced early math, language, and literacy skills. Theyre also less likely to be held back in school or to need special education, and more likely to be proficient in reading and math. Preschool participants have an increased probability of graduating from high school. Students who participate in high-quality preschool are also less likely to have behavioral infractions in elementary and middle school and to be suspended from high school.

Founded in 1996, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is a membership organization of thousands of police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and violence survivors who protect public safety by promoting solutions that steer kids away from crime.
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 70F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Low around 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
WILTON  Since entering high school, Jackson Dill has had a pretty clear idea of what his passions were, how he wanted to chase them and that he certainly didnt want to wait.

Those passions, he explained Monday, are meteorology and broadcasting. Now, the College Television Award-nominated senior at the University of Miami is capitalizing on that hard work with a full-time gig lined up and detailed his journey that started as a young child growing up in Wilton.

It really first started with Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Dill, 21, said of his fascination with weather. I didnt really know what was happening much at the time because I was pretty young, but I remember how bad the storm was.

The storm left he and his neighbors without power for more than a week and brought trees down on almost every road. With so much of the Northeast affected, Dill said it was pretty crazy how a severe weather event could change peoples lives instantaneously and he quickly became hooked.

I became a weather nerd, Dill said, describing how he would follow detailed forecasts and subscribe to numerous websites.

By his sophomore year of high school, Dill started his own website where he posted his own personal forecasts for all of southwestern Connecticut.

I made my forecast every day, he said. Like, a whole description for the next seven days, graphics, posted them on social media. Then, during the winter time, I made my own snow day predictions.

Dills family and close friends were well aware that he was interested in the weather and creating his own forecasts. They supported his forecasting website and soon his classmates caught wind of his snow day predictions.

That kind of made me know this is what I want to do and that people would actually rely on me, he said.

At one point in high school, he said, that Wilton Schools Superintendent Kevin Smith reached out and told Dill that he had been following his forecasts and the two would talk to each other on their thoughts for an upcoming forecast. Add to the fact that Dill started gaining some buzz on social media when weather broadcasting mainstays started following him, he was sure this was the direction his future was meant to go.

Along the way, Dill said he also gained a passion for broadcasting and wanted to combine his two interests into one career path.

The choice for college was easy, Dill said, as not that many schools offered a meteorology major with a successful broadcasting program to boot. He said that the University of Miami edged out Penn State, partly thanks to its warmer weather, too.

Enter UMTV, the university television station run by its communication department and NewsVision, a 30-minute weekly news programming special that Dill and his colleagues produce. Dill joined UMTV in his first semester of college and he has yet to look back.

Dill produces and writes general news stories and segments for the show as well as help with the weather programming. The quality of NewsVision garnered a nomination for the 41st Annual College Television Awards, which Dill said is an honor to be recognized. A total of 54 students have been nominated in six categories for the 2022 awards selected from 185 entries submitted from 58 colleges nationwide. The awards ceremony will take place on March 26.

The college senior has no time to rest until the awards show, though, as he is up daily at 3 a.m. to prepare weather segments as a full-time weather producer and stand-in anchor for WSVN News in the Miami-metro area. Having previously worked as an intern and freelance producer for CNN in 2021, Dill said that he is constantly making sacrifices to fulfill the dream he had as a young child in Connecticut.

Ive had this focused goal since the beginning of high school, Dill said. While he admits there is a lot more work to be done, attaining his first full-time on-air job before graduating seems like a dream come true.

In 10 to 15 years, Dill said, he would like to return to the New York City Metropolitan Area to give his on-air forecasts for the region that inspired him to start on this journey in the first place.
Winchester, VA (22601)

Today

Rain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High 74F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  President Joe Biden highlighted his efforts to counter China's dominance of the electric battery market on Tuesday as he touted domestic efforts to mine and process lithium and rare metals necessary to create the technology that powers cars, electronics, wind turbines and more.

FILE Clouds and nearby mountains are reflected in a polluted canal, once used as a boating dock, along the Salton Sea in Desert Shores, Calif., Wednesday, July 14, 2021. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, pointed to plans to extract lithium from geothermal wastewater around the sea as an example of the Unites States' efforts to compete with China and other nations when it comes to domestic lithium production. The metal is a key element in rechargeable batteries, such as those used for cars. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  President Joe Biden highlighted his efforts to counter China's dominance of the electric battery market on Tuesday as he touted domestic efforts to mine and process lithium and rare metals necessary to create the technology that powers cars, electronics, wind turbines and more.

The Democratic president announced his administration is giving $35 million to MP Materials, a company that mines rare earth metals near the Nevada border in Southern California,. The funding will boost MP's ability to process the materials domestically for use in U.S. manufacturing.

He also touted efforts to extract lithium from geothermal brine found around California's Salton Sea. Biden said U.S. demand for such materials will grow by 400% to 600% over the next several decades.

We cant build a future thats made in America if we ourselves are dependent on China for the materials that power the products of today and tomorrow," Biden said. And this is not anti-China, or anti-anything else. It's pro-America."

FILE  A rotting former boating dock is seen along the Salton Sea Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in Desert Shores, Calif. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, pointed to plans to extract lithium from geothermal wastewater around the sea as an example of the Unites States' efforts to compete with China and other nations when it comes to domestic lithium production. The metal is a key element in rechargeable batteries, such as those used for cars. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Biden spoke virtually from Washington with a group of California business and government leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Las Vegas-based MP Materials runs the Mountain Pass mine and processing facility that is the only one of its kind in North America. It extracts rare earth metals and produces a concentrate that's exported for use in other countries. Such metals are used to produce magnets necessary for batteries in electric cars and many other items.

The federal money will help the company create a processing facility for heavy" rare earth metals, and it follows a $10 million award last year for light" rare earth metals. The company is spending $700 million of its own money for improving processing and creating a manufacturing facility in Texas to produce magnets. The company has a deal with General Motors, said Matt Sloustcher, MP Materials' senior vice president for policy and communications.

My team is committed to bringing this supply chain home," company Chief Executive Officer Jim Litinsky told Biden on the call.

Elsewhere, Biden touted lithium production efforts in California. Newsom has called the state the Saudi Arabia of lithium, a reference to that country's abundance of oil.

Newsom said lithium extraction in California has the potential to boost national security by improving domestic supply chains and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Biden earlier noted the nation could produce a half-million electric cars per year by 2025.

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If it's as big as it appears to be, this is a game-changer in terms of our efforts to transition to low-carbon green growth and to radically change the way we produce and consume energy," Newsom said.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy is among several companies working on extracting lithium from geothermal brine found around the Salton Sea, California's largest lake. Berkshire Hathaway has run geothermal plants around the lake for decades, but the lithium has historically been pumped back under ground with the brine after it's used to generate power.

With state and federal investments of about $20 million, the company is working on projects to demonstrate it can extract the lithium and convert it to battery-grade in a way that's commercially viable, said Alicia Knapp, president of BHE Renewables.

The Newsom administration said it wants to ensure economic benefits from lithium extraction go back to the areas around the Salton Sea, which have been hit by economic hardship and environmental degradation as the lake dries up because of dwindling supplies from the Colorado River.

Silvia Paz, chairwoman of the state-created Lithium Valley Commission, told Biden communities in the region have seen unfilled promises before. She called for investments in career development and education for people in the region as well as improvements to basic services and environmental cleanup.

We want to be at the table and help you understand what it means for us to have a prosperous economy," she said.
ADELANTO, Calif. (AP)  A small convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday.

Jeff Cassil waves two American flags from the roof of his car at the beginning of a trucker caravan to Washington, D.C., called The People's Convoy Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, in Adelanto, Calif. A small convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

ADELANTO, Calif. (AP)  A small convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday.

Several hundred people rallied in a parking lot in the cold, windswept Mojave Desert town of Adelanto before about two dozen trucks and a number of other vehicles hit the road. It wasn't clear how many intended to go all the way.

To the truck drivers around the world: Now is your time to stand up. Now is your time to usher in a renaissance time of freedom, truck driver and event organizer Brian Brase told the rally. Do not bow down.

Convoy vehicles carried signs with slogans such as Legalize freedom and Let them breathe.

Supporters listen to organizers talk about the upcoming trucker caravan to Washington, D.C., called The People's Convoy Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, in Adelanto, Calif. A small convoy of truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

It was one of several U.S. convoys organized online and modeled on the recent Canadian truckers protests that shut down U.S.-Canadian border crossings and besieged the streets of the capital, Ottawa, for weeks. The convoys all have different starting points, departure dates and routes.

A statement issued by organizers of the Adelanto group called it The People's Convoy and said it was multicultural and nonpartisan, although there were Trump flags at the rally.

The statement said COVID is well-in-hand now, and Americans need to get back to work in a free and unrestricted manner.

It pledged a 100% safe, lawful and peaceful journey that will terminate in the vicinity of the DC area, but will NOT be going into DC proper. Arrival was scheduled for March 5.

Truck driver Dallas Hughbanks, 61, said his message is freedom of choice, and he specifically noted that he doesn't want to wear a mask.

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Were not gonna be violent," Hughbanks said. "Were not gonna try to block or blockade anything  just doing a convoy and bringing people to awareness.

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to the nations capital as it prepares for multiple trucker convoys. The troops would be used to assist with traffic control during demonstrations expected in the city in the coming days, the Pentagon said.

The protest comes as average daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall in the U.S., an indicator that the omicron variants hold is weakening across the country, and mandates are being loosened or lifted.

Public health experts say they feel hopeful that more declines are ahead, but many worry U.S. vaccinations remain below expectations, concerns that are exacerbated by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

___

AP freelance photographer Nathan Howard in Adelanto and AP reporter John Antczak in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  With California entering the third year of severe drought, federal officials said Wednesday they wont deliver any water to farmers in the states major agricultural region  a decision that will force many to plant fewer crops in the fertile soil that yields the bulk of the nations fruits, nuts and vegetables.

FILE - This Feb. 22, 2008 file photo shows the 602-foot, concrete Shasta Dam near Shasta, Calif. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced, on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, that it will not deliver any water to California farmers because of a severe drought. The decision will force many farmers to plant fewer crops in a region that supplies a quarter of the nation's food. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  With California entering the third year of severe drought, federal officials said Wednesday they wont deliver any water to farmers in the states major agricultural region  a decision that will force many to plant fewer crops in the fertile soil that yields the bulk of the nations fruits, nuts and vegetables.

It's devastating to the agricultural economy and to those people that rely on it, said Ernest Conant, regional director for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. But unfortunately we can't make it rain.

The federal government operates the Central Valley Project in California, a complex system of dams, reservoirs and canals. It's one of two major water systems the state relies on for agriculture, drinking water, and the environment. The other system is run by the state government.

Water agencies contract with the federal government for certain amounts of water each year. In February, the federal government announces how much of those contracts can be fulfilled based on how much water is available. The government then updates the allocations throughout the year based on conditions.

Farmers started last year with a 5% allocation from the federal government but ended at 0% as the drought intensified. This year, the federal government is starting farmers at 0% while water for other purposes, including drinking and industrial uses, is at 25%.

"Last year was a very bad year. This year could turn out to be worse, Conant said.

Westlands Water District, the nation's largest agricultural water district covering 1,000 square miles (2,590 square kilometers) in Fresno and Kings counties, said drought conditions last year caused farmers to fallow 200,000 acres (80,937 hectares) while leaving thousands of acres of food unharvested. The district said it is the fourth time this decade that farmers south of the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta have gotten no water from the federal government.

The water system operated by the state government is also struggling. In December, state officials also announced a 0% allocation. They upgraded that to 15% allocation in January after strong December storms.

Anyone who's looked out the window in the past two months knows that California has not seen any significant rain and snow during what are supposed to be our wettest months of the year, said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. While December saw record storms, this type of climate whiplash makes it challenging to forecast conditions ahead.

State law requires both systems to have enough water available to maintain water quality throughout the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, a sensitive environmental region home to endangered species of fish.

Despite that, endangered species of fish  including salmon  have been dying by the thousands because there hasn't been enough cold water for them to survive.

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In a news release, the Westlands Water District said it was disappointed with the allocation but understood the drought and environmental laws prevent Reclamation from making water available under the District's contract.

Regina Chichizola, executive director for Save California Salmon, said environmental water releases are important because they keep ocean saltwater from creeping too far into freshwater rivers.

Fish and people need that water, she said.

Most of the water for both systems comes from rain and snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. That water flows into the state's rivers, which then fill a series of major reservoirs throughout the state. Typically, the reservoirs get depleted during the dry summer months before being replenished by winter storms.

But California is now entering the third year of a severe drought, with rain and snowfall far below historical averages. January and February are usually the wettest months of the year in California. But the northern Sierra mountains, which are important for filling some of the state's biggest reservoirs, have had just 1.7 inches (4.3 centimeters) of rain over those two months. That's the lowest ever recorded, breaking a record set in 2013, said Kristin White, Central Valley operations manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The Central Valley Project's reservoirs have decreased by 26.5% compared with last year. And through the end of September, federal officials predict the reservoirs will get 1.2 million acre feet (1.4 billion cubic meters) less of water than they had planned. One acre-foot of water is typically enough to supply two average households for one year.
PARIS (AP)  The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that emissions of planet-warming methane from oil, gas and coal production are significantly higher than governments claim.

FILE - In this Thursday, April 30, 2020, photo storage tanks at a refinery along the Houston Ship Channel are seen with downtown Houston, USA, in the background. The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that emissions of planet-warming methane from oil, gas and coal production are significantly higher than governments claims. The countries with the highest emissions are China, Russia, the United States, Iran and India, the IEA said. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

PARIS (AP)  The International Energy Agency said Wednesday that emissions of planet-warming methane from oil, gas and coal production are significantly higher than governments claim.

The Paris-based agency said its analysis shows emissions are 70% higher than the official figure provided by governments worldwide. If all leaks were plugged, the methane captured would be enough to supply all of Europe's power sector, it said.

The findings underline the urgent need for enhanced monitoring efforts and stronger policy action to drive down emissions of the potent greenhouse gas, it said.

Experts say methane is responsible for almost a third of the temperature increase that has occurred since the start of the industrial revolution. The gas remains in the atmosphere for a much shorter period of time than carbon dioxide, however.

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Bringing down methane emissions is seen as a crucial and quick way to limit further warming over the coming decades.

The IEA said its annual Global Methane Tracker report shows emissions from the energy sector grew by almost 5% last year. It said the volume of methane leaked amounted to about 180 billion cubic meters of natural gas.

That is equivalent to all the gas used in Europes power sector and more than enough to ease todays market tightness, the IEA said.

The agency's executive director, Fatih Birol, called for greater transparency on the size and location of methane emissions.

New satellites have helped experts pinpoint the sources of large emissions, though regions along the equator, the far north and offshore are still poorly covered.

The countries with the highest emissions are China, Russia, the United States, Iran and India, the IEA said.
MILAN (AP)  As Europe braced for winds from a possible war in Ukraine, the Italian fashion world carried on with a Milan Fashion Week that brought the return of Russian buyers after two years and the easing of pandemic travel restrictions.

MILAN (AP)  As Europe braced for winds from a possible war in Ukraine, the Italian fashion world carried on with a Milan Fashion Week that brought the return of Russian buyers after two years and the easing of pandemic travel restrictions.

An agreement with the government brokered by the Italian National Fashion Chamber allowed Russians who were vaccinated with the Sputnik V shot to enter the country if they were traveling for business and submitted to frequent rapid tests for the coronavirus.

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

They arrived for the first day of shows Wednesday as tensions built over Russia's military intensions in Ukraine. Show invitations also were extended to Ukrainian buyers, but they did not attend, according to the fashion council.

Highlights from the mostly womenswear runway shows for next fall and winter:

FENDI MELDS CHIFFON WITH TWEEDS

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Creative director Kim Jones packed the Fendi front row with VIPs who included Rita Ora and her partner, Oscar-winning screenwriter Taika Waititi, Swedish pop star Neneh Cherry and daughter Mabel, fashion influencers Chiara Ferragni and Leonie Hanne, and many more.

Alongside a long list of Friends of Fendi decked out head-to-toe in the label's designs, their arrivals offered a parade of Fendi ready-to-wear the likes of which is rarely seen off the runway.

The show before the show included soft intarsia furs, shearling-lined leather shorts with matching jackets, playful minidresses with open backs and long chiffony numbers. Structured heels on a mini-tower of double Fs and bags emblazoned with Fendi in raised golden letters completed the looks shown on this double runway.

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Jones latest collection for Fendi interplayed chiffon sheers with tweeds, giving a playful edge to daytime and imbuing evening with a fresh sexiness. Jones said he took inspiration from two collections by the late Karl Lagerfeld that on the surface appear diametrically opposed: Spring-Summer 1986, which featured geometric prints and tailoring, and the sheer lightness of Autumn-Winter 2000.

For Fendis Autumn-Winter 2022 collection signed by Jones, chiffons were patchworked together with a ruffled exterior stitch into day dresses with matching bloomers, worn with cropped fur, or ruffle-edge tops with pants. Bright gloves or bags in orange, and grounded by seafoam green, offset the pastel tones.

Black-and-white check trousers and a pencil skirt offered the first hint of structure, paired with chiffon tops and enveloped in a cloud of fur. The looks became more regimented with tight corsets worn over mens shirts with feminine gathers.

A model wears a creation as part of the Fendi Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Add-ons like big, belted flat pockets added a utilitarian flair that worked over chiffon dresses in conjunction with the corsets or as an embellishment to a skirt or trouser. As the color palette darkened into navy, brown and gray, Jones offered the same silhouettes in leather, tweed and denim. Some were softened with a chiffon ruffle detail along the seam.

Silvia Venturini Fendi designed the accessories, including three editions of the Fendi Baguette - in cashmere, shearling-lined leather and intarsia mink - to mark the bag's 25th anniversary. Her daughter, Delfina Delettrez, designed the jewelry, including supersized monogrammed ear cuffs.

Its a wardrobe designed for every aspect of a womans life, for every generation, Jones said.

A model wears a creation as part of the Capasa Fall Winter 2022 2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

CAVALLI SEDUCING THE GENERATIONS

From J-Lo to Zendaya, Fausto Puglisi wants to unite generations of alluring, strong women through his new collection for Roberto Cavalli.

Puglisis first winter runway show as creative director of the brand brought together diaphanous gowns with leather straps that gave a hint of bondage, along with younger silhouettes, including manifold skinsuits in black and animal prints, and as well as playful, bouncy pleated plaid miniskirts.

A model wears a creation as part of the Capasa Fall Winter 2022 2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

I want to respect the heritage of Roberto. That was extraordinary, Puglisi told reporters. Never before has there been such a desire to return to the early 2000s. At the same time, there is the desire to move forward.

Puglisi did so with an accent on daywear that included suits in bright Kelly green British plaid, worn eccentrically with green animal print tights and gloves. Capes in the brands trademark animal prints that were cinched in the front, with fringe trailing along the runway. Handcrafted leather florets that graced shoes and dresses were inspired by Capodimonte porcelain.

We are coming out of a very sad period of isolation, and this woman wants to have fun, Puglisi added.

A model wears a creation as part of the Capasa Fall Winter 2022 2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

SEEKING SPONTANEITY AT No. 21

Alessandro DellAcquas collection for next season provides seamless transitions from womenswear to menswear, showing just how linked they are at his No. 21 label.

The womens silhouette is define by the corset shape, which tightens the waist, giving shape to jackets and overcoats, as well as dresses and knitwear. Skirts were seemingly made out of mens trousers sans inseam, creating a pair of zip-modulated sexy slits. Asymmetrical, bias-cut dresses with a declination of sequins from small to large, were part of the designer's exploration of old fashion codes, he said in show notes.

A model wears a creation as part of the N21 Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Sheer unisex mohair sweaters pulled with an upward drawstring for better definition, for him or her.

A unique piece, an upcycled fur coat got new life with a black tulle overlay for him. Men's overcoats were otherwise oversized and military in cut; and long thick-pleated skirts substituted for trousers, worn with a Hawaiian print shirt with couture detailing.

"What I cared about most was updating the language in order to obtain female and male figures that best reflect the times, which while imprecise are still forming,'' Dell'Acqua said in notes.

A model wears a creation as part of the N21 Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

WE ARE MADE IN ITALY

The second class of the We are Made in Italy campaign to promote designers of color who live and work in Italy showed their winter collections next to iconic examples of Italian design in the ADI Design museum.

Fallylah Nyny Ryke Goungou imbued her Nyny Ryke brand with a burst of color, combining west African woven textiles from her native Togo with sexy mesh and yarn macrame accents for looks that suit any Gen-Z and Millennials alike. I have been really explosive this year! Goungou exclaimed at her stand near a red Ferrari.

A model wears a creation as part of the N21 Fall/Winter 2022-2023 fashion collection, unveiled during the Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Moroccan-born Zineb Hazim created everyday abayas for the modest but assertive Muslim woman who wants to be covered but still show style and be seen. Sheetal Shahs unisex look for her Curious Grid label included jackets made from handwoven fabrics sourced in her native India and employing a quilting technique with recycled wool. Romy Calzados fitted dress of patchwork jersey had a soft camouflage vibe brought to life with strong shoulders. Judith Borsetto created for her Saint Jermain label boots with a long pointed toe to recall the famous Plague Doctor Venetian mask set off by her trademark embroidery details.

These five incredible women designers have grown so much, said Michelle Ngonmo, one of the creative forces behind the campaign and the founder of Afro Fashion Week Milan. I think it is a good start and that the fashion industry in Italy is really starting to see that POC (people of color) creativity is part of the Italian fashion industry.

CAPASA COLLECTION ZERO

Ennio Capasa took the fashion crowd backstage, behind the ermine curtain of the Arcimboldi Theater for Collection 0 of his new fashion venture bearing his family name.

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Capasa, whose brother Carlo is the president of Milans fashion council, is well-known in fashion circles for his influential Costume National brand, which he abandoned six years ago as financial partnerships went awry. Even Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri showed up for a front row seat at Capasas runway return.

Intervals are an incredible luxury because they afford the distance to observe what you want to keep, what you want to leave, Capasa said before the show as models received their finishing touches nearby. I understood that I wanted to keep the timeless tailoring. Many of my friends call to say, Your jackets are still very modern. And I wanted to keep that. But I left some of the rigidity that belonged to that time, to the 1990s.

While his former brand had a uniform quality, strong on deconstructed tailoring in black and white, Capasa said he wanted the Capasa brand to recognize the drastically changed times by creating more individualistic looks.

The collection included looks such as a mini double-breasted pea coat to appeal to members of Gen Z as well as Gen-Xers and beyond. Overcoats featured a striking leather strap and buckle cinched diagonally at chest level.

The collection was strongly influenced by 1970s music, from rock to disco. It featured David Bowie-style suits with broad shoulders, androgynous tunics and wrap dresses that had a faint disco vibe, especially when paired with silver boots. Capasa used a touch more color- there were purple suits, details in mustard yellow and bright Kelly green - than he did during his Costume National days,

The line between menswear and womenswear was fluid. The jewelry reflected the sort of individuality seen on the street, none the same, and each just a bit off-kilter, including body chains or applied crystals instead of tops, and earrings that stuck out like ledges with softly reverberating silver fringe.
CALGARY - Oil prices are rapidly heading toward US$100 a barrel, but analysts say the chances of crude smashing that threshold greatly depends on what happens next in Ukraine.

Oil pumps work in the desert oil fields of Sakhir, Bahrain. Sept. 30, 2015. Oil prices are rapidly heading toward US$100 a barrel, but analysts say the chances of crude smashing that threshold depends on what happens next in Ukraine. The potential for a war in Eastern Europe has made energy prices volatile. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Hasan Jamali

CALGARY - Oil prices are rapidly heading toward US$100 a barrel, but analysts say the chances of crude smashing that threshold greatly depends on what happens next in Ukraine.

The potential for a war in eastern Europe has made energy prices volatile over investor fears that conflict between Russia and Ukraine could disrupt supplies. Russia produces 10 per cent of global oil supply.

On Wednesday, the benchmark West Texas Intermediate price came close to US$94 per barrel in the morning's trading, and many experts have suggested it will go higher.

I think based on the momentum were seeing, unless we see a major pullback in Russian aggression, we likely will top $100 a barrel," said Rory Johnson, managing director and market economist at Toronto-based Price Street Inc.

"But as of yet, this does seem to be purely geopolitical risk pricing, rather than any immediate fear of an actual loss of barrels."

Investors have been closely watching developments in Ukraine, where Russia has amassed troops for a potential invasion. The U.S. and other western nations have already responded with sanctions  driving investor concerns that Russia could respond by halting oil exports  and Germany withdrew a document needed for certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.

Johnston said it's highly unlikely the Ukraine crisis will result in a physical loss of barrels to the market, but if that were to happen, it would be "an extremely big deal."

In the worst-case scenario, he said  such as an all-out armed conflict between Russia and NATO forces  oil prices could skyrocket.

"Say we lost half of Russian production, which again I think is very unlikely," Johnston said. "But yeah, $130, $150  pick a number in the hundreds and you could very easily justify it.

Patrick de Haan  head of petroleum analysis for gas price information website GasBuddy.com  said the effects of tensions in Ukraine have already affected gasoline prices in Canada, with the average price at the pump steadily increasing over the last few weeks. On Wednesday, according to GasBuddy.com, the average retail gasoline price in Canada was 156.2 cents per litre.

"We do expect prices to continue to rise throughout the spring and potentially summer," de Haan said in a email, adding prices typically rise in the spring anyway and the situation in eastern Europe is expected to exacerbate that trend.

"All of these factors could contribute to gas prices potentially increasing 15 to 30 cents per litre between now and the end of May, or more depending on the outcome of the Russia situation," he said.

The tensions in Ukraine could also impact global trade flows of agriculture and fertilizer products, warned Canadian potash giant Nutrien Ltd. (Russia is the second-largest global producer of potash, following Canada).

"Nutrien hopes for a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Europe," said Megan Fielding, a spokeswoman for the Saskatoon-based company, in an email. "We cannot predict the impact that geopolitical events may have on the global market, however we continue to monitor the situation and do our part to ensure our customers get what they need."

A TD Economics report Wednesday said the economic fallout from the Ukraine crisis will be "highly path dependent on what comes next" and the scope of any further Russian incursion into Ukraine. TD laid out two scenarios  one in which oil prices spike but then reverse within a quarter or two.

In a second, more severe scenario, TD says the energy shock could be accompanied by a "global confidence shock" that drags equity markets down and could impact Canadian economic growth in 2022.

One Canadian company with operations in Ukraine said Wednesday it is bracing for potential war by moving its employees far away from the conflict line. TIU Canada, a solar energy company owned by Calgary-based Refraction Asset Management, has been working in Ukraine since 2016 and has invested more than $65 million in Ukrainian solar power plants.

"We have also ensured our employees have necessary emergency supplies in the event of a catastrophe as well as arranged temporary locations to shelter-in-place if needed," said TIU Canada chief executive Michael Yurkovich, in an emailed statement.

TIU Canada, which was the first investor in Ukraine under the Canadian Ukrainian Free Trade Agreement and remains one of the largest Canadian investors in Ukraine, said it feels strongly that NATO and the UN must step in and stop Russian escalation.

"Nevertheless, our company continues to operate and produce energy in Ukraine," Yurkovich said. "In some places the population continues to act calmly and go about business. That includes us."

On Wednesday, flights to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv appeared unavailable through Air Canada's website until March 9. The Montreal-based airline does not fly directly to Ukraine, but offers flights to Kyiv and the port city of Odessa via Star Alliance partner airlines such as Lufthansa and Swiss International Air, which have both halted trips to the embattled country.

Air Canada said last week it will allow customers flying to Ukraine to change their trip with no fees.

Toronto-based gold miner Kinross Gold Corp., which has operations in Russia, said its operations are unaffected by the U.S. sanctions announced Tuesday.

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Kinross, which operates the Kupol mine in the Chukotka region in the northeastern corner of Russia, noted it has successfully operated in Russia for more than 25 years and has previously managed through similar situations.

In addition to the Kupol mine, Kinross has the Udinsk project in Russia.

Kinross, which also has mines and projects in the U.S., Brazil, Mauritania, Chile and Ghana, said it expects about 13 per cent of its global production this year to come from Russia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2022.

With files from The Associated Press and Christopher Reynolds in Montreal.

Companies in this story: (TSX:K; TSX:AC)
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Representatives of South Florida's higher-speed railroad, other train lines and local governments met with federal safety officials Wednesday to begin working out plans that they hope will decrease the number of fatal collisions between locomotives, cars and pedestrians.

A Brightline passenger train passes by Nov. 27, 2019 in Oakland Park, Fla. South Florida's higher-speed railroad, other train lines and local officials met with federal safety officials Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022 to begin working out plans that they hope will decrease the number of fatal strikes between locomotives, cars and pedestrians. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Representatives of South Florida's higher-speed railroad, other train lines and local governments met with federal safety officials Wednesday to begin working out plans that they hope will decrease the number of fatal collisions between locomotives, cars and pedestrians.

The Federal Railroad Administration called the meeting as Brightline, the region's new higher-speed passenger service, and other Florida railroads have seen a rash of fatal accidents over the past four years.

Brightline has had 58 deaths since it began operations in 2017, including three in the past 10 days, giving it the nation's worst fatality rate per mile, according to an ongoing Associated Press analysis that began in 2019. Other Florida railroads are not far behind.

None of the deaths have been found to be the fault of Floridas railroads or their crews, but that doesn't mean the rail lines and federal, state and local governments can't find mitigation strategies that work, said James Payne, who oversees the agencys grade-crossing safety program.

There is an issue in South Florida: People are dying, Payne said. He said the region's railroads should be aggressive in applying for chunks of the $15 billion in federal grants aimed at improving the nation's rail safety. About 1,200 people die annually nationwide, he said.

South Florida's commuter service Tri-Rail has the 13th-worst fatality rate and the Florida East Coast freight line is 15th-worst out of more than 800 U.S. railroads, according to the AP analysis. Most of the fatal accidents have been caused by drivers going around crossing gates, pedestrians trying to beat trains and suicides.

The fact that the train crews haven't been responsible for the collisions doesn't alleviate their mental distress, said Karl Alexy, the railroad administration's chief safety officer. The AP has obtained police reports on about two-thirds of Brightlines accidents; they show that at least 31 of its engineers and conductors have been involved in at least one fatal accident, at least 17 have been in two or more and at least six have been in four or five.

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This isn't something these engineers and conductors experience and go home and brush it off, Alexy said. It stays with them  some of them retire because of the effect it has on them.

Brightline spokesman Ben Porritt, who attended the meeting, said no one strategy will work to decrease the number of deaths  each section of track must be examined separately. In response to the accidents, Brightline has installed infrared detectors to warn engineers if anyone is lurking near the tracks so they can slow down or stop.

The company also has added more fencing and landscaping to make track access more difficult, is testing drones to monitor the tracks and is installing red-light cameras at crossings to enable police to ticket drivers who go around guardrails.

Porritt said the meeting showed the need for collaboration between the railroads, governments and law enforcement.

This is not just a Brightline issue, he said.

Brightline is nearing completion of an extension that will connect West Palm Beach and Orlando. It has plans to eventually connect Orlando with Tampa. It is also building a line that will connect Southern California with Las Vegas.
MONTREAL - With the Omicron variant in retreat, Canadians looking to get away for spring break now have a more robust range of travel insurance options.

This November 2012, file photo shows the view of the bay off Isla Mujeres in Mexico. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Amanda Lee Myers, File

MONTREAL - With the Omicron variant in retreat, Canadians looking to get away for spring break now have a more robust range of travel insurance options.

The federal government announced last week it will roll back testing and quarantine restrictions and lift its blanket advisory against trips abroad, effective Monday.

Although Canada's requirement for pre-departure COVID-19 molecular testing will end on that date, potentially cheaper and easier-to-access rapid antigen tests will be mandatory. Unvaccinated children under 12 will also no longer need to self-isolate upon return to the country.

For insurance seekers, the biggest change will be felt after the travel warning is removed. An insured traveller can now get full medical coverage if they're hospitalized on foreign soil due to COVID-19, as companies add the virus to their polices again after removing or reducing it when Ottawa rolled out its travel warning in mid-December.

"Now there are no riders, no caps on it," said Marty Firestone, president of Toronto-based insurance broker Travel Secure.

If tourists test positive they will still have to wait 10 days before returning to Canada, but it's a cost they can hedge with a relatively new insurance option.

So-called quarantine coverage, which might cover $200 a day for up to 10 days, includes expenses incurred due to a stay prolonged by the pandemic, such as accommodations, food, local transportation and sometimes airfare. It is distinct from trip interruption insurance, which reimburses customers for prepaid travel arrangements that go unused.

However, Firestone says insurers continue to exclude pandemics from their trip cancellation coverage, meaning payments for resort packages or short-term rentals could be lost should border closures resume.

"You still won't be able to claim if your reason for not going is COVID-related," he said, adding that insurance companies may leave out global epidemics indefinitely.

"I think they're all going to cover their behinds a bit here now and never get into that position again ... You are never going to be covered for cancelling a trip because of a pandemic anymore," Firestone predicted.

Airlines sell various forms of trip cancellation coverage to customers who buy a package from them.

Airlines and travel agents say bookings are on the rise again as the Omicron-fuelled surge in cases recedes and Canadians locked at home for much of the past two years clamber for escape to sunnier climes.

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau said Friday reservations were ticking upward over the past month. Bookings at travel agencies Flight Centre and Tripcentral.ca rose to between 40 and 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in the days leading up to last week's federal announcement, and towered over numbers from the same time last year, when Caribbean flights were halted.

With COVID-19-related cancellations still unviable as a claim, Firestone recommended that groups putting down large deposits hash out a refund agreement with the "end user"  resorts, rental companies, tour operators.

Cruise travel also remains at a Level 4 advisory as the government warns citizens to "avoid all cruises." The notice affects insurance coverage, with days spent quarantining in one's cabin  and paying for it  likely unclaimable, said insurance lawyer Sivan Tumarkin.

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Trips prolonged due to a positive test result may be covered for those with certain pre-existing conditions.

Tumarkin's own father opted to stay put for that reason, despite aching for a sunny vacation.

"Because he's 71, he had to answer these additional questions from Manulife. He has underlying conditions, and once I ticked off a few of those, I got to a paragraph that says, 'Well, if you said yes to any one of these things, then he will not qualify," Tumarkin recalled.

"The mindset has shifted from, 'Am I going to be covered for my medical expenses if I get sick abroad because of COVID' ... to, 'What happens if I fly and I can't come back because I test positive?'"

Those relying on their credit cards, particularly older clients, should check the fine print for details like the length of time they're covered while overseas, he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2022.
Tuesday was the first day on the job for Nick Hays as the new CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

Tuesday was the first day on the job for Nick Hays as the new CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

Hays, an industry veteran who was based in Vancouver for the past five years, has worked in many places around the world including several temperate Asian locations.

So perhaps it was fitting that his introduction to his new posting would be on a bone-chilling Winnipeg winter day.

On the cold weather, Hays said, It will be an adjustment but it has been a very warm reception and Im very glad to be here.

Hays takes over roughly two years into the pandemic that has wiped out close to 75 per cent of the WAAs revenue.

But rather that talk about running an enterprise thats in the middle of a downward spiral, Hays is looking to the future and with the pandemic subsiding, it will trigger improved projections for the industry.

The whole industry has been severely impacted by the pandemic, he said in his first media interview since his appointment was announced at the beginning of the month.

The Winnipeg Airports Authority is no different. We have not been immune to that by any stretch of the imagination. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

His most recent posting was as the Canadian head of Vanderlande, a global market leader in logistics automation solutions for the aviation, courier/express/parcel, e-commerce and warehousing sectors.

That makes him very familiar with the air cargo business, perhaps the one element that differentiates the Winnipeg airport more than anything else.

Hays said that cargo offers plenty of opportunities for it to continue to play a key role for the airport in its job as an engine for economic growth.

There are certain investments and projects under way in order for us to continue to tap into that opportunity and grow that market and grow our position as a cargo hub and fundamentally to support the economy here, Hays said

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In addition to being introduced to Winnipeg on a classically cold day, he also was greeted by an announcement from Air Canada about the launch of new services on four transborder and three domestic routes, as well as the restoration of 41 North American routes this summer.

But the only Winnipeg addition is a weekly flight to Ottawa.

Asked about the prospects of attracting new routes and new airlines, Hays said it is a process that will take time.

Every airport has seen a dramatic drop in connectivity in air service, he said. We are no different. The key is to continue to have a good, open, collaborative approach with the airlines and to work with them closely, understand their needs and supporting them and helping them to re-open and restore connectivity.

Like everywhere else, Winnipeggers are itching to travel. Hays said its his job and the job of the airport to ensure that we can facilitate that in a safe and secure way with a great experience for the passengers and for the carriers.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
In late October 2021, after a tumultuous year and a half of the pandemic, protests and escalating gun violence, Buffalo Police Commissioner Byron Lockwood put out a request to his officers and staff.

It was the 150th year of the Buffalo Police Department. In less turbulent times, there would have been any number of ceremonies and events to mark the special anniversary throughout the year.

"I didn't want this year to go by without celebrating our 150th anniversary," Lockwood said.

He had an idea: The hallways of Buffalo Police Headquarters are adorned with old photos including one from 1933 of hundreds of uniformed officers lined up in front of the McKinley Monument, with City Hall in the background.

He wanted to try and do something similar. So he asked anyone interested to come join him for a group photo. About 100 officers took part.

Looking around at the crowd that had gathered, Lockwood noted that a lot has changed since that other photo was taken 88 years ago, everything from technology to the makeup of the department.

"It can just show you the transition. It went from all white males. Now, it's diverse. Male, female, people of color," he said.

In his 38 years with the Buffalo Police Department, Lockwood has been a part of that historic transition, from being one of a few Black men hired by the department following court-ordered affirmative action plans, to being its top cop  the second Black man to hold the job.

Lockwood, 63, retires at the end of this week and talked about his career with The Buffalo News. He has served as commissioner for the last four years, during which he focused on growing relationships between the police and the public.

His goal was for all police officers to think of themselves as a "community police officer."

When he first started at the police academy, Lockwood, who grew up on the East Side, had never dreamed of becoming commissioner, although he had wanted to be an officer since he was a little kid.

He remembers how some officers, not all, made sure to let rookies on the force who were Black, had Spanish surnames or were women know they weren't welcome.

"When I came on, you were just trying to keep your job ... to survive. Any little thing you did or if someone didn't like you they would go out of the way to get you," Lockwood recalled.

In his class at the academy, there were 48 recruits  22 white, 22 Black and four Hispanic. Just 10 Black recruits were left by the end of the academy, although some would later win their jobs back.

Lockwood said it was tougher for Black officers then. It wasn't necessarily about race. Many officers had family and friends already on the force. He didn't know anybody, and no one was going to cut him any slack.

"I knew I couldn't do what other people could do. I knew I had to be on top. Be there on top or be there earlier ... I knew I had to follow the rules and regulations right down the line. Right to the T," he said.

Lockwood started as a patrol officer in the old Precinct 4, which was located at Michigan and William streets. He later became a detective and worked in various units: vice, narcotics, intelligence and homicide. He then became detective sergeant and was based in what would become the Ferry-Fillmore District (C District). In 2006, he was promoted to deputy police commissioner and in 2018, Mayor Byron Brown named him the commissioner.

'Lets not go in there as soldiers'

Brown said he chose Lockwood because of their shared ideas about the role of policing.

"I knew that he shared my passion and shared a desire to bolster community policing. And that was one of the key reasons why I chose him for that position," said Brown, who has been friends with Lockwood for decades.

Lockwood tried to set a new tone.

Lets not go in there as soldiers, Lockwood described his message, back in 2018. Lets go in there as officers who are going to reach out and see where we can help in the community. Im not saying we can fix all of the problems, but  as far as public safety, we can help them with that  making sure their neighborhoods are safe.

He disbanded the controversial Strike Force team that sent police officers into crime hot spots and introduced the Neighborhood Engagement Team, a group of a dozen officers who were tasked with reaching out to neighbors in those high-crime areas.

He made sure those officers knew that making arrests wasn't their priority.

Despite being the head of the department, Lockwood tended to stay away from the spotlight. He rarely spoke at news conferences. But he was well-known for attending community events, whether they had anything to do with policing.

Having grown up in Buffalo, he had a close connection to what happened on the streets. "They always say Buffalo is a small city," he said. He found that far too often, he would know family members of the victims of crimes.

During his tenure, Lockwood tried new approaches to old problems. He started the Gun Violence Unit, a squad that focuses on nonfatal shootings.

He and the mayor held events they called "Taking it to the streets," where they would bring a mobile command van to a neighborhood for a day.

He formed the Behavioral Health Team, which pairs specially trained police officers with mental health clinicians to respond to people experiencing mental health crises. That came together in late 2020 at a tense time, after a Buffalo police officer shot and wounded a homeless man who struck another officer with a bat. Some activists were demanding that police be completely removed from such a role.

The team's approach has since proved successful, with hundreds of people in crisis steered into programs and services, Brown said. "They're not being arrested," he said.

Covid slows efforts

Up until 2020, Lockwood believes his approach to community policing was showing signs of success  people in the community were calling the police with tips and information. And it seemed to be catching on within the department, too. Officers would approach him with ideas on projects to take on with the public. District chiefs were competing against each other in putting on the most fun community open houses.

But almost all attempts at engaging the public came to a halt as Covid-19 spread throughout the world. The virus struck many police officers. At one point one full platoon was out sick.

Community events weren't allowed and the station houses even closed their doors to the public for fear of spreading Covid.

"It was really tough," he said.

But as the pandemic seems to be winding down, those community policing efforts are starting back up, Lockwood said. And he's confident that they will continue after he leaves.

He hopes he shared his devotion to the community with the younger rank and file who follow him. "You've got to get along with the community," he said.

He said he hopes officers take to heart something he makes a point to share with new police officers.

When you're a police officer, quite often, you're meeting people under terrible circumstances. "That's the worst day of their life ... The emotions are very, very high," he said. "So the first impression shouldn't be the last impression. So you have to go in there and you have to work with them to bring them down and let them understand that, hey, we can get through this. We're going to work on this ... I try to tell all the new classes that come out that."

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New Hampshire has reached a $25 million settlement with agrochemical giant Monsanto over what the state says has been widespread PCB pollution in waterways and other state-owned property, the attorney generals office said Tuesday.

New Hampshire has reached a $25 million settlement with agrochemical giant Monsanto over what the state says has been widespread PCB pollution in waterways and other state-owned property, the attorney generals office said Tuesday.

The state alleges that the contamination over nearly 50 years from Monsanto and two spinoff companies, Solutia and Pharmacia, polluted 104 waterways in the state that required numerous fish advisories. It also alleged that the PCB contamination is much more widespread than previously thought, and that the companies knew of the dangers but failed to warn the public.

New Hampshire has a long and proud tradition of protecting our precious natural resources, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement. As an environmental engineer, I spent many years cleaning up PCB contamination, and I know firsthand the costs these efforts can place on individuals and communities. We are holding polluters accountable.

Sununu said the settlement ensured the state would have the "financial resources necessary to remedy the harm that PCBs have caused to our environment.

PCBs are toxic industrial chemicals, now banned, that have accumulated in plants, fish, birds and people for decades. PCBs were used in many industrial and commercial applications, including in paint, coolants, sealants and hydraulic fluids.

Monsanto, based in St. Louis, produced them from 1935 until 1977, two years before they were banned by Congress.

German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer, which bought Monsanto in 2018, said in the settlement agreement that it did not admit to any allegations in the complaint, nor any wrongdoing nor any violations of the law.

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We have reached an agreement with the Attorney General of New Hampshire that will resolve all of the states claims regarding PCBs and result in the dismissal of the states case, and contains no admission of liability by the company," Bayer said in a statement, claiming that it never manufactured, used, or disposed of PCBs near or in New Hampshire waterways.

Citing internal documents, the state says companies continued selling PCB mixtures even though they knew the compounds would lead to contamination of human food (particularly fish), the killing of some marine species (shrimp), and the possible extinction of several species of fish-eating birds.

The state said that PCBs have fouled about 81 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean and 46 other water bodies, including stretches of the Souhegan River and Squam Lake, where PCBs have been linked to a reduction in the loon population and found in the states seal population.

Testing in Squam Lake, the third largest in the state, found 160 PCB substances in fish in concentrations over 20 parts per billion. The state also found PCBs in loon eggs at the lake at over 10,000 parts per billion.

As a result, stronger advisories against eating fish have been issued for some waterways.

Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states related to PCB contamination. Two years ago, Monsanto agreed to pay $95 million over PCB contamination in the state of Washington. Also, the company announced a $650 million settlement with several California cities along with communities in Washington, Maryland and Oregon. Lawsuits have been filed in Maryland and Delaware.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)  Amid a renewed push to ban smoking in Atlantic City's casinos, a new report released Wednesday predicts that doing so could cost up to 2,500 casino jobs and nearly 11% of casinos' revenue as they struggle to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

This Feb. 10, 2022 photo shows a gambler smoking while playing a slot machine at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City N.J. A report released Feb. 23, 2022 by the Casino Association of New Jersey says a proposed smoking ban at Atlantic City's casinos could lead to the loss of 2,500 casino jobs and almost 11% of the casinos' revenue. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)  Amid a renewed push to ban smoking in Atlantic City's casinos, a new report released Wednesday predicts that doing so could cost up to 2,500 casino jobs and nearly 11% of casinos' revenue as they struggle to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

The independent gambling research firm Spectrum Gaming Group compiled the report that supports casinos longstanding contention that eliminating smoking would hurt their business, deprive New Jersey of tax revenue and put thousands of people out of work.

A group of casino workers and smoking opponents criticized the report, saying it prioritizes profits over the health of employees and customers. They also said it fails to examine what would happen in subsequent years as patrons get used to a smoking ban, citing the experience of some tribal casinos where it rebounded.

The Casino Association of New Jersey commissioned the report, which did not recommend whether smoking should be banned, an option that is gaining renewed support in the state Legislature. New Jersey's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, has said he will sign a smoking ban into law if a bill is passed.

Among other findings, it determined that smokers, who account for 21% of Atlantic City gamblers, are worth more to casinos than non-smokers in that they tend to lose more money and spend more on non-gambling items.

Joe Lupo, president of the casino association and of Atlantic City's Hard Rock casino, said Atlantic City faces some very dire issues.

He said casino employment and visitation to Atlantic City are both at 20-year lows, and in-person gambling revenue has yet to return to pre-COVID levels, down 5% in 2021 compared to 2019.

FILE: In this Dec. 9, 2021 file photo, Nicole Vitola, a dealer at the Borgata casino, speaks at a protest outside the state capitol in Trenton N.J. to call on the state Legislature to permanently ban smoking in the casinos. A report released Feb. 23, 2022 by the Casino Association of New Jersey says a proposed smoking ban at Atlantic City's casinos could lead to the loss of 2,500 casino jobs and almost 11% of the casinos' revenue. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry, FILE)

Now is not the time to enact a smoking ban, he said, adding that doing so could cause a devastating effect to the community and state.

Nicole Vitola, a Borgata dealer and a leader of the group pushing for a smoking ban, said workers cannot continue to choose between our health and a paycheck.

This study, paid for by the casino industry, shows once again that they care more about outdated business practices than they do about the lives and health of their workers, she said. Casinos blatant disregard for our well-being is disgraceful, especially after they just received tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks from the state."

The group Americans for Non-Smokers' Rights cited a July tribal gambling conference in Las Vegas at which panelists reported that revenue lost during the first year of smoking bans rebounded in subsequent years to higher than what it was before the bans.

They also cited a comment last fall from Bill Miller, president of the American Gaming Association, that some casinos have enacted smoking bans without detrimental effects.

Smoking is allowed on 25% of the casino floor in Atlantic City. The casinos claim that banning it would send smokers fleeing to neighboring Pennsylvania, where many casinos allow smoking.

A group of Atlantic City casino workers, aided by national non-smoking groups, has been pushing for over a year for New Jersey to close the loophole in its public smoking law that allows it to continue in casinos; it is banned in most other indoor spaces.

They complain of developing respiratory ailments and other harm from breathing second-hand smoke, despite the millions invested by casinos in filters and air purifying technology.

Legislation to end casino smoking died in last year's legislative session, but has been reintroduced this year, and has garnered bipartisan support.

Atlantic City banned smoking for four weeks in 2008, but dissatisfied with the results, quickly restored it to the current 25% level. In the first week of the ban, casino winnings declined by 19.5%, according to casino workers union officials and state regulators.

The report asserted that between 1,021 to 2,512 jobs could be lost in the first year of a smoking ban in Atlantic City. Spectrum used data from 2019 that found that each casino job was supported by $155,008 of gambling revenue.

They also interviewed casino executives, workers and customers, and anti-smoking advocacy groups, and studied the experience of other states that have banned casino smoking.

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At the high end of its projections, the report says 10% of Atlantic City's casino workforce could lose their jobs if smoking is banned.

It also found that with a smoking ban, non-gambling revenue would fall by up to $93 million, or 6.5%, and tax revenue would fall by up to 44%.

The report also acknowledged that some non-smoking patrons would be more likely to visit casinos if smoking was banned. But the report found that the extra business would not be enough to offset an overall decline in gambling revenue.

It does not expect every smoker to stop coming to Atlantic City's casinos if smoking is banned. About 13% of smokers would still visit casinos, according to the report, and they also have the option of gambling online.

___

Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at @WayneParryAC
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP)  Cyclone Emnati crashed into the southeastern coast of Madagascar in the early hours of Wednesday, ripping roofs off houses and raising fears of flooding and food shortages in a region still recovering from the destruction inflicted by another tropical storm just weeks ago.

FILE  People outside ruined homes in Mananjary, Madagascar, Feb. 10, 2022. The island of Madagascar off the east coast of Africa is bracing for yet another cyclone having already been hit by three major tropical storms in the last month. Cyclone Emnati is expected to make landfall on the eastern coast of Madagascar late Tuesday Feb. 22, 2022, amid fears it will be a stronger storm than the three that have left nearly 200 people dead this cyclone season. (AP Photo/Viviane Rakotoarivony, File)

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP)  Cyclone Emnati crashed into the southeastern coast of Madagascar in the early hours of Wednesday, ripping roofs off houses and raising fears of flooding and food shortages in a region still recovering from the destruction inflicted by another tropical storm just weeks ago.

More than 30,000 people were moved to safe accommodation before Emnati arrived and Madagascar's National Office for Risk and Disaster Management estimates more than 250,000 people could be impacted by the latest cyclone.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries from Emnati as authorities waited for the worst to pass, but local officials and witnesses reported extensive damage to houses and other buildings in at least one southeastern city.

Madagascar, an island off the east coast of Africa renowned for its wildlife and unspoiled natural treasures, has now been hit by four major tropical storms in the last month, killing nearly 200 people already and compounding issues of food insecurity. A drought in the south of the country left around 400,000 at risk of starvation last year, according to the U.N. World Food Program.

The cyclones have again underlined how climate change may be affecting weather patterns and putting lives at risk in vulnerable places like Madagascar. The U.N. weather agency previously warned of more high-impact tropical cyclones that are linked to climate change hitting the region.

A string of aid agencies said that Emnati will be a double blow for the eastern and southeastern regions that were hit by Cyclone Batsirai early this month. Batsirai ultimately left more than 120 people dead and displaced 143,000. More than 20,000 houses were destroyed or damaged by Batsirai, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said, and more than 21,000 people remain displaced.

The U.N. humanitarian office said before Emnati arrived that it was in a race against time to protect people again.

Emnati made landfall around midnight local time in the district of Manakara Atsimo in the southeast, with average sustained winds of 135 kph (84 mph) and gusts as strong as 190 kph (118 mph), Madagascars Department of Meteorology said. Six regions in the southeast are on red alert, most of them already hard-hit by Batsirai.

We cant go out so its hard to see what happened but from what I can see from the gendarmerie barracks, theres a lot of damage. Many houses no longer have roofs, said Lt. Col. Harinaivo Randriamihajamanana, the commander of the Gendarmerie Group in the Fitovinany region and based in the city of Manakara. We have not received any calls because the telephone communication has been very disrupted. We have had no electricity and water since yesterday (Tuesday) morning.

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The Emnati system had weakened as it worked its way over the Indian Ocean toward Madagascar, the meteorology department said, but it warned that flooding was still likely.

Manakara resident Gabriel Filiastre said his family joined others in taking refuge inside the main hall of a hotel where he works as Emnati hit.

My house is completely flooded," Filiastre said. "We couldnt sleep inside. Its a wooden house. I saw a lot of houses around our house that are destroyed. For us, this cyclone did more damage than the one before.

Even in the hotel there is a lot of damage. One of the walls collapsed ... the roof tiles have been blown away and some of the ceilings of the rooms have collapsed. We need help."

The U.N. World Food Program and other aid organizations have warned of the risk of critical food shortages due to crops being destroyed and transport links disrupted. Forecasters have also predicted eight to 12 more cyclones in the Madagascar region before the cyclone season normally ends in May.

Emnati is expected to cross the southeastern part of Madagascar and spin out to sea again, according to the meteorology department, meaning it should miss mainland Africa, where previous cyclones have also caused deaths and destruction.
Driving a rugged Subaru through snowy weather is a rite of passage for some New Englanders, whose region is a top market for the Japanese automaker.

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., uses a tire changing machine at his shop, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Burlington. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Driving a rugged Subaru through snowy weather is a rite of passage for some New Englanders, whose region is a top market for the Japanese automaker.

So it was a surprise to Subaru fans when Massachusetts dealerships started selling its line of 2022 vehicles without a key ingredient: the in-car wireless technology that connects drivers to music, navigation, roadside assistance and crash-avoiding sensors.

The dealer didnt bring it up, said Joy Tewksbury-Pabst, who bought a new Subaru Ascent without realizing she'd be missing out on the remote start and locking features she had before trading in her 2019 model. She also lost the ability to check wiper fluid levels, tire pressure and mileage from her phone.

Whats happening in Massachusetts mirrors a broader battle over who has the right to repair increasingly complex electronic products -- from iPhones and farm tractors to the family car.

About 75% of Massachusetts voters sided with the auto repair industry in 2020 by passing a ballot initiative that's supposed to allow car owners and their preferred auto shops to more easily peek into a cars trove of online data. Automakers have been fighting it in court ever since.

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., completes work on a vehicle, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, at his shop, in Burlington. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

And two of them, Subaru and Kia, said that rather than run afoul of the new law, they would disable their wireless telematics systems from new models in the state. Car buyers and dealerships have been feeling the effects.

Its certainly a bummer, said Joe Clark, general manager of the Steve Lewis Subaru dealership in the western Massachusetts town of Hadley. People are calling back after the fact, realizing theyre missing out.

Tewksbury-Pabst was one of more than 2.5 million people who voted for the ballot measure in Nov. 2020, after an expensive electoral fight marked by dueling TV commercials. She believes it will help independent auto shops compete with dealerships' in-house repair shops.

She's mostly frustrated with Subaru, describing its reaction to the law as like a child that didnt get their way and took their ball and went home.

Cars already have a diagnostic port that mechanics can access for basic repair information, but independent auto shops say that only carmakers and their dealers have access to the real-time diagnostics that cars now transmit wirelessly. That's increasingly important amid the shift to electric cars, many of which don't have those diagnostic ports.

The law requires automakers to create an open standard for sharing mechanical data. Subaru spokesperson Dominick Infante said the impossibility of complying" with that provision "is a disservice to both our retailers and our customers.

Brian Hohmann, mechanic and owner of Accurate Automotive, in Burlington, Mass., points to a readout on a laptop computer that shows ignition patterns in the engine of a vehicle, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Burlington. The readout was made possible by a diagnostics scan tool, not shown, attached to the vehicle that sends information about the cars performance to the laptop. Hohmann said most independent shops are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

The data platform that the new law requires to provide the data does not exist and will not exist any time soon, he said in an email.

An auto industry trade group immediately sued the state's Attorney General Maura Healey after the law's passage to stop it from taking effect, arguing that the timeline was unreasonable, the penalties too onerous, and that automatically sharing so much driver data with third parties presented cybersecurity and privacy risks.

Part of the fight is also over who gets to alert drivers and encourage them to visit when the car senses it needs a repair. The current system favors dealerships, which many auto shops fear will soon put them out of work if independent mechanics can't get get easy access to the software upgrades and mechanical data needed to make basic repairs  from tire alignments to broken seat heaters.

If we dont have access to repair information, diagnostic information, youre putting an entire workforce out of business, said Bob Lane, owner of Direct Tire & Auto Service, in the Boston suburb of Watertown. If the only person who can fix a car, because of a data standpoint, is the dealership, the consumer has lost the choice.

The right-to-repair movement now has a powerful ally in U.S. President Joe Biden, who signed an executive order last year promoting competition in the repair business and has already counted some victories after Apple and Microsoft voluntary began making it easier for consumers to fix their own phones and laptops.

Denying the right to repair raises prices for consumers, Biden said in January. It means independent repair shops cant compete for your business.

The Federal Trade Commission and state legislatures have also been eyeing regulatory changes. Under scrutiny are restrictions that steer consumers into manufacturers and sellers repair networks, adding costs to consumers and shutting out independent shops, many of which are owned by entrepreneurs from poor communities. U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat, introduced a bill this month to enable car repair shops to get the same data available to dealerships.

Brian Hohmann has spent decades adapting to changes in automotive technology, from attending a school to fix carburetors  now an obsolete technology  to learning how to program.

Essentially every car now is 50 computers with four tires on it, said Hohmann, owner of Accurate Automotive in the Boston suburb of Burlington. If you're not computer-savvy, you struggle.

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But Hohmann said most independent garages are perfectly capable of competing with dealerships on both repair skills and price as long as they have the information and software access they need. That often involves buying expensive, automaker-specific scanners, or paying for a day pass or yearly subscription to get needed access.

Massachusetts rules already favor independent auto repairers more than other places thanks to an earlier right-to-repair law passed by voters in 2012. But that was before most cars started wirelessly transmitting much of their crucial data outside the car  presenting what auto shops see as a loophole to the existing rules focused on in-car diagnostics.

Automakers argue that independent shops can already get the data they need, with permission  but making it automatically accessible by third parties is dangerous.

Such data access "could, in the wrong hands, spell disaster, said the lawsuit brought by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation  a trade group backed by Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other big automakers, including Subaru and Kia.

The case is now in the hands of U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock, who is reviewing whether to split off the most disputed ballot provision to let the other parts take effect. A decision is expected in March after delays caused by the actions of Subaru and Kia, which the state says the automakers should have disclosed earlier. Massachusetts lawmakers are also looking at postponing the law's effects to give carmakers more time to comply.

Subaru and Kia have said most drivers will still be able to use driving-specific Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to stream music or get navigational assistance.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  One by one, embassies and international offices in Kyiv closed. Flight after flight was canceled when insurance companies balked at covering planes arriving in Ukraine. Hundreds of millions of dollars in investment dried up within weeks.

FILE - Workers walk and cycle along the coal transporters at the front-line Avdiivka coking plant in eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015. The squeezing of Ukraine's economy is a key destabilizing tactic in what the government describes as "hybrid warfare" intended to eat away at the country from within. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  One by one, embassies and international offices in Kyiv closed. Flight after flight was canceled when insurance companies balked at covering planes arriving in Ukraine. Hundreds of millions of dollars in investment dried up within weeks.

With Russian troops encircling much of the country, Ukrainian businesses large and small no longer plan for the future  they can barely foresee what will happen week to week.

It is Ukraine, not Russia, where the economy is eroding the fastest under the threat of war. Even before Russian troops rolled into rebel-held areas in the country's east and Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist region, Ukraine was the biggest loser in the agonizing, slow-motion aggression.

Why is it that we are suffering consequences already? And Russia, who is actually threatening the whole world, in Europe, is not suffering any consequences? asked Andrey Stavnitser, CEO of the port operator TIS Group.

The squeezing of Ukraines economy is a key destabilizing tactic in what the government describes as hybrid warfare intended to eat away at the country from within. The Ukrainian president is also juggling state-sponsored cyberattacks, a Russia-backed separatist movement and the threat of 150,000 Russian soldiers surrounding his country on three sides.

The economic woes include restaurants that dare not keep more than a few days of food on hand, stalled plans for a hydrogen production plant that could help wean Europe off Russian gas and uncertain conditions for shipping in the Black Sea, where container ships must carefully edge their way around Russian military vessels.

Stavnitser said the Black Sea ports are operating as usual for now, but its only a matter of time before the same insurance problems that cut off commercial flights start to hit the shipping industry. Ukraine is one of the worlds top grain exporters, loading container ships that carry 12% of the worlds wheat supply and 16% of its corn.

Alex Riabchyn is a former member of Ukraines parliament who now spearheads a project to set up hydrogen plants for the national Naftogaz energy company. The idea is to give Europe  and especially its largest economy, Germany  a stable new source of hydrogen, which can be used to produce low-emission energy for transport, industry and other uses.

What he hears from European investors now is we can buy everything that you can produce, but to come and invest to build these plants, its too risky.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock over the weekend acknowledged that the constant threat against Ukraine is "having very real effects  on investments, on air traffic, on jobs and on the daily life of people.

She said the Group of Seven ministers of leading industrial nations promised to ensure Ukraine gets help for financial stability.

Since the beginning of the crisis in January, the national currency, the hryvnia, has steadily lost value, and it plunged 1% Tuesday after Russia recognized the two breakaway regions led by Russia-backed separatists. The United States last week offered a $1 billion loan guarantee, and the European Parliament approved $1.3 billion in loans for Ukraine to cover financing needs this year.

But by late January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that $12.5 billion had been withdrawn from accounts in the country. Last week, he called on members of parliament and businessmen who had fled to return. More than 20 charters and private jets left Kyiv last week, carrying some of the country's most prominent executives.

The more the government urges not to panic, the more nervous businesses are," said Volodymyr Sidenko, an analyst with the Razumkov Center.

In Russia, Margarite Simonyan, the head of the state-owned Russian RT news network, gloated last week that Kyiv's economy is in tatters, calling it "a small but pleasant thing.

But Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna said the destabilization of Ukraines economy isn't a side effect of the Russian threat, but the point. It saps faith in the government, and it forces Ukraine to divert attention and resources from needed reforms. It is, she said, an essential pillar of the hybrid war Russia is waging.

Its really important that we are resilient as we have never been before and we do our best to preserve the stability. But the longer this tension and escalation is taking place, the weaker Ukrainian economy can become, she said.

The Centre for Economics and Business research estimated this month that the conflict with Russia cost Ukraine $280 billion in lost gross domestic product between 2014 and 2020  with those loses expected to climb this year.

The United States and Europe worked out a series of limited sanctions on Tuesday, including targeting several Russian officials and banks financing the Russian armed forces, and putting limits on Moscows access to EU capital and financial markets.

Additional plans to target trade from the breakaway regions are unlikely to have much of an effect on them or Russia as they've been largely isolated from the international community since 2014.

Daniel Fried, a former U.S. diplomat who helped write sanctions in 2014, said the challenge in designing any new sanctions is that Russia is already succeeding in what he called the slow strangulation of Ukraine.

When we saw the airlines pull out of Kyiv  theyre not pulling out of Russia. Theyre pulling out of Kyiv. Putin is getting something that he wants without war.

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Kyiv restaurateur Ievgen Klopotenko said he keeps just a few days worth of stock in his kitchens, to avoid having his money literally rot away if the crisis worsens. Planning more than a year into the future, he said, is folly.

If something happens, I dont know, I will be open," he said, gesturing outside the window overlooking one of Kyiv's broad sunlit streets as though imagining a day when they would be filled with soldiers, not families looking for brunch. "If I need to cook for the army, I will cook for the army."

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Yuras Karmanau contributed to this report.

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Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government can revoke the powers in the Emergencies Act now that the crisis in Ottawa and at Canada's border crossings has calmed down.

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government can revoke the powers in the Emergencies Act now that the crisis in Ottawa and at Canada's border crossings has calmed down.

"We are confident that existing laws and bylaws are now sufficient to keep people safe," Trudeau told a news conference Wednesday.

"I want to reassure Canadians: law enforcement agencies are prepared to deal with anyone engaging in unlawful or dangerous activities."

Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, which replaced the War Measures Act in 1988, for the first time last week, saying police needed extra help to end protests against COVID-19 restrictions that had occupied downtown Ottawa for weeks and spread to key Canada-U.S. border crossings.

On Monday, Trudeau said the time-limited, extraordinary powers granted by the Emergencies Act were still needed because his government was worried about blockades returning.

Trudeau said Wednesday the threat remains, but order has been restored.

Justice Minister David Lametti said the emergency powers, which were set to expire mid-March at the latest, will officially end when the Governor General signs a proclamation to revoke the act.

Regulations under the Emergencies Act granted powers to turn tow trucks into essential services, require banks to freeze accounts of people participating directly or indirectly in the protest and designate no-go zones for public gatherings, including Parliament Hill, border crossings and other areas deemed to be critical infrastructure.

Police in Ottawa used those powers over the weekend to push demonstrators out of the core in a massive, multi-day operation.

Downtown Ottawa remains under heavy police supervision. Checkpoints throughout the core, where the parliamentary precinct and surrounding streets are fenced off, are expected to remain throughout the weekend.

Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen, a staunch critic of the government's decision to invoke the emergency powers, questioned Trudeau's decision to revoke them now  after defending their continued use only days ago.

"Nothing has changed between Monday and today other than a flood of concerns from Canadian citizens, bad press and international ridicule," Bergen said in a statement.

"Trudeau introduced it in the first place for his personal political gain. He revoked it now for the very same reason."

Alberta and Saskatchewan's premiers agreed the act never should have been invoked in the first place.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said there never was an emergency that required the extrajudicial powers afforded under the act, called the invocation an "abuse of power" and said the province would move ahead with a judicial review into the federal government's use of the legislation.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question during a news conference, Monday, February 21, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

There were multiple border blockades in place when the prime minister invoked the act on Feb. 14, but most had been cleared by the following evening when his government published cabinet orders spelling out the specific powers it was establishing under the act. Unrest continued at that time in downtown Ottawa, however.

Though the act's powers are no longer in force, the precedent the government set by invoking the legislation remains, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said in a statement.

The CCLA pledged to fight the government's use of the act in court, and said Wednesday it's still important for the court to weigh in as a guide to future governments.

The House of Commons passed a motion to approve the measures under the act Monday evening, with the NDP voting in favour alongside the minority Liberal government.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh had warned that his party would pull its support for the Emergencies Act as soon as it decided the measures are no longer necessary.

The Senate began debating a motion on the act Tuesday, but adjourned the discussion Wednesday after the prime minister's announcement.

Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos said he's relieved for the people of Canada that the powers have been revoked but disheartened by the damage that has been done for the sake of Trudeau's "politicking and legacy building."

"Sadly, despite the PMs attempted victory lap, nobody is a winner as a result of his actions," he said in a statement.

The integrated command centre, including Ottawa police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the RCMP, will continue to operate for an indeterminate amount of time, the RCMP said in a statement Wednesday.

The RCMP gave a list of influencers in the protest, as well as people who refused to move their vehicles from Ottawa's court, to financial institutions.

On Tuesday, Isabelle Jacques, the assistant deputy minister of finance, told a House of Commons committee that a total of 206 accounts involving $7.8 million were affected.

She also said the RCMP sent information to banks Monday about people whose accounts should no longer be affected.

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The power to freeze accounts will end once the act is officially revoked. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland warned some accounts will remain frozen under the regular authority of the courts, law enforcement and financial institutions.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office said Wednesday the provincial state of emergency to deal with anti-vaccine mandate blockades would be revoked to align with the federal government. The premier's office said "emergency tools" provided to law enforcement will stay in place for now to address ongoing activities.

Trudeau said that an inquiry into the circumstances that led up to the use of the emergency legislation, which is a requirement under the act, will take place within 60 days.

"It could look at policing," he said.

"The inquiry could also examine the funding, influence and disinformation that supported the illegal blockades and occupations, both foreign and domestic."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2022.
OTTAWA - The three-week long protest that gripped the capital and prompted the invocation of the Emergencies Act has now sparked a call for permanent changes to security in the parliamentary precinct, including the closure of a major street to vehicle traffic.

Machinery moves a concrete barricade past the Parliament buildings and a container of garbage from the Trucker protest which has occupied the streets of Ottawa, Sunday, February 20, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - The three-week long protest that gripped the capital and prompted the invocation of the Emergencies Act has now sparked a call for permanent changes to security in the parliamentary precinct, including the closure of a major street to vehicle traffic.

After grappling with the city's emergency response to the crisis, Mayor Jim Watson said Ottawa needs to consider changes to better protect local neighbourhoods and Parliament Hill.

"Every time there's been a security breach on Parliament Hill, it's acted as a catalyst for change," Watson said at a council meeting Wednesday.

The National Capital Region needs to start looking at itself differently than any other part of the country, the city manager said.

While the city discussed changes to the Hill, Ontario police were monitoring camps where groups of demonstrators appear to have regrouped in small towns to the east and west of Ottawa, in Arnprior and Vankleek Hill, Ont.

The first change in Ottawa will be the temporarily closure of Wellington Street to traffic. The street, which runs directly along Parliament Hill, will stay closed until a new council is elected and the city can work out a plan with the federal government for changes to precinct security.

"We do not want, in the short term or long term, another caravan coming and invading this very important space that I consider the most important street in the country," Watson said.

Police cleared the downtown Ottawa protest after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act last week. He revoked the emergency powers on Wednesday afternoon, saying order has been restored and the protest and other blockades are over.

Canada's seat of power is remarkably accessible to the public, and situated closely to businesses and residential buildings. The front lawn of Centre Block is reachable on foot to protesters and picnickers alike, and Wellington Street serves as a major throughway for the core.

Since protesters were driven out the city, the parliamentary precinct, including Wellington Street, has been fenced off and accessible only to people who work in the area.

Downtown Ottawa Coun. Catherine McKenney put forward the idea to open discussions to transfer ownership of the street to the federal government, putting security for that area under national jurisdiction.

Wellington Street is flanked by Parliament Hill on one side, and the Prime Minister's Office, the national press theatre, the Library of Parliament and other buildings of national significance on the other.

The councillor also suggested working with federal officials and the community to permanently close Wellington Street to all vehicles except public transit, pedestrians and cyclists.

During the demonstration "the entire responsibility really fell to the city to defend and protect Wellington Street," McKenney told council Wednesday.

Wellington Street is under the care and control of the city, Public Services Minister Filomena Tassi said in a statement, but the idea of closing it has been one of the possibilities long contemplated as part of reimagining the precinct.

Similar changes were made to the stretch of Pennsylvania Ave. that runs in front of the White House in 1995, when the Oklahoma City bombing put the U.S. on alert to the perils of domestic terrorism. That closure was made permanent in the wake of the attacks on D.C. and New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, although pedestrians can still stroll the street.

Ottawa's city manager said jurisdictional issues with security in Canada's National Capital Region need to be rethought as well.

"You end up with a lag with respect to how quickly the various organizations have to get engaged," city manager Steve Kanellakos said at a council meeting Wednesday.

Councillors floated the idea of developing a working group to modernize the various levels of government's responsibility in a crisis in the capital, since jurisdictional scuffles became a stumbling block in the response to the demonstrations.

It isn't the first time those time lags have been an issue, Kanellakos said. Similar frustrations were felt when downtown Ottawa was put into lockdown in 2014, when a shooter roamed the capital. He shot and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, a Canadian soldier and reservist on ceremonial sentry duty at the National War Memorial, before entering the Parliament buildings.

All the while, Kanellakos, who led the city's response at the time, said officials struggled to share information and co-ordinate between the different levels of government.

He said the National Capital Region should have a standing emergency plan that includes the city, provincial and federal governments, as well as possibly the city of Gatineau, Que., on the other side of the river.

There is a system in place to bring all the key players together, but it's not formal and isn't set up to respond to major events, said former Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau in an interview Wednesday.

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"There's no mechanism that, when it reaches a certain threshold, talks about joint command structures, unified command structures," said Bordeleau, who now operates as a public safety consultant.

He said before governments can go about making major changes to the security of Parliament, they first need to think about what exactly they're trying to solve.

"If you're trying to prevent large trucks from driving on Wellington and parking? Well, yeah, closing it is a solution. Bollards at both ends is another solution, when you have a demonstration. Or just putting roadblocks," he said.

The city has initiated a review of its own response to what officials have called an "occupation" of the capital, in hopes they'll have some ideas about how to handle future demonstrations in time for the summer. The federal government is expected to launch an inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act which may offer up other ideas to improve the response to the next crisis.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2022.

 With files from James McCarten in Washington, D.C.
A city councillor wants to end a legally mandated city method of alerting residents about development hearings.

A city councillor wants to end a legally mandated city method of alerting residents about development hearings.

Coun. Shawn Nasons motion would likely increase traffic to the citys website, but some fear it would make residents less likely to find out about projects that affect their neighbourhoods.

Nason (Transcona) would like to eliminate the citys requirement to buy newspaper ad space informing residents about the hearings, a rule included in Winnipegs provincially controlled charter.

"Its about modernization. Weve eliminated a lot of opportunities for access to information, for access to people. Its centralized through 311 or Winnipeg.ca (the citys website). Thats where we push the majority of our interactions with the residents," said Nason. "The City of Winnipeg (website) is the gold standard of where to look."

If council gives final approval to the motion, the city would ask the Manitoba government to amend the charter to allow the change.

Nason said all residents can access the citys website quickly without paying a fee, making it a very accessible option. He said those who dont have a personal computer could get free access to one at a municipal library.

However, others fear the change threatens to reduce public awareness of important city projects.

"Its basically taking away one method of informing people and not replacing it with anything else," said Bob Cox, publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg City Councillor Brian Mayes said some Winnipeggers rely heavily on newspapers as a key information source, so it makes sense for the city to continue sharing information within those publications.

Newspapers can reach a wide swath of readers, who may not otherwise find the same information within the massive amount of digital data the city shares online, Cox said, adding the city is obligated to keep residents as informed as possible and needs to advertise to achieve that goal.

"The point of advertising is to make (an announcement) widely known to people," he said.

Since daily newspapers reach two-thirds of the local population, Cox said they remain a "very effective way" of alerting the public to new developments.

Coun. Brian Mayes said some Winnipeggers rely heavily on newspapers as a key information source, so it makes sense for the city to continue sharing information within those publications.

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"I wouldnt mind adding (more information) online  but people often complain they dont know about (development hearings), so I dont mind leaving them in the newspaper as well," said Mayes.

The St. Vital councillor noted some Winnipeggers dont have home computers. If the city relied solely on its own website to share important information, that could create a barrier for those residents, he said.

Nasons motion will be considered by the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee Friday.

The Manitoba government updated its notification legislation last year. In an email, a spokesperson confirmed the latest rules require the city to publish public hearing notices in either the print or online editions of newspapers.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
OTTAWA  The federal government has hinted at a home-building boom this summer on First Nations reserves, but the construction sector isnt bracing for a sudden influx of $1 billion.

OTTAWA  The federal government has hinted at a home-building boom this summer on First Nations reserves, but the construction sector isnt bracing for a sudden influx of $1 billion.

"Im hoping, that as per our mandate-letter directives, that there will be an accelerated construction across Indigenous nations for housing," Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal said Wednesday.

The federal government launched its national housing strategy in November 2017, which included a promise for a plan for Indigenous housing that still hasnt materialized. In the meantime, Ottawa has allocated billions for housing projects in First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities.

In last falls election, the Liberals pledged an additional $2 billion in new Indigenous housing. In December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clarified that pledge in the mandate letters he issued to ministers, whom he tasked with "expediting investments in Indigenous housing, with over half of the funding available by the upcoming summer construction period."

Asked Wednesday about how much of the $1 billion has been allocated, Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen was unsure.

"I dont know which particular fund youre referring to, but we did make a number of commitments for Indigenous housing," Hussen said during a Wednesday news conference.

He cited a COVID-19 pandemic fast-track program that has funded 10,250 new housing units, with 40 per cent of those in Indigenous communities.

A handful of Manitoba construction companies said they have seen increased demand for services from First Nations accessing more federal cash in recent years, but they didnt expect a building bonanza to start in the coming months.

"Most of that funding hasnt been let out yet, so nobodys going to see a lot of it for a little bit here," said Shane Prevost, vice-president of Selkirk-based Bison Modular Homes, which has built houses on Manitoba reserves.

"If it gets released this summer, there wont be a lot really built this year; it would be more (so) next year."

Vandal, who is Metis and the MP for St. BonifaceSt. Vital, noted last years budget earmarked $18 billion over five years to help bridge infrastructure gaps in Indigenous communities.

"Well continue to work as a whole of government to advance the housing thats needed, and make sure that its constructed," he said.

CP Housing Minister Ahmed Hussen was unsure how much of the $1 billion promised for this summer has been allocated. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files)

"The need is so great that the investments are hardly noticeable  but theyre real."

NDP MP Niki Ashton welcomed that frankness.

"Thats a very accurate statement, but its just not acceptable," said Ashton (ChurchillKeewatinook Aski).

Manitoba chiefs have long asked for cash and legal reforms that would unleash a building boom, to account for overcrowded housing that has helped tuberculosis and COVID-19 spread through reserves with few medical resources.

"This has frankly been a matter of life and death for these communities, during this pandemic," said Ashton. "There were people who got sick because they had nowhere to live, other than overcrowded, inadequate, mouldy homes."

Many reserves have dilapidated, modular housing that hasnt kept up with birth rates, in part because the federal Indian Act makes it near impossible to obtain mortgages and large loans for renovations.

In a January 2015 document obtained by The Canadian Press, the federal government estimated in Manitoba alone, it would cost $1.9 billion to address overcrowding and mould issues in homes on First Nations.

"Theres definitely not a sense on the ground that theres going to be a massive investment in housing," Ashton said.

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She noted Pimicikamak Cree Nation said its housing shortfall contributed to the tragic death of three young people in a house fire earlier this month.

The Manitoba First Nation, also known as Cross Lake, has 1,200 homes for its roughly 10,000 residents, who live 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

In the 2016 census, 42 per cent of homes in Cross Lake met the official criteria to be considered overcrowded.

"It cant be after we lose more children in fires that we start listening to leaders who say housing is needed now," said Ashton.

"This is not the time for (public relations) stunts or piecemeal funding."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Allegations of financial mismanagement in the transportation division of the public works department should not come as a surprise at city hall.

Allegations of financial mismanagement in the transportation division of the public works department should not come as a surprise at city hall.

A damning 2010 audit into the traffic signals branch found a lack of basic standards and an inability to track the cost of construction projects due to poor record-keeping and oversight.

The report was authored by city auditor Bryan Mansky  the same person Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), chair of the public works committee, asked to review the findings of independent researcher Christian Sweryda.

Allard is requesting an audit Wednesday at the Riel Community Committee.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Independent researcher Chris Sweryda has spent hundreds of hours cataloguing and tracking the changes to intersections in Winnipeg. His findings point to financial mismanagement in the public works department.

Sweryda has spent hundreds of hours cataloguing and tracking the changes to intersections in Winnipeg. His findings point to financial mismanagement in the public works department.

That research is the basis of an ongoing Free Press investigative series: Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight. This is Part 3. (Read Part 1 and Part 2.)

Manskys final report into the traffic signals branch was released in November 2010.

The report concluded the department lacked a "formalized mission statement" and did not have elementary strategies or plans in place among staff.

"Few performance measures have been established by the Traffic Signals Branch to monitor how effectively and efficiently they are managing the citys traffic signal operations," Mansky wrote.

Download Traffic signals branch performance audit, 2010

The audit concluded that a study was needed to "review overall resource requirements in order to run an efficient and effective traffic signal operation."

Mansky wrote that the "ineffective operation and maintenance of traffic signals may have safety implications and contributes annually to millions of hours of unnecessary traffic delays, congestion, fuel consumption and air pollution."

Significant overtime costs were flagged as a cause of concern ($1.1 million in a three-year span for a 32-person department). In 2009 alone, 12 staffers took home more than $20,000 in overtime pay.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Starting in 2011, work crews did a mass change of the orientation of pedestrian lights. To Sweryda, it looked like a deliberate campaign of busy work with no tangible impact or improvement.

The department lacked policies on "preventative maintenance" of traffic materials, and where such work did happen, it was performed on an ad hoc basis.

The lack of preventative maintenance increased the need for "reactive maintenance," which was identified as a main contributor to skyrocketing overtime costs.

There were also serious concerns about the departments ability to "hire or retain qualified staff."

Most concerning, however, was the departments lack of financial records, which  in turn  increased the likelihood of significant cost overruns on capital projects.

No formalized priorities were in place for the work the department was doing, and staff consistently showed difficulty completing projects on time.

Financial management of capital projects "needs significant improvement," Mansky wrote, as the department does not track "costs by phase or corridor," nor calculate "staff resource requirements and the estimated date of completion" for specific aspects of work.

"As a result, the project may be at risk for budget overruns," Mansky wrote.

Record-keeping practices were so bad that Mansky was "unable to assess whether the intersections completed to date were completed within budget for that intersection."

The City of Winnipeg regularly publishes reports on the implementation of audit recommendations. The reports are public-record documents and are listed on the citys website  although they go back only to 2014.

The Free Press requested the city provide the implementation of recommendations report for the traffic signals branch audit. A city spokesman said it could not be provided by deadline Tuesday.

The 2010 audit identified practices within the department that are consistent with Swerydas findings, particularly as it relates to record-keeping and inefficient work habits.

One pattern Sweryda has uncovered involves pedestrian lights, most of which in Winnipeg were installed to face the same direction as the traffic lights at any given intersection.

Starting in 2011, work crews did a mass change of the orientation of pedestrian lights. Instead of facing the same direction as the traffic lights, they were flipped.

To Sweryda, it looked like a deliberate campaign of busy work with no tangible impact or improvement. That campaign continued until 2018.

In the years since, work crews have gone back and reversed the work at many intersections, flipping the pedestrian heads to face the same direction as the traffic lights once again.

In 2016, the pedestrian displays at the northwest side of Burrows Avenue at Keewatin Street were already newer LED heads facing forward. (Supplied / Google Maps)

By 2017, both heads had been changed, rewired and rotated to face the opposite crosswalk. (Supplied / Google Maps)

Between 2017 & 2018, the left head had been moved to the opposite side of the pole from where it was in 2017. (Supplied / Google Maps)

By 2021, countdown displays were added and the orientation was converted back to facing forward, as they were previous to 2016. (Supplied / Google Maps)

Its just one example of work being done only to be undone soon after. In 2015, work crews went around installing traffic poles with double arms to hold extra traffic lights. Then in 2016, the majority of them were removed.

By 2020, Sweryda had begun to notice unnecessary traffic lights at various intersections around Winnipeg  some of which were needlessly confusing and appeared to negatively impact road safety. He contacted the city to ask why that was the case.

In an email obtained by the Free Press, David Patman, the manager of the transportation division, was unable to provide an explanation for the seemingly unnecessary work and inefficient use of resources.

Patman said the underlying problem to many of Swerydas inquiries was the citys assets and network had been "permitted to become an inventory that lacks documentation and is inconsistent."

"This is a known problem," Patman wrote, on April 7, 2021.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe

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A Getzville small business owner on Wednesday became the first to be sentenced among four Western New Yorkers who have pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Capitol riot charge.

John J. Juran, who entered the Capitol a half-hour after the building was breached by others on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced to three years of probation, fined $500 and ordered to pay $500 in restitution. Prosecutors had also sought 60 days of home confinement, but U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan did not include that in Juran's sentence.

Juran's lack of violence and property destruction is the only reason he was permitted to plead to a misdemeanor rather than a felony, the prosecution said in its sentencing request. He faced up to six months of imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000 on his guilty plea to illegal parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol.

Juran's cellphone data and Capitol surveillance video provided prosecutors the timing and locations of what he did as thousands of people swarmed around and inside the Capitol, with hundreds attacking and injuring police officers to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power to a newly elected president.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Eve said Juran, 52, deserved home detention because he witnessed individuals shoving and overtaking law enforcement officers on the west front of the Capitol, penetrated the building, entered the Parliamentarians Office and destroyed evidence by deleting photographs and videos that he captured on his phone while inside the Capitol.

"In entering the Capitol, he stepped over barricades and he ignored the violence taking place on the grounds of the Capitol between rioters and law enforcement officers, but chose to join the mob that stormed into the Capitol Building," Eve said in her sentencing recommendation. "Apparently unconcerned, he meandered into the Parliamentarians Office and took photographs and video of his journey. But he was no mere tourist and these were not normal visiting hours or circumstances. He was only able to gain entry into the Capitol because of the riot and he stayed in the building for approximately 10 minutes and only left when directed to do so by law enforcement officers.

"Even if he didnt personally engage in violence or property destruction during the riot, the court must consider that the defendants conduct on January 6, like the conduct of scores of other defendants, took place in the context of a large and violent riot that relied on numbers to overwhelm law enforcement, breach the Capitol, and disrupt the proceedings," Eve added. "But for his actions alongside so many others, the riot likely would have failed."

In a statement to probation officials who prepared his pre-sentence report, Juran expressed regret over his actions.

"I understand that my actions broke the law," he said in his note to them. "I also understand the seriousness of what occurred on Jan. 6. I am sorry for what I did. I regret that I entered the Capitol. I have respect for our country and for its institutions. I hope my plea plays a role in putting what occurred on Jan. 6 behind us."

About 640 defendants were charged with entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington. But Juran was not among the more than 225 charged with assaulting or resisting police officers, including more than 75 who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to a police officer. About 140 police officers were assaulted that day.

Prosecutors said they have no evidence that Juran engaged in any destructive or violent activity while inside the Capitol.

In fact, once inside the Capitol, Juran took photographs of the buildings architecture and artwork, telling his defense lawyer Eric M. Soehnlein that he was impressed with the structure and its nuances, according to Soehnlein's court papers. He did not take pictures of violence, law enforcement or any other aspect of the riot, Soehnlein said.

The prosecution provided a timeframe of Juran's actions on Jan. 6 at the Capitol.

At 2:26 p.m., a mob that included Juran walked past torn-down bike racks and climbed the steps leading to a nonpublic entrance to the Capitol. Location data indicates that Jurans cellphone was present nearby and inside the Capitol from 2:29 through 2:59 p.m.

Rioters breached the Parliamentarians Door at 2:42 p.m., and Juran entered the Capitol at 2:49 p.m. Once inside the Capitol, he briefly walked into the Parliamentarians Office.

Juran remained inside the Capitol for about 10 minutes, and then he was told to leave by law enforcement officers. He exited the Capitol through the doors near the Parliamentarians Office around 2:59 p.m. At the time, law enforcement officers were deploying flash bang devices and smoke bombs to encourage individuals to exit the Capitol.

Following his arrest, Juran expressed remorse for his criminal conduct and a desire to plead guilty, acknowledge his conduct and promptly resolve his case, which carried "significant weight" when the federal government recommended a sentence, according to the prosecution.

Soehnlein, Juran's attorney, said Juran did not travel to Washington with any criminal or malevolent intent.

"John Juran is a good person and an otherwise responsible citizen," Soehnlein said in his court filing asking for a sentence of probation. "On Jan. 6, 2021, Mr. Juran exercised poor judgment. But he is more than his actions on that day. He is a dedicated father, a good friend, a responsible small business owner and a good man. He is worthy of leniency."

Juran, who owns Jacks Nuisance Wildlife Removal Corp., is often contacted by local law enforcement when reports of dangerous pests are posing a danger to public health and welfare, Soehnlein said.

"Simply put, Mr. Juran performs an important service for public welfare," he said.

"For much of his life, Mr. Juran was not politically interested," Soehnlein said in his court papers. "He focused on his life and his business. He did not pay attention to politics. That changed with the election of Donald Trump when Mr. Juran took a brief interest in national politics."

Following the 2020 election, Trump asked his supporters to come to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, for a rally at the White House.

Juran followed the crowd that day.

Upon leaving the Capitol, Juran started to realize the significance of what was happening and "he regretted being a part of anything that disrespected the Capitol building or his country."

So he deleted the photos and videos he took inside of the Capitol.

"He is remorseful for his participation in an event that, with the benefit of hindsight, he acknowledges the events of Jan. 6 were disrespectful to the country and caused needless damage," his lawyer said. "He understands that there must be consequences for his poor judgment. He will accept the consequences of his actions."

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WHILE the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of ending anytime soon, public debates have shifted from emergency response to reopening and returning to normal.

Opinion

WHILE the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of ending anytime soon, public debates have shifted from emergency response to reopening and returning to normal.

As the recent truckers convoy has made clear, some would prefer the reopening happen immediately, with no regard for public health or science. But even assuming a more rational timeline, simply returning to "normal" is far from an adequate goal for Canadas recovery.

Prior to the pandemic, it was considered "normal" that 30 per cent of people living in the inner city fell below the after-tax low-income poverty measure, compared with 12.6 per cent in the rest of Winnipeg. It was "normal" that 39 per cent of renter households in the inner city lived in housing that was in poor condition, too small for the household, or that cost more than 30 per cent of household income.

Perhaps most shockingly, from 2012 to 2016, it was "normal" to have an 11-year difference in female life expectancy between the inner-city Point Douglas South neighbourhood cluster (the lowest in the city, at 72.5 years) and the Winnipeg region as a whole (at 83.4 years). This may be "normal," but is it what we want to return to?

The widespread economic impacts caused by the pandemic have sparked conversations about the role of government-sponsored supports and programs. Across Canada, advocates have called for a just recovery that addresses not just the crises created by the pandemic, but also socio-economic inequality and the increasing impacts of climate change.

A just recovery is about moving beyond the pandemic through a transformation toward a more equitable and inclusive society.

Community-based organizations in Winnipegs inner city are already building resilience through their work on Indigenous self-determination, intersectional equity, and seven focus areas aligned with the social determinants of health: housing, food security, education and employment, health care, justice and safety, the built environment, and supports and connection.

Any plan for the inner city must keep the communitys priorities at its heart. This can only be achieved through substantial community leadership in the creation and implementation of the plan.

However, it is important to note that there are limits to what community-based organizations alone can achieve. Too often, government policies exacerbate poverty and inequality. The governments failure to provide for basic needs through adequate social assistance, health care, education and social housing, and the failures of the child-welfare and justice systems cannot be remedied at the community level.

These issues require public-policy reform by the federal and provincial governments, in partnership with Indigenous peoples and key stakeholders. For these policies to be effective and equitable, they must directly address the barriers arising from colonial and capitalist structures that shape the opportunities available to different groups in society.

Over the past 60 years, various funding agreements between federal, provincial and municipal governments have provided necessary public investment and co-operation aimed at addressing the challenges facing the inner city. These are complex challenges and will require complex, long-term solutions.

Funding and policy reform from federal, provincial and municipal governments, guided by community priorities and leadership, offer one way to address the root causes of structural inequality.

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This moment may be ripe to finally gain large-scale government support: the pandemic spurred governments to think big in terms of the funds mobilized for crisis response and, more recently, about economy-wide recovery planning. Activists and a growing proportion of the general public are pushing for responses that address inequality, colonialism and climate change.

But this moment also holds tremendous risk for "shock doctrine" policies, in which austerity policies are pushed through while the public is distracted by the crisis. These factors suggest there is an opportunity to advocate for funding and investment in the inner city through community-based leadership, and that doing so is crucial to counter the forces of neoliberalism.

The idea of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, let alone a just recovery, is still elusive and changing. While this may be daunting, it is also a reminder of a new reality: future pandemics, climate change and other potential crises are inevitable.

Planning for the long-term well-being of inner-city communities, by members of those inner-city communities, is key to the work ahead. Its time to do this work together with all the wisdom, skills and gifts that exist in the inner city.

Sarah Cooper is an assistant professor in city planning at the University of Manitoba and a CCPA-Manitoba research associate. Lila Asher and Kayla Villebrun-Normand are graduate student researchers on this project.

"Placing Community at the Heart of Recovery from COVID: The State of the Inner City Report 2022" is available at www.policyalternatives.ca/manitoba
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared he recognizes two regions of eastern Ukraine as independent states  Luhansk and Donetsk  and ordered his army to enter those territories. The U.S. government and the authorities of the North Atlantic alliance have been warning he would do something like this, and now he is proving them right.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared he recognizes two regions of eastern Ukraine as independent states  Luhansk and Donetsk  and ordered his army to enter those territories. The U.S. government and the authorities of the North Atlantic alliance have been warning he would do something like this, and now he is proving them right.

Canada cannot tolerate a world order in which great powers are free to invade neighbour countries and seize their territory. This country, with its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, must insist upon peaceful relations among nations, negotiation to resolve conflicts and respect for the popular will when borders are being adjusted.

Canada cannot prosper in an economic order in which trade is routinely cut off when countries disapprove of each others conduct. But Russias president told the world on Sunday that he is free to intervene in Ukraine because it is an entity created by Russia, and therefore not a real country.

Russias president told the world on Sunday that he is free to intervene in Ukraine because it is an entity created by Russia, and therefore not a real country.

For want of any other way to change his mind on that point, Canada and other industrial nations may have to cut Russia out of the trading world and accept the resulting damage to international markets. Economic damage will be unwelcome, but its better than submitting to military coercion.

Mr. Putin already dominates Crimea, Luhansk and Donetsk. His troops occupied Crimea unopposed in February and March 2014. From 2014 on he has been supporting insurgent forces trying to separate Luhansk and Donetsk from Ukraine.

The Russian president demands a promise from NATO that Ukraine will never be allowed to join the western alliance. Even though there is no plan for Ukraine to join NATO, that demand is totally unrealistic. The NATO countries cannot allow Russia to choose its members.

(Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin

NATO added Montenegro to its ranks in 2017, North Macedonia in 2020. Last year NATO officially recognized Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine as aspiring members, whereupon Mr. Putin hit the roof. Even though it is purely a defensive alliance, NATOs eastward expansion may turn out to be a miscalculation  one that has been seized upon by Mr. Putin as a threat to Russian that justifies his military incursion into Ukraine.

NATO expanded because peoples who lived for years under Russian domination sought to take shelter under the alliances security guarantee. They longed for that guarantee because of military threats of the type Mr. Putin is now brandishing against Ukraine.

In that light, Mr. Putins best way to prevent further NATO expansion is to stop bullying his neighbours, stop massing troops and equipment for an invasion, stop trying to force his will on countries that want nothing to do with him.

Canada and its allies will not go to war to defend Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance. Ukraine should be supplied, supported and assisted in defending itself.

Canada and its allies will not go to war to defend Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance. Ukraine should be supplied, supported and assisted in defending itself. Partition of Ukraine into a Russian-facing eastern part and a Europe-facing western part may ultimately be a solution worth considering, as long as the people involved have a genuine opportunity to choose between one side and the other.

Canada should assure Russias people and its government that we have neither the means nor the wish to attack Russia or seize territory from it. We should keep our small force in Latvia to show the NATO security guarantee will be honoured in case Russia makes a move against a NATO member country.

We should impose whatever economic penalties are deemed necessary against Russian aggression, and lift those penalties when Mr. Putin accepts peaceful means of settling international disputes.
Long-term care homes, hospitals and health centres in Manitoba are expanding in-person visits as the province prepares to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by mid-March.

Long-term care homes, hospitals and health centres in Manitoba are expanding in-person visits as the province prepares to lift all COVID-19 restrictions by mid-March.

Starting this week, general visits are being permitted in addition to visits from designated family caregivers at care homes.

SUPPLIED Jan Legeros of Long Term & Continuing Care Association of Manitoba said she expects these gradual changes to give designated caregivers more flexibility and loosen time limits on general visits.

Visitation policies will be expanded gradually, Shared Health announced Tuesday. The first phase of the expansion allows two fully vaccinated general visitors indoors by appointment, or one unvaccinated visitor can visit in a designated indoor room or an all-season visitor shelter. Four outdoor visitors will be allowed, vaccinated or unvaccinated, and physical distancing and mask requirements remain in place.

Long-term care homes that experienced recent outbreaks stopped allowing visits, except for fully vaccinated designated caregivers. After most personal-care home residents received their third booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines, general visits were reopened, said Jan Legeros, executive director of the Long Term and Continuing Care Association of Manitoba.

She said she expects these gradual changes to give designated caregivers more flexibility and loosen time limits on general visits.

"I think this is certainly a big step forward for the residents in long-term care. Theyve been isolated for such a long time, and they really need to see their family and their loved ones," Legeros said.

The "balancing act" between keeping residents safe and keeping them social is likely going to continue, she added.

"Its always been a balancing act in terms of ensuring that the residents have the visitation that they require to prevent social isolation, and preventing COVID-19 from entering the residence and causing illness and tragedy amongst the residents and staff."

As a designated family caregiver for his mother, John Dobbin said he remains on high alert while visiting her care home. He doesnt believe vaccine requirements should be lifted for anyone who enters a care home. He said hes still very worried about unintentionally exposing his mother to the virus and doesnt believe Manitoba is "out of the woods."

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES I think that most personal care homes are going to be extremely cautious. My only fear is that the government would be pushing them to places they dont want to go, said John Dobbin, whose mother lives at Beacon Hill Lodge in downtown Winnipeg.

"Our seniors are going to be the ones who suffer the most because of a premature opening for the most vulnerable in our society," Dobbin said.

"I think that most personal care homes are going to be extremely cautious. My only fear is that the government would be pushing them to places they dont want to go."

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His 83-year-old mother, Gail Dobbin, lives at Beacon Hill Lodge in downtown Winnipeg.

"They just finished an outbreak that lasted nearly three months so itll take some convincing for me to believe that theres no risk," he said.

Visits are important, and his mothers "level of engagement" has improved as a result of outbreak protocols ending, but there is still risk. Outdoor visits arent doable for many seniors, he noted.

"Engagement is hugely important, but the risk versus reward has to be carefully measured."

A representative for Revera Inc., which operates Beacon Hill Lodge and many care homes in Manitoba and across Canada, didnt respond to a Free Press request for comment on expanded visitation Tuesday.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca
Its hard to imagine a worse hill to die on for the Conservative Party of Canada than to support a small cadre of malcontents who tried to subvert democracy.

Its hard to imagine a worse hill to die on for the Conservative Party of Canada than to support a small cadre of malcontents who tried to subvert democracy.

A party that once stood for law and order and for the safety and security of Canadians has been reduced to a rump organization that panders to far right extremists and hooligans that illegally occupy downtown communities and block Canada-U.S. borders.

This is not the party (in any of its previous versions) of former Conservative prime minsters John Diefenbaker, Joe Clark, Brian Mulroney or even Stephen Harper. It is more closely aligned with the Peoples Party of Canada and its unhinged leader Maxime Bernier.

The Conservative Party has fallen in line with Candice Bergen, the partys interim leader. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files)

It may be understandable (at least politically) for a Conservative MP such as PortageLisgars Candice Bergen, the partys interim leader, to do a cannonball into the cesspool of U.S.-style libertarianism.

The PPC made significant inroads in her Manitoba riding during last years federal election, finishing second with 22 per cent of the vote, up from 2.6 per cent in 2019.

TWITTER Conservative MP Candice Bergen wearing a MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat.

Bergen still won with a strong plurality. However, her riding was one of three Manitoba ridings where the PPC achieved double-digit support. In most parts of the province, the PPC received five per cent of the vote or less (7.6 per cent in Manitoba overall).

Its obvious the "Make America Great Again" cap-wearing MP is trying to prevent the PPC from further eroding her base.

That wont work in most of Manitoba (or in most of Canada) including in CharleswoodSt. JamesAssiniboiaHeadingley, where moderate Conservative voters will likely reject the partys recent metamorphosis. They will undoubtedly park their votes elsewhere.

Conservative MP Marty Morantz, who won the west Winnipeg riding by only 460 votes (one percentage point) over Liberal challenger Doug Eyolfson, will almost certainly lose his seat in the next election.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Conservative MP Marty Morantz, who won his west Winnipeg riding by only 460 votes could lose his seat in the next election. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Its hard, too, to imagine Conservative MP Raquel Dancho hanging on to her KildonanSt. Paul riding.

Beyond Alberta and the rural Prairies, the Conservatives and their leadership hopeful Pierre Poilievre (now in the running against Bernier for Canadas most unglued political grand poobah) are headed for electoral annihilation.

The partys opposition to the use of the federal Emergencies Act to end the illegal occupation in Ottawa was the final nail in its coffin. After weeks of posing for pictures with the occupiers  many of whom harassed local residents, caused businesses to shutter and blockaded a large swath of downtown Ottawa  Conservative MPs have chosen to reject law and order and side with anarchy.

Legal experts and scholars will continue to debate whether the Emergencies Act was the most appropriate mechanism to end the siege. However, theres no question the occupation was a threat to national security.

Even Michael Chong, the Conservative MP for WellingtonHalton Hills, agreed with that during Commons debate this week. The use of police force and other measures, such as the freezing of bank accounts of some participants, was a reasonable and proportionate response to a national crisis.

MP Raquel Dancho is going to have a tough time hanging on to her Kildonan-St. Paul riding. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press files)

Whether there were other means of achieving those goals without the use of the Emergencies Act (as Chong submitted) is open to debate. Those opportunities may have existed earlier. However, it seems unlikely police could have cleared the area as effectively and with as little violence without the power of the act.

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Either way, it worked. Police carried out their duties in an orderly and reasonable fashion, using as little force as possible. It was neither an abuse of power nor a government overreach.

There is plenty of blame to go around in the days leading up to the Ottawa occupation, including a failure by local police to open lines of communication with the protest leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus divisive language added fuel to the fire. A calmer, more moderate tone was needed.

Still, the villains in the plot were not government officials nor police.

The villains were the illegal occupiers whose hostile actions and demands to overthrow an elected government extended well beyond mere protest.

For the Conservatives to side with them, even if they rejected the occupiers methods at times, was to choose chaos over order. History will show they chose the wrong side.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
So-called freedom convoy protesters have moved their occupation to nearby Memorial Park, after Winnipeg police set a 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline to clear streets across from the Manitoba Legislative Building.

So-called "freedom convoy" protesters have moved their occupation to nearby Memorial Park, after Winnipeg police set a 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline to clear streets across from the Manitoba Legislative Building.

City police ordered anti-COVID-19 mandate demonstrators to move their vehicles, trailers and structures from the area of Broadway and Memorial Boulevard, with warnings of possible arrests and charges if they did not comply.

By 5 p.m., Memorial and Broadway were clear of the big-rig cabs and farm equipment that had lined the streets for three weeks.

The adjacent park had been cleared of snow with a skid-steer loader, and a large pile of firewood placed near chairs and burn barrels. A rally co-organizer said there are plans to erect a teepee for demonstrators use.

A single motor home remained on Memorial Boulevard, along with a pick-up truck hauling a flatbed trailer.

Demonstrators have occupied the area since Feb. 4, while calling for an end to novel coronavirus pandemic restrictions and mandates imposed by the federal and provincial governments.

Provincial restrictions are being lifted next month. Ottawa has not budged on a regulation requiring Canadian truckers arriving from the U.S. to be fully vaccinated to avoid a 14-day quarantine. The U.S. requires all non-Americans entering at land or ferry ports to be fully vaccinated and show proof.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Some of the protestors have been moving gear over to Memorial Park where they plan on setting up tents, a stage and a large tipi.

A few police squad cars and unmarked vehicles were on scene at 5 p.m., including one blocking the northbound lane of Memorial at Broadway.

The remaining protesters, around two dozen, stood on sidewalks near Broadway and on the median, waving anti-mandate signs. A small group of counter-protesters waved signs back.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Rob Carver said local protesters agreed to move vehicles and trailers when they realized they would not be able to achieve all of their goals.

Through those discussions, both sides came to the conclusion "the end of this was approaching," said Carver, who said he was not aware of any demonstrators being charged.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A protestor shovels snow off the roof of an RV.

Carver said he did not foresee a situation like that in Ottawa last weekend, when protesters and police clashed near Parliament Hill.

The Winnipeg protest has been peaceful and hasnt been as disruptive to the public, the constable said, adding police want to minimize use of force or anything considered "heavy-handed."

If any vehicles or trailers remained after 5 p.m., Carver suggested police would have allowed a grace period, if they were in the process of being removed.

Anti-mandate demonstration co-organizer Caleb Brown said the plan is to stay in the downtown park indefinitely.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Protesters have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to clear the streets across from the Manitoba Legislative Building.

"(WPS) decided the time for us to be on Memorial (Boulevard) was over," Brown said by phone. "We didnt think it would serve anyones purpose to fight against that  were trying to be peaceful and lawful, so it was time for the trucks to go."

Memorial Park is on provincial land. In response to a media question about whether the protesters would be complying with police orders in taking over the spot, Carver said the WPS will continue to monitor the situation.

"I think well have to look at it as it unfolds," he said.

Carver suggested the group will be allowed to continue its protest in Memorial Park if it does not cause any disruption or break any laws.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Police warned the group the federal Emergencies Act could be used to seize vehicles, trailers and equipment, and freeze assets.

He acknowledged some downtown residents havent been happy with the protesters presence and traffic and noise disruption or with the police services approach.

The group previously said it would not leave unless Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to meet. It had also requested a meeting with Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson.

Police officers handed out letters to protesters Tuesday to inform them of the deadline.

"Over the last three weeks, the Winnipeg Police Service has worked to balance your right to protest while protecting the rights of residents affected by protest activity," the letter stated. "Your ongoing presence and blocking of streets is interfering with the lawful use and enjoyment of personal and public property."

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Police warned protesters they could be charged with mischief, intimidation or other offences under the Criminal Code, and their vehicles could be seized and become subject to an application by the Crown for forfeiture, if they do not comply.

Highway Traffic Act charges of obstructing police and failing to obey the instructions of a peace officer could also be considered, along with bylaw offences, including excessive noise.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera
Winnipeg police have given local so-called freedom convoy protesters a deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday to end their occupation of an area across from the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Winnipeg police have given local so-called "freedom convoy" protesters a deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday to end their occupation of an area across from the Manitoba Legislative Building.

In a letter issued Tuesday afternoon, demonstrators were warned they risk being arrested and charged if they do not comply with the order. The notices covered in clear plastic were also attached with plastic zip ties to vehicles on Broadway and occupying Memorial Boulevard.

"Its a sad day," one of the protesters said, getting a bite to eat at the sites temporary food tent Tuesday, away from the -34 windchill.

"Were done," said the man, who did not give his name. "For now."

Some of the half-dozen-or-so people at the site at the start of the afternoon rush hour seemed resigned to leaving. "I guess so," said one woman in a snowsuit.

Another protester joked about moving to the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street if forced to leave Broadway and Memorial Boulevard.

Co-organizer Caleb Brown said protesters will comply with the demand to move equipment off Memorial Boulevard but maintain a presence inside Memorial Park, though he didn't know what it would entail.

"It's mixed emotions, but we don't want this escalating to where people are in violation of the law. We knew this was coming eventually. We don't feel the job is done," he said.

The group is aiming to meet the 5 p.m. deadline, but there could be some stragglers, Brown said.

"It's a bit of a process to get everything moved."

The anti-COVID-19 mandate protesters, who have been camped in the area of Broadway and Memorial in downtown Winnipeg since Feb. 4, have been told to move their vehicles (including semi-trucks, farm tractors and a school bus), plus trailers and other structures before the deadline.

"Over the last three weeks, the Winnipeg Police Service has worked to balance your right to protest while protecting the rights of residents affected by protest activity," the letter states. "Your ongoing presence and blocking of streets is interfering with the lawful use and enjoyment of personal and public property."

Protesters who do not comply could be charged with mischief, intimidation or other offences under the Criminal Code, and their vehicles could be seized and become subject to an application by the Crown for forfeiture, police said.

Highway Traffic Act charges of obstructing police and failing to obey the instructions of a peace officer could also be considered, along with bylaw offences, including excessive noise.

Police warned the group the Federal Emergencies Act could be used to seize vehicles, trailers and equipment, and freeze assets.

Anyone who is charged and/or convicted could be prevented from entering the U.S., said police.

At a news conference last week, Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth said he hoped the situation would be resolved in the near future, as police said they would continue with the strategy of communication.

Amid that ongoing dialogue, the demonstrations footprint became smaller on Feb. 18. Protesters agreed to move their vehicles off Broadway and on to Memorial, and honk horns only twice a day for two minutes per time.

The Winnipeg protest began a week after a cross-country convoy of truckers and supporters converged on Ottawa, where they occupied streets outside thr Parliament Buildings until police moved in on Feb. 18.

The national convoy started in response to a federal regulation requiring Canadian truckers arriving from the U.S. to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid a 14-day quarantine. (The U.S. requires all non-Americans entering the country at land or ferry ports to be fully vaccinated and provide proof.)

It morphed into a demonstration against the government and restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

Winnipeg council has instructed the citys chief administrative officer to explore a court injunction against what Mayor Brian Bowman has called an "unlawful occupation."

 with files from Carol Sanders

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A jury wrapped up its first day of deliberations Wednesday without a verdict in the federal trial of three fired Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyds civil rights when he was pinned to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck.

FILE - In this image from police body camera video shown as evidence in court, Minneapolis police officers attempt to place George Floyd in a police vehicle, on May 25, 2020, outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis. Former police Officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are on trial in federal court accused of violating Floyd's civil rights as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin killed him. (Minneapolis Police Department via AP, File)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A jury wrapped up its first day of deliberations Wednesday without a verdict in the federal trial of three fired Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyds civil rights when he was pinned to the ground for 9 1/2 minutes as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck.

J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are charged with depriving Floyd of his right to medical care. Kueng and Thao are also charged with failing to intervene to stop Chauvin during the May 25, 2020, killing that was captured on bystander video that triggered protests worldwide and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Jurors deliberated all day Wednesday without reaching a verdict and were expected to resume their efforts on Thursday.

Prosecutors told jurors during closing arguments that the three officers chose to do nothing as Chauvin squeezed the life out of the 46-year-old Black man. Defense attorneys countered that the officers were too inexperienced, werent trained properly and did not willfully violate Floyds rights.

All 12 members of the jury  eight women and four men  appear to be white, although the court has not released demographics such as race or age. A woman who appeared to be of Asian descent was excused Tuesday from the panel without explanation; a man who appears to be of Asian descent remains as an alternate if one of the current 12 cannot continue.

FILE - In this image from police body camera video shown as evidence in court, paramedics arrive as Minneapolis police officers, including Derick Chauvin, second from left, and J. Alexander Kueng restrain George Floyd in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. Former police officers Tou Thao, Kueng and Thomas Lane are on trial in federal court accused of violating Floyd's civil rights as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin killed him. (Minneapolis Police Department via AP, File)

Lane is white, Kueng is Black and Thao is Hmong American.

The jury is a sharp contrast to the panel that deliberated the state murder case against Chauvin. That jury was half white and half nonwhite, according to demographic information provided by the Hennepin County court.

The federal jury pool was selected from throughout the state, which includes areas much more conservative and less diverse than the Minneapolis area from which the jury for Chauvins trial was drawn. Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter, and later pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge.

FILE - This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on June 3, 2020, shows, from left, former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. The former policer officers are on trial in federal court accused of violating Floyd's civil rights as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin killed him. Judge Paul Magnuson abruptly recessed on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022 after one of the defendants tested positive for COVID-19. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

In this case, four jurors are from Hennepin and Ramsey counties, where Minneapolis and St. Paul are located, and three are from mostly suburban counties. Five are from counties in southern Minnesota, including a woman from Jackson County, along the Iowa border.

They have diverse educational backgrounds and life experiences, including a project captain at an architectural firm, a man with a degree in French and education, a computer programmer, a retired hospital chef and a woman who home-schools her children.

Alan Tuerkheimer, a Chicago-based jury consultant, said potential jurors with obvious extreme views about the case likely were weeded out during jury selection. But the geographic makeup of the final 12 could matter.

FILE - In this image from a police body camera, bystanders, including Alyssa Funari, filming at left; Charles McMillan, center left in light colored shorts; Christopher Martin, center in gray, with hand on head; Donald Williams, center in shorts; Genevieve Hansen, filming, fourth from right; Darnella Frazier, filming, third from right, witness as then Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on George Floyd's neck for several minutes, killing Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis. Frazier, who recorded the widely seen video of Floyds killing, began crying Monday, Feb. 14, as she started testifying in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers who are charged with violating the Black mans civil rights, prompting the judge to take a quick, unexpected break. (Minneapolis Police Department via AP, File)

The more suburban, the more rural, the less-populated place, the more deferential attitude there is to police, said Tuerkheimer, who lived in Minnesota for several years. I think thats something the defendants had going in: When you broaden the pool outside the metro area, you do tend to get people who are a little more sympathetic (to police).

Prosecutors sought to show during the monthlong trial that the officers violated their training, including when they failed to roll Floyd onto his side or give him CPR. They argued that Floyds condition was so serious that even bystanders without basic medical training could see he needed help.

But the defense said the Minneapolis Police Departments training was inadequate and that the officers deferred to Chauvin as the senior officer at the scene.

FILE - This image from video shows Minneapolis Police Officers Thomas Lane, left and J. Alexander Kueng, right, escorting George Floyd, center, to a police vehicle outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. The two and another former Minneapolis officers are on trial in February 2022, on federal civil rights charges in Floyd's death. All three are expected to testify. (Court TV via AP, Pool, File)

Chauvin and Thao went to the scene to help rookies Kueng and Lane after they responded to a call that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store. Floyd struggled with officers as they tried to put him in a police SUV.

Thao watched bystanders and traffic as the other officers held down Floyd. Kueng knelt on Floyds back and Lane held his legs. All three officers, who are out on bail, testified in their own defense.

Thaos attorney said his client thought the officers were doing what they believed was best for Floyd  holding him until paramedics arrived. Kuengs attorney said police werent adequately trained on the duty to intervene. And Lanes attorney said his client suggested rolling Floyd onto his side so he could breathe, but was rebuffed twice by Chauvin.

FILE -In this image from police body cam video, Minneapolis police officers attempt to remove George Floyd from a vehicle, on May 25, 2020, outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis. A paramedic who treated George Floyd on the day he was killed testified Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022, at the federal civil rights trial of three former Minneapolis police officers that he wasn't told Floyd wasn't breathing and had no pulse when officers upgraded the urgency of an ambulance call. (Court TV via AP, Pool, File)

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson went through the counts Wednesday, telling jurors what they must consider. For example, he defined reasonable force and said if the jury finds that Chauvin used unreasonable force  and that Thao and Kueng had a realistic opportunity to intervene to stop it  then they must find that they deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable force under the Constitution.

He also reminded jurors that they need to consider the evidence against each man separately and return a separate verdict for each count.

The jurors are not sequestered  isolated from outside influences that could sway their opinion  which is sometimes done by having them stay in hotels during deliberations.

FILE - In this image from police body camera video shown as evidence in court, Minneapolis police Officers Thomas Lane, left, and J. Alexander Kueng, second from right, gather information as they take George Floyd into custody outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis, on May 25, 2020. Former police Officers Tou Thao, Kueng and Lane are on trial in federal court accused of violating Floyd's civil rights as fellow Officer Derek Chauvin killed him. (Minneapolis Police Department via AP, File)

About an hour after the jurors got the case, attorneys wheeled a cart with exhibits out of the courtroom. The jurors are allowed to watch videos from the scene and view other evidence as much as they want during their deliberations.

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Federal civil rights violations that result in death are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those sentences are extremely rare, and federal sentencing guidelines suggest the officers would get much less if convicted.

Lane, Kueng and Thao also face a separate trial in June on state charges alleging that they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter.

___

Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press writer Doug Glass contributed from Minneapolis.

___

Find APs full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
NEW YORK (AP)  The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorneys criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and his business dealings suddenly resigned Wednesday, throwing the future of the probe into question just as pressure was building on Trump on several legal fronts.

NEW YORK (AP)  The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorneys criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump and his business dealings suddenly resigned Wednesday, throwing the future of the probe into question just as pressure was building on Trump on several legal fronts.

A spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz, top deputies who had been tasked with running the investigation on a day-to-day basis. Both started on the Trump probe under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., and Bragg asked them to stay when he took office in January.

FILE  Attorney Mark Pomerantz arrives at Federal Court in New York, Aug. 12, 2002. Pomerantz, one of two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorney's criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump, have suddenly resigned throwing the future of the probe into question. (AP Photo/David Karp, File)

Dunne, the offices former general counsel, argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in a successful, multiyear fight for Trumps tax records. Pomerantz, a former mafia prosecutor, was brought out of private practice by Vance last year to add his expertise in white collar investigations and had been involved in questioning witnesses before the grand jury.

We are grateful for their service," Bragg spokesperson Danielle Filson said. She declined to comment further, saying the investigation is ongoing.

The New York Times, citing sources, reported that the grand jury investigation had stalled, with no sessions in the last month, and that Dunne and Pomerantz quit after Bragg raised doubts about pursuing a case against Trump himself. No former president has ever been charged with a crime.

FILE  Attorney Mark Pomerantz arrives at Federal Court in New York, Aug. 12, 2002. Pomerantz, one of two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorney's criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump, have suddenly resigned throwing the future of the probe into question. (AP Photo/David Karp, File)

So far, the nearly three-year investigation has resulted only in tax fraud charges against Trump's company, the Trump Organization, and its longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg relating to lucrative fringe benefits such as rent, car payments and school tuition.

Messages seeking comment were left for Dunne and Pomerantz.

Trump did not immediately respond to the news. In a telephone interview, his lawyer Robert Fischetti said: I'm a very happy man. In my opinion, this investigation is over."

Fischetti said Bragg has not spoken to him about the status of the investigation or potential charges against Trump but, given Wednesday's developments, the lawyer said it appeared that the D.A. had reviewed the case and signaled to his deputies he was not inclined to pursue an indictment.

My client has done nothing wrong, Fischetti said.

Duncan Levin, a former Manhattan prosecutor who represents a witness cooperating in the Trump case, said Dunne and Pomerantz resigning signals major issues with the pending investigation.

FILE - Alvin Bragg, now Manhattan District Attorney, speaks with supporters on election night, in New York, Nov. 2, 2021. The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan district attorney's criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump have suddenly resigned, throwing the future of the probe into question. A spokesperson for District Attorney Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and former mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

What is for sure is that an enormous amount of resources have gone into this investigation and its future seems somewhat uncertain, Levin said.

The resignations were likely to further embolden Trump, a Republican who continues to tease another run for president in 2024, after several recent legal setbacks. Trump has repeatedly railed against the New York probes as baseless and politically motivated, saying in a statement last week that Democratic prosecutors were spending historic amounts of time, energy, and money trying to get Trump.

But Trumps legal challenges continue. Last week, a judge in New York ordered him to testify under oath in a parallel civil investigation focused in part on whether his company misrepresented asset values; a judge in Washington refused to dismiss conspiracy lawsuits trying to hold him liable for the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot; and the National Archives revealed that classified information was found in 15 boxes of White House records taken to his Mar-a-Lago home.

Asked if Wednesdays developments would affect the civil probe, New York Attorney General Letitia James office said the investigation is ongoing and there is a robust team working on it.

Meanwhile, the Jan. 6 committee is continuing to investigate the insurrection, and what role Trump played in inciting it, and an investigation in Georgia is continuing into whether Trump broke the law by trying to pressure state officials to throw out President Joe Bidens 2020 election victory. A special grand jury is expected to be seated in May in that case and will work for up to a year.

The Manhattan D.A.s office started investigating Trump in 2019, first examining hush-money payments paid to women on his behalf and then expanding into an inquiry into whether the presidents company misled lenders or tax authorities about the value of its properties.

Just last month, Bragg said he was proud of the continuity that Dunne and Pomerantz had brought in running the high-profile investigation as he took over the D.A.s office from Vance, who declined to run for reelection after winning the battle over Trumps tax returns.

I do think the one continuity is the staffing and (Vance) brought on incredible lawyers to do it, Bragg said in a Jan. 20 question-and-answer session with reporters.

And theyve been dedicated and weve been working and keeping them in place and thinking about the kind of resources to continue the investigation in order to then be in a position to make decisions on the direction of the probe, Bragg said.

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Bragg, limited by ethics rules from discussing the case in detail, said at the time that he was getting up to speed on the Trump investigation and that he would follow the facts. He didnt offer a timeline for a charging decision.

Its a matter thats personally, as you would imagine, on my radar screen and that Im mindful of and paying attention to, Bragg said.

Weisselberg, the only person charged in the investigation, has pleaded not guilty to charges he collected and failed to pay taxes on more than $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation.

On Tuesday, lawyers for Weisselberg and the Trump Organization filed court papers seeking to throw out the case. Weisselbergs lawyers argued the D.A.s office was targeting him as punishment because he wouldnt flip on the former president.

___

Associated Press reporters Jim Mustian in New York and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a military operation in Ukraine and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to consequences they have never seen.

FILE - A woman, her fingernails painted in the colors of the Ukrainian national flag, takes part in a protest against the escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine, near the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Europe braced for further confrontation Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, after tensions over Ukraine escalated dramatically when Russian President Vladimir Putin got the OK to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

MOSCOW (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a military operation in Ukraine and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen."

He said the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine  a claim the U.S. had predicted he would falsely make to justify an invasion

In a televised address, Putin accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russias demand to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and offer Moscow security guarantees. He said Russia's goal was not to occupy Ukraine.

As Putin spoke, big explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other areas of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement condemning Russia's attack.

"Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms Russias egregious attack on Ukraine," Trudeau said late Wednesday.

FILE - Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, looks at Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as he speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Europe braced for further confrontation Wednesday, Feb.23, 2022, after tensions over Ukraine escalated dramatically when Russian President Vladimir Putin got the OK to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, Pool, File)

"These unprovoked actions are a clear further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. They are also in violation of Russias obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations."

Trudeau called on Russia to immediately cease all hostile and provocative actions against Ukraine and withdraw all military and proxy forces from the country.

"Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected and the Ukrainian people must be free to determine their own future."

Trudeau said Russias actions will be met with severe consequences. He said he would be meeting Thursday with G7 partners and would work quickly with NATO and Canada's allies "to collectively respond to these reckless and dangerous acts, including by imposing significant sanctions in addition to those already announced."

"We continue to stand with Ukraine, its people, and the Ukrainian Canadian community here in Canada. Russias brazen acts will not go unpunished."

Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, called what was happening "a grotesque war crime."

"Putin is the cause of all this. We cannot let him win," Rae said on Twitter. "Cmon people, stop pretending. War has started."

A man carries bags and a bunch of tulips on a bicycle in Stanytsia Luhanska, the only crossing point open daily, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. Russian lawmakers on Tuesday authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside the country  a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Rae went on to call what is happening "brutal thuggery."

"Unprovoked, evil, aggression. From a permanent member of the Security Council, during a meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations."

Eugene Lupynis with Metro Vancouvers Ukrainian Community Society Of Ivan Franko said the news about the invasion has left him full of terror and concern.

"Weve been watching this build not just for weeks but for years," he said in an interview. "When Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine back in 2014, there was always a feeling something would happen but we were praying it wouldn't."

Lupynis immediate family moved to B.C. in the 1950s but he has many relatives living in western Ukraine. He said the invasion "boggles the mind" and that everyone needs to fear what Putin could do next.

"The West has always underestimated what Putin could, and would, do  hes rewriting history in his own pen and trying to get the world to believe it."

U.S. President Joe Biden denounced the "unprovoked and unjustified" attack on Ukraine and said the world will "hold Russia accountable."

A Ukrainian serviceman stands at his position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden announced the U.S. was ordering heavy financial sanctions against Russia, declaring that Moscow had flagrantly violated international law in what he called the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine." (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

A full-blown Russian invasion could cause massive casualties and topple Ukraines democratically elected government. And the consequences of the conflict and resulting sanctions levied on Russia could reverberate throughout the world, affecting energy supplies in Europe, jolting global financial markets and threatening the post-Cold War balance on the continent.

He said the Russian military operation aims to ensure a "demilitarization" of Ukraine. Putin urged Ukrainian servicemen to "immediately put down arms and go home."

Putin announced the military operation after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked Russia for military assistance to help fend off Ukrainian "aggression." The announcement immediately fueled fears that Moscow was offering up a pretext for war, just as the West had warned.

A short time later, the Ukrainian president rejected Moscows claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and said a Russian invasion would cost tens of thousands of lives.

"The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an emotional overnight address, speaking in Russian in a direct appeal to Russian citizens. "But if we come under attack, if we face an attempt to take away our country, our freedom, our lives and lives of our children, we will defend ourselves. When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs."

Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.

In an apparent reference to Putins move to authorize the deployment of the Russian military to "maintain peace" in eastern Ukraine, Zelensky warned that "this step could mark the start of a big war on the European continent."

Ukrainian servicemen eat dinner after their duty at the frontline near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden announced the U.S. was ordering heavy financial sanctions against Russia, declaring that Moscow had flagrantly violated international law in what he called the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine." (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

"Any provocation, any spark could trigger a blaze that will destroy everything," he said.

He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that "you are told that this blaze will bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are free."

The United Nations Security Council quickly scheduled an emergency meeting Wednesday night at Ukraine's request. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the separatists request "a further escalation of the security situation."

Anxiety about an imminent Russian offensive against its neighbor soared after Putin recognized the separatist regions' independence on Monday, endorsed the deployment of troops to the rebel territories and received parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country. The West responded with sanctions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the rebel chiefs wrote to Putin on Wednesday, pleading with him to intervene after Ukrainian shelling caused civilian deaths and crippled vital infrastructure.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the separatists' request for Russian help was an example of the sort of "false-flag" operation that the U.S. and its allies have expected Moscow to use as a pretense for war.

"So well continue to call out what we see as false-flag operations or efforts to spread misinformation about what the actual status is on the ground," she said.

A woman walks in Sievierodonetsk, the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia, and Europe braced for further confrontation Wednesday after tensions escalated dramatically when Russia's leader received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with a raft of sanctions.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian lawmakers approved a decree that imposes a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days starting Thursday. The measure allows authorities to declare curfews and other restrictions on movement, block rallies and ban political parties and organizations "in the interests of national security and public order."

The action reflected increasing concern among Ukrainian authorities after weeks of trying to project calm. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended that any Ukrainians who are there leave immediately.

"For a long time, we refrained from declaring a state of emergency ... but today the situation has become more complicated," Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council head Oleksiy Danilov told parliament, emphasizing that Moscow's efforts to destabilize Ukraine represented the main threat.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the Russian force of more than 150,000 troops arrayed along Ukraines borders is in an advanced state of readiness. "They are ready to go right now," Kirby said.

The latest images released by the Maxar satellite image company showed Russian troops and military equipment deployed within 10 miles of the Ukrainian border and less than 50 miles from Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv.

Early Thursday, airspace over all of Ukraine was shut down to civilian air traffic, according to a notice to airmen. A commercial flight tracking website showed that an Israeli El Al Boeing 787 flying from Tel Aviv to Toronto turned abruptly out of Ukrainian airspace before detouring over Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. The only other aircraft tracked over Ukraine was a U.S. RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned surveillance plane, which began flying westward early Thursday after Russia put in place flight restrictions over Ukrainian territory.

Another wave of distributed-denial-of-service attacks hit Ukraines parliament and other government and banking websites on Wednesday, and cybersecurity researchers said unidentified attackers had also infected hundreds of computers with destructive malware.

A Ukrainian soldier talks with her comrades sitting in a shelter at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden announced the U.S. was ordering heavy financial sanctions against Russia, declaring that Moscow had flagrantly violated international law in what he called the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine." (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Officials have long said they expect cyberattacks to precede and accompany any Russian military incursion, and analysts said the incidents hew to a nearly two-decade-old Russian playbook of wedding cyber operations with real-world aggression.

In other developments, Russia evacuated its embassy in Kyiv; Ukraine recalled its ambassador to Russia and considered breaking all diplomatic ties with Moscow and dozens of nations further squeezed Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets.

President Joe Biden allowed sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the companys CEO.

"As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate," Biden said in a statement.

Germany said Tuesday that it was indefinitely suspending the project, after Biden charged that Putin had launched "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" by sending troops into the separatist regions. The pipeline is complete but has not yet begun operating.

Putin said Tuesday that he had not yet sent any Russian troops into the rebel regions, contrary to Western claims, and Donetsk rebel leader Denis Pushilin insisted Wednesday there were no Russian troops in the region, even though a local council member claimed the previous day they had moved in.

Already, the threat of war has shredded Ukraine's economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

European Union sanctions against Russia took effect, targeting several companies along with 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for a motion urging Putin to recognize the rebel regions and 27 senior government officials, business executives and top military officers.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has shrugged off the sanctions, saying that "Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage."

In Ukraine's east, one Ukrainian soldier was killed and six more wounded after rebel shelling, the Ukrainian military said Wednesday. Separatist officials reported several explosions on their territory overnight and three civilian deaths.

Facing a barrage of criticism at the 193-member United Nations General Assembly, Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, warned Ukraine that Russia will monitor a cease-fire in the east and emphasized that "no one intends to go softly, softly with any violators."

"A new military adventure" by Kyiv "might cost the whole of Ukraine very dearly," he warned ominously.

After weeks of rising tensions, Putin's steps this week dramatically raised the stakes. He recognized the independence of the separatist regions, a move he said extends even to the large parts of the territories now held by Ukrainian forces, and had parliament grant him authority to use military force outside the country.

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Putin laid out three conditions that he said could end the standoff, urging Kyiv to renounce its bid to join NATO, to partially demilitarize and to recognize Russias sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine long has rejected such demands.

-- With files from The Canadian Press, Nick Wells

___

Litvinova reported from Moscow. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.

___

Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
A 34-year-old La Crosse man is being held in the La Crosse County Jail without bail after allegedly shooting at a La Crosse police officer early Tuesday morning.

Curtis W. Ross II was referred to the La Crosse County District Attorney for the following charges:

First-degree recklessly endangering safety

Felon in possession of a firearm

Possession of heroin with intent to deliver

Possession of cocaine with intent to deliver.

Resisting an officer

Felony bail jumping

La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Scott Horne continued Ross bail hearing until Wednesday. He is being held on a federal warrant.

According to the La Crosse Police Department, police responded to a theft complaint around 1:30 a.m. and noticed Ross in the area. As police attempted to initiate contact, Ross allegedly turned around and fired one shot at an officer, who escaped injury.

With the assistance of the La Crosse County Sheriffs Office, UW-La Crosse police and Wisconsin State Patrol, police established a perimeter to keep Ross from leaving the area. A witness reported Ross hiding nearby, and police were able to take Ross into custody without further incident.

This incident highlights the dangers our officers face protecting and serving the La Crosse community, La Crosse police chief Shawn Kudron said. I am extremely grateful our officer was not injured, or worse, and that the suspect was taken into custody without further incident. The La Crosse Police Department and the La Crosse community we serve have no tolerance for this reckless behavior, that puts officers and citizens in harms way.

Ross had four warrants for his arrest at the time of the shooting  two in La Crosse County, one in Milwaukee County and a federal warrant. He was arrested for similar drug charges in La Crosse County in Sept. 9, 2021. He was released on a signature bond the following day.

In December, Ross was charged in La Crosse County with several misdemeanors, including two counts of criminal damage to property. Police were unable to locate him, and a warrant for his arrest was issued Dec. 14.

La Crosse Tribune reporter Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net.

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[February 23, 2022] UST and AWS Sign Multi-Year Strategic Collaboration Agreement to Catalyze Enterprise Digital Transformation ~UST & AWS collaborate to accelerate enterprise digital and modernization journey with AWS cloud services~ BENGALURU, India, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UST , a leading digital transformation solutions company, announced a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS). Under the agreement, UST will invest in extending its deep AWS and enterprise digital transformation expertise to build industry/domain-centric solutions for healthcare, financial services, and telecom. These solutions will catalyze the modernization of organizations with AWS services. Customers will benefit from decades of UST enterprise experience in legacy modernization from mainframe to AWS, microservices and reimagining UI (User Interface) experience, DevSecOps (development, security, and operations) transformation, cloud migration and modernization, and cloud optimization. "UST's spectrum of digital solutions for the cloud combined with the power of AWS's architecture will allow organizations greater opportunities to develop solutions that solve their unique challenges," said Chris Sullivan, Global Director, WW System Integrators & Strategic Alliances at AWS. "We look forward to working together to support the clients on their digital journey and accelerating their business transformation goals." UST will expand its digital accelerator services to help the organization transition to AWS services. UST's catalog of services include UST Forensics - Cloud readiness and auditing framework, Cloud Velocity - cloud migration service, UST-PACE for developer accelaration & UST SmartStart which provides the blueprint for automation adoption. "UST is at the forefront of meaningful use of technology - always thinking ahead on how we can help our clients get assured value in their transformation journeys," said Niranjan Ramsunder, Chief Technology Officer at UST. "This collaboratin enhances the combination of UST's strong technical focus and AWS's deep breadth of edge and cloud expertise and services to bring our customers committed business outcomes with minimized risk." "Our modern and secured platform that's born in the cloud and built for scale provides exceptional member experience combined with operational efficiency that reduces overall TCO and helps healthcare payors realize the full value of their investments. We are excited for the strengthened relationship between our two primary partners AWS and UST, that provide us with cloud technology services leadership and digital transformation expertise," added Balaji Narayana, Senior Vice President  Technology & Innovation at CarynHealth. UST will make a number of its digital accelerators and platforms available in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on AWS. These include:

UST-PACE TM - The Platform for Accelerated Cloud Engineering or UST PACE is the future of work platform that unites foundational tools and cloud capabilities into a seamless service.

- The Platform for Accelerated Cloud Engineering or UST PACE is the future of work platform that unites foundational tools and cloud capabilities into a seamless service. UST IQ - One cloud data platform that manages every aspect of the data engineering pipeline from ingestion to insight.

- One cloud data platform that manages every aspect of the data engineering pipeline from ingestion to insight. SmartOps TM - AI-powered cognitive automation platform that holistically learns and reimagines business processes.

- AI-powered cognitive automation platform that holistically learns and reimagines business processes. Cyberproof - Offers comprehensive solutions & services to help enterprises consume and operate at scale in public cloud. "We are excited to deepen our collaboration with AWS that brings next-generation solutions to our customers, ensuring they get business differentiating value at speed, agility, quality, and efficiency," added Manu Gopinath, Chief Operating Officer at UST. "UST's platforms and the native capabilities of AWS technologies improve our customers' time-to-market by upwards of 30% and provide a competitive edge." UST is also investing significantly to address the industry talent shortage by training and certifying over 2000 professionals annually across technical and business pathways through its GA Menon Academy (GAMA). About CarynHealth CarynHealth (https://carynhealth.com) is a leading-edge health tech company offering advanced cloud-based technology, end-to-end managed services, business process optimization and outsourcing, and operations management solutions. CarynHealth's new generation platform is designed for health plan payors, and for employers who offer self-funded health insurance, third-party administrators and health care sharing programs. About UST For more than 22 years, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. We identify their core challenges and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life through our agile approach. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients' organizationsdelivering measurable value and lasting change across industries and worldwide. Together, with over 29,000 employees in 30 countries, we build for boundless impacttouching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at ust.com. Media Contacts, UST: Tinu Cherian Abraham

+1 (949) 415-9857 Neha Misri

+91-9972631264

media.relations@ust.com Media Contacts, U.S.: S&C PR

+1-646.941.9139

media@scprgroup.com Media Contacts, U.K.: FTI Consulting

UST@fticonsulting.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1422658/UST_Logo.jpg

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For the first time as Erie County clerk, Michael P. Kearns will seek support from his own Democratic Party as he prepares to run for re-election this year.

And if Erie County Democrats reject him when he appears before their Executive Committee on Thursday  as expected  Kearns says he will run in the June primary, as well as seek Republican and Conservative support, as he has twice before.

As border backup disaster looms, politicians bicker over Green Light Law Make no mistake, the White House actions will directly and indirectly hurt all of us, said Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat whose district includes the Peace

Now, however, Kearns must face another Democrat in the primary  Eden Supervisor Melissa M. Hartman  even if the candidate joined the party just a few days ago. Hartman, who was twice elected supervisor as a Republican, said she has just finished switching her registration to Democrat. But she has long contemplated a change, she said, after supporting President Biden in 2020 and becoming disenchanted with a GOP she sees as dominated by former President Donald J. Trump.

"That path was going to be taken; it was just a matter of time," she said Tuesday. "The Republicans didn't like that I was out there talking about Trump, even though Trump has nothing to do with local politics."

As a result, the campaign for the usual low profile election may dominate local politics this year as Kearns seeks approval from his own Democrats; continues his long association with Republicans and Conservatives; and faces a Democrat freshly converted from the GOP.

Kearns, a Democrat, once again gains support of GOP. This time for county clerk A source close to GOP headquarters said the party will soon formally back Kearns once again after supporting him in three previous Assembly contests on the Democratic, Republican and Conservative

"I believe I should have been cross-endorsed before," Kearns said Tuesday. "It's a ministerial office, and it should be about service first and not politics."

Kearns has long been viewed by local Democrats as an outcast after he won an Assembly election on the Republican line against an endorsed Democrat in 2012. He went on to oppose then-Speaker Sheldon Silver in Albany, but continued his habit of winning elections with Republican-Conservative backing for the Assembly and through two races for clerk.

He said he is ready to run on his record of serving his constituents through the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We brought leadership and certainty through uncertainty," said Kearns, who is often mentioned as a Republican candidate for county executive in 2023.

Why is he now returning to the Democrats for a primary?

"I have always been a registered Democrat and wanted to run in the Democratic primary," he said.

Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner said Tuesday that Kearns has not asked to appear before the Executive Committee on Thursday, but will be given a chance to speak.

"I think he will not get a lot of support from Democrats in Erie County after working with Nick Langworthy and Carl Paladino to support Donald Trump," he said, referring to the state Republican chairman and 2010 GOP candidate for governor. "Someone like Melissa Hartman can hand him a big loss in the Democratic primary."

Zellner acknowledged he had proposed Mary Hosler as this year's candidate for clerk, but that the Evans supervisor opted not to run for family reasons. Now he is excited about Hartman's candidacy.

"She really wanted to do this," he said. "And in contrast to Mickey, she will take politics out of the office."

Hartman, who ran with Conservative support in her last election, said she again will seek the minor party's backing for clerk. She will have no problem running as a Democrat, she said, noting she grew up on the same street as Gov. Kathy Hochul  Long Avenue in Hamburg.

"I'll be very proud to run on the same ticket," she said.

Still, some Democrats are privately grumbling about the party's inability to find a Democrat to challenge Kearns, and photos of Hartman appearing with numerous top Republicans were already making their way across the internet on Tuesday.

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Photo by Chris Rogers

Frozen River Film Festival goers watch a Masters in Aging documentary on retired local theater professor Vivian Fusillo. In a project over two years in the making, Winona Friendship Center members showcased a series of films they produced.
A Baraboo man appeared Thursday in Sauk County Circuit Court on charges of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old child.

Reginald Baxter Jr., 43, faces a maximum prison sentence of 95 years and fines up to $125,000 for felony counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, child enticement and causing mental harm to a child.

Circuit Court Judge Wendy Klicko set his bond at $1,000 cash with the conditions that he have no contact with the child, or the childs residence, school or any job. Prosecutor Gabriel David Arevalo argued that bail should be set at $50,000 cash. Baxters attorney, Leonie Dolch, argued for a lower or signature bond instead.

According to the criminal complaint, a 12-year-old reported being sexually assaulted by Baxter in the fall at a Baraboo residence. In an interview at Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, the child detailed an interaction in which the 12-year-old woke up to being groped by Baxter in the genital area as well as other parts of the childs body.

The child got away by using the excuse of getting water and went to another room, where Baxter followed and asked for the 12-year-old to return. The child said Baxter asked if he made the 12-year-old uncomfortable and the child said no out of fear of being rude. When Baxter attempted to grope the child once more, the 12-year-old ran from him and he did not pursue a second time.

In an interview with police, Baxter denied assaulting the child and said the child had falsely accused him of sexual assault.

Baxter is scheduled to return April 20 to court.

Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget or contact her at 608-745-3513.

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The crumbling lagoons at Swan City Park will be repaired this year at a cost of $970,000.

At its meeting Monday night, the Beaver Dam Common Council awarded the contract to low bidder Janke General Contractors of Athens. Funds for the project are available in the Parks and Storm Water Capital Improvements Program Accounts, as well as private donations.

The approval to go forward with the restoration project contract was a 131 decision, with Council Member Ken Anderson voting no.

Anderson noted preliminary estimates for the project were around $770,000 and the bids came in substantially higher. He acknowledged that the ponds need to be restored, but suggested design features, such as the center waterfall, be cut from the project to reduce its cost.

John Somers, interim director of administration, explained the funding gap for the lagoon restoration is being covered with money left over from the parks planned splash pad project.

The city allotted $1.4 million for the splash pad over the course of two budget years. The project now sits at $1.7 million. A recently awarded DNR grant of $855,000 will result in a surplus of funds to be used elsewhere in Swan City Park.

Director of Engineering Todd Janssen said specialty project costs, such as the lagoon restoration, have been high across the board this year.

I think its generally reflective of what the bidding environment currently is, with lead time and scarcity of materials and trying to get things, he said.

Swan City Park is the citys oldest park and Council President Cris Olson said events held at the park attract people to the community.

Is this the park that we want to cut costs on or is this the park we want to have as our showcase park? he asked.

Building the splash pad, fixing walking paths and overhauling the crumbling lagoons are all part of the first phase of a 20-year master plan to renovate the park.

Follow Kelly Simon on Twitter @KSchmidSimon or contact her at 920-356-6757.

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An annual St. Patricks-themed event is primed for the middle of March in Wisconsin Dells.

The Thirsty Shamrock 5K and Pub Crawl will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 12. Registration is available for both events separately. Anyone who completes the 5K run will receive a bib and discounts on items and food at various stores and restaurants in the Dells. The Pub Crawl begins at 1 p.m. and runs for four hours, in which attendees can sample artisan beers from local bars.

Participants will begin the Thirsty Shamrock 5K Run and Walk at 10 a.m. in the parking lot next to the River Walk Pub behind the Ripleys Believe It or Not! building. This will also be the finish line. From there, the course runs just over three miles through the city. Runners may arrive starting at 8:45 a.m.

Registration for the 5K run is open on the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau website and costs $25. On Feb. 21, Wisconsin Dells Festivals received approval for the Wisconsin Dells Police Departments assistance with traffic control for the run.

Runners will go south on Eddy and LaCrosse streets before turning left onto Minnesota Avenue. After that, the course turns right on Bowman Road before going left again onto Bauer Street/Windy Hill Road. It heads back north with another left on Race Street followed by a slight left onto Vine Street. A short right on Iowa Avenue then leads to Race again, which runners will take north all the way to Wisconsin Avenue. The course then turns left there before another right on Elm/Oak Streets. It finishes with a left onto Illinois Avenue before heading back south on River Road back to the starting point.

With the run, you get a Dri-Fit shirt and a beanie and you get doughnuts and beer after the event, said Wisconsin Dells Festivals Director of Events Jenifer Dobbs. Well also have some healthy snacks and water.

After the race, runners will get 10 percent off purchases at Five Sisters Antiques, Vintage and Collectibles, Dells Fudge Company, Original Wisconsin Dells Fudge, Swiss Maid Fudge, Native Sun Resortwear, DooHickeys Gifts and Souvenirs, Winnebago Gift Shop, Old Abes Old Time Portraits, Capones Old Time Portraits, and Elements. They can also receive 15 percent off their total bill at River Walk Pub, Wisco Nutrition, Cold Stone Creamery, Asgard Axe and Tap, San Antonio Mexican Restaurant and Sand Bar.

The Pub Crawl carries the same registration fee of $25, unless someone decides to register on March 12, in which the fee is $35. Pub Crawl attendees will receive a tasting glass which they can pick up either at River Walk Park between 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. or at the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Tasting of artisan beers will be available to people who registered at ten bars throughout the city. Showboat Saloon, Latte Stone Brewing Co., Mamas Garage, The Keg, The VUE, Los Corrales Authentic Mexican Restaurant, High Rock Cafe, as well as San Antonio, River Walk Pub and Asgard.

The glass and a wristband will give you entry to the participating bars and restaurants, said Dobbs.
The West showed Tuesday it was ready to target Russia's huge energy industry  even at the risk of hurting itself  after Moscow ordered troops into parts of eastern Ukraine.

Germany said it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline following Moscow's actions in eastern Ukraine on Monday.

"With regard to the latest developments, we need to reassess the situation also with regard to Nord Stream 2. It sounds very technocratic but it is the necessary administrative step in order to stop certification of the pipeline," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Berlin.

The 750-mile pipeline was completed in September but has not yet received final certification from German regulators. Without that, natural gas cannot flow through the Baltic Sea pipeline from Russia to Germany.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and several EU countries have opposed the pipeline since it was announced in 2015, warning the project would increase Moscow's influence in Europe.

Nord Stream 2 could deliver 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. That's more than 50% of Germany's annual consumption and could be worth as much as $15 billion to Gazprom, the Russian state owned company that controls the pipeline.

As Russia's biggest gas customer, Germany had tried to keep Nord Stream 2 out of global politics. But Berlin found it ever harder to defend the project as its allies debated how to punish Moscow should it order an invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order troops into eastern Ukraine put the German government in a difficult position. US officials have made clear that they would move to suspend Nord Stream 2 in the event of a Russian invasion, without offering specifics on how that would be accomplished.

Gazprom is the sole shareholder in Nord Stream 2 but 50% of the finance was provided by five European energy companies, including Wintershall and Uniper of Germany. The other financial backers are Britain's Shell, Engie of France and OMV of Austria.

Gas prices are jumping. What happens next?

Energy is a major political issue in central and eastern Europe, where gas supplies from Russia play an essential role in power generation and home heating. Natural gas prices have set new records this winter in Europe, and a conflict in Ukraine could bring more pain to consumers.

On Tuesday, the benchmark price of natural gas for delivery in Europe next month leaped to about 79 ($89.54) per megawatt hour, up from 71.50 ($81.04) at Monday's close, according to data from Independent Commodity Intelligence Services.

Prices have dropped from record highs hit just before Christmas. Still, they remain significantly above where they stood one year ago, when gas traded at 16.30 ($18.47) per megawatt hour.

Analysts said the fight over Nord Stream 2 shouldn't dramatically change the price outlook for this winter. The pipeline hadn't been expected to come online until the second half of the year, noted Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at ICIS.

Still, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, warned after Germany's announcement that prices in Europe would skyrocket.

"Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans are very soon going to pay 2,000 for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas," he tweeted.

Marzec-Manser said that would be equivalent to approximately 215 ($243.75) per megawatt hour, roughly 20% above the record high reached in December.

Europe is in better shape than it was a few months ago after ramping up imports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, in January and early February, according to Henning Gloystein, director of energy, climate and resources at Eurasia Group. Weather has also been relatively mild.

Yet a lot rides on what happens next.

LNG from the United States and Qatar will help the bloc withstand any disruptions to gas flows though Ukraine, which account for about 10% of total supply to the European Union, should pipelines be damaged in fighting.

But if Moscow, which has already reduced its gas exports to Europe, decides to choke them off further in response to Western sanctions, it could dramatically escalate the situation.

"If Russia stops sending any gas to Europe, there isn't enough LNG to cope with that," Gloystein said.

He said Russia is not expected to take such a drastic step since it would also hurt Gazprom, but it remains a possibility given Putin's recent aggression.

 Lindsay Isaac contributed to this story.

The-CNN-Wire

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Conservatives on Wisconsins natural resources board have approved weakened regulations for toxic "forever chemicals" in public water supplies but killed a rule to limit them in groundwater, which one in four residents with private wells rely on for drinking water.

In the face of widespread public support, the Natural Resources Board voted 3-3 with one abstention Wednesday to reject rules to limit certain fluorinated compounds known as PFAS in groundwater.

The board later voted to approve weakened PFAS standards for public drinking water, which apply to municipal systems, trailer parks, schools and other institutions where people get drinking water on a regular basis.

The vote scraps two and a half years of work by the Department of Natural Resources to set groundwater standards for contaminants found in wells across the state, including in Madison.

The synthetic chemicals, which do not break down naturally, have been linked to health problems including low birth weight, cancer and liver disease, and have been shown to make vaccines less effective.

After heated debate, members appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker sided with industry lobbyists who questioned the science put forward by state health officials and the DNRs economic impact estimates.

Theres been a lot of negativity toward chemicals -- theyre bad -- spoken here today, said Bill Bruins. If we pass this rule its like biting the hand that feeds us.

Board member Fred Prehn said he didnt believe the proposed groundwater rule met statutory requirements.

Im a rules follower, said Prehn, who has refused to step down since his term ended in May as Republicans in the Senate have denied a confirmation hearing for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers nominee to replace him.

Terry Hilgenberg, who abstained without explanation, said he didn't trust the Department of Health Services scientists.

I dont want to be COVIDed here, Hilgenberg said, citing variances in local public health guidelines. When I come to the Peoples Republic of Madison, I have to wear a mask, and it's ridiculous. ... I dont have trust in the DHS.

Hilgenberg also said he didnt believe the DNRs economic impact statement based on a conversation with a northeast Wisconsin well digger.

That prompted a rebuke from DNR Secretary Preston Cole.

Youre not going to take us on and say somehow you believe it to be true because you talked to a guy, Cole said. Listen to yourself.

DNR staff later pointed out that Hilgenberg had conflated the cost estimates for private and municipal wells.

Chair Greg Kazmierski tried unsuccessfully to amend the proposed groundwater standard to the Environmental Protection Agencys existing health advisory, which is 3.5 times higher than the DNRs proposed standard.

The board later voted 6-1 to reject the DNRs proposed 20 parts per trillion standard for public drinking water supplies and instead adopt the EPAs 70 ppt guideline. Recently released EPA documents show negative health effects can occur at less than 1 ppt.

Environmental advocates accused the board of playing political games and ignoring science.

As a result, more Wisconsinites will be unnecessarily exposed to toxic chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, impairment of the immune system and other diseases, said Tony Wilkin Gibart, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates.

That rule will now require approval by Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature's rules committee.

Mike Mikalsen, an aide to committee co-chair Sen. Steve Nass, said Nass still needs to review the final versions before reaching any conclusions but the changes made by the board "improve the chances" of legislative approval.

Critical reception

The board received dozens of public comments in support of the standards and heard pleas from local leaders in cities with contaminated water supplies.

Peshtigo town chair Cindy Boyle broke down in tears as she described her communitys plight and her own battle with cancer.

For four and a half years I have been fighting every single day to set PFOA/PFOS standards, Boyle said. Im not embarrassed. Im exhausted. Im pissed off. Our community needs and deserves protection.

Lee Donahue, a supervisor in the La Crosse County town of Campbell, described how residents unknowingly drank contaminated well water for years.

Its like a ticking time bomb, Donahue said. You know its in your body and you cant get it out. You seek a safe alternative drinking water source, and you pray for enforceable water standards.

Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg, who earlier this month revealed that all six of the citys wells have PFAS concentrations above the proposed standard -- but below the levels adopted -- said the lack of regulations has left local governments in the worst form of regulatory limbo.

The public trust is shattered, she said. Municipalities cant shoulder the burdens of doing the right thing by ourselves. Please dont punt.

Prehn, a Wausau dentist, accused Rosenberg of creating hysteria and psychosis.

The bottom line is its a forever chemical and youre never going to remove all of it, he said. You want an instant fix to a problem thats been around for generations.

Proposed rules

Developed over the past two years with input from industry and environmental groups as well as hundreds of concerned citizens, the proposed rules targeted just two of the most extensively studied compounds, PFOS and PFOA.

If approved by the Legislature, the new rules on groundwater would have enabled the DNR to force polluters to clean up spills or face fines if concentrations exceed the standards. The proposed rule also included new or adjusted standards for 20 additional contaminants, including hexavalent chromium.

All told, the DNR estimated it would have cost the states businesses and local governments about $6 million per year to comply with the new regulations, while Wisconsin residents could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in avoided health care costs associated with low birth weight and high blood pressure attributed to PFAS.

The proposed drinking water standards are similar to those adopted by Illinois but less restrictive than those in Minnesota and Michigan, which have also adopted surface water standards.

Scott Manley, a lobbyist for Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, argued the rules are unlawful because the DNR underestimated the costs of compliance and state law prohibits combined standards for more than one substance.

Other industry representatives urged the board to delay regulation until the EPA establishes federal standards, which they warned will likely be more stringent than the DNRs.

The EPA in January decided to establish federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, though such regulations would not be in place until 2026.

Were comparing human health with corporate profits, said Peshtigo supervisor Kayla Furton. If corporate profits were removed from this equation there would be no opposition.

The board later voted unanimously to adopt the DNRs recommended limits for PFOA and PFOS in surface waters.

The rule limits PFOS, which tends to accumulate in fish, at 8 ppt except in waters that cannot naturally support fish or feed other fisheries. The limit for PFOA is 20 ppt in waters that supply drinking water and 95 ppt elsewhere, which the DNR said is a safe level for swimmers.

Permit holders would have more than seven years to come into compliance with the rule, which the DNR estimates will result in about $2.1 million in added costs for about 48 businesses, primarily paper mills, metal finishers, chemical manufacturers and commercial laundries.

In addition, the DNR estimates 23 municipal wastewater treatment plants would need to add filtration to comply with the standards.
Tackling how data from your Health App is used

New research project will explore ways to protect the personal health data of African app users.

Pamela Andanda, Professor in the School of Law and an expert in law and bioethics, is part of an international research team that will examine how to better regulate the collection and migration of health data of people in the global South in order to protect privacy and prevent exploitation of their personal information.

Digital health apps are increasingly popular in sub-Saharan Africa as a means of delivering health services. But a pilot project by the research team found that most of these health apps are owned and operated by foreign companies, and that health data out-migration from these apps is inadequately regulated.

Annually, health data from over 40 million Africans is harvested by digital companies based in the global north, something which has been described as digital colonialism.

Digital colonialism leads to structural inequalities and lack of oversight over the use of the collected data thus leaving less room for data subjects and contributors to determine how data can be used for their benefits, says Andanda.

Through the research project titled There is no app for this! Regulating the migration of health apps in Sub-Saharan Africa, the team will tackle these pertinent issues.

The project is led by Professor Sharifah Sekalala of Warwick Law School, and consists of Professor Bitange Ndemo (University of Nairobi, Kenya) and Wits Universitys Andanda. It has been been awarded 1.4 million (approx.. R24 million) under the Mobility  Global Medicine and Health Research programme, funded by the La Caixa Foundation (Spain), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark), the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany) and Wellcome (UK).

Focusing on Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, the project brings together a consortium of scholars and activists to examine how to construct regulatory solutions to the problem of health data migration in Africa.

The research will address three questions:

How can the conceptual framework of digital health colonialism help us to understand and resist structural inequities of data migration? How can we co-create the design of apps to better address issues of privacy and data misuse, given the rapid rate of technological development? How can we update regulatory frameworks at the Pan-African level?

An important aspect of the work is the commitment to working with civil society organisations, app developers and traditional and non-traditional regulators. Together, the team will devise legal mechanisms to protect the health data of people in the global South by co-creating guidelines for data regulation, and testing their feasibility with app developers and other relevant stakeholders.

Professor Sekalala says: The migration of people has long been a key policy issue for global health, but the global health stakes are also high for the migration of health data. The use of mobile health apps offers huge advantages for health in Africa, where health infrastructure and resources are often limited. However, the emergence and popular uptake of health apps also raise troubling questions: Where does data go? Who has access to it? And who profits from Africans health data, particularly once it leaves Africa?

Professor Andanda who will lead the section which seeks to conceptualise legal and ethical issues that should be resolved to create core minimum standards for regulating the migration of health data in Sub-Saharan Africa says: The co-creative approach, which we use in this project will go a long way in ensuring that the passive collection of personal data, through health apps, and data migration are properly regulated to respect human dignity.

Professor Ndemo says: The funding from Wellcome comes at the right time when there is a growing list of health hubs in Africa especially those that are building health wallets that will have a long-term effect on the people of Africa. The need to interrogate emerging concepts from the health apps is urgent now.

Dr Peter Kilroy at Wellcome adds: The rapid rate of technological development in recent years has had profound implications on the global collection and storage of health data. Working with stakeholders across sub-Saharan Africa, this innovative project will be critical in transforming our understanding of the global inequities associated with health data migration, helping to inform regulatory frameworks and promote equitable approaches.

NOTES

There is no app for this! Regulating the migration of health apps in Sub-Saharan Africa (Grant ref: 0062255) is one of seven global health research projects awarded funding under the

Mobility-Global Medicine and Health Research call.

The call focuses on the opportunities, risks and possible solutions to the impact of increasing mobility on global health. It is co-ordinated jointly by the La Caixa Foundation (Spain), Novo Nordisk Fonden (Denmark), Wellcome (UK) and the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany). After funding 15 pilot studies, these foundations have now selected seven international and interdisciplinary projects to be recipients of 10.3 million euros in funding.
Niagara Falls has a new convention center, which looks exactly like the Conference Center Niagara Falls.

Destination Niagara USA, the official tourism marketing agency, announced Wednesday it has changed the name of the building at 101 Old Falls St.

Calling it the Niagara Falls Convention Center will make it more attractive to potential event organizers, and the name also scores better than "Conference Center" in online searches, said John H. Percy Jr., president and CEO of Destination Niagara.

It's the first time in 20 years that Niagara Falls has had a building called a convention center.

The original Niagara Falls Convention Center opened in 1974. In 2002, the Fourth Street building was turned over to the Seneca Nation of Indians, which converted it into Seneca Niagara Casino.

Signs rebranding the Old Falls Street building as the Niagara Falls Convention Center are being designed and probably will be posted in May or June, Percy said.

In October, USA Niagara Development Corp., the state agency that owns the building, awarded Destination Niagara a five-year contract to manage and market the 116,000-square-foot facility.

The entire Conference Center staff, including General Manager Jason Murgia, stayed on as Destination Niagara employees, Percy said. Until Jan. 1, the facility was managed by Spectra Venue Management, a Philadelphia company, which had held the contract since 2009.

"I think there's a lot of upside with this collaborative approach that the state first came to me with in the fall of 2020," Percy said. "We've helped market that building. We've helped do sales. It's not like we've been out of this arena of sales, but we've had our sales team, they've had their sales team. Now we can do so much more."

Percy said the internal sales force and outside experts were asked for their opinions on how to better market the building to event planners.

"The consistent answer was that conference is misleading and limiting for the types of events that we are actually able to host," Percy said.

"They want to make sure the location connotes that it's not just this intimate little conference space, that it has the availability for other things," Mayor Robert M. Restaino said. "From a tourism perspective, I'm hoping that it helps market easier."

"Convention centers focus on size-appropriate, citywide conventions that benefit all destination partners, including hotels, restaurants and attractions. Conference centers tend to focus solely on meeting space," Destination Niagara explained in a release announcing the name change.

"Convention centers offer a variety of spaces, including exhibition halls, meeting rooms, auditorium-style space and banquet meal rooms. Conference centers are more often referred to as singularly focused space," the announcement said.

Based on that, the Falls Street edifice is more accurately described as a convention center.

The name change "really lends focus to the events center that my administration are proposing, because it's clearly a different venue," Restaino said.

He has his eye on a parcel at Falls Street and John B. Daly Boulevard, a block east of the casino, as a site for an arena and entertainment venue seating 6,000 to 7,000 people.

The mayor said discussions continue with the landowner, Niagara Falls Redevelopment, which controls large swaths of vacant downtown land.

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In November 2018, two security guards at the Niagara Power Project had a chat at work about their Christmas vacation schedule.

A few weeks later, Security Supervisor Ryan Sinatra confronted one of the guards with a recording of the conversation, according to files obtained by The Buffalo News under the Freedom of Information Law.

On the tape, which Sinatra said had been anonymously emailed to him, Sgt. Russell J. DeFranco was heard making derogatory comments about Sinatra. That triggered a disciplinary action against DeFranco, according to his statement to investigators.

He said it added to pre-existing hostility that eventually led to DeFranco's firing in February 2020 and a $3 million lawsuit against the New York Power Authority, claiming the termination was unjust and discriminatory.

And the recording of DeFranco's chat with fellow guard James Morgan also sparked a criminal investigation, which concluded that their conversation had been secretly  and illegally  recorded.

After hearing the tape, DeFranco gave statements to the state Inspector General's Office and the Niagara County District Attorney's Office, making accusations of illegal eavesdropping. Investigators concluded that the recording of the DeFranco-Morgan conversation did constitute the crime of eavesdropping. But after a yearlong investigation, the DA's Office sent DeFranco a letter saying no charges would be filed.

"While there is sufficient evidence to prove that a crime was committed, we cannot establish the identify of the perpetrator beyond a reasonable doubt," Mary Jean Bowman, now executive assistant DA, wrote to DeFranco in December 2019.

"I was blown away," said DeFranco, who worked 20 years for the Niagara Falls Police Department and retired as a detective before joining NYPA in 2016 at age 52.

Even if they didnt know who did it, they could have charged the Power Authority as a corporation. Thats what I used to do with the environmental crimes I investigated," DeFranco said.

Or, the evidence could have been submitted to a grand jury to sort out potential charges, DeFranco said. Bowman disagreed.

"It was allegedly just an individual who may have committed the act. There was no evidence to support that it was an act on behalf of a corporation, if it even is a corporation," Bowman said. "Without a target, there's really nothing that the grand jury can do."

NYPA said it does not condone surreptitious recording of in-person conversations. But it does have a policy allowing recordings of phone calls without notice, for business and legal reasons, as well as investigations of employee misconduct.

The probe by the DA's Office and the Inspector General's Office confirmed that many phones at the plant have the ability to function as microphones, even while their receivers are hung up.

However, the Inspector General was told by NYPA the function to record non-phone conversations never had been enabled.

That means the DeFranco-Morgan chat was recorded by some type of bugging device, the Inspector General's Office concluded. The inspector general's investigator questioned numerous employees, but no one offered any insight as to who made the recording, or how it was done.

In an interview, DeFranco said, based on experiences that colleagues related, that he began to suspect bugging "probably around mid-2018."

Shirley Hamilton, a 42-year employee of the Power Project, said she had known that at least since 2015, when she said she was accused of disciplinary violations that eventually led to her demotion.

Illegal is illegal. Thats the way I look at it," said Hamilton, a former chairwoman of the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency.

When plant officials and a union representative met with Hamilton in May 2017 and the session became loud, she recalled that two top executives came running into the room.

The only way they could have known things were becoming heated was by listening in on the meeting, Hamilton said.

'Sleeping on the job'

On Jan. 10, 2020, 14 months after his conversation with Morgan was recorded, DeFranco said he passed out at work at 3 a.m.  because of job-related stress and a medical condition, he said  and Sinatra found him on the floor more than three hours later.

After a medical leave, DeFranco was fired Feb. 19, 2020, for "sleeping on the job," according to documents in DeFranco's U.S. District Court lawsuit against NYPA.

This individual had been clearly retaliating against him the whole time and was clearly trying to use this medical event as justification for terminating him. I actually think its outrageous," said Kevin P. Wicka, DeFranco's attorney.

NYPA would not comment on the litigation, but its attorneys have moved to dismiss the case, claiming the complaints are excluded by time limits in various federal laws and don't amount to illegal discrimination, harassment or retaliation.

Sinatra's attorney, R. Scott DeLuca, also said he wouldn't comment on pending litigation.

As far back as 2017, DeFranco, who wears hearing aids in both ears, had filed a complaint with NYPA's human resources department, objecting to Sinatra reprimanding him for not following instructions regarding guard scheduling.

DeFranco said he didn't hear Sinatra's instructions and contended he was being discriminated against because of his hearing handicap.

Thats a protected activity, because hes complaining about disability discrimination in this email to HR," Wicka said. "That is the seminal change point. When that happens, then hes in the crosshairs thereafter.

Listening in

In a November 2020 letter to NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones, Executive Deputy Inspector General Spencer Freedman reported that from December 2014 through April 2019, NYPA executives reviewed more than 2,000 phone calls at the Niagara Power Project, both incoming and outgoing.

Freedman recommended a return to the former practice of placing stickers on phones warning users that their calls may be recorded. Hamilton said that hasn't happened as the inspector general envisioned.

Some of the phones are labeled, but the majority are not," Hamilton said.

DeFranco said that after his criminal complaint, warning stickers were posted, but after a time they were removed.

We not only have taped phone systems, we have actual cameras. If those cameras are voice-recorded, there should be notices, This area is being recorded. It wasnt," Hamilton said.

NYPA said Tuesday that it is in the process of making sure all recorded lines have warning stickers.

"NYPA does not monitor phone calls," the authority said in an email to The News. "For business reasons, and in keeping standard industry practices, certain phone lines related to control room operations (for power generation and transmission), security and trading are recorded in case of an instance where communications records are needed."

The email also said, "NYPAs practice of recording certain phone lines is a standard industry practice and in full compliance with the law."

No privacy

Freedman also wrote that NYPA should adopt a policy governing how material gleaned from recorded phone calls could be used and distributed.

Last October, NYPA did so, and the policy, released by NYPA's public affairs office, makes no concessions to privacy.

"Personnel should not have any expectation of privacy in the use, disclosure or storage of any communications or records created, sent or received via the Systems Environment," the policy said, using the legal term for all computers or communications equipment.

"NYPA reserves the right to access and monitor, without notice, any aspect of the Systems Environment," the policy added.

Most private-sector employees have little expectation of privacy at work, University at Buffalo Law School Professor Matthew Dimick said. But the story is different for unionized government workers.

"For unionized employees, employers have a duty to bargain about conditions of work, including surveillance, especially where such surveillance can lead to to discipline or termination," Dimick said.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents most workers at the power plant, said its contract contains no provisions regarding recording of phone calls or conversations at the power plant. DeFranco, as a sergeant, was not an IBEW member.

"Public employees are protected by the federal and state constitutional guarantees of privacy," Dimick said. "But these protections are also contingent on the expectation of privacy employees have when entering the employment relationship, which are shaped by contract, employer policy, and which are substantially diminished, compared to the private citizen in cases of, for example, police searches and seizures."

Hamilton said phone monitoring at the power plant isn't new, but it used to be highly limited.

When I first started working there, we only had a couple of sets of phones recorded, and that was the phone calls to the control room and the phone calls to security," she said.

But shortly before DeFranco was hired in 2016, the plant installed a new phone system, manufactured by Cisco, that had wider recording capability.

Discrimination complaints

In January 2019, besides calling police agencies, DeFranco complained to NYPA's Civil Rights and Inclusion Office about his treatment by Sinatra and Power Project Human Resources Director Sean M. Smith.

The files show the NYPA internal probe found that DeFranco's claim of retaliation against Sinatra was "substantiated" and would be addressed administratively, but the eventual lawsuit contends that nothing was done.

DeFranco's claim of disability and age discrimination by Sinatra and Smith "could not be substantiated," NYPA decided.

In October 2019, eight months after being disciplined, DeFranco also filed complaints about Sinatra and Smith with the state Division of Human Rights and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

DeFranco's federal lawsuit contends that for years, colleagues had mocked him for his hearing trouble, while Sinatra allegedly gave him negative job performance reviews and assigned him to far more overnight shifts than other, younger officers.

The Division of Human Rights dismissed DeFranco's complaint in early 2020, accepting NYPA's explanation that DeFranco was disciplined for poor job performance. NYPA said DeFranco was terminated for cause.

However, the EEOC ruled in September 2020 that DeFranco had a right to sue NYPA over his firing.

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Kenneth Anderson talks about his pregnant daughter, who was shot by a rideshare driver.
North Tonawanda residents are learning what their counterparts in Niagara Falls already know about cryptocurrency: It can be noisy.

What one nearby resident described as a "buzzing-humming" noise was among the complaints to North Tonawanda police overnight Tuesday and Wednesday morning, as a Bitcoin mining plant began outdoor testing of its equipment.

Lawsuit challenges bitcoin mining project in North Tonawanda Three North Tonawanda residents and the Sierra Club filed suit Monday, attempting to overturn the city Planning Commission's approval of a bitcoin mining project.

The Digihost cryptocurrency facility comprises 14 shipping container-sized structures on concrete pads in front of the Fortistar natural gas-burning power plant at 1070 Erie Ave.

"We got numerous calls to the police. I got dozens of emails, so far," said Mayor Austin J. Tylec, who sought unsuccessfully to block the project when he was an alderman last year.

Fortistar plant manager Dan Rotunno said containers were being tested, and the equipment being used was not in any of the 14 pods constructed in front of the plant. He said the tests were powered by "utility power," not the output from the 55-megawatt power plant.

State OK still lacking for cryptocurrency firm's North Tonawanda project A Canadian cryptocurrency company's plans to buy a North Tonawanda power plant have not yet been approved in Albany, but local officials have greenlighted the project despite the concerns of environmental groups.

Tylec said tests will continue "on and off" for the next several weeks.

Rotunno said the power plant has been running at about 50% capacity since January, selling power into the general power grid, not powering Digihost's computers.

"It's not enclosed. That's why the sound is the way it is," Tylec said. "After a few weeks, they will begin to run those gray permanent pods. Those are better insulated. They're supposed to be not as loud."

In November, Niagara Falls officials began hearing noise complaints from residents about a cryptocurrency mining effort at the former DuPont plant. The sounds come from the powerful fans used to cool the computers used to crunch the company's numbers. Chains of computers are used for the complex calculations needed to provide security for cryptocurrency transactions.

Tylec said North Tonawanda has a noise ordinance that limits outdoor noise on a site zoned industrial, such as Fortistar, to 65 decibels. Industrial noise on any residential site nearby must not exceed 55 decibels between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

North Tonawanda Council rejects cryptocurrency moratorium The North Tonawanda Common Council voted 3-2 Tuesday against a proposal to hold a public hearing on a proposed moratorium on data mining facilities used for cryptocurrency transactions.

Tylec said city building inspector Rob DePaolo received a video Wednesday morning that showed a sound meter reading 63 decibels on the Fortistar property. Tylec said further investigation is planned.

"It's a loud buzzing-humming," said Sil Dan Jr., one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit attempting to invalidate the city's approval of the project, who said he lives two-tenths to three-tenths of a mile away and can hear the noise in his driveway.

In a statement, Digihost President Alec Amara said the company's North Tonawanda operations "have been running for several weeks without a single issue. As part of our promise to the community, Digihost is diligently monitoring noise levels at the facility twice a day. Our records reveal noise levels remain steady and below the maximum allowed under the city's noise ordinance. We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders to ensure that any concerns are met expeditiously and completely. We take our commitment to the community seriously and will continue to exceed our responsibilities as a good corporate neighbor."

Digihost, a Canadian company, has an agreement to buy the Fortistar plant to power the computers that carry out the complex calculations needed for security in transactions involving the digital currency. However, the state Public Service Commission has not yet approved the transaction.

The city Planning Commission approved the project in September, but the Sierra Club and some nearby residents filed a lawsuit in November, attempting to invalidate that approval on the grounds that the process used allegedly violated the city zoning ordinance and the state Environmental Conservation Law.

Blockchain company chief says North Tonawanda power plant deal would create jobs The president of Digihost, a Canadian blockchain company, said this week that his planned $3.5 million purchase of a North Tonawanda power plant would create about 20 permanent jobs and 30 to 40 construction jobs.

Although the lawsuit was supplemented Dec. 1 with a request for a preliminary injunction preventing the Digihost plant from operating, there has been no action. In fact, the sides agreed to adjournments in December and January, court records show.

The case was scheduled for argument today before State Supreme Court Justice Frank A. Sedita III, but Tuesday afternoon, the court postponed that session until next Wednesday.

In a court document filed last week, Assistant City Attorney Nicholas B. Robinson argued that since the lawsuit was filed, Digihost has completed its construction project, and therefore the lawsuit is moot.

In a reply memorandum, Richard J. Lippes, attorney for the Sierra Club and the residents, said the use of the buildings can be prevented by the court anyway. Digihost "assumed the risk of such building with full knowledge of the pending motion for preliminary injunction."

As an alderman in August, Tylec sought a moratorium on cryptocurrency facilities in North Tonawanda. However, the Council voted that down 3-2.

Canadian cryptocurrency company plans to buy North Tonawanda power plant Because of the power demands connected with the large number of supercomputers needed for el

"If we issued that moratorium to begin with and did the proper process, we wouldn't be in this situation. I'm not too happy this morning," Tylec said Wednesday.

"He's absolutely right, but then we wouldn't have a power plant or additional revenue coming into the City of North Tonawanda," Council President Robert E. Pecoraro replied. "The noise right now is unacceptable, it's a quality of life issue and we will get to the bottom of it."

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A view from Wrexhams Member of Parliament

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Feb 23rd, 2022

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here.

Today, Wrexhams MP Sarah Atherton writes

This month, I was excited to hear details of the UK Governments crack down on rogue private car parking companies  a move that will be welcomed in Wrexham. Last year, I opened a constituency-wide survey to hear from residents about their experiences of parking in Wrexham. One of our communitys main gripes was that private car parking companies, like Euro Car Parks who manage Island Green car park, have too much power and cannot be held accountable. The survey results that I gathered were shared with the UK Government and I am thrilled that Ministers have listened and are taking action. This is a win for Wrexham and your contributions really have made a difference!

I have also been continuing my healthcare campaign, going out with volunteers to deliver more leaflets across town. This month, news broke of the failures in vascular services across Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the evidence released was, sadly, not surprising. The failures that many have experienced highlight why the Welsh Government needs to step up and make improvements to our local health care system. NHS and social care staff are excellent, and should be applauded, but the system within which they operate is not working, so if you want to send the Welsh Government that healthcare in Wrexham needs improving, sign the campaign on my website: https://www.sarahatherton.org.uk/health-care-wrexham.

Recently, I continued my support for our local Police teams by joining Inspector Claire McGrady and the Council on a Friday night in Wrexham to see their Safer Streets initiative in action. The project, which has seen the Hafan y Dref welfare centre opened on an additional night, the installation of additional CCTV and street lighting through town and increased Police patrols, has been possible following the awarding of over 500,000 to North Wales Police from two UK Government funding pots. The funds were introduced to improve the safety of public places for all, with a particular focus on reducing violence and crimes against women and girls.

Sadly, there has been a recent spike in anti-social behaviour across town and I support the Police with issuing dispersal orders to break up groups whose behaviour causes a distress or nuisance.

This month, the UK Government also released the Levelling Up White Paper  the blueprint for bringing investment, jobs and prosperity around the UK. The White Paper included confirmation that the Ministry of Justice would moving jobs from London to Wrexham as part of a relocation scheme. Alongside this, I have also reaffirmed my commitment to Wrexhams Levelling Up Fund bid. Last year, I brought UK Government Ministers to Wrexham to see the Racecourse Ground and the site of the Wrexham Gateway project and, as the second round of funding opens, I will continue to shout loud in Parliament to make sure Wrexhams bid gets the attention it deserves.

Finally, it was exciting to once again visit Xplore! this month, as I am a real advocate and supporter of their great work. In Parliament, I have celebrated the work of science and technology centres up and down the country, noting their unique role in getting young people interested in science and technology so I was thrilled to be able to continue my support for Wrexhams centre, during one of their special exhibitions supporting the recent COP26 Climate Conference.

As always, if there is anything I can do to help, please dont hesitate to contact me by email on sarah.atherton.mp@parliament.uk or by telephone on 01978 291742.

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Welsh and UK Parliament representatives to write a monthly article with updates on their work and closer to home  you can find them all here.
40th Falklands memorial service & reunion details announced

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Feb 23rd, 2022

The 40th Falklands Memorial Service, Reunion and march will take place in Wrexham on Saturday 25th June 2022 at 11am and will follow the traditional format of a service at St Giles Parish Church.

Following the service there will be a march to the Welsh Guards Memorial at Bodhyfryd, led by the Regimental Band and a detachment from 1st Battalion, to lay wreaths then a reception in the War Memorial Club for Association members and their families.

The Regimental Band and the Rhos Orpheus Choir will perform in the church.

Chris Hopkins, President of the North Wales Branch of the Welsh Guards Association said This year will be a very special anniversary for the Welsh Guards as we come together to remember and commemorate the 33 Welsh Guards, 6 attached personnel and 3 Welsh Guardsmen serving with the Special Air Service who gave their lives in this conflict.

We are expecting a large turnout when we march through Wrexham and encourage everyone to come along to commemorate this anniversary with us.

Cllr David Griffiths, Armed Forces Champion on Wrexham Council, said, Wrexham has a very proud tradition of supporting the military and Im sure this event will be no exception.

We thank the Welsh Guards for their service, past and present and will be joining them at St Giles on the 25 June to remember those lost during the Falklands War.
Campaign to help people talk about mental health and end discrimination extended by three years

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Feb 23rd, 2022

A campaign to help people to talk about mental health and to end discrimination has received an additional 1.4m to extend the programme by three years.

Time to Change Wales was set up to challenge and change negative attitudes and behaviours towards mental ill health.

The programme concentrates on four key areas: partnerships; employers and the workplace; health and social care; and social marketing. The campaign is delivered by a partnership of two leading Welsh charities; Mind Cymru and Adferiad Recovery.

Today Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle and Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething have today confirmed the additional funding for Time to Change Wales will see the programme extended until 2025.

The new phase of work will have particular focus on working with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and employers in areas of poverty and deprivation. In previous years the programme has focused on increasing engagement with men through the Talking Is A Lifeline campaign and increasing the number of Welsh speakers involved.

One key part of Time to Change Wales is working with employers to create more open cultures around discussing mental health at work and provide employers with practical resources including an Employer Toolkit and training.

Around one in four Welsh workforces have pledged their support to the campaign already, representing around 320,000 employees. Organisations signed up include third sector organisations, all four police forces, all local health boards, private companies and SMEs.

The new funding for Time to Change Wales will also see a roll out of a new and innovative learning module for health and social care staff specifically focussing on tackling mental health stigma and improving patients experiences. This follows a successful trial in 2021-22.

Time to Change Wales will also continue to recruit Champions who have experience of mental ill health. They help to share their stories and deliver presentations and anti-stigma training to community groups, workplaces and organisations. To date there are over 50 champions working across Wales.

Deputy Minister for Mental health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle, said: I am pleased we are able to provide further funding to help extend Time to Change Wales.

The project is helping to end discrimination and encouraging people to have open and honest conversations about mental health. The four strands that Time to Change Wales supports provide great opportunities to share best practice across many parts of our daily life.

We know that the pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on those from Black Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and I am pleased Time to Change Wales will focus on working with communities utilising this new funding

I hope the funding announced today will build on the momentum that Time to Change Wales has already achieved.

Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething, said that good mental health is absolutely vital in order for people to live healthy, happy and fulfilling lives.

He added: The Welsh Government is fully committed to tackling the unacceptable stigma and discrimination faced by people suffering from mental ill-health.

So I am delighted this important campaign is being extended. It will have a particular focus on the wellbeing of people in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, as well as in workplaces in the most deprived parts of Wales.

While weve made good progress, there is still more work to be done so that we create the healthier, fairer and more prosperous Wales we all want to see. Time to Change Wales is crucial in our efforts to help us to achieve that ambition.

June Jones, Interim Time To Change Wales Programme Manager said: This is an exciting and important time for Time to Change Wales as it gears up to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination within socially deprived and minority ethnic communities.

With the support from our Champions, Pledged Organisations and partners, we will ensure we provide a platform for the hidden voices and improve the understanding of mental health across all areas in Wales.

Tackling stigma is the key to ensuring people across Wales have better and more supported mental health. In this way, we will build a programme that ensures that everyone can benefit equally from the anti-stigma mental health work of Time to Change Wales.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, whom New York Republicans are expected to endorse for governor at their convention next week, on Wednesday named Deputy Inspector Alison A. Esposito of the New York Police Department as his running mate.

Zeldin announced his choice outside NYPD Headquarters in Manhattan to underscore the GOP's expected emphasis on rising crime rates under incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, according to his website.

Rob Astorino vows GOP primary in race for governor while seeking election reforms "There are almost 3 million registered Republicans in this state," he said in an interview. "They are the ones who are going to decide who is the most electable to beat Cuomo or whoever the candidate is."

Deputy Inspector Alison Esposito is a fighter who has served a long time here at the NYPD and has instilled fear in the hearts of criminals everywhere. It is exciting news for New York State that Alison is now willing to bring her fighting spirit, vision, ideas, and energy to the state capital, Zeldin said. She will not look back. She refuses to lose, and as I say, and Alison also believes, losing is not an option.

Esposito, who joined the Police Department in 1997, immediately embraced the Republican attack against new laws like cashless bail and liberalized policies enacted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Time and time again, weve heard politicians talk about what theyre going to do to fight crime," Esposito said. "Well Ive actually done it, and Im not slowing down now. My job was to protect the innocent and to keep the people of the City of New York safe ... now my job is to keep the people of the State of New York safe.

Harry Wilson upsets GOP plans by joining race for NY governor Wilson, the Westchester County businessman and 2010 candidate for state comptroller, is poised to enter the race and spend $12 million of his own money on TV ads as well as qualifying for the GOP primary ballot, according to Fox News.

Esposito's latest assignment was as commander of the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn. The choice immediately drew praise from state Republican Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy, who will preside over the GOP convention set to begin Monday in Nassau County.

"New York Republicans are putting our money where our mouth is and proving to the people of this state that we are serious about ending the public safety crisis created by the Democrat Party," he said.

While Esposito will go to the convention as the party's favored candidate for lieutenant governor, the process may not have ended. Zeldin has long faced two rivals for the party nod  former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and former Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani. This week, Westchester County businessman Harry J. Wilson, the 2010 Republican candidate for comptroller, announced his candidacy for governor.

Should any of the three beat Zeldin in a Republican primary, it is conceivable they would run with their own choice for lieutenant governor, which could also produce a primary.

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The European Union (EU) has given its approval to the World Health Organization (WHO)s scheme to enable six African countries, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia, to access the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines. Africa has thus far been almost entirely reliant on imported COVID-19 vaccines.

The decision comes after Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, whose mRNA COVID vaccines were funded by the German and US governments, had denied a request from the WHO to share their technology and expertise. Apart from Astra-Zeneca, the major pharmaceutical corporations have refused to let other countries produce their vaccines, instead signing a few deals to allow them to bottle and package doses, citing quality concerns and the time required to get new companies up to speed.

The EU, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have refused to agree to India and South Africas proposal, backed by more than 100 nations, researchers, campaign groups, businesses and media outlets, that the World Trade Organization (WTO) waive intellectual-property rights for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments during the pandemic. While the US Biden administration declared it was in favour of such a waiver, this was for public relations purposes only as it has done nothing to force US companies to comply.

Rejecting a coordinated global response to the pandemic, capitalist governments globally have put profits before lives in support of their own corporations and banks interests, condemning the worlds poorest countries to ever greater poverty and hardship.

More than a year after vaccines became available, just 12 percent of the African population, 168 million of a 1.3 billion population, have been fully vaccinated, with 80 percent of the population yet to receive a single shot. About six million people are being vaccinated in Africa every week. This needs to increase sixfold to around 36 million if the continent is to reach the target of vaccinating 70 percent of the population of every country by the middle of 2022. So far, only Mauritius and Seychelles have met the 70 percent target.

People line up to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Lawley, south of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/ Shiraaz Mohamed)

The disparity in vaccine access is obscene. While 116 countries around the world are nowhere near meeting their 70 percent target and COVAX, the WHO initiative that provides most of the vaccines for low and middle-income countries, is running out of money, 75 percent of the population in the EU and the US have been vaccinated.

At last weeks fractious meeting of the African Union and the EU in Brussels, African leaders and public health officials accused rich countries of monopolising the vast majority of the global supply of vaccines by paying far more than poorer countries could ever afford, hoarding doses and donating vaccines close to their expiry date, making a mockery of vaccine equity Although several African countries have the know-how and facilities to manufacture vaccines, vaccine nationalism and profit gouging have left the continent 99 percent dependent on importsto the extent that any doses are available for purchaseand donations.

The purpose of the WHOs technology transfer project, launched last June in Cape Town, is to enable poorer countries to access the mRNA technology, which works by delivering genetic molecules containing the code for key parts of a pathogen into human cells, thereby provoking an immune response. This would supposedly enable their mass production of mRNA vaccines and end their reliance on Big Pharmas profit-maximising schemes. More than 70 percent of mRNA shots from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have gone to rich countries.

As WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the launch ceremony hosted by the European Council, France, South Africa and the WHO, 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.

Although the mRNA technology transfer hub has been set up to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, it will have the potential to produce other vaccines and products, including insulin to treat diabetes, cancer medicines and, potentially, vaccines for diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. Nevertheless, while training is set to begin next month, this is unlikely to have a major impact for quite some time.

The announcement comes days after Afrigen, a South African company that is part of the WHOs mRNA hub, revealed it had developed, in collaboration with Johannesburgs University of the Witwatersrand, its own version of an mRNA vaccine based on publicly available data for the Moderna vaccine. Their success exposes the self-serving claims of Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna that Africa lacked the necessary expertise to manufacture their vaccines.

Afrigen plans to scale up production towards commercial scale and set up clinical trials later this year. It chose the Moderna vaccine because much of its sequencing is in the public domainthe cost of its research and clinical trials were largely financed by $2.5 billion of funding from the US governmentand because the company has pledged not to enforce patents during the pandemic. Although, with most of the advanced countries declaring the pandemic over, that may not have much longevity.

South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the global vaccine distribution scheme COVAX and vaccines alliance Gavi to commit to buying vaccines from local manufacturing hubs.

The EU is anxious for its own geostrategic reasons to be seen to be supporting Africas vaccination programme at a time when its relations with Africa are strained.

France has announced it will pull its troops out of Mali in the face of huge popular opposition to French imperialism after Bamakos military government hired Russian mercenaries and expelled the French ambassador. The military in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea have toppled French-aligned governments as ISIS-aligned and other jihadist groups have gained ground across the Sahel and central Africa.

Furthermore, African leaders view Europes green agenda as a means of blocking potentially lucrative oil and gas projects billed as bringing electricity to 600 million Africans.

The EUs move comes at a time of growing competition for influence in Africa. Trade with China has risen over the last 20 years to reach $176 billion in 2020, while trade between the EU and Africa has stagnated at around 225 billion.

Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit that Beijing would commit an additional 1 billion vaccines to Africa in 2022more than the EUs global vaccine-sharing commitment. China, he said, would also share 25 percent of its allocation of International Monetary Fund special drawing rights (SDRs) with Africa after Senegalese President Macky Sall made a request just days earlier. European leaders called last May for countries to redirect $100 billion in SDRs to Africa but have so far delivered little.

The EU signed off on the WHOs technology transfer hub scheme as a cheap compromise at the EU-AU summit in Brussels, with the European Commission, Germany, France and Belgium agreeing to cough up a miserly 40 million for the technology hub to allow African countries to increase their manufacturing capacity and eventually produce mRNA jabs on a commercial scale.

The EU also pledged to continue donating vaccines to Africaat a snails pace. Having thus far delivered just 148 million doses, 22 percent of the doses it pledged to vulnerable countries, the bloc intends to reach 450 million by the summer, still less than the 750 million pledged.

At the same time, BioNTech announced plans to deliver factory facilities built out of shipping containers to several African countries to enable the production of the Pfizer vaccine on the continent. While this may eventually make it easier for African countries to obtain the Pfizer vaccine, BioNTech will not be sharing its technological knowhow. The company has also signed a fill and finish dealthe final stages of production, with the drug itself coming from Europewith Biovac. It has announced it will build manufacturing plants in Rwanda and Senegal.

Similarly, Moderna, under pressure to produce vaccines in lower-income countries, has announced plans to spend $500 million building mRNA vaccine factories in Africa, but few details are available.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that supporting African health sovereignty was one of the key goals of starting up local production, to empower regions and countries to fend for themselves, during crises, and in peacetime.

Be that as it may, there is no intention for that goal to be realized any time soon, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted. Today, of all the vaccines administered in Africa, one percent is produced in Africaof all the vaccines. And rightly so, the goal is in 2040 to have reached a level of 60 percent of vaccines produced in Africa, that are administered in Africa [emphasis added].
Brazils fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro concluded a three-day trip to Russia and Hungary last Friday in the face of virtually unanimous condemnation from the corporate media and major political forces in Brazil. The trip was attacked for undermining Brazilian relations with the imperialist powers, as they engage in hysterical accusations against the Russian government aimed at provoking a war in Ukraine.

Jair Bolsonaro and Vladimir Putin meet in Moscow on February 16, 2022 (credit: Alan Santos/PR)

In his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bolsonaro declared Brazil to be in solidarity with Russia. The declaration drew immediate criticism from White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who said Brazil appeared to be on the opposite side of the global community. On the following day, Bolsonaro met Hungarys far-right leader Viktor Orban, declaring their common values as God, fatherland, family and libertyan open celebration of their shared fascistic orientation.

Bolsonaros visit had been agreed on in December and was announced as focusing on unspecified military cooperation agreements, bilateral trade and investments and, in particular, reassurances on Russias supply of fertilizers to Brazils crucial agribusiness sector. Grain and meat production have been virtually the only sectors of the Brazilian economy to experience any economic growth in the last 10 years, and are seen as responsible for avoiding an even sharper GDP downturn since 2015.

The corporate press, fully aligned with the US political establishment and especially the Democratic Party, attempted to minimize the objective contradictions driving the trip. The assessment by major newspapers ranged from portraying it exclusively as an attempt to provoke US President Joe Biden to the absurd claim that it was driven by Putins and Bolsonaros shared male chauvinism. Significantly, pundits were keen to minimize the commercial relations between Brazil and Russia. A typical assessment widely shared in the press came in the ultra-right Veja magazine, which wrote Bolsonaro prefers to upset the US, the worlds largest economy, by visiting an economic partner of little importance.

The fact remains that Brazil imports 90 percent of its fertilizers, and Russia is responsible for a quarter of that. Crippling sanctions imposed on Belarus, another key fertilizer supplier, coupled with pandemic shortages and export restrictions in China and India have made fertilizer prices shoot up 300 percent in 2021. Already hit by a massive drought driven by global warming, Brazilian meat and grain industries are facing a perfect storm, and Brazils agriculture minister was forced to travel to Russia in December 2021 to seek more supplies.

As Bolsonaros travel date approached, the US-led war threats intensified, and Bolsonaros arrival date, February 16, was even declared by the White House as the day for a Russian invasion. Editorials in Brazil begged Bolsonaro to delay the trip, warning that it would undermine stated goals of his administrationdeepening ties with NATO and entering the OECD. Foreign Relations Ministry officials reportedly insisted that Bolsonaro delay the trip or at least include a stop in Ukraine in order to show neutrality, which Bolsonaro rejected. Reports also multiplied citing US concerns over the trip.

The media furor did little to illuminate the real tensions underlying Bolsonaros defiance of both US imperialism and the apparent consensus within Brazils political establishment. The Brazilian statement after the meeting emphasized Brazils historic independence in military technology and how Russia has always been a technological reference, especially in nuclear issues. Such declarations have ominous implications.

There is no doubt that Bolsonaros Russian trip amid the US warmongering expresses deep divisions and concerns within the Brazilian ruling class and across South America. The incapacity of the corporate press to discuss those objective tensions, focusing instead on a personalistic narrative, is in itself an expression of extreme nervousness and disorientation. As the semi-official narrative goes, with the mindless Bolsonaro gone after the October elections, Brazil will return to a democratic, peace-loving and fraternal relationship with the world and a whirlwind of foreign investment will ensue.

Reality couldnt be further from this daydream, as international tensions reach a boiling point. Bolsonaros trip to Russia amid the frenzied US war drive goes well beyond the considerable degree of ambiguity that has marked Brazilian foreign and military policy after World War II, despite its general alignment with the US against the Soviet Union and both countries joint anti-communist military actions across the continent.

At the root of these conflicts is the historical decline of US imperialism, which is growing increasingly aggressive as it attempts to offset its diminishing economic power with military force.

Bolsonaros Russian trip follows what had been a series of breakthroughs in US-Brazilian relations during his term, with unprecedented joint military drills involving US forces on Brazilian territory, the promotion of the country as a NATO special partner and growing collaboration with the US in space technology.

Those early developments in Bolsonaros presidency marked a reversal of a historic reluctance of the Brazilian military to offer unconditional cooperation with the Pentagon. On the key issue of military and nuclear industries, the Brazilian military has historically sought to preserve room to maneuver against US and even UN pressure. Famously, senior Brazilian military figures have cited the national nuclear industry, and especially the capacity to mine and enrich uranium for its two power plants outside Rio de Janeiro, as a military deterrent, preserving the capacity to develop a nuclear arsenal. Brazil has never let the UN fully inspect its nuclear infrastructure.

Under the PTs President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the military chose the Swedish Gripen fighter jets on the explicit basis that they would allow independence from NATO technology. The PT relentlessly boasts of signing a deal with France making Brazil the only non-nuclear country able to build and operate a nuclear-powered submarine. The AUKUS pact has finally given Australia the same capacity.

The PT always sought to cast its massive rearmament program in the language of multilateralism, that is, of an armed deterrent, or an armed peace. Defying this bankrupt nationalist logic, the Brazilian military crowned the PT rearmament program with the first National Defense Strategy white paper of the Bolsonaro presidency, which declared for the first time inter-state conflicts, and not guerrilla warfare or drug dealing, as the main concern for South American security and the chief strategic concern of the Brazilian armed forces.

That designation followed closely the 2017 US strategic shift from the war on terror to great power conflicts, which has included the Pentagons commitment to countering Chinese and Russian influence in Latin America.

Tensions have escalated on the continent. Bolsonaro took office amid the frenzied US offensive to overthrow Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro. At the time, the Brazilian press was filled with concerns that the countrys armed forces were falling behind NATO-armed Colombia, and could not engage Venezuelas Russian-supplied fighter jets during or in the fallout from US regime-change attempts.

The intensification of cooperation with Russia on key issues in defiance of US foreign policy and amid the hysteria over Ukraine flows directly from an assessment that unconditional alignment with a United States that is suffering declining global hegemony doesnt offer sufficient guarantees for the interests of Brazilian capitalism.

Such an assessment extends far beyond Brazil, with Argentine President Alberto Fernandez Bolsonaros nominal left rivalmaking his own trip to Russia just days before Bolsonaro, and facing the same internal pressures in his own country.

Further north, in Colombia, the most reliable US ally in the region, such tensions are raising the specter of a coup in case the new administration to be elected in May does not continue to toe Washingtons line. In a recent trip to the country, the diplomatic engineer of the 2014 anti-Russian coup in Ukraine, under-secretary of state Victoria Nuland, charged Russia with interfering in the Colombian electionsto the benefit of the front-runner, Senator Gabriel Petro.

Latin American nations, having lived the entire 20th century under Washingtons domination, viewed as US imperialisms own backyard, will not escape imperialist war through a bankrupt military deterrent, or by means of maneuvering with Washingtons Russian, Chinese or European rivals.

Twice in the 20th century, Brazil was drawn into world wars on the side of the US and Britain. In 1942, in declaring war on the Axis, Brazilian corporatist dictator Getulio Vargas not only sent 25,000 troops to Italy, but was also forced to cede control of the countrys northeast as a platform for US aviation to attack Axis forces in western Africa. Vargas reached a deal with the US in the face of threats that the Germans themselves would assault the region and use it for the same purposes.

Needless to say, the spiraling international conflicts of the 21st century would immediately bring Brazilian infrastructure under an even more direct threat. Brazils grain and meat terminals loading Chinese cargo ships would be only the first target. Attacks on Argentina would cripple Brazil, given the two countrys economic integration, and the opposite would be no less true.

There is not a single political force in any South American country remotely willing to tell the public the truth about this reality, let alone able to act on it. In Brazil, Lula and the PT leadership were thrown into disarray by Bolsonaros trip. Having concentrated its entire opposition to Bolsonaro on foreign policy issues and the need to be more assertive in seeking concessions from the US, the PT has been bitterly split and disoriented by the trip.

Lulas former Foreign Relations minister Celso Amorim openly complimented Bolsonaro for defying the US. On the other hand, the partys 2018 presidential candidate, Fernando Haddad, a hero of identity politics purveyors in the country, fully aligned himself with US imperialism, declaring that Bolsonaro went to Moscow to learn how to improve his fake news operations in Brazilthus lending credibility to the entire anti-Russian hysteria in the press.

Haddad meant his reactionary pro-imperialist tirade as a condemnation of Bolsonaros threats to the October elections, exposing that the PT itself has nothing more than an appeal for imperialist backing, in the form of Russian interference charges, to counter a Bolsonaro coup.

Brazilian workers must reject the war drive and the PTs reactionary pro-imperialist response to Bolsonaros coup threats, and build a new revolutionary leadership to put an end to the root cause of the drive to war and dictatorship, the capitalist system.
As the US and EU announced far-reaching sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, further escalating the conflict, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a war coalition in Ukraines parliament and began reviewing proposals to sever diplomatic ties with Russia.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had recognized the separatist enclaves in Donetsk and Lugansk, which declared themselves Peoples Republics in the wake of the US-backed 2014 coup in Kiev, as independent and ordered that Russian troops be sent into the area. The Russian parliament approved the deployment of Russian armed forces on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference, however, Putin said his order did not mean that the troops will go there right away.

In response to questions from journalists about the 2015 Minsk Agreement, he insisted that Kiev had de facto sabotaged and ignored the agreement for many years, including by assassinating one of the signatories of the agreement, a separatist leader from Donetsk. He also insisted that, given its Soviet-era nuclear infrastructure, Ukraine could easily acquire nuclear weapons should it decide to do so. This weekend, Ukraines Zelensky threatened at the Munich Security Conference that unless the territorial integrity of his country be guaranteed, they would revoke the 1994 Budapest Agreement in which Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal, then the third largest in the world.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba after a news conference at the State Department in Washington, Tuesday, February 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Putin stressed again that any settlement of the conflict would require a significant demilitarization of Ukraine, as the missiles currently stationed there would enable NATO to hit targets deep in Russias territory.

On Tuesday, Moscow announced it would evacuate all its diplomats from Ukraine.

In Kiev, the move by Putin on Monday has been seized on by the oligarchy and the far right to further escalate the conflict and prepare the grounds for open war. Ukraines Foreign Ministry, which is headed by Dmitry Kuleba, a participant in the right-wing protests that led up to the 2014 coup, submitted a formal proposal to Zelensky to sever diplomatic ties with Russia. Kuleba who was on a visit to Washington, added that he had always felt that this should have been done already back in 2014.

Two parliamentary deputies, Oleksiyh Honcharenko from the European Solidarity Party of former President Petro Poroshenko, and Olga Savchuk, a deputy of the neo-Nazi Svoboda party, presented similar bills to the parliament. They will now be reviewed by parliamentary commissions, while Zelensky stated that he would consider the proposal by the Foreign Ministry.

The fascist deputy Savchuk also presented another proposal in parliament, calling for the closure of Ukraines borders with both Russia and Belarus and the proclamation of a state of war in Donetsk and Lugansk. Savchuk is a prominent member of Svoboda, which openly glorifies the Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera, as well as the Waffen SS Galicia Division.

Svoboda played an important role in the 2014 coup and then formed part of the government of Arseniy Yatsenyuk that emerged from it. The head of Svobodas parliamentary faction, Oleh Tyahnibok, recently stated that Russia had to be dismembered into 20 national states in order for the Crimean peninsula to return to Ukrainewhich is the stated aim of Ukraines official military strategy.

In yet another example of the intimate ties between Ukraines far right and the American state, Savchuk is an alumna of the US Congresss Open World Leadership Center, which boasted in 2019 that she had been elected to Ukraines parliament.

Poroshenkos European Solidarity party too has extensive ties to both the US and EU, as well as the far right in Ukraine. Poroshenko has repeatedly addressed far-right rallies directed against Zelensky and any negotiated settlement of the conflict in East Ukraine.

The former Ukrainian president, whose net worth is around $1.5 billion, recently returned to Ukraine where he was able to avoid arrest in a treason case thanks to the direct intervention of the US and Canada. He has since conducted a campaign attacking the Zelensky government from the right and accusing it of being insufficiently decisive in the conflict with Russia. Over the past weeks, Zelensky has repeatedly rejected claims by the Biden administration that a Russian invasion was imminent and denounced the US war propaganda as hysteria.

In a hint that powerful factions of the American state and intelligence agencies are now moving against Zelensky, the campaign against him has now been taken to the pages of the New York Times. On Monday, the outlet, which functions as little more than a press agency for the CIA during war crises, published a comment by Ukrainian journalist Olga Rudenko on Monday under the title Ukraines President is in over his head. Rudenko, who recently completed a fellowship at the University of Chicagos Booth School of Business, a hub for the US business and political elite, wrote that Mr. Zelenskys behavior was odd to the point of erratic.

She then acknowledged that Zelensky, should he make any concessions to Russia particularly over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, would face hundreds of thousands of people on the streets and suffer the same fate as Yanukovich who was overthrown in 2014. What Rudenko, of course, did not say, is that the alleged revolution of 2014 was carried out by fascist thugs who were then funded and have since been further armed and built up by the American state.

Zelenskys response to the pressure from the far right and Washington has been to call for a war coalition with these neo-fascist forces and to step up war preparations. On Tuesday evening, he held a closed meeting with all parliamentary factions. At the meeting with Poroshenkos European Solidarity faction, Poroshenko reportedly presented proposals for a significant buildup of the military capabilities of Kiev and troop deployments to the north and northeast of the country.

After these meetings, Zelensky made an address to the nation. In a statement that was clearly addressed first and foremost at his critics among the oligarchs and neo-fascist bands, he said, All Ukrainian politicians must now be state actors, and leave their ambitions aside, for the sake of our state. Everyone understands that we now need a war coalition in the parliament, unity, and quick and important decisions for the economic stability and military defense capability of our state. Today, all politicians and parties have just one color: Blue-yellow [the colors of the Ukrainian national flag].

Making clear that his government was preparing for war against Russia, Zelensky insisted in the address that Russia had unilaterally reneged on the Minsk Agreements and stated, We will not give anyone anything [of our territory]. We are people not of 2014 but of 2022. We are a different people now, we have a different army. Indeed, the imperialist powers have pumped billions into Ukraines military since 2014. Since 2020, Ukraine is also an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO, which involves enhanced access to interoperability programs and exercises, and more sharing of information.

Zelensky told the Ukrainian people that they must all now be prepared for hard labor every day in order to safeguard the country and concluded his speech with the nationalist Slava Ukraini greeting, which, while now commonplace in Ukrainian politics, is closely associated with the fascist politics of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in the 1930s and 1940s.

That evening, Zelensky also signed a decree calling for the mobilization of all military reservists but said there was no need yet for a general mobilization. He will be meeting with representatives of Ukraines business elite to discuss large-scale investments into the further buildup of Ukraines armed forces.

The military conflict in East Ukraine meanwhile continued to escalate. In Donetsk, a blast on a highway killed three civilians on Tuesday, according to separatist authorities. Another major blast occurred in the city center Wednesday night with no casualties reported. The separatist authorities described the blast which occurred at the citys television center as a terror attack. In Lugansk, two civilians were reportedly killed when a Ukrainian shell hit a car.

According to Russian news reports, over 100,000 refugees from East Ukraine have now arrived in Russia; 30,000 of them are children.
As the ruling class declares the COVID-19 pandemic endemic and demands that workers and youth learn to live with the virus, colleges and universities across the US have begun lifting even minimal mitigation measures to slow the spread of the virus.

The overall strategy being adopted by the Democratic Party finds sharp expression in California Governor Gavin Newsoms SMARTER plan, which calls for the ending of public health measures, such as contact tracing, mask mandates and even daily case counts. Newsom recently declared at a press conference that society must move on from the crisis mentality, regardless of the number of deaths or infections. He added, there is no finish line to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students wear masks on campus at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

This follows announcements by other Democratic-led states on the East Coast ending mask mandates and other mitigation measures.

In California, University of California Berkeley resumed in-person instruction in late January. The administration has also announced that it will end its mask mandate on February 28. The broader Bay Area has already lifted the indoor mask mandate.

Democratic governors in Oregon and Washington state recently announced an end to indoor mask mandates beginning mid to late March. Oregon officials announced that the statewide mask mandate will be lifted on March 31 or earlier, whenever hospitalizations fall below 400 total across the state.

Universities across Oregon have stated that they will keep mask mandates in place until further notice. Portland State University has not made a decision to lift its mask mandate, but given the push by the Democratic Party to end mitigation measures, both universities said they would revisit this decision in March.

Washington State University ended mandatory masking at large outdoor events beginning February 18, while keeping the indoor mask and vaccine mandates. University of Washington resumed fully in-person learning on January 31.

Massachusetts will be lifting its masking requirements for K-12 schools statewide on February 28. With Massachusetts a national leader in vaccinating kids, combined with our robust testing programs, it is time to lift the mask mandate in schools and give students and staff a sense of normalcy after dealing with enormous challenges over the past two years, said Governor Charlie Baker.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge is also further relaxing restrictions. On February 14 seating in dining halls returned to full capacity, and fully vaccinated staff and presenters were allowed to remove their masks during events and classes, while still requiring students to keep their masks on indoors, per the City of Cambridge policy. MIT has also reduced the testing requirement for students to once per week, as opposed to twice a week.

Harvard is currently required by the city to keep its mask mandate in place; however, the university has ended almost every other mitigation policy. The school announced in early January that there will be no more contact tracing in high volume. Rather individuals who test positive should identify and notify their close contacts.

The university has been prompted to make these radical changeswhich have the potential of driving up COVID-19 cases, sickness and death among students, staff and the wider communityin accordance with recommendations from public health experts and guidance from state and federal public health experts and guidance from state and federal public health agencies, according to the Harvard Crimson .

These sweeping rule changes are directly influenced by the recent guideline changes coming from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In line with this guidance, Harvard will no longer require students who test positive to move into university-provided isolation housing but will instead ask students to isolate in their dorms for five days.

In Illinois, mask mandates will be dropped throughout the state starting on March 1. Most colleges and universities across the state have not yet indicated if their current guidance will change. For now, fully opened classes and all other activities are in-person but with masks required. After March 1, it will be up to the individual school districts to enforce mask mandates.

Within the city of Chicago, masking indoors is followed in most schools and workplaces. The agreement between the city and the Chicago Teachers Union states that masks will be required in some Chicago Public Schools at least until the end of the year.

University of Michigan will keep the mask mandate in place, while still doing in-person instruction. K-12 schools in Michigan, however, will drop requirements on masking and quarantining starting February 28. Albion College in central Michigan has ended restrictions on in-person events and dining in the school cafeteria.

Most Texas colleges and universities resumed in-person classes after a few weeks of virtual instruction on January 18. Since then, tens of thousands of university students have been infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Texas A&M University, which has 64,054 students and 10,160 faculty and staff, has recorded 4,603 cases since the start of the semester as part of weekly COVID-19 testing. During a five-week period starting the week ending January 8, over 1 percent of the student body and staff were infected per week. While the number of weekly cases has dropped somewhat, the positivity rate was alarmingly high, consistently staying above 22 percent since January 8 except for the week ending February 12.

Texas A&M, like most Texas universities, has no masking policy or vaccine requirement. The school also changed its isolation and quarantine guidance on January 9 from 10 days quarantine to 5 days.

One Texas A&M law student, Brittany Reed, revealed in a TikTok video that she was told virtual simply wasnt an option by the administration. Reed had requested a virtual option because she was experiencing a lupus flare-up and had COVID-19. According to her TikTok video, the administration told her to simply sit in the back of the classroom or near a wall so that she was not surrounded by as many people.

On the abovethelaw blog an unnamed law student revealed that Texas A&M forbids virtual learning without exception. Professors are not being given any option other than virtual classes. No exceptions exist in the attendance policy for students quarantined due to COVID-19, forcing sick students to choose between being withdrawn from their classes or to go in sick. Unlike last semester when Texas A&M required twice-weekly testing, no such requirement exists now. The student explained, There were administrative concerns that if everyone was required to be tested, too many people would be forced to quarantine.

Members of the University of Texas at Austin Student Government, UT senate, and other student organizations shared a petition on February 8 stating that UT continues to risk the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff by resuming in-person classes and campus operations calling the decision to resume full in-person learning reckless at best and life-threatening at worst. The petition calls on UT to allow professors the discretion to enact a hybrid model of learning.

The petition correctly notes that while the Omicron variant is often perceived as a mild threat for everyone, that is simply untrue. It calls for the return to safety measures the university previously had employed, such as requiring masking indoors, social distancing and notifications of infections in classes. UT stopped the latter policy in September 2021. The petition also calls for a remote option for all classes and the removal of attendance policies, which require students to go into infected classrooms.

Virginia public universities, including the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University and George Mason University, rescinded their COVID-19 vaccine mandates earlier this month. This move was followed by the new Republican administration in the state signing a new bill banning mask mandates across the state.

The aim of these bipartisan policies on school campuses is mass infection. The drive to end all mitigation measures and normalize mass infection and death in perpetuity is being pursued by both Democratic and Republican politicians alike. The protection of the population from a deadly disease comes up against the profit interests of the ruling class, which demands workers go back to the workplace and students return to unsafe classrooms.

We urge all youth and students to contact the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) to share the conditions in your school and get involved in the fight against the pandemic.
While the federal and state governments claim there is a break in the Omicron wave and continue to ease protective measures, hospitalisations and deaths are on the rise in Germany. On Friday alone, more than 220,000 people became infected. The 7-day incidence rate remains huge, at 1,347 per 100,000 inhabitants. Some 329 out of 411 districts have an incidence rate of over 1,000; 52 districts have a rate of over 2,000 and the Regen district even has an incidence level of over 3,000.

The adjusted hospitalisation rate is around 12 (per 100,000), and has recently risen again. On Friday alone, 1,836 people had to be hospitalised and 243 were transferred to intensive care. The number of coronavirus patients receiving intensive care also rose again recently and now stands at 2,466. The proportion of vacant intensive care beds is at 10 percent, which is the national average and is considered the limit of hospital response capacity.

Data show a significant increase in physician visits for acute respiratory illnesses with a COVID-19 diagnosis in all age groups since the turn of the year. The values clearly exceed the level of the preceding waves. The number of active outbreaks in medical treatment facilities last week was 175, with at least 1,253 new infections.

Commuters at the public transport station Brandenburger Tor in central Berlin, Germany, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A key driver of the pandemic remains schools and kindergartens. In both cases, the number of outbreaks has increased rapidly since the beginning of the year. In mid-January, there were even about twice as many kindergarten outbreaks reported per week as in the peak phases of the third and fourth waves. For the last four weeks, a total of 1,201 outbreaks have been reported so far. However, due to late reporting, the actual number is even higher.

At schools, the number of outbreaks is about six times higher than the same time a year ago. In the last four weeks, 2,013 outbreaks have been reported. Again, the actual number is even higher due to late reporting and the scaling back of PCR testing in schools.

The number of deaths is particularly alarming. Since last years federal election, more than 25,000 people have died from the virus. In particular, the death toll among children and young people is higher than ever before in the pandemic. Since last October alone, at least one child has died from COVID-19 every week on average. However, the actual number could be even higher, as the Robert Koch Institute does not provide an exact figure per week in this age group for reasons of data protection.

Despite these figures, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (Social Democratic Party, SPD) declared at a press conference on Friday that the peak of the Omicron wave had passed and that the pandemic had been weathered well: So far, we have managed the Omicron wave and also the Delta wave reasonably well. We have managed to protect the large number of unvaccinated among the elderly and avert a significant increase in deaths. We have the opportunity to come into Spring with a good overall record.

Statements like these underline the criminality of the ruling class. More than 120,000 coronavirus deaths in Germany alone are considered a good overall record. The claim that the elderly population has been protected is also an outright lie. Last week alone, there were 414 active outbreaks in old peoples and nursing homes41 more than in the previous week. This resulted in 5,226 new infections.

The number of deaths in Germany is high. At the Federal Press Conference, Professor Michael Meyer-Hermann, head of the Department of Systems Immunology at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, explained: We have 1,400 deaths per million people, which is a frighteningly high number, I think. ... If you look at South Korea, it is only 140. So, you have countries that have managed better, and those are mostly the countries that have pursued a low-incidence strategy.

The comparison with China is even clearer: the country with a population of 1.4 billion was able to limit the number of deaths to under 4,700 thanks to its Zero-Covid strategy. That would correspond to four deaths per million people.

At the press conference, Meyer-Hermann also addressed the great danger of long-term consequences of a coronavirus infection: There are a large number of people who suffer long-term if they have a COVID infection and this is not only an economic problem, but also a psychological and mental problem in society. Just yesterday, there was a large-scale study in America showing that people who had a COVID infection have massively higher secondary consequences of a long-term nature. Periods of one year were examined.

Despite the disastrous consequences of its coronavirus policy, the German government is not willing to change it, but on the contrary plans to perpetuate it for years to come. Thus, Lauterbach outlined a perspective for next autumn which could in the best case, assume that an Omicron variant will come again. But it can also happen again that variants arise that penetrate deeper into the tissue than is the case with Omicron and then we would have a much more dangerous situation.

The herd immunity policy now being implemented by almost every government in the world is not leading to an endemic or milder version of the virus. On the contrary, more infectious and vaccine-resistant mutations are forming. Just a few months after the emergence of the Omicron strain, the even more infectious Omicron sub-variant BA.2 is now spreading and is responsible for 15 percent of all infections in Germany.

The lifting of the last protective measures is meeting with widespread rejection. According to a recent poll by the Insa opinion research institute for Bild am Sonntag, a majority are in favour of keeping the mask requirement after 20 March. Even if it were to be abolished anyway, a majority still wanted to wear a mask for protection. Recent protests by schoolchildren against the spread of infections in schools have also met with widespread support.

A struggle against the pandemic and for the elimination of the virus requires the building of independent rank-and-file committees and a struggle against the capitalist profit system. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) recently stated:
New Zealands COVID-19 surge continues, with case numbers rising sharply every day, placing immense pressure on the rundown healthcare system. Daily reported infections have nearly tripled in the past week, from 1,160 on February 16 to 3,297 today.

The total number of active cases in the community is at least 21,648. There are 179 people with COVID in hospital. Three deaths have been recorded so far this week, bringing the total for the pandemic to 56.

The Labour Party-led government repeatedly refers to the fact that deaths are among the lowest in the world. However, the government abandoned the elimination strategy which kept COVID out of the country for most of the past two years in October. Since then, businesses and schools have been reopened, allowing the Delta and Omicron variants to spread.

Waitakere Hospital (Google Streetview)

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a press conference on Monday that very soon we will all know people who have COVID, or we will potentially get it ourselves. She declared that most people who get sick will only have a mild-to-moderate illness.

In fact, while governments are rolling back public health restrictions and pretending the pandemic is over, worldwide about 60,000-70,000 people are dying from the virus every week.

Epidemiologist Rod Jackson told Radio NZ today he is concerned people are not taking Omicron seriously enough. He said it was just not true to call it a mild disease, and pointed out that in the US more people have died from Omicron than died from Deltaa fact that has not been widely reported.

Vaccination, while essential, is not enough to prevent significant levels of illness and death. Some 49.6 percent of COVID patients in Auckland and Northland hospitals are described as fully vaccinated.

In just the last seven days, Ireland recorded 70 COVID deaths, Singapore 46, and Denmark 232. These countries have a relatively high level of vaccination and a population similar to New Zealand.

Hundreds of NZ schools are being hit with outbreaks, despite false assurances from the government that reopening schools, with children largely unvaccinated, was safe. Yesterday, the Ministry of Education reported that at least 447 schools and early childhood education centres were managing COVID cases, up from 163 a week earlier.

Otago University and Auckland University have chosen to move courses online for the first two months of the academic year. Canterbury University and Victoria University of Wellington, however, are pushing ahead with in-person lectures.

Public hospitals, which have been starved of funds for decades, are already under tremendous pressure. All the problems that existed before COVID, including chronic understaffing and overcrowded emergency departments, have been exacerbated.

Dianne McCulloch, a nurse from Waitakere Hospitals emergency department and a New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) delegate, told Radio NZ last night, We are on the brink of total exhaustion. The situation is worsening daily, and we are in fear that we are not going to cope, she said.

Yesterday, Auckland Hospital and Greenlane Hospital announced that large numbers of non-urgent surgeries would be cancelled, in order to free up resources for COVID patients.

About 10,000 allied health workers have voted to strike for two days next month, over low pay and poor conditions. The Public Service Association (PSA) members include laboratory workers who process COVID tests, and contact tracers. Due to a lack of resources, some tests are taking five days to process.

All the unions, however, including the NZNO and PSA, have enforced the Labour governments pro-business decision to abandon elimination. None of them have called for schools and non-essential businesses to close in order to stamp out COVID, which is the only way to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, and to save lives.

While the unions are seeking to prevent the emergence of a working class movement fighting for a scientific and properly-resourced elimination policy, the political establishment and the media are promoting extreme right wing proponents of mass infection.

For more than two weeks, the media has focused on several hundred anti-vaccination protesters occupying the lawn outside parliament in Wellington. The protesters, following the example of the Canadian Freedom Convoy, have blocked streets, forcing the closure of businesses, the National Library, university buildings, and Wellington Girls College. Several of the schools students have reportedly been harassed by the protesters.

There have been violent confrontations with police. Human faeces was reportedly flung at the cops on Monday. Yesterday, three officers were injured after protesters sprayed them with what is thought to have been acid. Three people were arrested, including one who tried to drive a car into police officers.

The protest has spread beyond Wellington. About 1,000 people, led by Destiny Churchs front group, the Freedom and Rights Coalition, marched through Christchurch on Saturday, demanding the removal of vaccine mandates and an end to the inoculation of children. A smaller encampment has been established in Picton.

The rally promoters include anti-vax conspiracy theorists, far-right bloggers, the New Conservative Party, Destiny Church, and Counterspin, a NZ-based online media platform funded by US fascist Steve Bannon.

This rabble has received non-stop media coverage and encouragement from capitalist politicians, as well as some liberal and self-styled left commentators. A number of well-heeled celebrities have also voiced support, including Olympic sailor Russell Coutts, former All Black Keith Robinson, TV personality Gilda Kirkpatrick and musician Jason Kerrison.

Opposition National Party leader Christopher Luxon declared on Monday: Kiwis should be able to sympathise with some of the issues being raised by protesters on parliaments grounds without being framed as condoning illegal behaviour, or siding with anti-science conspiracy theorists. He demanded that the government say when it will start reducing the rules and restrictions and phasing out the mandates.

Nationals ally, the right-wing ACT Party leader David Seymour, has held discussions with protest representatives. Right-wing nationalist NZ First Party leader Winston Peters yesterday visited the encampment without wearing a mask. Peters was deputy prime minister from 2017 to 2020, when NZ First was a key partner in the previous Labour-led coalition government.

NZ First Party leader Winston Peters visits the anti-vaccine mandate protesters occupying parliament grounds, February 22, 2021. (Credit: Zeb Jackson Live Facebook page)

Peters told Newstalk ZB that the protesters were very concerned about the state of democracy. He denounced Ardern and other politicians for refusing to talk to the protesters, and said darkly that because of that sort of arrogant behaviour, things are going to get a whole lot worse.

The government is, in fact, moving to remove remaining restrictions, starting with the border quarantine system. From the end of February, New Zealanders returning from Australia will no longer have to isolate themselves in a quarantine hotel for 10 days. On Monday, Ardern told the media that COVID-19 cases were expected to peak in mid-to-late March, after which the government would start easing mandates and vaccine pass requirements.
European governments are responding to Moscows recognition of the independence of parts of eastern Ukraine with sanctions, threats and an escalation of the war drive against Russia.

On Monday, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russian aggression against Ukraine in an official statement.

The decision of the Russian Federation to recognize as independent entities and send Russian troops to certain areas of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts is illegal and unacceptable, the statement declares. It violates international law, Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty, Russias own international commitments and it further escalates the crisis.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, left, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, second left, facing with German Foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, second right, and Italian Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio, attend a meeting before phone call with their other G7 counterparts at Quai d'Orsay foreign ministry, in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Both presidents welcomed the steadfast unity of Member States and their determination to react with robustness and speed to the illegal actions of Russia in close coordination with international partners.

At an extraordinary meeting in Paris, European Union (EU) foreign ministers adopted a package of sanctions against Russia. The measures include placing on the EU sanctions list the 351 members of the Russian parliament who voted for the recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republics. A further 27 individuals and entities that contribute to undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine are further targeted for sanctions.

In addition, the Russian states access to EU financial markets will be curtailed and EU trade with the breakaway regions restricted. Individuals and entities placed on the EU sanctions list will have all assets held in the EU frozen. In addition, listed individuals will no longer be allowed to enter the EU and no business may be conducted with those affected. According to the current French presidency of the EU Council, the new EU sanctions against Russia are to come into force as early as this Wednesday.

This package of sanctions has been approved by unanimity, said the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell after the meeting of foreign ministers. It will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot and we are doing that in strong co-ordination with our partners, the US, the UK and Canada with whom I have been in close contact.

Von der Leyen welcomed the German governments decision to put the Nord Stream 2 permitting process on hold. Nord Stream 2 must be looked at completely anew from the point of view of supply security for all of Europe, she said. After all, she said, the crisis shows that Europe is still far too dependent on Russian gas.

As other European leaders have, von der Leyen threatened further steps. If the Kremlin continues to escalate this crisis, then we will not hesitate to take further measures, she said. The European Union stands united and is prepared to act swiftly.

Apparently, the EU is discussing possible sanctions against the Russian president himself. Mr. Putin is not on the list of those sanctioned, Borrell said Tuesday evening after the special meeting of EU foreign ministers in Paris. The decision was made, he said, because there was a need to have further measures in reserve.

At the same time, the EU is increasing its support for the anti-Russian regime in Ukraine and increasing its NATO deployments in eastern Europe. On Tuesday, several EU states announced plans to mobilize their joint cybersecurity unit. In response to Ukraines request, [we] are activating [a] Lithuanian-led cyber rapid-response team, which will help Ukrainian institutions to cope with growing cyber-threats, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence tweeted.

The EUs cybersecurity rapid response team was established in 2019 and consists of Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht on Tuesday visited German NATO troops in Lithuania, which have been reinforced in recent days by 350 soldiers and about 100 vehicles and weapons systems. Russia is acting as an aggressor here. And it is uncertain at this hour how far the Russian side will push its aggression. We stand here vigilant and ready to defend ourselves, she threatened. Unfortunately, the diplomacy of the last weeks and months has not been able to prevent this blatant breach of our European peace order.

The arguments advanced by EU leaders for pursuing an escalating military confrontation with Russia are steeped in lies and hypocrisy. Above all, it is not Russia but the NATO powers that are pursuing an aggressive global military and economic policy, seeking to isolate Russia and reduce it to a semi-colonial status, totally subordinated to the political and military concerns of the NATO imperialist powers.

The current crisis represents the culmination of the war drive with which the NATO imperialist powers reacted to the Stalinist bureaucracys dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Freed of the military-political obstacle posed by the Soviet Union, the NATO powers attacked Iraq, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq again, and then Libya and Syria. The wars left these countries shattered, costing trillions of dollars and millions of lives.

After Russian warships based in the port of Sevastopol in Crimea deployed off the Syrian coast to prevent US, French and other NATO warships from bombing Syria in September 2013, the NATO powers turned violently against Russia. They backed the Maidan protests and supported a putsch led by Ukrainian neo-fascists in Kiev in 2013 to install a NATO puppet regime in Ukraine. The separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk rebelled against far-right, anti-Russian militias sent by the Kiev regime to attack and terrorize Russian-speaking inhabitants.

As the Ukrainian armed forces, led by fascistic units like the Azov Battalion, now bomb Donetsk and Luhansk, this conflict has re-erupted, but the NATO powers are now pursuing it on a far larger scale, working to break diplomatic relations with Russia and create the grounds for war.

In its editorial, the French daily Le Monde denounces those who do not support a major escalation of sanctions against Russia, writing: They want to believe that, as Russia was de facto present in the Donbas since 2014, it is not strictly speaking an invasion. This reaction is not up to task of facing the aggression now underway. It legitimizes the 2014 intervention. It does not take into account the profound ambitions of the Russian president: to re-establish a division of the European continent into spheres of influence based on his own criteria.

The power that intervened in Ukraine in 2014 was not primarily Russia, however, but Washington and Berlin. When Le Monde denounces the 2014 intervention, it attacks Russian aid to forces in Donetsk and Luhansk, but falsely treats the Kiev regime as an entirely legal entity by simply passing over in silence the fact that it was installed through an illegitimate, far-right coup.

Based on this political distortion, Le Monde interprets the Russian intervention in east Ukraine in the most incendiary way possible, as an all-out invasion. From this it concludes that Russian concerns can play no role in the division of military influence between the capitalist powers in Europe, that is, in practice, that the NATO powers will brook no Russian objections to NATOs placing weapons and troops on its very borders.

In this crisis, the geopolitical appetites of the NATO powers intersect with their attempts to impose reactionary health and social policies amid mounting working class opposition at home.

At the heart of the EU powers war drive against Russia is a political campaign to bury reporting of the COVID-19 pandemic. As 6 million people fall ill and more than 20,000 die every week in Europe, governments across the continent are moving to eliminate all remaining public health measures to stop the spread of the virus, a policy already adopted in Britain. Yet the pandemic increasingly is falling out of the news, as officials and pundits insist it must take a back seat to the war crisis NATO is inciting against Russia over Ukraine.

This was crassly laid out this weekend by Munich Security Conference chairman Wolfgang Ischinger, who called to abandon public health measures on COVID-19 and focus on war: We cannot just postpone world politics. Security challenges dont do social distancing.

Such remarks testify to the total political bankruptcy of European capitalism. The war that must be fought is the war to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, not a global war with Russia, a nuclear-armed power. The critical question posed to workers across Europe and internationally by the EU threats against Russia is the building of an international anti-war movement in the working class.
Tens of thousands of nurses in New South Wales (NSW), Australias most populous state, carried out their first statewide strike in almost a decade last week. They are taking a stand against longstanding staff shortages, high patient-to-nurse ratios, a punitive pay cap and dire working conditions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The strike proceeded in defiance of a ban issued by the state Industrial Relations Commission (IRC), expressing the workers determination to fight for their conditions and wages, in opposition to decades of funding cuts to the public health system.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) has previously used IRC rulings as justifications to call off planned strikes at the last minute. The fact that it did not do so in this instance was solely because the trade union feared a massive backlash from workers that it might not be able to control.

Striking nurses in Sydney, February 15, 2022 (WSWS media)

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) welcomes and fully supports the entrance of nurses into struggle. They are taking a stand, not only for themselves and all health staff, but for the working class as a whole. Their action expresses a broad sentiment of opposition and anger.

The crucial issue, however, is how this fight is to be developed. The SEP warns that not a single step forward can be taken within the straitjacket of the NSWNMA. The unions perspective is clear. At the strike rallies last week, it sought to suppress any discussion of the political issues nurses confront; directed them to make plaintive appeals to the right-wing NSW Liberal-National government, and said nothing about further action.

As it has been for the past four decades, the unions aim is to prevent the emergence of an independent, political movement of nurses and other health staff. The NSWNMA, like its union counterparts, functions as a police force of governments, imposing on workers increasingly unsustainable demands. The unions are tied by a thousand threads to the Labor Party, which has played a central role in the protracted assault on healthcare, and they defend the profit system, which is the source of these ongoing attacks.

The SEP urges nurses to begin the widest democratic discussion on the issues they confront and how their struggle can be advanced, free from the interference of the NSWNMA leaders, who instructed staff last week not to speak to protest groups or political tendencies advancing an alternative to the union leadership. The SEP proposes that nurses establish their own rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to unite health workers across the state and nationally, in a fightback against the onslaught on public health and for all of their social rights.

On the crucial issue of the day, the pandemic, the NSWNMA is at one with the government and the ruling elite. The union has supported the profit-driven reopening drive throughout the COVID crisis, including the official abandonment of public health measures in December and the open adoption of a let it rip program, which has resulted in an unprecedented coronavirus surge that has overwhelmed the hospitals.

Last month, the NSWNMA backed changes to close contact rules which forced potentially infected nurses and health staff to remain on the job. It appeals to state Premier Dominic Perrottet, the architect of the surge, to come to the table, and is aligned with Labor, which is responsible for the reopening no less than the Liberal-Nationals.

As is the case internationally, these herd immunity policies are dictated not by science, but by business interests. Nothing can be allowed to disrupt corporate profit-making activities and the drive to keep workers on the job so they can be exploited, even mass illness and death. Over the past two months, capitalist governments everywhere have dropped any pretense of trying to mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic.

Instead, their perspective is to declare COVID endemic and insist that the population must live with the virus. In practice, this means continued mass transmission, which will result in infection wave after wave and the emergence of new variants, potentially vaccine-resistant and even more virulent.

It must be stated bluntly: health workers cannot have decent conditions in this official scenario of a forever pandemic. Their working conditions and their very lives will continue to be a nightmare. Already, an estimated 115,000 health workers around the world have died from COVID. In Australia, tens of thousands have been infected. An untold number have become severely ill or have died. The governments and the health unions must know the figures, but they have kept workers in the dark.

The fight for conditions and for pay rises is inseparable from a struggle against the let it rip pandemic policies and the adoption of scientifically-grounded measures aimed at eliminating the virus.

But the union is intensely hostile to this position, as was demonstrated by the fact that it barely mentioned COVID or the herd immunity program during last weeks strike. To do so would raise the need for nurses and other health workers to take up a political struggle against the very governments and official parties to which the union is tied.

Who is responsible for the healthcare crisis?

The pandemic did not begin the crisis in Australias healthcare system. It has exacerbated immense problems that have existed for years. Likewise, the role of the unions over the past two years, in backing the official COVID policies, is not an aberration but a deepening of longstanding tendencies.

When the pandemic began, Australia had one of the lowest ratios of hospital beds, including for critical care, per capita, in the OECD. This was only the sharpest expression of a dire situation that included chronic understaffing, insufficient resources and gruelling conditions, including major overtime pressure.

Who is responsible? The governments and the health unions! For decades, Labor and Liberal-National governments, state and federal alike, have not only refused to boost funding to public healthcare, but cut the system back. In NSW, this process was spearheaded by the last state Labor government, in office for almost 20 years. In Victoria, it has been overseen by a Labor administration for the past decade.

At the federal level, the previous Rudd-Gillard Labor government sought to open public health up to the full force of the market. This included initiatives such as expanded casemix, allocating funding on the basis of procedures performed at competitive costs, and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which has effectively privatised much of disability care.

The health unions, including the NSWNMA, have worked hand in glove with all these governments. This has included the imposition of one sell-out industrial agreement after another.

In NSW, for instance, the last strike action by nurses was in 2013. All the issues of today, from staffing shortages to wage suppression, were present. The action was limited to a single day, nothing was resolved, and the union did not even issue a media release on the issue of ratios until April 2014.

Since then, the NSWNMA has prevented any further statewide action, ramming through successive industrial awards that delivered nothing to workers, perpetuating stagnant wages and ensuring the hospital staffing crisis has continued. The union has shut down strikes over the privatisation of hospitals while promoting illusions that the election of a Labor government would reverse decades of attacks on the public health system.

This is the role of the unions everywhere. Amid the globalisation of production in the 1980s, and demands from international capital for ever-greater productivity, the unions took their nationalist and pro-capitalist program to its logical conclusion. They became an arm of industrial management committed, not to fighting for limited gains on behalf of workers, but to forcing them to accept the dictates of big business for unending cuts to wages and conditions.

The need for rank-and-file committees

Around the world, the pandemic and the pro-business restructuring that has gone along with it is spurring working-class struggles, including in healthcare.

The experience of workers everywhere is that they can only begin a genuine industrial and political struggle by breaking out of the framework of the unions and the apparatus of suppression they defend, including the Industrial Relations Commission and Fair Work Australia.

Nurses must form rank-and-file committees so they can link up with other sections of workers who face identical issues, including paramedics, aged care staff and doctors, all of whom were excluded from last weeks strike. Such committees are the only means of challenging the unions attempts to divide workers up, profession by profession and state by state, the better to betray them.

Rank-and-file committees can serve as a forum for democratic discussion among nurses and other health workers about all the issues they confront. They can formulate responses to the latest government and hospital management dictates from the standpoint of what is in the interests of workers themselves. And amid the ongoing pandemic, they can function as safety committees, fighting for full PPE, infection controls and other crucial measures to protect healthworkers from the virus.

The SEP calls for rank-and-file committees as part of the fight for an independent political movement of the working class. Struggles are emerging among rail workers, who confront the same pay cap as nurses, as well as teachers, who have been forced by the unions into COVID-infected classrooms, port workers and many other sections. In every instance, the unions are limiting them to isolated and sporadic industrial action while holding backroom talks with governments and the employers to force through sellouts. The alternative is to unite the various struggles into a single mass movement.

Nurses and all workers face political issues. The fight for pay and conditions is intimately connected to the struggle against the pandemic policies. It is possible to eliminate the virus and end the pandemic. But this requires scientific public health measures, including shutdowns of non-essential production, with full compensation for affected workers, and remote learning.

Capitalist governments have refused to follow the science, instead subordinating everything to the wealth of the billionaires and the largest corporations. The fight to end the pandemic is thus a fight against capitalism itself. So is the struggle for decent wages and safe conditions. Nothing will be won by begging governments that are preparing new austerity offensives to pay for the vast debts they have accumulated the past two years in handouts to the banks and big business.

The SEP puts forward a socialist perspective, which insists that society must be organised to meet the needs and social interests of the majority, the working class, not private profit. We fight for workers governments, which would place the banks and the major corporations under public ownership and democratic workers control. Such governments would end the vast funding to the military and to subsidies for the rich, and redirect trillions of dollars to public health, education, welfare and other crucial areas.

The SEP urges nurses and all other health workers to contact us today and begin a discussion on this perspective.
Last Friday night, the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board of Education rejected a proposal to postpone the closure of multiple schools in the northern California district. Despite public outcry against the closures, the board rejected the plan by a 3-2 vote, with one abstention.

The Friday vote confirmed the school boards plan to close two schools: Community Day School and La Escuelita Elementary, at the end of the current school year, with another five schools expected to close at the end of the 2023 school year. Board members also took the opportunity to restate their claim that the schools needed to be closed for budgetary reasons.

The board says the closures are necessary due to a $50 million budget deficit and declining enrollment. The OUSD budgetary shortfall, however, is a small fraction compared to the $3.2 billion Democratic governor Gavin Newsom announced would be used for his COVID-19 endemic plan, and the multi-billion-dollar budgetary surplus the state experienced last year.

High school teacher James Treacy protests for stronger COVID-19 safety protocols at Oakland Unified School District on Friday, January 7, 2022, in Oakland, California. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Parents, teachers and students have expressed their opposition to the plan to close OUSD schools since it was initially announced in January. This has included walkouts of students at Oakland Technical High School and a solidarity walkout at Los Altos High School, which is located in nearby Santa Clara County.

Fridays board meeting also provided a platform for two teachers, Moses Omolade and Maurice Andre San-Chez, who had been on hunger strike for 18 days in opposition to the closures. During the meeting Omolade announced that he was ending his hunger strike.

While there is widespread support for the strikers and other forms of protest in opposition to the school closures in Oakland, students and educators must be warned that the politics guiding the OUSD hunger strikes and promoted by various organization are aimed primarily at channeling opposition to school closures back into the Democratic Party, the very organization carrying out the closures and broader attacks on public education in California and beyond. Notably, the hunger strikers had demanded a meeting with the board and other elected officials.

Prior to the event, San-Chez had described the call to hold the meeting as a compromise, and that it felt like a victory.

At the board meeting, many students denounced the vote and threatened to initiate a recall campaign against members of the board that voted against delaying the closure. Students also announced at the meeting that they will continue the hunger strike of two OUSD teachers.

Cassidy, a student at a charter high school in Oakland, California, highlighted her classmates opposition to the plans to close schools, I know a lot of people who went to these schools. Theyre saying the schools need to stay open.

Responding to the efforts by various activists and community organizations, such as Reparations for Black Students Organization (RBSO), to portray the school closures in racial terms, Cassidy explained, We dont want any of the schools closed. These schools are majority low-income students, by far. Thats a bigger issue than race. Theres the whole lack of funding speech, when the majority of the funding is going toward the police.

Significantly Omolade and San-Chezs hunger strike has been widely promoted by the Oakland Education Association (OEA) and other promoters of racialist politics, including the group RBSO. The two educators, who are deeply integrated into Democratic Party politics, had previously demanded meetings with Newsom, other political officials and the OUSD school board.

Omolade took the opportunity to hail people in positions of power, which in Oakland would almost exclusively be elected Democratic Party officials. He stated that as part of the hunger strike, We rubbed shoulders with people in power in this country and in this city, and all along the way weve learned that some of them are genuinely trying to support black and brown students and youth in the city of Oakland and we have learned that some of them are not. Omolade also announced that he will be ending his hunger strike.

San-Chez then proposed a series of protests, including outside of OUSD trustee Luz Cazares house, as a means of putting pressure on elected officials and stopping the school closures. His proposals were a reiteration of the failed perspective that Democrats can be forced to respond to demands of teachers, parents and students if only sufficient pressure is placed upon them.

San-Chez also made a plea to the trade unions to call a general strike in order to keep the schools open. Appeals to the pro-Democratic Party union are not only a dead end, but also funnel genuine opposition back into the very organizations which have refused for decades to mount a serious struggle to defend public education. Additionally, the unions have collaborated with the Biden administration to impose mass infection policies and reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The OEA, along with promoting the hunger strike, has worked to get in front of mass anger to the Oakland school closures by holding a joint demonstration with the International Longshore Workers Union (ILWU) on Thursday.

At the event, roughly 200 ILWU members gathered alongside teachers, parents and students at Frank Ogawa Plaza, near Oakland City Hall, and unfurled a banner reading Stop privatizing our schools, our ports. The event was held shortly before the city council was scheduled to meet to discuss building a new waterfront development, which has been opposed by the ILWU.

Several speakers at the gathering also proposed that the ILWU shut down port operations, if the OEA calls a strike in early March. The ILWU has a long history of temporarily shutting down ports in limited protest stunts.

On February 7, the Representative Council of the OEA had called for a strike if any part of the school closure plan was carried through. Following Fridays board meeting, OEA officials have announced that they will be meeting to discuss a potential strike action.

Despite the strike, ostensibly being called to stop school closures, OEA president Keith Brown spoke at the board meeting in favor of merely delaying the closures, stating Having a year it allows us to have the engagement process that was denied to the community that was denied to the families.

Brown further claimed that the board failed to do an equity analysis, since the school closures would disproportionately impact African-American and Hispanic youth.

The OEA officials statements were in fact part of a well-worn script of union officials, which accept worsening working conditions, austerity and attacks on public education as long as they are done with adequate engagement of union officials and the attacks are done equitably, impacting workers of different races.

As part of the unions collaboration in the attack on education and working conditions, union officials have frequently opted to either call off strikes last minute or work to shut down the action as soon as possible. The OEA in 2019 ended a strike that lasted less than two weeks and pushed through a contract that abandoned two central demandsthat there would be no school closures and no more cuts.

Last January, the OEA reached an agreement over COVID-19 safety protocols in the schools in order to prevent a strike. The agreementwhich included use of N95 masks in schools, weekly COVID tests and outdoor eating structureswere at the time inadequate to stopping the spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant.

While the school board meeting took place only a day after Newsom announced his endemic plan, neither the OEA nor the teachers on hunger strike raised the danger of continuing in-person classes. Newsoms plan includes the abandoning of basic mitigation measures, including the policy of quarantining students exposed to COVID-19.

Last month, students in OUSD and dozens of other school districts across the United States had organized walkouts in protest against the unsafe conditions in the school due to the surge in Omicron.

The decision by the OEA, Omolade and San-Chez to ignore the endemic plan is a product to their orientation to the Democratic Party. Any fight against Newsoms action would require the widest mobilization possible of students and workers against the state government, the Biden administration and Democratic and Republican politicians across the country who have overseen the unsafe reopening of schools and workplaces.

The defense of high-quality public education and an end to the pandemic requires a fight against the Democrats and Republicans. Teachers, parents and student who are interested in carrying this struggle forward should join the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and build rank-and-file committees in their schools, independent of the unions, to defend public education.
Canadas minority Liberal government has secured a parliamentary majority for its invocation of special powers under the Emergencies Act to end the far-right Freedom Convoys occupation of Ottawa and border blockades.

The trade union-backed New Democratic Party (NDP) voted unanimously to give retroactive sanction to the governments resort to the never-before-used legislation in a House of Commons vote held late Monday evening. Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh had pledged that Canadas social democrats would support the Liberal governments invocation of the Emergencies Act even before Trudeau proclaimed a public order emergency on the afternoon of February 14.

Left: Jagmeet Singh at the OFL Convention in 2017 (Wikimedia Commons/OFL Communications Department), Right: Justin Trudeau speaks during a media conference at the end of an EU-Canada summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

The successor to the draconian War Measures Act, the Emergencies Act permits the government to take measures that may not be appropriate in normal times for up to 30 days.

The special powers the Liberal government has specifically arrogatedand which currently remain in effectinclude the power to declare no-go zones where all gatherings are banned, and impose a blanket prohibition on assemblies deemed to go beyond lawful protest. The government has also given itself the power to commandeer equipment needed to help end the emergency, and to freeze the bank accounts of Convoy leaders. Those who violate a government emergency order are liable to fines of up to $5,000 and five years in prison.

MPs approved the use of the Emergencies Act by 185 votes to 151. Both the Liberal and NDP caucuses voted unanimously in favour, along with the Green Partys Elizabeth May. The Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois voted against, cynically citing concerns about civil liberties.

Earlier Monday, Trudeau made clear that the government viewed the Emergencies Act vote as a confidence matter. Anyone voting against the invocation of the act would be saying they did not trust the government, he told a press conference. He also said that the public order emergency persists, even if the Ottawa occupation and blockades have been dispersed. Asked when the government would rescind its emergency powers, Trudeau would only say it would do so as soon as possible. In support of Trudeaus remarks, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino noted that small groups of Convoy supporters remain in and around Ottawa. He also claimed that there continues to be a threat that cross-border traffic could be disrupted.

As the main police operation in downtown Ottawa came to a conclusion Monday, police announced that they had made 196 arrests in the four preceding days and laid 391 criminal charges.

Yesterday police continued to tightly control access to part of the citys downtown core near Parliament Hill, although their security zone had shrunk considerably from the height of the police crackdown last weekend. From Thursday evening through Monday morning, police maintained a security cordonusing fencing, vehicles and police personnelthat encircled a 12-by-20 street area that is home to some 30,000 people.

Responding to Mondays House of Commons vote, interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen asserted that her party stood up for Canadians and voted against this government overreach. Pierre Poilievre, a leading candidate for the party leadership and one of the far-right Convoys most vocal advocates in parliament, accused the government of replacing the peoples freedom with the governments power.

This is all nonsense. The Conservative politicians now posing as warriors for democracy were complicit in building up and inciting the Convoya far-right, extra-parliamentary movement whose leaders were explicitly committed to overthrowing the democratically elected government and installing a dictatorial junta. Bergen, Poilievre and their supporters in the right-wing media promoted the Convoy because they wanted to use the far-right as shock troops to ram through the repeal of all anti-COVID measures in the face of widespread popular opposition, and shift official politics sharply to the right. The only freedoms these people care about are the freedom of the virus to cause mass infection and death and the freedom of corporate Canada to rake in huge profits.

With downtown Ottawa occupied by a menacing far-right movement that the Conservatives lauded as comprised of patriotic, peace-loving Canadians and a grassroots movement of ordinary working Joes, the Liberal government gave the go-ahead for provincial governments across the country to scrap almost all COVID-19 restrictions. Only when the far-right convoy went further than its ruling class sponsors had intended and blocked several border crossings, disrupting billions of dollars in Canada-US trade, did the Trudeau government turn to the Emergencies Act. Trudeau used the February 14 press conference at which he invoked the act to impose another demand of his right-wing critics: the sending of lethal weaponry to the ultra-nationalist Ukrainian regime.

In justifying their resort to emergency powers, Trudeau and his ministers made clear that their principal concern was not safeguarding democratic rights, but the reputation and interests of Canadian imperialism and big business. Government ministers referred to the necessity to guard against adverse effects on Canadas economic recovery, safeguard relations with our trading partners, and avoid tarnishing Canadas image as a safe place to invest and do business.

Trudeau and his supporters have repeatedly insisted that the Emergencies Act is not the War Measures Act, because it provides for parliament to hold the government to account and because the governments actions will be subject, after the fact, to judicial review under the constitutions Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The latters very first clause stipulates that the freedoms it purportedly guarantees are subject to such reasonable limits as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.

Once the public order emergency is lifted or, if it is not extended by a second parliamentary vote, expires after 30 days, a committee composed of MPs from the House of Commons and senators from the Senate will be established to review the Emergencies Acts implementation.

Yesterday in the Senates debate on approving the use of emergency powers, Marc Gold, the Liberal governments representative in Canadas upper chamber, revealed that all members of this joint committee will have to take an oath of secrecy before taking up their posts. This all but guarantees that any evidence of government or police abuses can be kept out of the public eye.

With its support for Trudeaus invocation of the Emergencies Act, the NDP has legitimized the use of autocratic emergency powers that in the future can and will be used against the working class. It has also underscored it commitment to keeping the big business Trudeau Liberal government in office.

Singh and the NDP, with the full-throated support of the trade unions, have been the principal and preferred prop of the Liberal government since it lost its parliamentary majority in the 2019 elections. During the past two years of the pandemic, the NDP has backed the Trudeau government while it funneled hundreds of billions in bailout funds to the banks and financial oligarchy and spearheaded the capitalist elites open economy/open schools policy, which is responsible for the COVID-19 deaths of over 35,000 Canadians. It has also supported the government in dramatically hiking military spending to purse imperialist aggression and war abroad.

In light of this record of loyalty to the Liberals, Canadian big business traditional preferred party of government, Singh somewhat laughably suggested that his party will be vigilant in ensuring the government does not misuse its emergency powers. Claiming that the NDP was providing reluctant support to the use of the Emergencies Act, Singh remarked, Its not a blank cheque. We are prepared to pull our support as soon as  the act is no longer needed.

The response of the trade unions has been more pathetic still. The Canadian Labour Congress has yet to even acknowledge the governments now more than week-old invocation of the Emergencies Act. While Ottawa was under occupation by far-right thugs, unions like the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Ontario Nurses Association conspired to suppress and sabotage counterprotests.

History has shown time after time that the strengthening of the capitalist state apparatus in the name of defending democracy or combatting fascism invariably results in stepped-up repression directed against the working class. The no-go zones, bans on assemblies, and powers allowing police to conduct mass arrests wielded today against far-right Convoy supporters will sooner rather than later be turned against striking workers or opponents of Canadian and US imperialisms war drive against Russia.
On Tuesday afternoon, US President Joe Biden delivered remarks from the East Room of the White House announcing sanctions against Russia in response to its recognition of the independence of two provinces in Eastern Ukraine.

The disarray in the White House was reflected in the timing of the meeting itself. Initially scheduled for 2:00 p.m., it was moved to 1:00 p.m. late Tuesday morning. The assembled reporters, however, were kept waiting for an hour and half before Biden emerged to deliver a perfunctory 10-minute statement and promptly left without taking any questions.

In the course of his remarks, Biden asked a telling question: Who in the Lords name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbors?

This is a question, however, that much of the world would like Biden himself to answer. The flagrant violation of international law that Biden accused Russia of perpetrating is precisely what the United States has repeatedly done, with Biden directly and personally involved.

US President Joseph Biden at an event in Washington on February 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

At one point Biden began to refer to the history behind the present conflict over Ukraine. Referring to Putins address Monday on the recognition of Donetsk and Lugansk, Biden said: Yesterday, we all heard clearly the full extent of Vladimir Putins twisted rewrite of history, going back more than a century as he waxed eloquently, noting that In mid-sentence, the aging US president thought better of his brief excursion from his written remarks: Well, Im not going to go into it.

Let us, however, go into it. One can oppose, as socialists do, the reactionary chauvinism, tinged with neo-tsarist nostalgia, of the Putin regime while exposing the blatant lying and hypocrisy that pervades every aspect of US policy in the present crisis.

The imperialist-instigated breakup of Yugoslavia, culminating in the 78-day bombardment of Serbia in March-June 1999, is particularly instructive.

The process of dismantling Yugoslavia began in December 1991, concurrent with the dissolution of the USSR, with Germanys unilateral recognition of the independence of Slovenia and Croatia. This was followed in April 1992 by the Bush administrations recognition of Bosnia-Herzegovina as an independent nation meriting its own state. The moves by German and US imperialism to recognize the independent states in Yugoslavia fomented bloody national conflicts throughout the 1990s, including the Croatian War of 1995.

The catastrophe stoked by the US and NATO powers was used, in 1999, to justify direct military intervention. Waving the banner of humanitarianism, eagerly supported by layers of the upper middle class and academia, the Clinton administration launched its war against Serbia to enforce the secession of the province of Kosovo. It was accompanied by all sorts of claims of human rights violations that were ultimately demonstrated to be grossly exaggerated.

The war was carried out by NATO, which did not obtain a resolution from the United Nations and was therefore acting in direct violation of international law. It culminated in the installation of a government in Kosovo run by the Kosovo Liberation Army, which the US had previously designated as a terrorist organization and which would subsequently be exposed for engaging in drug running, prostitution and the trafficking in human organs.

During the runup to the Kosovo War, Biden was the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he joined with Republican Senator John McCain in campaigning aggressively for war. If I were president, I would just bomb him [Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic], Biden said in October 1998.

During the war against Serbia, the current Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, occupied the position of Senior Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council, the principal advisor to Clinton on Europe. In 2002, he landed the position of Democratic Staff Director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, working as a principal advisor for Biden.

At a March 2008 meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held to discuss the status of Kosovo nearly a decade after the bombardment of Serbia, Biden explicitly proclaimed the right to declare new so-called countries.

In the modern world, Biden stated in opening the meeting, sovereignty isnt an ancestral right; its a sacred trust between the government and its people.  We live in a world where history matters, but so do human beings. Kosovo could not remain a territorial souvenir of Serbias past imperial glory. So while resolving Kosovos status through a unilateral declaration of independence is hardly ideal, I believe it was necessary. I am proud the United States was among the first countries in the world to recognize the newly independent Kosovo.

In 2000, following the Kosovo War, the Clinton administration released a National Security Strategy document that asserted the right of the US to intervene in any country based on either national interests or humanitarian interests. Among the vital interests that the document listed as a justification for military intervention were ensuring uninhibited access to key markets, energy supplies, and strategic resources.

This assertion of the unrestrained right to wage war on any country was developed further by the Bush administration under the doctrine of preemptive war, which was used as the rationale for the criminal war of aggression against Iraq in 2003, which led to the deaths of 1 million Iraqis.

The humanitarian pretext for the Kosovo War was followed by the responsibility to protect doctrine, used to justify the US-led war against Libya in 2011, under the Obama administration, with Biden as vice president. The war culminated in a massive bombing of Libya, the overthrow of the government of Muammar Gaddafi, and his torture and murder by US- and NATO-backed forces.

Finally, there is the background to the present crisis itself, which arises out of the 2014 regime change operation. The coup was spearheaded by far-right groups with the aim of overturning the government of President Viktor Yanukovych, which the US considered to be too close to Russia. As the Obama administration worked to install a government that would bend to its interests, Biden again played a central role, traveling to Ukraine six times as vice president.

None of these historical questions are ever even broached in the media, which acts as if the United States has not been engaged in continuous and expanding war for three decades.

The New York Times, in an editorial published on Tuesday (A Pointed Response to Putins Provocations) praises Bidens announced sanctions in response to what it called Vladimir Putins bewildering aggression toward Ukraine.

The Times expresses its astonishment that all this is happening in Europe in 2022, nearly eight decades since the end of World War II and more than three decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Though it was inevitable that a vast empire like the Soviet Union would not collapse without aftershocks, and these have regularly broken out in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europeincluding Russias annexation of Crimeathe notion of a vast seizure of territory in Europe via a full-scale war had seemed no longer possible.

This is rubbish. The strategists of American imperialism interpreted the dissolution of the Soviet Union three decades ago as an opportunity to use military force to restructure global relations. In the process, the US has proclaimed, and exercised, the right to invade, bomb and instigate regime change operations in countries throughout the world. The NATO military alliance has been systematically extended throughout Eastern Europe, to the very borders of Russia. Now, the US is instigating a conflict with Russia over the sacred principle that Ukraine be allowed to join NATO as well. The American ruling class has in its sights a vast seizure of territory in the form of the breakup of Russia itself.

In the preface to A Quarter Century of War: The US Drive for Global Hegemony (1990-2016), WSWS International Editorial Board Chairman David North wrote: The last quarter century of US-instigated wars must be studied as a chain of interconnected events. The strategic logic of the US drive for global hegemony extends beyond the neocolonial operations in the Middle East and Africa. The ongoing regional wars are component elements of the rapidly escalating confrontation of the United States with Russia and China.

Six years later, this prognosis is becoming a reality. The entire world is confronted, as a consequence, with the danger of a third world war and everything that this entails. The resort by the ruling class to war, however, is not an expression of strength but of weakness. The ruling elites in the US and all capitalist countries are turning to war in a desperate attempt to find a way out of insoluble domestic crises, above all, the growth of the class struggle, fueled by two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is this social force, the international working class, that must be mobilized against imperialist war, as an essential component of the fight for socialism.
Late Tuesday evening, nearly 72 hours after shooting into a group of anti-police brutality protesters in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, leaving at least one person dead and four others injured, the fascist gunman, Benjamin Smith, was finally charged with murder.

Smith, 43, is facing one count of murder in the second degree with a firearm, four counts of attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm, two counts of assault in the first degree with a firearm, and two counts of assault in the second degree with a firearm.

Smith was first identified on Monday by a Portland-based journalist who follows the activities of the far right. But the police, who have held Smith in custody since the shooting, failed to release his name and identify him as a suspect until Tuesday.

As more details emerge of the mass shooting and the perpetrator, it becomes increasingly clear that Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler, in coordination with the Portland Police Bureau and federal agencies, is engaged in a coverup.

Two photos of fascist gunman Benjamin Smith (Photos: twitter.com/Johnnthelefty)

From the outset, most of the information given out by the police and Wheeler has proven to be either demonstrably untrue or in the service of a false narrative aimed at obscuring the political character of Smiths rampage.

In contrast to initial police statements, which were reiterated at a Tuesday morning press conference, Smiths targeting of anti-police violence protesters was politically motivated, and not just one of a number of incidents of gun violence in Portland over the weekend.

The victims of the shooting have confirmed that Smith deliberately targeted them, calling them terrorist c*nts before firing at them. He shot at least four unarmed women, killing 60-year-old Brandy June Knightly.

In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), Smiths roommate, Kristine Christenson, detailed Smiths descent into far-right politics. In contrast to police statements, Smith was not an armed homeowner, but a renter, who lived with Christenson across the street from Normandale Park in Northeast Portland, the site of the protest and mass shooting.

Christenson told OPB that near the end of the Obama administration and throughout the Trump presidency, Smith became more and more radicalized. She added that she did not feel safe with him, especially this last two years with the whole COVID thing. I think that made him even more angry.

After revealing that FBI agents and Portland Police Bureau detectives had searched their apartment just after midnight on Sunday morning, and again on Monday evening, Christenson said she was not shocked by Smiths rampage, noting that he owned several weapons, which were recently seized by the police.

Christenson said Smith talked about wanting to go shoot commies and Antifa all the friggin time He was angry at the mask mandates, he was angry at the damned liberals.

The police refused to name Smith as a suspect until the Tuesday press conference. They continued to withhold the name of the woman he murdered, June Knightly, despite her having been identified in media reports on Monday evening. They claimed they had yet to speak with the dead womans family, more than 72 hours after the killing.

Smiths brother, Aurthur Killion, told OPB that he has not been interviewed by the Portland police, who have refused to take his calls. Ive called both the detectives that were listed on one of the articles I read and neither of them would answer their phone. I called the detective branch itself and got a recorded message and that was it. Your police department in Portland sucks, Killion told OPB.

That a coverup is underway is clear from Smiths online postings. His fascist politics were documented last September in social media posts saved from a chat log for an anthropomorphic animal subculture group in which Smith participated. Posting under the name Polybun, Smith defended the Proud Boys, saying, If proud boys shot up somebodies (sic) car they probably deserved it... thus far they sadly havent shot up someones car, because good christ that needs to happen.

Aligning himself with the Third Reich, Smith/Polybun declared in another post: If you make choose... Im taking nazis over Antifa... Nazis have way way way hotter uniforms.

In another post, Smith/Polybun defended far-right killer Kyle Rittenhouse. He wrote: Throwing Kyle under the bus after all their talk was not only a dick move but flat out wrong. And its painfully obvious why... Company owned by Jews wont support the kid that defended himself from Jews.

Similar fascistic drivel was uncovered by researchers on Smith/Polybuns Telegram account.

Despite the obvious political motivation for the killings, on Sunday night Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler tweeted, While many of the details of last nights shooting near Normandale Park are unclear, we do know one thing for sure: Our community is dealing with the sadness of another senseless act of gun violence.

Moreover, the police and the Democratic administration are implying that blame for the deadly violence is shared by the killer and his victims. At the virtual press conference Tuesday morning, Police Chief Charles Lovell called Smith an armed resident of the area who confronted  armed protesters.

The facts are that Smith began shooting without provocation and was only stopped by an unidentified person who shot back to prevent the deaths of more people involved in a peaceful protest.

Police Chief Lovell confirmed accounts from protesters that police interfered with medics attempting to provide medical aid. He said, Officers had to separate those present who were providing medical assistance, while also trying to move other people out of the crime scene so evidence was not compromised.

In his comments, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said, without naming Smith, that the suspect has been identified and was in critical condition. Schmidt said he would not be announcing any charges on Tuesday.

At the press conference, neither Schmidt, nor Wheeler nor Lovell referred to the political character of Smiths shooting rampage. In downplaying this central aspect, Wheeler and his law enforcement accomplices are employing a variation of the Republicans political line concerning the January 6 coup, which seeks to justify the violent attack on Congress as a legitimate response to mass left-wing protests against police violence that erupted across the country in 2020.
To contact the Southern Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees, reach out here.

The Southern Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committees, a regional group which represents committees from Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, held a public meeting Sunday to discuss the pandemic and its relationship to the danger of war. Educators were present from Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Virginia and the West Coast.

The presentations and discussion at the meeting offer insight into the deep shifts taking place in the consciousness of the American working class, which over the past two years has experienced the pulverizing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and is starting to assimilate its lessons.

Workers are increasingly aware of the fact that the richest country in the world also has the highest official death toll from COVID-19. Amazon workers see the purchasing power of their miserly paychecks dwindle, while Jeff Bezos flies himself to space.

Donna, a Tennessee teacher, reported on the state of the pandemic, the efforts of the Biden administration to cover it up, and the escalating push for war against Russia by the US and NATO.

Under conditions in which more than 2,000 people continue to die from COVID-19 each day in the US, with more than 950,000 reported deaths total, there is a concerted effort to declare the pandemic over.

Democratic and Republican states, spearheaded by the Biden administration, are lifting all remaining measures to slow the spread of the disease, including reducing or ending contact tracing and removing mask mandates.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), recently called for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide an off-ramp for masks in schools, which Donna described as another calamitous betrayal by the trade unions which have put workers in harms way during an unprecedented and deadly pandemic.

Donna provided a striking timeline of the Biden administrations adoption of a herd immunity approach in the middle of the Omicron wave.

In early January, Ezekiel Emanuel, adviser to Biden and infamous for his eugenicist proposals, introduced the concept of a new normal, or learning to live with COVID-19. Then, on January 21, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signaled to Politico her support for ending mask mandates and isolation of infected individuals.

On February 2, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ended its requirement that hospitals report daily in-hospital COVID-19 deaths to the agency, an essential system that provided the most accurate real-time measure of mortalities.

Finally, on February 7, Politico reported that the White House sought to change the criteria for classifying COVID-19 hospitalizations in a manner that would reduce the number.

The campaign to force the population to live with a new normal has been accompanied by a pseudoscientific push to label COVID-19 endemic, a charge being led by Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom with his plan, SMARTER. Notably, one scientist has warned that such an approach likely means death on a scale of 200,000 to 250,000 per year in the US.

Finally, Donna drew attention to the fact that the US and its European allies have abandoned the necessary war against COVID-19 for the war of choice against Russia. She discussed the link between the fascistic herd immunity policies implemented at home and the funding, arming and promotion of fascist and neo-Nazi forces inside Ukraine, such as the Azov Battalion. She referenced the Pentagons 1992 Strategic Plan, released following the dissolution of the USSR, which declared that the United States would not allow a challenger to its world hegemony.

Donna concluded by stressing that the drive to war is the result of a bourgeoisie in complete crisis. The aggression towards Russia does not come from a place of strength, but rather from the collapsing of the unsustainable growth model of the ruling elites.

Clare, an Alabama educator, gave a presentation on the need for a global elimination strategy to end the pandemic. There is not only historic precedent for eliminating viral diseases, she said, but COVID-19 itself has successfully been suppressed in multiple countries.

It is 100 percent possible. The only reason it hasnt happened is the ruling class doesnt want it to. There is a political and monetary strategy behind it. The ruling class doesnt want elimination. Its going to take us, the working class, to do this.

With an infographic showing a general definition of endemic, epidemic and pandemic, she stressed, This virus is not endemic. We have no low spread, no limited population. It is global and spreading uncontrolled.

Comparing the pandemic response of the US to that of China, which has a robust Zero COVID program, Clare noted that China has fewer than 5,000 deaths to date, most of those from early 2020. This is a preventable disease. 900,000 people didnt have to die for the sake of capitalism, she said.

Discussing the need for a global approach, she explained, People are traveling, going to other places. If we are not doing this globally, then were spreading it. No country is an island. We are completely and 100 percent connected. If we dont approach this globally, then we will have more and more variants. The more it spreads, the more it changes and adjusts. Thats the nature of a virus. But the nature of a virus is also that it needs a host. If we lock down, then there is no transmission and no host for it and it dies off. Then we get to live.

She made the essential point that the money exists to end the pandemic. We just heard the report about Biden asking for $770 billion for a war against Russia, but that could be used for financial support for parents, for quality remote education and mental health. If that money could be used for war, it could be used to eliminate this disease.

Clare concluded, Why does it have to be the working class to carry out a program of elimination? Because the ruling class has already shown us that it is not part of their program. They let us know that they are OK with us continuing to die while they amass their wealth. Over the years and over history it has been the working class to come together to make change, and that means that we have the power, even though it may not feel like it at times. We have the power to put a stop to this and to get this done.

Following the two reports was a stimulating discussion. An Arkansas teacher remarked, I hate to think we are being lied to this much. In a heartfelt contribution, she described the difficult conditions in her district, which has dropped isolation requirements and isnt allowed to even suggest masks. The union, she noted, isnt supportive. Its just on paper that its a union.

In an important exchange, the Arkansas teacher expressed weariness in the face of mass confusion, a sense of isolation, and feeling alone in her concern about COVID-19. Clare immediately jumped in and told her, Dont give up. Dont feel bad for standing up for yourself. When you come to rank-and-file meetings, youre not alone and other teachers think like you. Keep your ears to the ground, the pandemic will turn again, and some folks will come back your way.

The Arkansas teacher also raised serious concerns about the mobilization of the far right, including QAnon and the Canadian freedom convoy, to force the removal of all public health measures. This prompted discussion on the social makeup of these forces, particularly the fact that they are financed by extremely powerful corporate and political backers within the US, from Elon Musk to Donald Trump.

The course and tenor of the discussion, from a teacher on the West Coast who expressed the need for solidarity and an independent movement of the working class, to a worker in Virginia who spoke about Russias coveted natural gas reservoirs as it relates to the war drive, demonstrates that the working class is grappling with difficult and complex questions.

Evident from the meeting is the increasing intersection of the perspective and work of the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) with the objective movement of the working class, which has been thrust into struggle by the catastrophes produced by capitalism.

Workers seek scientific answers to the problems they confront, and this is leading them to the Marxist perspective advanced by the WSWS that the working class is the progressive force within capitalist society and that humanitys future depends upon it consciously taking up an independent struggle against capitalism.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reported that an additional 175,000 children were infected with SARS-CoV-2 for the week ending February 17. Despite the declines being celebrated by the media, this figure remains above even the peaks reached during Delta. Additionally, weekly childhood cases have exceeded 100,000 for 28 weeks in a row.

According to the AAPs tracker, 871 children have died thus far in the pandemic, with 20 more children in the last week and more than 82 in one month. Since the Omicron surge commenced in early December, 220 children have died, accounting for one-quarter of all child deaths, making clear that Omicron is not mild for children or adults.

Child with COVID-19 in hospital bed (Medical University of South Carolina)

In all, more than 12.5 million children in the United States have tested positive for COVID-19, representing 20 percent of all children. Of these infections, 7.5 million (60 percent) have been added to the ledger since the first week of September 2021, coinciding with efforts by states and the Biden administration to open all schools to in-person instruction. During the Omicron surge, 4.6 million children were infected with COVID, and of these, 1.9 million were added in just the last four weeks.

This surge of infections underscores the indisputable fact that schools are and remain essential sites for pediatric infections and community transmission. Worrisome is that all efforts to permanently dispense with any meaningful mitigation measure during the current downswing in cases will fuel yet another surge, driven by the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron, which is accelerating across the country.

This sub-variant currently accounts for almost four percent of all infections nationally. And recent evidence notes that it can spread more quickly than the BA.1 sub-variant. It also appears to evade immunity from prior infections and vaccinations better. Perhaps most concerning, it also seems more virulent, attacking the lungs more efficiently in animal models than BA.1.

These findings indicate that children, who remain the least vaccinated, will continue to be significantly affected by COVID. Adding to parents worries, Pfizer has postponed its rolling application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include the two-dose regimen for children aged six months to four years because the proposed vaccination did not appear to generate a strong enough immune response.

The pharmaceutical giant has been saying that children may need three doses of the pediatric version of the vaccine (three micrograms), only one-tenth of the dose of the adult vaccines. There are calls by parents and advocacy groups for off-label use, which the AAP has previously advised against, until there is evidence to support this.

The bad news on vaccines has been compounded by recent findings that an Omicron-specific booster does not confer an advantage over the conventional third dose of the vaccines. David Montefiori, director of the Laboratory for AIDS Vaccines Research and Development at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, who has been studying the COVID vaccines, told Nature, What were seeing coming out of these preclinical studies in animal models is that a boost with a variant vaccine doesnt really do any better than a boost with the current vaccines.

More studies will be forthcoming but the current deadly stage of the pandemic has already exposed the extreme limitations of a vaccine-only strategy for a pathogen that has mutated to such an extent that it has developed immune evasion properties to escape any pharmacological offensives against it, including vaccines explicitly designed for it.

More pressing, however, in the context of the decision of governments at every level to surrender to the spread of the BA.2 sub-variant, is how children will fare.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) tracker, 434 children under five, 288 children between five and 11, 316 children between 12 and 15, and 308 children between 16 and 18 have died during the pandemic. In total, there have been 1,346 COVID-related deaths, while only five have been reported killed from the flu in the same period. Worse, those under five account for almost one-third of all COVID deaths.

Figure 1 - Pediatric COVID deaths

In a recent Tweet, health care expert Gregory Travis published a graph showing that more than half of the childhood COVID-related deaths occurred since November, a span of four months. In the graph, the orange line demonstrates the sudden steep rise in deaths due to the deadly Delta and Omicron waves ignited by school reopenings. In this regard, the teachers unions bear a significant responsibility, having enforcing a return to in-person learning in the midst of a pandemic.

Travis bluntly stated, we are currently in a wave of pediatric death, unlike anything weve seen so far in the pandemic. It is largely invisible because most people and the media only pay attention to the lagging indicators, which have not caught up with the wave of child deaths that began in November.

The CDCs data is far more comprehensive than the AAPs, but the agency and the mainstream press hardly ever mention these findings. In particular, the CDC leadership has played a criminal role in suppressing the publication of vital data, to the populations detriment.

Beyond the more immediate concerns from acute infections and deaths that have affected children, an even more sinister aspect of COVID relates to the impact these infections will have on their health throughout their lives. One of the oft-repeated but objectively unverified claims, that children are immune to COVID, is being proven wrong.

A recent study released in preprint form from the prestigious Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg in Germany attempted to answer one such question. The authors wanted to determine the frequency and extent of persistent sequelae in children and adolescents after infection with SARS-CoV-2 in their lungs. Previous studies in adults had shown that even three months after the acute phase of their infection, blood vessel injury to the lungs microvasculature was evident in over 65 percent of patients.

Using low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which avoids the non-ionizing radiation from conventional computed tomographic imaging (CT), the authors compared children and adolescents with previously PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to controls. Among those with previous COVID infection, 25 patients (46 percent) were diagnosed with Long COVID.

The comparative imaging demonstrated an increase in ventilation and perfusion defects in the lung tissue among those with prior infection. The study found that unaffected lung parenchyma was reduced from 81.2 percent in healthy volunteers to 60.8 percent in post-COVID patients.

The authors wrote, In contrast to the consensus to date, assuming less severe COVID-19 infections and sequelae in younger patients, our study demonstrates widespread functional lung alterations are present in children and adolescents. This expands the understanding of pediatric post-acute COVID-19 disease, with the relevance of our findings even increasing as SARS-CoV-2 incidence is rising in most countries.

The level of dysfunction the authors found was unexpected and underscores the dangers posed by public health leaders such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and figures like Bill Gates who have essentially called infection with the Omicron variant a natural vaccine because the disease is supposeduly mild and could help the world reach herd immunity faster than the burdensome process of inoculating almost eight billion people across the globe three times, if the booster is deemed essential to ensuring a person is fully vaccinated.

Indeed, the call to abandon all mitigation measures will have untold consequences for those fortunate to survive their repeated acute infections, regardless of their vaccination status.

Little is known about the impact COVID will have on the lives of billions of people, from immune dysregulation to opportune immune-related diseases, vascular and cardiac dysfunctions, chronic lung problems, kidney disorders and more.

However, the impact of the pandemic and mass infection on children is only now being investigated. The results of these studies suggest that COVID infections may have life-long consequences for these innocents, underscoring the criminal nature of the live with the virus strategy being enforced by governments around the world.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers and locations in Indiana... White River at Edwardsport and Elliston. 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. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/ind. This statement will be updated within the next 12 to 24 hours. && ...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS 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 &&
VIGO CO., Ind. (WTHI)-Masks are now optional for students in the Vigo County School Corporation.

Beginning Monday, families could decide whether or not their students attended classes with or without masks. This mask is extended to all staff and extracurriculars.

Masks will still be required on buses per a federal mandate. Masks are required on school buses until March 18th.

Interim Spokesperson for Vigo County School Corporation Katelynn Lieberman said they respect every individual's decision when it comes to masking.

"We know that we have immunocompromised individuals among us and in our families," she said. "So, we are doing our very best to protect them and with that being shared, we respect the wearing of masks by students and staff."

Lieberman said this decision was made with the guidance of local health officials. One of those officials is Vigo County Health Commissioner Dr. Darren Brucken. He said now was the perfect time to make the transition with Covid-19 numbers dropping quickly.

"Vigo County is a lot like the rest of the state and the nation right now," he said. "Case numbers are falling rather precipitously, which we've been looking forward to for quite a while."

But, Brucken said he and other health officials still remain cautious when sounding an all-clear for Covid-19. He said you should still remain vigilant.

"As one wave has started to dissipate and we've all taken a collective sigh of relief," Brucken said. "Only to be hit with another surge. There's always going to be apprehension that another variant will still come up."

Brucken said many local hospitals and ICUs remain strained. He said community members should still continue to take precautions, like avoiding large crowds and getting vaccinated.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will no longer meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his address to the nation at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 21.
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Notice body

This is Alabama Severe Weather Awareness Week. Campus Safety & Security will be providing the campus community with information about severe weather safety and preparedness through social media (@AuburnSafety). We also have a campus weather station that provides real-time weather data for Auburn University. You can view live weather conditions via the campus weather station powered by Weather Stem.

Three Steps to Safety: Preparing for Severe Weather

Be aware. In the Auburn area, the most common severe weather events are severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flash floods. A weather WATCH means conditions are favorable for severe weather and students should monitor the weather. A weather WARNING means severe weather is about to occur or has been detected in the area and there is an immediate threat. Students should take action to protect themselves.

Take action. Students should always be weather aware, monitor the weather more closely when severe weather is possible, and be prepared to quickly move to a safe location. If campus is under a tornado watch, Greene Hall at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Ralph B. Draughon Library are opened for those needing a more suitable place to seek shelter. Both buildings will remain open for the duration of a tornado watch. If campus is under a tornado warning, classes and university operations are suspended. Campus buildings have designated severe weather shelter areas identified by signs, which are the safest place in each building during a tornado warning.

Stay informed. There are numerous trustworthy sources of weather information that can ensure your student isnt caught unprepared. To stay informed ahead of time and as severe weather develops, there are numerous apps and other resources, such as Alabama SAF-T-Net (free to Alabama residents, including Auburn students). If a tornado warning is issued that includes campus, an AU ALERT message will be sent. If a tornado or flash flood warning is issued, the National Weather Service will send a wireless emergency alert to all mobile phone users in the area. We also recommend everyone have a NOAA weather radio in their home or apartment.



Alabamas annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will be Friday, Feb. 25 - Sunday, Feb. 27. Use this time to stock up on emergency supplies.

Campus Safety & Security recommends students have:

 Flashlight (other than the cell phone flashlight) with spare batteries

 Phone Charger

 Weather Radio

 First Aid Kit

 Fire Extinguisher

 Non-perishable food

 Can opener (for canned food)

 Bottled water

Most of these items are tax exempt during the sales tax holiday.
We represent One Symphony Circle Inc., a nonprofit devoted to preserving one of Buffalos architectural treasures, First Presbyterian Church. Because of our mission, we pay attention to preservation related issues. And now we have seen  yet again  that deferred maintenance kills.

The Great Northern grain elevators owner has deep pockets but has failed to perform even basic maintenance  a classic case of demolition by neglect, and shameful.

At the former Transfiguration Church, also damaged by high winds, the problem was not a lack of caring by the owner. It was a lack of money for maintenance. The buildings structural system weakened over time; then came the high winds, and the roof and its supporting members collapsed.

So, preservation requires an owner who cares, expertise to know what the building needs and lots of money. Its difficult to find all three when it comes to Buffalos great legacy of churches. Many local congregations have been shrinking for years. When a small but dedicated group of congregants occupies a historically significant but expensive building, what are they to do?

One answer is to establish a nonprofit entity to help preserve the building. One Symphony Circle Inc. is such an organization. It has no paid staff and its board consists of volunteers.

How significant is First Presbyterian? It is one of architect E.B. Greens finest projects, and also a major urban design feature in Frederick Law Olmsteds framework for Buffalos open spaces. The buildings materials and its great stone tower are intended to complement H.H. Richardsons masterwork at the opposite end of Richmond Avenue. Inside are chandeliers and windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Of particular note is Tiffanys Jerusalem Window, an east-facing triptych which captures the intensifying light of each days rising sun. Other windows by Mary Tillinghast are magnificent, as are interior decorative elements by William Francis.

In 2005, the churchs main tower was found to be in danger of collapse. The church worked with experts to determine the cause of the problem, install steel banding on an emergency basis, and provided money toward a permanent fix. The State of New York has helped, but much work remains. The need to fully stabilize the buildings external shell is great, and the time to act is now. As with the Great Northern and with Transfiguration Church, the time to intervene is before nature strikes a devastating blow.

OSCI has asked Rep. Brian Higgins for assistance in obtaining federal funds. We will also approach Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and are hoping others in the community can help, too. Lets not let a windstorm or big snowfall take another Buffalo treasure.

Jonathan Cox and William Faught are board members of One Symphony Circle Inc., which Cox also serves as president.
Outdoor trails for public use have been one of the great recreational successes in Western New York over the past couple of decades, and none of them has been more welcome than the Niagara River Greenway. Now, theres a chance to complete that long-gestating project, but doing so requires a commitment from Niagara Falls.

Visionaries two decades ago saw an interconnected system of shoreline parks and trails allowing walkers and bicyclists to travel safely from south of Buffalo all the way to Lake Ontario. The big missing link today is in Niagara Falls, where some leaders are hesitant.

This is a gift. The trail through the city would be built at no expense to the municipality. The state Department of Transportation asks only that the city maintain its section of the trail, including a privacy fence that would separate the trail from homeowners backyards in the citys LaSalle neighborhood.

Its a reasonable standard, one that every other of the trails locality accepts. But some on the City Council are worried about the expense, given the difficulties the city has maintaining its existing infrastructure. Mayor Robert M. Restaino would prefer any design to be low maintenance, but is generally on board. Its the right approach.

Its appropriate, of course, for the Council to crunch the numbers, but it also needs to see the big picture. This is a project that stands to benefit every community it touches, and its free to the city. The potential benefits  to the city, its economy, the environment and the whole regions health  are too attractive to kick away. It may take some creativity, but this project is worth the effort.

The city section of the trail, along with another proposed segment from Witmer Road in North Tonawanda to the Niagara Falls-Wheatfield boundary, represent the last two gaps in the path, said Gregory Stevens, executive director of the Greenway.

Trails such as the Greenway are gaining in popularity. The northern Niagara regional trail network, a plan conceived last year, would extend from Youngstown, at the mouth of Niagara River, along Lake Ontario to Somerset. In addition, the plan would include a bike trail along Route 78 between Olcott and Lockport, where it would connect with the existing Erie Canalway trail.

Niagara County Legislature Chairwoman Rebecca J. Wydysh has called for a conference of all those involved in various trail projects to plan for points of connectivity, creating one master trail system across the county. That opens more possibilities in the effort to improve the quality of life in Niagara County and around the region.

The areas growing network of well-maintained trails is a key part of that growth. Niagara Falls should take care not to stand in the way.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
Mistborn Author Says He Has a 'SoulsBorne' Pitch After Bandai Namco Expresses Interest in Working With Him
Andrew Garfield



Andrew Garfield has been keeping himself busy the last few months. From his current nomination for tick, tick...BOOM! to his beloved re-suiting as snarky, fluffy-haired Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home, this winter could be re-named The Garfield Solstice. Yet, hibernation doesnt seem apparent for Garfield just yet. The recently released teaser for FX and Hulus upcoming mini-series Under The Banner Of Heaven shows Garfield will be appearing on our TV screens, too.

Based on the best-selling true crime novel by Jon Krakauer, the series follows Detective Pyre (Garfield), a devout LDS elder who begins to question some of the churchs teachings after a vicious murder appears to be connected to an esteemed Utah familys fall into LDS fundamentalism.



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The teaser begins with Garfields Detective Pyre coming across a puddle of blood as he first enters the house of a double-murder case. Talking to an unknown person, Pyre sounds unsettled as he relates that the root of the murder wasnt from an outside source, but from things and beliefs that Ive only ever heard whisperings about.



Scenes depicting domesticity and seemingly normal small-town America appear in flashes throughout the teaser, but the underlining sense of dread hides in shots of eyes behind curtains and shadowy woods. Furthering this skin-crawling wrongness is the ticking of the score, with violins screeching faster before abruptly halting after a violent altercation knocks out an unseen person.



Starring alongside Garfield is Daisy Edgar-Jones as Brenda, a young faithful Mormon who is the victim in the murder case. The rest of the ensemble includes Sam Worthington, Denise Gough, Wyatt Russell, Billy Howle, Gil Birmingham, Adelaide Clemens, Rory Culkin, Seth Numrich, Chloe Pirrie, Sandra Seacat and Christopher Heyerdahl.

Under The Banner Of Heaven is being directed by David Mackenzie, Isabel Sandoval, and Thomas Schlamme. Academy Award-winner Dustin Lance Black is the series creator and serves as an executive producer along with Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Anna Culp, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, and Gillian Berrie.

Catch the mini-series on Hulu later this year.
John Moore/Getty Images

An ICE detainee from Yemen being held in a privately run Arizona jail has been on a hunger strike for nearly a month, skipping some 73 meals and losing almost 17 percent of his overall body weight as of Friday.

Authorities on Friday asked a judge to allow them to force-feed the 26-year-old man through a plastic tube inserted up his nose and down to his stomacha practice the American Medical Association (AMA) considers a form of torture.

In federal court filings first obtained by The Daily Beast, the U.S. government requested permission from a judge to involuntarily administer nutrition to Hamad Mohsen Thabit Saad Sayad through placement of a nasogastric tube, citing an osteopath on the ICE payroll who opines that medical soft restraints [may be] necessary to prevent injury both to Mr. Sayad and to medical staff.

On Feb. 18, a U.S. district court judge granted ICEs request, ruling that the Department of Homeland Security can begin force-feeding Sayad and giving the agency permission to physically restrain him if he resists.

Sayads court-appointed lawyer, Christopher Thomas, declined to comment for this story.

More often than not, force-feeding orders are filed in secret against people who do not have attorneys to help them through the process, ACLU attorney Eunice Cho told The Daily Beast, describing the process as little more than a rubber stamp that gives the government permission to implement extremely coercive and unethical procedures on people without true due process, where the individual really has no real way to contest what is happening in court.

Murdered My Son All Over Again: Anger Erupts Over 2-Year Sentence for Ex-Cop Who Killed Daunte Wright

In its filings, government lawyers argue, These measures are medically necessary [to] prevent further injury, dehydration, other and permanent damage up to and including death.

But, according to the World Medical Association, Forced feeding is never ethically acceptable. Even if intended to benefit, feeding accompanied by threats, coercion, force or use of physical restraints is a form of inhuman and degrading treatment. Equally unacceptable is the forced feeding of some detainees in order to intimidate or coerce other hunger strikers to stop fasting. The AMA says force-feeding, as a practice, goes against the core ethical values of the medical profession. And in the face of widespread opposition to the practice, the United Nations said force-feeding by ICE could violate the U.N. Convention Against Torture.

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On Tuesday, Sayad was given a partial victory in court. Although he remains unsteady on his feet due to his refusal to eat, and his body is now consuming its fat stores to stay alive, a CoreCivic doctor in a status update deemed Sayads condition sufficiently stable as he has sipped small amounts of water and drank a nutritional supplement on Sunday. Because he has become mostly compliant, Sayad will not be force-fed yetbut will be involuntarily hydrated for at least the next 48 hours, with the use of restraints, if necessary. Doctors will continue to monitor Sayad, pending lab results due Thursday, according to a status report filed in federal court.

CoreCivic did not respond to a request for comment. An ICE spokesperson acknowledged The Daily Beasts request for comment, but had not provided a statement by the time of publication.

Sayad, who tested positive for COVID last month, has been detained at Arizonas La Palma Correctional Center since Dec. 16, 2020, and currently has an appeal pending with the Department of Justices Board of Immigration Appeals, according to the filing. His health is rapidly declining, and Sayad has already been hospitalized twice since beginning the strike.

Before starting a force-feeding regimen, ICEs filing says the agency would like to conduct involuntary blood draws and weight checks, insert urinary catheters, and perform routine medical examinations on Sayad, and restrain [him] if he resists. Urinary catheterization involves inserting a tube into the urethra, and can cause pain, bleeding, infection, and damage to surrounding structures, including vital organs, according to the ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR).

Forced urinary catheterization is considered illegal under international law, and in 2020 was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in South Dakota. Cho, who last year co-authored a report titled: Behind Closed Doors: Abuse and Retaliation Against Hunger Strikers in U.S. Immigration Detention, called hunger strikes a last resort for those who have exhausted all other options. Yet, according to Physicians for Human Rights and the ACLU, ICE has oftentimes failed to consider alternatives to force-feeding, including resolving hunger strikers basic requests for improved conditions.

ICE has tried to implement different mechanisms for detainees to lodge grievances, Cho told The Daily Beast, calling the current complaint procedures little more than window dressing that ultimately leads people to extreme measures as they wait for their immigration caseswhich are generally civil, not criminal mattersto make their way through the system.

People could very well be safely awaiting these proceedings, which can sometimes take months, if not years, in the safety of their own home and community, Cho said. And instead, people are being held in these conditions, where medical needs are not being met, where theres abuse, where there are repeated complaints about all kinds of conditionsthe least of which is the astronomical spread of COVID-19 You can see why people who are in detention themselves are questioning not only the conditions of detention in the first place, but actually even the fact of their detention in the first place.

ICE says medical staff at La Palma have informed Sayad, through an interpreter, that his hunger strike could have deadly consequences. He has been evaluated by a psychologist, who did not find that he suffered any sort of psychiatric condition that would prevent him from eating or drinking, ICEs filing states.

Sayad has exhibited an inability to stand due to headaches and dizziness; unsteadiness on feet and having to sit after approximately two minutes of standing; and no measurable urinary output, the filing states.

Now that Mr. Sayad is on day 24 of his hunger strike, he is expected to continue to decline and may suffer neurological symptoms, it continues. He has already suffered serious enough symptoms as to require hospitalization twice, noting that ICE medical staff is concerned that Mr. Sayad is in imminent danger of renal failure, liver failure, or becoming comatose due to dehydration and hypotension, which would lead to death.

The 2021 analysis by the ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights identified a half-dozen instances of force-feeding by ICE at Texas detention centers between 2013 and 2017. In 2019, five hunger striking asylum seekers were force-fed at an ICE facility in Louisiana, according to Freedom for Immigrants, which says many hunger strikers are protesting lengthy periods of detention in inhumane conditions, and arbitrary denial of parole and bond as a motivation. That same year, ICE acknowledged the involuntarily feeding of six detainees in Texas, and one in Arizona.

In the Arizona case, 44-year-old detainee Aamir Hafiz Sheikh reportedly refused to eat when Pakistani officials slow-walked a U.S. request for a travel document necessary for ICE to deport him. A judge granted the agency permission to force-feed Sheikh, a small business owner convicted of food stamp fraud in 2015 and ordered deported.

Still, not all hunger strikers are force-fed. In another Arizona case, ICE eventually switched one strikers housing assignment, the demand underlying the hunger strike, averting the need for force-feeding, according to Just Security.

A hunger strike is considered constitutionally protected speech under the First Amendment. In a 1990 decision, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan wrote, The passive nonviolence of King and Gandhi are proof that the resolute acceptance of pain may communicate dedication and righteousness more eloquently than mere words ever could. A boycott, like a hunger strike, conveys an emotional message that is absent in a letter to the editor, a conversation with the mayor, or even a protest march.

As immigration lawyer Stephanie Norton told The Daily Beast, This is really the only speech that they have. Its the only power that they have to protest against the way that theyre being treated.

In Sayads instance, ICE claims in its court filing that he is not claiming a constitutional right to starve himself or refuse medical treatment, but ratherit appears that he is attempting to manipulate the systemthat is, to alter his classification, and/or secure his release from detention by starving himself until ICE officials acquiesce to his demand.

The agency goes on to say that Sayad is risking his life by making it impossible for the United States to fulfill its responsibility to provide adequate treatment and care to him, and that his actions may have a significant destabilizing impact on the institution.

If prisoners are allowed to kill themselves, prisons would find it even more difficult than they already do to maintain discipline, because of the effect of a suicide in agitating other prisoners, states the filing, while noting that the government has a legitimate interest in avoiding unnecessary and burdensome litigation, such as a federal civil rights suit for allowing Sayad to die.

It also explains that ICE fears Sayads situation could influence other detainees to go on hunger strikes in an attempt to manipulate the staff to gain various benefits and privileges. For example, detainees may initiate hunger strikes to pressure staff to transfer themor to gain their release from detention. Without the ability to intervene when medically necessary, [ICE] will be forced to choose between letting the detainee die and giving in to his wishes.

To Norton, the binary choice between two extremesceding to a detainees demands or letting them dieis the wrong way to frame the issue, she told The Daily Beast: Really it should be about, how did we get to this point where this person is so desperate? That he feels like this is the only option he has? And how has the system failed him up to this point?

Although Norton is not involved with Sayads case, she does represent a hunger-striking detainee in ICE custody. Her client, Luis Diaz, participated in a hunger strike last March and is currently striking again, Norton told The Daily Beast.In a letter sent to ICE administrators earlier this month and shared with The Daily Beast, Norton, along with a pair of immigration advocates and a medical doctor, noted that while Diaz was striking the first time, ICE officials allegedly told Mr. Diaz that they would ensure he would never be released. His request for release on medical grounds was subsequently denied, after which he was transferred to Miami. Despite his subsequent diagnosis with a serious heart condition, ICE has continued to deny his release, Norton said.

Diaz was placed in solitary confinement when he began his hunger strike, he told The Daily Beast in a Tuesday phone call from the Miami lockup. He is now isolated in a medical unit without any contact with other detainees, Diaz said.

Joanna Naples-Mitchell, a human rights lawyer, U.S. researcher at Physicians for Human Rights, and co-author of Behind Closed Doors, said that when area hospitals refuse to assist in force-feeding, ICE usually turns to contractors instead in contravention of very clear medical ethical guidelines. And ICEs description of force-feeding as a medical necessity to avoid unnecessary deaths is something of a red herring, Naples-Mitchell told The Daily Beast.

If they were really concerned about that, then they would be making systematic efforts to improve conditions across the board, she said. The fact that theyre suddenly worried about someone whos on hunger strike dying in custody, when they haven't shown any similar concern for the many, many people who have died in ICE custody, really shows how suspect that concern is.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Governor Kristi Noem looks at Speaker of the House Steven Haugaard after thanking him for a comment following her State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 14, in the House Chamber at the State Capitol in Pierre.

Rep. Steven Haugaard's total ban on abortion medications passed through South Dakota's House of Representatives late Tuesday.

The Republican legislator, running against Gov. Kristi Noem's re-election campaign, presented an amended version of HB1208 that changed the definition of a chemical abortion drug to include alternate uses of those medications.

"The bill as amended addresses the issue raised in committee about the alternate uses for some of these drugs," said Haugaard in discussion of the bill.

More: Rep. Steve Haugaard's total ban on abortion pills goes to South Dakota House floor

Rep. Haugaard is speaking about HJR-5003, saying "a human life begins at conception," before HB1208 abortion pill discussion. Rep. Stevens countered with a personal anecdote about how changing the definition of human being too frequently back in the 80s led to a federal lawsuit.  Nicole Ki  (@_nicoleki) February 22, 2022

A chemical abortion drug is defined in HB1208's text as "mifegyne, mifeprex, mifepristone, and any other pharmaceutically equivalent drug, unless the drug is to be used for a purpose other than an abortion."

That exception for alternate uses was also applied to section 3 of the bill, setting penalties for any physician who dispense, manufacture, prescribe, sell, or transfer any chemical abortion drug.

With advancements in technology, Haugaard said science proves life begins in the womb and he's hoping with this bill that will be reiterated, along with whatever comes out of the United States Supreme Court on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case.

More: Gov. Noem pushes in-person abortion pill rule through House committee, despite pending lawsuit

"I would hope we'd act on whatever the Dobbs case rolls out," said Hauggard. "But for right now, we know that abortions are taking place probably every day."

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Civil rights advocates such as officials with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Dakota said the bill violates the constitutional liberty to personal privacy and reproductive rights.

"House Bill 1208 poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of individuals seeking medication abortion care and ignores a pregnant persons individual needs and circumstances," said Jett Jonelis, ACLU of South Dakota advocacy manager, in a press release. "Banning a safe and standard method of terminating a pregnancy creates unnecessary restrictions for people accessing essential medical care.

HB1208 was passed through the House with a 40-27 vote, and is headed to the Senate side for another round of review. The proposed measure is similar to one Noems administration got approved earlier this morning, HB1318, but hers restricts access and administration of abortion pills.

Email human rights reporter Nicole Ki at nki@argusleader.com or follow on Twitter at @_nicoleki.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota bill outlawing abortion medications goes to Senate
What a lovely day.

On Tuesday, journalist and author Kyle Buchanan released his captivating debut book "Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of 'Mad Max: Fury Road'" (William Morrow, 384 pp.), which exhaustively details how filmmaker George Miller created the long-awaited fourth movie in his "Mad Max" franchise.

Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the 2015 blockbuster follows war captain Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), who teams up with drifter Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) to transport a group of female prisoners to a safe haven known as the Green Place. Co-starring Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough and Hugh Keays-Byrne (as ruthless leader Immortan Joe), the film earned 10 Oscar nominations including best picture, winning six in technical categories.

More: Stephen King talks how 'Gwendy's Final Task' takes its heroine across his literary universe

Nux (Nicholas Hoult, left), Fragile (Courtney Eaton), Capable (Riley Keough), Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and Wag (Abbey Lee Kershaw) in Furiosa's truck, known as the War Rig.

Featuring dozens of new interviews with cast and crew, Buchanan's delightful oral history reveals the backstories of many of the film's most iconic moments, from Furiosa's scream to the guitar-playing Doof Warrior. It also delves into the highly publicized clash between Hardy and Theron on set.

Here are just a few of the fascinating revelations from "Blood, Sweat & Chrome":

Tom Hardy was 'quite aggressive' toward Charlize Theron

Some of the juiciest passages of "Blood, Sweat & Chrome" are about the movie's arduous production, which lasted for nine months in the Namibian desert and South Africa before reshoots. The cast recalls feeling extremely isolated and at times frustrated with Miller's methods: They would often shoot without scripts and only for a few seconds at a time, meaning that actors rarely got to play out a scene in full. Sometimes, they might shoot for 14 hours and only end up with 30 seconds of usable footage for the day.

On set, "it was hard to watch with Tom. He really had moments of frustration, of anger," Kravitz said. "Charlize did, too, but I feel like he's the one who really took it out on George the most, and that was a bummer to see."

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Tom Hardy, left, and Charlize Theron in a scene from "Mad Max: Fury Road."

Hardy and Theron also butted heads over their antithetical acting styles: him, experimental and wanting justification for every piece of choreography; and her, straightforward and wishing to get everybody home as soon as possible.

"It was like two parents in the front of the car," Theron said. "We were either fighting or we were icing each other  I don't know which one is worse  and (our co-stars) had to deal with it in the back. It was horrible! It was not a conducive working environment. ... I apologize profusely."

Tensions exploded one day when Hardy showed up three hours late. Theron and their cast mates had been waiting in full hair and makeup in Furiosa's truck, the War Rig, when he walked onto set. She proceeded to swear at Hardy, calling him "disrespectful" and demanding he be fined "a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he's held up the crew."

"He charged up to her and said, 'What did you say to me?' " camera operator Mark Goellnicht recalls. "He was quite aggressive. She really felt threatened, and that was the turning point because then she said, 'I want someone as protection.' She then had a producer that was assigned to be with her all the time."

"It got to a place where it was kind of out of hand, and there was a sense that maybe sending a woman producer down could maybe equalize some of it," Theron said. "A lot of what I felt was coming my way from Doug (Mitchell, a producer) was ... oh, (screw) it. I'll just say it. It was a man forgiving another man for really bad behavior, and I didn't feel safe."

Charlize Theron, left, and Tom Hardy at the premiere of "Mad Max: Fury Road" in Hollywood, California, in May 2015.

Veteran producer Denise Di Novi helped mediate some of the conflicts, and the co-stars eventually reached a level of understanding not unlike their characters' prickly but respectful relationship. Hardy, for his part, insists in the book that he couldn't have bullied Theron.

"Charlize is an intense woman. Very intense, actually. In a good way," Hardy said. "I mean, look at her in 'Monster'  that's not somebody walking in the park. You don't just summon up that kind of authenticity without bringing a tremendous wealth of artistic ability. She's a very serious actor. So, I don't see why she would ever be intimidated by me or in any way feel frightened. I think that was more bollocks."

Rihanna, pictured in Los Angeles earlier this month, met with George Miller about appearing in "Fury Road."

Gal Gadot, Jennifer Lawrence and Rihanna all auditioned for 'Fury Road'

Given that "Fury Road" took roughly two decades to bring to the screen, most of Hollywood was at one point considered for key roles. Jessica Chastain, Ruth Negga and Gugu Mbatha-Raw all auditioned for Furiosa, as did Gal Gadot, who was "incredible," casting director Ronna Kress said. Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence and a pre-"The Wolf of Wall Street" Margot Robbie read for the roles of Immortan Joe's concubine (also known as the Wives).

"Usually, actors turn up dressed very casually, but boy, Rihanna looked spectacular when she walked in," Miller said. "I'm not sure she was even aware of the content of the movie, so she dressed up as Rihanna, which was the right thing to do."

Heath Ledger, pictured in 2006, was considered to replace Mel Gibson as the star of the "Mad Max" franchise.

Heath Ledger and Eminem were in the running to play Max

Because of his age and off-screen controversies, Miller opted to recast the series' original star, Mel Gibson. Michael Fassbender, Jeremy Renner, Armie Hammer, Eric Bana, Sam Worthington and Joel Kinnaman were just a few of the names considered for the title character. Heath Ledger had also talked about the role with Miller before his 2008 death of an accidental overdose at age 28.

"The person who was foremost in my mind was Heath," Miller said. "Every time he'd come through Sydney, he'd pop in and we'd talk generally about things, and then we started to talk about 'Mad Max.' We lost him, which was such a pity  not for 'Mad Max' but because he was an exceptional person."

At one point, when the film was set to shoot in Australia, Miller thought of casting Eminem as Max. But the rapper didn't want to travel so far away from home and discussions ended there.

"He had done '8 Mile' and I found that really interesting  I thought, 'He's got that quality,' " Miller said. The director consulted with Brittany Murphy, who featured in both "Happy Feet" and "8 Mile," and "she had no reservations about saying what a wonderful talent he is."

Furiosa almost had dreads and face tattoos

Furiosa's buzzed locks? That was all Theron. Early on, Furiosa was supposed to have platinum blonde hair and dreads, as well as "a costume that felt a little more Barbarella-y," Theron said. She even might've had face tattoos.

"In the original storyboards, Furiosa and a whole bunch of characters had these big, smiling jaws tattooed on them like on a Spitfire warplane," senior prosthetic artist Sean Genders said. "I was like, 'That's iconic.' "

But Theron and hair and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt fought against the long hair, insisting that it wasn't practical for a warrior like Furiosa.

"I called (Miller) and said, 'I don't know how she's getting by in the mechanics' room with all this hair,' " Theron said. "I think we need to shave my head and she needs to be a more androgynous, grounded character."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Mad Max' book: Charlize Theron recalls Tom Hardy's 'bad behavior'
Coffee with Houseplant

Getty Images

During a recent visit to Andiamo Lodge in Mentone, Alabama, I spied a handsome fiddleleaf fig (Ficus lyrata) standing in a corner. I was thunderstruck! Like most of you, every time I'd tried to grow this quite expensive, tree-like houseplant, it responded with yellowing leaves decorated with black spots and dead, brown edges that fell to the floor and left it naked. So I asked Andiamo's co-owner, Steve Carpenter, how he managed to keep his looking so healthy and clothed.

"I don't do anything special," he replied, "except pour some coffee on it every once in a while."

Whoa. If true, this revelation could rock the internet! Therefore, I decided to test Steve's prescription on my own fiddleleaf fig. It was six feet tall when I bought it and towers three feet tall today  considerably less stately than Steve's.

I typically begin every morning with three cups of coffee to enable me to become dutifully unhinged at the multiple catastrophes that occurred overnight as carefully curated by the grim reapers on the TV news. Sometimes, however, I'll drink only two, leaving me with a question that vexed me up until a few weeks ago: "Is it ethical to throw away a perfectly good cup of coffee?" Steve's testimony provided the answer. "No, it is not. Give it to your suffering plants."

Follow the Science

Digging deeper, I discovered there is logic to periodically treating my fig tree to an early cup of java. Liquid coffee contains important plant nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium  not in the same quantities as commercial fertilizers, mind you, but still helpful when applied a bit at a time.

Thus, I began pouring coffee for my fig tree a couple of times a week. I made sure the liquid was room-temperature to avoid burning the roots. And because coffee is quite acidic, I diluted it half-and-half with tap water. My tap water is hard (alkaline - pH over 7), so the mixture's pH should be about neutral.

The preliminary data looks promising. My fiddleleaf fig displays bright green foliage with no black spots or brown edges. It hasn't dropped any leaves. I've started spreading the wealth to other houseplants like my 'Neon' pothos and angelwing begonia. So far, so good.

Please don't ask me which coffee is better  leaded vs unleaded, Jamaican Blue Mountain vs Hawaiian Royal Kona, Community vs Maxwell House. I haven't researched it that far. Just make sure you use only black coffee, no milk or cream that will sour. Your family and houseplants will thank you.
Wailea beach on a sunny day with Puu Kukui mountain visible in the background, Wailea, Maui,

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

The Hawaiian island of Maui has dropped its vaccine or test requirement for indoor spaces like restaurants and bars, the mayor's office has announced.

The new policy, which went into effect this week, will now allow people to enter restaurants, bars, and gyms without showing any COVID-19-related documentation. Previously, Maui required people to show either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter.

"With the rapid decline of new COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations, we can safely eliminate the proof-of-vaccination requirement for bars, restaurants, and gyms," Maui's Mayor Michael Victorino said in a statement. "We successfully avoided overloading our health-care capacity, so many thanks to the community and especially the business operators who have struggled through this entire pandemic. Mahalo for your cooperation."

While the county is easing some protocols, masks will still be required in indoor spaces as it is required by the state.

"This rule change, and more to come, doesn't mean we can throw caution to the wind," Victorino said, adding "COVID-19 is still circulating out there."

Neighboring Honolulu continues to require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours to enter businesses like restaurants, according to Safe Access O'ahu.

The decision to ease restrictions on Maui comes weeks after Hawaii's governor dropped his plan to require vaccinated travelers to have a booster shot as part of its Safe Travels program, which allows domestic travelers to skip quarantine if they are fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative test before traveling. Last month, the state also eliminated the need for domestic travelers to fill out an online health form prior to arrival.

The decision also comes amid a wave of eased restrictions, including relaxed mask rules on cruise ships as well as simpler entry requirements for destinations around the world like Canada, Australia, and Israel.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
PROVIDENCE  State regulators have approved the multibillion-dollar sale of National Grids electric and natural gas business in Rhode Island to Pennsylvania-based PPL Corporation.

In a 337-page decision issued on Wednesday, the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers determined that based on the written evidence and oral testimony presented over the course of a nearly year-long regulatory proceeding the sale of whats known as Narragansett Electric meets the standard set by state law  specifically that services will not be diminished under new ownership and that the $5.2-billion transaction is consistent with the public interest.

Worries persist: Will storm response be impacted if Narragansett Electric sale goes through?

Wind farm: Why RI consumers won't be directly reimbursed for National Grid wind farm overcharge

Concerns over ratepayer costs

Despite the concerns of intervening parties, including the office of Attorney General Peter Neronha and advocacy staff within the DPUC itself, hearing officer John Spirito, the deputy administrator of the division, ruled that ratepayer impacts were outside the consideration of the approval process for the sale.

Those issues rightly belong before the divisions sister agency, the Public Utilities Commission, which would consider proposed rate increases if and when they arise, Spirito concluded in the decision that was approved by DPUC administrator Linda George.

Spirito also found that issues raised around the states commitment to slash greenhouse gas emissions as part of a landmark law enacted last year were also outside the bounds of the docket.

While environmental advocates had called for the transaction to be contingent on PPL making definitive commitments to support the net-zero emissions goal of the Act on Climate, the division determined that efforts around decarbonization are the responsibility of the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council, the group of state agency directors and staff tasked with crafting Rhode Islands climate change policies.

More to come.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI regulators approve sale of Narragansett Electric to PPL Corporation
Since 1984, major organ donations have been run through a federal network. Advocates say the process discriminates against people with disabilities.

The questions resurfaced for Kathleen Kirwan when she began treatment for kidney disease at the same Texas clinic where her brother labored through three years of dialysis before his death in 2015.

She replayed Daniel Kirwans 20 years of treatment in her mind  the renal failure, the medications that caused it, the countless catheter changes, the conversations with doctors. She wondered again: Why wasnt he ever placed on a transplant list?

The answer, she said she believes, was her brothers disability. Daniel Kirwan had Down syndrome.

It was just kind of like old school that doctors used to believe that those with intellectual disabilities arent valued as much as other people, she told USA TODAY. I will tell you that it always did not sit right with me.

Kirwan tried to make sure that didnt happen again. She fought for Texas to join dozens of other states in addressing organ transplant discrimination for people with disabilities. Daniels Law, as its known in Texas since its 2021 adoption, is one of 30 around the country that bans such discrimination.

Now, advocates for people with disabilities are pushing for federal changes, as well. They say federal legislation would set a consistent, national policy for protecting people with disabilities who need new organs but in many cases have to cross state lines to get them.

Bills in Congress address discrimination

Bipartisan bills backed by national disability rights organizations have been introduced in both chambers of Congress.

In December, Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., introduced the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, a companion bill to legislation introduced in the House earlier in 2021.

It is heartless to discriminate against someone in need of an organ transplant because they have a disability, Rubio said in a prepared statement after introducing the bill.

The bill would enhance federal protections against organ donation discrimination, setting a baseline for states that increasingly are adopting their own laws meant to ensure people with disabilities dont miss out on organs that could save their lives.

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Federal law would streamline rules

Last year, 14 states adopted laws to protect people with disabilities from discrimination in organ transplants, according to the National Down Syndrome Society, which is pressing for state and federal legal protections. Californias 1996 law is the oldest in the country.

While people with disabilities have existing federal protections, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act, the society said they still face willful and unintended discrimination in organ transplantation.

Too often people with Down syndrome are being discriminated against when they are referred by their doctors to transplant teams, said Charlotte Woodward, the societys community outreach associate and the woman for whom the federal bill is named.

She was born with a heart condition that required four open-heart surgeries before a heart transplant saved her life when she was 22. Now Woodward, who has Down syndrome, advocates for others with disabilities to receive the same kind of care she did.

It brings into question whose lives are valued the most. It seems to me that transplant teams, when considering them for organ transplantation, are really elevating the lives of nondisabled people over the lives of people with disabilities and thats not right, she said.

Need for organs rockets: Organ transplants were slashed at the start of the COVID pandemic. But 2021 saw the most ever.

Federal legislation would add clarity for health care providers about how disabilities can be considered when deciding whether to refer someone for an organ transplant, said Bart Devon, senior director of public policy at the Down syndrome society.

The bill would bar discrimination in determining whether someone should receive an organ based solely on whether they have a disability. It also would establish expedited review of cases alleging discrimination at the Department of Health and Human Services and in federal courts.

You might think that the medical establishment, which in many ways seeks to improve health care and quality of life, would be a place where we experience less discrimination," said Maria Town, CEO of the American Association of People With Disabilities. "But its actually an industry where people with disabilities experience some of the most high-stakes discrimination, including around organ transplantation."

How organ donation process works

Since 1984, heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas and intestines donations have been run through the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, a federal network for sharing organs overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services.

The nations 252 organ transplant centers use their own policies to decide whether to accept patients as candidates for transplant and whether to put a patient on a waiting list. A network of 58 organ procurement organizations recruits new donors and coordinates the organ donation process, such as making sure organs are safely transported.

Waiting lists prioritize the sickest patients, but organ transplant centers use facts about patients and their health to decide whether to put them on the list in the first place. Some of those so-called contra-indications disqualify organ transplant candidates entirely, while others just make it less likely that they will get on the list.

Disability has been used as a contra-indication by transplant centers, even though the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on a disability and studies show transplant outcomes for people with disabilities are no different than for those without, according to a 2019 report from the American Council on Disability.

The report said transplant centers cite an inability to coordinate complicated post-operative care, follow-up appointments, lifestyle changes and managing medication side effects as reasons to disqualify patients with disabilities from transplant lists.

When you actually talk to people with disabilities, they will say things like, 'My life is good. I enjoy my life.' And yet medical professionals inherently see that having a disability means you have a lower quality of life," Town said.

Because those centers write their own policies, patients might be rejected at one and accepted at another, even within the same state, according to the report. Variance in state law also contributes to the need for federal legislation, Devon said.

Is a federal law the best fix?

But Stanford University professor David Magnus said legislation is a "crude instrument" to fix a problem better solved by the medical community. He advocates for objective criteria and transparency  along with an appeals process  for organ donation decisions.

"There is zero question that there is a good deal of discrimination that is happening around the country on this issue," said Magnus, who teaches medicine and biomedical ethics.

The American Society of Transplantation, an industry group that represents transplant professionals, declined to comment.

Individuals who experience disabilities deserve the same opportunities to thrive as all other Americans in every aspect of our society," Hassan, the New Hampshire senator, said in a prepared statement.

"Yet there are countless places where laws on the books still allow individuals with disabilities to be discriminated against, including in our health care system. It is simply unacceptable that Americans can be denied an organ transplant just because of a disability," she said, noting the bill she and Rubio have put forth ends this practice.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Organ transplant law would protect people with disabilities
A terrible mix of inclement weather created some questionable conditions for Western New York anglers, with more on the way this week. We will have to wait and see what happens. Ice fishing is holding on but show caution when venturing out on hard water and stay away from any moving water. The Roger Tobey Memorial steelhead contest is Saturday.

Lake Erie and tributaries

Shub Stevens, with Catt. Creek Bait and Tackle in Irving, reports nothing is on the creeks flowing into Lake Erie. No solid reports from Dunkirk Harbor or Hanover, either. The Small Boat Harbor is still active for ice fishermen, with both spikes and wax worms working for yellow perch. Small suckers seem to be the ticket for pike fishermen.

Niagara River

If you want to get on the water in the lower Niagara River, your best bet is to fish upriver of the NYPA power plant for the cleanest water  either from shore or boat. Mike Ziehm of Niagara Falls hit the shoreline Monday and did decently with steelhead and lake trout using orange and white jigs, as well as his homemade No. 5 spinners. Capt. Chris Cinelli of Grand Island reports the waters are still stained below the plants. Devils Hole is running clear and the best bet is fishing from a boat. He was getting some lakers on big emeralds and Kwikfish, fished off three-way rigs. Cinelli was also catching some steelhead on pink egg sacs and minnows, again off three-way setups. More rain and wind are expected this week and we will have to see what Mother Nature dishes out. Last week, before the storms hit Western New York, Mark Romanack, of "Fishing 411 TV," met up with Capt. Frank Campbell of Lewiston to film a show for the World Fishing Network. They were the first boat into Devils Hole and found the gorge shielded them from the wind. The first drift was a 10-pound chrome steelhead, followed by a 12-pound steelie that was colored up. The next six-plus hours of fishing produced a mix of lake trout and steelhead. They caught lakers up to 15 pounds. Minnows were by far the top bait, with a No. 6 Eagle Claw hook. They used the match the hatch approach because of the large number of small smelt in the system. The trip was cut short, but it was a quality show. Remember the Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest, hosted by the Niagara River Anglers Association, is set to hit the water from sunrise to 2 p.m. Saturday. Eligible waters include the lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario, as well as the tributaries of Lake Ontario. You must be a member of the NRAA. Entry fee is $20 for the contest plus $5 for the biggest brown trout. NRAA membership is $20. Everyone on board a boat must be entered in the contest. Sign up the morning of the contest at Lewiston Landing adjacent to the launch ramp, where the fish will be weighed in. Sign up in advance at Creek Road Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. For more information, contact Ken Jackson at 716-946-6810. The only report on the upper Niagara River comes from Tommy Ortolano of Lake Effect Bait and Tackle in Tonawanda. Lake trout and walleye are still cooperating at the foot of Ferry Street.

Lake Ontario and tributaries

Ron Bierstine, of Oak Orchard Tackle, reports area tributaries in most cases will be high, blown and dirty due to recent rains and snow melt in the Oak and other area smaller tributaries. Flows in the Oak are already on the rise Tuesday thanks to increasing overflow water. Because of the flash freeze after the end of last weeks high water, even with the overflow cranking, flows quickly retreated and never really got too dirty to fish in the Oak. The best bet is in the turbine channel. The rest of the Oak, like after the confluence, was high water fishable by at least last Sunday through Tuesday as the overflow levels diminished. There would have been a few days of high/stained fishable water windows in the smaller area tributaries, too. For now, Bierstine says low and clear flows are not in the cards. All the water, at least in the fishable mile or so stretch below the dam on the Oak, is open and ice free. Other area smaller tributaries should be open and ice free in the upstream reaches with some lower river ice cover or jams. That might well all blow out after this latest round of precipitation. Anglers have been scoring some fresher steelhead mostly nearer the dam. There could be some fresh fish migrations in the rest of the downstream river course and the other area smaller tributaries anytime from now through the spring on these high-water events. Try to anticipate dropping and clearing flows and be on the water when reasonable conditions come together. Chris Kenyon of Wolcott reports the ice on all the bays in Wayne County has been at least 12 inches, however, with 50 degrees and rain in the forecast, solid ice will start to melt. With the constant wind gusting at 35 to 40 mph, shoreline ice has been breaking up. Always use caution, especially close to the shore and next to incoming tributaries to the bays. Flooding streams will undermine ice. The good news is the perch bite was strong last weekend. Larger thumpers were coming through the ice near Third Creek (Shaker Road). Use glow jigs tipped with a few spikes. The bigger fish have been in 20 to 25 feet of water. Port Bay has the same situation with sections of shore ice being melted by warmer temperatures and gusty winds. Steve Brzuszkiewicz of Marilla reports he was able to get out onto Sodus Bay for some ice fishing this week with a couple of fishing buddies. They arrived at Third Creek area about 10 a.m. and fished until 2 p.m. in 32 feet of water where the ice was 14 inches thick. It was their first time in that area. They caught lots of small perch and only five total that were bigger than 8 inches. Fathead minnows worked better than grubs. Fish were at the bottom. Ice looked marginal north to the point near Arnie's Marina. They were just a little too deep from the bigger fish. Bobby Joe Frost of Alden hit Chaumont Bay this week with his brother, Aaron, and nephew, Easton. They pounded yellow perch through 22 inches of ice, and the conditions were rock solid.

Chautauqua Lake

Leah Stow, with Hogans Hut in Stow, reports they had about 100 people sign up for the walleye derby last Saturday. It was a great day for a great cause, as 10% of all proceeds went directly to the North Harmony Food Pantry. Biggest walleye was caught by Chautauqua County angler Steve Leach, with a 25.25-inch fish that weighed 6.52 pounds. Second place was John Barton, with a 24-inch walleye weighing 4.85 pounds. Third place was Chad Shelter with a 23.25-inch eye weighing 4.67 pounds. The anglers were tight-lipped on the whereabouts of their catches, Stow said, but she has heard that Prendergast and Maple Springs have been hot for walleye. Things are starting to pick up in terms of the walleye bite. Capt. Mike Sperry with Chautauqua Reel Outdoors in Lakewood reports that there were some diehards out over the weekend. The wind was brutal. The shoreline broke up in spots Friday due to the warmup and rain. The creeks were at flood stage so the lake level rose. It locked up some Sunday, but you must be careful walking on from shore. As always, stay away from creek mouths. There is still 12-15 inches of ice. The walleye bite was pretty good last week. Most are in 30-45 feet of water. No. 7 and No. 9 jigging Rapalas are still producing. Some fishermen are using tip ups or dead sticking a live golden shiner as well. Three more weeks left in the walleye season. Shub Stevens, at Catt. Creek Bait and Tackle in Irving, reported that a few customers had luck on Chautauqua in the Mayville area. Lots of decent-sized perch on wax worms.

Oneida Lake

Bobby Joe Frost reported decent success for a mix of perch and walleye on Oneida Lake, where he found 18 inches of ice. He noticed it was starting to get a little slushy in certain spots.

Silver Lake

John Van Hoff of North Tonawanda hit Silver Lake last weekend and the winds were brutal. He only caught one pike, but it was a good one. It weighed about 10 pounds, stretching about 34 inches long. He caught it on a golden shiner using a tip-up. They also caught a pile of perch, but many of them were smaller. There was 18 inches of ice to bore through.
When Maya Millete, a mother of three vanished from her home in Chula Vista, California in January 2021, her friends and family soon became suspicious of her husband Larry. The couple had been having marital problems for the past year and Maya had indicated she wanted to leave the marriage.

Maya and Larry Millete / Credit: Maricris Drouaillet

As investigators looked into the case, they say they learned that Larry had grown desperate for her to stay and had turned to some unusual methods.

"There are people on the internet that'll sell you for five bucks, you know, how to make a spell that will get her to be attracted to you.  And that's what he tried to do," said Billy Little, a former criminal defense investigator for the U.S. Navy, who helped Maya's family in the early days of the investigation. Little says Larry had contacted numerous spellcasters and even wrote a review for one.

A photo of Larry Millete's witchcraft altar. Attorney Billy Little says he found evidence that Larry Millete purchased spells online. According to Little, Larry first tried spells to get Maya to fall back in love with him. But as the couple's marital problems worsened, police say, Larry eventually wanted to harm her. / Credit: Billy Little

"And he writes of this spellcaster  'She is kind, professional and courteous. My casting has not yet manifested, but I'm really hoping and counting on it.'  leaving a review like one would leave on Yelp for a food order," "48 Hours" contributor Jonathan Vigliotti commented.

"Like, it's an Uber ride.  Like, "Oh, five stars. Good job spellcaster," said Little.

"So, he's not quite as smart as he thinks he is. He doesn't realize that all of that stuff is pointing the finger at him." Little added.

Larry Millete was arrested for his wife's murder in October 2021 and has pleaded not guilty. He says his wife left to start a new life.

If you have information on the case, contact the Chula Vista Police Department at 619-691-5139.

You can watch "Searching for Maya Millete" Wednesday at 8/7c the CBS News Streaming Network. Download the CBS News app on your cell phone or connected TV.

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The hate crime convictions of three white men nearly two years to the day after they chased and murdered a Black man in their neighborhood finally acknowledge the racist motivations of what many called a modern-day lynching, experts said.

"The first trial was whitewashed. It took race out of the situation, and that was a real harm," said Justin Hansford, executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University. "It meant a lot to have this second verdict that expressed a particular acknowledgment of the fact that this was a hate crime and punishing it as such."

Tuesday, a jury Tuesday found father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan guilty of hate crimes and attempted kidnapping in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020. The three men are already serving life in prison on state convictions, and they face an additional life sentence.

The outcome marks a historic moment in Georgia. Experts said the case indicates the Justice Department's increasingly active role in prosecuting crimes motivated by hate.

Others noted Arbery's family's role in putting pressure on federal prosecutors to ensure the case went to trial.

MORE: Finding my family's history in Brunswick, Georgia, where Ahmaud Arbery was murdered

Attorney Benjamin Crump holds up the arms of Ahmaud Arbery's parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 outside the federal courthouse in Brunswick, Ga.

Fewer than 1 in 5 suspects of federal hate crime-related cases are prosecuted, according to Justice Department statistics, which undercount hate crimes because few jurisdictions report the data. Most cases are settled, said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

Prosecutors with the Justice Department initially struck plea deals for the McMichaels  against the wishes of the family. A judge rejected the deals weeks ago, and the trial moved forward.

"What we got today, we wouldn't have gotten today if it wasn't for the fight the family put up," said Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones. "We got a victory today, but there are so many families who don't get victories."

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The convictions should reinforce to families that they are right to advocate for prosecution, said Hansford, a professor at Howard University School of Law.

"It would have been certainly a mistake or really just selling the family short to have gone the plea deal route," he said. "The family was right to stand up and express the importance of the actual trial."

VERDICT: Ahmaud Arbery's killers found guilty of federal hate crimes

The case shows the Department of Justice is taking hate-related violence more seriously, said Heidi Beirich, chief strategy officer at the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

"It sends a signal to possible perpetrators that violence of this kind will not be tolerated and that it will be held to a higher level of punishment," she said.

In a news conference after the verdict, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the agency will continue to confront acts of hate and hold perpetrators accountable. Hate crimes "have a singular impact because of the terror and fear that they inflict on entire communities," he said.

He reflected on the Justice Department's founding during Reconstruction, when it was "tasked with bringing to justice those who use terror and violence to prevent Black Americans from exercising their civil rights."

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., about the federal hate crimes conviction of three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery.

It's important to note the Justice Department typically goes after cases only if it can win, as shown by its high conviction rate, said Ayesha Bell Hardaway, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law and co-director of the school's Social Justice Institute.

"Over the course of our history, working diligently to enforce those protections and those rights hasn't always been a priority or hasn't been perceived as the politically expedient thing to do," Bell Hardaway said of the department.

'We want 100% justice': Judge rejects plea deal with man who killed Ahmaud Arbery

Several experts said the verdict is a watershed moment for the U.S. South.

"I think it's hard to overemphasize the significance of what happened today," Georgia attorney Page Pate said. "We had a mostly rural south Georgia jury deliberate for less than half a day in a three-defendant, multiple-count indictment, return across-the-board guilty verdicts and elect as their foreperson the only Black male on the jury to deliver the verdict."

Pate, who has an office across from the courthouse in Brunswick, said his community has made a "180-degree turn" in two years, from a district attorney's office that attempted to sweep the case under the rug to a new district attorney, a new police chief and convictions in state and federal court.

"Even though I'm sitting in the same place I was two years ago when this happened, everything around me is different," he said.

Activist Al Sharpton called the outcome a "precedent setting verdict" for the region.

"Even in the Deep South the feds will convict you of hate actions. I salute Ahmauds parents for forcing the trial," Sharpton wrote on Twitter.

MORE: Ex-prosecutor shielded men who killed, charges allege

From left, Travis McMichael, William "Roddie" Bryan and Gregory McMichael were tried at the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Ga. On Nov. 24, 2021, jurors convicted the men in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was chased and fatally shot in an attack that became part of a larger national reckoning on racial injustice.

Levin noted the trial took place "in the same area of the country that initially refused to convict in federal court Klan and other racist defendants."

"This trial at this time in federal court is an important, symbolic and historic verdict because it's showing that the South can vindicate not only victims but also the community of people who are still repulsed by this kind of modern-day lynching," Levin said.

Before Arbery's death, Georgia was one of a handful of states without hate crimes legislation. Weeks after the killing, Georgia passed a hate crime law and repealed its citizen's arrest statute.

The state law imposes additional penalties for crimes motivated by a victim's race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender or disability, and it mandates data collection on hate crime incidents.

Margaret Huang, CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the conviction was an important step by the criminal justice system in addressing pervasive inequities in the treatment of Black and brown people, but she noted there isn't always video documentation of a crime.

"The fact that justice was done in this case does not deny the reality that countless Black men are targeted and killed for no reason other than the color of their skin," Huang said.

Though the Justice Department welcomed the verdict, Garland said, "the only acceptable outcome in this manner would have been Mr. Arbery returning safely to his loved ones two years ago."

"His family and his friends should be preparing to celebrate his 28th birthday later this spring, not mourning the second anniversary of his death tomorrow," Garland said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ahmaud Arbery: What historic hate crime verdict means for US justice
Jordan Morgan, a lawyer and the daughter of ex-Kentucky lawmaker C. Wesley Morgan, was shot and killed in Richmond early Tuesday during a home invasion, officials said.

Several people were asleep at the nine-bedroom home in the 1200 block of Willis Branch Road when someone entered and fired shots, police said. One of the homeowners returned fire, police said.

Wesley Morgan, who owns the home, was wounded and taken to a hospital before being released.

On Thursday, Kentucky State Police named Shannon V. Gilday, 23, of Taylor Mill as a suspect.

Here is what else we know about the case:

What happened at the shooting on Willis Branch Road?

Police believe Gilday forced his way into the home about 4 a.m. Tuesday, armed with a rifle. He shot Jordan Morgan while she was in bed, according to Sgt. Robert Purdy, a spokesman for Kentucky State Police. Gilday then confronted Wesley Morgan and an exchange of gunfire began, Purdy said.

Gilday then fled the scene, Purdy said, and police believe he was wounded. Surveillance video showed him wearing camouflage or tactical style pants and a jacket, a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, gloves and a light-colored facemask, a state police statement says.

Jordan Morgan was shot "more than once," according to the Madison County Coroner's Office.

During a vigil Sunday night to celebrate Jordan Morgan's life, her dad shared new details about the shooting.

According to Wesley Morgan, Gilday was able to enter the house by climbing scaffolding that was near the home because work was being done to the back porch.

Once inside, Gilday shot Jordan Morgan six to eight times, Wesley Morgan said.

He was coming down the steps with an AR-15 dressed in his little Army fatigues, he said. He had a flak jacket on or a bulletproof vest. At that time, he opened fire on me. I immediately hit the floor. He shot me three times. I was shot twice in the arm and once in the hip.

Wesley Morgan said he then grabbed a second handgun, positioned himself behind a couch and shot at him like eight times.

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He was treated at a hospital after the incident. His wife and 14-year-old daughter were also in the home at the time, Morgan said.

Who is Shannon Gilday?

Shannon Vincent Gilday, 23, of Taylor Mill, was arrested in connection to Jordan Morgan's killing early Monday, four days after being named as a suspect.

Gilday was found walking along Barnes Mill Road in Madison County just after 4:30 a.m. and was taken into custody without incident, Kentucky State Police announced.

More: Jordan Morgan's death: Suspect Shannon Gilday arrested in Madison County

He was charged with murder, burglary, criminal mischief, assault and two counts of attempted murder.

"We are thankful the search for Gilday has come to an end, and are grateful for the public and other agencies that have remained vigilant since Gilday was named a suspect on Thursday. Their efforts ultimately resulted in his safe apprehension early this morning," Sgt. Robert Purdy said.

Shannon Gilday, 23, has been named as a suspect in the killing of Jordan Morgan. He has an active warrant for murder, among several other charges.

Gilday has no known criminal history, according to an online search of Kentucky records.

Gilday was in the Army from August 2018 to October 2019. He has no deployments and held the rank of private at the end of his service, according to Heather J. Hagan, an Army spokesperson.

Police believe Shannon Gilday, 23, is driving this model of car. He has been named as a suspect in the killing of Jordan Morgan and has an active warrant for murder, among several other charges.

Who was Jordan Morgan?

Jordan Morgan was a lawyer who had also worked as a deputy press secretary in former Gov. Matt Bevin's administration. She was 32 years old.

She earned degrees from Eastern Kentucky and Northern Kentucky universities. She earned her law degree at NKU.

She had worked as an assistant commonwealth's attorney in Boone and Gallatin counties and had just joined the Reminger law office in Lexington one week ago.

"Reminger wishes to express its sincere condolences to the Morgan family," the firm said in a statement. "She was a pleasant colleague and a promising attorney. We are shocked and saddened at the circumstances surrounding her unfortunate death."

She sometimes stayed at her parents' home, which is listed online for sale at $6.5 million.

Related: Former state worker says she got 'flirty' messages from KY rep involved in secret settlement

She was in the news in 2017 when she said she received inappropriate text messages from one of four House Republicans involved in a secret sexual harassment settlement with another female staffer.

More: Jordan Morgan, daughter of ex-Kentucky lawmaker, killed in shooting

Who is Wesley Morgan?

Wesley Morgan served one term as a state representative for Richmond and Berea in Madison County. After losing his seat in 2018, Morgan said his defeat was orchestrated by Republican leaders in the state and thus announced he would support the Democratic candidate in the race.

He owns several liquor stores, and in the legislature he authored more than half a dozen bills to rewrite the state's liquor laws.

This is a low-life piece of dog crap, and I hope I get to engage again because the next time it will have a totally different outcome," Wesley Morgan said of Gilday at a vigil for his daughter Sunday night.

Was Wesley Morgan shot?

Wesley Morgan was taken to the University of Kentucky hospital due to a gunshot wound and was released.

On Wednesday he declined to comment on what happened, referring all questions to the state police.

Jordan Morgan's father Wesley: Killer climbed scaffolding before gunfight at Richmond home

Was the house targeted?

Police have not released a motive for the shooting, but a post made by a woman identifying herself as Gilday's mom suggests the motive could have been linked to the Morgan's family home.

Shannon Gilday, the post says, "has not been of sound mind the last couple of weeks, distraught with the certainty a nuclear war is imminent. He spoke of building a bunker and the CIA following him. I tried to get him psychiatric help but to no avail."

The Morgan home on Willis Branch Road, which is listed for sale online for $6.5 million, includes an underground bunker.

The 2,000-square-foot "doomsday bunker is behind a massive steel and concrete door," the Lexington Herald Leader reported in January. "Advertised as being capable of withstanding nuclear, biological and chemical fallout, with its own water tank, the bunker itself is valued at $3 million."

Contact reporter Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What we know about Jordan Morgan's death in Richmond Kentucky
NEW YORK -- Calls for the removal of three appointees to Mayor Eric Adams' administration are getting louder.

The men are being criticized for what's being called their past homophobic comments. However, as CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas reported Wednesday, the mayor says he is not budging.

"I have a rigorous selection process to determine who is going to be in city government and whomever serves under me serves all New Yorkers," Adams said.

The mayor is remaining steadfast about his appointment of three pastors to his administration who have publicly disparaged the LGBTQ community.

Fernando Cabrera / Credit: CBS2

"The goal is to convert, allow people to evolve, so they can see the error of their ways. That's who we are," Adams said.

Comments and even protests of former Councilman Fernando Cabrera, Gilford Monrose and Erick Salgado are resurfacing from years' past, when they denounced marriage equality and abortion rights.

"That's a long way to evolve to suddenly be able to work in tandem and in a positive way with our community," said Cathy Marino-Thomas of the group Equality New York.

In a Facebook post, Cabrera apologized, saying, "I strongly believe in the rights of all people, regardless of sexual orientation," adding that he looks "forward to serving all New Yorkers."

When asked if there is anything she thinks they could do to convince her otherwise," Marino-Thomas said, "They could reach out to the LGBTQ leaders in New York City. What happened in their lives to make them evolve, to make this sudden shift from extreme homophobia to wanting to be at the table with our community?"

Advocates are also demanding a meeting with Adams during a protest planned Thursday to get the appointments rescinded.

"We're talking about Eric Adams, someone who has stood with you, fought with you side by side, even at my political detriment. We can get through this together," Adams said.

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It's an unexpected rift, as Adams has been considered an ally for years.

Thursday's rally is planned for City Hall Park at 12:30 p.m. CBS2 reached out to all of the appointees, but they did not return requests for comment.

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A man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after he was convicted of first-degree murder by a Sioux Falls jury in mid-February.

Josephdeng Aganj Mamot, 52, from Yankton, stabbed and killed 39-year-old Akoat Mater in March 2020, according to police at the time. The two had been arguing at the time before Mamot used a knife to stab Mater "numerous times."

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Mamot was charged and convicted of first-degree and second-degree murder as well as two counts of first-degree manslaughter, according to court documents.

He will serve life in prison with a credit for 711 days already served, according to court documents.

Follow Annie Todd on Twitter @AnnieTodd96. Reach out to her with tips, questions and other community news at atodd@argusleader.com or give her a call at 605-215-3757.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Yankton man to serve life in prison following 2020 Sioux Falls murder
Demonstrators march behind a banner reading "Justice for Amir Locke and All Stolen Lives" during a rally in protest of the killing of Amir Locke, outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 5, 2022.

A second teenager has been charged in the homicide investigation that led to fatal shooting of Amir Locke during a predawn "no-knock" raid in Minneapolis this month.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the shooting of Otis Elder, 38, on Jan. 10 in nearby St. Paul, according to documents filed in Ramsey County on Tuesday.

Locke's 17-year-old cousin was arrested and charged Feb. 7 with second-degree murder in Elder's death.

Video of the shooting shows one person getting into the passenger side of Elder's vehicle while the other approached the driver's side, according to court documents. A gunshot was heard, and the person on the driver's side picked up items from the ground before the pair fled.

Investigators alleged the 16-year-old's cellphone was near the scene just before the shooting was reported and his fingerprints were found on the stolen vehicle the suspects used to flee. The teen's DNA was found on a jacket that appears to have been worn by the person sitting in the passenger seat during the shooting, authorities said.

Prosecutors requested a warrant for the teenager's arrest, but St. Paul police spokesperson Steve Linders confirmed that he had not been taken into custody.

2ND AMENDMENT AND RACIAL BIAS: What the killing of Amir Locke says about anti-Blackness and gun ownership in America

On Feb. 2, police investigating Elder's death tracked the teenage suspects to the Bolero Flats apartment building in Minneapolis and carried out search warrants on three apartments.

Locke, 22, was sleeping in one of the apartments when police officers entered before 7 a.m. He was not named in the search warrants.

Body camera video shows the SWAT team quietly opening the door with a key before loudly shouting a jumble of commands and kicking the couch, causing Locke, who was wrapped in a blanket, to stir. Locke was holding a gun with his finger off the trigger when officer Mark Hanneman fired his weapon, striking him twice in the chest and once in the wrist. The confrontation lasted less than 10 seconds.

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NO-KNOCK WARRANTS: A growing legacy of controversy, revised laws, tragic deaths

The shooting sparked multiple days of protest and reignited criticism of the Minneapolis Police Department. Mayor Jacob Frey imposed a temporary moratorium on no-knock warrants as the city reevaluates its policy.

During Locke's funeral last week, his family and their attorney Ben Crump called for a widespread ban on no-knock warrants. Last week, the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union announced an effort to force the city to release more information about the shooting.

Contributing: Tami Abdollah and Christine Fernando, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

Contact Breaking News Reporter N'dea Yancey-Bragg at nyanceybra@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg

'He loved on everyone': Hundreds mourn, remember Amir Locke at Thursday funeral

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amir Locke: 2nd teen charged in homicide that led to fatal police raid
Canada announces first round of economic sanctions on Russia over Ukraine crisis Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a news conference about the situation in Ukraine, in Ottawa

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced a first round of economic sanctions on Russia a day after Moscow recognised the Ukraine separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.

The United States, the European Union, Germany and Britain also announced ways they will punish Russia financially as they fear a further incursion is to come, a move Moscow has consistently denied for months.

The Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent "people's republics" after a pro-Moscow Ukrainian president was ousted in Kyiv.

Trudeau said his government will ban Canadians from all financial dealings with the so-called "independent states" of Luhansk and Donetsk. Canada will also ban Canadians from engaging in purchases of Russian sovereign debt, he added.

The Canadian prime minister said his government will sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted for the decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.

Canada will apply additional sanctions on two state-backed Russian banks and prevent any financial dealings with them, Trudeau said.

Trudeau also said he was authorizing additional troops to the region.

"So today, I am also authorizing the deployment of up to 460 members of the Canadian Armed Forces to Operation Reassurance. This involves more troops to Latvia, as well as the deployment of an additional frigate and maritime patrol aircraft," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine, saying they were there to "keep the peace." Trudeau described the step as "a clear incursion of Ukraines sovereignty."

"Make no mistake: this is a further invasion of a sovereign state and it is absolutely unacceptable," he said, adding it was "not too late" for Russia to seek a diplomatic resolution.

Weeks of intense diplomacy have so far failed as Moscow calls for security guarantees, including a promise that its neighbour Ukraine will never join NATO.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Bill Berkrot)
Japan has demanded an apology after one of its diplomatic staff in Beijing was temporarily detained by Chinese authorities on Monday.

"We cannot overlook [the incident] and will never accept it," the Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

Foreign vice-minister Takeo Mori summoned Yang Yu, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, to the ministry on Tuesday night to demand an apology, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

Mori said the incident clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and China must prevent a recurrence, according to the ministry's statement. Ministry officials said Yang told Mori he would report to his government.

The Japanese ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi made a similar representation to China's assistant foreign minister Wu Jianghao.

According to the Japanese foreign ministry, the diplomatic employee was detained on Monday afternoon while on legitimate official business. The staff member was released a few hours later after exchanges with Chinese authorities and was not physically harmed.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Novak Djokovic won the 2020 Italian Open title (Getty Images)

The decision to allow Novak Djokovic to play at the Italian Open has prompted dozens of emails every day from parents unhappy at supposed double standards.

A government official last week suggested that Djokovic would be permitted to play on the clay courts in Rome in May despite his unvaccinated status.

The countrys cabinet undersecretary for sports, Valentina Vezzali, explained that as tennis is an outdoor sport and no vaccine mandate is expected to be in place in May, the 20-time Grand Slam champion would be able to compete - even if is not allowed to enter a hotel or a restaurant under the Covid rules for unvaccinated individuals in Italy.

The ruling was immediately criticised by a number of Italians, with Twitter users describing it as hypocritical and shameful.

Giovanni Malago, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, has now revealed the level of criticism, and added that he believes it wouldnt be right if the Serbian is allowed to play.

It absolutely wouldnt be right, Malago told Italian broadcaster RAI. Even if [he] showers in a camper and eat and sleep in improvised situations, the message is totally wrong.

I get dozens of emails every day from mums and dads who are furious because their children dont have the green pass and cannot do sport.

Explain to me why a champion who is in the same situation can.

To enter indoor sporting events in Italy, people must have a Super Green Pass showing proof of vaccination or being recently recovered from a Covid infection.

Djokovic tested positive for the virus in December, and later admitted knowingly breaking self-isolation rules to attend an interview and photoshoot.

Despite being granted an exemption to play as an unvaccinated player, the 34-year-old was denied the chance to defend his Australian Open title after being deported from the country having included false information on his immigration forms.

The Italian Open would in theory form part of several leading players build-ups to the French Open at Roland-Garros, but Djokovic is set to miss out on the Paris event due to France need for those attending sporting events to be vaccinated.

Speaking to the BBC, Djokovic confirmed that he was prepared to miss Grand Slams over his stance on the vaccine, saying: That is the price that Im willing to pay.

Djokovic returned to competitive tennis with a straight-sets win over Lorenzo Musetti in Dubai on Monday.
In today's society, face tattoos have traditionally carried a negative stereotype, and research has shown those with visible tattoos on their bodies are more likely to be viewed as unprofessional, unintelligent, less sociable and more sexually promiscuous.

But this stigma ignores the cultural significance and deeper history face tattoos have forcertain groups, especially Indigenous peoples.

Growing up, Stephanie Big Eagle knew very little about her heritage, even though she was aware her father was Lakota and Dakota Sioux and her mother was Irish, Norse and Mohawk.

But after reconnecting with her roots at a Sioux reservation in 2016, she felt inspired to honor her ancestors with her first face tattoo  a centuries-old tradition to visually mark one's Indigenous or Native American background.

Big Eagle, who has since become a handpoke tattoo artist, is proud of her facial markings on her forehead and chin, but she has received dirty looks, prolonged stares and hateful comments on social media.

"They'd say things like I ruined my face, nice beard, or that I'm stupid," Big Eagle recalls. Sometimes she would respond by sharing more about her traditions. Other times, she would delete those comments and block those responsible.

Along the way, she learned to "come to terms with the fact that I'll always be targeted by those who will not and cannot understand our traditions"  and she's not alone.

Stephanie Big Eagle got her first face tattoo in 2016 after reuniting with her father on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota.

Recently, Indigenous women have made great strides to revitalize and destigmatize face tattoos. In December, New Zealand reporter Oriini Kaipara made history by becoming the first person to anchor news with a traditional Maori chin tattoo. Quannah Rose Chasinghorse, the 19-year-old Indigenous model and activist, also showcased her traditional Han Gwichin tattoos (called Yidiitoo) in Vogue as well as Savage x Fenty's ad campaign.

"This tradition is really old, but bringing it back is a new phenomenon," says Martha Kyak, an Inuit historian and fashion designer with Inuk Chic from Nunavut in Northern Canada. "It takes time to appreciate it but when you understand the cultural significance of it, you can honor their choice in having that face tattoo and what it represents."

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Original story: Maori broadcaster becomes first to anchor news with traditional chin tattoo

The demonization of face tattoos

For many Indigenous peoples, face tattoos are an ancient tradition. Historically, the meanings and designs varied for each group, but they typically represented family heritage, social status and a connection with the spiritual world. For women, they also signified important life accomplishments like one's first menstrual period.

"In Inuit culture, mostly women have these face tattoos that beautify them and make them complete. It's a form of empowerment for them," Kyak explains. "It can represent them going from a girl to a woman."

But this sacred rite of passage was vilified during western colonialism across North America, where many Indigenous cultural practices were banned. This included their artwork, language, jewelry, fashion, music and tattoos.

Columbus Day: Celebrating cultural heritage, or the colonization of Native Americans?

"All these things were taken away from us: Not just tattoos but also our way of life, how we raise children, how we educate our children, how we lived our lives back then. All these things were taken away and we had no more voice," Kyak says.

The past has colored how people view face tattoos today, Big Eagle says.

"Face tattoos served a dual purpose in many Indigenous cultures of beautification. In other words, they enhanced the beauty of those who wore them," Big Eagle notes. "But instead of being recognized as sacred and telling our stories, they've been twisted into markings that make us unemployable or delinquents or less-than."

'My tattoos are my identity.'

Recently, many Indigenous people are reclaiming the tattooing tradition that was almost "wiped away by western colonization."

Big Eagle says she consulted with Maori ta moko practitioners for her own face tattoos. The markings on her forehead symbolize "the long line of beautiful ancestors that I proudly come from," while those on her chin are connected to her role as "a matriarch of the family and a mother."

"My tattoos are my identity, and they're my commitment to my Indigenous ancestry and the path I've chosen to walk in my life," she explains. "Taking these markings on became my message not only to myself, but to the rest of the world of who I truly am and where I come from.

Big Eagle says both of her face tattoos signify who she is: a proud descendant of the Lakota and Dakota tribes and a matriarch for her family.

Many indigenous women like Big Eagle are reviving the practice, however, there are still barriers: Face tattoos are considered unconventional in today's society. That's why a better understanding and an open mind are crucial, Kyak says.

"When you're not used to face tattoos, it may seem different and unusual, but it was part of a sacred tradition that seems to be coming back and empowering indigenous people in knowing who they are and who they represent," she says.

"I'm happy to see this revitalization and the pride of who we are and not being ashamed anymore and having a voice that was taken away from us by showing our tattoos."

What does 'Two-Spirit' mean?: What to know about Two-Spirit, indigenous LGBTQ identities

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Face tattoos have been stigmatized. For some, they're 'sacred.'
MILAN  Proving just how serious Ferrari is about its fashion collection, the Italian luxury house will stage its first runway show in Milan on Feb. 27. The coed lineup follows the unveiling of the brands apparel project last June at Ferraris headquarters in Maranello.

Showing in Maranello was a must for the launch and for this second chapter and the evolution of the collection, Milan was the obvious choice as Italys fashion capital, we simply had to be here, explained brand diversification creative director Rocco Iannone.

More from WWD

Ferraris chairman John Elkann has repeatedly said that a luxury apparel collection is a long-term project for the brand, entailing global investments and opening dedicated stores in cities such as Milan and last November on Rodeo Drive. Iannone has been tasked with creating collections that would shift from Ferraris previous merchandising approach to ones that speak of design, fashion and lifestyle, reflecting the brands luxury positioning.

In an exclusive preview at Ferraris sprawling Milan offices and showroom, Iannone explained that while he approached the first collection with the brands instantly recognizable car designs in mind and returning full-circle to the curves of the anatomy, working on proportions, geometries and volumes, this lineup for fall was inspired by more immaterial and intangible elements, the idea of speed, and the concept of Futurism  the artistic movement deeply linked to Milan.

Fashion looks from Ferraris fall 2022 collection. - Credit: Daniele Mango/WWD

Daniele Mango/WWD

This gave me more freedom to insert my own background and experience into the new designs, bringing my own world closer to Ferraris, interpreting the principles of technology and adapting them to fashion, said Iannone, who translated his expertise working for brands including Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Pal Zileri into a sophisticated collection akin to haute couture given the level of manual craftsmanship, the precious fabrics and the technical materials he employed.

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He cited jacquards where fibers derived from recycled plastic bottles are woven with glow in the dark yarns.

The highly resistant yet adaptable carbon fiber employed in automotive was used in a tailored jacket blended with wool for a 3D effect, with details such as a reflective piping.

There is cross-pollination in tailoring, which is no longer the classic tailoring of yore. Traditional labeling is over, said Iannone, showing how the jacket can be worn over drill cotton cargo jogger pants. A down jacket in lamb skin with macro logo lettering was super soft and cozy.

Knitwear ranged from loop sweaters to oversize styles revved up by flashes of bold colors  Ferrari red top of mind, of course.

A jumpsuit, which is part of the Ferrari lexicon, said Iannone, was rendered in leather with thermo-formed elements on the knees and the bust, which only the best made in Italy suppliers can create.

Launch Gallery: Preview of Ferrari's Fall 2022 Fashion Collection

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Click here to read the full article.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration will impose economic and trade sanctions against Russia, President Joe Biden said on Tuesday, in response to Russias escalating moves to invade Ukrainian territory.

This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden said.

Im going to begin to impose sanctions in response far beyond the steps that we and our allies and partners implemented in 2014, and if Russia goes further with this invasion, were prepared to go further as with sanctions.

This first round of sanctions, which Biden said were coordinated with NATO allies, includes fully blocking two Russian financial institutions and enforcing sanctions on Russian foreign debt  meaning the government cannot access Western financing  and on the country's political elites and their families.

"They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well," Biden said.

The new sanctions come after the White House issued narrow sanctions that blocked new US investments in two regions of Eastern Ukraine, which are controlled by Russian-backed separatists, on Monday.

In line with the US sanctions, German authorities announced on Tuesday that they will halt approval for the Nord Stream 2, an important natural gas pipeline for the Russian energy industry.

Biden added that US reinforcements, troops, and equipment already in Europe will be moved to support NATO allies in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

These are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia, Biden said. We want to send an unmistakable message that the United States, together with our allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO.

Bidens moves on Tuesday came after Putin announced intentions on Monday night to move troops into Eastern Ukraine. The Russian president signed a document on Monday that would allow him to establish military bases in the two disputed territories of Donetsk and Luhansk. Until a few days ago, Russia had acknowledged that the two territories were part of Ukraine, despite both regions self-declaring as independent republics allied with Russia.

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The root of the conflict is Putins request that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization not expand to include Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and to roll back current military deployments to other parts of Eastern Europe. The US and other NATO members have refused to concede to those demands, seeing them as an attempt to weaken NATO and expand Russias unilateral influence.

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The group laughed and chatted over dinner (Getty)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were spotted out for dinner with Princess Eugenie in California over the weekend, marking the Duchess of Sussexs first public meeting with other members of the royal family in almost two years.

Photographs obtained by TMZ show Meghan, Harry, Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, dining together in Santa Barbara, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to in March 2020.

Meghan was seen outside the restaurant dressed in loose flowing beige trousers and a white blazer. Harry looked smart in dark wash jeans, a black T-shirt and navy blue blazer.

Walking behind them, Eugenie was seen wearing a long, patterned black dress with camel coloured coat.

Pictures of the group inside the restaurant showed them smiling and laughing as they chatted.

The dinner is thought to be Meghans first public outing with another member of the royal family, other than Harry, since the couple left the UK at the beginning of 2020.

Eugenie has been in California for more than a week. On February 13 she attended the Superbowl, where she was seen sitting in the stands of the SoFi Stadium with Harry.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex seem to have a close relationship with Eugenie and Jack.

In an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in November 2020, Meghan revealed that Harry, Eugenie and Jack had visited her in Toronto in the early days of their relationship.

She told of how the group had snuck out in Halloween costumes to have one fun night on the town before it was out in the world that we [Harry and Meghan] were a couple.

It was a post-apocalypse theme so we had all this very bizarre costuming on, and we were able to have one final fun night out, Meghan added.

Eugenie regularly supports the couple via her social media. Following the birth of Harry and Meghans daughter, Lilibet, she shared a message of congratulations on her Instagram story, writing: Congratulations dear cousins...we couldnt be happier for you.

She also participated in 40x40, an Archewell mentoring programme launched on Meghans 40th birthday, which aimed to help women return to the workforce following the pandemic.
Feb. 23NEW LONDON  An investigation into sexual misconduct of two New London school employees by the state Office of the Child Advocate has revealed historic lapses in the school district's hiring practices and failures to meet mandated reporting and Title IX requirements.

The new report stems from an investigation that began in 2019, a dark period for the school district when police arrested Corriche Gaskin, a climate control specialist working with troubled youth, on charges he sexually assaulted two girls between the ages of 14 and 15 while working at the district's middle school.

The assaults took place between 2016 and 2017. The episode and multiple investigations by the district and state Department of Children and Families led to suspensions, resignations and firings under Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie, who was hired in 2018.

Along with Gaskin, the report focuses on details surrounding the hiring and eventual firing of a former paraprofessional and track coach at the school who was accused of having inappropriate relationships with students and allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student. That former employee was never prosecuted.

State Child Advocate Sarah Eagan makes a host of recommendations in the 22-page report, many that focus on the protection of vulnerable children from sexual misconduct of adults. Other recommendations involve the need for more rigorous hiring procedures for adults who interact with children. The full report and response from the district are available here.

New London Board of Education President Elaine Maynard Adams was not on the board at the time news broke of the alleged sexual assaults in 2019. A former school board member, Maynard Adams said the incident motivated her to "come out of retirement and get involved again."

"I was so distraught," she said. "The whole thing from start to finish was awful."

Maynard Adams and Ritchie both said the district immediately addressed the shortcomings outlined in the report, which was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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"From the perspective of the Board of Education, the administration has taken steps to clean up records, to ensure all training is up to date," Maynard Adams said. "We are confident we have addressed all the deficiencies. From a global perspective, every single person involved in that mess, the perpetrators and their enablers is long gone. That needed to happen."

A 2014 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, cited in Eagan's report, shows that nearly 9.6% of students are victims of sexual abuse by school personnel  teachers, principals, coaches and school bus drivers  at some point during their school career. The U.S. Department of Education defines sexual misconduct as sexual activity that can be physical or not and range from inappropriate verbal conduct, such as sexual comments or teasing, to fondling and kissing.

Connecticut does not collect or publish state-specific data on sexual abuse in schools.

"The prevalence is concerning," Eagan said in an interview with The Day. "These are just the ones people find out about. It's really important to understand that some kids are at much higher risk. The Gaskin crimes highlight that."

"This happens more than you think it does. Because we think of sexual abuse as deviant behavior, we think it's a rare occurrence," she said. "It isn't rare. We need to confront that."

While he was working at the middle school in 2016 and 2017, the report reveals that Gaskin was able to spend time alone with students "who were purportedly in need of additional help from supportive adults, which gave him unsupervised access to vulnerable children."

In addition to the sexual assault, Gaskin allegedly had sex with multiple adult employees, recorded the incidents and showed the recordings to others. Others in the district faced criminal charges for not abiding by laws pertaining to mandated reporting.

Eagan released an initial set of recommendations to the New London school district in 2019 that focused on hiring, training and oversight of school employees. Her office has worked collaboratively with the district since that time.

She credits the school district with adopting policies and initiatives that directly address some of the shortcomings.

Eagan's report is accompanied by a six-page outline of New London school district initiatives and procedures implemented since the issues surfaced. Changes include a restructuring of top leadership positions as well as the human resources department.

The report highlights how Gaskin was hired by the district in 2014 as a paraprofessional and admitted to having a felony criminal record relating to drug possession. He subsequently was promoted, with recommendations from school administrators, to the role of school climate specialist. It was a position Gaskin was not qualified for because he did not have a bachelor's degree, the report states.

And while the district provided documentation that a criminal background check was performed on Gaskin, there were no records to confirm it had reached out to former employers.

"If at any point during his employment tenure District administrators had contacted Gaskin's former employers, they may have learned that in 2008 there were allegations that Gaskin was abusing residents at a residential treatment facility for children and being unnecessarily rough with residents and that the residents were afraid of him," Eagan wrote in her report.

Some of those allegations, which could not be substantiated with DCF, included that he had brought a gun to school, showed the gun and threatened students and residents. Records show that prior to his work in New London schools, Gaskin had worked with the Eastern Community Development Corp. as an assistant to children with disabilities.

The New London school district performed an audit of its human resources department in 2019 and turned up inconsistent record keeping blamed in part on the high turnover of superintendents and human resources directors in the district  seven of each during a 10-year period prior to Ritchie's hire.

After she was hired in 2018, Ritchie completed restructuring of administrative positions at the schools, including the human resources department. Both the high and middle schools are under new leadership.

Eagan's report includes Ritchie's five-page list of initiatives and procedures implemented since 2019.

The district has a new Department of Mental Health Services, a new Department of Climate and Culture, a new Title IX coordinator and revised Title IX procedures. It has new mechanisms for reporting incidents or concerns and created a new paraeducator handbook that is updated annually.

"The district had taken immediate actions as soon as these hidden issues came to light, three years ago," Ritchie said. "Work has continuously occurred to build and implement strong, districtwide systems and multi-step measures of accountability, which are now in place."

"NLPS remains committed to the highest levels of professional expectations for all, as the physical and emotional safety remains top priority," she said.

Gaskin has pleaded no contest to two charges of risk of injury to a minor under a plea agreement with state prosecutors that would see him serve seven years in prison followed by 10 years of probation and 10 years on the state's sexual offender registry.

g.smith@theday.com
Maxim Guchek/BelTA/Handout via Reuters

Ukraine has urged its citizens to leave Russia as soon as possible as a direct military confrontation looms on the horizon, and a state of emergency is expected to be declared nationwide.

Because of the escalating Russian aggression against Ukraine, which can lead to a substantial reduction in possible consular assistance in Russia, the foreign ministry urges the citizens of Ukraine to refrain from travel to Russia, and for those in that country to leave its territory immediately, Ukraines foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

The warning came as Ukraines National Security and Defense Council moved to impose a state of emergency nationwide, the first time it has done so since 2014, when Russia began its aggression against Ukraine, leading to the death of more than 14,000 people in the eight years since.

Across the territory of our country, apart from Donetsk and Luhansk, a State of Emergency will be introduced, Secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said in a statement. The main aim of the Russian Federation is to destabilize Ukraine from inside and to achieve its objective.

The state of emergency would last for 30 days but could be extended after that, and curfews could be imposed in certain regions, with that decision to be left up to local authorities. The decision will not be final until it is approved by Ukraines parliament.

Ukraines military also called up 36,000 reserve troops on Wednesday, while Russia began evacuating diplomatic personnel from the country in a move widely seen as a sign of impending military action.

Russian lawmakers officially gave full approval for Vladimir Putin to deploy troops outside the country on Tuesday, while soldiers and military equipment had already been spotted rolling into Ukraines occupied territories late Monday.

By Wednesday, a delegation of lawmakers from Putins party, United Russia, were spotted rubbing elbows with the separatist leader in occupied Donetsk.

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Russian authorities claim their deployment of troops within Ukrainian borders is aimed only at peacekeeping in the territories controlled by pro-Russian separatists, but the decision leaves the door wide open to a further deployment of troops.

President Biden said this week that the U.S. will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine but reiterateddespite the presence of American troops and military hardwarethat we have no intention of fighting Russia.

Meanwhile, NATO has begun its biggest asset movement in decades, including 800 American soldiers from an Italy-based infantry battalion task force, eight Air Force F-35 strike fighters, and around 20 AH-64 Apache helicopters from Germany to the Baltic region, as well as 12 Apaches from Greece to Poland. The movement will bolster the 6,000 troops standing at attention in Germany, Poland, and Hungary and a further 40,000-strong contingent NATO can call up at any time. These additional personnel are being repositioned to reassure our NATO allies, deter any potential aggression against NATO member states, and train with host-nation forces, a senior defense official told Military Times.

A flurry of sanctions meant to give Putin one last chance to pull back from a full invasion appears to have left Moscow unfazed, as a new buildup of troops was reported late Tuesday by the private U.S. company Maxar Technologies, which released satellite images of troop tents and more than 100 military vehicles near the border with Ukraine in southern Belarus.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday promised a strong response to the latest sanctions but dismissed them as ineffective.

Russia has proven it is able to minimize the damage inflicted by all costs of sanctions, the ministry said.

Adding to fears of an imminent land grab by combined Russian and separatist troops, separatist leaders have increasingly hinted they will move to reclaim land currently controlled by Ukrainian authoritiesa move the Kremlin appears to have endorsed. A Russian state TV host on Wednesday joked about a Russian spring coming to the Ukrainian-controlled cities of Kramatorsk and Mariupol, while separatist Telegram channels have been rife with taunts about a supposedly imminent military offensive against those cities.

Ukraines Security Service on Wednesday said they had also seen increasing movements by Russian forces on the border with the Kharkiv region, where separatists have long been known to harbor ambitions to take over the city of Kharkiv.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that Russia will likely engage in a full invasion after recognizing two separatist regions on Monday. Every indication is that Russia continues to plan for a full-scale attack on Ukraine, Stoltenberg told reporters after a strategical meeting Tuesday. We see that more and more of the forces are moving out of the camps and are in combat formations and ready to strike. What we see is further invasion of a country which was already invaded.

Ukraine Separatists Threaten to Take Back Land Lost in 2014and Kremlin Seems Fine With That

Tension across Europe continues to build as sanctions against Russia threaten to send utility bills sky high. Italy, which imports 90 percent of its natural gas from Russia, reluctantly agreed to support European Union sanctions being discussed. Germany, which also imports more than half of its national supply of gas from Russia, took the bold step to halt the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The U.S. Finally Cuts the Crap and Calls It a Russian Invasion

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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dog eating out of a silver bowl

MonikaBatich / Getty

The generic version of Viagrathe drug men use to treat erectile dysfunctioncould help dogs who suffer from a rare esophagus disorder, a new study finds.

When given to dogs with megaesophagus, liquid sildenafil allowed food in the esophagus to pass into the stomach, Washington State University researchers found. That's often a challenge for dogs who suffer from the disorder, which causes the esophagus to grow and lose its ability to usher food into the stomach.

The disorder can cause dangerous regurgitation and aspiration, so a preventative drug could improve dogs' lives massively.

"I think sildenafil will be life-changing and life-saving for a lot of dogs. This research helps support its use and hopefully will encourage more people to use it," Jillian Haines, DVM, MS, and a co-author of the study, said in a news release. Haines conducted her research alongside Susan Mehain DVM, MS, and Sarah Guess DVM, MS.

In the study from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, sildenafil reduced the amount of food dogs with megaesophagus regurgitated. Ten dogs entered the study, and nine of their owners reported fewer regurgitation episodes during the two weeks their dogs were on sildenafil. Regurgitation can cause food and liquid to enter the lungs, putting the dog's life at risk.

"If you look at the literature, there are no drugs we can use to manage megaesophagus. Sildenafil is the first to target these mechanisms and reduce regurgitation, which is big because that's what ultimately kills these dogs," Haines said.

RELATED: Pneumonia in Dogs Is a Serious, But Treatable Condition

Dogs with megaesophagus often have to eat in a "Bailey chair," an upright seat that keeps the dog 4590 degrees to the ground, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. The pups have to remain in their chairs for at least 20 minutes after eating to allow gravity to do its work, and their food is often prepared to form either a gruel-like substance or "meatballs" to help their journey to the stomach.

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Sildenafil opened the sphincter of the lower esophagus for 2060 minutes, ideal because that should only be open when a dog is eating, Haines said.

The dogs in the study were given both sildenafil and a placebo, switching halfway through the study. Their owners tracked the dogs' regurgitation episodes, but they weren't told which drug their dogs were on. However, Haines said many of the owners figured out when their dogs were on sildenafil because the medicine was working.

Sildenafil showed the most effectiveness in dogs who regurgitate frequently but not excessively, said Haines, who adds that she prescribed the medication to the dogs after the study to keep it working. It was less helpful for dogs with more severe cases because it was harder for the drug to make it into the stomach where it would be absorbed, the study says.

Other veterinarians were already asking Haines about using sildenafil for their patients, she said.

Researchers said sildenafil can also treat dog's and humans' with "elevated pulmonary blood pressure" when it's not being used for its, um, usual task.
CALGARY  Alberta's police watchdog says a man killed by Calgary officers was Tasered and hit with less-lethal projectiles from a launcher before two officers shot and killed him.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team says Latjor Tuel was wielding a stick and a knife before charging at officers and a police dog.

In less than 30 minutes after the arrival of police Saturday, a video of the shooting shared online showed Tuel, who was 41, lying motionless on the ground.

Friends and family of Tuel, a Black man born in South Sudan, say he was mentally distressed, and they've drawn attention to systemic racism while criticizing police for what they consider an excessive use of force.

Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld says police officers responded rather than mental-health workers, because reports said Tuel had assaulted someone in the community.

Neufeld says officers attempted a peaceful resolution for a "significant period of time," but Tuel refused to surrender his weapons and the situation turned deadly.

"As long as the person is in possession of weapons, and there isn't a productive dialogue that can actually lead toward the person relinquishing those, that's a very significant crisis situation," Neufeld said Tuesday at a media conference.

"(It) makes it very difficult for mental-health professionals or other professionals to do the important work that they do."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2022

The Canadian Press
Wales boss Wayne Pivac is set to make a huge selection call by leaving out Louis Rees-Zammit for Saturdays Guinness Six Nations clash against England.

The Gloucester wing will be released back to his club ahead of their Gallagher Premiership appointment with Leicester, the PA news agency understands.

Alex Cuthbert is expected to be retained after Wales victory over Scotland last time out, with a fit-again Josh Adams returning on the other wing and replacing Rees-Zammit.

Louis Rees-Zammit celebrates after scoring a try for Wales against Fiji (David Davies/PA)

Cuthbert is poised to win his 50th cap, being rewarded for an impressive showing in the 20-17 success against Scotland.

Rees-Zammit is one of the most exciting players in European rugby, collecting four tries during last seasons Six Nations and being picked for the British and Irish Lions South Africa tour.

The 21-year-old has carved out a reputation for scoring dazzling solo tries, which he underlined with a breathtaking touchdown against Fiji during this seasons Autumn Nations Series.

Players with English clubs are released back to them if they are not involved in a Wales match-day 23.

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has considered his selection options ahead of England game (David Davies/PA)

And although Pivac will not announce his starting line-up for Twickenham until Thursday, Rees-Zammit is understood to have missed out.

Pivac has also been weighing up whether to recall Bath back-row forward Taulupe Faletau, who has recovered from a long-term ankle injury.

Faletau, capped 86 times, has made two appearances for his club this month, including a full 80 minutes in the 24-20 Premiership defeat against Leicester on Saturday, and he joined the Wales squad earlier this week.

"It is brilliant to have him back. You want your best players available, and he comes into that category."#GuinnessSixNations  Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 22, 2022

Is thought that Faletau could feature at number eight, being joined by Ross Moriarty and Taine Basham in the back-row.

Story continues

Wales have not recorded a Six Nations victory over England at Twickenham since 2012.

But their hopes of a successful title defence will disappear unless they can end that sequence this weekend.

Wales assistant coach Neil Jenkins said: England are a team that start well, generally.

They tend to get early scores on the board, and they can be a tough side to play against when you have to start chasing.

The start is important. They are a good side and they have got some players coming back with a bit of experience, which will make them a little bit stronger.

In 2012, I remember winning, but it was a very tough game. Scott Williams brilliance to win us the game, and then some heroic defence to win us the Triple Crown that year.

2015 (Wales won a World Cup pool match 28-25 at Twickenham)) was the same. We were under pressure for long periods, but Biggsy (Wales fly-half Dan Biggar) kept us in the game.

Hear what England coach Martin Gleeson had to say about adopting a knockout tournament mentality in    #ENGvWAL  England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 23, 2022

There is no easy way about it. You have to be incredibly physical, you have to be incredibly disciplined and you have to take your chances when they come.

Everybody knows how big of a game it is. Its not just a Wales-England perspective  its the Six Nations perspective as well.

If we come out on top, it is a good opportunity for us to go on and be competitive in the rest of the championship.
On the Joelette wheelchair, Angelina Fanous, with the help of local guides, treks through Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia.

"Traveling with disabilities" is a 10-part series focusing on the experiences of travelers with disabilities. This is part of our continuing mission to highlight underrepresented communities in travel. If you'd like to contribute to our reporting and share your experience as a source, you can fill out this quick form.

Even as I lost the use of my limbs, lungs, and larynx, and relied on caregivers for my every need, I prioritized my wanderlust. And I traveled to the edge of South America to trek through the rough terrain of Chilean Patagonia.

A few weeks after I turned 29, a doctor confirmed that I was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, which would, over the course of two to five years, gradually paralyze all the muscles in my body, leaving my cognitive function intact, until I suffocated to death.

I immediately thought, "Get your fill for adventure while you can still walk." I was convinced that wheelchair travelers were limited to homogenized all-inclusive resorts and buffet fare.

But I've learned that the right wheelchair will take you anywhere a pair of legs can.

Angelina Fanous

'I'M OFTEN FORGOTTEN': Imagine being 'forgotten' in an airport basement for hours. This traveler lived it.

THE TRAVELERS YOU WON'T FIND AT AIRPORTS: Omicron impedes travel for people with disabilities

In early 2019, I tweeted that I wanted to travel to Patagonia in a wheelchair, and someone responded that Team Gleason could help. The nonprofit, founded by former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason after his ALS diagnosis, provides adaptive technology equipment and sponsors adventure travel for other patients to help them live their lives to the fullest.

After filling out an official request form with Team Gleason, we planned my two-week adventure throughout Chile that would end at the most southern point before Antarctica, Chilean Patagonia.

Story continues below.

IS YOUR DOG A CERTIFIED GOOD BOY?: You might need proof when traveling abroad with a service animal.

Story continues

I needed three wheelchairs for the trip: A foldable power chair, a small manual one as a backup, and a special chair for trekking.

Team Gleason gifted me a Jazzy Passport, a lightweight and compact power chair that folds down to the size of a small suitcase. It has two batteries, a TSA-approved travel battery and a more powerful one. Now, these chairs are sold in a wide variety, but back then, portable power chairs were a fairly new product and having the freedom to control my wheelchair without lugging a 250-lbs machine and renting a specialty van for it felt like a mobility dream.

For hiking and trekking, I would use the one-wheeled Joelette chair designed for all terrains. It's only available to ship in certain European countries and remains only available in the U.S. through the tours at Wheel the World. Even though our tour was through Eco Chile, Wheel the World graciously agreed to let our tour guides use the chair.

In November, I arrived in Chile with my Jazzy Passport chair. Although I had minimal use of my hand and needed a travel pillow to prop up my wrist to reach the joystick, I was still able to control the chair. Thanks to the sensitive joystick, I cruised through the streets and sights of Santiago, Puerto Vara and Punta Arenas with little effort.

Chile is very accessible to all with disabilities. In every city, all the sidewalks had a pebbled pathway for the blind. The only beach we visited in Punihuil had a wooden walkway on the sand so I was able to roll on the beach. In fact, Chile was the birthplace of Wheel the World.

In Torres del Paine National Park, it was finally time to use the Joelette chair. Usually, two people can maneuver the chair, one in the front and another in the back, but since the wind in Patagonia can reach up to 70 mph, two additional people, one on each side, ported the chair to ensure that wind didn't topple me over.

On the Joelette wheelchair, Angelina Fanous, with the help of local guides, treks through Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia.

Since I was immobile and at a higher risk of frostbite, my tour guides stuffed me in a sleeping bag then secured me to the chair with rope. Warm and cozy, I trekked through a forest to arrive at Lake Pehoe and its ancient glaciers, climbed up mountains to view 7,000-year-old Aonikenk cave paintings, and hiked to a viewing point of Los Cuernos del Paine, the iconic spiked granite peaks of the park.

Relying on a wheelchair didn't stop me from reaching any site or spoil my adventure. In fact, the most memorable part was feeling like Cleopatra atop a palanquin riding through the Andes Mountains, carried by four men who addressed me as "Reina de la Patagonia."

Angelina Fanous is a writer and an ALS advocate. You can follow Angelina on Twitter is @notsovanilla.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How I scaled Patagonia on a wheelchair, after my ALS diagnosis
A Delaware couple are dead and their infant was injured in a single-vehicle crash on Interstate 59 west of Collinsville, according to Alabama State Troopers.

A 19-year-old was driving the 1998 Ford Windstar van when it left the roadway at about 4 p.m. Monday, and struck a tree. WEIS radio identified the driver as Malachi Raison of Newcastle, Delaware.

Both passengers in the van, Michekyla J. Fairley, 20, and an infant, were thrown from the van. The driver and Fairley, of Wilmington, Delaware, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The infant was taken by ambulance to an out-of-area hospital, according to a press release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. ALEA representatives later confirm the couple were the infant's parents.

The crash occurred near the 205-mile marker on Interstate 59, about 2 miles west of Collinsville.

State troopers continue to investigate.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Crash near Collinsville kills young couple, injures infant
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Yakima police investigate a homicide in the 1000 block of South Eighth Street Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. A 71-year-old man was fatally shot outside his home and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
The Umatilla County Sheriffs Office and other emergency workers are on scene Tuesday of an explosion and fire at Shearers Foods in Hermiston.
In the ever-worsening culture wars, schools have emerged as a battlefront, with fierce arguments raging about the contents of curricula and propriety of particular books. Debating what literature and ideas to teach students is a mark of a healthy democratic society. But coming amid assaults on voting rights, protest rights and respect for dissent, these efforts to repress disfavored ideas and books must be recognized as part of a larger attack on democracy itself.

Since January 2021, more than 150 bills have been introduced in 39 states that would restrict the teaching of certain curricula, mostly on issues of race and gender. Of these bills, more than 103 were introduced just this year. Twelve have already become law. Roughly two-thirds of the bills target K-12 schools, while the rest focus on higher education, libraries and state agencies. Sixty-two include mandatory punishments for those violators.

Initially, most of these measures used the misnomer of critical race theory in an effort to push back against teachings thought to overemphasize the role of race as the driving force in American history and culture. But more recently introduced restrictions reach beyond any single concept.

South Carolinas House Bill 4605 seeks to protect students from any material that might cause discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of their race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, heritage, culture, religion, or political belief. Such language, common to many of these bills, is dangerous. It is impossibly broad, opening the door to eliminating an endless range of works and topics. It also undermines one of the very aims of education, which is to help students move beyond their existing assumptions about the world.

Most book bans target works by and about people of color as well as LGBTQ subjects and storylines. Floridas Polk County quarantined 16 books, including Toni Morrisons Beloved and The Bluest Eye, based on complaints from a group called County Citizens Defending Freedom. And as the calls for book banning increase, so does the vitriol that accompanies them: Last fall two Spotsylvania, Va., school board members called for books banned in the county to be burned.

International examples offer an ominous clue as to where this could lead. In the 20th century, the South African apartheid state banned 12,000 books, at one point commandeering a steel factory furnace in order to burn reviled texts. And in the 1930s, the Nazi Party railed against un-German books, staging book burnings of Jewish, Marxist, pacifist and sexually explicit literature.

Last month, a Tennessee school board banned Art Spiegelmans Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus because of the swastika on the books cover, despite its potent anti-fascist message.

Book bans and curriculum debates in the United States have flared up episodically over time, as rattled communities have sought to pump the brakes on social change in areas including evolutionary science, sexuality and the embrace of ethnic differences. Although some of the arguments being made today  about protecting innocent students from corrupting ideas  echo traditional motives for book banning, the current crusade has a more sinister cast.

The spiking numbers  what the American Library Association has called an unprecedented volume of book challenges including more than 155 unique censorship incidents between June and November 2021  indicate that something organized is afoot. In many cases the new bans are not simply spontaneous initiatives by local citizens. Conservative donors, think tanks and organizers have been drafting and shopping model laws, lobbying legislators, recruiting parent and community activists, and providing playbooks on what to get banned and how.

Some of the same institutions and funders fueling book and curriculum bans are mounting parallel, partisan efforts to curb assembly rights, make it more difficult for members of minority groups to vote, commandeer election administration and sow doubts about election integrity.

The techniques being used to enforce these prohibitions feed into an already menacing atmosphere of political schism. School board members in Redding, Conn., and Eureka, Mo., stepped down last year after receiving death threats in the course of curricular battles. School officials across the country have been similarly targeted.

The blitz on books and curricula is one flank in a wider onslaught on institutions and norms, aligned with part of our countrys resistance to the political and social implications that come with demographic and ideological shifts. Holding fast to democracy means holding fast to books, defending the judgment of teachers and librarians, and vigorously upholding the rights to read and learn.
This isnt going to be pretty. For anybody.

Loren Culp is one of at least three Republicans challenging U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, who had the temerity to vote his conscience when it came to impeaching a rogue president.

Culp, youll remember, went from backwater police chief to failed 2020 gubernatorial candidate. Despite losing to Gov. Jay Inslee by more than 500,000 votes, Culp refused to concede, citing unfounded claims of voter fraud.

But he was back again the other day, promoting unproven COVID-19 treatments that can be obtained by  wait for it  sending a few hundred bucks to a telemedicine clinic in Florida.

Yes, hes still beating the dead horses of ivermectin (ask your vet about it  or just pick it up off the shelf at the feed store) and hydroxychloroquine as serious treatments for the virus thats killed more than 928,000 Americans. And of course, Culp still refers to the virus by a racially derogatory name.

Classy.

Few doctors will prescribe these things, he told followers in an email earlier this month. Why? No surprise here, either  according to Culp, its because of lies coming from Big Pharma, the U.S. government, the media and of course, Dr. Fauci.

Another reason is that both substances have been definitively proven to not do any good against COVID. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that hydroxychloroquine can cause heart-rhythm problems that could be fatal.

But we digress.

As youd expect, Culp isnt talking to reporters and is vague about what he bases any of his bag of facts on.

The campaign game plan for guys like Culp is tiresomely predictable now. Here are a few key components:

Make absurd claims and accusations (preferably on your own social media accounts)  and maybe even consider underscoring them with ominous threats: We should hang (pick a name here)!

Encourage people to do your own research, but make it clear that none of that research needs to include checking with actual experts for accurate information. Better to bet your life on something you read on an obscure website than bother with a transparent, mainstream source thats probably part of some global plot.

Keep beating home the point that the media are out to ruin the country. Its somehow patriotic, however, if anyone wants to root for an international killer like Vladimir Putin (Russias always been our friend, right?) or if rioters want to trash the United States Capitol and conk cops over the head with American flags.

Perhaps most important, dont answer questions from anyone whos not part of your echo chamber. The last thing you want is to have to back up any of the mumbo-jumbo youre spouting on YouTube or Twitter or wherever you go to scream at your 14 followers.

So here we are. Its only February, but were already growing weary of this nonsense.

Culps antics are just the latest example of it, but hes by no means alone. These kinds of distorted takes on reality are echoing across much of the country these days.

Itd be easier to laugh it off if it were all just harmless ignorance, but its not. Many of the patterns weve fallen into in the past few years are malevolently orchestrated  and theyre flat-out dangerous to democracy.

If you dont understand that, your name has no business on a ballot.
Speaker / Lectures

Mandela Social Justice Day

The Song of Change presented by Simon Tam

The annual Nelson Mandela Commemoration is a speaker series that directly addresses social justice issues that affect the local or national community. As USI expands its student population, questions of diversity will come into an even starker relief on campus, and this series aims to address some of those issues, helping to prepare students to live wisely in a diverse, global community.

The Song of Change

Featured Speaker: Simon Tam

3:00 p.m. on Zoom ID#936 7493 4388

Simon Tam believes that apathy is not compatible with love. He works to change the culture by transforming systems with an equity framework. Simon may best be known for winning a landmark case in 2017 that helped expand civil liberties, unanimously, at the Supreme Court of the United States (Matal v. Tam). He is the founder of The Slants, one of the first all-Asian American dance rock bands in the world, and co-founder of The Slants Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is pushing the boundaries of what is possible for arts, activism, and civic engagement. Learn more about our speaker.
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A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

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A sweet sensation that has swept the nation has now reached Conroe.

On Friday, a location of Crumbl Cookies will open on the South Loop at 351 S Loop 336 W, Ste 200, in Conroe. The new location is next to Torchys Tacos.

Mark and Amy Sapp are the owners of the Conroe location. Their grand opening is this Friday and Saturday.

We love the Crumbl concept and the idea of a gourmet cookie, the bakery and a rotating menu, Amy Sapp said. Its a very young, fresh franchise.

Crumbl was established in 2017 in Logan, Utah by two cousins with one big dream to create the perfect combination of flour, sugar and chocolate chips.

On YourConroeNews.com: Crumbl Cookies now open in Beaumont

Since then more than 220 locations have sprung up in 34 states. The Houston area has nine locations across the region as well.

Once the idea hit social media, the cookie brand exploded.

In only a six weeks times, Crumbl Cookies gained 2 million followers on the social media platform TikTok.

Our entire approach is catered perfectly to TikTok, said Jason McGowan, Crumbl CEO and co-founder in a Crumbl Cookies media release. We release top-notch content that is compelling and shareable. Third-party creators then supplement this content by offering their opinions and validation to our weekly rotating flavors. Our compelling content coupled with organic third-party feedback is an intriguing duo that users love to view.

Crumbls rotating menu brings hundreds of TikTok creators to its doors every week, anxious to try the weekly lineup and be the first to let their audiences know how they rank the flavors. In these #crumblreview videos, TikTok creators sample each of the five weekly rotating cookies, and rank them on a 1-10 scale for their audiences.

We have lines of TikTok creators out our doors every week, said McGowan. Its really an incredible thing to witness. We love that our cookies have become part of so many peoples weekly routines.

Crumbl keeps its menu fresh every week, with a rotating lineup from over 150-plus cookie flavors. A new lineup of four new flavors is released each Sunday on Crumbls social media platforms.

Some of the Crumbl specialty cookies include Muddy Buddy, Biscoff Lava, Funfetti, Snickerdoodle, Coconut Lime, Chocolate Caramel, Nutella Sea Salt, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road, SMores and many more.

On YourConroeNews.com: Crumbl Cookies hosts grand opening in Pasadena

Amy Sapp was introduced to the brand when someone sent her a box of Crumbl Cookies and she was hooked on the idea.

Sapp loves to bake and has several years in the baking industry.

Conroes growth attracted the couple to the area and they thought Crumbl Cookies would be a good fit here. The cookies come in a signature pink box. Six flavors will be available at the Conroe location. There are two signature cookies that are always available - milk chocolate chip and classic sugar cookie. The other four flavors will rotate each week.

She said the cute pink box and the rotating menu of flavors are what really sets Crumbl Cookies apart.

For about the first week theyll offer in-store purchases and online ordering. Then as they get established in a week or so theyll add delivery and curbside orders.

Visit https://crumblcookies.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/crumblcookies for more.

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Another snowstorm will impact most of Wisconsin late Thursday into early Friday, with the highest totals along Lake Michigan thanks to lake enhancement, according to forecasters.

Areas along Lake Michigan first will see a light lake effect band of snow bringing some minor accumulating snow Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, before much of the state sees snow from the system that will move through late Thursday into early Friday, the National Weather Service said.

Possible snow totals include 3 to 6 inches for Kenosha and Milwaukee; 2 to 5 inches for Sheboygan; 2 to 4 inches for Madison and Janesville; 2 to 3 inches for Platteville, La Crosse, Wisconsin Dells and Fond du Lac; 1 to 3 inches for Green Bay; 1 to 2 inches for Eau Claire and Wausau; down to none for far northwestern Wisconsin, which was hit hardest by the storm that dumped mostly ice and sleet on southern Wisconsin Monday and Tuesday.

The Weather Service said the storm system will move from the Southwest on Wednesday to the Central Appalachians/Mid-Atlantic by Friday, producing heavy snow over the southwestern and central Rocky Mountain region on Wednesday, a variety of winter hazards from the Southern Plains through the Ohio Valley Wednesday through Thursday night and the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Thursday night through Friday.

The Ozarks up could see up to a half-inch of ice, wide areas could see 6 inches or more of snow, and heavy rain on the south side of the storm could produce flash flooding.

In Madison on Wednesday, look for partly sunny skies, a high near 19, and north winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour producing wind chills of 10 below to zero, the Weather Service said.

After an overnight low around 11, Thursdays forecast features a 40% chance for snow after noon, with mostly cloudy skies, a high near 25 and east winds at 5 to 10 mph.

The chance for snow overnight Thursday into Friday is 90%, with possible accumulation of 1 to 2 inches as the low falls to around 15.

The Weather Service said quiet weather will follow, with no chances for precipitation into early next week.

Skies over Madison should be partly sunny Friday, sunny Saturday, mostly sunny Sunday and Monday, and partly sunny Tuesday, with highs near 25, 35, 30, 32 and 41, and lows Friday night through Monday night around 9, 19, 12 and 19.

27 Storm Track meteorologist Max Tsaparis forecasts for the Madison area light snow late in the day on Thursday into Friday morning, with totals of 2 to 4 inches; and possible flurries Sunday.

Tsaparis said highs for Madison should be near 19, 24, 24, 34, 35, 35 and 40, and overnight lows around 8, 14, 6, 19, 5 and 15.

Tuesdays high in Madison was 25 at 12:02 a.m., 9 degrees below the normal high and 43 degrees below the record high of 68 for Feb. 22, set in 2017.

Tuesdays low in Madison was 16 at 11:59 p.m., 1 degree below the normal low and 31 degrees above the record low of 15 below for Feb. 22, set in 1873.

Officially, 0.1 inches of precipitation was recorded at the Dane County Regional Airport on Tuesday, boosting Madisons February total to 0.3 inches, 0.85 inches below normal. The meteorological winter (December through February) precipitation total (rain plus snow converted to liquid) rose to 2.4 inches, 1.78 inches below normal. Madisons 2022 precipitation total rose to 0.78 inches, 1.84 inches below normal.

Madisons record precipitation for Feb. 22 is 1.64 inches in 1922.

The 0.5 inches of snow on Tuesday boosted Madisons February total to 2.7 inches, 7.6 inches below normal. For meteorological winter, Madison has received 18.3 inches, 17.7 inches below normal. For the snow season (since July 1), Madison has received 18.9 inches, 20.7 inches below normal.

Madisons record snowfall for Feb. 22 is 3.8 inches in 1994.

Madisons official snow depth is 1 inch.

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Organisers invite you to a magical journey to the world of Japanese traditional theatre, kabuki, which engages all of your senses in a cultural cinematic experience. Cinema Kabuki Festival will be hold between March 1-8., with a total of four screening between the vintage walls of Puskin cinema, Budapest.
Hungary will deploy soldiers and military equipment to the eastern part of the country along its border with Ukraine, local news site Telex writes, citing a report by state news wire MTI.

Minister of Defense Tibor Benko said that at the morning meeting of the National Security Cabinet, Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave the Ministry of Defense the task of preventing armed groups from entering Hungary and carrying out maneuvers on the territory of the country.



Benko said that, if the situation in Ukraine escalates, there will not only be war activity in the eastern part of Ukraine, but it could also extend towards Kiev and Transcarpathia. He added that the people of Hungary need not be afraid, but the Hungarian Defense Forces must be prepared for any eventuality.



The minister stressed that soldiers must also be prepared for the arrival of refugees and to carry out humanitarian missions.





MTI Photo: Balazs Mohai
As PM Orban assures the European Union that Hungary is part of the joint EU stance, media outlets are cautiously dramatic in reporting Russias decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine, after President Putin recognised the independence of the two breakaway regions.

hvg.hu reports the celebrations in Donetsk, with local Russians welcoming the diplomatic recognition of their republic by Moscow.



168 ora points out that Russian troops may move into the two breakaway Ukrainian districts at any time.



Info Radio stresses that President Putin of Russia describes Ukraine as a colony (of the US), with a puppet government directed from abroad.



Putin sends soldiers to the Donetsk basin, runs the front-page headline in Magyar Hirlap.



Magyar Nemzet quotes Foreign Minister Peter Szijjartos remark that We must not give up our last plus one hope of a peaceful settlement.



Klubradios headline focuses on Prime Minister Orban siding with the European Union after Putins announcement that he will send troops to Donetsk and Lugansk.



Nepszava, the only daily to run an opinion column on the events on Tuesday, suggests Mr Putin miscalculated the impact of his moves. Foreign affairs commentator Tamas Ronay believes that Russias aggressive posture has bolstered NATOs resolve and unity, and at the same time is helping the leaders of the United States and the United Kingdom to divert attention from their own internal problems.



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

Click here to Share Your Story
Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Nick Read, the chief executive of telecommunications giant Vodafone, met on Tuesday to discuss Hungarys digital development and competitiveness, the PMs press chief said in a statement.

Orban and Read discussed Vodafones plans, and agreed that Hungarys economic and social development may benefit as a result, the statement said.



The digitalisation of SMEs, industrial developments, 5G investments, smart cities, and sustainability projects for improving quality of life were subjects on the meetings agenda.



Vodafone, a key investor in Hungary, has aligned its business interests with Hungarys, contributing to the countrys development over the past 22 years, the statement said.



The company has created some 9,000 jobs in Hungary, and its Hungarian unit serves around 3.8 million clients, it added.
If parliamentary elections were held this on Sunday, 34% of Hungarians would vote for the United for Hungary opposition alliance and 32% for the currently-governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition, according to the latest Publicus poll of 1,000 respondents commissioned by Nepszava.

Conducted between February 10-14, the poll gives a slight advantage to the opposition, though still within the margin of error.



Even with this lead over Fidesz, the united opposition likely still wouldnt win any extra seats in Parliament due to distortions in the electoral system.



The poll also showed 2% in favor of Our Homeland, 1% support for the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party, and 30% of respondents undecided about their party preference.



On the graphic: Which party or organization would you vote for on April 3, 2022?

(from left) Fidesz-KDNP, United for Hungary, Two-Tailed Dog Party, Our Homeland Movement, other, undecided.



Breaking down the undecided voters, 27% of this group said that they would prefer a new government in power, while 17% were satisfied with Fidesz in government. The remaining 56% did not offer an opinion on this question.



In the latest public opinion polls measuring party preference, the Publicus poll shows the most favorable result for Hungarys political opposition. Most other recent polls have given Fidesz a lead over its opponents.
YORK  LB921, which was introduced this session in the Nebraska Legislature, would require that all sentences for Class 3, Class 3A or Class 4 felonies would be served in county jail instead of prison.

Senator Steve Lathrop introduced the bill, for which the statement of intent says is to prioritize state prison beds for the most serious criminal offenders.

This week, York County Sheriff Paul Vrbka spoke with the York County Commissioners to voice his concerns regarding this bill and ask if they will convey concerns as well to York Countys legislative representative, Sen. Mark Kolterman.

I just attended a Zoom meeting with the Nebraska Sheriffs Association and this issue was brought up, as the association, and all the sheriffs in the state, are in opposition, Sheriff Vrbka said. This bill, LB921, would reclassify felony sentences. Our concern is that inmates, convicted felons, could be in county jails for years and years. I, along with the other sheriffs, am very concerned about the burden that could put on counties, as many people would be in jail instead of the penitentiary.

The way the law works now, felony sentences are served in prison settings. County jails are used for sentences under one year, for misdemeanor consequences, to hold people through the court process until they make bail, and to provide immediate custody upon arrests.

Class 3 felonies carry a possible maximum prison sentence of four years in prison; Class 3A felonies carry a possible maximum prison sentence of three years in prison; and Class 4 felonies carry a possible maximum prison sentence of two years in prison.

If LB921 would become law, those two-, three- and four-year sentences would be served in small county jails instead of the states penal institutions.

NACO (the Nebraska Association of County Officials) is opposing the bill, as well, Sheriff Vrbka said. During our meeting, it was brought up that we should approach our county boards to ask if you, as well, would send letters to our senator, in opposition. Im calling Sen. Kolterman myself. I will be telling him Im against it, as this could be an incredible burden on the county.

Sheriff Vrbka said the costs of housing jail inmates are substantial, even before food, medication, medical bills, dental bills, etc. And county jails arent equipped for long-term services such as drug and psychiatric treatment.

Then add to that issue the situation of at-limit capacity which York County and many other Nebraska county jails are dealing with right now. The commissioners noted that in just this last two-week claim period, the amount paid to other counties to hold York County inmates was several thousand dollars.

We have been housing inmates in Hamilton, Seward, Platte, Butler and Merrick Counties, as needed, said York County Sheriff Captain Josh Gillespie. Its been in multiple places. We are and have been facing a full capacity issue for some time now and we are in need of bed space. We are at the mercy of the courts and the attorneys, if they say we have to house them, we have to house them.

We have been at full capacity for some time, Sheriff Vrbka said. And if this bill would pass, I can only imagine how much that could impact our jail.

Commissioner Kurt Bulgrin said the bill is still in committee at this point.

If this would go through, the results would be significant, Bulgrin agreed. Lets put this on the agenda for our next meeting and we can put together a statement of opposition to send to Sen. Kolterman.

He also asked Sheriff Vrbka to put together some figures as to what this could possibly cost York County if the bill were to become law, so that information could be included in the letters of opposition.

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Tata Motors has finally launched the new Untamed Kaziranga Edition of SUVs, with a starting price of Rs 8.58 lakh (ex-showroom) for Punch, Rs 11.78 lakh (ex-showroom) for Nexon, Rs 20.40 lakh (ex-showroom) for Harrier, Rs 20.99 (ex-showroom) lakh for Safari. This new edition is inspired by Indias rich geographical and biological diversity while also paying homage to Indias great national parks.

This, one-of-a-kind special edition of SUVs will include the Punch a subcompact SUV, the Nexon, the companys premium SUV the Harrier and its flagship 7-seater SUV the Safari. With bookings commencing today, the Kaziranga edition will be available only on their respective top trims, across all Tata Motors authorised dealerships.

Tata Motors has also recently announced its plan to auction the Punch Kaziranga Edition to the IPL fans and has decided to donate all proceeds from the winning bid towards the efforts on Conservation of Wildlife in Kaziranga.

Read also: 2022 Maruti Suzuki Baleno vs Tata Altroz spec comparison: features, price and more

Defining character of the Kaziranga Range:

This new range introduction comes with a series of interesting additions to enhance the overall design of the cars. All models come with a Grassland Beige Exterior Body Color with a dual-tone roof in Piano Black finish. The Earthy Beige Leatherette upholstery and Tropical wood Dashboard, along with the several Earthy beige coloured inserts in the interiors, make the cars more thematic, elevating the interiors with an upscale feel. Furthermore, the embossed outlined torso of two rhinoceroses facing each other on the front headrests (also in 2nd Row in Safari) and the addition of a new Satin Black Rhino Mascot on the front fender emphasises the go-anywhere attitude of Tata Motors true SUVs while also resonating with the solid toughness of the mascot.

Tata Punch Kaziranga Edition

The brand's sub-compact SUV, Tata Punch gets an interesting addition of elements with the all New Earthy Beige Leatherette Upholstery, Piano Black door trim, Earthy beige tri-Arrow finish dashboard mid pad, Granite Black Roof rails, Piano Black Humanity Line front grille and Jet Black 16" Alloy wheels. This Kaziranga edition will be available in the top persona Creative MT, Creative MT-iRA, Creative AMT and Creative AMT-iRA.

Tata Nexon Kaziranga Edition

The Nexon, in its newest incarnation, witnesses the addition of ventilated seats for the driver and co-driver along with an air-purifier in the cabin. As an added external feature, a new electro-chromatic IRVM has been introduced in this version. Additionally, the Nexon Kaziranga will also come equipped with Dual-tone Earthy Beige Leatherette Upholstery, Piano Black door trims, Tropical Wood finish dashboard midpad, Granite Black Body Claddings and roof rails, Piano Black Humanity Line front grille and Jet Black 16" Alloy wheels. The Nexon Kaziranga edition will be available in two trims namely Petrol & Diesel Powertrains, Nexon XZ+ (P) and Nexon XZA+ (P)

Tata Harrier Kaziranga Edition

Harrier gets similar updates as the Nexon with ventilated seats and an air-purifier in the cabin. It will also come with a host of new connected car technologies (iRA Connected Car Technology, Remote Commands, Location-based services, Over the Air Updates, Live vehicle Diagnostics and Gamification) along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto over WiFi. With Dual-tone Earthy Beige Leatherette Seats and Door trims, Tropical Wood finish dashboard midpad, Granite Black Body Claddings, Granite black front grille with Piano Black Inserts and Jet Black 17" Alloy wheels, the Harrier, in the Kaziranga edition, will be available in two trims  Harrier XZ+ and Harrier XZA+.

Tata Safari Kaziranga Edition

The Kaziranga edition Safari, in addition to the available features in its top trim like the Ventilated Seats in 1st & 2nd Row, Wireless Charger, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto over Wi-Fi, Air Purifier, iRA, The Safari Kaziranga will sport Dual-tone Earthy Beige Leatherette Seats and Door trims, Tropical Wood finish dashboard mid  pad, Granite Black Body Claddings, Granite black front grille & Roof rails with Piano Black inserts and Jet Black 18" Alloy wheels. This edition in Safari will be available in 4 trims - XZ+ 7S, XZA+ 7S, XZ+ 6S, XZA+ 6S.

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On February 22, Dubai international airport retained its top place as the world's busiest for international travel with around 29 million passengers shuttling through the global gateway last year.

The 2021 passenger figures are encouraging for the tourism-driven economy of Dubai, regarded as a critical link between East and West. The numbers are a sign that international travel has picked up somewhat since the coronavirus pandemic spawned unprecedented global lockdowns and border closures in 2020.

Last year's figure represents a 12 percent increase in traffic at Dubai International Airport compared to 2020, which had recorded nearly 26 million travelers. Still, even with 29.1 million passengers crisscrossing last year through Dubai International Airport, or DXB, the figure is nowhere near the pre-pandemic milestone of 86.4 million in annual traffic logged by the airport in 2019.

Also read: Ukraine: THESE airlines adjusted flight schedules amid tensions with Russia

Dubai is currently hosting the six-month-long World's Fair, which was delayed by a year due to the pandemic. Expo 2020, which opened in October and runs until the end of March, has attracted millions of visitors as well as heads of state, royalty, and celebrities, helping to further cement Dubai's reputation as a global destination. It's unclear, though, what the overall contribution of the Expo has been to Dubai's economic recovery.

Just over 70 percent of Dubai's airport traveler figures last year represent arrivals, with much of those likely residents traveling to and from the emirate. Prior to the pandemic, around half of all passenger figures were transiting through Dubai.

CEO of Dubai Airports, Paul Griffiths, said DXB forecasts 57 million travelers to come through the airport this year, and full recovery to pre-pandemic figures by 2024. Dubai has done such a good job in reassuring travelers. It's a safe city to visit and to come and holiday and do business. So I think the actual trends to recovery are very encouraging, indeed, Griffiths said.

It marks the eighth consecutive year that Dubai International Airport clinches the mantle of the world's busiest for international travel, surpassing London's Heathrow and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson for global travelers, although the latter is among the busiest in terms of overall passenger traffic.

Also read: Manipur to become important centre for rail connectivity after completion of THIS highway

The largest share of traffic to Dubai came from India, with 4.2 million travelers, followed by Pakistan, with 1.8 million travelers last year. A key growth market for travel to and from Dubai is neighboring Saudi Arabia, which is actively working to attract business and tourism in direct competition with Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates.

The UAE is home to more than 100,000 British citizens. Dubai's main airport logged 1.2 million passengers from the U.K. Last year, including 77,000 in December alone.

Dubai, under orders from the United Arab Emirates aviation authority, was forced to ground all passenger flights and close its airports for eight weeks in spring of 2020. Unlike the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi, though, Dubai quickly reopened its doors to travelers.

The UAE was red-listed as a do not travel country by the U.K., the U.S. and other nations for much of last year. What we're now trying to do is campaign globally for the relaxation of travel restrictions and testing, Griffiths said. But we now see the requirement for that is receding. We just need to get governments to recognize that fact and act quickly to remove the remaining travel restrictions.

With inputs from AP

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With a decrease in Covid-19 cases, Vietnam takes a step forward by reopening air routes to resume socio-economic activities in the country. Right now it has opened routes for 20 countries compared to 28 in the 2019 winter flight schedule, before the Covid-19 pandemic, a transport official said.

The resumed routes included those to Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, Xinhua, said Tran Bao Ngoc, director of the Transportation Department, in a news briefing on February 22. Eight destinations to which air routes havent been resumed consist of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Finland, Italy, and Switzerland.

There are currently 370 international flights from or to Vietnam per week each way, compared to a high of 4,185 in the 2019 winter flight schedule, the transport official said. Meanwhile, six local carriers, namely Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Vasco, are operating 56 domestic air routes with 2,570 flights per week each way, down two routes and 217 flights from the pre-pandemic schedule in 2019.

Also read: Mumbai airport to handle THESE many aircrafts after international flights resume: ATC Guild

Road and railway transport has returned to normal, but the passenger traffic hasn't recovered due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic, Ngoc added. Vietnamese aviation authorities have officially lifted all restrictions on the frequency of international flights since February 15, marking the first time after two years the network returned to normal operation.

The government is working over a plan to fully reopen its border for international tourists starting March 15.

With inputs from IANS

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The Republican-led Assembly on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment to give lawmakers final say over how the governor spends federal funds allocated to the state.

The amendment comes as the Legislature takes up a flurry of bills before both chambers adjourn from session in a matter of weeks. Other bills to pass the Assembly Wednesday would raise the minimum age for buying tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21 and protect firearms and ammunition manufacturers from certain lawsuits.

The Assembly will convene again Thursday to take up a slew of fast-tracked election bills that would, among other things, allow lawmakers to cut funding for the Wisconsin Elections Commission when its deemed not to have complied with state election laws. Republicans continue to scrutinize the 2020 election as part of a nationwide GOP effort to overhaul elections.

The package of bills has been touted as an effort to clean up election processes after a report last year from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau that found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but made several recommendations for improvements.

Democratic lawmakers have widely blasted the bills at a time when bipartisan measures, such as a bill aimed at eventually closing the embattled Lincoln Hills juvenile correctional facility, have stalled in the Assembly.

We should put down these partisan election lies and voter suppression tactics and take up broad bipartisan bills, Rep. Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, told reporters before Wednesdays session.

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would borrow $42 million for a juvenile correctional facility to replace the states embattled Lincoln Hills facility, but Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said earlier that day the measure is unlikely to be taken up by the GOP-led Assembly before the chamber adjourns.

One of the bills to pass the Senate Tuesday, SB 214, would allow election officials to begin counting absentee ballots the day before Election Day, a measure local clerks have pushed for to help address the massive number of ballots that must be counted after polls close.

Republicans in the Assembly previously said that bill would not likely come before the chamber before it adjourns, but Vos said Wednesday its possible the measure could be worked into a different election-related bill as an amendment. The move could force Gov. Tony Evers, who has pledged to strike down most, if not all, of the election bills, to veto the measure.

Route to voters

Legislative Republicans, who lack the votes needed to overturn a veto by Evers, have increasingly turned to constitutional amendments as a means of bypassing the Democratic governor.

Such measures would need to pass the Senate and Assembly in two successive sessions before going to voters in a referendum. The governor cannot veto a constitutional amendment.

AJR 112/SJR 84 passed along party lines and would prohibit any executive branch official or department from allocating any federal dollars without first securing approval from a legislative committee, which officials have said would likely be the GOP-led budget committee.

Currently, the governor has sole discretion over how federal funds are spent, but there has been a growing push among legislative Republicans seeking more control over how the executive office doles out federal funds  primarily in recent years as the federal government pumped billions of stimulus dollars into the state to help address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Evers has vetoed several efforts in recent years by Republicans seeking control over federal funds.

Theres not one single person in this state that should be able to unilaterally control billions of dollars, said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna. Our job is to control the purse strings and have a say about how dollars are expended in this state.

An amended version of the bill clarifies that it only applies to federal money accepted by the governor on behalf of the state and not initial allocations provided to departments. The amended resolution also maintains the UW-System Board of Regents authority to accept and allocate federal funding without legislative approval. The amended resolution heads back to the Senate for concurrence.

AJR 135, which is scheduled to come before the Assembly on Thursday, would call for a constitutional convention to consider term limits for congressional delegates.

The measure initially failed after five Republicans joined Democrats to reject the resolution in a 17-16 vote. However, Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, then changed her vote, allowing the proposal to pass, despite objections from Democratic members who said Senate rules did not allow for such a move. Darling did not explain her flip.

If passed, Wisconsin would become the fifth state to call for such a convention. Thirty-four states would be needed to formally convene a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Another constitutional amendment before the Assembly Thursday, AJR 134/SJR 101, would bar the state from receiving private funds to help administer elections.

Other bills

The Assembly voted 61-35, with Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, joining Republicans in support of SB 570, which would bar anyone from suing a firearm or ammunition manufacturer for damages related to those products design or use. The measure, which is supported by the National Rifle Association of America and Wisconsin Gun Owners Inc. and opposed by groups including the Wisconsin Council of Churches, would still allow lawsuits related to a breach of contract or death/damages caused by a defect in a firearm or ammunition.

Bill author Rep. Gae Magnafici, R-Dresser, said the measure aims at preventing needless lawsuits and protects individuals Second Amendment rights.

I just feel that when a crime is committed, we should blame the criminal and not the gun, Magnafici said.

The bill is likely to be vetoed by Evers, who has pushed for more gun regulations.

The Assembly also passed AB 348, which would align state law with changes to federal law in 2019 that increased the minimum age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The measure heads to the Senate.

AB 960 also passed the Assembly and would make it a felony to attack or threaten a health care provider or staff member of a health care facility. The bipartisan measure would create a new felony crime of battery against a health care provider and expand current felony battery laws to include nurses or emergency medical care providers.

Such an offense, which also includes threatening a health care provider, would be punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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NEW DELHI: Ahead of release of Alia Bhatt starrer "Gangubai Kathiawadi", the Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested changing the name of the movie against the backdrop of the several cases against it pending before courts.

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie is scheduled for release on Friday.

During the hearing, a bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and J.K. Maheshwari suggested the filmmakers change the name of the movie, in the backdrop of pending court cases.

"Is changing the title possible?" the bench asked.

However, the petitioner's counsel insisted on an interim stay on the release of the movie, while the respondent's counsel argued that a name change, days before the release, would not be possible.

An appeal challenging the Bombay High Court order was filed by Gangubai's adopted son, through lawyers Arun Kumar Sinha and Rakesh Singh, claiming that the novel and the movie tarnished the image of the petitioner, his deceased mother and other family members and such statements in the plaint satisfy the ingredients, which defines defamation.

The plea said: "Because the high court while keeping the first appeal pending, in the facts and circumstances of the present case, ought to have granted temporary injunction restraining the respondents from printing, promoting, selling, assigning etc., the novel namely 'The Mafia Queens of Mumbai' or the film namely 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', which are admittedly defamatory in nature."

It added the respondents though claim that the novel or the movie are based on true facts, a defence available for the respondents to be taken up during the trial of suit, but they have not made a specific claim that no part of the novel or movie are defamatory in nature.

The plea sought an injunction against Bhansali Productions from producing, directing or airing the promo of any film based on the novel, and also the Alia Bhatt movie.

The top court was hearing an appeal against the high court order, which continued the stay on the summons issued by a Mumbai court in a criminal defamation complaint against actress Alia Bhatt, the producers of "Gangubai Kathiawadi", and authors S. Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges, who wrote the book.

It is likely to continue to hear the matter on Thursday.
New Delhi: Britain`s Vodafone is looking to sell its entire 28.1% stake in Indus Towers Ltd, India`s largest cell tower firm, the telecom group said on Wednesday. Vodafone has launched an initial sale of 63.6 million Indus shares and said it was in talks with various parties regarding the sale of its remaining shares.

The company`s total stake of 757.8 million shares was worth roughly 190.7 billion rupees ($2.56 billion) as of Friday close, according to Reuters calculations.

The development comes after a challenging period for Vodafone in India, where its local arm, Vodafone Idea, has faced intense competition and lost millions of wireless subscribers to Reliance`s Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Vodafone Idea`s troubles have been compounded by huge dues owed to the Indian government, which is expected to own a 35.8% stake in the venture through a recent deal.

The British firm said on Wednesday it was in advanced talks with one of Indus`s largest shareholders to sell a 4.7% stake in the company.

The company did not provide a name, but Indian media reported Vodafone was in talks to sell a 5% stake in Indus to Bharti Airtel. Bharti Enterprises Ltd, Bharti Airtel`s parent, is Indus`s largest shareholder, according to Refinitiv data. Also Read: Apple to launch its own self-driving electric car soon! Check details here

Vodafone is also in talks with "several interested parties" to potentially sell its remaining shareholding in Indus, the company said. Also Read: Penny stocks to buy in 2022: Experts give buy tag to THIS Rs 5 multibagger stock

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New Delhi: The banks have been returned Rs 18,000 crore in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on Wednesday (February 23), told the Supreme Court.

Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar that the total proceeds of crimes in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases pending before the top court amounts to Rs 67,000 crore.

He further added that as on date 4,700 cases are being investigated by the Directorate of Enforcement and the number of the cases taken up for investigation each year in the last 5 years varies from 111 cases in 2015-16 to 981 in 2020-21. Mehta submitted before the bench that Rs 18,000 crore have been returned to the banks in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The top court is hearing a clutch of petitions, challenging the wide scope of powers available to the directorate of enforcement (ED) for search, seizure, investigation, and attachment of proceeds of crime under the law.

Mehta submitted before the bench, also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and C.T. Ravikumar, that during the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21), only 2,086 cases were taken up for investigation under the PMLA out of registration of FIR of approximately 33 lakh for predicate offences by the police and other enforcement agencies.

He added, "very small number of cases are being taken up for investigation under the PMLA as compared to annual registration of the cases under the Money Laundering Act in the UK (7,900), the US (1,532), China (4,691), Austria (1,036), Hongkong (1,823), Belgium (1,862) and Russia (2,764)".

Mehta emphasized that the measures against money-laundering have clearly left embryo of drug or terrorism related offences and moved beyond the same. "Further, the efforts against money laundering have consistently advocated to include the widest range of predicate offences in the domestic laws," he added.

Over the past few weeks, a battery of senior advocates, including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mukul Rohatgi, Sidharth Luthra, Amit Desai, and others have made submissions before the top court on various aspects related to potential misuse of PMLA provisions introduced by way of amendments to the Act. Also Read: Vodafone looks to sell stake worth $2.5 billion in Indus Towers

The law has been criticised on various aspects: stringent bail conditions, non-communication of grounds of arrest, arrest of persons without supply of ECIR (akin to FIR), broad definitions of money laundering and proceeds of crime, and statements given by accused during investigation made admissible as evidence during trial. Also Read: LPG cooking gas price to double from April? Heres why you may need to loosen purse strings

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the Union Bugdet has clear roadmap for saturation coverage of rural roads, housing for all, Jal Jeevan Mission.

PM Modi addressing a webinar on the focus of the Union Budget on water and sanitation said, in last 7 years, we've been making continuous efforts to enhance the capabilities of every citizen and every sector. It's the motive behind connecting villages and the poor to pucca houses, toilets, gas, electricity, water, road.

For developing villages, proper demarcation of houses and land is essential. Swamitva Yojana is facilitating this. Under this, over 40 lakh property cards issued so far. For registration of land records, a national system and a unique land identification PIN will be a major facility, added PM Modi.

The PM further added that the government intends to have more active participation of people in rural areas to improve governance by removing silos and fast-track schemes.

The theme of the programme `Leaving No Citizen Behind`, is aimed at bringing industry leaders, policymakers and government officials together to deliberate upon the positive impact of the budget and identify actionable strategies to collectively work towards furthering the common goal of upliftment of everyone, a saturation of each household and village, leaving no one behind.

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and ministers of state for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel and Bishweswar Tudu along with key stakeholders from WASH, UN agency and technical experts from the domain are also participating in the webinar.

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Electric vehicle giant Tesla is being probed by German regulators for its automated lane changing system, known as Autopilot. The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) is reportedly assessing whether the technology, which Tesla offers as an upgrade, is safe to use on German roads or not.

According to sources, the regulator is also in talks with the Netherlands vehicle agency, which is responsible for approving vehicle use across Europe, according to the report. Tesla and the KBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US launched its second probe into a potential Autopilot fault after users complained of "phantom braking" at high speeds.

Also read: BPCL, Hero enter partnership to set up 2-wheeler EV charging infra in India

The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt launched a separate probe last January into possible safety risks of the touchscreen in the center console of various Tesla models.

Tesla`s automated driving technology is facing increasing scrutiny around the world following a series of fatal accidents. Recently, a dash-cam recording released by officials in North Carolina shows a Tesla vehicle on Autopilot mode slamming into a parked police car on the side of the road.

One officer pushed another out of harm's way into safety after the crash, while the Tesla continued and stopped ahead. The officials said that the accident could have been horrific.

With inputs from IANS

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Congress Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla through an open letter to Director General of Punjab Police Viresh Kumar Bhawra, announced that he along with residents of his constituency will launch an indefinite protest against the inaction of state police if no action is taken against the drug menace in the state.

"I again reiterate that it is high time for the police administration of Punjab to devise and implement an effective anti-drug operation or I and the residents of the holy city shall be forced to begin an indefinite protest against the inaction of the police," reads the letter.

"I hope that by 26 Jun 2022 ie 'International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking' the police department of Punjab state shall be sharing its report of authentic and effective achievements and not just a press release of hollow words," it added. The MP in his letter claimed that on various occasions "small recoveries of contraband" are made at "thana level" and "never traced back to its origin and roots leading to the acquittal of the arrested creating space for the big fish to stay out of the net.

"The Congressman also alleged that the investigation in drug mafias/peddlers are being conducted in an inefficient manner for which "some black sheep in the police department and state government are responsible."

"The names of several senior officers and politicians have cropped up in drug trafficking investigation on multiple occasions but they are lying in the sealed cover instead of being acted upon," it adds.

`Drugs` was a major issue in recently conducted assembly elections in the state. The result of the polls will be announced on March 10.
Bengaluru: As many as eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, the Karnataka Home Minister said, "Until last night, six suspects were arrested and today two more arrests have been made."

Eight persons have been arrested as of now officially, others are being interrogated, investigation going on in all angles. Senior officers, including 2 ADGPs, and the Police force are doing an investigation, the Karnataka Home Minister said while replying to questions on Bajrang Dal activist Harsha's death case.

Eight arrested as of now officially, others are being interrogated, investigation going on in all angles. Senior officers, including 2 ADGPs, and the Police force are doing an investigation: Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Bajrang Dal activist Harsha's death case pic.twitter.com/OUVj5nsLIC  ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

Talking about the situation in the state in view of the hijab ban protests, he said that Everything is under control, peace has been restored in Shivamogga. I thank people for that. Police are taking action which is needed at this point in time. There is no question of safeguarding anybody, a thorough investigation will be done & action will be taken against culprits.

On Tuesday, a total of six people were arrested and 12 were questioned by the state police, BM Laxmi Prasad, Superintendent of police, Shivamogga, had said. "The six accused arrested in the case are Mohammed Kashif, Sayed Nadeem, Afsifullah Khan, Rehan Sharef, Nihan, and Abdul Afnan," said Prasad.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of the district Selvamani R announced that CrPC section 144 has been extended by two more days till Friday morning. Bajrang Dal worker Harsha was allegedly murdered on Sunday night in Shivamogga. Security was tightened in the city following the incident.

Police presence has been increased in most sensitive areas and Rapid Action Force has been deployed in Udupi following the murder of the Bajrang Dal worker in Shivamogga.

Karnataka | Route patrolling by Rapid Action Force and Police in Udupi, following the murder of Bajrang Dal worker in Shivamogga pic.twitter.com/nK5rtyH9m1  ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

The Karnataka High Court will again resume hearing on the petitions challenging the ban on wearing hijab in state schools and colleges on Wednesday. The full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit is hearing a batch of petitions seeking permission to wear a Hijab inside the classroom.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Karnataka government told the High Court that there is no restriction on wearing Hijab in India with reasonable restrictions subject to institutional discipline and dismissed the charge that denial to wear the headscarf was a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination of every sort.

Countering the petitioner Muslim girls from Udupi district, who challenged the restriction on Hijab inside the educational institutions, Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi said the right to wear the headscarf falls under the category of 19(1)(A) and not Article 25 as has been argued by the petitioners.

"The right to wear Hijab falls under Article 19(1)(A) and not Article 25. If one wishes to wear Hijab, then there is no restriction 'subject to the institutional discipline'. The rights claimed under Article 19(1)(A) is related to Article 19(2) where the government places a reasonable restriction subjected to institutional restriction," Navadgi told the full bench of the Karnataka High Court.

Navadgi further said the institutional restriction in the present case is only inside the educational institutions and not anywhere else. Arguing further, he said the independent claim of 19(1)(A) cannot go together with Article 25.

"The consequence of the demand to declare Hijab as an essential religious practice is huge because there is an element of compulsion or else you will be expelled from the community," Navadgi told the court. Article 19(1)(A) is related to the freedom of expression of the Indian constitution.

Giving clear indications of an early verdict in the hijab row, the Karnataka High Court Special bench, constituted to look into the petitions submitted by students demanding their right to wear hijab in classrooms, on Tuesday directed counsels to complete their arguments by this week.

The Chief Justice (CJ) Ritu Raj Awasthi has asked the Advocate General (AG) Prabhuling Navadgi, who is representing the government, to complete his submissions at the earliest.

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Uttar Pradesh voted for 59 assembly seats in its 9 districts today. All the districts, except Banda and Pilibhit, where voting took place fall in UP's Awadh region. The Bharatiya Janata Party - in a stunning performance - had won 51 out of 59 seats here last time. The SP had won 4 seats, while the BSP and Congress have won 2 seats each here.

In today's DNA, Zee News Editor-In-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary analyses the voting pattern and election arithmetic that might have impacted voter's mood in the Awadh region. UP's seven districts - Lucknow, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Barely and Fatehpur - fall in the Awadh region.

As per the analysis made by Zee News' team of on-ground journalists, it appears that the BJP might repeat its stellar 2017 performance once again in this region.

The trends show that the SP posed a tough challenge in front of BJP in the first two phases, however, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party is struggling to make gains in rest of the phases.

In the previous phases, the Samajwadi Party extended its typical Muslim + Yadav vote banks formula to combine J + S/M+K+G or Jat+Saini+Maurya+Kurmi+Gurjar vote banks in its favour.

However, the BJP, too changed its strategy this time.

The ruling party triumphed SP's formula with its new T + B + B + L + K + S (Thakur+Brahaman+Baniya+Lodhi+Kurmi+Shakya) experiment. The BJP fielded 17 OBCs, 16 Dalits, 9 Brahmins, 9 Thakurs, 6 Baniyas and 1 Sikh and Kayastha candidates.

The BJP looks in a comfortable position in this region.

Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary for the most detailed analysis of the 5th phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi: Amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions, 242 Indian students returned safely to India at New Delhi`s Indira Gandhi International airport late Tuesday evening and reunited with their parents after India started evacuation operations of Indian citizens living in Ukraine and its adjoining areas.

India has deployed Dreamliner B-787 aircraft for carrying out this special operation under which flights were made operational from Kharkiv in Ukraine to New Delhi.

Nirav Patil, a first-year MBBS student studying in Ukraine, said, "The situation is normal around the area where I live. While the university has started studies online so there is not much to worry about as before."

#WATCH | "The situation is normal there but we decided that she would come back to be on the safe side amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine," a resident of Haryana, whose daughter was returning from Ukraine said pic.twitter.com/7kPcn7vOtA  ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

Another student Krishna said, "I live 900 km away from the Ukraine-Russia border. We are around five to six students, who are residents of Gujarat. Our parents were getting quite worried. This is why we had to return to India."

Several government officials were also sent by the Rajasthan government to the Delhi airport as well as students of Rajasthan who have returned from Ukraine, the state government is busy preparing to send them safely to their home bearing their travel expenses.

At present, eight students along with their parents have been asked to stay at the Rajasthan Bhawan. However, there are several Indian students who have not returned to India by an Air India flight.

Monika, a resident of Chhattisgarh and a fifth-year MBBS student, first took a flight from Kyiv to Doha and then returned to Delhi. According to her, air tickets were quite expensive due to which she came to India taking other flights.

She did not express her opinion on the tense situation in Ukraine as many of her Indian friends are still stuck in Ukraine.

She said, "In some places, studies have been made online but in several other places offline studies are still being followed as the norm. My parents were getting quite worried due to which I had to return to India, but the situation in Ukraine is still normal. Now only if our parents ask us to return to Ukraine only then will we return."

Air India on February 19 had announced that it would operate flights between India and Ukraine on February 22, 24 and 26.

Booking of air tickets is open through Air India booking offices, website, call centres and authorised travel agents. According to the Indian embassy in Ukraine, additional flights from Kyiv to Delhi will operate on February 25, 27 (two flights) and March 6.

At the same time, many students who have returned to India are worried about their studies while some said they had also recently seen a tank used in a war in the city where they lived.

Swati, who is a second-year MBBS student, on returning to Delhi, said, "The situation is normal in Ukraine and I was living a completely normal life there. The people residing there are not worried at all about the Russia-Ukraine tensions."

"The reason for many students like me returning to India is because of my parents. They were quite mentally disturbed and were worried about my well-being. Now since I have returned back home, our studies will suffer too. But the university where I was studying will start holding online classes. I have exams scheduled for next year."

Another student Tanvi, who is an MBBS student, arrived in Delhi and spoke about the tense situation in Ukraine, saying, "The situation is pretty worse in Ukraine, I am quite distressed. Children studying here are living in fear, every day different kind of news is coming to fore as one is not able to come to judge which ones to believe. At the same time, air tickets have also become quite expensive."

The parents of the students also arrived at the airport to pick up their children but are angry due to the expensive air tickets.

A parent Ratan Singh says, "The situation in Ukraine is absolutely normal, offline studies were being conducted on Tuesday. My son is not worried at all about the overall situation there but most people in India are fast-spreading rumours and fear."

"I have booked flight tickets worth Rs 60,000, but what will those parents do who can`t afford such a huge amount of money? The Government of India has sent several flights but how will we be able to book such an expensive air ticket. Till Monday, flight tickets costing Rs one lakh were being sold but after borrowing some extra money from my relatives, I booked the air ticket and called my child back to India, " he added.

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Srinagar: The Indian Army arrested two Lashkar terrorist associates in a joint operation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Shopian district of South Kashmir on Wednesday (February 23).

Defence PRO said in a statement, On the intervening night of 22-23 February 2022, based on specific intelligence of presence of warlike stores in Villages Awaneera and Shed Chak of Shopian District, Army & JKP apprehended two hardcore militant associates affiliated with LeT in a deliberately planned and swiftly executed joint operation.

The Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were identified as Amir Amin alias Umar and Aqib Mustaq Lone, both residents of Awaneera  Shed Chak area. As per the Army, based on detailed investigation and questioning by the police, one AK rifle and one magazine with 24 rounds of AK ammunition were recovered from a nearby orchard.

The recovery of the weapon and other war-like stores came as a follow up of a joint operation in Village Cherymarg on 19 February, in which a hardcore LeT militant Mohammad Qayoom Dar of Pulwama was killed, the statement added.

Earlier police said that two terror associates were also arrested in Baramullah district of north Kashmir. Till now, this year more than two dozen terrorist associates have been arrested.

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With higher-speed internet becoming more paramount in day-to-day life, Loup Power District is working on bringing quality broadband to the area.

Loup Power President/CEO Neal Suess discussed broadband in the Loup-Cornhusker area during Tuesdays board of directors meeting. Loup Power District  along with Nebraska Public Power District and Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte counties  has entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in regards to rural broadband issues in the area, as previously reported.

An MOU is a document that details the goals and gives guidelines for the development of a private/public partnership.

The MOU would allow public entities to work together to seek funding opportunities to bring high-speed broadband service to rural locations of the Loups service area. The MOU would also begin discussions with private entities that could be willing to become providers of broadband services in Loups service area rural sections.

Suess said hes talked with each county in Loups coverage area about the construction of a backbone network. It would be around 300 miles of network to set up, he added.

Its the sub-transmission system of the area, Suess said. It doesnt connect to any homes. It gets the backbone to our major substation and goes that way with it.

Loup Board Member Larry Zach asked Suess if the district would face any liability, such as if the broadband system went down and affected a business deal. The Loup President and CEO said the district would work to ensure it meets any safety or other requirements.

If we want to increase poll height, we would have to do that, Suess said.  I dont know if we would have liability from that standpoint. It would probably be no different than the liability we have from providing electricity in those cases.

According to Suess, former NPPD President and CEO Pat Pope  who is leading the rural broadband effort throughout Nebraska  has invited Cornhusker Public Power District to join in this pursuit but is awaiting CPPDs response.

(Cornhusker) is determining how they want to be at the table, Suess said, adding the district hasnt signed the MOU yet.

As previously reported by The Columbus Telegram, Nebraska law forbids public power districts from selling internet to users, however, they could permit telecommunications businesses to lease the use of fiber-optic infrastructure owned by such power districts. For several years, private telecommunications companies have said the great cost of rural broadband infrastructure investment is a barrier in providing high-speed internet in rural areas, where there are fewer customers which would hurt investment.

The funds could come from counties American Relief Plan Act, which was also discussed during last months board meeting. Each county has shown interest in potentially using the money to further rural broadband activities in their respective counties, Suess said.

Loup and Pope have continued to hold discussions with various entities in the districts service area to see what next step can be taken to help the broadband in rural areas. Another meeting with the various entities is tentatively planned for early March, said Suess.

Suess said the six entities have said they see the benefit in rural broadband coming to their area. This will help bridge the high-speed broadband gap in rural areas of the State of Nebraska, he added.

Meanwhile, South Central Public Power District and Glenwood Communications are also working on a similar goal, having come the farthest along in the endeavor, Suess said.

Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net.

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BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court will again resume hearing on the petitions challenging the ban on wearing hijab in state schools and colleges on Wednesday. The full bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna M Dixit is hearing a batch of petitions seeking permission to wear a Hijab inside the classroom.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Karnataka government told the High Court that there is no restriction on wearing Hijab in India with reasonable restrictions subject to institutional discipline and dismissed the charge that denial to wear the headscarf was a violation of Article 15 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination of every sort.

Countering the petitioner Muslim girls from Udupi district, who challenged the restriction on Hijab inside the educational institutions, Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi said the right to wear the headscarf falls under the category of 19(1)(A) and not Article 25 as has been argued by the petitioners.

"The right to wear Hijab falls under Article 19(1)(A) and not Article 25. If one wishes to wear Hijab, then there is no restriction 'subject to the institutional discipline'. The rights claimed under Article 19(1)(A) is related to Article 19(2) where the government places a reasonable restriction subjected to institutional restriction," Navadgi told the full bench of the Karnataka High Court.

Navadgi further said the institutional restriction in the present case is only inside the educational institutions and not anywhere else. Arguing further, he said the independent claim of 19(1)(A) cannot go together with Article 25.

"The consequence of the demand to declare Hijab as an essential religious practice is huge because there is an element of compulsion or else you will be expelled from the community," Navadgi told the court. Article 19(1)(A) is related to the freedom of expression of the Indian constitution.

Giving clear indications of an early verdict in the hijab row, the Karnataka High Court Special bench, constituted to look into the petitions submitted by students demanding their right to wear hijab in classrooms, on Tuesday directed counsels to complete their arguments by this week. The Chief Justice (CJ) Ritu Raj Awasthi has asked the Advocate General (AG) Prabhuling Navadgi, who is representing the government, to complete his submissions at the earliest.

CJ Awasthi informed all counsels that the bench wants to complete the hearing on the case this weekend and directed them to keep the arguments brief. "Make positive endeavours to complete within this week only," he said.

AG Navadgi said that it was entirely on the petitioner to prove that the practice of hijab is obligatory in nature and compulsorily followed in Islam. They have placed 144 Suras of the Quran, this court has asked them in this regard. There is no record on the table to show that the custom is obligatory and it is an element of compulsion which compels a member to even be expelled from the community.

Wearing of dress is a freedom of speech, as argued by the petitioners as their fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a). However, Article 19 (1) (a) is subject to public order, decency under Article 19 (2). In the present case, the uniform rule is subject to institutional restriction and it is subjected to institutional discipline not only in schools but also in hospitals, military establishments and others, AG submitted to the court.

Meanwhile, Karnataka police have detained three persons in connection with the attack on one of the petitioners in the Hijab case in the Karnataka High Court. Hazra Shifa had alleged that a mob attacked her brother and "our property was ruined", following which three people have been detained.

"Three persons have been taken into custody in connection with the assault and targeting of the restaurant", police sources said.

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Bengaluru (Karnataka): With Covid-19 cases declining in Karnataka, state Health Minister Sudhakar K on Wednesday (February 23) informed that all government and private hospitals in the state have been instructed to discontinue precautionary Covid-19 testing of asymptomatic patients prior to hospitalisation, surgeries, scanning and other medical procedures.

"This shall also include those patients who were earlier Covid-19 positive and have since recovered and transferred to the earlier non-Covid ward for continued treatment," said the letter that the Minister shared in his tweet. However, the letter further informed that the symptomatic patients would continue to be tested, isolated, and treated as per current guidelines.

All government and private hospitals in the State have been instructed to discontinue precautionary Covid 19 testing of asymptomatic patients prior to hospitalisation, surgeries, scanning and other medical procedures.#COVID19 #COVID #testing pic.twitter.com/D3mHORp6gx  Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) February 23, 2022

Earlier today, Dr Sudhakar K said, "Karnataka has crossed 10 crore Covid vaccinations doses today." Dr Sudhakar said that to achieve this milestone, the state took 1 year and 39 days. He also mentioned that the state had completed 100 per cent of inoculation of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 93 per cent of the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The state health minister also congratulated all the health workers and the district administration on this milestone.

Meanwhile, India recorded 15,102 new Covid-19 cases, 278 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the data released by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday (February 23, 2022). Karnataka logged 667 new Covid cases against 1,674 discharges, as well as 21 deaths on Wednesday, as against 767 cases, 1,682 discharges and 29 deaths the previous day. The number of total active Covid cases in the state stood at 9,378. The positivity rate stood at 0.91 per cent and case fatality rate was 3.14 per cent. The number of new Covid cases in Bengaluru Urban came down to 368 against 849 discharges, while there were 15 new deaths. Active stood at 4,759.

The state's positivity rate stood at 0.91 per cent against 1.74 per cent the day before, and the recovery rate stood at 98.74 per cent. A total of 757 patients are being treated in hospitals across the state.



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Lucknow: As the voting for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, covering 59 constituencies spread in nine districts of the state, commenced on Wednesday (February 23), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati cast her vote at the Municipal Nursery School polling booth in Lucknow.

Speaking to media persons after polling, the BSP chief took a jibe at Samajwadi Party stating that Muslims are not happy with it and voting for SP means "gunda raj, mafia raj".

Mayawati said, "People will not vote for them. Muslims are not happy with SP. People of UP have rejected SP even before voting as voting for SP means Gunda raj, Mafia raj. Riots happened in the SP government. The face of SP leaders tells that they are not coming in power."

Muslims are not happy with Samajwadi Party. They will not vote for them. People of UP have rejected SP even before voting as voting for SP means Gunda raj, Mafia raj. Riots happened in SP govt. The face of SP leaders tell that they are not coming in power: BSP chief Mayawati pic.twitter.com/bXy1JY5zt8  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 23, 2022

The party`s national general secretary, Satish Chandra Mishra, claimed that the BSP supremo Mayawati will become the Chief Minister for the fifth time in the state.

He told ANI, "The BSP is headed for an absolute majority in the state. Taking into account the first three phases and today`s voting, you will find out that the popular support is for the BSP. The BSP will form a government with an absolute majority on the pattern of the 2007 verdict in the state polls."

Mishra also stated that the BSP is getting a one-sided vote in favour of the party, adding that it will become certain that the BSP will form the government with a full majority by the end of the fourth phase.

"Every section, including Brahmins, is voting for us," said Mishra, who cast his vote at the Montessori school polling booth in Lucknow today.

BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra casts his vote at Montessori school polling booth in Lucknow "BSP is getting a one-sided vote. By the end of this phase, it will be ensured that BSP is forming govt with a full majority.Every section including Brahmins are voting for us," he says pic.twitter.com/APqpwCdlrh  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 23, 2022

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP`s candidate from Lucknow Cantonment seat Brajesh Pathak offered prayers at Kali Bari Temple as the voting began at 7 am today. Pathak is facing Samajwadi candidate and two-time Corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi in the Lucknow Cantonment seat.

The UP minister Ashutosh Tandon is also in the fray from the Lucknow East seat against Deputy Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Nitin Agarwal, who is the Samajwadi Party nominee.

Polling is underway in 59 Assembly seats spread across the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. The state is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress as principal contenders.

Elections in Uttar Pradesh will conclude on March 7, while the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

(With Agency Inputs)

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New Delhi: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded to remove Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik from his post, his Cabinet colleague and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Wednesday (February 23) said there is no question of Maliks resignation.

Bhujbal further said that charges against Minority Affairs Minister Malik have not been proved yet. Malik, an outspoken critic of the BJP, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier today in a money laundering case. There is no question of taking his resignation as he (Malik) has not committed anything wrong, PTI quoted Bhujbal as saying.

The NCP minister alleged that Malik is being targeted as he openly speaks against the Centre for misuse of power. Nawab Malik was arrested in the wrong manner. He is being punished for attacking the Opposition. We will fight for justice. They (Centre) are putting pressure on our ministers in order to collapse our government, he told reporters.

Bhujbal said the ministers in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, consisting of Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress, will stage a protest over the action against Malik on Thursday morning.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also said that Malik's resignation should not be accepted. Taking to Twitter, Raut wrote in Marathi, "As they cannot fight face to face with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, they have attacked from behind like Afzal Khan. Let them rejoice in the arrest of one minister by deception. Nawab Malik`s resignation should not be taken. We will keep fighting and win. Kansa and Ravana were also killed. This is Hindutva. The battle has just begun. Jai Maharashtra."

Demanding Malik's resignation, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil threatened to hold demonstrations. "Nawab Malik has been arrested, he should resign now. We demand his resignation. If he doesn`t, we will protest. How are they running the government? There`s a long list of allegations against Maharashtra Ministers, will get tired reading it," Patil was quoted as saying by ANI.

On the other hand, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dialed up NCP chief Sharad Pawar and expressed support after the arrest of Nawab Malik by ED.

Meanwhile, the Special PMLA court in Mumbai today sent Malik to Enforcement Directorate custody till March 3 in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of the underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

(With agency inputs)

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Mumbai: The NCP on Wednesday lashed out at the BJP over Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's questioning by the ED in a money laundering case, saying this was another instance of "misuse of power" and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party had anticipated such action against Malik as he "speaks openly". The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.

The BJP, however, said the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action should not be called "vendetta politics" and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is a misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice. Malik's office in a Twitter post said the ED officials came to his residence here in the morning and accompanied him in his vehicle to the probe agency's office, and asserted that he "won't be afraid and won't bow down".

The ED questioned Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister and NCP's chief spokesperson Malik in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said. Reacting to the ED's move, Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up). There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done."

Pawar recalled that he too was "targeted similarly" in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him. "Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power. People who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," he said.

NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged that the action against Malik was nothing but "pressure tactics" to silence his voice. "He was exposing the wrongdoings of some people as a Chief Spokesperson of a political party. Voices of truth cannot be silenced," Crasto tweeted.

NCP workers protested near the party's headquarters, located close to the ED's office in south Mumbai. The workers shouted slogans slamming the BJP-led central government and the ED.

NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and it never will. She said it was unfortunate that the Centre was using its machinery against the BJP's political rivals in a "suppressive" manner. Sule, who is the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, claimed the ED's notice is issued only to opposition leaders.

"Once you quit your own party and join them, then the notice disappears or goes into a shredder. We should know which shredder is this," she said sarcastically without taking any name.

Maharashtra NCP president and state minister Jayant Patil said this was another instance of "misuse of power". "The ED reached his (Malik's) residence at 6 am without issuing any notice. The ED had brought with it its own police. Some people may be deliberately trying to trouble him,? he claimed. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the ED officials took away Malik from his home for questioning.

"This is a challenge to the Maharashtra government. The central investigation agencies, like a mafia, are targeting BJP's political opponents who expose falsehood. But, truth will prevail and the fight will continue," the Shiv Sena's spokesperson said. "This (targeting of individuals by digging old cases) will continue till 2024 and after that they will have to face the consequences," Raut said in a veiled attack on the BJP and central agencies.

Raut also said he spoke to all senior leaders of the MVA and claimed he will soon "expose" the central probe agencies. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole termed Malik's questioning by the ED as an act of "revenge" and said the need of the hour was to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents. He said Congress stands firmly with Malik, who has been raising his voice against the BJP's "anti-people" policies and its "arrogance of power".

However, state BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said if leaders of the NCP and other MVA constituents think that the ED's action against Nawab Malik is misuse of power, they can approach court to seek justice. "We (BJP) have been subjected to injustice for the last 27 months (by the state government), but when our 12 MLAs were suspended, we went to court and got justice. Similarly, if they think that victimisation is happening, they should approach the court," he said.

Senior BJP leader and former state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, "Malik is not a state-level leader of the NCP. If he has done something suspicious, then it should be probed. There should not be a rush to stamp it as vendetta politics."

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Delhi: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is likely to meet on Friday (February 25, 2022) for a discussion to lift the remaining Covid-19 restrictions in the national capital, including night curfew, half seating capacity in bars and restaurants, and closure of non-essential shops by 8 pm.

Several curbs like weekend curfew, half seating capacity in metro trains and buses, closure of multiplexes and cinemas, among others, were lifted by the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in the recent past. However, restrictions like only one weekly market permitted in a municipal zone, no standing passengers in buses and Delhi Metro trains, a 50 per cent cap on seating capacity in restaurants, bars and cinemas, and no activity except weddings in banquet halls, are yet to be relaxed.

"The fresh cases of Covid as well as positivity rate have gone down much compared to the peak of the pandemic in January. The DDMA (Delhi Disaster Management Authority) is likely to meet coming Friday to discuss lifting remaining restrictions," the PTI news agency quoted an official source as saying on Tuesday (February 22, 2022).

It is noteworthy that the DDMA in its meeting on February 4 had extended the imposition of night curfew from 11 PM instead of 10 PM to 5 AM.

498 new Covid-19 cases in Delhi, positivity rate below 1%

Delhi on Tuesday reported 498 Covid-19 infections with a positivity rate of 0.96 per cent.

The national capital also reported one fatality related to Covid-19 and its case tally has now risen to 18,57,015, and the death toll is at 26,106.

Delhi on Monday had recorded 360 cases with the positivity rate falling below one per cent for the first time since December 28. On Sunday, the city had logged 570 cases with a positivity rate of 1.04 per cent and four fatalities. The day before, it saw 635 infections and two deaths, while the positivity rate was at 1.13 per cent.

The number of daily cases in Delhi has been on a decline after touching the record high of 28,867 on January 13. The city had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the ongoing wave of infections.

(With inputs from PTI)

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday he would like to have a televised debate with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to resolve differences between the two neighbours.

The nuclear-powered rivals have shared antagonistic relations since gaining independence 75 years ago, fighting three wars, with ties strained recently over the northern Muslim-majority region of Kashmir, which both claim in full.

"I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV," Khan told Russia Today in an interview, adding that it would be beneficial for the billion people in the subcontinent if differences could be resolved through debate.

"India became a hostile country so trade with them became minimal," Khan said, stressing his government`s policy was to have trade relations with all countries.

"India has now adopted a racist ideology inspired by Nazis," Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI's Interview with @OksanaBoyko_RT (@RT_com) pic.twitter.com/IwoWX3XZac  Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) February 22, 2022

Khan`s interview came on the eve of a visit to Moscow, where he will meet President Vladimir Putin - the first visit by a Pakistani leader to Russia in two decades.

The two-day visit for talks on economic cooperation was planned before the current crisis over Ukraine.

"This doesnt concern us, we have a bilateral relation with Russia and we really want to strength it," Khan said of the Ukraine crisis.

Khan`s remarks follow similar comments recently by Pakistan`s top commercial official, Razzak Dawood, who, according to media, told journalists he supported trade ties with India, which would benefit both sides.
Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday (February 23) proposed to conduct the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) exam in July 2022. The state government had recently cancelled the examination due to controversies related to the paper leak case.

He said that an anti-cheating cell will be set up in the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan police.

He said that no application fee will be charged from the old candidates for this examination to be held afresh and all the facilities given to the candidates at the time of REET examination will also be made available again. Along with this, the number of posts in the upcoming REET examination has been increased from 32,000 to 62,000 in view of more employment opportunities for the youth. During the present government's tenure so far more than 1 lakh youth have been appointed and recruitment is under process for about 1.25 lakh posts.

Also read: Rajasthan Budget 2022 - All state govt employees appointed on or after 1 January 2004 entitled older version of pension scheme

For women, Gehlot announced two ambitious schemes. Under the CM Digital Service Scheme announced by the chief minister 1.33 crore women will get internet-enabled smartphones for 3 years. The state government will spend Rs 2,500 crore every year for the scheme.

For such women, who can contribute to the livelihood of their family while working from home, the Chief Minister announced the CM Work From Home-Job Work Scheme. Under this, 20,000 women are proposed to get benefits at the cost of Rs 100 crore.

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Adressing media on student activist Anish Khan death case, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that police has arrested two cops from the Howrah's Amta police station. The two personnel were arrested as they could have influenced the investigation in the case, she told a press conference at the state secretariat.

"We don't know the actual incident but we will find out the truth very soon. No laxity will be tolerated. The government is tough," Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency PTI amid widespread protests across the state, demanding justice over the "mysterious" death.

Home guard Kashinath Bera and Civic Volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya of the Amta police station were arrested after interrogation, Director-General of Police Manoj Malviya told reporters at another press conference.

Four people in uniforms of police and civic volunteers had allegedly pushed off Khan from the third floor of his house in Amta in the dead of the night on February 18, according to his family.

During the incident, the men in uniform had allegedly held his father Salem Khan at gunpoint after barging into the house, citing an ongoing investigation against him, the family said.

The police had earlier claimed that no personnel went to Khan's house that night.

The West Bengal government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death, but Khan's family is adamant about their demand for investigation by the CBI.

The DGP said Khan's family was obstructing the SIT investigation "at the behest of some political parties in the area".
New Delhi: As the voting for 59 Assembly constituencies spread over nine districts in Uttar Pradesh started on Wednesday (February 23, 2022) morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to make their contribution in strengthening the democracy.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "Today is the fourth round of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to make their contribution in strengthening the democracy by using their valuable votes."

 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 23, 2022

The polling for the fourth phase of the Assembly polls in the state started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.

As many as 624 candidates are in the fray in this phase of the seven-phase elections.

The districts where the poling is being held are Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur.

According to the Election Commission, around 2.3 crore people, including 1.14 crore men and 99.3 lakh women, are eligible to vote, for which 24,643 polling booths and 13,817 poling centres have been set up in this phase.

Earlier in the 2017 Assembly elections, of the 59 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won 51 and four had gone to Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, while three to Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP's ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) had bagged one seat.

Among the prominent candidates in this phase are Uttar Pradesh Law Minister Brijesh Pathak, SP's national spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria, former SP minister Abhishek Mishra, former Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Nitin Agarwal and Aditi Singh.

(With agency inputs)
Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed North Platte banker Mike Jacobson to fill the open seat of former state Sen. Mike Groene, who resigned this week following allegations that he took inappropriate photos of a former female staff member.

Jacobson, founder and president of NebraskaLand National Bank, was sworn in as the District 42 senator on Wednesday morning after the governor's announcement at the state Capitol.

Jacobson's will complete Groene's term, which ends in early January 2023. He said he will run for election to the seat.

Jacobson replaces Groene, who officially resigned from the Legislature on Monday after it surfaced that he took photos of a former female staff member without her knowledge.

It was reported last week that the staffer who was photographed, Kristina Konecko, discovered photos of herself on Groenes laptop in the course of her work. The photos were described as objectifying and demeaning.

Groene admitted taking the photos, but said he didn't send them to other people. He also said he never made sexual advances toward the staffer or said anything to her that could be termed harassment.

The Legislature and the Attorney General's Office have launched investigations.

Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, chairman of the Legislature's Executive Board, said Tuesday he had asked Sens. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, John Arch of LaVista and Tom Briese of Albion to conduct an official legislative probe with the help of an outside investigator.

At the request of the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, the Nebraska State Patrol has also opened an investigation into Groene's conduct.

Three North Platte residents had filed for the District 42 seat: Lincoln County Commissioner Chris Bruns, Brenda Fourtner and retired Great Plains Health CEO Mel McNea.

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New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday (February 22, 2022) predicted a wet spell over northwest India during the next few days and over east and northeast India during February 24-26.

In a weather bulletin, the met department informed that the prediction is based upon the influence of the Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation over northwest Afghanistan in middle troposphere levels and induced cyclonic circulation over south Pakistan and adjoining west Rajasthan at lower troposphere levels and another approaching Western Disturbance from February 25.

The IMD said that fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall/snowfall is very likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand during next two days and scattered rainfall/snowfall for the subsequent three days.

Fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall/snowfall very likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during next 2 days and scattered rainfall/snowfall for subsequent 03 days. pic.twitter.com/GJaPzOWdnY  India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) February 22, 2022

Isolated light rainfall is very likely over north Punjab, north Haryana, and Chandigarh during the next five days and over Uttar Pradesh from February 24 to 26.

Isolated thunderstorms and lightning activity are likely over north Punjab, north Haryana & Chandigarh during the next two days.

Isolated to scattered light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Sikkim, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura during February 24-26 with thunderstorm and lightning activity over the region on February 25, the IMD said.

(With agency inputs)

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CTET Result 2022: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is likely to declare the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) December 2021 results soon. According to the CTET December 2021 schedule available on the official website (https://ctet.nic.in), the results were supposed to be announced on February 15. However, the scorecards have not been published on the website yet.

According to several media reports, the results are likely to be released this week.

ALSO READ | CID, Mr Bean, Skelton MEMES rock Twitter as CTET results delayed

The Test was held in a Computer Based Test or CBT mode between December 16, 2021, and January 21, 2022, and was conducted in 20 languages across various cities in India.

Once announced, CTET December 2021 candidates can follow the four steps mentioned below to check their CTET results:

CTET results 2022: How to check scorecard?

Once CTET December 2021 results are announced, candidates need to visit the official website of CTET at https://ctet.nic.in.

On the homepage, candidates need to click on the "CTET December 2021 Result" link option.

Candidates will be redirected to a new page where they need to enter their roll numbers.

Candidates' CTET December 2021 Results will be displayed on their screens.

Candidates are advised to check the official website of CTET at https://ctet.nic.in regularly for the latest updates on results.

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New Delhi: Indian Army has invited applications from eligible individuals for the recruitment of Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) Safaiwala posts. The army is looking to fill up 7 posts through this recruitment drive.

Interested and eligible candidates can apply for Indian Army recruitment by visiting the official website of the Indian Army, joinindianarmy.nic.in. The last date to apply is March 11, 2022.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Important dates

The online application process begins: February 19, 2022

The Last date to apply online application: March 11, 2022

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Vacancy Details

Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) Safaiwala posts: 07

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Age Limit

Candidate must be between 18-25 years of age.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Eligibility Criteria

The candidate should have passed Matriculation or Class 10th or should hold an equivalent certificate. Conversant with duties of Housekeeping with six-month Experience Certificate from Civil/Govt. Office. Candidates should be able to perform multiple tasks as MTS other than trade specific.

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: Selection Process

Candidates can check the selection process here: Official Notification

Indian Army Recruitment 2022: How to Apply

According to the official notification, applications completed in all respects as per the proforma given and accompanied by required documents (self-attested photocopy only) as stated above should reach to The Commandant, Integrated HQ MoD(Army) Camp, Rao Tula Ram Marg, New Delhi- 110010 on or before 21 days of the date of publication of this advertisement duly quoting on the top of the envelope, Application for the post of MTS (Safaiwala) by post only and not by courier or any other means.

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Lucknow: Amid the ongoing election for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, former Chief Minister Mayawati and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have mutually praised each other, raising speculations over a possible post-poll tie-up.

Asked about Amit Shah's praise of her campaign during an interview, Mayawati said, Yah unka badappan hai ki unhone sacchai ko sweekar kiya." However, she further added, But I also want to tell him that in the three phases that have taken place in UP, the BSP has not only received Dalit and Muslim votes but we are also getting upper caste and backward caste votes."

Asked about the BJP's claim of winning over 300 seats, she said, "Only time will tell. Who knows, the BSP may become the winner, instead of the BJP and Samajwadi Party."

Also read: UP Phase 4 Polls LIVE Updates

Attacking the Samajwadi Party, she said, "The voters of UP have already rejected the Samajwadi Party as they know that whenever that party has come to power, there has been goonda raj." Earlier Amit Shah had said in an interview that Mayawati's relevance was not lost. Shah further said that Mayawati's low key campaign did not mean that she has lost her core support base.

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New Delhi: Indian stock exchanges - the NSE and the BSE - will introduce T+1 settlement for funds and securities investors starting Friday, February 25. Previously, the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had cut short the settlement cycle from T+3 days to T+2 days in 2003.

The new settlement cycle will be implemented in a phased manner. In the initial phase of the implementation, trading in the bottom 100 stocks in terms of market value can be settled in T+1 days.

In the next phase, 500 more stocks will be added to the list of stocks allowed for T+1 settlement. The stocks will be selected based on the market value criteria from the last Friday of March 2022 and every following month.

What is the T+1 settlement cycle?

In the T+1 settlement cycle, all your market trade-related settlements will be cleared within one day of the actual transactions taking place. So, for example, if you sold stocks from your Demat account on Wednesday, you will be eligible to withdraw the amount to your bank account within 24 hours.

Currently, the stock exchanges follow the T+2 day cycle, in which the market trade-related settlements are cleared within 48 hours of the actual transaction taking place.

How will T+1 settlements work?

Anupam Agal, Head Operations & Legal, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said that settlement marks the official transfer of securities to the buyer's account and cash to the seller's account. Also Read: Banks receive Rs 18,000 crore from Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi; check how much is left

Indian stock exchanges follow T+2 days settlement i.e. settlement of funds & securities happens on two business days after the day the order executes, or T+2 (trade date plus two days). For example, a trade executed on Monday would typically settle on Wednesday," he was quoted as saying in a report by ZeeBusiness. Also Read: Stocks to buy in 2022: ICICI Bank, ITC, KNR Constructions among Centrum Brokings 'top picks'

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New Delhi: In 2021, several multibagger stocks provided impressive returns to investors. But going two months into 2022, the stock market has witnessed a downwards movement due to which many have suffered massive losses.

So, if youre interested in making investments in penny stocks, which are high-risk investments, but offer rewarding returns, you can put your money in Vikas Lifecare shares, according to share market experts.

Vikas Lifecare shares have more than doubled since listing on May 7, 2021, providing more than 100% return to early investors. However, the shares price has dropped from its 52 week high of Rs 7.95 to Rs 5.25 amid the weak market sentiment in the secondary markets.

A few market experts, however, remain bullish on the penny stock, expecting it to come out as a multibagger stock in 2022, according to a report by Mint. The chart pattern on the stock reportedly looks strong.

Experts are now predicting that the stock is likely to witness a massive jump as soon as the secondary market witnesses a reverse in the trend. The change in trend may have begun on February 23, as the stock has jumped 5% from its previous close of Rs 5 to Rs 5.25.

However, experts predict that by the end of 2022, the penny stocks price could jump up to Rs 12 from the current price of around Rs 5  a return of about 140%.

In the last six months, the multibagger stock has nearly provided a return of about 50% to investors. However, in the last one month or so, the price of the stock has plummeted about 35% due to weak market sentiments. Also Read: Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Heres what could get costlier in India amid international conflict

At the current price levels, the market capitalization of Vikas Lifecare is about Rs 610.94 Crore, and the profit to equity ratio stands at about 288.94. Also Read: Indiamart to acquires 26% stake in industrial marketplace IB Monotaro for Rs 104.2 crore

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NEW DELHI: Madhuri Jain Grover is grabbing all the limelight after she got terminated from her role at BharatPe over an alleged financial irregularities, and her ESOPs were cancelled.

Well, this is not it, so in order to share the truth about the founders of the company, Madhuri released few videos on her social media account, alleging that they drink and smoke in office premises

Who is Madhuri Jain Grover?

Born in Panipat, Haryana, Madhuri Jain Grover is the wife of the fintech firm BharatPe's co-founder and managing director Ashneer Grover. He is currently judging at the Shark Tank India (Reality show inspired by an American television reality-show).

Whats the whole controversy?

BharatPe has sacked Madhuri over an alleged financial irregularities and cancelled ESOPs vested with her. According to PTI, Madhuri is alleged to have used company funds for personal beauty treatments, buying electronic items and family trips to the US and Dubai, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Besides, she also allegedly paid her personal staff out of company accounts and produced fake invoices from known/friendly parties, they added. She was financial in-charge of the company since October 2018.

Now, Madhuri Grover posted a series of tweets hitting out at the company's top officials and sharing videos of what she called "drunken orgies" in office. The videos have gone viral on social media.
New Delhi: Before visiting your bank branch in the month of March 2022, you must take a note of the important days during which several bank branches will remain closed in the country.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mentioned some days when the banking operations will remain closed in the month of March 2022, although online banking activities will continue to work. (Also read: IT biggies TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant to ask employees to work from office again)

Banks will remain closed for total 13 days in the month of March 7 as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar list and the remaining days are that of weekends.

However, you must note that the banks will NOT be closed for 13 days in all states or regions. This is the total number of days when banks in different parts of the country will remain closed for state-observed holidays. For example bank branches might be closed for Bihar Divas in Bihar but NOT closed for the same festival in Assam.

Here is an elaborate list of bank holidays falling in the month of March 2022. Check out the list.

Holiday Description Day

Mahashivratri (Maha Vad-14): March 1

Losar: March 3

Chapchar Kut: March 4

Holika Dahan: March 17

Holi/Holi 2nd Day  Dhuleti/Doljatra: March 18

Holi/Yaosang 2nd Day: March 19

Bihar Divas: March 22

Other than the above RBI mentioned holidays, banks will be closed on the following weekends

Sunday: March 6

Second Saturday: March 12

Sunday: March 13

Sunday: March 20

Fourth Saturday: March 26

Sunday: March 27

Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts. However, it must be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states.

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New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) In a possible identity theft at a mass level, several Indians have been left high and dry on discovering unaccounted outstanding loans from IndiaBulls-owned fintech platform Dhani on their credit history records.

In the past couple of days, several victims -- from celebrities like Sunny Leone to journalist -- took to Twitter to raise red flags over such unaccounted loans in their names, via the misuse of their PAN details by scamsters.

On the Dhani app, a user needs PAN and address proof details to secure a loan.

In several cases, PAN card holders found, while checking their CIBIL history, that loans were disbursed by Dhani to unknown individuals on their PAN details without their consent and knowledge.

"Shocking revelation in my credit report. A loan disbursed by IVL Finance with my PAN number and name, addresses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. I have no clue. How can a disbursal happen on my name and PAN," Kalra recently posted on Twitter.

Bollywood actor Leone also claimed to be the target of identity theft on the fintech platform Dhani.

"This just happened to me. INSANE. Some idiot used my Pan to take a 2000 RS loan and F****d my CIBIL score (SIC)," she said, referring to her credit score.

Several users have tagged the Dhani app, the RBI, the Finance Ministry and other authorities explaining they have been a victim of a large identity theft.

Several users posted on Twitter that they never applied for any loan from Dhani app and yet, they were receiving calls from the company representatives to pay back the amount.

Dhani has said it is investigating the matter and is "weighing all complaints to see if it was a case of identity theft and rectifying records in the credit bureaus".

According to reports, the company was also working with global security platform G-defence to re-verify each device against a specific customer and PAN through various data fields.

Formerly known as Indiabulls Consumer Finance Limited, Dhani Loans and Services disburses personal loans and loans to small and medium businesses sans any deposits.

A person can avail of loans from Dhani by giving only PAN card details and address proof as documents. The Dhani app has over 5 crore downloads on the Google Play Store.

Independent cyber security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia told IANS that last year, millions of PAN card data were stolen by hackers and at least 1.5 lakh PAN cards were put on Dark Web for sale by one such hacker.

"Cyber-criminals and people who have access to this leaked PAN data may be misusing it to secure loans via Dhani app and the victims have no idea. The whole episode should be properly investigated by the concerned authorities," Rajaharia told IANS.

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New Delhi: Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India, on Tuesday (February 22), clarified that subscribers of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) are not eligible for receiving a discount on the initial public offer (IPO) share of the state-owned insurance giant.

LIC noted that PMJJBY is a group insurance product and therefore its subscribers are not eligible for receiving IPO shares at a discounted price. Previously, LIC Chairman M R Kumar had noted that PMJJBY subscribers are eligible for the benefits available for policyholders.

"PMJJBY is part of that and reservation will be there (for the policyholders)," Kumar had said, according to a PTI report. However, LIC has now clarified in the statement that his statement was "inadvertently mentioned".

PMJJBY was launched in 2015. The scheme offers a renewable one-year life cover of Rs 2 lakh to all savings bank account holders in the age group of 18-50 years, covering death due to any reason, for a premium of Rs 330 per annum per subscriber. Currently, the PMJJBY is offered or administered through LIC.

As per the Draft Red Herring Prospectus document filed last week with SEBI, LIC noted that the maximum bid amount under the Policyholder Reservation Portion by an eligible policyholder would not exceed Rs 2,00,000 (net of policyholder discount). Also Read: NSE, BSE to introduce T+1 stock settlement from Feb 25: All you need to know

The document had also noted that policyholders having one or more policies of LIC as on the date of DRHP and bid/offer opening date and who are residents of India would be eligible to apply in this offer, under the Policyholder Reservation Portion. Also Read: RBI asks NBFCs to implement core financial services solution by Sep 2025

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Abigail Minor, a junior at Auburn University studying public relations, had the same questions many students wishing to live and work abroad have: How do you pick up and move your life to a different country? How does the language barrier affect your experience? How do I combat homesickness? It wasnt until she was accepted to the Auburn International Mentoring Program, or AIM, and paired with international alumna Kirsten McConnell Grenside 87 that her questions received answers and her dream of living and working abroad became a reality. This summer, Minor will embark on an eight-week public relations internship in Malta with the Finesse Group.

During fall 2021, Grenside asked Minor to share her career goals and desired jobs in the public relations field. Because of her media background, Grenside was able to explain to Minor that her field of interest was actually much broader than she initially thought. Through their discussions, Grenside assisted Minor in breaking down those broad areas and ideas, and it eventually became clear which direction to take. Grenside reached out to a trusted friend who runs her own public relations business, Finesse Group, in the hopes that she would also help guide Minor. What started off as an exploratory Zoom call ended up in Minor being offered an internship in Malta.

This summer, while living with Grenside in Malta, Minor will work on public relations, planning campaigns and events, as well as creating digital content for blogs, websites and social media, an area in which she is excited to grow her skills. Additionally, Minor will be introduced to the Finesse Groups consultancy and training, customer curation and online learning services, while also working on international product development as the company transitions from being Europe-centric to a global business.

There is a plethora of learning opportunities for me and I cannot wait to develop my professional skills and enhance my understanding of international public relations, said Minor. I have the AIM Program to thank for my internship and for all the connections I have already made. It has helped me jumpstart my career and achieve all my dreams.

The Auburn International Mentoring Program pairs select, motivated students with successful alumni living and working abroad for a unique mentorship experience that is mutually beneficial. Students get advice and clear direction on living and working abroad; alumni get to share their experiences and expertise; and together they establish a long-term relationship that lasts beyond the duration of the program. This is certainly true for Minor and Grenside.

Grenside, once director of international business development for National Geographic Channel in London and previously vice president for Chello Broadband in Amsterdam, has lived in Europe since 1994 and had a successful career in cable television and media for more than 25 years. When she read about the AIM Program offered by the Office of International Programs, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to share her experiences with students in the hopes that they may get to fulfill their dreams of living and working abroad. Grenside, who out of sheer determination made her international career a reality, was overjoyed that Auburn now offered a program specifically tailored to students international career interests.

It is so important for everybody to understand cultures, customs and history beyond their own boundaries, said Grenside. The AIM Program is an immediate introduction into the international world for the student and broadens their horizons beyond the state and even the country.

It can be intimidating and difficult to navigate the path to a career abroad. That is why the AIM Program exists. AIM provides students with guidance from alumni who have already walked the path, and along the way both the student and their mentor receive a long-term personal and professional contact. As Minor put it, the AIM Program is not a box you put a check in, but a gateway to a world of opportunities.

To learn more about the Auburn International Mentoring Program, visit the Office of International Programs website. Applications for 2022-23 will be available in August.
HARRISBURG  Pennsylvanias highest court broke a partisan deadlock Wednesday over a new map of congressional districts by selecting boundaries that broadly adhere to the outlines of current districts, even as the state loses one seat because of sluggish population growth.

The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision picked a 17-district map that had been proposed by a group of Democratic-aligned voters who sued last year in an effort to get the court involved.

It is unlikely to create a big shift in the makeup of the congressional delegation, as the state loses a seat, going from 18 to 17, to account for relatively stagnant population growth in census findings over the past decade, particularly in rural white areas predominantly represented by Republicans.

Carlisle will remain in the 10th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Scott Perry. It also includes Cumberland Countys West Shore, Harrisburg and the city of York.

The map had some wins for Republicans and some wins for Democrats on a map whose stated aim was to stick as closely as possible to districts drawn by the high court in 2018 to replace a six-year-old map it found to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered by Republicans.

The new map provides eight Republican-leaning districts, six Democratic-leaning districts and three closely divided districts, according to an analysis by FiveThirtyEight, a website that focuses on opinion poll analysis, politics and sports.

Nine of the districts were won by Democrat Joe Biden in 2020s presidential election, according to an analysis by Redistricting & You, while Republican Donald Trump won eight. It also pits two Republican incumbents against each other.

Pennsylvanias delegation is split evenly, nine Republicans and nine Democrats, in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 4 million to 3.4 million.

The court has selected boundaries twice before in the past three decades, and its decision is expected to be the final word, although a federal court challenge by Republicans is pending.

Democrats applauded the map.

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and whose affiliate organization, the National Redistricting Action Fund, backed the court-selected map, called it a substantial win for Pennsylvanians who now get to vote for the candidate of their choosing in fair, lawful districts for the next decade.

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said he was pleased with the decision.

It is a fair map that will result in a congressional delegation mirroring the citizenry of Pennsylvania, Wolf wrote.

Republican response was critical.

Pennsylvanias national Republican committee member, Andrew Reilly, said it was unfortunate that the court majority chose a map that combines two safe Republican districts into one, makes a suburban Pittsburgh seat friendlier for Democrats and was represented in part by the firm of a partisan Democratic Party-aligned lawyer.

Despite that partisan choice, Pennsylvania Republicans will be ready to favorably compete in these districts to assist the National Republican Campaign Committee in taking back the U.S. House in November, Reilly said in a statement.

The court ended up with the decision after Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature deadlocked on a new plan.

Four of five Democrats on the court formed the majority in Wednesdays decision, while one Democrat, Justice Debra Todd, sided with the courts two Republicans in opposing it.

In picking the map, the justices also rejected a lower court judges recommendation of a map backed by Republican lawmakers that Democrats had opposed.

The new map lumps two Republican incumbents  Glenn Thompson and Fred Keller  into a northern district, and draws two Pittsburgh-area districts where there are no sitting incumbents running for another term.

Neither Thompson nor Keller immediately said whether they would run again.

Of the maps Republican-leaning districts, one is held by a Democrat, Matt Cartwright in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The swing districts are held by Allentown-area Democrat Susan Wild, Republican Brian Fitzpatrick of suburban Philadelphias Bucks County and suburban Pittsburgh Democrat Conor Lamb, who is not running for reelection.

The map sides with Republicans on two big issues.

It keeps the city of Pittsburgh in one district, helping maintain a competitive district for Republicans in its suburbs, and it keeps all of Bucks County in one district, helping protect Fitzpatrick.

However, the map also sides with Democrats on certain aspects.

It ensures each Democratic incumbent has their own district and it keeps the metropolitan Harrisburg area in one district with York, instead of splitting it into several districts, as Republicans had sought.

Still, the map will put more pressure on Wild to get reelected, drawing her new district to include conservative Carbon County.

The court also adjusted the petition gathering schedule  starting this Friday going until March 15  but left the May 17 primary date intact for congressional races and statewide contests.

However, the court on Wednesday suspended the primary election calendar for state legislative candidates, because new state House and Senate district maps are being challenged in court.

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Manipur will become an important centre for East Asia connectivity after the highway connecting Myanmar-Thailand is completed, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 22. "Rail connectivity will improve tourism in the region. It will provide the youth with employment opportunities. National highway connectivity has also witnessed unprecedented work in the last few years," he said.

We've brought Manipur on the rail map, which will boost tourism in the region. We've raised no. of NH projects from 1 to 40. Manipur will become an important centre for East Asia connectivity after the highway connecting Myanmar-Thailand is completed. - PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/9XGkaGK6i4  BJP (@BJP4India) February 22, 2022

"Under the last govt, only 1 NH project was worked upon. Manipur will become an important centre for East Asia connectivity after the highway connecting Myanmar-Thailand is completed," said PM Modi at a rally in Manipurs Heingang.

Slamming Congress over lack of development and poor connectivity in the region he said the BJP government had brought Manipur on the rail map of the country. "A few days ago when the first goods train arrived at Rani Gaidinliu station, I was very happy with all of you. The day is not far when the train will come till Imphal, you will be connected to the whole country through rail," he said.

Also read: Rail passengers will enjoy musical journeys on Shatabdi and Vande Bharat trains

"For us, this entire region including Manipur is the gateway to Indias trade and business with East Asia. That is why the BJP government has brought Manipur on the rail map of the country. It has been five-six years since Jiribam has been associated with the Railways," added PM Modi.

He further said that the BJP government is promoting bamboo farmers, bamboo industry, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, and the government has also changed the law related to bamboo. "The Mission Oil Palm started by our government will also benefit the farmers of Manipur. We have also promoted organic farming practices in the state," he said.

"The policy of the BJP government is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas. That's why we connect every person, every class, every area with development. Manipur BJP has also prepared a very good and far-reaching manifesto which will make the state flourish," he added.

Also read: Qatar Airways unveils unique-retro aircraft on its 25th anniversary, check pics HERE!

PM Modi also said that the government has decided to celebrate November 15 every year as Tribal Pride Day. "Our tribal society has played an important role in the freedom struggle. The BJP government has honoured this contribution. Our government has decided to celebrate November 15 every year as Tribal Pride Day. It is also the pride of every tribe of Manipur and their identity. Our government is also building a museum in Manipur in the name of Rani Gaidinliu," he said.

The Prime Minister said that before the Har Ghar Jal Mission was started, Manipur had just 25,000 households with piped water connections but today, this has gone up to nearly 3 lakh houses.

He also said under the PM Awas Yojana, more than 60 thousand houses are being built in Manipur and most of them are owned by women. Voting in Manipur is scheduled for February 28 and March 5, and the counting will take place on March 10.

With inputs from ANI

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Bengaluru: Popular Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar Ahimsa has been arrested by the police on charges of posting derogatory messages on social media platforms against the judge, who is part of a three-judge bench looking into the case of hijab row, police said on Wednesday.

The actor has been sent to judicial custody for 15 days. The police took up a suo motu case against the actor under IPC sections 505 (statements of public mischief) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).

Actor Chetan, a US citizen and a scholar had retweeted his comment on Justice S. Krishna Dixit. Chetan in his tweet had commented on the granting of bail to an accused in the rape case and also objected to the remarks made by the Judge. He had tweeted the message two years ago.

After retweeting the same message Chetan claimed that, the judge who had given an objectionable statement in a rape case is looking into the hijab case. Chetan had questioned if the judge has clarity on the issue.

Based on the tweet, the Sheshadripuram police lodged a suo motu case against him and picked him up. Hundreds of people have reacted to the incident and condemned his arrest. Meanwhile, Chetan's wife Meghana came on live on social media and claimed that Chetan had been kidnapped. Now, his supporters have stated that they will take up the legal battle for Chetan.

Meanwhile, Karnataka police have arrested three persons in connection with the attack on the brother of one of the petitioners Hajra Shifa, in the hijab row. The arrested persons are identified as Deepak Kumar, Manoj and Sunil Raj. The accused pelted stones on the restaurant run by Shifa's father and attacked her brother on Monday night.
New Delhi: US regulators and Meta Platforms Inc are at odds over when to start a high-profile antitrust trial, with the Federal Trade Commission proposing December 2023 and the Facebook parent company asking for more time.

According to a joint filing in the U.S. District Court in Washington late on Tuesday, the FTC proposed a Dec. 11, 2023, start date to allow time for discovery, including document and data production.

Representatives for Meta, which includes Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, called the proposed schedule "unrealistic as well as unfair to Meta" and said it needed until Feb. 13, 2024, to complete discovery.

Last month, a U.S. judge rejected the social media company`s bid to dismiss the government`s lawsuit and said the FTC had a plausible case that should allow it to proceed.

In the lawsuit, the U.S. government accuses Meta of crushing or buying rivals and seeks to force the company to sell photo-sharing app Instagram and messaging app WhatsApp. Also Read: LIC IPO: Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana subscribers eligible for IPO discount? Know truth

The lawsuit is one of the biggest challenges the U.S. government has brought against a technology company as part of a larger effort to tackle Big Tech`s extensive market power. Also Read: RBI asks NBFCs to implement core financial services solution by Sep 2025

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Lakhimpur Kheri: Surrounded by a large number of security personnel, Union Minister of State (Home) and BJP leader Ajay Mishra, embroiled in a major controversy involving his son in the Lakhimpur violence case, cast his vote here for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls on Wednesday.

MoS Mishra did not speak to the media, neither while going into the polling booth at a school in Banwaripur nor when he came out after casting his vote. Purported videos on social media showed Mishra, whose vote falls in the Nighasan assembly constituency, walking towards and from the voting centre around 11.30 AM flanked by an unusually large number of security personnel.

#WATCH | MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni leaves from a polling booth in Banbirpur of Lakhimpur Kheri, after casting his vote for the fourth phase of #UttarPradeshElections2022 pic.twitter.com/kgRpdoC9GP  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 23, 2022

A central minister, Mishra hogged the limelight in October 2021 when eight people, including four farmers, were killed during violence in the Tikunia area in his native district here. His son Ashish Mishra is accused in the case and was arrested.

Ashish was earlier this month granted bail by the Allahabad High Court, prompting families of the deceased farmers to move the Supreme Court over the matter. The voter turnout in Lakhimpur Kheri stood at 26.28 per cent till 11 AM, according to the Election Commission. The voting closes at 6 PM.

Voting for 59 assembly constituencies spread in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh is taking place on Wednesday in the fourth phase of the polls.

The fourth phase of polling on February 23 will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur.

Voting for the remaining three phases of the seven-phase UP elections will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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NEW DELHI: Lakhimpur, which had hogged national news headlines after eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence on October 3, will go to the polls in the fourth phase of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The assembly election in Lakhimpur Kheri has become a prestige battle for Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son Ashish is a murder accused in the case involving the death of four farmers during a protest in October.

The farmers of the region are reportedly unhappy over the Centre's contentious farm laws. The violence in Lakhimpur Kheri has further added to their anger and frustration with the ruling BJP dispensation t the Centre and in the state.

They have been demanding strict action against Ashish Mishra whose SUV allegedly mowed down four farmers in October last year. They have even challenged Ashish Mishra's bail in the Supreme Court.

Currently, all 8 seats in Lakhimpur are with the BJP. Both the BJP and the SP have repeated their candidates on the Lakhimpur city seat. BJP's Yogesh Verma, who won the seat in the 2017 polls, has been pitted against Samajwadi Party's Utkarsh Verma Madhur. The Congress has fielded Ravi Shankar Trivedi.

In all, voting for 59 assembly constituencies spread in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh is taking place on Wednesday in the fourth phase of the polls.

The fourth phase of polling on February 23 will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur.

Voting for the remaining three phases of the seven-phase UP elections will take place on February 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

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Lucknow: Voting for 59 assembly constituencies spread in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh will take place on Wednesday in the fourth phase of the polls. The polling will begin at 7 am on Wednesday and will continue till 6 pm.

The high-decibel campaigning for this phase ended on Monday as sparring among political rivals intensified during the last-minute canvassing.

The fourth phase of polling on February 23 will decide the fate of 624 candidates in 59 Assembly segments in the districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda and Fatehpur.

Of the 59 seats, the BJP had won 51 in the 2017 Assembly elections, four had gone to the Samajwadi Party, and three to the Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP's ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) had bagged one seat.

Lakhimpur, which had hogged national news headlines after eight people, including four farmers, were killed in violence on October 3 will go to the polls in the fourth phase.

Among the prominent candidates in this phase is Uttar Pradesh Law Minister Brijesh Pathak who is facing Samajwadi party candidate and two-time corporator Surendra Singh Gandhi in the Lucknow Cantonment seat. Pathak had won the Lucknow Central seat in 2017.

Another minister Ashutosh Tandon is in the fray from the Lucknow East seat and is being challenged by SP's national spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria. The Sarojini Nagar Assembly segment will witness a battle between former ED officer Rajeshwar Singh fielded by the BJP and Abhishek Mishra who had been a minister in the Samajwadi Party government.

Deputy Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Nitin Agarwal, who had crossed over to the BJP from the Samajwadi Party, will face the electoral test in this phase. Rae Bareli considered a Congress bastion will also go to the polls in this phase, with BJP's Aditi Singh in the fray from Rae Bareli. She was earlier with the Congress.

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Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday cancelled his scheduled meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov later this week in protest against what he said was the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who jointly addressed a news conference with Blinken at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, said that the world must respond with all its economic might to punish Russia for the crimes it has already committed and ahead of the crimes it plans to commit. "Hit Russia's economy now and hit it hard," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" as "independent", escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He also ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin called a "peacekeeping" mission in the Moscow-backed regions.

Responding to questions, Blinken said that further renewed Russian invasion of Ukraine that has now begun means clearly that the idea of having a meeting this week with Foreign Minister Lavrov to pursue diplomacy, now rejected by Russia, does not make sense.

The two leaders were scheduled to meet in Europe on February 24.

"But having said that, to the extent there is anything that we can do to avert an even worst-case scenario, an all-out assault on all of Ukraine including its capital, that would inflict horrific costs on the Ukrainian people, we will always pursue that," the secretary of state said, noting that the US and its allies remain open to diplomacy, but Moscow needs to demonstrate that it's serious.

Blinken alleged that Putin has all along planned to invade Ukraine, to control Ukraine and its people, to destroy Ukraine's democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads, to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia.

"That's why this is the greatest threat to security in Europe since World War II. Ukraine is in danger. President Putin is blatantly and violently breaking the laws and principles that have kept the peace across Europe and around the world for decades. Yesterday at an emergency session of the UN Security Council requested by Ukraine, the United States and many other countries condemned Russia's renewed attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter," Blinken said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba said that the entire world stands today with Ukraine. "Putin wants much more than a war-torn piece of Ukrainian land and people living there. What stops him is only our unity and resolve, and we can still stop him. Ukraine continues the engagement with the United States, EU, and NATO in diplomatic efforts to ease tensions," he said.

Kuleba called for sustained pressure on Russia. "If that involves regular issuance of executive orders or new sanctions, we will be more than happy to see that," Kuleba added.

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Moscow: Russia's state Tass news agency reported on Wednesday that Russia has started evacuating personnel from all of its diplomatic facilities in Ukraine. Moscow has an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv. The Tass report said the embassy in Kyiv confirmed the evacuations have begun. An Associated Press photographer in Kyiv saw the flag was no longer flying over the embassy building in Kyiv.

"Our first priority is to take care of Russian diplomats and employees of the Embassy and Consulates General. To protect their lives and safety, the Russian leadership decided to evacuate staff of Russian missions in Ukraine, which will be implemented in the very near future," Russia's foreign ministry had said in a statement on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent and ordered the Russian army to launch what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation into the area. This led to the escalation of tension in the region with the West imposing a series of sanctions on the Soviet nation.

US President Joe Biden announced financial sanctions as punishment for what he called the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions will hit Russian financial institutions and oligarchs. He said the US would impose full blocking on two large Russian financial institutions and comprehensive sanctions on Russian debt.

That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western finance, Biden said. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either. Biden promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.

The European Union announced sanctions taking aim at the 351 Duma legislators who voted in favour of recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defence and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets. Outside the EU, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals whom the UK hit with sanctions on Tuesday.

Not just the nations of the European Union or the US, even Japan imposed sanctions on Russia. Japan's sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Fumio Kishida, Japan's Prime Minister said. "Russia's actions very clearly damage Ukraine's sovereignty and go against international law. We once again criticise these moves and strongly urge Russia to return to diplomatic discussions," he said.

(With Agency inputs)

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Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, urged the world to gear up and take action against Russia and stop President Vladimir Putin from instigating a Russian aggression against Ukraine. "To stop Putin from further aggression, we call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now. First decisive steps were taken yesterday, and we are grateful for them. Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

Here are some of the top statements he made:

- The world should not repeat mistakes of the past. I believe in the power of free world and our joint ability to avert a new devastating catastrophe in Europe. 40 million Ukrainians only want to live in peace and solidarity.

- We are currently in middle of the largest security crisis in Europe since World War 2. This crisis was created and is being escalated by one side unilaterally by Russian Federation. Russia's accusations of Ukraine are absurd.

- It is ultimately absurd to suggest that Ukraine could have prepared for anything like this and waited for months until Russia amassed an enormous military force along our borders to proceed with such plans.

- Ukraine has never threatened or attacked anyone. Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any military offensive in the Donbas. Neither any provocations nor acts of sabotage.

- We need to use this last chance to stop Russia, where it is. It is clear that President Putin will not stop by himself. The beginning of a large scale war in Ukraine will be the end of the world order as we know.

Also Read: Russia starts pulling diplomatic staff from Ukraine

Earlier, US President Joe Biden during his meeting with Kuleba in Washington affirmed that his administration would continue providing security assistance and macroeconomic support to Kyiv, the White House said in a statement.This comes after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered the sending of Russian troops in the regions.

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United Nations: The United Nations leadership on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the escalating Ukraine-Russia tensions, urging all parties to intensify negotiations, de-escalate and return to the path of dialogue to save the people in Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN General Assembly that the latest developments regarding Ukraine, including reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and the real risk of further escalation on the ground, are a cause of grave concern.

The history of this conflict is complex with at least two permanently opposing narratives. I know that their authors will never agree on what happened in the past, Guterres told the General Assembly meeting on Ukraine Wednesday.

But in the present situation one thing is clear: the decision of the Russian Federation to recognise the so-called independence of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the follow-up are violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, he said.

As Ukraine-Russia further escalates, President of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid called for the deployment of the "tools that we have to resolve disputes."

He called on the parties to intensify their negotiations and de-escalate the current trajectory through dialogue.

Let's give priority to diplomacy, good offices and mediation. Let's give peace all the chance it deserves. Full commitment to the United Nations Charter, its purposes and its principles is the only path to ensure lasting peace, he said.

ALSO READ: Largest security crisis in Europe since World War 2, must stop Russia: Ukraine minister

Guterres underscored that it is time for restraint, reason and de-escalation. There is no place for actions and statements that would take this dangerous situation over the abyss. It is high time to establish a ceasefire and return to the path of dialogue and negotiations to save the people in Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war, he said.

Guterres had on Tuesday also deeply criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine and his use of the term peacekeepers to describe those troops.

He told the General Assembly that the international community must also be concerned about preserving the integrity of peacekeeping.

The United Nations has a long and recognised experience deploying peacekeeping operations -- which only take place with the consent of the host country.

He urged all parties to make full use of Article 33 of the Charter and its diverse instruments of pacific settlement of disputes.

He cautioned that if the conflict in Ukraine expands, the world could see a scale and severity of need unseen for many years.

I am fully committed to support all efforts to resolve this crisis without further bloodshed. My good offices remain available. We cannot and will not relent in the search for a peaceful solution, he said.

Russian President Putin on Monday signed decrees to recognise Ukraine's regions of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent, escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He also ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine in what the Kremlin called a "peacekeeping" mission in the Moscow-backed regions.

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After the Omicron coronavirus variant made a record number of US children sick in January, children's hospitals across the United States braced for what has come with every other spike in the Covid-19 pandemic: cases of a rare but dangerous condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, commonly known as MIS-C. But a number of hospitals say the expected surge in cases hasn't showed up -- at least not yet.

MIS-C can follow Covid-19 even some weeks after infection. It can cause parts of the body to become inflamed, and it can affect major organs including the kidneys, brain, lungs and heart.

MIS-C symptoms are not uniform but may involve abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, conjunctivitis and low blood pressure. It often follows a mild or even asymptomatic case of Covid-19.

With the Omicron variant causing so many illnesses, it wasn't clear exactly how many MIS-C cases hospitals could expect or how serious they would be. Research is still underway, but health care providers at many major children's hospitals describe the outcomes as "a mixed bag."

Cases seem to vary by region

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks MIS-C cases but updates the numbers on its website only once a month. There have been 6,851 cases reported during the pandemic, with 59 deaths, as of January 31.

That's a tiny fraction of child Covid cases. More than 12.3 million children have been sick with Covid since the start of the pandemic, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' analysis of data from the states that report cases, hospitalizations and deaths by age.

The more contagious Omicron variant brought a flood of cases: Almost 4.5 million children have had Covid just since the beginning of January.

Different regions of the country are still at different points in the Omicron wave, and it will take some time before scientists have a clearer picture of what the variant has meant for MIS-C cases overall.

Most MIS-C cases have not been fatal, but just last week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported that a 10-year-old from the southeast part of the state died within the past month from MIS-C.

Tom Haupt, a respiratory disease epidemiologist with the department, said Friday that the state puts a priority on having doctors report even suspected cases of MIS-C so state officials can then report them to the CDC as quickly as possible.

"We want to share this information with the CDC with hopes that we can ultimately find out what's causing this and what we could do to further prevent MIS-C," Haupt said.

There are several MIS-C studies underway across the country. Scientists are still trying to figure out why some kids get it and others don't. They're also trying to understand the long-term consequences and the best way to treat it.

One thing is certain about MIS-C: "It always follows the same pattern," said Dr. Roberta DeBiasi, Infectious Disease Division chief at Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC. "It's always two to six weeks after we see the spike from whatever variant it is, and then we're on the lookout for MIS-C. And then, sure enough, it comes."

DeBiasi is one of several scientists still enrolling participants in MIS-C studies. From her work with kids and Covid-19 so far, MIS-C still seems rare, relative to the number of Covid-19 cases that doctors at Children's National have treated.

A study published Monday found that during the winter of 2020-21, there was one MIS-C hospitalization for every Covid-19 hospitalization for children 5 to 11 years old. The period studied was long before the Omicron wave hit, but the researchers note "that MIS-C may not be as rare ... as previously thought."

In Washington, DeBiasi said, her hospital has had 30 Omicron-related MIS-C cases. But each wave has brought with it fewer cases. With the first wave, DeBiasi said, they treated about 100 kids with MIS-C, and with Delta, it was about 60.

It's unclear exactly why there have been fewer cases, but she theorizes that vaccines -- now authorized for children 5 and older -- may have helped.

"The older kids are much less represented among the MIS-C cases now, and that makes sense because they're vaccinated, and there are plenty of studies now showing that vaccination reduces the risk of MIS-C cases just like it reduces the risk of hospitalization and severe disease," she said.

For example, CDC research released in January showed that the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine reduced the likelihood of MIS-C by 91% in children 12 to 18 years old during a period when the Delta variant was predominant.

At Children's Hospital of Colorado, workers are seeing about two or three cases of MIS-C a week, despite what Dr. Pei-Ni Jone described as "a ton" of Covid-19 cases. She said some of the MIS-C patients have been vaccinated, but the vast majority are not.

"The MIS-C children, we thought we may see an uptick with Omicron, but we haven't. It's very similar for us with the Delta surge," the cardiology specialist said. "It's really unknown what's driving the MIS-C cases."

At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Dr. Marian Michaels watched the many-fold increase in Covid infections and hospitalizations in her area with deep concern, but the spike in MIS-C cases hasn't come. "Luckily, in our area we are not seeing a surge," she said. "I'm very grateful."

Michaels said she regularly talks with other doctors as a part of a CDC surveillance network, and with Omicron, it's been "a mixed bag." Some hospitals have seen a spike in MIS-C cases, but many have seen only a handful.

At Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, they too are watching patient numbers closely, but so far, so good.

"Children's Hospital Los Angeles has yet to see a large spike in MIS-C cases following the surge of Omicron cases in the community," pediatric cardiologist Dr. Jacqueline Szmuszkovicz of the Heart Institute at Children's Hospital Los Angeles wrote in an email to CNN.

In December and January, the hospital treated 22 MIS-C patients. In February, it's been three, with two hospitalized.

"Because we know MIS-C may begin weeks after a child is infected with SARS-CoV-2, we are continuing to be vigilant and waiting to see what the next few weeks bring," Szmuszkovicz said.

At Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Dr. Ami Patel, a pediatric infectious disease physician, said workers have seen a steady uptick in MIS-C cases since the end of December. But this is "still relatively lower numbers overall compared to the winter 2020 surge," she said. During the Delta surge, the hospital saw "relatively few" MIS-C cases.

But there has been a spike at Seattle Children's. "Approximately 15% of the total MIS-C cases we've seen since March 2020 have occurred since mid-December 2021, when Omicron emerged as the main variant. These numbers suggest that MIS-C is increasing with Omicron," Dr. Michael Portman, director of research in the Division of Cardiology, wrote in an email to CNN.

Texas Children's in Houston saw the peak in Omicron cases January 7, a little later than in other regions, so workers there still don't know what MIS-C case load to expect.

There haven't been any "dramatic increases" -- at least, not yet, according to Dr. Jim Versalovic, pathologist-in-chief at the hospital.

Health care providers there have treated more than 280 MIS-C cases since the pandemic began, with two-thirds serious enough that they've needed critical care.

The biggest number of MIS-C cases happened between mid-September and mid-October, with the Delta variant. "We're not quite at that level yet," Versalovic said. Instead, they're seeing about one case per day every two to three days.

At UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, MIS-C cases seemed to follow much quicker after the spike in Omicron infections than with previous Covid-19 waves. That may not have been unique to the Omicron variant, though, said Dr. Claudia Hoyen, a pediatric infectious disease specialist there.

"I think the reason that it seems so bad was that we were in the Delta surge when Omicron came," she said.

At Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Dr. Patty Manning said, workers have seen two or three cases of MIS-C a week during Omicron -- "possibly less than what we would expect, given the spike of Covid cases in general that we saw."

She said that could be due to the success of vaccinations, or it could be something specific about Omicron causing fewer MIS-C cases. "It's unclear at this moment. But we're never wanting to get comfortable," Manning said. "Parents still need to be vigilant."

What to watch for with MIS-C

Pediatricians say that if kids have Covid-19, parents should watch for MIS-C symptoms, typically four to six weeks after the infection. They may look like a return of Covid symptoms or totally different. If the symptoms get worse, they need treatment.

"Children have died in the United States because they didn't get to emergency rooms fast enough," Versalovic said.

Doctors said they have learned a lot about how to treat MIS-C. At Jone's hospital in Colorado, many of the children with MIS-C have not needed to be hospitalized for quite as long as kids were at the beginning of the pandemic.

Doctors are much better at recognizing MIS-C, said UPMC's Michaels. "Treatment right up front has just been critical."

That treatment usually includes care that focuses on relieving symptoms and preventing complications, including IV fluids and antibiotics to reduce fever, to keep blood pressure up and to get rid of any possible bacterial infections.

Because MIS-C can throw a child's immune system into hyperdrive, doctors may also give the child medicine that would suppress their immune system. Those drugs could include steroids or intravenous immunoglobulin, a treatment for people who have antibody deficiencies.

Some children may also need breathing or cardiac support like ventilation or ECMO treatments.

"The long-term follow-up will also be essential to understand how kids do long-term and to understand, from an immune system perspective, what's going on," said Michaels, who is involved in several MIS-C studies. "It will also be important to understand from an immune system standpoint, the ones that still are having an effect long-term. Why is that in that case versus another child who was perfectly healthy before the virus? Why would they not have such a good outcome?"

Most children seem to recover well

Jone said that at Colorado Children's, most children get better and do not seem to have lingering effects.

"The first MIS-C children we saw were in May of 2020. So they already had their one follow-up, and all of those kids in 2020 have done very, very well," Jone said.

A studyin American Heart Association's journal in January suggested most children with MIS-C begin recovering in the first week after hospital discharge and fully recover heart function within three months.

The best approach with MIS-C, doctors said, is for children not to catch Covid-19 in the first place.

"It's a very scary, serious condition," Manning said. "We want to avoid and prevent it at all costs."

That means getting all kids vaccinated if they're eligible. Children are still the least-vaccinated of any eligible age group.

There's no vaccine authorized for children under 5, but parents can protect them by making sure every adult around them is fully vaccinated.

"We do need to vaccinate. There is no infection in the world that has ever gone away just because of having herd immunity from natural disease. Measles didn't go away from herd immunity," Michaels said. "Protecting yourself and your loved ones by being immunized is really critical."

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New Delhi: Amid the threat of an imminent war with Russia, Ukraine has decided to impose state of emergency in all Ukrainian territory, except in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions where it has been in place since 2014, Reuters reported.

Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov said on Wednesday (February 23) that the state of emergency will last 30 days and could be extended for another 30 days, the news agency reported.

Escalating tensions with its neighbour, Russia recognised Donetsk and Luhansk, which has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, as independent states and approved use of its troops abroad this week.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for more global sanctions on Russia. Taking to Twitter, Kuleba wrote, "To stop Putin from further aggression, we call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now."

He expressed thanks for international sanctions imposed on Moscow and urged countries to ramp up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kuleba added, "Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

Earlier today, Australia announced additional sanctions on Russia. Australia PM Scott Morrison said that targeted financial sanctions and travel bans will be the first batch of measures to counter Russia's aggression toward Ukraine. Australia has also decided to align with the United States and Britain by targeting two Russian banks.

Australia and Russia have imposed sanctions on each other since 2014.

On Monday, India at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine had called for "restraint on all sides". India on Tuesday had issued a fresh advisory for students and its citizens in Ukraine to leave the country temporarily.

(With agency inputs)

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Tokyo: Japan is imposing sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday (February 23, 2022), terming Moscow`s moves an unacceptable violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law.

Western nations on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on Russian banks and elites after Moscow ordered troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

Japan`s sanctions include prohibiting the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Kishida said.

"Russia`s actions very clearly damage Ukraine`s sovereignty and go against international law. We once again criticise these moves and strongly urge Russia to return to diplomatic discussions," he said.

"The situation remains quite tense and we will continue to monitor it closely."

Details of the sanctions will be worked out and announced over the coming days, he added.

Japan has sufficient reserves of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) so that there will not be a significant impact on energy supplies in the short term, Kishida said.

Should oil prices rise further, he said he would consider all possible measures to limit the impact on companies and households.

Kishida said Japan would remain in close contact with other G7 nations and the international community.

"Should the situation worsen, we`ll move quickly to take further action," he added.

Japanese markets were closed on Wednesday for a national holiday.

Japan`s toughening stance contrasts with the softer diplomatic approach to Moscow taken by Japanese governments in the past, attempts to secure the return of islands occupied by Russian forces at the end of World War Two.

Japan`s relations with Moscow have also been shaped by its reliance on Russia for energy needs. In 2021, Russia provided more than 12% of Japan`s thermal coal, and almost a tenth of its LNG.

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Washington: US President Joe Biden has announced a series of economic sanctions against Russia as he accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of aggression against Ukraine. Biden, announcing America's first tranche of economic sanctions against Russia, told reporters at the White House that there's no question that Russia is the aggressor. So, we're clear-eyed about the challenges we're facing.

He said that a day earlier, Putin recognised two regions of Ukraine as independent states. Putin bizarrely asserted that these regions are no longer part of Ukraine and their sovereign territory. To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine, Biden said.

Last night, Putin authorised Russian forces to deploy into these regions. Today, he asserted that these regions actually, extend deeper than the two areas he recognised, claiming large areas currently under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian government.

He's setting up a rationale to take more territory by force in my view. And if we listen to his speech last night, he's setting up a rationale to go much further. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine as he indicated and asked permission to be able to do from his duma, the US President said.

Biden said that these sanctions have been closely coordinated with America's allies and partners and will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

We're implementing full-blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions, VEB and their military bank. We're implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.

Starting tomorrow and continuing in the days ahead, we'll also impose sanctions on Russia's elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well. Because of Russia's actions, we work with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 will not, as I promised, will not move forward, Biden said.

Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions, he warned.

Biden said that in response to Russia's admission that it will not withdraw its forces from Belarus, he has authorised additional movements of US forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen its Baltic allies: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Meanwhile, Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he is sending hundreds more troops to eastern Europe and imposing new sanctions on Russia in response to the deployment of forces into Ukraine.

The prime minister said up to 460 additional Canadian Armed Forces members are being sent to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO in the face of Russian aggression. He also said that Canada is taking a number of steps alongside its allies to isolate Russia financially.

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United Nations: The world is facing the "biggest global peace and security crisis" in recent years, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said as he slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending troops into eastern Ukraine, describing the move as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a death blow to the Minsk Agreements.

The Secretary-General, who cancelled a scheduled visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in light of the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, said he was deeply troubled by the latest developments in Ukraine, including reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and the real risk of further escalation on the ground.

Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years, certainly in my tenure as Secretary-General. We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come, Guterres told reporters here on Tuesday.

He reiterated that Russia's decision to recognise the so-called independence of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

Such a unilateral measure conflicts directly with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and is inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly which the International Court of Justice has repeatedly cited as representing international law, he said, adding that it is also a death blow to the Minsk Agreements endorsed by the Security Council.

The Minsk agreements were a series of international agreements which sought to end the war in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

The first agreement, known as the Minsk Protocol, was drafted in 2014 by the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, consisting of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), with mediation by the leaders of France and Germany. After extensive talks in Minsk, Belarus, the agreement was signed on September 5, 2014.

Guterres also strongly criticised Putin's decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine and his use of the term peacekeepers to describe those troops.

I am also concerned about the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping. I am proud of the achievements of UN Peacekeeping operations in which so many Blue Helmets have sacrificed their lives to protect civilians, he said.

When troops of one country enter the territory of another country without its consent, they are not impartial peacekeepers. They are not peacekeepers at all, he said.

In an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council late Monday night, western powers strongly condemned Russia's actions with the US saying that an attack on Ukraine is an "attack on the sovereignty of every UN Member State and the UN Charter; and that it will be met with swift and severe consequences.

US Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield described as non-sense Putin's reference of Russian troops to be deployed to the regions as peacekeepers.

We know what they really are, the US ambassador said.

Describing the moment as critical, Guterres said the United Nations and the entire international system are being tested and we must pass this test.

The UN chief called for an immediate ceasefire and the re-establishment of the rule of law, urging all to refrain from actions and statements that would take this dangerous situation over the brink.

We need restraint and reason. We need de-escalation now. It is high time to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations, he said. Guterres said Russia's decision to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent is inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

He said the principles of the UN Charter are not an a la carte menu. They cannot be applied selectively. Member States have accepted them all and they must apply them all.

He stressed that the United Nations, in line with the relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, stands fully behind the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders.

The UN chief called on the international community to rally and meet this challenge together for peace, and to save the people of Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war.

I am fully committed to all efforts to resolve this crisis without further bloodshed, he said, adding that, We will not relent in the search for a peaceful solution.

In response to questions, Guterres said the present crisis will be in the end terribly detrimental both to Ukraine and Russia.

On Putin's assertion that actions Kyiv is conducting against Donetsk and Luhansk are genocide, he said, "Genocide is a crime that is clearly defined and whose application must be done in line with international law. I do not think it is the case.

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UNITED NATIONS: Responding swiftly to Russian President Vladimir Putin's order sending troops to separatist regions of Ukraine, world leaders have hit back with non-military actions against Moscow in hopes of averting a full-blown war in Europe.

Germany

Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, a massive, lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies.

United States

In Washington, US President Joe Biden announced financial sanctions as punishment for what he called the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions will hit Russian financial institutions and oligarchs. He said the US would impose full blocking on two large Russian financial institutions and comprehensive sanctions on Russian debt.

That means we've cut off Russia's government from Western finance, Biden said. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either. Biden promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further.

European Union

The European Union announced sanctions taking aim at the 351 Duma legislators who voted in favour of recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defence and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow's access to EU capital and financial markets.

This package of sanctions will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Paris. We will make it as difficult as possible for the Kremlin to pursue its aggressive policies, said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

UK

Outside the EU, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals whom the UK hit with sanctions on Tuesday.

Canada

Canada also announced a series of new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin`s decision to recognize the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine.

The sanctions include banning Canadians from all financial dealings with the breakaway states known as Luhansk and Donetsk. Canadians also will be barred from purchasing Russian sovereign debt and dealing with two state-backed Russian banks.

Moreover, Ottawa will also sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognize the separatist regions

Japan

Japan's PM announced sanctions targeting Russia and two separatist Ukrainian regions recognised as independent by Russian President Vladimir Putin, joining an international effort seeking to pressure Russia to return to diplomatic solutions. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday that his government will ban the new issuance and distribution of Russian government bonds in Japan in response to the 'actions' Russia has been taking in Ukraine.

He said Japan will also suspend visa issuance to the people linked to the two Ukrainian rebel regions and freeze their assets in Japan and will ban trade with the two areas.

NATO

And if Putin pushes further into Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay. Western leaders said Putin's moves in Ukraine violated countless international agreements, and since diplomacy had failed it was time for action.

Western powers have long made clear the fate of Ukraine wasn't worth a direct military confrontation with Russia and the potential of a world war, so sanctions were the limited option.

No lows too low, no lies too blatant, no red lines too red to cross, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said in summing up the political disgust for Putin's actions felt by nations from Europe to North America and the democracies hugging Russia's borders in Asia such as Japan and South Korea.

However, Putin continued to knock the world off-kilter with a strategy in which confusion about the true extent of an invasion worked to his advantage. Russia said it was sending what it called peacekeepers" into eastern Ukraine, but EU foreign policy chief Borrell stressed they were troops on sovereign Ukrainian territory. I wouldn't say that's a fully-fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil, Borrell said.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace didn't mince words. Russia has already invaded Ukraine. They did it in 2014, occupied illegally Crimea and Donbas. This is a further invasion of their sovereign territory," Wallace said.

Whatever the description, the latest developments were enough to push the 27-nation bloc into a mode of high alert, and the EU's foreign ministers stressed the sanctions announced Tuesday were done in close consultation with the United States and other Western allies. They stopped short of the massive package threatened by the EU and Washington for a full military invasion into national territory that Kyiv still controls.

Too much too soon, though, could hurt the international response, said Britain's Johnson. This the first tranche, the first barrage of what we are prepared to do, and we hold further sanctions at readiness to be deployed, he told British lawmakers. Biden's announcement appeared to hold in reserve some of the broadest and toughest of the penalties considered by the United States.

The two major Russian banks targeted by the US Sanctions are Vnesheconombank (VEB) and Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB). VEB is crucial to Russia's ability to raise funds, and PSB is critical to Russia's defence sector. Among the oligarchs and others close to Putin cited for sanctions are Denis Bortnikov a deputy president of Russian-state owned VTB Bank, and Petr Fradkov, chairman and CEO of PSB.

The VTB official's father Aleksandr Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service and a permanent member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, was also cited in the sanction lists. Fradkov is the son of Mikhail Fradkov, a former Russian prime minister and former director of Russia's foreign intelligence service.

Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin's first deputy chief of staff, and his son Vladimir Kiriyenko, who is the CEO of the parent company of Russia's top social media platform, VKontakte, were also designated.

Hopes are dwindling that a major conflict can be averted. Putin's directive came hours after he recognized the two Ukrainian separatist regions as independent, setting up Russian military support and antagonizing Western leaders who regard his actions as a breach of world order.

Putin has blamed NATO for the current crisis and called the US-led alliance a threat to Russia. The global condemnation came amid rising skirmishes in the eastern regions of Ukraine that Western powers believe Russia could use as a pretext for an attack on the Europe-leaning democracy that has defied Moscow's attempts to pull it back into its orbit.

With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the US has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade. Still, Biden and Putin tentatively agreed to a possible meeting brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron in a last-ditch effort to avoid war.

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This week I intended to write about the jobs report put out by the White House and give a historical comparison. Biden claimed that he has the largest growth in jobs throughout history, and I thought surely that is not right, especially with the numbers FDR put out. However, when I checked the White House webpage, I decided to change my topic after reading the list of accomplishments released last week.

What I found interesting about the list was the Trumpian language used. Of the 15 achievements, 13 of them are listed as the best of all time. Among the many points were the greatest or biggest. Two were the lowest, two were the most, one was more than any other, two were the first, two were the largest and, finally, one was the strongest. How is it that no one noticed these claims?

Possibly we became used to hearing Trump proclaim he was the greatest president of all time or maybe its just that, in order to run for president, you have to have an ego the size of the White House. What is also interesting is that Trump was accused of being an egomaniac for making similar claims. Yet no matter how bad Trump was or possibly Biden, historically speaking, neither tops the list of narcissists.

In 2013 the Pew Research Center ranked all the presidents in order of their narcissism. Pew did not list which presidents were narcissists and which were not. All presidents have egos. The report concluded that presidents are more narcissistic than average Americans. According to the survey, the most narcissistic presidents were, first, Lyndon B. Johnson; second, Teddy Roosevelt; third, Andrew Jackson; fourth, Franklin D. Roosevelt; and fifth, John F. Kennedy. The list includes some of the most famous presidents of all time and some of the most loved and respected. The oddball on the list is the top, LBJ; he is not as well known or respected as the others. Yet if you know anything about Johnson, you should not be surprised.

I wish I had room to discuss each of these fascinating presidents, but my editors are already upset with the length of some of my columns. I will have to keep this short. Between JFK's public and personal personas, he may be the most bi-polar of all the presidents. He was beloved by the masses while hiding his womanizing and drug abuse. FDR is another of the most beloved yet was the first president to believe he was so important that he ran for four terms.

Andrew Jackson believed he was so important that he vetoed more bills than all his predecessors combined. Teddy has one of the best quotes to show his arrogance. When speaking about the people in Cuba, he once said, I am doing my best to persuade the Cubans that if only they will be good, they will be happy; I am seeking the very minimum of interference necessary to make them good. Yet all these presidents are nothing when compared to Johnson.

Today Johnson is somewhat overlooked. He was sandwiched between the most beloved and infamous presidents of all time, Kennedy and Nixon, both extreme narcissists. In many ways, Johnson is the first modern Democrat, but he has been shunned by the party because of his policies on the Vietnam War.

Johnson and Trump have a lot in common when it comes to ego and crudeness. In fact, Johnson beats Trump when it comes to crudeness. Johnson was better in the public eye, or possibly fortunate, to not have Twitter.

This is the president who in private circles became upset when people talked about Kennedys sexual conquests. He insisted he had more sexual partners by accident than his predecessor had on purpose. Trump may have discussed his big hands, but Johnson was known to strip down to his birthday suit and show what he was made of.

He once did an interview while skinny dipping in the White House pool. He made aides watch him shower and use the toilet. As for his ego, this was the president who was more concerned about being the first president to lose a war than he was about the war tearing the nation apart over Vietnam. He wanted to be a great president and he wanted everyone to know it.

The Pew Research Center rankings came out before either Trump or Biden, so they did not make the list. It is hard to think that Trump would not rank high. If he is, he would be in good company. He did declare himself greatest of all presidents on Twitter. Later he did show some humility when he said "except for Lincoln." As for Biden, he is still only in his first year.

When asked if he wanted to debate Trump, Biden said, No If we were in high school, Id take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him." However, historically speaking, it will be hard to ever beat Johnson. I saved my favorite of his quotes for last. When he was asked if he was born in a cabin, his response was, You have me confused with Abe Lincoln. I was born in a manger.

Dr. James Finck is an associate professor of history at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and chair of the Oklahoma Civil War Symposium. Follow Historically Speaking at www.Historicallyspeaking.blog or Facebook at @jamesWfinck.

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The Missouri House gave first-round approval to two bills designed to prevent Missourians from COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

HB 1686 states that public entities such as government agencies and public schools cannot require a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. It would also prohibit fines or other penalties based on an individuals vaccination status. Additionally, it allows an employee the right to raise a religious objection to receiving a vaccination.

The bill doesnt prevent citizens from receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. It doesnt prevent businesses from having a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. It does, however, forbid government mandates with certain exceptions, and gives clarity to Missouri businesses on how to offer religious and medical exemptions to their employees

The intention of the bill is to offer employers the right to set requirements of their employees in order to do what they think is safe while also respecting the rights of the employees, including their religious rights and their God given freedoms.

The House also approved HB 2358 and 1485 to affirm the right of an employee to receive an exemption from a COVID-19 vaccine requirement if the employee requests one based on certain sincerely held beliefs. The bill clarifies the religious exemption which includes theistic as well as non-theistic beliefs. The bill requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations for the request unless clear and convincing evidence proves it would cause an undue hardship to the business or be a direct threat to other employees or customers. The bill uses existing federal law to protect the rights of employees.

HB 2358 and 1485 also ensures an employee who is injured, disabled, or killed due to an employer-required COVID-19 vaccination would be compensated. The bill will treat injuries resulting from the vaccine as an occupational disease. Additionally, an employee terminated or discharged for failing to comply with a COVID-19 vaccination requirement would still be eligible for unemployment benefits.

Both bills require another vote in the House before moving on to the Senate for consideration.

Constitutional Amendment HJR 117 gives initial OK to Medicaid reform

Members of the Missouri House want voters to have the opportunity to decide if reforms should be enacted for the states ballooning Medicaid program. Lawmakers gave first-round approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that make three key changes to the program, if voters agree.

The measure places reforms on our states Medicaid program which are badly needed. Medicaid is a multi-billion dollar program that has grown exponentially to 40% of our state budget in recent years and is encroaching on our other budget priorities. This bill would enable us to manage Medicaid better and pose the question to the Missouri people if theyd like to approve it or not.

One proposed change clarifies the legislatures authority to appropriate funds based on population. It would allow lawmakers to decide how to appropriate funds for the Medicaid expansion population.

The Supreme Courts decision on Medicaid expansion last year stated we must have expansion population coupled with the mandatory population which is subject to appropriation. This bill enables us to uncouple those two parts of the program and appropriate for them independently. That could be very important in future years as Medicaid becomes prohibitively expensive and continues to encroach upon other priorities within our state budget.

Another provision puts work and community engagement requirements in place for Medicaid recipients ages 19 to 64. They would be required to work at least 80 hours each month, or participate in education, job skills training, community service, or other alternatives. The provision also allows the Department of Social Services to permit further exemptions from the requirements in areas of high unemployment, areas with limited economic or educational opportunities, areas that lack public transportation, and for good cause. Under the provision, the Department of Social Services is required to apply for a waiver from the federal government to put the work requirements in place.

The final component of HJR 117 ensures our Medicaid benefits are provided only to residents of Missouri. Currently, Missouri is subsidizing the other states Medicaid programs when a Medicaid recipient from Illinois, or perhaps Kansas, comes to Missouri, that service provider is being paid by that respective states Medicaid program, and additionally, Missouri is adding to that payment and subsidizing those other states Medicaid programs.

Missouri is the only state in the nation that provides a Medicaid extra add-on payment. The bill is meant to distribute funds so that were keeping Missouri resources in a program thats paid for by Missourians in the state of Missouri and making payments available to those who are actually Missouri residents.

The proposed constitutional amendment requires another vote in the House before moving to the Senate.

House approves Missouri Religious Freedom Protection Act (HB 1713)

Missourians will have their right to assemble for religious services further protected under a bill that was given first-round approval by the Missouri House of Representatives. House members approved the Missouri Religious Freedom Protection Act, which is in part a response to the closures of places of worship that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill ensures that government entities in Missouri cannot close our places of worship. There are a few limited exceptions in the bill but the idea is to make sure some of the closures that were forced upon our citizens never take place again.

Under the bill, no public official can issue an order that has the effect of limiting or prohibiting a religious group or place of worship from holding religious services or meetings. This prohibition would not apply to emergency evacuation orders involving imminent danger from flooding, fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, terrorist threats, civil unrest, or hazardous materials incidents. Once the imminent danger has passed, religious services would be allowed to resume.

Places of worship meet not only the spiritual needs of the population but also provide help to those in need in the form of food, shelter and other critical services. The data shows people who were able to attend religious services during the pandemic saw their mental health improve.

The bill now requires another vote in the House before moving to the Senate.

My best to all of you!

Rep. Dale Wright

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Fires were battled at opposite ends of the Parkland Monday and Tuesday mornings.

A residential fire in Washington County on Tuesday morning brought out Potosi firefighters. Crews were dispatched just after 9 a.m. to a house fire on the 10,000 block of Farris Road off of Highway 21 just north of Potosi.

Potosi Fire Chief Roger LaChance said units arrived on the scene to find a working fire inside the one-story brick home with a basement. He said they immediately began attacking the blaze, eventually striking a second alarm for additional manpower.

LaChance said firefighters worked the fire for about three hours. He said the home was still standing when they left but would likely be deemed a total loss due to smoke and water damage. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Several area fire departments helped Potosi with containment efforts, including departments from St. Francois and Jefferson counties.

Another fire broke out about 11:30 a.m. Monday, bringing out the Fredericktown Fire Department to a residential fire on Village Creek Road.

Fire Chief John Clark said when they arrived, flames could be seen coming out of the roof of the home.

Cherokee Pass Volunteer Fire Department was also called to the scene to help with containment and water supply.

"The fire was quickly contained to the attic of the home," Clark said. "There were no injuries but the home did sustain major damage."

Clark said the fire was caused by an exterior wood furnace. Crews were on scene for about an hour. Fredericktown Fire Department was aided by Cherokee Pass Volunteer Fire Department, Madison County Ambulance District, Madison County 911, and the Madison County Sheriff's Department.

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Update, post press-time: The gas line has been fixed, according to a social media post by the City of Potosi, MO, and workers are hoping to restore service to the majority of customers Tuesday evening. According to the city's Facebook post, workers are making the rounds to natural gas customers' houses to complete the process of restoring service. It advises that any customers who were not at home for workers' visits Tuesday night to restore power, should call Potosi City Hall on Wednesday.

The original story:

Potosi area residents are without natural gas as city and utility contractors work to restore services after a gas main break Tuesday morning.

Potosi Mayor Joseph Blount said a break in the natural gas line occurred around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, affecting service to about 700-800 homes within the city limits, and 969 area customers in total. Potosi's population is about 2,500.

Fire units were immediately dispatched to the area for safety and to direct traffic, according to the city. The Potosi Fire Department conducted a precautionary evacuation of the immediate area surrounding the damaged gas main. The local school district called off school out of caution.

Potosi Public Utility crews were dispatched immediately to the scene and shut off the main valve. Normal traffic had resumed by 10 a.m. There were no injuries reported.

Blount said utility contractors hired by the city have been in the process of laying new gas lines from Desloge to Potosi along Highway 8. He said the new lines are being installed parallel to the old lines, which have been marked.

The mayor said workers were digging to find a section of the old line when they hit a service line running off the main Tuesday morning. He explained the rupture caused 250 psi of natural gas to leak out of the 4-inch line.

Blount said contractors were working Tuesday afternoon on the opposite side of the regulating station, attempting to restore gas pressure to the correctional facility and some of the larger businesses and industrial facilities.

The mayor noted they had an estimated timeframe of one to three days to restore service to residential customers, with three days being the "worst-case scenario." He said they hoped to have most residents' service back on by late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Blount said the process would be time-consuming.

"We have to turn them all off first," the mayor said, referring to each customer's gas meter. "Then, we have to go back and turn them all on and then relight everything. So it's going to be really time-consuming on that, because it has to be someone who is fully registered to do all that kind of work. They have to have licensing to do the relighting of pilot lights and making sure there aren't any leaks when they turn the gas back on."

The mayor said workers would need to enter each customer's home to finish the process of restoring service.

The city recommended citizens find alternative places to stay, such as a family member's home, if temperatures dip too low.

Washington County Office of Emergency Management Director Nick Branson cautioned those using propane heaters to remember that the heaters need to be properly ventilated so as to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Residents should take all precautions when operating electric space heaters, as well.

In anticipation of the winter storm coming, the Red Cross will have a shelter in place at the Potosi Southern Baptist Church located at 10165 W. State Highway 8 in Potosi for those in need of shelter. The city is asking anyone who plans to use the shelter to bring comfort items such as medications, clothing, personal hygiene items, and similar sundries.

Blount said he would be speaking with the Potosi School District administration Tuesday evening to share details with the school that would help them determine whether class would be in session Wednesday.

"The crews are working really hard on getting all of this done, and they're doing a really good job," said Blount. "Once the issue was brought up they were quick to respond to it. They shut off the gas to prevent any further damage, and there was nobody hurt. We're really appreciative of all of them working diligently."

Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com

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Over the past few years, Nigerien musician Mdou Moctars created a special sound by mixing his traditional Tuareg influences with rock, psychedelia, and more. Utilizing his unique aesthetic, Moctars written everything from love songs to political songs. Last years album Afrique Victime drew attention to the effects of colonialism and the issues facing Niger. He recently spoke to us through a translator about his music, regional crises, and his ongoing work for justice.

Moctar recently has begun a U.S. tour and will soon head to Europe  and, given all the complications, he sounds ready to play.

Thats my job and Im really happy to be doing it, Moctar said, adding of the pandemic, I feel very safe. I got double-vaccinated, and everyone at the concerts is vaccinated.

Things at home have not been going so well, given Niger has faced political unrest and terrorist attacks.

Its been very difficult in Niger. Ive been through some very sad moments, he said. Ive lost a lot close people: cousins, friends died. It was difficult to play because were all in mourning. This tour had been planned for a long time, and were here as professionals. Back home, were not really doing concerts at the moment because we just lost so many people. Its a disaster. I feel way less safe now at home.

As Moctars fame has spread  Afrique Victime, his first for Matador, made numerous year-end lists and garnered a Best New Music from Pitchfork  hes gained the ability to reach a wider audience about the struggles at home.

There are so many things I want to talk about I cant even fit in this album, he explained. Weve almost finished the next album. Its also going to be a political album. I want to tell the whole world.

At the moment, whats occupying my mind and whats hurting me is the presence of the U.S. and the French military in Niger. At the moment, were suffering from massive terrorism problems, and people are getting killed like animals. I dont understand. Its inconceivable to me. We didnt have any terrorism problems before the French and the Americans built military bases inside the country. Terrorism was something wed seen in films but never in real life. Now, its happening all around us. The two countries have significant means, yet theyre standing by and just watching us die even though they said they were entering the country to protect us from terrorists. Its something thats really hurtful to me and I dont understand.

Moctars questions extend beyond Nigers boarders. He explores what international organizations are doing while violent groups perpetrate acts of terror.

I really dont understand what the EU is doing with its policies, he continued. All Western citizens, including U.S. citizens, are kind of victims of this, too. These Western governments are exploiting African resources and the African people are getting killed, and at the same time, the EU is closing its borders and preventing migrants from coming over.

I think its very simple. If the EU wants Africans to stay put, then they just need to let Africa exploit its own resources. Africans will never leave unless they have to. Its almost like taking a fish out of water and then banning it from jumping into the river. Its cruel. Theyre taking everything, and now theyre preventing us from surviving when people are just trying to eat. Please let us use our resources.

While formal governments might not be getting the ideas, people across the world are.

Of course, I think artists are ambassadors of our community, and its true that our voices are better heard, Moctar said. Our band is very connected locally with real people, so we really understand whats happening because were living it. Thanks to music, people are starting to understand the real situation and its helping a bit. What I dont understand is how the West claims  and powerful heads of governments  say they will fix the situation and then they use weapons to fix the situation.

For me, if you need to repair something, you either have to go to the garage or the hospital. Im not sure what weapons are supposed to fix. Just look at what happened in Libya. It was bombed so much with airplanes. Why didnt Western powers try to instead arrest the bad people and foster communication? Instead, all they did was spill blood and take riches and, of course, that didnt improve the situation. Of course, I would never support dictators, but I also I cant keep quiet about innocent people being killed bombed. If you just look at Libya under Gaddafi and then after the supposed Western intervention that was supposed to help  if you just compare pictures, you can see the peoples living conditions are much worse.

Part of Moctars art, being less political, simply spreads Tuareg culture, revealing music and life to listeners who might otherwise know little about it.

For me, you can really say that Tuareg culture is becoming increasingly known in the world, he said. More and more Tuaregs are traveling, spreading the word about our culture and also whats happening locally, so I think changes are happening incredibly fast.

Were a tiny community at the end of the day, yet we are starting to be known, thanks to music, by many people around the globe. Youd better watch out, because the younger generation is arriving, and theyre even more eager to transmit messages and support our Tuareg traditions and culture.

Moctar doesnt just speak out about issues. He addresses them directly through personal and charitable action, prioritizing equity and autonomy as he looks for service partnerships. Given Moctars vision and energy, its hard to imagine he wont find those partnerships, especially as he continues to catch the ears of the world.
LOVINGSTONA man charged with murder in connection with the burned body of a Charlottesville man found alongside a trail in Nelson County is attempting to convince a jury that he is not guilty by reason of insanity.

The four-day trial of Roger Dale Beverly, 36, started Tuesday in Nelson County Circuit Court. Beverly faces charges of first-degree murder, stabbing with intent to maim or kill, concealing a body and petit larceny in the death of Winfred W. Watson, 48, of Charlottesville.

Dressed in an untucked blue dress shirt and sporting long hair and an unkempt beard, Beverly sat next to his counsel Tuesday, occasionally oscillating in his chair as the parties made arguments.

Addressing the jury, Erik Lab, assistant commonwealths attorney for Nelson County, argued that there was no doubt of Beverlys guilt. Laub said that Watsons body was found with several charred spots alongside a wooded trail connecting the Lovingston Ridge Apartments and the Lovingston Food Lion on May 2, 2019.

Beverly was found nearby that same afternoon and seemingly admitted to killing Watson.

When asked whether he killed Mr. Watson, Beverly told police I aint got no time to play games. If you threaten me, if you act like you want to fight me, thats it, Laub said.

According to a timeline of events presented by Laub to the jurors, Beverly stabbed Watson 13 times during the early afternoon of May 2, 2019. He then waited around in the area where he eventually approached Virginia State Police officers and was taken into custody.

Laub told the jurors that he expected the defense to spend much of its time discussing Beverlys mental health and dark family history.

Though he said he had no reason to doubt this information or Beverlys post-arrest schizophrenia diagnosis, Laub said he did not believe it met the high legal standard needed to be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

There are only two people who can tell you for sure what happened that day and one of them is dead, he said. But what can speak is evidence, which will show that Beverly actions were violent and criminal.

Brady S. Nicks, Beverlys defense attorney, spent most of his opening statement highlighting a history of mental illness plaguing his client.

According to Nicks, both Beverlys mother and grandmother suffered from symptoms that indicated schizophrenia and the poor living conditions the defendant was raised in may also have contributed to his mental illness.

Beverlys schizophrenia, as well as his higher risk of injury due to a lifelong issue with hemophilia, may have contributed to his paranoid state of mind, Nicks said.

You will hear experts testify that the reality Mr. Beverly experiences is not the same as you or I experience, he said.

Nicks described the attempt by Beverly to light Watsons body on fire as woefully inadequate, but ceded he could not explain why his client attempted to do so, though he said he doubted it was an attempt to cover up evidence.

Since his incarceration, Nicks said Beverly has been both diagnosed and treated for schizophrenia and has been doing better in the highly structured jail environment. Prior to his arrest, Nicks said Beverly had never received a psychological evaluation or any form of treatment despite a long, obvious history of concerning behavior.

The first witness called Tuesday was Candice Simpson, who was the first person to find Watsons body.

She was walking from her job to her home via the trail when she said she noticed smoke. It wasnt until she got closer that she noticed the smoke was from a body and not from a brushfire, as she had initially believed.

I saw a man standing over the body and I asked him is that a dead body? and he told me yep, she said.

Simpson positively identified the man she talked to that day as Beverly and said she wasnt afraid to approach him when she discovered Watsons body.

As soon as Beverly confirmed that Simpson was looking at a dead body, she said she left and soon contacted the police.

Several witnesses from the state police and Nelson County Sheriffs Office also testified, including Virginia State Police Special Agent Clay Oberholt, who interviewed Beverly at the scene.

A recording on the interview was played in which Beverly repeatedly said he panicked when questioned about why he killed Watson.

Oberholt described Beverlys appearance as disheveled and said he could smell alcohol on Beverlys breath, although he said Beverly did not appear overly intoxicated.

When pressed by Nicks about Beverlys claims of hemophilia, Oberholt said the defendant had mentioned his medical issue prior to the start of the recording. However, Oberholt said his interview with Beverly was centered more around trying to determine why the defendant had stabbed Watson.

The jury also viewed crime scene photos, several of which showed Watsons body lying face down on the side of the trail. Despite evidence of attempts to burn Watsons body, aside from charred greenery around him and some burnt residue on his back, Watsons body appeared to largely undamaged.

The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning.

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A Sweet Home man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an infant in his care.

The Sweet Home Police Department arrested Carl Edwin Steinborn, 24, on Friday, Feb. 18. Steinborn was arraigned in Linn County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Feb. 22 on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree assault and first-degree criminal mistreatment.

Court documents allege on or between Oct. 16 and Feb. 11 Steinborn caused serious physical injury to a child under 6 months of age.

In a notice filed with the court Feb. 22, prosecutor Jonathan Crow, on behalf of the state, asked the court to impose an enhanced sentence should Steinborn be found guilty.

The notice lists the following allegations as reasons for an enhanced sentence:

The victim was particularly vulnerable.

The alleged incident involves deliberate cruelty to the victim.

The degree of loss or harm was much greater than usual for this type of offense.

The alleged actions resulted in permanent injury to the victim.

Steinborns actions were allegedly premeditated.

During Tuesday's arraignment, Linn County Circuit Court Judge Rachel Kittson-MaQatish set Steinborn's security at $50,000. Steinborn is currently lodged at Linn County Jail. His next court appearance in the matter is set for March 7.

According to Oregon's online court database, Steinborn was convicted of two counts of third-degree sexual abuse in 2015.
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The Colorado Association of Realtors still has $1.5 million in relief money left to distribute to the victims of the deadly Marshall fire, according to a news release.

In January, the associations foundation was awarded a $2 million grant from the National Association of Realtors Relief Foundation to give to fire victims.

On Dec. 30, the raging grassfire tore through 1,600 acres and destroyed almost 1,100 homes and businesses in Boulder County. Two people were killed.

Even before the fires had been fully contained, our local, state and national association leaders began developing a plan of action to assist the thousands of victims in Boulder County, 2022 Colorado Association of Realtors Chair Matthew Hintermeister said in the release. With the contributions from our REALTOR community across the country and the vision of our leadership from the NAR REALTORS Relief Foundation and CAR Foundation, we will effectively be able to provide some amount of assistance to every victim of these fires as we all work to find a path forward for our fellow Coloradans.

The foundation has already received about 400 applications, and grant checks totaling more than $350,00 have been distributed to qualified applicants, according to a spokesman.

Up to $3,000 is available to each household that lost a home in the blaze, for expenses like mortgages for destroyed homes or rental costs due to displacement.

Applications can be submitted until April 8, or until the grant money is gone. Details and applications are available at the association website. A panel of local professionals will review and verify the applications and supporting documents with relief checks issued weekly.

It has been so heartwarming to see the astonishing effort that has gone into helping those who lost their homes to the Marshall and Middle Fork fires in Boulder County, CEO Tyrone Adams said in the release. Coloradans have always helped one another, but it has been incredible to see REALTORS reach out to our state with hearts to help touch lives.
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Richard Crespin shovels the snow from his front steps on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, in Denver, Colo. Crespin has been at the same house for 33 years and usually gets out to clear the walkways earlier, but all the snow settled here during the day.
Indonesian telecommunications provider PT Indosat, trading as Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH), recorded a net profit of IDR6.75 trillion (US$470 million) in 2021, overcoming an IDR717 billion setback in its previous financial year.

The joint venture between Ooredoo and Hutchison Asia Telecom Group said in an earnings release that its total revenue increased 12.4% year-on-year (YoY) to IDR31.38 trillion.

2021 marks the last fiscal year for the company before its merger with PT Hutchison 3 Indonesia to form Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, which was completed in January 2022.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison president director and CEO Vikram Sinha said: We have been able to deliver strong and consistent performance in the last three years because of the focused execution of our turnaround strategy. We at Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison are obsessed with delivering superior customer experience, which will continue to remain our core priority going forward.

The customer base of the company expanded by 4.4% YoY to 62.9 million subscribers in 2021. The average revenue per user (ARPU) also saw an increase to IDR34,4000, from previously IDR31,900 in FY 2020.

IOH said that its overall network experience improvements and fine-tuned product portfolio has resulted in data traffic growth by 36.7% YoY. Strong performance on operational metrics reflects growing customer trust in brand IOH.

The company also achieved in the year its commercial 5G launch in five key locations while expanding 4G across the country, turning on 187 new sites to connect remote villages.
Vodafone announced it intends to offload its entire stake in Indias largest tower company Indus Towers, with a portion reportedly going to rival Bharti Airtel.

Vodafone has 757.8 million shares worth INR190.7 billion ($2.56 billion). The company is starting off with the sale of 63.6 million Indus shares stating it is currently in talks with various interested parties for the remaining.

Advanced talks are currently in undergoing with one of Indus largest shareholders for a 4.7% stake. According to Refinitiv data, Bharti Airtel is the largest shareholder in Indus Tower, Vodafone did not confirm who its bidder is.

Vodafone had seen turbulent times in the South Asian nation as its local unit Vodafone Idea (rebranded to Vi) lost millions of subscribers to rivals Jio and Bharti Airtel. It was also forced by the government to pay massive arrears which had been resolved by surrendering equity in its local unit.

Vodafone had sold shares in Indus in 2020 to ease its financial burden from the government.
The Peruvian government has cancelled the auction for airwaves due to concern from interested parties on the concessions they have to meet.

BNamericas reported, concessions such as rural coverage and minimum speed targets have made it difficult for the ministry of finance agency ProInversion (Private Investment Promotion Agency), which is in charge of spectrum auctions, to attract operators to bid.

Perus congress passed a law last year demanding operators guarantee a speed of 70% of what is pledged.

Formerly up for grabs was the AWS-3 and 2.3GHz spectrum. Telefonica (Movistar), Claro (America Movil) and Entel prequalified for the auction.

Former deputy communications minister and a founding partner of consultancy Consultores Regulatorios Virgina Nakagawa, told BNamericas it was ridiculous the 70% speed guarantee applies to satellite and mobile download speeds, as it opens up operators to fines for not meeting speed pledges in difficult rural areas. She advocates eliminating the rules or making it less stringent otherwise Peru's launch for 5G services could be delayed.
In a statement to journalists earlier this week, Matano Ndaro, the director of licensing, compliance and standards at the Communications Authority of Kenya, has announced that 5G is coming to the country in 2022.

The representative of Kenya's telecommunication industry regulator said in Nairobi that Kenya will roll out pilot 5G networks this year.

He added that the regulator has developed a roadmap that outlines strategies to facilitate the deployment of 5G technology. This, it seems, will start with the holding of a validation workshop in the next month at which comments from stakeholders will be discussed.

The next step will be to establish a national 5G forum and allocate pilot frequencies. Still within 2022, the plan is then to authorize the first 5G pilot projects and release the spectrum required. After that 5G commercial licenses can be issued. Its not clear if an auction will be involved and, of so, how bidders will be chosen.

Ndaro added that Kenya's operators have already begun the process of deploying 5G infrastructure across the country.

The news was reported by Chinas Xinhua news service, not too surprisingly perhaps as Chinese smartphone maker Vivo was launching a 5G-enabled device in Kenya at the time of Ndaros comments.

The Communications Authority of Kenya estimates that 3G and 4G coverage in Kenya covers over 96 percent of the country's population, or about 56.3 percent of the actual land area.
Intracom Telecom announced the extension of supply of its Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) WiBAS-OSDR (hub) and WiBAS-Connect (terminal) at 10.5 GHz band to Lintasarta, an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) total solutions company in Indonesia.

Intracom Telecom delivers this equipment through Abhimata, an Indonesian system integrator & telecom solution provider. Lintasartas experience of WiBAS technology dates back to 2014. The operator, through this extension of supply, invests further in Intracom Telecoms FWA field proven technologies offering reliable broadband connectivity services to its growing number of enterprise subscribers in Indonesia. Completion of the project is expected by Q1 2023.

Intracom Telecom (PtMP) WiBAS radio meets the needs of service providers to deploy high quality broadband infrastructure and connect enterprises rapidly while enabling the introduction of new services for optimum subscriber experience. Thanks to its very high reliability and lightweight design, WiBAS can be installed by non-telecom personnel easily at the base station sites or rooftops.

Herbudi Wibowo, General Manager Supply Chain Management Lintasarta, commented: We hope the support from Intracom Telecom can improve the quality of telecommunication services that we provide to customers and they get more optimal service from Lintasarta.

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom's wireless solutions portfolio, noted: We are very pleased to supply Lintasarta with our flagship WiBAS FWA solution that provides the highest capacity in the market and contribute to their network expansion goals. Our systems reliability to operate under environmentally harsh (rainy) conditions, delivering broadband service uninterruptedly at extended range, played a key role during customers vendor selection process.
Statement at UNSC briefing on the Middle East, Incl. the Palestinian Question

Statement

Thank you Madam President and thank you Tor for your report on the situation in the oPT, including on the implementation of Resolution 2334.

Madam President,

The Special Coordinators briefing highlights the increase in violence in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, at this particularly sensitive time. Ireland reaffirms our view that violence against civilians must cease.

In our last statement to the Council, we expressed our deep concern at continued reports of the use of excessive force by Israeli Security Forces leading to the killing and injuring of Palestinians, including children. Such acts have continued in the weeks since then. These killings shatter families and communities and take us ever further away from the possibility of a just and lasting peace. There must be accountability for the actions of the Israeli security forces.

Ireland also urges the Palestinian Authority to protect and uphold the human rights of Palestinians under its control and enhance its efforts to prevent terrorism. As Tor has made clear, the PA urgently needs international support in this regard.

In the run up to the upcoming religious holidays, Ireland calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation, so that these holidays can be safely and appropriately marked by all. We echo the Special Coordinators statement of 8th March in which he called on political, religious and community leaders from all sides to reject violence and speak up against those who try to inflame the situation.

We welcome the recent visit by Foreign Minister Lapid to Amman, and reiterate our call for the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem to be upheld, bearing in mind the special and historic role of Jordan as custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

Madam President,

In keeping with Irelands consistent position on respect for international law, we reiterate our call on Israel to halt all settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in East Jerusalem and in Area C of the West Bank. Such settlement activity is a flagrant violation of international law. Further settlement expansion plans, such as those for E1, Givat Hamatos and Atarot, would severely undermine the possibility of establishing a viable and contiguous Palestinian State.

Tor, your report highlights ongoing Israeli demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures, some funded by donors, including by Ireland and our EU partners. These acts are contrary to Israels obligations under international humanitarian law and must cease.

Ireland remains particularly concerned about the Palestinian families who remain threatened with eviction from their homes, including in Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah, despite recent positive developments. Israel must also address the enormous difficulties experienced by Palestinians seeking to obtain Israeli-issued building permits.

Madam President,

Children continue to endure the worst of this conflict. We are appalled that four children have been killed by Israeli forces in just over one month, and that many others have experienced detention and violence. Israel must uphold international standards for justice for juveniles. We call for an end to the administrative detention of children and any form of ill-treatment in detention. Children must never be the target of violence or put in harms way.

Ireland reiterates our concern at the designation of six Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organisations. Irelands support for civil society is steadfast, and we recall the critical role it plays in promoting international law, peace, human rights and democratic values.

Madam President,

As a strong supporter of UNRWA, Ireland renews our call on the international community, including countries in the region, to step up efforts to support the Agency. This is essential for the provision of vital services to Palestine refugees, as well as for regional stability.

We commend UNRWA and the UN family for their continued work in the Gaza Strip, where the blockade continues to hamper reconstruction efforts. We acknowledge recent positive steps by Israel in this context and commend Egypt and Qatars ongoing contribution. However, more must be done. We renew our call for Israel to end its illegal blockade of Gaza in line with Resolution 1860.

Finally, Madam President,

This Council must redouble its efforts to address the root causes of the Israeli  Palestinian conflict. The situation on the ground, including ongoing settlement expansion by Israel, continues to erode the basis for an agreed solution. In the absence of meaningful political progress and in the context of a climate of impunity and denial of basic rights, disillusionment is taking hold, especially amongst young people. The role that youth can play in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict cannot be overstated.

This Council must recommit to the imperative of a two state solution, in line with Resolution 2334, as the only way to guarantee a stable, sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Thank you.

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Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC Briefing on Iraq/Kuwait

Statement

Thank you very much Mr. President, and we welcome the unanimous adoption today of Resolution 2621. I want to thank Ambassador Gaffey for his briefing, and to wish a very warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Faud Mohammad Hussein, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq, and of course to welcome our colleague Mansour Al-Otaibi, the Ambassador of Kuwait, back into this chamber also.

Mr. President,

I would like to begin by echoing the words of my colleague Ambassador Gaffey in his recent letter to this Council, and in the Chamber today. The fulfilment of the Commissions mandate indeed marks an unprecedented achievement in the history of international claims resolution. As the Commissions report notes, this represents the first case of individuals having recourse to seek compensation from an aggressor state. Ireland has been pleased to preside over the Governing Council in Geneva, at this critical moment in the Commissions history.

We welcome the final payment made in January, in respect of the last remaining claim with an outstanding balance in compensation awarded by the Commission. I wish in particular to commend the Governments of Iraq and Kuwait for their cooperation with the Commission. I note especially the cordiality that has characterised relations on the file, such as Kuwaits support to Iraqs request for a postponement of its deposit requirements in 2014, 2015, and 2016 when Iraq was dealing with the fight against ISIL.

Mr. President,

It is difficult to overstate the significance of this development. Nearly thirty-one years ago, this Council adopted Resolution 692, by which the Council decided to establish this fund and Commission. In doing so, it provided a unique and effective means to enforce state responsibility for unlawful acts while making possible post-conflict reconciliation and reparation, following devastating losses and damages. The joint efforts, commitment and perseverance of the governments of Iraq and Kuwait, acting through the United Nations, reminds us all of the enduring value of dialogue and multilateralism.

Mr. President,

As we have previously highlighted at this Council, there is an inextricable link between Iraqs stability and that of the wider region. We have previously commended Iraqs ongoing exemplary role in encouraging and facilitating regional dialogue over the past year. The conclusion of this file is yet another example of these efforts.

We look forward to further positive developments in Iraq-Kuwait relations, and in particular regarding missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, and missing Kuwaiti property, where we have seen strides in recent years towards resolving outstanding issues and addressing the tragic legacy of the past.

To conclude Mr. President,

We all recognise today as a unique occasion. As we all know, it is very rare in this chamber where we actually successfully conclude a UN process. There is an old Irish proverb that says, what is rare is wonderful, and in my own language an rud is annamh is iontach.

Thank you Mr. President.

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MONTGOMERY  Gov. Kay Ivey recognized an Ashford-based PPE supplier and six other Alabama companies for success in selling goods and services in markets around the globe, helping to sustain robust export activities that create jobs and spark economic growth.

In addition, Ivey recognized William Cummins, executive state director of the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network, for excellence in trade advocacy.

The homegrown companies receiving the 2020 Governors Trade Excellence Award reflect the dynamic range of capabilities found within Alabamas economy, from manufacturing a unique tractor for the worlds farmers to creating biomedical testing devices that improve health care outcomes.

Local award winner Ashford-based Eastern Technologies produces protective clothing that has been used in China and elsewhere in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Houston County company provides personal protective clothing to the nuclear and other industries. It is a leader in the field of radiological laundry services, protective clothing supply, and radiological laundry system design.

The winners of the Governors Trade Excellence Awards, selected by the Alabama Department of Commerce, were honored at a special ceremony on Wednesday at the State Capitol.

Consumers in markets across the globe are learning that Made in Alabama is synonymous with top-level quality, and they want more of the goods produced in our state, Ivey said. The innovation, craftsmanship, and ingenuity of products created by Alabamas talented workers really makes them second to none.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the exporting accomplishments of these companies are elevating the states profile on the global business stage.

Each year, the success of the Governors Trade Excellence Award winners comes as a result of their vision and enterprise, Canfield said. These companies are on the cutting edge in their industries, and were committed to helping them get their products to customers around the world.

Other recipients of this years Governors Trade Excellence Awards are:

Cherokee Fabrication Co. (Salem): Founded by Roy Owens, Paul Owens, and Jerry Scarborough as a light metal fabrication shop, the Lee County company has served the cotton industry for 25 years. Its international footprint now encompasses ginning operations in North America, South America, Africa and Australia.

CleBer LLC (Paint Rock): The Jackson County companys open design system for its Oggun tractor makes all parts available off the shelf, empowering small farmers. Customers can purchase tractors made in Alabama or license the design.

Continental Aerospace Technologies (Mobile): A global leader in general aviation, Continental is the only U.S. company to offer a full range of new piston aircraft engines, as well as a full-service factory Maintenance Repair and Overhaul center. In business since 1906, the company has more than 600 employees.

iCubate Inc. (Huntsville): iCubate provides fast, accurate and affordable testing assays to laboratories, helping improve patient care outcomes. Its international activities include a licensing agreement with a Chinese oncology diagnostics firm and a joint venture with an infectious disease diagnostics company in China.

Nelson Brothers (Birmingham): Nelson produces chemicals that are used by manufacturers of emulsions around the world for applications in mining and construction. To expand its global business footprint, it began producing specialty chemicals as additives in lubricants, metal working and oil recovery processes.

SynVivo (Huntsville): SynVivos tissue/organ-on-chip platform provides a biologically realistic microenvironment to enable better prediction of human responses for drug development and personalized medicine applications.

William Cummins has directed the activities of the Alabama SBDC Network, which seeks to enhance economic growth across the state by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses, since 2011. During a 30-year career in banking, he served in international trade finance with banks in the Southeast and in other roles that advanced trade.

Christina Stimpson, director of Commerces Office of International Trade, said this years award winners can serve as role models for other Alabama companies that may be looking to follow a similar path in exporting their goods and services overseas.

We are proud to have worked with all the companies represented today and to have assisted them in identifying international opportunities, Stimpson said. The communities where they are located are fortunate to have them because, through exporting, theyre diversifying the economy, growing their production and creating and sustaining jobs.
The marquee race in this big 2022 election year is for our open U.S. Senate seat. It is beginning to percolate.

The race has been raging for over a year already and we are getting poised to begin the final full court press to the finish line. The GOP Primary is three months away on May 24 with a monumental runoff on June 21. The winner on that day will be Shelbys successor.

Early on, it appeared to be a two-person race between Mo Brooks and Katie Britt. However, Mike Durant has surged out of the blue with a three solid month media bombardment and made it a three-way race.

All three candidates appear to be well-financed and ready for a three-month battle to the finish line. It will be the most expensive race in Alabama political history. There are barrels of money flowing into the Heart of Dixie primarily out of the Potamac basin in Washington.

In this modern day of national politics, a candidates individual war chest is not the all-telling story. We live in a world of third-party political action committees (PACs). These PACs, based out of Washington, will more than likely spend more on their preferred candidate than will be spent by the candidates direct campaigns. The candidates individual campaign account dollars will go towards positive ads for their candidate. The third party PAC ads will be negative. These outside PACs are not supposed to work in conjunction or even correspond with their preferred candidate, but they do in actuality. They share polling and media strategy. These innocuous PACs have the meanest negative media gurus in America. These hired guns relish attacking and destroying their opposition.

Therefore, look for the next three months to be a barrage of negative ads against Mo Brooks, Katie Britt, and Mike Durant.

It will be easy to find and exploit negative ammunition on Mo Brooks. He has been in politics for 40 years. Katie Britt and Mike Durant will be harder to ambush as they are making their first races. It will be telling to see how Durant and Britt react to negative attacks.

Mo Brooks is backed by the Club for Growth. He has been their boy for the last 10 years. He fits in with them, ideologically. The Club for Growth is an ultra-right wing fringe group that funds right-wing antigovernmental free trade candidates, mostly in smaller conservative states where their money will go further. They supposedly promised Brooks $5 million of soft third-party money to commit to the race. That money is there and they are spending it. However, a deep dive into the polling shows Brooks sinking.

The wild card in the race is POW hero Mike Durant. He has a really good story to tell, and he is telling that story with a well done media buy. He makes no pretense towards campaigning or meeting Alabamians. He probably could not tell you where Conecuh or Bullock counties are, much less Samson or Slocomb. He is from New Hampshire and moved to Huntsville to build an aerospace company.

Durant is being assisted by a third party PAC known as the Patriot PAC. This groups primary donors are very anti-Trump. The primary contributor to this PAC is a wealthy donor named Harriman. His mission is to elect five independent senators who will be swing votes and not align or have allegiance to any party. Harriman scoured the nation to find the perfect military hero to win a Republican seat. He garnered the perfect candidate in Durant, who is coming around the corner like nobodys business. Durant would be likely to align with moderate Republicans like Mitt Romney and Susan Collins. In Washington, they are referring to Durant as a RINO in uniform.

Therefore, if you really look into the three GOP candidates you see a semblance of national Republican circles vying for a candidate of their persuasion to fill a guaranteed Republican seat.

Brooks would be the Club for Growth, right-wing, fringe candidate that adheres to pro-China trade policies and has no concern for Alabama jobs or federal projects vital to our state. Durant is backed by the Harriman PAC. Katie Britt is the mainstream, conservative, pro-business candidate who understands Alabama and her needs. In fact, she is the only real Alabamian in the race.

It will be an interesting and an expensive three month show. It will be fun to watch. I will keep you posted.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabamas leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature, and may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
The first 20 places you can fly to Vietnam from

Vietnam has resumed commercial flights to 20 of 28 countries and territories that it had direct flights to before the pandemic.
Kerry's reaffirmation came in talks held with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi, a foreign ministry press release said Wednesday.

Kerry, who is paying a four-day (Feb. 22-25) visit to Vietnam, said the U.S. stood ready to assist Vietnam in reviewing, adjusting its strategy and planning towards the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a key commitment announced by Vietnam's leaders at the COP26 meet in the U.K. last November.

Kerry said the U.S. will continue to work closely with Vietnam on specific and timely measures, especially in developing renewable energy and reducing emissions, formulating policies to phase out coal power and developing sustainable infrastructure.

He said the U.S. can help Vietnam in transitioning to a clean energy model, especially through solar energy.

He stressed the importance of this move, given that rising sea levels are likely to severely impact the Mekong Delta and other low-lying areas in Vietnam.

President Phuc said Vietnam considered climate change response an area of strategic cooperation between the two countries. He requested the U.S. to increase financial and technical support to help Vietnam fulfill commitments made at COP26 and to move towards establishing an equitable energy transition partnership with a number of partners, including the U.S.

In an event hosted by the USAID later, Kerry told the media that "President Biden is very committed to helping Vietnam in a big way to transition from coal to new technologies."

Government decisions should help move in that direction, he said.

Vietnam can have a very balanced power sector, combining hydropower, wind power and solar power, he said, adding it also has potential to develop its offshore capacity for wind power.

"Vietnam has a good story to tell about the future."

Kerry also attended a ceremony Wednesday where the Innovation Challenge Fund (ICF) was announced, saying it could play an important role in tackling climate change challenges.

The ICF is part of Vietnam Urban Energy Security, a four-year, $14 million USAID-funded project that aims at improving frameworks, mobilizing investment and increasing the adoption of innovative solutions for advanced, distributed energy in urban areas.

With a $2 million allocation, the ICF targets funding 20 pilot projects and/or demonstrations of new products, business models or financing models for advanced urban energy systems in Da Nang and/or HCMC. Successful applicants will receive funding of up to $100,000.

Kerry also emphasized the important role of the Vietnam Low Emission Energy Program project that the U.S. is funding to the tune of $36 million. Under this project, USAID will help Vietnam continue its transition to a clean, secure and market-based energy sector by increasing the deployment of advanced energy systems, improving energy sector performance, and increasing competition in the energy sector.

Both Vietnam and the U.S. will attend the COP27 meeting in Egypt this November.
HCMC's Ton Duc Thang University has become the first tertiary institution in Vietnam to be listed among the world's 100 best under-50 universities.

According to the Young University Rankings 2022 released by the U.K. magazine Times Higher Education (THE) on Feb. 15, Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City stands 98th in the ranking that evaluated 539 schools.

THE said that the ranking assessed research-intensive universities across all their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The performance indicators were grouped into five areas: teaching (the learning environment); research (volume, income and reputation); citations (research influence); international outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer).

Established in 1997, Ton Duc Thang University "has steadily developed into one of the largest and fastest-growing universities in Vietnam with over 25,000 students and 1,300 faculty members," the magazine said.

The school scored its highest marks in the citations category, at 99.3 out of 100.

Vietnam has three other universities in the Young University Rankings 2022: Duy Tan University in central Da Nang City at 122, Vietnam National University, Hanoi in the 301-350 group, and the Vietnam National University, HCMC in the 401+ group.

This year, Paris Sciences et Lettres  PSL Research University Paris has overtaken Nanyang Technological University, Singapore for the top spot.

Nanyang was pushed to the second spot and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology came in third.

Turkey, India and Iran have also significantly boosted the numbers of institutions in the Young University Rankings, with the first two the most-represented countries in the table. Turkey and India each have 40 ranked universities, up from 23 and 26 respectively in 2020. Iran now has 37 young universities in the rankings, up from 20 two years ago.

Times Higher Education became known for publishing the annual Times Higher Education  Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, which first appeared in November 2004.

In 2009, it broke with QS, the world's largest international higher education network, and signed an agreement with Thomson Reuters to provide the data instead.
Through its Rewards for Justice Program, the U.S. Department of State is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information about any person, acting at the direction of a foreign government, who, while acting at the direction of or under the control of a foreign government, interferes with U.S. elections by violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.



The State Department is looking for information on two Iranian cyber actors employed by the Iranian cyber company Emennet Pasargad, which provides cyber capabilities and support to Irans Ministry of Intelligence and Security, as well as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCC) and the IRGC-Qods Force, two U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations.



From at least August through November 2020, Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazemi and Sajjad Kashian participated in an Iranian state-sponsored multi-phased operation targeting the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Kazemi helped carry out the voter intimidation and influence campaign by compromising servers used to send threatening voter emails, preparing emails for the voter threat email campaign, and compromising the email accounts of an American media company.



Among other activities, Kashian managed computer network infrastructure that was used to carry out the voter intimidation and influence campaign and sought to purchase social media accounts to further that campaign.



In November 2021, the United States designated these individuals and their employer Emennet Pasargad under Executive Order 13848. The two men face sanctions and federal criminal charges in connection with their activities.



Since its inception in 1984, the Rewards for Justice program, which is administered by the Department of States Diplomatic Security Service, has paid in excess of $200 million to more than 100 people across the globe who provided actionable information that helped prevent terrorism, bring terrorist leaders to justice, and resolve threats to U.S. national security.



If you have information on Seyyed Kazemi or Sajjad Kashians malicious cyberactivity, please contact the Rewards for Justice Program through its website at www.rewardsforjustice.net.



All information will be kept strictly confidential.



Anncr: That was an international public service announcement by the United States Government.




Barrick Gold Corp. has agreed to pay Bullion Monarch Mining Inc. $25 million in a settlement reached Feb. 18 over a claim of non-payment of royalties on production from properties in the Carlin trend west of Elko.

Bullion initiated the litigation on the royalty dispute in 2008. The litigation continued after EMX Royalty Corp. acquired Bullion in 2012.

Out of the $25 million settlement, $6.175 million will go to Bullions Reno, Nevada lawyers to cover the contingency fee.

EMX will continue to receive its 1% gross smelter return royalty from portions of Nevada Gold Mines' Leeville, Turf and other underground gold mining operations. The royalty from Leeville began going to EMX when the company acquired Bullion 10 years ago.

The Leeville royalty is a key company asset, and has provided a significant and ongoing revenue stream to EMX since its acquisition, the EMX website says.

The EMX website comments that Newmonts $330 million investment in the Turf Vent Shaft project added significant value to EMXs Leeville royalty at no cost to the company. The project construction started in 2012 and the Turf No. 3 Ventilation Shaft was commissioned in November 2015.

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This illustration shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data about the planets diameters, masses, and distances from the host star. Astronomers have named them the planets TRAPPIST-1a, TRAPPIST-1b, and so forth. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Five years ago, astronomers revealed a spectacular collection of other worlds: the TRAPPIST-1 system.

Newspapers around the world printed the discovery on their front pages: Astronomers had found that a red dwarf star called TRAPPIST-1 was home to a close-knit family of seven Earth-size planets. NASA announced the system Feb. 22, 2017.

Using telescopes on the ground and in space, scientists revealed one of the most unusual planetary systems yet found beyond our Sun and opened the tantalizing question: Are any of these worlds habitable - a suitable home for life?

Five years later, the planets are still enigmatic. Since the first announcement, subsequent studies have revealed that the TRAPPIST-1 planets are rocky, that they could be almost twice as old as our solar system, and that they are located 41 light-years from Earth.

But a real game-changer will be the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope. Larger and more powerful than any previous space telescope, Webb will look for signs of atmospheres on the TRAPPIST-1 planets.

"That folks are even able to ask the question about whether a planet around another star is habitable - that just boggles my mind," said Sean Carey, manager of the Exoplanet Science Institute at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Carey was part of the team that helped discover some of the TRAPPIST-1 planets using data from the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope.

A prime target for Webb is the fourth planet from the star, called TRAPPIST-1e. It's right smack in the middle of what scientists call the habitable zone, also known as the Goldilocks zone. This is the orbital distance from a star where the amount of heating is right to allow liquid water on the surface of a planet.

Though the planets are tightly packed around TRAPPIST-1, the red dwarf star is not only far cooler than our Sun, it is less than 10% its size. (In fact, if the entire system were placed in our own solar system, it would fit within the orbit of our innermost planet, Mercury.)

Searching for Atmospheres

The habitable zone is just a first cut. A potentially habitable planet also would require a suitable atmosphere, and Webb, especially in its early observations, is likely to gain only a partial indication of whether an atmosphere is present.

"What is at stake here is the first atmosphere characterization of a terrestrial Earth-size planet in the habitable zone," said Michael Gillon, an astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium and the lead author of the study that revealed the seven sibling planets in 2017.

Measurements with the Hubble Space Telescope added more information about habitability. While Hubble does not have the power to determine whether the planets possess potentially habitable atmospheres, it did find that at least three of the planets - d, e, and f - do not appear to have the puffy, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres of gas giants, such as Neptune, in our solar system. Such planets are thought to be less likely to support life.

That leaves open the possibility of "the atmospheres' potential to support liquid water on the surface," said Nikole Lewis, a planetary scientist at Cornell University.

Lewis is part of a science team that will use the Webb telescope, which will view the heavens in infrared light, to hunt for signs of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e, the one with the Goldilocks perch in the habitable zone.

"The hope is that we see carbon dioxide, a really strong feature, right at the wavelengths [detectable by] Webb," she said. "Once we know where there are little things peaking up above the noise, we can go back and do a much higher resolution look in that area."

The size of the TRAPPIST-1 planets also might help to strengthen the case for habitability, though the research is far from conclusive.

They're comparable to Earth not just in diameter but mass. Narrowing down the mass of the planets was possible, thanks to their tight bunching around TRAPPIST-1: Packed shoulder to shoulder, they jostle one another, enabling scientists to compute their likely range of mass from those gravitational effects.

"We have gotten some really good information about their size - mass and radius," said Cornell's Lewis. "That means we know about their densities."

The densities suggest the planets might be composed of materials found in terrestrial planets like Earth.

Scientists use computer models of possible planetary atmosphere formation and evolution to try to narrow down their possible composition, and these will be critical for the TRAPPIST-1 planets, Lewis said.

"The great thing about the TRAPPIST system is that it is going to allow us to refine those models either way - whether they will end up being just barren rock or end up being potentially habitable worlds," she said.

For Gillon, another great thing about the system is the reach of the TRAPPIST-1 system. "I've seen TRAPPIST-1 included in some artistic works; I've seen it in music, sci-fi novels, comics," he said. "That's really something we have enjoyed during these five years. It's like this system has a life of its own."

More information

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ELKO  A car pulled over in a West Wendover casino parking lot was hauling an estimated two pounds of meth in its trunk, according to police.

A Volvo with Utah plates was pulled over late Saturday night for having no license plate light and white light coming from its brake lights. The driver, Jeremy V. Smith, 36, of Salt Lake City was profusely sweating when the temperatures was approximately 40 degrees outside, stated a West Wendover Police Department officer. Two women were also in the car.

After determining Smiths drivers license had expired, a K-9 sniffed the vehicle and indicated the presence of drugs.

Located inside the vehicle were several clear pipes containing a white crystal substance, stated court documents. A large amount of white crystal rocks was found in a Tupperware container in the trunk. The container and its contents weighed 1,170 grams, or 2.57 pounds.

Another container weighing 36 grams was determined to contain heroin. Also in the trunk was a large amount of 9mm ammo. A loaded 9mm firearm was found behind the passenger seat.

Smith was arrested on charges of trafficking a controlled substance, felony possession of a controlled substance, possessing a gun by a prohibited person, possession of a hypodermic device, and drug paraphernalia. His bail was listed at $296,880.

Alicia Longtin, 29, was also arrested on a trafficking charge, along with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia. Her bail was $275,740.

The third occupant was not arrested.

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ELKO  Elko High Schools Groom Room announces pet photos with the Easter Bunny on March 26.

Each digital photo is $10 with the proceeds going to Northern Nevada Moses Project that helps children and families in need, focusing on children in foster care and all foster situations.

The event starts at noon and runs until 5 p.m. March 26 at the Elko High School Old Gym.

This is the second pet photo event offered by the Groom Room. In December, EHS students hosted Pet Photos with Santa Claus.

The Groom Room is a senior-year class in the EHS agriculture and CTE department. Students offer basic grooming services for dogs of any size, including bath, brush, nails, teeth and ears.

Animals needing additional care or haircuts are referred to a licensed groomer or veterinarian.

The cost is free, but donations are accepted.

Appointments can be book appointments via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or by emailing ehsgroomroom@gmail.com.

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ELKO  The Elko County Fire Protection District had a long and busy season in 2021, and they are already working to make 2022 safer from wildfires.

Fire Chief Matt Petersen reported that the districts Wildland Division responded to more than 30 fires last year. And crews were out on Lamoille Summit this week burning piles of hazardous fuels to reduce fire danger in preparation for the 2022 season.

Petersen said the district has added personnel to the Wildland Division to increase response and reduce risk. According to the districts annual report, the division was established in April of 2021 in partnership with NV Energy.

Besides responding to wildland fires and supporting district operations, the Division focuses on hazardous fuels reduction in and around electrical infrastructure. The overall goal is to prevent wildfire starts and the impact of wildfires to the electrical grid and communities, states the report.

Elko Interagency Dispatch Center listed 40 wildfires under the countys jurisdiction in 2021, and a total of 80 across the Bureau of Land Managements Elko District  which includes northern Eureka and Lander counties. Only 17 of those fires were caused by lightning, and the rest by humans. A total of 2,575 acres burned between Feb. 10 and Oct. 21.

While Elko Countys fire district received about 150 reports of vehicle/wildland fires in 2021, they also responded to 85 structure fires and 163 vehicle accidents. Due to severe wildfires in other states, Elko County firefighters participated in off-district assignments in California, Idaho and Colorado as well.

Like most fire departments, the majority of their calls are medical emergencies. Last year the county had more than 1,000.

The Wildland Divisions members come from varying backgrounds ranging from firefighters, miners, ranchers, and fresh faces just starting in the fire service.

Last year they grubbed around more than 1,400 power poles, contributing to the statewide goal of clearing vegetation from 10,000 poles.

Looking forward to 2022, the Division plans to double the number of poles cleared and focus on fuel breaks in Spring Creek and the Elko Summit areas, the report said. The heavy equipment module is excited to expand tree and brush clearing capabilities with a masticator and mower attachments expected to arrive in early spring.

When not directly involved in active suppression, the crews focus on mitigation efforts, spraying noxious weeds and implementing prescribed burn plans. Prevention efforts also include education on fire safety. Crews were invited to several childrens camps throughout the area to give demonstrations in 2021.

In his first year as fire chief, Petersen said I feel like I hit the ground running.  We are lucky to have such a dedicated department with so much depth.

The district has 40-hour staffed stations in Elko and Wells, and a 24-hour station in Spring Creek. Staff work with the Jackpot Fire Department and 23 volunteer stations that include approximately 175 firefighters.

Last week the Elko County Board of Fire Commissioners approved the districts new operations plan.

This is just our way of getting everyone on the department  all the way from the chief down to every single volunteer  engaged in what were doing, Petersen told the board.

The document outlines the duties of Petersen, Administrative Assistant Sarah Dill, Wildland Fire/Risk Reduction Division Chief Clancy Harman, Training Administration Chief John Pitts, four captains and other personnel.

I love this report, said County Commission Chairman Delmo Andreozzi. Its great.

Accountability for the response to fires can save the county money, as well.

I want a goal out there to reduce our fire risk and our premium payment we make to the state, Andreozzi told Petersen.

The department is planning to increase training requirements for new volunteer firefighters. Petersen said the program will include 24 hours of classroom and an additional 24 hours of skills training.

The department is also developing a transition program directly to the Firefighter 1 program.

So its a way for us to get volunteers engaged when they first get on instead of six to eight months before they can start responding to calls, because thats how were losing a lot of our volunteers, Petersen said.

The fire commission also discussed setting up procedures for evaluating the fire chiefs performance.

I personally believe our chief has made huge leaps and bounds on our fire protection program and fire district, said Commissioner Jon Karr, who serves as liaison to the fire district.

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- Vladimir Putin announces "special military operation" in Ukraine to de-militarize and de-nazify country

- Explosions heard in Kyiv and Kharkiv, as well as Dnipro, Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, Odessa and Mariupol

- Russian troops have landed in Odessa and crossed the border near the city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian official

- Footage of gunfire, missiles, explosions, shelling, as well as people fleeing Kyiv, posted to Twitter

- President Joe Biden issues statement condemning the Russian attacks on Ukraine and saying the world will hold Russia accountable.

- Ukraine parliament approves state of emergency

- Donald Trump speaks out on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, describing Putin as "genius" and "savvy"

- Germany announces that it will put the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on hold. The pipeline would have transported natural gas from Russia, running under the Baltic Sea.

- President Biden accuses Russia of "a flagrant violation of international law" in White House speech

- US State Department advises all American citizens to "depart Ukraine immediately"

- US introduces new economic sanctions preventing trade with breakaway Donbas region

- Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky: "We are on our own land, we are not afraid of anything and anybody"

What you need to know about the conflict

- When did Ukrainebecome an independent state?

- What did Biden say in White House address on Russia - Ukraine?

- What new economic sanctions can the West impose on Russia, Russian citizens and the Donbas region?

- Explainer: What is a false flag operation and why would Russia need to use one?

- Why did Russian authorities expel American diplomats from Moscow embassy?

- United States urges American citizens to leave Ukraine due to severe safety concerns

- How many time zones are there in Russia?

Related news articles:
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnam Trade Office in India cited data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, saying that Vietnam exported 6.25 billion USD worth of goods in the year, up 20 percent year-on-year; while Indias figure 6.95 billion USD, up 56 percent.

Vietnams main exports to India in December last year were metals (79.3 million USD); computers, electronic products and components (78.8 million USD), phones and components (76.7 million USD), other goods (75.2 million USD), machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts (49.8 million USD). Those that recorded strong growth included pepper (up 101 percent), coffee (up 90 percent), and rubber products (up 88 percent).

Plastic raw materials, chemicals, rubber, and coal were were Vietnamese items that witnessed the strongest growth in 2021, surging 231 percent, 162 percent and 138 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, mobile phones and components continued to record the largest export turnover, hitting more than 1.28 billion USD, accounting for about 21 percent of Vietnams total export value to India, the department said.

In December last year, India mainly exported steel, metals, cotton, and machinery and equipment to Vietnam, with respective turnover of 116 million USD, 37 million USD, 35 million USD, and 31 million USD.

The steel export posted the largest turnover in the whole year, reaching nearly 1.4 billion USD, making up about 20 percent of the total export value of goods from India to Vietnam./.
Ambassador Mai Phuoc Dung (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

So said Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung ahead of the visit of State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his wife and the Vietnamese delegation to Singapore from February 24-26, at the invitation of Singaporean President Halimah Yacob.

Confirming that the visit is of great importance, he said that it aims to further strengthen the good and comprehensive friendship and cooperation between the two sides, especially in the context that the two countries are making efforts to adapt and recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The visit will have concrete results in many agreements between the two Governments and businesses of the two countries, creating a new impetus to promote relations between the two countries in the coming time.

Singapore has been the largest foreign investor in Vietnam for two consecutive years. In 2021, with a total investment capital of over USD10.7 billion, Singaporean companies accounted for a third of Vietnam's foreign direct investment (FDI). According to Ambassador Dung, the figure shows Singaporean investors trust in the macro policies, business environment and development prospects of Vietnam in the coming time.

I am confident that the President's visit to Singapore, with specific working contents and agreements between the two Governments and businesses, will create a new premise and impetus for the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership to grow more and more in the coming time, he said.

On March 15, Vietnam will reopen to tourism under new normal conditions. Along with that, economic, trade, and investment relations between Vietnam and Singapore will have new impetus for development in the coming time.

The fact that the Vietnamese Government considers reopening tourism under normal conditions is good news, demonstrating Vietnam's determination to live with the pandemic and recover the economy, said Ambassador Dung. Many Singaporean businessmen, investors and people who love Vietnam have been waiting the past two years to return to Vietnam to work, seek investment opportunities, do business and visit our beautiful country.
Representative of the Government of Vietnam presents medicine to the representative of the Government of Laos. (Photo: VNA)

Bong Sen's drug addiction cessation aid is one of 62 products recognized by the Ministry of Health as "Vietnamese drug star in 2014.

Speaking at the awarding ceremony, Assoc. Prof Pham Duc Manh, Deputy Director of the Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, highly appreciated Laos' drug prevention and control measures in recent years. Vietnamese leaders and people pay great attention to and regularly monitor developments related to drug prevention and control and HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Laos. In the spirit of solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, the two states and the two peoples, the drugs are expected to contribute to the treatment of drug addiction in Laos.

We also believe that, under the wise leadership of the Lao Party and State, together with the determination and consensus of the authorities and the entire people, Laos will soon be able to control drug use, restore socio-economic recovery and maintain continued sustainable development," said Mr. Manh.

Mr. Bun Thieng Sen Na Khet, Deputy Chief of Office, General Department of Police under the Lao Ministry of Public Security, delivered a speech and expressed his deep gratitude to the Vietnamese Government. The Lao Government commits to distributing and using the right drugs for the right people and for the right purposes and will regularly update the situation and report to Vietnam. He also wished that the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos will grow and last forever.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phan, Director of Fataco Ben Tre General Import-Export and Services Company, said that after 17 years of research and free treatment for more than 3,000 drug addicts, the drug has been accepted by the Ministry of Health and licensed to be produced and circulated widely, contributing to the National Drug Prevention and Control Program. Currently, the drug addiction treatment at Bong Sen brand has been exported to many countries around the world and is protected in 49 countries./.
Photo for illustration (Source: PANO)

The number of people in the above stage is limited to about 1,000 people/day, and will gradually increase in each stage.

In addition, at the beginning of March, Japan plans to remove all limitations for those entering the country with visas such as trainees, first-time international students and many different types of visas. At this stage, the number of entries can be up to 5,000 people/day.

Priority people for entry consideration during this period are researchers, engineers and workers who bring "benefits to the community".

The Japanese government will consider shortening the quarantine period upon arrival to 3 days or less than 7 days. To be eligible for entry, tourists, both foreigners and Japanese citizens, must receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and undergo testing.

The government of Japan also plans to simplify the necessary procedures and screening process.

On February 11, the Vietnam Association of Manpower Supply (VAMAS) petitioned the Japanese government to allow Vietnamese trainees to enter Japan after a long delay.

Mr. Doan Mau Diep, Chairman of VAMAS, said that the National Association for Support and Development of Foreign Human Resources in Japan (NAGOMi) also recently sent a request to notify the entry opening time accompanied by thorough epidemic prevention measures to the Japanese government; ask the government to support post-entry quarantine costs; request a temporary extension of the intake frame after the opening of entry.

In fact, the entry into Japan of foreign workers in general and Vietnamese workers in particular has been suspended several times from 2021 to now due to the negative impact of the pandemic./.
Meritorious Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac (third from the left), Director of the Vietnam Drama Theater, plays the role of Program Ambassador. (Photo: CPV)

A ceremony to launch a tree-planting festival to express eternal gratitude to Uncle Ho has been held at the Ba Vi National Park in Ba Vi district, Hanoi.

Mr. Mac Quoc Anh, Director of the Institute of Economics and Business Development, Vice President and General Secretary of the Hanoi Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, said that through the program, the organizers want to encourage entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals to join hands to plant more trees, bringing great benefits to the country.

He said that the program is implemented with the goal of preserving the nature, biodiversity and environment of Ba Vi National Park. The program has been allowed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to plant 100 hectares, equivalent to 100,000 trees, from Cai Spring in Ba Vi commune to Trung Temple area in Minh Quang commune, Ba Vi district.

Meritorious Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac, Director of the Vietnam Drama Theater, plays the role of Program Ambassador. The program has received the support and companionship of many individuals, organizations and businesses with a value of more than 1 billion VND./.
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Moldovan Parliament President Igor Grosu have discussed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, economic, investment, energy, humanitarian, tourism, and other areas.

The meeting took place during Grosu's visit to Baku, according to the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers.

During the meeting, the parties noted that friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Moldova are flourishing in a variety of areas.

There was also optimism that the visit of Moldova's parliament president to Azerbaijan would help to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation in various international and regional programs and projects, including those related to energy and transportation in the frameworks of the Silk Road, TRACECA, GUAM, and the Eastern Partnership, provides a good opportunity for joint action.
Planes park at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

On February 15, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) sent notifications to foreign aviation authorities and issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) to airlines to inform about the removal of restrictions on regular and charter international flights.

So far, international air routes to 20 countries and territories have been reopened, namely Cambodia, Hong Kong (China), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, Laos, China, France, Germany, the UK, Australia, Russia, and the US.

Eight others to which air routes havent been resumed consist of Brunei, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Macao (China), Finland, Italy, and Switzerland, Tran Bao Ngoc, Director of the Transportation Department at the Ministry of Transport (MoT), told a press meeting on February 22.

There are currently 370 international flights from/to Vietnam per week each way, compared to 4,185 in the 2019 winter flight schedule, he noted.

Meanwhile, six carriers, namely Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, and Vasco, are operating 56 domestic air routes with 2,570 flights per week each way, down two routes and 217 flights from the flight scheduled in the 2019 winter.

Road and railway transport has basically come back to normal, but the passenger traffic hasnt recovered due to conerns about the pandemic, Ngoc added./.
According to the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center, Singapore Airlines is a pioneering five-star international airline in reopening international commercial routes to Da Nang after a long time of being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

From March 27, Singapore Airlines will officially re-operate the route between Da Nang and Singapore and vice versa. (Photo: danang.gov.vn)

The resumption of international regular flights is considered a good sign for Da Nangs tourism industry in its efforts to restore international tourism after a long time being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam asked the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation to issue an official aviation notice to all relevant aviation authorities about the fact that from February 15, Vietnam will open international flight routes as before the epidemic.

As planned, Singapore Airlines will increase the frequency of flights to serve tourists. Meanwhile, other major airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways and Qatar Airways will also begin to operate international routes from key markets such as Incheon, Busan, and Jeju (the Republic of Korea), Narita (Japan), and Doha (Qatar)./.




Peacekeepers hold flags of Vietnam and the UN before leaving for the UN Mission in South Sudan (Photo: VNA)

He noted the Vietnam has sent personnel to the UN peacekeeping forces since 2014 and continually made active contributions in this regard. It deployed a Level-2 field hospital to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for the first time in October 2018. So far, it has sent 75 officers, including 16 females, to the peacekeeping force, ranking 62nd among the UN member states.

Vietnamese peacekeepers are performing duties at the UN missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. The country has also pledged to soon deploy personnel to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.

Lacroix held that Vietnams Level-2 field hospital in South Sudan has played an important role in the common success of UNMISS. It has not only helped ensure health and medical conditions for UN peacekeepers, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but also organised workshops to improve the awareness of major issues such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violence.

He also spoke highly of the Vietnamese officers professionalism, dedication, efforts, and sacrifice while performing duties in difficult environments, expressing his sympathies on the death of Lt. Col. Do Anh, who had died earlier this year while working for the UN mission in the Central African Republic./.
Germany's decision to stop certification of the Russian main gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 should become irreversible, the project should be completely stopped, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"Germany's decision to stop the certification of Nord Stream 2 is also important. It should become irreversible, completely stop this project, which is a weapon used by Russia against Ukraine and Europe," Zelensky said at a briefing with the presidents of Lithuania and Poland for media representatives.

He said Ukraine welcomes the decisions taken the day before by the European Union, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom regarding the application of new sanctions against Russia.

"We expect further steps to increase sanctions pressure," he said.
U.S. President Joseph Biden has announced that the USA will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine further.

"The United States will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine in the meantime. And well continue to reinforce and reassure our NATO Allies. We have no intention of fighting Russia. We want to send an unmistakable message, though, that the United States, together with our Allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory and abide by the commitments we made to NATO," Biden said in his statement on Tuesday.

In addition, Biden gave permission to U.S. troops in the EU to strengthen the positions of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Decision of Russia's Federation Council to allow troops to enter Ukraine shows who wants peace, and who wants land redistribution  Zelensky

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the end of the war has no alternative.

"For us personally, there is no alternative to ending the war, and not a platform or format to agree on this," he said in a video message on Tuesday evening. According to him, the decision of the Federation Council of Russia to allow the use of troops abroad gave "a clear answer  who really wants peace on earth, and who wants land redistribution."

"I am ready to do this both in a bilateral format and with the participation of other leaders. But I want to emphasize that the main thing for me is the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," Zelensky said.

According to him, "the first one we are working on is the summit of the leaders of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Ukraine, Turkey and Germany. Most of the summit participants have already supported this initiative, in particular, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who confirmed this to me in a telephone conversation."

He noted that "the partners show that there is no alternative to the imposition of sanctions." "Yesterday I spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden, who accepted the imposition of sanctions against terrorist entities in the occupied territories of Ukraine. I also had a conversation with British Prime Minister Johnson. Today he announced sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs. In addition, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the blocking of the launch of the Nord Stream -2 gas pipeline. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Ottawa will also impose economic sanctions for violating our sovereignty and territorial integrity," the president said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on the international community to urgently and harshly react to the decision of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation on the use of the Russian Armed Forces abroad.

"Moscow's recognition and support of the so-called "L/DPR" in violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are internationally illegal and are regarded by Ukraine as an act of armed aggression," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday.

International law prohibits aggression, the Foreign Ministry recalled, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine are provided and guaranteed by the fundamental norms and principles of international law and a number of fundamental international instruments, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe of 1975, Memorandum on security guarantees in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1994, Russia's numerous obligations under bilateral agreements between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

"Ukraine calls on the international community to take urgent and tough measures against the aggressor. The lack of decisive action on the part of the international community only unties the hands of the Kremlin. If we fail to stop Russian aggression in Ukraine today, tomorrow the military power of the Russian Federation will be used in any region of the world," the statement says.

As reported, on February 22, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation agreed to the use of the Russian Armed Forces outside the territory of the Russian Federation in connection with the situation in Donbas. As chairman of the upper house of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko said, giving consent to the deployment of the Russian armed forces to the Donbas, the Federation Council proceeds from the fact that these will be "peacekeeping forces aimed at maintaining peace and stability on earth in the DPR and LPR."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin prove that his plan all this time was the invasion of Ukraine.

"Now that we've heard it directly from President Putin himself, it confirms what we've been saying: that he did not send more than 150,000 troops to the Ukrainian border because of benign military exercises, or to respond to threatened aggression from Ukraine, or to stop a fabricated genocide by Ukraine, or any other manufactured reason. His plan all along has been to invade Ukraine; to control Ukraine and its people; to destroy Ukraine's democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads; to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia," Blinken said at a briefing on the results of talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington on Tuesday.

According to him, this is why it is the biggest threat in Europe after the Second World War.

"President Putin deeply disturbing speech yesterday and his statements today make clear to the world how he views Ukraine: not as a sovereign nation with the right to territorial integrity and independence, but rather as a creation of Russia, and therefore subordinate to Russia. It's a completely false assertion that ignores history, international law, and the tens of millions of patriotic Ukrainians who are proud citizens of a free and independent Ukraine," Blinken stressed.
The conscription of reservists into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine begins on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, the command of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

"Reservists from 18 to 60 years old will be subject to the call. These will be both officers and private, sergeant officers. The call will begin from today. The maximum service life is one year," the Facebook message says.

The command said that the reservists of the operational reserve of the first stage will serve in those military units and in the specialty in which they served before and signed a contract to serve in the operational reserve.

"According to the law of Ukraine, the drafted reservists will retain their jobs and average monthly wages," the message says.

According to the order of the President of Ukraine, the reservists of the operational reserve of the first stage must independently report to their military units or territorial centers of recruitment and social support, by phone call or by receiving a summons.

If a reservist, for one reason or another, provided by law, cannot be called up, he must personally provide supporting documents. Failure to appear or ignoring the call is subject to administrative or criminal liability.

The reservists of the first stage of the operational reserve are servicemen who are dismissed from fixed-term military service, military service by conscription during mobilization, for a special period, who, according to their professional and psychological characteristics and health status, are suitable for service in the military reserve and meet the established requirements for service in the military reserve, and received a certain military registration specialty.

As reported, on February 22, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on calling up reservists during a special period. According to the president, a training camp for reservists of the territorial defense system will also be held in the near future.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has appealed to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) with a proposal to impose sanctions for ten years against deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, politicians and officials of Russia involved in the recognition of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR".

The adoption of relevant resolution No. 7064 was supported by 322 deputies at the plenary session on Wednesday.

According to the document, these persons are directly related to lobbying the interests of the aggressor state of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, including the occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine, and their activities record manifestations of potential threats to national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In total, there are 351 persons in the list proposed by the Rada.

The sanctions submitted for consideration by the NSDC include, in particular, blocking of assets, restriction of trade operations, partial or complete termination of transit of resources, flights and transportation on the territory of Ukraine, prevention of withdrawal of capital outside Ukraine, suspension of fulfillment of economic and financial obligations, cancellation or suspension of special permits for the use of subsoil; prohibition of participation in privatization, lease of state property; use of radio frequency resource of Ukraine.

The package of sanctions may also include a complete or partial ban on transactions in securities, termination of permits, licenses for the import into Ukraine from a foreign state or export of currency values from Ukraine; termination of trade agreements, joint projects and industrial programs, in particular in the field of security and defense; prohibition of technology transfer, intellectual property rights; termination of cultural exchanges and scientific cooperation; cancellation of official visits, meetings, negotiations on the conclusion of contracts or agreements; deprivation of state awards of Ukraine, a ban on the acquisition of ownership of land plots.
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Azerbaijan has invited Japanese companies to actively participate in projects to restore Karabakh and the surrounding seven regions liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020, Trend has reported.

Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mukhtar Babayev made the remarks at an event to mark Japanese Emperor Naruhit's birthday.

The restoration and construction work carried out on the liberated territories laid the foundation for the region to become a zone of peace, stability and cooperation, Babayev said.

The minister also stated that Japan and Azerbaijan are planning a variety of cultural events to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year.

"Currently, there are great opportunities to work in various sectors. In particular, the diversification of the energy sector is one of the main priorities," he noted.

Azerbaijan and Japan are cooperating in different fields of economy. Japanese companies in Azerbaijan work in the fields of oil and gas as well as agriculture. Last year the trade turnover between the two countries exceeded $200 million and the growth of this sector is forecasted to increase up to four times in the near future. In addition, Japan has invested $7.1 billion in Azerbaijan, during the entire period of cooperation between the two countries.

It should be also noted that 2022 will be the year of friendship between Azerbaijan and Japan.

Additionally, earlier this year, Azerbaijans Energy Ministry and Japans TEPSCO company signed an agreement on the establishment of the green energy zone in the newly-liberated lands. The agreement envisages the effective use of renewable energy potential such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and bioenergy on the liberated territories. It considers the establishment of a green energy zone based on modern energy management approaches to supply the region with energy.
UK to guarantee up to $500 mln in loans to help Ukraine

The UK government has announced a new economic package to support further stability in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary of the UK Liz Truss has said.

"The UK will guarantee up to $500 million in loans to help Ukraine withstand the economic impact of Russia's actions. We are using our economic heft to inflict pain on Russia and to support the Ukrainian people," Truss tweeted on Wednesday.
Martial law on the territory of Ukraine will be introduced in the event of an armed invasion, said Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov.

"In the event of an invasion of the territory of our countries, martial law will be immediately imposed and, accordingly, all of you will be informed," Danilov said at a briefing on the results of the NSDC meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He stressed that Ukraine is clearly aware of all the processes that are taking place on the territory on the borders with the Russian Federation, in Belarus, where the exercises are taking place.
State of emergency not to interfere with people's lives, business work  PM

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal declares that the introduction of a state of emergency will not affect the lives of people and the work of businesses in any way.

"In no way will this affect people's lives and the work of businesses," Shmyhal said at a government meeting on Wednesday.
The UK will soon send Ukraine a new package of military assistance, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament on Wednesday.

He said that the UK would soon provide Ukraine with a new package of military assistance.

Johnson noted that this package would include defensive weapons and non-lethal means.

On Wednesday, the UK also announced its intention to provide a package of economic assistance to Ukraine.
Russia-occupation forces fire at kindergarten, woman wounded as result of shell explosion in Donbas

The police are recording the consequences of shelling by Russia-occupation forces in Donetsk region, in particular, a kindergarten in Zelenopillia was shelled and a woman was wounded as a result of a shell explosion in the village of Mykolaivka.

"The occupying troops fired at a kindergarten in Zelenopillia, and in Mykolaivka, a civilian was wounded as a result of a direct hit of a shell in a house. Investigative police teams are working on the spot," the police of Donetsk region said.

The personal data of the victim are established.

Law enforcers said the distance from the village of Zelenopillia of Bakhmut merged territorial community to the contact line is five kilometers.

"Four children, who at the time of the shelling were hiding in the basement with their teachers, took their parents away. In addition, a house on Yuvileyna Street was damaged, and elderly spouses were inside during the shelling," the police said.

Information about the destruction and casualties is being specified.

On the facts, criminal proceedings were initiated under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war).
Ukraine needs security guarantees, including from Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

"It is no secret that Budapest [memorandum] does not work, and you and I clearly understand that Ukraine today is not in any of the security alliances. We defend ourselves, with the support of our partners. But it is Ukrainians who die, because Ukraine we need security guarantees, clear, concrete and now, because we want to know that we can protect our people, at home. And not only ourselves. It is very important that there is support from other partners," Zelensky said at a joint briefing with the Presidents of Lithuania and Poland.

According to the president, taking into account the fact that there is building up of almost 150,000 Russian troops near the Ukrainian borders, as well as the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions are temporarily occupied, he believes that Russia should be among the countries that provide security guarantees.

"It is no secret that I have many times offered the Russian president to sit down at the negotiating table and talk, as this is an issue of dialogue, not of conditions. I think so," he said.
President of Poland Andrzej Duda called on Russian President Vladimir Putin not to order armed aggression against Ukraine.

"We hope that war does not break out. We call on President Vladimir Putin, those who make decisions in Russia, to refrain from ordering armed aggression against Ukraine. This is an important moment when we all walk along the narrow path between peace, further stable development and war who does not know where Russia will lead, and possibly the world," Duda said at a press conference following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Erdogan tells Putin he does not recognize steps against Ukraine's territorial integrity

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he is against violating the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Turkish media said on Wednesday.

According to the media, Erdogan said "Turkey does not recognize the steps that are against Ukraine's territorial integrity."

"Turkey is ready to do its part to reduce tensions around Ukraine," the Daily Sabah publication said, citing Erdogan.

The Turkish leader spoke in favor of dialogue and diplomacy, pointing out that "elevating the issue to a more complex level and military confrontation will not benefit any party."

According to the Anadolu Agency, Erdogan said he expects the Russian president to visit Turkey as soon as possible to attend a high-level strategic council meeting.
Clinics to work in normal mode during state of emergency, no limitations on medical services  Liashko

In the event of a state of emergency, clinics in Ukraine will operate as usual, there will be no restrictions on the provision of medical services, Health Minister Viktor Liashko has said.

"We have certain lists of hospitals that are ready to respond in case of emergency, we know in which medical institutions what assistance to provide," he said at a briefing on Wednesday.

Liashko said that both clinics of various specializations and the emergency medical care system would be ready to work in an emergency, "in order to evacuate and transport people in need of medical care in time."

According to the minister, the healthcare system of Ukraine has prepared for a prompt response over the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We have flagship hospitals, in which emergency departments have been modernized in two years, they meet European requirements. These hospitals have contracts with the National Health Service for readiness to respond. We will modernize this package and increase funding, give it more money," he said.

Liashko did not specify how much funding for this package would be increased, but noted that in a modernized form, the package would take into account the specifics of providing medical care not only for infectious diseases. In particular, it will be possible to increase the number of operating rooms.

The Minister of Health emphasized that planned surgeries would not be canceled in an emergency.

In addition, Liashko said that, if necessary, municipal clinics, as well as clinics under the control of the Ministry of Health and clinics of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, will be involved in the provision of medical care.

"We have enough reserves and capacities," he concluded.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba recalled Ukraine's request to host a UN peacekeeping mission.

"I confirm that Ukraine has proposed some years ago to deploy a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine. Until now, the UN Security Council has failed to take the necessary decisions," Kuleba said, speaking at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

According to him, Ukraine proposes to combine a tough sanctions policy and strengthening Ukraine with keeping diplomatic channels open in order to convince Russia to reduce the escalation and give priority to diplomacy.

"We urge member states to use all available means to protect Ukraine and deter Russia. Whatever action you can take is appreciated. We are grateful for the actions already taken by many of you. We expect the international community to do its best to put out fire in the center of Europe, which is about to flare up," Kuleba said.

He said the "Russian security crisis" should end with Russia returning to the path of diplomacy.

"We call on all states and international organizations not to recognize any alteration of the status of certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and to refrain from any action of deal or dealing that might be interpreted as recognizing any such altered status," the minister said.

Kuleba said the lack of a proper reaction or a neutral position will only contribute to further escalation and suffering.

"I regret to say it will not be limited to Ukraine's borders and territory," he said.

Kuleba said that active diplomacy, a strong political message, tough economic sanctions and the strengthening of Ukraine could still force Moscow to abandon its aggressive plans, and swift and decisive action by the UN could return this organization to a leading role at this historic and dark time.
Assyrian in Syrian Mark 7th Anniversary of ISIS Attacks

Wednesday, February 23, marks the seventh anniversary of the ISIS attacks on the city of Tal Tamr and the villages of Khabour, inhabited by the Assyrians.

The remembrance began with a minute of silence in honor of the souls of the martyrs, in the presence of dozens of representatives of civil institutions in the city, political parties, the relations of the Tel Tamr Military Council and the components of the region, followed by the recitation of prayers by the priest Boghos Ishaya.

It was followed by several speeches, including the administrator of the Assyrian Martyrs' Families Council, Jamila Kako, who welcomed at the beginning of her speech all the attendees and offered condolences to the families of the martyrs against the darkness of ISIS.

It was followed by a speech on behalf of the Assyrian Democratic Party, delivered by the administrator, Athur Ishaq, who said: "The attack of ISIS mercenaries in 2015 on the villages of our people was an attempt to genocide, seven years ago, and the memory of our Assyrian people is still the memory of that massacre, which is a chain of what our people were subjected to at the hands of the Ottomans, Turks and in the Nineveh Plain.

She added: "On that day, the Assyrian nation incurred heavy losses by targeting the largest gathering of Assyrians in Mataris in the world, and this confirms the existence of pre plans and the involvement of a number of regional and international parties in their attacks against our people."

Then a speech was delivered on behalf of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) by administrator Idris Namo, who recalled the region's martyrs with all its components on the seventh anniversary of their martyrdom and said: "These days bear a painful memory, and these pains are unforgettable, but thanks to the sacrifices of these martyrs, we live today in safety and peace."

Namo added: "Today we joined hands with all the components, a clear message to the whole world that we are committed and are following in the footsteps of our martyrs until their demands are met."

Then a speech on behalf of the Internal Security Forces, delivered by the administrator, Salman Nouhi, to recall at the beginning of his speech all the martyrs and said: "If it were not for these martyrs, we would not be here today, and if it were not for the fighters who are standing today on the lines of contact, we would not have felt security and peace. We, as the Internal Security Forces, pledge to our people that we will proceed in protecting our people until the last breath. We will not abandon the gains of our martyrs and our people."

The remembrance was concluded by lighting candles in front of the council building in remembrance of the souls of the martyrs.

Tomorrow the people of Tal Tamr district will remember the seventh anniversary of the martyrs of Tal Tamr in the Martyrs' Families Council, while the Syriac Military Council will remember the seventh anniversary of the attacks in the village of Tal Hormuz, south of Tel Tamer.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and his Qatari counterpart Saad Sherida Al Kaabi have discussed existing opportunities for the development of energy cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current trends in the global gas market's development.

Speaking about Azerbaijan's traditional and renewable energy potential, as well as its gas export infrastructure and targets, Shahbazov stated that the time has come to establish Azerbaijan-Qatar energy cooperation.

The minister also stated that collaboration with Nebras Power on gas turbine projects and wind power plants has begun.

Furthermore, the rich wind energy potential in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea was highlighted as a possible direction for energy cooperation.

It was agreed to keep the relationship going in order to evaluate potential cooperation opportunities.

Earlier, Shahbazov met Nebras Power CEO Khalid Mohammed Jolo to discuss cooperation on the construction of 100 MW wind power plants in Azerbaijan's liberated Lachin and Kalbajar regions. They also talked about the possibility of working together to build a gas turbine with a capacity of up to 550 MW in these territories.

It should be noted that Parviz Shahbazov arrived in Doha at the invitation of Qatar's State Minister for Energy, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, to attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum ministerial meeting and the 6th summit of heads of state and government.
Businessman Guram Nemsadze is from Donetsk. The key assets of his GIR Group of Companies (grew up from the research and production holding General Investment Resources) are concentrated there. However, the company is successful globally  the geography of GIR offices covers the USA, Canada, Europe, and India. The secret is simple: Guram Nemsadze managed to turn an unattractive refractory production into a technological business that generates innovations.

New refractory

Guram Nemsadze became interested in refractories when he started working at the Krasnoarmeisky Dinas Brick Plant PJSC. This is one of the oldest enterprises in the region. Its product line has remained unchanged for many years. In fact, a resource was being developed, after which the company was supposed to go bankrupt - such a scenario is known from many other similar cases.

Guram Givievich Nemsadze, after joining the production, decided to structurally renew the plant, and at the same time - the entire industry. His strategy made it possible to raise the dying enterprise into the class of successful business projects. Businessman Guram Nemsadze initiated the renewal of processes at all levels:

Full computerization has been carried out. This made it possible to speed up the workflow, reduce the costs of organizing, preparing and conducting transactions. In addition, the transition to digital allowed us to control all stages of work, reducing losses. Restart of systems of procurement, sales, storage. All three stages brought only losses, but their renewal made it possible to optimize the enterprise: to cut surplus in warehouses by half, attract new customers; deliveries were made on time, and production worked according to the amount of signed contracts. New investments. Businessman Guram Nemsadze independently searched for interested partners, negotiated with banks and financial institutions, both Ukrainian and international. Restoration of scientific activity in production. Restarting laboratories is a key link in technological renewal. Scientists and practitioners have been looking for new products to gain a competitive advantage.

The result of this work is the invention of a new refractories that fully meet the market demand. Nemsadze Guram Givievich is one of the inventors (in collaboration with his colleague Sharandin, a post-graduate student of the Donetsk National Technical Institute) of modern refractories, which allowed metallurgists to reduce the cost of production of each ton of steel by $0,5-1. Such an indicator for conditions of high competition is a real breakthrough. Moreover, earlier similar refractories with worse properties were supplied from other countries. Now the production chain is completely Ukrainian.

Investor Guram Nemsadze personally participated in the work of the factory laboratories, and later, when testing was required, he sought to test the new material at the partner factories. As a result, Nemsadze's companies introduces more than 30 new types of refractories on the market. Today, the search and production of more modern materials continues.

Consolidation improves efficiency

Guram Nemsadze, in addition to solving technological problems, focused on strengthening the industry. An important step in the work was the unification of small factories competing with each other. The first stage was the inclusion of Krasnogorovsk Refractory Plant PJSC and Krasnoarmeisky Silicate Plant PJSC into one group of companies. Thus, in 2011, the GIR Group was formed, led by Guram Nemsadze. Later the group got bigger. The list of its assets was replenished with enterprises of the same segment. Today GIR Group includes:

Veliko Anadol Refractory Plant Vladimir deposit of secondary kaolins Druzhkovsky refractory plant Kirovograd Mining Company Krasnoarmeisky silicate plant Krasnogorovsk refractory plant

At the same time, businessman Guram Nemsadze ensured that companies did not duplicate their product range. Each production in the group has a clear specifics. Among directions:

Refractories for coke ovens

Materials for metallurgy

Products for the glass industry

Investor Guram Nemsadze has achieved high business efficiency: his annual production figures are growing and already exceed 140,000 tons per year. Accordingly, the network of clients is developing, the income of employees is growing, the standard of living of the cities where the production is located is increasing. However, Nemsadze's range of interests extends far beyond business goals.

Economic theory is a guarantee of sustainable growth

Guram Givievich Nemsadze shows a serious interest in economic theory. His scientific publications were published both in Ukraine and in the USA. At the same time, the topic of research is always somehow connected with his practice in business and Ukrainian business realities.

The successful modernization of the refractory facilities allowed Nemsadze to focus on studying the experience of improving the sustainability of the financial architecture of companies. Guram Givievich Nemsadze studies the weak points of financial architectures, avoiding unnecessary risks, making enterprises more efficient. Nemsadze pays special attention to attracting investments at different economic stages.

Exploring the structure of different companies, Guram Nemsadze highlights the following elements that are characteristic of various areas:

Ownership structure

Management organization

Operational business

Financing algorithms

Taken together, these factors determine the company's resilience to external impact, as well as determine the market value of the organization. Influence on each of the blocks allows you to strengthen the architecture and optimize the business. At the same time, Guram Nemsadze emphasizes that the stages of business development are different and each of them has its own set of tools:

A crisis is characterized by actions aimed at increasing liquidity. Efforts are aimed at maintaining funding. A recession requires a thorough review of funding sources, a radical reduction in costs, and a search for new investments. The moment of growth involves a concentrated strengthening of the company's position and the search for new assets.

According to the conclusions proposed by Guram Nemsadze, improving the performance of any financial architecture consists of several stages:

Based on the audit, the identification of weaknesses/strengths. Study of all important indicators: monitoring business dynamics, searching for prospects, as well as additional investment sites. Finding optimization points, choosing the right actions, agreeing on a common strategy. Consistent implementation of the designated actions.

Biography of Guram Nemsadze

Businessman Guram Nemsadze is married and has three children. Was born on January 2, 1982 (Donetsk). Graduated from secondary school No.150 (1999), graduated with honors from the Faculty of Finance and Banking of Donetsk National University (master's degree). Later he defended his doctoral thesis "Financial architecture of corporations in an unstable economic environment" (2021, Chernihiv Polytechnic University).

Among Nemsadze's publications:

"Analysis of the impact of the financial architecture on the efficiency of the financial activities of the corporation"

"Complex supply of refractory products - effective reduction of unit costs" (2013)

"Improving the durability of the lining of steel-pouring ladles" (separate edition)

"Financial Architecture of a Corporation: Essence and Components" (2017)

In addition, Nemsadze Guram often participates in scientific conferences at the universities of Ukraine, Germany, and the USA. Author of patents for inventions:

"Dinas refractory" (2018, Ukraine) "Wood Stove" (2020, USA)

In addition to Ukrainian and Russian, he speaks three foreign languages.

While a student, he started working as a manager of the development and construction company "VIP-Master". After some time, he became the Deputy Director for Finance of the same company.

Later, Guram Nemsadze himself opened the Litera company (2005-2014), which was engaged in the development of office and housing projects in Donetsk.

Since 2004, he has been working at the Krasnoarmeisky Dinas Plant. Founder of the GIR Group (General Investment Resources) and GIR EUROPA Sp. z o.o., GIR International (incorporates more than 500 partner organizations).

Nemsadze Guram is focused on developing GIR in the US and Indian markets.
By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Russian Tretyakov Gallery has showcased art works by Azerbaijan's prominent artist Tahir Salahov.

Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the exhibition "Works from the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery held within the Days of Azerbaijan in Moscow.

The exposition includes some of the artist's well-known paintings such as "Gladioluses", "Portrait of Gara Garayev" and "Aydan". It also showcases works by Tahir Salahov in the genres of still life, landscape and portrait, covering various time periods.

In his art, the outstanding artist also combined the centuries-old traditions of Azerbaijani art with the achievements of the European school of painting.

In her speech, director of the Tretyakov Gallery Zelfira Tregulova said that the gallery demonstrates the all-time iconic work of the artist "Women of Absheron", as well as large canvases, including a portrait of the composer Gara Garaev, who was a student of the Russian composer Dmitry Shostakovich.

This exhibition is the third part of a trilogy that the gallery has been showing since 2014. It displays seven paintings from the Tretyakov Gallery's collection and works from other collections.

Speaking about the exhibition, an employee of the Tahir Salahov Foundation at the Tretyakov Gallery Elmira Zhdanova said that the exhibition covers the artist's works of different time periods.

The exhibition also features one of Tahir Salahov's last works "Morning Hunt ' which entered the gallery's collection in 2019.

Tahir Salahov's paintings dedicated to his hometown Baku are also presented at the exhibition.

Notably, Tahir Salahov's art works have been displayed in the world-famous museums across Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine and other countries. His paintings are kept in many private collections.

Salahov served as the chairman of the Union of Azerbaijan Artists, a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic.

In 1973, he was elected first secretary of the Union of Artists of the USSR, and in 1997 he was elected vice-president of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Peoples Artist of Azerbaijan Tahir Salahov passed away in Germany this May.

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Al-Azhar condemned Friday terrorist attack on a mosque in Afghanistans capital Kabul that left dozens of worshippers dead and injured.
A draft opinion suggests the US Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalize abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report.
Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and a delegation from Mercedes-Benz Egypt discussed in Cairo on Tuesday boosting the companys projects in the country, with an eye on localising electric vehicle manufacturing.
The United States and Egypt on Monday launched a joint working group to prepare for the U.N. climate change summit being held in Egypt in November, a U.S. envoy said.

John Kerry, President Biden's special envoy for climate, said the group is focused on the U.N.'s COP27 conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. He said Egypt, which is chairing the summit, has already begun its preparations and set ambitious goals.

Kerry said other world tensions, including the ongoing Ukraine crisis, "will not change the reality of what is happening every day with respect to our climate,'' and called the issue an "international threat for all of us.''

He said the climate issue is not about politics.

"There is no ideology in this. This is not anything to do with some of the issues'' of concern for the U.S. administration, Kerry said at a news conference in the capital of Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Neither official took questions from reporters.

Kerry, who also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi, was referring to conflicts in the Middle East.

Shoukry said they discussed priorities and goals of the Egyptian-chaired COP27, including making funds available to developing counties to implement the Paris 2015 agreement on climate change. He did not further elaborate.

"The test ahead of us is not just a political and diplomatic challenge to tame mother nature - it is a test pitting human nature against itself,'' he said.

In the news briefing, Kerry said they aim to implement all promises made in last year's U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. In the 2021 summit, almost 200 nations accepted a compromise deal, which outside experts said showed progress, but not success.

That deal didn't achieve any of the three U.N. goals: Pledges that would cut world carbon dioxide emissions by about half, $100 billion in yearly climate aid from rich countries to poor ones, with half that money going to help the developing world adapt to the harms of a warming world.

"Our goal this year, in addition to fulfilling all promises made in Glasgow, is to include more countries to the 1.5 degree-efforts,'' he said.

Keeping global warming from going beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) was the most ambitious goal in the 2015 Paris accord. The planet has already warmed 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial times.

Also on Monday, the Council of Europe warned in a statement that a lack of at-scale funding for "resilient and just energy transitions'' in developing countries is an obstacle for green and sustainable development.

The European Union urged rich countries to meet the collective commitment to mobilize $100 billion per year in 2022 as financial aid to poor countries, according to the statement.

Kerry also said the U.S. was working with Egypt on its own transition to a clean energy future.

In June, Kerry announced an increase in U.S. funding to help Egypt convert to solar energy and move away from fossil fuels, a major source of energy in the country of over 100 million people.

In recent years, El-Sissi's government has taken steps to convert to renewables, seizing the advantage of the country's optimal solar and wind conditions for energy harvesting.

Kerry addresses the world from AUC

In a speech on Monday afternoon at the American University in Cairo (AUC), Kerry said that there are eight months till COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh that are full of promise and challenge, and that it is imperative to do everything to give life to the many commitments of COP26 in Glasgow.

You are preparing to host delegates and stakeholders from around the world for what is, with no exaggeration, a continuation of one of the most important conversations in the history of human beings, he said in Cairo, adding that it is particularly fitting to gather in Egypt, which is known as the mother of the world.

Recounting the contributions of ancient Egyptians to the world, Kerry said that Egypt  as the host of COP27 in November  can help the world take the next critical steps to saving civilisations.

Kerry stressed in his speech the importance of building on what was achieved in Glasgow COP26.

Almost 200 nations came together and took unprecedented steps in the cause of the climate battle. They resolved to pursue efforts to limit the earths warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius  and agreed that would require reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 45 percent by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050," he said.

With a 1.5-degree temperature rise, we may lose much of the worlds coral reefs, small fisheries, and crustaceans, including here in the Red Sea, home to some of the worlds richest marine biodiversity. With a 2-degree temperature rise, we risk losing all coral reefs and collapse of the entire ocean ecosystem. At 1.5 degrees, our staple crops  corn, rice, and wheat  will be unpredictable and unstable, especially in places like the Nile River delta and sub-Saharan Africa, Kerry warned.

Kerry praised the decisions of private sector companies worldwide, saying that Glasgow produced unprecedented private sector commitments to action, recounting a few examples of what global companies are currently doing.

Speaking about the transition to a green economy, Kerry said that it cannot be achieved without meaningful progress in securing more direct climate finance, including for adaptation, or without aligning trillions of dollars for both mitigation and adaptation through stronger national policies.

Seventeen of the worlds 20 most climate vulnerable countries can be found on this continent, he said about Africa and the need for climate finance, adding that rising temperatures and less predictable rainfall have already changed growing and planting seasons on the continent.

Egypt gets 95 percent of its water from the Nile, and experts warn of a nationwide freshwater shortage by 2025, Kerry said.

Roads, bridges, and ports can only spur economic growth and reduce poverty next year if they are built to survive the storms of tomorrow, he said, adding that in Africa, with the worlds fastest growing populations and fastest growing economies, adaptation creates jobs and saves lives.

Together this year developed countries must make every effort to fulfil our collective goal to mobilise $100 billion annually to help developing countries reduce emissions and confront the impacts of climate change, Kerry announced.

We stand ready to work with all parties and the Egyptian COP presidency to ensure that the Glasgow Sharm El-Sheikh Work Program on the Global Goal on Adaptation will accelerate effective action, he added.

* This story has been edited by Ahram Online

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By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani carpets have been presented within the Days of Azerbaijan in Moscow.

The exhibition "Azerbaijani carpets  a new look" opened at Azerbaijani pavilion as part of the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow

The exhibition features 1carpets of the Karabakh group. Four of then are related to the modern collection in a new original format.

The exclusive carpets on display are the result of a cooperation between the Azerkhalcha team and Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Rashad Alakbarov.

Speaking about the exhibition, Chairman of the Azerkhalcha Board Emin Mammadov told Azertag that the exhibition presents a fresh look at Karabakh carpets, showing modern, conceptual carpets that fit the interior of the 21st century.

"Here you can see examples of our limited edition 44 carpets. These carpets were designed by artist Rashad Alakbarov on the basis of the carpets of the "Gasimushagi" group belonging to the Karabakh school. The collection symbolically consists of 44 carpets," said Emin Mammadov.

The chairman of the board of Azerkhalcha added that the exposition also includes the famous "Dragon" carpets belonging to the Karabakh group.

"Our famous Dragon carpets are presented at the exhibition in a modern look. One of our main goals is to introduce modern Azerbaijani carpets," he added.

Emin Mammadov pointed out that all types of art are developing in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani carpets are now sold at various auctions. Ancient carpets are displayed in the world-famous museums.

"We would like our carpets, both ancient and modern, to be exhibited and auctioned in 50-100 years," he said.

Furthermore, a literary project "From mouth to mouth" was also presented at the national pavilion. The literary project is based on Nizami Ganjavi's poem "Seven Beauties".

Within the project, excerpts from the work "Seven beauties" poem were recited by Azerbaijan and Russian cultural figures.

The Days of Azerbaijan in Moscow is being held with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The event marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Russia.

A series of cultural events are being held as part of the celebration.

The Days of Azerbaijan in Moscow will run until March 1.
Egypt's parliament rejected on Tuesday amendments to the income tax law that would have imposed a new tax on the sale of real estate.

Parliament also gave final approval for amendments to laws regulating non-residential rents, the capital market, real estate registration, and the Egyptian Health Council.

Parliament speaker Hanafi Gibali said in a plenary session on Tuesday that "in line with Article 71 of the House's internal bylaws and as a large number of MPs rejected the amendments to the income tax law in principle, I decided to refer the draft to the Budget Committee to study it again and take MP's remarks into account."

Gibali's decision received much praise and applause from MPs who said they oppose imposing a tax on sales of real estate.

The amendments stated that a new paragraph would be added to Article 42 of the income tax law, stating that a tax on the handling of properties or construction land contracts would be imposed and that this tax would be divided into four brackets.

A report by the House's Budget Committee said the draft law aims to collect a 2.5 percent tax on sales of properties and construction land  not including land in villages.

"There will be four tax brackets: those valued up to EGP 250,000 will pay a tax of EGP 1,500; those valued from EGP 250,000 to EGP 500,000 will pay a tax of EGP 2,000; those valued at EGP 500,000 to EGP 1 million will pay a tax of EGP 3,000; and those valued at more than EGP 1 million will pay a tax of EGP 4,000," said the report.

The above amendment faced objections from MPs, including majority and opposition ones.

Soliman Wahdan, the parliamentary spokesperson of the liberal Wafd Party, said his party cannot approve such a law.

"Imposing such a high tax on sales of properties will discourage citizens from documenting their properties at Real Estate Registration Offices," said Wahdan.

Tarek El-Khouli, an MP affiliated with the parliamentary majority party of Mostaqbal Watan, accused the minister of finance of adopting an aggressive tax policy that poses a threat to social peace and stability.

"We see that the finance minister insists on imposing taxes on citizens in a way that does harm to social security and without seeking other sources that can support the state treasury," said El-Khouli.

Mahmoud Badr, another majority MP, accused finance minister Mohamed Maait of lacking "political sense."

"At a time when citizens are suffering from economic hardships, Minister Maait comes to exert greater pressure on their lives through this new tax," said Badr.

In response, Maait said taxes collected from housing unit contracts reach EGP 8.5 billion a year, and with the passing of this law they are expected to increase to more than EGP 9 billion.

"This is necessary to support the state treasury," said Maait, who dismissed the accusation that he lacks political sense.

"I have a strong political sense, especially as I have served my country for more than 15 years," said Maait.

MP Yasser Omar, deputy chairman of the Budget Committee, said the new law does not affect limited-income citizens who own property, and that "the amendments were drafted by the justice ministry, not the finance ministry."

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The Russian Foreign Ministry said it has decided to evacuate Russian diplomatic personnel from Ukraine, pointing at threats it has received.

The ministry said Tuesday Russian diplomats in Ukraine have received multiple threats, adding that they will be evacuated ``in the nearest time.''

The move follows Russia's recognition of Ukraine's rebel regions and the Russian parliament's vote to grant President Vladimir Putin a permission to use military force in Ukraine.

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A growing sideline in Iraqs chronic conflicts is stolen oil. A courts ruling on KRGs energy activities has put that on the spot.

Iraqs High Federal Court (HFC) last week ruled that the lucrative trade in crude oil and gas drilled from fields in the northern self-ruled Kurdish enclave of the country is illegal and ordered the federal government to review all contracts signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) with foreign firms.

The ruling rejected the oil and gas law passed by the KRG regulating the energy sector in the region as unconstitutional and demanded that the Kurdish authorities hand over their crude supplies to the federal Iraqi government.

The landmark decision is expected to open a highly volatile chapter in Baghdads long-standing dispute with the KRG, which has cost the country dearly in terms of lost revenue and damage to its strategic oil industry.

It will also underscore the plight unleashed by the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and raise questions as to what has happened to the countrys oil wealth, which has remained threatened by theft, fraud, smuggling, money laundering, and corruption.

In post-invasion Iraq, hydrocarbon theft, in all its forms, became a significant threat not only to economic and social prosperity, but also to national stability and security.

The HFC said that it had relied on several articles of the Iraqi Constitution in making its judgement, with these giving the federal government in Baghdad exclusive power to control the countrys national resources to the benefit of all the Iraqi people.

In a 15-page document, the court ruled that a KRG oil and gas law passed in 2007 giving the regions Ministry of Natural Resources full authority over its oil resources was unconstitutional and should be annulled.

The tribunal also recalled that a US court had ruled in favour of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil in a lawsuit it had filed against the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources in its verdict. In 2015, Iraqs government won a case in the US courts to block crude oil sales from the northern autonomous region.

The present ruling obliges the KRG in Erbil to hand over all the production from the oil fields in areas under its control to the federal government and renders the production-sharing contracts that it has signed with foreign companies vulnerable to legal action by Baghdad.

As expected, officials in Iraqi Kurdistan have dismissed the HFC judgement. Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani blasted it as completely political, and the KRG slammed it as unjust, unconstitutional, and violating the rights and constitutional authorities of the Kurdistan Region.

In Baghdad, where hectic efforts are underway to form a new government amid much political wrangling, the court ruling has rattled Iraqs fragile political establishment, which has been generally reticent about the divisive issue.

The government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has mandated the federal Ministry of Oil to communicate and co-ordinate with the KRG, foreign firms, and foreign countries to manage this [oil] file in line with the constitution.

Iraqs Kurdish President Barham Salih, who faces an uphill battle with Barzanis party for reelection, urged Baghdad and Erbil to resolve the dispute through serious and urgent dialogue.

Reactions from Iraqi political and ethnic groups on the court ruling differed from group to group depending on their relationship with the Kurdish leadership, though most agreed that the decision could mark a watershed in Iraqs security.

It is clear, however, that the courts decision could trigger an existential crisis and force a seismic shift in the balance of power in the country.

Ever since the Iraqi Kurds started to focus on breaking away from the rest of Iraq, their key leverage has been oil.

After the fall of Saddam Husseins regime in 2003, the Iraqi Kurds, who were given an autonomous region in the north, were quick to exploit the oil and gas assets that lie in the enclave and have been reluctant to give up the revenue they generate.

The law to develop Iraqi Kurdistans own oil and gas industry independently of Baghdad in 2007 was a further effort by the Iraqi Kurds to wean their region away from the central government in Baghdad as they pursued outright independence from the rest of the country.

The KRGs justification is that Baghdad has floated a constitutional article that stipulates that a new federal hydrocarbon law be enacted that would set new rules for sharing oil revenues.

Under its unilateral measures, the KRG signed multi-billion dollar deals with international oil consortiums to develop fields in Iraqi Kurdistan. It also launched crude exports via a purpose-built pipeline running to loading terminals on Turkeys Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

Iraq sits on top of the worlds fifth-largest oil reserves, and the KRG estimates that Iraqi Kurdistan may have 45 billion barrel of oil and some 25 cubic feet of gas in reserves. Yet, no one is sure how much the KRG produces and sells.

A report by Deloitte, a leading global auditor, released by the KRG, stated that Erbil exported 77.35 million barrels of oil through the Kurdistan Export Pipeline during the first half of 2021, in addition to 3.95 million barrels produced and allocated to local refineries.

The report said that during that period the KRG generated revenues of $4.1 billion from crude oil exports and that after making production and export payments it had retained net revenues from crude oil sales of $1.737 billion.

What the report reveals is that most of the proceeds from the oil contracts go to foreign and local oil businesses owned by the Barzanis and their cronies.

Given the historical context, the contours of hydrocarbon activities in Iraqi Kurdistan seem at first glance to be related to the ambiguity of the legal framework and regulations of the national energy industry.

But a closer look shows they are a typical case of the spillover of insurgency or separatism when natural resources provide both the motive and the opportunity for conflicts and instability.

Instead of trying to embed a national strategy such that both the KRG and the Baghdad government can benefit equally from the resources, the Kurdish leadership has resorted to advancing its independence agenda, raising the level of political instability and confrontation in Iraq.

Moreover, the rentier model established in Iraqi Kurdistan after the US-invasion has produced an authoritarian regime, poor economic performance, and endemic corruption, which has created a political class of ruling families and cronies.

It has made the Iraqi Kurdistan Region more vulnerable to a perpetual crisis with the federal government in Baghdad and a source of considerable controversy between the Kurdish parties and other ethnic groups in the region.

While, the HFC has upped the ante regarding Iraqi Kurdistans illegal hydrocarbons sector, it has also underscored Iraqs larger oil problem. Since the US-invasion, reports have often surfaced about missing oil, other than that lost to corruption, smuggling, or just bad accounting.

In the fallout from the subsequent US occupation, most of Iraqs factional leaders and militias have set their sights on the countrys lucrative oil business, competing with various rivals for power and for the foreign exchange generated by the countrys oil reserves.

Reports have occasionally unveiled illicit hydrocarbons activity in many parts of the oil-rich south, including crude and refined oil products being stolen with relative ease and sold at a discount from market prices with little fear of punishment.

In 2016 a Fairfax Media and Huffington Post investigation of Unaoil uncovered an extraordinary case of bribery and corruption in Iraqs oil industry by the Monaco-based company.

The probe revealed how foreign oil companies had carved up Iraq through cultivating an astonishing web of influence in the upper echelons of Iraq, including the Oil Ministry, through bribes.

Last year, President Salih said in a statement that an estimated $150 billion of stolen money had been smuggled out of Iraq in shady backroom deals since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Other reports about Iraqs plundered wealth have put the figure much higher, with some estimating it at nearly one trillion dollars in lost revenues, the lions share having been siphoned off from the oil sector in both Iraqi Kurdistan and areas under the rule of the Baghdad government.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 24 February, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Israel bombarded a Syrian town near the armistice line on the Golan Heights with surface-to-surface missiles early Wednesday, state media reported, without any immediate mention of casualties.

It is the third time this month that Israel has hit targets inside Syria as it keeps up a bombing campaign against pro-Iranian forces supporting the Damascus government in Syria's more than decade-old civil war.

"The Israeli enemy carried out a strike with several ground-to-ground missiles" fired from the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan Heights at around 12:30 am (2230 GMT Tuesday) against the town of Quneitra in the UN-monitored buffer zone, the official SANA news agency said, citing a military source.

It said the strike had caused material damage but gave no other details.

Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been several explosions in Quneitra "following Israeli strikes on military posts" near the armistice line.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes, targeting government positions as well as Iran-backed forces and fighters of the Shiite militant movement Hezbollah.

Israel rarely comments on individual strikes but it has vowed repeatedly to prevent its arch foe Iran from extending a footprint in Syria.

On February 17, Israeli artillery in the occupied Golan shelled the town of Zakiya, south of Damascus. On February 9, Israeli warplanes and artillery hit Syrian anti-aircraft batteries in response to a missile fired into Israel.

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Egypt delivered on Monday the letter to the current President of the UNSC and Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, where it affirmed that the Ethiopian move constitutes "a material breach" of the Declaration of Principles (DoP) singed in 2015.

The same letter was sent a day earlier by Egypts irrigation minister to his Ethiopian and Sudanese counterparts.

"Egypt categorically rejects Ethiopia's unilateral commencement of operations of the GERD and holds Ethiopia accountable for its violation of its obligations under applicable rules of international law and of the DoP, and for any significant harm that befalls Egypt as a consequence of such violation," said the Egyptian letter, a copy of which has been seen by Ahram Online.

On Sunday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the beginning of power generation from the first turbine of the GERD  a source of regional dispute since 2011 during an official ceremony in Guba.

In its letter, Egypt emphasised that the DoP "clearly and unequivocally" requires Ethiopia to reach a legally binding agreement governing the rules for the filling and operation of the GERD before commencing any of the two processes.

The 10-principle DoP was signed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the now-ousted Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir, and then-Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in Khartoum in March 2015.

Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs, fears that the unilateral filling and operation of the GERD will have a negative impact on the countrys already scarce supplies. Meanwhile, Sudan is concerned about regulating water flows to safeguard its own dams.

However, Ethiopia, which says the project is essential for producing electricity and economic development, has repeatedly downplayed the concerns of Cairo and Khartoum during several rounds of negotiations following the signing of the DoP.

Egypts letter underscored that the Ethiopian practices, in reference to the unilateral filing and operation of the GERD, "will have a direct adverse impact on the riparian rights and interests of Egypt, and threaten to inflict significant harm on it."

Egypt and Sudan had condemned Addis Ababas unilateral first filling in 2020 and the second filling in 2021 in the absence of a legally binding deal.

Ahead of the first and second filling, Egypt and Sudan resorted twice to the 15-member UN body, urging in separate statements dissuading Ethiopia from taking any unilateral acts, but to no avail.

The unilateral operation of the GERD comes amid attempts to revive the talks between the three countries. The African Union (AU) sponsored Kinshasa talks, which stalled in April 2021, were the latest round of the decade-old negotiations on the now near-complete dam.

The letter further highlighted other outstanding points during the talks, saying Ethiopia failed to "undertake the requisite studies on the hydrological, socio-economic and environmental impacts of the GERD and to consult in advance with its co-riparian states, in compliance with Ethiopia's obligation under the established principles of customary international law."

The letter also cited the UNSC's presidential statement issued in September 2021, saying it called upon the parties to take forward the negotiations, in a constructive and cooperative manner, to finalise expeditiously the text of a mutually acceptable and binding agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD within a reasonable timeframe."

"Eschewing unilateralism is not only a pillar of constructiveness and cooperation but also an indispensable requirement to comply with the Security Council's presidential statement," the letter added.

Sudan, meanwhile, voiced its rejection of Ethiopias unilateral acts in a statement issued on Monday, in which it said the step represented a fundamental breach of Ethiopias international legal commitments.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto has called on the European Union (EU) to provide Egypt with financial support to help the North African country in its efforts to address irregular migration from Africa to Europe.

Egypt closed its maritime borders six years ago and thus helped prevent the flow of irregular African migration towards Europe, Szijjarto said during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo following a meeting.

The situation in Eastern Europe, Szijjarto said  referring indirectly to the Russia-Ukraine crisis  is the main crisis in the continent, and the other is the constant irregular migration.

The current situation makes it imperative for us to consolidate relations with our friends who will walk together to mitigate the matter, he stressed.

The Hungarian minister praised Cairos efforts in dealing with the issue, saying Egypt has always been a reliable partner in addressing this crisis.

Furthermore, Szijjarto noted that the situation of regional security around Egypt has not improved, a matter that necessitates providing unconditional support to Egypt to help it secure its land borders.

We call on the EU to not associate the support to any kind of artificial condition, he said, adding that with the existing security situation, I would like to assure that we are in dire need of our security partners, and we have no room for choice.

Egypt, where nearly six million refugees from Africa and other unstable countries live, has been tightening control over all border crossings and ports of the state in recent years to put a brake on the phenomenon within the framework of its commitment to international conventions.

In 2016, the country launched Egypt first national strategy to combat illegal migration. It also issued Law 82 of 2016, which criminalise all forms of migrant smuggling.

The law punishes whoever commits, attempts, or is involved in the crime of smuggling migrants with imprisonment and a fine ranging from EGP 200,000 to EGP 500,000.

In 2019, Egypt launched its Lifeboats Initiative on migration in order to provide job opportunities in villages seeing significant levels of irregular migration, with EGP 250 million allocated to support and implement it in 70 villages across the country.

In October 2021, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi reiterated that Egypt will not be a transit point for irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe despite the huge number of refugees it is hosting.

Egypt-Hungary cooperation

Szijjarto, who is accompanied by 58 Hungarian businessmen, is set to participate in the Egyptian-Hungarian Business Forum and meet other Egyptian officials  including Minister of Transportation Kamel Al-Wazir and Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea.

The number of visiting businessmen clearly shows the extent of the interest of Hungarian companies in Egypt, Szijjarto said.

In terms of Egypt-Hungary bilateral relations, Szijjarto said that in 2021, trade exchange between both nations exceeded $400 million for the first time, while Hungarian exports to Egypt broke the record of $300 million.

Shoukry stated that Egypt and Hungary have historical close relations and common interests based on solid foundations of friendship, expressing his hope that the meetings will succeed in exploring more areas of cooperation and attract investments to Egypt.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, he added, around 25,000 Hungarians have visited Egypt in 2021 through Hungarian airlines.

Furthermore, he noted that Hungary has provided Egypt with 76 train carriages as per an agreement, and an additional 600 carriages will be delivered by September, he added.

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Ahead of the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), Egypt is launching various environmentally-friendly projects, including solar energy plants, a new central park in Sharm El-Sheikh, and a robust transportation system, all of which utilise clean energy, Egyptian officials said on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly followed up with the Governor of South Sinai Khaled Fouda on Wednesday the preparations to host COP27 in November, where Fouda presented a number of projects being implemented in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Solar energy projects

With regard to solar energy projects, two plots of land have been allocated for the establishment of two new solar power stations, the South Sinai governor announced in a statement by the cabinet on Wednesday.

Fouda explained that with the two new plants, the number of solar power plants in the city will be four, with a total capacity of 20 megawatts. He added that the number of stations is expected to increase during the coming period to cover the city with 160 megawatts.

The governor indicated that the efforts to expand the establishment of solar energy plants also includes establishing a station atop the Sharm El-Sheikh City Council building, which is scheduled to be completed soon.

He pointed out there is cooperation and coordination with the ministries of the environment and tourism in this regard, which includes organising workshops for investors and hotel owners, titled Together to deploy small solar power plants in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Central Park in Sharm El-Sheikh

Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad signed a cooperation protocol on Wednesday with the governor of South Sinai to build a new central park in Sharm El-Sheikh ahead of COP27.

According to Egypt's Project Map, the central park is being built on area of 30 feddans in front Sharm El-Sheikh City Council headquarters, and work on the project started on December 2021 and is due to be completed by March 2022.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has urged improving the efficiency of Sharm El-Sheikhs government and service facilities, according to a statement by the Cabinet.

The protocol aims to develop Sharm El-Sheikh into the first sustainable green city in Egypt, the South Sinai governor said in the statement, indicating that the design and dimension of the central park are in accordance with international sustainability standards, the statement added.

For her part, Minister Fouad said that the project should help achieve ecological balance and prevent desertification by planting more trees to beautify the environment, improve air quality, and protect the land from environmental damage.

Transportation projects

The governor also reviewed a number of environmentally-friendly transportation projects, explaining that Sharm El-Sheikh will provide all gas stations in the city with electric car charging units. In addition, the city will equip parking lots and hotel garages with charging units.

The Egyptian government is pressing ahead with plans to convert thousands of petrol-powered vehicles to run on natural gas as part of its effort to preserve the environment.

Concerning the plan to transform the cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada into green cities, Madbouly has commissioned the government to start converting all buses and cars, including taxis, as well as all mass transportation in the two cities to run with natural gas or electricity.

During COP26 in Glasgow, Egypt launched its National Climate Change Strategy 2050 with five main objectives, including cutting emissions in various sectors to maintain sustainable economic growth, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, producing energy from waste, and using alternative energy like green hydrogen.

Egypt  through the Suez Canal Economic Zone  has set its eyes on the green economy and its various industrial applications, such as green hydrogen, which is one of the most important sources of clean energy globally, to attract global investors and become a global logistics and economic hub.

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The micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) sector represents over 80 percent of Egypts economy, which is why the government is keen on strengthening cooperation with international partners on development programs in this regard, said Minister of Trade and Industry and the Executive Director of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) Nevine Gamea.

Gamea made her comments during a meeting held on Tuesday at the trade ministrys headquarters with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative in Egypt Alessandro Fracassetti.

During the meeting, Gamea told Fracassetti that Egypt has taken large strides on economic reform and institutional development and this has contributed to improving the status of the economy.

Gamea also highlighted the close cooperation with all UN organisations in implementing numerous development programs and channelling technical support to MSMEs over the past 30 years.

The meeting tackled the importance of enhancing ongoing partnership between MSMEDA and the UNDP, especially after the signing of a new cooperation agreement last September.

This agreement targets the upgrading of MSMEDA's institutional and operational capacities and also empowers it to launch its new services, according to the minister.

Gamea emphasised that the outcomes of a survey conducted by MSMEDA in cooperation with UNDP to monitor the impact and repercussions of COVID-19 on the MSME sector have been examined. The survey included 5,500 enterprises, and recommendations have been made to help counter such challenges in the near future.

For his part, Fracassetti pointed out that economic development and export-oriented, knowledge-based industries have pivotal importance.

The MSME sector plays another important role in supporting the Egyptian economy. MSMEDA plays a significant role in promoting these enterprises and others pertaining to womens empowerment, job-creation and digitalisation, he added.

Additionally, Fracassetti asserted the significance of the green economy and green projects, namely the National Project for Solar Cell Systems, which has been awarded the prize of the British Energy Institute as the best project presented globally to reduce greenhouse gases for 2020.

This project aims to support the spread of small solar stations and is being implemented by IMC jointly with UNDP and funded by the Global Environment Facility.

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Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reiterated Egypt's firm support for the Palestinians and their rights and legitimate aspirations to establish an independent state as per international legitimacy resolutions.

Shoukry made the remarks in a meeting on Wednesday with Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and a member of Fatah's Central Committee.

Shoukry said Egypt will continue exerting efforts and communication with different parties to set the stage for reviving negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis as soon as possible, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Ahmed Hafez said.

The top Egyptian diplomat also said Egypt supports all steps to boost the political, economic and developmental situation in Palestine, Hafez added.

Ahmad briefed Shoukry on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena, according to the spokesman.

The Palestinian official expressed appreciation for Egypt's painstaking efforts to support the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people in overcoming the different challenges they face, said Hafez.

Egypt has repeatedly called for creating the appropriate climate for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and affirmed the need for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders.

Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Israeli and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip last year, ending 11 days of Israeli aggression that killed about 250 Palestinians and caused financial losses estimated at $450 million.

Egypt has pledged $500 million to rebuild Gaza and delivered tons of aid and materials, including bulldozers, trucks, and utility poles, as well as dozens of Egyptian workers, to finish the reconstruction process in the strip, a home to more than 2 million Palestinians.

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Egyptian Ambassador-Designate to Belgium Badr Abdel-Aty presented his credentials on Tuesday to his Majesty King Philippe I of Belgium at the Royal Palace in Brussels.

During the event, Abdel-Aty conveyed Egypts aspiration to further develop and deepen political, economic, commercial, and cultural relations with Belgium, which extends from the era of Muhammad Ali and Edouard Louis Joseph to Baron Empain, who established the Heliopolis district, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also stressed the positive role that Belgian companies are currently playing in the process of modernisation and development underway in Egypt, especially in the expansion of the Suez Canal and the construction of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and other clean and renewable energy projects, including the production of green hydrogen, as well as areas of infrastructure, logistics, and port development between the two countries.

From his side, King Philip I emphasised Belgiums appreciation for Egypt and its pivotal role in the region, especially with regard to maintaining security and stability under the leadership of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the statement further said.

The Belgian king also expressed to the newly appointed ambassador his happiness to have received the Egyptian president last week during his first visit to Brussels.

El-Sisi participated in the sixth session of the European Union  African Union Summit, which ran from 17 to 18 February in Brussels. The Belgian king praised the dialogue that took place between him and the president about the historical relations between Egypt and Belgium as well as the two countries political and economic relations, lauding Egypts pivotal role in consolidating stability in the Middle East and Africa.

He also praised Egypts efforts in combating irregular migration and terrorism, achieving coexistence between religions, and supporting peaceful solutions to the ongoing crises in the region, Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said.

On the summits side-lines, El-Sisi also met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in addition to several EU leaders and Belgian businessmen.

Moreover, he met with the executive directors of a number of Belgian companies to discuss advancing cooperation in the economic, commercial, and investment spheres.

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President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has viewed the Coordination Centre of the Russian Federation Government, Azertag reported on February 22.

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin welcomed President Ilham Aliyev.

Then they posed for photos.

President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin then had a meeting.

will be updated
Egypt and Hungary have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a joint committee for trade and industry with the aim of enhancing industrial and commercial relations between the two countries.

Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and her Hungarian counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto, signed the MoU in Cairo on Wednesday.

Szijjarto is on an official visit to Egypt, leading a delegation that includes the representatives of 58 Hungarian companies, to participate in the Egypt-Hungary Business Forum in the Egyptian capital today.

The forum seeks to discuss boosting economic cooperation between the two countries.

Szijjarto said the Hungarian delegation currently visiting Egypt is the largest from Hungary to a foreign country and covers numerous industrial sectors, including foodstuffs, information technology, water, medicine, health, renewable energy, and construction.

The MoU on the Egyptian-Hungarian trade and industry committee extends for five years and is renewed automatically, Szijjarto said, adding that the committee will play a major role in achieving the aspirations of the Egyptian and Hungarian peoples.

As per the MoU, a joint sub-committee for trade and industry will be established with the aim of strengthening industrial and commercial relations between Egypt and Hungary and will convene periodically in both countries, Gamea said.

Szijjarto said the Egyptian and Hungarian sides agreed on Wednesday on encouraging and enhancing cooperation between the two countries institutions, governmental entities, and citizens in the fields of trade, industry, and small and medium enterprises.

The ministers also witnessed the signing of an agreement between Egypts General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) and the Hungarian Export-Import Bank to promote investment opportunities between the two countries.

In a meeting with Gamea earlier today, Szijjarto said the Hungarian Export-Import Bank is currently providing funding programs worth $120 million to support cooperation between Egyptian and Hungarian companies in various fields.

Cooperation, trade

Trade exchange between Egypt and Hungary reached $417 million in 2021, Gamea said during the Egypt-Hungary Business Forum, adding that Egyptian exports to Hungary have reached $93 million.

Egypts exports to the European Union hit EGP 9 billion last year, rising by 56 percent from EGP 6 billion in 2020, Gamea said. This made the EU the biggest recipient of Egyptian exports in 2021, she added.

Gamea highlighted the joint forums significant role in enhancing Egyptian-Hungarian economic cooperation and exploring new horizons of investments and commercial cooperation between the two countries.

The Egyptian minister highlighted the possibility that Hungarian companies can access Arab and African markets through the Hungarian joint projects with Egypt and benefit from the free trade agreements linking Egypt with Arab and African states.

Gamea shed light on the promising opportunities for Hungarian investments in the Egyptian markets, especially in engineering industries, the automobile industry, the home appliances industry, and heavy transport industries.

This is in addition to the industries of steel, ready-made clothes, leather, chemicals, software, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural tractors, Gamea added.

Holding a press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry earlier today, Szijjarto said Hungarian exports to Egypt broke the record of $300 million.

The number of visiting businessmen clearly shows the extent of the interest Hungarian companies have in Egypt, Szijjarto said.

Szijjarto also visited Cairo on 23 February last year, where he discussed boosting trade exchange between the two countries as well as the project to develop the railway system in Egypt.

Hungary has handed Egypt 259 railcars and will continue to provide railcars to Egypt on a regular basis until 2023, Szijjarto said in a press conference with Shoukry last year. Szijjarto added that this is the largest export deal in the transportation field between the two countries.

Shoukry added during the 2021 press conference with Szijjarto that Hungary, within the framework of the project, would provide Egypt with 1,300 Hungarian-Russian-made railcars.

We look forward to continuing [the] cooperation between each other in various frameworks, said Shoukry.

Szijjarto said Hungary is also working on constructing huge water pumps in Egypts Sinai.

The Hungarian FM noted last year that his country would benefit from Egyptian natural gas after the construction of a gas pipeline between Greece and Belgium.

He added that his country is negotiating with Cairo the delivery of natural gas to Hungary at an appropriate price, highlighting the opportunity for Egypt to export natural gas to Central Europe through Hungary.

During last years meeting, both ministers signed an MoU in international development cooperation. They also signed a letter of intent for cooperation between the Egyptian Agricultural Museum and the Museum and Library of Hungarian Agriculture, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

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Egypt has reviewed plans to deal with the economic impacts of the Russia-Ukraine crisis that the country will possibly face, including on wheat imports, the flow of tourism, and petroleum prices.

This comes as Ukraine anticipates a possible Russian invasion, with reports that Russia has already moved almost 100 percent of the troops needed to fully invade the neighbouring country.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the Egyptian government has been studying the possible effects of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the prices of commodities, especially wheat.

Such crises significantly impact the prices of a number of basic commodities worldwide, Madbouly said, affirming that Egypt is closely following up on the economic and political repercussions of the crisis.

The Cabinet meeting was attended by Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali El-Moselhy, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait, Minister of Trade Nevine Gamea, and Ambassador Ihab Nasr, the assistant foreign minister for European affairs.

Kyiv has urged nationals to leave Russia and imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russians in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent decision to recognise the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine, a step that has drawn international condemnation.

Diversifying importing sources

Egypt has reserves of wheat that are sufficient for more than four months, Madbouly said, adding that the government seeks to diversify its wheat importing sources and obtain wheat from other countries.

Russia and Ukraine together account for 29 percent of the worlds wheat exports, according to Februarys Wheat Outlook 2022 issued by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The two countries are also the largest wheat exporters to Egypt, Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad told the media on Wednesday. Egypt, the worlds largest wheat importer, imported 80 percent of its wheat last year from Russia, Saad said.

While Egypt has 14 other countries from which it can import wheat, including countries outside Europe, such as the United States, Argentina, Canada, and Paraguay, it is not certain these 14 other countries can fill the wheat shortage in Egypt during this crisis, Saad said.

In 2021, Egypt imported 5.5 million tonnes of wheat, on top of the 3.5 million tonnes produced locally, according to data released by the supply ministry in December.

The ministry forecast Egypts wheat imports in 2022 to drop to 5.3 million tonnes due to an increase in local production.

Last week, Supply Minister Moselhy said that his ministry had taken measures to secure its stocks of wheat, noting that the local wheat supply season will start in mid-April and the strategic reserve will increase to last until next November.

Moselhy said Egypt has diversified its wheat import sources including from the US, France, Romania, as well as Ukraine and Russia, warning that skirmishes between the world's largest exporters of wheat and grain raise a state of uncertainty in the market.

Saad warned that the Russia-Ukraine crisis can raise wheat prices and can also disrupt wheat supply to Egypt, urging citizens to rationalise the consumption of bread loaves.

Last week, the Egyptian government confirmed that it will raise the price of subsidised bread loaves  sold at 5 piastres for over 30 years  but will make sure that the neediest and most marginalised citizens are not affected.

Impact on petroleum

The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday also reviewed the crisiss possible impact on petroleum prices, especially in light of their rise amid the economic circumstances the world is witnessing while recovering from the coronavirus pandemics repercussions.

Saad said that if petroleum prices are affected by the crisis, this can put pressure on the Egyptian states budget.

Saad noted that gasoline prices are determined based on the international price of oil, the cost of production, and the exchange rate of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar.

In recent years, Egypt has raised gasoline prices several times, the last of which was by 25 piastres earlier this month, as per recommendations of Egypts Fuel Automatic Pricing Committee held every three months.

This comes while the government presses ahead with plans to convert petrol-powered vehicles to run on natural gas, a step that should contribute to reducing the cost of subsidised petroleum products in the state budget.

Russia, the world's leading gas exporter, exported more than 40 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and over 197 billion cubic meters of pipeline gas in 2020, according to Statista.

With 40 percent of Europes natural gas needs reportedly coming from Russia, the Russia-Ukraine crisis poses a direct threat to natural gas supply to European countries.

Egypt, which has achieved self-sufficiency in natural gas in 2018, is planning to use its position on Europes doorstep to become a major supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG) to the continent, which is transitioning away from other fossil fuels.

Egypt has the infrastructure for the transport and handling of natural gas, with a main network of 7,000km of pipelines, as well as a distribution network of 31,000km, and 29 gas-treatment plants in addition to the two LNG facilities, Idku and Damietta plants.

In December, Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla told Reuters that natural gas exports are at full capacity of about 1.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) from its two terminals.

Finding other tourism markets

The Egyptian Cabinet meeting also discussed the possible impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on the tourism sector in Egypt.

The government said it will exert greater efforts to search for alternative tourism markets in case the crisis worsens.

Egypt relies on tourism revenues as a vital source of foreign currency, and the industry used to account for up to 15 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) before the pandemic.

Egypt has witnessed a gradual recovery in the tourism sector over the past year, with the country hoping to achieve full recovery this year.

With Russia and Ukraine being main exporters of tourists to Egypt, the Russia-Ukraine crisis can represent a serious blow to the Egyptian tourism sector.

More than 700,000 Russians visited Egypt last year, Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgy Borisenko told Sputnik news agency earlier in February.

The Egyptian Red Sea resort cities of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada received in August their first direct flights coming from Moscow after a hiatus since 2015 over a Russian plane crash over Sinai.

Ukrainians make up the majority of foreign tourists in Egypt, Ambassador of Ukraine to Egypt Yevhen Mykytenko told Al-Ahram last November, noting that Ukraine ranks first in terms of the number of tourists who visit Egyptian resorts.

From July 2020 to July 2021, 1.2 million citizens of Ukraine visited Egypt, Vice Minister for Tourism at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt Ghada Shalaby said.

While the number of tourist arrivals from all over the world to Egypt amounted to about 13 million in 2019 before the pandemic, the Ukrainian Embassy to Cairo said around 1.5 million Ukrainians spent their vacations in Egypt.

This means that around 11.5 percent of tourists to Egypt in 2019 came from Ukraine.

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A delegation of senior Sudanese officials, including the deputy leader of the country's military-led ruling body, headed to Russia on Wednesday for talks on cooperation, authorities said.

Sudan has found itself increasingly isolated since an October 25 military takeover that has seen foreign aid cut as part of the international community's response to the military takeover.

The northeast African country had already been in the grip of a dire economic crisis before the military takeover and a deadly crackdown on protesters calling for a return to civilian rule.

The Sudanese delegation's visit to Moscow fell "within the framework of exchanging views and discussing ways to develop and strengthen cooperation between Sudan and Russia," the ruling Sovereign Council said.

The delegation, which also includes Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim as well as senior energy and trade officials, would hold a series of talks with Russian counterparts during the visit, it said in a statement.

Sudan has been grappling with deepening unrest since the military takeover led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country's de facto leader since the 2019 ouster of autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

Burhan chairs the Sovereign Council, which was reshuffled after the military takeover.

The October military takeover drew widespread international condemnation, including from the United Nations Security Council which described it as "very concerning".

But diplomats said the council had failed to issue a joint statement as Britain, which called for the meeting, did not even seek to secure one given Russia's support for Burhan.

Moscow's envoy said at the time that Burhan was needed to maintain stability in Sudan, according to one diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Last year, Sudanese authorities said they were reviewing a deal negotiated under Bashir with Moscow for the construction of a naval base in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.

Officials said at the time that some clauses had been found to be "somewhat harmful".

Burhan said recently however that the agreement had not been cancelled.

Sudan was militarily dependent on Russia for decades due to crippling sanctions imposed by Washington against Bashir's government.

But since his 2019 overthrow, Sudan has moved closer to the United States which removed Khartoum from its crippling blacklist in 2020.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday it plans to buy a dozen Chinese L15 aircraft, as it seeks to bolster its defenses after a series of attacks by Yemeni rebels.

In December, the UAE threatened to scrap its mega-purchase of US F-35 fighter jets, protesting stringent conditions amid Washington's concerns over China.

The UAE defence ministry said it intended to sign a contract with China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) to purchase 12 of the L15 training and light combat aircraft, with the option for 36 additional jets of the same type, the official Emirati news agency WAM reported.

"We have reached the final stage in our talks with the Chinese side. The final contract will... be signed soon," Tareq Al-Hosani, CEO of Tawazun Economic Council, was quoted as saying.

The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Tawazun, the Emirates' defence and security acquisitions authority, was seeking to "develop the UAE's defence capabilities and to achieve its strategic priorities", said WAM.

The US and UAE have yet to finalise a $23 billion arms deal that includes F-35 fighter jets.

Lawmakers from US President Joe Biden's Democratic Party unsuccessfully sought to stop the sale, pointing in part to the Gulf state's role in the Yemen war.

US officials have also been increasingly concerned by China's involvement with the US ally.

But the UAE continues to plough money into drones, robots and other unmanned weaponry as autonomous warfare becomes more and more widespread -- including in attacks on the Gulf country by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The wealthy Gulf country is part of the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

Although it withdrew ground troops in 2019, it remains a key player in the grinding conflict.

On January 17, drone-and-missile assault by the Houthis killed three oil workers in Abu Dhabi, the first in a number of similar attacks on the UAE.

The US has deployed a warship and fighter planes to help protect the UAE.

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Germany can meet its energy needs without Russian gas, its economy minister said Wednesday, after the government decided to halt the approval of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline amid rising Ukraine tensions.

Asked on public radio if Europe's largest economy could do without natural gas deliveries from Russia, currently its largest supplier, Economy Minister Robert Habeck responded, "yes, it can".

Related Qatar to host gas exporters summit as Ukraine crisis simmers

On Tuesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the approval of the NordStream 2 pipeline from Russia would be suspended in response to President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognise two breakaway regions of Ukraine.

Cutting itself off completely from Russian gas would leave a big hole in the market that in the first instance would "drive prices higher", said Habeck of the Green party.

However Germany's power demands could be "compensated" with other energy sources and suppliers, including an accelerated renewables push set out by the government, he said.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was completed but never approved by regulators, was set to increase Germany's dependency on Russia for gas to 70 percent of its total deliveries.

The project was consistently supported by the previous chancellor Angela Merkel, who left office at the end of last year, as well as her successor Scholz -- until the current crisis.

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Belgium called in the Russian ambassador on Wednesday after the Kremlin declared independent two regions of eastern Ukraine held by pro-Moscow rebels, Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes said.

"Russia has made the deliberate choice to violate international law ... and to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the minister said in a statement.

Ukraine mobilized reservists and Moscow evacuated its Kyiv embassy on Wednesday, with 150,000 Russian troops massed on its borders, according to Western capitals.

Wilmes saw ambassador Alexander Tokovinin during the afternoon, and "recalled Belgium's strong condemnation", urging Russia "to reconsider its decision".

President Vladimir Putin underlined Tuesday that Russia recognized the separatists' independence and sovereignty over all the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, and not just areas they control.

The EU announced new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday with official details due to be revealed shortly.

"They are the first round of sanctions which can be strengthened as the situation changes," Wilmes said.

She stressed that the "path of diplomacy remains open".

"Belgium is waiting now for Russia's acts rather than intentions to show a sincere commitment for de-escalation and for the search for peaceful solutions to current tensions," the minister added.

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Delivering military aid to Ukraine will not allow Kyiv to resist a Russian invasion and diplomacy is the solution to the crisis, French President Emmanuel Macron's advisers said on Wednesday.

Macron was due to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday before traveling to Brussels for an emergency EU summit on Thursday to agree on sanctions if Moscow launches an all-out assault on its neighbor.

A virtual meeting of the G7 group of leading democracies is also scheduled for Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday decided to recognize the independence of Ukraine's breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, sharply escalating the diplomatic stand-off and triggering international condemnation and sanctions.

Ukraine has received substantial military backing from NATO members, including anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles and helmets, as the West accused Moscow of massing up to 150,000 troops on the border.

But Macron's advisers said diplomacy was the answer in the face of Russian firepower.

"Taking into account the power balance, deliveries of military equipment would not allow Ukraine to stand up to Russia," Macron's advisers said.

"The solution is through diplomacy" and trying to "deter" Russia, they added.

The statement from the French president's office Wednesday warned it was "very possible, very plausible" that the crisis would develop further after Putin's recognition of Donetsk and Lugansk's independence.

It added that Putin may also test the West's resolve in the Balkans, Bosnia, Transnistria in Moldova, and the Caucasus.

"We want each of these countries to be aware that there are choices to make, that partnership with the EU necessitates clarity," Elysee said.

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Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat held on Wednesday a meeting with a World Bank delegation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) at the Ministrys headquarters to chart a roadmap for climate action in the country and the transition to a green economy in Egypt.

Al-Mashat said that this meeting comes within the country-led engagement framework held by the ministry with multilateral and bilateral development partners to periodically follow up on the progress of ongoing partnerships and strategies.

This is in line with presidential directives to optimise the value of development cooperation at social-environmental and financial-economic levels by bolstering Egypts economic and sustainable development, enhancing the role of the private sector, as well as improving infrastructure and investing in human capital through the Decent Life Presidential Initiative.

She added that her ministry is stepping up the role of private sector finance to drive climate action throughout the country with blended finances.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed future roadmaps between Egypt and MIGA to promote the private sector in development through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, as well as preparations for the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), which will help Egypt align climate action and development.

In light of Egypts preparations to host the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27)  which is set to be held in November in Sharm El-Sheikh  the meeting discussed cooperation with the World Bank in this respect, which includes financing for climate action, enhancing technical support and spurring knowledge exchange, in addition to organising events and activities that push towards the integration of climate action with all sustainable development goals (SDGs).

For her part, Ayat Soliman  the Regional Director for the World Banks Sustainable Development Department for the Middle East and North Africa  noted that there are ongoing consultations between all technical teams from the World Bank, the ministry, and other relevant authorities to coordinate priorities in order to ensure complementarity among national and global goals.

Meanwhile, Senior Investment Guarantee Officer at MIGA Layali Abdeen pointed out that MIGA held meetings with private sector companies to boost partnerships and unlock opportunities for the private sector to participate in development projects, with one success story being the Benban Solar Park in Upper Egypt, which involved a hundred Egyptian private companies and created around 640 jobs besides 18,000 temporary ones.

Egypts development cooperation portfolio with the World Bank amounts to a total of $5.5 billion across 15 projects in several sectors, including transportation, education, housing, health, social protection, petroleum, water and sanitation, and environment.

Additionally, the International Finance Corporation  the arm of the World Bank Group for financing the private sector  allocated in 2021 development financing worth $421 million to the private sector in Egypt.

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On the side-lines of the event, Pelin Incesu, AstraZenecas Area Vice President for the Middle East and Africa, spoke to Ahram Online about the MoU, current cooperation with Egypts government, the COVID-19 vaccine, and the newly approved Evusheld and its effectiveness against the Omicron variant.

Incesu assumed her role in May 2020 to drive strong business growth across the five core units which make up the MEA region  Africa, Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Near East, Morocco, and Turkey.

Ahram Online (AO): Last week an MoU was signed between your company and Egypts UPA to sponsor Egypts Africa Health ExCon, what could you say on that?

Pelin Incesu (PI): In December 2020, AstraZeneca Egypt signed its first MoU agreement with the UPA to signify its commitment to the Egyptian government and our partnership with the UPA to transform the healthcare system in Egypt.

Our joint goal with that first signing was to provide valuable support and education to public sector pharmacists to ultimately make an impactful difference to the lives of millions of patients in Egypt.

Since then, we have uplifted the capabilities of 1,000 pharmacists from different health sectors in Egypt through a programme that has now been accredited by the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Pharmacy in the USA. We have also sponsored a total of 72 scholarships to date.

The recent MoU reinforces our commitment to the Egyptian government and the UPA and highlights our position as a central partner to the Africa Health ExCon in June later this year  an event we know will be a critical milestone for us both, as well as the African continent in general.

Im really looking forward to seeing how our partnership continues to grow in 2022 and look forward to the Africa Health ExCon in June to learn more from other companies and partners and together identify solutions for us to drive health innovation across Africa and Egypt.

AO: Egypt is working on developing its pharmaceutical sector and infrastructure with projects such as the Egyptian Medicine City Gypto Pharma, which is considered one of the largest medicine cities in the Middle East. What do you think about such projects, and how can AstraZeneca benefit from it?

PI: Such large-scale projects promise to position Egypt as a regional leader in the pharmaceuticals sector.

AstraZeneca can only stand to benefit from seeing Egypt grow and expand its pharmaceutical and medical expertise, and we are ready to play our part.

We pride ourselves on more than half a century of presence in Egypt, where we currently have more than 800 employees and a capital investment valued at $60 million, which is set to expand in the coming years.

AO: What is AstraZenecas strategy in Egypt compared to other countries in the region?

PI: AstraZenecas strategy in the region focuses on partnering with governments and health authorities to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the healthcare system and to build and maintain scientific leadership in therapy areas, such as oncology, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, rare diseases, immunology, and COVID-19.

Egypt remains a key country of focus for us, and we work closely with the national authorities to ensure access to innovative medicines for patients.

Our priorities are aligned with Egypts national agenda, ensuring that we work hand-in-hand to tackle challenges within the healthcare sector, effectively playing our part in contributing to a resilient health system.

AO: What about local partnerships and projects that the company is engaging in across the country?

PI: We are continuously increasing our footprint through partnerships and programmes to serve Egyptian patients. Through programmes like these in Egypt and across the region, we work together with governments, policymakers, and healthcare professionals to improve the health systems performance in prevention, treatment, and recovery from acute and chronic diseases.

For the healthcare system, we are working with the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population to launch the Partnership for Healthcare System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

On the medical education side, AstraZeneca supports the pharmaceutical community through continuous medical education programmes in cooperation with international centres of excellence and national medical societies.

These initiatives include providing pharmacists with Health Technology Assessment accreditation initiated by the LSE and AstraZeneca.

Moreover, we recently set up the ONCOLY, PICS Scientific Programme, which supports continuing medical education in an innovative way for oncologists in Egyptian university hospitals.

Our partnerships in Egypt also extend to start-ups and social enterprises supporting sustainability projects such as the Shagara at School Programme and public entities like the Supreme Council of University Hospitals.

Furthermore, our flagship Young Health Programme partners with five different ministries and NGOs to enable a better future for youths in Egypt.

All of that comes besides other programmes in the fields of Lung Holistic, in addition to the Your Health  Your Strength Programme with Egypts Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS), which aims to raise awareness around the importance of mitigating non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and early screening.

AO: Egypt embraced one of AstraZenecas factories in the region, which other countries in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) have similar factories? And what is the difference between them and the one in the UK?

PI: We have manufacturing sites in many different parts of the world, including across the MEA region.

In Egypt, we have a manufacturing plant that was inaugurated in 2006 with a formulation capacity of 900 million tablets. The plant supplies the Egyptian healthcare community with drugs from different therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, neuroscience, and oncology.

But no matter where our medicines are manufactured, we maintain a comprehensive quality management system to assure compliance and quality. We are committed to high product quality, which underpins the safety and efficacy of our medicines.

AO: How do you see the MEAs performance compared to developed regions amid the ongoing challenges? And in your perception, why are MEA countries not producing the COVID-19 vaccine?

PI: AstraZeneca has a strong presence in and enduring commitment to the MEA region. We believe that our pipeline of innovative drugs can serve the regions patients.

Recognising the urgent need for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, in April 2020, we joined forces with the University of Oxford, a landmark partnership, which brought together world-class expertise in vaccinology with our global development and manufacturing capabilities. Together we committed to providing the vaccine broadly and equitably across the globe at no profit during the pandemic.

To support our goals, AstraZeneca partnered with capable, established vaccine organisations in countries which have large-scale manufacturing capacities to ensure that the vaccine could be manufactured at a large scale and reach people in need as quickly as possible if approved for use.

AstraZeneca has now supplied over 2.5 billion doses of the vaccine globally with approximately two-thirds going to low- and middle-income countries and over 260 million doses supplied through our partnership with the COVAX Initiative.

Also, AstraZeneca was the first company to partner with COVAX to accelerate equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world and, to date, over 26.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been supplied to Egypt.

AO: What other areas is AstraZeneca active in across Egypt?

PI: Oncology is an active therapy area for AstraZeneca in Egypt. Our priorities include evidence generation and publications; healthcare practitioner education and training; early diagnosis and screening; partnerships; and patient support programmes.

A number of ongoing studies are helping us understand gaps in cancer management in Egypt as well as unmet needs and current practices.

Besides offering AI technologies to identify early-stage lung cancer, we also aim to support the early detection and treatment for men at risk of prostate cancer by screening 40,000 individuals in 2022.

Also, we are partnering with the Womens Health Presidential Initiative to help build precision medicine infrastructure and capabilities as well as improve access to innovative drugs in the public sector.

AO: On the recently approved Evusheld protection treatment, in which other countries is Evusheld available besides Egypt?

PI: Egypt is the first country globally to receive it. Agreements are in place around the world for the supply of Evusheld in 2022, including in North America, across the EU, and in the Middle East.

We have built a global supply chain to support the production of Evusheld and we are committed to providing supply to all countries where we have firm agreements as quickly as possible.

Evusheld is the only antibody therapy to receive emergency use authorisation in the US for pre-exposure prophylaxis (prevention) of COVID-19 and the only antibody therapy authorised for this use that shows neutralising activity against Omicron and all other variants of concern to date.

On 14 February, we announced that AstraZeneca has agreed to supply the US government with an additional one million doses of Evusheld, bringing the total number of doses destined for the US market to 1.7 million.

AO: How effective is the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine against Omicron?

PI: New data from a preliminary analysis of our ongoing safety and immunogenicity trial showed that AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine, when given as a booster, increased the immune response to Beta, Delta, Alpha, and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants, while a separate analysis of samples from the trial showed increased antibody response to the Omicron variant.
The United States warned Russia Tuesday that it would face faster and far more severe economic consequences if it invades Ukraine than it did when Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

"We are prepared to implement sanctions with massive consequences that were not considered in 2014," a national security official told reporters in Washington. "That means the gradualism of the past is out. And this time, we'll start at the top of the escalation ladder and stay there."

Later, President Joe Biden told reporters he could see himself personally imposing economic sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.

The security official, speaking anonymously, said the U.S. is "also prepared to impose novel export controls" to hobble the Russian economy. "You can think of these export controls as trade restrictions in the service of broader U.S. national security interests," the official said.

"We use them to prohibit the export of products from Russia," the official said. "And given the reason they work is if you  step back and look at the global dominance of U.S.-origin software technology, the export control options we're considering alongside our allies and partners would hit Putin's strategic ambitions to industrialize his economy quite hard, and it would impair areas that are of importance to him, whether it's in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, or defense or aerospace or other key sectors."

The U.S. and its allies imposed less severe economic sanctions against Moscow after its Crimean takeover, but they ultimately proved ineffective, and the peninsula remains under Russian control.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Baku has expressed its protest to Moscow over the Russian Foreign Ministry's use of distorted information about the Turkmenchay Treaty (1828) on its official social media account.

In a statement posted on its official website on February 23, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry urged its Russian counterpart to correct the distortion related to the Treaty

We consider it necessary to remove this distortion and expect it to be corrected on the Russian Foreign Ministry's official social networking page, the ministry stressed.

It described the Russian Foreign Ministrys action as surprising and regrettable, especially on the day of the signing of the Azerbaijan-Russia joint Declaration on Allied Interaction on February 22.

We would like to emphasize that the Treaty in question does not refer to the word 'Eastern Armenia' at all, and, of course, this fact should be well known to the Russian Foreign Ministry's historical documents department, the ministry underlined.

It should be noted that the Russian Foreign Ministry distorted the content of the Treaty in the post published on its official social media account on February 22.

The Turkmenchay Treaty was a treaty signed by Qajar Iran and the Russian Empire to end the Russo-Persian War (182628). It was the second of a series of treaties signed between Qajar Iran and Imperial Russia (the first being the 1813 Treaty of Gulustan and the last, the 1881 Treaty of Akhal) that forced Persia to cede or recognize Russian influence over the territories that formerly were part of Iran.

The treaty was signed in Turkemanchay, Iran, on February 10, 1828. It forced Persia to cede control of several South Caucasus areas to Russia, including the Iravan Khanate, the Nakhchivan Khanate, and the remainder of the Talish Khanate. The Araz River marked the border between Russia and Persia.
Hong Kong has reported about 5,000 new daily infections since Feb. 15, with the cases threatening to overwhelm its healthcare system. Since the current surge began at the beginning of the year, the city has recorded nearly 54,000 cases and 145 deaths.

The population will be tested three times in March, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said. She said testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more. "Since we have a population of some 7 million people, testing will take about seven days," she said.

Hong Kong will test its entire population of 7.5 million people for COVID-19 in March, the city's leader said Tuesday, as it grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the Omicron variant.

The order for citywide testing comes after mainland Chinese authorities dispatched epidemiologists, health workers and other medical resources last week to help contain the outbreak in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. Hong Kong has largely aligned itself with mainland China's "zero-COVID-19" policy, which aims to totally stamp out outbreaks, even as many other countries are shifting their approach to living with the virus.

Lockdowns of entire cities have been imposed in a number of areas of the mainland, but Lam said no such measure is currently being considered in Hong Kong because it is "not realistic." She also denied that the central Chinese government is giving instructions to Hong Kong on how to handle the epidemic. "I reiterate that the central government never issued any instructions on our anti-epidemic work," she said. "The central government will offer support as needed or upon our request, but of course we will always exchange our views."

The "zero-COVID-19" strategy means that Hong Kong authorities often take measures such as locking down residential estates for mass testing when positive cases are detected, imposing strict quarantine requirements on travelers and ordering the shuttering of businesses.

The rapid surge of infections in the city has threatened to overwhelm its healthcare system. Health officials said last week that hospitals were already at 90 percent of capacity and isolation facilities were full. People who test positive for the virus in Hong Kong must either be admitted to a hospital or a quarantine facility. Lam acknowledged on Tuesday that the city's isolation facilities are "severely inadequate" and that it is "working very hard with the full support of the central authorities" to build more.

Current social-distancing measures, such as a ban on dining at restaurants after 6 p.m. and the closure of businesses such as gyms and bars, will be extended until April 20. "This is not good news to the sectors affected, but really at this stage of the pandemic we have no choice but to take these measures," Lam said. She said the city hopes to boost its vaccination rate to 90 percent by early March.

Other measures announced Tuesday include ending the school year early and moving the normal July-August summer holidays forward to March and April so that schools can be turned into facilities for testing, isolation and vaccination.

Flight bans from countries classified as high risk, including Australia, Canada, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain and the U.S., will be extended to April 20.
China has appointed senior diplomat Xue Bing as its new special envoy for the Horn of Africa, a region that is currently troubled by conflict including in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.

Xue has previously worked as China's Ambassador to Papua New Guinea and has experience working in Africa, America and Oceania, China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

His task will be to work to promote China's "peaceful development" plan for the region which aims to help countries in the region "achieve long-term stability, development and prosperity," Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.
The government has started to look into emergency responses that could minimize the impact of a looming Russian invasion of Ukraine on Korea's economy and financial markets.

President Moon Jae-in chaired a National Security Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday and told officials, "We must carefully analyze the effects of the Ukraine crisis on our economy. If the crisis continues and the U.S. implements tougher sanctions against Russia, our economy will also be affected significantly."

Ukraine is only Korea's 68th-largest trading partner with bilateral trade last year amounting to US$900 million. But it accounts for a whopping 23 percent of Korea's neon gas imports, 31 percent of krypton gas imports and 18 percent of xenon gas imports used to manufacture semiconductors, perhaps Korea's most important product. A prolonged crisis could seriously damage Korea's chip output.

The bigger problem is Russia, which is Korea's 10th-largest trading partner. If the West implements tougher sanctions against the Vladimir Putin regime, they could seriously affect Korea's exports of cosmetics, plastics and car parts.

Last year, Korea's exports to Russia increased 45 percent to $10 billion, while imports rose 63 percent to $17.4 billion. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Korea's exports to Russia halved.

Korean automakers and electronics makers in Russia would also experience problems securing components.

Another risk is volatility in global grain markets. Russia and Ukraine account for a staggering 25 percent of global wheat exports and 14.8 percent of global corn shipments. Prices would inevitably surge in the event of a war.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission on Tuesday finally gave the green light to Korean Air's takeover of ailing Asiana Airlines on condition that the flag carrier relinquishes certain routes.

The decision came about a year after Korean Air applied for approval.

The FTC cited monopoly concerns over 26 of the two flag carriers' 65 overlapping international routes -- five to North America, six to Europe, five to China, six to Southeast Asia, one to Japan and three to Oceania and other regions.

For instance, the two carriers' combined share of the overlapping routes to North America would be 78 to 100 percent.

The FTC ordered Korean Air to relinquish some slots if any newcomer seeks to claim them over the next decade. Until then, Korean Air is obliged to limit airfare hikes and maintain the number of flights, quality of service and mileage terms.


KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 22:42 | All, Japan

Japan's weather agency on Wednesday raised its alert level for Mt. Ontake in the central part of the country, warning against going near its crater as volcanic earthquakes have increased.

The level-2 alert for the 3,067-meter volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures is the first since Aug. 21, 2017, with the Japan Meteorological Agency warning about the possibility of flying rocks around the 1-kilometer area from the crater on the mountain's summit.

It was moved up from level 1, meaning "potential increased activity." The agency has a five-scale volcanic alert system.

On Wednesday, there were 80 tremors between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. caused by volcanic activity, and slight swelling of the mountain was observed around its highest peak, according to the agency.

The massive eruption of the mountain on Sept. 27, 2014, claimed 58 lives and left five others missing.

Since 2014, climbers have not been allowed on the mountain during the winter season, according to Otaki, a village located at the foot of the volcano.
By Will Hollingworth, KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 14:04 | Japan, All

Japan and the United States were frustrated by Queen Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, attempting to stop a new runway in Japan in the 1980s, according to newly released files at the National Archives in London.

The documents, released in November following the prince's death in April, show Japan's Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone was "concerned" about the intervention and the U.S. State Department feared the prince could jeopardize the entire project.

As president of the World Wildlife Fund International, the prince wrote to Nakasone in 1986 asking him to rethink the new airstrip on Miyake Island, south of Tokyo, to be used by U.S. Navy carrier-borne aircraft for training.

The details of the prince's letter were leaked to the media, much to the embarrassment of Japan and the United States.

The newly released files reveal the behind-the-scenes exasperation at the prince's comments and attempts by the British government to smooth relations with two of its main allies.

Following articles about the prince's letter, the British Embassy in Tokyo was contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "to express Mr Nakasone's concern about His Royal Highness' involvement in a matter which is politically controversial and sensitive in Japan," according to a letter from the Foreign Office in London to the prince's private secretary, Brian McGrath.

The embassy tried to explain the prince's comments were merely a personal view and not representative of the British government's position.

The Foreign Office explained to the prince's private secretary that the Japanese government was under pressure to curb nighttime landing practice at a U.S. base on the Japanese mainland due to noise complaints, but opposition parties were opposing moving them to the island.

The U.S. State Department told the British Embassy in Washington the prince's comments had "revived the problem" and could prove to be a "major obstacle" when Japan and the United States were coming to an agreement on the new airstrip.

The prince urged Nakasone to "resist" the project given the island was in a national park and home to rare species of birds.

Nakasone responded, "With utmost respect to Your Royal Highness, I feel that there might be several relevant facts which may not have been adequately brought to the attention of Your Royal Highness."

The prime minister noted the new 2,000-meter runway was to be used by civilian aircraft as well as night landing practice by U.S. aircraft carrier jets.

"The construction of the runway in Miyake-jima is of vital importance for maintaining the effective operation of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty which forms the vital part of our national security policy," he wrote.

Nakasone assured the prince the government would proceed with "great caution" in order to protect the wildlife and park.

Following opposition to the project, in 1989 the United States and Japan agreed to instead use a runway on Iwojima, now Iwoto Island, located 1,300 kilometers south of Tokyo, for night landing practice.

Prince Philip died in April 2021 and Nakasone, who led Japan between 1982 and 1987, died in 2019.

The prince had a reputation for plain speaking and was also a keen advocate for conservation around the world.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 22:54 | All, Japan

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will not accompany U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel on a trip to Hiroshima this weekend as he needs to focus on the Ukraine crisis, a government source said Wednesday.

During his meeting with Kishida on Feb. 4, Emanuel said he wanted to visit Hiroshima at an early date to offer prayers and flowers to those who suffered from the 1945 U.S. bombing of the western city.

Kishida had been eager to join the ambassador's visit, arranged for Saturday. The prime minister represents a constituency in Hiroshima.

Related coverage:

U.S. ambassador to Japan arranging visit to Hiroshima next week

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New U.S. envoy Emanuel, Japan foreign minister affirm alliance

Emanuel was once a top aide to former U.S. President Barack Obama, who went to Hiroshima during his presidency in 2016. Kishida, then foreign minister, played an active role in realizing Obama's visit to the city, the first by sitting U.S. president.

Kishida said Wednesday Japan will impose a set of economic sanctions against Russia and two pro-Russian separatist regions in eastern Ukraine after Moscow formally recognized the areas and ordered the deployment of troops there.

He also said Japan would take additional steps swiftly in coordination with the Group of Seven major developed countries if the crisis deepens.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 19:57 | All, Japan

The number of personal information leaks from companies listed on Japanese stock exchanges, as well as their subsidiaries, rose by 30 percent in 2021 from the previous year to a record 137 cases, according to a corporate research agency.

Tokyo Shoko Research said in a report that over 50 percent or 68 of the data breaches were caused by malware or unauthorized access. It said the number of cyberattacks rose for the third straight year.

Since the agency first began collecting such data in 2012, leaks of personal information pertaining to approximately 120 million people, roughly the equivalent of Japan's population, have been confirmed.

Compared with the United States and European countries, some critics have said that Japanese penalties are not tough enough for corporate executives in the event of data breaches, and that has led to a lack of risk awareness for them.

In 2021, there were 43 instances that were caused by data being accidentally displayed or sent out, according to the report released on Jan. 17.

The largest data breach of the year was discovered in May, when private information consisting of up to 1.71 million people from dating app Omiai, operated by Net Marketing Co., was found to have been leaked.

The case was followed by a dump of data on roughly 1 million customers of Japanese airline operator ANA Holdings Co., and about 920,000 from Japan Airlines Co., after information regarding their respective mileage program members was illegally accessed by a Swiss booking company, according to the report.

As Japan's current law protecting personal information is not punitive, Net Marketing and other companies responsible for the leaks were not fined.

Victims of personal information leaks could take their cases to court, but the amount of compensation per person is believed to be just a few thousand yen if a lawsuit is won, with the cost of trials likely being much higher.

On the other hand, a number of companies in the United States and Europe have been slapped with large financial penalties by their respective authorities when personal data has been leaked.

U.S. consumer credit reporting firm Equifax Inc. agreed with the government in 2019 to pay up to $700 million for an incident in 2017 that found data on 140 million people had been compromised. A majority of the fine has been set aside for compensating the victims.

Although Japan's information protection law remains lax, its revision, slated to take effect in April, is likely to change the situation.

"Companies will be obliged to notify victims in the event of a data leak," said lawyer Hiroyasu Kageshima from Ushijima & Partners. "There is a possibility that demand for compensation will be magnified."
KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 23:14 | All, Japan

A Japanese diplomat in Beijing was detained temporarily earlier this week while on duty, with China arguing Wednesday that its action was justified because the official was engaging in inappropriate activity.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters Tuesday night that the government had lodged a protest with China through diplomatic channels, saying, "We cannot overlook (the incident) and will never accept it."

But the Chinese Foreign Ministry balked at the protest on Wednesday, saying that the unidentified diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing had been investigated and questioned in accordance with the law after acting inappropriately, without elaborating.

"China has lodged solemn representations with Japan, urging it to strictly restrain the words and deeds of diplomatic personnel in China" and "prevent similar incidents from happening again," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.

A Chinese official told Kyodo News that the diplomat was collecting information illegally.

A statement released by the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo also said earlier Wednesday that Japan should respect China's laws and manage the behavior of its diplomats.

The statement came after Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori summoned Yang Yu, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, to the ministry on Tuesday.

Mori demanded that China issue an apology and prevent a recurrence saying the incident clearly violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the ministry said.

Yang, meanwhile, told Mori that he would report to his government, according to ministry officials.

Japanese Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi also made a similar request to China's Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said the diplomat was detained Monday afternoon while on legitimate official business. A few hours later, the diplomat was released after exchanges with Chinese authorities and was not physically harmed.

The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations requires the hosting state to prevent any disturbance of the peace of a diplomatic mission or impairment of its dignity.

Hua, however, said the convention "clearly stipulates the behavioral boundaries of diplomats," adding, "Diplomats are obliged to respect the laws and regulations of the hosting country."
KYODO NEWS - Feb 23, 2022 - 20:23 | All, Japan

Japan will implement a set of economic sanctions against Russia and two pro-Russian separatist regions in eastern Ukraine after Moscow formally recognized the areas and ordered the deployment of troops there, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday.

The government will suspend visa issuance for officials from the two regions and freeze their assets. It will ban exports to and imports from the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as well as the issuance and trading of new Russian sovereign bonds in Japan, Kishida said.

Japan has condemned the latest Russian move as a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and international law. Kishida had stressed the importance of close coordination with other members of the Group of Seven nations in taking a "tough" approach to Russia.

Related coverage:

Japan condemns Russia's move as violation of Ukraine sovereignty

Biden says Russia beginning "invasion" of Ukraine, unveils sanctions

Ex-U.K. defense chief urges leaders to avoid Ukraine escalation

The sanctions are similar to those announced Tuesday by the United States, in what President Joe Biden called a "first tranche." Australia, Britain, Canada and the European Union also decided to impose economic sanctions.

"We strongly urge Russia to return to efforts to break the impasse through a diplomatic process," Kishida told reporters Wednesday morning.

Russia has so far defied calls from the G-7 to defuse the tensions sparked by its buildup of military forces near Ukraine's borders.

Tensions have spiked since Russia recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent and ordered the deployment of troops to maintain peace there. Biden has described the situation as the "beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine."

"The situation is becoming all the more tense," Kishida said, adding that Japan will take additional steps swiftly in coordination with the G-7 and other nations if the crisis deepens.

The Japanese government has set up a liaison office in the western Ukraine city of Lviv and arranged charter flights to help Japanese nationals leave the country. Kishida said Japan will use all possible means to protect its citizens.

The leaders of the G-7 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union -- will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to discuss the Ukrainian situation.

A decades-old territorial dispute with Russia over a group of islets off Hokkaido in northern Japan has apparently put Tokyo in a difficult position in determining how tough its sanctions should be.

"It is the best Japan can do at the moment," a government official said, referring to its decision on the sanctions.

Japan imposed sanctions against Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea in concert with the United States and Europe, though critics questioned the effectiveness of its response.

On Wednesday, some Ukrainians living in Japan staged a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in Tokyo urging the Kremlin to stop taking military action and calling for the international community to support their home country.

The Ukraine crisis has also rattled financial markets, sending share prices lower and crude oil prices sharply higher, as Russia is one of the world's major oil suppliers. Japan has decided to divert part of its liquefied natural gas imports to Europe, which is facing the threat of supply disruptions given its high reliance on Russia.

"The current situation will not have an immediate impact on stable energy supplies (in Japan)," Kishida said, noting that Japan has sufficient crude oil and LNG in reserves.

But the prime minister added that the government will consider "all possible options" to mitigate the impact of higher crude oil prices on Japanese households.
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

Some 85 civilians were killed or injured in explosions in the Azerbaijani lands liberated from Armenias occupation after the second Karabakh war in 2020, Interior Ministry Spokesman Elshad Hajiyev has said.

Hajiyev went on to say that mine explosions killed 30 civilians and injured 55 others, including citizens who illegally entered the liberated lands.

He emphasized that citizens who wish to visit the liberated territories are informed that the safety conditions for movement along the routes determined by the corresponding state structure have been created.

Among the dead, there are those who previously repeatedly illegally visited these territories and were punished in accordance with the law, the spokesperson added.

It should be noted that ANAMA, along with the partner countries, carries out demining activities on the liberated territories.

Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan all mine maps of liberated territories as a result of talks held through the Russian Defence Ministry's mediation on December 4, 2021.

On December 12, 2021, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov told reporters that mine maps provided by Armenia so far are not fully accurate.

It should be noted that Azerbaijans Mine Action Agency (ANAMA), along with the partner countries, carries out demining activities on its liberated territories.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security and cooperation.

Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security and cooperation.

Previously, on June 12, Azerbaijan handed over 15 Armenian prisoners in exchange for a map detailing the location of 97,000 mines in formerly-occupied Aghdam.

On July 3, Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan maps of about 92,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines planted during the occupation of Fuzuli and Zangilan regions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered peace agreement on November 10, 2020, to end 44 days of fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria, via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu Tuesday held talks with Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria, via video link.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, commended the traditional friendship between China and Algeria since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1958.

Regarding the future development of these relations, Li called on the two countries to enhance mutual political support. He also said they should deepen practical cooperation, strengthen cooperation in COVID-19 response, and enhance global and regional affairs communication.

China appreciates Algeria's support concerning China's core interests and major concerns, said Li, extending gratitude to the northern African country for its firm support of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

He called on the two countries to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative and promote cooperation in major practical projects.

Li noted the friendly tradition between the NPC and the People's National Assembly of Algeria. He said the NPC stands ready with the Algerian side to enhance exchanges on various levels, share experiences in legislation and supervision in finance, agriculture, education, and foreign investment, and closely coordinate on multilateral occasions and affairs to contribute to the development of bilateral relations.

Boughali congratulated China on the success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and said Algeria is willing to cooperate with China in areas including economy and trade, investment, technology, culture, and COVID-19 response. 

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria, via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- A State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson on Wednesday urged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority to stop obstructing ferry links between Kinmen and Xiamen.

Calling the ferry services an important, convenient channel for exchanges among people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, especially Fujian and Taiwan residents, spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang expressed his hope that the DPP authority could heed the call for early resumption of the ferry links and no longer obstruct the services.

Ma noted that the DPP authority unilaterally called a stop to the Kinmen-Xiamen ferry services after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. 
Farmers harvest chili peppers in Jiaji Town of Qionghai City, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China unveiled its "No. 1 central document" for 2022 on Tuesday, outlining key tasks to comprehensively push forward rural vitalization this year.

As the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the document is seen as an indicator of policy priorities. Work on agriculture and rural areas has been high on the agenda for 19 consecutive years since 2004.

The document called for efforts to stabilize and increase agricultural production, steadily raise farmers' incomes, and ensure stability in China's rural areas to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and other changes unseen in a century and promote sound economic and social development.

"We must firmly hold the bottom lines of guaranteeing China's grain security and ensuring no large-scale return to poverty," the document noted.

China will enhance grain production and the supply of vital agricultural products, it said.

Measures will be taken to ensure that the sown areas for grains remain stable and the full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kg.

Efforts will also enhance the production capacity of soybean and oil plants and ensure the supply of key products such as pork and vegetables, said the document.

The document detailed reasonable protection of farmers' incomes from growing grains and coordinated regulation on major agricultural products.

In 2022, China aims to develop 6.67 million hectares of high-standard farmland, promote national projects on black soil protection, and launch the third nationwide soil condition census, noted the document.

It also specified measures to vigorously promote the research on vital agricultural core technologies such as germplasm, enhance applications of agriculture machinery and equipment, accelerate development of facility agriculture, and effectively prevent and respond to major agriculture-related disasters.

The document urged efforts to improve mechanisms for monitoring and assisting people at risk of falling back into poverty, and to ensure assistance and support policies are implemented in a timely manner.

More efforts should be made to help boost the incomes of populations that have recently been lifted out of poverty, according to the document.

China will increase support for key counties in rural vitalization and for communities of relocated people while working to promote the integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas, it said.

Efforts should be made to develop county-level industries and commerce systems, as well as to encourage rural residents to obtain employment or start businesses locally, said the document.

In an interview with Xinhua, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian said the country should consolidate poverty-reduction achievements with steady economic growth, with more financial support tilted toward developing the technology, facilities and marketing of rural industries that help increase the incomes of rural households.

Tang listed farm-produce processing, rural tourism and rural e-commerce as three major industries for rural vitalization, and stressed the prevention of excessive financing, development and construction, so as to yield practical results.

The document also urged the continued implementation of the five-year action plan on improving the rural living environment, stressing solid work on enhancing rural infrastructure in key areas such as highways, water facilities, power grids and clean-energy facilities, as well as improving the quality of rural housing.

It called for greater efforts on developing digital villages by pushing for smart agriculture and empowering rural public services with digital technologies.

The document noted that measures should be taken to increase investment for rural vitalization, such as providing support from the public budget and the central government budget, and supporting the issuance of local-government bonds for qualified projects.

It also stressed optimizing financial services to advance rural vitalization. More support will be provided for qualified local financial institutions in terms of relending, rediscounts and required reserves.

More work will be done to strengthen the building of a rural credit system and facilitate credit lending for rural households, while agricultural insurance and reinsurance will be actively promoted, it said.

The document also proposed to improve the recruitment and training systems of talent for rural vitalization. 
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson makes a speech during the Munich Security Conference (MSC) held in Munich, Germany, Feb. 19, 2022. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

With more than 18 million COVID-19 cases, a suffering economy and the tortuous Brexit, Britain is overstretching its capabilities to interfere in other countries' internal affairs. The disillusion of imperial nostalgia only exposes its hypocrisy and declining power.

by Xin Ping

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- At the just-concluded Munich Security Conference, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson willfully pointed his finger at others over the issue of Ukraine by saying "people would draw the conclusion that aggression pays, and that might is right."

It seems that the British leader fails to realize that his country has faith in nothing but power and might. Britain should seriously reflect on its colonial legacy and sordid history of foreign interference that has left so many countries in turmoil and trouble.

If British India was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire, then Kashmir has been the biggest crack in it when the crown finally fell over in that land.

In 1857, to fight against the British colonizers, Indian Hindus and Muslims jointly started the "Great Mutiny," which triggered a sense of crisis among British colonizers.

In order to consolidate their rule and prevent the Indian independence movement, the British Empire applied the most treacherous plot of "divide and rule" by deliberately fomenting and inciting religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims to drive a wedge between the united rebellions.

Accumulated misunderstandings and religious hatred have resulted in numerous riots, massacres and acts of revenge as Pakistan and India claimed independence separately in 1947, claiming at least half a million lives and causing 12 million to become homeless. The humiliation and hatred incited by colonists still haunt the two peoples on that land generation after generation.

Aerial photo shows fishing boats flying China's national flags and the flags of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) cruising at the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Even today, Britain is more audacious and scrupulous in its intervention in Hong Kong's internal affairs despite the fact that the British government no longer has sovereignty, jurisdiction or right of supervision after Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997.

Britain has kept issuing so-called six-monthly reports on Hong Kong, publicly meddling in Hong Kong's affairs. On the sly, multiple British intelligence agents were planted in Hong Kong to incite and organize subversion and violence.

Under the disguise of human rights and religion, they played secret and dirty roles in Hong Kong's government, judiciary, chambers of commerce and media, providing fund and policy support to opposition forces. It is obvious for all to see when rioters violently stormed Hong Kong's Legislative Council in 2019 and displayed the colonial-era Dragon and Lion flag.

Though the sun has already set on the British Empire, Britain still indulges in its old imperial days, trying to make its influence felt around the world to relive its global ambition of controlling and lording it over others.

The Guardian even quoted a global survey two years ago revealing that a third of people in Britain believe the country's old-time colonies were better off for being part of an empire, a higher proportion than in any of the other major colonial powers.

In fact, with more than 18 million COVID-19 cases, a suffering economy and the tortuous Brexit, Britain is overstretching its capabilities to interfere in other countries' internal affairs. The disillusion of imperial nostalgia only exposes its hypocrisy and declining power.

(Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs, writing regularly for the Global Times, China Daily, etc. He can be reached at xinping604@gmail.com)
Photo taken on April 20, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

By funding journalism as a political tool, Washington has turned itself into the greatest enemy of press freedom, and its propaganda is set to proliferate in the coming years. Just don't buy any of it.



BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the America COMPETES Act, appropriating 500 million U.S. dollars for news coverage to malign China. The move makes people wonder how the self-styled "beacon of press freedom" dares to openly manipulate media in an attempt to squeeze China out of what it calls a "Great Power Competition."

The bill, passed earlier this month as an industrial policy plan for semiconductor production and supply chain resilience, will direct funding to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a U.S. media service, as well as local outlets and programs to produce journalism that is critical of China, particularly the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

From the Spanish-American War and World War I to the Cold War, the Gulf War and the Iraq War, U.S. propaganda has been omnipresent. These days, Washington's disinformation campaign against Beijing is reminiscent of its playbook during the Cold War, when it denigrated the Soviet Union through mass media, stoked hysteria over the "Communist Threat" and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.

Last year, Zimbabwe's The Herald newspaper revealed that local journalists were allegedly offered 1,000 U.S. dollars by a proxy of the U.S. embassy for each anti-China story they wrote to portray Chinese businesses based there as unethical, reckless and harmful to local communities.

"Out of sheer jealousy, envy and pique, Western countries have begun a spirited campaign against Chinese investments in Zimbabwe using a phalanx of corrupt media, paid activists and civil society organizations," The Herald wrote.

Not coincidentally, in September 2021, Javier Garcia, then head of the Beijing office of Spain's EFE News Agency, announced his decision to leave journalism because "the embarrassing information war against China has taken a good dose of my enthusiasm for this profession."

Photo taken on March 11, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

This time, the bill claims U.S.-funded media coverage would be "independent." Considering the news reports are sponsored by Washington with the precise aims of crowding out Chinese investment in developing countries and smearing China's projects, the claim is nonsense.

"If the government is setting out ahead of time in legislation what the conclusion and the point of coverage is going to be, that doesn't really qualify as genuine journalism," Tobita Chow, the director of Justice is Global, a U.S. advocacy group, was quoted by the American Prospect magazine, as saying.

By spreading misinformation and disinformation in traditional and social media, Washington is trying to enclose audiences at home and abroad into echo chambers built on its Cold War mindset. Nonetheless, its old playbook no longer applies in today's world, where truth and multipolarity prevail over lies and hegemonism.

Obsessed with meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, the United States has failed to understand why Chinese businesses and investment overseas continue to thrive: Because China has always upheld the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits when partnering with other countries and abstains from internal interference.

Meanwhile, suppose Washington does hope to create some competitive advantage for its foreign investment. In that case, it should provide mutually beneficial loans to developing countries instead of narrowly focusing on its own interests and pouring money into shaming China.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 8, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

Between the infrastructure plan proposed by China and the versions by the United States and the European Union, many low- and middle-income countries prefer Chinese investment, since rich countries, which see developing countries as high risk plus low reward, often impose onerous conditions that delay project implementation and increase costs, according to a recent article in The Diplomat magazine.

China's approach is different: It speaks up for developing countries and thus obtains their support.

In the wake of increasing rhetoric against China, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated that investments from the Asian country are most welcome.

Additionally, in the State of Southeast Asia 2020 Survey by Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, which interviewed some 1,300 respondents from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, China's activities were given the nod by the majority of respondents from seven of the 10 regional countries.

By funding journalism as a political tool, Washington has turned itself into the greatest enemy of press freedom, and its propaganda is set to proliferate in the coming years. Just don't buy any of it. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Cao Kai and Zhang Yuliang in Harare also contributed to this story.)
A 120 km/h air-conditioned passenger train arrives in Vientiane Station of China-Laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 22, 2022. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua)

VIENTIANE, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) has announced it will operate slower-speed trains in addition to the two existing high-speed EMU (electric multiple unit) trains to meet the growing needs of passengers.

The LCRC has been running two pairs of EMU trains every day, one pair between Vientiane and Boten bordering China, and another between Vientiane and the ancient capital of Luang Prabang.

The company is also planning to run an additional 120 km/h air-conditioned passenger train on the railway. The first such train has arrived in Vientiane on Tuesday.

According to the operation department of the LCRC, the train, with a total of 15 carriages including 14 hard-seated carriages and one soft sleeping car, can carry 1,664 passengers.

The LCRC is currently preparing for the opening of the 120 km/h train in accordance with the local demands, and the specific opening time and the number of carriages will be further clarified.

As of Tuesday, the Lao section of the China-Laos Railway had run 146 pairs of EMU passenger trains, transporting 144,610 passengers, with a maximum of 2,804 on Jan. 3 and an average occupancy rate of 68.76 percent.

With the approaching of the Lao New Year, the LCRC is studying and formulating an operation plan of additional trains during the most important festival in Laos.

The China-Laos Railway connects Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province with the Lao capital Vientiane. The 1,035-km cross-border railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, was launched on Dec. 3, 2021. 

Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2022, shows the Luang Prabang Station along the China-Laos Railway in Luang Prabang, Laos. The Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) has announced it will operate slower-speed trains in addition to the two existing high-speed EMU (electric multiple unit) trains to meet the growing needs of passengers. The LCRC has been running two pairs of EMU trains every day, one pair between Vientiane and Boten bordering China, and another between Vientiane and the ancient capital of Luang Prabang. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Feb. 13, 2022, shows the waiting hall of the Luang Prabang Station along the China-Laos Railway in Luang Prabang, Laos. The Laos-China Railway Company (LCRC) has announced it will operate slower-speed trains in addition to the two existing high-speed EMU (electric multiple unit) trains to meet the growing needs of passengers. The LCRC has been running two pairs of EMU trains every day, one pair between Vientiane and Boten bordering China, and another between Vientiane and the ancient capital of Luang Prabang. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua)
Video: U.S. President Joe Biden on Feb. 22, 2022 announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. (Xinhua)

The Biden administration will impose sanctions on two Russian financial institutions -- the VEB and the country's military bank -- as well as on Russia's sovereign debt and three individuals.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced "the first tranche" of sanctions against Russia after Moscow deployed troops in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees, recognizing "the Lugansk People's Republic" and "the Donetsk People's Republic" as "independent and sovereign" states, and later ordered troops to enter the regions to conduct peacekeeping operations.

Lugansk and Donetsk declared independence following a vote during the height of armed conflict with Kiev in 2014. Ukraine refused to recognize their self-proclaimed status.

Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Feb. 22, 2022 shows a screen broadcasting U.S. President Joe Biden delivering remarks on Ukraine situation in a live stream provided by CNBC.(Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Calling Russia's move "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine," Biden said in remarks delivered from the White House that his administration will impose sanctions on two Russian financial institutions -- the VEB and the country's military bank -- as well as on Russia's sovereign debt and three individuals.

He explained that the measure "means we've cut off Russia's government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either."

Biden also mentioned the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany, which Berlin announced earlier in the day. Additional sanctions will be followed if the situation escalates, he said.

The president also announced movements of U.S. troops to the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and share borders with Russia.

Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2022 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Biden said that the United States has "no intention of fighting Russia" but will "abide by" its commitments to NATO.

Following Moscow's recognition of Lugansk and Donetsk, Biden signed an executive order on Monday banning Americans from doing businesses in the two regions.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called off a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled for Thursday.

During a joint press briefing at the State Department with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken said it makes little sense to hold a meeting with Lavrov following the Russian moves. 
DAMASCUS, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israel fired missiles on multiple military sites in Syria's southern province of Quneitra before daybreak on Wednesday, causing material damage only, Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

The Israelis fired surface-to-surface missiles from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Syrian military sites in the adjacent Quneitra province, said SANA, citing a military source.

The attack is the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on Syrian military sites.

On Feb. 16, Israel carried out a similar missile strike targeting points south of capital Damascus, which resulted in some material damage but no casualties. 
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China will adopt the tariff rates it has pledged under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement on part of imports from Malaysia from March 18, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council has said. 
As part of his official visit to the Russian Federation, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with the leaders of Russias top mass media at the TASS headquarters, Azertag reported on February 23.

AZERTAC reports that First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva also attended the meeting.

Welcoming the meeting participants, TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov said: Hello, colleagues. We are glad to see everyone at this meeting. Of course, we cannot declare victory over the pandemic yet, but we are slowly resuming our TASS Editor-in-Chief Club, the famous TASS one. Not because we decided to start alphabetically with the letter A, but it just happened that way. Thank you very much for coming to TASS. We are always very happy. You are always a very dear guest here and we remember that meeting 10 years ago. Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva was here relatively recently, five or six years ago. As usual, our meetings are held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Any questions. Would you like to say anything?

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you very much. I would like to thank the leadership of TASS for the opportunity to meet with the heads of leading Russian media. I think that the time is the best, given the format of my visit to Russia, the official visit, and especially, of course, the signing of the Declaration on Allied Cooperation yesterday. A lot of documents have been signed between Russia and Azerbaijan  more than 200. But this one is quite special, because after 30 years of interstate relations we have reached the level of an alliance. In fact, I would say we have only formalized it because I think that the nature of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan for many years met all the parameters of the relations between allies. In other words, this is a document that not only sums up a lot of work, but also opens up great prospects for future interaction between Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as prospects for positive regional development. And less than a day after the signing of this document, I am here. As already mentioned, this is not my first time here and these walls have become somewhat dear to me, especially due to the relaxed atmosphere that always exists in TASS, the opportunity to exchange views and clarify some issues that are sometimes beyond the scope of official statements.

Official statements were made by the President of Russia and myself yesterday. They have been published in the Azerbaijani press in full. I believe you had the opportunity to get acquainted with them. Therefore, I would not like to repeat myself. I think we should leave more time just for our conversation. So it is a pleasure to see you all here. And thank you for taking the time to come here on a day off, to spend your time on this meeting. I appreciate it very much.

Sergei Mikhailov: Please, colleagues.

Vladislav Fronin, Editor-in-Chief of Rossiyskaya Gazeta: The first question then has to do with the Declaration. There are 43 provisions in the Declaration. Could you please elaborate what the new level means, if we dont speak about general level in general terms. Could you please clarify what the new level in the economy, the new level in culture and in other areas of interaction is about? After all, we have had an agreement, an agreement for many years. And does this mean that this is higher than that agreement?

President Ilham Aliyev: I think it does. This is higher than the agreement, because the agreement, as far as I remember, was about friendship, cooperation and security, but it did not define the format of relations as allies. For many years, the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan were characterized by both me and President Putin as relations of strategic partners. The current format of relations is the highest. In other words, there is practically nothing higher than this. In interstate relations, this is the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I have given this instruction and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has posted the full text of the Declaration on the website so that everyone could get acquainted with it. As I noted yesterday, there are 43 provisions in it. Of course, it would take too much time to comment on all the provisions. And there is no need for that, you can look it up. But the very title of this Declaration speaks volumes. This, as I said, is the result of very hard work over many years to increase the level of interaction and the result of specific work by a group of representatives of Russia and Azerbaijan for more than one year  since January last year  on the actual text of this Declaration. It covers almost all areas of life. And, of course, there is also a series of documents being developed that will back up this Declaration with concrete agreements on various fronts.

I should also note that eight road maps are being implemented, which have been adopted by Russia and Azerbaijan in various areas  trade, economic, transport, humanitarian activities and other areas. In other words, the relations are so diversified that it is easier to say or find the areas we do not cooperate in than those in which we cooperate. Of course, I also think that to define this level as one of allied cooperation is a great achievement and, of course, a great responsibility for our countries, for two neighboring countries. We must live up to this high level together in the future.

Dmitriy Kiselev, Director General of the International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya: Ilham Heydar oglu, the documents on allied relations were prepared in one situation and with one Russia, but were signed at a moment when the situation in the world had changed qualitatively, and so had Russia. We all know what we are talking about. What do allied relations with Russia mean in these changed circumstances. How does this color the situation, our allied relations, and how would you decipher them in the current situation?

President Ilham Aliyev: Well, all this happened so recently that it needs to be analyzed, of course. But I must say that the text of the Declaration was prepared several months ago. The final text was ready, and it was just necessary for the presidents to meet in person  of course, taking into account all the pandemic restrictions and the schedules of the presidents. It was agreed during my last visit to Moscow at the end of November last year that this would happen at the beginning of this year. The date was proposed by the Russian side. This date was proposed about 20 days before the day of signing, and we accepted it. Of course, I did not even consider the possibility of correcting this date, taking into account the fact that the events you are talking about happened as I was flying here on the plane on the 21st. But even if I had still been in Baku, I would also have flown here. Therefore, nothing has changed or should change for our relations. We will continue to work along the lines that are reflected in the Declaration and along which we have been working for many years. For many years, we have always supported each other in the international arena. I will say without false modesty that I, among others, laid the foundation for this as chairman of the delegation of the Azerbaijani parliament to PACE. When we were just elected there, we organized a meeting with the Russian delegation on our initiative and agreed to support each other on all issues and always voted in solidarity. And this tradition was then picked in other international institutions. This can be traced even by a non-specialist. Therefore, I think that we simply formalized yesterday what was already there, we gave it the name that corresponds to the spirit and nature of our relations, and we will continue to work in this direction. I am sure that there will be no correction in the position of the Azerbaijani and Russian sides in connection with the events that have happened and the events that may still happen in our region.

Mikhail Komissar, Director General of Interfax agency: Picking up the same topic and also taking into account the fact that not so long ago the situation with Karabakh was to some extent resolved, do you think that Azerbaijan can now move towards the CSTO, the SCO? Are there any such plans?

President Ilham Aliyev: The point is that as far as the SCO is concerned, we are already involved in a certain sense. We have been a dialogue partner for more than a year now. This is the first step. The second step is to be an observer. Several years ago, we officially applied to the SCO Secretariat to upgrade our status to that of an observer, but, unfortunately, this issue has not yet been resolved. And my contacts with the leadership of Russia, with the leadership of the People's Republic of China and with other members of the SCO in this context show that there is no reason why our status should not be upgraded. But this is not happening for reasons unknown to us.

As for other integration projects, we proceed from the principles of expediency and to what extent this would meets our national interests. I think it is no secret to anyone that the leading role in the CSTO belongs to Russia. This was demonstrated not so long ago in the CIS. And it was clear to everyone even before the events in Kazakhstan. Having allied relations with the Russian Federation, as well as two out of 43 provisions directly dwell upon issues related to the provision of military assistance if necessary  these are provisions 6 and 16  I think that this is quite enough. It is clear that the CSTO is the CSTO as long as Russia is there. If Russia were not in the CSTO, then no-one would even remember it. This is what we are proceeding from. Therefore, the step in the matter of raising the level of military-political cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan has been taken. We also have very trusting, close and friendly relations with other members of the CSTO, with the exception of Armenia. I think that after the end of the second Karabakh war, our relations with Armenia will also normalize. In any case, we have officially declared our desire to conclude a peace treaty with Armenia. This will probably happen at some stage. But in the current geopolitical realities, we must be realistic and should not wish for what is impossible to achieve. We must move towards establishing a lasting peace in the Caucasus. Therefore, I think that yesterday's document answers your question to a certain extent. The same, anticipating further questions, also applies to the issue related to the EurAsEC. This has also been discussed both in the expert community and in the political arena for a long time. But here too, we proceed from the principle to which extent this will meet our economic interests because our strategy and tactical steps have always been based on our own resources, on what we have at our disposal. We have managed to create a self-sufficient economy and not depend on international financial institutions or other financial injections.

Therefore, we will analyze everything from a pragmatic point of view. Yesterday, at a meeting with the head of the government of the Russian Federation, this topic was discussed. And our position was openly brought to the attention of the Russian side  we should put before ourselves, as it were, two sheets of paper  one with pluses and the other where there may be some restrictions or where our economic sovereignty can be corrected to some extent. And after analyzing the pros and cons, of course, a decision that is beneficial to us will be made. Along with this, I must say that Azerbaijan has signed free trade agreements with all CIS countries, including Russia  with the exception of Armenia, of course. A step towards easing economic and customs barriers has been made. As they say, let's now wait and see. We cant guess anything and have never announced any goals that cannot be achieved in a short time. But, of course, this is on the agenda as part of the discussions within our team.

Margarita Simonyan, Editor-in-Chief of RT TV channel and the International News Agency Rossiya segodnya: Ilham Heydar oglu, we are now in the process of discussing more and more sanctions, including personal sanctions. Some of those present here are already banned from entering Europe, like Dmitry, some of us, like myself for example, will be most likely banned today. We know of many examples when people have been denied entry somewhere on the basis of what they did or did not do, spoke, like Dmitry and I did, or did not speak. We also know many examples where entry is denied on the basis of citizenship because relationships between different countries can be different. But there are almost no examples in the world when entry into a country would be prohibited on ethnic grounds. We all know that Armenians are not allowed to enter Azerbaijan. This is usually explained by security reasons. Thus, the Azerbaijani people appear in a somewhat bad light, which is strange. It is hard for me to believe this. I dont believe that this is the case, that when people in Azerbaijan see an ethnic Armenian, they will attack them and tear them to pieces. After all, this is not the Middle Ages. Wouldn't you like to set an example of such a civilized and cultural attitude to this issue and just cancel this ridiculous status quo?

President Ilham Aliyev: Well, first of all, I have to say that the information you have shared with us is not accurate, to put it mildly. We do not have a ban on entry on an ethnic basis, and the numerous visits by representatives of the Armenian people to Azerbaijan testify to this. They have participated in sporting events such as the European Games. A team from Armenia participated, and I even remember personally handing a silver medal to a representative of Ukraine who was an Armenian by nationality. He stood on the podium next to the Azerbaijani boxer who won gold. I awarded him, shook his hand and congratulated him, and the audience, which, perhaps, was not fully tuned in to this applauded me for a long time.

Margarita Simonyan: I know this story.

President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, you see. Then it means that there is a certain bias in what you said. The same applies to the arrival of representatives of Armenia, not just ethnic Armenians. Representatives of Armenia have come to Azerbaijan for various events. There was a visit by Catholicos Garegin several years ago. I met with him in my office. He visited the Armenian church in the center of Baku and was surprised that we keep more than 5,000 books in Armenian in this church. He witnessed this himself. I can give many more such examples  MPs, public figures and citizens of other countries with Armenian roots. We don't have any restrictions. There are, or rather, there were concerns that in cases when this happens somewhat chaotically, there was a certain risk that there might be some kind of incidents. Because for almost 30 years, all Azerbaijani cultural, historical and religious heritage in Karabakh and Zangazur was destroyed. I have brought a book  in fact, it is not even a book, but more of a photo album, Karabakh before and after the occupation. I will present it to you, so you can see. This is better than any words about what happened there. And, of course, there are a lot of victims, a lot of people who have lost their parents and loved ones. We still have about 4,000 missing people. Unfortunately, they are not being returned. We are not being told about mass grave sites. We are responsible for the safety of our citizens and visitors, so our request was that in the event that either citizens of Armenia or citizens with Armenian surnames want to come to Azerbaijan, the relevant authorities should be notified. In particular, if we are talking about Russia, the Embassy and Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu know these instructions. There were cases when entry was denied, but that happened precisely because these formalities were not observed.

I do not want to talk about what happened to the Azerbaijanis who accidentally got into the territory controlled by the Armenian armed forces, wanted to visit their homes and were detained, taken prisoner and tortured. This is another topic. But I think that after the end of the war, if the Armenian leadership accepts our ideas to start working on a peace treaty, such visits may become commonplace, as was the case before the war. Baku, unlike Yerevan, has always been a multinational city. Azerbaijan is still a multinational state, unlike Armenia, which is a mono-ethnic state, where almost all national minorities, primarily Azerbaijanis, have been deported and expelled. Therefore, the spirit of multiculturalism in Azerbaijan is visible practically everywhere. Moreover, thousands of Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian nationality live in Azerbaijan. There are fewer of them than the figure that is being mentioned  30,000. There were 30,000 of them perhaps 10-15 years ago, but still they are there, they live and live normally, no-one makes any claims to them. So taking this opportunity to answer your question, I would like to invite you to come to Azerbaijan. And you will see that there are no restrictions.

Margarita Simonyan: You said that there was bias in my question. There is no bias, believe me. I am aware of the cases you are talking about. And you are saying that all these cases are special.

The President of the country knows about them  these are sports events, political and public events. But, for example, in the 20 years that I have been working in this system no-one has succeeded in sending a film crew with even a sound engineer with an Armenian surname. If this is not the case now and you are inviting me with an Armenian surname, maybe I can take a few more colleagues along who would love to come. Do I understand you correctly that we can apply in such cases if we are going there with a group?

President Ilham Aliyev: Yes.

Mikhail Gusman: This does not mean that all employees in the organization Margarita is heading are Armenians. It doesn't mean that.

President Ilham Aliyev: Well, I think the majority are.

Margarita Simonyan: You are wrong.

President Ilham Aliyev: Well, you have just made a mistake too.

Margarita Simonyan: A total of 6,000 people work in my organization. Most of them are British and American. So I understand you correctly, dont I? Ilham Heydar oglu, I am a fifth-generation Russian woman.

President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, but in this case you asked the question as an Armenian, as far as I understand.

Margarita Simonyan: I asked the question as the head of an organization that is faced with the fact that I cannot send my employees to two countries solely on ethnic grounds: people with Armenian surnames to Azerbaijan and people with Georgian surnames to Abkhazia. It just seems to me that this is wrong in the modern world. And we are now, it seems to me, moving to some kind of ethnic layer of conversation, this is also wrong.

President Ilham Aliyev: You started it. I simply wanted to correct you by saying that what you said is not true. And I can provide hundreds of examples when people with Armenian surnames come to Azerbaijan both as part of a film crew and as part of official delegations, including from Russia and also from other countries  from France, the USA. There were a lot of them. You are probably unaware of that. But I think that if you come to Azerbaijan with your group, you will be convinced of this.

First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva: May I add something to what Margarita said.

President Ilham Aliyev: Yes, of course.

Mehriban Aliyeva: Right before our visit to Moscow, a documentary was shown on Azerbaijani television. The film was about an elderly woman. She is 79 years old, and she came to Aghdam, to the liberated Aghdam, to find her home. The woman is very old indeed, she could hardly walk, and for almost 30 minutes, she tried to tell through tears about her emotions, that she, of course, did not find anything. She didn't even find the ruins. She tried to find at least the neighborhood. It is quite a frightening sight, and I think that now is the opportunity  I want to invite you all. Mr. President has also mentioned about the book, but you have to see it with your own eyes. Why am I talking about this now  she told her story and in parallel, footage, pre-war footage was shown from before the first war, when there was a wedding in her family. It showed them celebrating this wedding in the yard, welcoming a young bride, and then the current footage, today's footage. She has tears of pain, tears of happiness that she finally came to this earth. She said: I have seen this. I am lucky to have survived to this day. At the end, she takes a piece of land and kisses it. So I am telling you this now in order to  it is difficult to convey this, you probably need to see it and feel that there are many such people. During the years of the first war, we had about a million refugees. Many of the people who lived with the dream did not live to see it come true. Those who survived, of course, are happy now. And, of course, these people have families, have acquaintances. And when such situations occur, as the President has emphasized, first of all, this is done in order to protect. Because when we talk about some big problems, we often speak in general terms and we do not see an individual person, which is probably quite natural. Behind every problem, there is still a person with his story, his life, his emotions. Unfortunately, people are different and peoples emotional background is also different. That is why, as a state, and the President speaks on behalf of the state of Azerbaijan in this case, it must protect everyone who visits Azerbaijan. But the state knows what emotions people live with. It is also a fact: people control their emotions differently. You know, there is no difference in ethnic, national or religious composition. All people are different and react differently. Some may be more able to control, analyze and act in accordance with generally accepted norms. Others simply can't resist. This is one of the factors that is also very important for us because we understand we must protect people visiting our country regardless of what nationality they are. This is something I wanted to add so that it is taken into account. This is absolutely not because there is some kind of a factor here, let's say, some ethnic factor. This is not the case. And it is important that there is an understanding. When I was at school, I had an absolutely multiethnic class  Armenians, Russians, Jews, Azerbaijanis. I can't even say that the Azerbaijanis  if you remember, there were 45 people in a class back then  made up the majority. We were all friends, we were united, and absolutely nothing foretold that this might happen. And I think this is the essence, one of the best features of the Azerbaijani people, and it could not disappear. The fact that the situation is like this today has absolutely understandable and, unfortunately, historical roots.

Margarita Simonyan: Can your classmates, the Armenians who probably no longer live in Azerbaijan come? This is what I am asking. I don't want to go into history now.

Mehriban Aliyeva: Of course, Margarita, they can come.

Margarita Simonyan: So they must apply to the Embassy and they can come.

Timur Vaynshteyn, General Producer of NTV: Margarita, we have talked about this topic and I even said: I studied at a school literally 150 meters from the school where Mehriban Aliyeva studied  at school number 160. There were also 45 people of completely different nationalities in our class. We didnt know it then, but then we began to find out what nationality people were. I know a specific Armenian school friend of mine who was in Baku several years ago, having applied to the Embassy at that time. All this was official. It is clear that there are cases we can probably hear about. There are cases which, unfortunately, are written about on social networks. But globally I recently visited my school. Everything is wonderful there. I even met teachers who were working there before me  even though I finished school more than 30 years ago. And, of course, one of the surprising things that I noticed is that the school continues to work in Russian. You discussed this with Vladimir Vladimirovich yesterday, the fact that there are already more than 300 such schools in Azerbaijan, 340 schools, and about 20 higher educational institutions where the teaching is conducted in Russian, including branches of well-known Russian universities. And it seems to me that when we talk about Russia's relations with different countries today, this is one of the important issues of the alliance per se. Because in many countries, which, unfortunately, quite severely cut off the possibility of studying in Russian and communicating in Russian in those 1990s, we see rather complicated relations with Russia today. I am talking about the countries of the former Soviet Union. Do you think this trend will be continued in general?

President Ilham Aliyev: This is a part of the state policy. But before answering your question, I would like to describe a situation, so to speak, related to what we have been talking about. Literally these days, perhaps even today, two members of the Azerbaijani parliament are in Yerevan attending a meeting of the Euronest. In order for them to go there, we received guarantees from the Committee or the Ministry of State Security  I dont know exactly how they are called in Armenia  for their safety. As soon as some people found out that they were there, unrest began in Armenia. You can now see that on social networks, the unrest does not seem to subside. I have been informed today that 10 people were detained, the protesters who simply pose a threat to our MPs. Moreover, in the place where lunch was supposed to be provided for those attending this meeting  and there are not only our citizens there, of course, there are members of the European Parliament, the Eastern Partnership countries  the restaurant owners refused to serve Azerbaijanis and accused the Armenian prime minister of toing the line of Aliyev who said that the Azerbaijanis would be traveling to Yerevan. Yes, I did say that. I also said we would be traveling there not on tanks, but to attend events. I am saying this to show that if they had gone there on their own, without proper coordination and without all the security measures, it is not difficult to imagine what kind of lynching would have been carried out on them and how it would all have ended. I am sure that they would have been publicly beheaded at the very least. So we are also taking measures. This topic, by the way, was discussed during the visits of the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, and then I tried to explain that we cannot allow some kind of excesses to happen and then to be accused of someone attacking someone else, throwing a stone at someone. So we must treat this issue responsibly. If all this is properly organized and coordinated, then there are no restrictions. Moreover, of course, what Mehriban has said is the absolute truth. The wounds of the war have not healed. If our wounds did not heal for 30 years, then, of course, they have not healed with the Armenian people now, after the defeat in the second war. This also needs to be understood. We do not live in some kind of vacuum. We live among people and must approach this responsibly. And the steps that we are taking, including myself, by stating, unlike the Armenian leadership by the way, that we must make up are precisely aimed at ensuring that such issues do not arise and become commonplace. The Germans and citizens of the USSR probably didnt start visiting each other a year after World War II either. It also needed some time perhaps. Because imagine the Germans coming to Moscow during the occupation of, say, Ukraine or Belarus or Smolensk. What would they have done to them? So this analogy is absolutely adequate, so to speak. This is just returning to this topic.

As for teaching in Russian, yes, this is a conscious policy. We are doing this, first of all, for ourselves, of course, so that those who want to study in Russian  both Azerbaijanis and non-Azerbaijanis  have such an opportunity. The demand for studying in the Russian sector, as we call it, is high in schools, and, as I said, both Azerbaijanis and non-Azerbaijanis study  more than 140,000 children and more than 15,000 Azerbaijani citizens study at universities in the Russian department. For comparison, let me say that in Armenia, either by law or by another ordinance, it is completely forbidden for children of Armenian nationality to study in non-Armenian schools. And as far as I know, there is only one or two Russian schools in Armenia, and they are for the military. This, as they say, is regarding the question of who is who. So the Declaration signed yesterday, of course, contains a clause on humanitarian cooperation, and this cooperation is mutual. Before my visit to Moscow, I was given an information note stating that there is a department in the Azerbaijani language in Russia. There are about 80 schools. We welcome this very much, so that Azerbaijanis who are Russian citizens, as well as those who work here, their children could also study in their own language. In other words, this is a mutual process, which is fully in the spirit of cooperation, and I think, as Timur said, that in comparison with other countries of the post-Soviet space, this is an example of how this should be treated. This applies not only to education, but also to the attitude towards the Russian language in general. In Azerbaijan, there is a state university, the Slavic University, where they, first of all, study the Russian language and train teachers of the Russian language and other Slavic languages.

Before the pandemic, representatives of the creative intelligentsia performed in Baku almost every week  performances, concerts. So we have been living in such an interaction, as Timur knows perfectly well, for many years. And it is very important that at a time when we are not part of the same state and the new generation has already emerged, we have managed to preserve this and will do everything to preserve it for the future.

Pavel Gusev, Editor-in-Chief of Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper: Turkey is very popular among Russians as a destination for recreation. Does Azerbaijan think of overtaking Turkey in this respect? Because the food in Azerbaijan, the alcoholic drinks are even better, the sea is not bad, fruit and everything else, the tea is gorgeous. It seems to me that Azerbaijan could move Turkey to the side quite a bit.

President Ilham Aliyev: No, of course, not. I think this is unlikely. First of all, because that the tourism industry in Turkey is one of the best, if not the best in the world, and, of course, the climate. In other words, it is completely useless for us to compete purely in terms of climatic capabilities. Of course, I think we will provide a completely different segment. We will provide a segment for those who come to feel at home. People go to Turkey to see the sights, swim in the sea and go skiing. All this can also be done in Azerbaijan, but the Russians go to Azerbaijan more to feel at home. Before the pandemic, by the way, in 2019, we had a million Russian tourists, and they travel primarily because they feel comfortable in Azerbaijan. They feel at home, in their own environment, including the language environment. Of course, everything you have said about is also available, however, if all of this were there but there werent this atmosphere, then they would probably not have come. We observed an increase of literally 15-20 percent annually, but the pandemic brought it all down. Last year though, the growth went back to 15 percent. So I think we simply need to be more active in Russia, and not only in Moscow, in showing out possibilities. In other words, recreation in Azerbaijan is very diverse, and I think anyone can find an interesting activity for themselves, so to speak. We just need to present it well. Of course, our weak point is the weak tourism industry. But there are probably objective reasons here too, because this area is relatively new for us, and the issues of personnel training and service play an important role here. But now, for example, there are a hundred flights a week between Russian and Azerbaijani cities, which is a good indicator. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all either as a group or
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to support the Nepalese people in choosing independently their own development path and offer support and assistance to Nepal's socioeconomic development to the best of its capability, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Reports said the Nepalese government's decision to submit the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement with the United States in Parliament a few days ago has triggered a huge controversy as mass protests were held in places like Kathmandu.

The U.S. State Department said that Nepal's failure to ratify the compact will impact bilateral relations. Some analysts say that the MCC agreement gives itself higher authority than Nepal's domestic law, U.S. program staff's activities in Nepal will not be subjected to local jurisdiction, and the project's accounting and audit is supervised, managed and conducted by the U.S. side. Experts in Nepal believe that accepting the MCC will be detrimental to Nepal's security and sovereignty.

"The U.S. Embassy in Nepal described the 500-million-dollar MCC grant as 'a gift from the American people to Nepalis.' I wonder, since when does a gift come with the package of an ultimatum? How can anyone accept such a 'gift'? Is it a 'gift' or Pandora's box?" said spokesperson Hua Chunying.

"I'm afraid it will turn out like a Nepalese saying: It looks good, but you will find the meat difficult to chew," Hua said.

She said that it is China's consistent belief that in pursuing international development cooperation, the principle of mutual respect and equality should be upheld, the sovereignty of the country concerned and the will of its people should be fully respected, and there should be no interference in any country's domestic affairs, no political strings attached, no coercive diplomacy, and certainly no infringement on other countries' sovereignty and interests for selfish gains.

As Nepal's friendly close neighbor and development partner, China will continue to support the Nepalese people in choosing independently their own development path and offer support and assistance to Nepal's socioeconomic development to the best of its capability, Hua said. 
SANTIAGO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Over 1 million people in Chile have received a second booster shot against COVID-19, amid a wave of infections triggered by the Omicron variant, the Health Ministry said Wednesday.

In its report, the ministry said 1,006,329 doses of a second booster vaccine have been applied in the country since January.

In the initial stage of the vaccination push, the second dose was prioritized for those who are immunocompromised, followed by healthcare workers and then the general population.

The government decided to administer a second dose to alleviate the impact of the Omicron variant, which in the past few weeks has led to a record number of new infections.

President Sebastian Pinera justified the decision, saying it has been proven that the vaccine's effectiveness wanes over time.

According to Health Ministry data, more than 48.2 million vaccine doses have been applied in the South American country since February 2021. 
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on Wednesday said the ongoing drought is compounding impacts of multiple shocks in the Horn of Africa.

Noting that an estimated 13 million people are faced with acute food insecurity and severe water shortages due to drought across the eastern Horn of Africa, the WFP said the ongoing drought is compounding the impacts of multiple shocks, eventually complicating food insecurity.

The WFP said the ongoing drought is affecting areas of the Horn of Africa which over the past year have also been impacted by conflict, flash flooding, abnormally high food prices, desert locust infestations as well as the socio-economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The frequent and often overlapping presence of shocks makes it harder and harder for families to recover and build resilience," the WFP said in its situation update on Wednesday.

Following three consecutive poor rainy seasons, millions of families' harvests have failed, and millions of their livestock are emaciated or dead, it said.

As of Jan. 2022, the most severely affected regions are the southern and south-eastern pastoral areas of Ethiopia, the arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, and large swathes of south-central Somalia, according to the WFP.

The WFP further stressed that current meteorological forecasts indicate the region will experience warmer than normal temperatures over the January-March 2022 dry season.

"Should this forecast materialize, it will likely drive even higher food insecurity across the three countries," the WFP warned.

To meet the needs of drought-affected communities, WFP said it will ensure that immediate lifesaving responses are complemented by resilience-building approaches.

WFP is urgently calling for 327 million U.S. dollars to avert another major humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa and support almost 4.5 million people affected by the drought.

These requirements are said to be in line with the 2022 Somalia and Ethiopia Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP), as well as the Kenya Drought Flash Appeal, issued in September 2021 and extended until March 2022.

"Due to the urgent and widespread needs, it is imperative that the humanitarian community respond immediately and at scale while donors provide early, flexible, and un-earmarked funds on a 'no regrets' basis," the WFP said.

It stressed that the current rapid scale-up of assistance builds on the lessons of the 2011, 2017 and 2019 droughts, recognizing the importance of early action.

"Responding now will prevent the depletion of productive assets, the dramatic worsening of food security outcomes, and escalating levels of acute malnutrition," the WFP said. 
A little girl receives her first dose of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia on Wednesday began inoculating children aged three and four against COVID-19 with China's Sinovac vaccine amid a surge in daily cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday began inoculating children aged three and four against COVID-19 with China's Sinovac vaccine amid a surge in daily cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

A lot of kids, assisted by their parents or legal guardians, are seen waiting for their first dose at vaccination sites in capital Phnom Penh, as the inoculation drive targets roughly 700,000 children at this age group across the kingdom.

Speaking to Xinhua after having her 3-year-old girl vaccinated at an inoculation site in the capital's Pochentong Referral Hospital, Touch Sreyroth, 30, said she is delighted for this group age to be eligible for vaccination against the virus.

"I'm very happy that my little girl received her first shot of China's Sinovac vaccine today because I had waited for this time for several months," she said. "I believe that vaccine can protect my daughter against the COVID-19, especially the Omicron variant."

Sreyroth said as a mother, she's always worried about her daughter's safety, but she feels relieved now after her little girl received the jab.

"I absolutely trust the safety, quality and efficiency of Sinovac vaccine in protecting my life and family from this highly contagious disease. So far, all of my family members have been vaccinated against COVID-19 with the Sinovac vaccine," she said.

Ek Chantha, a 37-year-old mother, said Chinese vaccines have not only protected Cambodian people's lives but also helped the country reopen its socio-economic activities in all areas with confidence.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed. China, thank you for supplying vaccines to Cambodia. We will remember this help forever, and thank the Cambodian government for providing vaccines to us free of charge," she told Xinhua after having her little son inoculated.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia and China have been standing together through thick and thin, adding that the joint COVID-19 fight should serve as a role model for cooperation between countries.

"Our joint COVID-19 fight proves that our ironclad friendship is unbreakable and there is no doubt that this joint effort will inject fresh impetus into the building of a community with a shared future between Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua.

Cambodian health ministry's secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said each child has to be given two doses of the Sinovac vaccine 28 days apart.

Meanwhile, she urged people to continue caution as the Omicron variant is widely circulating in the country.

"It is not a flu disease and our complacency will create a good environment for the virus to attack our bodies," she wrote on social media. "3 dos + 3 don'ts + COVID-19 vaccinations will save life, reduce disease severity, hospitalization, and death."

China's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines are most widely used in Cambodia's immunization campaign.

As of Tuesday, the southeast Asian nation had administered at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to 14.4 million people aged five and older, or 90 percent of the country's 16-million population, the health ministry said.

Of them, 13.82 million people, or 86.4 percent, had been fully vaccinated with two required shots, 6.47 million, or 40.4 percent, had taken a third dose or booster shot, and 858,739, or 5.3 percent, had got a fourth dose, the ministry added.

The kingdom on Wednesday registered 558 new COVID-19 cases, all were confirmed to be the Omicron, with one new death, the ministry said, adding that to date, the country had recorded a total of 128,133 cases, with 121,553 recoveries and 3,023 fatalities. 

Children escorted by their parents wait for their first doses of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines at an inoculation site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Feb. 23, 2022. Cambodia on Wednesday began inoculating children aged three and four against COVID-19 with China's Sinovac vaccine amid a surge in daily cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Electricity demand in Cambodia had surged to 4,014 megawatts (MWs) in 2021, an increase of 1 percent from 3,972 MWs in the year before, the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) said in a report released on Wednesday.

Some 3,033 MWs were generated locally by hydroelectric dams, coal-fired power plants, diesel-fired power plants, solar power plants and biomass power plants, and 981 MWs were imported from neighboring Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, the report said.

Main electricity sources in Cambodia are hydroelectric dams and coal-fired power plants. The kingdom has seven Chinese built hydropower dams with a total capacity of 1,328 MWs and three coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 675 MWs.

"Electricity is essential not only for people's daily lives, but also for the development of industries, handicrafts, trade, agriculture, and tourism, which are the key pillars for Cambodia's economic growth," EAC's chairman Yim Viseth said during the EAC's annual conference on Wednesday.

According to the report, the electricity demand in the Southeast Asian nation is expected to increase further by another 5.8 percent to 4,247 MWs this year thanks to a post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery.

The report also showed that some 13,818 villages, or 97.53 percent, out of the kingdom's 14,168 villages have access to electricity.

The remaining 350 villages, or 2.47 percent, have not been connected to the grid because of geographical difficulties, it added. 
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani security forces gunned down 10 terrorists in a military operation in Hoshab area of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Wednesday, an army statement said.

The security forces launched the operation by acting on an intelligence tip-off regarding the presence of terrorists' camp and hideout in the area, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in the statement.

The operation was launched to arrest "externally sponsored enemies of peace in Balochistan," but when "the troops started cordoning the area, terrorists tried to flee their hideout and opened indiscriminate fire whereby, a heavy exchange of fire ensued," the statement added.

The 10 killed terrorists included a militant commander, and they were involved in recent firing and attack on security forces in Turbat and Pasni areas of Balochistan.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered which was planned for use against security forces, said the statement.

"Operations to eliminate perpetrators of terrorist acts will continue and they will not be allowed to sabotage peace, stability and progress of Balochistan," it added. 
ATHENS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 150,000 olive trees will be donated to Greek authorities to help restore the birthplace of the Olympic Games, which was ravaged by wildfires last summer.

The trees will be donated by the end of March to Ancient Olympia in Western Greece, local officials said at a press conference on Tuesday in Athens.

Approximately 700,000 euros (794,000 U.S. dollars) have been collected under an awareness campaign launched in autumn, as a private initiative in collaboration with the government.

The aim was to raise funds by donors, in Greece and abroad, to buy trees and distribute them to local producers to help bring olive groves back to life and support thousands of families who were left without any income after the fires, they said.

"Ancient Olympia is of course known for its history and cultural heritage, but it is essentially a municipality," whose "production is based on agricultural crops, in fact almost exclusively (by 80 percent) on the cultivation of olive trees," said Mayor of Ancient Olympia Georgios Georgiopoulos.

"The summer fire scorched ... about 430,000 olive trees belonging to more than 2,000 families. These families for the coming 3-5 years, maybe 10 years, depending on how much damage the trees suffered, will not have income," he explained, adding that the donation is a boost "both financially and psychologically."

The olive tree is a global symbol of peace and unity. In Greece and across the Mediterranean, it also provides the livelihood of many families.

The campaign was not only social, but also environmental and economic, Yanos Gramatidis, a Greek lawyer who played a leading role in the "Replanting Ancient Olympia's Olive Groves" project, told the journalists.

Among major donors was Greece's Public Power Corporation S.A. (PPC), which donated 450,000 euros following a 3-million-euro donation to help regenerate the island of Evia that was also hit hard by wildfires in the summer. 
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed Tuesday after a military-contracted helicopter crashed on the Hawaii island of Kauai, U.S. media reported, citing officials.

The crash happened at about 10 a.m. Tuesday local time (1800 GMT) near Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility during a training operation, Hawaii News Now, a major local news outlet, reported, adding that the identities of those killed and whether they were civilians or in the military was not released.

Images posted on social media showed black smoke billowing from the crash site near the coastline.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board confirmed in a tweet that it's investigating the "crash of a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter near Kekaha, Hawaii."

The crashed helicopter was operated by Croman Corporation, an Oregon-based contractor, which provides "range support" to the missile facility, Hawaii News Now reported.

On the company's website, Croman Corporation claimed to be "one of the most experienced operators of Sikorsky S-61 helicopters in the world," operating a mix of twelve standard and restricted category S-61 series helicopters and three Bell 206B Jet Rangers.

The versatile platform of the S-61 can easily be configured to meet a wide variety of applications, the company said in an introduction of the helicopter. 
NEW YORK, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The use of high-tech surveillance systems on the U.S.-Mexico border has contributed to an alarming spike in the deaths of migrants, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is experimenting robotic dogs as part of new high-tech surveillance systems in the Arizona desert along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to researchers.

These headless, four-legged and 100-pound "ground drones" would be tasked with looking for migrants within roughly 41,500 square miles.

However, the use of high-tech surveillance systems in the Arizona border region has directly contributed to an alarming spike in the deaths of migrants, according to the latest study from Geoffrey Boyce, academic director of the Earlham College Border Studies Program, and Sam Chambers, a researcher at the University of Arizona.

The study found a roughly 643 percent increase in the rate of mortality in the Arizona border region between 2006 and 2020, since surveillance towers were established.

Migrants had to travel deeper into the Arizona desert, one of the most rugged and dangerous areas in the United States, in order to avoid the U.S. border surveillance system.

Last year set a record for migrant deaths in Arizona border, with the recovery of 226 sets of human remains.

The border-control plan has failed to meaningfully curb or deter migration but has actively funneled migrants toward punishingly inhospitable terrain, the researchers said.

"Yet despite the fact that, annually, hundreds of people die crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, millions more continue to attempt this hazardous journey every year," they noted.

The researchers called for dropping the high-tech surveillance programs, adding that money could be spent to address the root causes of violence, inequality, and political and economic instability in migrants' countries of origin, "with investments in infrastructures that would allow people on both sides of the border to not only survive but also thrive." 
By Azernews

By Sabina Mammadli

The mayors of three American cities have declared February 26 as "Khojaly Memorial Day", the State Committee for Work with Diaspora has reported.

U.S. cities honor Khojaly victims

The declarations signed by Mitch Colvin, Elaine O'Neill, and Jacques Gilbert states that the Azerbaijani community in the cities of Apex, Durham, Fayetteville, and around the world pays tribute to the memory of the Khojaly genocide victims on February 26 with deep sorrow and sadness.

The documents emphasize that the Azerbaijani Friendship Organization helps to promote the Azerbaijani language, culture, history, and cultural heritage in these cities.

It should be noted that the declarations were adopted at the initiative of Adika Igbal, the head of the Azerbaijani Friendship Organization.

Khojaly commemoration in Iran

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Iran, Ali Alizada, stated that Armenia's war, crimes against peace and humanity, particularly the Khojaly genocide committed as part of its aggression policy against Azerbaijan, are grave violations of human rights and international law.

The ambassador made the remarks during his speech at a commemoration ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, which was held on February 23, 2022, at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, Iran.

The ambassador stated that the national legislatures of 17 countries, as well as 23 U.S. states, have passed resolutions and decisions condemning the genocide against civilians in Khojaly as a crime against humanity.

At the same time, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States adopted resolutions and statements strongly condemning the Khojaly genocide, Alizada added.

Entire destroyed infrastructure

Azerbaijani Deputy Education Minister Firudin Gurbanov stated that all 14 schools that existed in Khojaly before the occupation had been destroyed.

"The entire infrastructure of Khojaly was destroyed. Historical monuments, monuments in the cemetery of the city were destroyed. All this clearly demonstrates the true face of the Armenians," Gurbanov added.

Armenia committed genocide against the 7,000-person population of Azerbaijan's Khojaly town on February 26, 1992.

As a result of the Khojaly genocide, 613 peaceful Azerbaijanis were killed, including 63 children, 106 women, and 70 elderly people. Simultaneously, 487 civilians were seriously injured, and 1,275 people were kidnapped. The fate of 150 hostages remains unknown, including 68 women and 26 children.

During the genocide, 56 people were killed with extreme cruelty, with their heads peeled off, various limbs severed, eyes removed, and pregnant women's bellies pierced with bayonets. As a result, eight families were utterly destroyed, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children were orphaned.

Relevant documents adopted by the parliaments of Mexico, Pakistan, the Czech Republic, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Sudan, Guatemala and Djibouti recognized the Khojaly massacre as an act of genocide. The parliaments of Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Jordan, Slovenia, Scotland, and Paraguay, as well as the executive and legislative bodies of 22 U.S. states have strongly condemned the Khojaly tragedy as a massacre. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation recognized Armenia as an aggressor and the Khojaly tragedy as genocide.

Every year on February 26, the victims of the Khojaly genocide are remembered at the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev.

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.
New Delhi:

A massive fire broke at a factory in Morivali Industrial Area in Thanes Ambernath on Saturday evening. Several fire engines are present at the spot, officials said, adding that fire-fighting operation was underway. Earlier in the day, at least four people were charred to death in a huge fire that erupted at a cloth factory in Narol locality of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the police said.

The blaze broke out around 6 pm, fire brigade officials said, adding it was brought under control after four hours. Four charred bodies were recovered from the denim factory after the fire was doused. Their identification is underway," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 6) Bipin Ahire. Around a dozen fire fighters struggled to put out the flames. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, officials added.
New Delhi:

Shoes were hurled as Left leader and former JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Friday when he went to address a public rally at Katihar. According to some reports, stones were also hurled on his cavalcade but no one was hurt. Kanhaiya Kumar is on a month-long state-wide Jan Gan Man Yatra under the banner of Joint Forum Against NPR/NRC/CAA. The Yatra is being organised to support those who have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. It was launched on January 30, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Earlier on Thursday, stones were hurled at his convoy when the Left leader was on his way to address a rally against the CAA in Bihars Madhepura district. This was the second such incident in less than 24 hours.

The Communist Party of India, which had fielded the former JNU student leader against BJP firebrand Giriraj Singh in Lok Sabha polls last year, issued a statement here condemning the incident and warned of an agitation if preventive steps were not taken.

We strongly condemn the attack on Kanhaiya Kumars convoy in Madhepura. Yesterday, a similar attack took place in Supaul which left vehicles damaged and a number of people injured. These attacks are being engineered by supporters of the Sangh Parivar and the BJP, CPI state secretary Satya Narayan Singh said in the statement.

If the government does not ask its police to be diligent and provide adequate security, we will be compelled to launch an agitation, he added.

Police officials were not available for comments, though Congress MLA Shakil Ahmed Khan, who has been accompanying Kumar since the beginning of the tour, confirmed the incident.

A couple of stones hit vehicles in our convoy while we were approaching the venue in Madhepura after a successful rally at Saharsa earlier in the day. We chose not to stop, even as a couple of window panes were shattered but there was no injury to anybody, Khan said.

Moreover, it appeared that the attackers had used slingshots and fled after hitting their intended target. We are saddened by the incident, which is indicative of the vitriol that has pervaded the atmosphere. After reaching the Madhepura venue, we informed the police. We must take it all on the chin and brace ourselves for tomorrows programs, he added.

ALSO READ: Make Aishe Ghosh Face Of The Fight In Bengal: Kanhaiya Kumar To Left Parties

The former JNU students union president, who was slapped with a sedition case in the national capital four years ago, sought to strike a chord with the crowd at Madhepura by beginning his speech with tributes to Ramesh Ranjan, a CRPF personnel hailing from Bhojpur district in Bihar, who died fighting militants near Srinagar.

With PTI Inputs

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New Delhi:

HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020 has been released. The HARCO Bank 2020 Exam admit card 2020 has been released for the recruitment of Assistant Manager/Development Officer. It is to note that the HARCO Bank Exam Admit Card download link will remain active on the official website from February 7, 2020 to February 25, 2020. Candidates need to visit the official website, i.e. harcobank.org.in to download the HARCO Bank Exam 2020 Admit Card. Alternatively, candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020.

HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020

It is to note that candidates need to enter their roll number/registration number and password/date of birth details to download the HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020. Meanwhile, the HARCO Bank Admit Card for other posts of Junior Clerk and Junior Accountant will be released soon.

Also Read: BSE Odisha Class 10 and Class 12 Board Exam 2020 Admit Cards Released, Download At bseodisha.ac.in

The HARCO Bank 2020 exam for Assistant Manager/Development Officer will be co0nducted in online mode and will have 180 objective type questions. The time duration of the exam will be of 2 hours and 30 minutes. The HARCO Bank exam will have questions from the sections of Reasoning, General Awareness, Current Affairs, Literature, Civics, etc. The medium of the paper will be English/Hindi. Candidates to carry the HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020 along-with a valid photo ID proof at the time of examination.

Candidates can also click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the HARCO Bank Exam Admit Card 2020.

HARCO Bank Admit Card 2020 Direct Link
New Delhi:

An activist of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has filed a police complaint alleging a plot to kill party chief Sharad Pawar. The complaint, lodged at the Punes Shivajinagar police station, said that attempt is being made to dislodge the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Laxmikant Mohanlal Khabiya, the NCP activist, claimed since the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance took office in November, some social media websites and YouTube channels had been running inflammatory campaigns against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government.

"These sites are spreading hatred and dividing people in the name of caste and community, putting up objectionable posters and exhorting youth to 'eliminate Pawar with the help of bombs and bullets', which is a matter of serious concern," Khabiya said in his complaint.

Khabiya, who runs a social organisation called Sharad Krida Sanskrutik Pratishthan, has also named as accused a local journalist and a netizen. He also mentioned some website, portals and YouTube channels for featuring provocative content.

When contacted, NCP officials in Mumbai and Pune refused to react on the development.

NCP accused central government of withdrawing Pawars security

Last month, the NCP accused the central government of withdrawing Pawars security at his official residence in New Delhi and charged it with playing vendetta politics.

Maharashtra minister and NCPs chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said party leaders cannot be scared off with such a move. The partys fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will continue, he asserted.

Malik said Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister, had Y category security cover in the national capital.

The security personnel deployed at Pawars residence at 6 Janpath in the national capital stopped reporting at the bungalow since January 20 and there was no prior intimation from the government about it, he added.

The 79-year-old NCP president enjoys Z+ category protection in Maharashtra, where his party is a key constituent in the Shiv Sena-led government. Pawar had played the lead role in crafting the three-party ruling coalition in Maharashtra in November last year. The Congress is the third constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi.

With PTI Inputs

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Beijing:

Forty health care workers were infected with the novel coronavirus by patients at a single Wuhan hospital in January, a new study has found, underscoring the risks to those at the frontlines of the growing epidemic. One patient who was admitted to the surgical department was presumed to have infected 10 health care workers, according to the paper that was authored by doctors at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Friday.

Seventeen patients who were hospitalised for other reasons also became infected by the coronavirus. A total of 138 patients got the virus in a period spanning January 1 to January 28, with hospital-associated transmission accounting for 41 per cent of all cases. The study comes just hours after a Chinese doctor who was punished for raising the alarm about the coronavirus died from the pathogen -- sparking an outpouring of grief and anger over a worsening crisis that has now killed more than 630 people.

Li Wenliang, 34, sent out a message about the new coronavirus to colleagues on December 30 in Wuhan but was later among a group of people summoned by police for "rumor-mongering." He later contracted the disease while treating a patient. Of the 40 infected health care workers in the JAMA study, 31 worked on general wards, seven in the emergency department, and two in the ICU.

The example of the patient presumed to have infected 10 health workers highlighted the high level of danger within hospitals during the first phase of the epidemic, even though overall it is currently estimated that each patient infects on average 2.2 others.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Facts, Symptoms And Prevention From Deadly Virus

"If true, then this confirms that some patients are likely to be far more infectious than others, and this poses further difficulties in managing their cases," said Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton said in a comment to the UK's Science Media Centre. Medical staff at the epicenter of the virus are overstretched and lack sufficient protective gear, the deputy governor of Hubei province admitted Thursday.

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New Delhi:

An Indian-origin doctor, who exploited women's cancer fears to carry out invasive intimate examinations, has been given three life sentences for 90 sexual assaults on female patients in London on Friday. Manish Shah assaulted 23 women and a 15-year-old girl while working in London and was described by the sentencing judge as a master of deception who abused his position of power.

You made up stories which got into heads and caused panic," said Judge Anne Molyneux at the Old Bailey court.

Your behaviour was not only sexual but was driven by your desire to control and on occasions humiliate women, she said.

The 50-year-old doctor who claimed the assaults were "defensive medicine" was found guilty of 25 sexual offences against six victims at Mawney Medical Centre last autumn.

At an earlier trial in 2018, he was convicted of offences relating to 18 other people, bringing the total number of offences to 90.

Also Read | Ganesh Acharya Lands In Trouble As Another Woman Accuses Him Of Sexual Abuse

The general practitioner (GP) was found guilty following a trial in December last year, when the jury heard how he used a news story during consultation with one patient about Hollywood star Angelina Jolie having a preventative mastectomy, before asking if she would like him to examine her breasts.

He took advantage of his position to persuade women to have invasive vaginal examinations, breast examinations and rectal examinations when there was absolutely no medical need for them to be conducted, prosecutor Kate Bex told the jury during the trial.

Fear is an incredible motivator and few health concerns are scarier than cancer. Dr Shah exploited that and used it for his own personal gratification, she said.

Shah had denied any wrongdoing and his barrister, Zoe Johnson, told jurors he was a cautious, insecure, perhaps at times incompetent GP.

But the prosecution's case highlighted Shah's generally sexualised behaviour and also his tendency to flout state-funded National Health Service (NHS) guidelines on examinations.

Also Read | Chinmayanand Vs Law Student: Allahabad HC Says Not Sure Who Exploited Whom

He would reportedly give patients hugs and kisses, singling some out as special and his star, saying he had a soft spot for them. Shah was suspended from the medical practice in 2013 when complaints came to light, resulting in a police investigation.

In mitigation at the end of the case, his barrister Zoe Johnson said: "It goes without saying that all of these women feel grossly abused, humiliated, and that the trust that they placed in Manish Shah has been so dreadfully exploited.

He deeply regrets hurting them and cannot say sorry enough.

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New Delhi:

South Korean auto major Hyundai on Thursday unveiled the new version of its popular SUV Creta at the Auto Expo 2020. Hyundai Creta 2020, which was unveiled by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, is expected to be launched in March. The second-generation Creta has been given a more masculine and futuristic look, while being equipped with premium features, efficient powertrain, and smart technology.

The all-new Creta would be launched in March and we are sure that this product will offer great customer delight and supersede their aspirations and expectations, Hyundai Motor India Managing Director and CEO SS Kim told reporters.

He further said, With over 6.5 lakh owners worldwide, Creta has become the most loved and admired SUV in the segment.

The new Creta will come with premium features like a panoramic sunroof, LED Headlamps, enhanced Bluelink 1.5, among others, the company said.

Speaking at the unveiling, Khan said while Creta was so successful, it was just not about numbers but was also about Hyundai bringing safety, newer technologies and driving pleasure to the customers. In jest he said, in the last 22 years, two things have happened to him - becoming a father and another becoming the brand ambassador of Hyundai.

So I feel like I am the father of Hyundai in India, he quipped.

Features

Hyundai Creta 2020 resembles the latest ix25 sold in China. As for the exterior of the new Hyundai Creta is concerned, the car comes with an updated front fascia that boasts cascading grille and refurbished split headlamp setup. The headlamp setup includes LED DRLs. At the back, there is a LED combination lights. Also, there are new alloy wheels.

Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO SS Kim and Shah Rukh Khan at the unveiling. Photo Credit: IANS

On the inside, the new Hyundai Creta includes premium upholstery, multifunction steering wheel, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a panoramic sunroof.

Engine

While there is no word regarding the engine, it is expected that the new Hyundai Creta will come equipped with the engine options that are available with Kia Seltos. It is to be noted that Kia Seltos comes equipped with three BS6-engine options including 1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre VGT diesel, and 1.4-litre Turbo GDI petrol.

ALSO READ | Hyundai Offers Cash Benefits Across Its Product Line-Up Including Creta, Tucson

All the engines are mated to a standard 6-speed manual gearbox. The automatic transmission options include IVT with 1.5-litre petrol, 6-speed AT with 1.5-litre VGT diesel and 7-speed DCT with 1.4-litre Turbo GDI petrol.

Price

The present model of Hyundai Creta is priced between Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and Rs 15.67 lakh (ex-showroom). Hyundai Creta 2020 is expected to be priced between Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and Rs 17 lakh (ex-showroom).
New Delhi:

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackery on Sunday said that he will give a befitting reply to anti-CAA protesters saying India needs to adopt a tough stand. Thackeray also said that he doesnt understand why Muslims were protesting against the amended Citizenship Act. I don't understand why the Muslims who were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, were doing so. CAA is not for the Muslims who were born here. To whom are you showing your strength? Thackeray said while addressing a huge gathering at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.

Earlier, Thackeray led a march demanding eviction of illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh staying in India. Over 1 lakh activists marched in a mega-procession.

Huge number of police personnel were deployed along the route of the morcha. Apart from local police, personnel of the State Reserve Police Force (DRPF), Riot Control Police, Quick Response Teams (QRTs), Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads (BDDS), and additional 600 policemen have been deployed on the morcha route," the Mumbai Police spokesperson said.

Some roads remained closed for vehicular movement while traffic on other roads were diverted in view of the march.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's new saffron flag

In the moves viewed as his party's endeavour to jump onto the Hindutva bandwagon, the MNS chief had last month launched a new saffron flag bearing the royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

According to political observers, the MNS, which was relegated to the margins in Maharashtra politics after successive electoral drubbings in the last ten years, is trying to fill the Hindutva vacuum believed to have been created after the Shiv Sena joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a government in November last year.

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The organisers said Ericssonas decision will hurt the event. (Photo Credit: Photo For Representation)

Beijing:

Wireless equipment maker Ericsson is pulling out of the industrys top annual trade event due to the coronavirus outbreak, while automakers are considering whether to reopen factory lines in China.

Tech: Ericsson, one of the main suppliers of wireless networks and a rival to Chinas Huawei, is pulling out of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, this month.

The Swedish company said that because the show draws thousands of visitors, even if the risk is low, the company cannot guarantee the health and safety of its employees and visitors.

The organisers said Ericssons decision will hurt the event but they do not plan to cancel it. Huawei recently said this week it would still attend.

How the virus is affecting global business:

Automakers: Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. said Friday that sales in China in January by the company and its local partners fell 11.8 per cent from a year earlier to 118,143 vehicles due to the virus outbreak and the extension of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Nissan said earlier it was considering reopening most of its factories in China on Monday but would wait until at least February 14 for facilities in and around Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak.

Toyota said it was keeping its factories in China closed for an extra week, through February 16, and will decided then whether to resume production.

Toyota Motor Corp. has 12 plants in China, including four vehicle assembly plants. Honda Motor Co. said its three auto-assembly plants in Wuhan would stay closed through February 13.

Retailing: Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo Co. said it has closed 350 stores, or about half, of its 750 stores in China, to comply with shutdowns of public transportation and closures of malls.

Parent company Fast Retailing says about 20 per cent of its sales come from China. British firm Burberry, which gets about 40 per cent of its revenue from China, says the impact has been significant.

Also Read: Coronavirus Lead To 25,000 Deaths In China: Tencent's Leaked Data

It shut 24 of 64 stores in China, and told the FT footfall had dropped as much as 80 per cent. The impact in Hong Kong is bigger than from the protests, which had halved sales there in the last quarter.
New Delhi:

Delhiites will vote on Saturday (today) for electing a new government. Delhi will witness a three-cornered contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. It is to be noted that the voting for all the 70 seats of the Delhi Assembly elections 2020 will start at 8 AM and end at 6 PM. As per the Election Commission, there are more than 1.47 crore eligible voters can exercise their franchise today. The Election Commission has set up 13,750 polling stations across 2,689 locations in the city for the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. You can vote only if you have a voter ID card or your name appears in the electoral list.

Delhi Assembly elections 2020: Heres how you can check your name in the electoral list

Visit the official website of CEO Delhi (https://ceodelhi.gov.in/home.aspx) or Election Commission of India (https://eci.gov.in) to check your name on the voting list. Click on 'Check Your Name in The Voter's List (Electoral Roll) by Voter ID No' or 'Check Your Name in The Voter's List (Electoral Roll) By Voter's Name' on the CEO Delhi home page. Fill all your details such as your name, father's name, age, state, district, Assembly constituency and captcha code. Click on Search. Your details along with polling station would appear at the bottom of the page.

Here's how you can get your polling booth online and via SMS:

To find your polling booth to exercise your voting right, go to the official website of National Voters' Services Portal (https://nvsp.in).

Click on 'Search in Electoral Roll'.

Enter your details.

Your polling booth would appear on the screen along with your details as a voter.

Also Read: Delhi Assembly Elections LIVE: Delhi Votes Today As AAP Aims To Repeat 2015, BJP Eyes An Upset

It is worth mentioning here that In 2015, the AAP won a thumping majority in the state with winning 67 of 70 Assembly seats, with Arvind Kejriwal becoming the Chief Minister for the second time. The remaining three seats namely Rohini, Vishwas Nagar, and Mustafabad were won by the BJP.
By Trend

British Prime Minister Boris on Monday said he would end all coronavirus restrictions in England including mandatory self-isolation for people with COVID-19 and free testing, drawing scepticism from some scientists and political opponents, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Johnson's "living with COVID" plan has sparked alarm that it is premature and will leave the country vulnerable to new viral variants, but the government says it has provided more testing than most other countries, and must now curb the cost.

The plan to ditch the remaining legal restrictions is a priority for many of Johnson's Conservative Party lawmakers, whose discontent over his scandal-ridden leadership has threatened his grip on power. Some critics think the plan is also a bid to divert attention from those scandals.

Britain has reported 160,00 deaths from COVID-19, the seventh-highest death toll in the world.

As Hong Kong builds isolation units and Europe retains social distancing and vaccine rules, Johnson is moving to repeal any pandemic requirements that impinge on personal freedoms, saying it is time the public took responsibility.

He will lean even more on the rollout of booster vaccines, with the government offering extra booster doses to the most vulnerable, as well as other pharmaceuticals interventions such as antiviral treatments.

"Restrictions pose a heavy toll on our economy, our society, our mental wellbeing and on the life chances of our children, and we do not need to pay that cost any longer," Johnson told parliament.

"So let us learn to live with this virus and continue protecting ourselves and others without restricting our freedoms."

Johnson said that the legal requirement to self-isolate for people who test positive for COVID would be removed on Feb. 24 while free universal testing would end on April 1.

The devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have set their own COVID-19 restrictions, but the amount of money they have to spend on testing will flow from decisions made by the UK government.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was scathing on Twitter, writing: "To allow significant dismantling of the testing infrastructure built up in last two years would be inexcusable negligence given ongoing risks."

Johnson said that some surveillance of the coronavirus would remain in place, allowing for a rapid response to new variants, which could be quickly scaled up.

But he cited the much-weakened link between COVID-19 cases and deaths due to vaccines, antivirals and the lower severity of the Omicron variant as informing his decision.

"It is only because we know Omicron is less severe, that testing for Omicron on the colossal scale we have been doing is much less important and much less valuable in preventing serious illness," Johnson said.

"This came at a vast cost... We must now scale this back."

Johnson said that symptomatic testing would remain available for at-risk groups and social care staff, and would work with retailers to allow anyone who wants to buy tests.

Britain has been unusual in providing free lateral flow tests to people who want to for months. In contrast, U.S. President Joe Biden offered limited free rapid tests to households for the first time last month.

Leaders in Scotland and Wales had criticised Johnson's plans to reduce the availability of testing ahead of the announcement, while leader of the opposition Keir Starmer also said that the plan was ill-conceived.

"We can't turn off Britain's radar before the war is won. 'Ignorance is bliss' is not a responsible approach to a deadly virus," Labour Party leader Starmer said.
Washington:

China is doing a good job on its fight against the deadly coronavirus that has taken the lives of large number of people, President Donald Trump has said, adding that the US was helping them out.

China is working very hard. Late last night, I had a very good talk with President Xi and we talked mostly about the coronavirus, Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday. I think they are doing a very professional job.

The death toll in China due to coronavirus continues to goes up as it jumped to 722 on Friday, while the number of confirmed cases rose to 34,546, Chinese health authorities announced on Saturday.

The Chinese, Trump said, were in touch with the World Health Organization and also the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

US, China working together

Were working together, he said. I had a great conversation last night with President Xi. Its a tough situation. I think theyre doing a very good job.

Asked if he is concerned about its potential impact on global economy, Trump said: I think that China will do a very good job.

According to US Health Secretary Alex Azar, there have been 12 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States, including two cases of transmission to people who had not recently been in China.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Death Count Goes Up To 722 In China, Surpasses SARS Toll With Nearly 35,000 Confirmed Cases

The US has offered to send world-class experts to China to assist them, Azhar said.

According to him, the US has implemented temporary quarantines of its citizens who have recently been to Chinas Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus, and have asked for voluntary, self-monitoring quarantines for people who have recently been elsewhere in mainland China.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Delhi Assembly Elections: A massive controversy broke out on Saturday after Alka Lamba, Congress candidate from Chandni Chowk, tried to slap an Aam Aadmi Party worker near Majnu ka Teela on Saturday. Amid lukewarm voting in the Delhi Assembly Elections, the video of the ugly tiff has already gone viral. Lamba said that she didnt lose her cool. Talking exclusively to News Nation, Lamba said that the AAP worker had made an indecent remark against her son. She said that AAP was losing the Delhi Elections and the frustration was clearly evident with the conduct of the AAP workers.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said that the party will file a complaint to Election Commission of India over the incident. Coming out in Alka Lambas support, ex-AAP leader Dr Kumar Vishvas tweeted, Alka Lamba is a warrior. Her self-respect is her victory, Without taking name, Dr Vishvas also hit out at the AAP leadership.

Last year, Lamba announced her ghar waapsi after she joined the Congress in September. On September 3, Lamba had met Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi. The meeting had fuelled speculations. The time has come to say "Good Bye" to #AAP and to resign from the primary membership of the Party. The past 6years journey was a great learning for me. Thanks to all. #ChandniChowk #MLA #AlkaLamba #Delhi #JaiHind (sic), Lamba had said on micro-blogging site while announcing her decision.

Lamba had been at odds with the Aam Aadmi Party for some time. After the party's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, she had sought accountability from AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal following which she was removed from the official WhatsApp group of the party lawmakers.

Lamba had also refused to campaign for the party in the Lok Sabha polls and even refrained from participating in Kejriwal's roadshow after she was asked to walk behind his car during the event.

She had claimed that she was being disrespected by the party on several occasion. "I am not called to meetings. I am insulted repeatedly. I spent 20 years in the Congress and even there I struggled with family politics but in the AAP, I do not get the basic respect," she claimed.
Mumbai:

Under criticism for not abolishing the long term capital gains tax (LTCG), Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said her ministry will wait for one normal year before taking a call on the cess.

On the dividend distribution tax (DDT), she clarified that the liability was shifted to the investors applicable rate from the company to reduce middle-class investors outgoes.

What expert said

Stock market benchmark indices had tanked by over 2.5 per cent on the budget day last Saturday. Experts opined that investors were peeved at the absence of any action on LTCG and the shift on DDT.

Speaking to opinion makers and analysts in the financial capital, Sitharaman said the LTCG was introduced in 2018 and the volatilities in the markets have ensured that she cannot make a reasonable assessment on it.

Much before let us say I have burnt my fingers, I am told withdraw it. The reason why we didnt go that far on LTCG is because let us have an assessment at least one-year of a normal response to a tax. Lets us hope this year, after which we would take up considered view, she said.

Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey said that the governments view is that all kinds of incomes need to be taxed, and not levying it on a particular stream like LTCG will create arbitrage opportunities.

She had an interesting duel with veteran i-banker Hemendra Kothari and Motilal Oswal, the promoter of a brokerage house named after himself at the session over the two taxes.

Also Read: New Tax Regime To Definitely Benefit Taxpayers In Some Brackets: Nirmala Sitharaman

Oswal pointed out that the DDT move is pinching promoters dearly because they are anyways in high tax bracket and claimed that the overall outgo is going till 58 per cent.

You (Oswal) are talking about one section, whereas we thought that we want to put money in the hands of the other section which is the retail, she said.

When Oswal replied saying promoters may not declare dividends at all because of the tax liability, Sitharaman had an interesting retort. Will the shareholders be tempted to go to the company which does not pay dividends?

Later, she clarified at a press conference that a lot of thought was given to the issue of DDT.

The middle class will pay lesser than what they were paying. a middle-class shareholder will have more money now, she said.

Meanwhile, on concerns regarding an ambitious divestment target of Rs 2.10 lakh crore, Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty said they are confident of achieving the reasonably decent target. He said there are spillover transactions of BPCL and Concord, IDBI Bank and LIC on the financial side, which will ensure that the money gets mopped up.

Additionally, there is also up to Rs 70,000 crore from minority stake sales in companies which the government will be collecting, he said.

Chakraborty also said that spectrum sale revenues on 5G or AGR receipts are not included in the Rs 1.33 lakh crore target from the communications front, exuding confidence that the ministry will be able to mop-up the figure.

He said routine spectrum license fee payments alone will deliver up to Rs 65,000 crore.

Meanwhile, Sitharaman lauded the dynamism of Reserve Bank in responding to the budgetary move by extending the restructuring scheme for small businesses, and also welcomed the changes on cash reserve ratio against lending to certain sectors of the economy.

On the changes in the cooperative banking laws, she made it clear that the powers of the registrar of cooperative societies at the state level have not gone down but explained that the monitoring of entities has gone up to restore credibility in banking.

If you are being called a bank, it will be only then that it will be regulated by the RBI so that the credibility of the banking functions in India are kept intact, she said.

For all the Latest Business News, Economy News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of providing employment to the youth and said that the country cannot progress without employment. "These speeches that Narendra Modi is giving right now, six months later, he wont be able to step out of his house. The youth of India will hit him so hard that it will make him realise that without giving the youth employment, this country cannot progress (Ye jo Narendra Modi bhashan de raha hai, 6 mahine baad ye ghar se bahar nahi nikal payega. Hindustan ke yuva isko aisa danda marenge, isko samjha denge ki Hindustan ke yuva ko rozgar diye bina ye desh aage nahi badh sakta)," Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying by ANI.

Gandhi claimed that the unemployment rate in India is at 45 years high and every youth of the country is asking for jobs. Unemployment rate in India is at a 45 years high but nothing was spoken about it in Budget 2020 or Presidential address by Narendra Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman. Each and every youth of the country is asking for jobs. This is the reality, Gandhi said after addressing a rally in poll-bound Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress in Delhi: Unemployment rate in India is at a 45 years high but nothing was spoken about it in Budget or Presidential address by Narendra Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman. Each and every youth of the country is asking for jobs. This is the reality. pic.twitter.com/xZ8SyAraa6  ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2020

He also said that the politics of the prime minister and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal revolved around hate, and their only strategy was to divide people.

Addressing a rally in east Delhis Kondli ahead of the February 8 Assembly polls, Gandhi said it was the Congresss 15-year tenure (1998-2013) in the national capital that gave the city its modern infrastructure such as the metro service.

The politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal revolves around hatred. The only funda (strategy) of Modi and Kejriwal is to divide people, he said. At another rally in Chandni Chowk, Gandhi said the biggest fear of the youth today is unemployment.

He (Modi) takes advantage of that fear. He does not want the youth to get employment because that acts as oxygen for his politics, Gandhi said.

Patriotism was to fight with the British

Taking a dig at the BJP, he said patriotism was to fight with the British and make India prosperous through white revolution, green revolution, information and technology revolution.

Now, the real patriotism is to provide employment to the youth and I will fulfill it, the Congress leader said.

ALSO READ: Modi Can Even Sell Taj Mahal: Rahul Gandhi At Jangpura Rally In Delhi

Slamming Home Minister Amit Shah, he exhorted the people not to listen to his speech as its nothing but trash. He also said the speeches of Modi and Kejriwal were nothing but lies.

Recalling the Congress rule under Sheila Dikshit, he said the late three-time chief minister never complained or gave excuses as Kejriwal.

With PTI Inputs
KATHMANDU: With tensions between Ukraine and Russia rising, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised its people not to visitUkraine unless it is "absolutely necessary."

The Foreign Ministry has also "asked" all Nepali people in Ukraine to come home after assessing the situation, stating that the confrontation between the two nations could evolve into a war. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Nepali nationals residing in Ukraine analyse the present situation and developments there and return home via commercial aircraft unless they are need to stay," reads a statement released on Wednesday.

Civilians have been asked to postpone their plans to visit Ukraine unless it is "absolutely necessary," according to the ministry.

More than 38 Nepali citizens have contacted the Nepal embassy in Berlin, which also handles Ukraine concerns, according to the ministry. There are abouat 200 Nepalis in Ukraine, according to Hari Malla, head of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA).

"The majority of Nepalis in Ukraine are in transit and have been residing in places such as Odessa, Kiev, Kharkiv, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva, and others. Some of them ended up here after becoming victims of human trafficking "Malla stated.

Daughter trapped in Ukraine, upset mother seeks help from CM helpline, gets such a reply that...

No one will be forced to return from Ukraine: EAM Muraleedharan

Biden-Putin summit not in the plans anymore: White House
Fashion designing has become one of the most alluring courses in recent times in Nepal. Because it is financially rewarding and it satisfies the creative souls, the glitz and glamour of the fashion world appeal to the youth towards pursuing fashion designing as their career. Further, pioneering fashion designers in Nepal including those who have made their names in the international world have also inspired them.

As the number of fashion designing aspirants is growing, so is the number of colleges and institutions providing designing courses in Nepal to cater to the demand. And, if you are an aspirant looking for fashion colleges and institutions here, here are plenty of options to choose from:

1. Namuna College of Fashion Technology (NCFT)

Students of the Namuna College of Fashion and Technology visit Shangrila Cashmere as a part of their course. Photo: Facebook page/NCFT

The NCFT was initially started as Namuna Institute of Technology in 1997 by Gyani Shova Tuladhar, one of the most renowned fashion designers in Nepal. Later in 2002, it was converted into a fashion college. The NCFT is one of the most sought after fashion colleges in Nepal. Its goodwill is mostly credited to experienced faculty members having national and international exposure and majorly to the success of the NCFTs graduates in the Nepali fashion industry as fashion designers or fashion entrepreneurs or fashion educators. The much-celebrated names in the Nepali fashion arena including Manish Rai, Bishwo Gautam, Yubi Thapa and Neelima Tamang are the NCFT alumni.

The NCFT, located at Bansbari in Kathmandu, offers a four-year (eight-semester) bachelor of fashion design and management (BFDM) programme in affiliation with the Purbanchal University.

2. The IEC College of Art and Fashion

Ice College of Art and Fashion. Photo: Facebook page/Ice College of Art and Fashion

The IEC College of Art and Fashion is another popular fashion college located in Mandikhatar, Kathmandu. This college has been catering quality education in fashion and interior designing for more than two decades. This college offers a BA (Hons) in fashion and retailing and BA in interior architecture programmes affiliated with Limkokwing University, Malaysia. Along with this, this college also offers a one-year diploma in fashion designing. This college has also received the International Gold Quality Award (USA) for quality education and is also the winner of the Asian Top Fashion Organisation.

3. International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT)

Students take exams. Photo: Facebook page/ IIFT Nepal

The IIFT offers a diploma in applied fashion designing and an advanced diploma in applied fashion designing courses to aspiring fashion designers. The institutelocated at Bagbazar Plaza, Kathmandu, and Kumaripati Lalitpuris run by a group of young entrepreneurs having years of experience in the fashion industry and fashion education. As this institution is well associated with multiple beauty pageants, model hunts, films, television shows, the designers get more exposure.

4. Gorgeous Institute of Fashion Technology (GIFT)

A student learning to stitch at GIIFT. Photo: Facebook page/GIFT

The Gorgeous Institute of Fashion Technology (GIFT) is another fashion designing school started in 2011. This institution, located in Lagankhel, Lalitpur, provides fashion designing and tailoring courses, namely: 18 months diploma in fashion designing and a one-year executive diploma in fashion designing. Likewise, this fashion school also organises fashion shows and offers job placement services.

5. Nepal Institute of Fashion

Students learning to stitch at GIIFT. Photo: Facebook page/NIF

The Nepal Institute of Fashion was established in 2013. The NIF, located in Yeti Plaza, Bagbazaar, Kathmandu, focuses on heuristics education in the fashion designing field. This fashion school provides a diploma in fashion designing, which is a one-year course.

6. Raffles Institute of Fashion & Art (RIFA)

A student hand-painting the fabric at RIFA. Photo: Facebook page/RIFA

The Bhaktapur Raffles Institute of Fashion & Art (RIFA) is one of the few fashion schools in Bhaktapur. Located in Suryabinayak, RIFA was started in 2011 and has been providing fashion education, providing CTEVT-accredited vocational training in the fashion area for over a decade. This fashion school offers a diploma in fashion designing and an advanced diploma in fashion designing that covers the international fashion market, fashion illustration, textile and all.
In New Orleans, rum is a given in cocktails, like the citys signature Hurricane . But it also makes a surprisingly delicious appearance in desserts as well.

New Orleans and rum go hand in hand, says Kate Heller, owner of Leos Bread bakery. Rum and desserts are a part of this city's history like no other  just look at Bananas Foster. Distilling is a big part of our culture, as are sweet treats. People all around town are exploring how to use what the city has to offer in distilling and baking.
Zoe Sozo Bethel, the reigning Miss Alabama for America Strong, has died. She was 27.

Bethel died early Friday morning in Miami after falling from a third-floor window the previous week and sustaining "blunt force trauma," according to a statement from the Miami Police Department.

"This was a tragic accident, and no foul play is suspected," the department said in the statement.

According to a social media post from Bethel's family published Feb. 16, Bethel "sustained severe damage to her brain/brainstem" and ended up in a coma as a result of the Feb. 10 accident.

'She embodied love': Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019 and 'Extra' correspondent, dies at 30

In addition to her title as Miss Alabama for America Strong, Bethel served as a political commentator for Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), a conservative media platform, and was a brand ambassador for the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA, Bethels family said.

"Zoe touched the hearts of many people," her family wrote on social media.

Grace Saldana, editor-in-chief of RSBN, remembered Bethel on Twitter. "In loving memory of Zoe," she wrote. "Besides the fact that she was always incredibly stunning, Ill always remember how convicted Zoe was in her faith in God, how dedicated she was to her beliefs in protecting life, and how much she cared for others. May she rest in peace."

In loving memory of Zoe. Besides the fact that she was always incredibly stunning, Ill always remember how convicted Zoe was in her faith in God, how dedicated she was to her beliefs in protecting life, and how much she cared for others. May she rest in peace  pic.twitter.com/nGRZNDjeC1  Grace Saldana (@gracesaldanaa) February 19, 2022

Zoe Sozo Bethel, the reigning Miss Alabama for America Strong, has died at the age of 27.

Turning Point USA honored Bethel on their official Twitter account, writing that she was "always moving with grace and wisdom."

Story continues

"She has inspired many, and her legacy will continue to touch the hearts of people everywhere. You will not be forgotten, Zoe. May she Rest In Peace," the tweet read.

We are honored to have known Zoe Bethel. She has been a pillar in the Conservative movement, always moving with grace and wisdom. She has inspired many, and her legacy will continue to touch the hearts of people everywhere.



You will not be forgotten, Zoe.

May she Rest In Peace pic.twitter.com/U5e1HtftG5  Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) February 20, 2022

Bethel was also a spokesperson for the anti-abortion nonprofit Students for Life and worked with the investigative nonprofit Project Veritas.

The official Twitter account for Students for Life paid tribute to Bethel, writing, "Our hearts are breaking over the news of Zoe Bethel's unexpected passing  she has always been a shining light and fierce advocate for life."

Bethel shared her final Instagram post on Jan. 31, along with photos of herself smiling, and captioned them: "Act, and let everyone else react."

"This has been an abrupt & very traumatizing situation for our family, & we can imagine how much of a shock this will also be to everyone who knows & cares for her," Bethels family wrote on social media.

Bethel is not the only beauty queen to die unexpectedly this year. In January, Cheslie Kryst, the 2019 winner of the Miss USA pageant, died by suicide. Kryst was 30.

Cheslie Kryst's mother mourns her daughter, Miss USA 2019: 'Never known a pain as deep as this'

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zoe Sozo Bethel: Miss Alabama for America Strong dies at 27
ReportLinker

The key factors driving the growth of the backscatter X-ray devices market include increase in number of terrorist attacks and illegal immigration, increasing deployment of security solutions at public gathering spaces, rise in smuggling of narcotics, and reduction in passenger waiting time.

New York, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Backscatter X-ray Devices Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis, by Type, Application and Geography - Global Forecast to 2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233719/?utm_source=GNW





The backscatter X-ray devices market includes major Tier I and II manufacturers and distributors such as Rapiscan Systems (US), Nuctech Company Limited (China), Viken Detection (US), LAURUS Systems, Inc. (US), Scanna MSC Ltd. (UK), Autoclear LLC (US), and Tek8, Inc. (US). These companies have their manufacturing facilities spread across various countries across North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. COVID-19 has impacted their businesses as well. A number of scheduled product launches and related developments have been postponed due to the pandemic. However, the impact of COVID-19 is expected to reduce during the forecast period.



Non-handheld segment to account for the largest share of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

On the basis of type, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented into handheld and non-handheld. The handheld segment of the backscatter X-ray devices market is projected to witness a higher growth rate than the non-handheld segment owing to the increasing acceptance of handheld devices globally due to low-price and portability.



Customs and border protection application to account for the largest share of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

On the basis of application, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented into customs & border protection, law enforcement, airport/aviation, military & defense, and others.The customs & border protection segment is projected to account for the largest size of the backscatter X-ray devices market from 2022 to 2027.



The fast and effective features of backscatter X-ray devices in scanning people, baggage, and vehicles are fueling their demand in the customs and border protection application segment.



APAC to account for the largest growth of backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period

Among all regions, APAC is expected to register the highest growth in the backscatter X-ray devices market during the forecast period.The market in APAC has been classified into China, Japan, South Korea, and the Rest of APAC.



The market in APAC is mainly dominated by China and Japan as the majority of players have their presence in these countries.In the recent times, several countries in APAC have experienced terrorist attacks, such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and others, which has compelled the governments in these countries to upgrade their security measures by investing a significant amount in developing and installing advance and multi-technology security systems.



Thus, the backscatter X-ray devices market is expected to grow at the highest rate in APAC region.There is a huge threat of terrorist attacks, and civil unrest/community riots in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Philippines.



To curb terrorism, governments in various nations have laid down multiple policies and have adopted advanced security measures for homeland security, and at airports and seaports. Moreover, many public events and gatherings that are likely to take place in APAC countries will boost the demand for backscatter X-ray devices market in APAC.



Breakdown of primary participants:

 By Company Type: Tier 1 = 25%, Tier 2 = 35%, and Tier 3 = 40%

 By Designation: C-Level Executives = 35%, Directors = 25%, and Others = 40%

 By Region: North America = 14%, Europe = 43%, APAC = 29%, and RoW = 14%



Some of the key companies operating in the backscatter X-ray devices market are Rapiscan Systems (US), Nuctech Company Limited (China), Viken Detection (US), LAURUS Systems, Inc. (US), Scanna MSC Ltd. (UK), Autoclear LLC (US), and Tek8, Inc. (US).



Research Coverage:

In this report, the backscatter X-ray devices market has been segmented on the basis of type, application, and geography.The report also discusses the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges pertaining to the market.



It gives a detailed view of the market across four main regionsNorth America, Europe, APAC, and RoW. Value chain analysis has been included in the report, along with the key players and their competitive analysis in the backscatter X-ray devices ecosystem.



Key Benefits to Buy the Report:

 This report includes statistics for the backscatter X-ray devices market based on type, application, and geography, along with their respective market sizes.

 Value chain analysis and key industry trends have been provided for the market.

 Major drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges for the backscatter X-ray devices market have been provided in detail in this report.

 This report would help stakeholders to understand their competitors better and gain more insights to enhance their position in the market. The competitive landscape section includes the competitor ecosystem and the recent development strategies adopted by the key players in the market, such as product launches/developments, contracts/collaborations/agreements/acquisitions.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233719/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




Ascent Capital Group

DALLAS, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monitronics International, Inc. and its subsidiaries (doing business as Brinks Home), (Brinks Home or the Company) today announced that CEO, William Niles, and CFO, Fred Graffam, will participate in the J.P. Morgan 2022 Global High Yield and Leveraged Finance Conference on March 2, 2022, at 10:45 am ET at the Lowes Miami Beach Hotel in Miami, FL.



A live webcast of the event will be made available on the Brinks Home investor relations website at https://ir.brinkshome.com/.

About Brinks Home

Brinks Home is one of the largest home security and alarm monitoring companies in North America. Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Brinks Home provides platinum-grade protection to over 900,000 residential and commercial customers through highly responsive, simple security solutions backed by expertly trained professionals. The company has one of the nations largest networks of independent authorized dealers and agents  providing products and support to customers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico  as well as direct-to-consumer sales of DIY and professionally installed products. To learn more about Brinks Home or how to become an Authorized Dealer, Partner, or sell with Brinks Home Direct, visit brinkshome.com or brinkshome.com/partners.

Contact:

Erica Bartsch

Sloane & Company

212-446-1875

ebartsch@sloanepr.com




By Trend

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Tajikistan, Mr. Toshihiro Aiki, attended the ceremony for arrival of 501,200 dozes of AstraZeneca vaccine provided by the Government of Japan to Tajikistan through the COVAX mechanism, Trend reports with reference to Asia-Plus.

The Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe says the ceremony took place at the Republican Center of Immunoprophylaxis of Tajikistan in the attendance of Mr. Abdukholiq Amirzoda, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan and Ms. Zainab Al-Azzawi, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Tajikistan.

Tajikistan reportedly became the first country in Central Asia to receive COVID-19 vaccine from the Government of Japan.

During the ceremony, Mr. Aiki indicated that health sector is one of their priority areas in Japan-Tajikistan bilateral cooperation, stating that he hopes 501,200 doses of Astra Zeneca provided through the COVAX facility will contribute to save the lives of Tajik people. Also he noted that Japan is committed to work closely with the Government of Tajikistan to improve the situation with pandemic.

In general, the Government of Japan has provided approximately US$8 million worth of humanitarian aid to Tajikistan to combat the pandemic.

The Government of Japan is dedicated to continuing its support for creating a better society for all people and committed to working together with the people of Tajikistan, the Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe notes.
Collective Mining Ltd.

Figure 1:

Plan View of the Area Being Covered by IP at the San Antonio Project

Figure 2:

Plan View of the Pound Target - 1.3 km of Strike and Open

TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Collective Mining Ltd. (TSXV: CNL) (Collective or the Company) is pleased to announce that the high resolution and deep penetrating Induced Polarization (IP) survey over the previously announced (October 27, 2021, press release) grassroot discovery at the Pound target (Pound) within its San Antonio project, Colombia is advancing on schedule and is expected to be completed in March 2022.



Highlights (Figures 1 and 2)

The primary objective of the survey is to define the size and shape of the pyrite bearing, mineralised breccia body at Pound. The target has been mapped over a strike length of 1.3 kilometres and is open in all directions .





Previous reconnaissance drilling from two holes returned broad intercepts as follows:



710 metres at 0.53 g/t gold equivalent from surface including 133 metres at 0.92 g/t gold equivalent from 470 metre depth (SAC-8); and



750 metres at 0.41 g/t gold equivalent from surface including 187 metres at 0.59 g/t gold equivalent from 60 metre depth (SAC-6).



(Please refer to the press release dated October 27, 2021 for further details including how the AuEq calculation was estimated).



The IP survey will cover two blocks totalling an area of 2.4 km2 and will also include the COP and Dollar targets. Previous drilling at Dollar returned an intercept 74 metres at 0.62 g/t gold equivalent from 547 metre downhole within a porphyry hosting a stockwork of quartz-magnetite veins which can be drill tested starting at elevations of 600 metres below the previous hole from a valley floor at the base of a mountain slope.





The COP target has not yet been drilled and is defined by highly anomalous molybdenum (8 ppm to 108 ppm) and gold (up to 2.74 g/t) in soils in association with altered diorite porphyry and quartz veinlets.





The deep penetrating IP survey will generate 3D chargeability and resistivity data for minimum vertical depths of 800 metres and has been designed to search for disseminated sulphide, porphyry and breccia systems. This IP system has previously been successful in delineating large, mineralized porphyry alteration systems and high-grade veins at the Olympus target within the Guayabales project where three diamond drill rigs are currently operating with first assay results anticipated in March 2022.



Story continues

Our San Antonio project has the potential to yield multiple mineralized porphyry and breccia systems. Following on from the exciting grassroots discovery at Pound, we are focused on defining the morphology of this sulphide rich breccia body and other potential porphyry systems. Once the IP results have been interpreted and incorporated with all newly generated data, the Company will provide details on the next phase of drilling for the project in 2022, commented Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman.

Reconnaissance Drilling at the Box Target, Guayabales Project

The Company recently completed a small reconnaissance drilling program (three holes totaling 1,011 metres) at the Box target, which is located on the western portion of the Guayabales project. The Box target is hosted within multiple porphyritic diorites which intrude into carbonaceous schist and siltstone country rocks. Surface mapping, rock and soil sampling had outlined soil anomalies associated with polymetallic carbonate base-metal veins (CBM) in diorite porphyries and at the contact with schist country rocks. Field work was followed up with a hi-resolution and deep penetrating IP survey which outlined three shallow chargeability anomalies referred to as central, west and east. Drilling tested each anomaly with a reconnaissance hole with results as follows:

BOC001 was drilled northwards into the central chargeability anomaly and intersected a broad sericite-pyrite zone with occasional CBM veins in hydrothermal breccia and diorite porphyry returning an intercept of 93 metres grading 0.3 g/t gold, 4 g/t silver and 20 ppm of molybdenum from 127 metres downhole. Further downhole, a CBM vein was intersected at 307 metres depth with a 1.2 metre intersection length yielding 8.7 g/t gold, 47 g/t silver, 7.1% zinc and 5.7% lead.





BOC002 was drilled to test the western chargeability anomaly and intersected relatively unaltered porphyritic diorite with disseminated sulphides and one quartz-carbonate vein returning 3.1 g/t gold over 70 cm from a downhole depth of 99 metres.





BOC003 drill tested the eastern chargeability anomaly associated with a northerly trending fault zone and intersected diorite porphyry in faulted contact with schist country rock.





The area North of BOC001 demonstrates the best potential for follow up exploration. BOC001 is interpreted to represent the peripheral, phyllic alteration zone (pyrite-sericite-quartz) to a gold bearing (grades of 0.5 to 2 g/t gold), fine grained, porphyry diorite located approximately 200 metres north of the hole intercept. This porphyry body is coincident with a hi magnetic anomaly and requires a follow up IP survey and drill testing.



European Investor Relations Consultant

The Company has retained Westlake Capital ("Westlake"), a sole proprietorship of Roland Eschle, to provide investor relations services. Westlake, based in Zurich, Switzerland, will provide investor relations and business development services to increase the Company's profile within the European investment community. In consideration for providing these services, Westlake is entitled to a monthly fee of GBP 4,000 and 30,000 stock options (the "Options"). Westlake has been engaged for an initial term of six months, which may be extended by mutual agreement, subject to earlier termination by either party on 30 days written notice. Other than the options, Westlake does not hold any securities of, or have any other interest in the Company, or currently has any right or intent to acquire such an interest. The Options will be granted in accordance with the Companys stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and have an exercise price equal to tomorrows closing price, be exercisable for a period of two years, and vest 25% each quarter over the initial 12-month period.

Qualified Person (QP) and NI43-101 Disclosure

David J Reading is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same. Mr. Reading has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geology (SEG).

Technical Information

Rock and core samples have been prepared and analyzed at SGS laboratory facilities in Medellin, Colombia and Lima, Peru. Blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance. Crush rejects and pulps are kept and stored in a secured storage facility for future assay verification. No capping has been applied to sample composites. The Company utilizes a rigorous, industry-standard QA/QC program.

About Collective Mining Ltd.

Collective Mining is an exploration and development company focused on identifying and exploring prospective mineral projects in South America. Founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, the mission of the Company is to repeat its past success in Colombia by making a significant new mineral discovery and advancing the projection to production. Management, insiders and close family and friends own approximately 40% of the outstanding shares of the Company and as a result are fully aligned with shareholders. Collective currently holds an option to earn up to a 100% interest in two projects located in Colombia. As a result of an aggressive exploration program on both the Guayabales and San Antonio projects a total of eight major targets have been defined. The Company is fortuitous to have made significant grass root discoveries on both projects with discovery holes of 104 metres @ 1.3 g/t AuEq and 710 metres @ 0.53 AuEq at the Guayabales and San Antonio projects, respectively. (See press releases dated October 18th and 27th for AuEq calculation.)

Contact Information

Collective Mining Ltd.

Steve Gold, Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

Tel. (416) 648-4065

To schedule a one-on-one meeting with management please use the following link:

https://calendly.com/collectivemining/30min?month=2021-11

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about the drill programs, including timing of results, and Collectives future and intentions. Wherever possible, words such as may, will, should, could, expect, plan, intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict or potential or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties, and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Collective cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and Collective assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Figure 1: Plan View of the Area Being Covered by IP at the San Antonio Project

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc12f19f-bf30-4e5b-b257-d34b254a0656

Figure 2: Plan View of the Pound Target - 1.3 km of Strike and Open

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08bdb681-7ab2-4a21-9e46-c8eddeba421b








Precedence Research

The corrugated packaging market size is predicted to hit around US$ 380.8 billion by 2030 and is expanding growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6% from 2021 to 2030.

Tokyo, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Precedence Research, the global corrugated packaging market size was accounted at US$ 276.52 billion in 2021. The global corrugated packaging market growth is driven by rising demand for the sustainable packaging solution owing to the rising concerns over the environment protection and rising government initiatives to restrict the usage of plastics and promote eco-friendly packaging materials.



The durability, reusability, and recyclability features along with the low cost, durability, and convenient packaging solutions offered by the corrugated packaging boxes is propelling the growth of the global corrugated packaging market. Increased demand for the packaging amongst the various industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, logistics, textiles, and chemicals industries is resulting in the burgeoning demand for the corrugated packaging across the globe.

Get the Sample Pages of Report for More Understanding@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/sample/1526

Report Highlights

Based on the package type , the double wall boards segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment. The rising demand from the consumer electronics and healthcare industries that needs extra protection of products during transportation is expected to fuel the demand for the double wall board segment. Moreover, the growing penetration of the online shopping platforms is expected to positively impact the market growth.

Based on the application, the food & beverages segment dominated the global market, accounting for a market share of over 36% in 2020. The huge demand for the packaged and processed food products across the developed and developing nations have significantly boosted the growth of this segment in the past years.

Story continues

Report Coverage

Attribute Details Market Size by 2030 USD 380.8 Billion Growth Rate from 2021 to 2030 3.6% Fastest Growing Region North America Largest Revenue Holder Asia Pacific Base Year 2021 Companies Covered Mondi Group, DS Smith PLC, WestRock Company, International Paper Company, Smurfit Kappa Group, Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, Georgia-Pacific Equity Holdings LLC., Packaging Corporation of America, Oji Holdings Corporation, Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing Ltd.

Ask here for more customization study@ https://www.precedenceresearch.com/customization/1526

Regional Snapshot

North America is projected to hit fastest CAGR during the forecast period. North America has witnessed a strict government regulation over the ban of plastics and this has encouraged the use of reusable and recyclable materials for packaging. The collective efforts of the government and the Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA) in the US have positively contributed in the growth in the demand for the corrugated packaging across the various industries in North America. Moreover, the increased penetration of the e-commerce, food & beverages, and the healthcare industry in North America has dominantly driven the growth of the corrugated packaging market.

Asia Pacific accounted for a market share of around 35%. Asia Pacific is experience a strong economic growth owing to the rapid industrialization, urbanization, rising number of economic activities, and technological advancements across various economic sectors. The huge demand for the affordable consumer electronics and burgeoning demand for the packaged food products is fueling the demand for the corrugated packaging across Asia Pacific. Moreover, the rapidly growing penetration of the e-commerce is further fueling the growth of the Asia Pacific corrugated packaging market.

Market Dynamics

Driver

Rapidly growing popularity of the e-commerce

The globe is witnessing a surge in the adoption of the e-commerce platforms for buying a huge variety of products like food, electronics, pharmacies, consumer goods, and personal care products. The easy availability of the desired products, easy home delivery, hassle-free replacement and refund options, and huge discounts offered by the e-commerce platforms is significantly boosting the online shopping among the population. This is expected to create a huge demand for the corrugated packaging across the globe during the forecast period.

Restraint

High competition from the plastic packaging

The availability of the flexible plastic packaging is a major restraint that may hamper the growth of the corrugated packaging market. The flexible plastic packaging is cheaper than the corrugated packaging solutions and offers durability and lightweight that reduces the overall cost of the packaging. Moreover, the flexible packaging results in 60% reduction in the greenhouse gases emission, and around 50% reduction in the landfills. Therefore, the sustainability and low cost factors associated with the flexible plastic materials may hamper the growth of the corrugated packaging market during the forecast period.

Opportunity

New product developments, partnerships, and acquisitions

In April 2021, DS Smith developed a 100% recyclable packaging for e-commerce. In March 2021, International Paper Company acquired two corrugated box manufacturing plants in Spain. In 2021, Heinz entered into a partnership with WestRock to provide a replacement for the shrink-wrapped multipacks for the Heinz products with recyclable paperboard by WestRock. All these developmental strategies adopted by the top market players in the corrugated packaging industry is expected to have a positive impact on the market growth.

Related Reports

Challenge

Adherence to stringent regulations

The manufacturers are required to adhere to stringent regulation regarding the greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable manufacturing methods. The corrugated packaging boxes are made from wood pulp, which negatively impacts the forests. This is a major factor that may negatively affect the production of the corrugated packaging market.

Segments Covered in the Report

By Package Type

Single Wall Boards

Double Wall Boards

Triple Wall Boards

Single Face Boards

By Application

Electronics & Electricals

Food & Beverages

Transport & Logistics

E-Commerce

Personal Care Goods

Healthcare

Homecare Goods

Others

By Geography

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa (MEA)





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About Us

Precedence Research is a worldwide market research and consulting organization. We give unmatched nature of offering to our customers present all around the globe across industry verticals. Precedence Research has expertise in giving deep-dive market insight along with market intelligence to our customers spread crosswise over various undertakings. We are obliged to serve our different client base present over the enterprises of medicinal services, healthcare, innovation, next-gen technologies, semi-conductors, chemicals, automotive, and aerospace & defense, among different ventures present globally.

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European stock markets climb: Pro-Russian activists react in a street react after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognising two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities. Photo: Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko

European stock markets ended the day mixed after rising earlier on Wednesday as investors weighed up the latest developments between Russia and Ukraine, and eurozone inflation hit an all-time high.

In London, the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) climbed 0.1% on the day, giving up some gains late in the session, with autos and basic resources outperforming amid a slew of corporate reports. The CAC (^FCHI) fell 0.1% in Paris, and the DAX (^GDAXI) was 0.5% lower in Frankfurt.

Inflation in the eurozone climbed to 5.1% in January, from 5% in December, according to final figures from Eurostat, the European Unions statistics office. The lowest annual rates were registered in France, which came in at 3.3%, Portugal at 3.4%, and Sweden at 3.9%. The highest annual rates were recorded in Lithuania at 12.3%, Estonia at 11.0%, and Czechia (8.8%).

Market mood is not cheerful but the softer-than-feared sanctions are somewhat helping to lift the mood. The risk appetite is limited, of course, except in some key assets including oil and commodities, Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at the bank Swissquote, said.

European natural gas futures jumped 8% yesterday, the barrel of Brent crude flirted with the $100 mark, as the US crude spiked above $96 before easing back to the $93 level this morning.

Read more: Barclays to buy back 1bn of shares and raise dividend as profit soars

Oil prices also stabilised after a dramatic surge on Tuesday on the back of the news that Putin had sent in troops. Iraq and Nigeria said they were not willing to pump oil faster, even if prices hit three-digit numbers.

The pound also managed to hold onto its gains against the dollar after Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and other officials spoke to the Treasury Select Committee on inflation and the rising cost of living.

He called on banks to use restraint on bonuses to help keep inflation down as he warned the least well off will be hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis.

Story continues

"Please reflect on the economic situation we are in," he said. "There is a very big shock coming from outside. This hits the least well off hardest."

Watch: How does inflation affect interest rates?

Across the pond, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell 0.5% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) also lost 0.5%. The Dow Jones (^DJI) edged 0.3% down by the time of the European close.

It comes as US president Joe Biden widened the scope of US sanctions to include Russian bank VEB, as well as sanctioning Russias sovereign debt. However, no major banks were targeted, and there were no threats to remove access to the SWIFT payment system.

"The US president also went on to say that the US would be authorising the deployment of additional forces and equipment to bolster the Baltic states, in order to reinforce NATOs borders, although he once again stressed that US troops would not step on Ukrainian soil," Michael Hewson of CMC Markets said.

"This lack of severity when it comes to further sanctions initially saw US markets start to rebound, however the backing by Putin of separatist claims to the whole of the Donbas region, and not just the areas they occupy, sent markets lower again towards their January lows, as the realisation dawned that further military escalations were now much more likely."

Asian equities mostly rose on Wednesday with the Hang Seng (^HSI) gaining 0.6% in Hong Kong, and the Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) rising 0.9%.

The Nikkei (^N225) in Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

Watch: What are SPACs?
OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of everyone in Canada from COVID-19. This includes securing safe and effective drugs as they become available.

Today the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that the government has signed a new conditional agreement with AstraZeneca for 100,000 doses of its antibody therapy, Evusheld, for the prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis) of COVID-19. The antibody therapy is under review by Health Canada for use in specific high-risk patient populations, such as people who are immunocompromised. Health Canada is currently prioritizing the review of all COVID-19 vaccines and drugs.

Should the therapy receive regulatory approval, initial deliveries would be expected to arrive in Canada within a month of authorization. The Public Health Agency of Canada would then coordinate distribution and delivery schedules with provincial and territorial officials immediately following initial deliveries.

Public health measures, vaccination, and therapeutics all play important roles in protecting public health and saving lives. The government continues to pursue a diverse portfolio of therapeutics to keep everyone safe, including people who are immunocompromised.

Quotes

"We are pleased to announce yet another important procurement in Canada's fight against COVID-19. Securing antibody therapies, such as Evusheld, will enhance our robust toolkit of therapeutics to protect the health and safety of everyone in Canada."

The Honourable Filomena Tassi

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"Vaccination continues to be the most important tool we have against severe outcomes from COVID-19. However, while vaccines provide excellent protection, people who are immunocompromised may need additional protection against COVID-19. That is why our government continues to grow its suite of treatments and preventative therapies to protect the health of everyone who lives in Canada."

Story continues

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos

Minister of Health

Quick facts

Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are working together to purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and related supplies.

Health Canada started receiving information for the submission from AstraZeneca to authorize Evusheld on November 3, 2021. Health Canada reviews submissions through an independent process and authorizes products based on scientific rigour and medical evidence.

Canada also previously secured access to courses of two oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19: Pfizer's Paxlovid and Merck's molnupiravir. Health Canada authorized Paxlovid on January 17, 2022, and the molnupiravir submission is under review.

Associated links

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Canada's response

Supplying Canada's response to COVID-19

Government of Canada signs agreements for COVID-19 oral antiviral treatments

Drug and vaccine authorizations for COVID-19: List of applications received

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SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2022/23/c1872.html
HALIFAX, NS, Feb. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - As Canada works towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, investments in our airport infrastructure continue to be crucial to maintain safety, security, and connectivity for travellers, workers and communities. Government of Canada investments also help ensure Canada's aviation industry is well-positioned to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Today, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Sean Fraser, on behalf of the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced new funding to help the Halifax Stanfield International Airport recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support continued air services and important transportation infrastructure projects at the airport.

The airport will receive more than $14.7 million from Transport Canada's Airport Critical Infrastructure Program to support:

the restoration of runway, taxiway and apron pavements;

the construction of a new taxiway;

the removal of terrain adjacent to Runway 14-32; and

projects to enable COVID-19 testing and screening at the airport.

In addition to the funding for the infrastructure projects, the Government of Canada also provided the Halifax Stanfield International Airport with $5.57 million from Transport Canada's Airport Relief Fund to help it maintain continued airport operations and essential air services for residents and workers in Halifax and surrounding communities.

Quotes

"The Halifax Stanfield International Airport is a key transportation hub not just for the Greater Halifax Area, but for much of Nova Scotia. It connects us with family and friends, helps us discover new destinations, and is a pivotal trade corridor for many Halifax businesses. This funding will enhance airport safety for travellers, air crews and airport workers, while supporting jobs and our regional economy."

The Honourable Sean Fraser

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Story continues

"As we move forward with the safe and gradual return of activity in the aviation sector in a way that continues to support the health, safety, and security of all Canadians, it will be imperative that we maintain a vibrant and competitive Canadian air sector. These critical investments will allow the Halifax Stanfield International Airport to invest in the infrastructure and tools needed to help re-invigorate the aviation industry and to allow Canadians to feel safe and secure when they travel."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra

Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

The Airport Critical Infrastructure Program, launched in May 2021, will provide $571.2 million in funding over five years to airports for eligible infrastructure projects related to safety, security, connectivity to mass transit systems, or testing and screening related to COVID-19 and its variants.

The Airport Relief Fund, launched in May 2021, provided $64.8 million in funding in 2021-2022 for targeted airports whose 2019 revenues were less than $250 million.

Associated Links

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

SOURCE Transport Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2022/23/c7136.html
Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Guam (Government of)Global Credit Research - 22 Feb 2022New York, February 22, 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Guam (Government of) and other ratings that are associated with the same analytical unit. The review was conducted through a portfolio review discussion held on 16 February 2022 in which Moody's reassessed the appropriateness of the ratings in the context of the relevant principal methodology(ies), recent developments, and a comparison of the financial and operating profile to similarly rated peers. The review did not involve a rating committee. Since 1 January 2019, Moody's practice has been to issue a press release following each periodic review to announce its completion.This publication does not announce a credit rating action and is not an indication of whether or not a credit rating action is likely in the near future. Credit ratings and outlook/review status cannot be changed in a portfolio review and hence are not impacted by this announcement. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history.Key rating considerations are summarized below.The Government of Guam's Ba1 rating reflects the territory's small and concentrated economy that is heavily reliant on international tourism; weak financial position, although with recent improvements, and debt levels that are notably above US state medians, though below those of other territories. The rating incorporates the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the government's finances and liquidity that will be manageable over the next 12 to 18 months largely as a result of substantial federal government assistance and the continuation of significant military construction activity in the territory. Generally positive economic trends prior to the pandemic and a favorable pension funding situation are also factors in the rating.This periodic review also covered related credits within the territory's debt stack including any special tax, lease, appropriation and moral obligation, intercept program, and pool program ratings.This document summarizes Moody's view as of the publication date and will not be updated until the next periodic review announcement, which will incorporate material changes in credit circumstances (if any) during the intervening period.The principal methodologies used for this review were US States and Territories published in April 2018, Lease, Appropriation, Moral Obligation and Comparable Debt of US State and Local Governments Methodology published in June 2021 and US Public Finance Special Tax Methodology published in January 2021. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.This announcement applies only to EU rated, UK rated, EU endorsed and UK endorsed ratings. Non EU rated, non UK rated, non EU endorsed and non UK endorsed ratings may be referenced above to the extent necessary, if they are part of the same analytical unit.This publication does not announce a credit rating action. For any credit ratings referenced in this publication, please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history. Xing Chen Zhu Lead Analyst State Ratings Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 405 Howard Street Suite 300 San Francisco 94105 JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Timothy Blake MANAGING DIRECTOR MSPG JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc. 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 U.S.A JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376 Client Service: 1 212 553 1653  2022 Moodys Corporation, Moodys Investors Service, Inc., Moodys Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, MOODYS). All rights reserved.CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE THEIR CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODYS (COLLECTIVELY, PUBLICATIONS) MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODYS DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE APPLICABLE MOODYS RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODYS CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS (ASSESSMENTS), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODYS PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODYS PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODYS ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. 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OAKLAND, Calif. and TORONTO, Feb. 23, 2022 /CNW/ - Harborside Inc. ("Harborside", or the "Company") (CSE: HBOR), (OTCQX: HBORF), a California-focused, vertically-integrated cannabis enterprise, is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated September 27, 2021, it will undergo a mandatory conversion of all of its issued and outstanding multiple voting shares (the "MVS") to Subordinate voting shares (the "SVS") (the "Mandatory Conversion"). This announcement follows on the implementation of certain amendments to the articles of Harborside, removing certain restrictions relating to the conversion of MVS to SVS, approved at the Special Meeting of Shareholders held February 22, 2022 (the "Meeting").

Harborside Inc. Logo (CNW Group/Harborside Inc.)

The Mandatory Conversion will result in each holder of MVS being entitled to 100 SVS for each MVS it holds, subject to providing the Company with certain requested information, which will be requested from each holder of MVS in due course. In addition, each holder of warrants exercisable for MVS (the "MVS Warrants"), will now be entitled to 100 SVS for each MVS underlying its MVS Warrants, upon exercise of such MVS Warrants. The Mandatory Conversion is set to occur on March 31, 2022.

"This Mandatory Conversion reflects feedback from the Company's shareholders indicating that they want both increased liquidity and a simplified capital structure," said Matthew Hawkins, Chairman of the Board and Interim CEO of Harborside. "As we continue the process of transitioning from Harborside to StateHouse Holdings Inc. following the resolutions passed at the Meeting, we are confident that this new capital structure will help position the Company as increasingly attractive to the investment community."

Once the Mandatory Conversion is completed, the Company will no longer meet the definition of "foreign private issuer" under U.S. securities laws and the Company will be required to register under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company will eventually be subject to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") reporting requirements applicable to U.S. domestic companies. The SEC's reporting requirements will require, among other things, Harborside's financial statements and financial data to be presented under U.S. GAAP.

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For the latest news, activities, and media coverage, please visit the Harborside corporate website at http://www.investharborside.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Harborside:

Harborside, a vertically integrated enterprise with cannabis licenses covering retail, distribution, cultivation, nursery and manufacturing, is one of the oldest and most respected cannabis companies in California. Founded in California in 2006, Harborside was awarded one of the first six medical cannabis licenses granted in the United States. Today, the company operates three major dispensaries in the San Francisco Bay Area, a dispensary in the Palm Springs area outfitted with Southern California's only cannabis drive-thru window, a dispensary in Oregon, a manufacturing facility in Oakland, California, distribution facilities in San Jose and Los Angeles, California and an integrated cultivation/production facility in Salinas, California. Harborside is a publicly listed company, trading on the CSE under the ticker symbol "HBOR" and the OTCQX under the ticker symbol "HBORF", and the Company continues to play an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to a broad and diverse community of California and Oregon consumers. Additional information regarding Harborside is available under Harborside's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements relating to the Mandatory Conversion on the terms described herein, if at all, and the timing to complete the Mandatory Conversion.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: whether the Company will receive additional voting support agreements for matters to be considered by shareholders at the Meeting; implications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the cannabis markets where the Company operates; changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion and acquisitions; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products in the markets where the Company operates; and the risk factors set out in the Company's management discussion and analysis for the period ended September 30, 2021 and the Company's listing statement dated May 30, 2019, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

The Company, through several of its subsidiaries, is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable United States federal money laundering legislation.

While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under United States federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in the United States. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Harborside Inc.

Cision

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hometown Lenders (HTL), a rapidly emerging leader in the national mortgage lending industry, is pleased to announce that a new branch in Auburn, Alabama, has joined its burgeoning family of mortgage professionals. HTL will celebrate the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The company selectively identifies and meticulously reviews established, well-respected mortgage lenders who have earned the trust of families in their respective local communities over time; utilizing this vetting process, HTL decides which existing lenders would be ideal fits to become new branch partners of Hometown Lenders.

As the latest result, HTL's new location in Auburn, Alabama, will be led by mortgage loan originator Timothy Gillespie.

"We're excited for Timothy and his team in Auburn to join the Hometown Lenders family. We emphasize growth not only with volume but also with the right people, and we're pleased to add another partner of the highest caliber who shares Hometown Lenders' core values," said HTL President John Taylor. "We believe that Timothy, along with his dedicated team, will bring another level of excellence to Hometown and continue to spur our positive growth."

The ribbon cutting will be held on February 23, 2022, at 10 a.m. CT at 1943 S College St, Auburn, AL 36832. For more information visit www.htlenders.com.

ADVERTISEMENT | 1-888-628-1414 | A division of Hometown Lenders, Inc., an Equal Housing Lender NMLS# 65084 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | Terms, conditions, and restrictions may apply. Loan products are subject to availability and credit approval. Not a commitment to extend credit. Hometown Lenders USA AZ BK- 0949142. Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act 41DBO-60614

Cision

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SOURCE Hometown Lenders
HONG KONG, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Financial Secretary, the Hon Mr. Paul MP Chan, delivered the 2022/23 Hong Kong SAR Budget on 23 February 2022. Budget 2022/23 details a somewhat ambitious attempt to address a wide array of issues and challenges but is mainly focused on pandemic relief and public health measures. There are rental protections for small business, higher taxes for landlords with multiple properties and major Corporations and more consumption vouchers for everyday residents.

Tricor is delighted to share with people its 2022/23 Hong Kong Budget Commentary which outlines the key proposal of the Budget and its Insights.

Further to the wish list for the Budget (http://3cor.in/22BudgetWishList) earlier, Tricor's Global Head of Tax, Chee Weng Lee shares his insights on the 2022/23 Budget and the implications on individuals and enterprises:

Given the challenges Hong Kong is encountering during the 5th wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Budget 2022/23 is positioned as providing some sense of relief once the Pandemic is hopefully put under some control.

The Financial Secretary delivered an expansionary budget against the backdrop of an economy faced with slower growth, global political situations, tighter monetary policies globally, supply chain bottlenecks and cross border travel restrictions causing a dampening effect on the recovery of the economy. It is against such a perfect storm that the 2022/23 Budget attempts to provide "A glimmer of Light at the end of the tunnel" with the objectives of stimulating the local economy, protecting jobs and livelihoods as well as to pave the journey for the post pandemic economic recovery.

The array of several short-term measures such as the rental relief measures to ease the financial burden of the hundreds of thousands of Small and Medium Enterprises is somewhat akin to the one implemented by Singapore in 2020 albeit that came attached with conditions. The Consumption Vouchers are welcome, but a cash voucher of an equivalent amount would be preferred.

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From a medium and longer term perspective, announcing moves to tap into the potential opportunities from the Mainland's 14th Five Year Plan such as strengthening Hong Kong's role as a global offshore RMB business hub is a move in the right direction. We look forward to hearing more details regarding the Financial Secretary's proposals to encourage innovation technology, financial services and to take advantage of the GBA's opportunities to paving ways for future economic growth after the epidemic.

Under the OECD's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 2.0, the Financial Secretary's reaffirmed Hong Kong's territorial source principle of taxation hence "preserving" the simplicity, certainty and transparency that comes along with it. Additionally, to safeguard Hong Kong's taxing rights, he announced the possible introduction of a domestic minimum top-up tax in respect of the global minimum tax rate starting from 2024/25 to ensure that the effective tax rates reach the global minimum rate of 15%. These initiatives are a must to ensure that Hong Kong continues to be relevant in the new international tax order. We are sure that the Financial Secretary will continue to address what actions Hong Kong has to adopt to ensure that we are no longer on the European Union grey list of Unco-operative Tax havens.

We certainly welcome the Financial Secretary's offer of tax concessions for eligible family investment management entities to attract Family offices to continue to remain and for new entrants to be established in Hong Kong. Hopefully, the magnitude of such tax incentives must be more attractive that what is already on offer by other countries.

Additionally, to enhance the long-term competitiveness and attractiveness of Hong Kong, we would like to see the Government consider and introduce group tax relief and allow carry-back of tax losses. The Financial Secretary raised the need to broaden revenue sources for the long-term financial stability of Hong Kong and we think Hong Kong has to address this in the not too distant future.

As Asia's leading business expansion specialist, Tricor has been a trusted partner of companies, large and small, in Hong Kong. We have also been actively contributing our professional knowledge and experience to help continuously improve the business environment and shape a better future for everyone. At Tricor, we are committed to working with companies, the government, industry associations and other professional bodies closely, and walking together with the people of Hong Kong to navigate through opportunities and challenges.

About Tricor:

Founded in 2000, Tricor Services Limited has been the leading business expansion specialist in Asia. Our team of 600+ professionals serves over 10,000 clients across multiple industries, including more than 50% of listed companies and family offices, from Hong Kong and Mainland China in full strength.

Tricor Services Limited's business expansion solutions include integrated business management advisory, corporate administration and secretarial services, trust and fiduciary services, and human resource consultation. Tricor Inside, our unique approach to business expansion, empowers companies to seamlessly maneuver from start-up to IPO and beyond.

SOURCE Tricor Hong Kong
Fortune Business Insights

Companies Profiled in the Iron Flow Battery Market Are ESS Inc. (U.S.), Electric Fuel Limited (Israel), Australian Vanadium Limited (Australia), Bushveld Energy (South Africa), VRB Energy (Canada), Primus Power (U.S.), Redflow-Sustainable Energy Storage (Australia), UniEnergy Technologies (U.S.), Avalon Battery (U.S.), ViZn Energy Systems (U.S.)

Pune, India, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global Iron Flow Battery Market size is anticipated to hit USD 15.24 million by 2028 and exhibit a CAGR of 29.3% during the forecast period. Iron flow batterys inherent advantages over conventional batteries and the rising adoption of flow batteries in utility sectors are expected to be the key trends boosting the market growth. Fortune Business InsightsTM has presented this information in its report titled, Iron Flow Battery Market, 2021-2028. The market size stood at USD 2.14 million in 2020 and USD 2.53 million in 2021. Additionally, the increasing R&D activities for using iron flow batteries across energy storage devices are likely to fuel the market growth in the forthcoming years.

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Companies Profiled in Iron Flow Battery Market:

ESS Inc. (U.S.)

Electric Fuel Limited (Israel)

Australian Vanadium Limited (Australia)

Bushveld Energy (South Africa)

VRB Energy (Canada)

Primus Power (U.S.)

Redflow-Sustainable Energy Storage (Australia)

UniEnergy Technologies (U.S.)

Avalon Battery (U.S.)

ViZn Energy Systems (U.S.)

COVID-19 Impact-



Supply Chain Disruptions amid COVID-19 to Impact Iron Flow Battery Market Growth

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted the market for iron flow battery. The declined installations of flow batteries in several projects have affected the market growth. The battery and other critical components supply disruptions have aggravated the situation. Furthermore, the closure of production plants due to strict curfews, lockdowns, and labor shortage, have negatively impacted the market growth. However, governments rising emphasis on modernizing the power industry is likely to amplify market growth in the coming years.

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To get more information on the COVID-19 impact on this market,

Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/iron-flow-battery-market-101324

REPORT SCOPE & SEGMENTATION:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021-2028 Forecast Period 2021-2028 CAGR 29.3% 2028 Value Projection USD 15.24 Million Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 2.14 Million Historical Data for 2017-2019 No. of Pages 110 Segments covered Application and Region Growth Drivers

Rising Demand for Power Supply Owing from Data Centers is Anticipated to Drive the Market

Growing Research & Development Activities in Iron Flow Battery Market Will Favor the Growth

Increased Adoption of Iron Flow Batteries in Utility Sectors to Favor Growth Pitfalls & Challenges High Capital Cost of Flow Battery Manufacturing to Hamper Market Growth Slightly





Segmentation-



On the basis of application, the market is trifurcated into off-grid & microgrid, commercial & industrial, and utility. Geographically, the market is classified into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Rest of the World.

Report Coverage-

It highlights technological advancements in iron flow batteries.

It showcases the latest industry developments.

It includes a detailed analysis of the COVID-19 pandemics impact on the market.

It offers a SWOT Analysis of key players in the market.

It offers key insights into the markets regulatory scenarios.

Drivers & Restraints-

Growing Application Scope in Energy Storage Solutions to Support Growth

The globally increasing research and development activities to utilize iron flow battery for energy storage devices are likely to be a key factor boosting the global iron flow battery market growth. For instance, ESS Inc., a renowned iron flow battery manufacturer, is reportedly working on flow batteries for usage in virtual power plants, commercial & industrial projects, and other such applications.

The increasing number of data centers is escalating the demand for electricity. The rising power consumption across the growing number of data centers is likely to boost the market growth.

The rising adoption of flow batteries in utility sectors owing to growing electricity demand is also projected to favor the market growth.

Lastly, the inherent advantages of these batteries and their wide application in industrial, commercial, utility sectors are anticipated to stimulate market growth.

However, the high costs of these batteries incur high capital investments, which may hinder market growth.

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Regional Insights-

Presence of a Robust Manufacturing Sector to Fuel Growth in North America



North America is projected to dominate the global iron flow battery market share. The presence of a robust manufacturing sector and the developing power generation, oil & gas, and chemical industries contribute to the market growth significantly.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness substantial growth in the forthcoming years. The availability of cheap raw materials and labor is likely to be a major growth driver for the market. Additionally, the growing renewable energy projects are also anticipated to contribute to market growth.

Europe is likely to exhibit considerable growth. The increasing government focus on the reduction of greenhouse gases and renewable energy projects is anticipated to favor the market growth.

The Rest of the World is expected to register significant growth due to the increasing energy demand and new renewable energy projects.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Acquire Contracts to Amplify their Growth



The major market players adopt ingenious growth strategies such as contracts, mergers, acquisitions, and others to maximize their market presence. For instance, ESS Inc. signed a contract with GRUPO SAESA Companys Edelaysen in April 2021 to provide a sustainable, safe, and clean flow battery system for renewable energy.

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Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Emerging Trends Key Developments: Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnership, etc. Latest Technological Advancement Regulatory Landscape Porters Five Forces Analysis

Qualitative Analysis  Impact of COVID-19 Impact of COVID-19 on Iron Flow Battery Market Steps Taken by the Government to Overcome the Impact Key Developments in the Industry in Response to COVID-19 Potential Opportunities and Challenges due to COVID-19 Outbreak

Global Iron Flow Battery Market Analysis (USD Million), Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Application Utility Commercial & Industrial Off-Grid & Microgrid Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of World

North America Iron Flow Battery Market Analysis (USD Million), Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Application Utility Commercial & Industrial Off-Grid & Microgrid Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Country U.S. Canada

Europe Iron Flow Battery Market Analysis (USD Million), Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Application Utility Commercial & Industrial Off-Grid & Microgrid Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Country UK Germany France Rest of Europe



TOC Continued.

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Smart Power Strips Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Device Type (Indoor, Outdoor), By Distribution (Online, Offline), By Application (Residential , Commercial , Industrial) And Regional Forecast 2022-2029

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Why China emphasizes adherence to dynamic zero-COVID approach

Xinhua) 07:44, February 23, 2022

-- According to Chinese health officials, the goal of the dynamic zero-COVID approach is to contain domestic virus flare-ups through timely actions.

-- Early detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment as well as stringent containment measures remain the key to curbing the transmission, said Zeng Lingxia, professor at the school of public health in Xi'an Jiaotong University.

-- The dynamic zero-COVID approach has allowed the Chinese economy to recover strongly despite sporadic epidemic resurgences.

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- "We are on the way, no matter rain or shine" -- Zhou Peijing, a nurse from the Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, posted on her social media handle, as she left for Baise, a city with a population of over 3.5 million that neighbors Vietnam, earlier this month.

Zhou was one of the more than 10,000 medical workers from hospitals across the region who had rushed to Baise to join the battle against coronavirus following a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. The latest outbreak emerged after a person returning home for the Spring Festival holiday tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 4.

Medical workers handle COVID-19 nucleic acid testing samples in a laboratory in Debao County of Baise, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

This is a classic example of China's dynamic zero-COVID policy. Authorities would react swiftly to contain the virus to greatly limit the impact on the economy and society.

Baise has curbed the spread of infections in communities, with no new cases reported for four consecutive days till Sunday, thanks to measures such as travel restrictions and mass nucleic acid testing. Life has returned to normal in most parts of the city this week with the further relaxation of travel restrictions.

The city had logged a total of 271 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in the latest outbreak, with 227 still under treatment. Earlier local health authorities said the outbreak was linked with the same transmission chain and was highly homologous to an Omicron infection detected on Jan. 31.

WHAT IS DYNAMIC ZERO-COVID POLICY

The dynamic zero-COVID approach is the Chinese public health policy that has been implemented to fight the coronavirus over the past two years.

According to Chinese health officials, the goal of the policy is to contain domestic virus flare-ups through timely actions. The policy focuses on striking a good balance between epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development.

The policy mainly includes three parts: finding out the infection source in a timely manner, responding quickly to contain outbreaks, and providing effective medical treatment using a combination of Chinese and Western medicines to reduce severe cases and deaths, said Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under China's National Health Commission (NHC).

Residents queue up for nucleic acid testing at a testing site in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

The zero-COVID approach does not mean zero infections. However, it aims to quickly contain the outbreaks, Liang added.

"China has followed the 'dynamic zero-case policy' for two years now, and it has proved to be successful," said Zhang Boli, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

"It is inappropriate to regard Omicron as 'flu with a larger size'," said Zhang, adding that although the symptoms caused by Omicron are mild, it can cause serious harm to middle-aged and elderly people.

STRINGENT MEASURES

When confirmed cases are detected, local authorities in China generally take measures such as contact tracing, mass nucleic acid testing, closed-off management and travel restrictions to stem community transmission of the virus.

Shortly after the outbreak, Baise upgraded its epidemic control measures, including imposing citywide home quarantine and launching rounds of mass nucleic acid testing to cut off virus transmissions in communities and villages.

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 13, 2022 shows mobile cabin PCR (polymerase chain reaction) laboratories in Debao County of Baise, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

The dynamic zero-COVID approach, which prioritizes people's lives, holds the key to fighting the epidemic, said Lei Zhenglong, an NHC pandemic control official. In this process, containing the community spread of coronavirus is the first major step.

Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province that is home to the world-renowned Terracotta Warriors, has recently set a successful example for the dynamic zero-COVID policy.

The megacity with a population of 13 million was hit by a major COVID-19 outbreak from Dec. 9 with over 2,000 local cases. The city managed to stop the spread of COVID-19 infections in communities within one month through stringent epidemic control measures including citywide lockdown and mass nucleic acid testing.

When the outbreak hit Xi'an, the virus had already caused community transmission. In such a scenario, the primary task was to detect hidden cases and trace close contacts based on epidemiological investigations and quickly put them under quarantine, Lei said.

Aerial photo take on Jan. 12, 2022 shows government workers and volunteers receiving daily necessities ordered by residents under home quarantine in Yanta District of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

The practice has proven that the dynamic zero-COVID approach has stood the test, and early detection, reporting, quarantine and treatment as well as stringent containment measures remain the key to curbing the transmission, said Zeng Lingxia, professor at the school of public health in Xi'an Jiaotong University.

SPURRING ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The dynamic zero-COVID approach has allowed the Chinese economy to recover strongly despite sporadic epidemic resurgences. The global economy, however, still faces uncertainties at a time when the COVID-19 cases are surging in many countries.

China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 8.1 percent year on year to 114.37 trillion yuan (about 18 trillion U.S. dollars) last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

"China has quickly contained dozens of COVID-19 resurgences over the past more than a year, effectively reducing the death toll, while our economic performance is still among the best in the world," Liang said.

With the help of the zero-COVID policy, China has struck a good balance between epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, he added.

Meanwhile, coronavirus waves have continued to hit other countries, which lack a dynamic zero-COVID policy, wreaking havoc on people's lives and health, as well as economic and social development, Liang said.

After the epidemic receded, Xi'an has shifted towards restarting economic activity and preventing a resurgence of the virus.

A child selects festive wall hangings in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 25, 2022. Xi'an cleared all areas classified as high and medium-risk for COVID-19 after more than a month's epidemic prevention and control efforts, local authorities said on Jan. 24. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Targeted measures have been adopted to create a safe environment. "We carry out personnel screening and environment disinfection regularly, check visitors' health code and temperature at 26 entrances and exits, and place a limit on visitor numbers," said a staff member working at a renowned commercial street in Xi'an.

The zero-COVID approach also allows citizens across China to work and live with a sense of safety, as people are required to wear face masks and follow epidemic control rules in public places.

Zhang Wenbo and his girlfriend failed to buy movie tickets for the night of Valentine's Day despite trying to make a reservation one day in advance.

The couple from Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi, over 200 km away from Baise, instead bought tickets for that day's noon show. "Even at noon, the theater attendance was still above 60 percent," Zhang said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
By Trend

The top priority for Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to complete the missing sections of Georgias key trade and transport corridors linking regions with economic activity, ADB Country Director in Georgia, Shane Rosenthal, told Trend in an exclusive interview.

This will help Georgia capitalize on its geographic position as a regional trade, transport, logistics, and transit hub, including through improved commerce and logistics performance, Rosenthal said.

ADB, being one of Georgias largest development partners, has provided the country with $1.7 billion in development assistance throughout the partnership, Rosenthal noted.

For several years, ADB has been supporting Georgia in maximizing the potential of transport sector through large investments in infrastructure, the country director said.

We have committed more than $1.3 billion to ongoing efforts to develop strategic transport corridors and secondary roads, which are also helping to bring the sector in line with European standards. These investments cover major sections of the EastWest Highway and a climate-resilient highway along the NorthSouth Corridor that includes constructing the longest tunnel in Georgia, he said.

ADB has also made substantial investments to enable the delivery of safe water and sanitation services, and to strengthen the electricity transmission sector, to ensure balanced development across rural and urban areas.

The bank approved the $120 million Livable Cities Investment Program in November 2021, which is aimed at upgrading existing infrastructure and improving services in urban areas across Georgia, to boost economic opportunities and improve the quality of life, Rosenthal said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ADB helped Georgian Government finance measures to protect vulnerable groups and support businesses, he said.

Over the past two years, ADB provided $300 million in assistance aimed specifically at helping Georgia respond to COVID-19. We have also provided $15 million in financing for vaccine procurement and logistics through our Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility, he added.

Structural reforms remain crucial, not just for mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 but more broadly, for supporting economic growth and job creation, Rosenthal noted.

ADB has been building and sustaining momentum in key policy reform areas such as transport and trade facilitation, water and sanitation infrastructure, agriculture and irrigation, energy, and state-owned enterprise reform, Rosenthal said.

Speaking of the ADBs support for Georgias energy sector Rosenthal said that Georgias green and renewable energy potential is critical for environmental sustainability and for addressing the effects of the climate change.

Georgia Global Utilities, a water utility and renewable energy holding company, was able to expand water supply and sanitation in Tbilisi and nearby municipalities, and refinance debt taken for earlier investments in renewable energy and water operations, under ADBs support in 2020.

Rosenthal also mentioned the ADBs policy-based loan of $100 million, which was provided by the Bank in 2021, to help Georgia transform the electricity transmission sector into an efficient and financially sustainable operation.

He explained that the loan enhances Georgias energy export capacity and electricity market liberalization reforms with its planned establishment of Georgias first Energy Exchange  an initiative that is in line with international best practice, where prices are determined by market forces.

Further speaking, ADB country director said that the Bank will continue providing support to Georgia in implementation of structural reforms and also will introduce several new programs in 2022.

The ADBs activity in Georgia in the nearest future will be related to innovative approaches in e-mobility, the use of hydrogen technologies, and climate-smart irrigation for a more resilient and diversified economy, Rosenthal said.

A lot of our assistance is centered around public sector reforms focusing on governance, institutional capacity building, public investment management, access to finance and capital markets development, and state-owned enterprise reforms, he said.

According to the country director, one of the ADBs initiatives in Georgia in the current year will be related to climate-smart agriculture and irrigation development.

ADB will promote policies and investments to support new technologies, integrate urban development and municipal finance with green and sustainable transport for balanced development and private sector-led growth. One of our top priorities will be to help the government advance its climate change agenda by providing knowledge and financial assistance, Rosenthal said.

We are also working with the government on expanding operations in education beyond vocational education and training. This means doing more to support skills development and labor market productivity with modernized general education, he added.

According to Rosenthal, the challenge for ADB now is to ensure safe and sustainable operation and maintenance of the existing assets, so that they remain operational over the long term.

The Bank will continue to support improved transport and connectivity, water supply and sanitation, livable cities, and the energy sector in Georgia, the country director concluded.
<span class="legendSpanClass">New solutions provide more efficient email workflow, increasing ROI and subscriber engagement for marketers</span>

BOSTON and SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Litmus , a leader in email marketing, today announces new capabilities helping boost personalized brand experiences and increase efficiencies in email workflow and creation. Litmus Personalize, powered by the recently acquired Kickdynamic solution, improves engagement among email subscribers and unlocks revenue potential by empowering marketers to easily create personalized, AI-driven emails. Additionally, Litmus adds Email Performance Indicators in the Litmus Integrated Insights report, providing powerful, actionable insights at a glance, and enhances ESP Sync to streamline the building, reviewing, and testing of emails without switching between tools.

Litmus (PRNewsfoto/Litmus)

According to the Litmus 2021 State of Email report, over 40% of companies intend to increase their investment in email marketing. Furthermore, about half of marketers are boosting personalization for their email programs as a result of 71% of consumers feeling frustrated with impersonal experiences. With consumers requiring highly personalized experiences, Litmus' product updates enable brands to create properly segmented, one-to-one conversations.

"It's no secret that personalization and automation are the two most critical components to a successful marketing program, regardless of size or vertical," said Erik Nierenberg, CEO of Litmus. "With Litmus Personalize, we're elevating the opportunities and impact of email for every marketing team by helping them create data-infused, subscriber-led dynamic content for their customers."

Litmus's new product updates include:

Powered by Kickdynamic, Litmus Personalize, powered by Kickdynamic extracts the latest data from marketers' CRMs, product feeds, and more to automate email content creation from a single HTML tag. Additionally, Predictive Recommendations automatically surfaces the products resonating with similar audiences in real-time. These features provide powerful results with uniquely personalized, engaging email experiences created from AI and automation-based capabilities.

Email Performance Indicators , now in Litmus's Integrated Insights, surface visual badges to inform users which emails are performing well  or not performing well  and why. It also includes suggested follow-up actions.

With Litmus's ESP Sync enhancements , users can choose which folder to sync their emails for ESPs, including SFMC, Marketo, Eloqua, Hubspot, and Mailchimp. This makes it easier to build, test, and review emails without having to switch between tools.

The Analyze tab redesign reflects actionable dashboards, enabling marketers to identify insights at-a-glance and take action. With a single dashboard view, users can access valuable insights at any time or easily navigate to detailed reports.

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"The Litmus Integrated Insights Report already saves us so much time by providing powerful metrics from our ESP in Litmus without having to switch between tools," noted Aubrey Badger, Associate Director of Performance Marketing at Arizona State University. "The addition of Email Performance Indicators makes it even easier to quickly and easily see which emails might need attention and take action with the suggested next steps. The UI is beautiful and seamless and the help documentation provides so much rich content to help us improve our strategy."

This product update follows the announcement of Litmus' 2021 State of Email report and its acquisition of Kickdynamic . For more information, please visit www.litmus.com .

About Litmus:

Litmus provides the leading email personalization, optimization, and collaboration software for marketers. From pre-Send campaign development, testing, and AI-driven content recommendations through Kickdynamic , to post-send insights for future content optimization, Litmus improves marketing performance and boosts customer engagement. Drive conversion and revenue with Litmus' suite of solutions that enable users to efficiently build, test, and collaborate on large volumes of emails, while simultaneously creating highly personalized email experiences at scale. With offices in Boston, San Mateo, and London and backed by Spectrum Equity, Litmus is used by major global brands across every industry, including 80% of the Fortune 100, the top 10 retailers, 9 of the top 10 ecommerce brands and U.S. banks, and 23 of the top 25 U.S. advertising agencies. Learn more about Litmus at litmus.com , subscribe to the Litmus blog , or follow us on social media - Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram , and Facebook .

Media Contact:

BLASTmedia for Litmus

Ryan Hecker

litmus@blastmedia.com

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SOURCE Litmus
OTTAWA, Ontario, February 23, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioTalent Canada, today, announced the release of its 2021-2022 National Compensation Guide for the Canadian bio-economy. The guide provides employers with up-to-date compensation data for individual roles in the bio-economy. Armed with this data, an organization can design robust recruitment and retention strategies and gain a competitive advantage in the race for talent.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220222005751/en/

National Compensation Guide (Graphic: Business Wire)

"Most CEOs cite talent as the greatest driver of success for his or her company," says Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. "This National Compensation Guide empowers bio-economy employers to offer candidates competitive compensation packages that meet industry standards."

An updated compensation guide is a vital tool for every companys HR department. BioTalent Canadas guide reviews 34 key job titles and skills profiles within the Canadian bio-economy. It gives organizations the ability to:

access affordable industry-standard compensation practices,

benchmark company compensation practices,

benefit from market intelligence to recruit top talent and reduce churn, and

tap into peer and competitor market knowledge to hire with confidence and success.

"Theres been a paradigm shift in recent days: candidates interview employers just as much as employers interview candidates," says Henderson. "And todays job seeker looks for more than just base salary. Companies with limited resources can improve their offerings with additional benefits such as healthcare savings accounts, employee wellness plans, flexible hours and more."

This is the seventh annual National Compensation Guide for Canadas bio-economy that BioTalent Canada has produced. For more information on how to download your copy, visit biotalent.ca/CompensationGuide.

Story continues

Rob Henderson is available for comment.

About BioTalent Canada

BioTalent Canada supports the people behind life-changing science. Trusted as the go-to source for labour market intelligence, BioTalent Canada guides bio-economy stakeholders with evidence-based data and industry-driven standards. BioTalent Canada is focused on igniting the industrys brainpower, bridging the gap between job-ready talent and employers, and ensuring the long-term agility, resiliency, and sustainability of one of Canadas most vital sectors.

Recently named one of the 50 Best Workplaces in Canada with 10-50 employees and certified as a Great Place to Work for 2021, BioTalent Canada practices the same industry standards it recommends to its stakeholders. These distinctions were awarded to BioTalent Canada following a thorough and independent survey analysis conducted by Great Place to Work.

For more information, please visit biotalent.ca.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220222005751/en/

Contacts

Media Inquiries

Siobhan Williams

Director, Marketing and Communications

BioTalent Canada

613-235-1402 ext. 229

swilliams@biotalent.ca
Highwood, Feb. 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Highwood, Illinois -

Pazzo di Vino, a micro-winery in Highwood, Illinois, is announcing that memberships are open for their Wine Club, a membership program that offers residents of Lake County, North Shore Chicago, Highland Park, Highwood, and the surrounding suburbs a monthly supply of wine and tastings, as well as discounts on merchandise and events. Wine club members also receive invitations to exclusive members only events at the winery.

The wine club subscription is available at three levels: Poco Pazzo, Pazzo, and Molto Pazzo, which differ in the number of bottles of wine and complimentary wine tastings members get per month. Poco Pazzo, or Little Crazy, offers one bottle of wine and one wine tasting for $24 each month, in addition to discounts and invitations to private events. The Pazzo level comes with two bottles of wine and two wine tastings per month, for $44, and the Molto Pazzo, or Very Crazy Wine Club membership level costs $78 per month and includes 4 bottles of wine and 4 wine tastings each month, along with the discounts and invitations to members only events. Anyone interested in joining the wine club can sign up online or contact the winery for more information.

Highwood wine bar

Pazzo di Vino winery hosts many events in their wine bar that are open to the public, including live music, comedy shows, and more. In February, theyre hosting acoustic musicians Cover Story Duo and Bill Uhler, to give a couple examples of performances that might come to their stage. The space is also available for private rentals, for anyone looking for a space to host a party or event. Anyone of legal drinking age is also welcome to visit the winery for a wine tasting, which is a different experience than they might have in a typical restaurant or bar. This is because Pazzo di Vino is a fully functioning micro-winery, which crushes grapes and then ferments and bottles their wines on site. As such, Pazzo di Vino offers a unique selection of their own wines for visitors to taste and drink along with live music and small, tasty food items, curated by Chef Dominic Zumpano from The Gallery of Lake Forest. Guests to the wine bar can enjoy the food and drink on their gorgeous outdoor patio, in the Tasting Room, Gallery Room, or the cozy Hearth Room, all perfect places for sipping excellent wines.

The winery traces its history all the way back to the countryside outside of Rome, at a time when all there was to drink was water from a nearby spring, and wine. Generation after generation of the DiVito family worked fields of grape vines to make the wine theyd drink for the next year. In the late 1950s, when Lorenzo DiVito moved to America with his family, he continued the tradition of wine making in America as his family had been doing for generations in Italy. The family would seek out the finest grapes from the pop-up wine grape markets serving mostly Italians around the city of Chicago, and then have a big party for the crush - the process of crushing the grapes into juice, which, traditionally, was done by foot in large vats on the floor. Once the grapes had been fully crushed, the resulting juice and grape mash would be left to ferment, after which the mush would be scooped out and the wine poured into barrels to rest until it was ready to drink. After year of sharing this process with friends and family, Lorenzo DiVito was inspired to open Pazzo di Vino, to continue making excellent wines, and to share his great wines with even more people, which is his greatest joy.

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Readers who want to find out more about Pazzo di Vino and their delicious wines are welcome to contact the winery or visit their website. Readers can also follow Pazzo di Vino on Instagram, where they can get more information about events and other happenings, which can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/pazzodivino.

###

For more information about Pazzo di Vino, contact the company here:



Pazzo di Vino

Laura Duggan

(847) 780-3448

lorenzo@pdvwines.com

524 Sheridan Rd

Highwood, IL 60040

CONTACT: Laura Duggan




SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pharmacovigilance market size is expected to reach USD 17.36 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 10.5% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing incidence of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) is the key growth driver. ADR imposes a substantial burden on healthcare systems and is one of the prominent causes of morbidity in developed countries. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), approximately 5% of total hospitalizations in Europe each year are due to ADR. Pharmacovigilance services play an integral role in this clinical trial phase by assisting manufacturers in identifying adverse effects associated with the drug.

Grand View Research Logo

Key Insights & Findings from the report:

On the basis of a product life cycle, the phase IV segment held a dominant revenue share of over 75.0% in 2021 owing to the extensive post-marketing surveillance of pharmaceuticals and an increasing number of ADR incidences in the market

By service provider, contract outsourcing held a significant revenue share of over 55.0% in 2021 owing to the shift in the focus of pharmaceutical companies to outsourcing services to reduce operational cost

Based on type, spontaneous reporting held the largest revenue share in 2021 due to its wide application in pharmacovigilance and benefits such as easy simulation of data sets for better drug comparison

The biotechnology companies end-use segment is anticipated to exhibit a lucrative CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increasing R&D for the development of novel biologics

Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR of 12.1% over the forecast period. This is attributed to the availability of low-cost labor and the rising number of outsourcing companies in this region

Industry participants are focusing on increasing R&D activities to develop better pharmacovigilance services. Moreover, companies are adopting strategies including new product launches, collaborations, and mergers & acquisitions to gain a competitive advantage

Read 265-page market research report, "Pharmacovigilance Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product Life Cycle, By Service Provider, By Type, By Process Flow, By Therapeutic Area, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

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Pharmacovigilance Market Growth & Trends

COVID-19 has undoubtedly thrown up numerous challenges as well as opportunities for pharmacovigilance service providers. Various companies are developing innovative platforms to gain a competitive edge. For instance, in December 2020, ArisGlobal and EVERSANA declared a strategic partnership to digitally transform end-to-end pharmacovigilance services globally.

The community involved in a PV procedure has been quick to respond to the pandemic. Some companies are using big data analytics against COVID-19. Thus, this refers to the in-depth analysis of data from multiple sources. In April 2020, Saama Technologies offered its Life Science Analytics Cloud technology platform to support the consortium creation. The purpose is to fetch data from both current and future studies to slash the time required to discover a treatment by as much as 50%. Life Science Analytics Cloud is an artificial intelligence-powered platform. This represents the scope for future developments in this market.

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) report on pharmaceutical consumption, chronic disease medications accounted for the larger proportion of the total volume of drug consumption in non-hospital setups. Hence, there has been a significant rise in the number of medicines made available to healthcare consumers. The rising demand for drugs has significantly heightened the need for the development of novel therapeutics via extensive clinical trials, which is expected to serve this market with lucrative opportunities.

Moreover, leading pharma companies in developed countries are focusing on outsourcing PV services to reduce costs and minimize operational expenses. This is anticipated to serve as an opportunity for contact research organizations in developing regions to gain more revenue share. Manufacturers are now focusing on remodeling their product development processes in an attempt to cater to patient needs across the globe. These factors are anticipated to fuel the demand for pharmacovigilance services during the forecast period.

The companies operating in the market are undertaking strategic initiatives, such as collaborations with the PV service providers, to gain access to medical information and to manage PV workflows. For instance, In October 2021, The Whiteboard, an academy for training specialists in the clinical trials and drug development field, proclaimed a partnership with Oviya MedSafe, a worldwide drug safety service, and pharmacovigilance consulting corporation.

Similarly, in September 2019, Accenture collaborated with Bayer to implement the company's INTIENT Clinical platform to simplify and speed its drug development processes, thereby widening its business. The company collaborated with BioCelebrate in the past to develop a platform for aggregating and analyzing clinical information for improved drug developing efficiency, thus enhancing its R&D capabilities. Such initiatives help companies maintain their position and thereby support market growth.

Pharmacovigilance Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global pharmacovigilance market on the basis of the product life cycle, service provider, type, process flow, therapeutic area, end-use, and region:

Pharmacovigilance Service Provider Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

In-house

Contract Outsourcing

Pharmacovigilance Product Life Cycle Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Pre-clinical

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV

Pharmacovigilance Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Spontaneous Reporting

Intensified ADR Reporting

Targeted Spontaneous Reporting

Cohort Event Monitoring

EHR Mining

Pharmacovigilance Process Flow Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Case Data Management

Signal Detection

Risk Management System

Pharmacovigilance Therapeutic Area Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Oncology

Neurology

Cardiology

Respiratory Systems

Others

Pharmacovigilance End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Pharmaceuticals

Biotechnology Companies

Medical Device Manufacturers

Others

Pharmacovigilance Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East and Africa

List of Key Players of Pharmacovigilance Market

Accenture

Linical Accelovance

Cognizant

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings

IBM Corporation

ArisGlobal

ICON plc.

Capgemini

ITClinical

FMD K&L

IQVIA

TAKE Solutions Ltd.

PAREXEL International Corporation

BioClinica Inc.

Wipro Ltd.

United BioSource Corporation

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Software Market - The global pharmacovigilance and drug safety software market size is expected to reach USD 207.7 million by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., presenting a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. Increasing number of adverse drug reactions (ADR) is a key factor for market growth.

mHealth Market - The global mHealth market size is expected to reach USD 130.6 billion by 2030 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 11.0% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing adoption of mHealth apps and technologies by physicians and patients and rise in penetration of internet and smartphone connectivity are among the major factors expected to drive the growth of the market.

U.K. Pharmacovigilance Market - The U.K. pharmacovigilance market size is expected to reach USD 510.37 million by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 11.9% from 2021 to 2028. The increasing outsourcing and externalization of clinical trials by the majority of the pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, regulatory mandates on clinical trial conduct, and post-marketing vigilance are likely to drive the market at an unprecedented rate throughout the forecast period.

Browse through Grand View Research's Healthcare IT Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

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SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE/ February 23, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Algernon Pharmaceuticals, Adastra Holdings and C3 Metals on their latest news.

The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives.

Algernon Pharmaceuticals (CSE:AGN) begins manufacturing of Repirinast and launches chronic kidney disease research program

Algernon Pharmaceuticals (AGN) has awarded a contract to begin the manufacturing of a cGMP supply of its repurposed drug candidate NP-251 (Repirinast). The company has also announced a new chronic kidney disease research program. CEO Chris Moreau sat down with Shoran Devi to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Chris Moreau and to learn more about Algernon Pharmaceuticals' news, click here.

Adastra Holdings (CSE:XTRX) expands co-manufacturing portfolio and provides facility expansion update

Adastra Holdings (XTRX) has signed co-manufacturing agreements to produce pure hydrocarbon-extracted concentrate products. Adastra is rapidly scaling its production facility to meet the growing demand for hydrocarbon-based products. CEO Michael Forbes sat down with Shoran Devi to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Michael Forbes and to learn more about Adastra Holdings' update, click here.

C3 Metals (TSXV:CCCM) provides drilling program update

C3 Metals (CCCM) has provided an update on its drilling programs at the Jasperoide copper-gold skarn/porphyry project in southern Peru. A larger rig is currently drilling the first of several deeper holes targeting underlying porphyry copper-gold deposits at the Montana de Cobre Zone. C3 Metals President & CEO Kevin Tomlinson sat down with Sharon Devi to discuss the results.

For the full interview with Kevin Tomlinson and to learn more about C3 Metals' results, click here.

Story continues

Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald.

About The Market Herald

The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets.

DISCLAIMER: Report Card Canada Media Ltd. ("Report Card") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market Herald Limited, an Australian company ("Market Herald"). Report Card is not an advisory service, and does not offer, buy, sell, or provide any other rating, analysis or opinion on the securities we discuss. We are retained and compensated by the companies that we provide information on to assist them with making information available to the public. All information available on themarketherald.ca and/or this press release should be considered as commercial advertisement and not an endorsement, offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities. Report Card is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority in any province or territory of Canada, will not be performing any registerable activity as defined by the applicable regulatory bodies and do not provide nor claim to provide investment advice or recommendations to any visitor of this site or readers of any content on or originating from themarketherald.ca. Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees may from time to time acquire, hold or sell securities and/or commodities and/or commodity futures contracts in certain underlying companies mentioned in this site and which may also be clients of Market Herald's affiliates. In such instances, Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees will use all reasonable efforts to avoid engaging in activities that would lead to conflicts of interest and Market Herald and/or its affiliates will use all reasonable efforts to comply with conflicts of interest disclosures and regulations to minimize any conflict. All the information on this document and/or the website - themarketherald.ca - is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Report Card does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this document and/or website (themarketherald.ca) is strictly at your own risk. Report Card will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. From our website, you can visit other websites by following hyperlinks to such external sites. While we strive to provide only quality links to useful and ethical websites, we have no control over the content and nature of these sites. These links to other websites do not imply a recommendation for all the content found on these sites. Site owners and content may change without notice and may occur before we have the opportunity to remove a link which may have gone 'bad'. Please be also aware that when you leave our website, other sites may have different privacy policies and terms which are beyond our control. Please be sure to check the Privacy Policies of these sites as well as their "Terms of Service" before engaging in any business or uploading any information.

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Three Starbucks (SBUX) stores in Upstate New York saw the results of a union vote delayed on Wednesday, with relations between the coffee giant and some of its workers growing more contentious as dozens of stores around the country seek to organize.

Ballots were scheduled to be counted on Wednesday for three Western New York stores: at Walden Avenue and Anderson Road in Cheektowaga; Sheridan Drive and North Bailey Avenue in Amherst; and Transit and French roads in Depew. However, the vote count was postponed upon request from Starbucks, which has openly opposed the labor push.

Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board has not issued a decision on Starbucks request to review who can be eligible for union representation. Until the board does so, the votes will not be tallied.

"We were excited for our votes counted today. Starbucks had basically put in a request that they'd be impounded and the NLRB failed in its duty really to get to the appeal within like any sort of reasonable manner," Daniel Rojas, a shift supervisor at the Sheridan & Bailey store, told reporters in a press conference.

He added: "[The NLRB] had a month and half to look at this and it's the same legal argument that Starbucks is used all over the country. And it's completely frivolous. We know the ins and outs of it. The NLRB knows the ins and outs of it, and they've ruled against Starbucks every single time but it seems like they just couldn't get to it."

A similar occurrence happened in Arizona, where Starbucks employees had to await a decision from the NLRB on the company's request for review. Still, the board on Wednesday denied Starbucks request for review at the Mesa, Arizona store, arguing the move "raises no substantial issues warranting review."

According to the NLRB, the Arizona vote count will actually take place on Friday, February 25th at 5:00 PM EST.

The vote count in Buffalo would have given Starbucks Workers United (SWU), a labor group that advocates for the chain's workers seeking unionization, the possibility of another landmark win in New York, and a chance to expand its foothold.

Story continues

Locally in the Buffalo area, stores on Elmwood Avenue and Cheektowaga' Genesee Street have successfully organized. Those moves set off a wave nationally, with at least 105 Starbucks stores filing organizing petitions with the NLRB.

Even so, the organized labor battle has in some cases sharpened the divisions between one of the world's most recognizable brands and its workers, even as the company insists it wants the best for them. As the polarizing labor fight unfolds, one worker at a Buffalo Starbucks has alleged that the company is retaliating against her and others for leading unionizing efforts.

Cassie Fleischer is accusing the company of "effectively" terminating her from her role at the Elmwood Avenue location, after she asked to cut back on her availability because she had secured another job with full time hours.

From Cassie's public FB post:



"This is not the company I signed on to in 2017 and this just further proves that we need a union in our stores. Starbucks is making a big mistake and I will be spending this newfound time supporting my partners through the union in any way I can." pic.twitter.com/IsPx7pKM0C  More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) February 21, 2022

Fleischer had helped the union drive at the store, which became the first location to form a Starbucks union after a December 2021 vote. Since then, workers at a growing number of Starbucks stores  and indeed, other industries and companies across the country  have launched efforts to unionize.

However, Starbucks spokesperson Reggie Borges told Yahoo Finance that the employee in question was not fired. The representative said Fleischer's request for a significant reduction in hours was part of an ongoing series of "conversations with her and a large number of other partners who have made similar requests. While weve tried to accommodate those requests, we will not be able to meet every request."

According to Starbucks, Cassie has gone from 35 hours a week, which the company accommodated, to less than 12. That reduction, along with "a significant number of partners who have similar availability at the same time" resulted in Starbucks not being able to accomodate Fleischer, Borges added.

Dani Romero is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter: @daniromerotv

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

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Advanced First Responder Technologies, Combatting Cyber Crime, Border Protection, Safe and Secure Cities, Securing Critical Infrastructure, and Unmanned Aerial Systems

TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has issued a Call for Proposals to U.S. and Israeli entities in the Homeland Security sector to submit joint proposals for the development of advanced Homeland Security technologies. Each approved project will receive a grant of up to $1 million, up to 50% of the project's budget.

The BIRD HLS program, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Israel Ministry of Public Security, has been providing grants since 2016 to support joint U.S.-Israeli research and development projects. The program is managed by the BIRD Foundation and addresses needs and innovation areas defined by both countries.

BIRD HLS is directed towards U.S. and Israeli companies that develop Homeland Security products and solutions, and towards entities in other sectors that develop technologies that may be suitable for this sector. The program's Board of Governors selects joint projects between two companies, one from Israel and one from the U.S., or between a company and a university or research institute. Projects should focus on any of the following areas: Technologies for First Responders including Command & Control, Video Analytics, Communications, Wearable Sensors, Standoff Detection and Identification of Hazards, Personal Protective Equipment and others; Combatting Cyber Crime; Securing Critical Infrastructure and Public Facilities; Safe and Secure Cities; Border Protection technologies such as Biometrics, Screening Systems and Robotics, including Maritime Security; Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation said: "We are pleased to announce the seventh Call for Proposals of the BIRD HLS program to promote the development of innovative technologies for improved public safety. The program assists U.S. and Israeli companies in building synergistic partnerships and provides support to reduce risk in their joint efforts to bring these solutions to market."

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In its first six years, 14 BIRD HLS projects have been approved, with a total budget of $27 million. Program representatives from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) and the Chief Scientist of the Israel Ministry of Public Security lead the selection of awarded projects. The projects are reviewed and presented to the office of the Chief Scientist at the Israel Ministry of Public Security and its First Responders' agencies, and are reviewed by DHS S&T experts who oversee and promote innovation and partnerships with the industry.

The deadline for submission of Executive Summaries is April 25, 2022.

A full description of submission requirements can be found on the BIRD Foundation website: https://www.birdf.com/hls-call-for-proposals/

About the BIRD Foundation:

The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation works to encourage and facilitate cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies in a wide range of technology sectors and offers funding to selected projects. BIRD supports projects without receiving any equity or intellectual property rights in the participating companies or in the projects themselves. BIRD funding is repaid as royalties from sales of technology products that were commercialized as a result of BIRD support. The BIRD HLS program provides funding of up to $1 million, up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage.

For the BIRD Foundation website: https://www.birdf.com/

Contact:

Tal Kelem

Director of Business Development,

BIRD Foundation

tal@birdf.com

+972-3-6988304

Cision

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SOURCE The BIRD Foundation
Fortune Business Insights

The US Behavioral Health Market size is anticipated to grow from USD 77.62 billion in 2021 to USD 99.40 billion in 2028 with a CAGR of 3.6% in the forecast period 2021-2028

Pune, India, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The US Behavioral Health Market size is projected to grow from USD 77.62 billion in 2021 to USD 99.40 billion in 2028. The market stood at USD 68.79 billion in 2020. It is set to exhibit a CAGR of 3.6% in the forecast period between 2021-2028.

Competitive Analysis:

Prominent organizations operating in this industry are striving persistently to deliver state-of-the-art treatment options for various disorders. Universal Health Services is one of the leading companies in the market. It possesses a large number of facilities across the U.S. Some of the other companies are focusing on mergers and acquisitions to strengthen their positions. Below is one of the industry developments:

December 2020: IBH Population Health Solutions acquired HMC Health Works to broaden its robust capabilities in EAP and Opioid & Pain Management and Managed Behavioral Health segments. It would help the company to provide digitally sophisticated, whole person focused and comprehensive products and services.





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Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 3.6% 2028 Value Projection USD 99.40 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 77.62 Billion Historical Data for 2017 to 2019 No. of Pages 71 Segments covered Behavioral & Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, Trauma/PTSD Growth Drivers According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), one in four Americans has a mental or substance use disorder. A shift in cultural change and increasing cost-efficient scientific technologies together is anticipated to provide better access to physical and mental healthcare services for every individual around the country. The rising population of drug users in the country is mainly attributable to the strong segmental growth leading to high demand for services pertaining to substance abuse.





Story continues

In February 2021, Adventist Health Vallejo, a psychiatric hospital based in the U.S. signed an agreement with Acadia Healthcare. It will enable the former to sell its behavioral health services to the latter. Acadia will be able to strengthen the formers capabilities to deliver premium substance use and behavioral health services.





To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market,

Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/u-s-behavioral-health-market-105298





Market Growth Drivers:

The accessibility of savvy logical advances and moving social changes are relied upon to bring about the higher access of conduct medical care administrations in the U.S. Additionally, organizations are contributing colossal totals to expand their administrations remembered for protection inclusions.

It would assist a few group with seeking the necessary treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about the flooding reception of computerized answers for treatment administrations. Brightside, a well-known application utilized for treating discouragement and stress exhibited a flood of half in new clients during the early pandemic stage.

Running against the norm, deficiency of information and absence of R&D exercises in regards to these problems might hamper the US Behavioral Health Market development soon.





Market Segments:

Based on the type, the U.S. behavioral health industry is segmented into behavioral & mental health, substance abuse, eating disorders, trauma/PTSD, and others. Amongst these, the behavioral & mental health segment procured 49.0% in terms of the US Behavioral Health Market share in 2020.

It is set to retain its dominant position in the upcoming years on account of the surging cases of mental illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) declared that every year, more than 43 million Americans suffer from mental illnesses.





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Key Players Covered in this Report:

Universal Health Services (King of Prussia, PA)

Behavioural Health Group Inc.(Dallas, Texas)

Acadia Healthcare (Franklin, Tennessee)

American Addiction Centers (Tennessee, U.S)

IBH (Irvine, CA)

CuraLinc Healthcare (Chicago, Illinois)

Behavioural Health Systems (Birmingham, Alabama)

North Range Behavioural Health (Greeley, Colorado)

Other Prominent Players





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NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global IT monitoring tools market size is expected to grow by USD 30.10 billion from 2020 to 2025, expanding at a CAGR of almost 29% during the forecast period. Technavio expects the market to grow significantly in the ITOA product segment. The growth of the market in the segment can be attributed to the increasing adoption of ITOA tools by companies to obtain statistics and analyze data.

Attractive Opportunities in IT Monitoring Tools Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Our full report talks about the current market scenario, estimates, customer behavior, exact market size, and much more.

Request a Free Sample to understand the scope of our report.

IT Monitoring Tools Market: Key Drivers and Challenges

The market is driven by improving the efficiency of IT operations. With the help of IT monitoring, businesses are now capable of tracking the real-time performance of critical IT infrastructures such as downtime, bandwidth use, performance metrics, hardware outages, and other parameters. This helps businesses maintain their online presence and improve overall operational efficiency. Such benefits are increasing the adoption of IT monitoring tools among prospective end-users, which is driving the growth of the market.

In addition, the growing use of big data for IT monitoring and analytics will further accelerate the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Know about other factors influencing the market growth. Ask for a Free Sample Now!

IT Monitoring Tools Market: Segmentation Analysis

The IT monitoring tools market is analyzed by product and geography and geography landscape. By product, the market is generating high revenue in the ITOA segment. Growing complexity in business operations is driving organizations to embrace automation by investing in ITOA tools. In addition, the increasing integration of machine learning and natural language algorithms into ITOA tools is further driving the growth of the segment.

Similarly, in terms of geography, North America will emerge as the largest market for IT monitoring tools during the forecast period. The emergence of the US as the major hub for data center hosting and large-scale server installations is one of the key factors driving the growth of the regional market. In addition, the rising demand for cloud-based services, increasing investments in the telecom industry, intensified adoption of IoT devices, and the launch of new software and hardware platforms are contributing to the growth of the IT monitoring tools market in North America.

Story continues

Companies Mentioned

The global IT monitoring tools market is fragmented due to the presence of many domestic and international vendors offering a wide range of products and services. The growing complexity of technology platforms and data and infrastructure is driving vendors to focus on developing automated and AI-driven product solutions that track, monitor, analyze, and apply diagnostic solutions automatically. These are some of the players currently dominating the global IT monitoring tools market.

BMC Software Inc.: The company offers TrueSight. It is an AIOps platform, powered by machine learning and analytics. It elevates IT operations to improve the quality and performance of digital services that run in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Broadcom Inc.: The company offers network monitoring software for traditional, SDN, and cloud networks.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.: The company offers HPE Adaptive Management Services. These are tools to remotely monitor and operate IT infrastructure and applications, detect and help resolve issues, and provide advice on ways to continuously improve operations.

International Business Machines Corp.: The company offers IBM Tivoli Monitoring. The product monitors the performance and the availability of distributed operating systems and applications. These products are based on a set of common service components, referred to collectively as Tivoli Management Services.

Microsoft Corp.: The company offers Azure Log Analytics. It is used for IT management by collecting telemetry and other data from a variety of sources and providing a query language and analytics engine that gives insights into the operation of applications and resources.

Download Our Free Sample for additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments and other key players in the market.

Related Reports:

Infrastructure Monitoring Market by Technology and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Data Preparation Tools Market by Deployment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

IT Monitoring Tools Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 29% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 30.10 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 23.45 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 45% Key consumer countries US, China, UK, Germany, Canada, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled BMC Software Inc., Broadcom Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., International Business Machines Corp., Microsoft Corp., New Relic Inc., SAS Institute Inc., Splunk Inc., VMware Inc., and Zoho Corp. Pvt. Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five Forces Summary

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

ITOA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

ITIM - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Others - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Product

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

BMC Software Inc.

Broadcom Inc.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

International Business Machines Corp.

Microsoft Corp.

New Relic Inc.

SAS Institute Inc.

Splunk Inc.

VMware Inc.

Zoho Corp. Pvt. Ltd.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library 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: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/

Technavio (PRNewsfoto/Technavio)

Cision

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SOURCE Technavio
By Trend

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan departed on Sunday for a four-day tour to three African countries upon the invitation of his counterparts but had to postpone his upcoming visit to Guinea-Bissau as he will now attend the NATO Leaders' Summit on Ukraine amid Russia's move to recognize so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" and "Lugansk People's Republic" as independent, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

According to a statement by the Presidency on Tuesday, Erdogan will arrive in Turkey after attending the online meeting from Senegal.

Earlier, Erdogan reiterated that Turkey has sent clear messages regarding the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, urging common sense to prevail and for both sides to adhere to international law, as he called President Vladimir Putins recognition of Ukraines separatist regions "unacceptable."

Speaking to reporters on the presidential plane, who attended his tour of African countries, Erdogan said Ankara has made it clear that Turkey is against Russias recognition of separatist regions.

"We have been sincerely striving to de-escalate tensions in this crisis and sent our messages regarding the solution of the issue," he said, adding that Russias recognition is a clear violation of Ukraines political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Global Market Insights, Inc

The growth of the Western Europe food phosphate market is driven by surging demand for processed meat products, booming meat & poultry processing sector, and growing seafood consumption, says this report.

Selbyville, Delaware, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the latest research report by Global Market Insights Inc., the Western Europe Food Phosphate Market was valued at USD 44 million in 2020 and is expected to reach a valuation of around USD 65.5 million by 2027, registering with a CAGR of 6% from 2021-2027. The report provides a detailed analysis of market size & estimations, drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, wavering market trends, and major investment pockets.

Phosphates are commonly added to various processed food products. High demand for ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meat products from households is likely to drive product demand. Surging use of fresh & cooked hams, chilled meat, sausages, and frozen fish products is foreseen to boost market demand in the coming years. Furthermore, growing consumer interest in shelf-stable frozen seafood products as an alternative to red meat is slated to propel market growth over the forecast period.

Request for Sample Report: https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/5199

Blended phosphates are mainly utilized in meatballs, meat sausages, chicken, cooked & raw shrimps, surimi, and fish fillets. They serve as a key additive in the production of high-quality processed foods in various markets, including meat, seafood, and poultry. They also offer a synergistic effect in meat and seafood applications and enhance end product quality. Soaring demand and production of poultry, processed meat, and seafood items in Western Europe are set to promote the uptake of blended phosphates in the coming years. Owing to these factors, the blended phosphate product segment is projected to observe steady growth at a CAGR of about 6.5% through the analysis timeline.

Story continues

Meanwhile, the Western Europe food phosphate market share from the sodium phosphate product segment is slated to progress at around 5.5% CAGR over the review period. Mounting adoption of sodium phosphate to regulate pH of processed meat products like canned tuna and deli meat is foreseen to support segmental growth over the following years.

Key reasons for Western Europe food phosphate market growth:

Prominent adoption in seafood items. Prevalent utilization in processed foods. High uptake in ready-to-eat food products. Growing usage in meat & poultry products.

2027 forecasts show others segment retaining its dominance:

From the application perspective, the others segment is projected to exceed a valuation of USD 8.35 million by the end of 2027. Other applications of food phosphate include bacon, beef burger patties, roast beef, and canned fish. Burgeoning consumption of meat products, such as frozen turkey, beef, and pork as well as canned fish, in Western Europe is primed to bolster segmental development in the forthcoming years.

Italy to maintain top status in terms of revenue:

By country, the Italy food phosphate market is expected to register substantial growth at approximately 5% CAGR through the study timeframe. The booming domestic meat and poultry processing industry provides massive growth potential for food grade phosphate producers operating in Italy. Additionally, rising consumer expenditure on convenience and ready-to-eat meat and poultry items is likely to foster food phosphate industry outlook in Italy.

Request for the customization of this report: https://www.gminsights.com/roc/5199

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Western Europe food phosphate market:

The COVID-19 outbreak severely disrupted food supply chains, thereby triggering a major socio-economic crisis in the region. Thus, the COVID-induced supply shortage of food products adversely impacted the food phosphate market in Western Europe. However, increased government emphasis on expediting economic recovery, declining cases, and widespread vaccination drives have been favorable for market growth during the pandemic.

Leading market players:

Major producers functioning in the Western Europe food phosphate industry include Arkema Group, Fosfa A.S, ICL Specialty Products Inc., Merck KGaA, Prayon, and Univar, Inc., among others.

About Global Market Insights Inc.

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider. Offering syndicated and custom research reports, growth consulting and business intelligence services, Global Market Insights Inc. aims to help clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data that aid in strategic decision making.





CONTACT: Contact Us: Arun Hegde Corporate Sales, USA Global Market Insights Inc. Phone: +1-302-846-7766 Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688 Email: sales@gminsights.com Web: https://www.gminsights.com




VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Wildpack Beverage Inc. (TSXV: CANS) (OTCQB: WLDPF) ("Wildpack") is pleased to announce approval to commence trading on the OTCQB Venture Market (the "OTCQB"), beginning today, February 23, 2022, in the United States under the symbol 'WLDPF'. Wildpack's common shares continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol 'CANS'.

Wildpack Beverage commences trading in the United States on the OTCQB. (CNW Group/Wildpack Beverage Inc.)

The OTCQB listing is a key step in enabling frictionless access for non-Canadian investors to gain ready on-line access to data, transparency, and liquidity in our securities. Wildpack is a U.S. based beverage manufacturing and packaging growth business to which we are excited to provide access to investors in that jurisdiction. U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and real-time Level 2 quotes for Wildpack on www.otcmarkets.com/stock/WLDPF/overview.

Jeffrey Mason, Chair of the Board for Wildpack commented "We are excited to increase our accessibility to investors in the U.S. and globally with our shares being listed on the OTCQB. As a 6-location business that operates across the U.S., this is a natural step in aligning our operations with our capital structure and our ever-growing investor base."

In connection with the listing, we have commenced a comprehensive digital media marketing campaign led by Stanford & Turner Marketing Group ("Stanford") which principally operates out of Los Angeles, California. Under the terms of the campaign, Stanford will provide a combination of content development, web development, media buying and distribution, and reporting and optimization to Wildpack at a total cost of US$45,000, with cash on hand, over a three-month period and US$15,000 per month on a month-to-month basis, thereafter, commencing February 23, 2022. Wildpack and Stanford act at arm's length, and Stanford has no present interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of Wildpack. The appointment of Stanford is subject to normal course approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

Story continues

Per: "Mitch Barnard"

Mitch Barnard

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Advisors

Stifel GMP is financial advisor to Wildpack Beverage Inc., Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP is its legal advisor.

Visit our investor website at:

https://investor.wildpackbev.com

About Wildpack

Wildpack is engaged in beverage manufacturing and packaging, operating in the middle market by providing sustainable aluminum can filling, decorating, and brokering services to brands throughout the United States. Wildpack currently operates indirectly through its wholly owned subsidiaries and out of facilities in Baltimore, Maryland, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Atlanta, Georgia, Longmont, Colorado, Sacramento, California and Las Vegas, Nevada with a focus on digital innovation and green ready-to-drink packaging. Wildpack commenced trading on May 19, 2021, on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "CANS.V" and commenced trading on February 23, 2022, on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol "WLDPF".

Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Information

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements with respect to Wildpack's plans, financial performance and operating performance, anticipated growth in co-packing business, the estimation of revenue, the timing and targets of M&A activity, costs, future capital expenditures, and the success of integration. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks including but not limited to: risks related to the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to operations; risks related to general economic conditions and credit availability, ability to obtain sufficient and suitable financing, actual results of current production and decorating, fluctuations in prices of aluminum; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the co-packaging industry; delays in the completion of capex activities, changes in national and local government regulation of manufacturing operations and labour laws in light of the current COVID pandemic, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments where Wildpack operates. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements expressed or implied by Wildpack are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and conditions, many of which are outside of Wildpack's control, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Although Wildpack has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties related to Wildpack's business, including that Wildpack's assumptions in making forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect; delays in filing of financial information; adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the beverage manufacturing and packaging sector in general; that future results may vary from historical results; and competition in the markets where Wildpack operates. Except as required by securities law, Wildpack does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cision

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SOURCE Wildpack Beverage Inc.
By Josh Smith

SEOUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The international community should form a strategy to provide North Korea with at least 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to head off humanitarian disaster, an independent U.N. human rights investigator said on Wednesday.

The vaccines could be a way to persuade the country to ease lockdowns that have left some of its 26 million people on the verge of starvation, Tomas Ojea Quintana, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, told a briefing in Seoul.

"It is imperative that the population of North Korea start to be vaccinated... so that the government will have no excuse to maintain the closing of the borders," he said.

North Korea is not known to have imported any COVID-19 vaccines, and the COVAX global COVID-19 vaccine-sharing programme has scaled back the number of doses allocated for the country.

Last year North Korea rejected planned shipments of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine that were being organised under COVAX due to concerns over side effects, a South Korean think-tank said at the time.

Pyongyang also turned down an offer of 3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses of China's Sinovac Biotech, UNICEF said last year.

Authorities in Pyongyang appeared to be suspicious of receiving just a partial amount of vaccines and then to be under pressure to accept more, something that could be resolved by reaching a deal to provide enough doses for the whole country, Ojea Quintana said.

The U.N. investigator said he had raised the prospect of providing 60 million vaccines to North Korea during meetings with international diplomats in Seoul, but that such a proposal had yet to be formally made to Pyongyang and a number of issues would need to be worked out, including payments and any sanctions hurdles.

North Korea has not reported any COVID-19 cases and has imposed strict anti-virus measures, including border closures and domestic travel curbs. For the first time since early 2020, it began allowing a few trains to cross the border from China last month.

Story continues

"The most serious situation in North Korea is food," Ojea Quintana said, adding that some of the most vulnerable populations appear at risk of starvation.

Even if North Korea's government sees a legitimate public health reason for maintaining the restrictions, it has an obligation to balance that with people's need for food, which is linked to their freedom of movement, he said.

The border and movement restrictions have been particularly damaging for North Koreans relying on commercial activities along the border with China, and that has been compounded by the impact of sanctions, Ojea Quintana added.

He repeated calls for sanctions on North Korea to be more flexible, to avoid causing humanitarian harm to ordinary residents. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
ReportLinker

Major players in the x-ray detectors market are Varex Imaging Corporation, Thales Group, Canon Inc. , Agfa-Gevaert Group, FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, Hamamatsu Photonics K. K. , Analogic Corporation, Konica Minolta Inc.

New York, Feb. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "X-Ray Detectors Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233726/?utm_source=GNW

, MOXTEK Inc., Teledyne Digital Imaging Inc., iRay Technology, Vieworks Co. Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Siemens AG, Trixell, DR Tech Corporation and Comet Holding AG.



The global surface inspection market is expected to grow from $3.88 billion in 2021 to $4.23 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2 %. The change in growth trend is mainly due to the companies stabilizing their output after catering to the demand that grew exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The market is expected to reach $5.67 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.6%.



The X-ray detectors market consists of sales of X-ray detectors by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to measure spatial distribution, spectrum, flux, and other X-rays properties.X-ray detectors are devices that transform X-rays into visible light using an electric current.



X-rays are also useful in medical imaging for diagnostic procedures using X-ray radiography, mammography, computed tomography (CT), and angiography.



The main types of components in the surface inspection are cameras, frame grabbers, optics, lighting equipment, processors, software, and others.Frame Grabbers are used in image processing, analysis of cell motion and it is helpful to detect faults through surface inspection.



The different surface types include 2D and 3D and are deployed in various types including traditional systems and robotic cells. These are used in several sectors such as semiconductor, automotive, electrical and electronics, glass and metal, food and packaging, medical and pharmaceuticals, plastic and rubber, printing, others.



North America was the largest region in the X-ray detectors market in 2020.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The rising number of cancer cases is significantly contributing to the growth of the X-ray detectors market.Cancer is a disorder in which normal body cells begin to proliferate out of control, resulting in tumors.



X-ray detectors aid in the detection of cancer in a variety of bodily components, including bones and organs such as the stomach and kidneys. For instance, according to the American Cancer Society report, by 2040, the global cancer burden is predicted to reach 28.4 million cases, up 47% from 2020. Therefore, the rising number of cancer cases is expected to drive the growth of the X-ray detectors market going forward.



Technological advancements are shaping the X-ray detectors market.Major companies operating in the X-ray detectors sector are focused on developing technological solutions to strengthen their position in the market.



For example, in January 2020, Nanox, an Israel-based company that develops medical imaging systems launched the Nanox System composed of the Nanox.Arc, a digital X-ray device assisted with AI-based software and Nanox.cloud, a companion cloud-based software. The Nanox System will aid in the early identification of medical disorders that can be detected using X-ray technology.



In April 2019, Varex Imaging Corporation, a US-based manufacturer of X-ray components acquired Direct Conversion AB for an amount of $72.09 million (64.7 million). This acquisition aims to expand Varex Imaging Corporations linear array digital detectors product portfolio. Direct Conversion AB is a Sweden-based company that manufactures digital X-ray detectors.



The countries covered in the x-ray detectors market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK and USA.





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06233726/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




A 17-year-old boy has been charged in connection with an armed carjacking late last month in King George County.

The incident took place early Jan. 31 at the Sheetz on State Route 3 near Dahlgren Road, said King George Sheriffs 1st Sgt. Kecia Wharton. An employee reported that he had just arrived at work when two males wearing face coverings approached him at gunpoint and demanded his orange 2017 Hyundai Tucson.

Court records state the vehicle was later spotted at the Fas Mart in Colonial Beach. A town police officer responded to a tip and a pursuit ensued. The two occupants eventually fled on foot and were not immediately apprehended.

Surveillance footage from the Fas Mart showed the front seat passenger, who Beach police were able to identify. A name is in an affidavit for a search warrant but was not released by police because he is a juvenile.

According to Colonial Beach police, the teen was apprehended Sunday as part of an ongoing joint investigation involving town police and the King George and Westmoreland sheriffs offices. Two homes in Colonial Beach were searched as part of the investigation.

Other incidents being investigated include a Feb. 17 incident in which shots were fired toward a town police officer and a Jan. 17 home-invasion robbery on Bancroft Avenue in which money and other items were taken. A resident suffered a minor injury in that robbery.

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The public is invited to join a virtual Black History Month discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, about what the lives of the American Civil Wars Black soldiers and their families were like.

Holly A. Pinheiro Jr., an assistant history professor at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., will discuss how racism in military service and out of service impacted the economies, family structures and society of African Americans long after the nations deadliest war ended.

His new book, The Families Civil War: Northern African American Soldiers and The Fight for Racial Justice, will be released in June by The University of Georgia Press.

Wednesday evenings online discussion is free and open to all, but requires registration at germanna.edu. It is part of Germannas Community Conversations series.

Pinheiro was one of the featured speakers Saturday in Richmond at the American Civil War Museums 2022 symposium, The Soldiers Civil War.

His research from the Civil War through the 1930s reveals that, for years and even generations after soldiers left the battlefield, African-American veterans and their families suffered economic and social instability introduced by military service.

Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and newspaper editor who was formerly enslaved while a Maryland plantation laborer, recruited Black men for the Union army as a supposed responsibility and an opportunity to prove their patriotic manhood. Those men included his own sons and others who enlisted with the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, of 1989 Glory movie fame.

During a 2021 CSPAN appearance, Pinheiro noted that wartime advocates promises that enlisting would refute negative racial stereotypes and result in full citizenship rights, including voting rights, for Black soldiers proved to be empty.

He called the Civil War part of a lifelong racial conflict faced by African Americans.

A Virginia native raised in a military family, Pinheiro has lived around the world, including Australia, as his familys service took them to different duty posts.

After finishing graduate school, Pinheiro held a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Alabama. He previously worked at Augusta University, where he taught African American history. He joined Furman Universitys faculty in 2021.
Lawmakers and advocates for more money for the short-staffed nurses who examine sexual assault survivors held a news conference Wednesday to highlight legislation they hope would help.

Sexual assault nurse examiners work in hospitals, where they collect evidence from and treat people who have been sexually assaulted in order to help with a prosecution in court. But of 95 counties in Virginia, only nine are home to a hospital or center with one of these nurses, and of those, only two have full-time staff, according to the nonprofit Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

That means many people who have been sexually assaulted, especially in rural areas, must travel long distances or out of state to see a nurse.

"Forensic nurses not only provide essential medical care to a victim of sexual assault or domestic violence during a very critical time, but they also collect the physical evidence needed in court cases to bring assailants and abusers to justice," said Del. Karrie Delaney, D-Fairfax.

Delaney filed a bill that's passed the House and would allow the nurses to provide court testimony remotely in certain proceedings to reduce the strain on staffing.

Lawmakers and advocates said the Senate's version of the new budget includes a dedicated $500,000 in additional spending on the forensic nurses. And they are backing a bill from Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, that's passed the House and is to be considered by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.

That bill would require the state to create guidelines for using money from the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund for salaries and equipment for sexual assault forensic examiners.

The $500,000 would help but would just be start at reducing the workload and strain on the nurses, advocates said.

Currently, only two hospitals, in Richmond and Fairfax County, have full-time sexual assault nurse examiners.

April Bennett, a sexual assault nurse examiner from rural Pulaski County, said many patients in Southwest Virginia drive hours for the services of a forensic nurse. She is the only such nurse in her county.

And at least 14 counties south and west of Pulaski have no formal forensic nurse program, she said.

"Many of those patients simply opt not to receive the services and not to go forward with anything because they don't have the time to spend a full, entire day trying to get services and have evidence collected," she said. "This does not help them heal and be able to move forward with their lives, and it does not help with the legal system with holding these suspects accountable."

This is a developing story and will be updated.
Senate Democrats drew clear battle lines with Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday over the state of Virginia's economy and the next two-year budget.

In a sometimes testy exchange with Secretary of Finance Steve Cummings, leaders of the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee made clear they regard funding of essential public services as a higher budget priority than the governor's aggressive plan for cutting taxes.

Senate Finance Chair Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, told Cummings that she has gotten relatively few complaints over Virginia's tax burden since joining the Senate in 1992, but added, "I've gotten on a daily basis, every day for 30 years, stories from people, pleas from people for better services."

"I think that...is what we are going to find is a very different approach from the [Youngkin] administration," she said.

The budget that the Senate committee adopted on Sunday includes about $3 billion more in revenues than the spending plan approved by the House Appropriations Committee, which endorsed more than $5 billion in tax cuts Youngkin proposed to carry out promises in his election victory last fall.

The gap reflects a fundamentally different outlook on Virginia's economy, which Cummings said is lagging behind the nation and regional competitors, despite unprecedented growth in state revenues that produced an additional $1.25 billion last week for the General Assembly to use in the fiscal year that ends June 30.

"We are in phenomenal financial condition right now, so we can do a lot of great things...part of that is returning money to taxpayers," he said.

Cummings touched on many recurring themes from Youngkin's victorious campaign against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe last fall: revenues are strong because taxes are too high; the state is failing to create jobs and retain talent; the cost of government is rising faster than the state's economic growth can sustain.

"When we debate this topic, I think it would be better if we can have metrics we talk about that measure success," he said. "I know we have some very nice ratings and awards, which are important for us for marketing purposes, but I think we've got to look at real results."

"We're lagging the nation right now," he said, adding, "I hope this kind of work is not a political moment."

Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw erupted.

"Listening to you, you'd think we're the poorest, most bankrupt state in America and everything has gone to hell in a hand basket," Saslaw said.

The Democratic leader cited strong business growth in Northern Virginia and the results of a poll released on Monday by the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University that showed a wide majority favoring increased spending on public services over tax cuts and rebates.

"The public doesn't agree with you at all, or most don't," Saslaw said.

The CNU survey found strong support for cutting the grocery tax. But when the pollsters cited the state's "historic budget surpluses" and asked respondents how the money should be spent, 38% chose "sending the surplus money back to Virginia citizens in the form of tax cuts or tax rebates," while 59% chose "spending the money on underfunded government services like education, public safety, and social services."

Cummings, who had retired last year after 40 years in banking and finance, urged committee members to put aside emotion and look at data. He said the data shows Virginia lagging in gross domestic product, failing to create jobs or recover those lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, and becoming less competitive than rival southeastern states such as North Carolina, where he spent much of his career.

"I understand where you come from and I understand your anger," he told Saslaw, "but I do think this can be a fact-based conversation."

"The state is not growing jobs," he said. "It's not growing its economy."

Cummings cited federal labor statistics that showed the Richmond area recovering only 30% of the jobs it lost during the pandemic, followed by Virginia Beach at 45%, Northern Virginia at 60% and the rest of the state at 80%.

"That's surprising to me," responded Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City.

Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, asked Cummings for information about where job recovery is lagging, by the type of business as well as the region.

McClellan also challenged the administration's priorities, particularly for public education, which looms as a major battleground in the budget fight.

"What I hear in my district is a desperate cry to fully fund K-12," she said.

The Virginia Education Association echoed her concerns about using the flood of revenues to address longstanding needs, including gradually lifting the funding cap on school support positions that the state imposed more than a dozen years ago during the Great Recession.

"Our general take is, if not now, when?" said Chad Stewart, a VEA policy analyst.

Stewart said the Senate budget would increase spending on K-12 by $278 million over two years on top of the money that then-Gov. Ralph Northam proposed for public schools in the budget he proposed in December.

In contrast, he said the House spending plan would reduce K-12 spending in Northam's proposed budget by $638 million, much of it coming through cuts in proposed spending on school divisions with high concentrations of students living in poverty.

Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, focused on what he called underfunding of colleges and universities.

"We need to invest more in public education, higher education and transportation, not less," Edwards said.

Cummings responded, "Where are all of these higher education students going when they graduate? They're not staying here."

Asked by Edwards about Virginia's ranking by CNBC as the "best state for business" in 2019 and 2021, he answered, "That's not adding jobs."

Ultimately, Cummings said, "We have to be able to explain why we are not growing now .... Why is it we're lagging all these other states? Why are we lagging the national average in our ability to grow our economy?"

"I accept the challenge and I understand I upset people maybe with what I would say is the reporting of the inconvenient truth," he said.
More than a few Virginians were caught off guard in the first month of Gov. Glenn Youngkins administration when, after campaigning as a more-moderate Republican, he took a hard turn to the right by stoking wedge issues like critical race theory, and by abruptly trying to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

That turn is not sitting well with many Virginians. Indeed, on both of these issues, the governors favorability rating is now well underwater, according to the State of the Commonwealth 2022 survey by the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University.

Earlier this month, we encouraged the new Republican administration to focus on passing bills in a divided General Assembly, not igniting culture wars on hot-button issues. [GOP should focus on passing bills, not the next election, Feb. 5.]

Political victory is an intoxicating drug, so Youngkins misreading his triumph as a broad mandate is understandable. Democratic leaders in the General Assembly did the same thing following the 2019 elections, after all, and paid a heavy price last November.

Youngkin has a unique opportunity, however, to turn public opinion around.

First, he can help bring across the finish line what is shaping up as a significant bipartisan victory to protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Pollution is one of the main threats to the bay, and experts generally agree that the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint is our best chance of reversing this damage.

With clear goals for each of the six states and the District of Columbia that together make up the bays watershed, this plan puts the bay on a path to being taken off the federal dirty waters list by 2025.

Now the General Assembly is positioned to deliver unprecedented funding for programs to reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay in recognition of the looming 2025 deadline to meet Chesapeake Bay restoration goals. Thats according to a press release from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF).

Among the conservation efforts that the House and Senate budget bills would fund are $250 million for the biennium to Virginias Agricultural Cost-Share (VACS) program, which helps farmers prevent runoff pollution.

A minimum of $25 million in matching grants to local governments would go to reduce polluted runoff from cities and suburbs

Significantly for our area, the House budget sets aside $71.9 million total for waste water treatment plants. Fredericksburg stands to gain $27 million, Quantico $17 million, and King George $16 million. The Senate budget sets aside $69 million for these projects.

These funds alone wont guarantee we will restore the bay to its former glory. As noted, six states are in the Chesapeake Bays watershed, and Pennsylvania is falling behind in meeting its benchmarks.

This bold move by the Virginia General Assembly, however, can help generate pressure on our neighbor to the north to clean up its act.

Second, Youngkin can help broker a solution to another issue facing the Chesapeake Bayclimate change.

As noted above, Youngkin got off on a bad foot by aggressively pushing to remove Virginia from RGGI, which is designed to lower damaging greenhouse gases that lead to climate change.

Removing Virginia from RGGI, however, is only part of the issue. The 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), which requires Virginia to decarbonize its energy grid by 2050, is still in place. Even if RGGI goes, Virginia will have to find a way to meet VCEAs goals.

Republicans are leading a charge to end VCEA. It is unlikely to clear the Senate, where Democrats have vowed to defend this landmark legislation.

Republicans and Democrats may not agree on whats causing climate change, but there is growing consensus that it is a problem. And its a problem that is affecting the Chesapeake Bay.

Rather than simply repeal RGGI and VCEA, leaving no clear plan for fighting climate change, Youngkin should work across the aisle to find a compromise that works to reduce carbon outputs, while continuing to generate affordable energy.

Thats a heavy life. But thats what leaders do. If Youngkin can cut such a deal, and sign a budget bill that delivers on the House and Senate promises to support the Chesapeake Bay, he stands to emerge as a true bipartisan leader who would draw praise from the left and the right.

As important, this would be an important step toward leaving his culture war baggage by the side of the road.

And judging by the Wason Center survey, thats precisely where most Virginians wish he would leave it.
This course is designed to help farmers and ranchers understand their current financial position and how big decisions like large purchases, new leases or changes in production will affect their bottom line. Participants will work through the financial statements of a case study farm, watching pre-recorded videos, completing assignments and participating in video chats. Upon completion of this program, participants will have a better understanding of how financial records can be used to make decisions and confidently discuss their financial position with their family, business partners, and lenders.
Dubai's Museum of the Future will host guest of honour Changpeng Zhao, Founder and CEO of Binance, the worlds biggest bitcoin and altcoin crypto exchange by volume, on the first session in a special series of talks hosted at the iconic structure.



The Future Talks will see prominent futurists, industry experts and scientists offering unique insights into the greatest challenges humanity will face in the future. The initiative is part of the Museums mission to create a platform where the worlds brightest minds meet and collaborate to design innovative solutions for tomorrows world.



In his Talk, Zhao will discuss his experience before launching Binance, which began by building large-scale trading systems for brokerage firms on Wall Street. And the potential of NFTs, Today, Binance has a trading value of US$2 trillion, while its own cryptocurrency, known as Binance Coin (BNB), is ranked third globally in terms of market share. He will also share his vision for the future of finance, the potential future applications of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, and the pivotal role of Dubai in globalizing the future of the sector.



An Inspirational Life Called Innovation



The successful life story of Changpeng, a Chinese-Canadian businessman, is an inspiring model for youth to face challenges and achieve their dreams. He lived a humble childhood with his family after they moved from China to Canada, and had to work in restaurants during his adolescent years before he later had the opportunity to study computer science.



His first step in the world of independent trading was the establishment of the company Fusion Systems in Shanghai, a trading platform for brokers and one of the fastest digital trading systems in the world.



Zhao was a member of the founding team of Blockchain Info, before he later took a senior position with cryptocurrency company OKCoin, to later leave and announce the establishment of Binance after raising US$15 million through an initial cryptocurrency offering. The company turned into the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, and in 2018, Zhao launched Binance Smart Chain, which focuses on decentralized financing solutions.

Zhaos fortune is currently US$96 billion, making him the richest businessman in Canada and the 14th on the list of the worlds richest people issued by Bloomberg. Zhao ranks third among the worlds richest people in the field of cryptocurrencies, according to Forbes.



Passion for Dubai and its pioneering experience



Zhao tells a long story of admiration for the pioneering city experience in Dubai, the great opportunities it offers to empower creators and innovators, and its contribution to shaping the future of humanity.



Zhao had announced last November that he had bought an apartment in Dubai, which he described as a friendly city for crypto-financial solutions, praising the governments future-proof vision and the citys business environment. During the conference in Singapore where he made the announcement, Zhao rocked the world as he was known to have previously insisted on not owning fixed assets such as homes and cars, but he clarified that the decision resulted from his desire to show his level of commitment to Dubai.



There are many bridges of cooperation between Changpeng, his leading company, Binance, and Dubai with its various government and investment agencies. Towards the end of 2021, the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority signed a cooperation agreement with Binance, with the aim of establishing an integrated system for the virtual assets sector that contributes to strengthening Dubais position as a leading global hub.



Binance has also chosen to organize its largest digital blockchain conference attracting senior industry experts from the region and the world, from March 28 to 30 in Dubai.



Pioneering session series



Changpeng Zhaos session is part of a series of nine talks that the Museum of the Future plans to hold from February 24 to March 29, directly in the museum hall, and is open to the public free of charge, subject to prior registration via the website https://talks.museumofthefuture.ae/

.

These Future Talks, during which global industry leaders focussed on the future of their sector, CEOs and revered entrepreneurs speak, revolve around several topics that discuss opportunities in the field of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the role that Dubai plays in investing in the future, the future of mixed reality, the reality of the Arab world, science, the future of mobility, the role that metaverse technology plays in changing the world, the future of finance, and the future of the technology sector and the state of the world in 2022.



Future talks aim to explore the future industry and enhance the ability of research institutions to anticipate the future, as well as celebrate the genius and scientists and institutionalize, design and manufacture the future, reflecting the role of the museum, which represents a global intellectual center that brings together international partners and specialized research institutions to study current and future challenges in depth and boldness to provide new and innovative solutions.



The Museum of the Future is a permanent exhibition to review various aspects of the future of humanity and the most important technologies that await humanity in the coming decades, and latest researches about the future of humanity in all sectors.  TradeArabia News Service


Northeast Community College in West Point will offer a course that introduces the skills needed to use email on the Windows operating system.

Email Basics (INFO 5135/22S and CRN #70102) will meet from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 5, at the Northeast Community College Extended Campus, Room 212, 202 Anna Stalp Ave.

Participants will learn the types of email accounts available, how to create a contact list, how to create new messages, forward, reply and print as well as other functions to properly forward emails without compromising a recipients security and reducing the chances of spamming.

Cost of the course, with Annie Lauschen the instructor, is $30.

Pre-registration is required. To register, call Northeast Community College in West Point at 402-372-2269.

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Richard Register, a Fremont attorney, recently filed for the position of Dodge County attorney.

Paul Vaughan, former Dodge County attorney, announced his retirement in early February with his official retirement coming in March. Deputy Attorney Sara Sopinski has been handling the remainder of Vaughans term awaiting elections.

Vaughan has been practicing law for 40 years, with half of that being in Dodge County.

I look forward to the opportunity to join the public safety team serving Dodge County, Register stated in a press release.

Register operates the Register Law Office, which he founded in 1985. While a full-time attorney, Register also worked as adjunct faculty for 20 years at Metropolitan Community College, and as a mediator for the Nebraska Justice Center.

Maintaining the integrity, professionalism and cost efficiency of the County Attorneys office, would be my focus, Register said.

After graduating Fremont High School, Register received his bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a law degree from Creighton Law School.

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The Legislature has launched a formal investigation into a workplace sexual harassment complaint lodged against former state Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte who abruptly resigned over the weekend in the wake of allegations by a female member of his staff.

At the same time, Attorney General Doug Peterson informed Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha that "we will begin our review of the matter" in a response to her request for an investigation of what transpired.

Hunt requested such a probe in a letter to the attorney general and the Nebraska State Patrol.

Groene is accused of taking photos of the staff member without her knowledge and then distributing them in private communications accompanied by allegedly inappropriate remarks.

Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, chairman of the Legislature's Executive Board, informed his colleagues that he has named Sens. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, John Arch of LaVista and Tom Briese of Albion to launch a formal investigation and hire an outside investigator to conduct an official legislative probe.

"I am aware of no evidence that any other senator or staff were involved in, shared or received pictures from Sen. Groene," Hughes told members of the Legislature.

"Legislative IT staff searched Sen. Groene's laptop and his personal cellphone, including his e-mails and hard drives. They discovered no evidence that Sen. Groene sent pictures to any third party, and not to any senator or staff," he said.

The uproar over the fast-moving weekend disclosure that prompted Groene's abrupt resignation occupied the Legislature's morning session Tuesday with a number of female senators challenging their male colleagues to deal with the reality of sexual harassment and discrimination which they said they have confronted throughout their lives and during incidents within the Legislature.

"You need to listen to us," Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said after filing a legislative motion that required all senators to return to the floor of the Legislature if they were not already there to hear what they had to say.

The ensuing discussion then consisted almost solely of remarks by the Legislature's female senators directed at their male colleagues as well as all American males.

"We minimize these things so often," Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington said.

"It happens to so many of us," Sen. Jen Day of Omaha said.

"You can do better," Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue said.

"We need an outside formal investigation," Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln declared.

"I stand with you as an ally," Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling, who often is in disagreement with many of her female colleagues, said. "I'm all in."

Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha was the only male senator other than Hughes to participate in the debate.

"I'm committed to address this," he said. "It's not just Groene's actions; it's the culture."

Hughes said the three-member committee he has appointed will prepare a report following its investigation that will be shared with the public as well as the Legislature.

"I want to stress that if the panel uncovers evidence of any potential criminal activity, that information will be referred to the attorney general for appropriate action," he said.

"Further, while the information to date has shown that Sen. Groene acted alone, and that no other senators or staff were aware of his actions, if the formal investigation uncovers that more individuals were involved, or were aware and did nothing, appropriate action will be taken."

Hughes told his colleagues that he is aware of "no evidence that any senator, whether on the Executive Board, or otherwise, or any staff, discouraged the complainant from exercising her rights."

Gov. Pete Ricketts will appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of Groenes term.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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For months, Afghan women have challenged the Taliban by demonstrating for their rights.



The Taliban has cracked down on the protests through harassment, force, and even the abduction of activists, according to rights groups.



Now the Taliban authorities appear to be using a new tactic to intimidate womens rights advocates: airing so-called confessions in which women say activists based outside the country had told them to protest.



On February 21, the Taliban Interior Ministry released a video of several women who said they had been encouraged by foreign-based activists to take to the streets by offering them the chance to relocate or send their children to study abroad. They also said that unlike what they expected from the Taliban, they were not treated harshly by the militants.



The women are reportedly among 29 women and their families who disappeared from a safe house in Kabul earlier this month. Rina Amiri, U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan women, had said on Twitter at the time that the women were among 40 people seized in the Afghan capital. She later deleted her tweet without providing an explanation.



The video has led to anger and accusations that the Taliban extracted the so-called confessions under duress. The tactic is widely used by authoritarian regimes, including neighboring Irans, to discredit activists and critics.



Samira Hamidi, deputy regional director at Amnesty International, said the Taliban is attempting to silence protesters and those who have challenged the extremist groups human rights record.



If you pay attention to the video, the mental state of the protesting women [shows] that theyre under pressure, Hamidi told RFE/RLs Radio Azadi.



Hamidi also said on Twitter that it wasnt clear what kind of pressure the women may have faced to confess that they were protesting in an effort to help them flee the country.



[The] Taliban tactic is dirty [and] dangerous. It gives a strong message that by reprisal [and] force they can do anything, Hamidi said.



Heather Barr, associate women's rights director at Human Rights Watch, highlighted a big question on Twitter, asking: How were these women treated while they were abducted and held by the Taliban?



When you detain people without charge, lie and say you haven't detained them, and deny them access to lawyers, family, and advocates, no one is surprised when you cap those abuses off with a choreographed confession, Barr added.



For her part, Fawzia Koofi, a lawmaker and peace negotiator for the former government, condemned the release of the video as a crime.

It is a crime to make a forced confession [and] publish the picture of women in a way that harms their character and dignity, Koofi said on Twitter.

You have taken the right to life away from the women of my country and you expect no one to protest? You are afraid of protesting women and intend to discredit them by any means possible, this [shows] the strength of women, she added.



In the controversial video, a spokesman for the Taliban Interior Ministry claimed the women regretted their actions.

The women, who had been recently encouraged by some intelligence circles to demonstrate against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and chanted slogans against the Islamic regime, were recently detained by security forces in a house, said the spokesman, Aqel Azam. "They have confessed to the involvement of foreign intelligence circles, they have expressed regret over their actions, and now their lives have been secured by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan."

Since returning to power in Afghanistan last August, the Taliban has reimposed many of the oppressive policies it instituted against women during the groups first stint in power, including barring girls from secondary schools and preventing many women from returning to their jobs.

In recent weeks, a number of women activists have vanished while the Taliban has denied any role in their disappearance amid heightened fears about their safety.



I am increasingly concerned about the wellbeing of missing women activists in Afghanistan. Several have disappeared, some not heard from in weeks, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Twitter on February 10. I strongly urge the Taliban to ensure their safety so that they can return home.



Several of the women have reportedly been released but their whereabouts remain unknown.



The Taliban, infamous for its brutal reign in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 during which it barred women from public life, initially vowed it would protect womens rights within the boundaries of its fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

The group, however, which formed an all-male government after taking power in August, has subsequently crushed protests and resistance to the return of such restrictive measures, including the mandatory wearing of the hijab and orders for women to be accompanied by a male guardian in public.
Protesting fishermen blockaded the port in Karachi, assembling their trawlers across the main channel to halt all traffic in and out of Pakistan's busiest port, officials said on February 23.

Karachi is the most important port in the country for movement of commodities and vehicles, and the disruption prompted the city's business chamber to raise its concern that some vessels could turn away to avoid the costs of delay.

The fishermen from Sindh Province were protesting restrictions on them entering the waters off neighboring Balochistan Province.

I hope talks to resolve the issue will resume on Wednesday afternoon, Mahmood Maulvi, adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on maritime affairs, told Reuters.

An earlier round of talks failed on February 22.

Port Qasim, which handles most container traffic and lies to the east of Karachi, was functioning normally, but the business community in Pakistan's economic hub was worried that shipping companies would seek to avoid a port backed up with vessels waiting to be handled.

"If this continues there are fears that some ships might return to the high seas," Muhammad Idress, president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement.

"This causes huge losses to the economy and business community," he added.

There were mass protests by fishermen and ordinary people in the Balochistan port city of Gwadar in December to press demands for authorities to take action against illegal trawling by Chinese commercial fishing trawlers and vessels from Sindh.

They were also protesting over a lack of basic facilities like power and water, and restrictions on their movement and access to the sea resulting from the high level of security for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor that runs through the province.

To end the monthlong protest, the provincial government agreed to most of the demands.

The fisheries department, coast guard, and Maritime Security Agency are carrying out joint patrols to stop trawlers from Sindh coming into Balochistan's waters.

Authorities in Balochistan detained around half a dozen fishing trawlers from Sindh last week, according to Tariq-ur-Rehman, the director general of Balochistan's fisheries department.

It was unclear what action was being taken to prevent Chinese fishing vessels for entering.
A new wave of COVID-19 is surging across Afghanistan, prompting humanitarian organizations to call for urgent global support to curb the virus in one of the most deprived nations in the world.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on February 23 called for worldwide support for health and testing services, as well as for vaccinations to slow the spread of the coronavirus, saying it is stretching the countrys fragile health-care system.

A new wave is hitting Afghanistan hard, the IFRC said in a statement. Testing is inadequate, and the World Health Organization reports that almost half of tested samples are coming back positive, indicating an alarming spread of the virus.

Only 10 percent of the countrys estimated 38 million population is vaccinated, the aid organization said, adding that few people observe hygiene practices such as keeping social distances or wearing masks.

Dozens of COVID-19 health facilities were forced to close due to a lack of medicines, essential medical supplies, and a lack of funds to pay for utilities and salaries of health workers, the statement added.

A physician at the country's largest COVID-specialized hospital, which only has 100 beds, told dpa that almost 90 percent of the beds were occupied and three to four patients were dying every day.

Our patient numbers are increasing on a daily basis and more people are visiting the hospital, said Tariq Akbari, chief physician at the state-run Afghan-Japan Hospital in Kabul.

According to reports, only a few COVID-19 hospitals remain functional in the country. Its fragile health-care system is suffering under the Taliban.
Police tape is stretched out Monday at an apartment building at 14480 E. 104th Ave. where five people were found dead Sunday night.
Oman's Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (Opaz) has issued the Structural Guidelines and Regulations Manual of Buildings at Duqm, outlining the minimum structural design requirements for projects within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (Sezad).



The guidelines manual provides detailed technical guidance and guidelines for the structural design of buildings.



Abdullah bin Salem Al-Hakmani, In Charge of Managing the Operations of the Building Permits Department of Opaz, explained that the guidelines comprise several key items, which are the general guidelines for building designs, structural submission procedures, and the best internationally applicable and approved codes and standards in the Sultanate, to comply with Sezad regulations, design programs, data analysis, structural design criteria, durability and performance criteria, geotechnical examination requirements (soil tests) and building supervision requirements.



Al-Hakmani said that the guidelines aim to provide instructions, requirements, and the minimum requirements for building designs which will give engineers a general idea and appropriate guidance on the basic requirements of structural designs. It is anticipated that the use of these guidelines will increase the quality of designs and construction, and provide information to architects, consultants, and engineering offices dealing with Sezad.



Al-Hakmani added that the Structural Guidelines and Regulations of the Buildings at Duqm were prepared by a team of engineers from Sezad and were reviewed by several expert houses, including a team from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The Guidelines will be circulated to all investors, developers, engineering design companies, consultants, and contractors, for the Structural Guidelines to be applied in Sezad.



He confirmed that Opaz is working on preparing an integrated manual for the urban and architectural requirements at the special economic zones and free zones, which will serve as a reference for the urban and architectural requirements in the areas affiliated with the Authority.  TradeArabia News Service
In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat melt butter or add the vegetable oil to heat. Slowly stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Place skillet in a 350-degree oven and stir the mixture every 15 minutes until roux takes on the color of creamy peanut butter. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Store in a covered container in refrigerator.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Yield: 8-10 servings

1 stick of butter

1 medium diced onion

1 diced red bell pepper

1 diced green bell pepper

4 diced celery stalks

1 pound diced andouille smoked sausage

1 pound diced cooked chicken

1 (2.5) pound can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons granulated onion

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper to taste

 cup peanut butter colored roux, for thickening

8 cups cooked rice

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Procedure:

In a large stock pot over medium heat saute onions, bell peppers and celery in butter until onions become transparent.

Add sausage, chicken, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings. Bring to slight boil and thicken with 1/4 cup roux. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Stir in cooked rice and transfer mixture to a large cast iron skillet with a lid. Bake in a 350-degree oven 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Remove lid and scatter parsley over the top and serve.

Source: Phil Duhon
A behavioral analyst suspected of choking a 9-year-old boy with autism at a therapy facility in Colorado Springs pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of assault, court records show.

Colorado Springs police obtained an arrest warrant for Brian Schaffer on Oct. 25 after he allegedly choked and assaulted an at-risk person at the Colorado Springs therapy facility in mid-August, according to an arrest affidavit.

Schaffer, at the time a new hire of less than two weeks at the facility, Rehab For All, allegedly put his hands on the 9-year-old boy's neck, bruising him until the boy "could not breathe" and "felt terrified" thinking "he was going to die," the arrest affidavit said.

Schaffer also pushed the boy and grabbed him tightly, leaving bruises on his arms, the affidavit said.

Schaffer received his behavioral analysis license in Arizona in 2019, but the Board of Psychologist Examiners censured him in November 2020 for findings of "unprofessional conduct," records show. Those records show the censure stemmed from allegations that Schaffer was "roughhousing" with a 4-year-old boy with autism. Video footage showed Schaffer picking up the boy and flipping him over and putting him in a bean bag chair, records show.

The board reinstated Schaffer's license for 12 months on a probational status on Oct. 1, where he was required to be monitored while practicing behavioral analysis, records show.

But the board suspended Schaffer's license Nov. 2 after the 9-year-old boy's mother and police contacted the board and they reviewed an incident report filed by Rehab for All.

Schaffer was released on bail after being arrested in Arizona in November. His trial is set to begin July 11, court record show.
The deaths of five Commerce City residents, reportedly due to overdoses tied to fentanyl, prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle at the state Capitol to call for changes in state law Tuesday, with some calling the law that eased penalties for drug possession a "mistake."

"Clearly a mistake was made" to decriminalize possession of up to four grams of fentanyl, and "we need to fix this," said Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton.

Kirkmeyer was referring to the legislature's action in 2019, when lawmakers reduced the charges for possession of up to four grams of schedule II drugs, which includes fentanyl, from a level four drug felony to a level one drug misdemeanor. Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 19-1263 into law on May 28 that year.

Kirkmeyer made the plea even as policymakers, including the governor, acknowledge that fentanyl is fueling deaths in Colorado and elsewhere in country but have yet to act to confront the crisis. No legislation has yet been filed specifically introduced to deal with fentanyl deaths.

The 2019 bill had bipartisan support; it was sponsored by Democrats Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver and Sen. Pete Lee of Colorado Springs, and by Republicans Rep. Shane Sandridge of Colorado Springs and Sen. Vicki Marble of Fort Collins.

The General Assembly was divided over the issue; the final 20-15 vote in the Senate included 10 Republicans and five Democrats voting against. The House was more united in its support, with only one Democrat, then-Rep. Bri Buentello of Pueblo, voting against it, along with 19 Republicans. Four Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

During committee hearings, district attorneys representing multiple judicial districts asked that fentanyl be excluded from the bill, but those pleas failed to persuade the bill's sponsors.

Kirkmeyer on Tuesday told the Senate that lawmakers made a mistake and should fix it. She said the recent deaths of five Commerce City residents is a call to action, arguing that "would be enough for all of us to realize that there are times when the legislature just gets it wrong." Kirkmeyer noted she wasn't in the legislature in 2019, but the bill was sponsored by her predecessor.

Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill, and so can the vapor, she said.

Four grams are enough to kill thousands of people, and since 2019, Colorado has moved up to No. 2 where fentanyl deaths have increased the fastest in the nation, according to Kirkmeyer. The state went from 147 deaths in 2019 to 709 in 2021, a 382% increase, Kirkmeyer noted.

"Clearly we don't want to become No. 1," she said.

Kirkmeyer asked that lawmakers put party affiliation aside and admit that well-intentioned reforms sometimes bring about disastrous consequences.

The Denver Police Chief "called us out, and rightfully so," Kirkmeyer said, referring to a Monday CBS 4 report, in which Police Chief Paul Pazen said the "effort was to help people" but the "result is that people are dying."

"I call on my fellow legislators, on the leadership, to approve a late bill," Kirkmeyer said, adding she would co-sponsor such a measure to demonstrate bipartisan support and fix what she called "this terrible wrong."

House Speaker Alec Garnett of Denver told reporters Tuesday he is working on a comprehensive solution, although he declined to be more specific on the legislation.

"Fentanyl is the most dangerous substance that man has ever created; it's not really a drug, it's like toxin ... that poisons people," he said. "It's definitely something I'm working with law enforcement and with public health officials to try to get right."

He said the problem is that while harm reduction saves lives, fentanyl is so addictive that it's used several times a day, making harm reduction less effective. Small doses can do huge damage, and the most important action is to get those who are peddling it off the streets, Garnett added.

Calls from outside the General Assembly have been growing for months.

Sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys, Attorney General Phil Weiser and even Polis, who signed the 2019 bill, are calling for changes in the law. Polis reiterated his call in his 2022 State of the State address "to strengthen penalties for drug dealers peddling fentanyl in our communities."

Weiser told The Denver Gazette last week he wanted to tighten felony laws around fentanyl possession, reiterating a position he took publicly in December. He deferred when asked what amount of fentanyl should qualify for a felony charge, but he said 4 grams  the current level  "is not a plausible use for your own personal addiction."

He said he also supports a sentencing enhancement for people who distribute fentanyl to users who later die.

Polis reiterated his call for harsher penalties for drug peddling in a statement sent to Colorado Politics.

"Fentanyl is devastating our communities," Conor Cahill, the governor's spokesman, said. "Governor Polis believes the General Assembly needs to act on a comprehensive approach to address the dangers of fentanyl including increased criminal penalties. While there is no guarantee that increased criminal penalties would have prevented this tragedy, we clearly need real consequences and harsher sentences for those involved with dealing or possessing enough fentanyl to kill people. This drug is unlike any our country has seen before, people are taking it without even realizing they are doing so, which is why we urgently need comprehensive solutions that include harsher penalties and also addresses the unique nature of this crisis and to do more to bring awareness to the problem."

Michael Allen, the attorney for the Fourth Judicial District in Colorado Springs, also appealed for immediate state action on Tuesday.

"The only people that can fix this are the governor and those elected to the Colorado legislature," he said in a statement. "I can tell you that cartels will continue to take advantage of the weaknesses in our laws until those in power get serious about closing the loopholes."

He added: "The first step should be increasing the penalty for possession of fentanyl back to a felony because as little as 2 mg of fentanyl can be deadly. The second step should be including a sentencing enhancer that includes a mandatory prison sentence for those who distribute fentanyl that leads to an overdose death. Finally, let us not forget the importance of treatment."

Denver Gazette reporter Seth Klamann contributed to this report.
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A group of Colorado Springs School District 11 students on Wednesday will hold a demonstration outside the districts administration building, according to a news release from the advocacy group Neighbors for Education.

The demonstration, which will take place ahead of the districts 5:30 p.m. Board of Education meeting, is in protest of a controversial social media post by Board Vice President Jason Jorgenson earlier this month, the release stated.

The post, which has been deleted, depicted a transgender woman undergoing an ultrasound examination in a doctors office, with a caption reading, "When you transgender and you think you pregnant" and a monitor showing fecal matter in the womans stomach.

After removing the Facebook post, Jorgenson posted an apology on the districts website, acknowledging the meme "was not an appropriate thing to share as a person in my position."

But Maddy Young, a D-11 student who organized the protest, said an apology is not enough.

"We are taught not to bully, and to be responsible users of social media," said Young, 17. "But here is this person, this adult, who holds a position of influence and power over us, and he is using his social media to spread hate and discrimination. Thats not okay, and its not who we are. Were coming on Wednesday to let the board and the city know that. We want accountability, and we want more than an apology."

Jorgenson on Tuesday did not immediately address the social media post, but told The Gazette he "commends and respects [students'] decision to protest and advocate for their views and concerns."

Students also plan to attend and speak at the board meeting, the release stated.

Representatives from Inside Out Youth Services, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group based in Colorado Springs, will be on hand at the demonstration "with hot chocolate and hand warmers" for those braving the predicted bitter cold, said spokeswoman Liss Smith. The group also intends to speak during the public comment segment of the meeting, Smith said.

Jorgenson is not the only D-11 board member to recently court controversy. Rev. Al Loma garnered media attention after community members obtained emails he sent to other board members and to Superintendent Michael Thomas. In these emails, Loma allegedly said he wanted to "gangster slap" a man who spoke at a board meeting last month and referred to a local advocacy group, comprised mostly of Black men, as "barking Chihuahuas." Loma apologized in a written statement read by Board President Parth Melpakam.

Jorgensons and Lomas behavior could be viewed as violations of the boards operating and procedures manual, which states, in part, that individual board members should "abstain from using offensive or questionable language or labeling that may offend Directors or the administration or the audience" and behave in a manner that will "reflect board and district values at all times."

Loma told The Gazette he welcomes the protest.

"It is always a great sight when our young get involved by performing one of our inalienable constitutional rights," Loma said in an email. "I wish them all the best."

The D-11 school board plans to hold an executive session ahead of the regular meeting, during which they intend to "discuss legal advice" regarding Thomas employment contract. At the Feb. 9 meeting, the board announced an upcoming mid-year review of Thomas performance, a move some see as laying groundwork for Thomas ouster.

"It feels like (firing Thomas) might be the natural next step," said Jen Williamson, co-founder of Neighbors for Education. "But I hope not."
The total value of infrastructure and construction projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region reached approximately to $3.2 trillion in mid-2021, according to reports, of which a large chunk is expected to be executed through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) route, creating a massive opportunity for large players.

Worldwide infrastructure spending is on the rise and will grow to $9 trillion in 2025, according to a forecast by global accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

As many as 242 PPP projects worth $223 billion are under development in the Middle East and North Africa region, said industry experts at the two-day PPP Mena Forum which kicked off today (February 23) in Dubai.

This figure is set to go up as project execution picks up with return to normalcy and higher oil price that will fuel economic growth in the Middle East  pushing public-private partnership sector, they stated.

According to experts, this forecast is more or less in line with a World Bank projection estimating that the Mena region would need between $75 and $100 billion of investment per year over the next 20 years to meet its needs.

The PPP Mena Forum has attracted more than 300 government officials, project owners, experts, business leaders, regulatory officials who will be discussing these economic opportunities and are also expected to underline the key issues in the development sector at the event.

Emphasising on the social and sustainable PPP, Nasser Massoud, Chairman of the 2nd MENA PPP Confercence and Specialist in Social Sector PPP, said: "For every $1 billion spent in projects, 168,000 jobs are created with a 0.48 percent growth in GDP that in turn creates 442,000 jobs indirectly."

"According to the World Bank, Mena countries have been spending less than 3% of their GDP on public projects. This needs to be increased to 8.2% of the GDP by 2030  in order to accelerate the economic growth," he stated.

As of June 2021, the total GCC construction project market was estimated to be worth $3.2 trillion, covering buildings, infrastructure, and industrial, along with the power and water, and oil and gas sectors.

The ongoing forum will show that the PPP model could help the large funding gap in the massive infrastructure development being undertaken by the governments of the Middle Eastern countries.

"Given the challenges that governments in the region are operating under, it is clear that they will seek private sector support in infrastructure projects delivery and look to attract private sector participation and funding to reduce the burden on the already stretched public finances," stated PwC in its report.

PPPs will play a critical role in the region's post-Covid-19 recovery phase, it added.

In his opening address, Dr Ibrahim Al Omar, Deputy Assistant Minister for Investment Development and for Compliance and the Director General of Private Sector Participation Program, Saudi Ministry of Health, said: "The kingdom is currently undergoing a huge transform as part of the Vision 2030 and healthcare and wellbeing of our people are at the core of the development."

Saudi healthcare sector currently offers SR48 billion worth of projects that will create 224 primary healthcare centres and add more than 20,000 hospital beds across the Kingdom by 2030  as part of the Saudi Vision 2030.

"Our primary objective is to ease access to healthcare services, improve the value of the healthcare services, strengthen precaution against healthcare threats. So, we have created a strong regulatory environment," stated Dr Al Omar.

"Now we are shifting towards investment and execution of projects that are at various stages of planning, tendering and construction. We are developing a large number of hospitals, clinics and healthcare centres across the country that will increase the wellbeing of the people," he added.

According to PwC, most countries in the GCC have placed the provision of modern infrastructure and world-class public services at the heart of their respective national visions. However the survey found that the region was finding it challenging to implement infrastructure projects efficiently and that increased market volatility, oil price volatility and the economic cost of Covid-19 are putting a strain on government resources across the region.
The city's new transit center could deliver more than a place to wait for the bus, with a new parking garage and possibly office space, apartments or a hotel on the upper floors.

The transit center could be built at Nevada and Pikes Peak avenues on a parking lot owned by Norwood Development Group, a major developer in town who will be a partner in the project.

The public-private partnership to build the new center will be a win for the city, which has long been in need of replacing the existing transit center at East Kiowa Street and North Nevada Avenue.

"I am, kind of, not believing this is happening because its taken so long," said Councilwoman Yolanda Avila, a long-time transit advocate who lauded the project.

"Transit is infrastructure, its like roads and sidewalks and bridges," she said.

The existing transit center is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, not aesthetically pleasing, and riders must walk in front of and behind buses, a safety issue, said Craig Blewitt, director of Mountain Metro Transit.

The new transit center, combined with office space, apartments or a hotel, could also be an architecturally defining for the community, Chief of Staff Jeff Greene said.

"We want to create a building that complements the Olympic museum," he said.

The transit center portion could also be far more modern than the city's current offerings and function more like an airport terminal. The new building may also house the state's bus service, Greyhound Lines, and provide space for other options such as Uber, Lyft, electric bikes and electric scooters, Blewitt said.

Three options are in play for the private portions of the building all including retail on the ground floor. The first option would feature two office towers, the second could house an office town and a hotel, and the third envisions an office town and 250 residential units, according to the presentation to city council.

The design for the building has not started yet so officials could not provide cost estimates. As a partnership project each entity would be responsible for the portion that benefits them. Mountain Metro would be responsible for the transit portion, the city's parking enterprise would cover the new garage portion and Norwood would do the private portions of the building, Blewitt said. A plan for the current transit center also is still in the works, city officials said.

Jeff Finn, with Norwood, said that no single entity could complete the project on their own and it would allow the city to offer broader options for transportation.

"I think for downtown this will be a triple win," he said.
Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres has opened an innovative 24,000 sq ft multi-specialty and aesthetics centre in City Centre Mirdif.

Continuing to expand into communities within Dubai, the group plans more than 40 community-focused medical centres by 2025.

Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade inaugurated the brand-new centre.

The ceremony was also attended by Dr Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare; Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare; Dr Shanila Laiju, Medcare Group CEO; as well as members of the leadership team of the Aster DM Healthcare, Medcare Group, Aster Pharmacy Group and Majid Al Futtaim Group.

Dr Al Zeyoudi toured the centres departments and wings and was given an overview of the facilitys specific focus on health and wellness geared towards both the community and international tourists.

The centre houses three distinct departments under one roof: a paediatric unit, a multi-speciality care unit, and a unit dedicated to the new concept of aesthetics, in which a whole wing offers dermatology and wellness services in order to provide a patient-centric, upscale and relaxing environment conducive to healing and wellbeing.

Dr Al Zeyoudi said: It is our responsibility to continue to strive to make UAE the preferred global destination for medical treatment. It is extremely welcome that the Medcare Group is fully aligned with these aspirations and making such an important contribution to the UAEs healthcare infrastructure. Centres such as this not only provide world-class medical services and facilities to our residents and citizens, but also ensure that the UAE remains a hub for medical tourism.

With the opening of this premium facility, Medcare now operates four hospitals and 17 medical centres across Dubai. This growth reiterates the groups commitment to better serving the communities of Dubai by giving them access to high-standard medical services, practices and treatments within an artful architectural healthcare environment that brings positive effects on patient health outcomes.

Dr Moopen said: Aster DM Healthcare through its brands Medcare and Aster is committed to growing strategically within the UAE to offer world-class facilities, services and treatments to those in need of healthcare assistance and located conveniently within their communities. We continue to work with the UAE healthcare sector to incorporate its goals into our own in order to achieve one common objective: to make the UAE a country that provides one of the best medical services in the world. Moving into the communities of Dubai was a natural expansion for us and we look forward to helping these communities, and future communities, with their health needs at a more personalised level.

The inauguration ceremony also saw the opening of the latest Aster Pharmacy at City Centre Mirdif. As the Aster Pharmacy Group is ushering in a new era focused on wellness for their customers in the UAE, the pharmacy has been designed to be a one-stop wellness destination and has dedicated areas offering a wide range of Dermo-cosmeceuticals and Nutrition solutions, including alternative medicine.

The concept store also showcases a digital customer experience, bringing forth personalisation and speed in delivering products and services for customers through the 1AsterApp, which is launching soon.

The group is working to further scale up the concept with the addition of 25 to 30 stores in 2022.

Medcare Medical Centre and Aster Pharmacy are located on the First Floor of City Centre Mirdif at the North Entrance A.-- TradeArabia News Service
Airbus has signed a partnership agreement with CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, to collaborate on a hydrogen demonstration programme that will take flight around the middle of this decade.



The programmes objective is to ground and flight test a direct combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, in preparation for entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. The demonstration will use a A380 flying testbed equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks prepared at Airbus facilities in France and Germany. Airbus will also define the hydrogen propulsion system requirements, oversee flight testing, and provide the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise phase.



CFM International (CFM) will modify the combustor, fuel system, and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen. The engine, which is assembled in the US, was selected for this program because of its physical size, advanced turbo machinery, and fuel flow capability. It will be mounted along the rear fuselage of the flying testbed to allow engine emissions, including contrails, to be monitored separately from those of the engines powering the aircraft. CFM will execute an extensive ground test program ahead of the A380 flight test.



This is the most significant step undertaken at Airbus to usher in a new era of hydrogen-powered flight since the unveiling of our ZEROe concepts back in September 2020, said Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer. By leveraging the expertise of American and European engine manufacturers to make progress on hydrogen combustion technology, this international partnership sends a clear message that our industry is committed to making zero-emission flight a reality.



Hydrogen combustion capability is one of the foundational technologies we are developing and maturing as part of the CFM RISE Program, said Gael Meheust, president & CEO of CFM. Bringing together the collective capabilities and experience of CFM, our parent companies, and Airbus, we really do have the dream team in place to successfully demonstrate a hydrogen propulsion system.



CFM shares Airbus ambition of fulfilling the promise they made in signing the Air Transport Action Group goal in October 2021 to achieve aviation industry net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by developing and testing the technology necessary to make zero emissions aircraft a reality within the ambitious timeline defined.



Airbus has a long-standing relationship with CFM and its parent companies, GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines and, together, the partners have established a great track record of delivering high-performance products that meet the needs of airline customers.  TradeArabia News Service
Joe Barrera, Ph.D., is the former director of the Ethnic Studies Program at UCCS. He teaches U.S. Southwest History, Mexico/U.S. Border Studies, and U.S. Military History. He is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War.
LETTERS: Enough on their plates; no help for property loss
Broomfield-based Vail Resorts Inc. announced plans to hike base pay to $20 an hour at all 37 of its North American resorts, which in Colorado translates to a 33% hike from its exiting $15 an hour base pay, according to a news release.
Finnish industrial major, Metso Outotec has signed an agreement for the delivery of a $26 million siderite calcination plant to Hekimhan Madencilik, a subsidiary of Kologlu Holding, located in Malatya, Turkey. The plant, with an annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes of calcined siderite, is expected to start production in the second half of 2023.

Metso Outotecs scope of delivery consists of system design, equipment engineering, manufacturing and supply, and advisory services for the installation of the plant.

The key components of the system include a rotary kiln, cooler, and heat recovery and gas cleaning equipment.

Our solution will enable Hekimhan Madencilik to achieve their production goals, says Attaul Ahmad, Vice President of the Ferrous and Heat Transfer business line at Metso Outotec. It was through our strong customer relationship and familiarity with Hekimhans processes that we were able to introduce the Metso Outotec Rotary Calcining system and Heat Transfer experts to develop an optimal equipment and system solution for the client, Ahmad adds. Metso Outotec has previously supported the client with improvements to the operation of their existing calcining line.

Metso Outotec is a leading supplier of calcining systems with an installed base of over 1,500 rotary kilns. The Metso Outotec technology provides dependable process performance with an emphasis on optimising fuel efficiency and minimal emissions.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Mason City Police Department have each issued statements seeking the public's assistance in the disappearance of a Mason City man.

Travis Alan Kummer, 38, was last seen on Friday, Feb. 11, and was reported missing a week later on Feb. 18, Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said.

Kummer is described as a white male, 209 pounds, 6' tall, with brown eyes and unknown hair color or completely bald-headed.

A recent public post on Kummer's Facebook page includes an undated photo depicting him with dark brown or black hair, and a full black or brown beard with a grey patch on his chin.

The IDPS cautions the public not to take action themselves, should they recognize a missing person, but instead, to gather as much information as possible and contact authorities.

Brinkley said anyone with information regarding Kummer's whereabouts should call the Mason City Police Department at 641-421-3636.

Lisa Grouette is the Local News Editor and Photographer at the Globe Gazette. Reach her at 641-421-0525 or lisa.grouette@globegazette.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaGrouette

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A proposal to create up to 48 psychiatric residencies at state institutions as part of a large package of legislation to increase mental health access across Iowa was unanimously approved by the House Appropriations Committee Tuesday.

House File 2157 calls for the creation of the residencies at mental health institutes at Cherokee and Independence, and the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at Oakdale, the Glenwood and Woodward resource centers and the state training school at Eldora, according to Rep. Ann Meyer, R-Fort Dodge.

The state would work with the University of Iowa to fill the psychiatric residencies and ensure residents get the training needed to be physicians, she said.

Iowa ranks 44th in the number of psychiatrists per capita, so the need is great, Meyer said.

Rep. Timi Brown-Powers, D-Waterloo, agreed the bill would be a good step toward meeting the need for psychiatrists.

Our next job will be to get them to stay in Iowa, she added.

Each residency will cost $100,000 per year, Meyer said. The bill calls for $1.2 million in funding for 12 residencies the first year and $4.8 million in fiscal 2027 and beyond.

The bill now is eligible for floor debate. It has no companion in the Senate.

TWOS WILD: On 2/22/22, a Tuesday, the Iowa House approved HF 2222, which would do three things.

The bill would allow defendants represented by counsel to file motions to disqualify their counsel, a notice of appeal and a response to a motion by counsel to withdraw. It passed 95-0.

FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF: Flags will be at half-staff at the Iowa Capitol and Capitol Complex on Feb. 23 to honor Army Pfc. Don D. Dowler Jr. of Clarinda. Dowler, who was reported missing in action in December 1950 after his unit was attacked near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, was accounted for in September 2021. He will be buried Feb. 23 in Santa Maria, Calif.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses and government entities are encouraged to fly their flag at half-staff.

CURSIVE COSTS: A proposal that Iowa students be taught cursive writing by the end of third grade could cost school districts around the state more than a half-million dollars.

In a fiscal note on SF 2351, the Legislative Services Agency estimated it will cost schools $15 per student and $25 per teacher to offer cursive instruction. There are 35,253 third-graders, LSA said. The cost could range from $400,000 to $575,000.

The Senate Education Committee has recommended approval of SF 2351.

RAPE SHIELD EXPANSION: HF 2239 would apply the provisions of the rule of evidence relating to a victims past sexual behavior in sexual abuse cases to discovery conducted in a criminal case or in a post-conviction relief proceeding, including depositions.

According to the rule, the following evidence is not admissible in criminal cases, with some exceptions: reputation or opinion evidence offered to prove that a victim engaged in other sexual behavior, and evidence of a victims other sexual behavior other than reputation or opinion evidence.

It was approved 92-3.

FAMILY FIRST: A bill to further implement the federal Family First Act, focused on keeping children with their families and not in foster homes, was approved 95-0.

HF 2252 would allow adult adoptees more access to their historical information, and allow siblings to stay in contact even if they are adopted by another family. It also adjusts eligibility for Child Care Assistance to include parents or guardians who are permanently disabled. It would increase the age that an individual can stay in foster care from 18 to 21 even if they are finished with their high school education under some conditions.

The bill also allows the Department of Human Services to disclose information to financial institutions if there is an allegation of financial exploitation of a dependent adult.

FLOOD CONCERNS: Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, expressed concern with legislation that would streamline the permitting process for building a structure in or on a floodway, flood plain or stream.

In another small way it chips away at our states already inadequate protection for our flood plains, and thats a problem because Iowa has a problem with funding, Hogg said during debate on the bill. He then summarized the many significant floods Iowa has experienced over the past 15 years.

SF 2311 passed 36-13 and now moves to the House.

PUBLIC GARBAGE: State law would make clear that law enforcement officials are able to search an individuals garbage under legislation that earned unanimous approval by the Senate. SF 2296 would clarify that garbage placed outside is not considered private, thus legal for law enforcement to search. The bill now moves to the House.

The bill stems from a Clear Lake case. The defendant successfully appealed a conviction and sentence for drug possession charges because the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence obtained from a warrantless search of his garbage containers set out for trash collection.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau

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Recording engineer Mark Sampsons work has brought him in contact with a wide range of artists, from John Mayer to Jackson Browne, Hootie and the Blowfish to Sheryl Crow. Not to mention his first big brush with fame: Prince.

Its also seen him become a 2022 inductee of the Iowa Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

Its just a job. You know, I just happen to be good at a niche,'' Sampson, a Mason City native with family ties in North Iowa, says of his career. When you do it day to day, you just dont notice itthat fame thing  its not even in the back of your mind because youre working. Youre there to do a job Sampson said.

Sampsons niche is music technology, but he has also painted instruments, and built two successful music equipment companies.

Mark started his career painting cars in Mason City. He spent free time playing in a band, where took an interest in amplifiers. When he wasnt satisfied with the sound his own amplifier was making, he started tinkering with the machine, learning how it worked. He had also been traveling to Minneapolis to look at a wider selection of guitars. He thought then how similar painting guitars would to be to painting cars, and decided to try it out.

Sampson bought and painted his first guitar, and when he went back to trade it in, he was offered a job on the spot. Shortly after taking that job, Marks first big break came: working with Prince.

Mark started commuting to Minneapolis, where the shop he worked at had been chosen to work on props for Purple Rain. Sampson painted all five guitars for the Purple Rain movie, one of which lives at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

At first there was only the one, (guitar) and then the movie hit. Before the movie was released they said we got to do at least two more. So we built two more, me and a couple other guys. Sampson also painted tambourines for his tour, And then when they started touring, I made two more because he kept breaking them.

Around this time Sampson was also working with a man in England, trading British amplifiers for American guitars. The two would take apart the machines and send them across the pond. Sampson learned how to disassemble and reassemble amplifiers and guitars, and would then sell them to customers throughout the country. Through this work, Sampson learned how sound related to machinery, how to manipulate amplifiers to create different sounds.

I started noticing things, circuits I liked, and applied that to my general knowledge of what can go into making a better amplifier. Marks buy-sell-trade work put him in contact with many clients and connections. The connections led him to move to LA in 89, working on Vox amplifiers for studios.

Shortly after moving, he and a partner, Rick Perrotta, got together to create Matchless amplifiers. It became an overnight sensation.

We were two guys that had day jobs. I was trying to make a living repairing things for people We took every penny we had to get to this trade show called the NAMM show, which stands for the National Association of Music Merchandisers. They bought the smallest booth, and got there with hardly any money to even spend on food.

They had no idea that Guitar Player Magazine had named Matchless the best amplifier, beating out even the most competitive brands.

The results were published at the trade show, and Matchless went from having one store to sell their amplifiers to picking up 30 nationwide dealers with a $1 million in backorders. In the 90s, half to two-thirds of the bands in the top 100 were playing with Matchless Amplifiers.

We just want(ed) to get (our) names in print and get some publicity out of the deal, Mark remembered. We had no idea what was about to happen.

Mark ran Matchless from 1989 until 2001. He was exhausted from managing the company, and wanted to get back to working on what he enjoyed, so his partner bought him out. He then worked with recorded guitar sounds first, but evolved into repairing and modifying the recording equipment itself.

From 2004 until 2010, Mark ran another company, Sonic Machine Factory (SMF). SMF built Star Amplifiers and SIB pedals. In 2010 Mark and his partner sold the company and went back to working in recording studios in town full-time.

Once I connected with (the producers) I had all the work I could do. Hed go in and work with guitarists manipulating the machinery to fit the sound they were looking for. He worked all hours in recording studios as a technician for a film soundtrack crew through the next seven years, giving him instruments to fix.

I got really good at reinventing myself almost daily. Mark said, making strange instruments work the best they can. He remembers coming in one day and seeing an 1890s pump organ. He was tasked with making the organ work without pumping its feet, and without making any extra noise from an air compressor. His deadline was usually the same day.

He also did a session for a Bruce Springsteen track that needed to be enhanced. They were adding sounds to the tracks when a microphone preamp broke. He said his instructions were: were gonna go get coffee, have it fixed when we get back he laughed.

Mark parted ways with the company after seven years. The hours had become overwhelming, so he went back to working for individual clients. Now, Mark restores old pieces of equipment; sound machines that have been lost to time, with no blueprints. He hand-makes pieces to try and replicate parts that no longer exist, to restore the machines to their original sound.

I think the thing I found interesting was solving the puzzles that others couldnt solve.

Mark recently built a copy of a piece of equipment that had only been manufactured until 1962, with about 1,000 pieces made. It takes at least three straight weeks of work for Mark to complete a piece.

There are no schematics, there is no documentation, theres no anything, it all disappeared over time Mark said of the equipment. He had to completely deconstruct the broken equipment to rebuild it, taking pieces from other machines to create pieces, and put it back together so the equipment would work as it was meant to.

I do all kinds of eclectic things like that, Sampson said. Im the last resort on the way to the dump, he laughed. But Sampson recognizes the importance of the work he does.

The people that used to do that besides me have died or retired. Theres not many people left that understand that technology anymore.

Sometimes artists or producers will need equipment that doesnt exist yet, and they come to Mark to see if he can create it.

I have a very vague target that I have to hit. It may take three or four adjustments after Im done. He likes that challenge as well. When hes in the recording studio, helping with an artists sound, hes seen the magic that musicians make.

Being a recording engineer is a lot like a painter. Your job is not to try to create; youre capturing. When that happens, its magic and you know something amazing just happened.

Rae Burnette is a Weeklies Editor and Daily Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Rae.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com

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The series of clinics will provide first, second and booster inoculations. The Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone 5 and older, however a parent or guardian must accompany anyone younger than 18, the health department stated in a news release.

While case numbers and hospitalizations are down, transmission rates still remain high across the state, Brookie Crawford, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health, told the Register & Bee last week. Vaccination continues to be the foundation of prevention.

Daily caseloads of COVID-19 have nose-dived over the last month after soaring to record levels driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. As of Wednesday, Danville and Pittsylvania County combined were adding about 34 new infections of the novel coronavirus, about the same level as mid-December. At the height of last months wave there were about 234 cases per day.

Even with the plummet, the area remains in the highest category for COVID-19 transmission, as currently defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal agency uses current case rates  based on a 100,000 population scale  and positivity to determine the pulse of the pandemic on the local level. For Danville and Pittsylvania County, both metrics remain highly elevated.

Yet with COVID-19 shots available for more than a year, only about half of the residents living in Danville and Pittsylvania County are considered fully vaccinated. In addition, not quite 1-in-4 Danville and Pittsylvania County residents have received a booster dose, something health experts said is especially important with the omnicron variant still swirling.

Children remain the demographic with the fewest number of shots in the arms.

Fewer than 1-in-10 of 5 to 11 year olds in Pittsylvania County are fully vaccinated. The figure is a little higher in Danville at 16%.

Across the state, daily vaccination figures are down drastically. Virginia is administering about 3,200 doses per day compared to the more than 100,000 daily shots nearly a year ago.

Weather was blamed last month when winter storms forced health leaders to cancel planned clinics. However, the less severe impact of the latest variant wave also may be a factor, according to Dr. Scott Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District.

Some might not perceive the same level of threat from this variant as they had with delta, Spillmann recently explained when asked about the drop in daily vaccinations.

For the upcoming clinics, walk-ins are welcome, but appointments also are available by visiting vase.vdh.virginia.gov or calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA.

For those coming for a second or booster dose, health officials ask they bring a copy of their vaccination record.

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Chances are if you grew up in the Danville Public Schools system from the 60s until after the turn of the century, you ran into Robert Bob Haskins at some point.

Haskins worked as a social studies teacher at the former Robert E. Lee Junior High School from 1962-69, then spent 1969-70 as principal of Stonewall Jackson Elementary School. He next served 1970 to 1973 as principal of E. A. Gibson Middle School.

From 1973 to 74 he worked as assistant principal at GW, then became principal from 1974 to 1989. Leaving GW, he became the director of finance for the school system until 1993 when he missed the contact with students and teachers and became the principal of O.T. Bonner Middle School in 1993. He remained there until he retired in 2003.

I enjoyed every moment of my career, said Haskins, reminiscing about the years. I loved the teachers and the students, and I enjoyed the direct involvement with them. It was all encompassing.

He said he was almost an absent father because a principal is expected to be at every game and concert.

During those years he was principal at GW and then Bonner, it was not required but was expected that principals retire at the age of 65. And so he did.

Looking back on his career, he thinks it was a mistake for him to leave GW. He didnt enjoy the politics working downtown when he had to choose between what looked good, not what was good.

But thinking about being around the students and teachers, even with all the evenings required of a principal, brings back good memories.

He said he learned a lot about human nature during the years of school integration in Danville during the early 1970s and remembers relying upon Curtis Richardson, the Black principal at Gibson School for insight. Richardson later became an assistant school superintendent.

In 1992 Haskins and his wife, Ann, bought a 30-acre farm in Pittsylvania County and have enjoyed the activities the property has brought into their life. He and Ann, a physical education teacher, met at Robert E. Lee School in 1962 and were married a year later.

She was a stay-at-home mom for many years and then went back to teaching.

She likes to take care of the grandchildren and me, he said with a laugh. Shes such a kind person. She picks up after me.

They both used to love to go to antique auctions.

Owning horses

I always wanted to have a farm, he said. I got into the horse business when my daughters were young to keep them interested in something other than boys. They even cleaned out stalls, so they didnt smell good for boys.

Going from learning to ride a horse to owning a farm is a slippery slope, according to Haskins.

They were first riding someone elses horses, then they pester you to buy a horse, he said. Then you buy a trailer to haul the horses instead of borrowing someones trailer. Then you have to buy a big pickup to haul the trailer. Then the other daughter wants a horse.

It was just so much easier to buy a farm.

When he first retired, Haskins traveled around to a lot of horse shows with his daughters. Now they mostly take the horses around for inspections  to see if they have proper movement and how they are put together as a horse.

They now have six horses, two of them breeding mares. Their horses are mostly of the Hanovarian and Oldenberg breeds, and one has even won a gold medal. They raise one to two foals a year.

We are strictly a breeding farm, not a show farm now, he said. We dont have a lot of horses, but we are high on quality.

Their daughter, Angie, lives down the road from them and does most of the work with the horses, he said. Their oldest daughter, Carrie, is a nurse practitioner in Chesterfield County, and their son, Bryan, is the commonwealths attorney of Pittsylvania County.

So Im covered by the law and medicine, Haskins said.

He and Ann have five grandchildren.

Surrounded by beauty

The Haskins farm overlooks a valley that is close to Harveys Mountain in the county. A step outside to the front porch brings him to a view that is so beautiful it almost looks like a painting. This time of year he can see both the sunrise and the sunset while standing on his porch.

I am just flabbergasted by the scenes we get, he said. Harveys Mountain was a Native American worship center where they enjoyed the sunrises and sunsets.

When they first moved to their farm, Haskins planted 40 dogwood trees and still have 34 of them. They have also planted lots of rhododendron in the one spot they seemed to grow best and plenty of beautiful plants in tubs and pots on the porch and around the yard.

Family possessions

Antiques abound in his home, most of them having belonged to his grandmothers.

Both of my grandmothers left everything to my mother, who lived in a big Victorian home outside of Raleigh, he said.

One of his prized possessions is a painting, painted by his great-great-great aunt.

It is a school painting, he explained. At that time the girls went to a finishing school at age 15, which was in the 1850s for her. Her school project was a painting.

He points out and explains a bullet hole in the painting.

About 1865 Gen. Sherman was coming up through North Carolina, and some of his men went through Nash County where she lived. They came to the plantation, and everyone inside scattered, he said, recalling his familys history. So a soldier pulled out his gun to get everyones attention. He shot the gun and hit the painting.

He said the women in his family line kept outstanding records, he said.

Hobbies

Haskins has frames of mounted arrowheads from where he would walk his dogs around the rim of the mountain and pick the artifacts up. He is quick to say that he never dug for them and has never felt it right to dig into a Native American burial ground on his property.

He also has a vast collection of nativities displayed on shelves he built in his basement man cave.

It started with my mother in her big old Victorian house, he said. She had nativities all over the house.

Haskins also has a hobby of carving beautiful walking sticks, which he doesnt sell, but gives to members of his family.

I make snake canes, mostly out of dogwood or oak  whatevers growing, he said. A man named Amos at the Chatham Autumn Potpourri had some walking sticks, and I got interested in them.

He is pretty much self-taught and even had to make a couple of tools for the hobby.

They are mostly Virginia snakes, and I make maybe one or two a year by using a National Geographic snake book, he explained.

New hobby

Finally, Haskins loves Facebook and is an almost daily contributor to a Facebook group of good news and pictures of the area named Living in Danville & Pittsylvania County. He is known for his pictures of the sunrises, sunsets and beautiful flowers that surround him during the growing season.

The pandemic got me on Facebook. I had to have something to do, so my daughter bought me a phone that takes awesome pictures, he said. Then I got on Facebook, and now I post too much. My daughters say Im obsessed, but my son is a little more diplomatic.

But I am obsessed.

He said he gets seven to 10 people a day who want to be his Facebook friends, so he checks the requests and people out to make sure he isnt being hacked.

Most of his Facebook posts express gratitude to God for the life he is living now. After so many years of happily being involved in the lives of the teachers and students in Danville, he is now enjoying all that his slower life is giving him.

As a recent post he shared stated, After 30 years of living in the city with houses about 50 feet on all sides, it is a blessing for me to live the last 30 years with wide open spaces. Thank you, God, for my little piece of heaven on earth.

Elzey is a freelance writer for the Register & Bee. She can be reached at susanelzey@yahoo.com or 434-791-7991.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline is facing what it calls "greater uncertainty" after losing two crucial permits and the confidence of one of its five corporate partners.

Yet developers of the natural gas pipeline are not giving up, they said Tuesday in a conference call with financial analysts.

"We're all hands on deck to find the right path forward for MVP," said Thomas Karam, chairman and chief executive officer of Equitrans Midstream Corp., the venture's lead partner.

Mountain Valley, which had hoped to complete the often-delayed project by this summer, no longer expects that to happen.

Karam said the company will release more details after discussions with government agencies responsible for permitting the pipeline and its partners, which include a subsidiary of RGC Resources, the parent company of Roanoke Gas Co.

Last Friday, NextEra Energy of Florida  which has a nearly one-third partnership in the $6.2 billion project  said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it was re-evaluating its role.

"The continued legal and regulatory challenges have resulted in a very low probability of pipeline completion," the filing stated.

In late January and early February, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down two government approvals for the pipeline: a permit that allowed it to cross through the Jefferson National Forest and an opinion that its construction would not jeopardize endangered species.

Karam called the decisions "in our view, wrong," and said they represent a "significant departure from traditional judicial deference" that is afforded to government agencies.

The rulings will make it more difficult for Mountain Valley and other needed infrastructure projects to move forward, he said.

"As a nation, we risk our national security, energy security and energy reliability with these legal obstacles," Karam said.

Since the project was proposed in 2014, it has faced fierce opposition from both community groups and national environmental organizations, which say building such a large pipeline across steep slopes and through clear-running streams will harm natural resources.

The route of the 303-mile buried pipeline cuts though Southwest Virginia, taking it north of Blacksburg and southwest of Roanoke. It ends in Pittsylvania County.

Muddy runoff from construction sites has flowed into nearby streams, threatening endangered species and drinking water, critics say, while the burning of natural gas if the pipeline is completed will worsen a growing climate crisis.

The project has received dozens of state and federal approvals over the years  nearly all of them challenged in court by environmental groups.

Most recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would not move forward for now on an application from Mountain Valley to cross streams and wetlands. It cited the Fourth Circuit's rejection of an opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which had determined that endangered species such as the Roanoke logperch and the candy darter would not be imperiled by construction.

Two weeks earlier, the appellate court invalidated a permit from the U.S. Forest Service, finding for the second time that the agency had not properly evaluated erosion impacts in the national forest.

Opponents hope that repeated delays caused by their litigation  Mountain Valley had initially planed to have its pipeline operational by late 2018  will eventually make the project too costly for investors to bear.

Equitrans shares closed at $6.33 Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange, down from $7.18 at the start of the day. So far this year, the company's stock has fallen about 39%.

"Investors are starting to see the writing on the wall and should end this dangerous and unnecessary project once and for all," the Sierra Club said in a statement about NextEra's SEC filing, which also reported that the company was taking an $800,000 million impairment charge.

"This project is years behind schedule, billions over budget, and still lacking permits for hundreds of difficult waterbody crossings," the statement read. "Our communities and our environment deserve protection against this dirty fracked gas pipeline.

The Sierra Club is one of about a dozen national, state and local groups that have challenged government permits for the largest natural gas pipeline ever built in Virginia.

During Tuesday's conference call, Karam did not give a new estimate for pipeline completion. Nor did he say if the current cost of $6.2 billion, up from $3.7 billion when construction started in 2018, is expected to rise again.

Equitrans has a 47% ownership in the project and plans to operate the pipeline.

RGC Midstream, a subsidiary of RGC Resources, has a 1% stake. Taps in the pipeline in Franklin and Montgomery counties will be used to distribute natural gas to customers of Roanoke Gas Co.

In a statement Tuesday, RGC Resources said it "remains committed to completing the MVP project" and supports the plans outlined by Karam to find a path forward.

Mountain Valley could once again seek new permits from the government, which in the past has taken at least a year. Another option would be to appeal the court decisions. No such action had been taken by Tuesday afternoon, according to court records.

"As world and national events over the last 18 months have shown, the MVP is needed now more than ever," Paul Nester, president and CEO of RGC Resources, said in an email.

"Closer to home, Roanoke Gas has added approximately 1,000 customers in the last 18 months" and needs the pipeline to meet future demand, Nester wrote.

In a question-and-answer session with analysts, Karam was asked if any of the partners could walk away at this point.

"No, is the short answer in the current time frame," he replied. Two years ago, the energy companies that invested in the project were allowed under their contracts to withdraw if work was not completed by June 1, 2020.

None did.

Another potential challenge for Mountain Valley lies with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the lead agency overseeing construction. In October 2017, FERC granted MVP perhaps its most important approval, finding there was a public need for the 2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas that would be transported from northern West Virginia to connect with an existing pipeline in Pittsylvania County.

Democrats have since gained a 3-2 advantage on FERC, whose members are appointed by the president.

FERC is currently considering an application by Mountain Valley to bore under some streams and wetlands. And in 2020, it granted a two-year extension to its permit. Should its plans more forward, Mountain Valley would have to seek a second extension this October.

Earlier this month, FERC voted to update its policies on natural gas approvals, including taking a closer look at the need for pipelines and their contribution to climate change.

The policies apply to new projects and would not be retroactively enforced on Mountain Valley, according to FERC spokeswoman Tamara Young-Allen. Applicants with pending applications, such as the company's request to bore under streams, would have the opportunity to supplement their records, she said. Stakeholders would also be allowed to comment on additional information filed.

Mountain Valley spokeswoman Natalie Cox said the company is reviewing the changes to see what, if any, impact they might have on the pipeline.
Tawazun Economic Council (Tawazun) and L3Harris Technologies have signed two Term Sheets in a collaboration to establish two centres that will help advance intelligent software and electro-optical technologies in the UAE.

The Intelligence Software Centre (ISC), to be executed under L3Harris joint venture with local partner Atlas Telecom, will serve multiple customers in the UAE and the region.

The ISC will develop and provide software products that enable the ingestion, analysis and visualisation of multi-source and sensor data from UAE customers. This will help customers generate intelligence from massive amounts of data, which are often in inconsistent formats, said a statement from Tawazun.

The ISC will use artificial intelligence to analyse behaviour, predict intentions and simplify work through the implementation and automation of workflows and collaboration capabilities, it stated.

The term sheets were signed yesterday (February 22) at Tawazun Pavilion in the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) and the Simulation Training (SimTEX) by Abdullah Al Awani, Executive Director, Economic Programme Tawazun, and Gary Rosholt, Vice President UAE, L3Harris.

Following the signing, Matar Ali Al Romaithi, Chief Economic Development Officer at Tawazun, said the two Term Sheets come as part of Tawazuns mandate to enable defence and security industries in the UAE and its efforts to accelerate technology transfer.

"It is through strong relationships and partnerships that we have the opportunity for further capability development, to attract investments for the private sector and to meet our partners needs," he added.

The Electro-Optical Centre of Excellence (EOCE), developed by Emirates Advanced Research and Technology Holding (Earth), is aimed at localising L3Harris Wescam MX assembly and service capabilities in the region.

The relationship will include the transfer of knowledge to develop a full co-assembly facility for L3Harris portfolio of Wescam MX electro-optical and infrared imaging and targeting systems, while offering depot level localised service capabilities to the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

The facility will further expand technological capabilities within the UAE, with the core focus on developing and supporting the local Aerospace industry.

"Our participation in these centres and in the development of human capabilities underscores L3Harris strong relationship with Tawazun and commitment to support the UAE and Middle East regions defence and security sectors," said Rosholt.

"These initiatives will further enhance UAE defence and security technology capabilities, while helping to expand innovative career opportunities within the region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Girl Scouts and the outdoors have gone hand in hand since Juliette Gordon Low established the organization in 1912.

At Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont, GSCP2P, registration has opened for 2022 summer camp sessions and early bird pricing on programs runs through Feb. 28, the organization announced in a recent press release.

Through the care and support of Girl Scouts staff, campers are guided through programs that encourage them to experience new things that develop life skills, such as teamwork, conflict resolution and problem-solving, the release said.

Summer camp opportunities are open to all girls in grades 1-12, and campers are not required to be current scouts to attend.

The GSCP2P offers day camps, week-long and half-week resident camps, horse camps and leadership programs. The full camp brochure can be found at https://www.girlscoutsp2p.org/en/camp/summer-camp-opportunities.html.

Girls who register by Feb. 28 will receive a $50 early bird discount on any full week resident camp or CIT I program. Additional financial assistance for camp is also available to families.

Girl Scout camp programs are located at Camp Ginger Cascades in Lenoir,

Camp Pisgah in Brevard and at Keyauwee Program Center in Sophia, N.C. Each camp provides unique adventures for campers, along with traditional camp activities like swimming, boating, crafts and campfires.

Questions may be directed to info@girlscoutsp2p.org or by calling 800-672-2148.
REIDSVILLE

Almost daily, N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper Lauren M. Lalime gets a look of surprise whether she shows up to an accident scene or pulls over a driver for speeding.

Usually, the person admits they have never seen a female state trooper, said Lalime, one of only a handful of female troopers in North Carolina and only the second to serve in Rockingham County.

On Monday, Feb. 21, the Florida native transferred to Rockingham.

I am very excited to be working with some amazing troopers in Rockingham County, she said during a recent interview, adding the move will reunite her with Trooper Alan Fagge, her classmate at Rockingham Community Colleges basic law enforcement training in 2015.

I am happy for Trooper Lalime to be joining us in the D-3 district, said First Sgt. Greg Strader of the NCSHP. She will be the 13th trooper patrolling the county roads.

Lalime, 30, said she decided to enter law enforcement after doing a ride-a-long with the Guilford County Sheriffs Department during high school.

I really enjoyed it, she said.

Getting to N.C.

Fifteen years ago, her mother, Annette, moved to North Carolina for a new job at Macys Department Store in Greensboro. Laurens father, David Jackson, still lives in Florida.

After graduating from Northern Guilford High School in 2010, Lalime enrolled in the criminal justice program at Guilford Technical Community College where she earned her criminal justice degree three years later.

She then accepted a position with N.C. State University Police Department in Raleigh where she learned a lot about communicating with the public, Lalime, a mother of two, said.

Although Lalime enjoyed working around college students, she chose a year later to become a deputy with the Guilford County Sheriffs Office in order to be closer to home.

Training to be a trooper

On Oct. 18, 2020, Lalime entered the N.C. Highway Patrol Basic Law Enforcement Training School No. 152 and graduated on Dec. 18, 2020.

Once she completed her training, she was assigned to Davidson Countys patrol until her recent transfer to Rockingham.

I really enjoy the investigative work on collisions and traffic stops, Lalime said of becoming a trooper.

When she enrolled in her training, COVID-19 was just taking hold in the country, and the pandemic brought drastic changes in the way the patrol school was conducted.

Normally, students attend 12 or 16 weeks of patrol school in Raleigh, doing all their in-class studies and on-the-road training in the states capital.

And prior to being accepted to the school, Lalime prepared for the physical training by doing a lot of running and other activities, such as push-ups. Training is rigorous, with recruits typically required to run about five miles every day, she said.

We did a lot of physical activities all day long. Even on breaks and between classes, we did push-ups and stuff, Lalime said.

The hardest thing about the school was taking the cold, quick showers every morning, Lalime said. You woke up, you went to PT and then you had very minimal time to take a shower, get dressed and get down to formation at the flag-raising and then head for the chow hall.

The food was okay, but they served a lot of fish, she said, noting, They did their best to refuel us with healthy foods to get us through the day.

COVID-19 made training tough

Lalime was one of just four women in her class of 80. Only 50 students graduated, including three of the four women.

And because of the pandemic, trainees were not allowed to go home during the nine-week course.

They didnt want us to go home and catch COVID and bring it back, Lalime said.

And while her class did not have the traditional graduation ceremony, Lalime said that when she received her badge, gun and patrol car, I was very proud and relieved that all the hard work was earned and done.

Lalime plans to live with her mother in Browns Summit until she finds a place in Rockingham County.

In her spare time, Lalime likes to ride her two horse she keeps at Flintrock Farms in Reidsville.

When she is off duty, Lalime goes to ride every chance I get.

She also enjoys going to the shooting range and practicing with her service weapon or working out at Edens Family Fitness on Freeway Drive to keep in shape, Lalime said.

Mother of twins

But, most of her free time is spent with her 8-year-old twin sons, Mason and Luke. They love the patrol car, and they love the fact their mother is in law enforcement, Lalime said, noting her mom is a huge help with the boys while she is working.

Asked about the hardest part of her job, Lalime laughed and replied, Figuring out where to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

But then, she got serious.

Having to knock on someones door to tell them theyve lost a loved one is the hardest part of my job, she said. Thats why we are so big on writing tickets for speeding, seatbelts and driving while impaired.
GREENSBORO  Meka Douthit EL was working the night shift as a nurse at Wake Forest Baptist when a Ku Klux Klan member arrived at the hospital with chest pains.

As soon as she walked into the mans hospital room, he became agitated and insisted he didnt want her as a Black woman to treat him. He asked to speak with Douthit ELs supervisor, hoping he could get a white nurse instead.

Douthit EL, who had just started her first nursing job after graduating from UNCG in 1996, offered to make a deal with the man. She suggested they put aside their opinions of each other and work together to address his health issues and obvious needs.

I said, What I need to do right now because we cant lose any time is I need to treat your chest pain, Douthit EL said. I said, Will you just please allow me the opportunity to take care of you and treat your chest pain? And what I want in return is that you show me just some mutual respect.

While the man never thanked her, Douthit EL got the feeling he appreciated what she did for him. She had become the type of caring, understanding nurse she needed but didnt get a few years earlier while pregnant with her first child at age 19.

Now the director of nursing at Moses Cone Hospital, Douthit EL, a Clemmons resident, has added another leadership role to her resume.

In September, she was sworn in as president of the North Carolina Nurses Association. Shes only the fourth African American to oversee the leading professional organization for the states registered nurses.

When I got connected with the NCNA and saw just the mentorship, support, leadership development, and opportunities they offer, I said, Oh gosh, I think I could be president. I dont know when its going to happen, but thats something that I want to happen in my life, Douthit EL said.

Two of the NCNAs previous Black presidents also have UNCG connections.

Ernestine Small was the universitys first Black faculty member when she was hired as an instructor in 1967, and she remained on the School of Nursing faculty until 1991.

Meanwhile, Ernest Grant earned his master of science in nursing and PhD from UNCG. He now serves on the universitys Board of Trustees in addition to his role as president of the American Nurses Association.

I am continually impressed by the quality of nurse leaders educated at the UNCG School of Nursing. Meka Douthit EL continues that proud heritage, said Debra Barksdale, dean of the School of Nursing. As a woman of color, it is not always easy, but still she continues to make a difference in nursing and in health care.

Douthit EL saw the importance of strong leaders and a sense of community as a kid while growing up in her familys apartment above Gilmores Funeral Home, which her grandfather opened in Winston-Salem.

Both of Douthit ELs parents worked as morticians, and she saw their professionalism and how they showed compassion to grieving families. She also accompanied them to the hospital after someone died, giving her a familiarity with loss that shed later need as a nurse.

I used to think it was so exciting to go with them to go pick up bodies, so I guess that would be my first exposure to the hospital because when I was a little girl I used to ride with them on death calls, Douthit EL said. So, that kind of was my first exposure to, I guess, the end of the life span, the death portion of it.

While Douthit EL received a full scholarship to pursue a chemical engineering degree at N.C. A&T, she quickly realized she wanted to work more with people.

Her older sister had earned a bachelor of science in nursing degree from UNCG, and after doing some soul searching, Douthit EL decided to become a nurse as well.

She said she knew she had made the right decision to switch majors after she had a bad experience with a nurse during her difficult pregnancy at 19.

Since Douthit EL was a college student at the time, she was on Medicaid and the Women, Infants, and Children health program. A nurse who was treating Douthit EL seemed to be bothered by her during a visit.

She categorized me. She categorized me as being Oh, youre just another teenaged person because I was 19, Douthit EL said. Youre having a baby, but she treated me less than. She was so mean, so uncaring when I needed somebody to be caring and understanding.

Douthit EL said the experience made her want to become a nurse who sees patients for who they are instead of judging them simply off what was assumed by their background or written on their medical charts.

A few years later, as she prepared to treat the Ku Klux Klan member, she told him no one outside of his hospital room had to know what she had done for him.

I didnt get a thank you. He didnt say it with his words, but he said it with his eyes, Douthit EL said. He said it with his silence. He said it by agreeing to allow me to treat him, to accept me.
A new mutation, or subset, of the omicron variant has been confirmed in North Carolina. While health officials are keeping a watchful eye, they stress that it shouldnt be regarded as a new variant.

According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, the BA.2 subvariant wasnt identified by the state but was detected in other laboratories across North Carolina, including some participating in the statewide COVID-19 sequencing network.

Experts still havent ruled out significant rises in infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to the rise of the new subvariant, which continues to be studied.

NCDHHS said it represents a very small proportion of sequenced viruses in the United States at this time and did not say what proportion it has among sequenced viruses in the state.

The agency did not answer questions regarding whether its suspected that it will lead to an uptick in cases and hospitalizations in the spring, although daily reported cases in North Carolina have decreased significantly since January.

On Tuesday, state health officials reported 1,716 new COVID-19 cases. Thats compared with 2,060 reported on Monday.

The BA.2 subvariant is a new mutation, or sublineage, of the omicron variant, of which two have already been identified globally, BA.1 and BA.1.1. The World Health Organization said that it should not be regarded as a new variant altogether.

The subvariant accounts for an estimated 3.9% all new infections nationally, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the rate of infections appears to be doubling quickly.

Its believed to be more infectious and more resistant to immunity than the original omicron variant, according to research cited by the WHO and the CDC and a recent laboratory study.

Ongoing studies show this subvariant has a growth advantage over other detected subvariants of omicron, WHO said in a statement on Tuesday. WHO added that initial data suggest that BA.2 appears inherently more transmissible than BA.1, which currently remains the most common omicron sublineage reported.

Infectious disease experts are keeping a wary eye on BA.2, which poses a risk of reinfecting people and causing breakthrough infections among the vaccinated to a greater degree than previously seen.

The subvariant overtook the original omicron in countries like South Africa and Denmark, leading to surges in cases, but a surge hasnt occurred yet in the U.S.

But some experts think its unlikely BA.2 will cause a massive nationwide spike, primarily because so many people have immunity from prior infections, vaccinations and booster shots.

In a statement, NCDHHS said the best protection from all COVID-19 variants continues to be vaccinations and booster shots.

Though many vaccinated and unvaccinated people were infected during a period of record-high number of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, thanks to the original omicron variant, scientists say people shouldnt let their guard down. Breakthrough cases among the fully vaccinated and boosted wont give them super immunity and make them completely immune to the coronavirus.

But a recent study from the CDC shows that infection and death rates were lower among fully vaccinated individuals who had got their booster shot than those who did not get the booster.

Both of those groups were still less likely to get COVID-19 or die from the virus than those who are not vaccinated.
Its been a measure of former federal Judge J. Michael Luttigs stature in the conservative legal movement that Supreme Court justices hired so many of his law clerks  40 over 15 years. Then two of those proteges became (in)famous: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump lawyer John C. Eastman, lead actors in the plot to overturn Joe Bidens election.

Now Luttig is doing penance of a sort: Hes joined the resistance  against former President Donald Trump, certainly, but also against his erstwhile mentees.

Early on, Luttig did so only by invitation: Two days before Jan. 6, 2021, then-Vice President Mike Pence sought Luttigs counsel to counter Trumps demands that Pence, in presiding over Congress count of Bidens electoral votes, reject the votes of six states. Pence, in his letter to Congress ahead of the proceedings, name-checked Luttig to argue that a vice president has no such power.

Lately, however, events have provoked Luttig to go public about his concerns about the existential threat to the Republican Party, and by extension our democracy.

Heres Luttigs lament about Trumps Republican Party this month to a group of conservative lawyers:

For the past six years, I have watched and listened in disgust that not one single leader of ours with the moral authority, the courage and the will to stand up and say, No, this is not who we are, this is not what America is and its not what we want to be, has done so.

The final straws for Luttig were the Republican National Committees recent resolution that censured Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for participating on the Jan. 6 committee and called the insurrection legitimate political discourse, and Trumps attacks on Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for criticizing the RNC and of Pence for publicly stating Trump is wrong to say Pence could overturn the election.

Luttig elaborated by email: This feels like a seminal moment in America when all of what the country has witnessed and endured for these years seems to be building to volcanic crescendo. ... We are in political war to the death  with each other, and American democracy hangs in the balance.

That more Republicans arent standing up to this nonsense, this utter madness, he said, is the definition of failed leadership.

That brings us back to Cruz and Eastman. They not only havent stood up to the madness, but they also exemplify it  Cruz by leading a cabal of Republicans who opposed certification of Biden votes on Jan. 6, and by his general Trump toadyism, and Eastman by his authorship of the memo giving a false constitutional gloss to Trumps coup strategy.

The 67-year-old Luttig, relatively new to Twitter, has trolled his former clerks like a pro. Anyone familiar with the bonds typical between a judge and his or her clerks  Luttigs call themselves Luttigators  knows that his public chastisements have to bother Eastman and even the seemingly impervious-to-criticism Cruz, who once described Luttig as like a father to me.

In threaded tweets, Luttig flayed Eastmans legal analysis, calling it incorrect at every turn. He pounced after Cruz tweeted a photo of the removal of a 50-ton slab etched with the First Amendment from the defunct Newseum near the Capitol; Cruz snarkily suggested it was a metaphor for the wreckage ahead from the Biden administration. Turns out the slab was simply being relocated, partly at the expense of Luttig and his wife, Elizabeth.

Had he asked, Luttig tweeted, I would have told (Cruz) once again that the facts matter and it was foolish of him to demagogue the Constitution by mocking the removal of the iconic First Amendment tablet for reinstallation at its new home at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Ouch.

Luttig is now working with members of Congress and their aides to rewrite the flawed 1887 Electoral Count Act to prevent demagogues like Cruz and Eastman from potentially using it again to threaten democracy after the 2024 election.

He has been asked whether the Constitution empowers the states or Congress to disqualify Trump and others from seeking federal office if they are found to have participated in an insurrection. Luttig thinks federal courts would be willing to take such cases, but that its unlikely the states or Congress would press the matter.

Its beyond sad that Trump has forced such questions. But, as Luttig told me, that is because he was pushing the Constitution and the laws to their limits more than any president in history.

Take it from the judge.

Jackie Calmes is an opinion columnist for the Los Angeles Times in Washington.
In this context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the killing of 11 members of the Damascus government forces and non-Syrian groups, "6 members of the Damascus government forces and 5 members of the pro-Iranian Al-Baqir group", in addition to injury 17 others, most of whom were killed and injured in separate attacks carried out by ISIS on Homs - Mahin road, the desert of Deir Ezzor, and the Jabal Al-Omar area in the eastern Homs countryside.

Worth to note that the Russian warplanes have launched about 550 air strikes on separate areas in the Syrian Badia since the beginning of February.

Since 24th of March 2019, SOHR has documented the death of at least 1,654 Damascus soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least three Russians, and 165 Iranian-backed militiamen of non-Syrian nationalities. All were killed in attacks, bombings and ambushes by ISIS.

Also, four civilians working in gas fields, tens of shepherds and other civilians were killed in the same period, from late March 2019 until today. They were killed in attacks by ISIS cells. While 1,172 ISIS gangs were also killed in attacks and bombardment in the same period.

A.K

ANHA
The Kurdish community in Lebanon issued a statement to the public opinion, read by Khaled Khaled amid a gathering of dozens of the Kurdish people in Lebanon, in which he said:

"In the name of the Kurdish community in Lebanon, we announce our support for the call of the International Justice Initiative for the Kurds, in the belief that meeting this humanitarian and sentimental demand will contribute to strengthening democracy and establishing security and safety and will help to establish human rights in general and to achieve a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue in particular. Just as we are the sons and daughters of the Kurdish community In Lebanon, we believe that listening to this humanitarian and sentimental demand is in the spirit of launching peaceful negotiations aimed at resolving outstanding problems between all concerned parties, which leads to the consolidation of stability throughout the Middle East, given that the Kurdish issue is as much a global and regional issue as it is a national and national issue.

A

ANHA
Leading Saudi miner Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Company (Amak) said it plans to raise up to SR1.25 billion ($333.18 million) in its initial public offering.

A major producer of copper, zinc, silver, gold and other metals, Amak said its offering's price range has been set at SR58 ($15.4) to SR63 ($16.7) a share, said the company in its filing to the Saudi bourse.

The company is selling 19.8 million shares, representing a 30% stake to investors, it stated.

The Institutional book-building for all the 19.8 million shares began today (February 23) and will conclude on March 1. It will be followed by a three-day retail offering starting March 9.-TradeArabia News Service
" " Surgeons work on a gunshot wound victim at the Ben Taub General Hospital emergency room in Houston, Texas. Wound ballistics is the study of the effects of projectiles on bones, tissue and organs. The study begins if medical staff can't save its patient. Gregory Smith/Getty Images

There is no existing body of work regarding the best place of the anatomy to be shot, but there are a few contenders. To understand where the best place to be shot is, you must first understand a little bit about bullets and the effects they have on the human body.

The study of what bullets do to tissue, bone and organs is called wound ballistics, and this field has come up with some definite conclusions about the destructiveness of projectiles on humans. A bullet is a carrier of force, and its purpose is to transfer that energy within the body. This energy causes all of the injuries sustained, whether directly or in a secondary manner.

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The injury inflicted by a bullet is directly related to the bullet's kinetic energy. This is a measure of the bullet's weight, velocity and gravitational trajectory. The combination of the three describe how much damage a bullet will cause.

As a bullet enters the body, it causes laceration and crushing wounds. The bullet punctures tissue and bone, crushing or pushing aside anything in its path. When a bullet passes through tissue, it creates a cavity that can be 30 times wider than its track (the path it takes). This cavity closes behind the bullet less than a second after the bullet passes, but the cavitation it causes can damage nearby tissue, organs and bones via shock waves.

The type and amount of injury sustained from a bullet also depends on what a bullet encounters. Soft tissue can carry shock waves more easily than bone, but since bone is dense, it absorbs more force (and damage). Bones also splinter, causing further damage as the fragments travel through the body as projectiles themselves.

A bullet that passes through the body (creating an exit wound) generally will cause less damage than one which stays in the body, because a bullet that stays in the body transfers all of its kinetic energy (and ensures maximum damage to tissue). This is the aim of most modern ballistic design. Jacketed bullets are designed to fragment after impact, dividing their destructive power. Hollow-point and soft bullets are designed to flatten and spread, creating a wider area for their tracks and increasing the damage caused by shock waves and cavitation.

Based on this information, we can make some conclusions about the areas you might least like to take a bullet and deduce the best place from there. A bullet can shatter bone, and bone can also ensure a bullet won't leave the body. So you'd want to stay away from areas with a lot of bone mass, such as the ribs. You would also want to stay away from nerve bundles, as Ed Sizemore mentioned. And, most importantly, you'd want to keep your vital organs away from a bullet. This definitely counts your torso out and your head, too.

So it looks like your arms and legs are the best place to take a bullet. But wait: Your thighs and upper arms both feature important arteries  your femoral and brachial arteries. If a bullet severs either one of these, the loss of blood can cause death in just a few minutes. So the legs and arms are out.

Based on their location and relative distance from vital organs, your hands or feet appear to be the best place to take a bullet. Getting shot in a foot or hand would certainly shatter most of the many bones there, and it would be an extremely painful experience, but it would pose little deadly threat. What's more, although you have plenty of bones there to shatter, the fragments are less likely to travel easily to your vital organs, like your heart. Plus, with your hands and feet as relatively thin as they are, a bullet also has a better chance of passing through your body before it transfers the full extent of its power. You might suffer a disability, but you'd be more likely to live through the experience.

Editor's Note: Ed Sizemore was interviewed in 2007.

How a gunshot wound helped us learn about digestion In 1822, Canadian Alexis St. Martin was accidentally shot beneath his left breast at close range. The musket ball tore away parts of his left side, exposing bone, tissue and organs. His stomach was exposed and punctured, and a physician who attended him, Dr. William Beaumont, concluded St. Martin would soon die. He survived an additional 66 years, though his wound never healed. Dr. Beaumont used St. Martin's exposed stomach and hole to extract digested food to determine the functions of the stomach, which had been only theorized until St. Martin's (educationally) fortunate accident [source: University of Houston]. Read More

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Originally Published: Dec 7, 2007
A group of Helena residents filed a lawsuit against the city in District Court, alleging its street maintenance district and street assessments are illegal.

As a result of the suit, the city is searching for alternative funding options for at least two major infrastructure projects, the Rodney Street overhaul and Knight Street sidewalk projects, as the more than $1 million loans needed to complete them are backed by street assessments.

In order to close on street improvement bonds for projects within the district, the city is required to issue a Certificate of No Litigation, in which the city certifies that there is no litigation threatened or impending that questions the validity of the district or the assessments levied therein, city spokesman Jacob Garcin said in an email.

"Until this case is settled or finally resolved on the merits, the City will not be able to issue that Certificate and thus will not be able to close on any such street improvement bonds," Garcin said. "The City is exploring alternative funding options as a short-term solution."

The petition for declaratory judgment and refund was filed in Montana's 1st District Court Jan. 25 by RGB Investments LLC, which owns property at 2823 Airport Road; 80 Proof LLC, which owns the Loose Caboose parcel at 11 E. Lyndale Ave. and the 4-Js parcel at 1827 Prospect Ave.; CAS Holdings LLC, which owns property at 908 Euclid Ave. and 1151 Partridge Place; and the Blatter Family Trust as represented by Trustee Maureen Blatter, which owns property at 2500 N. Cook St.

The petition argues that the city's increase in tax rates that date back to 2011 and amount to about a 190% increase for commercial properties offer no benefits to them and have not been properly justified by the city government.

The petition further alleges that the revenue generated by street assessments was spent on items unrelated to street maintenance, such as sidewalks, trailheads and studies.

RGB Investments counsel argues in the petition that the company's street assessments for its Airport Road parcel between 2014 and 2021 increased 164%.

They claimed the city charged RGB Investments more than $26,000 in street assessments in 2021 with a Montana Department of Revenue-assessed taxable value of less than $23,000.

"When measured against the assessed taxable value, the 2021 District Tax assessment is the equivalent of a 1,173.49 mill levy," the petition states.

The property owners are also petitioning the judge to order the city to repay "Petitioners and all similarly situated taxpayer all illegally collected District Taxes and statutory interest."

Acting City Manager Thomas Jodoin, previously the city attorney, told the city commission that the litigation and subsequently the city's inability to secure infrastructure project loans could last years.

"It could be several years," Jodoin said. "I am hopeful we'll be able to get some of the counts dismissed early on in the process, but that could be several months away."

The city attorney's office has contracted with Helena-based law firm Jackson Murdo & Grant, who Jodoin said is "preparing a vigorous defense."

Montana Municipal Interlocal Authority, the entity that provides Helena with self-funded insurance coverage, declined coverage in this instance, which Jodoin said was expected as MMIA does not assist with challenges to payments of taxes.

Still, Jodoin said he is hopeful for a positive outcome for the city.

"I think it's a fairly big stretch to say there is no benefit to their properties," he said.

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Gov. Greg Gianforte visited Carroll College on Tuesday to present the college with $440,000 in grant funding for scholarships.

The scholarships will be provided to qualifying new students entering the school's 15-month accelerated nursing program or master of social work program.

Carroll Officials said the funding will be allocated to 32 scholarships, 16 per program, at $12,500 each. This comes out to about $200,000 per program, and the remaining funds will go toward marketing the scholarships.

The funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which is meant to provide COVID-19 relief. Last week, Gianforte announced $6 million in ARPA funding will be used as an investment in workforce development. The state awarded that grant to Accelerate Montana, a collaborative partnership headed by the University of Montana in Missoula. Carroll College is a partner in the initiative, which seeks to establish training opportunities for Montanans in sectors such as construction, health care, manufacturing and infrastructure.

Gianforte said the leadership of those such as Lauren Swant, associate professor and director of the nursing program at Carroll, and James Petrovich, professor and director of the masters of social work program, is critically important to the state of Montana, which is suffering significant workforce shortages in both fields.

"For far too long Montana has not been living up to its potential. I think this is because there is a longstanding disconnect between employers and educators," Gianforte said. "I'd like to see programs like Accelerate Montana reach every campus in different industries across the state."

Gianforte said Accelerate Montana is expected to train up to 5,000 workers over the next few years, and he expressed enthusiasm that Carroll is a part of the project to "empower students with in-demand skills."

When asked what other major industries need workforce development, Gianforte cited meetings he has had with home builders who lack carpenters, electricians and more. The governor said he met with a Helena manufacturer recently who had 63 open positions. Gianforte also cited his meetings with restaurant industry heads who are experiencing a drought of qualified workers for management positions and more.

According to Gianforte, the goal with projects like Accelerate Montana is to use the educational institutions, public or private, in the state to create industry pipelines to where workers are needed the most.

Both Swant and Petrovich shared their own experiences with the need for workers in their respective fields. Petrovich said there is a perpetual need for mental health services across the state and there is a major shortage of those who are qualified to provide those services. This is especially true in underserved areas. He said these scholarships are "absolutely going to make a difference."

Swant's field is facing a nationwide shortage, and in Montana the field is expected to lose about 570 nurses every year as many workers age into retirement.

"The workforce depends on highly skilled nurses to function," Swant said. "You have my sincerest thanks for helping to secure these scholarships."

Carroll President John Cech said the $12,500 scholarships cover around a quarter of the accelerated nursing program's tuition.

"It goes a long way to helping them get started," Cech said. "And nursing is a very competitive field right now when it comes to wages. Many nursing start out making more than $60,000 per year right now."

The accelerated nursing program at Carroll takes those who have already completed a bachelor's degree and puts them on track to be a registered nurse in 15 months.

The master of social work program takes about nine months to complete for those who already have a bachelor's in social work. Cech said it takes about two years if the student has no background in social work. The master of social work program is relatively new to Carroll and has online and hybrid options available.

"We have students from all over the state who are enrolled in the MSW program," Cech said. "We at Carroll want to be at the table to be a part of the conversation with industry professionals to solve these workforce issues."

Scholarship awards will be based upon demonstrated financial need and will be given to students who intend to work in Montana following graduation. The scholarships are earmarked for those who enter the programs after Tuesday's announcement.

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Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said Tuesday there have been four fentanyl-related deaths in Lewis and Clark County in the past month, warning they were likely caused by a counterfeit pill touted as a legitimate prescription drug.

Evidence gathered at the scene leads us to believe these are fentanyl related, Dutton said.

Dutton said toxicology and autopsy reports are pending. One of the deaths is believed to be a suicide and the others are considered accidents.

He said the death believed to be a suicide happened on Jan. 21, and the other fentanyl-related deaths occurred on Jan. 28, Feb. 9 and Feb. 15.

Details on the deaths were not included in emails provided by the sheriff.

Dutton said in each case, little blue pills were located on or near the deceased. The pills have an "M" on one side and a "30" on the other side. He said instead of oxycodone, which is the authentic pill, the users got a fake pill in which the oxycodone was laced with fentanyl.

He said it is believed the deaths were the result of an overdose. The counterfeit pill causes respiratory and cardiac reactions, Dutton said.

He said in three of the deaths, the user inhaled the fumes as the pill dissipated on a small piece of tin foil that was heated up.

Dutton released a warning from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that showed authentic M30 tablets with oxycodone, compared to fake M30 oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl. The warning also said that 40% of pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.

The DEA describes fentanyl as a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. DEA officials warned in December that criminal drug networks in Mexico are mass-producing fentanyl and fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills, using chemicals sourced largely from China.

These pills are designed to look nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions  such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Xanax and other medicines  and have been found in every state, the DEA said in a news release.

On Jan. 19 Dutton said nine people in the Helena area had overdosed on fentanyl-laced heroin in the prior 48 hours, adding St. Peter's Health's emergency room had successfully revived all nine overdose patients. While none of them died, at least one was in serious condition.

He said the pills are coming from more than one source and entering the United States from Mexico. He said the Missouri River Drug Task Force has hit this issue hard.

Dutton cautioned people from taking the drug and urged them to use the state's Angel Initiative program, which allows a person struggling with addiction to approach law enforcement, turn in their narcotics and get connected with resources, rather than being arrested.

Need help? If you or someone you know is in crisis, the Montana Warmline is at 1-877-688-3377 or http://montanawarmline.org. The Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is also available.

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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DECATUR  Jessica McBride is student-teaching in first grade and is hoping she can find a position teaching that grade when she graduates.

The early-childhood education major at Millikin University participated in the annual mock interview event with Millikin alumni who are now principals and superintendents in the area and is feeling confident.

It's just like conversations with them, she said. Prepping us for real interviews when we walk out into the field. It's actually been a really good experience. They ask some tough questions, but they've been giving us really good feedback on our answers and allowing us to ask them questions, too.

The Decatur native would like to stay in the area, she said, because she has a husband and children to consider before looking further afield, but if a good fit comes along, she'd be open to considering it.

The mock interviews have been held annually for about 10 years, said Chris Cunnings, director of the school of education.

The unique thing about this event, and I don't think a lot of schools do it, is it allows us to bring back our successful alumni, those who went out to be teachers and have become administrators, an opportunity to come back and talk to the next generation of teachers and help them prepare for the job interview process, for success as a first-year teacher, some tips of the trade that maybe they didn't get in their classes at Millikin University, a more practical look at the profession, he said.

The event begins with a panel discussion by the alumni, who talk about the challenges and rewards of their chosen profession, and provide some of those tips and tricks Cunnings referred to that will help make those first months go more smoothly. Then the administrators meet with the Millikin students in small groups for about 15 minutes at a time, conduct mock interviews, and give the students some ideas to improve their interview skills. The students also bring their resumes and contact information to give to the administrators so they'll be a step ahead when it comes to applying for positions in those districts.

I think this experience is very helpful because it gives us experience with actual teachers and administrators that are from (the area) and from Millikin, said Amber Rezinas of Shelbyville. And it gives us experience doing interviews, so I think it's wonderful for advice and experience.

This year the fewest administrators were able to come in Cunnings' recollection, partly due to pandemic concerns and issues in their own districts keeping them from having the time, but there were 43 students, which is the largest number of students he can recall. He hopes to have more of a balance next year.

It's a good problem to have, he said. It's a great problem when we're producing this number of teacher candidates, especially when there's a lot of job openings and a need for teachers.

Okaw Valley Superintendent Kent Stauder said he was pleased by the quality of the students.

The questions they're asking me is what am I looking for in a new teacher, Stauder said. I tell them I'm looking for someone who's a great asset to the district, a great employee willing to learn, willing to ask questions, and to be a good face of the district, and everybody I've interviewed has that. They've been excellent.

Johns Hill Magnet School Principal Rob Prange has been to several of the mock interview events, and he said he noticed that the students this year were well-prepared. With a shortage of teachers still an issue in Illinois, well-prepared new teachers will have no trouble finding a job.

They've done really well with the practice interview questions and I'm excited for them, Prange said. They've got a lot of opportunity to kind of pick and choose the jobs they want and hopefully we can get some of them in (Decatur Public Schools).

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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We begin todays respite with an easy, one-question pop quiz:

QUESTION: At the end of the 20th centurys Cold War, the three nations with the largest nuclear arsenals were: the United States, Russia, and 

(A) Britain, (B) France, (C) China, (D) none of the above?

And the correct answer, as you probably know, is: (D).

When the Soviet Union collapsed, about one-third of the former Soviet nuclear weapons were still in Ukraine, the suddenly untethered Soviet region just southwest of the rest of Russia. Ukraine had far more nukes than Britain, France and China. Well before the historic election in which more than 90 percent of Ukrainians voted to become an independent nation, Ukraine had instantly become the worlds third-ranked nuclear power.

Ukraine possessed 1,900 Soviet strategic nuclear warheads (but lacked operational control of them), according to the Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiatives historic analysis, and between 2,650 and 4,200 ex-Soviet tactical nuclear weapons. Two other regions outside Russia  Belarus and Kazakhstan  had smaller numbers of Soviet nuclear weapons.

In a far-sighted development, U.S. Sens. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., drafted the historic Cooperative Threat Reduction Act, that financed programs to secure arsenals of weapons of mass destruction that were vulnerable to being obtained by terrorists around the world. The United States financed the program that enabled the flat-broke, newly noncommunist Russia to get those vulnerable nuclear weapons back to Russia, where they could be secured and safely destroyed. It remains the worlds noblest program never to win a Nobel Prize.

Ukraines leaders saw the nuclear weapons in what had suddenly become their arsenal as being a potentially powerful diplomatic and security bargaining boondoggle. They wanted to be accepted and respected by Europe and the West  not just militarily by NATO but economically by the European Union.

In 1994, in an agreement known as the Budapest Memorandums, signed by Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Britain, the signatories pledged they would respect Ukraines existing territorial borders and sovereignty. They also pledged that none of the signers would use force or threaten to use military or economic force against Ukraine.

Yet in 2014 and now, Russias President Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to mount military assaults against the sovereign and independent Ukraine that his predecessors recognized and vowed to respect. In 2014, Putin seized Crimea and militarily put it under Russian control. Now he has escalated his military assaults.

Why? One reason has long seemed uppermost in Putins mind: Putin considers Ukraine historically and forever Russian. Period.

A Putin invasion that takes Kyiv will be the most devastating military conquest Europe has seen since Adolph Hitler. Its a valid comparison. A Putin invasion will shame all Russians, given the historic suffering their families endured in battling invading Nazis.

Putin also has a list of security concerns that come down to the true fact that, ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States has agreed (and, yes, even promoted) an eastward expansion of NATO.

Here Putin has some valid concerns that have bipartisan roots that reach all the way to the USA.

President Bill Clinton swept aside objections from his top defense officials and surprised them, according to recently declassified documents, by pursuing a fast-track eastward expansion of NATO.

But this was more than just reflex negativity from the Pentagon. For the architect of Americas Cold War policy, diplomat George Kennan, weighed in as well. In a 1997 New York Times commentary, the 93-year-old Kennan cautioned us all. Expanding NATO, Kennan wrote, would be the most fateful error of American policy in the entire post-cold-war era.

The Most Fateful Error, now playing on a news screen near you.

Martin Schram is an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service. martin.schram@gmail.com

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Most every dairy has a list of projects theyd like to complete someday, if there were only enough time and money. What would you add to your dairy if you were not limited by a budget?

We asked four farms that question, and as one might expect, their answers were all unique. For Benthem Brothers Dairy in McBain, Mich., they would add a digester to capture methane from manure on their 3,000-cow dairy. We think this will help us reach our sustainability goals, said Ryan Benthem, one of the farms owners.

I would add more help, was the response given by Jimmy Harris, who milks 80 cows on his Darkhorse Farm near Perkasie, Pa. I would love to be able to walk out to the barn and spend more time with my kids, doing things on the farm together like fishing, halter breaking a show heifer, and riding four-wheelers. They have some part-time help to assist with their dairy and hay making business, but the opportunity to spend more time with his four young children while not working is on Harris wish list.

At Hillside Dairy near Fallon, Nev., they would focus on maintenance and efficiency. Eric Olsen, who owns the dairy with his brothers Neil and Pete, said, I would rotate and replace equipment sooner. Other investments would include more cropland, because he said that is always useful to have, and possibly a rotary parlor to enhance milking efficiency. They currently milk their 2,800 cows in a double-44 parallel parlor.

For the Kaufman family of Porterfield, Wis., improvements to cow comfort in their freestall barn over the years yielded many positive results. Now, there are a few other areas of the operation they would like to update, if possible. If money was not a problem, we would build a new heifer facility and put in a cement pad for our feed pile, shared Ben Kaufman, who farms with his wife and parents on their 280-cow dairy.

On the flip side, we also asked the farms if there are products or services they have given up in the last five to 10 years that have not been missed.

Harris said they stopped feeding high-moisture corn after switching to high chopped brown midrib (BMR) corn silage. Now they feed more corn silage and just 7 pounds of dry corn per head to the lactating cows.

Another positive change for them was switching to nearly 100% no-till on their cropland. Conventional tillage is a practice we dont miss, Harris explained. Cover crops, weed control, soil sampling, and trying to stay off fields in wet conditions have made no-till successful for us.

At Kaufman Farms, they no longer do Johnes testing since they rarely found positive cows. They also stopped using Posilac as a requirement from their milk processor, but it ended up reaping positive rewards. After we quit using it, conception rates went up, somatic cell count went down, and overall herd health improved, Kaufman said. The elimination of these two procedures has also reduced our cost of production.

For Olsen, automated teat dippers helped them improve consistency in their milking routine. We went away from manual teat dipping, and we are happy with that change. There is no more reminding the milkers to do a better job, he shared. Now we always get the same results.

If you would like to learn more about these farms and the products and services they find most useful, check out the article They share their best buys and decisions that appeared in the February issue of Hoards Dairyman.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2022

February 17, 2022
Ann Street United Methodist Church

335 Ann St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Randy L. Wall. In person and Facebook Live worship at 11 a.m. at Ann Street Church. Sermon: Whats Right with the Church: Our Resources. Scripture: I Timothy 6:6-19.

Bethpage United Methodist Church

109 Fellowship Ave. at West C Street, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Gary MacDonald. Christian education at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. People are encouraged to wear masks and follow social distance protocols during indoor worship.

Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church

1775 Flowes Store Road E., Concord. Pastor: Eric Shaver. Worship service is at 10 a.m. for in person or on Facebook. Social distancing and masks are optional. Sermon: What Does Lent Mean to You? Opening Reading: Psalm 99. Scripture: Luke 4:1-13. Childrens Poem: I Turn to Jesus by Sharon K. Shubert.

Crossroads Church

220 George W. Liles Parkway, Concord. Pastor: Lowell McNaney. Live worship streamed on Facebook, Crossroads Concord Church app or mycrossroads.co website at 9:30 a.m. and 11:11 a.m.

Eastside Missionary Baptist Church

199 Elgin Drive, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Stephen Burrow. In person services: Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. Worship services at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Recorded worship services and other information at EastsideMissionaryBaptist.org. You will be welcomed. Practice social distancing.

Epworth United Methodist Church

1030 Burrage Road NE, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Bill Roberts. Church has reopened its 10 a.m. worship service for attendance. Epworth UMC continues to follow the appropriate COVID-19 social distancing guidelines as outlined by the governor and the CDC. We welcome you to join us in worship! Sermon: Transfiguration. Scripture: Luke 9:28-36.

Forest Hill United Methodist Church

265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship is at 9 a.m. Sunday school/small groups is at 10 a.m. Traditional worship is at 11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be livestreamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc.

Harmony United Methodist Church

101 White St. NW, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Thad Brown. Service is held in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. Masks are not required at this time. Social distancing is requested. Sermon: The Starter Kit. Scripture: James 1:6-8; Genesis 12:2-3; John 8:56; Romans 1:16-17; Ephesians 6:12; Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 14:14-16. We welcome you to join us in worship! Service is live on Facebook.com/HarmonyUnitedMethodistChurch. For more information, call the pastor at 704-791-2883 or the church at 704-782-8237.

Jackson Park United Methodist Church

715 Mable Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor: Laurie Knoespel. Adult Sunday school 9:30 a.m. In-person worship service at 10:30 a.m. Nursery will be provided during worship service. Replay on Facebook on Monday at 5 p.m. Sermon: De-coding the Cloud-not. Scripture: Exodus 34:29-35 (MSG); Luke 9:28-43 (NRSV).

McGill Baptist Church

5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, in-person services. Pastor: Rev. Steve Ayers. If you have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, wear a mask. McGill will stream a worship service Sunday at 10 a.m. on www.facebook.com/mcgillbaptistchurch/ and on YouTube. The services will be live and also available on recording afterward. Sermon: A Glimpse. Scripture: Psalm 99; II Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-43a.

Midway United Methodist Church

108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Craig Allen. Come join us on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday school and 10:30 a.m. for worship. At this time, masks are required and congregants are asked to social distance in the pews as COVID-19 precautions are in place. Our service is also livestreamed on the web at midwayunitedmethodistchurch.org or facebook.com/midwayUMC. Sermon: Transfiguration Sunday. Scripture: Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36. Suggested Hymns: TFWS 2077, You Alone are Holy; TFWS 2272, Holy Ground.

Mount Mitchell United Methodist Church

6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Joel Locklear. Sunday school at 10 a.m. (adult and children classes.) Worship at 11 a.m. in person or Facebook. Masks are optional and social distance. If you have not taken the COVID vaccine, wear a mask.

Multiply Church Concord

150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Douglas Witherup. 8:30 a.m. service held at 280 Concord Parkway S., Suite 15, Concord. Services at 150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N., are worship and sermon at 9:30 a.m. and worship and sermon at 11:15 a.m.

New Gilead Reformed Church

2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road. 9:40 a.m.: Bible study. 10 a.m.: Childrens Bible school. 11 a.m.: Inside worship, Facebook worship, drive-in worship at 1600 AM radio.

Oak Grove Baptist Church

200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Pastor: Rev. Franklin D. Watkins. 10 a.m.: In-person worship service and Facebook Live. Sermon: Are You Preparing For Success? Scripture: Exodus 1:6-14.

Second Presbyterian Church

1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. Assistant minister: Rev. Aaron Price. Worship is at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary and on Facebook Live. Sermon: A Study on the Book of Philippians. Scripture: Philippians 3.

St. Johns Reformed Church

901 N. Main St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Chris King. Sunday school has been temporarily discontinued due to increased COVID numbers in the community. Sunday morning worship is in person and online at 10:30 a.m. Adult Bible study is at at 4 p.m. Sunday. Sermon: The Names of God (Part 7)  El Shaddai. Scripture: Genesis 17.

Information for Sermon topics must be submitted by 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Email your topic to jstamey@independenttribune.com
China outlines tasks to advance rural vitalization in 2022

Xinhua) 07:47, February 23, 2022

Farmers harvest chili peppers in Jiaji Town of Qionghai City, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China unveiled its "No. 1 central document" for 2022 on Tuesday, outlining key tasks to comprehensively push forward rural vitalization this year.

As the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, the document is seen as an indicator of policy priorities. Work on agriculture and rural areas has been high on the agenda for 19 consecutive years since 2004.

The document called for efforts to stabilize and increase agricultural production, steadily raise farmers' incomes, and ensure stability in China's rural areas to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and other changes unseen in a century and promote sound economic and social development.

"We must firmly hold the bottom lines of guaranteeing China's grain security and ensuring no large-scale return to poverty," the document noted.

China will enhance grain production and the supply of vital agricultural products, it said.

Measures will be taken to ensure that the sown areas for grains remain stable and the full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kg.

Efforts will also enhance the production capacity of soybean and oil plants and ensure the supply of key products such as pork and vegetables, said the document.

The document detailed reasonable protection of farmers' incomes from growing grains and coordinated regulation on major agricultural products.

In 2022, China aims to develop 6.67 million hectares of high-standard farmland, promote national projects on black soil protection, and launch the third nationwide soil condition census, noted the document.

It also specified measures to vigorously promote the research on vital agricultural core technologies such as germplasm, enhance applications of agriculture machinery and equipment, accelerate development of facility agriculture, and effectively prevent and respond to major agriculture-related disasters.

The document urged efforts to improve mechanisms for monitoring and assisting people at risk of falling back into poverty, and to ensure assistance and support policies are implemented in a timely manner.

More efforts should be made to help boost the incomes of populations that have recently been lifted out of poverty, according to the document.

China will increase support for key counties in rural vitalization and for communities of relocated people while working to promote the integrated development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas, it said.

Efforts should be made to develop county-level industries and commerce systems, as well as to encourage rural residents to obtain employment or start businesses locally, said the document.

In an interview with Xinhua, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian said the country should consolidate poverty-reduction achievements with steady economic growth, with more financial support tilted toward developing the technology, facilities and marketing of rural industries that help increase the incomes of rural households.

Tang listed farm-produce processing, rural tourism and rural e-commerce as three major industries for rural vitalization, and stressed the prevention of excessive financing, development and construction, so as to yield practical results.

The document also urged the continued implementation of the five-year action plan on improving the rural living environment, stressing solid work on enhancing rural infrastructure in key areas such as highways, water facilities, power grids and clean-energy facilities, as well as improving the quality of rural housing.

It called for greater efforts on developing digital villages by pushing for smart agriculture and empowering rural public services with digital technologies.

The document noted that measures should be taken to increase investment for rural vitalization, such as providing support from the public budget and the central government budget, and supporting the issuance of local-government bonds for qualified projects.

It also stressed optimizing financial services to advance rural vitalization. More support will be provided for qualified local financial institutions in terms of relending, rediscounts and required reserves.

More work will be done to strengthen the building of a rural credit system and facilitate credit lending for rural households, while agricultural insurance and reinsurance will be actively promoted, it said.

The document also proposed to improve the recruitment and training systems of talent for rural vitalization.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun)
The Middle East and Africa region was ranked fourth worldwide for the most ransomware attacks, while the most attacked countries in the region were the UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, said IBM in a new report.



IBMs annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlights that ransomware was the dominant attack type observed across cyber incidents in the UAE. The number one cause of attacks on UAE organizations was attackers exploiting known and unpatched vulnerabilities in the vast majority of incidents X-Force observed.



The 2022 IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index maps new trends and attack patterns IBM Security observed and analysed from its data  drawing from billions of datapoints ranging from network and endpoint detection devices, incident response engagements, phishing kit tracking and more  including data provided by Intezer.



Some of the top highlights in this years report include:



 Ransomware Gangs Defy Takedowns. Ransomware persisted as the top attack method observed globally in 2021, with ransomware groups showing no sign of stopping, despite the uptick in ransomware takedowns. According to the 2022 report, the average lifespan of a ransomware group before shutting down or rebranding is 17 months.



Ransomware and server access attacks were the top attack types observed in the Middle East and Africa, tying for first place each representing 18% of attacks. Misconfiguration followed closely at 14%.



 Vulnerabilities Expose Businesses Biggest Vice. X-Force reveals that 50% of attacks against businesses in the Middle East and Africa were caused by unpatched vulnerabilities, exposing businesses biggest struggle patching vulnerabilities.



 Early Warning Signs of Cyber Crisis in the Cloud. Cybercriminals are laying the groundwork to target cloud environments, with the 2022 report revealing a 146% increase in new Linux ransomware code and a shift to Docker-focused targeting, potentially making it easier for more threat actors to leverage cloud environments for malicious purposes.



Cybercriminals recognized the opportunity to capitalize on the rapid digital adoption in the UAE and took full advantage of unpatched vulnerabilities to successfully infiltrate organizations, said Wael Abdoush, General Manager, IBM Gulf & Levant and Pakistan.



As cybercriminals became increasingly sophisticated, open hybrid cloud environments can provide an opportunity for businesses to enhance and extend their visibility into suspicious activity on their networks and more quickly respond to cyber threats in their environments.  TradeArabia News Service
Its been a measure of former federal Judge J. Michael Luttigs stature in the conservative legal movement that Supreme Court justices hired so many of his law clerks  40 over 15 years. Then two of those proteges became (in)famous: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump lawyer John C. Eastman, lead actors in the plot to overturn Joe Bidens election.

Now Luttig is doing penance of a sort: Hes joined the resistance  against former President Donald Trump, certainly, but also against his erstwhile mentees.

Early on, Luttig did so only by invitation: Two days before Jan. 6, 2021, then-Vice President Mike Pence sought Luttigs counsel to counter Trumps demands that Pence, in presiding over Congress count of Bidens electoral votes, reject the votes of six states. Pence, in his letter to Congress ahead of the proceedings, name-checked Luttig to argue that a vice president has no such power.

Lately, however, events have provoked Luttig to go public about his concerns about the existential threat to the Republican Party, and by extension our democracy.

Heres Luttigs lament about Trumps Republican Party this month to a group of conservative lawyers:

For the past six years, I have watched and listened in disgust that not one single leader of ours with the moral authority, the courage and the will to stand up and say, No, this is not who we are, this is not what America is and its not what we want to be, has done so.

The final straws for Luttig were the Republican National Committees recent resolution that censured Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for participating on the Jan. 6 committee and called the insurrection legitimate political discourse, and Trumps attacks on Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for criticizing the RNC and of Pence for publicly stating Trump is wrong to say Pence could overturn the election.

Luttig elaborated by email: This feels like a seminal moment in America when all of what the country has witnessed and endured for these years seems to be building to volcanic crescendo. ... We are in political war to the death  with each other, and American democracy hangs in the balance.

That more Republicans arent standing up to this nonsense, this utter madness, he said, is the definition of failed leadership.

That brings us back to Cruz and Eastman. They not only havent stood up to the madness, but they also exemplify it  Cruz by leading a cabal of Republicans who opposed certification of Biden votes on Jan. 6, and by his general Trump toadyism, and Eastman by his authorship of the memo giving a false constitutional gloss to Trumps coup strategy.

The 67-year-old Luttig, relatively new to Twitter, has trolled his former clerks like a pro. Anyone familiar with the bonds typical between a judge and his or her clerks  Luttigs call themselves Luttigators  knows that his public chastisements have to bother Eastman and even the seemingly impervious-to-criticism Cruz, who once described Luttig as like a father to me.

In threaded tweets, Luttig flayed Eastmans legal analysis, calling it incorrect at every turn. He pounced after Cruz tweeted a photo of the removal of a 50-ton slab etched with the First Amendment from the defunct Newseum near the Capitol; Cruz snarkily suggested it was a metaphor for the wreckage ahead from the Biden administration. Turns out the slab was simply being relocated, partly at the expense of Luttig and his wife, Elizabeth.

Had he asked, Luttig tweeted, I would have told (Cruz) once again that the facts matter and it was foolish of him to demagogue the Constitution by mocking the removal of the iconic First Amendment tablet for reinstallation at its new home at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Ouch.

Luttig is now working with members of Congress and their aides to rewrite the flawed 1887 Electoral Count Act to prevent demagogues like Cruz and Eastman from potentially using it again to threaten democracy after the 2024 election.

He has been asked whether the Constitution empowers the states or Congress to disqualify Trump and others from seeking federal office if they are found to have participated in an insurrection. Luttig thinks federal courts would be willing to take such cases, but that its unlikely the states or Congress would press the matter.

Its beyond sad that Trump has forced such questions. But, as Luttig told me, that is because he was pushing the Constitution and the laws to their limits more than any president in history.

Take it from the judge.

Jackie Calmes is an opinion columnist for the Los Angeles Times in Washington, D.C.
Adnkronos

(Adnkronos) - Le parole di Lavrov sono state "aberranti" e "la parte su 'Hitler ebreo' e veramente oscena". Mario Draghi commenta con durezza l'intervista del ministro degli Estrei russo Sergej Lavrov alla trasmissione Zona Bianca, su Rete 4, andata in onda domenica 1 maggio. In Italia "c'e liberta di espressione. Il ministro Lavrov appartiene a un paese dove non c'e liberta di espressione. Questo paese, l'Italia, permette di esprimere le proprie opinioni liberamente, anche quando sono palesemente false, aberranti. Quello che il ministro Lavrov ha detto e aberrante", ha affermato il premier Mario Draghi, commentando in particolare il passaggio in cui Lavrov ha paragonato Zelensky a Hitler. "La televisione trasmette liberamente queste opinioni" ma "in realta" quello di Lavrov "e stato un comizio. Ci si deve chiedere" se e giusto "accettare di invitare una persona che chiede di essere intervistata senza nessun contraddittorio. Non e granche professionalmente, fa venire in mente strane idee", dice in conferenza stampa il premier Mario Draghi.
Generally, the secretary of agriculture position is considered to be a mild, sort of a milk toast kind of job.

Tom Vilsack may have been that his first time around in the Obama administration. But last week, anyone thinking that, and then hearing his thoughts about fertilizer and farm chemical price dynamics, got a rude awakening.

It was truly a Whoa! Did you hear that? type of moment when he was attending the convention of state agriculture directors.

Speaking to the group, he was asked about supply chain issues and high input prices, something farmers are dealing with daily with exceeding frustration. He first talked about expanding markets and using precision farming technologies to increase efficiency of fertilizer and chemical use. That was a totally expected answer that anyone could have foreseen.

Then BOOM!!! Vilsack said, We are asking it of the Justice Department ... are all of these price increases absolutely justified?"

Farmers, most of them aligned with the GOP and happy to gladhand with former Secretary Sonny Perdue, will probably line up a country mile to shake Vilsacks hand on that one.

In all likelihood what got his ire was a quote in the Wall Street Journal last week from Corteva CEO Chuck Magro, who was talking about supply chain issues, shortage of chemical products, and how his company would be financially impacted. Stockholders want to know that information, and his response was appropriate for the Wall Street reader.

After all, the comment was made to stock analysts and stockholders in a typical quarterly conference call about corporate earnings.

Magro said his company could handle any change of flow and raise prices to compensate, and then some. What would tickle an investors fancy would be a pain in the neck for a farmer, and apparently was a burr under the Vilsack saddle. Farmers dont need, and then some, said Vilsack, who added, shame on anybody to his trying to take advantage of the circumstances.

Vilsack confirmed later that the Department of Justice would be asking questions about price hikes and whether they are justified by the market, as opposed to and then some.

What does an investigation of that that type look like? Agriculture will be closely watching to find out and the Washington news corps that spends its time at 14th and Independence in USDA headquarters will be frequently calling the media staff of the Justice Department to ask, Hows that investigation going into higher prices for fertilizers and farm chemicals?

They will also be asking, Has the FBI interviewed Chuck Magro yet about how he quantifies, and then some? When will farmers know what companies were putting their thumb on the scale? What are penalties for price gouging? Are penalties imposed on corporations or corporate executives?

Yes, the farm reporters in Washington and throughout the Corn Belt will be quite busy working on this story and asking questions for a long time, and then some.

Stu Ellis is an observer of the Central Illinois agriculture scene. In addition to his weekly column, you can view his From The Farm and Harvest Heritage reports on WCIA 3 News.

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The traffic diversion on I-57 northbound at milepost 184 has ended and I-57 northbound is opened at that location. Traffic is still down to one lane on I-57 northbound at milepost 188 while traffic crews remove debris. Continue to use caution in this area.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced it will drop the citys mask mandate as well as its proof-of-vaccination mandate at restaurants, bars and other indoor settings at the end of the month Monday, sources told the Tribune.

The moves bring Chicago in line with Gov. J.B. Pritzkers announcement earlier this month that he will lift his mask requirement for most indoor public places at the end of February should the states most recent and largest COVID-19 surge continue to subside.

Under the statewide and now the newly announced city rules, the face coverings will still be required in schools, health care settings and public transportation.

In making the announcement, Lightfoot thanked residents who have complied with the rules and acknowledged the hardships that have resulted from the pandemic and the resulting rules, citing the restaurant industry in particular.

My goal is that we never need to shut down our economy again, she said, but added, Make no mistake. I will not hesitate to take the steps that are necessary to protect lives.

In response to the governors decision, Chicago health officials had said they too would be able to remove the citys mask requirement for indoor settings if current trends continue.

The city had said lifting the mandate will require three out of four COVID-19 metrics to fall to the lowest or second-lowest category of risk  and remain there for two consecutive weeks.

City officials later said, however, that they would consider going forward with dropping the mandate even if they hadnt hit those totals to avoid confusion for residents.

As of Tuesday, the citys test positivity rate of 1.5%, was in the low transmission category, while its rate of occupied hospital and ICU beds was in lower transmission. The seven-day rolling average of new daily cases was still at substantial transmission at 283 cases, but all those categories were decreasing.

Many school districts around the state have already gone mask-optional following recent court rulings school that temporarily suspended the mask rules for children whose families sued.

But Chicago Public Schools is a notable exception and will continue to require masking.

The Chicago Board of Education is poised to vote on a resolution at Wednesdays monthly board meeting that would ratify district COVID-19 safety measures including universal masking of students and staff; testing for unvaccinated employees; and directing those who test positive or have been exposed to the virus to temporarily stay home.

Through the resolution, the board would also reaffirm CPS CEO Pedro Martinezs authority to change district COVID-19 policies in consultation with public health officials and other stakeholders, which presumably include the Chicago Teachers Union.

Universal masking in CPS is part of an agreement with the teachers union that was sealed following its January work stoppage that resulted in five days of canceled classes.

Lightfoot announced the latest move as the national trend turns against masking and other restrictions due to broader social desires to return to normal, though some doctors and activists caution against people dropping their guard.

Throughout the pandemic, Lightfoot has walked a fine line between tough measures and keeping the city open. She has encouraged residents to get vaccinated and warned about possible restrictions if the city sees spikes. But she also has made a point of emphasizing her desire to keep the city as open as possible.

At times, it has led to some mixed messaging and conflict with the state.

As cases rose in October 2020, for instance, she regularly warned about tighter restrictions being forthcoming  then criticized Pritzker for again shutting down indoor dining.

Lightfoot resisted proof-of-vaccine mandates until Jan. 3, long after other cities like New York had implemented similar policies. In September, for instance, she dismissed a proposal for such a mandate from Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and other City Council members.

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HELENA, Mont.  The family of a Georgia couple who were on a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary when they died in an Amtrak train derailment in Montana has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak and BSNF Railway, which owns the tracks.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Illinois, says Amtrak and BSNF Railway were responsible for the Sept. 25, 2021, derailment in north-central Montana that killed three people  including Donald and Marjorie Varnadoe  and injured at least 44 passengers and crew members.

The Varnadoes, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, had boarded the Amtrak Empire Builder in Chicago on Sept. 24. They were in the observation car when the train derailed near Joplin, Montana. The observation car, which has larger windows, tipped onto its side and slid along the tracks before eventually coming to a stop, the complaint states.

The couple were thrown around inside the car and suffered excruciating injuries before their deaths, the complaint states.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not completed its investigation of the derailment. But the complaint lists possible causes ranging from track and equipment failure to human error and says Amtrak and BSNF Railway were negligent in failing to prevent the crash.

Amtrak will respond to the complaint in court filings, spokesperson Marc Magliari said Tuesday. BNSF Railway can't comment on pending legislation, spokesperson Lena Kent said.

The complaint seeks damages for the deaths of Donald and Marjorie Varnadoe and for their pain and suffering. The family is also seeking damages for loss of income, emotional support and companionship along with funeral costs and attorneys fees.

Donald Varnadoe, 74, had a career in real estate and served on a school board while Marjorie Varnadoe, 72, worked in education. They were active in their community and their church, the complaint states.

Robert Kozlowski, Donald Varnadoe's boss at Coldwell Banker Access Reality in Brunswick, Georgia, said Varnadoe had called the office the day before he died and said they were having a dream vacation.

The Varnadoes are survived by their son, Jason Varnadoe, who is administrator of their estates, along with his wife and their son.

Mom and dad passionately believed in doing good for others. Dad was famously known for always asking folks, How can I help? '' Jason Varnadoe said in a statement. We know they'd want their memory to serve a positive purpose, and our hope is that through this tragedy, lessons are learned and America's rails become safer so that other families are spared our unimaginable pain and suffering."

The wife of the third person who died in the derailment, Zach Schneider, 28, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, has also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak and BSNF Railway.

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Attorney Thomas DeVore, who has led legal challenges to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzkers pandemic mitigation efforts, said in a video that he will seek the Republican nomination for attorney general.

DeVore filed the lawsuit that led the Illinois Appellate Court last week to rule as moot Pritzkers appeal of a lower court ruling that lifted his mandatory school masking policy.

It was a rare legal victory for DeVore, who has solicited legal work from businesses, municipalities, school districts and parents of students in what have largely been unsuccessful court challenges to Pritzkers pandemic orders.

Pritzker has appealed the appellate court ruling on school mask mandates to the Illinois Supreme Court.

DeVore, 52, of Sorento, a village of 429 people about 50 miles south of Springfield, had previously announced his candidacy for the downstate 5th Appellate Court. But in a Facebook video first reported by the Illinoize political newsletter, DeVore said he had changed his mind and will seek the GOP nomination for attorney general, citing the school mask-mandate court rulings.

After the judge issued  her ruling, which we fought hard for and I watched people, all of you, fight hard for that, what did I see after that? It really kind of changed my perspective. I saw kids across the state, standing up for themselves, DeVore says in the video.

You know, we happen to have Gov. Pritzker right now who I thought failed miserably in governing over the last two years, because he didnt govern. He ruled. How do we stop that from happening again? And what can I do to help that to not happen? he says. I made the decision that theres only one way that I can help and thats making myself available to the people of this state as attorney general.

Pritzker and DeVore have exchanged sharp words, with the governor accusing the attorney of being a grifter in seeking legal business to go to court to try to undermine his pandemic mandates. DeVore has filed a defamation suit against Pritzker in Sangamon County court.

DeVore says in the video that Pritzker is appealing the school mask mandate in an effort to save face because hes politically taken a bath in the last month or two and he wants to get reelected after the ails that hes been suffering at the hands of the people.

Among DeVores previous clients was state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia, an ardent foe of Pritzkers executive orders who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor.

A new client is Republican state Rep. Blaine Wilhour of Beecher City. DeVore filed suit in Bond County circuit court last week after Wilhour and several other Republicans were ordered removed from the House floor after a vote for violating the chambers masking rules.

DeVore contends he and other constituents represented by Wilhour are currently left without representation due to the unlawful rule, even though Wilhour can cast votes remotely under House rules.

Democratic House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch of Hillside called the lawsuit frivolous and a waste of taxpayer dollars, and the courts have generally left to the legislature its ability to set and approve its operating rules as an independent branch of government.

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In his Facebook video, DeVore criticizes first-term Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul of Chicago for defending Pritzkers actions in court rather than recusing himself or taking the side of the people.

I dont know if Im the right guy for the job. Only you guys know if Im the right guy for the job. But I do know that we have to have somebody in that position that is going to stand up for the people, DeVore said. When you have a choice between defending someone against the people, you always choose the people.

DeVore, who said he will make a formal announcement about his candidacy on Feb. 28 in Springfield, becomes the second GOP announced candidate for attorney general. Attorney Steve Kim of Deerfield, who unsuccessfully sought the office in 2010, is running as part of a slate headed by Aurora Mayor Richard Irvins candidacy for governor. Billionaire Ken Griffin has given $20 million to Irvins campaign but none directly to other members of the slate.

DeVore reported $1,445 in his political committee at the start of the year as an appellate court candidate and loaned his campaign $5,000 on Feb. 15, state campaign reports show. Last year, DeVore loaned his campaign fund $3,500, records showed.

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The Electoral Count Act of 1887 (ECA) is 809 words in 10 long and confusing sentences describing how Congress is meant to certify the election of a U.S. president. It needs amending.

The law was passed after the disputed 1876 election in which Republican Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Democrat Samuel J. Tilden by a single Electoral College vote and backroom deal. That year, three states, Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina, sent competing slates of electors to Congress, both major parties claiming to have won those states.

Close and contentious elections followed in 1880 and 1884, and Congress decided it needed to do something to formally establish procedures and keep the transfer of power orderly.

Clearly, its no longer working.

Now, Congress is working to clarify the law in two important ways.

First, the role of the vice president. Taken at face value, the ECA intends the vice president to simply open, count and announce the results of state elections. But the language is vague enough that, leading up to Jan. 6, 2021, enterprising interpretations were making the case that the vice president was meant to open and certify results only from those states he deemed legitimate.

That interpretation would essentially give a sitting vice president authority to choose the next president, which was obviously not the intent of Congress in 1887. The ambiguity must be removed.

Second, Congress should raise the barrier for challenging certification. Currently, it takes only a pair of elected officials, one from each house of Congress, to halt proceedings. Lawmakers are considering a higher number, up to one-third of Congress. And theyre considering establishing a list of valid grounds for bringing an objection. Hopefully, I read a tweet about a podcast about an article on BuzzFeed isnt one of them.

So far, it appears there are two groups working on separate bills. One is Democratic, and one is bipartisan, led by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.

There is plenty of support on both sides of the aisle. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Dick Durbin of Illinois are leading the Democratic bill. Conservative commentator David French of National Review has voiced strong support among other conservatives.

Its important that we get this right to help prevent a rerun of last years debacle. As Rebecca Green, co-director of the election law program at William & Mary Law School, told ABC News, Theres enough focus now on the ambiguities of this statute that if it isnt Donald Trump in 2024, you could easily imagine a number of other actors taking a page from his playbook.

The election of 1876 was resolved by an agreement called the Compromise of 1877, which turned the White House into a bargaining piece. Democrats conceded the election to Hayes in return for the withdrawal of federal troops from Southern states, and the end of Reconstruction.

Congress should reform this law and affirm that America has progressed beyond the point where we use our highest elected office like a casino chip. The president is chosen by the will of the people, not political parley.

The Dallas Morning News

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A former president of East Bend Recreation Park Inc., a nonprofit that operates a community pool in the Yadkin County town, has been accused of embezzlement, authorities said.

Ashley Whitaker Daniels, 39, of Falcon Road is charged with six counts of embezzlement and corporate malfeasance, according to arrest warrants. Daniels turned herself in to authorities Thursday, the East Bend Police Department said.

Daniels was released from custody after posting a $15,000 unsecured bond, court records show. She is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Yadkin District Court.

Daniels is accused of using money for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was received, warrants said.

Daniels also is accused of making a false financial statement on Aug. 26, 2021, to defraud East Bend Recreation Park Inc.s members, a warrant said.

The embezzlement is alleged to have occurred from Aug. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2019; from July 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2020; from April 1, 2021, to May 31, 2021; and from June 1, 2021, to July 31, 2021, according to the warrants.

Those offenses span three seasons at the community pool at 201 Pool St. in East Bend, East Bend police said.

East Bend police began their investigation after pool members brought questions and concerns to East Bend officials regarding the affairs at the pool, police said.

In November 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at a branch of First National Bank and obtained financial records, police said.

Alex Nelson of East Bend said that organizations members appointed him president of the East Bend Recreation Park Inc. following Daniels tenure as president.

Local residents began asking questions about the status of the pool after it closed in mid-July 2021, Nelson said.

At that time, the pool had an unpaid water bill of nearly $1,400, its property taxes had not been paid, the organizations checking account was overdrawn and canceled, and there was a lien on the pools property for $22,000, which the organization owed on a loan from First National Bank, Nelson said.

The pool had been drained, its water was turned off and the grass surrounding the pool was overgrown, Nelson said. The pool had been in East Bend since 1969.

Thousands of dollars were missing from the organization, Nelson said.

Nobody knew where the money went, Nelson said.

Since then, the organization has paid its water bill, its property taxes of slightly more than $10,000 and most of its bank loan, Nelson said.

The pool and its surrounding area has a property tax value of $113,731, according to Yadkin County tax records.

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The future of the insurance industry in the coming years will largely be shaped by the industrys ability to leverage digital transformation and AI solutions to improve customer experience, according to leading insurer Bupa Arabia.

Bupa Arabias participation at the InsureTek Middle East 2022 Conference from February 9 to 10 comes as part of our continuous efforts to be active partners in the development and growth of the insurance industry in Saudi Arabia and the region as a whole, said Alshereef Hamideddin, Marketing and Customer Experience Director at Bupa Arabia.

InsureTek provided a unique opportunity as a platform to exchange experiences with partners in the technology and insurance sectors, thus contributing to the transformation of the insurance industry, Hamideddin stated.

"Embracing digitisation is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity and pivotal requirement for the insurance industry to be able to provide an easy journey for our customers. Enhancing the customer experience will always be a priority for us moving forward, Hamideddin said.

Hamideddin said that the continuity of insurance companies and their survival in the sector has become largely dependent on how they provide services and solutions to customers and by improving customers personal experiences. This requires the implementation of comprehensive digital transformation strategies in the insurance industry, he added.

Bupa Arabia for Cooperative Insurance was one of the first companies in the Saudi insurance industry to establish an entire department for digital transformation in 2018 with the aim of developing digital services and innovative solutions.

More recently, Bupa Arabia launched its new Telehealth platform, which directly connects major healthcare providers with its members, providing a seamless customer experience.-- TradeArabia News Service
A gun fell out of a mans waistband Tuesday as he was fighting with an employee at a Walmart store in Winston-Salem, authorities said. The weapon didnt fire, but the incident prompted an evacuation of the store in the citys northern section.

Winston-Salem police responded at 3:55 p.m. to a report that someone had a gun at the Walmart Supercenter at 320 E. Hanes Mill Road.

Investigators learned that a fight had occurred between Richard Hall, a 24-year-old store employee, and four male suspects, police said. During the fight, a handgun fell out of one suspects waistband and hit the floor.

The man then picked up the handgun and ran out of the store with the other suspects, police said. They got into a vehicle and left the area.

Walmart personnel had already evacuated the store by the time officers arrived, and police quickly secured the stores entrances and exits.

Officers then searched the store for victims or suspects, but police didnt find any, police said.

Hall told officers that he didnt know the suspects, police said.

Officers determined that there was no active shooter at any time during the incident.

Anyone with information about this incident can call Winston-Salem police at 336-773-7700, Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800 or its Spanish line at 336-728-3904. Crime Stoppers of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is on Facebook.

The Text-A-Tip program at 336-276-1717 allows people to text tips, photos and videos to the police.

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Forsyth County reported five more COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Service, making February one of the deadliest months of the pandemic.

Altogether, Forsyth has had 64 COVID-related deaths in February and has had 756 since the pandemic began in 2020.

Forsyth also reported five COVID-19 related deaths on Tuesday.

The county ended January with 73 COVID-related deaths. The second-highest total is 67 in February 2021 before COVID-19 vaccine were readily available.

DHHS lists COVID-19 cases and deaths on the day they are confirmed by medical providers and public health officials, so individuals may have been infected or may have died days or weeks before their cases were counted.

Forsyth health director Joshua Swift said Tuesday he remains confident that the number of COVID-related deaths will decline, as have numbers of new cases and hospitalizations in the past two weeks.

Statewide, 94 additional COVID-related deaths were listed in Wednesdays report, bringing North Carolinas total COVID-related deaths to 22,390.

Forsyth case counts

Forsyth was reported with 108 new cases in Wednesdays report, up from 60 Tuesday and 49 Monday.

Mondays case count has been the lowest daily total since the omicron variant surge began in mid-to late-December.

Forsyth has recorded a total of 90,903 cases since the pandemic began.

The recent decrease in new cases is among the factors that led Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines to end the citywide mask mandate. Starting March 1, people will not be required to wear masks.

Thats even though the city hasnt reached the COVID-19 targets set by Joines on Oct. 29.

At that time, Joines said that in order to lift the citys mask mandate, the city must have a COVID-19 positive test rate of 5% or less for at least two weeks and must average fewer than 10 new cases per 100,000 people over five days.

As of Wednesday, Forsyths positive test rate over the past 14 days was 12.3%.

The statewide rate was 9% on Wednesday, the lowest since 8.8% on Feb. 16.

Wednesdays update had Forsyth averaging 31 cases per 100,000 residents over the most recent two-week period. Thats down from 82 per 100,000 residents in the Feb. 11 report.

Joines cautioned that if other COVID-19 variants emerge to cause large spikes in cases, reinstating the mandate is always a possibility.

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education voted 6-2 on Tuesday to lift the districts mask mandate next week.

Gov. Roy Cooper has encouraged local school boards and governments to end their mask mandates by March 7 if key COVID-19 numbers continue to decline at current rates.

Swift and Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious diseases expert with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, still encourage residents to wear a mask in indoor public settings if they believe there is a risk for exposure.

Swift also still encourages people to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible.

Statewide update

Statewide, DHHS reported 3,470 cases on Wednesday, compared with 1,716 Tuesday, 2,060 Monday and 3,567 Sunday.

Mondays report marked the lowest daily statewide count since 1,041 on Nov. 28  about 2 weeks before the omicron surge commenced locally.

The record-high daily case count stands at 35,759, reported Jan. 14.

North Carolina has recorded 2.57 million cases during the pandemic, according to DHHS.

COVID-19 hospitalizations remain on a downward trend with 2,123 patients statewide on Tuesday. Thats down from 2,215 on Monday.

Statewide, COVID-19 hospitalizations have dropped for 27 consecutive days.

Hospitals in the 17-county Triad region had a combined 440 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, down 14 from Monday.

Statewide, 276 patients are on ventilators, including 57 in the Triad region. There were 45 children hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, including nine in the Triad region.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  The White House is expected to announce Wednesday that President Joe Biden is allowing sanctions to move forward against the company that built the Russia-to-Germany Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and against the company's CEO.

The announcement is expected to come later in the day, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter before the decision was made public and who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Germany said Tuesday that it was indefinitely suspending the project, after Biden charged that Russia President Vladimir Putin had launched "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine" by sending troops into two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

The pipeline is completed but had not yet begun operating.

Biden waived sanctions last year against the pipeline's builder and operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, when the project was almost completed, in return for an agreement from Germany to take action against Russia if it used gas as a weapon or attacked Ukraine.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, and Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.

Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a new, potentially devastating war in Europe appeared all but sunk as the U.S. and key European allies accused Moscow of crossing a red line Tuesday in rolling over Ukraine's border into separatist regions in Ukraine's east called Donbas, with some calling it an invasion.

Russia emptied its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag no longer flew over the Kyiv embassy, and police surrounded the building.

After weeks of trying to project calm, Ukrainian authorities signaled increasing concern. The Foreign Ministry advised against travel to Russia and recommended anyone there leave immediately, saying Moscow's "aggression" could lead to a significant reduction in consular services.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief Oleksiy Danilov called for a national state of emergency, subject to parliamentary approval. He said it will be up to regional authorities to determine which measures to apply, but they could include additional security at public facilities, traffic restrictions and additional transport and document checks.

A senior U.S. defense official in Washington said the Russian forces arrayed along Ukraine's borders are "as ready as they can be" for an invasion, with about 80% of them in what the U.S. considers "forward positions, ready to go" within 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers (3 to 30 miles) of the border.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information, added that "we still cannot confirm that Russian forces have moved into the Donbas area."

The official said the U.S. has indications based on intelligence as well as visual evidence that the Russian forces "have advanced their readiness to a point where they are literally ready to go now, if they get the order to go."

Putin said Tuesday that he hadn't yet sent any Russian troops into the rebel regions contrary to Western claims, and Donetsk rebel leader Denis Pushilin insisted Wednesday there are no Russian troops in the region even though a local council member claimed the previous day they had moved in.

Ukraine's Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said a wave of denial-of-service attacks targeted official websites and some banks Wednesday, affecting sites of the parliament, cabinet and Foreign Ministry offline and causing interruptions or delays to the sites of the defense and interior ministry, which controls the police.

Many of the same sites were similarly knocked offline in attacks last week that the U.S. and U.K. governments quickly blamed on Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. Such attacks barrage websites with junk traffic, rendering them unreachable. Wednesday's DDoS attacks appeared to have less impact than the earlier onslaught, with targeted sites soon reachable again -- as emergency responders blunted them.

These were just the latest in a series of signs of escalating tensions. Kyiv recalled its ambassador to Russia and considered breaking all diplomatic ties with Moscow; dozens of nations further squeezed Russian oligarchs and banks out of international markets; Germany halted a lucrative pipeline deal; the U.S. repositioned additional troops to NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia; and the top U.S. diplomat canceled a meeting with his Russian counterpart.

Already, the threat of war has shredded Ukraine's economy and raised the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.

Even as the conflict took a new, dangerous turn, leaders warned it could still get worse. Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while U.S. President Joe Biden held back on even tougher sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression.

European Union sanctions against Russia took effect, targeting several companies along with 351 Russian lawmakers, who voted for a motion urging Putin to recognize the rebel regions, and 27 senior government officials, business executives and top military officers.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called the EU sanctions only "a first step" and said more could follow. Sanctions are key because the West has ruled out taking on Russia militarily.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Western leaders not to wait.

"We call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now," he tweeted Wednesday. "Now the pressure needs to step up to stop Putin. Hit his economy and cronies. Hit more. Hit hard. Hit now."

Responding defiantly to the steps already taken, Russian Ambassador in the U.S. Anatoly Antonov retorted on Facebook that "sanctions cannot solve a thing. It is hard to imagine that there is a person in Washington who expects Russia to revise its foreign policy under a threat of restrictions."

Russia's Foreign Ministry has also bristled at sanctions. "Russia has proven that, with all the costs of the sanctions, it is able to minimize the damage," a statement read.

In Ukraine's east, where an eight-year conflict between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces has killed nearly 14,000 people, violence also spiked again. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and six more were injured after rebel shelling, the Ukrainian military said. Separatist officials reported several explosions on their territory overnight and three civilian deaths.

In St. Petersburg, meanwhile, several hundred people reportedly rallied in support of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics in the east, while Russia marked Defender of the Fatherland Day, which celebrates the country's veterans and active servicemen.

After weeks of rising tensions, Putin took a series of steps this week that dramatically raised the stakes. First, he recognized the independence of those separatist regions. Then, he said that recognition extends even to the large parts of the territories now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

Finally, lawmakers gave him authority to use military force outside the country  effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions.

Putin laid out three conditions that he said could end the standoff, urging Kyiv to recognize Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, to renounce its bid to join NATO and partially demilitarize. Ukraine long has rejected such demands.

As rhetoric in Russia and the West toughened, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace recalled how the British army "kicked the backside" of Russia during the Crimean War in the 19th century. Russia's Defense Minister Igor Konashenkov fired back, dismissing Wallace's claims as "mythology" and advising British soldiers to study the history of Russia to avoid "enriching our shared military history with their lives for the pleasure of poorly educated British politicians."

___

Litvinova reported from Moscow. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
NEW YORK (AP)  A lawyer for a woman who accused former President Donald Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s and then filed a defamation lawsuit against him said Tuesday she will not seek to depose Trump prior to trial because it would cause unnecessary delay, but added that a DNA sample was still being sought.

Attorney Roberta Kaplan first made the revelation in Manhattan federal court during a pretrial hearing before explaining the decision to reporters outside the court as her client, E. Jean Carroll, stood by her side.

A deposition, Kaplan said, would "inevitably result in an inordinate amount of delay."

"We want the case to go forward," she said.

Attorney Alina Habba, who represented Trump at the hearing, said outside court that she had not previously heard that Carroll's lawyers did not want a deposition, a proceeding in which lawyers in civil cases question likely witnesses under oath prior to trial.

"It's surprising," Habba said.

As for a DNA sample, Habba said: "None has been demanded."

Kaplan, though, said the DNA sample had been requested after the case was first filed in state court, and the demand still exists after it was moved to federal court.

She said she would be "more than perfectly happy" to wait to interview Trump at trial, which she estimated could occur in as little as six months, after some near-term legal obstacles are cleared.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people alleging sexual assault, but Carroll has consented to being named in the media.

She told reporters outside court that she was looking forward to the trial on behalf of all women "who have been grabbed and groped, assaulted and raped by men in power and are silenced."

"And we are looking to bring justice, at least in this one case, against a powerful man," she said.

Carroll said she would "never settle, never."

"This is about principle. It's about a powerful man assaulting and raping a woman and then getting away with it. That's not right," she said.

Carroll in a June 2019 book said Trump raped her in the mid-1990s in an upscale Manhattan department store.

The book excerpt prompted Trump to deny the allegations and question Carroll's credibility and motivations in a statement from his White House press office, comments in an Oval Office interview and statements to the media as he boarded a helicopter for Camp David.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule eventually on Trump's request that the United States take his place as the defendant in the lawsuit. The U.S. Justice Department has asserted that Trump cannot be held personally liable for "crude and disrespectful" remarks he made about Carroll because his remarks were made as he was carrying out his duties as president.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who presided over Tuesday's hearing, ruled last October that Trump cannot use a law protecting federal employees from being sued individually for things they do within the scope of their employment.

He also has rejected a request by Trump's attorneys that the progression of the lawsuit, including depositions, be delayed until the 2nd Circuit rules on whether Trump can be replaced as the defendant.

On Tuesday, the judge seemed to have little patience for arguments by Trump's lawyers saying that Trump should be able to countersue Carroll under a law sometimes used to challenge defamation lawsuits that unfairly make claims.

"I question whether you have the right to do what you want to do," he said, noting that the lawyers were seeking to countersue more than a year after the case was filed.

***
Its been a measure of former federal Judge J. Michael Luttigs stature in the conservative legal movement that Supreme Court justices hired so many of his law clerks  40 over 15 years. Then two of those proteges became (in)famous: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Trump lawyer John C. Eastman, lead actors in the plot to overturn Joe Bidens election.

Now Luttig is doing penance of a sort: Hes joined the resistance  against former President Donald Trump, certainly, but also against his erstwhile mentees.

Early on, Luttig did so only by invitation: Two days before Jan. 6, 2021, then-Vice President Mike Pence sought Luttigs counsel to counter Trumps demands that Pence, in presiding over Congress count of Bidens electoral votes, reject the votes of six states. Pence, in his letter to Congress ahead of the proceedings, name-checked Luttig to argue that a vice president has no such power.

Lately, however, events have provoked Luttig to go public about his concerns about the existential threat to the Republican Party, and by extension our democracy.

Heres Luttigs lament about Trumps GOP this month to a group of conservative lawyers:

For the past six years, I have watched and listened in disgust that not one single leader of ours with the moral authority, the courage and the will to stand up and say, No, this is not who we are, this is not what America is and its not what we want to be, has done so.

The final straws for Luttig were the Republican National Committees recent resolution that censured Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for participating on the Jan. 6 committee and called the insurrection legitimate political discourse, and Trumps attacks on Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for criticizing the RNC and of Pence for publicly stating Trump is wrong to say Pence could overturn the election.

Luttig elaborated by email: This feels like a seminal moment in America when all of what the country has witnessed and endured for these years seems to be building to volcanic crescendo. ... We are in political war to the death  with each other, and American democracy hangs in the balance.

That more Republicans arent standing up to this nonsense, this utter madness, he said, is the definition of failed leadership.

That brings us back to Cruz and Eastman. They not only havent stood up to the madness, but they also exemplify it  Cruz by leading a cabal of Republicans who opposed certification of Biden votes on Jan. 6, and by his general Trump toadyism, and Eastman by his authorship of the memo giving a false constitutional gloss to Trumps coup strategy.

The 67-year-old Luttig, relatively new to Twitter, has trolled his former clerks like a pro. Anyone familiar with the bonds typical between a judge and his or her clerks  Luttigs call themselves Luttigators  knows that his public chastisements have to bother Eastman and even the seemingly impervious-to-criticism Cruz, who once described Luttig as like a father to me.

In threaded tweets, Luttig flayed Eastmans legal analysis, calling it incorrect at every turn. He pounced after Cruz tweeted a photo of the removal of a 50-ton slab etched with the First Amendment from the defunct Newseum near the Capitol; Cruz snarkily suggested it was a metaphor for the wreckage ahead from the Biden administration. Turns out the slab was simply being relocated, partly at the expense of Luttig and his wife, Elizabeth.

Had he asked, Luttig tweeted, I would have told (Cruz) once again that the facts matter and it was foolish of him to demagogue the Constitution by mocking the removal of the iconic First Amendment tablet for reinstallation at its new home at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Ouch.

Luttig is now working with members of Congress and their aides to rewrite the flawed 1887 Electoral Count Act to prevent demagogues like Cruz and Eastman from potentially using it again to threaten democracy after the 2024 election.

He has been asked whether the Constitution empowers the states or Congress to disqualify Trump and others from seeking federal office if they are found to have participated in an insurrection. Luttig thinks federal courts would be willing to take such cases, but that its unlikely the states or Congress would press the matter.

Its beyond sad that Trump has forced such questions. But, as Luttig told me, that is because he was pushing the Constitution and the laws to their limits more than any president in history.

Take it from the judge.

Jackie Calmes is an opinion columnist for the Los Angeles Times in Washington, D.C.
Concentration

While the rest of the world is watching Ukraine and still fighting COVID, radicalized Republicans have been concentrating on Hillary Clinton and I think this time they might actually keep her from becoming president in 2016.

Malcolm Ramsey

Winston-Salem

Teachers transparency

Having read about House Bill 755 (Academic transparency bill worries educators, Feb. 21), also known as an act to ensure academic transparency, I would like to offer an amendment for the N.C. General Assembly to consider.

Pass the bill to start with the 2022-2023 school year. At the end of that year, any parent who has attended 75% of PTA meetings, supported school activities, including fundraising, attended all parent-teacher conferences and attended at least 75% of school open houses or other such events would have access to all of the documentation the bill requires be posted on the schools website.

If fewer than 50% of the parents are eligible to see the posted material for the following school year, all teachers at the school would no longer be required to provide such information.

Im willing to bet that the teachers would only have to provide all of the information once and parents might decide that the information currently being provided is sufficient.

If you want to know what your child is learning in school, why not do things like review their homework or help them study for a test? Of course, it is much easier to put a bigger burden on the teachers.

Nancy Young

Winston-Salem

Safety concerns

Paul McCartney performing at Truist Field (Maybe were amazed, Feb. 19)? Wow! I wanted to go  until I remembered the exits. I attended the Billy Joel concert in October 2018.

It was great, until the crowd of 30,000 tried to leave and found some exit gates locked. We were channeled into a passage that hundreds quickly filled.

Unable to see ahead, packed within inches of each other, we could only take step after slow step, hoping to reach an exit.

Then news traveled from far ahead: the gate at the end was locked! Incredulous, but with no other choice, each member of the crowd turned slowly and carefully in place, and we all began inching back the way we came. The danger was obvious. Any sudden movement or shout in that passage would surely have triggered a stampede, resulting in injuries and deaths.

In November 2021, 10 people died and more than 300 were injured in a crowd surge at a Travis Scott concert. As I listened to detailed explanations of how the deaths occurred, I remembered Truist Field and felt scared all over again.

I credit everyone in the Billy Joel crowd for keeping cool heads so that we all emerged safely. But I will not attend the Paul McCartney concert unless Truist Fields management publicly acknowledges the errors made at the Billy Joel concert and releases its plan for safe exit.

Ginny Hege Tobiassen

Winston-Salem

An informed citizenry

I read with interest the trio of informative and encouraging articles (Power company launches nuclear program, Walmart reaches Repreve milestone, Tiny-home movement helps homeless,) in the Feb. 19 Journal. This reporting describes constructive solutions for energy, housing and disposables-stream issues from other communities.

Your choice to include these well-balanced discussions (two of them wire network pieces) provides context so that local efforts such as these can be informed by other regions attempts and successes.

Although the Journal has a local-regional focus, this constructive coverage describing efforts elsewhere is important to share with our citizens and readers to help pave the path for an informed citizenry here.

Robert Riehle

Winston-Salem

High on the list

An insurrection is not legitimate political discourse and Russias invasion of Ukraine is not peacekeeping.

Whatever else our schools need to teach, George Orwell should be high on the list.

Wendy Marshall

Winston-Salem
Nebraskas leading economic indicator rose in January, according to the most recent report from the University of NebraskaLincoln.

The indicator, which is designed to predict economic activity six months into the future, increased by 0.58% during the month

The indicator has improved steadily for four consecutive months, suggesting moderate economic growth in Nebraska through the summer of 2022, said Eric Thompson, director of the Bureau of Business Research at UNL.

The leading indicator improved for three primary reasons, Thompson said, with the first being positive business expectations.

Respondents to the January Survey of Nebraska Businesses reported plans to increase sales and employment over the next six months.

With demand growing, businesses remain confident about growth despite supply chain challenges, said Thompson.

There also was another decline in initial claims for unemployment insurance during January, and Nebraska businesses competing in international markets benefited from a decline in value of the U.S. dollar, he said.

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Diriyah, the Saudi states birthplace and a stage for many of its historical tales, yesterday hosted a special commemorative programme as part of the Kingdoms celebrations to mark its first Founding Day on February 22, marking the establishment of the first Saudi state in 1727.

Organised by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), the programme included a military parade, held in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, and a live show projected onto the Salwa Palace at the Unesco World Heritage Site of At-Turaif.

Throughout its history, Diriyah has stood as a definitive starting point for the Saudi state, a political, cultural, and social capital, and cradle of the civilization led by the early imams of the Al-Saud family, and the setting of the defence of the early Saudi state founded by Imam Muhammad bin Saud in 1139 AH / 1727, said a DGDA statement.

Imam Muhammad bin Saud bin Muhammad bin Muqrin, one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent historical figures and the founder of the first Saudi state, unified Diriyah, taking it from a city-state that held a number of surrounding territories to the major capital of a state under which the vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula was unified.

He laid the state's foundations and established its guiding principles, and his reign was marked by several achievements, including Diriyah's growth into a distinguished urban centre, new neighborhoods, and the construction of the city's wall to protect it from aggression. In addition, key pilgrimage and trade routes were secured, along with the overall safety and stability of the state and an increased emphasis on education, the statement said.

On the state's founding day anniversary, the Saudi people look back at a legacy whose chapters are marked by their ancestor's efforts that helped solidify Diriyah as a national icon. The founding of Diriyah dates to the middle of the 9th century AH / 15th century AD when Mani' al-Muraydi moved his family from Eastern Arabia to Wadi Hanifah at the invitation of his cousin Ibn Diraa, the ruler of Hajar and Jaz'ah who granted them the lands of "Al Mulaibid" and "Ghasibah," where he and his family settled. These two settlements became heavily populated thanks to their fertile farmlands becoming Diriyah, which grew into a strong emirate that the Saudi state's imams would lead.

Currently home to a population of about 74,000, Diriyah falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Riyadh province and lies 20 km away from the capital, occupying 2020 sq km of land. In 2010, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) named the At-Turaif historic district a world heritage site; additionally, the Arab League's Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (Alesco) chose Diriyah as the Capital of Arab Culture for 2030, making it the second Saudi city to be selected after Riyadh in 2000.

Today, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) carries out restoration efforts within the supervisory area of its more than 7 sq km development project with their work encompassing the historic At-Turaif neighborhood, several historic palaces and mosques throughout, with Bujairi Terrace and other sites also falling within its jurisdiction.

Led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of the Board of Directors, the authority is working to preserve the area and its historical heritage. These efforts also aim to transform Diriyah, known as the Jewel of the Kingdom, into a leading global destination, alongside DGDA's other development projects that work to preserve and modernize many historic sites, elevate its people's overall quality of life, and fulfill the Kingdom's Vision 2030 goals.

Founding Day complements the Saudi National Day, which celebrates the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 every September 23rd, by recognising the beginning of the Saudi states history with a new event that celebrates the deep historical roots of the Kingdom, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service
PHILADELPHIA  In a new book, La Salle University associate professor Maureen H. O'Connell explores generations of American Catholic anti-Blackness within her family and the larger community and what she sees as the long-standing failure of Catholic universities to respond to racism.

In "Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness," O'Connell, 49, who grew up in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, traces her own family's history from the time her ancestors arrived in the United States and how she benefited from their whiteness, wealth, and decision-making.

O'Connell, an associate professor of Christian ethics at La Salle since 2013, combed through Archdiocese of Philadelphia archives trying to understand what was happening in parishes when her ancestors lived in them.

Though she is a scholar of social ethics and trained in the basics of anti-racism, the Chestnut Hill resident with a doctorate in theological ethics from Boston College said she still finds herself stumbling at times as she tries to stand with colleagues or students of color.

Q: What is your area of expertise?

A: I'm trained as a Christian ethicist, so that means I think about the ways in which the Christian tradition can understand and respond to a variety of social issues. For me, those tend to be issues around poverty, race, and equity.

For more than 10 years, my focus has been on thinking about the Christian tradition and the Catholic tradition, in particular, in response to racial inequality and racial inequity in society but also in the church.

Q: How would you describe your book?

A: My book is really a pilgrimage for me through my family's history in different parishes around the archdiocese to try to understand the interplay between our Catholic identity and our racial identity over a series of generations. It's also intended to be an introduction to some of the very basic ways of trying to understand racism.

Q: What prompted you to write it?

A: There were two moments. The first came when I was leading a mural pilgrimage in Philadelphia for folks, introducing people to some of the faith-based murals. I was standing in front of the mural at 13th and Erie. I kind of knew that was my maternal great-grandparents' neighborhood but all of a sudden the mural was behind me and everybody was facing me ... and I sort of glanced across the street and came to the realization that it wasn't just their neighborhood, but that was their block. And I had this very real sense of belonging to that place and being an outsider at the same time and wanting to figure out how did we become separated from that space and what impact did that separation have on that generation, on me, on the folks who remained.

The second moment was in the fall of 2016. I was teaching this religion and racism class, called "Building the beloved community" with a question mark. We were having a discussion about the "all lives matter" rejoinder to the Black Lives Matter mantra and trying to have a very honest conversation ... and I'll never forget a Black student just said, "You know, when it comes to racism, I just wish people would believe me ..." And I started to think why is there reluctance to believe that on the part of white people.

Q: Why does the title refer to knots?

A: There is really a strong desire for self-preservation and institutional preservation over the well-being of the whole community, whether that was the need to preserve a neighborhood by making sure that people of color don't move in because we need to preserve property values of our homes and we need to preserve the value of the physical infrastructure of the church and the school and the rectory, or we need to preserve our test scores at our institutions because we need to continue to be selective and competitive.

This desire for self-preservation came in the long run at losing the things that I think in the end were very valuable to Catholic communities.

Q: What surprised you in your research?

A: I was very surprised by the proximity that my people, my family members, had to real experiences of what some scholars call the social death of the afterlife of slavery. Slavery might have ended but the implications of slavery continued. And it was surprising to see how close family members were to that and chose their own comfort over responding with a shared sense of humanity or responding in a way that their Catholic tradition would have encouraged them to respond.

Q: You say that your family's prosperity came at the expense of the Black community?

A: My mother's father was a developer in the post-World War II suburban housing boom ... The wealth my mother experienced as a child and the financial stability they had came from anti-Blackness in federal housing policies ... That stability for my mother gets plowed into her first house. [O'Connell's parents] were just able to accrue wealth through homeownership and that wealth and equity was handed on to me.

Q: You also say you were negatively impacted by your ancestors' choices, including their decision to move into predominantly white communities?

A: That has left me ill-equipped to teach the students who show up in my classrooms. It makes me ill-equipped to be able to support colleagues of color and the change they are attempting to make because there is so much work I could do on myself before I can begin to be a meaningful partner to them.

Q: You also say Catholic colleges have not done right by Black students?

A: Too much of our Catholic core curriculum or our Catholic intellectual tradition is very Eurocentric. So I think that that is making it sort of hard for our students of color to see themselves in our curriculum. White students do not have places where [they] are being challenged or confronted by learning and cultures and stories that are different from that Eurocentric frame and that is not setting [them] up for success.

Q: What do you think La Salle could be doing better?

A: We just finished a very extensive review of the institution and have come up with a variety of recommendations. So I think having done that work was an important and courageous step. It's now on us to figure out how to convert institutional resources to support those initiatives.

Q: Can you describe those initiatives?

A: We are currently searching for a senior administrative position to help guide and create accountability for diversity and inclusion. There are also some initiatives to try to diversify the curriculum. We're trying to lean into the particularities of our mission, and our mission has long been to educate the folks who have been made poor.

Q: What do you hope Philadelphia learns from your book?

A: I hope that the message is one of candor, that in telling the truth we can be liberated from all the energy we spend trying to hide or dodge it. And if we tell the truth, we also find all sorts of historical and contemporary examples of people who are working on a vision, committed to a vision of an inclusive community.

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Remembering two great poets who were also great friends.

Who knows what forgotten chains of association join our night's dreams to our first waking thoughts?

For reasons unknown to my conscious self, this morning I woke up with a number in my mind: 03287. Though ignorant of the associative mechanisms that set it down in the center of the spotlight of attention, I knew what it was: the late poet Donald Hall's ZIP code. Recognizing this, I then dispatched the Librarian of the Unconscious to retrieve the rest of Don's address, which she obligingly delivered: Eagle Pond Farm, 24 US Route 4, Wilmot, N.H.

This is an address I should know, having typed it hundreds of times over the 30 years I worked as Robert Bly's personal assistant. Don was Robert's best friend from Harvard undergraduate days, when they tested their mettle writing for the Harvard Advocate, one of the premier American college literary journals.

In their decades of friendship they exchanged literally thousands of letters, which now swell their respective archives. Their friendship was funny, irreverent, brilliant, heated and occasionally crossed the line into conflict. They regularly offered scathing critiques of each other's work. This was not a friendship for the faint-hearted!

As colleagues they initiated the "48-hour rule" according to which, if one received a request for feedback on a poem, he was pledged to reply within 48 hours of its receipt. That also helped keep the letters flowing. I have no idea how many times Robert said to me near the end of one of our work sessions, "We've got to get a letter out to Don yet today!"

Curiously, I began to feel as though the letters were from me, as well, a vicarious participation. Robert's frequent references to me as his assistant and Don's mentions of his assistant Kendel Currier, I think, served to bring both of us helpers closer to the other correspondent.

Both men at the height of their fame received more mail than a normal human being could read. Robert used to refer to a bathtub full of mail in his study, and he wasn't kidding. Don, however, got so much mail that his small New Hampshire town issued him his own ZIP code. Imagine having a ZIP code all to oneself!

I don't know whether the traces of their epic literary friendship will ever be made public. When once Robert suggested that a collection of their correspondence be published, Don rejected the idea on grounds of "fear of unedited prose." It would be a shame if these letters, bristling with lively intelligence and snarky wit, remained locked away in university archives.

Don died in 2018 at age 89 and last November Robert, a month shy of 95, passed on also to that place where so far as we know no letters are written. Meanwhile, we inhabit an increasingly un-lettered cultural landscape given over to the emojis and crass acronyms of email and texting.

For a time that now seems to me improbably lucky, I lived and worked in the midst of that verbal crossfire of fun and fight between a man in Minnesota and a man in New Hampshire who despite their arguments loved each other dearly, modeling a friendship founded on spirited honesty, feisty affection and goofy humor (Don near the end signing off with the salutation "Loveburgers").

I miss that time, and this morning Donald Hall's ZIP code dropped anchor in the harbor of my waking for a visit of two old friends who also became my friends.



Thomas R. Smith is a poet in Wisconsin. trsmithpoet@gmail.com

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A 32-year-old Lincoln woman is in jail after she allegedly sold black-tar heroin to an undercover Lincoln Police officer on three occasions.

Police began investigating Lidia Kula after she was identified as the source of heroin that caused a victim to overdose, requiring Narcan intervention, according to the affidavit for Kula's arrest.

An undercover officer met with Kula in a pharmacy parking lot near 48th and Van Dorn streets three times between Jan. 14 and Jan. 24 to buy a half-gram of heroin each time, the affidavit says.

It says Kula had been retrieving the heroin from a house near the pharmacy, where 36-year-old Casey Mullenaux was arrested in late January after a warrant served on the residence turned up more than 20 grams of heroin.

Kula was arrested Monday at a north Lincoln apartment and taken to the Lancaster County Jail.

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As Paul Gausman watched Tuesdays Lincoln Public Schools board meeting from Sioux City, Iowa, his phone rang.

It was Jim Gessford, the LPS boards attorney.

Gausman's livestream of the meeting was a bit delayed, it appeared. The LPS board was still in the process of formally naming Gausman as the districts next superintendent when Gessford relayed the news.

To me at this time, at this season of the work that Im doing, this is truly a dream job, Gausman told the Journal Star. This is something where I realized the board, the community, has made an investment in bringing me forward as the next superintendent and I intend to return that investment to them by working collaboratively, collectively with the staff and the community to bring about even better things for students as time goes forward.

The Fremont native and superintendent of Sioux City Community Schools beat out three other finalists  Palm Beach County (Florida) deputy superintendent Peter Licata, Norfolk superintendent Jami Jo Thompson and Nebraska Wesleyan University professor Antwan Wilson  for the position that opened when Steve Joel announced his retirement plans last fall.

The board is expected to approve a contract with Gausman at its meeting in March.

While board members said the decision was a difficult one, they coalesced around Gausman, each sharing their thoughts on the candidates prior to Tuesday's vote.

The board did not take this search lightly, said board president Connie Duncan.

That has been so difficult for us, its been difficult for me, Barb Baier added. Ive gone back and forth because each is such a good candidate.

Kathy Danek said hiring and evaluating a superintendent is the most important job of a school board and praised all four candidates.

But Danek said Gausman rose to the top for her as someone who can work well with the Lincoln community and build relationships.

He understands the systems to move a district forward, and that is collaboration, Danek said.

Many of the board members also liked that Gausman had presented them with a 90-day transition plan if chosen, which Gausman said boils down to building relationships at all levels of the community.

Theres a lot for me to learn about all of the great things that are going on in the Lincoln Public Schools and in the Lincoln community, he said.

Annie Mumgaard was the lone board member to support another candidate (Licata), but said she could back Gausman because of his proven track record.

And it's a track record that started in Lincoln.

Gausman attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he earned his bachelor's in music education and played drums in the Cornhusker Marching Band.

And he has a history at LPS, too. He started his career as a student-teacher at Lincoln Southeast High School and taught in Lincoln Northeast's music department, where he also served as the associate band director.

Music has remained a theme of Gausman's career since then.

He was the director of bands at Millard West High School and later the coordinator of performing arts at Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota.

And since 1989, he has been a musician and clinician with the Yamaha Corp., presenting more than 75 workshops for schools in music education and leadership.

Gausman earned his master's in educational administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

While he has worked exclusively in the Midwest, Gausman's leadership footprint is evident nationally. Last December, he was elected president of the Urban Superintendents Association of America, a group of more than 150 public schools superintendents in the U.S. and Canada who lead mid-size urban districts.

And since 2007, Gausman has worked for the national superintendent consulting firm McPherson & Jacobson, the same firm for which Joel is a national recruiter.

When Gausman assumes his new position, he'll be leading a school district notably larger than Sioux City, which has just less than 15,000 students.

Lincoln Public Schools includes nearly 42,000 students, with plans to open two new high schools and a new elementary school over the next two years.

Among the accomplishments Gausman touted during his tenure in Sioux City include growing the four-year graduation rate to 90%, expanding magnet initiatives and developing groundbreaking anti-bullying policies. In 2014, he was named Iowa's superintendent of the year.

Under his leadership, Sioux City Community Schools constructed nine new elementary schools, added science centers at each of its three high schools and implemented a career pathways program for middle and high school students, centered on more than 35 career fields.

Before he moved to Sioux City, Gausman was the superintendent of West Central School District  a district of about 1,200 students in Hartford, South Dakota  from 2005-2008.

He was a finalist for the superintendent position at Omaha Public Schools in 2017 but withdrew from consideration  along with the only other finalist  after a falling-out with the board.

At Tuesday's meeting, Lincoln Board of Education vice president Don Mayhew opened his remarks by addressing some of the unfortunate testimony from the boards previous meeting two weeks ago in which speakers questioned the finalists backgrounds.

He was also critical of misinformation in general that has circulated across social media in the past few months.

If the results of your internet research are a couple of out-of-context newspaper articles from a few years ago, then I guarantee youre not working with the whole story, Mayhew said.

Mayhew seemed to be pointing to reports of a lawsuit filed by the mother of a student sexually assaulted by a teacher previously employed at Sioux City Community Schools naming four districts  including Sioux City  for not reporting the improper contact with children. Sioux City schools ultimately paid $180,000 as part of a settlement.

In response, Gausman said the districts human resources department, superintendents office and board didnt know about allegations of impropriety when the teacher was in Sioux City.

Liz Davids, a mother of an LPS student, told board members Tuesday she wishes she would have been invited to meetings between the candidates and parents to share these concerns and called Mayhews criticism of her research unfair.

What were we supposed to do? Davids asked.

Mayhew said most people in the Lincoln community understood the process and said the board received considerable feedback, including more than 1,000 comments from an online survey after finalists were announced.

This is my third search, and weve never had as much public participation as we did this time, Mayhew said.

The search for LPS next superintendent is a culmination of months of work that began last fall after Joel announced his retirement.

LPS hired the Illinois-based search firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to lead that search, and four finalists were named in January.

The board will have to negotiate a salary and benefits package with Gausman before he's formally hired. Gausman said there have been no formal negotiations with the board yet and expected that work to take place in the weeks ahead.

LPS did not advertise a starting salary for the position, which it did when it hired Joel more than 11 years ago. However, Gessford said the search firm may have had informal discussions surrounding salary with each of the candidates and the board before naming the finalists.

For Gausman, who knew he wanted to apply when the position opened, Tuesday was a day to celebrate with his wife, Suzi, and their two adult children  son Trevor and daughter Kayah.

It is bittersweet, however, having to leave a district he has called home for nearly 15 years, Gausman said. He only anticipated staying there for three or four years, but the fact he stayed as long as he did is a testament to the community.

Tuesday was a snow day for Gausman and Sioux City students, but come summer, he'll have his focus on Lincoln -- Gausman's first day is July 1.

We just will work even harder when we get to Lincoln because, obviously, its a little bit larger and theres a great deal for us to learn, Gausman said. And we look forward to being a part of the team and making a difference for the students and the whole community.

Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @zach_hammack

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Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed North Platte banker Mike Jacobson to fill the open seat of former state Sen. Mike Groene, who resigned this week following allegations that he took inappropriate photos of a former female staff member.

Jacobson, founder and president of NebraskaLand National Bank, was sworn in as the District 42 senator on Wednesday morning after the governor's announcement at the state Capitol. He was joined by his wife, Julie.

Jacobson, the current chairman of the North Platte Airport Authority, will complete Groene's term in the Legislature, which ends in early January 2023. He said he will run for election to the seat beginning with a contested primary in May.

Ricketts said Jacobson is a conservative who will reflect the values of District 42.

"He will be an advocate for efficient and effective government, for family values and for making sure we're creating opportunities for families here in the state of Nebraska," the governor said.

He also called Jacobson a "fantastic American success story," pointing out he founded the bank with zero assets and today it has grown into an $850 million operation with offices in North Platte, Kearney and Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Jacobson said he believes in building teams and working together. He also said he's against raising taxes and is "pro-life."

He called himself a strong conservative who believes in entrepreneurship.

"I see this as an opportunity to give back and continue to promote conservative values in the Legislature," he said.

He replaces Groene, who officially resigned from the Legislature on Monday after it surfaced that he took photos of a former female staff member without her knowledge.

It was reported last week that the staffer who was photographed, Kristina Konecko, discovered photos of herself on Groenes laptop in the course of her work. The photos were described as objectifying and demeaning.

Groene admitted taking the photos, but said he didn't send them to other people. He also said he never made sexual advances toward the staffer or said anything to her that could be termed harassment.

The Legislature and the Attorney General's Office have launched investigations.

Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango, chairman of the Legislature's Executive Board, said Tuesday he had asked Sens. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, John Arch of La Vista and Tom Briese of Albion to conduct an official legislative probe with the help of an outside investigator.

At the request of the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, the Nebraska State Patrol has also opened an investigation into Groene's conduct.

Jacobson, a registered Republican, said he'd previously considered filing to run for the seat representing North Platte in the Legislature. The 42nd District includes all of Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Thomas and Hooker counties and a large part of Perkins County.

Groene was term-limited and couldn't have run for reelection. Three North Platte residents had filed to replace him: Lincoln County Commissioner Chris Bruns, Brenda Fourtner and retired Great Plains Health CEO Mel McNea.

Jacobson grew up near Sutton and taught and farmed in Red Cloud. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

He began his banking career in Hastings and worked in Lincoln at the National Bank of Commerce before relocating to North Platte in 1994.

He has served on a variety of boards in North Platte and has been a leader of statewide and professional groups.

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MUNICH  The terrible war that seems about to shatter Ukraine has been taking shape in the mind of Russian President Vladimir Putin at least since a speech he gave denouncing NATO at the annual security conference here 15 years ago.

"NATO has put its frontline forces on our borders," Putin complained, bemoaning the alliance's eastward expansion. Citing what he claimed were Western promises not to move east of Germany, he said, with bitter sarcasm: "We have the right to ask: Against whom is this expansion intended?"

I watched Putin's speech that day and have to admit: It didn't make much of an impression. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C., criticized it as a return of Cold War rhetoric, but America was fighting two hot wars then, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Putin's Russia seemed too feeble to worry about. Not anymore.

Putin's sullen rage appears to be exploding. As this year's Munich Security Conference took place, Russia-backed separatists were reported to be firing salvos of rockets into Ukraine as Russia prepared for a ground invasion with more than 150,000 troops. The marquee speech this time was from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who lurched between pleading for security guarantees and blasting the West for "appeasement."

Despite the grim news from Ukraine, there was an almost-celebratory tone among many of the Western leaders gathered. Many speakers boasted that the NATO alliance was back, after a soggy period described here just two years ago as "Westlessness." European allies have joined the United States in pledging sanctions against Putin described as "heavy," "massive" and "swift and severe"  but which Zelenskyy decried as too late to prevent the carnage that has already begun in his country.

NATO's unity is indeed an achievement. But war is always a failure. This one has been building, in stages, for years. Putin all but announced his intentions. The forums and proposals that might have prevented conflict were clear. Still, Russian tanks rolled toward what might be the bloodiest and most one-sided assault in modern European history.

One of the few checks on Putin that could make a difference came from Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, which is Russia's only major ally these days. He cautioned in a video speech that "the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of any country should be respected and safeguarded"  and that "Ukraine is no exception." Putin is willing to violate the West's norms, but maybe not China's.

How will this war unfold, if Russia continues "uncoiling" its massive combat force, in the evocative phrase used by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin? A hint came from a simulation Saturday night organized by Dmitri Alperovitch, the Russian-born founder of the computer-security firm CrowdStrike. In his scenario, Kyiv capitulated after five days of Russian rocket and artillery barrages and a three-pronged ground attack. Then, Russia installed a puppet government, held rigged elections and promptly withdrew most of its forces.

Alperovitch asked me to play the American role, and I operated within the limits President Joe Biden has set. The United States will support Ukraine's resistance and impose steep costs on Russia, but it will stay out of the war unless Putin is stupid enough to attack NATO territory. That outcome, Alperovitch predicted, would amount to another "frozen conflict," of the sort that Putin has already littered across the former Soviet empire.

America's ability to defeat Putin's strategy of neutering Ukraine depends almost entirely on Ukrainians' willingness to fight a long, bloody insurgency against Russian invaders, with support from the United States and its European allies.

Putin makes a perfect villain in this war. He's brutal, arrogant and contemptuous of the rules of order that America and its allies celebrate. He told us what he was going to do, and he's doing it. He is moving to take Ukraine hostage this week, which will leave three unpalatable choices. Either the West negotiates with the hostage-taker, which would be repugnant; the West frees the hostage by force; or we wait for the hostage-taker to become impoverished and fatigued, and quit the fight. This last outcome, which would be the best for the West, might also be the most likely  if the United States and its allies can be patient.

Still, there won't be any good choices in the weeks and months ahead, only the consequences of bad ones that allowed Russia and the West to talk past each other, ducking the hard questions, for more than a decade.

David Ignatius writes for the Washington Post.

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Last week, it was peanuts. Unsalted, roasted in the shell, to be exact.

But lately, its always something, some commonplace commodity that suddenly cannot be found at the store. Strawberries. Peppers. Ground turkey. And Lord, dont even get me started on Ore-Ida Golden fries.

I used to enjoy grocery shopping. Weird, but true. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I once wrote a column rhapsodizing how foraging at the local warehouse store satisfied some primitive masculine need to hunt and gather.

But in this era of supply-chain disruption, shopping feels less like an act of manly provision than an exercise in national mortification. Once upon a time, to be an American was to feel impervious to forces of supply and demand. Oh, you might occasionally have to pay more, but if you wanted a thing, by God, you could have it. There was always enough. Indeed, having enough  and then some  was a sacred national entitlement.

Until it wasnt.

Those who waited hours in line for gasoline during the energy crisis of the 1970s may recall that close behind the annoyance one felt, there was also a sense of disbelief, even betrayal, as if some fundamental law of the universe had been violated.

Out of gas? How could we be out of gas? This is America. Were never out of anything.

Substitute Ore-Ida Golden fries for unleaded, and this moment feels much the same.

Theres a scene in Robin Williams 1984 film Moscow on the Hudson where a group of Soviet performers visiting New York are allowed by their KGB handlers half an hour to shop at Bloomingdales. These citizens of dull, gray Moscow surge into the shiny temple of American capitalism  Clinique! Jordache! Calvin Klein!  like children set loose in Santas workshop, swarming over a rack of blue jeans the way hungry teenagers do pizza. Not even the KGB man is immune. My God, he breathes happily, what decadence!

That scene opened in me a primal, patriotic pride. It seemed to validate every lesson I had ever learned about the exceptionalism of my country. America was a land of plenty and, therefore, a land of good.

But things are  as the movie itself soon makes clear  more complicated than that.

America remains a land of plenty, of course, but the present shortages are a poke in the eye to any sense of sacred national entitlement. It turns out this ability to have whatever, whenever, is fragile enough to be undone by idling trucks or an unruly virus.

Maybe its not the worst thing to be reminded of that every now and again. As is often observed, Americans use far more than their share of Earths resources. We are home to less than 5% of its population, but use 24% of its energy, with similarly outsized impacts on food, water and the environment.

Meantime, ocean levels are rising, the planet faces hundred-year floods and thousand-year droughts and, as is so often the case, the poor bear the brunt first and worst. If being unable to find ones preferred brand of French fries is frustrating, what is the word for being unable to find clean drinking water? And how long before that question, already relevant in other parts of the globe, finds its way home?

Maybe we should ask the good folks in Flint. Or Jackson. One suspects their responses would provide pungent commentary on the idea that being a land of plenty makes us a land of good.

If we are good, it is not by dint of what we have, but what we do with it.

Leonard Pitts writes for the Miami Herald.

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Gov. Pete Ricketts is selling his $500 million South Platte River canal project hard to Nebraskans.

And he ought to. That's a lot of money, and whether it comes from federal relief funds or state reserves, it's taxpayer money. We are all investors in this plan to exercise our right to river water that Ricketts warns Colorado is trying to lay claim to.

So, based on both the importance of the project as Ricketts pitches it and the amount of taxpayer money involved, it was galling that the Legislature's Natural Resources Committee voted to shut out the media and public last week.

Unlike other public bodies in Nebraska, the Legislature isn't bound by public meetings laws. But members ought to very careful about when they decide the public doesn't have a right to know about what it's up to.

In this case, the rationale for closing the meeting was described by Suzanne Gage, spokesperson for the attorney general's office: "Historically, when the Attorney Generals Office meets with a Legislative committee on matters involving interstate water compacts, we have met in closed session because the discussions involve pending or imminent litigation associated with these compacts."

Colorado's first legal salvo was fired shortly after Ricketts announced Nebraska's intent. It's hard to image a time during this entire canal project that there won't be the specter of "imminent litigation."

So how much of the people's money will be spent without any public scrutiny because of the threat of "imminent litigation"? Who will decide what members of the public deserve to know, and when they deserve to know it?

That $500 million price tag, by many accounts, is vastly understated. In a project that could involve eminent domain, enormous court battles and expensive studies even before any real construction begins, it's inconceivable that the public could be shut out of much of the discussion.

If the stakes are as high as Ricketts says, the state bears a solemn responsibility to keep the process as open as possible. Last week, the meeting should've been kept open to the public. If the attorney general's office can't or shouldn't answer a question for legal reasons, its representative can decline to answer at that time and respond later.

"Imminent litigation" can't be a cover to rob residents and taxpayers of transparency on a costly project that is as critical to the state's future as this is being billed.

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Expo 2020 Dubai has announced that, starting February 24, media will need to provide a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours to access the Expo Media Centre (EMC). This is a change from the previous requirement of 48 hours which commenced in December.

Media can take a PCR test at the World Parking, Dubai Exhibition Centre North or Expo Village testing facilities. These tests are free of charge with proof of a valid media accreditation pass.

As the largest major global event of its kind to be held since the start of the pandemic, Expo 2020 continues to maintain robust Covid-19 measures, ensuring a safe and exceptional event for all attending. These include the mandatory vaccinations of all Expo and International Participant staff, volunteers, contractors and service providers, while visitors aged 18 and above must present proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours.

Mask-wearing  indoors and outdoors  for visitors, as well as all staff and participants, remains mandatory.

Expo 2020 Dubai continues to welcome visitors safely and responsibly. The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone continues to be the highest priority, and organisers remain committed to working with participants to welcome visitors to a safe and exceptional Expo.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until March 31, 2022, inviting the world to join a global celebration that will help to shape a better, brighter future for everyone.-- TradeArabia News Service
As a physician and mom of three, I want to express my thanks to state Sen. Anna Wishart for introducing LB929. LB929 should be supported by every state senator. This bill extends Medicaid postpartum care for new moms from two to 12 months. Organizations including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine all support extending postpartum coverage.

As a pediatrician in Nebraska for over 20 years, I know that infants who qualify for Medicaid are already guaranteed coverage for the first year of life. Mother-baby dyads should have aligned coverage. Also, pregnancy-related health issues such as cardiovascular complications and postpartum depression may not surface until weeks or even months after delivery. Lack of health insurance coverage creates even more complications, such as delays in seeking care and appropriate follow-up, therefore putting both the moms and babys health and well-being at risk.

Health problems during pregnancy and postpartum impose a significant economic burden on families, communities and the health system. Extending Medicaid coverage could potentially mitigate part of this burden by ensuring moms can prevent or treat health issues before becoming progressively severe.

LB929 is long overdue in Nebraska. I urge the Legislature to pass this very important bill to help ensure the health of all Nebraskans.

Karla Lester, Lincoln

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BURLINGTON  The Burlington Public Library and its boosters are preparing to unveil a fundraising campaign for a $9 million library expansion that has been in the works for many years.

A consultant has found that the library could raise about $3 million in private donations, and that it will rely on the city to provide the remaining $6 million through property taxes or other sources.

Library officials are mindful of the fact that they could be seeking public and private support at the same time that Burlington taxpayers are being asked to fund a project involving Echo Lake.

Consultant Jodi Sweeney noted that an Echo Lake project costing perhaps $5 million or more could take precedence over the library among some people. Sweeney responded by urging library officials and supporters to start raising money immediately.

There is a window of opportunity to do a campaign for the library, Sweeney wrote in her report. And that is now.

Members of the Burlington Library Board are expected soon to consider the report and to discuss the fundraising effort.

Board President Danielle Larson said she hopes to get a library campaign started before a proposed citywide referendum on Echo Lake in November. Larson said she is optimistic about finding donors for the library expansion, if Echo Lake does not overshadow the project.

Were trying to move forward as quickly as possible, she said. We dont want to lose momentum.

More than a decade

Library officials and supporters have been talking since at least 2008 about the need to expand and modernize the city-owned library at 166 E. Jefferson St. The former onetime post office property attracts more than 150,000 visitors a year.

As options for the library were being mulled over, Echo Lake became another issue requiring attention.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 2015 notified Burlington that the aging dam at Echo Lake no longer meets safety standards. By the year 2025, the city-owned dam must either be upgraded, or it must be removed and the lake permanently drained.

City engineers have calculated that saving the lake would cost more than $5 million to modify the dam and dredge the lake bottom. Removing the dam and draining the lake would cost less, with estimates ranging from $1.1 million to $2 million.

Although the city hopes to obtain grants and maybe private donors, the project could hit Burlington taxpayers in the pocketbook.

Borrowing $5 million to save the lake would increase property taxes for the average homeowner by $68 a year over 20 years, for a total of $1,368. By comparison, borrowing $1.5 million to remove the lake would cost the same homeowner $20 a year, or a total of $409.

The Burlington Park Board is recommending that the City Council vote to remove the dam and drain the lake.

The City Council has put off deciding the issue, possibly until after a citywide referendum under discussion for November to gauge public sentiment about saving or removing the troubled manmade lake.

Citys debts

The citys total annual budget of $31 million currently includes about $8 million in property tax collections, as well as $3 million in payments on old outstanding debts. The city is still paying off money borrowed to build a new $5.4 million public swimming pool in 2018.

In her assessment of library fundraising prospects, Sweeney recommends first setting sights on raising $1.5 million to $2.5 million in private donations.

Sweeney reports that the library expansions $9 million price tag causes sticker shock for some in the community. But she also found that the library has strong support as a public resource and a treasured community institution.

If we come together as a community now, we will have an expanded library that will serve as a catalyst for downtown renovation, she reports. And that will serve as a community civic and cultural center now and for future generations.

Library officials are hopeful that Burlington residents can keep the library and Echo Lake separate.

Library Director Joe Davies said he is optimistic about raising money for the library project, regardless of whatever approach the city takes on salvaging or removing the lake.

There will always be lots of things going on, he said. We support other projects; we hope other projects will support us.

Scott Carson, president of the Friends of the Library group, agreed that fundraising should progress smoothly once people understand the need for library improvements.

Referring to Echo Lake, Carson said Burlington residents share a camaraderie about the community, and they support public improvements when needed.

He added: I think theres enough love in the community.

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CALEDONIA  After Racine County approved a Caledonia location for its new juvenile detention center, the village has now given the green light to zoning and conditional use for the facility to operate.

At its meeting Monday night, the Caledonia Village Board approved, through a series of four votes, two ordinances and two resolutions pertaining to the Racine County Youth Development and Care Center, a new juvenile detention center that government leaders say will be focused on mental health rather than punishment and incarceration.

All four votes resulted in a 5-2 count, with Village President Jim Dobbs and Trustees Tom Weatherston, Kevin Wanggaard, Fran Martin and Lee Wishau voting in favor. Trustees Dale Stillman and Holly McManus voted in opposition.

Among the four approvals were an ordinance to amend zoning districts to rezone the approximately 29 acres to park institutional district to allow for the youth center, an ordinance adopting an amendment to the villages multijurisdictional comprehensive plan, a resolution authorizing a $100,000 payment every year for 10 years from the county to Caledonia, and a resolution approving a conditional use permit to allow operation of the facility.

The now-approved location is near the northeast corner of Batten International Airport, 3239 N. Green Bay Road. The facility is to sit within the 29-acre parcel with a large pond and wooded area. The land was purchased from Payne & Dolan, the construction company that operates the quarry just north of Three Mile Road.

The mental health-focused center is to replace the existing facility on the fourth floor of the Racine County Dennis Kornwolf Service Center, 1717 Taylor Ave. The replacement was originally planned to go in the City of Racine across the street from the Kornwolf Center, at the former Brannum Lumber property, but unforeseen costs and opposition from city leaders led the county to reconsider.

It is to serve a maximum of 48 youths from Racine, Kenosha, Waukesha, Manitowoc and Washington counties.

Village discussion

The facility is only to be used as a Type 2 Juvenile Facility; Type 1 facilities are more like prisons. Village Attorney Elaine Ekes noted the use of the property as a facility for housing adults, or as a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility, is specifically prohibited under this conditional use as defined by state statute.

I know that was something that Planning Commission was concerned about, and the board was concerned about, so I wanted to call that out to your attention, Ekes said.

Martin said she agonized over deciding on the center and spoke to as many people as she could. She said she eventually came to the decision within the last two days that Caledonia needs to house the facility.

She said the center would be a benefit to Racine County, other counties and the children to be placed there, and an added benefit with the approval of the payment in lieu of taxes between Caledonia and Racine County for the youth center is the facility wont be taxed.

Caledonia wont get any real estate taxes from it, but the county will be paying the village $100,000 every year for 10 years in exchange for housing the facility. That money could result in enough to hire one more police officer, Martin said.

When we wrestle with our budget, we would like to add another police officer, but we dont have the means to do it. So to me, that is something for Caledonia that were getting from this, Martin said. This is a way to stop a pipeline of kids becoming truant or whatever, getting into a facility that is not suitable for them, not getting the help, and now getting into someplace that can actually rehabilitate them.

Trustee Lee Wishau said he also agonized over the topic.

Originally, he was opposed to it. Then, he met with people from the county and cleared up some wrong information he had, and now he said he finds himself agreeing with what Martin said.

He additionally saw data from the Racine County Sheriffs Office showing there were about eight law enforcement calls to the current facility last year.

Its not much, Wishau said.

Trustee Holly McManus, a detective with the St. Francis Police Department, said she deals with people on a daily basis who need rehabilitation or help. She said she understands the mission of the facility because of her job.

But I would be remiss to not think about the fact that our County Board supervisors, the three that represent Caledonia, voted no for this project. And I would also be remiss to not listen to my constituents who have repeatedly, and over a couple-hundred times, told me that they do not want this facility, McManus said. Although it is difficult to go against some of the things that I know that this facility is good for and some of the good things that Ive heard, I am with the constituents on this and I will be voting no.

Citizen comment

Residents speaking before the Village Board during the citizen comment period at the beginning of the meeting spanned from in favor of the facility to against the facility.

Caledonia resident David Paulson encouraged the board to go forward with approval of the proposed plans.

Paulson said hes lived in the community for four decades. Hes been the juvenile court judge at the current facility for 3 years, and noted there were 15 juveniles in the detention center as of Monday. Nine of them are from Racine County and six are from other counties.

Children are there for rehabilitation, public protection and juvenile protection. The facility has never had an escape or any major issues, Paulson said.

I can recall perhaps two or three disturbances within where there was a fight over, I remember one distinctly, potato chips, Paulson said. Weve not had attempts to leave, weve not had trouble with missing persons. None of those things have happened. The facility is probably safer than our schools.

Paulson said building the center in Caledonia gives the village an opportunity for pride.

Caledonia has a chance to put up what is really going to be a state-of-the-art facility, he said. I would urge you to consider this. Its a benefit, yes, to Racine County. But its a benefit to Caledonia to be a leader and a pioneer in how we handle problem kids in our community.

Resident Shannon Coey, however, has remained opposed to the facility.

Neighborhood, community, village, county, state and country: which of these are more important than the other? Would it start with your home and work its way up, or start from the top and work its way down? Coey asked the board. The new center may help many troubled juveniles. But it also may take one mistake or one mishap  we as citizens dont want that. And Im sure the village doesnt either.

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A bipartisan bill that would authorize nearly $42 million in borrowing to build a juvenile correctional facility to replace the state's embattled Lincoln Hills facility is unlikely to come before the GOP-led Assembly before the chamber adjourns in a matter of weeks, Speaker Robin Vos said Tuesday.

The Republican-led state Senate passed the legislation Tuesday, as well as a package of bills that would allow lawmakers to cut funding for the state elections commission when it's deemed not to have complied with state election laws, as well as measures to limit public benefits to force more unemployed people back into the workforce. The bills  which include more legislative oversight of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, as well as numerous proposals to restrict access to unemployment payments  underscore Republicans' focus on elections and the economy as the Nov. 8 midterm approaches.

Speaking to reporters before Tuesday's session, Vos, R-Rochester, expressed doubt that SB 520 will pass his chamber  citing a lack of details while also casting blame on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has supported longstanding plans to close Lincoln Hills. The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously and without debate hours later, would pave the way for a juvenile correctional facility near Milwaukee.

"Its very challenging for us to just say were going to pass a bill with a bunch of money without a site to have it actually go to, without the due diligence that happens, and that has to happen from the Evers administration," Vos said. "But not surprising to anybody thats watching, theyve dropped the ball so we have to wait and see what happens."

Evers, who is seeking a second term this fall, has pledged to close Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls in northern Wisconsin, facilities that in the last decade have faced reports of child neglect, violent outbursts from inmates, use of pepper spray to cause bodily harm and intimidation of witnesses.

Evers included in his two budget proposals plans to create replacement sites for Lincoln Hills, but each was rejected by legislative Republicans.

"It is the height of hypocrisy for Republicans to blame anyone but themselves for failing to close Lincoln Hills after repeatedly rejecting Gov. Evers and our administrations efforts to do so  and that includes Speaker Vos, who is now once again singlehandedly obstructing bipartisan legislation on this very issue," Evers' spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in an email.

The bipartisan bill comes nearly four years after Republican then-Gov. Scott Walker signed a measure authorizing the state to shut Lincoln Hills by January 2021 and replace it with smaller, more regional facilities. Evers in 2019 signed into law a bill extending the closure date to July 2021, a deadline he later said was unrealistic.

Following the Senate's vote, Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, urged Vos to have the Assembly take up the bill, citing safety concerns among staff at Lincoln Hills.

"Every day that we delay action is a day my constituents are risking their lives," Felzkowski tweeted. "Do the right thing."

Elections

The Senate also voted on a package of election-related bills that would, among other things, allow lawmakers to cut funding for the state elections commission when it's deemed not to have complied with state election laws.

Republicans have touted the measures as an effort to clean up election processes in the state following a report last year from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau that found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but made several recommendations for improvements. President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by close to 21,000 votes in the battleground state.

Republican scrutiny over the 2020 election continues to grow as part of a nationwide GOP effort to overhaul elections following baseless claims by some Republicans, including Trump, of widespread fraud in the presidential election.

Vos last year hired former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers, to review the 2020 election. Vos said on Tuesday the GOP-ordered review should be completed by the end of the month.

Gableman's review has failed to meet previous deadlines and the former justice filed another petition Friday seeking to once again jail 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.

Vos has criticized the legal challenges filed against several of Gableman's subpoenas, which he described as efforts by liberals to "obfuscate and obstruct."

We still have to litigate a lot of those situations to make sure the Legislature has the power to move forward and we shouldn't let somebody's own obstruction of justice be the reason that we don't get our investigation done," Vos said.

Among bills before the Senate, SB 214 would allow election officials to begin counting absentee ballots the day before election day, a measure local clerks have pushed for to help address the massive number of ballots that must be counted after polls close. The measure passed 20-13, with Sen. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, joining Democrats in opposition.

However, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, said Tuesday that bill also is unlikely to come before the Assembly before the chamber adjourns.

SB 942 would give the GOP-led budget committee the ability to enforce staffing cuts or reduce agency funding at the state elections commission or departments of Transportation, Corrections and Health Services if the committee finds the departments failed to comply with election-related laws. The committee would have the ability to cut staff or reduce agency funding by up to $50,000 for each day of noncompliance. The bill passed 19-13, with Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, joining Democrats against the measure.

Other bills include:

SB 937 would limit who could claim "indefinitely confined" status. The bill passed with Sens. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and Julian Bradley, R-Franklin, joining Democrats in opposition.

SB 943 passed along party lines and would require the elections commission to submit to the Legislature's rules committee any guidance issued to elections officials. That would allow the committee to nullify that guidance.

SB 941 passed along party lines and would give the Joint Finance Committee final say over how the elections commission spends any federal funds allocated to the agency and require the bipartisan commission's lawyers to be partisan attorneys appointed by Republican and Democratic leaders.

SB 935 would prohibit special voting deputies from being barred from assisting nursing home residents with casting absentee ballots unless a public health emergency is in place or the facility is closed due to infectious disease. The bill passed 19-13, with Nass and Bradley joining Democrats in opposition.

SB 939 would bar election clerks from filling in any missing information on a voter's absentee ballot envelope and prohibit anyone other than a voter, immediate family member or guardian or designated individual to return an absentee ballot.

The Assembly could take up the measures later this week.

Evers is expected to veto most, if not all, of the bills. He has pledged to strike down any attempt to make voting harder in the state.

Unemployment bills

The Senate was also slated to vote on a package of bills that Republicans say are geared toward addressing the state's ongoing workforce shortage by restricting access to state unemployment benefits in order to force more people back into the labor pool.

The bills have cleared the Assembly, but appear likely to be vetoed by Evers, who has pushed for increased spending on training and recruitment, as well as efforts to reduce employment barriers some individuals face.

One of the bills, AB 937, would tie the number of weekly unemployment benefits an individual could receive to the state's overall unemployment rate.

Currently, an individual can receive up to $370 in weekly state unemployment benefits for 26 weeks. Under the bill, the maximum number of weeks a claimant could receive benefits would be based on the state's unemployment rate. Claimants would only receive 26 weeks of benefits if the state unemployment rate were greater than 9%, while the number of weekly benefits would be reduced to as few as 14 weeks if the rate were at 3.5% or lower.

The bill passed 19-14, with Sens. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, and Nass joining Democrats against the measure.

Other bills before the Senate include:

AB 936 passed along party lines and would remove an individual's Medicaid eligibility if they knowingly fail to accept an offer for legal, paid employment or an increase in paid hours.

AB 934 would require the state Department of Health Services to determine a person's Medicaid eligibility every six months. The bill passed 20-13, with Sen. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, joining Democrats against the bill.

AB 935 also passed along party lines and would require DHS to enforce a federal work requirement, including drug screenings, for able-bodied adults without dependents in order to take part in the state's FoodShare program, which helps people with limited money buy food.

AB 939 passed along party lines and would require DWD to consider reports of an individual declining a job offer or failing to attend a scheduled interview when determining a claimant's eligibility for benefits.

Constitutional amendments

While Republicans in the Senate and Assembly lack enough votes to override Evers' vetoes, conservatives have also proposed constitutional amendments that cannot be vetoed. Such an amendment would need to pass the Senate and Assembly in two successive sessions before being decided by voters in a general election, meaning the proposals could reach voters a year before the 2024 presidential election.

One of those, AJR 134/SJR 101, passed along party lines and would bar the state from receiving private funds to help administer elections.

AJR 107 passed 23-10, with Democratic Sens. Tim Carpenter and Brad Pfaff joining Republicans in support. The bill would change the state Constitution by requiring courts to consider alleged violent offenders charges, criminal record and risk to public safety, as well as the need to prevent the intimidation of witnesses, in determining bail amounts.

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The state Legislature approved more than a dozen education bills Tuesday that form a key plank of the Republican midterm election strategy: eliminating courses on racism and diversity, expanding private school vouchers and giving parents more control over their students education.

Republican lawmakers approval of the education-related bills Tuesday  which coincides with Public Schools Week, during which supporters emphasize the importance of public education  underscore conservatives ongoing contention that public schools, especially in cities, are inflexible and failing.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers would almost certainly veto most or all of the proposed bills, but legislative Republicans as well as statewide gubernatorial candidates are likely to hit back at Evers, saying he is perpetuating racist policies and stymying parental control of schools.

The bills

The wide-ranging bills the Assembly approved include a proposal by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, AB 884, that would specify that if any University of Wisconsin System institution requires a course in diversity or ethnic studies, students could instead complete a course on the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. That bill passed the Assembly 60-34 and Senate 21-12 along party lines.

The Assembly passed 60-34 along party lines another Republican bill, AB 963, that proposes a Parental Bill of Rights that would allow a parent or guardian to sue a school district or school official if they dont allow parents to:

Determine the names and pronouns used for the child while at school;

Review instructional materials and outlines used by the childs school;

Access any education-related information regarding the child;

Receive advance notice of any polls or surveys conducted in the childs classroom;

Request notice of when certain subjects will be taught or discussed;

Opt out of a class or instructional materials for reasons based on either religious or personal conviction.

The bill is now headed to the Senate.

A third bill the Assembly and Senate approved Tuesday, SB 409, would prohibit any instruction at UW campuses and technical colleges that promotes race or sex stereotyping. The bill, aimed at prohibiting instruction about systemic racism, known broadly as critical race theory, and systemic sexism instruction, would also prohibit training materials covering the same topics for UW System and technical college employees.

The bill passed the Senate 21-12 and Assembly 60-33 along party lines. Democrats criticized the measure as an attempt by Republicans to insert themselves into higher education curriculum and to limit confronting uncomfortable components of the past.

We see discrimination, we see hate happening every single day in this country. Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison, said ahead of the Assembly vote. How do we stop that? In no small part, through education, through learning from our past.

Evers, a lifelong educator, has already vetoed a substantively similar critical race theory ban bill that applied to public schools, saying, Our kids deserve to learn in an atmosphere conducive to learning without being subjected to state legislative encroachment that is neither needed nor warranted.

Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, Tuesday offered a substitute amendment to the critical race theory ban bill that would instead require students to study Asian American history. That amendment was first worded in a bipartisan bill that hasnt gotten a hearing despite urgings by lawmakers on both sides. The Assembly voted to table the amendment.

The Assembly passed on a voice vote a bill, AB 966, that would dissolve the Milwaukee Public School System, which Republican lawmakers have long said is failing, replacing it with four to eight school districts. The bill is now headed to the Senate.

The divisive measure, which earned some Republican opposition at an executive hearing last week, comes as one bill proponent, the conservative IRG Action Fund, says the district is simply too big to succeed and too broken to be healed through half-measures.

Lawmakers in the Assembly approved a fifth bill, AB 970, that would vastly expand private school vouchers by eliminating the income limits in the statewide, Milwaukee County and Racine County private school voucher programs as well as create a temporary education expense reimbursement program for public school students. The bill, which a fiscal report stated could raise property taxes as much as $577 million, passed on a 59-34 vote, with Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay voting against it. The bill is now headed to the Senate.

In a statement, Kitchens said his stance against the bill came from his opposition to put a burden on our taxpayers and I dont want to do it at the expense of our public schools.

Other proposals the Assembly approved Tuesday would create a statewide Charter School Authorizing Board and allow the board to authorize independent charter schools (Republicans previously created such a board under the University of Wisconsin System), which passed on a voice vote; require certain schools to employ armed school resource officers, which passed 61-32, with Rep. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, voting in favor; authorize a parental opt-out from face covering requirements in school buildings, which passed 60-32 along party lines; and loosen requirements to become a substitute teacher, which passed on a voice vote.

The context

The statewide Republican plan follows nationwide conservative efforts to revamp public schools and redefine what is and isnt appropriate for students to learn in taxpayer-funded schools.

Education was the campaign centerpiece for Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who won on a platform urging the banning of critical race theory curricula in K-12 schools despite educators insisting that the college-level theory examining how policies and laws perpetuate systemic racism in the United States was not taught below the college level.

Opponents of critical race theory contend the theory itself is racist and seeks to address an issue that doesnt exist.

In his first few days as governor, Youngkin signed an executive order banning critical race theory from being taught in schools, which is similar to the measure Evers vetoed. The Virginia governor also signed an order stating parents must be allowed to decide whether their child wears a mask in school, similar to Vos bill that Evers is likely to veto.

While most if not all of the Wisconsins Republican measures will likely fail this session because of Evers veto pen, the bills could be ready for swift passage next session should a Republican gubernatorial candidate replace Evers.

In a statement, Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said, Gov. Evers will continue to do whats best for our kids and supporting Republicans agenda to radicalize our classrooms isnt it.

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1. Yes. Raising the bar for future developments will boost the citys housing market.

2. Yes. It will help in newer areas, but more needs to be done to change Killeens image.

3. No. The new standards will just slow down homebuilding and drive away developers.

4.No. The ordinance will do little more than drive up the price of new homes in the city.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the effect will be until they have been in place for a while.

Vote

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CARS24, the leading online platform for pre-owned vehicles, has unveiled its latest AI-enabled APP in the UAE that features close to 1,200 plus vehicles.

Through this APP consumers in the UAE can buy and sell cars in under 30 minutes if all the related documents are in place. Since the launch of its operations in the UAE in May 2021, CARS24 has sold close to 4,000 plus cars and 100% of these transactions were conducted online.

UAE is known for its wide adoption of technology across both the public and private sectors. We are delighted to work in this thriving tech ecosystem and we are inspired by this giant tech leap that the country has taken - be it Blockchain or AI.

By the same token, we wanted to integrate our industry-specific AI-based APP to support the growing population of tech-savvy customers in the UAE. We are also taking efforts to educate all sections of the society to migrate and adopt the latest technology and be part of this new world of tech, stated Abhinav Gupta, CEO, Gulf Region for CARS24.

Our APP has captured in all the necessary parameters that the consumers look for whilst buying or selling their cars. Our team has meticulously planned and navigated the app to ensure its ease of use and most importantly help consumers make informed decisions fairly instantly. The entire history of the car is uploaded on the APP including the cars detailed inspection report, added Gupta.

With the help of the APP, consumers can calculate their monthly EMI, check for the all the parameters such as the quality checks that include engine, suspension, steering, tyres as part of the 150-points inspection check.

Furthermore, the consumers can also avail the car financing options, insurance, and several other features through this APP.

Complementing the APP is the company's newly opened mega refurbishment lab (MRL) in UAE which would roll out close to 20,000+ cars in a year. This MRL at Jebel Ali has 70 bays, 5 high-end Italian paint booths, and has the capacity to roll out close to 1,500 cars a month. This leased 1,000,000 sq ft facility with a total contract value in excess of AED40 million ($11 million), is one of Dubais largest-ever leasing deals on record.

Through our Mega Refurbishment Lab in UAE, our endeavour would be to ensure that all our customers get a completely certified car by us. We have stringent quality checks in place and we ensure that our cars go through various stages of tests before it reaches the end customer.

CARS24 also leverages AI, machine learning, and data science to standardise and optimise the refurbishment process. This will make the entire process efficient and effective while eliminating subjectivity, added Gupta.

With a company value of close to $3.3 billion, CARS24 is revolutionising the way pre-owned cars are bought in the UAE. Through its next-generation AI-enabled APP and its e-commerce platform and its new MRL, the company aims to continue its expansion plans in the region.

Late last year, CARS24 raised AED75 million in local debt funding from the Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD), one of the leading banks in the UAE. In September 2021, CARS24 announced that it would be investing another AED367 million in the UAE and other GCC countries to further expand its presence.

With this convergence of technology-driven cutting-edge facilities, CARS24 is transforming the pre-owned cars industry not only in the UAE but several other countries globally and thereby bridging the standardisation and benchmarking gap prevalent in the industry, concluded Gupta.-- TradeArabia News Service
KEARNEY  Its a happy Thursday morning at the floral shop.

Stacy Schulte, Megan Axmann and Chelsie Bebensee  the new owners of Divas at Kearney Floral  are smiling and laughing as they recall that day in 2012 when they learned their employer, Bobs Superstore, was closing and the trio of floral designers were losing their jobs.

At the time it was stunning news, but the trio remembers those days with happiness. They had lost their employment, but customers were encouraging them to hang in there and think about starting their own business.

Schulte, Axmann and Bebensee took the encouragement seriously.

Sixty days later, Divas Floral Shop and Boutique opened at 2223 First Ave.

In less than two months the women had secured a storefront, fixtures and flowers. Among the three of them, they possessed nearly 40 years experience as floral designers. Each individual brought strengths to the partnership.

Without the Kearney community we wouldnt be here, Bebensee said.

And we did it all for under $20,000, Axmann said. A good layer of paint will go a long ways.

Today, 10 years since they launched Divas, Bebensee, Schulte and Axmann are tackling the next big challenge. Theyre the new owners of Kearney Floral, a business thats been a part of Kearney since 1907. The Erickson family took over the business and operated it until 1990 when Todd and Lois Thalken took over.

In 2003 the Thalkens remodeled the building, removed the greenhouse and expanded floor space to more than 7,000 square feet.

The three partners officially took over ownership of Kearney Floral on Jan. 1. They say their business now is the largest floral shop between Lincoln and Denver.

Their focus initially has been making the merger successful. Its important that they satisfy their new customers from Kearney Floral and those they carried over from Divas.

We want to make sure we take are of Kearney Florals customers, Schulte said.

Theres a legacy to carry on, Bebensee said.

Future plans will likely revolve around events and public relations. They said there is space under their roof for receptions and meetings. The greenhouse has space for yoga classes and receptions.

Bebensee said theyll be looking for ways to get acquainted and form friendships with more people around Kearney.

Managing the larger business has meant managing more employees.

At Divas, the women were the only full-time employees. There were 4-5 part-time designers.

At Divas at Kearney Floral, there are two fill-time designers, seven to eight part-time employees, and the three owners.

At both businesses, the women said they frequently asked their family members to help.

They say they believe its important to be willing to do anything the employees are expected to do.

All three owners still enjoy delivering flowers, especially when they can surprise women with large, beautiful bouquets.

I like delivering them to large offices, Bebensee said. She enjoys seeing the expressions on peoples faces when they see who receives the flowers.

Bebensee, Schulte and Axmann said its an exciting time to be in business in downtown Kearney.

Many buildings are being remodeled, and the downtown area possesses its own special appeal.

She said a friendly competition existed between Kearney Floral and Divas. If either ran out of flowers or supplies the other helped out.

Even before Todd and Lois retired we had good relations with them, Bebensee said.

The three women said hope they can complement the tradition that was such a large part of Kearney Floral by amplifying the excitement and special feelings that flowers inspire.

We do some sympathy work, Schulte said. We cry with families when they lose a loved one and laugh with them at the funny memories.

We want to inspire others to love flowers as much as we do, Bebensee said.
The Vernon County Board of Supervisors authorized a resolution for participation in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Municipal Dam Grant Program to repair the Sidie Hollow dam at its meeting, Feb. 2.

Mark Erickson, project manager-resource conservationist/PL566 manager with the Land and Water Conservation Department, said to repair the dam, the DNRs share for such a project may not exceed 50% of the first $1 million of total eligible project costs nor 25 percent of the next $2 million of total eligible project costs, the state has increased the funding for this grant over previous years.

Erickson said he anticipates the total cost for repairs would be in the $40,000 to $60,000 range. He said the state would pay half and the other half would come from Vernon Countys dam operation budget.

The principle spillway outlet is on the lower side of the dam on the outlet end of the concrete pipe. These repairs involve removing the aged loose concrete and re-pouring the new exterior protective layer of the pipe. The clay blanket repair is on the western upstream side of the dam.

He said the county is applying for the grant to fund these dam maintenance and operation repairs to extend the life of the dam.

Erickson said the application is due by March 4, and if Vernon County is awarded a grant it would receive a priority letter in June and the repair plans would need to be submitted by Dec. 1. He said if the repair plans are accepted, the county could put the project to bid in 2023, with construction also beginning in 2023.

County board supervisors also authorized a grant match commitment for Vernon Communications Co-ops broadband project in the village of Ontario.

Cari Redington, county administrator, said Ontario is the only community in the county without broadband. She said VC Co-op has asked the county to support the grant with a 5 percent match up to $90,000 if the grant application is accepted. She said the county can use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that were distributed in 2021 for the match, because its an approved use of those funds.

Redington said the broadband project, which would serve about 400 households, is a $1.8 million project, with 80 percent that would be covered by federal funds, 15 percent that would come from VC Co-op and 5 percent from Vernon County, if the grant application is successful.

Supervisors also approved a memo of understanding between Vernon County and the municipalities for the statewide voter registration system and fee structures.

Nikki Swayne, county corporation counsel, gave an update on rules of the board and committee structures, roles and responsibilities, which are being worked on by the legal affairs committee. She said the final form will come before the county board at its meeting March 2.

Angela Cina can be reached at angie.cina@lee.net.

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Our first free public program of the year will be held on Tuesday, March 1, at 7 p.m., at the Vernon County Museum. La Farge historian Brad Steinmetz will talk about the protest movement that occurred in the area over the La Farge Dam and Lake project. The protests began in the 1970s and continued for decades as the inactive federal dam project sat unfinished north of the village.

The program will be held in the museums first-floor, handicapped-accessible conference room. The topic of the program is also one of the stories featured in the museums new Protest! exhibit on 2nd floor. This exhibit explores some of the causes that Vernon County people have championed over the years, from temperance to the La Farge Dam to the Black Lives Matter movement.

February is Black History Month. Last summer we received several requests for information about the African-American farmers of the Cheyenne Valley community in the Town of Forest, in Vernon County. Most of the people in Cheyenne Valley were farmers, and the Shivers family farm was one of the largest owned by African Americans in Wisconsin.

Thomas Shivers was born into slavery in the late 1850s in Tennessee. He and his siblings came north after the Civil War, arriving in Cheyenne Valley by 1879. There he went into agriculture, gradually building a large, modern farm. Thomas and his wife Millie Revels had five or more children, who also helped out on the farm.

On the 1896 Vernon County plat map, Thomas Shivers owns 62.16 acres of land in Section 2 of the Town of Union, near the village of Dilly. On the 1915 plat map, Thomas land in Union has grown a little, to 66.16 acres, and the 191 acres of adjoining land to the north, in Section 35 of the Town of Forest, is now owned by the Shivers brothers, which I think refers to Thomas sons.

The Shivers family was forward-thinking in their farming practices. In the late 1910s, Thomas was the first in the area to install indoor plumbing in his farmhouse, using water from a hillside spring. Son Alga built many of the distinctive round barns that Vernon County is now famous for, in addition to conventional barns. The Shiverses kept up on agricultural news and trends, and were the first among their neighbors to own a tractor.

The Shivers farm was diversified. As an old man, Alga recalled that the family raised many crops, including barley, corn, oats, potatoes, and wheat. They also raised a variety of livestock, including chickens, cows, hogs, horses, and sheep.

You can learn more about the Shivers family, Algas round barns, and the Cheyenne Valley community, by visiting the Vernon County Museum and archives. Winter public hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment.

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A 33-year-old La Crosse man accused of firing a shot at a La Crosse police officer is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond.

Curtis William Ross was charged Wednesday in the countys Circuit Court with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of heroin with intent to deliver, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, felon in possession of a firearm and bail jumping. All are felonies.

Judge Scott Horne set the bail considerably higher than the $25,000 that was requested by Assistant District Attorney Megan Gomez. Horne said the circumstances of Ross arrest and his extensive criminal history weighed upon on his decision.

Mr. Ross went to great extremes to avoid apprehension, Horne said.

Ross attorney Jeff Mochalski told the court he would reserve his bond argument until a March 1 preliminary hearing.

According to the criminal complaint, police were called Feb. 22 to the 200 block of Seventh Street South, where a woman said Ross stole her vehicle. Police tracked the vehicle to an alley near the corner of 16th and Main streets, where it had come to a stop.

The complaint says police then saw Ross take off running north on the 1400 block of Vine Street. At that point, an officer reported a shot fired in his direction from about 20 to 25 yards away.

A short time later, a witness told police that Ross was hiding underneath a vehicle parked near the UW-La Crosse Center for the Arts. Police located Ross and arrested him without incident.

The witness told police that Ross ditched a gun, and police found a pistol lying on the ground on Vine Street. Police also found bags containing 3.3 grams of cocaine and four grams of heroin. A search of Ross person allegedly found a large amount of cash and a loaded magazine for a 9 mm handgun.

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A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family of Hannah Goman  a 20-year-old Winona State University student who passed away from injuries sustained in a car crash in Winona Saturday.

Already, as of Tuesday at 2 p.m., more than $14,000 has been raised to help support the family during the challenging time. A total of 238 donations had been made toward that amount.

The fundraisers goal as of Tuesday is $15,000.

The creator of the GoFundMe fundraiser, Korryn Dean, a friend of Hannahs mother Michelle, wrote about the tragic situation on the fundraisers page, This is every parents worst nightmare. Michelle is the sweetest soul and the first person in this community to step up and help out anyone in need, its time for us to help her in this heartbreaking time. The least we can do is help ease the financial burden of funeral expenses.

All donations that are received through the GoFundMe will be deposited into Michelles bank account to help support her and her family.

To donate to Hannahs family, visit the Help the Goman family! GoFundMe page.

Hannah, a resident of Stevens Point, Wis., succumbed to injuries sustained after a 2010 Camry Toyota she was a passenger in was hit by a 2015 Chevy Silverado traveling the wrong way on Highway 61

The crash happened at 12:45 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Highway 43 and Highway 61.

Adam Samuel Anderson, 35, of Winona, was driving the Chevy while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Minnesota State Patrols report. Trena Lynn Anderson, 35, also of Winona, was a passenger in the Silverado. Neither of the Andersons experienced any injuries due to the crash.

As of Tuesday morning, Adam Samuel Anderson was in Winona County jail for charges of fourth-degree driving while impaired and criminal vehicle operation causing bodily harm, according to the countys jail roster.

All three occupants of the Toyota were transported to Winona Health to be treated for injuries sustained during the crash.

While Goman died due to her injuries, Toyota driver Nicholas Robert Lemmerond, 21, of Oshkosh, Wis., and passenger Natalie Lynne Carlson, 22, of Oshkosh, are expected to survive theirs.

WSU shared a statement Sunday saying that the universitys community is mourning the passing of Hannah, who was studying social work there.

Counseling and support services are now available to the universitys community, according to the statement.

The WSU Dance Society, of which Hannah was a member, shared on Facebook about her passing, It absolutely shatters our hearts to announce that we have lost a member of our family.

Hannah was truly a light and blessing to each and every one of us in the (Theatre and Dance) department. There wont be a day that she isnt with us.

The society dedicated their final Dancescape show of the year to Hannah on Saturday.

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Saudi oil giant Aramco and an international investor consortium, led by affiliates of BlackRock and Hassana, today (February 23) announced the successful closing of a lease and leaseback deal worth $15.5 billion.

As per the deal, which was previously announced on December 6, 2021, the consortium - comprising top institutional investors including, amongst others, Keppel Infrastructure Trust, Silk Road Fund, and China Merchants Capital - has acquired a 49% stake in Aramco Gas Pipelines Company, a subsidiary of Aramco.

This long-term investment by the consortium represents further progress in Aramcos portfolio optimization program and highlights the strong investment opportunities presented by Aramcos significant infrastructure assets.

It also underlines Aramcos strong long-term outlook and the appeal of the Saudi Arabia to leading institutional investors.

As part of the transaction, first announced in December 2021, Aramco Gas Pipelines Company and Aramco entered into a 20-year lease and leaseback arrangement in connection with Aramcos gas pipeline network.

Under this arrangement, Aramco Gas Pipelines Company will receive a tariff payable by Aramco for the specified gas products that flow through the network, backed by minimum commitments on throughput.

The Saudi oil giant retains a 51% majority stake in Aramco Gas Pipeline Company, and also retains full ownership and operational control of the gas pipeline network. The transaction does not impose any restrictions on Aramcos production volumes.

The announcement follows the closing of a $12.4 billion infrastructure transaction in connection with Aramcos stabilized crude oil pipeline network in June 2021.

Concurrent with closing of this transaction, Aramco has also signed a MoU with BlackRock, to explore joint opportunities in future energy transition projects related to low carbon energy infrastructure.

The agreement reinforces the relationship with BlackRock, enhancing opportunities for possible future collaborations.

Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser said: "This agreement is our second landmark infrastructure transaction in less than a year and another major step forward in our long-term value creation strategy. The participation of the consortium led by BlackRock and Hassana underlines the appeal of Aramcos portfolio to leading global investors as Saudi Arabias economic transformation builds momentum, requiring a robust energy infrastructure and network that are vital to meet the needs of an expanding industrial sector."

"At the same time as Aramco raises gas production and seeks new opportunities in low-carbon energy sources over the next decade, the importance of our energy infrastructure in relation to global energy security and reliability is expected to grow in significance," he noted.

Aramco Senior VP (Corporate Development) Abdulaziz M. Al Gudaimi said: "We remain focused on maximizing the potential of our assets and assessing new investment opportunities to further enhance our robust balance sheet."

"The gas infrastructure transaction with BlackRock and Hassana is a testament of the relationship with the global investors and emphasizes gas as a key pillar to grow in domestic and international markets," he stated.

BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink said: "We are pleased to close this landmark transaction and deepen our partnership with Aramco by signing a MoU to develop low carbon energy infrastructure together. Getting to a net zero world will not happen overnight."

"It requires us to shift the energy mix in incremental steps to achieve a green energy future. Bold, forward-thinking incumbents like Aramco have the technical expertise and capital to play a crucial role in this transformation, and we look forward to our future collaboration," noted Fink.

Hassana Investment Company CEO Saad A. AlFadly said: "We are delighted to achieve closing of this landmark transaction which highlights our focus to invest in critical infrastructures in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We look forward to working with our partners at Aramco and BlackRock to make this a successful long-term investment."-TradeArabia News Service
The citys search for a bridge housing site is over after the La Crosse Common Council approved the purchase of a South Side motel at a special meeting Tuesday.

The city plans to purchase the Maple Grove Motel located at 5212 Mormon Coulee Road. It will be used temporarily as a site where individuals can transition out of homelessness.

$1.5 million was approved from the citys American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase the motel, and pay for improvements and any other related costs such as immediate maintenance needs. The original cost was $1.2 million, but an amendment was made to boost that amount.

The motel already provides buildings with 26 bedrooms that can sleep 32 people, and bathrooms. But the city also hopes to build tiny shelters that will be used as additional bridge housing units, similar to ones recently implemented by the city of Madison.

Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department director Jay Odegaard presented the proposal to the council Tuesday night, which lasted several hours and went into closed session for about an hour-and-a-half.

At the end of the day it is all of our goals to reduce the number of unsheltered people in the community, Odegaard said.

This space will provide a more cost-efficient and year-round extension to initiatives the city has been taking on in the last year to provide housing to those experiencing homelessness.

Currently, about 100 people are staying at the EconoLodge, which the city has rented out, but the lease will expire April 1.

This way we arent going to lose all that hard work thats been done, said Brian Sampson, the citys homeless coordinator. We can provide, as a community, a safe place for people to go, and the goal and purpose is to help people get on their feet and into successful housing situations.

Several community members spoke out against the project with concerns about safety and overall impact to the neighborhood.

Im very nervous, the owner of Fiesta Mexicana, a nearby restaurant, said.

La Crosse police chief Shawn Kudron said there have been on average 100 calls to the EconoLodge a month, but that they are largely trouble with party calls, meaning some type of concern with an individual, and not necessarily criminal or dangerous situations.

Kudron advocated for keeping the unsheltered population in a centralized location so that they can respond to calls better and help connect individuals with service more efficiently.

Due to just the many, many factors that are involved with our unsheltered population, he said, its desirable for the police department that there is a centralized population.

Its intended that the bridge housing will operate around the clock with at least two staff members on site at all times. Odegaard recommended the city hire another group to run the operations, similar to how the EconoLodge housing has been run by the agency Karuna.

The additional tiny shelters that are planned to be added to the site, sometimes known as pallet shelters, will be 10-by-10 feet in size and are expected to be double occupancy. Theyre larger than typical tiny units that are being used and will have a more aesthetic approach because of local contractors and lumber thats more accessible than in other cities, Odegaard said.

In addition, the city will build a restroom and shower facility for those staying in the tiny bridge housing units, though all design plans are preliminary at this point.

Its unlikely the motel would be ready for move-in by April 1, and the city will still need to finalize the purchase, but Odegaard said the goal is to have it up and running as soon as possible, but at least before next winter.

In the meantime, the city has been authorized by the Board of Park Commissioners to use Houska Park as an official campground to help house people until the motel is ready.

The city had previously attempted to purchase the current La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce headquarters across from city hall, and Mayor Mitch Reynolds said other sites were looked at as a possibility.

We have explored virtually every option that I can imagine at this point, Reynolds said. We have been blocked by someone who can write a $2.2 million check to keep us from moving there or just been told no.

This motel project is only expected to be temporary, and Odegaard said although he didnt want an exact timeframe attached to it, two-to-three years is a rough estimate. The city stated in its resolution that beyond this use that the site is ripe for redevelopment.

Later down the road, according to Odegaard, the city and county are working on collaborating on a long-term project that would be a completely different model, that would be a much larger facility that would offer more long-term living quarters for individuals. The county had attempted to purchase the Chamber headquarters with the city.

City staff overall pointed to the success of the housing projects that have been utilized in recent months. At the EconoLodge, there have been a total of 154 people that have been served, which includes 133 single adults and eight families.

Of those, six individuals and four families have found housing since the program launched about three months ago. Another 26 individuals are housing ready and searching for a place to live.

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Kyle Rittenhouse says he is now fundraising for lawsuits against those who he claims mischaracterized him as a white supremacist and murderer  including members of the media, actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg and President Joe Biden.

First Amendment experts say Rittenhouses chances of winning such lawsuits are a longshot, if that.

Announcement and reaction

Me and my team have decided to launch The Media Accountability Project as a tool to help fundraise and hold the media accountable for the lies they said and deal with them in court,Rittenhouse, 19, told Fox News Channel prime-time host Tucker Carlson on Monday evening. Were going to hold everybody who lied about me accountable  Were going to handle them in a courtroom.

According to its website, TMAP is a Nevada-based LLC and Contributions are not tax-deductable (sic).

That announcement came accompanied by a social media video that includes clips from various media reports connecting Rittenhouse to white supremacists. The video specifically called out Biden, who prior to being elected accused Donald Trump of having refused to disavow white supremacists in a video that included a photograph (taken by a Journal Times reporter) of Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020, the night Rittenhouse shot three people, killing two of them, in Kenosha amid riots following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer.

I think his chances of success are close to zero, Erik Ugland, associate professor in the college of communication at Marquette University, said of Rittenhouse. I think the things published about him are reasonable interpretations of the observable facts.

Kevin Goldberg, a media attorney with 25 years of experience who now works for the Freedom Forum, a nonprofit that educates the public about the First Amendment, said: I would say he has very little, to no, shot at winning. I will not say zero percent, because I have learned in the law to never say zero percent.

Seven hurdles For an ordinary citizen to win a defamation lawsuit, they need to prove the defendant's statement was all seven of the following things: False

Defamatory

An assertion of fact

Was published

Was about the plaintiff themself

Was published with fault (i.e. with disregard for the truth)

Harmed the plaintiff Since Kyle Rittenhouse would be considered a public figure, he  like any other famous person  would have to prove an even higher level of fault, and must show that the false statement was published with "actual malice." Proving all of that, said Kevin Goldberg, a media attorney with 25 years of experience who now works for the Freedom Forum, is a "nearly insurmountable bar" to reach in court.

Rittenhouse winning any libel suit would be really, really hard, said Robert E. Drechsel, professor emeritus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Public figure

The fact that Rittenhouse is now famous and would be considered a public figure by the court creates some huge obstacles for him to win any kind of lawsuit, Dreschel said.

In libel lawsuits, a higher burden of proof must be achieved if the plaintiff is considered a public figure. Whereas the average person can win a libel suit if someone publishes something against him negligently  i.e., if the publisher was sloppy or careless with the information, Ugland said  Rittenhouse, who is now internationally recognized, must prove that the publisher of the inaccurate information acted with malice.

He took an action that put him into the public sphere, Kevin Goldberg said. Because of that, the bar to win a defamation lawsuit anywhere the country was taken even higher.

Because hes nationally known and has continued to place himself in the public eye, Rittenhouse is going to have to prove that the people (hes suing)  either knew they were saying something defamatory or untrue, or had serious doubts about it and went ahead and published it anyway, according to Dreschel.

That can be almost impossible to prove, Dreschel said, since it would rely on Rittenhouses team either:

1. Getting a defendant  whether they be a reporter or Whoopi Goldberg  to admit that they said or wrote something they knew to be untruthful, or

2. Gathering a really overwhelming package of circumstantial evidence to show they knew what was being published was incorrect.

White nationalist allegations

At the bar, Rittenhouse posed for photos holding up the OK hand gesture with members of the group. That hand gesture has been co-opted by white supremacists, since the gesture loosely forms the shapes of the letters W and P, referencing White Power. However, the hand gesture also has been co-opted by the Proud Boys themselves, a multiracial group while still being predominantly white.

Ugland said that Rittenhouse willingly associating with that group and holding up the symbol, even if he wasnt an avowed member and didnt strictly hold those views, means that it could be found those who referred to Rittenhouse as a white supremacist made a reasonable.

Libel is about dispute over false claims about someone that you assert as fact. But there is allowance, in the law, for people to express their opinions and give their own interpretations, Ugland said. Given that he has inserted himself into this racially charged news context and subsequently has put himself in the position of being associated with Proud Boys  even if he doesnt view himself as a racist  merely putting himself in that position invites a reasonable interpretation by other people that he embraces those viewpoints 

The perception that Rittenhouse is racist may be incorrect, but is not unreasonable, Ugland concluded. If somebody had published an article saying Kyle Rittenhouse is a member of a white supremacist organization, thats a statement of fact, and can be proven to be true or untrue. But if an article said he posed with the Proud Boys and flashed a white supremacist sign and is a white supremacist, that may be an incorrect conclusion, but its a reasonable one.

The keyword here, in a legal context, is reasonable. Ugland asserts that Rittenhouse holding up the OK symbol and associating with Proud Boys means that it is reasonable, and thus not libelous, for a blogger or politician or celebrity to call him a white supremacist even if the teenager wouldnt describe himself as such.

Those images of Rittenhouse at the bar were not allowed to be brought up at the homicide trial, Judge Bruce Schroeder ruled. But if Rittenhouse wants to sue those who called him a white supremacist, which he says is an inaccurate description, he will likely have to defend those photographs in court.

A murderer?

Legally speaking, Rittenhouse is not a murderer. He may have killed two people, but murder specifically refers to unlawful killing. A jury found that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense, and thus the homicides he was criminally charged with are not legally considered murders.

But, the courts would not expect the ordinary citizen, or an ordinary journalist for that matter, to be able to make distinction between technical points of law, Dreschel said.

And thus the people who Rittenhouse has called out for calling him a murderer  such as Whoopi Goldberg on ABCs The View and Cenk Uygur, founder of the progressive talk show The Young Turks, whom Rittenhouse called out by name Monday  are likely in the clear from a legal standpoint, Dreschel said.







Sandmann

Some recent lawsuits, like those Rittenhouse says he is planning, have been successful.

Carlson, Ugland and Kevin Goldberg alluded to Nick Sandmann, a Catholic school teenager from Kentucky who settled confidentially out of court  possibly for millions  with The Washington Post, CNN and NBC Universal, the parent company of MSNBC.

Sandmann sued multiple outlets after a January 2019 video went viral of him, while wearing a Make America Great Again cap on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, staring at and apparently smirking toward a Native American man singing and beating a drum. Sandmann, who was attending the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C., asserted he was trying to diffuse a tense situation  in which a separate group, of Black Hebrew Israelites, was hurling racist insults and other taunts at a concurrent Indigenous Peoples Rally.

Ugland said that Sandmanns case is different than Rittenhouses.

With the Sandmann case, we were seeing little snippets of video telling a totally different story than what actually occurred. In this (Rittenhouse) case, its not like were missing crucial pieces of information, Ugland said. We can interpret that information in a variety of ways.

Added Kevin Goldberg: This is not a Nick Sandmann situation where a student from Covington, Kentucky, happened to walk into a situation  he (Rittenhouse) is making this a crusade, himself, to go after the media.

After Rittenhouse was found not guilty, Sandmann said he spoke with Rittenhouse on the phone, encouraging him to sue the media.







Not avoiding the public eye

Mondays appearance on Fox News, and subsequent interviews with other right-leaning outlets Tuesday, are the latest episode in Rittenhouse choosing to remain in the public eye after being acquitted. In the days following the not guilty verdict, Rittenhouse said in multiple interviews that he was to lay low and live a normal life.

As Ugland put it, Rittenhouses announcement could ultimately turn out to be a publicity stunt, or a way to generate attention and money and not turn into libel suits.

It could be an attempt to silence critics, Kevin Goldberg said. If a news outlet fears a lawsuit, it might not run a story.

Kevin Goldberg said such lawsuits could be considered SLAPP suits.

A SLAPP suit, or strategic lawsuit against public participation, as defined by the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, is a civil claim filed against an individual or an organization, arising out of that partys speech or communication to government about an issue of public concern. At the heart of the SLAPP suit is the petition clause of the First Amendment. A SLAPP suit may look like a civil lawsuit for defamation, nuisance, interference with contract, interference with economic advantage, or invasion of privacy, but its purpose is different ... Professors George W. Pring and Penelope Canan coined the term SLAPP suit in the 1980s after noting a surge in lawsuits filed to silence public criticism by citizens.

NFTs and social media Coinciding with his appearance on Tucker Carlsons program, a video was posted to Kyle Rittenhouses social media channels announcing The Media Accountability Project. The video, narrated by Rittenhouse, opens with a quote from Malcolm X: "The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power." As Rittenhouse says, and make the guilty innocent, the mugshot of Darrell Brooks  the Milwaukee man accused of killing six and injuring dozens more by driving through a Waukesha parade  is shown; no one in any legacy media company has aimed to portray Brooks as innocent. In an interview with Fox News, Brooks said he felt the media was portraying him as a "monster." Rittenhouse's video also showed a clip of the teenager with glowing red lasers for eyes, a trend that gained popularity in 2019 with supporters of Bitcoin (including members of Congress and Elon Musk) celebrating the digital currencys rising price; since, the glowing eyes image has become a sort-of meme without any real meaning. Rittenhouse, in social media posts, has indicated he is also considering launching an NFT (non-fungible token). An NFT is similar to a digital currency like Bitcoin, except instead of it being a virtual form of currency it is a virtual representation of something like a piece of art, a sports play or a viral video. Since digitally owning a work of art is that can be viewed freely by anyone with an internet connection is practically worthless, NFTs are frequently alleged to be Ponzi schemes even though some of them have sold for high prices. Former first lady Melania Trump has already sold multiple NFTs and some NFT artworks have sold for millions.

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While leaders of other Democratic-leaning cities have refused, officials of Kenosha government were deposed by the partisan probe investigating the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin, WisPolitics.com first reported Wednesday morning. It remains unclear who exactly was deposed and what was discussed, or when.

Michael Gableman, the former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice leading the taxpayer-funded probe, has repeatedly complimented Kenosha for being more cooperative than the rest of state's five most-populous cities: Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Racine.

Gableman has called for the mayors of Racine, Madison and Green Bay  among others  to be jailed for refusing to comply with his subpoenas, which were signed by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester.

It is impossible for the public to know who all has been deposed by Gableman and his associates. Some of the subpoenas have been made public, but Vos said he has signed dozens (possibly more than 100) the public does not know about.

Racine Mayor Cory Mason and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway both said they would be willing to testify but only in public; not behind closed doors as Gableman has demanded.

They have criticized Gableman and his supporters for conducting their work in secret and elevating claims that the 2020 election was "stolen," for which there isn't evidence, even though Gableman claimed essentially that after Donald Trump lost.

Vos and Gableman have repeatedly claimed that working in secret would prevent the spread of misinformation about the probe.

Documents published by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight, received via open records request and after a court battle, show that a deposition of Kenosha officials had been scheduled to be held in November. But it's unclear if a deposition occurred then or later.

Racine officials had been scheduled to be deposed on Valentine's Day, but "the citys (Racine's) administration made the decision not to send anyone to be interviewed by the Gableman investigation," Racine City Attorney Scott Letteney said in an email.

Kenosha, Racine, Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee have been targeted by Gableman's probe as those five cities received the lion's share of private donations prior to the 2020 election. Courts have repeatedly affirmed the legality of those donations  from the Center for Tech and Civic Life which was funded by Priscilla Chan and her husband, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Kenosha City Attorney Edward Antaramian and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian, who are cousins, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning.

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A quarter century after opening T.J. Rockwells in Elizabethtown, brothers Steve and Jeff Heckman have sold what grew to include a second restaurant in Mechanicsburg.

The T.J Rockwells at 800 Mount Gretna Road in Elizabethtown and 896 W. Grantham Road in Mechanicsburg were bought earlier this month by Funcks Restaurant Group, whose seven regional restaurants include Funcks Restaurant & Bar in Leola and the Mt. Gretna Hideaway in Mount Gretna.

It was time for my brother and I who were partners to move on to the next chapter and spend a little more time with our kids who are growing up real quick, said Jeff Heckman, who said he now plans to become a referee for some youth sports.

The Elizabethtown T.J. Rockwells opened in 1997, and the large deck that became its feature was added in 2013. The Mechanicsburg restaurant opened in 2008. Both restaurants feature American fare such as burgers, steaks and seafood. Combined, they have seating for around 350 customers.

Jeff Heckman said he and his brother had been looking for potential buyers and found what seemed to be an ideal operator with Funcks Restaurant Group, which is led by Alan Funck. Funck did not respond to a message seeking comment on the sale.

Heckman said he understood that there wouldnt be major changes even as some systems would be streamlined.

Im super happy with how everything worked out and I think that everyone there, Alan and everyone will be very successful, Heckman said. Its very rewarding to see T.J. Rockwells live on and hopefully get bigger and better.

Heckman declined to disclose to total purchase price for the restaurants, although the T.J. Rockwells property near Elizabethtown sold for $1.4 million, according to county records.

In addition to the Funcks restaurant in Leola and the Mt. Gretna Hideaway, Funcks Restaurant Group owns a Funcks restaurant in Palmyra, Rising Sun Bar & Kitchen in Palmyra and Quentin Tavern in Lebanon as well as Snitz Brewery, which has locations in Lebanon and Annville.

The Funcks in Leola opened in 2016, replacing Leola Family Restaurant.
The $1 billion opioid settlement negotiated by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro means $19.5 million for Lancaster County for drug treatment and prevention.

The first payments of the full $1.07 billion  payable over 18 years  is expected to be released in April, and could hit county coffers soon after.

Lancaster County is expected to receive an initial payment in 2022 of $3,679,984 and $15,862,000 over 18 years for a total of $19,541,984.

Its unclear, though, how Lancaster County Commissioners intend to allocate the money.

Republican Commissioners Ray DAgostino and Josh Parsons did not return phone calls and emails seeking comment.

Democrat Commissioner John Trescot, who was sworn in on Feb. 7 to replace Craig Lehman after he resigned two years before his term ended, is out of the country and could not be reached for comment.

The countys greatest needs  as is the case with most social services  is expanding sufficiently to meet a growing demand.

Rick Kastner, executive director of the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission, said Friday he had not yet, but hoped to discuss with commissioners how best to expend the opioid settlement money.

The area of greatest need is predictable:

- More detox beds (Lancaster County has only seven for men, none for women).

- Additional drop-in or recovery centers.

- More drug and alcohol case managers in out-patient clinics.

- Medication to assist in treatment.

- Aid with recovery housing and transportation.

In the big scheme of things, though, the opioid settlement money isnt going to stretch as far as the need.

The $19.5 million, is just shy of the $20 million in annual Medicaid dollars spent on treatment in Lancaster County, Kastner said.

The funding is helpful, but the overdose and opioid crisis goes well beyond the additional resources that were going to be getting, Kastner said.

The $26 billion national settlement was intended to resolve the legal wrangling over costs of the deadly opioid crisis and resolve several thousand lawsuits across the country against the drug manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three pharmaceutical distributors: AmerisourceBergen, McKesson and Cardinal Health.

All 67 Pennsylvania counties  including 241 local governments with a population of 10,000 or more  signed on to the settlement. Lancaster County commissioners unanimously did so on Dec. 15.

The quicker the better we get the funds so we can deploy it and help folks impacted by this crisis, DAgostino said before voting.

The magnitude of the opioid crisis cannot be understated.

From 2006 to 2012, Americas largest drug companies churned out 76 billion oxycodone and hydrocodone pain pills, setting off the nations deadliest drug epidemic, federal data ordered release in 2019 by a court order shows.

In Lancaster County alone, 100 million oxycodone and hydrocodone pills  equal to roughly 28 pills per person every day for the seven-year period flowed into the county.

Every community in Pennsylvania has been touched by the opioid crisis  it has ravaged our towns, our families, and our state, Shapiro said in a statement announcing the settlement on Jan. 27.

Shapiro added, While no dollar amount will bring back what we have lost, this settlement was negotiated to allocate funding to states and local communities who have been most impacted by this crisis, and will provide more resources for treatment than any previous settlement.
An Elizabethtown Area High School Student sexually abused an underage girl and kept inappropriate images of her on his phone, according to borough police.

Congle Zhu, 19, of West Donegal Township, exchanged numerous sexually explicit messages with the girl since at least October, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Zhu, a ninth-grade student at the school, exchanged nude photographs and videos with the girl on social media. Zhu was aware of the girls age at the time, telling her at one point that he was older than her and he has a lot more experience than her, according to the affidavit.

Police began investigating Zhu in October after an Elizabethtown Area School District official expressed concern for the girls safety. An anonymous parent told the official that Zhu was in a potentially inappropriate relationship with the girl.

The school district issued a statement to families Tuesday saying Zhu, who was not specifically named, would not be permitted to enter the school.

Additionally, the school district said they are continuing to cooperate with borough police and are continuing to consult the school solicitor "to determine our appropriate measures on this matter," according to the statement.

Speaking through a translator, Zhu told police he was in a relationship with the girl despite her being underage. Zhu also admitted to kissing the girl and fondling her underneath her clothes at one point.

An examination of Zhus phone found several images depicting child pornography, police said.

Police arrested Zhu at the school campus Tuesday morning, charging him with six felonies including possession of child pornography and two misdemeanor charges of indecent assault.

Attempts to reach Zhus attorney, Christine Pierce Lora, were not immediately successful.

Judge Randall Miller set Zhus bail at $20,000 during a preliminary arraignment Tuesday. Zhu is currently free after posting 10% of that amount, court records show.

A preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.
Four area teenagers will be charged after firing a gel gun at students on the Millersville University campus Sunday night, the school announced.

The teens, who all live locally and attend area high schools but whose names were not provided, will each be charged with three counts of recklessly endangering another person, the school said in a statement to students Tuesday afternoon.

Three of the teenagers are juveniles and one is 18 years old, said Janet Kacskos, a university spokesperson.

None of the teens had been arrested as of Tuesday night, Kacskos said. The name of the 18-year-old will be released when he is processed and charged, possibly later in the week.

The teens admitted to driving through campus and off-campus housing around 8:45 p.m. Sunday, shooting at pedestrians in the area with what was initially believed to be a BB gun, the school said. The teens were in fact firing a gel gun, which can be used in games similar to paintball that require participants to wear eye protection and follow other safety rules.

Four university students were struck by pellets, including one who was hit in the cheek and head. All four students were on or near the universitys Millersville campus at the time.

Investigators identified the teenagers through tips that came in through the university's LiveSafe campus safety app, Kacskos said. Police received numerous tips from students and community members, primarily through the app, which investigators said were greatly appreciated," according to the statement.

University police were assisted by Millersville Borough police in the investigation.
Gulf Air, the national carrier Bahrain, in coordination with Bahrain Authority of Culture & Antiquities (BACA) and Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority (BTEA) has announced the airlines presence in the Bahrain Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.



Beginning today and until the end of the major global event on March 31, the airline has created a space for visitors to Explore Bahrain and Explore Gulf Air with a series of videos and interactive elements to highlight the hub of the airline.



Gulf Airs Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Waleed AlAlawi said: We are delighted to collaborate with the Bahrain Authority of Culture and Antiquities and the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority to showcase our beautiful Kingdom and its national carrier at the Bahrain Pavilion. Visitors of Expo 2020 in the United Arab Emirates are encouraged to connect with our brand, learn more about what we have to offer, and be guided on booking a trip to the Kingdom of Bahrain through gulfair.com.



Visitors are introduced to Gulf Airs products and services along with a glimpse of the experience of flying on the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as being able to interact with the brand by scanning codes within the space.



Additionally, content of the Kingdom of Bahrain along with codes that can be scanned by visitors to introduce them to touristic and cultural activities of Bahrain are on display, alongside exclusive footage of the Kingdom provided by the Bahrain Authority of Culture & Antiquities (BACA), Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority (BTEA), and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB).



The Bahrain Stopover, relaunched in December 2021 in collaboration with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority; gives eligible Gulf Airs passengers the opportunity to stop in Bahrain, obtain hotel reservations, and use tourist facilities through various tailored packages and offers, before continuing on to their final destinations, including no visa fees and no PCR test on arrival fee.



In addition, the airline announced the return of its exclusive Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix packages on gulfair.com for passengers visiting Bahrain in coordination with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority and the Bahrain International Circuit. This would allow eligible visitors to book a flight, accommodation, a 3-day race pass along with transport to and from Bahrain International Circuit.



Recently, Gulf Air has received APEXs Five Star Major Official Airline Rating; an award based solely on certified passengers feedback. In addition, Gulf Air has also received the Skytrax Five Star Covid-19 Airline Safety Rating after a vigorous audit by Skytrax Research.  TradeArabia News Service
With a bottle of cleaning chemicals in one hand and a rag in another, Penn Manor High School sophomore Brooklynn Ayala diligently scrubbed and scraped at a lone bubblegum wrapper stuck to the table before her.

Its not too common of a hindrance, nor is it the worst one, in her after-school job as a student custodian.

Ayala is one of about 25 students hired by the Penn Manor School District to work a 3 to 6 p.m. weekday shift cleaning up after their peers. Its part of an effort by the district to address a staffing shortage that has left Penn Manor High School with three full-time custodians. Normally the high school staff has nine. Many Lancaster County school districts are struggling to employ not only custodians, but teachers, cafeteria workers and bus drivers as part of nationwide pandemic-related labor market issues that have hit most job sectors.

Penn Manors student custodian program is the most recently approved but not the only school district in Lancaster County with this type of set up. At least two others - Donegal and Warwick - also employ student custodians to help address staffing issues.

In addition to the pay - $12.99 at Penn Manor - many of the student participants are getting newfound respect for work that may have previously gone unnoticed.

It makes me really think like its not that hard to pick up a paper towel, said Penn Manor sophomore Tessa Taglieri. It gets a lot more appreciation in my mind, too, because the actual custodians spend a lot of time.

Students can work between one and five days a week, depending on their availability after school. Penn Manor freshman Scarlett Stoler chose to work five days a week.

You could see it was needed, she said. You could tell (the district) wanted the extra help.

Ayala, who works three days a week, chose custodial work for the flexibility. Most positions she found in her job hunt came with very specific hours that didnt fit with her lacrosse practices.

None of them were discouraged by common misconceptions about the job.

People always make it seem like its a terrible thing or super dirty and disgusting, Ayala said. Its really not bad at all.

However, one agreed-upon exception to that consensus by part-time and full-time custodians alike was the mens restrooms.

Once you walk in there, youre not getting that smell out of your clothes, Ayala added.

Saving up

But, of course, the paycheck at the end of the week makes even the smelly restrooms worth it.

Student custodians earn the same rate - $12.99 - as full-time custodians start out with. Penn Manor didnt even need to alter its budget to pay them. Theyre paid with money already allocated for the full-time custodians the district would normally have.

The pay, well above Pennsylvanias $7.25 minimum wage, will help all three girls save up for future purchases. Taglieri is thinking about replacing her 2001 truck, while Ayala is saving for both a car and apartment.

Stoler and Ayala also added that they will be contributing to their families bills.

Its not like we cant survive, but the help is definitely appreciated, Ayala said.

Before the students even picked up a mop, Penn Manor Superintendent Mike Leichliter had already noticed this incredible level of responsibility from them.

He said he was pleasantly surprised to find that all students had turned in their paperwork for the job well ahead of the deadline  something hes had trouble getting adults to do in the past.

Worst Five Clean-Ups Penn Manor High School sophomore student custodians Tessa Taglieri and Brooklynn Ayala, along with freshman student custodian Scarlett Stoler and full-time adult custodian Shanna Berdiner shared their thoughts on the messiest areas and worst custodial tasks they face. Restrooms, especially the mens room: Once you walk in there, youre not getting that smell out of your clothes, Ayala said. Its a lot of urine. A lot. Everywhere, Berdiner said. Wiping off door knobs: Its a pretty tedious job, Taglieri said. The gym bleachers: Students arent supposed to take food into the bleachers, but they do, Berdiner said. Classroom floors: Berdiner said the classroom floors are often littered with broken pencils and eraser shavings. Vacuuming the stairs: The vacuums that we use put a lot of weight on our backs, Taglieri said.

Getting the hang of it

It might not be surprising then, that most of the students quickly caught on to all of their daily responsibilities.

They all seem to be getting the hang of it, said full-time adult custodian Shanna Berdiner. They always do exactly as theyre asked. They dont complain.

Each full-time adult custodian is assigned a team of three to four students who follow them along for the first three hours of their shift. Berdiner said she normally cleans classroom spaces while the students take care of the bathrooms, hallways and other portions of the area she is assigned to.

Students can help her clean the classrooms once they finish their other tasks but theyre not allowed into classrooms alone.

Having a few extra hands around was an adjustment for Berdiner, who would normally go days without seeing her full-time colleagues.

Im used to working alone at night, she said. For them to be constantly around  at first it was kind of weird, but I like it. They come and tell me how their days go and when they need something else to do.

The hardest part, Berdiner said, was training students with varying schedules. Because students like Ayala and Taglieri only come in two or three days a week, students were not at the same level of training in the first couple weeks.

We would train five of them one night and then the next night it was people that had no idea what was going on, Berdiner said. It was repetitive but overall I think we did pretty well.

Students are learning more than which chemicals go with which rags or how to properly clean a particularly stinky bathroom, though.

I know how to actually clean productively so I dont waste my time as much, Taglieri said. I definitely learned a lot of time management.

Taglieri, Ayala and Stoler have also found a team of people they love working with.

Being able to make fun out of doing a job definitely helps you enjoy coming to work and doing everything that you do, Taglieri said.
A Lancaster city man repeatedly raped a young girl over the course of several months last year, according to city police.

Kernest Colber Guerrier, 19, raped the 8-year-old girl several times at a residence in the 600 block of Euclid Avenue between April and October 2021, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Guerrier was charged Friday with rape of a child and six other felony and misdemeanor offenses.

Police began investigating Guerrier in December after receiving a report from a worker with the Lancaster County Children and Youth Agency. The girl later told investigators in January that Guerrier had raped her.

Guerrier told investigators the assaults took place while he was responsible for caring for the girl a handful of times over the summer, claiming it did not feel good and saying he regretted his actions, police said.

An attorney was not listed for Guerrier in court documents.

Judge Adam Witkonis set Guerriers bail at $250,000 during a preliminary arraignment Friday. He remains in Lancaster County Prison, unable to post that amount, court records show.

Guerrier will face a preliminary hearing before Witkonis on March 2.
A jury convicted a man arrested in Puerto Rico two years ago of raping a child 15 years ago in Lancaster city, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's office.

On Feb. 17, the jury found Pablo Cotto-Martinez, 47, of Guayama, Puerto Rico, guilty of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors and incest, on Feb. 17, the district attorney's office said.

The trial lasted two days, the district attorney's office said. It took the jury 40 minutes to deliberate.

The abuse happened in the 600 block of South Prince Street in Lancaster city around 2007, according to the district attorney's office. Cotto-Martinez was 32 at the time and the child was approximately 5 years old.

Charges were filed on Feb. 5, 2020. Police arrested Cotto-Martinez in Puerto Rico five days later and brought him back to the county.

The child reported the abuse with Lancaster city police in January 2020.

Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright will sentence Cotto-Martinez at a later date. Wright also presided over the trial.

Cotto-Martinez is in Lancaster County Prison.
Three people stole $1,000 worth of Yankee Candles from an Ephrata CVS last fall, according to police.

The thefts happened in October 2021 at the CVS in the 400 block of North Reading Road, Ephrata police said. Police published a CrimeWatch post seeking the public's help in identifying thieves.

Inez Niccole London, 23, Aisa Marie Pizarro-Rosello, 23, and Daquai Anthony Jackson, 22, all from Lancaster, were charged with the thefts, according to police. All three are charged with felony counts of retail theft and conspiracy.

London and Pizarro-Rosello turned themselves in and were released on unsecured bail, according to court documents.

A warrant is active for Daquai Jackson and police are urging him to turn himself in. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Ephrata police or leave a tip on CrimeWatch.
Lancaster Countys commissioners on Tuesday approved elevating the countys class status under Pennsylvanias local government code, a move 10 years in the making and finalized on the last day county leaders were able to make the change.

The decision moves Lancaster County to second class A, the same class that includes the three Philadelphia-adjacent counties of Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware. The change, which will have few effects on residents, simply denotes that the countys population falls in the 500,000 to 999,999 range. The 2020 Census showed the county with just over 550,000 residents.

The board of commissioners vote on a Tuesday was unusual, as Tuesday sessions are typically reserved for discussion of issues without the board members casting any votes. The commissioners faced a Feb. 22 deadline to sign an ordinance and send it to Gov. Tom Wolf and the Department of State, or face waiting until after the 2030 Census to make the change.

Lancaster County should have moved to second class A after the 2010 Census, which showed its population surpassing the 500,000 threshold. But the countys elected leaders at the time resisted. They pointed to a requirement that would have lowered the per-landline fee the county charged to fund emergency 911 services.

The commissioners were also worried about whether they could administer a convention center authority under the 2A class, a key concern at the time because a new center in downtown Lancaster had opened just two years prior. County leaders were able to postpone the move for another 10 years, giving the the Legislature time to uncouple fees and taxes that were previously tied to a countys class.

The final hold-up was addressed last week, when Gov. Wolf signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Brett Miller, R-East Hempfield, that allows the county to continue with its current prison board structure. Prior to the change, state law only required second, third, fourth and fifth-class counties to have a prison board  leaving the law silent for the second-class A grouping, Miller said in an interview last week.

Vision moving forward

On Tuesday, several elected county row officers said second class A will have no negative impact on county government operations, and no noticeable difference to taxpayers. The board of commissioners first considered this move in December, but held off until each department head was able to examine whether it would impact them.

Prothonotary Andy Spade said this change gave county leaders the opportunity to examine the countys standing as a leader in Pennsylvania.

Lancaster County comes from agricultural roots, we were a small county at one point, Spade said during the work session. But at this point, we are one of the leading counties in the commonwealth.

The change reflect(s) a vision moving forward of what we are and what we will continue to grow to be, Spade added.

Among the few practical effects of the class change is a requirement to create an investment board composed of the board of commissioners chairman, county treasurer and controller; the group is expected to direct how the county invests its money. The county also gains the option of creating an airport authority.

The county will also need to add citizen input to its youth intervention center advisory board. Currently, the county has an advisory board made up of all of the countys department leaders and elected officials. Under the second-class county code, the youth intervention center would be overseen by a board of managers made up of the commissioners, the county controller, and six citizens: three chosen by the president judge, and three chosen by the commissioners.

Commissioners Ray DAgostino and Josh Parsons said Tuesday they were leaning toward approving the move to 2A for the last few months.

At some point somebodys gonna move us, DAgostino said. Theres really no downside that we can see.

Commissioner John Trescot, the countys lone Democratic commissioner, was not present and did not vote on the move, as he is on a pre-planned trip to Thailand prior to officially taking his seat. Trescot was appointed to the board by a panel of county Court of Common Pleas judges earlier this month, replacing Craig Lehman, who resigned in January.
THE ISSUE

LNP | LancasterOnlines Dan Nephin reported last week that Lancaster Countys prison board members and the warden ripped into Lancaster Bail Funds president, saying she spread inaccurate information about a man who died in a hotel room days after the fund bailed him out earlier this month. Michelle Batt posted on social media that John Choma, 66, had been jailed because he couldnt post $5,000 bail on a charge for allegedly stealing $28 worth of items from a Sheetz. Batt said Choma had been in jail anywhere from 48 to 36 hours and was not getting his medication. This gentleman had a lot of preexisting conditions and chronic illnesses. Lancaster County President Judge David Ashworth, prison Warden Cheryl Steberger and county Commissioner Josh Parsons said Choma was given his medications at the prison and was not simply jailed for retail theft, but for repeated failures to appear in court. Steberger also said Choma was only in the jail for 30 hours.

We do not know whose righteous indignation is more justified: that of the president of the Lancaster Bail Fund, or that of county officials angered by what they see as unfair criticism.

We understand why Warden Steberger would be upset at seeing her staff blamed for the death of a man outside the prison. She has an incredibly difficult job, made worse by staffing challenges. Moreover, a 35-year-old prison inmate died in a local hospital earlier this month, days after prison staff found him unresponsive in his cell, called 911, performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator. He had hung himself, the warden disclosed; his death was ruled a suicide. These traumas exact a toll.

We also understand why Batt was upset. Choma was the 10th person bailed out by the fledgling Lancaster Bail Fund. As Nephin reported, Batt herself picked him up on Feb. 2, drove him to a drugstore to get medication and then took him to a motel hed been staying at. He died Feb. 8.

We do not know the particulars of Chomas case or his clearly complicated medical history. All we know is that posting on social media in the heat of an emotional moment is a bad idea.

Many of us have done it to our regret. Batts social media posts about Chomas death incurred the wrath of county officials.

She apologized to the prison board, saying she should have started out with a strong statement that this is in no way a reflection on you or the jail. Bail is a systemic problem, she said, and she wanted to bring Chomas death to the attention of the prison board and the public.

Batt is a former Lancaster County public defender who founded the Lancaster Bail Fund last year with the aim of reducing the number of people held in pretrial detention. She told LNP | LancasterOnline in July 2021 that she didnt believe monetary bail was an equitable means of ensuring that defendants show up in court. She described the cash bail system as a tax on the poor.

The nonprofit bail fund was not exactly welcomed by Lancaster County officials.

Judge Ashworth said then  and reiterated last week  that the issues with monetary bail going on nationally do not apply in this county, where he said judges review bail on a case-by-case basis.

So thats the background. The bail issue is a tinderbox. Batts hasty and emotional social media posts about Choma lit the fuse.

There are a great many volatile issues these days in our polarized world. Russia vs. Ukraine (though we believe Americans should be solidly on Ukraines side). COVID-19 mitigation (tragically). Jan. 6, 2021 (another issue that we believe is clear-cut but regrettably is not seen as such). Family disputes. Neighborhood disputes.

Social media offer us a way to vent about these issues. But when we vent without having a full command of the facts, we serve only to inflame tensions.

Our advice, learned from experience: Think before you tweet, we wrote in 2018. Make sure what youre about to post is not only accurate but sensible; contains no double entendres, profanities or insults; and cannot easily be fired back in your direction.

Social media posts dispatched in anger, we wrote, can lead to regret. Same goes for posts sent while in deep distress.

Were human, after all. We make mistakes. But our mistakes are amplified when we make them online.

So we need to think carefully before we post. We need to make sure what were posting will withstand scrutiny. Weve found that pausing before posting, as we're often advised, helps us to avoid making embarrassing mistakes.

Weve written a great deal in recent years about the need for people to use reliable sources, such as newspapers, which vet the information they publish and promptly correct any mistakes they make. Too many sources are polluting cyberspace with inaccuracies, hyperbole, misinformation and disinformation.

So each of us has a responsibility to adhere to the truth when we post  or share other peoples posts  on social media. This means the verifiable truth, not our interpretation of it.

We all jump to conclusions. We just need to take a breath before posting faulty conclusions online.

Batt, of the Lancaster Bail Fund, made a mistake and rightly apologized for it. We think Commissioner Parsons overreacted in accusing her of disseminating information that is so inaccurate that it can really only be described as lying.

But we agree with this: Parsons said Batts inaccurate posts did not contribute to  and in fact now may be distracting from  the conversation about who should be in prison and who shouldnt. A conversation about monetary bail and pretrial detention is an important one, we think, and it must be honest.

Posting on social media has consequences, including unintended ones. It helps to keep that in mind.
Air Corsica is launching Zurich-Ajaccio flights from July and has appointed TAL Aviation as its General Sales Agent in Switzerland.

On January 20, 2022, Air Corsica presented its flight programme for the coming summer. This also includes seven European destinations. In addition to Brussels, London, Vienna, Salzburg, Rome and Gothenburg, Zurich will also be served.

In July, the Zurich-Ajaccio route will be operated on Saturdays and in August also on Tuesdays.

The Airbus A320 aircraft used on the new route has 180 seats in a one-design class. In total, Air Corsica will offer 5,000 seats between Zurich and Ajaccio during the summer of 2022. On the flights, passengers are offered a small snack as well as soft drinks, coffee, tea and hot chocolate free of charge.

"With travel restrictions gradually being lifted, we look forward to working with our new partner, and offering the Swiss market the beauties of Corsica, as a main destination for the summer holiday-makers" commented Nissim Sagis, TAL Aviation's Chief Commercial Officer.

Travel agents will be able to issue tickets through IATA's BSP programme, which Air Corsica recently joined. As the airline's appointed General Sales Agent (GSA), TAL Aviation will be the point of contact for its local travel industry, providing marketing services for the airline.-- TradeArabia News Service
Hahn: Los Angeles County on Verge of Easing Indoor Mask-Wearing Requirement

Los Angeles County could be on the verge of easing its indoor mask-wearing requirement, with Supervisor Janice Hahn announcing that vaccinated people will soon be able to shed face coverings in indoor locations that verify COVID-19 vaccination status.

On her Twitter page, Hahn wrote that the county Department of Public Health will issue an updated Health Officer Order this week, possibly taking effect Friday, allowing vaccinated people to take off their masks indoors at places that check for proof of vaccination. This puts us significantly closer to aligning with the state. The Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Such a move would be a major easing of the countys strict indoor mask mandate, which requires people to don face coverings in most indoor settings regardless of vaccination status. The county rule remains in force, even though the state lifted its indoor mask mandate last week.

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County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer previously outlined metrics that would have to be met for the county to drop its indoor mask mandate  metrics that would likely keep the rule in place until the end of March.

But dissent grew among the county Board of Supervisors last week when Hahn joined her colleague Kathryn Barger in asking that the county align with the state on the indoor masking issue.

Although the majority of the five-member board continued to support the countys masking rule, Ferrer told the panel last Tuesday that the health agency was exploring the possibility of easing the indoor mandate at places where other layers of protection are in place, such as mandatory COVID vaccinations or testing.

Previously, Ferrer said the indoor mask rule would remain in place until:

 the countys level of COVID transmission falls to the moderate level as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and remains there for two weeks; OR

 COVID vaccines have been available to residents under age 5 for at least eight weeks; AND

 no emerging COVID variants of concern have been identified that could spark another surge in cases.

According to Ferrer, reaching the CDCs moderate level of transmission requires the county to have a seven-day cumulative infection rate of less than 50 per 100,000 residents. As of Monday, the countys rate was 133 per 100,000 residents.

Ferrer noted that the countys rate has been steadily declining, and at the current pace, the county would reach the moderate designation be March 16, meaning the indoor mask mandate would be lifted by March 30.

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Barger argued, however, that maintaining stricter rules than the state created confusion among residents and contributed to a lack of compliance which was on full display during the recent Super Bowl in Inglewood, where fans almost universally violated the countys outdoor mask wearing mandate.

That outdoor masking mandate was lifted last Wednesday  three days after the Super Bowl  for outdoor mega-events and outdoor activities at schools and child care centers. Masks are still required indoors at schools under a state order that is scheduled to be reviewed again at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County reported another 36 COVID-related deaths on Tuesday, raising the overall pandemic death toll to 30,411.

Another 1,188 cases were also confirmed, giving the county a cumulative total from throughout the pandemic of 2,785,449. The rolling average daily rate of people testing for the virus was 1.9% as of Tuesday.

According to state figures, there were 1,276 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Tuesday, down from 1,310 on Monday. Of those patients, 279 were being treated in intensive care.

According to figures released last week, 82% of eligible residents aged 5 and over have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, while 74% are fully vaccinated, and 36% are fully vaccinated and received a booster shot. Of the countys overall 10.3 million population, 78% have had at least one dose, 70% are fully vaccinated and 34% have received a booster shot.
Jury to be finalized in Breonna Taylor-related shooting case

Lawyers in the trial of a former Kentucky police officer involved in the deadly narcotics raid that left Breonna Taylor dead returned to court Tuesday to finish an extended jury selection process.

The attorneys will attempt to winnow down a pool of 48 people to 12 jurors and three alternates for the trial of former officer Brett Hankison, who is charged with wanton endangerment for shooting into the apartment of one of Taylors neighbors on the night of the March 2020 raid. He was fired a few months later. Hankison, whose shots did not hit Taylor, is the only officer charged in the case. None have been charged in connection to Taylors death.

On Tuesday morning, half of the 48 remaining prospective jurors were questioned by lawyers in the courtroom as a group. Attorneys asked if anyone had any conflicts with jury service that may have arisen since they were last in court more than a week ago. Three men who said they had work conflicts were dismissed, along with a woman who cited health issues.

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The second half of the 48 will go through a similar question session Tuesday afternoon.

Court officials initially gathered an expanded pool of 250 potential jurors, to account for the widespread publicity in Taylors death, which sparked months of marches and protests in downtown Louisville in the summer of 2020. From that large pool, the remaining 48 were selected after four days of individual questioning earlier this month.

Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who worked as an emergency medical technician, was shot multiple times during a botched narcotics raid on March 13, 2020. Louisville officers kicked in her door using a narcotics warrant and drew fire from Taylors boyfriend, who thought an intruder was breaking in. Two officers at the door returned fire, killing Taylor.

One of the officers who shot Taylor, former Louisville police detective Jonathan Mattingly, has invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege and will not testify at the trial due to a pending federal investigation. Jurors will instead hear parts of a video deposition Mattingly gave in a pending civil lawsuit.

The trial is expected to begin Wednesday and will last about two weeks.
American President Joe Biden announced sanctions against Russian banks and powerful Russian business leaders Tuesday. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of breaking international law in what Biden called the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine."

The measures came after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk areas of eastern Ukraine as independent states earlier on Monday. Putin also ordered Russian troops to cross the border in what he called a peacekeeping mission.

In a short 9-minute address from the White House, Biden said Russian actions violated international law and required tough measures from the international community.

Biden announced that the United States will block businesses from two large Russian banks and enforce economic measures against Russian debts. That means weve cut off Russias government from Western finance, he said. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.

Other measures included sanctions against Russian leaders and their families. The 27 member states of the European Union also agreed to set their own sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine.

The U.S. announcement came after Germany suspended the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia. The U.S. and Western allies have long opposed the project, warning that it would increase Russian influence in Europe.

The strong new measures, Biden said, were far beyond the steps we and our allies and partners implemented in 2014. And if Russia goes further with this invasion, we stand prepared to go further as with sanctions.

The U.S. and Western allies announced limited economic measures against Russia after its takeover of Crimea, a Ukrainian territory on the Black Sea.

Western troops on alert

President Biden said Tuesday that the U.S. will send additional troops and military equipment to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the neighboring Baltic area.

Biden noted, We have no intention of fighting Russia. We want to send an unmistakable message though: that the United States together with our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory. And abide by the commitments we made to NATO.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters Tuesday that Russia has now moved from covert attempts to destabilize Ukraine to overt military action.

He added NATO allies have more than 100 jet planes on high alert and more than 120 warships ready at sea from the high north to the Mediterranean Sea.

Since November, the U.S. and NATO allies have warned about the deployment of more than 150,000 Russian troops around Ukraine.

In their meeting over video last December, Biden told Putin of "strong economic and other measures" as punishment should Russia start a military conflict against Ukraine.

To end the crisis, Putin has called for international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia. The Russian leader has asked for Ukraine to remain neutral and end possible NATO membership. And he wants the West to stop sending weapons to the country.

On Tuesday, Biden again met with the Ukrainian foreign minister to reaffirm the United States commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, U.S. officials said.

Back in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told his people, We are not afraid of anyone or anything. Protestors gathered outside the Russian Embassy in Kyiv with Ukrainian flags.

One held up a sign that read: We choose Europe not Russia.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from VOA, Associated Press and Reuters.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

sanction - n. an action taken to force a country to obey international law

implement - v. to begin to do something

commitment - n. a promise to do something

covert - adj. done in a way that is not easily seen or noticed

overt - adj. easily seen

destabilize - v. to cause something (like a government) unstable

alert - n. the state of being ready

sovereignty - n. a country's right to govern itself

integrity - n. the state of being complete or whole
A Saudi Arabian womens rights activist has brought attention to computer programs known as spyware.

These programs record activity on electronic devices and give those records to users of the software.

Activist Loujain al-Hathloul got help from computer experts who studied her iPhone. They reported finding evidence that the software of an Israeli security company, the NSO Group, was on al-Hathlouls phone.

Now, the U.S. government is investigating how the NSO Groups software was able to get on the phones of government officials and activists around the world.

How spyware was discovered

The activist discovered a mysterious kind of image file on her phone last year. Researchers believe it was left behind by the spyware. The discovery led to a lot of evidence suggesting the Israeli spyware maker was involved in hacking her phone.

The evidence started a series of legal and government actions against NSO. Reuters news agency was the first to report on how the hack was discovered.

Al-Hathloul is one of Saudi Arabias most famous activists. She is known for helping lead a campaign to end the ban on women drivers in the country. She was found guilty of harming national security and jailed in 2020. She was released from jail in February 2021.

Soon after her release, the activist received an email from Google warning her that state-supported hackers had tried to get into her Gmail account. She became fearful that her iPhone had been hacked as well. Al-Hathloul then contacted the Canadian research group Citizen Lab. She asked them to search her device for evidence.

After six months of looking through her iPhone records, Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marczak made a discovery. The software aimed at spying on her phone which was stealing her messages had left a copy. It did not remove itself.

Marczak said the computer code left by the attack provided direct evidence that NSO built the spying tool.

It was a game changer, said Marczak. We caught something that the company thought was uncatchable.

Citizen Lab and al-Hathlouls discovery was used in the legal case that Apple Inc., the maker of the phone, brought against NSO in November 2021. Apple says it is seeking to ban NSO Group from using any Apple software, services or devices.

The incident also created anger in Washington as U.S. officials learned that NSOs software was used to spy on American diplomats.

Over the past year, many reporters and activists have tied the spyware industry to human rights violations. These include the international journalism collaboration Pegasus Project. Al-Hathlouls case brought more attention to NSO and similar companies.

Security researchers said al-Hathlouls discovery was the first to show how the software works without any action by the phone user.

In a statement, an NSO spokesperson said the company does not operate the hacking tools it sells: Government, law enforcement and intelligence agencies do.

Without going into detail, the company said it had developed ways to investigate misuses of its products. It said it had cut off some users over human rights issues.

NSO also said its tools have helped law enforcement and have saved "thousands of lives." The company said some of the charges about NSO software were not believable, without giving details.

Apple fixes problem and sues NSO

Last September Citizen Lab explained to Apple how the attack took place. That permitted Apple to fix the weakness in its system and led the company to warn thousands of other iPhone users who were targeted by NSO software. Apple said the users had been victims of state-sponsored attackers. It was the first time Apple had taken this step.

Reuters reported earlier this month that a second Israeli company, QuaDream used the same iPhone weakness.

Apples legal action against NSO claims the company broke U.S. laws by building products designed to target, attack, and harm Apple users, Apple products, and Apple.

People who were not identified but knew about the matter spoke to Reuters. They said at least nine U.S. State Department employees in Uganda were among those targeted with NSO software. This caused even more criticism of the company in Washington.

In November, the U.S. Commerce Department placed NSO on a trade blacklist. The department restricted American companies from selling the Israeli companys software products.

In December, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and 17 other lawmakers called for the Treasury Department to place restrictions on NSO Group and three other companies. The lawmakers say the spyware helped governments carry out human rights abuses.

Lina al-Hathloul, Loujains sister, said the financial damage to NSO might be the only thing that can control the spyware industry. It hit them where it hurts, she said.

Im Jill Robbins.

Joel Schectman and Christopher Bing reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

spyware  n. computer software that secretly records information about the way you use your mobile device or computer

hack  v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc.

code n. a set of instructions for a computer

game changer expression something that changes an existing situation in an important way

blacklist  n. a list of banned organizations or people

How often do you worry about spyware on your mobile devices? Do you know how to check for it? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Conservative local school boards in the United States have already moved to control how history and race is taught in public schools. Now, some school districts are also finding their larger efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion challenged by local officials.

A school board is a group of elected officials who supervise a school districts budget and educational decisions.

Alexis Knox-Miller is the equity director at Colorado Springs School District 11, a large and diverse system of 26,000 students. The district was the first in the area to create a formal equity policy.

The policy was approved with no opposing votes in May 2020, just two days after the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. That event led to nationwide reflections on the state of race and social justice issues in society, as well as in schools.

Knox-Miller helped launch a study by the American Institutes for Research. It found that schools with high numbers of special education students, English language learners, students living in poverty and students of color were scoring lower than other schools. Knox-Miller thought the results demonstrated a big need for policies aimed at ensuring that all students had the same opportunities.

But critics questioned the studys findings and how they were presented. Conservative candidates ran for the school board and won three seats, giving them a majority. The winning candidates had voiced concerns about equity policies. So Knox-Miller decided to end her work after more than a year of meetings.

American educators say they are feeling the effects of deep divides surrounding the issues of diversity and equity in schools. After George Floyds killing in 2020, many districts increased efforts to make schools more inclusive places for students and employees of all backgrounds. But intense debate over how schools deal with race is leading some districts to rethink or withdraw plans.

People were conflating the definition of equity with critical race theory, Knox-Miller said.

Critical race theory is based on the idea that systemic racism has deeply shaped American society, laws and policies. It is often taught in higher education settings. But school officials say critical race theory is not taught in K-12 public school systems.

However, that has done little to change the minds of opponents. They say school systems are misspending money, creating racial divisions and shaming white children by supporting programs they view as critical race theory in disguise.

Such criticism has led some districts to stop proposals aimed at making schools more welcoming places for students from diverse backgrounds. Work elsewhere has been affected by heated debates about subjects that have been misrepresented as critical race theory.

In a political climate that has already led to arguments over pandemic restrictions and vaccine requirements, equity programs are struggling at some schools, said Dan Domenech. He is the director of the American Association of School Administrators.

Districts are thinking twice about what they say and what they do and how they go about doing it because it is having a chilling effect on the whole equity, diversity and inclusion movement, Domenech said.

Virginia-based group Parents Defending Education has been critical of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The organization seeks to identify examples of what it sees as problematic programs. On its website, the group identifies one of its goals as fighting indoctrination in the classroom. The organization also seeks a restoration of a healthy, non-political education.

In Southlake, Texas, near Dallas, the newly-elected conservative majority on the Carroll Independent School Districts board killed a diversity action plan in December. The board also ended a diversity planning group as part of a legal settlement.

Still, many other programs are continuing as planned.

An equity program that schools in Clayton County, Georgia, worked on more than a year ago was designed to keep politics and emotions out of it, said Superintendent Morcease Beasley. Leaders of the equity group say they plan to use data to drive any policy changes.

Thats what equity is about, Beasley told the AP. Where are the needs? Who needs the resources? What do they need?

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this for VOA Learning English from reporting by The Associated Press.

Quiz - Some School Systems Slow Diversity Programs after Opposition Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

diversity  n. the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.

challenge  n. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal

reflection  n. an image that is seen in a mirror or on a shiny surface

opportunity  n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done

conflate  v. combine two or more ideas into one

disguise  n. to change the usual appearance, sound, taste, etc., of so that people will not recognize that person or thing

chilling  adj. very disturbing or frightening

indoctrinate  v. to teach to fully accept the ideas, opinions, and beliefs of a particular group and to not consider other ideas, opinions, and beliefs

restoration  n. the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Thielman announced his resignation as superintendent of the Alsea School District on Tuesday night, Feb. 22, at an emergency meeting of the school board.

The superintendent made waves in January when he announced that at his direction, the school board had passed a resolution to return "local control" to the board and make indoor masking optional.

I cant stand by any longer and be distracted with political jockeying by those who live their lives in fear and try to force obedience via threat and harm to my standing and the good reputation of the Alsea School District and Board, Thielman told school board members, reading from his letter of resignation.

The resignation comes a week after three formal complaints were filed against him, alleging a hostile work environment, illegal firing practices and disregard for any viewpoint that is not his own.

The emergency meeting was scheduled so the board could hire a third-party investigator to look into the complaints, which they voted to do before Thielman announced his resignation.

He referenced the complaints, calling them "deeply personal, hurtful and unsubstantiated allegations" against him, the school board and many members of the district staff and community. He added he would cooperate with any investigation, which he believes will exonerate him.

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.

During the meeting, the board entered three separate executive sessions. After the third closed session reopened into open session, Thielman read his written resignation statement to the board, approximately 15 community members who attended the meeting in person and several more over Zoom.

There was no indication who would serve as interim-superintendent until a permanent replacement can be hired by the district.

Thielman said he will continue to focus on his run for Oregon governor.

I now realize that to affect the greatest good I must endeavor to elevate myself out of a broken system in order to overcome it by stepping up to a much higher and even more difficult challenge, he said.

Make no mistake, I am going to continue to fight, but not in the weeds with the snakes: I aim to fight for you  all of us  as the head of the Department of Education as your next governor.

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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The purpose is to make sure the city stays in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. It hasn't always managed to do that.


Some of them say election officials cancelled their nomination on minor grounds, alleging bias against candidates with a vocal Muslim identity.

Zeyad Masroor | TwoCircles.net

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UTTAR PRADESH  A day after he had filed his nomination, Salman Imtiyaz, the Congress candidate from Aligarh received shocking news  he had been externed from his constituency at the peak of the election campaign. The order was a big setback for Imtiyaz, a former student leader from Aligarh Muslim University. The election officials tried its best to cancel my nomination itself, but my lawyer persisted and took care of all the formalities. So, they passed the externment order, Imtiyaz told TwoCircles.net. It did not deter me. I kept campaigning against the threat of arrest.

An exterment, in the context of Indian law enforcement, means when an individual is not allowed to enter a district or a region because the administration thought it was necessary. A candidate can be externed if the administration has reasons to believe that his/her presence can vitiate the law and order situation in the given place.

In July 2020, Imityaz was given a show-cause notice due to his political activism in Aligarh Muslim University during the anti-CAA protests. They want to create a narrative that all vocal Muslims or anybody who speaks against the government is, in fact, a criminal. Almost all the political candidates have cases against them, much more heinous. But they didnt face any issues, he said. On the day the externment notice was issued, Imtiyaz was in court. It didnt help. The system was against us trying to capitalize on our social activism.

Imtiyaz is not alone. Several Muslim candidates have been externed, harassed, arrested and got their nomination cancelled in one of the worlds biggest polling exercises going on in Uttar Pradesh. Others have faced the opening of old cases. Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state, is ruled by Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath, a leader who had a political grounding in militant Hindutva and is known for making provocative statements against the Muslim minority of the state.

On January 16 in Kairana constituency, the incumbent MLA from Samajwadi Party, Nahid Hasan, was arrested for a long-pending case against him. Along with Hasan, his mother and former MP Tabassum Begum was mentioned in the case as a member of the gang. After Hasan was imprisoned and his nomination was withdrawn, his sister Iqra Hasan, a former law student from the University of London, took charge of the campaigning. Our family was traumatized by what had happened, especially my mother. She is an old school politician and is very far from what politics has become now. When she was named in the case, it was apparent it was being done just to harass us, said Iqra Hasan.

She said an election nomination form is very complicated and a candidate has to sign at dozens of places. Our lawyer made sure that our nomination was in order. But then the arrest came. I was not named in the complaint because they hadnt expected me to fight for him, says Hasan, who is going door-to-door to ask people to vote for the Samajwadi Party. The leader of the party, Akhilesh Yadav, has termed them as fake cases for vendetta politics by BJP.

A few candidates speak openly of these actions as being part of political vendetta by the state. Saif Khan, a candidate from AIMIM (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen), said he had to leave the city of Unnao because he faced a lot of hostility and threats. I am right now on a train to Mumbai because I was scared to live in Uttar Pradesh anymore, he said. If his poll nomination wasnt cancelled because of a missing signature, he would have been campaigning in his Sadar constituency in Unnao.

When the BJP candidate had problems with technicalities, they went to help him fill his form, even after the office hours had ended. I was sitting in their office for many hours, but they didnt even check my form telling me that the names of the candidates will be declared in a list after the day. When I checked it, my name wasnt there in the list of candidates, he said. Khan, who is also the state secretary of his party, informed that at least 10 candidates of his party have had their nominations cancelled.

When Saif reached out to the election official why he wasnt told about the missing signature, he was told that it wasnt the responsibility of the official. I believe it was his responsibility, so I have now taken the matter to the high court. I am not the one to give up that easily, he added.

However, the most poignant case is of a Muslim candidate being denied a political entry was in the case of Akbari Begum, the Congress candidate from Bijnor.

She is the mother of Sulaiman, the mother of a slain UPSC aspirant who was shot dead during the anti-CAA protests in Bijnor. Begum, also a leading voice against the controversial citizenship law in Bijnor, got her nomination cancelled at the last moment for a missing signature. I was told it was cancelled because there was not the signature of the party head on my form. Other candidates nominations werent scrutinized that much, Begum said.

Her son, Suhaib Malik, the elder brother of Sulaiman was extremely disappointed by the administrative attitude. They kept postponing us since the last day and wanted us out. It was all done at the behest of administration. Begum has raised this in court, but the poll officials ruling meant she was effectively out of the race.

On the day of her cancelled nomination, Bijnor District Congress head, Sherbaaz Pathan, was extremely disturbed. Her nomination was cancelled on a technicality because they were afraid of her popularity among the people. All our work has gone to waste. What can one do if they dont even allow us to contest?.

Zeyad Masroor is a journalist and writer. He tweets at @zeyadkhan
In honor of Black History Month, the Santa Maria-Lompoc NAACP chapter hosted a celebration out front of the Santa Maria Public Library, last Saturday. "It's about struggle, but it's also about resiliency and triumph," explained Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt, NAACP branch president. "It was a beautiful day and celebration."
Downtown Madison is not new to the debate over historic monuments. But thanks to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and a UW-Madison art professor, State Streets iconography is now home to a new kind of monument.

The museum unveiled its newest installation Tuesday evening, Blueprint, a 12,000-pound limestone sculpture designed by Faisal AbduAllah. For AbduAllah, it is a deeply personal piece that aims to reimagine the role of identity in public art.

In Blueprint, AbduAllah is seated in a barbers chair, representing the place where he has formed bonds, celebrated culture and learned about life in his boyhood London.

The barber shop is constantly evolving, AbduAllah said after the unveiling.

Every day theres news. Every day theres another topic of discussion that is a part of public consciousness, he said. I felt that the chair was of great significance to me as an object and for the power that it was able to transform in peoples lives.

A fan of encoding meaning into his art, Blueprint contains two additional meanings both tangible and intangible. The u in Blueprint is to the power of 3, reflecting the three us in the Zulu word Ubuntu, an African concept referring to the interconnected nature of humanity. One persons humanity, AbduAllah said, is inextricably bound up in anothers.

Another more obvious part of the work is a quote from renowned Black author James Baldwin on the back, which reads: Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot love within.

Discussions of creating Blueprint began in 2017, when museum staff learned that AbduAllah was discussing with his students the nationwide removal of Confederate monuments. For the printmaking professor, simply erasing the statutes from public life didnt solve the problem. Instead, he envisioned what he called counter monuments, which introduced alternative histories to public space.

He was saying to his students that instead of spending millions of dollars to take these monuments down, invest in artists of color to create new ones, said Leah Kolb, MMOCAs curator of exhibitions.

To me, the piece is about who gets memorialized, AbduAllah said in an interview with the State Journal earlier this month. Who gets commemorated, and what are the stories we are told?

From there, MMOCA commissioned the piece and in early 2020 enlisted Madisons Quarra Stone Co. to carry out the stone-carving process.

Quarra scanned AbduAllah with a 3-D scanner, then used computer-operated robots to carve the Indiana limestone. Fine details were carved by stone carver and sculptor Martin Foot.

AbduAllah chose to leave some of the marks from the robotic stone-carving equipment on the piece, as evidence of the artistic process.

While selecting what material to use for the statue, stone like granite and marble had a sort of institution attached to it and it doesnt seem to be negotiable, AbduAllah said.

He eventually settled on Indiana limestone since it better reflected the human experience.

It aligns itself with the human body, because it comes out of the ground soft and over time it hardens, the artist remarked. As you go through life and you learn, you become hardened.

The installation of Blueprint is a precursor to the upcoming exhibition of AbduAllahs work at MMOCA titled Dark Matter, opening in September. That exhibit will feature a wide range of AbduAllahs work, including prints and other sculptures.

Its his exploration of how people navigate the world based on DNA, Kolb said.

As for the future of Blueprint as a permanent fixture on State Street, that is yet to be decided. The city grants the permit on a year-to-year basis, meaning the museum would potentially have to be in a constant state of reapplying.

The idea is to have it permanent, Kolb said. But I think the goal is to have it up certainly through the run of the exhibit.

State Journal reporter Gayle Worland contributed to this report.

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A deep dive into how global warming threatens the boreal forests  the loss of which threatens us all.

"The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth" by Ben Rawlence; St. Martin's Press (304 pages, $29.99)



The Indigenous people of Canada's northern woods "do not imagine humans as separate from the land, but as part of a total system.  The water, the trees, the animals, plants, wind and rain are all spirits who share the land and with whom they must negotiate for finite resources."

Ben Rawlence learned this during a visit with members of the Anishinaabe first nation, one stop on his trip to six boreal forests around the world (Scotland, Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada and Greenland) to research his important new book, "The Treeline."

Hopefully, most people already know how consequential trees are to the ecosystem: how they suck carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen; how leaves capture impurities in the air. But forests do much more.

For one thing, there is a complex and not yet entirely understood relationship between forest systems and world "water cycles, atmospheric circulation, carbon storage."

"Spruce forests in Alaska and northern Canada have a direct connection to the rainfall in America's breadbasket," where wheat harvests declined in both 2019 and 2020, suggesting that Native beliefs about the connective tissue linking all aspects of the natural world are something we should be paying far more attention to.

Not surprisingly, what Rawlence discovers is distressing. "The boreal forest is breaking apart." These ancient trees that are a "source of wonder," now sadly "no longer offer comfort, but warning."

Because of global warming, these important habitats now face the same threat as forests in more temperate climes.

In Siberia, for example, "the fire interval was previously five to 30 years, depending upon rainfall." Now, because weather patterns have changed, fires are an annual event. They are hotter and last longer, which makes it more difficult for trees to reestablish themselves.

Cold winters used to eliminate "even the hardiest of all insect larva, a process that kept the Arctic pristine and pest free in the summer." No longer.

Unrelated to the trees, warming is also melting the permafrost, releasing "methane, a greenhouse gas 85 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its warming efforts."

The book is at times a bit of a slog. Rawlence occasionally repeats himself. He presupposes a level of scientific knowledge (and vocabulary) not every reader will bring.

But it is worth the effort. We're already beginning to feel the impact of climate change through droughts, food insecurity and supply chain problems. Rawlence offers no solution, but notes that understanding the danger we face and "accepting that the status quo is irretrievable is also the door to action."



Curt Schleier is a New Jersey-based book critic.
Two ATVs have fallen through the ice on Lake Mendota in separate incidents over two days this week, prompting the Dane County Sheriffs Office to issue a warning Tuesday about unsafe conditions.

Although much of Madison was covered in a sheet of ice Tuesday, fluctuating temperatures have caused ice to deteriorate and created ice pockets on lakes in the area, particularly Lake Mendota. Conditions on the lakes are unsafe, especially for ATVs and snowmobiles, the Sheriffs Office said.

On Monday, an ATV broke through the ice just off of Mendota County Park, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told the Sheriffs Office.

The driver escaped to solid ice, but his ATV is now at the bottom of the lake, about 20 feet underwater, the Sheriffs Office siad.

On Tuesday, Madison fire crews rescued a man after he fell through the ice while driving an ATV on Lake Mendota near Picnic Point, the Fire Department said.

The departments Lake Rescue Team responded to the area of North Park Street and Observatory Drive shortly after 12:30 p.m. for a report of an ATV that broke through the ice, spokesperson Bernadette Galvez said.

The team used an airboat to rescue the ATV driver, who was between Picnic Point and Bishops Bay. He was brought to shore uninjured, Galvez said.

Galvez said the owner had proper floatation devices on the ATV, but all four wheels were under water. He will have to make arrangements to remove the ATV from the lake.

Please use extreme caution on any area lakes, the Sheriffs Office said. Although these incidents took place on Lake Mendota, similar conditions are likely on other Dane County lakes.

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A Genoa City man was arrested after a shotgun robbery of a Janesville convenience store on Tuesday afternoon, Janesville police reported.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, police were sent to an armed robbery at the store at 1840 Beloit Ave., officer Shawn Welte said in a statement.

Officers were told that a man armed with a shotgun entered the store, threatened the employee, and demanded money, before fleeing in a vehicle, Welte said.

A short time later, police located the suspect vehicle, a silver Subaru, in a parking lot on Dupont Drive; evidence from the robbery, including the firearm believed to be used, in and around the vehicle; and a person associated with the vehicle, Kevin Rolseth, 28, Welte said.

Rolseth was arrested and taken to the Rock County Jail on tentative charges of armed robbery and operating a motor vehicle without owners consent, Welte said.

[Correction: The village Rolseth is from was wrong in an earlier version of this story.]

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Edgewood College is taking a two-pronged approach in phasing out its mask mandate, officials announced Tuesday.

Masks will remain required in classrooms and labs until at least April 1. In other indoor public spaces on campus, masks will be encouraged but not required beginning March 1.

Individual offices, at the discretion of supervisors, may continue to require masks through April 1.

Edgewood College reported four active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday.

UW-Madison plans to lift its mask mandate March 12. Madison Area Technical College is keeping its mandate in place through March 13 and in discussions about whether to lift or extend it.

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Conservatives on Wisconsins natural resources board have approved weakened regulations for toxic "forever chemicals" in public water supplies but killed a rule to limit them in groundwater, which one in four residents with private wells rely on for drinking water.

In the face of widespread public support, the Natural Resources Board voted 3-3 with one abstention Wednesday to reject rules to limit certain fluorinated compounds known as PFAS in groundwater.

The board later voted to approve weakened PFAS standards for public drinking water, which apply to municipal systems, trailer parks, schools and other institutions where people get drinking water on a regular basis.

The vote scraps two and a half years of work by the Department of Natural Resources to set groundwater standards for contaminants found in wells across the state, including in Madison.

The synthetic chemicals, which do not break down naturally, have been linked to health problems including low birth weight, cancer and liver disease, and have been shown to make vaccines less effective.

After heated debate, members appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker sided with industry lobbyists who questioned the science put forward by state health officials and the DNRs economic impact estimates.

Theres been a lot of negativity toward chemicals -- theyre bad -- spoken here today, said Bill Bruins. If we pass this rule its like biting the hand that feeds us.

Board member Fred Prehn said he didnt believe the proposed groundwater rule met statutory requirements.

Im a rules follower, said Prehn, who has refused to step down since his term ended in May as Republicans in the Senate have denied a confirmation hearing for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers nominee to replace him.

Terry Hilgenberg, who abstained without explanation, said he didn't trust the Department of Health Services scientists.

I dont want to be COVIDed here, Hilgenberg said, citing variances in local public health guidelines. When I come to the Peoples Republic of Madison, I have to wear a mask, and it's ridiculous. ... I dont have trust in the DHS.

Hilgenberg also said he didnt believe the DNRs economic impact statement based on a conversation with a northeast Wisconsin well digger.

That prompted a rebuke from DNR Secretary Preston Cole.

Youre not going to take us on and say somehow you believe it to be true because you talked to a guy, Cole said. Listen to yourself.

DNR staff later pointed out that Hilgenberg had conflated the cost estimates for private and municipal wells.

Chair Greg Kazmierski tried unsuccessfully to amend the proposed groundwater standard to the Environmental Protection Agencys existing health advisory, which is 3.5 times higher than the DNRs proposed standard.

The board later voted 6-1 to reject the DNRs proposed 20 parts per trillion standard for public drinking water supplies and instead adopt the EPAs 70 ppt guideline. Recently released EPA documents show negative health effects can occur at less than 1 ppt.

Environmental advocates accused the board of playing political games and ignoring science.

As a result, more Wisconsinites will be unnecessarily exposed to toxic chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, impairment of the immune system and other diseases, said Tony Wilkin Gibart, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates.

That rule will now require approval by Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature's rules committee.

Mike Mikalsen, an aide to committee co-chair Sen. Steve Nass, said Nass still needs to review the final versions before reaching any conclusions but the changes made by the board "improve the chances" of legislative approval.

Critical reception

The board received dozens of public comments in support of the standards and heard pleas from local leaders in cities with contaminated water supplies.

Peshtigo town chair Cindy Boyle broke down in tears as she described her communitys plight and her own battle with cancer.

For four and a half years I have been fighting every single day to set PFOA/PFOS standards, Boyle said. Im not embarrassed. Im exhausted. Im pissed off. Our community needs and deserves protection.

Lee Donahue, a supervisor in the La Crosse County town of Campbell, described how residents unknowingly drank contaminated well water for years.

Its like a ticking time bomb, Donahue said. You know its in your body and you cant get it out. You seek a safe alternative drinking water source, and you pray for enforceable water standards.

Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg, who earlier this month revealed that all six of the citys wells have PFAS concentrations above the proposed standard -- but below the levels adopted -- said the lack of regulations has left local governments in the worst form of regulatory limbo.

The public trust is shattered, she said. Municipalities cant shoulder the burdens of doing the right thing by ourselves. Please dont punt.

Prehn, a Wausau dentist, accused Rosenberg of creating hysteria and psychosis.

The bottom line is its a forever chemical and youre never going to remove all of it, he said. You want an instant fix to a problem thats been around for generations.

Proposed rules

Developed over the past two years with input from industry and environmental groups as well as hundreds of concerned citizens, the proposed rules targeted just two of the most extensively studied compounds, PFOS and PFOA.

If approved by the Legislature, the new rules on groundwater would have enabled the DNR to force polluters to clean up spills or face fines if concentrations exceed the standards. The proposed rule also included new or adjusted standards for 20 additional contaminants, including hexavalent chromium.

All told, the DNR estimated it would have cost the states businesses and local governments about $6 million per year to comply with the new regulations, while Wisconsin residents could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in avoided health care costs associated with low birth weight and high blood pressure attributed to PFAS.

The proposed drinking water standards are similar to those adopted by Illinois but less restrictive than those in Minnesota and Michigan, which have also adopted surface water standards.

Scott Manley, a lobbyist for Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, argued the rules are unlawful because the DNR underestimated the costs of compliance and state law prohibits combined standards for more than one substance.

Other industry representatives urged the board to delay regulation until the EPA establishes federal standards, which they warned will likely be more stringent than the DNRs.

The EPA in January decided to establish federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, though such regulations would not be in place until 2026.

Were comparing human health with corporate profits, said Peshtigo supervisor Kayla Furton. If corporate profits were removed from this equation there would be no opposition.

The board later voted unanimously to adopt the DNRs recommended limits for PFOA and PFOS in surface waters.

The rule limits PFOS, which tends to accumulate in fish, at 8 ppt except in waters that cannot naturally support fish or feed other fisheries. The limit for PFOA is 20 ppt in waters that supply drinking water and 95 ppt elsewhere, which the DNR said is a safe level for swimmers.

Permit holders would have more than seven years to come into compliance with the rule, which the DNR estimates will result in about $2.1 million in added costs for about 48 businesses, primarily paper mills, metal finishers, chemical manufacturers and commercial laundries.

In addition, the DNR estimates 23 municipal wastewater treatment plants would need to add filtration to comply with the standards.

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In a Capitol rife with partisan disagreement, one thing Wisconsin lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have agreed on for decades is that when it comes to the states finances, Bob Langs word is gospel.

Lang, who has served in the states nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau since 1971, with more than 40 years spent as the agencys director, is known by Republicans and Democrats alike as Wisconsins most authoritative figure when it comes to state financial outlooks and fiscal analyses on bills and a constant aid throughout the complicated biennial budget process.

On Wednesday, the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership presented Lang with its inaugural Tommy G. Thompson Distinguished Public Leadership Award, an accolade presented to individuals who have committed themselves to public service, worked tirelessly to advance sound public policy, and exhibited virtuous leadership.

How in the hell can anybody spend 50 years in this Capitol and have everybody say nice things about them? Thompson, the former longtime Republican governor, said at Wednesdays award ceremony. Theres only one person, and thats the individual that were honoring.

Lang and the bureaus roughly 30 staff members provide regular assistance to lawmakers on proposed legislation and are a near-constant presence during the biennial budget process, which involves thousands of pages of analysis and hours of debate. The agency also serves as staff for the Joint Finance Committee.

Although this award is presented to me, it is clearly a recognition of those individuals, former and current, Lang said. Each day I am proud to be a part of this organization and honored to be with them in our work for the Legislature and the people of our state.

A native of Menasha, Lang received his bachelors degree in history from Beloit College before serving as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army in Vietnam. After receiving his masters degree in political science and education from UW-Madison, Lang was hired as an analyst with the fiscal bureau by Dale Cattanach, who started the agency a few years earlier.

The Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution, AJR 141, honoring Langs career and public service, which spans more than four decades and the administrations of nine governors, from Patrick Lucey to Tony Evers, both Democrats.

The impact that youve had on the Legislature is more special than you probably realize, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said to Lang. Its both parties, both chambers, outside the building, inside the building, in the administration  you are the gold standard.

Langs agency also provided analyses to both sides of the aisle at the height of contentious debates over former Gov. Scott Walkers Act 10 legislation that drastically limited collective bargaining rights for most state and local workers in 2011.

Lang was tasked with calling the roll in an explosive and hastily called committee meeting in which legislative Republicans pushed through the measure after Senate Democrats fled the state in an attempt to halt the vote.

Sen. Janet Bewley, D-Mason, who joined the state Assembly at the start of the battle over Act 10, recalled Lang as someone who used numbers with kindness and utmost respect.

He gave us the information fairly and we always knew we could count on it, Bewley said. It was like a foundation that did not quake.

Wednesdays award wasnt the first time Lang has been recognized for his role in the state. In 2007, the National Conference of State Legislatures awarded him the Steven D. Gold Award, which recognizes significant contributions to public financial management in intergovernmental relations and state and local finance.

Outside the fiscal bureau, Lang has served in multiple leadership roles, including with the La Follette School of Public Affairs Board of Visitors. He also has been recognized for his service by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, Rotary Club of Madison and United Way of Dane County.

Youve honored every organization youve belonged to, you extol a degree of leadership, fondness and friendship wherever you go, Thompson said. Dont you ever retire.

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GOODING  Walking in the front door of the Gooding Basque Association on dinner night feels like being adopted into a massive family.

With a volume level that would never be allowed inside a classroom, the cultural center is filled with the sound of hearty laughter and a mix of different languages.

And the mouth-watering aromas from the kitchen will stop you in your tracks.

Basque people are all very friendly, and very talkative and very loud, very loud, said Julie Gough, Gooding Basque Association secretary. And food is a big part of their lives.

On the first Friday of each month, the Gooding Basque Association holds a dinner, open to the public. Basque refers to a southwestern European ethnic group.

Community members spend hours preparing traditional foods such as lamb chops, lamb shanks, ham, Basque rice, soup, and Basque bread. The menu changes each month.

A lot of people think that they dont like lamb because they havent had it prepared right or butchered right and so a lot of times they think it tastes like wool, Gough said. Usually if we get them to taste it they change their minds.

Deserts include flan, cheesecake, pastries and more.

The dinner is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors over the age of 62, and $10 for kids 12 and under.

Proceeds go toward covering food costs. Lamb for instance is incredibly expensive, Gough said. The money also helps the association pay for the cultural center, which was built in 2002.

But Friday dinners mean more to members than just raising money, it means keeping their culture alive.

Asun Bedialauneta grew up in Basque Country in the 1970s during dictator Franciso Francos rule.

Franco wanted to have the power all over and eliminate us, Bedialauneta said.

Basque people werent allowed to gather in groups of five or more in the streets, she said. It was also frowned upon to speak or sing in Basque.

Friday dinners provide an opportunity to unite with her family and celebrate her language and traditions. Her favorite part of the meal is the lamb, which is typically a rare treat for Basques because of the price.

On Fridays, the cultural center is decorated with Basque flags and Lauburu. Lauburu, which translates to four heads, is a symbol that represents a lot of things, said Jana Jayo Cole, the president of the Gooding Basque Association.

The symbol looks like a cross but with each arm shaped like a comma. It is considered a symbol of prosperity. Some people say it represents the four regions of Basque Country, Jayo Cole said. The Basque County is comprised of seven provinces, four Spanish and three French. Ninety percent of all Basques live in the Spanish provinces of Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Araba, and Nafarroa, according to the Basque Museum in Boise.

Basque immigrants arrived in the Magic Valley in the 1800s and often worked as sheepherders.

It is a common misconception that Basques were sheepherders in their home countries.

Being a sheepherder wasnt normal for them, she said.

Most Basque were whalers, fishermen or worked in factories in Europe. When they arrived in the U.S. sheepherding was an easy profession because many of them didnt speak English.

She encourages everyone in the community to try the Friday dinner at least once.

This dinner is open to the public, Basque and non-Basque alike, Jayo Cole said. We want everyone to come enjoy our center, enjoy our food and enjoy our company.

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